Mercedes-Benz E-Class V8 Edition

Already six years old as of 2015, the fourth-generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class is living its final months on the market. Outdated by both performance and design, especially when compared to its German competitors, the sedan is only a year away from receiving a comprehensive overhaul. The coupe and cabriolet versions, on the other hand, will likely be around for at least a couple of years before the fifth-gen E-Class expands to include two-door models.

As it usually happens with nameplates when they’re about to enter a new generation, the E-Class is bound to receive an array of special-edition models with added features, AMG styling cues, and attractive stickers. For 2015, the E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet have already gained two such models, one of which is the V8 Edition.

Launched for exclusively for the European market, the V8 Edition features a bunch of exclusive features inside and out, as well as a couple of upgrades Mercedes rolled out for the entire E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet lineup. As the name suggests, the special-edition Merc is based on the V-8-powered E500, sold as the E550 on U.S. soil.

Continue reading to learn more about the Mercedes E-Class V8 Edition.

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Mercedes S63 AMG By G-Power

Performance versions of giant luxury sedans are one of the greatest examples of excess in the automotive world, possibly even more so than outright supercars in terms of having one’s cake and eating it too. The Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG is a supremely good example of this. It’s a car for someone that wants both a very high level of luxury and performance to match. For those that want even more luxury, there is a Maybach version, but for those that want more performance, there are tuner versions of the AMG, such as this one from G-Power.

G-Power isn’t quite the same company as, say, Brabus. They aren’t selling a completely reworked version of the car with a bored-out engine and totally reworked interior. No, the G-Power S63 AMG is just intended to show off the company’s new chip for cranking up the power via the engine computer. Many such devices have been built for all sorts of cars over the years, but G-Power has chosen the right ways to attract attention to this one. The car has no other tuning done and very little in terms of appearance modifications – all to keep the focus on the chip.

Continue reading to learn more about the Mercedes S63 AMG By G-Power.

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XCAR Reviews The New Lamborghini Huracán: Video

The Lamborghini Huracán entered the market in 2014 with the responsibility of living up to the standards set by its predecessor, the Lamborghini Gallardo. A little over a year since its introduction, the Huracán has proven to be up-to-the-ask as a worthy successor to the Gallardo. Sales of the Lambo’s newest supercar have been robust as wealthy buyers have had no issues splurging for the Huracan. In fact, Lamborghini announced in September 2015 that sales of Lamborghini supercars are headed for a new record as the company expects to beat out the 2,530 units it sold in 2014. The biggest reason, according to Lamborghini, for this record sales volume? You guessed it, the Huracán.

The supercar has lived up to the hype in that regard. But for those who have yet to make that kind of financial commitment, it’s important to know more about the car itself. How does it look? How does it drive? Most importantly, how does it compare to the Gallardo? XCAR sought to answer all of these questions when it recently took a Huracán out for a spin.

The most important thing to remember about the Huracán is that it has a lot of the things that made the Gallardo successful – passionate looks, impressive power, and everyday appeal – but with more state-of-the-art technology that’s apt for the times. For instance, the Huracán can switch between three different drive modes (Strada, Sport, and Corsa), all of which have their specific functions, impacting just about every part of the car, including the gearbox, suspension, steering, exhaust, stability control, and the AWD system. Think of it as fast, faster, and stupid fast.

So far, the Huracán has lived up to enormous pressure of succeeding Lamborghini’s most popular model. It’s a testament to Lamborghini’s ethos of building memorable supercars that not only performs to its billing, but also carries the passion and heart of Feruccio Lamborghini himself. If the man was alive today, he’d be incredibly proud of the newest supercar to bear his name.

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Paul Walker's Daughter Files Lawsuit Against Porsche

Meadow Rain Walker, the 16-year-old daughter of Paul Walker, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Porsche. The lawsuit claims the Carrera GT Walker was riding in when he died had design flaws that made it unfit to be driven on the road. Walker’s lawsuit also claims the Porsche supercar “lacked safety features” that could have saved the life of her father and his friend, Roger Rodas, when the Carrera GT caught fire after hitting a pole back in November 2013. The crash and resulting fire burned Walker and Rodas.

Shortly after the filing of the lawsuit, Porsche responded by maintaining the Carrera GT’s innocence in the crash, pointing to the investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department that concluded that the crash that killed Walker resulted from “reckless driving and excessive speed.” The company did say that it had not reviewed the lawsuit, but declined making comments relating to the case.

Regardless of the validity of the lawsuit’s claims, it’s hard not to understand why Meadow Walker has filed it. She lost her father in a car that has earned a reputation for being impossible to drive despite the amount of technological features it had when it was launched in 2004. Former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson compared the car’s handling to being on the “knife’s edge” during a review of the Carrera GT back in 2008.

On the flip side, Walker, Rodas, and everybody who has driven the Carrera GT know what the supercar is capable of. Proper caution should have been of utmost importance, especially if it was going to be driven out in public. The results of the investigation have already cleared Porsche and the Carrera GT from any responsibility, so it’s going to be interesting how this case moves forward.

Continue reading for the full story.

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Suzuki Ignis

Suzuki unveiled two concept cars at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, the 2015 Suzuki IK-2 and the 2015 Suzuki IM-4, which previewed a subcompact hatchback and a mini crossover, respectively. While the IK-2 has already made its debut in production form as the 2016 Suzuki Baleno, the IM-4 is still under development, albeit in its final stages, as an official debut has been announced for the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show in October.

Confirmed to hit the market with an Ignis badge, the new crossover if part of Suzuki’s new expansion plan to include six models by the end of the decade. Originally believed to have been developed to replace the aging Jimny, the Ignis will have its own place in the Suzuki lineup, as the Jimny is slated to hang around until 2018, when it will be replaced by a redesigned model.

Granted, the Jimny and the Ignis are very similar in size, but it’s not surprising that Suzuki will sell them at the same time. After all, the new Baleno is only slightly bigger than the Swift, with the two basically competing in the same niche. From the looks of things, the Ignis has set its sight on the 2013 Fiat Panda 4x4, also a competitor for the Jimny.

Updated 09/30/2015: Suzuki announced its new compact car will be in fact called "Ignis" and it will be unveiled at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show.

Continue reading to learn more about the Suzuki IM-4.

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Mazda To Unveil A New Sport Car Concept In Tokyo, Could It Be The RX-7?

Having just unveiled the Koeru concept at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, Mazda has announced yet another premier for the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show in October. This time around though, the Japanese will launch a concept car that previews a future sports car.

"Mazda’s latest creation clearly embodies the carmaker’s lineage. Designers strove to condense the company’s sports car history to as great a degree as possible into this concept," is all Mazda had to say about the new concept, while releasing a shadowy teaser of a slick coupe.

Though I can’t see any details below the waist, the concept is obviously a full-fledged grand tourer employing a long engine hood, a sloping roof, and a short rear deck. The vehicle also features a pair of taillights placed high into the rear fascia, a detail that seems borrowed from the RX-7. Down below, a pair of big, round exhaust tips are visible, suggesting the grand tourer will pack a powerful engine.

Even though there’s no official confirmation as of yet, it seems as if Mazda is finally working on a closed-top sports car to fill the gap the brand has in its lineup since it discontinued the RX-8 in 2012. But will this new vehicle be a spiritual successor to the RX-8 or another sports car from Mazda’s past?

Continue reading for the full story.

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Six Recalls Affect 2015 Ford F-150, 2016 Ford Explorer, 2001-2008 Ford Escape, And Other Models

Earlier this morning, Ford Motor Company issued a whopping six recalls for a variety of Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles, some as old as the 1998 model year. The problems range from structural issues to high-tech problems with adaptive cruise control systems. From oldest to newest vehicles, the recalls include: RECALL #1: 1998-2003 Ford...

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Tesla Model X SUV Revealed: 250-Mile Range, Starts Around $80,000

Yesterday, there were four major product reveals in America. Together, they offer an interesting comparison of solid, affordable tech design for the masses and outside-the-box, moonshot design that's reserved for top-tier earners. In the former category, there's Google. The tech giant took to the stage in San Francisco to debut slick new...

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VW Diesel Recall, 2016 Range Rover, 2016 Tesla Model X: What’s New @ The Car Connection

From The Car Connection: 2016 Land Rover Range Rover Review Today's Land Rover Range Rover was new for the 2013 model year, artfully blending more than 40 years of off-road heritage with the latest in technology and refinement to create a very balanced reinterpretation of the now-basic-seeming Range Rover that started it all. Land Rover has added...

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Ford Focus RS

Ford introduced the first ever Focus RS in 2002, reviving the RS (Rallye Sport) badge after having popularized it before with rally homologation specials like the Escort RS 1600 or the Escort RS Cosworth. Despite looking like a road-going version of the WRC model, the car was FWD and offered a little over 200 horsepower. Almost seven years later, another generation of the Focus RS arrived with an even more pronounced rally look and a Volvo-sourced five-cylinder with 305 horsepower sent to the front wheels. While torque-steer was kept to a minimum via a standard LSD from Quaife and a MacPherson front suspension strut called RevoKnuckle, the car was still far from offering WRC-like performance for the road.

Ford wants to change all that with the recently unveiled, third-generation Focus RS, as the model will be offered with an innovative all-wheel-drive system. Set to be manufactured at the same German plant as its predecessors, this will also be the first RS model to be sold around the world, including the U.S. With a Mustang-sourced, 2.3-liter, EcoBoost engine that has been engineered to deliver in excess of 300 horsepower, the all-new Focus RS seems to really up the ante for Ford in the performance-hatch category.

Updated 09/30/2015: Ford dropped the first episode of its new "Rebirth of an icon" documentary announced the other week. In the first episode, Ken Block and Raj Nair debate what the car should deliver.

Continue reading to learn more about the new Ford Focus RS.

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Peugeot 3008

Introduced in 2008 as a compact crossover with MPV-like styling, the Peugeot 3008 is about to receive a major makeover for the 2017 model year. The news comes from our trusty paparazzi, who spotted a camouflaged prototype of the second-gen 3008 testing in southern Europe.

Besides getting a full redesign that will most likely move it into a new segment, the 3008 is also set to receive a new platform. The new model will ditch PSA’s current PF2 underpinnings – launched in 2001 and shared with numerous products – in favor of the more recent EMP2 architecture.

Developed to replace both the PF2 and PF3 platforms and costing PSA roughly $708 million to develop, the new architecture already underpins the Peugeot 308 and 408, along with the Citroen C4 Picasso. The platform will also expand to other vehicles developed under the PSA-General Motors alliance.

There’s no official word as to when the new 3008 will make its public debut, but I expect it to happen during one of Europe’s major auto shows in 2016, either in Geneva or Paris.

Find out more about the second-gen 3008 below and stay tuned for updates.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2017 Peugeot 3008.

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Renault Plans To Return To Formula 1

The ongoing saga surrounding Renault’s status in Formula One took another turn after it was announced that the French automaker has signed a letter of intent with Gravity Motorsports, an affiliate of Genii Capital SA, to acquire a controlling stake in Lotus’ F1 Team. The expected acquisition is considered the first step towards the company’s return to Formula One racing as a full-scale constructor since it sold a 75 percent stake in its old team to the Genii Capital investment company in 2009.

The automaker sold its remaining 25 percent stake to Genii in 2010. Since then, Renault turned its attention away from being a constructor, opting instead to keep its involvement in F1 as an engine supplier for a handful of teams, including Red Bull Racing, which dominated the series from 2010 to 2013.

Now it appears that Renault’s ready to throw its name back in the series as a constructor, fulfilling company CEO Carlos Ghosn’s promise that Renault would cease in its role as an engine supplier and turn its attention towards purchasing a team of its own or withdrawing from the sport entirely. The new agreement to essentially buy back the shares it sold to Genii means that the Renault’s back in business a full-scale constructor beginning in 2016.

Continue reading for the full story.

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Tesla Model X

Unveiled at Tesla’s design studios as a concept car in February 2012, the Model X is being prepared as a production model for the 2015 model year. Tesla’s first SUV, the Model X has been developed on the Model S platform as a vehicle capable of seating up to seven people. It was initially scheduled to go into production by the end of 2013, but was postponed as Tesla wanted to focus on selling more than 20,000 Model S cars that year. Production was yet again rescheduled from 2014 to 2015, and with several prototypes already seen testing in California, a 2015 launch is more than likely.

The Model X will hit showrooms as Tesla’s third production model. Tesla began making automobiles back 2008 with the Lotus Elise-based Roadster and continued with the Model S in 2012. Unlike the Roadster, the Model S was designed by Tesla from the ground up. Besides being a more practical version of the Model S, the Model X will also help Tesla increase sales and profitability. The company’s production target for the Model X is between 10,000 to 15,000 units a year.

Updated 09/29/2015: Tesla officially launched the Model X in a live event at the automaker’s factory in Fremont, California. Continue reading for all the details.

Continue reading to find out more about the 2016 Tesla Model X.

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Holden Commodore VFII

Holden has always been an interesting part of GM. Unlike Opel, GM’s European division, Holden cars tend to share a lot with American cars, they’re just set up in a different and presumably more Australian way. Evidence of this similarity can be seen in how many Holdens have come to America wearing different badges. Even the Holden Commodore has come over as the Pontiac G8, Pontiac GTO, the current cop-only Caprice and the Chevy SS. Even the fifth-generation Camaro has a platform originally developed for the Commodore. So Holden’s announcement that local production would shut down after 2017 as GM moves to a more global approach to making cars, represents a real loss.

So this latest facelift of the Holden Commodore will be its last, and Holden even threw it a party in order to send it off in style. Thirty examples of the car, dating back to 1978, were gathered in Port Melbourne to announce the debut of the VFII. As the name implies, the VFII is not a separate generation from the VF (Holden gives each generation a letter designation), but rather a refreshed version to keep the car from going stale during the last couple of years of its life. It looks great too, making it all the more unfortunate that it’s going away.

Continue reading to learn more about the Holden Commodore VFII.

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Hyundai i30

Even though it unveiled the facelifted i30 range earlier in 2015 at the Geneva Motor Show, Hyundai is already working on the next-generation model. Our paparazzi caught a camouflaged version of the third-gen hatchback near the Nürburgring track in Germany ahead of its official launch in late 2016 or early 2017.

The same prototype previews the next Elantra GT model the brand will offer in the United States.

The current i30 was launched at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show and received its mid-cycle facelift after nearly four years. The previous model was introduced in 2007 on the same platform as the Kia Cee’d. The hatchback was developed at Hyundai’s Design and Technical Center in Germany as a competitor to the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus.

Like its predecessors, the third-generation i30 will likely get a three-door hatch, five-door hatch, and wagon versions. In the U.S., it will be sold as a five-door hatchback only.

Continue reading for the full review of the new Hyundai i30.

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Infiniti Q30

Established less than three decades ago, Infiniti has evolved from selling rebadged Nissans to developing its own highly recognizable products. These days, Infiniti is a major player in the luxury market, offering no fewer than eight models, including sedans, coupes and crossovers. Now, it looks like the Infiniti stable will get a new addition called the Q30. Aimed at Gen X-ers and Y-ers with a little extra cash to burn, this premium compact hopes to be a versatile do-it-all with a high stance, comfortable ride, solid handling and “ready to go anywhere” assertiveness.

With a debut at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Q30 is Infiniti’s first foray into the compact segment. It looks to be the make’s smallest and most affordable model yet, and Infiniti hopes it can help expand its global presence substantially.

It’s a brand new venture for the make, and as such, it comes with a lot of high expectations. Infiniti says it isn’t the “little brother or sister” to some larger model, which is fantastic for drawing in a new audience. But does it have the goods to seal the deal?

Updated 09/29/2015: We’ve added a series of new images we took at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. Find the new images in the "Pictures" tab.

Continue reading to learn more about the Infiniti Q30.

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Lexus GX460 VS. GMC Yukon Denali

Traditional body-on-frame SUVs are becoming something of a rare breed these days with unibody crossovers picking up the sales slack. Folks seem to be more worried about fuel economy than towing numbers or off-road abilities. Still, the market for the old-school, ladder-frame SUV exists and models are still moving off dealer lots.

Two of the more luxurious examples are the Lexus GX460 and the GMC Yukon Denali. Both of these beasts come packing some serious hardware, including V-8 engines, standard/available 4WD and trailer hitch, roof racks, tall ground clearance, and enough attitude to make a snotty high school girl seem angelic.

But how do these two compare when pitted against each other? Both go for the luxury segment, both are slathered in chrome, both offer three rows of seating, and both cost over $60,000. That’s what we’ll find out.

To preface this comparison, both the GMC and Lexus have spent a week in my driveway and were driven on the same roads, in the same conditions, and even photographed in the same place – all within a two-month window. So let’s get to it.

Continue reading for the full comparison

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Scion xB 686 Parklan Edition

It’s been a really long time since the Scion xB made any headlines. Last time it happened it was when the company showcased the Riley Hawk Skate Tour, an xB that pays homage to America’s 1970s van culture, at the 2014 SEMA Show. Before that, Scion launched a rather dull xB Release Series 10.0 at the 2014 New York Auto Show. Come 2015 and the boxy compact gained nothing new except for a standard backup camera.

But arguably the biggest news about the xB is that Toyota decided to pull the plug on the 12-year-old wagon at the end of 2015. Not exactly surprising given xB sales fell for the third consecutive year in 2014, hitting an all-time low since its launch in 2003. Once Scion’s most popular model in the U.S., the xB sold roughly 16,600 units last year (down from more than 60,000 examples in 2006).

I can definitely see why Scion wants to axe the wagon, but it turns out the xB will get a nice send-off with yet another special-edition model. Dubbed 686 Parklan Edition, the limited-edition compact is the result of Scion’s cooperation with 686, a snowboarding and technical winter apparel company, and aimed at buyers seeking "a unique combination of fashion and function." Keep reading to find out what that means.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2016 Scion xB 686 Parklan Edition.

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Nissan Gripz Concept

Nissan promised a crossover concept that was going to shock the world at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. Now that the Japanese automaker has pulled the covers off of the Gripz Concept, consider that “shock-and-awe” strategy a resounding success. The Gripz Concept takes its inspiration from racing bicycles and the Nissan 240Z rally car, the same car that won the iconic Safari Rally back in the 1970s. The finished product is a concept that showcases the possibility of a future Z-inspired crossover, albeit in a very radical manner.

The sports car silhouette and the raised ride height of the Gripz are two of its more prominent features. These two characteristics of the concept underscore the belief that the old 240Zs didn’t have to be low to the ground to be fun to drive. If that’s Nissan’s goal for the Gripz, then it might be onto something here. But the concept is more complicated than that, because depending on your taste for unconventional design, the Gripz Concept will draw heavy reactions from people who either love it or hate it. Some people appreciate Nissan’s boldness while others scoff at the mere suggestion of a Z crossover that could dilute the Z family’s sporting legacy.

To Nissan’s credit, it has exhibited a penchant for taking risks that nobody thought would pan out. That’s what happened with the Juke. Not a lot of people thought it would amount to anything. Now, it’s arguably one of Nissan’s more popular models. It’s still a little early to say if the Gripz will follow that path, but based on the reaction it has received, Nissan could have another winner.

Updated 09/29/2015: We’ve added a series of new photos we took at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. Find them in the "Pictures" tab.

Continue reading to find out more about the Nissan Gripz Concept.

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Mercedes-AMG GT

Rumors about the Mercedes AMG GT started as early as 2012, and for a short period of time, it was believed that the new SLS AMG would be called the SLC. Obviously, this is not the case, as Mercedes and AMG have chosen the GT name for the sports car that comes to replace the aging SLS AMG as the company’s halo rig. Essentially the baby brother of the SLS, the AMG GT comes as a new competitor for the Porsche 911 just as we’re heading toward 2015. Compared to the SLS, the Mercedes-AMG GT is lighter and slimmer, making use of even more carbon fiber and aluminum. In a shocking twist of SLS insult, the GT is devoid of gullwing doors.

Less dramatic as far as design and power go, the GT also comes with a cheaper price tag compared to its brother. Read on for the full details surrounding Stuttgart’s latest road-going "silver arrow".

Updated 09/29/2015: Mercedes-AMG unveiled a new video highlighting the development process behind its new AMG M178 used in the AMG GT. Check it out to see the work required to craft an unstoppable engine.

Click past the jump to read more about the future Mercedes-AMG GT.

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Porsche 911 Turbo

The 991-generation 911 was launched in 2013 on an entirely new platform, only the third since the original 1963 Porsche 911 (901) was introduced. But despite being less than three years old, the current 911 is set to receive a facelift in 2015. The update will include the entire lineup — although the 2016 GT3 RS will carry over unchanged for at least a couple of years — but it seems as if the non-Turbo models are the ones to benefit from the more important upgrades. At least under the hood.

As for the 2015 911 Turbo and Turbo S, both will get minor tweaks inside and out, and, if previous facelifts are any indication, mild bumps in output and fuel economy. Except the revised 2016 Porshe 911 Turbo range to break cover at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show in September and go on sale in the U.S. early next year..

With our trusty paparazzi having spotted a new prototype stretching its wheels on the Nurburgring track, the upcoming 911 Turbo is now less of a mystery, at least as far as the exterior and interior are concerned. Keep reading to find out more.

Updated 09/29/2015: The guys over Gumbal caught the upcoming Porsche 911 Turbo out for a testing session on the Nurburgring race track. What’s even better is that we are talking about the S version!

Continue reading to find out more about the revised Porsche 911 Turbo.

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Shelby GT350R Mustang Cattle Baron's Ball Edition

The name of the American Cancer Society’s Cattle Baron’s Ball conjures images of pickup trucks, but perhaps a muscle car named after a horse and a Texan is also in-theme. Appropriate or not, Ford Motor Company donated a special 2016 Shelby GT350R Mustang to the event this year. The car was auctioned off to raise money for the American Cancer Society on September 26.

The Cattle Baron’s Ball is an annual event held in Detroit to benefit the American Cancer Society. It’s been a Motor City staple since 2003, and attracts a host of wealthy socialites and philanthropists for a night of live music, gourmet cooking and charity auctions with a Western theme. Ford is the main sponsor of the event this year, and Hau Thai-Tang, Ford’s VP of global purchasing, is the honorary chair. Since 1974, Ford and the Ford Motor Company Fund have contributed over $1.8 million to the American Cancer Society in Detroit, and the majority of the contributions came through the Cattle Baron’s Ball.

The next-generation Shelby Mustang is a street-legal race car, and Ford plans to build just 100 GT350s and 37 GT350R models for 2015, with a similarly small production run for 2016. It’s likely to go directly into a collector’s garage, but this 2016 Shelby GT350R sports some unique details that will inevitably set it apart when it resurfaces on the collector market some day.

Continue reading to learn more about the Shelby GT350R Mustang Cattle Baron’s Ball Edition.

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Mercedes-AMG GT S By Brabus

No matter how fast and well-rounded a car is, there will always be those who want to make it faster and… uh… rounder. Take the 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT for instance — by all accounts an outstanding sports car with a powerful and sonorous V-8 under its long hood and spot-on looks. It’s a car just about any of us would love to have in our driveways, and Mercedes-AMG have spent hundreds or millions of dollars and invested countless man hours to make sure that’s the case. So, you sort of have to give the side-eye glance to tuning outfits claiming they can improve upon the product of a multi-billion-dollar multi-national corporation.

But Brabus has been at this for nearly 40 years now. Just like Mercedes-Benz’s own in-house tuning arm AMG once was, Brabus is an independent tuning company that’s become known for turning out some ridiculously powerful Mercs with sinister characters fit for a Jason Bourne antagonist. How ridiculous? The 720-horsepower CLS-based 2012 Brabus Rocket still holds the title as the world’s fastest street-legal sedan at 227 mph.

Now Brabus has turned its attention to the new Mercedes-AMG GT S, and while it’s not quite as off the wall as the Rocket, it does look like a pretty complete package. The Brabus AMG GT S boasts several performance enhancements over the stock GT, including a significant boost in power, and a few visual and aerodynamic updates that add a bit of aggression without coming off as too over the top. Let’s take a closer look.

Updated 09/29/2015: We’ve added a gallery of original photos from the Frankfurt Motor Show. Enjoy!

Continue reading to learn more about the Mercedes-AMG GT S By Brabus.

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Jaguar F-Type R Coupe AWD - Driven

Introduced in 2013 as a convertible, the Jaguar F-Type quickly made a name for itself and began overturning long-formed impressions about the brand. The coupe came along the following year and solidified to the world that Jaguar wasn’t playing around. Jaguar was ready to kick butt and take names. It’s good to be bad.

At least that was the catchy slogan the company ran with until the PC police decided Jaguar was promoting villainy, or something like that.

Oh but how spot-on Jaguar’s advertisements were. The F-Type, especially when fitted with the supercharged V-8, is maniacal to its core. Like a super villain in his secret lair whose split personality can switch from docile to ferocious in the blink of an eye, the F-Type can move between a comfortable GT cruiser to all-out supercar with one toggle of its Dynamic Mode switch.

Now three years in, the F-Type has undergone some changes – four major ones, to be exact. The car now offers a manual transmission with the V-6, the supercharged V-8 is available in the convertible, the 495-horse version of the V-8 is no more, and every F-Type R comes with AWD. Yes, that means every V-8 F-Type is now makes 550 horsepower.

That also means the entire F-Type lineup is more concise. There is the F-Type, the F-Type S, and the F-Type R. Each can be had in either coupe or convertible form. My recent tester came as the F-Type R Coupe, meaning AWD is the major addition and difference from the 2015 F-Type I previously tested. That, and the optional carbon-ceramic brakes, of course. Yum.

Continue reading for the full driven review

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Porsche Boxster

The 1997-2004 Porsche Boxster was introduced in 1996 as an entry-level, mid-engined sports car. It was Porsche’s first road-going roadster since the 550 Spyder. Although it was received with mild criticism and seen as a departure from Porsche tradition, the Boxster quickly grew on enthusiasts to become the company’s biggest volume seller until the Cayenne SUV was launched in 2003. Twenty years have passed since its debut and the roadster is about to receive the most important facelift of its career.

Initially motivated by a 2.5-liter, flat-six engine, the Boxster started receiving larger, 2.7- and 3.2-liter units later in its life. By 2005, a second-generation model had already been introduced and powerplants were upgraded to 2.9- and 3.4-liter flat-six mills. The third-gen 2013-2015 Porsche Boxster (981) arrived for the 2013 model year with extensive visual updates, uprated engines and a brand-new 2015 Porsche Boxster GTS version, released for 2015. Now, the Germans are rolling out a mid-cycle refresh for the Boxster, one that follows in the footsteps of the 911 and brings new engines to the lineup.

Our spy photographers caught the new Boxster out testing,which means it’s time to speculate on what will change for 2016.

Updated 09/28/2015: The guys over Gumbal caught the upcoming Boxster facelift out for a testing session on the Nürburgring and what an amazing exhaust sound it has! Enjoy!

Click past the jump to read more about the 2016 Porsche Boxster.

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Are Tesla Model X's Papillon Doors Worth It?

The 2016 Tesla Model X is one of those cars that can’t seem to escape the headlines. For one reason or another, Tesla’s new but still unreleased model attracts attention, even if it’s not purposely trying to get it. Take for example a recent video taken by two people who happened to see a Model X test mule in an open parking space. Lucky for them, they were able to record the Model X at the exact time one of its falcon doors opened. From there, they also see the driver of the Model X hop into the car, only to step out again just to close the latch of the falcon doors.

It was a curious sight to see, to say the least. More importantly, seeing the whole thing raised an all-important question about the Model X’s falcon doors: are they worth it?

Answering that is a little tricky because it puts creativity and practicality at a cross roads. Are those doors cool enough as they are that Tesla should definitely use them in the production model, or are they nothing more than showpieces that have no place in the production version of the Model X?

Continue reading to find out where I side in this matter.

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2016 Volvo S60, V60, V60CC, XC60, XC70, S80 Recalled For Stop/Start Problem

Volvo has issued a recall for more than 7,800 vehicles from the 2016 model-year, including the Volvo S60, V60, V60CC, XC60, XC70, and S80. According to a bulletin from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, some of those vehicles may suffer from an electrical problem that could cause them to stall in traffic. The problem is rooted in...

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