Porsche Carrera GT Production to End
Porsche is ending production of its high-performance Carrera GT in April, after a brief but well-received run of less than three years.
The company said it delivered its 1,111th Carrera GT in late December to a lucky customer in the United Arab Emirates, making it "the most successful high-performance sports car of all time" — whatever that means.
We can tell you this much: The Carrera GT was first unveiled in September 2000 at the Louvre in Paris and went into production three years later, in September 2003. Since then, more than half of the cars produced have been delivered to customers in North America, where the car retailed officially for $440,000.
Performance is prodigious. A 5.7-liter DOHC V10 delivers 605 horsepower (in U.S. trim) to the rear wheels through a six-speed gearbox. Zero-to-60-mph acceleration is achieved in less than 3.9 seconds, with a top speed of 205 miles per hour.
At the start of the car's short life span, Porsche said it intended to produce only 1,500 copies.
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E. Thiesen says it took a team of engineers and mechanics eight years to rebuild this Benz. The company has the vehicle for sale and says its appearance in Dubai has resulted in "several potentially serious buyers."
The German tuner tweaked a standard short-wheelbase Unimog by skipping any engine modifications but adding such amenities as a navigation system, carbon-fiber trim, and new silver-and-gray leather Brabus seats. The all-wheel-drive Unimog is a multipurpose vehicle with 18 inches of ground clearance and a 280-horsepower engine.
Audi introduces its all-new aggressively-styled Q7 in LA. Performance will come from its 345-hp V-8 engine that is paired to a six-speed tiptronic automotive transmission. Inside, it’s all luxury and convenience for up to seven passengers in three-row seating. The Q7 has 28 different seating and storage configurations to optimize interior space.
The new Yaris replaces the Echo in Toyota’s compact lineup. With crisp styling and a neat little 1.5-liter engine with variable valve timing (to boost power and fuel mileage while lowering emissions), the Yaris could be a great remedy for high gas prices. Set for its World debut in LA, the Yaris is projected to return up to 40 mpg on the highway.
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Docherty said Hummer recently surveyed its buyers and discovered that 36 percent of them say they intend to take their vehicles off-road. She said that nugget of information was "noteworthy" because the conventional industry wisdom, as well as previous Hummer research, has been that fewer than 10 percent of SUV buyers take their vehicle off-road.
Along with the GTI, cars of choice for upgrades were: Mazda 3 five-door, BMW 1 Series, Audi A3 Sportback, Porsche Cayman S, Nissan 350Z and Volvo S40.
Perennial favorite Germany’s Tuner Shop came through again with a 1969 Mercedes 220 D hearse, tricked out with a chain-link lowrider steering wheel and a coffin in back that opened to reveal one of the finest sound systems at the show.
Amstock said Toyota is working with tire manufacturer BFGoodrich on the yet unnamed special-edition FJ Cruiser. He added that Toyota designers are "pushing for traditional FJ colors, including tans and reds."
Conceived around a rear-drive platform, the Urge has a small-displacement engine, a six-speed manual gearbox and an integrated Xbox 360 inside. Nissan Design America, Inc., La Jolla, Calif., penned the Detroit concept.
The car is essentially an updated model of the current generation Skoda Octavia but considering the difference in prices of the two models, the company decided to sell them as separate models in the Indian market. This strategy has been pretty successful for Maruti Suzuki, which continues to sell Maruti Zen, Maruti Alto, and Maruti 800 together in the Indian market.