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Posted: 07 Jul 2015 09:00 AM PDT


Ever since Jaguar Land Rover established the Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division, there have been rumors of a full lineup of performance vehicles ranging from sports cars to SUVs. Naturally, the Jaguar F-Type is the product expected to get the most attention, especially since SVO already created the 2015 Jaguar F-Type Project 7. Spy shots from 2014 suggest an SVR-badged model is also underway, in both coupe and convertible body styles.
While the drop-top has already been spotted stretching its legs on public roads more than once, the coupe has yet to take to the streets... uintil early July, when our tenacious paparazzi caught it in action somewhere in Europe.
Not surprisingly, the prototype is camouflaged to the teeth, with black-and-white tape covering everything but the headlamps, taillights and wheels. That’s not to say the SVR is a complete mystery; the camouflaged shell offers plenty of hints, adding to the details we already know from recent reports, as well as the features we’re already familiar with from other SVR products.
Find out what this hardcore SVR might bring to the table in my speculative review below.
Posted: 07 Jul 2015 08:00 AM PDT


Our photographers recently returned from a death-defying mission in Germany with images that give us our best look yet at the upcoming 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe. As its name implies, it's a four-door fastback coupe variant of the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC compact SUV and will be positioned against the 2015 BMW X4. The GLC replaces the GLK and adheres to Merc's new naming conventions.
Mercedes previewed the GLC Coupe earlier this year at the Shanghai Auto Show with the 2014 Mercedes-Benz Concept Coupe SUV, and it appears to be a pretty good representation of what we see here. This pre-production test mule loses the AMG-esque concept's deeper front fascia and larger wheels, but both will likely be available with higher trim levels. It also keeps that horizontal character line just below the side windows that accentuates the lower roofline.
Our snappers also tell us the GLC Coupe will get the same range of engines as the GLC, which likely means an entry-level 2.0-liter turbocharged four cylinder with 241 horsepower for the GLC300 Coupe and a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 for the GLC400 Coupe with 329 horsepower. A GLC250 Coupe Bluetec diesel model could also be available, as well as a GLC63 AMG with a 468-horsepower 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 if the demand is there.
Posted: 07 Jul 2015 07:00 AM PDT


Renault has unveiled details around its new Talisman sedan, the replacement for the slow-to-sell Laguna, and it promises a sculpted exterior, upscale interior appointments, and a wide range of efficient engine options. The Talisman is not a new name, but rather a carryover originally used for a vehicle sold exclusively in the Chinese market. Conversely, this new model is slated for release in Europe later this year (sorry U.S. and U.K. customers, but you won't be seeing it arrive on your shores).
Renault hopes the Talisman will enter the high-end market and outdo the Germans with a superior, premium-quality model. Part of the strategy is the basic, universal styling and large cabin space. There's also a range of trim levels and equipment specs to choose from, giving customers a variety of options when considering this French alternative to a segment traditionally dominated by Bavarians.
Will the Talisman conjure up the charm Renault needs to win over buyers, or is it all smoke and mirrors?
Posted: 07 Jul 2015 06:00 AM PDT


We’re still a couple of months away from the release of the Forza Motorsport 6, and the folks at Turn 10 Studios have been seriously enjoying teasing us by releasing the names of cars in the game a handful at a time. This latest announcement named a few cars, but then dropped the bombshell that the game would include the entire grid of an FIA open-wheel racing series. Of course, that series is Formula E, so it’s just 10 cars.
This is still pretty impressive though. Big-name racing games are often reluctant to use open-wheel racers, and certainly tend not to bring an entire series into a game like this. And then there’s the fact that the cars are electric to make it that last extra bit of weird. In fairness, some Formula E cars were available as downloadable content for FM5, but here they will be available from the start, and it will be the entire grid. Formula E is quite different from other racing (drivers swap whole cars during pit stops as a way around the problem of long charging times, for example) so it will be interesting to see how that’s handled.
Posted: 07 Jul 2015 05:00 AM PDT


You might not be able to buy a Ferrari anytime soon, but you'll be able to own Ferrari as a company, at least part of it anyway. An initial public offering of Ferrari shares will be issued before the end of the year, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne says the company will be valued at over $11 billion dollars. To put it in Ferrari terms, that's 288 1962-1964 Ferrari 250 GTOs, sold at top dollar, or 7,846 2014 Ferrari LaFerraris.
"There are clear expectations from ourselves as Ferrari brand is unique," Marchionne said recently at the introduction of the new 2016 Fiat 500 in Turin, Italy. "There is also a scarcity value as we are just selling a 10 percent stake."
It was announced last year that FCA would spin off 10 percent of Ferrari to raise roughly $55 million in capital to achieve the ambitious goal of increasing FCA sales by 50 percent by the end of 2018 to seven million vehicles. The first step in reaching this goal will be to pull FCA out of the red, and things are trending in the right direction. Bloomberg says FCA shares have risen by about 33 percent this year.
Posted: 07 Jul 2015 04:00 AM PDT


The seventh round of the 2015 WRC season played out over the weekend, with the world's best rally drivers heading to Poland to take on nearly 200 high-speed miles of dirt and gravel. Conditions were sunny and hot, with the thermometer topping out at over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Lining the roadway was tall grass that not only hampered visibility, but also masked rocks and other hazards, making corner-cutting a dicey proposition.
Rally Poland is one of the oldest rallies on the calendar, first seeing competition in 1921 and playing a part in the inaugural 1973 WRC season. Roughly 90 percent of the route was new this year, but that didn't stop Sebastien Ogier from clinching a back-to-back win, his fifth victory of 2015.
The defending world champion led the rally after the first stage Thursday night, but dropped back to third in Friday's early stages. However, Ogier managed to retake the lead Friday afternoon and held off teammate Andreas Mikkelsen throughout the weekend, ending the rally almost 12 seconds ahead. Breaking up the VW podium was Ford's Ott Tanak, who managed to match his career-best finish in third place, sliding ahead of VW's Jari Matti Latvala after the Finn crashed out towards the end of the rally.
Ogier took home three bonus points with a win in the final Power Stage, while Tanak secured two and Mikkelsen got one.
Posted: 07 Jul 2015 03:00 AM PDT


Ferrari has developed a fairly predictable pattern when it comes to releasing mid-engine V-8 models. First, we get the 'regular' one, and then the lighter, faster, more-powerful road-racer variant follows. But, predictable doesn't always mean boring. These road-racer variants have been some of the most exciting cars to roll out of the Maranello gates.
The cycle started when the 1999-2004 Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale came along. Based on the 1999-2004 Ferrari 360 Modena, the 360 CS was nearly 250 pounds lighter and had 20 additional horsepower for a total of 425. Following that was the 2006 Ferrari F430-based 2008 Ferrari 430 Scuderia, which came in 2008 and carried 220 fewer pounds and produced 503 horsepower. Most recently we've had the 2014 Ferrari 458 Speciale, which is an extreme version of the already extremely fast 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia. Almost 200 pounds lighter than the Italia and with nearly 600 horsepower, the Speciale was fast and capable enough to take V-8 Ferraris to a performance echelon where they no longer have any natural rivals.
We're only a few months removed from the debut of the 2016 Ferrari 488 GTB — the latest mid-engine V-8 Ferrari and the first turbocharged mid-engine Ferrari since the 1987-1992 Ferrari F40. With 659 horsepower and a 0-60 time of 3.0-seconds flat, it's hard to imagine where Ferrari will go with a faster 488, but, because it's what we do, we've already drawn-up a rendering of what we think the inevitable go-faster 488 will look like. We not sure what it will be called, so lets call it the 488 GTB Scuderia for now and take a deep dive into what will make this car tick.
Posted: 07 Jul 2015 01:00 AM PDT


The 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLK is due for a mid-cycle refresh, and this recent video of a test mule spotted in Germany gives us our best look yet at the 2017 model. But, the biggest changes won't be to the exterior. Rather, the SLK's name will change to SLC and a whole new range of engines will be available.
Visual updates include a slightly re-sculpted rear fascia with larger exhaust outlets. The uncovered taillight assemblies on this prototype appear to be different from the ones we saw on a prototype back in April, and, with the exception of some reconfigured LED bulbs, are almost identical to the ones on the current SLK. Out front, the SLC gets a new concave grille, re-shaped front fascia and new headlamp assemblies.
Expect the SLC to be available with three new more-powerful, yet fuel-efficient engine options: SLC300, SLC400 and SLC63 AMG. The SLC300 starts things off with Mercedes' 241-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, while the SLC400 gets a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 producing 329 horsepower. The SLC63 will sit at the top of the range with the same 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 from the 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT, producing 469 horsepower.
We've yet to see any interior shots of the 2017 Mercedes-Benz SLC, but expect it to remain mostly unchanged from the SLK, with some new interior color options and infotainment updates. We'll be sharing more on the SLC as we have it, but for now, check out the video to see what differences you can spot.
Posted: 07 Jul 2015 12:00 AM PDT


It is true that, for a while there, German luxury carmakers were going a little bit crazy with all of the different body styles being offered. There has to be a point at which inventing new niches becomes counterproductive, but some of the cars produced in this frenzy were genuinely appealing. One of these was the 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake, an attractive wagon version of the Mk2 CLS. Still essentially a wagon, this version of the 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLS had more flowing lines and appealing curves, hence the use of the name "Shooting Brake" to denote its role as something other than an ordinary wagon.
Plans were drawn up for a replacement to debut alongside the next generation of the CLS sedan in 2018, but it has now apparently been dropped from the lineup due to a lack of interest from the U.S. and China. Something like this was coming eventually; the boom in body styles would eventually run out of customers, and the Germans would have to take a moment to evaluate which ones were working and which ones weren’t, but it’s a shame to see this one get the chop when uglier models continue on in production.
Continue reading for the full story.
Posted: 06 Jul 2015 11:00 PM PDT


It only took eight months for customers to secure McLaren's entire allotment of 375 2014 McLaren P1s after it was first shown in 2013, but now customers might have one last chance to buy one of a small run of additional P1s. New reports suggest that McLaren will build five P1 XP Carbon Series Red cars from five prototype P1s that were used in pre-production testing.
According to a report from Blacklist via The Super Car Kids, all five P1 XPs will wear a polished carbon fiber finish with red pinstripes on the front splitter, side skirts, rear diffuser, rear view mirrors and around the extractor vents on the hood. The black wheels will also have red accent inner rings. Inside, the Alcantara seats will get red stitching and P1 logos, while more red accents are on the dash and center console.
Performance-wise everything is expected to remain unchanged from other P1s, but with a 903-horsepower gas-electric powertrain, they won't exactly be lacking. Between the 800-horsepower twin-turbo V-8 and 103-horsepower electric motor, it does 0-60 in 2.6 seconds and 0-100 in 4.7. McLaren claims it will lap the Nürburgring in less than seven minutes. All that, with the ability to run for over six miles on electricity alone.
It's not known exactly how many P1 prototypes were built, but it was almost certainly more than five. Some would have been sacrificed to crash tests and one, called the XP-7, was used for press drives and is said to have over 40,000 miles on its odometer. Its name would also indicate that there were at least seven prototypes built. Other prototypes would have been subjected to extreme temperatures in places like Death Valley and northern Scandinavia.
Continue reading for the full story.
Posted: 06 Jul 2015 12:00 PM PDT


Next year’s Formula 1 grid could include a pair of cars wearing Aston Martin logos. According to a recent report, the British carmaker, which last competed in F1 in 1960, is reportedly planning to return to the sport in a tie-up with one of the existing teams. Aston Martin, which has had discussions with two teams, would not become an engine supplier, but just a brand partner with one of the squads currently using Mercedes-AMG engines.
In a report published late last week, Autosport said the company was looking to enter a partnership with Red Bull Racing, which would receive Mercedes engines as part of the deal between the Germans and Aston Martin. As you may recall, the Stuttgart-based manufacturer owns five percent of Aston Martin and will supply its future road cars with AMG engines. The scenario was quickly denied by Niki Lauda, Mercedes’ non-executive chairman, in an interview with Motorsport.
However, Autosport returned today to claim that Aston Martin has had discussions with Williams and Force India, two of the four teams using Mercedes power units this season. If such a deal were to happen, Aston Martin would get its logo on the car’s airbox, the report adds.
When contacted, Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer provided a vague response, saying that "...if something drops into our lap and if suddenly those stars align, would I consider it? Yes."
Continue reading for the full story.
Posted: 06 Jul 2015 11:00 AM PDT


Lexus always seems to be just a step behind the big boys in Germany, particularly in turbocharged, small-displacement engines. Today, however, it takes a step forward with the introduction of the turbocharged IS 200t.
Though it took some time, the boosted IS was a near certainty once Lexus introduced the 2015 Lexus NX 200t and its turbo four-cylinder. What made it even more obvious that the IS 200t was on its way was the fact that the aforementioned NX 200t had a pile more power than the base-level, V-6-powered IS 250.
Despite its healthy power ratings, the IS 200t is oddly slow in acceleration, as the 328i will beat it to 60 mph by a pretty wide margin. However, the world of luxury auto shopping isn't always won at the drag strip. A lot of it depends on bang for the buck.
Does the Lexus IS 200t have what it takes to complete with the German powerhouse?
Continue reading my review to find out.
Posted: 06 Jul 2015 10:00 AM PDT


Deep down, we all knew this would happen eventually. BMW’s new M boss, Frank van Meel, has announced that the manual transmission likely won’t be around too much longer on M models. The reasons are the same ones we hear every time this kind of announcement is made: dual-clutch transmissions are faster and better for fuel economy, and of course the big reason: people just aren’t buying enough manuals. It was acknowledged that there are still quite a few fans of manuals on M cars, but with those sales continuing to decline, the future "isn’t bright."
As a further piece of bad news, Van Meel also announced that M would be putting a 600-horsepower cap on all M models. For the higher-volume models like the M3 and M4, this won’t be much of an issue, at least not for the foreseeable future, but bigger models like the M5 are pretty close to that line already. That’s not to say that BMW won’t be working on ways to make better use of that power in future versions of the car, but the words "horsepower cap" are never something you want to hear in connection to something like the M division.
Continue reading for the full story.
Posted: 06 Jul 2015 09:00 AM PDT


Lotus has made a lot of promises over the years that it hasn’t delivered on at all; the company is basically the alcoholic dad of sports car manufacturers. But Lotus has been under new management lately, with boss Jean-Marc Gales at the job for just over a year. And so far, Gales seems to be delivering. We recently got the 2016 Lotus 3-Eleven and things certainly appear to be on track for the upcoming 2018 Lotus SUV, painful as that might be for some to accept.
Gales recently sat down with Top Gear Magazine to talk about where the company is headed. A couple of very interesting things came out of this too; mainly the revelation that an Evora 400 Roadster is coming and that there are plans for a 4-Eleven in two years. That same year will also see a new Exige, an evolution of the current design, and Gales promises that all of the cars in the lineup will continue to get faster and lighter. The Evora 400 Roadster will have two removable roof sections in the usual Lotus fashion, but here they will be carbon fiber and weigh just 3kg (6.6lbs) each. No details yet on the 4-Eleven.
 
 
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