Sports Cars
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Last week was Nissan's Advanced Technology Briefing, held in and near its headquarters town of Yokohama, Japan. And one of the unexpected delights of the program was rides in two different cars from the Nissan Heritage garage in Zama, a stunning collection of 330 Datsun, Nissan, and related vehicles dating back to the 1930s. The first car we rode in was a mid-Sixties Bluebird SSS, known in the States as the Datsun 510--the compact sport sedan that really put the company on the map in the U.S. But then came the big prize: a ride in a far rarer and more powerful car, a 1972 Nissan Skyline 2000...
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2014 Chevrolet Corvette (C7) Convertible Spy ShotsThough Chevrolet is playing coy with its teaser videos and information on the 2014 Corvette (aside from its just-revealed LT1 V-8 engine, of course), spy photographers the world over are having a field day with the coupe--and now, with the convertible. Lucky us. Here, we see a Corvette Convertible...
Nelson Ireson -
Could The Audi R8 e-tron Be Delayed?Audi has consistently stated that its R8 e-tron, an all-electric version of its R8 supercar, would be launched on the market by the end of 2012. With Audi recently setting the Nürburgring lap record for a production EV with a prototype built to production specs, as well as providing details...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2014 Chevrolet Corvette (C7) Gets New LT1 V-8If you expected the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette’s fifth-generation small block Chevy V-8 to be chock full of technology, it sounds like you won’t be disappointed. Chevy has announced the specifications for it’s latest 6.2-liter LT1, and they are impressive indeed. First, the new...
Kurt Ernst -
Lotus Owner Provides Details Of Future PlansThe last we heard, Lotus’ new owner DRB-Hicom had fired CEO Dany Bahar and thrown out his overly ambitious plan to launch up to six brand new models within a five-year period. DRB-Hicom also revealed that it would announce a revised plan for Lotus before mid-2013 and that development of at...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Turbocharged Subaru BRZ In The Works: ReportA higher-performance Subaru BRZ tuned by the people at Subaru Tecnica International (STI) is coming, though whether the car will feature a naturally-aspirated or turbocharged engine is still unclear. A previous report suggested the BRZ STI model would remain naturally aspirated, due to the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Talk of a new Porsche four-cylinder engine with a flat ‘boxer’ design dates back several years, and at one point it was the engine thought to be debuting in the 2013 Boxster and Cayman models. However, according to the latest reports, the new Porsche four-cylinder will debut in the 2014 Macan crossover. Speaking with Autocar, Porsche R&D chief Wolfgang Hatz has confirmed that the Macan will be the first modern-day Porsche to offer a four-cylinder engine. Hatz said his company won’t necessarily offer the engine at the Macan's launch late next year, though certainly in the...
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Urus Hybrid Talk, FR-S Versus BRZ, Räikkönen's New Sponsor: Today's Car NewsToday we talk with Lamborghini about what might make an ideal platform for the company's first hybrid--and it turns out the answer is Urus. What's the real difference between the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ? We ask--and answer--that very question for you, based on our many turns at the wheel of each...
Nelson Ireson -
Jost Capito Wants More High-Performance VolkswagensJost Capito joined Volkswagen in May of 2012 as the head of Volkswagen’s motorsports division. Prior to this, Capito worked at Ford, where he was head of its Global Performance Vehicles group, and ultimately the man responsible for products like the Ford Focus RS. In other words, he knows a...
Kurt Ernst -
Chris Harris Compares The BMW M135i And Audi RS3: Forbidden Fruit VideoGerman automakers seem to have two absolute rules: there is no such this as “too complex,” and Americans don’t buy hatchbacks. We can’t comment on the first point, but as for the second, well, that means we miss out on some of the best compact cars Germany has to offer. Case...
Kurt Ernst -
2014 Corvette Logo, Panamera Platinum Edition, Subaru BRZ Goes STI: Car News HeadlinesThe 2014 Chevy Corvette is coming next January 13th, and we now have the car's emblem to look at--and, of course, our spy shots. Details, however, remain scant. Porsche has launched the Panamera Platinum Edition, which adds an extra dose of luxury to the standard car--essentially the upgrades found...
Nelson Ireson -
2014 Chevrolet Corvette C7 Logo Revealed, Debut Set For Detroit, January 13Though it's expected to be an evolutionary step forward from the C6 Corvette, the 2014 Chevy Corvette is being called "all-new" by Ed Welburn. Whatever the case, however, we'll find out the full details on January 13th, the day before the Detroit Auto Show. The new logo is a stylized set of crossed...
Nelson Ireson -
Last month, we brought you an update on the progress of the Huet Brothers coupes, which will be built in both road and race trim. Designed as no-compromise sports cars, the HB Coupe and the HB Coupe Race will be the least-expensive carbon fiber monocoque cars on the market when they hit the streets in 2014. Prices in Europe will start at 67,800 euros (roughly $88,879) for an HB Coupe with a 2.0-liter, naturally-aspirated four cylinder engine, good for 170 horsepower. That may not sound like much thrust, but the car is only expected to weigh 1,760 pounds, so even the base engine will get the...
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Subaru Previews New STI Upgrades For The BRZThough it’s not quite the new BRZ STI model we’ve been hoping for, Subaru has unveiled a range of performance upgrades for the BRZ sports car developed by its performance arm Subaru Tecnica International. The upgrades were previewed today on a concept vehicle at the 2012 Australian...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2013 BMW M135i Driven, Infiniti Steer-By-Wire, Gallardo Super Trofeo: Today's Car NewsIf you're curious about one of BMW's most tantalizing pieces of forbidden fruit, you'll want to read our drive review of the M135i M Performance hatchback, fresh from the U.K. Those with a fear of robots and autonomous cars might want to avoid Infiniti's latest future tech video, demonstrating...
Nelson Ireson -
Magnus Walker, 'Urban Outlaw' And Porsche Collector: VideoMagnus Walker doesn’t look at all like what you’d expect a Porsche collector to look like. He wears oil-stained jeans, not designer slacks, and it’s a safe bet that none of his shirts come with a tiny alligator logo on them. He wears his long hair in dreadlocks, and you can tell...
Kurt Ernst -
2013 Gallardo Spyder, 2014 Mercedes CLA 45 AMG Spied, Record Space Jump: Today's Car NewsThe 2013 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder LP 560-4 has been revealed, and like its hardtop sister, it's a case of minor upgrades and adjustments rather than a hardcore redesign. Mercedes' CLA 45 AMG has been spied again, this time showing the final shape--though still camouflaged--of the upcoming small...
Nelson Ireson -
Inside Maserati’s Factory: VideoMaserati is about to embark on an ambitious plan to increase its sales almost 10-fold within the next several years. Key to the plan succeeding is the launch of several higher volume models, including a new SUV that will be based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee and produced at a Chrysler plant just...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
When it comes to hot rods, muscle cars and pro touring cars, superlatives are often handed out as freely as bumper stickers on the campaign trail. Everyone claims to have the best handling, the fastest or the most artfully-built ride, but chances are good you’ve never heard of the car that likely wins in all these categories. To understand the car, first you need to understand its driver and builder, Mary Pozzi. Mary is an 11-time SCCA Solo champion, auto journalist and test driver, married to David Pozzi, who’s got something like four decades worth of experience in building race...
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Ariel Announces The New Atom 3.5When it comes to minimalist cars that deliver maximum driving pleasure, few are better known than the Ariel Atom. Beloved by Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson and distributed worldwide, the Ariel Atom is very much a modern interpretation of Colin Chapman’s philosophy behind the original Lotus...
Kurt Ernst -
Next Ford Focus RS To Get 350 HP, Active Differential: ReportFord’s Focus RS has earned a well-deserved reputation for pushing the boundaries of a factory-built, front-wheel-drive hot hatch. The ultimate version, the RS 500, went out of production in 2010, but set the bar at 345 horsepower from its 2.5-liter, turbocharged five-cylinder engine. Even...
Kurt Ernst -
2011 Lotus Evora S Models Recalled For Oil Line ProblemLotus has announced the recall of 80 model year 2011 Evora S models built between February 2011 and September 2011 to correct a potential defect with an oil line that supplies the cylinder head. Oil supply lines that use a three-piece, flexible tubing design can rupture, spraying oil on the engine...
Kurt Ernst -
Aston Martin V12 Vantage Recalled For TPMS Programming FlawAston Martin is announcing the recall of 169 V12 Vantage Coupes, built for model years 2010 to 2012. At issue is the programming of the cars’ Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), which won’t trigger a dashboard warning light until tire pressure drops to 69-percent of the specified...
Kurt Ernst -
Subaru BRZ To Star In 'The Fast And The Furious 6'Just in case you can’t get enough of Subaru’s new rear-drive sport coupe, the BRZ, here’s some good news for you: the car will get a featured role in the upcoming The Fast And The Furious 6, tentatively set for release in May of 2013. Motor Trend reports that Subaru has delivered...
Kurt Ernst