Daily Archives: August 3, 2016
BMW M4 GT4 To Join The Race Tracks In 2018
German automaker BMW is set to launch an M4 GT4 race car just in time for the 2018 motorsport season. The company is planning to join the growing list of automakers that are now offering race cars with the FIA GT4 specs.
This car, according to a report, will be the successor to the M3 GT4 that they started to offer in the last decade. There was a single teaser released, though not much can be seen there. It only showed that the M4 GT4 will closely resemble the M4 GTS road car that was launched in 2015.
The M4 GT4, however, will not be far off tech- and spec-wise from the standard M4 to keep costs and reliability relatively close. The drivetrain, the entirety of it, will be the same with the standard car. Yes, even the electronics.
This means the race car will come packed with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 that produces 425 horsepower.
Of course, joining the tracks means BMW has to somehow set the M4 GT4 apart from the usual road cars. This resulted to the addition of carbon fiber body panels, an aggressive front splitter and rear wing, a high-flow exhaust system, uprated brakes, and a stripped-out interior.
Jens Marquardt of BMW motorsport said that it was easy for the company to finally decide to come up with the GT4 race car. The German automaker apparently wants to capitalize on the current attention being given to the GT4. It also aims to provide up-and-coming racers an “affordable alternative” to the GT4 race cars produced by Aston Martin, KTM, Lotus, McLaren and Porsche.
The M4 GT4 will begin its testing later this year since it wants to debut at the 24 Hours of Dubai in January 2018. The car will presumable meet the requirements set by various GT4 competitions in Asia, Europe and North America.
The M4 GT4 will be part of BMW’s customer racing portfolio, which will also include the M235i Racing and the M6 GT3.
2017 Hyundai Sonata Adds Dynamic Headlights For Better Driving
Hyundai tweaked a little something in their 2017 Sonata. The addition of dynamic headlights will enable better driving, the Korean automaker believes.
The headlights will turn their beams up when the driver turns a corner, according to a source. This will help the driver see the road around the bend more clearly than before. Although only available on the top-of-the-line Sonata Limited, these dynamic headlights are especially helpful for drivers with eyesight problems.
Aside from the headlights, Hyundai announced some pricing and equipment adjustments across the Sonata range. These changes will come in full effect in this new model year.
Last year, the Hyundai Sonata was offered in one of three four-cylinder engines: a 2.4-liter four-cylinder that can produce 185 horsepower, a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that can come up with 245 horsepower, and a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 178 horsepower. The last one is exclusive only to the fuel-efficient Sonata Eco.
The 2.4-liter and 2.0-liter engines are paired with a six-speed automatic transmission while the 1.6-liter engine will work together with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission to swap gears.
According to Hyundai, the entry-level Sonata’s price will rise by $300 to $22,435 while the SE will cost $200 more than the previous $22,785. The Eco models will cost less, on the other hand. Previously priced at $23,960, it will now cost less than $600 last year.
The Sport edition with the 2.0-liter turbo engine dropped by $2,325 to $27,435, though the Sport trim with the 2.4-liter engine stayed at $24,235.
Why the price drops? Hyundai decided to delete some standard features in previous models such as the HID headlights, LED taillights, proximity key, dual-zone climate control, and a blind spot monitor.
If you want the Sonata Limited, it will now cost $27,985, $200 less than the 2016 model. Consumers can choose to add the dynamic headlights, but this will be a part of the $3,400 Technology package, which will also include heated and vented front seats with memory, a navigation system, and more.
The Limited 2.0T has the Technology package plus more. It remains at $34,910.