CARSCOOP |  |
- Audi's New R18 e-Tron Quattro Still a Diesel but Has Two Hybrid Systems
- GM May Eliminate Holden Badge in Australia after 2017, Sell Cars as Chevrolet Instead
- Did This Ferrari 458 Italia Driver Go Up to 174mph or 280km/h in CA?
- It May be the End of Oval-Grilled XKs from Jaguar
- Take That Sgt. Jones: VW Plays Prank on Stockholm Passersby with a Beatboxing e-Up!
- Those Aren't Horns, This is an Autonomous Ford Fusion Research Vehicle [w/Video]
- Spies Snag New 2015 Chrysler 200 Sedan Undisguised
- Report Puts New Octavia Scout in Skoda Showroom Next Year
- Subaru Shows New 2015 WRX, Remembers Rare 1998 Impreza 22B STI Coupe
- Deadly Wisconsin Pileup Involving 70+ Vehicles Caught on Video
- New 2015 Porsche 911 Targa: Are These Official Patent Images?
- BMW Introduces Light Updates to the X1 for the 2014 Model Year
- Watch the Range Rover Sport Blast through the World’s Largest Sand Desert
| Audi's New R18 e-Tron Quattro Still a Diesel but Has Two Hybrid Systems Posted: 13 Dec 2013 01:24 PM PST  Audi has kept the name R18 e-Tron Quattro for its new endurance racing car, but has fitted it with a completely new technology to comply with new LMP1 regulations that come into effect in 2014. "The most complex race car ever built by Audi", as the company describes it, can achieve similarly fast laps as in the past, but with 30 percent less fuel. "A fundamental approach to motorsport is being abandoned. Instead of power output, energy consumption will be subject to limitations – this is in line with the spirit of our times and opens up great technical freedoms to the engineers," says Chris Reinke, Head of LMP at Audi Sport. Development of the new car began in 2012 and the first unit was built in the early fall of 2013, with track tests following immediately after that. The new Audi R18 e-tron quattro features a similar concept as in the past, but also includes innovative detailed solutions and an additional hybrid system. At the center of the car sits a further developed V6 TDI diesel engine powering the rear wheels, supplemented by two hybrid systems. The engine includes an electric turbocharger (ERS-H – Energy Recovery System Heat), a system that stores energy converted from heat. The second hybrid system powers the front axle and features ERS-K (Energy Recovery System Kinetic), which stores kinetic energy. The R18 e-tron quattro also features an optimized flywheel energy storage system. The car may look similar to last year's R18, but Audi says it's 100mm (3.94in) narrower, 20mm (0.79in) higher and features a larger cockpit. All these modifications and others make the car produce less downforce. By Dan Mihalascu                     |
| GM May Eliminate Holden Badge in Australia after 2017, Sell Cars as Chevrolet Instead Posted: 13 Dec 2013 10:00 AM PST  After learning the sad truth that GM would be pulling out of Australia as a manufacturer of automobiles, there were several loose ends that needed clarifying in regards to the outcome of the situation and solutions to, well, make the best of it. Now we hear that after the 2017 pullout, all Holden dealerships could be rebadged as Chevrolet dealerships and sell accordingly-badged cars there. All models would be imports from other markets, and for all intents and purposes, the Holden name would officially be dead at this point, despite the fact that Mike Devereux, the boss of Holden, said: "Holden is here to stay. Holden has been a part of Australia's past ... and it will part of its future for decades to come," adding that it "is one of the most valuable brands in Australia. We are committed to the brand for the long term. The brand is going to be a part of the fabric of this country for a very long time." However, on the other side of the fence, an insider also quoted by News Australia did say that it "will now be the biggest fight ever to save the Holden brand from being shelved… Every time there is a new boss of Holden or a new head of General Motors, the question is asked, 'Why do we still have the Holden brand in Australia?" Another insider explained to our source that the decision to give up on the Holden name could also be taken on account of the damaged image caused by the recent events and virtually unavoidable closure of production sites. By Andrei Nedelea            |
| Did This Ferrari 458 Italia Driver Go Up to 174mph or 280km/h in CA? Posted: 13 Dec 2013 09:11 AM PST  If the digital speedometer of this Ferrari 458 Italia coupe isn't lying to us, the man sitting behind the wheel of the mid-engined supercar as well as the passenger who was recording the ride, had quite an adrenaline rush during a drive on the highways around Richmond, California. The Italian exotic often went over 150mph (+240km/h) and at some point, reached 174mph or 280km/h, though, and take this for what it's worth, the footage seems less dramatic than what you'd expect from a car travelling so fast on a public road. We'll remind you that the 458 Italia is capable of going much faster than that, topping out at 202mph (325 km/h). Watch the video and leave your opinions and thoughts below. Shout out to JJ for the video submission!    |
| It May be the End of Oval-Grilled XKs from Jaguar Posted: 13 Dec 2013 08:29 AM PST  The XK, the one you can still go out and buy today, is a very old model at heart, basically unchanged from the days Jaguar still thought the rising rotary automatic gearbox selector was cool… Now we learn from UK magazine Autocar, which recently spoke with Jag's design boss Ian Callum, a little bit more about what the automaker wants to replace it with and what the grille of this new car will look like. Apparently, all future Jags will ditch the familiar oval grille that has for so long almost been part of the badge it carries, in favor of a newfangled trapezoidal one that everybody else is using. The next XK will get it too, and also see its position in the range (and market) change from what it is today, since it's now in the territory of the newer and more appealing F-Type in its current (GT cruiser) form. If we turn to Callum's words, he says "A direction change is a valid question," and adds that in the future "the XK will have a different job to do." So, do you think it's that big of a loss, or are you more interested what Jaguar's idea of a trapezoidal grille is like? By Andrei Nedelea              |
| Take That Sgt. Jones: VW Plays Prank on Stockholm Passersby with a Beatboxing e-Up! Posted: 13 Dec 2013 08:09 AM PST  Everybody knows electric vehicles are as silent as bicycles at city speeds and need to be equipped with artificial sound systems in order for pedestrians to hear them. The VW e-Up! makes no exception, and the carmaker wanted to show people the advantages of silent motoring by comparing the e-Up! to a conventional vehicle. In order to do that, VW fitted its EV with hidden loudspeakers as it was driven through the Swedish capital of Stockholm. On the backseat of the car sat vocalist and beatbox artist Fatih Sahin, who surprised passersby by imitating driving noises in an original way. Obviously, the beatboxing e-Up! didn't go unnoticed, with people on the streets being surprised by the unusual noises coming from the EV. In the end, the e-Up! was joined "spontaneously" by buskers with their guitars and flutes, adding to the relaxed atmosphere. Scroll down to listen to the man-made sounds of the e-Up! in VW's official video. By Dan Mihalascu    |
| Those Aren't Horns, This is an Autonomous Ford Fusion Research Vehicle [w/Video] Posted: 13 Dec 2013 07:45 AM PST  This strange-looking Ford Fusion is a research vehicle used for the development of future self-driving cars. Made in collaboration with the University of Michigan and State Farm, the vehicle benefits from more than a decade of Ford automated driving research. The Ford Fusion Hybrid automated research vehicle will be used to test current and future sensing systems and driver-assist technologies. Together with its supplier partners, Ford aims to advance development of new technologies so they can be applied to its next generation of vehicles. The Fusion Hybrid research vehicle uses the same technology found in Ford vehicles on sale today, except for the four scanning infrared light sensors on the roof. The system is called LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and can scan the road at 2.5 million times per second. LiDAR uses light in the same way a bat or a dolphin uses sound waves and can bounce infrared light off everything within 200 feet (61 meters) to generate a real-time 3D map of the surrounding environment. Ford says the sensors can track anything dense enough to redirect light – whether stationary objects, or moving objects such as vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists. Furthermore, the sensors can even sense the difference between a paper bag and a small animal at nearly a football field away. This is obviously useful when a car has to drive on its own. Ford believes than in the long-term (after 2025), vehicles will have fully autonomous navigation and parking and will communicate with each other and the world around them. By Dan Mihalascu          |
| Spies Snag New 2015 Chrysler 200 Sedan Undisguised Posted: 13 Dec 2013 07:21 AM PST  The scouts from KGP Photography have scored a set of photos of the all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 sedan while it was driving around without any kind of protective gear, giving us an unobstructed view of the car. Chrysler's designers came up with a complete new figure for the 200 that bears no resemblance to its bland predecessor. If you insist on playing the age-old game of "what does it remind me?", my first thought was a Tesla Model D for Dodge Dart – if that makes any sense… Underneath the new sheetmetal, the 200 rides on the Fiat-Chrysler group's modular Compact U.S. Wide platform shared with the also new Dodge Dart and Jeep Cherokee models. Chrysler fan site Allpar reported that the North American version of the 200 will likely come with the same selection of 184hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder and 271hp 3.2-liter V6 as the Cherokee, with the possible addition of a more potent 3.6-liter V6. Power will be channeled to the front wheels through a nine-speed ZF automatic. Chrysler has said that the new 200 sedan will be introduced in January at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show. For the full set of scoop shots, check out Jalopnik and Allpar. Photo Credits: KGP Photography, Jalopnik, Allpar Thanks to everyone who sent in a tip!    |
| Report Puts New Octavia Scout in Skoda Showroom Next Year Posted: 13 Dec 2013 07:00 AM PST  One of the most interesting versions of the old Skoda Octavia was the Scout, a raised and all-wheel-driven version of the wagon with extra ruggedness in the form of customary plastic cladding. It was a very attractive prospect that did not try to masquerade itself as an SUV or crossover, always proudly showing its estate body shape that usually sat on large alloys (the Scout mandatorily came in high-spec). Now, Autocar lets us know that a new one, based on the completely redesigned Octavia wagon, will be launched on the European market by August of 2014. Getting the same treatment as the old car, it will definitely be one to watch for; hopefully, they will leave it simple-looking and understated, like the old one, and not go all crazy with shiny trim pieces and fake chrome strips to make this also feel like a luxury vehicle… That task (of being posh) will be left to another new version of the Octavia that's purportedly also coming too, a more lavish variant that will bear the names of the company's two bicycle-building founders Laurin and Klement. By Andrei Nedelea Note: old-gen Octavia Scout pictured           |
| Subaru Shows New 2015 WRX, Remembers Rare 1998 Impreza 22B STI Coupe Posted: 13 Dec 2013 06:38 AM PST  They may have a huge age difference in automotive years, but the brand-new 2015 WRX and the 1998 Impreza 22B STI belong to the same lineage of Subaru vehicles that have captured the attention of real-life as well as…racing game drivers of our generation. Released a week apart from each other, the most recent clip is a promotional video for the 2015 WRX that made its world debut at last month's LA Auto Show. The all-wheel drive model has a 268hp 2.0-liter turbocharged engine paired to either a six-speed manual or a CVT. On what many would consider a more interesting note, the older video remembers the rarest and possibly, the most sought after Subaru model ever, the Impreza 22B STI of which only 424 examples were made to commemorate Subaru's 40th Anniversary as well as the third consecutive manufacturers' title for Subaru in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). According to Dominick Infante, national manager of product communications at Subaru of America, only two 22B STIs made it to the U.S.    |
| Deadly Wisconsin Pileup Involving 70+ Vehicles Caught on Video Posted: 13 Dec 2013 06:19 AM PST  Being involved in a pileup must be a frightening experience, because even seeing such an event unfold on video, from the comfort of your own chair, is still quite a distressing image. All follow the same pattern of one vehicle slowing down, while the first one tailing it can't shave off speed quickly enough, and after the first rear end collision takes place, many more follow soon, like we see in this big pileup from Wisconsin, shot a few days ago on the southbound side of Highway 41/45 in Germantown. Over seventy different vehicles seem to have been involved, and according to the LA Times, at least one man succumbed to injuries suffered in the crash. If you check out the video that's posted below, you'll undoubtedly notice that even as it approaches the one-minute mark, crashes are still taking place, and they don't fully stop until the end. By Andrei Nedelea    |
| New 2015 Porsche 911 Targa: Are These Official Patent Images? Posted: 13 Dec 2013 05:57 AM PST  The greyscale images you see here are purportedly patent photos of the production Porsche 911 Targa, which were published on TF1's Automoto section. What we see here pretty much matches what we've heard, and more importantly, what the actual prototype models of the 991 generation Targa look like, so chances are, it's the real thing. With the new 911 Targa, Porsche is returning to the model's roots for the design of the top that sports a removable section above the passenger compartment followed by a thick center B-pillar in front of a fixed, wraparound glass rear window – just like the original version of the series from the 1960s and through the 1980s. We expect the 991 Targa with the old-school roof style to make its debut sometime next year, likely offering two engine choices, the base 350PS (345hp) 3.4-liter flat six and a stronger 400PS (395hp) 3.6-liter unit in "S" guise.                  |
| BMW Introduces Light Updates to the X1 for the 2014 Model Year Posted: 13 Dec 2013 05:27 AM PST  Following last year's facelift, BMW is updating its smallest crossover once again for the 2014 model year. Set for a world premiere at the Detroit Auto Show, the 2014 BMW X1 will bring new exterior accents, a more refined interior and new equipment features. From spring next year, daytime driving lights will be standard equipment, with available features for the exterior also including new 17-inch light-alloy wheels with V-spoke design and a new color – Sparkling Brown metallic. Customers opting for the xLine, Sport Line or the M Sport package will get a choice of exclusive accents in high-gloss Black, matt Coral Red or pearl-gloss Chrome, as well as a soft-touch material highlighted by lapfolded seams covering the surface of the instrument cluster visor. Another new detail is the stainless steel sill finisher protecting the bottom tailgate edge. The 2014 BMW X1 also benefits from the latest Internet-based services in the BMW ConnectedDrive infotainment system. When ordered with a navigation system and the Connected Drive Services option, a growing range of mobility services are available, with owners being able to subscribe to them at any time, even after the vehicle purchase. Among the new services offered for the BMW X1 are Online Entertainment and the Eco Pro Analyser. The functions can be integrated in the car's operating system via apps, using the smartphone or the SIM card that is installed in the vehicle. The selected apps are compatible with the Apple iPhone and with smartphones that run the Android operating system. By Dan Mihalascu                    |
| Watch the Range Rover Sport Blast through the World’s Largest Sand Desert Posted: 13 Dec 2013 04:53 AM PST  Land Rover has released a spectacular video documentary featuring the Range Rover Sport during the crossing of the Arabian Desert, the world's largest sand desert. The remarkable thing about this publicity stunt is that it was the first recorded crossing by a standard vehicle of the 849-km (528-mile) long desert. The record was set with a standard production Range Rover Sport fitted with a 510PS 5.0-liter supercharged V8 petrol engine, riding on regular tyres. The only modification to the vehicle was the addition of an underbody protection plate. The video tracks the team's journey from Wadi Adda Wasir in Saudi Arabia to the border of the United Arab Emirates, which was completed on November 3 in 10 hours and 22 minutes at an average speed of 51.87 mph (81.87 km/h). The documentary charts the journey from beginning to end and includes the driver's impressions, Dakar specialist Moi Torrallardona. The crossing wasn't as easy as it sounds, and you can see why in the video posted below. By Dan Mihalascu    |
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