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2013 BMW 1 series 3 door

May 13th, 2012 by FendyBt2

Article Source: FendyBt2 Official Website

Another expected development: the 3 door version of the redesigned 1 series 5 door…

And just like the 5 door, this hatchback isn’t coming over here.
But if you imagine a trunk instead of the hatch, you can almost see the next 1 series coupe we’ll be getting here next year.
Which will , by then, be called the 2 series.

2012 Volkswagen Golf R [w/video]

May 13th, 2012 by FendyBt2

Article Source: FendyBt2 Official Website

Filed under: Performance, Hatchback, Volkswagen, New Car Reviews

Boiled Down, But Still Delectable

It is nearly impossible to avoid reminiscing about the 1983 Volkswagen GTI while driving the 2012 Volkswagen Golf R. As you may recall, “the original hot hatch” arrived on our shores seemingly eons ago with a naturally aspirated 1.8-liter four spitting out just 90 horsepower. While hardly brawny, even in an era of wheezy outputs (the 1983 Mustang GT 5.0 generated just 175 horsepower), its low curb weight of 2,100 pounds and a base price of $7,995 made the range-topping Rabbit not only light, tossable and reasonably quick, but very affordable.

Fast forward nearly three decades to the 2012 Volkswagen Golf R, a direct descendant of that first-generation GTI. Thoroughly modernized, and riding on a sixth-generation chassis, the new two- or four-door range-topping Golf boasts a bit more displacement and gobs more horsepower. But that is not all today’s hot hatch has gained. With innovation and refinement come mass and cost – both of which have risen dramatically over the past three decades.

After falling head-over-heels for the 2012 Golf R after our first drive of the Euro-spec model in Switzerland last spring, it was time to put one in our garage for a longer run on domestic soil. With an eager and open mind, we welcomed the Golf R into our lives for a week. While we didn’t have a chance to toss it around a closed racing circuit, we did put in several hundred miles on the highway, wrung it out on Mulholland and frolicked in wet Southern California mountain snow. In the process, we not only learned plenty about Volkswagen’s hot hatch, but we met several other Golf R drivers who were more than willing to talk to us about their own experiences.

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2013 Chevy Corvette ZR1 To Pace This Year’s Indy 500

May 10th, 2012 by FendyBt2

Article Source: FendyBt2 Official Website

The C6 Corvette goes out of production later this year, so picking the latest Corvette ZR1 to pace this year’s Indy 500 is an appropriate send-off for the current generation. The 2013 Corvette ZR1 becomes the 23rd Chevrolet to pace the Indy 500 over its 96 runnings, and is the 11th Corvette model to do so. With 638 horsepower, the ZR1 is also the most powerful production car to ever lead the pack at the Brickyard.

Next year also marks the 60th anniversary of the Corvette model, and Chevy is commemorating this with special badging on all 2013 Corvette models built. Front and rear fascias will wear “60th Anniversary” logos, as will the “waterfall” panel on convertible models. Instruments and door sills get badging, too, and if that’s not enough tribute you can order up the Corvette 60th Anniversary package for any Corvette model.

Package buyers get Arctic White paint, a ZR1-style read deck lid spoiler, gray brake calipers, “60th” logo wheel caps and unique exterior badging. Opt for the Graphics Package, and you’ll also get the same Pearl Silver Blue stripes worn by the Indy pace car. Inside, there’s Blue Diamond leather upholstery with suede accents and logos on the steering wheel and headrests.

Chevy hasn’t said whether or not it will build ZR1 pace car replicas, but it wants fans to know that the Anniversary package models look a lot like the pace car. We suspect that a run of pace car replicas is also in the works, but Chevy has yet to decide on equipment levels and pricing.