CARSCOOP |  |
- BMW Presents New 4-Series Coupe-Convertible, Priced from $49,675 [115 Photos]
- This Driver Deserves the Lightning Fast Reflexes Award of the Year…Seriously
- Mazda…Dino 246 GT Replica Looking for a New Home at the Price of a 370Z
- Ford Says Vignale Customers To Get Special Experience, Including Life Time Free Car Washes
- Check Out this Military Humvee Duel
- Hennessey Gives SRT Viper a Bit of Extra Power, a Lot of Extra Badging… [w/Videos]
- Los Angeles Traffic Sees Benefits of Computer-Controlled Traffic Lights
- Ghe-O Motors Unveils Rescue Vehicle for Extreme Weather and Terrain [w/Video]
| BMW Presents New 4-Series Coupe-Convertible, Priced from $49,675 [115 Photos] Posted: 12 Oct 2013 04:36 PM PDT  BMW will be travelling to next month's Los Angeles Auto Show with a world premiere in hand, that of the all-new 4-Series Convertible, which like its outgoing 3-Series counterpart, has a dual nature being both a coupe and cabriolet thanks to a three-piece folding metal top. Speaking about the roof, BMW says it has improved the design and construction stating that the new sound-absorbing headliner reduces wind noise by up to 2 dB in comparison to its predecessor. The top can be lowered or raised in 20 seconds at the touch of a button at speeds of up to 11mph (18km/h). Other interesting tidbits about the roof mentioned in BMW's release is that the car's air resistance is Cd 0.28 with the steel top up, and Cd 0.33 when it's retracted, while in terms of luggage space, you get 7.8 cu. ft. (220 liters) with the top down and 13.0 cu. ft. (370 liters) when raised above your head – that's a 0.7 cu. ft. (20 liters) increase over the 3 Series Convertible. A redesigned windblock will be standard in the US, while BMW will offer three-temperature neck warmers as an option. Even though the new 4-Series Convertible is only an inch (26mm) longer than the outgoing 3-Series model bringing its overall length to 182.6 in (4,638 mm), it has a 2.0 inch (50mm) longer wheelbase at 110.6 inches (2,810mm), while it's also 1.7 inches (43mm) wider at 71.9 inches (1,825mm). At model launch, the 4-Series Convertible will be available in North American with the same two gasoline powertrain options as the 4-Series Coupe, both linked to a standard 8-speed automatic. The 428i, offered with both standard rear wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive (xDrive) is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four delivering 240hp and is priced from $49,675. The 435i, available only with RWD at launch, comes with a 300hp 3.0-liter turbo'd six and starts at $55,825. Both prices include $925 destination and handling, with U.S. sales to begin in the first quarter of 2014. In Europe, customers will have the option of three models, the 428i with a 242hp (245PS) 2.0L turbo gasoline unit, the 435i with a 302hp (306PS) 3.0L turbo gasoline engine and the 420d featuring a 2.0-liter turbo'd four-cylinder diesel producing 181hp (184PS). All European versions are fitted with a standard six-speed manual, with the 8-speed auto offered as an option. There will be three available trims in North America, Sport, Luxury and M Sport, while Europe also gets a fourth grade named Modern. The most interesting edition is the M Sport that gains an aerodynamic package, bigger 18-inch (or optionally 19-inch on the 435i) alloy wheels, unique interior trims and a sports suspension.                                                                                                                           |
| This Driver Deserves the Lightning Fast Reflexes Award of the Year…Seriously Posted: 12 Oct 2013 03:32 PM PDT  When you have to watch a video not once, not twice but multiple times, in HD and on full screen, to have an understanding of what just happened and why the driver reacted the way he did, can you imagine yourself being in this position and only having one go at it? If you pause the video at the 57 second mark, you might just see a human figure (…with a brain of the size of a fly, may we add) crossing the highway - right after the road lights end, of course, of course… It's safe to say that, most drivers would have been caught completely off guard and by surprise, having very little or no time to react, but not this man who made an amazing effort and from the looks of it, avoided hitting the foolish pedestrian at his own cost. See the video below the jump.    |
| Mazda…Dino 246 GT Replica Looking for a New Home at the Price of a 370Z Posted: 12 Oct 2013 02:09 PM PDT  Both the Ferrari Dino (well, actually, it was aptly called Dino as it was envisioned as a sub-brand for Ferrari's lesser models) and the original Mazda MX-5 or Miata are special cars in their own unique way that have secured a place in automotive history. So, a car that combines the two should be pretty awesome ride ticking plenty of boxes, right? Well, let's just say that it all depends on your definition of "awesome". Let's see what the current owner of this Ferrari Dino GT replica built around a 1993 Mazda MX-5 has to say about it: "Unbelievable build, Must See! Turns heads pictures taken, Horns Honk, thumbs go up what an attention getter it is, You will feel like you hit the Lotto when driving this car!!! You will Get The Supercar looks and Reliability of a Mazda and Great Gas mileage of almost a hybrid..." Still not convinced? The Diniata is said to have only "88k original certified miles (although the working speedometer shows 39K)". It might be a Mazda in heart, but the eBay asking price has a faint Ferrari scent to it at $29,000 (€21,400). We're just throwing this out there if you're considering it - while it is true that original Dino's retail for ten times that at around $300,000, you could do yourself a favor and go get a brand new 2014 Nissan 370Z for a few hundred dollars more at $29,900 MSRP.                  |
| Ford Says Vignale Customers To Get Special Experience, Including Life Time Free Car Washes Posted: 12 Oct 2013 01:04 PM PDT  At the Frankfurt Motor Show last month, Ford revealed plans for its upscale sub-brand Vignale and showed the world what it will stand for with a concept based on the Mondeo. However, it looks like the sub-brand will be about more than premium materials inside and flashier exteriors. In an interview with Autonews Europe, Ford of Europe marketing boss Gaetano Thorel revealed that Vignale will offer customers a special ownership experience, including...free car washes for the car's lifetime. "It is very likely the customer would not have to drive to the dealership as the car would be picked up, washed and returned to him," the executive revealed, with free car washes to be offered for the entire life of the car. The Vignale customer will have a single contact at the dealership for any request on product or service, meaning that customers will always talk with the same person. "The Vignale customer experience is about providing help not only for product and service needs, but also assist with things such as booking a theater ticket or finding a near-by parking space," the executive added. Moving on to more serious stuff, Thorel said Vignale models will be priced similarly to ST models but will attract a completely different type of customer, described as "someone looking for style, comfort and dedicated services." He added that not all Ford models would get the Vignale treatment. "The Vignale line will be offered only on models and in segments that offer clear opportunities, beginning with the new Mondeo in early 2015." The exec refused to say what other models will follow, but estimated Vignale will make up about 10 percent of total European sales of the nameplate it will be offered for, while overall it will represent 5 percent of Ford's sales on the continent. As for the price, Vignale models will be about 10 percent more expensive than a Titanium model. By Dan Mihalascu                     |
| Check Out this Military Humvee Duel Posted: 12 Oct 2013 11:08 AM PDT  Hummer may be gone as a brand of off-road vehicles for civilians, but the off-roader that inspired the H1, H2 and H3, the Humvee, continues to do its job as a default vehicle for the U.S. Army. However, as the AM General M1116 HMMWV (High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle) will be 30-years-old next year, the army is looking to replace it with a more modern vehicle that is better suited to modern warfare. The big problem is alternative vehicles like the MRAP or the Oshkosh L-ATV are very expensive. This is where Banks Engineering comes into play. The manufacturer of diesel performance and gas performance products argues that the U.S. Military can spend considerably less by extending the life of the Humvee with upgrades that make it faster and more capable off-road. The company has developed a more sophisticated turbocharging system for the 6.5-liter V8 Diesel that boosts power and torque from 190 hp and 355 lb-ft (481 Nm) to 255 hp and 465 lb-ft (630 Nm). Banks Engineering also adds a six-speed automatic gearbox and a revised, active suspension that supposedly handles better the armored Humvee's massive curb weight of 14,300 lbs (6,486 kg). In order to find out if Banks Engineering's upgrades really make the Humvee a better vehicle, Motor Trend's Head2Head team tested both a standard model and the tuned one. You can see the results for yourself in the video posted below. By Dan Mihalascu    |
| Hennessey Gives SRT Viper a Bit of Extra Power, a Lot of Extra Badging… [w/Videos] Posted: 12 Oct 2013 09:55 AM PDT  Hennessey is famous for extracting a lot of horsepower from engines with the use/optimization of forced induction. Their kits range from light to hardcore and the Venom 700R pack for the SRT Viper is on the less complex end of the scale. There's no turbo or supercharger kit in sight, and the 8.4-liter V10 engine is made to produce 705 hp (up from 640hp) with the use of old fashioned tuning techniques. On the list of mods we have high-flow cylinder heads, custom tube headers and 3-inch exhaust, high-flow cat and a K&N performance air filter. Torque gets a boost too, up from 600 to 695 lb-ft (813 to 942 Nm) – this is an increase you'll definitely feel, and it goes to show that the large ten-cylinder engine has yet more to give, even without affecting its response and signature exhaust noise by fitting it with twin turbos. The extra power sends the Viper to 60 mph (96km/h) in 3.1 seconds, while the quarter-mile sprint is dispatched in 10.7 seconds. Top speed is rated at 216 mph, or 345 km/h, if anybody dares go that fast in it, that is, as it's reportedly not the easiest thing in the world to control, and it can't get easier the faster you go. Hennessey also offers a slew of optional carbon fiber parts, lighter wheels, 5-point racing harnesses, adjustable suspension, differential cooler and even a fire extinguisher. There's plenty of badging thrown in for free, as well, though, to be fair, having numbered plaques all over the car's interior and exterior is a bit on the excessive hey-look-at-me side Check it out via the photo gallery and videos posted below. By Andrei Nedelea               |
| Los Angeles Traffic Sees Benefits of Computer-Controlled Traffic Lights Posted: 12 Oct 2013 08:56 AM PDT  Public transit in and around Los Angeles is not ranked among the best in the world (far from it, actually), and thus, most people who own a car seem to use it for everything. This is no secret, and known around the globe, conjuring up images of blocked sunken eight-lane highways and inadequate on- and off-ramps that lead to a lot of swearing and honking. One answer would be to make the mass transit more competent, and bring people back out of their cars, though they may be unwilling to relinquish their use without serious incentive in that direction. What they've actually done is to start making problematic intersections smart, and having an operator work the traffic lights manually (when needed) to avoid queues building up – it doesn't require too much intervention over what the systems do automatically, but just adding five seconds of extra green can allow a lot of cars pass, particularly if these cars are already in motion at city speed and pass through quickly. There is a chance that this technique, if used on a large scale, could free up side roads taken as shortcuts by those looking to bypass the gridlock – these smaller ways are usually clogged up rather easily, especially if they're not designed to handle anything more than light traffic. The video posted below, courtesy of the Wall Street Journal, reveals the inner workings of these traffic control rooms, what they do, and how they plan to expand their operation in LA in the future. It is what they are doing as they say that the work that's already been done allows for 16 percent more traffic to flow freely through the road network, compared to before the modernization. By Andrei Nedelea    |
| Ghe-O Motors Unveils Rescue Vehicle for Extreme Weather and Terrain [w/Video] Posted: 12 Oct 2013 07:43 AM PDT  With extreme weather becoming the norm rather than the exception all around the world, authorities find that conventional rescue vehicles are sometimes unable to perform the duty they were built for. Romanian company Ghe-O Motors thinks it has found the solution for this type of situations with their special vehicle called Rescue. Designed and built in Romania, the vehicle can transport up to 11 people on "all types of terrain and on any type of weather" and can offer medical support and fire extinguishing capabilities. The Rescue features off-road solutions borrowed from racing, with Ghe-O Motors saying that it can go where any small racing-equipped extreme off-roader can go. Furthermore, thanks to its big wheels and even mass distribution, the Rescue is said to outperform a two-seat off-road car in most situations, with the notable difference that it can do that while carrying 11 passengers on board. The Rescue is 5.2-meters long (204.7-in), 2.7-m (106.3-in) wide and 2.39-m (94.1-in) tall and weighs 3.2 tons (6,400 lbs). It can be fitted with accessories like water pumps for firefighters, a 620-liter water tank, tracks on rear wheels for very difficult terrain, foldable roof-mounted cargo space, pneumatic pillows on wheels to help it float on water and not sink into snow, medical stretch (with side door access), and even a passenger trailer with no wheels that can that can be towed in slippery conditions. The vehicle features a heavy-duty transmission with lockable axles and can be powered either by gasoline engines with outputs of 340hp or 500 hp (for the performance version) or by diesels producing 218hp or 304hp. The company says that for military application the engines can be fitted with extra electromagnetic and water protection. Scroll down to see the Ghe-O Rescue vehicle in action as well as a gallery of the other vehicles in its lineup. By Dan Mihalascu         |
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