Jim Miles Fast Cars

The all-new Charger will once again receive a slight makeover later this fall, although this time it’ll get musclecar mascara from Chrysler’s Street and Racing Technology (SRT) team. Not only is the new 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 more powerful than the last go-fast rendition, but according to preliminary test data, it’s more efficient, too.

The new SRT8 Charger’s improved efficiency is achieved in part by the addition of Chrysler’s adaptive valve exhaust system and Fuel Saver technology. The latter switches the all-new 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 into a four-cylinder mode that’s activated over a wider rpm range, thus minimizing consumption. By exactly how much has yet to be announced, but for a reference point, the last Challenger SRT8 powered by the 6.1-liter V-8 was rated 13/19 mpg city/highway. An active intake manifold and high-lift camshaft on the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 optimize low-end grunt for even more speed when you want it.

Each of the SRT8′s 465 horses and 465 pound-feet of torque are routed to sticky 20-inch rear rubber through the brand’s well worn W5A580 AutoStick five-speed automatic. Yes, we know, it’s no pistol-grip six-speed manual (say, from the Challenger SRT8 392), or even a six-speed slushbox, but SRT has included a first-ever paddle shifting function to make the aging tranny more entertaining.

Even with the questionable gearbox in place, Chrysler reckons the SRT8 can sprint to 60 mph from a standstill in the high-4 second range, achieve 0.88 g on the skidpad, and top out at an estimated 175 mph. Quarter-mile times should be in the high-12 second range, Chrysler says.

Good thing there are four-piston Brembos to clamp down hard on 14.2-inch front/13.8-inch rear slotted rotors. The massive binders utilize Chrysler’s Ready Alert Braking system that positions pads closer to the rotors when a collision is anticipated by onboard telemetry. Each corner also gets redesigned 20-inch forged aluminum wheels that sport black accents to emphasize their mirror-like faces.

An SRT first, the adaptive damping suspension adjusts stiffness levels based on driver inputs and road conditions. When left in Auto mode, the suspension’s ECU calibrates all four corners to a softer level; toggle to Sport for a tauter road feel. Engineers installed a beefier power steering system for direct, yet livable communication.

The sedan’s Coke-bottle lines are slightly modified with the addition of a full SRT body kit. Meaner looking front and rear fascias, sculpted sills, and a rear trunk mounted spoiler differentiate the model from lesser variants. A gloss black cross grille sits prominently on the nose, while polished four-inch exhaust tips indicate this Charger isn’t to be messed with.

SRT designers also had a hand in transforming the passenger environment into one fit for a sport-oriented driver. Uniquely bolstered, stitched, and branded SRT adjustable front bucket seats are vented and heated. To assure that rear passengers aren’t jealous, the backseat bench is heated too. Carbon fiber-themed trim pieces replace some of the regular Charger’s plastic bits. A 900-watt 19-speaker Harmon Kardon audio system with Uconnect and an 8.4-inch touch screen duly entertains riders when they’re not enjoying the sedan in corners. Like the Challenger SRT8 392, the giant central display can be configured to show Performance Pages, essentially all the juicy stats gearheads love to see and measure (like 0-60 mph, average g forces, and quarter-mile times).

Expect the Charger SRT8 to arrive replete with premium bells and whistles as the car will top the lineup. Notable features include keyless Enter-N-Go, adaptive cruise control, and blind spot monitoring. Complete specifications and details (including fuel economy and power stats) will arrive in the coming weeks, but we think it’s safe to say that the 2012 Charger has been thoroughly recharged.

The Ford GT has a long and storied history, but a new report is indicating that legacy is about to get another chapter.
According to Auto Express, Ford is developing a new supercar which will revive the legendary GT name. Details are limited, but the car will reportedly ride on an all-aluminum chassis and feature a composite body that eschews the retro styling of the previous model.
To stay in vogue with the latest trends, the GT is slated to adopt a supercharged V8 which has been outfitted with an engine start / stop system and hybrid technology. Expected to produce 600 hp (447 kW / 608 PS), it will likely enable the 1,400kg (3,085 lbs) car to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in three seconds and hit a top speed in excess of 322 km/h (200 mph).
No word on when the new GT will be launched, but expect it to be cheaper than key rivals such as the Ferrari 458 Italia and McLaren MP4-12C.

Source: Auto Express

Read more: http://www.worldcarfans.com/11102033…#ixzz1D3jh5wmL

"Another day, another black-on-black limited edition sports car" would have been an appropriate headline had this Cadillac CTS-V Black Diamond Edition not happened the same day as Porsche released the Boxster S Black Edition.

The Black Diamond package is available on all manner of CTS-V — coupe, sedan and wagon — and will add $4,850 to the price. For your money, though, you get SpectraFlair paint, microfiber suede Recaro seats and Midnight Sapele wood accents.

Says Cadillac exterior paint designer Michelle Killen, "The CTS-V Black Diamond Edition is like a finely crafted, tailored tuxedo. The base color may be a simple black, but the details and richness of the material set it apart."

Right. We’re still waiting for the matte, stealth-inspired edition.

Source: Inside Line

Quietly presented at the recent DetroitAutoShow, Mach7 Motorsports, based out of Holly, Michigan revealed the 500 hp Falcon.

With a targeted production of 15 units per year, the Falcon has an aluminum hydro-formed chassis with a carbon fiber monocoque. The "off the shelf" Corvette LS3 V8 engine producing 500 hp (373 kW / 507 PS) is available as the standard engine. Although, to make the Falcon a truly credible supercar Mach7 offers the GM LS9 engine with 640 hp (477 kW / 649 PS).
Mach7 provided no performance specs, as the Falcon displayed in Detroit was an unfinalized prototype, but the company (prominently known as a Viper tuner) anticipates similar numbers to the now defunct Dodge. If you’ll recall, the Viper does 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) in 3.4 sec, 0–100 mph (0–160 km/h) in 7.6 sec, quarter mile in 10.92 sec @ 127.79 mph (205.66 km/h) and has a top speed of 202 mph (325 km/h). With a a curb weight of 2850 lbs (1293 kg) these figures could be conservative considering the Viper with its 600 hp (447 kW / 608 PS) V10 weighed 3,460 lb (1,570 kg) in standard trim.

Pricing for the Falcon is expected hover around $200,000 according to a company representative with first deliveries beginning before the end of the year.

Source: Mach7 Motorsports via nytimes.com

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The Fiat 500 set to invade American shores after a several-decade hiatus isn’t the same car that’s caught on in Europe. It’s better, with more engine, revised suspension and upgraded safety. The Mini Cooper just got pwned.

For as much as Italian culture has shaped American life, Italy’s iconic automaker has never succeeded here; Fiat last departed in 1983, leaving behind more rusted and broken vehicles than a preschool sandbox. That’s long enough for most of the "Fix it again, Tony" jokes to be contained to the greater New Jersey area, and to allow Fiat executives to dream of tempting young wealthy Americanos with its most stylish model, the reborn 500.

In Europe, the Cinquecento’s revival from its 1957 roots has been di successo with 500,000 sold since 2007, especially among the smart set. But cuteness doesn’t always translate, and even when it does it’s not sufficient for U.S. audiences. Dozens of automakers have tried to squeeze this nation of calorically irresponsible drivers behind their wheels, only to meet with indifference or complaints of how hard it is to reach drive-thru windows. Does the 500 have a chance, especially when it looks like a Pixar rendering in metal?

It wouldn’t if Fiat had followed its previous strategy: drive 500s from factory to boat, wave "Arrivederci!" and take a government-mandated Socialist smoke break. Instead, Fiat actually tried to adapt the 500 to American tastes, and found that in doing so managed to make the 500 better overall; most of the changes for the U.S. model will soon show up in the Old World. Overall, the changes for the U.S. market added about 80 pounds to the 500, and this is where we would usually invoke Colin Chapman and grouse about how Fiat only has the Olive Garden to blame, but Fiat also chose to increase the power.

While base 500 models in Europe can go as low as 69 hp, the only U.S. option for now is a 1.4 MultiAir four-cylinder, pumping 101 hp and 98 lb-ft of torque. Getting Americans to associate Fiat with reliable and cutting-edge engine technology would be a marketing accomplishment akin to a Details cover featuring the late Don Knotts. That said, Fiat engineers do share a cafeteria or two with Ferrari, and MultiAir qualifies as a real technical achievement.

The system replaces the overhead camshaft controlling the intake valves with hydraulic controllers, which allow infinitely variable timing of the air coming into the pistons. That lets the engine’s computer to tailor combustion to the mood of the driver, getting out of the way at wide-open throttle while blipping the valves at other times for efficiency. It’s quite trick — the engine head has a two-part casting, the oil in the hydraulics comes from the engine block, and there’s a temperature sensor to get the oil at the right viscosity. (Fiat also joins the list of engine makes for which a broken timing belt means crunched valves, but those concerns should be 150,000 miles away.)

As for the transmissions, the 500 launches with only a 5-speed stick shift; the 6-speed Aisin automatic ordered for us lazy Americans will come on line shortly. The deck comes stacked against the stick, a long-throw operation whose clutch on a preproduction model was as jumpy as a barista at quitting time. The six-speed not only shifts smoother, it also responds to the invocation of a dash-button "Sport" mode at lower speeds. But it does come with a OPEC penalty; the hand-stirrer gets 30 mpg city and 38 mpg highway, while the automatic scores 27 mpg and 34 mpg.

The suspension of the 500 came in for a reworking as well; new bushings, springs, a rear torsion bar that’s three times stiffer than the Euro version. All this work makes the 500 endlessly fun around tight corners, with predictable amounts of understeer but no body lean. Acceleration sounds more fun than the actual results suggest, with decent pull below 40 mph and more restrained performance north of that. Its biggest flaw appears on washboard freeways, where the short wheelbase simply can’t soak up sharp sine waves. It’s not as aggressive or as powerful as the Mini, but it’s more livable.

Where Fiat scores its most style points is on the inside, where its combination of attractive, body-colored plastics and retro design make the Mini seem like its interiors were crafted by Fisher-Price. There’s a few changes for the U.S. market; the optional leather-coated seats have been bolstered for those who don’t buy skinny jeans, and the center cupholder can hold a Super Big Gulp, a.k.a. Cinquecento espressos. The dash and upright view make the 500′s cabin a pleasant place to spend time, although trying to look over your shoulder at other traffic reveals a Big Gulp-sized blind spot.

The inside also incudes seven airbags turn a crashing 500 into a bouncy castle. The chassis received stiffening and a few extra parts to meet U.S. crash standards, enough so that a 500 that had gone through a 40-mph offset test could easily open and close its doors.

The other place where Fiat plans to tackle the Mini is on sticker price. The 500 starts at $15,500, and its three levels top out at $19,500; with add-ons and colors, Fiat can build 500,000 different combinations. By Fiat’s reckoning, a comparably equipped 500 should undercut a similar Mini by $4,000. It’s even less than $1,000 away from a Toyota Yaris, which attracts owners seeking a "True Grit" test of character.

So although the 500 won’t outrun the Mini today, that may change in the first quarter of 2012 when the 500 Abarth arrives hauling a turbo 1.4-liter MultiAir engine that could produce between 140 hp and 170 hp. A "cabrio" version will pop up at this year’s New York Auto Show, and the battery-powered 500 will lug into dealers toward the end of next year.

Fiat’s counting on Americans embracing small cars so much that the total demand for diminutive vehicles doubles by 2016. That seems optimistic absent a big boost in gas prices, and Fiat is selling style in a country that values size in its cars above all else. The 500 seems destined to become a fixture of the Al-Qaeda recruitment video known as MTV’s "My Super Sweet 16," but there’s a real car underneath the toy cuteness that’s worth playing with.

The last time Tesla Motors released a video about the Model S, it was a lot of talking from the company’s vice president and chief engineer for vehicle engineering, Peter Rawlinson, about engineering the vehicle. Today, new video shows just the opposite. No talking, just pretty pictures.
Almost eerily silent, the video shows the first Alpha build Model S (tons of details on the car here) cruising down rural roads, and it’s a beautiful sight. The car looks like it handles well and makes us the need to get behind the wheel yesterday. Tesla’s Vehicle Dynamicist (we’re guessing thats fancy talk for test driver?) Graham Sutherland said in a statement that:

The first Alpha is amazingly agile for a car of its size. It has great handling balance and poised ride with communicative steering. Just goes to show what combining a low center of gravity with a very stiff body structure can achieve.

Just revealed today at CES, the Focus Electric is Ford’s first fuel-free, rechargeable passenger car. More importantly, it will supposedly offer a mile-per-gallon equivalent fuel economy that’s better than the Chevrolet Volt and competitive with other battery electric vehicles. Ford Motor Company unveiled today its all-new Focus Electric -– the company’s first-ever all-electric passenger car launching later this year. The zero-CO2-emissions, gasoline-free version of Ford’s all-new small car is the new flagship of the company’s coming fleet of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles coming to North America and Europe by 2013.

Power for the stylish (oh, yes, it’s absolutely better looking than its competitors — unless you’ve got a thing for eggs) Focus comes by way of a permanent magnetic electric traction motor that provides 123 HP and 181 lb/ft of torque that sucks its will to live from an LG Chem-supplied Lithium-ion battery cell pack. Although we’ve no idea what the fuel economy / drive range will look like as Ford’s still awaiting EPA estimates, we’re told the "Focus Electric will offer a mile-per-gallon equivalent better than Chevrolet Volt and competitive with other battery electric vehicles." So, basically, they’re claiming it’ll kick its ass.

Owners of the Focus Electric will likely recharge the car’s Ford-engineered (who’s LG Chem anyway?) lithium-ion battery pack at home on a daily basis, using the recommended 240-volt wall-mounted charge station that will be sold separately or the 120-volt convenience cord that comes with the vehicle. Using the 240-volt wall-mounted charger, the Focus is capable of fully recharging in three to four hours -– that’s half the time of the Nissan Leaf. The Focus Electric offers something called "value charging," powered by Microsoft, to help owners in the U.S. charge their vehicles at the cheapest utility rates and thereby helping to lower the cost of ownership.

Although we’re told the all-electric Focus has the same capabilities of any "real car" it does seem to have one chink in its armor. It’s only got a top speed of 84 mph. While it seems like that should take care of any situation in the continental United States, we’re wondering what someone should do if they’re being chased by bad guys in, say, a Corvette? The ‘Vette will easily out-run them, corral them to the side of the road and then the dastardly naughties will steal the car’s batteries. I’m not saying it’s going to happen, but, you know, it could.

So will it kick the Chevy Volt’s ass, as Ford claims? Unknown — we don’t know all the details yet. What we do know is the Chevy Volt’s got something the Ford Focus Electric doesn’t have — namely, the ability to run if the batteries die. And there’s a lot of comfort in that. Frankly, we get anxious just thinking about being stranded beyond an electric car battery’s range.

Still, the Ford Focus Electric is one sexy electric car.

You can’t buy it, but it might just be the most amazing car that will make its debut at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show next week.

Several weeks ago Cadillac officially confirmed its return to the SCCA’s World Challenge GT series for the 2011 season with the CTS-V Coupe. At the time, only renderings of the track machine were available, but now Caddy has released a whole selection of photos of what could very likely be next year’s championship contender.

Cadillac will field two cars in the series, with three-time America Le Mans Series GT1 champ driving one car and 2005 World Challenge GT champ Andy Pilgrim piloting the other. Pilgrim’s ’05 championship, it should be pointed out, came behind the wheel of the CTS-V sedan race car.

Cadillac will begin track testing the new machine at Sebring International Raceway in the end of January, ahead of the season’s first race, March 25-27 in St. Petersburg, Fla

Stay tuned for more photos from the Detroit Auto Show on Monday, January 10th. Until then, check out AutoGuide’s 2011 Detroit Auto Show Preview here.

GM’s European tuning partner Irmscher has devised its own Euro-iteration of the Chevrolet Camaro SS called the i42.
The model debuted at the Essen motor show a few weeks ago and features a supercharged version of the 6.2 liter V8 that is good for 509 PS (502 bhp / 374 kW), putting its output close to that of the upcoming Z28 which will feature around 550 horses.
With the help of fellow tuners Auto Magnus and Velocity Performance Parts, Irmscher added that supercharger as well as a sport exhaust system, performance brakes (380 mm with 6 piston calipers and 355 mm with 4 piston calipers, front and rear, respectively) and an adjustable sport suspension.
The Camaro i42 also comes with 22-inch alloy wheels in a black and silver design. The body is adorned with thick black racing stripes at each end over the top of the car and "Since 68" stickers; referencing Irmscher’s heritage.
Performance figures on the i42: 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4 seconds flat and a top speed of 275 km/h (171 mph).
Prices in Germany start at €49,000 ($65,000), which includes the standard Camaro SS.

Source: Irmscher

Read more: http://www.worldcarfans.com/11012143…#ixzz18K8SHguy