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MotorWeek relives '80s coupes with Dodge Daytona, Ford Escort EXP

Get ready for a wave of nostalgia and the rapid realization of the huge progress in performance cars over the last 30 years. For its latest Retro Review, MotorWeek takes a look back at two, front-wheel drive coupes from the '80s that seem to have entirely vanished from the roads today. Both the 1986 Dodge Daytona CS and the 1986.5 Ford Escort EXP were considered affordable, sporty options in their day, but the passage of time hasn't been kind to either of their specs. The Daytona certainly looks the part of a performance machine with a body that's reminiscent of other '80s coupes, like the third-gen Chevrolet Camaro. However with 146 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque from a 2.2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, acceleration wasn't exactly a strong suit. MotorWeek complained about copious torque steer, as well. The optional CS suspension upgrade package on this Daytona was apparently a nod to Carroll Shelby who was working with Dodge at the time. If anything, the Escort EXP withstands the test of time even worse. As a two-seat coupe, you might have expected Ford's engineers to really turn up the performance to fit the sporty image that the exterior conveyed. That didn't really happen, and depending on which model buyers ordered, they got either 86 horsepower with a 1.9-liter engine or the "high-output" version of that mill with 108 hp.

Enterprise customer billed $47k for Mustang stolen from rental lot

A weekend rental of a Ford Mustang GT Convertible sounds like a nice, relaxing way to burn some gas, but one Nova Scotia woman's two-day rental is turning into a months-long headache. In early October, Kristen Cockerill picked up the Mustang from Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and she returned it the following day as stipulated by the rental contract. Unfortunately, she dropped the car off on a Sunday - a day on which the particular Enterprise office is closed - and the car ended up being stolen overnight.
Now, two months later, CBC reports that Cockerill received a bill from Enterprise for the full replacement of the car totaling $47,271 (a base 2014 Mustang GT Convertible currently costs $40,349 in Canada). As it turns out, the fine print in the contract says that the renter is responsible for cars dropped off after hours until it can be inspected the next business day - this is also reflected on the key drop seen in the news report video, which states "vehicles returned after hours are the responsibility of the renter until inspected on the next business day."
It's not clear how much, if any, of that amount Cockerhill will be responsible for once her insurance company gets involved, but if the insurance company refuses to pay, Enterprise will bill the amount to the credit card she provided during her rental. While this ordeal is far over for Cockerhill, it's a good reminder for the rest of us to always read the fine print.

2015 Shelby GT bows in Scottsdale with 627 supercharged ponies

Between the base V6, the EcoBoost turbo four, the eight-cylinder GT, the monstrous GT350 and the new GT350R (to say nothing of transmission and convertible options), muscle-car enthusiasts have a staggering array of Mustangs to choose from. And now there's one more as Shelby American has introduced the new 2015 Shelby GT. Building off the success of the 2007 Shelby GT and the 2013 follow-up, the new 2015 model was just introduced at the Ford booth at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, AZ. It's based on the latest Mustang GT (whether factory fresh or commissioned from an owner's existing pony car) but upgrades with an enviable list of enhancements from Ford Racing Performance Parts, Shelby's own upgrades and top-shelf third-party components. For starters, the engine is supercharged up to 627 horsepower (with over 700 available through further upgrades). It's got 3.73 gears, a Borla exhaust, WELD Racing wheels, Michelin tires and Wilwood six-piston front brakes. Visual enhancements include a carbon-fiber body-kit (including a two-piece rear diffuser) and billet aluminum front grilles. Designed from the get-go to be sold around the world, the 2015 Shelby GT is certified for use in all 50 states and comes with a Shelby American CSM number registered in the company's registry, but all those enhancements don't come cheap: Shelby's charging $39,995 for the new GT, and that's just for the modifications. Add that to the $32k sticker on a Mustang GT donor and you're looking at over $70k – which is not only more than Ford itself is expected to charge for its own GT350, but more than Dodge gets for a Challenger Hellcat. Related Video: SHELBY AMERICAN LAUNCHES 2015 SHELBY GT MUSCLE CAR FOR ENTHUSIASTS WORLDWIDE LAS VEGAS – Jan. 16, 2015 – Shelby American, a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International Inc. (CSBI:PK), launched the first global Shelby GT muscle car, which is based on the all-new 2015 Ford Mustang GT. One of the most popular cars in Shelby history the 627 HP 2015 Shelby GT was unveiled today at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction in Ford Motor Company's booth. Shelby is now taking orders with delivery of cars planned for the beginning of the second quarter of 2015.