Cars

It’s another drag race from our UK colleagues from Carwow and this time, the Kia Stinger GT goes up against the Volkswagen Arteon R Shooting Brake. Although both cars compete in the same segment, they are propelled by very different drivetrains. Will more power and torque prevail over less weight, all-wheel drive, and a DSG gearbox?

With a few exceptions, Audi is a brand that makes luxury cars that, for the most part, feature a rather unremarkable design. While that changed in the last few years, one model that has always been exciting is the Audi R8. Since its debut, in 2006, the mid-engine model hasn’t experienced any radical changes. However a few months ago, Hildegard Wortmann – Audi’s global chief of sales and marketing – stated that the Audi R8 “is an icon of the past, not necessarily the future”. This points to the R8 nearing the end of its lifespan in order to make room for something new.

The first automobile was invented in 1886 and since then many great cars have emerged. But even nearly 140 years after the automobile’s invention, there are very few cars that have a cult following as zealous as that of the Porsche 911. This is especially true for the air-cooled models, which are all-time classics. If we combine the significance of an air-cooled 911 with the cocaine-snorting excess of the 1970s, we can see how a one-off 1979, guards red, modified Porsche 911 Turbo can be listed for $599,000 by a Florida dealership.

Thomas and James from ‘Throttle House’ organized an all-wheel-drive drag race that had some big names racing against each other. The contenders included an Audi RS5, a BMW M4 xDrive, and a Nissan GT-R. On paper, the GT-R makes the most power, but will that translate to a clean sweep over its German counterparts?

Cars are getting more and more advanced every year, leaving them more dependent on electronics and technology. With this increasingly blurry line dividing the world of technology like laptops and smartphones and the world of cars, more tech companies are having a go at making their first automobiles. Hon Hai Technology Group, the owner of Foxconn, debuted three new electric vehicles at the Hon Hai Tech Day 2021 event. Those electric vehicles are the Model C, Model E, and the ambitiously named Model T.

Maybe it doesn’t have what it needs to stand up against cars like the Volkswagen Golf R or the Mercedes-AMG A35, but the M135i xDrive is surely trying its best to catch up. After only three years on the market, the compact hot hatch received a series of mechanical updates that will make it even more enjoyable during everyday driving and on the track.

Marek Reichman, the chief creative officer at Aston Martin, takes us over each and every car from the British marque, that has appeared in every Bond film since the 60s.

We are all familiar with the tuning potential of the 2JZ engine, which makes it one of the more popular engine swaps. That said, there are certain boundaries one should not be crossing. This is exactly what Mike Finnegan, from Finnegan’s Garage YouTube channel, did, as he took the rustiest 1968 Dodge Charger and put a 2JZ GTE engine in it. While it’s up for debate whether that’s worse than putting an LS into it (at least it’s a V-8) some MOPAR fans are sure to blow a fuse or two over Finnegan’s build.

In a world where crossovers and SUVs reign supreme, it is no surprise that the Porsche Cayenne and Macan continue to be the brand’s best-sellers. For the rest of Porsche’s model lineup though, the all-electric Taycan sits comfortably in third, making it the best-selling non-SUV Porsche so far this year.

The Tesla Model S Plaid was spotted testing at the Nürburgring recently with an aero package equipped. Now, three prototypes have been spotted by our spy photographers on the ‘Ring as well as on the public roads. The highlight, of course, is the aero package and that active rear spoiler, but we also spotted it riding on different tires on the public roads and the track. With the way the testing is going, we think the package will be released soon.

“That Racing Channel” continues to supply us – the audience – with great automotive content, showcasing some of the most epic builds in the world. We’ve made it clear that we love Dodge Vipers and apparently, so do the people at “Nth Moto”, who are also the creators of “the Juggernaut” – a 3,200 horsepower Dodge Viper GTS. Now, they’ve come up with an even crazier Viper, which also happens to be the roll race champion. - meet “Kratos”.

When you think of American luxury cars, you probably think of Cadillac. Since its inception, in 1902, by founders William Murphy, Lemuel Bowen, and Henry M. Leland, the brand has been synonymous with lavishing luxury and style. Moreover, on a few occasions, Cadillac designers played with the idea of radical designs and gigantic (even by American standards) engines. Thus cars like the XP-840 Eldorado Fastback spawned.

Volkswagen was supposed to debut the ID.5 GTX at the 2021 IAA Mobility Show in Munich, but canceled it at the last minute. We saw a camouflaged version ahead of the show which didn’t hide much of the styling cues, but it was still with some skin. Now, the coupe-version of the ID.4 was recently spotted stretching its legs at the Nürburgring without nearly any camouflage this time.

In today’s ¼ mile showdown, we have a Hennessey F-150 truck, taking on a stock Mustang GT500 at the Pennzoil proving ground test track, down in Sealy, Texas. This is a performance spec battle with two vehicles from two very different ends of the Ford line-up. They both pack similar power, although it comes as no surprise that the truck weighs more. Let’s look at the numbers first, shall we?

We now know that BMW is working on a new compact EV Saloon. Internally known today as the NK1, the rest of the world will know it as the 3 Series EV when it launches in 2025. It will serve as an alternative to the next-gen, fuel-powered 3 Series. Sitting atop a new electric architecture known as Neue Klasse, this electric 3 Series will be the first big step forward in BMW’s massive shift to electrification and will pave the way for a whole-new generation of BMW EVs – including an extended lineup of SUVs. This news, however, is about a lot more than a new electric 3 Series, and more about BMW’s path to the future.

Unlike the Honda Civic Type-R which has been leaked many times and we have some details already, the automaker managed to stay tight-lipped about the new Civic Si. But, the eleventh-gen Si is here now and it comes with quite a few changes. On paper, it makes less power, but the car is said to be improved in a whole lot of other aspects. It now features the Type-R’s rev-matching, peak torque at lower rpm, and even better exhaust flow. How about that!

This is a big one. Yes, yes, it’s that time of year when you have the Annual Top Gear Mega test. Chris Harris got a chance to check out this year’s lineup of cars where he along with his team were giving the task of deciding the best performance car for 2021.