Porsche 911 GT2 RS Full Review | Specifications, Price and Competitors

Overview

The Porsche 911 GT2 RS is a high-performance sports car produced by German auto manufacturer, Porsche. The first generation of 911 started back in 1993 and was produced till 1998 then it was produced between 2001 to 2005 and from 2007 to 2012. Now, in 2018, Porsche has decided to continue the production with the new GT2 RS.

The Porsche 911 GT2 RS was initially released at the 2017 E3 along with the announcement of Forza Motorsport 7 video game. Then, finally, the car was officially launched at the 2017 Goodwood Festival of Speed and Porsche also introduced the 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series during the same event.

The Porsche 911 GT2 RS is based largely on the 911 Turbo. The car features the same twin-turbocharged engine but with numerous upgrade to improve its performance. New larger brakes and stiffer suspension calibration are among the upgrades of the car. The Porsche 911 GT2 RS is way lighter than the 911 Turbo due to its rear-wheel drive system instead of the all-wheel system in the 911 Turbo. There has also been a reduction or complete removal of certain interior components. 

Another amazing fact worth noting is that the Porsche 911 GT2 RS is the most expensive and fastest car in the 911 lineup. 

Specifications

Design

The design of the new Porsche 911 GT2 RS is completely insane. Porsche has gone to the extreme level with this one and we all love how it looks. Raw, menacing and definitely sexy! The design of the GT2 RS is literally the GT2 with additional air intakes, a large rear wing bigger than the body of the car and other modifications. 

The Porsche GT2 RS has a roof made of magnesium, very durable but lighter than aluminium. The front lid, front and rear wings and boot lid are all made of carbon. Polyurethane, known for its lightweight, is present on the front and rear apron. The rear and side windows of the car are made of polycarbonate. The GT2 RS has a titanium exhaust system. Porsche has made sure that the GT2 RS is the lightest and most agile car in the 911 lineup.

Let's talk about air vents now. At first glance itself, you will notice air intakes everywhere around the car. Well, these powerful air intakes ensure optimum cooling of the Porsche 911 GT2 RS. There are additional air outlets on the front helping with the airflow of the central radiator and at the same time making the car more aerodynamics while increasing downforce. The large rear wing brings in the biggest contribution in terms of downforce. Porsche has made it clear that all the air vents are protected by titanium-coloured air intake grilles. The two vents on the front lid are used to ventilate the braking system. This is the first time that a series-production Porsche is equipped with vents on the front lid. They cool down the braking system without reducing the drag coefficient. The Porsche 911 GT2 RS has a net weight of only 1470 kg.

Weissach Package

An option to make the Porsche 911 GT2 RS even much lighter is to go for the Weissach package. The latter will reduce additional 30 kg of weight from the car. How they do that? They use carbon fibre and titanium in more places around the car. They make the anti-roll bars and coupling rods on both axles out of carbon fibre. They will also give you a fresh set of magnesium wheels.

Engine

The Porsche 911 GT2 RS is powered by a 3.8L twin-turbocharged flat-6 making 690 hp and 550 lb-ft of torque. Unlike the GT2, the GT2 RS has a seven-speed PDK transmission to handle the excess amount of torque. The car will do 0 to 60 mph in 2.7s and it will do 0 to 100 mph in 5.8s, faster than its predecessor for sure. It will reach up to a top speed of 210 mph (340 km/h).

During the last days of September 2017, the Porsche GT2 RS made a lap time of 6:47:3 at the Nurburgring, averaging a speed of 184.11 km/h. This is the fastest production car lap time ever recorded there. 

Price

The Porsche 911 GT2 RS is significantly more expensive than the rest of the 911 lineup. The car starts at MSRP $293,200. With options, the price will reach up to $350,000. It is expected to arrive in the United States during early 2018.

Competitors

Let's take a look at the competitors of the Porsche 911 GT2 RS:

Ferrari 488 GTB

The Ferrari 488 GTB is a mid-engined supercar produced by Italian sports car manufacturer Ferrari, replacing the 458. The car is powered by a 3.9L twin-turbocharged V8 making 661 hp and 561 lb-ft of torque. The rear-wheel-drive Italian supercar is available only with an automated manual dual-clutch seven-speed F1 gearbox. The Ferrari 488 GTB will reach 62 mph in 3.0s flat and it will reach 124 mph in 8.3s. The car has a top speed of around 205 mph (330 km/h). The 488 GTB is equipped with improved ceramic brakes to stop the car at very high speed. 

The Ferrari 488 GTB has been designed to increase the amount of downforce by 50% over the 458 and at the same time reducing aerodynamic drag. Its fuel consumption ranges from 10.7L to 14.7L per 100 km. The car weighs 1475 kg (3252 lbs), just 5 kg heavier than the Porsche 911 GT2 RS. The base price of the Ferrari 488 GTB is $301,000, slightly more expensive than the Porsche 911 GT2 RS. 

Lamborghini Huracan LP 580-2 Coupe

 The Lamborghini Huracan LP 580-2 is a lower cost alternative to the AWD Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4. This rear-wheel-drive Lamborghini Huracan has a 5.2L V10 producing 572 hp and 393 lb-ft of torque. The car is equipped with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. It will go from 0 to 62 mph in 3.4s and it will accelerate from 0 to 124 mph in 10.1s. The Huracan has a top speed of 199 mph (320 km/h). Fuel consumption is around 9.0L to 19.6L per 100 km depending on how you are driving it. It is the lightest among its competitors, weighing only 1389 kg (3062 lbs). 

The design of the Lamborghini Huracan RWD is similar to that of the Lamborghini Huracan AWD. The only difference is the drivetrain and the price. The base price of the Lamborghini Huracan LP 580-2 is $201,100, making it the cheapest among its competitors. 

There you have it, the full in-depth review of the new Porsche 911 GT2 RS and its competitors. Let me know in the comments section below your thoughts about it. 

Supercar Insurance | How much it cost, Types of Insurance

After reviewing four supercars, Tesla Roadster, 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 S NART Spider, Lamborghini Urus, 2018 Mercedes AMG GT-R,  I've got a lot of questions about car insurance. How much it cost to insure a supercar? What factors determine its price?... Well, today I am going to answer these questions.

What is Car Insurance?

Car insurance is literally a contract between a car owner and an insurance provider that clearly says the latter is protecting the car against financial loss in case of an accident, natural calamity or theft. A monthly or yearly payment is made (usually decided by the insurance company). The cost of the insurance depends on various factors, which we will be covered further in this blog. 

One misunderstanding that people often have is that insurance also covers mechanical expenses also, but no, this is not true. No insurance company in this world would cover your mechanical expenses. Even if you never got into an accident or you have enough money to repair your damaged car, you need to insure your car as it is a law in every country. The only decision you can make is what type of insurance you will want your car to have.

Types of Insurance

Liability Coverage

Liability coverage covers only the car and the driver which you have hit, not you and your car. It will compensate the third party for bodily injury and property damage. 

Uninsured or Underinsured Coverage

Uninsured coverage insures you when the at-fault driver does not have liability coverage. Underinsured coverage covers you when the at-fault driver's liability coverage is too low to cover your damage or medical expenses.

Comprehensive Coverage

Comprehensive coverage is a must-have for many car owners out there. It covers your car from damage caused by theft, fire, vandalism, falling objects, animal damage, hurricane, flood, etc. This type of insurance is not required by law but it might be a good option to go for if the value of the car is high.

Collision Coverage 

Collision coverage, as the name itself says, helps to repair or replace your car in case of an accident with another vehicle or with an object (tree, fence, etc). Usually, this insurance type is required if you're leasing your car.

NOTE: There are many other types of insurance but here I'm covering only those which are mostly used or required by law.

Factors that affect the price of Insurance

Make and Model

The amount of insurance you will need to pay depends on the make and model of your car. A Lamborghini Aventador will cost much more to insure than a Toyota Prius. The reason behind that is that it costs more to repair the Aventador than the Prius. In other words, the higher the value of the car, the more it will cost to insure.

Driving History

If your driving history is clean, then expect to pay less for insurance than one that has a lot of tickets and penalties on the list. This is because the insurance company is sure that the one whose driving history is clean, will be having fewer accidents and thus will claim less from the insurance. 

Age and Gender

Age and gender play a crucial role in the amount of insurance you will need to pay. For instance, it will cost more for an 18 years old boy to insure a Ferrari F12 than a 40 years old man who already has two Ferraris and a Lamborghini in his garage. The 18 years old boy will tend to be less careful on the road and might end up in accidents quite often that the 40 years old man. (This might not be the case for every 18 years old boy as they know the road better and they can handle a Lamborghini better than a 40 years old man nowadays, but this is the way insurance company thinks and we cannot do anything about it).

Annual Mileage

The amount of insurance you will need to pay depends heavily on how much you gonna drive the car. The lesser you drive the car, the lesser you will pay for insurance. Also, the day and time of the day the car will be on the road play a crucial part. A Maserati GranCabrio which will be on the road during peak hours on weekdays will cost more than a McLaren 650s which will be on the road only during weekends. That is because accidents are more likely to happen on a busy road than on a desert road.

How much it cost to insure a supercar?

Well, the exact amount is not possible to know as it depends on all the factors mentioned above, but we can still get an approximate amount. The country in which you are insuring the supercar also will have its effect on the price. After some researches, I've found out that the cheapest place is to insure a supercar is none other than the United Arab Emirates. Yes, you read that well. UAE in some ways is considered as one of the most expensive countries to live in but who knew that to insure a supercar there, it costs only 0.5% to 3% of the value of the car. Usually, convertible supercar pays about 3% of the value and is more expensive to insure than a non-convertible supercar. A less known fact about Dubai is that it is more expensive to insure older 4x4 that is to insure a supercar. A 2008 Mitsubishi Pajero insurance will be 10% of the original car value.

Here are some supercars and how much will it cost to insure them:

Bugatti Veyron Super Sport

The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is a quad-turbo 8.0L W16 producing 1200 hp and 1100 lb-ft of torque. It has a top speed of 253 mph. 0-60 mph happens in just 2.4s. Its price is around $2M (if you go for complete naked carbon fibre body, that will add another whopping $400,000 to the price). To get this beast insured, it will cost you approximately $40,000 per year.

Lamborghini Aventador

A 6.5L V12 powers the 7-speed automated manual transmission and all-wheel drive Lamborghini Aventador which produces 740 hp and 509 lb-ft of torque. A top speed of 217 mph is recorded and it will do 0-60 mph in 2.7s. The Aventador starts at $450,000. It will set you back approximately $10,000 per year to keep it on the road.

Maserati GranCabrio 

The Maserati GranCabrio is powered by a 4.7L V8 making 434 hp and 361 lb-ft of torque. 0-60 mph will happen in about 5.2s and it has a top speed of 183 mph. The GranCabrio price starts at $123,200. Getting your Maserati insured will cost you approximately $4000 per year.

There you go, how much will it cost to insure a supercar. Let me know in the comments section below your thoughts about supercar insurance and if you are willing to get a supercar after taking into consideration all the costs. 

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.

The New Audi S5 Sportback Review

The new Audi S5 Sportback combines emotional design and functionality with the road performance of a sports car. It accomplishes the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 4.7 seconds. Its newly developed, turbocharged V6 engine produces 260 kW (354 hp) and consumes just 7.3 liters of fuel per 100 km (32.2 US mpg). With an unladen weight of 1,660 kilograms (3,659.7 lb), the five-door sports coupé is 85 kilograms (187.4 lb) lighter than its predecessor. The sharper exterior design and the numerous S-specific details in the interior underscore its dynamic character.

The 3.0 TFSI
The pulsating heart of the new Audi S5 Sportback is a fundamentally new 3.0 TFSI engine. The direct gasoline injection engine with turbocharging has an output of 260 kW (354 hp) and produces a hefty torque of 500 Nm (368.8 lb-ft) from 1,370 to 4,500 rpm. In terms of power and torque it surpasses the previous model, while its weight and fuel consumption are considerably lower. 


The turbo V6 engine accelerates it from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 4.7 seconds, and on up to an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h (155.3 mph). In the NEDC cycle, the Audi S5 Sportback only consumes 7.3 liters of fuel per 100 km (32.2 US mpg), which equates to 166 grams CO2 per kilometer (267.2 g/mi).

Handling
In the new Audi S5, a fast and smoothly shifting eight-speed tiptronic handles power transmission. The lower gears have short, sporty ratios, while the upper gears are long to reduce revs and fuel consumption. When the driver releases the accelerator pedal at a speed between 55 and 160 km/h (34.2 and 99.4 mph) the automatic transmission switches over to an efficient freewheeling mode.

The quattro permanent all-wheel drive makes a large contribution to the sporty handling. In normal driving, it distributes engine forces with a slight emphasis on the rear wheels - if necessary the bulk of the forces can be directed to the axle with better traction.

Wheel-selective torque control optimizes handling and stability in fast cornering with minimal brake interventions. The optional sport differential actively distributes torque between the rear wheels.

The five-link front and rear suspensions enable significant comfort gains with emphatically sporty response. An alternative to electromechanical power steering is dynamic steering which varies its steering gear ratio according to the driving speed. 18‑inch wheels with size 245/40 tires are standard. Audi Sport also offers 19‑inch wheels. At the front wheels, the ventilated brake discs are 350 mm (13.8 in) in diameter. They are gripped by black (or optionally red) painted six-piston fixed calipers with S lettering.

The Audi S5 Sportback is fitted with newly developed S sport suspension. It features five-link suspension at both front and rear. The axle principle enables optimal absorption of longitudinal and transverse forces. The Audi drive select handling system integrates what is referred to as adaptive CDC (continuous damping control) dampers along with the engine, steering, tiptronic and optional sport differential. This lets the driver control the characteristics of the engine and suspension over several modes.

Truly impressive: infotainment and Audi connect
The infotainment system in the new sports coupé is bang up to date. MMI navigation plus with MMI touch and an 8.3‑inch monitor top the infotainment range. MMI touch has a touchpad for zooming and scrolling and for entering characters. The system integrates the Audi connect hardware component, which connects the new S5 Sportback to the internet via LTE.


One highlight is the optional Audi virtual cockpit. It displays all key information in razor-sharp graphics on its 12.3-inch monitor. Views available to the driver include a sport mode centered around the tachometer.

The Audi phone box, another optional feature, connects smartphones to the on-board antenna by near-field coupling and simultaneously charges them inductively using the Qi standard. The Audi tablet serves as a flexible Rear Seat Entertainment device. For very discerning hi-fi fans, the Bang & Olufsen Sound System with its new 3D sound is available. The Audi smartphone interface brings Apple CarPlay and Android Auto into the car.

Leading role: driver assistance systems
The new Audi S5 Sportback is at the forefront of its segment with a wide range of driver assistance systems. The systems come from the premium class. Their intelligent interplay represents another step on the road to piloted driving. Audi offers the same systems for the S5 Sportback and for the A5 Sportback.

Sporty understatement: exterior design
The appearance of the new S5 Sportback is sporty but not ostentatious. The bumper, air inlets and side sills feature distinctive contours. Many of the add-on parts are painted in graduated tones of matt gray. Aluminum inlays accentuate the design. The exterior mirror housings shine in an aluminum look. The rear bumper integrates a black honeycomb grille, aluminum diffuser trim and four tailpipes. A spoiler lip in body color adorns the separating edge of the luggage compartment lid.

Equipment
The new Audi S5 Sportback will be available on the European market from the start of 2017. Its extensive list of standard equipment includes LED headlights, 18-inch cast aluminum wheels, an eight-speed tiptronic and quattro all-wheel drive. The price is EUR 62,500.

Tesla's Much-Awaited, Lower-Priced Model 3 Will Officially Debuts On 7th July

The first-ever mass-market Tesla should roll out of the factory this week.

CEO Elon Musk tweeted late Sunday that the company's Model 3 car "passed all regulatory requirements for production two weeks ahead of schedule. Expecting to complete SN1 on Friday," using an abbreviation for serial number one. 

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Model 3 passed all regulatory requirements for production two weeks ahead of schedule. Expecting to complete SN1 on Friday

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Musk also tweeted that production would increase "exponentially," with 100 cars in August, more than 1,500 in September and 20,000 per month in December. Musk also announced a July 28 "handover party" for the first thirty buyers of the Model 3.

As we has reported, the fully-electric Model 3 is expected to cover a range of 215 miles on one charge and, most notably, sell at a sticker price of $35,000 (or $27,500 after federal electric car tax credits). Until now, Tesla has only sold luxury cars at luxury prices, beginning — on the low end — at roughly double the Model 3's price.

A successful rollout of the Model 3 is crucial for Tesla, not only for Musk's so-called "master plan" of moving consumers to sustainable energy sources, but also for the company's financial future.

Excitement about the Model 3 has driven Tesla's stock price up 67% during 2017, and as we've reported, Tesla recently surpassed Ford in market value. But Tesla has also lost $2.3 billion in the past five years. In fact, the company made news last October, as NPR's Sonari Glinton reported, for posting only the second ever profitable quarter in its 14 year history. (The company continued to post losses in fourth quarter of 2016 and the first quarter of 2017.)

One of the more formidable challenges Tesla faces will be scaling up production. Musk set a goal of producing 500,000 vehicles a year in 2018, or more than 40,000 per month. For scale, that is about 15,000 more than it produced in the entire first quarter of this year.

How Ferrari 599 GTB Car Design Was Accidentally Changed

One of the most exciting developments in road-car aerodynamics is the increasing use of flying buttresses. Cars like the Ford GT, Acura NSX, McLaren 570S, BMW i8, and others move air through their bodywork to generate downforce without resorting to a big wing, or at the expense of increased drag. The Ferrari 599 GTB kicked off this trend, but hilariously, it did so by accident. 

Speaking to Evo, the 599's exterior designer Jason Castriota reveals that the car's iconic flying buttresses were originally intended for style–their aerodynamic benefit was just a pleasant side effect. Working at Pininfarina, Castriota initially added flying buttresses to give the 599 a fastback profile and to, as Evo puts it, remove visual weight from the rear of the car. To pass muster with former Ferrari boss Luca di Montezelmolo, though, the buttresses had to have a real functional benefit.


Luckily, Castriota had a hunch that the buttresses would help high-speed aerodynamics–a hunch that was proven by Ferrari aerodynamicsist Luca Caldirola. Working with a scale model in the wind tunnel, Caldirola discovered the buttresses created a vortex of air over the rear of the car that generated downforce, with no drag.

That was enough for Di Montezelmolo, and the 599's flying buttresses stayed in place. "Presumably Luca was impressed," Castriota told Evo.

As Evo notes, the 599 kicked off the trend of marrying aerodynamics and styling at Ferrari, but its design influence is felt across the entire performance car world. And to think it was all started out of the need for style.

Ford Just Added Line-Lock (Burnout) Feature to All 2018 Mustangs (See Video)

Ford’s electronic line-lock system—one of the coolest features of the Mustang GT—expands to the entire Mustang lineup for 2018, from the entry-level turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder Mustang EcoBoost with a six-speed manual transmission to the 5.0-liter V-8 Mustang GT with the new 10-speed automatic transmission. In previous years, line lock was limited to the V-8 Mustang GT.  

Line lock works by automatically applying the Mustang’s front brakes so that the driver can floor the throttle and burn rubber for up to 15 seconds. In theory, the feature is a tool for Mustang customers who drag-race their vehicle, as the ability to perform a brief burnout warms up the rear tires and improves traction at launch. In practice, though, we predict line lock will be used to perform smoky burnouts for excited crowds.

As the video below shows, activating line lock requires scrolling to the Track Apps menu within the Mustang’s gauge-cluster display screen. Mustangs with the new-for-2018 optional 12-inch digital gauge cluster additionally can show a graphic of a spinning and smoking tire that displays when line lock is engaged. Look for the 2018 Mustang to reach Ford dealerships later this year.