2015 Porsche 911 GTS revealed

Porsche have officially released the 911 Carrera GTS, both as a coupe and convertible. Also customers have the option of rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

The GTS features smoked bi-xenon headlights, black engine vents and a sports exhaust system with black chrome-plated tailpipes. This model also gets wider rear fenders, like the 911 Carrera 4, and 20-inch alloy wheels finished in matte-black.

There’s not much difference on the inside compared to other 911 models, with leather and Alcantara upholstery added as standard on the GTS.

Under the hood, it gets a 3.8-litre 6-cylinder engine coupled with either a 7-speed manual or a PDK transmission. The motor produces about 430 hp and 440 Nm of torque. This is good enough to send the GTS from 0-100 kph in 4.0 seconds for the coupe, and 4.2 seconds in the the cabriolet. All models are capable of hitting top speeds of just above 300 kph, with the GTS Coupe mated to the manual transmission being the fastest as it hits a top speed of 306 kph.

The Porsche 911 Carrera GTS is already available for purchase in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other GCC countries.

Keep track of the latest prices and updates in the Porsche buyer guide.

Toyota Camry RZ released in Qatar, Bahrain & Saudi Arabia

Ebrahim K. Kanoo, the exclusive distributor of Toyota and Lexus in Bahrain, recently announced the launch of the Toyota Camry RZ. It has also gone on sale in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

The Limited Edition Camry RZ comes with a glossy black front grille and spoiler, sport-tuned suspension, 17-inch glossy black alloy wheels, sporty headlamps and matte black fog lamp cover. It also comes with RZ decals on the doors and rear bumper, paddle shifters, sunroof, dual AC system, cruise control, wood trim interior, power driver seats, ambient lighting, fabric upholstery, smart keyless entry and start system, parking sensors as well as a navigation system with rear-view camera.

Engine remains the same, with the 181 hp 4-cylinder 2.5-litre motor under the hood, mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission.

In terms of safety, the RZ comes with ABS, stability and traction control, front airbags, front side airbags and curtain airbags for both driver and passengers.

2015 Honda CR-V gets a facelift

The 2015 Honda CR-V has been refreshed. Both the exterior and interior have been improved in the new model. A new engine has been added as well.

On the outside, there is a new front grille and LED daytime running lights. In the rear, there is a chrome bar added at the base of the rear window. The alloy rims also get a redesign.

The interior has been updated with better quality materials. An optional 7-inch capacitive touchscreen is now available.

Under the hood, the engine has been updated to a new 2.4-litre engine, which is also found in the new Honda Accord, mated to a CVT automatic. Horsepower is similar to the outgoing model, rated at 185 hp, but torque figures have gone up to 245 Nm. Fuel efficiency numbers improves as well.

Tweaks have been made to improve the ride quality as well as chassis stiffness and collision performance.

Tesla Model S D (2015) goes all-wheel drive

Tesla has announced a new four-wheel drive variant of its four-door Model S electric car. Called the Model S ‘D’, the extra letter stands ‘Dual Motor’, and brings sensational performance alongside its increased all-weather traction.

Up to now, all versions of the Tesla Model S have been fitted with a rear-mounted electric motor driving the rear wheels. As their name suggests, Dual Motor variants get a second electric motor up front to power the front axle.

That means torque distribution can now be juggled front and the rear, with the computers in charge also able to meter out the torque precisely from left to right.

As a result, this is a car that promises to be quite handy on slippery roads. Never shy of making bold claims, Tesla says the all-paw Model S offers ‘the most capable road holding and handling of any vehicle ever produced’.

Three Tesla Model S Dual Motor models

Like the single-motor, rear-driven Model S (which will remain on sale alongside the new car), there’s a sliding scale of price and performance to choose from for the Model S Dual Motor.

Kicking off the range is the 60D (60kWh battery and twin 185bhp motors), followed by the 85D (85kWh battery and twin 185bhp motors).

Navistar, China's JAC diesel engine JV project put into operation

HEFEI - Chinese automaker Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co (JAC) and US automakerNavistar have announced that a joint diesel engine venture went operational on Thursday.

Celebration ceremony was held for the first diesel MaxxForce engine at the company's plantin Hefei, capital of East China's Anhui province.

Annual production is expected to reach 200,000 engines, said Joe Werth, general manager ofthe JV.

With investment of 1.8 billion yuan ($293 million), the JV was established in 2012, with onethird of its products planned for the international market.

Troy Clarke, president and CEO of Navistar, said both Navistar and JAC working on China'smost advanced clean engine technology and to upgrade diesel engines for commercialvehicles.

Source: Navistar, China's JAC diesel engine JV project put into operation

Ocon claims title, Verstappen wins race at Imola

Esteban Ocon is the first French driver to lift the title since Jules Bianchi in 2009

Esteban Ocon (Prema Powerteam) claimed the 2014 FIA European F3 title at Imola this afternoon, finishing 3rd on the road behind Max Verstappen (Van Amersfoort Racing) and Prema team-mate Antonio Fuoco. He is the first French driver to lift the title since Jules Bianchi in 2009, and he will be rewarded later this month with a Ferrari test drive to be held at Fiorano on October 29^th.

However, the race itself took on a somewhat farcical element with three Safety Car periods in total, and almost certainly more time spent behind the Safety Car than was actually spent racing. Before the start most people assumed that Verstappen would simply launch himself from pole and vanish up the road, never to be seen again by his opponents. So it was something of a surprise when Fuoco appeared in the lead, Verstappen having lost out to the tiny Italian, the Prema driver making the better start.

Safety Cars

In the pack, Tom Blomqvist (Jagonya Ayam with Carlin) lost a place to Nicholas Latifi (Prema Powerteam) at the start when the Canadian squeezed him out, while behind him it all kicked off as the two Carlin camps attempted to self destruct. Ed Jones (Carlin) whacked into Antonio Giovinazzi (Jagonya Ayam with Carlin), tearing a wheel off the Italian’s car and going off into the gravel himself. The Safety Car was promptly deployed for several laps while the resulting mess was removed to a safe place.

Mercedes C63 AMG (2015) priced above M3 and RS4

Mercedes-Benz has announced UK prices and specs for the latest-generation of its steroidal C63 AMG supersaloon.

The base-model C63 saloon will cost £59,795 and the estate version an extra £1200. That prices it a little way above its natural BMW M3 and Audi RS4 rivals.

As we revealed in our original spy photo story, the C63 ditches the charismatic 6.2-litre V8 of the old 204-series C63 in favour of the twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 found in the new AMG GT sports car. In true downsizing style, it’s more powerful and yet more fuel-efficient than the larger unit it replaces.

As expected, there’s both a standard model and a more powerful S variant on offer. The C63 S saloon is priced from £66,545 and the estate version from £67,745.

Mercedes C63 AMG (2015) performance figures

The regular C63 churns out 470bhp and 479 lb ft of torque while the C63 S musters a supercar-baiting 503bhp and 516 lb ft.

Local Motors reveals world's first 3D-printed car

Local Motors, an American motor vehicle manufaturing company, has revealed the world's first 3D-printed car last September during the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago.

In making the concept into a reality, Local Motors have collaborated with the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT), Cincinnati Incorporated and Oak Ridge National Library (ORNL). It was designed by Michele Anoé of Italy with the help from the company's global community and built using the available technology at the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) at ORNL.

Ferrari F60 America (2014) - the US-only open-top F12

The new Ferrari F60 America has been unveiled to mark six decades of Ferrari sales in the United States.

Just 10 F60 America models will be produced, all bound for North America. All have been sold to US collectors already.

The open-top F12 Berlinetta will be unveiled this weekend at an anniversary celebration gala dinner at Beverly Hills City Hall.

Over to Maranello. ‘The decision to produce such a strictly limited edition pays homage to another great tradition,’ said the company in a statement. ‘Just 10 F60 Americas will be built as was the case, for example, with the 1967 275 GTS4 NART Spider, the open version of the 275 GTB4 that the importer, Luigi Chinetti, specifically requested from Enzo Ferrari for his US clients.’

The F60 is powered by the F12’s regular V12 and Ferrari claims 3.1 seconds in the 0-62mph sprint.

Maserati wants to add 20 U.S. rooftops by year end

PARIS -- The global head of Maserati wants the Italian luxury brand to add 20 dealerships in the U.S. by year end.

Speaking to Automotive News at the Paris auto show, Harald Wester said the U.S. is Maserati's "most important market" to reach its ambitious global sales goals.

"I think until the end of the year we would achieve the range of 120" dealerships in the U.S., up from the current 100, Wester said. At the end of 2013, Maserati had 79 U.S. dealerships.

Maserati aims to boost global sales nearly fivefold by 2018, from 15,400 vehicles in 2013 to 75,000.

"We came from 220 or 230 [dealers] globally at the end of 2012, and currently we are in the range of 355 dealers," Wester said.

Plans call for about 450 Maserati dealers worldwide by the end of 2015.

In the U.S., Wester said "there are some nice spots in the middle where we aren't yet properly represented."

Last November, Peter Grady, the longtime head of Chrysler's dealer network, was also named president and CEO of Maserati North America and tasked with adding Maserati stores. Wester said that Maserati is on track to reach about 35,000 sales globally this year, more than double its 2013 sales number. He expects global sales of 50,000 in 2015.

Five technologies auto suppliers can bank on, analyst says

DETROIT -- The next six years will be boom times for suppliers with the right technology.

LED front lights, telematics, cameras, radar and lithium ion batteries are five technologies that will enjoy the biggest growth in global sales through 2020, predicted Itay Michaeli, Citigroup Inc.’s automotive research director.

“It’s an attractive time for suppliers to be in the right technology segments -- particularly for powertrains and safety,” Michaeli said today following his technology presentation at a suburban Detroit seminar sponsored by the Society for Automotive Analysts.

Michaeli offered annual unit sales growth projections through 2020 for the following technologies:

• LED front lights: 51 percent

• Telematics: 34 percent

• Cameras: 29 percent

• Radar: 23 percent

• Lithium ion batteries: 22 percent.

The Citigroup report also forecast 40 percent annual sales growth for plug-in hybrid vehicles and “pure” electric cars.

According to Michaeli, these technologies are growing more popular because costs have fallen steadily. Moreover, consumers have proven willing to pay for technology that significantly improves safety, fuel economy or comfort.

“People are willing to pay $1,000 or more for things like traffic jam assist,” Michaeli said. “That’s encouraging data.”

Esteban Ocon takes lights-to-flag win, Max Verstappen retires

Esteban Ocon is now 97 points ahead of Tom Blomqvist

Esteban Ocon (Prema Powerteam) made his comeback on the top step of the podium at the 4.909 kilometres long Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari. The 18-year-old Frenchman won the 28th race of the season and thus also wrapped up the title in the rookie classification of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship.

In the 20 lap race, British drivers Jordan King (Carlin) and Tom Blomqvist (Jagonya Ayam with Carlin) finished second and third. Max Verstappen (Van Amersfoort Racing), who came to Italy as the runner-up in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship drivers’ standings, retired from a turbulent race.

As a result, the 17-year-old Dutchman, who participated in his first free practice session in Formula 1 last week, lost his second place in the championship to Tom Blomqvist. Ocon, who is now 97 points ahead of Blomqvist, remains on top of the standings.

Pole position certainly helped me to take the lead after the start.

Esteban Ocon

The safety-car was deployed on the opening lap following a collision between Santino Ferrucci (Fortec Motorsports) and Hongwei Cao (Fortec Motorsports). At that time, Esteban Ocon was in the lead after a successful start from pole position. Jordan King followed in second place from Tom Blomqvist and Felix Rosenqvist (kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport).

Kia GT four-door coupe reportedly headed into production

Luxury fastback to take on the likes of the Audi A7

Kia has greelit a four-door luxury coupe for the U.S., slated to appear in 2016, according to a report from Edmunds. The new coupe is expected to take aim at the Audi A7 and the BMW 5-series GT, with the car itself following the GT concept that was first previewed at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show.

Just as the concept, the production version is expected to be a four-door fastback and will try to attract new buyers to the brand with its design and luxury features, following in the footsteps of the upmarket Kia K900 sedan. Edmunds reports that the production version will be powered by a turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and will go on sale during the latter half of 2016.

Toyota supplier celebrates Nobel Prize winners

From the Nobel Prize in Physics announcement: "The invention of the blue LED is just twenty years old, but it has already contributed to create white light in an entirely new manner to the benefit of us all."

 

TOKYO -- A Toyota-affiliated supplier is applauding two of its researchers as winners of this year’s Nobel Prize in Physics.

Toyoda Gosei Co. may be best known for its steering wheels, airbags, interior components and sealing systems.

But the Japanese company also makes blue light emitting diodes. In fact, it was first to develop the technology in 1991 and pioneer their commercialization four years later, with the help of two winners of this year’s Nobel Prize in physics.

The award, announced this week, went to Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura. Akasaki and Amano, both professors at Nagoya University and not direct employees of Gosei, began collaborating with Gosei in 1986 to develop their blue LEDs.

Nakamura worked separately on the technology in the U.S.

BMW poaches Ferrari technical director Roberto Fedeli

BMW has confirmed the appointment of Roberto Fedeli, the former R&D chief of Ferrari who had a sparkling 26-year technical career at Maranello.

It’s a further sign of change at the top of Ferrari, in the wake of president Luca di Montezemolo’s departure. He quit this week, squeezed out by Fiat overlord Sergio Marchionne in a shake-up of the corridors of power of Italy's biggest car making conglomerate.

What will Roberto Fedeli do at BMW?

No news yet. CAR magazine contacted BMW today to ask what role he would be fulfilling in Munich, but it has yet to announce the nature of his job.

However, Fedeli is an expert in lightweight construction materials (Ferrari’s numerous aluminium and composite cars), hybrid powertrains (LaFerrari) and supercars in general (any recent Ferrari!).

Many of those specialisms will be relevant working at BMW. Automotive News Europe reported this week that Fedeli was likely to work at the company’s high-performance M division or possibly Rolls-Royce.

Fiat retools Jeep as 500X SUV to show Chrysler merger is street ready

PARIS -- With the new pint-sized Fiat 500X, CEO Sergio Marchionne wants to show his vision for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV is ready for the street.

The trendy Italian crossover model has a roundish front and curvy rear reminiscent of the iconic 500 subcompact, and yet it's essentially a clone of the rugged, boxy Jeep Renegade.

The two compact SUVs are largely the same under the surface, sharing engines, transmissions and other key components to cut costs. The two will be built on the same assembly line in Italy.

While the models have common underpinnings, "the 500X and Renegade are two very different cars," Marchionne said this week at the Paris auto show, where the Italian SUV debuted. The Fiat is a crossover, and "the Jeep is a Jeep."

With the merged entity's shares to start trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Oct. 13, the Jeep Renegade and the Fiat 500X are crucial for Marchionne to prove that the combination of Fiat and Chrysler -- two regional carmakers with a recent history of financial struggles -- can compete with larger global rivals like Volkswagen AG and General Motors Co.

Tokyo Motor Show picks fantasy theme for 2015 event

TOKYO -- Next year’s Tokyo Motor Show goes futuristic with a “Technology & Fantasy” concept organizers hope generates buzz.

The tagline “Your heart will race” underscores the aim to get pulses pumping at what was once Asia’s premier auto exhibition.

The 44th running of the biennial show returns to its traditional late October slot after accidentally being scheduled last year to overlap with rival shows in Los Angeles and Guangzhou, China.

The brightly colored, neon-inspired poster design portrays tracks of light resembling tires connecting to the future.

Next year’s Tokyo show will run Oct. 29-Nov. 8 at Tokyo Big Sight, the waterfront convention center it has occupied since 2011. Press days will run Oct. 28-29, with Oct. 29 consisting of media coverage and advanced previews for special-ticket buyers.

The 2013 event attracted 902,800 visitors -- the most since 2007, before attendance plummeted with the global financial crisis. But last year’s show ran just 10 days, compared with 17 in 2007, giving it the highest ratio of visitors per day since 2005.

Still, the last show was not without its hiccups. The Detroit 3 brands were no-shows for the third straight time, leaving electric vehicle maker Tesla America’s sole representative.

Exhibitor registration runs Oct. 6, 2014, to Jan. 16, 2015.

Source: Tokyo Motor Show picks fantasy theme for 2015 event

Toyota supplier Denso considers Japan expansion as yen weakens

TOKYO (Bloomberg) -- Denso Corp. is giving Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a reason to believe his weak yen policy will eventually boost investment by manufacturers.

The supplier, an affiliate of Toyota Motor Corp. and the automaker's biggest supplier, said it’s considering expanding production in Japan.

“It’s possible to maintain a certain level of domestic production, or even increase the output,” Nobuaki Katoh, Denso president, said in an Oct. 3 interview.

Denso tends to boost output when and where carmakers do, so a decision to make more parts in Japan would signal that Abe’s weak yen policy is rekindling interest in domestic production. That would start to reverse the prevailing trend since at least 2008 for automakers and suppliers, an industry that employs about one in 11 Japanese workers.

Katoh’s comments run against the conventional automaker wisdom of building cars where they are sold to better suit local tastes, save shipping costs and reduce exposure to foreign exchange risk. Japan’s exports have dwindled as its domestic auto industry deteriorated. A sign that the yen’s 28 percent decline over the past two years is moderating those trends may boost support for Abe.

Automakers will add 22 million units of auto production worldwide by 2021, researcher IHS Automotive estimates. Japanese annual output is poised to shrink by more than 1.6 million vehicles in the coming decade, according to IHS.

Why Ken Block matters. A lot.

The YouTube Hoonigan is helping to make racing cool again.

Like the world, one day Ken Block was just there.

No real advance publicity or explanation, and certainly no precedent. The world was created, and then there was Ken Block, as though he didn’t exist on a Wednesday, was an automotive and motorsport sensation on Thursday.

Consider this: On YouTube.com, just one video, “Ken Block’s Gymkhana Five: Ultimate Urban Playground, San Francisco,” has generated 67,069,875 views. And he has a lot more videos, with hundreds of millions in total views. On Facebook, he has 5,116,841 likes.

Not that long ago, a racer would have had to win the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500 and Grand Prix of Monaco to generate that level of notoriety. But Block hasn’t won any of those races. Before he became a certified phenomenon, he hadn’t won any race you have probably heard of, except for one: The race to prove that the internet in general, YouTube in particular, can make you a superstar. You just need a lot of color, flash, derring-do and some spectacular driving stunts.

Porsche 911 Carrera GTS and Carrera 4 GTS revealed (2015)

Here’s the new-for-2015, brawnier Porsche 911 Carrera GTS, unveiled in four different guises for the latest 991 family. All sport the Carrera 4S’s wide-hipped bodyshell for a more aggressive stance and extra power to justify prices nudging into six-figure territory.

Porsche’s GTS badge stands for Gran Turismo Sport and has come to denote some of our favourite models in Stuttgart’s line-up in recent years. Traditionally, the 911s, Boxsters and Caymans to emerge with GTS badges come with extra kit and laser focus with only a modest price rise compared with the totted-up cost of extras on the options list.

To see what all the fuss is about, read our 2014 Porsche Boxster GTS review here.

So what do you get on the new Porsche 911 GTS?

Four models will be available: a 911 coupe or cabriolet, both offered in Carrera 2 or Carrera 4 guises. All are more powerful than the Carrera S models beneath, sporting an extra 30bhp and the compulsory-for-show-offs Porsche sports exhaust.

Why is the new 2015 Ford Mondeo so late to arrive in Europe?

The new Ford Mondeo was first shown as a US-spec Fusion at the Detroit motor show in January 2012 - and is only just being launched in Europe now, nearly three years later.

Does this make the new 2015 Mondeo out of date before it’s even arrived in UK showrooms? To find out, we asked the top brass of Ford of Europe to explain the delay and tell us what the hold-up means.

So why is the new Ford Mondeo nearly three years late to launch in Europe?

The Mondeo was delayed while the Blue Oval focused on balancing the supply and demand of its industrial footprint. This was vital to stem the flow of red ink - European losses ballooned to a colossal $1.6 billion in 2013.

‘The tough restructuring decisions Ford made in 2012 reduced our installed vehicle assembly capacity in Europe, excluding Russia, by about 18% or 355,000 units,’ said Uli Koesters, Ford of Europe’s vehicle line director. ‘In 2012, our installed capacity utilisation was below 70% in Europe, excluding Russia.

Schumacher 'can live normal life again' - Todt

Jean Todt has delivered perhaps the most promising news about Michael Schumacher's condition since the F1 legend's fateful skiing fall last December.

The pair became close friends at Ferrari last decade as the Italian team dominated Formula One.

Since then, 45-year-old Schumacher has retired and Frenchman Todt is now FIA president, but they remained close friends.

Todt has visited the Schumacher family since the seven time world champion returned to his home in Switzerland after months in hospital and rehabilitation.

Precious little is known about Schumacher's health condition, but Todt has reportedly now delivered an upbeat report to the Belgian broadcaster RTL.

"We may assume that Schumacher can live a relatively normal life within a short period of time," said the FIA president.

"What we can say is that he will probably never again drive a Formula One car."

RTL said Todt, 68, visited Schumacher at his home on the shore of Lake Geneva in the week before the Japanese Grand Prix.

"He fights. His condition improves, which is very important," said Todt, "as is the fact that he is now home with his family."

Source: Schumacher 'can live normal life again' - Todt

Audi R8 (2015): tech chief confirms plug-in hybrid and EV

The new 2015 Audi R8 isn’t far away: CAR understands that it’ll arrive next summer, with production slated to start in June 2015. And the R8 Mk2 will aim to electrify the sports car market in more ways than one: two electric versions were confirmed to us by Audi’s tech chief.

Speaking to CAR at the Paris motor show, Audi board member for R&D Ulrich Hackenberg said that both a plug-in hybrid R8 and a pure electric R8 E-tron were on the cards.

‘We are able to make the R8 a plug-in hybrid,’ he said. ‘The Lamborghini Asterion shows this is possible - that car uses the platform of the R8. We will see an increase in the efficiency of high-performance cars - they have to meet CO2 regulations of the future in order to survive.’

Audi R8: a plug-in hybrid and a pure EV R8 E-tron

Hackenberg said that Audi continued to chase several technologies in this fractured tech landscape. No longer can a car maker put all their eggs in one basket. And it’s worth looking elsewhere in the Volkswagen empire for inspiration on some of the new technical solutions looming.

Ford GT to make a comeback for 2016?

The Ford GT could be revived to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Blue Oval’s victory at Le Mans in 1966, according to reports in the US.

Senior sources in Dearborn have told Motor Trend that a range-topping halo car is under discussion for launch in 2016 - and it’ll be a mid-engined supercar for road and track.

Yes, Ford is considering a return to endurance racing and there would be a limited run of roadgoing supercars too. Great news!

Ford GT Mk3: what we know

Sadly, Ford doesn’t build the 5.8-litre V8 engine any more, so it seems that any GT successor would have to succumb to the Ecoboost downsizing revolution.

Motor Trend points out that Ford has provided 3.5-litre twin-turbo Ecoboost engines to the Daytona Prototype cars in the Tudor racing series.

Yes, a green flag was waving, but know the whole story

 

Motorsport.com takes a deeper look at the crash that put Jules Bianchi in the hospital.

In an amateur video that's been making the rounds on social media, you can clearly see Jules Bianchi impact the tractor that was trying to carry Adrian Sutil's car away. 

Another thing you see is a man in the marshal's post, waving a green flag as the crash happens and then afterwards. Many people, including us momentarily, were baffled as to why this green flag was waving.

The marshal did nothing wrong, but the FIA did

On closer inspection of the video and FIA rulebook, it becomes clear. The marshal himself did nothing wrong. He followed the rules and did what was required of him. My problem is with the FIA themselves.

The man was waving double yellow flags when Sutil originally crashed, as instructed by race control. Once the tractor lifted the Sauber, it began to move back towards the opening in the wall. Once it moved past the marshal post, he immediately switched to a green flag.