Your kids can drive this electric, Android-equipped 'sports car'

Don't look now, but your kids may end up owning a better car than you do. Henes recently unveiled the Broon F8 series, a child-sized electric "supercar" that has features you probably wish you had in your own ride. Never mind the independent suspension, differential steering and adjustable driving modes -- this vehicle has its own 7-inch Android tablet that serves as both the dashboard and infotainment control deck (yes, there's a sound system). Junior doesn't even have to drive at all, since there's a Bluetooth-based remote control that lets you take the virtual wheel in a pinch.

The Broon F8 will cost much more than your old Power Wheels kit, but it's relatively reasonable for something with so many creature comforts. You're looking at between $895 to $1,000 depending on the drivetrain. The real gotchas, as Wired notes, are the size and availability. The car is meant for kids five and under (even an eight year old can find it a tight fit), and it's still in the prototype stage. It'll be a while before your little tykes are impressing their kindergarten friends.

Read More

Honda begins sales of the all-new mini-vehicle N-BOX SLASH in Japan

Honda  began sales of the all-new mini-vehicle, N-BOX SLASH, the fifth model of the N Series, at dealerships across Japan. The N-BOX SLASH is an ingenuous Honda mini-vehicle that features a boxy and yet coupe-like form as well as complete coordination of exterior design with a custom car taste, bold interior design with thoroughly selected colors / materials and, finally, the body colors. A coupe style exterior was created by lowering the roof by 100 mm compared to the N-BOX, narrowing down the roofline and elevating the window line toward the rear section. Honda engineers thoroughly exercises their ingenuity to make this box-style vehicle look like a 2-door coupe.

Boldly-designed metal-tone decorative parts were featured in several places such as roof molding, a rear pillar garnish and fuel lid. Combined with a dish wheel with two color choices depending on the body color, these decorative parts emphasize the taste of a custom car.A low and wide cabin space was emphasized through design that uses straight lines as the underlying basis and features a silver billet-like garnish laid out from the front door to the cargo space. The instrument panel and front door panel feature the same color and decoration. In addition, the same material was used for seats and door lining with a soft pad to create a comfortable and private space that offers a sense of being wrapped by the seat.
The high-performance DOHC engine/DOHC turbo engine and CVT (continuously variable automatic transmission) are fine tuned exclusively for this model to realize exhilarating acceleration and outstanding fuel economy of 25.8 km/liter (measured in JC08 mode) at the same time. A newly-developed electric parking brake is adopted as standard equipment for all types. This electric parking brake system enables the driver to apply the parking brake without fail by a simple one-button operation and thus reduces the driver’s burden in various scenarios.
In addition to the conventional tip-up and dive-down functions, the rear seat for this model features forward/backward sliding function, which increased the versatility of seat arrangement options. A steering wheel heater and driver’s/front passenger’s seat heater are available for certain types to make winter driving more comfortable. The Emergency Stop Signal system, which responds to sudden braking and quickly blinks hazard lamps automatically to alert vehicles following behind, is adopted as standard equipment for all types.
The Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) system is adopted as standard equipment for all types. The Hill Start Assist system is standard equipment on all types. The “Safety Package” consisting of the City-Brake Active system, side curtain airbag system and front passenger’s i-side airbag system is available for certain types. The City-Brake Active system is designed to prevent or mitigate the damage of a collision with a vehicle in front during low speed driving of approximately 30 km/h or less, and the side curtain airbag system and front passenger’s i-side airbag system are designed to mitigate the impact on the head and chest in case of a side-impact crash.
The Honda N-BOX SLASH is equipped with a newly-developed, high-end audio system, the Sound Mapping System, which generates a full-blown deep bass and high-quality sounds. Including the individualistic interior design, the N-BOX SLASH was developed with the goal to enable occupants to fully enjoy their time while relaxing in the cabin.

Read More

2015 Buick Verano Drops Manual Option, Gains New Color, Appearance Package

You can kiss the manual gearbox option on theBuick Verano Turbo goodbye – yes, all twelve of you who were interested, as with the 2015MY update, the only transmission offered across the range is a traditional automatic, the reason being…sound the drum roll…low sales.

One person who seems disappointed is Carscoops tipster Taylor Meiklejohn: "While the manual gear box was an unexpected rarity in the Buick lineup, the Verano will most likely lose some fans (albeit a small population) as there are bound to be a few enthusiasts who will begin to look elsewhere now that the third pedal is not an option," he told us.

So, what else is new for the 2015MY? There's a new Dark Sapphire Blue Metallic color and a new appearance package that brings a rear spoiler and a silver/bright chrome grille and which is available on all models except the 250-horsepower 2.0-liter Turbo edition. The other engine option for the Verano is the 180 horsepower Ecotec 2.4L with direct-injection and an EPA-estimated highway fuel economy of 32 mpg.

Rounding up the changes for the new model year is the updated OnStar with 4G LTE and standard built-in Wi-Fi hotspot (with 3GB/three-month data trial) and the addition of a standard rearview camera (as with all 2015MY Buicks).  Prices are to be announced.

PHOTO GALLERY

Read More

Lamborghini Donates Huracán LP 610-4 Polizia to the Italian State Police

Remember the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 Polizia that the Italian sports car manufacturer donated to the Italian police? Well, since the Gallardo has recently been replaced with a new model, the Huracán LP 610-4, Lamborghini thought to keep the Italian State Police updated with the latest hardware and built a police version of its newest sports car.The new police car will replace the Gallardos used by the Italian police force since 2004 and 2008.
The special vehicle was handed over by Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini, to the head of the Italian State Police, Prefect Alessandro Pansa, in a ceremony in Rome at the “Museo delle Auto Storiche della Polizia di Stato” (Museum of Historic Vehicles of the Italian State Police).
The Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 Polizia will be the pride and joy of Italian police officers and will begin patrolling the country’s roads towards the end of the year to help prevent accidents and crime.
The lucky police officers who will get to call the Huracán their office will no doubt appreciate the increased power of the 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 engine compared to the Gallardo. In theHuracán LP 610-4, the powerplant produces 610PS (602hp) – 50PS (50hp) more than in the Gallardo.
In theory, the breathtaking acceleration of the car (0-100 km/h in 3.2 seconds) and its 202 mph (325 km/h) top speed should discourage most attempts to run away from the police.

PHOTO GALLERY

Read More

New Lexus NX Crossover Priced in the UK from £29,495; Hybrid Arrives First, Turbo in March 2015

Lexus has officially priced the rakish NX crossover for the UK market, where it and its huge spindle grille are available from £29,495, currently exclusively in hybrid form – the NX300h.These petrol-electric variants will be the first to arrive in showrooms this October, with the much talked about NX200t model, sporting Leuxs’ new downsized, turbocharged two-liter engine, will be delayed until March. Front- and all-wheel drive versions will be offered.
When it does finally arrive, though, the NX200t will be only available in F-Sport guise, though the same bumper- and side skirt-enhancing trim will also be available on the hybrid – you can order one of those now, with all-wheel drive from £36,995; top-spec Premier cars end up costing £42,995.
Still, if you opt for the basic front-wheel drive version, the one with the headline price, what do you get? Well, it looks as striking as any other NX, with no visible exterior changes, and features 17-inch alloys, LED low-beam headlights and DRLs, active crash prevention tech, eight airbags and USB media support, to name but a few. Opt for SE and wheels grow to 18 inches, roof rails are added, as is all-wheel drive, along with heated front seats, rain-sensing wipers, self-dipping mirror and keyless access.
F-Sport is the next trim up, and it adds LEDs to the headlights’ high beam function, sport suspension is added, along with a powered tailgate and steering wheel column.
Premium is what all fully-loaded NXs will be called. It comes with differently designed 18-inch wheels, heating and ventilation for the front seats, memory driver’s seat, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and a 360-degree panoramic view, along with Lexus Premium Navigation, a £1,995 option if specified on its own.

PHOTO GALLERY

Read More

Dutch Supercar Maker Vencer to Show 510HP Sarthe at UK’s Salon Privé

Supercar startups are more common these days than ever before with companies from all over the world dreaming of achieving the Pagani type of fame. Dutch supercar manufacturer Vencer is one of them and has high hopes with its first product, the Sarthe mid-engined sportscar.

Following the world premiere in Monaco in April at the Top Marques exhibition, Vencer will now bring its first model to the UK’s Salon Privé at Syon House. Named after the famous Le Mans track, the Vencer Sarthe is a low-volume, mid-engine sports car utilizing a hybrid space frame chassis made of high grade tubular steel, with chrome-molybdenum safety structure and rear sub-frame and the floor made up of an aluminium honeycomb structure.

Thanks to this combination of materials and techniques, Vencer says the hand-built Sarthe has a lightweight, super strong and rigid chassis. The car, which uses carbon fiber body panels, weighs 1,390 kg (3,064 lbs).

Power comes from a V8 engine placed behind the driver that develops 510 hp at 6,000 rpm and 650 Nm (480 lb-ft) of torque at 4,700 rpm. The engine is directly bolted onto the 6-speed manual gearbox fitted with a limited slip differential. Because of this configuration, the weight distribution is 45 percent front and 55 percent at the rear.

The Vencer Sarthe sprints from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 326 km/h (202 mph).

The Sarthe, which has few electronic safety systems, sports double wishbone suspension that the company says "ensures a pure and direct vehicle control without additional electronic interference". Only ABS and EBD are present to help the driver in difficult and unsafe situations. Vencer says around 10 to 15 Sarthes will be built each year, at a price of €265,000 ($350,000) plus taxes.

PHOTO GALLERY

Read More