This is the Morning Shift, our one-stop daily roundup of all the auto news that's actually important — all in one place at 9:00 AM. Or, you could spend all day waiting for other sites to parcel it out to you one story at a time. Isn't your time more important?
1st Gear: This Is The C7 Corvette ZR1
In case you're living in a hole, or, you know, you work at an automaker with UAW members (they got yesterday off as "Veteran's Day - Observed" for some odd collective-bargaining-agreement-reason), you may have missed our scoop yesterday on the 2014 Corvette (actually, technically, this one will probably be the 2015 Corvette ZR1, but, you know, close enough). Although if you work at an automaker with UAW workers, you might have today off too because today's the start of deer hunting season in Michigan. Whatever. If you missed it, see the story here.
2nd Gear: The 2013 Ford Mustang, GT Get Pretty, Powerful
Last night we showed you the 2013 Shelby GT500. Today, here's the scoop on the more pedestrian trim levels. The new Mustang and Mustang GT get a sharper exterior design with a bit more prominent grille, new hood and new LED lamps. The 5.0-liter Mustang GT gets a power boost to 420 HP and a new option to check off on the order form — the GT Track Package. It's only available on manny-tranny GT Mustangs with a 3.73 axle and it gives buyers an engine cooler, upgraded radiator, performance friction brake pads and the same Torsen® differential that's on the Mustang Boss 302. Basically, the package includes everything in the current Brembo Brake Package, with 14-inch vented front discs, unique 19-inch alloy wheels and summer performance tires. Inside, there's a new tech-y cool gauge cluster with "Track Apps." Of course one of them is a drag racing starter tree. Because, you know, it's a Mustang.
3rd Gear: The Boss 302 Mustang Is Still The Best Mustang Ever
And speaking of Mustangs, there's also a new version of the still-more-power-pedestrian-than-the-batshit-crazy-GT500-but-the-better-'stang-by-far Boss 302 Mustang for 2013. What's been changed for the new model year of the "Best. Mustang. Ever."? New hockey stick graphics. Because how do you make "Best. Ever." better? Read more here.
4th Gear: The LA Auto Show Starts Tomorrow
And speaking of Mustangs...err... a random orgasm of variant unveilings, the 2011 LA Auto Show starts tomorrow. We'll be there to cover everything — the pomp, the circumstance, and you know, the cars. Follow along at our tag page all day tomorrow and Thursday.
5th Gear: Feds Probe GM Tranny
Federal safety regulators are investigating problems with the automatic shift levers on several General Motors cars, according to the Associated Press — by way of Chris Woodyard over at USA Today. Although the probe began with the 2007-2008 Saturn Aura — nearly 89,000 vehicles — the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says on its website that it's also looking into the same problem on other GM cars like the 2004-2008 Chevrolet Malibu and the 2005-2008 Pontiac G6 with similar auto trannys. The agency says that in some cases the floor shift lever may not match the car's gear. That means a driver could put the car in park but the transmission could be in drive or reverse. And this could, of course, lead to... fiery death.
6th Gear: Toyota To Unveil Aqua-Colored Beige At Tokyo Motor Show
Bloomberg reports that Toyota, Japan's super number one best automaker, will unveil a hydrogen-fueled sedan at the Tokyo Motor Show next month in addition to five other models including the FCV-R concept car, a midsize sedan that runs on hydrogen, the Aqua compact hybrid (shown above), a plug- in version of its Prius hybrid, and the FT-EV III, an all- electric car, at the show. The Toyota City, Japan-based company plans to begin selling the Aqua in late December and the plug-in Prius and the electric vehicle next year. Also... wait... hold on... I think I just fell asleep for a second there. Moving on.
Reverse:
⏎ All Tomorrow's Parties: Brett Berk's L.A. Auto Show Party Preview. [Vanity Fair Daily]
⏎ Volkswagen Seen Buying Porsche Automaker to Salvage Merger. [Bloomberg]
⏎ China pushes ahead on e-cars; BYD shares soar. [Reuters]
⏎ Will Power tests race car for first time since crash. [AP via ESPN]
⏎ Ford sues former marketing exec for taking Toyota-related job. [Detroit Free Press]
⏎ Perked up Chevy Spark gets Green Card [iol motoring]
Today in Automotive History:
On November 15, 1965 at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, 28-year-old Californian Craig Breedlove sets a new land-speed record-600.601 miles per hour-in his car, the Spirit of America, which cost $250,000 and is powered by a surplus engine from a Navy jet. He actually drove across the desert twice that day, since international world-record rules require a car to make two timed one-mile runs in one hour; officials log the average speed of the two trips. During his first trip, Breedlove zoomed across the flats at 593.178 mph; during his second, the first time any person had officially gone faster than 600 mph, he managed to push the car up to 608.201 mph. "That 600 is about a thousand times better than 599," he said afterward. "Boy, it's a great feeling." [History]
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