New footage has emerged of the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 attacking the Nurburgring, and as you'll see, it has set an interesting lap time – 7:29.60 min. That is a very quick lap time, 11.67 seconds faster than the previous ZL1, and faster than a Mercedes Benz SLS AMG – proving that muscle cars are now evolving in to very capable track cars. The car in the video is equipped with the optional ten-speed automatic transmission, and just shows why more and more people are opting for modern, fast-shifting autos to get the best out of a performance car.
This week’s standout car comes in the form of the track-focused BMW M4 DTM Champion Edition, to celebrate Marco Wittmann winning the DTM driver’s title.
The M4 DTM CE comes with a water-injected, turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six engine that produces 500hp and a torque output of 600Nm. The engine sends its power exclusively through a seven-speed double-clutch transmission, allowing it to get from 0-100km/h in 3.8 seconds and maxing out at 305km/h. I’ve wanted to buy an S197 Ford Mustang for the longest time, particularly the 2005 to 2009 version. I always thought that the S197 Mustang looked good, but it wasn’t until the release of the 2008 Shelby GT500 KR that I decided I’d have to buy one. The problem with the KR is that it was – and still is – a bit pricey for me. But the great thing about Mustangs is that you can get a regular GT and pretty much turn it into the car you want it to be, thanks to an endless supply of affordable aftermarket parts that you can add over the course of time. Basically the Mustang GT’s potential for customization is one of the reasons I decided to buy one. I also got one because Mustangs have always been special cars (safe maybe for the second generation one), being truly desirable yet attainable by the masses. It has been eight months since I bought this 2005 Mustang GT but it still remains unmodified, which means it’s the perfect candidate for a review of a used stock 2005 Mustang GT.
I find myself yet again in Toronto, and this time I’ve decided not to get anything fancy and just get a cheap rental for the week. I ended up getting a 2016 Hyundai Elantra, and if there’s a list of top inconspicuous cars, the Hyundai Elantra would probably be right up there with other cheap compact sedans and hatchbacks. So why did I even bother to include it on a website called Standout Cars? Well, the truth is the Hyundai Elantra isn’t a standout car in the attention-grabbing sense. But as far as buying a cheap, value for money type of car that promises decent fuel economy, low maintenance cost, and reasonable levels of equipment, the Elantra is a strong contender.
Something became immediately apparent when I recently took a look at Lexus’s current model line-up, and that is they’re trying very hard to add some excitement to their brand. After Lexus released the fantastic LF-A supercar its image changed forever, the only problem is that the LF-A was made in limited numbers and was very expensive. But armed with a new design language and some newfound mojo, Lexus have tried to include some of that magic to some of their more affordable models, and one of them happens to include this new IS 200t Sport.
1. BMW M2Even though it’s set to be the cheapest M car in the BMW range, it wont come as any surprise if it ends up being the most popular. Continuing where the brilliant 1-Series M Coupe left off, it too comes with a turbocharged straight-six engine, although with a single twin-scroll turbocharger rather than a twin-turbo setup. It has 370hp (30hp more than the 1M), and a seven-speed double-clutch gearbox is now optional. Examples of starting prices for the M2 are CHF 69,900 in Switzerland, £44,070 in the UK, or €56,700 in Germany.
Honda has a set a new Guinness World Record for ‘Lowest fuel consumption – all 24 contiguous EU countries (all cars)’, with a Honda Civic Tourer, averaging 100.31mpg (2.81l/100km) over 8,387 miles.
The Civic Tourer used to set the record was equipped with the 1.6 i-DTEC diesel engine, which officially can achieve 74.3mpg on the combined cycle. The 100.31mpg means the record has bested the official fuel consumption claim by more than 25%. It’s hard to believe that it has already been two years since I reviewed the last Kia Sorento, but the new one is here now and is promising to be better than the car it replaces. It looks like it’s off to a good start – it definitely looks good from the front, and its new grille is aggressive-yet-subtle, something even premium-brand SUVs have a hard time pulling off. Its side profile is not bad either, with the roof sloping downwards at the rear to give a sportier look. The rear lights did leave me scratching my head though, to my eyes they strongly resemble those of the 2011-2013 Dodge Durango. It’s got less of a butch look than the previous Sorento but it’s still a well-executed design.
When station wagons first appeared they were meant to be purely practical ways of getting from one place to another. Most of the time, they were derivatives of a sedan, which meant buyers kept the same dimensions but had a lot more space to carry things around. You could also carry more people around too; back in the day you could throw your kids in the back and not get a second glance from Mr. Officer. Or if you wanted to do things correctly, you could get third row seats. This meant that they became extremely popular with families, and this is where the problem lies. Anything that’s meant to be a practical family hauler ends up being quite an unexciting car. They’re seen as personal shuttle buses for screaming, crying, pooping kids.
Having been around since 2011, the biggest problem that the Lexus CT 200h had was that it was a bit too inconspicuous. However, with black metallic paint, dark 17-inch wheels, and now carrying Lexus’s spindle grille, the CT 200h’s new look has brought it out from obscurity to decent-looking hatch. So, if the CT 200h was so obscure, what compelled people to actually buy one? To answer that you will have to look at the Toyota Prius.
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