Welcome to Motoring Monday for September 29th
2015 Mercedes-AMG C63
On the heels of introducing the all-new 2015 C-Class sedans, Mercedes-Benz this week gives us the tire shredding Mercedes-AMG C63’s.
First of all, note what I just called it. Mercedes-Benz has changed the naming scheme for their AMG models now to Mercedes-AMG. We’re now to drop the Benz when talking performance.
The heart of the new Mercedes-AMG C63 and C63 S is the new AMG specific M177 twin-turbo 4.0 liter V8, a close relative of the M178 which debuts in the 2015 AMG-GT super-car.
It spins out 469 horsepower in base trim and 503 horsepower in the C63 S. The company says that model will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds with a top speed of 155mph.
An available performance exhaust allows you to control the engine sound with “Comfort”, “Sport +” and “Race” modes. In Race the V8 sound is thundering and raspy, tuned with acoustic tricks for shift points.
They have also managed to keep the curb weight of the C63 models at just over 3,600 lbs which should contribute to some excellent athletics compared to some in its element.
Standard is an adaptive sport suspension with electronically controlled shock absorbers, a mechanically locking rear axle and a drive select system with multiple drive modes.
And as if the Mercedes-AMG C63 itself isn’t special enough, there will be an exclusive “Edition 1” model available when they go on sale.
Texas State Fair: 2015 Toyota Tundra Bass Pro Shops
Our cameras took the trip to the Texas State Fair this week to capture all the latest truck news, and here is one of the fish we reeled in.
Toyota unveiled a regional special edition based on the 2015 Tundra known as the Bass Pro Shops Off-Road Edition, with Bass Pro celebrity angler and store founding family members on hand.
Based on the SR5 trim grade, the Bass Pro Shops Off-Road comes with unique satin black wheels, bulging fender arches and lined out with tubular running boards.
A spray on-bed liner and Bass Pro Shops graphics are found out back on the Tundra special edition which will be available only in silver. Those logos can also be found inside on the floor mats.
With it, you get a swag package of Bass Pro Shops lifestyle gear you can choose depending on your hobby area which they say is valued at about $1000.
The 2015 Toyota Tundra Bass Pro Shops Off-Road Edition starts at $43,975 and is available exclusively in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas.
Click on the link below to see our highlights from the Texas State Fair. The event is ground zero for truck news each fall with all of the automakers represented.
2015 Subaru Impreza
Subaru rolled out their mid-cycle freshening of their popular Impreza sedan and five-door this week, with new a look and long list of tech features.
Having been on the market since 2012, the current generation Impreza gets a new face for 2015 to bring it inline with the newly re-designed Legacy.
Revised front styling includes a new headlight design, grille and bumper cover. There are new side mirrors and sedans get a revised spoiler and LED third-brake lamp.
A rear view camera is now standard across the board, a feature made available through all-new infotainment systems inside. There you will also find upgraded trims and a quieter cabin afforded by new sound deadening.
Subaru makes available their new EyeSight driver assist systems for the 2015 Impreza which includes a variety of minders to keep you on track as well as fog-lights which follow your steering inputs.
Steering your Impreza is now assisted electronically for 2015 and if you get the 2.0i Premium the Lineartronic CVT is now standard equipment.
You can still get the 5-speed manual on lower trim grades. Whichever transmission you get, incline start assist is there to keep it from rolling backwards when taking off from a stop uphill.
With these enhancements Subaru boasts of class leading fuel economy for an all-wheel drive passenger car now with 28 mpg city, 37 mpg highway, and 31 mpg combined EPA estimates.
The new 2015 Subaru Impreza goes on sale later this year with pricing to be announced closer to launch.
Test Drives:
We got our long term drive in the 2015 Kia K-900 premium luxury sedan this week, seeing how well it stacks up to its would be competition.
The 5.0 V8 powered Kia rear-wheel drive super-stretch sedan is up in the same size category as some of Japan and Germany’s top of the line luxury sedans.
Priced around $66,000 fully optioned, our K-900 showed Kia’s strategy at offering more features and componentry for the money while matching it with a quality level that can compete.
Our drive test shows that they reached higher indeed with the well styled sedan but there are a few areas where it isn’t quite there yet. Watch the full review to get the rest of the story.
This week we’re taking the 2014 Toyota 4Runner Limited through the muddy back-trails of the Arizona Superstition Wilderness.
Shown here still clean, the 2014 4Runner remains the last of a breed of truck based mid-sized SUV’s with a true body-on frame off-road capability.
We’ll bring you a full report soon on this as well as the new 2015 Mustang which we are driving this week as well. Log onto TestDrivenTV for all of it.
Reality Check: Cadillac Moving and Naming Strategy
We talked last week of the new Cadillac flagship sedan to come next year, and this week America’s luxury brand hit us with two more headlines.
First, Cadillac announced they are breaking their design and brand marketing off from the GM headquarters in Detroit and moving to a fashionable loft style campus in New York City.
The feel good move is one to build a new culture and mindset at the brand, attract new talent, and really just sink their toes gleefully into the soft warm mud of the high fashion world. Probably a good move I think.
Cadillac followed this up by sharing the name of their new ultra luxury top of the line, rear-wheel drive, flagship to end all flagships would be……CT6.
CT6? Cadillac says it’s positioned above today’s CTS and XTS models and aims to join and I quote, “the elite group of top-class large luxury cars.”
The new name will be part of a new naming scheme at Cadillac where when older models get replaced and redesigned, their names will fall in line. So smaller models will be CT4, CT5, etc.
But for top-class isn’t 6 kind of average. I mean the biggest models from its would be competition have 7 and 8 in their names. Hell even Kia has nine.
You know what I’m sayin? Just sayin.
Money Shot
Now its time for our Money Shot where we pick the best photo from this week’s press releases and show it to ya.
The Paris Auto Show is coming up this week and one of the debuts will be the Infiniti Q80 Inspiration. The concept we’ll see more of soon gives us a look into what their own new flagship sedan will look like. I might add by the way, it has an 8 in its name.
Well that’s it for me this week, I think I might have said well more than enough to get myself in hot water. Click on the link to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. There, I’ll keep you up to date on our latest test drives, news and Motoring Monday episodes.
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