Automobiles Review – Page 586 – Car News, Car Reviews, Auto Shows, Car Photos, Car Videos

2014 Nissan Juke – Full Details

Nissan has officially unveiled the 2014 Juke Facelift. The compact crossover is now offered in a range of four exciting models – S, SV,SL and NISMO.

Each trim level is available in All-Wheel Drive or Front-Wheel Drive. Two new exterior colors, Red Alert and Bordeaux Black, are added for 2014, along with the continuation of the special Midnight Edition and Sport Package.

The Midnight Edition features unique 17” Black Wheels, a Sapphire Black rear roof spoiler, Sapphire Black mirror caps and privacy glass. The Sport Package includes a body-color rear spoiler, 17” aluminum-alloy wheels and stainless steel exhaust finisher. A Navigation Package is also available.

2014 Juke NISMO boasts a 1.6 liter DIG turbocharged engine with 197HP, a NISMO-tuned suspension, bold aerodynamic styling, deeply bolstered front seats, red accents and lightweight 18” aluminum-alloy wheels.

The interior features bolstered front seats, a wide instrument panel and a unique center console inspired by a motorcycle fuel tank and finished in a high-gloss paint. The gearshift sits on top of the console, inspired by sports car driver/shifter positioning.

There is also a unique element – Integrated Control (I-CON) system drive mode selector, which offers three different throttle/transmission/steering response settings – Normal for everyday driving, Sport for a more intense performance feel and Eco for maximum efficiency.

The standard JUKE interior features are a 6-way manual driver’s seat and 4-way manual front passenger seat, dual front and rear beverage holders, speed-sensitive automatic door locks, storage under the rear cargo floor (FWD models only), Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System, Interface System for iPod, and AM/FM/CD audio system with steering wheel controls. A Rockford Fosgate ecoPUNCH™ audio system is standard on SL models and available with the SV Navigation Package.

The options list include premium cloth fabrics, leather seats, heated front seats, RearView Monitor, Nissan Intelligent Key with Push Button Ignition, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, USB connector for iPod and other devices, power-sliding moonroof and privacy glass. Also available is the Nissan Navigation System 5.0” screen and NavTraffic with Real-Time Traffic Information (SiriusXM subscription required, sold separately). Three interior color treatments are offered: Black, Gray and Black/Red.

Source: Nissan

March 14, 2014

Nissan GT-R R36 will have 800HP

Here are some details of the upcoming 2016 Nissan GT-R (the R36 model). It is going to be a hybrid just like Porsche 918 and McLaren P1. 2016 Nissan GT-R is expected to have a total output of 800HP (588 kW).The drivetrain will include an updated version of the well-known VR38DETT 3.8 liter twin-turbo V6 engine, which currently powers the GT-R R35 and an electric motor. Of course, a KERS-like system will be installed thanks to Williams F1 Team.Some of the performance data includes 0-100 km/h in less than 2.7 seconds and ¼ mile in 10.0 seconds – flat. The top speed will be around 340 km/h (211 mph).The price tag will be between $120,000 and $150,000. Nowadays, the top-of-range GT-R Nismo is priced at $149,990.Stay tuned for more official information and pictures!

March 14, 2014

2015 BMW M4 Convertible at the 2014 New York Auto Show

BMW will officially exhibit the 2015 M4 Convertible at this year’s New York Auto Show. Other cars on display will be the all-new X4 as well as the 4-Series Gran Coupe, X3 Facelift and the Alpina B6 Gran Coupe.2015 BMW M4 Convertible F83 will use the same drivetrain like the M4 Coupe and M3 Sedan – a 3.0 liter TwinPower Turbo Inline six-cylinder – 431HP (317 kW) at 5,500RPM and 550Nm (406 lb-ft) at 1,850RPM. The engine is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard. 0-100 km/h in 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) or an optional 280 km/h (174 mph). The acceleration is even better, when fitted with the optional 7-speed ///M DCT – 4.1 seconds to 100 km/h. The fuel consumption will be probably a little bigger compared to 8.8 l / 100 km for M3 and M4.As a reminder the 2015 BMW M3 Sedan F80 is priced from $62,000 and the M4 Coupe has a base price of $64,200. The Convertible will be a little bit more expensive.Stay tuned for official information and pictures!

March 14, 2014

2015 Opel Astra OPC Extreme [video]

Opel has released a promotional video clip for the all-new Astra OPC Extreme. The super powerful hot hatchback comes with extreme aerodynamics package and a lot of power under the hood.

The radical Astra is actually going into production sometime in next year. Some of the highlights include a carbon fiber hood, roof and wheels. There are also sport front seats, a safety rollcage and a carbon fiber-reinforced steering wheel and Schroth 6-point safety belts.

The 2.0 liter turbocharged gasoline engine has 300HP (225 kW). It is connected to a 6-speed manual gearbox sending the power to an LSD (limited-slip differential) at the front wheels. 0-100 km/h in 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) – electronically limited. There is also a Brembo 6-piston brake system with 370mm front discs sitting behind the 19” alloy wheels fitted with specially developed 245/35 tires.

Enjoy!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMkEjc8CBTM

Source: Opel

March 14, 2014

DMC Ferrari Berlinetta F12 SPIA Spotted In Hong Kong

The luxury tuning experts at DMC are now gaining popularity in China, and the proof for this is that a DMC Ferrari Berlinetta F12 SPIA was recently spotted in Hong Kong and captured by the photo wizard Linus Lam.

The DMC F12 SPIA has unique white exterior, which makes perfect contrast to the DMC carbon fiber kit which was installed at a later time. In fact, the refinement gives the Ferrari even more aggressive look and improved aerodynamics.

To go into details, the front diffuser was substituted with a prominent new lip splitter. The latter extends the car and also enhances its road stability. Next, the front hood was entirely replaced with a carbon fiber version. An optional roof scoop is also visible here and it definitely contributes towards DMC’s F12 bolder appearance.

What is more, the extended side skirts add to improved road stability, because they utilize a pair of diffuser plates. They also feature flaps which go in harmony with those found on the front diffuser. The trunk has received a 599XX spoiler wing, which goes well along with the newly designed rear diffuser.

Inside, the package is finalized with an interior refinement. DMC has used here Italy’s finest leathers and carbon finer. Plenty of buttons and trims and a redesigned steering wheel are also present.

Source: DMC

March 14, 2014

Datsun Teases New Production Model For Russia [VIDEO]

The first Datsun production car designed specifically for the Russian market is going to be unveiled on 4th of April in Moscow. Ahead of the debut of the car, the brand has released an animated sketch-video which gives very good hints of its exterior characteristics.

The launch of the brand in Russia is significant for the global expansion of the brand. Whats I more, it is the first time in company’s history, that the Datsun has been officially introduced to Russia.

There hasn’t been much revealed about the car, except for a promised engaging driving experience, peace of mind ownership and accessibility at the right and transparent price, with a competitive Total Cost of Ownership. The car was designed in Japan, while its manufacturing was carried out locally by an international team of engineers.

The name of the vehicle, as well as more details around it will be officially released after the debut. Take a look below to get an idea of new Datsun’s car design.

httpv://youtu.be/CEU8n_DnNIQ

Video Source: YouTube

Source: Datsun

March 14, 2014

Kamui Kobayashi Drives Caterham Seven 620R At Silverstone [VIDEO]

Caterham just released an interesting video, showing its new F1 Team boy – Kamui Kobayashi. In the video you can see how the racer warmed up for the first Grand Prix of the season in Australia by making his first ever drive of the Caterham Seven 620R.

Just as a reminder, the 620R is the most powerful “Seven” built by the brand. It is capable of producing 310 hp (228 kW) and has a top speed of 155 mph. The acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h is rated here less than 2.8 seconds.

The video below documents how Kobayashi is making his first Seven drive, but what is more important it also captures the thoughts on the iconic British sportscar. And from what we are hearing, the car certainly made an impression on the 27-year old, who dubbed the 620R as “pure car”.

He also disclosed that it took him only one corner, to understand the car straight away. The racer was also impressed by the power of the 620R, being the closest thing to a race car (but street legal) that he has ever driven. See for yourselves:

httpv://youtu.be/ho8otFpsGYA

Video Source: YouTube

Source: Caterham

March 14, 2014

New MINI Cooper Hatch Shows Contemporary Evolution Of Classic Design

The iconic MINI Hatch has been built up completely anew from the ground up. Although it keeps its emblematic design cues, every component has been back to the drawing board with the aim to enhance its function, performance and style.

The result is that the new MINI includes major improvements in technology, engine efficiency and power delivery, driving dynamics, quality and personalisation. Next to the fact that the new hatch is quieter than the outgoing model, it is also more spacious and safer than before.

The dimensions of the new model are the following: 3,821mm length (MINI Cooper S is 3,850mm), 1,727mm width and 1,414mm height. In general, this makes it 98mm longer, 44mm wider and 7mm taller than its predecessor. The wheelbase has been extended by 28mm, while the track width has been enlarged at the front by 42mm and at the rear by 34mm.

The traditional exterior design of the car has been kept, we can still see a slightly refined the hexagonal contour of the radiator grille, circular headlights, ‘side scuttle’ indicator surrounds, upright rear light clusters and black lower body edging. What is new here: the LED headlamps and tail-lights, surrounded by an LED daylight driving ring.

As mentioned, the interior is spacious than before due to the larger dimensions. In addition, the horizontal structure of the cockpit is linked to circular and elliptical details. At its heart is the instrument cluster on the steering column. Speed, revs and fuel level are displayed on vertically arranged circular dials. A 8.8 inch TFT display is also positioned on the dashboard.

Controller or MINI Touch Controller, fitted in the centre console work together with the MINI Visual Boost Radio or the MINI Navigation System. LED lighting around the new central instrument provides visual feedback to the current driving situations.

In terms of engines, MINI has features an entirely new powertrains, each featuring MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology: three-cylinder petrol, four-cylinder petrol and three-cylinder diesel engine. Details are listed in the table below:

Engine		MINI One Hatch	MINI One D Hatch	MINI Cooper Hatch	MINI Cooper D Hatch	MINI Cooper S Hatch
Type/no. of cylinders/valves		in-line / 3 / 4	in-line / 3 / 4	in-line / 3 / 4	in-line / 3 / 4	in-line / 4 / 4
Capacity	cc	1198	1496	1499	1496	1998
Bore/stroke	mm	78.0 / 83.6	78 / 83.	82.0 / 94.6	84.0 / 90.0	82.0 / 94.6
Compression	:1	11	16.5	11.0	16.5	11.0
Output	kW/hp	75 / 102	70 / 95	100 / 136	85 / 116	141 / 192
at engine speed	rpm	4250 – 6000	4000	4500 – 6000	4000	4700 – 6000
Torque (with overboost)	Nm	180	220	220)	270	280
at engine speed	rpm	1400-4000	1750 – 2250	1250 – 4000	1750	1250 – 4750

As a standard, the units are fitted with the six-speed manual transmission, while six-speed automatic and six-speed sports automatic transmissions come as an option.

MINI Hatch will also sport an optimized suspension, which has been enhanced via a new single-joint spring strut axle at the front and a multi-link axle at the rear. All improvements are made with the aim to intensify MINI’s ‘go-kart’ handling responses. Also new to the car is the optional Variable Damper Control.

MINI Cooper Hatch and MINI Cooper D Hatch ride on 15-inch forged light alloy wheels, while the MINI Cooper S Hatch is fitted with 16-inch light alloy wheels as standard. Debuting on the hatch are the following technologies: the optional MINI Head-Up-Display, Driving Assistant option with collision and pedestrian warning system, a rear view camera and parking assistant, ABS anti-lock brakes, electronic brake force distribution (EBD), cornering brake control (CBC) with brake assistant, the driving stability control system (DSC), drive-off assistant, brake dry function, fading brake support and dynamic traction control (DTC).

2014 MINI Cooper Hatches will be available in dealerships from tomorrow.

Source: MINI

March 14, 2014

2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 – Grip Problem

A very strange problem occurred with the all-new 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z28. As we well know, the performance car is extremely fast, so fast even that it provides more traction than the wheels can handle.

The engineers noticed that the wheels rotate inside the tire, which kind of unexpected challenge that requires fast thinking. Obviously the main reason are brakes, which provide excessive stopping power.

“We were told to build a fast car – period,” commented Mark Stielow, Camaro Z/28 program manager and pro-touring expert.

“We knew on Day One we’d need to bring some of the best suppliers onboard to make it happen.”, he added.

Some of the suppliers included Pirelli and its P Zero™ Trofeo R tires and Brembo for carbon-ceramic brake rotors. The Trofeo R tires have a track-oriented tread design and compound that, together with the carbon-ceramic rotors, help the Z28 achieve up to 1.5 g in deceleration force.

It was a perfect combination, but engineers quickly found that when the Z28’s capability was tested, the wheels were rotating – slipping – inside the tires. They sought the root of the problem by marking one of the Pirelli P Zero™ Trofeo R tires at the beginning of a lap with a chalk line relative to the valve stem on the wheel. At the end of the lap, they recorded where the chalk line ended up and noticed the tire had rotated at least a full 360 degrees from where they started.

The solution was media blasting, which involves shooting a gritty material through an air gun at the wheel’s surface, adding texture to the paint for the tire to grip.

Source: Chevrolet

March 13, 2014

Nissan GT-R AMS Alpha 7 vs GT-R AMS Alpha 12+

Dragtimesinfo has published on Youtube a video showing two super-fast tuned Nissan GT-Rs against each other. The first is a GT-R AMS Alpha A7 with 700HP and the second is the well-known GT-R AMS Alpha 12+ driven by Yuriy with whopping 1700HP.

In the first start, The Alpha A7 managed to clock 11.061 seconds with 207 km/h at ¼ mile and 27.851 seconds with 294 km/h at 1 mile mark, while the Yuriy’s monster finished in 22.239 seconds with 366 km/h.

The Alpha A7 made the second start alone and the times were the same – 11.108 seconds with 208 km/h at ¼ mile and 27.854 seconds with 293 km/h at 1 mile.

Enjoy!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3AoJKkYsjg

Source: Dragtimesinfo

March 13, 2014

2014 Seat Leon Sports Styling Kit

Seat has announced a special sport body kit for the 3- and 5-door Leon. The hatchback comes with a number of styling upgrades improving its unique styling.

The kit is the work of SEAT’s design studio in Martorell, and comprises a new front bumper including revised fog lamps, side sills, roof spoiler, and a rear bumper that includes a contrasting black ‘diffuser’ and incorporates twin sports exhaust pipes.

In addition, the kit is complemented beautifully by a set of 19” Sports wheels, available now in either black or silver from the official SEAT Accessories catalogue.

Designed to perfectly complement the lines and curves of the SEAT Leon, the Sports Styling Kit visually lowers the car, giving it a more aggressive stance from any angle. Every part has been designed to avoid looking incongruous when fitted alone.

The Sports Styling Kit can be fitted on S,SE and FR trim levels.

Ordered alone, the prices for the kit’s constituent parts are as follows:

Front bumper: £1,500
Rear bumper: £975
Rear roof spoiler: £399
Side skirts: £645
Twin sports exhaust: £480
Alloy wheels: £999

All prices include VAT, painting and fitting at an approved SEAT dealership.

Source: Seat

March 13, 2014

Alfa Romeo 4C Safety Car for 2014 WTCC

Alfa Romeo 4C immediately became one of the most appreciated cars on the market. What is more, the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) chosen it to be a Safety Car during the races. Last week, BMW has introduced the M4 MotoGP Safety Car for this season and now the small Alfa Romeo 4C will take its duties.

The first appearance during a race will be on April 12^th – the first round of the season at Moulay El Hassan Circuit of Marrakech in Morocco.

As a reminder, the 2013 Alfa Romeo 4C is powered by a 1.8 liter turbocharged petrol with 240HP (177 kW) at 6,000RPM and 350Nm (258 lb-ft) at 2,000RPM of torque. The engine is connected to a dual-clutch transmission. 0-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 258 km/h (160 mph). It will average 6.8 liters / 100 km (41.5 mpg UK) with CO2 emissions of 157 g/km. All these figures are thanks to the super-low weight of 4C – just 895kg (1973 lb).

The 4C was also named “Most Beautiful Car of 2013” at the 29^th International Automobile Festival of Paris.

The complete 2014 FIA WTCC schedule follows:

12-13 April Morocco Moulay El Hassan Circuit
19-20 April France Paul Ricard Circuit
3-4 May Hungary Hungaroring
10-11 May Slovakia Slovakia Ring
24-25 May Austria Salzburgring
7-8 June Russia Moscow Raceway
21-22 June Belgium Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
2-3 August Argentina Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo
13-14 September United States Sonoma Raceway
11-12 October China Shanghai International Circuit
25-26 October Japan Japan
14-16 November Macau Da Guia Circuit

Source: Alfa Romeo

March 13, 2014

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