Tuesday, 25 August 2015

Is GM Readying its Own Hellcat Fighter?

Is GM Readying its Own Hellcat Fighter?

Is GM Readying its Own Hellcat Fighter?

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GM could be bidding farewell to the Holden Commodore in style with a Hellcat fighter.

Rumor has it that Holden wants to go out with a bang, creating the most powerful muscle car ever in Australian history by fitting the 6.2-liter supercharged V8 from the discontinued Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 under the hood of its Commodore sedan. The Chevrolet LS9 V8 would be the engine of choice because it is similar in size to the LSA V8 from the Camaro that is currently used in the Gen-F GTS. Boasting 638 hp and 604 lb-ft of torque, the powerplant would easily be the most powerful engine ever sold in an Australian-made car. Adding even more appeal to the car, Holden could equip it with the same Brembo carbon ceramic brakes from the ZR1.

SEE ALSO: 2015 Chevrolet SS Review

If it does become a reality, expect it to be made in extremely limited quantities, considering GM probably doesn't have a whole lot of LS9 engines lying around. The big question is whether or not it'll make its way to America as a hotter Chevrolet SS variant, at which point it'll truly be a four-door Corvette.

[Source: Drive]

Discuss this story at our Chevrolet SS Forum

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2016 BMW X1 Priced from $35,795

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The 2016 BMW X1 will have a starting price of $35,795.

The German automaker has added the 2016 BMW X1 to its online configurator, revealing that the base model X1 xDrive28i will cost $3,945 more than the outgoing model. Part of that price increase can be attributed to the fact that the X1 is no longer available in rear-wheel drive and only comes equipped with BMW's xDrive all-wheel drive technology. The 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine provides 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, giving it an estimated zero to 60 mph time of 6.3 seconds.

SEE ALSO: 2016 BMW X1 Debuts with Class-Leading Features

For the 2016 model year, it appears that the BMW X1 will only be offered in that trim for the U.S. market. The luxury crossover will come standard with 18-inch wheels, power front seats and a seven-speaker stereo system. According to the configurator, options include heated front seats for $500, a driver assistance package (parking assistant, park distance control and rearview camera) for $1,150, a Technology package (navigation, head-up display and enhanced USB and Bluetooth with smartphone integration) for $2,250 and a Premium package (panoramic sunroof, satellite radio, power-folding mirrors, lumbar support and LED headlights with cornering lights) for $3,250.

Opting for genuine leather in the interior will cost $1,450 additional while the company's SensaTec material is standard.

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Next Nissan Z Rumored to be a Crossover

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The next-generation Nissan Z could be what no previous Z has been before: a crossover.

According to Autocar, the new Z will be a radical sports crossover and it'll debut in concept form at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show in September before arriving in showrooms by 2017.

The Japanese automaker has been mulling over what direction to take the Z, and has considered moving it down market to compete with the Scion FR-S with a more basic four-cylinder model, which was previewed by the iDx. But plans for the iDx have been axed and the company's chief creative officer, Shiro Nakamura, recently said in an interview that he feels the "Z needs more revolution than evolution," hinting that the model needs to take a new path.

SEE ALSO: Next-Gen Nissan Z Could Move Down Market to Compete with FR-S

If the Z does end up being a crossover, expect it to be similar in size to the current Juke though it'll be based on a platform from the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Under the hood, a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder is likely to provide power. The platform is also capable of using hybrid powertrains.

It's worth noting that Nissan considers the Z a sub-brand and there's always the possibility it could spawn two different Z models, one as a traditional sports coupe and one as a crossover.

[Source: Autocar]

Discuss this story at our Nissan 370Z Forum

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NHTSA Investigating Jeep Grand Cherokee for Roll Away Risk

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating about 408,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees over a concern the vehicle could roll away.

NHTSA has received 14 complaints alleging that model year 2014 and 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokees have rolled away after being parked. Five reports of collisions or injuries have been reported as a result of the issue, though the severity of the injuries was not made clear.

SEE ALSO: NHTSA Tells Chrysler to Speed Up Jeep Recall Fix

To change gears on the Grand Cherokee, you push the "shifter-paddle forward or backwards; the shifter does not move along a gate path as with conventional gear selectors," noted NHTSA. It seems the issue may be with people placing the car into reverse when thinking they were actually in park.

One complaint from Colorado says that the driver pushed the shift lever "clear forward till it stopped," to park the Grand Cherokee, which proceeded to roll backwards into the driver's house.

NHTSA will identify the scope, frequency and safety-related consequences of this issue and will decide if a recall is necessary.

Discuss this story at our Jeep Forum

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Lexus Explains the Science Behind Its Hoverboard in Video

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Lexus has released a new video which details exactly how its hoverboard works. 

The hoverboard was created by a team of engineers from IFW Dresden and evico GmbH, both of which specialize in magnetic levitation technology. Once built, the board was ridden around a specially prepared skate park, even managing to complete a jump.

SEE ALSO: Lexus Hoverboard Fully Revealed with New Videos

Inside the board, a superconducting material is kept at -197 degrees thanks to liquid nitrogen. The board is then placed above a track containing permanent magnets with the magnetic field from the track effectively frozen into the superconductors in the board.

For a more thorough explanation along with great visual aids, check out the video below.

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This Could be the Facelifted Honda CR-Z

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Photos that are said to show the facelifted 2016 Honda CR-Z have hit the web. 

A new CR-Z is due to arrive in 2018, but to keep the car current, Honda is giving it a facelift. The photos, which reportedly show the updated CR-Z for China, show a more aggressive front end, new headlights, new spoilers, a new rear bumper, new alloy wheels and an updated interior.

The updates on the inside are in line with most modern Honda interiors, as the car gets a new electronic parking brake, a new infotainment screen and a revised manual gear shifter.

SEE ALSO: 2018 Honda CR-Z Turbo Rumored

Until the car is fully revamped in 2018, powertain updates are not expected which means the CR-Z will continue to use a 130-hp 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a mild hybrid powertain. Manual equipped models put out 140 lb-ft of torque, while models with a CVT make only 127 lb-ft.

[Source: CarNewsChina]

Discuss this story at our Honda CR-Z Forum

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