CARSCOOP |  |
- MT's Ignition Drives the "Exhilarating" 2015 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S
- Toyota Mulls Yaris-Based World Rally Car Entry
- Lexus Said to Bring Production Version of LF-NX to 2014 Geneva Motor Show
| MT's Ignition Drives the "Exhilarating" 2015 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Posted: 08 Dec 2013 12:03 PM PST  Since the dawn of the automobile, people felt the urge to shoehorn big engines into their cars – at least those who see cars more than a means to travel from point A to B. Fortunately, not only individuals do that, automakers do it too from time to time. When that happens, spectacular cars appear, and the Aston Martin V12 Vantage S is no one of them. By putting the enormous 565hp (573 PS) 5.9-liter V12 engine into its smallest car, Aston Martin got its second-fastest model ever behind the One-77 supercar. It goes from 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 3.7 seconds, from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.9 seconds, and reaches a top speed of 205 mph (330 km/h). When MotorTrend's Ignition tested the acceleration times however, the V12 Vantage S fell short of the claimed figures, with the single-clutch automated manual gearbox being blamed as too slow. But does this transmission spoil the V12 Vantage S experience? You'll have to watch the video to find out. By Dan Mihalascu        |
| Toyota Mulls Yaris-Based World Rally Car Entry Posted: 08 Dec 2013 08:38 AM PST  It looks like Toyota wants to build a World Rally Championship-spec car based on the Yaris supermini, though it's not yet clear what they are going to do with it: actually race it or just use it as a test bed. Toyota has its fair share of memorable WRC moments under its belt, though in recent years they have been all-but absent from the sport in any kind of official manner. Only now have things started to change, thanks to the different new driving philosophy behind the company, which also shows in its road cars. According to an Autocar magazine report, development work will most likely be carried out by TMG in Germany, the same people who converted the GT86 for ralying too. Currently, information doesn't extend too far past it getting a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine (with 300 hp), as the rules dictate anyway, so aside from the rumor, we currently don't really have anything to go by. In other words, this is by no means a confirmation of their reentry into the rallying world's top class. Note: S2000-class Yaris Rally Trophy that races in South Africa pictured By Andrei Nedelea                |
| Lexus Said to Bring Production Version of LF-NX to 2014 Geneva Motor Show Posted: 08 Dec 2013 07:19 AM PST  Lexus has shown its edgy LF-NX concept car at two major motor shows this year: it debuted in Frankfurt with a hybrid powertrain and was then brought to Tokyo in a sportier version featuring a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine. It's clear that Lexus wouldn't have gone into all that trouble if it did not have serious intentions about the LF-NX. As it turns out, the luxury car manufacturer is already working on a production version of the SUV, which will reportedly be unveiled at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show next spring. Conceived as a Range Rover Evoque rival, the production Lexus LF-NX is said to be heavily inspired by the concept's design. "What we're finding is that these days customers want to be more expressive, so a lot of the concept's inherent design will come out in the finished car," Lexus' European director Paul Van der Burgh told AutoExpress. "We've seen the finished design, we know what it will look like and it will definitely stand apart. Why would you want something that looked like everything else in the segment? Our customers have always wanted a combination of design and technology, but design has definitely become more important," Van der Burgh added. The production crossover is expected to be available with both powertrains that were showcased on the concept car – the 220hp hybrid powertrain sourced from the IS 300h and GS 300h models, as well as the all-new 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol engine. The latter will replace the 2.5-liter V6 engine in future Toyota and Lexus models as well. It remains to be seen how much of the LF-NX's radical design will make the transition on the production model – I guess that depends on how much courage Lexus execs have. By Dan Mihalascu                   |
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