Daily Archives: June 17, 2018
2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata Gets More Power, Now Has 181 HP
The Mazda MX-5 Miata is one of the most popular sports car in the history of automotive. It is so successful that there have been clamors for a much-needed update. Thankfully, Mazda heard all those appeals and decided that 2019 is the time for the MX-5 Miata to get additional power and a higher red line.
Yes, the rumors are true. The MX-5 Miata is getting a significant bump in power. It now has 181 horsepower. That’s 26 horses more than the previous generation’s engine. This little details was courtesy of Japan’s Car Watch, which recently had an opportunity to give the test mule a try.
According to the report, the 2019 Miata will be powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that can produce 181 horsepower at 7,000 rpm. That’s an increase of 26 horsepower from the current output of just 155 horsepower at 6,000 rpm. The Miata’s predecessor has an output also of 148 pound-feet of torque, but the 2019 version would have a bump to 151 pound-feet of torque.
There are significant changes in the powertrain, which accounts for the increase in power output. Specifically, Mazda added new pistons that are 27 grams lighter and new connecting rods that weigh 41 grams less than the ones fitted in the current generation.
The car’s redline increasing is due to the automaker’s installation of larger diameter throttle body, larger exhaust valves, and wider exhaust piping. The redline went up to 7,500 rpm from 6,800 rpm. Predictably, these updates would improve thermal efficiency and would lower emissions.
Moving inside the car, the Miata gets a telescoping steering wheel for the first time ever. The wheel has 1.2 inches adjustment and has a tilt function that will allow the wheel to move by as much as 1.7 inches.
Aesthetically speaking, the Miata will get a caramel brown top, full-tan leather interior, and bright finishes for the wheels.
3 Important Things To Know About The All-New BMW 8 Series Coupe
Finally, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class will have a tough competition ahead. The all-new BMW 8 Series coupe is expected to be released in the UK in November this year.
Exterior
The BMW 8 Series is a sporty vehicle, but it has a flatter nose than what was shown in the concept car and the grilles are also smaller. The fender vents and the corner air intakes, which we expect to be a little more on the aggressive side, have been toned down, design-wise.
Moving to the side, the side skirts are more aggressive but it doesn’t scream sports car to us. The mirrors and the headlights are bigger, but the taillights lost the 3D effect we have come to expect.
On the rear end, the new fascia contributed to that aggressive styling. Other notable changes are the revised license plates recess, the more attractive diffuser-like element, and the rectangular exhaust outlets.
Interior
The cabin is as sporty as it can get. The tri-color design adds a touch of elegance to an already stunning BMW 8 Series. The instrument cluster is not the same as the one in the concept, seeing as it has more buttons than necessary. The seat design looks comfortable and will give the Mercedes a run for its money.
The BMW 8 Series uses a pair of digital displays to dominate its interior. The instrument cluster is 12.3 inches while the infotainment display that hovers over the center stack is 10.25 inches. The coupe comes standard with cruise control (with braking function), Collision and Pedestrian Warning with City Braking, Head-Up display to go with Active Park Distance Control, and Microsoft Office integration.
Powertrain
The BMW 8 Series coupe will come with 840d, a diesel-powered, inline-six toting powerhouse or the M850i with a 523-horsepower V-8. The M850i should be able to hit 62 mph in 3.7 seconds, thanks to its capacity to produce 553 pound-feet of torque. On the other hand, the diesel engine could produce 320 horsepower and 501 pound-feet of torque. It can hit 62 mph in 4.9 seconds.
Volkswagen Fined 1 Billion Euros For “Dieselgate”
Volkswagen has been fined 1 billion Euros ($1.18 billion) by public prosecutors in the German city of Braunschweig, the city close to the company’s Wolfsburg headquarters, over “Dieselgate” or the diesel emissions cheating that saw more than 10.7 million vehicles fitted with “defeat devices.”
The German company said it will pay the fine and would not lodge an appeal against it. The statement added that Volkswagen AG admits “its responsibility” for the diesel crisis “and considers this as a further major step towards the latter being overcome.”
Volkswagen said that the investigation found that “monitoring duties had been breached in the powertrain development department in the context of vehicle tests.” In human language, that means that the diesel cars sold worldwide between 2007 and 2015 have been fitted with the so-called “defeat devices.”
The purpose of these devices is to lower the emissions of cars during testing. However, the devices don’t work when the cars are used during normal driving conditions, meaning that the cars on the road could pump out up to 40 times the allowed amount of pollution.
The 1-billion-Euro penalty is composed of the 5 million Euros that is imposed along with the 995 million Euros for what was described as the “disgorgement of economic benefits,” which simply means the profit earned by Volkswagen for all the mess.
The payment will likely put to end the criminal prosecutions against the German company, but Volkswagen will continue to face the growing number of civil claims from motorists with affected cars, as well as the shareholders of the company. Volkswagen is not alone in what has been dubbed as the “Dieselgate.” Its subsidiaries will also be targeted, as well as luxury carmakers Mercedes-Benz, which already recalled more than 770,000 units, and BMW.
The diesel scandal first broke out in the US, where the company has already paid $25 billion in fines and compensation.
Coming Soon: The 2019 Audi A6 Allroad
At first, the prototype for the new Audi A6 Allroad looks like an old test mule for the Audi A6 Avant, but the higher stance makes us believe we’re looking at the new A6 Allroad, which is slated to arrive in dealerships early next year.
The prototype is heavily camouflaged, so it’s hard to make out details from that. Though there’s no official word yet from Audi, the A6 Allroad looks to be riding on a higher stance than the standard A6 Avant. Look at the photos more closely, and you’ll notice that the A6 Allroad has more space between the car and the road.
The A6 Allroad shares the same aesthetics as the standard A6 Avant. They have the same headlamps and front grille combo, though the bumper, the fenders, and the side sills are wider and more flared than the Avant.
As far as the interior is concerned, the new A6 Allroad should share similarities with the Avant. The deep panels would showcase itself again on the Allroad, as well as the dashboard and center console configuration. It should also have the new seats with its ventilation and massage functions.
The instrument cluster will feature the new Virtual Cockpit by Audi. It will house a 12.3-inch digital readout that will provide all the important information and details about the car. Drivers would have to get used to the new cockpit, but this has the potential to become one of the most important features in an Audi vehicle.
There’s nothing new on the powertrain front, unless Audi has a surprise for us. The A6 Allroad will likely feature the same engine options as the standard Avant, except for the four-cylinder units. That being said, this means that the base model would come off a 3.0-liter TFSI V-6 engine that can produce 340 horses and 369 pound-feet of torque. Of course, Audi could tune up the output for the engine. The V-6 engine would most likely be paired with a seven-speed S Tronic automatic transmission.
The Audi A6 Allroad should be revealed at the 2018 Paris Motor Show, and would be available in dealerships sometime in 2019.
