Kirk Bell, Senior Editor
Articles
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Early this year at the Detroit auto show, Acura showed the future of its exterior design in the form of the Acura Precision sedan concept.
At the 2016 Los Angeles auto show on Wednesday, the brand...
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Multimatic had to invent the shocks for the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2Chevrolet’s Colorado ZR2 promises to be one heck of an off-roader, and one of the main reasons is the truck’s unique shock absorbers. To achieve the desired performance, Multimatic, the company that builds the Ford Motor Company [NYSE:F] GT and numerous other race cars, had to invent a...
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2017 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S: Second driveThe 911's flat-6 engine has been one of its greatest strengths. The naturally aspirated boxer engine, in displacements ranging from 3.4 to 4.0 liters created great sounds, and put out linear, tractable power that somehow delivered than its power figures would indicate. For 2017, however, Porsche...
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Audi A4 vs. Jaguar XE, Ford Focus RS, 2016 Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix preview: Today’s Car NewsWith 350 horsepower on tap and an advanced AWD system with a torque vectoring differential that helps the car get through turns, the Ford [NYSE:F] Focus RS is the next evolution of the hot hatch. We've driven it, we liked, and we are considering it for our 2017 Best Car To Buy award. Will it win?...
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Motor Authority Best Car To Buy Nominee: 2016 Ford Focus RSBy their nature, hot hatches are a little juvenile. They start out as economy cars and add turbocharged power, big wings, wide tires, sport suspensions, and all manner of tack-on parts to toughen the look. The new Ford Focus RS is no exception. It looks like it just dropped out of the latest Fast...
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Acura NSX vs. Audi R8: We compare tech versus higher techSupercars give automakers a chance to show off the fullest extents of their design and engineering capabilities. They use lightweight materials, advanced powertrains, and state-of-the-art suspension technologies to create the fastest, best handling, and most exotic automobiles on the planet. But...
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Road cars and race cars are very different. The cars we buy for every day driving are much heavier, due in part to safety and emissions equipment. Race cars shed every ounce of weight in the pursuit...
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BMW M2 vs. Ford Focus RS: Have turbos, will travelBeing low man on the totem pole isn't always so bad. Two of our finalists for the Motor Authority Best Car To Buy 2017 award, the 2016 BMW M2 and 2016 Ford Focus RS, started life at or near the bottom of their respective lineups. The Ford Focus’ platform dates back to 2011. It’s a...
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How Mercedes' Active Body Control worksMercedes-Benz vehicles are notorious for their smooth ride quality. Bumps and ruts just don't bother passengers in Mercedes vehicles like they do in other cars. How does Mercedes do it? Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained is here to tell us. In this video, Jason analyzes how two Mercedes...
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2017 Chevrolet Camaro 1LE first drive review: More than a track packageI’m in the base model, on a pencil-straight desert road, and I already love this car. Even with the V-6 engine you can get in an Impala, the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro 1LE has already wormed its way into my heart. The immediate steering response, the feel of the suede-covered steering wheel, and...
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Motor Authority Best Car To Buy 2017 nominee: Jaguar XEWith the release of the XE, Jaguar is trying to elbow its way into one of the most competitive segments in the luxury-car realm for a second time. The X-Type of the early 2000s turned out to be little more than a gilded Ford Mondeo and sales suffered for it. This time Jaguar has its sights set on...
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You may soon be able to buy a brand new Cord replicaThe Cord 810 and 812 of the 1930s are among the most beautiful cars ever produced in the United States. These cars were not only stunning, but also innovative, with such forward-thinking features as front-wheel drive and hidden headlights. And they performed well, too. In a supercharged 812 model...
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The Specialty Equipment Manufacturer's Association show in Las Vegas is best know as the showcase for performance and customization parts from aftermarket suppliers. However, the mainstream...
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2016 BMW M2 video road testBMW built a fearsome reputation for speed with its M cars. But you're forgiven if the last generation of Ms left you a little wanting. They're high-performance demons--but they can feel brittle and digital. There's one M car that captures the best of BMW and puts it all in a reasonably priced...
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Limited edition 2017 COPO Camaro ready to slay dragstripsIn 1969, Chevrolet's Central Office Performance Order program became the source of dealer-ordered, factory drag cars that would go on to post many victories at the dragstrip. On Monday, Chevrolet introduced the 2017 COPO Camaro show car in Nevada. The show car, which is chassis number 01, will be...
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Mazda teases new CX-5 ahead of 2016 LA auto showMazda today shared a teaser shot of the new CX-5 crossover SUV it will reveal at the Los Angeles auto show on November 16. The shot shows a darkly lit silhouette of the next CX-5, which we've already spied in prototype form. Mazda has shared very little, but says that the vehicle features the next...
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Motor Authority Best Car To Buy 2017 nominee: BMW M2At Motor Authority we like cars that are fun to drive fast, so we stand up and take notice when BMW releases a new M model. M cars have defined engaged driving excitement for ages, but recent examples have become a little too digital for our tastes. That’s not the case with the new BMW M2...
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Motor Authority Best Car To Buy Nominee: 2017 Audi A4If an automaker is going to offer a compact luxury sedan it had better be on top of its game. The segment is filled with fantastic cars like the BMW 3-Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and upstarts like the Cadillac ATS and Infiniti Q50. That's some stiff competition, but Audi has been up to the...
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Sometimes the second album is more important than the first. If a band can't follow up its breakout first album with another platinum effort, it could go down in history as just a flash in the pan....
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How Global Rallycross cars hit 60 mph in 1.9 secondsOur friend Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained recently attended a Red Bull Global Rallycross race, and, of course, he found a way to explain things using an equation. Jason specifically honed in on the incredible acceleration of these cars. All of the cars are powered by 2.0-liter turbocharged...
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Motor Authority Best Car To Buy Nominee: 2017 Acura NSXThe 2017 Acura NSX is somewhat controversial. Fans of the original loved the way it challenged the established supercars of the day with a simple mid-mounted V-6 engine and an aluminum architecture. That car could perform on a racetrack and feel like an Accord on the road, while the Ferraris and...
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Best Car To Buy 2017: Cars that didn't make the cutA big part of our job around here is to drive today's new cars and report back to you. That puts us in the seats of hundreds of vehicles each year, many of which represent the latest achievements in luxury and performance. Many are brilliant pieces of comfort and engineering, and some fall shy of...
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Ken Block's V2 Hoonicorn Mustang packs 1,400 wild horsesKen Block's original "Hoonicorn" 1965 Ford Motor Company [NYSE:F] Mustang (shown below) was the star of his Gymkhana Seven video. At the time, the naturally aspirated V-8 made about 850 horsepower. Now it's time for version two of the Hoonicorn and the power now exceeds 1,400 horses. A pair of...
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2016 Ford Focus RS first drive review: the hottest of the hatchesFord couldn't have released the Focus RS at a better time. The Mitsubishi Evo is officially dead, and the Subaru WRX STI is getting long in the tooth. The most recent generation of the STI is only offered as a sedan, and an Evo hatchback was never offered in the U.S. While other automakers are...
Kirk Bell