Lux American Trucks Are Going Global – By Charles Partos + 200 Pics!

    Over the years, the face of luxury was normally tied to many different types of expensive cars. In fact, if someone wanted to drive in style to a prom, a wedding, a reception or other popular occasions, they may even rent a car from a luxury car dealer in their local area. Today, as many things are changing industries all over the glove, the definition of luxury has changed dramatically. Specifically, because of the new style of luxury that has entered the market, which are the American Pickup Trucks.   That being said, it is important to know …

Keep reading

2016 Volkswagen Passat USA 29

2016 Volkswagen Passat USA Shows Boss New R-Line, Tech Updates at NYC Reveal

Clearly not the greatest time to roll out a new vehicle, but the 2016 Passat is welcome anyway. These are the premium and sexy upgrades we have wished for to set the Passat apart from normal Camrys in the mid-size sedan segment. Available LED head and taillamps are suitably Audi-esque in their execution quality. And even with carry-over panels, the larger wheels and fresh nose is a bit eye-catching. This nose is new from the A-pillar forward, but might take a VW fan to recognize over the current US PAssat nose. Crucially, the vehicle now looks its size — a …

Keep reading

2016-Honda-HR-V-Exterior-54

2016 Honda HR-V Looks Damn Good in 88 New Photos

  Updated 5.26.15 With 88 New Photos We struggled for a minute on this headline — but there is no mistaking the meaning: the 2016 HR-V’s design looks sublime in this new photo set. Even in its dark Steel Grey, the swoopy lines and stance of the HR-V are clear winners. We see LED lighting out back, but none up front. Even so, the nose of the HR-V is one of its coolest angles. The deep grille with its dark crossbar up top is very convincing. A sport grille is available, as are some cool multi-spoke alloys – as shown …

Keep reading

Road-Test-Review-2015-Chrysler-300-Limited-47

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 …

Keep reading

????????????????

2016 Mitsubishi i-MiEV Updated With Nav Touchscreen From Just $18k Net Price

  The Chevy Bolt concept from Detroit last month made a bit of a splash for promising to be a full-EV five-seater with great utility and a 200-mile battery range for a pre-tax-credit price of around $38,000. Mooted as a Tesla-fighter, the Bolt’s competitive benchmark should actually the innovative Mitsubishi i-MiEV. This funky city car redefines easy, smooth and pure-electric driving for the masses — with an out-the-door price of just $16,000 after considering the US EPA’s federal tax credit of $7500. That is seriously affordable, and makes the i-MiEV a realistic second-car for city-dwellers. Unlike the $35,000 Nissan Leaf …

Keep reading

13C121_181

2016 Mercedes-AMG GT S and Cigarette Racing Concepts Outrun ‘Las Tres Letras’ for Miami Boat Show

  If there are two lifestyle accessories you musthave to live the life of a Miami kingpin, they are a supercar and a speedboat. The ultimate incarnation of the speedboat is the Cigarette Racing style: ultra-long hulls deliver insane speeds of more than 135-mph.   Huge double motors roaring at full chat will drown out even the loudest wind noise, water slaps and the DHS, DEA, Coast Guard and Border Patrol helicopters and drones above. Anything to escape the dreaded ‘tres letras’ — or three-letter goons. They might even struggle to catch you in the latest Mercedes-AMG concept boat: the …

Keep reading

Mecum 2015 Supercars - Saleen S7 25

Mecum 2015 Supercars – Saleen S7 Wows With 220-MPH Proportions and Hypercar Impact

Even those approaching the S7 without knowing what it was knew one thing: it is very special. What the Saleen S7 lacks in name and style recognition, it more than makes up for in brute width and hip-hugging overall height. The pop-up doors show just how light all the S7’s carbon-fiber bodywork is, while the piping for the twin-turbo engine is extremely visible under the rear canopy. Saleen itself as a company is in dire straights financially at the moment, so this rare beast might go down as one of the all-American hypercar greats. Saleen S7  

fcv2

2015 Honda FCV Concept + Year of Honda Turbo VTEC and Turbofan HondaJet Arrival

Honda is very re-energized lately. It will take time for the actual products to catch up with the mood inside the halls of America Honda these days, but when they arrive, they should be terrific. After years of a relatively glum and forlorn outlook, there is a palpable sense of future potential in Honda today. The FCV concept is still in its production-engineering mode, as Honda is keen to perfect every detail before the global rollout. This sense slightly delayed the new Acura NSX as well, but we now see it was worth the wait. Honda is diving head-first into …

Keep reading

2003 ItalDesign Moray Corvette By Giugiaro

Concept Flashback – 2003 ItalDesign Moray Corvette By Giugiaro

  The Corvette Moray is a slippery one — in many senses of the word! Named after the shimmery Moray eel and styled to glide through this world without disturbing the air, the Moray Corvette from ItalDesign in 2003 is interesting for a few reasons. First off, though, let’s discuss what it is under these sleek new panels and triple glass bubble canopy. It is a C5 underneath — so the guys had their work cut out for them in making it special and respected at Pebble Beach and in Geneva. It is a full reskin from tip to tail, …

Keep reading

mansory zapico

3.3s MANSORY Zapico Is The Pagani of Motorcycles

The design and construction of this masterful Mansory motorcycle debut is second to no manufacturer in the world. Short of Pagani, perhaps! You can see how nearly every single part of the Mansory Zapico is custom-milled from alloy billet or hand-laid in carbon-fiber. The design itself is delightfully long-wheelbase and menacing, with a huge scale and 160-horsepower engine all kept low and ultra-cool. This is definitely a man’s bike — it is huge. But that does not stop the custom S&S V-twin engine from shooting the Zapico to 60-mph in just 3.3-seconds. Looks like that giant 285-section rear tire is …

Keep reading

2016 Acura NSX

2016 Acura NSX Production Model Coming to Detroit! First 4 Images

In less than one month, we will see and hear the all-new production Acura NSX at the Detroit show!  Check out the four teaser images below for a look at this exciting new supercar. We have run the teaser images through Photoshop to see all the hidden details — and it is mighty enticing. Watch this space for all the latest NSX news. 2016 Acura NSX Acura NSX production model to make world debut at 2015 North American International Auto Show The production version of the highly anticipated Acura NSX supercar, successor to the legendary original NSX, will make its …

Keep reading

2016 Honda HR-V US gif

2016 Honda HR-V LA Debut With 50 New US-Spec Photos Inside and Out

 Updated 11.21.14   As cool as the new Honda HR-V looks outside, a bit of really surprising news lives in the cabin of this Civic-based crossover. It is simply far more premium, stylish and modern than anything currently in the Honda stable. The floating console and fabric or leather-wrapped dash elements create a real sense of maturity lacking in the current Civic. The touchscreen tech solutions for HondaLink also appear to be very mature in the 2016 HR-V — meaning they are fast-reacting, easy to learn, and easy to use in day-to-day driving. The new HR-V is arriving into a …

Keep reading

2015 Chrysler 300C 300S gif

2015 Chrysler 300C and 300S Bring Stylish and Functional Improvements (120 Photos!)

  How to refine an icon? Porsche has struggled with this for more than 50 years of 911’s at this point – and Chrysler is learning the fine art with its bold and butch 300 sedan. As a real touchstone vehicle for Chrysler since its reveal in 2005, the rear-drive, 120-inch-wheelbase of the Chrysler 300 has languished a bit in recent years while the auto world has rapidly progressed around it. This changes for 2015 – with updates to the cabin and powertrain that bring the 300C and 300S bang up-to-date with the latest from Cadillac in the CTS, Hyundai …

Keep reading

cc vgt 2x gif

Update2 – Best of Awards – Chevrolet Chaparral 2X Vision Gran Turismo

  We did not know what to think of the first teaser images of the Chevy Chaparral Gran Turismo prototype. Sure, the idea of leveraging Chaparral’s Chevy engines connection was fascinating, but would the vision of GM Design really capture the innovative spirit of these amazing namesakes? After the official reveal in LA last night – we can only say Yes. In many ways, the Chevrolet Chaparral Vision Gran Turismo is the best-yet of the 20-strong fleet of racing prototypes developed for the legendary GT6 racing game. It is one of the only to actually throw out all conventional limitations …

Keep reading

Chevrolet-Chaparral-09 gif

Chevrolet Chaparral 2X Vision Gran Turismo Is Exciting Next-Chapter Concept Racer

  Thrilling news from Chevrolet! The GM Design entry to the Vision Gran Turismo series will be a Chaparral-inspired racer called the 2X VGT. Set to debut in LA on Wednesday of this week — we are thrilled to see how Chevy has evolved the Chaparral racers’ world-beating aerodynamics for the 21st century! Chevrolet Chaparral 2X Vision Gran Turismo Previews CHEVROLET TO SHOW CHAPARRAL VISION GRAN TURISMO CONCEPT 13/11/14 Boundary-pushing, Chevy-powered race cars changed motorsports design DETROIT – When racers Jim Hall and Hap Sharp founded Chaparral Cars in 1962, few could have guessed how they would shake up the …

Keep reading

hr-v gif

2016 Honda HR-V Is Official! Will Debut in LA Next Month With On-Sale Dates In Early 2015

Believe it or not, this below Honda Vezel article is the most popular piece on Car-Revs-Daily.com over the past 12 months. By a huge margin. People are excited about this vehicle. It is great to see the predictions come true in a USA model of this cool and stylish small crossover – even if the name and the headlights are toned down versus some of the European and Concept models a bit. We also lose a bit of body-color trim on the outside in favor of grey plastic, but such is life. The USA-spec HR-V still looks fresh and really …

Keep reading

CAMRY 2015 HEADER GIF

Updated With Pricing: 2015 Toyota Camry Preview

 UPDATED 9.3.14 With Pricing Prices are here for the new Camry! 2015 Toyota Camry – Pricing The Camry LE receives a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $22,970 while the SE will carry a base price of $23,840.  The XSE and XLE models will carry identical MSRP’s of $26,150 for models equipped with the four-cylinder and $31,370 for the V6 versions. Pricing for the Camry Hybrid will start at $26,790 for the LE model, $27,995 for the SE, and $29,980 for the premium XLE. The MSRP for the 2015 Camry does not include the delivery, processing, and handling (DPH) fee …

Keep reading

bestioni gif1

BEASTMASTER! 1917 American LaFrance Type 12 BESTIONI By Gary Wales

Holy wow. This machine is HUGE in person. Calling it ‘La Bestioni’ is the best-possible name for this former firetruck, as it truly is a massive beast of a thing. Gary Wales creates these bespoke roadsters from retired fire engines and his client list so far includes Jay Leno and four other lucky madmen. In terms of how large the Bestioni is, hopefully some of the neighboring cars are visible in these photos from the Quail 2014. A 2:1 ratio is very believable – the beast is easily 2X as large as a normal roadster. Gigantic and lavish and exquisite. …

Keep reading

RC-F header GIF

2015 Lexus RC-F Ultra Sexy in Red – Flawless Animations + 122 Photos

Updated 8.17.14 with 122 Pebble Beach photos. Lexus is the official vehicle of the Pebble Beach golf courses and the Lodge hotel – so a few delicious RC Coupes were on hand this week for the big concours. The RC-F is absolutely unreal in person. It looks like it wants to rip down from its shown stand and do a huge smokey burn-out. This is a supercoupe that out-muscles supercars. Previous: The hottest Lexus since the LFA has just landed in America: the RC F coupe takes all the race-ready V8 power and rear-drive performance from the previous IS F, …

Keep reading

2015 VOLVO XC90 gif1

Update1 – 2015 VOLVO XC90 – 400HP Twin-Engine PHEV Dubbed T8, 316HP T6 Also Coming to USA

Updated 8.12.14 with additional platform info from Volvo More info from Volvo today about the all-new XC90’s platform – plus the first official exterior image! Granted, it is just a headlight close-up… but we are excited all the same. [ The full exteriors shown here are unofficial renderings. ]     2015 VOLVO XC90 Powertrain   Well, here is some good news! So far, we have seen the new XC90’s interior luxury and infotainment solutions. The luxury looks good, but the info touchscreen is a bit short of the Tesla 17-inch ideal. Under the hood? This has been another worry …

Keep reading

LeSabre GIF2

Atlanta Dream Cars – 1951 General Motors LeSabre XP-8 Struck Gold With Yank Tank Ethos of 1950s

I usually formulate a rough outline of what I want to say about a car while cropping and straightening out the photos beforehand. In the case of this 1951 LeSabre, I wish you could have seen my face recoil in horror at all the tacky, gaudy details on this car up close. Thus, my theory was initially that the LeSabre showed General Motors the good and the bad of design. The good is that it can excite you in ways that will open wallets and checkbooks by the millions. The bad is that certain elements would need to be explained …

Keep reading

Volvo T8 XC90 gif header

2015 VOLVO XC90 Powertrain Teaser – Twin-Engine PHEV with 400HP Dubbed T8, 316HP T6 Also Coming to USA

2015 VOLVO XC90 Powertrain Well, here is some good news! So far, we have seen the new XC90’s interior luxury and infotainment solutions. The luxury looks good, but the info touchscreen is a bit short of the Tesla 17-inch ideal. Under the hood? This has been another worry – will dropping the inline-6, turbo six and V8 engines hurt the XC90 in power-pad American showrooms? The answer is a big No! The range-topping plug-in hybrid powertrain is teased today, and it looks awesome. Called T8 for twin-engine 4+4 shorthand, the T8 brings 400 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque. Through …

Keep reading

Superformance Shelby Cobra Mk III gif header

2014 Superformance Shelby Cobra Mark III in 50 High-Res Photos at Olthoff Racing

2014 Superformance Shelby Cobra Mark III in 50 High-Res Photos at Olthoff Racing The Superformance Shelby Cobra Mark III is the only recreation in the world that can proudly wear Shelby American badges. That really says it all, doesn’t it? If not, here is 50,000 words via these 50 amazing photos in the North Carolina sunshine. And if that is still not enough, the Gadsden flag on the back of this one is pretty succinct. =]

2J and 2H Chaparral GIFheader

See The Authentic Chaparral 2H and 2J Racecars at the Petroleum Museum in Midland, Texas

Not just these two icons: the Petroleum Museum in Texas has seven amazing Chaparral racecars in their collection. These are the Chevrolet-powered racecars that changed the face of racing forever: the ideas and innovations represented by Chaparral in its relatively short run at the top of pro racing are still extremely influential today. The ideas seem simple – but are near-impossible to deliver in full race-winning form. Jim Hall’s Ideal Chaparral Racecar: Light weight + High downforce – with wings attached directly to the suspension versus to the bodywork + Huge power via reliable engine + Massive grip on long-lasting …

Keep reading

TLX GT header gif

Acura TLX GT Racecar Boosts 2015 TLX Launch with 500HP Twin-Turbo SH-AWD

Anticipation of the all-new 2015 Acura TLX is building this summer, with shoppers from within and outside the Acura/Honda fold curious about the slinky style and new tech on offer in these mid-size luxury sedans. What better way to really establish some new performance credibility and an all-out racecar version? Sure, it might be a popular strategy for making an upcoming production car seem fast and exciting, but it is popular for a reason. Why? It works! Just look at this lowered, aero-optimized and super-rapid TLX GT Race Car! One peek from any angle shows a hardcore side of Acura’s …

Keep reading

Car-Revs-Daily

RM Auctions Monterey 2014 Preview – 1936 Auburn Eight Supercharged Speedster Is First American Supercar

1936 Auburn Eight Supercharged Speedster So, if the Chrysler Airflow Eight from the previous article is a delightful curio in the evolution of the modern family car, this Auburn Eight Supercharged Speedster will definitely get us back-on-track for sportscars. Supercars, even! This machine was one of the most powerful and rapid American cars ever made, and perhaps one of the best-handling as well. This was well before any Corvettes or even any Mustangs. Decades beforehand. Until this point, the most sporting cars were some mini Duesenburg’s all the way to giant Packard’s and Hudson’s. This Auburn split the difference in …

Keep reading

Euro Wagon Envy - 2014 Audi A6 Allroad header GIF

Euro Wagon Envy – 2014 Audi A6 Allroad – How To Convince Audi AG The USA Is Worthwhile

2014 Audi A6 Allroad Quick reminder… These articles do not write themselves! =] But even after a long day, I still strive to create content for you, my cherished reader. The best thanks? Share stuff you like subscribe via https://www.facebook.com/carrevsdaily (or via RSS from http://www.car-revs-daily.com/feed and come back often.   Let’s dive in. What is the one wish most Americans have about the Volkswagen Group? Find a way to bring more cars here. The cool cars. The special cars. Cars like the A6 Allroad – which is not joining the US sales lists in this generation. Sure, the case for …

Keep reading

Car-Revs-Daily

Atlanta Dream Cars Showcase – 1948 TASCO Shows Propeller-Aircraft Influence Zenith

The Dream Cars exhibit this summer at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta is a thrilling ride through automotive history that every car lover will adore. The collection might be far smaller than most auto shows, but the impact of every car will leave your feet cemented to the floor. And your jaw? It will often be on the floor as well. No other recent collection spans the time and space of automotive evolution and design quite as thoroughly. Every car in the collection is marvelous. The TASCO opens the gallery and its design is certainly one that sticks …

Keep reading

New 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter GIF header

New 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Vans in Real Life + 2015 4×4 Model Details

The Big Van wars are going nuclear this year! While the segment has languished in obscurity for at least the last thirty years, the Econoline and Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana have quietly hoovered up nearly 100,000 sales each to some of the nation’s hardest-working owners. Yes, pickups like the F-150 might be a more popular lifestyle choice, but nothing truly gets more work done – and more people hauled – than the largest of vans. The segment is slowly reinventing itself with the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter starting the modernization wave nearly a decade ago under the Freightliner and Ram brands. Another all-new …

Keep reading

Phantom Canyon Header

Travel Adventures: Rally Roads – Phantom Canyon in Colorado

HD Driving Video: Best Rally Roads – Phantom Canyon in Colorado Published on: Jan 30, 2014 @ 6:00 I got some great drives during a recent trip to Colorado, including the legendary Pikes Peak hillclimb route. After a week in the area, I discovered that the really fun roads are the smooth but unpaved mountain roads in the region. Included in the first Travel Adventure Series, here are descriptions, maps and video of a 22-mile stretch of rally-style gravel heaven called the Phantom Canyon Road in Adelaide, Colorado. My criteria for off-roading trails are pretty wimpy. My car, a 2005 …

Keep reading

RM Monterey Preview GT40 Roadster

RM Monterey 2014 Preview – 1965 Ford GT40 Roadster Prototype

Ahh, the joy of discovery. Discovery? Is that the right word for ‘finding’ something that many knew about before, and which has existed for the last 50 years? Hm… Nevertheless, imagine my surprise and delight upon seeing this GT40 Roadster Prototype on the RM Auctions website today. Less than a month ago we asked ourselves a hypothetical question: what if there had been a GT40 Can-Am Spyder? It is great to see that not only is there one, there were 12 made in all. This one has an all-star owner and driver list that includes none other than Carroll Shelby …

Keep reading

DeTomaso Mangusta Header GIF999

RM Monaco 2014 Highlights – 1969 DeTomaso Mangusta Brings $367k of Supercar Hedonism

Oh, this is a great total to see. Overall, DeTomaso machines typically do not deliver the value they should when you consider their beauty and hand-made Italian designs. The shortcut of using an American engine has never been kind to the values of classics, with even the Face Vega’s of Paris and many others really not delivering the stratospheric sales prices of Ferrari’s and Lamborghini’s of the same provenance and era. This Mangusta is quite a sinfully delicious design, with a brutality to its nose that was and is a nice counterpoint to the streamlined Daytona Ferrari, pin-sharp Maserati Ghibli …

Keep reading

Regal CT GIF

Low-Volume Specials – Buick Regal Country Tourer Could Be Yours… At A Price

When a long-term product plan from GM was released a few years ago by a disgruntled employee CMO to a German newspaper, the revelations about what exactly lay ahead for Opel were quickly silenced. Luckily, it was not the Guardian who received the documents. The one thing I recall before all the news … went away … was the Country Tourer name for a potential Vectra replacement wagon.   An all-road-style option for families who not only need AWD, but need some extra ground clearance and gravel resistance on the lower panels as well. These are not some kind of …

Keep reading

anigif wraith

2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith First Drive – A Fleeting Fantasma

2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith First Drive – A Fleeting Fantasma Since being swept away on a huge wave of new-found enthusiasm for the Double-R, Wraith has never been more than a few thoughts away. As fun and posh and unforgettable as the ride in a *brand new* Phantom Series II was – the time spent inside Wraith is most tingly. I should mention this now: the name of the vehicle is simply “Wraith” – without anything in front. It might be a bit formal at first, but if not for a 624-horsepower, twin-turbocharged V-12 coupe.. when? Some of the colors that …

Keep reading

Olthoff Tour header GIF2

VIDEO: Touring the Olthoff Racing Dream Factory – Superformance GT40s and Cobras Galore

Tucked beside a country highway in North Carolina, impossible dreams come to life in the form of howling racecar replicas from Superformance. The model year says 2014, but the dream of piloting a Le Mans car on the street generally share a birthday with a 196* starting point. Authorized and licensed by Safir Spares and Shelby American, Superformance is not a fly-by-night organization. Badges and paperwork are a sure thing with every model they sell from the dozen or so assembly and retail outlets like Olthoff Racing all over the world. But the one thing with racecar assembly versus mass-market …

Keep reading

McLaren Special Ops Reveals Upgrades for 650S via Production-Ready Concept

McLaren Special Ops 650S McLaren Special Operations is fantastic – easily and safely turning any 12C into more graceful beauties via new bumpers, sills, spats and diffusers outside. Inside, your taste and modesty are the only restrictions on colors and customizations. All the MSO upgrades adhere to the same McLaren fanatical obsession with racing performance enhancement at every step – meaning they are far more than just cosmetic. They are also OEM-quality, which is less-than-a-sure-thing for other body kits. Such bodywork flying off the car at McLaren-level speeds would be a concern for me when personalizing my supercar. Bruce McLaren, …

Keep reading

GT350 Mustang Track HEADER gif

HD GoPro Video + Track Action Photography: Top 3 Mustang GT350s of Charlotte Motor Speedway

In the 1960s, almost all American cars came equipped with an 85-mph speedometer. Only the wildest exotics of the time dared go to 100-mph on the speedo – which was usually the ‘hoped for’ rather than ‘verified’ top speed…. So for this 65 GT350 to be so, so fast (and loud!) when howling around Charlotte Motor Speedway was really something to see, hear and feel resonating in your lungs — and brain — long after it has gone past.   Days later, I was still feeling the high-def bellow of these race-prepped GT350 Mustangs – in a good way. Every …

Keep reading

CAMRY 2015 HEADER GIF

2015 Toyota Camry Redesign Delivers Greater Chassis Strength, Wider Stance and Full LED Style

  By Special Contributor Anthony Alaniz     Look out in your driveway. Go look. We’ll wait. Did you see it? The best-selling car in the country? It’s very possible you have one, two, maybe even three Toyota Camrys lounging out there in front of your house. Since 1983, 10.2 million Camrys have been sold. It is the best-selling car in America for a reason—though the reason is still unbeknownst to us. The Camry exudes beige and boring like a badge. So, it should come as no surprise that the Camry has received an update for 2015 for the ever …

Keep reading

2015 Chrysler 200 Aims For the Middle, But Design and Cabin Undeniably Much-Improved

By Special Contributor Anthony Alaniz   There is little doubt that the forthcoming 2015 Chrysler 200 is important. The mid-sized car segment has been virtually void of any credible Chrysler product for some time—lest we forget about Eminem and that commercial. As maligned the Chrysler 200 is, it is hard to forget the 200 first appeared on showroom floors just a few years ago as a 2010 model, replacing the worst-car-on-the-market Sebring sedan. See a pattern here? For 2015, Chrysler has finally found the fire necessary to produce something competitive, or at least inoffensive and of a quality high enough …

Keep reading

Shelby Asia header 1111GIF

GT40 vs Cobra Track Battle VIDEOS! Superformance Brings American Racecar Glory Global via Shelby Asia

Superformance Ford GT40 – in-car track cam Editor’s Intro: Can you tell I am getting excited to visit Olthoff Racing tomorrow in Charlotte, NC?   Have you ever wished you could just wake up tomorrow day inside Gran Turismo?  Or even better, in the pit lane of Daytona circa 1965 ? Well beyond 3D — and into 4D of not just SSM (sight, sound and motion) but SSMTSFG — Sight, Sound, Motion, Touch, Smell, Fear and Glory? Well, for a modest amount of cash and enough skill – Superformance racecar recreations can do just that. These two videos demonstrate the …

Keep reading

Concept Flashback -- 1969 Alfa-Romeo Tipo 332 Coupe Speciale -- Gullwing Mid-Engine Supercar That Never Was 12

Concept Debrief – 1969 Alfa-Romeo Tipo 332 Coupe Speciale – Gullwing Canary in Supercar Coal Mine

This Alfa is Canary Yellow. It was also a dying canary in the coal-mine of Italian supercar fates of the next decade. When a canary dies in his cage deep undergound, miners knew the toxicity of the air was going from bad to worse. In mid-1960s Italy, the momentum to start one’s own hypercar legacy was a powerful draw. By 1969, all in the small sports-car business at the time marvelled at Feruccio Lamborghini’s success in carving sales away from Ferrari. Ferrari had quashed nearly all attempts by Maserati and Alfa-Romeo at reclaiming their past glory, and non-Ferrari people were …

Keep reading

AUDI SUV Showcase GIF header

Audi SUV and Crossover Showcase — 600-Photo Galleries of Q3, Q5 hybrid, SQ5, and Q7 TDI S-Line Plus

Between 1994 and 2004, Audi’s biggest barrier to more US sales was a pretty limited number of model choices. In 2014, that is definitely no longer an issue: Audi’s American model range is huge. Disregarding the many, many engines available in each model, as well as S and RS cars — Audi is now packing at least 30 body styles. Add five more with the A3 and Q3 family for 2015, and keep adding five extra mystery machines for at least the next four years. Overall, plenty to choose from — with pricing that starts at $30,000 for the crossovers …

Keep reading

header option 2

2015 Ford Transit Is Nearly Here! Summer 2014 Arrival — Work Van Revolution Via RWD Diesel and EcoBoost V6 Plus Decent Cabin

Cargo van, passenger van, cut-away or chassis cab: Three wheelbases. Three roof heights. Three engines: 2.5-liter turbodiesel, 3.7-liter V6, 3.5-liter EcoBoost. Rear drive. Six-speed automatic. The 2015 Ford Transit is nothing short of a revolution. This is perhaps my fifth time through the configurations and specs since the first teasers emerged about this time last year — and certainly my third or fourth total article on how important this new truck is. Building it in Kansas City is not small achievement for this once-European model, now honed and up-fit for American truck buyer needs. The second challenge? Ford has been …

Keep reading

CAr-Revs-Daily

2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray — Animated Evolution in Polo White

Ever since the debut of the 2015 Chevrolet Suburban in September 2013, General Motors seems to — finally — be a far more forward-thinking company. The irony was not lost on anyone during the 1980s and 1990s: the largest and most successful industrial entity of the 20th Century, and  perhaps all of American history, was rapidly in decline and risking it all via short-sighted management strategies that equaled awful cars.   Part of looking forward is knowing where you came from, of course. Good (but often not-so-good) skeletons of cars in the closet would no longer be swept under the …

Keep reading

anigif

Okay Now! European JUKE Nismo RS Features Matching LEDs Above and Below The New Round HID Lamps

The recent European Nissan JUKE article spent a faintly absurd amount of words and on the color choice of the show car, as well as the LED lighting functionality of the JUKE Nismo. Hiding on my desktop is another Geneva debut I have yet to cover: The JUKE Nismo RS with the solution to both the LED and icky color problems! This photo of the JUKE Nismo RS for Europe confirms: all three lighting elements can now be used simultaneously.     Perhaps a trivial distinction, but one that American JUKE Nismo owners will understand. The JUKE Nismo RS in …

Keep reading

BMW DIXI Roadster GIF header

1928 BMW Dixi Roadster – Zentrum Museum

Okay!  Final roadster article from the BMW Zentrum Museum and delivery center in Spartanburg. The Z3, Z8 and Z4 Alpina and many others are featured in this mini museum, but these three are stand-outs for me in how the each speak to their respective decades so effectively. What do I mean? Well, the 1928 Dixi is far ahead of its time versus the heavy and getting-heavier American cars of the period, which were anything but sporty in corners. Or the slow-coaches of England, for that matter, where 5-mph was generally “too fast.” for urban areas or rural routes.   The …

Keep reading

GTR new header34

2013 Nissan GT-R Black Edition – Drake the Akita

UPDATE: Drake is home from surgery and doing well. It is this April Fool’s birthday tomorrow and my best friend, Drake Burkart the Akita Labrador, is in surgery right now overnight for a torn ACL.   The TPLO procedure is hopefully not life-threatening, but I am very upset anyway to see him in such pain. Therefore, is a very emotional day for me, so I am going back to some all-time favorites for car-news comfort. Here is Drake. As an American Akita breed, he is something like the GT-R in many ways. Akitas in the US were generally bred with …

Keep reading

600 morph new

Evolution of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class from 1904 to Present

Mercedes-Benz S-Class Evolution When Mercedes-Benz launches a new S-Class, the lead-up coverage is remarkably similar each time. Safety innovations, luxury, tech, style to make Lexus and Jaguar weep. But there is more to the story than just the 1960s forward. In fact, the first in this bloodline dates to 1904 in a hilarious red jalopy of a stagecoach. Hilarious in retrospect only! This was no joke at the time – the peak height of class and luxury travel. This red magic stagecoach did not require horses out front to move its occupants along in comfort and manure-free bliss. And so, …

Keep reading

SEAT Leon Cupra in First OEM Embedded Spin GIF

2014 SEAT Leon Cupra Scores First OEM Embedded Spin-Table! Plus 3 Reasons The Leon Cupra Spanks Renaultsport Megane (…and VW GTI)

The most unlikely fan of SEAT? Any American! While our LED obsession is well-documented — it is not just the available full LED headlights that are big turn-ons for the Leon. We love the latest SEAT car style, value proposition and brand statement. Any favorites in the ten-strong SEAT range? We are huge Leon admirers especially. Why? Check out the (mid-range) Sports FR Kit below and tell me it is not incredibly sexy. Three reasons to crave the SEAT Leon: 1.) — Value: Versus the VW GTI, the Leon is significantly more affordable for new-car shoppers, both in actual transaction …

Keep reading

Animated GIF of Speculative Chevy Impala Station Wagon GIF2

2015 Chevrolet Impala Station Wagon? Twin Renderings Explore The Speculative Idea

These are just for fun – a way of imagining new body styles for the hugely popular new Chevy Impala sedan.   Yes, the Chevrolet SS with its big V8 and rear-drive does have a wagon variant abroad, as does the Buick Regal in the Opel Insignia Tourer. But this front-drive, “affordable large car” has a great track record of success with American family car shoppers.  These new parents are the most unusual in their buying habits: they generally want whatever type car they did not grow up riding around inside as a child themselves. So as the full-frame SUV …

Keep reading

Name This V12 Lincoln GIF header

Amelia Time Capsules… Quiz? Name That Car! Clues: American V12, One of One Made, Greyhound Badge…

Which V12 Tourer is this? I would make a sloppy teacher because there is no answer line anywhere on this page, and, in fact: we still do not know for sure the year and exact model! We certainly had no idea (whatsoever) when fawning over its leaping greyhound and V12 badges, but now know it is a V12 Lincoln thanks to its very happy driver.   Only serious history buffs will know the model name for sure. Based on some quick research, we believe it is a 1934 Model K Tourer.  

2014 Audi S1 Sportback GIF header

Green With Envy! 2015 Audi S1 Sportback Evokes Cut-Length Sport Quattro S1

2015 Audi S1 Sportback ]We will not see the Audi S1 here in the states for the current generation of models, but there is still something really delightful about the cars. The latest news is the reveal of a five-door version of this speedy and highly pivotal cutie. Grip in a these S1 pocket rockets is also sublime — look for the grip comparison videos versus the Nissan GT-R for evidence of how fly-paper-like the S1 can be, even versus other four-paws. The green is my new favorite car color, and something we hope to see crossing the Big Blue …

Keep reading

219S P2P GIF 2

Amelia Concours — Marque Showcases — Mercedes-Benz 219 Peking-to-Paris, 220SE (Coupe), 250SL Pagoda and Even 500E HAMMER!

Bored of these concours articles yet?! With 3,000 photos snapped in three days — I was even a bit tired of all this out-of-reach metal myself my the end of the weekend. But there really were some stunning machines in attendance. Best part? Their owners were typically nearby — more than happy to extol the benefits of their cherished cars. And more often, the great care and passion they have put into getting these machines up to show-quality. Yes, in theory, anyone with a cool car could apply for a lawn badge. But be prepared for light interrogation by fellow …

Keep reading

Rendering CarRevsDaily

Supercar Preview – 2015 Acura NSX – Official Concepts Gallery + Renderings

An exciting day of Honda and Acura news here at CarRevsDaily. The previous Honda Design article highlights some of the great styling coming out of Honda recently, including the limo-length FCEV and now the production-ready Vezel based on 2013’s Honda Urban SUV Concept. The great news is: the styling finally makes sense, looks good, and has personality. So, while wondering aloud about Honda and Acura’s future NSX earlier today: I decided to collect all four of the latest NSX concepts together in one post. The car is being engineered and built in Ohio, versus Japan, which is huge news. This …

Keep reading

Gooding Cadillac 1932 V16 Madame X GIF2

1932 Cadillac V-16 452B Madame X Imperial Sedan — Gooding & Co. Amelia Island 2014 — Sold for $264,000

One of four built. Madame X indicates the owner was so wealthy — and likely so famous / infamous — that even initials on the build sheet were stripped. The $264,000 earned by this stunning V16 limousine at Gooding’s Amelia Island 2014 event was very impressive, but certainly not in the Rolls-Royce price or prestige echelon just yet. Even so, the twin sets of suicide doors are lovely. The back seat is enormous and cushioned in crushed velvet. A repeated speedometer in back lets back-seat drivers really know their stuff. Green paint in this era was extremely rare and extremely …

Keep reading

HURACAN LED blinker GIF22229

2015 Lamborghini Huracan — New Sunny Photos — LED Blinker Sequence — USA Launch Galleries — HD Video

The beauty of outdoor photos is that they do not require intensive photo editing. To publish 120-plus photos and video from Friday evening after the Huracan’s American debut in Amelia Island, Florida on the same night that it debuted was not easy. We labored pretty exhaustively to add light to these twilight photos. The other photographers had called it quits after perhaps ten photos each. Not me. The results are still miraculous even when it was already well past sunset — especially thanks to this Huracan’s reflective silver/grey paint finish. But on the lawns the next morning? Not a tap …

Keep reading

2015 Renegade is Laughable, Euro-Trash Caricature of a “JEEP” — Arriving From Italy in Feb 2015 from About $16,500

The one thing thing American buyers have liked least about the Fiat 500? Its size. Buyers also dislike its performance and pricing that easily crests $22,000 — yet lacks comfort, economy, tech and usability features that are standard equipment on the $12,000 Nissan Versa Note SR. But surely — it will be far more competent than the 1998 Dodge-Neon-based Compass and Patriot? No? Larger? No. Cooler? Please? That is a biggg negatory, ghostrider. With products like this, one wonders the prescription glasses spec of the man in charge. Who would approve these monstrosities? So how to make the 500X into …

Keep reading

RR Evoque Autobio

2015 Range Rover Evoque Autobiography Adds New Trims and 40HP, But US Arrival Unknown

The Geneva press days are about to be in full swing, so please accept less-thorough articles while all this hot new metal breaks cover. The 2015 Evoque Autobiography Dynamic trim is a welcome addition to the remarkably-stale Evoque in U.S. showrooms. Is it just me? This car was endlessly lauded in the UK as the ‘second coming’ — but as a result the company did not manage to get it on American roads until nearly two years later. (By which time it had lost most of its impressive launch momentum, and only faced hard critiques here of its $50,000 pricing …

Keep reading

HD Driving Video: Best Rally Roads – Phantom Canyon Road in Colorado

HD Driving Video: Best Rally Roads – Phantom Canyon Road in Colorado

Published on: Jan 30, 2014 @ 6:00 I got some great drives during a recent trip to Colorado, including the legendary Pikes Peak hillclimb route. After a week in the area, I discovered that the really fun roads are the smooth but unpaved mountain roads in the region. Included in the first Travel Adventure Series, here are descriptions, maps and video of a 22-mile stretch of rally-style gravel heaven called the Phantom Canyon Road in Adelaide, Colorado. My criteria for off-roading trails are pretty wimpy. My car, a 2005 Subaru Legacy GT, is all-wheel-drive but very, VERY low. I know …

Keep reading

Infiniti_Q50_Eau_Rouge 3 GIF

Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge Gunning for BMW M5 — High-Res Glory + Geneva Video Teases GT-R-like Engine Howl

The prospect of the Eau Rouge Infiniti Q50 just became much, much more tantalizing.  @TheRealAutoblog has discovered a brilliant tidbit of information: this car sounds turbocharged. This is news because no Q50 sedans are currently turbocharged. In fact, I do not think Infiniti has ever implemented turbo engines (so far). Aside from the Q45 and its well-known 278-horsepower V8, the first 1990-92 M30’s were V6-powered, as was 1993-1998 J30… and so on. The Q50 Eau Rouge does not just sound turbocharged. It sounds GT-R turbocharged. The GT-R has a particularly gruff but high-strung appeal to its engine and exhaust harmonies. …

Keep reading

All-New Renault Twingo Packs Rear Engine, Four Doors and Cute New Style 14

“Maybe The Twingo Ate Your Babee…” All-New Renault Twingo Packs Rear Engine, Four Doors and Cute New Style

The Twingo is a car we will likely never see on American shores. Even so, it is a favorite of almost all city-dwellers in Europe. Will they know the very silly Seinfeld reference in the headline? If not: [Interior, cocktail party. Heavy Australian accent and snarky grin] Elaine- Maybe the dingo ate your baby. The previous few generations of Twingo have virtually epitomized ‘cheap but cheerful’ style for city cars. It just seems like a car that is always having fun. Cheap ‘n cheerful is far better than the aging Aygo/C1/108 triplets — which might be better described as ‘cheap …

Keep reading

American Daredevils premiered this week on History Channel courtesy of a very nice lead-in from the all-star Top Gear USA. Sharing audiences between these two show makes really good sense, and American Daredevils had us hooked after just the first 40 minutes. The premise of the show is this: crews follow the career and life struggles of three stunt teams, weaving intricate plots and story details that dove-tail with the explosive stunts. The best comparison we can think of for American Daredevils is between Shipping Wars and the previous stunt episodes from Fifth Gear. Where the Fifth Gear team would consult mathematicians and physicists over a month or more lead-up to a big stunt (like the car loop special), American Daredevils is more along

Awesome Car TV Show: American Daredevils on History Channel

Awesome New Car TV Show: American Daredevils on History Channel Some new television pilots seem so perfect that it is hard to believe it took so long to execute the idea. History Channel’s all-new series American Daredevils is one of those ‘just right’ cocktail of car-guy mechanical passion, reality and character-driven plots, and a DVR-full of demo derby style stunts that often have a jarring finish. American Daredevils premiered this week on History Channel courtesy of a very nice lead-in from the all-star Top Gear USA. Sharing audiences between these two show makes really good sense, and American Daredevils had …

Keep reading

Cool! 2015 Honda Vezel Hybrid Previews Spring 2014 Civic CUV36

Cool! Honda Vezel Hybrid Previews (Possible) 2015 Civic CUV

Finally, Honda is back! The Vezel looks so good, it could proudly wear a red Type R badge. Honda proved itself in Tokyo this week, with the debut of the charming and on-trend Vezel compact crossover. With a roofline racier than any Honda model to date and a sensible, handsome and refined style: the Vezel will be climbing the U.S. sales charts starting in Spring 2014. The Tokyo debut is a RHD hybrid variant, indicating a name change may even be possible before this little Juke-fighter arrives. CR-V… CR-Z…CR-Y… CR-X? Nothing comes to mind. I like Vezel, and hopefully it …

Keep reading

Civic_Tourer-42222

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 …

Keep reading

Video Walk-around and Photos - Near-Mint 1969 Land Rover Series II Defender at Baker LR in CHarleston 16

Video Walk-around and Photos – Near-Mint 1969 Land Rover Series II Defender

A left-hand-drive Series II from 1969? Flawless condition and only 22,500 miles showing on the odometer? Yessirs, this Series II Land Rover is about as perfect, rare and special as it gets. A factory restoration sees all-new canvas for the top, not a spot of grime or wear on the underbody, and even seven seats inside. A seven-seater? Not in the traditional sense… This Series II seats seven via three up front and four in back. The bucket seats are all hilariously undersized, and the rear passengers will lock knees and boots a bit more often than soldiers prefer. Even …

Keep reading

2014 BMW 228i and M235i 42

2014 BMW 228i and M235i Herald New Dawn of 5-second RWD Coupes from $33k

If there is one downside of the new 428i’s butch stance and wide proportions, it might be the price that comes along with it. Not sure if you’ve been keeping track, but it is extremely easy to spend $60,000 on a loaded 3 or 4 series BMW these days. So what if legroom in back could be sacrificed in a big wheelbase chop, along with fewer pounds from these tight new overhangs? You will would land on the all-new 228i and M235i. The 228i starts just below $33,000 in its sport line trim. The 228i’s official sprint time is 5.5 …

Keep reading

CarRe vsDaily

Update1 – Future Taxi Faceoff: Ford Transit Connect vs. NissanT4L vs. Current TX4

The London taxi market is heating up this winter, with companies eager to step in for the polluting, unsafe, unreliable and undignified British Manganese TX4. The Nissan NV200 – what I affectionately call the NissanTaxi4London – is a much better long-term solution to healthy, quiet and safe urban streets than any TX4.   Update: All the below critiques are aimed at the old, classic “London Cab” and not the Nissan. Yes, yes. Nobody likes the TX4 on any rational level. But they have grown accustomed… to its face.   Why so hard on the old TX4 claptraps? This is a …

Keep reading

5115-high

Updated with Selfie in Madrid – Seat Leon FR – The Case for ‘Fast Fashion’ Cars From Europe to USA… and Back?

First things first: pronouncing this car’s name takes a bit of Latin flair on every syllable. “SayAht Leyyonn” is how it is pronounced. I have to offer this insight first because I read articles and books for years with hilarious internal mis-pronounciations. I gave an oral report on some book, referencing “Colonel Plum” or something. Colonel is said “kernel.”  And that can really change a book, let alone a hot Spanish car. Sidebar: Here is a photo of me doing a mini kitchen load of laundry. I lost half my wardrobe to bad clothespins. Lost forever into the central shaft …

Keep reading

TLX Prototype GIF header1

Acura TLX Prototype Is Actually Quite Handsome + New 8-Speed and 9-Speed Transmissions

The 2015 TLX concepts from the Detroit show are packing huge advancements under that newly-stylish profile. In fact, this front or AWD sedan is on the bleeding edge of technology across all Honda and Acura models. How? —  New eight-speed twin-clutch automatic for the 2.4-liter —  New nine-speed torque converter auto for the 3.6-liter V6 Certainly raised my eyebrows, in a good way! As does the styling. Despite sharing many family traits with terminal RLX sedan, the TLX prototype is really quite handsome. The once-controversial grille has even evolved into a much more cohesive and attractive shape. Organic flow replaces …

Keep reading

2014-01-10_154217

Boom! Lexus RC F Goes Supersonic in 41 Images – LEDs, Interior, Air Scoops, Active Aero…

The hottest Lexus since the LFA has just landed in America: the RC F coupe takes all the race-ready V8 power and rear-drive performance from the previous IS F, and absolutely cranks the knob off. We’re preparing an article on the Lexus RC F’s styling versus its two key rivals: the BMW M4 and Audi RS5. In doing so, we’ve gathered a number of additional screenshots from Lexus’s B-roll video in order to show the coolest unseen parts of the RC F: the sports coupe’s brand-new LED lighting, hood venting, and active rear spoiler! This car looks intense from almost …

Keep reading

Lexus RC F GIF

Boom! Lexus RC F Goes Supersonic in 41 Images – LEDs, Interior, Air Scoops, Active Aero…

The hottest Lexus since the LFA has just landed in America: the RC F coupe takes all the race-ready V8 power and rear-drive performance from the previous IS F, and absolutely cranks the knob off. We’re preparing an article on the Lexus RC F’s styling versus its two key rivals: the BMW M4 and Audi RS5. In doing so, we’ve gathered a number of additional screenshots from Lexus’s B-roll video in order to show the coolest unseen parts of the RC F: the sports coupe’s brand-new LED lighting, hood venting, and active rear spoiler! This car looks intense from almost …

Keep reading

CarRevsDaily

Honda Jade and Concept M from Shanghai 2013 Likely No-Shows in Detroit

The media side of the global auto industry is getting confusing. Any business needs to create structure in their marketing. Marketing, in this sense, is everything from concept cars to TV ads to post-sale warranty/service needs. This is often handled by region, especially for the semi-autonomous groups in the American market – the most valuable in terms of sales by a huge margin. But this segmentation strategy does not always work in a new age of digital media. Not only are international auto magazines available instantly via iPad editions, but they are far more affordable that way as well. Not …

Keep reading

Opel-Insignia-Sports-Tourer-286338

Low-Volume Specials – Buick Regal Country Tourer Could Be Yours… At A Price

When a long-term product plan from GM was released a few years ago by a disgruntled employee to a German newspaper, the revelations about what exactly lay ahead for Opel were quickly silenced. Luckily, it was not the Guardian who received the documents. The one thing I recall before all the news … went away … was the Country Tourer name for a potential Vectra replacement wagon.   An all-road-style option for families who not only need AWD, but need some extra ground clearance and gravel resistance on the lower panels as well. These are not some kind of “country” …

Keep reading

WSarg

Daimler Running Big Trucks in Tr4 via 2014 Freightliner Argosy (Villain) vs Western Star (Hero)

Big trucks, be nice! If there was ever a bad-guy in the truck world, it is a cab-over semi truck with a maniacal driver just inches behind the front bumper. The Cab-Over style seems absurd from basic aero principles, but does offer big benefits in such tight turning radii. But Transformers 4 comes out in just a few months, on 6.27.14. Did they miss the coolest new Daimler truck? The Freightliner Revolution is the best looking of the bunch, in my opinion. In addition, Transformers 4 shows a slow progression by Michael Bay and Co. toward reclaiming the original styles …

Keep reading

2015 VW Golf TSI 3dr Joins TDI and GTI in Brooklyn en Route to Detroit Show 20

2015 VW Golf TSI 3dr Joins TDI and GTI in Brooklyn en Route to Detroit Show

This is the first real-life photo set of the 2015 Golf from Volkswagen, which appears in these official images as both a three-door and a five-door. A two-door in the American market is new versus the 2014 Golf line-up. The interior also shows a nice range of trim choices. No time frame on the production 2015 Golf’s arrival, but by May of 2014 to American VW showrooms seems likely. 2015 North American Volkswagen GTI 2015 North American Volkswagen Golf

Caterham Coming to America!  620R to be sold by Superformance (Without An Engine

Caterham Coming to America! 620R to be sold by Superformance (Without An Engine…)

Caterham just announced a U.S. distribution deal for its track-only car line via Irvine-based Superformance. Superformance is best known for its amazing Le Mans GT40 re-creations and other exotic sports cars, so the Caterham deal seems like a good fit to add some lightweight track racers to its customer brochures. The sales of rolling Seven 480 and 620R models will not include an engine, but Superformance retailers or their teams are likely to complete most assemblies for customers after the car is sold and titled. How great would a small-block Chevy V8 be in this tiny machine!  A Shelby Cobra …

Keep reading

©McLarenAutomotive www

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 …

Keep reading

2013-12-26_1716191

2014 Audi Q7 TDI S-line Plus – Buyers Guide with Galleries, Specs and Pricing

The 2014 Q7 TDI is a very compelling option versus the other supercharged V6 gasoline engine options available on this luxury seven-seater in American Audi dealers. There basically are no downsides – only benefits – to choosing this Clean Diesel engine. – Huge torque advantage, 406 pound-feet from from just 1750 rpm. – Big efficiency advantages on paper and in real life. – Just as quick as 3.0T models at 7.7-seconds to 60-mph. —- (But down 1.0 seconds versus the 3.0TFSI S-Line with 333 horsepower versus 280 for 3.0T) – Optional air suspension a TDI and TFSI exclusive option, not …

Keep reading

2014-Scion-iQ-Glams-Up

2014 Scion iQ Glams Up With Two-Tone Styles. But Base Looks Best

The Scion iQ is still not a frequent sight in urban centers, two years since its arrival for American buyers. Why is this? For the new year, all iQ’s bring toughscreen controls for the center console. Overall, the iQ at $15,000 new is still a very ingenious package versus the much pricier, worse-driving and far less fashionable Smart Fortwo. The key difference for the iQ is width: this is as wide as any normal Corolla on the roads – which does wonders for driver confidence even on the U.S. highways. The 2014 iQ gets a tasty new grey paint finish …

Keep reading

2014 X5 with and without M Performance Parts

2014 BMW X5 – Before and After M Performance Upgrades

The BMW X5 is hotter than ever before. In December 3rd’s WSJ, BMW even cites huge international X5 demand as one of the reasons BMW may lose the number one U.S. luxury sales rank to Mercedes-Benz for 2013. Fun fact: the BMW Spartanburg plant is the largest exporter of American-made cars. In the whole country. Beating all the U.S. brands!  (These are official BMW cargo ships, by the way, not grey-market exports.) It seems this America-focused truck is far hotter than BMW ever expected in even its most traditional markets. The draw of seven seats and the latest BMW  style …

Keep reading

Best of 2013 Awards – Tail-Out, Balls-Out Supercar – $70,000 Lotus Exige S

What a pivot for Lotus Cars in 2013. While still reeling from ownership changes and a variety of management re-alignments, Lotus Cars shines its green and gold flags through any fog. This is a racing company at its core, and the Exige S arrives to American buyers with all the power, prestige and class of true exotic cars. While sharing a vaguely familiar silhouette with the Elise and previous-gen Exige, the looks are very modern and fresh up close. All the race-ready Exige S styling elements really work together with its ultra-low, ultra-wide footprint.     Where the previous Exige …

Keep reading

2015 MINI Cooper JCW Concept Brushed-Alloy Paints Hot Bod 12

MINI Cooper JCW Concept Debuts Brushed-Alloy Paints on Hot New Bod

The all-new MINI John Cooper Works is taking shape! After the recent debut of the all-new 2014 Mini Cooper and Cooper S, the hottest member of the MINI clan is closing fast in the rear-view mirror.   Even as a concept, the huge body revisions are visible from almost every angle versus its 2014 MINI siblings. Up front, the JCW brings nearly double the square footage of air intakes, and a far more menacing lower chin style. Expected to run a turbocharged four-cylinder versus the top Cooper S model’s turbo triple, the JCW will be able to really push the …

Keep reading

CarRevsDaily - Supercar Showcase - Hennessey VENOM GT 18

Best of 2013 Awards: 265MPH Hennessey Venom GT is Reigning Supercar King

If there is one Yankee hypercar that can really run with the bulls from Europe, it is the Hennessey Venom GT. WHat the Texas-based crew from Hennssey has proven since 2010 is nothing short of remarkable. In fact, this is the ultimate American exotic. The real thing. Refined and fine-tuned over the last seven years, the Venom GT is nothing short of: The Fastest Car in the World. Forget the NARDO for ultimate Vmax runs in the next generation of hypercars. Too bumpy. (Porsche may be working on this issue, but a resurfacing project visible from space should give advance …

Keep reading

Hot New Wagons 2014 Volvo V60 13

Hot New Wagons: 2014 Volvo V60 Coming to U.S. with R-Design and Polestar Trims

The Volvo V60 is an exciting new entrant for the Swedish luxury brand. This core Volvo model was initially left off the American price sheets in favor of the much larger V70 and XC70 Cross Country, but Volvo has now come to its senses! What the V60 offers is the mid-size package from the S60 sedan, including all the latest styling updates and tech enhancements inside. The R-Design’s new T6 engine promises about 304 horsepower and a ~5.7-second sprint to 60 mph, while the Polestar could bring up to 375 horsepower for a sub-5-second sprint time. Polestars come with AWD …

Keep reading

Gran Turismo®6 Acura NSX Concept

Acura NSX (Concept) Makes Thrilling Track Debut in Gran Turismo 6

GT6 came out today for PlayStation 4, which just launched two weeks ago. Confirmed sales of the console in its first 14 days on the market: More than 2.1 Million Units Sold. By some rough number crunching, without any currency checks or actual retail pricing, Sony just got the ultimate Christmas present: More than One Trillion Dollars in Revenue. IN 14 DAYS! What business are *we* in!? Just kidding… Acura NSX Concept Gives First Track Thrills in GT6 After some well-intentioned, but “strange-looking” renderings of the future production Acura NSX earlier this week here on CarRevsDaily, some exciting official news …

Keep reading

EuroChevy Runs out of Gas - Opel Monza Concept5

EuroChevy Halted in Favor of Opel / Vauxhall – But What About the ManU Jerseys!?

  EuroChevy Runs Out of Gas In what seems like a curious move from General Motors, Chevrolet today reports it will no longer promote or sell Chevy-branded cars in Europe by the end of 2015. This is a very complex decision, but one that has sound business principles at its core. Europeans do not want to buy Chevrolet cars. Period. Most new brands, like Infiniti, face an uphill battle to sway these entrenched buyers with very specific brand loyalties to local marques. But let us say Infiniti started at a brand index of 0, and is working to move that …

Keep reading

Concept to Reality, Honda Shows Good Design Momentum

Concept to Reality: Honda Shows Good Design Momentum with Vezel and FCEV

Honda Design. Not two words that make sense together, but that seems to be changing. The latest concepts show great direction, and movement to a new brand style. This is great news for the new, production-ready Honda Vezel crossover, which carries much of the panache of the Urban SUV Concept. But it is even better news for the forthcoming NSX. Whether an Acura or Honda, the bold vision is a relief versus some – private – concerns about the prototype’s appearance. 2013 Honda FCEV Concept 2013 Honda Urban SUV Concept Honda Vezel Hybrid   Honda Vezel Hybrid Official FCEV Release …

Keep reading

mediagallery_4series_convertible_1025x475_0000_exterior_1

2014 BMW 428i and 435i Make Beautiful, Practical Convertibles

BMW’s long, low and wide new 4-series is hitting its stride. Of course, the 4 drop-top replaces the previous 3-series convertible line as BMW links its sportiest models with even number badges. Overall convertible sales have fallen off a cliff in the American market in the last few years. Even so, it is not immediately clear if this is a structural change in buyer preferences, a short-term economic side-effect, or if there simply were not the same volume of cheap and dreadful Chrysler Sebrings to prop up the sales numbers. Even “the hot girls” like Jillayne from my high school …

Keep reading

CarRevsDaily

Hammer Down! Full Throttle Sprint Video in 2014 E63 AMG 4MATIC

Video is so great. Long gone are the days of shoulder-mounted VHS Handi-Cams. Simply snapping a 60-second clip of something on your iPhone seems silly in the moment, but the results can be really special afterwards – for remembering the details in 1080p detail. iPhones actually take video in 4K resolution, then down-scale the .MOV files to 1080p for export. What this means is that the iPhone is now one of the best video-cameras ever made – and fits right in your pocket. What do I mean? Well, the 2014 E63 AMG is easily one of the best cars I …

Keep reading