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Report: BMW won’t market an M3 GTS sedan… at least, not in the U.S.

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Europe, BMW

BMW M3 lightweight sedan

BMW M3 Sedan lightweight concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

You may recall that earlier this month, BMW revealed a unique M3 Sedan that had been stripped of weight and toughened up, packing the same sort of approach applied to the hard-core M3 GTS coupe, albeit with a couple of extra doors. The one-off was made for the M Festival set to take place during the 24 Hours of Nürburgring this coming June, but naturally, speculation on its production potential has ensued.

The good folks over at M3Post pinned down Matt Russell, the guy who handles the M range (along with Alpina) for BMW North America, and asked him about the lightweight M3 sedan’s future, and according to him, there are no plans to market such a vehicle in the United States. Naturally, Russell didn’t comment on markets outside his purview, neatly avoiding comment on whether the hardcore sedan will be available somewhere. But given the short time remaining in the current M3’s lifespan and the stringencies of U.S. regulations, any such vehicle apparently isn’t fated for these shores.

Elsewhere in the interview, Russell professed his admiration for the all-wheel drive system developed by Ferrari for the new FF. Could BMW incorporate AWD into future M products? Potentially, but as with the lightweight M3 sedan, the extra heft would be an issue.

Gallery: Lightweight BMW M3 Sedan

[Source: M3Post via Motor Authority]

Report: BMW won’t market an M3 GTS sedan… at least, not in the U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 14:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York 2011: Shelby targets younger crowd with GTS Mustang

Filed under: Aftermarket, New York Auto Show, Coupe, Performance, Ford

2012 Shelby GTS

2012 Shelby GTS – Click above for high-res image gallery

Designated as the spiritual successor of the Shelby GT that was built from 2007 to 2008, the new GTS represents the base model in the Shelby lineup. According to company president John Luft, Shelby’s average buyer is in their late ’50s, and the iconic tuner hopes to bring in a younger crowd with a more affordable offering.

Available as a post-title package on both the Mustang GT and the Mustang V6, the GTS includes a variety of upgrades including a Ford Racing handling pack, Borla exhaust system, Baer brakes, unique front fascia, Le Mans stripes and a deep-draw hood. Optional components include superchargers for both the V6 and the V8, a Watts-link rear suspension system, upgraded brakes and more.

Pricing for the Shelby GTS starts at $9,995, not including the base car, which means a customer can get their hands on one for as little as $32,000. You can read more details about the Shelby GTS in the official PR after the jump.

Gallery: 2012 Shelby GTS: New York 2011

Gallery: 2012 Shelby GTS

[Source: Shelby]

Continue reading New York 2011: Shelby targets younger crowd with GTS Mustang

New York 2011: Shelby targets younger crowd with GTS Mustang originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Melkus showing GT, GTS versions of RS2000 at Top Marques Monaco

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Misc. Auto Shows, MISC

Melkus RS2000 GTS

Melkus RS2000 GTS – Click above for image gallery

We were suitably impressed a couple of years ago at the Frankfurt Motor Show where we stumbled upon the Melkus RS2000. The gullwing sportscar is based on the Lotus Elise and built by a historic East German nameplate revived by the son and grandson of its founder. That same marque has now rolled up at the Top Marques show in Monaco with more powerful variants.

Replacing the Toyota-sourced, 270-horsepower, 1.8-liter four from the Elise on which it’s based, the GT and GTS versions of the Melkus RS2000 pack a 2.0-liter turbo four – reportedly sourced from a “well-known German manufacturer” (we’re looking at you, Volkswagen) – in 300- and 350-hp guises, respectively. With only 2,145 pounds to schlepp around, the new engine should be good for a 4.5 or 3.9-second 0-100 km/h (62 mph) time, while a new carbon-fiber aero kit helps it look the part.

Gallery: Melkus RS2000 GTS

Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: Melkus RS2000

[Source: Melkus via World Car Fans]

Melkus showing GT, GTS versions of RS2000 at Top Marques Monaco originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Vicki from Fifth Gear takes BMW’s M3 GTS out for some fun in the rain

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Europe, Videos, BMW, Racing

Vicki Butler-Henderson in the BMW M3 GTS

2011 BMW M3 GTS – Click above to view video after the jump

Vicki Butler-Henderson has driven her fair share of amazing cars. She started racing karts when she was a kid, has been an instructor at Silverstone and has been a TV host and automotive journalist since the mid-1990s. Suffice it to say, it takes a lot to impress Ms. Butler-Henderson.

As the following video shows, the 2011 BMW M3 GTS managed to do just that. She describes exactly what she loves about the GTS while hooning its wheels off around a very wet, very slippery test track, and between guttural sounds and breathless description, Butler-Henderson points out that the M3 GTS’s prodigious power, phenomenal brakes and telepathic steering make it “an amazing, amazing car.” Click past the jump to check out the footage for yourself.

Gallery: BMW M3 GTS

[Source: Fifth Gear via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Vicki from Fifth Gear takes BMW’s M3 GTS out for some fun in the rain

Video: Vicki from Fifth Gear takes BMW’s M3 GTS out for some fun in the rain originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Walter Röhrl takes on the Porsche 904 GTS, wins

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Porsche

porsche 904 gts

Walter Röhrl takes on the Porsche 904 GTS – Click above to watch video after the jump

Walter Röhrl is a magician behind the wheel of… anything, really. From Group-B WRC monsters to exotic Nürburgring beasts, Röhrl is probably capable of beating your local Autocross club’s fastest using a riding mower.

Recently, the automaker brought the stunning 904 GTS out of its museum and on to the racetrack. Our man Damon Lavrinc was lucky enough to get time in the shotgun seat, but the track was like an ice rink and the two literally went for a spin. Thankfully, Porsche set aside time for Röhrl to push the car around on a dry track. The result is pure driving excellence and the clip is waiting for you after the jump.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Walter Röhrl takes on the Porsche 904 GTS, wins

Video: Walter Röhrl takes on the Porsche 904 GTS, wins originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Six-figure classic British GTs on the block at Barons

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Auctions, Aston Martin, Bentley, UK

1953 Aston Martin DB2/4 MkI – Click above for high-res image

Motoring anglophiles will want to check out the upcoming Barons’ auction at the Sandown Park horse racing track in Surrey, England. The auction house has a pair of rare classic coupes crossing the block in what looks like splendid condition and with exceptionally low mileage.

First up is a 1963 Bentley Continental Coupe by Mulliner. One of only 11 built (and one of eight right-hand drive models), the Mulliner coupe is reportedly in as-new condition with just 91,000 miles on the odometer, only 3,000 of which have been put on in the last 15 years. It’s expected to fetch between £90,000 and £125,000 ($145k to 200k) when it goes up for grabs on October 26.

Barons’ is also following up former Aston Martin chief David Brown’s DB2/4 MkIII, which it sold last month for more than twice its top estimate at £207,000 ($330k), with another rare Aston: a 1953 DB2/4 MkI purchased new by an elderly doctor who barely ever drove it. It was mostly unused until its current owner bought and restored it. Only 11,000 miles have been put on the car overthe past 57 years, with presale estimates putting it in the same ballpark as the aforementioned Bentley.

There’s more to read about in the press release after the jump, including a Jaguar E-Type, a Rolls-Royce, a ’34 Talbot and a Ford GT40, so check it out.

[Source: Barons]

Continue reading Six-figure classic British GTs on the block at Barons

Six-figure classic British GTs on the block at Barons originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 17 Oct 2010 18:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paris 2010: 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS is the middle child we can live with

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Paris Motor Show, Porsche

Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS – Click above for high-res image gallery

Nestled in between Porsche’s perennial favorite 911 Carrera S and audacious 911 GT3 is the automaker’s latest creation – the 911 Carrera GTS. It features the slightly wider body of the all-wheel-drive Carrera 4 models, but only delivers its power to the rear wheels. Speaking of power, Porsche has upgraded the 3.8-liter flat-six to crank out 408 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, and with added visual bits like 19-inch RS Spyder wheels and SportDesign front and rear fascias, this is indeed the middle child 911 that we’d be happy to live with.

The 911 Carrera GTS is making its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show, and we’ve snagged some live shots of both the coupe and cabriolet under the auto show lights. Have a click through our high-res image galleries below to see the latest hotness.

Gallery: Paris 2010: Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

Gallery: Paris 2010: Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet

2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet

Paris 2010: 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS is the middle child we can live with originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 14:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paris Preview: 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Paris Motor Show, Crossover, Porsche

2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS – Click above for high-res image gallery

If you’re in the market for a new 911, but don’t want the same Carrera S as your neighbor and the GT3 is just a wee bit too hardcore for your tastes, we don’t understand you. Thankfully, Porsche does and the answer to your prayers is coming to Paris. Meet the 2011 Porsche Carrera 911 GTS, the new middle-child of the ass-engined family.

If the body work looks familiar, that’s because it’s cribbed from the all-wheel drive Carrera 4 – a trick Porsche has pulled off several times in the past. Nestled between that 44mm wider track is an upgraded 3.8-liter flat-six putting out 408 horsepower (23 more than the standard S, 27 less than the GT3) and 310 pound-feet of torque, now peaking at 4,200 rpm – 200 rpm earlier than in the S.

Power is sent exclusively to the rear wheels (and as it should be), with a manual six-speed transmission coming standard and a seven-speed PDK as an option. Select the Sport Chrono package along with the dual-clutch ‘box, and Porsche claims you’ll be cracking off four-second 0-60 runs all day long.

Aside from the widened haunches, the GTS is set apart by its 19-inch center-hub RS Spyder wheels, SportDesign front and rear fascias, black Alcantara trim and assorted body and interior bits.

After the GTS debuts in Paris, sales of both the coupe and cabriolet versions will begin early next year, with a starting price of $103,100 and $112,900, respectively. Full details in the press blast after the break.

Gallery: 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

Continue reading Paris Preview: 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

Paris Preview: 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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