ON THE TABLE - MAY 29, 2013

 Tesla. From the "EcoSwells Rule!" file, shares in Tesla soared over $110.00 a share Tuesday. What happens next is anyone's guess, but we heard from one of our boots on the ground in Marin County and he said, "It's becoming the Prius of the affluent out here." Alrighty then!

Better Place LLC. After burning through almost a billion with a capital "B" dollars, the operator of electric vehicle charging stations is going to a better place, as in bankruptcy. All together now... would you miss it?

(David Kimble Illustration)
The 2014 Corvette Stingray’s all-new direct injected, 6.2L V-8 LT1 engine with Active Fuel Management and continuously variable valve timing is SAE-certified at 460 horsepower (343 kW) at 6,000 rpm and 465 lb-ft of torque (630 Nm) at 4,600 rpm, with the available performance exhaust system. With the standard exhaust system the new Corvette is SAE-certified at 455 horsepower (339 kW) and 460 lb-ft (624 Nm). At 74 horsepower per liter, the LT1 has greater power density than the C6 Corvette’s LS3 6.2L engine and even the C6 Z06’s racing-derived 7.0L LS7. It also produces comparable torque to the LS7 – up to 4,700 rpm – and its peak torque is within 5 lb-ft of the 7.0L engine. That torque is generated early and sustained across the rpm band, with 316 lb-ft available at only 1,000 rpm and 90 percent of peak torque available from 3,000 rpm to 5,500 rpm. Chevrolet estimates the Corvette will run from 0 to 60 mph in less than four seconds. “The 2014 Corvette Stingray’s LT1 engine is a triumph of advanced technology, delivering more power and torque than ever before with greater efficiency,” said Jordan Lee, Small Block chief engineer. “The LT1’s performance complements the Corvette’s low mass with a tremendous feeling of power that builds as the rpm climbs. Drivers will experience more power and acceleration than ever before with the standard engine – in fact, its power and torque surpass many up-level engines offered by competitors.”

(Chevrolet)

(Images courtesy of the BMW Group)
Thousands of visitors once again traveled to the shores of Lake Como on May 20th for the tradition-steeped Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, on the grounds of Villa Erba to revel in an ultra-exclusive lineup of historical cars and motorcycles.

The jury and assembled galleries crowned the “Days of Elegance” by selecting the prize winners from the numerous high-caliber examples of historical automotive art. The jury awarded the Trofeo BMW Group for “Best of Show” to the 1938 Bugatti 57SC Atlantic owned by designer Ralph Lauren. The stunning Bugatti also won the Coppa d’Oro Villa d’Este prize decided by the voting public.

Ralph Lauren's 1938 Bugatti 57SC Atlantic.

The Concept Cars and Prototypes class was won by this Alfa Romeo Disco Volante by Touring.

The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2013 brought together 50 cars and 35 motorcycles - including the BMW Concept Ninety (above), which made its world premier - from vastly different eras in automotive history. In addition, six concept vehicles and prototypes were displayed, each representing their own distinctive perspective on forward-thinking automotive design. This link between traditional and future-focused aesthetics in vehicle construction once again defined the character of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.

The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este was held for the first time in 1929 in Cernobbio, northern Italy. Since 1999 the event has taken place in the grounds of the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este and Villa Erba under the patronage of the BMW Group.

(Images courtesty of the BMW Group)

(Images courtesy of Aston Martin of The Americas)
Aston Martin has introduced the new V12 Vantage S, the car that will replace the outgoing V12 Vantage in markets around the world and - with the exception of the One-77 hypercar - the fastest road-going Aston Martin yet offered. Equipped with the new 573 PS Aston Martin AM28 6.0-litre V12 engine, featuring latest generation Bosch engine management, the car is capable of reaching 205 mph. "Power, beautifully presented" is what Aston calls it.

 

(Chevrolet)
The Hot Wheels® 1967 Camaro Concept will lead the Hot Rod Power Tour® – the week-long hot rod road trip that kicks off the summer cruising season for thousands of car enthusiasts. The Power Tour starts this Saturday, June 1, in Arlington, Texas, and wraps up six days later, in Charlotte, N.C. Chevrolet Performance representatives will go for Long Hauler® distinction – driving the entire 1,200-mile distance in the Hot Wheels® Camaro Concept. It’s a full-scale tribute to the Custom Camaro that was part of the original 16 Hot Wheels toys issued in 1968 and a rolling demonstrator of Chevrolet Performance’s new, emissions-compliant LS3 E-ROD Connect and Cruise crate powertrain system. Approximately 3,000 hot rods, muscle cars, classic trucks and late-model performance vehicles are expected to descend on Arlington for the kick-off activities, with tens of thousands of additional spectators. The tour route will include stops in Texarkana and Little Rock, Ark., Memphis, Tenn., Birmingham, Ala., and Chattanooga, Tenn. Each stop will turn into large cruise-in events for the host city, with thousands of additional spectators and local hot rods expected at each stop.

(Cadillac)
The Bergdorf Goodman Magazine will feature a series of classic Cadillac models on the cover and inside its June issue. It is the first time the iconic fashion magazine has collaborated with a non-fashion partner on a fashion story. (The Cadillac caption on this photo said the Ciel was on the cover, but clearly it's the Cien.) The magazine pays tribute to the history of American style from the beginning of the 20th century with a series of vintage-inspired collections by designers, including Oscar De La Renta, Michael Kors and Marc Jacobs.The designer pieces are curated next to classic Cadillacs by photographer Arnaud Pyvka. A 24-page editorial spread will showcase several Cadillac models and concepts dating to its1902 founding, including a 1912 Model 30, a 1953 Le Mans and the Ciel concept, which debuted in 2011. Bergdorf Goodman traveled to Detroit to photograph the entire story in historic General Motors’ facilities, including a climatic wind tunnel, the GM Heritage Center (we would have skipped that as photogenic it is not), and the Eero Saarinen-designed GM Design Studio.  All of the collaborative content can be found on 5th/58th, the Bergdorf Goodman blog. The June issue of The Bergdorf Goodman Magazine arrives in stores this week and in homes shortly after.

(GMC)
The all-new 2014 Sierra 1500 Denali full-size pickup, which arrives this fall, will have an available 6.2L EcoTec3 V-8 that will produce an estimated 420 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque, the most power and torque of any light duty truck engine. (Final SAE-rated power and torque numbers will be available later this year.) It's got a bunch of new stuff, which we're not going to regurgitate here, and a new look, of course. “The 2014 Sierra Denali has a combination of performance, capability and luxury that no other pickup can match,” said Tony DiSalle, vice president of GMC Marketing. “It leaves no boxes unchecked for those owners looking for the ultimate expression of ‘Professional Grade.’” Still one of the worst ad themes in all of motor-dom by the way. A complete disconnect with the luxury image GMC is pushing.

(BMW USA)
The all-new 3rd generation BMW X5 will make its debut here at the end of the year. A new model for the range is the X5 sDrive35i, which marks the first time that an X5 model has been offered with rear-wheel drive. It, along with the X5 xDrive35i, will be powered by BMW’s 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo inline-six. The V8-powered X5 xDrive50i will use BMW’s latest 4.4-liter TwinPower Turbo V8. A new BMW Advanced Diesel model - X5 xDrive35d - will join the line-up a few months later featuring a new 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo inline six-cylinder diesel engine. It is said to offer significant improvements in efficiency over its predecessor. All models will be equipped with BMW’s latest 8-speed automatic transmission. As was true of its predecessors, the all-new BMW X5 will be produced exclusively at BMW’s production facility in Spartanburg, SC. The all-new BMW X5 will arrive in US showrooms in the fourth quarter of this year as the TwinPower Turbo inline six X5 sDrive35i and X5 xDrive35i as well as the TwinPower Turbo V8 X5 xDrive50i. The BMW Advanced Diesel X5 xDrive35d will follow in early 2014. 

(RM Auctions)
This Ferrari 340/375 MM Berlinetta Competizione, with Pinin Farina designed bodywork went for 9,856,000 Euros at the RM auction at Villa Erba on Lake Como. The hammer price for the car is a record for collector auctions in Italy, including those for works of art. Since 1993, only one other car has gone for a higher price: a Ferrari 250 TR took the bidding up to $16.9 million dollars at a Pebble Beach auction two years ago.

(Images courtesy of Chevrolet)
Chevrolet has unveiled the 2014 Malibu, a rushed re-do of the car ordered-up because of myriad issues associated with it, and the ever-increasing competition in the segment. Chevrolet is calling it a "roomier, more refined and more efficient execution of its midsize sedan." They tweaked the styling (but ironically left the back alone, which we view as its biggest design issue), freshened the interior (and added 1.25 inches more rear seat knee room) and revised the suspension. The new standard engine is an all-new Ecotec 2.5L Intake Valve Lift Control DOHC four-cylinder with direct injection (estimated fuel economy of 23 city / 35 highway) which is SAE-certified at 196 horsepower (145 kW) and 186 lb-ft of torque (253 Nm). It goes on sale this fall.

(Mercedes-Benz)
Mercedes-Benz USA debuts the all-new 2014 E-Class Wagon alongside one of its predecessors, a pristine 1957 300c (above) at the 18th Annual Greenwich Concours d'Elegance from June 1-2, 2013. The event features rare vehicles from past and present and benefits Americares, the private, non-profit relief and humanitarian aid organization.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: Last Thursday on Autoline After Hours, the subject - among other things - was the new Chevrolet Cruze Clean Diesel, joining co-host John McElroy and myself was Automotive Design and Production's Gary Vasilash, who sums up the show nicely here. - PMD