Lotus Evora 400 U.S. bound 2016

British sports car maker Lotus has taken the wraps off the next generation mid-engine Evora 2+2  and announced that following the European launch this summer, will hit the North American market in the fall as a 2016 model.  Called the Lotus Evora 400, it is the fastest production Lotus ever, according to the company. The 400 refers to the engine output, which sees the previous Evora S 3.5-liter V-6 fitted with a new supercharger that boosts it from 345 to 400 horsepower. Torque has been increased from 295 to 302 lb-ft with maximum torque available from 3,500 to 6,500 rpm

With a top speed of 186 mph, the Evora 400 takes just 4.1 seconds to accelerate from 0-60 mph and has beat the previous production car lap time set by the Evora S on the company's test track at Hethel, England, by 6 seconds. In addition to the engine upgrades, the 2016 Lotus Evora 400 features a new aluminum chassis, updated interior and lightweight composite body panels that give the car a new look

Faster and lighter

In addition to being faster than the model it replaces, it's lighter with the new design shaving 45 pounds from the previous model even though content has been increased. "We have always said that to make a car better, you must make it faster and lighter," said Jean-Marc Gales, CEO for Group Lotus. We have achieved this, of course, but we didn't stop there, as considerable number of changes in the interior, chassis, engine and body design have warranted emphatically the title of a new Lotus Evora

The new Evora 400 features new styling that includes a bolder face with larger cooling inlets and LED daytime running lights. At the rear, the Evora benefits from a new bumper, lightweight composite rear diffuser and a three-element wing. The car has a more aggressive stance and appears lower, wider and more planted on the road. Overall length has increased 1.4 inches and yet a shorter front overhang reduces the approach angle from 11.5 to 10 degrees

Cabin improvements

Among the upgrades to the interior, first and foremost, Lotus had made the Evora easier to get in and out of, thanks to narrower and lower sills as well as thinner inside door panels. All new sport seats are lighter, more aggressively bolstered and supportive. The new bonded aluminum chassis not only has thinner sills without sacrificing stiffness, but also allows for a slightly larger rear seating area that's 11 inches wider. The Evora 400 has three new trim levels including upgrades to full Alcantara or Scottish leather, each package featuring specific detailing

In addition to an all-new dash layout, revised instrument cluster and a lightweight forged aluminum sport steering wheel, the Evora 400 benefits from an all-new climate control system that provides greater airflow and more operator control. Other changes include the incorporation of a stop/start button and the introduction of a new high-end sound system. Lotus, which produces about 45 cars per week, will ramp production up to 70 per week to accommodate the demand for the Evora 400. Pricing will be announced closer to its launch date

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MCLAREN P1

MCLAREN P1

When people think of electric cars, they don’t often think of speed — they usually think of them in terms of envirnoment, as of nice, silent, decent looking cars that are good enough, but not too impressive when it comes to power.  Therefore, McLaren P1 comes as a surprise. With a 903 horsepower engine, P1 is a powerful hybrid with a top speed of 217 miles per hour; if  you remove the inhibitor, it can reach speeds even higher than that. It hits 62 miles per hour in just 2.8 seconds, and 186 miles per hour in 16.5 seconds, which makes it faster than McLaren F1.

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MCLAREN F1

MCLAREN F1

Once the crowned king of the road, the McLaren F1 was designed to be the ultimate road car, and in many respects it was. The McLaren F1 was produced from 1992 to 1998, a total of 106 cars were manufactured. In the 90’s the F1 was coveted by everyone who knew about it, and it adorned many walls in poster form. The top speed of the F1 was 243 mph, faster than many supercars that were built after it. The engine produced 627 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque, with the engine’s redline set at 7500 rpm. The McLaren F1 was the first car to use a complete carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) chassis structure. Aluminium and magnesium were used for attachment points for the suspension, injected directly into the CFRP. To this day this vehicle remains one of the coolest cars ever built.

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JAGUAR F-TYPE R

JAGUAR F-TYPE R

Price: $99,000

For more than two decades, owning a Jaguar has been synonymous with exotic cars. The company’s latest offering is the F-Type R sports car that features a supercharged, 5.0 liter, V8 engine rated at 550 horsepower with quicker acceleration than found in past models produced by the company. Starting in 2015, the F-Type R also comes in an all-wheel drive version for car enthusiasts who demand greater control of the vehicle and also includes faster acceleration. The F-Type R can go from zero to 60 in 4.0 seconds and gets respectable gas mileage for an exotic car at 16 MPG city and 23 MPG highway. Jaguar carries its standard four year or 50,000 mile basic and powertrain warranties on the auto which just looks cool to drive.

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MACH 1 COBRA JET

1969 MACH 1 COBRA JET

0-60 MPH time: 5.5 seconds

Despite being produced in 1969, the Mach 1 Cobra Jet remains one of the fastest Mustangs of all time. The car can go from zero to 60 MPH in just 5.5 seconds, and is powered by a 428 cubic-inch engine that is 7.0 liter in size and rated at 440 lb-ft of torque and 335 horsepower. The Mach 1 is also capable of running the quarter-mile in just 13.9 seconds with a top speed of 103 MPH. The top overall speed of the car is 121 MPH which is faster than the equivalent model of the Trans Am that was popular for road racing at the time. The car can break from 80 MPH in just 256 feet (not bad for cars built in the late 1960s), and it has a slightly larger wheelbase than newer Mustangs at 108 inches in width.

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TVR TUSCAN SPEED SIX

TVR TUSCAN SPEED SIX

Top Speed: 190 mph
Zero to Sixty: 3.68 seconds

British auto maker TVR takes a long time to produce new models, crafting them one at a time, even sculpting the chassis by hand. The end result being some of the fastest, stylish, and most incredible vehicles. The TVR Tuscan Speed Six is a prime example. Built with both luxury and speed in mind, the Tuscan Speed Six has the look of a luxury roadster, and the power of a supercar. With a 3.6 liter inline six-cylinder engine, cranking out 360 horsepower with 290 lb-ft of torque, the Tuscan Speed Six races to sixty mph in 3.68 seconds and hits 100 mph in a staggering 8.08 seconds; that’s faster than most cars get to 60 mph.

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FORD MUSTANG SSP

FORD MUSTANG SSP

The Ford Mustang SSP (Special Service Package), or Mustang LX Highway Patrol Car, was produced for American law enforcement agencies between 1982 and 1993. The primary purpose of the adapted sports car was to deliver a faster option for law enforcement as compared to the heavier sedans being offered by auto manufacturers to police agencies at the time. Although the vehicle has not been produced in more than a decade, it remains in use in many locations throughout the United States. Featuring Ford’s 5.0 V8 engine, the automobile was sold in both a coupe and hatchback edition and had the option for either a four speed automatic or five speed manual transmission. As the legacy Mustangs age, their role in active law enforcement has been transitioning for use as DARE cars, display automobiles, and specialized training autos.

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Dodge Charger: Retro Muscle in a Sleeker Package 2015

The Charger has been the full-size bread-and-butter sedan at Dodge since its revival for the 2006 model year, and the division expects this extensively freshened version to maintain sales momentum when it reaches showrooms next fall

All New Skin

Aside from new aluminum axles and axle housings, the chassis carries over from the current Charger. But the skin is almost all new-grille, headlights, hood, fenders, and rear fascia. The roof and rear doors are the only exterior panels that survive, though the base of the rearmost roof pillar has been pulled aft, giving the rear window a faster slope and visually reducing the rear overhang

The goal of the design team was to imbue the new Charger with a sleek skin that would make this big sedan look smaller and lighter, even though the 2015 dimensions are almost exactly the same as those of the current car. A concurrent objective was to preserve the Charger's four-door muscle car persona

It's fair to say the styling effort was successful. Unveiled at the New York International Auto Show, the new Charger sustains the powerful presence of the current car. Dodge cites the 1969 Charger as the inspiration for the 2015 redesign, from the heyday of the muscle car era even though those '69 models were coupes

New Wheels, Hemi Power

Other new exterior details include projector beam headlamps, LED fog lamps, a three-piece rear spoiler (standard on R/T models), center high-mounted stop lamp, and Dodge's "racetrack" LED taillight array. The wheels are also new for all four trim levels, with six different 20-inch styles, including a forged aluminum set, 20 x 9 inches

The car's muscular persona is backed by Chrysler's 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 with 370 horsepower and 395 pound-feet of torque-in R/T and R/T Road and Track models. The base engine continues to be the 3.6-liter V-6 (292 hp, 260 lb-ft), with 300 hp and 264 lb-ft available in SXT models with the Rallye Appearance Group option package. Both the Hemi and the V-6 are paired with Chrysler's 8-speed TorqueFlite automatic, new with the Charger's Hemi V-8 and the only transmission offered

With the V-6, the Charger is EPA-rated for 31 mpg on the highway, best in class, according to Dodge. All-wheel drive continues to be available, and features a new active transfer case that automatically disconnects the front axle when it's not needed. Dodge engineers claim this feature can improve fuel economy by up to 5 percent

Interior Upgrades

The all-new interior includes new seats, extensive soft touch material on the dash, center console, and door panels, with eight different trim packages, including cloth and leather upholstery choices

The sporty three-spoke steering wheel is new, backed by paddle shifters (optional). A new electronic feature delivers brisk shift times-400 milliseconds, according to Dodge, diminishing to 250 milliseconds in sport mode, which also holds the selected gear to redline. Sporty also applies to the electronic power steering, updated to provide three modes-normal, comfort, and sport-that vary effort to suit the driver's mood

As with almost any of today's new cars, new telematics abound. A standard 7-inch TFT (thin film transistor) programmable screen nestles between the speedometer and tachometer, with programmable info including Dodge Performance Pages. The new center stack embraces a 5.0-inch touchscreen (standard) or 8.4-inch version (optional), with a next generation radio and premium audio options, as well as the available nav system. Chrysler's optional U-Connect Access provides a variety of connectivity features, including a Wi-Fi hotspot and mobile apps

New safety features include lane departure warning and lane-keeping assist; adaptive cruise control capable of a full stop and speed resumption; and forward collision Warning-Plus, which will provide autonomous braking if the driver fails to respond to the situation

As noted, the freshened Charger will go on sale this fall as a 2015 model

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MCLAREN F1

MCLAREN F1

Arguably, no road car is more commonly linked to Formula 1 than the legendary –and appropriately named –McLaren F1. Unleashed back in 1992, the F1 was an immediate sensation. Faster, more expensive and more high-tech than anything that came from the company before, the car set the standard for uncompromising, wildly expensive performance machines. Contemporary “hyper cars” — such as the Ferrari LaFerrari, Koenigsegg Agera and Bugatti Veyron — all follow the mold established by McLaren F1. Nearly every significant aspect of the car – from its carbon-fiber monocoque chassis to its 6.1-liter V-12 engine to its unique center-mounted seating position – was directly developed from the British company’s F1 racing program.

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Porsche Cayman GT4 revealed 2016

Making its first public appearance at the Geneva Auto Show in March, the 2016 Porsche Cayman GT4 is the most intense version of the mid-engine two-seat coupe unleashed on the street. The first Cayman to carry a "GT" designation, the car was developed by Porsche's motorsport division to demonstrate its commitment to build "truly industry-leading two-door sports cars." With enhanced aerodynamics, suspension bits from the 911 GT3, a 385-horse version of the 911 GTS engine and a 6-speed manual transmission, it's clear they're serious about that making good on that claim

Visual cues distinguishing the exterior of the new Cayman GT4 include a bolder front fascia with a deeper splitter and larger air intakes, upgraded side air inlets and a prominent fixed rear wing. Inside, this high-velocity hauler matches a smaller-diameter multi-function sport steering wheel with deeply bolstered sport buckets covered in leather and Alcantara

Stunning on the street or circuit

While the 2016 Cayman GT4's 3.8-liter naturally aspirated flat-six does spot the 911 S engine 15 horsepower it boasts 45 more ponies than the 3.4-liter in the current Cayman GTS. Mated exclusively to a 6-speed manual gearbox, it has the power to send the new GT4 streaking from 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 183 mph making it 0.1 tick quicker to 60 mph and 6 mph faster than a Cayman GTS. In addition to liberally borrowing upgraded chassis/brake components from the 911 GT3, the Cayman GT4 rides nearly 1.2 inches lower than a standard-spec car. Hard-core enthusiasts looking to bolster the GT4's capability will be able to add more edge with lightweight composite seats, a set of carbon-ceramic brakes and a bespoke version of the Sport Chrono Package that features a Track Precision app. As the ultimate proof of concept, Porsche recently lapped a Cayman GT4 on the North Loop of the fabled Nürburgring in 7-minutes and  40-seconds - exactly the same pace as a 2011 911 GT3

The 2016 Porsche Cayman GT4 is set to arrive in the U.S. this July. With a starting price of $85,595, Porsche's latest legend-in-the-making is a modest $9,300 more than a 2015 Cayman GTS but nearly $46,000 less than today's 911 GT3

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Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S

Wait, another fast Golf GTI?
Yes, as the hot hatch arms race has intensified with seemingly never-ending one-upmanship to be the King of the Nürburgring, there have been more and more variants of the humble Golf GTI brought into the world.

So what’s this one then?
The Clubsport S, the most powerful production Golf ever. And the fastest ever front-wheel-drive production car to lap the Nürburgring. It’s a £35,000 stripped-out, semi-slicked, uber powerful and aero’d version of the standard Clubsport (now known as the ‘Edition 40’).

How fast is it?
Very. It managed a 7:49.21sec around the Green Hell – 1.5sec faster than Honda’s Civic Type R – to claim the front-wheel-drive production car lap record. To give you some perspective of how fast these humble hot hatches are getting, that’s quicker than the motorsport-derived Porsche 996 GT3 (a true benchmark of quick), but a whopping 36 seconds a lap quicker than a Performance Pack GTI. Which is monstrous. Like, a full six Vines worth of time.

How much is it?
Official pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but expect it to be in the region of £35,000. Which is a lot. But with only 150 right-hand drive cars set to come to the UK, it should hold its value well.
What we don’t know is how it’ll perform on our shoddy roads. But we can’t wait to find out.

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Porsche Boxster Spyder: A Tale of Two Roadsters 2016

It's the essence of Porsche enthusiasm to be of two minds about the 2016 Porsche Boxster Spyder. While we have wonderful memories its predecessor, the 2011-2012 "987" model Boxster Spyder, which combined a modest power boost, lighter weight and sharply tuned suspension to create a truly great driver's car, the latest iteration boasts a larger engine, substantially more power and takes a slightly less hardcore approach. The 2016 Boxster Spyder is the fastest, most powerful, most formidable version of Porsche's mid-engined convertible yet. But is it good

A beast of a Boxster

Power is provided by the 3.8-liter flat-six from the 911 Carrera S-that's right, Porsche's so serious about the Spyder that it finally dropped a 911 engine into a Boxster-rated at 375 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. As a result, the 2016 Spyder gets a massive 55-horsepower gain over the first Boxster Spyder, and 45 over the top-spec Boxster GTS. A 6-speed manual is the only transmission; no PDK dual-clutch automatic available. Porsche claims a 0-60 mph time of 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 180 mph

The 2016 Boxster Spyder's design cues mesh quite well: the front and rear fascia, taken from the Cayman GT4, add 10mm of length while contributing to the 72 pounds the Spyder loses over the GTS. They also give the Spyder a more aggressive look. The Boxster is already a good-looking car; add the classic "streamliners," that run from the headrests and the result is flat-out gorgeous

The manual top in the previous Spyder was fussy, but when down gave the car a pure roadster feel. For the 2016 Boxster Spyder, the top is more refined; think of it as a mostly manual version of the soft top available on standard models. After electrically unlatching the top, you manually fold and stow it in just a few steps. The roof is lighter than those on other Boxsters thanks to the loss of the mechanism, but still allows you to hit top speed with the roof up or take it through a car wash - two things you couldn't do in the previous Spyder

More knife than scalpel

With peak torque at nearly 5,000 rpm and horsepower at just under 7,000 rpm, this is a car that begs to be revved hard. Thanks to the 3.8-liter, those revs produces a glorious noise; the 2016 Boxster Spyder sounds like it has an angry 911 spirit animal living amidships-one constantly demanding more from your right foot. Though the new Spyder hits peak horsepower 500 rpm sooner than the 987 (while providing nearly 40 more lb-ft of torque at the same rpm), it's happier high in the rev range. Mash the gas at lower speeds and it can feel like it's waiting to spool up to deliver the Spyder's considerable power

Helping to wrangle that power is the Sport Chrono package from the GTS; optional on that car but standard here along with dynamic transmission mounts to aid cornering. Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) and a mechanical differential lock are also standard, providing "targeted brake interventions" to either rear wheel while inside of a curve to further aid steering performance. The variable power steering rack is the electric unit found in the 911 Turbo, and is not only quicker than the hydraulic one in the last Spyder, but the rest of the current Boxster line. Thanks to the steering and the 911-sourced brakes, this is an easy car to drive fast. And because of its softer suspension, it's more easy-going than the previous Spyder

A matter of perspective

Still, we are of two minds; simultaneously appreciating the 2016 Boxster Spyder for the truly epic car that it is while longing for the vastly more engaging 987 Spyder. Where that car was basically a roofless Cayman R, the 2016 Boxster Spyder is distinctly different from the current and raw, Cayman GT4 track-day special. It's suited more to an enthusiast who wants something to take to Cars & Coffee on Saturday morning, then tear through some nice back roads on the way home. Starting at $82,000 and available this fall, it's hard to nail down the car's competition - perhaps the Jaguar F-Type S Convertible, which costs about the same and comes with a tick more horsepower, a more luxurious interior, optional all-wheel drive, and a top that you don't have to get out of the car to stow

Porsche has built an awesome car in the 2016 Boxster Spyder-it's just different than the last one. The earlier model was a precision instrument; a dance partner with which you had a running conversation where you discovered and expanded your limits. The new car? It's better in every measurable way - quicker, faster, stickier, sexier, yet more comfortable and more useable. But it's lost a bit of edge. It may be a disservice to compare them - they share a name but not a mission. Buy a 2016 Boxster Spyder because you want a top of the line mid-engined convertible, with that excellent 3.8-liter from the 911 Carrera S. But keep your 2012 Spyder, too

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