Auto News – Page 389 – Automobiles Review

Dodge Viper Documentary

The people at Dodge have released a great new documentary on the iconic Viper, called “Viper: DNA of a Supercar”. The documentary, which can be seen at driverSRT.com/2015/viper/documentary, looks at the creation and production of the Viper, and the care that goes into creating each component of the vehicle. The film has been created to celebrate the fifth generation Dodge Viper SRT, which was released in late 2012. The new 2015 Viper will add incredible features to the impressive model, including an all-aluminum 8.4-liter V-10 engine which offers an incredible 645 horsepower and 600 lb.-ft of torque, which is the highest level of torque offered by any other naturally aspirated sports cars in the world.

“The Dodge Viper is a precision-handcrafted machine expressively built to stimulate all the senses of an enthusiast’s soul,” said Tim Kuniskis, President and CEO, Dodge and SRT, FCA North America. “It’s not widely known what it takes to create this supercar, including the 140 to 160 hours to hand paint each Viper, so we produced the film to show what sets the Viper apart from everything else in its segment.”

The “Viper: DNA of a Supercar” explores the drama and passion that has inspired engineers, designers and craftspeople in the automotive industry. With incredible focus, resolve and expertise, the documentary shows how each component is crafted with incredible care. There are a variety of interesting facts elaborated on in the documentary, including the fact that it takes over 3,700 separate and unique components to put together the Viper, yet remains super light with an incredible 48 percent of the exterior being designed with super light, carbon fiber which leads to an incredible structural integrity.

To offer incredible drama, the interior of “the Viper has been crafted with over 90 percent of the finest, hand-wrapped leather”, Earnhardt Dodge. The exterior boasts an extraordinary attention to detail, with over 150 man hours taken to achieve the highest quality paint finish.

The film, which shows every phase of the Viper’s design process from beginning to end, elaborates on the incredible care taken in assembling every component of the assembly process. The Viper is one of the few custom-built vehicles in the world, and is created with exceptional craftsmanship and distinguishes the Viper as one of the highest quality vehicles in the world. The film will be available to Viper and Dodge fans ever, where it will be released across multiple social media channels.

January 23, 2015

Importance of Tire Pressure

It is easy to overlook your tires during the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Between getting the kids in the car, buying gas, getting the kids out of the car, and getting yourself to work, it is easy to find yourself doing the bare minimum when it comes to weekly or monthly car maintenance. However, if you find yourself overlooking regular maintenance of your tires, you need to figure out how to set aside a chunk of your day each week to look after your tires and check their pressure.

Tire pressure measures the amount of air within the vehicle’s tires, and is measured in pounds per square inch (psi). To check the pressure, you need to have an electronic tire pressure gauge, which will give you an instant reading as to their psi. Keeping up with your tire pressure is a crucial maintenance task, as the tires are quite possibly the most important aspect of your car to keep you safe. If the tire pressure of your vehicle is off, even by a few pounds, it can affect your ability to brake, as well as the stability of your car and the fuel efficiency during your daily commute. Incorrect pressure can also, in the worst-case scenario, can lead to tire failure which could cause an accident, putting you and your passengers at risk.

Ken Garff Dodge states, “the incorrect psi can affect your vehicle and tires in a number of ways, depending on whether the psi is too high or too low.” A psi that is to high creates less of a grip on the road, and can cause your vehicle to bounce more violently over every bump and leading to a less enjoyable, smooth ride. If your tires are not touching the ground correctly because the psi is too high, the traction of your vehicle lessens, which can create issues with the responsiveness of your brakes. Alternately, if your tire is too low in psi, too much of the tire will be touching the ground, which will lead to an increase in friction. This friction will encourage your tires to heat up, which will consistently wear away at the tread and lead to a tire that does not work correctly.

It is important to check your tire pressure weekly, so that you can consistently keep tabs on the effectiveness of your brakes. If you find yourself consistently having to add air to your tires, you will know that there is something wrong with the tire itself, and can proactively take it to the mechanic and have it fixed. You owe it to yourself and your passengers to consistently check the pressure of your tires, as the outcome can not only affect the enjoyability of your ride, but the safety of you and your passengers.

January 23, 2015

Rowan Atkinson Selling his McLaren F1 for £8 Million

Rowan Atkinson, most-commonly known as Mr.Bean, has decided to “break up” with his splendid McLaren F1. The end of the “affair” is marked by the screaming sum of £8 million for which the vehicle is being sold by luxury dealer Taylor & Crawley based in London.

The 60-year-old actor bought the sports car back in 1997 for £640,000. Taking into consideration the current price tag, the initial price seems ridiculous. Atkinson’s ultra-rare F1 arrives with a chassis number 61. This McLaren F1 is powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine that delivers a 627 bhp. This is enough to accelerate car from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.2 seconds, reaching 241mph.

However, Rowan Atkinson has had two accidents with the super-automotive-machine. The first one happened in 2009 and was not that serious unlike the second one that occurred in August 2011. The actor loses control of his vehicle while driving on a slippery road close to Peterborough. Luckily, he escapes the accident without any severe injuries.

In an interview for Telegraph, the actor points out that; “The whole point of the car, the thing no-one ever writes about, is you don’t need to go to the Stelvio Pass or the Nurburgring to enjoy it. It’s so quiet, so comfortable that you can use it – and enjoy it – on any journey. Most of the miles I have done it in are journeys you might do in any other car – going to Sainsburys or doing the school run.”

Source: Telegraph

January 23, 2015

BMW and Volkswagen to Install 100 High-speed Charging Stations

Two automotive giants, BMW and Volkswagen, are teaming up to install a network of 100 high-speed charging stations by ChargePoint on the east and west coasts of the US. They will be open to all electric vehicles which are fitted with the standard SAE J1772 or CHAdeMO plug.

Addressing one of the biggest issues related to electric cars, precisely, the lack of enough chargers, the manufacturers mentioned above are in fact trying to fix the unpleasant current situation. Is this a subtle way, though, of promoting their electric models and making more customers buy them? Or is this just an idea born out of pure intentions concerned with the convenience of driving? It does not really matter when drivers are the ones who will benefit a lot thanks to the easier charging which will be provided.

BMW and Volkswagen are inspired by Tesla Motors since it has its own network of high-speed chargers in the Northeast corridor and in California. Still, its proprietary technology can be used by Tesla cars only which is quite inconvenient really, isn’t it?

Planning to build one charging point every 50 miles or so, Volkswagen and BMW will provide each station with two 50 kW DC or 24 kW DC fast chargers. Such machines are only available in 120 spots among the 20,000 ChargePoint locations across the country.

The successful implementation of this plan would bring easy access to fast, public charging points. As a result, traveling in an electric car, like the BMW i3 for instance, would be as pleasant and smooth as traveling in any other gas-powered vehicle.

Source: engadget

January 23, 2015

Eibach Pro-Lift-Kit Gives Modern SUVs Absolute Optimization

Eibach Pro-Kit Performance Springs are the choice number one of many automotive enthusiasts around the globe. It offers not only aggressively good-looking modifications but also dramatic high performance improvements which add a pinch of progressiveness and exhilarating excellence. For the time being, Audi Sport benefits from Eibach Race Spring System for the DTM and R8LMS Ultra race cars but a lot of SUVs are also optimized thanks to the Eibach Pro-Kits.

One of the most significant aspects is the enhanced off-road behavior of SUVs achieved by using the Eibach goodies. For instance, the Pro-Lift-Kit increases chassis clearance by approximately 30 mm which, respectively, results in better off-road capabilities. What is more, the use of a 4WD and the right tires will give the car more solid and secure presence, thus, enabling drivers to enjoy more than just fun off-road experience.

In an interview regarding the new Eibach Performance Pro-Lift-Kit, says that it features Performance Lift Sprints while adapted shock absorbers are placed in the pipeline.

For now, the new kit is available for models like BMW X3 and X4, Dacia Duster, Hyundai iX35 and Santa Fe, Kia Sorento and Sportage, Renault Cap, Nissan Quashqai and X-Trail as well as for Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class and Jeep Cherokee (on the picture).

Pro-Lift-Kit Offers:

top-performance handling
increase of ride height up to 30 mm (depending on car model)
excellent ride quality
perpetuation of suspension behavior

Source: Eibach

January 23, 2015

RevoZport Mercedes CLA45 AMG With a Spicy Trailer [VIDEO]

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give the RevoZport 9 for quality production and design. But when it comes to creativity and a sense of how to promote a certain model, on a scale of 1 to 10 again, I give them… 11! Everyone loves pumped up cars, but what men love even more is a pumped up bimbo. The combination of such automobile and such artificially “improved” female version of a human being results in a devastating spiciness which might cause one or two heart-attacks if people are not careful enough.

When talking about Mercedes-Benz CLA45, the first thing that comes to mind is a powerful vision. Tuned by RevoZport, this automotive machine transforms into madness mixed with a subtle tone of sexy appeal. In order to underline the ultimate level of attractiveness as well as the tempting character of the RevoZport Mercedes-Benz CLA45, the tuning company has come up with a spicy video.

It features a blonde girl installing rear diffuser, side skirts, and front splitter in a manner that looks more like testing men’s power of resistance and control.

The seductive styling package, I am talking about the tuning parts for the Mercedes-Benz CLA now, includes add-on front lip with canards to generate more down force, side skirts, a lightweight carbon bonnet, rear diffuser, carbon fiber underspoiler and a GT style rear wing. The choice of red color for this particular video is another trick used to complement the hot atmosphere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FpntR1x1ko

Video Source: Vivid Racing via Youtube

January 23, 2015

BYD Tang Hybrid SUV with Two Special Versions

Chinese manufacturer BYD has finally revealed specifications about the all-new Tang hybrid SUV which can already be purchased. The key goal in the production of this vehicle was to upgrade energy-saving and non-polluting technologies inside as well as outside.

The automotive machine takes its power from a hybrid system which features a 2.0-liter turbo petrol engine with 205 HP (150 kW) and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of maximum torque, two electric motors, each producing 150 HP (110 kW) and 200 Nm (147 lb-ft) of torque mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox. The combined power output is estimated at 505 HP (371 kW) and 720 Nm (531 lb-ft) of torque. This enables the 2015 BYD Tang to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (0-100 km/h) in just 4.9 seconds. Quoting the company, the average fuel consumption is less than 2 liters per 100 km.

This is not all. BYD has presented two special models, based on the Tang. They are called the Limited (98 units) and Ultimate Edition (200 units) and arrive with notable performance as well as interior improvements. Precisely, BYD Tang Limited version benefits from red alloy wheels and unique interior. The price of this model is 48,256 USD (41,629 EUR). BYD Tang Ultimate Edition, on the other hand, is even crazier and arrives with a wide sporty body kit for 96,530 USD (83,370 EUR). But why double the price? Because this model is 0.5 seconds faster in the 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) sprint than the standard variant.

If you are wondering about the name, according to BYD, the Tang is borrowed from “the Tang Dynasty”, that is most commonly known as “the most prosperous of all the great Chinese Dynasties”.

Source: BYD

January 23, 2015

Liberty Walk Lamborghini Huracan Brings The Sound of Extreme Power

When it comes to mind-blowing, unconventional, crazy super cars transformations, there is not better tuner than the Japanese company named Liberty Walk. Their “in-your-face” modified vehicles dazzle with outlandish appearance and screaming performance. Such creations are simple impossible to be left unnoticed.

Today, the guys from Liberty Walk shared first images of the upcoming Lamborghini Huracan project and it seems determined to rule the automotive world! The computer renderings depict a white Huracan with very aggressively-looking wide body kit. It is comprised of a reworked front bumper, new rear diffusor, extremely large fender arches and big skirts adorning the sides.

Liberty Walk gives the car a set of new multi-spoke black alloys, while a tweaked suspension might be included too. There are no other details regarding the Liberty Walk Lamborghini Huracan but we expect it to be equipped with a custom exhaust system too which should happily fill your ears with the sound of extreme power.

Nevertheless, one thing is for sure – the tuned Lamborghini Huracan will be able to offer more than just an amazing driving experience, while providing an even greater breadth of dynamic capability.

Source: Liberty Walk

January 22, 2015

BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benefit from AEZ Straight

AEZ have released their latest alloy wheels, dubbed Straight. The manufacturer mixes exclusive two-color design with uncompromising quality in order to craft out one of its best products ever!

On the familiar BMW M4 we can see something less familiar which turns the vehicle into an automotive weapon loaded with additional complimentary style and presence. The new AEZ Straight borrows its name from the game of poker and successfully manages to transforms “any car into a jackpot.”

Exhibiting strong effectiveness produced by the interaction between dark and polished surfaces, the 10-spoke layout puts emphasis on the most distinguishable and key aspects of a certain model. Thanks to the fashionable look carried by Straight, Audi, BMW and Mercedes cars are given an opportunity to enhance their appearance and stance. For instance, the alloys are able to underscore the best of the sporty and aggressive character of the A4, A5 or A6 models, while underlining the confident stance of the 3, 4, or 5 BMW and adorning the dynamic nature of the Mercedes-Benz CLS, C- and E-class automobiles.

Having a few more aces up their sleeves, the AEZ designers made the Straight alloy wheels more flexible and gave them one-sided accompanying edges which lend the struts more asymmetrical appearance for bigger visual excitement.

Finally, the wheel set in question comes in sizes 5×17, 8,0×18 (4 holes) and 7,5×17, 8,0×18, 8,5×19, 9,5×19, 8,5×20, 9,5×20 (5 holes). What is more, “with its ten spokes, eight dimensions and three color variants, it reaches Black Jack’s 21!”

Source: AEZ

January 22, 2015

2016 Honda Pilot Teases With Revamped Silhouette

Honda announced that the all-new Honda Pilot will make its premiere at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show next month. To spice things up a bit, the automaker also revealed a rendering of the new vehicle.

2016 Honda Pilot is said to be completely reworked in order to bring optimized comfort, and hopefully less awkward and ugly design. Being able to offer seats for up to eight people, the new model obviously focuses on comfort, flexibility and spaciousness. It is true that “graceful” is not a word that can be used to describe the previous Pilot but this time around, the automaker promises to give us something better, different and more attractive.

As you can see from the teaser image, the silhouette seems to be more flowing and not as sharp as what’s come before. Hopefully this time the sweeping lines and not so pointy angles will help the new model stand out from the growing crowds of crossovers.

Apart from the picture, Honda hasn’t revealed any other specific details about the new Honda Pilot. Nevertheless, the crossover is expected to receive a V6 3.5-liter direct-injection engine as well as a pack of the latest and most advanced technologies. An estimated output is that of around 310 bhp (231 kW).

More information is yet to be revealed. Meanwhile you can check out 2015 Honda Pilot Special Edition and 2012 Honda Pilot and see if you can compare them to what we have of the upcoming model.

Source: Honda

January 22, 2015

1955 Volkswagen Type 2 Samba Microbus Auctioned

Going under the hammer at Silverstone Auctions’ Race Retro Sale next month, a truly unique 1955 Volkswagen Type 2 Samba Microbus will once again remind people about its amazing story!

Beautiful and rare, this Samba Microbus is historically important due to its Volkswagen legacy in the UK. It is believed to be the first, the oldest and the only surviving example of the Volkswagen Type 2 Samba in the country. The Microbus was delivered new on the 21st November 1955 by John Colborne-Barber, the founder of the first ever VW dealership in the UK.

The campervan was kept by Mr. Colborne-Barber until the early 1960’s. After its disappearance, according to Silverstone Auctions, the ‘SGP 62’ was found once again in 1992 in the West Country after 30 years in storage. It has been comprehensively restored to its initial condition with only a few extra safety and convenience features added, while the original appearance has been retained completely.

In terms of equipment, the 1955 Volkswagen Type 2 Samba Microbus arrives with a new bespoke period-correct Devon interior, which is a copy of the same design enjoyed by the Colborne family. Rare items such as Osokool fridge and Dudley stove are in perfect condition. Additionally, the vehicle has a certificate from the Stiftung Auto Museum Volkswagen which confirms its authenticity and a personal letter from Mr. Colborne-Baber’s son regarding the bus.

This precious piece of history is hugely popular among collectors. Silverstone Auctions estimates its price between £70,000 and £75,000 and will present the vehicle at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire on the 21st and 22nd of February.

Source: Silverstone Auctions

January 22, 2015

Porsche Macan: Tiger in Sheep’s Clothing by 2M-DESIGNS

Often car owners are concerned with questions regarding their car paint and its protection. Repainting the the vehicle all over again is, of course, an option to give it a fresh look but it in many cases it is an extreme final decision. In such situations the Augsburg 2M-Designs company comes to the rescue. People who work there are experts when it comes to car wrapping-related questions. It does not matter whether mat, high polish, metallic, pearl effect, flip-flop or structure foils are being used. They can wrap it all and inject a new life into the automobile.

Now, the attention of 2M-Designs has been directed towards Porsche Macan. Originally, the name of this model has Indonesian roots and it is translated as “tiger”. Looking at this model, one can notice the obvious contours of a predator. With such aggressively-shaped headlights it almost feels like the Macan is staring right back at you, waiting for the perfect moment to attack. The centurion light gray wrapping has several layers of different foils and an integrated “Porsche” logo which further highlight the appearance of the SUV.

This splendid work on the 2M-Designs Porsche Macan the result of the co-operation with the Stuttgart MTCHBX Designs company.

The wrapping in centurion light gray has the price tag of 2,799 Euro, adding the rear lamps optics costs 349 Euro. Other design touches demand another 799 Euro. On top of this, 2M-Designs is also developing a power improvement module. There isn’t any information about it yet but it is said to be presented in February 01^st 2015 and can be purchased for 1,099 Euro.

Source: Miranda-Media

January 22, 2015

Category: Auto News