SCORPIO'S GARAGE

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Volkswagen Axes Golf R400, But It’s Not All Bad News

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Posted by Jeff Perez

Will it be built? Won’t it be built? The past two years have seemingly been like a never-ending wheel of speculation surrounding the hotted-up Golf R400. But today we know the truth: Volkswagen will not build the Golf R400. Sad face.

The report comes from Automotive News, which says that with the departure of former R&D Chief Heinz-Jakob Neusser, the R400 project has been scrapped. It’s bad news for anyone hoping to get their paws on the world’s most powerful Gulf—but not all hope is lost just yet.

Even though VW is ditching its much-loved R400 project, Audi is said to still be developing an ultra high-performance version of the EA888 engine that was supposed to power the R400. That means while we might not get an uber-powerful Golf, Audi might have something fun (and probably expensive) up its sleeve in the near future.

As for the now-top-of-the-line Golf R, VW is weighing its strategy for the new version coming in 2020. It could follow the same route, but just add more power, or the car could be re-engineered entirely with weight shavings of up to 300 pounds or more.
We’ll know more for sure when the all-new Golf and Golf R arrive in the next few years.

Aging Audi A6 and A7 Get A Fresh Update

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Posted by Andrew T. Maness

While some automakers scramble to rework their cars every couple of years, others are content to sit back and let the chips fall where they may. It’s a risky proposition in a market rife with consumers whose tastes change faster than ever, but if you’ve got a solid product, there’s no questioning the decision to leave well enough alone. For the time being, Audi is one brand that is sticking with the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ philosophy, at least when it comes to the aging, but relevant as ever, A6 and A7 models.

It’s been six years since the current A6 and A7 launched, and for now, they’ll only be receiving an mild update, not a total reworking. Both cars get sharper styling up front, on the sides, and out back, as do their ‘S’ badged performance variants.

On the inside, you’ll find standard LED ambient lighting, and new trim options that compliment a wider range of exterior color choices. Audi’s already excellent MMI infotainment system has been updated to improve functionality (faster, better, stronger), and you can now spec tablets on the backs of the seats to entertain your rear seat occupants.

If you were already in the market for an A6, or A7—congratulations, you’re making a wise decision. Both cars remain among the most handsome, and most understated in the segment, with their biggest competition from an aesthetic standpoint coming from Jaguar.

As the Brits are unquestionably way behind in the tech department, the advantage for overall appeal goes to Audi. These updated cars are available for order now, and will arrive at dealerships mid-summer.

Novitec Ferrari F12berlinetta Gets Meaner Looks, More Power

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Posted by Zach Doell

On its own, the Ferrari F12berlinetta is already a jaw-dropping machine. Its sultry shape captivates the eye, its $320,000 sticker price shocks the wallet, and with 730 horsepower on tap… it’s enough to rocket you into the stratosphere.

They’re rare birds on today’s roadways too, but this sinister F12 is about to make the breed even rarer still. Meet the Novitec Rosso N-Largo S, one of just eleven planned to be built.

Ferrari tuner Novitec Rosso will take eleven F12berlinettas and transform them into what you see here—in the process giving them a brutally aggressive widebody look, an extra 39 horsepower, and a new top speed of 217 mph. Squeamish? This car isn’t messing about.

According to Novitec, the “racing look” widebody conversion begins at the GT car’s front end, replacing the standard front bumper and splitter with a more impactful design, which is said to optimize radiator and brake cooling, as well as reduce front lift at high speeds. From there, the carbon fiber diet includes a new hood extractor and pumped-up front fenders with rear-facing air ducts.

Toward the rear, Novitec continues the racy fender treatments, this time adding gill-like slats at the back of the swollen flares. A new trunk lid and window spoiler follow suit at the back, aided by a large carbon fiber wing up top and a new diffuser underneath. The end result, apart from its raucous looks, manifests in a full 2.7 inches added to the width of the F12’s front fenders and an even greater 5.5 inches added to its rear.

Body mods aside, the Novitec Rosso N-Largo S cars receive a variety of performance updates as well. Whereas the standard car boasts 730 horsepower, the N-Largos wield 769 hp (the same as the rarified F12tdf) and an impressive 532 lb.-ft. of torque, courtesy of new fuel injection and ignition tweaks plus a new quad exhaust (either in stainless steel or inconel). That should make for quite the vocal range.

Novitec also drops the Ferrari F12berlinettas on lower sport shocks (a drop of 1.5 inches) and swaps in a set of lovely three-piece forged wheels. A front axle lift system for navigating pesky speed bumps is optional, but we’d gander quite necessary.
The price? If you have to ask, well…

Photo Credit: Novitec Rosso

Is Cadillac Considering a Cruze-Based Hatchback for the U.S.?

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Posted by Jeff Perez

Chevrolet has finally given in. The Cruze is getting a hatchback version for the U.S., much to the chagrin of a few wagon-happy automotive journalists and enthusiasts. But questions still linger around this new(ish) vehicle—including the possibility of a Cadillac variant.

The original report comes from GMInsideNews, and suggests that Cadillac might be working on a vehicle based on the U.S.-spec Cruze hatchback. A few unnamed sources and some alleged documents are to cite, but Cadillac isn’t being shy about the proposed rumors.

A spokesperson promptly reached out to Jalopnik to shoot down these rumors before they truly took flight. But who should we believe?

With cars like the CLA and A3 taking the American market by storm, relatively, it wouldn’t make much sense for Cadillac not to build an affordable luxury sedan based on the Cruze, even if it’s not a hatchback.

Somewhere in the market of $30,000 with the Cruze’s 1.5 or 2.0-liter engine—like the report says—would be the perfect place to start. Though, I seriously doubt the styling will be as dramatic as the concept pictured here.

Right now the rumors will stay dead, but don’t be surprised if you see an affordable Cadillac sedan in the near future, I’d bet on it.

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

This Stunning ’69 Camaro is a Restomod Done So Right

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Posted on 27 April 2016 by Zach Doell

Most muscle and pony car fans would agree, the high point of the breed (in terms of design and performance) came in the late 1960s and early ‘70s, a period when new cars like the Shelby GT500, ‘Hemi Cuda, and Pontiac GTO roamed free on American roads.

Fast forward nearly five decades and survivors still prowl today’s day streets… some with even more attitude than before. This is the restomod movement—classic cars meshed with modern components—and the results, when done right, can be frankly staggering.

This is one of those times. No longer bone stock, this 1969 Chevrolet Camaro convertible has had a host of modern performance upgrades, of which include a brand new GM LS3 crate engine. Try not to drool.

Power? This car has it in spades. The LS3 V8 in question is said to be a heady 525-horsepower variant, which ought to do wonders for the pony car’s straight line speed. It comes mated to an automatic transmission, and bellows through custom ceramic coated headers and a rorty Borla dual exhaust.

While punishing horsepower is a big draw for modern restomodders, so is handling, and this Camaro has been spec’d up with a proper “pro-touring” suspension setup to cope. Beneath its impactful body lies a new Art Morrison subframe, Detroit Speed Quadralink rear-end setup, uprated sway bars, coilover shocks at all four corners, power rack-and-pinion steering, as well as big Wilwood disc brakes. Sharp twists in the road are no longer feared, but welcomed.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt to just look mean too, and this Camaro convertible certainly does. The blacked-out Chevy boasts body-color badges and door handles, new hood vents, a set of staggered 17- and 18-inch Budnik wheels, a pronounced metal rear lip spoiler, and a racy roll cage popping out from beneath its fabric top. Overall, its low-slung body accentuates that predatory pro-touring and restomod look.

The interior however might be a bit too shouty for its no-nonsense exterior—it’s vibrant red—but it appears to be well wrought and features a Vintage Air air-conditioning system, Kenwood stereo, and some big subwoofers in the boot.

Like it? The Camaro convertible is up for sale online, with bidding just over the $40,000 mark.

400HP Audi TT RS Looks Ready To Throw Down

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Posted by Andrew T. Maness

The 2016 Audi TT is a fine little sports car, and the TT S dials up the fun to a degree that’s satisfactory for most folks. But then again, the world is full of outliers, people who want the most out of something—that’s where Audi’s RS line comes into play.

It’s no secret that Audi is looking expand their high-performance family on a global scale, and that’s great news for fans of the brand here in the United States. Leading the charge for the next generation of RS cars on our fair shores will be the razor sharp 2017 Audi TT RS.

Set to officially debut at the Beijing Auto Show later this week, the new TT RS will get power from a turbocharged 5-cylinder, good news for fans of the sound produced by the powerplant in the previous generation. The uncommon engine configuration makes 400 horsepower, and 354 lb-ft of torque, and glory be to those German engineers because they made it all available between 1,700 and 5,850 RPM.

All that juice will be distributed to all four wheels via Audi’s Quattro system, and handled by a dual-clutch transmission (and only a dual-clutch transmission), so 0-60 times are unsurprisingly quick. The coupe does the sprint in 3.7 seconds, and the roadster in 3.9, not far off from the vastly more expensive Audi R8 V10′s time of 3.1 seconds.

Speaking of the R8, it will be interesting to see what kind of competition the TT RS poses to its bigger brother. In the same way Porsche kept performance variants of the Boxster and Cayman from stepping on the toes of the 911, Audi has done the same with the TT RS and the R8. Although they’re a ocean apart on paper, I think they’ll be quite close in terms of driving experience.
Though it’s yet to be priced, it’s safe to assume the new TT RS will severely undercut its R8 sibling. Catch it on display at the Beijing Motor Show this week.

This Electric Three-Wheeler Defies Conventional Thinking

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Posted by Jeff Perez

When you set out to build an electric car—especially in today’s marketplace—the thinking has to be different, dare we say, defiant. One team of creatives in Tennessee took that unconventional thinking to an entirely new level with the aptly named Defiant EV3.

What is it? To put it bluntly: not particularly a good looking thing, if we’re being honest. But it’s unique and creative, making it an appealing asset to the ever-changing automotive scene.

It’s fully electric too, and has a three-wheeled layout, which separates it from pretty much anything else available on the market. But how does it drive? Well, our friends at Translogic found out first hand.

Considering the car is just a prototype at this stage in the game, you can’t buy one just yet. The company hopes to have its electric three-wheeler on the road soon, though, looking to give Elio some tough competition.