Lamborghini Huracan Official Video

Posted on March 4, 2014 by JP Zakher

A typical apocalyptic commercial for the official launch of the Huracan. You might think that Lamborghini has dropped the tradition of naming its car models after reputed bulls but you would be wrong. According to Lamborghini, Huracán was a bull that fought in Alicante in 1879. With its triple meaning of storm, Mayan god, and raging bull, this might be the coolest car name ever.

Considered the entry-level Lamborghini, what the California is to Ferrari, it is the replacement of the company’s best-selling model ever, the Gallardo. A worth successor? Powered by a 5.2-liter direct-injected V10 delivering 610 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque that bull would fly the 0-100 km/h in 3.2 seconds (0.2 faster than the 458). The chassis, the result of the combined work of Audi and Lambo weighs 10 per cent less than the Gallardo, but is 50 per cent stiffer thanks to the use of carbon fiber and aluminum. Transmitting the immense power to the new freshly engineered all wheel drive system is a 7 speed dual clutch gear box. A clever feature allows you to hold the left hand paddle as you’re braking hard, entering a corner, automatically the lowest gear possible will be selected in order to provide you with maximum acceleration out of it. All those elements can react differently to the click of a button, the ANIMA (translates as ‘soul’ in Italian) on the bottom of the steering wheel which is much like Ferrari’s Manettino dial.

Being a mix of Aventador and Gallardo, that beast look angry! And it sounds very angry too, judging by that apocalyptic launching ad which reminds me of the Aventador launching commercial released a couple of years ago. The world is coming to an end, the earth’s 5 elements are going crazy and your Lambo is your only key of survival! So, a worth successor? I would say definitely yes even though I think a couple of more ponies could have fitted under the hood. When Ferrari is extracting 570hp out of its V8, 610hp is a bit short for a V10. Yep I would still get a 458 over that massive bull. Oh oh and I forgot to mention, there is a Huracan coming to Lebanon in a couple of month and I met its owner 😉 So stay tuned to TheAdsGarage instagram account to have a first glimpse at it!

Audi S1 SportBack Quattro

Posted on March 3, 2014 by JP Zakher

To be honest, I don’t believe in S models when it comes to Audi. For me it is either you buy the chilling A version or the proper, sporty RS. But that S1 was an exception to the rule. As a big fan of hot hatches, it couldn’t go unnoticed. With its 231hp and 272lb-ft squeezed out of a 2.0 Turbocharged 4 cylinder engine, that car, the size of a Ford Fiesta, would burn the 0-100km/h in just 5.8 seconds. It might be a couple of horses short compared to the previously released, limited edition A1 Quattro (256hp and 258lb-ft of torque) but it has more torque making the acceleration more brutal. Unlike the special edition A1, it can be ordered in several brand new Audi colors like that gorgeous Yellow Vegas. It just looks stunning with those new front Xenon headlights and led taillights and have you seen that spoiler and those 4 tail pipes?! With Audi’s Quattro and a manual gear box, that S1 must be a joy to drive. It even has 5 doors so you can take your pals for a hot climb to the mountains or for some drifting on snow.

Price wise, with the A1 costing around $40K I would suspect the S1 to have a selling price in Lebanon of around $60K. Is it worth it for a car the size of a matchbox with the engine of a GTI? Even tough they don’t really belong to the same category, I think I would rather pay a bit more and get myself a proper MK7 GolfR (full review available right here) which is more spacious and has 300 ponies awaiting to be whipped.

Alfa Romeo Commercial: The 4C

Posted on March 12, 2013 by JP Zakher

The mini supercar, it was labeled at the Geneva motor show were it was officially revealed to the public. The Alfa Romeo 4C marks the return of the brand to the world of lightweight sports coupés, an extraordinary event. When all the other supercar manufacturers were focusing on power delivery, Alfa Romeo decided to focus on agility. The power, delivered to the rear wheels, is provided by a 1.7 turbo 4 cylinder engine delivering 240hp and 258 ft.lb of torque which is ok performance. The transmission is a TCT (Twin Clutch Transmission), automatic transmission which is being used on most of the cars available at this 83rd edition of the Geneva Motor show. With the small Giulietta costing around 45000$ in Lebanon the 4C is gonna cost a minimum of 75000$. So what is so special about this new Alfa Romeo coupés?

Well it weight: 895kg. You read it right, eight hundred and ninety five kilograms. Putting in mind that a Suabru BRZ weighs 1230kg, that is staggering. Because it’s so light, in power-to-weight terms, it has 268bhp per ton. That’s more than the lightest Porsche Cayman S (246bhp per ton), and even a base model 911 Carrera (253bhp per ton). Add that to a mid-mounted engine, it burns the 0-100km in just 4.5 seconds. This 240hp car promises to be very agile through the corners and fast in a strait line.

I think that it is this agility aspect that is implemented in the commercial:it is so light that is cuts through air and is faster than the wind. A bit far fetched but I like it. Regarding the car itself, I loved it. It looks amazing, very sporty, very aggressive, yet so classy, so Alfa. The small painted Italian flags similar to Zonda’s ones on the side mirrors are a lovely detail. Its shape is very neat and beautifully drawn. Looking at the side of the car, the front bonnet and headlights reminded me of the 911 look. Well maybe it is just me. Any way, even with all of that said, and knowing that we are in the 21st century and that technology has evolved dramatically, I would still think twice before buying an Alfa. They had such amazing yet fragile cars in their history that I am still a bit reluctant. Still, I find this 4C, as Alfa Romeo mentions it at the end of the commercial, a “Pure Alfa Romeo”. I just hope that it won’t break down like a pure Alfa.

Ferrari Commercial: LaFerrari

Posted on March 10, 2013 by JP Zakher

Ferrari-LaFerrari_2014_side

Arriving at the Geneva motor show, everyone expected the P1 to be the only star of the show they were surprised to find 2 other, the Lamborghini Veneno and the LaFerrari, the new breed of the Enzo. Since the Venom is gonna be owned by only 3 persons on the planet, two Americans and a guy from Saudi Arabia we can forget about it and focus more on the two main rivals, the P1 and the LaFerrari.

Developed in 499 examples and in collaboration with the F1 Scuderia Ferrari team and drivers, Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa LaFerrari is the fastest Hybrid production car ever build. It is equipped with a 6.3 liters V12 engine that revs to a maximum of 9,250 rpm and delivers 800hp combined to it, a HY-KERS electric motor with 163hp. This adds up to a total output of 963hp and 900 Nm of torque coupled with the F1 dual-clutch gearbox to the benefit of optimal weight distribution. The electric motor works in collaboration with the V12 making sure torque levels are high at low revs. The batteries are charged under braking (even hard braking with the ABS active) and every time the V12 produces more torque than required, such as in cornering. In the latter instance, rather than the being sent to the wheels, the excess torque is converted to energy and stored in the batteries.

The design of the car was achieved by putting an Enzo into a wind tunnel and fine tuning it. The chassis is made with no less than four different types of carbon-fibre. The seats are melted into it. It is the steering wheel and the gas and braking paddles that can be adjusted to fit the drivers dimensions.The seating position is very similar to the one in an F1 racing car: very low, close to the ground making sure the center of gravity of the car is as low as possible. LaFerrari benefits from an active and instantaneous aerodynamic system. Five flaps (two in front one in the middle and two at the back) located under the car and big rear spoiler generate downforce when needed without compromising the car’s overall drag coefficient.

LaFerrari? What sort of name is that? What is the next one gonna be called LaFerrari II or something? Replacing the famous Enzo and after 11 years of research, I think that a more interesting name for it could have been found. The over-all look of the car is fine but I have some problems with a couple of details. The front bonnet is and the back are very inspired by the Enzo, which is good. However the front lights and the rear ones are stolen from a 458 Italia, the side mirrors look like a mixed of the Mclaren MP-4 and the Zonda ones and why is steering wheel in sort of a square shape? For a successor of the Enzo I think it should have been more refined, it is not “magical” enough. I feel like the Ferrari team was so focused on the performance and tech stuff that they missed out a bit on the design phase. In case you feel like watching an Enzo drift on dirt, you can always click here. (The P1 will be reviewed and compared in another post later on).

VW Commercial: The GTI 7

Posted on March 4, 2013 by JP Zakher

UPDATED: Had the chance to drive this beauty today (27-03-2014) and I have to say I had a blast! The car feels light, the steering is smooth and precise, and most importantly, the DSG burp is still there 😉 I just can’t get enough of that exhaust “explosion” sound every time you up-shift at around 5000 rpm. In Lebanon the GTI comes as standard equipped with an LSD, a touch screen, parking sensors on the front, back and side to side, and a media plug in to connect your phone. The automatic start and stop option won’t be available on models sold in Lebanon. Yes it has no hand brake but for the first time you can completely disengage the ESP by keeping the button pressed for around 10 seconds. Starting price is around $49K. Ain’t that cheap but, well these are the prices of hot hatches in Lebanon lately! Can’t wait to give the new GolfR a spin! I was told it is going to reach the motherland in mid-July. Will keep you guys posted.

Amazingly staggering and peaceful commercial by VW for the official launching of the new GTI 7. The all timer hot hatch is back with its 7th edition that will be revealed at the Geneva motor show in a couple of days. This new breed will be equipped with a revised version of the previous 2.0 turbo charged 4 cylinder engine delivering 220hp (10 more that the GTI 6) and 258 lb-ft of torque. The six speed manuel and DSG will be offered with a Stop-Start system as standard. This system, saves fuel and trims exhaust emissions by cutting the engine when the vehicle is at a complete stop. This makes the Golf 7 GTI 18 percent more fuel efficient than the outgoing model. This new Golf GTI has lost around a 100kg over its older brother and has firmer suspension. A sport package will be available. It brings with it 10 extra ponies, a torque-sensing limited-slip front differential and up-sized brakes all around.

Front wheel drifting is most easily done and has always been done by applying the hand break: The hand break locks the rear wheels and the car goes sideways. By checking the video below you will see that the rear wheels are not locked when the car is going sideways meaning no hand break was applied. Guess why! Because there is no proper hand break in this new GTI!! There is a stupid and small (P) button like the one you find in the new Tiguan, an electronic hand break. Moreover, I hate the fact that the Stop-Start system cuts the engine automatically when the car is in a complete stop. Imagine being in a traffic in Beirut and your GTI going on and off every time every 2 minutes. Hope the car can be ordered without that option.

Other than that, the car does look good in pictures so far. Rolling at night like in the commercial, the car looks very classy. I suspect that it will look even more impressive live. The interior looks very clean, clear, luxurious and useful. You feel like everything is where it is suppose to be. No clocks or random stuff hanging around. The steering wheel is a bit weird but I like it. Driving wise, I suspect the new GTI 7 to be a wonderful car. I own the fifth generation GTI and I love it even more every day. Rendez vous in a couple of days in Geneva!!

Mercedes Commercial: The A45 AMG

Posted on February 16, 2013 by JP Zakher

Mercedes finally revealed the AMG version of their small A class hatchback model. What they came up with is the most powerful series production four-cylinder turbo engine in the world. Its output? 360hp and 450Nm of torque!! YES 360HP!! A 4 matic all wheel drive will make sure to transfer that power safely to the road through a 7 speed dual clutch gear box. Being an AMG car, its engine is hand built following the AMG philosophy of “one man one engine”. The beasts exhaust system is fitted with an exhaust flap that provides a striking engine sound when the throttle is open and during gear shifting. This flap makes sure that the exhaust is silent during normal, calm driving sessions and shouting out loud during more sporty and aggressive sessions.

Mercedes-Benz-A45_AMG_2014 interior The look of the car is unfashionable, it is simple and sexy from the outside and damn does it look luxurious on the inside! With this model Mercedes has jumped at the head of the hot hatch category, a market in which they were totally absent. The super expensive RS3 with its 2.5 liters turbocharged V5 delivering around 340 hp looks ridiculous compared to this new Merc. Even though I wasn’t a big fan of Mercedes Benz, I am really considering buying this new model in the coming years. Being a hot hatch enthusiast, the RS3 was high ranked in my list of favorite cars, it has now been outrun by this outstanding A45 AMG. The AMG team, I salute you. To hear this beast farting, you can check its first track test by clicking here.