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2016 Jeep RENEGADE Trailhawk – Road Test Review – By Lyndon Johnson

When I took delivery of the 2016 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk for testing, a colleague told me, “The little Jeep is surprisingly capable.” Those two words — “surprisingly capable” — came to define my experience with the Renegade Trailhawk as I took it down some deep, difficult rock-and-mud-and-gravel trails in the hills of eastern Middle Tennessee. Design Notes There’s no denying the Jeep Renegade has a definite cute factor. That’s probably the first reason many Jeep purists scoff at the littlest Jeep in the lineup. It doesn’t look like a chiseled-jawed Wrangler. That notwithstanding, there’s no mistaking the Renegade for anything …

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Mountain Drive! 2017 FIAT 124 Spider – By Anthony Fongaro

Colorado is an amazing place to drive! While visiting this great state, I was lucky enough to attend RMDE, or the Rocky Mountain Driving Event. This event had different vehicles from various manufacturers. Part of this event included driving 90 minutes, or 3,000 feet up a mountain. If you couldn’t guess, the car that I drove was a little black Fiat convertible. The car in question was a 2017 Fiat 124 Spider Lusso. Before the drive, I put down the manual convertible top and let the beautiful scenery of Colorado surround me. Then I put the car into gear. And …

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Road Test Review – 2016 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T Limited – By Carl Malek

When the revamped Hyundai Sonata first made its appearance back in 2009, it immediately stood out thanks to its slick exterior styling which marked a noticeable departure from the more mundane styling cues that once defined older Sonatas as well as Hyundai products in general. Can the revamped 2016 Hyundai Sonata still deliver on its promises of slick styling, while also retaining the impressive levels of technology that made the last generation model a hit with buyers? The exterior styling still looks handsome and elegant but whereas the last generation model was a ground up design, this iteration shares more …

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Best Ride-Share Cars – By Anthony Fongaro – Featuring 2016 Toyota PRIUS

  By now, you’ve inevitably heard how easy it is to make a little extra cash driving for ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft. All you have to do is sign up, sign in and get paid to drive people around whenever you want. You probably even know a couple people who moonlight as drivers using their own vehicles. And if you’re like a lot of cash-strapped Americans, maybe you’ve considered signing up yourself. But not all cars make for great ride-sharing vehicles. Usually, the car has to be a 4-door and 2001 or newer unless stated otherwise in major …

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Road Test Review – 2017 Hyundai ELANTRA Limited – By Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman

2017 Hyundai Elantra Limited By Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman Last month, in March of 2016, I tested the 2017 Kia Sportage.  This month, in April of 2016, I’m driving the 2017 Hyundai Elantra. I’m beginning to think that Korea uses a different calendar than we do in the US.  No matter, the point is that this new Elantra is ahead of its time, and is a wonderful remake of an already excellent automobile. Way back in 2004, I bought an Elantra for daughter #2 as she graduated from college and needed her first new car.  It was a small, compact car …

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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, …

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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 …

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JUST Animated GIFs Page – Updated 8.5.14   =”2014 Veloster Animated GIF” src=”http://www.car-revs-daily.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/2014-Veloster-Animated-GIF2.gif” width=”800″ height=”444″ />

First Drive Review – 2015 Mitsubishi MIRAGE ES

When cheap doesn’t equal cheerful. Light and nimble city cars – what they lack in power they joyously make up for with quirky styling, low price tags, and interior accommodations. Enter Mitsubishi. Previously, the smallest car in Mitsubishi’s lineup was the mid-size Lancer, but in 2014 they rolled out a small car priced around $13,000. On paper, the 2015 Mirage seemed like it could it be a decent city car. Then you take a look at it and the mirage vanishes (pun intended). Without even giving away any stats about the Mirage, you look at it and straight away shake …

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Hawkeye Drives – 2016 Dodge Journey Crossroad Plus AWD Review

The Dodge Journey is mostly unchanged from the previous year’s model. In fact, it’s little changed since its introduction back in 2009. There was a refresh in 2011, but that was mostly cosmetic. Beneath the skin, it shows its age a bit as the other competitors in its class, like the Nissan Rogue, Honda CRV, Toyota Rav 4, or the Kia Sorento, have out classed it over the years. The Journey just isn’t as sophisticated as the others, and feels a bit dated. That’s not to say that the Journey doesn’t have some positive attributes. Unlike the Honda, Toyota, and …

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2010 BERTONE Pandion for Alfa-Romeo Is Next-Level Brilliance Inside and Out 30

Hall of Fame – 2010 Alfa Romeo Pandion by BERTONE

We obviously cover a lot of concepts and dream cars here, but rarely does one captivate the eye and mind more than the 2010 Bertone Pandion. BERTONE: COMPANY SITUATION ANALYSIS First things first: Bertone (pronounced ‘Bear Tony’) is currently restructuring after some lean years in the Italian car business drained its corporate accounts to breaking point. Is this any way indicative of the quality of the firm’s design work? Absolutely, positively not. In fact, it is because of Bertone’s amazing ideas that the firm branched back into actual car factories versus just dreamy, steamy concept cars and prototypes. Full-scale production …

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521HP, 4.6s 2017 Bentley Flying Spur V8S Is Sweet-Spot Limo with Gloss-Black Details

The moment you drive the Continental V8 S lineup, you really have to think hard about the W12 variants — as well as the base V8 configuration. An extra 21 horsepower joins forces with revised drive programs and 502 pound-feet of torque from 1700-rpm.  The end result is a fairly rapid 4.6-second run to the benchmark 60-mph.  That is 0.3s quicker than the Flying Spur V8.  But a cool second off the pace of its similarly-priced rivals: the S63 AMG, S8 Plus and the new Alpina B7/BMW M760i. A new look for the grille, trims and diffuser dips all the …

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HD Pre-Review! 550HP, 3.5s 2016 JAGUAR F-Type R AWD – First 120 Photos + 3 HD Drive 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 …

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Part Two: The TRUCKS – 2016 Chicago Auto Show – MEGA GALLERY

Revised Ram Powerwagon, the new Explorer XLT Sport Pack, Ridgeline and Silverados make up the big action in Chicago for trucks.  We have a new RAV4 SE to show, plus soon-renamed Scion C-HR concept and the new Tacoma TRD Pro. The Kia Telluride concept, revised Hyundai Sante Fe and Sante Fe Sport, fresh 2017 Chevrolet Trax….  Don’t forget the new Kia Niro mini-ute, and more, too!   Part Two: The TRUCKS – 2016 Chicago Auto Show – MEGA GALLERY

Road Test Review – 2016 Toyota Camry XSE

2016 Toyota Camry XSE Review By Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman For decades now, The Toyota Camry has been one of the best-selling family sedans in America.  It isn’t because it does everything better than the competition, but rather it does everything well, and has built up a reputation for reliability, quality, and value.  For folks who have a hard time making a decision because they’re fearful of making a bad one, the Camry is always going to be a safe choice and one that won’t foster buyer’s remorse. It’s always easy for journalists to forget that the vast majority of the …

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2017 Chevrolet CRUZE HATCH Reveals Unique 5-Door Design, Massive Trunk Ahead of Fall Arrival

Here is a nice surprise reveal from Chevy: the upcoming Cruze Hatch. This new bodystyle builds on the massive improvements of the 2016 Cruze sedan with unique styling for the nose and tail, a giant cargo area of 18.5-cubic-feet with the seats up, and wagon-like utility with them folded down.  How big with the seats down? Nearly 50 cubes!  That is SUV-big. It is great to see Chevy offering this variant in the home US market.  Favorite details?  The bumper designs front and rear — with their swirl of painted surface forming claw-like accents to the black lower bumpers. The …

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Road Test Review – 2016 Toyota AVALON Touring

2016 Toyota Avalon Touring Review By Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman We recently tested a 2015 Toyota Avalon, the first Avalon we had tested in quite a few years.  And the full size car impressed us with its roominess, performance, and its luxury look and feel. But before I had a chance to write the review, the 2016 model became available, so I decided to wait a little bit, and write about that one, to also report on the subtle changes for the 2016 model year. This year, the Avalon’s grill gets a bit larger, and sports a little downturn at the …

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LA Auto Show 2015 – Mega Gallery PART TWO

Huge LA show this year.  Many more reveals than typical for this early-season auto show!  New Subaru Impreza Concept is pretty sexy, the 2017 Hyundai Elantra and Kia Sportage are fresh, while the new Acura NSX and Honda Civic Coupe are production models already on their way to showrooms around March.  The new Prius is also pretty big news for the left coast. Other highlights? The new Mazda CX-9 looks very upmarket, the new Ford Escape is hideous but has a cool blacked-out Sport package for the 2017 model-year.  The new AMG SL63 also bowed, but it still looks sad …

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Road Test Review – 2015 Toyota Sienna XLE Premium AWD

2015 Toyota Sienna XLE Premium AWD Review By Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman Let’s just get this out of the way right at the beginning . . . nobody wants to drive a minivan. There, I said it. No matter what manufacturers do, they are all pretty ugly and ungainly to look at. And they have a stigma attached to it. Either it’s a “Soccer Mom” image, or an old fart image of Grandma and Grampa snowbirds driving it back and forth each winter from cold climates to Florida or Arizona with a cargo full of luggage. Either way, there’s not a …

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VW Diesels Face Massive EPA Fraud Allegation – TDI Stop Sale Notice Is Days Away

Very unsettling news today that casts a dark shadow on Volkswagen TDI “Clean Diesel” engines sold in the United States since 2008. The EPA’s legal “notice of violation” to Volkswagen of America is deathly serious. And, as we predict below, will lead to TDI models being pulled from US showrooms almost immediately — as soon as this coming week. Unlike recall notices to fix even serious safety issues, a willful violation of the Clean Air Act would incur significantly higher monetary damages than a typical recall. Even the Takata airbag scandal is not this alarming. Max fines per vehicle sold …

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2015 Hyundai Vision G Concept Coupe STUNS In New Photo Set

Updated With 35 New Photos Second time we’ve totally come around to a Hyundai Genesis lately? Yep! This design is really warming up in the latest photos. 2015 Hyundai Vision G Concept Coupe PREVIOUS   Pebble Beach Concours is a huge draw for the wealthiest car lovers worldwide. As such, it is a pretty intense marketing spectacle for selling new cars along with all the best classics on display. But this crowd is seriously snooty, at times. Last year, a KIA K900 display manned with fresh drinks sought to lure people into test drives of the flagship luxury sedan. Over …

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2015 Hyundai Vision G Concept Coupe – A Genesis SuperCoupe to Wow Pebble Beach?

Pebble Beach Concours is a huge draw for the wealthiest car lovers worldwide. As such, it is a pretty intense marketing spectacle for selling new cars along with all the best classics on display. But this crowd is seriously snooty, at times. Last year, a KIA K900 display manned with fresh drinks sought to lure people into test drives of the flagship luxury sedan. Over four days, we saw no one take them up on the offer of a drive. The line of K900’s sat optimistic, like pound puppies, with no one claiming them. Hyundai is taking a different tack …

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HD Road Test Review – 2016 Scion iM Is Sporty and Uber-Practical New Focus-Fighter

The all-new 2016 Scion iM is part of a big new-product push from Scion: the iM hatchback and much smaller iA sedan replace the boxy xD and xB. Why so normal and conventional from Toyota’s youth brand this year? Following buyer trends, of course!  Extensive research on how to resonate with today’s 35-and-under car shoppers shows a big shift in preferences. Perhaps feeling the crunch of a slower global economy on their hipster jeans, first-time new car buyers want a car with more evergreen appeal than the once-trendy Scion box cars. The iM hopes to ace the 2016 buyer mood …

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HD Road Test Review – 2016 Jeep RENEGADE Trailhawk Is Fun, Stylish and Smart!?

    INTRO – 2016 Jeep RENEGADE Trailhawk Review HD Off-Road Drive Video 1 Nearly everyone has a great Jeep Wrangler memory from their youth. You were thin and gorgeous, laughing and loving the top-down lifestyle. Hanging a foot out the doorframe on a sunny afternoon. Tunes were playing, and exploring the world around you took on new meaning. Or you were discovering the huge straight-six torque that defined the truck for decades. Or just pining from the sidewalk at your sexy crush driving away. That collective memory is a core element of the brand’s appeal — and always has …

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2015 Honda Civic Type R – European Launch Gallery in 104 Gorgeous Photos

  Are you sitting down? Get ready to be absolutely floored with adrenaline via the all-new 2015 Honda Civic Type R’s intense design and visual fury at speed. On sale now in European markets, this is not a total ****tease for US and global Honda fans. The turbocharged engine under the hood of this Euro-exclusive Civic Type R is just the first salvo for Honda’s resurgent performance. Honda of America is visibly excited about turbo power energizing its upcoming range. Davis Adams of Honda PR is freshly home from the Slovakia track launch of the 2015 Euro Type R, and …

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HD Road Test Review – 2015 Chrysler 300 Limited – Great Box, So-So Rack

The Chrysler 300 is fresh for 2015 with more than half of its parts either all-new or redesigned. The upgrade list is massive — and even includes the American full-size icon’s exterior. But the changes outside are far more subtle than those under the skin and in the cabin. Chrysler is keeping the original 300 style alive for 2015 — hoping to ignite the same huge swell of passion that surrounded the original 2005 model. What a launch that was. Makes you smile to recall the full-size American car reclaiming its former glory as gigantic, affordable wheels. This segment of …

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SEAT 20V 20 concept Matt Richardson/SEAT UK 07973 523456

Best of Awards – 2015 SEAT 20V20 Concept In 55 New Outdoor Photos

Updated 4.6.15 With 55 New Outdoor Photos The SEAT 20V20 Concept looks fantastic out in the sun in these latest photos. Our primary question now is what platform this design study is running underneath: Audi Q5 or Audi Q7. But either way, we love its angular design and think the design would fit perfectly even on a $150,000 Lamborghini SUV, let alone a $30,000 SEAT. A best of 2015 concept, for sure. 2015 SEAT 20V20 Concept   The New SEAT 20V20 concept is only the second SUV showcar to come out of VW’s Spanish off-shoot, but you wouldn’t know they …

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2016 Chevrolet Spark Brings New Turbo Engine + Lower, Sportier Style and Handling

Chevrolet is not likely to admit this, but the Spark’s success in the US market has been a huge surprise. 2014 Calendar Year sales topped 39,000, making the Spark the best-selling subcompact in the US. It dominates the Mitsubishi Mirage, Mazda2 and Kia Rio easily. Combined with its Sonic big brother, the Spark has made Chevy the main player in minicar sales since its launch in 2012. The latest Spark will continue this trend with a more refined and tech-infused cabin, a new turbo 1.4-liter engine, and a sportier driving position. This lower feel from the drivers seat comes with …

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#NYIAS 2015 – Day Two Showfloor Gallery + Best and Worst Debuts!

Press preview days are wrapped on a very eventful New York International Auto Show – with big reveals from Cadillac, Chevy, Lincoln, Nissan, Kia, Lexus, , Porsche, Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi and McLaren. Best in show? We’d vote for the Honda Civic Coupe Concept. The new Chevy Malibu is also mighty impressive, while the Cadillac CT6 requires closer inspection than is possible in just a brief glimpse. Mercedes-Benz dominated the World Car Awards (whatever those are) with wins for the C-Class, S-Class Coupe and AMG GT. BMW and Audi did not even bother to hold press conferences, oddly. Worst is show …

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#NYIAS 2015 Showfloor Gallery – Day One in 122 HIgh-Res Photos!

Big day today in the Big Apple! Enjoy this photo fly-through of the first press preview day of #NYIAS =] #NYIAS 2015 Showfloor Gallery Ford GT Ford Shelby Mustang GT350R   Subaru BRZ STI Concept + Rally Cars Range Rover SVAutobiography VW Golf SportWagen AllTrack Aston Martin McLaren Koenigsegg, Bugatti + Lamborghini BMW Z4 GTLM + 1975 Sebring-Winning 3.0 CSL Jaguar XF Scion iA Scion iM BMW Alpina Kia Optima Mazda MX-5 Club

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2016 Jaguar XF Thinks It Is a Porsche 911; We Break The Bad News To Bad Mr. Kitty

Updated 4.1.15 With 99 New Images We stand corrected – the 2016 XF is actually an all-new design, with no panels carrying over from the existing car. The chassis improvements are fairly dramatic as the XF shifts from its steel structure toward the aluminum of the XJ and F-Type. But why oh why must the styling be so dry? This trend of carmakers ever-so-lightly refreshing models makes no sense at all to me – especially if the panels are, in fact, all new. What is the point?! Chrysler 300, Kia Optima, Audi A6, Bentley Continental…. and now Jaguar XF. Every …

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All-New 2016 Scion iA Poised to be Best Subcompact 4-Door With Sporty Chassis and Upscale Cabin

Scion’s littlest car in history is also set to be one of its most chuckable and sporty handlers!  This new four-door compact sedan will be priced around $16,000 with just one well-speced trim level and choice between six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. The 106-horsepower four-cylinder sedan is closely related to the new 2016 Mazda2, but offers a sedan bodystyle not available on the Mazda. The style is quite fresh from nose and profile angles, with shapely creases and an overall lean and sporty look. The roof is fairly low, which is refreshing versus the too-tall Ford Fiesta and Chevy Spark. …

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2016 Scion iM Debuts in NY With Focus Size But Fiesta Pricing

  Scion just rolled out two brand-new 2016 models for the subcompact and compact segments — with this iM hatchback being the firm’s shot against the Kia Forte5, Ford Fiesta and Chevrolet Sonic. The single-trim entry price of below $20,000 is set to be fairly well-equipped and roomy versus the rivals mentioned; the iM is almost the exact same size as the Ford Focus and VW Golf. But those expecting a credible threat to those car’s performance might be underwhelmed. The chassis seems fairly promising with a double-wishbone independent rear suspension paired with sport-tuned electronic power steering. Big rubber and a standard …

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2015 SEAT 20V20 Concept SUV Is Large and Remarkably-Handsome Design Study

   The New SEAT 20V20 concept is only the second SUV showcar to come out of VW’s Spanish off-shoot, but you wouldn’t know they are amateurs based on this car’s cool style and perfect size. Large by Euro standards, this new “twenty twenty” SUV brings the interior roominess of a BMW X3 but width of an X5 — while lower than both. The 20V20 is a very, very appealing design and would surely be a big seller for SEAT in crossover-mad markets like the UK. 2015 SEAT 20V20 SEAT PRESENTS THE 20V20 SHOWCAR 02/03/15 Prospect of an extremely dynamic, four-door …

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2016 Volvo XC90 Hits 16,000 Pre-Orders So Far + 38 New Dynamic Photos

  The 2016 XC90 is easily the most important Volvo in the last five years. Scoring a hit with buyers is a make-or-break venture for the much-loved Swedish car brand. A simple refresh with new cabin tech, design and exterior upgrades might have secured a 30-percent sales increase all on its out. The previous scenario assumes carry-over powertrains. Volvo has not taken that route. The new strategy is an all-new platform with standard plug-in hybrid tech, a T6 power level and T8 setup with 400-horsepower. If the old gains might have been modest, the new XC90 is looking set to …

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2016 Nissan Maxima #WithDad Commercial – Creative Strategy Analysis

  This 90-second Nissan ad is a huge, huge overall branding push – with a (negotiated) price of about $10-million just for the media, it needs to connect a lot of dots and hit the right notes to earn its worth. It is admittedly pretty touching, and themes such as bonding with a distant father are highly universal. The scenes are also uniquely Nissan. You could not switch out the brand or product easily, which is a sign of good creative. The same cannot be said for Kia Motors Pierce Brosnan ad, or even the touching Jeep Renegade spot. When …

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Concept Flashback - 1989 Mitsubishi HSR II Innovates With Six Active Aero Wings

Concept Flashback – 1989 Mitsubishi HSR II Innovates With Six Active Aero Wings

We’ve been pouring through the Mitsubishi back catalog today for a few Concept Flashback articles. The real all-star of the Mitsu lineup of show cars in the last three decades? It is this – the 1989 HSR II. HSR stands for Highly Sophisticated-transport Research and was a follow-up to a 1987 concept of the same name. The HSR II is far more beautiful, however, and also more innovative. Sure, as a 1989 Japanese exotic, the HSR II is packing a twin-turbo V6 along with 4-wheel-steering and 4-wheel-drive. This goes well with its ABS brakes, independent suspension and electronically-adjustable dampers all …

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Design Analysis – 2012 Pininfarina Cambiano – Why So Lifeless, Bland and Generic?

We feel a bit guilty for absolutely skewering the Pininfarina/Ferrari Sergio the other day.  After all, they may have had no control over the lame production-friendly changes done by Ferrari. Let’s take another look at some of Pininfarina’s other recent work to balance things out, shall we? The 2012 Pininfarina Cambiano concept was an expression of a clean, EV sedan in the mold of the Tesla Model S, Fisker Karma or the Quant e-Sport Limousine. The vehicle has two doors on the passenger side, and one longer coupe door on the driver side. The trouble is: it is super boring …

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Road Test Review – 2015 Buick LaCrosse V6 Premium Is Deceptively Sporty and Extremely Luxurious

Quick: name the best large sedan on the market for less than $50,000? Requirements for consideration are a huge back seat, width to never touch elbows with front passengers and all-day cruising comfort. Because you are a keen driver and love a great curving road, let’s add mountain road poise to the list. We are not considering luxury cars like the BMW 5 series, Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz C or E-Classes — they are too small in the back seat. The immediate group of competitors with these prerequisites are: the Hyundai Azera, Lincoln MKS, Toyota Avalon, Kia Cadenza and perhaps …

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2015 Chevrolet Trax Arriving in January With Base Price of $21,000

Updated 12.1.14 The Chevy Trax is arriving to Chevy dealers very, very soon! As these latest photos and top 20 features below show, Chevy is eager to make Trax in the compact crossover market sales charts! We were pretty far below the Trax’s actual prices in our ballpark below of $19k to $25k — the Trax will actually start from $21,000 as a front-drive and $22,500 with AWD. Simple trim levels at least mean the LTZ AWD will not be much of a jump up the price ladder – with our new estimate being $27,000 with every available option. Fuel …

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Concept Flashback – 2004 Hyundai HCD-8 Sports Tourer Concept

Looking back through the Hyundai concept car archive is pretty shocking. The strides Hyundai has made in overall design and aesthetic appeal in the last decade are simply remarkable. Evidence? This HCD-8 Sports Tourer Concept — a grand GT coupe with luxurious rear-drive proportions, but serious failings in sexiness. (In fact, this coupe is front-drive.) What the HCD-8 does prove is how much design skill it takes to go from the Hyundai concepts from before this car and onto big hits like the 2011 Sonata and current Elantra. The concepts before this HCD-8 are far, far stranger and less appealing …

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Year 1 Debrief: Most Popular 150 Articles Ranked and Linked!

Some surprising cars pop to the top of this list of Car-Revs-Daily.com’s top articles over the past year. Yep, we just celebrated our one-year anniversary a few days ago —  and things are moving along very nicely indeed! Are the top-ranked articles our favorites, or the ones that took the most time and effort? Not really. But they do prove that content is the golden principle, with timely or exclusive content the real king-maker, from a traffic and therefore ad revenue perspective. Overall stats from 11.1.13 – 11.4.14: Total Articles: 1671 Total Images:  93,899 Average Articles Per Day (7 Days …

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Road Test Review – 2014 Lincoln MKZ 3.7 AWD Is Stylish, Sporty and Futuristic!

The Lincoln MKZ is easily the best Lincoln this author has ever driven. Outstanding design and technology features make the MKZ stand apart from anything else coming out of Detroit this decade, and getting to know the new Lincoln over a week was endlessly surprising. This car handles with a fantastic AWD balance of my personal Subaru Legacy GT, carries a charming and unique design that is cutting-edge and futuristic unlike anything else on the road. Dozens of preconceptions went out the ultra-sleek moonroof as we cruised to Atlanta with the Active Cruise engaged, the massage seats on full blast, …

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2010 BERTONE Pandion for Alfa-Romeo Is Next-Level Brilliance Inside and Out

  We obviously cover a lot of concepts and dream cars here, but rarely does one captivate the eye and mind more than the 2010 Bertone Pandion. BERTONE: COMPANY SITUATION ANALYSIS First things first: Bertone (pronounced ‘Bear Tony’) is currently restructuring after some lean years in the Italian car business drained its corporate accounts to breaking point. Is this any way indicative of the quality of the firm’s design work? Absolutely, positively not. In fact, it is because of Bertone’s amazing ideas that the firm branched back into actual car factories versus just dreamy, steamy concept cars and prototypes. Full-scale …

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Update1 Racing Heritage: the Silver Arrows from Mercedes-Benz (100+ Rare Photos)

Imagine a combination of all forms of racing – off-road to high-speed – done by one core chassis design.   During the 1930s, the Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows were storming every type of racing one could imagine: both competitively in Formula races and for world record attempts outside the circuit. This sent the Silver Arrows up hillclimb events, on ultimate Vmax runs, and even a few winter setups that included a dually rear wheel and a closed shell cockpit at one point.   All these variants were highly ingenious engineering achievements around one core chassis design. The open-wheel profile of any …

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1954 Ferrari 375MM is 2014 Pebble Beach Best of Show

1954 Ferrari 375MM is 2014 Pebble Beach Best of Show This Ferrari has been all over the car news world since winning Best of Show. We know it is beautiful and one-of-a-kind since being reshelled as a coupe for one special owner. The tag itself is car-friendly. This is the classic auto world’s highest honor, but every one of the cars there is an absolute obsession and treasure for its owners. Great cars. The Best “of” show is a bit more human than the “Best in Show” label on many other pursuits.     1954 Ferrari 375 MM is 2014 …

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Road Test Review – 2014 Honda Civic EX-L Coupe Is Sharp-Looking Two-Door With Great Tech and Handling!

  Racy coupe bodies are about as hot as it gets up and down the automotive spectrum. A two-door tells the world you are unattached – and unburdened by kids or carpools. You are single and ready to mingle! The Honda Civic Coupe is one of the most adored nameplates in the youth car culture scene. Last year’s 2013 Civic Coupe has lost is austere nose from 2013 and come back stronger, better, faster and cooler for 2014. This brings an all-new nose design with some aggressive profiling and chrome-accented foglamps, a dark grille slash in semi-gloss black widening the …

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2015 Toyota Sienna Brings Refreshed Touchscreens + Dark New Nose with LED Low-Beams and LED DRLs

The AWD and FWD Toyota Sienna is a huge player in the lux van segment. New competition in the form of the 2015 Kia Sedona might eat into either the Sienna or Odyssey’s honeypot — so the Sienna updates to compete. The changes are very, very subtle on the exterior. SE and Limited models bring the body-color accent package as before, with a remodeled nose and grille design in dark gunmetal. The headlamps themselves are a bit darker-tinted overall, completing the refresh nicely. Lighting-wise, up front the Sienna’s all now have LED Daytime Running Lights as a slash of white …

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2015 Toyota Yaris Adds LED Style and Standard Touchscreen Audio!

Big news for these small-car twins! By the looks and extra content of the 2015 three and five-door Yaris line, Toyota must not be pleased to lose an inch of its compact car dominance to upstarts Chevrolet and Hyundai-Kia! Toyota has owned the small car sales charts for two decades with its Corolla and various other models, but the littlest member of the family has sat out many rounds of updates by competing brands. Chevrolet’s Cruze, Sonic and Spark lines are making waves in the segment, while the Mitsubishi Mirage and Nissan Versa are also play hardball on price. So …

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Concept Flashback – 2007 Nissan Round Box Is Leaf/Cube/iQ Roadster Mashup

Here is a fun one! Back in 2007, this little city run-about might have earned a photo or two in a small concepts section of our car magazines. At least, this is what I tell myself to justify not remembering it at all! The design is actually pretty appealing in its interpretation of a Scion iQ or Smart Fortwo competitor. The best aspect of the squat aesthetic and wide proportions, which become much slimmer moving from the wheel areas and up into the glasshouse. One element slid through to production almost intact on the Nissan Leaf EV — the headlights! …

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2015 SEAT Leon X-Perience Is Gravel-Ready 4×4 Estate Coming to European Dealers In November

If car company product planners got their way, there might be a new SUV or all-wheel-drive model arriving fresh every year right as the weather turns cold and snowy. The same folks would love a cabrio for the showrooms every June — but that is not really how the car business works. Or is it!? SEAT today revealed the production-specification Leon X-PERIENCE — which is an Outback-type of upgrade to the normal Leon Estate. As a huge fan of the Leon 5-door as well as the Estate — this new model makes perfect sense! We estimate the arrival in SEAT …

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Cars & Coffee – 1949 Willys Overland Jeepster and 1994 YJ Wrangler Safari LWB 4-Door

Only 3,000 Jeepsters were built by Willys-Overland in 1949, with the car a lightly-equipped Phaeton four-seat cabrio with little power and even fewer features. Refinished and restored to better-than-new condition, we estimate this Jeepster to be one of only 400 surviving examples worldwide. In concours condition like this Jeepster? One of perhaps 50. The Jeepster’s biggest threat to achieving big sales was in fact the ubiquitity of the original WWII Jeeps, which were still around in huge numbers after both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters of the war drew to a close by the 1950s. During wartime, Willys made 363,000 …

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Scion xB and xD Roof-Chop Renderings Bring Gangster Look

Scion xB and xD Roof-Chop Renderings Bring Gangster Look

Here is the fruit of a few hours in PhotoChop. Would such small windows ever offer enough outward vision? Perhaps – with camera assistance and active safety systems. CarRevsDaily.com – Exclusive – Chopped Roof CarRevsDaily.com – Exclusive – Chopped Roof BONUS: this one did not turn out very well, but shows a speculative preview of Kia’s upcoming 2+2 sports car via a chopped and re-imagined Forte Koup. The concept is set to debut at Detroit in January, and promises genuine driver thrills.

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This 1974 Triumph TR6 Is Track-Prepped and Rally-Ready in Flat Black

Any car with X’s over the headlights is an instant favorite. It is a sign that the car is ready to play — and play hard. This Triumph TR6 from ~1974 at Kiawah Island Cars and Coffee definitely looks ready to run itself with the gas pedal pinned to the floorboards. The paint-job is a bit heat-collecting for the hot South Carolina summers; at least top-down air will keep you cool once on the move. Overall, the lower rally lights and good body panels make this car a chic and fun option versus a modern roadster. All the thrills, but hopefully …

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2016 USA Honda Civic Type R Renderings + Strategic Rationale

YAY… HONDA MOJO IS BACK! After guest editor Chris May’s article this week, the Honda sportscar fan owner situation feels very real. His main message was one of frustration and confusion about the lack of a US Type R akin to the outstanding concept and real-life model that is heading to Japan, Europe and the UK within the next year or so as a production car. Spy Shots photo credit: MotorAuthority.com Finally. Finally! A turbo engine in a Honda Civic that is promised to deliver “at least” 280 horsepower. And a lean and mean pocket-rocket bodystyle that packs five doors …

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2015 Hyundai Sonata Goes Huge – Forget Camry and Accord, This Sonata Is Benchmarking Buicks

Uh Oh. Old habits really do die hard, apparently. This new Sonata shows that some vile old standard-operating-procedures are back in vogue at Hyundai-Kia, in a BIG way: — shoddy design — shoddy performance — shoddy quality We could also add Shoddy Strategy and Shady Promises for handling, efficiency, value…. EXPLAIN: WHAT DO YOU MEAN? The recent model range changes from Hyundai are very, very bizarre in chucking the baby out with the bathwater. Three years of great sales have emboldened the team to go back to its roots in the worst possible ways. The latest ‘Busch-league’ maneuver? Ditching the …

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Hyundai COUPE Design Analyses: Concept HND-9 Shows Best Possible Style Roadmap for Both Shorter and Longer RWD Coupes From Hyundai

Hyundai is a very smart and savvy organization, staffed by some of the keenest automotive minds available at any price. Further proving their strategy to move upmarket and laterally toward enthusiasts, the Genesis sedan and Coupe lines continue to blossom. With this core rear-drive platform, many cars are possible that would have been mere pipe-dreams in the past. (And the present for others such as Acura who are tied to front-drive up and down the range.) HYUNDAI CONCEPT HND-9   My favorite details on the HND-9 are many, but include the free-form grille shape, the swan-wing doors that bring part …

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INTRADO Concept SUV — Hyundai Showing Interesting, Fresh and Tech-Infused Style in Geneva

      The Intrado is a welcome step from Hyundai, which seems to have lost almost all of its style and design momentum recently. The new Genesis is quite difficult to love (or even like, frankly), but this Intrado is the opposite. The carved lower panels are a particular favorite, as is the overall cleanliness of the surfacing. Hopefully it does not lose this crisp aesthetic on the way to production, or it might simply recall the blob-like Daewoo reincarnate that is the Kia K900.   Hyundai unveils new concept car – Intrado – at 2014 Geneva Motor Show …

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2014 Hyundai PassoCorto Is Torino Design Vision Come to Life!

 2014 Hyundai PassoCorto There are many features of the Hyundai PassoCorto Concept that really excite the eye — in ways that the similarly-sized Alfa-Romeo 4C simply does not. A few favorites include the LED lighting in back, which forms a solid light bar the nearly the entire width of the machine. This rear lightbar also forms a (nearly) free-form plane of the Hyundai rearward — improving aerodynamics dramatically. There are numerous other semi-overlapping sheer planes in the PassoCorto design, with near-flat surfacing that appears aero-optimized, clean-cut and also exceptionally-modern. The PassoCorto’s fused-layering is quite unique and innovative. The overall sheer …

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Audi TT Quattro Sport Concept Promises 3.6s 60-mph Sprint via Hardcore Track Racing Upfit

  The most intoxicating new TT for speed freaks? The latest TT Quattro Sport Concept — which appears to be a possible production reality as a ‘Cup’ or ‘club racer’ model. This makes perfect sense when considered a bit more. The chassis and price points of the base TT and the previous-gen TTRS mean it was ripe for a halo performance flagship. A car so fast and loud that it might force the world to show some respect. If only to banish the popular TopGear critique of a hair-dresser’s car. Sidebar: do hair stylists in the UK make more than …

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Best of Awards — 2014 Mazda3 Sedan and Hatch — The Smartest Compact Car in America

The Mazda3 is an amazing, incredible achievement. While preparing this article, I could not help being stunned by these tasteful, unique and attractive designs inside and out. Both the 5-door and the brand-new four-door sedan are extremely good-looking and sophisticated cars from all angles. I thought to myself — is this the thinking man’s BMW or VW Golf? As I moved further into the specs, I realized — this is just a brilliant package up and down the range! Automatic, manual, small engine or big: the Mazda3 just nails every single category or theoretical competitor I can think to name. …

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2014 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track Pack — Looking Great in Latest Real Life Photos!

The driving characteristics of the Genesis coupe remain unknown to this author. I tried to go spend some time reviewing sporty Hyundai or Kia models since making some bold critiques of the Sorento’s variable electric steering last fall. I was not eager to report how atrocious the Sorento’s steering was in all three settings — but honesty and authenticity are sorely lacking from most auto mags these days. How unhelpful is that for shoppers? As you may know by now, we are not into dancing around the truth until the page runs out. Alas, no test drive (or even interior …

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UK Honda Civic Tourer Touts Inner Beauty — But This Wagon Is Gorgeous vs. Clinically-Depressed U.S. Civic

Long headline alert! Sorry about that. Just pointing out the irony in Honda’s “Inner Beauty” campaign — aimed to highlight the functional and useful interior benefits of a wagon shell for small families. But how good does this Civic wagon actually look!? And why is Honda of Europe able to make cars that are so vastly more interesting than Honda of America? No answers are immediately forthcoming. Built in Swindon, England — the most plausible explanation is that Honda Europe is taking a loss on every single car it can manage to sell. Even with this premium styling, Honda Europe …

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Voracious 12C Spider Demand Propels McLaren to Add 5 New Dealerships

Updates for the 2014 McLaren 12C Spider include a wider variety of Special Ops customization choices, a new Android operating system for infotainment, and dealerships a bit closer to home. McLaren is hot on the heels of Ferrari in the battle to monetize their racing pedigree with high-dollar sports car purchases. This track battle is much less about lap times – and more about huge cash flow. McLaren recently announced the addition of five more official retailers, taking the total to 20 dealers across Canada and the U.S. by mid 2014. This is still much less than Ferrari’s 49 total …

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JUST Animated GIFs Page – Updated 5.28.15

JUST Animated GIFs Page – 5.28.15   This is a multi-page post, with a clickable ‘next page’ icon living below the post and related article thumbnails. The page icons are on the left-hand side just above the footer text.   Continues on NEXT PAGE

Exclusive Scion xB and xD Roof-Chop Renderings –> Gangster Look

Here is the fruit of a few hours in PhotoChop. Would such small windows ever offer enough outward vision? Perhaps – with camera assistance and active safety systems. CarRevsDaily.com – Exclusive – Chopped Roof CarRevsDaily.com – Exclusive – Chopped Roof BONUS: this one did not turn out very well, but shows a speculative preview of Kia’s upcoming 2+2 sports car via a chopped and re-imagined Forte Koup. The concept is set to debut at Detroit in January, and promises genuine driver thrills.

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Update1 Racing Heritage: the Silver Arrows from Mercedes-Benz (100+ Rare Photos)

Imagine a combination of all forms of racing – off-road to high-speed – done by one core chassis design.   During the 1930s, the Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows were storming every type of racing one could imagine: both competitively in Formula races and for world record attempts outside the circuit. This sent the Silver Arrows up hillclimb events, on ultimate Vmax runs, and even a few winter setups that included a dually rear wheel and a closed shell cockpit at one point.   All these variants were highly ingenious engineering achievements around one core chassis design. The open-wheel profile of any …

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