LE MANS: Pescarolo Sport Back In Business

Henri Pescarolo regains his team’s assets thanks to two very generous individuals...

The Pescarolo name has been synonymous to Le Mans for the better part of the last 50 years. And after not taking part in this year’s twice-around-the-clock classic, Henri Pescarolo is set to return as a team owner in 2011, thanks to the help of two very generous individuals. 

Pescarolo Sport, which was purchased by Sora Composites in late 2008, had gone into receivership after team principal Jean Py was unable to put a program together around this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The team’s assets were auctioned off today at its base in the Le Mans Technoparc. But to the surprise of many, two of the sport’s loyalists banded together to help keep Pescarolo Sport alive.

latest car

The new Mazda 3 is a more highly concentrated, industrial-strength version of the fun-to-drive formula that made the old one the darling of enthusiasts. In fact, aside from edgier (and pricier) performance compacts like the Ford Focus ST, Honda Civic Si, or the VW Golf GTI, the new Mazda 3 just might be the most rewarding car to drive in the class.

At least some of the credit for this performance comes from lessons learned developing the Mazda 6 and CX-5. All three cars are now part of one highly flexible platform, sharing some parts, structures, and assembly procedures. In this particular case, the greasy bits have been optimized for small-car duty. Does that mean this new Mazda 3 is lighter than the old car? Yep. At 3002 pounds, the heaviest variant (the five-door S model) carries 67 fewer pounds than the old one. That’s not a big number, but the new car is wider, packs way more tech, and is 30 percent more resistant to twist.

Volkswagen Golf GTI driven

In an era of 276bhp Astra VXRs and 247bhp Focus STs, the base Golf GTI - with its 217bhp turbo 4cyl - looks, on paper at least, like a relic from the early years of the Noughties: a time when Von Dutch was cool and MSN messaging was seen as a legitimate activity.

Last month, we tried the 227bhp Performance Pack GTI, but this is our first shot in the standard car. And, yes, the Golf is noticeably slower than, say, the VXR, taking 0.6 seconds longer to reach 62mph. But it's so much more composed in the way it gathers speed. With 258lb ft of torque on tap, power delivery is strong and far smoother than the Astra's manic turbo detonation, meaning you cover ground with more confidence and thus, in the bumpy real world, likely just as quick. Especially with the optional £1,415 6spd DSG.

Subaru Forester driven

Subarural. Now there's an ad tagline we could poke a bit of fun at. But doesn't it just sum up the Subaru Forester perfectly? This has never been an SUV for an urban clientele, and so Subaru dismisses the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 as potential rivals. The Nissan X-Trail and the Land Rover Freelander, though? Now you're talking.

But, up until now, the Forester occupied a curious hinterland, not quite big enough to be a full family SUV, still carrying the connotations of wet sheepdog, manure and bleak hills. This one, 15mm wider, 35mm longer and a fraction taller, changes things. Or it might do if it looked better.

Land Rover Defender Electric driven

Few forms of propulsion can bring unexpected advantages. Land Rover was commissioned to make an electric Defender by the Londolozi Game Reserve in South Africa. It's an open vehicle sprouting eight high-mounted chairs for viewing wildlife. Electric drive makes it quiet, so as to creep up on them. You'd expect that. The unexpected but vital advantage is that if said wildlife should look upon the vehicle and its passengers as a charcuterie trolley, it can travel as fast in reverse as it can going forwards.

Nissan Leaf Tekna driven

If the Leaf's slow sales are anything to go by, you lot aren't convinced about pure EVs. Which is why the 2013 facelift is more about practical, real-world adjustments than driving home the futureland tech with radical styling. And it costs less, too.

So, the money stuff. Nissan has introduced a three-tier range of trims - base Visia, Acenta and Tekna. But, wait, it gets sexier. Nissan's new pricing structure means you can either buy the Leaf and battery outright, or buy the car and lease the battery.

BMW

Ever since the new Boxster turned up dripping in active this and assisted that, Top Gear has been dying to get its hands on a basic version. For no other reason than to check the more realistic variants in the range support the hype being ladled out to the £50k-plus machines.

It's true to say that there's a paucity of boggo Porsches, but, as far as it goes, this 2.7-litre, 265bhp Boxster is it. It's got optional wheels and a couple of other bits, but is more or less a basic Boxster.

Mercedes

And that's precisely why you shouldn't underestimate it. Lamborghini knows how to make an exciting sports car, always has done, and hopefully always will do. But, yes, in essence, the latest Gallardo hasn't progressed forward so much as sideways. No engine or chassis upgrades, the interior is entirely familiar, all that's new is a pair of bumpers fore and aft and some even more spangly 19-inch ‘Apollo-polished' alloys. These look similar to the ones on our TG Garage Citroen DS5

 Even the analogue clock hasn't been forgotten

This heavy facelift does little to turn the tide, despite the fact it's a thorough re-engineering that stretches right down to the methods used to weld the chassis together. No stone has been left unturned. The steering wheel is smaller, the steering column has more adjustment. The wheelarches have a new type of sound insulation. Seat cushions are 20mm thicker. The climate control uses infrared sensors to measure occupants' body temperature and adjust accordingly. Even the analogue clock hasn't been forgotten - it's now automatically controlled via GPS. Truly obsessive

BMW 3 Series Touring 320iX driven

it's at the pointy end of a range that

They're the standard backdrop to your average winter wonderland outside broadcast. Some frozen-to-the-core reporter attempts cheeriness in front of sledging children before copping a snowball to the earhole, while behind him, you, the geeky petrolhead, can clearly identify a rear-wheel-drive BMW flailing amateurishly on a millimetre of ice. Maybe Audi stalks regional TV crews with a purpose-bought 3-series just for such eventualities.

Well, no more. BMW has clearly had enough. Here we have a BMW 320iX, or 320i xDrive as BMW would prefer it to be known. It's at the pointy end of a range that expands in March with the arrival of 4WD saloon and estate versions of the 320d and 330d, plus the 120d hatchback.

latest car (new)

A downsized engine (with potentially upsized power)

We’ve known Lexus had a toe in the water with an IS two-door. The company fist took a stab at an F coupe with the LF-CC Concept Car that debuted at last year’s Paris Motor Show. It’s what resides under this IS coupe’s hood that’s entirely up for speculation. The outgoing car’s all-motor 5.0-liter V8 was suitably muscular, but in today’s emissions-sensitive global marketplace, a smaller-displacement engine with fewer cylinders and forced induction is well within the realm of possibility. Note the test car’s hood scoop in addition to the pronounced intakes on the front bumper.

A downsized engine (with potentially upsized power) would position the performance Lexus more in line with the upcoming BMW M3 and M4. Those models are set to dump their current V8 mill in favor of force-fed a six cylinder. Also, while this coupe is clearly IS-derived, it’s also unknown whether Lexus will retain that moniker for the 2-door or give it a different name, as BMW and Audi both do for their coupes.

latest car

At least some of the credit for this

The new Mazda 3 is a more highly concentrated, industrial-strength version of the fun-to-drive formula that made the old one the darling of enthusiasts. In fact, aside from edgier (and pricier) performance compacts like the Ford Focus ST, Honda Civic Si, or the VW Golf GTI, the new Mazda 3 just might be the most rewarding car to drive in the class.

At least some of the credit for this performance comes from lessons learned developing the Mazda 6 and CX-5. All three cars are now part of one highly flexible platform, sharing some parts, structures, and assembly procedures. In this particular case, the greasy bits have been optimized for small-car duty. Does that mean this new Mazda 3 is lighter than the old car? Yep. At 3002 pounds, the heaviest variant (the five-door S model) carries 67 fewer pounds than the old one. That’s not a big number, but the new car is wider, packs way more tech, and is 30 percent more resistant to twist.

latest car

Every little boy, and even some girls, enjoyed playing with trucks when they were younger. Some may have grown out of them, while others actually grew into them as they became adults.

Having needs that require such a vehicle is part of the equation, but so is the idea of looking good in the almost big-rig, as well. The latest Ram 1500 is one of the stoutest offerings from any of the manufacturers involved in real life “truck wars.”

Read more at http://www.leftlanenews.com/review-2013-ram-1500-sport-crew-cab-4x4.html#fiiuDRDp40PXiYr2.99 

First Drive: 2014 Mercedes-Benz S550

It lacks a kitchen sink.

There was already a lot going on in the S-class. In the latest version, almost every system has been improved, most of them having nothing to do with the traditional notion of a car.
The car part is relatively unchanged: The 4.7-liter V8 and seven-speed automatic transmission are essentially carry-over parts, with a little output tweak and updated shift logic. The wheelbase is the same as before. The biggest mechanical change is a switch to electric power steering. It improves efficiency but doesn’t really hurt steering feel, since the S-class never really had a ton. That would have been intrusive, antithetical to its nature.

The Datsun GO and the return of a long-dead brand

DAT-GO's grandchild

With America and China going strong and European sales looking grim, the developing world seems to be the next great growth engine for new cars. The Datsun GO will be sold in places like India, Russia, Indonesia, and South Africa, where car ownership is expected to rise substantially. The company's factory in Oragadam, India, will manufacture the Datsun GO, allowing it to be adapted to regional tastes; though, in some cases (like Renault's line of Dacia cars), the workers aren't always paid enough to be able to buy the car they build. Such is the cutthroat nature of modern automobile manufacturing—a highly complex business with razor-thin margins.

2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed Mega Galleries

Twenty years and still going strong.

For a weekend in 2013, the Goodwood estate once again played host to the automotive marques that have pushed the boundaries of racing over the last century. A few of them, Porsche, Lamborghini, and AC Cars among others, were holding anniversary celebrations of their own. Of course, there was also the usual car show, race, and hill climb.

While we wait for an invitation from Lord March to run on the near-historic grounds of Goodwood in 2014—fingers crossed for that LeMons class— enjoy the photos taken by Bruce Benedict this past weekend at the 2013 Festival of Speed.

First Drive: 2014 Mazda 3

The car’s not smiling anymore, but you sure will be

The new Mazda 3 is a more highly concentrated, industrial-strength version of the fun-to-drive formula that made the old one the darling of enthusiasts. In fact, aside from edgier (and pricier) performance compacts like the Ford Focus ST, Honda Civic Si, or the VW Golf GTI, the new Mazda 3 just might be the most rewarding car to drive in the class.

At least some of the credit for this performance comes from lessons learned developing the Mazda 6 and CX-5. All three cars are now part of one highly flexible platform, sharing some parts, structures, and assembly procedures. In this particular case, the greasy bits have been optimized for small-car duty. Does that mean this new Mazda 3 is lighter than the old car? Yep. At 3002 pounds, the heaviest variant (the five-door S model) carries 67 fewer pounds than the old one. That’s not a big number, but the new car is wider, packs way more tech, and is 30 percent more resistant to twist.

Spy Shots: 2015 Lexus IS F Coupe

Yes, we said “coupe.”

We’ve known Lexus had a toe in the water with an IS two-door. The company fist took a stab at an F coupe with the LF-CC Concept Car that debuted at last year’s Paris Motor Show. It’s what resides under this IS coupe’s hood that’s entirely up for speculation. The outgoing car’s all-motor 5.0-liter V8 was suitably muscular, but in today’s emissions-sensitive global marketplace, a smaller-displacement engine with fewer cylinders and forced induction is well within the realm of possibility. Note the test car’s hood scoop in addition to the pronounced intakes on the front bumper.

A downsized engine (with potentially upsized power) would position the performance Lexus more in line with the upcoming BMW M3 and M4. Those models are set to dump their current V8 mill in favor of force-fed a six cylinder. Also, while this coupe is clearly IS-derived, it’s also unknown whether Lexus will retain that moniker for the 2-door or give it a different name, as BMW and Audi both do for their coupes.

BMW 3 Series Touring 320iX driven

More Photos of BMW 3 Series Touring 320iX driven

They're the standard backdrop to your average winter wonderland outside broadcast. Some frozen-to-the-core reporter attempts cheeriness in front of sledging children before copping a snowball to the earhole, while behind him, you, the geeky petrolhead, can clearly identify a rear-wheel-drive BMW flailing amateurishly on a millimetre of ice. Maybe Audi stalks regional TV crews with a purpose-bought 3-series just for such eventualities.

Well, no more. BMW has clearly had enough. Here we have a BMW 320iX, or 320i xDrive as BMW would prefer it to be known. It's at the pointy end of a range that expands in March with the arrival of 4WD saloon and estate versions of the 320d and 330d, plus the 120d hatchback.

Porsche Panamera

More Photos of Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo driven

As pretty as the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo is to look at, its styling is not the only story here. It's the new plug-in hybrid electric drivetrain which the sleek new silhouette is hiding that's the main feature. It's entirely possible, if you believe the swirling rumours, that a production version of the car will be built in a few years, but for now you really shouldn't let that knowledge affect your buying decisions.

The e-hybrid drivetrain, as Porsche calls it, will debut much sooner. Effectively a thorough upgrade of the existing Porsche parallel hybrid drivetrain found in the current Panamera and Cayenne, e-hybrid swaps the existing nickel-hydride battery for a much more perky lithium-ion unit.

Mercedes-Benz G-Class 6x6 driven

Mercedes-Benz G-Class 6x6 driven

Up until now, the best chance you'd have to get to drive this monster 6x6 AMG would be to join the Australian army, which signed a contract with Daimler in 2008 to procure 2,100 of these unstoppable desert chasers. But now Mercedes has decided - rather brilliantly - to make a civilian version, ready to order by millionaires before the end of 2013.

From the original military blueprint, it keeps six driven wheels, an off-road low-range ratio in the transfer case, portal axles, five differential locks and a tyre-inflation control system that allows the pressure in the 37-inch tyres to be adjusted in record time, on the move.

Lexus LS 600h driven

Lexus LS 600h driven

Twenty years ago, the Lexus LS put the wind up the Mercedes S-Class, helping to launch Toyota's posh division with a bang. Sadly, its cars' competitiveness has been declining ever since.

This heavy facelift does little to turn the tide, despite the fact it's a thorough re-engineering that stretches right down to the methods used to weld the chassis together. No stone has been left unturned. The steering wheel is smaller, the steering column has more adjustment. The wheelarches have a new type of sound insulation. Seat cushions are 20mm thicker. The climate control uses infrared sensors to measure occupants' body temperature and adjust accordingly. Even the analogue clock hasn't been forgotten - it's now automatically controlled via GPS. Truly obsessive

BMW M5 driven

BMW M5 driven

Other than the poor-sounding V8 engine and many kilogrammes of excess weight, there's not a
great deal wrong with the new M5. So there really wasn't much of a case to mess with it. But that didn't stop the US market moaning about the lack of a manual gearbox.

So, to quell the rising volume of requests, BMW has started to offer a no-cost manual option in the US only. And, on first impressions, that was a mistake. The rubbery-actioned manual is worse than the twin-clutched car in a number of ways: it's slower, it's less precise, and in a car as flooded in hi-tech gadgetry as this, it initially feels odd to have to stir your own gears. Like using a pitchfork at a gunfight.

Lamborghini Gallardo driven

Lamborghini Gallardo driven

The Lamborghini Gallardo celebrates its 10th birthday this year. A decade old. A year for each cylinder. Quite old, when there are newer, more shiny things around, such as the McLaren 12C and Ferrari 458. Alongside them, Lambo's bread-and-butter supercar looks a bit, well, bread-and-butter. An old bruiser, no longer to be taken seriously. A battle-scarred veteran of the supercar wars.

And that's precisely why you shouldn't underestimate it. Lamborghini knows how to make an exciting sports car, always has done, and hopefully always will do. But, yes, in essence, the latest Gallardo hasn't progressed forward so much as sideways. No engine or chassis upgrades, the interior is entirely familiar, all that's new is a pair of bumpers fore and aft and some even more spangly 19-inch ‘Apollo-polished' alloys. These look similar to the ones on our TG Garage Citroen DS5.

Porsche Boxster 2.7 driven

Porsche Boxster 2.7 driven

Ever since the new Boxster turned up dripping in active this and assisted that, Top Gear has been dying to get its hands on a basic version. For no other reason than to check the more realistic variants in the range support the hype being ladled out to the £50k-plus machines.

It's true to say that there's a paucity of boggo Porsches, but, as far as it goes, this 2.7-litre, 265bhp Boxster is it. It's got optional wheels and a couple of other bits, but is more or less a basic Boxster.

Mazda CX-5 driven

Is the Mazda CX-5 exciting? Not in a normal way. But if you've caught a glimpse of the score already and scanned the verdict, you might be giving some thought to reading the rest of this review. And you should, because the CX-5 should be on your shortlist if you're buying a family car.

OK, it stumbles at the first hurdle. It's merely unobjectionable to look at. This is the first production car to boast Mazda's new ‘Kodo' design language, and it's handsome and well proportioned.

But not striking. It's no Evoque. It's one of those shapes that works better in the metal than on the page, and there are some interesting character lines, but in most colours and weather conditions they're too delicate to stand out.

TopGear.com at Goodwood: day two

Count us impressed with the line-up at his year's Festival of Speed..
.

God, Goodwood’s incredible. Truly, uniquely incredible. Just walk through the gates – the supercar-lined gates – and you’re immediately confronted with Lord Drayson’s EV racer, Toyota’s LMP1 Le Mans cars, and a Marshall Amp funny car. That’s literally ten steps from the entrance. Another five steps and there are ten – TEN – original Martini racers. Another few steps and there’s the Bentley Continental GT3 racer, not roped off and fully gropeable, followed by the paddock stuffed to the gills with historic racers, which require you duck under awnings and step over tool boxes, lending the enterprise a sense of luck discovery. The fact that the Twizy F1 concept, a car that nearly burnt the entire internet to cinders, is tucked in quiet corner speaks volumes… 

First Drive: the Skoda Octavia VRS

218bhp Skoda is the most powerful Octavia...in the world. But is it any good?

Pub fact time: this Skoda Octavia vRS is the most powerful Octavia in the world, ever. Given that the last car wasn't exactly a slouch, that bodes well.

It's based on the same platform as the Golf GTI - another reassuring bit of info - and it gets the same 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine. There's also a hot diesel available, like in the previous generation, which promises great performance and decent economy.

BMW tells TG about upcoming M4

Turbocharged lightweight technology for M3 Coupe successor, coming your way 2014

You know the type. The type that stands in the corner, speaking in muffled tones and rattling off BMW 3-Series chassis codes, while voicing the benefits of ‘Avus' suspension over standard. This type is officially Hard To Please. BMW knows it.

"I think a lot of purists look at the M3 all the way back to the E30, so there's obviously a challenge there for people to accept it," says Matt Collins, product manager for BMW's small to medium cars. We're sitting at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and he's talking about the new 4-Series Coupe (pictured above), and thus, the next M-powered 4-Series Coupe. The M4.

Inside the McLaren P1: part one

It's nearly sold out, but we’re spending two days poking around Britain’s ultimate hypercar...

Fancy a 903bhp McLaren P1 in your life? Better get a wriggle on. McLaren has confirmed that some 250 cars from the P1's production run of 375 are already spoken for, with 500 ‘hot prospects' lined up from the remaining 125 or so. 

But if you've got pointy elbows and a spare £866,000 lying around, should you want a P1? TG has spent a day poking around the wildest British hypercar in history, and here's the first half of what we discovered. Check back soon for even more incredible tech detail...

Mercedes-Benz Concept Style Coupe - 2012 Beijing Auto Show

Future 4-door coupe ready for tomorrow.

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the Concept Style Coupé (CSC). As the first and last "c" in CSC indicate, the new car is a concept of a 4-door coupe design.

With its 4-door coupe configuration, strong curves and pronounced center grille, the CSC's styling bears strong resemblance to the F800 concept Mercedes first showed at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show. The diamond-look grille on the vents of the front and rear fascia is striking against the shimmer of the exterior's company-named Alubeam paint, and is a cue from the more recent Concept A-Class displayed at the 2011 New York Auto Show. Note the profile styling details such as the lack of B-pillars and window frames, and the 20-in. wheels. Measurements for the CSC are as follows: 182.6-in. length, 74.4-in. width and 55.0-in. height.

2013 Jaguar XJ Ultimate - 2012 Beijing Auto Show

This ultra-swag Jag takes a back seat to no one.

As Chinese captains of industry prefer to be chauffeured around rather than driving their own cars, it comes as no surprise that the served as the launching pad for the XJ Ultimate, a long-wheelbase handcrafted that's all about coddling the rear seat passengers.

For starters, the rear seating area is divided by a full-length, leather-trimmed console. The individual power seats themselves are trimmed with premium leather and, naturally, have built-in heating, cooling and massage functions. But the real hedonism starts with the press of a button, when a small table—machined from solid aluminum and edged with piano black trim—levitates from the center console. It can swing to either side on its pillar, and raising it reveals a flocked storage compartment beneath that contains a pair of bespoke champagne flutes, dramatically lit with a phosphor blue glow

2012 Audi A6 L e-tron Concept - 2012 Beijing Auto Show

Plug-in hybrid points to an electric future for China.

The new A6 L is Audi's best-selling model in China, where sales are remarkably strong for the Ingolstadt company. In fact, in the first quarter of 2012, Audi sold 90,063 models in China and Hong Kong—that represents a year-on-year increase of 40 percent.

Now, at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show, Audi has taken the wraps off the A6 L e-tron Concept, a car built to study the future of electric mobility in China. It's a plug-in parallel hybrid version of Audi's popular business sedan, built at the Changchun plant as a joint venture with FAW. Audi says the A6 e-tron Concept is tailored specifically for China's rapidly growing cities, where it can be driven solely on electric power for 80 kilometers (49.7 miles).

A 2.0-liter TFSI 4-cylinder gasoline engine with 211 bhp is found underhood, joined by an electric motor with 95 hp. The liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery is mounted in the rear of this A6 e-tron, in a spot that Audi says is safe in the event of a collision. As in hybrids such as the Toyota Prius, a central control module determines the best operating mode for this A6 e-tron, always with an eye toward maximized driving range. Put another way, the A6 e-tron can operate purely with its internal combustion engine, purely with its electric motor, or with any combination of the two. As is ubiquitous in hybrids, electrical energy is recovered in braking, and it used at times to boost acceleration.

Audi Q3 Jinlong Yufeng Concept - 2012 Beijing Auto Show

You don’t have to be a kitesurfer to get a kick out of this sporty Q3.

Further underscoring the importance of the emerging and potentially huge Chinese market, Audi took the wraps off two Q3 concepts at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show: the sporty Q3 RS and the more playful Q3 Jinlong Yufeng, a model strongly influenced by the fast-moving sport of kitesurfing.

The words "Jinlong Yufeng" translate to "Golden Dragon in the Wind," thus helping to explain why there are two kiteboards mounted to the roof of this compact crossover SUV, which also has a flat outdoor pouch that can be used as a special cargo floor liner or as a place to stow wet beach articles. There's also a kite, specially designed for this Q3, which can be stored in a different pouch. Topping it all off are two rugged outdoor cameras known as "Audi Cams" that can be mounted to the Q3's sail bar or perhaps even the kitesurfer's helmet. Images from these cameras can be transmitted to this special Q3 via a strong WLAN connection, and then be sent via Bluetooth to any receiver via UTMS, which is all within the realm of possibility for Audi's Connect system.

Best of the 2012 Beijing Auto Show - Auto Shows

The world’s largest auto market gets a steller show

The 2012 Beijing Auto Show is playing host to an automotive industry well on the way to recovery, and one noticeably more careful when it comes to planning for the future. Automakers have learned not to take the good times for granted. Many of the brands on display here in China are as focused on boosting fuel mileage and the fun-to-drive quotient as they are overall sales. Lamborghini is stealing the spotlight in Beijing with the Urus, the brand's first sport-utility since production of the military-bred LM002 ended roughly 20 years ago. The Urus not only has supercar levels of style and horsepower, the 4-passenger SUV is expected to more than double Lamborghini's annual sales output. BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Citroën and others have delivered an array of concept and production cars that are bold and loaded with high tech features. One of them even delivers up to 138 mpg!

Lamborghini Urus Concept

The fighting bull’s third way.

With just two vehicles, the and , in its lineup, Lamborghini has been searching for a third model to boost its sales and improve its fortunes. At the , the company unveiled the concept, a 4-door sedan. While highly praised, the Italian automaker felt that it would face competition head on from the and from below its market position from the likes of the .

a result, it has refocused its effort on the SUV market, which really doesn't have any high priced, high performance entries with the sort of extreme attitude for which is known. So at this year's , Lamborghini has taken the wraps off an SUV which not only provides a third model range, but also gives the brand a product unique in its market positioning. Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann says to be successful the company would expect to sell 3000 worldwide, nearly doubling last year's combined sales of 1602 of its V-10 and V-12 exotics.

Q by Aston Martin Rapide - 2012 Beijing Auto Show

Bespoke—shaken and not stirred.

Q. It's a letter that is truly part of Aston Martin's heritage. At least if you value the contribution Aston Martin sports cars have made to many of the James Bond novels and movies over the years. Q, you will remember, is the British chap who masterminds all the wonderful gadgets that are installed on Bond's Astons.

What better than to offer a similar service for real customers of real Aston Martin sports cars.

Aston Martin describes `Q by Aston Martin' as a personalization service that goes beyond the standard choices of paint, leather and trim finishes. The service can even be extended to interior and exterior styling thanks to the unique VH (Vertical Horizontal) modular architecture of its sports cars.

First Drive: 2014 Mercedes-Benz S550

It lacks a kitchen sink.

he S-class has a habit of not only forecasting the future of Mercedes cars but the future of driving. It may not shock you to learn that the future doesn’t necessarily include participation. But you’ll be happy to learn that in the S-class it will at least be safer, sleeker, and more comfortable. And it’ll smell pleasant.

In short, the S550 can do just about anything a car can do, except be a convertible. But we’re told that’s on the S-class’s to-do list as well.

2015 Porsche 918 Spyder

Meet the future, no waiting.

You might think that the Porsche 918 Spyder shouldn't be a hybrid; that the car's electric motors and batteries add weight, unnecessarily complicate its powertrain, and corrupt its mechanical purity; that the very point of a car like this is to be anything but green. Those are valid issues, but you could also argue that the true purpose of a supercar is to push boundaries. While a 918 powered solely by its 608-hp, 9150-rpm, flat-crank V8 would be impressive, that car would offer little technological advancement beyond—and a scant three horsepower more than—its predecessor, the 2004–2005 Carrera GT. More than anything, the 918 is the current vision of the automotive future, an $845,000 peek at things to come.

Track time was limited, so we went right to Race Hybrid mode, where the 918's technology is fully exploited. The front radiator flaps stay open for maximum cooling, the rear wing adopts a maximum-downforce angle of attack, and diffuser inlets under the nose open for aerodynamic balance. Flat-out upshifts are executed in less than 50 milliseconds.

All this technology wouldn't be impressive if the car beat you over the head with it. The 918 is arguably the most complex car on earth, yet that complexity is hardly detectable behind the wheel. The steering offers more feedback than the wheel in Porsche's own 911; like most electrically assisted racks, its signal is filtered, but the essential information comes through loud and clear. (Famed Porsche test driver Walter Röhrl was present at the 918 media introduction and gave tail-out rides around the wet track. When someone asked him about the importance of steering feel, he demurred, saying that he didn't care how the wheel felt, only that he knew if the front tires were sliding. Interesting.)

First drive 2014 volkswagen XLI [Review]

Most cars are destined to be driven, discarded and forgotten, but the Volkswagen XL1 will almost certainly be immortalized in the history books.

As singularly dedicated to efficiency as the Volkswagen Group’s Bugatti Veyron is to speed, the XL1 was created to achieve the unthinkable: To travel 100 kilometers (62 miles) using only a single liter of fuel, a feat that equates to 235 mpg. Moreover, this isn't an auto show fantasy – it's a car that you might soon see on the road in Europe.

Read more at http://www.leftlanenews.com/first-drive-2014-volkswagen-xl1-review.html#vRFTQ

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Mazda formally unveils

After a series of image leaks, Mazda finally spilled the beans on the sedan version of its all-new 2014 Mazda3. Just a few weeks ago, the Japanese automaker unveiled the 2014 Mazda3 hatchback, but it saved the sedan until today. 

While the five-door will likely be the bigger volume model globally, the sedan should continue to sell better than the hatchback in the U.S.
Read more at http://www.leftlanenews.com/mazda-mazda3-2014.html#BLu2bFycoMWshZMT.99 

Anatomy of a high-speed car crash

Why bad things happen when you leave the road.

A lot of controversy surrounds the fatal car crash of reporter Michael Hastings. There’s no accident report yet; no toxicology report, either. That might take months, as high-profile cases like this often involve a lot of lawyers. Even when there’s less controversy, a fatal car crash will involve insurance companies, legal wrangling, and in most states and some major cities (like Los Angeles), a Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU). Think of it as CSI for car crashes: Investigators painstakingly sift through evidence to make sure that they can accurately say what happened during an accident. All of this means it could be a very long time for official findings on Hastings’ accident to be released.