Cars

Hot hatches are big business in Europe, but not everybody wants the stiffer ride, or the higher associated fuel bills, which is why Kia has made the Ceed GT-Line which it revealed at the Paris motor show.

Porsche’s year-long anniversary party turned up an unexpected guest in the Porsche 935. The Stuttgart-based automaker reimagined the long-tailed 70’s icon with a modern design topped off by a retro livery, showcasing it in all its glory at Laguna Seca last month. Shortly after the 935’s debut, the racer took some test runs at the Monza racetrack in Italy where it was performing some test runs ahead of its highly anticipated launch. Porsche plans to build just 77 units of the reimagined “Moby Dick,” with each model priced at $817,000.

If you’re still dreaming of the Honda S2000’s amazing 100-horsepower/liter figure that was an industry benchmark in the sports car class for years, there’s now a new benchmark, at least in the S2000 world. As expected, it’s highly modified but in an unusual way: it sports the drivetrain from a Tesla Model S P100D.

Discontinued back in 2009, the S2000 remained the backbone of many modified rides over the years. This white example, nicknamed "Model S2000", is one of the raddest yet. It’s employing parts from the Tesla Model S and the Chevrolet Volt to tear up the dragstrip and seamlessly tick a quarter-mile time of 10.24 without much hassle. And that’s only the beginning.

Keep on reading to learn more about this cool S2000 EV.

After the 911 T, the Cayman T will be going under the knife. Well, not for the looks, but for weight. Reportedly, the 2019 Cayman T will be losing 44 pounds and gaining ten horses to become a faster car. These chops have happened to give the car a more focused driving experience.

Blood Type Racing is returning to the SEMA Auto Show with a new creation. The noted tuner is mixing it up this year, ditching past automotive muses like the Hyundai Genesis Coupe and Ford Focus ST in favor of a Ford Edge ST. It’s a fitting challenge for Blood Type Racing; the Edge ST is the first SUV to come out of the Ford Performance team so, by default, it’s performance-ready on its own. But even that didn’t dissuade Blood Type Racing from going to work. The tuning specialist created an extensive program for the SUV, highlighted by an engine upgrade program that adds more power to a vehicle that already boasts an output of 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque to go with an ST-tuned suspension.

BMW is reportedly going to kill off the 3-Series Gran Turismo, the more practical, slightly taller, longer, and roomier hatchback version of BMW’s bread and butter sedan. Apparently, there is no longer a justification to make a new one as its slot in the range will be filled by new SUV models.

The Ford Expedition is arguably one of the most versatile SUVs in the market. It has the size, the technology, and the all-around capability that you’d want from a full-sized SUV. It’s also highly customizable, whether through Ford itself or through the aftermarket tuning scene. The Ford LGE*CTS Expedition Classic is a perfect example of the latter. It’s designed and built by noted designer Theresa Contreras, who focused on creating a “modern classic” interpretation of Ford’s popular SUV. There’s a lot to like about the this tuned Expedition, particularly its impressive presentation. We’ll get to see it up close at the 2018 SEMA Auto Show in Las Vegas.

A new Model 3 is now available to order. It’s called the “Mid Range,” and it offers 260 miles per charge, a top speed of 125 mph, and a 0-to-60 mph time of 5.6 seconds, all for $45,000. Factor in the $7,500 Federal Tax Credit and $4,300 in average fuel savings, and the final price comes to $33,200, which makes it quite tempting for those looking to live the Tesla lifestyle without dropping a ton of coin. However, with the base Model 3 not hitting production until next year and the Federal Tax Credit on its way out the door, will the Mid Range be the best Tesla you can buy?

I test drove the BMW M240i xDrive Convertible. The small BMW convertible showed me why I liked BMWs so much, it sparked the fire in my heart for BMWs once again, and I am not going back, ever. I love BMW, and now, finally, I definitely know why. It is for me. I am sure, if you had to chance to drive the M240i through a few bends on the mountain roads of the Gorges du Verdon canyon in France, the M240i would grow in your heart as well.

It is sublime!

I can’t even imagine what kind of a beast the M2 is. I haven’t driven it yet, but I am eagerly waiting to do so.

Just when you thought that the limited-run-exclusivity of the Speedtail was enough to make you feel special, Mclaren has gone a step further to let you know that this car is not just fast; it also involves luxury. Instead of having the regular aluminum and gloss black exterior badges, the British brand has worked with Vaughtons jeweler to create an 18-carat white gold emblems with inset carbon fiber.

The Audi E-tron GT is coming, and it will, by all accounts, be epic. Ever since Tesla made such glorious strides in the electric car fandom, the car world has been waiting for the rest of the big automakers to catch up. With the introduction of numerous expensive electric SUVs in the past couple of years, the car community as a whole gained the much needed electric car boost. But a true Tesla Model S competitor was still nowhere to be found. Until now. The Audi E-tron GT will be its competitor. And I am not the only one to say it. Siegfried Pint, Head of Development for Electric Drive at Audi, said that the new car is “steered towards performance.”

The Rolls-Royce Cullinan is the most luxurious SUV in the world (sorry Bentayga, but it is). The BMW X7, despite many reporting it is the most luxurious, actually isn’t. I’ll be modest in my unpretentious estimates and say that the BMW X7 is the fourth most luxurious production SUV in the world. The Cullinan being the first, the Bentayga the second and, the Land Rover Range Rover is the third. So, yes, I am probably correct - the BMW X7 is the fourth most luxurious SUV in the world. It is also the biggest BMW SUV in the world.

As the world basks in the greatness of the new large BMW X7, whose price starts at $73,900, I am pressed to find all the cool facts about the thing. Or as Doug DeMuro would say, I am listing here all the strange quirks and cool features the BMW X7 has to offer.

You are in for a cool one.

The Ford EcoSport’s standing as the Blue Oval’s smallest crossover isn’t stopping it from making a statement at the 2018 SEMA Auto Show. With assistance from aftermarket tuner, Tucci Designs, the EcoSport is showing off a more rugged “Big Adventures” personality that’s built for the outdoors. Bucci Design’s Ford EcoSport Big Adventures is one of five Ford crossovers and SUVs that’s appearing at SEMA when the world’s biggest aftermarket auto show opens its doors next month.

While I did write extensively about the possible Ford Ranger Raptor Diesel reaching the U.S., it seems that Ford doesn’t have any plans to introduce theRanger Raptor to the free world. In his talk with Hermann Salenbauch, Ford Performance Director, Autoblog journalists found out that the Raptor “was really developed for locations where the F-150 isn’t available or popular so that all regions could have a Raptor.”

Obviously, reading between the lines shows that the Ranger Raptor isn’t actually coming to the U.S.

As everyone continues to wait with bated breath for the respective debuts of the Speedtail and 720S Convertible, another McLaren is brewing in the shadows. There are no definite details yet, but numerous rumors hint that McLaren’s MSO division is preparing a mysterious new supercar that’s tentatively called the BC-03. It is also believed that the BC-03 will draw inspiration from McLaren’s Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo Concept and that only five units are planned.

The GT supercar seems to be a hit among enthusiasts. To satisfy the ‘overwhelming’ customer demand, Ford has announced that the production of the GT supercar will be extended by approximately two years. For people who would like to get it this time around, the Blue Oval will start taking applications in selected markets for about a month, starting from November 8.

BMW raised a few eyebrows when it debuted its front-wheel drive-biased 2-Series Active Tourer model, and people quickly called it “not a BMW,” it was a model which dilutes the brand, and just plain ugly. However, after spending a few days with the top-of-the-range plug-in hybrid version of the 2 AT, the 225xe iPerformance, its many qualities did start to shine through, in spite of my initial hesitation to like it.

And I did like it in the end, even if not for the usual reasons one traditionally appreciates a BMW. I found it very spacious to sit in, with surprisingly comfortable seats, I liked its excellent fit and finish, and even the one-box design started to grow on me.

The driving experience is also pretty good, but again, not very BMW-like. It drives like one of the larger models in the MINI lineup, and that’s no accident because they all use a shared (modular) architecture.

My tester was also made even more likable thanks to its plug-in hybrid powertrain which works very smoothly and seamlessly, allowing it to change its character from silent side street cruiser to a hissing, turbocharged all-wheel-drive people carrier with hot hatch performance.

The 2019 Porsche Panamera and the Panamera Sports Turismo get some extra pizzazz with both being offered with a GTS badge. This is not the first time Porsche has used the GTS moniker on its cars; the second-generation Panamera and the Panamera Sport Turismo have gotten the same treatment and have been quite successful. The GTS versions have always been a good bang for the buck, as you get performance specs and features that are optional on other models, without actually costing a bomb.

Toyota RAV4 has been around for almost 25 years now. It has been one of the most stable products for the Japanese giant, raking in sales numbers consistently since its launch. At a time when sedans’ sales were booming, Toyota offered customers with a car that could be taken on any terrain, had the looks of an SUV, and could be handled like a hatch. While this sounds like a success formula now, it was quite a big risk two decades back.

The automaker showcased the fifth-generation RAV4 Hybrid, at the Paris Motor Show this year. Toyota has used a new underpinning, called the TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform. With increased body rigidity, The RAV4 now boasts a low center of gravity and better handling when compared to the previous iterations. As for the dimensions, the SUV is 4,600 mm long - shorter by 5 mm compared to the previous gen, but the wheelbase is 30 mm longer. This is because there is reduction of 35 mm in the bonnet and boot overhangs. It is 10 mm wider, and 10 mm shorter.

The BMW X7 has arrived, and it’s poised to take the reigns from the X5 as Bavaria’s new flagship SUV. The full-sized behemoth will have its hands full competing against the likes of the Mercedes GLS-Class and the Land Rover Range Rover. For the time being, at least, the X7 will also draw comparisons to the model it’s replacing atop the BMW SUV food chain. Fair or not, the X7 will be compared to the X5, in part to judge the merits of the X7 as Bimmer’s new flagship SUV. The latter now holds the keys to BMW’s SUV kingdom as all eyes will be on it to see if it can elevate the German automaker’s status in the market.