2010 Chevrolet Camaro as Bumblebee - Click above for a high-res image gallery
Diehard Transformers fans take note: Chevrolet is reportedly planning to launch a limited edition Bumblebee Camaro to capitalize on the upcoming flick, Revenge of the Fallen. We're sure none of you saw that coming, right? The car, available with either V6 or V8 power, will be available for order June 1 and the first cars are scheduled to roll down the assembly line on the 24th of that month, which, not coincidentally, is the same day the movie is scheduled for released in the U.S.
Unfortunately, we don't have any images of the new Bumblebee package to show off or pricing information, but rumor has it that the car will be painted up in the same Rally Yellow that's available on other Camaros – importantly, that's not the darker color that's featured in the movies – set off by black racing stripes, of course. To help set the Bumblebee edition apart from its siblings, GM will equip the car with Transformers badging on the wheel centers and sill plates along with an embroidered emblem on the console inside. Thanks for the tip, Jay!
Gallery: Bumblebee from Transformers 2
[Source: Camaro5.com]
Volkswagen Bluesport Concept - Click above for a high-res gallery
In a new (and very brief) report, UK's Channel4 reports that a production version of Volkswagen's comely BlueSport concept has been delayed.
While details are slim, Channel4 says that a company insider came clean to journalists about the diesel roadster's demise at a recent Australian press event, and according to said source, the reason for the model's mothballing is that the company believes that the dire global economy won't support niche products like the BlueSport.
The report stops short of saying that the company has axed the program altogether, but presumably, if the BlueSport is delayed or dead, so are rumored versions from Audi and Seat. There is no word on when the model might get a second chance at life, so for now, the BlueSport faces an uncertain future.
[Source: Channel4]
Stuntman Steve Truglia attempts what is believed to be the tallest loop-the-loop by a real car
We've heard that 'Ring times have become the de facto benchmark for performance cars of late, but this is ridiculous. Not so much a ring as a loop, stuntman Steve Truglia just attempted to drive a Toyota Aygo through a 40-foot loop for the (other) British motor show, Fifth Gear. The stunt was filmed at a Suffolk airbase, and was planned by a team that included a Cambridge physicist.
While anyone with a Hot Wheels track growing up might know that the stunt can be done, a real-world reenactment with a real car and real driver is so dangerous it is referred to as the "Death Loop" by professional stuntmen. While it might seem that a driver could merely power in at a high speed to carry enough momentum to complete the loop, the truth is that the g-forces on the driver at anything above 30 mph can be catastrophic. So stuntman Steve Truglia trained with jet pilots to learn techniques that would help him deal with the centripetal forces.
The car also had to be chopped to increase its approach and departure angles. He had to enter the loop at precisely 37 mph, then immediately slowed to 16 mph as the modified Toyota went up and over. Did he succeed? You'll have to watch the special episode this Saturday, or at least find the torrent. We don't think we're giving too much away to say that Steve plans something even bigger for his next stunt, even though it doesn't involve a car. He plans to skydive, from space.
There's a video montage of Truglia's work, where he talks about the science behind the stunts, after the jump.
[Source: The Daily Mail]
With Chrysler's proposed alliance with Fiat all but a done deal, people have begun turning their attention towards the Italian automaker's vehicle line up and creating a wish list of which ones they'd like to see for sale over here in the U.S. Thing is, those people should keep in mind that any Fiat making the long trek overseas may not be badged a Fiat when it arrives. Before any Fiat sets foot on these shores, it may be transformed into a Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep model. And so we present you this, the 2011 Jeep Phoenix, a wish for what might be when Chrysler starts getting new vehicles from Fiat. The owner of this idea claims the Fiat Panda Cross 4x4 is an eminently suitable canvas on which to create a small, fuel efficient yet very capable Jeep. While never having driven the Panda ourselves, we've been hearing Europeans rave about it for some time. And for some reason, the Phoenix strikes us as less antithetical to the Jeep ethos than the Compass does. Check out the gallery below for more renderings and let us know if you think the Panda could cut it as a Jeep.
Gallery: 2011 Jeep Phoenix
[Source: Hubpages]
BMW has finally pulled the wraps off its new S 1000 RR superbike, and let's just say we're anything but disappointed. First, the most important bits: 193 horsepower at 13,000 RPM, 82.5 lb-ft of torque at 9,750 RPM, 455.3 pounds with a full tank of gas. For those keeping track – which is probably just about anyone interested enough to read this post – those statistics are enough to give the big Beemer the most horsepower and best power-to-weight ratio of all literbikes intended for public consumption.
Technophiles and anyone else wanting to post the best lap times possible will also be pleased to know that the S 1000 RR will be available with factory ABS and an extremely advanced traction control system. There's also an HP Gearshift Assistant that will allow for full-power clutchless upshifts.
Surely the most controversial element of the bike's otherwise conventional styling will be the asymmetrical headlights, which are the only immediately noticeable link to the rest of BMW's motorcycle lineup. Expect U.S. sales to begin early in 2010 for what's expected to be a rather attractive price. Want to know more? Click past the break to see a video of the bike in action and BMW's official press release.
Gallery: 2010 BMW S 1000 RR
[Source: BMW Motorrad]
Nicholas Cage stunt driver crash in NYC – Click above to watch video after the jump
It's not enough we must suffer the anguish of actually watching Nicholas Cage films; now our lives are in danger during their filming. Last night around 1AM EST, a stunt driver for the new Cage movie The Sorceror's Apprentice lost control of the Ferrari he was driving and plowed prancing horse-first into a Sbarro's on the corner of 7th Avenue and 47th Street in Times Square. Eye witnesses say the Ferrari was being chased by a Mercedes while weaving through fake traffic in Times Square, but lost control after passing a car on the right. It then swerved left and jumped the curbed before taking out a lamppost (which landed on a guy), knocking a woman to the ground and destroying the front entrance of a Sbarro's. The street was closed to traffic for filming, but at least one of the injured was not associated with the movie. Based on the poem that inspired Disney's Fantasia, The Sorceror's Apprentice better make some serious box office coin to pay for the inevitable lawsuit that's on its way. Being a Nick Cage film, there's about as much chance of that happening as being hit by a Ferrari while walking in front of a Sbarro's in Times Square. Check out the amateur eye-witness video of the crash after the jump.
[Source: New York Post via Jalopnik]
2009 Ford Focus RS spotted in Michigan - Click above for an image gallery
With reviews of the 2009 Ford Focus RS showing up in RSS feeds and mailboxes, Ford's Forbidden Fruit continues to taunt us from abroad. And then... this. Justin over at FocusFantatics was leaving dinner with the misses in Royal Oak, MI when he came across this brilliant white example of Ford's hottest hatch sitting on the street corner. Naturally, the large "M" in the middle of the Michigan license plate means that the 300 hp, front-wheel drive Focus is piloted by some lucky SOB under the employ of FoMoCo. It's in the U.S. for a reason, but don't get your hopes up – the Focus RS probably won't arrive Stateside until the next-generation arrives in 2012.
[Source: FocusFanatics]
Click above for high-res image gallery of the ASMA Design Perfectus SLR
While we can't say we're huge fans of previous projects from ASMA Design, we understand that individual taste is beyond debate. The German tuner has customized virtually every car in the Mercedes lineup with its signature deep grilles and other styling elements that are definitely unique. And isn't that exactly what you're looking for in a personalized ride? Something unique? Something that stands out from the crowd? Something that makes a mockery of regular old off-the-rack vehicles?
While that mentality can certainly be understood when applied to models that you might pass on the road every day, we don't know what to think of doing this tuner treatment to an already great supercar like the Mercedes McLaren SLR. We get something like the RENNtech version, which turns the SLR into a DTM racer, but this new ASMA Design SLR is simply beyond us. Dubbed the ASMA Design Perfectus SLR, it was apparently designed for the Royal Family of Abu Dhabi, but will be available to any commoner with an SLR, too. While the bump in horsepower to 700 is attractive, we can't really say the same for the changes to the bodywork. If this seems like something you'd like done to your SLR, ASMA will be happy to take your €1 million.
Gallery: ASMA Perfectus SLR
Click above for high-res image gallery of the 2011 Chevy Volt
Look! It's a Chevy Volt in someone's driveway. While this scene isn't likely to occur in reality until some time in late 2010, General Motors apparently wants you to start dreaming about it now. We're dreaming about buying the home in the background of the image above, but for the sake of this post let's focus on the high-profile series hybrid parked in the drive. GM just released a bunch of new high-res images that show the Volt interacting with the world that exists beyond the photo studio. The extended-range electric vehicle looks like a high-tech, futuristic and, most importantly, real sedan when seen staged against the backdrop of suburbia, in front of a coastal village and hanging out under some palm trees. Check out the Volt's new glamour shots in the gallery of high-res images below and let us know if one will be in your driveway come 2011.
Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt
Click above for a high-res image gallery of the Ford Focus RS
Ford reconnected this week in earnest with the 38 year history of its RS badge when the first production Focus RS rolled off the assembly line in Germany. The 300 horsepower front-drive hot hatch is being built at Ford's Saarlouis plant, alongside the rest of the European-spec Focus line-up, but with the performance bits (including a trick differential) installed by a dedicated team of technicians.
The Focus RS is the most extreme performance version of the company's staple hatchback, taking the Focus ST we drove in Belgium as its point of departure, and then dialing it up to 11. Unfortunately, while 20 European countries are slated to receive the Focus RS when it hits the market in April, it isn't slated to reach the American market; at least not in its current incarnation. But with Ford's new focus (sorry) on integrating its products globally – including the merger of the European (TeamRS) and American (SVT) performance engineering divisions – maybe, just maybe, we could see an RS version of the next Focus Stateside.
Gallery: 2009 Ford Focus RS
Gallery: 2009 Focus RS in Blue
[Source: Motor Authority]
Click above for high-res gallery of the VW Golf VI
Though we got a preview of the sixth-generation Volkswagen Golf earlier this month, it took VW this long to get its act together and release the full gamut of official images and details. In addition to the new exterior and interior, the Golf VI will also be offered with four TSI gas engines and two TDI diesels, and the superlative 6- and 7-speed DSG transmissions will replace automatic trannies in all but the entry-level models. Electronic nannies will include DCC Adaptive Chassis Control, Park Assist, a Rear Assist rearview camera and the Park Pilot with a visual display. Pricing hasn't bee released yet for Europe, but expect it to start low and end high.
[Source: Volkswagen]
The next stab at a Saab SUV is reportedly going to be... a Saab. Word is that the newest hauler will have "Saab-DNA design and technology." Designed by teams in Sweden and Germany, that means an Aero-X-like snout, some combi-type curves in the back, and an ascending shoulder line. No word on engines yet, but there looks to be a full range of options, and dealers who have seen the final car are excited. This is all very good news to Saab mavens who don't want another badge-engineered Tahoe. For the rest of us, our first chance to see it could be as soon as the 2009 Detroit Auto Show.[Source: Next Autos]
Click above for more shots of the 2009 Yamaha R1
As is often the case when one of the big four Japanese bike manufacturers introduce a new literbike, there's way too many new features and detail improvements for us to include in a write-up. For the '09 Yamaha R1, though, there are some huge differences which are sure to become major talking points over the next few months. For starters, Yamaha is now the first manufacturer to move its modified firing order technology from the Moto GP tracks to your driveway. Featuring a staggered crossplane crankshaft that locates each connecting rod 90° from the one before it. According to Yamaha, this arrangement allows for the high RPM power of an inline-four with the steady powerband of a twin-cylinder bike. We look forward to finding out for ourselves how effective this is. Other useful technology is the adjustable power button which changes the engine map between three different settings.
Also new is a magnesium subframe, new projector headlamps with integrated ram air ducts and a stubby new rear tail section. Some of the styling changes will take a bit of getting used to, but we are pretty pleased that Yamaha has seen fit to offer a paint scheme from each of its past major color motifs: Yellow and black, red and white and the current blue, plus one thoroughly stealthy version in black and red. Check past the break for more, along with commentary from Yamaha racers including Valentino Rossi.
[Source: Yamaha]
Click either image for a high-res gallery
The V8-powered Pontiac G8 GT has garnered a fair amount of respect around Autoblog HQ, with almost everyone who's spent time behind the wheel singing the praises of the Aussie-imported four-door muscle car. We're all suckers for rubber-melting torque and rear-wheel motivation, and even El Capitan Neff has thought about retiring his Alero for a shot at G8 ownership. For the rest of us, a six-speed manual would seal the deal.
Next year Pontiac will finally offer a proper cog swapper on its G8 GXP, and not only do drivers get to row their own gears, but they're getting an extra 13 horses and 15 lb.-ft. of torque to boot. The SAE has finally performed its official testing on the 6.2-liter LS3 V8 and output is up to 415 horsepower and an equal amount of twist.With 19-inch HSV wheels framing 14-inch (front) and 12.76-inch (rear) discs and Brembo calipers, a standard LSD and a stiffened suspension, the additional power is just another reason to be smitten by the Pontiac G8 GXP. That, and the Tremac TR060 manual. We'll take ours in slate grey for maximum intimidation. Thanks for the tip, Torrent!
[Source: GMI]
Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Ford Fiesta
Twenty-five year-old females in Milan. According to global product development chief Derrick Kuzak, that's who Ford is hoping to satisfy with the new Fiesta. Well honestly now, who isn't? But that's some ambitious target, to attract the attention of the most trend-savvy (make that trend-setting) demographic in the world capital of fashion.
We didn't pass through Milan while driving the new Fiesta through the Italian countryside, and so, to our dismay, didn't have a chance to test out that particular target. But we did pass by a local road works crew on the winding mountain passes of Tuscany, dutifully working to keep that legendary tarmac silky smooth. They reacted to the Fiesta as if the car were the twenty-five year-old Milanese fashion model, taking notice as we approached and turning to ogle as we passed by. (They may have been shouting cat calls too, but we wouldn't have heard them from inside the Fiesta's whisper-quiet cabin.) That may be an even greater testimony to the new Fiesta's styling than the Blue Oval crew had hoped for. As for our impressions, and why readers in America and around the world alike should take note, just follow the jump to read on.
Photos Copyright ©2008 Noah Joseph / Weblogs, Inc.
The debut of a new Fiesta may not seem as exciting as a new Mustang or SVT performance model, but the sharply-styled supermini is a vitally important new model for Ford, marking a change in direction for the global automotive giant. Actually, make that two changes in direction.
It's been well over a decade since we've seen a Fiesta - or anything smaller than a Focus, for that matter – in the North American market. But this new iteration is earmarked to herald its return to the States. Not some version thereof, and not a different vehicle entirely targeted towards the American market. This one, with few tweaks, our hosts at Ford (both from Dearborn and Cologne) assured us. It's part of a new way of thinking for the world's fourth largest automaker that they call "One Ford".
Whereas Ford's previous course of action was to diversify its products around the world and cater them towards specific markets, the new logic sees the company streamlining its research and development, buying power, production and just about everything else to produce an integrated range of vehicles suited towards buyers in every market around the world, from Europe to Australia and from Asia to America. The Fiesta is the first new vehicle brought to market under the One Ford plan.
The launch of the new Fiesta also marks a shift in focus (so to speak) away from larger vehicles and towards smaller ones. Whereas small cars accounted for just 22 percent of Ford's output last year, with larger vehicles accounting for half, by 2013 Ford anticipates that small cars will amount to 31% at the expense of large vehicles that will fall to just 39%. The Crown Victorias and Excursions of the range will be a thing of the past (as if they weren't already), with this new Fiesta signaling a new future for the Blue Oval.
So if this marks the way forward for Ford, how does the future look? That's exactly the answer we sought as we boarded our flight for Europe. Upon landing at Grosetto Airport near the Adriatic coast – more of a military air base with a civilian terminal than a proper international air traffic hub – we got our first look at the production Fiesta (a parking lot full of them, in fact) away from the bright lights of the motor show circuit.
Although the Fiesta is not the first vehicle to incorporate Ford's "Kinetic Design" language, it arguably incorporates the theme most convincingly and brings it to market the most un-distilled. The original Iosis concept certainly caught our attention when it was unveiled at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show, but while the new Mondeo adopted many of the show car's styling cues, the end result looks quite different from the concept. Ditto the Iosis X and the Kuga, as you'll be able to see in an upcoming first drive report. The Fiesta takes it up a notch, and that's no mean feat for a budget hatch.
Ford unveiled the first Verve concept that heralded the new Fiesta to critical acclaim at the 2007 Frankfurt show, followed by four-door versions in China later that year and in Detroit earlier this year. The Verve cut a sharp silhouette as a show car, and we were pleasantly surprised that, when Ford lifted the covers off the production Fiesta in Geneva this past March, much of the Verve's dramatic styling was carried over from fantasy to reality.
The results are the work of Ford's affable European design director Martin Smith, the architect of Kinetic design, and his team. Ford wisely poached Martin from arch-rival GM's Opel division in 2004 after he spent the bulk of his career at Audi giving us such landmark designs as the legendary Audi Quattro and the fashion-forward interior on the original Audi TT. But while Smith's Verve concept got the world's attention, he made the implementation of the Fiesta look easy. The biggest difference between the Verve and the Fiesta, Martin says with fatherly pride, is a roofline 25 mm higher. Clearly a lot more went into translating the concept to production, but minimizing the differences between the two is a remarkable accomplishment traditionally reserved for supercars.
Unfortunately justice wasn't best served to Mr. Smith's work by the eggplant paintjob on the diesel test vehicle we drove first, but later on we'd be switching to an electric-blue gasoline-burning Sport model. As you can see from our gallery, we enjoyed photographing that version for your enjoyment.
With Smith's interior design background, it should come as no surprise to learn that the execution of the exterior styling is continued to the same standard inside, as well. The design of the interior space made for an enjoyable environment from which to take in the panoramic vistas of rural Tuscany, and the ergonomics proved both functional and pleasing to the touch. For the European market, Ford is offering five trim levels: Ambiente, Trend, Sport, Ghia and Titanium. The cabin on our top-of-the-line Titanium trim model was highlighted by a burgundy color scheme that may be a matter of personal taste, but the quality of the interior exceeded our expectations for a budget hatchback and will likely surprise customers coming from Toyota or Honda, whose products Ford wisely looked to as the benchmark.
Thumbing the starter button with the key in pocket, the diesel Fiesta pulls away with a solid feel and a quality ride. All new Fiestas will come equipped with Ford's Electric Power Assist Steering (EPAS), which provides a well-weighted, solid feel and is almost indiscernible from a more traditional hydraulic unit in its on-demand operation.
Most customers around the world will likely opt for one of the two diesel powertrains: the 1.4-liter Duratorq TDCi with two valves per cylinder providing 68 horsepower and 118 lb-ft of torque or the larger 1.6-liter unit with four-valve cylinder heads producing 90 hp and 150 lb-ft. Ours was equipped with the latter and provided smooth power delivery along our journey. But while the diesel power proved perfectly adequate, we were looking forward to sampling the gasoline-burning Sport model.
Alongside the two turbodiesels, Ford is offering three Duratec four-cylinder engines: a 1.2-liter unit with 60 horsepower and 80 lb-ft of torque, a 1.4-liter version with 96 hp and 94 lb-ft, and the range-topping 1.6-liter Ti-VCT engine corralling a more substantial 120 horses and twisting out 112 lb-ft of torque. As with the diesel power options, each can be mated to a four-speed automatic or 5-speed manual, the latter of which we found had a positive gearchange and well-optimized clutch.
Any great driving road will invariably make a driving enthusiast long for a great driving car. Now the Fiesta Sport won't replace the much-loved Fiesta ST hot hatch. For that, customers will have to wait a bit. But for a budget hatchback, the 120-hp Fiesta provided a pleasurable drive. It tackled the corners with panache, the sweeping uphills with authority and glided across the smooth tarmac our roadside admirers prepared for us with ease. Before long we inadvertently found ourselves doubling the speed limit before dabbing the reassuringly grippy brakes to bring things back down to reason. The sportier orientation gave us a hint at what the chassis is capable of and what a more performance-oriented Fiesta be like when Ford is ready to unleash a new compact hot hatch on the market.
It'll be a little while longer before we know for sure which variants Ford will bring Stateside for North American buyers, and the 120-hp Sport model may not be part of the initial package. Ford says its market research shows that American buyers are growing more open to the idea of paying more for small cars, and that North American customers showed as much favor towards five-door hatchbacks as they did four-door sedans. The marketing and product development staff we spoke to in Europe say that certain changes will be necessary to accommodate American tastes, including fine-tuning the suspension towards North American roads and catering the seats towards American buyers.
With the new Fiesta, Ford has clearly listened to what customers want, and in bringing the Fiesta to the North American market we hope they change as little as possible. If Ford can carry that off with the same level of commitment it has displayed in developing the Fiesta, American customers – from the 20-something fashionista to the middle-aged road worker – may stand up and take notice at what their homegrown automaker can do when it brings the vast resources of its global capacity to bear.
Photos Copyright ©2008 Noah Joseph / Weblogs, Inc.
Travel and lodging for this event were provided by the manufacturer.
If Las Vegas were a car, what car would it be? If you answered "Lamborghini", you're in the same boat as us. The city and the exotic automaker share the same combination of fast-paced excitement and unbridled showmanship. It's only fitting, then, that Lamborghini's latest showroom opened its doors on the Strip.
The newest of 34 dealerships in North America and 116 worldwide, the Vegas showroom, which includes the first Collezione Automobili Lamborghini fashion boutique, is spread across 20,000 square feet on two floors amidst the shops and restaurants at the Palazzo. Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann was there to preside over the opening, which included a fashion show of the new collection. All they needs now is a Lamborghini craps table and they'll be all set.
[Source: Lamborghini]
If you want to sport a Dodge Challenger without the fire-breathing V8 or the hefty price tag, the time to act is now. The first two Dodge Challenger SE models have arrived in Ohio this week, and 500 models are en-route to dealerships in the U.S. and Canada as you read this. The SE Challenger packs Chrysler's ho-hum 3.5L V6 with 250 horsepower and a truly retro four speed automatic, but the news is far from all bad. You still get the Challenger's muscular looks, power flowing through the rear wheels, and a hard to beat entry price of only $21,995. You probably won't win many races, but at least you won't be driving an Avenger. Seriously, though, the Challenger SE charmed us at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show where it debuted with a simple proposition: cheap, rear-wheel-drive fun on four wheels.
[Source: Red Letter Dodge]
Click above for a hi-res gallery of the H2 "Black Chrome" Edition
HUMMER is having a bad year. Year-to-date sales are down 43% versus '07, and last month saw the iconic off-road nameplate take a 61% drop compared to July '07. High fuel prices have massacred truck and SUV sales in general, and HUMMER is simply reeling. GM threw the brand's future
So, while the backdrop is grim, business continues, and GM has released photos of its annual H2 special edition for '09. The 2009 H2 "Black Chrome" Limited Edition is pretty self explanatory: it gets darkened "black chrome" applied to all the usual blingifiable surfaces, from the 21-inch wheels to the fuel filler door. Three paint colors are available, but the Sedona Metallic finish you see here is exclusive to the "Black Chrome" rig, and is coupled with a matching leather interior. A total of 1,300 "Black Chrome" editions will be offered worldwide, with an undetermined mix of H2 SUVs and SUTs making up that number. At the very least, they should be a big hit in Russia.
[Source: GM]
Click above to see the Gumpert Apollo on Top Gear's test track
The Gumpert Apollo may not be able to drive over a speed bump,
but it sure is fast on the track. Top Gear's most recent episode
included a review of the German supercar by Richard Hammond and a Power
Lap on the Top Gear Test Track in the hands of the Stig. The result was
quite impressive: a time of 1:17.1 that eclipsed the previous best mark
of 1:17.3 set by the Ascari A10. Follow the jump to watch the two-part video.
[Source: Top Gear via YouTube]
Way back in nineties, this particular blogger had to get rid of his PlayStation because he was spending far too many nights on GranTurismo. Something about knocking a tenth of a second off our best time in the Mazda Demio was as addictive as air. Last Friday we spent an hour in front of the pre-production version of Midnight Club Los Angeles, and we've gotta admit... we're getting the itch for a PS3. Replacing several different cities for one highly detailed rendering of Los Angeles, the new Midnight Club is all about racing wherever you want -- in LA -- and however you want. Follow the jump to find out what's new and hot, and check out the gallery of hi-res screenshots below.
Midnight Club: Los Angeles has one point: racing. Not the closed course GranTurismo kind, not the road course Need for Speed kind. MC:LA is about racing through the city of white, winged creatures almost any way you want -- the same way you'd actually race through an actual city, if you did such a thing, but you don't because that's illegal.
And more than time and money, MC:LA is about the reason that real street racers do their things: reputation. And you get the reputation you want by winning.
The next in the series of Midnight Club racing games has settled in one city, but in its scope and detail, it's plenty. To be precise, the LA we're talking about is the rectangular space bounded by the ocean on the West, the 101 up north, the 110 on the east, and the 10 on the south.
Rockstar, the developer and publisher, spent a lot of time creating a city that could be identified as the real thing, even down to specific buildings and traffic patterns. It's not photorealistic -- flying down Beverly Boulevard you'd be forgiven for thinking, "Hey, I don't remember that picturesque, grassy alley being there..." But as a guy who lives in LA, it was neat knowing which streets I'd take to win a race. The cars in lead photo are headed south on the 110, coming up on the exit for the 10 freeway. The signs over the northbound lanes are the signs you'd see if you were actually on the 110. Blaze eastbound on Sunset past Crescent Heights, and you'll flash by Chateau Marmont on the right, The Standard hotel on the left. The Standard's sign is even upside down, just like on the real deal. Granted, it's not the moon landing, but it's pretty cool.
Rockstar even studied traffic patterns, and time of day factors into the game as well. Traffic gets thick during rush hour. Take your car to the garage at noon and play with it for a long while, and the sun will be low in the sky when you come back out to resume racing. Admittedly, back to that pic above, the 110 is never that empty during daylight hours, but sometimes reality is overrated. And remember, this is about racing...
There are twelve different kinds of races, some of them being get-to-the-finish-anyway-anyhow, some of them with checkpoints you have to pass. Even with checkpoint races, how you get from one checkpoint to the next, or in some races, the order in which you pass the checkpoints, is up to you.
As the game begins, you're new in town, and you have one burden: win. Or at least finish races so you can get reputation points that will unlock cars and goodies, and cash to buy parts and upgrades. You get rep points no matter what position you finish in, which means you will never race in vain. And at the end of hours... and hours... and hours of racing, you'll end up LA's head cheese racer. Or you might end up with some sore thumbs, maybe a broken controller, and a new record for 4-letter words.
When you're ready to throw down, you choose the kind of race you want, then start it by cruising the city until you find another racer. They're identified by icons that hang over their cars, and it won't take long to find one. Flash your lights at him or her, and it's on. If you're in for the full fat experience, you'll race your new foe to the start line of the official race. You don't have to, and it won't get you any cash, but if you do it you'll get rep points. At the start line, you'll be doing one of these things:
- Circuit Races: Ordered races with multiple laps.
- Unordered Races: Checkpoints in these races can be cleared in any order you want. When all checkpoints are cleared, a final red checkpoint will appear. First one to the final checkpoint wins.
- Freeway Races: Freeway racers exclusively race on freeways. You simply need to match their speed and flash your lights to immediately start a race.
- Time Trials: These are events where the same vehicle is used to set the best time for a particular race.
- Tournaments: A tournament is a multiple racer event where points are awarded depending on how each opponent finishes. At the end of the tournament, the racer with the most points wins.
- Red Light Racer: Red Light Races are one checkpoint races that start at the nearest red light and finish at a landmark on the other end of the city. There are no checkpoints, and racers can take any path they choose to the finish.
- Series Races: Series Races are collections of races run from Hangouts across the city. The first racer to win 3 races wins the series.
- Wager Races: These races are a way for the player to bet money on races. The amount wagered will set the difficulty of the race. Wager races are one-on-one races.
- Pinkslip Races: Pinkslip races allow you to bet your vehicle against opponents. You cannot engage in a pinkslip race unless you own more than one vehicle, and if you lose, you can always win back up to three of your vehicles from the Hangout.
- Delivery: Deliver cars from the Hollywood Garage to their owners within the target time to receive your payment. Be careful not to damage the car though, as the damage you take will affect your delivery fee. A perfect delivery will double your payment.
- Payback: Help the mechanic pay back clients who have come up short on their bills. Borrow the mechanics vehicle from the Beach Garage and inflict damage on the target's vehicle.
- Telephone Challenge: These challenges are received on your T-Mobile Sidekick. If you accept the challenge, you get to see the details and layouts of where to race through your GPS. The challenger will meet you there.
There are forty cars in four classes: tuners, luxury, exotics, and muscle cars, and there are motorcycles as well. The cars are rated based on acceleration, speed, and handling, which means that, again, this isn't about GT5 levels of physics reality. You can upgrade your car to the limit of those three characteristics, as they apply to that car. For instance, the fastest Gallardo will be faster than the fastest Mazda RX-8.
Damage registers on the car, but it doesn't severely affect performance. Remember, the point is to race, and Rockstar knows you'll just restart things if your Z06 starts to handle like a jalopy. Major damage can be fixed at any gas station, but to get all of the guardrail scrapes out and refresh the paint you have to return to the garage.
There is a damage meter, and if you let it get completely red, your car stops and your race is over. But it takes astronomical abuse before you get to that point, and if you flip that many times in one race you should probably put the controller down.
Special moves have carried over from Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition, but in MC:LA you can choose any special move for your car, rather than linking moves to car types. The moves are:
- Zone allows you to slow down time in to take sharp turns or weave in-and-out of traffic
- Agro strengthens your car and means you can damage opponents faster or knock them out of the race
- Roar sends a shockwave that clears your path by pushing cars off to the side of the road
- EMP is an shuts down the engines of the cars around you bringing them to a complete stop.
There are also police. Pass one going the speed limit, and it's all cool. Fly by one -- or dive down by the LA River -- and they're all over you. But they aren't only after you, they're after any racer. Outrun them, and you'll get more rep. Get caught, and you pay a fine according to your speed. The best part: if the police are chasing you when you cross the finish line, the race might be over, but the police chase isn't. You might have come in first, but if you get caught you'll be spending that dosh on your ticket.
The car customization garage is broken in two sections: the performance shop where you can tweak acceleration, handling, and speed by buying parts; and the paint shop, where you can custom design the look of your car inside and out with an absurd number of options and colors, and a vinyl editor.
Two last notes on that: the many of the parts in the performance shop are branded -- for instance, you can have your tires say Bridgestone or Pirelli on them -- but the brand doesn't affect the performance of the tire. MC:LA has also added a cockpit view to the game -- the Vantage we played looks just like the real deal -- with just as many options for customization. But since this is about racing, it all comes with a saving grace: the purple-into-black metallic fade Vantage with the V8 vinyl on the side, yellow and red interior, and riding on 24s, was just as fast as any other Vantage out there. But it looked faster.
MC:LA looks so good, we've already ordered our own PS3. Now we just need a game to play on it. (Hint, Rockstar...)
Midnight Club comes out October 7 in the U.S., October 10 in Europe, for the Xbox360 and PS3.
Cadillac recently provided some Detroit-area media an opportunity to drive the new Cadillac Escalade hybrid. From a driving perspective the Escalade is indistinguishable from the Tahoe and Yukon hybrids, which should come as no surprise since it is mechanically identical. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as these big SUVs are the most fuel-efficient of their type. One area where we had hoped to see a difference, however, was in the hybrid signage. When the Tahoe and Yukon launched, their flanks were emblazoned with huge hybrid stickers. They've apparently done little to stimulate sales. Unfortunately, the Escalades on hand for the drive were similarly marked, though the lettering was a bit more subdued. Nonetheless, we asked Cadillac officials, "Will it be possible for customers to order a hybrid without the rocker panel and window graphics?" The response was that all hybrids would be shipped from the factory with the decals. However, at customer request, the dealers can easily remove the lettering with a heat gun. We also learned that some states actually prohibit any stickers on the glass, so vehicles shipped to those states will go without the windshield and tailgate decals from the factory. Even without the sticker package, the Escalade still has prominent hybrid badges on the fender vents, the C-pillar and tailgate, so no one is likely to miss what it is.
Click above for high-res gallery of the VW Golf VI
In what may be the least shocking news you will read today, Volkswagen will indeed be launching a revised GTI model shortly after its recently revealed sixth-generation Golf (or, Rabbit, as it's known in the U.S.) hits the market. According to Autocar, the next GTI will steer even closer to its original hot hatch mission, with VW reportedly giving the new model a "harder edge" than the current GTI. Underhood, at least in Europe, will be the same 2.0L TFSI engine that powers the base Audi A5, featuring Audi's valvelift technology that helps it offer up 208 hp at 4300 RPM and 258 lb-ft at 1500 RPM. That ought to make for a very spirited, though still relatively frugal ride.
What may be even more interesting news, though, is the replacement for the R32 model. Volkswagen won't be keeping its narrow-angle V6 underhood any longer, instead opting for a high-boost 2.0L with 265 horses and an 'R' moniker. All-wheel drive is also on the menu. Sounds like a bargain Audi TT-S to us, to which we simply say, "yes, please."
[Source: Autocar]
by Michael Harley
Filed under: Aftermarket, Gadgets, Euro, Tech
When a BMW 335i owner in Munich became bored with his black coupe, he hired a team to wrap it in white tape. Two days later, he drove home in his refreshed "Alpine White" coupe (with an M3-appearing black roof). No, it's not normal tape. It's a special 3M wrap, and the process is known as "foiling." Apparently, the German military has been using the process (with an olive drab tape) for some time now. Likewise, the process is popular with race teams and taxi companies. Available in countless colors, the tape itself is thick enough to protect the paint from minor chips and nicks, and it can be left adhered to the surface for 3-4 years without damage (!). Adhesion isn't a problem either, as the tape can even withstand an automatic car wash without peeling off. Thanks for the tip Frank.
[Source: E90post]
Click above for high-res gallery of this TT Gallardo
Jason Heffner is in the business of building fast cars. We're talking about quadruple digit horsepower, spinning the tires at 100 mph and pulling-away-from-a-Bugatti-Veyron fast cars. You might remember watching a Heffner-powered twin-turbo Ford GT that could hit 222 mph in the standing mile. His latest project is this twin-turbo Lamborghini that's putting down 930 horsepower and 762 lb-ft torque at the wheels. This particular owner also wanted to cut some weight, and added a carbon fiber deck lid and rear diffuser, race seats, and lightweight wheels. Follow the jump to see the extensive upgrade list, or check out the photos below.
Heffner's Performance Twin-Turbo Lamborghini Gallardo features:
Engine removal and disassembly
Steel cylinder liners
Custom 9 to 1 compression ratio forged pistons
Polishing of crankshaft journals
Connecting rod bearings
Main bearings
Balancing of rotating assembly
Blueprinting and assembly of engine
Heavy duty clutch & pressure plate
Twin water cooled, dual ball bearing tubos
Two TIAL 38mm wastegates
Two TIAL 50mm blow off valves
Custom made stainless steel turbo mid pipes
Custom made stainless steel turbo downpipes & exhaust system
Stainless steel turbo oil feed lines
Stainless steel turbo oil drain lines
Colder heat range spark plugs
High flow turbo air inlet plumbing
High flow turbo air discharge plumbing
Spearco water to air intercooler
Intercooler water pump
Intercooler water reservoir
All necessary lines & fittings
High flow in tank fuel pumps
Upgraded fuel injectors
All necessary gaskets & fluids
Optimized fuel and spark calibration
Professional installation & tuning
100 Octane 1000 Horsepower Upgrade: Carrillo Billet Steel Connecting Rods,
Associated Machine Work, Two Stage Boost Controller
1 Carbon Fiber Rear Decklid
1 Superleggera Style Carbon Fiber Rear Diffuser
1 Superleggera Style Rear Spoiler
Standing seven feet and one inches tall and weighing in at 375 pounds, Shaquille O'Neal is one big dude. Must drive a big 'ol car then, right? Umm, not exactly. The Phoenix Suns star center has recently been spotted in his newest automotive purchase, a smart fortwo. Seriously. And, surprisingly enough, he fits! Don't believe us? See above for photo proof. Well, so he sorta fits. It's a good thing that Shaq opted for the convertible, as his head comes up several inches over the top of the windshield. Oh, and we can find no real proof that the door has ever completely shut with Shaq inside. Just sayin'.
[Sources: TMZ via MyRide.com]
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lotus Evora, with six new images.
After the Evora was officially revealed in London, Lotus CEO Michael Kimberley has made it clear that more variants of the 2+2 were on the way. Six different versions are planned, including a convertible – originally confirmed the day the Evora debuted – that will keep the coupe fresh over its eight-year lifespan.
While a drop-top is nice, power is what the people crave. So within two years expect another naturally aspirated variant that boosts the 3.5-liter V6's engine from 280 to 320 hp. After that, it's all about forced induction. The mid-mounted V6 has been positioned in the engine bay to accept a supercharger, which will bring output up and over 400 hp, dropping the 0-60 time to under four seconds and making the Evora "S" a serious contender to the Porsche 911 Turbo.
[Source: Autocar]
Follow the jump to watch the video
Anybody who wants to know why Formula 1 teams are reconsidering using the Kinetic Energy Recovery System, or KERS need only watch the video embedded after the jump. So far, there have been two incidents of KERS failures, the first requiring the U.K. Red Bull team to make a call to the local Fire Department and the second, as seen in the video, sending a BMW mechanic to the ground. The KERS system recovers energy that would be lost to braking so that it can be reused on the next straightaway. We aren't in the business of finding enjoyment from the suffering of others, but since the mechanic was basically unharmed, let this be a reminder that high voltage hurts. Yowzah! Thanks for the tip, Lachlan!
[Source: YouTube]
The facts surrounding the forthcoming Mercedes-Benz SLC supercar are scarce, but one thing's for sure: gull-wing doors are part of the package. So far, we've only seen spy shots of the SLC wearing body panels pilfered from other M-B products, along with one Viper-clad mule. But these newest images procured by eMercedesBenz not only give us a glimpse of the gull-winged homage, but also provide us with some idea of the proportions of the new supercar.
Previous reports suggest that underneath the elongated aluminum hood lays a turbocharged version of AMG's 6.3-liter V8, putting out around 600 hp and an unruly amount of torque. The cab-backwards stance, short rear overhangs and makeshift spoiler all hint at the Merc's pavement punishing potential, and the raised driver's side door -- still far from complete -- appears to remain true to the original 300SL.
Click the image above to check out more shots from eMercedesBenz.
[Source: eMercedesBenz]
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