Tag: testing

Spy Shots: 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet spotted testing in the nude

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Performance, Porsche, Luxury

Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet spy shots

The Porsche 911 wouldn’t be the Porsche 911 unless there were twenty-something different models to choose from (note: we are not complaining), and the latest one was just spied by our trusty photographers out on Germany’s Nürburgring. Feast your eyes on the 911 Turbo Cabriolet – the droptop version of the new Turbo wonder that debuted in May – looking all sorts of stealth in its black-on-black-on-black prototype scheme.

Mechanically, the 911 Turbo Cab should be identical to the fixed-roof version, meaning a twin-turbo 3.8-liter flat-six engine will live in the car’s rump, putting out something like 520 horsepower. Of course, there’s also the hotter Turbo S version of the coupe, and we expect that to get the droptop treatment, as well, with 560 horsepower on tap. The added weight of the folding top and additional structural supports will likely make for slightly slower 0-60 times for both cars, though considering the base Turbo will hit 60 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds, “slower” is a very relative term indeed. All that force will run to the ground via all-wheel drive, managed by Porsche’s seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission.

The wide stance of the 911 Turbo Coupe carries over to the Cabriolet, no doubt fitted with the same (standard) 20-inch wheels. Inside, the usual luxury amenities will be on hand, along with nearly endless customization options.

Given that the Frankfurt Motor Show isn’t too far off in the future, we expect to see the Turbo Cabriolet officially bow before then. For now, check it out in the high-res spy shot gallery above.

2014 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet spotted testing in the nude originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Jul 2013 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Spy Shots: 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet spotted testing in the nude”

Spy Shots: Porsche 911 GT2 caught testing, is super bad

Filed under: Spy Photos, Performance, Europe, Crossover, Porsche, Luxury

Look what spy photographers have spotted sprinting around the Nürburgring. Our shooters nabbed a few photos of the all-new Porsche 911 GT2 in its native habitat without any of the bulky camouflage or cladding we’re used to seeing. The result is our first truly clear view at the upcoming successor to the GT2 throne. From the looks of it, the new model will boast wider fender arches front and rear, and hefty air intakes set into the machine’s hips should help feed a beastly 3.8-liter flat six-cylinder engine. Early guesses put the engine output somewhere around 560 horsepower.

Mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the engine should propel this rear-engined heathen to 62 miles per hour in under three seconds. Top speed? Try somewhere around 200 mph. If that’s true, the next-generation 911 GT2 will be the fastest 911 in Porsche history.

Porsche 911 GT2 caught testing, is super bad originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Jun 2013 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Spy Shots: Porsche 911 GT2 caught testing, is super bad”

Video: Watch Porsche’s 918 Spyder break a sweat while hot weather testing

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Videos, Porsche

With five months left until the 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder enters production, Porsche engineers are still putting the hybrid sports coupe through a battery of last-minute tests. To give us new reasons to ogle over the car – as if we needed any more – Porsche has released a short video showing the 918 Spyder undergoing shakedown tests in the hot Nevada desert. And you can’t drive through Nevada without visiting Vegas, too, right?

Although there’s really nothing new to see in this video, it’s still fun to watch as Porsche approaches one million test miles logged on this exciting new high-performance model. One interesting part (at around the 0:37 mark) shows the car taking off under electric power and then transitioning to engine power, which results in a mix of whirs and growls as the 918 Spyder switches from a 127-horsepower electric vehicle to an 887-hp hybrid supercar. Scroll down to watch – and hear – Porsche’s latest creation in motion.

Continue reading Watch Porsche’s 918 Spyder break a sweat while hot weather testing

Watch Porsche’s 918 Spyder break a sweat while hot weather testing originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Video: Watch Porsche’s 918 Spyder break a sweat while hot weather testing”

Report: UPS testing plastic trucks that cut weight by 1,000 pounds [w/video]

Filed under: Etc., Videos

plastic UPS truck

UPS tests composite delivery truck – Click above to watch the video after the jump

UPS is known for its amazing level of efficiency, and that reputation could soon extend to fuel savings thanks to a prototype dubbed CV-23. The delivery company has ordered five of these prototypes to be tested through the end of 2011, but this is no ordinary next-generation package hauler.

The CV-23 weighs about a thousand pounds less than the typical UPS truck, thanks to the fact that it is made with composite materials instead of metal. The lightweight materials could help UPS deliver up to 40 percent better fuel economy than the current UPS fleet truck. Those kinds of fuel economy gains can pay huge dividends in rural areas where trucks are required to drive large distances. And since the body panels are plastic, bumpers, panels and other parts can be replaced easily.

Hit the jump to watch video of the CV-23 as it is tested by UPS management. If the company is sufficiently impressed, the guys and gals in brown could order more trucks, potentially saving 84 million gallons of fuel per year. We’re guessing drivers will want to see some crash test data before seeing what brown plastic can do for them, but otherwise, this seems like a pretty good idea.

Continue reading UPS testing plastic trucks that cut weight by 1,000 pounds [w/video]

UPS testing plastic trucks that cut weight by 1,000 pounds [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: UPS testing plastic trucks that cut weight by 1,000 pounds [w/video]”

Video: 2012 BMW M5 teased again during Nardo high-speed testing

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Videos, BMW

2012 BMW M5 Video

2012 BMW M5 undergoing high-speed testing – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Seriously, BMW, enough with the 2012 M5 teasers. In addition to the buffet of spy shots that we’ve published, BMW debuted the production-looking M5 Concept in Shanghai and has released quite a few videos teasing the new M flagship sedan doing what it does best. Almost nothing has been left to the imagination at this point.

Who are we kidding? We can’t get enough of this car.

This time around, we see the lightly camouflaged M5 doing high-speed testing at Italy’s massive Nardo Ring – an important part of any M car development. As you can see by the driver’s expressions, hitting the highest numbers on the speedometer is a piece of cake for the twin-turbocharged M5.

BMWBlog.com reports that the M5 will officially debut at the automaker’s M Festival, held from June 23 to 26 to celebrate the 24 Hours of Nürburgring race. The car will make its grand auto show debut in Frankfurt this fall. Hit the jump to watch and hear the latest teaser.

Continue reading 2012 BMW M5 teased again during Nardo high-speed testing

2012 BMW M5 teased again during Nardo high-speed testing originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Video: 2012 BMW M5 teased again during Nardo high-speed testing”

Report: Top Gear spotted testing hot hatches in Tuscany

Filed under: Spy Photos, Performance, Europe, Hatchback

Top Gear in Tuscany

Everyone’s favorite car show is slated to return sometime next month, but we’ve got little indication of what to expect. We’ll know soon enough, but before the first episode of the new season of Top Gear airs – likely with a teaser of what’s to come – we’ve got these snapshots to go by.

According to Netherlands-based Autojunk, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May were spotted with a trio of European hot hatches in the the ancient town of Lucca in Italy’s picturesque Tuscany region. The cars in question appear to be an Abarth 500C Esse Esse, a rare Citroën DS3 Racing and the benchmark Renaultsport Clio.

It looks to be a great shootout, and we’ll look forward to seeing it on the BBC when it airs. Of course it’s entirely possible that, with production schedules the way they are, that won’t happen until the following season, but we’re sure to enjoy finding out one way or another.

Top Gear spotted testing hot hatches in Tuscany originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 May 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: Top Gear spotted testing hot hatches in Tuscany”

Spy Shots: Aston Martin Rapide S undergoing testing on the ‘Ring

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Performance, Aston Martin, UK, Luxury

Aston Martin Rapide S spy shots

Aston Martin Rapide S spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery

Word on the street is that Aston Martin is developing a faster, more powerful version of its Rapide four-door, a rumor fueled by new spy shots snapped on Germany’s infamous Nürburgring. The camouflaged prototype pictured above appears to pack a revised front end and tail, with larger intakes up front and a lip spoiler and reshaped bumper around back.

Underneath the revised fascias, sources expect to find the 510-horsepower V12 from the DBS to upgrade from the DB9-spec 470-hp mill already in place in the “standard” Rapide. Couple this with carbon-ceramic brakes and revised suspension, and the Rapide S is starting to shape up as a real barnstormer.

In short, if the existing Rapide is a four-door DB9, expect the Rapide S to come in as a four-door DBS – suitable for carrying 007 and not just one, but three Bond girls to their next mission or exotic locale.

Aston Martin Rapide S undergoing testing on the ‘Ring originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 May 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Spy Shots: Aston Martin Rapide S undergoing testing on the ‘Ring”

Spy Shots: Audi S1 caught testing, likes wearing A1 clothing

Filed under: Spy Photos, Hatchback, Audi

spy photo audi s1

Spy Shots: Audi S1 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Spy photographers have been training their lenses on upcoming Audi models as of late. Earlier, we got a look at the R8 GT Spyder, and now those cameras have captured the S1 hot hatch. Though it may look like a standard Audi A1, this mule is covering up S1 guts. What’s the give-away? A set of large exhaust pipes planted in the rear end.

Rumor has it that the mill powering this sporty hatchback will pump out 270 horsepower. That energy will be sent out to all four corners courtesy of the Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Expect to see more aggressive bits of body work on the real S1 when it finally shows its face.

Audi S1 caught testing, likes wearing A1 clothing originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 May 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Spy Shots: Audi S1 caught testing, likes wearing A1 clothing”

Emergency testing a Boeing’s brakes equals awesome

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Videos

Boeing 747-8 Ultimate Rejected Takeoff testing

Boeing 747-8 Ultimate Rejected Takeoff test – Click above to watch the video after the break

Modern-day supercars typically come with brake discs and pads made from exotic carbon and steel compounds, and are more than a foot in diameter. As you would expect, they are capable of hauling the exotic machinery they are attached to from speeds of over 200 miles per hour back down to zero with physics-defying alacrity.

But even the most high-tech automotive brakes have got nuthin’ on the binders holding back the latest Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet.

To demonstrate the effectiveness of the brakes of its massive aircraft, Boeing ground away every last bit of of the carbon surfaces that normally handle braking duties. In other words, these brakes were ready for replacement and would never even have sniffed a runway in real life. In order to pass the test, the 747-8 needs to stop from 200 miles per hour to simulate an aborted takeoff, and it must do so using only its brakes – no reverse thrusters allowed.

Also, it’s worth mentioning that the fully-loaded airplane weighs in at more than 975,000 pounds. That bears repeating: A million pounds!

So, does the million-pound airliner pass this ultimate rejected takeoff test? Check out the video after the break to see for yourself.

Continue reading Emergency testing a Boeing’s brakes equals awesome

Emergency testing a Boeing’s brakes equals awesome originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 May 2011 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Emergency testing a Boeing’s brakes equals awesome”

Ford testing 60 Focus ST models around the world

Filed under: Spy Photos, Performance, Hatchback, Ford

ford focus st mule

Ford Focus ST testing – Click above for high-res image gallery

We’re looking forward to getting our hands on the ST variant of the Ford Focus, and why not? We Americans have had no choice but to sit back and watch while our overseas comrades got to have all the fun behind the wheel of high-performance Focii, which made the hot hatchbacks the forbidden fruit we tend to crave.

Ford promises that the U.S. will finally have a chance at the next-generation ST, which should supply at least 246 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque courtesy an EcoBoost 2.0-liter mill. The only problem is that the high-pot Focus ST is still a year away, but that doesn’t mean we won’t see test mules traveling the highways and test tracks around the world.

Ford tells us they have 60 ST models testing everywhere from California to Germany’s Nürburgring. The testers may look like last-generation ST or more pedestrian current-gen Focus models, but the big wheels, low profile and double exhaust passes will show that the mules are anything but ordinary.

Matthias Tonn, who heads performance engineering at Ford of Europe, says that the testing is needed to make the next ST shine, adding that engineers are “fine-tuning, testing, and fine tuning again many of the small but critical details to make sure it is worthy of the ST badge.”

And just because the ST will be a performance hatch doesn’t mean Ford isn’t keenly focused on fuel economy as well. Tonn says the goal is to produce class-leading fuel economy even with a performance variant. Mixing fuel efficiency and performance is no easy task, but Ford is banking on a thrifty EcoBoost engine and fuel-saving technology like a finely tuned Electric Power Assist Steering (EPAS) system to do the trick.

While the Focus ST is still a way away from production, Ford provided some “spy photos” of an ST mule during testing in Germany, which you can peruse in our high-res image gallery. Hit the jump to read over the Ford press release.

Continue reading Ford testing 60 Focus ST models around the world

Ford testing 60 Focus ST models around the world originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 May 2011 18:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Ford testing 60 Focus ST models around the world”