Friday, June 22, 2012

Automotive Addicts

Automotive Addicts

Road & Track Pits 2012 Cadillac CTS-V against 2013 BMW M5: Video

Posted: 22 Jun 2012 05:50 AM PDT


In one view, the new BMW M5 is the epitome of German automotive engineering at its best when it comes to a performance sedan. On the other end of the world, the Cadillac CTS-V is America's pride and joy wrapped up in 4-doors. For years, these two champions have rivaled each other giving enthusiasts a serious dilemma and compelling argument as to which one they would ultimately choose to take home.

Automotive magazines make a creditable attempt to compare the two rivals, but does that really sway ones opinion of an American or German bred sports sedan? Road & Track, in the video posted below, attempts to make the case seem rather persuasive for some aside from the track numbers. In the test, we give major kudos to Road & Track for pitting the new BMW M5 manual transmission against the Cadillac CTS-V manual. In my opinion, that is the only way to go when comparing these two 4-door monsters against each other. If you ask me, I would take home either vehicle in a heartbeat even if one is a second or so faster around a track. Now which one would you choose and why? Leave your comment below!

Studie Japan Creates GTS Version of BMW 1M Coupe

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 12:55 PM PDT


We have never witnessed so much respectable tuning of German vehicles in Japan as we do now, especially when a BMW is involved. With that said, Japanese tuner Studie has given the new BMW 1M Coupe the proper GTS treatment with a Fire Orange color and subtle modifications to match.

If you are in tune with the finest that Bavaria has to offer, then you know of the famous Fire Orange BMW M3 GTS. Studie took on this project starting with a Valencia Orange 1M and quickly mimicked the theme of the M3 GTS with a Fire Orange paint job, black wheels, large rear spoiler and a flat black diffuser. Specifically, the Studie project received AP Racing brakes clamping down on large slotted rotors, dark finished BBS RI-D wheels, a revised ECU & Turbocharger, KW Coilover Suspension and an Akrapavic exhaust system just to name a few medications.

Hit up the photo gallery of the updated 1M below.

Studie Japan BMW 1M GTS 1 Studie Japan BMW 1M GTS 2 Studie Japan BMW 1M GTS 3 Studie Japan BMW 1M GTS 4 Studie Japan BMW 1M GTS 5 Studie Japan BMW 1M GTS 6 Studie Japan BMW 1M GTS 7 Studie Japan BMW 1M GTS 8 Studie Japan BMW 1M GTS 9 Studie Japan BMW 1M GTS 10

[source: BMWBlog]

Chris Harris Versus Fast Grocery Getters: Video

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 12:28 PM PDT


Americans, we're told, don't buy station wagons. When we need family haulers, we're inclined to buy bloated and driving-enjoyment-void SUVs, or even worse, their boiled-down-to-remove-capabilities descendants, crossover vehicles. Perhaps it's the romantic notion of Westward Expansion; as Americans, we want the ability to jump into out contemporary covered wagons and head out to the Oregon Trail, even if we never actually do so.

Europeans aren't saddled with this cultural baggage, and in exchange get rewarded with a plethora of fast and entertaining station wagons. Audi's original RS4, launched in 2000 and built for just two years, asked the question, "why can't family haulers serve up AWD traction and serious driving fun, too?"

As Chris Harris points out, the original B5 RS4 had a great engine, but was compromised by a harsh suspension, oversensitive brakes and numb steering; in short, it was a good car that just missed the mark on being a great car.

Enter the B7 version of the Audi RS4 wagon, launched in 2006 and built until 2008. Instead of the original's biturbo V-6, the new version packed a normally aspirated V8 with a surprisingly high redline of 8,000 rpm. While the B7 featured a markedly improved suspension, steering and brakes, it's engine lacked torque down low, forcing drivers to wind it out to make power.

This year, Audi is launching an all new RS4, available with a dizzying array of electro-gizmos. As Harris points out, none of these really help the driving dynamics of the car; while the B7 RS4 felt sorted, the new version feels overly complex, and still suffers from the same lack of torque as the previous version. It's a step forward, but not necessarily a step in the right direction.

Alternatively, there's the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Wagon, in Europe anyway. It lacks the traction-enhancing stability of AWD, but presents itself as a German-built muscle car. As Harris puts it, the C63 AMG is "dripping with magic," even though you pay a premium price for it.

Frankly, we need more cars like that in the United States. Too many sold here are dripping with blandness, snapped up by buyers who see driving as a tedious chore and not something to be enjoyed.

2014 BMW M3 Could Pack a 480 horsepower 3.2-liter Inline Six-Cylinder Engine

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 11:53 AM PDT


2014 BMW M3/M4 Rendering - iacoski.com

The rumor mill is churning today as a result of Bimmer Today reporting that the next BMW M3 (F80) will receive as much as 480 horsepower from a 3.2-liter inline 6-cylinder engine. Obviously, to generate that much power, over 60 ponies more than the outgoing naturally aspirated S65 V8, forced induction will play a part in the new engine's makeup.

Reportedly we will get to see the new M3 as a concept car at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The new engine is said to be rated at a base horsepower figure of 450 while a performance package could peak it out at 480 horsepower. We will be sure to opt for this ‘performance package’ if we have the change to get our hands on one.

If this rumor holds true, we will continue to hope that the weight is reduced to truly make the newest M3 (or M4) a Bavarian rocket-ship.

[sources: Bimmer Today via BMWBlog]

Video: Ken Block’s Gymkhana 5 Teaser Straight From San Francisco

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 11:07 AM PDT


Ken Block's next Gymkhana can only get better right? We are not saying the previous 4 Gymkhana videos were bad or anything, we just expect the latest project to one-up its predecessor. Being the new King of automotive showmanship, Block has set out to the streets of San Francisco in his modified Ford Fiesta for the highly anticipated Gymkhana 5.

As a special treat, a teaser video of the upcoming Gymkhana, set to debut on July 9th, has been posted below for your enjoyment. Be sure to check for updates and the official release here on AutomotiveAddicts.com.

Toyota Looks to Launch ‘TMG’ Performance Sub-Brand

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 08:05 AM PDT


For years I have said Toyota and Lexus needed some type of excitement injected into their brands especially after the demise of the Supra, Celica and MR2. Sure, they have the new Lexus LFA, ISF and even then Scion FR-S. But let’s all be honest, those vehicles do not quite quench the thirst of enthusiasts who look for that premium performance brand such as with the likings of BMW's M or Mercedes-Benz' AMG vehicles. Not to mention, how many of your friends own a Lexus LFA?

TMG, named after Toyota Motorsport GmbH, would essentially be a sub-brand for Toyota and Lexus models. Last year TMG created a high-performance Lexus LS460 TMG Edition captured running on the Nurburgring, which could be a peak into other future 'specialized' vehicles in the Toyota/Lexus line.

Yoshiaki Kinoshita, TMG President, in talks with Car Advice said, “After we stopped Formula One, we decided several things. One of these things is to become an AMG-type company.” Looks like AMG may have some competition from Japan if this holds to be true and we see the fruit of TMG make its way into current Toyota and Lexus vehicles.

[source: Car Advice]

Subaru BRZ, Scion FR-S Top List Of Fastest Selling Cars

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 06:30 AM PDT


The 2013 Subaru BRZ. Image: Subaru

We enthusiasts have been telling the auto industry the same thing for years, if not decades: build an affordable rear-drive sport coupe with plenty of upgrade potential, and the buyers will come. It looks like we were right, since Edmunds is reporting that the Subaru BRZ and the Scion FR-S currently have the lowest days-to-turn (DTT) in the industry.

Days-to-turn is exactly what it sounds like: the number of days between delivery of a car from a manufacturer to delivery of the same vehicle to a customer. The industry average for vehicles in the United States is 53 DTT, while Subaru's BRZ took just four DTT and Scion's FR-S took only five DTT. Next on the fastest-seller list was another limited-production car, the Audi TT-RS; it stayed on dealer lots a mere seven days.

You could easily make the argument that these three examples should be excluded from the list, since all are specialty cars with short supply and high demand. That would make the real best seller car number four on the list: Acura's new ILX sedan, which took only eight DTT. Last in the top five was Toyota's new Prius c, which found a new home in an average of 10 days.

We're not sure there's a common theme here. Sure, all five models are compact in size, but three emphasize entertainment value above all else, while two are more focused on fuel economy. If there's any takeaway for the auto industry in these numbers, it's probably this: when you build cars that customers want to buy, they don't stay on dealer lots very long.
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