TopSpeed Daily Update |  |
- Video: Infiniti G37S vs. Gravity, Who Wins?
- If Built, the Next Focus RS may Boast More Ponies
- 2013 Ford F-150 Will Lead the Way for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
- Smart Fortwo Iceshine Edition
- Video: Hyundai Genesis Coupe takes on...an arrow?
- Mercedes SLS AMG Haute Couture by Inden Design
- BMW Alpina B7
- Jeep Grand Cherokee S Limited
- Volkswagen and Porsche Successfully Perform the Avoid-the-Taxman Dance
| Video: Infiniti G37S vs. Gravity, Who Wins? Posted: 16 Jun 2012 05:00 AM PDT
We are always coming across crazy videos of races of car vs. other various non-automotive things, like horses, cheetahs, fighter jets, etc. This latest one was set up by Infiniti and Red Bull, and it pitted the Infiniti G37S against the most natural thing on Earth, gravity. How exactly do you measure gravity? Well, you toss a man out of a helicopter at 3,500 feet with a parachute strapped to his back, of course. The above video starts off with professional F1 driver, Mark Webber, and professional skydiver, Jon DeVore, learning each other's trade – Jon behind the wheel of the Infiniti and Mark in a skydiving wind tunnel. After each one got a taste of how tough the other one's sport is – both actually fared pretty well in the other's sport – they decided a race was in order. A helicopter lifted DeVore 3,500 feet in the air and he took a dive, as Webber raced around ICAR circuit and Mirabel airport. The race was amazingly close, considering the vast difference between the two modes of transportation, but from what we can tell, the Infiniti beat gravity by at least a few seconds. Of course, gravity had that pesky resistance created by the parachute holding it back. We are willing to bet that without that hunk of nylon slowing DeVore down, gravity would have won by a long shot. But, uh, yeah… That would be a tad bit dangerous. Anywho, enjoy the above video. Our favorite part is watching each athlete try the other one's sport. It's simply amazing how these guys can just jump into something like that, having never done it before, and do well at it. Video: Infiniti G37S vs. Gravity, Who Wins? originally appeared on topspeed.com on Saturday, 16 June 2012 12:00 EST.
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| If Built, the Next Focus RS may Boast More Ponies Posted: 16 Jun 2012 02:00 AM PDT
  Ford's SVT group is still on the fence on whether to break its own mold by manufacturing a five-door Focus RS – all previous Foci RS were three-door hatches – or replace the Focus RS with the smaller Fiesta RS. That said, all of the confusion between what to build does not mean Ford isn't raking its brain to plan on how to maximize the Focus' power plant to satisfy RS buyers. According to reports, the 2.0-liter plant in the Focus ST is pretty much maxed out and attempting to squeeze too much more power from it could be catastrophic without massive upgrades, and Focus RS buyer will not be happy with a simple 10 to 20-horsepower increase over the ST model. To help rectify the situation it appears as if engineers are turning to the future Mustang for an answer. Ford is currently developing a turbo four-banger measuring 2.3-liter and pumping out 330 horsepower for the upcoming Mustang redesign, which will replace the base level V-6 engine. Matthias Ton, a chief engineer on the Focus RS project, confirmed that if indeed the Focus RS is produced this year, all signs point to it bearing this new 2.3-liter boosted four-cylinder under its aggressive-looking bonnet. That would give the newest rendition of the RS a full 32 ponies more than the latest model and only 15 horsepower less than the special edition RS500 Focus. In addition to the extra ponies, the RS would include the typical larger brakes and stiffer suspension. There is also talk of a mechanical limited slip differential coming standard on the new RS, but that has not been confirmed. We will continue to follow the Focus RS saga and let you know what is going on. We assume that the SVT division will come to its senses and just roll out a five-door Focus RS. Rolling out a low-horsepower, lightweight Fiesta RS just to retain the three-door body seems like a huge risk, as the Fiesta is not a "tuner" style car and an RS model is unlikely to draw much interest. If Built, the Next Focus RS may Boast More Ponies originally appeared on topspeed.com on Saturday, 16 June 2012 09:00 EST.
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| 2013 Ford F-150 Will Lead the Way for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Posted: 15 Jun 2012 11:00 PM PDT
Think back about seven years or so and imagine a Ford F-150 circling the track as the official pace car for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. It's pretty easy if you imagine that truck being the SVT or supercharged Harley-Davidson model. You can't really picture a V-6 model though, could you? Well, thanks to Ford's ingenious EcoBoost, a V-6 pace truck is not only plausible, but it is actually happening. A six-pot-powered 2013 Ford F-150 FX4 4x4 will be the pace car for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway. Of course, said V-6 has a pair of turbochargers strapped to it, pushing its total horsepower to 365 and the torque to 434 foot-pounds. Behind the wheel of this beast is no professional driver. Nope, it's none other than Ford's American president, Mark Fields. This pace truck is all decked out in a fresh-off-the-assembly-line red paint and also boasts a bold new grille, HID headlights, and a graphics package specifically for the Sprint Cup race. This also opens the door for a special edition 2013 Ford F-150 Pace Truck edition. This is especially possible, as Ford is definitely not shy with pry barring special editions into its lineup. Chances are that we will only see this special F-150 FX4 a handful of times throughout the race, but we will likely hear about it in F-150 commercials for the next 12 months, or so. We wonder how Chevy plans to counter this one, because we all know they will somehow… You can see the F-150 twice this year, once on June 17th at 12:00 p.m. for the Quicken Loans 400. This selection of the F-150 to pace the groups marks the third straight year that a Ford model has been the pace car for the June race in Michigan and the second straight year that Mark Fields is the driver. Click past the jump to read Ford’s official presser. 2013 Ford F-150 Will Lead the Way for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series originally appeared on topspeed.com on Saturday, 16 June 2012 06:00 EST.
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| Posted: 15 Jun 2012 08:00 PM PDT
The Smart Fortwo has received yet another special edition. Orders for the new Fortwo Iceshine Edition will be taken starting this month, while the first deliveries will be made in October 2012. The model can be ordered in either white or exclusive azure blue and will be priced from €14,490 - about $18,200. Only 1800 units will be produced. The white or the azure blue exterior paint of the Smart Fortwo Iceshine Edition will be combined with white tridion safety cell, white alloy wheels in new 3-double-spoke design, LED daytime driving lights, and a special logo on the mirror triangle. For the interior, the model gets exclusive leather-effect seats with a white fabric insert on the backrest and white stitching, as well as a 3-spoke leather sports steering wheel with shift paddles and white stitching. The list of standard equipment will include automatic gear program, electric windows, air conditioning with automatic temperature control, and a panoramic roof with sun-blind. Smart Fortwo Iceshine Edition originally appeared on topspeed.com on Saturday, 16 June 2012 03:00 EST.
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| Video: Hyundai Genesis Coupe takes on...an arrow? Posted: 15 Jun 2012 07:00 PM PDT
We’ve seen automakers subject their sports cars to some pretty weird races, but we gotta say, this one is something we haven’t seen before. In its attempt to "discover new possibilities," Hyundai wants to find out if a car can go faster than an arrow. So they set out about and tried to answer that question by bringing in a Hyundai Genesis Coupe to go toe-to-toe with an arrow. The car 2013 Genesis Coupe is capable of producing 350 horsepower, which, of course, is pretty fast. But is it fast enough to beat an arrow? In this video, which Hyundai swears is 100% legit, we find out that the Genesis Coupe actually had a rolling start instead of starting on the block. From there, it appears that the Genesis Coupe did, in fact, beat the arrow to the target, something that we doubt it can accomplish without that rolling start. Nevertheless, it’s an answer to the question, although we’d like to see if it can hold up with the Genesis Coupe doing that 0-60. Video: Hyundai Genesis Coupe takes on...an arrow? originally appeared on topspeed.com on Saturday, 16 June 2012 02:00 EST.
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| Mercedes SLS AMG Haute Couture by Inden Design Posted: 15 Jun 2012 12:00 PM PDT
The Mercedes SLS AMG may have been replaced by the faster SLS AMG GT, but tuners are still having their way with the supercar. The latest tuning package is from Inden Design, and they’ve even included a beautiful young lady to the mix. Inden Design didn’t play around too much with the design of the car, but they did add a new set of 21" light metal rims painted in high-gloss black. The only other change, and the biggest, is the engine modification. The tuner added a serially produced exhaust system in high-grade steel in non-ostentatious visual appearance with electronic valve control. As a result, the V8’s output has been increased from 571 to 623 HP, making it even more powerful than the SLS AMG GT. Inden Design did add one more accessory piece to the exterior of the SLS AMG and that is the beautiful Katja Runiello (photo model, dancer, and actress). Katja’s dress was the inspiration for the package because it was created by Haute Couture designer Elvira Kirsch. Other glamour credits should be given to stylist Katharina Freitag and photo artist Olaf Pitzer from Nauroth. Mercedes SLS AMG Haute Couture by Inden Design originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 15 June 2012 19:00 EST.
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| Posted: 15 Jun 2012 11:00 AM PDT
After debuting the 2013 BMW 7-Series, BMW has now unveiled the new Alpina B7 super-high performance luxury sedan with more performance, fresh design features, and improved efficiency. The new model will make its world debut at the Pebble Beach Concourse d’Elegance in August with sales to begin immediately after. Prices will start at $127,600 (B7 Standard Wheelbase), $130,600 (B7 SWB with xDrive), $131,500 (B7 Long Wheelbase), and $134,500 (B7 LWB with xDrive). The new Alpina B7 delivers a total of 540 HP and 538 lbs-ft of torque (an improvement of 40 HP and 22 lbs-ft). Mated to a new Alpina 8- speed high performance transmission, the new B7 will go up to an impressive top speed of 194 mph (up from the previous 175 mph). The 0 to 60 mph sprint is now made in 4.3-4.4 seconds depending on the version. Also, when compared to the previous model, the new B7 is offered with 30 new parts that will improve both design and aerodynamics. These new parts will include new BMW kidney grilles, updated Xenon Adaptive headlights, LED front fog lights, and updated tail lights. The car now rides on a new set of 21" 20-spoke wheels and is painted in the famous Alpina Blue Metallic paint. BMW Alpina B7 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 15 June 2012 18:00 EST.
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| Posted: 15 Jun 2012 10:00 AM PDT
If you liked the Jeep Grand Cherokee Sports Concept unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, you will be very happy to know that the company has finally decided to come out with a production version. Thanks to a very positive consumer response, Jeep has announced that the new Grand Cherokee S Limited will go on sale starting September 2012. The new Grand Cherokee S Limited follows the same design language of the concept: distinctive styling cues and Black accents for the exterior, Nappa leather and carbon fiber elements for the interior, and a 241 HP 3.0-litre V-6 turbo-diesel engine under the hood. This special edition will also be equipped with Quadra-Trac II 4x4 system with two-speed transfer case and Brake Traction Control System (BTCS), as well as lots of premium safety features, including: Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, and Blind Spot Detection with Rear Cross-path detection. Hit the jump to read more about the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee S Limited. Jeep Grand Cherokee S Limited originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 15 June 2012 17:00 EST.
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| Volkswagen and Porsche Successfully Perform the Avoid-the-Taxman Dance Posted: 15 Jun 2012 09:00 AM PDT
We all know that when you buy or sell anything of significant worth, the gummament is not too far away with its hand out asking for its share. It doesn't care which side it comes from, just as long as someone pays "The Man." Well, when VW AG decided it was time to buyout the remaining 50.1 percent of Porsche and get its former ownership group completely out of the picture, we were talking billions of Euros, €4.5 billion to be exact. Well, even in Germany, "The Man," or better yet "Der Mann," is there in the form of the Baden-Württemberg Finance Ministry asking for his cut of the deal, which would total about €1.5 billion ($1.9 million). This was just about the breaking point of the entire deal, as a part of the buyout was that VW pays the tax. After five months of massaging the numbers, looking at the laws, and manipulating things in ways that would make a business ethics major cringe, VW and Porsche are about to pull off this deal 100 percent tax free. How they pulled this off was simple enough… The only real sticking point was the fact that VW had to find out how to manipulate the deal into a corporate restructuring, as opposed to a sale. To achieve a restructuring classification instead of a buy-sell classification, VW gave Porsche the €4.5 billion buying price, but included in that price a single voting share of VW stock… Yeah, that's it. One little piece of paper that says "I can vote on important issues" saved VW €1.5 billion. Gotta love those tax attorneys. The deal has yet to be approved by state authorities, but sans any omissions or errors, this looks to be a final deal that gives VW the title to Porsche, instead of just a rental contract. Volkswagen and Porsche Successfully Perform the Avoid-the-Taxman Dance originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 15 June 2012 16:00 EST.
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