The new Bentley Continental GT3 made its big debut this weekend at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed in the United Kingdom with a 600 bhp 4.0-litre turbo V8. This race car takes the iconic Bentley Continental GT and moves it from touring car to race car.
Changes include significant weight reductions, greater horsepower, and refined aerodynamics that make the vehicle much more suited to the track. In terms of weight, they’ve stripped 1000 kilograms from the original vehicle which brings the Bentley Continental GT3 down to just 1300 kg total.
Weight reductions were achieved through the removal of many of the features that make the Continental GT such a beloved grand tourer. Gone are the leather and wood interior trims, the production electrical systems and other advanced refinement materials.
Inside, this car now looks every bit a race car, but it still maintains the hand-crafted elements for which Bentley is so well-known. The steering wheel, door pulls and seat are all hand-trimmed and stitched by Bentley craftspeople at Crewe.
As for the engine, the car is powered by a dry-sump version of Bentley’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, with many components carried over from the original road-going engine. This V8 gives the Bentley Continental GT3 a competitive level of power in a compact and lightweight package.
The exterior of the car features refined aerodynamics that maximize downforce with optimized drag. There’s a carbon fibre rear wing for downforce and stability in the rear combined with a carbon fibre splitter to balance aerodynamics at the front. There have also been changes to the hood, bumpers, fenders and sills that improve the car’s drag coefficient and also assist with engine cooling.
Now that it’s made its grand debut, the Bentley Continental GT3 will be hitting the track for further development. It’s track work will focus on optimizing performance based on simulations and refining the car’s abilities. The goal is to have the Bentley Continental GT3 start full competition in the FIA Blancpain Series in 2014.
Nicole Wakelin fell in love with cars as a teenager when she got to go for a ride in a Ferrari. It was red and it was fast and that was all that mattered. Game over. She considers things a bit more carefully now, but still has a weakness for fast, beautiful cars. Nicole also writes for NerdApproved and GeekMom.
The 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed, an annual event to showcase automobiles new and old on an uphill race course, got a surprise from Porsche. An 887 horsepower hybrid known as the Porsche 918 Spyder tore up the hill to the admiring cheers of the crowd. The Porsche 918 promises to be one of the most exciting and unique Porsches to date.
The Porsche 918 Spyder has a vast array of settings to maximize the full potential of its technology:
“From comfortable to race-ready: five modes for three motors
The core of the 918 Spyder concept is its distribution of propulsive power among the three power units, and their co-operation is controlled by an intelligent management system. To best exploit these different approaches, Porsche engineers defined five operating modes that can be activated via a ‘map switch’ on the steering wheel, just like a race car. On the basis of this pre-selection, the 918 Spyder applies the most suitable operating and boost strategy without driver intervention, thus allowing the driver to concentrate fully on the road.
Quiet and elegant: ‘E-Power’
When the vehicle is started up, ‘E-Power’ is the default operating mode as long as the battery is sufficiently charged. In ideal conditions, the 918 Spyder can cover over 18 miles (30 km) on purely electric power. Even in pure electric mode, the 918 Spyder accelerates from 0 – 62 mph in less than seven seconds and can reach speeds of up to 93 mph. In this mode, the combustion engine is only used when needed. If the battery’s charge state drops below a set minimum value, the vehicle automatically switches to hybrid mode.
Efficient and comfortable: ‘Hybrid’
In ‘Hybrid’ mode, the electric motors and combustion engine work alternately with a focus on maximum efficiency and minimum fuel consumption. The use of individual drive components is modified as a function of the current driving situation and the desired performance. The Hybrid mode is typically used for a fuel economy-oriented driving style.
Sporty and dynamic: ‘Sport Hybrid’
In more dynamic situations, the 918 Spyder selects the “Sport Hybrid” mode for its power sources. The combustion engine now operates continuously and provides the main propulsive force. In addition, the electric motors provide support in the form of electric boosting or when the operating point of the combustion engine can be optimised for greater efficiency. The focus of this mode is on performance and a sporty driving style at top speed.
For fast laps: ‘Race Hybrid’
‘Race Hybrid’ is the mode for maximum performance and an especially sporty driving style. The combustion engine is chiefly used under high load, and charges the battery when the driver is not utilising its maximum output. Again, the electric motors provide additional support in the form of boosting. Furthermore, the gear-shifting programme of the PDK is set up for even sportier driving. The electric motors are used up to the maximum power output limit to deliver the best possible performance for the race track. In this mode, the battery charge state is not kept constant, but instead fluctuates over the entire charge range. In contrast to ‘Sport Hybrid’ mode, the electric motors run at their maximum power output limit for a short time for better boosting. This increased output is balanced by the combustion engine charging the battery more intensively. Electric power is thus available even with several very fast laps.
For pole position: ‘Hot Lap’
The ‘Hot Lap’ button in the middle of the map switch releases the final reserves of the 918 Spyder and can only be activated in ‘Race Hybrid’ mode. Similar to a qualification mode, this pushes the traction battery to its maximum power output limits for a few fast laps. This mode uses all of the available energy in the battery.
Main propulsion: the race car’s eight cylinder engine
The main source of propulsion is the 4.6-litre, eight cylinder engine that produces 612 hp of power. The engine is derived directly from the power unit of the successful RS Spyder, which explains why it can deliver engine speeds of up to 9,150 rpm. Like the race engine of the RS Spyder, the 918 Spyder power unit features dry-sump lubrication with a separate oil tank and oil extraction. To save weight, components such as the oil tank, the air filter box integrated into the subframe and the air induction are made of carbon fibre reinforced polymer. Further extensive lightweight design measures have resulted in such features as titanium connecting rods, thin-wall low-pressure casting on the crank case and the cylinder heads, a high-strength lightweight steel crankshaft with 180 degrees crankpin offset and the extremely thin-walled alloy steel/nickel exhaust system.” – – Porsche Media
I am overwhelmed at the potential of the Porsche 918. Not only is it a technological juggernaut, it represents fresh thinking and a willingness to build something courageous, like back in the days of the Porsche 959. Fortunately, the Porsche 918 is drop-dead gorgeous, whereas the 959 wasn’t.
Speaking of German cars, check out Roman and I as we shred the pavement with the
Easily amused by anything with four wheels, Nathan Adlen reviews vehicles from the cheapest to the most prestigious. Wrecking yards, dealer lots, garages, racetracks, professional automotive testing and automotive journalism – Nathan has experienced a wide range of the automotive spectrum. His words, good humor and videos are enjoyed worldwide.
Specifications of the Porsche 918 Spyder
Body: Two-seat Spyder; carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) monocoque interlocked with CFRP unit carrier; two-piece Targa roof; fixed roll-over protection system
Drivetrain: Parallel full hybrid; 4.6-litre V8 mid-engine with dry-sump lubrication; hybrid module with electric motor and decoupler; electric motor with decoupler and gear unit on front axle; auto start/stop function; electrical system recuperation; four cooling circuits for motors, transmission and battery; thermal management
Engine power: 608 hp (447 kW) at 8,600/min (V8 engine)
115 kW (hybrid module on rear axle)
95 kW (electric motor on front axle)
887 hp (combined)
Power transmission: Combustion engine with hybrid module and transmission bolted together to form a single drive unit; seven-speed Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK); rear-wheel drive; front electric motor with gearbox for driving the front wheels (decoupled from 235 km/h); five pre-selectable operating modes for optimum coordination of all drive units
Gear ratios PDK
1st gear 3.91
2nd gear 2.29
3rd gear 1.58
4th gear 1.19
5th gear 0.97
6th gear 0.83
7th gear 0.67
R gear 3.55
Final drive ratio 3.09
Clutch diameter 220 mm / 164 mm
Chassis and Suspension: Double-wishbone front axle; optional electro-pneumatic lift system on front axle; electro-mechanical power steering; multilink rear axle with adaptive electro-mechanical system for individual rear wheel steering; electronically controlled twintube gas-pressure dampers in the front and rear with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM)
Brake system: High-performance hybrid brake system with adaptive recuperation; internally ventilated and perforated front ceramic brake discs (PCCB), 410 mm in diameter and 36 mm thick; rear discs 390 mm in diameter and 32 mm thick
Wheels and tyres: 918 Spyder wheels (Weissach package: 918 Spyder magnesium wheels)
front 9.5 J x 20 with 265/35 ZR 20
rear 12.5 J x 21 with 325/30 ZR 21
Weights:
Kerb weight, DIN 1,640 kg (‘Weissach’ package)
Dimensions:
Length 4,643 mm
Width 1,940 mm
Height 1,167 mm
Wheelbase 2,730 mm
Track width front 1,664 mm, rear 1,612 mm
Luggage compartment capacity, VDA ~ 110 litres
Fuel tank capacity 70 litres
Energy supply: Lithiumion battery with 6.8 kWh capacity (BOL nominal), 220 kW maximum power and mains-compatible plug-in charger.
Performance:
Top speed > 340 km/h (211 mph)
purely electric 150 km/h (93 mph)
Acceleration:
0 – 62 mph 2.8 s
0 – 124 mph 7.9 s
0 – 186 mph 23.0 s
Consumption (NEDC): Total ~ 3.3l/ 100km (85.6 mpg)
Bill Warner and his bike in this 2011 photo. (Loring Timing Association photo/The Associated Press)
The land speed record racer community suffered a big loss yesterday, when Bill Warner (a sit-up motorcycle speed record holder) did succumb to injuries sustained after he lost control of this bike and went off the runway. Bill already held the record of 311 MPH (over a 1.5 mi distance), and he was determined to go for the 1 mi distance record last weekend. He was aiming for 300 MPH and was clocked at around 285 MPH when he lost control of his streamlined race bike. This was his third attempt of the day at the Loring facility near Limestone, Maine.
Other racers commented that Bill pushed the envelope so far, that his records may never be broken.
Our thoughts go out to Bill Warner’s family and friends.
The Loring track uses a former US Air Force Base runway. The runway is 300 feet wide and 14,200 feet long. The concrete/asphalt surface is in good condition and racers prefer its grip versus the loose surface of the salt flats.
2014 Maserati Quattroporte: Quick Take Drive and Review
The new 2014 Maserati Quattroporte is an Italian sporty luxury car that can easily take four adults to the ski slope and back in utter comfort and luxury.
It is an Italian take on the all powerful and all conquering four door sports sedan.
With a twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve 3.8-liter V-8 that produces 523 HP and 524 lb-ft the 2014 Maserati Quattroporte is fast, very fast and very expensive.
Check out this quick take review as Roman drives and reviews the 2014 Maserati Quattroporte in Colorado.
What’s his conclusion?
He says you should think of this 2014 Maserati Quattroporte as the un-Porsche Panamera.
BTW: You can watch a review of the new Porsche Panamera HERE.
The 2013 Honda Accord Sport with the 189 HP 2.4L engine can be purchased with two transmission options.
You can get the new Honda Accord with a CVT automatic transmission with paddle shifters or you can opt for the more traditional 6 speed tranny that you have to row yourself.
In another fun and informative TFLcar mile high 0-60 MPH mashup review we test the car with the same engine but pit the CVT automatic against the manual 6 Speed transmission.
So which of these two options is the faster way to go.
You’ll have to watch this TFLcar mashup review to find out.
BTW: You can watch a complete review of the new Honda Accord HERE.
The price of the 2014 Ford Focus Electric will be dropping by $4000 from the prior model year. This will put the base price of the vehicle at $35,995 when it hits dealer showrooms in just a few more weeks.
The cut comes as the industry adjusts to the fact that most people simply aren’t willing to pay an extra $10,000 to $15,000 for vehicles that are affordable and fuel efficient in their gas-fueled versions. Even though some buyers qualify for federal tax credits of up to $7,500, they still can’t justify the cost.
Although hybrids are becoming more popular, only about 1% of US sales are for plug-in hybrids and electric cars as they just aren’t seeing the same acceptance as hybrids. Not only do hybrids come with a much lower premium, they don’t force consumers to rely on a charging network that is still very much in development.
Ford isn’t the only one to feel the pressure to reduce prices on its electric vehicles. Earlier this year, Nissan announced an 18% drop in price for the Nissan Leaf which brought its sticker down to $28,800.
Nissan also offers a 36-month for $199 a month and no-interest loans to entice buyers into making the jump to an electric vehicle. This makes the Nissan Leaf very competitive with a price that is about $7,000 less than the Ford Focus Electric, a faster charger and a better warranty.
Honda is now apologizing for a shortage on its electric offering, the Fit Electric, after they improved their leasing terms from $389 to $259 with no money down, no mileage limit and a free in-home charger.
Even General Motors has gotten into the act, cutting the price of the Chevy Volt by $4,000. They also improved their lease terms to include a $2,399 down payment with $269 a month for a 36-month lease.
With pure electric vehicles remaining something of a niche market, consumers can expect to see continued price drops and incentives coming from manufacturers.
Nicole Wakelin fell in love with cars as a teenager when she got to go for a ride in a Ferrari. It was red and it was fast and that was all that mattered. Game over. She considers things a bit more carefully now, but still has a weakness for fast, beautiful cars. Nicole also writes for NerdApproved and GeekMom.
MG stopped selling cars in the United States in the early 1980s, but their popularity here is still strong. As such, I have kept an eye on their constant changes in ownership and their products. I even visited their display at the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show and got the impression they were anxious to get back into the United Kingdom, and perhaps the United States.
MG (Morris Garages) was founded by Cecil Kimber in 1924. The company exchanged hands multiple times before being sold off to Nanjing Automobile in 2006. Shortly thereafter, Nanjing Automobile and MG Motor became a subsidiary of the China-based Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) in 2007.
Through that time, most of the vehicles built under the MG name were reworked, older Rovers. The MG6, was launched in June 2011. Although other vehicles were built during the ownership and transition from China back to the Longbridge, Birmingham, UK plant, it was the launch of the MG6 in 2011 that showed an almost completely new vehicle for the automaker.
Assembled in Longbridge, the MG6 comes from knock-down kits produced in China. These kits consist of partially completed platforms of the vehicle. The MG6 has some components (front-end sub-frame) shared with the Rover 75 – a vehicle initially produced in the late 1990s. Still, the design is sleek European and the overall buzz for the MG6 is pretty good.
There have been exceptions. A story cracked by China Car Times, The Sunday Times and Autoblog hit the web regarding negative press for the MG6. Television personality and automotive journalistic rock-star Jeremy Clarkson panned the MG6. He disliked the quality, disputed its Britishness, was critical about the safety scores and generally disliked the car.
On the other side of the argument, MG has rebutted all (or most) of Mr. Clarkson’s criticisms – especially his statements regarding the NCAP score, which is publicly displayed as four out of five stars. Click (here) for the MG6’s NCAP rating.
Despite this, MG is in the process of bringing out a slew of new vehicles. What I find promising is the potential for future products to increase in quality, coolness and create new jobs globally. I also like their new, tiny MG3. Something about that little bugger is appealing to me.
I hope to drive one – some day.
As it is, MG is a story to watch for all of us. It could be an indicator of where China is in regards to their ability to adapt to western markets. As I find competition to be the best thing for consumers, I can’t wait to see what they do.
Here’s some good Chinese MG vibe in this fun video from the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show!
Easily amused by anything with four wheels, Nathan Adlen reviews vehicles from the cheapest to the most prestigious. Wrecking yards, dealer lots, garages, racetracks, professional automotive testing and automotive journalism – Nathan has experienced a wide range of the automotive spectrum. His words, good humor and videos are enjoyed worldwide.
The Terrain crossover took GMC into the mid-size crossover market back in 2010. It has been a successful move for the brand and the 2013 model year sees the addition of the GMC Terrain in the luxurious Denali trim. The Terrain attracted 50,676 buyers in the first half of 2013 and is enjoying a 8.7% year-over-year growth. Lets take a look at what makes this crossover appealing and how it can improve.
STATS
Starting Retail Price
As Tested Price
HP / Lb-Ft
2013 GMC Terrain Denali AWD
$36,675
$42,490
301 / 272
EPA Rating MPG
As Tested MPG
Rating: LEASE IT!
16 /23 Combined 19
Combined 19.5
First Impressions
The 2013 GMC Terrain Denali has a bold presence with a healthy helping of chrome. The interior is comfortable but is a little tight. I also noticed a strange mix of old and new throughout this vehicle. This includes the mechanical components and the interior features (more on this later).
Styling/Design:
The GMC Terrain is not afraid to show off its industrial rectangular and trapezoidal design elements. It definitely has a love it or hate it appearance, and I am glad GMC was not afraid to make this crossover stand out in the crowd. The Denali trim adds a unique chrome grill, satin chrome 18 inch aluminum wheels, and powerful looking dual rectangular exhausts.
Driver’s seat is comfortable and served well on a longer trip. Most of the interior materials are of high quality and well laid out and put together, except for the hard plastic visor protruding from the middle of dash to shade the smallish main touch screen. I found the red pixel dot-matrix information center in the middle of the gauge cluster look and feel about 10 years old. Whoever designed the user interface on the center stack seemed to have placed the buttons in a random arrangement. The HVAC controls are straight forward, but figuring out the entertainment and navigation system features is very difficult. The redundant buttons on the touch screen partially solve the problem, but the screen is small and the visor makes the top of the screen difficult to access. The Terrain still uses the old fashioned ignition key, when nearly all competitors have switched to fashionable push-button start.
Powertrain:
The GMC Terrain Denali comes in not one, but four powertrain combinations. This test vehicle was a top of the line 3.6-liter direct injected V6 with 301 HP and 272 lb-ft of torque. It is backed up by a 6-speed automatic transmission sending power to all four wheels (AWD). However, you are not forced to configure your Terrain Denali this way. You can also have the V6 with FWD and squeak out an extra MPG across the board. And if fuel economy is on top of your priority list, then you can go for the 2.4-liter 182 HP four cylinder. The straight four is also available with a selection of FWD and AWD. Choice is always good and this was a smart decision by GMC.
The new direct injected V6 is plenty powerful, but it’s being let down by the now old-fashioned 6-speed auto. The transmission works well while at speed, but can be a little reluctant to launch. There are no paddle shifters and the gear lever mounted manual gear selector is hard to reach. This transmission thinks it’s smarter than the driver, and it will not hold gear in manual mode.
Handling/Ride:
This Denali is a competent handler. We took it for a Rocky Mountain drive and this Terrain seemed to hunker down and take the canyon roads with confidence. The steering feel is not the best, but it still makes for an enjoyable driving experience. Likewise, the suspension finds a nice balance between comfort and performance. In most situations it favors the comfort setup as should be expected from a luxurious Denali model. However, the front and rear independent suspension controlled the body lean and inspired confidence in fast corners. This is an area where the Terrain shines.
Competitors:
Starting Retail Price
City/Hwy MPG
HP / Lb-Ft
Cargo cu-ft
2013 GMC Terrain Denali AWD
$36,675
16/23
301/272
63.9 / 31.6
2013 Acura RDX AWD
$35,720
19/27
273/251
76.9 / 26.1
2013 Audi Q5 2.0T
$35,900
20/28
211/258
57.3 / 29.1
2013 BMW X3 xDrive
$38,850
21/28
240/260
/ 27.6
2013 Cadillac SRX
$45,200
16/23
308/265
61.1 / 29.8
2013 Ranger Rover Evoque
$43,145
20/28
251/240
51.0 / 20.3
2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK350
$39,090
19/24
302/273
54.7 / 23.3
2013 Volvo XC60
$40,650
17/23
300/325
67.4 / 30.8
The premium midsize crossover segment is crowded. The 2013 GMC Terrain Denali V6 is one of the more powerful in the group and its starting price is on the lower end of the scale. Notice how the GLK350 seems to laugh at the Terrain by bettering its output HP and Lb-Ft by one. Terrain’s V6 is also one of the hungriest. Many of the competitors are choosing to downsize and turbocharge their engines to gain efficiency. The numbers suggest that the Terrain has the largest cargo area with 31.6 cu-ft behind the second row. However, be warned that the cargo space is narrow with enclosures on both sides.
On the TFLcar scale of:
Buy it!
Lease it!
Rent it!
… or Forget it!
I give the 2013 GMC Terrain Denali a Lease It! The test vehicle sticked at $42,490 and included many extras like a sunroof and dual screen rear seat entertainment system. Considering the power and the luxurious appointments, this Denali represents a good value. When you start adding options to many of Terrain’s competitors, it’s pretty easy to get into the $50K+ range.
The Terrain is an interesting bland of old and new. It was designed in GM’s pre-bankruptcy era and most of the older elements are unfavorable. However, the direct injected V6 and suspension/steering setup show GMC’s strong engineering competency. If they can sort out the user interface, the transmission, and the fuel economy – then it would be a Buy It. For now, I can only give it a Lease It.
Check out this TFLcar mile high 0-60 MPH test of the GMC Terrain Denali:
Andre Smirnov
Andre Smirnov is a life-long automotive enthusiast, writer, reporter, and software engineer. He has been a contributor at TFLcar since 2011. When not working or spending time with the family – you can find him tinkering in the garage or simply ‘going for a drive’.
Nicole Wakelin fell in love with cars as a teenager when she got to go for a ride in a Ferrari. It was red and it was fast and that was all that mattered. Game over. She considers things a bit more carefully now, but still has a weakness for fast, beautiful cars. Nicole also writes for NerdApproved and GeekMom.
