How Is Europe and Electric Cars?

With sky rocketing gas prices and the whole "Go Green" movement, it seems to be in most peoples best interest now a days to invest in electric vehicles. A simple plug-in and charge can get you a good amount of distance for these electric cars, not to mention it's healthier for the environment over fossil fueled vehicles. Being eco friendly by reducing the amount of pollution and gasses into our atmosphere is typically the main reason why people in the US purchase these cars, but what about Europe?

Germany and the UK specifically have really started pushing their automakers to focus more on developing electric vehicles to help their economy as well as their environment. Both countries produce by far some of the most well engineered cars. With that in mind, you would think that electric vehicles would be booming at time like this right? Well let's take a look and see how the electric vehicle situation is working out on the other side of the world.

Let's start with the Germans. We already know that people who own electric vehicles in Germany get exclusive access to electric charging station parking spots as well as bus only lanes and free parking. In 2009 The German Chancellor proposed a goal of 1 million electric vehicles to be on the road by 2020. Today there is only about 17,000. That means for about every 2,500 gasoline powered cars there is only 1 electric car. That's a pretty big difference and Germany better step their game up in the next few years if they want to fulfill the chancellor's proposal.

So, what's the problem? Well, a representative from the VDA auto industry association says that the problem is a mixture between the high prices of the vehicles, the recharging time and simply because some people feel discomfited about electric cars. Some other problems include that a lot of Germans prefer German made cars in which it leaves the people with very few options.

The people of Germany would like to see further incentives and higher tax breaks for electric vehicle owners. Also a raise in production of charging stations would be wise as well, as Germany only has 4,400 public charging stations.

The UK has shown more of a growth in electric car sales recently than other European countries. The government actually provides grants to those who purchase an electric vehicle. With the price of gasoline at an extremely high price, you would think many people would actually prefer an electric vehicle right? In fact, a poll was taken by the Institute of Advanced Motorists and found that nearly 31% of drivers would consider an electric vehicle for their next purchase. The people that seemed more hesitant about purchasing an electric vehicle as their next vehicle stated that the prices of the vehicles are too high and that there are not enough charging stations abundant.

So as we can see, there are common reasons for not owning an electric vehicle among both countries, but we do see a slow rise and potential for growth and popularity among the German and UK automakers electric vehicles and consumers a like.

///M Welcomes the 2015 M4

BMW wasn't just going to let a new car model join their line of M cars just like that. With proven track and street performance of the M cars ranging from the M1 up to the M6, of course there would have to be some sort of initiation for the new 2015 M4 to join the family.

The video below demonstrates the driving performance of the new M4. The 425 horsepower twin-turbo V6 was put to work on this course. Check it out and we'll let you be the judge if the M4 stands up to the previous M cars.

The course consisted of 56 cars that M4 danced around. Now most of these cars weren't just any normal cars owned by BMW. These are BMW enthusiasts cars, as in 52 of these cars are owned and driven daily by actual BMW owners. And there are also 4 BMW sponsored race cars thrown in to represent the track potential the 2015 M4 has.

Now you may be wondering who the driver is, because not your average person can drive with that much skill right? Well the driver of the M4 is none other than BMW's Chief Performance Driving Instructor, Matt Mullins. Former Formula Drift champion Chris Forsberg also takes the car for a spin and gives the car a run for its money.

Cool Coupes Coming!

The stylish 2 door cars we call "coupes"have been around for a long time and don't seem to be going anywhere soon. The market for these cars was to stay the same over the years, but recently the automakers have made big plans with some of their upcoming 2 door vehicles. Let's take a look.

2015 Mustang
First lets look at the new 2015 Ford Mustang. This muscle car is going to be provided with three different motor types. Now, of course there will be a standard 6 cylinder model and the GT V8 but what makes this Mustang different from any other muscle car is that there will also be a turbo 2.3 liter four cylinder which is said to have almost as much power as the V6 model. With its new sleek look based off of the older, retro looking Mustang and its rear independent suspension, this little pony won't have trouble competing with other vehicles such as the sports cars imported from Europe and Asia.

Dodge Challenger Hellcat
If you thought Dodge was falling behind in the muscle car category, think again. Ready to hit the streets in 2015, the new Hellcat will be one of the most powerful coupes coming from the lot. This new beast pushes out just over 700hp and is set to rival the Mustang GT500 and Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Powered by a 6.2 liter supercharged V8, the new Challenger Hellcat should give any other muscle cars a run for their money.

BMW 4 Series
With all the talk about how BMW is getting pretty confusing with changing and adding to their model lines, the BMW 4 Series may give an answer to stop the confusion. By pulling the two door 3 Series from their production line and replacing it with the 4 Series, BMW has seen a success. With options of a 4 cylinder base model or a 6 cylinder turbo-charged motor combined with either AWD or RWD it seems as if the new 4 Series is what we can expect from the previous 3 Series coupes which was nothing but pure driving enjoyment.

Jaguar F-Type
Just when you thought Jaguar was dead, or at least nothing exciting was coming from them, they produced the F-Type. And wow, one hell of a sports coupe they came up with. This supercharged 550 horsepower 2 door is set to compete with the BMW M3.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe
Placed in the super luxury category, this new coupe is no joke. With pricing up to $200,000 you can expect nothing but the high end luxurious feel and outstanding performance from any S-Class. Powered by a 450 horsepower biturbo V8, this new coupe will put you on the edge of the seat. Mercedes-Benz assures that this car will amaze you and even came with a motto for it; "The best or nothing."

2015 Stingray Z06
And where would this list be without the new Corvette? The Corvette has always been a benchmark when when it comes to performance sports coupes. The Z06 specifically has always been top of the line. The new 2015 model is no different. A supercharged 6.2 liter V8 delivering 650 horsepower and 650 ft/lbs. of torque combined with an all new updated chassis and interior the new Stingray Z06 coupe will reign supreme.

The Rotary Returns!...... Rumor

We all know how cool rotary powered cars are. Whether we like them or not, they're always going to be cool. You can't take away from having a motor that screams at such a high RPM and has such a distinctive and amazing engine note.

For most of us, the car that made us think rotary engines were cool and probably the most iconic rotary powered car was the Mazda RX-7. With the other Japanese automakers reviving their iconic cars (Toyota FT-1, Acura NSX, Nissan R35 GT-R) it seems like Mazda is the only one missing.

Well a rumor we heard was that Mazda is in the process of creating a twin turbo rotary motor putting out around 449 horsepower. We first heard that Mazda was producing a normally aspirated engine producing about 300 horsepower that would be fitted into an upgraded next generation Miata platform, but with the now added power, we're thinking that it may be reworked into something similar to the RX-8 platform.

Now, if you're thinking that rotary motors aren't as reliable and get terrible gas mileage, (RX-8 for example) Mazda has a plan to change to that. With Toyota's shared hybrid technology combined with Mazda's new SkyActiv technology, you can be sure that the new rotary powered beast will be lighter and get better gas mileage than it's predecessor.

In May 2017, it will be the 50th anniversary of the the rotary powered Mazda Cosmo, so that's when we should be expecting to see this new car. The name of this concept has not been released yet, but we're assuming it will be called the RX-9 or maybe even the RX-7 again, since the Mazda has trademarked and registered both names recently in Japan.

WTF? Kawashima Celica

You've probably seen this infamous car circling the internet for quite some time and we're sure that every time you see it, you think to yourself, "WTF? How do you drive that thing?!" If that's the case, the owner has explained what was going through his head when he was creating this attention grabbing Toyota.

The owners name is Kawashima, you may know him or his slammed yellow Celica for competing in FWD drift events in Japan. When Kawashima was interviewed about the what he was trying to do with this outrageous car, he explained:

As for the look, there's three main points of the way modified cars should look (in Japan), and that's onikyan (cambered wheels), tsuraichi (tires just barely inside the guards) and hippari (stretched tires). I wanted to make a car that took all of those things to the furthest point I've ever seen them done.

This car first gained popularity at the Nagoya Exciting Car Showdown where the car, even when it was unfinished, gained the most attention. Images of Kawashima's Celica have been the most downloaded images off of many automotive blog sites and the video of it on YouTube has close to 4 million views!

As you can tell, the wheels poke way farther out then tires. In order to achieve this dangerous balancing act, Kawashima fills the tires to about 87 psi. and has to refill them mid-drive with a bike pump. And if you're thinking, "Why the hell would anyone do that? It's not practical." Think again. Kawashima actually daily drives and drifts this thing! 

Since then, Kawashima's Celica has gone through some changes. The car has gotten lower, wider, a more aggressive setup and a fresh respray. Tons of custom work has been put into the car (not all of it is up to safety par) and thats what makes this car such a work of art. Some people hate it, and some people love it. Either way, Kawashima doesn't care, he builds cars for what he likes. 

Photo Credit: Nori Yaro

Mercedes "Four Door Coupe"?

The automaker Mercedes-Benz has played with the idea before of a "four door coupe"when they first introduced the CLS, but now they have came up with a decision to concept the new Mercedes MLC. Other makers have used similar ideas before, such as BMW's X6 and Honda's Accord Crosstour.

This new crossover is supposed to be a more stylish version of the ML model. The MLC will receive a sloping roof with flared wheel arches, a rear diffuser out back paired with dual exhaust tips, a large front grill and 22 inch wheels. With an added length of 5.2 inches in length and 2 inches wider. With the roofline lowered about 2 more inches, the MLC crossover gets a sportier and coupe look with a little added performance. Although Mercedes has yet to release some interior photos, we believe that it will be very similar to the CLS interior with an updated infotainment system with larger touch display screens.

Under the hood of this sporty SUV will be the same 3.0 liter twin-turbo V6 that we saw in the 2014 E-class. You can also expect a turbo-diesel model and another AMG model with a high performance V8. The MLC will use the same 4Matic all-wheel-drive technology but paired with a 9 speed automatic transmission with 5 different driving modes available.

This brings us to the decision of whether we like it or not. We think it's great that Mercedes-Benz is coming out with a sporty looking crossover as it seems to be a more popular trend among automakers. There's no doubt that this SUV can be functional, but it is highly unlikely that you would actually see someone using the MLC to tow a trailer or go off road with. And judging by the looks of this new crossover, cargo space may be limited, but we're sure the MLC will deliver a more comfortable ride than other crossovers.

The release date and price of the new Mercedes MLC has not been mentioned, but we do know that the production process has begun in the Alabama plant alongside the other ML and GL models.

Rumors of Subaru SVX Revival

Who remembers the Subaru SVX? The touring coupe was only in production from 1991 to 1997 and unfortunately it sold horribly. The SVX received mixed review from the public. Some people loved it and some people hated it. But guess what Subaru's SVX fans? Theres some good news and the not so good news.

The good news is that Subaru says if they were to recreate the SVX then they would give the car a much more aggressive look. The reborn SVX is supposed to hold a 3.3 six cylinder boxer engine paired with an electric motor from Lexus. Total output for the Hybrid set up would be estimated around 375 horsepower! Another good thing mentioned about the new SVX is that it would be based around the Subaru Viziv (Subaru's new crossover) chassis which is still just a concept, but a few prototypes have been made, thus hinting that it's possible the SVX would possibly return sooner than you think.

The not so good information is that the new SVX might not come back at all, as the car did very bad in sales during the years it was being produced. However, studies show that the US market seems to be the one that wants the Subaru SVX to return the most. Also, the demand for two door Subaru's has never really been that high except for the Subaru BRZ.

Keep in mind that these are just rumors and should not be taken too seriously. A spokesperson from Subaru was asked about the rumor and they replied, "No, we haven't heard anything about this." That almost shot down our hopes, but we would love to know for sure if these interesting rumors are true and what Subaru's concepts would look like.

Hottest New Spy Shots!

The excitement of new cars is what keeps automotive enthusiasts like us on our toes all the time! We get butterflies anytime an automaker comes out with a new prototype and begins to test it. Usually from there, the flaws are sorted out and out comes a polished and refined new vehicle that is either loved or hated by the automotive community. We try to keep up as best as we can with when automakers are testing these new vehicles, so lets take a look at some of the newest!

BMW FAST
That's right, BMW is in the process of testing their new "Family Active Sports Tourer" or "FAST". To us it looks to be something like a mixture between a wagon, SUV and a hatchback. A plug in Hybrid set up will the main power plant of this new luxury wagon and is set to release late 2015 as 2016 model.  It's also rumored that the new "FAST" is to share the same chassis as the new BMW X2 which is supposed to be released in 2017.

2016 Cadillac CTS-V
If you're familiar with the CTS-V then you know that this Cadillac has always been a beast! This sports sedan will feature a hefty V8 like its previous model, but more power will be added. Word goes around that this car will house a 6.2 liter supercharged motor or possibly even a twin turbo 4.5 liter. This car is set to compete with the BMW M5 and Mercedes AMG S-Model. Although the price is likely to be set higher than $65k, Cadillac will also offer the smaller new ATS-V model which will be a bit cheaper yet still house a forced induction V6.

New Camaro

Chevrolet was caught testing out the new 2016 Camaro. With its slightly lighter and longer chassis plus a more aggressive look (bigger wheels, hood vents and quad tip mufflers) the new Camaro seems to be promising. You can of course expect this new Camaro to have both the V8 and V6 models, but dont be surprised if a base or eco model come out that has turbo 2.0 liter 4 cylinder.

2018 Audi A8
The 2018 model of this big body beauty is now being public road tested. Although there is a good amount of time before the A8 is released, we do know some changes have been made. The front intakes and rear suspension have been changed as well as lightening up the whole car quite a bit. A option of the V6, V8 and W12 will be available with a probable addition of a plug in hybrid model.

2016 Bentley SUV
You may have seen the concept of the new Bentley SUV on our social media pages a while back. But here are some actual pictures of the luxury vehicle. The new SUV will share the same platform as Audi Q7, VW Touareg and Lamborghini's new SUV. You can expect to see this model come out in a V8, W12 and Hybrid option and is set to come out late 2015 or early 2016.

2015 Civic Type R

As many of us in the states know, the Honda Civic Type R is the top model for the Civc line. Too bad we never got it and we probably never will. But for the rest of the world, they will receive this new track oriented looking Type R. With its sleek new design, widened fenders, huge spoiler, Brembo brakes, quad exhaust tips, extended tail lights (provides downforce) and 20 inch wheels this new Civic looks super aggressive and is built for the track. Honda's new turbo 2.0 liter motor is to deliver about 300+ horsepower which is plenty for this little car. Honda has been using the Mercedes A45 AMG as a benchmark, you will likely see the new Type R competing with upper class performance cars.   

2016 Jaguar Q-Type

With a very similar look to the sister company Land Rover's SUV, the spy shots of this Jaguar crossover still look pretty cool. It is set to compete with the Mercedes GLK Class and the BMW X3 along with other high end luxury crossovers. An eight speed transmission is to be paired with either all wheel drive or rear wheel drive and will be powered by either a 4 cylinder diesel or V6.