Scion Arrives at Dealers

Scion announced that their new rear-drive sports cars can now be had--for prices starting at $24,200--at Scion dealerships nationwide.

“The incredibly positive buzz surrounding the FR-S has generated an impressive list of hand-raisers and pre-sold orders,” said Scion vice president Jack Hollis. “Scion is thrilled that the FR-S is now available throughout its strong network of about 1,000 dealers. We can’t wait for performance driving enthusiasts to get into the FR-S because we know that they are going to love it!”

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Improved Le Mans Turbocharger Technology Critical Engine Downsizing

Unlike other motorsport brands and organizations that offer pure spec racing--that is, universal specifications for all teams and models--Le Mans racers allow for differentiating technology to be pursued at a team’s discretion. This can be a boon to technological progress.

As Le Mans continues to be a test-bed for performance automotive technology that eventually makes it way to mass market consumer models, watching the year-to-year adjustments from companies like Audi, Chevrolet, and Toyota can be a window into the future of all automobiles.

Two hot trends right now in this ultra high-performance sector are hybrid technology and displacement reduction. Whereas the Le Mans-winning 2006 entry by Audi featured 12 cylinders, the 2012 entry only uses 6. These smaller engine sizes are only possible because of advances in turbocharger design--a third important trend on its own.

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2013 Mercedes SLS AMG Gets Performance Bump--And A New Badge

The 2013 Mercedes SLS AMG will receive updates engine, transmission, and suspension to improve performance--and a new badge.

With performance enhancements ranging from improved suspension calibration, revised transmission characteristics that result in faster shift times, and a 20 hp bump, seeing the “GT” addendum to its name perhaps should not be surprising.

This improved performance version of Mercedes’ halo car will be called the Mercedes SLS AMG GT.

And if you live in the United States, for 2013 GT guise is the only one available--in either Roadster or Coupe form.

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