Mercedes AMG GTR | Review, Specifications, Price and Competitors

Overview

Superior performance, exquisite style, cutting-edge technology... This is what comes to our mind whenever we hear Mercedes. And once again, we are right with the 2018 Mercedes AMG GT-R. A supercar which has all the latest technology and luxury has but at the same time, a lot of raw power to push back to your seat. In fact, Mercedes-AMG has never put so much motorsport technology in a production car before. 

The new Mercedes AMG GT-R is the latest addition to the GT series. The first Mercedes AMG GT was released back in 2014 followed by the Mercedes AMG GT-C. The Mercedes AMG GT replaced its predecessor the Mercedes SLS AMG, produced from 2010 to 2014. 

The new Mercedes AMG GT-R has better aerodynamics and downforce compared to the AMG GT and AMG GT-C. The front fender is also a completely new one (more of that in the designs section below).

Specifications

Designs

The Mercedes AMG GT-R's design is from the original AMG GT but with some updates to it. The lightweight high-strength aluminium body makes the GT-R agiler on the road as well as around the corners. The fixed carbon fibre rear spoiler helps in the aerodynamics of the car, eliminating unnecessary lifts during acceleration. There are two types of carbon fibre package which you can choose from when ordering your GT-R. Active air intakes on the sides of the car, on the front and back also improves the active aerodynamics of the car. Apart from the sleek body, the new AMG Panamericana grille strikes the most attention. The 15 chrome-plated vertical fins definitely make the car look more aggressive and menacing. The car is often referred to as 'The Beast of The Green Hell' as it has spent most of its development time in the 'Green Hell' of the Nürburgring racetrack and it has conquered the track with ease.

Engine

Under the hood of the Mercedes AMG GT-R is a 4.0L Biturbo V8 (3982cc) producing 577 horsepower at 6250 rpm and 516 lb-ft of torque at 5500 rpm. Its power is slightly more than the AMG GT and the AMG GT-C. The rear wheel drive (RWD) AMG GT-R has a seven-speed AMG Speedshift DCT. The car will do 0-60 mph in just 3.5 seconds and a quarter mile in 11.2 seconds.  The beast makes use of electronic steering actuators to move each wheel independently up to 1.5 degrees in each direction. The Mercedes AMG GT-R has a top speed of 198 mph.

Fuel Consumption

Apart from being a supercar and a luxury car at the same time, the Mercedes AMG GT-R is also good at fuel consumption. In the city, the car will do 15 miles per gallon and on the highway, it should usually do 20 miles per gallon. These figures look very good, considering the AMG GT-R to be a luxury car for the racetrack with a big V8 under the hood.  

Interior

Inside the Mercedes AMG GT-R, there is no compromise on luxury or technology. You will find leather, Alcantara and carbon fibre mostly everywhere. There is no cheap plastic anywhere at all. The car is packed with a lot of technology, from collision prevention assist plus to heated power folding mirrors with logo projectors (optional), the AMG GT-R has it all. Even though it is a two-seater supercar, it has a surprisingly high amount of airbags, eight in total. The car is equipped with the AMG Drive unit with E-select. You can control virtually everything on the 8.4-inch display with the touchpad controller in the centre console. The AMG GT-R is primarily equipped with a lightweight 4-speaker sound system but you can upgrade that to a Burmester High-End sound system.

The Mercedes AMG GT-R also comes with attention assist, LED daytime running lights, adaptive highbeam assist, Parktronic, rearview camera, adaptive braking, ABS, brake Assist (BAS), Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Smartkey, Distronic plus (optional), blind spot assist (optional), included in the base price.

Let's take a moment to look at the cargo space of the car. The AMG GT-R has a 10.1 cu ft of trunk capacity, bear in mind that it is a supercar. 

Price

The Mercedes AMG-GTR price starts at $157,000 (MSRP*). Personally, I think the Mercedes AMG GT-R is a great bargain for that price. Let's wait and see how much I will be worth after some years. 

Competitors

2018 Porsche 911 GT3 

The best competitor to the Mercedes AMG GT-R is none other than the Porsche 911 GT3. A lightweight supercar which is very nimble around corners and on the racetrack. It has a 4.0L direct fuel injection (DFI) flat-six producing 500 hp at 8250 rpm and  339 lb-ft of torque. The GT3 will do 0-60 mph in just 3.2 seconds (PDK) and around 3.8 seconds (manual). Both an automatic (PDK) and manual transmission will be available for the new generation Porsche GT3. The PDK will go up to 197 mph whereas the manual's top speed will reach 198 mph.

The Porsche 911 GT3 is much more about the corners and driving fun than in a straight-line acceleration. Come on, who will want to buy a supercar that is very fast in acceleration but around corners, it can easily kill you. Porsche is all about the fun during the journey. The rear-wheel steering system has been kept the same as in the 2014 GT3. You can upgrade to the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) for around $8000 (If you do, you won't regret it). As every Porsche, there are lots of options available because they want to reduce the base price. Rear view camera, parking sensors, satellite navigation among others are all options on the Porsche 911 GT3.

The interior of the Porsche 911 GT3 is quite boring compared to the Mercedes AMG GT-R. The AMG GT-R is all above the luxury, comfort and technology whereas the 911 GT3 is all about weight saving and performance.

The base price of the 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 is around $144,650. It might be less than its rival but the AMG GT-R is equipped with much more at base price than the GT3. In the end, we need to see how much these cars will depreciate in value over the years.

There you have it the new Mercedes AMG GT-R in its full glory. Let me know in the comments section below your thoughts about the AMG GT-R and which car you will prefer to own.

2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF: 5 Important Feature You Should Know About This Car

Mazda isn’t going to build a coupe version of its iconic MX-5 Miata roadster, so please stop asking. What it will do is try to dip back into the nearly 50/50 split it had on the previous-generation Miata between soft-top and power-retractable hardtop models by way of the Mazda MX-5 Miata RF. Those two letters stand for ‘retractable fastback,’ and signal to buyers that this unique take on open-air motoring is as close to a fixed-roof Miata as you’ll find in the automaker’s current showroom.

Not quite a coupe and certainly not a traditional convertible, is the RF charming enough to attract the same level of interest from Miata buyers as the now-departed PRHT did? Check out these 5 things you need to know about the 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF. 

1. Stunning Looks, With The Top Up

The only Miata ‘coupe’ to ever leave the factory was based on the second-generation NB version of the car, a concept vehicle that most recently made the rounds of the show circuit in a bid to drum up excitement for the RF’ launch. Without a doubt, the 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF is a far better looking automobile from almost every angle – as long as the top is in place. The flying buttress design of the car’s rear pillars, its deeply-inset rear glass, and the smooth curve of its roofline work perfectly with the rising rear fenders and the curled-lip of a deck lid (no surprise given that the retractable fastback concept was in the mix from the very beginning of the latest Miata’s development). My Club model also rode on distinctive BBS rims hiding red Brembo calipers, both of which played nice with the car’s Machine Gray Metallic paint.

With the top open the esthetic gets a bit more muddled. Seen head on or from the back the car makes a decent enough impression, although the glass wind-breaker sitting under the roof arch is somewhat busy. In profile, however, the MX-5 Miata RF looks stubby somehow, almost unfinished. Short-wheelbase targa-style designs like this one always remind me of the Honda Del Sol or the Fiat X1/9, vehicles whose proportions just didn’t feel like a good match for the two feet of open air above the cockpit. It’s not an ugly car with the roof open by any means, but the difference in grace and form between coupe and convertible modes is noticeable.

2. Just As Exciting To Drive As The Soft-Top Miata

The Mazda MX-5 Miata is one of the most fun-to-drive automobiles on the market, and the RF does nothing to appreciably dilute this reputation in a street setting. With a lightweight design (just over 2,400 lbs as tested), a 155 horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, and a friendly chassis, the MX-5 Miata RF can be run through its six forward gears with relative abandon, generating thrills while staying within legal speed limits. My tester came with a manual transmission, but there’s a six-speed automatic also available for those who want to enjoy a more relaxed Miata experience. You’re looking at 60-mph from a standing start in just a tick over six seconds, but you owe it to yourself to unleash the RF on curving secondary roads rather than just blast around in a straight line. The new hardtop model features improved electric power steering tuning (my biggest complaint with 2016’s soft top) and slightly revised suspension tuning to deal with what I’m about to discuss in the next section. 

3. Heavier And More Complex

Why did Mazda update the MX-5 Miata RF’s swaybars and rear springs? Because it’s heavier. Not monstrously so, of course – 113 lbs – but all of it can be found in the vehicle’s retractable roof panel mechanism, which operates automatically at the touch of a button. There was a weight difference between the soft top and power-retractable hardtop Miatas from the previous generation too, albeit a more modest (77 lbs) one, so this isn’t new territory for Mazda or its customers (and in fact the new roof mechanism borrows substantially from the PRHT).

Still, it gives me pause. Part of the fun of the Miata has always been its vociferous dedication to remaining lighter than almost any other roadster on the market, a trend that continues in 2017 with the astonishing sub-2,300 lbs curb weight of the base MX-5 roadster. The RF is a step in the other direction, its roof a conceit that is not only significantly more complicated in its operation than the unclip-and-toss-back manual soft top, but one that adds weight in pursuit of style and, perhaps, some foul weather fortitude. Despite driving nearly the same, spiritually, the overall RF design decision feels somewhat un-Miata to my sensibilities.

4. RF Design Accentuates Tight Cockpit Feel

One last weird bit of a disparity between roadster and the RF is something I hadn’t anticipated. With the roof up, the MX-5 Miata RF’s cabin feels reasonably-sized, at least for my 5’9″ frame (and it offers the same 4.9 cubic feet of trunk space as the soft-top). Once the roof panel has been auto-magically stowed, however, I couldn’t help but feel hemmed in by the buttresses towering directly above me. The sensation was a strange one that had the net effect of shrinking the cockpit around me and making me acutely aware of its dimensional limitations, in direct contrast to the free and open vibes found in the standard Miata.

5. Is It Worth The $6,640 Price Boost?

The most affordable version of the 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF starts at $31,555, which works out to roughly $6,640 more than what you’d pay for the entry-level version of the soft-top. It’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, however, because the RF starts at Club trim, which actually represents the mid-tier version of the standard roadster. Club versus Club, you’re still paying a premium, but it’s a more manageable $2,755.

Still, you’re going to have to shell out more for the RF model, which means you’ll really have to want it to justify spending the extra cash on a car that’s heavier and offers a somewhat more restrictive cabin than its across-the-showroom-floor sibling. Yes, the car looks amazing with the top up, and sure, it adds an extra degree of winter capability to the Miata that’s perhaps missing from the soft-top, but spiritually it’s a lot farther from the power-retractable hardtop model that it would at first seem. It remains to be seen whether the PRHT crowd will flock to the RF, or if will attract a new breed of Miata customers.

Were it my money, I’m split: the RF’s top-up charisma is undeniable, but once it’s down I vastly prefer the open feel of the original roadster design.

NASA Wants To Test Earth Defense System By Slamming A spaceship into Asteroid

NASA has been working with agencies around the globe to develop a space defense technology that would be used to protect Earth from anticipated asteroid impacts. Though there’s no expected impacts in our relatively near future, such a technology may prove vital for protecting humanity in the future, and as such work is underway now to test possible defense methods. One of these tests will be carried out by NASA , and it’ll involve slamming a spacecraft into an asteroid to divert its course. 

The upcoming test is call Double Asteroid Redirection Test, DART for short. This will mark the first time NASA has set out to demonstrate the effectiveness (or possibly lack of it) of one of its asteroid deflection techniques. DART received approval from NASA on June 23, though the exact testing date isn’t clear at the moment. The spacecraft involved in the test will be about the size of a fridge and it will travel at a rate 9 times faster than a bullet, according to the space agency. 


The target of the test is one of two asteroids that comprise a binary system — Didymos B, the smaller of the two, will be struck by the spacecraft. This binary asteroid system has been studied by researchers for years, and it is slated to make a ‘distant approach’ to our own planet in the next half-decade. Overall, the smaller of the two — the DART target — is about 530ft across.

A self-targeting system built into the spacecraft will enable it to aim itself at the asteroid; researchers on Earth will see the impact take place and be able to calculate the effects it has on the asteroid’s trajectory over time. Assuming an asteroid is determined to be a threat while it is still very distant, it would only take a very small change to its trajectory to derail its course by a significant distance.

SOURCE: NASA

Middle 2017 List Of Cheapest Smartphones That Have Fingerprint Sensor

Modern smartphones look a bit different than ones from just a few years ago: there’s the double rear cameras, of course, but more pervasive is the fingerprint sensor. A fingerprint sensor built into a phone offers a highly convenient form of security, but is also becoming an important component in making mobile payments.

While a fingerprint sensor is included on all the big flagship handsets, those tend to cost $600 or more. Can you get fingerprint sensor on a (much) cheaper phone? Yes, yes you can. 
Moto E4

Available as of last week, the 5-inch Moto E4 is the fourth generation version of Motorola’s most budget-friendly Moto series, offering consumers a bunch of features — including a fingerprint sensor — at as low as $99. This phone sports a quad-core Snapdragon processor alongside 16GB of storage, a microSD card slot, 4G LTE support, dual microphones, and even a classy fine gold color.

Though the phone costs $129.99 unlocked, it is currently being offered through Republic Wireless and to certain Amazon customers for $99. There’s also a Verizon variant with the same price as the unlocked model, though only in the black color option.

ZTE Max XL

Newly launched by ZTE is its massive 6-inch ZTE Max XL, a handset with a bunch of features and a tiny, relatively speaking, $99 price tag. This phone has a 6″ IPS Full HD display topped with Gorilla Glass, an octo-core processor, microSD support, 3990mAh battery, a 13MP rear camera and, most importantly for this list, a built-in fingerprint sensor. This handset is available through Boost Mobile and Best Buy.

Blu Studio Touch

Phone company Blu offers many varieties of inexpensive unlocked smartphones, and though you can only use them on GSM carriers, they’re a great option if you’re looking to save money. The Blu Studio Touch is one such phone, and it brings with it a fingerprint sensor, as well as a 5-inch HD display, an 8MP rear camera, 2500mAh battery, 4G LTE support, and Android Marshmallow.

Though the phone is very inexpensive at $90 – $99 (depending on store), it’s important to note that it only has a 1GHz quad-core MediaTek processor and 1GB of RAM. That’s fine if you primarily send messages, make calls, and browse Reddit, but will be frustrating if you try to do much more than that.

Coolpad Conjr

There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Coolpad, but it exists and it has some decent budget smartphones. The Coolpad Conjr offers a fingerprint sensor as one of multiple notable features, others including dual-SIM support, 4G LTE, a 13MP rear camera, a quad-core processor with 3GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage (plus a microSD card slot). This phone hits many sweet spots, not the least of which is its $149.99 USD price tag.

iPhone 5s

This one is cheating a bit because it isn’t new, but we’re including it because it is cheap and it is still a nice phone. If you really don’t like Android but you can’t afford the latest iPhone model, the iPhone 5s can now be purchased unlocked (and used) for around $150, give or take twenty, and it comes with a fingerprint sensor. That makes it around the same price as the Coolpad phone listed above, but with much better quality. Where can you find a used iPhone 5s to purchase? Swappa is a popular option, as is Glyde, eBay, and Best Buy Pre-Owned.

CONCLUSION
A fingerprint sensor is quickly becoming a must-have feature, one that extends beyond mere phone locking to encompass mobile payments and online purchase authorizations. Though you’d be best off spending your money on a high-end phone that will last for years, that’s not always an option and there are some excellent, inexpensive phones on the market. Give the Moto E4 a long look, as it is arguably the best (new) phone on the above list, but you can’t go wrong with any of them.

How You Can Send and Also Receive Apple Pay Cash Through Messages in iOS 11

There are many ways to pay other people with your phone. Apps like Venmo and Square Cash let you easily send and receive money at any time, and have recently been updated to work with Siri. Snapchat and Facebook Messenger even let you send money, but now Apple wants in on the easy (transferring) money game. In iOS 11, Apple is bringing person-to-person payments directly in the Messages app. 

Note that this is not a live feature yet, so even if you installed iOS on your iPhonealready, you won't be able to send or receive money yet in Messages. Once Apple officially implements their new Apple Pay Cash program, this is how it will work.

Step 1Set Up Apple Pay

For this to work, you will need to set up Apple Pay. For those who already have a credit or debit card in place, you can skip this step. Otherwise, read on.

Setting up Apply Pay is extremely fast. Just head to Settings -> Wallet & Apple Pay -> Add Credit or Debit Card. Apple gives you the option to use your camera to enter card information, so you do not have to enter your 16-digit card number or your name and expiration date. Your iPhone will then ask for your three-digit security code on the back of your card.

If your card and bank are compatible with Apple Pay, your card should be all set. Note that you may need to contact your bank after setting up your card in Apple Pay. Your phone will tell you if this is a necessary step. Also not that if you like using passes on the lock screen, it's necessary to add payment card in order to use the double-click home button shortcut.

Step 2Message a Friend

Once your card is set up, you can now send or request money. Apple Pay will show up as an option in the new iMessages app drawer at the bottom of the screen. To begin, tap that button and confirm the dollar amount with the on-screen controls. You will have the option to either request or send that amount of money to your correspondent.

Alternatively, if someone requests money from you, you can tap their dollar amount, and the on-screen controls will appear for you to approve or deny it.

Images via Apple

Step 3Manage Your Money

When you receive money, your phone automatically stores it as a digital Apple Pay Cash card. This card allows you to send money to friends, spend money in-person or online, or transfer that money to your bank. This keeps your real card out of the equation, keeping you safe whether you shop in the real world or the digital one.

Image via Apple

Here Is Facebook Messenger Chatbot For Game of Thrones Spoilers

Winter is here, which means we have a lot of questions about the coming season of Game of Thrones. It's hard finding someone who cares enough to listen to you rant about why Jon Snow is the rightful ruler of Westeros. It's also hard to figure out who exactly everyone is and is related to since there are over 150 major characters on the show. We're all getting a little antsy waiting for the new season, so to hold us over a new bot has rolled out 'G0TB0t' on Facebook Messenger. Specifically, it's a Game of Thrones chatbot built to discuss all our Game of Thrones questions and rants. 

If you're like me and have been clamoring for Game of Thrones spoilers in the haitus, don't be hopeful that the G0TB0t will give you anything. I interrogated G0TB0t, grilling it on things fans have been dying to know but the bot won't budge. 

Spoilers for Game of Thrones Season 6 Ahead!

And don't even try to ask who is going to win the Game of Thrones, G0TB0t isn't budging.

Sigh ...

Still, G0TB0t is useful in other ways. For instance, it's got jokes.

That Raisin Bran one did make me simultaneously groan and laugh.

Not to mention, despite it continuously telling me that it isn't Wikipedia, G0TB0t is good for finding out information about who the characters are. In case you're confused about their alliances or what family they're from or what White Walkers even are.

This is good information to have at hand, especially since the 'great war' everyone has been talking about for 7 seasons is finally here. Additionally, the G0TB0t has miscellaneous features like suggesting recap videos if you're not caught up or need a refresher. It also has the super important ability to send you awkward photos of the pre-pubescent cast from years ago.

So yeah, I'm pretty thankful for G0TB0t.

The chatbot was created by Catch Digital and was launched to the public today. To find it, simply go into the search bar of Facebook Messenger and type in G0TB0t. It should appear with a cartoon avatar of the show's iconic villains, the White Walkers. Just click that and then get started and G0TB0t will start talking.

Catch Digital spoke about the bot in a statement:

The more questions users ask, the more data we can capture and ensure that we update G0TB0t so that it can answer these queries.

If you want G0TB0t to one day be able to map out the entirety of Westeros in your Facebook Messenger app, get to chatting! Game of Thrones is back on HBO on July 16th, so make sure you get all your information squared away using G0TB0t by then.

Newest Feature On Curve Allows You To Go Back in Time

Mobile wallet Curve just released a new feature that lets you correct past mistakes. Sounds incredible, right? Unfortunately, the mistakes you can erase aren't things like forgetting to do an assignment in school, screwing up a job interview, or, well, your ex. However, you can switch the card you want to use to pay even after you've paid with Curve, and that's still pretty cool. 

That's right, Curve lets you retroactively switch which card you want to pay with. The London-based mobile wallet app works by providing users with a physical MasterCard bank card connected to the mobile wallet. 

You can add an unlimited number of bank cards to the mobile app, and each one you add also syncs with the Curve card. Before making payments, you can select which card you want the Curve card to charge. If you accidentally forget to switch your cards, this new update could save you the trouble of using your personal card for a company charge or vice versa.

For up to two weeks after making a payment, you can switch the card that will be charged in the app. Curve does this by simply refunding one card and charging another. It's a quick switch and addresses an issue Curve users have long complained about. Curve's product lead — Arthur Leung — told VentureBeat that this new feature will be very helpful for users.

This update is a solution to a common payments problem, and we know first-hand it's a feature our users are excited about ... No manually re-wiring money, no missed loyalty points, no unintentional incurred fees by using the wrong card.

— Arthur Leung

This feature is certainly exciting, but you may want to hold off on downloading the mobile wallet. Unfortunately, Curve is currently only available throughout Europe. Although there are plans to expand it to the United States in the future, that's a long-term goal of the company. For now, us Yankees are stuck with mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Wallet.