#yes I call Rod torque redline torque because I want to

[cars2-renaissance]

I did it, y’all, I figured it out

So waaaaaay back in 2011 or so, my scheming child brain had come up with all these Loki-level theories on how Leland actually survived the oil rigs. I had it all figured out. I knew how he did it. And the real kicker is that it was all technically canon compliant which anyone who has seen the movie will have my 13-year-later response of “how the fu-“

Like it’s just not possible!! That scene was unambiguous. He was very extraordinarily DEAD.

BUT! 9 year old me was like nahhh he’s alive. They’re keeping him locked up in a secret dungeon at the bottom of one of the oil rig legs! Like I was convinced!

So it’s been bothering me ever since I got back into the fandom a few months ago. How did I work that out? Then finally. It came to me.

I FIGURED IT OUT!!!!!

This may have kept me up for the majority of last night BUT!!!!

What if Torque was already on the oil rigs when Leland got there? What if he was on the boat?? What if he heard rumors of this British spy they had captured, found him and was like "ey I got this, don't worry fellas, I'll take care of this one."

Then throws the lemons out of the room, turns to Leland, and is like "what in the star spangled fuck are you doing?!"

So they're on a boat and Leland has already been captured. He's got frickin blow torch burns and the lemons are planning on bringing him back to the rigs for further questioning but Torque is like "I've got a better idea. Let's fake your death then I'LL sneak you out of here."

So we all know Torque's disguise is not just projected. He's got an actual physical disguise. Now any well-prepared agent would be carrying a spare disguise devise in case the first one failed—LELAND FRICKING TURBO WHAT THE HAEL WERE YOU DOING— but here's this poor bastard about to be tortured to death so Torque uses the spare to run a scan of Leland and then puts it on some idk wheelbarrow??? and voilà! it now looks just like him!

But Leland is like “it looks like me, but it’s not going to take them long to figure it out.” But Torque is like, “Don’t worry about it,” and runs the decoy into a trash compactor and we get an ironic scene of Leland like "damn that could've been me..." then Torque hides him in an empty crate while he gets the other lemons and is like "haha look what I did to that crummy agent! I killed him haha!" And they're like "moron!! We could've gotten information out of him!"

But they unload the crates from the boat. Leland is waiting on Torque to get him out of there. He knows Finn is coming, but he can't call him now. The lemons probably took his comm. they probably broke his axles too or something to keep him from getting away. So he's totally at Torque's mercy here. Then he hears a commotion and shit, that's probably Finn. *rapid gunfire* *screeching tires* *huge explosion* yeah that's definitely Finn. Then there's just dead silence. And shit that's the worst part.

Okay after this, it really gets complicated. Finn wreaked havoc on those bastards so there was a great deal of confusion. Torque has to play along. Maybe he got sent to the boats again? But he wasn't able to make it back to get Leland out of the crate so the lemons unload the crate first and are like how in the fuck?

So now we've got ourselves a pickle cause Prof Z figures out someone helped Leland fake his death. There's no way he could've done it by himself. Now they've got either a traitor or another spy on board. They try questioning Leland about it but he doesn't give out so they toss him a holding cell in one of the oil rig legs to stew in the salt water and contemplate life. I'm sure they told him Finn was dead.

Torque comes back and awwwSHIT the crate is gone!!! And now all the lemons are on edge so he can't even ask about it without outing himself. All he can do is assume they killed that poor agent after all, and he had to keep on with his with mission, now even more precarious.

Some time passes, Torque goes to Tokyo with the main crew so he can offload the intel he got but he never makes it. And we all know what happens after that.

Finn keeps up his killing spree. We get the events of cars 2. The lemon operation gets shut down and the oil rigs get cleared out except, there's still a pretty red Jag stuck in one of the oil rig's legs :) (don’t worry we’ll rescue him)

[howardlyontx]

2016 Cadillac CTS-V vs. 2016 Lexus GS F – Head 2 Head Ep. 78

the third generation Cadillac cts-v is the American gun in the German knifefight you decide what’s more attractiveit’s 640 horsepower supercharged Corvette engine or it sexy good looks onthe other side of the spectrumsince the all new Lexus GS F it’s naturally aspirated engine is unique inthis heavily turbo and supercharged segmentspeaking of unique check out the GS F sheet metalholy polarizing Batman what a time we live in when American and Japanesesports sedans are legitimately challenging their German rivals but itwasn’t always this waywaking the dead yes pleasegive me all you gotcome onyou know if this thing was American it would have a diff setting for burnout doit I just wasn’t my first timecome onthisthe pointshowoffyou suckthis is amazingI’m glad we’re both still 12yeah well I found a place where Lexus can do a burnoutWow oh that is so pretty and I had no idea Florida looked like this rightI mean I heard about the bugs and humidity and oh thats not pretty your coy issick and its grown tires very lovely shade of putrid orange any way we canlook at the Cadillac that’s gorgeousI gotta say Jonny only you could come up with a head-to-head with twocars that have a hundred and seventy-three horsepower differencebetween the two of themwell that’s just horsepower have you thought about torque that’s why I can’tdo math over one digit that’s like 630 torques to 389 or somethingbig big difference big number so explain yourself please ah well number oneboth these sports sedans start at about 85 thousand dollars so they have that incommonnumber two have you thought about the competition right the kind of midsizeluxury performance caryou’ve got your e class you’ve got your five series you got your audi a6 andcurrently none of those drive all that well truethese drive incredible no matter what engines in them and these are the bigdog engines and then of course the third reason is the to these might literallyof the two worst navigation systems on sale todayand without question the two worst in the premium segmentyeah so far it’s a perfect Head 2 Head yeah yeah let’s see which is the actual worstnavigation system and also figure out which is the best drivers carit ok yeah and you have a lizard on our my footwhat is it with Florida I what what do I want to come back hereyeah what do I do I want to get a little little soy saucecome on yeahthis is a good road car and as he unleashes 640 horsepower down a hill itsalso a good missile couple gripes of right off the batyou know that’s my job that is it first firstcan I have the first gripe please go this friggin seat belt every time it’s likeit’s like having your neurotic Jewish grandmother in the car with youahh face slow down slow down its strangling anywayok your gripe sir oh you can’t decouple the steering weight from the modes otherwordsmaybe I want to be in sport mode and maybe I don’t want you don’t have tocurl 35 pounds every time I turn the wheel in regular modeit weights are really naturally the other modes feel like like your powersare out of power steering fluid right it againit’s just too heavy yeah unnecessarily so and I don’t know why they did it feelsportier because its heavier but that you know you don’t always have to do that you canthat’s like cars that ride crappy in sport modelike you don’t need to bounce off the road to feel like you’re a sportscar right in fact in fact staying on the road is very sporty I would say and that’s oneanother thing that this car does really well is that suspension tuning so it’s gotmagnetorheological dampers it rides well even in track mode and it’s a littlestiffer but it’s not it’s not sort of knock your teeth out stiffI don’t wanna again re-state and state the obvious but man this is just agreatsedan to drive just getting the nitpicking with it like okay it doesn’tput the power down as well as it couldwell it has so much right yeah but this is a problem shared with the z06 and Ithink you just when you get to a certain power threshold you run out of whatrear-wheel-drive cars are capable ofunless you go to like a viper ACR solution and have a wing the size of adining room table bolted to the trunk which would be hot right coolno the thing is unlike the z06 right so can put its power down but whenit steps out it does so smoothly predictably predictably I like I can’twrap my brain around the fact that this is the same engine from the z06 because inthat carit sounds well we decided best sounding v8 in production todayyeah and this is just sounds like fake in the car and the raspy outside yeah andnot in that musical sexy funny kind of saxophony way that the z06 didyeah but look that’s a constant problem when you take a luxury car and turn it intohot rod is that you still have the bones of the luxury car sitting there addsweight add insulation even outsidewell I say that any higher yeah yeah I can’t all right but even as MiniMouse you got to agree that it it so it sounds better outside than insidestrangely my only complaint about this car is it’s one of these superhero carsthat does everything so well that every time you look down you’re going 95right and I know what kind of sound like an old man here but there’s a certainamount of joy that’s missing when you can’t really exercise car on the roadwithout going to jailyeah you can’t the other thing I would say that there is a lack of involvementin this cardare I say it not thrilling it’s like wow yeah we’re just beating this road deathremember the old cts was just like the most hysterical like involving aamusingand you know what I think the real but why tho that one was so good becauseit had a thing that the stick and it would like to get and if I’m paidin large sums of money I can not hate an automatic transmissionalright sum it up in one word what is this transmission do lag sucks it’ssucks they sold 800,000 or whatever trucks in the USA year with thistransmissionI don’t need to shift quickly the CTS-V however does need a shift very quicklyand it don’tand it don’t and its annoying your always getting like shift deny and when youknow if you got this gorgeousheads up display at redline 6500 and if you actually pull the shift at6,500 forget about it you’ve already boggedokay well want to hit the limiter the transmission is like I’m offline for thenext three seconds right and it goessince the CTS has come out I said to everyone it’s a great car same with the ATSsure wonderful car don’t buy itwhat don’t buy it because Q oh yeahat the end of the day we could we can review these cars dynamically but peoplehave to live with them rightI know I would punch that screen so hard so fast so many times it’s dangerous itisyou’ve said it’s dangerous I’ve said it’s dangerous you know Cadillac theretheir whole thing that was dare greatlyI’m gonna say dare a little little less than greatly dare for knobsbecause what’s great about a novice I can be looking down the road and I cando this and the volume goes up and down and I can do this and I can tune theradio station just it worksyou don’t need to reinvent the wheel if your going to reinvent the wheelmake it round at least please the CTS-V anit the boomerang antenna crushed velvetbooze cruise cadillac you took to your junior prom but this isyes folks we track down an honest-to-goodness 1985 cadillacfleetwood brougham stretch limousine and a new chauffeurskeeves open the sucker up you got to check out this interior crushed velvet as faras the eye can seeoh yeah look at this we got an armrest we got a barwe got the wood we don’t have bacteria and viruses I wouldn’t recommend abacklight for anywhere here in heredon’t touch anything except for the phone look at thisexcuse to you can go ahead and punch it hold on seat belt you don’t need a seat beltits a limousine you did just pull up to a figure eight course you realize rightthat and we’re at a 40-degree angle that’s not good is that sky or how did your seat belt worknope no no they had different seat belt technology back then you know we were talking about luxury inthat other car this is luxuriousthis is very luxurious is that ball joint pops that just happens all weno that was like a case of whiskey in the truck coolJesus Christ where did we find this guy oh Jesus hey skeeves can you pickup the phonesit sit sit back in your seat get back in your seat don’t make me come back thereI mean not bad for a old birdoh Godyeah well you know listen your car’s that last start drinking nowall right I think we’re good nice nice audition don’t call us we’llcall youthat’s good driving that’s goodthank you sir and thanks skeeves twoLexus they’ve gone a different directionback to right into the wall all right we’ll start with this one and it’s alittle dirty because it’s got nine hundred and thirty six thousand miles onit currentlywhen this came out yeah I looked like the acura legend but like it’s agood-looking car look good then it looks good nowby the way 20 years from now it’s gonna look good 20 years nowI mean 20 years from now that car is not going to look good because it doesn’tlook good nowthat’s the problem I mean look this is nothing fancy right now in terms ofdesignit’s really good it’s got good proportions simple straight lines itstands the test of timethis has enough styling on it first six cars carsI don’t see anything car like this looks like when they used to give spiders LSDand then watch them weave those crazy webs and Lexus was like BAMthere’s the front I mean I just don’t understand what I’m looking atyeah I mean if Lexus is trying to say we used to make this type of vehicle and wedon’t make this type of vehicle anymorewe don’t do to date luxury we do sedate we do manic torque vectoring or drive sideways thatbut my big question is how does this front-end pass a five mile an hourbumper crash test how easy the government standards are very simplethey have to bash the car into a fixed barrier at five miles an hour and itcan’t look any uglier than it did beforeyeah styling and design of a personal thingI don’t think it’s very pretty yeah but but I mean the way it goes around thefigure eightI haven’t figure eight it yet come on dude in inI mean yeahisn’t this good around the figure eight really good right look justgreattry that old LS yeah right again we’re very hard about the way thiscar looks because it’s it’s it’s a tsunami of vomitbut like it drives brilliantly around the figure eightand the thing about the figure eight is it is it is one data point youwhat I love about this test is it’s not just steady state cornering is howwas the car come out of the corner like thathow old is the transition into the braking zone into cornering into steadystate and then back over and over again in both directionsit is the single best dynamic measureof a cars abilitiesthis thing nails it that was goodlook doing here in a closed environment is one thing but i’m really curious howthis thing actually drives on the roadwhy I don’tendless trip because they kick us out of here at the end of the day and roads arefreeyou can use whatever you want let’s go that waywhich way am I going can you set the navno why not you do itI’m not touching that thing I’m not touch either so there’s a stupidjoystick thing rightyou go to the main menu to try to pick you know between nine options and thetotal travel of this joystick is less than one inchthis was not developed for the GS F this was developed for like the ES which isbought by grandmother’s who have the pausyyou know like it its it’s no I look they’ve already gotten rid of it two orone of those horrible situations they put a track pad which is just as badbecause you’re like a squigglyit’s like a normal mouse I just figured out I figured out where thetexture in that grill came from a strut straight linebut okthe car interesting enough the cars bit kinky and I say that because it has absm light on it I’ve always thought it was BDSM and apparently Lexus has alack of discipline right there and it’s a light that never I don’t know how tomake it go awaythere’s no button that controls it don’t worry about there is however a buttoncalled ASC and that is like auto sound positioning conditioning and so talkabout euphemism rightbasically they should just call it making engine noises but interestingthe F againfirst of all the fact that you can turn it on and off at willis great right interestingly enough this is the loudest actual intake in theworld listen the thing thendid you try this car and think I want more let me hit the button I want more noisebecause this is a naturally aspirated five liter v8 you don’t real helpyeah wonderful sound it is really good big surprises this whole car is thatit’s so much better than the RC F right off the bat I mean I always not evencomfortable is bounces all over that poor thing that was a Frankensteinof a car right the front was off this car is off the GS the middle is fromthe old out of production convertible and the rear is out of production caryeah just go see ya know that was stupid this thing rides great knowing you couldactually rides better than the Cadillac shockingly it does land look what what ifLexus has a core competency better ride well that’s trueyeah but the steering it’s in terms of accuracyit’s almost as good as the Cadillac but it’s much lighter effort and it’s almostif thats Aston Martin steering this is Ferrari steering you know how it’s gotthat like ball bearing like light effort but so goodum this is one of those cars are they took we were talking about with with thethe Tesla like you can’t explain to people actually how quick a Tesla is ina straight line they just don’t believe youthey don’t believe you how well this lexus drives it is supple and all theright ways and the noisemy big issue is gearing again okaythis is an eight-speed automatic lexus always gears there eight speeds as ifthey were five so they had like 75 miles an hour and second and then this does105 miles an hour in third gearso here i am at 50 50 miles an hour I can’t really go into second is not muchleft and I’m going to nail itwaiting waiting right pulling pullingpullingpullingpulling pulling a limiter at 105 they put a torque vectoring diff in this that’s notshared with anything else they could have chosen a ratio that banks thru thegears why they do this fuel economyI’m sorry if you want a 5-liter v8 in your midsize sedan and you want to bitchabout fuel economy yourselfI mean really one gear it does go down the road pretty good good goodthat was pretty good everyone gets in this car is like got no torquethis motor got no torque this motor makes a huge amount of torqueit’s all neutered by long long long gears but the way this car puts powerdown and how stable it isyeah you think how much more power that CTS-V had and that that CTS-Van order of magnitude faster than this car on a straight road and it outbreaksthis car and it out grips this car both by a considerable margin sureand yet this was only a tenth behind on the figure eightthat is a seriously cohesive road car it isthe thing is as we always do want to Head 2 Head we know how these carsgoing down the road we know what they do on a test trackhow do you think they’re gonna do on a racetrack um I’m just gonna pretend I’mon a racetrack right herecan I do that I this is a good road carit’s so good and that tall skinny good we hang out with Randall he’s gonnalike driving this one betterthere he is do you think he just sits here all week and waits for us it’sreally weirdI did the bigger question is is does he own real clothes just wear this funny pajamanow I think he sleeps with that helmet to such a strange hey Randy how are yagood to see ya hello friends yeah you remember last year on an Ignitionepisode we had the CTS-V oh yeah I love the car so we think we have found a evenbetter driving sedanwhat a color right course we’re here for your professional race track opiniongreat that’s where I live he does live hereit’s my happy place I’m gonna wrap let’s gowell sirhello that’s a very different experience from the Lexusyeah it’s is way more powerful I mean like the difference between the size ofthe United States and the size Japanoh but the Cadillac is more like one piece all the way around the racetrackits organic if I ask for twenty percent steering I get twenty percent turningthe LexusI can feel and adjusting itself and I enjoy itthat back end I think it may be that diff turn in and then it just does alittle torque vector it does it just like that and I like itit’s great on the road and take skiing on mobile you know it’s like hoppingyeah its greatI think I think that’s why I actually I like that car better on the road thanthis one wow I like this one way better on track because of that directness andthe powerwell here’s the thing we knew it would be quicker but the Cadillac is almostthree seconds a lap quicker than the lexus which is I’m not surprisednot surprisedwe bounced guts I can hear the 14 year old trolls from here youyou two are fatyou’ll be fat to one day if you live long enough anywaymmm yeah we got to come to the conclusion about this Head 2 Head andbefore we get started I want to say it’s much closer than I think everybodyexpected you have certainly a lot closer than I thought it was going to bebecause both of us felt that on a winding back roadsthe orange Lexus over there was the better car to drive yeah that car wasreally fun when you were caning it more so than that and then on thehighway even though that road better that car feels special because it’salways in like psycho killer attack modethe problem with Lexus is if you’re not in sport or sport plus its kind ofasleep and you forget when you’re driving it that you’re in thisincredibly special performance carwhereas with one stab of your right foot you can pass every Prius in southernCalifornia driving that thingyeah and that’s a lot of Prius it’s a lot of fun a lot of fun yeah and then webring it to the track and make the Cadillac wipes the track with themLexus two and a half seconds a lot faster and we knew that going inbut I would I was surprised me was that Randy said he liked everything about theCadillac more than the Lexus right let’s not forget can you in good faith saythat a car which looks like that wins anythingum yeah it could win an ugly car contestit could also win a contest of 467 horsepower rear-wheel drive v8 poweredcars that refused to do burnouts and in fact it has the only infotainment systemin the world ever to make Cadillac Q look intuitive because if that much worseok so despite the fact that we both like the GS F quite a bit along winner of thisHead 2 Head is a black Cadillac CTS-V yep yepdance with melook we know you don’t have time to wait for the next episode of Head 2 Headthat’s why you need to head to Motor Trend On Demand . com that’s where thelatest episode always lives in the world of the full-size luxury sedan there’s anundisputed champion mercedes-benz s-classyeah but now there’s a new challenger for 2016 BMW has made the all-new 750iand I think it might just be able to give the s-class a run for its moneymaybe but do you think it’s actually better than the MercedesI’ve no idea yeah looks like we have a Head 2 Head that my coffeewatch the latest episode of Head 2 Head right now on Motor Trend On Demandhi welcome to a behind the scenes exclusive on the set up yetwe’ve been using these cars all day they’re filthy dustydirty and we can’t really shoot them that way so right now we got our man Ryanprepping both these vehicles for what we call in the industry a beauty package soon our sets a beauty package consists of exterior and interior shots of thevehiclesso let’s take a look at what the shots look likewhy don’t I have to race Randy Pobst this guy is in the freaking sec hall of famewhy can’t it be racing one of those like 14 year old kids on youtube who tells memean I can’t driveI’m not 14 Jonny what’s the matteryou alright I feel like I saw a ghostslow down slow down yeah come on you’re hallucinating just come on triple digitbaby

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[buildercar]

New Post has been published on http://www.buildercar.com/one-week-with-2017-ford-shelby-gt350-mustang/

One Week With: 2017 Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang

The flat-plane crankshaft in the 2017 Ford Shelby GT350 is about as big around as, oh, Dwayne Johnson’s bicep. It’s therefore somewhat terrifying to realize that, as the tach needle swings skyward and the exhaust note is shrieking and the car is trembling and that giant crank is whirling around mere inches in front of you at 6,000 rpm, you’ve still got 2,000 rpm left to go.

You’d be forgiven for feeling the sudden urge to leap out of the driver’s seat and straight into the nearest blockhouse.

There’s nothing subtle about this Shelby rocketship. It fairly shivers with power, the exhaust snorting and ripping and bellowing even when you aren’t exploring the tachometer’s upper stratosphere. The 19-inch black-painted aluminum wheels wearing sticky Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires say “don’t tread on me” with a capital “Tread.” A new-for-2017 color, vintage-themed Grabber Blue (a friend called it “Smurf Blue”), stands out like Kim Kardashian in a library. A white racing stripe ($475) is actually named “Over The Top” on the options list. Clearly, Ford understands what it’s baked-up here.

In creating its 2017 model, Dearborn listened to potential GT350 buyers. And, basically, what they heard was “stop pussy-footing around and just give us the damn Track Pack already.” Thus, what was a $6,500 option in 2016 is standard on all 2017 models. That adds coolers for the engine oil, transmission, and Torsen rear diff; an aluminum shock-tower brace; a higher-downforce rear spoiler; and, most important of all, adaptive magnetorheological (“MagneRide”) shocks. A new Electronics Package ($3,000) adds Sync 3, voice-activated nav, and an uprated nine-speaker audio system. Also available is a new Convenience Package (not on my test car), which includes all of the above options but replaces the manual Recaro seats with power leather chairs (ummm, pass).

All-in, we’re now looking at a $60,000 Mustang. Does it deliver?

Well, there’s no denying the chops of that hulking, 526-horsepower V-8. Topping the magic 100 horses per liter without forced induction means this is one finely tuned piece of power art. The flat-plane crank, with each con-rod journal 180 degrees opposite the next in line (instead of at the usual 90-degree intervals), enables a cylinder firing order that alternates between banks — reducing exhaust pulse overlap and allowing the engine to breathe more freely and rev both quicker and higher. (That’s precisely why Ferrari uses the same crank design in the 488.)

Opened wide on an empty mountain road, the GT350’s so-called “Voodoo” V-8 is nothing short of mind-blowing. Acceleration is brutal. Fearsome. And…is there even a redline?

You could convince yourself there isn’t, because the thing just winds and winds and keeps right on winding — all the while emitting a shattering blast of exhaust that’s probably knocking nearby birds right out of the sky. It’s not your typical muscle-car roar, nor is it the finely polished shriek of an Italian exotic. It’s something in-between, unique, a potent, brassy, very American take on an upscale V-8. It’s like riding inside a tornado, if you want to know the truth. Mind you, full torque is on tap by a relatively modest 4,750 rpm, so the engine is pulling plenty hard way before redline. But, damn, there’s something indescribably delicious about winding this beast all the way to its limiter.

Wreaking such mechanical havoc almost seems sinful. After a few minutes going full-throttle at every opportunity I started to feel guilty without knowing why.

Fortunately, the GT350 can use its power unlike any Mustang before it. Especially given the added Track Pack bits, this baby is glued to the tarmac. No limp “Mustang” cornering habits here, this Shelby feels more like a BMW. There’s a ton of grip on tap, I’m guessing close to or maybe right at one-g worth. Moreover, the chassis is balanced, pushing just a bit near the limit (after all, it’s packing a lot of forward mass) but never really sliding into full understeer.

You can hustle this thing like a true sports car, the short-throw six-speed manual shifter firing off gear changes like a quick-drawn Colt, the MagneRide shocks capable of independently fine-tuning their response every ten milliseconds, the structure tight and strong, the big Michelins taking full advantage of the sophisticated platform. And when another corner comes rushing up, fear not: the brakes are freaking enormous. The front discs are 15.5 inches in diameter and clamped by six-piston Brembo calipers. Your jeans will fade before these binders do.

If the GT350 has a downside, it lies in its relentlessness. Yes, the adjustable mag-ride shocks do an impressive job of creaming the rough edges off of broken pavement, yes the Alcantara-wrapped wheel feels great in your hands, yes the clutch effort is surprisingly light considering the brute with which it’s partnered. But the Shelby is, first an foremost, an extreme car. The engine never lets you go; it’s always there and in your face and assaulting your ears. When you’re out for a romp it couldn’t be better; the snarl and noise and fury are precisely what you want. But if you’re going to commute in this thing, by the time you arrive at your destination you may need a little alone time.

The sporty Recaros are appropriately well-bolstered, but it you’re the slightest bit wide you’ll likely say “they bind.” And then there’s that bod. Let me put it this way: When you’re flaunting 19-inch black alloys, bazooka-sized quad tailpipes, and a big ol’ racing stripe, every other rat racer in town is gonna roll up alongside for a sniff — and probably a “dare ya.” I could see other drivers wondering, “Is that thing really as mean as it looks?” And usually they played cautious, not wanting to tempt humiliation. But they all swooped in close for an eyeball.

The 2017 Shelby GT350 is righteous that way. It’s got the swagger and the cojones to back it up. Along with its even-edgier GT350R sibling, it’s the first Mustang with moves across every degree of the friction circle. That is, it turns and stops every bit as good as it goes.

And, man, does it go. After I week I’m not sure I ever found that redline.

Photography courtesy of Juliette St. Antoine 

2017 Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang

ON SALE July 2017 PRICE $55,195/$59,970 (base/as-tested) ENGINE 5.2L DOHC 32-valve V-8/526 hp @ 7,500 rpm, 429 lb-ft @ 4,750 rpm TRANSMISSION 6-speed manual LAYOUT 2-door, 4-passenger, front-engine, RWD coupe EPA MILEAGE 14/21 mpg (city/hwy) L x W x H 188.9 x 75.9 x 54.2 in WHEELBASE 107.1 in WEIGHT 3,800 lb 0-60 MPH 4.1 sec (est) TOP SPEED 175 mph (est)

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[buildercar]

New Post has been published on http://www.buildercar.com/first-drive-ferrari-812-superfast/

First Drive: Ferrari 812 Superfast

MARANELLO, Italy – I don’t know how Ferrari does it. For years I’ve been coming to Italy to test-drive the latest V-12 magnum opus from the House of the Prancing Horse, and every time I think, “Wow, how could a front-engine V-12 sports car possibly get any better?” And then Ferrari goes right out makes a better one.

Back in 2006, it was the 599GTB, which at the time I dubbed “perhaps the finest all-around Ferrari ever.” Then, in 2010, I tested the fire-breathing 599GTO at Italy’s Mugello race circuit — and came away practically foaming at the mouth. The GTO was, I wrote, “the best sports car I’ve ever driven.” Last year it was the four-passenger GTC4 Lusso, which I called “an all-wheel-drive Formula 1 car with way comfier seats.” I mean, how do you top an automobile that can go 208 miles per hour and easily accommodate four adults in luxurious, leather-lined splendor?

Well, Ferrari has just done it. Again. Behold the Ferrari with the silliest, most childish, and absolutely coolest name ever: the 2018 812 Superfast. Officially, the name is an homage to the 4.9 Superfast of the 1950s, Ferrari getting all gushy and sentimental as it celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. But forget all that and just say the name again: Superfast. There hasn’t been a more descriptive and honest moniker for a product since Sugar Pops.

Replacing the F12, the Superfast is, quite simply, the fastest, most powerful regular-production Ferrari ever made (and, no, the LaFerrari was definitely not a regular-production car). It matches the LaFerrari’s V-12 in horsepower, tops it in torque, and simply obliterates the already stupefying special-edition F12tdf. Seat belt fastened, tray table in the upright and locked position? Good, because here come the numbers: 0 to 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds. Top speed: 211 mph. When it passes you at full tilt, the Superfast emits a shock wave that cold-cocks your cerebellum and does a Jake LaMotta to your kidneys. All of a sudden you find yourself looking for the nearest men’s room.

Though based on the 6.3-liter unit in the F12, the Superfast’s naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V-12 is 75 percent new. In addition to the increased displacement (via a longer stroke), the Superfast’s engine features a new crankshaft, new con rods, a new piston design, and a more robust crankcase. An all-new injection system operates at more than 5000 p.s.i. and incorporates smaller injectors to deliver smaller fuel droplets, improving combustion. A new cylinder head with revised cam profiles and new inlet- and exhaust-valve designs improves the flow coefficient by 8 percent over the F12.

  As before, the engine sports variable-geometry intake tracts, but they’ve been improved with wider throttle valves and a larger-diameter air inlet, among other refinements. The result is staggering output: 789 horsepower at 8,500 rpm and 530 pound-feet of torque at 7,000 — with 80 percent of the grunt available by 3,500 rpm. (To clear up any confusion, the “8” in the car’s name refers to its output of 800 metric horsepower.)

Remarkably, given its astounding brawn, the Superfast produces far fewer C02 emissions than its V-12 predecessors. The engine breathes out through six-into-one exhaust manifolds with exhaust pipes optimized to enhance the V-12’s legendary scream. At its 8,900-rpm redline, the Superfast could make a Navy SEAL dive for cover.

Ferrari’s F1 seven-speed dual-clutch automatic returns, but it’s been beefed-up for Superfast duty. The gear ratios have been lowered by an average of 6 percent to improve acceleration, while faster-responding paddles and improved torque management have reduced shift times by 30 percent. Rather than having to blip the left paddle every time a downshift is desired, a “multi-down” feature allows the driver simply to hold down the left paddle; the system will automatically execute sequential downshifts for you.

The chassis receives perhaps the most significant upgrades of all. On board are a new, second-gen version of Ferrari’s “virtual short wheelbase” (a.k.a., rear-wheel steering), a fifth-gen edition of the maker’s side-slip control, and Ferrari’s first-ever use of electronic power steering. The EPS system allows the addition of two unique features: Ferrari Peak Performance (FPP) and Ferrari Power Oversteer (FPO). FPP is intended to improve the driver’s ability, by varying steering-wheel torque, to sense when the car is approaching its cornering limits, while FPO modulates steering torque when exiting turns under throttle — guiding the driver into making the proper inputs to counter any oversteer.

In practice, both systems are essentially transparent. You don’t feel them working per se; rather, you sense, though your fingertips, “this is what I should do with the wheel.” FPO is particularly effective, almost as if you had a ghost driver riding with you to help steer the car back in line when the tail steps wide.

Tires (either Michelins or Pirellis) are the same size as on the F12tdf, 275/35ZR20s up front and 315s at the rear. Inside the gorgeous alloy wheels lie Brembo Extreme brakes, the same binders found on the LaFerrari ultracar. Ferrari claims stopping performance from 62 mph has improved by 5.8 percent over the F12.

To say the Superfast is attractive is like saying Tom Brady is a decent QB. Designed in-house, the Superfast is simply dripping in beauty and curves and sex appeal. Yet around and beneath that lust-inducing exterior, all kinds of aerodynamic magic is at work. Compared with the F12, drag coefficient is reduced by roughly 3-4 percent. Underneath, the Superfast channels air as astutely as an F1 car, capturing and funneling the flow with near-surgical precision to reduce drag while simultaneously improving downforce. Above 124 mph, passive front flaps (via a calibrated elastic spring) open to reduce drag; at the rear, electrically operated flaps do the same. Also improving downforce is an integrated rear spoiler 1.2 inches taller than on the F12 and F12tdf.

The Superfast’s cockpit is a sublime blend of Italian style and astute ergonomics. There is no large central display screen, its presence having been dubbed improper for such a performance-focused machine. Rather, all nav, vehicle, and infotainment information is delivered by smaller screens surrounding the large analog tach in front of the driver. New seats fit like a Brioni suit, while a new steering wheel design feels great in the hands while placing important controls (such as the Manettino dial for choosing drive modes) in quick reach. Contrasting saddle-leather trim around the instrument cluster looks lovely but, unfortunately, reflects badly into the windshield. As on the Lusso, the passenger can enjoy his or her own systems display screen, the better to keep an eye on what the driver is doing with those 789 ponies. Among the available options are a telemetry system based on the LaFerrari’s, and a premium 12-speaker audio setup.

Before lapping Ferrari’s private Fiorano race circuit, I spent a few hours powering the Superfast through the hills and valleys around Maranello for some real-world impressions. My test car was wearing a new shade: “Rosso Settantanni,” a darker, bloodier red reminiscent of hues found on vintage Ferraris and offered as part of Ferrari’s 70th celebrations.

First take: Wow is this a polished piece. I set out initially in Sport mode, anticipating a little jostling from the broken asphalt found on so many of Italy’s roadways. It didn’t come. Instead, the Superfast almost glided above the rippled pavement, hovercraft-like, never losing composure or crashing over the rough stuff. I switched into Race, but still the ride was perfectly acceptable — very firm, yes, but compliant enough.

  What’s particularly magical about the Superfast’s ride quality is that it’s served up with phenomenal cornering power and response. It hangs on to the tarmac harder than a toddler being stripped of his popsicle. It doesn’t understeer. It doesn’t step out at the rear (unless you want it to). It just bites, leans a bit, and powers through bends fast or slow. Despite being electrically actuated, the steering manages to deliver good tactility through the wheel. Cornering forces build naturally, and your fingers feel plenty of road info. The rear-wheel steering really isn’t a “thing;” all you notice from the helm is super-quick turn-in. The Superfast wastes no motion, lags in its responses not at all. Everything is right now and right here and hard-wired to your brain and hands.

Gunning the Superfast through Italy’s tight, twisting two-lanes — the passing vistas peppered with brick farmhouses and dark castles and tiny villages with old men in patio chairs waving from storefronts — I experienced an epiphany. “This Ferrari belongs here,” I thought to myself, its beauteous, modern, radiant form a passing star against the timeworn landscape, its searing engine note tuned to soar over the vineyards and sing with the church bells, its very presence an embodiment of all the passion and history and art that is Italy.

But if the roadways left me in wonderment, Fiorano left me in utter awe. The Superfast is deceptive that way; it’s so calm and mild-mannered at modest throttle inputs, you could easily forget the power it wields. Then you stand on the gas on Fiorano’s main straight and … it’s all you can do to hang on. The V-12 revs almost maniacally — especially above 7,000 rpm, where the surge of acceleration takes on almost otherworldly proportions. Your helmet bangs against the headrest as you click off the lightning upshifts. That scream! It’s intoxicating, addictive, electrifying…fantastic! In fact, the Superfast is so strident at max revs, on one section of the circuit I was told to lift off — lest the exhaust note disturb the inhabitants of some apartments overlooking the track.

Equally as incredible as its ability to make speed is the Superfast’s proficiency at erasing it. At the end of the main straight, I stood on the Brembos and the car all but stopped in its tracks. The next lap I braked way, way later but still easily slowed without overstepping the turn-in point. Three quick downshifts, into second gear, then squeeze on the gas again for a long, long increasingly fast right-hander. Fiorano isn’t a particularly fast circuit, but it is a technical one, requiring strict attention to the racing line, some unusual braking points, and absolute concentration. The wall or an ugly drop-off are occasionally only a few feet away. Yet the Superfast chewed up the track like a honey badger on a termite mound — ferociously, purposefully, as if utterly unaware of anything else but the tarmac straight ahead, there to be eaten. Lapping at speed in the Superfast was completely exhilarating yet involved no theatrics, no scary moments or even any sense that the car was being overly taxed. The Superfast made lapping at warp speed a thing of ease and poise and grace. There is nothing it doesn’t do to near-perfection and to the nth degree.

I’ve learned my lesson; I’m not going to say the 812 Superfast is the greatest V-12 Ferrari of all time (though — wink, wink — it may well be). As history has proven, something even more mind-blowing is undoubtedly already brewing behind the gates at Maranello HQ. What comes next, though, will likely incorporate some sort of hybrid powertrain. Indeed, the Superfast could prove to be the last of Ferrari’s big, naturally aspirated V-12 road rockets.

Which leads me to end with this: I cannot possibly imagine a better way to go.

2018 Ferrari 812 Superfast Specifications

ON SALE Now PRICE $308,000 (base) ENGINE 6.5 DOHC 48-valve V-12/789 hp @ 8,500 rpm, 530 lb-ft @ 7,000 rpm TRANSMISSION 7-speed dual-clutch-automatic LAYOUT 2-door, 2-passenger, front-engine, RWD coupe EPA MILEAGE 14/17 (city/highway, est) L x W x H 183.3 x 77.6 x 50.2 in WHEELBASE 107.1 in WEIGHT 3,400 lb (est) 0-60 MPH 2.9 sec TOP SPEED 211 mph

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