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Aston Martin announced the creation of the AMR sub-brand for high-performance vehicles at the Geneva auto show last year, where it also debuted the Rapide AMR. Now, Aston Martin has revealed the production version that will arrive on customer doorsteps later this year.

The design hasn’t changed much from the concept. The Aston Martin Rapide AMR features aerodynamic upgrades including a splitter, sills, rear diffuser, and trunk lid spoiler—all made from carbon fiber. The hood, which includes ventilation inserts, is also constructed from carbon fiber to reduce weight.

Three different exterior design themes are available, including the Signature theme that mixes Stirling Green paint with lime stripes. The Standard and Silhouette themes offer four different colors—Mariana Blue, Scintilla Silver, Lightning Silver, and Onyx Black—with the Standard adding lime accents and the Silhouette adding a full-length stripe in either China Grey or Clubsport White. Inside, the colors match those of the chosen exterior theme, and you’ll also find Alcantara-trimmed seats, a carbon fiber center console, AMR logos, and a limited edition plaque. A One-77 steering wheel is optional.

Of course, some of the biggest updates are under the sheetmetal. Motivating the Rapide AMR is a 6.0-liter V-12 good for 595 hp, more than the 552 hp in the Rapide S. Both models boast 465 lb-ft of torque. Aston Martin says the new model can hit 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds, and top speed is 205 mph.

The AMR model boasts 21-inch wheels, the first for any Aston Martin. Those wheels are wrapped around ultra-high performance Michelin Super Sport tires. Also look for carbon ceramic brakes with six-piston calipers up front and four in the rear. The AMR rides on a suspension that is 0.4 inch lower than the Rapide S. A quad exhaust adds to the performance updates.

Prices start at $240,000 in the U.S. Global deliveries begin in the fourth quarter of this year.

Source: Aston Martin

The post Aston Martin Rapide AMR Limited to 210 Units appeared first on Motor Trend.

In the time it takes you to read this sentence aloud, the new Ferrari 488 Pista can accelerate from a standstill to 124 miles per hour.

Let that spin your head for a second. Or 7.2 seconds, for that matter.

That’s the sort of asphalt the Ferrari 488 Pista can ripple, thanks to its 710-hp, 567-lb-ft 3.9-liter twin-turbo V-8. It has variable torque curves mapped—depending on which gear you’ve selected—moderated by changes in boost, injection, and spark advance. In other words, there’s flop-sweat power in any gear, at any rpm.

I’m sitting shotgun beside Ferrari chief test driver Raffaele de Simone at Ferrari’s legendary Fiorano Circuit test track. For those of you who’ve never been, Fiorano isn’t out in the middle of nowhere. It’s in the middle of town, embraced by the sprawling factory grounds as well as residential Maranello itself. Raffaele is gently warming the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup K2 tires and reacquainting me with the track’s layout before I take the wheel.

Without warning, he stabs the throttle midcorner, causing the Pista’s back end to jar sideways in a vicious slide that he easily catches (with some help from the very sophisticated new traction electronics). For the next lap and a half, he rarely lifts from full-mash throttle or brake, providing an expert’s demonstration of the limits of the most powerful V-8 road car Ferrari has ever built.

Look, I’m pretty quick around a track. But I’m not Raffaele quick. Not even close. And let’s face it, likely neither are you. But the magic of the 488 Pista is that you or I can play at being Raffaele, and this magnificent supercar will forgive us our trespasses without an unfortunate meeting with gravel or Armco. Really, you have to be blindingly stupid to wad this machine. Some cars can smell fear and prey upon your hesitancy and twitchy hands. The 488 Pista can sense it, as well, but instead of snapping back upon you, it reacts with reassurance.

So let’s get to the basics of what Ferrari changed from its already impressive 488 GTB, which won Motor Trend’s Best Driver’s Car contest last year.

Although the GTB verily leaped forward with 660 hp, Ferrari engineers generated 50 more horsepower from the gorgeous midship engine (covered in Lexan for easy viewing). And if a 7.6 percent gain doesn’t sound like much, in this aspect it’s the difference between slingshot and rifle. What changed? About 50 percent of the part numbers, including redesigns to the valves, springs, and cam profile for starters, not to mention the intake and exhaust runners.

Having 710 cavallini under the hood puts ungodly stress on mechanical parts. So Ferrari redesigned the cylinder heads, pistons, and DLC-coated piston pins for greater durability, all while lightening pretty much everything, from the titanium connecting rods to the crankshaft and flywheel. The cylinder liner walls are thinner, saving precious grams, said Gianfranco Ferrari (no relation), the Pista’s powertrain project manager.

But you can’t simply create 50 more horsepower without some associated engineering challenges—namely, dissipating the heat from the entire engine bay rather than the engine itself. Enter Ferrari’s thermal management specialists, who redrew the ducting at the front, as well as the rear spoiler and diffuser. Engine-air intakes have moved from the flanks to the rear spoiler, where they feed directly into the plenums—with the side benefit of making room for larger intercoolers.

While they were in there, Ferrari made the engine sound inside the cockpit 8 decibels louder. There’s no acoustic trickery, just plain old ripping out of sound-deadening material (which also saves weight). Why not make the glorious engine song louder to passersby, too? “Well … ” says ingegnere Ferrari, “there are laws about that.” Listening from trackside, the Pista’s notes at speed nonetheless shred the air with a menacing alto of furious purpose.

Thanks to all this engineering excellence, the Pista engine won the International Engine of the Year trophy—a threepeat for the prancing horse marque. (If you want to geek out further about the engine changes, check out technical editor Frank Markus’ teardown of the 488 Pista engine here.)

Nicola Boari, Ferrari’s head of product marketing, said the Pista has the best weight-to-power ratio of any road-going Ferrari. And it isn’t all about the engine and raw power. There’s weight savings galore, about 200 pounds over the GTB.

With bodywork and chassis, the Pista makes extensive use of carbon fiber as a replacement for aluminum—from the body panels to the 20-inch wheels. At $17,500, this is an option box worth ticking. These are pounds, not grams, we’re talking about here.

Combine the reduced weight with improvements in aero—an 18 percent improvement in downforce with negligible drag penalty, for 528 pounds of downforce at 124 mph—and the Pista can stay well mannered when handled roughly.

So what does all this power and lightness mean in the hands of a gentleman racer? Well, Ferrari makes its bones in ride and handling, as well. Having a fast car that doesn’t turn triggers a frowny emoji in terms of customer loyalty.

In other words, Ferrari took extensive measures to give drivers more confidence while cornering (and often save themselves from ham-fisted mistakes) via an evolution of the Side Slip Control system (SSC 6.0).

“You shouldn’t feel the difference, but you’ll end up going faster,” said Stefano Varisco, vehicle dynamics and control engineer. Essentially, he’s saying Ferrari wouldn’t have built a car with this much power if it didn’t have a dynamics system capable of handling it.

Before I hit the track, I skitter through the hill towns of the Modena region, snaking around endless delivery trucks in steaming swelter and seeking picturesque spots to highlight the skills of photographer William Walker.

A race-bred car can be a chore to drive in city traffic. But the Pista—Italian for track—is quite manageable in tight urban settings. In basic Sport mode, shifts are calm and smooth, the carbon-ceramic brakes are predictable rather than chalky, and steering is light. I very much appreciate the “bumpy road” suspension setting (carried over from the GTB) to tame the district’s disinterested attitude toward road maintenance. While dodging the occasional nonna strolling across a blind corner, we find the odd chance to let loose—to about 50 percent of the Pista’s abilities. But the roads are tight and narrow, the traffic too unpredictable, and the car too quick for the conditions to play it fast and loose. The prescribed route never puts us on the autostrada for a high-speed blast. Pity.

A couple of notes as we burble along: There’s an engine drone at around 3,000 rpm and a gurgling when you feather the throttle at 4,700—both of which get old quick. But otherwise, the engine is a symphony of whirs, whines, and whistles that remind you you’re driving a very exotic machine. Although grippy, the Michelins do create a substantial amount of high-register tire noise on coarse-aggregate roads. And I still need to get used to the horn buttons being integrated into the 10-and-2 of the steering wheel rather than the center airbag pad. Lastly, proving the supercar can coexist with the realities of the modern age, the navigation system is excellent in providing directions through villages that would merit scarcely a mention on a map.

“The Pista is about technology transfer from the track to the road, not a track car where we just hand you the keys,” Boari notes. Well said.

With thunderheads threatening, we dash back to Fiorano for my track time. Following my slithery session with de Simone, I take my own shot at this legendary circuit. Carrying speed through fast corners, I happily discover that banging redline doesn’t result in a twitchy, oscillating fuel cutout; rather, it simply maintains revs and power output (though a string of red lights across the top of the steering wheel strongly reminds that it’s a good idea to upshift). After all, if you reach max horsepower at 6,700 rpm, you should have sufficient time to flick the sensuous aluminum shift paddles before you hit the 8,000-rpm limiter.

I experiment with the manettino dial on the steering wheel to change the various traction settings. At Fiorano, there’s a narrow short chute that overpasses the main straight. It has an undulation at the precise point you’d hammer the brakes before entering a sharp right-hander. Normally this would upset a car’s balance, but in both Sport and Race modes, the Pista tracked straight and true. (With de Simone behind the wheel in CT-Off mode, things were considerably more wiggly, but never was it a water-in-shoes moment.) Get on the power too early, and the back end steps out quickly, but if you trust SSC 6.0 to keep things in order, you won’t suffer the dreaded tank-slapper. Under pressure diving into corners, the carbon-ceramic brakes are as good as your confidence level allows. Trail-braking into the right-hand sweeper at the end of the screaming-fast front straight? Not an issue. Want to wait for the last marker before testing your nerve? The brakes are ready.

All too soon, my session is over, limiting my chance to explore the 488 Pista. I could make up lots of excuses for why I wasn’t quicker—the fog of jet lag, rustiness on a long-forgotten track, my being the last track car out on possibly cooked brakes (though I felt no evidence of that), or wanting to be a kind escort to their pricey sheetmetal. I wish Ferrari had granted us more than four laps to sample the goods under their harshest inputs. The assembled journalists agree that four laps was the perfect amount to get settled into a rhythm, ready to really breach the Pista’s limits—only then to frustratingly see the “pit in” board come over the wall.

But that’s the magic of luxury-goods PR: always give a taste but leave them wanting more. It’s a $345,000 check to write to take that next step. Ferrari could not clarify whether that sticker includes destination charges or gas-guzzler tax, but those are rounding errors. Time to check your 401(k) balance.

The post 2019 Ferrari 488 Pista Review: Pista! Pista! appeared first on Motor Trend.

Volvo is sending the V60 wagon to North America even though it knows sales will only amount to a tiny fraction of those of the XC60 SUV. The fact that the V60 will make negligible impact on Volvo Car USA’s bottom line is of little importance, however: The V60 is coming to keep the faith. Although the wagon is increasingly seen as a niche product as SUVs and crossovers continue their march to global domination, it’s a vehicle that still defines the essence of the Volvo brand. Volvo without a wagon would be like Ferrari without red paint.

The new V60 is being pitched as the successor to the V70, the best-selling wagon in Volvo’s history, filling the space left by the V90’s move upmarket. The V60 shares much with its larger sibling. It’s built on Volvo’s highly flexible SPA architecture and has the same broad-shouldered stance and studied elegance. Sharp creases that gently arc over the rear wheels, and a greenhouse graphic that rises toward the D-pillar, as subtly playful as the red stitching around the buttonhole on a Savile Row jacket, are fraternal echoes of design elements from the XC60.

The 2019 V60 is 4.9 inches longer and 2.0 inches lower than the outgoing model. The wheelbase has grown 3.8 inches, though a lot of that has gone to deliver the exaggerated dash-to-axle dimension that’s become part of modern Volvo design DNA. But those extra inches have delivered substance as well as style: Volvo claims a 20 percent increase in load space over the previous V60, as well as the roomiest rear seat in the class. We can’t vouch for the load space, but we can confirm that a 6-foot passenger has no problem sitting behind a 6-foot driver.

The V60’s interior follows the design cues that were established with the S90 and have since cascaded through successive new Volvos. And there’s nothing wrong with that: The V60’s cabin looks elegant and upscale, more inviting than that of a BMW 3 Series, less clinical than an Audi A4’s.

The V60 will launch with the choice of two powertrains: T5, with the 250-hp turbocharged version of Volvo’s ubiquitous 2.0-liter four-banger driving the front wheels; and T6, with the 316-hp turbo- and supercharged version of the engine and all-wheel drive. Transmission for both is an eight-speed automatic. Volvo claims 28 mpg combined for the T5 powertrain, and 25 mpg for the T6. The T5-powered V60 will hit 60 mph in 6.4 seconds and reach a max of 140 mph; the T6 version is almost a second quicker to 60 and will top out at 155 mph.

Volvo will offer two trim levels at launch: Momentum and Inscription. The latter offers cosmetic upgrades such as driftwood inlays inside and standard 18-inch alloy wheels, as well as enhanced equipment such as a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and Harmon Kardon premium audio. Leather is standard on both, but the Momentum-spec V60 can also be ordered with chic plaid cloth seats.

The infotainment system—Sensus Connect, in Volvo-speak—has been given a 50 percent increase in processor speed. This means reduced startup time, faster access to the backup camera, better voice control, and quicker route recalculation by the satnav. Sensus Connect accommodates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, among other third-party apps (and none takes over the entire display), so satnav is an option. When fitted, the Volvo nav software enables the cruise control to access mapping data and adjust speeds through corners where appropriate.

As expected, the V60 comes standard with an armory of Volvo automated safety technology, including steering, braking, and lane-keeping assist functions to help drivers stay on the road and out of harm’s way. The V60 also debuts Volvo’s new Oncoming Braking function, a safety system of last resort that, should the car sense a head-on collision is inevitable, automatically activates maximum braking. The system goes into action two-tenths of a second before impact and can reduce vehicle speed by 6 mph. That doesn’t sound like much, but the resulting reduction in crash force can be significant, potentially life-saving.

The V60 is no 3 Series wagon. That much is clear from the first few corners. It’s a much more relaxed car than the BMW, happy and comfortable at seven-tenths driving through the twisties. It doesn’t exactly fall apart dynamically when you press harder; it just never quite flows down the road with the composure you’d expect. The front end is aloof; it goes through the motions but never clearly communicates what’s happening where the rubber hits the road. And the surly response from the transmission, even when nudged between ratios via the central shifter (there are no paddles on the steering wheel), means you never quite have the power you want precisely when you want it.

Volvo offers four drive modes—Eco, Comfort, Dynamic, and Individual—and not all are worth the electrons. Dynamic makes the steering feel more wooden and busies the ride slightly without any noticeable improvement in, er… the dynamics. The V60 does its best work left in Comfort, which is precisely where most owners will leave it. The ride is excellent, and suspension NVH well suppressed; smooth and quiet, the V60 might be a midsize Volvo wagon, but it has the decorum of a limousine. And that’s precisely what makes it a genuine alternative to the 3 Series wagon.

Though a niche product, Volvo will add to the V60 lineup through 2020. An R Design version will offer 18-inch alloy wheels as well as paddle shifters and unique interior and exterior graphics, plus the same tech and multimedia features as the Inscription. The 400-hp hybrid T8 powertrain is also slated for launch, and a V60 Cross Country, with jacked-up ride height and all-road capability, is coming to take on Audi’s A4 Allroad.

The first U.S.-spec V60s will roll off the line late this year, with cars arriving in the first quarter of 2019. No prices have been announced yet, but Volvo has revealed that the V60 will be available under the Care by Volvo subscription scheme that debuted with the XC40 crossover. Essentially a simplified lease deal, Care by Volvo will allow consumers to choose one of two specifications of the V60—along with their choice of exterior and interior colors—and drive the car for one or two years for a single monthly payment that covers maintenance, consumables such as wipers and tires, roadside assistance, 24-hour concierge, and insurance. Nothing down, drive away.

The redesigned Volvo V60 makes a compelling case as an urbane yet practical premium vehicle for those who don’t want to follow the herd. It may not be the ultimate driving machine, but it handles better and uses less fuel than many high-riding SUVs or crossovers, while offering a similarly configurable and capacious interior. And with available all-wheel drive, it’s only marginally less capable on all roads in all weather. But the Volvo faithful know all that.

The post 2019 Volvo V60 First Drive Review appeared first on Motor Trend.

After the Polestar 1 to be produced next year, the new marque goes all-electric, all-the-time, though Volvo will use that sub-brand to tune its own PHEV models beginning with the next S60 sport sedan.

Polestar Engineered is the new confluence of Volvo and Polestar. All Volvo models will be available with electrified powertrains by 2019, and the new S60 will be available with the T8 supercharged, turbocharged, plug-in electric 2.0-liter I-4. Polestar will tune that powertrain with a new engine control unit that boosts it to 415 horsepower and 494 pound-feet, up 15 horses and 22 pound-feet, the Swedish automaker announced in a release one week before it unveils the new S60 at the opening of its Charleston, South Carolina assembly plant, sole manufacturer of the new sedan.

From Polestar 2 on, the Volvo subbrand will build and market pure battery-electric vehicles only. But Polestar Engineered will lend its imprimatur to various PHEV models, including the new V60 wagon and XC60 sport/utility models.

Volvo says the Polestar Engineered ECU increases fuel efficiency while adding torque and power, and is emissions-neutral. The ECU also recalibrates the eight-speed automatic transmission.

Chassis mods include Polestar Engineered multi-link front- and rear-suspensions, featuring Ohlins shocks with dual-flow valves that allow stiffened springs and shocks with no affect on ride quality. The S60’s strut bar and adjustable shock absorber design are shared with the Polestar 1 performance PHEV.

The Polestar Engineered S60 gets Brembo mono-block brakes with six-piston calipers, cast in one piece and optimized for rigidity. A slotted design in the brake discs and the brake pads improve heat tolerance.

Gold is Volvo Polestar Engineered’s signature color. The Brembo calipers are painted gold, peaking out from new lightweight wheels for the Volvo S60 Polestar Engineered. Seatbelt straps are gold, too, and the car comes with Polestar emblems and black chrome exhaust pipes.

Polestar Engineered Volvo S60s, V60s, and XC60s will top each model’s range, above R Design cars. They will be available in 2019, with limited availability in Volvo dealerships and through the Care by Volvo subscription service.

The post Volvo’s New S60 to Get the Polestar Engineered Treatment appeared first on Motor Trend.

I could imagine being pretty excited if I happened to come across a prototype mid-engine C8 Corvette just driving around. In fact, this video posted today on YouTube by user Kylen Collins shows how much excitement there is for the new Corvette. But please, no jumping out of your car to capture a pic! The […]

The post [VIDEO] Mid-Engine C8 Corvette is Spotted and These Guys Go Nuts appeared first on Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle.

Photo Credit: Richard Prince for Corvette Racing Following the official Le Mans test session earlier this month, Corvette Racing finished 10th and 11th in a crowded field of 17 cars in the GTE-Pro class. At the time of the test, the Balance of Performance charts specified the Corvette C7.Rs weight at 1244 kg, two 29.5mm […]

The post Corvette Racing’s C7.Rs Gain Weight in Balance of Performance Adjustments for Le Mans appeared first on Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle.

T Sportline can take a plain Tesla Model X and turn it into a “Yesla” Model X if you have a small pile of cash to burn.

The West Hollywood, California-based Tesla tuner transforms everything from old Roadsters to brand new Model S cars. Its latest offering is a limited edition T Largo package for the Model X P100D.

Naturally it starts with a carbon-fiber wide-body kit that adds two inches to each side, a new front apron, front bumper duct, wide-body over fenders, wide side skirts, rear diffuser, and a rear wing cover “crafted from pre-impregnated carbon fiber” we are told.

It rolls on stealthy 22-inch forged wheels and Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires. T Sportline states, “The T Largo was built for our most ambitious clients who like to stand out of the herd.” No doubt about that.

The company welcomes current Tesla Model X P100D owners for its new package treatment or it can help clients when ordering a new model from Fremont.

Depending how much you are willing to spend on your Model X, T Sportline offers many options for custom paint, interior upgrades, vehicle wrapping, enhanced audio systems, chrome delete, ceramic window tinting, and lots more.

As a bonus, each T Largo vehicle sports a custom laminated dash with vehicle number to let folks know how rare your new bird is.

The post T Sportline Rolls Out T Largo Package for Tesla Model X appeared first on Motor Trend.