Articles by Viknesh Vijayenthiran

Maserati will launch a new sports car in 2015 to challenge the likes of the Jaguar F-Type and Porsche 911; a car that could end up reviving the GranSport name. Unfortunately, apart from its 2015 launch, few details are known about it. A previous report suggested it will feature a mid-engine layout, possibly using a stretched version of the platform developed for the upcoming Alfa Romeo 4C, which, incidentally, will be produced in one of Maserati’s plants. Autocar is now reporting that the new Maserati sports car will offer the choice of V-6 and V-8 powerplants. Those engines are the same units produced by Ferrari for Maserati’s other models. In the latest 2014 Maserati Quattroporte, the V-6, a twin-turbocharged and direct-injected 3.0-liter mill, produces 410 horsepower, while the V-8 displaces 3.8-liters and develops 530 horsepower, also with the aid of turbocharging and direct-injection technologies. It’s likely that the new sports car will offer slightly higher outputs, reportedly up to 450 horsepower in V-6 trim and 550 horsepower with the V-8. It’s claimed that all-wheel drive may also be offered as an option to help boost the car’s popularity. An official document showed that the new sports car won’t be the flagship of the Maserati range. That role will remain with the GranTurismo, whose successor will also be launched in 2015. This means that we could see the new sports car launch with a pricetag of around $100k, which should make it competitive with its aforementioned rivals. With its Ferrari engine, mid-engine layout and expected $100k pricetag, the new Maserati sports car is starting to sound like a cut-priced 458 Italia. www.motorauthority.com  

Though we’ve been spying prototypes for the upcoming CLA Class from Mercedes-Benz, the sedan version of the German automaker’s new compact range, for more than a year, so far all of these have been heavily camouflaged. Now the first official images of the new compact sedan have been revealed, showing off the car's design ahead of its debut next month. The images confirm Mercedes’ design team has managed to retain the distinctive look of the Concept Style Coupe unveiled at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show, for the production version. The front of the CLA Class is almost identical to the latest A Class hatchback launched overseas, while the body gets four-door coupe styling that makes it resemble the CLS Class, albeit on a smaller scale. Under its pretty sheet metal is a version of Mercedes' latest front-wheel drive platform, code-named MFA (Mercedes Frontwheel Architecture). This new platform is flexible enough to spawn a variety of models including hatchbacks, coupes and even a crossover, and it will offer the option of 4MATIC all-wheel drive. U.S.-delivered cars are likely to come with 4MATIC as standard. The car’s overall length will stretch just over 4.5 meters, and inside there should be ample space for four adults. A fifth-seat option may be available. The interior design, as expected, is identical to that found in the A Class hatchback. A performance-tuned 4MATIC system will be standard in the AMG version of the new CLA Class, which is likely to be called the CLA45 AMG and come with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine rated at more than 245 kW. www.motorauthority.com  

Toyota has confirmed it will unveil a new concept car at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show next month. The only official details are that the new concept will be called the Furia, and it will be sedan.As the video reveals, the Furia concept looks to be a sporty sedan resembling something straight out of the Fast and Furious movies. Perhaps that’s even where Toyota derived the concept’s name from.Some of the visible elements in the teaser are a carbon fiber diffuser with integrated exhaust tips, a carbon fiber trunk lid spoiler, sunken headlights, a hexagonal-pattern grille, and angular tail-lights littered with LEDs. The few seconds at the end of the short teaser clip show the car’s profile, which looks similar to the NS4 plug-in hybrid sedan concept from the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. At the time of its unveiling, Toyota said the NS4 hinted at the automaker’s future styling direction.As for the Furia, Toyota hasn't revealed whether it previews a future production model, though there’s been some speculation that the platform underpinning the Scion FR-S could eventually spawn a sporty rear-wheel-drive sedan--perhaps a replacement for the Mark X sold overseas?Of course, we could just be looking at a preview of the next-generation Corolla sedan, which is due for a redesign next year.We should know more once the Furia makes its Detroit debut. 

A new generation of the Nissan GT-R sports car is due around 2017 or 2018, as hinted at by the car’s chief engineer Kazutoshi Mizuno who said earlier this year that the current R35 model would continue to evolve over the next five years. This would give the R35 a 10-year lifespan, which may be long by modern product cycle standards but apparently necessary due to the extensive engineering work going into the car’s successor, the R36. A strong possibility is that the R36 GT-R will feature a hybrid powertrain, something we’ve already seen happen in Formula One racing and about to experience in the world of supercars with the Porsche 918 Spyder, Ferrari Enzo replacement and possibly the McLaren P1. After all, with governments in most major markets pressuring automakers to reduce emissions and improve fuel economy of their fleets, even performance models like the GT-R are being put under the spotlight. Of course, hybrid technology can also be beneficial to the world of performance, particularly when it comes to all-wheel-drive cars. Some of the benefits include instantaneous torque from electric motors, improved traction control via negative torque and increased range through reduced fuel consumption.   According to Motor Trend, Nissan’s engineers are looking at two different options. The first is a hybrid setup where one or more electric motors help boost performance and rely on recovered brake energy for power. Such a system was previewed in the Infiniti Essence concept of 2009 and was claimed to deliver around 440 kW. The additional weight of the batteries required for the system is said to be disappointing for the engineers.   The second option is a simpler system where an electric motor is used to power ancillary features, helping reduce the load on the engine. By being mounted to the gearbox, it can also help boost performance when required. To further reduce fuel consumption, the R36 GT-R may also feature engine stop-start and cylinder deactivation technologies. As for its styling, this is expected to be more evolutionary rather than revolutionary. The size and shape of the R36 should remain much the same as the current model, though the car's look will be modernized. Aerodynamic enhancements will ensure downforce and overall balance are improved. www.motorauthority.com  

It was close to two years ago that the Lexus LFA supercar, after enduring an almost decade-long gestation period, finally entered production at Toyota’s Motomachi plant in Japan. At its launch, Lexus confirmed the LFA would be built in an exclusive run of just 500 units in total, and that the cars would be painstakingly assembled at the rate of just one per (working) day up until December, 2012.  Well, Lexus has now revealed that the LFA’s planned production run has now been completed, with the final example being a white LFA Nürburgring Package. It rolled off the line at the Motomachi plant on December 14.  A special plaque showing the car’s build number confirms this is the 500th LFA, which is contradictory to what comedian Jay Leno said about a special one-off LFA Spyder he recently drove during an episode of his online series Jay Leno’s Garage. In that particular episode he states that the LFA Spyder was build number 500. Regardless of what build number this LFA has, it is now a member of one of the most exclusive set of cars on the planet. A total of 170 people helped to bring each and every LFA to life, including specialists who built the car’s carbon fiber components. Roughly 65 percent of the LFA is composed of Formula One-grade carbon fiber, aiding strength and rigidity while reducing vehicle weight dramatically. Then there’s the car’s 4.8-liter V-10 engine, one of the fastest-revving and best-sounding production engines in the world. It developed a healthy 412 kilowatts and helped propel the LFA Nürburgring Package around the German race track for which it’s named in an amazing 7:14.64. No doubt Toyota will be retaining the technological skills gained during the development and production of the LFA for its future models. Unfortunately, there’s been no mention of a successor but mysterious LFA prototypes spotted on several occasions at the Nürburgring suggest future developments are planned. MotorAuthority  

One of the most striking cars of next year, the 2014 Maserati Quattroporte, recently made its online debut, but at the time Maserati only gave us a handful of photos to lust over. Now, finally, the automaker has released a wave of new photos for the sixth-generation Quattroporte, providing us with the opportunity to examine virtually every detail of the car.Competing in the full-size luxury sedan segment, the Maserati Quattroporte faces strong competition from the likes of the Mercedes-Benz S Class, which will also be all-new for 2014, as well as the recently updated BMW 7-Series and Lexus LS.Apart from its beautiful Italian styling, the Quattroporte also benefits from having its engines designed and built by Ferrari. We say engines, as the 2014 Quattroporte will for the first time offer more than one engine option.Two engine options have already been announced, a V-6 and a V-8, and it’s almost certain a V-6 diesel will be offered in select markets. Another first for the Quattroporte will be the option of all-wheel drive on the V-6 model, which should prove popular across the snow belt states.The most powerful of the engines is the V-8, which benefits from direct fuel injection and a twin-turbocharging system. It’s rated at 390 kilowatts and 650 newton-meters of torque (709 newton-meter with Overboost) and will rocket the big sedan from 0-100km/h in 7.6 seconds and see it reach a supercar-like top speed of 307km/h.In addition to being a better performer than the last Quattroporte, which came exclusively with a V-8, the new model is also bigger, lighter and more fuel efficient. Maserati claims the Quattroporte V-8 has lowered both its fuel consumption and emissions by 20 percent compared to the previous car.The V-6, which is also twin-turbocharged, is rated at 302 kilowatts and 510 newton-meters of torque, and is also more capable than the old V-8 model. It needs just 7.9 seconds for the 0-100km/h sprint and can reach a top speed of 285km/h.Underpinning the 2014 Quattroporte is a brand new platform composed mostly of steel, though with some aluminium to help save weight. The Quattroporte is not exactly light, weighing in at close to 1905 kg, though it should handle decently thanks to its ideal 50:50 weight distribution as well as double-wishbone front suspension and a state-of-the-art five-link rear suspension.The trunk space comes in at a generous 530 litres and the wheels measure between 483 and 533 mm in diameter. Most of the extra size comes in the rear, where occupants in the back will find an additional 102 mm of legroom.Please check out our gallery of the 2014 Maserati Quattroporte.Traditional hand crafted detailing continues in the Quattroporte’s cabin, now more spacious and featuring both four and five-seat layouts. Cabin luxury leaps forward technically too, with features like the Maserati Touch Control screen, adjustable pedals, a backup camera, optional 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system, and WiFi and smartphone connectivity.In terms of safety, the 2014 Quattroporte still lags many of its rivals, though it still offers a high level of safety. In addition to six standard airbags, the car also gets electronic stability control, ABS brakes and hill-hold assist, active cruise control, the aforementioned backup camera, active headrests and seatbelt pre-tensioners.The brakes are from Brembo and feature six-piston fixed calipers up front and ventilated and cross-drilled discs all around. On the V-8 model, the discs measure 380 mm in diameter and on the V-6 model they are 350 mm across.Stay tuned for live photos of the 2014 Maserati Quattroporte fresh from its debut next month at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show.www.motorauthority.com 

The M-enhanced version of BMW’s svelte 6-Series Gran Coupe has been one of the worst kept secrets of the year, with barely disguised prototypes, teasers and official comments all making it obvious a new M car was in the works. Now, BMW has finally revealed its new 2014 M6 Gran Coupe, ahead of a sales launch early next summer. Like the latest versions of the M5 and M6 coupe and convertible duo, with which it shares a platform, the M6 Gran Coupe follows a familiar path of performance tuning. Up front is a twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V-8 engine rated at 412 kilowatts and 678 newton-meters of torque. Power is sent rearward, first to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and then to a unique limited-slip differential before reaching the rear wheels. The special differential, dubbed the Active M Differential, is an electronically controlled multi-plate limited-slip differential programmed to optimise traction, stability and sporting character. The locking force within the differential is varied continuously between 0 and 100 per cent. In addition to the data provided by the car’s electronic stability control system, the Active M Differential’s control unit also takes into account the position of the accelerator pedal, the rotational speed of the wheels and the car’s yaw rate. Every driving situation is therefore analysed so that any loss of traction on one side of the car is identified early and the degree of axle lock adjusted as required. The engine, too, is a marvel of engineering. It produces about 10 per cent more output than the old M V-10, but the real story is torque, which is up 30 per cent and delivers its peak rating from 1,500 all the way up to 5,750 rpm. The rev-limiter is set at 7,200. The key to the engine’s prowess is a pair of turbochargers nestled in the V between the two cylinder banks in a reverse-flow layout. This layout results in an unusually compact engine where the intake is moved outboard and the exhaust inboard. The lengths of intake and exhaust tracts are also shorter, helping to reduce pressure losses. The engine is also aided by direct fuel injection, a relatively high fuel to air compression ratio of 10:1 and BMW’s Valvetronic valve timing technology. Other performance specs of the latest M car include aluminium-intensive suspension, reinforced chassis mountings, electronically-controlled shock absorbers, speed-sensitive hydraulic power steering and M-specific stability, anti-lock braking and transmission programming. At its peak, the M6 Gran Coupe will rocket to 97 km/h from rest in just 4.1 seconds and easily reach its electronically-limited top speed of 250 km/h. To bring it back to rest, the car gets massive 15.7-inch brake discs up front and 15.6-inch discs at the rear. These are composed of steel and aluminium and are gripped by six-piston fixed callipers painted blue metallic and featuring the M logo. They’re housed within a unique set of 20-inch forged wheels.  

Subaru has dropped several hints that a high-performance STI version of its BRZ coupe is in the works, including one very big hint even before the BRZ made its debut. Then, just a few weeks ago, a prototype wearing STI badges was spotted running some laps on Germany’s Nürburgring, confirming the car's existence. The prototype revealed that the BRZ STI will feature popular performance mods such as a large rear wing, aerodynamic body kit, lowered suspension, large alloy wheels and a sports exhaust. What it didn’t reveal, however, is whether the car’s engine has been fitted with a turbocharger or other means of forced induction, something past STI models have traditionally featured. According to reports overseas, the BRZ STI, which will be revealed next spring, will forgo a turbocharger due to a lack of space under the hood. Despite this, peak output should still rise from the BRZ’s 150kW rating to somewhere around 165-172kW in the BRZ STI thanks to changes to the exhaust system and variable valve timing.  This ties in with previous comments from Subaru that there was no space for an intercooler and its required piping in the BRZ’s engine bay. Furthermore, the addition of a turbocharger would go against the purist sports car philosophy Subaru engineer’s had originally envisioned for the BRZ. A supercharger is also said to have been ruled out due to a loss in the car’s fuel economy, though it's more likely Subaru doesn't want the BRZ STI encroaching on the performance of its next-generation WRX. The good news is that the relatively mild mods being applied to the BRZ STI should equate to a relatively low price rise. And the BRZ, along with its Scion FR-S twin, is already one of the most fun cars you can buy, so a little extra power, sharper handling and an affordable sticker should make the BRZ STI one very enticing package. www.motorauthority.com  

Mercedes-Benz has the SLS AMG, Audi has the R8, and even Lexus has its LFA, but BMW, a brand that prides itself on building some of the best driving machines on the planet, is without a dedicated sports car. That’s all set to change in 2014 when the automaker releases its i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, though that model will cater to a very specific niche and will unlikely satisfy the legions of fans dying for a successor to the legendary M1. BMW bosses have fervently denied that a successor to the M1 is in the works, yet that hasn’t stopped reports of a new sports car being developed by BMW M from surfacing every now and then. The last we heard, the new M division sports car would be launched in 2016, two years after the i8, and it would come with a bespoke platform and turbocharged V8 engine delivering more than 441 kilowatts. A new report published by Automobile Magazine indicates the car is still on track for a 2016 launch, and it will go by the name M8 (the M1 name is apparently too sacred).  A bespoke platform looks to be out of the question, however, so the i8’s lightweight aluminum and carbon fiber chassis will likely get the nod. Thankfully, the i8’s three-cylinder engine and plug-in hybrid system won’t be kept, as BMW M engineers are said to be favoring a V8 option.  By the time the car arrives, it will have a second-generation Audi R8 to contend with, as well as a new SLC AMG from Mercedes-Benz. The latter is expected to serve as the replacement for the current SLS AMG and may even adopt all-wheel drive.  Sadly, BMW’s preference for the M8 means we’re likely to see plans for an affordable Z2 roadster shelved. Apparently sports cars just aren’t selling like they used to, so BMW will be focusing more on its new range of front-wheel-drive models instead. www.motorauthority.com

The new Jaguar XFR-S sports sedan has been one of the worst kept secrets of the year. A string of prototypes have been spotted lapping Germany’s Nürburgring for months--with minimal camouflage--and Jaguar itself has dropped numerous hints along the way.Now the automaker has confirmed that a reveal of its new XFR-S will take place at next week’s 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, and to get us all riled up has released this single teaser image.The teaser image reveals the look of the car’s front-end styling, which like the existing XKR-S adopts some very aggressive treatment for the intakes as well as a splashing of carbon fibre for the aero pieces.No other details were revealed apart from the fact that the new XFR-S will be the fastest and most powerful sedan in Jaguar’s history. Also shared with the XKR-S will be a supercharged 5.0 litre V8 tuned to deliver 405 kilowatts  and 691 newton-meter of torque.All of this will be channelled to the rear wheels, most likely via the latest ZF eight-speed automatic. Expect 0-100 times of less than 5.2 seconds and a top speed of approximately 299km/h. First sales are to start in early 2013 overseas. Also on display on Jaguar’s stands in LA will be the new 2014 F-Type in its Black Pack performance trim.www.motorauthority.com