Spied: 2013 Volkswagen Golf R Cabriolet

256 horsepower from a turbocharged 2.0L engine, 4Motion all-wheel drive, a 6-speed manual transmission, all in a fun hatchback; what else could you ask for?

A convertible?

Volkswagen has been spied testing their upcoming model of their Golf lineup; the Golf R Cabriolet.  Who would of guessed that a convertible was something that the hot-hatch scene really needed?  The upcoming convertible R is expected retain most all of the same equipment that the current outgoing Golf R has.

I honestly can't imagine this car being hugely successful in today's market.  The only people I can really imagine actually wanting one would be someone with a VW EOS or convertible Beetle, wanting more horsepower and 4-wheel drive; or someone with a Golf R/Gti wanting a convertible.  

This is an odd niche market in which most car manufacturers haven't ventured into before.  But I'd love for Volkswagen to prove me wrong!

It is expected the Volkswagen is to announce the new Golf R Cabriolet this September in Paris.

Source/photos: Carscoop

Spied: 2014 Subaru WRX Test Mule

The next generation of everyone's favorite hot-hatch has been spied testing out in the desert somewhere in the States.  

This Subaru WRX test mule looks almost identical to the outgoing Impreza sedan, which is not surprising to us, seeing how the last thing Subaru wants to do is leak or show too much before the actual car is unveiled within the next year or two. 

We expect the new WRX to have the aggressive, edgy look that the current car has to retain it's iconic hot-hatch image. 

Rumor also has it that Subaru will be using their new FA engine from the recently announced BRZ in their next generation of vehicles, and we wouldn't be surprised if they have a turbocharged variant in their test mules now.  Having a newly refined engine, we expect to see better fuel economy and more power from the 2.0 L flat-four boxer engine.

We're excited to see what Subaru brings us in the future; stay tuned!

Source/photos: Autoblog

2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo Price Revealed!

The recently announced 2013 Hyundai Veloster price has just been revealed!  It will start at $21,950, plus a $775 destination charge.  The Veloster Turbo now has a twin-scrolled turbocharged 1.6 inline-four engine that makes 201 horsepower and 194 lb.-ft. of torque, paired with your choice of a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.  A more aggressive body-kit, sports-tuned suspension and exhaust, heated sports seats, and LED headlights and taillights are just some of the newest additions to differentiate between the new Veloster Turbo and its' naturally aspirated counterpart.  
There will also be an additional "Ultimate Package" which will set you back another $2500 that will include a panoramic sunroof, automatic headlights, back-up sensors, navigation system with a backup camera, a 115-volt outlet, and additional Veloster Turbo monikers.

Usually when automakers create a "sports-edition" of an already existing car, they may make it faster, but comfort, quality, and most importantly fuel economy goes out the window.  But luckily for us, Hyundai did a magnificent job of still retaining the Veloster's magnificent fuel economy for the newest Turbocharged Veloster.  The Veloster Turbo will make an estimated 26 MPG in the city, and 38 MPG in the highway, which is amazing for any car with 201 horsepower from a turbocharged 1.6 inline-four engine.

I am very excited to test out the turbocharged version of an already impressive car, and see how it competes with some of the other "hot-hatches" in the market; like the Volkswagen GTI, the new Ford Focus ST, and even the Mazdaspeed3.  Stay tuned for more updates about the Veloster Turbo!

Source: autoblog/Hyundai

2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

The Ford Mustang is the iconic American muscle car.  It's origins date back to the mid sixties where it was less known as a high-powered race car, rather a conservative two door sports car. Going through many different generations of the Mustang, the car has seen some major overhauls and design changes throughout it's life; for better or for worse.

For 2013, Ford has genetically enhanced the Mustang to be a complete monster.  Their mad creation is named the 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. Not only does the 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 have the longest name out of all of the Mustangs, it also has the highest amount of raw power directed to it's massive rear tires.  650 horsepower, and 600 lb.-ft. of torque from a supercharged 5.8L V8.  Ford has masterfully created the most powerful massed-produced V8 engine in the world, and fitted it into a small two-door sports car; sounds like a recipe for success to me!

Besides the massive horsepower and torque numbers that Ford told us the new Mustang GT500 has, another number Ford has quoted it to have is 200...

We know it doesn't have 200 horsepower, nor does it get 200 miles per gallon; but it has a top speed of 200 MPH!  200 miles per hour in a Mustang? Who would have ever thought that a production Mustang would be able to ever hit those kinds of speeds like a Ferrari or Lamborghini?!


Is this new Mustang a supercar eater?  Is it worthy of that title?  Let's see: It has 650HP, 600lb.-ft tq, reaches 200 miles per hour, reaches 0-60 MPH in 3.5 seconds.  Yes, i'd say it is a supercar eater.

Oh! and the best number of all?  The price; it retails for $54,000 in the US.  It seems like a lot of money (which it is), but it is the best bang-for-your-buck sports car for around $50-60k.  No other car for that same price range comes with that amount of power and performance than the GT500 does.

The Mustang GT500 seems to be one of the best new sports cars around, which it might be; but try taking it around a set of corners or a track (somewhere else besides a drag strip), and there you might see some of the weaknesses of their semi-flawed equation for the GT500: massive power + RWD = ?

All-in-all, the 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 seems like a great track day/weekend driver/or even a daily driver for those who have the need or desire for a 650 horsepower sports car, which surprisingly  doesn't get the dreaded gas guzzler's tax.













source/pictures: autoblog, insideline

Video: Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Nearly Crashes

Not very often do we see videos of Bugatti Veyrons going around tracks, but this video was found of a Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport coming close to crashing on a hill climb in Prescott. 

Luckily the skilled driver was able to save the $1.7 Million car and still show off its jaw-droping acceleration to the onlooking crowd.  Check out the video below!

source: youtube, carscoop

Steven Tyler's $1.1 Million Convertible

Guess who just took delivery of a Hennessey Venom GT Spyder? The newest judge on American Idol and Aerosmith's own Steven Tyler.

Tyler contacted Hennessey asking for them to build him a unique version of their stripped down 1,200 horsepower super car; but his would be without a roof.

This being a first, the Hennessey team had to make some necessary structural changes to ensure there the car was still rigid and safe for there to be a removable top.  The structural changes and removable roof resulted in an extra 30 lbs. added to the weight of the car, so Hennessey decided to add more horsepower (up to 1,244hp) to keep its 1 horsepower per 1 kilogram weight ratio.

This equation has been very successful for Hennessey and his team in creating one of the fastest and most powerful cars in the world. allowing the Venom GT get to 200 MPH in only 15.9 seconds.  And for a measly $1.1 Million, Hennessey Performance would be more than happy to make you another custom Venom GT Spyder!

source: Hennessey