What makes a car beautiful? Is it flowing lines, pleasing proportions, a clear identity, a strong sense of character, exquisite details — or a mixture of all of the above? True, the assessment of beauty ultimately remains in the eye of the beholder, yet its truest manifestations always seem to elicit unanimous praise and approval. We have looked far and wide to choose the most beautiful production cars of the last few years, and agonized over a list of 10 standouts. The fact that most are European will not come as a great surprise, but the inclusion of a compact sedan from South Korea should raise a few eyebrows.
Nissan left the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) two years ago to focus on larger debuts in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City. But for 2012, Nissan will be present for both press conference days, on a stage in front of 5,000 journalists from 41 states and 60 countries (who attended 2011′s press days). But unlike 2011, blogs around the world won’t post their horror stories of covering a single 16-hour day of press previews: major manufacturers like Nissan, Ford, GM and Chrysler have supported the two-day press conference schedule. No more passed-out journalists or media room fighting.
“We’re thankful that NAIAS is, once again, an important part of Nissan’s international auto show strategy,” said NAIAS chairman Bill Perkins. ”NAIAS remains one of the most important motor events in the world, and our manufacturer partners know that we do everything possible to create an exciting, supportive venue.”
Audi has created the very special, limited-edition R8 GT for the 2012 MY. The R8 GT builds on the award-winning R8 Coupe and Spyder and represents the pinnacle of performance in the Audi model line. This is the first limited production sports car produced by Audi, and only 333 units will be built worldwide with 90 units destined for the U.S. Each R8 GT has its production number displayed on the gear shift. The R8 GT starting price is $196,800.
The exceptional performance characteristics of the Audi R8 GT are the result of a combination of advanced, lightweight materials and increased power. Audi has taken its 5.2 liter V10 and boosted output to 560 hp, generating 398 lb-ft of torque and propelling the vehicle from 0-60 in an exhilarating 3.6 seconds, with a top speed of 198.84 mph, and red lining at 8700 rpm. The combination of quattro® permanent all-wheel drive and the performance tuned suspension ensure that the power of the R8 GT is translated to the road, while the R tronic® sequential gearbox with paddle shifters provides responsive gear changes.
Chrysler 300 cars are displayed on stage during press day for the North American International Auto show in Detroit, Michigan in this January 10, 2011 file photo. The U.S. Treasury Department said on June 2, 2011 it reached an agreement to sell its remaining 6 percent equity stake in Chrysler to Italy’s Fiat in a deal that will net Washington $560 million. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/Files (UNITED STATES – Tags: TRANSPORT BUSINESS)
Good News Here! We covered the NAIAS last year for the reveal of the 2011 Chrysler 300 and Cobo Hall was packed. It appears the folks in Detroit want a bigger and better auto show in 2012 with more floor space and more vehicles!
From the Detroit Free Press:
The 2012 North American International Auto Show will have more exhibit space and more vehicle introductions than this year’s show, which drew 735,370 people to Cobo Center in Detroit.
The show will also add a second full day of press conferences and vehicle unveilings, a change that should keep a few thousand business travelers patronizing local hotels and restaurants longer.
Cobo’s exhibit space will grow 25,000 square feet to 725,000 square feet for the 2012 show, Cobo Center general manager Thom Connors said today. Work to expand further by replacing Cobo Arena with exhibition space and a new ballroom begins in July and will be done by 2013.
Ford, General Motors and Chrysler have all promised new-product news both on Monday, Jan. 9, and Tuesday, Jan. 10, show chairman Bill Perkins said. About 5,000 journalists from across the United States and 60 other countries attended the show this year. The 2011 NAIAS had just one day of press conferences, limiting the amount of media coverage automakers received.
Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive Officer of Fiat SpA and Chrysler LLC, smiles during the Fiat Group’s annual shareholder meeting in Turin March 30, 2011. Italian carmaker Fiat is targeting a higher market share for car sales in Europe in 2011 thanks to the launch of the new products in the second half of this year, Fiat’s boss Sergio Marchionne said on Wednesday. REUTERS/Giorgio Perottino ( ITALY – Tags: TRANSPORT BUSINESS HEADSHOT)
NEW YORK – On the morning of May 24, an upbeat Sergio Marchionne was combing his music library to compile a playlist for an employee event that afternoon at Chrysler Group LLC’s headquarters.
As the chief executive settled on Bruce Springsteen’s version of “Eyes on the Prize,” he received a phone call with long-awaited news: Chrysler finally repaid $7.6 billion of bailout loans from the U.S. and Canadian governments.
That day marked a new chapter in the comeback of the smallest of Detroit’s three automakers, the one the Obama administration wasn’t sure was worth saving back in 2009.
It was the Italian businessman’s deep involvement in Chrysler, and Fiat SpA’s willingness to put in $1.27 billion, that helped the company pull off one of the largest debt deals since the financial crisis — winning the backing of some of the same banks that were wiped out in its bankruptcy.
Investors who looked at the deal were initially skeptical about the large size of the financing as Chrysler still had to address concerns over its vehicle lineup and financial outlook, people involved in the process said. There were also questions over whether the company had really transformed itself.
Hyundai Motor Co. sells one out of every two cars in South Korea, so it’s difficult for the slanted-H logo to mean anything other than ubiquity in its home country.
That’s why Hyundai has to do something special for its upscale cars. Its top-of-the-line Equus and luxury Genesis sedans operate as distinct brands in South Korea, with no Hyundai logos on the car.
But even so, the two sedans are also so common among South Korea’s elite that Hyundai has to stretch even more to produce something different for those who really want to stand out.
The result is the company’s first luxury co-branded product: a limited-run Genesis sedan with Prada.
The 1,200 Genesis Prada sedans will be sold in South Korea over the next few months. Another few hundred will be shipped to luxury buyers in the Middle East and China.
The starting price for the car is 79 million won (about $73,000), which is 20% more than a regular Genesis model with the same V8, 460-horsepower Tau 5.0 GDi engine.
The 2012 Audi R8 GT Spyder came to Le Mans in full regalia, and our own Drew Phillips was there to catch it in all its topless glory. We got full details on the V10-motivated convertible Audi supercar last week. With 560 horsepower and 398 lb-ft on tap, Audi’s new ragtop sprints to 60 in a scant 3.8 seconds and doesn’t stop until the needle touches 197 mph. With that out of the way, you may now commence ogling the matte-finished beauty in attached image gallery.
Check out the view from the driver’s seat as the Corvette ZR1 makes its way around the famed Nurburgring. Corvette engineer Jim Mero recorded a lap time of 7:19.63, eclipsing the previous Corvette-best lap set in 2008 by more than six seconds!
If you’re looking for a luxury crossover vehicle, you should definitely include the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GLK350 4MATIC in your short list. While the 2011 model hasn’t changed much from the 2010 version, the vehicle has everything you would expect from a Mercedes. The GLK350 is the smallest and least expensive SUV in their lineup, but it’s one of the best options you’ll find in the small crossover segment.
Exterior
You’ll immediately recognize the GLK350 as a Mercedes with the distinctive emblem on the front grill, but the vehicle has a sporty feel to it that you don’t often find from their vehicles. It retains the Mercedes elegance but it leaves the impression that that it’s ready for some fun. It looks very natural in the photo below towing the jet skis, and I can see more active buyers enjoying the vehicle.
The design isn’t as aerodynamic and bubbly as some of the other offerings in this segment, but that’s a refreshing departure. I liked the sharper lines and the more vertical feel of the design.
Interior
The interior of the GLK350 is impeccably crafted as you would expect from a Mercedes. The 8-way power-adjustable seats were very comfortable, even if it took me a while to find the controls on the door as opposed to the side if the driver’s seat. I liked the new steering wheel and the overall feel of the dash. The room in the back seat was adequate, and the cargo volume with the 2nd row seats down is 54.7 cubic feet.
UPDATE: We’ve been told that the GT Academy winner has been crowned. Congratulations to Bryan Heitkotter – who was actually the top qualifier at Orlando as well – as he begins his training for the real deal. The show won’t air until September, but you can see Bryan’s Meet the Finalists video at nissanusa.com.
Back in March we had the chance to head to the GT Academy qualifiers – a tournament held to lower a field of 32 of the world’s best virtual drivers down to the 16 that would head to Silverstone and onto the GT Academy reality show. That show is now underway, with contestants competing in live racing events, all hoping to win the opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to become a real pro driver on a Nissan racing team.
The series won’t air until the fall, but in the meantime, Nissan and Sony are offering some behind the scenes sneak peeks of what the competition is like for the 16 contestants. There is the usual picture and video content, but the pro drivers on hand at Silverstone have also been answering questions from the GT Academy Facebook page. Watch the video above for a tour of the Race Camp with the Academy contestants, and be sure to keep up with the show’s Facebook page. Just in case you missed it, you can see our writeup of the qualifiers at the Bullz-Eye Games channel.
