The new Maserati GranTurismo gets unveiled at the New York Stock Exchange.

• Maserati reveals the restyled GranTurismo at New York Stock Exchange today.
• Maserati CEO Reid Bigland will ring the closing bell of the NYSE at 4pm EDT.

Maserati has chosen the New York Stock Exchange as the venue to unveil the model year 2018 GranTurismo. With its restyled exterior in “Grigio Granito” colour and refined black leather interior, the GranTurismo MC (short for Maserati Corse) makes its world debut today at the Experience Square, right at the main entrance of the NYSE.

Maserati CEO Reid Bigland will ring the closing bell of the stock market at exactly 4:00 pm EDT (10:00 pm CET) today.

Maserati will line up its entire range next to the restyled GranTurismo MC in front of the New York Stock Exchange building: a black Ghibli SQ4 Nerissimo Edition with a black/red interior (an exclusive version for the US and Canada markets, which debuted in the New York Auto Show last April), a blue “Passione” Quattroporte GTS GranLusso with a Zegna Silk interior and a white 350hp Levante with a black/red interior, the first SUV in Maserati’s century-long history.

Alongside the modern Maserati cars, busy New Yorkers will have the unique opportunity to admire a sensational sports coupé representing Maserati’s racing heritage: the blue Maserati Tipo 151 – one of three ever built – that participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1962.

MY18 GRANTURISMO: REFINED INSIDE OUT

GranTurismo is a genuinely Italian car concept pioneered by Maserati. The GranTurismo model is the latest Maserati designed by Pininfarina and since its launch in 2007 it has evolved into one of the most iconic GT cars ever built. The 4-seater coupé is considered the ultimate expression of Maserati’s passion, technology and craftsmanship and remains unique in the supercar segment thanks to its timeless design and comfortable 4-seat interior.

Maserati has produced more than 37,000 GranTurismo and GranCabrio models in the historic factory of Viale Ciro Menotti in Modena and relaunches the iconic model for 2018 with an elegant and aerodynamically efficient restyling, refined interiors and a state-of-the art infotainment system.

The streamlined GranTurismo range comprises two well defined versions, the Sport and the MC – the latter on display in New York. Both versions are equipped with the naturally aspirated 4.7-litre V8 engine, hand-built by Ferrari in Maranello and capable of producing 460hp at 7,000rpm and 520Nm of peak torque at 4,750rpm. A six-speed ZF Automatic Gearbox is attached directly to the V8 powerhouse.

The Maserati Design Centre team in Turin approached the MY18 restyling by treating the timeless design with utmost respect. The car’s new ‘sharknose’ hexagonal grille is inspired by the Alfieri Concept and adds a three-dimensional effect to its frontal view.

Together with the new, lower air ducts, the grille helps improve the airflow distribution and reduce the aerodynamic drag from 0.33 to 0.32. The rear bumper has also been redesigned with an emphasis on the natural elegance of the iconic GT coupé and cabriolet, featuring a neater design with twofold layout for the Sport and MC versions. 

The performance figures of the MY18 GranTurismo have been improved compared to the previous model year. The GranTurismo Sport accelerates from 0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 299km/h while the lighter MC version makes it to 100km/h in 4.7 seconds and has a top speed of 301km/h .

The interior of the GranTurismo offers unparalleled comfort for four adults, thanks to the individual Poltrona Frau® leather seats with integrated headrests. The iconic Italian coupé is also available with Alcantara and leather upholstery.

For 2018, the GranTurismo features a new, high resolution 8.4” capacitive touch screen and Harman Kardon Premium Sound system. The state-of-the art infotainment system is compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring functions, while the redesigned central console accommodates a user-friendly, double rotary knob, made of forged aluminium. The button cluster for the car’s driving modes is repositioned on the lower central console, next to the gearshift lever.

USA - The first retail production 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Collector’s Edition to be auctioned.

The first retail production 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Collector’s Edition will be auctioned Friday, April 8, in lot #3003 at 6 p.m. EDT at the Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach, Fl. Auction.  One hundred percent of the sale price from the auction will benefit the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.

The auction extends General Motors’ long-standing support of the Karmanos Cancer Institute, one of only 45 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the country. Last year, the auction raised $200,000 by auctioning the first Cadillac CT6 luxury sedan at Barrett-Jackson.

Chevrolet is donating the first retail production, VIN #001 – of the all-new Corvette Grand Sport Collector’s Edition – in support of Karmanos Cancer Institute’s 34th Annual Dinner which will be held Saturday, April 16, at Michigan Motion Picture Studios in Pontiac, Mich. 

In addition, the GM Foundation has once again made a significant grant of $400,000 to also fund cancer research at Karmanos.

This year’s Annual Dinner Chairs are Paula and Steve Kiefer, vice president, Global Purchasing and Supply Chain at General Motors. This is the sixth consecutive year General Motors has been a major sponsor for this signature fundraiser, with a GM executive chairing the event.

The Karmanos Cancer Institute is a unique, integrated center of research, patient care and education, dedicated to the prevention, early detection, treatment and eventual eradication of cancer. Based in Detroit, Mich., Karmanos is at the forefront of developing new cancer treatments that will benefit cancer patients around the globe.

Grand Sport, the latest member of the Corvette lineup, combines signature Corvette DNA with ingenious engineering to create a stunning, track-ready aerodynamic sports car. 

The Grand Sport Collector Edition is a limited production edition and features a Watkins Glen Gray Metallic exterior with Tension Blue hash-mark graphics, satin black full-length stripes, black wheels and an exclusive Tension Blue full leather and suede-wrapped interior. 

The Tension Blue color is a bold, modern take on the hue historically associated with the Grand Sport. Inside, a three-dimensional representation of an original Grand Sport race car is embossed in the headrests and that shape is also used on an instrument panel plaque that carries a unique build sequence number.

The 2017 Grand Sport features a 6.2L LT1 V8 engine, capable of 460 horsepower and 465 lb.-ft. of torque. The compact design lowers the hoodline, providing optimal weight balance. 

A dry-sump oil system delivers oil flow through the most extreme cornering, helping Grand Sport deliver a consistently high level of performance. The coupe and convertible go on sale this summer in the U.S. and in the fall in Europe. The Collector’s Edition will be offered later in the model year in the U.S. and Europe.

A ‘purist’ model that leverages a half-century legacy of motorsports success, that will be the new 2017 Corvette.

A ‘purist’ model that leverages a half-century legacy of motorsports success

• Lightweight architecture and track-honed aerodynamics
• An engine offering an estimated 1.05g in cornering capability and up to 1.2g with the available Z07 package
• Coupe and convertible available this summer in U.S. and fall in Europe  
• Grand Sport Collector Edition available later in model year

With Corvette Racing in its DNA, the all-new 2017 Corvette Grand Sport is a pure expression of the car’s motorsports-bred pedigree. It was introduced today at the Geneva International Motor Show.

Like the 2015 Le Mans-winning Corvette C7.R GTE Pro race car, the new Grand Sport combines a lightweight architecture, a track-honed aerodynamics package, Michelin tires and a naturally aspirated engine.

The 2017 Corvette Grand Sport offers an estimated 1.05g in cornering capability – and up to 1.2g with the available Z07 package.

Heritage-inspired design cues and exclusive features acknowledge the historic Grand Sport legacy, established in 1963 to take on the world’s best sports cars. Only five were built before a corporate decision suspending direct motorsports involvement ended the project.

“Racing has been part of Corvette’s essence for more than 50 years and that track experience has helped us build better, more capable cars,” said Mark Reuss, executive vice president of Global Product Development and Global Purchasing and Supply Chain. “The global acclaim for the seventh-generation Corvette validates that direct link and the 2017 Grand Sport takes its track-bred technology to a new, exciting threshold.”  

The Corvette Grand Sport coupe and convertible go on sale this summer in the U.S. and in the fall in Europe.

No holding back

Engineers adapted the chassis tuning, upgraded cooling systems, and performance technologies of the Corvette Z06 to give the new Grand Sport capability commensurate with its racing-derived history.

“We didn’t hold back with the new Grand Sport,” said Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer. “For the first time, buyers can equip the Grand Sport with a Z07 performance package – which adds carbon-ceramic brakes, Michelin Sport Cup 2 summer tires, and carbon-fiber aero package that delivers true downforce.”

The result is a potent track car. In fact, the Grand Sport with the Z07 package is less than one second off the track record for the previous-generation Corvette ZR1 on the road course at GM’s Milford Proving Ground.

Content highlights for Grand Sport include:

• Michelin Pilot Super Sport summer tires: 285/30ZR19 (front) and 335/25ZR20 (rear)
• Specific Grand Sport wheel design: 19x10 inches (front) and 20x12 inches (rear)
• Brembo brake system with (355 mm) 14-inch rotors and six-piston calipers in front and (340 mm) 13.4 inch rotors and four-piston calipers in the rear
• Standard magnetic ride control, specific stabilizer bars and unique springs
• Standard electronic limited-slip differential
• LT1 V8 engine rated at (343 kW) 460 hp, with dry-sump oiling system and active exhaust
• Seven-speed manual transmission with active rev match and available eight-speed paddle-shift automatic with specific performance calibration
• Available Z07 package adds carbon ceramic-matrix brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport 2 Cup tires.

In addition to track-focused aero elements, the Grand Sport also features specific front fender inserts, a Z06-style grille and wider rear fenders – a distinctive design package that gives the car a track-ready attitude.

Grand Sport models are offered with the Stingray’s full exterior and interior color palette. An available Heritage package includes hash-mark fender graphics in six colors, with the hash-mark detail carried onto the interior’s brushed aluminum trim. Full-length stripes are also offered.

“The choices are almost endless,” said Harlan Charles, Corvette product marketing manager. “The packages take personalization to an unprecedented level, enabling customers to create their own Corvette Grand Sport statement like no other.”

Grand Sport Collector Edition

The Grand Sport Collector Edition features an exclusive Watkins Glen Gray Metallic exterior with Tension Blue hash-mark graphics, satin black full-length stripes, black wheels and a unique Tension Blue full leather and suede-wrapped interior.

The Tension Blue color is a bold, modern take on the hue historically associated with the Grand Sport. Inside, a three-dimensional representation of an original Grand Sport race car is embossed in the headrests and that shape is also used on an instrument panel plaque that carries a unique build sequence number.

The Collector Edition will be offered later in the model year in the U.S. and Europe.

AUDI reveals new look to 2014 RS 5 DTM Challenger.

• Audi RS 5 DTM presented in Schaeffler colors
• Schedule before 2014 Hockenheim season opener established
• Mike Rockenfeller: “Can hardly wait for track tests to start”

No other car has shaped the image of the DTM in recent years as much as the yellow-green Audi has. Now, the brand has revealed the livery of the new # 1 Schaeffler Audi RS 5 DTM car in which Champion Mike Rockenfeller is aiming to defend his title. 

Martin Tomczyk in 2011 and Mike Rockenfeller in 2013: Two titles have gone to Audi and the race car sporting the yellow-green colors of the Schaeffler Group in the most recent past, and the reigning champion wouldn’t mind if the string of success in the most popular international touring car series continued. “If the car is as fast as it looks, we’ve got good chances of being in contention,” Rockenfeller commented about his new Audi RS 5 DTM.

 

The new generation of the race car that made its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show last week features newly developed aerodynamics and numerous detailed improvements underneath the carbon fiber skin. Audi has revealed the Schaeffler Audi RS 5 DTM as the first of the total of eight liveries with which the brand is competing in the DTM in 2014. While the basic colors of ‘Rocky’s’ car have been retained, the body contours of the near-460 hp (340 kW) touring car are now even more dynamic than before.

 

“I was thrilled as soon as I saw the initial designs but the car itself looks even more impressive,” says Mike Rockenfeller, who presented his RS 5 DTM to guests on the night before Audi’s annual press conference. “I’m incredibly excited about my first DTM season with ‘#1’ emblazoned on the car and can hardly wait for the next track tests to start.” 

 

The schedule before the season opener at Hockenheim on May 4 has been confirmed. The Audi RS 5 DTM was homologated at the beginning of March. From March 31 to April 3, the DTM will be testing on the Hungaroring in Budapest to which the series is returning this year. From April 14 to 17, the ‘rehearsal’ for the first race will follow at the Hockenheimring. Furthermore, the eight drivers including the three DTM Champions Mike Rockenfeller, Mattias Ekström and Timo Scheider got ready for the new season, which Audi has totally dedicated to the ‘title defense’ mission, at a one-week teambuilding and fitness camp. 

Stunning Mk7 Corvette Stingray given UK prices

European model of seventh generation Corvette boasts top spec equipment levels

• Full Z51 performance pack includes magnetic ride control suspension and performance traction management system
• New Corvette has most powerful standard engine ever
• Prices to start from £61,495 in the UK  

Chevrolet's latest performance car, the Corvette Stingray, will arrive at dealerships across Europe in autumn 2013. In the UK, prices for the Corvette Stingray coupe start from £61,495.

The Corvette Stingray will be fully equipped and tuned to meet the needs of customers in the highly competitive European markets. It will feature the Z51 performance pack as standard, which includes:

• enhanced aero package for optimised high-speed stability
• electronic limited-slip differential
• specific shocks, springs and stabiliser bars
• specific performance gear ratio
• dry-sump oiling system, differential and transmission cooling
• larger front (19x8.5 inch) and rear (20x10 inch) wheels and tyres
• larger front (345 mm) and rear (338 mm) brakes

Furthermore, the Z51 Performance Pack will feature the latest magnetic ride control suspension (optional in the U.S.) that is tuned for European roads, as well as performance traction management and performance exhaust systems.

“Corvette has inspired millions across generations, and the new Stingray is no exception. The advancements in design, technology and engineering have given us a car that will define the decade and far exceed consumers' expectations,” said Susan Docherty, President and Managing Director, Chevrolet and Cadillac Europe. "While the Corvette Stingray can compete with its rivals in terms of performance, it remains affordable. The Stingray is more than a car, it’s a statement of intent by drivers who want the pure exhilaration that’s tantamount with the name Corvette.”

Power will be supplied by the all-new 6.2L LT1 V8 engine coupled with a 7-speed manual transmission with active rev matching. The engine provides 460 hp (343 kW) at 6,000 rpm and 630 NM (465 lb-ft) of torque at 4,600 rpm with the performance exhaust system*. The Stingray has achieved the highest standard power ratings ever for the Corvette. It is expected to hit 60 mph in less than four seconds and deliver improved fuel economy.

Additionally, the Corvette Stingray features the new tablet-inspired state-of-the-art Chevrolet MyLink connected radio with two 8-inch display screens (with a screen personalisation option), USB port, SD card and auxiliary input jacks, as well a centre screen that lowers for device storage.

There are also several options available including; Metallic paint (£600), Tintcoat Paint (£1,000), Navigation System (£1,450) and Black Aluminium Wheels (£550).