Auto News – Page 222 – Automobiles Review

2016 VW Polo R WRC: What We Know So Far

2016 Volkswagen Polo R WRC Volkswagen has finally revealed and insight into the next generation of Polo R WRC. The FIA World Rally Championship makes its confident steps towards a wonderful season year. Or at least we do hope so. The Polo R WRC is expected to generate about 380hp (280kW). This means that the model will produces 60hp (45kW) more than the current one and of course, Volkswagen designers ensure us that the new Polo R WRC will be lighter and with improved aerodynamic capabilities.

As you might know, Volkswagen has been developing the third generation of Polo R WRC since 2015, when the International Automobile Federation releases new requirements for the highest class of rallying. And by meeting all of them, the development of the third-gen Polo enters a crucial phase.

What we know so far

The vehicle will be about 50 millimeters wider, 25kgs lighter and far more powerful, compared to predecessor models. Also, the electronic center differential could be used for the power transmission. The most notable visual changes include larger rear wing and broader front spoiler.

Although the technical specifications have already been revealed, the Polo R WRC is yet to undergo elaborate tests and improvements in order to be capable of races. Even though the team is in the final phase of development, there is still much work to be done. We expect that the vehicle will make its first appearance at the Rally Argentina (21-24 April 2016).

Source: Volkswagen

April 12, 2016

2017 Kia Sportage is Not Only Agile, but Also Safe. Here is What You Need to Know

2017 Kia Sportage confidently demonstrates brand’s ongoing commitment to safety and utility improvements: the latest family member earned the highest rates possible. It won the Top Safety Pick Plus (TSP+) from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety when geared with the optional front crash prevention. The rates heavily affected the top scoring in each of the five tests, along with the integration of driver assistance technologies.

IIHS test requirements were changed for the 2016 season year and now the requirements for all vehicles are higher and include five crashworthiness tests that must be passed with “good” rate. These include small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side impact, roof strength and head restraints – as well as an “advanced” or “superior” rating for front crash prevention in order to qualify for a TSP+.

As we have told you, 2017 Sportage is available with extended list of driving-assistance systems, along with advanced safety goodies that include Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Blind Spot Detection (BSD) with Lane Change Assist (LCA), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), and Bi-HID headlights with Dynamic Bending Light (DBL) technology, high-beam assist (HBA) and front and rear parking assist.

Also, the whole body structure and architecture is greatly improved due to the extensive use of Advanced High Strength Steel and overall better body components.

Source: Kia

April 11, 2016

2016 Audi A8 L: There Are no Boundaries for Experienced Manufacturers

2016 Audi A8 L Extended Audi has gone to even further with the latest flagship A8 L: there is a special request of an European client, who wanted even more from the well-known brand. Audi team exclusively created a model, measuring 6.36 meters (20.9 ft) in length and a wheelbase of 4.22 meters (13.8 ft). Of course the long vehicle includes high levels of comfort, premium components and overall luxurious ambience.

Also, the exclusive A8 is lighter and grants buyer with the new Audi Space Frame design, featuring mainly aluminum. Also, engineers extended the side sills and central tunnel, also by using aluminum components. Also, this distinctive XXL saloon offers 1.9 meters more wheelbase, compared to standard A8 models and maintains harmonious roof line. In fact, the whole body design has been reworked to offer these eye-catching lines and overall incredible visual impact.

The interior includes six seats, covered with extra-supple Valcona leather in velvet beige color. The second and third rows also feature electrically adjustable individual seats. The third row offers continuous central console and a Rear Seat Entertainment display. And let’s not forget the cool box.

In terms of performance and drivetrain system, the unique Audi A8 is geared with a 3.0-liter TFSI power unit, capable of developing 310hp (227kW) and 440 Nm of torque, mated to an eight-speed tiptronic gearbox, delivering power to all the four wheels. The vehicle sprints from 0 to 100km/h (62mph) in 7.1 seconds and can reach an electronically governed top speed of 279km/h (155mph).

2016 Audi A8 L Extended

So, how do you find the long car? we personally loved the wonderful and cozy-looking cabin. What about you?

Source: Audi

April 11, 2016

Chevy Proudly Demonstrates Silverado Rally Edition

2016 Chevrolet Silverado Rally Edition Chevy revealed the 2016 Silverado Rally Edition at the Texas Motor Speedway. And in order to celebrate the introduction of the latest family member, Chevrolet team will introduce the whole Silverado special edition lineup at Speedway this weekend. Also, brand fans can vote for their favorite special edition team and participate in numerous Chevrolet games. The teams are indeed:

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. with the new Rally Edition, inspired by street-performance trucks, offering monochromatic exterior and large 20- or 22-inch wheels.

Austin Dillon with the Realtree Edition that is especially designed for outdoor enthusiasts and demonstrating camouflage accents and aggressive appearance.

Kyle Larson is campaigning for the Silverado 1500 Midnight Edition, while Kasey Kahne is campaigning for the Silverado 2500 Midnight Edition. Both vehicles are already available for order. As you might know, they are based on the legendary Z71 and include blacked-out exterior with black wheels, black body-cladding, black front and rear fascias and black interior. Even the tow hooks and Chevrolet bowtie are black. The neat Goodyear DuraTrack all-terrain tires are also part of the standard equipment.

2016 Chevrolet Silverado Rally Edition

These special Midnight Editions are further geared with special Z71 off-road equipment pack that adds Rancho mono-tube shocks, locking rear differential, transfer case shield, hill descent control and the DuraTrack tires.

All four vehicles will also be on display at the Chevrolet stand at the Duck Commander 500 race this weekend.

Source: Chevrolet

April 11, 2016

Bilstein Builds Captain America’s Car Based on Fiat 500 Cinquone

Bilstein Fiat 500 Cinquone USA Front View If you have ever wondered if Captain America had a car what it would be, then we have the answer. And it is the newest tuning project of the specialist at Bilstein. Maybe you’d be surprised at what car they have actually chosen, but we assure you that the result looks just great. As a basis the tuning experts worked on the Fiat 500 from Romeo Ferraris.

The exterior is in the spirit of the Avenger superhero: it features stars and stripes on the bonnet as well as on the boot. Painted in white, this car seem like it has fought beside the famous hero, because all over its exterior it has worn out elements, which of course have been made on purpose.

The harmonious outfit of the Fiat 500 is continued via multispoke alloy wheels painted in the famous blue color, inspired by the costume of Captain America. They were shod with low profile tires. What we can’t see however is the most interesting part of the tuning of this unique Cinquone USA.

Bilstein Fiat 500 Cinquone USA rear View

Underneath the bonnet, the unit of this mini vehicle has been uprated and it now achieves 210 horsepower. This turns the muscular little city car from Romeo Ferraris into an exceptional fast experience.

Other unique features in the project include the centaur on the radiator grille and Bilstein’s B14 coilover suspension. The latter turns the “shorty” into a hero. Inverted Mono-tube and gas-pressure technology are also two features which need to be highlighted.

Bilstein Fiat 500 Cinquone USA will be on display at the 14th Tuning World Bodensee Show, which will take place in Germany between 5th and 8th of May.

Source: Bilstein

April 11, 2016

Volkswagen Touran Gets Significant Updates for Engine Range and Interior Styling

Volkswagen Touran Front View The latest edition of Volkswagen Touran went on sale in October stronger than ever before and it has never been so well equipped. The German company is now updating the engine range with two new units. In addition, there is also a brand new design pack, which offers more style for the interior. Here are the details.

The New Engines

The expanded range of Touran engines from now features two new powerful variants. The first one is the 180 PS (132 kW) TSI version and the second one is the 190 PS (140 kW) TDI unit. Volkswagen highlights that both powertrains have their “focus on efficiency and driving pleasure”.

How does the Touran benefit from the two new top-of-the-range engine options? First and foremost it gets significantly enhanced sporting character. For instance, the 1.8-litre TSI, which produces 180 PS is capable of achieving a top speed of 218 km/h and the maximum torque of 250 Nm between 1250 and 5000 rpm. In addition, the 1.8 TSI benefits from the 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The pricing starts at €34,250 and includes the Highline specification.

On the other hand the 2.0-litre TDI gains significant increase in performance: its 190 PS coming from the four-cylinder engine reaches a top speed of 220 km/h, but it still manages to consume just 4.6 litres per 100 kilometres. This variant in the Highline specification and equipped with 6-speed DSG has a starting price at €37,150.

Volkswagen Touran Side View

Extensive “Milano” Design Package

Besides the two powerful additions to the engine lineup, Volkswagen Touran will also benefit from the brand new pack for its interior, called “Milano” design package. Called “Milano” for a reason, this pack gives the Touran a “trace of Italian elegance”.

Precisely, it includes ambient lighting, roofliner in titanium black and “piano black” inlays for the centre console, the instrument panel and in the door panels. The centre seat panels have a volcano-brown “ArtVelours” micro fleece, while the seats and the steering wheel com in “Nappa” leather. By the way, the front seats also have heating function. If we got you interested, the “Milano” design package can be ordered for the Comfortline and Highline specifications and has a pricing of €1,675.

Source: Volkswagen

April 11, 2016

Red Sport 400, Performance Flagship of Infiniti Q50 Priced Below $50,000 USD

2016 Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400 Front View Infiniti’s Q50 performance flagship is called Red Sport 400 and it is now its time to go one sale in the United States. The offers are very seductive and start under $50,000 USD for both the rear-wheel and the all-wheel drive. But how will you benefit if you buy the new Q50 Red Sport 400?

First and foremost, we must highlight that this is the only car on the market with so much horsepower and priced under $50,000 USD. The 2016 Q50 Red Sport 400 has a sport-tuned, high-output 3.0 liter V6 twin turbo engine, which is rated at 400 horsepower (294 kW) and 474 Nm (350 lb-ft) of torque.

Additionally customers will enjoy wide variety of “performance-intensifying features” like the sport styled front fascia, the sport brakes with 4-piston front and 2-piston rear calipers, the sport-tuned Digital Dynamic Suspension and the new rack-based Electronic Power Steering. As an option, they can also opt for the Direct Adaptive Steering.

At no cost, the new drivers of the model will benefit from leather-appointed sport seats, aluminum-accented pedals and solid magnesium paddle shifters as well as exclusive Red Sport 400 brushed-finish exhaust tips. Not to mention the unique Red Sport 400 19-inch sport alloys as well as the chrome finished red “S” exterior sport badging on the trunk and front fenders.

An interesting fact is that the new VR-series engine family replaces the 3.7-liter VQ-series V6 in the Q50. Some of the key features for the Red Sport 400 version include a compact, lightweight aluminum-alloy engine block and cylinder heads, Gasoline Direct Injection system, improved turbine blade design, an optical turbo speed sensor, high capacity air-to-water intercooler system with dual water pumps, electronic wastegate actuator, e-motor valve timing control and an integrated exhaust manifold.

By the way, the 2016 Infiniti Q50 is also offered with three different powertrains, namely the 2.0-liter I4 Turbo, the 3.5-liter V6 hybrid and the 300 hp 3.0-liter V6 twin turbo unit. The Q50 2.0t and Q50 Hybrid Premium models have starting price at $33,950 USD, while the Q50 Hybrid Premium’s price tag begins at $47,050 USD. The newest 3.0-liter V6 twin-turbo equipped 3.0t model will have a pricing announced at a later time. And here are the details for the 2016 Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400.

Model	Engine/Drive	MSRP
Q50 Red Sport 400	3.0-liter V6 Twin Turbo / RWD	$47,950 USD
Q50 Red Sport 400 AWD	3.0-liter V6 Twin Turbo / AWD	$49,950 USD

Source: Infiniti

April 11, 2016

Tesla Model S Elizabeta is the Next Great Thing in LARTE Design’s Garage

Larte Design Tesla Model S Elizabeta Front View LARTE Design’s Tesla S Elizabeta is a project we have seen so far… but not in the form we are going to present it now. We have just received the latest photoshoot of the famous electric vehicle, which was additionally customized by the Russian-based tuner. You can enjoy the images from the so called “industrial” photoshoot in our gallery below.

And if we got your interest, here are the details about this special project. The current Elizabeta version by LARTE Design features amazing package, which comprises of unique front and rear bumpers. In addition, after further refinement of some details, the car has become more attractive. For instance, such parts are the fog lamps, which are no longer hidden behind the body parts.

There are three different materials that the kit can be made of and these include: composite material, composite material and additional carbon fiber details, and stronger and lightweight basalt fibers and carbon fiber details.

Larte Design Tesla Model S Elizabeta Side View

Depending on what material one chooses, there can be different changes included in the exterior. The carbon fiber details however are the following: attachments for fender flares and side sills, a trunk lid pad and a lightning-like inlay in the radiator grille, and a front lip spoiler and inserts for the rear bumper’s diffuser.

Elizabeta is a project which aims at creating a brand new visual appearance for the electric Model S. The designers at LARTE Design have managed to create lightning-like clear lines to highlight the sporty nature of the EV. In other words the custom kit of this car strives to deliver an image that symbolizes the art of “transformation, passion for self-expression and individuality”.

Source: Larte Design

April 8, 2016

Volvo And Its Plans About the Future of Autonomous Driving

2016 Volvo XC90 Volvo Cars, the premium Swedish automobile vehicle manufacturer plans to launch China’s most advanced autonomous driving experiment in which local drivers will try the car on public roads and put it to the test through numerous road situations.

Volvo team plans to include about 100 vehicles and to spend some months in negotiations with interested cities in China in order to choose the optimal conditions for tests. Also, the team believes that the introduction of the AD technology would dramatically reduce vehicle accidents, along with reduced pollution.

2016 Volvo XC90

As we have told you before, the Swedish company intends to reduce car accident injuries and death to the minimum by incorporating advanced technologies and safety features by the year 2020. And now, taking one step further, the team introduces the AD cars that promise high levels of safety.

Also, some recent researches reveal that AD vehicles have the potential to reduce the number of car accidents and also, in terms of congestion, AD machines reduce traffic congestion issues. How cool is that?

By all looks like Volvo team stays dedicated and consistent about delivering ever-evolving and more utilized vehicles. Hopefully, by 2020 we will witness the first ever vehicle that prevents every injury and fatal crashes.

2016 Volvo XC90

Source: Volvo

April 8, 2016

Rolls-Royce Black Badge: Taken to the Extremes

Rolls-Royce Black Badge is definitely a must-see vehicle. It is so special that it actually celebrates the fact of being most extreme edition in luxury company’s lineup. With it the brand is actually paying tribute to some other extremes from the company’s history. Since 1927 Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is based at its flagship showroom in Berkeley Square and for that amount of time it has seen a lot of extremes. Here are some of them.

First and foremost, the company is offering its customers literally unlimited options for personalization. This means that it allows the buyers to choose a car in a favorite exterior color. One of the most specific color schemes ever desired was a red exterior and a bubblegum pink interior. An interesting detail here is that the customer actually brought in a t-shirt that he wanted to match the pink color to.

The next position is for the tradition that Rolls-Royce has in making the delivery of the car a special occasion. In fact, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars London makes sure it is an occasion to remember, and takes the new owner through every aspect of their car. It is not a short process but a long one and it actually takes on average three hours for the introduction. Even more, at the end the owner even gets a gift specific to their car.

Number three: it takes five hours for each car to valet and get just right before it is sold. Under fourth position is the careful exterior painting that every Rolls-Royce car has. The exclusive mirror-like finish is achieved via the application of five layers of paint, which is a process that takes 7 days and uses over 100lb of paint.

The fifth “extreme” is probably my favorite and it is the starry sky. Called the “Starlight Headliner”, this is one of the most popular bespoke features in a modern Rolls-Royce. It comprises of 1340 individually hand-woven fibre-optics in the interior roof. The customers can even specify a specific constellation, which will be verified by a local observatory.

Rolls-Royce Black Badge is going to be revealed at company’s London showroom this July.

Source: Rolls-Royce

April 8, 2016

Renault Proudly Unveils the new Kadjar S Nav

Renault improves the acclaimed Kadjar lineup with the addition of the advanced Signature S Nav version and with the introduction of the 7-speed Dual Clutch automatic transmission, paired to a ENERGY TCe 130 engine.

Based on the Signature Nav version, the Signature S Nav includes full black leather upholstery with electrically-adjustable driver’s seat height and heated front seats, along with hands-free parking system, blind spot warning, rear parking camera and parking sensor to both the front and rear. Cool, right?

In terms of performance, buyers can choose between two diesel and one petrol unit, the automatic EDC or the manual gearbox and either two-wheel or four-wheel drive system. The available highly responsive 7-speed EDC gearbox and the new ENERGY TCe 130 unit allows buyers to experience smooth and intuitive driving experience, along with some efficient, yet powerful sporty feel.

Also, the additional equipment includes panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, hands free keycard, heated and folding door mirrors, R-Link 2 multimedia system with 7-inch touch screen, TomTom LIVE services with Western European mapping, Bluetooth and hands-free calls.

The Signature S Nav’s additional equipment builds upon an extensive specification that includes panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, hands free keycard, heated and folding door mirrors, R-Link 2 multimedia system with 7” touchscreen, TomTom® LIVE services with Western European mapping, Bluetooth® and hands-free calls and BOSE sound system.

Prices for the Renault Kadjar lineup start from $ 25,344 USD.

Source: Renault

April 8, 2016

Number of Female Drivers Increases. Here is What Lincoln Thinks About this Trend

As we all know, a female driver is disaster for some of us, for others it is a challenge and for Lincoln team it is a successful formula. According to recent analysis of IHS Automotive vehicle registration data, women are driving demand for brand’s latest vehicle models. Furthermore, in the last decade, Lincoln registrations among women have increases with the incredible 45 per cent.

Women buyers grew more than 11 times since the last 10 years, which is twice of the overall luxury segment. This growth, understandingly reflects women’s buying strength and overall increasing social status. Also, according to some recent researches, more than 9% of these women are university graduates with master’s degree. Sweet.

So, what does all this mean for Lincoln brand?

It looks like girls demand more refined looks. We all know that the soft gender doesn’t pay that much attention to technical specifications or performance rates, but loves the shiny and exclusive feel. Definitely driven by style and ambience, women are the new driving force in delivering improved and refined looks, combined with cozy interior ambience.

So, what do you think about all this “girl stuff” thing? What would you girls prefer you vehicle offers? Write down in the comment section!

Source: Lincoln

April 8, 2016

Category: Auto News

What we know so far

The New Engines

Extensive “Milano” Design Package

So, what does all this mean for Lincoln brand?