Articles by Nelson Ireson

We're big fans of hauling the mail on track, but we have learned to rein in our wilder tendencies on the street. That's why games like Need for Speed Rivals are such a good outlet for our excess hooliganism.From the scenes in this official trailer for the upcoming E3 electronics and video game conference, the game appears to offer a level of realism and detail--in looks, if not in consequences--that will help suspend your disbelief as you work out your road-going frustrations. As a bonus, there's the added fun of sticking it to the cops or the crooks, if that's your thing.To be available on Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Playstation 4, the new game lets the driver play as either the street racer or the cop, living out both sides of the furiously fast scene.As the trailer demonstrates, however, the next generation of car games are going to be truly gorgeous, even video-realistic at times. Let's just hope the gameplay lives up to the look.One of the most striking cars in the game will be the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, as part of a new partnership with the Italian supercar maker. Expect more enticing Ferrari models to come.Underlying the whole game is a network allowing players to transition from single-player to multi-player games at any time, appearing and disappearing at will. Need for Speed Rivals goes on sale November 19, 2013.www.motorauthority.com

The French have long made beautiful, if quirky, cars. The latest addition to this fold is the production version of the 191kW Peugeot RCZ R, a hot and sporty version of the standard RCZ.Introduced last year as a concept at the Paris Motor Show, the RCZ R gets its stout power output from a mere 1.6 litres of turbocharged four-cylinder fury putting out 191kW. That puts it among the most potent production cars in the world on a power-per-litre basis--at 118kW/litre, it's 7.4kW/litre ahead of the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse and Super Sport. And Peugeot says the CO2 emissions of the RCZ R are targeted at just 155g/km.A unique suspension setup, lightweight wheels, and a Torsen limited-slip differential will also enhance performance over the standard model.Full details on the Peugeot RCZ R will be unveiled along with the car at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed.www.motorauthority.com 

Teasers are usually a thing we tolerate more than we enjoy--they do give us hints of what's to come, but they also ruin the surprise. In this case, however, we've been intrigued by the possibility and, now, enticed by the reality: the Aston Martin V12 Vantage S.SpeedA new AM28 6.0-litre V-12 engine powers the 421 kilowatt V12 Vantage S, enabling a top speed of 330km/h. 0-100km/h times haven't been released yet, but something below four seconds is likely a safe estimate. Torque is up from the standard V12 Vantage's 569 Newton metres as well, to 619 Newton metres of torque in the S. Perhaps more importantly, measured torque at 1,000 rpm is up from 439 Newton metres to 509 Newton metres.Some of the updates that improve the AM28's performance include hollow cam shafts and CNC machined combustion chambers.All V12 Vantage S models get the Sportshift III automated manual transaxle (AMT). Updated from the version in the V8 Vantage S, the V12 Vantage S's gearbox provides quick, affirmative paddle shifts while saving 25kg over the six-speed manual gearbox.Completely new to the Vantage range is the three-stage adaptive damping system. With "Normal," "Sport," and "Track" modes, the system can range from relatively plush to firm and agile at the press of a button. Throttle response, gearshift speed and timing, and exhaust note are also controlled by these modes.The exhaust system itself is derived from that of the One-77 hypercar, saving weight and space compared to the previous V12 Vantage exhaust.Electronically-controlled hydraulic power steering (via a ZF-sourced Servotronic system) also joins the party, with a 15:1 steering ratio. The electronically-controlled steering is also tuned to match each of the three adaptive damping settings.StyleThe exterior of the V12 Vantage S is mostly familiar, and that's mostly fantastic, as the standard V12 Vantage, and the Vantage family, for that matter, are quite comely. Sharpening the look for the V12 Vantage S is accomplished with black carbon fibre or titanium silver mesh accents, a new grille insert inspired by the gorgeous CC100 Speedster Concept, alloy ten-spoke wheels, and a subtle graphics package including a black painted roof and partially painted trunk panel.Inside, the new V12 Vantage S gets revised Sport seats, with a choice of Luxmill or semi-aniline leathers, optional Alcantara upholstery, and an optional Carbon Fibre Interior Pack. The carbon pack adds carbon fibre trim elements to the door pulls, dash, and black pedals.As Dr Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin put it, "The new V12 Vantage S is our most extreme Vantage to date--engineered to bring race car performance and technology to the open road... It is our most powerful engine in a beautifully tailored suit. It is elegant, yet brutal, and it is at the same time easy to control. It has everything that sums up Aston Martin: power, beauty and soul!"www.motorauthority.com 

The path to the summit is tarmac these days, but that doesn't make the race up Pikes Peak any less thrilling or terrifying. In fact, it raises the speeds and increases the potential for danger. That makes it all the more important to have a well-sorted car for the time trial to the sky.Peugeot appears to be well on its path to a sorted and safe race car in the 208 T16, shown in these photos in a "dress rehearsal" test ahead of the race next month.Rather than testing at Pikes Peak in Colorado, USA, which is somewhat remote from Peugeot's home in France, the test was performed along a stretch of road on Mont Ventoux--itself famous for being the location of one of the most gruelling of the Tour de France's stages.Using the last 6km of the mountain's summit road, the 208 T16 tested at rather high altitudes for Europe, but with a peak of 1,909m, even the barren summit is more than 900m below the start of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Its finish line sits at 4,301m, nearly 1500m above the start."Okay, the altitude isn’t as extreme here as it is at Pikes Peak which reaches 4,301m, but it’s a valuable intermediate step," said the team's technical chief Jean-Christophe Pailler. "It allows us to see the differences in the way the engine functions, although we hope to suffer less from altitude-induced power-loss than our rivals because of the turbochargers we have chosen."Even with the elevation disparity, the Peugeot team thinks it has a car that can win. With 653kW on tap, that's not necessarily a cocky mindset. During testing, however, French rally legend Sebastien Loeb said the car is still tricky to drive. "The steering is still very, very responsive, so it can be a little hairy keeping your foot to the floor though the fast portions," said Loeb. "On wide slicks like this and at the sort of speeds I am getting up to, the slightest imperfection in the road surface really unsettles the car."Setup work continues in advance of the Pikes Peak hill climb itself. "The mechanics and engineers need to familiarise themselves with working on the car in real-life conditions. They are getting an increasingly better grasp of how it responds to set-up changes and are analysing the tiniest detail or piece of feedback from Seb to refine its settings. It’s a learning process for everyone," said Pailler.Sections of the actual Pikes Peak course will become available starting June 8 through 16. Practice and qualifying begin during race week, June 24, with the event itself scheduled for June 30.www.motorauthority.com 

The idea of a smaller, nimbler version of the gullwing SLS AMG coupe is attractive in many ways. It's even more attractive when wrapped in Black Series trim and given 430 kilowatts. That's what the latest rumours say will happen with the Mercedes-Benz SLC when it arrives around the end of 2015. But instead of slotting in beneath the SLS, it will replace it, reports Auto Bild. Aiming at the Porsche 911 on performance targets, the latest reports say the SLC should be about 68kg lighter than the SLS, while offering a range of models, including a base 356 kilowatt version, an S version good for 404 kilowatts, and the 430 kilowatt Black Series. The source of all these kilowatts? Most likely AMG's 5.5-litre twin-turbo V-8 engine, particularly for the S and Black Series. It's not yet clear if a twin-turbo V-6 engine option could be offered. Mercedes-Benz has such an engine in the works for the 2015 E Class coupe and cabrio, so a future AMG version might make good sense. The SLC may also be expected to ditch the gullwing doors for a standard configuration, though photographs of test mules so far have shown gullwing doors--perhaps an artifact of the SLS basis of the mules. As for pricing, the 2016 Mercedes-Benz SLC is expected to cost about $100,000 to start in the U.S. (approximately $102,000AUD) , rising up to nearly the $200,000 (approximately $204,000AUD) mark for a loaded Black Series. www.motorauthority.com  

Special-edition cars to mark anniversaries are nothing new, but for McLaren, having its own production car around to commemorate the occasion is. The brand borne from racing is capitalising on the opportunity, with the new McLaren 50 12C and McLaren 50 12C Spider, celebrating the brand's 50th anniversary.These special-edition models will be limited to a run of just 50 cars each for coupe and spider. Unique styling and specification elements by McLaren Special Operations (MSO) mark them apart from the normal versions.Upgrades for the McLaren 50 models include: a remodelled, CFD-optimised front bumper; new carbon fibre and Kevlar exterior elements; a black F1-inspired heritage badge; standard carbon ceramic brake discs; unique 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels that save 2kg total; and a full leather upgrade inside the cabin, with carbon fibre accents and floor mats. A special dedication plate numbers each of the limited-run cars.Three colours will be available for the McLaren 50 12C and 12C Spider: Carbon Black, Supernova Silver, and McLaren Orange.Each also gets its own monogrammed black and silver car cover, a limited-edition key in a carbon fibre presentation box, and a specially commissioned art print signed by McLaren Automotive's design director, Frank Stephenson.Global deliveries of the McLaren 50 12C should begin something after the official anniversary date of September 2. So far, only UK pricing has been announced, with the coupe priced from £196,000, and the spider from £215,500.www.motorauthority.com 

With more than 673kW, a top speed of 350km/h, and active aerodynamics, the McLaren P1 was, quite literally, built for speed and lap times. It appears the designers' goals may have been met, with rumours of a new record lap time of the Nürburgring Nordschleife.If the time proves to be the real deal, McLaren won't have simply shaved a few tenths off of the previous lap record, held by the Radical SR8 (a barely disguised, technically road-legal sports racer). It will have completely reset the world's frame of reference for what a road-legal supercar can do.The time? According to an image credited to Autohome.com.cn, and published by Jalopnik, the McLaren P1 lapped the 'Ring in just 6:33.26. That's about 15 seconds faster than the current record, and just 22 seconds off Stefan Bellof's record 6:11.13 run in a Porsche 956 race car during a qualifying session in 1983.www.motorauthority.com 

The development of the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S Class has been an open secret thanks to the work of spies and even Mercedes' own revelations. Now we get a completely undisguised look at the upcoming luxury sedan just days ahead of its official reveal in Hamburg, Germany, this Wednesday.These brochure scans, which were first posted on enthusiast site GermanCarForum, reveal not only the exterior and interior designs but also some of the technical specifications. Some of the specs listed include those of the S350 Bluetec, S400 Hybrid and S500 models.The new S350 Bluetec is said to maintain the current model's 3.0-litre V-6 turbodiesel, with an output of 190 kilowatts. The new S400 also maintains the current model's 3.5-litre V-6 and electric motor combination, and level of 225 kilowatts.Finally, a new S500 sticks with a twin-turbocharged 4.7-litre V-8 but has output bumped up to 335 kilowatts, a gain of 15 kilowatts. It should be noted that the brochure is for a European-spec 2014 S Class, so some of the features mentioned may differ for versions of the car sold in Australia.The S Class is arguably the most important model for Mercedes-Benz as it traditionally represents the pinnacle in engineering and technological know-how of the German automaker. This ‘W222’ generation of the car is also particularly important as it will be doing double duty as the flagship for the entire Daimler group now that the Maybach brand has been disbanded.LED daytime running lights and turn indicators, a larger, reshaped grille, the sculpted, angular front end aerodynamics, and large alloy wheels are the dominant features in the leaked images. The styling is conservative, though it helps form some familiarity across the Mercedes-Benz lineup which in turn should help new additions like the upcoming CLA and GLA models.Inside, the 2014 S Class has already shown itself to be another masterwork in the luxury sedan class, with a new twin-spoke steering wheel, quilted leather upholstery, and individual seating for four (at least in one configuration).Sales of the 2014 S Class will commence in the second half of the year. Coupe, Cabriolet and even an extra-long ’Pullman’ model are in the works and expected to be released over the next 12-18 months.www.motorauthority.com 

Light makes right when it comes to any performance car. When light is done as well as the Audi TT ultra quattro concept, it's very, very right.Billed as an example of how "motorsports meets quattro", the TT ultra quattro concept weighs in at just 1111 kilograms. Generating 227kW, each of the car’s horses has just 3.6 kilograms to carry.This video shows what that feels like on the road. It features two-time Le Mans winner André Lotterer taking the concept out for a quick spin.The video is in German but it’s obvious Lotterer is in love with the car’s handlings and dynamics.Weighing about 299 kilos less than a standard TT, the TT ultra quattro concept gets there by using lightweight components and advanced materials, most of which is carbon fiber.Unique equipment for the car includes a carbon fiber wing on milled aluminum supports, large front spoiler, ceramic brake rotors with aluminum calipers, titanium exhaust, and ultra-light carbon fiber and aluminum wheels. The exterior mirrors have even been replaced by cameras that transfer the images directly into the digital cockpit.Weight distribution is also considered, with the Audi engineers moving as much weight as possible away from the ends of the car and toward the middle, to reduce the polar moment of inertia; a lithium-ion starter battery sits under the driver's seat.Even the 2.0-litre TFSI turbocharged engine has been lightened and modified. Power is raised to 231 kW and 399 Nm of torque; the crankcase, crankshaft, balance shafts, flywheel, oil sump, and bolts, as well as some of the accessory systems, have been lighted by a total of 55 pounds.While this exercise in ultra-light construction with a motorsports theme isn't something we ever expect to see directly transferred to production, many of the lightweight construction techniques could appear in some of Audi’s future models. In fact, the automaker is believed to be planning a lightweight version of its next-generation TT sports car.The Audi TT ultra quattro concept made its debut at the 2013 Wörthersee Tour in Austria this week.www.motorauthority.com

Driving games have evolved massively from the early days of PC and console arcade. You can even get some pretty decent mobile phone sims. But what if a smartphone driving game could cross over into the real world? That's exactly what the Code of the Curve app seeks to do.At least, that's part of what it does. Capable of tracking and recording your driving -- and your car is going to be a 2014 Cayman, as that's the car this app is built to promote -- the app can give you "precision driving challenges," presumably to be conducted in a safe, closed course environment. Example scenes show the Cayman navigating a slalom and coming to a stop inside a coned-off box.It looks like the app will also focus on the social side of driving, allowing you to share your achievements and precision driving skills through the app. You can also share pics and follow the conversation at #CaymanCode.The app also shares a theme with the upcoming King of the Curve TV show which will be shown on the cable channel, Speed. The Porsche-sponsored show will pit Porsche fans, pro drivers, and celebrities against each other in a series of challenges.www.motorauthority.com