Here at LotPro.com

We have often been accused of promoting an agenda that includes small cars as well as anything that competes with domestic products. The fact is nothing could be further from the truth. Most of us here grew up loving Detroit iron. And throughout the fifties and the early sixties, we saw the vehicles (not the “product”) coming out of the factories here in the Midwest as the best the world could produce.

But much of that luster was lost as the big three came to rest on its laurels – while missing the boat on smaller cars in their own backyard (even as their European subsidiaries pumped out some of the better smaller rides).

But small cars weren’t the segment that was being lost to the imports. Starting with Acura in the late eighties, the best of Detroit’s luxury makers gradually lost ground to the Japanese and then the Germans, so that by the nineties, both Cadillac and Lincoln (Chrysler effectively killed off the badge in 1990 when the Imperial became a K-car) had become also-rans in the segment (the 1982 Cimarron comes to mind, as does Cadillac’s V8-6-4 engine).

A renaissance (an era, not the building)

Beginning in 2002, however, a revival began at Cadillac with the introduction of the first CTS sedan (a 2003 model). This was followed by the STS sedan in 2004 and the second-generation CTS in 2007.

One year later at the 2008 North American International Auto Show, Cadillac unveiled the CTS Coupe Concept, a stunning designed based on the CTS sedan, promising its eventual production and today, the company announced that 2011 CTS Coupe would, indeed, begin arriving in Cadillac showrooms in the spring of 2010.

“Cadillac has always been an emotional brand – it’s about delivering art regardless of body style,” said Max Wolff, director of exterior design for Cadillac. “With the CTS Coupe, it was about taking something very strong – the CTS Sport Sedan – and extending its potential.”

Virtually unchanged

The actual production coupe carries over virtually unchanged from the concept car. Wheelbase is shared with the sedan, but height and length are 2” lower and 2” shorter than the four door. Although based on the sedan, the coupe shares only the instrument panel, console, headlamps, front fenders and grille with its sibling.

“CTS Coupe is the new focal point of Cadillac, expressing both our design and technical capabilities,” said Bryan Nesbitt, Cadillac general manager. “It is intended to appeal to a new generation of car enthusiasts.”

According to Cadillac, other key design features include:

•    Classic hardtop styling, with no conventional B-pillar
•    Touch-pad operation for the doors removes the need for conventional door handles, creating a technical, clean profile
•    A windshield laid at a faster angle (62.3 degrees) and a long, nearly horizontal backglass area combine to create a sleek, aerodynamic look
•    Sculpted lower front fascia with unique brake-cooling vents
•    Diamond cut-style rear fascia with mesh lower grilles
•    Center-outlet exhaust with twin dihedral-shaped tips that pass through the rear fascia
•    Signature vertical lighting, highlighted with LED light pipes
•    Rear spoiler integrated into the center high-mounted stop lamp
•    Sculpted roof-mounted antenna for OnStar and XM Satellite Radio.

Generating excitement

At LotPro.com we realize that it isn’t hasn’t been that often, lately, that we get to report on any positive news coming from the Pentastar down the street. Aside from the Dodge Challenger and its iconic Jeep brand – including the new Grand Cherokee, scheduled to go on sale next year, most of Chrysler’s fleet is showing its age. Add to that the fact that the new offerings from its latest owner Fiat are nearly a year away and you have the specter of a company that is currently, for all intents and purposes, treading water.

But if the latest news from Auburn Hills is any indication, Chrysler is determined to make the most of what it currently has and this includes the vehicles it plans on displaying at this year’s SEMA show, scheduled to run from November 3rd until the 6th in Sin (what happens in, stays in) City, Nevada.

Here are the rides Chrysler will display:

Mopar Dodge Challenger 1320 Image Vehicle

Chrysler calls this particular exercise “exploring a street-legal Drag Pak Challenger.” Sounds fun to us.

Named for the 1,320 feet on a quarter-mile drag strip, this one-off Challenger features a 426 Hemi® V-8 that generates 556 horsepower and 540 lb-ft. of torque. Equipped with long-tube headers and a free-breathing exhaust system, electric outlets allow exhaust gasses to bypass the muffler system. Power to the pavement is supplied by a six-speed manual transmission via a Dana 60 differential with a selectable ARB locking mechanism.

Mopar police wheels (widened for the rears) are clad with Mickey Thompson street-legal drag radials, with all this power kept in place by four-corner Mopar adjustable coil-over kit. To ensure this Challenger is no shrinking violet, the 1320 is adorned with Acidic Hue, a non-metallic yellow paint and trimmed in matte black graphics.

Performance is enhanced by lightening the body with the following carbon-fiber components: bulged hood with Hemi scoop, front spoiler, and grille panel/headlight surround. And while the interior has been stripped of the rear seat, center console and radio, it also sports Dodge Viper seats, sports steering wheel and Hurst shifter.

Dodge Ram Bianco

The color may be vanilla, but the Ram Bianco is anything but. The extensive modifications to what was once a Ram 1500 Sport include a body kit, specially modified fender flares, hard tonneau and lowering kit, with everything, including the Mopar 22” wheels, painted using several coats of Arctic Ice pearl.

A cold air intake and dual exhausts add to the 5.7-liter Hemi’s performance, while the interior receives white and black Katzkin seats with matching door trim, Piano Black and Arctic Ice accents as well as a Kicker audio system.

Jeep Wrangler Overland

The Overland is Chrysler’s vision of the ultimate moveable campsite. One can almost hear the driver shouting as it flies across the desert, “RV! We don’t need no stinking RV!”

Cargo capacity for the Overland is increased by eighty-sixing the rear seats in favor of a large, flat, rubberized utility floor, while the cargo rack has been augmented with the addition of a two-person ARB Simpson II roof-mounted tent plus touring awning.

Clearing the occasional pesky boulder has been accomplished through the addition of an AEV Nth Degree 3-inch lift package and Full Traction rear sway bar. This customization makes the necessary room for aggressive 35-inch tires mounted to 17-inch Mopar off-road wheels.

With desert duty in mind, an AEV heat-reduction hood has been added and, to make those occasional river crossings safer, an AEV snorkel kit is also part of the package.

Jeep Lower Forty

Last, but certainly not least, the Jeep Lower Forty looks akin to something out of a Mad Max movie. With the goal of achieving additional ground clearance without altering the center of gravity of a production Wrangler Rubicon and sans a lift kit, the design team resorted to removing a great deal of the original vehicle’s sheet metal in order to augment the standard wheel/tire combo with 20” forged aluminum alloys and 40-inch x 13.5 inch tires.

Three inches were chopped from the windshield frame and a 10 degree rake was added. The front and rear fender flares are both 1” wider and located 4” wider than the stock body. A new carbon-fiber hood with power dome and drop-down “Jeep”-logoed tailgate top it all off.

On the inside, a new custom roll cage was tied directly to the frame rails and the spare tire relocated to the cargo floor. The console and instrument panel were color-matched to the Red Eye No. 3 exterior paint, while the seats received Katzkin leather skins while the carpeting was removed and replaced by spray-in truck-bed liner.

Mechanicals for the Lower Forty include a 5.7-liter Hemi mated to a Getrag 238 six-speed manual along with a Dana 44 front and Dana 60 rear axles.

Small and nifty

Even though the price of gas has hovered around $2.50 this summer, most of us here at LotPro.com don’t believe for a minute that it will stay this low forever. It turns out that most of the world’s automobile manufacturers also agree with us (either that or they’re being chased into a corner by the latest government mandates and we’d prefer to give them the benefit of the doubt).

To that end, many of the world premieres at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show were either electric/hybrid concept vehicles, or superb new small cars blessed with new engine technologies that promise to deliver 40+ mpg nearly immediately.

2010 Fiat Punto Evo

With Chrysler’s last best hope destined to begin to arrive from the mother ship in Italy within the next 2 years, keeping a weather eye on Fiat has become de rigueur for American motor journalists and car buyers alike and, hence, our interest in the Punto Evo.

If the lovely little 500 is the company’s halo car, then the Grande Punto represents Fiat’s high-volume sedan. This year, Fiat upgraded the interior materials and blessed the rechristened Punto Evo with seven airbags and a face-lifted front end, as well as new taillamps. If you squint real hard, you can almost visualize a Chrysler emblem above the new grille. The guys in Auburn Hills should be chomping at the bit to get this one.

2010 Fiat 500 Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari

Fiat started with a 500 Abarth – itself no slouch – and added Scuderia Red paint, 17 inch grey alloy wheels and a host of carbon-fiber trim pieces including mirror housings and front seat shells. The interior boasts leather trim, including the red steering wheel wrap (paddles behind the wheel control the manumatic transmission), and the pint-sized 1.4-liter four gets an extra dose of horsepower (50, to be precise).

2011 Ford C-Max

Based on the same architecture as the European Ford Focus (and our own Mazda3/5 vehicles here in the U.S.), the C-Max represents the production version of the Iosis Max Concept that Ford revealed at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year.

While Europe will be able to buy this latest version sometime in the latter part of next year, there is no word yet on whether the company plans on bringing it over here.

2012 Ford Grand C-Max

If Ford is still unsure about bringing over the C-Max, American small car buffs should take heart in the fact that there is no such vacillation when it comes to the Grand C-Max. Based on the platform that spawned the versatile Mazda5, the “Grande” Max will feature the same sliding rear doors with room for seven – although, just as in the Mazda5, the rear seat is reserved for either two children or two consenting adults.

Expect to see the Grand C-Max in Ford showrooms here in the states sometime in late 2011.

The Best of Detroit

As we stated in yesterday’s article on LotPro.com, the years 1955 to 1970 are looked upon as the golden age for many followers of the sport of drag racing. During this time, big corporate sponsorships were the stuff of dreams and most drivers who raced also had full-time jobs that helped support their passion for the sport.

In addition to the six vehicles mentioned on Monday, here are the seven more that appeared at the Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance this past Sunday:

1963 Pontiac Catalina 421 Super Duty

This particular 1963 Pontiac Catalina 421 Super Duty was among a select number of Pontiacs (there were only 14 produced) that were dubbed “Swiss Cheese” vehicles. The name came from the fact that the perimeter frame had approximately 120 holes punched in the side sections and the side of the box section was also removed.

With a factory shipping weight of only 3,308 pounds, the body featured aluminum panels on the fender, hood, trunk and bumpers. Factory rated horsepower was 420, but the engine blue printed out at well over 500 horsepower.

This particular Catalina was raced out of the venerable Royal Pontiac dealership in Royal Oak, Michigan (which was to become famous for the Royal Bobcat Pontiac GTO). Driven by Jim Wangers, it went on to win the B/FX class at the U.S. Nationals.

1963 Ford Galaxie Factory Lightweight

Ford’s answer to the Pontiac “Swiss Cheese” vehicles was the “Factory Lightweight.” Built in Atlanta and L.A., on the Galaxie line, the bodies were modified with aluminum panels and the interiors featured little in the way of luxury – no heater, no radio, and no frills. A very few of these lightweights featured Ford’s high-performance 427 engine.

1963 Chevrolet Impala Z-11

The Impala Z-11 was Chevy’s answer to the need for more horsepower and lighter cars in 1963. Chevrolet produced 57 of these vehicles that featured a modified 409 cubic inch engine that, in different variations, produced anywhere from 340 horsepower up to 425 horsepower.

Like its counterparts at Ford and Chrysler, this particular Chevy had no radio, no heater and no sound deadener and, like the Ford Galaxie, it was assigned an RPO (Regular Production Order) number (RPO Z-11), although it took more than signing on the dotted line to buy one of these specials.

1965 Plymouth “Color Me Gone”

A number of things took place in 1965 that were to profoundly change drag racing in the United States. That year, the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) created a factory experimental class that had less restrictive rules. The resulting Altered Wheelbase cars became the ultimate production-based muscle cars that would eventually bridge the gap between the Super Stock cars of the early ‘60’s and the Funny Cars that would emerge years later.

Chrysler eventually built 6 Dodges and 6 Plymouths and sold them to teams like the Ramchargers, Dick Landy and Roger Lindamood. Lindamood, in particular, won the 1964 Nationals and is a hall of fame driver.

1965 Mercury Comet “Dyno Don Nicholson”

Dyno Don Nicholson began racing in the 40’s and 50’s and was one of a select few drivers that helped propel the sport from a hobby to big business. Along with Jack Chrisman, The Ramchargers, Dick Landy and Gas Rhonda, he experimented with altering wheelbases, fuel injection, supercharging, big slicks and super duty transmissions.

His “Mercury Cyclone” was one of the most successful cars of its era and the car’s altered wheelbase, flip top and engine configuration led to the name “Funny Car” that is still used in drag racing today.

1968 Plymouth Barracuda “Ron Mancini Car”

By the 1960’s, all the major manufacturers were taking part in the “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” racing wars. In 1968, the Hurst Performance Center in Madison Heights, Michigan assembled 75 purpose-built cars specifically for drag racing. The new “Hemi” powerplant helped propel these cars to many NHRA victories.

This particular 426 Hemi Plymouth Barracuda was built by the team of Mike Dawson and Ron Mancini with the help of Gratiot Auto Supply and ran SS/AA.

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle “Red Alert”

Beginning in 1970, General Motors dropped its self-imposed rule of restricting mid-size cars to engines with less than 400 cubic inches of displacement. The LS6 package included a 454 cubic inch engine that produced 450 horsepower that resulted in quarter mile times in the low to mid-13 second range.

In 1969, drag racer Bob Hamilton purchased this Chevelle for his wife as a Valentine’s Day gift and, a year later, turned it into the “Red Alert” drag racer that competed in the NHRA SS/DA class. In 1971, model car company AMT created a model of the car that became their all-time sales leader. “Red Alert” continued to race until 1976 when it was Top Stock Eliminator in 14 out of 16 races.

Working towards the weekend

Yesterday, the 30th Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance officially kicked off this year’s show with its annual press conference. The theme this year, the “Best of Detroit” will serve to pay homage to the three domestic auto manufacturers that have, in the past, been major supporters of this annual event, held at the family home of one of Detroit’s auto pioneers.

“Detroit’s ‘Big 3’ auto makers have been perennial supporters of the Meadow Brook Concours,” said Matthew de Larcinese, Executive Director – Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance. “As a gesture of gratitude for their long-standing support, the Concours is pleased to commemorate its 30th Anniversary with a celebration of Detroit’s automotive heritage featuring the engineering and design excellence of General Motors, Ford and Chrysler.”

Friday events

In addition to the Concours, itself, which takes place on Sunday from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm, there are a number of other events that are closely tied to the show.

Beginning at 8:30 am on Friday, July 31st, there will be a 50 mile motoring tour that begins in the courtyard of the Meadow Brook mansion that will visit two vintage car collections in Bloomfield Hills and Troy with a luncheon scheduled in-between in Birmingham.

At roughly the same time (10:45 am) a shuttle will leave Meadow Brook Hall for a VIP tour of The Henry Ford that includes a gourmet lunch and a rare opportunity to explore the Conservation Lab, the Benson Ford Research Center (the museum archives) and the Model T Garage, which will include a Model T tour around Greenfield Village (if you are interested, there are a very limited number of reservations for this tour).

Finally, beginning at 6:30 pm, there is a 30th Anniversary Welcome Reception & RM Auction Preview for invited guests as well as registered bidders for Saturday’s “Vintage Motor Cars of Meadow Brook” auction at the Shotwell-Gustafson Pavilion at Meadow Brook Hall.

2009 Poster “A Toast to the Great and the Good”

Saturday events

In addition to the auction, Saturday’s lineup includes two automotive-related seminars:

At 8:30 am, James Haefner, author of “Rare and Exquisite Vehicles of Distinction”, will discuss and demonstrate techniques of artistic car photography which will take place in the Meadow Brook Hall Carriage House Courtyard.

Beginning at 9:30 am in the Meadow Brook Hall Ballroom, A panel discussion led by Ed Lucas will include designers: Ralph Gilles of Chrysler Group LLC, Bill Porter of General Motors and Patrick Schiavone of Ford Motor Company. The discussion will focus on key elements of past and future automotive design.

From across the pond

Chrysler and Fiat are now one (provided something can be worked out about pending dealer legislation), so at LotPro.com we thought we would follow-up on a recent article by passing on some more recent news from Fiat in the U.K.

The plan to get additional drivers into Fiat’s hot little 500 got a boost this week when the company announced that it would provide the British School of Motoring, one of the UK’s most popular driving schools, with 14,000 cars over the next four years, most of which will be the Cinquecento, along with the company’s Grande Punto model.

Interestingly, the 500 will be the first Fiat to reach our shores, while the Grande Punto model may very well follow it over here somewhere in the near future.

Here is the press release from Fiat in all its British idiomatic glory:

BSM and Fiat in Landmark Deal

BSM and Italian car giant Fiat have today announced their partnership which will see Fiat as the new fleet provider for BSM (the British School of Motoring), the UK’s most popular driving school.

Fiat will provide BSM with 14,000 cars over the next four years, most of them the award-winning Fiat 500 – Car of the Year 2008 – along with the popular Grande Punto model.

The fleet vehicle is the biggest depiction of the BSM brand, and the introduction of the stylish Fiat 500 design is intended to appeal to new learners by echoing the brand’s iconic feel. BSM will start to take delivery of the new fleet this summer and complete the exchange of all fleet by the end of the year.

BSM has a network of 94 UK driving centres from Inverness to Truro and teaches more than 130,000 learners a year. The agreement will make the Fiat 500 even more visible on Britain’s roads – and help Fiat with its plan to target the 500 at the key young drivers market.

BSM is confident that the change of car will give new drivers a superior learning experience, with features including:

* Manoeuvrability – the Fiat 500, with a length of just 3.5 metres and a turning circle of 9.2 metres, is easy to drive and offers exceptional manoeuvrability;

* Safety – the Fiat 500 has more safety features than any other small car and achieved five stars in the tough Euro NCAP crash test programme;

* Environment – the Fiat 500 engine meets the toughest Euro 5 exhaust emissions standards and has improved fuel efficiency when compared with BSM’s previous fleet. The 500’s 1.2-litre 69 bhp engines returns 55.4 mpg on the combined cycle and emits just 119 g/km CO2. The model is also available with eco:Drive which analyses driving styles and helps drivers use less fuel;

* Visibility – the Fiat 500 model also offers greater visibility than the previous fleet, with a smaller dashboard and larger wing mirrors.

The new partnership will include a special offer for learner drivers wishing to purchase a Fiat once they have passed their test. The car manufacturer is offering an exclusive £500 discount on all new Fiat models to BSM learners, making the range even more accessible and economical for new drivers.

“We believe very strongly that the car we use for our fleet is the strongest depiction of our brand so it was of the utmost importance for us to find a car that shares both the heritage of BSM and the brand’s modern outlook and appeal,” says Abu Shafi, managing director, BSM.

BSM previously partnered with Vauxhall who provided over 3,500 of their Corsa and Astra models to the company. The new deal will include the Fiat 500 and Grande Punto model for disabled learners.

Images courtesy of Fiat Group Automobiles UK Ltd

Reports not exaggerated

To paraphrase Mark Twain, it appears that reports of the imminent demise (or sale) of the Viper brand have been quashed by none other than the Newest Chrysler – reversing a decision that was made by the New (old) Chrysler last year.

As early as August of 2008, then-CEO Bob Nardelli was quoted as saying, “We have been approached by third parties who are interested in exploring future possibilities for Viper.”

An about face

On Friday of last week, however, Chrysler issued a press release announcing that production would continue for the Dodge “halo” car. In addition to the SRT 100 being saved, the latest is indeed good news for the workers at the Chrysler Conner Avenue Assembly Plant – the lone assembly point for the vehicle since 1995 – which will continue to build the fourth generation of Dodge’s iconic sports car.

“The Dodge Viper has successfully captured the hearts and imagination of performance enthusiasts around the globe,” said Mike Accavitti, President and Chief Executive Officer, Dodge Brand. “We’re extremely proud that the ultimate American-built sports car with its world-class performance will live on as the iconic image leader for the Dodge brand.”

Reversal reasoning

With Fiat running the show in Auburn Hills, it appears that the Italians must feel there is a viable market for the Viper brand both here and abroad. Looking at it another way, Dodge’s snake is the lone “halo” car in a company that desperately needs one in times like these – and with new product from parent company Fiat still at least 18 months away, Chrysler needs all the good karma it can get.

Today, Europe

So far, so good. Here at LotPro.com, it seems like the Fiat alliance that created the “Newest Chrysler” (not to be confused with the “New Chrysler”) seems to be going as planned – with the obvious exception of the brand’s continued sales slide.

To that end, most of us here are eagerly anticipating the arrival of Fiat’s small cars on this side of the pond – something that can’t happen soon enough, given the company’s dearth of appealing small cars (a small stable that includes the unfortunate-looking Dodge Caliber).

To that end, fans of the small car and of Chrysler find themselves looking to Europe, where, today, Fiat is bringing the new Fiat 500 C to market.

Fiat 500 C

We’ve written about the new 500 C here before and whether you call it a convertible or a vehicle with the world’s largest cloth sunroof, the fact remains that the latest incarnation of the Cinquecento is nothing short of an instant classic.

“The Fiat 500 C is not merely the open version of the 500,” explains Roberto Giolito, Fiat & Abarth Style Director. “In fact, thanks to the wide range of available versions, this new model is really a whole new car in its own right, with a strong personality inherited from the original 1957 model and an undoubted sentimental value brought to it by so many fans over the years. If, on the one hand, the Fiat 500 C respects the original version, on the other it enriches it with new features which, thanks to stylistic choices, afford each one of us maximum freedom of use.”

Not a chop job

Although the C maintains the same dimensions as its hatchback brethren, the windscreen on the convertible is deeper due to the fact that the upper cross member had to be resized to increase the torsional rigidity of the (nearly) topless body.

The top, itself, is electric and contains a glass rear window as well as the third brake light, which is contained in a color-keyed spoiler and is always visible – whether the top is up or down. With the top closed, the press of a button folds the top back to the rear spoiler position (much like a sunroof), while a second press fully opens the roof (a feature that remains active up to 37 mph). The first step can also be accomplished with the vehicle remote.

Even with a soft top, storage capacity in the trunk is 6.4 cubic feet, nearly the same as the hatchbacks 6.5 cubic feet. And although the top, when folded, intrudes on the trunk opening, when the trunk release is activated, an electronic system automatically lifts the lid a few centimeters to allow the trunk to be fully opened.

Model range

In the U.K., the 500 C starts with the Pop version, which includes seven airbags, ABS and EBD. Also included is A/C, electric power steering, power windows and locks as well as a vehicle remote. All three engines are available and the 1.4-liter 100 hp 16v engine, if chosen, includes ESP stability control.

The Lounge version adds the element of chrome to the side windows, tail pipe, interior door handle inserts, gear lever and front and rear bumpers. Also included is automatic climate control, standard ESP, fog lights, parking sensors, 185/55 R15 alloy wheels and electric outside mirrors.

Xenon headlamps with integrated washers, leather interior, Interscope sound system and special 16-inch alloy wheels are stand alone options on both the Pop and Lounge versions. Also on the list is a multifunctional portable navigation system with Bluetooth functionality.

All images courtesy of Fiat

Summer in the suburbs

Once again it’s summer at LotPro.com and in Auburn Hills, Michigan. To help celebrate the season, Chrysler has hauled out three special concept vehicles to add to the Lara Croft Tomb Raider Jeep Wrangler Rubicon (try saying that five times as fast as you can) from The Cradle of Life movie and the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited from Sahara.

Tomahawk

Looking like some insane machine that might have populated the landscape of a Mad Max-type futuristic movie, the Dodge Tomahawk makes your average Harley look like a Vespa scooter.

Originally introduced at the 2003 North American International Auto Show, everything about this four-wheel, single-passenger vehicle is over the top. Art-deco styling and über-extreme engineering result in what Chrysler deems “what creative minds can do when given the opportunity to run free” (a note to creative minds: a practically unlimited bank account would also come in handy).

Powered by an 8.3 liter (505 cu. In.) aluminum Viper V-10 engine that produces 500 SAE net bhp and 525 lb.-ft. of torque, the Tomahawk features a two-speed, sequential racing-style foot-shifted manual transmission. Power is transmitted to the dual 35 tooth rear sprockets via 110-link motorcycle-style chains.

The four tires consist of 2 Dunlop custom made symmetrical P120/60R-20’s in front, while the rears are dual P150/50R-20’s. Stopping power is provided by two four-piston fixed aluminum calipers per wheel in the front (16 pistons total) and one four-piston fixed aluminum caliper per wheel (8 pistons total) in the rear. All four wheels feature 20-inch rotors with the two in front machined out of stainless steel and the two in the rear fashioned out of cast-iron.

All this hardware is necessary, since 0-60 performance is estimated to be 2.5 seconds and top speed is also estimated at potentially 400 miles per hour.

ME Four-Twelve

While not nearly as suicidal as the Tomahawk, the quad-turbo, V-12 powered mid-engined ME Four-Twelve is certainly a legitimate supercar.

Boasting a carbon fiber body, it debuted at NAIAS in 2004 and features an all-aluminum, quad-turbo, 6.0-liter engine mated to a specially-developed 7-speed Ricardo Double Clutch Transmission capable of 200 millisecond shift times.

With a power-to-weight ratio of 3.4 lbs/bhp, the ME Four-Twelve goes from 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds and 0-100 mph in 6.2 seconds while tripping the quarter mile timer in 10.6 seconds at 142.0 mph.

Chrysler will have two ME Four-Twelves on display – the flat black painted model used for performance testing along with the silver exterior show car that toured the country.

Museum dates

All three vehicles will be on display at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum through Sunday, July 26th in Auburn Hills. As an added bonus, the normal museum admission prices of $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and $4 for children ages 6-12 (children five and under are admitted free) will be made even more affordable during this summer’s Cruise Nights series (Thursday, June 25 and July 9 and 23) when visitors can tour the Museum from 6 – 9 p.m. on these evenings at the reduced rate of $1 for children 6 – 12 and $2 for adults.

The 500 is coming

It appears as though the Fiat 500 will be one of the first vehicles the Italian automaker will bring over to the U.S. now that the deal with Chrysler has been sealed. So in the spirit of Chrysler embarking on its latest adventure, LotPro.com would like to pass on the most current news from Fiat in the U.K:

Absolute Return for Kids

5 Fiat 500’s were part of the prizes won in the annual Absolute Return for Kids (ARK) charity drawing that this year raised a total of £15.6 million ($25.6 million). The cars were finished in a butterfly design by artist Damien Hirst and were part of the luxury charity draw at this year’s event.

The ARK party, described as “the most lavish party in Britain”, annually raises million of pounds for children’s charities each year (which helps support six inner-city “academy” schools in the U.K.). “I am immensely grateful to the Fiat Group and to Damien Hirst for their unabated support and generosity to ARK,” says charity chairman Arpad Busson (whose wife happens to be Uma Thurman). “The five beautiful 500s added stunning visual drama to our event and raised £440,000 for our programs.”

The winners will take delivery of their 500’s at Fiat Marylebone, the company’s flagship store in London’s Wigmore Street.

U.K.’s first 500 C

At another charity event the following evening, a uniquely designed version of one of the first Fiat 500 C models raised £55,000 ($90,365) for two cancer charities.

The black 500 C – the convertible version of the 500 – was designed by artist Sir Peter Blake for the Raisa Gorbachev Foundation (Raisa, the wife of former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev, died of leukemia in 1999). The charity event raised a total of £1.5 million (almost $2.5 million) that will be split between the Gorbachev Foundation and the Marie Curie Cancer Care in the U.K.

The 500 C goes on sale in the U.K. next month and will be priced from £11,300 ($18,566).