We don’t need to tell you that automakers are constantly searching for the next iconic design. It’s why we continue to see a rash of retro looks despite manufacturers having an army of incredibly talented artists on their staff. But what makes a car strike a chord with the public that continues to resonate through time? Robert Cumberford over at Automobile has set about an in-depth design analysis of the 1964 ½ . While you may know that the original design for the car came from a employee, did you know that there are design elements borrowed from the likes of , and MG worked into the finished product?
Yeah, neither did we.
Cumberford’s look at the pony leaves no stone unturned and helps explain why, even now, nearly 50 years after the car hit the scene, it’s still one of the most beloved designs of the American automotive industry. Head over to Automobile to read the full piece and check out the point-by-point illustrations.
Marisa Miller and some other things in the background – Click above to watch video
The magazine 944 dressed Marisa Miller in various outfits and wigs, draped her in and around a Ford Thunderbird, Ford Mustang and Porsche 356, then took pictures. If you’re still reading and not already watching the video , well, we’re not sure why. There’s isn’t much else to explain after Marisa Miller in vintage cars. Capisce? Once more, in case you’re still here: .
A new generation of consumers, uninterested in minivans and SUVs, are apparently waiting in the wings, and Ford thinks it has exactly what they’re looking for.
The trouble with hard-top convertibles is the added weight penalty. German automakers have proven adept at counteracting the drawbacks, but sooner or later you’re just going to need more power. And that’s exactly what Volkswagen is doing with the Eos.
Details about the 2011 Dodge Durango are trickling out, and while we’ve already seen the exterior, the interior has only been teased… until now.
2011 Shelby GT350 – Click above for high-res image gallery
Shelby American has finally released the specs on its 2011 Shelby GT350. Starting with a , Shelby utilizes 5.0-liter V8 engine but ups the ante a bit. The base GT350 is rated at 430 horsepower (the stock GT musters 412 hp). On the standard GT350, a Whipple supercharger can be added to boost power output to 525 hp – enough to propel the modified Mustang from 0-60 miles per hour in 3.7 seconds. If that’s not enough, the R tune version produces a monstrous 624 horses.
All 2011 Shelby GT350s are fitted with a long list of performance-aiding parts which include upgrades to the brakes, suspension and tires. As you can see above, they also wear unique Shelby aero and trim bits, a GT350 45th anniversary badge and a serialized Shelby GT350 dash plate.
Pricing for the naturally-aspirated Shelby GT350 conversion is set at $26,995 and the base supercharged car runs $33,995. Due to the 99-pony jump with the R tune, you would expect that package to cost close to $40,000, but it doesn’t. It’s just 750 bucks over the price of the standard supercharged kit. All of these prices, however, fail to include the cost of the donor Mustang GT. A full parts list and more performance stats are available in the press release .
Infiniti’s first foray into in-house tuning manages to increase performance at a palatable price.
The hotly anticipated 2011 Dodge Charger has beat a path onto the Internet in a million little ways, but this is the first complete, undisguised look that we have of the redesigned muscle sedan after a seemingly endless stream of spy shots and leaks.
The Camaro Z28 is shipped off to Germany to attend the Nurburgring Finishing School.
Also of interest:
Wagon priced from $62,990
Convertible Neiman Marcus edition commands $75,000
A big part of recent successes can be attributed to the “One Ford” mantra CEO Allan Mulally instituted early on. But while the program may be a recipe for success, speculation stemming from Mulally’s comments at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show left some wondering if the next Ford Falcon share a front-wheel drive platform with the .
RWD-loving Australians Down Under shuttered at the thought of a front-drive Falcon, but Drive reports that comments by Mulally at the Paris Motor Show may calm those fears. The Ford CEO acknowledged that rear drive vehicles still have a rock-solid business case, adding that the automaker would continue to make vehicles that customers want, “starting with you (Australians).”
Mulally didn’t specifically state that the and Falcon would one day share a platform, but several hints indicate the move is very possible. Mulally insisted that rear-wheel drive platforms will be global in the future, adding “we love our rear-wheel drive platforms and we love Mustang, and they’re global platforms.”
And this isn’t the first we’ve heard about the Falcon and Mustang sharing a rear drive platform. Motor Trend cited inside sources at Ford who said the next Mustang would house an independent suspension under it’s boot. Those same sources claimed that the Falcon and an unnamed RWD Lincoln would share that platform.
Designer J Mays on Ford’s future styling direction – click above to
The crew at Mustangs Daily has let the internets in on the first morsels of information about the 2014 . As you may know, America’s pony car will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in just three years, so there’s been more than a little interest in what FoMoCo will come up with to celebrate the occasion. It turns out, the ‘14 car won’t be an evolution of the current machine we all know and love. Instead, it will be something completely different. is keeping exactly what that means to itself for the moment, other than to say that the next design will be a huge leap forward for the nameplate.
Here’s hoping that doesn’t mean the re-introduction of the Mustang II.
Fortunately, Ford seems pretty pleased with the way that the design is going so far, saying that we’ll see a “pretty cool” Mustang crop up in 2013 as a 2014 model. Given how far the car has advanced over the past three years, we can’t wait to see what Ford is up to with its muscle car. Listen to what else J Mays, Ford’s vice president of global design, has to say about future styling of the Blue Oval’s entire portfolio in the video .
The already packs a plentiful 412 horsepower under it’s well-contoured hood, but for some enthusiasts there is no such thing as enough power. And what makes owning a Mustang so great is that there are countless ways to upgrade your ride. Roush has done it’s fair share of Mustang modifying, and that trend continues for 2011. The new 5XR is Jack and the gang’s latest stab at ‘Stang perfection, with a R2300 ROUSHcharger mated to already potent 5.0-liter V8 to produce a hearty 525 ponies and 465 pound-feet of torque.
When Roush upgrades a Mustang, obviously it starts with a more powerful engine, but the fun usually doesn’t end there. The 5XR will also feature a bevy of upgraded components, including a suspension kit with new front shocks and rear springs and front and rear stabilizer bars. Power will be transferred to the road via 20-inch chrome wheels wrapped with high-performance Cooper RS3 tires.
On the outside, Roush provides plenty of cues to alert even the novice that the 5XR is no run-of-the-mill pony car. Upgrades include a new front fascia with splitter, side rocker splitters, rear valance and three-piece deck lid spoiler. And if that isn’t enough to clue you in, the 5XR also comes standard with a copious amount of badging.
The 5XR is limited to a production run of 150 units, but prospective owners will first have to purchase their own 2011 Mustang. Roush-certified Ford dealers will install the $15,390 worth of goodies. Other available upgrades are up-rated vented brakes, custom leather seating surfaces and a vent pod gauge. to pour over the Roush press release.
2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible – Click above to see this image in high-res
has announced that the highly anticipated will (finally) make its production-spec debut at this year’s . Both the 3.6-liter V6 (now with 312 horsepower) and 6.2-liter V8 will be available, mated to six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. Aside from the folding soft top, very little has changed in terms of updates for the 2011 .
The Camaro Convertible hits dealerships in February of next year (perfect timing for us in the snow belt), priced from $30,000, which includes the $850 destination charge. That’s nearly $7,000 more than the price of a base Camaro coupe, which leads us to believe that bottom-end trim levels won’t be available on the convertible. And for those of you wondering, the least expensive Mustang V6 Convertible starts over $2,000 less at $27,995.
We’ll have more details closer to the car’s LA show unveiling. GM’s current press release is available .
[Source: General Motors]
Camaro Convertible priced from $30K, will debut in LA
2012 Ford Focus – Click above for high-res image gallery
has worked hard over the past few years to completely overhaul its entire model line. Recent product launches like the and show that FoMoCo is committed to making class-leading vehicles, and the larger (ahem) focus on style, quality and packaging is nothing short of impressive.
Perhaps the most important new car launch for Ford, however, is the , which makes its world premiere at the . This is the first product designed from the ground up with the Blue Oval’s “One Ford” product strategy, and Ford’s group vice president of product development says the Focus is the automaker’s “flagship” for global vehicles. The Focus you see here will be sold in both North America and Europe with only very minor tweaks being made for the individual markets. Not even the original Focus that was sold in both markets when it debuted back in 1999 shared so much with its sibling on the other side of the Atlantic.
It certainly looks good, and with a raft of new engineering, safety and infotainment technologies on hand, the 2012 Focus is ready to set the C-segment on fire.
Expect to hear the words, “range anxiety,” a lot in the months to come, what with the , and an assortment of other battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids ready to hit the market.
The first generation of battery cars, like Leaf, will likely deliver an average of only about 100 miles on a charge – not much more than the range at which the typical motorist starts to look for a gas station in a conventional automobile.
Actually, that figure is only a rough approximation, as I learned recently while getting ready for my first drive of the 2011 Leaf. Under ideal conditions, I was advised, engineers have traveled as many as 140 miles. But on a cold and dreary day, creeping along in traffic with the heater on full, the little battery car might barely clock 70 miles before its batteries are fully discharged. (Similarly, now cautions that Volt will typically get somewhere between 25 and 50 miles, rather than the oft-quoted 40 on battery power.)
Sure, driving conditions and driver habits have always had a big impact on mileage. Slam the throttle at every light and you might get less than half the fuel economy your new will deliver on the highway. But while that may cut into your budget, the only other downside is having to fuel up more often.
Paul A. Eisenstein is Publisher of , and a 30-year veteran of the automotive beat. His editorials bring his unique perspective and deep understanding of the auto world to Autoblog readers on a regular basis.
has issued a dealer Technical Service Bulletin for a clutch issue on s built before April 25, 2010.
Affected models with less than 10,00 miles might experience a clutch pedal stayout condition, where the clutch will remain on the floor even after it’s released during high RPM shifts, something that sounds like both an annoyance and a potential safety issue. According to the TSB, the repair takes less than an hour.
It is not clear if the clutch issue will eventually precipitate a recall, but there have been no rumblings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to suggest that it will. Have a look at the details after the jump or speak to you’re dealer if you’re not sure if your pony car is covered.
Plenty of us that grew up around a drag strip know the name Mickey Thompson, but fewer of us realize that the guy was more than a name on the sidewall of some seriously sticky rubber. He was also responsible for setting plenty of land-speed records in his day, including being the first guy to break the 400 mph barrier on the salt. His son, Danny Thompson, is no slouch behind the wheel, either. Last year, the younger Thompson managed to set the fastest land speed for any . With a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 swilling down E85, the Thompson clicked off 252 mph, and this year, he’s going back for more.
Danny Thompson will attempt to waltz past the 300 mph barrier with another Mustang owned by Brent Hojek. This car, like the last, will run off of E85, but will pack somewhere close to 1,300 horsepower. The new pony also wears soy-based carbon-fiber body work and unique soy-based yellow paint in an attempt to ecologically justify a supercharged V8. Hey, we aren’t complaining. Head over to for a closer look at the blown 5.4-liter.
Forty-six Years Of Refinement Make It The Muscle Car To Beat
2011 Ford Mustang GT Convertible – Click above for high-res image gallery
Potentially ruinous. All that work on an impressive new 5.0-liter V8 engine, chassis tweaks and other piecemeal refinements for the are almost all for naught because of a single glaring issue. What could erase all the gains the Mustang has made for 2011? The answer is nestled between the front seats, and it goes by the name 6R80.
Despite the promise that a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission carries, not to mention the associated fuel economy, the auto ‘box blunts the Mustang’s edge severely. Can the new 5.0-liter V8 and wind in your hair make up for the dulling effect of the Mustang GT Convertible’s transmission? to find out.
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Photos copyright (C)2010 Dan Roth, John Neff / AOL
Leaked pages from the 2011 Dodge Challenger brochure – Click above for high-res image gallery
Specific outputs have been put to engines in the lineup, and the increases are substantial at the bottom and the top of the range: the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 will turn out 305 horsepower and 268 pound-feet, the 5.7-liter Hemi will crank 379 hp and 410 lb-ft., while the 6.4-liter Hemi tops the charts with 475 hp and 460 lb-ft.
That’s a 50-hp and 18 lb-ft. rise for the 3.6-liter V6 over the current 3.5-liter, which ought to make Dodge’s muscle car much more competitive with base models of the and . Moving up, there is a 50-hp bump in ponies alongside a 40-lb-ft. increase in torque for the top-shelf 6.4-liter that should help the SRT8 compete with . The man in the middle, the 5.7-liter, makes do with an increase of seven horsepower and ten pound-feet.
Much more intriguing than that is the tale that Ralph Gilles, ’s CEO, said that the SRT8 would do the 0-to-60 run in less than four seconds. The current Challenger has been tested by various outlets to run anywhere from 4.8 to 5.5 seconds. Dodge doesn’t officially list its own time, but the on the Challenger site displays a 4.90-second time.
If Gilles did actually say the 2011 would get it done in “the 3-second zone,” then there’s a year’s haul of Deadly Catch in Denmark because 50 additional horsepower won’t cut an entire second. A weighs about 60 pounds more than the Challenger SRT8 but has 81 more ponies that help it break the four-second barrier. The truth is in there somewhere – the question is, where is it, and how fast will it be? Thanks for the tip, challenger64hemi!
Ex-Bondurant Cobra-engined Roush Ford Crown Victoria – Click above for high-res image gallery
We’re aching for some seat time in the the new Ford Police Interceptor, but given our choice of flogging one of the new-school bruisers or one of the old-school cruisers, we know which one we’d take. And it just happened to appear on eBay Motors. Used as an ex-Bondurant Driving School car, this 1999 Crown Victoria is just one of eighteen cars built by Roush for Bob Bondurant’s school. Number 15, to be precise.
Under the hood sits a 320-horsepower 4.6-liter V8 engine plucked from the 1999 Ford Mustang Cobra. The typical police-issue slushbox has been nixed in favor of the T45 five-speed manual normally reserved for SVT Cobra duty. The front and rear suspension setup features Eibach springs and solid sway bars, and the go-fast action can be brought to a quicker halt thanks to a set of Brembo rotors, Hawk pads and Baer steel-braided brake lines. The car is also fitted with a Corbeau driver’s seat and five-point safety harness, four-point harnesses for the other seats and a fully-integrated roll cage. If that isn’t enough, this potential super-sleeper has a Halon fire suppression system should things get a little warm in the cabin.
The good news is that you can put this car in your driveway by parting with 20,000 of your hard-earned dollars, or perhaps somewhat less if you’re a savvy bidder. The bad news? it’s not street legal. It’s a purpose-built machine for Bondurant and has never been registered or titled. Track beater anyone?
Hop on over to to see the specs and to see this big black beast in action.
Once again, reports are making the rounds that each model in stable will soon be available with an Ecoboost engine option. While this isn’t the first time we’ve heard such murmurings, The Detroit News reports that Jim Farley, the Ford global head of sales, says that his company’s product plans include direct-injection and turbocharging at the core of each vehicle’s future powertrain lineup. Don’t think that those high-tech, smaller-displacement engines will command a price tag that’s any easier to swallow, though.
Farley believes consumers will be willing to pay more for Ecoboost-powered vehicles. Why? Because the fuel economy savings can offset the MSRP premium in as little as two years. That may help to explain why the Blue Oval has priced the Ecoboost four-cylinder above the equivalent V6 model.
Even so, Farley didn’t make mention of whether or not the Blue Oval is meditating on situating a forced-induction engine into the likes of the mighty . While we know the new will arrive with a this fall, the brand’s pony car has been hallowed ground for the naturally-aspirated faithful… for now.
2011 Shelby GT500 Super Snake – Click above for high-res image gallery
When we tested the 750 horsepower , our man Jonathon Ramsey declared it the “new king” of Mustangs. Surprisingly, he found that the suspension was able to – barely – keep up with the engine, but we figured that the Super Snake had just about all the power a street-driven Mustang could handle. We thought wrong, at least according to Shelby.
Ol’ Carroll has upped the ante in the horsepower wars once again by offering up to 800 horsepower in the newly-released 2011 version of the Super Snake. Of course, there are more sane options including 660 horsepower and 750 horsepower variants, but the 800 horsepower version will undoubtedly be the must-have for the guy (or girl) who needs the biggest and baddest ‘Stang on the block. Also new for 2011 are the optional anthracite wheels, white stripes and new side scoops. The Super Snake package starts at $30,245 (just $250 less than the cost of a brand new 2011 Mustang GT) and can be built at Shelby’s Las Vegas facility or at any of their official Mod Shops around the country. Hit the jump for complete specs for the 2011 Super Snake package and more details.
You never know what you’re going to find on eBay. The auction house of the interwebs routinely plays host to metal both obscure and unique – two categories the vehicle you see above satisfies without question. It’s a 1964 XP833 Banshee Concept, and while it’s easy to think that the car is little more than a warmed over design, the truth is that this particular Poncho had widespread influence on design language for more than a decade.
Originally penned by none other than John Delorean, the Banshee was supposed to be a more sports-oriented competitor to the recently introduced Ford Mustang. Unfortunately, when the concept was completed, the higher-ups felt that the Banshee would threaten the Corvette throne and the project was scrapped. It’s a song that would be repeated time and time again in the future.
Pieces of the Banshee design would live on in cars like the C4 Corvette and Pontiac Firebird, but the actual concepts themselves were slated for destruction. Fortunately, the studies were boxed up in shipping crates and tucked away for safe keeping, eventually sold to the GM execs who had taken part in the Banshee project. This particular example has a mere 1,500 miles on the clock and sits in its original condition. It can be yours for the right price, but with almost $50,000 on the auction and the reserve not met, it ain’t gonna be cheap.
