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Why would GM consider looking at European design flavors for its oh-so-American, V8-powered, rear-wheel drive sportscar? Demographics. According to Welburn, "We have challenges in the States with the Corvette. The average age of the customer is really rising."
That average age, for those keeping track, is 54 years-old (so says the Power Information Network). And it seems that the import-favoring younger generation in America isn't all that interested in the current 'Vette, a fact that has undoubtedly played a part in the Corvette's 48-percent sales decline in 2009 over the previous year.
One thing's for certain – its certainly not the Vette's all-conquering performance that's holding it back. Perception seems to be a bigger problem. "We have to develop a design that feels trimmer, meaner, to go along with the incredible performance that the car has," said Welburn, referring to the notion that many believe the current Corvette looks too big despite being roughly the same size as the benchmark Porsche 911. We might also suggest that GM needs to gag the beancounters who will undoubtedly threaten to nickel-and-dime the quality out of the next Vette's interior.
Whatever the case, Welburn knows the car can't stray too far from its heritage. "It can't mutate into something that gets so far away from Corvette that it is no longer a Corvette," he said. It seems the future may hold very interesting things for the iconic Corvette within the next two or three years.
Porsche has gone and shocked the world with the unveiling of the midengine 918 Spyder concept. The car is a plug-in hybrid all right, but it's an open-top plug-in hybrid with a mid-mounted V8. How cool is that?
The V8 is evolved from the 3.4-liter engine in Porsche's RS Spyder LMP2 racecar. It makes "over 500 horsepower," according to Porsche, and has a 9,200-rpm redline. It joins forces with electric motors mounted in both the front and rear axles that make a combined 218 hp. Porsche's PDK seven-speed twin-clutch automated manual transmission delivers power to the rear wheels, while the two front motors drive the front wheels directly through a fixed ratio.
Get this concept car on a track and you'd be timing it at 3.2 seconds to 60 mph, says Porsche. That's quicker than a Carrera GT and would almost certainly make it the quickest Porsche road car ever. It would also be the most fuel-efficent, as consumption is said to be on the order of 3 liters per 100 km on the European test cycle, which is around about 78 mpg.
A lithium-ion battery pack mounted behind the 918 Spyder's passenger compartment provides juice for the electric motors. In addition to the plug-in capability, the batteries regenerate using KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System), the system developed for Formula 1 that recovers energy that would otherwise be lost as heat during braking.
Geneva Preview: Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S Awards Edition
Things may be relatively quiet around Maserati headquarters these days, but that doesn't mean nothing new is on the horizon. In fact, the automaker will be debuting a special version of the fabulous Quattroporte sedan at next month's Geneva Motor Show.
Based on the top-of-the-line Sport GT S model, the "Awards Edition" treatment adds an extra touch of exclusivity to the Quattroporte. The exterior, painted in an all-new Quarzo Fuso color, features a burnished treatment on the exterior chrome bits, matching the stylish 20-inch Multi Trident wheels. Behind those dark rims are a revised set of Brembo brakes, showing off polished calipers that have a mirror-like finish. Inside, Alcantara is found not only on the headliner, but has been worked into the supple Poltrona Frau leather seats, and new brushed aluminum door sills and piano black satin-finish wood moldings finish off the added touches of the Awards Edition package.
Customers in the UK can order their Quattroporte Sport GT S "Awards Edition" cars starting in the second half of 2010, with pricing information being given out upon application.
Official: Audi RS5 hitting Geneva with 450-hp 4.2L V8
Thankfully, our friends in Ingolstadt have seen fit to drop that information on us this morning, and as we suspected, they have opted to go with an upgraded version of the engine that served so well in the late RS4.
The 4.2-liter V8 remains naturally aspirated, but its breathing has been improved to bring the maximum output up to 450 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. The power peak comes up at 8,250 rpm, just shy of the 8,300 rpm redline, and maximum torque is delivered throughout the range between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm. The RS5 comes out the factory with the ability to accelerate to 62 miles per hour in 4.6 seconds on the way to a governed top speed of 155 mph. Owners that wish to exceed that speed can have the governor unlocked, enabling a terminal velocity of 174 mph.
As usual with higher performance Audi models, Quattro all-wheel-drive is the order of the day for power distribution. However, unlike other recent applications that have used a Torsen center differential, the RS5 features the first use of a new crown gear differential with electronically controlled clutch pack. The torque split can be varied from the nominal 40:60 front-to-rear to as much as 70 percent front or 85 percent rear. An optional active torque vectoring rear differential is also available to further improve the RS5's handling. The only available gearbox in the RS5 is a new seven-speed S-Tronic dual clutch transmission (DCT). Hopefully now that Audi has a high-output DCT, we'll also see it replace the dreadful R-Tronic unit in the R8 soon.
The RS5 will get its public debut in Geneva next week and goes on sale in Europe this spring for a base price of €77,000 (about $104,000). Sadly, U.S. Audi spokesman Christian Bokich tells Autoblog that there is nothing to announce right now about plans for the RS5 in this market.
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