Acura unveiled an updated version of their NSX Concept at the Detroit Auto Show that they first showed off last year. As you can see from the photo above, this supercar is going to get some serious attention when it goes into production for 2014. See more photos of this gorgeous vehicle here, and you can read about the interior features added to the NSX Concept 2.0 here.
Corvette enthusiasts and sports car fans all over the world have been waiting to see the new Corvette, and Chevrolet unveiled it this morning at the Detroit Auto Show. As you can see from the photos, the new design is stunning and we’re pretty confident that this will be a big hit for Chevy and GM. This sexy beast goes on sale in the third quarter of 2013.
The 2014 Corvette Stingray is the most powerful standard model ever, with an estimated 450 horsepower (335 kW) and 450 lb.-ft. of torque (610 Nm). It also accelerates from 0-60 in less than four seconds, and Chevy expects it to be the most fuel-efficient Corvette, exceeding the EPA-estimated 26 mpg of the current model.
Chevrolet decided to bring back the iconic Stingray name with this all-new corvette.
“Stingray is one of the hallowed names in automotive history,” said Ed Welburn, GM vice president of global design. “We knew we couldn’t use the Stingray name unless the new car truly lived up to the legacy. The result is a new Corvette Stingray that breaks from tradition, while remaining instantly recognizable as a Corvette the world over.”
Here’s a great photo of a classic Stingray in the background.
Here’s another great photo, with the all-new C7 with the prior 6 Corvette body types in the background.
The Corvette is one of the most iconic American nameplates, and frankly it’s very gratifying to see GM triumphantly introducing the newest version of this sports car that many of us have admired since we were kids. We can’t wait to drive one!
When I tested the Veloster a last year I was very impressed with the styling and handling. Hyundai had created a truly unique coupe with a hidden third door that quickly became a hit. Now with the introduction of the 2013 Veloster Turbo, Hyundai now has a version where the performance is just as impressive as the styling. I had the opportunity to drive the new Veloster Turbo through the winding canyon roads surrounding San Diego, and frankly the car was a joy to drive.
Exterior
The Veloster is a great-looking vehicle. Hyundai developed an excellent design and they didn’t mess around with it. The 2013 Turbo version carries over the aggressive styling from the 2012 model. They’ll have no trouble attracting younger buyers with this car. For the turbo, LED accents have been added to the front and rear lights, and a panoramic sunroof and body color spoiler are also available. It also features 18-inch wheels with chrome accents.
One option available for the new Turbo Veloster is the matte gray paint. Usually we only see this type of paint option on far more expensive vehicles but Hyundai decided to offer it on the Veloster and it looks great. Hyundai officials stressed that owners of this color option need to take special care of the vehicle in order to preserve the matte finish.
Interior
The interior for the Turbo Veloster includes a number of standard upgrades, including, heated front seats, aluminum pedals, Blue Link, electroluminescent gauge cluster and push-button start. And this sporty vehicle is also practical with the third door and the hatch. Veloster Turbo has best-in-class cargo volume and more interior volume than Civic, Mini, Beetle and Fiat 500.
Performance
We were looking forward to this new Turbo and we included it on our list of 20 cars to look forward to in 2012. The results did not disappoint us. We had the perfect setting to test this car as Hyundai crafted some great driving routes through the SoCal canyon roads. I was able to push this car very hard through tight turns as we went up and down that various mountain roads. The power and acceleration was excellent and the 6-speed was very responsive. Anyone who likes to drive will have fun with this car. While we would definitely choose the manual transmission, we should note that the automatic transmission version comes with standard Sport mode.
This new Veloster is powered by a Hyundai-first 1.6L Turbo delivering 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft. of torque with regular fuel. The fuel economy remains excellent. The non-turbo model gets 40 MPG on the highway while the Turbo achieves 26/38 MPG for the manual and 25/34 for the automatic. The engineers at Hyundai have focused on reducing weight through high-strength steel which has helped them achieve their impressive fuel economy numbers across the lineup.
Overview
The pricing for the Veloster Turbo ranges from $21,950 to $25,450. That’s an impressive value for a car that looks this good and has the performance to go with it. You have to test drive this car to truly appreciate the value here. It’s fun as hell, and you certainly have to be a younger buyer to appreciate it. Just young at heart!
There are few things quite as exhilarating as driving a muscular sports car on a track. Driving on the open road or through winding mountain roads can be great, but pushing a beast like the Mustang Boss 302 around the tight turns of a racetrack and then flooring it on the straightaway will give you a thrill you’ll never forget.
We naturally jumped at the chance to participate when Ford invited us to its first “Mustang Masterclass – Something Every Man Should Know” event for the opportunity to drive the 2013 Mustang Boss 302 at Miller Motorsports Park. The idea was to teach us how to drive this incredible muscle car on a track regardless of our skill level. I was pretty comfortable driving a stick but was anxious to learn more from some of the best driving instructors in the country, and I wasn’t disappointed.
The Mustang is one of the most iconic American nameplates, and the Boss 302 is a special version of the Mustang that was born on the track. The first generation Mustang Boss 302 was made from 1969-1970 specifically for buyers who wanted to race their Mustangs, and it was revived in 2012 for the same purpose.
Most importantly, the new Boss features a beast of an engine that yields 444 horsepower and 380 lb.-ft. of torque. The Boss mandate is to provide the best-handling Mustang ever, so the already strong Mustang GT suspension system has been further refined. The Boss 302 also features unique, lightweight 19-inch black alloy racing wheels in staggered widths: 9 inches in front, 9.5 inches in the rear. The result is an incredible machine with a growl that will turn heads and bring a smile to your face.
Miller Motorsports Park was about 30 minutes away from our hotel, so we loaded up on some coffee and were greeted by a fleet of colorful 2013 Mustang Boss 302s that we would be driving to the track. From a design point of view, one minor change stands out this year involving the side stripes. The 2012 version featured a reflective “c-stripe” on the side of the vehicle inspired by the 1969 model, and the 2013 Ford Mustang Boss 302 builds on the heritage of the 1970 Boss 302 with new, reflective “hockey stick” graphics package. The LED lights in the front and back also stand out. We hopped in and revved up the engines and were off. This gave us a preview of what we were in for at the track as we cruised through the Utah countryside. The Boss 302 may be built for the track, but you’ll have plenty of fun driving this beautiful vehicle in any setting.
When we arrived at the track we settled in for some serious classroom work. The goal here was to teach us how to drive on a race track, and the instructors were extremely knowledgeable and safety was always the number one goal. A lot of time was spent on the proper line to take going in and out of turns, focusing on the apex and the entry and exit points. It was fascinating stuff and it also turned out to be extremely helpful.
We got suited up in our racing suits and helmets, and then we headed out to the garage to find our cars. The good folks at Miller had each of our names put on the windshield of our car and it was quite a thrill to climb into a personalized Boss 302 racecar. Mine was orange, though later in the day they switched me into the #57 black car. The track cars had thick safety bars in the interior like you’d find in all race cars. We went through some test laps and then we had some specific lessons on braking and downshifting, and then we were ready for some high-speed laps.
When we got back on the track, the instructor always set the pace in the lead white car with blue stripes with three of us following in our 302s, and following the instructor’s line on the track was a huge help. I was lucky to be in the fastest group, and our instructor really challenged us to keep up. The car was a pure joy to drive and it handled beautifully, and the power on the straightaways and coming out of turns was amazing. I could have spent the whole day in that car.
The entire experience was amazing. We enjoyed many more activities that day at Miller in between our track times, including go-cart racing and zip lining. I’ll follow up with a separate article on all the activities available at Miller Motorsports, but the highlight was the Mustang Boss 302 and taking it out on the track. People from all over the world come to Miller to work with the instructors to improve their driving skills over several days, and we got a very good taste of that experience.
As I was driving back to the hotel, I was stuck behind a truck on a two-lane road so I floored my Mustang Boss 302 and easily blew by it. It was a nice reminder that I didn’t need to be on a track to enjoy this car, but I still can’t wait to do it again.
Our latest cars content can be found in the Cars category in our new magazine format and in the Car Reviews tag.
As we dropped into the back stretch on lap 4, I knew this would be the moment. Strapped into a screaming yellow 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera, it was finally my turn to pass one of the other track cars and catch up to the lead pace Lambo. Following the pace car were me and three more Italian speed machines, all Lamborghinis with a total of about 1700 horsepower among them. I was in the second position among the four cars as the Lambo in front of me swung to the right, giving me a clear path to lift off. The stands to the left were a blur, not unlike a dash cam at Indy, as I paddle shifted at red line to second at 9000 rpms. Nothing can equal the wail of a Lamborghini at these engine speeds, and even with my insulated driver’s helmet and flame retardant mask, it was both deafening and intoxicating.
I mashed the petal with earnest, knowing that this car had a top speed in excess of 200 mph and I was on the longest backstretch of motor speedway in the Southeast United States. Ahead, the white Gallardo pace car taunted me to play catch-up with the other Lambo swinging aside to the right in a 135 mph blur as we hurled toward the hair pin right turn. The huge brakes produced physics-defying deceleration and I caught up (sort of) to the pace car and then rocketed again by the pits for the final lap. I now had the privilege of following the line the instructor found on the track, and I threw all here-to-known concern for life and limb and plowed into the turns. G forces in excess of 1.1 and 1.2 stunned me as we carved the S turns and sweepers past turn one. The Gallardo’s 570 horsepower V-10 goaded me on along with the state-of-the-art All Wheel Drive, ultra light carbon fiber body and Formula 1 speed paddle shifting technology. It all proved that there wasn’t anything I could do that would even mildly challenge this Lamborghini, as this beast was made for this kind of track. It’s as if it was saying: “Is that all you can do? Come on!” I knew then I was in the absolute pinnacle of sports car engineering and design, without peer world-wide. That was my welcome to Lamborghini.
I’ve driven many exotic sports cars so I was thrilled when Jose Morazan, General Manager of Lamborghini Palm Beach, invited me and Bullz-Eye.com to participate in this exclusive Track Day Event hosted by Lamborghini at Palm Beach International Raceway. The experience of driving Lamborghinis on a track far exceeded anything I’d experience in the past with exotic sports cars. In addition to the All Wheel Drive Gallardo described above, all of the guests at the event also got to drive a two-wheel drive Gallardo LP 550-2, which in some way was even more terrifying as it didn’t grip the turns like its All Wheel Drive counterpart.
One of the photographers at the event summed up the experience with a quote from one of the owners of Lamborghini Palm Beach. Erik Day once said about his experience behind the wheel of a Lamborghini on the track: “It’s the closest thing to having sex with a gun pointed at your head!” I have to agree as this summed up the fear and the ecstasy of driving this beast around these turns.
If you want to experience the pure exhilaration of driving a Lamborghini and owning one of these incredible machines, the team of professionals at Lamborghini Palm Beach can help make your dream a reality. Jose Morazan and his team are experts who can help you with new or used Lamborghinis along with all sorts of other used exotics. We were very impressed with their professionalism along with all the Lamborghini representatives that helped us at the track event.
The Lamborghini team stressed the driving experience. This was not a race or a competition, and safety was the primary concern. Yet even with all preparation and the well-designed track program, it still came down to driving these rockets on wheels around tight turns with four more Lamborghinis on the track as well. It was the experience of a lifetime.
Each driver had the opportunity to test two cars on the track, and I started with the 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2. This more traditional Lamborghini layout adheres to the classic mid-engine/Rear Wheel Drive layout that made the marquee famous, and this raging bull was made to impress with 550 brute horsepower and Lambo’s unique E- gear electronically controlled shifting.
With a thumbs up from the pit crew chief we took off. A near vertical acceleration curve was created as we rocketed out of pit row, chasing the other test track Gallardos ahead of us. The first lap was a warm-up lap to let us get to know the car and the track, though at at breakneck speeds of 80 to 110 mph!. The pack of 4 showed no sign of trepidation, so I barreled ahead, through the sweepers, round houses, and S configurations to keep pace with them. The famous Palm Beach International Speedway back stretch came soon after the S’s, which gave me the opportunity to finally up shift to second, or dare I say third!
This car handled magnificently, with predictable over steer, both in left and right cambers. Yet I knew this car wouldn’t grip the track quite like the All Wheel Drive version, and I could feel the back end sliding just enough to scare the hell out of me as we raced through the tight turns. That’s why the purists and driving pros love this traditional model, but I was just trying to keep up without spinning out, so my stress level was through the roof!
This car was especially impressive, however, on the straight-aways. On the back stretch I saw the electronically controlled rear spoiler rise up as I got over 100 mph, planting this aerodynamic wonder even firmer on the raceway. With a stunning top speed of 199 mph and a thrilling 3.9 second 0-62 mph launch time, few words describe the power and presence of a classic Gallardo.
After five exhilarating laps, we switched vehicles to test out the more stout and athletic version of the 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera. I was more comfortable with the track and this All Wheel Drive version would give me more confidence in the turns, yet that produced even more challenges as I pushed this one a little harder.
With equal part fear and lust, I shoehorned my way into the cockpit with the smell of ultra-heated brake pads lingering from its previous track run. Carbon fiber enveloped us and the lack of seat recline only reinforced the no nonsense approach to the driver/machine union Lambo engineers intended upon creation. Currently the most powerful V-10 sports car in the world and with state of the art All Wheel Drive, this car oozed performance and never failed to deliver. The lead pace car took off and we blasted out of pit row 0-80 in a tic over 4 seconds, a continuous rush all in first gear. The first of the 11 turns on this 2 mile track was a medium right sweeper, and the Gallardo laughed at me while I hung the sharp right with barely a yawn of effort . . . it’s as if it was saying, “Can’t you do better than .91 g lateral acceleration?” I immediately knew this car’s potential far out-paced my own, even in my wildest dreams. The pack started to spread out slightly, just in time for the big roundhouse right turn, leading to the wild S curves. I decided to now give up all hope of sanity and drive this car well beyond what I was truly believed was a speed that would spin us hard into the retaining wall. But this Lambo gripped the track unlike anything I’d ever experienced before.
Holding the wheel tightly to keep me from being flung to the far right hand door of the cockpit, I was amazed at the lateral 1.0 + G forces generated by this Italian wonder, all with absolute neutral steering. The All Wheel Drive geometrics redefines what you assume is physically capable in a road car, all while telegraphing minute and nuanced feedback through the steering wheel and chassis. Forgiving is not enough to describe the balance, and along with an all aluminum space-frame and carbon fiber body/chassis, this car can do no wrong. Now I had the confidence to thrash my way to the thrilling S curves, and nothing was like it! Clearing the S’s, we banked right into the Speedway back stretch, finally allowing me to paddle shift up to 135 as I described above and then within milliseconds slam on to the brakes, hauling the beast back to 25 and then hair pin right back to the pit row straight. Each lap give me increased confidence, and with that my lap times improving accordingly. Finally behind the pace car, I followed and learned his line, break points and shift timing, giving me the best lap time of the session. A seasoned professional Lamborghini test pilot, he politely didn’t waste me in his dust, although at the time it felt like break neck Indy speeds to me. Undoubtedly, this car has the best sounding v-10 engine anywhere; the wail is positively spine-tingling at 8,000 rpm redline.
With the weight savings of the Superleggera model, Lamborghini presents the driver with a 2953 pound rocket with 570 horsepower to play with, thus translating 0-60 lift-offs in a thrilling 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 202 mph! Its unique 5.2 lb/hp power-to-weight ratio and single clutch electronically managed E shift technology, Lamborghini once again offers sports car enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike an opportunity to live the automotive dream.
UPDATE: Here’s a fun video with clips from the event along with a photo montage of the cool Lambos:
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