A biweekly roundup of automotive news, good, bad and just plain weird:
L.A. Auto Show: Mustang arrives in Shelby GT350 form
It's even crazier than we thought. The Shelby version of the Mustang GT is finally here, and it's an absolute monster. Building on the new car's already tauter platform, the GT350 gets functional aerodynamics, magnetic-ride dampers, a beefed-up rear differential and a six-speed manual gear box.
Oh yeah, and an engine. What an engine!
Never mind the GT's 5.0-litre barn-burner, this thing's got a 5.2-litre flat plane crank V-8 that sounds like two Cosworth four-bangers scrapping it out in an MMA octagon. What's a flat plane crank? Well, ordinarily, a crank is made up of 90-degree steps for smoothness of power delivery. If you look at it head-on, it appears to be a plus sign.
A flat-plane crank is just 180-degree opposed, like bicycle pedals made for eight feet. The cylinder banks just hammer it out like boxers and that means, in the GT350's case, horsepower levels somewhere above 500 h.p. and an 8,200 r.p.m. redline. Yowza.
It also sounds flippin' amazing, and I can't wait to see it going toe-to-toe with the Camaro Z/28 on the racetrack. The Hellcat is preserving the era of musclecars, but Ford just made life interesting for those who remember the glory days of American road racing.
L.A. Auto Show: New ATS-V ready to take on Germany
You know any Cadillac V-Series is going to be a big deal, and that goes double for GM's smallest Cadillac, the ATS. This is the bread-and-butter car of the range, and the General will sell a lot of base models if they can get the halo car right.
Well, here it is: 455 h.p.; a choice of six-speed-manual or eight-speed-automatic; a claimed 0-60 time of less than four seconds; magnetic ride height control; Recaro sport seats. Essentially, GM has pulled out all the stops.
Power comes from a twin-turbocharged 3.6-litre V-6, as expected (you already get a similar engine in the CTS V-Series). With a curb weight of around 1,600 kilograms, it should be relatively agile as well, and those looking for a tiny smidgen of practicality can order it as a sedan. The new ATS coupe will also come with the V badge.
On paper at least, this car goes directly head-togear with the BMW M3 and the AMG versions of the C-Class Mercedes. The old CTS-V took the fight to BMW and Mercedes-Benz with major power, where the ATS-V doesn't have a huge power advantage, so we'll have to wait to see what the coming track sessions show.
L.A. Auto Show: Mazda adds CX-3 crossover to lineup
Here's one for regular folks who appreciate driving pleasure, but also have one eye on their fuel gauge. Just launched in Los Angeles is Mazda's new CX-3 crossover, a raised-up version of the Mazda3 that has its own unique styling elements, and comes with a 2.0-litre engine and available all-wheel drive.
Mazda's been really knocking it out of the park, styling-wise, and this new car is no exception. It's a sharp-looking little thing, with the long nose required by the long exhaust headers leading the way and a short trunk out back.
Pop open that trunk and take a peek inside and it's not quite as big as you might have hoped for. People looking for a family hauler are probably going to want to stick to the bigger CX-5, which is also getting a refreshing.
However, for buyers looking to graduate to something a little bigger than their Mazda3 or Mazda2, the CX-3 looks sporty and fun, has all-wheel drive and a bit more ground clearance to tackle the snow, and should drive with most of the same zip as the rest of the Mazda range. Best of all, that little 2.0-litre Skyactiv engine has proven to be quite miserly at the pump, and the addition of a new unlimited-mileage warranty from Mazda should keep ownership costs down.
Nissan fully restores 1996 Maxima
One of the few semi-OK things about social media is how savvy the automakers have become at engaging with their audience. Ew. "Engaging with their audience." I need a shower.
However, sometimes a carmaker can get in on a joke and actually make it better. It's all in the name of eyeballs and upvotes, of course, but sometimes the story is so good, you don't care.
A gent named Luke Acker decided to sell his ratbag '96 Maxima on Craigslist, and, as has become almost a routine now, he created a hilariously over-the-top advertisement praising the Maxima's luxury features. Acker went a little further than most, and even produced a short video lampooning most luxury car commercials: the leering closeup, the brightly lit garage, the stuffy faux-British voiceover. Taken as a whole, you couldn't help but laugh, and the video went viral. Shudder. "Viral." I need another shower.
Nissan laughed, and then they asked, "Hey can we buy that thing?" The company proceeded to spend six months fully restoring this Maxima to something of its previous glory — actually scratch that, the car was never this good when it left the factory. Then they made their own stuffy-Brit ad, and have been watching the upvotes trickle in all day long.
The upshot of all this showmanship is that the Nissan now has a pristine green mid-90s Maxima sitting in their Nashville headquarters. It's not quite a classic, but that's a happy ending nonetheless.
Watch this space for all the best and worst of automotive news, or submit your own auto oddities to [email protected].
