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The Ultimate Update for Your Audi A4
Today Audi released its newest upgrade for their A4, the ability to make it self driving! We are on the cusp of the next generation of semi-autonomous driving technology becoming affordable. Adaptive cruise control is already trickling down to the mass market, and the more sophisticated systems found on vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class are clearly coming, as well. If you’re a little adventurous, live in California and drive an Audi, you might be able to upgrade to the next stage of driverless tech even sooner. A San Francisco start-up called Cruise Automation is launching an aftermarket autopilot system called the RP1 for US$10,000, with deliveries starting in 2015.
The RP1 is designed for 2012 and newer Audi A4 and S4 models. Although, Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt told Autoblog Canada in an email: “There’s no reason we can’t expand to other cars, and we will.” The system includes a sensor pod on the roof containing cameras, radar and other sensors to scan the road ahead. It then sends data to a small computer mounted on the side of the trunk. The desired inputs are then made by actuators for the steering, brakes and throttle to control the car. A button in the cabin activates the autopilot and controls the desired speed. Not completely unlike Audi’s own, developmental, semiautonomous system.
At this point, the RP1 is somewhere between an adaptive cruise control system and an autonomous vehicle. It can control all of the cars inputs and even bring it down to a complete stop and then accelerate again. However, it only works on select highways in California. “We use geofencing to limit the areas of operation to segments of highway in which we’ve collected enough data to ensure our customers’ safety,” said Vogt to Autoblog Canada.
The idea of upgrading your car into a semi-autonomous vehicle is certainly novel. Although it’s pricy at the moment; the first 50 preorders start at US$10,000 each, which includes installation. Click here to watch a brief video of how the RP1 works and read the company’s official announcement. Although this technology is expensive at the moment, just like all new technology the price will drop as more and more auto makers begin to sell this type of technology.
The 2014 Gumball 3000, Kicked Off Today
The 2014 Gumball 3000 kicked off today with drivers racing from Miami to Ibiza. This year had some stars attending including DeadMau5 and several others.
If you are unfamiliar with the Gumball 3000, it is an annual international road rally full of mayhem, exotic cars and car enthusiasts racing/partying for 3,000-miles (4,800 kms) along public roads with a different driving route around the world each year.
Kicking off in the sunny streets of Miami, this year’s Gumball 3000 participants have a long road ahead (see official 2014 Gumball 3000 map) as they’ll even have to pack their cars up into cargo containers in NYC and ship them over to Europe, as they race towards the finish line in Ibiza, Spain.
Most of the cars entered into the Gumball 3000 are rare and exotic like this McClaren P1 or Ferrari F40, but then you also get a few strange but cool oddities like the Batmobile Tumbler and Toronto’s own Deadmau5 behind the wheel of his “cat-powered” Purrari 458 Italia.
When it comes to picking pole position on the grid, it’s uniquely decided by the teams who’ve received the most charitable donations. The race so far has raised around US$167,000 for charity! Not a big surprise considering some of the the drivers include world famous celebrities and high rolling millionaires. On top of that the drivers in this race come from as far as Dubai to compete in it, although we did spot a couple New York, California and even Ontario, Canada tags as well!
Although some still think this an underground race where driver’s dog fight the whole length of the race, the answer is no, no it isn’t. The Gumball 3000 is much more than that. The Gumball 3000 is the ultimate road trip, jam packed with wild parties and good times in every city it passes through. This race is about having fun and showing off amazing cars!
click here to read the full article and to see pictures from the event.
What Models to Pay Attention to at the New York Auto Show
With the majority of the big auto shows out of the way, all eyes are on big apple to showcase the top cars of 2014. It is not the industry’s biggest or most important show, but it is perhaps the best-timed one. Next year’s gleaming new machines roll into Manhattan just as spring is blooming and buyers get ready for a summer spending spree.
2015 Ford Focus: Updating a top-seller is always a risky endeavor. A company that changes too much risks alienating its biggest fans, while not updating enough may cost some sales momentum. The Focus, meanwhile, is the bestselling car in the world, so the stakes could not be higher as Ford (F) rolls out its next iteration. What to look for: a very unusual engine. The new Focus is expected to have a six-speed stick shift—remember those?—and three cylinders that shut off entirely at stop lights.
2015 Dodge Charger: Most carmakers aren’t all that interested in making big, rear-wheel-drive sedans—unless they carry a luxury brand and command a lot of euros. That’s a major advantage for Chrysler Fiat as it looks to relaunch its Dodge Charger. It will have to be impressive, however, to catch the highly praised Impala that Chevrolet launched last year. What to look for: a design statement that will signal whether Dodge is angling for plush or performance.
These are only two of the cars that you should pay attention to at this year New York Auto Show. There will be plenty more and we cannot wait to find what this years show has to offer.
To read the full article go to: www.businessweek.com
The Ferrari Brand Gets Its Own Theme Park: Ferrari Land
Brand-loyalists and Ferrari enthusiasts will soon have a new place to visit.
Here’s one theme park where you can pretty much be sure there will be a car ride: Ferrari Land.
Ferrari is signed an agreement to build Ferrari Land at the PortAventura resort outside Barcelona.
When it opens in 2016, the park is expected to host 4 million visitors a year, half of them from outside Spain.
The park celebrates one of the world’s best-known performance car brands. Like the cars, the park will put a premium on speed. Ferrari says it will have one of Europe’s highest and fastest rides. A Ferrari-themed hotel will also be built.
Google makes auto industry allies to pave way for self-driving cars
It wasn’t long ago that the concept of a self-driving car seemed like something out of a science fiction film. Well, with the allies Google is making in the automotive industry, you may see self-driving cars on the streets in the not so distant future.
The Open Automotive Alliance that Google Inc. launched on Monday with a group of car companies will establish the Android operating system as a platform for apps in the connected car. The long-term significance of the deal, however, may be as a milestone in Google’s effort to build a working relationship with car makers, a critical step toward bringing its self-driving car technology to market during the next few years.
Google has been road-testing a fleet of more than 20 self-driving Audi’s for the past few years, and has said the technology will be ready for the commercial market by 2017. However, the company has yet to elaborate on its business plan for products based on the technology, let alone strike a deal with a car manufacturer or supplier willing to incorporate the software into its systems. There were reports last summer that Google would strike a deal with German parts maker Continental AG and with International Business Machines Corp., but no announcement involving Google was made. There even was speculation that Google might hire a contract manufacturer to build a car.
2015 BMW M4 Coupe Looks Great
This is definitely a buy for those wanting the combo of comfort and performance! If you saw our earlier post about the hot new BMW M3 Sedan and were about to call blasphemy for no coupe version, just settle down, silly. Remember: BMW now badges its two-door 3 Series models with the number four, and thus, meet the 2015 M4 Coupe. Looks hot, right?
So yeah, it’s pretty much just the M3 with two less doors, but that doesn’t make it any less important – or potent. Power comes from a turbocharged, 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder engine, sending 425 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels via either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. You know, the usual.
Kia GT4 Stinger is Awesome
This sporty little number looks amazing! After a trio of teasers, Kia has finally unveiled its GT4 Stinger Concept at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show. Let’s get one thing out of the way right off the bat: Kia says in its press release that “there are currently no plans to bring the concept to production.” Of course, that’s a qualified statement: the automaker then follows that up by noting it “has a history of delivering production vehicles that bear a strong resemblance to the concept that preceded them.” So cross your fingers, kids – this looks like it could be a preview of the company’s first real sports car.
Through those three teasers, we’ve learned and seen more of the GT4 Stinger, and we largely like what we see. It’s a 2+2, rear-drive coupe with a detuned version of the 2.0-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder used in the Kia Optima GTS racer from the Pirelli World Challenge. The concept’s engine is said to be good for a healthy 315 horsepower, though the race-tuned Optima GTS can deliver upwards of 400. A six-speed manual handles the power, while staggered Pirelli PZero tires provide the grip. Those Pirellis wrap around a set of 20-inch wheels, complete with showcar-friendly centre locks, while 15-inch Brembo brakes and four-piston calipers mean the Stinger should be able to stop with as much authority as it will go. What the teasers haven’t been able to put into perspective, though, is GT4 Stinger’s size.
Read the full posting here.
Super Cool VW Beetle Dune Concept Car
I want this to become a reality, it is just too cool! We like the new (but not New) Volkswagen Beetle quite a lot. But while the stylish Bug is plenty of fun on paved roads, it lacks a certain set of skills possessed by some of its ancestors, namely the ability to put a smile on a driver’s face on sand, dirt or other bits of rough terrain.
Enter the VW Beetle Dune Concept, a car we showed you preview sketches of last week. The Dune Concept is, as Volkswagen says in its press release below, a “Baja Bug for the 21st century.” Using the Beetle R-Line and its 210-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder and six-speed dual-clutch transmission as its base, the Dune sports an extra two inches (50 mm) of ground clearance, while also being wider, 0.8 inches (20 mm) taller and half-an-inch (13 mm) longer than the production model.
2015 Nissan GT-R Nismo Leaked Pics
An amazing looking car! Embargoes break all the time, so we have to be on our feet all the time, especially during auto show season when everything’s flying around at supersonic speeds. The latest car in question is the 2015 Nissan GT-R Nismo, a car that will reportedly come packing just under 600 horsepower and have a Nurburgring Nordschleife track time of just seven minutes and eight seconds. That puts it into some seriously fast company, like million-dollar car territory, if it is to be believed. None of that has yet to be confirmed by Nissan.
Much of that alleged time will be attributable to Dunlop Sport Maxx GT tires, which are bubble-gum sticky. The car will allegedly also have a sports package aimed at lowering its weight by 143 pounds via a higher use of carbon fiber composites. No other numbers have been released, but we’ll provide you with official stats as soon as we get them.
2014 300S Gets a New Look and Cool Beats
Very sweet new look and I bet the sound is awesome! The 2014 Chrysler 300S has been revamped, adding “blacked out” design elements to the exterior, a new Ambassador Blue sport interior, and Exclusive Beats by Dr. Dre audio. Chrysler says the 2014 300S is the flagship of the “Imported from Detroit” style.
Powered by a 300 horsepower Pentastar V-6 engine paired to an eight-speed ZF-sourced automatic transmission, the Chrysler 300S also boasts best in class highway fuel economy at 31 mpg, as well as best in class AWD fuel economy with 18 mpg city and 27 mpg highway. A more powerful 370 hp 5.7-liter Hemi engine is also available for those looking for a little more oomph.
As part of the monochrome “blacked out” style, the 2014 Chrysler 300S sports a Black Chrome grille up front, darkened taillights, and available new 20-inch wheels (19-inch wheels come standard on all-wheel drive models). Chrysler has also tuned 300S for a stiffer, sportier ride, and upgraded the brakes for greater stopping power.
Inside you’ll find Chrysler’s 8.4-inch media screen that we’ve taken a liking too, 12-way power driver and passenger sport seats, and piano black styling featured throughout. French seam silver stitching complements the Nappa Leather Ambassador Blue (or black) interior.
Source: Chrysler and http://blogs.automotive.com