2016-vw-golf-gti-autobahn-performance-pack-2

2016 VW Golf GTI Autobahn Performance Pack – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

  It’s easy to love sports cars. They’re usually a ball to drive, fun to look at, and exist solely to make you happy. Who wouldn’t like that? Well, except that a sports car is a selfish thing. They usually seat only two. Or the rear seats are torture devices. They can ride harsh. They can be loud. Trunk space? Ha! As an only car, a sports car is best for the young and unencumbered. Otherwise you’ll need a second car. On roads clogged full of Sports Cars, Sedans, SUVs, CUVs and Trucks… …is a GTI the only vehicle you’ll ever need?The …

Keep reading

20161019_132419

2016 Ford Focus RS – Road Test Review – By Carl Malek

When Ford first unleashed the Focus RS back in 2002, it was a very tempting piece of forbidden fruit that was exclusive to European roads. 212 horsepower out of a highly-modified turbo Cosworth four ensured a firecracker of a car. The strong demand for this variant prompted Ford to launch a sequel in 2009 that made use of a Volvo designed 2.5 liter turbocharged five cylinder engine to produce just over 300 horsepower in a wrapper that was bolder and more aggressive looking than ever before. Unfortunately it remained out of reach for U.S. buyers who had to make do …

Keep reading

20161018_152628

2016 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider – Road Test Review – By Carl Malek

With the dust still settling on our review of the 2017 McLaren 570GT, it brings up a compelling question in our minds, is there such a thing as an “affordable” exotic car? The 2016 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider aims to be one of these cars, while also serving as the face of Alfa Romeo’s anticipated and often times delayed resurrection in the U.S. market. The 4C certainly has the bold styling, and Italian inspired flair that one expects out of an Alfa Romeo badged offering, but can it really succeed as an affordable alternative to the pricier established exotic car …

Keep reading

2017 McLaren 570GT- Road Test Review – By Carl Malek

VOLUME PLAY When McLaren first unleashed its “sports” series of automobiles several years ago, they not only represented the British supercar company’s push to add higher levels of drivability and “day to day usability” to its potent vehicle offerings, but also the firm’s desire to greatly increase its sales volume over the next few years. The 570S has certainly done a great job carving a niche for itself when compared to the pricier, and much-angrier 650S, thanks to its newfound levels of practicality as well as its lower pricing. However McLaren is always striving to constantly outdo itself, and has …

Keep reading

mo16_r181_028

1962 Ferrari 268 SP by Fantuzzi – RM Monterey 2016 Highlight

One of the first-ever midengine Ferrari racers went across the block in Cali this August. Looks like it was a no-sale, curiously. A high bar was surely set: we’d estimating the reserve was around $25-million.  Perhaps 35. So it is still seeking a new home.  Home for its freaky beauty, snarky nose intakes and special-prototype LMP1 provenance. Sold or not, we’re elated to see this 1962 268SP in the sunlight in all its glory. RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2016 Lot 240 1962 Ferrari 268 SP by Fantuzzi Chassis no. 0798 Engine no. 0798 Gearbox no. 6 Estimate Available Upon Request Please note that Internet …

Keep reading

2017 Jannarelly JD1 Arrives in USA! Rear-Engine and Road-Legal from $90k

Very exciting news today! The shockingly beautiful mid-engine Jannarelly JD1 is now in low-volume production, and coming to not just USA tracks near you… but also the roads there and back! This marks a big difference between Radical, Ariel and a few other boutique supercars.  The US market is both a holy grail and a huge barrier-to-entry in the supercar business.  If your car can’t be sold in the US, you have to cut volume projections in half. Thrilling news then that Jannarelly has a new US distributor established in VanDouble.  This Bedford Hills, New York firm promises hands-on help …

Keep reading

glm-g4-9

World Debut – 2016 GLM G4 is Four-Door HyperEV Out of Japan

One of the most stunning vehicles at the Paris motor show?  This unknown entry from a Japanese startup called GLM. Their debut model is dubbed the G4, an all-electric supersedan with stellar performance and untouchable style. Think of the size of a Lamborghini Huracan or Gallardo, but stretched lengthwise and integrating four doors.  Still an ultra-low roof and brutal, mid-engine proportions… but expressed for a new era.  This is a car that competes with the Tesla Model S, but is a cool half-foot shorter and far more extreme overall. The closest spritual predecessor of this model is surely the Fisker/VLF …

Keep reading

2016-bengala-f12-caballeria-8

2016 BENGALA F12 Caballeria Is All-Carbon Ferrari Style/Speed Upgrade

Delighted to see Bengala evolve from a design boutique into a proper supercar tuner! The Madrid-based firm just revealed its first serial production model.  But huge volume will never be the name of this high-dollar game. Nope, exclusivity is the core of the all-carbon Bengala upgrade suite.  Reiminaged panels, lighter weights and upgraded aero are all a huge part of the ten-unit run of F12 Caballerias that Bengala will produce this year. The design is wilder than stock, of course, thanks to heavily exaggerated swoops and airducts.  As though the original car were some kind of insane widebody — but …

Keep reading

1mdh16243

Paris Debut – 2018 Porsche PANAMERA 4 E-Hybrid

Official details today on the all-new Porsche plugin: the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid.  Quite striking how much the style of this new Panamera reflects the long-term vision shown in the firm’s latest concept Mission E. Still firmly room for a gasoline motor in this production iteration, but the cab-backward — yet forward-looking — style of all Porsches since day one appears more than intact for 2018. NEW HYBRID PANAMERA MODEL UNVEILED 08/09/16   Sustainability and performance – no contradiction for Porsche ATLANTA, Sept. 8, 2016 — The Paris Motor Show will see Porsche unveil the next model in the all-new Panamera line: the …

Keep reading

2017 FIAT 124 Spider – Road Test Review – By Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman

From 1966 through 1978 the Fiat 124 Spider roamed the streets of America, and Europe, and became an icon of a classic, affordable, Pininfarina designed Italian two-seat roadster.  Light and agile, with decent performance, the car appealed to iconoclastic drivers who wanted something different than the heavy muscle cars of the era, and when most Japanese cars looked like the boxes that their parts came in. On the downside, they were much like their British counterparts of the time, like MG’s and Triumphs, in that they weren’t very reliable.  In those days, it was joked that Fiat stood for “Fix …

Keep reading

Best of Paris 2016 – Renault TREZOR Concept in 66 Photos + Video

The most breathtaking silhouette of the year? With a one-piece front clamshell door rising proudly to greet you?  Its unique and ultra-flowing fades versus firm, artless lines. The Trezor concept is a car whose beauty makes one sit down, suddenly weak in the knees. Luckily for us, this vehicle will be the guiding light in next-gen Renault designs.  Which are a bit in need of passion these days.     Concept Car Embodies French Design and Easy Life The TREZOR marks the beginning of a new cycle of development that explores design language and technologies for Renault’s upcoming models. The warm styling and …

Keep reading

2016-vision-mercedes-maybach-6-concept-15

2016 Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 – Paris Debut GALLERY + Render

I love this car.  I love its viciously post-modern take on a low-drag monstercar. The design is quite spectacular, if overshadowed by its final finishing.  Imagine this machine without red wheels, blasting by you in the fastlane… just a lightbar *flash* and it’s gone from view in front.  2016 Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 – Paris Debut GALLERY Study of an ultra-stylish luxury-class coupé: The ultimate in luxury: Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Stuttgart/Pebble Beach. Every August classic car fans from around the world converge on Pebble Beach in California for a very special beauty contest. This gathering of magnificent classic cars is the perfect …

Keep reading

2017-laferrari-aperta-5

2017 LaFerrari APERTA Goes Topless in Paris

First live look at the hottest topless Ferrari in decades! A softtop and carbon hardtop panel are both provided to the very select owners of this new LaFerrari Aperta.  Chassis stiffness and aero upgrades ensure the same performance as the hardtop variant… but now with added aural pleasure included — gratis. The exclusivity of the model will also provide some added value to its buyers.  No production cap is cited yet by Ferrari, but is likely to be less than a tenth of the 500-plus production run of the LaFerrari so far.  A one-model-year offering is a sure thing, just …

Keep reading

m2-lightweight-19

2016 BMW M2 By Lightweight – 690 Pound-Feet, 185MPH!

„LW M2“ by LIGHTWEIGHT Photos: Jordi Miranda LIGHTWEIGHT in Mittenaar is deeply committed to the slogan „Innovations are generated from passion rather than satisfaction“. The company’s name portrays their program, because weight reduction – for example by a titanium exhaust system in combination with a performance upgrade – provides minimal weight and maximum performance. The LIGHTWEIGHT team led by Managing Director Marc MÜLLER chose a BMW M2 in order to optimize its weight and performance. For starters, the original version of this vehicle already comes with a mighty engine. As of now the dynamic BMW – referred to as LW …

Keep reading

carrera-s_3

McChip-DKR 2017 Porsche 911 Scores Value-Priced Turbo ECU Reflash

Rare to have the same exact thought about tuning a Porsche versus tuning a Ferrari!  But indeed, this new McChip 911 takes a similar path to extra oomph. The intro of turbo power for many previously-atmospheric supercars presents a huge new opportunity for tuning boutiques.  Upgraded sound and boost make a huge dose of adrenaline on throttle for this Porsche. McChip-DKR Porsche 911 MCCHIP-DKR AND ITS INCREDIBLE VERSION OF A PORSCHE 991 CARRERA S 3.0 Photos: mcchip-dkr GmbH & Co. KG Mcchip-dkr is well-known for operating an ultramodern research and development center for chip tuning in Mechernich, located southwest of the …

Keep reading

3-Second VW? OCT Tuning Liberates 450HP from GOLF 7 R

The new Golf R is so fast and hilarious in Race mode that we noted many times how strong its engine felt in the first-drive video below. If it “felt like 400HP” with just its stock 300 ponies, imagine how it must feel with a full 150 extra??!     450HP and 405-pound-feet of torque are confirmed from the dyno-honed outputs secured by German tuning boss OCT. 2016 OCT Tuning GOLF R   A MUSCLED BEAST powered by O.CT TUNING – THE GOLF VII R Photos: O.CT Oberscheider Tuning GmbH Since 1994 O.CT Tuning operates as its own department within …

Keep reading

FOSTLA.de 2017 Audi R8 V10 Plus – Sunflower Matte Metallic + Self-Healing XPEL

The new R8 is available in a comically small palette of factory colors.  About the hottest one is a dark army green… and that is saying something.  Yes, the blue and red and yellow shades are on the R8 builder, but they definitely lack that last bit of supercar punch. Enter the wrapping boutique Fostla.de — forever experimenting with the latest mirrored and color films for their chic clientelle. This new look is a stunner: sunflower matte metallic vinyl wrap, protected by a layer of XPEL film all around.  This keeps the finish perfect and also adds a bit of …

Keep reading

p16_0395_a4_rgb-copy

Paris Preview – 2018 Porsche PANAMERA 4 E-Hybrid

Official details today on the all-new Porsche plugin: the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid.  Quite striking how much the style of this new Panamera reflects the long-term vision shown in the firm’s latest concept Mission E. Still firmly room for a gasoline motor in this production iteration, but the cab-backward — yet forward-looking — style of all Porsches since day one appears more than intact for 2018. NEW HYBRID PANAMERA MODEL UNVEILED 08/09/16 Sustainability and performance – no contradiction for Porsche ATLANTA, Sept. 8, 2016 — The Paris Motor Show will see Porsche unveil the next model in the all-new Panamera line: the Panamera …

Keep reading

2016-audi-tt-coupe-1

2016 Audi TT Coupe 2.0T Quattro S-Tronic – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

The Audi TT has always been a bit of a head scratcher for us enthusiasts. When it first launched in the mid 1990’s, it was a visual stunner. And in many ways, it was the birth of the Audi cool that we have today. But there was a problem. As stylish and trendsetting as the TT was, it was not a sports car. And in the world of Porsche Boxsters and BMW Z4s, the TT was odd man out. When the second-gen TT bowed in 2006, it lost some of the groundbreaking style, but was well on the way to …

Keep reading

Just How Much Does it Cost to Own a Supercar? Scott Huntington Finds Out

You have the money, and the idea is slowly forming in your head — you want to buy a supercar. It doesn’t matter if it’s new or used, you just want to look amazing behind the wheel of a powerful machine. Don’t get stuck in daydream mode, though. Before you buy any supercar, you must make sure you can cover all the costs of ownership. That means oil changes, plugs, belts, clutches and the heavy hitter — insurance. Unfortunately, supercar maintenance is not too easy on the wallet. Have a look at what it costs to maintain three of the …

Keep reading

20160723_131211 copy

2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Final Edition (6MT) – Road Test Review – By Carl Malek   

EVO = “the gradual development of something, especially from a simple to a more complex form.” That definition best describes the Lancer Evolution, a car that originally started out life as the mediocre Lancer compact sedan, but would gradually transform into a performance car bargain thanks to the efforts of Mitsubishi engineers. Its rivalry with its Asian arch nemesis the Subaru WRX rewrote the performance car genre, and inspired other automakers to follow suit with entries such as the Dodge Neon SRT-4 (and its horrible follow up the Caliber SRT-4) the Ford Focus ST, and the Volkswagen Golf R. Sometimes …

Keep reading

2015 Mazda MX-5 Miata Track Day 17

Drive Review – 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata – by Ben Lewis

There are people out there not enamored by the all-new 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata. And you can include me. Well, sort of. Let me explain. First of all, a disclosure. A well-worn 1990 Miata lives in the Ben Lewis garage. I’ve had it over 15 years. And yes, it’s red. So I’m a fan. And when the Second Gen (NB to you and me) bowed in 1999, I liked it. But I was amazed that even though it only lost an inch of legroom, I didn’t fit comfortably. And really, I’m not that tall. I was personally happier when the …

Keep reading

2016 Lexus GSF - South Carolina Angel Oaks 6

Widescreen Gallery – 2016 Lexus GS-F Meets 1700s Carolina Angel Oaks

The spidery shadows of the Angel Oak Trees lining the Carolina coastline make for a cool respite from 330 sunny days a year.  That was their purpose, of course, when planted in neat rows on the major plantation driveways around Charleston. Bursting with leaves year-round, these trees even wear a layer of Spanish Moss to keep things cool — centuries before AC made this climate live-able for a Chicagoan like myself. The GS-F is quite a sight under the speckles of sunrays that can break through. The intricate grille detailing, purity of surfaces and absolutely perfect proportions on the wide-body …

Keep reading

2016 Lexus GS-F 1

Drive Review – 2016 Lexus GS-F – By Ben Lewis in Los Angeles

  Not Godzilla. More like T-Rex. To paraphrase Sally Field, “Lexus likes us. They really, really like us!” At least enough to let us spend some more time in the GS F. But we have some different perspective here, as this time, your humble scribe spent a week partaking in the GS here in sunny LA-LA land. And it ends up netting some mixed results. First, a quick rehash of the technical pleasantries. Like BMW’s M division, with models ranging between M235i’s and M2,3,4, and 5, there are F-Sport cars, and then there are F-Sport cars. F-sport is Lexus’ catch-all …

Keep reading

2016 Lexus GS-F – HD Road Test Review – F*** YES!

Nothing prepares you for the GS-F. Even after weeks of heated anticipation, the GS-F’s arrival out front dropped jaws. And whipped heads around with its sonics for anyone within a mile radius of the highest-performance Lexus four-door of all time. The GS-F introduction for the 2016 modelyear joins a comprehensive GS revamp of the tech, style and powertrains up and down the lineup. A new turbo four kicks off a nine-strong model range as the GS200t, while and this monster 467HP V8 tops the broad new GS offering.  F Sport upgrades for the GS200t, GS350 and GS450h are all available, with the middle …

Keep reading

2016 Mazda MX-5 Club 6MT 3

Road Test Review – 2016 Mazda MX-5 Club 6MT – By Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman

  In the spring of 1971, I was almost finished with my freshman year at the University of Iowa, and it was time for me to get my first new car.  My father and I were to split the cost.  His idea of the perfect car for me was a low mileage, 1969 Chevrolet Impala, 4-door.  And my idea was a 1971 MGB rag top.  While my friends were into muscle cars of the time like Mustangs, Camaros, Chargers and Barracudas, I was more interested in small British cars that, while not fast, were known for handling prowess, rather than …

Keep reading

Road Test Review – 2016 Jaguar F-Type R Convertible AMAZES Tim Esterdahl

Review: 2016 Jaguar F-Type R Convertible Amazes   A week behind the wheel of in the 2016 Jaguar F-Type – a $110k, 550HP, 2-door luxury/sports car convertible – brought about a lot of emotions like joy, exhilaration and amazement. Yet, one emotion stood out among all others. Happiness. Pure, unbridled happiness and the smile it brought lasted all week. This car, nah, mood changer really hits all the right marks.   The 2016 Jaguar F-Type convertible has been out for a while now and there has been plenty written on how it handles on the track, 0-60 times and its …

Keep reading

2015 Lexus RC350 F Sport Ultra White 44

Drive Review – 2016 Lexus RC200t F-Sport – By Ben Lewis

  Lexus’ new 2.0-liter turbo four cylinder continues to be a surprise to us. Like most premium manufacturers, the boosted four is the gateway drug to European-style performance while using less gas and polluting fewer carbons than traditional larger engines. In Toyota’s luxury division, we’ve had a mixed bag of results with this engine. We found it friendly and well suited to the NX Crossover, but lacked oomph and charisma in the IS200. Which then surprised us with how well it worked in the larger GS200 sedan, giving plenty of performance and a very luxurious demeanor. So the count is …

Keep reading

Track Test Review - 2015 Ford Mustang GT in 4K Video 4

2016 Ford Mustang GT Coupe – By Michael Hardy

The 2016 Mustang GT is a pure performance-inspiring sports car that delivers endless fun with copious amounts of horsepower. Ford definitely got the redesign correct as the mustang sits lower and wider than before helping it cut through the wind with precision and finesse. At just over 3700 pounds, the new pony car can handle its own in today’s sports car market. The 2016 Ford Mustang GT Interior When you step foot inside the newly designed cabin you are surrounded by the leather wrapped steering wheel with all the creature comfort buttons, like cruise, radio, and phone. The leather wrapped …

Keep reading

16HRD_Livery_R34-1fdzsbxc

VIDEO: 2017 Ford Focus RS RX – Project RX Episode 1 – Design and Development

            FORD PERFORMANCE RELEASES “PROJECT RX”: BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE FORD FOCUS RS RX DEVELOPMENT SUMMARY The Ford Focus RS RX was designed to be the ultimate rallycross vehicle in the FIA World Rallycross Championship. Collaborating with UK-based M-Sport and Hoonigan Racing Division, Ford Performance engineers implemented the same high-tech instruments and procedures used on production vehicles to develop the Focus RS RX for competition. The first of a four-part documentary, episode one of “Project RX” highlights the design and development of the vehicle between Ford Performance headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, and the M-Sport …

Keep reading

MSO Special! 1998 McLaren F1 #069 – Low Miles, Full Service History, CD Player

The opposite of most classified ads today from McLaren Special Operations! The final F1 hypercar masterpiece, chassis #069, is available to a new home.  This car is absolutely concours-flawless and has been maintained since new by the MSO Heritage center. They’ve spiffed it up to as-new condition.  This car was clearly owned by a VIP for its whole life, and the trappings all come along near 20 years later when it is sold almost as-new. Including the titanium toolkit, toolbox, custom luggage and many other goodies. Pricing is rumored to be a cool $3-million.  As the only way to own what is …

Keep reading

BEIJING 2016 – Analysis: State of the Chinese Car Industry + Top 12 Global-Brand Debuts

The Beijing Motor Show is the flagship event for the absolutely gigantic Chinese car market, and as such is a great barometer of how the industry there is evolving.  For many years, the narrative has been twin threads: — huge potential and rapid advancement from bicycles 25 years ago — shameless flouting of IP via copies of well-known brands and cars, right down to the smallest details. All executed in horrible fashion.  Door shutline gaps that could swallow a hand, paint mismatches, cabin gawps, weird detailing and — last but not least — some laughable names to English-speaking ears. Enter, …

Keep reading

2016 Lexus GS-F – GoPro Adventures! 3 Full-Throttle Drive Videos, LED Walkaround and Startup/Exhaust Note

Updated 4.29.16 We’re very aware that the HD drive reviews we post here are not world-class. Not anywhere close.  Sticking a GoPro up and heading out has basically been our gameplan.  The uploading the ginormous video files to YouTube virtually unedited whatsoever.  The real way to do this would be to do a script, many takes, and then refine it meticulously in the editing room.  By an expert editor. Alas, the videos so far have been more of ‘extra credit’ additions to written drive reviews. Then this GS-F came along, and we had to up our game.  Still no script …

Keep reading

$10 Grand Per Pound! 1968 Ferrari 275 GTS/4 NART Spider = 821 New Miatas?!

This Ferrari tops the estimate lists of the upcoming RM Sotheby’s auction in Monaco next month.  The experts predict a total of about 20-million Euros, which comes to about $23-million in US monies. The scale and performance of this V12 icon are remarkably close to a 2016 MX-5 Mazda Miata.  So we thought it would be fun to show how much each costs per pound.  The results are shocking, to say the least. First off, the Miata is about 12 bucks a pound.  It weighs 100 pounds more than the Ferrari, but costs only about $28k in total. If we …

Keep reading

HD Road Test Review – 2016 Jaguar XF 35t R-Sport RWD

Here is another new Jag that absolutely wallops the competition. Brutally competent.  Ruthlessly efficient.  Stylishly elegant. Very fast with a 5.2-second sprint to 60-mph, yet never too shouty about it. The new 2016 XF is stunningly good.  This mid-range model lives between the base Ingenium diesel here in the USA and the top XF S with its 380HP and sport exhaust. 340 ponies are always on tap thanks to the supercharged engine configuration.  Same goes for the worlds-best ZF eight-speed automatic.  And the lightweight, part-aluminum chassis that drops hundreds of Lbs versus its arch-rivals the 535i and Mercedes-Benz E350. How …

Keep reading

2016 McLaren 570S Coupe - XtremeXperience 11

First Track Drive – 2016 McLaren 570S Coupe at XtremeXperience (Plus Twin-Camera Video!)

  The new 570S was the most exciting sight of a day filled with exotic cars from XtremeXperience.  This team travels all over the midwest and east coast of the US making dreams come true with their supercar fleet. So getting fixated on one is not required, especially with their three-car drive special at discounted rates. But fixated, we were.  This 570S is all-new and the cheapest car McLaren has ever made. Yet skim the brochure and their is little to knock the kid brother down from its P1 and 650S siblings. Similar carbon-fiber chassis tub, similar lightweight bodywork and …

Keep reading

Lexus_IS_010_62C88270C6C32D2270252C72B585C55C9C00897C

2017 Lexus IS Preview – New Noses, Wilder F-Sport Upgrades and Quicker Sprint Pace

The new IS is half-way here!  The revised model just bowed in Beijing with fresh bumpers, lighting, transmissions and infotainment. Why half-way?  We have only seen a partial look so far at the new US-market IS based on this debut.  The IS shown here in F Sport guise is wearing China-exclusive LEDs that are not the design we’ll see stateside.  The other show vehicle in China shows the base IS face, with new arrowhead LEDs, a slice of LED inside the lamp itself, and projector-beam main lights.  All good stuff — especially as these new lights have auto highbeams — …

Keep reading

Road Test Review – 2016 Volkswagen Golf GTI Autobahn 6-Speed – By Tim Esterdahl

Review: 2016 VW Golf GTI Improves on Technology While Keeping Superb Drive While VW may be mired in a diesel scandal, this doesn’t mean the rest of their gas vehicles should be overlooked. A great example is the critically acclaimed 2016 VW Golf equipped with a turbocharged gasoline engine and featuring updated technology features. The big news for the 2016 VW Golf is all-new technology features found in a new 6.5” touchscreen infotainment screen and part of VW Car-Net. This was a big need in prior Golf vehicles and VW stepped up to fill this gap. The new touchscreen is …

Keep reading

2014 Alfieri Maserati Concept Pebble Beach 15

Maserati Embracing Aluminum for Production-Spec Alfieri? By Carl Malek

Reports from the inner confines of Maserati suggest that the Italian luxury car firm is seriously exploring the idea of a production version of the Alfieri! This concept first made its appearance a few years ago at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show in what would amount to an ambitious charge into the sports car segment. Designed to take on rivals such as the Jaguar F-Type, Porsche 911, and even the Nissan GT-R, the Alfieri is expected to ride on a more performance oriented version of the modular platform that is also used on the Ghibli. However, the Alfieri would be …

Keep reading

HD Road Test Review – 2016 Ford Mustang GT California Special (w/ Videos!)

    The Mustang GT Convertible had a hell of a week here at Car-Revs-Daily.com! First we shot photos of the pony-car icon alongside a LaFerrari, then took an epic road trip down to Botany Bay for yet more photos.  And some very exciting full-throttle videos, too! You would do the same when presented with a dream-car, right? This Mustang GT Cali Special is a life-changing vehicle.  One that is so outstandingly fun, sexy and playful that you gladly forgive its autobox spec and slight cowl shake over big bumps. Wind in your hair, V8 bellow in your ears…… is there any …

Keep reading

2016 Dodge Challenger RT Plum Crazy 18

Plum Crazy 2016 Dodge Challenger R/T – XtremeXperience Wet Track Laps Are Mesmerizing (w/ HD Video!)

It might seem unlikely to kick off a five-part article series about XtremeXperience supercar track days with the slowest, heaviest car in the pitlane. But anyone who has driven a Challenger R/T… a) in the rain or b) on a racetrack …knows that combining those two is a recipe for white knuckles, at the very least. And more likely, one of two endgames: a crawling pace or a big spin-out into the grass. And perhaps from there into a tire-lined safety fence beside the track. So this experience as the first outing of the day at Atlanta Motorsports Park left …

Keep reading

1959 Berkeley SE492 11

Kiawah 2016 Highlights – 1959 Berkeley SE492 – Micromini FWD English Roadster?!

It is difficult to describe how small this car is. The 1959 Berkeley Sports Twosome SE492 is about the size of a normal carnival bumper-car.  And perhaps only slightly larger than most PowerWheels children’s toys. Its 70-inch wheelbase meets extremely low and narrow overall dimensions — and is literally dwarfed by some of the bigger classic cars parked nearby. The concept of a lightweight and cheap English roadster was taken to new millimeter-small dimensions during the 1956-1960 production run of the Berkeley automotive venture. The engine of this SE492 is an air-cooled triple making just 30 horsepower. A four-speed automatic send …

Keep reading

1954 SIATA 200CS Balbo Coupe 15

Kiawah 2016 Highlights – 1954 SIATA 200CS Balbo Coupe – Inspired Design and Iconic Beauty

Here is a vehicle whose beauty is only surpassed by its rarity. The 1954 Siata Torino 200CS. It has the elegance of many Maserati’s, but also the purpose and aeronautical inspiration that made the Aston Martin DB3 and DB4 such hits.  And what is this!?  No cutlines whatsoever in the back bubble fastback?! Hidden headlamps? These might be the second-ever application of pop-up headlights since they made their first aero-inspired appearance in the Cord 810 of the 1930s.  The elegance of a pure, clean upper hood edge would come in vogue by the 1970s, and ride the wave through the …

Keep reading

Inferno Exotic Car Reventador MV1 CS Series_23311837763_o

2016 Inferno REVENTADOR – Nightmarish Lambo Reskin, Or Dreamy Hyperexotic?

This Inferno Reventador has been giving us nightmares for weeks every time the file folder is open.  Just the thumbnails are enough to make my skin crawl. But perhaps they make yours warm and tingly? The bodywork is said to be made of a “zinc aluminum foam” that claims to offers light weight and ballistics protection. We hate the idea of a gap-filler being used as a car body, but its need to be shaped rapidly does go one step beyond clay models used by many styling houses.  In reality, these shapes are likely cast in molds, like fiberglass, and …

Keep reading

2016 Porsche Panamera GTS 14

First Drive Gallery – 2016 Porsche Panamera GTS

We mis-spoke when saying on GS-F videos last week that the Lexus was the only naturally-aspirated, rear-drive super-sedan on the market! There is one big daddy to contend with: the Panamera GTS. This hardcore sports model is the most stylish, most playful and best-sounding Panamera of all time. It is impossible to do the car justice from a fairly brief test drive, but the photos speak very clearly for themselves! Just like the 4.8-liter, 440HP V8, in fact! Pricing for the GTS as shown here rings in at $129k.  Worth it?  Oh yes. The base of $113k climbs rapidly, with …

Keep reading

Ferrari F12 N-Largo S by Novitec Rosso 21

784HP, 218-MPH Ferrari F12 N-Largo S by Novitec Rosso

The N Largo upgrades to the Ferrari F12 and California from Novitec Rosso are clear favorites of ours in the exotic tuner scene.  The crew from Stetten, Germany is back with an even wilder evolution of the widebody racecar theme: the new N-Largo S. Now even wider and even racier! Power is now up to a stout 784HP from the 6.3-liter V12, while top speed climbs ever higher to kissing 218-mph, or a round 350-kph.  Deeply impressive, perhaps especially so in this monochrome gunmetal grey.  Favorite design details are many.  The full-width intake up front is intense with its extra …

Keep reading

2017 Porsche 911 C2S – RACE YELLOW and GUARDS RED (+First Drive Videos)

    PART TWO: RACE YELLOW and GUARDS RED   It is quite unusual for a new-gen 911 with an all-new engine, freshness up front and an all-new tail to be upstaged by a simple paint color. But that is the effect Miami Blue has in the flesh! This $4k optional shade joins the new Lava Orange as the brightest, sexiest shades Porsche has offered in years.  Even the standard, no-charge colors are quite becoming on this new Carrera S, however.  The Guard Red is as traditional a color as ever, yet looks fan-tas-tic up close in the flesh.  Various …

Keep reading

2017 Porsche 911 Miami Blue 28

2017 Porsche 911 Carrera S – First Drive in MIAMI BLUE! (+Videos and Color Visualizer)

It is quite unusual for a new-gen 911 with an all-new engine, freshness up front and an all-new tail to be upstaged by a simple paint color. But that is the effect Miami Blue has in the flesh! This $4k optional shade joins the new Lava Orange as the brightest, sexiest shades Porsche has offered in years.  Even the standard, no-charge colors are quite becoming on this new Carrera S, however.  The Guard Red is as traditional a color as ever, yet looks fan-tas-tic up close in the flesh.  Various dark or light headlight trims and many finishes for the …

Keep reading

BMW i8 Kiawah 9

BMW i8 – Widescreen Photo Flyaround – Inside and Out at Kiawah Concours

THe i8 never fails to impress in the flesh! This car is so low, so otherworldly and so exotic up close. Even in 2014 spec and this fairly familiar silver, the vehicle is a stunning piece of design and engineering. BMW i8 Photo Flyaround – Inside and Out at Kiawah Concours

1948 Chevrolet Fleetline Aerosedan - Charleston Policecar 10

Kiawah Island Concours 2016 – 1948 Chevrolet Fleetline Aerosedan – Charleston PD

Lots of really special classics, and lots of modern metal too, at the first-ever Kiawah Island Motoring Retreat! This concours takes place on the oceanside golf course of the resort island near Charleston, South Carolina. One favorite find?  This Charleston Police car from 1948! It is a Chevrolet Fleetline Aerosedan that has been lovingly brought up to code inside, outside and under that triple black paintwork. 1948 Chevrolet Fleetline Aerosedan – Charleston PD

Road Test Review - 2016 BMW 340i xDrive - By Tim Esterdahl 9

Road Test Review – 2016 BMW 340i xDrive – By Tim Esterdahl

Review: 2016 BMW 340i xDrive – Exhilarating Driving Performance For years, BMW has boasted that it builds the “Ultimate Driving Machines” and while critics and competitors have increasing sought to counter that claim, a recent weeklong drive in a 2016 BMW 340i only confirmed that claim. If driving, real fun, spirited driving is at the top of your buying list, the 340i has to be a top choice. Delivered to me in a Melbourne Red Metallic, the iconic looking 340i certainly had all the distinctive character and desirable appearance attributes reminiscent of BMW models over the years. While I’ve watched …

Keep reading

Travel Adventures – 2016 Ford Mustang GT California Special Visits Botany Bay, SC (+Video, 50 Photos)

Any list of great drive adventures on the East Coast should include Botany Bay.  This special nature preserve in Edisto Beach South Carolina offers stunning old Oak trees and curvey roads from start to finish. The property is free to enter, with a parking area a few miles in at the tital marsh and dunes.  Then the action happens for most visitors: you stroll a boardwalk to a beach that is absolutely frozen in time.  It is completely original, with hundreds of trees in the sands. The backstory of the property traces to the Seabrook family’s Sea Cloud plantation.  Construction started …

Keep reading

493HP 2016 BMW M4 GTS Media Launch in Barcelona – 300 Cars Coming to USA!

Gorgeous launch photos and lineage recap from BMW’s media drive event for the new M4 GTS! This new water-injected turbocharger system ups power to a stout 493HP to go along with its track-attack grip setup, aero package and lightweighting regime.  One particularly awesome detail?  The power-extendable chin splitter!    We’re not sure if the splitter is manually extended or power operated.  The GTS does come with a special toolkit for customizing its shock stiffness and height or different racetracks.  That rear wing is also remarkably beautiful up close.   Beautiful and deeply functional!  Especially in its most raised angle… pinning …

Keep reading

m2 colors header

2016 BMW M2 – Animated Configurator, Colors, Pricing and Options

BMW has kept its new pocket-rocket’s configurator extremely simple!  Nearly everything is standard, and only a few choices along the way through the Ext, Int, Options menu prompts makes this unlike nearly any other BMW we’ve specced out before. Examples? Just four colors: Blue, Grey, Black and White. The only other choices?  Literally? Exec Pack for $1800 with auto highbeams and heated seats.  And a carbon-fiber interior upgrade option that seems skippable if you’re frugal. The only other choice? A six-speed manual transmission or the $2700 M-DCT paddle-shifter. Out the door in less than four minutes of configurations must mean…. …

Keep reading

2016 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 by BBM Motorsport 13

2016 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 by BBM Motorsport – Hear the 700HP Blackbooty’s CAPRISTO Exhaust

If any sports car is really universal, it must be the Porsche 911…  AND the C7 Corvette! The new Corvette is so, so amazing to drive that its appeal transcends borders and cultures like wind, water or sunlight. The seven-speed stickshift, the standard targa roof panel, the 4-second launches, the big trunk, and the big V8 howl.  All these things make the Eurotrip in full working order, and have perhaps an even larger impact on those more familiar with grimey diesels than a clean cut of American sirloin. It is interesting to know what BBM Motorsport would do to their C7 …

Keep reading

2016 Lexus GS-F Caviar Black 9

Speed Fleet Intro! 2016 Lexus GS-F – First 70 Photos in Caviar Black

One of the hottest new super-sedans just arrived out front! Then something magical happened.  They tossed me the keys … and said bon voyage.   We’re barely an hour into this week-long tryst, and I can tell it is going to get pretty steamy.  467HP, active intake and exhaust, standard torque-vectoring-differential in back.  And perhaps even four-wheel-steering in Sport + drive mode??! Only a few cautious prods of the GS-F’s throttle so far, and less than a block of driving.  200 photos later, and we can’t wait to share this stunning M5 rival with you.  Rushing this a bit, as you might …

Keep reading

2017 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S 21

3.7s, 206MPH 2017 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Updates Tech, Adds 7-Speed Stickshift Option

The Aston V12 Vantage S has future-classic writ large all over it.  Aston Martin’s smallest, lightest platform paired with their largest engine.  What could be better!? A stickshift option, that’s what! The 2017 model introduces a new seven-speed manual transmission choice to go along with the paddle-shifted variety.  New infotainment units across the board for all 2017 Astons will bring the V12 Vantage S bang up to date on the tech integration front too. Performance is shared across the six-speed automatic or the new stickshift: 3.9-seconds to 62-mph and a 206-mph top end. The slick new stick has a dogleg …

Keep reading

Bentley Continental GT Speed Black Edition(4)

3.9s, 206MPH 2017 Bentley Continental GT Speed BLACK EDITION

Bentley just released info on the new Conti GT Speed: the Black Edition! This run-out special adds about 10 horsepower for a grand total of 642, and more torque throughout the rev range due to a reflash of the car’s computer systems.  The result?  The quickest and fastest production Bentley of all time!  3.9-seconds to 60-mph and 206-mph at the top end are both slightly quicker than the standard GT Speed. The visuals are the real impact: gloss-black details throughout, plus four colors of contrast splitter and mirrors available for that final moneypunch. The GT Speed Black Editions arrive this …

Keep reading

SUPERCAR of the YEAR - 2016 Jaguar F-Type R AWD Coupe 75

SUPERCAR of the YEAR – 2016 Jaguar F-Type R AWD Coupe

It seems like just yesterday that the arrival of the F-Type R out front of CRD brought literal tears to my eyes. Even before seeing it, we heard it rumbling up the road and immediately got weak in the knees. As the third review article of this stunning machine, we’re going to switch up for format dramatically.  Into a list — as there are so many reasons to love the F-Type R AWD, we’re struggling to even vocalize the feelings. In short, this vehicle is not just a Car of the Year contender in 2016.  That seems like too small …

Keep reading

MEGA Gallery – 2016 JAGUAR F-Type R AWD Coupe – 300 Photos + 4 HD Videos

It’s happening again! The moment I get my paws on a seriously stellar machine, I spend the week moving from photo location to photo location.  Running psuedo-errands like I just got my license. And a shooting rush of serotonin at every M16-rifle blast of exhaust noise and 1.5-G of pressure to my internal accelerometer. Fighting a smile is impossible.  Muffling a laugh is always a challenge too, for this, my favorite machine of all time. BEST.  CAR.   EVER. Already in quotes saying the F-Type R AWD Coupe is “the fastest, most beautiful vehicle I’ve ever driven…” And that feeling …

Keep reading

Lamborghini TRACK and PLAY – Telemetry VIDEO APP Is New Accessori Originali

The latest hotness in the POV track videos is …. as always, the production values! And the actual car being flogged!  Or the host. More and more these days, it is also the data, too. No longer just for LeMans laptop boffins, the real-time data on a car’s throttle, G-force, brakes and steering lock are extremely helpful for entertainment value and for driver’s ed. These are no sophomoric effort, though: the new Track and Play App for iOS lets Aventador and Huracan owners download their telemetry data over wifi, then sync that data back onto their drive videos easily. This new …

Keep reading

2017 Chevrolet CAMARO ZL1 Convertible1

~3.5s 2017 Chevrolet CAMARO ZL1 Convertible – Live Photos, Tech Details + Track Video

Chevy’s latest and greatest Camaro evolution is the ZL1 — a car SO powerful and so, so fast that it may shame any Mustang GT350R and even the 707HP Dodge Challenger Hellcat. The ingredients are all certainly there: simmering and about to boil! Those include the 640Hp LT4 engine derived from the latest Cadillac CTS-V, but with new internals like a flat-plane crankshaft to really howl like a racecar for the first time. Also in the mix? A standard six-speed stick and the available 10-speed automatic on its first-ever outing in a General Motors car.  This new autobox evolves the incredible strength …

Keep reading

Fast & Amorous! Michelle Rodriguez Roars Past 200MPH in F-Type

An endless road?  Check. Helicopter with steady-cams, and team of thirty to run shadow drones and other AV?  Check. 200-mph Jaguar SVR flagship?  Check. Beautiful tomboy actor Michelle Rodriguez at the wheel, delivering real-time whoops and joyous hollers?  Check. Annnnddd… Action!   Watching Michelle’s face light up as she feels how spectacular the F-Type is?  She clearly loves the car.   Capturing that is movie magic, people! The funny thing about this big-budget shoot is that the SVR and F-Type R are sooo, sooo fast…. anyone really could do this in real life.  With the right closed-road conditions… 201-mph in the F-Type R …

Keep reading

#NYIAS-Live---Showfloor-Mega-Gallery-98-tile

#NYIAS Live – Showfloor Mega Gallery – Part One in 222 Photos!

Action-packed New York auto show this year! Much new and very hot metal to see and touch, with highlights including the new GT-R, the 911R, Civic Hatchback and Prius Prime.  MX-5 RF (retractable fastback) is cool too, as is the new 718 Boxster and Buick Encore with its sharp and premium new LEDs. Also included below is the first look at the new Subaru Impreza, Jaguar F-Type SVR and 2018 VW Tiguan. #NYIAS Live – Showfloor Mega Gallery

Best of #NYIAS – 2017 Jaguar F-TYPE SVR – POV Blast Through Holland Tunnel + Showfloor Gallery

Just when I am grieving the loss of my press-loaner F-Type R AWD Coupe and its astounding brilliance… along comes an even hotter F-Type! The new SVR range-topper delivers a 25HP bump in horsepower to 575, a new titanium exhaust system drops weight and adds sound, while advanced new aero details grace all sides of this quickest-ever Jaguar supercar.  And short of the XJ220 without its catalytic converters… this new SVR is also the fastest production Jaguar of all time. Bottom line?  JAG is OFF THE CHAIN! Clear the area people, this could get very dangerous!  Do not provoke the beast! …

Keep reading

2017 Audi R8 Spyder V10 – World Debut in NYC

The new R8 Spyder is here and packing even more potent performance, luxury and a huge leap in chassis rigidity.  The strength of the new R8 means there will be virtually no difference between the softtop and the hardtop in terms of sheer pace and drive feel. The cabin is all-new, of course, with some of the most advanced design and user-experience technology of any make worldwide. These changes are all more-than-welcome, of course. But they will have to really deliver a great first impression in Audi showrooms. Why? Because the design outside is even more subtle than the coupe’s …

Keep reading

565HP, 2.5s 2017 Nissan GT-R – New Aerotech, Style and Cabin (+2 Videos!)

Any new GT-R’s arrival is a rare and magical event. This car is so ridiculously competent that Porsche and Ferrari banned the big car magazines from comparison testing their cars against it. The R35 generation has evolved significantly since its debut around 2012, however. The sports-car landscape has developed and changed significantly, too, since then.  Porsche 911 Turbos are able to keep up with the GT-R’s savage sprint pace under 3-seconds to 60-mph, while even the new Corvette Z06 is hot on its heels in luring buyers to a $100k supercar. So this GT-R evolution is a critical step in re-capturing …

Keep reading

#NYIAS: 2017 Mazda MX-5 RF – Retractable Fastback Is New GT86 Rival

RF does not stand for Really Fast.  But it could stand for Really Fun! In reality, it is the new badge for the MX-5 hardtop. This power retractable targa panel slides behind the new B-pillar uprights in back and atop the trunk. Scratch that: the entire roof actually folds under the rising uprights behind each seat.  These buttresses lift up and let the hardtop fold away.  This keeps a wind deflector in back with the top down, but does not appear to let the rear glass or roof move individually: only as a unit. It is not exactly as clean …

Keep reading

Speed Fleet! 2016 Ford Mustang GT Cali Special + LaFERRARI 5

Speed Fleet! 2016 Ford Mustang GT Cali Special + LaFERRARI!

I have met the bright red devil today! And he is quite friendly. =] But private, as you might imagine. He is mobbed wherever he goes in this 900HP masterpiece. The Mustang GT Convertible California Special is a lovely chase car… even with just half the horsepower.     Speed Fleet! 2016 Ford Mustang GT Cali Special + LaFERRARI!

KAEGE RETRO-41

1972 Porsche 911 Evergreen by KAEGE.de

Imagine loving a 70s Porsche so much that you rebody the entire machine in carbon fiber and ramp up the power to a very-modern 300 ponies? First off, how could anyone not love their vintage 911 this much?!  Secondly, the upgrades here are so loving and thoughtful that they deserve a big salute. A weight savings of almost 400 pounds is pretty sweet no matter what the starting point. So is the 3.6-liter, air-cooled boxer engine!  Classic style for the lights, of course, but updated to the latest high-dollar Osram LED optics.  Same for the new li-ion LITE-BLOX racing battery, modern seats and …

Keep reading

Ferrari MANIFESTO 8

MANIFESTO Wins Ferrari Top Design Challenge 2015

Ferrari crowned the winner of its latest Top Design Challenge recently… and it is not the one you would think! Nor the one with the most votes online.  The popular vote went to deEsfera, but the unanimous jury selection — MANIFESTO — came in fourth online.     MANIFESTO by ISD-RUBIKA out of France was the absolute winner of the challenge.  The judges loved its fully-developed powertrain, cabin packaging and innovative inside-out appearance for the floating rear canopy.  This giant space between the rear wheels and the inner chassis/engine compartment appears to have been the defining design element adored by …

Keep reading

2017_Toyota_86_001_4D4B978CD7B450B62A83BF6879E886AD6F149643-crop

2017 Toyota 86 – First Look At Revamped FR-S + Corolla iM and Yaris iA

The Scion FR-S will live on, of course, in the Toyota range with a new name and style for 2017. Dubbed just the 86 — versus GT86 in Euorpe and elsewhere — the car has aggressive new LEDs for the nose and tail.  All-new lighting is complemented by a fresh nose appearance, without the lower amber blinker bulbs. Looks like these we’re relocated up into the main light units.  Slick new taillamps are sexy too, but the tail does lacks the fresh bumper treatment of the nose.  But integrated LED rear turn signals are a nice upgrade along with the …

Keep reading

2017 SPYKER C8 Preliator – Sharp 3rd-Gen Exotic is Coming to America!

The world’s most curious supercar made a glittery debut in Geneva and is now on the way to the New York auto show! This return to the USA for Spyker is a pretty big deal.  As we all know, this market can be make-or-break for low-volume manufacturers.  Spyker’s new Coventry factory puts in in great company: Morgan, Aston Martin, McLaren and Jaguar are fairly closeby. Hopefully this localization helps Spyker navigate its way back onto US roads as well as our auto shows! On to the main event: the new PRELIATOR! This means warrior in Latin and marks the third …

Keep reading

2016 Cadillac ATS and CTS Score Much-Needed BLACK PACKS!

So, so thrilled to see this easy and effective design change for the Cadillac CTS and ATS.  We have griped tirelessly about their tacky chrome, ugly wheels and “boring, old-man style.”   And it looks like Cadillac was listening!  (See CT6 Black Pack and ATS Coupe Black Pack renders…) The new Black Chrome Packages for the ATS and CTS are fairly comprehensive, too. Wheels, trims, grille finishes, window surrounds…. all take a bath in this stylish new dark pewter finish. The third reason we love the Black Pack announcement? ACTUAL PHOTOS! Shock! Cadillac has succumbed to major GM think in …

Keep reading

700HP, 2.5s 2017 REZVANI Beast X – Wild Carbon Wings, Monster Boost for Street-Legal Racecar

You are being hunted. The Rezvani Beast X is out for blood.  That much is clear from its 2.5-second 60-mph sprint and tail-out track action! This upgraded model is debuting in Dallas this week with a shockingly sexy carbon-fiber aero kit, a new engine and even optional paddle-shift for the 2017 modelyear. The California team will build just five of these X Beasts for sale worldwide, with pricing from $325k and the order books open now.  (The Beast Speedster is the car pictured here in grey, while the X is previewed in a few of the red photos — but not all …

Keep reading

Road Test Review – 2016 Ferrari California T

Any chance to drive an all-new Ferrari is enough for an epic day off.  What fantastic fortune! The 2016 California T is the facelifted and engine-swapped update of Modena’s only 2+2 cabrio.  Its $205k base price actually makes it the cheapest model in the 488, F12 and GTC4Lusso range. The numbers and noise coming from the twin-turbo 3.9-liter V8’s quad central pipes are definitely not entry-level, however! The new turbo drivetrain definitely delivers warp speed… but in a slightly delayed way that betrays this car’s split soul. Love-at-first-drive in the Ferrari California T? Sadly, no. Let’s find out why this car’s conflicted …

Keep reading

401HP 2017 Mercedes-AMG E43 – New 4Matic Hammer!

Nailing the fundamentals has always been a Hammer specialty! This new 401-pony AMG E-Class delivers quite a thwack. The E43’s twin-turbo V6 brings 4Matic traction with a 69-percent rear bias, a nine-speed automatic and adjustable AMG air springs.  Sprint pace is mid-4’s for pricing much friendlier than the $85k E63, which has yet to be seen for this next-gen Mercedes-AMG. A menacing black-out for the exterior trims is nicely set off with standard privacy glass and black-spoked alloys.  The polished lip at speed is a nice accent — matching the black-satin effect of the center star. Fairly subtle side intakes for these …

Keep reading

2014 Superformance LOLA MkII Can-Am Spyder at Olthoff Racing12

Dream Garage – Superformance LOLA MkIII Can-Am Spyders

Lola racecars are extremely special for their value-for-money today, racing pedigree, and also their incredibly timeless grace and beauty. This was a racing team directly formed in the late 1950s with one goal: build a car from scratch to win LeMans. The resulting semi-monocoque chassis design – now known as a unibody – was revolutionary at the time of frame-based racers from nearly every other racing company and nearly every single road car. A semi-monocoque? Oh yes. The other part is also pretty advanced for the time: a steel spaceframe for the engine and rear suspension cradle. In fact, the …

Keep reading

2016 Dodge Charger SRT392 – Road Test Mega Gallery

Extension of the glowing review just published:  all these stunning photos (and crazy-fun launch videos!) all by themselves. The photos below are still a gallery lightbox on click, but using a single column layout to give you a close look without any clicking.  Cheers. Thanks Dodge.  May I please have some more? =] Drive Video 1       Drive Video 2 2016 Dodge Charger SRT392 – Road Test Mega Gallery http://www.dodge.com/en/  

HD Road Test Review - 2016 Dodge Charger SRT392 16

HD Road Test Review – 2016 Dodge Charger SRT392 – Balls Deep in the 4.2s ThunderCat!

World Class FAST! The 2016 Dodge Charger SRT392 is a life-changing machine. Normal drives become the highlight of your day.  The remote start is a thunderous event in itself!  Waking the 6.4-liter, 485-horsepower HEMI V8 happens with pure raging fury. Hence, our loving ThunderCat nickname! The 2016 Charger is an instant Best-of Award winner.  A week in this car is enough to make anyone feel like a man’s man.  Women included.  It puts hair on your chest and a baritone in your throat. Full review here with standard headings of Exterior, Interior, Performance, Pricing and Summary.  Two HD drive videos …

Keep reading

2016 Vuhl 05 3

2016 VUHL 05 Updated for London Motor Show

A refreshed VUHL 05 is now available for global trackday aces with pricing from around $100k for this cross between a Lotus and Radical. The UK sportscar industry is not only an inspiration for this trackday special, but also a target for its dual-use configuration. VUHL hopes to have certification for English roads in the near future. But even though road and track are both viable in a VUHL… one is far more heavily emphasized. A completely smooth underbody is race-ready, as is the doorless racing frame below the skin. You can guess how fast the 3.7-second VUHL is on …

Keep reading

2016 KTM X-Bow GT Black Carbon 11

2016 KTM X-Bow GT Black Carbon

The world’s favorite KTM car pro’s have a new special for us! The X-BOW GT Black Edition is an all-black, all-carbon flagship of the street-going KTM ‘Crossbow’ lineup. Wimmer RST has this gorgeous new special on display in Geneva this week along with the championship-winning X-BOW GT4 racecar. The new X-BOW Black Carbon is even upgraded versus that racecar, however. In addition to the CF tub, the new Wimmer special integrates carbon fiber for dozens of other components.  The entire undertray is a new carbon-fiber execution delivering race levels of grip on the road.  Exposed-weave carbon fiber now takes the …

Keep reading

2017 Porsche 911 Carrera S by TechArt 3

TechArt Debuts 2017 911 and 911 Turbo – PnP Powerkits and Uniquely Sexy Aero

TechArt just launched its new bodywork, suspension, exhaust and cabin mods for the new 2017 911 Turbo and 2017 911 Carreras — and makes them more mouth-watering than ever! The beauty of the TechArt programs for the 911 is that they are subtle, yet very convincing.  Without the TechArt badges, the quality and integration into the original Porsche designs helps the parts disappear into the whole machine. This is in contrast to many of the very-obvious aftermarket upgrades out there. The favorite among this group?  Has to be the bright blue C2S. This TechArt stunner has the curb appeal to stop …

Keep reading

Apollo Arrow Geneva Hypercar 8

1000HP 2017 APOLLO ARROW – Full Tech Specs, Animations and 50 Photos

Hypercar buyers are spoiled for choice these days.  But the Apollo Arrow warrants a second look even among Chiron deposit-holders. Apollo is an all-new expression of the Gumpert brand and core knowledge. The relaunch was in January and the coming-out party definitely in Geneva! Power and performance are insane. Race-ready — for real.  The car is FIA-homologated for numerous race classes in exactly the same spec as the Euro road-legal stunner.  Airjacks and roll cages included! But let’s take a closer look first at the obviously hot, shamelessly whipped and sliced new design.  From the front it catches you by surprise. …

Keep reading

Design Analysis – 2016 Alfa Romeo DISCO VOLANTE SPYDER By Touring Superleggera + 1952 C52

It takes a master designer to reinterpret a retro model in a desirable, futuristic modern car.  The fail count is much larger than the short success list of the New Beetle, Ford GT and perhaps MINI. Fails?  Fiat 500, Lamborghini Miura, Ford Thunderbird, Chevrolet HHR, Plymouth Prowler, etc. etc. Among supercars, it is even harder to continue designs from so long ago.  Why? The designs were always extra wacky, with limited appeal even in their original iterations. In addition, supercar shoppers are always craving the next hotness.  The unattainable, never-before-seen machines that will bring traffic to a halt around you. Therefore, Touring Superleggera struck a …

Keep reading

HD Road Test Review – 2016 Nissan Maxima SR – Bonneville GT-R is Ace

We had a pet name for the Maxima SR during its awesome week in the speed fleet. But like some nicknames are, it is hauntingly accurate and also slightly insulting… Resisting it in this review created major writer’s block.  How to clear the logjam? Tell you our nickname for the 2016 Maxima SR, and then explain why it is actually a loving salute to the car’s awesome, Dodge Charger-rivalling handling and machismo on the road. So what is it? We referred to the Maxima SR as… The Bonneville GT-R. Now, that might not sound too bad.  But among car enthusiasts, any mention of …

Keep reading

2016 FERRARI California T Blue3

First Drive Photos + Video! 2016 FERRARI California T

Feast your eyes and ears on the new Cali Turbo! We have some incredible insights from the drive, to be published tomorrow. =] Until then, prepare to be blasted by the quad pipes in the below video.  Plus a rather obscene 200 photos of the 2+2 hardtop cabriolet. Power from the new twin-turbo 3.9-liter V8 comes in at a stout 560HP and 552-pound-feet.  The engine still loves revs through the seven-speed paddle-shift to make its most ferocious power — but there is big-boost torque throughout the midrange too.  At full chat, the new engine lights up the Cali T like …

Keep reading

2017 Aston Martin DB11 Exterior 18

200MPH, 3.7s 2017 Aston Martin DB11 – All-New V12TT, Design and Tech

  This is it! In all its official glory: the 2017 Aston Martin DB11. The huge news is of course the DB11 design outside — which is a radical advancement over the similar-looking models in DB9 era.   A new floating roof and C-pillar forms a functional aeroblade in the back of the roofline — in very sexy fashion.  A wider, deeper Aston single-frame grille is more true to the original DB shapes from the 1960s, and is deeply modern and elegant.  And more crucially: brand-new from even 100 paces! THe brand-new details continue under the skin and inside the …

Keep reading

Update1 – 500HP 2017 Porsche 911R – Purist Special Drops 100Lbs vs GT3 RS

The new 911R is our ideal Porsche.  A classic — even after just debuting a few hours ago. All the 911 GT3 and GT3 RS’s shrieking, shrill thrills from a naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter boxer six making 500HP.  But now without the additional bodywork addenda and packing carbon-fiber fenders. Even a magnesium roof! All this purity and the lack of PDK drops weight from the machine fairly dramatically: a full 50kg less than the hardest-core GT3 RS. Performance will be a full-body sensory immersion. In the best hands, Porsche promises the 100-kph sprint in 3.8-seconds.  Perhaps not a headline figure, but your …

Keep reading

Geneva Debuts – 2016 Koenigsegg AGERA RS and AGERA Finale

The fun never runs out with the ultra-light and USA-legal Agera! These last specials of the RS and Agera Final, and Agera One of 1 are all pre-sold.  THey are still a fantastic showcase of a marque-defining hypercar. They may also mark the end of an era to a certain extent, with the new Regera range-topper already in production.       The Agera Final models are promised for a late 2017 delivery. Even so, we see great things in the future for any Koenigsegg! 2016 Koenigsegg AGERA   Koenigsegg Agera ‘Final’ Koenigsegg Automotive AB is pleased to announce the …

Keep reading

2017 Bugatti CHIRON Black Dynamic 4

2017 Bugatti CHIRON – Dynamic Onyx + Grand Palais Photosets

Update1 – Including photos of the new Chiron in a gorgeous onyx black out on the roads and high-speed test track.  Plus a set of this hypercar hero in rare static form at the Grand Palais.   2017 Bugatti CHIRON – Dynamic Photos Every hypercar in the world just found out it was no messiah. But rather, just a false prophet. Imagine the shame!  Being so slow, so unremarkable and so inferior? Bugatti’s live-streamed press conference starts tonight at 3:45AM EST — so imagine our THRILL at the full release!  Full photoset!  Full specs!  Get me a Kleenex! The details …

Keep reading

04_CHIRON_Molsheim_front_WEB

~2.1s, 1500HP 2017 Bugatti CHIRON is 261MPH Hypercar GOD!

Every hypercar in the world just found out it was no messiah. But rather, just a false prophet. Imagine the shame!  Being so slow, so unremarkable and so inferior? Bugatti’s live-streamed press conference starts tonight at 3:45AM EST — so imagine our THRILL at the full release!  Full photoset!  Full specs!  Get me a Kleenex! The details are absolutely shocking.  1500HP, 261-mph restricted Vmax for road use, and a sprint to 62-mph guaranteed to be well below 2.5-seconds. This is achieved through a 25-percent boost in power from the 8.0-liter, quad-turbo W16 engine.  New turbo designs boost power radically, and …

Keep reading

2016 Ferrari California T – Deserto Rosso

Ferrari presents a new video and photo tribute to the vast mountains of sand in the Middle East with this glamourous new Cali Turbo video! It is a stark reminder of the natural beauty of the landscape, and its unique nature versus anywhere else on Earth. And also a great reminder of the new California’s beauty and potent performance…! These cars may or may not include the new Handling Speciale package, but look like they are having a ball outside Dubai regardless!     https://youtu.be/xzOQpOGD1YU   2016 Ferrari California T – Deserto Rosso Ferrari Reveals Deserto Rosso Ferrari Pays Tribute …

Keep reading

~3.8s 2017 BMW M3/M4 Competition Pack – Gloss Black Trims, +20HP and Standard Sport Exhaust

Competition Pack from BMW M certainly implies track battles and knife-edged races against the stopwatch.  Every advantage that can be fed down from the top 500HP M4 GTS will be precious seconds closer to the top of any laptime board. But Competition Pack has a second meaning to us: the M3 and M4 are feeling major heat from all sides, in a segment they once owned wholeheartedly. The Lexus RC, C63 and even Cadillac ATS-V are all very valid, and oftentimes preferred, rivals to the BMW twins.  Therefore, the Competition Pack helps address some of the odd standard M3/M4 style …

Keep reading

Slow-Motion ActionGIFs of 2017 Lambo LP580-2 Sideways Around Doha!

Lamborghini’s going sideways at full throttle!? Ahhh!  Run for your lives! Cue the screams and tire shrieks? Yes, but this time in that mid-drift orgasm.  Not some AWD beast off its leash. The LP580-2 is the first rear-drive Lamborghini since the Gallardo Balboni, and is re-engineered to be extra playful.  Frisky, sideways and thrilled about it… Despite standard AWD across the range, Lambo is not out of practise on rear-drive models.  The GT3 cars are all rear-drive and guided the new front suspension development.  We personally like the looks of the 580’s nose a bit better than the Huracan LP610-4. …

Keep reading

1280_MHowell_488Spider_F34_No

2016 Ferrari 488 Spider – London Launch Party + V8TT Sound Samples

Updated 2.26.16 with 30 new photos from the car’s London launch party.  The nose looks far better in real life than it did on the initial renders and autoshow photos.   Gorgeous reveals by the dozen in Frankfurt this week, with only Aston and McLaren declining to launch something new and fairly important. Superlux EVs might be the defining show theme, but supercar rivalries are a close second. Lamborghini’s new Huracan Spyder, the McLaren 650S Spider and this brand-new 488 Spider are all viciously competitve with one another. Performance is roughly the same for all three as well: 3.0-second launches to …

Keep reading

GeigerCars.de 2016 Ford Mustang SHELBY GT350 – Nurburgring-Ready, and Now Adjacent!

One of Europe’s biggest US supercar sources just landed a quartet of title fighters — some of the best American iron ever put on four wheels. By handling the shipping and acting as a retailer, Geiger offers a no-fuss way to rock a non-imported machine down the autobahn. That is… if you can resist asking them to customize and mod it for you right off the bat! Which would you pick?  The air-freight containers include this Mustang GT350, a new 2016 Viper ACR, blue-streak Z06 and a monster RAM Rebel…. vote below to see live results of this fourgy of horsepower! …

Keep reading

2016 RAM REBEL by GeigerCars

2016 RAM REBEL by GeigerCars.de

  Which would you pick?  The air-freight containers include this Mustang GT350, a new 2016 Viper ACR, blue-streak Z06 and a monster RAM Rebel…. One of Europe’s biggest US supercar sources just landed a quartet of title fighters — some of the best American iron ever put on four wheels. By handling the shipping and acting as a retailer, Geiger offers a no-fuss way to rock a non-imported machine down the autobahn. That is… if you can resist asking them to customize and mod it for you right off the bat! Vote below to see live results of this fourgy of …

Keep reading

GeigerCars

GeigerCars.de 2016 Chevrolet CORVETTE Z06

One of Europe’s biggest US supercar sources just landed a quartet of title fighters — some of the best American iron ever put on four wheels. By handling the shipping and acting as a retailer, Geiger offers a no-fuss way to rock a non-imported machine down the autobahn. That is… if you can resist asking them to customize and mod it for you right off the bat! Which would you pick?  The air-freight containers include this Mustang GT350, a new 2016 Viper ACR, blue-streak Z06 and a monster RAM Rebel…. vote below to see live results of this fourgy of horsepower! …

Keep reading