What’s New This Week: May 11th Press Release Roundup
by John Coyle
Sad news to end the week. Carroll Shelby died in Dallas yesterday after a long illness. He was 89.
Over the course of his life, the brash Texan had been a chicken farmer, test pilot and factory race driver for Allard, Maserati and Aston Martin. But he’ll be remembered best as an automotive designer. Few cars are as imitated as his first creation, the Shelby Cobra, and his ferocious Mustangs–like the 662hp GT500–continue to deliver earthshaking performance.
The world is a little less bad ass today. Godspeed Mr. Shelby, and thanks for everything. Here’s what else happened this week:
* Whether you’re looking for more power or better fuel economy, aftermarket tuners can be your best friend, and Edge Products makes some of the best in the business. If you have a Ford Truck, you’re going to want to check out the new CS and CTS tuners. Edge Products
* When I’m not driving my car, I spend a lot of time on my bicycle. Why? Because I like to eat, and if I didn’t do at least 50 miles a week I’d weigh 300lbs. So I thought it was cool that Optima batteries has stepped up to sponsor the Build-a-Bike program, which helps underprivileged kids put together their own wheels. Optima
* Heather Peters thought that Honda misled her when it came to the mileage she could expect to get out of her Honda Civic, and while she initially, Honda prevailed on appeal. So if you want to fight a car company, class action is the way to go. MPGFraud
* If you spend any time off road, you know how important it is to keep your undercarriage away from all the sharp bits which constantly threaten to ruin your day. California company Trail Gear has just redesigned its offering for the Wrangler and in addition to the improvements, its dropped the price. Trail-Gear
* Sure, your baby might roll up in a brand new Cadillac, but they might have gotten a better deal than you thought. The General just released the sticker on the new ATS, and it’s pretty reasonable. GM