Detroit Electric Planning To Build Electric SUV And Luxury Sedan

Detroit Electric denies that it’s not following Tesla’s footsteps, but judging from a recent report indicating the company’s long-term plans, it’s hard to believe otherwise. According to a report from Norwegian website Rb.no, the upstart EV automaker is planning to launch an all-electric luxury sedan in 2019, which will then be followed by an all-electric SUV.

Company CEO and former Apple and Lotus executive Albert Lam announced the company’s plans in Norway as it prepares to expand its lineup past the SP:01 sports car that it released in a limited production run in 2015. The SP:01’s official debut is scheduled to take place later this year, but plans are already in motion to add the two new models into the mix in the coming years. Details regarding the EV luxury sedan and SUV are still scant at this point, but according to Lam, neither model will be using the same Lotus gliders that was at the heart of the SP:01. Instead, both models will be built from the ground up, which would presumably include the platform that both the sedan and the SUV will reportedly share. Once launched, Detroit Electric is targeting a production run of 50,000 to 60,000 units a year for both models.

As for the SP:01, Detroit Electric is in the process of expanding its dealership partnerships in anticipation for the EV sports car’s official launch later this year. There’s no word on how expansive that network is in the present, but part of Lam’s visit in Norway, an important market for electric vehicles, was to establish ties with local dealerships.

Continue after the jump to read the full story.

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McLaren F1 GTR Onboard At Laguna Seca: Video

Lanzante, the company that converted the track-only P1 GTR into the road-legal, but still extreme P1 LM, has announced plans to attempt a new Nurburgring lap record later this year. It wouldn’t be surprising for Lanzante to achieve its goal, but until McLaren has the opportunity to brag about a new record, we’ll just have a look at its previous record setting machine thanks to a video from the 2016 Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca.

The footage, which surfaced the Interwebz courtesy of YouTube’s "The Race Channel," shows a visor cam of Bill Auberlen driving a 1996 McLaren F1 GTR on one of America’s most legendary race tracks. The car in question is none other than the first-generation F1 GTR, which unlike the P1 GTR, saw some serious track action and won several races, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995.

Essentially a slightly beefed-up version of the road car, the F1 GTR used the same 6.0-liter V-12 engine developed by BMW, and as you can see in the video, it gives the car an amazing exhaust note that only large-displacement, naturally aspirated powerplants can offer. Not just noisy, the F1 GTR is also incredibly fast, and laps the Laguna Seca while zooming past other race cars present at the classic car event.

Making the video that much more entertaining is the fact that Auberlen pushes the F1 GTR to the limit, racing it like it’s the mid-1990s and the race car just came from the factory. Hit play and enjoy!

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Bugatti Chiron Could Go Hybrid For More Power

When it comes to Bugatti and its new Chiron hypercar, the word “limitation” has no application to it whatsoever. That’s even more true now that Autocar is reporting that Bugatti is considering adding a hybrid powertrain for the 1,479-horsepower hypercar in an attempt to make it more insane than it already is.

Speaking with the website, Bugatti CEO Wolfgang Durheimer said that the French automaker isn’t ruling out the possibility of adding electric motors to add to the Chiron’s existing 8.0-liter quad-turbo V-16 engine. The caveat to leaving that door slightly ajar is that Bugatti isn’t going to do it unless there’s a need to push the Chiron’s performance capabilities well past its existing 1,479-horsepower output. Such a scenario seems unlikely on the surface, but if there’s anything the company has learned from it’s time with the Veyron, it’s that competition can come in the unlikeliest of places and in the event the Chiron becomes vulnerable to another supercar, there’s a “next level” door that the French automaker can kick to unleash even more power out of its new crown jewel.

Details about a possible hybrid powertrain have yet to be revealed and rightfully so. If Bugatti does have that ace up it’s sleeve, don’t expect it to wave it around for all the world to see. The Chiron is a performance car after all and Bugatti’s main purpose for the car is for it to be the fastest and most powerful production car in the world. If that status is threatened, then that’s likely the time the French automaker begins laying out the groundwork for a hybrid-powered Chiron, one that can push past the limits of the existing version into God-knows-where.

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Ford Falcon Squire Wagon

Mostly known as Australia’s longest-running nameplate (set to be discontinued at the end of 2016), the Ford Falcon also had a North American sibling for a full decade. It was introduced in 1960, alongside the Australian model, but while its cousin from Down Under soldiered on for more than five decades, the U.S.-spec version was discontinued in 1970.

Although short-lived, the Falcon was an influential car and marked the beginning of a new era not just for Ford, but for the entire North American industry too. The compact was conceived in the late 1950s, when Ford realized that larger cars were becoming increasingly expensive and many American families were looking at smaller vehicles, usually imports, for a second car.

Penned under Ford’s then general manager Robert S. McNamara, the Falcon was developed with parts sourced from the company’s existing bin in order to keep costs as low as possible. FoMoCo also focused on reducing ownership costs. Furthermore, it developed several body styles in order to cover as many niches and customer requirements as possible. The lineup included two- and four-door sedans, three- and five-door wagons, and two-door coupe and convertible models.

The first-generation Falcon Squire Wagon, which we’ll be discussing below, arrived in 1962, two years after the Falcon’s initial launch. By that time, the compact had already become a hit, setting record sales with over 500,000 units sold in 1960 and over 1,000,000 examples sold by the end of 1961. The Falcon was redesigned for 1964, getting a more squared-off, more modern look.

Continue reading to learn more about the Ford Falcon Squire Wagon.

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Ford Launches FordPass App

Earlier this month I brought you a story about Lexus drivers getting their own parking spots at Edmonton’s International Airport. The idea was conceived by a local dealer who wanted to extend its customer service base, and as such, rented out a number of spaces that are dedicated to use by people who drive Lexus vehicles. Some people are upset over the whole matter, but it looks like the idea is catching on. Well, kind of catching on, anyway. This time, it’s Ford with a new app. It’s called FordPass.

While it’s not quite as arrogant as the whole Lexus parking spot thing, it does offer new solutions for finding and paying for parking spots. In more than 160 cities, Ford owners can now use the app to reserve garage parking and even pay for it in advance. Apparently, parking availability is updated in real time, and certain parking spots can even be “bookmarked” so they are easy to find in the app next time.

Elena Ford, the Vice President of Global Dealer and Consumer Experience for Ford, said, “Finding and paying for parking is one of the biggest pain points for drivers. This new feature is just one of many ways we are delivering better, smarter, more efficient mobility solutions for consumers with FordPass.”

The updated FordPass app is available for download from all of the major app stores now.

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I Nearly Went Deaf At The Monterey Motorsports Reunion

For folks like you and me, Monterey Car Week is pure automotive nirvana. But out of all the awesome events on offer, there’s one that stands tall above the rest – the Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca. While the auctions are basically a battle of the bank accounts, and the car shows are all about which car has the most correct fuel filler cap, the Reunion is a true test of speed and agility. The pedigree on tap is legendary, but don’t think that equates to a humdrum pace around the track – these drivers really push, and it’s not uncommon to see some of these priceless machines eat the wall before the weekend is through. But, when it all goes according to plan, the result is magnificent, marvelous, and unforgettable.

This year, roughly 550 entries divided into 15 individual categories hit the track, ranging from a few 1911 Nationals, to a 1999 BMW V12 LMR. You can find more of the specifics in our event preview here, but if you wanna know what it was like to actually be there, read on.

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Is Amazon's New Vehicle Research Database Biased? Maybe....

We just brought you the news about Amazons new Vehicle Research Database. It seems pretty promising as it already has more than 5,000 vehicles listed with at least one or two reviews. As someone who likes to be the devil’s advocate from time to time, I decided that I would look to see what cars have received bad reviews so far – it can be interesting to read this stuff at times. To my surprise, I couldn’t find anything with a bad review. Even selecting the “2-star” rating on pages left menu supplies you with a bunch of cars that all have 5-start ratings. So what gives?

I find it pretty hard to believe that there aren’t any bad reviews out there yet, so I began to play around a bit. Eventually, I found a few vehicles with two-star ratings – specifically for models like the 2013 Nissan 370Z, 2013 Lexus IS250, and even one for a 1999 Oldsmobile 88 and a 1988 Cadillac Brougham. But, finding them wasn’t easy. There’s no way to sort by ascending or descending order, and you can’t simply click on the last page of results – in this case, page 215 – because Amazon has added that feature yet either.

So, how did I find these cars that have a bad rating? I deciphered the webpage’s ridiculous web address that was full of letters, numbers, and percentage signs and determined exactly which part of the address indicated the page number for the given search results. By changing the page number to 214 or 215 manually, I was able to find the lower rated vehicles. But, this isn’t something the average Amazon user would know how to do, which means most people will never stumble across these lower-rated vehicles unless they search for them specifically.

Keep reading for the rest of the story.

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Texas Dealership Lures Buyers Thanks To Pokemon Go

Who knew that a car dealership’s life-sized wooden horse would play an integral part in closing some deals? In any other time, such a scenario would be met with snickers and giggles, but since we now live in a world that’s slowly being run over by Pokemons, the impossible has become, well, possible. Such was the case for one car dealership in Texas, which was able to attract buyers simply because it was smart enough to turn its mascot – the Tundra Horse – into a Pokestop.

The genius ploy was hatched by Street Toyota salesman and Pokemon Go player Nick Schuman, who crossed paths with fellow players on one random Sunday afternoon during the dealership’s first Pokemon Go event. Like a true salesperson, Schumann chatted up the players, presumably to compare the Pokemons that they’ve caught near the Pokestop. Schuman was able to build a quick rapport with some of the players and some of them returned days later to buy three used vehicles from the dealership.

According to Automotive News, Schuman was instrumental in closing the deal for a 2012 Chrysler Town & Country, a 2010 Ford Escape, and a 2011 Ford Escape. The Town & Country, in particular, was sold to a family with four children while one of the Escape models to a pair of friends who returned the very next day to trade in their vehicle.

All told, the dealership only spent a total of $45. Of that, $20 bought “lures” it purchased in the game and $25 went to promote the event on social media. The idea turned into a great sales run, and is something other dealerships will likely be replicating Now showroom sales staff can catch a few Pikachus, Squirtles, Charmanders, and customers.

Continue after the jump to read the full story.

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2016 Monterey Car Week Auctions Cater To Every Taste

Without a doubt, some of the biggest attractions at Monterey Car Week are the auctions, and although multi-million-dollar sales are usually what get the most attention, this annual automotive celebration actually offers a wide variety of cars. Whether you prefer big block iron, exotics, sports cars, or trucks, MCW provides the goods. Hell, there were even multiple BMW Isettas available for purchase if, you know, you’re into that kinda thing.

This year, we were on the scene of four of the big auction events, checking out the lots and watching the action unfold. That includes RM Sotheby’s, Russo and Steele, Gooding and Company, and the Mecum auctions. We found all manner of automobiles on hand, from racing legends to fan favorites, wild space ships to antique workhorses. Read on for a breakdown of what it was like to be there.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2016 Monterey Car Week auctions.

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Volkswagen Golf Club Sport GTI by ABT Sportsline

ABT Sportsline is adding another program to its long list of tuning upgrades for Volkswagen models. This latest offering is for the Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport and just like past kits for VW’s resident hot hatch, this one comes with a mix of everything, from exterior upgrades to performance enhancements that bring out as much as 340 horsepower and 318 pound-feet of torque out of the car’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

As suave as the work on the engine is, the aerodynamic upgrades are just as important. True to its reputation, ABT Sportsline built an aero body kit that touches on all sections of the hot hatch. Likewise, the Golf GTI Clubsport’s chassis and suspension modifications weren’t spared from the tuning prowess of the German aftermarket company. The only thing missing from the kit are interior upgrades, although knowing ABT Sportsline, don’t expect these enhancements to go past the usual tuner-sourced pedals and floor mats.

All told, the kit is what you’d expect from an aftermarket company as renowned as ABT Sportsline. The tuner has been in the game for a long time and it’s with kits like this one that provide a clear example of the experience that comes with having some years in the business.

Continue reading to learn more about the Volkswagen Golf Club Sport GTI by ABT Sportsline.

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BBC Giving Jeremy Clarkson and His New Show "The Grand Tour" a Hard Time

Let’s look at the reality of things for a minute. Top Gear hasn’t been the same since Clarkson’s altercation with that producer and his subsequent firing. While the show has tried to make a comeback, it’s been plagued with one problem after another. Ratings are horrible in comparison to the old show, it just doesn’t have the same flare that it used to have, and let’s not forget about Chris Evans acting like a whiny diva. Clarkson’s new show, The Grand Tour, is pretty good, but it’s apparently subject to a lot of legal scrutiny from BBC.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Top Gears old executive producer, Andy Wilman – now a producer for The Grand Tour – broke silence around some of the ridiculous legal threats BBC has been issuing against Clarkson, Hammond, and May. Naturally, BBC doesn’t want its intellectual property used in The Grand Tour, but this is a little ridiculous. For instance, BBC says that the show can’t have “handwritten lap times,” a news segment can’t be called “The News,” and the guys aren’t even allowed to call Namibia beautiful because it was said during an episode of Top Gear. The worst complaint from BBC really takes the cake, however, as apparently, James May can’t say the word “cock” because, well, he said it during an episode of Top Gear.

If BBC is complaining about these kinds of things, you can only imagine how long the list really is with complaints that haven’t be announced to the public. At the end of the day, Top Gear is pretty much falling apart now that the trio has taken off and started their new show with Amazon, and it’s likely that Top Gear will never get the same kind of following that it had. Despite the fact that Clarkson was in the wrong when he got into that physical altercation, he was the bread winner of the entire show, and the show is suffering because of this. BBC is clearly butthurt that the guys are doing their own thing now and is trying to do everything it can to make their life harder.

Keep reading for the rest of the story.

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Amazon Launches New Portal for Researching and Comparing Cars

Amazon.com recently expanded its massive product review portfolio to include automobiles, offering consumers a tool to research and compare vehicles. The new portal provides information on specifications and features, as well as reviews written by owners that provide insight into what it’s like to actually own a given model.

Users can search the car database by body style, make, model, year, fuel economy, transmission type, and a variety of other parameters – even color. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is included as well.

Interestingly, you can also research older cars, if you’d like. And when I say old, I mean really old, like the 1900 Packard Model B. That said, classics and antiques have fewer reviews and less information available than more modern vehicles. Still, the placeholders are there, shedding light on Amazon’s long-term plans for the portal.

For now, you can’t actually purchase a car through Amazon, and its primary purpose seems to be information gathering, vehicle comparison, and community interaction with owners. However, we’re willing to bet that you’ll be able to buy a car from Amazon sometime in the future.

Continue reading for the full story.

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2017 GMC Acadia Denali – Driven

The GMC Acadia has been around since 2007 and shared its Lambda platform, powertrain, and nearly everything else besides its cosmetics with the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave. These three-row crossovers were the answer for folks wanting a less-expensive, slightly more efficient version of the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon. But the Acadia is leaving the Lambda trio for the 2017 model year with an all-new platform wrapped in a slightly smaller package. It still boasts three rows and seating for seven, but it no longer directly competes with GM’s body-on-frame SUVs in shear size.

The Acadia offers a reasonable staring price around $29,000 for the budget conscious or fleet buyer. But, of course, GMC offers its insanely popular Denali trim, pulling the Acadia from mommy-mobile to high-end luxury cruiser. Its chrome grille and 20-inch wheels wouldn’t look misplaced if valet parked up front. Obviously the price sees a considerable jump, too.

I recently spent a week behind the wheel of the Acadia Denali. My tester came loaded with AWD, GMC’s Dual Skyscape sunroof, adaptive cruise control, automatic collision preparation, and the continuously variable real-time damping suspension. Pricing broke the $50,000 ceiling, but in modern times when vehicle pricing is getting extravagant, this loaded-out tester somehow seems justifiable. Find out how below.

Continue reading for the full driven review.

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2017 Chevrolet Colorado Gets New V-6 & Eight-Speed Auto

After only two years on the market, Chevy is giving is midsize Colorado a new gasoline powertrain. The new V-6 engine keeps the familiar 3.6-liter displacement, but now comes with a host of upgrades designed at making more power with better fuel efficiency.

The mechanical changes to the V-6 include an updated variable valve timing system for both the intake and exhaust sides, an improved direct injection fuel system, and the introduction of GM’s Active Fuel Management system. Power levels modestly increase to 308 horsepower at 6,800 rpm and 275 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. That’s up from 305 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque in the previous-generation engine.

Additionally, the V-6 is now complemented by GM’s new Hydra-Matic 8L45 eight-speed automatic transmission. Engineers gave the transmission a lower first gear to help with acceleration and towing. A taller gear ratio in the rear differential, combined with the transmission’s two extra gears, allows for better fuel economy. Paired with the Active Fuel Management’s cylinder deactivation, the gas-powered Colorado’s EPA fuel economy numbers should see a marked improvement. Those numbers haven’t been assessed at this point, however.

“We focused on improving everyday driving performance,” says Stan Ludlow, chief engineer for the 2017 Colorado. ”Drivers will immediately notice that it pulls harder when accelerating from a stop or passing on the highway; it is more confident pulling a trailer up a steep grade and it is more refined cruising at a constant highway speed.”

Chevy says the 8L45 transmission is no heavier than the outgoing 6L80 six-speed automatic thanks to extensive use of aluminum and magnesium. The two gearboxes are similar in size, as well.

The 2017 Colorado will arrive in dealerships in Q4 2016. Pricing has not been announced, but a slight increase is expected. Finally, these same updates will transfer to the Colorado’s corporate cousin, the 2017 GMC Canyon.

Continue reading for more information.

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Subaru Trademarks BRZ tS For The U.S.

Japanese automaker Subaru filed a trademark application for the "BRZ tS" name for use here in the United States back in January 2016, and now a new report claims that the moniker was recently registered to the company’s U.S. division.

According to AutoGuide, the trademark was applied for use on “Vehicles; apparatus for locomotion by land, air or water.” And while these kind of trademarks are generally applied for companies to protect their property, Subaru might have other intentions for this one. Specifically, the automaker may be preparing an U.S. version of the BRZ tS that it launched in Japan in 2015.

Why do I think this is not another case of keeping intellectual property safety policies? Well, the timing of the trademark is rather unusual. Given that the BRZ tS was launched a year ago, Subaru would have filed such a trademark back in 2015. Not to mention that a new version of the coupe would be more than welcome on the U.S .market, despite not having the highly anticipated drivetrain updates.

As a brief reminder, the BRZ tS is basically a standard model enhanced with STI parts inside and out. While the upgrade is pretty much about new badges and upholstery options, the chassis employs a sportier suspension system, while the unique 18-inch wheels benefit from 17-inch Brembo brake disks at all four corners. The drivetrain remains unchanged, but since it will be released after Subaru update for the 2017 model year, the 2.0-liter boxer engine should get five extra horses and five additional pound-feet with the six-speed manual transmission. Specifically, drivers who prefer to row their own will get 205 horsepower and 156 pound-feet, while those who favor automatics get the standard 200 ponies and 151 pound-feet.

There’s no word as to when the BRZ tS will hit U.S. dealerships, but if Subaru really wants to offer it here, it could break cover by the end of 2016.

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Honda NSX Will Cost Significantly More In Japan Compared To The Nissan GT-R NISMO

You would think that for an automaker that comes from Japan, its home market would get first dibs on any of the cars it builds. But that’s not the case with the Honda NSX. Apparently, the Japanese market isn’t getting the NSX until 2017, much later than other countries like the U.S. and Australia. Even more curious, the NSX will come with a base price of ¥23.7 million in Japan, or the equivalent of $235,000 based on current exchange rates. That amount is not only 50 percent higher than the supercar’s base price in the U.S. of $156,000, but it’s also a lot more expensive than the Nissan GT-R Nismo in Japan. For the record, the GT-R Nismo is priced at ¥18.7 million in Japan, or around $186,340.

It sounds ridiculous that a Japanese supercar costs more in its manufacturer’s homeland compared to international markets, but if you pull the curtains behind the development of the NSX, a number of revealing informations will tell you that it’s not as it might seen. First, the NSX, despite “technically” being a Japanese supercar, is actually being produced in the U.S., specifically at the automaker’s new Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC) in Marysville, Ohio. That puts it in the “imported car” category, which traditionally carries a higher tax rate than local or regional cars. Then there’s the issue of Japan’s other tax rates, not the least of which includes an eight percent gas-guzzler tax that adds to the rising price tag of the supercar. Throw all of these charges together with the NSX’s base price in Japan and you get to that rather exorbitant figure.

In any event, Japanese customers aren’t obliged to buy the NSX if they feel that it’s not worth the price of owning one. Those who don’t mind paying a premium for the car now have a chance to get a hold of one as NSX Performance Dealers in Japan are now accepting applications for the supercar. Only 100 units will be made available in the first year with deliveries expected to begin on February 27, 2017, or May 2017 in the case of models that come with iron brake rotors.

Continue after the jump to read the full story.

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Fiat-Abarth 1000 Monoposto Da Record "La Principessa"

In the 1950s Abarth was designing and building its own race cars, making itself pretty well known in the international motorsport community. To help promote the company name and brand, Carlo Abarth – the founder of Abarth & Company – looked to competing for international speed endurance records. In doing so, the company created a number of number of vehicles, but the most important cars, arguably, came from a collaboration between Abarth and Pininfarina. The first car developed from this collaboration was a 750 cc Monoposta that debuted in 1957. It went on to set a Class H record by maintaining an average speed of 102.743 mph for 72 hours.

Around the same time, Abarth had another breakthrough using its new Bialbero engine. With this engine in the Pininfarina-designed Monoposto, Abarth was able to smash its own three-hour record by more than 8.5 mph. With the thirst for record breaking taking hold, Abarth continued to improve its designs with Pininfarina and eventually built a final series of these streamlined record setters. And, the one you see here was Abarth’s primary 1,000 cc that goes by the name La Principessa.

Powered by a type 229 Bialbero engine, this baby had just 108 horsepower and could hit a top speed of 136 mph. It set a number of Class G records at Monza between September 28 and October 1, 1960, including an average speed of 126.545 mph over 12 hours, 123.525 mph over 24 hours, 118.224 mph over 48 hours, and 116.001 mph over 72 hours. The car has been kept in storage most of its life and has been owned by the same family for most of it existence. Recently going under the hammer at the Gooding & Company auction during Monterey Car Week 2016, we finally got a good look at this piece of Abarth history, so let’s dive on in and talk a little more about it.

Keep reading for our full review

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This is How Caterham's Alpine Coupe Twin Was Supposed To Look Like

Back in 2011, Alpine announced that it would produce its first car in two decades as part of a joint-venture with British sports car firm Caterham. Initially scheduled to arrive in 2015, the new Alpine was delayed after the French company and Caterham decided to drop their partnership, despite having a co-developed vehicle in the works. And, while Alpine continued to develop its own version of the sports car, Caterham’s design never made it into the spotlight. Until today, when Drive, the design firm that sketched the sports car, decided to share the story and some photos from their studio.

Dubbed C120, Caterham’s version of the sports car was designed in the same studio as the AS1. Drive’s team of designers and digital modelers were given a space within Alpine’s design office, which lead to the C120 and AS1 clay models facing each other in the same room. Not surprisingly, they share the overall proportion and some styling features, but at the same time they sport unique cues of their own.

While the Alpine obviously draws cues from the iconic A110, Caterham’s take on the project is unlike any other model they’ve produced so far. Which makes sense actually, as every Caterham to date was based on the Seven. Granted, the front grille and positioning of the headlamps remind me of the Seven to some extent, but everything else is new. Around back, the C120 shares many elements with the AS1, such as the slender taillights and trapezoidal diffuser insert, but other than that, they are quite different, as in the Caterham uses a more conventional engine lid with a rectangular glass area rather than Alpine’s wraparound windscreen.

Moving onto the sides, the Caterham features more muscular fenders and a larger quarter glass, and a more fastback roofline toward the rear. The C-pillar is also thicker, giving it a sportier look. The front fascia also seems more aggressive thanks to its big main, Seven-inspired grille and large outlets under each headlamp. All told, the C120 feels more modern and balanced than the Alpine, and it’s also more exciting to look at.

Continue reading for the full story.

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Lamborghini Hopes Urus SUV Will Help Double Sales Volume

Sales volume isn’t usually a point of pride for Lamborghini as the Italian automaker has always placed a premium on driving experience above everything else. But with the arrival of the new Urus SUV, Lamborghini will, in the words of CEO Stefano Domenicali, “push like hell” to sell as many units of the Urus as it possibly can.

It’s a sound strategy and Lamborghini would be foolish not to consider the tactic given the popularity of SUVs these days. Domenicali even admits to Reuters that the Urus is a “big game-changer” for the company. With the Urus in the fold, the company expects that it would be able to double its production to 7,000 units a year by 2019 with the SUV accounting for at least half of that total. It’s a high bar to reach, especially when you take into account the fact that Lamborghini sold 3,245 units in 2015, a record number that will likely be toppled again by the time 2016 ends.

Domenicali also made it clear that despite the importance being placed on the Urus SUV, the Italian supercar brand isn’t going to ditch its DNA because of it. The company still plans to cap yearly production of its supercars to 3,500 units to retain its exclusivity. It’s just that no production limits will be placed on the Urus once it hits the market in 2018. That model is the exception because demand for SUVs have never been higher in the industry.

Coinciding with the arrival of the Urus are plans to increase the company’s worldwide dealership network to 160 dealers from the 132 that are currently in place. The company also indicated that it’s doubling the size of its production facility in Sant’Agata Bolognese and adding 500 employees in an effort to meet the demand of the Urus when it goes on sale.

Continue after the jump to read the full story.

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Monterey Car Week Has Ruined Me Forever

I was only there for five days, but in that short time span, Monterey Car Week drastically altered my perception of automotive normalcy. To make things worse, I don’t think it’s ever going back to the way it was. Five days is all it took to go from “ooh, look, a new Mazda MX-5,” to “oh, just another Ferrari 360 Modena.” It was like having a gourmet chef at your beck and call for three meals a day, only to return to oatmeal and microwave burritos.

Not that there’s anything wrong with oatmeal or microwave burritos, or the Mazda MX-5 for that matter. The point I’m trying to make is that Monterey Car Week is a different world to what folks like you and me consider “ordinary life.” Scratch that – MCW has left the galaxy and is zipping between dimensions – comparatively speaking, of course.

You see it on the streets, in the parking lots, and at events like the Gordon McCall Motorworks Revival. Simply put, MCW is top-tier automotive bliss, and once you’ve tasted it, things will never be the same.

Continue reading for the full story.

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Lotus Elise 250 Special Edition

It seems like every month one automaker or another has a reason to celebrate and create some limited-run, special-edition model. Today, Lotus has announced its latest special edition that was designed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the company’s Hethel site. The car is called the Elise 350 Special Edition, and it is based on the Elise Cup 250 that launched just a few months ago. Powered by a supercharged four-cylinder, this thing delivers more than 240 horsepower and comes complete with lots of carbon fiber on the outside and a hand-finished interior. As Lotus put it, “It perfectly defines the quintessential British sports car in the celebration year.”

Outside of being quick thanks to that supercharged four-banger, this baby is also pretty aesthetically pleasing and can be had in a number of colors. On top of that, the car can also be personalized through the Lotus Exclusive Program, which means that each of the 50 units slated for production could turn out to be completely unique. For the record, Lotus claims this special-edition model can lap its Hethel test circuit in just 1 minute and 34 seconds – the fastest so far of any road-going Elise.

Jean-Marc Gales, the CEO of Group Lotus plc, said, “When we first introduced the Elise, it redefined how involving and exciting, yet civilized, a sports car could be. As the Elise was conceived, designed, engineered and is built at Hethel, we wanted a 50th tribute that’s even lighter than the fastest road-going Elise we’ve ever produced. The new Elise 250 Special Edition achieves that, so it’s supremely quick and agile, but it’s also wonderfully finished and stunning to look at.”

So, with that said, let’s take a good look at this special-edition Elise and see what all the hype is about.

Continue reading to learn more about the Lotus Elise 250 Special Edition.

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Singapore is Home to the First Self-Driving Taxi

The race between auto manufacturers to bring real, self-driving cars to the market is as bad as the Space Race between the Soviet Union and the U.S. that started back in the mid-1950s. With Tesla holding the trophy for the most advanced system so far, other manufacturers are closing in fast and relentlessly. But, as it turns out, a little company that you may not even have heard of has already brought a self-driving car to the masses. It’s a self-driving taxi from a company known as NuTonomy, and it calls Singapore its home turf.

To be a little more specific, when consumers open up the smartphone app and request a taxi, a Renault Zoe or Mitsubishi i-MiEV that has been modified for autonomous driving will show up and pick them up. For now, however, the cars don’t come all by themselves. An engineer from NuTonomy will be riding in the driver’s seat to keep an eye on things and to take over driving duties should human intervention be needed. The company hasn’t announced just how many of these self-driving taxis are buzzing around Singapore at the moment, but this trial run should lead to it launching a fully autonomous fleet as early as 2018.

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, their very own Jake Watts has already taken a ride in one. His impression wasn’t all bad, but he did claim that the Mitsubishi he was in lacked the polish of something like Tesla’s Autopilot. It was reported that the car did very well avoiding obstacles like pedestrians and parked cars, but it hesitated often and was very overcautious. Of course, that’s how it’s going to be for a while until the technology is perfected, but we’re well on our way to driverless cars.

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Mercedes-AMG CLA45 By Schmidt Revolution

A lot of people love the Mercedes-AMG CLA45. At the same time, a lot of other people don’t like it (hate’s a strong word, isn’t it?). Whichever side of the fence you’re on, there’s no denying that the AMG CLA45 is a car that’s ripe for an aftermarket program. Schmidt Revolution isn’t the biggest tuning name in the business, but it has developed a few humdingers over the years. Safe to say, the tuner knows what it’s doing, and that’s all coming to play with its new program for the AMG CLA45 that’s highlighted by an engine upgrade that gives the sedan a stout 400 horsepower.

The program as a whole is simple yet refined. That’s a good mix for a car that suffers from its own identity crisis, albeit through no fault of its own. Schmidt smartly went against overdoing the modifications in lieu of a more purposeful upgrade that gave the AMG CLA45 a consistent look to go with improved performance credentials.

The kit isn’t going to set any speed records, but with the changes in place, it helps turn the AMG CLA45 become the kind of high-performance sedan that can live up to its AMG name.

Continue after the jump to read the full review.

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Watch the Mercedes-Maybach Vision 6 Being Controlled By Remote: Video

The 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance hosted many spectacular debuts, one of which was the Mercedes-Maybach Vision 6. A concept car that’s not likely to move into production anytime soon, the Vision 6 is modern rendition of pre-WWII luxury cars and it’s packed with innovative technology and an electric drivetrain that cranks out in excess of 700 horsepower. It also sports a massive stance that would match the grandeur of any Rolls-Royce, but, despite its imposing appearance, it can be controlled by remote.

A fresh video from the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance shows the Maybach Vision 6 being moved back and forth via a small remote controller that can also turn the wheels. Interestingly enough, the vehicle moves pretty smooth despite its enormous size, which could mean that the remote is actually controlling the coupe’s all-electric drivetrain and not just an auxiliary motor.

At one point in the video, the man with the controller calls the Vision 6 an autonomous car, but that’s not exactly true. Although the concept features some sort of semi-autonomous tech, the fact that it is controlled by a person doesn’t make it fully autonomous. Still, this concept likely features a prototype version of Mercedes’ future autonomous technology and that remote control could very well be part of it. Parking would be infinitely easier, especially for a vehicle that’s six meters long.

For now, the Mercedes-Maybach Vision 6 will enter the history books as the world’s most expensive remote control car.

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Vergne Breaks Lap Record For All-Electric Series In Formula E

Last August, Lucas di Grassi clocked a 1:29.920 at the Donington Park GP Circuit during the fourth day of Formula E testing. That record has been holding strong ever since, well until now that is. Day two of Formula E’s preseason testing has turned out to be quite eventful with three drivers beating Grassi’s record during the morning run.

No. 3 for the day, driving for Renault e.dams, was Sebastien Buemi who posted a best lap of 1:29.765. Right on his tail was Felix Rosenqvist who drivers for Mahindra and posted a best lap of 1:29.719. Both of these times break Grassi’s record from last year, but Jean-Eric Vergne decided to push it to the limit a little more and managed to run a 1:29.634 around circuit during the morning test session.

On FIA’s Formula E webpage, Vergne spoke about his performance saying, “Today was really good considering we haven’t been driving at all this summer while other teams have covered a lot of mileage. I’m really pleased how the day went – we went through many things, and we still need to catch-up compared to the other teams to understand the new powertrain but the team have done a really good job. The pure performance already seems to be there!”

And there you have it. Another lap record set at Donington Park, just over a year after the 1:29.920 best lap was set by Lucas di Grassi.

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What You Need To Know About The Goodwood Revival

September’s not a particularly enthralling month in our shores. Summer’s winding down, school’s about to start, and the nearest auto show we have comes two months later in November in Los Angeles. There are some dog days that lie ahead for us, but that’s not the case for those across the pond, specifically those who will be attending the 2016 Goodwood Revival.

Yes, the Goodwood Revival is all set to take place from September 9 to 11, 2016. That’s less than three weeks away, which means that preparations are starting to heat up for the only motor racing event set up entirely in period.

On that note, here’s an important question: what exactly is the Goodwood Revival? It’s an interesting question since the event isn’t held in the U.S., and as such, it’s not all that familiar to a lot of people on this side of the Atlantic.

So to help those who don’t know about the Revival understand the event and why it’s important in automotive calendar, we’ve prepared a primer about the whole thing, complete with answers to certain questions you may have about the event. Who knows, by the time you’re done reading it, you might end up booking a ticket to the U.K. to attend the event. Anything’s possible, right?

Continue after the jump to read more about the Goodwood Revival.

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