2014 Los Angeles Auto Show: Bentley Grand Convertible Concept

At this year's L.A. Auto Show, Bentley introduced the Grand Convertible Concept, which previews the upcoming Mulsanne convertible. It appears as if it's almost production-ready. Under the hood is the engine sourced from the production-spec Mulsanne Speed, a 6.75-liter twin-turbo V8 with 530 HP and a whopping 811 ft-lbs. of torque. It is painted in Sequin blue with a silver "liquid metal" finish to the windshield frame and hood. The hand-built interior is covered in progressive-diamond quilted leather with Sequin leather stitching, side-by-side with Beluga leather and polished chrome décor. At the tonneau, the Grand Convertible Concept uses the biggest piece of wood canvas ever utilized on a Bentley, which is completed with parallel lines of anodized steel. I expect the Bentley Grand Convertible to be green-lit for production within a few years' time; it all depends on the reception this vehicle gets. I'll be a bit shocked if the Grand Convertible remains a concept. In my opinion, the Grand Convertible Concept is gorgeous and would make a great addition to Bentley's lineup. However, when this concept enters production, it's possible that it may steal sales from the Continental GTC and I won't find it as appealing as a Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead coupe. Pictured below is the new Bentley Mulsanne Speed.

2014 Los Angeles Auto Show: Ford Mustang Shelby GT350

 

The next debut I would like to discuss is one of the more anticipated vehicles of next year, the Shelby GT350 Mustang. This replaces the Shelby GT500 as the top-of-the-line Mustang in Ford's lineup. Under the hood is a 5.2-liter V8 producing over 500 horsepower and over 400 lb-ft of torque (exact performance specs haven't been released yet). This is the most powerful naturally-aspirated engine ever built by the Blue Oval. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels through a six-speed stick shift and Torsen limited-slip differential. The 2016 GT350 is the first Ford to employ MagneRide damping, which immediately adjusts depending on road conditions and driver settings. The optional "Track Pack" consists of an engine oil cooler and transmission cooler. Compared to the Mustang GT, the Shelby GT350 has a stiffer chassis, increased front track, lowered ride height, and a new aluminum hood that is smaller and more sloped. The Shelby GT350 sits on a set of super-stiff 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels housing large Brembo brakes. The interior includes specially designed Recaro seats, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, and improved gauges, making it more driver-focused. Also included is a new connected driver control system that permits the selection of five driving modes, which alter ABS, traction control, stability control, throttle mapping, steering effort, and exhaust settings all to the driver's recommendations and to achieve maximum performance. Finally, there has been no word yet on price or availability for the 2016 Shelby GT350. For those wanting a drop top variant of the new Shelby GT350, Ford recently confirmed that they will not be producing one. Overall, I am very impressed with the new Mustang, especially the Shelby GT350. This has become one of my favorite Ford products of all time, along with the GT, 2011-14 Shelby GT500, 1965-66 Shelby GT350 (coming in a later post), 1967 Shelby GT500, 1970 Mustang Boss 302, and 1970 Mustang Boss 429. I am currently having a difficult time deciding between the new Shelby GT350 Mustang and the Camaro Z/28, and this is all coming from a Chevy guy. Below are photos of the 2015 Mustang GT, a few of them being the 50th Anniversary Edition. I think the 2015 model has improved significantly over its predecessor.

2014 Los Angeles Auto Show: Mercedes-Maybach S600

This begins my coverage of the 2014 L.A. Auto Show, which I attended Saturday. I got to see everything except for the Aftermarket Hall; I ran out of time before I could get there. All the Aftermarket Hall had were customized and modified vehicles, along with aftermarket car parts. However, I saw the best and most important vehicles on display, so I didn't really miss much. Overall, I enjoyed it, but it could've been better. This means I wish I could've spent more time there, but I had places to go, people to see, things to do, and it was getting late for me. Moving on, the first debut I would like to feature is the Mercedes-Maybach S600. It is the first in a line of vehicles under Mercedes-Benz's recently re-launched Maybach sub-brand, which is associated with super luxury and exclusivity. It is also the spiritual successor to the original Maybach 57/62 and technically an S-Class with an extra-long wheelbase. The S600 Maybach is powered by the same engine as the S65, which is a 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 producing 523 horsepower. The interior of this car is adorned with hand-stitched leather, real wood, and chrome, and individual electronically-adjustable rear seats come standard with cushioned pop-out ottomans and backrests that recline up to 43.5 degrees. The backseat also provides extra legroom for passengers. Other features include an Air-Balance perfume pack, panoramic sunroof with Magic Sky Control, Designo leather headliner, and Burmester 3D stereo. The Mercedes-Maybach S600 will go on sale this April with an estimated price in the $200,000 range. In my opinion, the S600 Maybach is an extremely wonderful vehicle and will give Rolls-Royce and Bentley second thoughts. It has one of the best interiors out of any car in existence and is perfectly fit for the owner who wants to be driven to their destinations and five-star hotels' shuttle services. Also, this car will instantly become popular amongst rappers, just  like most ultra-luxury cars. I should also mention that there won't be an AMG version of the S600 Maybach or of any vehicle under the Maybach sub-brand, which totally makes sense because Mercedes-Maybach and Mercedes-AMG serve two different purposes and I can't really see the two sub-brands mixing. Pictured below are the 2015 Mercedes-Benz S550, S550 Plug-in Hybrid, and S63 AMG, three of the best full-size luxury sedans on the market.

Nissan GT-R R35

I have posted GT-R photos on this site before, but these photos above were all taken from this year in chronological order. In the meantime, the R35-gen needs little introduction. Under the hood is a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 hand-built by a group of engineers in Japan producing 545 hp and 463 lb-ft of torque. The main reason the GT-R doesn't need a V8 is due to its acceleration, which goes from 0 to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds; it is similar to that of most supercars. Power is transmitted to all four wheels via a six-speed dual-clutch. It was introduced in the U.S. in 2006 and was named the 2007 Motor Trend Car of the Year. As I had mentioned before, 2015 will be the last model year for the R35 GT-R and the 2016 model (R36) will have a hybrid powertrain. The Nissan GT-R is an unbelievably fast car and is the best vehicle ever made by Nissan. It is also one of the only good-looking Nissans in their current lineup. However, I'd opt for most European supercars over a GT-R any day of the week.

Porsche 911 GT3 991

This was my first time spotting a 991-gen 911 GT3 on the streets (this should tell you that I am still not up-to-date content-wise). The main reason for this is because several months back a 991 GT3 in Switzerland caught fire abruptly near a gymnasium. After the investigation process, Porsche decided to recall every unit of the 991 GT3 due to a fire risk. In addition, every unit of the current GT3 was required to have their engines replaced. Despite all this, the Porsche 911 GT3 was named the 2014 World Performance Car of the Year. Just like every other 911 ever produced, the GT3 comes with the traditional flat-six engine in the rear, except this produces 475 horsepower and 324 foot-pounds of torque. 0-60 mph happens in 3.3 seconds, onto a top speed of 195 mph. In one to two years' time, the entire 911 lineup will be refreshed and possibly carry the codename 992. There have also been rumors swirling around that the next-gen 911 may be turbocharged (the entire lineup, that is) and a hybrid version of the 911 may be on its way. In conclusion, the current Porsche 911 GT3 is a great, enticing daily driver with raw performance and excellent handling.

Later this month, the Los Angeles Auto Show will be taking place, and for those of you who are new to my website, I attend this major auto show every year and I am looking forward to it again this year. So far, it looks like mostly German brands (i.e. Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Audi, BMW) will be stealing the spotlight this year. I don't know if I said this already, but the main reason L.A. is such a fantastic city is because of its car culture.