Daily Archives: June 21, 2017
Hyundai Santa Fe Spy Shots Surface Online
After unveiling the new Hyundai Kona, new spy shots surfaced online showing a camouflaged prototype of the upcoming Hyundai Santa Fe. Despite the heavy covering, the form of the spied vehicle seems to bear a striking resemblance with the Kona.
The shape of the Santa Fe’s nose in the images here shows that it will sport an aggressive version of the Hyundai’s cascading grille much like the Kona. The bulges in the headlights, bumpers and front lip all indicate that it is based on its smaller crossover sibling too.
The source also noticed from the frontal shots of the Santa Fe that it is carrying Recaro racing seats. But then again, the seats might only not make it in the production version of the auto.
Going to the rear, the new Santa Fe looks like it is keeping many styling elements found in its predecessor. The roofline and window panels are almost alike. There is probably an update in the taillights of the vehicle though.
The report said that the Santa Fe in the spy shots might carry a 2019 model year since we just saw an update in its current model this year. The earliest possible unveiling of the vehicle might be in the next spring or next fall.
A Look at the Present Hyundai Santa Fe
As a recap, the present refreshed model of the Santa Fe has a starting price of $30,800. The vehicle is offered in eight trims. The auto is offered in SE, Limited, SE Ultimate and Limited Ultimate versions. Each of the mentioned models come in two variants—the front wheel drive and the all-wheel drive. The current Santa Fe comes with a V6 engine with 290 hp.
New Hyundai Santa Fe Spy Shots
Check out the spy shots of the upcoming Hyundai Santa Fe model provided by Autoblog in the gallery below:
Will Lamborghini Sports Cars Go AI?
The automotive landscape is slowly transitioning to a different level. Most automakers are now pouring in a lot of their resources in their research and development so that no one will be left behind in terms of electrification in cars and during the shift to autonomous driving.
Lamborghini is one of the world’s most recognizable producers of luxury super sports cars. The brand had been identified with power, style and the performance of its cars. With the advent of new car technologies, is the automaker planning on adapting self-driving systems?
Murray Newlands recently sat down with Maurizio Reggiani, the Director of Research and Development of Lamborghini, to get his take on the matter.
Based on the article that was posted in Forbes, Lamborghini appears to be treading carefully on the subject. The automaker seems to be looking into the technology but it does not want to integrate it in their sports cars in an invasive manner. After all, people buy Lamborghinis because they want to experience driving it.
Reggiani wants their artificial intelligence to be useful in adaptive cruise control during a drive downtown or in a traffic jam. He also expects it to improve the skill and activity of driving their cars. From his statement, he expects the AI to mainly provide predictive instructions to the driver in crucial moments like when cornering or when the vehicle steers out of control due to overspin.
The Lamborghini exec said the AI systems will probably be used heavily on the Urus since it is a daily-use car. It would be a different story in their sports cars though because they want their drivers to have fun and get the best manual driving experience from them.
Another issue about putting a lot of AI systems in the sports car is that it will compromise its weight. Reggiani added that the same is true with putting electric batteries in their autos. The sound of the Lamborghini would be traded off with the electric battery too.
The interviewer even went as far as to ask whether the company will be developing flying transportation mobility devices like what Toyota announced. Reggiani answered that they will never go in that direction.
Reggiani concluded the interview by reminding that people don’t buy Lamborghini because they need it. They purchase it as an award for themselves or to gratify themselves. It is not an ordinary car for day-to-day use.
2020 BMW 8-Series Convertible Caught in a Spy Video
A new video surfaced showing a new convertible from BMW. The source said it will be the 2020 BMW 8-Series Convertible. The auto will be the automaker’s response to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Cabriolet.
According to Motor Authority, BMW is working on a replacement for the 6-Series coupe and convertible models. The cars will be positioned higher in the hierarchy of the automaker’s vehicles. The report claimed the vehicles will be under the 8-Series range.
Supporting the article is the earlier confirmation of BMW about the move. It was revealed last May during the launch of the 8-Series Concept at the 2017 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.
The source noted that BMW never released a convertible variant for its original 8-Series. However, it appears that the plan was just shelved because a prototype of the convertible version existed in the past.
The spy video shows the BMW 8-Series Convertible with a soft top. The report pointed out that it might only be a ruse to hide the retractable hard top of the car.
It seems that the vehicle rides on the carbon fiber CLAR platform of the brand. The unit was used in the 2016 BMW 7-Series.
The post said that BMW trademark documents suggest that the 8-Series will spawn 850, 860 and M850 models. The range will be carrying V8 and V12 engines.
The M Performance version of the 8-Series will most probably get the new 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, which will be showcased this year in the upcoming BMW M5. The power of the auto will be distributed via an 8-speed automatic transmission and paired with the M division’s latest M xDrive all-wheel drive system.
It is not clear when the unveiling of the new BMW 8-Series Convertible will take place. The source discussed that it might be in 2018.
Spy Video of the BMW 8-Series Convertible
Due to the privacy settings of the uploader, the video cannot be played directly from this page. You can still click the box below though, which will take you directly to the spy video of the car.
Top 3 Selling Points of the 2018 Lexus LC 500
Starting at $92,000, the 2018 Lexus LC 500 boasts a striking design and decent engine output. The luxury coupe is its brand’s answer to the likes of BMW 650i Coupe, Jaguar F-Type and Mercedes-Benz SL450.
Is it worth its expensive cost? Let’s take a look at the three key selling points of the car based on a review by Cars.com:
1. Design
One of the paint finishes offered by the LC 500 is the “Infrared”. As its name implies, it is a special red paint. The source shared that he was engaged by more people as he drove the car compared to the other vehicles he tested.
The spindle grille of Lexus also gives the car a striking identity. Add to that the smooth body, strategically-placed intakes and lighting system of the auto, and we have a real beauty here.
The only setback seen in the design of the LC 500 is that it is a bit bulky. It is more of a touring car than a sports car.
Inside, a mix of high end leather and fabric adorn the surfaces of the LC 500. The highlight of the cockpit is the 10.3-inch display controlled by a touchpad. However, the person reviewing the vehicle found the touchpad to be a nuisance when making inputs as it takes the eyes of the driver away from the road more than a touchpad does.
There appears two rear seats inside the car too but the source noted that they are too tight to even fit a child. It seems like the area is only for the luggage.
2. Engine
The LC 500 retained its naturally-aspirated 5.0-liter V8 engine. The unit produces 471 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque. The power is distributed via a 10-speed automatic transmission. The configuration lets the vehicle sprint from zero to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds.
3. Performance
The review stated that the LC 500 has a smooth power delivery. Then its engine revs fast. Moreover, the power unit is quiet.
The major setback in the driving performance of the car though is its heavy frame. This factor causes the vehicle to have heavy steering and the back gets twitchy when at high speeds.
Overall, the 2018 Lexus LC 500 may not have some of the elements of a sports car but the styling and other features surely make up for what’s lacking.
