Detroit Show: runners and riders
Muscle, and plenty of it: that's the theme of this year's Detroit show
This year sees over 50 new car launches, and while the vast majority of them will naturally be by US manufacturers and for the US market, there are still some pretty big cars that should get PHers' juices flowing.
Arguably chief among those will be the new C7 Chevrolet Corvette. While several renderings and teasers have appeared in the press in recent weeks, the undisguised look of the complete car has thus far remained a fiercely-protected secret. Word is it's going to be a looker, though, and with a choice of two V8 engines and a lightweight chassis that features aluminium suspension components, we're hoping it should deliver the performance those looks promise.
Lest Chevrolet steal all the muscle car limelight, though, Shelby will be bringing two new models to the show. The first will be a wide-body option for the 2013 Super Snake, but the second is altogether more intriguing. So far, Shelby has kept schtum on any detail, but the late, great Carroll speculated before his death that the industry would be moving towards lower-capacity engines with turbochargers, so we can't help but wonder whether it'll be something boosty. Time will tell.
It won't be all about the American marques, though. Expect a three-way German hyper-saloon punch-up as Mercedes-Benz reveals its facelifted E63 AMG at the same time as Audi debuts its RS7 and BMW shows the M6 GranCoupe for the first time. It looks likely that there'll be no RS6 saloon, so these three will go head-to-head, pitching twin-turbocharged V8s - 5.5-litre for the Merc, 4.0-litre for the Audi, 4.4-litre for the BM - against each other in a battle of wits.
Somewhat less Teutonic, but still in the fast four-door vein will be the new Maserati Quattroporte. We've already seen full press shots of this, but Detroit will be the first time the general public at large will get to see the big Maser up close. The new car's styling has met with mixed reactions so far, but the word is that it looks better in the flesh - this will be the first chance for people to find out for themselves. Regardless of the Quat's looks, few can argue with the 530hp punch from the top-of-the-range twin-scroll turbocharged V8.
And of course, flying the flag for the UK will be Bentley's new GT Speed Convertible. As we detailed in our piece on the new droptop last week, this will be the fastest four-seat convertible in the world, able to crack 202mph (although you'll need to put the roof up to do it). Available in colours other than the rather sudden purple that's been chosen as the launch colour, it'll make its first appearance at Detroit.
Of course, we'll bring you all the latest updates from the show as they appear, so stay tuned for more as the key stories break.
Should make for an interesting car, as the V6 is around 150 kg lighter than the V8, all in the nose.
Rip off Britain.
Look what it will cost to get into the Autosport Int Show/PH Performance Car Show, about 6 times that plus 10 quid to park your car. I'm staying at home!
Rip off Britain.
Look what it will cost to get into the Autosport Int Show/PH Performance Car Show, about 6 times that plus 10 quid to park your car. I'm staying at home!
http://www.hennesseyperformance.com/maxboost435.ht...
If Shelby are being Shelby they'll be making somewhere around 650hp I reckon. Hopefully more.
And thank holy hell it isn't another one of these endless supply of low boost twin turbo V8's with their character-killing!
Rip off Britain.
Look what it will cost to get into the Autosport Int Show/PH Performance Car Show, about 6 times that plus 10 quid to park your car. I'm staying at home!
Autosport show 2012 = 81,000 visitors and 521 exhibitors. - Assume £31 per ticket = £2.5m visitor revenues
Assuming my logic is right - its all about volume of footfall - I have assumed that exhibitor costs are the same - which I doubt - although not sure its a fair comparison as the Detroit motor show looks like a more focused show like the London Motor show ...which in 2008 was open for a fortnight (like Detroit) and could only muster 472,300 visitors....
But you can't compare cosmo London where the motorshow is those arab chaps in Bugattis driving around Chelsea as shown on TV the other day, with Detroit: Motor City where EVERYONE was linked to the car industry in some way- it's in their blood. Here we just like to gawp at supercars, then tootle off to a Hyundai dealer if we actually want something (the minority PHers exempted of course).
Sad really.
But you can't compare cosmo London where the motorshow is those arab chaps in Bugattis driving around Chelsea as shown on TV the other day, with Detroit: Motor City where EVERYONE was linked to the car industry in some way- it's in their blood. Here we just like to gawp at supercars, then tootle off to a Hyundai dealer if we actually want something (the minority PHers exempted of course).
Sad really.
BTW have you been to Detroit lately - I went about 3 months ago - its still on its knees, and remember 771k visitors when the country was in recession, in 2008 UK was in pre- crash mode !
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