Car Zone: April 2015

Thursday, April 30, 2015

Infiniti Plans SUV Above The QX80

Having already expanded into the entry-level premium segment with the QX30 crossover, Infiniti is now considering to add a new large SUV to its lineup. According to Infiniti's executive design director Alfonso Albaisa, the SUV in question would be a flagship vehicle placed above the QX80, currently the brand's largest and most expensive offering.

"[The new SUV will be] something new... probably more in the portfolio of expansion than renovation," he told AutoGuide at the 2015 New York Auto Show. "There is the potential for people to pay more than they are for a car like the QX80," he added, hinting toward a six-figure sticker.

Although it already has the QX80 Limited as a high-grade rival for the Cadillac Escalade and the Lincoln Navigator, it seems Infiniti is actually pondering a larger and more expensive model to compete against the Premium and Platinum trims of the longer Cadillac ESV model. Albaisa didn't say how expensive this SUV would be, but he did indicate that Infiniti is considering at least one model priced from over $100,000.

For the 2015 model year, Infiniti's most expensive models are the Q60 IPL Convertiblefrom $62,100, and the QX80 from $63,250. A fully loaded QX80 comes in at a little over $90,00.

Continue reading to learn more about Infiniti's future SUV.

Infiniti Plans SUV Above The QX80 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 3 April 2015 16:00 EST.

Smart Vs. Mustang In A Drag Race: Video

In the world of drag racing, there are plenty of examples of "that guy." You know who I'm talking about - the guy with the supposedly sports car who dropped major coin to massage the exterior into a rolling banner ad of his own potential velocity. Sure, the bright and glossy body kit might make sense at the show-and-shine, but turn up at the strip looking like that, and you'd better have some serious firepower under the hood.

By comparison, there are relatively few sleepers out there. A car that looks slow but goes fast is just inherently cool - it's like stealth technology of the four-wheeled variety.

This Smart ForTwo is a sleeper. To make the jump from the commuter lane to the 1,320, the owner decided to slap on some super sticky tires and a huge amount of boost, blessing the ultra-light seats-in-a-box with the kind of wheel stands that would embarrass most muscle cars.

When asked why he wanted to create a Smart dragster, the owner replies with "stupidity, I guess." I'm thinking more mad-scientist insanity. But the proof is in the pudding - the ForTwo pulls a 13.9 on its first pass, but manages to cut that down to 12.53 on the second run.

You can't help but respect the guy for trying something different. It's inconspicuous and ridiculously effective, like a B2 bomber at high altitude.

Continue reading for more information.

Smart Vs. Mustang In A Drag Race: Video originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 3 April 2015 17:00 EST.

2015 McLaren P1 Vs. 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder: Video

Always on the hunt for interesting head-to-head comparisons, Motor Trend recently pitted the McLaren P1 against the Porsche 918 Spyder on the track, with racing driver Randy Pobst testing each model on the Laguna Seca circuit. Initially, the Ferrari LaFerrari was expected to complete the hypercar trinity, but Ferrari allegedly refused to allow a LaFerrari customer to lend his pride and joy for the comparison.

Even so, McLaren and Porsche decided to contribute to the shootout. While Porsche simply said yes, McLaren flew in an entire team of technicians and spare tires for the P1, even though it didn't make any difference to the end result. That is, indeed, a spoiler, because not many people - Porsche and McLaren included - expected the heavier and less-powerful 918 Spyder to simply mop the floor with the P1 on the circuit.

Both hybrid hypercars have carbon-fiber bodies, dual-clutch transmissions, high-revving V-8s augmented with electric motors and can reach 60 mph in under three seconds. But there are plenty of differences between them, which is why they are very different in both power delivery and lap times. In the end, the 918 Spyder beat its own lap-record on Laguna Seca, while the P1 only managed to finish about a second later on each run. Although all three hypercars are already sold out, the Porsche 918 Spyder, McLaren P1 and Ferrari LaFerrari will be part of or collective memory for years to come.
And this video shows why.

2015 McLaren P1 Vs. 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder: Video originally appeared on topspeed.com on Saturday, 4 April 2015 06:00 EST.

Top Gear Removes Its Three Hosts From Website Banner

Even though neither James May nor Richard Hammond have said anything about their departure from the Top Gear show, a recent design change on the Top Gear website has left people wondering. Instead of featuring the mugshots of Jeremy Clarkson, who was recently ousted from the BBC, May, Hammond and The Stig, the website's banner only shows a new version of The Stig.

Somewhat surprisingly, all three presenters' columns are still featured on the website's front page, but there is no official news regarding the show's future lineup. Both Hammond and May have hinted that they wouldn't want to continue presenting without Jeremy Clarkson, so an announcement from the BBC will probably arrive soon.

Adding more fuel to the fire, The Stig's helmet on the updated banner seems mildly different than the old one. To some, that may hint that the "tame racing driver" could be either upgraded to full presenter - highly unlikely, considering he never speaks - or that The White Stig could be replaced with a Chrome Stig of some sort. Either way, considering that the banner change took place on April 1st, it could mean anything, really. Until the BBC puts together a new show for 2016, the current Top Gear season still has three unaired episodes, which are said to be in limbo indefinitely, since the studio bits haven't been filmed and likely never will be.

Continue reading to learn more about the Top Gear show.

Top Gear Removes Its Three Hosts From Website Banner originally appeared on topspeed.com on Saturday, 4 April 2015 12:00 EST.

Renault Release Pictures Of Its ‘Alpine Vision’ For The Gran Turismo 6 Game

Renault Alpine Vision Gran Turismo 6 Concept Car Picture #5

Well, here it is gamers, the Renault Alpine Vision Gran Turismo Concept! It is powered by a V8 4.5-liter petrol engine churning out 450 HP at 6,500 rpm...

McChip-DKR Dials Up 850 Nm From Porsche 911 Turbo S

McChip-DKR Porsche 911 Turbo S Picture #12

There's a new three stage power upgrade that's been developed for the Porsche 911 Turbo S by McChip-DKR. The tuners project demo car has shown that the stock...

Monday, April 27, 2015

2016 Smart ForTwo Cabrio spied undisguised

2016 Smart ForTwo Cabrio spy photo / Automedia

Features electrically-operated folding canvas top

An undisguised prototype of the 2016
Smart ForTwo Cabrio has been spotted undergoing final testing in Stuttgart.

As expected, it looks virtually the same as its fixed roof
sibling with the exception of the electrically-operated folding canvas top carried
over from its predecessor, just like the manually removable side bars.

Daimler-owned Smart has already announced the ForTwo Cabrio
will be out later this year with the same naturally aspirated
1.0-liter engine developing 60 HP (45 kW) and 71 HP (52 kW) along with a beefier
0.9-liter turbo rated at 90 HP (66 kW). A five-speed manual transmission will
be standard, but at an additional cost you will be able to order an optional
dual-clutch six-speed gearbox.

A Brabus-prepared
version of the ForTwo is in the works and chances are it will also be
available as a Cabrio with an uprated version of the 0.9-liter turbo likely
pushing out around 120 HP (88 kW).

Smart will bring the US-spec
2016 ForTwo to this week's New York Auto Show and they could decide to unveil
the Cabrio as well. If that won't happen, a September debut at the Frankfurt
Motor Show is very probable.

BMW mechanic crashes M4 Coupe

BMW M4 crash / Autogespot.nl

Happened in The Netherlands

A BMW mechanic took an M4 for a refill but
unfortunately he crashed the high-performance coupe.

It was only yesterday when we found out a test driver in a
2016 BMW 7-Series prototype flipped over a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter police car and now
a company mechanic wrecked an M4. He is (was) working at BMW dealer Renova in
The Netherlands which organized a women's day allowing ladies to take the
dealer's cars for a ride.

At one point, they had to take a break to refill the M4 so
the mechanic drove to a gas station but on a straight road in
Breda he lost control of the vehicle after pressing the accelerator pedal too
hard and turning off some of the assistance systems, even though the road was a
bit damp. This M4 seems to have all the bells and whistles, but it now needs a
new fascia after being facelifted by the BMW mechanic.

Additional images are available at the source link below.

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Chevrolet reveals 2016 Camaro has lost more than 200 lbs

2016 Chevrolet Camaro aluminum beam to support the instrument panel

Debuts May 16

Chevrolet has announced the sixth generation Camaro is more
than 200 lbs (90.7 kg) lighter than its predecessor.

The diet was possible thanks to a brand new architecture making
extensive use of aluminum, including for the beam that supports the instrument
panel which is now 9.7 lbs (4.4 kg) lighter than the steel beam of the outgoing
Camaro.

Moreover, both front and rear suspension assemblies are now
manufactured from aluminum while the links on some of the versions will use a
rigid composite material lighter than aluminum. Thanks to this new lightweight construction,
the entire suspension is 21% lighter than on the fifth generation model.

In the previous teaser
we learned the Camaro 6 will have more than 70% brand new components, including
the body, suspension and interior. The front structure is longer and wider while
the V8 6.2-liter engine has gone through some changes to fit the new packaging.

The sixth generation Chevrolet Camaro will be unveiled on
May 16 during a special event organized in Detroit.

As a final note, it should be mentioned the 2015 Chevrolet
Camaro Coupe 1LS (V6 engine) weighs 3,719 lbs (1,686 kg) while the 2SS (V8
engine) tips the scales at 3,935 lbs (1,785 kg).

Shelby GT350 Mustang will have more than 520 bhp

Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang

Should cost $52,995

A member of the Mustang6G forums has recorded the Q&A
session with Ford's Shelby/Boss brand manager Jim Owens at the Texas
World Speedway during which he revealed some juicy details about the upcoming Shelby GT350.

When Ford unveiled the Shelby
GT350 Mustang back in November at the Los Angeles Auto Show, they said its
5.2-liter V8 naturally aspirated engine develops more than 500 bhp (373 kW) and
400 lb-ft (542 Nm). Now, Jim Owens said the model will have more than 100 bhp
(75 kW) per liter which means output will stand beyond 520 bhp (388 kW). He
went on to specify the engine has a redline of 8,250 rpm.

Owens announced the Shelby GT350 Mustang will go on sale in
the fourth quarter of the year, but they haven't made up their mind yet
regarding the model year. In terms of production numbers, he estimates it
will stand somewhere between the Boss 302 and the GT500.

We remind you that a source within Ford said during the Los
Angeles Auto Show the Shelby GT350 Mustang will kick off at $52,995,
but the Blue Oval company hasn't made this news official yet.

As a final note, during the same Q&A session, Jim Owens
also dropped some serious hints about a track-only GT350S version.

Saturday, April 25, 2015

2016 Lexus RX & Toyota RAV4 Hybrid to feature low cost safety systems [video]

Toyota has announced the 2016 RAV4 Hybrid and 2016 Lexus RX will become the first models to be equipped with the company's affordable driver assist systems.

Dubbed Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) and the Lexus Safety System+ (LSS+), the systems will be a "very-low-cost option" that starts at approximately $300 on Toyota models and approximately $500 on Lexus variants.

As we have previously reported, the TSS C package will be offered on compact cars and include a Pre-collision System which uses a camera and laser radar to detect when a collision is imminent. When this occurs, the system will provide an audio and visual warning to alert the driver. If the driver fails to respond, the system will automatically apply the brakes and reduce the car's speed by approximately 30 km/h (18.6 mph).

The TTS C package will also include a Lane Departure Alert and an Automatic High Beam system. The latter automatically switches between high beams and low beams and can detect oncoming vehicles as well as vehicles ahead of the car.

The TSS P package will be offered on "mid-sized and high-end cars" and will include all the elements from the TSS C package as well as Radar Cruise Control and an upgraded Pre-collision System with pedestrian detection technology.

Honda S660 gets the Mugen treatment

Honda S660 by Mugen

Mugen has introduced a new range of styling and performance of accessories for the Honda S600.

Starting with the interior, the model can be equipped with an aerodynamic body kit that includes a front lip spoiler, revised side skirts and a rear diffuser. Customers can also order new fenders, a ventilated hood and a carbon fiber rear wing. Other notable highlights include a gloss black grille, a gloss back hard top, a revised engine cover and 15- or 16-inch alloy wheels with dark gunmetal finish.

Interior changes are relatively limited but options include a carbon fiber rearview mirror cover, a carbon fiber gear knob and special floor mats.

Performance changes are also minor but include a sport-tuned suspension, a high-performance braking system and an optimized oil filter.

Friday, April 24, 2015

McLaren 570S Coupe officially revealed

McLaren 570S Coupe

0-100 km/h in 3.2 seconds

Following yesterday's leak,
McLaren has officially unveiled the 570S Coupe set to debut tomorrow at the
New York Auto Show.

The baby McLaren inaugurates the company's Sports Series
range and adopts a familiar design while the twin-turbo V8 3.8-liter engine has
been carried over from its bigger brothers. However, it has 30% new components
and develops 570 HP (419 kW) at 7,400 rpm and 600 Nm (443 lb-ft) between 5,000
rpm and 6,500 rpm sent to the rear wheels through the familiar seven-speed SSG.

Tipping the scales at only 1,313 kg (2,895 lbs), the McLaren
570S Coupe will need 3.2 seconds until 62 mph (100 km/h), 9.5 seconds to hit 124
mph (200 km/h) and will top out at 204 mph (328 km/h). Weight is distributed
42:58 front/rear and McLaren says their entry-level model can return 25.5 mpg
US (30.6 mpg UK or 9.2 liters / 100 km) in the combined cycle with
corresponding CO2 emissions of 258 g/km.

It benefits from a newly developed front and rear suspension with adaptive dampers, front & rear anti-rollbars and double wishbones. It sits on 19-inch front & 20-inch rear alloy wheels wrapped around in 225/35/R19 front & 285/35/R20 rear Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires with stopping power provided by standard carbon ceramic brakes.

Stepping inside the driver-focused cabin, it gets a new TFT
digital instrument cluster and a seven-inch IRIS touchscreen system that
integrates all climate controls and also provides access to Bluetooth, DAB
digital radio and SIRIUS satellite radio. At an additional cost, customers can
order Alcantara and Nappa leather upholsteries as well as a carbon fiber trim.
McLaren is also offering a superior
eight-speaker sound system as well as a 12-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio
system with 1,280-watt of power.

The McLaren 570S Coupe will debut tomorrow at the 2015 New
York Auto Show.

Additional details can be found in the attached press release.

Ferrari's driver hierarchy already set - Fiorio

Ferraris driver hierarchy already set - Fiorio

Sebastian Vettel (GER) with Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) / XPB Kimi Raikkonen is back.

2015 is a crucial year for the Finn, having declared his interest in racing on beyond the season but acknowledging his expiring Ferrari contract.

Last year, he was humbled by teammate Fernando Alonso.

For the new season, 35-year-old Raikkonen is paired with his friend Sebastian Vettel, but it is the German newcomer who is attracting the headlines.

Vettel was on the podium in Australia, and he ended Mercedes' long run of dominance last Sunday by winning on just his second outing for Ferrari -- a feat not even the great Michael Schumacher achieved.

But "This was a Michael Schumacher-esque performance," F1 veteran David Coulthard, a contemporary of the great seven time world champion, told the Telegraph.

Vettel is now within striking distance of taking the championship lead: a feat that amazed reigning champion Lewis Hamilton when told.

"Only three points? Really? Wow," said the Briton.

The forgotten man of Ferrari's revival, however, is Raikkonen. He has just 12 points to his name so far, compared to Vettel's 40.

But experts agree that Raikkonen does appear back on form in 2015, despite having run into results-spoiling trouble in Australia and Malaysia.

Ferrari team boss Maurizio Arrivabene said he has already proved in 2015 that he is a "fabulous" driver.

Former Ferrari driver Jean Alesi told Italy's Corriere della Sera that he has little doubt Raikkonen would have been on the podium in Malaysia, in the place of a Mercedes driver.

1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve agreed: "He was very good (in Malaysia)," the Canadian told Sky Italia.

"He (Raikkonen) had to make an early pitstop and then found himself in the path of those on used tyres."

Even Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was impressed, remarking that it was Raikkonen's pace on Friday that first set alarm bells ringing about the weekend.

"We saw on Friday how good Kimi's long runs were," he was quoted by Finland's MTV3, "which is when we believed it would be a good weekend for them (Ferrari)."

But Cesare Fiorio, the team boss at Ferrari before the Jean Todt era, tipped Vettel to maintain his edge throughout 2015.

Referring to Raikkonen, he told Rai radio: "Every now and then it goes bad for him, as it did on Saturday.

"He is at the end of his career, but still a great champion. But even after two races, the hierarchy of the team is already established.

"If Vettel fights for the world championship, Raikkonen will only support him," Fiorio added.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Rolls-Royce Phantom Serenity 2015

Visit Rolls-Royce Phantom Serenity 2015 for full details.

Aston Martin Lagonda Taraf 2015

Visit Aston Martin Lagonda Taraf 2015 for full details.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Land Rover Will Bring Ultra-Luxury Range Rover To New York

Jaguar Land Rover has already given us a look at the 2016 Jaguar XF and 2016 Range Rover HST that it will debut next week at the 2015 New York Auto Show, but it has at least one other vehicle up its sleeve. Teased in the image above, Land Rover will also debut a new ultra-luxurious version of the Range Rover LWB, although details are slim.

A single image posted to Twitter in February could be a strong clue about this new Range Rover. Spied during a photo shoot in London, this Range Rover sports a posh two-tone paint job, a unique wheel design and quad exhaust outlets, but the most interesting part of the picture is that the shooter says that this Range Rover was wearing a badge from Special Vehicle Operation - JLR's in-house customizer/tuner.

It's not really clear how much wiggle room there is above the already opulent Range Rover Autobiography, so expect this new model to be crazy-loaded with luxury and tech goodies, and carrying a price near or above the $200,000 mark.

Continue reading to learn more about Land Rover's future Ultra-Luxury Range Rover.

Land Rover Will Bring Ultra-Luxury Range Rover To New York originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 27 March 2015 13:00 EST.

2007 Audi RS 4 Flips at Willow Springs: Video

The 2007 Audi RS4 is a great car and Willow Springs Raceway is one heck of a track, but both can get even experienced drivers into a heap of trouble fast. This lesson was learned by Tim Bucklin, who lost his RS4 during a recent track day event. Now, I'm definitely not here to poke fun at this guy's misfortune. Not only do I respect him for facing the harsh criticism of YouTube commenters, but the best part about this video is the driver's breakdown of what he did wrong - perhaps sparing others from the same fate.

It isn't clear how fast Bucklin was going when he entered Turn 9, but after turning into the apex early, the car understeers and gets too wide on the exit resulting in both left side tires getting off the track. With the steering wheel still turned to the right, the car shoots back across the track sliding into what looks like soft, deep sand, which sheers off the left front wheel and sends the car into a barrel roll where the car flips over at least two times.

Now, I've driven on plenty of racetracks, but, unfortunately, Willow Springs is not among them, but that final turn does seem extremely challenging. Bucklin describes the right-hand corner as having a late apex and decreasing radius, and the amount of skid marks exiting the turn are proof of just how tricky the turn is.

Although the RS4 received heavy damage, the passenger compartment held up impressively well. In fact, Bucklin said that he escaped the wreck with only a bruised arm, stiff neck and mild concussion.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2007 Audi RS 4.

2007 Audi RS 4 Flips at Willow Springs: Video originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 27 March 2015 14:00 EST.

Porsche Confirms Boxster Spyder

The 911 range is the defacto go-to Porsche for the wealthy, the driving enthusiasts have always known that the Boxster/Cayman twins are the sweet spot in the range. The smaller mid-engine sports cars have inherently a better balance as well as less weight to throw around but the relative lack of power has always held the Boxster/Cayman twins from being the best that it could be. Although Porsche has just recently released the new Cayman GT4, they have officially announced that the Boxster Spyder is coming this year.

This news shouldn't be too surprising for the Porsche fans out there. Once the hardcore Cayman GT4 debuted, rumours were flying that the Boxster was too going to receive a more focused version. Moreover, the last generation Boxster also spawned a Spyder variant late in it's lifecycle. It was a Boxster that did not have a electronic roof as it came with a canvas top that you manually put in. Weighing in at a spritely 2,811 lbs, at the time it was the lightest new Porsche you can purchase. However, it isn't certain that this new Boxster Spyder will follow the same philosophy as the previous one as Porsche held back on the juicy details when it made the announcement.

The Cayman GT4 is the result of Porsche's motorsports division, known as Porsche GT, using their knowledge from racing and applying it to the Cayman. This means that it uses the same front suspension set up from the 991 generation 911 GT3 as well as a proprietary rear suspension developed especially for the Cayman GT4. Moreover it has many adjustable settings for the front and rear anti-roll bars as well as the front and rear aerodynamics. This is important because it would make sense if Porsche did something similar with the new Boxster Spyer to spread the cost of development and manufacturing, however the last Boxster Spyder was not a product from Porsche GT. This makes it unclear whether Porsche GT will get their hands on the new Boxster Spyder and make it an open top version of the Cayman GT4, or whether Porsche decides to make it an evolution of the previous Boxster Spyder and work on the car themselves without the help of their motorsports division.

Porsche 918 Vs McLaren P1 at Laguna Seca

Right now, as you are probably aware, the current crop of hypercars that has everyone buzzing are the hybrids from Ferrari, McLaren, and Porsche. However, there haven't been too many comparison tests done with raw performance numbers to determine which is fastest. On paper, it seems that the LaFerrari is the fastest, but that cannot be confirmed until someone takes all three cars and tests them around a track. Slowly though, some comparisons are starting to hit the web. The latest one is brought to us by MotorTrend and it puts the McLaren P1 against Porsche 918 Spyder at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, and the results are quite interesting.

To refresh, each one of these monstrous machines has a different philosophy on how the hybrid systems work to make the car faster. The McLaren P1 is a RWD beast powered by a twin-turbo charged 3.8L V8 coupled with an electric motor to give a combined output of 904 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque. When considering it's weight of 3,411 pounds, you can imagine how brutal the acceleration is. When in Race mode, the car sits 2 inches lower than normal, raises the wing up 11.8 inches, and roll stiffness increases to about 350%. All this gives the net effect of 1,323 lbs of downforce at 161mph. This all stacks up well, in theory, to the Porsche.

Though the McLaren seems to have the Porsche when it comes to raw numbers, The 918 Spyder has the advantage in grip with it's advanced drivetrain system. With rear wheel steering and torque vectoring all wheel drive, the Porsche has a better time putting down all of its 887 combined horsepower and 994 lb-ft of combined torque. The mid-mounted 4.6L naturally aspirated V8 is supplemented by two electric motors; one on the rear axle, and one in the front. Though weighing in at a rather hefty 3,758 lbs, it is about 350 lbs heavier than the P1.

Motor Trend had their resident racing driver, Randy Pobst, take both cars around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca with their data recording equipment and some cameras. After recording several laps in both cars, the Porsche 918 Spyder came out the winner with a record lap time of 1:29.89 mph and a top speed of 153.7 mph down Laguna Seca's back straight. Interestingly, the McLaren P1 has a laptime of 1:30.71 and a higher top speed of 155.5 mph. This reflects on the fact that the McLaren is faster in a straight line but the Porsche has better grip coming in and out of corners. Also important to note is that MotorTrend decided to use the tires that are supplied at the time of purchase. This means that the Porsche had Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s and the McLaren had Pirelli P Zero Trofeo Rs, which came heat cycled. This outcome probably has a lot of people talking since on paper the Porsche looked to be slower. This just goes to show that raw stats aren't everything.

You can read the full test here

Monday, April 20, 2015

More Powerful Jaguar F-Type Spotted

With a range of engines that include 2 supercharged V6s and a supercharged V8, the gorgeous Jaguar F-Type is not a car that you might think of needing more power. Video reviews of the V8 F-Type in particular usually include many smoky burnouts and drifts. So when news broke this week that a new, more powerful version was spotted testing at the Nurburgring, it was a bit of a surprise.

Spy shots of the new Jaguar F-Type have surfaced on the Autoblog.com which reveal some interesting details. From the pictures, one of the most obvious differences between this new F-Type and the current production versions is the addition of a large fixed rear spoiler for more downforce. Also, a new set of larger rims are seen to be accommodating a bigger brake set-up with carbon ceramic brake discs. Moreover, it is likely that this new F-Type will also get a stiffer suspension upgrade over the current V8S F-Type. Curiously, however, the front end seems to be unchanged, with this test mule sporting a bumper that is almost identical to the current F-Types. Not that this is a problem, as the F-Type is absolutely stunning to begin with. However, it is what's under the hood that has the internet buzzing.

Power is expected to be supplied by an upgraded version of the supercharged 5.0L V8 that is in the V8S F-Type. This version is said to be producing around 580-600 horsepower, a healthy upgrade to the already bonkers 550 horsepower in the V8S. All this extra grunt should help burn the tires off the car faster than before, not like it ever needed it. Still, it is great to see that Jaguar is not afraid to add more power to their cars. If Jaguar keeps to its nomenclature for this car, it will most likely be called the F-Type R-S.

Head on over to Autoblog to check out the spy pictures.

AMG GT Black Series Spotted

Another day, another spy shot of a fast car testing at the famous Nurburgring racetrack. This time, Mercedes-Benz has been spotted testing a more powerful version of their already potent AMG GT supercar. Could this be the future Black Series version of the AMG GT?

It's no secret that the AMG GT is squarely aimed at the Porsche 911. This inherently means that Mercedes-Benz will most likely build different variations of the AMG GT to compete with the vast amount of 911 variations, albeit probably not as many. The recently photographed AMG GT prototype is presumably the competitor for the Porsche 911 GT3 road car. The test mule was spotted with an upgraded aerodynamics kit that includes a large front splitter and rear spoiler, as well as larger brakes, rims, and tires. Power is expected to come from the same 4.0L twin turbo V8 that is in the current AMG GT road cars. However, a power bump over the 500hp that the AMG GT S has will probably make its way under the hood through fiddling of internal components. The car will also probably be lighter through extensive use of carbon fiber and aluminum.

If Mercedes-Benz sticks to the naming scheme that we've seen in the past, this mule is probably the test bed for the Black Series version. The Black Series is a moniker that is only reserved for the most hardcore variants in the AMG line-up. Previous cars that received the Black Series badge include the SLS Black Series, C63 Black Series, and the CLK Black Series. Perhaps this is only the beginning for the AMG GT? We might be seeing more and more variants as Mercedes tries to compete with the 911 line-up.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

2014 Kia Sorento Photo 1002

2014 Kia Sorento Photo

http://www.tflcar.com/2013/07/review-the-2014-kia-sorento-successfully-combines-the-best-of-car-crossover/. 2014 Kia Sorento Specification Launched Price Deals Cheap