So Chrysler has been aggravating all of us by doing its social media teasing via Facebook. Between the SRT Viper and the Ram 1500 teasing campaigns, we were about teased out. Just as it did with the Viper, Chrysler redeemed itself by finally releasing the actual production 2013 Ram 1500.
This new 2013 Ram 1500 made its debut on April 5th via a live webcast on, you guessed it, FACEBOOK! First and foremost, Chrysler’s focus with the new Ram 1500 was gas mileage, as pickups are falling drastically behind cars in this area, and soon buyers will not be able to fuel these monsters. Luckily, Chrysler has no plans to drastically reduce engine size or mess with the aesthetics of the Ram in order to increase mileage. There are just a few tweaks here and there.
The true test is if this pickup can catch up to its main competitors, the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and the GM Sierra 1500. The only way that Ram can hope to catch up to these models is to significantly increase its V-6 output and lower the fuel consumption on the V-8 models.
Hit the jump to read the full review on the Ram 1500.
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Next to the road-going version of the SRT Viper at the 2012 New York Auto Show was the SRT Viper GTS-R - a model that marks SRT Viper Racing team’s return to the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) in 2012. There will be two GTS-R models entering the competition with four drivers currently being signed to drive including Dominik Farnbacher, from Ansbach, Germany; Marc Goossens from Geel, Belgium; Ryan Hunter-Reay from Dallas; and Kuno Wittmer from Montreal.
The GTS-R racing version will be based on the standard Viper, but the model will be updated for track use. The GTS-R version was built in cooperation with Riley Technologies, based in Mooresville, N.C. Both models will race on Michelin GT tires.
"Racing has been a significant part of the illustrious history of Viper not only with wins on the track, but also in the continued development of the street cars – and our new 2013 SRT Viper models are proof of those lessons learned," said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO – Street and Racing Technology Brand and Motorsports, Chrysler Group LLC. "Now with our new team and the launch of the GTS-R, we’re excited and proud to begin writing more chapters in the racing history of the Viper later this summer."
UPDATE 04/10/2012: We have added a series of new images from the car’s official debut at the 2012 New York Auto Show. Check out the picture gallery to see them all!
When we attend an auto show, the first things we watch for are the brand new cars gracing the stage, but usually, next to those beautiful new cars are equally as, if not more so, beautiful women. This year’s New York Auto Show was certainly no different as the ladies were out in full short skirt force.
It may be a little difficult to pay too close attention to the women in our picture gallery considering they are standing next to the likes of the Audi R8 GT Spyder, the SRT Viper GTS-R, the Lincoln MKZ, and the Lexus RX, but the girls certainly hold their own.
Enjoy the picture gallery and let us know whether you liked the cars or the girls better in the comments section below!
The current Mitsubishi Outlander Sport has been out for just three years and has already scored impressive results including the coveted "Top Safety Pick" designation by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2012 model year. And now, Mitsubishi has prepared a facelift version for the company’s best-selling vehicle, which it unveiled at the 2012 New York Auto Show.
Changes for the 2013 model year include a host of design and equipment improvements: new-look front and rear fascias and side sills; interior design upgrades; revamped rear suspension; and Continuously-Variable Transmission (CVT), plus much more.
No changes have been made under the hood, which means the new model will keep its 2.0 liter inline-4 engine that delivers a total of 148 HP and a peak torque of 145 lbs-ft. The engine is combined with an Enhanced Continuously-Variable Transmission (CVT) calibration for improved acceleration performance and smoother shift feeling.
Hit the jump to read more about the 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport.
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At one point in every automotive buff’s life, he has a dream about driving a supercar down a racetrack. Then he wakes up, looks out the window and his 1993 Metro is staring him in the face. Well, you can hop into that Metro, drive to New York and live your dream for $99. Yup, an exotic car rental company that typically rents Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Mercedes, and other high-end cars for thousands of dollars per day is allowing people to take these monsters around a racetrack.
Gotham Dream Cars has taken its Dream Car Sprint program to the New York Auto Show, which opened up to the public today. The Dream Car Sprint program typically charges $249 for three laps around their parking lot-based racetrack, but at the New York International Auto Show they have brought along a Ferrari F430 and a Lamborghini Gallardo], and have discounted the three-lap price to just $99 + tax.
The track is roughly one-mile long and you have to drag an instructor along with you. This pretty much means that you can’t really have any fun in these supercars, but just to be behind the wheel is enough to make us happy.
As the auto show progresses, the Gotham Dream cars might add other vehicles to this program, but for now we only know of the Ferrari and Lamborghini. So, if you are over 21, have a valid driver’s license and car insurance, plus a spare $105.93, you can hop in one of these and see just how far the push these cars until the ride-along instructor stops you. We bet one of us could end that drive in about 15 seconds…
All car buffs can appreciate when a new car comes out and pumps out 40 horsepower more than its predecessor and even blows away the old version in looks. What separates the typical car buff from the car nut is if they really care how the car got to that point. So many times I will sit and discuss gear ratios, camshaft lift and duration, compression, and weight with people and all they have to say is “How much horsepower does it have.”
Well, SRT obviously thinks its customer base is full of car nuts, as it released five videos with the engineers and designers of the 2013 SRT Viper discussing various parts of the design process, including: general overview, powertrain, interior design, handling characteristics, and exterior design. All we can say about these videos is “Wow.” SRT went above and beyond in developing this car, then went even further to draw us all into the engineering and design rooms.
All of the videos are great, but one of my favorite parts is how the designer states that the point of the interior is to keep it simple yet refined. That is a huge thing with us, as some cars go way overboard with the high-tech gadgets, to the point that it’s overwhelming. It’s pretty funny that they specifically single out Corvette owners and how they complain about the “video game” feel to the controls.
The engine video is great and the engineer really puts to bed some of the issues that the Viper has had in past years. The biggest issue by far was the uneven cooling of the engine and head gasket issues. Both of which seem taken care of with the revised cooling system.
Our favorite video by far is the “Handling Characteristics” video. First off, you can tell the engineer is a car dude and loves this stuff. But hearing about the adjustable stability control and the nasty launch control feature just made us all warm and fuzzy.
Before we give it all away, check out the videos yourself, they are an awesome lesson in how to design a car correctly.
Additional videos after the jump.
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We are all just becoming accustomed to the fact that the Impala will no longer be just a rental car beater, as Chevrolet has completely redesigned it and actually made it a competitor in the full-size car market and Chevy’s already trying to shoot itself in the foot.
When Chevy began leaking out information about the 2014 Impala, we all assumed it would have an all-wheel-drive option, even though GM said nothing about it during the official unveiling in New York. This became even more obvious when we found out that it will be based on the Epsilon platform, which is the same platform that the AWD Cadillac XTS and AWD Buick LaCrosse are based upon.
To our surprise, we learned from our friends at GMInsideNews.com that Chevy has zero plans of offering an AWD version of the Impala in either the near or distant future. Chevy actually made the brash and unfounded statement that all-wheel-drive vehicles are only a small part of the full-size car market. Actually that statement is downright false, to some experts.
Paul Lacy of IHS stated last year that by 2015 AWD sales will account for nearly 30% of all automotive sales. Then again, if GM doesn’t want to take an industry expert’s opinion, it can look at sister company Cadillac. In 2009 and 2010 nearly one-half of all CTS sales were AWD models. Add in the fact that all of the main competitors to the Impala, including the Charger, Taurus, and 300, all have at least an optional AWD system.
We don’t know exactly why Chevy is not planning on an AWD offering for the Impala and we honestly think that they are taking a step backwards at the worst possible time. When you first release a vehicle you don’t want to cut out an item like AWD, which is an important purchasing point for undecided shoppers. The undecided shopper is the one you need to reel in and things like AWD make that a possibility. Bad form, Chevy.
The concept version of the upcoming Lamborghini SUV will be unveiled at the end of April at the Beijing Auto Show, but some lucky guests - aka select Lamborghini clientele - at the 2012 New York Auto Show were able to get a sneak peek at the concept. Lamborghini tried to keep everything secret until the concept’s official debut in China, but there were some people at the event who decided to share some information.
Those specific event goers reported that the car will have a silhouette similar to the BMW X6 and will be the same size as the Audi Q7. The concept will feature a carbon fiber body kit and LED headlights similar to the ones seen in the Estoque. At the rear, the SUV will feature four trapezoidal exhaust tips integrated in the rear bumper diffuser. The concept sits on a new set of 24" wheels with a carbon fiber design similar to the Aventador J combined with naturally carbon-ceramic brakes.
More details about the Lamborghini SUV Concept will be revealed during the car’s official debut in Beijing, so stay tuned!
The anticipated reveal of the replacement for the Acura RL has finally made its debut at the 2012 New York International Auto Show. The all-new Acura RLX will make its production debut in early-2013, as a 2014 model year, giving Honda’s luxury lineup a head start for 2014.
We were all starting to wonder exactly what was in store for the RLX, since Acura announced its debut. Some of the questions that arose were around its power plant and whether or not this would simply be a restyled RL with an “X” on the end of its nameplate.
Acura answered all of those pertinent questions and then some at the auto show, as it pulled the sheet off of the new RLX and surprised everyone with a vehicle that bears little to no resemblance to its predecessor, something Honda Motor Company does not typically do. For the most part, Hondas tend to evolve rather slowly, with the exception of the latest Civic model, and rarely do we see big-time changes.
This all-new sedan is set to do battle with two newly redesigned imports, both of which debuted at the same auto show. On one side, you have the completely refreshed Toyota Avalon and on the other side, you have the redesigned Lexus ES 300h.
Can the RLX possibly fend off these two sister vehicles?
Hit the jump to find out.
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Just hours ago, we reported the somber news that the Porsche 911’s designer passed away, but this time we have some good news to pass along. This news continues to add to the legend that is F.A. Porsche, as his creation has been announced the 2012 World Performance Car.
The 911 S Coupe made it through a three-stage voting process, beating out some of the best vehicles in the world. In the final stage, the 911 faced off against two greats, the Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 and the McLaren MP4-12C.
The WPC judges specifically pointed out that the 911 combines pleasant driving, raw performance, and even fuel efficiency. Let’s crunch the numbers here. The 911 S Coupe pushes out 385 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque from a 3.8-liter flat-6, while getting 18 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. The Lamborghini has a 700-horsepower, 509 foot-pound producing V-12 engine that squeaks out 11 mpg city and 17 mpg highway. The McLaren gets 15 mpg city and 22 mpg highway – close to the Porsche – and pumps 592 horsepower along with 443 pound-feet from its 3.8-liter V-8.
There are two other factors that would make us put the Porsche on top of the Lamborghini and McLaren. One is the fact that the Aventador is notoriously impossible to drive on even a freshly paved highway – yeah, it’s a little rough. The McLaren, on the other hand, has received some complaints that it tends to over-correct itself via its traction control system.
Add in the fact that the Porsche 911 S Coupe is only one-third of the Aventador’s price and just about half the price of McLaren, you have one impressive hunk of machinery there.
Hit the jump for the official press release.
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