At this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este premier, a new BMW Zagato Coupe (based off of the BMW Z4 Roadster) will be featured along with a host of other coachbuilder creations. The BMW Zagato Coupé, a result of a unique collaboration between the Milanese coachbuilder Zagato team and BMW, will be on hand showcasing its distinctive design.

The BMW Zagato Coupé embodies the principle design elements of both BMW and the time-honored Zagato coachbuilder. The BMW Zagato Coupé is a one-off model born from many hours of skilled hand-craftsmanship. The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este Premier is the perfect venue for showcasing such a creation as it remains one of the most exclusive events for introducing hand-built one-off automotive designs from renowned coachbuilders.

Love it or hate it, the BMW Zagato Coupé is a one-of-a-kind creation meticulously crafted to show off a truly unique form.

In the perspective of a supercar, Renault attempts to brand their very own as a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the original Alpine A110. The new Renault Alpine Concept was influenced by the Renault DeZir concept and based off of the Megane Trophy (Renault Megane Coupe V6-powered mid-engine sports car).

The Alpine concept features a carbon fiber body, semi-circle LED lights mimicking the DeZir’s fog lights, a roof-mounted air intake, 21-inch alloy wheels shod in Michelin tires and scissor doors.

Everything about the Alpine concept is sporty but somewhat reserved in terms of a true supercar due to its modest 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 400 horsepower and 311ft.lbs. of torque. Power is directed to the rear wheels via a limited slip differential and 6-speed sequential transmission.

Other aspects of the Alpine include large high-performance brakes, near 50/50 weight distribution, Sachs adjustable dampers and an integrated pneumatic jacking system for easy repair and servicing.

In my carnal mind I want to believe that this could be the predecessor to a new Nissan or Infiniti product here in the States due to the Renault-Nissan ties. We can only hope so.

A CONCEPT CAR TO CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF THE ALPINE A110

The Alpine Berlinette turns 50 this year and, to mark the event, Renault has created a concept car named Renault Alpine A110-50, dedicated to performance and driving enjoyment.
So what’s in a name? In some cases, the heritage of a name is like a national treasure – and that’s certainly true for Alpine. Its DNA blends Renault’s sporting passion and technical expertise.

May 25, 2012
“Developing this concept car was a great adventure. It was a catalyst for creativity. We wanted to make a Berlinette that was of our time, and which boldly embodies Renault’s passion for motorsport. We were guided by our hearts and emotions.” Axel Breun, Concept and Show Car Director.

SUMMARY
CHAPTER 1
Alpine DéZir – The creation of the Renault Alpine A110-50
CHAPTER 2
Renault Alpine A110-50 – Chassis and suspension
CHAPTER 3
Renault Alpine A110-50 – Engine and gearbox
CHAPTER 4
Renault Alpine A110-50 – The legacy of the Berlinette
CHAPTER 5
The Berlinette – A look back at a glorious past in motorsport

CHAPTER 1: The creation of the Renault Alpine A110-50 concept car
A new interpretation of a timeless design

To mark the 50th anniversary of the iconic Berlinette, Design Yann Jarsalle and Concept and Show Car Director Axel Breun reinterpreted the original design cues to include the new Renault design language introduced by Laurens van den Acker with the DEZIR concept car, and which will soon be rolled out in the company’s future models. The new front-end look, with the upright, confident diamond, has been adapted for this very low and wide car. The Renault Alpine A110- 50 is a car of today; a bold embodiment of RENAULT’s passion for motorsport.

“For everybody on the team, it was a dream come true to work on an Alpine concept car. We wanted to put this car firmly in the modern day, while resonating with its heritage” Laurens van den Acker, Senior VP, Corporate Design.

The Renault Alpine A110-50 concept car translates the most characteristic design features of the original A110 in a modern and spectacular way with:
- the sculpted forms of its elegant, flowing bodywork, enhanced by lights over which air seems to flow effortlessly.
- the half-domed additional lamps, with a technical but nostalgic interpretation, thanks to full LED yellow lighting – as it should be!
- a characteristic 3D rear window, which reveals the mid-rear engine.
- air intakes on each side echo the ducts on the rear wheel arches of the Berlinette. The right-hand opening is for gearbox cooling, the left is for the engine bay.

Produced by Faster, the carbon-fibre bodywork features a new shade of blue which refreshes and reinterprets the famous original ‘Alpine Blue’. Every opening panel does so with dynamics worthy of the finest GTs, with the bonnet hinged at the front and the engine bay cover opening towards the rear. The doors feature a scissor motion.

“The car is very curvy, like the Berlinette, while expressing the three key words of our new design policy: simple, sensual and friendly” Axel Breun.

A competition-focused cockpit
As you climb into the driving seat, the eye is drawn to the carbon-fibre sills.
Everything inside this two-seater expresses build quality and sportiness, with black dominant.
- the driver’s seat features embroidered ‘Renault Alpine A110-50′ badging, Sabelt full
harness belts and different, attractive shades of blue.
- the dashboard is particularly uncluttered. The Renault Design-created steering wheel
incorporates a colour screen and houses the same technology as a Formula Renault 3.5
single-seater to provide drivers with all the information they need.
- Racing driver equipment is provided by Sabelt and the helmet is created by Ruby.

CHAPTER 2: the Renault Alpine A110-50 concept car – Chassis and suspension
A true prototype
Produced with the renowned expertise of Renault Sport Technologies, the Renault Alpine A110- 50 is imbued with the world of motorsport. It benefits from the experience gained from the racing Mégane Trophy by using the same technical platform. Acclaimed by drivers in the WORLD SERIES by RENAULT, the tubular chassis of the Renault Alpine A110-50 has been stiffened and undergone several developments. The roll cage and bracing in the engine bay have been modified (lowered) in the workshop of Tork Engineering to adapt them to the vehicle’s height, which is lower than that of Mégane Trophy. The digital design work was led by Renault Design, Koller and Etud Integral, while final assembly was carried out by Protostyle.

The final weight distribution is almost ideal, with 47.8% over the front wheels.
To facilitate servicing, the concept car features integral pneumatic jacks. Derived directly from the systems seen in endurance racing, they allow the wheels to be changed extremely quickly.

An exceptional car that fuses elegance and aerodynamic efficiency
The efficiency of the Renault Alpine A110-50 concept car is largely generated by ground effect. At the front, a splitter hidden in the bumper generates low pressure, which results in significant aerodynamic downforce. At the rear, a diffuser accelerates air flow beneath the floor. Ground effect therefore accounts for more than one-third of the car’s downforce, with the rest coming from an adjustable rear wing.

The research and design of this air flow was conducted using Computational Fluid Dynamics, a cutting-edge technology used particularly in F1. CFD involves studying movements of a fluid, or their effects, by resolving digitally the equations which govern the fluid. This technique was used by Renault Sport Technologies primarily in order to fine-tune the aerodynamics and study the behaviour of the New Mégane Trophy as a function of air flow.

Exemplary road holding
The wheelbase of the Renault Alpine A110-50 is identical to that of Mégane Trophy (2,625mm), while the track is slightly wider at 1,680mm front and 1,690mm rear.
The 21-inch wheels, with a single central nut, are specific to this car and fitted with road- homologated Michelin tyres.
The Sachs dampers can be adjusted in compression and extension, and are mounted directly onto the lower wishbones. There are numerous different set-up options: castor, camber and alignment, ride height, anti-roll.
In order to improve driver feedback, driving aids like ABS, traction control, etc. are not fitted.
Serious stopping power
The braking capability of the Renault Alpine A110-50 match its performance. At the front, large 356mm-diameter steel discs are slowed by six-piston callipers. At the rear, the discs are 330mm in diameter, while the callipers are four-piston models.

CHAPTER 3: the Renault Alpine A110-50 concept car – Engine and gearbox
Mechanical excellence
Developed on the same technical platform as Mégane Trophy, the Renault Alpine A110-50 concept car also boasts the same chief technical characteristics.
It runs the Renault V4Y engine block, a 3.5 litre 24-valve 400hp V6 mounted in a mid-rear position. The crankcase (semi-wet), moving parts (pistons, connecting rods, crankshaft), valve train (camshafts and valve springs) and exhaust system are specific compared to the version featured on productions models.
Furthermore, the Renault Alpine A110-50 uses the carbon air intake employed for Mégane Trophy V6.

The inlet manifold is fed by a new roof-mounted air intake. This development broadens the engine’s power band, with additional horsepower at all engine speeds. The engine mapping has been optimised for these modifications.

F1-style transmission
The Renault Alpine A110-50 concept car is fitted with a semi-automatic six-speed sequential gearbox, as well as a twin-plate clutch that can be controlled using either the clutch pedal or a paddle on the steering wheel.

The gearbox is fitted longitudinally behind the engine and incorporates a limited-slip differential (discs and ramps) with adjustable pre-loading.
The cerametallic twin-plate clutch is also specific to the car. It is activated automatically when downshifting, guaranteeing fast and reliable gear changes.
A black box at the heart of Renault Alpine A110-50
Supplied by Magneti-Marelli, the Marvell 6R electronic control unit includes functions for engine management, gearbox control and data acquisition.
Even more accurate data acquisition

All data collected by the Renault Alpine A110-50 can be analysed using version 4 of the benchmark Wintax software. Wintax 4 enables advanced analysis of more than 50 parameters: engine speed, gear, steering angle, car speed, throttle position, brake pressure… This information allows drivers and engineers to optimise settings and driving style. Wintax 4 data analysis also enables even faster diagnosis of any technical problems.

“Developing this concept car was a great adventure. It was a catalyst for creativity. We wanted to make a Berlinette that was of our time, and which boldly embodies Renault’s passion for motorsport. We were guided by our hearts and emotions.” Axel Breun.

CHAPTER 4: Renault Alpine A110-50 – The legacy of the Berlinette
1962 – A star is born
When Jean Rédélé unveiled the A110 Berlinette at the 1962 Paris Motor Show, it marked the start of an Alpine adventure for the engine from the Renault 8. The car had been developed from the Alpine A108, but was more stylish and more dynamic, with an even lower engine cover, a larger glazed area and the rear lights from the Renault 8. The new engine demanded changes to the air intakes: with the radiator mounted at the rear, cooling exits were opened in the resin bodywork behind the rear wheel arches, disguised with four chrome strips. The changes served only to heighten the elegance of the A110 Berlinette. The restrained, balanced silhouette maintained its extremely pure lines.

A car for the enthusiast
To drive a Berlinette is a life-changing experience. Above all, it was designed to win rallies, so it’s not surprising that it boasts a certain pedigree; not a tricky personality, but real character. You don’t climb aboard an Alpine, you slide into it. But once you’re behind the wheel, the connection is immediate. Agility and traction are particular strong points thanks to the mid-rear position engine, which tends to produce oversteer that is easy to control using the steering and throttle. It’s sometimes a little trickier to keep going in a straight line, but life’s all about compromise… This isn’t a car you simply take for a drive – it demands to be properly driven. Its weaknesses are also its strengths.

CHAPTER 5: The Berlinette – A look back at a glorious past in motorsport
The Berlinette in motorsport

The light weight and handling qualities of the Berlinette meant it was perfectly suited for motorsport. As well as being fun to drive, the cars were favourites with the fans, who often saw them cornering hard at lurid angles. It’s almost impossible to catalogue every motorsport triumph for the Berlinette, but these are the main stages of the adventure.

1961-1968: the early successes
José Rosinski took the first win for the A110 at the 1963 Rallye des Lions. The remainder of the season followed this trend, with exploits including a win for Jacques Cheinisse on the Rallye d’Automne.

In the years that followed, a number of ‘privateer’ drivers achieved success at national and international level ahead of much more powerful cars from well-established brands.
- 1967: assembling a great team
Alpine became Alpine-Renault. New drivers joined the line-up: Gérard Larrousse, Jean-Claude Andruet and Jean-Pierre Nicolas in the works team, but also, among others, Bernard Darniche in the privateer ranks.

- 1968: the first French Rally Championship title
After victories on the Neige et Glace and Rallye de Lorraine for Gérard Larousse, Jean-Claude Andruet claimed the French title thanks to a total score of four wins during the season.

1969: Hitting its stride
Jean Vinatier and Jean-Claude Andruet were the stars of the season, with the former going on to become the French Rally Champion at the end of the year.

1970: European and French titles
The Berlinette 1600S was homologated for Group 4, which finally allowed the car to fight on almost equal terms with more powerful competitors. Jean-Claude Andruet, who had calmed his approach after several notable incidents, was crowned French and European Champion.

1971: The Berlinette dominates the Rallye Monte-Carlo
Another good year. Ove Andersson won the Rallye Monte-Carlo. Thérier finished second and Andruet third. Andersson also took the win in Italy against the flotilla of Fiats and Lancias dispatched to beat him. He subsequently triumphed on the Austrian Alpine Rally and on the Acropolis, securing the international title for Alpine. Jean-Pierre Nicolas won the French Championship.

1972: Heading for glory
The 1,600cc engine was replaced by a more powerful 1,800cc unit. Jean-Claude Andruet dominated the Tour de Corse. Numerous wins followed, shared between the team’s drivers. Darniche was crowned French Champion at the end of the year, while Jean-Luc Thérier claimed the Rallye des Cévennes driving a turbocharged 1,600cc version. This was the first stirrings of a technology destined for major success…

1973: The climax of an era
Just imagine the best French drivers of the era: Andruet, Darniche, Thérier, Nicolas and Piot ably supported by the experienced Andersson. What’s more, a team of mechanics giving their heart and soul, plus a car at the peak of its development. The season began with victory for Andruet on the Rallye Monte-Carlo, followed home by four other Alpines. In Portugal, Thérier and Nicolas scored a one-two. On the Rallye du Maroc, Darniche was unbeatable. And the rest of the season followed the same trend. Alpine won the inaugural World Rally Championship title and Jean-Luc Thérier was crowned French Champion.

1974 – 1975: the end of the works era
Nicolas won the Rallye du Maroc and finished second on the Tour de Corse. This was the Berlinette’s swansong, and the year produced the last major win for the A110 on the Critérium des Cévennes, driven by Jacques Henry.

The new 2013 Scion FR-S is sure to be a big hit among enthusiasts looking for an affordable rear-wheel-drive sports coupe. Unfortunately, those looking to pay around the $25K MSRP price may be out of luck due to Toyota/Scion dealerships tagging a hefty Market Value Markup of almost $7,000.

Market value markups are nothing new under the sun. Better yet, it is rather expected to see such markups on new vehicles that are in high demand. It is actually a legal practice but as you can imagine, paying 7 grand over sticker price on a new Scion FR-S may not sit well with enthusiasts especially when you can take $35K somewhere else and get something like a more-powerful Mustang GT or even a Subaru WRX STI.

What do you think about dealership markups on new high-demand vehicles? Is it justified, or are Toyota/Scion dealerships smoking some really good stuff when it comes to marking-up the new Scion FR-S’ price?

We were able to obtain an image of the sticker price of a new Scion FR-S at a local south Florida dealership via VWVortex forum.

We’ll warn you in advance: if you don’t already lust for the McLaren MP4-12C supercar, you will after this video. We’ve toured a lot of automobile plants, all over the world, yet we’ve never seen one that looks quite like McLaren’s Production Center, where each MP4-12C is hand-assembled by a team of skilled craftsmen.

Notice that we didn’t say, “and robots” in the last sentence, because McLaren still believes that a dedicated and motivated employee can perform higher quality work than a computer guided, hydraulically activated automaton. Robots don’t have the same eye for detail (technically, we suppose you could argue this point), and robots build with indifference, not passion.

Perhaps it’s best to look at McLaren in terms of building Formula One race cars. The company is quite good at this, having won 1/4 of all F1 races it’s ever entered. Broaden the scope to racing in general, and McLaren has taken a podium spot in half of all races it’s been in. Those are impressive statistics, and here’s where we point out that McLaren doesn’t use robots to build its F1 cars, either. In other words, if skilled workers are good enough to build F1 cars, they’re good enough to build the MP4-12C.

When we do hit the right combination of Powerball numbers, or when we finally write that best-selling-novel we’ve been talking about for years, we’ll be off to Woking for a visit with McLaren, and to place an order for an MP4-12C of our own. There may be faster or more over-the-top supercars, but none is a McLaren.

Chris Harris, behind the wheel of his 1986 BMW M5.

We’ve all been there before, selling cars we really should have kept and keeping cars we really should have kicked to the curb. Very rarely do we manage a hang on to a car that remains relevant and lustworthy, even nearly three decades after launch.

Such is the case with the original E28 variant BMW M5. As Evo’s Chris Harris points out, the car was beyond revolutionary for its day, making an almost unimaginable 286 horsepower (Metric; 282 by our standards) from a normally-aspirated 3.5-liter inline-six engine. That’s not a lot of ponies by today’s standards, but back then it was some serious firepower, enough to make the BMW M5 the fastest sedan in the world in 1986.

The E28’s shape doesn’t hold up quite as well as later variants, and even the E34 M5 (launched in 1989) manages to look more contemporary. Still, as Harris points out, later generations of M5 have deviated from the recipe that made the original so good. Sure, they’ve gone up in horsepower, but they’ve also grown in weight and complexity.

We know enough to know that you can’t go home again. If you’ve grown accustomed to modern sport sedans, the original M5 may not feel all that impressive in terms of acceleration and handling. If you can apply a filter to imagine what the car was like in 1985, the magic of the M5 is easier to understand.

The new 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe remains virtually unchanged from last year’s model keeping a long-standing traditional approach to offering a large SUV that can handle anything you throw at it. With configurations allowing up to 9 passengers, the Chevrolet Tahoe keeps its conventional versatility and large SUV towing capabilities.

For the 2012 Tahoe, Chevrolet adds a hard-drive based navigation system for improved functional response and internal music storage.  The only other change for 2012 is a heated steering wheel option, which is standard on the top-of-the-line LTZ trim level.

It is hard to believe that the Chevrolet Tahoe is still in its 3^rd generation. Over the years, Chevrolet has added different powertrains along with refinements to better position the large boxed-frame SUV among competition including a growing large-crossover segment.

The large SUV is somewhat of a dying breed, however, the Chevrolet Tahoe, alongside of its close siblings (GMC Yukon, Cadillac Escalade) attempt to keep this dwindling breed alive. The Tahoe has stood the test of time due to General Motors making improvements in efficiency, easy of drivability and over-all interior comfort. All of these attributes have received notable improvements over the past 5 years within the current 3^rd generation Tahoe.

My 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe LTZ test vehicle is at the top of the trim chart. Tahoe’s come in 3 different trims, LS, LT and LTZ. All feature a 5.3-liter V8 engine with 320 horsepower and 335 ft. lbs. of torque. Those numbers may seem small on paper but are modest enough to give the Tahoe the ability to tow up to 8,500 when equipped with the towing package. A Tahoe Hybrid is an excellent alternative for those who wish to better the 15mpg city and 21 mpg highway figures and get up to 20mpg city and 23 mpg highway.

On-road mannerism in the new 2012 Tahoe LTZ is somewhat unexpected but that is a good thing. The new Tahoe LTZ is surprisingly easy to maneuver provided it is equipped with the convenience package (standard on the LTZ trim level) including a rearview camera system and park assist (audible alerts beep faster when objects in the rear get closer), along with remote ignition and power-adjustable pedals. The steering is very light at low speeds with a slight weight added at highway speeds.

The Tahoe LTZ trim is equipped with an autoride system, which incorporates variable dampers and an air-assisted load leveling system proving useful when towing or hauling heavy loads. The variable dampers and air suspension give the Tahoe a smooth ride that is never too harsh or truck-like. I would even go as far as to say my Tahoe LTZ rode much like a large luxury sedan with an active dampening system.

Performance of the new Tahoe is consistent and predictable at best. The 320 horsepower V8 engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission work well together but may start to lack oomph when you load the Tahoe with 7 or more passengers while towing several thousand pounds. An optional trailer brake controller, equipped on my test vehicle, is a nice addition to include if you plan on towing large trailer items.

Stability control and traction control tend to step in early to keep the boxy and tall Tahoe from getting out of line. Braking distance is average for a big SUV but tends to give the body a surprising amount of front-end dive under emergency braking, though – it still remains controllable pending ABS activation. The Tahoe’s off-road prowess is improved with the 4-wheel-drive option but comes at a slightly higher price.

It seems the styling department at Chevrolet took a long hiatus when it comes to the Tahoe’s exterior. The sheet metal and design cues on the Tahoe remain unchanged through the current generation and are unmistakable, in a good way.  My philosophy on that is if the exterior styling isn’t broke, then why fix it?

Being that aerodynamics is not the Tahoe’s strong suit, it is amazing to still get around 21 mpg on the highway. During my time with the new Tahoe, I was able to match the 21 mpg highway EPA figure. The 5.3-liter V8 has a fuel-saver mode that basically deactivates 4-cylinders when under light loads. Although the cylinder deactivation does considerably save fuel, the Tahoe rarely switches to the fuel-saver mode when you are attempting to maintain highway speeds. The only time I took notice to the fuel-saver mode kicking in was coasting and going downhill. However, you hardly notice the transition from fuel-saver 4-cylinder mode to the normal V8 mode – virtually no vibrations or odd sounds.

Interior quality along with fit and finish is about average until you actually start to touch the dashboard plastics. There are hardly any soft-touch materials used on the dashboard. Possibly, the comfortable heated and cooled leather bucket front seats and heated leather 2^nd row captain’s chairs in my Tahoe LTZ made up for the interior’s lack of plushness. The new leather wrapped heated steering wheel and bright center-stack LCD touch-screen (intergrates audio, navigation & rearview camera) spruce up the over-all perception of the dashboard’s quality.

The 2^nd row seating configuration in my Tahoe LTZ test vehicle only included two bucket seats while the 3^rd row was a 50/50 split removable bench. One downfall of the Tahoe, especially when compared to other large SUVs, is that the 3^rd row does not fold flat into the floor. Cargo space is considerably cut down due to the folding 3^rd row bench unless you remove it completely. Removal of the rear bench can easily become a two-person objective, too. The Tahoe can be had in 7, 8 or a full 9-passenger configuration. To seat 9, the Tahoe uses a 40/20/40 front bench.

The Chevrolet Tahoe integrates all of the expected safety features of any other SUV. The Tahoe received 4 out of 5 stars in overall government crash tests. Frontal and side impact tests received 5 out of 5 stars. An optional blind-spot notification system, standard on my Tahoe LTZ, is beneficial due to the Tahoe’s shear size. Other standard safety equipment includes front-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags and OnStar emergency telematics.

The new 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe, part of a vanishing large SUV segment, confronts today’s economic conditions with confidence. Being that there are not many large SUV offerings, the Tahoe firmly stands its ground with a short list of direct competitors. A new 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe can be had for a starting MSRP of just $38,755 while my loaded-up Tahoe 2WD LTZ, with its sun & entertainment package (rear-seat DVD & sunroof), heavy-duty cooling package and trailer-brake controller, comes in at $56,550.

Copyright: 2012 AutomotiveAddicts.com

SPECIFICATIONS

• Price: Base Tahoe LS $38,755 As-Tested Tahoe LTZ 2WD $56,550
• Engine: 5.3-liter V8 320 hp @ 5400 rpm/ 335 ft-lbs torque @ 4000 rpm
• Transmission: 6-speed Automatic w/ tow mode
• Drive: 2WD (rear-wheel-drive)
• Wheelbase: 116in.
• Total length: 202.5in.
• Total width: 79in.
• Total height: 76.9in.
• Track: f/r-68.2/67in.
• Ground clearance: 9.1in.
• Approach angle: 17-degrees
• Departure angle: 21.9-degrees
• Curb weight: 5,448lbs. 4WD
• Headroom: f-m-r-41.1/39.2/37.9in.
• Legroom: f-m-r-41.3/39/25.4in.
• Cargo volume: behind front seats-108.9/behind 2nd. row-60.3/behind 3rd. row-16.9cu.ft.
• Towing: Up to 8,500 lbs. with proper configuration
• Fuel tank: 26.0 gallons
• Turning circle: 39.0ft.
• EPA mileage: 15 mpg city/21 mpg highway

There’s good news for fans of Forza Motorsports 4 on Microsoft’s Xbox 360: for the first time since launch of Forza 4, you’ll be able to buy and download an expansion pack containing some 30 assorted Porsche street and race models.

Porsche, present in Forza 3, was excluded from Forza 4 due to a licensing agreement between Porsche and game studio EA Sports. EA Sports opted not to license any Porsche models to Turn 10 for the Forza 4 game, essentially forcing gamers with an affinity for Porsche to buy “Need For Speed” franchise games from EA.

We’re not sure what’s changed, but given that the press release on the expansion pack came from Porsche North America, we can assume the automaker saw things a bit differently than EA Sports. The more gamers who drive Porsches in the virtual world, the more potential customers Porsche has in the future.

The Porsche Expansion Pack will cost 1,600 Microsoft points, or the equivalent of $19.99, and includes an impressive variety of current and vintage Porsche models.

Here’s the complete list of cars in the expansion pack:

2012 911 GT2 RS
2012 Cayenne Turbo
2012 Cayman R
2011 #45 Flying Lizard Motorsports 911 GT3-RSR (997)
2011 #23 Alex Job Racing 911 GT3 Cup (997)
2011 #17 Team Falken 911 GT3-RSR (997)
2011 #54 Black Swan Racing 911 GT3 Cup (997)
2008 #2 Gruppe Orange Racing 911 GT3 Cup (997)
2008 #16 Dyson Racing RS Spyder Evo
2007 #80 Flying Lizard 911 GT3-RSR (997)
2008 #7 Penske Racing RS Spyder Evo
2010 911 Sport Classic
2010 Boxster S
2010 Panamera Turbo
2007 911 GT3 (997)
2007 911 GT3 RS (997)
2007 911 Turbo (997)
2005 #31 Petersen-White Lightning 911 GT3-RSR (996)
2005 #66 AXA Racing 911 GT3 Cup (996)
2004 911 GT3 (996)
2003 Carrera GT
1998 #26 Porsche AG 911 GT1-98
1995 911 GT2
1989 944 Turbo
1987 959
1987 #17 Racing Porsche AG 962c
1982 911 Turbo 3.3
1973 911 Carrera RS
1970 914/6
1955 550A Spyder

The new 2013 Cadillac XTS is one of two new models to come out of the American luxury maker’s arsenal as a direct competitor to highly populated segments.

The 2013 XTS will be Cadillac’s new flagship sedan boasting three different trim levels and a modest starting price of $44,995. The new XTS is sure to hype up the luxury automakers showroom as it sits beside the likings of the smaller ATS luxury-sports sedan.

Aimed as a direct competitor among vehicles such as the new Audi A6, BMW 5-Series, Lexus GS, Infiniti M37 and Benz E-Class, the XTS has its work cut out for it. This competitive segment, fortunately, does not worry Cadillac as they aspire to show off advanced technological innovation. The videos below, demonstrating many of the Cadillac XTS’ Bells & Whistles, is just a beginning to the front-line of defense Cadillac has in store for its competition.