1000-HP Cadillac Sixteen Concept To Appear At Amelia Island Concours. It’s no secret that BMW is working on a new M3 sedan, as well as a new M4 coupe and convertible. We’ve shown you spy shots and spy video of various cars in testing, but the market introduction of the new M offerings is still over a year away. Britain’s Car magazine recently published an update on what it believes the next M3 will be like, and enthusiasts the world over hope the publication’s intelligence is correct. If it is, the next M3 will be more conservatively styled, lighter, faster and even more capable on track. We know the current M3’s V-8 will be One of Cadillac’s most famous concepts, the imposing ‘Sixteen’ sedan from 2003, will be the highlight of a special showing of past concepts from the American luxury brand at next month’s Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. In case you’ve forgotten, the Sixteen gets its name from the unique V-16 engine under its long hood. The engine, which displaces a monstrous 13.6 liters, delivers a Bugatti Veyron-rivaling 1,000 horsepower and 1,000 pound-feet of torque, though all 16 cylinders would only fire under full throttle.
That’s because the Sixteen was a technological preview of General Motors’ improved cylinder deactivation technology; in normal driving, only 12 of the cylinders would be used. Part of Cadillac's then-new ‘Art and Science’ design theme, the Sixteen, it was widely rumored, came very close to achieving production status. One thing it did very well was to influence and flavor Cadillac's product planning, as even the latest Cadillac models share a resemblence with the 10-year-old concept. As Wayne Cherry, retired chief designer of General Motors Company [NYSE:GM], explains: “We wanted it to be the ultimate expression of Cadillac; to reinstate Cadillac as a world leader in design and technology and a reminder of the heritage of Cadillac.” If you're contemplating attending the Amelia Island Concours this year, we hope the announcement of the Cadillac Sixteen's appearance will help sway your decision. Dates for the show are March 8-10, 2013. While a car exactly like the Sixteen is unlikely to ever see the light of the day, one similar to it may be launched as Cadillac’s new flagship sedan. The last we heard, Cadillac bosses had given the green light for the development of a full-size sedan aimed at rivals like the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes-Benz S Class.
The car is expected to be based on a new rear-wheel-drive platform dubbed Omega and arrive on the scene in 2015.kicked to the curb, a victim of ever-tightening fuel economy and emission requirements. In its place will be a new twin-turbo 3.0-liter in-line six, based on the B58 engine family. In standard M3 and M4 guise, expect to see an output of 444 horsepower, which should deliver a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) time of 4.5 seconds. The new engine is described as “highly tunable” as well, and word is that 500 horsepower can be had with just an ECU reflash. That likely means that BMW will offer special editions of its new M cars with a significant bump in horsepower. As for styling, expect even more refinement than on current M3 models. The M versions will be lower and wider than their 3 and 4 Series counterparts, and 19-inch wheels will help to create a distinctive stance. Carbon fiber components, such as the roof, will be left unpainted, and other styling tricks will include blue brake calipers and graphite mirror caps. Carbon ceramic brakes will also be offered on M3 and M4 models, likely at a (significant) up-charge. To let others know they won’t be out-braking you into corners, cars fitted with the carbon ceramic rotors will also get gold-painted brake calipers. Word is that both a manual six-speed transmission and a seven-speed, dual-clutch automated manual gearbox will be offered. The electronically-controlled M differential will return in the new M3 and M4, giving the new cars the same sure-footed traction as the models they replace. Look for BMW to trim weight wherever possible, too, and word is that the next M3 could come in below 1,500 kilograms (3,300 pounds), which is some 95 kilograms (209 pounds) lighter than a current BMW 335i sedan. As for the “when” part, expect BMW to show a near-production “concept” M3 this fall, likely at the Frankfurt Auto Show. The production version should debut at Geneva in 2014, with European sales beginning in the summer of 2014. 1000-HP Cadillac Sixteen Concept To Appear At Amelia Island Concours.
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