Chris Harris always seems to like comparative tests better than single-car reviews, simply because there is more to talk about, analyze and/or examine. Each of the chosen cars is driven in turn, and at the end, conclusions are drawn. This time, he has chosen an Audi R8 V10 Plus, a Porsche 997 Turbo S and [...]
The 2013 edition of the Frankfurt motor show, which is to take place this September, has been selected by Land Rover as the venue of choice for the unveiling of diesel-electric hybrid versions of the all-new Range Rover and Range Rover Sport. The information was obtained by CarSales of Australia, which sat down with a [...]
A lot has been made recently about the new Alpina B7 BiTurbo , BMWBlog.com even spent some time with it last year. As amazing as the new Alpina B7 is I’ve had the privilege of flogging it myself, yet I still find myself pining for the original B7 Turbo. This the subject of this week’s [...]
Volkswagen has a midyear upgrade planned for its Jetta GLI and Turbo models of its Beetle coupe and convertible. The cars’ 200-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder is now rated at 210-hp; Volkswagen says the revised engine is quicker and more efficient thanks to reduced weight and other mechanical updates. As equipped, the 2013 Beetle Turbo [...]
Porsche couldn’t find a better moment to unveil its all-new 911 Turbo coupe. This year, the company celebrates its 50th anniversary and the 40th anniversary of the flagship 911, the Turbo. The all-new model comes with an array of new features, including an new all-wheel drive system, active rear axle steering, adaptive aerodynamics, full-LED headlights [...]
Competes with: 2014 Audi R8 5.2, 2014 Nissan GT-R Looks like: A 911 with swollen rear fenders Drivetrain: 520- or 560-hp, twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter six-cylinder; seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission; all-wheel drive Hits dealerships: Late 2013 The new 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S are the latest, most powerful [...]
Chevy guys might talk about their small blocks, and Ferrari fans have their V-12s, but Volkswagen owners love their EA888s. Not exactly a romantic label, but VW’s little four is a revered workhorse around the world. Now it’s been upgraded and, as we reported, VW is building the new version at its recently-constructed factory in [...]
Seven months after the Mokka arrived at dealerships in Europe, Opel has received 100,000 orders for its new sub-compact crossover. Many of these orders came from Germany, Russia, UK, Italy and France. “To keep it headed to the top, we’re making the Mokka even more attractive with new powertrains and high-end infotainment units – and [...]
Now that the VW Beetle Turbo has the new EA888 engine, it is only fitting that a new R-Line model should accompany it. As we predicted last year, the R-Line will be available on the Beetle Turbo coupe; with a six-speed manual, the Beetle Turbo R-Line starts at $ 30,930. The R-Line replaces the Sunroof, [...]
The new 991-based 911 Turbo is shaping up to be quite a machine. While its most recent predecessors have been good cars, they seem to lack the appeal of the base models or the lightweight GT2 and GT3 models. The Turbo has never been as precise a driving machine as the traditional rear-wheel drive models, [...]
TESTED The Volkswagen Beetle Turbo and the Mini Cooper S convertibles are built for the fashionable, for people who know they look great in linen pants and that denim makes their butts seem huge. They can tell a genuine Barcelona chair from a knockoff at 60 yards. Style counts. So does cute. Performance? Utility? Not [...]
The last time I’d found myself astride an electric bike was over four years ago, when CNET reviewed the Schwinn Tailwind in March of 2009. That bike was jerky and awkward, very heavy, and a bit of an eyesore. Fast-forward just under half a decade to April 2013, when I find myself standing in front [...]
Car-focused movies, such as the “Fast and Furious” series, show high-speed chases where the hero hits a nitrous button, causing his car to rear up, the front axle leaving the ground. The 2013 Kia Sportage SX felt a bit like that when I mashed the gas pedal. And it was a front-wheel-drive crossover. The SX [...]
We are not exactly sure why Ferrari is testing out turbocharged California prototypes, but they are real and undergoing testing at the Fiorano test track. Marchettino spotted one such vehicle about one year ago, and now a new and louder one has made its appearance in Italy. Listening to it, we notice that its noise [...]
Following yesterday’s leaked photos, Porsche dropped official images and information about its refreshed 2014 Panamera range. Leaving aside the light cosmetic tweaks shown in the photos, the 2014 Panamera’s big changes are the addition of an S E-Hybrid plug-in model developing 410hp (416PS), the debut of two Executive versions that come with an extended wheelbase [...]