#united states gran prix

[lewimikas]

LEWIS HAMILTON and ESTEBAN OCON – USA, 2022.

[umgeorge]

george russell models his merch for the united states gran prix - 2023

[crownedstoat]

1964 Apollo 3500 Gran Turismo by Alden Jewell Via Flickr: Apollo (1962 automobile) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigationJump to search Apollo Apollo 5000 GT Coupe.jpg 1965 Apollo 5000 GT Coupe Overview ManufacturerInternational Motor Cars Also calledVetta Ventura Production88 Model years1962 - 1965 AssemblyOakland, California, United States DesignerRon Plescia & Franco Scaglione Body and chassis ClassSports Car Body stylefastback coupe or convertible RelatedCarrozzeria Intermeccanica Powertrain Engine 215 cu in (3.5 L) Buick V8 (gasoline) 300 cu in (4.9 L) Buick V8 (gasoline) Transmission4 speed manual (automatic optional) Dimensions Wheelbase2,464 mm (97.0 in)[1] Length4,445 mm (175.0 in) Width1,676 mm (66.0 in) Height1,270 mm (50.0 in) Curb weight1,030 kg (2,271 lb) Chronology PredecessorNone SuccessorNone The Apollo was an American sports car/personal automobile, initially manufactured from 1962 to 1964 by International Motor Cars in Oakland, California. Engineered by Milt Brown and designed by Ron Plescia, it featured handmade Italian aluminum coachwork by Intermeccanica, with a choice between two-seater convertible or fastback styles. Power came from a 215 cu in (3.5 l) or 300 cu in (4.9 l) Buick[2] engine mated to a 4-speed manual. The initial company built 42 cars before suspending production while seeking new financing. IMC allowed the sale of body/chassis units to Vanguard Motors in Dallas, Texas, to produce cars under the Vetta Ventura name. These were made until 1966 as a stop-gap measure to keep the carrozzeria (body producer Intermeccanica) in business until new backers were found. Other production arrangements followed. A total of 88[3] have been produced to date by all entities. History Frank Reisner, a former chemical engineer born in Hungary, raised in Canada and educated in America,[4] established a company that later produced complete bodies -- painted and trimmed -- for the Apollo as well as the Texas-built Vetta Ventura (which was the same car with a different name). Reisner, on holiday in Italy in 1959, decided that he loved Turin and set up shop there as Intermeccanica producing tuning kits for Renaults, Peugeots, and Simcas. The Apollo project was the dream of a young California engineer, Milt Brown, who desired to build an American answer to European GTs, such as the Aston Martin DB4 and Ferrari coupes. Brown, who was looking for a coachbuilder, met Reisner at the Monaco Grand Prix in 1960. A deal was made and the first Apollos were built by early 1963 by Brown's International Motor Cars. Intermeccanica hand formed and trimmed the steel bodies in Turin, Italy, and then shipped them by sea to Oakland, California, where the drive train was installed. The prototype's design was by Milt Brown's friend, Ron Plescia, but the nose was too long and the rear vision limited, so Reisner commissioned former Bertone stylist Franco Scaglione to revise it. The finished car, sold by Brown's International Motorcars of Oakland, was well received and had famous owners such as Pat Boone. The base price was $6000 and the top speed was claimed to be 150 mph (240 km/h). A prototype 2 + 2 was shown in New York in 1965. It was shown again in 1966 as the Griffth GT.[4] International Motor Cars sold 42 cars (40 coupes and one spyder, including the prototype) before production stopped in mid-1964 due to lack of financing. IMC then made a contract with Reisner (to keep his operation going) allowing Intermeccanica to supply body/chassis units to Fred Ricketts, owner of Vanguard Industries, an aftermarket supplier of auto air conditioners in Dallas, Texas. Vanguard sold it as the Vetta Ventura. The intent was to give IMC time to find new financing as well as keep Intermeccanica alive. Vanguard built only 11 cars, with shop foreman Tom Johnson purchasing the leftover 11 body/chassis units and completing them as late as 1971. A third attempt to produce the Apollo was by attorney Robert Stevens. His Apollo International company of Pasadena, California completed only 14 cars, with foreman Otto Becker finishing another six. Four body chassis/units were never claimed by Apollo International and were sold by US Customs to Ken Dumiere. A pair of Apollo 3500 GTs were used to portray the Thorndyke Special race car which was featured in The Love Bug, a 1968 Disney movie. One of the pair has been fully restored.[5][6] Reisner later developed projects such as the Griffith, the Murena GT, and the Italia by Intermeccanica. Intermeccanica went on to produce the Veltro 1500, the Griffin (which was a version of the prototype Apollo 2+2), the Phoenix, and the Omega among others. Specifications EngineMax powerTransmissionWheelbaseLengthWeight 215CID Buick V8225 hp (168 kW)4-speed manual97 in (2,464 mm)177 in (4,496 mm)2,540 lb (1,150 kg) [1] References "1963 Apollo GT Convertible performance data, specs & photo". Automobile-catalog.com. Retrieved 2011-11-20. Gunnell, John A. (ed.). Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975. krause publications. ISBN 0-87341-027-0. Northrup, Robb Apollo GT: The American Ferrari Rogliatti, Gianni (Spring 1971). "Frank Reisner's Intermeccanica - One of the Few That Made it". Automobile Quarterly. New York, NY: Automobile Quarterly. 11 (3): 309–311. LCCN 62004005. "1963 Apollo 3500 GT in "The Love Bug, 1968"". IMCDb.org. Retrieved 2011-11-20. "The Thorndyke Special". Barn Finds. 2013-11-07. Retrieved 2016-12-23. Categories: Sports carsDefunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United StatesMotor vehicle manufacturers based i

[weraceasone]

F1 season 2021 (all)

Silly season

Everything pre-season related (e.g. car launches)

Winter testing 2021 at Bahrain International Circuit, Bahrain. (Mar 12-14)

1. Bahrain Grand Prix 2021 at Bahrain International Circuit, Bahrain. (Mar 26-28)

2. Gran Premio Del Made In Italy E Dell'emilia Romagna 2021 (Imola), San Marino. (Apr 16-18)

3. Portuguese GP 2021 at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, Portugal. (Apr 30-May 2)

4. Spanish Grand Prix 2021 at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain. (May 7-9)

5. Monaco Grand Prix 2021 at Monaco Street Circuit, Monaco. (May 21-23)

6. Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2021 at Baku City Circuit, Azerbaijan. (Jun 4-6)

7. French Grand Prix 2021 at Circuit Paul Ricard, Le Castellet, France. (Jun 18-20) 8. Styrian Grand Prix 2021 at the Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria. (Jun 25-27) 9. Austrian Grand Prix 2021 at the Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria. (Jul 2-4)

10. British Grand Prix 2021 at Circuit Silverstone, Great Britain. (Jul 16-18)

11. Hungarian Grand Prix 2021 at the Hungaroring, Budapest, Hungary. (Jul 30-Aug 1)

12. Belgian Grand Prix 2021 at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium. (Aug 27-29) 13. Dutch Grand Prix 2021 at Circuit Zandvoort, Zandvoort, The Netherlands. (Sep 3-5) 14. Italian Grand Prix 2021 at Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Italy. (Sep 10-12)

15. Russian Grand Prix 2021 at Sochi Autodrom, Sochi, Russia. (Sep 24-26)

16. Turkish Grand Prix 2021 at Intercity Istanbul Park Circuit, Istanbul, Turkey. (Oct 8-10)

17. United States Grand Prix 2021 at Circuit of the Americas, Austin, USA. (Oct 22-24)

18. Mexican Grand Prix 2021 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City, Mexico. (Nov 5-7) 19. Brazilian Grand Prix 2021 at Autódromo José Carlos Pace (Interlagos), São Paulo, Brazil. (Nov 12-14)

20. TBC. (Nov 19-21)

21. Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2021 at Jeddah Street Circuit, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Dec 3-5) 22. Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021 at Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Dec 10-12)

[mnsreetusa]

so glad to live in the US and not miss all the FP sessions

[passiongracelb]

Bucket Full of Memories, Theme Parks around the United States

I love going to theme parks so here is a list of all the theme parks from around the United States

Alabama Alabama Splash Adventure, Bessemer Southern Adventures, Huntsville Spring Park, Tuscumbia Waterville USA, Gulf Shores Alaska Roadrunner Amusement Park, Anchorage ArizonaEdit Castles N' Coasters, Phoenix Enchanted Island, Phoenix Funtasticks Family Fun Park, Tucson Golf n' Stuff, Tucson Golfland Sunsplash, Mesa Schnepf Farms, Queen Creek Wildlife World, Litchfield Park Arkansas Fast Lane Entertainment, Lowell Funland Amusement Park, North Little Rock Magic Springs and Crystal Falls, Hot Springs California Northern California Blackbeard's Family Entertainment Center, Fresno Boomers, Fresno Funderland, Sacramento Fun Town at Micke Grove, Lodi Gilroy Gardens, Gilroy Golfland, Castro Valley, Milpitas, Roseville, San Jose, and Sunnyvale Kiwanis Kiddieland, Merced Roseville Golfland Sunsplash, Roseville Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Santa Cruz Scandia Amusements, Rohnert Park and Sacramento Sonoma TrainTown Railroad, Sonoma San Francisco California's Great America, Santa Clara Children's Fairyland, Oakland Happy Hollow Park and Zoo, San Jose Pixieland Amusement Park, Concord Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Vallejo Los Angeles Golf 'N' Stuff, Norwalk Mountasia Family Fun Center, Valencia Pacific Park, Santa Monica Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia SpeedZone Los Angeles Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal City Orange County Adventure City, Anaheim Boomers, Fountain Valley Disneyland Resort Disney California Adventure, Anaheim Disneyland, Anaheim Golfland, Anaheim Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park Riverside County Castle Park, Riverside San Bernardino County Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain, Big Bear Lake Boomers, Upland Fiesta Village Family Fun Park, Colton Scandia Amusement Park, Ontario and Victorville San Diego Belmont Park, San Diego Boomers, El Cajon Frasier's Frontier, El Cajon Legoland California, Carlsbad SeaWorld San Diego ColoradoEdit Elitch Gardens, Denver Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, Glenwood Springs Heritage Square, Golden Lakeside Amusement Park, Lakeside Mile High Flea Market, Henderson City Park, Pueblo Santa's Workshop, Cascade ConnecticutEdit Lake Compounce, Bristol Quassy Amusement Park, Middlebury Delaware Funland, Rehoboth Beach Jungle Jim's Adventure World, Rehoboth Beach Florida North Florida Adventure Landing, Jacksonville Beach Big Kahuna's, Destin Cobra Adventure Park, Panama City Beach Fast Eddies Fun Center, Pensacola Race City PCB, Panama City Beach Sam's Fun City & Sam's Surf City, Pensacola Shipwreck Island, Panama City Beach Wild Willy's Adventure Zone, Fort Walton Beach Central Florida Andretti Thrill Park, Melbourne Boardwalk Amusements, Daytona Beach Busch Gardens Tampa, Tampa Celebration Station, Clearwater Daytona Lagoon, Daytona Beach Dinosaur World, Plant City Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Merritt Island Legoland Florida, Winter Haven Weeki Wachee Springs, Weeki Wachee Greater Orlando Fun Spot America - Kissimmee, Kissimmee Fun Spot America - Orlando, Orlando Gatorland, Orlando Give Kids the World Village, Kissimmee Holy Land Experience, Orlando Magical Midway, Orlando Old Town, Kissimmee SeaWorld Orlando Discovery Cove, Orlando SeaWorld Orlando, Orlando Universal Orlando Universal Studios Florida, Orlando Universal's Islands of Adventure, Orlando Walt Disney World Disney's Animal Kingdom, Bay Lake Disney's Hollywood Studios, Bay Lake Epcot, Bay Lake Magic Kingdom, Bay Lake South Florida Kidstar Park, Port Charlotte Santa's Enchanted Forest, Miami Uncle Bernie's Amusement Park, Fort Lauderdale Zoomers Family Amusement Park, Fort Myers Beach Georgia Adventure Crossing, Augusta All American Fun Park, Albany Alpine Park, Helen Black Mountain Alpine Coaster, Helen Fun Spot Atlanta, Fayetteville Lake Winnepesaukah, Rossville Six Flags Over Georgia, Austell Wild Adventures, Valdosta Hawaii Maui Golf and Sports Park, Wailuku Sea Life Park Hawaii, Oahu IdahoEdit Silverwood Theme Park, Athol Wahooz Family Fun Zone, Meridian Yellowstone Bear World, Rexburg Illinois Donley's Wild West Town, Union Enchanted Castle, Lombard Go Bananas, Norridge Grady's Family Fun Park, Bloomington Grizzly Jack's Grand Bear Resort, Utica Haunted Trails, Burbank and Joliet Knight's Action Park, Springfield Odyssey Fun World, Tinley Park Pirates Cove, Elk Grove Village Safari Land, Villa Park Santa's Village AZoosment Park, Dundee Six Flags Great America, Gurnee Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, Gurnee Indiana Team Combat, Tactical Laser Tag for Adults, Teens & 8-12 Year Olds, Hobart Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, Santa Claus Indiana Beach, Monticello Iowa Adventureland, Altoona Arnolds Park, Arnolds Park Lost Island Amusement Park, Waterloo Kansas All Star Adventures, Wichita Kiddieland, Pittsburg Kentucky Beech Bend Park, Bowling Green Kentucky Kingdom, Louisville Malibu Jack’s Indoor Theme Park, Lexington Louisiana Blue Bayou and Dixie Landin', Baton Rouge Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, New Orleans Celebration Station, Baton Rouge Maine Funtown Splashtown USA, Saco Palace Playland, Old Orchard Beach York's Wild Kingdom, York Beach Maryland Adventure Park USA, New Market Baja Amusements, Ocean City Jolly Roger Amusement Park, Ocean City Jolly Roger at the Pier, Ocean City Laugh Out Loud Stations, Greenbelt Six Flags America, Upper Marlboro Trimper's Rides, Ocean City Wisp Resort, McHenry Massachusetts Edaville USA, Carver Salem Willows, Salem Six Flags New England, Agawam Michigan A-Maze-N Mirrors, Mackinaw City Adventure Island Family Fun Park, Cadillac Arzo Sports & Fun Park, Alpena Cedar Valley's Wild Frontier Fun Park, Comins CJ Barrymore's Family Entertainment Center, Clinton Township Deer Acres Storybook Amusement Park, Pinconning Full Blast, Battle Creek Funland Amusement Park, Houghton Lake Jeepers, Sterling Heights Kokomo's Family Fun Center, Saginaw Michigan's Adventure, Muskegon Nelis' Dutch Village, Holland Minnesota Como Town, St. Paul Nickelodeon Universe, Bloomington Paul Bunyan Land, Brainerd Spirit Mountain, Duluth Valleyfair, Shakopee Mississippi Brookhaven Exchange Club Park, Brookhaven Missouri Branson Coaster, Branson Branson Tracks, Branson Branson Mountain Adventure Park, Branson Hydro Adventures, Poplar Bluff Miner Mike's Adventure Town, Osage Beach Mountain Adventure Resort, Branson Silver Dollar City, Branson Six Flags St. Louis, Eureka Worlds of Fun, Kansas City MontanaEdit Amusement Park Drive In, Laurel Big Sky Water Park, Columbia Falls NebraskaEdit Fun-Plex, Omaha SkateDaze, Omaha Nevada Adventuredome, Las Vegas Akita Plaza, Las Vegas Buffalo Bill's, Primm Las Vegas Mini Gran Prix, Las Vegas Playland Park, Reno New York-New York Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas Stratosphere Las Vegas, Las Vegas Wild Island, Sparks New Hampshire Attitash Mountain Resort, Bartlett Candia Springs Adventure Park, Candia Canobie Lake Park, Salem Cranmore Mountain Adventure Park, North Conway Clark's Trading Post, Lincoln Fort Jefferson Fun Park, Jefferson Fun-World, Nashua Santa's Village, Jefferson Story Land, Glen New Jersey Action Park, Vernon Blackbeard's Cave, Bayville Bowcraft Playland, Scotch Plains Casino Pier, Seaside Heights Central Pier Arcade & Speedway, Atlantic City Clementon Amusement Park, Clementon Fantasy Island, Beach Haven Funplex, Mount Laurel Gillian's Wonderland Pier, Ocean City iPlay America, Freehold Jenkinson's Boardwalk, Point Pleasant Beach Keansburg Amusement Park, Keansburg Land of Make Believe, Hope Morey's Piers, Wildwood Playland's Castaway Cove, Ocean City Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson Steel Pier, Atlantic City Wild West City [1], Byram Township, New Jersey Storybook Land, Egg Harbor Township New Mexico Cliff's Amusement Park, Albuquerque Western Playland, Sunland Park New York Downstate New York Adventureland, Farmingdale Adventurers Family Entertainment Center, Brooklyn Country Fair Entertainment Park, Medford Boomer's Family Fun Center, Medford Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, Brooklyn Fantasy Forest at the Flushing Meadows Carousel, Flushing Fantasy Shore Amusement Park, Staten Island Kids 'N Action, Brooklyn Luna Park, Coney Island, Brooklyn Playland, Rye Victorian Gardens, New York City Upstate New York Darien Lake, Darien Enchanted Forest Water Safari, Old Forge Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom, Lake George Greek Peak Mountain Resort, Cortland Hoffman's Playland, Latham Holiday Valley, Ellicottville Huck Finn's Playland, Albany Magic Forest Park, Lake George Fantasy Island, Grand Island Midway State Park, Maple Springs Legoland New York, Goshen (starting construction in 2017, planned to open in 2019)[1] Party Zone USA, Middletown Santa's Workshop, Wilmington Seabreeze Amusement Park, Rochester Sylvan Beach Amusement Park, Sylvan Beach North Carolina Carolina Beach Boardwalk Amusement Park, Carolina Beach Carowinds, Charlotte Deadwood, Williamston Ghost Town Village, Maggie Valley Great Wolf Lodge, Concord NASCAR Speedpark, Concord Santa's Land, Cherokee Tweetsie Railroad, Boone North Dakota Grand Forks Theme Park, Grand Forks[citation needed](Scheduled) Super Slide Amusement Park, Bismarck Ohio The Beach at Adventure Landing, Mason Cedar Point, Sandusky Cherry Valley Lodge, Newark Comfort Inn Splash Harbor, Bellville Coney Island, Cincinnati Coshocton Lake Park Recreational Complex, Coshocton Erieview Park, Geneva FunTimes Fun Park, Alliance Howard's Apples Farm Market, Bainbridge Jungle Jack's Landing, Powell Kings Island, Mason Lincoln Park Family Aquatic Center, Marion Long's Retreat Family Resort, Latham Memphis Kiddie Park, Brooklyn Pioneer Waterland & Dry Fun Park, Chardon Richland Carrosuel Park, Mansfield Sluggers & Putters, Canal Fulton Stricker's Grove, Ross Swings-N-Things Family Fun Park, Olmsted Township Tuscora Park, New Philadelphia Oklahoma Bell's Kiddieland, Tulsa Eagle Park, Cache Frontier City, Oklahoma City Kiddy Park, Bartlesville Oregon Enchanted Forest, Turner Oaks Amusement Park, Portland Pennsylvania Brandywine Picnic Park, West Chester Carousel Village at Indian Walk, Wrightstown Camelback Mountain Resort, Tannersville Conneaut Lake Park, Conneaut Lake DelGrosso's Amusement Park, Tipton Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, Allentown (Dorneyville) Dutch Wonderland, Lancaster Fun Fore All, Cranberry Township Hersheypark, Hershey Idlewild and Soak Zone, Ligonier Kennywood, West Mifflin Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg Lakemont Park, Altoona Pocono Play Park, East Stroudsburg Sesame Place, Langhorne Split Rock Resort, Lake Harmony Waldameer Park, Erie Rhode Island Adventureland, Narragansett Atlantic Beach Park, Westerly South Carolina Broadway Grand Prix, Myrtle Beach Carowinds, Fort Mill Family Kingdom Amusement Park, Myrtle Beach O.D. Pavilion Amusement Park, North Myrtle Beach Pavilion Park, Myrtle Beach Pedroland, Dillon South Dakota Evan's Plunge, Hot Springs Flags & Wheels Indoor Racing, Rapid City Rush Mountain Adventure Park, Keystone Storybook Island, Rapid City Thunder Road Family Fun Park, Aberdeen Tennessee Anakeesta Gatlinburg Goats on the Roof, Pigeon Forge Dollywood, Pigeon Forge Fun Stop, Pigeon Forge Gatlinburg Mountain Coaster, Gatlinburg Incredible Pizza Company, Cordova The Island in Pigeon Forge, Pigeon Forge NASCAR Speedpark, Sevierville Ober Gatlinburg, Gatlinburg Rockin' Raceway, Pigeon Forge Rowdy Bear Mountain Gatlinburg Sir Goony's Fun Zone, Chattanooga Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster, Pigeon Forge Wilderness at the Smokies, Sevierville Texas Adventure Kingdom, Lumberton Aquatica, San Antonio Austin's Park N Pizza, Pflugerville Downtown Aquarium, Houston Elise's Family Fun Center, Winnie Funtrackers, Corpus Christi Funplex, Houston Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, Galveston Grand Texas Theme Park, New Caney (planned, opening April 2020) Joyland Amusement Park, Lubbock Kemah Boardwalk, Kemah Kiddie Park Of San Antonio, San Antonio Morgan's Wonderland, San Antonio NRH2O, North Richland Hills Sandy Lake Amusement Park, Carrollton SeaWorld San Antonio, San Antonio Six Flags Fiesta Texas, San Antonio Six Flags Over Texas, Arlington Tilt Studio, Katy (inside Katy Mills) Wonderland Park, Amarillo YesterLand Farm, Canton ZDT's Amusement Park, Seguin Zuma Fun Center, Houston Utah Boondocks Fun Center, Kaysville-Draper Cherry Hill Resort, Kaysville Lagoon Amusement Park, Farmington Vermont Bromley, Vermont's Summer Adventure, Peru Killington Resort, Killington Virginia Atlantic Fun Park, Virginia Beach Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Williamsburg Central Park Fun-Land, Fredericksburg Go-Karts Plus, Williamsburg Kings Dominion, Doswell Motor World, Virginia Beach Washington Pier 57, Seattle Remlinger Farms, Carnation Riverfront Park, Spokane Washington State Fair, Puyallup Wild Waves Theme Park, Federal Way West VirginiaEdit Camden Park, Huntington Wisconsin Bay Beach Amusement Park, Green Bay Knucklehead's Bowling & Family Entertainment, Wisconsin Dells Little Amerricka, Marshall Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park, Wisconsin Dells Paul Bunyan's Adventure Golf, Wisconsin Dells Riverside Amusement Park, La Crosse Riverview Park & Waterworld, Wisconsin Dells Timbavatvi Wildlife Park/Storybook Gardens, Wisconsin Dells Timber Falls Adventure Park, Wisconsin Dells Wyoming Cowboy Carousel Center, Buffalo Puerto Rico Cayo Lobos Marine Park, Cayo Lobos Children's Dream Park, Añasco Fun Valley Park, Arecibo Jungle Park PR, Bayamón Parque de las Ciencias, Bayamón Villa Campestre, Guaynabo

[lewimikas]

LEWIS HAMILTON and SEBASTIAN VETTEL – USA, 2018.

[coasttickets]

Long Beach Grand Prix now the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach

Grand Prix may have a new official name, but it remains one of the highlights on the calendar for any race fans.

What began as the Long Beach Grand Prix in 1975, continued as the United States Grand Prix West from 1976-1983, to the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach from 1980-2018, will now be known as the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

“That happens to be the exact message we have been using in all of our advertising – ‘New Race Name. Same Fast Game,’” Jim Michaelian, President and CEO of the Gran Prix Association of Long Beach told NBC Sports on Monday. “That captures the essence of what you will experience when you come to the 2019 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.”

The week-long event brings Southern California’s glamour crowd to Long Beach to watch fast cars, soak up the sun, attend concerts and tour the exposition center. Only the Indianapolis 500 and the Grand Prix of Monaco would be seen as more prestigious races.

But it’s more than just racing.

“Both days contain a significant number of what I call ‘non-hardcore racing fans,’” Michaelian said. “They are coming out, enjoying the atmosphere, participating in a lot of the activities here whether it is in the Lifestyle Expo, or the Kids Zone or the go-kart tracks or attending the concerts or Friday and Saturday night or Drifting on those two nights.

“The attraction for our guests all three days is to come out and enjoy themselves and take in some of the racing. Robby Gordon’s SST Trucks are always popular, and Drifting is always packed in the evening.

“And who doesn’t want to see Sports Cars in action like IMSA has, not only in DPI but also in the GTLM. Those are really aspirational type cars with Ford GT, Porsche, Corvette and BMW. Those are cars people would love to own and love to drive and they get to see them in action here.

In addition to a new sponsor, IMSA will help celebrate its 50thYear with an historic GTO race with 32 of the old GTO cars from 1990 and 1991. There will also be a display of GTP cars in the Promenade area of the Long Beach Convention Center. There are six events scheduled including NTT IndyCar, IMSA WeatherTech Series, the Pirelli GT4 America Series, Robby Gordon’s SST Trucks, Formula Drift and the IMSA Historic GTO Race as all part of the schedule.

Michaelian has been part of this event since its inception in 1975 when the event was created by England’s Chris Pook, who was running a travel agency in Long Beach at the time and hoped to turn the city into a destination.

“That first year was a real scramble,” Michaelian recalled. “We didn’t get approval from the State of California Corporation Commissioner to spend the funds we had raised until July. We had that race on September 28, 1975 so we were really hustling to put that event on. You can’t compare what we do now to what we did then.”

It ended up being a great event full of legendary racing names. As time went on and the promoter became more efficient at conducting the race, they were able to branch out with non-racing options to help attract more fans to the circuit.

The old Toyota Celebrity Race was a very popular addition that was held for 40 years with entertainment stars competing in a race around the circuit. When the Long Beach Convention Center was completed, that became a central zone for the non-racing portion of the event.

“As time has gone on, we’ve looked to add things,” Michaelian said. “We have created a Food Truck line on the backside. We have the Patron Club next to the IndyCar Paddock. We have been able to maintain and attract more of the non-track hardcore fans to give them reason to attend.

This year’s concert lineup includes Hispanic group El Tree for the third time. Saturday’s headliner is Cold War Kids with Moontower, an indie-electronic musical group as the opening act.

The real star of the show, however, is the racing on the track.

The race course is tight and difficult and has featured eight different configurations since that first race in 1975. When it comes to the NTT IndyCar Series, Long Beach is the biggest street race on the schedule. Only the legendary Indianapolis 500 is a bigger race on the 17-race schedule.

That is why any driver that wins at Long Beach feels the history and significance that comes with that victory.

“For sure, more so from the legacy of the track and not the size of the race or the people there,” last year’s winner, Alexander Rossi, told NBC Sports.com. “It’s how that city has hosted a race of some sort, whether it be Formula One or IndyCar or both for such a long period of time has made it such a historical and significant race. That’s the cool thing. It’s another race where my name is going to get to be among some pretty amazing racing drivers is pretty special.

Among the unique aspects of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is the event continues to thrive and has helped transform the city of Long Beach into a destination area. There has been tremendous commercial development near the street course since it first staged the Grand Prix back in 1975.

“It is something that would never happen in 2019 if it didn’t have a special place in the city’s heart and legacy that went along with it.,” Rossi said. “I think we are very fortunate to continue to race there and should appreciate every year and opportunity that we have to go there and compete and have a show for what is an awesome fan base.”

With its luxurious hotels across the street from the race course, and one major hotel actually inside the race course, the drivers and teams enjoy the amenities and convenience at Long Beach.

“It’s awesome,” Rossi said. “If I have an 8:15 a.m. meeting, I set my alarm for 7:55 a.m. It makes our lives pretty easy, it’s great and convenient. The general vibe and atmosphere that goes along with that race is great. Along that same strip are all the restaurants and night life and people there and the music. The weather is always sunny and 75 in Southern California. It’s an amazing weekend and something we look forward to every year.

“The best thing about it is the convenience to be so close to good food and good people being so close to the race track.”

Winning the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is big to an IndyCar driver, and it’s just as important for the drivers in IMSA.

“Long Beach has always been a unique event for us,” IMSA GTLM Corvette Racing driver Tommy Milner told NBC Sports.com. “I can remember the first time I went there in 2007, the atmosphere there was different than any other event I had ever experienced. You have casual fans that attend the race and people that may not follow Sports Car racing like a diehard racing fans. It’s fun to talk to people from all different walks of life.

“Maybe it’s the first time they see our race and we explain what we do or to see young kids and their eyes light up when they see these cars for the first time run on the city streets.

“It’s unique and something we don’t experience any place out.

“The history of Long Beach, it’s LA. All of it together – the crowd, the atmosphere, the history and the great races we have – makes it a lot of fun. The streets after the race are alive with fans. It’s a fun event to go to and even better to win. It’s definitely a highlight of the season.”

2018 ACURA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH SCHEDULE

Schedule

Gates open at 7 a.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Some of the highlights of each day include:

Friday:

10 a.m. Friday: IndyCar practice;

11:40 a.m. Friday: Historic IMSA GTO practice;

12:20 p.m. Friday: Stadium Super Trucks practice;

2 p.m. Friday: IndyCar practice;

3 p.m. Friday: Historic IMSA GTO qualifying;

3:30 p.m. Friday: Pirelli GT4 America practice and     IndyCar autograph session;

4:45 p.m. Friday: BUBBA burger SportsCar qualifying;

6:45 p.m. Friday: Super Drift Challenge practice and     the Fiesta Friday concert with El Tri;

7:30 p.m. Friday: Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge.

  Saturday:

9 a.m. Saturday: IndyCar practice;

9:30 a.m. Saturday: IMSA Weather Tech SportsCar     autograph session;

10 a.m. Saturday: Pirelli GT4 America practice;

10:45 a.m. Saturday: Pirelli GT4 America qualifying;

12:10 p.m. Saturday: IndyCar qualifying and Firestone     Fast 6;

1:30 p.m. Saturday: BUBBA burger SportsCar pre-race;

2:06 p.m. Saturday: BUBBA burger SportsCar Grand Prix;

4:15 p.m. Saturday: Stadium Super Trucks Race No.1;

5 p.m. Saturday: Historic IMSA GTO Race;

6 p.m. Saturday: Motegi Racing Super Drift Challenge     and Rock-N-Roar concert with Moontower opening for Cold War Kids.

  Sunday:

9 a.m. Sunday: NTT IndyCar Series warm-up;

9:35 a.m. Sunday: Pirelli GT4 America pre-race;

9:53 a.m. Sunday: “Drivers Start Your Engines”;

10 a.m. Sunday: Pirelli GT4 America race;

11:50 a.m. Sunday: Mothers Exotic Car Parade;

12:15 p.m. Sunday: NTT IndyCar Series pre-race;

12:30 p.m. Sunday: Indy Cars to grid;

1:23 p.m. Sunday: “Drivers Start Your Engines”;

1:42 p.m. Sunday: Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (Race     no. 4 of the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series);

4:05 p.m. Sunday: Stadium SUPER Trucks Race No. 2.

Stop by our office across from the Long Beach Airport or give us a call at 562-595-6510 for more information or to purchase tickets for the event.

[squaredcirclesirens]

Io Shirai Returns to STARDOM

Io Shirai, who announced she had a neck injury and would be taking a hiatus from wrestling returned at STARDOM’s Shinkiba 1st RING event last night, attacking Odo Tai after their match.

She then asked Viper to join Queens Quest, and she happily obliged.

Io will be back inside the ring at the next Korakuen Hall show on August 13! And she just entered herself in the 2017 5 Star Gran Prix tournament!

Io challenged Team Jungle to put up the Artist of Stardom Titles against the new Queen’s Quest in the near future.

She underwent a tryout at the Performance Center in March, and in May, Dave Meltzer reported that She had accepted a contract and would soon move to the United States to start working for WWE.

website | twitter | tumblr | instagram

[junker-town]

MotoGP 2018 live stream: Time, TV/live stream info for Catalan Grand Prix

The Catalan Grand Prix is set for Sunday, and we have all you need to know to watch and follow the action live.

On Sunday morning, the seventh race of the 2018 MotoGP season will take place with the Catalan Grand Prix from the Circuit de Barcelona-Cataluyna. Jorge Lorenzo has pole position for the race, his first pole of the season after he picked up his first win of the season at the Italian Grand Prix the last time out.

The race is set for bright and early Sunday morning, beginning at 8 a.m. ET and broadcast by beIN Sports in the United States. Live streaming for Sunday’s action can be had via fuboTV or beIN Sports Connect. beIN Sports will have pre-race coverage for the three hours prior to the actual start around 8 a.m.

That should also include some coverage of Moto3 and Moto2 races, beginning at 5 a.m. and 6:20 a.m., respectively.

Prior to winning in Italy, Lorenzo had retired from two races and his best finish was sixth, in France. His pole for Sunday is also the first for Ducati this season. He narrowly edged out Marc Marquez, beating him by just 0.066 seconds late in the second qualifying session.

Marquez had a crash in the third practice session and many thought he might not make it out of Q1, but he’ll be starting second on the grid on his Honda. Andrea Dovizioso will start third on the grid on his Ducati, followed by the Yamaha of Maverick Vinales and the Suzuki of Andrea Iannone.

Below is all you need to know to watch the MotoGP action on Sunday.

How to watch MotoGP Gran Premi de Catalunya

Date: Sunday, June 17

Location: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalyuna, Montmeló

Time: 8 a.m.

TV: beIN Sports (coverage from 4:30 a.m.)

Online Streaming: fuboTV, beIN Sports Connect

[somar78]

America’s Great Ferrari Hunter – The Rare Apollo 3500 GT

The Apollo 3500 GT is one of the most remarkable American GT cars of its age, it’s largely unknown by many due to its relative rarity, but this hand-built car showed that the Americans could design a vehicle just as capable as those from Aston Martin, Ferrari, Jaguar, and Maserati.

America has a long history of turning out interesting automotive entrepreneurs – men like Preston Tucker with his Tucker 48, John DeLorean with his DMC-12, Carroll Shelby with his Shelby Cobra, and Milt Brown with his Apollo 3500 GT.

In the early 1960s it was the Europeans who led the world when it came to the design and construction of sporting GT cars. The Americans had built a number of excellent gran turismos of their own of course, including those rare examples built by the likes of Briggs Cunningham in the 1950s, but it was generally accepted that if you wanted a modern GT car you’d likely be buying something from Britain, Italy, or Germany.

Three young Americans wanted to change this, and launch their own world-class vehicle. They were Milt Brown, Ron Plescia, and Ned Davis. Remarkably, they succeeded.

Milt Brown was a young Californian engineer with dreams of building a great American car to complete with the Europeans. He had moved to England and found work designing race cars for Emeryson, then a chance meeting at the 1961 Monaco Grand Prix gave him his coachbuilder – Frank Reisner of Carrozzeria Intermeccanica of Torino in Italy.

Brown founded International Motor Cars in 1962 with associates Ron Plescia and Ned Davis to build and sell their new cars to American motorists. Frank Reisner was able to have bodies fabricated and trimmed in Italy for considerably less financial outlay than the likes of Zagato, Pininfarina, Bertone, or Ghia. Brown designed his own chassis and opted to fit it with a Buick V8 and Buick running gear to keep costs down and ensure spare parts availability would be inexpensive and simple anywhere in the United States.

It was decided early on in the process to use the then-new Buick 215 cu. in. V8. This was an all-alloy engine with an excellent power-to-weight ratio and a relatively small size, certainly by the standards of American V8s. This low weight meant the engine didn’t shift too much weight over the front wheels, giving the car excellent front/rear weight distribution and subsequently good road handling.

Once International Motor Cars had been founded the first bodies were ordered from Intermeccanica, they arrived complete with fully fitted interiors, and were fitted to the rolling Apollo chassis. All of the required finishing was completed in the United States before each car was offered for sale to the general public.

The performance specifications of the Apollo 3500 GT were excellent for the era, the 3.5 litre Buick alloy V8 was mated to a Borg Warner T-10 four-speed gearbox with Corvette ratios. The car could make the 0 to 60 dash in 7.5 seconds and they could do a standing-start quarter mile in 15.6 seconds.

The spectacularly beautiful body was designed by Art Center graduate Ron Plescia, he knew he needed to incorporate elegant European-style design cues but he also developed a signature style for the Apollo that would be used on future models and create the visual identity of the marque. This is a feat very few automotive designers ever get to attempt, and Plescia nailed it. His original design was modified slightly by Bertone stylist Franco Scaglione to make it easier for mass production, but the shape is Plescia’s from front to back.

This sleek body was mounted to the Milt Brown designed chassis, independent suspension with A-arms and coil springs is used up front, and there’s a live rear axle with four-link suspension. Hydraulic drum brakes are used on all four corners, capped with knock-off wire wheels. The approximate curb weight of the Apollo 3500 GT was only 2,500 lbs and its Buick V8 was producing ~200 hp, so the power-to-weight ratio was excellent.

Sales began in 1962, competition from the established marques was fierce but IMC succeeded in selling dozens of Apollos to enthusiastic American buyers. Between 1962 and 1964 they had sold 42 vehicles before financing dried up, rather than shut down they fought tooth and nail to stay in business, and arranged for Intermeccanica to supply body/chassis units to Fred Ricketts of Vanguard Industries in Dallas.

Ricketts sold 11 rebadged Apollos as the “Vetta Ventura” while the team at IMC hunted for additional financing. Sadly financing was har to come by, but the Apollo refused to go quietly, and a third company named Apollo International founded by Robert Stevens completed 20 cars in total.

Today the surviving Apollos and their Vetta Ventura siblings are considered highly desirable, they’re one of the best kept secrets of the American classic car world, and whenever one comes up for sale there’s always considerable interest.

The 1963 Apollo 3500 GT Coupe Shown Here

The 1963 Apollo 3500 GT Coupe you see here is of significant historic importance, it’s the very first production Apollo that was built. It was sold new in 1963 to John R. Niven of Atherton, California. More recently it was sold by Apollo historian and marque authority Robb Northrup to Steve Shook and George Finley requiring a total restoration.

Restoration began in 2013 with direct consultation by none other than Milt Brown. The restoration was completed by Steve Shook at Shook Enterprises with body and paintwork performed by Phil Wanzer of the Corpus Christi Old Car Museum. Once completed the Apollo was shown at the 2013 running of the celebrated Concorso Italiano in Monterey, California.

The car is now due to cross the auction block with Worldwide Auctioneers on the 5th of October, it’s selling with no reserve. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing.

Images courtesy of Worldwide Auctioneers

The post America’s Great Ferrari Hunter – The Rare Apollo 3500 GT appeared first on Silodrome.

source https://silodrome.com/apollo-3500-gt-car/

[lostinyourears]

Arena Mexico Super Friday Report! 08/16/2019

Cancerbero & Raziel vs. Robin & Star Jr.

How’s the match?

Very good, Cancerbero/Raziel together are a great opening match unit and Star Jr. might be one of the most underutilized guys on the roster(that makes TV regularly at least). Robin isn’t someone I’m as hot for, but he is far from bad and seems to always be giving a decent effort which is more than I can say for some people on the roster. 

Chamuel, Guapito & Perico Zacarías vs. Átomo, Gallito & Microman

How’s the match?

Good, CMLL has been booking the minis more regularly lately and this might be because Chamuel/Microman could have a mask vs. mask match at Anniversary. Microman is as serious as anyone has taken talents this small seriously. He is breaking the glass ceiling for this division, hopefully Chamuel won’t be hurt too badly by losing his mask and the two can show everyone how good a tiny 2/3 falls match can be. If they succeed we might even see a tiny belt in the next year or so. Giving the division stakes it the best way to make it more important. 

Ephesto, Luciferno & Mephisto vs. Atlantis Jr., Flyer, Titan

How’s the match?

Good, but demons need to win something big sometime in the next few months. Lately they have felt very toothless since Mephisto lost his singles title and really leading up to that. They just don’t have any notable wins lately and that leaves them feeling a bit deflated as a unit. Atlantis Jr. looked good here though and he and Villano very well fit the role of new guys CMLL has invested in, just like in 2018 we had Templario/Audaz redesigns and pushes. 

Metalica vs. Dalys for the Female Universal Championship

How’s the match?

Bad and that a major drag. This tournament felt like it had the potential to show the world what the luchadora division could do, but these finals shit the bed. It only went one fall as Metalica may have become injured. Dalys shouldn’t have been here in the first place and her winning is such a lazy booking. She just had the women’s championship, we all already knew she was a strong talent and this is just a notch on her belt that she didn’t need and that likely keeps the division in the boring state it was already in. I wouldn’t be surprised if this tournament doesn’t become annual, in part because it was underwhelming as fuck this year. I hate to say that, since the 1st torneo cibernetico/block is one of my favorite matches of this last month. 

Cuatrero, Gilbert el Boricua & Sansón vs. Ángel de Oro, Diamante Azul & Niebla Roja

How’s the match?

Good, Oro/Roja vs. NGD has been a good feud, but has been going on for a while. I can certainly see/understand people being bored with it. I still like seeing them vs., but 3rds Azul/Gilbert should have been more the focus. I could be wrong though if Oro/Roja vs. NGD have something planned for the end of this year. Could certainly see Oro/Roja capping off their rebound year by winning the Mexican National Trios Championships, but probably with Soberano/Audaz or the like, not Azul. Though they did win here... so who knows? Maybe Azul would make a good bruiser for their 3rd. 

Forastero vs. Volador Jr.

How’s the match?

Fantastic, one of the best CMLL matches of this summer. A great showcase for Forastero and probably his best singles showing so far of the dozen or so matches he has had. While his match with Barbaro Cavernario left Forastero feeling like a chump who got lucky in a lightning match, this feels like Forastero going toe to toe with the face of the company and even getting a fall without taking off his entrance gear chaps. Sanson/Cuatrero are still higher on the totem pole, but Forastero here for the 1st time solo felt like a guy on their level and not a hanger on, who just happens to be cousin to the two stars. 

Dragón Lee, Místico & Último Guerrero vs. Carístico, Ciber the Main Man & Valiente

How’s the match?

Very good, but what the fuck is happening at Anniversary? I say that as a joke, but they tease both Mistico/Caristico while also playing on the Ultimo/Ciber story still. Fans want to start getting hyped and CMLL needs to nail down what is going to happen so they can start building to it. This likely won’t happen until September starts though as CMLL have announced Gran Prix at the end of August and Anniversary will be at the end of September, so look for it to be built starting on the 1st Friday of September. 

Highlights :

Arena Mexico Super Friday 08/16/2019

[lewimikas]

LEWIS HAMILTON, KEVIN MAGNUSSEN and ALEX ALBON – USA, 2022.

[westplainsspeedway]

Introduction to Sports Car Racing

Sports cars are among the kinds of automobiles admired by plenty of people but given by just a couple. Many sports auto enthusiasts will also be lovers of sports car racing. Sports car racing is a form of circuit racing with sports cars with two chairs and wheels that are enclosed. The sports cars used may be purpose-built or simulate, or it may be production-derived versions or even the grand tourers (GT). FIA World Endurance Championship is the most popular championship set for sport auto racing using FIA GT1 World Championship because its principal series once it regards the GT car racing game.

Background of Sports Car Racing Georges Faroux, a joint-creator of those initial 24 Hours of Le Mans race 1923, asserts that sports auto racing wasn’t born before after 1919 or until the First World War.

The automobiles used in endurance racing and Grand Prix were equal from the 1920s. They have fenders and 2 chairs should a mechanic is necessary. However, from the 1930s, the mythical Alfa Romeo Tipo A Monoposto sports automobile began the growth of the authentic single-seater sports automobile. In the later 1930s, French constructors hauled into mostly domestic rivalry using large-capacity sports cars like Talbot and Bugatti’s since they had been not able to stay informed about the advancement of their Mercedes Benz and Auto-Union automobiles in GP racing. Road going sports or GT cars began to emerge throughout the 1920s and 1930s, as different from quickly tourers and sports automobiles.

From the 1950s, open-road endurance races around Europe which frequently run on dusty streets like Tour de France and also Targa Florio still desired fenders and mechanisms. Many Italian races and cars defined the genre before it was called Gran Turismo. It’s because long distances needed to be traveled rather than running about on short circuits. Following the Second World War, sports auto racing was considered nearly crucial since the Grand Prix contest. Major car companies began to spend their efforts in their functions to furnish cars to clients. A number of those firms were Ferrari, Maserati, Jaguar, and Aston Martin.

From the 1950s and 1960s, a strain of strong hybrids seemed and hurried on each side of the Atlantic comprising European ministry and big American motors. The combo of British American and ministry V8 engines created the Can-Am collection popular in the 1960s and 1970s. The 1960s and 1970s have been the time of sports auto racing evolved, rise, and decline.

However, if the 1990s arrived, sports auto racing has been restored. Quite a few GT series appeared at European and national levels. Prototypes and other comparable automobiles began to be hurried in Europe since the 1990s progressed.

Back in 2000the SpeedVision TV system surfaced in the United States and it attracted a renaissance of interest in sports car racing. Back in 2010, some significant reformatting was performed to sports auto racing from America. Nowadays, sports auto racing is still quite popular not just in the United States and Europe but also across the globe.

  The post Introduction to Sports Car Racing first appeared on WestPlains Speedway.

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[thecardaddy]

1988 Mercedes Benz 560 Sl convertible - $23,495.00

1988 Mercedes Benz 560 SL Convertible. The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class is a grand touring car manufactured by Mercedes since 1954. The designation SL derives from the German Super-Leicht, (English: Super Light). The original idea was suggested by American importer Max Hoffman, who perceived a market for a toned-down Gran Prix car tailored to affluent performance enthusiasts in the booming post-war American market, which remains the primary market for the vehicles. R107 (1971–1989) 560 SL: 1986–1989 The 560 SL was only sold in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Australia to compensate the reduced output of the 5.0-litres due to the stricter emission laws in these markets. Please Note The Following **Vehicle Location is at our clients home and Not In Cadillac, Michigan. **We do have a showroom with about 25 cars that is by appointment only **Please Call First and talk to one of our reps at 231-468-2809 EXT 1 ** FREE Consignment Visit Our Site Today Easy To List Your Vehicle and Get it Sold in Record Time. from Cardaddy.com https://www.cardaddy.com/vehicles/vehicle/1988-mercedes-benz-560-sl-convertible-cadillac-michigan-17934708

[jonathanbelloblog]

First Drive: 2019 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4-Door Coupe

AUSTIN, Texas – Right now is not the time to savor the 1450-watt Burmester surround-sound audio system or the 64-color ambient interior lighting or the 12.3-inch high-res color navigation display because, at the moment, the speedo is flashing 159 mph and if I don’t brake immediately and very hard indeed I will fly right through Turn 12 at Circuit of the Americas and into the kitchen of the nearby Green Mesquite BBQ. Fortunately, I do not currently have two passengers riding along in the back seats, because going airborne would undoubtedly spill their Moët & Chandon Rosé.

Last year, the 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R won one of eight coveted spots on our 2018 Automobile All-Stars list. Our resident hot shoe Andy Pilgrim dubbed it “the best example of brute force with no ignorance I’ve ever had the pleasure of driving.” The only problem? The two-door GT R allowed its driver to share its staggering muscle and handling brilliance with only one lucky passenger.

Well, AMG devotees can now invite three friends to the power party, thanks to the arrival of the all-new 2019 Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe. Unlike its two-door sibling, the new four-door is not an AMG-modified version of an existing Benz. It’s an entirely AMG-bred machine, an all-wheel-drive, performance-biased rival to the Porsche Panamera. The U.S. market will get three versions. The entry-level model is the GT 53, featuring Benz’s all-new, turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six with an electric supercharger and a mild hybrid system dubbed “EQ Boost” that adds 21 horsepower and as much as 184 pound-feet of torque. Total output is 429 hp at 6,000 rpm and 384 pound-feet at 5,800. Next up is the GT 63, which boasts the same AMG 32-valve, twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 found in the two-door GT R. It delivers 577 hp at 5,500 rpm and 74 more pound-feet of torque than in the two-seater, 590 lb-ft at 2,500 rpm. Finally, at the top of the pyramid, just itching to meet a Panamera Turbo at a stoplight, is the version I drove around COTA, the GT 63 S, with its version of the twin-turbo V-8 boosted to a thundering 630 hp at 6,500 rpm and 664 lb-ft at 2,500. Both V-8 models are mated to a wet-clutch nine-speed automatic transmission; the GT 53 gets a nine-speed with a conventional torque converter. The V-8 GTs will arrive early in 2019, with the GT 53 following shortly thereafter.

As you’d expect from AMG’s star GT 4-Door, the 63 S is one seriously quick automobile. The maker claims a 0-to-60-mph time of just 3.1 seconds and a top speed electronically limited to 195 mph. There’s also the all-weather versatility of AMG Performance 4Matic+ variable all-wheel drive, which uses an electro-mechanical clutch to bias more torque to the front axle as necessary. Standard on the 63 S (and optional on the GT 63) is a Drift Mode feature, which deactivates the transfer case when the car is in Race mode, allowing the 63 S to operate entirely in rear-wheel drive—the better to burn the back tires into smoking husks while you pirouette sideways through turns. Also standard on the V-8 models are an electronically locking rear diff and rear-wheel steering. Up to 62 mph, the rear tires steer opposite to the fronts, effectively shortening the wheelbase and improving responsiveness. Above 62 mph, the rears steer in phase with the fronts—elongating the wheelbase for added stability at speed.

No fewer than six driving modes are available to tailor the 63 S to your motoring needs: Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Race, and Individual, which allows the driver to create a customized profile of powertrain response, steering feel, suspension damping, and even the exhaust valves. Within the various modes is a new AMG Dynamics feature that—using on-board sensors to monitor such inputs as speed, lateral-g force, and steering angle—constantly adjusts the stability control, all-wheel drive, rear-axle steering, and the limited slip. The Slippery and Comfort driving modes get a “basic” setting, optimized for stability. In Sport mode the AMG Dynamics shift to “advanced,” which lowers yaw damping and quickens steering response for improved responsiveness. Sport+ gets a “pro” setting, which adds even more liveliness and driving assistance. Finally, for track driving, the Race mode uses a “master” setting that allows a bit of oversteer and the quickest steering response of all. Whenever a particular driving mode is selected, the corresponding AMG Dynamics setting is displayed on the multimedia screen.

While the GT 53 rides on an AMG Ride Control sport suspension with steel springs and adaptive damping, the V-8 models feature an air suspension, also with adaptive damping. Three different spring-tuning settings are available, depending on the selected driving mode. To reduce roll and pitch, the spring rate is also automatically adjusted in such conditions as hard acceleration, heavy braking, or sudden turning maneuvers.

Active aerodynamics are employed on every AMG GT, the rear spoiler flattening-out for reduced drag on straightaways and moving to a steep, high-downforce setting in turns. Choose the available Aerodynamics package (available only on V-8 GTs), and the size of the front splitter is increased while the active rear wing is replaced with a fixed, manually adjustable rear spoiler. At 186 mph, the fixed rear wing provides an additional 66 pounds of downforce compared with the active version. In front, 20 vertical fins in the lower front bumper are opened and closed by an electric motor to steer the airflow as necessary (and to ensure optimum engine cooling).

While nowhere near as dramatic as its long-hooded, two-door GT R cousin, the GT 4-Door is a clean, flowing shape with a profile a bit more rakish than its Panamera rival’s—though not as distinctive as the Maserati Quattroporte’s. The V-8 models get a sportier front end than the GT 53, with larger air intakes wrapped in silver trim. Optional cosmetic packages include Night (with high-gloss black trim), Chrome, and Carbon Fiber. Wheel sizes from 19 inches to 21 inches are available, all of them in lightweight alloy to minimize unsprung weight.

The GT 63 S is nothing short of gorgeous inside, leather-lined and radiating quality like a Louis Vuitton steamer trunk. Most important, of course, are those two rear seats—and I’m happy to report they’re plenty roomy. An available Executive Rear Seat Package includes a center console with touchscreen infotainment and climate controls, wireless mobile-phone charging, and even a temperature-controlled cupholder. The package also allows the rear seats to fold forward, increasing trunk space.

Up front, the GT 63 S features two huge 12.3-inch color displays with a choice of three modes: Classic, Sport, and Supersport—which adds additional performance info and, most helpfully when shifting manually via the aluminum wheel paddles, a large shift light that blinks red when you’re approaching the rev limit. The steering wheel is a superb, flat-bottom three-spoke design. It also sports “display buttons” that are actually tiny touchscreens capable of displaying various icons depending on the function being used. Without removing either hand from the steering wheel, the driver can control everything from the infotainment system to the preferred driving mode. And if you feel like channeling your inner Lewis Hamilton, every GT 4-Door comes standard with an AMG Track Pace package that, when driving on a race circuit, displays more than 80 pieces of data, from g loads to 0-to-60-mph times. In addition, the system can record lap and sector times, allow drivers to analyze their driving performance back in the pits.

On the road, the GT 63 S is refined and impressively quiet, with almost no discernable wind noise. Even in Sport mode, the ride remains fluid and comfortable, never turning harsh when the pavement is broken. As you’d expect given the 664 pound-feet on tap, the car surges away from stoplights and up steep hills effortlessly, the nine-speed transmission slicing-up the torque into seamlessly distributed chunks. Information is well-displayed and easy to read, though the interface can still be awkward to use (the central touchpad is overly touchy and difficult to navigate, especially on the move). If you like hanging out in nightclubs, you’ll love the glowing band of colored lighting that winds its way across the doors and dash.

It’s on the track, though, that the GT 63 S really shows its mettle. Lapping the 3.4-mile, 20-turn COTA circuit—home to the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix—I started out in Sport+ mode, following in line behind German racer (and winner of the 2018 24 Hours of Nürburgring) Jan Seyffarth, who wasted no time getting up to speed. For a leather-lined, luxuriously appointed Gran Turismo, the 63 S runs damn well. Acceleration is fierce albeit completely composed, the 4Matic+ system putting the power down seamlessly. At the end of the 0.62-mile back straight, the 63 S was closing-in on 160 mph; fortunately, the brakes are huge, ventilated and perforated composite discs with 6-piston fixed calipers in front. At no point during our lapping session did they even hint of fade.

AMG had not yet finalized curb-weight figures at the press preview, but it’s safe to say the GT 63 S is no featherweight—despite extensive use of aluminum and carbon fiber in the mostly steel structure. Yet it bites hard into turns, with little understeer, and displays impressive composure during transient maneuvers (especially welcome when you’re flying through COTA’s high-speed esses). Steering feel is excellent, nicely weighted and delivering useful cornering-load feedback. For one lap I switched into Race mode and, appropriately, the 63 S seemed to loosen-up, the tail definitely becoming more lively and steering feel seeming to quicken. I could still feel the stability system stepping in, though, if I was too heavy on the throttle exiting a turn.

Pricing is still to come, but figure a base sticker of around $150,000 for the well-outfitted GT 63 S. That puts it roughly on par with the Panamera Turbo and slightly above the rear-drive Maserati Quattroporte GTS. So it’s pricey, yes, but this new AMG does everything well: it’s comfortable, beautifully attired, loaded with every imaginable amenity, built like a bank safe, and fast enough to nip at the heels of just about any sports car you can name. Now, go choose three lucky friends.