Mercedes Forum
09-26-2009, 04:17 AM
Filed under: Coupe (http://www.autoblog.com/category/coupes/), Performance (http://www.autoblog.com/category/sports/), Dodge (http://www.autoblog.com/category/dodge/), Mercedes-Benz (http://www.autoblog.com/category/mercedes-benz/), Ferrari (http://www.autoblog.com/category/ferrari/), First Drive (http://www.autoblog.com/category/driving/), Specialty (http://www.autoblog.com/category/special-limited-editions/), Luxury (http://www.autoblog.com/category/luxury/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/devongtxpreview---05_opt.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/gallery/devon-gtx-preview/) 2010 Devon GTX - Click above for high-res image gallery
When news of the Devon GTX (http://www.autoblog.com/tag/devon/) first wafted our way, we didn't know what to think of it. Another bit of pretty vaporware being shown to attract investors? Another pet project from some megalomaniac with dreams of grandeur? Another American supercar boasting record-breaking performance with nothing but hot air to back up its claims? Or was it the real deal? Could Scott Devon and his team actually pull it off - could they deliver on the promise of building a truly great American supercar that could equal the world's finest?
Early reports showed that the Devon GTX would have the same power-to-weight ratio as the Ferrari Enzo with 650 horsepower propelling its 3,000 pounds, but the actual benchmark, we would later learn, was the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. When the first pre-production car went out and set the production car lap record at Laguna Seca, it looked like they might not be bluffing about the numbers. And seeing the same car attract more than its fair share of attention from the highly jaded cognoscenti on the concept lawn at Pebble Beach (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/16/monterey-2009-concept-and-show-car-roundup-at-pebble-beach/) made us think they might not be crazy after all. So did they pull it off? Did Devon actually succeed in building a car that could rival Maranello's front-engined supercar? We stopped by Aria Group, the Irvine-based specialty manufacturing facility that will be handling Devon production to find out. Follow the jump to see if the Devon GTX might just be the real thing.
Gallery: First Ride: Devon GTX (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/devon-gtx-preview/low/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/devongtxpreview---05_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/devon-gtx-preview/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/devongtxpreview---02-1253774020_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/devon-gtx-preview/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/devongtxpreview---03-1253774022_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/devon-gtx-preview/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/devongtxpreview---04-1253774024_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/devon-gtx-preview/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/devongtxpreview---01-1253774018_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/devon-gtx-preview/low/)
Photos copyright (C)2009 Frank Filipponio / Weblogs, Inc.Continue reading First Ride: Devon GTX hopes to be an American Ferrari 599 (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/25/first-ride-devon-gtx-hopes-to-be-an-american-599/)
First Ride: Devon GTX hopes to be an American Ferrari 599 (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/25/first-ride-devon-gtx-hopes-to-be-an-american-599/) originally appeared on Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com) on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).
Permalink (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/25/first-ride-devon-gtx-hopes-to-be-an-american-599/) | Email this (http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19171875/) | Comments (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/25/first-ride-devon-gtx-hopes-to-be-an-american-599/#comments)
Read more... (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/25/first-ride-devon-gtx-hopes-to-be-an-american-599/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/devongtxpreview---05_opt.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/gallery/devon-gtx-preview/) 2010 Devon GTX - Click above for high-res image gallery
When news of the Devon GTX (http://www.autoblog.com/tag/devon/) first wafted our way, we didn't know what to think of it. Another bit of pretty vaporware being shown to attract investors? Another pet project from some megalomaniac with dreams of grandeur? Another American supercar boasting record-breaking performance with nothing but hot air to back up its claims? Or was it the real deal? Could Scott Devon and his team actually pull it off - could they deliver on the promise of building a truly great American supercar that could equal the world's finest?
Early reports showed that the Devon GTX would have the same power-to-weight ratio as the Ferrari Enzo with 650 horsepower propelling its 3,000 pounds, but the actual benchmark, we would later learn, was the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. When the first pre-production car went out and set the production car lap record at Laguna Seca, it looked like they might not be bluffing about the numbers. And seeing the same car attract more than its fair share of attention from the highly jaded cognoscenti on the concept lawn at Pebble Beach (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/16/monterey-2009-concept-and-show-car-roundup-at-pebble-beach/) made us think they might not be crazy after all. So did they pull it off? Did Devon actually succeed in building a car that could rival Maranello's front-engined supercar? We stopped by Aria Group, the Irvine-based specialty manufacturing facility that will be handling Devon production to find out. Follow the jump to see if the Devon GTX might just be the real thing.
Gallery: First Ride: Devon GTX (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/devon-gtx-preview/low/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/devongtxpreview---05_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/devon-gtx-preview/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/devongtxpreview---02-1253774020_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/devon-gtx-preview/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/devongtxpreview---03-1253774022_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/devon-gtx-preview/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/devongtxpreview---04-1253774024_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/devon-gtx-preview/low/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/devongtxpreview---01-1253774018_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/devon-gtx-preview/low/)
Photos copyright (C)2009 Frank Filipponio / Weblogs, Inc.Continue reading First Ride: Devon GTX hopes to be an American Ferrari 599 (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/25/first-ride-devon-gtx-hopes-to-be-an-american-599/)
First Ride: Devon GTX hopes to be an American Ferrari 599 (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/25/first-ride-devon-gtx-hopes-to-be-an-american-599/) originally appeared on Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com) on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).
Permalink (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/25/first-ride-devon-gtx-hopes-to-be-an-american-599/) | Email this (http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19171875/) | Comments (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/25/first-ride-devon-gtx-hopes-to-be-an-american-599/#comments)
Read more... (http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/25/first-ride-devon-gtx-hopes-to-be-an-american-599/)