I like the look of the Camaro a lot, and the convertible continues looking great. The car is planned to have a V8 6.2 liter engine producing an impressive 580 hp. Not sure about a 0-60mph time, but with that much horsepower it should be respectable at least.
You can read more about it HERE.
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Love the look of this car, and having 300 horsepower wouldn't be a bad thing. Here's the press release:
NEW ALFA ROMEO ENGINE TO BE PRODUCED IN ITALY
A new gasoline direct injection turbo engine for Alfa Romeo is to be developed in Italy for production at the FMA plant in Pratola Serra beginning in early 2013.
Designed for both transverse and longitudinal applications, the new 4-cylinder engine will have a displacement of 1.8 litres and maximum output of 300 hp, setting a new performance standard in its category. It will also be compliant with future emissions standards in both Europe (Euro 6) and the U.S. (Tier 2 Bin 5).
Made entirely of aluminium, the engine will incorporate the most advanced technological content, including a 200-bar gasoline direct injection system, dual variable timing and a high-efficiency turbocharger.
The all-aluminium design, combined with the most innovative technologies, will offer a power-to-weight ratio figure, fuel efficiency, acoustic and vibrational comfort, and driving performance that are the very best in its category and characteristic of Alfa Romeo engines.
"This is an extremely important step for Alfa Romeo, as we continue to reposition our brand and prepare it for global distribution. The United States remains our primary objective as we prepare for a 2013 introduction of our models," added Harald J. Wester, Fiat's Chief Technology Officer and head of the Alfa Romeo and Maserati Brands. "The dedication of Group-wide resources to develop specific powertrain solutions for the specific needs of Alfa Romeo is a reflection of the renewed thrust we are placing on the development of this brand. This is a first step in a series of initiatives to be implemented in the near future which will reconnect Alfa Romeo to its historical roots as a premium Italian sports car brand."
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I'd love to go to the SEMA show, and once you throw in Vegas and a nice list of exotic cars, and this is my favorite sweepstakes in quite a while. Only wish there was a little cash in the mix. Here's the blurb about it from the site:
Feel the tight hairpin turns. Hit 200mph with total control…and don't forget to brag to your friends, thanks to Eastwood!
- Win a 4-day, 3-night Trip to Las Vegas (Airfare and hotel included.)
- Drive 5 exotic dream cars including several Lamborghinis,
- Ferraris, and an Aston Martin—top speeds up to 211mph!
- Strap yourself in for a ride-along experience with a professional racecar driver in a Porsche GT3 RS
- FREE entry into SEMA—The largest aftermarket auto exhibition anywhere!
Get ready enthusiasts for the ride of your life! First, we'll fly you to Las Vegas and put you up in a top notch hotel. Once you're settled in, you'll hang around with us—hardcore car buffs from Eastwood at the big 2011 SEMA Show, the largest automotive aftermarket exhibition anywhere!
Then, after some much-needed rest, we're puttin' you behind the wheel of five exotic dream cars, including the 640hp Lamborghini Murcielago LP640, Lamborghini Superleggera LP570, Ferrari 430 Scuderia, Ferrari 458 Italia, and an Aston Martin V8 Vantage. Then, you'll take a couple of exhilarating laps in a Porsche GT3 RS with a professional racecar driver at the wheel! Then, we'll fly you back home with hundreds of great ideas for your next project and the lifelong satisfaction of driving the cars of your dreams!
The sweepstakes runs until October 14, 2011, and you can enter it HERE.
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Great looking concept car that was created to explore the future performance hybrid options. The car is powered by a supercharged 3.0-liter V6 producing 375HP, that will go from 0-62 mph in 4.4 seconds, with a top speed of 186 mph.
There's a lot of other features on the car, and you can read all of the details over at the Jaguar site HERE.
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I really like the look of the car, so hopefully that might see the light of day. Though Ford is pretty clear that this car isn't going to make it into production. It sounds like they crammed everything cool they could think of into it, just to show off some of their ideas. Here's some of the details:
FRANKFURT, Germany — The Ford Evos Concept, a futuristic fastback that harks back to classic GT cars but is so loaded with technology that it can "suggest a healthier route to the destination," will debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show.
The Ford Evos Concept is a plug-in hybrid with lithium-ion batteries, along with four gullwing doors and a four-passenger cabin. Don't expect to see the dramatic doors on a production Ford, but the Evos Concept's face is likely to make it into the real world. It features what Ford calls a "higher-mounted trapezoidal grille."
"You will never see this car on the road," said Ford in a statement, adding that the one-off concept showcases "a new vision for customer-focused and intuitive technologies." But the Dearborn automaker hastened to point out that the Evos Concept is more than a 2-ton smartphone.
"The intent is not to convert the vehicle into a smartphone, but rather to provide personalized and safe connection to the outside world in an enriching manner," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president of global product development.
The Evos Concept seems to straddle two worlds. Ford says it created the concept to satisfy a growing consumer desire for more premium-looking and technical designs, even in basic transportation. Still, the Evos Concept has some old-school styling cues that will be familiar to Baby Boomers. Ford said it wanted to "create the impression of a classic GT car, but with a very contemporary feel."
On the futuristic side of the ledger, the Evos Concept takes Ford's wellness push to the next level. The automaker said the Evos is "location aware" and — with the help of advanced air quality sensors and access to air quality data — can "proactively suggest a healthier route to the destination."
"With information from the cloud, the vehicle can provide the same connected lifestyle the driver experiences at the home or office," said Ford. "The car knows the driver, and automatically adapts handling, steering and engine controls to deliver an exceptionally dynamic driving experience."
Ford said the vehicle will have access to such data as the "driver's work schedule and local traffic or weather conditions."
The connection between car and driver will be so intimate that it could even reset "your alarm clock to let you sleep in," Ford said.
Other sensors and cloud connectivity will provide "access to historical driver behavior and travel patterns," the automatic said. Such information will calculate optimal fuel and energy efficiency by predicting the destination.
"The cloud-optimized powertrain would automatically 'know' when to save energy and switch modes, using information about the vehicle's predicted travel route, any emissions zone restrictions during the journey and current weather conditions," Ford said.
The cabin reflects the trapezoidal grille with trapezoidal cut-outs, along with a red driver seat. The rear passengers get adjustable sports seats and touchscreen displays.
You can see more pictures of the car over at the Inside Line website HERE.
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Nice looking car, but I'm not sure I'd get one. It's just a little odd to me. Though I do like Maseratis.
The car has a longitudinal front V8 engine that produces 450hp, and is the creation of Italian designer Andrea Spaggiari. You can see more picture of the car over at Cars World Blog over HERE.
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I both love and hate concept cars. Love them because they're usually impressive, and a little hate because most of them will never see the light of day. The Cadillac Ciel is one of those cars. Hopefully this sees the light of day. Here's the details:
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Cadillac today unveiled the Ciel concept, an elegant, open-air grand-touring car inspired by the natural beauty of the California coast.
The Ciel – pronounced “C-L,” the French translation for sky – is a four-seat convertible that opens a new chapter in Cadillac’s design and product ascent, pushing the brand’s Art & Science philosophy into a new stratum. Ciel is a new expression of Cadillac’s historical grandeur, as well as a celebration of open-air motoring.
“Large, expressive luxury is innate to Cadillac and the Ciel recalls that heritage, while suggesting where the brand can go in the future,” said Clay Dean, global design director for Cadillac. “Authentic luxury is driven by experiences, not just products, and Ciel is about the experience of the journey.”
The spacious and elegant Ciel is a grand gesture that explores themes driving Cadillac’s explorations into range-topping flagship luxury. It is powered by a twin-turbocharged version of the 3.6-liter Direct Injection V-6 engine, paired with a hybrid system using lithium-ion battery technology.
You can read more about it, and check out more pictures, over at the GM site HERE.
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General Motors has announced that the 2009 Cadillac Converj concept car will go into production, and renamed the Cadillac ELR.
This is really the luxury version of the Chevy Volt. Plans are that it will have the same type of lithium-ion battery based electric propulsion system, and a 4-cylinder engine/generator for extended range.
"The concept generated instant enthusiasm," Vice President-Cadillac Marketing Don Butler said to CNN Money. "Like other milestone Cadillac models of the past, the ELR will offer something not otherwise present – the combination of electric propulsion with striking design and the fun of luxury coupe driving."
There's still a lot about the car that hasn't been announced yet, including final specifications, when it will be available, and most importantly its price. Since the Volt costs around $45,000 currently, it could end up somewhere in the $60k range, though that's complete speculation on my part.
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Classic Recreations is an Oklahoma based company that has the rights to make licensed replicas of the Shelby GT500.
The company is now also going to recreate the GT350CR, which is based on a 1965-1966 Mustang Fastback. The GT350CR will come with a 545-horsepower V8 and authentic Shelby Performance Parts. There's no official date when the first of these will be available to actually drive, but Classic Recreations is taking pre-orders, starting at $119,000.
You can read more about it over at the Autoblog site HERE.
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Very cool car. On the downside, it doesn't have anything inside of it, including an engine. So even if you win the auction, which is estimated at $150,000 – $200,000, you still have to put an engine in it, some seats, and whatever else is missing. Here's the details:
- Offered by Ford Motor Company
- Proceeds to Benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
For nearly fifty years, Carroll Shelby and the Ford Motor Company have collaborated on some of the most successful, attractive and downright thrilling race and street cars in the company’s history. In 2004, Shelby worked closely with Ford Design and the Advanced Product Creation group to produce the Ford Shelby Cobra concept. It was based on the Ford GT platform and was a huge success at the 2004 North American International Auto Show unveiling. Reinforcing Ford’s commitment to cutting-edge design and performance excellence, the Cobra concept garnered “Best in Show” honors in Detroit.
Continuing on the success of the Shelby Cobra-inspired concept, Ford took it one step further by unveiling the Ford Shelby GR-1 concept at the 2004 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in August.
The Ford Shelby GR-1 took life at the Irvine Advanced Design Studio as a sketch by young designer George Saridakis. The initial drawing caught the attention of the Irvine Design team and most notably head of Ford Design J. Mays. He remarked that it wasn’t a case of needing more ideation but rather getting the GR-1 into clay right away. Remarkably only three sketches of the car were created.
Also based on the Ford GT platform, the GR-1 concept is a front-engine, two-seat, fastback supercar whose design pays homage to the 1964 Shelby Daytona Coupe. Its athletic shape and muscular proportions give the GR-1 the allusion of speed and strength even when standing still. The race-inspired design is forward-looking while retaining its Shelby heritage.
Like the Daytona Coupe, Ford’s concept has a beautifully long hood that blends seamlessly with the teardrop-shaped cabin. Up front, the large air dam is complemented by two large hood vents. Beneath its muscular arches, the GR-1 sits on elegant, 12-spoke 19" wheels inspired by the original ’64 Shelby. The dramatic fenders give the GR-1 a very aggressive stance that is further enforced by its curvaceous rear haunches. Defining the rear of the car is the distinctive Kamm tail that is finished with additional vents, quad exhaust ports and unique vertical tail lamps.
Few collaborators have yielded a greater automotive heritage than the Ford Motor Company and Carroll Shelby. With five decades of racing history, the partnership continues to create incredible road-going machines as well as out-of-this-world concepts that not only perform on the track but also inspire future design. Offered here is an extremely unique concept from the Ford Design Studio that pushes the boundaries of design while evoking the Shelby racing dominance of the past. It is one of only two such vehicles and was unveiled as a fiberglass platform model prior to the 2005 NAIAS debut of the polished aluminum, driving model. Please note that Ford will provide all proceeds from the sale of the 2005 Ford Shelby GR-1 concept platform to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
As a platform model, this car does not contain an engine, drivetrain or interior.
You can see more pictures of the car, and bid on it if you like, over at the RM Auction site HERE.
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