{"id":21741,"date":"2018-01-18T14:28:11","date_gmt":"2018-01-18T18:28:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=21741"},"modified":"2018-01-18T14:28:11","modified_gmt":"2018-01-18T18:28:11","slug":"two-door-sports-car-remain-popular","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2018\/01\/two-door-sports-car-remain-popular","title":{"rendered":"Two-door sports car remain popular"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/-mm-\/122369957e46f47b9a7a11d7925923b78119ff92\/c=188-0-3211-2267&amp;r=x404&amp;c=534x401\/local\/-\/media\/2018\/01\/17\/DetroitNews\/B99618760Z.1_20180117193240_000_GSR1QQ6K8.1-0.jpg\" alt=\"2018-0114-rb-ford216\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div><p class=\"speakable-p-1 p-text\">There seemed to be more news about sports-car companies making SUVs in 2017 than their core, two-door performance products. But they were out there. Ford started delivering the street-legal, $450,000 version of the LeMans-winning GT race car to a lucky few customers. At the other end of the income spectrum, Mazda rolled out its sexiest Miata yet, the RF hardtop. Corvette introduced the most fearsome, front-engine ZR1 ever before it transitions to a new-generation mid-engine design next year. Speaking of front-engines, the incredible Dodge Viper was put out to pasture. We\u2019ll miss you, Snake.<\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable-p-2 p-text\"><strong>Ford Mustang Bullitt<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>What it is:<\/strong>Putting an exclamation point on Mustang\u2019s latest mid-cycle upgrade, the Bullitt is the third \u2019Stang to honor Steve McQueen\u2019s movie original (the others were produced in 2001 and 2008). Highland Green is the featured color, just like the movie car, and a Shadow Black will also be offered. The Bullitt is trimmed in GT premium-spec with performance package, 6-pot front Brembo brakes and a 15-horsepower upgrade over the V-8\u2019s usual 460 ponies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Payne\u2019s take:<\/strong>Your steed for high-speed chases through San Francisco (or Detroit) streets. The Bullitt bears all the signature cues of McQueen\u2019s original (see the 1968 car right next to the \u201919 on the show floor), right down to the white cue ball on the manual shifter. But this is also a thoroughly modern, electronic beast as the Ford GT-inspired 12-inch digital instrument display attests.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>BMW i8 Coupe<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-Qk7b4N3RwQQ\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/-mm-\/96256efd5c19165d6f460e5914edfda8dcd5db62\/c=166-0-2833-2000&amp;r=x408&amp;c=540x405\/local\/-\/media\/2018\/01\/17\/DetroitNews\/B99618760Z.1_20180117193240_000_GSR1QQ6EO.1-0.jpg\" alt=\"BMW-i8\" width=\"540\" height=\"405\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/media\/2018\/01\/17\/DetroitNews\/B99618760Z.1_20180117193240_000_GSR1QQ6EO.1-0.jpg\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/-mm-\/4044b1e7645488621f157de466cf1a990870caa2\/r=500x333\/local\/-\/media\/2018\/01\/17\/DetroitNews\/B99618760Z.1_20180117193240_000_GSR1QQ6EO.1-0.jpg\" \/><\/aside>\n<\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>What it is:<\/strong>\u00a0An upgraded 2019 i8 coupe gets its world debut in Detroit alongside its new brother the i8 Roadster (first seen in LA in November). Upgrades to the e-mobile are minor, with the hybrid electric three-cylinder gas powertrain gaining 12 horsepower for a total of 369. The Roadster keeps the Coupe\u2019s dramatic scissor doors while adding a retractable cloth top that disappears in 16 seconds at up to 31 mph.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Payne\u2019s take:<\/strong>\u00a0The jaw-dropping high-tech i8 is something right out of a Disney sci-fi \u201cTron\u201d movie. With electric-motor torque, it explodes off the line. With a carbon-fiber chassis, it\u2019s a well-balanced sports car. Only the skinny eco-tires and three-cylinder gas engine keep it from the supercar ranks. Gorgeously green, it\u2019s a unique entry in the market.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Hyundai Veloster<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-Qk7b4N2vIjU\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/-mm-\/b65313ad7e9323bf0647373f73a1f0315eb74c57\/c=64-0-1937-1405&amp;r=x408&amp;c=540x405\/local\/-\/media\/2018\/01\/17\/DetroitNews\/B99618760Z.1_20180117193240_000_GSR1QQ6OV.1-0.jpg\" alt=\"NAIAS media preview Hyundai\" width=\"540\" height=\"405\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/media\/2018\/01\/17\/DetroitNews\/B99618760Z.1_20180117193240_000_GSR1QQ6OV.1-0.jpg\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/-mm-\/4affce369fcaae2b68bbdd59cb9bea8435896b9d\/r=500x351\/local\/-\/media\/2018\/01\/17\/DetroitNews\/B99618760Z.1_20180117193240_000_GSR1QQ6OV.1-0.jpg\" \/><\/aside>\n<\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>What it is:<\/strong>\u00a0The Korean automaker\u2019s hatchback retains its unique three-door architecture \u2014 but everything else is new. The aging chassis has been replaced, sharing the same skeleton as the compact Elantra sedan. Exterior design maintains the Veloster\u2019s bold, punky style, but the lines have been sharpened. The roomier interior gains Hyundai goodies like smartphone-app connectivity. The drivetrain gains, too \u2014 with the standard 2.0-liter up nine horsepower.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Payne\u2019s take:<\/strong>\u00a0Like VW\u2019s Jetta and Golf stablemates, the Veloster is Hyundai\u2019s hatchback alternative to the Elantra sedan. It comes loaded with personality \u2014 and spunk. Where the Elantra GT Sport is no slouch in the handling department, the Veloster Turbo upgrades its rear suspension to multi-link from the Elantra\u2019s torsion beam. The turbo has been downsized to 1.6 liters, but maintains its predecessor\u2019s 201 horsepower, while improving mpg.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There seemed to be more news about sports-car companies making SUVs in 2017 than their core, two-door performance products. But they were out there. Ford started delivering the street-legal, $450,000 version of the LeMans-winning GT race car to a lucky few customers. At the other end of the income spectrum, Mazda rolled out its sexiest [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21741"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21741"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21741\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21742,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21741\/revisions\/21742"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21741"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21741"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21741"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}