If I were Mini, this is how I propose the third gen Mini John Cooper Works GP powertrain be

So, Autocar reported that the third generation John Cooper Works GP is in Mini's bucket list. Hurrayy!! The catch is you may have to wait a little longer, as forecasted by Autocar, "closer to the end of the decade", which might probably be around 2020. This hot hatch has been historically known to be the end-of-chapter model to its regular hatch counterpart. 

Now let's cut to the chase. Befitting this post's headline, the powertrain will be the thing I am zooming into...with my own twist.

The 2013 Mini John Cooper Works GP is motivated by a 1.6 litre turbocharged direct injected 4 cylinder mill which, thanks to a bump in compression ratio, boosts output to 218 hp. Power goes to the pair of front wheels via the sole 6 speed manual transmission. 

Now, I would like to get a bit cheeky with the powertrain layout. It's common knowledge that Mini is owned by the BMW Group. If I were in Mini's shoes, here's what I would do to spice up the third gen John Cooper Works GP. I would dispose of the current 4 cylinder engine for BMW's 3 litre turbocharged inline 6 that makes around 330 hp and channel those power to the rear wheels through a stick shift without any fancy auto rev match feature (I would heel toe myself thank you). The result? Voila! An FR Mini John Cooper Works GP, along the lines of the 2015 BMW M135i. 

Yea...I am a bit cheeky with the power figure (330 vs 322 on M135i). Not that much difference, though I would figure the John Cooper Works 1179 kg (without factoring the extra weight from the extra 2 cylinders and propshaft) vs the M135i 1520 kg is more than enough to offset the minute power difference. This should give Munich a run for its money. 

How much would my hypothetical Mini John Cooper Works GP weigh once the 6 cylinders and propshaft's weight is counted? It's anyone's guess. Maybe still lighter than the M135i? Or close to M135i's figure?

What do you think of my hypothetical Mini? Do sound off in the comment section!

One-off Ferrari SP 275 RW Competizione-F12 Berlinetta Chassis; F12 tdf Engine and Gearbox

Source: 350z33 via wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0/ Cropped from original

One last hurrah before the arrival of 2017, Ferrari decided to roll out a homage model for their legendary 275 GTB model that left its mark from 1964 to 1968. Christened the SP 275 RW Competizione, you have to be one lucky chap to even stake your ownership claim because this homage model is limited to just...one unit. Yep, you heard it right. Only one up for grabs.

Since it's based on the V12-powered 275 GTB, it's fitting to have a V12 behemoth plonked under the hood. It's not just any V12 though, because the engine is directly taken from the lairy F12 tdf rather than from the F12 Berlinetta the chassis is based on. The upshot is a tasteful 770 hp and 705 Nm worth of naturally aspirated goodness. Sitting between the V12 and the rear wheels is the prancing horse proprietary F1 7 speed dual clutch transmission.

The yellow paint is reminiscent to the 275 GTB Ecurie Francorchamps that famously won the 1965 Le Mans GT Class. What sets apart the modern day adaptation from the Ecurie Francorchamps is the headlight and front fascia.

If you have the cash and appreciate its historic racing success, better grab your one and only chance to have your name written all over this car before someone else beat you to it! 

  

Lamborghini Aventador S-more powerful, 4 wheel steering, new Ego driving mode

Source: http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/2017-lamborghini-aventador-s-revealed-730bhp

So, you own a base Lamborghini Aventador, but you believe it needs some additional tweaking to bring out its best potential. Well, the raging bull has the answer-meet the Lamborghini Aventador S! The more potent Aventador iteration now comes with new features that previously didn't exist on the base model-more power, 4 wheel steering and Ego driving mode. 

Let's start with power shall we? If you're wary of the current trend in downsizing and turbocharging, then good news for you. Lamborghini refrains from resorting to turbo and reducing the engine capacity (phew). The good ol' 6.5 litre naturally aspirated V12 soldiers on, now outputting 740 hp (+40 hp from the base model) to Haldex Generation IV all wheel drive via the firm's 7 speed Independent Shifting Rod (ISR) transmission. The extra power comes from the adjustment made to the engine's Variable Valve Timing and Variable Intake System, plus boosting maximum rev from 8350 rpm to 8500 rpm.

If your Aventador has made you feel like pulling your hair while searching for parking space or it's downright scary at speed, the Aventador S adds the first ever 4 wheel steering on a production Lamborghini. The system works by slightly turning the rear wheels in the opposite direction of the front wheels at low speed (the car will turn tighter) and in the same direction as the front wheels at high speed (stabilises the car). 

Next up is the new driving mode dubbed as Ego. Adding to the already existing Strada, Sport and Corsa mode, Ego basically allows you to personalise the car's suspension and engine settings to suit your preferences. Great for strutting your 'machoness'.

If you're a type who craves power, razor sharp handling and a more personalised driving experience, the new Aventador S is a perfect bull for you!

2017 Dodge Challenger GT AWD-all wheel drive, V6, 8 speed auto

Rear wheel drive. The mainstay of American muscle cars for decades. Now Dodge decides to go against the grain with their latest Challenger model-2017 Dodge Challenger GT AWD. Yep, it's all wheel drive now. Is Dodge proving a point with the snowy picture?

I heard you exclaiming 'What?! All wheel drive??'. No worries. In normal condition it's purely rear wheel drive. The active transfer case will engage the front axle only when traction-limited.

There's no V8 nor manual for this beast. Only a 3.6 litre Pentastar V6 is hiding under the bonnet, good for 305 hp and 363 Nm of torque. An 8 speed TorqueFlite automatic with paddle shifters is your only transmission option.

Mazda says no RX-9; rotary engine to be used as range extender

Source: J. Lyon via Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0

Wait a minute?? No RX-9? No rotary engine goodness?? This has to be a heartbreaking moment for rotary's diehard. Though I've never driven a Mazda-powered 'dorito' engine, I can see the appeal of its crisp, smooth, high-revving nature. 

With RX-9 out of the picture, don't expect rotary engine to solely power you down the highway. The good news is you don't have to give up on your dorito yet...but with a twist.  

Masamichi Kogai, Mazda CEO, told Automotive News in an interview that rotary engine will still be around, but as a range extender for their hybrid cars. To be blamed: emission and fuel efficiency.

"Considering regulations such as the zero-emissions vehicle mandate, electrification is a technology we need to introduce in the near future. The range extender would be the first." Kogai told Automotive News.

When asked by Automotive News if there's any plan for a future RX-8 successor with range extender, Kogai suggested that the MX-5 (Miata in the US) already offers an "exhilarating experience". I guess this means if you want the thrill of Mazda's sports car, the MX-5 should be in your shopping list.

So, with RX-9 not in the bucket list and you still crave for the rotary's screaming high rev to get you down the road, get a used RX-8, or if you still own one, cherish it till the end! 

Second-generation Toyota GT86 is on its way!

Source: http://pinthiscars.com/image-post/1281-toyota-gt86-2017-9.jpg.html#gal_post_1281_toyota-gt86-2016-5.jpg

Long live the hachiroku! If you're a fan of the GT86, then Toyota has a good piece of news: the second-generation GT86 is on its way! You may have to wait until 2018 or 2019 though.

What sort of engine will it get and will Subaru continue to be Toyota's partner in crime? Autocar spoke with Karl Schlicht, the boss of Toyota European division. Schlicht hasn't confirmed if Subaru will continue to co-develop the second-generation GT86, but is highly likely the partnership is still on the card to take advantage of the low-mounted boxer engine.

"I don't know. But for the concept to carry on, with the low engine, we'd have to do that. There are a lot of reasons to continue with Subaru." said Schlicht.

If you recall, the GT86 was given a mid-life makeover early this year, with revised suspension and for manual model, a slightly higher power (from 200 to 205) and torque (from 205 to 214) plus shorter gear ratio. 

To me personally, there's more to be desired. Though I've never driven the GT86, 200 hp is just too low personally. Toyota, we want more powahhh! Ferrari 458 engine swap anyone?

Audi Q2 deep learning - a step towards autonomous parking

Source: https://www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/photos/album/audi-q2-deep-learning-concept-728

Parking can be such as a frustrating chore and make you pull your hair out. Automakers have addressed it with a suite of automatic parking technology. But, what if the car can learn the art of parking overtime that it becomes so smart you can leave the parking chore wholly to the car? Enter Audi's Q2 deep learning concept.  

How does the concept work? In a nutshell, a pair of mono cameras are fitted front and rear. 10 ultrasonic sensors are placed at points all around the concept. An on-board computer will receive the information and converts the information into signals to control the steering and electric motor.

Source: https://www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/photos/album/audi-q2-deep-learning-concept-728

The concept will then scan for an available parking space by itself. For the purpose of this demo, the parking space is represented by a metal frame as shown in the image above.

After identifying where it is relative to the parking space, it will determine how it's going to navigate itself into the parking space and steer, drive forward and drive backward until it's perfectly parked inside the space. All this is done without human input.

How does deep learning algorithm enables full autonomous parking ability? Through good ol' trial and error. The algorithm will experiment with different number of manoeuvre until it identifies which manoeuvre will increase chances of success. Once it does, you may enjoy a hassle-free parking. The car will do it for you while you delightfully continue sipping your latte.

With the future seemingly heading towards an era of automation, this deep learning concept will, in my opinion, become a viable technological solution to create a more pleasant commuting experience.