Surf City Veterans Car Show

This year Veterans Day fell on a Tuesday, November 11th, so the Surf City Veterans Car Show was held on the 9th at the Huntington Beach parking lot along picturesque Pacific Coast Highway. Proceeds went to benefit our combat wounded veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. As you can see there were more than a few cool cars there. See more on Driveonline. —Roger Rohrdanz

LT1 Small-block 6.2L V-8 in Corvette Stingray Named a Ward’s 10 Best Engine for 2015.

Ward’s Auto reviewed 37 engines and propulsion systems from 12 manufacturers in this year’s competition, looking at power, fuel efficiency, new technology and refinement and compared the attributes with data for similar engines.

“Having the Ward’s Auto experts choose the LT1 as one of the best in the industry two years in a row is proof of what this Powertrain team can deliver,” said Dan Nicholson, vice president, GM Global Powertrain.

The LT1 small-block technologies contribute to making the new Corvette the quickest, most powerful and most fuel-efficient standard Corvette ever. The engine delivers an SAE-certified 460 hp, helping propel the car from 0-60 in 3.8 seconds and a quarter-mile in 12 seconds, while offering EPA-estimated 29 mpg highway with an eight-speed automatic or seven-speed manual transmission.

Direct injection is a primary contributor to greater combustion efficiency by ensuring a more complete burn of the fuel in the air-fuel mixture. This is achieved by precisely controlling the mixture motion and fuel-injection spray pattern.

Motor Trend names 2015 Colorado Truck of the Year

By a rare unanimous vote, the editors of Motor Trend (MT) selected the Chevy Colorado, as they were particularly impressed with vehicle’s handsome, clean-sheet design, “right-sized” package, excellent handling and overall capability. Colorado’s potent-yet-efficient powertrains also returned best-in-class fuel economy according to real mpg and EPA testing.

To determine which truck deserved top honors, the MT test team subjected all of the contenders to numerous instrumented and real-world road tests. First up was standard MT testing, which included: 0-60 mph and ¼-mile acceleration, 60-0 mph braking, and maximum lateral grip—all without payload or trailered loads.

Once testing was completed, select MT editors convened to determine which truck would be crowned Truck of the Year. The winner is not chosen from a direct comparison against the other contenders, but rather as a result of how each contender performed in testing and against the award’s six criteria: design advancement, engineering excellence, efficiency, safety, value and performance of intended function.

New 707-hp supercharged 6.2L Hemi Hellcat V-8 most powerful engine ever honored by Ward’s Auto

The Hemi Hellcat, with 91% new content compared with the 392 Hemi, is the heart and soul of the ’15 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, which starts at $59,995, and its stablemate, the Charger SRT Hellcat which boasts a certified quarter-mile clocking of 11 seconds and a top speed of 204 mph.

“It’s easy to make a street-legal race car, but it’s a major accomplishment to make such a powerful engine a pleasure to drive to the grocery store as well as at the track,” said Drew Winter, editor-in-chief of Ward’s Auto World and senior editor of Wardsauto.com.

The Hemi Hellcat features a forged-steel crankshaft engineered to withstand firing pressures of 1,595 psi (110 bar)—the equivalent of five family sedans standing on each piston, every firing event. The twin-screw supercharger, which has polymer-coated rotors, boasts a drive ratio of 2.36:1 and a maximum speed of 14,600 rpm. A low-temperature cooling circuit with two air/coolant heat exchangers integrated into the supercharger housing keeps charged air temperatures below 140°F (60°C), while enabling air flow of up to 30,000 liters per minute. Its power is not derated due to cooling demands, even after 20 minutes of a hard driving on a road course at an ambient temperature of 100°F. Eight injectors are served by ½-inch fuel lines, each capable of delivering a flow rate of 600 cc/min; it can drain the fuel tank in approximately 13 minutes at full power.

This marks the fifth consecutive year Chrysler Group has been represented among Ward’s 10 Best Engines. It also is the second consecutive year the company has received multiple honors. The 3L EcoDiesel V-6 was also named one of Ward’s 10 Best Engines for second straight year, making it the lone diesel on 2015 list.

2015 Mustang wins SEMA’s Hottest Car Award

Thanks to dozens of highly modified examples of the new pony car, including Ford Racing’s King Cobra, the Mustang garnered the prize. In addition to the ’15 Mustangs in Ford’s show stand, numerous Mustangs were on display on the SEMA show floor, both modern and vintage, and 50 Mustangs, one from each year of production, gathered at Ford Out Front to form a giant “50” for a unique photo opportunity.

In related news, during the holiday season, sales figures for Ford Mustang showed the best November for the nameplate since 2006. An impressive 8,728 new Mustangs found owners that month, a leap in total sales of 62% compared to 2013. Sales are up all over the United States, including the Northeast and Great Lakes regions. Mustang’s largest markets, Texas and California, saw retail sales increases of 46% and 76%, respectively.

Dealerships have reported that new Mustangs are in high demand, spending only eight days on the lot before being sold. Buyers are choosing the engine that suits them best, with 52% opting for the 5L V-8 in Mustang GT, 24% choosing the Ti-VCT 3.7L V-6 and 24% going with the all-new turbocharged I-4 EcoBoost.

Red Bull Global Rallycross Driver Rhys Millen Receives ODYSSEY Battery Extreme ODYSSEY Performer Award and Bonus Check

­­­Odyssey battery by EnerSys, an official battery of Red Bull Global Rallycross (Red Bull GRC), presented Red Bull GRC driver Rhys Millen with a bonus check in the amount of $40,000 as part of the Extreme Odyssey Performer contingency award program.

Dave McMullen, director of commercial marketing for specialty and UPS markets at EnerSys, awarded Millen with an oversized check during the post-race presentation ceremony following the Red Bull GRC Las Vegas event on Wednesday, Nov. 5.

The 2015 Ford F-150: the Official Vehicle of International CES in Las Vegas

CES is the world’s largest hands-on showcase of emerging innovation.

“We are honored the 2015 F-150 is the Official Vehicle of CES, proving that the new standard in full-size pickups is not only Built Ford Tough but also smart, with innovative design and technologies that help truck customers do more with their truck,” said Doug Scott, Ford Truck Group marketing manager.

As Official Vehicle of 2015 CES, F-150 will be featured in Ford’s main display area in the North Hall of Las Vegas Convention Center, as well as prominently throughout the show floor.

The all-new F-150 demonstrates Ford’s product excellence and innovation. The truck is completely redesigned, with a high-strength, military-grade, aluminum-alloy body coupled with a high-strength steel frame, making it nearly 700 pounds lighter and more efficient. Also available are more smart features than the previous model, including class-exclusive driver- assist technologies such as adaptive cruise control, smart towing module, multicontour seats, active park assist, 360-degree camera and Blind Spot Information System with cross-traffic alert.

Maserati Featured Marque at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show

From shortly after the Italian automaker’s inception in 1914 all the way through its modern GT cars, Maserati has been synonymous with racing success.

“For 2014, we chose Maserati to help celebrate that marque’s 100th anniversary,” said Adam Langsbard, the museum’s chief marketing officer, “and to pay tribute to its rich motorsports heritage. The partnership is an excellent fit for The Petersen’s on-going mission: to tell the story of the automobile.”

Maserati CEO Harald Wester added, “It’s an honor to partner with The Petersen, the hub of car culture in Los Angeles. This is an exhilarating time for Maserati as we are on the cusp of such dynamic product enhancements and look back at 100 years of automotive history. The partnership with The Petersen allows us to celebrate our legacy and further energize the enthusiasm behind our brand.”

---