BMW 4 Series Convertible Also Spied Testing a Facelift |
- BMW 4 Series Convertible Also Spied Testing a Facelift
- Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster Spied Getting Ready to Drop its Top
- 2017 Infiniti Q60 Pricing Released, Coupe to Start at $38,950
- Automakers Are Building Your Cars with Interesting Recycled Materials
- 13-Year-Old Hits 202 MPH in a Bugatti Veyron, We Suddenly Feel Very Inadequate
- Ads About ‘Self-Driving’ Mercedes Cars Are Misleading, Safety Groups Say
| BMW 4 Series Convertible Also Spied Testing a Facelift Posted: The entire BMW 4 Series lineup has now been spied testing with its facelift. Spy photographers have previously caught the BMW 4 Series Coupe and M4 testing with minor changes to its styling, and now the convertible model has made a public appearance. Before you get too excited thinking that the 4 Series Convertible is getting sportier styling, this particular prototype caught by spy photographers has actually been fitted with the M-Sport package. Just like the coupe, expect the droptop version to get subtle changes to the front and rear ends with slightly redesigned headlights, tail lights and bumpers. SEE ALSO: BMW M4 Shows Off Updated Look to Spy Photographers As we mentioned before, BMW is rumored to add a smaller, three-cylinder model to the lineup as part of the mid-cycle refresh. There should be some minor tweaks to the existing engine lineup as well as small changes to the interior with an updated infotainment system. Discuss this story on our BMW Forum Loading, please wait...  |
| Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster Spied Getting Ready to Drop its Top Posted: The Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster is set to arrive sometime in 2017 and has been spied testing. It would have been a safe assumption that the "C" in GT C stood for convertible, but according to a leaked road map, Mercedes-AMG is also readying a GT C Coupe, hinting that a new model will likely be slotted between the standard AMG GT and the AMG GT S. It's also a possibility that the new model could slide in between the GT S and the recently announced GT R, although based on the German automaker's nomenclature, it should be a lower trim model under the GT S. SEE ALSO: Mercedes Pickup Truck Coming in 2017, According to Leaked Road Map Spy photographers have caught the convertible variant testing once again, but this time we are treated with photos from all angles, exposing the soft top that will be used. Naturally, it will have a different roof line compared to the current coupe, but the AMG GT C Roadster is shaping up to be an enticing drop-top offering in the luxury sports car market. The model could debut later this year, possibly at the 2016 L.A. Auto Show, where many convertibles go to drop their top. Discuss this story on our Mercedes-AMG GT Forum Loading, please wait... |
| 2017 Infiniti Q60 Pricing Released, Coupe to Start at $38,950 Posted: Pricing for the 2017 Infiniti Q60 has been released, and the luxury coupe will start at $38,950 in the U.S. The base Q60 is the rear-wheel drive model that is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 208 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. Moving up from there, all-wheel drive models start at $40,950. These Q60s come with 19-inch wheels, LED headlights, eight-way power adjustable sport seats, contrast stitching, Bluetooth and a rear-view camera as standard equipment. A RWD Q60 with a Premium trim starts at $41,300 and a Premium AWD model starts at $43,300. The Premium trim adds power sunroof, upgraded audio and more. If you want more power, drivers can option up to a 3.0L twin-turbo V6 with 300 horsepower, which starts at $44,300 for a RWD model and $48,300 for an AWD model. All V6 Q60s come with the Premium package automatically. ALSO SEE: 2017 Infiniti Q60 Coupe Gets Turbocharged The 2017 Infiniti Q60 will begin hitting dealerships in early September, but Infiniti has opened up reservations for the car in on its website, and will include a free gift (GoPro camera, Bose sound system, or Tumi luggage) for people who register ahead of time. Prices don't include the $905 destination fee. Pricing for the high-performance 2017 Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 will be announced at a later date. Discuss this story on our Infiniti Q60 Forum Loading, please wait... |
| Automakers Are Building Your Cars with Interesting Recycled Materials Posted: People make a big deal about being friendlier to the environment. It's why we have to limit our plastic bag usage at the grocery store, use less aerosol spray, and it's why automakers are using more recycled materials in the manufacturing of their vehicles. Let's start with the big picture. Manufacturing vehicles is not the most green activity — harmful emissions and a lot of waste are byproducts of the process. As a result, more automakers are pledging to make their plants and HQs landfill-free. General Motors, Ford, Nissan, BMW and Subaru are among the big names that have changed their manufacturing to reduce the amount of waste produced. But cars have become greener and more eco-friendly, too, and almost every vehicle on the road uses some kind of recycled material or biodegradable content. For example, General Motors collects the water bottles from the Renaissance Center, Warren Technical Center, Orion Assembly, and Flint plants, and converts them into the material used to insulate the sound in the new Equinox. Ford does something similar and also uses recycled nylon for many components found under the hood including air-cleaner housings, engine fans, fan shrouds, HVAC temperature valves, engine covers, cam covers and carbon canisters.
But recycled water bottles are like the tofu of recyclable materials — there are no shortage of applications. The seat fabric in many Ford vehicles, including the Fusion, Focus and F-150, are made using water bottles. In fact, according to Ford, approximately 22 16-ounce plastic water bottles are used to make the seat fabric in a Focus; approximately 39 such bottles are used for seats in the Fusion S and SE; and between 63 and 110 such bottles are used for the F-150, depending on the model. Speaking of tofu, the seat cushion foam is also made from soybeans. ALSO SEE: 2017 Ford Fusion Review Ford is so invested in reducing its environmental impact that it's led them to tequila. They are teaming up with Jose Cuervo to explore the use of the tequila producer's agave plant byproduct to develop more sustainable bioplastics that can be used for vehicle interiors and exterior components. Ford believes that this composite could cut vehicle weight and lower energy consumption, while paring the use of petrochemicals and the impact of vehicle production on the environment. "At Ford, we aim to reduce our impact on the environment," said Debbie Mielewski, Ford senior technical leader, sustainability research department. "As a leader in the sustainability space, we are developing new technologies to efficiently employ discarded materials and fibres, while potentially reducing the use of petrochemicals and light-weighting our vehicles for desired fuel economy." While Ford is off playing with its tequila, Toyota is sugar coating its environmental impact by using another kind of sweet bioplastic in its cars that is based on sugar cane. This material is used in a variety of components including the seat material and radiator tank, but is based on sugar cane, rather than oil like traditional plastics. In fact, the Japanese automaker pioneered the art of using bioplastics in cars back in 2010 when the Lexus CT 200h used this eco-friendly plastic in the trunk liner. BMW also uses plant fibers in its cars. While a somewhat niche vehicle, the i3 features a ton of organic materials in its car. The dashboard and door trim are made from renewable natural fibers, while the car also features naturally tanned leather. There's also open-pore eucalyptus wood found in there, too, which is sourced from Forest Stewardship Council-certified forestry. BMW estimates that about a quarter of the interior is made with renewable raw materials and recycled plastics. Additionally, 95 percent of the i3 can be recycled.
German rivals Mercedes and Audi use recycled paper (probably from their massive press releases) in their cars, usually in the cargo liner. Korean automaker Hyundai even uses a volcanic rock-based plastic concoction in its roof support pillars. It's clear that cars are not only more efficient than ever before, but are having less of a negative impact on the environment by using more recyclable materials and greener manufacturing. By using these smart manufacturing processes, automakers are doing a big part in cutting down their carbon footprints. Maybe if this trend continues, we can see cars that truly have zero carbon footprint. Loading, please wait... |
| 13-Year-Old Hits 202 MPH in a Bugatti Veyron, We Suddenly Feel Very Inadequate Posted: What were you doing when you were 13? It was probably something awkward that you don't remember or care to remember, but one 13-year-old is making us all feel very inadequate all of a sudden with a feat that grown adults can be jealous of. Steven Aghakhani is 13 and races all sorts of cars, including McLarens, Lamborghinis and a Porsche 918, and this past Father's Day, he hit 202 mph in a modified Bugatti Veyron. The 8th grader surpassed his personal best speed of 195 mph and he did it because wanted to hit a new top speed for his father. His dad said Aghakhani wanted to hit 210 mph on his next run. He was asked how he felt leading up to his run on an airstrip, he responded with a nonchalant, "It should be easy." Aghakhani started karting when he was 7 and things escalated quickly from there. His father, Armik Aghakhani, is also a serious car collector and racer. Pretty cool for a kid who isn't even old enough to have a driver's licence. Loading, please wait... |
| Ads About ‘Self-Driving’ Mercedes Cars Are Misleading, Safety Groups Say Posted: Mercedes-Benz is under fire by consumer advocate and safety groups for its ads on the E-Class that call the luxury sedan "self-driving." The groups allege that calling the E-Class "self-driving" gives buyers a "false sense of security" because the car isn't truly autonomous. The groups say advertising the E-Class this way "is likely to mislead a reasonable consumer by representing the E-Class as self-driving when it is not." The new E-Class comes with adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and active lane keep assist along with other such technology, but, of course, it isn't simply a "set it and forget it" situation because it actually requires driver input, needs the driver to pay attention at all times and intervene when necessary. For this reason, the E-Class cannot legally defined as a self-driving car. ALSO SEE: 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Review In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Reports, the Center for Automotive Safety, the Consumer Federation of America, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are calling the FTC to investigate Mercedes for false advertising. "The E-Class does not meet the definition of either a fully or partially self-driving car, yet it is marketed in a way that a reasonable consumer would believe it does," the letter says. "In addition to a consumer possibly purchasing a car while being misled about its capabilities, the misrepresentations by Mercedes-Benz could give consumers a false sense of security in the ability of the car to operate autonomously. This misrepresentation is material because it significantly involves safety or is likely to affect a consumer's conduct or decision with regard to the car." Watch the ad in question below: Loading, please wait... |
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