2015 Toyota Yaris DUB Edition

The Toyota Yaris is the smallest car in Toyota’s American lineup, but that didn’t stop it from getting an extensive mid-cycle refresh, complete with an aggressive new look and a redesigned interior that belies its small-car status. The arrival of the 2015 Yaris earned the car a lot of positive press, including from aftermarket publication DUB Magazine, who promptly picked the Yaris as one of its two showcase models at the 2014 SEMA Auto Show.

I’ve seen the Yaris up close and I can attest to its attractive appearance. It’s a far departure from the previous version, which admittedly looks bug-eyed compared to its meaner, present-day mug. Like its past SEMA works, DUB Magazine wasted little time giving the Yaris a dramatic makeover, highlighted by an aggressive profile, a racing interior, and a massive audio system that can make your ears bleed.

Through it all, the Yaris carries all the upgrades with aplomb. You wouldn’t have been able to say that with past versions of Toyota’s little-car-that-could, but the new Yaris is brimming with a high level of confidence that’s beginning to earn a reputation as an aftermarket favorite.

Exterior

Two-tone paint finishes seem to be a thing with a lot of SEMA-bound vehicles this year. The Yaris Dub Edition is no different, thanks to a steady combination of matte-pearl white on the body and gloss-black paint occupying the rear section. The two-tone color is further emphasized by a new wide-body kit from Custom TS Designs while the tinted windows and smoked rear taillights add stealthy styling to the Yaris.

Interior

A majority of DUB Magazine’s work on the Yaris lies in the massively overhauled interior that seems to put a lot of emphasis on the car’s hidden racing pedigree and its potential to become a four-wheeled boom box. The racing element manifests itself with the addition of Sparco racing seats and the custom pearl-white roll bar. Added aggressive styling like the black, ultra-suede headliner and the numerous red accents are further indications of the Yaris’ incredible transformation from a small and cutesy city car to an all-conquering madhouse on wheels.

Pop open the Yaris DUB Edition’s trunk and you’ll see where the real magic is. A complete DUB Edition audio system was installed and by complete, I’m talking about three amplifiers, two subwoofers, two massive speakers, and a fiberglass enclosure with leather and painted accents. An iPad was conveniently placed between the two speakers, serving as the control center where the audio madness can be unleashed.

Drivetrain

For all the aggressive upgrades the Yaris received, the custom-tuned hatchback has a noticeable lack of engine upgrades. This means that the Yaris Dub Edition is stuck with a 1.5-liter inline four-cylinder that wheezes out 106 horsepower and 103 pound-feet of torque. Doing the cog changing is a five-speed manual transmission.

Despite its lack of engine addi-ons, this Yaris does come with a modified suspension system that drops the car’s height and a set of 20-inch Dropstars DS643 gloss-black, concave wheels wrapped in Nitto Invo tires. Doing the stopping is a set of StopTech rotors and a TRD Big Brake kit.

Conclusion

It’s the Yaris like you’ve never seen it before, which is saying a lot considering how a lot of people seem to fancy the 2015 model. But once Dub Magazine got its hands on the Yaris, the magazine was able to tap into levels of awesomeness even I didn’t think the Yaris was capable of reaching.

Source: topspeed.com

New Kia Optima confirmed for 2015

Kia will take a fresh swipe at the new Ford Mondeo, VW Passat and Vauxhall Insignia when it launches an all-new version of the Optima less than a year from now. It will feature a sharper design, higher-quality interior and the option of diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, and we had a chance to poke around the production car at Kia’s new Namyang design centre, near Seoul.

Although no photography was allowed of the new car, we can reveal that design sticks closely to the current, post-facelift model (pictured) with a wide ‘tiger nose’ grille connecting up to the headlights either side and large wraparound taillights at the rear. The petrol model features more aggressive, sharper intakes in the front bumper, while the hybrid models get a blanked out front grille that opens when cooling is required. Softer curves in the front bumper, special wheels and a wider rear bumper to help reduce aerodynamic drag.

New Kia Optima: interior and tech

The interior quality has taken another leap forward, one of Kia’s main focuses for all its new models, with leather seats and a new larger, widescreen display installed in the centre of the leather-wrapped dash. Matt black switchgear arranged in horizontal rows is reminiscent of BMW’s latest cabin design, which is no bad thing.

No detailed specifications were made available, but bosses confirmed that an model featuring a development of the current 1.7 CRDi diesel engine will be offered, along with a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid a little later in the life cycle. And Kia is targeting a class-leading electric-only range with the plug in, according to its head of overseas marketing, Spencer Cho.

“Look at the Soul EV, apart from the Tesla it has the longest range of any of its competitors,” he said. “In the same way we are trying to extend EV range for plug-in hybrids, too.”

Cho also revealed that a diesel-electric hybrid powertrain is under development, and an Optima estate is under development especially for the European market.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/

2015 Audi R8 Competition ready to rock LA

The heyday of the first-generation Audi R8 is winding down, and the Four Rings already has a bespoke factory to start building the next model soon. In the meantime, the German brand is sending its supercar off with a bang at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show in the form of this limited-edition 2015 R8 Competition – the most powerful production vehicle ever made by the company.

Audi is earmarking just 60 examples of the Competition for the US, and this is more than just a trim package to say farewell. Power for the supercar comes from the usual 5.2-liter V10 that's massaged to develop 570 horsepower, an extra 20 hp over the already quite potent V10 Plus, and the only available transmission is the seven-speed, dual clutch S Tronic gearbox. The tweaks let this limited R8 rocket to 60 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds and achieve a maximum velocity of 199 mph. To haul that speed to a stop, it also gets ceramic brake disks with red calipers.

Of course, having such a rare supercar means showing off a little. Audi takes inspiration from the R8 LMS Ultra racecar for the Competition and tries to bring some of its details to the street. The model wears matte carbon fiber pieces replacing the rear spoiler, mirror housings, side blades, front spoiler and rear diffuser. For an extra mean-looking touch, it also has high-gloss black paint covering the wheels and exhaust pipes.

The 60 US cars are going through Audi Exclusive so buyers can specify their own specific interior and exterior colors from a long list. In addition, all of them also carbon fiber trim over the center console and illuminated doorsills.

Orders for the R8 Competition begin in November, and deliveries should start in early 2015. Scroll down for the full press release announcing this scarce supercar.

2015 BMW X5 REVIEW

What is it?

This is the BMW M division’s take on an SUV, the X5 M, finally in the UK after an exhaustive build-up (releasing the X6 M at the same time probably didn’t help matters).

These models represent the M division’s first xDrive variants, and they both use the 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine that could well form the basis of the next M5.

It’s a potent unit, sure enough, making the X5 M the most powerful M car to date. Its 547bhp sounds impressive enough; more startling is the 502lb ft of torque, which is available from just 1500rpm right up to 5650rpm. That’s enough for the X5 to crack 0-62mph in 4.7sec and reach a limited top speed of 155mph.

Other stats of note? It costs £76,110, returns a claimed 20.3mpg (combined) and emits 325g/gkm of CO2.

What’s it like?

Shockingly rapid, for starters. If the X5 M has an obvious rival it’s Porsche’s Cayenne Turbo, and it’s more than up to the task of taking it on. The BMW is considerably more powerful and while it’s slightly weaker in terms of torque, the spread at which its twist is available is a few thousand rpm wider. So in raw pace, there’s not much to choose between the two high-performance heavyweights.

The X5 M is 0.4sec quicker to 62mph, and while its limiter stops the fun 16mph before the Porsche maxes out, that’s unlikely to bother anyone in real-world conditions (and if you’re intending to try it out, can you let me know so I can be in a different county?).

Dynamics? Well, this is still an SUV – but as long as you keep that fact in the back of your mind, it’s reasonably effective. Body control has long been an X5 strength and the X5 M builds on this; it hangs on with admirable aplomb around corners, helped by steering that is a little on the heavy side, but impressively feelsome for something of this size. The six-speed automatic gearbox is quick enough, too; it’s rarely caught out.

There are downsides, though, and they do a disappointingly decent job of spoiling the party. First, the X5’s cabin – while acceptable at just north of £40k – falls short of the plushness required at almost double that figure. Truth is, the M’s cabin feels little different from that of a regular diesel X5.

More importantly, though, the quest to give the X5 the same cornering ability as an M5 has resulted in a ride that is borderline unacceptable. We could forgive some choppiness around the suburban rat-run, if that were the only gripe. But you’ll find yourself jiggling around in the seat on all but the smoothest motorways too, and hanging on for dear life on a bumpy B-road. The seats could use more lateral support, which would help with this, but you’ll still be sitting too high up to feel totally connected to the road beneath.

While we’ve little doubt that M division has sunk a commendable amount of resources into this project, it has ultimately failed to change the laws of physics, so while the X5 M has the raw pace of an M3, it lacks the poise, balance and finesse of that car. This car feels like it should have been called xDrive60i, or even xDrive60m, but it falls short of justifying its M status.

Worryingly, too, the engine plays its part in that failure. Its note is nowhere near as pleasant as the M3’s naturally aspirated V8, or the V10 unit in the outgoing M5.

Should I buy one?

Enjoyable though the wall of torque is, we can’t quite bring ourselves to recommend a 2.4-tonne SUV that’ll struggle to break 20mpg in everyday use. The X5 M feels like a vehicle for another time – or at least, a country with lower fuel prices.

And while the M tuning has added a little extra capability in corners, too high a price has been paid in terms of ride quality. Harder still to forgive is the fact that it singularly fails to feel like an M car.

Doubtless this vehicle will draw a few buyers away from Porsche’s Cayenne Turbo; it is marginally softer on the soul, after all. They may even enjoy the launch control system, the undeniably strong surge of power, the harsh ride and heavy steering and consider themselves fortunate to have bought what is one of the best ‘high-performance SUVs’.

But if they think they’ve stumped up £76k for one of M division’s finest creations, they’ll be kidding themselves.

Ferrari 250 GTO becomes most expensive car ever auctioned

Bonhams sells Ferrari 250 GTO for nearly £23million, breaking last year's record for the most expensive car at auction

This 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Berlinetta is now officially the most valuable car ever sold at auction, racking up a final bid equal to £22,843,633 at Bonhams’ Quail Lodge Auction yesterday.

As the Monterey Car Week continues apace, the historic two-seat coupe briefly stole the limelight in California, with bidders from around the world competing in person and via telephone link for one of the 39 original factory-manufactured GTOs.

In breaking the record the Ferrari surpassed another Bonhams lot, the 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 R F1 Racer, which became the most expensive auctioned car last year when it sold for approximately £18million at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

“It’s been a genuine privilege to represent this outstanding car and we are absolutely delighted with today’s results,” said Bonhams chairman Robert Brooks. “We’ve always maintained that we would exceed the current world record and that the car would bring between $30-$40-million and today the GTO did just that.”

Sold by the British auction house as part of the Maranello Rosso Collection of iconic Ferrari models, the 250 GTO accounted for over half the ten-strong range’s combined value of £39.5million. We’ll keep you posted on any other big sales as the Quail Lodge Auction enters its second and final day later this afternoon.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk

Mercedes S-Class Coupe review

Mercedes has a long history of building supremely comfortable large elegant coupes, and traditionally it launches them with some form groundbreaking technology - and it's the same story with the new S-Class Coupe.

It's the replacement for the CL and, as the name suggests, is based on a shortened version of the chassis which underpins the brilliant S-Class saloon.

The coupe is available with three engines: a 4.7-litre V8 in the S500, a biturbo 5.5-litre V8 in the S63 AMG and a 6.0-litre biturbo V12 in the bonkers S65 AMG. In all honesty, the S500 provides all the performance you could want, with 0-62mph in less than five seconds, but there's plenty of tyre smoking appeal in the AMG models.

Mercedes has introduced two new features on the S-Class coupe, never before seen on a production car. The first is the use of Swarovski crystals in the daytime running lights and indicator repeaters to create a clearer beam. The second is system which leans the cars into bends like a motorcycle. It's designed for comfort more than it is handling and it can be switched off if the driver chooses to.

The S-Class Coupe is designed to offer the exclusivity and luxury to match a Bentley Continental GT and Aston Martin DB9, while offering an even more cosseting ride and more technology, all for a comparatively lower price.

Styling

4.1

Despite getting the S-Class name, unlike with its predecessor the CL, this time round there is a much greater visual differentiation between it and the limousine on which it is based.

The bodywork, for instance, is all-new with sharp creases down the sides, a long bonnet, sloping roof and a neat spoiler integrated into the bootlid plus, of course, two, rather than four, doors. The coupe is a really stunning looking machine, though it’s more handsome than beautiful.

Also standard is a panoramic sunroof, which you can upgrade with Magic Sky Control that allows you to darken the glass at the touch of a button. There are two individual seats in the back and they are separated by a central console which runs all the way from the front and blends into the new dash design which, once again, is unique to the Coupe.

Mercedes really has pulled out all the stops to give the car a lavish and luxurious interior, ensuring that every surface you touch oozes quality. Thing is it still doesn't feel quite as unique to sit in as a Bentley Continental GT, but the technology on board makes that of its British rival seem as antiquated as building cars by hand.

You get all the same goodies as on the saloon. That means a touch sensitive control for the infotainment system, two huge display screens and enough gadgets to fill the Apple Store. Other highlights include the metal finish eyeball vents for the air-conditioning, the precise action of the switchgear and the intuitive COMAND rotary controller. 

Driving

4.8

The S-Class Coupe is lower and shorter than the S-Class on which it is based and as a result it is sharper to drive. Fortunately it retains the incredible comfort of the saloon and takes it to another level with some ground-breaking technology never before seen on a production car.

Called Curve Tilt Function, it's a development of the Magic Body Control which debuted on the Saloon that uses cameras to scan the road ahead for undulations and primes the suspension to neutralise any bobbing effects and flatten the ride out.

The upgraded system can now, however, see bends too and it loads the suspension so as to actually lean the car into the corner just like a motorcycle does. The idea behind this is not to increase cornering speeds but to enhance comfort by minimising lateral acceleration so, that in a bend, rather than rolling to the outside of your seat you are pushed down into it, a bit like on a roller coaster. 

The Curve Tilt Function comes as standard on the AMG models but is an option on the standard S500 and is activated by pushing the air suspension button twice.

The sensation is a bit odd at first, but after a while you start to appreciate it. And combined with the Magic Body Control, it gives the sensation you are flying centimetres above the road. Really though this technology is merely the icing on the cake, because even with the standard fit air suspension the ride is so good you feel as though you are floating, funnily enough, on a cushion of air.

It's a similar story with the engines. You can get the S-Coupe with either a 4.7-litre bi turbo V8 with 449bhp in the S500 or a 5.5-litre bi-turbo V8 with 577bhp in the S63 AMG. On paper the difference may seem vast, but you hardly notice it on the road. That's especially true of the S65 AMG model, which genuinely doesn't feel much quicker than the S63, despite a price difference of around £50,000.

The S500's 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission is a smoother shifter than the quicker SPEEDSHIFT MCT auto in the AMG too. And this suits the nature of the car better. Because while the S-Coupe steers and handles very well for something weighing two tonnes, and the all-wheel-drive system (which won't be available in the UK), provides impressive grip, there is something about the Mercedes' tranquil nature that doesn't egg you on to drive it fast like an Aston Martin DB9 or Bentley Continental GT does.

Mercedes has also announced that it will introduce a nine-speed automatic gearbox to the coupé in 2015, which should help improve fuel efficiency and acceleration even further. 

Maybe it's the serenity of the cabin - apparently it's the quietest of any production car and we have no reason to doubt that. Even the engines are generally hushed, though if you press the sport button a valve opens in the exhaust to make them rumble like a V8 should. But then, even though the S-Class Coupe is a sharper drive than the saloon, it's still not really supposed to be a sports car. It's designed as a seriously rapid stylish and luxurious gadget laden cruiser and the most comfortable coupe in its class. And that's exactly what it is.

Reliability

4.8

Mercedes has forged a strong reputation for building durable cars, and this is backed by an impressive top 10 finish in our Driver Power 2014 satisfaction survey.

As you’d expect, the S500 comes with plenty of standard safety kit, including eight airbags, a traffic sign recognition camera, a driver drowsiness monitor and a stability control system which incorporates Curve Dynamic Assist and Crosswind Assist. It can also be fitted with the Driving Assistance Package, which adds blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control, plus a night-vision camera.

Practicality

3

In the front there is plenty of room, but being a coupe there isn’t anything like the space in the back as with the saloon. That said it’s about as good as it gets in this class as there is just about enough head and leg room for adults.

Getting into the rear isn’t the easiest, even though the front seats automatically slide forward, but long distances shouldn’t be too much of a problem, thanks to the air-cushioning ride giving the S-Class Coupe the edge over its rivals for rear passengers. Boot space is decent in this class too with 400 litres of space, which is more tan enough for some suitcases or a couple of sets of golf clubs. 

Running Costs

3

The S-Class Coupe is only currently available with two bi-turbo V8 petrol engines so it’s not going to be cheap to run. The S500 returns 30mpg and emits 219g/km, while the S63 AMG does 28mpg and 237g/km. There are no plans for a diesel but a hybrid could be on the way.

However, anyone who can afford the S-Class Coupe in the first place probably isn’t too concerned about fuel bills. The entry model will start from around £100,000 new, while the AMG is likely to command a £25,000 premium

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk