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Nissan GT-R Track Edition to debut at New York Motorshow

The 2017 Nissan GT-R Track Edition will make its debut at the upcoming New York Motorshow which will take place from 14th to 23rd April. This track edition of Godzilla builds on the already successful platform to deliver even better driving dynamics.

Nissan’s latest edition to the GT-R range slots between the T (Touring) and R (Racing) editions of the namesake. It is said to offer higher levels of performance than the Premium version and incorporates a number of elements from the GT-R NISMO. That said,unlike the NISMO, its engine still retains the same horsepower as the Premium variant at 565bhp.

Other improvements to the car include additional adhesive bonding to the body, which improves body shell rigidity, the 4-wheel-drive system has been tuned to NISMO specifications and too top it all off, Nissan has reduced the weight and added additional roll stiffness as well as NISMO spec tyres.

Those aren’t the only elements that were carried over, the Track Edition also features NISMO front fenders, 20-inch NISMO forged aluminium-alloy wheels and a special dry carbon-fibre rear spoiler. As for the interior, it has a unique red and black colour combination and Recaro seats.

“The new GT-R Track Edition gives buyers a specialized model, one true to GT-R heritage and available only by special order,” said Michael Bunce, vice president, Product Planning, Nissan North America, Inc. “Building on the major upgrade to every GT-R for 2017, the Track Edition is an amazing package inside, outside and under the skin.”

Nissan says that the car will go on sale in the US towards the third quarter of this year but will only be available at GT-R certified Nissan dealerships in the country.

Peugeot 208 Black Edition introduced in UK

Peugeot has chosen Catie Munnings as the automaker’s brand ambassador by choosing her to unveil the Peugeot 208 Black Edition. Munnings, is a rising star in the male dominated sport called rallying. At just 18, she became the first female British driver to win a European Rally tittle in nearly half a century. The young rookie is part of the Saintéloc Junior Rally Team, and with the aid of a Peugeot 208 R2, has become a formidable opponent on the rallying stage.

Munnings is working with the French automaker on a number of projects that are said to be in the pipeline, but the 208 Black Edition seems to be the most important of the lot at the moment. Graced with a number of unique exterior styling options to set it apart from the standard car, the 208 Black Edition can be ordered in a number of colours including Nera Black, Bianca White and Hurricane Grey which are complemented by 16-inch Titane gloss black alloy wheels.

The wheels feature white laser engraving which should be to the liking of those from the rallying fraternity. Apart from that, the grille and door mirror shells are painted gloss black but the latter comes with colour accents as well.

Under the hood of this particular Pug is a 1.2-litre PureTech 82bhp engine that is said to offer sprightly performance but still return a decent fuel consumption figure of 22km/L on a combined cycle. It ‘s the same power unit that was awarded “International Engine of the Year” title in the 1.0-litre to 1.4-litre category in 2015 and 2016.

Inside, the car features a 7-inch multi-function touchscreen infotainment system which features DAB Digital Radio, Bluetooth, CarPlay, MirrorLink and androidauto connectivity.

Peugeot expects the car to become a popular variant of the three-door 208 range and is also allowing customers in the UK to configure and order their 208 Black Edition as well as other models, from start to finish using Peugeot’s Order Online facility.

Kia Sportage is a ‘must test drive vehicle’ in the US

Kia’s Sportage has been named as one of Autotrader’s 2017 Must Test Drive vehicles. The list is made up of vehicles Autotrader thinks consumers need to see and experience before making a decision. The ones that make it on the list are decided by a team of editorial experts who believe that said vehicles have the potential to change customer perceptions on an entire segment or brand.

“Winning an Autotrader 2017 Must Test Drive Award is further testament to the transformation of the Kia brand and marks another accolade for the Sportage, our longest-running nameplate,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president, product planning Kia Motors America (KMA). “Sportage balances world-class craftsmanship and outstanding design, while delivering a host of standard features at a low starting price.”

For a vehicle to be eligible for this title, it has to be currently on sale, be priced under $75,000 and said to offer a significant value – however, that might be somewhat subjective. Apart from that, said vehicle needs to score no lower than a 3.5 on Autotrader’s five-point scale, a tough list of criterias for any vehicle. But that said, since Peter Shreyer took over the reigns of the Kia design team, the automaker has been churning out stunning econoboxes that wouldn’t look out of place parked next a BMW or Audi.

The latest 2017 Sportage has a structure that is stiffer and more spacious when compared to the previous generation. It comes equipped with advanced driver assistance technologies, suspension and steering improvements and an AWD system that Kia says helps improve the vehicle’s driving dynamics. The Sportage with the FWD SX Turbo trim comes equipped with a 2.0-litre turbo engine that produces 240bhp or 237bhp on AWD models and 353Nm of torque. When in LX and EX trims, it is fitted with a normally aspirated 2.4-litre engine that produces 181bhp and 237Nm of torque.

Class-action lawsuit filed against Ford’s ‘track ready’ Shelby GT350

Ford’s new Mustang, the Shelby GT350 isn’t thoroughly enjoying its time in the land of the free. Based on news articles published by Business Wire and Car Throttle, several owners of the Shelby GT350 have qualms regarding the Blue Oval marketing the car as ‘track ready’. Apparently, several owners have found out that their GT350s started overheating after spending just 15 minutes on track. These overheating claims are from customers who have bought the base car and those fitted with the Technology Pack.

Several of them have filed a class-action lawsuit against, what they believe is, Ford’s misleading claims of the Shelby GT350 being track ready. They feel that if Ford approved them for track use, then these vehicles should be able to hold up to all kinds of abuse at racing speeds. The complaints of overheating surrounds that of the transmission and rear differentials. Lawyers of the unhappy owners also say that they require compensation from Ford on behalf of the owners of these vehicles.

The Shelby GT350 is a rear-wheel-drive muscle car from Ford that features a 5.2-litre V8 engine that puts out about 526bhp and 429Nm of torque. Considered as a well balanced muscle car when compared to previous generations, the latest Shelby GT350 has been a hit in the US and abroad. If the GT350 nameplate seems familiar, it should because it was used back in the days of the original car, which was also pushed to its limits on tracks all around the US.

How Ford responds to this lawsuit remains to be seen but as of now, Ford has not offered to rectify these issues albeit internal investigations are probably underway to figure out the root cause of the problems.

Source: Business Wire, Car Throttle

McLaren offer new options for its new Sports Series models

Following in Porsche’s footsteps, McLaren too have decided to introduce a new range of options and accessories that have been developed for the 540C, 570S and 570GT.

The latest additions to the automaker’s option list are meant to provide protection to the vehicle when on the road and provide more visual appeal then when in standard form. Available for all McLaren Sports Series models, this new collection can be purchased from, and fitted by McLaren retailers.

The protection options include indoor and outdoor vehicle covers, branded floor and luggage bin mats, as well as front skid plates which are said to protect the diffusers from contact with the ground.

Apart from that McLaren is also offering a plethora of visual upgrades including a number of forged alloy wheel designs in stealth, silver and diamond cut finishes as well as a number of lightweight coloured brake calipers.

There are also three carbon fire packs to choose which come with the following:

Carbon fibre side intakes
Carbon fibre mirror casings
Carbon fibre side skirts
Carbon fibre aero blades
Carbon fibre front splitter
Carbon fibre rear bumper
Carbon fibre rear wing
Carbon fibre rear diffuser
Carbon fibre rear deck and plenum cover

McLaren says that these additions save a noticeable amount of weight compared to the trim that’s available as standard. Having said that, the supercar maker isn’t content with offering just exterior tweaks, as it is also offering a slew of interior options that are decked out in Carbon Fibre. These options include switch packs and IRIS surround, upper speaker surround, sill finisher with McLaren branding and side tunnels, all in carbon fibre.

In addition to these new add-ons, more special bits come from the McLaren Special Operations (MSO) section that have been designed and engineered by the MSO team which include a front splitter, rear wing and rear bumper. All these options as well as those mentioned earlier can be fitted to existing customers’ cars, if they so choose.

For the full comprehensive list of options on offer by the manufacturer, visit the McLaren website at www.retailers.mclaren.com/.

Liberty Walk McLaren 650S to be at London Motor Show

At the upcoming London Motor Show, which will take place from 4th to 7th May 2017, something rather special will be on display. A customized McLaren 650S built by Japanese tuning company Liberty Walk. The same car that received a lot of attention at the recent Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland.

Compared to the original, this supercar’s exterior has been extensively reworked to include unique Liberty Walk body styling and livery as well as a new front bumper, side diffuser, rear bumper, massive elevated rear wing and wide fender. Though many supercar fans might consider modifying an already perfect exterior as pure sacrilege, the new look and striking paint scheme does grab one’s attention, somewhat.

Speaking of the latest addtion to the London Motorshow, Alec Mumford, Chairman of The London Motor Show, said: “We are delighted to welcome Liberty Walk and can’t wait to see the McLaren 650S in Battersea Park in all its glory. These guys really know how to add drama to an already dramatic car, and they certainly have enough in their armory to be a star of the show. Liberty Walk will invite a new, youthful audience to The London Motor Show and we are very excited for them to set up here.”

The 650S won’t be the only vehicle representing Liberty Walk, two other models will also be on display as well as something special. Exactly what that entails is completely open to debate but to know more, we will have to wait for the London Motor Show. For more information on the show visit the London Motor Show website at www.thelondonmotorshow.co.uk.