2016 Chevrolet Spark Revealed: GM Lights a Fire Beneath its Tiny Hatchback – Official Photographs and Information

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2016 Chevrolet Spark Revealed: GM Lights a Fire Beneath its Tiny Hatchback – Official Photographs and Information

2016 Cadillac ATS-V Spy Photographs: No Camo, Lots of Energy

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We catch the twin-turbo beast sans camouflage.

• KGP PHOTOGRAPHY AND


• MICHAEL SIMARI

What It Is: With the CTS possessing moved up a notch in size and value and no longer straddling the middle ground between compact and mid-size luxury automobiles, the upcoming CTS-V will no longer do battle with the conventional sports-sedan and -coupe bogeys, BMW’s M3 and its newly rechristened M4 sibling. That is now left to the ATS observed right here, uncovered and powered by a version of the CTS Vsport’s stout twin-turbo V-6.

Why It Matters: If you are a luxury manufacturer playing in the fiercely competitive reduced finish of the spectrum, BMW’s 3-series has been your historic bugaboo. Matters get worse with all-out zoot penciled into the equation, as BMW has traditionally had that on lockdown with its M cars. Cadillac is aiming squarely for the latter, however, with the ATS-V, and there’s space for a takedown. Despite the BMW’s healthy 3.7-to-60 and 12-second quarter-mile numbers (with an automatic), we lamented the artificiality of the M4. Given that the regular ATS feels far more enjoyably carlike and gives greater handling than the workaday 4-series, if the V holds the very same tack, issues could get extremely intriguing certainly.

Platform: Constructed on GM’s rear-drive Alpha platform, a stretched version of which underpins the CTS and will serve as the basis for the subsequent Camaro, the normal ATS has proved itself in the corners. Count on the V to be even more relentlessly competent when factors get tight. Also expect it to be saddled with Cadillac’s fussy CUE infotainment technique, which we once unfavorably (is there any other way?) compared to fecal matter. We hope it will be updated by the time deliveries of this auto commence.

Powertrain: We’ve previously estimated that the V’s 3.6-liter twin-turbo V-6 would put out about 420 horsepower. The M4 tends to make 425 from its exceptional twin-turbo inline-6. The Cadillac will practically definitely be at least a skosh lighter than the Bimmer, which ought to translate into numbers that equal or exceed those of the entrant from Munich. Count on a 6-speed manual and an 8-speed automatic to deal with shifting duties. We prefer GM’s 8-speed automatic to BMW’s occasionally-balky DCT, and the 6-speed stick works extremely nicely in the Corvette. Audi, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz do not let you the option of rowing your own gears, which is nigh sufficient to make this a 2-dog fight in our manually biased eyes.

Competitors: BMW M4, Audi RS5, Lexus RC-F, Mercedes-AMG C63.

Estimated Arrival and Cost: Provided that it is due to be unveiled at the L.A. auto show next month, the ATS-V ought to begin populating dealer lots in the spring wearing stickers that start somewhere around $ 60K.

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2016 Cadillac ATS-V Spy Photographs: No Camo, Lots of Energy

Decadence, Aston Martin–Style: Official Photographs of Production Lagonda Supersedan Released, Such as Interior

Aston Martin has made the first suite of photos of its beautiful Lagonda hyperluxury sedan in production form. This follows the release of images of a prototype test vehicle in Oman a couple of weeks ago, which followed an embarrassing photo drop of the exact same auto by Oman Air shortly after it arrived in the Middle Eastern country. Turns out the Lagonda is just as beautiful sitting in front of a glass wall (and next to its most current predecessor) as it is bombing by way of the Omani desert.

Substantially, these photos finally show most of the Lagonda’s decadent interior, which appears to borrow heavily from the Rapide, for better or worse. Like the Rapide S, a huge transmission tunnel separates the left- and right-side seats, which all have fixed headrests. The dashboard looks the identical, dull steering wheel, flip-up navigation screen, and all. An elaborate diamond quilting pattern covers all 4 seats, and we wouldn’t doubt it if the leather was coated with pure gold. It sure appears that way.

Even though Aston is nonetheless officially mum on the details of the car’s underpinnings and powertrain (both of which we anticipate to be closely related to the Rapide S), we were able to glean a handful of key information of the Lagonda from a spokesman, especially that its crisply tailored physique is made totally from carbon fiber, and that weight stays “neutral over the Rapide S.”

Oh yeah, and that it has seen speeds of more than 175 mph throughout testing. Initial deliveries to its fortunate customers will begin in the 1st quarter of 2015 unfortunately for us and most of the rest of the world, all of the planned 150-to-200-unit production run are bound for the Middle East. Lucky sheikhs.

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Decadence, Aston Martin–Style: Official Photographs of Production Lagonda Supersedan Released, Such as Interior

Louisiana State Police Now Promoting Crash Photographs On the internet

The Louisiana State Police (LSP) announced it is now attainable to order crash photographs on the internet at www.lsp.org.

To order, the driver’s or pedestrian’s initial and final name, parish of the crash, and date of the crash should be supplied. Fatality photographs will not be available online.

Photographs could nevertheless be bought by mail or by phone by means of the LSP Photo Lab (part of the LSP Crime Lab) for these deciding on not to use the new program. The price for every photograph is $ 10 and photographs will be maintained on the LSP database for 5 years.

The LSP said the purpose of the new system is to boost accessibility to crash photographs for the public and to streamline the getting approach.

Supply: LSP

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2015 Ram ProMaster Photographs and Information: Cargo Box, Size Small

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The European breadbox invasion hits full tilt.

Chrysler’s Ram brand has been busy lately, obtaining just launched its light-duty diesel pickup, HD trucks, and ProMaster full-size cargo van. And they are not completed however. Now comes the newest and smallest member of the Ram family—the Ramily?—the 2015 ProMaster City, which is elbowing its way into an increasingly crowded compact van field that also contains the Ford Transit Connect, the Nissan NV200, and the NV’s new twin, the Chevrolet City Express.

Even with its squinty new headlamps and crosshair grille, the ProMaster City may strike drivers from outdoors the U.S. as somewhat familiar, since the van is essentially a much less geeky-seeking version of the Fiat Doblo that is now in its second generation as a cargo/passenger hauler in Europe, South America, and elsewhere. As was the Transit Connect, the Turkey-built ProMaster City will be imported with seats inside to avid the ridiculous 25 % “chicken tax” that the feds impose on imported light trucks. The vast majority of models will then be converted into 2-passenger “Tradesman” panel vans at the Chrysler Group Transformation Center—yes, that is a thing—in Baltimore, Maryland. (Ford was forced to commence paying the piper late final year there’s no word as to regardless of whether Chrysler will, as well.)

An untold and no doubt quite tiny quantity will stay in 5-passenger wagon form as a consideration for little organization consumers who occasionally bring their colleagues (or their children) to operate web sites, and to fill a bit of the void left when the Dodge Grand Caravan goes away in 2016. With Tradesman models, the sliding doors and rear doors are available with one’s option of glass or metal panels, while wagon models have windows practically all the way about. In contrast to the passenger versions of the Doblo (or the Transit Connect, for that matter), the upper rear quarters of the ProMaster City remain covered by metal no matter the configuration.

Chrysler’s 2.4-liter Tigershark 4-cylinder sends 178 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque by way of a 9-speed automatic transmission in all models. (We hope Chrysler has worked out the kinks in the 9-gear ’box.) As such, the front-drive-only ProMaster City packs the hardest punch of all the fundamental Class 1 vanlets, outmuscling the Transit Connect’s 169-hp, 171-lb-ft 2.5-liter 4-cylinder and outright bullying the Nissan/Chevy twins, with their wimpy 131-hp 2.-liter 4/CVT combo. The Transit Connect is presented with a 1.6-liter Ecoboost 4-banger with 178 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque the upcharge for that engine is a modest $ 795.

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2015 Ram ProMaster Photographs and Information: Cargo Box, Size Small