Bengt Halvorson, Senior Editor
Articles
-
How quick is the new Bentley Continental GT V8 S? How powerful?
If this were the Bentley of the past, when it was intertwined with Rolls-Royce, the deflective reply to such questions would be...
-
2015 Volkswagen Golf R Preview Drive (On Ice)We've just had our first drive of the 2015 Volkswagen Golf R—even though it's about a year ahead of the time it arrives to the U.S. Oh, and there's one other little asterisk attached to any claim of this being a full review: We really only drove it on ice—up near the Arctic Circle, in...
Bengt Halvorson -
Bentley SUV: Third Row, Plug-In Hybrid, W-12 Engine Part Of PlanAt this point, it's no secret: The British luxury automaker Bentley has confirmed that it's developing a plush luxury sport-utility vehicle, based on the 2012 EXP 9 F SUV concept and slated to go on sale in 2016. While that's set, we're still waiting on a production design and...
Bengt Halvorson -
GM 8-Speed In Corvette Z06 Shifts Faster Than Porsche PDK; Here's HowWith the new 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 that was introduced this past week at the Detroit Auto Show, GM raises the threat level to the bragging rights of virtually every other supercar in the world. And while performance numbers are still months away, there were plenty of interesting details...
Bengt Halvorson -
Design Chief: Daring All-Electric Nissan Sports Car Still In The WorksForget the Nissan Leaf's pragmatic green buyers for the moment. Nissan has big electric-car ambitions, and it's no secret that they go well beyond the automaker's Leaf hatchback. Part of those ambitions still involve a flamboyant, all-electric sports car in the near future—a project that we...
Bengt Halvorson -
2015 Chrysler 200: Live Photos And Video From DetroitChrysler now has absolutely no reasons to make excuses; with the all-new lineup of 200 sedans arriving for 2015, it has a mid-size model that’s nicely proportioned and distinctive on the outside—and downright stunning on the inside. Factor in the nine-speed automatic transmission...
Bengt Halvorson -
Yes, a Bentley can feel sharp, edgy, and responsive--and quite a bit leaner than you might expect of anything from this storied (and once stodgier) luxury marque.
The Continental GT V8 has already...
-
2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06: Full Details, Live Photos And VideosA new King Corvette has arrived, and it definitely gives General Motors [NYSE:GM] some bragging rights at the Detroit Auto Show. With “at least 625 horsepower,” and 635 pound-feet of torque, this top-performance variant of the latest C7 Stingray could shake up the roster of top...
Bengt Halvorson -
2014 SRT Viper Gets Mid-Grade GT Model, Stryker Green ColorSRT is adding a new Grand Touring (GT) package to the 2014 Viper lineup—as well as a new hand-painted Stryker Green color that’s bound to turn heads, if the unmistakable sound of the 640-horsepower V-10 and exotic shape aren't enough already. DON'T MISS: 2015 Ford F-150: 2.7-Liter...
Bengt Halvorson -
2015 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray To Get Hard-Wired Performance RecorderCalling gearheads, gamers, and weekend track addicts: It might be time to step up to the real thing. On the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, GM [NYSE:GM] will offer an industry-first Performance Data Recorder (PDR) option that lets you record video and audio, and interface it with numerous vehicle...
Bengt Halvorson -
2014 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid first drive reviewThe 2014 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid offers all-weather traction and V-8-like performance, with the fuel-efficiency of a four-cylinder. That's one way to sum up this tech-loaded luxury flagship, which will begin reaching Acura dealerships next spring. But after spending a few hours driving it, we can...
Bengt Halvorson -
2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible: First DriveWe might even choose the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible over the Coupe. There, we said it—and it feels a bit like a confessional. To those who haven't been religiously reading car magazines (and following Motor Authority) for years, it's worth pointing out that, with the...
Bengt Halvorson -
Discuss the all-new 2014 Chevrolet SS with someone who's a performance-car enthusiast, and they're bound to mention the Pontiac G8, a sedan that was sold for just two model years—2008 and...
-
2014 Chevrolet SS first drive reviewIf your exposure to Chevrolet performance cars has included recent versions of the Camaro and the Corvette, be forewarned: The new 2014 Chevy SS might have familiar firepower under the hood, but it's a distinctly different, more understated car in nearly every other respect. Here's a...
Bengt Halvorson -
Nissan BladeGlider: '1+2' Concept Probably A Two-Seater When ProducedNissan's BladeGlider electric sports-car concept measures up as one of the wildest concepts of the Tokyo Motor Show. And what makes it particularly far out is that Nissan plans to build it. MUST READ: 2015 Nissan GT-R NISMO And GT-R Premium: First Drive With its unique '1+2' seating layout, a body...
Bengt Halvorson -
2015 Nissan GT-R NISMO And GT-R Premium First Drive'Video-game-like' is how we've heard the Nissan GT-R driving experience described on many occasions. The description is apt, especially when you're out on the track. This is a car that's so astonishingly fast—0-60 mph in 2.7 seconds for the current 545-hp version—that you can become...
Bengt Halvorson -
2015 Nissan GT-R Nismo revealed, sets 7:08.679 'Ring timeAppearances have never been completely in line with the GT-R’s unique combination of brute force and surprising finesse and capability. And for 2015, that dichotomy becomes more pronounced, with a stronger look, 600 horsepower on tap, and some suspension work that should simultaneously make...
Bengt Halvorson -
Nissan BladeGlider Concept: Live Shots Ahead Of Tokyo Motor ShowThe all-electric Nissan BladeGlider sports car, which gets its official introduction later this week at the Tokyo Motor Show, is more than just a far-out concept. Nissan plans to build it. It’s not just the BladeGlider’s electric powertrain that makes it radically different than other...
Bengt Halvorson -
Nissan has given an early overview of its exhibits at the Tokyo Motor Show, to be held later this month, and aside from a new GT-R NISMO performance flagship, the standout from the start appears to...
-
2014 Audi SQ5 first drive reviewIs the Audi SQ5 a bona fide performance model, or is it a great pretender? We've wondered about the SQ5's credentials ever since the brand confirmed this performance version of the Q5 crossover, its 354-horsepower output, and its 5.1-second 0-60 time. And in the absence of established head-to-head...
Bengt Halvorson -
Audi: Carbon Fiber Too Expensive; Future Is In Mixing MaterialsBMW just yesterday began production of its carbon-fiber-bodied i3—a vehicle that makes some major advances in the way lightweight, mass-produced vehicles are made. But for now, BMW appears to be going it alone. For Audi, which was a leader in the development of aluminum-bodied cars 20 years...
Bengt Halvorson -
2015 Volvo S60: Preview DriveZooming upward on a ribbon of road, along a cliff wall, between tight hairpin curves and breathtaking views in the mountains of Southern France, I goose the accelerator from about 2,000 rpm and hear a series of sounds that’s entirely foreign, especially in a Volvo: the wail and whine of a...
Bengt Halvorson -
Audi Sport quattro Concept Nods To The Past, Hints To Next RS 5?The eagerly anticipated Audi Sport quattro concept was indeed introduced today at the Frankfurt Auto Show. And while on the surface this concept is a nod to the 30th anniversary of the 1983 Sport quattro, an icon for the brand and in enthusiast circles, its purpose beyond that might be considerably...
Bengt Halvorson -
Mid-Engine Audi nanuk Could Be Built (And Sold) Alongside R8When news first broke about the surprise Audi nanuk quattro concept at this week’s Frankfurt Auto Show, some fingers may have been pointed for just a moment—at the close likeness of the nanuk to another concept car from earlier this year: the Giugiaro Parcour. The Parcour was one of the...
Bengt Halvorson