Don’t judge a book by its cover. The sentiment certainly applies to cars as well, but doubly so. Years of driving and photographing new vehicles have taught us that you can’t evaluate a new model – or even judge its styling – based on photos alone, no matter how good or bad the images or the sheetmetal might seem. And you can’t really know anything until you get that car off the auto show stand and out in the wild, driving it on the street in its natural habitat.
We explain this because when we first spied the new , we didn’t think much of it: Mostly carryover front fascia, grafted-on taillights, Bangle butt. Move along, nothing to see here. But a funny thing happened when we got behind the wheel of the Malibu Eco for a week. We warmed up to it. We actually liked it.
The Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team has been using its drivers of F1, and in this video Nico Rosberg demonstrates what we’ve long suspected: the driving position in a Formula 1 car is outrageous, with drivers reclined on a carbon-fiber gynecologist’s table pretending to be a seat.
to watch Nico explain finding a balance between comfort and weight. And how it’s kind of hard to see above the wheel.
Automobile’s Georg Kacher goes deep into the product plan, looking at the 32 models that the group’s ten brands will roll out over the next five years. These vehicles are expected to drive VW to the top of the mountain in 2018, where the flag for World’s Largest Automaker awaits.
The armada is based on three platforms: MQB for transverse FWD/AWD cars like the VW Golf, MLB for the longitudinal FWD/AWD cars in Audi’s stable, and MSB for AWD/RWD front-, rear- and mid-engined cars like the 960.
Said to be due in 2015, the discussed last year as a bridge model between the and 918, but Kacher has it listed with the MSB-M platform cars like the Porsche / and , not the front-engined MSB-F or rear-engined MSB-H cars. Yet the 960 is said to be a -fighting “four-door coupe” powered by a twin-turbo flat-six. We’ll wait for clarification on the number of doors, since in September of last year, posited the 960 as a mid-engined coupe priced “on the creepy side of €200,000.”
Other intriguing notes from the plan: for VW, a coupe is planned for 2016, the might get a coupe variant, the second-generation Scirocco “has the potential” for U.S. sales and the will be replaced; is desgining an even edgier third-generation , the will experiment with e-quattro, and the next-generation will break the same-sausage, different-lengths design mold.
This weekend, Audi marked the of its latest R18 race cars at the World Endurance Championships at Spa Francorchamps. Yet the most spectacular race car running on any track this weekend was thousands of miles away at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, in the 24 Hours of Lemons “Loudon Annoying” event taking place at the very same time.
Yes, that’s a camper trailer that’s been converted into a race car. And there’s . Now, before you click, see if you can guess what the car underneath is. (Hint, there’s another photo in the gallery that makes it very clear.) That answer is also posted , and it makes the whole rig even more fantastic.
Thanks to our friend (and ) Jake Fisher for the on-site photos!
With a couple of high-level U.S. defectors from the RallyCross series into other motorsport disciplines there was a domestic vacuum at the top, and we know what nature thinks about that. Enter German shoe/sportswear Puma, which is throwing its sponsor dollars behind the factory-backed PUMA Rallycross Team.
Dave Mirra heads up the trio of drivers, joined by Bucky Lasek and Sverre Isachsen, and they’ll run all six RallyCross rounds this year in 2012 STi’s. Of course, you can’t properly launch a team without some smoke and sliding action, so you’ll find that in the video . And make sure to peep the “Zombie Cat” Puma skeletons on the cars while you’re at it…
What has six legs, gas, weighs more than a ton and can walk over cars? , that’s what. Stompy is a project envisioned by the Robotics Intensive class at in Boston, and with your help, it could become a reality.
Stompy’s six hydraulic legs are powered by a 135-hp, propane-fueled forklift engine and can carry two passengers high above the terrain.
What are the chances of this thing coming to life? Pretty good, actually. The president of Artisan’s Asylum and leader of this project is Gui Cavalcanti, who has workd with DARPA on a to help soldiers with heavy loads.
Also on the team are Adam Bercu, two-time collegiate Battle Bots champ, robotic engineers Dan Cody and James Whong, and several others with backgrounds in open-source software and robotics.
The biggest obstacle looks to be funding, of course. After the team works up a list of stuff it will need to build Stompy, they plan to launch a Kickstarter campaign sometime around August.
Always looking for ways to one-up its Japanese competitors, has announced that a brake override system will be standard equipment on its full line of vehicles, starting this month.
Truth be told, every 2012 Hyundai model save for the already had a brake override system fitted. So why the announcement, and why now? Well, other than just tweaking , whose unintended acceleration problems led to widespread recalls, a , and prompted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to , the announcement likely has more to do with the end of Elantra Touring production than it does with anything else.
The old Hyundai i30, on which the Elantra Touring was based, has been redesigned, and reviews of the new model have already started showing up . We won’t get our version of the i30, dubbed here in the U.S., until later in the summer.
We’ll be driving the GT in June and we promise to issue a full report, though we’re going to try to avoid testing this new technology.
Of the three “Top Gear” hosts, Richard Hammond may be the most sympathetic towards American tastes. He’s made no secret of his love for American machinery, including our big-boned muscle cars and pickup trucks. Hammond even spent some time filming in our neck of the woods while working on his new show, “Crash Course.” The series puts Hammond behind the wheel of the largest machinery on the planet, and not surprisingly, the first episode focuses solely on the monstrosities of America.
Hammond sat down with GQ to discuss the project as well as some of his favorite vehicles from the States. While cars like the and are obvious picks, Hammond also seems to favor creations like the modern and the . Head over to to take a look at the full list for yourself. “Crash Course” airs Mondays at 10 on BBC America.
Yes, it’s spring time in Indiana, and although ahead of the drop of the green flag, it’s time for another One Lap of America.
Having been part of the timing and scoring team for well over a decade, we tend to see a lot of the same faces and sheetmetal year in and year out, though there’s always a steady stream of newcomers. Every few races, however, there seems to be a bumper crop of new cars that show up as old ones get tired and drivers find something different to play with. This is clearly one of those times, perhaps brought about by the dominance of the over the last several years. As a result, there are a glut of the Japanese supercars in the fold, along with other noteworthy new models including an , a and , not to mention a factory-prepped . As ever, there’s a brace of and models of various vintages, along with a or two and a 430. There’s even an and an incredible sounding , also running with factory support.
Unfortunately, one key classic will be notably absent from the paddock this year: Brock Yates. Father of One Lap Of America and the legendary Cannonball Run that spawned it, Yates’ health has been deteriorating due to Alzheimer’s. Yates’ son, Brock Jr. has been ably running the event for many years, but this is the first time that .
As has become the usual, this year’s event kicks off in South Bend, Indiana at title sponsor Tire Rack’s massive headquarters with a wet skidpad event. The motley crew of madmen and their motors will then jog down the road a few miles to the South Bend Motor Speedway (a paved oval) before hoofing it over to Autobahn Country Club’s road course in Illinois. After that, it’s off to a string of road courses starting with scenic Pacific Junction, Iowa, for the Mid America Motorplex, then on to Oklahoma’s Hallett Motor Racing Circuit before heading to High Plains Raceway in Colorado. After that, it’s off to Motorsports Park Hastings in Nebraska followed by a northwestern jog to Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota. Then it’s over to Wisconsin’s legendary Road America before the sleepless and bedraggled horde stumble back into South Bend next Saturday, April 14 for a final dry skidpad event. Got all that? If you don’t, you can check out a map .
As we’ll be working the event, we won’t have the ability to give you daily updates on the rally’s progress, but if you’re interested in keeping tabs on the action, check out and , both of which figure to have live updates as the race gets underway this morning. In the meantime, you can check out our massive gallery above. It doesn’t have every one of the roughly 75 that are scheduled to race, but if you are new to One Lap, it’ll give you a good idea of the automotive diversity on display.
is rapidly expanding its crossover range, with the recently joining the and , not to mention the -rivaling that’s in the pipeline. But now, according to Auto Express, Audi is working on an entry-level Q2 crossover that would take on the likes of the and .
Auto Express has come up with a rendering of the Q2 (pictured right, click to see the full deal), which we’ll reportedly see in concept form sometime in the next 12 months, and – surprise, surprise – it looks like a sportier Q3 or, more to the point, a high-riding . Because of its small size, powertrains will likely be plucked out of the A1 range, meaning a 1.4-liter turbocharged inline-four and a 1.6-liter diesel four will be offered.
Audi will also reportedly take a cue from with the Q2 launch, encouraging owners to personalize their small CUVs in a number of ways. According to the report, buyers will be able to opt for contrasting roof and mirror colors, as well as different-colored major interior trim bits, including the seats and steering wheel.
The Q2 will ride on the same MQB architecture that is set to underpin the full range of Group small cars. That said, Auto Express reports that the Q2 will launch before the rest of the small cars are facelifted in 2014.
Motor Trend reports may have plans to resurrect the Supra name, or at least a new sports coupe to fill the role of the long-dead two door. Hot on the heels of sports cars like the and , designers are reportedly working on dusting off the 2007 FT-HS Concept for another go at life. Paired with the company’s GRMN MRS prototype chassis, the vehicle will likely deliver up to 400 horsepower from a 3.5-liter V6 engine and an electric motor.
If the notion of a hybrid Supra is enough to ruffle your feathers, you may want to stop reading right now. Unlike the previous sports coupe, the new model will make use of an all-wheel-drive system. Still reading? MT reports the machine will put power to all four wheels via a CVT pulled from the .
That noise? It’s the sound of a lonely sad trombone echoing down the halls of the internet.
Of course, all of this seems to be little more than a few educated guesses stuck together. Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda has voiced his support for a Supra successor in the past, and if green-lit, the model could see production by 2015. Early guesses say the car would bow with a $60,000 price tag, which would make for a perfect argument against sticking a new NSX in your garage.
We Americans sure do love the freedom of owning our own automobile, but the price of that freedom is climbing. AAA has released its 62nd annual “Your Driving Costs” study, which shows a 1.9-percent year-over-year increase in the cost of auto ownership. That’s an average of $8,946 per year per car, with costs including monthly payment, fuel, maintenance and insurance.
Given the sharp rise in the cost of a gallon of petrol, it’s no surprise that prices at the pump are up 14.8 percent, or an average of 14.2 cents per mile. Tire prices are up 4.2 percent, in part because material prices have skyrocketed. The average insurance policy jumped by $33 versus 2010 numbers, with an average rate of $1,001 per year.
Interestingly, used cars are worth more than they were a year ago, with a depreciation drop of 4.9 percent, which means a new car purchase may hold its value a little better than before.
If $8,946 is too rich for your blood, AAA shows that the best bet could be a smaller sedan. Compact models average $6,735 per vehicle, while 4WD SUVs top the charts at $11,360. Large sedans are close to the SUV numbers, with an average of $11,324. AAA based its findings on a driving cycle of 15,000 miles per year. to read the AAA press release.
There’s good reason this more than doubled it’s pre-sale estimate, and it’s not because . No, Lot 307 at Bonhams’ Hendon, U.K., sale was bid up to $65,100 because it’s an exceptionally rare early Mini, just the eighth of the iconic cars ever manufactured, according to the auction company.
The seller was clearly able to capitalize on the current collector car trend of finding unrestored survivor cars – those gems that have somehow escaped not only the ravages of time and oxidation, but five decades of enthusiastic collectors armed with an attitude that tearing it down to the base metal and building it back up, “better than new,” is the only way to enjoy vintage iron. The auction company advertised this 1959 Austin Seven (the Mini name wasn’t applied to the Austin version until 1961) as the oldest unrestored Mini, saying that only three earlier cars are known to exist, one of which is in the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust museum.
Unrestored cars have achieved their recent popularity in part because they serve as records of how the cars originally came from the factory. Production standards in the ’50s and ’60s were much more lax than they are now, and written records can be hard to come by, hence the need for cars like this to direct historians and restorers alike.
The Mini, of course, is one of the most popular cars of all time, remaining in production with few changes from 1959 through 2000. Over 5.3 million of the cars were produced over that period, before shut down production to launch its modern version of the car.
We are currently barreling toward the end of the week, which means there’s a good chance you’re looking for ways to chip away at the time card. Allow us to lend you a hand. Chris Harris recently took it up on himself to line up a three very expensive, very powerful German track-bred machines for a little showdown. With names like the Porsche GT3 RS 4.0, BMW M3 GTS and the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series, the half-hour clip all but guarantees some giggles. Since these are all coupes that are supposed to be able to pull double duty on the street and on track, Harris puts one and all through a two-day drive.
Day One features plenty of time on the street, where things like how quickly the dual-clutch transmission in the M3 GTS don’t matter nearly as much as a functional Bluetooth phone pairing system. Of course, Day Two is the fun stuff. That’s when all three sports cars are pressed around a track to see which can return the best lap time. How does it turn out? We won’t spoil it for you. You’ve got time to waste. to check out the clip for yourself.
just wrapped up competition at Miller Motorsports Park as part of the Pirelli World Challenge. Before the race kicked off, the crew spent a few hard laps getting the Race Cars sorted and was kind enough to strap a few cameras to the machines while they were on track. If you’re looking for a professional view at what it’s like to take a lap while behind the wheel of the fire-breathing Caddy, look no further than the clip .
Drivers Andy Pilgrim and Johnny O’Connell both take the time to talk us through the apexes, brake points and subtle nuances of the track surface at race speed. Very cool.
O’Connell walked away with a second-place finish just behind Patrick Long in his Porsche 911 GT3, while Pilgrim was nudged off the podium by Mike Skeen in third place with his . to check out the video for yourself.
gives guided tour of Miller Motorsports Park in CTS-V Race Car
Having a ruff day on the road? Don’t take it out on other drivers, do what dogs do when they’re out for a ride. Director Keith Hopkin takes to California’s highways and byways and films eight dogs “doing what they love to do,” he says on his .
The video captures that pure enjoyment of a dog’s nose in the wind, the sun on his fur and not having a care in the world. There’s even a slow motion montage where each dog closes his eyes, smiles and dreams of bacon.
Perhaps one of the best moments is at 1:04 when Beans the dog rides past a Bugatti Veyron and checks it out. Dogs may not know cars, but they do know a good breeze.
Of course, it doesn’t appear any of the dogs are strapped in to their seats, which is illegal in California. The Golden State requires pets be buckled up on in a cage when riding in a car. Then again, the unharnessed pooches won’t get a ticket, their owners will. to watch the video, and for the creator’s Facebook page if you want to become a fan.
has been , as the and its and variants have grown increasingly at odds over the past two generations. Now this gets thrown into the mix: When the new WRX gets released in late 2013, it may ditch the traditional exhaust-gas powered turbocharger for a new, electric design.
That’s right, according to The Sydney Morning Herald, Subaru is working on an electric turbo, shades of those computer-fan-sourced “power adders” you used to see advertised in the back pages of Sport Compact Car a decade ago. Except we would assume Subie-parent Fuji Heavy Industries is developing a design that actually works. According to the report, heat from the exhaust would be captured, but instead of using the exhaust pressure to turn the turbocharger’s turbine, the heat energy would be converted to electricity, which would then spin the impellers. This could be more efficient, as well as eliminating the piping and turbo lag.
While that sounds neat and all, we’re not so sure we want to see an unproven technology like this applied to one of our favorite affordable performance cars. Unless, of course, it allows for -like performance in a $30,000 car.
The General wants more rear-wheel drive vehicles in its lineup and has plans to bring a few more to America, including a sedan and possibly a wagon and sport utility, according to .
GM already sells a rear-wheel-drive Chevrolet sedan in the U.S., but only sworn law enforcement officers are allowed to drive it: The Chevrolet Caprice PPV.
Now, GM will reportedly build a civilian offshoot of the the PPV and market it as the SuperSport sedan, as we . Under the hood would be GM’s 6.2-liter V-8 creating more than 400 horsepower. That SuperSport badge will also go onto Chevrolet’s NASCAR entry next year.
Car and Driver reports that after the V8 SuperSport launches, a milder 300-plus-horsepower 3.6-liter V-6 model will follow. By 2015, when the rear-wheel-drive Zeta platform is improved, production of this vehicle (as well as the PPV) will come to America, thus opening up the market for more police car sales, as some local governments can only buy American-made cruisers.
Furthermore, GM is considering building a rear-wheel-drive wagon as well as a sport-utility (read: ute) model. The updated Zeta II platform can handle both vehicles, especially since the next-generation Camaro will be shifting to the new Alpha platform that will underpin the and next-gen .
Really, all of these vehicles are derivatives of the , which is still on sale as the Holden Commodore in other markets. It was, arguably, the best Pontiac ever made. Bringing cars, wagons and utes like that to America, under any name or brand, is an immigration policy we can fully endorse.
It’s a rare thing, but every now and then, our automotive wishes come true. has announced that it will produce the heinous Juke-R in very limited numbers after a warm reception in Dubai. The company has already received three orders so far, and Nissan says it will begin taking additional orders in the next four weeks.
Each model will be built to order using model year 2012 drivetrain components, meaning there’s a modest bump in power – 545 horsepower versus the original Juke-R’s 480. As you may recall, the first Juke-R used bits cannibalized from a . How much will the machine cost? Nissan isn’t saying, but we’d be willing to bet the Juke-R will carry an MSRP a bit higher than the GT-R.
With 545 horsepower crammed into the quirky lines of the Juke, the machine is unlike anything else on the road. Nissan has also worked up a quick video to commemorate the production announcement. The clip focuses on the showdown between the Juke-R and . to check it out alongside the full press release.
If you were one of the world’s richest human beings, what kind of car would you own? The richest man in the world, (worth about $69 billion), drives himself to work in a . MSRP: $300K.
On the other hand, if you were , founder of Ikea, you’d drive something more humble like a 1993 240. We wonder if he had to put it together himself.
Then there’s Bill Gates. Another of the world’s wealthiest people, Mr. Gates showed a at the 2008 CES keynote of him driving away from his last day at work at Microsoft in a While that may or may not be his daily driver, one of his cars has been well documented.
In 1999, President Clinton signed into law the “” rule that exempted certain collectible cars from government emission and crash worthiness rules. Bill Gates and several other very rich motor nuts were instrumental in getting the law passed. The exemption allowed Gates to break his Porsche 959 free from the customs impound lot after more than a decade.
Check out the other 11 gajillionaires and their rides .
Always looking for ways to one-up its Japanese competitors, has announced that a brake override system will be standard equipment on its full line of vehicles, starting this month.
