Automobiles Review – Page 626 – Car News, Car Reviews, Auto Shows, Car Photos, Car Videos

2014 BMW M3 and M4 – 431HP and 550Nm

The eagerly awaited 2014 BMW M3 Sedan and M4 Coupe have finally been revealed. Both performance cars will make their public debut at the 2014 NAIAS in Detroit, next month.

The most important feature is the engine – 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 new M3 and M4 are able to cover 100 km with just 8.8 liters of fuel in the combined cycle with the manual transmission and 8.3 liter with the DCT.

Other highlights include a modified MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension by using lightweight components. Both cars ride 18” alloy wheels fitted with 255/40 R18 front and 275/40 R18 rear tires, while there is a set of 19” rims available as an option.The manufacturer will also offer ///M carbon ceramic brake system.

BMW M engineers have paid particular attention to the car’s aerodynamic performance, and incorporated the latest Active M Differential amongst numerous other technical highlights. During the development process the engineers worked closely with BMW Motorsport’s professional racing drivers, with extensive testing and set-up work carried out on the Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCCYvqi2dv0

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk9dooI1UhE

Source: BMW

December 12, 2013

Romeo Ferraris Performance Boost For Toyota GT86

Romeo-Ferraris-Toyota-GT86-shadow Romeo-Ferraris-Toyota-GT86-medium Alright, picture the following: a couple of years ago you bought a Toyota GT86. At the time it was an affordable RWD car with the right weight distribution and enough power to go sideways. An obvious choice for a gearhead, because that’s essentially the formula reserved for supercars. But now you find yourself in the position of wanting more. Not much more though. Just that extra bit of something to spice things up.

How about a tune up then? Let’s see. Oh, Romeo Ferraris here might have what you are looking for! The Toyota GT86 before you bares a performance kit consisting of a supercharger and an intercooler. After strapping them onto the flat-four Toyota engine, the guys from Romeo Ferraris played around with the ECU and eventually the GT86 yielded 258 hp and more than 260 N/m of torque. That’s a surplus of almost 80 hp and 60 Nm.

There’s not much else out of order with it. Have to keep that low center of gravity in check!

Here’s a video of the finished product guzzling down petrol on a dyno. See if you can detect a distinctiveness of the soundtrack.

httpv://youtu.be/FSaWpWZG5xE

Source: Romeo Ferraris

December 12, 2013

2014 BMW X1 – Minor Updates

BMW will bring the facelifted 2014 X1 at the North American International Auto Show. The compact BMW X1 is raising the standard for this segment even higher with eye-catching exterior accents, a more refined interior ambience and innovative equipment features.

The exterior boasts standard DRLs and 17” alloy wheels with a V-spoke design. There is also a new Sparkling Brown metallic paint. The interior features an instrument cluster visor that is covered in a new soft-touch material for the xLine, Sport Line and M Sport models. There is also a stainless steel tailgate sill and three new interior trims: high-gloss black, matte coral red and pearl-gloss chrome.

Among the new services offered for the BMW X1 are Online Entertainment and the ECO PRO Analyser.

Source: BMW

December 12, 2013

2014 Renault Megane Coupe-Cabriolet facelift

The new 2014 Renault Megane Coupe-Cabriolet looks really hot. It boasts some nice stylish updates and improved interior.

2014 Megane Coupe-Cabriolet continues to be equipped with the coupe segment’s biggest panoramic glass roof. With the top down, the vehicle ensures an inimitable open-air experience without the drawbacks.

Its standard fixed glass wind deflector, which is unique in the segment, minimises turbulence to provide maximum comfort for four passengers when travelling at speeds of up to 90 km/h (54 mph). New Megane Coupe-Cabriolet can also be ordered with an optional removable mesh deflector screen that allows two occupants traveling alone to benefit from extra protection against buffeting at all speeds.

The connected Renault R-Link multimedia system is now available for Megane Coupe-Cabriolet, either as an option or as standard equipment in certain models. This fully-connected system comes with a smart, chrome-trimmed 7” display which functions in association with a centre console-mounted joystick.

Source: Renault

December 12, 2013

Capristo With Another Ferrari 458 Spider

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There doesn’t seem to be something out of the ordinary with this Capristo Ferrari 458 Spider. Yes, it’s shockingly yellow, but there are no bumpers, or skirts, or diffusers, or wings, stuff that you’d normally find on an after market product. It is an universal truth that the 458 needs little improvement, yet this one does sport a few changes here and there.

Take the engine cover/lid for example – its entirely new. Capristo’s reasoning is that the standard one is too obstructive, hindering the vista of the glorious V8 that hides underneath. This one, as you can see, is rather transparent. Not only that but it now has more vents and bigger air-scoops for an increased stream of cooling air. You’d think that a Ferrari doesn’t need any adjustments in the thermodynamic compartment, but there might be some logic behind the Capristo 458’s flamboyant ports. See, the Sundern-based company also bolted on a bigger airbox from “baked carbon” which, supposedly, increases the torque with 25 Nm.

Add to that a custom-made exhaust system, and you have a brilliantly sounding yellow jacket that stings with 562 hp and 565 Nm. Ouch!

This is not the first time Capristo have enhanced a 458 Spider with their idea of an engine cover

Source: Capristo

December 12, 2013

Custom Made 2014 ROUSH Ford Mustang Stage 3 Still Hot

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Despite all the hubbub around the brand-new Mustang 2015, we shouldn’t be ruling out the “old” pony just yet. Here’s an example of how mental it can be, especially in the hands of ROUSH. This is a one-off, custom Ford, made to fit the customer’s fancy. Those red motifs and that red-star – not really vinyl livery, but actual paint. Pretty neat, huh?

Let’s start from the beginning. This is a 2014 ROUSH Ford Mustang Stage 3 with the optional Ford Racing “Aluminator” engine. It is the perfect ideal onto which ROUSH have strapped an Eaton TVS R2300 supercharger and an in-house “high-efficiency” intercooler. After the appropriate calibrating of the ECU this stang should be having around 625 hp or even 675 if they’ve gone all the way.

Stage 3 also means that the chassis has been completely overhauled – new custom-valved front and rear shock absorbers, TrakPak coil-overs specifically opted by the customer and the biggest brakes (six-piston calipers) they could fit. The Mustang’s manners on the track should be further improved because of the stiffer front stabilizer bar and the rear anti-wheel hop upper control arm. Weather for aerodynamic efficiency or pure flamboyancy, the ROUSH “R6” Aerobody package is also present.

Inside, we can clearly see two Recaro sports seats at the front and … none at the back. Instead, ROUSH has provided an X-brave for even more rigidity of the body.

Source: ROUSH via Facebook

December 12, 2013

Volvo Tease The Concept XC Coupe Ahead Of NAIAS

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First there was the Volvo Concept Coupé, and it was very good. Now, or in a month or so later, we get to meet the second of three design studies that are based on the Swedish company’s Scalable Product Architecture – it’s the Volvo Concept XC Coupé. Before its world première on the 13th of January at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), here are some pictures and a video to get the main idea behind it.

Volvo say that the purpose of this particular concept is to showcase how the company’s famous safety technology can go hand-in-hand with the contemporary Scandinavian active lifestyle. It’s a Volvo with a ski-box. We see what you did there.

If we have to be honest, the XC looks like an uncanny merging of the Volvo Concept Coupé and the back end of a Volvo C30. It is obviously going to be an SUV-ish type of thing (hence the X in the name). Maybe Volvo also want a piece of the sub-compact pie? We are looking at you, Volkswagen and Audi.

More (if not all) information on the Volvo Concept XC Coupe will be available on the 8th of January.

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httpv://youtu.be/P6cOJxGGuzg

Source: Volvo

December 11, 2013

Honda Release A Sketchy Teaser For The Brand-new Ridgeline

Honda-Ridgeline-teaser-shadow Honda-Ridgeline-teaser-medium

In mid 2014, the production of the exclusively made in Lincoln, Alabama Honda Ridgeline will be coming to an end. In “less then two years”, however, there’s going to be a successor and today we get to have a glimpse at its styling direction. Despite being a Honda, the Ridgeline has always been thoroughly American. The new one is the brainchild of the company’s Los Angeles and Ohio R&D centres. Looking at the “sketch” provided, we can safely conclude: it’s a pickup truck, no surprises then.

To be fair, the current one, with its flaring C-pillars, tries too hard to differentiate itself from the mainstream. That might have something to do with the Ridgeline’s unique closed-box unibody platform. Our guess is that they are going to stick to that structure, but at least the new one seems to have a nice vertical cut where the cabin ends and the bed begins. In fact, if nobody told had us that this silhouette belonged to a Honda, we might have dismissed it for an F-150.

Honda might have been encouraged to update the model due to the success of the current one. There has been a 29 percent increase in sales for the first eleven months of this year.

Source: Honda

December 11, 2013

2014 Vauxhall VXR8 GTS – Price £54,999

The new Vauxhall VXR8 GTS is the most powerful production car ever to emerge from Australia. It is priced at £54,999 in the UK and allows owners the least expensive membership into the 500+HP club.

The new VXR8 GTS is powered by a 6.2 liter LSA supercharged V8 – 576HP (426 kW) and 739Nm (545 lb-ft) of torque, which is 150HP and 190Nm more than the previous VXR8. 0-100 km/h in 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) – electronically limited.

To cater for the extra performance, the GTS is fitted with an all-new Brake-Torque Vectoring system that applies braking to the inside rear wheel and transfers torque to the outside rear wheel to reduce understeer during high-speed manoeuvres.

The GTS also receives the latest generation Magnetic Ride Control with three independent settings. Hardware and software improvements deliver greater body control, sharper handling and a significantly more pliant ride quality, compared with the outgoing model.

Source: Vauxhall

December 11, 2013

2014 Honda CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC – 3.6l / 100km

2014 Honda CR-V has achieved a sensation fuel consumption of just 3.6 liters per 100 km (77.86 mpg UK), which is almost a quarter more than its official quoted figure of 62.8 mpg UK. The compact crossover managed to cover 800 km/h (500 miles) with less than 30 liters of diesel.

The engine below the front hood is the well-known 1.6 liter i-DTEC 120HP (88 kW) at 4,000RPM and 300Nm (221 lb-ft) of torque at just 2,000RPM.

The CR-V was tested by the team behind the recent ‘MPG Marathon’ under the same rules and conditions as that event.

As in the MPG Marathon the car was driven by two independent drivers, John Kerswill and Ian McKean. Carried out over two days, the test covered 509.5 miles on a variety of roads and conditions and at speeds which represent real-world driving.

Honda’s 1.6 diesel engine is the first to be launched in Europe under its flagship Earth Dreams Technology environmental programme; offering customers an outstanding balance of high fuel economy, low emissions and dynamic performance.

Source: Honda

December 11, 2013

2014 BMW M3 and M4 [leak images]

BMW Blog has published a lot of leak images of the production ready 2014 BMW M3 and M4. The high-performance BMWs look really impressive.The all-new 2014 M3 Sedan boasts complete aerodynamics package, kidney grilles and beefy dual front air intakes. There is also a redesigned front hood featuring a power dome. Other highlights include twin five-spoke grey ///M alloy wheels and gold brake calipers. At the rear, there is a redesigned diffuser and quad sports exhaust system.The 2014 M4 has the same upgrades, but it also has a carbon fiber roof and is a lot more sleeker than its 4-door sibling.The interior of both is virtually the same – sports steering wheel and seats, high-quality leather all over the place and some carbon fiber accents.The most important is the 3.0 liter inline-six TwinPower Turbo engine – 430HP (316 kW) and 500Nm (369 lb-ft). The M3 is expected to weigh less than 1,500 kg (3,300 lbs), so it will be extremely fast.Stay tuned for full details!

December 11, 2013

2014 Infiniti Q50 – The Safest on the Road

2014 Infiniti Q50 has proved itself to have one of the most advanced standard fit collision avoidance systems. Together with its recently announced 5 star Euro NCAP rating the Infiniti Q50 is easily one of the safest cars on the road.

By using a highly specified radar system along with several cameras located around the vehicle to constantly monitor the vehicles surrounding area, many systems are able to combine together and reduce the risk of an accident ever taking place. Forward Emergency Braking is only one of many other features included in the optional Safety Pack:

Reversing (Back-up Collision Intervention). Detects moving vehicles and objects behind the car when reverse gear is selected, warning the driver with visual and audible alerts. If necessary the system can autonomously engage the brakes to avoid a collision.
Drifting out of lane (Lane Departure Warning and Lane Departure Prevention). Industry-first system senses unintended lane drift and assists the driver in guiding the vehicle back to the centre of its lane.
Moving into the path of another vehicle (Blind Spot Intervention and Blind Spot Warning). World-first technology aids the driver in avoiding vehicles concealed in the blind-spot area during lane-change manoeuvres.
Motorway hold-ups (Predictive Forward Collision Warning). Another world-first for Infiniti, PFCW warns the driver of hazards which lie beyond the driver’s field of view – seeing past not just the car in front but two cars ahead.
Low-speed manoeuvring in busy areas (Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection). Infiniti’s world-first real-time camera system provides a virtual 360 degree view of the environment around the car, with visual and audible warnings of hazards.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-X0IFXFUxY

As well as the availability of the most advanced safety systems, every Infiniti Q50 includes safety-oriented features such as:

Seat belt reminder system for all seats
Speed limiter
Active pop-up bonnet for pedestrian safety
Electronic Stability Control with Active Trace Control
LED fog lights front and rear
Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
Hill start assist
Six airbags
Rear view camera and front and rear parking sensors

Source: Infiniti

December 10, 2013