The 2017 Acura NSX is Ugly and Confused.

The idea of a new Acura NSX was interesting for a lot of people & exciting when it was officially announced in the end of 2014. Unfortunately only the name NSX lived on, & not the car. You might be saying "what do you mean, I've seen the new NSX, even touched it!" I'm here to tell you that no, no you haven't, all you saw is a car with an NSX badge on it.

Let's first remember why we loved the old NSX. It has a timeless design, compliant mechanics & it was very fun to drive. It was an extension of your body in the way that a skateboard is, not one of these electronic "hover-boards". It was quick (not fast) & was excellent in the corners. It was a drivers car, like a Ferrari but a fraction of the cost. If you're behind one at night you could quickly identify it. It was perfect in its imperfections & that's why we loved it so much. So what happened? How did it all go so wrong?

 Whoever was in charge of maintaining some lineage, some essence of the old NSX failed miserably. I'm not asking for a slow, boxy looking 90's-mobile with pop up headlights, but give us something to remember the old gal by! You know how Porsche's look the same year over year, this is the exact opposite of that. The pointy scrunched down nose & the thin headlights look like an RDX that took flight lessons. The side scoop placement & shape has no resemblance, & the extremely distinctive rear wing and tail lights are gone. The pointy ass end looks like that of an Acura TL with Aston Martin tail lights. The interior is no different, in that it is completely different. Look at this massive dial here in the middle of everything, it must be super important right? Nope, its only use it to select one of 3 drive modes. The stick shift & the 3rd pedal are missing also. Oh no, that means....

Yes, unfortunately the new NSX is ONLY available in automatic with "manual" via paddle shifters. If you're looking for some similarities under the hood (trunk in this case) you wont find much besides the number of cylinders. The new NSX has a twin turbo V6 accompanied by 2 electric motors giving it a total of 573 hp and 476 ft-lb of torque. The worst part about this is that you, as the driver are being stripped of your control.  There is very little you can do in the driver seat that translates directly to the road. Everything from the steering wheel, gas & breaks goes through a computer which dictates how the car moves. This decrease in driver involvement is huge. You are now on a "hover-board" instead of the skateboard you've had so much fun on.

With all that being said, i don't hate the new NSX. I resent the fact that they called it an NSX instead of something different. Why call it an NSX if it isn't one? The car isn't terrible by any means, quite the opposite in fact. The looks do capture what it means to be an Acura, the technology is a great display of what is possible & it is extremely fast. It will be a good experience to drive one, just not the experience you are expecting from an NSX. It's a good day for Acura, but a sad day for the NSX.

Why Buy a Mercedes C43 AMG Over a CLA45 AMG?

The brand new Mercedes C43 AMG is slower, will use more gas, & most likely cost the same (or more) than a current CLA45. So why would you want one?

The CLA45 is really an oxymoron, like jumbo shrimp. A CLA denotes an entry level vehicle, yet AMG indicates an upper echelon speed machine. It's the best worst Mercedes ever created! Don't get me wrong, i like the CLA45 but it doesn't have the spirit of a real AMG. While it is AWD it has a FWD bias with up to a 50/50 split, it feels like a Subaru STI or a Mitsubishi Evolution on the track. It suffers from under-steer on power & doesn't have a real wild side. Enough about the CLA45, you're here to read about the the new 2017 C43 AMG, so here's whats up...

Under the hood of the C43 AMG you'll find a 3.0L Biturbo V6 engine cranking out 362hp & 384 ft-lbs of torque. That power will propel you from 0-60 in 4.6 seconds (only 0.1 second faster then a $35k Ford Focus RS). Unlike the CLA45, the C43 will have a rear bias AWD system with a power distribution of up to 31/69. We estimate the cost to be near $51k, and more importantly we think it will be way more fun to drive than the CLA45.

So how would a slower car be more fun to drive? The C43 AMG will have a 9 speed automatic transmission with paddle sifters & 5 different driving modes. We're hoping for the C43 to be a little bit more of an animal, especially in certain drive modes. With the RWD bias you may be able to break free and drift the corners a bit rather then break free & under-steer right into a pole. While technically both over-steer & under-steer are bad, i think most people would prefer the earlier. While we can compare the CLA45 AMG to a Subaru or a Mitsubishi, i find myself wanted to compare the C43 only to its bigger brother the 469 HP C63 AMG & that's a good thing. As far an an AMG goes, the C43 is affordable, classy and we think it will be a really fun ride.

The 2017 Alpine Vision Has 100% More headlights.

Renault must think the best way to sell a car is to give it 4 headlights & talk about heritage for the majority of its press release. After reading the whole thing i didn't know much more about the 2017 Alpine Vision, & i felt like they didn't know a whole lot about it either. I was intrigued by the style at first, but now i can't shake the feeling that a 2005 Toyota MR2 & a Porsche are celebrating Halloween in a 2 person car costume.

 Here's the little bit we do know:

• 4 Cylinder Turbo Engine
• Mid Engine
• 0-62 in 4.5sec 
• It will have paddle shifters
• It will have the wrong transmission. (sources say it will only come with a seven speed dual clutch automatic, no manual option available). 
• It includes some dude with a beard & leather jacket who drives with one hand.

 What else do we know? The chassis will have a "playful personality" & that the breaks are "powerful". I've never lost excitement so quick in my life.

What we want to know:

• HP and torque
• Weight
• Price
• literally everything else

With all that being said, i do like the idea of the Alpine vision. As a whole, its appearance is not something you see often by any means. While i make fun of the twin headlights, i think it's a nice touch. If the interior turns out anything like the pictures i think it will be a pleasure to drive. It has a real sense of modernism and technology while still retaining simplicity. It wants to have 100 knobs and dials like a race car, but does not because it chose not to. We'll stay tuned, maybe more information on the Alpine Vision will make its way out before we completely lose interest in it.

Derivable Jewelry - The 2016 Pagani Huayra BC

Using the term Hypercar is not something i take lightly, it's almost like giving a restaurant 5/5 stars or getting 100% on a test. Perfection of this level is not something that many cars have obtained, especially by car companies as young as Pagani. The Pagani Huayra BC is most certainly a hypercar, but why? What really makes it one of the most amazing vehicles today?

You want the short answer? The car is violently fast, incredibly good looking and meticulously engineered. It has the precision of a Rolex & the power of a rocket ship. What's more, is that Pagani is an infant compared to Lamborghini, Ferrari, & others. The vision was simple; less weight and more power. But Pagani didn't do this on its own. The Huayra BC is powered by a Mercedes AMG 6.0L twin-turbo V12 which has been re-worked to put out an estimated 750+ HP and should have a top speed of over 230mph (exact numbers have not been released yet). The 7 speed AMT (automatic manual transmission) was developed & manufactured by Xtrac.

The old model rocketed from 0-60 in about 3.2 seconds so we may assume the BC is a bit faster. Also, the weight dropped about 282 lbs from the old Huayra down to a mere 2,685 lbs. That's about the same weight as a Lotus Evora GT4. Pagani was so obsessed with weight reduction they even decided to go with a single plate clutch rather then a much newer (and heavier) double plate clutch. Even with the single plate clutch shift times have been cut in half from 150 milliseconds to 75 thanks to stuff like carbon fiber synchros & redesigned internals. It's one of only two cars that has a chassis made from Carbo-titanium (Carbon FIber and Titanium). The other being the first version of the Huayra.

Going around a corner in the Huayra BC could almost rip your face off; Pagani estimates the lateral acceleration will have peeks of 2G! All this thanks to specialized Pirelli tires, a double wishbone suspension (front and rear), electronic stability control & an electronic active differential. Slowing your speed-crazed ass down from 230+ mph will be the job of the Brembo CCM (carbon-ceramic) braking system. The car certainly has a wild side but selective drive modes make it more manageable if you're just going out for a cruise. You'll have Comfort, Sport, and Track mode to choose from.

The interior still has a bit of Victorian feel, but in the red and black color scheme it seemed much more modernized then the brown & chrome we're used to in the old one. You won't find any plastic, and if it is like the last one, every single nut and bolt will be constructed from titanium. Besides the roof, everything has been completely redesigned and does not have 1 body panel that is the same as the Huayra Coupé.

The bad news? You can't buy one, not just because the price tag is roughly 2.6 Million, but because all 20 that will be produced have been sold already. The BC at the end stands for Benny Caiola who was Horacio Pagani’s very first customer!

Your New Golf Club Transportation - 2017 Bentley Flying Spur V8 S

AARP Card, Bentley, Cialis, Oh my! Ok so the 2017 Bentley Flying Spur V8 S may not be our favorite car, but there's tons of people who are going to buy it, so why not take a look?

The Flying Spur V8 S is a fart-y looking car, but that's Bently's style, and we're OK with that. It's got 528HP, 502 lb.ft of torque & will be as heavy as your mother-in-law after thanksgiving (exact weight has not been release yet). There has been no price announced, however we guesstimate it at around $210K. With a 0-60 time of 4.6 seconds (the same as a WRX STI), this isn't any sort of speed demon. When released, the car with take its place between the Flying Spur V8 and family flagship W12.

Bentley may be holding back, but we haven't see anything wildly interesting or innovative in the press release. There were no pictures of the interior, no info on the price, curb weight and much more. If you're an old dude with a lot of cash, you may want to read the specs below for more info.

Other information:

• 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine
• AWD system with a 40:60 rear bias
• Electronic Stability Control
• Optional carbon ceramic brakes are available
• Available with a WiFi hotspot for connectivity while traveling.
• Global debut at the Geneva Motor Show between 1 and 13 March 2016.
• New responsive suspension tuning for the Flying Spur V8 S improves handling and body control
• The aluminum double-wishbone front and trapezoidal multi-link rear self-levelling air suspension with continuous damping control ensure that the Flying Spur’s legendary refinement is maintained.
• Careful recalibration of the Continuous Damping Control (CDC) system helps improve handling performance
• Variable displacement, in which four of the eight cylinders shut down when cruising,
• In ‘S’ mode, drivers will find a sharper-still throttle response and additional engine braking from the transmission. Eighth gear is locked out when ‘S’ mode is engaged and the knurled paddle shifters are harmonized with the car’s new, sportier side.

2017 Jaguar F-Type SVR - A 200 MPH Daily Driver?

Well, that's what Jaguar wants you to think, calling the 2017 F-Type SVR a "200mph, all-weather supercar." I can see it now, desperately trying to convince your wife that your $130K Jag is a better choice than your Jeep or Range rover in a snow storm. The saying "A jack of all trades & a master of none" first came to mind, when reading Jaguars press release. I mean you can't top out at 200MPH & also be able to enjoy a comfortable ride in most other driving conditions, can you?

The short answer is yes, yes you can. In case you haven't noticed  technology has come a long way, & the brains of this car allow it to wear two different hats. The 583HP 5.0L Supercharged V8 assisted by the 8 Speed Quickshift transmission is what rockets the F-Type SVR from 0-60mph in just 3.5 seconds. We know that there are more powerful cars that go slower & less powerful cars that go faster. Besides the power-weight ratio, the speed is mainly due to how efficiently the vehicle transfers the power to the payment (or snow). You'll have a double wishbone suspension, Adaptive Dynamics, Torque Vectoring, & Dynamic Stability control. These systems will read the road, as well as you constantly making adjustments for a better ride. Yes the car can read you, but this isn't a good reason to stop seeing your therapist or start talking to it when no ones looking.

Remember, speed doesn't kill you, suddenly becoming stationary does, so proper braking should be a part of the F-Type SVR, and it is. The Six & Four piston break calipers coupled with a Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brake system will help you to slow down enough to avoid that telephone pole your headed towards because you were staring at that blonde for a bit too long.

I've always admired the jaguars styling and the F-Type SVR is no exception. It looks like someone took a fighter jet and dialed the angular, aggressive cues down from a 10 to a 6. It looks like it's holding something back, exhibiting a bit of self control if you will.  The 2017 F Type SVR debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show and will be on sale in the USA for about $130K.

The first M branded 7 series - 2017 BMW M760LI

After constructing a well thought out, comprehensive article on the BMW M760LI i decided to backspace the whole thing. Make no mistake about it, the news that BMW has released its first ever M branded 7 series is significant. I nixed the article because i kept getting a feeling of deja vu, to me the M760LI looked like a CTRL+C, CTRL-V of the B7 Alpena i wrote about just days ago. I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who can sit down and pick apart the differences, and by all means please feel free in the comments, but I'm not going to. I'll leave you with some pictures, stats and we can move on to some more interesting things.

• 6.6L 12 Cylinder Twin Turbo. 
• Rear Bias AWD (X Drive). 
• 600HP & 590 LB-FT torque. 
• 0-62 in 3.9s
• 8 Speed Steptronic transmission. 
• Executive Drive Pro suspension system
• Rear Wheel Steering. 
• The Driving Assistant Plus 
• Steering & lane control assistant,
•  Lane keeping assistant with active side collision protection, 
• Rear collision prevention and 
• Crossing traffic warning functions.

• Traffic jam assistant – which involves semi-automated driving.