Monthly Archives: September 2016
2017 Nissan Sentra SR Turbo Debuts In Miami
The new 2017 Nissan Sentra SR Turbo made its world debut at the 46th annual Miami International Auto Show, which ran from September 10 to 18 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Aside from the SR Turbo, the 2017 Nissan Rogue also made its debut.
The Nissan Sentra SR Turbo packs a 1.6-liter Direct Injection Gasoline (DIGTM) turbocharged engine that delivers a 50-percent horsepower increase from the normally aspirated 1.8-liter Sentra SR powerplant. In total, it has a capacity of 188 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque, which are 64 more horsepower and 52 more lb-ft of torque than non-turbo Nissan grades.
Because of the increase in power and torque, the SR Power needed an enhanced body structure, revised steering system, larger front disc brakes, new 6-speed manual or Xtronic transmission with manual mode, and unique suspension tuning. What comes from this combination are improved acceleration, improved handling, and enhanced ride comfort.
Michael Bunce, vice president for Product Planning at Nissan North America, said the SR Power was specifically designed for those who want all the attributes of a traditional sedan, but also wants to experience turbo performance. It builds upon the redesigned Sentra with 50 percent more power and 40 percent more torque.
All Sentra SR models will have the following features: LED low beam projector headlights with LED accents, lower body side sill extensions, rear spoiler with integrated LED brake light, fog lights, chrome exhaust finisher, heated outside mirrors with LED turn signals, and unique design 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with 205/50R17 all-season tires.
Inside, Sentra SR has sport interior trim, premium sport cloth seats, driver’s seatback pocket, heated front seats, a 5.0-inch Advanced Drive-Assist™ Display (ADAD), and standard Siri Eyes Free™ Voice Recognition.
The 2017 Sentra SR Turbo also has a standard power sliding glass moonroof and SR Turbo badging while the SR Turbo Premium Package, the only option package available with the SR Turbo, includes Blind Spot Warning (BSW)2, Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)2, leather-appointed seating, and Bose® Premium audio system with eight speakers.
Spy Shots Of 2020 BMW 8-Series are Out
We now have the first spy shots of the coupe BMW is working on in the hopes of reviving their 8-series name. The German automaker hinted of their plans last March when senior executives said BMW are planning to add more high-end models to their lineup.
One of these models will be simply called as the 8-series. The other one will be an i8 Spyder.
Based on the spy shots, the BMW 8-series will have a low roof and wide, muscular shoulders that we can vividly remember seeing in Aston Martin’s DB9, which also features four seats arranged in a 2+2 format—the same one we’re bound to see in BMW’s new 8-series.
The German automaker will reportedly be working alongside the Italian design house Pininfarina for the 8-series. Pininfarina is the same partner that developed the Gran Lusso Coupe, a modern successor to the 8-series in 2013. That partnership between BMW and Pininfarina is thought to hint at the finer design elements of the new 8-series.
What we do know for now is that the platform for the new 8-series will be BMW’s carbon-infused CLAR design, which debuted in the 2016 7-series. This ensures the 8-series will have a low curb weight and compatibility with electrified powertrains. Thanks to the latest in next-generation gesture control, it should also come packed with an amazing infotainment technology that passengers will enjoy.
The latest fillings from BMW might be a glimpse into what the 8-series can have— V-8, V-12, M Performance and dedicated M options. The fillings included “850”, “860”, “M850” and “M8.” The M8, according to speculations, might have a high-performance hybrid system known as the Power eDrive plug-in hybrid.
As for the system, the new 8-series will most probably combine a turbocharged inline-4 with a pair of electric motors for a combined output of 670 horsepower. The V12 models should have a 600-horsepower twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter engine from the latest M760i xDrive.
Volvo Reveals V90 Cross Country To Complete Its 90 Series Line Up
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- New Volvo V90 Cross Country Driving
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- New Volvo V90 Cross Country Driving
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- New Volvo V90 Cross Country Driving
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- New Volvo V90 Cross Country Driving
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- New Volvo V90 Cross Country Driving
Volvo Cars has just unleashed its V90 Cross Country, finally completing its 90 series lineup.
Twenty years ago, the Cross Country was introduced and Volvo began being synonymous to rugged all-road, all-weather product category. This Cross Country category fulfills the automaker’s product portfolio of bringing luxury but rugged cars to buyers seeking an experience-based lifestyle.
Håkan Samuelsson, president and CEO of Volvo Car Group, said in a press release that the V90 Cross Country has the elegance of the standard V90 turned into an all-road car that promises safety, comfort and performance.
It’s not such a surprise that this car was built in a country like Sweden, 77 percent of which is covered in forest and lakes. It also has one of the harshest winters on the planet, which means it is a natural place to test out the durability and all-weather capabilities of vehicles.
The V90 Cross Country promises this durability, and can probably prove it thanks to having to go through rigorous testing in secret facilities in the frozen north of Sweden, where the temperature is regularly at the -40 degrees Celsius levels.
But not only that, it has also been tested in the heat of the Arizona desert. Truly, the Volvo V90 Cross Country has been built to outlast every weather condition.
Inside, it’s like stepping inside a luxury sedan. The V90 Cross Country combines the best of connectivity and entertainment features that were launched in the new S90 and V90, including but not limited to high-end sound system by Bowers & Wilkins.
On the outside, its design cues have the powerful and dynamic capability, as well as the flexibility of either a rugged or elegant styling.
Thomas Ingenlath, senior vice president Design at Volvo Cars, said that the V90 Cross Country will have a powerful off-road capability and an elegant and sophisticated suit.
Production of the vehicle is set to start this autumn at the Volvo Cars Torslanda Plant in Sweden.
2017 Honda HR-V Is Coming To 2017 With New Color And Better Fuel Economy
The sporty and functional Honda HR-V crossover vehicle is entering 2017 as the 2016 Green SUV of the Year, and with new color, better fuel economy, a seamless transmission system, and a host of new safety and infotainment technology.
Stylish and versatile, the Honda HR-V will start to go on sale tomorrow with a starting price of $19,365 for the LX 2WD with a 6-speed transmission according to reports. So far, Honda announced eight trims for the HR-V: the LX with 2WD w/ 6MT ($19,365), the LX with 2WD w/ CVT ($20,165), the LX with AWD w/ CVT ($21,465), the EX with 2WD w/ 6MT ($21,415), the EX with 2WD w/ CVT ($22,215), the EX with AWD w/ CVT ($23,515), the EX-L Navi with 2WD w/ CVT ($24,840), and EX-L Navi with AWD w/ CVT ($26,140).
The 2017 Honda HR-V is being powered by a refined and efficient 1.8-liter 4-cylinder 16-valve DOHC i-VTEC® engine with an output of 141 horsepower and 127 lb-ft of torque. This same engine is paired with one of Honda’s two efficient and responsive transmissions: the continuously variable transmission (CVT), available on all models, or an engaging 6-speed manual transmission, available on LX and EX models with 2WD.
For its price, the HR-V is a standout in the crossover market. Along with a list of standard features and technologies— 7-inch alloy wheels, push-button electric parking brake with Automatic Brake Hold, rearview camera with guidelines, Pandora® radio and Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink®–it will also come in a new color, the Lunar Silver metallic. This will replace the Alabaster Silver.
It also has a host of safety tech that includes the four-channel anti-lock brakes (ABS) with Brake Assist and Hill Start Assist, Vehicle Stability Assist™ electronic stability control system, a Multi-Angle Rearview Camera, dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags, driver and front passenger side airbags, side-curtain airbags for all outboard seating positions, and a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). A Honda LaneWatch® display is added in the EX and EX-L Navi trims.
Is A 2021 Apple iCar In The Works?
Apple is trying to replicate what it did with the iMac G3 in the late 90s and apply its “i” in the automotive industry. There’s nothing official yet, but there’s a growing evidence that Apple is building an all-electric car with advanced autonomous capabilities.
According to a report, a product like that will be a real game changer, especially since Apple has always been known to build innovative products. Plus, can you imagine the Apple technology inside of that car?
Just like the iPhone and the iPad, an Apple iCar might very well set the standard by which all other rivals will be judged. Hopefully, the rumors are true. The evidences are still a lot of unexplainable jumble, so there’s no real explanation if the leaks are actually true.
In an article published in 2013 by the New York Times, it was said that Steve Jobs’ secret dream is to build a car based on Apple’s technology. Even Mickey Drexler, an Apple board of directors, backed this claim.
Phil Schiller, senior VP of product marketing, was quoted by the Wall Street Journal during the Apple vs Samsung trial that Apple wanted to make “a camera… (making) a car, crazy stuff.”
In 2010, The Guardian alleged that Jobs met with the head of the V-Vehicle to check out an upstart company’s low-cost prototype. He apparently talked about materials and design, though there were never any details that came out.
What is only clear is that Apple has an interest to build its own car. But how far has this interest taken the company?
In February 2015, the Business Insider wrote a story about a claim from an anonymous Apple employee that the company was in the midst of developing a prototype that would “give Tesla a run for its money.” The employee furthered that Tesla employees were jumping to Apple to be a part of a project that was “too exciting to pass up.”
But it was the Wall Street Journal that gave the project, supposedly an autonomous minivan, a name. It said Apple is calling it “Project Titan.”
2017 Ford F-150 Raptor Will Have 450 Horsepower
A leaked spec sheet is speculating that the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor will produce 450 horsepower, among other things. While the information is a mere rumor for now, we’re hoping it is true and we can truly see how powerful Ford’s truck can be.
That much horsepower will be reportedly packed in the Ford Raptor’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine, the photo of which came from FordRaptorForum.com, who apparently captured a screenshot of the automaker’s eSourceBook, a password-protected resource web page for dealers.
Official figures put the new Raptor’s rap sheet at being able to cough up 450 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and a whopping 510 pound-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm.
It’s not hard to believe that the new Raptor will be able to produce such astonishing numbers. The baseline specs for the second-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost is 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque in the 2017 Ford F-150.
Aside from the powertrain, the leaked specs also pointed out some new features integrated into the EcoBoost such as a new roller-finger followers in the valvetrain, hollow camshafts for weight reduction, a redesigned valve-lash adjusters and new intake and exhaust valves, direct and port fuel injection, piston-cooling oil jets, a forged-steel, fully counterweighted crankshaft, and all-new turbochargers designed to delver more boost.
The Ford F-150 Raptor has big shoes to feel, and the pressure is getting stronger. Though it is not the sales king (that belongs to the Ranger), it acts as the F-150’s halo trim level. On its shoulder is the pressure to outdo off-road and on-road its first generation model. Adding horsepower and torque is the perfect way to remain relevant.
Ford has remained mum about the additional power, but engineers are hard at work to fine tune the 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine. Details, according to Ford, will become available when the Raptor’s release date draws to a close.
2017 Nissan Sentra SR Turbo Debuted In Miami
The new 2017 Nissan Sentra SR Turbo made its world debut at the 46th annual Miami International Auto Show, which runs from September 10 to 18 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Aside from the SR Turbo, the 2017 Nissan Rogue also made its debut.
According to the company press release, the SR Turbo packs a 1.6-liter Direct Injection Gasoline (DIGTM) turbocharged engine that delivers a 50-percent horsepower increase from the normally aspirated 1.8-liter Sentra SR powerplant. In total, it has a capacity of 188 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque, which are 64 more horsepower and 52 more lb-ft of torque than non-turbo Nissan grades.
Because of the increase in power and torque, the SR Power needed an enhanced body structure, revised steering system, larger front disc brakes, new 6-speed manual or Xtronic transmission with manual mode, and unique suspension tuning. What comes from this combination are improved acceleration, improved handling, and enhanced ride comfort.
Michael Bunce, vice president for Product Planning at Nissan North America, said the SR Power was specifically designed for those who want all the attributes of a traditional sedan, but also wants to experience turbo performance. It builds upon the redesigned Sentra with 50 percent more power and 40 percent more torque.
All Sentra SR models will have the following features: LED low beam projector headlights with LED accents, lower body side sill extensions, rear spoiler with integrated LED brake light, fog lights, chrome exhaust finisher, heated outside mirrors with LED turn signals, and unique design 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with 205/50R17 all-season tires.
Inside, Sentra SR has sport interior trim, premium sport cloth seats, driver’s seatback pocket, heated front seats, a 5.0-inch Advanced Drive-Assist™ Display (ADAD), and standard Siri Eyes Free™ Voice Recognition.
The 2017 Sentra SR Turbo also has a standard power sliding glass moonroof and SR Turbo badging while the SR Turbo Premium Package, the only option package available with the SR Turbo, includes Blind Spot Warning (BSW)2, Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)2, leather-appointed seating, and Bose® Premium audio system with eight speakers.
2017 Kia Rio 5-Door Receives Minor Enhancements
Kia is carrying their five-door sedan for the 2017 model year with a few minor enhancements, including the new red and black color exteriors for the LX trim.
According to the company news site, the Kia Rio 2017 five-door sedan has three variants, so far—LX, EX, and SX. Excluding an $850 destination charge, the LX is priced at $15,495, the EX at $17,905, and the SX at $20,905. All the variants will carry an engine that is coupled with a six-speed automatic transmission that can produce 138 horsepower and 123 lb-ft of torque.
EPA estimated Kia’s five-door sedan to have the ratings 27/36/30 for city/highway/combined for all variants. As for dimensions, the overall length of the five-door sedan is 159.4 inches, the overall width is 67.7 inches, the overall height is 57.3 inches and the wheelbase has 101.2 inches.
It has a maximum cargo capacity of 49.8 cubic feet when the rear seat is folded without a luggage under tray, and 47.1 cubic feet when the rear seat is folded with luggage under tray. As for the curb weight, the LX is at 2,564 lbs., the EX is at 2,601 lbs., and the SX is at 2,732 lbs.
For 2017, the five-door Kia sedan continues to be the smallest and most economical model that can deliver a combination of world-class styling, fuel economy, advanced technologies, and good value.
The hatchback will be receiving design upgrades in the form of Kia’s signature tiger nose grille and wider, thinner body structure. The LED lights have also been redesigned with a U-shape for the headlights and an arrow design for the taillights.
Production for this new sedan from Kia will begin at the end of 2016 for overseas markets. Release dates for the United States have yet to be determined, so check back again for more details on that.
Spy Shots Of Mid-Engined C8 Chevrolet Corvette Spotted
The images are grainy, but that won’t stop us from contemplating how sexy the mid-engined C8 Chevrolet Corvette will be once it is ready for production and release.
The spy photos show a prototype of the C8 in its actual body, so we can go ahead and start with the speculations. The front end is wrapped in blocky camouflage, effectively covering its contours, but the doors are only wrapped with squiggly patterns. And though there is a camo on the read end, too, it has been stretched tautly thus, revealing the rear’s overall wedge shape.
It’s easy to see that the C8 will have mid-engine proportions, any doubts whether or not the car will have a mid-mounted powerplant should be satisfied with these photos.
What to expect for the rear end are small rear windows, Corvette’s signature quad taillights, amber turn signal lights, forward-hinged doors, and frameless windows.
The C8 is expected to arrive with a small-block V-8 engine that can produce 450 to 500 horsepower. Shifting gears will be handled by a new Tremec-sourced seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission.
But aside from this, a hybrid model is also expected to be launched online later in the car’s life cycle. This is based on reports that General Motors trademarked the Corvette E-Ray, meaning it would probably use it on something. The C8 could also be developed using lessons from Nissan GT-R, Porsche 911 Turbo and BMW i8. More powerful versions might also be introduced later on, though this would also mean the revival of the ZR1 moniker.
This mid-engined Corvette will reportedly make its debut at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show in January. It will arrive in showrooms later than year as a 2019 model.
Expect the C8, which would effectively retire the C7 (though a few units will remain for those opting for a traditional powertrain), to top $100,000 in price tag.
2017 Electra Meccanica SOLO Gets Unveiled
Electra Meccanica launched its 2017 Electra Meccanica SOLO electric vehicle (EV) at the Luxury and Supercar Weekend event held at the VanDusen Botanical Garden. Finally, after years of development, the single-rider SOLO is now available for the public.
The idea for SOLO was a product of the brainstorm by CEO Jerry Kroll, founder of KleenSpeed Technologies, and Henry Reisner, President of Intermeccanica Inc., who is now the COO of Electra Meccanica. It was not intended to replace the family car, but was instead dedicated to supplement the driving experience of the commuter in an environmental-friendly way, and at minimal expense.
The SOLO was built from the knowledge that 80 percent of commuters go to work alone. And since the average round trip commute is 40 miles, the SOLO won’t need to be charged in between the house and the workplace because it has a 100-mile range.
The SOLO is powered by a 16.1 kWh lithium ion battery that has a universal power connector that enables connection at both quick charge and standard stations. To fully charge the battery, it needs only three hours on a 220-volt charging station, and twice the amount of that time on a 110-volt station.
It has a top speed of 80 mph, and an ability to go 0-60mph in under eight seconds.
Standing 10 feet in length, the SOLO is about 14 inches longer than a Smart ForTwo and 19 inches shorter than a Fiat 500. It has a a wheelbase of 80.5 inches, a height of 50.5 inches, a front width of 47.6 inches and a lowslung, singleseat configuration.
During its launching, the SOLO will be available in colors based on Electra Meccanica’s corporate palette–Titanium Silver, Electric Red, Raven Black and Arctic White.
Those who want to make a fully-refundable deposit for the SOLO EV can now do so. Release of the vehicle will be in 2017.
