2010 Ford Shelby GT500 Coupe & Convertible with 540HP

2010 Ford Shelby GT500 Coupe & Convertible with 540HP

The famous Cobra badge has returned on the latest generation Ford Mustang that was revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show last year. The new Shelby GT500 that will be available in both coupe and convertible versions will make its world debut at the Detroit show later this month with sales following in spring 2009. Upgrades over the standard Mustang include an aggressive bodykit, retuned sports suspension and of course, a more powerful 5.4-liter supercharged V8 that delivers 40HP more than before for a total output of 540HP and 510 foot-pounds of torque.

Ford also lamely supports that the new GT500 will "provide better highway fuel efficiency" - as if anyone who buys a 540HP supercharged muscle car cares about what he will pay at the gas pump...

Apart from the revised 5.4L V8, Ford engineers have also upgraded the twin-disc clutch on the six-speed manual transmission while the discs on the 2010 Shelby GT500 are larger – 250 mm in diameter compared with 215 mm in diameter on the outgoing model – and made of copper and fiberglass to make them more robust.

In terms of driving dynamics, spring and dampers have been optimized for better roll control while the coupe sits on new 19-inch Goodyear F1 Supercar tires and forged aluminum wheels ( 18s on the convertible).

"We're proud of the many enhancements that were developed jointly by the Ford and Shelby Automobiles team last year that we've now incorporated into the new 2010 Shelby GT500," said Carroll Shelby, founder of Shelby Automobiles. "Building on what we learned to create the Shelby GT500KR, this new car offers a great combination of power, handling and braking. It is truly a special car that is a great deal of fun to drive."

MORE About 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 Coupe

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder unveiled in L.A.

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder unveiled in L.A.

The LA Auto Show marked the debut of the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder, the convertible version of the Gallardo LP 560-4. The new convertible from Lamborghini is powered by a 5.2 liter engine that delivers 560 hp and 540 Nm of torque which takes the car from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4 seconds and up to a top speed of 323 km/h (201 mph). The car is fitted with a new, lighter transmission, which allows increased shift times by 40 percent (Corsa Mode), new chassis and suspension, which allows the convertible to achieve better fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions.

Customers from across the world can already place their orders and the first deliveries are expected in spring 2009. Lamborghini chose the LA show for the car’s debut, because the United States is the company’s main market, 39% of its customers being based in the United States (75% only in Southern California.

Check out more photos of the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder after the jump.

2010 Audi A5 and S5 Cabriolet

2010 Audi A5 and S5 Cabriolet: High-Res Photos and Official Details



Audi has lifted the covers on the all-new A5 and S5 Cabriolet models (way) ahead of their worldwide debut at the Geneva Motorshow in March 2009. Scheduled to go on sale in Europe in Spring 2009 with the U.S. following in Fall of the same year, the A5/S5 Cabriolets will replace the long-lived, open-top variant of the A4. Even though most of the competition in the category like the BMW 3-Series Convertible, Infiniti G37 Convertible and Lexus IS 250C have opted for retractable hardtops, Audi has chosen a fully automatic classic fabric top that opens in 15 sec and closes in 17 sec.

At launch, the four-seater convertible will be offered with three gasoline and two diesel engines. These include the 2.7-litre and 3.0-litre V6 diesels with outputs of 190HP and 240HP respectively, two 2.0-litre TFSI petrol units with 180HP and 211HP and a 3.2-litre V6 FSI petrol with 265HP. Available power trains include a six-speed manual transmission, the continuously variable multitronic, and the dual-clutch seven-speed S tronic. In addition to front-wheel drive, Audi also offers quattro permanent all-wheel drive for the higher-power engine

As we have already informed you, the range-topping S5 Cabriolet will benefit from the S4's newly developed, supercharged, three-liter V6 engine which will also replace the current S5 Coupe's 4.2L V8 in 2009. The power output tops out at 333HP while the torque between 2,900 and 5,300 rpm remains constant at a hefty 440 Nm (324.53 lb-ft).

The 3.0 TSI V6 will be available with either a six-speed manual gearbox or the seven-speed dual clutch S-Tronic transmission. The S5 Cabriolet goes from standstill to 100 km/h (62mph) in 5.6 and accelerates up to a preset top speed of 250 km/h (155.34 mph). According to the German firm, the drop-top S5 achieves an average fuel consumption of 9.6 liters per 100 km (24.5 US mpg).

In Europe, where the A5 Cabriolet will be also be offered with an entry-level 1.8 TSI gasoline engine delivering 160HP, prices will start at €37,300. Delivery of the first A5 Cabriolet models will begin in the second quarter of 2009.

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