Sports Cars

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NAIAS 2012: Acura NSX, Acura ILX, Hyundai Veloster Turbo, Hyundai Genesis Coupe

By Megan Green Acura ILX Concept As the Acura brand enters its second 25 years as Honda’s premium luxury-performance automobile brand, a concept version of the Acura ILX luxury compact sedan and a prototype of the 2013 RDX crossover sports utility vehicle were also unveiled. Acura has big plans for the 2013 ILX Concept, a luxury compact sedan, to attract a new generation of buyers to the brand. The aerodynamic, fluid lines and understated Acura design cues might just be inviting enough to achieve this goal. Acura introduces its first ever gas-electric hybrid in the 2013 ILX with a 1.5-liter gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain; two standard gasoline powertrain options will also be available – the base model will have a 2.0-liter

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Historic J.F. Kennedy Cadillac hearse set for Arizona auction

The 1964 Cadillac Hearse used to transport President John F. Kennedy’s body to Air Force One following his assassination in Dallas, Texas in 1963, will be auctioned Jan. at the 41st Annual Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction, Jan. 15-22 in Arizona. The sale of hearse follows the 2011 sale of an ambulance used to transport John. F. Kennedy’s body from Air Force One to the Bethesda Naval Hospital. The ambulance sold amid worldwide attention, despite unproven claims the ambulance was another naval ambulance. The hearse was built by the Miller-Meteor Company in time for display at the National Funeral Home Directors Association Convention in Dallas in October, 1963. At the close of the trade show, the hearse was purchased by the O’Neal

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Rolls-Royce still rolling strong, sets all-time sales record in 2011

Rolls-Royce, the ultraluxury centenarian automaker, sold more cars in 2011 than it has in any year in its 107-year history, its owner BMW AG has announced. While breaking a sales record that stood for 33 years, Rolls0-Royce sold 3,538 cars last year, most notably via the Ghost Extended Wheelbase model, which debuted in April 2011. The new sales figures marked a 31 percent increase from Rolls Royce sales in 2010. Rolls-Royce‘s previous annual sales record dates to 1978, when it sold 3,347 cars. “We had an outstanding year,” Rolls-Royce brand chief Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes said in a statement. “We’re expanding our dealership network, entering new markets such as South America and expanding our production facility in Goodwood to meet rising demand

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Dodge Challenger SRT8, 2012: Refined, handsome muscle car

The 2012 rear-drive Dodge Challenger SRT8 coupe is a refined, modern version of the classic early 1970s rear-drive Challenger, which had a mighty “Hemi” V-8. The 1970s Challenger Hemi (for hemispherical combustion chambers) 425-cubic-inch V-8 had 425 horsepower. But the new Challenger SRT8’s 392-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) Hemi provides 470 horsepower and a pavement-shattering 470 pound-feet of torque. As with the old Challenger coupe, the Challenger SRT8 is a rival mainly to the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang. It’s essentially a shortened version of the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger. That improves refinement and ride, but turns the SRT8 into more of a strong muscle car than a nimble sports coupe. It has a 116-inch-wheelbase and weighs a hefty 4,160 pounds. The

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Jaguar XKR-S, 2012: Powerful speedster named Playboy's Car of the Year

The 2012 Jaguar XKR-S, the 550-horspower speedster with a top speed of 182 mph, was selected from a stellar finalists' field that included Audi to Range Rover and Hyundai to Mercedes-Benz as Playboy Magazine's 2012 Car of the Year. The magazine's choices were selected by Ken Gross, the veteran automotive journalist, author and former auto museum executive director. The Jaguar XKR-S, with a starting price of $132,000 for the coupe and $138,000 for the convertible, is the most-powerful production car Jaguar has built. It has a 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 and accelerates from 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds and 0-100 mph in 8.6 seconds. Here's Playboy's 2012 other Car of the Year selections: Fiat 500 Winner of Playboy’s “Coolest Throwback” award,

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Smart car? How about Smart truck? New Daimler concept set for Detroit Auto Show

Pickup trucks are all the rage, with a new offering of alternative fuel selections on the market as well as one of the most unique vehicles, a Smart For-us concept pickup, set to debut at that Detroit Auto Show in January. A Daimler division product, the Smart For-us will be the biggest of the tiny Smart cars, currently represented only the Smart ForTwo The Smart For-us concept is 140 inches long (11 feet, 6 inches), about six feet shorter than a Ford F-150 pickup, the United States' best-selling passenger vehicle "In a tongue-in-cheek manner, the For-us signals that this is the right car for the young-at-heart with active lives who attach importance to low emissions and taking up minimum road

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Lexus will debut concept coupe at Detroit Auto Show

Lexus has already many of its newly designed 2013 lineup, but the Toyota luxury brand has announced plans for another new vehicle — at least as a concept — the LF-LC 2+2 sport coupe. According a Lexus press release, the concept coupe will be unveiled Jan. 9 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. “Crafted from a clean sheet of paper at the request of Lexus headquarters in Japan, the LF-LC blends both high technology and organic shapes to connect the driver to the machine,” said Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager. “The clean lines of the vehicle emphasize motion, creating a distinctive look for this futuristic sport coupe.” Conceived as a design exercise to

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Dodge Charger, 2012: Fast, powerful, high-performance bargain

Iconic muscle cars are making a comeback — as much-improved models. The 1960s Dodge Charger with Chrysler’s awesome Hemi V-8 is one of the most legendary muscle cars of the high-octane 1960s. The 2012 Charger SRT8 with a Hemi V-8 is more than comparable to that old Charger. In fact, the new $45,795 Charger SRT8 from Chrysler’s high-performance SRT group is a flat-out high-performance-car bargain that might be considered by some to be too hot for the street with its 6.4-liter Hemi V-8. While well-mannered, unlike the 1960s 425-horsepower Hemi, the new Hemi V-8 provides 470 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. That gives the car a 0-60 mph time of about 4.5 seconds, although it‘s a big 120-inch-wheelbase sedan

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Chrysler 300 SRT8, 2012: Dyno Test Video

On a chilly December morning in Northern California, I brought a 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 to TPS Motorsports in Campbell, California for a couple of dyno runs on their Dynojet chassis dynometer. Truth was in the numbers as we dyno tested the Chrysler 300 SRT8 that claims 470 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque from Chrysler’s 6.4L HEMI powerplant. Power was measured at the wheels and the numbers were SAE corrected. Video and power output charts below document the results of our dyno test. After two test runs, maximum horsepower measured at the wheels was 411 horsepower. Maximum torque was 400 lb.-ft. with 80 percent of max torque being available at 55 mph. Generally, there is an 18 – 20

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Acura TSX, 2012: slick, quick worthy foe for BMW, Audi

The 2012 Acura TSX is a difficult car to categorize. It's often cited as an entry level luxury sedan. But with its new option, a peppy six-speed manual transmission, and a Special Edition package, it's also a sports car. Luxury sedan and sports car? That's an oxymoron in the automotive industry. But with Special Edition package, even if only offered on the four-cylinder Acura TSX, it's also an ideal description. The base TSX sedan and TSX Sport Wagon feature a long list of standard features: Automatic xenon headlights, 17-inch alloy wheel, foglights, heated outside mirrors, a sunroof, keyless entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering column, an eight-way power driver seat with memory, a four-way power passenger seat, leather

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Bugatti Veyron remains world’s most expensive car in 2012

The Bugatti Veyron Supersport, the exclusive and elusive French-made supercar, remains the world’s most expensive car in 2012, according to the new report on Forbes.com. The mid-engined grand touring car is the fastest road-legal production car in the world, with a top speed 268 mph. Bugatti is designed and developed by Volkswagen Group (based on the Bentley Hunaudieres concept) and produced by Bugatti Automobiles SAS in Château Saint Jean in Molsheim, France). Here are some facts & figures about the Bugatti Veyron Supersport: Manufacturer: Bugatti Automobiles and Volkswagen Group (parent company); Production: 2010-present (Super Sport); Assembly: Molsheim, France; Body style     Standard: 2-door coupé; Layout: Longitudinal mid-engine,permanent all-wheel drive; Engine: 8-liter, W16 quad-turbocharged, 1,184 horsepower; Transmission: 7-speed DSG sequential; Wheelbase,

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BMW keeps streak, Honda, Ford get 2 spots on Car and Driver's 2012 Best Cars list

The BMW 3-Series extended its streak to 21 consecutive years while Honda and Ford landed two models each on Car and Driver magazine's 30th annual 10 Best Cars List. A total of 68 cars were eligible, all according the publication. For consideration, cars must be new or significantly updated from 2011 available by January 2012 and cost less than $80,000. "As in years past, the cars on this year's list represent the best overall vehicles on the market today," said Eddie Alterman, editor-in-chief, Car and Driver. "Out of 68 contenders, these are the ones that consistently perform the best, are a good value and are engaging, fun-to-drive vehicles." Of the BMW 3-Series, Car and Driver commented: "After 21 consecutive years

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Toyota unveils new sports car, no name yet for U.S. version

Toyota and Subaru have jointly debuted a new compact sports coupe with hopes of rekindling sportiness to the manufacturer's maligned reputation in Japan and the United States. The car is called the Hachiroku in Japan, which means 86. However, the name of the car for the United States market, has not been released. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the new car is reminiscent of the Toyota models Corolla Levin and Toyota Sprinter Trueno introduced in 1983. Toyota and Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., maker of Subaru-brand vehicles, hope the four-seat, rear-wheel-drive will attract young customers. The Hachiroku will make its public debut Dec. 3-11 at the Tokyo Motor Show. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for

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Vintage car rarity: How about a 1990 Laforza Laforza?

After several years of arriving at our home in an old sport utility vehicle in various states of disrepair, our handyman arrived recently in a used, bright red Laforza, Laforza. Like other short-lived manufacturers, Laforza has a niche following, particularly since American carmaker was only around from 1985-2003.

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Chevrolet Camaro, 2012: Iconic sports car gets top NHTSA safety honor

The Chevrolet Camaro built its enduring legacy on performance. Now with the debut of 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe, the iconic vehicle has another major attribute — safety leader. The new Camaro is the first vehicle to receive the highest possible five-star score in every individual safety rating segment of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program since the federal testing procedures were revised for 2011.

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BMW M5, 2012: Powerful, quick and on its way (video)

By Derek Mau The fifth generation BMW M5 will soon reach the United States. But until the new 190 mph machine with 0-60 mph speed in 4.4 seconds arrives, a video of the powerful beast will have to suffice. The 2012 BMW M5 features a newly developed direct injection 4.4-litre V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo package – consisting of Twin Scroll Twin Turbo technology, cross-bank exhaust manifold, and VALVETRONIC fully variable valve control. At full tilt the 2012 M5 pumps out 560 hp at 6,000 — 7,000 rpm with maximum torque of 502 lb.-ft. from 1,500 rpm. Power is transferred to the rear wheels via the 7-speed M Double Clutch Transmission, where the new Active M Differential ensures an

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