Continue reading Meet the man whose house is designed around his car

Meet the man whose house is designed around his car originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

McLaren pondering Honda-powered 911 killer? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Toyota Supra ready for its retrospective video closeup

Toyota Supra ready for its retrospective video closeup originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 May 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Chevy Corvette Stingray shows off in Lime Rock Green

Chevy Corvette Stingray shows off in Lime Rock Green originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 May 2013 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Audi R8 V10 gets tuned up by ABT

Audi R8 V10 gets tuned up by ABT originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 May 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Of course, Dubai Police add Bugatti Veyron to fleet originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 18 May 2013 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Lexus LFA owner gets town to remove speed bump originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 May 2013 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• The 5.0 V8 never gets old. 420 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque are delivered with satisfying linearity, as the Coyote motor spins up to redline far quicker than you'd expect for an engine of this displacement. Sonically rich, with just a hint of a hard edge to the exhaust over 5,000 rpm and a satisfyingly lazy rumble at idle, the soundtrack is pure enthusiast driving pleasure at most speeds. Oh yeah... on the first day I had the car I was reminded that the 5.0 Mustang is fast as all hell, too. Don't let its ubiquity fool you, this is a serious performance machine.
• The six-speed manual trans is quite substantial, with a positive, metallic click heard when shifting through the range. The gates are nicely spaced and the throws short. I generally enjoy using this beefy gearbox, though when trying for really fast changes - especially downshifts - a lighter, more accurate action would be appreciated. Clutch action is pretty low effort and progressive, and with so much torque that it's simple to get the GT moving - gently or in a cloud of smoke as your taste and situation dictate.
• As I mentioned, the Mustang I drove was equipped with Ford's excellent GT Track Package. For $2,450, the track pack feels like an excellent value for weekend racers or drivers that might want to upgrade their GT substantially down the road. The options group contains a little bit of what made the Boss 302 cool, in a Bossless model year. (Automobile web editor Evan McCausland quipped to me that the test car I had was, "more of an assistant manager" than a Boss, which is about right.) The most noticeable equipment you'll get if you spec your Stang this way are the larger Brembo brakes and the Torsen helical diff with its more aggressive 3.73:1 rear axle. In a week filled with random quick corners and side-trips to back roads, I can attest that all make the GT feel a lot more sports car-like than less-endowed base GTs. For actual track work, the package's upgraded radiator (from the Boss 302) and engine oil cooler should help keep internals cool, as well.
• Not part of the track pack, my car also had optional ($1,595) Recaro cloth racing seats. A far cry from the fully stuffed leather chairs I'm used to seeing in media-fleet Mustangs, I ended up falling in love with these Recaros. The fabric they're trimmed with is simple without looking downmarket, and the bolsters help them grip the driver firmly without squeezing too hard at the hips. Even my XL frame was a good fit. I'll admit that after about 150 miles, I was feeling the frame dig into my thighs a little bit - these probably aren't the best road trip seats - but for everyday driving or canyon road bombing, they're superb.
• On that same road trip, I should mention that I had no trouble hitting the EPA-estimated 26 miles per gallon on the highway... if I set the cruise right around 70 miles per hour. At a more normal (for me) 75 or 80 mph, the econ drops to about 21 on the interstate. In town I was seeing roughly 11 mpg, though admittedly I was keeping the revs high quite a lot to better hear the exhaust. I think the 17 mph city estimate is doable, if you're willing to blandly shift up into fourth a lot.
• Outside of the great seats, this interior is starting to feel pretty dated. With no navigation screen especially, there's no end to the gray and black plastic you seen in front of you. Accessing SYNC via the standard radio's buttons and knobs is an atrocious way to navigate your digitally stored music, and the voice commands feel utterly unwieldy compared to newer systems like Cadillac CUE. (Dan Roth's, Chris Paukert's and Consumer Reports' protestations to the contrary, CUE feels positively visionary after a week with this low-end, touchscreen-less SYNC.) Both iPhones and iPods were randomly spurned as "not recognized" devices; even after working the time before. And even when I could get my music to play, the sound system managed to sound both underpowered and badly voiced. It's a good thing the V8 soundtrack doesn't get old.

2014 Ford Mustang GT originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 May 2013 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading 2014 BMW 6 Series M Sport family to start from $80,625*

2014 BMW 6 Series M Sport family to start from $80,625* originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 May 2013 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Porsche sums up its baby with the following words: Maximum driving fun with minimal fuel consumption. We like the sound of that, and we think it's cool that the 918 can travel up to 18 miles on electricity alone, with performance statistics that aren't far off what we had from sports cars from a few short decades ago.

We think you'll find plenty of interesting information in the press release below, but first, you'll want to browse through the high-res image gallery above to take in all the unique visuals. Enjoy!

Continue reading Pics Aplenty: Porsche 918 Spyder shows its production body

Pics Aplenty: Porsche 918 Spyder shows its production body originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 May 2013 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

BMW 2 Series caught uncovered during shoot originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 May 2013 11:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe prepares to join new sedan originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 May 2013 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupé concept echoes 8 Series

BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupé concept echoes 8 Series originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 May 2013 19:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading A conversation with Ted Klaus, chief engineer of the new Acura NSX

A conversation with Ted Klaus, chief engineer of the new Acura NSX originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 May 2013 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Driver, track worker survive horrific Ferrari 458 crash at Suzuka

Driver, track worker survive horrific Ferrari 458 crash at Suzuka originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 May 2013 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Acura NSX to be built in Ohio in 2015

Acura NSX to be built in Ohio in 2015 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 May 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Infiniti hybrid sports car coming by 2016 after all? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 May 2013 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Lamborghini Aventador reports for taxi duty at Bologna airport originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Watch the Lamborghini Egoista fire up on stage

Watch the Lamborghini Egoista fire up on stage originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 15:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• For this Quick Spin, I was in the black Hurst Edition SEMA car driving behind the gorgeous pearl white example seen here, and between their audacious styling and killer exhaust notes, people kept gawking at us - ok, the cars - as if we were the buxom, bikini-clad babe seen in the aforementioned video.
• From a styling standpoint, this Trans Am is way more than just a body kit. Trans Am Depot has performed extensive changes to the Camaro's body to give it an appearance that closely resembles the 1977-78 Firebird, with unique front and rear fascias that include modern LED headlights and taillights, as well as era-appropriate down-turned quadruple exhaust outlets. Some of the minor alterations include detail work like adding front fender extractors, removing the Camaro's faux rear wheel vents and adding a little length to the tail section to give the Trans Am a flatter, more unique rear end. Hurst Edition cars are only offered in black, white and silver paint with the iconic shaker hood and Screaming Eagle, and the whole look is finished off with 20-inch, gold-accented honeycomb wheels.
• As the hood scoop suggests, the Hurst Edition uses the same 6.2-liter V8 as the Camaro SS, and an optional supercharger boosted the power to 575 horsepower at the rear wheels on my test car. There is also a supercharger kit that delivers up to 720 hp, and if that still isn't enough, a twin-turbo kit is available offering 1,100 horses. With 575 hp, the Hurst Edition still has plenty of power to break the wheels lose even with StabiliTrak on, making me wonder how crazy the more powerful versions are. More impressive than the power from this V8 are the noises it makes. Under the hood, a muffled whine hints at the supercharger while the dual exhaust belts out an incredible note under full throttle.
• Just like the extensive changes made to the car's styling, Trans Am Depot had done more than just dump a ton of extra power under the hood. A one-inch drop in the suspension helps tuck the staggered-width alloys into the wheel wells, while an Eibach sway bar upgrade should help give the heavy Camaro chassis a little more cornering bite. Sadly, I didn't have the chance to put the Hurst Edition T/A through any challenging handling exercises... it is Florida after all.
• Inside, the Hurst Edition also gets an appropriately retro theme with repatterned seats, restyled instrument gauges and, naturally, a cue-ball short-throw Hurst shifter. The black-and-gold color scheme gives the cabin a classic look while carbon fiber accents on just about every surface adds modern panache with finishing touches like the billet sill plates and embroidered headrests.
• My biggest disappointment about the interior - and perhaps the entire car itself - is a lack of the sparkly, machined-metallic-look gauge trim found on the dash of the late-'70s Firebirds. To me, this was as defining of an element as the Screaming Chicken for these old Pontiacs. What this car lacks in a single piece of '70s-era trim, though, it more than makes up for with its t-tops. Trans Am Depot used to farm out its T-tops, but has now since up with a proprietary design for improved style and function. GM, take note.
• Now, turning your Camaro into a Trans Am is no cheap ordeal. If you have a donor fifth-gen Camaro and eight weeks to spare, Trans Am Depot will turn you out a base Hurst Edition starting at $29,985. This former SEMA queen came with some optional add-ons like the $10,550 supercharger kit and a stiff $7,500 for the t-tops.
• While Trans Am Depot is limiting production of the Hurst Edition, it also offers the 7T7 model (on which the Hurst is based) with its '77 Trans Am styling, as well as the 6T9 built to look like the 1969 Trans Am and the 6T9 Goat styled after the 1969 GTO. And if, for some reason, you doubt just how much these guys love powerful Pontiacs, check out their daily drivers sitting out in front of the shop: a pair of rare Pontiac G8 GXP Firehawk sedans.

2013 Hurst Edition Trans Am originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.