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Ford Shelby GT350R, GT successor, F-150 Raptor and more rumored for Detroit debut

According to a pair of reports from Hearst's car mags, Car and Driver and Road & Track, Ford has a whole mess of good stuff on deck for the Detroit Auto Show in January. And it all sounds awesome. First, expect to see a hotter version of the Shelby GT350 in Detroit, likely called GT350R. Think of this as the already-hot Shelby with even more track-focused bits baked in – brakes, tires, aero, etc. Everything about the GT350 sounds great, so expect this R variant to be something seriously fierce. As R&T suggests, if the GT350 is the company's new Boss 302, the R is the Laguna Seca. But that's not even close to the biggest news. Road & Track believes a proper Ford GT replacement will debut in Detroit – a road-going version of the Le Mans GTE-class car the Blue Oval is working on for 2016. We've heard about this before, but having the street-legal car debut in Detroit would be absolutely huge news. The performance story continues, though, with R&T suggesting that the next-gen Ford F-150 Raptor will bow in Detroit. Details are scarce about what, exactly, the aluminum-bodied desert stormer will hold, but we expect good things. Finally, Ford's hot hatches might make some news in the Motor City, too. Car and Driver seems to think the all-wheel-drive Focus RS will bow in The D, and that an updated version of the Fiesta ST will also show its face. Road & Track, meanwhile, believes the Focus RS showing will be saved for a European auto show – think Geneva – and our gut feeling is to agree with the R&T theory. All of these rumors point to Ford officially announcing its dedicated performance division – like Mercedes-AMG, BMW M, and so on. We've heard reports of a new, global performance brand from the company already, with the name 999 thrown out as a possibility. In any case, if these rumblings prove to be true, there's going to be a ton to drool over from Ford in January. Stay tuned.

Auto investor Kirk Kerkorian dead at 98

Kirk Kerkorian, among the most talked-about investors in the American auto industry in recent memory, died at the age of 98 in Los Angeles on Monday, June 15. The billionaire ran the investment company Tracinda Corp. and was the largest shareholder in MGM Resorts International. Kerkorian attempted to use his power as a well-financed investor to push the auto industry in some fascinating ways. In 2006, he used his nearly 10-percent stake in General Motors to push a merger with the Renault-Nissan Alliance. The deal made it as far as discussions, but eventually fell through. Kerkorian also attempted to purchase Chrysler - twice. According to Automotive News, the first effort came in 1995 with a $22.8-billion offer for the automaker, and soon after it failed the company merged with Daimler. Then in 2007, Kerkorian was back with a bid for $4.5 billion, but things eventually fell to Cerberus. The billionaire finished the trifecta by buying up $1 billion in Ford stock in 2008 to make Kerkorian the single largest investor in the company. However, the situation didn't last long, and by the end of that year, he had unloaded the shares. According to Automotive News, Kerkorian was ranked by Forbes as the world's 41st richest man in 2008 with a net worth of $16 billion. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Joe Cavaretta / AP Photo Celebrities Earnings/Financials Chrysler Ford GM obituary

Want a V8 on the cheap? Buy a work truck

In case you didn't notice, V8 cars have gotten pretty expensive. If you want a modern muscle car like the Dodge Challenger R/T, Ford Mustang GT, or Chevy Camaro SS, you'll need between $34,000 and $38,000 for a stripped out example of one. The cheapest of those is the Challenger, and the priciest is the Camaro. These are also the cheapest V8 cars the companies offer. But if you absolutely have to have a V8 for less, there is an option, work trucks. As it turns out, all of the Big Three offer their most basic work trucks with V8s. And because they're so basic, they're pretty affordable, especially when sticking with the standard two-wheel drive. A Ram 1500 Tradesman with a V8 can be had for as little as $29,840, which is a little more than $4,000 less than a Challenger R/T. For a bit more at $30,275, you can have a Chevy Silverado W/T, almost $8,000 less than a Camaro SS. The most expensive is the V8 Ford F-150 starts at a starting price of $30,670, which is a bit over $5,000 less than the Mustang. Of course you'll be in an ultra bare bones vehicle with few comforts, and the price will go up if you add stuff, but we're bargain hunting here, and sacrifices are sometimes necessary. Besides, what you lose in comfort, you gain in loads of cargo space and towing (try to look at the bright side). Also, as a side note, all three trucks are available with optional electronic locking rear differentials. At the discounted price of these trucks, you still get a heaping helping of power. The most potent of the trio is the Ram 1500 Tradesman with 395 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque generated by a 5.7-liter V8. Compared with the Challenger R/T, the Ram is up by 20 horsepower and they're tied for torque. The value proposition is even more stark between the two vehicles when looking at the price per horsepower. Each pony in the Ram costs $75.54, while the Challenger charges you $90.91. The Challenger is also more expensive per horsepower than its close competitors. The F-150's 5.0-liter V8 is just barely behind the Ram with 395 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. That's still more power than the Challenger, and it matches the torque of the 2017 Mustang GT. On the down side, it still would be down 20 horsepower on that same 2017 Mustang, and it's behind by 60 horsepower and 20 pound-feet on the new 2018 Mustang GT. The F-150 also just edges out the Mustang in the dollar per horsepower measure.