All posts in “Stuff”

McLaren Teases Its Upcoming Grand Touring Car

This Is the GT We’re Excited About

The reveal of McLaren’s next car under its Track25 plan will take place on May 15. The company says the car will be a new GT car and share much of itself with Speedtail Hyper-GT. That’s not a bad thing at all. McLaren has a page on its website that shows the images here and is likely where new information will appear as it is released to the public. 

McLaren hasn’t given out a ton of information about the car. Carscoops reported that the company said the vehicle was meant to “redefine the rules of the Grand Tourer segment, introducing renowned McLaren engineering and dynamic attributes alongside high-quality materials and exceptional comfort.”

McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt said the car will have a level of agility “never experienced before in the segment.” That has us excited for what is to come. At the moment, all we have are a few shadowy images to go off of and the video shown below. As you can see, it’s a super sleek looking car, and might be one of McLaren’s best-looking models. 

In the video below, it hints that the car won’t be held back by tradition. This could mean anything for the model, really. What that says to us is that it will be a dramatically different car than McLaren’s other models. This could be great, but McLaren’s current models are excellent, so we hope they don’t stray too far. It will be interesting to see this car in full detail on the 15th. 

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May 7, 2019 / Comments Off on McLaren Teases Its Upcoming Grand Touring Car
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Your Apple Watch Deserves a Strap This Robust

Never leave your Apple Watch behind

Your Apple Watch Deserves a Strap This Robust

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Sponsored

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May 7, 2019  |  By Gear Patrol  |  Briefings

Urban Armor Gear makes some of the sturdiest protective cases and accessories on the market to meet the demands of an active lifestyle. The rugged and innovative designs allow modern wanderers, outdoor enthusiasts, athletes and world travelers to always keep what they need — a phone, a tablet, even a laptop — with them through just about any scenario.

The latest evolution of that dedication to ruggedness is UAG’s Active Strap for the Apple Watch. This is an elevated NATO-style strap made from a high-strength nylon weave that can be fitted to any generation of the Apple Watch. It features custom stainless steel hardware, a hook and loop fastener for outstanding security, and a one-year warranty. No matter how high, low or far you’re going, you can rest assured the Active Strap is up for the challenge.

May 7, 2019 / Comments Off on Your Apple Watch Deserves a Strap This Robust
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3 Must-Buy Bourbons, A VR System You’ll Actually Want and Last Minute Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

In this episode of This Week In Gear: Tucker Bowe reveals the all-new Oculus Quest VR gaming system; Oren Hartov recounts a trip to Switzerland to study the history of the iconic Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso watch collection; and Will Price philosophizes about – and samples – what makes three specific bourbons his “unicorn” bottles. Plus, our writers weigh in with one solid Mother’s Day gift idea each and J.D. DiGiovanni unveils Just Get This, Gear Patrol’s new one-stop shop for top product recommendations in every category.

This episode of This Week In Gear is presented by Flipboard, where quality content from the world’s best publishers and storytellers of every type is discovered.

Featured Products

Oculus Quest VR Gaming System

Oculus Quest is an all-new, all-in-one VR gaming system. It’s the big brother to the Oculus Go, which is best used for watching videos and live events. Set up the Quest with an app, and everything else is self-contained. Quest comes in two storage sizes: 64GB ($399) and 128GB ($499) and is avaialable now for pre-order.

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Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Collection

Designed and engineered in the early 20th Century to protect watches worn by British officers while playing polo, the Reverso Collection dates back to 1931. The body of a Reverso can be flipped 180 degrees. Original Reversos featured a metal caseback on the side opposite the watch face; contemporary versions may feature a second face like the one shown in this episode.

Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is next Sunday, May 12. That means you have ample time to shop for a great gift. These are the products our individual experts recommend, but if you want a more complete guide check out The 60+ Best Mother’s Day Gifts of 2019 now.

Featured Suggestions:
• ARROW 5 Minute Beauty Kit ($16)
• Opinel No10 Corkscrew Folding Knife ($35)
• Rancourt & Co Lily Camp-moc ($210)
• Sonos One Speaker ($199)
• Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon

Just Get This: Our Top Product Recommendations, All In One Place

Just Get This is Gear Patrol’s comprehensive list of the most noteworthy products on the market right now. If you’re in the market for a product and want a top-level recommendation, look no further. For quick and convenient access, check out the main website navigation for a link.

Three Bourbon Favorites

Staff Writer Will Price has a philosophy when choosing bourbons: among other criteria, a bottle must be accessible and affordable, but also special. These three bourbons qualify and then some: Elijah Craig Small Batch, Knob Creek Single Barrel and Heaven Hill 6-Year-Old Green Label.

Watch Now: This Week In Gear, Episode 4

In last week’s episode: Tanner Bowden reviews the all-new, magnet-construction Leatherman Free; Josh Condon rock-crawls in Jeep’s latest concept trucks; Will Price demonstrates Vermicular’s waterless cooking appliance; and Jack Seemer reveals the ultra low-cal now IPA from Dogfish Head. Also in this episode: Meg Lappe gives a one-minute rundown of the JaxJox KettleBellConnect. Watch Now

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here. In some instances, brands have provided access to, or loans of, the products included in this episode.
May 4, 2019 / Comments Off on 3 Must-Buy Bourbons, A VR System You’ll Actually Want and Last Minute Mother’s Day Gift Ideas
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Porsche Releases More Images of the Concept 917

The Company Still Won’t Make It

The Porsche Concept 917 was never meant to go to production, as much as we want it to, and Porsche is still pretty adamant that it won’t move beyond the stage it’s currently at. However, the company released more images of the amazing concept car that pays homage to one of its best cars of all time.

The 917 turned 50 years old this year, so Porsche decided to dig up the concept 917 that it put away in 2013. Most people had no idea it existed and didn’t know that Porsche was even thinking of such a design concept. We reported that the concept is actually older than a lot of people thought a while back. That bright to light how much Porsche had kicked the idea around before putting it into storage.

As Carscoops points out, the car in the images shown here is actually nothing more than a foil-clad study. It’s a representation of the car as far as it got and not an actual car or even a fully-completed concept. That doesn’t stop us from wanting Porsche to make this model into a reality, even if it never actually races.

May 3, 2019 / Comments Off on Porsche Releases More Images of the Concept 917
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Ford and SIXT Team Up for Shelby GT-S Rental Car

For When You Need a 600 HP Rental Car

Ford and Hertz are usually the two companies putting out some killer rental car, but now the rental car company SIXT wants in on the game. Ford worked with the company to come up with a new version of its Mustang muscle car. The result was the Shelby GT-S. It’s a supercharged orange and black rocket of a muscle car. 

Under the hood of the Shelby GT-S lurks a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engine. The makes 600 hp and is mated to Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission. That transmission forces all that power to the rear wheels. If you want to do an awesome burnout in your rental car, we know what you should get.

In addition to the engine, the car gets retuned suspension, a cat-back exhaust, Brembo brakes. The exterior has been revamped, too. The hood features what’s called a “deep draw” for air intake. The fascia has been refined a little to make it more aggressive, there are 20-inch wheels, and Ford added a spoiler.

Only 20 of the models will be produced. The cars will be available in Southern California, Las Vegas, and Southern Florida. SIXT has 55 locations nationwide. The cars will do their rental car duty and then be up for sale at some point in the future. How much they will cost is yet to be seen.

May 3, 2019 / Comments Off on Ford and SIXT Team Up for Shelby GT-S Rental Car
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Bugatti Should Build This Open-Top Chiron

A Rendering Well Crafted

Bugatti has made some of the most amazing cars of all time recently. From the Veyron to the Divo to the Chiron to the amazing one-off that is the La Voiture Noire. One thing that is missing from its lineup is an open top Chiron. The Instagram profile called Car News Network recently showed off a rendering of just that. Bugatti should make it. 

The car in the photo shared by Car News Network was accompanied by a simple “What if?” caption along with the name for the car Chiron Gand Sport. What if, indeed. Honestly, it doesn’t seem all that far fetched. Bugatti could sell these things quite easily, but it’s unclear what cutting the roof off your Bugatti would actually do to the car. There would have to add in additional support to keep the structural integrity of the car. That would likely add a lot of weight.

Still, the rendering shared by the Car News Network is almost exactly what we’d like to see. As Carscoops points out, there isn’t actually much changed, or doesn’t appear to be. It’s just a roofless Chiron. It’s absolutely gorgeous. A Chiron Grand Sport could go for millions of dollars. It wouldn’t rival the high price of the La Voiture Noire, but it would be a pricey machine non-the-less. Bugatti should make this happen.

May 2, 2019 / Comments Off on Bugatti Should Build This Open-Top Chiron
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Watch the McLaren Senna Drive Around Regular Roads Then Honor Senna’s Legacy

A Fitting Tribute to the Man Who Inspired the Car

Henry Catchpole of Carfection takes the McLaren Senna on a drive through some British B-roads and around the countryside to see just how good the car actually is on the road or if it works at all. The McLaren Senna is a beast of a machine, and at first glance, you might expect it to not fit in on country roads. While it looks a little silly as Catchpole finds out, it’s actually reasonably well-suited for them.

Catchpole also digs into the history of the man the car is named after. He discusses his time spent living in England and how he managed to shock the world at Donington. The film seeks to honor one of Senna’s greatest ever moments, and one of the best moments in motorsports history—his iconic lap in the wet at the track and his subsequent win in an amazing fashion.

What’s interesting about the film is that it hits on what was important about Senna. Also important is how the new car named after him and driven on this track 25 years after his death works to encapsulate all that he was known for in the world of F1. The film is a heartfelt and well-produced one, and it’s worth the 12 minutes it takes to watch it. 

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May 2, 2019 / Comments Off on Watch the McLaren Senna Drive Around Regular Roads Then Honor Senna’s Legacy
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The Bugatti Chiron Sport ‘110 Ans’ Insurance Cost Is Outrageous

You Could Buy Another Nice Car for the Annual Cost

Anyone buying a Bugatti Chiron Sport “110 Ans” likely has more than enough money to pay for insurance for the hypercar. However, they might not have realized that it would cost $50,000 a year. Yep, that’s how much it insurance costs for the special edition Chiron Sport. According to ValuePenguin, the annual insurance estimate for the car rests at $50,000.

To be fair, the Bugatti Chiron Sport “110 Ans” is an expensive car. The MSRP is over $3.2 million, and some dealers are charging even more than that. According to Carscoops, one dealer in Munich, Germany has the price for a build slot set at $4.5 million.

If you’re dropping that kind of money on a new Bugatti, then the $50,000 in insurance costs per year probably don’t worry you that much. However, if you’re not used to dropping millions of dollars on a car, then the $50,000 a year sounds completely ludicrous.

The insurance was calculated using a 30-year-old male living in New York City who wants full coverage on the vehicle. There’s room to reason that the $50,000 annual cost could be dropped depending on the location and information of the person. With that said, it’s probably not going to bring the cost down too much. If you had your eye set on the new Bugatti, hopefully, you’ll be able to pay your insurance.

May 1, 2019 / Comments Off on The Bugatti Chiron Sport ‘110 Ans’ Insurance Cost Is Outrageous
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2020 Toyota 86 Hakone Edition Is a Killer Green Machine

Named After the Hakone Turnpike

The dark green 86 you see before you is the special edition of the car called the Hakone Edition that’s named for one of Japan’s best roads to drive. The car is designed to pay homage to international racing, according to Toyota.  However, the company didn’t touch the 86 for the Hakone Edition from a performance standpoint, but it sure took the car to new heights in the styling department.

The company added a deep, dark green color to the exterior along with some additional equipment to complete the look. It has some 17-inch wheels with a bronze finish and a rear spoiler painted black.

Inside, the car gets two-tone leather and Alcantara seats. The armrest between the seats also has the two-tone treatment. Additionally, there’s tan contrast stitching and some embroidered 86 badges.

The car still has the 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with 205 hp and 156 lb-ft of torque. Buyers have a choice between a six-speed manual or an automatic transmission. The car also comes equipped with all of the best goodies of the 86 line, including LED lighting, a dual-exhaust system with chrome tips, and a remote keyless entry system.

This special edition of the 86 will be available in the fall of this year. Pricing has not yet been announced, but it’s bound to be a significant upcharge from the standard model.

April 30, 2019 / Comments Off on 2020 Toyota 86 Hakone Edition Is a Killer Green Machine
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Here’s Why the BMW E30 M3 Sport Evo Will Always Be Amazing

A True BMW Legend

There are few cars that have a bigger fanbase than the BMW E30 M3 Sport Evo. The car is simply a legendary car and it’s what started the M3 on its current path of greatness. The guys over at Carfection somehow got their hands on a slew of M3s from multiple generations and decided to put together a multi-episode video series on the car, and its impact on the world of motorsports and motoring in general.

The E30 M3 Sport Evo famously shares only its hood with the standard car. The vehicle was tweaked in every way to build it into one of the best racing cars out there. The engine was a naturally aspirated four-cylinder that was built to rev out. The transmission for the Euro-spec cars was a dogleg five-speed. Other areas of the world got the traditional H-pattern transmission.

BMW only made 600 of these cars, and that makes them exceedingly rare, though not the rarest of the special editions out there. The car that the publication gets its hands on happens to be a single-owner vehicle. It’s a stunning example. When compared to modern cars, the E30 M3 is really quite slow, but that doesn’t make it any less of a legend, and as the presenter says in the video below, it still lives up to its reputation. 

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April 29, 2019 / Comments Off on Here’s Why the BMW E30 M3 Sport Evo Will Always Be Amazing
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Citizen Has Made the World’s Most Accurate Light-Powered Watch, Though It Doesn’t Come Cheap

Like most world records, “the world’s most accurate watch” is a moving target and almost always requires some qualification. The technology was announced in 2018, but the wristwatch to contain the super-accurate Citizen Caliber 0100 quartz movement debuted at Baselworld 2019. It’s accurate to within one second per year, powered by light with Citizen’s Eco Drive technology, and prices start at over $7,000.

To put this in perspective, most quartz watches measure their accuracy per month, and even the most accurate traditional mechanical watches measure per day. Citizen beats high-end quartz watches like those from Grand Seiko with estimates of +/- five seconds per year. The difference between five seconds and one second per year might sound insignificant, but consider it five times more precise, and refinements at this level get exponentially more complicated. While some watches use various external sources via the likes of radio signals or internet to regularly synchronize with atomic clocks (and some have even managed to make an atomic clock semi-wearable on the wrist), Citizen can claim to have the most accurate, light-powered, autonomous movement.

The brand explains that one thing they did differently for the Caliber 0100 was to replace the quartz crystal’s typical tuning-fork shape with something called an “AT cut” (previously used in watches only very rarely). This has a number of benefits for stability and resistance to temperature and position changes, but it also oscillates at 8 megahertz rather than the 32 kilohertz of the traditional shape (256 times faster). Citizen goes into the technical details of how it all works in this video, and there’s a lot more cool stuff going on with this watch if you care to put on your nerd glasses.

Citizen combined other technologies such as an integrated circuit designed to correct minor temperature-caused deviations. One cool feature of the new watches is that the brand displays the movement through a case back window, which is very uncommon for quartz watches. The wristwatches containing this remarkable movement measure 37.5mm wide and a thin 9.1mm with 50m of water-resistance. Versions in hardened titanium cases will be priced $7,400 and limited to 200 pieces for a mother of pearl dial and 500 pieces for the black dial model. A white gold case version will cost $16,800, and all will be available in Fall 2019.

Gear Patrol also recommends:
Longines Conquest V.H.P. Watch ($1,300)
Grand Seiko Spring Drive GMT SBGE227 Watch ($5,600)
Breitling Professional Chronospace Military Watch ($6,110)
April 26, 2019 / Comments Off on Citizen Has Made the World’s Most Accurate Light-Powered Watch, Though It Doesn’t Come Cheap
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Watch the Dodge Demon Rage to 211 MPH

We Knew It was Fast on the 1/4 Mile, but Dang

So, the Dodge Demon is electronically limited to 168 mph. Take that limiter away and the big 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine can make the car go a heck of a lot faster. How fast? Well, some guys took one of the cars minus its speed limiter to the Johnny Bohmer Proving Grounds, which is a lovely little place in Florida to find out.

The description of the video below says previous attempts without all of the goodies included in the Demon Box that comes with the car for the low price of one extra dollar yielded the result of 203 mph. That’s insanely fast.

The video attempt below takes things even further, though. It lets the Demon stretch its legs a little more to 211 mph. The car was equipped with the Demon Box equipment, and we assume running high octane gasoline to get the result. 

The car seems to have no problem whatsoever reaching 200 mph. It then keeps ticking up the speedometer to 211 mph where it holds for a couple of seconds before the driver seems to run out of runway. The car appeared to have no more to give, though, even if there was more runway available. 

You can watch the full run below.

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April 26, 2019 / Comments Off on Watch the Dodge Demon Rage to 211 MPH
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Watch the Upcoming 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT R Black Series at the Nürburgring

Mercedes-AMG Has an Amazing Car

The 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT R Black Series is the range-topping coupe for the manufacturer. According to Car Magazine, the vehicle is supposed to be the fastest-accelerating Mercedes-AMG of all time. It will be beaten, of course, by the AMG One hypercar. However, it’s still going to be one amazing machine.

Recently, the YouTube channel Automotive Mike spotted the 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT R Black Series testing at the Nürburgring. The film shows the car driving around on public roads around the track and then it shows a few minutes of the car taking on the various corners at the illustrious racetrack.

The car features a heavy camo wrap so you can’t see many of the details of the model. One thing you can tell is that it’s going to sound really wonderful. The test driver of the car is, at times in the video, really getting after it on the track. This kind of rigorous testing is exactly what Mercedes-Benz needs to do to see just what the car can do and where it needs to be tweaked.

The Black Series is bound to have more horsepower than the other versions of the AMG GT. Currently, the top-of-the-line AMG GT R has 577 hp. The Black Series should have well over 600 hp, making it the true sharp end of the stick for the automaker.

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April 26, 2019 / Comments Off on Watch the Upcoming 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT R Black Series at the Nürburgring
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Look How Crazy the Franco Scribante Racing Hillclimb Nissan GT-R Is

Despite All the Wings, They Still Plan to Drive It

The wild Nissan GT-R you see here is ready to take on the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb in South Africa in May. The obviously heavily modified car was built by Franco Scribante Racing. The team added, among other things, some of the most outlandish aerodynamic elements to the exterior of the car. Most notably the wings.

The car has a massive front splitter and then an even bigger wing at the front. Then it gets another big wing at the rear of the car. all of this should help smash the car down into the tarmac when it’s at high speeds, which is exactly what the team wants. Carscoops was the first outlet to post a story about the car and Jalopnik dug a little deeper, revealing the vehicle has other changes, too.

It gets upgrades to its 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 that makes it good for 1,600 hp to the wheels. The team built the car in collaboration with Dodson Motorsport. They went to Pikes Peak last year. This year the team is ready to take on the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb in South Africa. Jalopnik notes the team has been working 18-hour days to prepare for the race. 

April 25, 2019 / Comments Off on Look How Crazy the Franco Scribante Racing Hillclimb Nissan GT-R Is
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Prepare Your Ears for the Sonorous Lamborghini Centenario

If Sound Can be Pornographic, This is It

The Lamborghini Centenario often gets written off as a tarted up Aventador, but it’s really much more than that. The car offers a full carbon fiber chassis and body panels. It was made in extremely low numbers and cost an obscene $1.9 million in 2016. Today, the cars are going for well over $2.5 million and some low mileage examples fetch more than that.

The car features a 759 hp naturally aspirated 60-degree V12 engine with a displacement of 6.5-liters. That paired with its low weight, aerodynamic shape, and dashing and angularly aggressive good looks make it a truly special car. The vehicle is was a force to be reckoned with when it first came out. Today it’s a legendary car from Lamborghini, with only 20 being made.

One of the nearly countless reasons it’s an amazing car is its exhaust note. You can go on all you want about Ferrari’s V12s and how they sound, and they do sound wonderful, but the Lamborghini Centenario’s engine’s song is perhaps the most beautifully angry thing we’ve ever heard. You can listen to it in the video below and see the car from all angles and up close, too.

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April 25, 2019 / Comments Off on Prepare Your Ears for the Sonorous Lamborghini Centenario
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Check Out This 9-Second Audi TT RS

This TT Is Not Like Others

The Audi TT RS is a notable sports car. The standard vehicle makes a strong 400 hp from a 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine. That’s pretty impressive, but it pales in comparison to the TT RS in the video below. That car was fitted with a TTE700 Hybrid Turbo, new fuel injectors, a bigger intercooler, and some new software for the engine. The car now puts out 734 hp to all four wheels.

The video below was taken by the YouTube page VeeDubRacing, and shows the car pull a 9.7-second time on the drag strip. According to the video description, the company APR UK built this car. The boss of that company told his team they had three days to turn the regular TT RS into a 9-second car. It’s pretty clear they pulled it off. 

On the car’s 9.7-second run it hit 144 mph. This run took place at the Santa Pod Raceway in the UK. The car did its sub-10-second runs on some sticky Hoosier tires and appears to have a good day for it.

the 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine in the TT RS is known for being an excellent engine and one that you can get impressive power numbers out of with minimal modifications. You can believe it could put out more than 734 hp. It’d be interesting to see just how far this engine and the TT RS, in general, could be pushed. 

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April 24, 2019 / Comments Off on Check Out This 9-Second Audi TT RS
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Tesla – Autonomous Ride Sharing Service

Elon Musk Reveals Plan To Establish Tesla ‘Ride Sharing Service’ by 2020

From an investor’s perspective, t can be argued that Elon Musk’s eccentricity lands him in hot-water more often than what is desirable, but there is no denying that it is also what fuels his ambitions and vision for the future of our world (and beyond). Today, Musk announced his latest project at Tesla’s ‘Autonomy Day’ event which took place at the company’s California headquarters.

Though this new venture takes place on Earth, it is no less interesting or ambitious of a target than any of his other proclamations.  Musk made it very clear to investors at the event, that a Tesla-operated autonomous taxi service will be rolled out in 2020. I have a feeling that as he loves to shake things up in the tech-world, it should come as no surprise that this statement is being made after soon-to-be-rival ridesharing company, Uber, announced that it will become publicly traded in the beginning of May.

As opposed to functioning entirely on a fleet of commercially-designated Tesla vehicles, the service being offered will rely heavily on existing Tesla owners with compatible cars to ‘share’ their car on the ‘Tesla Network’, which in theory makes it more akin to ridesharing than a mainstream taxi service. The differentiating factor of course, is that Tesla’s service will be fully autonomous.

Musk cleverly made sure to convey that the service was not only appealing to its future users, but also to existing and potential purchasers of his electric cars. He made bold claims, such as stating that owners could earn as much as $30,000 per year lending their car to the Network during periods when they wouldn’t need it for personal use – such as during holidays, work trips or general down-time.

Powered by new Samsung chips, Tesla’s latest version of autonomous driving software and hardware will, as Musk explained, “…be able to drive themselves anywhere on the planet, on any road and in any/all possible weather conditions without anyone watching over the controls.” This means that Tesla’s autonomous cars in theory, are not limited to specific environments or circumstances and should be able to travel anywhere a human-operated vehicle can (and maybe more). It also means, that drivers (or more accurately, riders) won’t have to pay attention to the road – ever again – should they choose to embrace full-autonomy.

Fully self-driving vehicles, once and for all, plain and simple.

The Tesla boss confidently iterated that there will be over 1-million self-driving taxis on the road when the service is rolled out. Elon Musk at it again; making certain that his inventions are as practical as they are unconventional.

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April 24, 2019 / Comments Off on Tesla – Autonomous Ride Sharing Service
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Watch a Porsche GT3 and GT3 RS Go Head-to-Head at the Dragstrip

Some German-Engineered Fun

The Porsche 911 GT3 and GT3 RS are both amazing cars. On a racetrack, the GT3 RS is the obvious winner with more power and better aerodynamics, but what happens when you put them on the dragstrip? Is the RS really a faster car in a straight line? Well, the guys at the YouTube channel DragTimes decided to find out.

The GT3 RS comes with a significant price hike over the GT3 and seeing the two cars race side by side will put into perspective what the speed difference is in a straight line. It’s worth thinking about if you’re looking at the GT3 or a GT3 RS. The jump of $40,000 from the GT3 to the GT3 RS is a notable one, and you’ll have to decide if it’s worth it. 

The video below can help you do that. While you might not be drag racing your Porsche, it’s a good way to see the difference between the cars. We won’t spoil the results for you, but we can say it’s definitely worth the watch. Watch it and then we’ll go over the results below the video.

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As you can see, these two cars are extremely evenly matched on the drag strip. Both drivers got good launches and had no issues during the several runs. This suggests that you might be better off saving the $40,000. If you frequent the racetrack, though, the GT3 RS’s upgrades will still make a big difference, though.

April 22, 2019 / Comments Off on Watch a Porsche GT3 and GT3 RS Go Head-to-Head at the Dragstrip
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Watch This Modified Nissan GT-R Stroll Up to 235 MPH Like It’s Nothing

It Makes It Look Easy

Hitting 235 mph is no joke in any vehicle. While 235 mph might seem a lot less than the Ford GT that was clocked breaking the 300 mph mark, it’s still insanely fast. This Nissan GT-R makes it look absolutely easy, though. Just a nice leisurely drive on a sunny day to a freakishly fast speed. No big thing. No, it is a big thing. That’s wicked fast.

This particular Nissan GT-R manages to hit that speed due to the fact that it’s been pretty heavily modified. The car still has its 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 engine. However, that mill has been modified extensively. It now produces 1,100 hp and 850 lb-ft of torque measured at the wheels. As you can imagine, the result is noticeable.

You can check out the car in action in the video below and see it reach the 235 mph top speed. The interesting thing is that the car looked and sounded like it had more to give. On a longer runway or track, it probably could have gone faster. Carscoops suggests it could possibly hit 250 mph. It’s clear that the driver held it at 235 for a little while and then let off the throttle to keep the car on the runway’s tarmac, but it did seem to have more to give.

What’s so impressive about the video is how smooth the car looks doing the 235 mph run. It’s extremely undramatic. There’s nothing to worry about. You just watch the speedometer needle keep spinning. It’s insane and totally worth a watch.

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April 22, 2019 / Comments Off on Watch This Modified Nissan GT-R Stroll Up to 235 MPH Like It’s Nothing
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The Most Beautiful Details Hidden Throughout the New York Auto Show

Walking through the 2019 New York International Auto Show can be overwhelming. With all the shiny sheet metal on display—some of it for the first time—it’s easy to lose yourself in all of the big news and announcements. But, if you take some time and keep your eyes peeled, you’ll see there are a lot of beautiful design details peppered throughout the show’s attractions that you might have missed otherwise. Yes, concept cars will have bucket loads of futuristic moldings and supercars are packed with aerodynamic facets, but even something as mundane as a family sedan can hide an interesting quirk or two.

So, in case you missed them, these are the most beautiful details hidden throughout the cars at NYIAS 2019.

Acura TLX Taillights

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Acura deserves a huge amount of credit for the bold design choices it’s made over the past few years. Acura’s design language is polarizing, to say the least, but if you look closely, you’ll spot intricacies that deserve appreciation. The taillights on the TLX are one of them: They mirror the car’s headlights, making what could’ve been a run-of-the-mill tail lamp into a delightfully complex display.

Audi E-Tron Dashboard

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Open-pore wood isn’t anything new as far as car interiors go, but the Audi E-Tron pulls it off brilliantly. The all-electric SUV is a vision of the future for Audi, and the designers could have gone the usual clinical design route for such things, but it’s nice to see organic material in there instead; it nicely complements the future-forward E-Tron.

Genesis Mint Concept Seats

There are a lot of details to fawn over on the Genesis Mint concept car, but if one stands out above the rest, it’s the seats. If they look askew in the photo, that’s because when you open the door, they automatically slide back and rotate for easier ingress and egress. And it might only be a concept car for now, but Genesis brand boss Manfred Fitzgerald says he wants to see something like the Mint on the road in the near future.

The Whole Kia HabaNiro

When autonomous driving takes operational responsibility away from the passengers, the experience of driving as a whole will shift; there will more time to appreciate and interact with the interior, for one thing. Designers are starting to cater to that in concept cars like this funky Kia, by pouring more energy into details like seats and dashboard design. The Kia HabaNiro might look like the crossover of tomorrow on the outside, but the not-so-subtle crimson flair on the inside would be a welcome addition to the Korean automaker’s lineup.

Koenigsegg Jesko Rear Wing

The Koenigsegg Jesko’s rear wing isn’t exactly a “hidden detail,” seeing as how it’s one of the largest objects on the show floor. It helps the Jesko achieve 2,200 pounds of downforce when deployed, but can level out to reduce drag and let the Swedish supercar hit its supposed 300-mph top speed.

Lincoln Corsair Taillights

Lincoln is quickly becoming a powerhouse in the American luxury car market. It’s very rare an automaker adopts a design language which works on all of its cars, no matter the body style. The Corsair can easily be described as a mini-Navigator, but it also has its own unique details worth a mention. The taillights, for instance, look like the full-width setup Lincoln has applied elsewhere; move in closer and the design begins to resemble a stylized eagle’s wing.

Nissan GT-R50 Taillights

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You’ve probably seen the Nissan GT-R50 by now, and drooled over as much as everybody else has. (Just ignore the $1.1 million price tag.) The car was a chance for Italdesign to flex its creative muscles, so it’s packed with design touches. Walk around the back, and you’ll see the semi-floating tail lights that look like jet engines; they compliment the moveable rear wing with its aircraft-like actuators.

Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Center Console

Range Rover has been moving towards minimalism for a while, but the new Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic highlights how far the company’s interiors have come—and how well they’re executed.

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April 19, 2019 / Comments Off on The Most Beautiful Details Hidden Throughout the New York Auto Show
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