Aki Sugawara

Editor, Yahoo Autos
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The 750-horsepower 2016 Shelby Terlingua Mustang: First Look

Shelby has already wowed the muscle-car world with the GT350, a flat-plane-crank V8 wonder that screams to a stratospheric 8200 rpm redline. For those who think those 526 ponies gets overshadowed by the 707-horsepower Hellcat, Shelby brings back Terlingua Racing Team Mustang to raise the stakes.

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Back in ’07, the company built its Terlingua as a boosted, 375-horsepower V6—pedestrian numbers in the new era of American muscle. The latest iteration based on the GT’s V8 gets a Whipple supercharger, boasting over 750 horsepower, and capable of propelling the car from zero to 60 in 3.5 seconds.

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To the uninitiated, jackrabbit-themed Terlingua originated in 1967, when Shelby American raced in the Trans Am series under the Terlingua Racing Team banner. The name itself comes from a small town of less than 100 in Texas, where Caroll Shelby had a 220,00 acre ranch nearby.

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Today’s Terlingua carries on a similar color scheme, painted yellow with a black hood and a stripe flowing down to the trunk.

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Other aesthetic distinctions including a bulging carbon-fiber hood, a front splitter, a unique Terlingua spoiler and Weld Racing wheels like those on the GT350.

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Inside, the racing team logo on the bucket seats are the most prominent element, but there’s also a carbon-fiber gauage cluster, and a signed plaque that includes the names of Carroll Shelby, Bill Neale and Jerry Titus.

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Aside from the supercharged heart of the beast, other mechanical improvements include Shelby Brembo 6-piston brakes up front, Ford Performance half shafts, and an Eibach adjustable suspension.

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Options include 3:55 gears (3:73 is standard), Katzkin interior package, and a short shifter.

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Only 50 Shelby Terlinguas will be produced for the U.S. market, and will start at $65,999, excluding the cost of the base GT.

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Is a Regular BMW 3 Series Better Than a Vintage M5? Comparison Review

“The new M5 does not need go-faster cosmetics,” said BMW Motorsport Chief Engineer Thomas Ammerschlager. “This car convinces through performance, and we did not want to spoil the act by dressing up our best thoroughbred in fancy clothes.”

That was in the October 1988 edition of Car magazine, back when M cars didn’t have dozens of branded aero bits to appeal to the middle managers of the world. Times have changed though, and the motorsport badge has promulgated to nearly every body style. Even crossovers.

While purists may raise their tri-colored pitchforks about the dilution of the M pedigree, and debate whether the S55 engine in the M3 is too derivative of the regular N55, what’s undeniable is that the current crop of even standard Bimmers can stand up to classic Ms and their bespoke engines. With the refreshed 3 Series and a new 340i model, we now have a regular 3 Series that has more power than the Porsche-beating M5 of the ‘90s.

And it inevitably raised the question: is a regular 3 Series better than an older M car with similar power and weight? There are fewer differences than you think—they’re nearly the same size, with the 340i being a couple inches wider and taller, but four inches shorter.

Granted, it’s not the fairest comparison—even though I fix the M5 as needed there’s 197,000 miles on the odometer, and it’s hard to be objective since this car’s my own. Nonetheless I decided to break the comparison down to four parts: engine, transmission, handling, and value.

Powertrain

The 340i is an all-new turbo inline six making 320 horsepower, replacing the 300-hosepower motor in the now-defunct 335i. BMW must be sandbagging, because the B58 has got punch across entire powerband; it goes from zero to 60 in 4.8 seconds while the M5 gets there a full second and a half later. They’re polar opposites in character, and depending on how you like your motors the S38 is either too raw or the B58 too refined. Individual throttle bodies and a single-mass flywheel make the M5 revs snappy, and the raspy grunt at full throttle is reminiscent of an old Merlin engine from a Spitfire. It lacks the civility of newer motors though, and at stoplights you’ll hear gearbox chatter and a lumpy idle.

The 340i may lack the soundtrack of the E34 but it’s one of the best inline sixes in recent years from BMW. It quietly hums in traffic, and changes to a coquettish roar when romping on the throttle, thanks to a well-insulated cabin that necessitates fake engine noises piped through the speakers. The M5 may sound better—it’s got one of the best engine notes of the classic Big Sixes—but the 340i sings all the way to its 7400 rpm redline without a hint of turbo lag, and is superior by all objective counts. Advantage: 340i.

Transmission

While rose-tinged nostalgia may apply for the inlines of the past, it’s a mismatch to compare old and modern transmissions. The five-speed Getrag 280 in the M5 heaves into each gear with a mushy takeup and long throws, and the gearbox isn’t is stout as other offerings, like the Getrag 265 in the E30 M3. Early models have a shorter final drive and are sportier, but cruise at higher rpm (the six-speed was never offered in North America).  The six-speed only offered in the Euro ’95 M5s provided an extra gear for cruising, but still had similar characteristics, with play that quickly develops in the shifter mechanism.

On the other hand, you can’t go wrong with either the six-speed manual or the eight-speed ZF in the 340i. The manual effortlessly shifts with a lighter clutch than the 1991 E34 M5, and standard transmissions can’t touch the shift speeds of the automatic. Advantage: 340i.

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Steering

The switch to electronic power steering in the 3 Series made sense on a business level—it’s lighter, more fuel efficient, and most buyers aren’t going to need the steering feedback when driving to work with a pumpkin spice latte in hand. But media and enthusiasts have raised a stink about it enough for BMW to retune the steering for 2016, and it’s slightly better in Sport mode. Maybe. It still feels artificially boosted especially in Comfort mode, and is less sport, more Camry. The steering box in the M5 was praised in its day, but its main drawback is the giant steering wheel and slower lock-to-lock turn. It’s also imprecise on center, but there’s plenty of road (and bump) feedback, making the drive a much more tactile experience. Advantage: M5.

Handling

Car mags gushed on the M5 back in the nineties, with Road & Track saying it was “remarkably well balanced, with agile handling and rewarding steering feel.” What’s remarkable two decades later is how much more lithe even a regular 3 Series has become. The M5 is shod in wider 235/45/17 tires compared to the 340i’s 225/45/18 rubber, but there’s more grip, more bite in the brakes and significantly less rolling in the modern BMW. On big bumps the 340i does seem to float more, but overall it inspires more confidence, even if it keeps the road at a detached distance. The chassis turns in more eagerly, and it responds to steering inputs with an immediacy lacking in the prior 335i.

The M5 moves like a heavier E30 3 Series from the late eighties, and feels more comfortable and poised in high-speed sweepers rather than tight curves. Don’t let those Ronin scenes or street racing videos fool you—in stock form there’s lots of grip accompanying understeer, and a stiffer rear suspension would have been nice to offset its inclination to push. Advantage: 340i.

Value

The price as tested are also similar—at least, when not counting inflation. My M5 came with the standard options and cost $55,000 back in 1991, whereas the 340i starts at $45,800 but was tested at $58,820. It’s an uncomfortable spot though looking at the competitive segment—it falls short to the C-Class in luxury, and the Jaguar XE is still more sporting. The Dakota leather feels coarse, and the fit in certain areas feels cheap, like the noticeable seam in the door grip trim.

The classic M5 interiors didn’t impress until the E39 M5, or unless you custom ordered a full leather interior. But depreciation has hit the E34 hard, and the price has been sitting at bottom for years, making them affordable alongside other performance Bimmers like the 8 Series and the slowly appreciated E24 M6. Sure deferred maintenance can add up, but there are far worse German investments, like a B5 Audi S4. Since we won’t know when or if the E34 M5 will ever appreciate, call this one a wash.

Conclusion

The 340i is a phenomenal car, and my favorite 3 Series this generation. Yet I loved the rawness of the E34 and its relative engineering simplicity. Which would you chose? Perhaps most telling was the drive back to the office from the video shoot. The team jammed into the 340i, and I drove back in the M5. Alone—but have a blast.

While the 3 Series still hasn’t addressed all its foibles, it’s still in a league above the M5, which is slower, guzzles 50 percent more gas, and less agile, even if it feels more alive at speed. Not only is the new engine better than the 335i, for the vast majority it’s a more practical choice than a new M3, let alone a classic, quirky M5. Progress may have its subjective casualties, but sometimes it’s worth the price.

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Tesla Unveiled the Model 3 And I Got To Ride In One

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Affordability or luxury—traditionally you could choose only one when it came to electric cars. On the low end you had the spartan, $25,000 Smart ForTwo Electric Drive, and on the other end there’s the Tesla Model S, the commuter chariot for the one percent, with little in between. Tesla has promised the seemingly impossible with the Model 3, an attainable premium electric car that won’t have you fretting about range, and the momentous response and long queues to reserve one echoes that of a new iPhone launch. Does it live to the hype?

I had a chance to ride in a preproduction sedan, and it blew away my expectations—with an asterisk.

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As rumored the Model 3 will start at $35,000, but that’s before incentives. That means it’ll cost around $25,000 if you’re in California, costing only a couple grand more than the Volt and as much as a loaded Honda Civic. That’s ludicrous, insane. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is promising that buyers “won’t be disappointed” even with a base model, which will have a range of 215 miles and go from 0-60 in under six seconds. Musk adds that these are “minimum numbers” and “hopes to exceed them.”  

Both Supercharging at Autopilot hardware come standard, and the five-seater touts more cargo capacity than any car with similar dimensions. It’s achieved with the firewall pushed forward while still providing space for a front and rear trunk. As a Tesla for the mass market, it will also appeal to families with a purported 5-star safety rating in every category.

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We took a quick ride inside the higher end sport trim, with dual motors and an optional air suspension. Aside from the screen that looks like an high-definition PC monitor attached to the center console (there’s no dash cluster), it’s high-end luxury through and through. French-stitched leather adorn the door panels, with real metallic touches, and a stunning rear window arches over your head providing a panoramic view of your surroundings. While not providing the mind-bending acceleration of a P85D, the dual motor Model 3 feels like it has more kick from a stop than a BMW 340i, and my neck actually got sore from the snap of the low-end torque. The test driver did an impromptu mini-slalom on a closed off street, and there was minimal body roll with ample grip from the front 235/35/R20 and rear 275/30/R20 tires. Tesla gave no word of price for the pricier trims, but even at $50,000 it’d feel like a bargain.

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Will the company pull off its audacious goals? Fervor from the throngs of brand evangelists aside, it’s hard to overstate the importance of the Model 3’s success—the company lost $889 million in 2015, marking its eighth consecutive year of losses. Elon Musk anticipates the company will be cash-positive at the end of the year, in spite of the early production woes of the Model X SUV that recently debuted. And there’s still the big question of the Model 3’s profitability. The Chevrolet Bolt launching at the end of this year also has a 200-mile range, yet with none of the luxury aspirations still costs $2,500 more. The bargain proposition will also diminish when the Federal tax credits expire, which starts phasing out when a manufacturer has sold 200,000 qualifying vehicles.

The Model 3’s competitive price point partially hinges on the successful completion of the Gigafactory under construction in Nevada, which according to Tesla is ahead of schedule and has already started producing battery packs for the Tesla Energy division. Batteries are one of the biggest costs to building an electric car, and the giant economies of scale (when completed it will make more lithium-ion batteries than all the world’s factories combined) coupled with keeping production in-house promise to keep costs down; Chevrolet by contrast outsources the battery pack production to LG.

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The Tesla Gigafactory under construction

The company also plans to ramp up the supporting infrastructure, and aims to double the number of Superchargers and quadruple the number of destination chargers by the end of next year (to 3600 and 7200, respectively). 

As Musk tweeted, this is just a taste of the Model 3, and “some important elements will be added and some will evolve,” according to the CEO. We’ll likely see an equally splashy event with more details as the car nears its launch at the end of 2017—but with 115,000 deposits in the past 24 hours, the hype is real.

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2017 Subaru Impreza: First Look

Unlike its gutsier WRX sibling, the standard Impreza has never garnered much attention from its sedate styling and inoffensive road manners. Yet thanks to a leap in refinement and fuel economy, the fifth generation is the best-selling Impreza to date, and Subaru hopes to infuse more sporting character with the all-new model, which debuted at the New York Auto Show.

In person you’ll immediately notice the flame-surfaced panels oddly reminiscent of Mazda5’s Kodo design language, in a profile that can otherwise be mistaken for its predecessor. The more noteworthy change is its bigger external dimensions—the Impreza is about 1.5 inches longer and wider and almost half an inch shorter. 

To take on the competitors like the significantly improved Honda Civic, Subaru claims a 70 percent more rigid chassis, and 50 percent less body roll for the new sedan and hatchback, which is part of the company’s new Global Platform. The 2.0-liter direct-injected Boxer engine makes a return with a modest four-horsepower improvement, up to 152, and is paired to a CVT with a seven-speed manual mode. The Sport trim features active torque-vectoring and a retuned MacPherson/Double wishbone suspension setup, as well as upsized 18-inch wheels.

As with other Impreza unveils, it’s more of a prelude to the main event–here’s hoping for a five-door Rex.

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2016 Audi S7: Real World Review

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What is it? 2016 Audi S7, an all-wheel-drive five-door sportback

Price range: $82,900-$100,000+

Competitors: BMW 650i Gran Coupe, Mercedes-Benz CLS550, Porsche Panamera

Alternatives: Cadillac CTS-V, Lexus GS F, Maserati Ghibli

Pros: All-round performer with excellent suspension tuning; top-tier interior finish

Cons: Compromised space for rear occupants, oversized wheels make ride needlessly stiff

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While some may pan Audis as being too understated, the A7 was a trendsetter when it debuted in 2011—selling well enough that BMW followed suit with the 6-Series and 4-Series Gran Coupe. Audi has built on that success with a refreshed S7 for 2016, bringing more power and lithe chassis that feels like it’s milled out of a block of steel.

The most obvious visual change is the revised fascia, and while the front ends of Audis nowadays look too similar–like comparing a lineup of Russian Matryoshka nesting dolls–it’s still a quietly elegant design. Inside the quilted leather interior coupled with carbon-fiber trim (a $2,500 option) show class without the ostentation of an S-Class. The updated MMI infotainment system now supports touch inputs, LTE connectivity and Apple Siri Eyes Free, but the control knob still bucks common sense by rotating counter clockwise to scroll down. They’re minor quibbles though, considering the serenity you experience with the thoroughly insulated cabin and its dual-pane glass windows. The cosseting yet supportive seats that made a six-hour drive feel like an hour drive uptown.

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While the S7 never felt deficient on power, the 4.0-liter V8 now makes 450 horsepower, up 30 ponies from the previous year. You wouldn’t know it though, because of how smooth and effortlessly it glides along; floor it and the muted thrum of the V8 crescendos to a reserved roar, moving the car from zero to 60 in four seconds. EPA-estimated mpg dropped to 17 city / 27 highway / 21 combined (from 18 city / 28 highway), and I averaged 19 mpg in a lead-footed mix of city and highway driving.

Although the 2016 model is about 50 pounds heavier, the sportback feels light on its feet for a curb weight of 4508 pounds. The chassis promptly responds to steering inputs, and the copious grip from the 275/30 summer tires means it’s impossible to bring the tail around on regular roads, even with the slight rear bias of the Quattro system. Understeer is offset by the $3,500 Sport package, which includes the Quattro sport rear differential (previously standard), and should be checked off for anyone buying the car. But avoid the excessively blingy 21” Black Optic wheels package–the low profile makes the ride needlessly stiff, and it crashed hard even on the potholes near Rodeo Drive, its natural habitat. Otherwise the suspension suits the dual nature of the S7 well—it enthusiastically tackles corners with minimal body roll while delivering a compliant ride. The brakes are touchy and initially take some getting used to, but have a confidence-inspiring bite with minimal dive.

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On the practical end there are some downsides compared to its close sibling the S6–it only seats four, and while the cargo area provides plenty of room with 25 cubic feet of space, the hatch when opened can rise high enough to tap the ceiling of a parking garage or car port.

With a starting price of $82,900, it does have a variety of competitors to cross shop—everything from the Panamera to a Tesla Model S. While the S7 may not be the freshest face on the block, its blend of unpretentious styling and performance only gets better with age.

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2016 Toyota Highlander vs Honda Pilot: Review

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What are they? 2016 Honda Pilot and 2016 Toyota Highlander are third-row, eight-passenger SUVs.

Starting price: $30,145 (Honda Pilot), $29,990 (Toyota Highlander)

Competitors: Ford Explorer, Hyundai Sante Fe, Jeep Grand Cherokee

Alternatives: Chevrolet Traverse, Mazda CX-9, Nissan Pathfinder

Would I buy either with my own money? For those that just want a trustworthy family hauler, both do well—but the Pilot delivers that plus a more rewarding drive.

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While CUVs have recently overshadowed midsize SUVs as the mainstay for suburbia, fullsize SUVs have been making a slow comeback, thanks to plunging gas prices. Toyota Highlander broke its year-over-year record with 158,915 units sold, and the Honda Pilot moved 122,868 units in 2015. While the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Explorer are top sellers, the Honda and Toyota have carved their own niche—both were chosen as Top Safety Picks last year by the IIHS, and both get high marks for reliability from Consumer Reports and JD Power.

I drove the two back-to-back with similarly priced trims: the Honda Pilot Elite starting at $46,420, and Toyota Highlander Limited Platinum, which costs $45,716 after tacking on a couple of options.

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Driving crossovers typically elicits as much excitement as viewing PowerPoint presentations at work, but the Pilot is surprisingly satisfying to drive, thanks to a 300-pound weight loss regiment and a lower ride height from the previous gen. Its car-like ground clearance means you won’t be trekking through the Rubicon Trail, but the firmer suspension damping makes the Pilot feel more connected than its predecessor while losing none of the comfort, with a taut chassis that can adequately respond to emergency maneuvers. Its i-VTM4 (intelligent variable torque management) all-wheel drive torque vectoring system delivers up to 70 percent of the to the rear wheels similar to Acura’s SH-AWD, and the end result is less understeer through the corners.

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It’s a noticeable upgrade compared to the Highlander, which although is comfortable, tends to push more in turns with more body roll. Its curb weight of 4354 pounds is slightly heavier than the 4317-pound Pilot in spite of being front-wheel drive, and Toyota’s available AWD even the field either, given that it sends up to 50 percent of the power rearward and is designed more to tackle inclement weather. Neither have much tactile feedback from the steering wheel, though the Highlander feels more disconnected.

Nonetheless, considering the vast majority of motorists aren’t gunning their crossovers to shuttle kids to school, and the edge in handling would be negligible for buyers who just want the automotive equivalent of a Leatherman. Both hush along the interstate with minimal wind noise, making them ideal for longer jaunts.

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While all-wheel drive typically comes at a penalty to fuel economy, but the Pilot sees similar numbers to the FWD Highlander, thanks in part to the smooth nine-speed automatic (six-speed on lower trim)–19 city/26 highway/22 combined for the Honda, compared to the Highlander’s 19 city/25 highway/21 combined.  In a mix of city and highway driving both averaged 22 mpg. Zero to 60 times are also similar at around seven seconds, though the Toyota’s 3.5-liter V6 has more low-end grunt. Strangely, the Toyota also had the most intrusive traction control system I’ve ever driven— in a quick lane-change it’d jarring intervene as though I were trying to tail slide in the rain.

The intrusive nannying from the Toyota does have its perks, as it’s a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS, as is the Honda Pilot. Both came with a Forward Collision Warning system that seemed to intuitively know if you weren’t paying attention, and without giving false alarms—a huge plus if you have an experienced teen borrowing the car. Strangely, the Elite trim of the Pilot doesn’t offer one of my favorite features in Hondas, LaneWatch, which uses a live camera display for changing lanes.

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As an eight-seat family hauler, you can’t go wrong with either, with a spacious second row, and a usable third row that’s slightly bigger on the Pilot. The Highlander does have small utilitarian perks, like a cubby storage crevice in the center console that surprisingly gets a lot of use, whether to store your phone or mail. The Honda has plenty of storage spaces, but it carries over one of the big UI annoyances in the company’s recent lineup–there’s no volume knob on the touchscreen infotainment system.

But in the end, the superior driving dynamics coupled with better packaging gives the Pilot an advantage. It’s an SUV you won’t hate to drive, and in a segment full of uninspiring breadboxes, that’s no faint praise.

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Hilarious Or Terrible? The Car Ads Of Super Bowl 50 Buckle Up

Thanks to Volkswagen’s wildly popular “The Force” ad, teasing Super Bowl commercials before the big game has become the norm for automakers. This year is no different, and automakers have released ads prior to the Big Game in hopes of capturing that viral magic. Here are this year’s car-related ads, some of which won’t air until Super Bowl 50 kicks off:

Acura NSX

Aside from David Lee Roth yowling in the background and the red, white and blue hues hinting the NSX is made in Marysville, Ohio, it’s a straightforward spot highlighting the design features of Acura’s next-gen supercar.

Audi R8

From David Bowie’s “Starman” playing in the background to images evoking the space race, Audi loads up on nostalgia to sell its new R8.

Buick Cascada

Emily Ratajkowski teams up with New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to promote the Cascada, Buick’s all-new convertible. It’s the company’s first Super Bowl ad, and the teaser image suggests something more sedate than Blurred Lines.

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Honda Ridgeline

Talking animals doesn’t break new ground, but this sheepish ad highlights one of the new unique features of Honda’s latest truck.

Hyundai Elantra

A residential block full of Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds is an irresistible distraction.

Kia Optima

Lambasting beige has been done before, but not with a Walken closet.

Mini Clubman

This star-studded Clubman ad features Serena Williams, Tony Hawk, Abby Wambach and Harvey Keitel to say that Mini’s crossover defies labels. It seems Abby didn’t want viewers to “Forget Me” after all.

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Toyota Prius

For the launch of the all-new Prius, Toyota goes for full-on comedy rather than pushing the hybrid’s fuel efficiency. That the “Heck on Wheels” ad shows the Prius splashing a coal-rolling-ready pickup may be one of the bolder moves in any of these spots. The last time the company featured the hybrid for a Super Bowl was in 2005, for “Standstill.”

Notably absent from the list is Chrysler, which previously made acclaimed ads like “It’s Halftime in America,” and hasn’t announced any plans for this year’s game. Given that companies spend up to $5 million for a 30-second spot, the rising stakes make a viral fumble a costly affair.
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Pantless Driver Watching Videos On Phone Gets Fatal Lesson In Distraction

A 58-year-old man took distracted driving to another level when he crashed his car and died while trying to watch a pornographic video on his phone. 

According to Michigan State Police, the pantless driver wasn’t wearing a seatbelt and was apparently pleasuring himself when the car rolled over on an Interstate 75 onramp in Detroit early Sunday morning, partially ejecting him from the sunroof of his 1996 Toyota and killing him. Fortunately, no other cars were involved in the fatal wreck.

Michigan State Police Lt. Mike Shaw told CBS Detroit that it’s the strangest incident he’s encountered on the road.

“We see people putting on makeup, we see people doing different things as far as hygiene, as far as reading books, it’s almost to the fact there’s so much technology out there a lot of people are more paying attention to what they’re doing other than driving their cars,” Shaw said.

While fatal incidents involving cell phones haven’t increased in recent years, the number of people injured from distracting driving has–according to the NHTSA, 424,000 people were reported injured from incidents in 2013, up from 421,000 in 2012. Although teen drivers have the highest reported incidences, some studies have shown that older drivers can be more susceptible to errors when distracted.

Clearly there were multiple lapses in judgment in this instance, and as AT&T’s texting and driving campaign goes–it really can wait.

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2017 GMC Acadia: First Look

GMC’s new runner looks surprisingly masculine, and meaty. It’s a vehicle I’d drive without shame. The whopping 700 lbs. diet is due in part to a significant shrinking of the SUV, both in terms of length and width, squarely placing it in the midsize crossover division.

Those weight savings grant you 28 mpg on the highway and an estimated 22 in the city, using the standard 2.5-liter motor. The burly 3.6-liter V-6 pushes 310 horsepower, which is perhaps irrelevant to its customer. It may, however, help convince dad that it’s a worthy investment—plus it’ll tow up to 4,000 lbs.

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As part of the trimming down process, the Acadia now seats seven instead of eight.

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Trim options include a front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive and All-Terrain models.

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Opt for the higher end Denali trim and the Acadia gets reactive dampers along with Continuously Variable Ride Control.

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When both the second row and the third row are folded down, the SUV gets 79 cubic feet of cargo space.

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Newly available safety features include front pedestrian braking, 
low speed forward automatic braking and Surround Vision camera system.

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The infotainment system now supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and there’s an optional 4G LTE hotspot for your mobile phone.

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The SUV is slated to go on sale this spring.

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Acura Precision Concept: First Look

While its SUVs have been selling well, Acura has had issues moving its sedans–namely the flagship RLX, whose sales pale in comparison to the RL years back. To reverse the trend, the company is trying to breathe new life into its four-door lineup by showing off the Acura Precision Concept, a bold if not overwrought statement that previews the styling that’s to come.

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Acura will be jettisoning the Power Plenum in favor of a new diamond pentagon grill.

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A shot of the front.

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Closeup of the “Jewel Constellation” LED headlights, composed of “organically arranged fractal elements.”

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Proportions and a short front overhang suggest a rear-wheel drive car, even though its sedans have always been based on a front-wheel drive architecture. At 206 inches long, it’s 2.5 inches shorter than the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

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Sharp creases from the roofline continue down into the rear windshield for a chiseled look.

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The concept with its doors open, highlighting the suicide doors and an absent B-pillar.

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Other exterior details include integrated exhaust tips and mammoth 22″ wheels.

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The leather-stitched interior is adorned with wood and metallic accents. In place of a traditional dash is a floating instrument display.

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A shot of the rear bucket seats, showing an elevated leather center armrest and exotic wooden accents.