Tag Archives: cars

Renault Clio Sport, “Speed Dating”

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Clio RS Speed DatingWho said that speed dating was only about about dating? I present to you, Caroline, a young, sexy and charming woman driver. She doesn’t have the same concept of “speed dating” as others. That’s why a big surprise awaits her contenders. Even the most macho among them. The date happens in a 2013 Clio RS going insanely fast along a frozen track. The new RS is juiced by a turbocharged 1.6, 197bhp and 177lb ft of torque engine equipped with a dual-clutch transmission. This new engine really pissed the Clio purists that were used to the old 2.0 revvy, normally aspirated engine. More over, the fact that it is only available with that automatic transmission made them even more angry. Renault is trying to move on from that “the French automatic gear boxes are bad” stereotype by developing that new Dual Clutch gear box. Well they are not quite there yet. Some tiny little rumours say that a special “purist” edition will be released soon to make everyone happy. I’ll be watching that very closely.

BMW 1M, Perfect Balance

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P90069711The 1 Series M Coupé is not like other 1 Series models. It is not just a remapped version of the 135i as you would expect it. It is a proper M car. For a start it uses the suspension, the brakes, the wheels and the sport limited slick differential of the BMW M3. They have then been specially modified for use in this car. Think of it as having all of the best bits of the M3, but with more than 100 kg less mass to carry around. This baby M is equipped with the 3-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine of the Z4 sports car delivering 332hp at 5,900 rpm and 332lb/ft of torque (370 lb/ft available in over-boost mode) which sounds respectable but by no means exceptional for an M-car.

P90069707You would be surprise, its 50:50 weight balance, perfectly advertised in the video below, allow it to be as fun if not more fun to drive than its bigger sister, the M3. The M botton available on the steering wheel releases the exhaust and sharpens the throttle response. Small, compact and with its muscular wheel arches it is one of my favorite cars. A perfect M car targeted to a young generation. I just love the fact that it is only available with a proper manual gear box. A transmission that has been available for decades and won’t grow old over time, the better driver you are the faster you can shift gears. The interior is sporty and at the same time classy for everyday use. The alcantara, red stitches and M badges accentuates the fact that it is an M car. I just have a small problem with its name. Why wasn’t it called simply the M1? With an M1 badge at the back. Well other than that It is by far my favorite BMW.

Ferrari FF Joins The Dubai Police Patrol Cars

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lamborghini-aventador-lp-700-4-police-car--image-dubai-policeThe Italian police have always been famous for owning the fastest patrol cars in the world, two Gallardo LP560-4, to chase the most outlaw street racers. A couple of weeks ago they were dethroned by the Dubai police department announcing the arrival of an LP 700-4 Aventador patrol car. The tweet by Dubai Police HQ stated “Latest #Dubai_Police patrols, now at your service,” with it was attached the pic of the Aventador equipped with a police siren. The pic was taken in front of the Dubai Mall, the world’s biggest shopping center. Well the “at your service” part of the tweet is not exactly true, this 700hp supercar’s function is just to cruise in tourist areas to impress foreign travelers and give a “classy” and “wealthy” image of Dubai. For car chases, the Dubai Police has at its disposal a couple of brand new Chevy Camaro, an american muscle car that is powerful enough and not that expensive to repair.

72331887Like all that was mentioned above wasn’t impressive enough, the Dubai Police Station just announced the arrival of a new supercar to the patrol team, a 6.3-liter V12, 651hp Ferrari FF. I suspect that the Ferrari, like the Aventador, won’t be used to chase wealthy Dubai citizen that decided to have some fun with their supercars. Instead the FF will be used to cruise around crowded and tourist areas to impress the foreigners. At a time when the biggest part of the world is going through a financial crises, Dubai strikes once again with another impressive spending, adding another achievement to their “Most Impressive in the World” collection.

B.J. Baldwin in the MonsterEnergy 850hp Trophy Truck.

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M3 girl“Most companies spend their money on ad agencies, TV commercials, radio spots, and billboards to tell you how good their products are. Instead, we support the scene, our bands, our athletes and our fans!” – Monster. Following the series of Ken Block’s mind blowing videos, (which you can access by clicking here) Monster presents their new mascot, B.J. Baldwin, trophy truck pilot and stuntman. Baldwin takes the 850-horsepower, 34-inches suspension, 150 mph top speed Monster Energy Trophy Truck for a spin, jumps over a Nissan GT-R, picks up a hot chick, and ruins the photoshoot of a BMW M3 by covering it with sand. He’s destination, Aria hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada for a date. Add to that a couple of drifts, and slow-motion shots and you got yourself the perfect recipe for a million views youtube video. Monster Energy, I salute you for sponsoring those amazing, crazy, professional athletes. Special thanks to Wael Makarem for sharing the video with TheAdsGarage.

Jaguar commercial: The XKRS-GT

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Jaguar-XKR-S_GT_2014Jaagg is going mad at the New York motorshow. Presenting the fastest Jag to ever hit the streets, an XKRS with two extra letters: GT. These two additional letters transformed the regular XKRS into a wind slicer. The front-end gets a new carbon-fibre splitter, along with carbon winglets, venting in the bonnet, a carbon fibre diffuser and a fixed rear wing, which contributes to a maximum 145kg of downforce.

Jaguar-XKR-S_GT_2014_HoodThe standard XKR-S’s drivetrain remains, with a 542bhp and 680Nm of torque 5-litre supercharged V8 driving the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic gearbox. The mix of the carbon fiber aerodynamics parts and the supercharged V8 result in a 0-100km/h in 3.9 sec instead of 4.2 sec. This bullet is not only the fastest jag but also the first to be equipped with carbon ceramic brakes. The wheel-arch have been extended for improved air flow and superior brake cooling.

Jaguar-XKR-S_GT_2014_rearIt would really be awkward going to the office in such a car. It is definitively not suitable for daily use but would be perfect for a Sunday drive. With its modified Eibach springs the ride won’t be very comfortable specially on our beloved Lebanese roads. But who cares about comfort when you have a car with a massive rear spoiler at the back, some mustaches at the front and yellow brake calipers in the middle. The commercial reminds me of the XFRS one which you can access by clicking here. The only difference is that this car is advertised as a track car (which it sort of is) rather than a road car. It is what I call a typical “roaring around the circuit” commercial.

Bentley Commercial: A W12 Drifting on Ice

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Bentley-Continental_GT_2012 DriftEver thought like drifting your living room on ice? Well here you have it. Presenting the luxuriousness and massive Bentley continental GT going sideways. Under the bonnet, a 6.0 twin turbo W12 engine delivering 567hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. This massive amount of torque is transmitted to the all-wheel drive system via an upgraded six-speed Quickshift transmission that allows double down shifting (from 4th to 2nd gear for example). The exterior look still hasn’t changed, no face lifting no nothing. Regarding the interior, you know what to expect, the typical Bentley luxury. This two tons car is able to achieve the 0-100km in 4.6 seconds, exactly like the lightweight Alfa Romeo 4C that was previously reviewed on TheAdsGarage.

Bentley-Continental_GT_2012 drifting backNot at all my type of cars. I would never buy a car in that category. I find it too massive and too luxurious, the typical car of a 65 years old millionaire equipped with a white mustache and a cigar, that goes to the Golf court every Sunday. I would rather own a classic car like a GT500 or a Mercedes 300SL.

Alfa Romeo Commercial: The 4C

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Alfa_Romeo-4C_2014_frontThe 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?Alfa_Romeo-4C_2014_rear

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.4c side

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

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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. Ferrari-LaFerrari_2014 Front

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.Ferrari-LaFerrari_2014_Back

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.Ferrari-LaFerrari_2014 interior

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).

Audi Commercial: The Ultimate Paintball Duet

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The Duel

Staggering video by Audi promoting there brand new version of the RS4. This restyled version incorporates the same 4.2 liters direct-injected V-8 of the previous RS4. This time the V8 has been tweaked to now produce 450 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque. A Quattro AWD system will be responsible to convert this power to the road. In normal driving the torque will be rear-biased at 40/60 percent. A crown-wheel center differential can adjust this ratio almost instantly between 70/30 and 15/85 according to road conditions and driver input. A special edition sport differential that can handle the full amount of torque on the rear wheels can be ordered as extra. Regarding the design, the car has a very sporty yet classy look. The 2 big rear exhaust tips are just gorgeous. They will be fitted on all the RS models.

Audi Paint ballFor this video, “Rubber Republic” fitted the two fully equipped 2013 RS4 with professional paint ball guns and a couple of GoPro cameras. (You can check the making of the video by clicking here). The output is a big mess of paint in this military hangar, to the sound of “Push it to the Limit,” by Paul Engeman. Two professional drivers, Jim Dowdall & Colin Skeaping, two of the UK’s most experienced stuntmen, were picked for this Ultimate Paintball Duet, they earned points each time they were able to hit each others car with a paint ball. (You can check an interview with them by clicking here) Will there be a Paintball Edition RS4 avant? Well as much as I would like it, I am sorry to tell you no.

Mercedes Commercial: The A45 AMG

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Mercedes-Benz-A45_AMG_2014 back

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 interiorThe 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.