No1 2013 Corvette 427 Convertible Collector Edition Fetches $600,000 at Barrett-Jackson

The very first 2013 Corvette 427 Convertible Collector Edition with VIN number 001 hit the auction block this past weekend at the Barrett-Jackson event in Scottsdale, Arizona, bringing home $600,000. GM said that proceeds from the sale would benefit the Drive to End Hunger food relief program.
One of the final editions of the C6 series that has entered its final year before an all-new Corvette takes its place in 2013, the 427 Convertible Collector Edition will go on sale for the public later this summer.
The special edition model features the most powerful engine ever to be fitted in a production Corvette Convertible, the Z06's 427-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) LS7 V8 engine rated at 505 horsepower (377 kW) and 470 lb.-ft. of torque (637 Nm) linked exclusively to a six-speed manual gearbox.
According to the automaker, it completes the zero to 60mph (96km/h) sprint in 3.8 seconds, the quarter-mile in 11.8 seconds and can reach a top speed in excess of 190 mph (305km/h).

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New Hyundai i30 Hatchback Priced from £14,495 in Britain

The C-segment compact hatch that left Volkswagen boss Martin Winterkorn hugely impressed during its presentation at the Frankfurt Motor Show last September, the all-new Hyundai i30, is getting ready for its UK launch. Today, the South Korean automaker released full pricing and specification for the second-generation i30 that will arrive in UK dealerships on March 12.
On-the-road prices start at £14,495 for the entry level Classic model with a 100PS (99hp) petrol engine and top out at £20,795 for the Style Nav edition with the 110PS (108hp) diesel unit and an automatic transmission.
Hyundai's newcomer is offered with a choice of two petrol engines, a 100PS 1.4-liter unit matched to a manual gearbox and a 120PS (118hp) 1.6-liter linked to an automatic transmission.
Diesel options include a 1.4-liter CRDi with 90PS (89hp) and a manual gearbox, a 1.6-liter CRDi with 110PS (108hp) and a choice of manual or automatic transmissions, and a 1.6-liter CRDi with 128PS (126hp) hooked up to a manual gearbox.
There are four main trim levels including Classic, Active, Style and Style Nav.
Standard comfort features across the range include voice-activated Bluetooth, LED daytime running lights, multi-function steering wheel, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors and one-touch indicators. On the safety system front, all i30s come fitted with include Vehicle Stability Management, Emergency Stop Signal and Hill-start Assist Control as standard.
The Active trim level adds 15-inch alloys, cruise control, rear parking sensors and Hyundai’s new dynamic Flex Steer system with three settings: Comfort, Normal and Sport.
The Style models benefit from 16-inch alloys, dual zone climate control, front parking sensors, rain sensing wipers, cornering lights, automatic headlights, automatic de-fog system for front windscreen and electrically folding door mirrors with LED indicators.
Finally, the Style Nav adds a fully integrated touchscreen satellite navigation system and rear view-parking camera to the mix.

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Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport "Bumblebee" Special to Debut at the Qatar Motor Show

General Motors isn't the only company pushing out a black and yellow themed edition of one of its cars as Bugatti is doing the same - fortunately without the toy-ish / kitsch Transformers decals... Whether you like the color combo or not, Bugatti has presented another one-off edition of its Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport, which is the open-top variant of the series, ahead of its world premiere at this week's 2012 Qatar Motor Show that runs from January 25 to 28.
The one-off Grand Sport has a horizontal color split with a bright yellow body encased in visible black carbon, including black-tinted wheels.
The same theme continues inside with the seats and the upper and lower sections of the door panels and dashboard finished in yellow-colored leather with black stitching. The center console comes in black carbon, while the middle sections of the dashboard, door panels, steering wheel and gearshift are made of black leather with yellow stitching.
This particular Grand Sport model carries a price of €1.58 million (about US$2.05 million) compared to the standard version that costs €1.4 million (~US$1.8 million), with both prices excluding taxes and delivery.
Bugatti says that production of the Grand Sport is limited to 150 units of which 45 have already been spoken for.

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Mazda Confirms Diesel-Powered Model for the States, Sales Start in Early 2013

We had first heard rumors about Mazda's plans to debut its first diesel-powered model in the States last summer, but now, a company spokesman has not only made it official but also gave a launch date. Speaking with Car&Driver magazine, Mazda spokesperson Jeremy Barnes, said: “It’ll be here between 15 and 18 months behind the launch of the Skyactiv-G gasoline engine in the Mazda 3.”
Given that the Skyactiv-G Mazda3 arrived in the U.S. showrooms last October, the Japanese firm's diesel model should go on sale sometime during the first months of 2013.
While Barnes did not name the model that will get the diesel engine, unnamed Mazda sources told Autonews last year that it would be the newly launched CX-5, which makes perfect sense since it is already available in Europe and Japan with the company's new Skyactiv 2.2-liter diesel.
In Europe, the 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel that sports a two-stage turbocharger is available in two flavors, with 150 HP and 380 Nm (280.2 lb-ft) or 175 HP and 420 Nm (309.7 lb-ft), both linked to a standard 6-speed SKYACTIV-MT manual transmission with a 6-speed automatic unit being offered as an option.
The 150HP model accelerates from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in 10.0 seconds and tops out at 198km/h (123mph), while the 175HP version completes the sprint in 9.2 seconds and reaches 202km/h (126mph) while returning a combined fuel consumption in the European cycle of 4.5 lt/100km (equal to 52.3mpg) with CO2 emissions of 119g/km.

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