Author: Tabitha
The Sleuth has word that a British startup company called Project 917 is planning to build copies of the Porsche 917, one of the most famous racing models the automaker ever produced. Various 917s were driven in competition from 1969 through 1971, racking up an impressive number of podium finishes. A couple of 917s were also featured in the Steve McQueen racing movie ‘Le Mans’. The track-only replicas will reportedly look exactly like the originals, except they will be powered by existing six-cylinder Porsche engines instead of the 12-cylinder engines. A crowd-funding campaign to help launch Project 917 is in…
The 10th-generation Honda Civic Hatchback is part of the ‘most comprehensive research-and-development program’ in the model’s history, according to the company. The Civic is Honda’s biggest selling nameplate worldwide. Philip Crossman, managing director at Honda UK said the unveiling of the new hatchback continues the journey started in 2015 with the complete overhaul of the entire Civic range. ‘Couple that with the fact the introduction of the new Civic heralds a new era in Swindon (England), as it will become the global manufacturing hub for the British-built Civic hatchback. The new Honda Civic hatchback rounds out the coupe and sedan…
An eight-speed gearbox and more efficient V-6 engine have helped the new Chevrolet Colorado midsize pickup achieve both more power and efficiency. Under the hood, the thoroughly reworked version of the Colorado’s V-6 gets tweaked variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust points of the combustion cycle. Improvements in the direct-fuel-injection system is likely to help eke out a few extra miles per gallon, noted emerging-technologies magazine New Atlas, though fuel-consumption figures have not yet been disclosed. The new eight-speed transmission is the same size as the six-speed that it replaces. The use of aluminum and magnesium mean…
The Spymaster has been hearing plenty of scuttlebutt lately about a forthcoming all-wheel-drive version of the Dodge Challenger Hellcat. However it appears that option, which is based on the Dodge Charger AWD system, will not be heading the Hellcat’s way, but rather available as an option with the 3.6-liter V-6. Apparently, packaging constraints and torque issues related to the current Challenger make installing AWD impossible for V-8 models, including the 707-horsepower Hellcat (a planned 2019 Challenger redesign should fix that problem). The Challenger GT AWD (an all-new trim level) that’s expected part way into the 2017 model year will also…
The Sleuth’s sources have confirmed that the oldest member of Land Rover’s lineup, the LR4, will retire at the end of 2016 and be replaced by the return of the Discovery. Note that the Discovery is not to be confused with the Discovery Sport, which remains in service. As with the LR4, the 2017 ‘Disco’ will have three rows of seats (seven-passenger capacity), but its aluminum platform that replaces the LR4’s body-on-frame chassis will likely result in a drop of 700-800 pounds. There’s no word yet as to powerplant choices, but Land Rover’s 240-horsepower four-cylinder gasoline engine and the180-horse 2.0…
Fakes are prevalent in the fashion world, but unwittingly buying a knockoff of a purse or a watchlikely won’t kill you By KELLY TAYLOR WWW.WHEELBASEMEDIA.COM Counterfeit auto parts are a multibillion-dollar drain on the industry, and it’s so pervasive, even carmakers can be ripped off. Maysa Razavi, anti-counterfeiting manager for the International Trademark Association, said at least one luxury carmaker has fallen prey to ripoffs. “It’s not just consumers, but sophisticated buyers who get tricked,” she said, declining to name the carmaker. In 2015, the United States reported 132 seizures of counterfeit auto parts while Europe reported 637 seizures. In…
California-based Kitzrieg produces build-it-yourself kits of Porsche’s original Speedster roadster and 550 Spyder, but it also sells a version of the Porsche 356A coupe that was originally built from 1956-’59. Each basic kit comes with a hand-laid fiberglass body, racing-style tube frame, all suspension and steering components, four-wheel disc brakes, wiring harness, complete interior plus all necessary trim and hardware. You supply the air-cooled engine of your choice and apply your own paint. The Speedster or Spyder kits start at $10,000, while the coupe version sells for $15,000. Get full details at www.kitzkrieg.com.
Cars on Vinyl is a book that both music and car fans will enjoy. Author Jacques Petit has assembled a collection of 500 album covers, all of which feature automobiles in one form or another, and all are depicted in LP-sized original scale. He has also included a brief summary of each cover, listing the artist(s), record label, catalogue number and of course the make and model of the featured vehicle. The book is filled with Rolls Royces, Jaguars, Cobras, Cadillacs and other models that were featured as visual enhancements. Also included are busses (i.e. The Who’s Magic Bus cover,…
A Canadian group seeking a low-priced bulk buy of Nissan’s electric car, the Leaf, has been rebuked by Nissan, reports the La Presse newspaper. Organizer Bruno Marcoux sought to replicate the success of a similar group in Colorado, which bought 248 Leafs for a much-lower-than-sticker price. Marcoux thought he was getting close, reports the automotive website The Truth About Cars. He had secured a group purchasing agreement with a local dealer in Montreal, in the province of Quebec, which, combined with government incentives and manufacturer buy-in, could have dropped the per-unit price to less than $20,000 in Canadian funds. The…
Audi intensified its commitment in the world’s first racing series for fully electric racing cars, starting in the 2016/’17 season that opened in Hong Kong Oct. 9, and will incorporate Formula E into a factory-backed motorsport program. Electric mobility is one of the key topics in our industry,’ said Stefan Knirsch, Audi board member for technical development. ‘We intend to evolve into one of the leading premium car manufacturers in this field. By 2025, every fourth Audi should be an electric vehicle.’ The first model is planned to be a tall wagon that will debut in 2018. Adapting its motorsport…