Author: Tabitha
Subaru appears to be taking its popular (and least-expensive) all-wheel-drive compact to a whole new level with the recent release of the 5-Door Concept at the recent bi-annual 2015 Tokyo Motor Show. The four- (passenger) door hatchback’s sleek lines and rounded nose represent a significant improvement on the Impreza’s already good looks. Although what rests beneath the hood remains a closely guarded secret, The Spy Guy hears that a turbocharged four-cylinder engine option will most likely find a home there and is the best way to improve horsepower with a mind for good fuel economy. You’ll probably see this Subie…
The Sleuth has the deets on Acura’s super flagship that goes public next spring. The Ohio-built two-seater car comes equipped with a mid-mounted twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine rated at 500 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. Also in play are three electric motors (one that directly assists the engine and one for each front wheel) that increase the output to a combined 573 horsepower and 486 pound feet of torque. A nine-speed paddle-shift trans handles the shifting duties. Even with plenty of aluminum and carbon fiber body and suspension parts, the whole shebang weighs 3,800 pounds, whcih is only slightly…
The Sleuth is intrigued with a one-off Dodge Challenger that the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) division built for the recent Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show. Along with a trick paint job, the car on display at the automotive parts and accessories extravaganza in Las Vegas, Nev., showed off a “GT AWD” badge. Since the Challenger’s chassis and running gear is based on that of the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 sedans, it wouldn’t take much effort or expense to offer an all-wheel-drive option for Challenger buyers. It would also make the coupe unique among its Ford Mustang and Chevrolet…
For pickup-truck owners, there are likely times when some extra passenger capacity would come in handy. That’s where the BedRyder can help. The product’s twin bucket seats mount to a separate frame that bolts directly to the bed of nearly any pickup truck. The seats are legal almost everywhere since they meet or exceed government safety standards. The all-weather design features removable vinyl covers and racing-style safety harnesses. Once installed, the seats can be used out in the open, or inside a pickup box. When not in use, the quick-release hardware makes removal and reattachment a simple process. The kit…
It’s always a good idea to keep a screwdriver with you for emergencies while on the road, but lugging around a set of tools might not work for you. The Stanley 4-in-1 Bi-Material Pocket Driver is small enough to be carried around in your shirt pocket and will easily store in your vehicle’s glove box or console. The bits include two sizes of magnetized flathead and Phillips head versions, to which you can supplement with your own specific bits. The soft-touch driver has also been designed to grip easily. The Pocket Driver normally sells in the $8-$10 range, depending on…
General Motors has forged a broad partnership with LG Corp. to help develop the Chevrolet Bolt electric compact car, sourcing everything from battery packs and motors to the infotainment system from the Korean company, reports industry watchdog, Automotive News. Partnering with one supplier to provide so much of a vehicle’s componentry is unprecedented for both companies, and “marks a shift” in traditional vehicle development. LG already makes batteries for the Chevrolet Volt extended range electric car, the Spark EV and Cadillac ELR at a plant in Michigan. “We’ve had such great success working collaboratively in the battery area that now…
The first production model of wannabe electric sports car maker, Detroit Electric, rolled off the production line in Leamington Spa, United Kingdom, Oct. 29. The hand-built SP:01 is billed as the lightest and fastest two-seat pure-electric sports car in the world, with a zero-to-60-mph time of 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph. Seeing the first car come off the line means the firm can now focus on fulfilling “a growing bank of orders,” said CEO Albert Lam. Uniquely, the SP:01’s battery has been integrated into the chassis as a stressed member, adding rigidity to improve handling, and…
According to The Sleuth’s sources, Hyundai will proceed in developing a sporty line of cars that will wear an “N” badge. The first one to arrive in a year or two will be a performance version of the i30 hatch, which in North America is known as the Elantra GT. The car will take its inspiration from the full-race World Rally Championship cars that run with turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engines, which make gobs more power than their civilian counterparts. To kick-start the N program (the letter stands for Hyundai’s Namyang R&D center near Seoul, South Korea), the automaker has secured…
Recent scuttlebutt that the Dodge Viper will be banished to that snake pit in the sky was difficult for The Sleuth to take. This assumption comes with the rumor that the Viper plant will close, even though there’s no formal word on the Viper itself ending. The Sleuth holds out hope that he’ll receive a large inheritance or get lottery lucky before the end of the 2016 model year so he can purchase one of these $100,000-plus street beasts. Honestly, The Spy Guy is surprised that the hand-built Viper has survived this long. The car doesn’t make much, if any,…
Mini’s charismatic convertible returns for 2016 with a three-car line-up at launch, two of which will be available in North America. The new convertible sports an integrated rollover-protection system and a new fully electric roof that’s quieter, more refined and retracts fully in 18 seconds, while driving at speeds up to 18 mph. North American buyers will have two state-of-the-art gasoline engine options from which to choose: a 1.5-liter three-cylinder and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, each with turbocharging, direct fuel injection, variable camshaft control and fully variable-valve-control technology. European buyers will have the option of a three-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine. Auto…