2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo Review

Veloster Turbo adds performance, lacks passion

                                
                                                          If there is a single complaint to be made about the Hyundai Veloster, it’s that it simply doesn’t have enough power. The solution, it seems, would be to strap a turbocharger to the small 4-cylinder and increase engine output by roughly 50 percent. With Hyundai having done just that in the all-new 2013 Veloster Turbo, it’s now apparent that that’s not all it needs.


There’s nothing inherently wrong with the Veloster Turbo. In fact, it’s quite impressive – or at least it is with a stick shift.  The issue is that it’s a calculated take on building an enthusiasts car.

2013 Scion FR-S

                                                       Scion's emphasis when they designed the FR-S was affordability and handling performance. The car's rear-wheel drive orientation and compact, light-weight platform makes the car very fun to drive, while the engine is a torquey yet efficient. The FR-S's base price starts under

2013 Chevrolet Camaro

                                                        The 2013 Chevrolet Camaro comes in a wide range of models designed to cover uses ranging from stylish open-air cruising to track-ready high-performance driving. The 2013 Camaro is available in Coupe or

2013 Subaru Legacy Review

An obvious choice, but only if you need AWD

Subaru is a brand that caters to lovers, lovers of Birkenstocks and bran muffins that is. In a lot of ways the company’s vehicles are as quirky as its certified-organic customers.

                                                                The Japanese automaker spurns convention by utilizing boxer engines and pushing full-time all-wheel drive. The Legacy is its entry into the fiercely competitive midsize-sedan segment, but does this whole-grain family car have the starch to compete with market heavyweights?

2013 Arrinera Supercar

Arrinera is a British-Polish supercar, which in terms of driving parameters, quality of workmanship and performance can compete with other cars

2013 Ferrari California

                                     “Bellissima,” said an approaching road cyclist during a break in our drive of the updated 2013 Ferrari California through the hills outside of Maranello, Italy. The friendly Italian came to stop next to the car, beaming while asking questions. Admittedly, our Italian is rusty (OK, nonexistent), causing us to only grin and nod in agreement. After realizing that we had no idea what he was saying, we shook hands, and he continued his uphill climb.

2013 Ford Mustang V-6 Premium

                             Without question, the Shelby GT500 and its claimed 200-mph top speed headline the 2013 Ford Mustang range. But all models received design and packaging updates that make them about as advanced as they’re going to get before a new, more sophisticated pony car arrives for 2015.

Much farther down the hierarchy than the Shelby is this V-6 Premium model—ours was slathered in new-for-2013 Gotta Have It Green metallic. The V-6 car has a more modern look this year yet still embraces the bold, retro-themed goodness that we’ve come to expect from the current car—we’ve already driven a 2013 GT convertible, and you can read our test of a mechanically similar 2011 V-6 coupe here.

Porsche GT3 RS

                                        A truly new Porsche 911 is a rare event, and the 991 has predictably been reviewed and tested by just about every auto journalist. Having dutifully read numerous conclusions, I was left with a slightly apprehensive feeling. Did the car provide an intense enough driving experience? How about that electric steering?

BMW i8 Review

                           The BMW i8 represents one of the most eagerly anticipated sports cars from the marque for 2013. As part of the BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics Concept, the i8 joins the i3 as part of a new range of hybrid vehicles that show BMW’s commitment to future efficiency and low fuel consumption across their ranges. The four seater i8 sports car offers both efficiency and luxury, as well as great performance that adapts many of the best features of the BMW M type to a hybrid plug in model. While somewhat pricy at somewhere over 100,000 Euros, drivers will get the best of  the BMW range, as well as the long term durability of a hybrid.

2013 Mini John Cooper Works GP

click to zoom

                                                   There are two fairly well-defined sides to the Mini Cooper argument. Either you think the Oxford, England-built subcompact is a cutesy girl's car with the drive wheels at the wrong end, or you don't. Those who do probably still won't like the Mini John Cooper Works GP edition, despite its huge roof spoiler, raucous exhaust note, and flashy graphics package. Those who don't will want to keep reading, because the newest Cooper is seriously good fun in addition to being the fastest Mini yet produced.   Like the last-generation GP edition Cooper introduced late in the product cycle in 2006, the 2013 version is a focused product with a nod towards track-day types.

2013 Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4

                                       

                                      With things like fuel economy and emissions taking the front seat in a buyer’s mind, most auto manufacturers are looking for ways to increase mpg. Lamborghini has been one of the stragglers in this revolution, but now it appears as if the supercar builder is ready to concede to the fact that fuel economy and emissions matter, even in supercars, with the announcement that it’ll include stop-start technology and cylinder deactivation in the 2013 Aventador LP 700-4.

For 2013, the Aventador will receive some mild updates, but Lambo is being very careful not to completely overhaul its popular flagship supercar. With the 2013 model year approaching fast, Lamborghini has chosen to release just a little bit of information regarding the 2013 Aventador. The vast majority of the information now is on the new fuel- and emission-reduction changes, but there are a few other changes of note.

We’ll continue to monitor the production of the 2013 Aventador and update this review as information hits the wire.

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Review

                                                  Its 252-mph top speed makes it the fastest production car in the world. With 1,001 horsepower pumping from its W16 engine, it's also the world's most powerful production car. And with a price tag of about $1.5 million, it's the world's most expensive new car. For the Bugatti Veyron 16.4, everything is a superlative.

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster

• 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster

• On sale: Now
• Base price, estimated: $198,000
• Engine:
• 6.2-liter DOHC V-8
• Horsepower: 571 @ 6800 rpm
• Torque: 480 lb-ft @ 4750 rpm
• Drive:
• Rear-wheel
• Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic
• Measurements:
• Wheelbase: 105.5 in
• Track, front/rear: 66.2/65.1 in
• Length x width x height: 182.6 x 76.3 x 49.6 in
• Turning circle: 39 ft
• Cargo capacity: 6.1 cu ft
• Curb weight: 3660 lb
• Wheels/Tires:
• 265/35ZR-19 front, 295/30ZR-20 rear
• Performance (per manufacturer):
• 0-62 mph, 3.2 sec
• Top speed, 197 mph
• Competitors:
• Aston Martin Virage Volante
• Bentley Continental GTC Ferrari 458 Italia Spider

                                             The evening before Mercedes-Benz's public relations department flew us from Frankfurt, Germany -- where

2012 Audi R8

The Audi R8 is an all-wheel-drive, mid-engined sports car that shares a platform and other mechanical components with the Lamborghini Gallardo supercar. Despite its high performance capabilities, the R8's user-friendly nature and comfortable actually make it suitable as a daily driver. First introduced in 2008, the R8 now features Spyder (convertible) and V10 variants.

The heart of the R8 is a high-revving 4.2-liter engine that delivers 430 horsepower at 7,900 rpm. Peak torque is 316 lb-ft from 4, 500 to 6,000 rpm, with no less than 90 per cent of this output maintained from 3,500 all the way to 7,600 rpm. The claimed zero-to-62 mph time is 4.6 seconds, though that number is likely conservative.

2013 BMW M6 Coupe

                               BMW has officially unveiled the third generation M6, in both coupe and convertible versions. The M6 badge was first used back in 1987 and since then, the model has evolved into a powerful, athletic, focused, luxurious and efficient sports car. On the US market, the M6 Coupe was the last to arrive and went on sale in the late Summer of 2012 as a 2013 model.

As many rumors suggested, the new M6 has dropped its V10 engine in favor of a new 4.4-liter V8 equipped with M TwinPower Turbo Technology. Despite its lower capacity, the new V8 develops a total of 560 HP (an increase of 5 HP over the previous model) and a peak torque of 500 lb-ft. The engine is mated to a newly developed 7-speed double-clutch transmission designed to handle the high torque and high revving nature of the engine.

The new M6 Coupe will be immediately recognized as an elegant and sporty 6-Series, but it gets the usual M styling design cues that make it look sportier and more powerful. These elements include wider air intakes, stunningly contoured headlight units, the newly designed M kidney grille, which bears an "M6" badge, and powerful 19-inch M light-alloy wheels.

UPDATE 11/20/2012: BMW USA has transformed the M6 into the most interesting project: an M print. Using very interesting technology and Matt Mullins, Chief Driving Instructor of the BMW Performance Driving School, behind the wheel, the M6 was used to create unique autographs for M fans nationwide. Check out the the video after the jump!

Hit the jump to read more on the BMW M6 Coupe.