MAXIMUM DRIVE STAFF June 01, 2022 All Feature Vehicles
GM announced that it has split off its Cadillac brand as a separate business unit and will be moving the luxury automaker’s headquarters to loft-style offices in New York City scheduled to open in 2015. While the majority of functions with oversight and responsibility for both global and U.S. operations will be located at the new hip headquarters, there will be no change to the technical product development teams located in Michigan, nor does the plan impact manufacturing or assembly operations. Fewer than 100 employees will be moved from Detroit to NYC. The move is seen as a way for Cadillac to gain some autonomy from GM’s Michigan headquarters and put the brand more in touch with the demands of the fickle luxury automotive market.
Johan de Nysschen, who became president of the Cadillac division after serving as CEO at Infiniti, will be responsible for the brand’s overall operational performance.
Don “Big Daddy” Garlits set two world records for an electric-powered dragster on August 9, 2014, by covering the quarter-mile Bradenton Motorsports Park drag strip in 7.274-sec. and reaching 185.60 mph at the finish line. The 82-year-old 17-time World Drag Racing Champion said: “We are looking to reach 200 mph with the all-electric Swamp Rat 37 dragster, but this is as fast as the current configuration will allow the car to go. We are having new batteries built and will try again as soon as possible.” Garlits was positive about the future of racing electric-powered cars: “I see the electric dragsters becoming popular in the future as more of the engineering problems are solved. They will be particularly popular in areas where noise abatement laws are an issue.”
Alfa Romeo returns to the U.S. with the 2015 4C Coupe, a mid-engine, carbon-fiber monocoque sports car. This exotic from the storied Italian automaker is powered by an all-aluminum 1750-cc direct-injection turbocharged engine with intercooler that makes 237 hp and propels the lightweight Alfa 0–60 mph in the 4-sec. range. The new-generation turbocharger and pulse-converter exhaust manifold exploit pressure waves and boost torque at low-engine speeds delivering 80 percent of the available 258 lb.-ft. of torque at only 1700 rpm.
The Alfa Romeo brand’s return in summer 2015 will start with the uniquely appointed and individually serialized (1–500) Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition with a sticker price of $68,400; followed by the standard 4C Coupe arriving in the fall with a price of $53,900 (both exclude $1295 destination charge).
Dodge announced that it is giving the 2015 Viper more horsepower, improved fuel economy and a new starting price of $15,000 less than the 2014 model it replaces. In addition to the new sticker price, all existing Gen 5 Viper owners will get a certificate worth $15,000 that can be redeemed toward the purchase of a new Dodge Viper. This $15,000 certificate is in addition to the $15,000 price reduction. Effective immediately, all existing 2014 model year Vipers in dealers’ inventories will also be re-invoiced and receive a new Monroney label that highlights the price reduction.
For 2015, the handbuilt American exotic will deliver an increased 645 hp, get up to 20 mpg and will offer a new starting price of $84,995—all prices exclude tax, title, license, destination and gas-guzzler tax.
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