Walkinshaw To Jump From Holden To Chevy Special Vehicles?

Walkinshaw to jump from Holden to Chevy Special Vehicles? The name Walkinshaw carries with it a proud history of collaborating with major automakers to produce some of the most lust-worthy racing machinery and road-going performance vehicles ever known. The Jaguar XJR-9 was developed by Tom Walkinshaw Racing. So were the Nissan R390, Porsche WSC-95 and Mazda MXR-01 - top-tier Le Mans prototypes all. Walkinshaw helped Jaguar develop the XJR-15 and XJ220 supercars. TWR went under when the Arrows Grand Prix team it owned went bankrupt, but the name (and the family behind it) resurfaced to establish Walkinshaw Performance, the outfit behind Holden Special Vehicles. Unfortunately Holden, as you may be aware, is ceasing its manufacturing operations, leaving the future of HSV and Walkinshaw Performance hanging in the balance. Holden has stated that it intends to keep HSV and Walkinshaw right where it is, tuning whatever vehicles it might have to offer in the future into the tire-shredding monsters we've come to know and love. But Walkinshaw isn't about to sit around and wait. These days the company is run by founder (and former European touring car champion) Tom Walkinshaw's son Ryan. With Holden transforming itself into a sales conduit for imported GM products, Ryan Walkinshaw is looking to greener pastures. And that could take him and his outfit to Detroit. That could mean importing the partially completed vehicles from Michigan to its facility in Australia. Or it could move its operation to Lansing where assembly of the next generation of Alpha-based, rear-drive GM vehicles - including the Cadillac ATS and CTS and the next Chevrolet Camaro and SS - is being centralized. If Walkinshaw gets its way and the plans come to fruition, it could be charged with producing a new line of Chevrolet Special Vehicles just like it's done for Holden.

At the rear of the car, side air outlets, black mesh and the two chrome-plated dual tailpipes of the AMG sport exhaust system emphasize the width of the vehicle. A black diffuser insert with pronounced fins lends the rear of the E 63 AMG a strong touch of racetrack ambiance. The E63 AMG S-Model can be indentified by red brake calipers and the AMG logo on the trunk lid that sports an "S" in contrasting black. Accented by silver seat belts, the standard black premium nappa leather interior of the S-Model features contrasting gray stitching on the AMG sports seats, center door panels, door arm rests, steering wheel and center console. The rim of the AMG Performance steering wheel in black Premium leather boasts grip areas in Alcantara and is flattened at the top and bottom. In the S-Model, the front head restraints of the AMG sports seats feature the AMG crest embossed directly into the premium leather. The AMG instrument cluster also reveals an "S AMG" logo on the speedometer and red accents on the dials.

Illuminated AMG door sill panels with white backlighting complete the range of equipment and appointments exclusive to the S-Model. Along with new, state-of-the-art sensors and networked electronics, Mercedes- Benz has made a major step forward with the introduction of a stereo multipurpose camera, positioned behind the windshield near the rear-view mirror. Featuring two "camera eyes" set at an angle of 45 degrees with an overall range of 500 meters, the new camera produces a 3D view of the 50 yards in front of the vehicle. At the same time as the stereo multipurpose camera, Mercedes-Benz is also introducing improved versions of the multistage radar sensor system. The EClass sedans and wagons come standard-equipped with COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST, a radar-based collision warning system with Brake Assist that helps to reduce the risk of a rear-end collision. Also standard is ATTENTION ASSIST, which is now able to warn of inattentiveness and drowsiness across a wider speed range, and can inform drivers about their level of fatigue and driving time since the last break. It also offers an adjustable sensitivity level. In addition, a number of assistance systems which are either new or now feature significantly extended functions are available as options.

DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist can help the driver keep the vehicle centered in its lane and can practically drive itself in stop-andgo traffic. For the first time, the Brake Assist system with Junction Assist is able to detect crossing traffic and pedestrians, and boost the braking power applied by the driver. The PRE-SAFE Brake can detect pedestrians and initiate automatic braking to avoid a collision at speeds up to 30 mph. PRE-SAFE PLUS can recognize an imminent rear-end collision and trigger occupant protection measures to reduce the load on the occupants. At a standstill, it can also apply the vehicle's brakes in the event of a rear-end collision to prevent secondary accidents. Active Lane Keeping Assist now can detect when the adjacent lane is not clear, including when it is occupied by oncoming traffic. If a collision is imminent, the system can prevent the vehicle from leaving its lane unintentionally by applying the brakes on one side, even if the lane marking is not a solid line. In this way, it complements Active Blind Spot Assist.

Adaptive Highbeam Assist PLUS can automatically mask out other vehicles in the headlights cone of light, which allows the high-beam headlights to stay on without dazzling traffic. Active Parking Assist enables automatic parking with active steering and braking in both parallel and perpendicular parking spaces. A Surround View 360-degree camera system covers all four sides of the vehicle, enabling a virtual bird's-eye perspective - an overhead view of the entire vehicle and its surroundings. Dynamic guide lines help when entering and leaving parking spaces and during maneuvering. A highlight among the optional equipment for the E63 AMG models is the Bang & Olufsen BeoSound AMG high-end surround sound system. Mercedes-Benz and AMG have created a high-end sound system in conjunction with renowned Danish audio specialist Bang & Olufsen. The DSP provides the option of selecting a special B&O sound menu on the COMAND system. In True Image mode, individual sound settings for the front, center and rear can be selected. The effect: a realistic sound experience at the selected listening position. The "Sound Mode" menu also has various preset sound modes that allow choices between a high-end "Reference" studio sound and surround sound. While "Reference" puts the focus on reproducing the artist's sound, the special surround sound mode delivers a spacious sound experience. In particular, live recordings or concertos result in a unique panoramic sound within the vehicle without altering the natural sound of the recording. Illuminated 50-watt tweeters with acoustic lens technology, arranged in the mirror triangle, add special highlights, while high-end speaker covers in silver chrome with Bang & Olufsen logos also identify this exceptional high-end surround sound system.