How to Switch to LED Headlights

As automotive technologies go, lighting has given us an example of the “elbow curve” in terms of development over the last twenty years. There was a time back in the annals of history, often referred to as “the 90s,” when halogen lights were what cars came with. Some cars had good ones, which made them slightly brighter than the lights on cheap cars. And then Xenon technology became cheap enough to offer as an OEM. Luxury automakers quickly spotted an opportunity to distance themselves from the proverbial Yugos and Skodas of the world. Xenon was followed by HID, and most …

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First Drive Review – 2016 Lexus RX350 FWD Luxury Package + Pricing and 100 New Photos

  The 2016 RX is huge news: an ultra-modern makeover adds style, tech and efficiency to the all-star crossover from Lexus. We had a chance to drive all five trimlines last week, and have some great news to report about the handling crispness, exterior design and cabin comfort. But also some fairly important gripes about the performance and style execution of the new RX — which can leave you slightly confused versus the BMW X5. Let’s start with the highest-volume model: the RX350 front-wheel-drive. As we can see in the pricing charts below, this $42k base price is the most …

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2016 Lexus ES350 and ES300h Revealed In US-Spec With Fresh Nose, Tail + Updated Wheels, Paints and Cabins

Updated 7.15.15 With Latest 41 US-Spec ES Photos The 2016 Lexus ES refresh is exceedingly safe and conservative — keeping the steady march of progress intact on a tentpole model in the Lexus model range. The new ES is instantly recognizable but tweaked and updated to match the new design ethos on some of Lexus’s more adventurous models. Changes include a new nose and grille design, fresh headlights and a relocation of the LED foglamps into a new, more stylized and higher-mounted bumper shroud. The ES has big chassis upgrades under the metal, with additional welds enhancing vehicle rigidity and …

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LEDetails – 2015 Lexus NX300h – Up Close with the Triple-Beam LED Lights

Met up with another sexy black Lexus NX recently, and spent some time starting deep into its LED eyeballs! Just kidding. Nothing weird here. The Lexus style has just taken a huge leap with these ultra-cool triple LED headlamp style. It is stunning on the roads as an option on the new RC and NX, as well as the upcoming RX replacement. Here is a very close look at the lights in real life. The interplay between the actual light output and my Nikon’s sensors is fairly interesting. The Nikon goes dark when the Lexus lights are shining right into …

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2016 Lexus ES Makes Shanghai Debut With Fresh Details + RX200t F Sport

The 2016 Lexus ES refresh is exceedingly safe and conservative — keeping the steady march of progress intact on a tentpole model in the Lexus model range. The new ES is instantly recognizable but tweaked and updated to match the new design ethos on some of Lexus’s more adventurous models. Changes include a new nose and grille design, fresh headlights and a relocation of the LED foglamps into a new, more stylized and higher-mounted bumper shroud. The ES has big chassis upgrades under the metal, with additional welds enhancing vehicle rigidity and therefore handling and NVH smoothness. A pair of …

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Best of Shanghai – 2015 Chevrolet FNR Concept Is First Self-Driver For Cool People

Finally!  A high-tech and super-advanced autonomous concept that is not just aimed at super-nerds! Even though Shanghai is only just getting into its swing of new car reveals, we can be sure that the Chevrolet FNR will be one of the most memorable and intriguing vehicles on display. The new Chevrolet FNR Concept just bowed in Shanghai to stunned crowds and camera-phone flashbulbs exploding in a cascade of light. A sinewy mix of glass capsule and integrated chassis materials is a fascinating look at the future of car design. The FNR features some intense dragonfly double doors which side upward …

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2016 Skoda Superb Revealed in Prague With Audi A8-Rivaling Roominess and Superior Design?!

Skoda is very proud of the Superb, their flagship of the line and packing a gigantic back seat that is in the same league as the standard-wheelbase A8 limousine. How and why is this possible in a car that is priced under the VW Passat? How comes down to the mass-market MQB chassis componentry and lack of an aluminum-spaceframe chassis or alloy bodywork. Front-drive is the name of the game, but this is also a side benefit. The trunk is bigger than any Audi sedan. Why? That is a bit more complicated. Think of the Superb as the Phaeton of …

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2016 Toyota Avalon Brings New Suspension Tuning, LED + Tech Upgrades and Top-line Touring Trim

  The 2016 Toyota Avalon is refreshed for Chicago including a number of tweaks to the current style and trim levels, plus a loaded Touring trim to top the model line with sporty dark-grey wheels and grille. All 2016 Avalons benefit from enhanced chassis tuning — with the suspension now delivering a better sport and comfort ride compromise than the current model. Shifted a bit too far toward sporty springs in its 2012 refresh, the Avalon in this generation was never too happy either cruising or handling tight bends at speed. We hope the new model addresses this unhappy handling …

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TechArt Reveals Porsche 911 GTS AeroKit and Noselift System

  The new Porsche 911 GTS models are absolutely awesome. With the wide-body rear fenders and LED lightbar in back, these are easily some of the coolest naturally-aspirated Porsches out there. But when seeking new wheels, a lower stance and added curb appeal — the TechArt gurus are a great destination. The new GTS Convertible shown here wears their new centerlock forged wheels, a meaner front bumper design, and a big wing in back to drive home the point for those you pass. A lower and cooler stance is possible with the TechArt Noselift system — a hydraulic lift to …

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Update1 70 New Pics – 2015 Porsche Boxster and Cayman GTS Feature Ripping Exhaust!

BIG news about the new 981 Porsche Cayman and Boxster GTS! They feature a roaring, stonking and rip-snorting exhaust note. In perhaps the least-kept-secret of the last year, the Cayman and Boxster are officially available with a new top-level GTS trim level. In addition to more focused dynamics and style all around, the GTS models pack 340-horsepower each. (Edit: the Boxster appears to have ten fewer ponies than the hardtop Cayman.) Even so, this is a pretty substantial leap for the 911’s siblings, which until now have been capped well below this total — even in the Boxster and Cayman …

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Concept Flashback – 2006 Mitsubishi EZ MiEV

  If the Concept D5 Mitsubishi van represents a hard and blocky view of the future, this EZ MiEV is a much softer look into next-gen van style and tech.With its ultra-rounded and white pearlescent exterior features, the resemblence of this concept to the iPod from Apple is intentional. But things in this bubble van are just getting started with the exterior design and wrap-around glass. With a flat-battery platform an in-wheel electric motors, the EZ MiEV takes cabin versatility to a whole new level. The seats fold to form a full eight-foot bed with room for two adults. The …

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Concept to Reality – 2006 Mitsubishi D5 to 5th-Gen Delica

When we think of cars from the future, the aesthetic is generally minimalist and slightly brutal with its form language. This can be typical normal shapes like hatchbacks and pickups and mid-size sedans — but all designed with a lean and crisp look that eschews frivolous bulging and chrome in favor of minimalism. Will this be what cars in the future actually look like? Probably not. Just like we do not dress in spandex StarTrek outfits or one-piece tracksuits in 2015. But those are still the most popular uniform for most hyper-futuristic hollywood movie. Cars that would fit in that …

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Concept to Reality – 2013 Pininfarina Sergio vs 2015 Ferrari Sergio

FOREWORD: We wrote this whole article below before realizing that the new, six-copy Ferrari Sergio is altered significantly verse the 2013 concept. Therefore, check the next article shortly for the full 70-photo extravaganza of the Pininfarina Sergio. The production car is, regretfully, extremely lame. It carries almost all the worst parts of the Sergio concept, and none of the best. At least the headlamps are not the nasty reflector-beams from the concept. But the entire exposed cockpit is gone, the windshield is directly from the 458 and the overall grey plastic still dominates in a fug nasty way. We call …

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2015 Ferrari Sergio by Pininfarina is BS: Bait/Switch Barchetta Speedster

FOREWORD: We wrote this whole article below before realizing that the new, six-copy Ferrari Sergio is altered significantly verse the 2013 concept. Therefore, check the next article shortly for the full 70-photo extravaganza of the Pininfarina Sergio. The production car is, regretfully, extremely lame. It carries almost all the worst parts of the Sergio concept, and none of the best. At least the headlamps are not the nasty reflector-beams from the concept. But the entire exposed cockpit is gone, the windshield is directly from the 458 and the overall grey plastic still dominates in a fug nasty way. We call …

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Best Base SUV Trim? 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo from $29,000

We all know the new Jeep Grand Cherokee is the best truck ever to don the seven-slat grille. Watching the SRT GC’s launch control starts are intoxicating, and the latest LED style of a pinched horseshoe in the headlight graphic is very appealing. The top-spec Summit trim even brings some heavenly new open-pore woods and fine leathers to the cabin – but at a price. The top Grand Cherokee’s become quite expensive in the higher trim levels – even kissing $50,000 for the diesel engine in some trims. What about a GC for the rest of us? The 2014 Laredo …

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Update1 – 2015 Ford Mondeo Brings New LED Headlights + Hybrid Option

 Updated 10.28.14 with 20 new photos Ford’s new Mondeo is heading to European dealers by the end of this year! Revised LED lighting, tech and redesigned steering/suspension round out the changes. The Mondeo Hybrid will also be new to the European and UK market. Might these updates show the direction of Ford’s hot-selling Fusion here in the US? Time will tell! Despite lots of moves toward global models, the Mondeo vs Fusion name difference is slightly helpful in making different update cycles by market a bit easier to swallow. This is in sharp contrast to the Euro VW Passat versus …

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Updated With 50 New Photos – 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLS550 and CLS63 AMG Refreshed With Standard 4Matic

Updated 10.19.14           Well, would you look what we have here! See, it really does pay to crop photos extra tight (sometimes). You never really know what you will find. Such was my excitement to see the facelifted 2015 CLS63 AMG in the second Mercedes-Benz release about the new 24-LED-per-side MultiBeam headlights. These replace the previous block/bar of lighting in the CLS, which was unique but not exactly welcoming, warm or desirable. The new layout is much like the E63 AMG, but with only a single LED band up the top of the lamp shape. Of …

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2015 Ford Mondeo Brings New LED Headlights + Redesigned Steering and Suspension

  Ford’s new Mondeo is heading to European dealers by the end of this year! Revised LED lighting, tech and redesigned steering/suspension round out the changes. The Mondeo Hybrid will also be new to the European and UK market. Might these updates show the direction of Ford’s hot-selling Fusion here in the US? Time will tell! Despite lots of moves toward global models, the Mondeo vs Fusion name difference is slightly helpful in making different update cycles by market a bit easier to swallow. This is in sharp contrast to the Euro VW Passat versus the US Passat, for example, …

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Best of Awards – 2015 INFINITI Q70S and LWB Q70L Win Best Design Refresh

Best Facelift? That is not a category many would aspire to win. Certainly not Argentina’s embattled President, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who sulked mightily in the corner of the McLaren P1 GTR launch event on Friday in Pebble Beach. But for many luxury sedans, a great facelift can be the breath of life they need to earn new buyers and keep previous loyal owners happy at the same time. 2013’s best luxury sedan facelift would certainly go to the Mercedes-Benz E350 — a car so new-feeling that its sales have jumped mightily, but so carry-over that it is almost hard …

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2015 Audi S8 with 520HP and 3.9s to 60MPH Is The Quickest and Definitely The Coolest A8

For many years, one of the core elements of the Audi A8’s appeal was its refined and ultra-classy ‘outsider’ appeal. Versus the once-staid S-Class and now-staid BMW 7 series, the A8 was a breath of fresh air. For the ultra-luxury limo set of shoppers, the A8 represented a ‘Mac’ type of aesthetic and usability, versus its very PC-type logic and functions of the other big German luxury sedans. The Audi’s shared German engineering, driving feel and performance instantly put the car ahead of the Lexus LS in many enthusiasts’ minds. A refined and measured exterior and interior design seemed as …

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Concept Flashback – 2010 Ford Start – Supermini Previews Potential 2017 Ka

“Start, g-damn-it!” Imagine yelling that as the starter churns your lifeless engine — ‘rruururrrruuu.’ “Start, Ford, Start!” Brummmmm! The engine fires to life. Hooray! The 2010 Ford Start might not be the best car name idea out there, but it must be better than the Ford Flex in conveying some kind of new idea. In fact, the Start is a rich bed of ideas for the next-gen Ford supermini – something to replace the unloved current Ka in Europe and global markets. While the original Ka was loved for its funky/premium exterior, the current model is lost in the shadow …

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Concept Flashback – 2007 Nissan Round Box Is Leaf/Cube/iQ Roadster Mashup

Here is a fun one! Back in 2007, this little city run-about might have earned a photo or two in a small concepts section of our car magazines. At least, this is what I tell myself to justify not remembering it at all! The design is actually pretty appealing in its interpretation of a Scion iQ or Smart Fortwo competitor. The best aspect of the squat aesthetic and wide proportions, which become much slimmer moving from the wheel areas and up into the glasshouse. One element slid through to production almost intact on the Nissan Leaf EV — the headlights! …

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Concept Flashback – 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo by Bertone

These ‘Concept Flashback’ articles are like brain candy for me. Hopefully you enjoy them too. This 1968 showcar may have been one of the first to really flirt with wedge and block themes in supercar design – ideas that would be adopted throughout the world’s best carmakers in the 1970s and beyond. As Bertone (pronounced Bear Tony) undergoes a restructuring now in 2014, it is nice to look back at some of the wilder times. This Carabo has more slotted surfaces than anything else on record. Even the headlights are covered in flaps that motored up to show the lighting …

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Update1 – 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG Shows Revamped Nose + Adds Standard 4Matic for USA

Well, would you look what we have here! See, it really does pay to crop photos extra tight (sometimes). You never really know what you will find. Such was my excitement to see the facelifted 2015 CLS63 AMG in the second Mercedes-Benz release about the new 24-LED-per-side MultiBeam headlights. These replace the previous block/bar of lighting in the CLS, which was unique but not exactly welcoming, warm or desirable. The new layout is much like the E63 AMG, but with only a single LED band up the top of the lamp shape. Of course, the blue “Hello You” lighting is …

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Concept to Reality – Acura TLX Prototype vs. TLX GT Racer vs Real 2015 TLX Production Car

Updated June 18, 2014 Yes, yes — the real TLX is out already so this preview concept is not very relevant anymore. But it is very attractive and desirable, in a way that bodes really well for the upcoming production TLX as a 2015 model from Acura. We have compared the two in detail (prototype versus real thing) and the sheetmetal is (almost) all shared between the two road cars. The shaping of the rear fender strake in profile is less artful in the production model. The TLX GT takes a wide-body fender treatment and has pronounced air vent cut-outs …

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Update1 New Photos – 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class Facelift Brings New Grille, Bumpers and LED Headlights

Official: New generation CLS with the future’s high-resolution precision LED technology: Leading the way with better light Stuttgart Jun 16, 2014   Stuttgart – In the new generation of the CLS-Class, Mercedes-Benz is using the new technology of MULTIBEAM LED headlamps for the first time. High-resolution precision LED modules, each with 24 individually controlled high-performance LEDs, automatically illuminate the road with a hitherto unsurpassed, precision-controlled distribution of exceptionally bright light – without dazzling other road users. A camera positioned behind the windscreen delivers the information with which four control units the ideal light pattern 100 times per second. The anticipatory …

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Road Test Review – 2014 KIA Soul Exclaim is Funky/Practical – With A Dash Of Cool and Calm

Written by Special Contributor Ken Glassman   When the Kia Soul first came out in 2010, I was fairly ambivalent about their boxy little Tonka Toy. It was an efficient use of interior space and a ho-hum performing little econobox. But for 2014 the Soul has been re-done and greatly improved. And model I tested was the Soul !. (the exclamation point after Soul is designated as the “Exclaim” trim level – the most upscale model they offer.) The Soul + (called the “Plus” trim level sits in the middle above the Base model) And this 2014 Exclaim model has …

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Atlanta Dream Cars Showcase – BMW GINA Light Visionary Roadster

When you travel a long distance to see someone, you want the ‘real thing’ when you get there, right? You want all the sensory action you have been dreaming about on the long trip to see her. I was thinking quite a bit about the BMW GINA on my drive to Atlanta in my Subaru Legacy GT — with its insufficient A/C making me feel like a honey-baked ham after five hours in the car. I pondered: Would the surfaces be moving, or would they be set in a certain pose? Might there be someone on hand to shift her …

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Best of Awards: 2014 Nissan Rogue Seats 7 – Featuring M.I.A. XXXO

The all-new Rogue is a huge hit so far: with seven seats and pricing from about $24,000 — this compact crossover nails a huge swath of buyer priorities. Its new LED lighting up front sets the tone, while the Nissan V-bar grille is just foreshadowing. Enjoy this early reveal of the Nissan Rogue in “Full-Throttle Action.” My favorite part? Seeing our pilot’s high-heel shoe mash the throttle to the floor before she uses an on-ramp to jump onto a train’s roof. All in a day’s work for the on-trend and stylish Rogue. This Nissan commercial seems to channel Sri Lankan …

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This 1974 Triumph TR6 Is Track-Prepped and Rally-Ready in Flat Black

Any car with X’s over the headlights is an instant favorite. It is a sign that the car is ready to play — and play hard. This Triumph TR6 from ~1974 at Kiawah Island Cars and Coffee definitely looks ready to run itself with the gas pedal pinned to the floorboards. The paint-job is a bit heat-collecting for the hot South Carolina summers; at least top-down air will keep you cool once on the move. Overall, the lower rally lights and good body panels make this car a chic and fun option versus a modern roadster. All the thrills, but hopefully …

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RM Monaco 2014 Highlights – 1969 Lamborghini Miura S Jota

Flip lamps or flush lamps? The eternal supercar question plays out with this 1969 Lamborghini Miura S, which includes the Jota-specification flush lamps. The overall appearance is far more modern than the original Miura’s oval and black-shrouded flip-up headlights, and likely much sleeker through the air with them on as well. The Miura S models banished much of the front-end lift at high speeds for which the original Miura was criticized, but, we wonder: are those flip-up headlights also a factor? They would act like a wall of air in the nose, causing inevitable weighting onto the back of the …

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High-Fashion JEEP Upgrades – KAHN Design Shows Sexy New Wrangler Grilles, LEDs, Wheels and Leathers

Looks like it is off-road day here at Car-Revs-Daily.com! No gathering of the coolest off-roader upfitting companies could ever be complete without KAHN Design – a UK shop best known for their lavish makeovers of new Range Rovers and Land Rovers. Whether you have the cash for a full KAHN-upgraded Range Rover is not important – anyone can see that KAHN’s overhauls are pretty impressive and comprehensive. They take the stock platforms to new highs via fashionable and very, very appealing mods outside and in. Indeed, Land Rover and Range Rover parts are KAHN’s biggest sellers here in the US …

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2014 Renault Captur Helly Hansen Edition – Authentic Brand Equity First, Outdoor Fashion Statement Second

Like most Americans, my coverage of (and interest in) Renault is decidedly spotty. I flit in and out during their press briefings, reading and becoming interested in perhaps one and three that cross this desk. But to see the production Captur Helly Hansen was too much to dismiss! Why? I love Helly Hansen!  It is an awesome brand of outdoor apparel – in America wearing prices 2X the comparable North Face and 3X the Columbia sportswear it competes with in the mass market. As such, it is a bit of a sweet-tooth fashion element for fancy people tired of the …

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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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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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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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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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2015 Cadillac Escalade Colors, Leathers and Specs Preview

2015 Cadillac Escalade Colors, Leathers and Specs Preview Introducing the 2015 Escalade. The 2015 Escalade is looking pretty desirable as the winds change and snow starts falling in Chicagoland. The full line of codename “K2XX” SUV’s are all vastly improved for 2015, with Tahoe’s starting in the high $30,000’s at the low end. At the high end is the latest Escalade, which repositions itself as the true flagship of Cadillac. And, perhaps, General Motors. Starting with prices about at the same level as previous models, the Escalade is scheduled for an early Spring 2014 roll-out to dealers nationwide.   Exterior …

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2014 BMW 228i M Sport in 36 All-New, High-Res Photos

How is it in the flesh? Very new, very low, very wide. The ideal BMW Coupe! The proportions are dead-accurate to the desirable long-hood appearance BMW coupes have long delivered their loyal fans (and fan-boys alike). The is the car I would order versus the pricier 235i — the 228i in M Sport trim. The other options are a bit tamer outside without this front bumper and other sport enhancements. Stay tuned for the big first drive article soon — plus photos of the 228i Luxury that sat beside this M Sport car. Overall — a great entry into rear-drive …

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2014 911 Targa4 and Carrera S Featuring PDLS LED System

After yesterday’s article on all my failed LED headlight attempted, my admiration for the Panamera Turbo and Cayenne Turbo’s quad-point LED setup is very clear. Sidebar: Posting so many of my hideous DIY failures is really mortifying. But at least a break from the 600-or-so Amelia Island photos I am still sitting on?! Here is a 360-degree spin from one of the beach-walk decks in front of the Ritz-Carlton. This is a point of view panarama — versus a subject-focused turntable like many of my fly-arounds that center on an automobile. It was grey, overcast and raining that day, which …

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My #LED #FailWhales — 123 Photo Showcase of Later-Junked DIY Headlights — Quad Projectors, LED Blades, LED Eagle Eyes… and 10 Other Icky Iterations

Many of you may wonder about some of the eye-catching elements in my headlights over the years. The LED passion obsession started in 2009 for me, and took three years and six pairs of headlamps for me to realize: stop wasting time and money. But I was convinced!  The tech to build DIY LED headlights was out there, I would say to myself over and over. For context, this was after I had already spent much time in 2007-2008 upgrading to HID low-beams and stripping the middle element of the headlights (the chrome shroud) out completely.   But what style …

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Porsche Debuts 4.6s Boxster and Cayman GTS Range-Toppers

Porsche Debuts 4.6s Boxster and Cayman GTS Range-Toppers In perhaps the least-kept-secret of the last year, the Cayman and Boxster are officially available with a new top-level GTS trim level. In addition to more focused dynamics and style all around, the GTS models pack 340-horsepower each. (Edit: the Boxster appears to have ten fewer ponies than the hardtop Cayman.) Even so, this is a pretty substantial leap for the 911’s siblings, which until now have been capped well below this total — even in the Boxster and Cayman S. The larger displacement engine also will assist on two other Cayman …

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2014 Rolls-Royce GHOST Series II Revealed! Plus Wraith & Phantom LED Comparison

2014 Rolls-Royce GHOST Series II Early bird gets the worm! This applies in elementary school as much as it does in Warren Buffet’s Berkshire compounds — with one of Buffet’s companies recently snubbing high-frequency traders’ access to market-moving news releases. As we know, Geneva is seven hours ahead of eastern time in the United States. Therefore, as I type this at 5:58am, the Ghost Series II has already blown the doors off this Swiss expo hall. But wait, I hear you say: “The car does not look all that new?” That is the Rolls-Royce way. Huge progress without boastfulness. Continuity …

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All-New $100k Supercar – 2015 FELINO cB7 Looks Delicate, Actually Feral: 2500Lbs + 525HP 6.2L V8!

This track-attack two-seater might look like a teardrop, but it is ready with explosive V8 power at the flick of a claw. First things first, however: this prototype is wearing composite glass — a testament to the racing pedigree of A.Bessette, the founding gent. That is why the mounting and glare characteristics are like a race car. But if ever in a hard crunch, plexi is always safer. And much lighter. The prototype FELINO has a top-hinged windshield. Founding spirit, I tell you! Alfresco options too… but I digress. FELINO is living the dream. When this FELINO initially came across …

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2014 Audi SQ5 – The Best of All Worlds? Big Power, Lux Cab, High Fashion

The Audi Q5 is heating up! Since its light refresh last year, this capable, superfast and classy crossover is passing many established players on the sales charts. This is no fluke: the Q5 is perhaps the ultimate all-season, all-cargo sports car these days. Imagine the pace and cabin of the RS7 — but in a deceptively stylish crossover shell. The SQ5 might not have that last 10-percent of track-day flair versus its upcoming Macan sibling, but Audi is competing to win. Even within the Volkswagen Group, where the teams genuinely respect and collaborate across brands and specialties, competitiveness is only …

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Audi Laserlight Tech – New Images of R18 LM and Sport Quattro from Audi Motorsport

LEDs are amazing. They are so astounding in ways that lightbulbs could never be. As a solid state, LEDs are as toss-able as a SuperBall versus a delicate 40W Soft White bulb. As incandescent bulbs no longer meet energy requirements for US manufacture from 2014, it is clear: Lighting is a huge, important place to earn energy savings. But it can also change your life! LED Light-up dog balls are my personal favorite. Without the searing, pure and consistent light of the internal LED: playing catch in the dark is tricky for even the smartest pups. http://store.flashflight.com/product_info.php?products_id=116 Back to Audi’s …

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Audi Allroad Shooting Brake Concept – Previewing Both 2015 A4 and Q2 e-tron?

This off-road hybrid concept is a promising step from Audi, and likely a bold preview of the 2015 A4’s styling updates. This two-door crossover shape could also wear a variety of other badges: Q2 e-tron seems like the most accurate. The official name of this NAIAS Detroit concept from Audi is the Allroad Shooting Brake. The powertrain and interior are the most innovative aspects of this new Audi Allroad style, with the full details from Audi below ahead of the car’s debut tomorrow in Detroit. Exterior     Interior Crossover in a compact package: The Audi allroad shooting brake show …

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Audi LeMans R18: Laser Light = Smoke and Mirrors? 2014 e-tron quattro Actually Hiding Big Changes in Back

Guess who really likes winning Le Mans? Everyone! Every single person who has ever competed there cherishes a single win with the passion of an Oscar winner. But guess who has really, really developed a taste for winning Le Mans, after more than a decade as the front-runner? The serious gentlemen over at Audi Motorsport. Is this an odd introduction for an article about new laser lighting shown at CES this week? The new “laser” lighting joins a long list of other Audi names for its headlights, including Matrix and Swarm. AUTO LIGHTING TECH – 2014 and Beyond But why …

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New Kia Soul Scores on LED Coolness – A Hookah Bar on Wheels!

The 2014 Kia Soul is hugely revised for 2014, with helpful updates throughout to enhance comfort and style. Many people do not understand these boxy compacts. Allow me to illustrate the ideal target market: teens whose nights out might include much more “cruising around” than actual destinations. For these aimless but high-mile young drivers: an upright seating position, thumping audio, and fresh style are the key buying metrics. Pace? Not really mandatory. A multi-hose hookah pipe might be a popular option, if offered, however… or would have been with my pals back in the day. With pricing from just $15,000, …

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Buyers Guide to Audi RS5 Cabriolet for 2014 12

Buyers Guide: 2014 Audi RS5 Cabrio Sets Phasers to SUN!

Joining the R8 and the new RS7, the RS5 Cabriolet brings enough horsepower and visual aggression to break glass with just one stare. The metallic honeycomb grille is gigantic and looks capable of deflecting a whole family of birds at its 174 mph top speed. The atmospheric V-8 produces 450 horsepower via an optional sports exhaust and Black Optics package hiding the twin coffee-can oval exhaust outlets under the diffuser panel.These cans are so large that they define the lower rear graphic of the RS5, and look really incredible with the sharp bumper corners up top. Dark wheels bring standard …

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Buyers Guide to Audi RS5 Cabriolet for 2014 12

Buyers Guide: 2014 Audi RS5 Cabrio Sets Phasers to SUN!

Joining the R8 and the new RS7, the RS5 Cabriolet brings enough horsepower and visual aggression to break glass with just one stare. The metallic honeycomb grille is gigantic and looks capable of deflecting a whole family of birds at its 174 mph top speed. The atmospheric V-8 produces 450 horsepower via an optional sports exhaust and Black Optics package hiding the twin coffee-can oval exhaust outlets under the diffuser panel.These cans are so large that they define the lower rear graphic of the RS5, and look really incredible with the sharp bumper corners up top. Dark wheels bring standard …

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RM Acutions 64 Hemi Charger Mont2011

Concept Flashback: 1964 Dodge Hemi Charger – Speedster Prototype

Can you guess who hates Camaro and Mustang news? Dodge. This one-off concept’s HEMI engine gurgles and rocks the car as it revs with indignity at the 2.3-liter turbo four heading to the 2015 Mustang. No cubes = no pubes, the Hemi Charger growls to itself. Packing a 7.0-liter V8 engine with a quoted 600 horsepower, the Hemi Charger concept is part Batmobile part race-car and part street fantasy The proportions of this machine are hilariously retro. Clearly converted from a much longer sedan platform, the back deck of the Hemi Charger is a few feet longer than even the …

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Car Junk? LED Emblems Arriving from Major OEMs – not just Ebay

I love buying ridiculous things for my car. As long as it can theoretically be removed *when* it breaks, and costs less than $20: I am usually ready with a Visa in hand. What do I mean? I buy really trashy stuff. In upcoming articles, I am trying to think of a way to write about fake Brembo caliper covers ($4.00/set), and also this trippy LED stick-on banner equalizer that dances to music. Yes, it sticks on your back windshield, and matches the rythym of whatever is on your stereo. This is not some “Ha ha look at them” article. …

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Loving the Bentley Mulsanne - Mega Galleries 76

Mega Galleries + Future Renderings – Bentley Mulsanne Mulliner Spec

The Bentley Mulsanne lives a charmed life. It its glamour photos, the Mulsanne whooshes around between palaces, castles and state capitols. This is a car that lives the globe-trotting life we all dream about. It will hit 180-plus-mph between the safety chicanes that break up its namesake straight-away at LeMans. Everything is supremely luxurious, well-executed, and most of all: memorably fun to drive. This big bruiser has 10 VW’s worth of power under that massive hood, and rear-drive dynamics ensure old-school Bentley Boys thrills around any damp corner. But there is a wide-eyed elephant in the room. The Mulsanne is …

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2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited

Hot New Trucks: 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo from $29,000

We all know the new Jeep Grand Cherokee is the best truck ever to don the seven-slat grille. Watching the SRT GC’s launch control starts are intoxicating, and the latest LED style of a pinched horseshoe in the headlight graphic is very appealing. The top-spec Summit trim even brings some heavenly new open-pore woods and fine leathers to the cabin – but at a price. The top Grand Cherokee’s become quite expensive in the higher trim levels – even kissing $50,000 for the diesel engine in some trims. What about a GC for the rest of us? The 2014 Laredo …

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2015 Subaru WRX - Exterior Gallery GIF9999999999999

2015 Subaru WRX Nears 270 Horsepower, Looks Hot!

2015 Subaru WRX – Exterior Gallery        2015 Subaru WRX – Interior Gallery               2015 SUBARU WRX® MAKES WORLD DEBUT AT LOS ANGELES AUTO SHOW New platform offers a stiffer, more agile chassis for Subaru global performance icon New torque-vectoring system reduces understeer New 268-hp 2.0-liter direct-injection turbo BOXER engine New standard 6-speed manual transmission New Sport Lineartronic® CVT with manual modes Los Angeles –  Subaru of America, Inc. today introduced the 2015 WRX, a more powerful and better handling version of the brand’s iconic high-performance model, at the Los Angeles Auto Show. …

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