Archive for category: Press

For the fifth year, 500 American Express Black Card members were selected to attend The Gallery at the MGM Grand Casino tonight.

More than two dozen cars from around the world, each one valued at $225,000 and up, sat on display at the event inside a heavily guarded room on the upper level of the Detroit casino.

“I think it’s something no one else is doing,” NAIAS Executive Director Rod Alberts said. “…You find a lot of shows that will be focused just with one brand, but it’s like a mini auto show on steroids of sort. It’s an ultra luxury, uber-luxury and only 28 cars because there are not a lot of cars in that bracket.”

Organizers estimate the event generates about $3 million in sales each year.

“We’ve had a gentleman buy one for his wife for her anniversary, right on the spot,” Alberts said. “She gets in the Bentley, goes, ‘I love this car,’ and he goes, ‘Happy anniversary.’”

Included at this year’s event are cars by Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Mach 7 Motor Sports, a Michigan-based company, featuring the Falcon F7 Series One.

“We are building these in Holly, Michigan,” Falcon Motor Sports marketing director Noel Thompson said. “And we’re real excited about it.”

The F7 actually premiered at last year’s NAIAS with the name Mach 7. Because of the overwhelming response, Falcon decided to start building it. The first one, with a sticker price of $250,000, is already sold.

“We have not officially tested this yet,” Thompson said, “but based on power-to-weight ratio we’re looking at probably between 190 to 200 miles per hour top speed and zero to 60 in 3.2 to 3.6 seconds, someplace in there.”

Most of the F7 is handmade. Twelve more are slated for production this year, with another 25 to be built in 2013.

“We don’t plan on growing this into a mass production vehicle at all. We plan on keeping it small and intimate,” Thompson said. “A lot of times people want what they can’t have. It’s nice to know that if you purchase one of these cars you’re going to have only one of 25 that’s available.”

Famed Chef Wolfgang Puck, who prepared the dinner for The Gallery guests at the Detroit casino, was seen browsing the luxury cars, including Bentley, during the media event this afternoon.

Although the event was not open to the public, organizers released tickets for 100 people, at a cost of $500 each.

When we say “supercar”, we usually mean a mid-engine two-seater that boasts high performance, exotic look and min price of at least 6 digits. However, many people still think that a car can hardly belong to the supercar class if it’s not built in Europe. If you are among these peeps, prepare for the shocking truth – there is actually an array of full-fledged supercars manufactured on the other side of the Atlantic.

The Euro’s probably have the US beat on the sexy factor, because let’s be honest – the European design school is second to none. But, America’s got some superpower to offer, too. Maybe I will surprise someone, but there are at least 10 supercars that America can field against Ferrari, Bugatti and Lamborghini. Some of them are not produced anymore, some have yet to be produced, but every car on this list is badged as “proudly built in the USA”. So here they are, the past, present and future of the American supercars.

The Future

Shelby SSC Tuatara

Instead of giving the SSC Ultimate Aero more power to outrun Bugatti again, Shelby Supercars led by Jerod Shelby decided to make an all-new supercar to reclaim the title of the world’s fastest car. Meet the SSC Tuatara, which is named after the unique New Zealand lizard that has the fastest evolving DNA on the planet. Details on the Tuatara are still top secret but what is known is that the car will be powered by a 7.0-liter DOHC V8 twin-turbo cranking out around 1,350-hp. The car is expected to have a top speed of 442 km/h (275 mph).

2,000-hp ‘Lamborghini’ SF22

Alleluia! Potentially one of the most powerful supercars on Earth will be built right here in America by a Pennsylvania-based company called 215 Racing and its sub-company Mostro Di Potenza. The folks at 215 Racing got the exclusive rights to build the Lamborghini Indomable Concept. When produced, the model will be renamed the SF22, which stands for Street Fighter and the design influence provided by a F22 fighter jet. Only 50 units of SF22 will be made and each will be powered by a 9.4L twin-turbo V8 making 2,000-hp and 2,000 lb-ft of torque. That’s right, no typo here! Mated to a 6-speed sequential transmission, the SF22 will go from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds with a top speed of 265 mph.

The SF22 will be produced in the Philadelphia, PA area, at a rate of 2 per month. 215 is currently accepting orders for delivery in mid-2012. Prices start at $950,000. Well, let’s hope this project will not become another vaporware.

Saleen S5S Raptor

When Saleen, Inc introduced its S5S Raptor at the 2008 New York Auto Show everybody saluted the S7’s successor, which looked like a real Ferrari F-430 killer. Sadly, but development of the supercar has stopped as a result of the 2008 recession and the future of the project is still uncertain. The Raptor (btw, how many models dubbed Raptor can you count?) was originally intended to be equipped with a 5.0-liter supercharged Saleen engine capable to yield 650-hp. The price tag was planned to be set around $185,000 – roughly $400,000 less than the Raptor’s predecessor Saleen S7. Hopefully, the idea of building the S5S Raptor sit firm in Steven Saleen’s mind, and he will get enough funding to bring it to life in the near future.

The Present

The Falcon is the latest addition to the homegrown supercar line-up. Introduced at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show in a concept form, it is expected to enter production in the near future in a limited run of just 15 cars per year. The car will be built by the Michigan-based company Mach7 Motorsports, also known as Viper tuner. The Falcon is going to be priced at $200,000, a way more affordable alternative to its American brothers, the SSC Ultimate Aero and the Saleem 7. The car is built on a Hydro-formed chassis with a Corvette-based LS3 V-8 engine making 500 hp slipped behind the passenger cabin. Depending on the angle, you can see a little Dodge Viper, Ferrari 430, and maybe a touch of the Pontiac GTO in its lines, so who knows, maybe the Mach7 Falcon will become the next Dodge Viper… At least, that’s probably the dream that motivates Motorsports Mach7 founders, Jeff and Carl Lemke.

Mosler MT900

No surprise if you have never heard about Mosler, but the truth is that while mainstreem supercar makers like Lamborghini were just starting to think about lightweight construction methods, Mosler have been quietly building featherweight monsters crafted from carbon fiber and Kevlar for years. The company currently produces the MT900R racer and the street-legal MT900S, as well as several unique project vehicles. The latest supercar produced by the Florida manufacturer is the is the 550-hp MT900S Photon, which takes power out of a Corvette Z06-derived 7.0-liter V8. As of January, 2011, a single Photon had been built and was sold for use in the United Kingdom. Right, it’s unfair that such a cool American supercar isn’t available in America. So if you know some patriot with some spare $395,000, contact Mosler Automotive.

Mosler’s next supercar, the Raptor, will boast 650HP and will weight 2,500 lbs, which is 500 lbs less than the recently introduced Pagani Huayra.

HTT Plethore LC-750

How many Canadian supercar brands do you know? Hard question, huh? Well, now you know at least one Canadian supercar, the HTT Pletore LC-750. It is developed by the Montreal-based HTT Technologies. Boasting a power range of impressive 750-1,300 hp coming from a 6.2-liter V8 engine, the Plethore is also an awesome looker. At the moment, orders for the production version of the car are being taken with the price tag set at $795,000 CAD.

Rossion Q1

Based in Pompano Beach, Florida, Rossion Automotive are the creators of another niche American supercar, the Rossion Q1, which is essentially a Noble M400 that has been given a refurbished interior and mildly restyled body. The Rossion Q1 is equipped with a 3.0-liter V6 making solid 450 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. Claimed top speed is 189 mph. The car is now sold worldwide with a base price tag of $100,595.

The Past Legend

Ford GT

This car doesn’t need to be introduced. I will hardly make a mistake saying that the Ford GT is a quintessential American supercar, or better say, a Superamerican car.

Manufacturer Ford Motor Company

Production 2003–2008 (4,038 produced)

Engine 5.4 L Supercharged Modular V8

Transmission 6-speed manual

Wheelbase 106.7 in

Curb weight 3,485 lb

Original price $149,995

Saleen S7 Twin Turbo

Together with the SSC Ultimate Aero, the Saleen S7 used to be the flagship of the American supercar lineup. Developed jointly by Steve Saleen for the initial concept and direction, Hidden Creek Industries for resources and initial funding, Phil Frank for the body and interior design and development, and Ray Mallock Ltd. for the chassis engineering, the S7 was the only car produced by Saleen not based on an existing chassis. Saleen’s latest model, the 750-hp S7 Twin Turbo, went on sale for $585,296 USD in 2005 and was closed in 2008.

Manufacturer Saleen, Inc.

Production 2005–2009

Engine Ford 427, 7.0 L twin-turbochargedV8

Transmission 6-speed manual

Wheelbase 106.3 in

Curb weight 2,950 lb

Original price $585,296

SSC Ultimate Aero

The SSC Ultimate Aero by Shelby Supercars is the first and the only American supercar to make it to the Guinness Book of World Records record for being the fastest production car in the world. The Bugatti Veyron set this standard back in 2005 by producing a top speed of 253 mph. Then the Ultimate Aero teared that crown off the Veyron by running 257 mph, but then Bugatti reached 267 mph and beat Aero again. Nevertheless, combining american muscle and European styling cues, the SSC Ultimate Aero by far among America’s most iconic cars ever produced.

Manufacturer Shelby SuperCars

Production 2006–present

Engine 6.34 litre 387.2 cu in V8

Curb weight 2,848 lb

Price $650,000

Now that the Viper has exited the scene for a while, it’s time for a new breed of American supercar to take its place. Presented quietly at the 2011 North American International Auto Show, the model comes with a pedigree that will make it a serious competitor on its segment.

Being built by a Viper tuner, Mach7 Motorsports, the model packs an LS9 GM engine (the ones used by the American manufacturer on the Corvette, for instance), which spits 640 horsepower (as standard, the model will be offered with the 500 horsepower LS3 engine).

The engine is wrapped in a body made completely out of carbon fiber, giving the vehicle a curb weight of 2,850 lbs. A hydroformed aluminum chassis is used to link the two together, with large 20 inch Forgeline wheels shoed in Michelin tires sending the horses to the ground.

Performance wise, there’s not much to tell you about, given the fact that the model is still in prototype stage. The company behind it, however, believes the model will easily achieve the acceleration time of the Viper (3.5 seconds) and a top speed of around 200 mph (321 km/h). And, as Mach 7 says, what’s left to say?

The Mach 7 has no release date attached to it yet, but a few details about the production plans and pricing do hover on the Internet. Sources say the model will be priced at around $200,000, with only 14 units of the model to be manufactured each year (14 represents the number of model Mach7 expects to sell each year).

As usual, we’ll keep you posted on any developments.