Infiniti Changes Its Model Nomenclature Again

After switching to a Q-everything naming scheme two years ago, Infiniti has now changed the name of its upcoming Q30 compact and will sell it under the QX30 moniker in America and Canada, in three unique versions called QX30, QX30S and QX30 AWD.

The QX30 is, in fact, the standard hatchback version, and in the Americas it will be a front-wheel-drive. In Europe and outside the Americas, this model will be sold under the Q30 name.

The Q30 S, revealed at the Los Angeles Motor Show, will be known from now on as the QX30S. It has a lower stance, more aggressive front and rear end, cross-drilled front brake discs and 19-inch wheels. On other markets, the car will keep its original name.

The third model, known as the QX30 AWD, is the only one that looks more like an SUV. It features an all-wheel-drive system, higher ride height, and offroad-inspired front and rear body trims.

All the models will be powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four cylinder engine that develops 208 horsepower and is linked to a 7-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox, a mill coming straight from the Mercedes-Benz models that these Infinitis are based on.

If you think about it, this name changing move is not so unexpected, because a couple of months ago, Randy Parker, vice president of Infiniti Americas, admitted in an interview that there would be some confusion surrounding the identities of these cars, so now, the logical move was to sell them under the same name, given the fact that they are pretty similar.

The new year brings more goodies from the Infiniti brand, as in January, the production version of the 2017 Infiniti Q60 sport coupe will be revealed at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The QX30 range will be available for purchase in the United States and Canada in mid-2016, and in Mexico and Latin America in the second half of 2016. According to the company’s officials, the starting price will be somewhere around $30,000.

2016 Volkswagen New Cars

Details of the new and updated Volkswagen models launching in Australia in 2016.

Passat Alltrack — Q1

The rugged B8 Passat wagon-based Alltrack crossover will arrive in Australia by March, complementing the smaller Golf Alltrack and giving VW a rather unique crossover SUV offering.

The second-generation version of the all-wheel-drive Passat Alltrack wagon follows a familiar theme, with off-road-inspired body cladding, heavy duty bashplates on the bumpers, and suspension that’s raised by 27.5mm.

It’s expected that our market’s version will initially, at least, receive only the 140kW/400Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel from the regular Passat. Expect it to command a few grand premium over the regular Passat wagon, pointing to a price in the high $40Ks.

Tiguan — Q4

A massively important launch for the company is the new-generation Tiguan compact SUV, which looks to mark a big step up over the aged current model.

For starters, the new an more ruggedly design model is 60mm longer and 30mm wider than the current car, making it more closely aligned to top-sellers such as the Mazda CX-5.  It also gets a much larger boot, at 521L.

Based on the Volkswagen Group’s MQB component matrix for transverse engine, front- and all-wheel cars, the Tiguan is nevertheless said to weigh around 50 kilograms less than before.

Volkswagen has already been open about its hope that the new Tiguan will double the sales of the current car. Read all the details on the MY16/17 Tiguan here.

Amarok update — Q4

The updated 2017 Amarok ute range is expected late in the year, bringing with it some welcome cabin updates such as new infotainment with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.

Details are a little sketchy at present, we’ll keep you posted. (Current Amarok pictured.)

Pristine 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Berlinetta Is Heading for Auction

If you have a lot of money and you don’t know what to do with a couple of million dollars, we might have a suggestion for you. A 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Berlinetta will go under the hammer at Kissimmee 2016 my Mecum Auctions, on January 23.

Back in 1964, the Maranello-based carmaker introduced two new models, the 275 GTB and 275 GT Spyder, both sharing the same chassis. The body was designed by Pininfarina and built by Scaglietti, and it was the first Ferrari GT to have independent suspension on all four corners.

The car, inspired by the legendary 250 GTO endurance racer, had 4-wheel disc brakes and a new rear suspension with parallel upper and lower A-arms with coil springs, Koni shock absorbers, and a sway bar to control body roll.

This piece of automotive history attracted fans with its voluptuous forms, long-hood, short-tail profile, as well as its higher belt, more rounded contours and a higher fender line.

Power came from a V12 engine designed by Gioacchino Colombo, which had three or six Weber carburetors and developed 280 horsepower. The power unit is linked to a 5-speed manual transmission mounted at the rear in transaxle from, a first for the Italian company.

In 1966, the 275 GTB received a newly designed 3.3-liter V12 with two overhead cams per cylinder, dry sump lubrication, a power increase to 300 horsepower, and a new name, 275 GTB/4.

This particular example was purchased in 1970 by Ferrari mechanic Terry Myr, and has remained in his possession since then. The car has engine and chassis matching numbers, as well as the original Saddle Tan leather interior, glass and lenses. This classic Ferrari is in pristine condition, as it was repainted in Grigio Mahmoud in the early 1970’s, had an upgrade to an under-dash AM/FM radio and an odometer replacement.

The vehicle comes together with the original owner’s manual, factory toll roll, wheel chock and bill of sale from 45 years ago.

Having slightly under 15,000 kilometers (9,320 miles), the 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Berlinetta is expected to fetch, according to Mecum Auctions, somewhere between $2,800,000 and $3,500,000.

Yamaha Finally Sends R1 and R1M Recall Letters, Dealers Will Only Replace the Main Axle Assembly

After a tense month, Yamaha makes the official diligence regarding the R1/R1M recall. Media has been reporting on this issue for weeks, but only now things are clear and rumors can be eliminated.

For starters, the most important piece of official information is that Yamaha will not be swapping entire engines and will not provide new bikes. The papers Yamaha forwarded with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration leave no doubt about it: the dealers carrying out the repair will only replace the defective assembly in the gearbox.

We remind you that all the 2015 model year Yamaha R1 and R1M have been assembled with a second gear sprocket that was incorrectly manufactured. That sprocket could bend and break under high stress, and it could also lead to substantial damage in the 3rd and 4th gear sprockets.

If such a defect occurred, the transmission would seize and lock the rear wheel posing a high risk of crashing. Yamaha does not mention whether accident or injury reports have been filed around the world.

Only the main axle assembly will be replaced

Even though some of the rumors saw Yamaha replacing the entire engine of the affected motorcycles, the Japanese manufacturer makes it clear now that only the main axle assembly will be replaced.

The repairs will be carried out by the Yamaha authorized dealers. The operation is pretty invasive, as it involves tearing down almost the entire bike. The fairings and tank must be removed, and the engine extracted from the frame, drained of coolant and oil, and torn apart to install a new sprocket axle inside the crankcase.

Yamaha estimates that the entire repair will take less than 16 hours of work for one bike, provided everything goes according to plan. How much mechanics with carrying levels of skill will stray from the 16-hour mark remains to be seen.

Likewise, many customers have expressed their fears that the local dealers will not be able to return the bikes to their "like new." Many of the bikes only have several hundreds of miles on them, so the owner's concerns are easy to understand.

2015 model year YZF-R1, YFZ-R1C, YZF-R1MF, and YZF-R1MFC models fall under the recall campaign number 15V802000, and in the US, 2,921 units are expected to fill the dealers' workshops this winter. Yamaha also imposed a "no riding" ban on these bikes, and no 2015 R1/R1M machines can be sold until the problem is solved.

The 2016 model year machines are not affected by the recall, as Yamaha equipped them with compliant transmissions from the factory.

Check out the attached PDF if you want to see how the repair must be carried out.

Suzuki cooks up a trio of wacky, adorable concepts

Tokyo Auto Salon, Japan's tuner extravaganza, kicks off in January

Suzuki may be gone from U.S. shores (as you may or may not have noticed) but the party is still on back in Japan. And the automaker is headed to the Tokyo Auto Salon -- not to be confused with the Tokyo Motor Show -- with a trio of very small concepts.

We have to mention the Suzuki Hustler first, because it's hard to tell what's happening there and why. The Hustler is actually an existing model that Suzuki has jacked up to turn into a tiny SUV, and given the name Hustler Rough Road. Then Suzuki added some obligatory off-road gear like high-profile tires, headlight protection and a skid plate. The wheels have been kept as steelies, a remarkable show of restraint given the extroverted paintwork.

We're not sure how easy it is to find off-roading opportunities in Japan's cities, but the Hustler now looks ready for some mildly rough roads. Our favorite detail has to be the Hustler name spelled on the front of the grille, like on a Land Rover. (And given Land Rover's expansion into other segments, we won't rule out seeing a Land Rover as small as this at some point in the future).

The Ignis Water Activity Concept features some off-road bits as well as a canoe.PHOTO BY SUZUKI

Suzuki's second (and decidedly more muted) Tokyo Auto Salon concept that is the conservatively-named Ignis Water Activity concept, which is based on the current Ignis hatch but modified via the placement of canoe on the roof. There are other details to make it a little more camping-friendly such as larger wheels and underbody trim.

The concept hatch is finished in a green matte paint and follows up on the appearance of the Ignis Trail Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show which did not have an orange canoe, it must be noted. Otherwise, it's pretty close in appearance and equipment to the earlier concept.

The 2016 Suzuki Alto Auto GP concept pays homage to the MotoGP bikes.PHOTO BY SUZUKI

The third and final concept is the Alto Works GP, meant to showcase some mild racing hardware. The concept features a carbon fiber hood, and it's finished in blue and green colors as a tip of the hat to the company's MotoGP racing bike. Aside from that, the concept features sport wheels and tires, as well as a roll cage.

All three can be considered to be mild in-house tuned concepts based on existing vehicles, though the Hustler reresents perhaps the furthert departure from stock. It's almost enough to make us regret the automaker's departure from the United States.

Read more: http://autoweek.com/article/car-news/suzuki-cooks-trio-concepts-tokyo-auto-salon#ixzz3wAVVwQ9m

Bosch Takes Car Connectivity to a Whole New Level

As self-driving vehicles and connected cars are becoming more and more important nowadays, Bosch, as a leading company in its sector, will present at the 2016 Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas some of the newest connected functions and assistance systems.

At its booth, the German company will offer participants a glimpse into the car of the future, as they see it. According to Bosch CEO Dr. Volkmar Denner, visitors will interact in a new way with the technology because providing the right information at the right time will minimize driver distraction.

In the show car, the interior has been completely reimagined by the German company, as the central console has been transformed into an electronic display that shows information depending on the vehicle’s current surroundings. For example, if a pedestrian is closing in from the right, a lighting sequence is triggered to alert the driver.

The car of the future will also be able to know its owner schedule, and if an appointment is being canceled, it will indicate the route to the next one. And wait, that’s not all. The car will make a connection with a "smart house" and enable particular functions such as heating or security systems to be operated at any time.

The CES organizers have presented Bosch with the Innovation Award for a new touchscreen developed by the German company, which can generate different surface textures, allowing elements to be felt on the display. Thanks to this feedback, it will be easier to operate the navigation, radio or the smartphone functions, and drivers will not even need to look at the information on the screen to control it.

Bosch has an answer for road safety as well. To be more precise, for wrong-way drivers. The company is already working on a new cloud-based alert that will let the driver know of any danger only ten seconds after it arises. All of this will be possible because the software will compare the vehicle movements on freeways with permitted directions of travel. If a change intervenes, the driver will be warned in a matter of seconds.

Also at CES 2016, the company will showcase the systems and sensors needed for automated journeys that will hit the highways in 2020. The autopilot who assumes all the driver’s tasks and responsibilities is already being tested in Germany, US, and Japan.

Future cars will be able to see possible danger spots such as accidents, traffic jams or construction sites, thanks to a stream of real-time information from the Internet.

Bosch also has an answer to parking spots. To make it easier, it has developed a new function called automated valet parking that will allow cars to park themselves. Drivers can leave the car at the entrance to the parking garage and they can instruct the car to find a free space with the use a smartphone app. When their job is finished, they can call the car back to the drop-off point.

Ryan Tuerck Hooning 550 HP Toyota Soarer in Germany Offers a Cool Drifting Lesson

There are many ways in which one can become educated in the art of drifting and today we're here to talk about what happens when we get the opportunity to learn from the best pro drivers out there.

We'll zoom in on Formula D driver Ryan Tuerck and a rather delicious stunt he pulled while visiting Germany earlier this year. The event saw Ryan playing on the Eurospeedway Lausitz track, while borrowing another drifter's machine.

We're talking about Rene Portz's Toyota Soarer, a vehicle that has been pushed to 550 hp. Sure, that's far from matching the power Ryan gets to enjoy in his heavily modded Scion FR-S, but the drifter made an excellent job when it came to roasting the rear tires.

More importantly, we can use the footage of the action as a drifting lesson. Since the clip below allows us to see the Soarer from the outside, as well as the driver's maneuvers, we're inviting you to make the most out of the opportunity.

There are two main aspects that require your attention here. The first is the way in which Ryan uses the hydraulic handbrake - this piece of kit can be used to initiate or correct slides, but shouldn't be abused at all times.

Then there's the smooth transition from one side to the other, which is sometimes performed by letting the camber angle straighten up the wheels on itself.

OK, but what about this car?

Those of you who are curious about the details of this Toyota should check out the details below:

• 1.5JZ with completely overhauled engine.
• Running twin turbo setup with original turbos overhauled and modified
• Wide Body
• AEM V2 with IPAD as Dash
• Kaaz 2 Way diff
• Engine loom in original state (all other wires done new, only the basics were used)
• Custom build Aluminium Dash