Hennessey Performance has promised to keep the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor spirit alive for the pickup’s latest generation.
The tuner has outfitted Ford’s aluminum-clad 2015 F-150 with a Roots-type supercharger, boasting “600+” horsepower. The 5.0-liter V8 is fed by 8 psi of boost, a high-flow air induction system and new fuel injectors, all managed via Hennessey’s engine-management calibration.

Keeping to the Raptor’s Baja theme , the VelociRaptor 600 features 33-inch tires on unique 17-inch wheels. Buyers can also add off-road coilover suspension, redesigned front and rear bumpers, a winch, LED light bars and Brembo brakes, among other upgrades.

“We are simply picking up where we left off with our 2015 VelociRaptor,” said John Hennessey. “Having Ford’s world-class new truck design, with a weight savings of nearly 700 pounds, our VelociRaptor 600 Supercharged will have an even greater level of performance and driving excitement!”

The company will build just 500 examples of the VelociRaptor 600, with prices starting at $73,500. A VelociRaptor upgrade package will also be offered for the EcoBoost-powered F-150, though additional details remain unclear.

Aston Martin has poached Lotus’ chief testing and development engineer, Matt Becker.
Departing Lotus as a 26-year veteran, Becker has been credited with helping maintain the company’s handling prowess. The executive will be placed in a familiar position at Aston Martin, serving as the chief engineer responsible for aerodynamics, durability, NVH and vehicle dynamics.

The move appears to be one of the first high-level appointments by Aston’s new chief executive, Andy Palmer, who left Nissan in September to lead the British luxury marque.

As one of the last few independent automotive brands, with some help from Daimler, Aston has brought in new leadership and promised significant investments to help expand its product range and better compete with rivals. Six limited-edition models will be launched in the coming year, ahead of the next-generation DB9 and potentially an SUV further down the road.

General Motors has splashed cold water on hopes that Cadillac’s upcoming CT6 sedan will be inspired by the Elmiraj concept.
The Elmiraj was introduced in 2013 as one example of a potential future range-topper for the brand. Cadillac has decided to take a different direction with the production CT6 flagship sedan, however, maintaining the status quo in terms of overall design.

“It’ll be different and it will certainly stand out in the portfolio, but you won’t see a real shift in direction,” GM global design head Ed Welburn said in an interview with Automotive News.

The executive suggests Cadillac has not forgotten about the Elmiraj, though the concept will likely influence other models. The brand recently submitted trademark filings for the terms CT2 through CT8, leaving plenty of room for new forms.

Welburn’s comments may not come as much of a surprise, as previous spy shots of a CT6 prototype appeared to show a general form that was not wildly different than the existing XTS.

The CT6 is expected to be revealed early in 2015, ahead of market arrival later in the year.

The number of deaths associated with General Motors’ defective ignition switches has continued to climb, far surpassing the company’s official count.
The latest update issued by fund administrator Kenneth Feinberg notes that 42 death claims have been deemed eligible for compensation, while 46 applications were considered deficient. Another 34 submissions are currently under review.

Interestingly, the fund has only approved a total of 58 injury claims out of more than 850 submissions. Only seven approved applications were related to serious physical injuries, such as amputation or quadriplegia.

GM has not publicly revised its own official death count, which remains at 13. The disparity appears to vindicate claims from safety advocates, some of which have estimated a fatal-accident tally even higher than the victim fund has approved so far.

The company has already set aside $400 million to pay the claims. The program is not capped, however, and investor filings hint at an eventual total around $600 million.

Cadillac has confirmed plans to unveil its next-generation CTS-V next month at the North American International Auto Show.
The flagship performance sedan had been rumored to bow in Detroit, following on the heels of the 2016 ATS-V debut last month in Los Angeles, and the timing has now been officially confirmed.

“It’s time for the V-Series to elevate to the next level,” the event invitation reads, as quoted by Autoblog.

Previous reports suggest the revamped CTS-V will be powered by the Corvette Z06′s LT4 engine, likely detuned to produce approximately 600 horsepower — an extra 44 ponies over the 2014 CTS-V.

Full details are expected to be revealed at the media event on January 13.