The 5.0-liter V8-powered 2011 Ford Mustang GT was unveiled at the NAIAS yesterday. The beefy engine produces 412-horsepower and up to 390 ft-lb of torque to power the car to 60mph in under 4.7 seconds.
Ford’s upgrade of the engine from a 4.6-liter V8 accounts for a 97-horsepower and 65 ft-lb increase. Even with the bigger, more robust engine efficiency is increased slightly. Using the six-speed automatic generates a 17/25mpg rating. A six-speed manual will also be available, though no improvement in the 16/24mpg rating is expected.
With more power, you would expect the Brembo brakes to be standard, but they are being sold separately, as are the new 19-inch alloys. Standard equipment will include a new suspension, electronic power-assisted steering, and a more aerodynamic rear decklid.
Pricing on the 2011 Ford Mustang GT has not yet been revealed.
The press previews for Detroit’s 2009 North American International Auto Show are over, so here is a quick video to recap the show’s highlights and biggest debuts.
While there is quite some uncertainty in the car industry, many manufacturers unveiled concepts, redesigned models and more.
In 1997, Prius went on sale in Japan as the world’s first mass-produced, gas-electric, hybrid vehicle. In 2000, Prius came to America, where it now has the highest owner loyalty in the industry. It’s also the world’s best-selling hybrid with more than one million sold in 44 countries. Prius has proven that hybrid technology is viable, durable, and one of the best ways to preserve our environment and maximize our natural resources. As a result hybrid technology is now a mainstream option being adopted by automakers and people everywhere.
The features and performance of the new midsize Prius that you’ll see in a few moments are superior to anything we have ever built. And along with building a better car, we will make it available in more places. We plan to sell this new Prius in eighty countries worldwide, nearly twice as many as today. Depending on market conditions, our global sales objective will be about 400,000 units per year by 2010. That will put Prius near the top of our best-selling vehicles around the world along with Camry and Corolla.
Volkswagen has released a new promotional video featuring the Volkswagen Concept BlueSport roadster. The video allows you to see the car from every angle.
See more information and high-res photos of the VW Concept BlueSport in our earlier post.
Lamborghini is showing two new exclusive versions of the Murciélago LP 640 and Gallardo LP 560-4 at the Detroit Auto Show.
These special models are examples of the company’s Ad Personam individualization program that allows customers to have their car built to their particular specifications. Both supercars are highly customized models in a matt blue that is meant to make the cars look “elegant and refined, yet extremely powerful and dynamic.”
The only real limiting factor in the Ad Personam individualization program is the owner’s imagination and the size of their wallet, so options are pretty much endless.
Here are the first photos of the Fisker Karma, a new four-door hybrid sports sedan, which we acquired ahead of the car’s debut on the Detroit Auto Show. Fisker will present the car at the Auto Show at 1:10pm Detroit time.
It is definitely a very beautiful machine. But that’s no surprise, considering the team behind Fisker designed the Aston Martin DB9 and V8 Vantage, as well as the BMW Z8 Roadster.
The sports car can travel up to 50 miles on battery power alone. This electric motor gets the Karma from 0-60mph in under six seconds, and reaches a top speed of 125 mph.
The Karma is planned for a 15,000 production run, with the first 99 being signed and numbered by CEO Henrik Fisker. That first set of cars will also have the same trim and color as the vehicle on display today at the Auto Show.
The new Fisker Karma has a base price of $80,000, and goes on sale today at their stand in Detroit. Delivery will begin at the end of this year.
As a preview for the tyling of the 2010 production model, Volvo revealed the Volvo S60 Concept at the Detroit Auto Show today.
Designers call the exterior design dynamic and full of character, and state that their inspiration came from Scandinavian design and the Swedish coastline. These influences are the reason behind the double-wave design that runs along the profile of the car.
Like any other Volvo, safety plays an important role in the design and functioning of the car. Volvo engineers have equipped the S60 Concept with several new systems such as Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake and pedestrian detection, a heads-up display warning system and an updated version of Adaptive Cruise Control.
Audi has unveiled the Sportback Concept at the Detroit Motor Show today.
The German car manufacturer admits the design is coupe-influenced, which is also evident in the four seat arrangement (eg. two rear seats instead of three) of the Sportback Concept. Audi seems to be following a trend with this car, as coupe sedans have only been a recent development. Models such as the VW Passat CC, Mercedes-Benz CLS and the BMW X6 are the most obvious examples.
The Sportback Concept is powered by a 3.0 liter V6 diesel generating 225 bhp and will be the cleanest diesel yet from Audi.
- click picture for the high-res Audi R8 V10 Quattro gallery -
Audi is showing off their top-model R8 V10 5.2 Quattro at the Detroit Auto Show. Make sure you check out the high-res images!
The long-awaited R8 V10 5.2 FSI made its official world debut at this year’s show. Powered by a 5.2L V10 taken from the Gallardo LP560-4 mounted amidships, the new R8 now has 525 horsepower and 391 lb-ft torque. A few minor things have been updated on the exterior and this version includes all-LED headlights, wide side sills, and new 19-inch 10-spoke wheels.
- click picture for the high-res VW Concept BlueSport gallery -
Volkswagen’s Concept BlueSport was unveiled in Detroit as a study car in combining great fuel economy with a sporty looks. The mid-engined roadster has a 2.0-litre TDI engine producing 180 bhp, claiming to take just 6.6 seconds to reach 0 - 100km/hof and has a top speed of 226km/h (140mph). A 6-speed dual clutch transmission – the most economical and agile transmission system in the world – transfers this power to the rear wheels. Gears can be changed either automatically or via shift paddles on the steering wheel.
The car named the Concept BlueSport and presented in Flex Silver painted and sporting an orange coloured fabric roof – was designed by the team led by Klaus Bischoff (Director of Design for the Volkswagen Brand) and Thomas Ingenlath (Director of the Design Center in Potsdam). “The design of the Concept BlueSport,” says Klaus Bischoff, “represents a perfect synthesis of technology and aesthetics. Its form is very clear and is reduced to essentials; the car body itself has a lean and linear structure.” Thomas Ingenlath adds: “Emanating powerfully from this car body are the circular wheel housings, flared out in three dimensions as in a sculture. The radial surfaces, edges and blending of forms emphasize the wheels and thereby the agility of the BlueSport concept car. The lateral air intakes are identifying features of the mid-engine layout, their volume-reducing design offers visualization of the car’s sporty low weight.”
When looking at the design you will notice the Concept BlueSport is characterized by a new Volkswagen design language introduced for the first time on the Scirocco and the new Golf. It is based on a ‘design DNA’ that will leave its mark on all new Volkswagens.
