TopSpeed Daily Update

Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Classic
Driven: 2012 BMW 128i
Maserati&#39;s future Quattroportes will borrow from Chrysler and Ferrari
Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Vaquero
Video: Audi R8 GT Week Part 1
Mini Coupe
NHTSA Blocks U.S. Sales Of Pagani Huayra
Ford Fiesta Centura
Next generation Audi A3 shows off new design in Argentina
Video: Peeking at the new Porsche 911 on the "NFS: The Run" trailer

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 09:00 AM PDT

The 2011 Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Classic doesn’t have the panache of the Vaquero and Nomad versions, but it nevertheless offers plenty of upside for a cruiser bike. Featuring the perfect combination of classic Kawasaki design engineering with the most up-to-date two-wheeled chassis and engine technology, the Kawasaki 1700 Classic is a definite man’s bike. No glitters and pizzazz here; just a straight up, heads-all-over cruiser.

The stunning raked-’n’-retro front end complements the huge V-twin design of the fat-tendered backside. Add a powerful four-stroke, 1700cc, SOHC V Twin engine inside, coupled with advanced technology and staggering functionality, and you have a cruiser bike whose bite is every bit as good as its bark.

There’s plenty to like about the newest Kawaski Vulcan 1700 Classic. As with all classic cruisers, riders will have an terrifyingly great time running around with the Vulcan 1700 Classic.

Find out more about the Vulcan 1700 Classic after the jump.

Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Classic originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 9 August 2011 16:00 EST.

Driven: 2012 BMW 128i

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 09:00 AM PDT

When the BMW 1-series was debuted in the US as a 2008 model, comparisons were immediately made to the iconic BMW 2002. We were skeptical of this little coupe trying to cash in on the legacy of classic BMW models, but as we got behind the wheel of this BMW Mighty Mouse, we quickly realized it stuck to a successful sports car formula. This equation references classic BMW performance and yet moves the marque forward. When you get behind the wheel of the 2012 BMW 128i it’s like hearing your favorite Eagles song, it takes you back to a simpler time. This time capsule also teaches a new generation what a sports car can be.

The micro-sized sports car that is the BMW 128i has proved very popular since its introduction for the 2008 model year. The 128i is a new take on the BMW philosophy of excellent handling and superb engineering. Whereas many models in the line are now turbocharged, the 128i stubbornly sticks to the naturally aspirated inline 6. In addition to this, BMW "roots album" presents the full package for a driver that wants a car with two distinct personalities: a) a cheap and "chuckable" sports car and b) a pleasant everyday driver. These personalities always meet in the middle and never force the driver to pick which he wants.

More details on the BMW 128i after the jump.

Driven: 2012 BMW 128i originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 9 August 2011 16:00 EST.

Maserati&#39;s future Quattroportes will borrow from Chrysler and Ferrari

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 08:00 AM PDT

As part of their aim for 50,000 units sold per year, Maserati is keeping busy by trying to put together the perfect Quattroporte. Long since considered too big for a daily driver, but too small for a chauffeur’s car, the Quattroporte will need to be just right for customers’ consumption. Maserati’s answer to that dilemma is to create two new sedans - the Quattroporte and ’baby’ Quattroporte - at just the right size and to borrow systems and components from Chrysler sedans such as the Chrysler 300 and the Dodge Avenger.

So, will the consumers be force-fed re-badged Chryslers? Not according to Maserati. The company has maintained a clear picture of what they want the Maserati to look like and have therefore stuck to borrowing elements from Chrysler that will not be readily seen. Elements such as wiring, air conditioning, passive safety systems, and seat structures will find their way into to the Quattroporte, leaving the overall look purely Maserati.

Details for the future Maserati Quattroporte and ’baby’ Quattroporte after the jump.

gallery: 2011 Maserati Quattroporte

Maserati's future Quattroportes will borrow from Chrysler and Ferrari originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 9 August 2011 15:00 EST.

Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Vaquero

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 08:00 AM PDT

As with all of the top cruiser bikes in the world, the name of the game has always been building a long, low, and wide bike with high-end custom touches and powerful performance figures to boot. For Kawasaki, the Vulcan 1700 Vaquero fits that bill to a tee - and then some.

With the word ’vaquero’ originating from a Spanish word meaning "cowboy" or "herdsman", the Vulcan 1700 is the perfect bike for the rugged and the adventurous. Its got a profile that’s undeniably cool and stylish and more than that, the extensive detail that came with the production of the bike’s overall performance system is unparalleled in the business, one that ensures the Vulcan 1700 of high-level awesomeness that other cruiser bikes would understandably be looking up to.

Looks, power, technology, and a general sense of bad-assery. That’s what you get with the Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Vaquero. It’s exactly what bikers would want on a new cruiser bike.

Continued after the jump.

Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Vaquero originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 9 August 2011 15:00 EST.

Video: Audi R8 GT Week Part 1

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 07:00 AM PDT

The R8 GT is a car that Audi is obviously very proud of, and rightfully so because it’s one menacing beast. About 180 lbs lighter than the R8 V10 and carrying a 5.2-liter V10 engine that produces 560 horsepower, the R8 GT is the grand daddy of all R8 models. For their part, Audi is promoting the supercar with a week-long run of promo videos that it has amusingly called "R8 GT Week". Obviously, these guys must be huge fans of Shark Week.

The first part of this series features 5-Time Le Mans Champion and AudiWerks driver, Emanuele Pirro, giving us his thoughts on the uber powerful German supercar.

If there ever was an authority on Audi supercars, you won’t find a better one that Emanuele Pirro. He’s been front and center when it comes to testing new Audi models and his opinions on the R8 GT drive home the point that this 560-horsepower monster is the top-of-the-mountain as far as Audi performance vehicles are concerned.

Check out the video to watch Part 1 of Audi’s ’R8 GT Week.’

gallery: 2011 Audi R8 GT

Video: Audi R8 GT Week Part 1 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 9 August 2011 14:00 EST.

Mini Coupe

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 06:00 AM PDT

Only one day after BMW announced the official details on the new generation 1-Series, Mini has also joined in on the party by releasing details of their own for their much anticipated Mini Coupe . Last seen at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009 as a mere concept, the first two-seater in the company’s lineup will make its world debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show with sales to begin shortly after. Prices will be announced at a later date.

The new Mini Coupe will come sporting an entire lineup of four cylinder engines ranging from the base Coupe with 121 HP up to the John Cooper Works Coupe with 208 HP. It will also be the fastest-accelerating MINI ever with the highest top speed. The JCW Coupe, for example, will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds and will be capable of a top speed of 149 mph.

UPDATE 06/21/2011: Mini has revealed the official images for their latest model in the line-up, as well as pricing details for the American market. The base model will go on sale at a starting price of $22,000, while the S variant will cost $25,300 and the JCW will be priced at $31,900.

UPDATE 08/09/11: Want to play around and build your own MINI Coupe? Well, now you can get that opportunity! The German automaker has officially unveiled the online configurator for the car, which you can use to make your very own virtual MINI Coupe. Who knows, you might end up liking your work that you buy one for yourself.

Hit the jump to read more about the 2012 Mini Coupe.

Mini Coupe originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 9 August 2011 13:00 EST.

NHTSA Blocks U.S. Sales Of Pagani Huayra

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 05:00 AM PDT

Last Monday, we brought you news that the first U.S. bound Pagani Huayra had been delivered to a customer in the United States. Now it seems like Pagani may have jumped the gun in selling cars on U.S. soil, thanks to a requirement that automakers implement advanced airbags beginning with the 2000 model year. In the past, low volume manufacturers such as Lamborghini and Tesla had been granted an exception to the regulation, which lead Pagani to believe they'd be granted the very same exemption. It was a logical assumption, since Pagani’s production is far less than Lamborghini’s, and Pagani lacks the technical support of Lamborghini’s parent, Volkswagen/Audi.

Pagani learned the hard way what happens when you assume. Ignoring Pagani's low-volume manufacturer status and limited technical resources, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has denied the automaker's request, which gives Pagani only two choices: either develop the required airbag system for the Huayra before deliveries can begin, or forgo the U.S. market entirely as they did with their Zonda supercar. Pagani estimates that designing an airbag system to meet NHTSA requirements will cost them some about $5.7 million, which surely means that the price of U.S. spec Huayras will be raised to cover development. That doesn't bode well for buyers who've already put money down on Pagani's latest, since the best they can hope for is a higher purchase price. The alternative, sadly, is that the U.S. again loses out on the opportunity to experience one of the world's premier supercars.

gallery: 2011 Pagani Huayra

NHTSA Blocks U.S. Sales Of Pagani Huayra originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 9 August 2011 12:00 EST.

Ford Fiesta Centura

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 04:00 AM PDT

Ford is celebrating its 100th anniversary in Britain with the unveiling of a special edition Fiesta Centura. The model will be offered exclusively in black and pays tribute to the first Ford vehicles to be manufactured in the UK, the Model T in 1911. The model will be limited to only 1,000 units and will be priced from £13,395 ($21,900) for the three-door version and £13,995 ($22,900) for the five-door.

The new Fiesta Centura will be distinguished by a metallic Panther Black paint, chrome mirror and door caps, LED daylight running lights, 16-inch seven-spoke alloy wheels, automatic headlamps and windscreen wipers, reverse parking sensors, and a parking camera mounted in the rear view mirror.

Anthony Ireson, marketing director, Ford of Britain, said: "Fiesta has been a UK favourite its entire lifetime and it was a natural choice to use this great icon to help mark our centenary. With a unique specification and affordable price, the Centura will appeal to thousands of customers, and we anticipate strong demand – who knows it might even become a collector’s car one day!"

Ford Fiesta Centura originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 9 August 2011 11:00 EST.

Next generation Audi A3 shows off new design in Argentina

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 03:00 AM PDT

After being previewed by the A3 Concept version at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, the Audi A3 is preparing to enter its third generation sometime in the middle of 2012. With this generation, Audi is overhauling the A3’s design and our spy photographers have captured the new and improved model testing somewhere in Argentina. When the Audi A3 does hit the market, it will be offered in both hatchback and sedan versions. The sedan will mostly be offered in the US market where Audi hopes to boost the A3 sales with the new version.

The new A3 will be built on Volkswagen’s new MQB platform and will be offered with a choice of six different engine options, all of them delivering up to a 20% improvement in fuel consumption. There are even rumors of hybrid and electric versions, but, if true, those won’t see the light of day for a couple of years.

When discussing the next A3, Audi’s design boss, Stefan Sielaff said: "Three-door cars will be more compact and sharper in design, while the four-door will have different dimensions and detailing around the car – it'll be a sporty, peppy design with a sexy back end!"

With that said, expect to see a design inspired by the A3 Concept, but from the looks of these spy shots, nowhere near the extravagance of it.

gallery: 2013 Audi A3

Next generation Audi A3 shows off new design in Argentina originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 9 August 2011 10:00 EST.

Video: Peeking at the new Porsche 911 on the "NFS: The Run" trailer

Posted: 09 Aug 2011 02:00 AM PDT

How is it that a video game trailer can garner so much attention, even for those people who wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between an Xbox 360 and a microwave oven?

Well, if you’re a certifiable gearhead with no interest whatsoever in video games, the answer lies within the trailer itself. A few fleeting snapshots of what is arguably one of the most hotly-anticipated cars of the year: the 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S.

For some, the trailer itself has taken a backseat to the shots of the still-to-be-revealed Porsche sports car, which pretty much tells you just how big of a deal this machine is. Heck, we ran a separate post about the trailer and we’re doing another one just because the 911 Carrera S is in it.

The game itself lends certain promise to some pretty action-packed game play, one that involves a cool storyline of racing for your life from San Francisco to New York. But the real prize of this 98-second video are the few times we see the next-generation 911 Carrera S. If you’re not too careful with your eyes, you might even miss it. But if you pay attention, you’ll notice a few elements of the Carrera S that are worth taking notes on, including shots of the 911’s new headlight set-up and what appears to be vents on the rear of the car. The rest of the sneak peaks involve the 911 Carrera S in racing action so that in itself is a monumental task even for the most eagle-eyed viewer.

The good thing about it is that we won’t have to wait too long to see the car in all its glory because it’s set to be revealed at the 2011 IAAs. But if you’re the type with limited amounts of patience, then we suggest you that you watch this video over and over again to get your 2012 911 Carrera S fix.