Car Listings: 2013

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Super Silly? Chevrolet SS NASCAR Team and Red Bull Racing do The Harlem Shake

There's no end to The Harlem Shake videos popping up right and left on the internet, and as one would expect, the new viral phenomenon has caught the attention of advertisers and marketing people in the auto industry as well.
Following in the footsteps of so many others, Red Bull Racing Australia and even four-time champion NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon (with the help / push of sponsor Pepsi) and his team who will run the new Chevrolet SS, joined in on the “Harlem Shake” silliness and posted their own videos.
Read more »

2014 Chevrolet SS Officially Unveiled, Gets 415HP 6.2-liter LS3 V8 [w/ Video]

It may not have the firepower to worry the latest crop of German über-sedans such as the Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG or the BMW M5 but, nevertheless, the 2014 Chevrolet SS that was unveiled today at the Daytona International Speedway, where its racing version also debuted at the Daytona 500 NASCAR event, is a welcome addition to the Bow Tie’s range. Read more »

Friday, February 15, 2013

New Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG Edition 1, Plus First Video Trailer

As with most newly launched Mercedes-Benz models these days, the A45 AMG will be offered in a special trim grade named Edition 1 for a limited run during the car's first year on the market.

What the "Edition 1" brings to Stuttgart's hottest hatch is some custom styling touches, while also ticking most boxes on the options list, for a more affordable price than if ordered separately.

BMW has a very close relationship with Alpina, even offering the latter's special models through its own dealers and with full warranty. At least for now, the only Alpina model available through official channels in North America is the 7-Series-based B7 flagship, even though the German specialty brand has its own proposal for most BMW models.

At the Geneva Auto Salon in March, Alpina will welcome another member in its family, the next generation of the B3 Bi-Turbo, based on the F30 3-Series sedan.

What does Daimler's Smart car brand and Danish urban interior design specialist BoConcept have in common? Well, at a first glance, nothing much, but when designers from both companies came together, they discovered a common ground in the disciplines of “form” and “functionality" - or so they claim. Read more »

Spy Shots Update: This is the New Toyota Vios Small Sedan, Not the Next Corolla

If anything, we like to be honest here at CarScoop and admit our mistakes. As many of our well-informed readers from Asia pointed out in our posting of a spy shot of candy-colored Toyota sedan, and which we thank them for, what we thought is the next Corolla compact sedan, is in fact the new generation of the Vios saloon.

This becomes clear with a second spy picture of the car shot from behind, where the smaller dimensions are more obvious, while we can also see the "Vios" name on the license plate holder.

Going for an off-road adventure with an SUV or even a more rugged 4x4 vehicle can be a tricky and dangerous task, especially if you're not an experienced driver. Do it during winter time with lots of snow and ice, and the dangers multiply…

In this video, an Opel Frontera and a Nissan Patrol are seen submerged under water and ice, with a group of men trying to get them out using chainsaws, ropes and a tractor.

Over the past year or so, we've seen a healthy number of aftermarket companies point their tuning guns towards the McLaren MP4-12 sports car, including Mansory, Hamann Motorsports, Gemballa, Fab Design, 666-Horses, and even Hennessey Performance (clicking on the links will take you to the respective tunes). Read more »

Alfa Romeo Gloria Concept is an Audi A5 Sportback-Sized Sports Sedan, Debuts in Geneva

The second most problematic child in the Fiat-Chrysler Group after Lancia, is also the one with the greatest prospects for future growth – just as long as the Italians get their cards right and finally begin investing in products.

Of course, we're talking about Alfa Romeo, which is trying to tell the world that it's slowly getting back on its feet with the presentation of a new concept model for a sharply styled sports sedan that will join the highly-anticipated production version of the 4C mid-engine coupe at next month's Geneva Auto Salon.

We don't know for how long Cadillac plans to continue production of the current CTS as we're nearing closer and closer to the presentation of the new generation model, but for now, the wreath and crest brand has prepared two limited edition versions of the high-performance 556hp CTS-V series, named Silver Frost and Stealth Blue (the latter is offered on the CTS coupe as well). Read more »

Spied: New Toyota GT 86 / Scion FR-S Roadster Caught with its Top Down!

These are the first real-life pictures of the Toyota GT 86 / 86 Convertible, which was nabbed by Carmag reader and FT86 forum member Allan Findlay behind closed gates in Cape Town, South Africa.

Last month, Toyota told us that it plans to bring a thinly disguised concept version of the car named the 'GT86 Open Top' to next month's Geneva Motor Show to "gauge the public reaction to the idea of an open-top GT86", adding that "testing of a prototype version of the car is already underway".

Kia has released UK pricing and specification details for the all-new Pro_Cee’d that is available to order from today at prices ranging from £17,495 to £20,795. A high-performance version of the series named the GT featuring a 201bhp 1.6-liter turbo engine will join the range in the summer, with prices to be announced. Read more »

That Wasn't Superman, It Was a Meteorite Falling in Russia and It Was Captured by Dashcams!

Many have scoffed at the idea of using dashboard-mounted cameras, but that hasn't deterred hundreds of thousands if not millions of drivers from all over Russia from installing one in their vehicle.

If it wasn't for their love of cameras, the world would have missed out on a rare occasion when a meteorite shot across the sky and exploded over the Chelyabinsk region in central Russia on Friday morning.

The compact car we came to know as the QC3 from Chinese-Israeli start-up brand Qoros over the past few months will be named the 3 Sedan (no similarities with the other 3 from…Bavaria), the company announced today, while also providing real-life pictures of the production-intent 3 Cross Hybrid and 3 Estate Concepts, all of which will make their world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show.

Qoros says the 3 Sedan will be manufactured in a new assembly plant in Changshu, China, with sales to begin in its home market during the second half of 2013, and in Europe towards the end of the year, and will be followed by new models at intervals of approximately six months.

We Drive the 2014 Corvette Stingray and Pit it Against the ZR-1, Z06 and a Few Vipers on GT5

The new Corvette Stingray is the car everyone and his or her mother wants to get their hands on. As we were discussing our frustration for not seeing the Detroit Motor Show’s most anticipated new model driven by someone else aside from the company’s people, we had an epiphany.

The Corvette Stingray is already available for us to drive whenever we feel like it, for as long as we like and on any track in the world. True, it’s not in the metal, but in virtual form via the free DLC (that's downloadable content to the uninitiated) on the Gran Turismo 5 (GT5) Playstation video game.

We don’t know about Denmark, but in the States, the fourth generation of the Toyota Supra (1992-2002) is not only a rare commodity nowadays – for example, we found 8 listed for sale on eBay and 91 on Autotrader, and that's for the entire USA- but a very expensive one at that, with unmolested, low mileage cars often exchanging hands for $40,000 or more.

The reason why we mention Denmark is that, CarScoop reader Daniel S. brought to our attention a replica of a Supra IV built upon a Toyota Celica coupe from 1994 that he found listed for sale in his country.

Camouflaged prototypes of BMW's forthcoming 2-Series Coupe and Convertible cars are beginning to make more frequent appearances on public roads, something that suggests we may be edging a little bit closer to their unveiling.

After capturing the rag-top model earlier this week, our scoopsters stumbled upon the coupe model of the brand new 2-Series range, which replaces the same body styles of the first generation 1-Series, while using the platform and engines of the second-generation 1-Series hatchback.

Ladies and gents, please keep your eyes wide open and focused on the white SUV travelling right in front of the car with the dashboard-mounted camera. If you're wondering why, well, because the author of this video claims that the SUV pulled a disappearing act on us. Read more »

Mercedes Confirms 13 Brand New Models Until 2020, Including an SUV to be Built in the U.S.

At a recent Daimler Group Annual Press Conference in Stuttgart, the company's CEO Dieter Zetsche, outlined the Mercedes-Benz car brand's plans, in which he confirmed the launch of a total of 13 new vehicles that have no predecessor in the automaker's portfolio.

Besides the A-Class-based GLA compact crossover, which will be previewed by a concept model at the Shanghai Auto Show in China this April, with the production model to break cover at the Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany later in the fall, Zetsche also said that the company is readying a brand new SUV.

There was a time when German premium automakers produced cars that could last for a very, very long time if properly taken care of. Old Mercedes-Benz taxi cabs clocking hundreds of thousands of kilometers, and in some instances, even surpassing a million kilometers on the same powertrain, are a testament to that.

Now imagine if such a car was treated as a garage queen for, if not all, most of its life, having been driven only 35,000 miles (a little over 56,000 km) since its birth 42 years ago. What would it look like today?

For the first time in over three decades, the Ram 1500 pickup truck with be offered with a diesel engine starting in the third quarter of the year.

The new 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel will use the same 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 unit manufactured by Italy's VM Motori mated to an eight-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission that was presented in the facelifted 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee at last month's Detroit Auto Show.

Renault put a lot of effort in the styling of its latest Clio series, be that for the five-door hatchback that is readily available, or the new Estate model that was revealed at the Paris Motor Show last year and which will soon go on sale across Europe.

As the French brand prepares for the Clio Estate's market launch, it dropped a fresh collection of photos of the model with which it will try to increase its share in the popular B-segment category.

Winter is not the right time to be out in a powerful convertible model, unless, of course, you happen to be an automotive engineer conducting tests on a future model.

If you weren't pleased with our first, far-away shots of the upcoming Aston Martin Vanquish Volante, our spies scored another set of photos, this time up close and personal, when the cloth-top sports car was parked at a gas station.

If you want a Transporter for your professional needs, but at the same time, wouldn't mind paying a little extra for a more athletic look without compromising its practical side, Volkswagen's European division has prepared a new special edition version of its popular van series. Read more »

Trolling Road Users the Russian Way

After watching this video, we won’t blame you for thinking that someone hitched a ride on the side of the Toyota Yaris hatchback – to be honest, it wouldn't be too far fetched with all the crazy dashcam footage we've seen over the past few years, would it... Read more »

Maltese Power Company Imagines New Chreos Electric Luxury Sedan that Hits 100km/h in 2.9s

The resurgence of battery-powered vehicles this past decade or so has inspired many companies outside of the automotive industry to try their luck in creating new types of vehicles. The complexity of designing any car that complies with norms in major international markets such as Europe and North America, however, means that very few have succeeded in building and selling their EV idea.

Nevertheless, these difficulties haven't stopped new entrants from seeking time in the limelight, like Malta-based Silex Power, which is a green-energy company that has been involved in a number of projects, including photovoltaic plants, hydroelectric and wind farms, with offices in Italy, France, China and the UK.

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive is, in itself, quite an achievement: its six electric motors endow it with 704HP (552 kW) and 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft) of torque so it can boast true supercar performance with zero CO2 emissions.

Not content with having the only all-electric supercar in the world, Mercedes-Benz and Cigarette Racing launched the world’s most powerful electrically-driven powerboat.

Let’s say that you have US$200,000 to spend on a car and, for some reason, you don’t want to buy a Ferrari or a Porsche but something more practical to drive every day. Fret not because there are other options out there and they’re not bad at all.

The Aston Martin DB9 is the oldest model in the British company’s line-up, having been around since 2004. For the 2013MY it received a substantial revamp, though, with the 5.9-liter V12 being pumped up to 510HP and the chassis and suspension receiving parts from the new Vanquish and the (now defunct) DBS and Virage.

Could this be our best look at the new 2013 Skoda Octavia RS to date? Well, we can't really say with certainty if it's the real deal, but the cut in the front grille suggests that it may be a Photoshop of the regular Octavia Mk3. Read more »

New 2014 Toyota Corolla Sedan Spotted on the Road in Asia [Update: Or is the Vios?]

The new generation of Toyota's popular Corolla Sedan has been nabbed on camera for the second time this month.

While the previous pictures appeared to have been shot in an enclosed area, possibly during a private presentation, the Corolla seen here was captured driving on the road, reportedly in Asia, by a one Yusri Asek.

The internet has spoken and the new crazy dance trend set to take over last year's 'Gangnam Style' is 'The Harlem Shake', which has been spreading like a wildfire on the web these past few days and has even touched a chord with the automotive scene. Read more »

Holden Unwraps New Commodore SS V, Previews 2014 Chevrolet SS [w/Video]

It looks like Holden is trying to grab as much attention as it can with the new generation Commodore VF by spreading out the presentations for each different model of the range.

After the unveiling of the regular Commodore this past weekend, GM's Australian subsidiary announced the performance SS V , which is the closest thing we've seen to the 2014 Chevrolet SS Sports Sedan, which is scheduled to debut this Saturday, February 16 at the Daytona International Speedway.

In January, Vorsteiner announced the release of a new set of forged aluminum concave wheels finished in brushed aluminum and available in sizes 21"x9.5J for the front and 21"x11J for the rear end of the BMW M6 Coupe (F12) and Cabriolet models (F13), but that was only the beginning. Read more »

New Generation Audi A3 Sportback Modded by ABT Sportsline

ABT Sportsline releasing a package of goods for a new Audi model is just about as sure as the sun coming out again tomorrow. Having already taken care of the three-door version of Audi's MQB-platform based A3, the German tuner has now presented an assortment of upgrades for the five-door A3 Sportback. Read more »

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Future Cars: Crystal Ball Gazing the New 2014 Subaru WRX

Ladies and Gentlemen, what you see here could potentially be the all new Subaru WRX, but before I elaborate, allow me to take you for a short trip back to the past: Cast your minds back to the early Nineties, when Will Smith's stardom flourished from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and the Ford Taurus was actually America's bestselling car (…and what a distant achievement that was).

It was 1992 when Subaru revealed its newest compact car - the Impreza; a vehicle that I initially described as being a soulless rolling bar of soap. Its dull lines and horrid half-grill (Japanese market) conjured up thoughts that the designers had fallen asleep at a Vanilla Ice Cream conference.

Every single previous generation of the Viper was first shown as a roadster, with the coupe models entering the lineup at a later stage. With the new 2013 Viper that dropped the Dodge nameplate and adopted the SRT badge, Chrysler turned the tables around by launching the fixed-top coupe.

Does that mean we will not see a roadster of the new generation model? When Wards Auto popped that question to SRT boss Ralph Gilles at the Chicago Auto Show, he confirmed the development of a brand-new Viper Roadster.

Nowadays, the “ultimate driving machines” are loaded with technology. However, before rolling them out in its models, BMW tests them exhaustively to ensure they enhance safety.

Before real cars embark on testing those systems clocking thousands of miles around the globe, the Munich-based automaker first reviews how they interface with the driver at its R&D center.

McLaren is taking a short break from the announcements regarding the production P1 hypercar with the publication of a fresh photo gallery of the design study that was displayed for the first time at last year's Paris auto show. Read more »

Renault’s New 197HP Clio R.S. 200 EDC Pocket Rocket Priced From €24,990 in France

The hottest version of the Clio Mk4 range, the Clio R.S. 200 EDC, is now available to order at Renault’s French dealerships. The company has announced that prices start from €24,990 (US$33,600) and the first cars will be delivered in mid-March. Read more »

Is This Jaguar-Faced Ford F-150 Truck for Real?

With all the bizarre things we've seen after small premium and sport carmakers fall into the hands of large automotive groups thirsty for profits and market-share expansion, we wouldn't be surprised if someone had proposed the creation of a luxury Jaguar pickup truck when the British company was controlled by Ford.

Still, we would like to believe that if someone did throw the idea on the table, a sensible manager would have shot it down immediately…

Even if you’ve bought the obscenely expensive Lexus LFA, chances are that you haven’t had dinner with Mr. Akio Toyoda. The same applies to any car owner and the CEO of the company that manufactured his or her vehicle.

Unless you are a Fisker Karma buyer, that is. Henrik Fisker told AutoblogGreen that, instead of a traditional campaign, the company is thinking of “more innovative ways of doing marketing”; and that includes meals with buyers and potential customers.

True, you cannot consider yourself lucky if you're involved in an accident, but given the circumstances and how this particular crash played out, we think the driver of the white-colored Volkswagen CC sedan should praise his lucky stars, especially after watching this video. Read more »

U.S. Energy Department Expects Average Fuel Price to Hit $3.55 in 2013

The U.S. Energy Department’s Information Administration said on Tuesday, February 12, that it expects regular-trade gasoline to average $3.55 a gallon in 2013 and $3.39 in 2014, up from last month’s estimate of $3.44 and $3.34 respectively.

While the department may not get top marks for forecasting accuracy, that’s lower than last year’s $3.63 average. In Michigan, for example, the average price last Monday was $3.74 per gallon.

While most regular drivers try to avoid the snow (the Bostonian owner of this Alfa 8C Competizione is an exception), automotive engineers actively seek areas covered in nature's icy dandruff, and for good reason, as new vehicles must be tried and tested under all weather conditions to ensure their safety and reliability.

Spotted testing in the snow alongside the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze is another future GM model, one that will come to the light far earlier; the mildly refreshed 2014 Opel (Vauxhall in Britain) Insignia Sports Tourer.

The year may have started fabulously for Porsche, as global sales in January were up by 25.5 percent to 12,061 deliveries compared to the same month in 2011 (9,613 units), but it now faces new trouble concerning its 2008 failed attempt to acquire VW.

The German manufacturer won a victory in the U.S. a couple of months ago after the New York Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit filed by 26 hedge funds on jurisdiction grounds. The prosecutors in Stuttgart, Germany, though, are not quite finished.

The Zafira Tourer will be the first vehicle in Opel's (Vauxhall in Britain) range to feature the GM Europe's all-new generation diesel, the 1.6 CDTI ECOTEC, which will gradually replace the existing 1.7-liter engines and certain lower powered versions of the 2.0-liter diesel range. Read more »

Prior Design Kit will Turn Your Mercedes CLK W209 Into a Black Series Edition Clone

While many would like to have a Mercedes-Benz CLK 63 AMG Black Edition from the W209 series parked under their garage, the limited numbers it was produced and, of course, its hefty price tag, mean that very few drivers will ever get that opportunity.

If you don't mind losing out on the 6.2L AMG V8 that produces 507bhp and 465 lb.ft of torque and the specially tuned chassis, Prior Design has a solution for those who believe that it's all about the looks.

Driving an automobile on two wheels is a pretty cool trick, but it's one that has been done over and over again in the past.

Driving a vehicle on two wheels and simultaneously having a passenger open the door to change one of the two tires in the air, now that's something you definitely don't get the chance to see very often.

When it comes to the Geneva Auto Salon, most picture leaks are usually sourced from Eastern European and Russian websites, but this time, it’s the show's official page that appears to have prematurely dropped the covers from two new cars, the Smart Fortwo and the Fiat 500X. We can't confirm it yet, but both pictures do look like they could be the real deal. Read more »

Scoop: 2015 Chevrolet Cruze Sedan Spotted For the First Time

It's no secret that the Chevrolet Cruze has been a critical success for General Motors in a very competitive segment, not only in the States, but worldwide as well, having sold nearly two million unit since its launch in 2008. However, GM isn't resting on its laurels as it has already began work on a replacement model that was captured testing by our scoop photographers in Europe.

While still in an early development stage, the prototype suggests that the next Cruze will have a sharper looking design with a more aggressively styled green house and a lower front end sporting Chevy's new face.

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Friday, February 15, 2013

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Wednesday, February 13, 2013