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Video: Double Bill – C/D and MT pit Cadillac CTS-V Coupe vs. Audi RS5 vs. BMW M3
Click above to watch the video
The has some serious performance chops. The potent angular coupe is loaded with a blown 6.2-liter V8 capable of 556-horsepower, 15-inch front and 14.7-inch rear Brembo brakes and a Magnetic Ride Control suspension setup. Impressive stats to be sure, but does Cadillac’s sleek two-seater have the goods to take on the and ?
Both Motor Trend and Car and Driver have obviously been pondering the same question, as the competing buff mags dusted off their camcorders and cut up a pair of comparison videos featuring the three super coupes doing a ménage à trois of the automotive kind.
to experience both videos. In the first video, MT goes all-out with its comparison, bringing both Editor-in-Chief Angus McKenzie and the spanking new CTS-V Coupe to Germany to take on the pair of well-established Bavarian competitors. The second video shows the unique C/D approach, with no first, second or third place finishers and not a single word is uttered. C/D just let the hot coupes speak for themselves with beautiful pictures and heavenly exhaust notes.
[Sources: , ]
Coupe vs. Audi RS5 vs. BMW M3
6.2-liter v8, AMC, Audi, bmw, BMW M3, cadillac, Cadillac CTS, Cadillac CTS-V, Car, Car and Driver, Coupe, CTS, CTS-V Coupe, Germany, horsepower, M3, Notes, ring, super, tC, V8, Video, YouTube
Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 7.30.10
Lexus continues to give the people what they want, but is its aging ES still the benchmark for the class?
In our final dispatch from Japan, we get behind the wheel of Toyota’s latest prototypes and simulators, and enjoy a close-up view of two Camry sedans being smashed together at Toyota’s newest crash testing facility.
The X Games extravaganza kicks off this weekend and we get some seat time with the series’ most competitive drivers.
Also of interest:
- Murano convertible tipped to debut at LA Auto Show
- unveils 2011 S63 AMG with twin-turbo 5.5L V8 [w/video]
- for Supra name
Browse our archive of Daily U-Turn posts or subscribe to the RSS feed
2011, AMG, banner, Car, Crash, game, Games, Japan, lexus, mercedes, mercedes-benz, nissan, preview, review, SIM, subaru, tC, test, Time, toyota, trademark, V8, Video
Video: The Smoking Tire gets to play with the Firebreather
The Smoking Tire drives the Firebreather – Click above to watch video
Matt Farah and the crew from The Smoking Tire just can’t seem to get enough of the 2011 Convertible they had for this year’s Bullrun. With the cross-country party over and nothing but a mountain of citations looming in the distance, The Smoking Tire set out to give the big Blue Oval one last goodbye. Of course, they couldn’t spend an entire episode pouring over every last detail of a vehicle that regular viewers know all too well. Instead, the show lined up a quick stint behind the wheel of the Firebreather.
Think of it as what the 2010 Pontiac Firebird would have looked like if the Poncho had survived the GM apocalypse and the company’s designers had been on acid. If you can get past the wildly rear sheet metal and the drooping front fascia, there’s a supercharged version of the 6.2-liter V8 in the on which it’s based. The whole concoction is good for 600 horsepower, and while the car was originally worked up for an Exodus Productions movie, Classic Design Concepts will be selling genuine Firebreather models to the public. to see Farah wrangle the car through a canyon or two.
[Source: ]
2011, 6.2-liter v8, blue oval, camaro, canyon, Car, chevrolet, chevrolet camaro, concept, design, ford, ford mustang, gm, horsepower, iREB, mustang, Pontiac, ring, super, tC, V8, Video, YouTube
Autoblog gets seat and simulation time with Toyota’s newest safety technology [w/video]
Inside Toyota’s Higashi-Fuji tech center – Click above for high-res image gallery
Sitting in the shadow of Mount Fuji, is part proving grounds and part engineering center. But unlike most facilities, Higashi-Fuji includes an array of engineering and research offices employing over 3,000 employees, and an assortment of non-track test facilities.
The Higashi-Fuji campus opened back in 1966 and has grown to encompass nearly 2.7 millionsquare feet of facility floor space. We were given the rare opportunity to visit the facility where we witnessed one unique crash test, tried out one of the world’s most advanced driving simulators and sampled an assortment of new safety features, including a brake override system, enhanced pre-collision braking, pedestrian detection and updated ABS calibrations for the . Make the jump for the full report.
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Crash, feature, features, Google, Maps, photo, Photos, ring, SIM, Square, test, Time, toyota, update, Video
Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy
Car Prices Will Climb For Years
Have you’ve been watching car prices lately? They seem to go up every month. Forget everything you’ve been reading about sales incentives, bargain leases or low-cost financing. They just mask the fact that automakers are quietly bumping up MSRP’s every chance they get.
In other words, they quietly raise the price of a car and then loudly announce the deals they’re offering. Sure, you get a discount. But that discount comes off an ever-higher price.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say again. By 2015, the average new car in the American market is going to cost about $35,000. I’m not talking about the MSRP, which is already at an average of $33,000. I’m talking about the transaction price, what people actually pay for a car.
There are a variety of reasons why this is happening. But it basically comes down to this: even though car sales are very weak, we’re actually in a seller’s market. The planets are in alignment for automakers to raise their prices, especially for , and . And it’s only going to get worse.
John McElroy is host of the TV program and daily web video . Every week he brings his unique insights as a Detroit insider to Autoblog readers.
Car, chrysler, ford, general motors, gm, iCan, Other, photo, ring, sale, tC, Video
X Games 16 Preview: Autoblog rides shotgun with the stars of Rally Car [w/video]
X Games 16 Subaru Practice Session – Click above for high-res image gallery
It was just a short time ago – five years, to be exact – that rallying was introduced as a competition in the X Games. The first event started out in spectacular fashion, with Travis Pastrana beating out the late Colin McRae after the former World Rally Championship winner rolled his car with just a few turns to go.
Since then, the competition has become stronger and car manufacturers have increased their involvement as interest in the sport has increased thanks to ESPN’s mainstream audience. This year looks to be one of the most exciting events yet with a host of new cars, new drivers, new rules and even a new event. Follow the jump to learn about what to expect for this year’s X Games 16 and what it’s like to ride shotgun in a 500-horsepower rally car.
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Photos copyright (C)2010 / AOL
: Autoblog rides shotgun with the stars of Rally Car [w/video]
Audi, Car, cars, game, Games, horsepower, photo, Photos, preview, review, subaru, Time, Video
Mercedes-Benz unveils 2011 S63 AMG with twin-turbo 5.5L V8 [w/video]
2011 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG – Click above for high-res image gallery
Engine downsizing has now come to the almost top-of-the-line with the adoption of AMG’s new twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8. The new direct-injected V8 bumps output up from a mere 518 horsepower to 571 horsepower along with generating 663 pound-feet of torque between 2,250 and 3,750 rpm. That’s sufficient to propel this behemoth to 62 mph in just 4.5 seconds in normal trim or 4.4 seconds if you opt for the AMG sports package.
The 2011 S63 also swaps out its previous torque converter automatic transmission for the multi-clutch unit from the SL63, a move which should lend it a more sporting feel. Just as other automakers get both performance and efficiency benefits from boosted direct-injected engines, the S63’s combine fuel economy numbers have jumped from 16.3 miles per gallon (U.S.) to 22.4 mpg on the EU test cycle. The EPA numbers aren’t yet available, but we would expect a similar real-world increase from the 2010 model’s 14 mpg, though perhaps a bit smaller since the EPA’s testing methodology won’t show any benefits from the S63’s new automatic start-stop feature. Official press release and driving footage video , spanking new high-res gallery below.
Gallery:
[Source: Mercedes-Benz]
-Benz unveils 2011 S63 AMG with twin-turbo 5.5L V8 [w/video]
2011, AMG, epa, feature, horsepower, mercedes, mercedes-benz, Official, opel, Other, photo, Photos, SIM, tC, test, U.S., V8, Video
Video: Sunday! Sunday!! Sunday!!! Witness the incredible ManEater funny car!
Funny car checkup yields some unexpected excitement – Click above to watch video
If you aren’t terrified on some primordial level of the funny car class, odds are it’s only a matter of time before natural selection comes a-callin’. Most funnies run a variation on the 500 cubic-inch, supercharged big-block formula while slurping down nitromethane/methanol fuel by the drum. No one’s exactly sure how much power these suckers dish out, but estimates in the 8,000 pony range are typically considered conservative. Yeah. Wrap your noggin around that one for half a second. The whole concoction is designed to hold together just long enough scoot down the eighth or , so it should come as no surprise that accidents happen.
We don’t want to blow the surprise for you (you’ll have to for that), but according to the video’s YouTube comments, the son of the driver was beginning to check his dad’s car over one last time when the vehicle’s supercharger broke a stud. to see what happened next.
[Source: via ]
Car, design, Drag Racing, feature, fun, super, tC, Time, Video, YouTube
2011 Toyota Tacoma gets sweet-looking TRD T|X and T|X Pro packages
2011 Toyota Tacoma TRD TX Pro – Click above for high-res image gallery
If you’re like us, you’d probably do all manner of unspeakable acts to be able to call the your very own. Unfortunately, FoMoCo isn’t in the business of accepting black market kidneys as payment, which has left us without a desert stomping pickup in the driveway. Fortunately, has come out of left field with a stopgap savior in the form of its new 2011 Tacoma TX and TX Pro models. The packages are built around the TX concept from the 2009 SEMA show, and pack much of the hardware we saw on that particular show truck.
Both packages are available on the Tacoma V6 Access Cab or Double Cab Prerunner models that are equipped with the TRD off-road package. In addition to the sweet electronic locking rear differential, Bilstein shocks and Rugged Trail rubber, the TX package throws in 16-inch blacked-out beadlock wheels and black tube side steps among other good-looking pieces. Step it up to the TX Pro, and you’re also rewarded with a TRD cat-back exhaust.
Both trims cost $1,699 and represent a savings of over $700 compared to if you’d simply raided the TRD catalog yourself. The TX and TX Pro packages may not put you on the same level as Ford’s mad hatter, but it’s a start. for the press release and check out our massive gallery below.
Gallery:
[Source: Toyota]
2011, concept, CTS, ford, ford f-150, Hardware, Other, photo, Photos, Pickup, SIM, svt raptor, toyota, truck, Video
Viper releases SmartStart for Android devices
Up until now, anyone with an iPhone or Blackberry and a vehicle with a Viper alarm system could control a range of features from their SmartStart-equipped smartphone. Now Viper is extending that functionality to Google-powered devices through its free app in the Android Marketplace.
Vehicles equipped with the SmartStart hardware can start their engines remotely, pre-warm or pre-cool the insides and, depending on the implementation, lock and unlock doors, pop the trunk and arm their vehicle through their phones. If a baddy cracks the window, an alert is sent to the smartphone and if you’ve got more than one vehicle equipped with the hardware/software combo, you can keep tabs on all your rides through the system.
Full details in the cheese-laden video and accompanying press release
[Source: via ]
Android, Android Market, ARM, Droid, feature, features, Free, fun, Google, Hardware, iPhone, smartphone, Software, Video, viper
AutoblogGreen for 07.30.10
| : Elon Musk chats it up on Colbert Report Stephen makes a funny. |
Three wheels, $17,500. |
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| cabbies prefer Crown Vics to hybrids One cabbie said, “I don’t like the hybrids… Mechanics charge an arm and a leg for them.” |
Other news:
|
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2.2, abg, ARM, autobloggreen, bmw, Car, Chat, fun, green, hybrid, New York, Other, plug-in, UK, Video, vw
Spy Video: Nissan GT-R SpecM gets wrung out at the ‘Ring
Just when we thought the softer-riding SpecM had disappeared for good, the car shows up at the Nurburgring for a little abuse. The crew from Auto Motor und Sport managed to lay their hands on a lengthy video of a few barely-cloaked examples of the car scooting around Green Hell, and everyone’s best guess is that the vehicles are a peek at what we can expect out of the 2011 supercar lineup. As you likely recall, the SpecM is designed to be a more comfortable interpretation of the company’s no-holds barred bruiser. The suspension is tuned more for the street than busting around your favorite road course, and the interior is supposedly swaddled in more high-grade materials.
Judging from what we see in the video, we’re guessing that the new will wear aero additions borrowed from the mighty Spec-V, along with wheels swiped from the same car. to see the flick for yourself.
[Source: Auto Motor und Sport via ]
2011, Car, cars, design, green, nissan, ring, super, supercar, tC, Video
Spy Video: Nissan GT-R SpecM gets rung out at the ‘Ring
Just when we thought the softer-riding SpecM had disappeared for good, the car shows up at the Nurburgring for a little abuse. The crew from Auto Motor und Sport managed to lay their hands on a lengthy video of a few barely-cloaked examples of the car scooting around Green Hell, and everyone’s best guess is that the vehicles are a peek at what we can expect out of the 2011 supercar lineup. As you likely recall, the SpecM is designed to be a more comfortable interpretation of the company’s no-holds barred bruiser. The suspension is tuned more for the street than busting around your favorite road course, and the interior is supposedly swaddled in more high-grade materials.
Judging from what we see in the video, we’re guessing that the new will wear aero additions borrowed from the mighty Spec-V, along with wheels swiped from the same car. to see the flick for yourself.
[Source: Auto Motor und Sport via ]
2011, Car, cars, design, green, nissan, ring, super, supercar, tC, Video
Video: Elon Musk chats it up on The Colbert Report
Elon Musk on The Colbert Report - Click above to watch the video
Elon Musk apparently has a sense of humor. Proof of which can be found in the video after the break, where you’ll see the co-founder of Paypal, and Space X sit-down with Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report.
As always, Colbert takes a lighthearted slant with the interview, making a few comic-relief jabs along the way. For instance, after detailing Musk’s seemingly heroic take on the automotive and space exploration industries, Colbert point-blank asks Musk whether he’s a super hero or a super villain. We’ll let you figure that one out…
Our favorite quote, though, is this: “You have these electric cars that uses no fossil fuels, but then you’ve also got this rocket, this Space X that puts the rocket into space, using about as much fuel as 2,000,000 Hummers. So… are you just trying to break even as spectacularly as possible?”
There are plenty more gems in the video, and we don’t want to spoil the whole thing for you. So just check out the video .
[Source: ]
Car, cars, Chat, electric car, POI, super, tC, tesla, Tesla Motors, Video
Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 7.29.10
In a world where sport compacts are mainly turbocharged hatchbacks, can the Civic Si still hold its own?
Before Lieberman leaves for an editorship at Motor Trend, he reflects on his time at Autoblog and lists off a few things he would’ve done differently.
More recalls from Toyota and this time it includes over 300,000 Avalons equipped with faulty steering locks.
Also of interest:
- 5-star testing process
- LX 470 for potential ’steering shaft disengagement’
Browse our archive of Daily U-Turn posts or subscribe to the RSS feed
banner, breaking, chevy, CTS, honda, lexus, preview, review, ring, tC, test, Time, toyota, toyota recall, U.S., update, Video, vw
Man spends nearly $200,000 to win right to park truck in his own driveway [w/video]
Man pays nearly $200,000 to park truck in his own drive – click above to
Beware of the home owner’s association. Considered this country’s most basic, ruthless unit of government, HOAs are typically organized and manned by retirees with little better to do than tell you what to do with your property – something A.J. Vizzi recently learned the hard way. When Vizzi purchased his home in Odessa, Florida, he was told he would be allowed to park his in his home’s , even though the neighborhood’s rules forbade keeping vehicles anywhere other than the garage. The truck didn’t fit in the home’s garage.
The local HOA soon changed its mind, and before long a lawsuit ensued. In 2008, a judge ruled in Vizzi’s favor, but the association quickly appealed the decision. In March, a second judge sided with Vizzi, and the courts awarded him $187,000 in legal fees to be paid by the HOA. In total, the association claims that the ordeal has cost over $300,000, including the cash it now has to pay to Vizzi. to watch a local news report on the legal battle. Thanks for the tip, Sea Urchin!
[Source: ]
duty, Florida, ford, Google, Other, super, super duty, tC, truck, Video
Nissan reveals new object detection, rear-collision avoidance systems [w/video]
Nissan object detection and Forward Collision Avoidance Assist Concept – click above for high-res image gallery
Vehicles from an increasing number of automakers are becoming more aware of their surroundings than the drivers that operate them. The latest is , which has announced several new safety technologies set to be added to its lineup, including a Forward Collision Avoidance Assist Concept. The system works like similar systems from other manufacturers including , , and , but evolves the concept even further.
A front-mounted radar sensor detects when the vehicle is closing too quickly and first warns the driver and then applies the brakes automatically to avoid or minimize the effects of a crash.
Additionally, the moving object detection uses the surround-view camera system to determine if there are pedestrians or other objects moving in proximity of the vehicle. Unlike pedestrian detection systems from and Lexus, this system only functions at very low speeds and doesn’t apply the brakes. Instead, the driver gets an audible and visual warning of anything moving around them. No specific vehicle applications or timing have been announced, but it’s safe to assume we’ll be seeing this tech featured on Infiniti’s wares sometime next year.
Gallery:
[Source: Nissan]
applications, Audi, concept, Crash, CTS, feature, featured, ford, fun, lexus, mercedes, mercedes-benz, nissan, Other, photo, Photos, SIM, test, Time, Video
NHTSA to update 5-star testing process
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is set to debut a new testing procedure for the 2011 model year that will make it more difficult for new cars and trucks to earn the government agency’s coveted five-star safety rating. Just as interestingly, the recent influx of electronic safety gadgets, such as lane departure and collision warning, will be included in the testing regiment as well.
NHTSA will calculate one simple-to-understand grade for each vehicle based on how it manages to perform throughout the agency’s testing. While the revised parameters promise to make safety-minded comparison shopping between new automobiles a bit easier, it also means that pre-2011 ratings will not be directly comparable to the new ones.
A total of 55 new 2011 cars, trucks and minivans (including the seen above ) will be tested by NHTSA with the new procedures, and the list is made up of both brand new models and some of the more popular nameplates Americans seem most likely to purchase in large numbers next year. You can check out NHTSA’s official release and the initial list of what cars will be subjected to this new testing regime after the jump.
Gallery:
[Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]
5-star testing process
2011, automobile, Car, cars, chevrolet, Crash, epa, gm, iCan, Official, photo, Photos, SIM, test, truck, update, Video
Recycling Gone Wild: Turn your VW Jetta TDI into a Smyth Performance G3F [w/video]
Smyth Performance G3F concept – Click above to watch the video
Reduce-Reuse-Recycle is the tri-directive that could help us become more sustainable as a society. Soon, a kit for the G3F from Smyth Performance – a new venture by co-founder Mark Smith – will follow those guidelines, enabling you to convert a previously-enjoyed into something you can really look forward to driving. The finished product will be lighter, faster and burn less than the original vehicle, offering up to 60 miles per gallon and boasting a very naughty top speed of 140 miles per hour. All for about $10,000 and less than 100 hours of labor.
It’s a simple recipe. You start by procuring a TDI diesel Jetta four door sedan. Cut away about 800 lbs of metal, reusing a large chunk of the chassis, including the entire safety structure. The engine gets chipped, modded and moved from in front of the driver to behind. Add the body, seats, wheels and all the other included bits from the kit and voila! You now own a recycled VW that increases your joy of driving while reducing the amount of petroleum product you’ll need to pump.
Okay, maybe we’re making it sound a little easier than it actually is, but Smith is confident there is enough interest to make a go of it with a line of depositors already being formed. Despite deliveries (optimistically) planned for September, the original prototype is still under construction. The operation doesn’t have an official website either – that’s coming this fall – but you can follow the progress of both car and company on both and the unofficial . for video of Mr. Smith explaining his concept and tell us what you think.
[Source: ]
Car, cars, concept, Facebook, green, Official, Other, ring, SIM, tC, Video, volkswagen, vw, Website
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