The Lotus Evora has arrived in the US - finally!
It was a mere 6 ½ months ago that the very first Lotus Evora was sold to Matthew Melling in Twickenham, UK and now Mr. Melling will have to share that distinction with the owner of the very first Lotus Evora sold in North America. Bruce Rice, an Austin-area resident, accepted the keys to his brand new 2010 Lotus Evora sports car earlier today from Lotus of Austin, which is planning to celebrate its first delivery of the Evora by hosting a party inside the dealership tomorrow at 5pm.
The Lotus Evora is the first Lotus since the Elise debuted in 1995 and is the first mid-engine 4-seater performance car. The car hosts a 3.5 liter V6 engine that brings 276hp and 252lbs of torque to the table. A carbon grey Evora is listed on Lotus of Austin’s website and has an MSRP of $87,250. Although we have no idea how much Mr. Rice paid for the distinction of owning the first Evora in North America, for that price, we would have preferred a Nissan GT-R Premium which offers more horsepower and torque for the same amount of money. Then again, to each his own.
Check out the press release after the jump.
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Godzilla is on its way back to America, only this time it’s not the reptilian monster we’re talking about but the 2011 Nissan GT-R.
Slightly modified with a number or performance improvements from its 2010 brethren, the 2011 GT-R Premium – if you must know, the base model has already been discontinued - is headed to the US with a price tag of $84,060.
As far as the 2011 Nissan GT-R Premium is concerned, a number of changes were given to the car, with the notable ones being a re-tuned suspension and strengthened rear bushings that enhance ride comfort without compromising performance handling, a slightly darker color tone of the center caps on the wheels, the addition of double clear coat paint to the fascias, modified rear cooling ducts underneath the body, and the standardization of the automatic on/off headlights.
Continued after the jump.
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BMW is the only automaker that can successfully come up with market segments and then serve them to customers who are more than eager to gobble them up. The German automakers latest creation is the BMW X6 SAV, or sports activity vehicle, now this differs from ordinary SUVs because instead of being a storage box on wheels an active lifestyle calls for truck like ground clearance combined with a fastback roofline and room for four, even though it still has the same footprint as a full sized sport utility vehicle. This sounds perfect for the American market.
Despite the questionable nature of this fresh design, BMW is pushing the niche appeal of their luxury vehicle to the next level with a BMW X6 ActiveHybrid version and it will only cost consumers $89,775. Not bad considering that you will be able to counter any SUV protesters by informing them of your X6’s gas/electric hybrid drivetrain and then turn around and tell your muscle car friends about the BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology V8 and that you are laying down 485 HP and 575 lb-ft of torque to the pavement, just make sure that both conversations don’t coincide.
BMW announced the US pricing for the newly launched X6 M and X5 M Sporty SUVs. Revealed at the New York Auto Show, the two models will go on sale at a price of $86,225 for the X5 M and $89,725 for the X6M.
Both models are powered by a 4,4 liter twin-scroll, twin-turbo charged V8 engine that delivers 555 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to a M Sports transmission. The M models can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 4,5 seconds, while top speed is limited to 155 mph.
The two models come equipped with Dynamic Performance Control, special M suspensions and Adaptive Drive, along with a new Servotronic power steering and Active Roll Stabilization system. Other available options are: Head Up Display, Rear View Camera and High Beam Assistant.
Press release after the jump.
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We were braced for this back in November. That’s when we first got word that Nissan would increase the price for the next model year by about a five percent. Now we have the exact number for the increase for the 2010 GT-R: $3950.
That moves the price of the standard car from $76,840 to $80,790 and from $79,090 to $83,040 for the GT-R Premium model. But the extra cash does buy five extra horsepower (that works out to $790 per horse). That moves the power from 480 to 485 hp. Of course, that’s an estimate because Nissan was quick to point out many times last year that each engine and transmission is hand built, and specifically built for each car, so some power deviation can be expected.
There are a few other small extras that come with the $4k increase (like enhanced colors). For those who are really interested, it’s in the press release after the jump.
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