We’ve seen a lot of action from and its AMG performance division this year, most of which concerns replacing the naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 with the company’s new, more powerful, more efficient twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V8. The 5.5 is a great engine, but we’ve lamented the death of the 6.2 for a while now (though Merc is still putting it to good use in the ), and the next vehicle to get the 5.5-liter swap is the all-new , which makes its official debut at the later this week.
In standard guise, the ML63 AMG puts down 518 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, though an optional AMG Performance Package raises those numbers to 550 and 560, respectively. This power is put to the ground via Merc’s AMG Speedshift Plus seven-speed transmission, driving all four wheels in the case of the ML63. The Performance Pack also raises the SUV’s top speed from 155 miles per hour to 174, and the extra grunt reduces the ML63’s 0-to-60-mph time from 4.7 seconds to 4.6.
We like how the AMG design has been grafted onto the new shape, as the previous model was a bit too bulgy and brash for our tastes. Inside, there’s a standard Designo leather interior, along with a whole slate of high-tech gizmos to keep you safe, comfortable and entertained.
Stay tuned for live impressions direct from Los Angeles later this week. In the meantime, have a look through our attached high-res image gallery, and for the official press blast as well as some B-roll video of Merc’s new AMG crossover.
reveals 518-hp ML63 AMG ahead of Los Angeles debut [w/video]
In the aftermath of a , NHTSA may move to require electric vehicle batteries to be drained after major wrecks. The Detroit Free Press reports that the agency is contemplating issuing a ruling, but a decision has yet to be made.
General Motors’ position on the fire is that the battery should have been drained after NHTSA crash-tested the car, a preventative measure the automaker says it recommends.
NHTSA’s inquiry involves other carmakers who use lithium-ion battery packs, not just GM. According to the report, the agency is reviewing the automaker’s responses, which likely pertain to the feasibility of requiring first-responders to drain battery packs. The Detroit Free Press says GM must currently deploy a team to drain Volt batteries, though a GM spokesman says a tool to drain batteries may become available to dealerships next year.
The safety of electric vehicle batteries and the have been an since the first hybrids hit the market over a decade ago. The market’s shift toward lithium-ion batteries and an increase in the size of battery packs have only drawn the issue into starker focus.
Finding a good parking spot on the public beaches of Malibu, California is difficult enough, and area residents are making it much harder. The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Malibu residents are planting fake ‘no parking’ signs up and down the Pacific Coast Highway. The many signs sometimes look good enough to fool even law enforcement, but other times the illegal signs are nothing more than a cheap mock-up on a four-foot post.
The problem is that the Pacific Coast Highway features some of the most expensive ocean-front parking anywhere on the planet, and wealthy residents aren’t interested in having parked cars ruin their view. Unfortunately for them, there are many public beaches along this stretch, so law enforcement is tasked with finding and removing the illegal signs. Enforcement officer Pat Veesart tells the Times that removing the signs is “like whack-a-mole,” with new signs popping up every time one gets taken down.
Veesart and company are working hard to eliminate the illegal signs, but as you can imagine, the no parking issue is low on the agency’s list of priorities. Too bad, too, because everyone should have access to the public beaches in the area.
If residents continue to plant these signs, we’re thinking that large, gaudy “Parking is Allowed” signs should be placed wherever the illegal signs are taken down. That should deter residents from trying to keep commoners away from public beaches.
We already know that the will in January, but now, details about what’s behind that newly sculpted, have finally surfaced.
According to Car and Driver, the four- and six-cylinder engines found under the coupe’s newly designed hood are coming in for significant upgrades. The 3.8-liter Lambda V6 now uses direct-injection technology (just like in the updated ), but instead of matching the four-door’s 333 horsepower and 291 pound-feet of torque, has further massaged this engine to the tune of 345 hp and 295 lb-ft of twist. That means the Korean coupe will put down more horsepower than many of its American and Japanese six-cylinder rivals, specifically the , and .
There’s good news for turbo-four enthusiasts, as well. Hyundai’s 2.0-liter inline-four receives a new twin-scroll turbo unit and an upgraded intercooler, meaning there’s now 271 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque on tap. Both the four- and six-cylinder engines are now available with eight-speed automatic transmissions, but those who prefer to row their own gears will almost certainly still be able to opt for a six-speed manual gearbox with either engine. Check out Car and Driver for more details and sit tight for the 2013 Genesis Coupe’s official debut at January’s .
The ongoing revolutions in the Middle East may have put the kibosh on the Bahrain Grand Prix this year, but the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was campaigned as planned against the setting Arabian sun. Follow the jump to read how the final race of the 2011 Formula 1 World Championship went down at Yas Island.
You’re forgiven if you’ve already forgotten the , a crossover coupe that makes the and look sensible. Now, the Tuscany-based operation has unveiled a second take on the concept: the Opera.2.
It’s not an early replacement for the . The Opera.2 offers buyers (at whatever stage of psychotherapy they might currently stand) a slightly different design that does away with the previous version’s hideous cartoon-bunny front end in favor of a (relatively) more subtle treatment. So now it looks like a moderately restrained Chinese concept car instead of a hilariously ugly one.
In addition to the new front end, we get more details on the Vygor’s mechanicals, which are borrowed from the The turbo four is reportedly available with 300, 350 or 420 horsepower, propelling this 3,500-lb mess to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.9 seconds and on to a 155 mph top end. The car has all-wheel drive (obviously), and a tubular steel frame draped in aluminum and composite bodywork.
This is where we tell you that pricing starts at the Euro equivalent of around $192,000. Once you stop laughing, you’ll also be thrilled to know that a third design is apparently in the works to give Vygor’s theoretical customers an even broader range of style choices.
The quirkiness – i.e., – continues. As a preview for the upcoming , Daihatsu has released images of the D-X, something called the Pico (above) and the FC Sho Case. As is totally expected, these concepts are heavy on the green, light on the possibility that they will eventually make it to production.
Still, let’s humor Daihatsu and imagine that we may be able to one day buy these vehicles. What would that be like? Well, in the case of the door-less and window-less tandem two-seat Pico, it’s a compact, clean little half car. The Pico is supposed to represent, “a new category of vehicle positioned between light automobiles and motorized bicycles,” Daihatsu says. Target audience? “The aging population, regional locations and delivery businesses.”
The D-X (pronounced “d cross”) is a sporty little two-seater powered by a conventional engine, but a frugal direct-injection two-cylinder one. More interesting is the FC ShoCase, which is powered by “liquid fuel cells that contain no precious metals” that would be cheaper to produce than traditional fuel cells that rely on platinum and other expensive materials. If the van were ever to be manufactured, that is. Which it won’t. The FC ShoCase is still cool, though, even if it doesn’t have any seats as far as we can tell.
The updated 2013 has already in its seizure-inducing camo patterns. The ponycar’s formal introduction is imminent, and Ford wants to make its Facebook fans part of the process.
Right now, if you “Like” the official , you can then clutter your friends’ news feeds with share a Mustang badge. Ford’s tallying each share, and for every 5,000 of them, it’ll unveil one of four 2013 Mustang photos that are so zoomed and cropped that you can’t really see anything teasers.
So, if you want to start unveiling the 2013 Mustang, surf over to Facebook and start sharing. Just remember to go while you’re there, too.
Shelby SuperCars has released images and video depicting a rendering of the interior of its forthcoming Tuatara. The company says that designers have worked to integrate some of the vehicle’s into the cockpit, which is why we’re guessing the cabin is littered with perforations. The driver will be treated to a glass gauge cluster that relies on Pico projectors to display pertinent information like speed and engine rpm. The tech functions similarly to heads up displays on vehicles like the . The right side of the cluster depicts current gear selection along with a shift-indicator tree while the left side fields any other practical information.
Interestingly, the passenger will also be provided a set of screens with a variety of information, including current speed, engine speed or horsepower at any given time. The company says that the effort makes riding shotgun more of a co-pilot experience. In addition, a large touch screen in the center console takes care of most creature comfort and entertainment settings, though the vehicle still relies on honest tactile buttons for more critical systems like traction control and drive modes. to see the video for yourself.
This Land Cruiser comes from the factory with not only the ability to ford deep water, but the intent, as well.
There are many reasons to love Australia. Beautiful beaches, fantastic surfing, miles of unspoiled countryside and balmy winters all do much to stoke our appreciation of the country. We can now add the bare-bones to that list. says that it created this particular vehicle for those customers who “tend to abuse, not just drive” their vehicles. That certainly sounds like our kind of people.
The Land Cruiser GX features vinyl floor mats, vertically-hinged rear barn doors, 17-inch steel wheels and, best of all, a snorkel. Yes, this Land Cruiser comes from the factory with not only the ability to ford deep water, but the intent, as well.
In addition to the aquatic equipment, the Land Cruiser GX is packed with an auxiliary fuel tank for traversing the open wastes, plenty of under-body protection and an honest-to-goodness metal key. A 4.5-liter twin-turbo V8 diesel engine sits at the heart of this beast of burden coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission with full-time four-wheel drive courtesy of a Torsen differential. We’re in love. for the full press release.
releases extra tough Land Cruiser GX for Australia
is recalling a small number of models for concerns over the vehicle’s braking system. According to a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the affected cars could have a power vacuum brake boost pushrod retention nut that may not have been torqued to the proper specification. This could cause the pushrod to separate from the brake pedal, which may result in a loss of braking ability. Yikes.
The recall, however, only affects 624 CTS models, all of which were manufactured between October 21 and October 26 of this year. Cadillac dealers will inspect the pushrod retention nut, and if necessary, re-torque it to the proper spec. Of course, this service will come at no cost to owners. for the official NHTSA report.
Even though there is plenty of evidence that the is a safe car (one just protected its occupants in a recent ), there are now new and seemingly legitimate worries about the safety of the 16-kWh battery pack after a crash. Bloomberg reports that a Volt that was parked at a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration test center recently caught fire, burning nearby vehicles. The Volt had been put through a side-impact crash test three weeks prior and an official told Bloomberg that investigators determined the battery was indeed the source of the fire. Apparently, NHTSA reps are talking with “all automakers” with lithium-ion vehicle for sale (or coming soon) about the safety of their battery packs.
On the one hand, this is bad news for people who already have worries about the safety of plug-in vehicle. On the other hand, a crashed car, whether powered by gasoline or lithium, isn’t exactly a safe item. Given that this fire follows (whose cause has not yet been determined), we expect a spike of “plug-in cars are bad” news soon. Whether this is warranted or not is another question. The NHTSA’s issued a statement to Bloomberg that said:
Based on the available data, NHTSA does not believe the Volt or other electric vehicles are at a greater risk of fire than gasoline-powered vehicles. In fact, all vehicles – both electric and gasoline-powered – have some risk of fire in the event of a serious crash.
Indeed. We’ll have more on this as details are released.
Think Your Job Is Stressful? Try Redesigning The 911
The world’s most iconic sports car, the , is redefined about every seven years. This is no easy feat, as each new model must not only conform to ever tightening emissions, fuel economy and safety regulations, but must be faster and more competitive in motorsports. The 911 remains one of the most successful racing cars ever built, and for many, it’s not just a sports car from – it is Porsche.
Now, an all-new seventh-generation Porsche 911 Carrera has been unveiled. While the rear-engine replacement lacks serious controversy (the move from an air-cooled flat-six to water-cooled powerplant more than a decade ago was dreadfully traumatic), the new Type 991 presents altered proportions to improve passenger comfort, handling and stability. But don’t think for a moment that the 2012 model has gone soft. It is much more dynamic and capable than its predecessor. To substantiate the fact, Porsche divulges that its all-new Carrera S is capable of lapping the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife circuit in just 7:40 minutes. Not only is that 14 seconds faster than last year’s 997, but it matches the time of the race-ready Type 997 GT3. And that’s just the start.
has officially announced that the droptop counterpart to its new will bow at the next week. We’ve , and aside from some minor tweaks to the suspension to keep the car from getting all wobbly after the roof was cut off, not much else is expected to change during the coupe-to-cabrio transformation.
The automaker has not released any details about the XKR-S Convertible at this time, stating only that it and the coupe represent the fastest and most powerful Jaguar automobiles ever created. We were pretty smitten with the hardtop variant when we drove it recently, so we’re eager to see how the whole XKR-S experience changes with the wind in your hair.
Stay tuned for the full details live from Los Angeles next week.
is giving Korean small-car buyers something to smile about with the new Kia Ray subcompact. The vehicle looks to have taken a cue or two from its bigger brothers with stylized headlights and a very corporate mesh grille. We see plenty of in the design, but there’s more to the boxy machine than a quick glance would suggest.
Look closely and you’ll note that the driver’s side wears two traditionally hinged doors while the passenger side boasts a sliding rear door akin to what we typically expect to see on a minivan. Why abandon symmetry? Kia says that the company wanted to give buyers more flexibility when it came to ingress and egress in tight parking spaces.
The design is also expected to give the pint-sized Ray more versatility than buyers are accustomed to from the segment. Right now, Kia says that the Ray is only slated to show up on Korean dealer lots, which means we won’t be seeing the vehicle on our shores anytime soon. No engine specifications have been released at this time, either, but we can imagine that the Ray won’t boast eye-popping performance.
Now that has launched the as the official replacement of the , it’s time for the Italian automaker to wrap up development of the successor to the . While we previously spotted this car’s replacement , what you see here are the first photos that actually give a glimpse of the new car’s shape, camouflaged as it may be.
The 599 successor – rumored to be dubbed F620 – will likely be powered by Ferrari’s 6.3-liter V12, churning out over 700 horsepower. Unlike the all-wheel-drive FF, the 599 replacement will continue to use rear-wheel drive, sending its power to the back wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with an F1-style electronic differential.
Our sources suggest that the F620 will be much lighter than the outgoing 599, due in part to a larger usage of aluminum in the body construction. As for design, it’s safe to assume that the coupe will take a large influence from the 458 Italia, with some cues from the FF thrown in for good measure. Then again, it’s a Ferrari, so we doubt the finished product will be anything but stunning.
Expect to see more of the F620 as it continues its development testing over the next few months. If things move along at a steady pace, we could see the production car debut as early as the in March.
launched its mind-boggling in 2008, but aside from the addition of a and a battery-laden hybrid (the latter of which has ), not much has been done to the high-riding, not-so-practical crossover. Even now, with the X6’s refresh coming into clearer view, it doesn’t appear that BMW will be making drastic changes to its most expensive CUV.
From what we can see in these spy shots, the usual nip/tuck treatment is being given to both the front and rear fascias, with revised lower air intakes making up the majority of the changes in front. The foglamps have been repositioned, the shape of the headlamp surrounds appears to be tweaked slightly, and that’s about it. Around back, expect a slightly different taillamp treatment, likely with LED bulbs, but not much else.
It’s possible that some enhancements have been made to the six- and eight-cylinder powertrains, but mum’s the word on exactly what’s happening underhood. Regardless, expect to see the refreshed X6 make its official debut in the coming months.
The first diesel has arrived in the United States. But it’s not destined for a showroom, and it’s not headed to a waiting customer. No, Jaguar has slightly more ambitious plans for this particular oil-burning sedan.
The 2.2-liter diesel four will propel this XF on a cross-country journey that will take it from New York to Los Angeles – a trip across eleven states covering 2,800 miles – over the course of seven days. The goal is to see how far the car can travel on a single tank of fuel, and follows a similar exercise undertaken in Europe that took a different XF diesel across 816 miles from Castle Bromwich in the UK to Munich, Germany, on a single tank, returning an average of 57 miles per gallon on the EU cycle.
Observers can track this trip’s progress on the company’s and , and we’ll be sure to report on the venture’s results once it’s reached the Pacific coast. Details in the press release .
The Motor Press Guild has named the as the its first-ever Car Of The Year. MPG calls itself the largest automotive media association in the United States, and says that the the A7 was chosen as the first recipient of the organization’s Car Of The Year award because of its styling, handling and slew of advanced technologies.
MPG says that the A7 faced some stiff competition from four other finalists chosen by a panel of members. The entire MPG membership then evaluated and ranked those vehicles at the organization’s track day in October.
Motor Press Guild President Laura Burstein will present Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen with the Car Of The Year award at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show. for the press release.
Production of the original may have drawn to a close, but that doesn’t mean the end of the Veyron altogether. Of the 150 examples of the Grand Sport earmarked for production, only 45 of them have been accounted for. That leaves another – carry the two, divide by the square-root of pi – 105 examples still available for order. And no two of them are likely to end up the same.
That’s because Bugatti offers a nearly endless array of customization options both inside and out, the permutations of which could stand to overshadow even its seven-figure price tag. And so to demonstrate what can be done with a Veyron, Bugatti has brought three specially outfitted examples to no less fitting a location than the Dubai Motor Show.
The first example is the most garish, but combines founder Ettore Bugatti’s favorite colors – black and yellow – with bright yellow bodywork contrasting with the exposed carbon fiber and black wheels. The second employs blue carbon fiber and anodized aluminum, and the third incorporates a newly developed weave of green carbon fiber along with polished aluminum. Each features matching wheels as well as an individually-tailored interior.
If you’re not planning on hitting the Persian Gulf for the exposition, you can check ‘em out in the high-res gallery above and the press release . And if you like what you see and manage to get to it before the oil-rich sheikhs do, you can place your order: 1.58 million euros (approximately $2.15M) will get you the bumblebee example, while the uniquely-tinted carbon examples are available at 1.74 million euros ($2.37M) per.
