5/23/2012

TopSpeed Daily Update

Skoda Rapid
Hero Honda Pleasure
Video: World&#39;s first Hennessey Venom GT shooting flames on dyno
TVS Apache RTR F1 160
2013 Shelby GT500 goes from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds
BMW confirms inline-6 engine for next M3
Ford Thunderbird Pro Touring
Spy Shots: Kia Sorento facelift goes testing at the Nurburgring
Volkswagen Golf GTI Black Dynamic
Spy Shots: Facelift Audi R8 finally makes an appearance

Posted: 22 May 2012 09:00 AM PDT

Skoda began using the Rapid name back in 1984 when it debuted a coupe based on the brand's 130 sedan. That model was discontinued in 1990, but the name is headed back to the spotlight, this time on a new small car that will be placed between the light Fabia and the next-generation Octavia. The new Rapid was inspired by the Mission L Concept unveiled at the 2012 Frankfurt Motor Show and will be officially unveiled in September at the 2012 Paris Auto Show.

The new Skoda Rapide will be built on a standard platform, and not on the Volkswagen Group’s new MQB multi-vehicle platform. This decision was made to keep the car’s price as low as possible. The engines and transmission, however, will still come from the Volkswagen Group.

As for its exterior design, expect to see many elements from the Mission L Concept, combined with the latest expression of Skoda’s design language.

If all of that is not clear enough, check out the latest spy shots of the Skoda Rapid as it takes a test lap on the Nürburgring in Germany.

Skoda Rapid originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 22 May 2012 16:00 EST.

Hero Honda Pleasure

Posted: 22 May 2012 09:00 AM PDT

Hero Honda Motors Ltd comes up with some pretty amusing names for their new line of scooters. None more so than the Hero Honda Pleasure.

We’re not quite sure what the name implies, but we’re not about to argue with these guys. According to Honda, the Hero Pleasure is a bike that has been especially designed for young ladies, with the design of the bike reinforcing that idea.

For instance, the Pleasure has been adorned with exciting body graphics, as well as body colored rear view mirrors, a rear grip, a stunning tail-light and a multi-reflector headlight, and a stylish meter console. What’s more, the scooter also has a large under-seat box, a wider seat, an inner rack, a luggage hook, and extra leg room that will ensure the rider never runs out of space.

On top of its stylistic appeal, the Hero Honda Pleasure also boasts of a 100 cc air-cooled, 4-stroke single cylinder OHC engine that produces around 6 horsepower at 7,000 RPM and 7.85 Nm of peak torque at 5,000 RPM and mated to a gearless transmission.

The Hero Honda Pleasure is loaded with a host of attractive features. It’s not claiming to be a powerful scooter, but where it lacks in ponies, it certainly makes up for in style, something a lot of young ladies won’t have any problems compensating for.

Find out more about the Hero Honda Pleasure after the jump.

Hero Honda Pleasure originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 22 May 2012 16:00 EST.

Video: World&#39;s first Hennessey Venom GT shooting flames on dyno

Posted: 22 May 2012 08:00 AM PDT

The Hennessey Venom GT has already promised to be one of the craziest, fastest, and most incredible supercars to have ever of come out of such a small production facility in the U.S. for decades. And it's only been in production for a few months.

Yet, Hennessey has yet to deliver upon any of its promised performance capabilities, but that hasn't stopped the firm from already developing its first variant of the car, with the Venom GT Spyder, and with deliveries of the exotic car set to begin soon, the tuning firm recently took the car to the dyno and fortunately, The Smoking Tire was there to capture it all.

The particular unit in question is actually the black car recently ordered by Aerosmith rocker, Steven Tyler and is undergoing its final stages of development before being delivered in the following weeks.

As we're sure you know, the Venom GT is a true, rear-wheel drive, V8 monster and managed to pump out 839 horsepower and 745lb-ft at the rear wheels running on pump gas and only medium boost. It's currently unclear which performance package Tyler selected for the car as it's available either in 725HP, 1000HP, or 1200HP options, but based off the results we'd estimate Tyler selected the 1200 horsepower variant, as race gas and full boost could definitely add an extra 300-odd horsepower.

On top of the incredible exhaust note produced by the car, the following video also shows the Venom GT Spyder shooting some incredibly-impressive flames from its rear, demonstrating that it really is a performance car.

gallery: 2011 Hennessey Venom GT

Video: World's first Hennessey Venom GT shooting flames on dyno originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 22 May 2012 15:00 EST.

TVS Apache RTR F1 160

Posted: 22 May 2012 08:00 AM PDT

Some people prefer bikes that are just oozing horsepower. Others prefer a bike that looks like a stunner without carrying all that output. The TVS Apache RTR F1 160 is part of the latter.

And that’s a good thing.

The Apache RTR FI 160 is clearly a head turner that comes with magnificent features and a fuel injection technology that gives the bike better fuel efficiency. In terms of design, the bike offers plenty of new features, including bull-horn grab rails, sporty rear set foot pegs, petal disc brakes, and a digital speedometer that allows the rider to experience a truly exceptional ride.

To attract even more attention, the Apache RTR FI 160 has an absolutely perfect seating position and well positioned rear sets. The Apache RTR FI 160 also offers two seating positions for both roads and tracks.

Inside the heart of the Apache RTR F1 160 is a 159.7-cc fuel injected engine that produces a maximum power of 15.7 horsepower @ 8,500 rpm and a maximum torque of 13.1 Nm at 6,000 rpm.

All told, the Apache RTR F1 160 is a bike that may not carry all the performance credentials, but it does look spicy, which is half the battle.

Find out more about the TVS Apache RTR F1 160 after the jump.

TVS Apache RTR F1 160 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 22 May 2012 15:00 EST.

2013 Shelby GT500 goes from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds

Posted: 22 May 2012 07:00 AM PDT

Ford may not have released the official performance numbers for their latest muscle car beast - the 2013 Shelby GT500 - but there are ways to get the sports car to talk. Motor Trend recently took the GT500 for a brief test session at the Atlanta Dragway and powered the Mustang from 0-60 mph in a blistering 3.5 seconds! Move over, Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, Ford is taking back its muscle car supremacy! Wait, did they ever lose it?

Motor Trend pulled in other killer numbers in Atlanta, like a 0 to 100 mph sprint in 7.7 seconds and a quarter mile run in 11.6 seconds at 125.7 mph. The Mustang GT500 also raked in a 60-0 mph braking distance of 101 feet and .98g of lateral acceleration.

Let’s get back to comparisons for a second. The Camaro ZL1 runs the 0 to 60 mph sprint in 3.8 seconds (there’s one point for you, Ford), runs the 0 to 100 mph sprint in 8.7 seconds (second point goes to the Mustang), and runs the quarter mile in 12.1 seconds at 117.4 mph (final point goes to the GT500). So, what does this mean? Nice try, Chevrolet, but your high off of the Camaro ZL1 seems to be short-lived.

As a reminder, the 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is powered by a 5.8L V8 engine (up from 5.4L) pushing out 650 HP! Next to a bigger engine, the existing Eaton M112 supercharger will be replaced by a more efficient and quieter TVS unit. Rumors suggest that the top speed will go up to an impressive 190 mph (if this is true, the Camaro loses again with a top speed of 184 mph).

gallery: 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

2013 Shelby GT500 goes from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 22 May 2012 14:00 EST.

BMW confirms inline-6 engine for next M3

Posted: 22 May 2012 06:00 AM PDT

There have been tons of rumors surrounding the engine choice for the next BMW M3, ranging from a new V6 engine to an inline-six engine with tri-turbo (our favorite rumor), but now, the President of BMW North America, Mr. Ludwig Willisch has finally confirmed that the next M3 will feature an inline 6 layout - the same layout that will be used for the M4.

Willisch also said that, at some point, BMW was indeed considering a V6 engine for the next M3, but in the end, this choice was dropped. What he didn’t specify was whether or not the new inline-6 engine will get bi-turbo or tri-turbo. Regardless of the technology, the future M3 will deliver at least 450 HP.

Ludwig Willisch also confirmed that the next M3 will be lighter, faster, more powerful, and more efficient than the current M3. It will be offered with an optional or standard manual transmission.

Don’t expect to see the new BMW M3 launched until late in 2013 or early 2014.

gallery: 2014 BMW M3

BMW confirms inline-6 engine for next M3 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 22 May 2012 13:00 EST.

Ford Thunderbird Pro Touring

Posted: 22 May 2012 05:00 AM PDT

RK Motors Charlotte has become pretty notorious for its Pro Touring models, which are ultra-high-performance versions of classic muscle and sports cars. Not only are they extremely powerful, but RKM also has the restored to a condition that is better than the factory could have ever imagined. Just recently, RKM launched an all-new Pro Touring model in the form of the 1955 Ford Thunderbird Pro Touring.

After the Corvette was a smash hit, Ford decided two years was a long enough wait to build its direct competitor to the Corvette, the Thunderbird. The T-bird and Corvette, however, went to completely different directions over the year. As expected, both vehicles became progressively larger through the `60s and `70s, but the T-bird grew to proportions that no one expected by the time it hit the 1967 model year.

After 1997, Ford decided to axe this growing monster, but released it again in the 2002 model year with styling cues taken from its first generation model. The first generation was arguably the most beautiful for the T-bird and RKM's model promises to not take away from its classical styling, but rather add to it with modern modifications.

Did RKM hold true to its promise not to completely hack up this first rendition of the T-bird, or did it make this beautiful car just a shell of its former self?

Click past the jump to read our full review and find out.

Ford Thunderbird Pro Touring originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 22 May 2012 12:00 EST.

Spy Shots: Kia Sorento facelift goes testing at the Nurburgring

Posted: 22 May 2012 04:00 AM PDT

The Nurburgring has been extremely crowded these past few days with new prototypes taking their turn burning up the track and finishing up their testing. The latest car spotted isn’t exactly killing any speed records, but it will tickle the fancy of soccer moms everywhere. The new Kia Sorento facelift was spotted testing for the first time back in February somewhere in Sweden, but this new prototype has been stripped of that awkward sack up front and also appears to have different rear light graphics.

As previously reported, the future Sorento will feature the same design language as seen in the recently announced C’eed, including its new designed headlights with LED day driving lights and new front and rear bumpers. The interior will also be heavily modified in order to make it a more competitive model in the SUV market.

As far as power is concerned, we are still in the dark as to if any changes will be made. The current model is powered by a choice of two engines: a 2.4 Liter four cylinder engine that delivers 175 HP and 169 lb-ft of torque and a more powerful 3.5 Liter V6 engine making 276 HP and 248 lb-ft of torque. Both are coupled to Kia's six speed automatic transmission. Worst case scenario is that the same engine choices will be offered, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing at this point.

We’ll keep you updated on the newest information concerning the 2013 Kia Sorento, so stay tuned!

Spy Shots: Kia Sorento facelift goes testing at the Nurburgring originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 22 May 2012 11:00 EST.

Volkswagen Golf GTI Black Dynamic

Posted: 22 May 2012 03:00 AM PDT

The Volkswagen Golf GTI Black Dynamic is a very special vehicle, not because it’s got serious horsepower under its hood. It’s a special ride because it’s the result of a months-long project by nine Volkswagen apprentices - four young women and five young men - aged 18 to 24.

According to Volkswagen, the ’Apprentice Golf GTI 2012’ was started to give young and up-and-coming designers to put their skills to the test in a real automotive project.

The result is the Golf GTI Black Dynamic, which is making its world debut at the Worthersee GTI meet in Austria.

As part of the revamps given to the vehicle, the apprentices fitted a number of key styling upgrades, including a Deep Black Metallic exterior finish combined with flat anthracite film trim, a matte gray hood with honeycomb decals, LED headlamps, and a new set of black rims.

Meanwhile, the custom features of the interior are all produced by the apprentices themselves. For example, the sport seats have been upholstered in black-and-red Alcantara and leather. They also went and dressed the interior door trim with decorative red seams, visually expressing the two-tone red and black themed interior, while also connecting a 1,800-Watt sound system that comes with nine loudspeakers.

As for the engine, the apprentices opted for a 2.0-liter TSI engine and gave it a new gearbox management and a new oversized exhaust system, thus giving the car an extra 150 horsepower, for a grand total of 360 ponies.

Let it be known that we’ve got nothing but praise for the kids involved in this apprenticeship. Not only did they build something that’s truly a definite head-turner, but they managed to do it with the style, class, and professionalism that’s usually reserved for industry veterans.

Volkswagen Golf GTI Black Dynamic originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 22 May 2012 10:00 EST.

Spy Shots: Facelift Audi R8 finally makes an appearance

Posted: 22 May 2012 02:00 AM PDT

Back in March, Audi unveiled the first teaser video announcing "the new R8 is coming!" Well, it’s been a couple of months and there’s been no sign of the R8...until now. Our spy photographers have come across an R8 prototype as it was finishing up some of its testing. Guess, we’ll be waiting a lot longer than we would like to see the car in full production garbs.

The R8 facelift prototype in these images is heavily camouflaged - dizzyingly so - but we can still make out the new hexagon shaped grille that is similar to the one seen on the Audi R8 e-Tron prototype, the new headlights with LED technology, and the new rear lights. At the rear, the new R8 has also received new exhaust pipes similar to the ones on the R8 GT.

While the exterior will only see minor changes, the biggest change will be made under the hood. Audi will offer the same choice of V8 and V10 engines, but with an increased output of 444 HP (V8) and 533 HP (V10).

Expect to see the new Audi R8 facelift launched in September at the 2012 Paris Auto Show.