patrick_y
[PuristSPro Moderator]
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2014 Los Angeles Auto Show: Cadillac, Corvette, and Dodge
American Woman by Lenny Kravitz is a famous song that is iconic. And although the motor car was invented by the Germans, American car companies are still some of the largest and most important car producers and consumers in the world. And being in Los Angeles, we absolutely had to show some awesome American cars on PuristSPro. What's your favorite kind of Americana?
Cadillac. Like Liberace, Cadillac has a staple among world leaders. But in the past decades, Cadillac sales dropped and the cars weren't making the grade in magazine car tests. Today, Cadillac has done a complete 180 degree spin and now produces not only iconic vehicles, but iconic vehicles that drive well, and have garnered much press' acclaim.
Cadillac is also revamping its line up and creating cars with a unique angular style. Much of the company is being moved out of Detroit to New York City, an international mecca for style, design, and city life.
The Cadillac Escalade
LED Jeweled headlamps...
The interior of the Cadillac Escalade.
Cadillac is also making a foray into the high performance sector with the ATS-V. Designed to compete with the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG and BMW M3 sedans.
With 450 horsepower, it's going to be quite something!
It's a stickshift!
The CTS V is larger than the ATS. The V stands for Cadillac's high performance cars division.
The Corvette Z06 Convertible.
Stingray
The Corvette's interior has some upscale touches.
See the Manta Ray design?
Corvette Engine that produces over 650 horsepower and 650 lb/ft of torque... That's AMAZING!
Corvette Transmission
There's a two word saying in America that translates to something that is very American. Muscle Car. Americans are known for their love and passion for muscle cars. Dodge has just come up with two new Muscle Cars; the Dodge Challenger Hellcat and the Dodge Charger Hellcat. Both of these Hellcats boast a 700 horsepower engine. They're priced at around 60% of the price of a Mercedes-Benz E63 or a BMW M5 and yet have approximately 150 more horsepower than either of them, but probably lack the refinement. What do you think? Does that make them a good value? Oh, one note, the engines seem to have pushrod camshafts, which are difficult to service (if the valve camshaft ever do need servicing) and don't rev to high RPMs.
Thoughts? How do you like some of these American vehicles?
Dodge Charger Hellcat
Yes. 707 Horsepower! By far, the cheapest horsepower per dollar ratio.
The interior isn't decadent, but it works.
Notice the tachometer has a very low Redline. The valve is a pushrod design that doesn't allow high RPMs.
Hellcat Logo
Dodge VIPER
Dodge Challenger Hellcat, same as the Charger sedan, just two doors less.
Thoughts? How do you like some of these American vehicles?
More posts:
2014 Los Angeles Auto Show: Cadillac, Corvette, and Dodge
American Woman by Lenny Kravitz is a famous song that is iconic. And although the motor car was invented by the Germans, American car companies are still some of the largest and most important car producers and consumers in the world. And being in Los Ang...
Corvette for me, please, even if the head lights make me think of a Nissan, and the
Rear lights, of a Camaro... But the ratio pleasure price is just unbeatable.... I should try one, one day! Best, Nicolas
Cadillac
Is knocking it out of the park. Heads up folks. With dominance in World Challenge racing as driver and mfg champion for the last three years now with the outgoing CTSV and now running the ATSV for this season. The new Escalade, Gen 3 CTS V Sport and now...
Thanks for sharing!
I'm really disappointed with the Hellcat's low RPM redline and the pushrod camshaft system. Corvette's Z06 engine using pushrods too... Pushrod camshafts are just not reliable in high rpm territory (which is why the RPM redline of the Hellcat and the Z06 ...
Chrysler Hemis are famously limited . . .
. . . in their power band, even compared to other pushrod engines. Their canted valve orientation . . . [current Chrysler Hemi combustion chamber / source: Google search] . . . of necessity creates the widest rocker arm geometry . . . [current Hemi rocker...
Nice Post Art!
I still find it amazing that so many years ago they were already making cars that could do the quarter mile in the 10.9 second range. That just boggles my mind. Thanks for sharing this lovely post with this information. The main reason why I like higher R...
. . . and controversial at the time, too. The Guess Who were invited . . .
. . . to play the White House, but Pat Nixon asked them not to play 'American Woman' on account of its purportedly anti-American theme. Art
