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The Chevrolet Corvette (C7) is the seventh generation of the Corvette sports car manufactured by American automobile manufacturer Chevrolet. It was introduced for the 2014 model year as the first to bear the Corvette Stingray name since the 1968 third generation model. The first C7 Corvettes were delivered in the third quarter of 2013.

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According to Motor Trend, GM executives began planning the next-generation (C7) Corvette super car in 2007. On October 18, 2012, GM made an official news announcement confirming it would debut on Sunday evening, January 13, 2013, in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show.[4] Chevrolet also showed the new Crossed Flags logo for the new 2014 Corvette. The car was originally planned for the 2011 model year, but was delayed.[5] Mid-engine and rear-engine layouts had been considered, but the front-engine, rear-wheel drive (RWD) platform was chosen to keep costs lower.

The C7's all-new LT1 6.2L Small Block V-8 engine develops 455 horsepower (339 kW) and 460 pound-feet (620 N⋅m) torque, which can accelerate the car from 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds. The C7's suspension consists of independent unequal-length double wishbones with transverse fiberglass mono-leaf springs and optional magnetorheological dampers, similar to its predecessor.

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Rear view of the C7 Stingray, a design which has received much criticism from Corvette enthusiasts due to departure from past design language.

The C7 was designed not only to provide a bold styling statement, but also to incorporate an interior makeover that would put to rest past complaints about the quality of interior fit and finish.

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While overall the C7 attempts to provide an evolutionary redesign to an iconic theme, the car's designers took their inspiration from the Chevrolet Camaro's squared rear end, incorporating aggressive angular elements that disappointed many Corvette enthusiasts.

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The C7 received criticism for some of the more styled elements of the car. "The rear contains what will surely be the C7's most controversial styling elements. It's all creases and vents back there, with aggressive trapezoidal taillights similar to those found on the current Camaro and quadruple-barreled tailpipes lined up in a neat row in the center of the rear valance", wrote Jason Kavanagh for Edmunds.

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Functional aerodynamic aids are tacked on or cut into every body panel of the C7, often juxtaposed against sharp creases. This is a radical departure from the prior generations of Corvettes, whose styling had no spoiler, few body panel creases, and only semi-functional gills for front brake cooling. In addition, past Corvette models minimized the size of headlamps or even hid them altogether. The C7 reverses that minimalist styling language with intricately styled headlamps with LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL).

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McLaren Special Operations has unveiled the X-1 Concept, an extreme and futuristic one-off with a carbon fiber body, commissioned by a private customer and based on the 12C.

The X-1 Concept is being presented today by McLaren Special Operations (MSO), the division of McLaren Automotive responsible for the delivery of bespoke projects, at The Quail event during the Pebble Beach weekend in Monterey, USA.

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Based structurally on the company’s carbon MonoCel, the X-1 Concept has a totally unique body, it has been created for an anonymous car enthusiast.

The client asked for an design competition among McLaren designers and external designers, and eventually selected the concept penned by Hong Yeo, who focused on achieving balanced and elegant proportions typical of GTs with front-mounted engines.

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Paul Mackenzie, now head of McLaren SO, and Design Director Frank Stephenson went to see the gentleman to start to explore the sort of car he wanted.

"The key qualities the client desired were 'timeless and classical elegance.' Which was some challenge," said Stephenson.

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Inspirational cars included a 1961 Facel Vega (actually one of my personal favorites), a 1953 Chrysler D'Elegance Ghia, a 1959 Buick Electra, a 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K and a 1971 Citroën SM. There were various examples of architecture – including the Guggenheim museums in New York and Bilbao – plus a Jaeger LeCoultre art deco clock, an Airstream trailer, a Thomas Mann Montblanc pen, a grand piano – and an eggplant. "The client liked the shiny texture of the finish," notes Stephenson. There was also a black-and-white photo of Audrey Hepburn.

After a design competition that included designers from outside of McLaren and even the automotive industry, a scheme was chosen from McLaren’s own Hong Yeo, a recent Royal College of Art graduate from Korea.

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"X1 embodies the McLaren value that every part has to have a purpose," said Yeo. "No details are simply visual cues, every one has a purpose. Although I like to think the wide body combined with pontoon style rear fenders will ensure the car glides when it's moving just like a superhero's cape...'

The fixed points of engineering for the vehicle were the 12C’s unique "mono-cell" carbon-fiber passenger tub and glasshouse, and of course the 625 hp twin-turbo V8 engine and drive chain. Everything else is completely bespoke; body, lights, wheels, mirrors, trim, and the construction took over two years in total. A full on-road development program was required since the car would be homologated for road use. A Computational Fluid Dynamics program and 625 miles of track test driving was also required to ensure stability at high speed.

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All body panels of the X1 are made from carbon, and are finished in a rich piano black, as specified by the owner. Body sides are lacquered visual carbon fiber. "The black paint has no metallic or color tints and is one of the most challenging colors to paint, but the finish is absolutely exquisite and befits the car perfectly," adds Stephenson.

Components were tooled exclusively for the car. They even include unique head- and taillights, inspired by the McLaren Speed Marque logo. The brightwork is machined from solid aluminum, and a nickel finish is then applied. The McLaren logo in the nose is specially machined from solid aluminum then nickel plated. Wheels are also unique to the X1, and are diamond turned with a tinted lacquer to complement the exterior nickel-plated brightwork.

The brightwork itself is all machined from solid aluminum, and then nickel finished to give the same hue throughout. Even the McLaren Speed Marque badge in the nose is machined from solid aluminum, then nickel plated.

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The same brightwork is used for the over-the-shoulder rails (as specified by the owner), at the base of the windscreen and the back of the glasshouse, and for the "eyebrows" over the bespoke headlights. The McLaren Airbrake rear wing is also machined from solid aluminum and nickel plated, to complement the rest of the brightwork.

Perhaps the most unusual styling feature is the enclosed rear wheels, an upshot of the owner's desire to have a car reflecting "timeless elegance." The wheels are accessed by carbon panels using, as Stephenson explains, "some of the most gorgeous hinges you've ever seen."

The unique body of the X-1 means some dimensions have changed over the 12C. The X1 is 4 inches (10 cm) longer and about 7.5 inches (19 cm) wider but the height is unchanged and overall weight remains the same at 1400 kg (3,080 pounds) due to the extensive use of carbon-fiber.

While the basic architecture of the interior did not change, personalization includes bespoke Harissa Red McLaren Nappa leather used for the seats, door and roof trim, and switchgear with machined nickel-coated, aluminum bezels. The carbon interior trim has a titanium weave, to give a 3D-like effect. Special tufted carpet covers the floor.

McLaren

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World Premier : Frankfurt International Motor Show (September 2017)

Gregory Guillaume, chief designer for Kia Motors Europe, commented: “With many European drivers now seeking performance alternatives to the three-door hot hatch, we began thinking about a different halo model for the cee’d family.

“The Proceed Concept represents a bold new vision of how the vibrant soul of the pro_cee’d could be reincarnated and revitalised for a new generation of performance-oriented drivers.”

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A high-performance statement in aesthetics, the Proceed Concept is striking from any angle. The interior is designed with the future in mind, with a luxurious and stylish cockpit playing host to a full suite of advanced features designed to enrich your driving experience. It isn’t all about the looks though; the extended hot hatch is meant to maximize functionality. The athletic appearance is enhanced by other sensory experiences that extend even to the driver’s sense of smell; it is a truly stunning vehicle in every way.

Frankfurt, 7 September 2017 – Kia Motors has revealed new images of the Proceed Concept. Kia’s new concept car makes its world debut at the 2017 Frankfurt International Motor Show on 12 September.

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Designed at Kia’s European design centre in Frankfurt, just 500 metres from where it will be unveiled, the Proceed Concept indicates what the next-generation cee’d could look like.

The concept presents a new body type for Kia. The extended hot hatch retains the athleticism of the current pro_cee’d model, while combining its striking visual presence with a dash of real-world versatility. Reworked and reimagined for a new generation of driver, it puts forward a bold vision for a potential member of the next-generation cee’d family.

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Gregory Guillaume, Chief Designer Europe for Kia Motors, commented: “With many European drivers now seeking performance alternatives to the three-door hot hatch, we began thinking about a different halo model for the cee’d family. The Proceed Concept represents a bold new vision of how the vibrant soul of the pro_cee’d could be reincarnated and revitalised for a new generation of performance-oriented drivers.”

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Low, lean and lithe, the Proceed Concept’s rakish roofline, muscular proportions and compact footprint hint at its outright agility. The silhouette of the car is complemented by a series of distinctive design cues. A dynamic window frame follows the roofline to the rear tailgate, while the striking ‘Sharkblade’ in the bodywork, complete with GT logo, reinforces its lack of B-pillars. Lateral strakes exaggerate the Proceed Concept’s slim waistline and lend an air of muscularity to the rear of the car. It runs on six-spoke aluminium alloy wheels, 20 inches in diameter.

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Where daytime running lights have become a key element in a car’s identity, the Proceed Concept uses light in other ways. The concept features a ‘Luminline’ – an illuminated outline of the car’s glasshouse that greets drivers as they approach the car. This serves as a powerful nocturnal visual identifier for the Proceed Concept, highlighting its fastback shape. The concept’s dramatic roofline flows into a tailgate characterised by its stacked air vents, and the rippled surface of a rear light strip inspired by molten ferromagnetic metal.

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Its stance and proportions may be new, but the Proceed Concept features many of Kia’s now familiar design motifs. The iconic ‘tiger nose’ grille, the sculpted ‘island’ bonnet inspired by the Stinger, the castellated windscreen, the full-length roof glazing, and Kia’s inimitable mix of curvaceous sheetmetal and taut creases. Each element singles out the Proceed Concept as a truly modern Kia.

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The concept is finished in bespoke ‘Lava Red’ paintwork. This has been created by combining multiple hand-applied layers of black, chrome-effect silver, and red-tinted lacquer for a glossy, lustrous paint finish.

Kia will unveil the Proceed Concept on 12 September on the Kia stand, located in Hall 9 of the Frankfurt Messe exhibition centre.

KIA







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