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BMW Motorrad Concept Roadster is Boxer Ducati-Fighter for Lake Cuomo

Here is a new BMW Roadster that is (or, rather: might.. eventually be) not only affordable, but truly bring the road to your brainstem in HD via all five senses. Granted, this boxer twin rumbler it does lack four wheels… but even on two, this is an exciting step for the BMW Motorrad program – bridging the gap between BMW scooters and full sport cycles with a fun and contemporary take on a city roadster. Key parts of the design are deconstructed mechanical pieces, but there are future-tech flashes like the solid-state LED lighting element in front. Overall, the BMW …

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2015 Subaru WRX Colors – All 7 Shades in Animated Turntables + Track Testing Videos

The 2015 Subaru WRX is really a terrific car: much more rigid chassis, same awesome handling, but now much better-looking and far more liveable on a daily basis. The regular WRX is also darn close to the STI in the official sprint times: 5.2s for the WRX plays about 4.8-seconds for the STI. This test car is the automatic, which is a CVT this year with six-speed or eight-speed paddle-shifter settings available. Unfortunately, the automatic WRX did not feel quite as peppy as the manual cars’ times suggest above: we estimate this automatic WRX to hit 60-mph in about 6.2 …

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2015 GMC Sierra All-Terrain HD – Real-Life Launch Photos of the King-Kong 2015 HD Truck

GMC is on a roll right now – sales are way up, market share is up, and diesel engine adoption is above 70-percent among HD truck buyers. This is all great news for the company, and shows that buyers are stepping up to the HD trucks in record numbers. The trade-offs for doing so are less than ever before, and the payout is far more capability. To make the transition as smooth as possible from the loaded half-ton trucks to the 2500 and 3500 HD lines, the Denali trim comes along and now the All Terrain package (available of SLE …

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Volkswagen Vision GTI Roadster for GT6 Scores 4Motion and 500HP Twin-Turbo VR6

The GranTurismo Vision concept series is still in roll-out mode – there are perhaps 20 more special concept cars still to come from all sorts of brands, including Lexus, Subaru Alfa-Romeo and more. Subaru’s looks very tasty – stay tuned for more details on Subie’s fast wagon prototype. For today, however, all eyes are on the VW #VisionGTI – a deliciously chopped-top roadster that is also packing huge four-wheel-drive power. Tallies are nearly 500-horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque to the 4Motion drivetrain. A seven-speed DSG is also in the mix – ensuring this little GTI will be running hot …

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2015 Kia K900 Potential Revealed in Flesh: LED Low, High and Brake Lighting Photos

2015 Kia K900 LED Lighting Photos   We are in major fence-mending mode at the moment with Kia after learning the extremely displeased reaction the company has had to some of the previus coverage written on this keyboard. A thoughtful and well-prepared brief on the K900 luxury sedan accompanied part of last week’s big rally at Road America – and it does make one believe that there is a market for this car, albeit small. The K900 will appeal to self-made men and women of all stripes. They will be successful and define success based on their own metrics, less …

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Updated with Real-Life Photos! 302HP 2015 GMC Canyon Easily Best-Looking Mid-Size Pickup

2015 GMC Canyon All-Terrain – Article Updated 5.27.14 The Canyon All-Terrain took the stage last week with the GMC team at Road America for the Midwest Automotive Media Association’s Spring Rally – and it looks just as good in the flesh as it does in the previews!   The 2015 GMC Canyon and Chevy Colorado are shaping up to be huge news in a stagnant segment: mid-size trucks. Compact trucks? Not a “thing” anymore. Everybody who is anybody is going mid-size. As the Toyota Tacoma grew in size markedly to match the (long-gone; not missed) Dodge Dakota in size, others …

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2015 Audi A7 and S7 Refresh Brings New LEDs, Detail Tweaks and New Wheels

The Audi A7 and S7 are clear winners – they are so attractive and so fast that they make a strong case for themselves versus everything from the BMW 5 and 6 series all the way to the S-Class and even the Audi A8. The biggest competition for the glamourous Audi A7, S7 and RS7 really comes from the Porsche Panamera, in my opinion. So the keep the trendiest and most fashionable clients in the business happy, the A7 and S7 gain new LED lighting solutions front and rear for 2015. These images show the UK spec cars, with no …

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2015 Volvo XC90 Interior Is Official! 7-Seat Comfort, Luxury and Tech

Volvo has rediscovered all of its best brand attributes – and is bringing them to market this fall with the very promising 2015 XC90 SUV. The slow drip of the launch has taken the form of three outstanding concepts since Frankfurt 2013: the Volvo Concept Coupe, the Concept Estate and the XC Coupe Concept. All have shown the firm to be on an exceptional path toward restoring its brand luster. This is a company that is poised for greatness — all by going back to its core roots: stylish but subtle, efficient and safe, and comfortable on the North Pole …

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VIDEO: 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat – Exhaust Note, Interior and Performance Upgrades Debut

600-horsepower from the new Challenger SRT’s supercharged Hellcat engine — all fired up and ready to roar into the record books with deliveries starting in late Summer 2014! ENGINE START-UP AND REVS VIDEO The coolest aspects of the new Challenger SRT are the Viper-inspired hood with extra breathing and venting ports, plus the hollow driver-side highbeam lamp – which delivers air right into the airbox of the Hellcat. The interior is completely redesigned, with a much more comfortable-looking seating arrangement for the big SRT racing thrones. The infotainment is also far better, as are the new bi-xenon lights that run …

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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 …

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2014 MINI Superleggera Concept is Dreamy Roofless Speedster With Corvette, Porsche, Aston and Jag Influences

As shown by the Car-Revs-Daily.com exclusive renders of a possible GT40 Can-Am Spyder, Corvette Stingray Speedster and the GT-R Spider — you know we are huge fans of roofless cars. Most of these are not quite “cabriolets” in the ‘convertible’ sense – there is only one setting.   They are strictly fair-weather friends. But the lack of a roof mechanism frees the designers to go wild, and the results are nearly always miraculously beautiful. Clear influences for this MINI Superleggera come from the Jaguar D-Type (and Project 7…), as well as the Porsche 718 RSK Spyder and even a handful of …

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Gorgeous 2015 Alfa-Romeo 4C Revealed in Full USA Trim + New Headlights!

We’ve been pretty bearish on the Alfa 4C’s prospects in the United States – until seeing one in the flesh this week at Road America. This $66,000 sports coupe is deliciously wide, low and sexy from all sides. New USA features include a refined set of bumpers to fit our license plates and the latest headlamps from the 4C Spider concept. Trust me on this: the car is absolutely divine in person, with proportions and style to make your heart ache. The new lights feature shrouded projector-beams flanked by four white LED daytime-running-lights above the main beam. It is subtle …

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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 …

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Nissan BladeGlider Concept Is DeltaWing MX-5

Nissan today revealed an exciting new prototype sports car that blends the best thinking in racing ev tech, track-day lightness, and Z-car purity. As a pinched nose design, the BladeGlider is most similar, in negineering terms, to the Nissan-backed 2012 DeltaWing experimental LeMans entry. Sharing key rear-axle torque vectoring should allow the BladeGlider to have the precision and incredible pace of the DelaWing — but the affordable pricing and market potential of a Mazda MX-5 competitor. Interesting. Confusing. Exciting.  

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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 …

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2016 USA Honda Civic Type R Renderings + Strategic Rationale

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

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Concept Flashback – 1997 Nissan Trail Runner – Inspired Peugeot’s 2015 DAKAR Entry?

Definitely ahead of its time, this 1997 Trail Runner concept. Nissan was ahead of Jeep and many others who started sensing this small/fast off-roader trend by the early 2000s. Other big guys threw more production muscle to make sketches like this car a real thing, but the results were shockingly-bad from Pontiac and Jeep. Yes, both the Pontiac Aztek and Jeep Compass were, in fact, really cool sketches and designs at first. But they were both D.O.A. in production thanks to tiny tires and no engine power to match the compact off-road racer premise. Time has finally come for these …

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2015 Nissan 370Z NISMO Facelift Arrives In July With New LED Nose and New Recaros

The lack of LED lighting in the 370Z Nismo really struck me as odd when briefly testing the 2014 model in October of last year. Here is a car that is too-cool-for-school in almost every other way, but still lacking one of the most sought-after pieces of aesthetic technology? That is rectified for 2015, with the new 370Z NISMO not just tacking on some Pep Boys mods: the entire front clip and nose aerodynamics have been redesigned. The red accent on the chin spoiler is sinfully delicious, as are the aforementioned LEDs themselves. 2015 Nissan 370Z NISMO Facelift Other tweaks …

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JDM Nissan Leaf NISMO Upgrades Include ECU Reflash + Special 80th Anniversary Colors – Jealous?

I have been so hard on the poor Nissan Leaf, which I have never driven nor even seen very often in person. Despite not really writing about it in general, I do clearly recall referring (in print) to its design as “an ugly duckling.” You see… these reviews clatter from my brain onto the internet pretty quickly. And often the words can’t really be taken back…. With the debut of the Lannia concept in Beijing last month, the Leaf looks ready to turn into a rather more beautiful swan in the next few years. Until then, the Japanese-market Leaf continues …

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2014 Nissan Lannia Concept Shows No Tailpipes – May Preview Next Leaf EV

Surely, Tom, you must just have meant to say “No tailpipe emissions…?” Nope. No tailpipes whatsoever on this Beijing 2014 concept car from Nissan. It is quite pretty and unique from all sides, and has instant allure and attractiveness. This is all a good sign for Nissan in China, where local teams have played a critical part in the Lannia’s design and development. The only angle that proves this is not a sports car is the rear three-quarter, which brings things back down to Earth with a pretty eco-minded appearance. The lack of tailpipes, overall size match, and EV aspirations …

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2015 Scion FR-S RS1 Packs Hot TRD Performance Parts As Standard, Kicks Off 2015 Updates

The Scion FR-S Release Series 1.0 is almost a direct production version of the TRD project car shown this Spring with the Lexus LFA around Scion’s Epic marketing campaign events. The prototype TRD Project Car and the production model are almost exactly the same outside, but the TRD project car wears wider rubber on different wheels, has a front-mounted intercooler of some kind, and a racing-prepped cabin. TRD Project Car The production RS1 looks just as good, and is amazing news for buyers looking for a showroom racer – modded and looking mean right from day one. This was a …

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3.6s Audi A3 ClubSport Quattro Concept Packs 517 Horsepower and 192MPH Vmax

    15 May 2014 192mph Audi A3 clubsport quattro concept wows Wöerthersee meeting S3 Saloon-based concept car features a blistering 2.5 TFSI five-cylinder engine producing a colossal 525 PS and 600Nm Board Member for Development Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg: “Extreme power and dynamics in compact format” 2.5 TFSI engine developing 525 PS and 600Nm – 0-62 mph in 3.6 seconds, 192 mph top speed, 1,527 kg Wörthersee Meeting in Reifnitz, Germany from May 28-31 The Audi S3 Saloon surrenders to the Wörthersee treatment this month, swapping its already potent 300PS output for a mighty 525PS and metamorphosing into the …

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100 Color Renders of SSC Tuatara – Paint Test Proves Brilliance of Castriota Design

I really hope the news from this morning about SSC’s Tuatara being delayed indefinitely is not true. I really believe in this car, especially its design. Penned by Jason Castriota, it is simply breathtaking, timeless, unique and inspiring. But is it just that silvery white paint whipping me into a frenzy? Lord knows I love white cars these days. So to find out, we took to the Car-Revs-Daily.com exclusive “Candy Paint Shop” to render the Tuatara in as many lurid hues as possible. The results are below. Yes, it definitely passes the test color of also looking good in color…. …

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2017 Maserati MC12 ? LaFerrari Aliante Spyder by IED Torino Shows Potential

I love supercars and hypercars almost too much sometimes. I especially love ones that I have never seen or even fathomed before. It is that… “Oh… OH!” moment when you realize something so lovely has never before been seen by your eyes. This idea might be work by students, but the Ferrari Aliante design study is still quite special. In fact, the Turin-based IED student teams are some of the largest feeders to major supercar brands all over the world, but especially within Italy. This car was designed before LaFerrari even had a name, so the LaFerrari homage in the …

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2014 Jaguar XFR Video Review – Full-Throttle Sprint + Exhaust Bellow

The XFR was much better to drive and far more rapid than expected. This first video gets really good about 2/3 of the way through — at which point I paddle down to second gear before flipping to first and flooring the throttle. Both of our heads hit headrest with AMG-style torque as 510-horsepower brings its full might to the table. Very entertaining, the XFR is, with barely a whistle of supercharger whine to accompany this massive velvet knockout punch. Here is the exhaust note.  2014 jaguar xfr review

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1350HP SSC Tuatara Delayed As Company Goes Radio-Silent

The SSC Tuatara is gorgeous and inspiring to behold – even from afar – as the epitome of lurid hypercar vision made real. The Tuatara packs all the right swoops, wings and curves to make the company into something big. Something to add sex appeal to the fast/ugly Ultimate Aero XT. As it stands, the Ultimate Aero XT is the only model offered for sale by SSC to date, and has been the drivetrain testing mule for the Tuatara.     The hypercar business is extremely difficult, however, and takes the typical startup odds of failure and jacks the pressure …

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Bluebird V and Bluebird CN7 Reunited and Viewable by Public at Beaulieu National Motor Museum

    What is all the passion around the Bluebird legacy of World Speed Record achievements? Just take a few long looks as these masterpieces, and you will be moved. They are quite exciting to behold, even in photographs, but now are also together in one place for the public to see their grand scale up close. The Beaulieu National Motor Museum would be one of my first stops when visiting the UK- as it also houses a wide array of fantast car and speed goodies from across the world. The CN7 streamliner is particularly magnificent, and achieved a 403-MPH …

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New Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe Waterspeed Celebrates Bluebird K3 Record-Breaker

Okay! Before we get too excited about which would be faster today: the Rolls-Royce-powered Bluebird K3 or the new Phantom Drophead Coupe Waterspeed, we must clarify something! The K3 is the Bluebird boat. This is likely very obvious to people in the UK or Speed Record buffs, but the Bluebird’s I know best are the cars.   But this Phantom DHC Waterspeed indeed celebrates the Bluebird K3 speedboat, whose streamlined lower hull design went on to inspire virtually all modern watercraft. No jokes allowed here on this topic, as the Phantom Drophead Coupe Waterspeed will easily top the 137-mph total …

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2017 BMW i6 Materializes in Renderings As Huge Carbon-Fiber Plant of Toray Industries Heads to Spartanburg

What is next for the BMW i brand? We have been speculating on that topic for weeks now, but a recent announcement has kicked things into high gear: BMW’s Moses Lake plant in Washington state is tripling production of carbon fiber. Second *strong* indicator? Toray Industries of Japan is a leading carbon-fiber manufacturer globally. It has just announced a 400-acre land purchase in Spartanburg, South Carolina for a gigantic new production facility. This is expected to feed both the Boeing 787 plant in Charleston as well as Spartanburg’s other famous factory resident: BMW. http://www.compositesworld.com/news/toray-plans-us-expansion-for-americas-carbon-precursorfiberprepreg-lines That points to a new BMW …

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WHATIF… There Were a Nissan GT-R Spyder? Speculative Renderings of Godzilla Ragtop

This one is pretty self-explanatory. What if there were a GT-R cabrio? Here are a few renderings exploring the possibility – albeit rare – of there being a cabriolet version of the R35 Nissan GT-R. Car-Revs-Daily.com Renderings – Nissan GT-R Spyder Is this the wildest rendering done from my Autobahn Country Club photos from October 2013? Ummm, not exactly! http://www.car-revs-daily.com/2014/04/14/nissan-gt-r-dakar-rally-prototype-most-absurd-renderings-ever/

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Update1 Debut Event – 2015 BMW X4 is Here and Stunning! Pricing from $46,000 — SPRING 2014 Arrival Confirmed

The production BMW X4 was a nice surprise when touring the BMW Spartanburg factory in late March. The car is very attractive in real life – especially in this M Sport trim level!   Please forgive the lack of analysis, we are swamped at the moment! Short assessment: Outstanding. Much better than expected and a solid proposition for all AWD performance sedan shoppers. More thorough articles coming soon, plus all the full details from BMW below. The New BMW X4 Sports Activity Coupe A new dimension for the mid-sized premium Sports Activity Vehicle Woodcliff Lake, NJ – March 5, 2014 …

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2015 BMW X7 – Digital Rendering Shows Modest Wheelbase Stretch, But Keeps New X5 Look

When you know a stretched X5 is coming, the original car starts to look more than a little stubby back there. This is partially BMW’s own design working its magic: the rear cabin is greatly aided by so much roominess in the second row of seating. This leads us to think the new X7 — expected as soon as this Fall/Winter as a 2015 model — will continue to carry many X5 themes and the overall designs for the nose and tail. By keeping the X5 style, BMW may hope to leverage existing buyers and market demand for the X5. …

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2015 Subaru WRX Hits The Gravel In 70 New Photos in Four Colors

Is there a study that shows how many former WRX owners go on to buy an M3 BMW? I would bet it is a high percentage – both cars are real giant-killers in their own right. While the WRX stalks prey in the lower realms of budgets and street battles, its real draw comes from its AWD and turbocharged driving manners. It is endlessly entertaining, and a solid choice no matter what the exterior design. Why do I mention this? I was the proud owner of a 2003 WRX Wagon from 2003-2006!  Yes, the bug-eye one. It was hideous. I …

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2015 BMW M3 and M4 Meet The Legacy in 52 New Photos With E30 Sport Evolution, E36, E46 and E90

After putting the new M3 through its digital paces in a configurator buyers guide this week… …and the M4 through a design shootout with the Lexus RCF and Audi RS5, also this week .. One thing is clear as day: the BMW M desire is burning hot. But which to choose? The M4 has obvious advantages in the CDI charts – chicks dig it – as a high-performance, high-testosterone two-door supercoupe. Which way do you lean in choosing among the four-door M3 and the new-badge M4 coupe? 2015 BMW M3 and M4 Meet The E30 Sport Evolution, E36 M3 Sedan, …

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Design Talent Showcase – Ugur Sahin Design Creates First Convincing 250GTO Successor + Delicious LaFerrari Alternative

Are you loving Ugur Sahin’s vision for a modern and flowing hypercar design! And it looks like we’ve not the only ones – his vision for a front-engined GT car called the USD B.V was made into a real-life car by some big fans in Utah. The name is the most awkward part – but even so, this reskinned GT car does not even seem like Sahin’s best work. Most importantly, however, Sahin’s design talent and skill is evolving just as fast as his preference for supercars. This is a designer who has come al ong, long way in skill …

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Ugur Sahin Designs a Ferrari-badged Concept F Hypercar – But Style Says Koenigsegg To Us

The second Ugur Sahin Designs article today! This one is much more supercar-focused – or maybe hypercar is more like it! While Sahin based this on the Ferrari 458 and includes Ferrari branding, the style of the visor windshield, bubble canopy roof and long rear deck all seem like a far better fit as the next Koenigsegg. Cruise over to Sahin’s website portfolio below to see all his outstanding work… http://www.ugursahindesign.com/ Ugur Sahin Design – Project F

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BMW Debuts Solar Carport and Triples Carbon-Fiber Output at Hydro-Powered Washington Factory

The BMW i strategy is full-steam ahead — literally. Hydroelectric power in Washinton state is making it the global carbo-fiber manufacturing hub for the BMW Group, with an extra $200-million investment announced today. This will double the facility’s output and will help BMW meet strong i3 and i8 demand, as well as support the supply chain for the expected new BMW i models. i5 and i2? i4 and i1? It really could be anything. No announcements or even concepts have indicated which number BMW might be next on the i-Makeovers list — so it really is anyone’s guess. But considering …

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2014 Audi R8 LMX to Bring World-First Standard Laser Highbeams Via Shared Tech with R18 LeMans

  Yes, the BMW i8 offers them – but only as a high-priced option. As such, the Audi R8 LMX is set to be the first car to ever include laser highbeams as standard when it arrives this summertime. The highbeam solution is a work-around to make sure that the lighting is still palatable to all world markets – including the United States, we predict. The below information is based on the UK-market R8, but this special edition is almost a sure thing on US roads as well. A redesigned R8 is tipped for Frankfurt – going on sale about …

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$10M Cars? Original 1925/34 Rolls-Royce Round Door Coupe vs Modern Vision by Dutch Designer Ugur Sahin

THE WHAT The thing with one-off cars made by coach-builders is that the bodywork typically has no blueprints. No panel molds or industrial stampings to use thousands of times. There is no way to even think of creating another example of a car like the 1925/24 Rolls-Royce Round Door Coupe – with its panels and every aesthetic piece made on a one-0ff basis, often by hand. And why might anyone try such a daunting task! The original chassis was completed in 1925, but it took another nine years to fabricate and complete the body — hence the 1934 tag that …

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Concept Flashback – 2001 Audi Avantissmo is A8 Dreamwagon… Directly Influenced 2015 Bentley Falcon SUV

There are shades of the upcoming Bentley Falcon SUV all over this A8 Avantissmo concept from 2001. That is no bad thing! Enjoy this delightful look at superluxury transport – as envisioned in Audi’s 2001 showcar catalog.

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2015 SuperCoupe Design Shootout – Lexus RC F vs. BMW M4 vs. Audi RS5

Executive supercoupes are hot as f*** right now. A duo of new entrants from BMW and Lexus really up the ante on Audi’s 2014 RS5 and the forthcoming C63 AMG Coupe that is expected relatively soon on the horizon. Other competitors are plenty in this segment, including the 2014 CTS-V Coupe from Cadillac, the Infiniti Q60 IPL and even the Camaro ZL1 — but these three are ripe for a design shootout because their performance and target markets are so completely mirrored — even more so than performance, the case may be. The M4 and RC F are not even …

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Bowler Defender 90 Packs Challenge Rally Kit and Extra Power into Streetable Trucks Too!

How hardcore is Bowler Motorsport? The firm is just entering the booming off-road parts and accessories business after more than two decades of a laser focus on endurance rally racing across the globe. The upgrades to the Bowler Defender Challenge entries are also offered in a road truck version that is complete and ready-to-roll based on a new Defender 90. There are a handful of individual parts available as well — with more coming soon. This is handy to for guys who already have a Defender and are looking for a little customization and Bowler rally magic… Pricing for the …

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Gone in 3.7s – 30th Anniversary BMW M5 Adds 25 Horsepower, New Steering and New Active M Rear Diff

Well this is interesting! The ’30 Jahre M5′ edition is actually a bit more than a run-out special ahead of an expected revamp and the long-rumored addition of xDrive to the next M5. Adding power, a new steering setup and a new controller for the Active M Differential not only improves sprint times down to 3.7-seconds to 60MPH — it is also promised to improve the overall handling balance of the ultimate super saloon car. Worth noting is that the current M5 is not exactly lacking in dynamic poise or power. But the game is moving forward on BMW’s M5 …

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Defender Challenge Racing Series by Bowler Motorsport Makes YOU the Off-Road Rally Hero

Enticing, is it not? The idea of living the racing driver dream is quite vivid for many of us, but the options to do so bring huge costs of their own. For 2014, Bowler Motorsport is bringing its legendary Dakar rally know-how home to some of the UK’s most entertaining off-road regions – where professionals and beginners alike can feel the muddy rush of speed that can only originate in a professional rally car. Uprated Land Rover Defender 90’s are specially prepared by Bowler Motorsport for the series, with all the support that a professional team would bring as well. …

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VENTURI Taking its Visionary EV Future-Tech to Bonneville and Formula E Racetracks

PART ONE: INTRO TO BRILLIANT CONCEPTS You cannot fault Venturi Automobiles for their ambition – here is a company with the power to envision and make concept cars that might even fail the Rinspeed or ItalDesign “reality check” test. Wild ideas like a solar streamliner for commuters, the Antarctic shuttle on treads, and the America off-road cabrio concept are certainly enticing for their rarity and bold vision. The Volage concept is perhaps the most feasible as a sale-able vehicle — with unique ideas present even six years since its first look as a concept in 2008.   PART TWO: HARSH …

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2015 MINI Paceman Adds LED DRLs and Foglamps + Blacked-Out Styling Updates

Most subtle facelift ever? Glad to see the dark headlight style is going mainstream, with a lack of chrome also a big enhancement for the 2015 Paceman. The other largest change is the LED foglamp ring down below, which is pretty disappointing versus a full LED headlamp makeover. Even so, better some LED style than none!   MINI UNVEILS 2015 MINI PACEMAN WITH WORLD PREMIERE AT BEIJING MOTOR SHOW 22/04/14 Woodcliff Lake, NJ – April 21, 2014…As an extravagant individualist in urban traffic, the MINI Paceman is a real eye-catcher. The world’s first ever Sports Activity Coupé in the premium …

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Future Car Renderings – 2016 BMW i4 Imagined as Much-Lower, Much-Cooler Machine

Today is the third or fourth time we have tried to get on-board with the BMW i3 via the online builder and the mechanical specifications. The i3 is a fantastically-interesting, futuristic, and brilliant solution to low-emissions motoring: priced from $41,000 as the pure EV model, the premium for the Range-Extender gasoline option up front is just a few thousand extra – well worth it in my opinion. But the style!? Where is the style of the future? In the past? We hope not. But my word – this i3 makes the Prius look sexy and slinky. It is best compared …

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2015 BMW M3 – Configurator Buyers Guide to Options, Colors, Wheels and Best Equipment

Building a new M3 is remarkably simple – the main choices you need to ponder in advance are: – Manual transmission or M-DCT transmission? – Willing to stump for $8000 carbon brakes? – Willing to upgrade the wheels to the 19-inchers (to avoid looking like a 320i rolling on mini skateboard runners). Besides that, the rest of the options book really writes itself. The level of customization inside with various leather colors really shames the exterior paint finishes available — which seem pretty limited upon first glance. Other options that seem like must-have items? – Adaptive suspension for $1000 – …

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Venturi VOXAN WATTMAN Concept Bike is EV Brutalism on Two Wheels – Colors + Specs

This concept bike from Voxan Motors is the debut model for the brand. An off-shoot of Venturi Automobiles, the bike is called the WATTMAN in a less-than-subtle nod to its electric powertrain. All seems well with the specs – until you get to the weight and performance — which are both pretty abysmal. The other missing element is the price, which is conspicuous in its absence. Even so, as a concept previewing a design vision? Stunning. Desirable. Brutal but delicate details. It is quite lovely. If only it weighed less than 700 pounds and was not projected to carry a …

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2014 Radical RXC Lands in America! Track Shakedown with WISKO Racing + Mega Gallery Inside/Out

WISKO racing is based in Virginia and is an official Radical distributor in the United States — which is a bit of a relief for me as a car writer. Why? As you may note in the below photos, there is a “For Sale” placard in the windshield, which would be worrying for such a new car in any other circumstances…! But not for this amazing machine, which delivers such LeMans levels of down-force that it becomes nearly unflappable in any track scenario. All the better to put down some race-ready laptimes..! The RXC is priced from just under 100,000 …

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MINI Paceman Adventure Concept Leverages DAKAR Winning Streak – Previews Next MINI Paceman Cabrio?

Sometimes reverse psychology is the best way to read quotes written by hardcore commincations professionals – folks like PR teams and diplomats, for example. So when MINI says… “The MINI Paceman Adventure is a true one-off and there are no plans for series production.” The jaded auto journo like me reads this as true, with a big “But…” While the off-road kit outfitted to this Paceman Adventure is surely a fantasy-level that is best fit for a concept, the basic drop-top premise seems much more plausible. This cabrio soft-roader is totally do-able once the concept embellishments like the steel pickup …

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Road Test Review – 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe LTZ 4WD – 150 Photos and Four 1080P GoPro Videos

“…Come Mister Tallyman, TALLY ME BANANA… Daylight come and me wanna Tahoe…” INTRO: Is this bizarro-world where all is backwards? The 2015 Tahoe is vastly improved over the outgoing trucks in every single meaningful way. These four videos shot near Lake Lanier, Georgia last week are a testament to how smitten I was with the new Tahoe’s handling, chassis rigidity and quietness, interior overhaul and even the exterior style upgrade. But as we will outline below, there is some curious switching in the big SUV game. The Chevy’s interior is vastly superior to the Lexus GX460, but the Lexus costs …

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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 …

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Road Test Review – $32k 2015 Audi A3 Sedan Is Surprisingly Handsome, Modern and Fun to Flog!

 The Audi A3 family is pretty massive for 2015 – with the new sedan just the first in the offensive that will include the A3/S3 Cabrio, A3 Sportback and Sportback Hybrid, an S3 sedan and even the Q3 mini SUV. So there is alot riding on this compact exec’s shoulders – not least the expectation that it might be overpriced and under-amazing. But that is not the case in the slightest. What we discovered after flogging Audi’s latest machine around Lake Lanier, Georgia last week is a fun, peppy car with outstanding driving characteristics, very intuitive steering, and a contender …

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Mazda MX-5 Adds 40HP, Drops 800LB: BAUER Catfish Shell Over Flyin Miata Turbo

This is an interesting meeting of the Miata minds. Bauer Limited Production’s Catfish body overhaul for the 1990-2005 Mazda MX-5 with Flyin’ Miata’s turbocharged engine underneath. It is a recipe that delivers surprising style and divine performance, that is for sure! This Flyin’ Miata example is a bit gnarly in the headlight execution and in some tiny spots on the metallic vinyl wrap, but is still quite bewitching in the flesh. The $14,000 Bauer Catfish bodywork is a relatively simple bolt-on, bolt-off design – and also cuts 800 pounds from the cars’ curb weights. Not too shabby, especially considering the …

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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, …

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Exclusive World Debut – 2014 Superlite SLC Le Mans Spyder – $70k, 430HP V8, Porsche Trans and 2200 Pounds Total!

Unless I am in Chicago traffic from O’Hare to Wrigleyville, I rarely like to toot my own horn. But the Superlite SLC Le Mans world debut might be a seriously exclusive piece of supercar news – seen only by readers of Car-Revs-Daily.com, so far. Why? The Spyder (or Roadster) SLC Le Mans is absolutely brand new and has never before been shown in public. This is the first complete prototype of the full Le Mans Spyder bodystyle of the Superlite SLC Coupe, an it is magnificent. Completed with a Chevrolet LS3 V8 engine and Porsche transaxle by H Craft Customs …

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2015 Ford Mustang Snapped In the Flesh! Turn-Table from 50th Anniversary

Even the best-laid plains can, and often do, fail. Disappointed to find just this solitary 2015 Mustang at the 50th Anniversary celebration, I decided to photograph it from every angle I could secure amid the huge throng of the crowd. 150 photos and a week later, I am home slapping my forehead at the shoddiness of these results. These are not good photos, guys, and I really apologize. Learned a few things: – Messing with DSLR Nikon settings is done at your own risk – Lighting is everything – Reviewing photos in detail is needed while still able to reshoot …

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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 …

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SHOCK! Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Banned NASCAR Mustang Prototype… Actually Looks Like a Mustang

Confession time: I have not been an active NASCAR fan in more than 20 years. But I am definitely a fan of the cars’ outright speed, power and the bravery needed to take one to victory over near-identical others on the grid. This extremely homogenized approach to racing rules is epitomized outside by what NASCAR calls the “Car of Tomorrow” bodyshell. It makes all the cars the exact same shape, excluding stickers. This seems like a huge error in judgment versus what fans want to see: actual rivalries among not just drivers, but the car manufacturers’ racing technology and expertise. …

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Building My 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 – Buyers Guide to Colors, Wheels and Must-Have Options

If you only read this one sentence– there are only two major CLA250 options you need to check to make your new Merc (said as: ‘Merk’) the coolest kid on the block: — Sport pack: $2,200 – New sills, front and rear bumpers, and overall styling enhancement versus the standard car — Bi-xenon + LED pack: $850 – Halogen headlights? No thanks! These also bring cool LED accents front and back.     The CLA250 is fresh off the boats this year, and looks amazing in the flesh. It really does. With a $29,900 price attached for the base models, …

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Speculative Renderings – 2014 Superformance GT40 Can-Am Spyder or Street-Able Convertible

So, if the Ford GT40 and the LOLA T70 Mk II Spyder share so much under the skin, and if the Lola is already available from Superformance — why bother with a meld of both these ideas?   Three reasons: – The Lola cars have a far smaller following among the world’s enthusiasts, and therefore are a very niche machine – If Ford had continued racing the GT40 concept after its four LeMans victories from 1966 to 1969, it is likely that the car would have adopted this style to match FIA’s rule changes. Can-Am was much closer to home …

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

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

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2015 JAGUAR F-TYPE R Coupe -- Lifts Its Bonnet to Show 550HP 5

2015 JAGUAR F-TYPE R Coupe — Lifts Its Bonnet to Show 550HP 5.0-liter V8 — And Even A Deep and Large-Seeming Trunk!

Forget Pippa!  This is 2014’s AotY! (Ass of the Year..) Pippa in an F-TYPE R Coupe? That could be quite the pair of yummy buns! Ever the diplomat who never voices his concerns too bluntly, I am trying to bite my tongue here really hard. But here is the skinny: the F-Type cabrio, at least on first sitting the other month, had a highly compromised driving position and barely any trunk. Those are big issues. Thrilled to see the all-new F-TYPE coupe does not suffer from both these maladies: the trunk is huge! Okay, it is not huge. But we …

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5.2s to 60mph, 148MPG Plug-in Hybrid AWD! Audi TT Offroad Concept – A Sure Thing As Future Q2 (or Q4?)

The big three German luxury brands are infamous in charting each-others new models rigorously. When the Mercedes-Benz R-Class emerged to shocked faces across the globe, BMW was not far behind with the 5 series GT in a slight tweak on the theme. Once one of the big players has established a market, it is widely seen as almost a sure-fire new segment that all must either join or be left out of completely. The rationale is often more than a little flawed – as the R-Class seven-seater and five-seater minivan/wagon trend failed to spark much interest. But one clear segment …

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Mercedes-Benz Concept Coupe SUV – Beijing 2014 – Sets New Design Direction for ~2016 MLC550

The MLC is a truck that would greatly assist Mercedes-Benz in fending off the latest Range Rover Sport, as well as even sleeker machines like the Infiniti QX70 and BMW X6. Its formula is pretty standard for the brand: avant-garde future style that previews both this expected MLC production model’s silhouette, as well as the nose and tail graphic of the next ML-Class and perhaps even the next GL-Class. While the current ML and GL are still relatively fresh, they are highly likely to adopt this next-gen style when up for revision in calendar 2016 as 2017 models. Overall style …

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Land Rover LR4 Discovery Concept Inks Deal as Ground-Based Virgin Galactic Shuttle Service

Foolish follies with the Discovery Vision Concept? Never! This truck appears to be the real deal, arriving first as the Discovery Sport with a presumed five seats and off-road ability akin to the legendary Defender. It will then arrive as the presumed seven-seat LR4. The first of this new-gen model set (or trio!) is promised to be on sale some time in 2015. Virgin Galactic is certainly going places. Far away places! The Discovery marks the announcement of more glad-handed sponsorships — as the ground-based shuttle service of Virgin Galactic’s interstellar flights… some time in the future. But once at …

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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 …

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Volkswagen Debuts Striking Jetta CC Concept in Beijing – Dubbed New Midsize Coupe + Golf 400R and New Touareg

Signs of life from Volkswagen? Glad to see someone in the Wolfsburg Emergency Room is yelling “Clear!” before brandishing the defibrillator paddles. Just in time too: Volkswagen of America’s sales hit a brick wall last summer and have been in double-digit free-fall ever since. The range is a mess of unwanted and ancient models. Great stuff from Volkswagen in Beijing today – including a Golf 400R and the latest Touareg refresh. But the really striking news? A Jetta-sized CC model that is a low-roof four-door sedan they are calling the New Midsize Coupe. But we will likely pronounce it “2016 …

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BMW Vision Future Luxury Concept for Beijing 2014 – Previews Low-Roof 8 Series Gran Coupe?

This BMW Concept limousine for Beijing just broke cover, and is a huge and desirable rolling art form – a sculpture on wheels. This is what will set BMW’s future luxury sedans apart from the more ubiquitous and less-exclusive competing brands — all of whom are clamoring for Chinese and global limo shoppers. But volume and cache are mutually exclusive in most areas of the ultra-lux market. Anything that is mass-market is immediately disqualified – even the S-Class might share a bit too much with the the C-Class for these types of high-fashion clients. Coach doors are hinged at the …

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2015 Expedition COLORS and Animated Turntables

2015 Expedition COLORS and Animated Turntables Updated with real-life photography as well as the latest colorizer and a few animated spinners of Green Gem and Ruby Red via Ford.com’s visualizer tool. In truth, the latest Expedition fails to excite me very much. But the upgraded cabin and suspension tech are very welcome for this big truck, especially when paired with the latest EcoBoost V6 — which will be a welcome addition versus the old 4.6 and 5.4-liter V8s that were previously still the Expedition’s only offering. Overall, however, it is brand loyalty that will sway most shoppers toward the Expedition …

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2015 FORD F-150 Trims, Colors and Tech Features – LED vs Halogen Headlights

LED TECH DETAILS The LED low and high-beam headlights of this Platinum model are quite refreshing, especially when parked next to the also-new 2015 Expedition and its projector beams. The latest lighting of the F-150 instantly makes everything else seem very outmoded — when when the lights are not switched on. When they are, forget-about-it… Competing for style or energy efficiency via halogen or even HID lamps will be impossible. The LED theme continues in the blinker setup as well, with that subtle outline illuminating for turn indicators. In an ultra-cool touch, the amber portion is only colored when the …

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2015 Ford F-150 Platinum Is Disruptively Attractive in Real Life at Mustang 50th Event

The 2015 F-150 looks as incredibly new, high-tech and desirable in the flesh as it did on the auto show stands! It is set up to be a major sales disruption in a market segment it already owns with a 2:1 sales advantage over any other brand. The new F-150 is not a sure thing, but it appears to have it all via such a perfect storm of new equipment, new efficiency, new comfort and new style. Why upset a market that already earns, we reported in January, a cool $14-billion in revenue every single year based on slice/dicing of …

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Update1 Meet the Nissan Frontier Baja 1000 Upgrade from Fiberwerx – Best $1400 Nose and Fender Mods Ever?

Update from Josh Campbell, owner of this beast! Shipping and painting were both about $500 each, and the install was done by him in about one day. This requires some heavy/huge wrenches, as well as knowledge about bodywork repair — but can theoretically be done on a DIY basis for most guys. He said the most time was spent fabricating mounts for the new Titan headlamps as well as the hood mounting pins. Great results overall! A new high in lifted trucks? A new low in my automotive writing career? We saw this amazing Nissan Frontier on the way home …

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Fixing the Acura Woodchuck Nose Is Easy – Speculative Design Renderings Without Shield Nose Piece

It is not fun to review a car that … is … not living up to its potential. Many cars that should be good are not. Design is important from my vantage because I have not been wined/dined on some swanky launch event. Those types of personal relationships with the people behind the car tend to water down most of the harsh critiques. But your humble scribe must share these views on behalf of you, the little guy! Little guy? C’mon now. Big Boss Hog is more like it! Car buyers make or break any brand — not the writing …

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How Much More Wood Can The Acura Woodchuck Chuck? 2015 Acura TLX Is Most-Important Launch This Year for Ailing Lux Honda Arm

The 2015 TLX is so important to Acura’s proclaimed renaissance that its importance is hard to overstate. While thew latest dullard RLX fails to wow just about anyone, its new ad campaign proclaims that “Yes, We Are There Yet.” We Are? That is a concern on many levels because there is a distinctly hollow and untrue ring to that slogan. The RLX suffers from lackluster appeal due to its inexplicable failings next to the Honda Accord, of all unlikely competitors. THe Accord is generally larger in all interior dimensions, and even a bit quicker in the sprint via a V6 …

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LWB Q70L Glides Into Place! 2015 INFINITI Q70 3.7 and 5.6 Are DEFT Punk – Smarter, Better, Faster, Stronger

Deft Punk? Do I not meant Daft Punk? With my ridiculous series of errors yesterday — thinking the new QX70 SUV was arriving today versus the Q70 sedan, spending time in the Photoshop to render a possible QX70L, publishing said renderings… — I would be skeptical of my accuracy at the moment as well. In fact, I am a harsh critic of myself already. For this reason, I am eager to share the official Q70 and Q70L for 2015 here just moments after the release arrived in my inbox! Overall, it is a light nip/tuck but effective at updating the …

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The Case for a 2016 Legacy GT – Latest Outback is Full 8 Inches Taller, Hurting Planted Stance and Handling Dramatically

Less of a case as a visual and performance appeal. The benefits of ground clearance are many, and the Outback does still handle with a far more hunkered-down feel than any SUV or crossover out there. But nothing compares with the look and road feel of a road-hugging stance, to thisguy at least. For reference, this is the 2005 Subaru Legacy GT Limited versus the 2014 Subaru Outback. 2005 Legacy is on stock Bilstein suspension but +1 18-inch wheels and a roof rack delete, which really helps sink the car visually.  

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Land Rover Discovery Concept – Design is Boldy Futuristic – But 5 Years Late and Still 2 Years Away

The Discovery LR4 replacement is five years late, and still (at least) two years from even hitting the US market as a likely 2016 model. It is hard to be bullish on such a foolish folly.   Jaguar Land Rover gets so excited about every new design… that it becomes hard to keep a lid on all the news. It boiled over on this Discovery Concept in a similar way as the Jaguar CX-17 (SUV) from Frankfurt, but this time: at least Land Rover followed up with a full release. The trouble-some scenario for the Jaguar leak actually being credible …

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Nissan GT-R Dakar Rally Prototype…! Most Absurd Renderings Ever?

I was just going to share these with the Faceplace, but here goes nothing! No, I do not know why I spent so long doing this. But then again, the Porsche 959 won Paris-Dakar outright in 1984. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has won it numerous times as well. So perhaps not too insane? No. Completely insane. But fun to observe, hopefully =]

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The NSX Effect — Own One, And You Will Never Sell It — Black NSX Series I and Red NSX-R Series II

I have met more than a few NSX guys recently — and they all have two things in common: — undying devotion to the machine — unwillingness to even consider parting ways with it This is exceptionally rare for supercars — or any car, for that matter. But as the years pass, the NSX’s charms grow stronger for almost every owner. It is a captivating machine in the flesh even today, to be sure. Our investigation continues on the NSX’s chokehold over its owners — wish updates as soon as we know more this summer with the next car’s (expected) …

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Rendered Speculation — 2015 INFINITI Q70L Coming to New York Show with Revised Q70 and QX80

Update: My own errors never cease to amaze me. The Q70 Sedan will debut tomorrow with a Q70L version. Big news this week from Infiniti, which will debut revised versions of the QX70 Q70 and QX80 SUVs, formerly known as the FX M and QX. The look is highly likely to reflect the latest QX60 and Q50 styles — but there is a nugget of interesting info here as well. The new QX70 Q70 will debut a LWB version promising five extra inches of legroom in back!  This will make it very commodious versus the pinched-glass version today. So, in …

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2015 Nissan Murano Brings a Hypercar-inspired Restyle! Flowing Surfaces Accented With Macho Wheel Flares and Low Roof

The new 2015 Murano is here and looking very stylish! It wears a very similar style to that previewed by the Detroit 2014 Sport Sedan Concept — but where the car-like forms of the Maxima are soft, the Murano’s are much crisper and more masculine. Another distinction? This is the real deal. Not a concept. The Murano will make its public debut on Wednesday in New York before hitting showrooms in November of 2014. Favorite angles abound on this five-seat crossover — from the “outta my way” nose aggressiveness, to the blacked-out pillar treatment for the floating roof, to my …

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Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec – Wheel Colors Visualizer! Plasti-Dip Fantastic Voyage

The Genesis Coupe is well-loved among the auto tuning community –for good reason! It is a wonderful canvas. But is tuning just a left-coast thing? This group in the Southeastern US seems just as passionate as our pals in SoCal. Evidence? This Plasti-dip wheel respray was the second or third color choice our pal’s GC had worn. He loves wheel color! Said he developed a taste for it after adding a 9PSI turbocharger to his previous Toyota Yaris — bringing its total power tally of more than double what it was from the factory. A hooner’s delight in its 13-inch …

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W Motors LYKAN HyperSport Makes Production Debut in Monaco This Week – Racecar In Pipeline?

      Since winning 2013’s Best New Exotic car award here on Car-Revs-Daily.com,  the W Motors team has been anything but idle. The Lykan HyperSport’s whirlwind tour continues this spring with its European debut in Monaco April 17th through the 20th. Despite not exactly being street-legal in Europe and the United States yet — that is not likely to be a problem for this hypercar’s ~ten total owners. Not street legal there? Here is how the buyer conversations might go… “Let’s have the Lykan as our Paul Ricard HTTT track car, or maybe we should just order it shipped …

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AWD TDI Golf SportWagen to Join GTI, TSI and TDI — But Not Until 2015 Calendar Year With Est $36k Price

  The American-market Mark7 2015 Golf line is only about three years late, but finally looks like it is not missing some critical members this time. Scratch that: the Golf Plus and Golf Sportvan are still nowhere to be found, along with the long-promised/never-delivered e-Golf. The e-Golf is now on sale only in Europe, and has been teased in the US since at least 2008. As many VW people know very well, the GTI has always been the star pupil of the group — both due to its performance and it vastly superior build quality and materials versus the Pueblo-built …

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2015 Nissan Versa Sedan Debuts Ahead of NY Show — Priced from $12k And On Sale April 16th — Same Day As Debut!

Well, this is innovative! Very rarely can an auto show launch be synced with the availability of the actual road cars. The rare exception is when deposits are taken by executives — and even then, usually only in cases where the public floods the auto show stands with checks in hand. Even these cash buyers have to wait months to actually take delivery. And even in the deposit or cash-sale scenario, it is exceptionally rare. The Citroen DS in 1955. The Ford Mustang in Queens, New York at the World’s Fair 50 years ago exactly. A few Ferrari and Lamborghini …

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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 …

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625HP 2015 Corvette Z06 Convertible – SURPRISE OFFICIAL REVEAL

Here I am, farting around and debating a nap instead of writing up the 2015 Golf Sportwagen, which will replace the hideous and hated Jetta SportWagen, and ding goes my iPhone! **VERY** fresh email. Unlike the hundreds and hundreds of firewall attack alerts I have received all day long since yesterday, this is HUGE NEWS! HUGE NEWS! Only two weeks ago, we published some disgracefully-shoddy Speedster and Spyder renderings, one of which included a Z06 drop-top. In that article, we outlined how there are “two types” of Corvette buyers — which is a polite way of saying the drop-tops were …

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Presto, Here-We-Go! Animated Evolution of GMC from 1902 Rapid Truck to 2015 Sierra Denali HD + Brand Origin Explained

GMC really has some deep truck roots! Even while Chevrolet hoovers up most of the sales volume these days — and has for many years — the GMC legacy actually predates Chevrolet. Something that has never changed in the 102 years of this evolution span is the need by Americans for heavy-lifting trucks. The GMC line added two-ton weights, panel cabs and chassis cabs in 1915, and has never looked back. But what did GMC really “stand” for when added to the General Motors portfolio as GMTC, selling Rapid and Reliance trucks from around 1909? Two clues are right there …

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Lexus International Is High-Culture Exemplar – Design Awards + Swarm – Coding Motion is Elegant Technology at its Best

Lexus is getting very clever.   Showroom experiences have broadened from just a warm dealer with leather chairs and dough-nuts. The brand is fully immersed in the art, media, fashion and culture segments. One stunning piece of this Lexus culture mission is the below “Swarm” video link from Lexus International. In addition to its obvious high-art appeal, the Swarm projects applications are tantalizing. The Swarm theme and arching mission? Find a snack for the hungry museum residents — T-Rex’s and other long-deceased creatures. It speaks to technology looking forward, anticipating an orgnaism’s needs, and even wishes. But the humor in …

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Update1 – 2015 Lexus NX300h and NX200t F Sport Revealed! Expected Fall Arrival To US From $29,900

 The eagerly-awaited Lexus NX compact crossover is here! With the NX300h and a brand-new turbo option called the NX200t F Sport, the NX is shaping up to be a fine addition to the Lexus global model line. Its compact five-seater dimensions will also make room above it for the RX to grow in size, perhaps even adding a third row of seating in some form of a length stretch — a la the BMW X7. Yes, Lexus currently has a broad SUV and crossover lineup with the GX460 and LX470 models at the very top of the ladder. These cars …

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Exclusive! Caterham Seven — USA Buyers Guide — LHD, Street-Legal Superformance From $38k! — 5 Engines: 160, 280, 360, 480 and 620R

The only questions to ask yourself when ordering a Caterham from Superformance are remarkably basic: — How quickly would you like to have a huge grin on your face via monster performance and uber-tactile handling? — Will 2.8-seconds to 60-mph be worth an extra $30,000 or so versus the devastatingly-rapid Seven 480’s 3.4-second sprint? Or is 4.9-seconds in the affordable Seven 280 acceptable? — How wild do you prefer to be with color and style — as this can ratchet up all the below pricing dramatically. Easy, right? The Superformance distribution deal with Caterham finally allows these hilarious machines to …

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MOPAR Adding Huge JEEP Upgrade Options — Cherokee Adventurer, Cherokee Dakar and Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel Trail Warrior

Jeep just debuted a six-pack of new concepts for next week’s Moab off-road rally — which annually gathers thousands of Jeeps and Jeepers together for adventures out on the rocky desert trails. And more than a little fun back at base camp, too! This annual event is a huge part of Jeep culture — and is surely one of the biggest off-road extravaganza’s anywhere in the world. The new Cherokee adds Adventurer and Dakar spec levels via the MOPAR upgrades, while the Grand Cherokee is now upfit as a Trail Warrior in EcoDiesel spec. A diesel is perfect for off-roading …

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2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD Arriving Now To Dealers Nationwide — High Country Edition Tops The Range in Style

The first Silverado HD trucks are rolling into dealers nationwide this month — with the High Country topping things nicely via a monochrome exterior and a Denali-level cabin overhaul. The 2015 Sierra HD will offer a Denali pack — which, if we’re not mistaken, is a new flagship equipment level for GM’s 2500HD and 3500HD rigs.   The Silverado HD’s updates are actually much deeper than a facelift, with the largest changes coming from the way the truck body is mounted to the chassis. Chevrolet is using a new type of welding process that is claimed to bring large increases …

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Annotated Design Analysis — Peugeot EXALT — How To Make the 2016 Peogeot 509 Sexy — Mazda6 vs Ford Fusion Examples

Ed’s Note: This article is feeling condescending as I review and ready it for publishing, and I regret that tone. Nobody likes being spoken down to. That is not my intention. Just to explain it all, as best I can, to someone for whom car design might not a passion area. How to make a front-drive car sexy and stylish — while keeping it primarily front-drive? Not an easy task, and one that has taken many years to get anywhere near resultion. The clearest example of the ideas and design analyses explored below is the latest Mazda6, which is far …

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WOW! 2014 Peugeot EXALT Concept — Onyx 4-Door GT — Raw Alloy Body with Sharkskin Textile Wrap + 340HP HYbrid4 Power

One has to admire the resilient spirit of Peugeot Citroen. Budgets too tight to stay in LeMans? Take the powertrain up Pikes Peak in the new 208’s body shell!  And then keep rocking that super-diesel at the 2015 Dakar rally’s of Chile! A similar feat today with the just-revealed Exalt concept for Beijing. It carries forward many of the ideas first explored on the bare-metal Onyx hypercar concept, but this time with the gorgeous proportions of a RWD four-door coupe. That cab-backward layout is something French engineers and the buying public have been clamoring for since the demise of the …

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VIDEO — Andy Stella’s Top 5 Cars to Street Park in Chicago, Year-round! Wrangler, MINI… Jaguar XJ?

By Special Contributor Andy Stella Spring is almost here in Chicago, and you know what that means: people forget that they just spent six months acting surprised every time it snowed. With snow comes decreased street width, huge banks plowed against our cars, and mounds of Honda Fit-sized snow piles taking up precious parking space. Once the snow clears, we must not forget to let some practicality guide our summer car shopping! What is my experience, you ask? Well, before I lived in Chicago, I endured even colder, snowier winters in Minnesota while attending college, and before that, I was …

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