Tag: coupe

Review: 2013 BMW M3 Coupe Lime Rock Park Edition

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, BMW, New Car Reviews, Luxury

Sic Transit Gloria

2013 BMW M3 Lime Rock Park Edition

I like difficult cars. I like turbo “moments,” dramatic weight distribution, low-grip, peaky power delivery, and overly quick steering, along with ultra-short wheelbases and any number of other non-racecar-perfect dynamic foibles. I love the newest generation of BMW cars and engines – all turbo’d up with tons of torque and power everywhere in the rev range, too. But what I think the enthusiast community will miss when this 2013 M3 Coupe becomes the 2014 M4 Coupe – replacing its idiosyncratic, small-displacement, revvy V8 for something like a triple-turbo, directly injected, inline six-cylinder powerhouse in the process – is the work it takes to drive the car fast and perfectly. Sometimes small flaws just make things better; my mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun, and all that.

The idea of this E92 M3 going away then, magnified by the loss of the M3 badge for the coupe, is at best bittersweet for me. This generation of M car is already surpassed in terms of raw thrills by the better-than-ever Mercedes-Benz C63, a car that doesn’t ask its driver to sacrifice low-end grunt or the very latest in amenities in return for stellar backroad performance. Yet any time I’ve been lucky enough to lap a track in the M3, it has quickly become clear that the Bimmer is the better on-edge tool. With the freedom to wring the neck of the 4.0-liter V8 and room to exercise the lovely balance of the car, the E92 is hard to match (even six years after its debut).

Still, when the 2013 BMW M3 Coupe Lime Rock Park Edition rolled into my driveway, its Fire Orange bodywork flashing over gloss-black 19-inch rolling stock, the car had me a little crossed up. BMW has been tossing out special edition M3s for the last few years now, all asking thousands of dollars extra for the limited production-run vehicles. I knew that the LRP was more than a mere trim and tape package, but would it be an appropriate send off for a spectacularly departing sports car legend, or just $10,000 down the drain where a stock M3 Coupe would have happily sufficed?

Continue reading 2013 BMW M3 Coupe Lime Rock Park Edition

2013 BMW M3 Coupe Lime Rock Park Edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Jul 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Galpin imagines what Ford’s GT would look like today with Pebble-bound coupe

Filed under: Performance, Ford

Galpin Auto Sports will be bringing its first coachbuilt supercar to this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Called the Galpin Ford GTR1, it’s a 1000-plus-horsepower monster based on the Ford GT. The reimagined supercar sports a 5.4-liter, supercharged V8 capable of rocketing the slinky GT-based coupe to over 225 miles per hour. Yowza.

When the GTR1 enters production, owners can choose between both carbon fiber and aluminum vehicle bodies. The car that will arrive at Pebble Beach will wear a metal body, sporting a smoother, more modern shape than the Ford GT. Actually, it kind of reminds us of the Shelby GR-1 Concept from the 2005 Detroit Auto Show. The cabin features plenty of machined aluminum and leather, while a McIntosh stereo will pamper audiophiles that tire of the mid-mounted V8.

Pirelli PZero tires hug 20-inch, forged aluminum wheels, while six-piston calipers and carbon rotors are poised to bring that crazy speed to a sudden halt. We’ll have more on the Galpin Ford GTR1 when it makes its first public appearance at The Quail on August 15, before it’s grand debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on August 18.

Continue reading Galpin imagines what Ford’s GT would look like today with Pebble-bound coupe

Galpin imagines what Ford’s GT would look like today with Pebble-bound coupe originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Jul 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW shows off 435i Coupe with M Performance parts

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, BMW, Luxury

2014 BMW 435i Coupe with M Performance parts

Greetings from the famous Circuito do Estoril racetrack in Portugal. We’re here to put the 2014 BMW 4 Series coupe through its paces, and we’ll have the chance to sample the updated 2014 BMW M5 with its new Competition Pack, as well. But before going out for some hot laps, we took a few minutes to check out this 435i Coupe that’s been fitted with a full suite of goodies from the BMW M Performance parts catalog.

Starting with the exterior, carbon fiber bits are the most noticeable additions, with the lightweight material added in the form of a massive front splitter, mirror caps and a rear spoiler. Other visual changes include lightweight 20-inch wheels, a blacked-out grille, and unique M Performance side stripes. No, that’s not a shadow you see under the 435i’s strong side character line – that’s a stripe. Yes, we’re serious.

Inside (we couldn’t get photos of the interior, sorry!), BMW has added its sport steering wheel with race display, unique M floormats, steel pedals, and a whole mess of carbon fiber and Alcantara trim.

But the M catalog isn’t just about added flair. Legitimate performance parts can be had, and for starters, this 435i is fitted with a power kit that increases engine output from 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque to 334 and 332, respectively. Building upon that, there’s a limited-slip differential, performance suspension, upgraded brakes with red calipers and a rear apron diffuser finished in carbon.

BMW hasn’t announced official pricing for the 4 Series goodies as of this writing, but we should have a clearer idea of how much coin each option will warrant closer to the kit’s debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September. Until then, have a glance through our gallery of live photos to take it all in for yourself.

BMW shows off 435i Coupe with M Performance parts originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 20 Jul 2013 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Honda Factory Performance pack now available for Accord V6 Coupe

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Honda

2013 Honda Accord HFP - front three-quarter view, blue

When the Honda Factory Performance package debuted for the 2013 Honda Accord at SEMA last year, we were told it would come as optional fitment for both the four-cylinder and V6 Accords. Now that Honda has put it on sale, however, it’s only for the V6, at least for now.

The upgraded coupe will be limited to just 500 copies, and it will be known by its 15-millimeter-lower ride height thanks to a sport suspension, exclusive 19-inch wheels on summer tires, ground effects all around the car and HFP badging. Interior updates will be limited to red illumination and HFP floormats.

Honda says the package will cost $4,620 – a $30 drop from the price announced at SEMA – not including installation, and it come with a 3-year/36,000-mile limited warranty if you have it put on when buying the car new. The press release below can tell you more.

Continue reading Honda Factory Performance pack now available for Accord V6 Coupe

Honda Factory Performance pack now available for Accord V6 Coupe originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Jul 2013 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Altima Coupe dead as Nissan charts the changes for 2014

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Nissan

The 2014 model year brings plenty of new designs and updates from Nissan – including the next-generation Rogue – but the Altima Coupe has been discontinued. The current generation of the Coupe won buyers over with sharp styling and, at one point, a 270-horsepower naturally aspirated V6 – the heart of the more upscale Infinity G37. It’s unlikely that Nissan plans to make another one, but keep in mind the current Coupe was released to the public about a year after the sedan hit dealerships.

The vehicles joining Nissan’s lineup for 2014 include the Versa Note hatchback, the NV200 Compact Cargo van and the next-generation Rogue compact SUV. Also new for 2014 is the Pathfinder Hybrid, but that will be added to the lineup in the fall.

Other models that are receiving enhancements are the sedan version of the Altima, which now comes standard with the CVT transmission and gets revised option packs; the Frontier, which gets updated option packs, enhanced navigation system functionality and a sliding middle rear window; the GT-R, which receives a bunch of small performance enhancements and, more importantly, initially will be offered in three versions (Premium, Black Edition and Track Edition), with another, limited special-edition model coming late in the year; the Versa sedan, all versions of which get 60/40-split fold-down rear seats and revised steering and suspension tuning; and last, but not least, the 370Z NISMO will have exterior accent color updates and a new steering wheel and tachometer.

There are plenty more details to be gleaned about Nissan’s model lineup for 2014, so be sure to read the press release below.

Continue reading Altima Coupe dead as Nissan charts the changes for 2014

Altima Coupe dead as Nissan charts the changes for 2014 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Jul 2013 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Followup: Lexus coupe caught in spy shots actually RC, headed for Tokyo reveal?

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Performance, Lexus

Lexus may have pulled a fast one on us. The car our spy shooters spotted yesterday may not, in fact, be an IS F Coupe as we indicated. Rather, the car shown above may be a new model, dubbed RC, that will arrive at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show.

Following a report from Automotive News, the RC is believed to be a pure coupe, rather than a hardtop convertible. This gels with information provided on the IS sedan’s launch, when Lexus spokespeople said the IS Convertible would remain on the current platform. With styling based on the LF-CC from the 2012 Paris show, the new car will share a rear-drive platform with the IS and GS sedans.

Power is expected to come from a 3.5-liter V6 that turns out 306 horsepower. That car will likely wear the RC 350 badge. A hybrid model is expected to follow, but in a twist, it won’t be coming to the US. The big news, though, is that the RC will spawn an RC F.

Sources told AN that a 460-hp V8 will replace the 416-hp mill found in the current IS F, allowing the RC F to really duke it out with Stuttgart, Munich, and Ingolstadt.

Where does that leave the IS F? We can’t be sure, but with Mercedes-Benz and BMW both offering (now or in the future) fast, compact sedans, we wouldn’t bet on Lexus sitting out. We can expect to see a production RC F at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show, with examples arriving in dealers later that year.

Lexus coupe caught in spy shots actually RC, headed for Tokyo reveal? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Jul 2013 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Lexus readying hot IS F Coupe

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Lexus, Luxury

The 2014 Lexus IS sedan has been turning heads and dividing public opinion since we first drove it. Then, as now, we knew that a revamped IS F would be in the offing at some point, but until today we had know idea what form the Lexus would take.

Our first ever batch of 2015 Lexus IS F spy shots has just come across the transom, and the camouflaged coupe – that’s right, there are just two doors this time out – is awfully intriguing at first glance. A much more aggressive front end is prominent, as is the slinky roofline that finishes in a pert rear end. The signature IS grille is still in effect here, at least in terms of the shape, and while the headlamps are covered up, we’d expect some variation of the slash-like units on the 2014 IS.

Hinting at the car’s performance intentions are large slotted brake rotors with significantly sized calipers, all tucked in behind dark-finish wheels. Quad exhaust tips and a retractable spoiler can be seen at the back of the car.

Unfortunately, we still don’t know what to expect in terms of engine – there’s some evidence that the current car’s 5.0-liter V8 won’t meet European emissions standards. A turbocharged V6 of some kind would certainly match up with the reported mills in the upcoming BMW M4, however, and the hood scoop seen above lends some credence to that thought process. In any case we’d expect north of 450 horsepower in terms of output.

Lexus readying hot IS F Coupe originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Jul 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Watch how one man finds contentment in his Fiat 2300 S Coupe

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Europe, Videos, Specialty, Fiat

At least once a day we hear about the glory of cars of years past, whether for their light weight, their simplicity, their manual transmissions or the way you could order options without ordering packages. But we know that we – and yes, even we here at Autoblog – romanticize plenty of it; that light weight meant atrocious NVH, those options sheets didn’t include any of the things we take for granted in a Ford Fiesta today.

Nevertheless, there are those classics that make it worth it – for them it is no problem to endure the constant draft of bad window seals, the need to add another quart of oil every couple hundred miles. Petrolicious has found one such car and owner, Pierantonio Micciarelli and his Fiat 2300 S Coupe in Milan, Italy. His Ghia-bodied two-door can’t be driven during the day and cost him 800 euros in gas for a 2,500-kilometer trip to a wedding, but the payoff is that moving beauty that makes him “feel like an emperor.”

But there’s no reason to listen to us tell it – enjoy Macciarelli tell his own story in the video below.

Continue reading Watch how one man finds contentment in his Fiat 2300 S Coupe

Watch how one man finds contentment in his Fiat 2300 S Coupe originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Jul 2013 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: XCAR loves the Morgan Aero Coupe and so do we

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, UK, Luxury, MISC

XCAR Morgan Aero Coupe parked on street - front three-quarter view - video screencap

If you listen to the accountants of the world, the Morgan Aero Coupe simply shouldn’t exist. With a production run of around 100 units, this car is the very definition of boutique. It reeks of nonsensical transportation. It isn’t the fastest. It doesn’t handle the best. It isn’t even the most luxurious. As such, there simply isn’t a business case for the car on paper. Count us among the thankful that human desire has nothing to do logic. XCAR recently took the time to get personal with the Aero Coupe by exercising the machine through downtown London at night. The result is some beautiful videography of what Morgan calls “automotive theater.”

It’s a damn fine way to spend six and a half minutes of your day. You can watch the clip below for yourself to see what we mean. Just don’t blame us if you start looking at your daily ride with a more jaundiced eye.

Continue reading XCAR loves the Morgan Aero Coupe and so do we

XCAR loves the Morgan Aero Coupe and so do we originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Jun 2013 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Jaguar F-Type Coupe proves sexy can’t be disguised

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Jaguar, Luxury

Jaguar F-Type Coupe spy shots

Jaguar’s new F-Type is a pretty potent little pouncer. And while we do love a good roadster, many of us at Autoblog are perhaps more excited about the upcoming hardtop version of Jag’s stylish new entry-level sports car. Why? Because even here in heavily camouflaged prototype form, the thing looks really, really good – the sleek roofline blending rather nicely into the F-Type’s shapely rump, allowing for better distinction of its pronounced hips over the rear wheel wells.

Mechanically speaking, the F-Type Coupe should be identical to its droptop sibling. That means the supercharged 3.0-liter V6 and 5.0-liter V8 engine lineup should carry over unchanged, though we’ve heard rumors about a four-cylinder application as well. There’s also talk of hotter R, R-S or R-S GT models coming down the pipeline, and based on what we’ve experienced in things like the XKR-S, we certainly can’t deny the allure of such a model.

It’s unclear exactly when Jaguar will show the production F-Type Coupe (at the Frankfurt Motor Show, perhaps?), but the car is expected to go on sale sometime in 2014. Check it out in our latest spy gallery, above.

Jaguar F-Type Coupe proves sexy can’t be disguised originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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