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The 2017 Cadillac CTS-V super sedan is the third generation of the acclaimed luxury performance sedan that launched the brand’s elite V-Series a decade ago and redefined Cadillac for a new generation of drivers.
After a sold-out 2016 model year, the 2017 Cadillac CTS-V adds a Carbon Black sport package, available Rear Camera Mirror, and upgrades and enhancements for the Cadillac CUE infotainment system. The enhanced Cadillac CUE includes new standard technologies like the myCadillac Mobile App, Teen Driver and Cadillac Collection.
Leveraging the strength of the award-winning rear-wheel drive architecture that also underpins the Cadillac ATS, Cadillac ATS Coupe, Cadillac ATS-V Sedan and Coupe, Cadillac CTS sedan and Cadillac CTS V-Sport, the 2017 Cadillac CTS-V super sedan delivers the most capable V-Series ever – a luxury sedan with sophisticated road manners and unprecedented performance, with true track capability straight from the factory.
The new Lotus Evora Sport 410 for North America is the lightest and most focused iteration of the Evora and is a considerable 132 lbs (60 kg) lighter than the already impressive Evora 400 for North America.
Tipping the scales at just 3,020 lbs (1,370kg), or 2,910 lbs (1,320 kg) with no fuel and lightweight options selected, the Evora Sport 410 for North America has set the benchmark through thorough attention to detail.
Employing the latest generation of Lotus’ famous aluminium architecture, which provides high torsional rigidity at a reduced weight, the new Lotus receives a comprehensive array of carbon-fibre components as standard. Covering the car front to back, they include the front splitter, revised front access panel, roof section, tailgate, rear quarter panels, and rear diffuser – all hand-made specifically for the car.
In addition to the extensive application of carbon fibre, which has saved 31.5 lbs (14.3 kg), further headline weight reductions include the introduction of a lithium-ion battery -23.8 lbs (-10.8 kg), ultra-lightweight forged wheels -15.9 lbs (-7.2 kg), and a host of incremental improvements such as a new lightweight windscreen surround -7.5 lbs (-3.4kg).
The new Ferrari GTC4Lusso is Maranello’s latest interpretation of the four-seater concept, which combines extraordinary performance in all driving conditions with sporty elegance and luxurious comfort for both driver and passengers alike.
The GTC4Lusso’s name references several illustrious predecessors, not least the 330 GTC or its 2+2 sister model, the 330 GT, as well as the 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso, which married extreme performance with stylish design and sophisticated materials and craftsmanship.
The GTC4Lusso sports the latest evolution of the naturally-aspirated Ferrari GT V12 that melds incredible power with efficiency and provides a soundtrack which is thrilling in performance driving, yet discreet and harmonious in normal touring conditions.
As is the case with all Ferraris, the GTC4Lusso introduces a slew of technological innovations, notably the new Ferrari-patented 4RM-S which guarantees exceptional handling even on low-grip surfaces and superb stability and responsiveness in all conditions.
The GTC4Lusso’s aerodynamic development introduced new solutions, too, including a slotted diffuser and a rear spoiler integrated with the hatch, all focused on reducing drag and improving aerodynamic efficiency.
As a result, the GTC4Lusso exudes elegance and exclusivity, its unprecedented forms underscoring its most dynamic traits in an effortless marriage of sportiness and signature Grand Tourer traits.
The sophisticated and refined cabin is designed wholly around its occupants. Its Dual Cockpit concept, in fact, was crafted to enhance the shared driving experience for all passengers. Maximum attention was paid to improving in-car comfort, not least in the form of a new concept for the climate control and a new navigation and media system.
High powered, highly evolved, and ferociously fast, the Lotus Exige Sport 380 is the most aggressive iteration yet for the Exige model line up.
Taking the fight straight to six-figure supercars, this new, top-of-the-range model carries over the lessons learnt in the development of the acclaimed Exige Sport 350, launched last year, but with significant revisions lowering weight, boosting power and enhancing aerodynamics. Rather than relying excessively on electronics, or allow sterile interfaces to dull the experience, the extreme Exige Sport 380 offers a pure, undiluted drive that has to be experienced to be fully appreciated.
Unrivalled in its class: faster, sharper, and more direct than adversaries, the Exige Sport 380 is definitely not for the timid. With a dry weight of just 1,066 kg with lightweight options, and boasting a potent power-to-weight ratio of 352 hp per tonne, the new, pure-bred Lotus has been conceived to out perform and out manoeuvre so called supercars. The new Exige is blisteringly fast off the line, dispatching 0-60mph in 3.5 seconds before reaching a top speed of 178 mph. From the intricately engineered exposed-gear-change linkage, to the swathes of carbon-fibre components and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres as standard, every inch of the Exige has been carefully cultivated. Firmly defined as a Lotus for the enthusiast, the car can be seen as an expression of intense engineering - challenging accomplished drivers to extract the car’s true potential.
Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Group Lotus plc, commented: “We’ve saved something special for our last new car of 2016. We have built upon the foundations of the excellent Exige Sport 350 and developed a perfectly proportioned, intuitive and attainable supercar for real roads. The cut in weight is nothing short of drastic and, combined with the hike in power and its enhanced agility, we’ve created something exceptional - far greater than the sum of its parts. The Exige Sport 380 is so good, that it is no longer the best in class, it’s now in a class of its own.”
Photos and Article by Steve Wade