That’s one of the great things about the new generation of video games; you can continue to add on content even after you’ve finished the game to keep it fresh. But here’s the thing: while we appreciate all the new content, it gets expensive fast. And with the new cars – NFS Shift should have included more cars in the first place, so charging $10 a pop for DLC seems a bit…arrogant. The NFS Ferrari pack, I get it, but I can’t be spending $10 every time a few new cars or tracks are released.

Regardless, the new Exotic Racing Series pack looks pretty damn cool, with 7 new cars (the McLaren MP4-12C, Gumpert Apollo, Alfa Romeo 8C, Mercedes SLR Stirling Moss, Maserati GranTurismo S, Acura NSX, and BMW M1,) a new track (Riviera,) and 50 new events created just for these cars.

Of course I’ll buy it, because I can’t resist the call of the new cars (especially the Gumpert and McLaren,) and the new track sounds great too.

Pick up the new Exotic Racing Series pack for $10 (or 800 MS points) on March 18th and let use know what you think. Check out the teaser pics along with a video below:

more details at the NFS:Shift blog

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Although I’m more of a sports car guy than a sedan guy, on occasion I find the more practical and commodious rides appealing. I’ve always had a thing for Audi’s A8, for example. Although large, they look rather svelte and sleek, and that always goes a long way for me. And I especially liked the S8 for all the reasons I should: Way too much power.

The latest iteration of The Big Audi just rolled out (it debuted in Miami, which is just beyond me) and it looks like it just got its first tuner treatment, courtesy of an outfit called Hofele Design.

First on Hofele Design’s list of things to do is going over the A8’s engines. And, I have to give them credit, because they did hi-po mods to both of the currently available A8 plants. Yes, both the gasoline and the diesel.

The 4.2-liter V8 gasser gets a bump from 372HP and 445Nm to 400HP and 475Nm. This was enough to drop the 0-100km/h times from 5.7 seconds to 5.3 seconds. Which is not bad, given the size and weight etc. Hofele Design’s take on the stock 4.2-liter V8 TDI diesel resulted in the power and torque numbers getting upped from 350HP and 800Nm to 395HP and 880Nm. Bottom line is that the diesel now gets from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in 5.2 seconds versus the stock version’s 5.5 second time.

And Hofele Design says that fuel consumption remains unchanged over the factory models for both engines.

Hofele also added an adjustable sport suspension with an electronic module that lowers the A8’s ride height between 40 and 80mm. They also added a four-pipe exhaust system and 6-caliper high-performance brakes. There’s an available body kit that features front and rear bumpers, rocker panels, rear diffuser, a new grille as well as a tactful boot lid spoiler. And of course, Hofele Design being a German tuning firm, they had to throw on a set of giant 20- or 22-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 265/40 ZR20 or 265/30 ZR22 high-performance tires.

Source: CarScoop

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Tell this rumor (more than a rumor?) turns out to be true: Lotus might just be coming back to Indy car racing. Yes, that Lotus. The same car company that was derided by the likes of A.J. Foyt until Jimmy Clark beat him like a dumb Texas mule. Yes, the same car company that makes such tasty offerings as the Elise and that truly sublime Evora hybrid from Geneva.

For those of you in the know, Indy Car Racing will be using all new, and newly designed chassis from the 2012 season onward. Lotus, along with a bunch of other racing companies, are readying proposals for what that new chassis should be, but Lotus seems to be taking it a step further.

SpeedTV (which you should all be watching, by the by) said “In what could be a precursor to a 2012 chassis supply deal, Lotus announced its intention to enter the 2010 Indy 500 under the ‘Team Lotus USA’ banner.”

Wa-hoo!

“The Indycar dream is very real for us. We are talking to an existing team about forging an alliance. The American marketplace is very important for Lotus and there is a pedigree and history at the Indy 500. When people think of Lotus they think of competition and racing, it is important that we get back to putting that message across. The Indycar program is a big project and we need to join with an existing team to begin with, because that is the easiest way in terms of logistics. We only have a few weeks to sort the deal out because the start of the season is very close. The reunification of Champ Car and Indycar makes it much simpler for us and it is an area we are excited about. To run the Honda engine is not a problem in the first instance, even there we have history. The Indy 500 is iconic and it will only do the Lotus brand good to be there,” Lotus Motorsport Director Claudio Berro told highly regarded British publication Motorsport News.

Louts expects to make a further announcement regarding their Indy 500 plans sometime this month. And all that makes sense. That would be good timing, what with the racing season getting ramped up, and The 500 starting to glow over the horizon.

Things could be looking up in a lot of ways for American open-wheel racing.

Source: SpeedTV

Photo from Flickr user The Pug Father

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Over the past few years, there’s been a surge of small, affordable hatchbacks coming on the market, and they continue to flow. We have the Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa, Honda Fit, Mazda3, VW Golf, and plenty of others to choose from in this range. It’s no surprise – they’re cheap, fuel efficient, have room to store all sorts of crap with the rear seats folded down, and some are even fun to drive. So it’s no surprise that Suzuki (remember them?) wants back in the game.

For 2010, Suzuki added a new model – the SX4 SportBack. This variation on the SX4 wagon makes a few changes for the better. The SportBack gets rid of the roof rack found on the SX4 Crossover and adds a body kit and rear spoiler. To go along with the sportier look, Suzuki lowered the SportBack by 15mm and tightened up the suspension. A new powertrain across the SX4 line is welcome – now we have a 2.0-liter four-banger with a tick more power and 30 mpg on the highway. New transmissions include a standard 6-speed manual or optional CVT to replace last year’s 4-speed automatic. Our test model was fitted with the 6-speed. It wasn’t bad, but I found six speeds to be a bit much for the relatively weak engine.

Suzuki has always been good at providing a good value, and the 2010 SX4 SportBack isn’t changing that. Coming in at $17,949, this “hot hatch” comes standard with power accessories, leather steering wheel, fog lights, six-disc CD changer with upgraded audio, cruise, automatic A/C, 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless start, and most surprisingly – standard navigation. The navigation needs some explaining – it’s not an integrated system like you’ve seen in countless other new cars – it’s a portable Garmin unit stuck into a pop-up slot on the SX4’s dash (see picture below.) Weird, yes, but it works. One feature missing – standard auxiliary audio input – a big downside, though there is an iPod interface available.

So, how is driving the SX4 SportBack? Frankly, it’s a weird little thing. The seating position and overall comfort certainly leave something to be desired, the lack of a real center console feels econocar cheap, and the interior materials aren’t of the highest quality. But after all, you are driving a sub-$20K sport hatchback. The 6-speed manual transmission has one too many gears for the car’s power output, and shifting just doesn’t quite feel quite – it’s a bit too imprecise.

There is, however, more interior room than you’d expect, and overall it’s a pleasant ride. The amount of standard equipment in the SX4 SportBack is great compared to competing models, and the price is definitely right.

The problem with the SX4 is that it’s just not unique enough to stand out from the contenders. Other than the value factor (which might just be enough for some buyers,) there’s nothing about the car that screams “buy me instead!” Other cars, like the Toyota Yaris and especially the Mazda3 and VW Golf are more fun, more engaging, and have more personality than the SX4 – but they’re also more expensive and/or get worse fuel economy. The 2010 Suzuki SX4 SportBack adds a bit of spice to an otherwise uninteresting car. But it makes sense – and that’s more than enough for many buyers, especially nowadays.

Before You Buy

Let dealers compete for your business and have the upper hand in negotiations before going into the dealership by getting a free, no-obligation quote at Yahoo! Autos.

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In their effort to expand the Corvette lineup, Chevy just announced the 2011 Corvette Z06 Carbon Limited Edition model – a track-tuned version of the Z06.

The Z06 Carbon features 20-spoke black 19-inch front/20-inch rear wheels, Magnetic Selective Ride Control, a special carbon pattern engine cover, and the ZR1’s Brembo carbon ceramic brakes. It will only be available in two colors – thankfully two sexy colors – Inferno Orange and a new Supersonic Blue, which you see here.

Other aesthetics of the Z06 Carbon include black headlamps and mirrors, a ZR1-style spoiler, carbon fiber hood, and black carbon fiber rockers and splitter.

Inside, you get ebony leather and suede interior with blue or orange seat stitching, depending on the color you choose (although blue stitching on an orange car would be…unique.) Other additions are your typical limited edition stuff – steering wheel emblem, sill plate, embroidered headrest, blah blah.

Only 500 2011 Corvette Z06 Carbons will be made – pricing to be announced – and should be available this summer.

Interestingly, regular Z06 owners will also have the opportunity to purchase a Z07 performance package or CFZ Z06 carbon fiber package, which essentially turn it into the Z06 Carbon. You’ll have more customization choices with your own Z06 this way, but you couldn’t say you own the special edition. Hmm.

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Lexus just announced details about the new limited edition IS 350C F-Sport. With only 100 being produced, Lexus pulls a Scion Release Series-type move and makes a few changes to the stock IS 350C Convertible. So, what’s changed?

First up, it’s only available in two colors – Tungsten Pearl and Obsidian (not the cool orange color you see above, sadly.) That’s black and silver, respectively. You’d think being an F-Sport model would allow for some more exciting colors. Next up – it gets new 19-inch alloy wheels with high performance tires. Aesthetically, the IS 350C F-Sport gets a new F-Sport grille, a one-inch lowered ride height, and exterior badging.

Regarding performance – the special edition IS 350C gets firmer brakes, new sport shocks, and a sway bar. You could also consider the lowered ride height in the performance department.

Inside, the car gets embroidered floor mats, leather-wrapped shift knob, a numbered badge on the center console, and black leather-trimmed seats with blue stitching. The special edition also gets some options as standard.

Price comes in at $57,500, or $12,610 higher than the base IS 350C. To be one of the 100 folks getting this special edition, give your Lexus dealer a call for delivery later this month.

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edo competition has always seemed to be a little bit different for a German tuning firm. The Ahlen-based outfit tunes something other than just German cars, for one thing. Take for example their latest project: Having a serious go at Aston Martin’s DBS.

Of course, like seemingly all German tuning firms, edo competition has to do something funny with their name. In edo’s case, they have to go all e.e. cummings and their name is in all lower case. That aside, what about their take on the Aston flagship?

They started off pretty far up the mountain. The Aston Martin DBS already produces 517 horsepower from its 12-cylinder residing under its front bonnet. That’s enough for the British beast to top out at more than 300 km/h (186 mph). So what did edo do?

edo got into the engine control unit and modified the software and also added a new exhaust system, special catalytic converters and high flow air filters. So the power output was bumped up to an impressive 550 hp and 600 Nm (442 ft-lb). Allowing the edo competition DBS to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.1 seconds and now top out at 320 km/h (199 mph).

edo seems to be especially proud of the exhaust layout. The exhaust system incorporates butterfly valves allowing it to tune the engine note, and the power and torque output, on the fly. The exhaust comes with a programmable control system that monitors backpressure inside the exhaust and opens the 70 mm butterfly valves when a pre-determined level of backpressure is exceeded. The advantage of the system is that it provides better torque at low engine speeds without sacrificing top end horsepower. The exhaust system is made from stainless steel (natch) and has chromed exhaust tips (just as natch). The driver can adjust the sound of the DBS at any time using a remote control. This reminds me of something that I’ve seen other tuners and manufacturers starting to do, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see more systems like it in the future. I’m not saying I condone it, exactly, but I understand it.

Naturally, edo competition worked the suspension too. Unlike the exhaust, which they allow the customer to fiddle with on the fly, any time, day or night, edo implies in their presser that although the suspension is tunable, they set it to the customer’s specs and then leave it at that. Which strikes me as a very smart thing to do. The suspension system is adjustable in height, compression and rebound damping, and it can be “matched to the customer’s driving style.”

Naturally, edo competition offers exclusive wheel/tire combinations. The DBS is equipped with three-piece 21 in. racing wheels with stainless steel outer rims. The customer can choose the stock tire dimensions or go with a set of Continental tires that are 255/ 30 ZR 21 (front), 295/ 25 ZR 21 (rear).

Yes, they upgraded the brakes too. Up front: 405 mm rotors with 6-piston monoblock calipers and performance brake pads and out back there’s 380 mm rotors with 6-piston monoblock calipers and performance brake pads, including braided stainless steel brake lines.

The interior design of the DBS can be spiced up with the available carbon fiber shifter and shifter console, or the customer can opt for a custom interior in any color or material he desires, including handmade leather interiors.

Photos: edo competition

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Warms the cockles of my heart it does. The fact that Chrysler saw fit to even make a drag strip version of the reborn Dodge Challenger in the first place was great. And it seems that they were enough of a success for the company to continue to offer them in 2010.

In 2009, the company created 100 of the drag-strip specials. For 2010 the will be making even more of the cars and they’ve said the price will be $39,999. The intent is for them NHRA Stock, Super Stock and Comp Eliminator racing and indeed, they are already sanctioned by the NHRA, so they’re good to go. I know you’re probably thinking the same thing I am, but sadly, the Dodge Challenger Drag Pak is not street legal. So you can just stop that line of thought right now.

The 2009 version of the car was offered with three engine options: A 5.7-liter Hemi, a 5.9-liter Magnum Wedge and a 6.1-liter Hemi V8. The company says 90 percent of the 2009 cars were ordered with the 6.1-liter plant, so there was little point in continuing with the other engines. Which mean that the 2010 Dodge Challenger Drag Pak is offered only with the 6.1-liter Hemi V8. You do get a choice of trannies though. The 2010 car can be ordered with a 6-speed manual or a 5-speed automatic transmission.

And that’s an interesting option. Do any of you strip guys out there know why you’d go with an automatic versus a manual? My experience is that autos are only good over a certain level of horsepower, and that a manual will always be quicker initially off the line. But there must be some good reason for running an automatic.

Just like the 2009 version, the 2010 will batch of cars are about 1,000 pounds lighter than the street Challenger and will include such sweet goodies as a composite lift-off hood with scoop, Viper-style front seats, polycarbonate door windows, a light-weight cooling module with electric fan, manual rack-and-pinion steering, light-weight front brakes and a special cable-operated throttle linkage and pedal assembly. I know, but DAMN, wouldn’t that be a sweet set of options for the street version?

Mopar will only be manufacturing 70 Drag Pak cars for 2010, so get in line and submit your application to Mopar (the only way obtain one of the beasts).

Source: Edmunds

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Alright, so I’m a bit of a geek. I just love when a cool new product shows up that combines cars and some of my favorite movies. In this case, ThinkGeek.com just released a new 1/12 scale replica of the Delorean DMC-12 from Back to the Future – including lights, moving parts, and sound effects. Awesome!

Check it out:

Originally manufactured in northern Ireland, the DeLorean DMC-12 had gull-wing doors and totally sweet brushed stainless steel paneling. Sadly, it was the only car the DeLorean Motor Company ever produced, so that’s why you don’t hear it being called the DMC-12. Our DeLorean is a 1/12th size replica of the one used in the Back to the Future movies, including fully-detailed moving parts, lights, and sound effects. Act out your very own time travel adventures, and please, no matter how hot she was back in the day, don’t flirt with your mom

Product Specifications

• 1/12th scale replica of the iconic DeLorean time machine from Back to the Future
• Lights, sound effects, and fully-detailed moving parts
• Be careful not to get it to 88 miles per hour and whatever you do, don’t flirt with your mom
• Fun fact: John DeLorean was 6′4″ tall – that’s probably why the car has gull-wing doors!
• Size: 14″ long (do the math and you’ll know how long a real DeLorean is!)

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This is the Peraves E-Tracer. It looks like a drop tank from a P-61, is powered by an electric motor and has outrigger wheels. It is also entering the Automotive X-Prize, and thinks that it has a real shot at winning the thing. They just might be right. It’s light enough and efficient enough right off the rack that it could win. Not sure whether it should count as a car or not.

If Peraves is right, and the E-Tracer has the chops to make it into the top spot, then the European company will rake in $10 million by winning Progressive Automotive X-Prize.

Peraves is a Swiss company that has been making the MonoTracer, a BMW bike engined version of the E-Tracer for a while now. Like the ICE motivated MonoTracer, the E-Tracer boast an impressive drag coefficient of .19. It also features very low rolling resistance and relatively light weight.

In place of the aforementioned BMW engine being hooked to its gearbox, the green version has a highly efficient AC induction motor. And not just efficient, but a powerful one to boot. The AC Propulsion Gen II motor cranks out 204 horsepower (or 150 kilowatts if you want to measure it that way) and 162 pound feet of torque. Which is a lot in a, er, car that’s the size and weight of the Peraves E-Tracer. It’s enough to send it zinging from a stop to 60 MPH in the sub-four second range. The top speed is reportedly 150 miles per hour, and Peraves has to electronically limit it to that, they say. The energy is stored in the E-Tracer’s 20 kWh lithium battery, and that gives it enough juice to drive 186 miles at 60 mph and still have a 20-mile reserve at about 50 mph left over.

So does the Peraves E-Tracer have what it takes to win the Automotive X-Prize? We’ll leave that up to the judges and to history to decide. But if you’re interested in the E-Tracer already, turns out they are already being manufactured and sold. It seems that the waiting list is about a year long, and the E-Tracer will cost you around €79,350 (or around $107,800 at today’s exchange rates).

Peraves is also said to be working on a another version dubbed the Ultra-Sport that will crank out a whopping 268 hp. No word on the cost of the Ultra-Sport, but you have to figure it will run you more bucks.

And here’s some videos of the Peraves in action.

Source: AutoBlogGreen

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