High quality photo is available here: Large

(From left to right) Dave Zuchowski, vice president of national sales, Chris Hosford, executive director of public relations, John Krafcik, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor America, Ben Stewart, automotive editor of Popular Mechanics, William Congdon, publisher of Popular Mechanics and Joel Ewanick, vice president of marketing

High quality photo is available here: Large

(From left to right) John Krafcik, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor America and Ben Stewart, automotive editor of Popular Mechanics

Popular Mechanics honored the all-new Hyundai Genesis Coupe with a 2010 Automotive Excellence Award in the “Fun to Drive” category. Genesis Coupe outperforms the competition with its dynamic rear-wheel-drive handling aimed at true sports enthusiasts. This is the second time Hyundai has earned a Popular Mechanics Automotive Excellence Award; the 2006 Sonata received the honor for its excellence in safety.

“Hyundai has transformed its image – and its cars – in an amazingly short time,” said Ben Stewart, Popular Mechanicsautomotive editor. “The Genesis Coupe is more than just a sleek, fun-to-drive sports coupe. It’s proof that Hyundai has developed world-class design, engineering and car-building expertise.”

The annual Automotive Excellence Awards recognize the top 10 cars, trucks and technologies that are most significant each year. In 2009, Popular Mechanics editors saw a trend in the return and refresh of American icons in addition to a fuel efficiency focus with a mix of new hybrids and compact cars.

Genesis Coupe is Hyundai’s most dynamic performance car ever and uses the same flexible rear-wheel drive architecture as the 2009 North American Car of the Year Genesis sedan to appeal to true driving enthusiasts. The Genesis Coupe offers a 2.0-liter intercooled four-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 210 horsepower, and a 3.8-liter V6 Track model with 306 horsepower and massive Brembo brakes. In fact, when tested side-by-side against an Infiniti G37, “the Hyundai Genesis Coupe nearly matched the Infiniti in every performance measure, and did so for $15,000 less,” according to Stewart.

“It’s an honor for Hyundai to once again receive this prestigious award, and we are even more thrilled that the Genesis Coupe took the crown in the ‘fun-to-drive’ category,” said Derek Joyce, Genesis Coupe product manager, Hyundai Motor America. “With an aggressive, wedge-like design, rear-wheel-drive architecture and 5-link independent rear suspension, the Genesis Coupe was truly built with the driving enthusiast in mind.”

Each year, to determine the winners of the Popular Mechanics Automotive Excellence Awards, editors drive more than 100 of the newest cars, trucks and sport-utility vehicles, amassing well over 100,000 miles in the process. Through their experiences on extended test drives around the world, instrumented comparison tests and longer-term evaluations, the auto team nominates a list of vehicles in each category. Those selections are put to a vote and the top recipients in each category win an Automotive Excellence Award. The auto team is led by Automotive Editor Ben Stewart, working with Senior Automotive Editor Mike Allen, Detroit Editor Larry Webster and Editor-in-Chief James Meigs.

POPULAR MECHANICS
Popular Mechanics (http://www.popularmechanics.com) is a magazine that helps readers master the modern world. In addition to providing hands-on coverage of personal technology, cars and home improvement, Popular Mechanics reports in depth on the science and technology behind major issues — including such stories as disaster planning, hydrogen fuel and other energy alternatives, military expenditures, and digital privacy. Popular Mechanics is published by Hearst Magazines, a unit of Hearst Corporation (http://www.hearst.com) and one of the world’s largest publishers of monthly magazines.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 790 dealerships nationwide.

Hyundai’s all-new flagship, the Genesis sedan, earned the most top-car honors in 2009 beginning with the 2009 North American Car of the Year – the first time a Korean brand has ever achieved the honor. At last count, Genesis tallied more than 20 top honors from the most prominent media outlets and automotive organizations in North America including, J.D. Power and Associates, Motor Trend, AutoPacific, Cars.com and other leading consumer publications.

All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by The Hyundai Advantage, America’s Best Warranty. In addition, Hyundai Assurance is now offered on all new vehicles leased or purchased from a certified Hyundai dealer. The program is available to any consumer, regardless of age, health, employment record or financed amount of the vehicle. The program is complimentary for the first 12 months.

Source: http://www.hyundainews.com/Corporate_News/Corporate/11_09_2009_3328.asp

Wanna know more about the Genesis Coupe?  The guys over at Modified did a great write up.

• Ford confirms development plans of an all-new Ford Police Interceptor and affirms continued commitment to the police and municipal vehicle businesses
• New Police Interceptor’s durability, safety and performance will exceed the existing Crown Victoria’s law enforcement vehicle lineup
• Ford is the market leader in the law enforcement vehicle segment, selling 45,000 of the 60,000 police vehicles sold in each year in the U.S.

Dearborn, Mich., Nov. 13, 2009 – Ford Motor Company announced today it will produce an all-new purpose-built Police Interceptor specially designed and engineered to replace the Ford Crown Victoria law enforcement vehicle lineup in 2011.

The new Ford Police Interceptor is being developed in conjunction with Ford’s Police Advisory Board, which provided input during the past 14 months on key vehicle attributes, such as safety, performance, durability, driver convenience and comfort.  The new Police Interceptor will be offered without interruption when production of the Ford Crown Victoria ends in late 2011.

“We have heard the repeated requests from the law enforcement community to continue uninterrupted support of the law enforcement community,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas.  “Ford is answering the call with the new Police Interceptor – engineered and built in America.”
Ford – which currently controls approximately 75 percent of the police pursuit vehicle business in the U.S. – has invested significantly in designing the purpose-built new police and municipal vehicles to meet the needs of these crucial customers.

The new Police Interceptor is designed to provide municipalities with reduced ownership costs through improved fuel efficiency, quality and the kind of durability police departments nationwide have come to expect from Ford.

“Ford’s commitment to the law enforcement community produced the Crown Victoria, the benchmark police vehicle,” said Lt. Brian Moran, fleet manager, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and a member of Ford’s Police Advisory Board.  “This commitment has continued, and Ford has been working closely with the Police Advisory Board on developing the new Police Interceptor.   I am confident that the next-generation Ford police vehicle will meet the future needs of the law enforcement community and will set the new standard.”

Ford plans to reveal the new model and provide full vehicle specifications in the first quarter of 2010 – in time for law enforcement agencies, police equipment manufacturers and upfitters to develop a transition plan from the Crown Victoria to the new product.

Each year, Ford sells approximately 45,000 police vehicles, making the Blue Oval the nation’s largest provider of police and municipal vehicles.

“Ford long has supported our public servants with vehicles that work as hard as they do,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service.  “We intend to build on this legacy with a new generation of municipal and police vehicles that set even higher standards.”

source: http://www.ford.com/about-ford/news-announcements/press-releases/press-releases-detail/pr-ford-announces-development-of-31418

The wait is over. After a seven-year hiatus, the all-new Chevrolet Camaro is back in dealer showrooms. It combines great looks, performance and advanced technology – all offered among three models: LS, LT and SS.

When it comes to performance, the 2010 Camaro delivers in unexpected ways. An advanced, 3.6L direct-injected V-6 with variable valve timing is standard on LS and LT models. It combines power and efficiency, with 304 horsepower (227 kW) and EPA-rated 29 mpg in highway driving.

The performance-oriented Camaro SS features a pair of 6.2L V-8s, including one with Active Fuel Management that helps improve fuel economy by shutting down four cylinders during certain light-load driving conditions. It achieves EPA-rated highway fuel economy of 25 mpg.

Heritage-inspired design

With a design that is very close to the original concept, the 2010 Camaro acknowledges its heritage from the first-generation Camaro, produced from 1967 through 1969. The two-door sports coupe features classic proportions over a 112.3-inch (2,852 mm) wheelbase. The overall length of the Camaro is 190.4 inches (4,836 mm); width and height are 75.5 inches (1,918 mm) and 54.2 inches (1,376 mm), respectively.

The long hood and short deck are pushed to the far corners of the muscular fender forms and a fast, 67-degree rake windshield contributes to aerodynamic performance that includes a 0.37 coefficient of drag (Cd) on V-6 models and a slightly sleeker 0.35 Cd on the V-8-powered SS model. On SS models, a simulated air intake is located in the upper front fascia and the lower air intake is larger.

Wheel arch openings received special attention through the design process. Whether the Camaro is equipped with the standard 18-inch, or optional 19-inch or 20-inch wheels, the relationship of the top of the tire and bottom of the fender is consistent on all models.

Ten exterior colors are available and include Black, Victory Red, Rally Yellow and Silver Ice Metallic. Red Jewel Tintcoat is optional. The color palette also includes Cyber Gray Metallic, Aqua Blue Metallic, Inferno Orange Metallic, White and Imperial Blue Metallic.

An RS appearance package is available on LT and SS. It includes HID headlamps with integrated halo rings, a rear spoiler on LT, specific taillamps and 20-inch wheels with a Midnight Silver finish.

Interior details

Inside the four-passenger cabin, a well-executed balance of heritage, modern design and attention to detail conveys simplicity and refinement with contemporary details in the cluster, switches, dials and lighting. An available ambient light package, for example, offers advanced LED light pipe technology, giving the cabin a distinctive glow.

Deep, recessed gauges, located in square housings outlined in chrome, give a nod to the classic Camaro interior. The instrument panel gauges include both speedometer and engine rpm, with a driver information center located between the large gauges – its readouts and features controlled via a stalk on the steering column. An optional, console-mounted gauge package includes oil pressure, oil temperature, volts and transmission fluid temperature. The gauge package is included on 2LT and 2SS models, and it’s available as an accessory through Chevrolet dealers.

Cloth upholstery is standard and leather-appointed seats are included on 2LT and 2SS models. Four-way manual adjustment including fore/aft and up/down on the driver seat and two-way adjustment on the passenger seat is standard. Heated, leather-trimmed seats with driver six-way power adjustment are standard on 2LT and 2SS models.

All models include a three-spoke steering wheel with manual tilt/telescope adjustment. Cruise control and a rear defogger also are standard, while a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, redundant steering wheel controls, Bluetooth and USB port are part of the available Driver Convenience and Connectivity package. This package also includes remote start on automatic transmission-equipped vehicles, as well as a personal device interface module for iPods. Customers can also order a short-throw Hurst shifter that provides quicker shifts.

Camaro’s entertainment systems include a single-CD radio with six speakers that is standard on LS, LT and SS models. A premium, 245-watt Boston Acoustics nine-speaker audio system can be ordered on 1LT and SS models. XM Satellite Radio is standard on all models. All models also include power door locks and an express up and down feature on the driver and passenger windows.

Performance

Camaro’s 3.6L direct injection (DI) V-6 delivers more power through increased efficiency, while maintaining fuel economy and lowering emissions – including a 25-percent drop in cold-start hydrocarbon emissions. It is standard on LS and LT models, producing 304 horsepower (227 kW) and 273 lb.-ft. of torque (370 Nm). Despite a compression ratio of 11.3:1, the 3.6L DI engine is designed to run on regular unleaded fuel.

Two 6.2L V-8 engines are offered in the Camaro SS, including the new L99 on automatic-equipped vehicles and the LS3 on manual-equipped models. Both engines are derived from the LS3 that debuted on the 2008 Corvette. This 90-degree V-8 includes an aluminum block (with cast iron cylinder liners) and aluminum cylinder heads. The bottom end of the engine includes a new structural cast aluminum oil pan, with an oil capacity of 8.9 quarts (8.5 liters), while the two-valve cylinder head design is based on race-proven airflow dynamics. The intake valves measure 2.16 inches (55 mm) and exhaust valves are 1.60 inches (40.5 mm) in diameter.

Horsepower for the L99 is 400 (298 kW) at 5,900 rpm and torque is 410 lb.-ft. (556 Nm) at 4,300 rpm. The LS3 develops 426 horsepower (318 kW) and 420 lb.-ft. (569 Nm). Output on the L99 is lower than the LS3 because of a slightly lower compression ratio (10.4:1 vs. 10.7:1) and design features of the Active Fuel Management System. The L99 is paired exclusively with a six-speed automatic transmission.

All Camaro models can be equipped with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. The Aisin AY6 six-speed manual is standard with the 3.6L engine, and a Hydra-Matic 6L50 six-speed automatic is optional. A Tremec TR 6060 six-speed manual is standard on the SS, and the Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed automatic is optional.

Both automatic transmissions feature aggressive first gear ratios that deliver strong launches, but also provide tall overdrive ratios that decrease engine rpm and provide better fuel efficiency. Each also includes driver shift control, allowing the driver to take control via paddle shifts located on the steering wheel after selecting the “M” mode on the console-mounted shifter.

Performance Algorithm Shifting (PAS) is included with the 6L50 and 6L80. It lets the electronic transmission controller override the automatic gear selection during high lateral acceleration maneuvers.

The SS model’s new Tremec TR 6060 six-speed manual is designed to handle the high torque characteristics of the LS3 engine, while providing shorter throws, smoother gear synchronization and greater overall shift feel with little or no vibration. Its specs include a solid, 290-mm flywheel and single-plate clutch. The final drive ratio for LS3 vehicles is 3.45:1.

Chassis and suspension

Fully independent front and rear suspensions are the underpinnings of the 2010 Camaro. The standard independent rear suspension is a first for Camaro and is designed to compete with the best in the world. It’s a 4.5-link system that includes a unique, L-shaped upper control arm that attaches to the knuckle at one end and incorporates a ride bushing in the rear.

Two suspension packages are offered: FE2 sport on V-6 models and FE3 performance with the V-8. The front suspension has a dual ball strut system, with a direct-acting stabilizer bar that measures 22.2 x 4 mm on FE2 and 23 x 4.2 mm on FE3. Hollow bars are used for mass savings. Rear suspension features include high lateral stiffness for handling via three lateral ball joints per side. A sub-frame at the rear is double-isolated to minimize vehicle body motions and dampen road imperfections. Coil-over shock absorbers are used in the rear with a decoupled, hollow stabilizer bar. FE2 includes a 21.7 x 3 mm rear bar, while the FE3’s large bar measures 23 x 3 mm.

The front track is a wide 63.7 inches (1,618 mm) for all models, while the rear track on LS and LT models is 64.1 inches (1,628 mm) and 63.7 inches (1,618 mm) on SS models. The axle halfshafts on all V-8 models and manual transmission-equipped V-6 models are 30 mm in diameter on the left side and 40 mm on the right side. This design feature helps reduce the oscillation of torque from side to side and reduces axle hop.

Additional chassis and suspension details include:

• Four-wheel disc brakes on all models – including Brembo four-piston calipers on SS – with hydraulic brake assist
• Precise rack-and-pinion steering system, with a 16.1:1 ratio on all models
• Standard StabiliTrak electronic stability control on all models
• Competitive/sport mode on SS models enhances on-track performance
• Performance Launch Control on SS models with the manual transmission optimizes hard-acceleration launches for quicker, more consistent performance
• LS and LT models equipped with standard 18-inch wheels or optional 19-inch wheels; SS comes with standard 19-inch wheels or optional 20-inch wheels; 21-inch wheels are available through Chevy dealers.

Safety

The Camaro offers a comprehensive system of safety features – starting with a robust body structure and integral safety cage around the passenger compartment. High-strength steel and ultra high-strength steels are used in key areas throughout the structure. Safety technologies also include:

• Driver and front passenger dual-stage air bags
• Driver and front passenger seat-mounted thorax side-impact air bags
• Head curtain side-impact air bags for front- and rear-seat occupants
• Front-seat safety belt load limiters and pretensioners
• A front passenger detection system that senses children and small-stature adults, and suppresses air bag deployment when appropriate.

In both doors, an interlock pin is used to help prevent intrusion into the passenger compartment, and adds stiffness to the door structure by engaging with a clevis bracket set into the rocker panel.

Built on the new global rear-wheel-drive passenger car platform, Camaro embodies GM’s global vehicle development and design process. The original design concept was conceived in the United States, with engineering shared by both Australian and U.S. teams. Camaro was validated on roads throughout the world, and assembly is at GM’s award-winning plant in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.

source: http://publish.media.gm.com/media/us/en/vehicles/chevrolet/camaro/2010.brand_gm.html

TAKING FORD’S PERFORMANCE CAR FUTURE IN A NEW DIRECTION

The Ford Shelby GR-1 concept springs from a long line of Ford performance project cars and quickly establishes itself as one of the most contemporary and dramatic front-engine, two-seat, fastback supercars. This running prototype reaches closer to reality with a 605-horsepower, 390-cubic-inch all-aluminum V-10 engine, a road-tested version of the Ford GT suspension and a stunning new polished-aluminum body.

Sensuous, perfectly proportioned and wholly modern, this show car builds on the success of the Ford Shelby Cobra concept – the 2004 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) “Best in Show” winner and reinforces Ford’s continued commitment to performance.

The Shelby GR-1 concept’s name pays tribute to both a performance great and “Group Racing.” This uniquely emotional American sports car design represents Ford’s continued desire to include a high-end, limited-production specialist supercar in its lineup. Initially unveiled as a design exercise at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August, the Ford Shelby GR-1 concept is a sports car salute to “performance art.

“A perfect body with smooth, shimmering aluminum skin, the new Ford Shelby GR-1 concept is a rolling sculpture whose beautiful, flowing lines belie the raw, beastly V-10 wedged under the hood,” says J Mays, group vice president of Design and chief creative officer. “This concept shifts gears and takes Ford’s performance car future into a new direction.”

The Shelby GR-1 concept combines modern sculptured surfaces and a sleek muscular fastback design. All of the sophisticated mechanicals of this extraordinary coupe are wrapped in a sleek aluminum skin left bare and polished bright. The result is a forward-looking supercar with attention-grabbing Ford presence and Carroll Shelby inspiration.

Ford Shelby GR1-Concept

A REALITY-BASED CONCEPT

Much like the original Ford GT and last year’s Shelby Cobra concept vehicles, the Shelby GR-1 was intended to be a fully engineered, production-feasible roadgoing, drivable project vehicle.

“With the Ford GT and Ford Shelby Cobra concept, we have a tremendous amount of experience quickly building high-performance cars, like the Shelby GR-1, with world-class performance,” says Phil Martens, group vice president, Product Creation. “Our goal this time around was not to create the ultimate top-speed, high-performance sports car. Really, we intended to strike a better balance of design, capability and usability that might appeal to someone considering a Ferrari 575M Maranello.”

The Shelby GR-1 starts with a modified version of the aluminum chassis from the rear-engine Ford GT. The bulk of the rear structure is made from slightly modified Ford GT components, including the massive trellis-like, cast-aluminum suspension nodes, the rear rails and bumper beam, a major cross-member and the brackets used to mount the transmission.

The center portion of the spaceframe also borrows liberally from the Ford GT as major aluminum extrusions are based heavily on existing pieces. At the front of the coupe, the team incorporated extruded main rails, a steering rack cross-member, crash-management sections and the bumper beam from the Ford GT.

“Building a concept car with this level of sophistication is much easier when you start with a world-class supercar like the Ford GT,” says Martens. “This commonality and re-use goes hand-in-hand with our speed and cost efficiency, promising the Ford GT’s bang-for-the-buck equation if the Shelby GR-1 goes to production.”

Overall, the Ford Shelby GR-1 concept is more than two feet shorter than the Ford GT, with a wheelbase nearly seven inches shorter. The track width has been reduced by more than an inch. That the concept car and the GT share any parts at all is a testimony to the flexibility of the space frame design and the creativity of the chassis team.

Ford Shelby GR1 Concept

SHAPELY EXTERIOR

The Ford Shelby GR-1 is a sinewy, athletic design with a long hood that blends seamlessly into the teardrop-shaped cabin with a fastback roofline and falling upper fender line. The car looks as if it is in motion, even when it is standing still.

The optimized wheel arches and compact overhangs define the striking stance while the strong shoulder line and smooth, taut surfaces express the car’s graceful yet athletic nature. The polished aluminum body panels further express the highly sculptured surfaces and define the emotional proportions in dramatic fashion.

The front of the Shelby GR-1 concept is dominated by an air-intake aperture and airflow splitter, directing cool air into the engine bay and wheel wells, while air vents on the upper surface of the hood exhaust hot air from the radiator. Additional intakes and vents perforate the body side to ensure cooling throughout.

The front corners of the Shelby GR-1 are dominated by substantial front wheel wells housing 19-inch wheels and tires and trapezoidal High Intensity Solid State (HISS) headlamps that float above the wheel arches. This highly technical lighting package provides powerful illumination in a very compact package, allowing freedom of design without sacrificing nighttime driving visibility.

In the rear, a distinctive Kamm tail tapers to improve wind drag and features integrated transmission cooler outlets and a ground-effects venturi. It is further defined by a strong concave section and bold vertical taillamps.

The Shelby GR-1 concept sits on 19-inch, 12-spoke milled aluminum wheels and features Goodyear 275/40R-19 tires in the front and 345/35R-19 tires in the rear, mated with the unique Tire IQâ„¢ system, which allows the driver to monitor precise tire performance.

Ford Shelby GR-1 Concept

RACING-INSPIRED INTERIOR

The Shelby GR-1 concept's butterfly doors have distinctive teardrop-shaped side-glass graphics that create an elongated appearance, blending seamlessly into integrated door-release handles

The graceful upward glide of the doors leads into the race-inspired interior that features seats with carbon shells and fixed backs. The carbon shells are connected directly to the sill and tunnel via lightweight aluminum spaceframe attachments and can be adjusted fore and aft by way of an accessible pull ring on the seat cushions’ leading edge. The seats incorporate removable Alcantara comfort inserts that are individually tailored to the occupants’ body type.

The interior door panels feature air-vent apertures and integrated “door close” pockets. The door release employs a pull-ring themed design with quick-release slide action and an illuminated door lock/unlock indicator. The exposed rear bulkhead cross-car structure braces to the roll hoop and features a snorkel air-register outlet that controls the ambient cabin climate.

Interior cabin technology focuses on driver comfort, enjoyment and entertainment. The instrument panel sports a full complement of analog gauges, including a combination analog tachometer with floating watch-like elements and digital speedometer. The tachometer housing has integrated air registers and an additional Noise Reduction Technology (NRT) output speaker.

The centrally mounted Tire IQâ„¢ display is a sophisticated driver’s aid designed to inform, warn and even entertain. The Tire IQâ„¢ system provides the driver and passenger with an animation of vital tire temperature and pressure statistics (via sensors in the tire), along with other key vehicle dynamics such as cornering G forces (via an onboard accelerometer).

The center console features integrated toggles that control the fuel pump, ignition, windows, hood and rear-glass release. The race-inspired push-button starter and “baseball grip” gear knob are situated ahead of the parking brake, which has been incorporated into the tunnel armrest. The quick-release steering wheel has integrated headlamp, wiper and direction indicator controls.

Ford Shelby GR-1 Concept

Special attention has been paid to noise reduction on the interior. The rear hatch stowage compartment features a removable MP3/Amp and NRT console, while audio input, output and recording speakers are integrated into the headrest protection wings on each seat. The speakers can provide a combination of the following:

• Noise-reducing sound waves (NRT) for improved highway cruising noise levels
• Play or record (for playback) pace notes
• MP3 Audio
• The MP3/AMP/NRT functions can be interfaced through the Tire IQâ„¢ display through a joystick controller.

Throughout the interior, the leather trim is in slate gray, with color-matched perforated Alcantara leather featured on touch zones such as the gear knob, parking brake, steering wheel, door inserts, and instrument/Tire IQâ„¢ binnacles. Functional zones such as dials, door release and center console switchgear have been finished in a combination of anodized gunmetal finishes.

Ambient cabin lighting is neatly packaged behind the central headlining panel; an indirect blue glow appears around the periphery offset of the panel. The headliner and upper doorframes are trimmed with a woven aluminum-metalized fabric that lightens the interior ambiance and heightens the slate grey tones of the leather and Alcantara trim. The dark gunmetal-gray flooring also is trimmed in the hard-wearing metalized fabric.

PROVEN CHASSIS COMPONENTS

From the outset, the Shelby GR-1 concept team intended the concept to perform at supercar levels but with a more “mature” feel biased a little more toward driver comfort than the Ford GT – widely noted for its balance of dynamics and road manners – and last year’s Ford Shelby Cobra concept.

They started by attaching massive 19-inch wheels and tires using the Ford GT suspension system with a few modifications to accommodate the increased weight of a front-engine setup. The new Ford GT earns praise for its combination of agility, grip and easy-to-drive character, a reflection of its sophisticated suspension design and the expertise of its chassis engineers. The Ford Shelby GR-1 concept applies the best of the GT suspension to a supercar with different performance intentions.

“The biggest difference between the GR-1 concept and our past efforts is the emphasis on overall driver comfort,” says Manfred Rumpel, manager, Ford Advanced Product Creation. “That extends all the way to the compliant yet high-performing capability we built into the suspension.”

DESIGNED-IN SUSPENSION COMPLIANCE

A double-wishbone suspension design with unequal-length aluminum control arms, coil-over monotube shocks and stabilizer bars is used front and rear. The upper control arms are identical at all four wheels and are made with an advanced rheo-cast process that allows the complexity of form associated with casting while retaining the strength of forging. The metal, heated to just below its melting point, is the consistency of butter when it is injected into a mold at high pressure. Pressure is maintained as the part cures, preventing porosity in the final product for exceptional strength.

The steering rack also is borrowed from the Ford GT, with a few modifications. The steering, like the Ford GT’s, draws on Ford’s global driving dynamics DNA introduced with the Ford Focus’ industry-leading steering column featuring light efforts, low friction and high stiffness. Braces between the front shock towers and below the isolated engine mounts improve torsional rigidity and aid steering response.

BIG, POWERFUL BRAKES

With more than 600 horsepower available at the throttle, the brake pedal had to be equally powerful. The team set braking distance targets comparable with today’s best supercars and turned to the Ford GT braking system for suitable components.

Brembo “monoblock” one-piece aluminum brake calipers with four pistons each grab cross-drilled, vented discs at all four wheels. The discs are a massive 14 inches in front and 13.2 inches in the rear, for fade-free stopping power. Brake balance is biased slightly to the front wheels to aid stability.

For packaging reasons, the team devised a novel offset actuation linkage for the brake booster and master cylinder, so the brake pedal can be placed in a normal position even though its hardware is off to the side of the engine bay. The kinematic linkage concept for the remote booster actuation was an idea borrowed from the European Ford Mondeo.

“The unique remote booster had to be just right so you can slow the car in a linear and proportional way,” says Rumpel. “This means the pedal effort and travel are proportional to the vehicle deceleration rate, which is especially important in high-performance sports cars.”

The one-piece, 12-spoke BBS wheels are wrapped by Goodyear Z-rated racing slicks, size 275/40R-19 in front and 345/35R-19 in the rear.

SUPERCAR POWERTRAIN

The heart of any supercar is its engine, and the Ford Shelby GR-1 concept does not disappoint.

Inspired by the biggest, baddest engine of them all – the renowned 427 – Ford engineers created a new aluminum-block V-10 to power last year’s Ford Shelby Cobra concept. This 390 cubic inch, 6.4-liter engine, reprised for service in the Shelby GR-1 concept, is adapted from Ford’s MOD engine family. It delivers the rush of raw power “with 605 horsepower and 501 foot-pounds of torque” associated with that big 1960s V-8 powerplant without the aid of supercharging or turbocharging.

This combination of brute force and thorough engineering has created a rarity in the world of auto shows – a concept car that can actually do, rather than merely promise, 0-60 in under four seconds, and would easily exceed 200 mph if not electronically limited.

“After I drove last year’s Cobra concept, I knew we had a winner in the 6.4-liter V-10,” says Carroll Shelby, renowned race driver and consultant on the Ford Shelby GR-1 concept. “We decided to transplant that engine directly into the GR-1 with practically no changes, right down to the rear-mounted transmission, which really helps the weight distribution.”

For approximately three years, the Ford powertrain team has been working on an all-aluminum V-10 targeted at ultimate, naturally aspirated performance. When they bolted this modern-day big-block into a Mustang chassis for evaluation, it only took one drive to confirm its potential.

“When we found out there was yet another concept car with the Shelby name on it, we knew it begged for this engine,” says Graham Hoare, director, Ford Research and Advanced Engineering. “Although it’s not yet ready for production, we’ve reached a credible engineering level for such a serious concept car – and it has a modern soul that matches the Shelby mission.”

ADVANCED TRANSMISSION

While the Ford Shelby GR-1 concept shares a significant amount of technology with the Ford GT and the Shelby Cobra concept, the team met several unique engineering challenges head-on.

First, the six-speed manual transmission had to be packaged in a way that would not compromise the occupant footwells. “One of the unique solutions we delivered for the GR-1 concept was the design, engineering and development of a torque-tube driveline, which allows placement of the transmission in the rear of the car behind the occupant zones,” says Rumpel.

The rear-mounted six-speed transaxle is identical to the high-performance unit in the Ford GT, with an integral limited-slip differential to drive the rear wheels. Based on the engine’s 7,500-rpm redline and the wide drive ratios, this Ford Shelby GR-1 concept has a theoretical top speed of around 200 mph, although it’s electronically limited – for now.

The transaxle application was necessitated by the desire to fit such a large engine into a compact coupe while leaving enough room for the driver’s legs and feet. With a conventional transmission mated to the back of the engine, the tradeoff between hood length and passenger room often makes for a cramped footwell and dramatically offset pedals.

Mounting the transmission in the rear helped to more evenly distribute the vehicle’s weight and increased the footwell area from 16.5 inches to 21.7 inches, resulting in almost three inches more legroom than in similar performance vehicles.

The legroom-saving torque-tube driveshaft runs at engine speed, considerably faster than typical driveshafts mounted to rear of the transmission. The spinning inner shaft is supported within a stationary outer tube that stabilizes the engine and transmission in bending and in torsion. The inner shaft taps crankshaft torque via a twin-disc, small-diameter clutch mounted at the rear of the engine.

Computer-aided design was essential in helping the first prototype come together smoothly.

“Because they spin so much faster than driveshafts, these torque tubes can be a challenge to execute properly in terms of vibration,” says Rumpel. “Using our electronic tools, we optimized the location of the driveshaft support bearings, and it ran smoothly on the very first try. This type of modern engineering tool gives us a development advantage that pioneers like Carroll Shelby could only dream about.”

Ford Shelby GR-1 Concept

UNIQUE SOLUTIONS

Additional improvements from the Ford Shelby Cobra concept include new, twin fuel fillers exiting the bodywork just aft of each sideview window and mid-way up the rear quarter panel bodywork. These racing-inspired devices feed two individual 10-gallon capacity fuel tanks that reside inside the structural chassis directly behind the passenger compartment.

The battery was also relocated to the rear of the vehicle, deep inside the luggage compartment, further aiding vehicle weight distribution and better shielding the battery package from the intense heat of the engine compartment. A new cooling system, evolved from the Shelby Cobra concept, includes a unique hood with twin portals to feed air into the engine compartment.

Source: http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=19935