Fiat 500 Ron Arad Edition unveiled, goes on sale in November

Fiat 500 Ron Arad Edition

Will be shown alongside the 500 Comics & 500 Camouflage

Fiat has unveiled the 500 Comics, Camouflage and Ron Arad Editions ahead of their debut at the MotorVillage Rond-Point des Champs-Elysées in Paris.

First up, the 500 Ron Arad Edition features a black metallic exterior with the silhouette of the 1957 Fiat 500 on the sides. The car also has fog lights, white mirror caps and a glass sunroof. Other highlights include chrome-plated accents and 16-inch alloy wheels.

Interior pictures were not released but Fiat says the cabin has black Poltrona Frau leather seats, ivory trim and a digital instrument cluster. There's also a leather-wrapped steering wheel, automatic climate control and the Blue&Me connectivity system.

The Fiat 500 Ron Arad Edition will go on sale in Europe in November and each car will be delivered directly to the owner's home along with a 1:18 scale model of the car.

The 500 Comics and Camouflage aren't headed for production but they both feature unique exteriors which pay tribute to the "pop nature" of the car.

2016 Porsche Cayman facelift spied for the first time

2016 Porsche Cayman facelift / SB-Medien

Appears to feature minor styling changes

Our spies have already caught the facelifted Porsche Boxster on numerous occasions but here are the first photos of the updated Cayman.

Caught undergoing testing on the Nürburgring, the facelifted Cayman has a familiar design but adopts a new front bumper with LED daytime running lights. Additional changes are limited but we can see restyled mirrors and a new rear bumper with a revised diffuser.

Porsche CEO Matthias Müller has previously confirmed the next-generation Boxster and Cayman will have four-cylinder engines but speculation suggests the facelifted models could be offered with four-cylinder engines as well. Nothing is official but previous reports have suggested the company will offer a 1.6-liter with 210 bhp (156 kW), a 2.0-liter with 286 bhp (213 kW) and a 2.5-liter unit with 360 bhp (268 kW).

BMW 518d Sedan 2015

Visit BMW 518d Sedan 2015 for full details.

Volvo XC90 R-Design 2015

Visit Volvo XC90 R-Design 2015 for full details.

Cadillac Considers a Mercedes CLA Competitor

There's big news coming from Cadillac these days. After revealing plans to move its global headquarters to New York City, become its own business unit, and introduce a new naming scheme for its car lineup, GM's luxury division is also aiming to enter several new vehicle niches by the end of the decade. The announcement comes straight from Cadillac's new global chief, Johan de Nysschen, and hints that the South African-born executive is already elbow's deep in developing the American brand into a strong competitor for Germany's main brands - Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi. De Nysschen's first goal is to create a Cadillac-badged rival for the Mercedes CLA and the Audi A3 sedan.

Both compacts have been launched with great success in the United States. The CLA sold like hotcakes in its first months, resulting in low supply and a recent decision to boost U.S. stock to meet customer demand. Cadillac is aware of that de Nysschen said there "definitely" will be a compact smaller than the ATS to compete against the CLA and A3. The executive refrained from spilling more details on the compact, but added such a vehicle is essential if Cadillac is to become a strong global manufacturer.

But the CLA-rivaling sedan isn't the only brand-new vehicle de Nysschen is pushing for. A crossover between the SRX and the Escalade, as well as something below the SRX are also being considered. He even went as far as to say Cadillac could also use a model positioned above the flagship CT6 sedan due in 2015. Of course, none of the latter are set in stone, but the compact is likely the next all-new vehicle to come from Cadillac after the CT6.

Click past the jump to read more about Cadillac's future plans.

Cadillac Considers a Mercedes CLA Competitor originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 26 September 2014 19:00 EST.

read more

---

Video: Tribute To Audi UrQuattro

width="460" height="370" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0aHyDdPSfjE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>

We've all come to appreciate Audi's iconic quattro technology, one of the world's most potent all-wheel-drive systems. Its what makes modern Audis such great vehicles, from the full-size A8 sedan to the Q7 SUV and the R8 supercar.

Now in its seventh generation, the quattro system has been enabling Audi engines to send their power to all four corners for 34 years. That's not to say it took the Germans more than three decades to achieve perfection. No, the quattro was equally revolutionary when it was introduced in 1980, but sometimes it's a good idea to look back on those brilliant ideas that changed the automotive world forever. And that's what Petrolicious did with its latest video, which pays tribute to the UrQuattro, the first four-ringed vehicle to receive all-wheel-drive.

The UrQuattro, also known as simply Quattro, debuted in 1980 as a midsize, two-door coupe. While not exactly spectacular by design, the Quattro was the first vehicle to benefit from Audi's then brand-new all-wheel-drive system. The feat proved to be decisive into turning the boxy UrQuattro into a legend on both the road and rally courses.

Although the production car remained largely unchanged until it was discontinued in 1991, the Quattro spawned a series of fierce rally cars. It all began with the A1 in 1980, which then developed into the Group B-spec S1 evolution. The latter was one of the most extreme rally cars ever built and went on to win several WRC events and the Pikes Peak Hill Climb three years in a row. In all, the quattro system helped Audi score 23 rally wins and two WRC titles, among other trophies.

Sure, Audi is no longer building rally cars, but that's not to say the quattro has abandoned its motorsport roots. The connection is still obvious in the company's results at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a race the Germans have won 13 times the last 15 years.

But enough with the history, now hit the play button above for a trip down the memory lane with the initial Audi UrQuattro.

Video: Tribute To Audi UrQuattro originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 26 September 2014 20:00 EST.

read more

---

Video: Meet the AirDog Prototype; the GoPro Drone that Follows You

width="460" height="370" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/IcEnThx2440" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>

I have a GoPro Hero 3+ and aside from the Aston Martin DB5 and good Scotch, I think it is basically the greatest thing ever created. I use it to do all of my in-car review videos here on site, as well as every time lapse video you have seen from me. The only real problem with the GoPro, is that it is mounted to what I am driving. If I want an external shot, there are multiple people involved and it can be kind of hassle. But now there is a new thing called the AirDog, and it might just make my list of greatest inventions ever.

In a basic sense, the AirDog is a just a camera drone, a quadcopter. There are dozens for sale all over the internet and they allow you to fly a machine with a GoPro attached to it to get some great aerial shots. With this setup you still need a second person to fly the drone though, so it still isn't very useful to someone who does solo filming like I do. What makes the AirDog special is that it actually flies itself and follows you wherever you go.

It does this thanks to what the company calls an "air leash." This device connects to the Airdog, and then it stays strapped to the owner's wrist. The Airdog will continually follow the leash and stay at a defined height and distance. This gives you perfect aerial tracking shots without the help of another person. It is insanely brilliant. The wrist device allows you to change settings on the AirDog while it is in flight, and it is waterproof and shockproof so you don't have to worry about it.

The project was started as a Kickstarter, but it blew WAY past its funding goal and secured more than $1.3-million in funding. The project is off the ground now, and you can place a pre-order at Airdog.com.

First shipments are expected in December 2014.

See more videos of AirDog after the jump.

Video: Meet the AirDog Prototype; the GoPro Drone that Follows You originally appeared on topspeed.com on Saturday, 27 September 2014 18:00 EST.

read more

---