Porsche Left a Secret Message for the NSX Development Team Inside a GT3 |
- Porsche Left a Secret Message for the NSX Development Team Inside a GT3
- 7 Things I Learned Driving a 4-Cylinder Chevrolet Camaro
- 2017 Hyundai Elantra Improves to Earn IIHS Top Safety Pick+ Award
- Idiot Tesla Model X Driver Shows How Autopilot Lets Him Play Pokemon Go While He Drives
- Tesla Claims to Have ‘World’s Fastest’ Electric Car Charger
- Mercedes Pickup Truck Coming in 2017, According to Leaked Road Map
| Porsche Left a Secret Message for the NSX Development Team Inside a GT3 Posted: Porsche found out that Honda was secretly using a 911 GT3 as a benchmark while developing the Acura NSX, but the German company wasn't going to let it slide without getting a jab in first. It's no secret that automakers often purchase competitor's cars for research, and the Acura NSX was no different. The NSX development team over at Honda anonymously purchased a Porsche 911 GT3 and, according to NSX vehicle dynamics project leader, Nick Robinson, Honda was using the 911 GT3 to assess its steering. But Porsche figured out that a particular 911 GT3 belonged to the NSX development team when the vehicle was recalled to fix an issue with the connecting rods. Robinson remembers that once the repaired sports car returned to the hands of Honda, there was a hidden message left under the engine cover that said, "Good luck Honda from Porsche. See you on the other side." SEE ALSO: 2017 Acura NSX Review In addition to purchasing a Porsche 911 GT3 for benchmarking purposes, Honda also used a McLaren 12C. Unlike Porsche, however, McLaren didn't realize who the vehicle belonged to when it went back to the dealership for remedial work. The British automaker did have an inquiry, said Robinson: "They wanted to know, where did you go 205 mph? What track?" [Source: Automotive News] Discuss this story on our Acura NSX Forum Loading, please wait...  |
| 7 Things I Learned Driving a 4-Cylinder Chevrolet Camaro Posted: Chevrolet's brand-new Camaro is one of the most exciting cars on the market today – it's stylish and engaging yet still surprisingly affordable. So far, I've been fortunate enough to evaluate it in both V6 and SS flavors, but there's a third option on the table, one that promises strong performance and even better efficiency. For drivers that care about fuel consumption, GM has wisely decided to offer a four-cylinder engine in this legendary sports machine. Far from what you'd find in some malnourished economy car, this turbocharged 'banger delivers way more than you'd probably expect. After spending one week in a Camaro 1LT with the optional RS package, here's what I learned about it. 7. The Engine is a Winner…
It may displace just 2.0-liters, but this car's base engine is quite impressive. With direct fuel injection, a turbocharger and plenty of other technology, it's good for 275 horsepower. But even better than that, torque measures 295 lb-ft. Unfortunately, peak twist doesn't come on until 3,000 rpm, which makes the Camaro feel quite peaky. It's tuned to pull strongly at higher engine speeds, and it really comes alive at about 4,000 rpm on the tachometer. After that, it pulls eagerly to the 7,000-rpm limiter This engine is smooth, quiet and muscular. According to GM, it's able to shoot the Camaro to 60 miles an hour in less than six seconds, which is plenty fast. However, despite several laudable traits, this powerplant is not perfect. 6. …But it Lacks Brute Force
Sure, it delivers plenty of oomph, but there's not a lot of giddy-up to be had at normal driving speeds, plus there's a fair bit of turbo lag. Mash the gas, and you have to wait an uncomfortably long time for the engine to wake up and start hustling; after the delay, however, it moves enthusiastically. In comparison, SS models with the burly 6.2-liter V8 respond instantly at any speed in any gear. Just a couple degrees of throttle input make these cars leap ahead; the four-cylinder needs time to catch its breath first. SEE ALSO: 2016 Chevrolet Camaro SS Review Unfortunately, when it finally does wake up, the sound it produces is as unappealing as screams from a dentist's office. Rather than singing a melodious tune, it grumbles all the way to redline. Eight-cylinder Camaros thunder like a broadside from the USS Iowa, but that's not the case with this car, which at best sounds like a Malibu, and at worst? Maybe microphone feedback mixed with a baby crying. 5. Transmission Troubles
The RS variant I tested was equipped with a manual transmission (Tremec TR-3160), which at first made me exceedingly happy. However, after a short trip around the block, my enthusiasm wore off; this gearbox isn't all it's cracked up to be, either that, or GM needs to totally redesign the shifter. This ratio-selector is totally unsatisfying; every gear-change feels like you're causing irreparable harm to the transmission's innards. It's gritty and arthritic feeling, requiring an inordinate amount of effort to use. The TR-6060 found in Camaro SS models, and plenty of other high-performance cars, is infinitely more satisfying to shift. Thanks to its shoulder-dislocating gear-selector, this is a rare time I'd recommend getting an automatic transmission. This manual is that unsatisfying. 4. Look on the Bright Side
Aside from the Camaro's hoarse-throated base engine and unlovable gearbox, there's still plenty to like and even love about this car. For starters, it looks great and drives even better. Thanks to GM's rigid and lightweight Alpha architecture, she'll dance like a ballerina in the hands of a skilled driver. Beyond these virtues, this car is also amazingly efficient. According to the EPA, it should return 21 miles per gallon in urban driving and 30 on the highway. All told, it ought to average 24 mpg, but it doesn't … it'll do waaaay better than that. I easily exceeded 27 in mixed, heavy-footed driving; interstate jaunts were even thriftier. And believe me, I wasn't babying it; that figure includes PLENTY of trips to redline. 3. Yep, You Still Can't See Out of ItNot to continue bludgeoning a deceased equine, but it's worth noting … again: outward visibility is a severe issue in the Camaro, regardless of cylinder count. With that out of the way, let's move on… 2. Chassis Magic
With the $1,950 RS Package, the base 1LT Camaro gains stylish 20-inch wheels with run-flat tires, high-intensity discharge headlamps, LED tail lights and some minor styling tweaks. So equipped, its suspension is quite stiff. Consequently, the car transmits every bump, rut and pothole in high-fidelity, which makes the ride less than ideal, though its harshness is livable. Still, the benefit of this starchiness is that the Camaro devours corners like a hungry child attacking a pack of chicken nuggets. From the steering wheel, turn-in is eager, with the car changing direction easily while clearly communicating its intentions to the driver. It will rotate a bit if you want, but the SS is more appropriate for this sort of driving. 1. The Future, Today
Sure, a four-cylinder engine may feel totally out of place in a muscle car, but the results it delivers are hard to argue with. The 2016 Chevrolet Camaro 1LT Coupe is incredibly stylish, engaging and reasonably speedy, plus the fuel economy it offers is so good you may not believe it. Out this door this specimen cost $30,030, including about three grand in options, which is a totally reasonable price for a certifiably cool car. Discuss this story on our Camaro Forum Loading, please wait... |
| 2017 Hyundai Elantra Improves to Earn IIHS Top Safety Pick+ Award Posted: The 2017 Hyundai Elantra received huge improvements in the safety department. Redesigned for the 2017 model year, the Hyundai Elantra has improved on the small overlap crash test to earn a good rating, over the previous generation's acceptable rating. As a result, the compact has earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from IIHS, the top award given by the Institute. In addition, the new Elantra also offers an available front crash prevention system that helps it earn a superior rating. SEE ALSO: 2017 Hyundai Elantra Review According to IIHS, the previous Elantra's structure did not fare well in the small overlap front test, with maximum intrusion into the occupant space of nine inches. In contrast, the new Elantra's maximum intrusion was only two inches. IIHS did note that the good rating only applies to 2017 Elantras built after March, when additional modifications were made, which included strengthening the junction between the door sill and the hinge pillar, as well as modifying the frontal airbag. The 2017 Hyundai Elantra earned good ratings across the board on the other crash tests. As for the optional front crash prevention system, it avoided a collision in the Institute's 12-mph track test. In the 25-mph test, the car's impact speed was cut by an average of 22 mph. Discuss this story on our Hyundai Elantra Forum Loading, please wait... |
| Idiot Tesla Model X Driver Shows How Autopilot Lets Him Play Pokemon Go While He Drives Posted: A Tesla Model X driver has posted a video showing other people how to play Pokemon Go while using Autopilot in bumper-to-bumper traffic. The video taken on one of the most traveled highways in the U.S. – I-95 northbound nearing Washington, D.C. – comes two-and-a-half months after a man in Florida died while reports say he may have been watching a Harry Potter DVD when his Tesla running on Autopilot careened into a truck. Tesla is making updates to its Autopilot system, but automaker has adamantly said users assume all risk, and must agree to terms and conditions, which include keeping hands on the steering wheel (and presumably actually paying attention to the act of driving). ALSO SEE: Tesla Working to Improve AutoPilot Safety "For those of you who are not too familiar with some of the dynamics in Autopilot, one of the things I've noticed, I'm not sure exactly what the cutoff is, but I believe under 45 or 40 mph – as long as there's a good amount of surroundings and clear lane markers as you can see here – it will never ask you to kind of, remind you to put your hands back on the steering wheel," said Gary Zhou in the video as he traveled from North Carolina toward Pennsylvania. "So, in essence Autopilot works pretty much 100-percent fully autonomous in bumper-to-bumper traffic, minus, of course, lane changes and things like that, and again, it's fantastic for catching Pokémon on the go." Numerous collisions and injuries have been caused by people playing Pokemon while driving even though the game has only been out for about two weeks, and the number of people who die because of distracted driving is still far too high. Watch his video below, but PLEASE don't Pokemon and drive: A verison of story originally appeared on HybridCars.com Loading, please wait... |
| Tesla Claims to Have ‘World’s Fastest’ Electric Car Charger Posted: Tesla has boosted power in its Superchargers to reassert its claim that it provide the "world's fastest" charger, Electrek says. Tesla Motors has boosted some Superchargers' power capacity from 135 kilowatts to 145 kW. That's still ahead of the current Supercharger capacity. Tesla's Supercharger website still says the power delivery rate tops out at 120 kW. When originally built in 2012, Superchargers delivered 120 kW, but Tesla vehicles could only handle a maximum of 90 kW of charging. Tesla vehicles are Superchargers have gone up in capacity since then. The Supercharger upgrade comes at a time the electric carmaker is going through an ongoing legal battle with U.K.-based Ecotricity, The renewable energy provider took issue with Tesla calling its Superchargers the fastest in the world. The U.K.'s Advertising Standards Authority backed Tesla on the question. The authority verified that, between the upgrade and the charging capacity of Tesla's vehicles, the combination is accurately characterized as the fastest. SEE ALSO: Upcoming Tesla Pickup Truck Imagined by Artist Tesla and Ecotricity have been fighting each other for a leading position in the U.K. charging market for the past couple of years. In 2014, the U.K. energy company alleged that Tesla violated some non-disclosure agreements while attempting to sideskirt Ecotricity by trying to talk directly to some of the owners of the roadside stops throughout the U.K. Tesla responded last year by accusing Ecotrocity of trying to enforce a monopoly over U.K. charging stations. A Tesla Model S or Model X can be recharged fast enough to deliver about 170 miles of range in a half hour. As of Friday, Tesla said that it has 681 Supercharger stations with more than 4,100 Superchargers worldwide. This article originally appeared on HybridCars.com Loading, please wait... |
| Mercedes Pickup Truck Coming in 2017, According to Leaked Road Map Posted: The Mercedes pickup truck should arrive in late 2017, if this leaked road map is accurate. The road map, which was acquired by Auto Car, details what the German automaker has in the works for the coming year, including a convertible Mercedes-AMG GT model. It also confirms that Mercedes will launch nine new models and two new Smart models next year. With the new E-Class sedan introduced this year, it's no surprise to see the E-Class coupe on the horizon for 2017. There is also a high-riding E-Class All Terrain in the works while the S-Class will receive a facelift. It also appears Mercedes will expand on the GLA crossover lineup with a coupe four-door coupe model, like the larger GLC. SEE ALSO: Mercedes GLT Pickup Truck Spied Testing Most interesting however is confirmation that the Mercedes-Benz pickup truck, expected to be called the GLT, will arrive by late 2017. Spy photographers have caught a prototype testing, so we know it's in the works. And for those anxiously awaiting a drop-top AMG GT, your wish will be fulfilled with a fabric soft top, similar to what's found on the SLS roadster. Discuss this story on our Mercedes-Benz Forum Loading, please wait... |
| You are subscribed to email updates from AutoGuide.com News. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |
No comments:
Post a Comment