Bugatti Just Sold Two Rare Show Cars to a Saudi Prince

Bugatti Just Sold Two Rare Show Cars to a Saudi Prince
Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster Rumored for September Debut
How Gaming is Making Driving More Fun
Hyundai Genesis Coupe Discontinued
Poll: Ram 1500 or Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
2017 Infiniti QX30 Priced from $30,945

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Bugatti just sold two extremely rare concept cars to the the highest bidder.

The purchaser, Instagram user b14, is said to be a member of Saudi Arabia's Saud ruling family. Bugatti sold him the actual Chiron that was presented to the world at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show alongside the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo Concept, a car created purely for the fantasy world of the Gran Turismo racing video game.

The price surrendered for the pair of cars is unknown, though Bugatti did say that the buyer submitted "the most convincing bid," also implying that there may have been others bidding for the chance to take home these two rare cars.

Photographer GFWilliams posted photos of the two cars on Facebook, each one fit with a Saudi Arabian license plate. The Bugatti Gran Turismo Concept will be on display at the upcoming Pebble Beach Councours d'Elegance, so assumably the owner won't take possession of the car until after that. A Chiron will also be shown during Monterey Car Week, though it wasn't clear if it is the Geneva show car.

Neither of these two cars were designed to actually operate on the road, but they are apparently both fit with the brand's quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W16 engine.

[Source: Carscoops & GFWilliams]

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Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster Rumored for September Debut

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Spy photographers have already caught it testing, and now we hear that the Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster could bow as early as September.

Australia's Motoring reports that Mercedes-AMG will bring two versions of the new GT Roadster to this year's Paris Motor Show in late September, the entry-level model and the new GT C trim that spy photographers have caught on camera.

It's still unclear where the GT C will sit in the sports car's lineup, with rumors suggesting that it will slot between the base model and the GT S based on Mercedes-Benz's nomenclature. There is a possibility that the GT C is the result of the GT R's development, receiving some of what makes the GT R so special like its wider track and upgraded suspension.

If the Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster does make its debut at the Paris Motor Show, it coincides with a leaked roadmap that says it will head to dealerships by mid-2017. Following the GT C Roadster's arrival, it is expected that Mercedes-AMG will offer the same variant on the coupe model as well.

[Source: Motoring]

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How Gaming is Making Driving More Fun

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Imagine if cars were just made for transportation duties. All we would see on the roads are boring boxes on wheels. Fortunately, that's not the world we live in, and car designers have made sure that our cars are fun.

That fun can be found in the exterior appearance, the performance and the handling, but automakers are also putting in little games into cars to help lighten up the load of driving and make it more entertaining. Not only that, but cars are getting video game-inspired tweaks that help the vehicles appeal to a wider audience: one that grew up with a gamepad in their hands.

For example, the Nissan GT-R's central display screen features graphics and visuals designed by the same team behind the popular Gran Turismo games for Playstation. One look at the display, and it's clear that it was inspired by head-up displays from video games.

Hyundai Veloster Blue Max Game

Many cars are using games to encourage drivers to be more fuel efficient. Hyundai and the earlier iteration of the Veloster had one of the more interesting applications, as a there's a hidden game in the settings that awards points to efficient drivers. Actions like coasting, changing into the correct gear at the right time, and accelerating and braking smoothly would all net points. Owners could compare scores to boast about how efficiently they were driving.

Mustang Line Lock and Track Apps

Gamers can probably all admit to trying a few radical things in racing games, like say, meaty burnouts. But doing stuff like that in the real world isn't as easy as it looks in the games. Fortunately, new cars are coming with tools to help make you look like a video game action hero. Take the new Mustang with the performance package and track apps, for example. Thanks to an easy-to-use, video game-like interface for the electronic line-lock function, you can easily learn how to safely do burnouts without reading an entire owner's manual. Of course, this feature is better suited for the track, where you aren't going to be a nuisance turning your tires into smoke (which is a noisy and smelly affair).

Corvette Performance Data Recorder

A cool feature in racing games is the ability to record your lap times and compete against it. Corvettes are starting to incorporate some of that idea with the available Performance Data Recorder, or PDR. In simple terms, it's an integrated GoPro camera that can overlay info like your throttle position, g-forces, steering angle, location on the track and your speed on the video footage. The resulting footage looks exactly like it would in a first-person racing game. It's a great way to show your friends your fast lap times, or use it as a learning tool to help you go faster.

Chevrolet Volt Balance Ball

The Chevrolet Volt is an extended range electric vehicle. In simpler terms, it's a plug-in hybrid vehicle with a beefy electric battery and a gas-powered engine that kicks in once the battery is depleted. The biggest goal of cars like this is to maximize range, and Chevrolet's dashboard game helps coach drivers to be more energy efficient. It works by displaying a ball on the digital gauge cluster. If you accelerate too quickly or brake too suddenly, the ball moves up or down. The goal is to keep it perfectly centered for as long as you can. Achieve that, and you'll maximize your range!

Ford Efficiency Leaves

Ford has something similar in its cars. Called "Efficiency Leaves," the car will display a vine on the gauge cluster. Drive efficiently and leaves will start growing and if you're really good, flowers can bloom. The more efficiently you drive, more leaves and flowers will grow. In the Ford Focus Electric, the leaves are replaced with butterflies, but no caterpillars, so no need to be worried if you're the type to be afraid of creepy crawlers.

Ford Focus RS Drift Mode

Remember Ridge Racer, or Project Gotham Racing, where style trumped speed? Those games would encourage you to go everywhere sideways. Back in the real world, however, controllably drifting a car is an acquired skill, but not if you have the new Focus RS. Drift mode will sort out and help you maintain a cool drift around corners, so you can live out your video game dreams.

Vision Gran Turismo

If you need any more proof that the world of cars and video games are converging, take a look at the Vision Gran Turismo program. Automakers are creating awesome concepts for the Gran Turismo video game, then making them into real things to display at auto shows and other events. Some automakers are even using the Vision GT concepts to influence their real cars. This is the path Bugatti took with the new Chiron hypercar, and Aston Martin's latest hyper car, the AM-RB 1000 is very much like the Aston Martin DP-100 Vision GT concept for Gran Turismo.

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Hyundai Genesis Coupe Discontinued

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Hyundai's rear-drive sports coupe is dead.

First reported by the Globe and Mail, the Genesis Coupe's 2016 model year will be its last in the U.S. and Canada, a company spokesperson confirmed today. A replacement is expected to follow sometime after 2017, but it won't carry the Hyundai badge.

With Genesis now its own brand, the automaker can't have a model that carries both names. The coupe's platform mate, the former Hyundai Genesis sedan, transforms into the Genesis G80 for 2017, but its two-door sibling won't make the cut.

"A new, more sophisticated and luxurious coupe appropriate for the new Genesis brand is currently under development," said Christine Henley, PR manager for Hyundai Motor America, after confirming the discontinuation.

So, the four- and six-cylinder sports coupe that arrived in North America in 2009 as a 2010 model leaves the market after a two-generation run. Its departure leaves Hyundai without a traditional sporty offering.

As for Genesis, the luxury marque's initial offerings are the 2017 G80 midsize sedan and G90 full-size sedan, with a compact G70 sedan and two crossovers expected to follow. A sixth model — which we now know to be the coupe — should appear within a few years.

This article originally appeared on Thetruthaboutcars.com

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Poll: Ram 1500 or Chevrolet Silverado 1500?

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Which hard-working pickup truck would YOU rather own, the stylish Ram 1500 or Chevrolet's ready-for-anything Silverado 1500? Vote in our latest poll!

There's more than one way to skin a cat, though why you'd want to abuse felines is beyond us. In any event, both FCA and GM think they have the right solution for customers that need a truck, though there are some important differences between their offerings.

Starting with the Ram, this "half-ton" model offers a range of powertrains and some intriguing features. Underhood, several excellent engines are offered including a base 3.6-liter V6 that delivers 305 horses and 269 lb-ft of torque. Stepping up from there you can also get a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 that's good for 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of twist.

These gasoline options are rock solid, but the most intriguing option is a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel engine. It delivers a rather meager 240 horses but it packs a wallop in the form of 420 units of twist. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard with some engines and trims but an economical eight-speed self-shifting gearbox is paired with other models.

Aside from its available diesel engine, one of the Ram's other signature features is optional air suspension.

Focusing on the Silverado 1500 now, it offers three engines, all of which consume gasoline. The base unit is a 4.3-liter V6. It puts out 285 horsepower and 297 lb-ft of torque. Stepping up from there, you can get a 5.3-liter V8 with 355 horses and 383 units of twist. The top offering is a 6.2-liter V8 that's good for 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft.

All of these engines feature aluminum construction and direct fuel injection for weight savings and greater efficiency. As for transmissions, two automatics are offered in the Silverado, one with six speeds and another with eight ratios.

Signature features in the Chevy include available Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Duralife brake rotors for extended performance and trailer sway control for towing confidence.

For more information on these trucks, please compare them here. And don't forget to vote for a favorite!

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2017 Infiniti QX30 Priced from $30,945

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Infiniti has released pricing for its new QX30 crossover, which starts at $30,945 including destination costs.

That makes it cheaper than its platform mate the Mercedes GLA, along with its main competitors the Lexus NX and BMW X1.

At the bottom level, the QX30 is fitted with standard features like a seven-inch touchscreen, LED daytime running lights, paddle shifters and dual automatic climate control. A turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine provides 208 horsepower to every trim of the QX30.

SEE ALSO: 2017 Infiniti QX30 Review

Jumping up to the Luxury model, which sells for $33,595, brings along Nappa leather, heated eight-way power adjustable front seats and a rear seat pass through. Premium models, priced at $36,295, get a Bose stereo system, rain-sensing windshield wipers, LED fog lamps, aluminum kickplates and chrome trim.

At the top of the range is the QX30 Sport which sells for $39,495 and packs a gloss black grille, a lower ride height and unique fascias in the front and rear. A flat-bottom steering wheel, aluminum wrapped pedals, Intelligent Park Assist and sport seats are also included.

Only Luxury and Premium models can be had with all-wheel drive, which cost $35,395 and $38,695 respectively.

Discuss this story at our Infiniti QX30 Forum

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Car Reviews

Wednesday 3 August 2016