Welcome to Motoring Monday for January 19th, 2015. I’m Sam Haymart for TestDrivenTV.
It was a huge week with new cars and trucks from the Detroit Auto Show, and we’ve got a few of them to show you. But it was also an interesting week at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale collector car auction.
Lexus RC-F
Lexus unveiled their newest high-performance F car at the Detroit Auto Show, the mid-sized V8 powered GS F.
Based on the GS sedans, the new 2016 Lexus GS F gets the same fire-breathing 467 horsepower naturally aspirated 5.0 liter V8 found in the hot RC F coupe.
With a wild 7,300 rpm redline, the V8 comes with a quick-acting eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and a real console lever for manual-shifting.
The chassis is thoroughly massaged with manually adjustable dampers, a three-mode torque vectoring rear differential and larger brakes. And those huge 15” front rotors are available with bright orange 6-piston calipers.
While not as wildly muscled and gilled as the RC F Coupe, the GS F gets its share of unique body work including a unique face with deeper grille and slimmer LED headlamps.
Fenders have rear facing side vents which flow into unique rocker trims that flow back to a revised rear fascia with stacked quad tail-pipe outlets.
Wider 19” wheels fill the bulging openings tighter front and rear, giving the new GS F a look you won’t miss when it rolls by.
The interior gets all the good sport stuff including sportier leather chairs, carbon-fiber trim, and lots of sueded materials on all the touch points. Thankfully the infotainment puck still remains instead of their new touch pad.
The new Lexus GS F will arrive late this year with pricing to be announced closer to launch.
Chevrolet Volt
The second-generation 2016 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid made its long awaited debut at Detroit Auto Show with all-new design inside and out.
Now with 50 miles of EV range, better efficiency and stronger acceleration than before, the 2016 Chevrolet Volt has received a complete makeover.
Exterior design is all-new and decidedly contemporary, if not more mainstream. It looks less a science experiment and more like an every day car.
Technical highlights include a drive system with two electric motors which can act alone or in tandem. While it sounds like more, the unit is up to 12% more efficient and a significant 100 lbs lighter.
Both motors can operate together in EV-mode or with the gasoline engine bringing significant improvements in acceleration. A new battery with fewer cells is not only lighter but more powerful.
An all-new interior becomes more mainstream in its overall design theme, and now seats five adults. There’s new available colors, more upscale trims than before and blue ambient lighting sets a tone at night.
Remaining the same is the Volt’s signature dual color display cockpit layout. A variety of new driver controls include a regen on demand feature using a paddle on the back of the steering wheel.
Broad leaf improvements include a stronger body structure and quieter ride. A redesigned braking system Chevrolet says has better modulation and feel with regard to balance of regenerative braking.
With the better EV range, more power and efficiency, the new 2016 Chevrolet Volt goes on sale late this spring.
Acura NSX
Some twenty-five years after the original, Acura unveiled their all-new 2016 NSX supercar at the Detroit Auto Show.
The production model rolled out on stage in Motor City, giving the crowd of journalists their first ear candy of its mid-mounted twin-turboV6 engine.
The all-new dry sump 75-degree V6 engine is paired with an Acura designed 9-speed direct-shift transmission with an electric motor sandwiched in-between.
Front wheels are driven by twin independent electric motors which deliver instantaneous power when needed with dynamic left-to-right torque distribution.
The result of this powertrain design Acura says is an “instantaneous zero delay launch performance and handling response that seems to anticipate the driver’s desire.”
The sharp and sexy body structure is composed of several materials, starting with a space frame of aluminum and high-strength steels. A carbon-fiber floor panel is bonded to the structure for exceptional torsional and bending strength.
Body panels themselves are a combination of aluminum and sheet-molded compounds better known as plastic. The cockpit is of course lined with sumptuous leather trims and a human-centered design with tons of techno features.
Acura didn’t quote many specifics with regard to specifications like weight and horsepower, but we can expect it to be a lot in both cases given all the hardware here.
They will begin taking orders for the 2016 Acura NSX this summer with first deliveries taking place late this year.
Ram 1500 Rebel
At Detroit, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles added a new off-roady trim grade to their light duty trucks in the new Ram 1500 Rebel.
The new Rebel adds a comprehensive list of modifications to the Ram 1500 from visuals like a new grille, bumper and hood design to a 1” factory lift for more ground clearance.
The look is bolstered by 33” Toyo tires mounted to specially designed 17” alloy wheels. Blacked out trims all around and a new RAM stamped tailgate really catch your eyes.
Its lifted air-suspension gets Bilstein shocks with unique tuning and a softer rear anti-roll bar for better off-road dynamics. A new steering and stability control calibration, as well as revised alignment specs are matched to the ride height.
Inside, the Rebel gets special seats trimmed in red and black vinyl with patterned fabric inserts matching the Toyo tire tread pattern. Red and gray accent stitching is found throughout the cabin.
Red anodized vent rings, door and center console accents contrast to the all-black dash and cabin linings. A new center console design gets a place for your devices too.
Available with both the 3.6 liter Pentastar V6 and 5.7 liter HEMI V8, the new 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel will be arriving at dealerships late this spring or early this summer with pricing to be announced closer to that time.
Reality Check: Barrett-Jackson
One thing you can say about a night at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction
is the fact you never know what is going to happen. And this year was no different.
For years Arizona car collector Ron Pratte spent the biggest money on first of Fords and Shelbys among other cars, and this year sold his entire collection at the Scottsdale event. It was expected we’d have fireworks and surprises and that we did.
The star of the show was the 1966 Shelby COBRA 427 Super Snake which originally sold here at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale on a landmark night for $5,000,000 at the height of the economic boom in 2007.
CSX 3015 is literally the rarest COBRA that exists, being one of only two Super Snakes built and the only one surviving. It has nearly 1,000 horsepower from its twin supercharged 427 V8.
The car was immortalized in Bill Cosby’s comedy album 200 MPH, because he owned the other one. Add to it the fact this particular car was Carroll Shelby’s personal driver and that makes it gold.
In the heated environment of the auction block the car had to be pushed hard to get pricing up close to where it had been back in the day. It stalled at $4,700,000 for a very long time before it rolled off the stage as a no sale.
The air seemed to leave the room as it had not met reserve. The news went out the car was a no sale. It wasn’t until morning we got news it had indeed sold for $5,115,000 including buyers commission. They made the deal happen.
It just goes to show you never can tell what goes on at this place. Never forget that at the end of the day, they’re car salesman and nobody gets out alive.
Money Shot:
Now it’s time for Money Shot where we take the hottest photo from this week’s news and we show it to ya.
At the Detroit Auto Show, Ford shot off their own fireworks with the all-new Ford GT supercar. The new carbon-fiber bodied mid-engine sports car will have over 600 horsepower from not a V8, but a twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6. It’s an amazing world.
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