The Toyota/Subaru FT-86 creation has been buzzing about the internet since the two announced their partnership, but after months of concepts and hearsay, a Subaru source has provided a bit of official information about the new sports car. The FT-86 will be arriving in the U.S. badged as a Scion FR-S and will feature one of the lowest centers of gravity of any vehicle out on the market. It will actually be right behind the Porsche GT3 and the Ferrari 458, thanks to the boxer engine provided to Toyota by Subaru. Subaru’s boxer engine has a flat, low profile that balances weight efficiently and provides quick handling response and flat, confident cornering.
We’re expected to see debuts of all the FT-86 variants when the Tokyo Motor Show opens its doors in December 2011 so we’ll have more details on those models at that time. Subaru’s version of the FT-86 is also being considered for an STI version which could come sporting a new generation, naturally aspirated (not turbocharged as with other STI models) 2.0-liter, four-cylinder boxer engine.
Speaking of the STI, Subaru sources also say that the new STI will take at least two years before coming to the market and will be drastically different from the base Impreza. In fact, this is part of Subaru’s plan to separate their conventional models from their performance models. The Impreza was put together with an eye out for economy, but the STI will be a different beast altogether. It will get its own engine, one that will have nothing to do with the Toyota engine created for the FT-86 project and will make it easier for Subaru to market the vehicle as a performance model. No specific figures were given, but we expect the new STI to carry a turbocharged version of the 2.5 liter boxer engine with more than 305 HP on tap. The engine will be mated to a fully synchronized close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission.
We’ve come to know Ginetta as a company that has made a name for itself in the industry for producing track-focused race cars and kit cars like the Ginetta F400 and the Ginetta G40. Apparently, the British automaker has set its sights on building a new sports car, one that the company is expecting to sell to a more mainstream market.
No word yet on what the name of the future sports car is going to be, but Ginetta has nonetheless released a teaser photo, as well as performance details of the car, giving us an indication of what to expect when it officially breaks cover.
According to Ginetta, the future sports car will make extensive use of carbon fiber to keep its overall weight at just under 2,425 lbs. In addition, Ginetta is putting in a more-than-respectable 3.7-liter engine that delivers 310 horsepower while hitting a 0-60 mph time of just under four seconds and an overall top speed of 165 mph.
Seems a little weird that we already have an expected price tag for the car - £70,000 ($110,000) - yet we still don’t know what it’s going to be called. In any case, expect an announcement from Ginetta in the coming weeks about their new road-ready sports car.
We all get psyched when we are planning to buy a new car, but walking onto a car dealership doesn’t exactly send tingles up and down many people’s arms. After all, who wants to get harassed by salesmen who circle around you like predators stalk their prey and then try to make you pay full price when most people know the price on the window is just a starting point?
Turns out, most people don’t care for that scenario, but still, 42% of buyers aren’t yet willing to purchase a car online. And even though a whopping 59% of buyers hate to have to master the art of haggling, 27% of buyers love to massage the system to get that price down. It’s exhausting just thinking about it, so it’s not surprising that 67% of potential customers want to test drive their dream vehicle alone.
Buying a vehicle is a tough job, but commuting wouldn’t be the same without our four-wheeled friends so check out the infographic for 10 steps to buying a car. After all, we need all the help we can get.
Also, stay tuned for our next installment in the Car Infographics series.
Caterham has announced the launch of a new standalone engineering business, Caterham Technology and Innovation Limited (CTI). The new company will develop a completely new line of accessible and affordable sportscars inspired by the lightweight, minimalist philosophy of the Seven. The new models will use technologies and materials from the Group’s Team Lotus Formula One and Caterham Team AirAsia GP2 motorsport operations. Also, CTI will work at advanced projects from both automotive and aerospace sectors.
"The new shareholders are committed to investing in an exciting range of global products over the next 10 years," says Mark Edwards, CTI’s Chief Executive. "Tony Fernandes has been very clear from the start that Caterham needed a sustainable research and development business model in order to meet the plans the management have for the road car business. By establishing unique operating principles for CTI, we have managed to attract a world-class team of niche vehicle engineers eager to build on the ethos of Caterham and the DNA of the Seven."
For most potential new-car buyers, the formula for test driving a car is a tried and true, yet somewhat unfulfilling, method: arrive at the lot, pick your car, take it for a 10-minute spin on some local roads and highways, then bring it back and haggle with the dealer. During this time, you can never really push the limits of the car because you are bound by local safety laws. However, the town of Naperville, Illinois has begun to usher in a new way for the general public to test their cars before they buy: the city has developed a closed track for those who want to test their new wheels on a circuit.
This idea stemmed from a joint venture between the city of Naperville and the Naperville Development Partnership (NDP) in order to reduce the number of test-drives through local neighborhoods. Through this venture, an alliance was born and brainstorming began on what could be done to remove the tests from out of the city streets and onto a controlled environment. When Centerpoint Properties acquired an old auto storage facility from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, the sale immediately prompted the NDP, the city and Centerpoint to form a partnership and build a track facility.
In effort to focus our attention to supercars and vehicles that are out of this world, we wanted to find something that was really bonkers. Naturally, the home of crazy things is usually Japan, but there cars seem to be getting duller by the second. So, we turned to that other crazy, wine loving country; Italy.
After searching high and low, we have found our vehicle, the Ferrari P4/5 Competizione. This is a machine that does not yet exist, but that won’t stop us from trying our best to find all the information we can about this gorgeous looking road rocket.
The only images we currently have of the Ferrari P4/5 Competizione are renderings, but those are good enough for now, as this supercar certainly looks good in that form. We’ve never heard anybody say that Ferrari can’t create something that looks like speed in motion.
UPDATE 05/18/2012: According to Jalopnik, during the 24 Hours of Nürburgring qualifying round, the supercar lapped the famous Nurburgring in just 6:51. This makes it the fastest Ferrari ever around the Nurburgring, smashing the previous record of 6:58.16 held by the Ferrari 599XX. All Glickenhaus had to say about this impressive result was: "I think it’s pretty cool!" However, he did invite Ferrari to come and challenge their supercar.
More details on the Ferrari P4/5 Competizione after the jump.
The BMW X3 is one of the most successful models in its segment and after being updated for the 2011 model year, BMW has decided to further expand the SUV for 2012 with the addition of two new models: the BMW X3 xDrive20i and the BMW X3 xDrive35d.
The BMW X3 Drive20i uses a newly developed 2.0-liter four-cylinder unit that delivers a total of 184 HP at 4,800 rpm and a peak torque of 199 lbs-ft available at 1,250 rpm. The engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox as standard with the option of an eight-speed automatic transmission. It is also combined with the Auto Start-Stop function, which automatically switches the engine off when the car is stationary.
The BMW X3 xDrive35d uses a 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine that delivers a total of 313 HP at 4,400 rpm and a peak torque of 464 lbs-ft available from as low as 1,500 to 2,500 rpm. This model comes equipped as standard with the eight-speed automatic transmission including Auto Start-Stop.
Both models will be put on sale starting the autumn of 2011.
When you ask most Americans what comes to mind when you say Fiat, one word consistently came up: "broken." Now with Fiat making a re- entrance behind their fantastic 500, feelings are changing. Although the Fiat 500 has only been on US soil for about a year, it is already gaining momentum like a blue whale rolling down a hill. It has just been announced that the long awaited Fiat 500 Abarth will make its American debut at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show and go on sale in the first half of 2012 . This is a huge move forward because according to Inside Line, the initial debut for the Abarth models was supposed to be introduced in the first half of 2013.
When this hot hatchback hits the market its major competitors will be the venerable VW Golf GTI and the Mini Cooper S. The angle that the Fiat successfully utilizes is that over the years both of its competitors have gone somewhat soft and strayed quite far from their roots. In the Fiat Abarth, the lineage is as clear as day and also adds a touch of warm nostalgic familiarity. As soon as your right foot hits the gas, a direct channel to your adrenal glads will be opened. The exhaust note from this peppy 1.4 liter engine reminds us of a little Boston terrier behind a fence, it sounds big but it’s really not. These primal signals will serve as a reminder of how a ’hot’ hatchback can enrich your life.
We adore the little Fiat. Its sense of style, presence, and plucky attitude make it a must have vehicle. This admiration will be multiplied with the Abarth version of this venerable Italian hatchback. The Fiat 500 Abarth serves as a case in point for automakers; in order to move forward, one must often look back.
America has been known for many years as the "land of opportunity", now it can be known as the "land of the insane engineering." This change of title is due to a car which defies convention and could be considered the Bell X-1 of tuned sedans. This vehicle truly breaks down what is possible in the tuning market and plows a new path. This seminal vehicle is the 2012 Hennessey Twin Turbo V1000 CTS-V Coupe. The guys over at Hennessey were the only people to look at the 2012 Cadillac CTS-V and think "ya know, we need to make it as powerful as a medium sized ICBM," and the outcome is simply staggering.
This latest offering from the Texas based tuning company boasts 1,000 horsepower and 950 ft/lbs of torque. This will push the sports car to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and will allow it to do the quarter mile in 10.9 seconds at 136 mph. All this while pushing it all the way to a top speed of 230 mph.
If you’re screaming "I want one!", you will have to a right a large check (somewhere north of 150K). You will also have to be quick because only 12 are being made. If you are lucky enough to have this automotive Hulk, you will undoubtedly love to get under the skin of other super car owners. They will roll their eyes at this pauper, but as soon as you press the loud pedal, you will definitely give their Mercedes SLS AMG and Ferrari 458 Italia models a fright.
Hit the jump for more details on the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe Twin Turbo V1000 by Hennessey.
Porsche has made headlines in the industry with its Panamera 4-door sedan since it hit the market in 2009 as a 2010 model. Contrary to many of the company’s other models, the Panamera had many critics. Not only did the idea of a 4-door Porsche rustle purist’s feathers, but the design and styling left many scratching their heads. From some angles the car is impressive and echoes the sports car heritage that made the company famous, but when viewing the rear it’s hard to imagine exactly what the designers were thinking.
Design aside, the Panamera puts up startling performance figures in Turbo trim and made the automotive press take a step back to examine it further. Three models were offered for 2010, each with a V8 engine under the hood pushing 400hp and the Turbo at 500hp. New for 2011 will be the addition of two V6 models with the engine being designed by Porsche specifically for duty in its flagship sedan. The increased fuel economy and lower sticker price are the main reasons driving Porsche to offer this model.
With the strong performance of the 500hp Turbo model being much of the reason why enthusiasts gave the car a second look, can a V6 Porsche sedan keep up with the pack?
UPDATE 07/15/2011: Porsche recently set out to the Shanghai International Circuit with the Panamera Turbo to break the lap speed record for a four-door production car. They succeeded with a lap time of 2:29.640 minutes, but we can’t find any mention anywhere of the original record. Was the Panamera a Turbo the maiden four door vehicle? That’s what it looks like, leaving Porsche to look a little silly for the announced "achievement." THat being said, a record is a record, so check out the video to watch it in action!
Hit the jump for more details on the 2011 Porsche Panamera.
