Category: Auto Industry

Video: Volvo C30 Polestar Concept hits the ‘Ring

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Videos, Hatchback, Volvo, Luxury

Scandinavian Touring Car Championship driver Robert Dahlgren drives C30 Polestar concept on the Nurburgring.

It’s been over three years since the Volvo C30 Polestar Concept was unveiled, driven by journalists and, as it turns out, lapped around the Nürburgring with Scandinavian Touring Car Championship driver Robert Dahlgren behind the wheel. For whatever reason, the video of the ‘Ring track session was only published by the tuning company yesterday. (Another discrepancy: Did Polestar’s C30 lose 46 horsepower somewhere along the line? Because the video states that it has 405 hp, while the company’s website quotes 451 hp…)

Whatever the case, the tuned Volvo is a beast, much more so than the similar-looking, 250-hp 2013 Volvo C30 Polestar Limited Edition that was sold last year. With 451 hp (sounds better than 405 hp, doesn’t it?), all-wheel drive, limited-slip differentials front and rear and Öhlins dampers, the Polestar Concept checks all of the right boxes for us.

For some reason, the video, which you can watch below, seems a bit vanilla to us. Perhaps the overly dramatic music takes away from the action and the beautiful sounds of the turbocharged five-cylinder engine?

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Volvo C30 Polestar Concept hits the ‘Ring originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Aug 2013 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2014 Infiniti Q50

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Performance, Infiniti, First Drives, Luxury

Avoiding An Identity Crisis… For Now

2014 Infiniti Q50

Infiniti is a brand that has been quietly undergoing major upheaval – and not just with the numbers and letters on its trunklids. Back in December, Nissan’s premium brand rankled fans and pundits by announcing it would redo its alphanumeric nomenclature, yet that decision was but a PR speedbump – there are bigger fish to fry. After all, this is a marque that was on the chopping block just a couple of years ago, and now it has a major opportunity to succeed thanks to new investment, new independence (Infiniti is now responsible for its own design, engineering, marketing, quality and human resources), a new global headquarters in Hong Kong, and new marching orders from new leadership that calls for a revitalized and expanded portfolio.

Yet if you think that the Q-based naming convention is the first sign of the brand’s new direction, you might have missed Infiniti’s biggest signal flare: the 2013 JX crossover. Fine premium three-row crossover that it may be, it’s still the first Infiniti in ages that operates without a scintilla of driving entertainment at the core of its genetic makeup. (The last – and perhaps only – previous example was also Pathfinder-based, the 1997 QX4). To be fair, three-row CUVs have a laundry list of priorities before driving enjoyment figures in, but the message the JX (henceforth known as the QX60) sends is clear: Infiniti is going after more segments and more customers. Plans are afoot to expand the company’s product line by a whopping 60 percent over the next five years, and in short, that means Infiniti is no longer content to be the unsung Japanese BMW – it needs vehicles that satisfy a wider swath of consumers. Despite all this, Infiniti officials we spoke with were keen to assert that driving pleasure remains very much core to their mission, and to that of this 2014 Q50 in particular.

And surely the Q50 is something different and altogether more palatable to enthusiasts, right? After all, it replaces the bedrock G37 sport sedan at the heart of the lineup (well, sort of), and the latter was always regarded as a good handler and a dynamic drive, even if its overall refinement left something to be desired as it aged. Yet some of the Q50’s new technology, in particular drive-by-wire steering (a world’s first production application) and a new degree of autonomous capability, had us curious to see if the most important part of the experience is still down to the soft-headed bit belted in front of the steering wheel. We spent a day driving both standard and hybrid Q50s in New England and a few more on our metro Detroit home turf to find out if there’s still a healthy percentage of “sport” in this sedan.

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2014 Infiniti Q50 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Aug 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Is the Subaru BRZ STI being teased really only a tS version?

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Scion, Subaru, Toyota, Rumormill

Subaru BRZ teaser depicting either a tS or STI model

Teaser images of a purported Subaru BRZ STI were uncovered last night and sent the internet into a collective state of hysterics. That’s not hugely surprising, though, considering the reverence that the BRZ, along with its fraternal twins, the Scion FR-S and Toyota GT86, have garnered from the automotive media. The sole sticking point, really, has been its mere 200 horsepower. People have been chomping at the bit over a higher output version of the sublime rear driver.

Those same people may be in for a disappointment, though. See, the BRZ STI that was teased last night might not be a real STI. Instead, it’s looking like it might be a BRZ tS. According to 7Tune.com, the timing of the photos posted on Subaru’s website lined up with Subaru’s 86 Festival at Fuji Speedway, where the Subaru BRZ tS debuted. Despite wearing STI badges, the tS isn’t the full-tilt STI model we’ve been hoping for. Instead, you can think of the relationship between tS models and STI models as sort of like the difference between a BMW 3 Series M Sport and a BMW M3.

Certainly, the speccing of the tS supports that idea. The engine of the BRZ remains untouched in both tS models, which is one of the primary things we expect a full-bore STI to address. A number of interior and exterior styling items have been added, along with Bilstein suspension pieces and six-pot Brembo brakes. The tS sports two different trim levels, with the higher end using Recaro seats, black alloy wheels, and a carbon-fiber rear spoiler. The base tS features silver wheels, standard seats, and all the same suspension and brake upgrades. Adding fuel to the fire that these are not the true STI models is the limited production run – Subaru will only build 750 tS cars.

Still, there’s hope that we’ll eventually see a BRZ STI, with rumors to support that argument. The 2013-2014 auto show season will ultimately tell the tale.

Is the Subaru BRZ STI being teased really only a tS version? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Aug 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: No FWD Smart crossover in the works, but two concepts headed for Frankfurt

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Budget, Crossover, Hatchback, Smart

If you’re a fan of Daimler’s Smart brand, here is some potentially good news for you today. First, a pair of concept vehicles will be on display at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month previewing the next-gen Fortwo and Forfour models, and more interestingly, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche has stated that are no plans to offer a front-engine, front-drive vehicle for the Smart brand, both reports according to Autocar.

There has been no shortage of concept vehicles from Smart in recent years, but with the Fortwo and Forfour due out in the next year or two, these concepts could be pretty close to the production designs. As for future products beyond these two models, Zetsche told Autocar the rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout is a “defining feature” for Smart, and a future crossover model will be based on the new Forfour platform rather than sharing its platform with a more conventional product in the Daimler portfolio.

No FWD Smart crossover in the works, but two concepts headed for Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Aug 2013 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Snapshots from Acura NSX prototype run at Mid-Ohio

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Hybrid, Marketing/Advertising, Acura, Racing

Acura NSX Prototype lapping Mid-Ohio ahead of the Honda Indy 200.

Acura’s achingly slow showing of the new, hybrid NSX saw yet another step yesterday, as we reported late last week. A powder-blue prototype ran ahead of the open-wheelers at the Honda Indy 200 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Why show the NSX Prototype at Mid-Ohio? Honda’s Ohio research and development center, which has taken the lead on NSX development, is just 60 miles from the track. And as race sponsor, Honda must have figured it would give the spectators a glimpse of the new supercar it’s been teasing for the better part of a decade.

With a planned launch in 2015 (special emphasis on the “planned” part, considering the NSX’s history), the NSX Prototype shown here sports graphics that “speak to Acura’s intention to go racing with the new NSX.” That’s great news for fans of endurance racing, although it remains to be seen when a motorsports program for the new NSX will get off the ground.

Take a look at the fresh gallery of images, and be sure to head over to our original Mid-Ohio post for the video footage of the NSX Prototype on track.

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Snapshots from Acura NSX prototype run at Mid-Ohio originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Aug 2013 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Read This: Ferrari vs. Ferrari: Cut convertibles unloved by collectors?

Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Ferrari

1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4*S N.A.R.T. Spider by Scaglietti

The New York Times’ Wheels blog has a really interesting story on a pair of Ferraris that are set to be auctioned off in Monterey during the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. While the two cars are similar on the surface, their differing histories and Ferrari’s attitude towards one of them has led to a sort of experimental auction process.

On the one hand, we have one of ten 1967 275 GTB/4 NART Spiders, in the classic Rosso Corsa and appearing at RM Auctions and seen above. On the other, we have a Fly Yellow version that started life as a 1965 275 GTB Coupe, and was converted into a NART Spider. Called a “cut” car, this particular replica is one of about 100 GTB Coupes that were converted into convertibles to satiate the climbing demand for ultra-rare Spiders.

This will mark one of the first times that an original NART Spider will go toe to toe with a replica of itself at auction, and will answer a number of questions about just how important provenance is in the collector car world. Head on over to The Times blog for the full story.

Ferrari vs. Ferrari: Cut convertibles unloved by collectors? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Aug 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Apple moves to patent adjusting car preferences via iPhone

Filed under: Government/Legal, Technology

Apple files patent for adjust car preferences via iPhone

Just when you thought your iPhone could do everything for you, Apple is pulling one more trick out of the hat. According to The Unofficial Apple Weblog, the company has filed a patent application for a system that remembers individual car settings, such as the angle of your side mirrors or steering wheel, and adjusts them accordingly.

While many higher-end vehicles and trims already offer packages that include memory for seats and other functions, this iPhone app could be a good solution for those of us who don’t spring for such luxuries. What’s more, it very well could provide drivers with memory control over a greater range of functions.

Better yet, since the settings stay with your phone, you could theoretically use them in other vehicles that you drive. As explained by the patent abstract, “…when the user visits another similar environment, such as a rented automobile, those configuration preferences can be imported into the visited environment and used to automatically configure the environment according to the imported preferences.”

While there’s no telling when this solution might make its way onto your iPhone, we’re definitely excited about the possibilities Apple’s mobile integration with cars might hold.

Apple moves to patent adjusting car preferences via iPhone originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Aug 2013 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Apple moves to patent adjusting car preferences via iPhone

Filed under: Government/Legal, Technology

Apple files patent for adjust car preferences via iPhone

Just when you thought your iPhone could do everything for you, Apple is pulling one more trick out of the hat. According to The Unofficial Apple Weblog, the company has filed a patent application for a system that remembers individual car settings, such as the angle of your side mirrors or steering wheel, and adjusts them accordingly.

While many higher-end vehicles and trims already offer packages that include memory for seats and other functions, this iPhone app could be a good solution for those of us who don’t spring for such luxuries. What’s more, it very well could provide drivers with memory control over a greater range of functions.

Better yet, since the settings stay with your phone, you could theoretically use them in other vehicles that you drive. As explained by the patent abstract, “…when the user visits another similar environment, such as a rented automobile, those configuration preferences can be imported into the visited environment and used to automatically configure the environment according to the imported preferences.”

While there’s no telling when this solution might make its way onto your iPhone, we’re definitely excited about the possibilities Apple’s mobile integration with cars might hold.

Apple moves to patent adjusting car preferences via iPhone originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Aug 2013 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: McLaren takes P1 up the hill at Goodwood with contest winner in tow

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Toys/Games, McLaren

McLaren P1 on the Goodwood Festival of Speed course for the Forza McLaren Ride

Andrew Freeman is proof that video games will take you places. That’s not really news, we suppose, considering the success of Nissan and the GT Academy, which takes talented gamers and turns them into full-blooded racecar drivers. Freeman’s case is a bit different, though, as it was more deduction than a blistering lap that got him a seat in a McLaren P1.

Freeman won his spot by taking part in the Forza McLaren Ride, a Facebook contest where he had to watch the trailer for Forza Motorsport 5, then use a map of the circuit shown in the video and figure out where the starting grid was at. The person closest would win a free trip to the Goodwood Festival of Speed and would be the first person from outside the McLaren organization to ride in a P1, with McLaren’s head test driver, Chris Goodwin, at the wheel. And to top it off, they’d be tackling the Earl of March’s driveway.

Take a full look at the video of Freeman and his trip below.

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McLaren takes P1 up the hill at Goodwood with contest winner in tow originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Aug 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Teased: Subaru BRZ STI teasers added to Japanese website

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Subaru

Subaru BRZ STI teaser image

Subaru BRZ STI teaser imageComing Soon. With those two words, Subaru has officially dropped a confirmation bomb on our expectations for a higher performance version of the much-loved BRZ coupe, known, of course, as the Subaru BRZ STI. Two teaser images are being shown on the Japanese web-side home of STI along with the promise of ‘coming soon,’ and there’s also a rather lovely looking set of twisty roads with the words ‘Purity of Handling.’

There’s not much we can glean from the two teaser images, but we’re expecting an aggressive body package to go along with a significant increase in horsepower from the BRZ STI. We’re also not totally clear on what ‘coming soon’ really means – the auto show season will be kicking off in full swing this fall, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see a debut in Los Angeles. That said, you’ll know more just as soon as we do.

Subaru BRZ STI teasers added to Japanese website originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 04 Aug 2013 19:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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