Articles by Motor Authority

Fiat has teased the first footage of the Fiat 500 Abarth Cabrio, due to be unveiled at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show at the end of November.

The Japanese automaker has announced a new round of revisions for its giant-killing supercar. Coming in for the 2014 model year, the latest version of the GT-R has been enhanced with increased performance, improved ride and handling, and greater customization. You may recall that Nissan entered a stock GT-R in the Nürburgring 24 Hours this year, an endurance race in which the car emerged a winner in its class and 30th overall. As the car’s chief engineer Kazutoshi Mizuno explained at the time, the purpose of competing was to test reliability and durability issues in order to refine the GT-R over the remainder of its life-cycle. For the 2014 Nissan GT-R, this has led to improved engine response in both the mid- and upper-rev range, increased body rigidity, and numerous changes to the shock absorbers, springs and front stabilizer. Sadly, there’s been no increase in power so peak output remains at 404kW and 628Nm. Nevertheless, the vehicle's overall performance is said to have increased, high-speed stability improved, and ride quality made more refined. Nissan boasts the car's new Nürburgring lap time is 7:18:6--more than 20 seconds faster than the lap time of the original R35 that debuted in 2007. Specific changes to the powertrain include high-output fuel injectors that more precisely control fuel injection to improve mid-range engine response and acceleration at higher revs, revised turbochargers that help maintain boost pressure for longer at high revs, and improved circulation of the engine oil to reduce internal friction. Moving onto the chassis, Nissan engineers managed to reduce the car’s center of gravity by adjusting the suspension bushings and tires. This is in addition to revising the shock absorbers and front stabilizer. Cam bolts have also been installed on the front suspension to improve camber accuracy and maintainability of alignment settings, and a number of bolts have had their torque increased to improve reliability in track situations. Finally, reinforcements were added at two locations in the dash panel bar and instrument panel member, which Nissan says results in improved suspension performance and increased body rigidity. www.motorauthority.com  

Remember Falcatron? The Transformer based on the Australian Falcon sedan that was developed by Ford Oz to celebrate the launch of the new video game Transformers: Fall of Cybertron? Well, the people behind Falcatron have now come out with a second Transformers character, and he goes by the name Torque. Torque is based on the not-for-the-U.S.Ford Ranger pickup, and he's also an Autobot, just like Falcatron. Once again, in determining the look of the character, Ford asked its fans which model from its lineup should be used for Torque's civilian mode, as well as what color he should be and whether he should be an Autobot or a Decepticon. This time the fans chose the Ranger, but in its range-topping Wildtrak trim. This model packs a 3.2-liter five-cylinder turbodiesel that’s rated at 197 horsepower and 346 pound-feet of torque. Torque’s bright orange finish is available on the Ranger Wildtrak, though that’s about all he has in common with the actual production model. Ford has said it plans to use Torque in some promotional materials, just like it is doing with Falcatron. However, don’t hold your breath waiting to see either in Transformers 4--they were created just for Ford’s own promotional use. www.motorauthority.com    

Jost Capito joined Volkswagen in May of 2012 as the head of Volkswagen’s motorsports division. Prior to this, Capito worked at Ford, where he was head of its Global Performance Vehicles group, and ultimately the man responsible for products like the Ford Focus RS.In other words, he knows a thing or two about making cars go fast, as well as building cars that are slightly over-the-top. Now that he’s settled in at Volkswagen, Whatcar is reporting that Capito wants to expand VW’s performance car offerings, and we say that’s a very good thing.In addition to getting the Polo WRC car ready for the 2013 Monte Carlo Rally, Capito is expected to take on more responsibility for the development of future production cars. While the Polo R (set to debut at next year’s Geneva Motor Show) is a given, we see potential in VW models ranging from the GTI through the Passat and even the Touareg.Rumors of a higher-performance, lightweight GTI are already circulating, though the car is likely to be limited in production. Could the processes developed for this car (like the blending of carbon fiber, aluminum and steel in assembly) be applied to future VW models?Our guess would be yes. The key to future performance Volkswagens will be saving weight as much as boosting power, and the lessons learned from VW’s WRC efforts could pay dividends here.In Capito’s words, “I have always had the view that the production cars have to support and reflect what is happening on the circuits and rally stages. I implemented that at Ford, and that view hasn’t changed now that I’m at VW.By definition it would mean more than the Polo R.” Capito went on to clarify that his immediate focus is on getting ready for the 2013 WRC season. Beyond that, however, the future for Volkswagen enthusiasts is starting to look bright.www.motorauthority.com  

Porsche's 918 Spyder is no secret--in fact, it's a bit of a camera whore. But we're fine with that--it's a stunner, and it's crazy fast, too. How crazy fast? How about a Nürburgring Nordschleife lap time of 7 minutes, 14 seconds. Yep, that's the official word from Porsche as of just a few minutes ago. The images posted along with the announcement show a Martini-liveried car doing its dirty work. For reference, a 7:14 lap is not only faster than its own target of 7:22, but faster than the Corvette ZR1, faster than the Nissan GT-R, as fast as the Lexus LFA, and nearly as fast as the very track-oriented Dodge Viper SRT-10 ACR--in a hybrid that could be good for up to 33 km/l. Porsche's 918 Spyder development lead Dr. Frank Walliser said, "With the time of 7:14 minutes, the 918 Spyder prototype is already proving to be a fully sustainable concept after just a few months on the road." The company also confirmed the 7:14 lap time was set with the aid of the "Weissach" package, which "includes measures to improve driving dynamics." Porsche also confirmed the 918's output at 593 kilowatts of power, and stated that the lap time was achieved on "production intent" Michelin street tires. Yeah, we can get behind that. www.motorauthority.com  

If you’re hoping to drive an electric car, your maximum driving range with the vehicles currently on sale top out at about 400 to 480 kilometers. Though this limit will surely increase in the longer term, there are ways of getting around this limit already available today. The most obvious is carrying an onboard generator to charge your electric car’s batteries while on the move, and we’ve seen this in extended-range electric cars such as the Chevrolet Volt and Fisker Karma. Another solution, which will be launched soon, is relying on corridors of fast-charging stations, the first of which could be set up along the I-5 running between Los Angeles and San Francisco in the U.S. Another option that’s been touted by several automakers in the recent past is relying on a hydrogen fuel cell. The advanced powerplant combines hydrogen fuel with oxygen from the air to create electricity and the byproduct water. This electricity can then be used to power an electric motor, just like in a conventional electric car. So far only Honda and Mercedes-Benz have released fuel cell vehicles to the public, though only through small scale lease programs. However, many automakers are investigating their use as a future propulsion system. One such automaker is Nissan, which is displaying at this month’s 2012 Paris Auto Show an SUV concept powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. Called the Terra, the design of the new concept combines a tough SUV chassis with a zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell drivetrain. Note, Nissan doesn’t envisage owners of the Terra taking it off-road, rather, it sees it being used in urban areas by owners who enjoy the taller ride height and packaging solutions. Inside the cabin is a light and airy design theme, dominated by a driver-focused cockpit and removable tablet PC that controls all functions of the vehicle and even serves as its key. When docked, the tablet’s default view displays speed and other key performance indicators. But the driver can easily toggle to entertainment, communications, navigation and other views. Outside the car it provides all the functions we expect from a tablet, plus it stays continually in touch with the vehicle. As for the drivetrain, this consists of a pair of electric motors--one on each of the axles--powered by a hydrogen fuel cell with a power density of 2.5 kW/L. The latest in a series of Nissan fuel cells since 1996, the stack costs just one-sixth of its 2005 predecessor as the need for expensive precious metals, namely platinum, has been slashed to one-quarter of the previous level. While Nissan is unlikely to put its Terra concept into production, the vehicle does hint at some of the styling and technological aspects we’re likely to see on future production models from the automaker. www.motorauthority.com  

South Korea’s SsangYong is preparing its third iteration of its XIV line of concepts for this month’s Paris Auto Show, previewing the vehicle today with these three teaser images. The new concept will go by the name e-XIV, the small “e” denoting this one will be powered by an electric drivetrain. Like the previous two, SsangYong’s latest XIV concept previews a new compact crossover whose focus will be on smart design and user interactivity. The name XIV, in fact, is an acronym for eXciting user Interface Vehicle. As the name suggests, each of the concepts feature an advanced user interface system that incorporates the controls for all major cabin functions and can be accessed via a mobile device. SsangYong hopes the feature will help the vehicle appeal to younger buyers, especially those already used to staying up-to-date via smartphones and other mobile devices. The e-XIV drops the previous models’ gasoline engines in favor of an extended-range electric drivetrain, though no specs have been released. A roof-mounted solar panel is fitted, likely to be used for powering ancillary features in the vehicle. Overall dimensions come in at 13.6 feet in length, 5.9 feet in width, 5.2 feet in height, and with a wheelbase of 8.5 feet. With SsangYong products currently off limits for the U.S., there’s little chance of a production XIV ever making it to local showrooms. A launch overseas could happen next year. www.motorauthority.com  

f you’ve wondered why Arnold Schwarzenegger hasn’t had much face time on the big screen of late, the answer is simple: from 2003 until January of 2011, the bodybuilder-turned-action-film-star was busy

...developed together with its in-house tuner and motorsports partner Nismo. The first of these have already been revealed in the form of the Nismo 370Z sold in the U.S. and other select markets, and more recently the Juke Nismo, which goes on sale in Europe early next year, followed by the U.S. and Asian markets shortly after. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Nissan is also looking at more serious forms of tuning, particular for its performance models like the 370Z, GT-R supercar and a possible new front-wheel drive sports car. Using the ‘RS’ moniker, an abbreviation for Rennsport, the German word for motorsport, Nissan is thought to preparing a series of packages that will go a step beyond the suspension tune, mild power upgrades and aero aids of the standard Nismo kits. Speaking with Auto Express recently, Nissan’s product planning chief Andy Palmer hinted at RS versions of the GT-R and Juke, as well as the next-generation of the 370Z due in 2014. “The RS cars will be much more track-focused. You’ve seen the Juke-R, so maybe that would be a good place to start,” Palmer said. The latest comments tie in with those of GT-R chief engineer Kazutoshi Mizuno, who recently stated that Nissan’s participation in the 2012 Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance race with a stock GT-R was to help further develop the car over the remainder of its life. Mizuno himself hinted at more capable version of the GT-R with his comment, “By changing it to a racing specification to be implemented in the future, no matter what kind of super high performance feature or a new version is developed in the next five years, the durability and reliability in varying conditions can be verified in this race. I would like to make a promise that all this will be reflected in future GT-Rs." Fortunately, we won’t have to wait too long to see the RS-spec GT-R as Nissan is expected to launch the model sometime next year. Stay tuned for an update. Pictured above (and below) is a GT-R fitted with some official tuner parts offered by Nismo. Released in 2008, the parts include adjustable dampers and stiffened springs, racing-style bucket seats, forged alloy wheels by Rays, and a titanium exhaust. www.motorauthority.com