Automobiles Review – Page 585 – Car News, Car Reviews, Auto Shows, Car Photos, Car Videos

2014 Renault Trafic

Renault has unveiled the all-new 2014 Trafic, which is expected to hit the market this summer. The vehicle is available in 270 variants and share the same platform with the 2014 Opel Vivaro.

The exterior looks a lot better than before as the front incorporates bigger, more upright logo that is emblematic of Renault’s new brand identity. Its stance is forceful and dynamic, while its wide, slender headlights give it an expressive look, and the more sloping windscreen results in a clear division with the bonnet. A wide and assertive air intake and a body-coloured trim strip between the two grilles produce a lighter feel. Sharper lines make the vehicle’s silhouette more dynamic than before, whilst the sturdiness that Trafic customers have come to expect have been retained courtesy of a protective, wrap-around front bumper.

With All-New Trafic, Renault has capitalised upon its wealth of experience in the LCV segment to offer a genuine user-friendly van that is modern and comfortable, responding ever-more closely to the needs of customers and actively contributing to the success of their business.

The engine is a newly developed 1.6 liter four-cylinder dCi offering up to 15 % more efficiency – 39 mpg US or 47 mpg UK – 6.0 liters / 100 km.

2014 Renault Trafic benefits from the knowledge and expertise of some 1,800 men and women at the Sandouville factory, which has hitherto focused on high-end passenger cars. To relocate the van’s production to France, the factory underwent significant transformation work thanks to an investment of more than €230 million.

Source: Renault

March 18, 2014

Jaguar XK66 Special Edition Is Limited To German Only

2014 Jaguar XK66 Special Edition comes to celebrate 66th anniversary of the XK120 model. To be more precise, the latter was launched in 1948 at the motor show in London. The special edition XK66 vehicle will be launched in Germany and limited strictly to its market.

As one can already guess from the name, the car will be produced only in 66 units. Jaguar also revealed that this special edition will be based on the standard XK and will include 5.0-liter naturally-aspirated V8 powertrain that develops 380 hp (280 kW).

What is more, XK66 will be produced in two variants: coupe and cabriolet, while the color choices offered are limited to just two: British Racing Green and Stratus. Unique about the model are the black Union Jack emblems and chrome mirror caps.

The car will be running on 20-inch Orona polished alloy wheels, and if the cabrio variant has been chosen, than the customers will get a beige or black fabric roof. The interior of this Jaguar includes “XK66 One of 66” plate and aluminum shift paddles.

The leather choices are one in Warm Charcoal with Ivory contrast stitching or in Caramel soft grain leather with Warm Charcoal contrast stitching. In addition, customers will also get tire pressuring monitoring system, adaptive headlights and rearview camera.

2014 Jaguar XK66 Special Edition will go on sale in May with a starting price of €99,380.

Source: Jaguar

March 18, 2014

2014 Opel Vivaro

Opel has unveiled the facelifted 2014 Vivaro, which will cross swords with the 2014 Renault Trafic also announced today. 2014 Opel Vivaro comes with a lot of styling improvements and a new engine.

The exterior boasts a big front grille flanked by restyled headlights, gloss black mouldings and chrome accents. There will be three trim levels and customers will be able to choose from two lengths and two roof heights. In other words, the possibilities are exceptional, because you can create the right vehicle for your needs. There are also 11 exterior colors – 5 solid and 6 two-coat metallic as well as special hues for special versions.

The engine is a new 1.6 liter CDTI four-cylinder, which will be able to return 47 mpg UK or 39 mpg US – 6.0 liters / 100 km. There is also an advanced 1.6 BiTurbo CDTI with sequential turbocharging and a twin-cooler system. This gives the new edition of Opel’s successful all-rounder top values in its vehicle class.

“The second generation Opel Vivaro distinguishes itself with its superb practicality and quality. After 13 successful years on the market, we wanted to make the all-new Vivaro’s packaging even more attractive while raising the standard of its core capabilities,” commented Mark Adams, Opel Design Vice President, describing the design team’s task.

“The new Vivaro showcases sculptural artistry and German precision with sweeping sculptural design accents, bold proportions and premium accents. This gives it a sharpened and more refined character, making it the ideal mobile business card.”, he finished.

Source: Opel

March 18, 2014

Aston Martin Shows Full Potential On Ice [VIDEO]

The video you can watch below depicts Aston Martin’s launch of company’s first ice driving program in North America. It was hosted at Crested Butte, Colorado and through it the brand is aiming to provide customers with the ultimate driving experience on ice and to experience the full potential of the Aston Martin range.

The ice track in the heart of the Colorado Rocky Mountains was specifically custom built for the occasion as you can see in the footage from the event. The bespoke track comprises of a braking/cornering exercise loop, slalom, skid pad and full circuit.

With the help of experts, the participants were guided through the facility, embarking upon a series of braking, cornering and handling exercises before putting their skills to the test on a mile-long frozen road course.

The unique ice driving event adds to company’s portfolio of bespoke driving experiences offered in the U.S., which in particular include a Route of the Rockies drive and range of experiences offered around Pebble Beach Automotive Week. Both events are happening this summer.

httpv://youtu.be/TUd9tm1YOLY

Video Source: YouTube

Source: Aston Martin

March 18, 2014

1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL AMG

RM Auctions will sale a super-rare 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL AMG. The Gullwing will be auctioned the beginning of May in Monaco. There are totally eleven 300 SL AMG cars – 8 Gullwings and 3 Roadsters.

The 1954 Mercedes 300 SL AMG is powered by a V8 6.0 liter engine with 380HP (283 kW) and 578Nm (427 lb-ft) of torque, instead of the original straight-six. Other upgrade include a five-link arrangement together with Bilstein shock absorbers and a set of AMG alloy wheels. There is also a 4-speed automatic transmission, disc brakes and power steering.

The interior boasts Nappa leather upholstery and an Alcantara trim. AMG also installed a HWA steering wheel and a lot of carbon fiber elements as well as a Sony CD changer. Last, but not least is the electronic display replacing the original 300 SL instruments.

1954

Source: RM Auctions

March 17, 2014

Lada Granta TC1 Take Place in 2014 WTCC

Lada will take place in the 2014 WTCC with the all-new Granta TC1 Race Car.

The Russian automaker entered in this competition for the first time in 2008 with two 110 models. For this year, there are three Granta TC1 Race cars, which will be driven by Rob Huff, James Thompson and Mikhail Kozlovskiy. The best result of Lada was last year when Thompson finished 5^th place at home in Russia.

2014 Lada Granta TC1 Race Car is powered by a 1.6 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 380HP (283 kW). There is also an aggressive and wide body kit with extended wheel arches and updated aerodynamics including a different rear wing. There is also a set of 18” alloy wheels fitted with track tires as well as a sports suspension sitting 20mm closer to the ground. The curb weight is just 1,150 kg (2,535 lbs), which is 50kg lighter than its predecessor.

Source: Lada

March 17, 2014

Nissan GT-R Nismo N-Attack Package [video]

Nissan has published a video with some testing of the GT-R R35 Nismo fitted with the N-Attack Package at Fuji Speedway. The sports car managed to stop the clock at 7 minutes and 8 seconds round Nurburgring.

The GT-R Nismo N-Attack comes with four-way Ohlins adjustable dampers along with some aerodynamic improvements and pieces making the sports car go faster around the corners. There is a minor weight reduction, front limited-slip differential, carbon plate rear limited-slip differential, dedicated intercooler piping made from carbon and aluminum, as well as a different engine control management and traction control management. The manufacturer is also offering a titanium exhaust system as an option.

Other highlights include a big rear wing with carbon hood, carbon front fenders and an add-on spoiler.

The interior features Recaro full bucket seats with a carbon shell and a carbon rear bulkhead and a rear seat finisher.

The engine is the well-known 3.8 liter twin-turbo V6 tuned to 600HP (441 kW).

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGyHLkPPhfI#t=131

Source: Nissan

March 17, 2014

Tesla Model S Performance – US Price $205,820

Tesla Model S could be actually pretty expensive, especially if you go for the tuned version by T Sportline. The overall price is whopping $205,820, which means upgrades for $82,050.

The modifications include a set of 21” forged wheels for $7,500 and another $5,250 for complete carbon fiber body kit – a new front and rear bumper extensions as well as a trunk lip spoiler.

The electric car also comes with a 3M wrap for $6,000 and tinted windows for $1,500 from the same company. The bespoke upholstery costs mind-blowing $25 large and the sound system is another $9,500.

Tuning is expensive, but these figures are just mad. You can tune your car with quality parts for a lot less than that and the result won’t be worse!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mDKFrSe9mc

Source: T Sportline

March 17, 2014

Vorsteiner Introduces McLaren MP4-VX In Volcano Orange

The exceptional tuning company Vorsteiner has just unveiled a striking Volcano Orange McLaren MP4-12C which was enhanced with tuner’s full MP4-VX package. The MP4-12C is alone a breath-taking vehicle, powered by 3.8 L V8 twin turbo McLaren M838T engine coupled with 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. It is one of the most wanted spuercar in the world and now for those lucky to afford it, Vorsteiner has prepared some intriguing optimizations.

To be more precise, this McLaren model is capable of producing 625 horsepower (460 kW) and accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in the mere 3.1 seconds. The top speed here is electronically limited up to 329 km/h (204 mph). The MP4-12C achieves 11.7 L/100 km fuel consumption on avarage and delivers CO2 emissions of 279 g/km.

To go straight to the facts, when this McLaren fell in the hands of the specialists, it first got a full carbon front bumper with integrated PDC (Parking Distance Control) Sensors and Headlight Washer. At the rear, a new bumper with the same sensors is to be found, while at the sides one can see side sill extension blades.

The stunning Volcano Orange exterior paint scheme is perfectly complemented by the design of the Sport Multi-Piece Forged VSM-311 Wheels on which the car runs. They come in dimension of 20x9J and 21×12.5J at the front and rear, respectively, while fitting effortlessly over the enormous 14.6-inch rotors.

The unique wheels were then coupled with Pirelli P Zero Nero tyres in sizes 255/30/20 at the front and 375/20/21 at the rear. What is left unsaid is that the choice of the wheel finish is Matte Black Face complemented by Volcano Orange Reverse Lip.

Source: Vorsteiner

March 17, 2014

Mopar Shows Dodge Dart Pro Stock Ready For NHRA Gatornationals

Dodge Dart is Mopar’s latest Pro Stock class vehicle, which made its public debut at the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Gatornationals this weekend. The model was developed on a virtual platform with the utilization of production-based technologies and many techniques typically used in the development of the street vehicles.

This Mopar enhanced Dart was then tested and validated with the aerodynamic wind tunnel, and eventually has made its first test runs at Bradenton Motorsports Park. This made the car perfectly ready to arrive in Gainesville for the third national event on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag racing season.

In fact, two Dodge Dart cars made their competition debut this weekend. With its new Dart, Mopar is proving for another time its motorsports credentials. In addition, the HEMI- powered Dodge Dart also carries the “Magneti Marelli Quality Auto Parts Offered by Mopar” label in order to celebrate the partnership between Mopar and Magneti Marelli.

GEN II 426 Race HEMI ‘Elephant’ paint scheme was also revealed on Hagan’s DSR Dodge Charger R/T in order to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Mopar’s commitment to professional motorsports competition. Since the beginning, the brand has achieved numerous accomplishment of breaking many speed and performance barriers.

Source: Dodge

March 17, 2014

Kahn Land Rover Defender 2.2 TDCI SW 90 Chelsea Wide Track Edition

The latest addition in the garage of the luxury tuning experts at A. Kahn Design is the refined Land Rover Defender 2.2 TDCI SW 90 Chelsea Wide Track Edition. The vehicle looks amazing and is characterized by fine detailing, one-off design, cutting-edge technologies and volcanic black satin livery.

The individuality of the vehicle is achieved through the addition of a styling package which comprises of front and rear wide wings with integrated vents and bolt apertures, Kahn six speed automatic gearbox conversion, extended wheel arches, Chelsea Truck Company Spare wheel cover, side vents and bonnet vents with mesh stainless steel.

What adds to the exclusivity of this model is the 20 inch Kahn Mondial wheels that are decided in volcanic black with diamond cut finish. Furthermore, the exterior package of this Land Rover adds the front X-Lander grille with two headlamp surrounds.

Inside is continued the individual approach of the design via hand crafted body hugging seats in quilted and perforated leather, billet and leather steering wheel, Harris tweed inserts and sharp instrumentation.

Source: A. Kahn Design

March 17, 2014

Nissan Teases New Sedan Concept With First Image

Auto China 2014 will begin on 20th of April in Beijing, where Nissan will make a debut of a new sedan concept. At the show, the visitors will also see the BladeGlider concept, making its Chinese debut, a special Teana model, celebrating its 10th anniversary in China, and many innovations, including the Autonomous Drive car. In addition, the all-new X-Trail and the new NV200 Xtronic transmission, are also expected to be presented at the show.

Last week Nissan only announced that it is going to make the world premiere of the new sedan concept vehicle. Now the brand is releasing the first teaser image of the brand new model and we are expecting more news to come in the forthcoming days ahead of the show. At Auto Shanghai 2013, the brand revealed Friend-ME concept, and from what we can see from the teaser, we can surely tell that the new sedan concept will be its evolution.

Friend-ME has provocative design and connectivity features. What was striking in it’s the vehicle’s interior design was the one-off centre console that stretched from the dash to between the rear seats. The new sedan concept was specifically created for the Chinese digital lifestyle and it comes to express Nissan’s passion and focus in the world’s most dynamic auto market.

Another debut in China will make the BladeGlider concept and if you have seen it, you can undoubtedly tell it is unique. It has one-of-a-kind center seat driver position, it is highly aerodynamic, and delivers road-hugging agility and hyper-efficiency.

Teana 10th Anniversary Special Edition model will commemorate the 10th birthday of the model being present at the Chinese market. On the other hand the X-Trail will also be shown, and will be equipped with wide range of convenient features such as large console box for gear and flexible seating, spinal support seats, Active Trace Control and 4x4i drive system, with Hill Start Assist, Advance Hill Descent Control and Yaw Moment Control.

Source: Nissan

March 17, 2014

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