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Second-place finish moves No. 3 Corvette into GTLM points lead for first time in 2018 DANVILLE, Virginia (Aug. 19, 2018) – Corvette Racing’s Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia moved into the lead of the GT Le Mans (GTLM) Driver’s Championship for the first time this season following Sunday’s Michelin GT Challenge at Virginia International Raceway […]

The post Corvette Racing at VIR: Championship Lead for Garcia, Magnussen appeared first on Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle.

Each week, Criswell Chevrolet’s Mike Furman delivers new Corvette Stingrays, Grand Sports, Z06s and ZR1s to his customers who come from all parts of the country to work with the nation’s top individual Corvette seller. Mike does some looking back to the time he spent working at Malcolm Konner Chevrolet, then the largest Corvette dealer […]

The post Corvette Delivery Dispatch with National Corvette Seller Mike Furman for Aug. 19th appeared first on Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle.

Team going for fourth class victory in seven years at Virginia DANVILLE, Virginia (August 18, 2018) – Corvette Racing will start from the second and fourth rows of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Virginia International Raceway following a somewhat damp qualifying session for Sunday’s Michelin GT Challenge at VIR. Antonio Garcia qualified fourth and […]

The post Corvette Racing at VIR: Second, Fourth Rows in Shot at Three-peat appeared first on Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle.

Although the guy to the right looks a bit shady, my money is on the bird! I’ve got a pair of Blue Jays that have taken up residence in a tree with branches directly over my driveway. I’m sure it’s like a game to them. “Hey Bob, 10 points if I can crap directly on […]

The post Saturday Morning Corvette Comic: Time to Come Clean! appeared first on Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle.

An experimental Ford Shelby GT500 Prototype nicknamed “Little Red” was discovered in a North Texas field this past spring after spending at least two decades outdoors.

The owner obviously didn’t know he had a 1967 Shelby GT500 Experimental Coupe rusting away next to a bunch of mesquite trees on his property. What’s left of the neglected prototype was located and verified on March 3, 2018, according to Craig Jackson, the chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson who announced the find at a private event tonight at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. Aaron Shelby, grandson of Carroll Shelby and board member of Carroll Shelby International, and Henry Ford III were on hand to witness the historic reunion.

“Finding Little Red is the discovery of a lifetime,” said Jackson in a release. “This Shelby prototype has been one of the most sought-after and elusive vehicles in postwar history. Countless enthusiasts and experts have searched for Little Red since it went missing in the 1960s. Many believed it was destroyed when the car was no longer needed. I’m excited to announce that was not the case. We’ve found Little Red and we intend to meticulously restore this legendary car back to its original glory.”

Jackson and classic car restoration specialist Jason Billups led the team who discovered Little Red. The quest began during the restoration of the other legendary Shelby prototype coupe, named the Green Hornet. The pair were the only notchback coupes to ever wear the Shelby badge.

The two cars were built by Ford and Shelby to test out a number of ideas for a special model. They featured a restyled body, including the iconic horizontal taillights sourced from a Mercury Cougar, and even a Paxton supercharger for the big-block engine. Little Red, which was built first, is most famous as the model for the 1968 Ford Mustang California Special. Despite that provenance, the car was put into storage and lost for decades.

“Locating Little Red was tantamount to finding the proverbial needle in a haystack,” said Jason Billups in a release. “After our initial research we realized that, like others before us, we were using the wrong search criteria. Everyone looked for Little Red using the Shelby serial number, which would eventually lead to a dead end. We took a different approach and located the car’s original Ford VIN number, which wasn’t easily discoverable. That VIN led us to its original registration and eventually to its last owner.”

The team also verified its authenticity using cross-references, serial numbers, date codes, and other confidential documents. Shell and Pennzoil are also helping support the restoration that will be fully documented at www.ShelbyPrototypeCoupes.com and will include photos, personal accounts, and videos of the restoration. Stay tuned for more details to come in the months ahead.

The post Extremely Rare 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Prototype Turns up in Texas appeared first on Motor Trend.

Midcycle refreshes on Porsche vehicles usually require a magnifying glass to see what’s changed, but in the case of the 2019 Macan, the updates are pretty clear. For the 2019 model year, Porsche’s compact crossover has gone under the knife and received a significant update inside and out.

Up front, the grille has been reshaped and made wider. The lower air intakes on the refreshed model are also less rounded than on the pre-facelift Macan. Perhaps the most obvious change is the shape of the headlights, which are now similar those found on the Panamera and third-generation Cayenne. The 2019 Macan also gets the quad LED daytime running light strips in each headlight cluster just like its larger siblings.

Where things don’t change much is in the refreshed Macan’s side profile, which remains virtually the same as the outgoing model. Out back, the refreshed Macan adapts Porsche’s new full-width taillight design, which uses an LED light strip that spans the crossover’s rear end, connecting both lamps together. This was first seen on the facelifted 911 before making its way to the Panamera and Cayenne, and now the Macan.

Inside, the refreshed Macan gets a redesigned dash with a new center stack and reshaped air vents. A large touchscreen—and we mean large at 12 inches—is the new centerpiece of the dash, and the center air vent are now beneath it instead of at its flanks. Sadly, the button-happy center console remains.

Porsche hasn’t released much information regarding the refreshed 2019 Macan, but we expect it to get the brand’s latest PCM infotainment system and new safety and tech features. Engine choices should carry over from the outgoing model but there’s a possibility that Porsche will also add a Turbo S variant as the new range-topper and the most powerful model in the Macan lineup.

The post Refreshing or Revolting: 2019 Porsche Macan appeared first on Motor Trend.

Jeep confirmed plans to produce a Wrangler PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) last year and announced today that the 54-year-old Toledo Machining Plant in Ohio will produce the plug-in’s Power Electronic module, install the applicable software, and conduct final testing before the units are shipped off to the Toledo Assembly Plant, where the Wrangler plug-in will be built.

The Power Electronics module is comprised of the Power Inverter module and the Integrated Dual Charger module, which includes both an onboard charger and a DC/DC converter. Jeep will mount the module in a protective structure under the SUV between the exhaust and drive shaft.

Like with most plug-in vehicles, the electric motor (or motors) will provide additional power, improve fuel economy, and should offer a short all-electric driving range. Jeep has yet to announce what gas engine will be utilized in the hybrid system, but it could be a 3.6-liter V-6 like the one used in the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid.

Currently, the Wrangler’s optional 2.0-liter turbo-four uses the automaker’s eTorque mild-hybrid system and delivers an EPA-rated 22/24 mpg city/highway in the four-door Unlimited model, and 23/25 mpg in the two-door. That’s a nice improvement over the 3.6-liter V-6 and eight-speed automatic combo that delivers 18/23 mpg for both models.

The Wrangler plug-in is expected to launch in 2020 and is part of FCA’s commitment to have 30 models with electrified powertrains by 2022. The Pacifica Hybrid is currently FCA’s only plug-in vehicle and is rated at 32/33 mpg with a 33-mile all-electric driving range.

Off-roading quietly on all-electric power probably doesn’t sound very enticing to your average Jeep customer, but the extra power and fuel economy that the hybrid powertrain affords could expand the SUV’s appeal.

Source: Jeep

The post Jeep Wrangler Plug-in Hybrid on Track for 2020 Launch appeared first on Motor Trend.

Bentley has a Bentayga in every flavor, from a V-8 to a diesel to a new plug-in hybrid variant. But sometimes there’s nothing like the magic of a burbling W-12 engine. In this video, AUTOMOBILE social media editor Billy Rehbock takes the 12-cylinder SUV for a spin on Colorado’s high-altitude roads.

The Bentayga’s twin-turbo W-12 engine consists of two narrow-angle V-6 engines joined at the crankshaft. All in all, it produces up to 600 hp and 662 lb-ft of torque. In our First Test from 2016, we clocked the Bentayga hitting 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds. That was enough to make it the quickest gas-burning SUV we had ever tested at the time, until the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk came along to steal its thunder.

Check out the video above to find out how the Bentayga drives and how it feels inside the cabin.

The post Watch: Behind the Wheel of the Bentley Bentayga W12 appeared first on Motor Trend.

Ford is raffling off a Mustang Bullitt painted in Kona Blue to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). The special model debuted today at the Woodward Dream Cruise in Michigan.

Normally, the Mustang Bullitt is only available in one of two colors: Shadow Black or Dark Highland Green. This bespoke model features a dark blue paint job as well as unique gray wheels. Open the doors, and you’ll find blue stitching inside the cabin.

Just like other Bullitts, this model features a 5.0-liter V-8 engine making 480 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque on 93-octane fuel. Top speed is rated at 163 mph. Comparatively, a Mustang GT makes 460 hp and the same torque, with a top speed of 155 mph. Ford didn’t announce how many copies of the Bullitt it would sell, but it has told consumers to act fast because it is a limited edition vehicle. Prices start at $47,590, according to Ford’s online configurator.

If you want a shot at owning the world’s only Kona Blue Mustang Bullitt, Ford and JDRF are selling 60,000 raffle tickets at $10 a pop. You can buy them online by filling out this form. Tickets can be ordered online through November 9, or until they are sold out. A winner will be announced on November 13.

Check out our First Drive of the 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt here.

Source: Ford

The post World’s Only Kona Blue Ford Mustang Bullitt Will be Raffled for Charity appeared first on Motor Trend.

Unless you’ve got a GT4 racer in your garage, the FP350S is meaner and more capable on a track than your Mustang. Already sold out, the Ford Mustang FP350S is a Trans Am-ready turnkey race car—and we recently drove it. Don’t miss our full review of the car, but if you’re curious what goes into a $114,990 race car, keep reading.

The engine is closely related to Ford’s Aluminator 5.2 XS crate engine ($19,995 by itself). It features a unique Ford Performance M-6303-M52 forged-steel 90-degree crankshaft, Manley “H-Beam” connecting rods, Mahle forged pistons with low-friction coatings, and a host of other special parts including a special 12-quart steel oil pan fabricated with highly elaborate baffles and trapdoors to ensure adequate oiling under high g loads. The Aluminator is rated at 580 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque.

The Radi-CAL calipers look kind of strange because they’re not styled to look symmetrical like most calipers. Instead, AP Racing used finite element analysis to optimize the shape. Any molecule of metal that wasn’t needed to make the caliper more rigid was eliminated, and voids were inserted to improve airflow and cooling. The calipers are also ultra-compact to enable, in some cases, smaller-diameter wheels than other calipers would require for a given rotor size. These ultra-rigid calipers and a firewall stiffened (by a factor of two or three) where the stock Shelby booster mounts help to remove all slop from the brake pedal feel.

The rear wing is manually adjustable in half-degree increments between 0 and 12 degrees, by selecting various combinations of eight holes on the stanchions and 20 holes on the wing. The cars are shipped with the wing set to 8 degrees. The downforce is transmitted to the body via adjustable pads, and the trunklid itself gets reinforcing struts to bear the load.

Three screens are offered: The warm-up screen prominently shows all fluid temperatures and a compact round tach. The qualifying screen indicates fastest lap time, a prediction of the current lap time and the gain/loss, along with a linear graphic tach and a few key fluid temps. The race screen shows the current lap time, lap number, fuel economy mode, fuel used on the last lap, and total fuel used along with the same graphic tach.

The center console area has buttons for pit lane speed control (PLSC), “spare” buttons for auxiliary helmet or suit coolers, and a “totalizer” button that you press when the tank is full to reset the fuel-use meter. The system then precisely measures fuel used by monitoring fuel-injector pulse-width so the driver knows precisely how much is left. Then he or she can use the “map” button to change fuel mapping to a leaner setting if conserving fuel might prevent a pit stop.

Find out how the Ford Mustang FP350S race car drives in our review right here.

The post 5 Cool Facts About the Sold-Out Ford Mustang FP350S Race Car appeared first on Motor Trend.

Early last month, Bugatti began teasing a new model called the Divo. Named after Albert Divo, a French driver who successfully raced Bugattis in the 1920s, the car promised to be extremely rare and incredibly expensive. Until now, though, we had no idea what the Divo would look like. Even though Bugatti has released quite a few teasers since then, they were all close-ups of small details that didn’t show much of the car itself.

Granted, the Divo in the image shown here is still covered by a sheet, so we can’t actually see it. But it does reveal the general shape of the car and give us a better idea of how it will look. Perhaps most importantly, it’s now clear the Divo and the Chiron will look like two distinct models. We wouldn’t be surprised if the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo concept‘s wing and central fin find their way onto the Divo in some way, but the silhouette is clearly different, and the Chiron’s distinctive C-shaped character line is completely gone.

Mechanically, though, expect the Divo to share its platform and drivetrain with the Chiron. Bugatti’s focus on reducing weight, increasing downforce, and improving handling means the driving experience should be unique, but this car has been billed from the beginning as a revival of the French automaker’s “coachbuilding tradition.”

When Bugatti says production will be limited, it really means it, too. Only 40 cars will be built, each costing more than $5 million. Hopefully, at least one or two of them will find their way to a race track, because, as Bugatti President Stephan Winkelmann has already said, “The Divo is made for corners.”

Source: Bugatti

The post The Bugatti Divo Doesn’t Look Anything Like the Chiron appeared first on Motor Trend.

Photo Credit: Richard Prince for Chevy Racing Corvette Racing heads to Virginia International Raceway this weekend for the GT-only battle known as the Michelin GT Challenge. Not only is the Corvette team looking to catch up with the GTLM leaders in the No. 67 Ford GT, they have a chance to race for the overall […]

The post Links and Info for the 2018 Michelin GT Challenge at Virginia International Raceway appeared first on Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle.

When you cruise Woodward in a brand new Wimbledon White Mustang GT convertible with “10,000,000th Mustang” emblazoned on the doors, everyone leaps from their curbside lawn chairs or swivels in their passenger seats to grab a snap of this milestone-mobile. Not too many vehicles hit eight-digit production figures, and those that do tend to be workhorses or commodity cars, not iconic sporty cars. One driver yelled “who do you have to know to get to drive that?!” The answer: Hermann Salenbauch. He’s at the wheel—literally and figuratively. The German-born BMW engineer was lured to Ford in 2001 by the irresistible prospect of serving as chief engineer of the fifth-gen (S-197) Mustang. The pony car was well known even in Germany, having made a big impression on young Hermann ever since it first appeared in Goldfinger. These days he serves as Director of Ford’s Advanced Product Creation and Global Performance Vehicles—a title sufficiently lofty to get him the keys to the 10M Mustang with 41 miles on the odometer. We’ll add 8.6 more idling up and down the curb lane of Woodward Avenue in an hour-and-a-half-long photo op during which we also snapped some shots of cars that piqued Hermann’s interest.

• Cruising with Fiat-Chrysler/SRT’s Mark Trostle
• Camaros, Mustangs, Mopar, and More: 2018 Woodward Dream Cruise PHOTOS

Hermann’s family actually drove lots of Fords growing up, but they were all German Fords so we had no luck finding a 17M Taunus, Euro Granada, or Consul convertible, but the first car he owned was a 1967 Beetle convertible. It came in that light yellowy beige, which he garage-painted violet. It was a little rusty and he wasn’t a welder, but he was pretty facile with fiberglass, so he managed to thwart the TUV safety agent’s rust-probing pick with a few well-placed and well laid-up layers of plastic to keep it on the road beyond what the safety commission probably would have permitted. His handiwork also managed to net him double his money when it came time to sell a few years later!

Hermann’s career started at BMW, where one of his more proud achievements was the slick convertible top mechanism on the E30 3 Series. It was the first to use an over-centering mechanism to press the rear of the top to the rigid tonneau cover, negating the need for a rear latch. The setup also had the effect of keeping the fabric very tight along the top of the roof where others frequently bowed in the wind. During that model run an electric top would be offered, but it was a snap to raise and lower manually as well. Another cool BMW-era story Hermann shared: While developing the E32 7 Series, quite late in the program the decision was made to widen the car 30mm right down the center so as to better accommodate BMW’s first V-12 engine. Indeed the car ended up 45mm wider than its predecessor.

This “Fox 4” Mustang is the one that Hermann emigrated to Ford North America in order to replace. By the time he arrived, meeting crash safety standards had stretched the nose enough to give the car an almost front-drive appearance. His primary objective in the redesign was returning that iconic sense of long-hood/short-deck, big dash-to-axle pony proportion to the car. This gave it the proportional look of the ‘60s Mustangs that made an impression on Hermann in Germany, where so many military folks left them behind. It’s only natural then that the designers seized the opportunity to paint a mildly retro design on this better proportioned canvas.

As the driver of this GT500 convertible rolled past, snapping shots of our 10M ‘Stang, Hermann complimented him on his choice of a great engine. Salenbauch has fond memories of working with Carroll Shelby while bringing back the Shelby Cobra name. This later model GT500 version of the S-197 Mustang he came here to oversee was powered by a brand new all-aluminum 5.4-liter engine that shared some DNA with the one in the mighty Ford GT. It featured plasma-transferred wire-arc sprayed cylinder liners, which won a design innovation award. The engine was lighter, more powerful (550 hp/510-lb-ft), and efficient enough to drop the gas-guzzler tax levied on its predecessor. Hermann long advocated to officially sell the Mustang in Europe, but it wasn’t until the current model that this wish came true.

Broncos are hot on the Avenue this year as the world awaits a highly anticipated new Ford Bronco. Seeing this one all hiked up on big knobby tires got us talking about Raptors. Hermann recounted the genesis of the current Raptor. “Mark Fields told me we could do two high-performance vehicles—one car [the Shelby GT500] and one truck.” The team considered another rear-drive, lowered, high-performance Lightning model, but aimed instead for whitespace with an ultra-high-performance off-roader. “What about that Ranger Raptor?” We asked. “Oh, I’ve got one in Dearborn if you want to come have a look at it.” But basically he explained that the Ranger Raptor was conceived to give markets that don’t get any F-150s (most of the world) a halo performance truck. “Don’t you want to compete with the Colorado ZR2?” Not necessarily. His team is not yet convinced the U.S. market needs two Raptors. He did indicate that, despite Ford’s close relationship with Multimatic, that company’s slick spool-valve shocks used on the ZR2 have yet to win him over. “I wouldn’t trade our Fox shocks for those.”

This pristine, vastly-better-than-new example of the type of military trucks that were prevalent in post-war Germany caught Hermann’s eye. Built from ’51-’68 these post-war workhorses were based on the WC series trucks Dodge built during WWII. Power usually came from an inline six-cylinder side-valve engine.

“Now THAT’S a luxury car,” Hermann exclaimed as we passed this very rare (on Woodward) example of a bona fide “Full Classic” car, as recognized by the Classic Car Club of America. It also ranks as the last car produced and sold by a major American automaker with a V-12 engine. The 4.8-liter flathead Lincoln Zephyr V-12 provided whisper-quiet, turbine-smooth power to this elegant, stately design penned by Eugene T. “Bob” Gregorie.

If Andy Griffith had gone bald and lived to cruise Woodward this year in his trusty old squad car from the second season of his eponymous TV show, he’d have surely been pointing at the 10,000,000th Mustang just as enthusiastically as this guy is.

What better vehicle for the Woodward Dream Cruise than a Pinto Cruising Wagon!? That is indeed the nomenclature Ford used for this “sedan delivery” panel-wagon-with-portholes. The design was meant to draw a coolness connection between the somewhat unloved Pinto and the custom van craze that was sweeping the market in those days. Period ads showed the Cruising Wagon and an Econoline van in matching striped livery with the porthole windows in back and a tag line “Two Much!” That this would-be shaggin’ wag’n was parked under the Bra-vo intimates sign was icing on the cake…

Hermann’s eyes lit up when we passed this sleek, spare, Italian beauty nicely enhanced by the removal of its bumpers and fitment of Minilite or Panasport wheels. A friend of his in California has an earlier example of this car.

The post 2018 Woodward Dream Cruise: Cruising With Ford/SVT’s Hermann Salenbauch appeared first on Motor Trend.