Tsvetan Varbanov – Automobiles Review

Rare McLaren MP4-12C High Sport For Sale

2012-McLaren-MP4-12C-High-Sport-shadow McLaren Newport Beach is the only authorised McLaren dealer in the Orange County and Sand Diego county, and today they have good news for you, the above-average customer. It’s in the form of a Pearl White 2012 McLaren MP4-12C High Sport that has only done 4,713 miles.

High Sport means that there are only a few of these on the streets (note the “Chassis 4” (out of 10) plates). It also means that you get cool stuff on it which you won’t find on standard editions MP4s. Stuff like an even more downforce-friendly carbon fiber front bumper, a composite underbody again with more downforce generative properties, carbon fiber rear wheel vents, front wheel arch louvers, carbon vented rear deck and engine cover vents, carbon ceramic brakes, carbon mirror caps and an F1 style badge.

That’s a lot of niceties but you do pay a lot of money for them. $399,888 to be precise. The original MSRP stood at $458,256 so that’s quite the discount (for a car that has barely seen the light of day). Apparently, everything has been kept up to standard since day one by an authorized McLaren dealer. You also can opt for McLaren’s Qualified Extended Warranty.

The MP4-12, although a tiny bit outdated nowadays, is still a serious player. It holds a 3.8-liter Twin Turbo V8. This one being an HS, it most probably has a boost of 75 hp over the standard 592 value. Quite the catch then!

Source: McLaren Newport Beach

February 13, 2014

Kia Sportage MY2014 Update Debuts At Geneva

2014-Kia-Sportage-shadow 2014-Kia-Sportage-medium With the Geneva Motor Show drawing nearer, we get all kinds of news: interesting, prolific, and downright mind blowing. This is neither of these, but we’ll deliver nevertheless. It’s the slightly updated Kia Sportage range for this year.

Here’s the deal: the MY2014 gets a new premium sound system, FlexSteer (Kia’s selectable steering feedback) as standard, a heated steering wheel, and trailer stability control. In terms of refinement, the interior is, apparently, less noisy thanks to an even more stream defying windshield. Bush-mounted subframes and new transmission mounting brackets bring about further improvements to the overall ride quality.

We guess beauty is in the details since there’s nothing else to be said about the update. Surprisingly enough, the Spotage is Kia’s best-selling model in Europe. Back in 2013 there were a total of 89,553 models sold. That’s a year-on-year increase of 10.5 percent. Clever moves like that are sure to keep that trend going.

Source: Kia

February 12, 2014

Lumma Design Range Rover CLR R Carbon Package

2014-Lumma-Design-Range-Rover-CLR-R-Carbon-shadow Lumma Design rolled out their CLR R makeover kit for the new Range Rover last year. Today, you can build on that update with another update: Lumma Design’s comprehensive carbon fiber package. There’s also a power increase aspect to this new project.

Let’s not forget, however, that the original CLR R package already offers a re-styled carbon fiber hood with (more than really needed) air scoops. It’s also responsible for the new bumpers, the flaring wheel arches and lower door sills.

The new stuff includes the front grille, door handles, mirror covers, rear spoiler lip, rear and side trim strips and an anti-glare panel for the bonnet – all with a gloriously exposed carbon fiber look. There is also a stainless steel exhaust system on offer. It adds four tailpipes that give the Rangie a deep, sonorous voice and lower the overall backpressure. Bulky 12.0J x 22-inch Lumma Exclusive alloy wheels complement the overall exterior appeal.

If the converted Range Rover happens to be a diesel, why not ad the Lumma D-Box? It’s a performance upgrade feature that amps up the power from 340 hp to about 370 hp. It also adds 100 Nm of torque to a total of 800.

Climb aboard and you find yourself amidst a garden of plush: Alcantara seats with diamond-quilt patterns, Alcantara/leather dashboard, door panels and center console. Don’t be surprised to find a few carbon fiber inserts here and there as well. The flat-bottomed sports steering wheel too wears an Alcantara finish on the grippy parts. Finishing off the remodelled cabin are smaller but no less important details such as the aluminium pedal set with non-slip rubber feet, stainless-steel door sill scuff plates with illuminated Lumma logo, and Lumma Design carpet mats.

Source: Lumma Design

February 12, 2014

2014 Skoda Octavia Scout Debuts At Geneva

2014-Skoda-Octavia-Scout-shadow 2014-Skoda-Octavia-Scout-medium The Skoda Octavia Scout: essentially a Combi with a personality disorder (it, among others, thinks its a mountain goat). Now, there’s a new one due to appear at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show in March.

There is, undeniably, an off-roadish look about it. The typical-for-crossovers black bumpers, door sills and wheel arches are the first to catch your attention. Bring out a ruler, however, and you’ll also find that the ground clearance has been increased by 33 millimeters compared to the standard Octavia. The 17-inch alloy wheels are a given and inside you’ll find a 3-spoke multi-functional steering wheel with Scout-specific features.

It’s clear that the Scout wants to be taken seriously and for a good reason. It has an AWD system that incorporates VAG’s Haldex 5 coupling system, the traction has been increased by 25% to up to two tonnes, and the larger approach/departure angles mean that the Scout also has better climbing capabilities. There will be a choice of two diesel and one petrol engines. If we had to guess, we’d say the two diesel options are Volkswagen’s 1.6- and 2.0-liter blocks that develop 105 PS and 140 PS respectively. As for the petrol, our money goes on the 160 PS 1.8 TSI plant (not entirely sure about that one). Either way, all powertrains will be 20% more economical when compared to the Scout’s predecessor.

Source: Skoda

February 11, 2014

Update: David Brown Automotive On The Project Judi

David-Brown-Project-Judi-Teaser-shadow Here’s an update on the Judi project by David Brown Automotive: some specifications and a few close-up shots talking. First, however, we have a confession to make. We were wrong; David Brown are not quite building a car from scratch. No, the chassis and drivetrain used for the Project Judi, as it turns out, are very similar to that of a Jaguar XKR. We would say identical even, but David Brown Automotive claim to have had them optimized (with the help of the blokes from Envisage group). All and all, that’s not bad news; it’s just that we are a bit disappointed.

What does all of that speak of the performance. Well, expect a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine sending it’s might to the rear wheels through a sic-speed automatic gearbox. All of that should be good for a 0-60 mph sprint in just 4.6 seconds and a top speed above 155 mph.

The “completely original” aspect of the Judi manifests itself in the design (interior and exterior): high-quality materials and aerodynamic motives. Here’s what more David Brown himself had to say about the end product:

“It has been developed using a combination of both traditional and contemporary technology, including the latest in automotive expertise. It has undergone a thorough analysis and development programme, including highly advanced windtunnel and dynamic simulations.”

Expect the full reveal at the Top Marques Show in Monaco on the 17th of April.

David-Brown-Project-Judi-Teaser-medium-2

David-Brown-Project-Judi-Teaser-medium-3

Source: David Brown Automotive

February 11, 2014

Vorsteiner BMW M3 on Flow Forged V-FF 101

Vorsteiner-BMW-E92-M3-Coupe-shadow Vorsteiner-BMW-E92-M3-Coupe-medium Vorsteiner have released their latest aero + wheel combo. It’s kind of a familiar BMW M3 E92 but now on (again familiar) Flow Forged V-FF 101 wheels. We guess that makes it exciting? Probably.

The wheels in question come in sizes 19×10 at the front and 19×11 at the rear. They carry a fancy five double-spoke design and are coated with a Matte Gunmetal paint. The tires: Michelin Pilot Super Sports.

The included aero bits and pieces account for the GTS-V front spoiler which takes away even more from the already low ground clearance. At the back, the California-based company have went for their own Type II rear diffuser. The new boot lid too is an addition by Vorsteiner.

To be honest, the whole thing is very subtle. So much so in fact, there isn’t anything left to say about it. Do enjoy the photo shoot though. Vorsteiner are very handy when it comes to camera work.

Source: Vorsteiner

February 10, 2014

Switzer’s Beast: A 2000 HP Nissan GT-R

Switzer-Beast-Nissan-GT-R-shadow Switzer-Beast-Nissan-GT-R-medium Every now and then tuning people just go bananas and take things beyond reasonable. Case in point: Switzer Performance’s 2000 hp Nissan GT-R. Yes, that much and it’s for a client of theirs. We won’t complain, though, as we haven’t heard from Switzer for quite some time.

They’ve called it the “Beast” (makes sense) and the only thing more impressive than the actual power coming out of it is the way it they’ve come around extracting the said power. Pop up the hood (or, judging by the video, just sneak a peak) and inspect the engine bay and you’ll find that it still has the factory 3.8-liter Nissan VR38 plant in it. Nobody has bothered with putting new pistons in it, increasing the size or changing the crankshaft. Instead, what Switzer have done is install their own ECU, tweak the fuel delivery and timing, and introduce two humongous turbochargers.

Watch the Beast strapped on a dyno, however, and you realize that quite a bit of that power dissipates before actually reaching the wheels. Still, 1760 whp is not exactly the definition of feeble. And hey, it runs on ethanol too. Greenpeace would be delighted.

httpv://youtu.be/lzaxcCyOBVU

Source: Gas2.org

Video source: SwitzerPerf via YouTube

February 10, 2014

Prior Design Widebody For The W219 Mercedes-Benz CLS

PD-Black-Edition-Widebody-Mrecedes-Benz-CLS-W219-shadow Prior Design are back with…an old-ish Mercedes-Benz CLS? The W219 went out of production almost 4 years ago to make way for the future. Apparently, however, it still makes sense for Prior to be releasing “widebody” kits for them.

And this one here takes the cake for ostentatiousness – dark coppery paint job with eye-blindingly red lines on the sides, company decals, and tires bigger than the rings of Saturn. And that’s not even counting the flaring wheel arches.

Yes, both of the front fenders have been replaced while the rear ones have received a noticible widening. There’s also a Prior front bumper and one at the back as well. The side skirts are also new and apparently there’s an add-on piece for the hood. In other words, the same old Prior story: expensive plastic bits (okay, “dura-flex fiber reinforced plastic” bits). That will be $8,000, please

Still, quite the shocker, isn’t he?

Source: Prior Design

February 7, 2014

Renault KWID Concept And The Flying Companion

Renault-KWID-Concept-shadow Renault-KWID-Concept-medium Wouldn’t you know it, the playful-looking KWID actually does have a complementary drone with it. Not that Renault are planning to actually really make it in the near future, but we are quite stumped. Unveiled at the Delhi Auto Show, this is the French company’s first ever concept outside of the European continent. It had to be good, then. And it is. By good, of course, we mean outlandish.

It was sort of designed locally: input from Renault Design India played a big part in the process. It’s pretty short and has almost no overhangs and thus Renault describe it as a “bouncing vehicle”. Add the freakishly big tires into the equation and you’ve got yourself a buggy-like car. It’s still two-wheel driven though.

The one that can be seen at the Auto expo has a 1.2-liter turbocharged petrol engine and a dual-clutch EDC transmission with a touch pad for shifting gears (yuck). The original idea, however, is to slot in the company’s Z.E. (electric) drivetrain. There’s place for the batteries and a plug behind the Renault logo.

Inside, the KWID is appropriately fitted with an electrically operated front bench seat, electric opening doors, LED lighting, and -instead of a dashboard – a vertically-mounted TFT touchscreen display offering the latest in connectivity.

And speaking of connectivity, we can’t neglect the fact that the KWID has a drone mounted on its top. It’s called the Flying Companion and it has two modes of operation. One is the automatic mode that uses a pre-progarammed flying sequence and GPS location to keep itself out of trouble. The second mode involves a tablet and you as a pilot. Renault say that the companion can be used for scouting traffic, taking aerial pictures and detecting obstacles, but wouldn’t that be a bit distracting from, you know, the main act of driving?

“Customers in new markets are much younger. Their expectations are different and customers are basically gamers. They tend to take a closer interest in technology and want to enjoy themselves. This concept car meets those needs in a variety of ways, but mainly thanks to the Flying Companion which makes driving both safe and fun. This is the very first time in the long automotive history we can drive on earth with an eye in the sky. It’s an amazing feature!” says Serge Mouangue, Brand Manager and Innovative Cooperative Laboratory Manager.

Apparently not.

February 7, 2014

Citroen Roll Out The C4 Cactus

Citroen-C4-Cactus-shadow Citroen-C4-Cactus-medium This is the completely real (as in “production”) Citroen C4 Cactus here to rock your world. Now, we know you might be thinking, “Production you say? Then what are those designy thingies on it?”

Ah, you see, that’s the Cactus’ thermoplastic polyurethane shell (TPU). Well, here’s a more rustic name for it: Airbump® – it’s supposed to do away with dents and scratches in real life. Found on the front and rear bumpers and the sides, the Airbump® provides a type of buffer zone which protects the actual body. We guess “bubble wrap” was already taken, huh?

So we have cushions on the outside, a mind-bending array of driving aids – park assist, a reversing camera, hill-start assist, to name a few – have they lost all confidence in the human proneness to accidents…oh.

Yes, “clever” is the word of the day. The C4 is sleek and slippery, it’s spacious, comfortable and very high-tech….for a cactus. Who needs dials and needles nowadays when there’s an app for that? A 7-inch touchscreen conjures up any cluster you might fancy – from the air conditioning controls to the yellow pages index. Face it, we’ve all felt the need to order Chinese whilst behind the wheel. Feel free to order as much as you want too. See, despite being arguably small (4.16 m long; 1.73 m wide) the Cactus is till a C-class vehicle. Ergo, you still get a 358 liter boot. A UV-protective panoramic roof amplifies the sense of space even more.

If you go for the optional Efficient Tronic Gearbox (ETG) you also lose the stick. Instead, there’s this selection system that Citroen is trying to push on us called the Easy Push. Yeah, we made the lamest pun ever.

And no, the Cactus doesn’t have an iPhone for an engine, but there is no fusion reactor to be found either? More like a 110bhp turbo three-cylinder petrol at best. But that’s ok because the whole thing weighs no more than a 1000 kg thanks to a heavy aluminum diet. It shouldn’t be too sluggish is what we mean. And with the Stop/Start system as standard, the Cacti (plural) fuel economy and emission values are rated at around 91.1 mpg and less than 100 g/km of CO2 – cleanliness truly is next to godliness.

Source: Citroen

February 6, 2014

Mercedes-Benz Expanding The S-Class Family

Mercedes-Benz-S-Class-S-600-medium The recently launched new S-Class family is now growing with four new members. That’s rigt, Mercedes-Benz are introducing a fuel-sipper (BlueTEC HYBRID), an AWD fuel-sipper (BlueTEC 4MATIC), a 5-star hotel on wheels (S 600) and an S 65 AMG – the name says it all. Let’s give them a quick look one at a time.

The 300 BlueTEC HYBRID – a diesel-based hybrid that will have an offensively low overall fuel consumption of just 4.4 liters per 100 km and a CO2 emission value of 115 g/km. Keep in mind that this is an S-Class that can be had with a long wheel base as well. In order to achieve these figures of frugality, the 300 uses a 20 kW electric motor nestled between the main 204 hp engine (a 2.2-liter four-cylnder) and the automatic transmission. You also get the usual hybrid tech like brake recuperation, and all electric drive only etc.

The 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC is a different story. A 3.0-liter V6 diesel in it churns out 258 hp and 620 Nm of torque. And even though it’s essentially an AWD vehicle, it returns 5.9 liters per 100 km (again with either wheelbase). That means that in terms of economy, it’s on par with the previous four-cylinder S 250 CDI.

The S 600 (pictured above) will now stand at the top of the S-Class luxury pyramid. It comes only as a long wheelbase. You will also be stuck with an LED Intelligent Light System, a Magic Body Control suspension with Road Surface Scan and a Driver Assistance Plus package. It’s not all caviare and truffles though. There’s a 6.0-liter biturbo V12 under the hood that hauls all that machinery with 530 hp. Maximum torque is 830 Nm from 1900 rpm. F (class) in efficiency, however.

Finally, there’s the hardcore Mercedes-Benz S 65 AMG (pictured bellow). Same engine as the S 600’s, more power. 630 hp and 1000 Nm of torque to be exact. The fuel economy has been reduced by 2.4 liters per 100 km but still stands at 11.9 (F). Long wheelbase, Magic Body Control with Road Surface Scan.

Mercedes-Benz-S-Class-S-65-AMG-medium

All four models are available for ordering with an official launch date sometime in March this year.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

February 5, 2014

Volkswagen Taigun First Time in Asia

Volkswagen-Taigun-Concept-shadow Volkswagen-Taigun-Concept-medium-1 Today the Auto Expo 2014 in New Delhi kicked off and here’s what’s hot: The Volkswagen Taigun – ever so close to production – is making its Asian premier. This time, however, beside being rather orange, it has a new backside with an exterior-mounted spare wheel. Apparently, that was the feedback the company received ever since the Taigun made its world debut at Sao Paulo. How do you get customer feedback on a concept vehicle?

Just a quick reminder: the Taigun is a compact-SUV (sigh) concept that carries Volkswagen’s 3-cylinder 1.0-liter TSI engine: a blatant take on Ford’s EcoBoost range. It develops 110hp at 5000 rpm and has an average fuel consumption of 4.7 l/100km. Probably, the fact that the Taigun is really, really small helps.

How small is it? 3,859 mm long without the spare wheel, 1,728 mm wide and 1,570 mm high. Still, it has a relatively big wheelbase at 2,470 mm (the front and rear overhangs stretch out 708 mm and 681 mm respectively). Total weight: just bellow a ton.

The new rear end, as we said, boasts a mounted spare wheel. By the way, all five wheels measure at 17-inches and have 205/50 R17 tires on them. Hinged on the driver’s side, the boot lid, which holds the mounts, swinges outwards when opened (the handle is cleverly integrated into the right taillight). The rear window, with the roof spoiler integrated above it, opens independently outwards. Both ends of the underbody make use of a rugged metal protection panel.

Inside, the Taigun offers as much cargo space as it can. With no modifications whatsoever, you get 280 liters of boot to spare. Fold the rear seats and that number grows to 996 liters. There are also storage compartments in the tailgate.

It’s a simple, convenient, and easy-to-use everyday car that still holds some off-roading merit. Let’s see how they come along with the actual production of it.

Source: Volkswagen

February 5, 2014

Author: Tsvetan Varbanov