Author: karla

 

Just a few months ago, Mercedes-Benz revealed a rather racy take on its GLA45 AMG at the 2013 LA Auto Show. Now, in anticipation of the 2014 Detroit Auto Show next week, the company has unveiled a decidedly more buttoned-down, showroom-ready version. The racing stripes and huge rear wing may be gone, but you still wouldn’t accuse the GLA45 AMG of being subtle. Under the hood is the amazing AMG-built 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that’s making its way into more and more cars with AMG badges. The engine’s 360 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque get to the ground through AMG’s seven-speed dual clutch transmission and a 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. As a result, the GLA45 will accelerate from 0-62 mph in 4.8 seconds and carry on to an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.

Source: Road and Track

The smallest car in Audi’s lineup, the Audi TT (Tourist Trophy) , started its life back in 1998 after being previewed by a first concept car in 1995. The second generation TT was then unveiled eight years later – in 2006 – and was still offered in both coupe and roadster versions. Now, we hear that the third generation Audi TT will be unveiled in 2014, following the eight year pattern set by the first and second generations. This generation will debut as a coupe version with a roadster set to follow a few months later. The first details on the car suggest that it will be nearly as long and wide as the current type, but the chassis and engines will be the same as thefuture R4 , most likely a 186-horsepower 1.4 TSI and a 2.0 TDI unit with 170 horsepower.

Source: Top Speed

Rolls-Royce has announced a new V-Specification trim for its Ghost sedan, which offers buyers a slight bump in power and some unique appointments. The car keeps its familiar twin-turbocharged 6.6-liter V-12 but instead of the 563 horsepower found in the regular Ghost, peak power has been increased to 593 horsepower. Peak torque, meanwhile, is unchanged at 575 pound-feet. The new output makes the Ghost V-Specification the most powerful Ghost ever made, though it’s still short of the 624 horsepower Wraith buyers enjoy.

Source: Motor Authority

After 20 years of research and development, Toyota says it’s finally ready to start selling hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to consumers next year. The official announcement came from Bob Carter, senior vice president of Toyota Motor Sales US, at the 2014 International CES in Las Vegas. With just 134 hp emanating from its electric motor to produce a 10-second 0-60 mph run, the Toyota FCV is far more Prius than Model S in performance terms. On the other hand, it is an all-electric vehicle, which means it has ample low-end torque. And any EV driver will tell you that driveability is typically much better than what the raw numbers suggest.

Source: Road and Track

Nine days into his coma, positive news is finally emerging from the Michael Schumacher camp. Multiple authoritative media sources, including major German news agencies and television broadcasters, cited the 45-year-old’s manager Sabine Kehm in reporting that Schumacher’s life is no longer in imminent danger. Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport quoted Kehm as saying the family had “heaved a sigh of relief” early this week. And a doctor treating Schumacher, Jean-Francois Payen, was quoted as saying: “While we emphasise that the danger has not yet passed, it is certainly no longer acute.”

Source: World Car Fans