Shift 2 Unleashed enters NFS World...Again!

2012 BMW Z4 GT3 Team NFS (NFS World)

Black Box Studios always have tendency to add high-end racing machines into their street racing games. For example, in NFS Most Wanted, it was the BMW M3 GTR and the Corvette C6.R. In Carbon, again, it was the BMW M3 GTR. In ProStreet, it was the Aston Martin DBR9. Undercover was the only game without an illegal race car. But, luckily, Black Box and EA have heard the racers' cry and have finally added a racing machine into the game. And, it's not just any ordinary racing machine. We're talking about the BMW Z4 GT3 Team NFS that won the Dubai 24H race back in the Spring. Straight out of Shift 2 Unleashed, Tommy Milner & Patrick Soderlund's elegant racing machine features a 4.0-liter V8 from the M3 GT2 with 480 horsepower. 0 to 60 is done in just 3.5 seconds with a top speed of 187 MPH. Of course, in this game, it might achieve a much faster top speed. If you thought the Audi A1 was brilliant, you'll probably be drooling for this car. It will be available later tonight on the East Coast and everywhere else later today. I'll take it for a test drive to see what it's like, but for now, enjoy the awesome montage that Team NFS has prepared for you.

Bumblebee's Back on the Streets

2012 Chevy Camaro SS Transformers Special Edition

Back in 2009, Chevy released a Transformers Special Edition camaro with Black rally stripes, Autobot shields, and a shiny glossy yellow color. 2 years later, Bumblebee's back and better than ever. With the new movie, Dark of the Moon, premiering this weekend, Chevy decided to create Mk. II of the Camaro Transformers Special Edition. This new one is 10x more aggressive than the old one with a more aggressive Bee Yellow color, black stripes that stretch from the hood down, blacked out 20-inch alloy rims with Autobot-shielded caps, and a Bumblebee-specific rear wing. Or, if you ask nicely, your local Chevy dealer will install 21-inch movie-mimic rims as well as pre-ZL1 ground effects so that they can look somewhat like the Camaro on the big screen. You want one? Cool! All you need is a Camaro 2LT or 2SS that's wearing the RS appearance package, and an extra wad of $3,000 in your pocket or bank account. If you have all of that, then this fall, you'll be able to ride in style like Shia LaBeouf in the movie.

Fastest Saloon on the 'Ring?

2012 BMW M5 F10

It's possible, very possible! The M5 E60 put in a time of 8:13, putting it in with the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG and the Ferrari 355 GTB. Now, rumor has it that the new F10 put in a lap time of 7:55, which is a second faster than the Chevy Corvette C6 Z06 and the Porsche 996 Turbo and 4 seconds faster than the Cadillac CTS-V sedan. This also puts the car up there with the Ferrari F430 F1 and the Caterham R500 Superlight. Remember, this is only a rumor! But, if it were true, this would make the BMW M5 F10 the fastest saloon to go round the Nürburgring. Sounds fantastic!

Sabine, Your New Taxi is Here!

2012 BMW M5 F10 'Ring Taxi

So, if you were watching the Nürburgring 24 Hour race last weekend, you were probably thinking to yourself, "Man! That is one intense track!" You're right! It is! Mastering the track takes days, weeks, or even months to accomplish. There are more than 150 corners you must conquer in order to completely dominate this track. That can take an awfully long time, but, thankfully, Sabine Schmitz will be willing to help you out. Known as the "Queen of the Ring", Sabine has been the official Nürburgring taxi driver for many years in a BMW M5, and she will be once again with the all new M5 F10. BMW personally took the car here to test the car's ride, handling, and power. It's been notified by many drivers as one of the best performance sedans ever. And now, it's gotten much better with a more powerful 4.4-liter Twin-Turbo 552 horsepower V8 engine which shoots the car from 0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 190 MPH (limiter off). As usual, the car will wear the special M Power livery as did the old M5 E60. Only this time, Sabine will shed some seconds off her previous lap times in the old M5.

It's Official! Forza has won!

2012 BMW M5 F10 (Forza Motorsport 4)

I don't think GT5 can rightly redeem itself unless they plan on releasing some DLCs, but it seems that this year, Forza has the upper hand. A limited collector's edition of Forza 4 has just been announced and on the special disc, you'll be able to drive the most powerful M car ever created: the 2012 BMW M5 Sedan. With its 4.4-liter Twin-Turbocharged V8 engine producing 552 horsepower, this car will do 0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds and, with the limiter off, will do 190 MPH. Also included in this LCE pack is special CD cover with the M5 on it. Of course, if you just want the car, it will be available for everyone a few days after the game comes out as part of the FM4 BMW M5 fan pack DLC. The car will be enabled with FM4's new Autovista mode, with Top Gear's own Jeremy Clarkson giving this car a proper workout. Also, the car will be added to your garage and a BMW M5 theme will be available to download to your Xbox 360 system. But the M5 isn't the only special car you'll receive in the special pack. You'll also receive the 2008 BMW M3 E92 Coupe, the 2008 BMW Z4 M Coupe,  and the BMW M1 Coupe. Anything else? As a matter of fact, yes! Bundled with the main disc is a special VIP car disk which will give you instant access to these fine rides:

• 2011 Bugatti Veyron Super Sport
• 2011 Ferrari 458 Challenge
• 2010 Noble M600
• 2011 RUF Rt 12 R

Not to mention, if you order early, FM4 will give you the "Launch Bonus" car pack which includes these fine five motors:

• 1965 Ford Mustang GT Coupe
• 2011 Koenigsegg Agera
• 1997 Lexus SC300
• 2011 RUF RGT-8
• 2011 Tesla Roadster Sport

But wait! There's More! There's a 10-car add-on pack of Muscle cars that will be available by the time of launch on Xbox Live Marketplace, VIP status in Forza Forums, including special recognition in new community features, leaderboards, and forzamotorsport.net. Meanwhile, back in the actual world, you'll receive book titled "Cars of Forza Motorsport 4 Presented by Top Gear" written by the Top Gear team themselves, that describes the in-game cars from the Autovista experience and features imagery from the game and the Top Gear library and, of course, vinyl stickers featuring the logos of Forza 4, Turn 10 Studios, and Top Gear. So if you want all of this for your Xbox 360, just go here and pre-order.

Tonight on Top Gear...

2012 BMW 1-Series M Coupe

...Clarkson drives an M3 beater...

Marauder 4x4

...Richard improves public transport in South Africa...

2012 Prodrive Mini Countryman WRC

...James slips on some ice with a Mini...

Amy Williams

...Amy Williams returns...

Alice Cooper

...Alice Cooper tries to stay alive in the Reasonably Priced Car...

Jezza and the E-Type Jaguar

...and Jeremy celebrates the birthday of an old Jag. All that tonight on Top Gear. Unfortunately, the U.S. release for UK Top Gear on BBC America hasn't been finalized yet. Fortunately, there's a website out there called streetfire.com that posts all the UK episodes before they arrive in the U.S., and now I've got a hold of it. So if you're dying to see the beginning of Series 17 of Top Gear, just look below these words. Enjoy!

Alas, We Bid it Adieu

2009 Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermes

Today is quite a sad day in the motoring world. The beacon of speed, the record-setter, the fastest car in the world, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is officially sold out. The last of the breed was sold to a customer in Europe, the automaker said. Well, it's not all that sad because there's one more car Bugatti still makes that is still being sold with the massive 1001 horsepower Quad-Turbocharged 8.0-liter W16 engine, the Veyron Grand Sport. It runs as fast as the hardtop Veyron, is somewhat more exciting than the hardtop Veyron, and is much more expensive than the regular Veyron, up from $1.3 Million to $2.1 Million. But, let's be honest. If it weren't for the Veyron, the Grand Sport wouldn't even be here. Ever since 2003, it's been claiming records from former supercars like the McLaren F1, Saleen S7, and the Enzo Ferrari. It's been hailed as the most complex engineered car of all time. It was the Top Gear car of the decade for being a car that "rewrote the history books." So even though the Veyron Grand Sport will still be with us, the Veyron will always be in our hearts. It will be missed. So, what's next for Bugatti? Well, the 16C Galibier, a Veyron-shaped 4-door luxury sedan, might take shape. There have also been other reports that the car will make it's triumphant return in 2014 with more horsepower, a bigger yard stick, a bigger price tag, and a new speedometer. I'm looking forward to that.

Carbon Fiber Sedan? Yes, Please!

2012 BMW M3 CRT

Many Top Gear fans have heard Clarkson pester about saying that if there's one car that you must have in your sports car garage, it's the BMW M3, whether it be the coupe or the sedan, and I agree with him. BMW think so too, but have always tried to spice the car up to make it appealing to other people with specials such as the Competition Coupe, the Frozen Gray, the Frozen Black, the Carbon Edition, the Tiger Edition, and the GTS. And now, it seems we'll be adding one more to the list as BMW have just pulled the covers off the M3 CRT (Carbon Racing Technologies). Think of it as the M3 GTS, but with 5 seats instead of 2, carbon fiber accents, racing bucket seats, and no fire extinguisher. Also, while the M3 GTS is a day-in-day-out all track screamer, the M3 CRT is a day-in-day-out all track family screamer with navigation, a premium stereo system, and iPod connectivity. Even though it includes these heavy units, the sedan has done much shedding of weight with lightweight brakes, carbon fiber seats, carbon fiber hood, 19-inch lightweight alloy wheels, and a lightweight titanium muffler. But, even though it's all light and dainty, the aggressiveness and brilliance of the M3 still exists with it's brilliant chassis and suspension. It's even added a carbon fiber front splitter and rear aero spoiler. Heck, it's given itself a more powerful 4.4-liter 450 horsepower V8 engine, which has been mated with BMW's new and improved 7-speed Dual-Clutch gearbox, as seen on the new M5. Because of this, it will do 0 to 60 in, say 4.4 seconds and hit a limited top speed of 155 MPH. You want one? That's good, cuz only 67 will be made, and seeing that M3 has become quite a popular car, you better get in line fast. And as for the U.S., there's no word on whether this beast will make it to our shores, but it mostly won't due to safety regulations.

Gotta Move Quicker

2012 McLaren MP4-12C

The first ever McLaren Automotive Dealership is already up and running in London, England, but don't be surprised if you go in and see no models there, or if the salesmen refuses to sell you one. It's not that he/she hates, but because the MP4-12C is sold out worldwide for supposedly the next 3 years. Initially, their plan was to build 1,000 units each year, but this total could rise to 4,000 if supply meets demand. They won't be doing that with this model though, but maybe with other models in the near future. No matter what the case, they will be sold in the 35 dealerships around the world including London, New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Manchester, Birmingham, Dallas, Chicago, Newport Beach, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Miami, Tampa, and other European locations in France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland,  Italy, and Spain. So, if the order books are indeed full, they'll be servicing existing customers rather than luring new ones in. But don't worry. The MP4-12C is here and won't be leaving anytime soon.

Even More Top Gear Madness

Captain Slow and the Aston Martin Virage Coupe

The new series of Top Gear is almost here and, to whet your appetite even more, another trailer has been released. It features James May practicing drifting in the all-new Aston Martin Virage. Also, we see Clarkson make an absolute humiliation of the Ferrari 458 Italia and Lewis Hamilton in the Atom Smasher, the McLaren MP4-12C. Then, we see Clarkson and Hammond do some car forensics on an old Mercedes-Benz CL600 and BMW 850i. But wait! There's more. Captain slow executes a speed run in the new ProDrive Mini Countryman WRC Rally Car, Clarkson and Hammond find the perfect used sports car, and Hammond squeals like a mouse when driving at 100 MPH at the Monaco Grand Prix circuit in his Fiat 500 Abarth Convertible. So, basically, all of the usual has returned. This should be exciting. The series begins this Sunday on BBC HD and BBC 2.

An Audi Full of Surprises (Part III)

2012 Audi A1 Clubsport Quattro "Speed" Edition 

Just when you thought the A1 Clubsport couldn't get any cooler, well, it has. Audi and NFS have teamed up once again to produce this unique "Speed" edition to the A1 Clubsport. Nothing else really special about it, except that the new vinyl design perfectly fits with this car and looks absolutely awesome. The car itself is fantastic with amazing handling, acceleration, top speed, and, in a strange way, looks. You can have it now for 3,800 speedboost, or for free if you're one of the lucky twenty stooges who wins a code from the NFS dev team. All you have to do is hit up twitter, follow @NFSworld, and tweet "I just entered to win an Audi A1 speed car code from @NFSWorld. RT to enter http://bit.ly/mkhVER". It's that simple. As for me, I'll buy it in order to keep it. Who says I can't collect cars? If you missed my Audi A1 Clubsport Review, check it out below. The regular car is still available for 3000 speedboost, so get yours today!

Need For Speed World Extravaganza

2011 Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 - Cop Edition

So, as you could probably tell by the decrease in blog posts and amount of videos posted on YouTube, I've been busy. I've made two videos showcasing NFS World's newest release: The Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 - Cop Edition. For just 6000 speedboost, you can have this awesome raging bull with custom Italian police livery, custom BBS matte black rims, carbon fiber rear wing, and even a police front guard for more ramming force. Not to mention you get a sweet performance upgrade just in case you run into some police, which I did in both movies. They're up on YouTube now, but you check them out here as well.

Mini Gets Smaller?

2012 Mini Cooper Coupe

Say hello to the newest creation out of the skunkworks at BMW: the all-new Mini Cooper Coupe. Sounds strange, doesn't it? You would imagine that the current Cooper was already a Coupe, hence it's name Cooper, but now, it seems like it's not the case. It still has the face of the Cooper, the Go-Kart like handling of the Cooper, it even comes in three Cooper-like flavors: Cooper Coupe, Cooper S Coupe, and John Cooper Works Coupe, shown here. All flavors are paired with a 6-speed manual, with a 6-speed automatic option for the Cooper Coupe and Cooper S Coupe. As for power, the Cooper Coupe gets a 1.6-liter 121 horsepower inline-4 engine. This will help it do 0 to 60 in 8.3 seconds and hit a top speed of 127 MPH. According to EU standard, the entry-level Coupe will do 44 MPG, but that's the EU standard. The EPA estimates aren't in yet. Moving on up, you get the Cooper S Coupe which gets a more powerful 1.6-liter twin-scroll turbo-4 engine producing 181 horsepower. It will do 0 to 60 in 6.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 142 MPH. If that's not enough for you, then maybe Mr. John Cooper will help with his JCW Coupe. This one receives the same twin-scroll turbo-4 engine as the Cooper S Coupe, but it has been tuned from 181 to 208 horsepower. 0 to 60 is now done in 6.1 seconds up to a top speed of 149 MPH. As for the design, it looks sort of weird. You would imagine that because of the small roof, it would be a convertible, but unfortunately, it isn't. That roof doesn't go anywhere. The only thing on his car that does go somewhere is a small hidden spoiler located near the boot. That goes up when you reach speeds over 50 MPH and comes down when doing less than 37 MPH. But anyway, if you've been craving for this car to come to life, here it is. It hits the showrooms very soon.

Maybach is Finally a Failure

2011 Maybach 57

So it's been quite some time, but Daimler, the company behind Mercedes-Benz, finally realize that their high-end luxury brand Maybach is sort of a failure. Let's be honest, it's not the best looking luxury Limo on the planet, and as for the asking price, it's just about outrageous! Still, there are some business tycoons and celebraties that love the brand and want it to stay. So, now it's all up to Daimler. They currently have three options open. 1. Aston Martin has decided to help improve the Maybach brand by putting in their take of luxury and power into their cars, if they choose to. 2. Maybach could become a sub-brand of Mercedes-Benz itself. It'll be like AMG, only at a degree of high-end luxury and not high-end performance. 3. Daimler might be forced to kill the brand altogether leaving some wealthy tycoons at a loss. As for me, I really don't care what they do. Maybach hasn't really being enticing to me from the start. If I were to become rich & famous and needed a high-end luxury car, I would get either Mercedes-Benz S600, Rolls-Royce Phantom, or Bentley Mulsanne and hire a driver. Or, better yet, I would get a BMW 760Li M-Sport, Aston Martin Rapide, Maserati Quattroporte GTS, or even a Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG and just drive myself to work since I love driving.

Bruce Bought a New Batmobile, from Gordon Murray?

Gordon Murray's Batmobile

Well, not exactly. Bruce still has the Tumbler at his disposal. This was just a concept if Bruce ever changed his mind. Built by the designer and creator of the most iconic supercar in the world, the McLaren F1, this is Gordon Murray's take on the Batmobile. As you can see, it's less of a powerful V8 tank and more of a fuel-cell racing machine. To many who love the Tumbler, this might sound quite boring, but to others, it's quite cool. The whole body is made out of breathable Carbon Fiber for lightness on the road. The jet-inspired exhaust in the rear only emits water since this car is powered by a Hydrogen Fuel-Cell. The body itself takes some styling out of a Formula One racing car while managing the stealthy and creative Batman look. The only thing that makes this car stand out for the crooks are the wheels, which Mr. Murray wanted very flashy. I don't think you've helped Bruce quite as much there Gordon, but good work. He may consider it.

Trackmania Giveaway

2012 Pagani Huayra (Trackmania United Forever)

I know I said I'd give this game away if I had 300 followers, but what the heck. I'll give it out anyway. So, if you haven't seen the trailer yet for Trackmania 2, you should. This franchise was ranked the highest in multiplayer racing. In fact, it won the Guinness World Record for the most players online in one night, which was about, oh, 1,000,000! Not to mention, you'll be able to download some sweet skins once you get the game, like this exclusive Pagani Huayra which has been painted exclusively for the game. You'll be able to create tracks, race them with your friends, beat lap times, and show off some cool cars. You can also make movies with the replays you saved. Check out TM-Tube for more of that. Anyway, here's the link to my game, which i bought for $40.00. I used adf.ly to protect my files from anyone trying to sell my game off. That was the original game. After you've downloaded and installed that, don't start the game until you download and install the Forever expansion from this link. Once you've done that and installed the game, they'll ask you for this CD key (9N4G-J3BB-RAWT-D7N5-5AX). Once you've entered that, they'll ask you to update the game. Do that before you start the game up. Once the update is done, set your benchmark, make your graphics configurations, start the game, and have fun! Start off your custom car collection with the Pagani Huayra, which you can find here. Hope you like my gift to you all. I'll have more gifts coming in the near future.

Dear NASA, Your New Moon Rover is Here

2012 Chevy Colorado Rally Concept

If NASA wrote to Chevy to have this truck on the moon, I would be delighted. This is the new Chevy Colorado Rally Concept, a more rugged version of the new Colorado which was revealed in Bangkok, China not too long ago. As you can see, this truck's ready for anything you can possibly through at it, whether it be dirt, snow, rocks, or even trees. Under the hood of this rugged 4-door soldier is a 2.8-liter turbodiesel engine which Chevy claims will last longer the most diesel engines. And if that's not enough, they've tossed in some custom long-travel suspension and 4 305/60R18 BFGoodrich Mud Terrain tires to make sure that this truck keeps going. Nonetheless, this is still a rally concept. So, inside you'll find race bucket seats with 5-point harnesses. So, while one driver is adjusting tire pressure and suspension, the other will be enjoying the fresh air from the cut vents in the acrylic windows. Or, maybe dirt. Maybe, even mud. No matter. As for me, this truck isn't just meant for off-roading or dune rallying. This truck's ready for the moon.

More Top Gear Madness

Top Gear

So, a brief teaser was released today from BBC 2 showcasing some of the nonsense those three petrolheads have been up to for the new season of Top Gear. First, we see Jezza taking the possible Atom Smasher, the MP4-12C, for a spin. Then, Captain Slow aides as a co-driver for the new Mini Countryman WRC rally car. Also, Jezza's new bestfriend, Olympic Gold-medalist Amy Williams returns for a car vs. man challenge. We also see Jezza and Hamster embarrasing themselves in a used Porsche Boxster in the countryside. But, wait. There's more. Hamster decides to do some damage in a supposed "family tank", and the three race on the Monaco Grand Prix circuit in a Citroën DS3 Racing, Renaultsport Clio, and a Fiat 500 Abarth Essesse along side F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone. This all sounds unbelievably exciting. Take a look at the trailer for yourself and be here June 26 when the series 17 premieres on BBC HD and BBC 2.

Breaking News: Your German Rocket is Ready!

2012 BMW M5 F10

Here it is, ladies and gentlemen. At last, presenting the all-new 2012 BMW M5. BMW have put a lot of beef and granite into this car to make it the best high performance saloon out there, even if it's not the most powerful. The remarkable 4.4-liter Twin-Turbocharged V8 engine pumps out 552 horsepower, 4 horses short of the supercharged Cadillac CTS-V Sedan. 0 to 60 is done in 4.4 seconds, 1.3 seconds faster than the E60, but 0.5 seconds slower than the Cadillac CTS-V. It's top speed is limited to 155 MPH, but if you buy the M-Drivers Package, it gets lifted to 190 MPH, which is 7 slower than the Cadillac CTS-V. Anyway, who am I to judge this car by its American competitor. We've waited a hefty long time for this car to come back, and now it has. Sabine Schmitz, this is your new 'Ring taxi. Check out the Facebook page for more photos.

James Will Be Pleased

2011 Dacia Duster "No Limit" Pikes Peak Racer

It just so happens that James' Dacia Duster Pikes Peak racer is just a Dacia Duster with a massive wing, carbon fiber body, and a 3.7-liter 850 horsepower Nissan GTR V6 engine. Even as a pikes peak racer, this car is quite surprising. It was seen recently burning some rubber out in Europe. Why didn't Codemasters add this car into DiRT 3? Ehh, it doesn't matter. We get Tanner's Scion and the Camaro SSX Concept anyway. Check out the video here and go get the Power and Glory Car Pack on PSN and Xbox Live now. I'll have more info and my review, which has taken longer than expected, out by this week.

Testing, Testing, 1, 2, Phone?

Texting. This is straight off my iPhone. Now you can view my site via the mobile web. Visit obiautoblog2.blogspot.com/?m=1 now!

Hoonigan + F1 = What?

Toyota Pirelli F1

Toyota and Pirelli seemed to have banded together to create a Formula One car in order to beat the Massas, Alonsos, and Schumachers in the sport we know as Formula One Racing. The car is still a WIP (Work In Progress), but it seems that one lucky American has volunteered to help them test it. Unfortunately, it's not who you would expect seeing that he comes from the world of Rally, Gymkhana, and some rather stylish shoes. Gymkhana creator and DC Shoes owner Ken Block has volunteered to help Pirelli test their new F1 car at Autodromo Monza in Italy. So, this might be good news for you Ken Block fans. Maybe, he'll create a Gymkhana 4 with this car since drifting in an F1 car is possible. Whatever the case, he says he's set to take hooning to an all new level. I just hope he plays it safe.

And We're Back...

Top Gear

Top Gear's back and better than ever. It has recently been confirmed that your favorite British petrolheads will be back on the tele on Sunday June 26 on BBC HD and BBC 2. Recent commentary from Captain Slow states that the new series will include performance cars, some electric cars, some actual racing, some proper demolition, some silly cars, and Top Gear's attempt to improve public transport. Or, put simply, the usual. Recently, the crew was spotted in Monte Carlo testing some hatchbacks, which James found intimidating, which to us, is intriguing. I'm genuinely excited about this new season because there are a couple of new sports cars out there that Jezza, Hamster, and even Captain Slow need to have a look at. First off, there's Ferrari's newest four-door GT hatchback, the FF. Then, there's Pagani's newest creation, the Huayra. Last, but not least, there's McLaren's newest threat, the MP4-12C, in which was rumored to have put in the fastest lap times on the track beating the Ariel Atom 500 by a mere second. Let's see if this rumor is true. Of course, you'll see more Top Gear action including more superior driving skills from his majesty The STIG.

Supercar For a Week

2010 Bentley Continental GT

Ok, so some internet marketing program invited me to enter to win a supercar for a week, and I thought, Brilliant! I'll enter. All I have to do to win is get a lot of votes and from the competition I'm seeing, it might not be that hard, but just in case, you guys have to vote for me. If you do, I'll promise to give you guys something big, maybe a cool racing game, say Need For Speed: The Run? The only way to make this work is if you vote for me. So go to this website (http://splinternetmarketing.com/supercarentries/ObiNkwonta.html) and click on the big "Vote for Me button on the bottom (you can't miss it)! Please do this. It will benefit the blog and yourselves in many ways. Cars I can win? Well, a Lamborghini Gallardo, Bentley Continental GT, and Ford GT are up for grabs so that's good. 

Top Gear Loves Forza

2012 BMW 1-Series M Coupe (Forza Motorsport 4)

If you though that Top Gear only had a thing for Gran Turismo, well, think again. E3 came to LA this year, and along with it, Microsoft and Turn 10 Studios brought their latest sim racer, Forza Motorsport 4. Now, recent YouTube footage was released of someone driving a light brown Korean 5-door around an airport track in Surrey. Yep, it's Top Gear's reasonably priced car, the Kia Cee (apostrophe) D, and Forza has confirmed that you'll be able to post your best lap times in that car when the game comes out. Hopefully next, we'll get to race the STIG around the track. Take a look at the footage below to see for yourself. Ohh, and did I mention that Top Gear UK will be back on June 26?

Twin-Turbo Cobra?

2013 Ford Shelby GT500 (Courtesy of AutoBlog)

It's possible! Why? Take a look at the intercooler hiding behind the grille. The only cars I know that have such an instrument would have an engine that's been turbocharged. And seeing that this is the GT500, I'm thinkin' two turbos would fit the bill. Don't panic Supercharger lovers. There are also rumors that an even bigger supercharger will be housed under the bonnet of the Cobra which will push the power from 550 to 620 horsepower. As for me, I'm just glad to see it hugging corners on the Nürburgring. That course is racing heaven. In order to master it, you'll need a fantastic car as well as fantastic driving skills. Since the GT500 came back in 2006, it's been praised for being a powerful car, but mocked for having stick-like handling. Now that it's on the Ring, this will give Ford the chance to make the car more grippy, less stick-like, and more refined. Hopefully, this car will beat the M3 GTS to the punch.

Captain, Your S7 is Ready!

2012 Audi S7 (Courtesy of WorldCarFans)

It would seem that Audi's done preparing the S7 for it's global debut this fall at the Frankfurt Motor Show as it was seen not too long ago with no masking tape or covers on it at all. The S7 is the more powerful, more aggressive sibling to the very pretty A7. Under the hood, Audi says you'll find a 4.0-liter 435 horsepower Turbocharged V8 engine, the same one to be used on the new baseline Bentley Continental GT. With the help of the Quattro all-wheel drive system, Audi speculates that it will do 0 to 60 in less than 5 seconds on its way to a limited top speed of 155 MPH. Audi's been giving this car some very thorough tests to see if it's ready for some fast paced driving. It's been to the Nürburgring, where they honed in the car's weight distribution and speed. It's been to the Alps where they tested it's all-wheel drive system mixed with its sport-tuned suspension. After other thorough tests, Audi finally said,  "It's Ready!" Well, technically they didn't say it like that, but you know what I mean. Expect this car to be quite expensive, though, as the A7 3.0t already costs about $60,000. So if you like how it looks now, save up, cuz it's gonna get even more pretty.

Beameroyalty

2012 BMW 650i Convertible

How exciting is this? Thanks to this blog and my newfound love for BMW, Open Road BMW is allowing me to test their all-new 650i Convertible! I've been eyeing this car for some time now. It looks fantastic, so I hope drives just as well. My test drive takes place this July so I'll have the complete throwdown then.

On The Run

2011 BMW M3 GTS (Need For Speed: The Run)

So, if you weren't watching E3 yesterday, EA unveiled their newest racer, Need For Speed: The Run, to a vast majority of wannabe stuntmen. Past criticisms of Black Box Studios were put aside that day as viewers gazed in awe at the new sharp details, gameplay, and physics this new title presides. Thanks to DICE's new Frostbite 2 engine, detail and gameplay have been taken to their ultimate peak with real, in your face visuals. But enough with all this techie stuff. On to the cars. Black Box has promised a wide array of cars for you to run in, including this exclusive BMW M3 GTS. There are also Aston Martins, Porsches, Lamborghinis, and Audis all at your disposal. And, as a bonus, if you're a PS3 owner, EA will throw in 7 exclusive hyper cars for you to drive, including, as usual, the Bugatti Veyron, and the Hennessey Venom GT. With lots of action, suspense, and cars, this game looks quite promising. Look for it in stores this November.

The German Jeep

2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class

Say hello to the all-new M-Class, featuring better looks, better fuel economy, and more technological features. This SUV might be German, but not everything is bespoke. Take the body off of this car and you get the chassis from the current Jeep Grand Cherokee. It seems Daimler and Chrysler are still friends after all. Anyway, more on the car: two new diesel engines are in line for the M-Class. First, there's the base ML250 with a 2.1-liter turbo-4 diesel engine producing 204 horsepower with 369 lb.-ft. of torque. Then, there's the ML350 Bluetec with Merc's new 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel engine producing 258 horsepower with 457 lb.-ft. of torque. Lastly, there's the ML350 BlueEfficiency with Merc's new 3.5-liter 302 horsepower V6 engine with 273 lb.-ft. of torque. No word on if the ML550 will reach production, but Hybrid and AMG variants are currently in the works. All engines will be mated with Mercedes-Benz patent-pended 4Matic All-Wheel Drive system. Since the new ML is, sort of, a distant cousin to the Grand Cherokee, the car will feature self-leveling Airmatic suspension with a Terrain Response System. Wheels range from 17 to 21-inches and an updated COMAND system will be featured in the interior, now offering Internet Access. All-in-all, I think the M-Class has come a long way since its debut back in the 90's. It was good then. I drove the ML500 from 2003 and was very impressed with it. In 2007, it got a little bulgy, but it was still good. Now, it looks even better. The new ML is set for release this fall.

Mad Hatch

2012 VW Golf GTI Reifnitz Concept

If you thought the Audi A1 Clubsport Quattro was the craziest thing to ever come out of VW AG, well, think again. In honor of the German way, VW cooked up this very hot GTI at GTI-Wörthersee. Named after Reifnitz, the lakeside town in which the festival was held, this special concept tuner features a Stage III Turbo Kit and intercooler from APR Performance. Mix that with sport-tuned exhaust from RSC Performance, and you've got the most powerful front-wheel drive Golf GTI ever devised with 370 brake horsepower, 160 more than what the standard GTI puts down. To make this car even cooler, VW added a wide-body aero kit with a twin-vented hood, some Herbie-like Blue and Red racing stripes with some white backdrop in the middle, a race-inspired interior with some Alcantara racing buckets mixed with some blue and red stripes, a racing roll-cage for the race driver's edge, and some iconic 20-inch Alpine White Mesh rims just for the looks. This is by far the coolest Golf GTI I've ever come across. Why didn't EA put this in NFS World along with the A1 Clubsport? 

Never Mess With the Cat

2012 Jaguar XKR-S

When it comes to Supercharged power, there's no make that delivers it better than Jaguar. Of course Carroll Shelby will argue that, "No! Our cars are the best dang supercharged cars in the world, and you can just shut the heck up about what you said!" The truth is there cars handle like wooden planks. Jaguar have gone out of their way of fine tuning their cars so they're as powerful as they are balanced. The Jaguar XKR-S is no exception. With the title of the most powerful V8 Jag ever produced, this cat will do 0 to 60 in 4.2 seconds on a 550 horsepower 5.0-liter Welsh Supercharged V8 engine. Normally, Jags are limited to 155 MPH. This one, however, will hit 186 MPH. Mix that with sport suspension, a sport brakes, and a monstrous V8 noise from the exhaust, and you've got yourself a Jaaag! Check out the video below to see what I'm on about. I must warn you! To watch video correctly, turn your volume all the way up, grab a coffee, and put on your loafers. Why? Only people who do and wear those things have owned Jaaags!!

E to the Third

2011 Ford Taurus SHO Interceptor (Need For Speed: The RUN)

E3 (Electronics Entertainment Expo) is almost upon and on that day thousands of geeks and gamers will make their way to California to see the latest in tech and video games. You're probably surprised to see that I myself am talking about it. Well, a couple of fantastic racing games and racing sims are ready to be shown on the E3 stage and I'll be here to show them to you. First up, there's Need For Speed newest blockbuster smash The RUN, which is being developed by Black Box Studios, and as you can see from the photo above, they're fixing up something big!

F1 2011

Next up is Codemasters newest SIM racer F1 2011. There last installment was a real eye catcher. This one promises more realism and more excitement. Then again, what other publisher produces the best SIM games? So far DiRT and F1 have been smash hits.

1970 Dodge Challenger R/T (Driver: San Francisco)

Then, there's Ubisoft next big smash: Driver: San Francisco. I'm truly excited about this game. I remember playing the original Driver game as a kid and I fell in love with it. I'm overjoyed to see it coming back with awesome physics, a huge map, and a massive array of real-world cars, including this classic Dodge Challenger R/T. And it's not just classic cars this time. Ubi has included modern day favorites like the Dodge Ram SRT-10, Maserati GranTurismo, Bentley Continental Supersports, McLaren MP4-12C, even the Pagani Zonda Cinque. It's gonna be epic!

2011 Ferrari 458 Italia (Forza Motorsport 4)

And last, but not least, we have the GT5 killer: Forza 4. Ever since Forza was created, it has always received higher ratings than the famed Japanese Racing SIM, and it seems that they're going for another one with this installment. Forza's promising over 500 cars, an array of real tracks, a new re-worked physics engine, and some interesting Kinect features. Not to mention they've put the Ferrari 458 Italia as they're hero car and have teamed up with Top Gear USA so expect some Top Gear challenges and an appearance from his majesty The STIG.

So, those are the big four you racers need to look out for. If I missed one, just let me know.

Hardcore Droptop

2012 Audi R8 GT Spyder

At long last, Audi's hardcore droptop has been unveiled. Say hello to the 2012 Audi R8 GT Spyder. It's like the regular 5.2 FSI Spyder, just much, much darker. As you can see, the car gets some wild carbonization all-round, from the front splitter, bumper-side airflows, interior trim, rear spoiler, and rear diffuser. Even the rear LED Taillights have received their own dark extensions. If you thought the 5.2 FSI Spyder was cool, you'll want to ditch that for this. Why? Well it's much lighter than the regular Spyder with loads of carbon fiber and lightweight material used to make this car, shedding about 85 kilograms (187 lbs.)  of weight. Under the hood, the car gets an upgraded 5.2-liter FSI V10 engine producing 560 horsepower. Because of this, 0 to 60 is achieved in 3.8 seconds and it will do 197 MPH with either the roof up or down. This is sort of weak though because the most powerful non-turbo V8 convertible in the world, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster, has 3 more horses and will do that same speed without any weight reduction. But anyway, the car itself looks quite stunning. Like the GT Coupe, Audi plan to only make 333 GT Spyders. No word on how many the U.S. will get or what the car itself will cost over here. In Germany, it's good for €207,800, which is about $300,748 if your calculations are correct. So, if this car is intriguing to you, you might as well save your money now!

Carbon beats Metal

2012 BMW M3 Carbon Edition

Since it was first released, BMW have always found new ways to improve the taste and presence of the M3. First, there was the M3 GTS. Then the M3 Competition Coupe and Frozen Gray arrived. The China exclusive Tiger Edition was unleashed a few days later. A few months ago, they released the Matte Edition, and it seems that they're not done as they've now unveiled the Carbon Edition, another China exclusive Beamer. Not much else new here except for the exclusive badging, two-tone leather seats, carbon accents, and 19-inch alloy wheels. But, essentially what you have there is the Competition Coupe made only for China. The power remains the same as it's been: a 4.4-liter 414 horsepower V8 engine. All the performance stats remain the same as well: 0 to 60 in 4.6 seconds and a limited top speed of 155 MPH. So, really nothing much different here. I guess China loves the M3 that much. Well, if you live in China and want one of these, it will cost you 1.23 Million Yuan (RMB), which is about $189,595.38 if you convert it right. To me, all that is useless. Just get a standard M3. It's cheaper, has the same amount of power, and in some ways, is slightly better. 

Drop Top Golf (Part II)

2012 VW Golf R Cabriolet Concept

The Golf madness at Wörthersee continues. First there was the 500 horsepower Compact craze that was the Audi A1 Clubsport Quattro. Now, VW have brought out two new droptop concept cars, both of which are, you guessed it, Golfs. First up, there's the Golf R Cabriolet Concept that, if it gets the green light, will be the fastest droptop Golf of them all. Under the hood is the Golf R standard 2.0-liter turbo-4 engine producing 265 horsepower. Combine this with all-wheel drive and you'll have the car that will do 0 to 60 in less than 6 seconds on its way to a top speed of 155 MPH. I have to say that as a hatchback, the Golf R looked good, but as a convertible, it looks even better. No word on if this will reach the U.S. but there's a strong chance that it won't.

2012 VW Golf GTI Cabriolet Concept

Next up is the less powerful Golf GTI Cabriolet Concept that might make production as well. It gets the standard Golf GTI 2.0-liter turbo-4 engine producing 200+ horsepower. It will do 0 to 60 in about 6 seconds and hit a top speed of about 150 MPH. This one just looks like a straight brawler. Cabriolets beware! A new Golf is in town. Both these cars are on display at GTI-Wörthersee, so if you're there right now, go ahead and check them out.

An Audi Full of Suprises (Part II)

2012 Audi A1 Clubsport Quattro Concept (Need For Speed World)

I told you guys I'd test it! So earlier today, I went online to see why this car's become the main buzz of NFS World. Well, it seems that while Audi was making this crazy compact monster, Need For Speed managed to contact them and settle an agreement in having that car be an ultra exclusive item in the game. So far, it still is. No other game has pitched in to get it. Anyway, when it was finished and unveiled behind closed doors, NFS went over to Germany to do their 3D rendering, performance inputs, and detailing to bring this car into the virtual world, and voilà! The Audi A1 Clubsport came into existence and everyone is happy, both online and offline. As a general car, it actually is quite good. It handles well thanks to its Quattro all-wheel drive system. As a racer, it's quite phenomenal! The car handles corners with ease and turns on dime, instantly. It's quite uncanny when you think about it because, genuinely, a compact car with a big heavy engine in the front combined with front-wheel drive would be the recipe for one massive accident. So, luckily Audi fitted this car with all-wheel drive instead of front-wheel drive in order to cooperate with a 2.5-liter 500 horsepower turbo-5 engine. So, in the end, I did some races, cruised for a while, and took some pictures with it. You, yourself can drive it now if you have a computer and the game installed. From now til June 4, you can drive it around NFS World, but for 3,500 Speedboost, you can drive it until the day you die, or your account gets hacked, whichever comes first. I'd go with the second one because, as you see here, you can customize it with performance parts and visual upgrades. Check out the video below to see how Audi and NFS got along. I'll have a video of my encounter with the car very soon.