Ford GT unleashed in Detroit

Ford has taken the wraps off its dragon-slaying GT supercar at the 2015 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) currently underway in Detroit. The Ford GT is one of 12 new Ford performance cars to be introduced by 2020 and will be a rival to the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini and McLaren when it goes into production late in 2016.

EcoBoost Power for Ford GT

The all-new rear-wheel drive Ford GT is fitted with a mid-mounted, 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 EcoBoost engine that offers 447 kW. This power is transferred to the GT’s 20-inch wheels via a seven-speed dual clutch transaxle transmission. The V6 EcoBoost engine is the most powerful EcoBoost engines to date and offers high levels of performance and efficiency.

The Ford GT also benefits from an all-new direct fuel-injection system that enhances engine response as well as a low friction roller-finger-follower valvetrain.

Lightweight Construction

The new Ford GT is constructed using lightweight materials like carbon fibre and aluminum , which aid in improving acceleration, handling and efficiency. These weight-saving measures, according to Ford, will result in the GT having ‘one of the best power-to-weight ratios of any production car.’

The Ford GT features a carbon fibre passenger cell with front and rear aluminum sub-frames wrapped in carbon fiber body panels. Emphasis on aerodynamic efficiency is at the forefront of the GT’s design and every aspect of the car is designed to manage airflow, reduce drag and enhance downforce and stability. Serving this cause are aerodynamic components such as the active rear spoiler which adjusts its height and pitch angle according to driving conditions.

Progressive Interior

The Ford GT is accessed by upward-swinging doors and the cockpit features a driver and passenger seat integrated into the carbon fibre passenger cell, connecting the driver directly to the chassis. The pedals and steering column are adjustable according to the driver and the GT features an F1-style steering wheel with integrated gadgetry at the drivers disposal.

A host of vehicle data is made available via a digital instrument cluster, which can be configured to suit various driving environments and provides access to select driving modes. Ford’s latest connectivity system, SYNC 3, is also part of the package.

Watch this short video to get an overview of the 2017 Ford GT

Jaguar F-PACE Crossover Teased (Video)

Jaguar has announced the introduction of an all-new F-PACE performance crossover that will launch in 2016. The F-PACE is based on the Jaguar C-X17 concept car shown in 2013 at the Guangzhou Auto Show. “We received such an overwhelmingly positive response to the C-X17 concept car last year that we just had to make it a reality," says Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar.

Jaguar F-PACE combines practicality and performance

As the name implies, the Jag will blend practicality, luxury and class-leading space with performance orientated driving dynamics. The F-PACE will be a five-seater and Jaguar has referred to it as a 'Family Sports Car'. The F-PACE will be produced using Jaguar’s aluminium-intensive architecture and will feature 'instinctive all-wheel drive' and All-Surface Progress Control technology. Jaguar has not revealed any powertrain details as of yet.

The Jaguar F-PACE is expected to be one of the most innovative Jaguar's ever made and will be in manufactured in Solihull, UK. More details will be made available throughout 2015, but for now you can draw your own conclusions by watching the F-PACE teaser video.

Jaguar F-PACE Teaser Video

2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider Production Version Confirmed (Update, Complete Gallery)

The Alfa Romeo 4C Spider Design Preview made its world debut at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, previewing a new model scheduled to go into production in early 2015.

The ultra-lightweight high-performance driving machine

The 4C Spider is designed by the Alfa Romeo Style Centre and has the same design as its coupe sibling but remains an ultra-lightweight, high-performance driving machine with a canvas soft top and carbon fibre rollover bars. Given that structural reinforcement is required by safety regulations for open-top vehicles, the convertible will also weigh more than the coupe.

The same lightweight carbon fibre material was used for the spoilers and windscreen frame and as a result the additional weight of the open-top transformation has been limited to roughly 60 kg.

The low-density Sheet Moulding Compound bodywork has been rebuilt around the rear deck to replace the back, and carbon fibre is visible throughout the open cockpit.

On the inside it boasts two composite-framed sport seats covered in leather, a flat-bottomed leather-wrapped steering wheel, aluminium pedals, carbon fibre vent surrounds and a seven-inch colour digital cluster.

Additional exterior features of the open-top Alfa Romeo 4C Spider include a new dual-stage central exhaust system with titanium and carbon tailpipes provided by Akrapovic with an electrically-operated valve system improving not only the performance of the car but also enhances the exhaust note at the push of a wirelessly linked button. Other key features include the more attractive carbon fibre clamshell headlights, together with restyled alloy wheels wrapped around in bespoke Pirelli tyres.

Power comes from Alfa Romeos new four-cylinder 1750 turbocharged petrol engine sending 177 kW and 350 Nm to the rear wheels through a dual-clutch 6-speed TCT gearbox enabling the concept to hit 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds before topping out at 250 km/h.

Alfa Romeo has announced the 4C Spider is scheduled to enter production phase early next year.

World premiere of the new Alfa Romeo 4C Spider

Mercedes-Benz GLE63 AMG S Coupe Unveiled

The Mercedes-Benz GLE63 AMG S Coupe was semi previewed last week and is a rival to the BMW X6 M with its aggressive and dynamic features, as well as high standards of performance.

Sporty coupe with strengths of an SUV

Revealed alongside standard versions of the new GLE at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show, the GLE63 AMG S Coupe displays visual dominance with its aggressive front fascia with a single bar grille, gloss black flicks and large air intakes.

The model also has the latest two-tone A-wing design, a twin-blade grille, standard LED headlamps, twin dome hood, and 22-inch lightweight alloy wheels with a titanium grey finish. As well as black wheel arch flares, a lip spoiler attached to the tailing edge of the tailgate and a rear bumper incorporating diffuser fins and twin chromed tailpipes.

Exclusive interior design elements

Inside the four door coupe are seats covered in Nappa leather with AMG monikers on the headrests, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, revised instrument cluster also covered in Nappa leather with faux carbon fibre dials. Other notable elements of the interior include a leather-wrapped dashboard, heated and ventilated seats for the driver and front passenger and carbon fiber or piano black trim. The model also has stainless steel pedals, AMG-branded floor mats and a Harman Kardon audio system.

GLE63 AMG S Coupe powered by a 5.5-litre V8 biturbo engine

The coupe SUV is fitted with a twin-turbo 5.5-litre V8 engine with stop/start delivering 430 kW and 760 Nm of torque. It is connected to an AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS 7G-TRONIC transmission and a rear-biased 4MATIC all-wheel drive system. This setup enables the model to complete the 0-100kph task in 4.2 seconds.

The GLE63 AMG S Coupe further features a Sports Direct-Steer steering system, and a high-performance braking system with red-painted brake callipers. AMG lettering complete the sporty appearance of the brakes.

Mercedes-Benz C450 AMG Sport Revealed

Mercedes-Benz has revealed its quite sporty C450 AMG Sport at the Detroit motor show. The C450 AMG Sport is to sit under the C63 AMG as a slightly less hardcore variant of the C-Class but still athletic enough to run with competitors from BMW, Audi, Lexus and more recently Infiniti.

C450 AMG Sport Packs Power

The C450 AMG Sport has some impressive credentials, especially if you look at the engine. Its powered by a 3-litre V6 twin-turbo thats had the turbo wound up to deliver 270 kW and 517 Nm. That power and torque translates into rapid acceleration with it hitting 100kph in 4.9 seconds and hitting the limiter at 250kph.

The C450 AMG Sport has its power distributed to the wheels via the 4MATIC all-wheel drive and a revised seven-speed automatic gearbox. The all-wheel drive system has been tuned so that most of the power goes to the rear with a 33:67 split towards the rear.

The not quite an AMG C450 AMG Sport does benefit from some of the technical and handling wizardry of the C63 AMG. It carries the same adjustable dampers, stiffer springs and front pull rods. The C450 AMG Sport also has a bit more negative camber dialled in as well as some tweaked steering parts.

The exterior undergoes a few subtle sport enhancements that include darkened tail pipes, black side mirrors, modified front grille and a boot-lid spoiler. It also rolls on 18-inch wheels.

The interior remains typically C-Class standard with a few little extras to make the driver feel special. Sports seats are fitted with red stitching, theres alloy pedals in the footwell and the steering wheel has a flat bottom.

We should see the C450 AMG Sport going into production quite soon. Mercedes now has a real competitor to the likes of the BMW 335i M Performance and Audis S4.

Volkswagen Cross Coupe GTE Concept

Volkswagen has added its third Cross Coupe Concept to the range before the car has even rolled out of the factory. The Cross Coupe GTE Concept is an American specific model that showcases slightly different styling and an interior said to accommodate the American lifestyle whatever that is.

Cross Coupe GTE Details

The Cross Coupe GTE is painted in a specific Grand Pacific Glacier blue. Most of the differences with the GTE variant are in the front end with a more aggressively designed face, accented with aluminium, LED headlights and gloss black. The GTE also maintains the coupe styled sloping roofline whilst sitting on 22-inch alloy wheels.

The new American design language continues at the rear with the design of the rear lights. The horizontal look of the tailgate and an aluminium panel extending right across the bumper follow this language. A skidplate with an integrated diffuser forms the final major design element at the back of the SUV.

Interior

Volkswagen says the interior has taken on completely new architecture so that the infotainment and instrument panel appear to be a single unit, but from the images we don’t really see it. All functions are controlled via touchscreen. The digital displays can be modified by the driver so that they have only what they want to see on the instrument cluster.

The driver and front passenger can manage all infotainment functions and the basic vehicle configuration via the 10.1-inch touchscreen, using proximity sensors and gesture control. Gesture control is a completely new feature, and allows occupants to swipe over a playlist from some distance away to browse and play tunes.

Two Electric Motors

The Cross Coupe GTE is powered by a 3.6-litre VR6 petrol engine, aided by two electric motors. The petrol engine pumps out 205 kW and 350 Nm on its own. The front electric motor helps out with an extra 40 kW and 220 Nm whilst the more powerful rear electric motor puts out 85 kW and 270 Nm. That makes the Cross Coupe an AWD vehicle with combined power capabilities of 265 kW and 380 Nm. VW claims it will hit 100kph in six seconds and top out at 210kph. The Cross Coupe GTE has the ability to run for up to 32km in pure electric mode.

The Cross Coupe GTE is slated for production at the end of 2016.

2015 Ariel Nomad Off-Roader Unleashed

Following a sneak preview last month, Ariel Motor Company has taken the wraps off their new model dubbed the Ariel Nomad, which it has described as “a modern buggy designed for the rough and tough of the wild but just as home in the city.”

The latest addition to the Ariel family the Ariel Nomad

The bronze welded off-roader features a similar tubular steel frame design as the Atom model, but at 670 kg it weighs 200 kg more than the Atom. It further comes with an increased ground clearance, long-travel suspension, a complex rollover protection as well as a reinforced chassis.

The long-travel suspension provides up to 300mm of ground clearance as well as 71-degree approach and 82-degree departure angle. It also benefits from a wide range of Yokohama tyres ranging from high speed road, All Terrain and full Mud Terrain right through to Gravel/Forest Rally and Sand/Paddle, with 15″ and 18″ rims in both alloy for both off/on road use and magnesium for road use only.

Power comes from a 2.4-liter four-cylinder iVTEC engine sourced from Honda and tuned to deliver 175 kW at 7200 rpm and 300 Nm at 4300 rpm, which is then sent to the rear wheels via six-speed transmission with hydraulic clutch and a limited slip differential.

This setup allows the modern buggy to complete the 0-96 km/h run in 3.4 seconds, reaching a top speed of 201 km/h.

The interior comes with individual lightweight waterproof seats, as well as an open cockpit with LCD dashboard and programmable shift lights, while the exterior is additionally illuminated by Hella halogen headlamps and LED indicators.

“There are things that we can do at low volume that you simply couldn’t contemplate with mass production.” said Simon Saunders, Director of Ariel.

“We understand niche markets and we understand customers’ demands completely. Everything we have learnt from the Atom has gone into Nomad and it shows. Nomad is Atom’s tough brother and a continuation of our ‘SERIOUS FUN’ philosophy. If we can put a smile on people’s faces, on road or off it, we have done our job”.).

Honda CR-V to Feature Innovative Cruise Control

The facelifted Honda CR-V is set to debut later this year. We know some of the basic details from the official reveal back in 2014 but Honda is now giving us a few more in-depth features it will feature.

Honda Cruise Control Predicts Cutting-In

The latest trick up its sleeve is the Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control system that does more than just keep distance and speed with vehicles in front of you. The cruise control system uses radar as well as cameras to sense what cars around you plan to do. It is able to predict the likelihood of a car alongside cutting-in and react quickly, safely and comfortably.

The new system is able to compute the likelihood of a cut-in up to five seconds before it occurs, and is therefore designed to react very smoothly so as not to startle the driver, who might not yet be aware of the imminent cut-in. In this case the system applies just a mild brake initially, with an icon appearing on the driver display, informing the driver why a slow-down occurs. It then proceeds to apply a stronger brake to adapt the velocity to keep a safe distance.

The i-AAC system as it is officially named will be available on the executive spec model only, we still wait to see what model offerings we will get here in South Africa.

Volvo S60 Cross Country Revealed Ahead Of Detroit Debut

The Volvo S60 Cross Country has been revealed as the first sedan to have a go-anywhere attitude, incorporating sedan features with rugged styling cues and a higher stance.

We want to further explore the market with our Cross Country brand. We did this back in 1997 with the V70 Cross Country and it led to the birth of a whole new segment. We have included all the capability-driven benefits of the Cross Country brand in this new model, while offering a completely unique expression of adventure and all-road readiness in a distinctly sporty and stylish package, said Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President Product Strategy and Vehicle Line Management at Volvo Cars.

The go-anywhere Volvo S60 Cross Country

The S60 Cross Country shares an increased ride height of 65mm with its recently introduced V60 Cross Country sibling, as well as the same all-wheel drive system, and front-wheel drive – available in Europe and selected markets.

Along with its raised suspension, the model rides on 18- or 19-inch alloy wheels with high-profile tyres, which the company says, not only improve comfort, but also reduce noise and boost wheel protection in both on- and off-road circumstances.

Powertrain options include a powerful T5 All-Wheel Drive specification delivering up to 186 kW available in the US (189 kW in Europe and 186 kW in Russia).

The Volvo S60 Cross Country will make its official debut next week at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show.

Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Teased (Video)

The Aston Martin Vantage GT3 has been teased in a short video ahead of its official debut scheduled to happen at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show.

The video shows the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 in full force at the Nurburgring track and ends with a design sketch that leaves room for speculation on what the model will look like.

Details are still very scarce at the moment, however its reported that the V12 Vantage GT3 racer will be the companys most extreme road car ever made, with a power output of around 447 kW, which is about 26 kW more than the V12 Vantage S. The GT3 moniker is normally reserved for race models, however this may be such a hardcore road version that the GT3 name is befitting. The sports vehicle is also rumoured to feature a more aggressive front end with a redesigned bumper and engine cover.

The sports vehicle will make its world premiere during the Geneva Motor Show in March this year.