– Audi is launching an ultra-limited special edition of its cool and powerful S3, one that’s specific for the U.S. market. First reported by our pals at the Audi enthusiast website Fourtitude, Audi of America has created an Exclusive Edition package that includes colorful paint and interior trim—at a whopping $57,250 or $59,900, depending on the color choice. This pricing will likely keep a lid on demand, which is okay
-RM Sotheby’s auction house is bringing one of the most expensive and eclectic car collections ever to Pebble Beach this August, the contents of which could make for some tough choices among the paddle-wavers in attendance. – The famous Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, which takes place every year in Monterey, California, is a car lover’s delight. There, one sees some of the world’s cleanest examples of classic and exotic cars, and
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– Are the sports car gods in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen listening to our prayers? For years, Porsche has attempted to coax us into giving up manual shifters and accepting the advent of the automatic. Not a profane slushbox, mind you: They have given us the Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe, an ultra-quick, ZF-sourced dual-clutch gearbox that, we are told, is a much faster, better, and a more appropriate arbiter of gears than you. – – But
– – Bentley’s outspoken design chief Luc Donckerwolke has left the company. Taking his position is former Audi designer Stefan Sielaff. Donckerwolke left Bentley on amicable terms, and we fully expect him to surface in a leading design position elsewhere in the automotive or the technology world. – – Donckerwolke had a 23-year career at the Volkswagen Group, and some of his designs have made history. He was closely
– Ford’s full-size Transit and mid-size Transit Connect vans were all-new for 2015 and 2014, respectively, but already the big boxes are being tweaked. For the 2016 model year, Ford is implementing a host of tiny changes to both vans, the most notable of which is the addition of the new Sync 3 infotainment system to the vans’ options list, as well as the inclusion of a backup camera on
– The Audi Q3 only just got here a year ago, and already for 2016 the model is getting a refresh. Unfortunately, that refresh also brings a price increase of $1200. In fairness, though, that additional scratch does buy more standard kit—mainly front and rear parking sensors and a backup camera—along with the new front fascia, restyled taillamps, and redesigned wheels. – The 2016 Q3 base price is $34,625 with
– British sports-car makers come and go with the seasons, but we’re genuinely excited at the news that TVR will be resurrected—an effort that might actually take this time. – TVR was never one of the more successful Brit manufacturers, but for a while it was among the most exciting. Founded back in 1947, the company entered its golden era after being bought in 1981 by Peter Wheeler, a self-made
– So, remember how we’ve already seen the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze completely uncovered? Well, sit tight, because Chevrolet wants to show you something. It is a photo of the 2016 Cruze, only cleverly thrown in a little shadow. Yep, the company’s teaser game has begun ahead of the new Cruze’s scheduled June 24 reveal, and the only official information accompanying the teaser photo is the promise that the new sedan will be larger yet lighter
– Any Porsche 959 is a sexy beast, and this black-over-carmel-brown 1988 model, which is headed to Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach auction in August, is no exception. – The Porsche 959 remains one of the most interesting supercars ever built. In years past, they were an extra-rare sight in the U.S., as only about 50 or so of the 329 (or 337—production numbers vary) models built made it here to the U.S., under