2017 Acura NSX discounts almost make up for those crazy dealer markups

If those sky-high “market adjustments” -- aka “dealer markups” -- on hot new performance cars make your blood boil, know that balance exists in the universe, and at the moment, that balance is taking the form of brand-new 2017 Acura NSX models with chopped prices.

For example, here’s a $204,500 car offered for the low, low price of $189,500. That doesn’t exactly bring the price down to used Accord territory, but the price difference is more than enough to get you a few sets of tires and a couple tanks of gas. Other NSXs have smaller discounts -- one or two thousand bucks off the sticker. The rare car might even offer more of a bargain; Jalopnik managed to find one for $44,800 off the sticker at a dealer in New Jersey. That's almost enough to get you the new car and a classic NSX to park next to it!

Still, the majority of the cars we’ve seen listed online are selling for MSRP, or even slightly above it. This lends credence to Acura’s claim that the discounted units are, in at least some cases, spec cars ordered early on to serve as display models to build hype at dealerships.

Indeed, the NSX we linked, with its blue paint, light interior and black wheels, looks a lot like the press car we’ve driven. Many NSX buyers are going to want a car built to their specifications, and they might even want to visit the factory in Ohio to watch their particular car rolling down the assembly line. These custom cars won’t show in any listings online, though we assume there won’t be any cash on the hood involved in their pricing.

Here's how the Mazda Miata changed track days forever

Before the Mazda Miata, the way to get a true sports roadster was from a European automaker. If you were looking for an open-air canyon carver, you’d have to look at Fiat, Lotus, Triumph, MG, Jaguar and Alfa Romeo, to name a few. The one consistent trait among legendary sports cars like the Jaguar E-type, the MG MGB and the Lotus Elan is the inherent unreliability, or charm, as owners call it. That is, until the Mazda MX-5 hit showroom floors in 1989 and added a dash of Japanese reliability into the sports car stew.

Donut Media’s James Pumphrey guides us through the Miata’s origin story with the latest episode of “Up to Speed.” He notes that Autoweek’s West Coast editor at the time, Bob Hall, worked with Mazda to develop the sporty two-seater. Mazda also pitted its North American and Japanese development teams against each other in a contest designed to push the teams to build the best concepts.

The rest of the Miata’s history? Check it out in the video above.

Read more >> Zut Alors! Sacre Bleu! We drive the 1978 Citroen Dyane

Zut Alors! Sacre Bleu! We drive the 1978 Citroen Dyane

Don’t worry, we ain’t goin’ soft on ya’. As soon as the photos arrive and then as soon as we write the words you’ll be reading reviews of a Shelby Cobra, a Shelby GT350 Mustang and a Lamborghini Aventador S, though maybe not in that specific order. But in the meantime, to demonstrate the breadth and depth of our car culture appreciation, we drove this 1978 Citroen Dyane.

Ain’t it cute?

First time we saw it was in the new Citroen exhibit at the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard a short while ago. That exhibit has tons of Citroens going all the way back to the beginning of the company and includes many examples of 2CV, DS, SM and those Tractions Avant that were in that Adventures of Tintin comic strip way back in your youth (if you’re as old as us). The thing about the Mullin Museum’s Citroen exhibit, in addition to being very comprehensive and pretty interesting, is that it includes even the less-glamorous mass-market cars that were part of everyday life in France 50 years ago but that are now easily overlooked by the public eyeball. The cute and angular Dyane is one such easy-to-overlook car. Plus we liked it, so sue us.

As you may know, the Dyane rides on the same chassis and uses the same air-cooled flat-two driving the front wheels as the 2CV. The 2CV, as you also know, was conceived during the Great Depression to replace horses on French farms. A couple things got in the way there for a while and it didn’t see production until 1948, but then it really got going. The 2CV (pronounced doo-shove-oh) was the height of simplicity and cost very little to manufacture compared to more or less “real” cars. It would become the Ford Model T of France, something everyone could afford and something everyone could use.

But the iconic 2CV was getting long in the tooth. By the 1960s, the Dyane and the equally cool Ami were supposed to be more modern versions of the 2CV. There was talk that the Dyane and Ami would replace the 2CV, but it turned out the 2CV outlived them both by many years. C’est la vie.

If we are recalling correctly our visit to a French junkyard 10 years ago, these cars rode on giant torsion tubes that were simple in design. The two cylinders of the engine lay transversely in front and drove the front wheels. The shifter for the four-speed manual transmission poked out of the dashboard. The seats were cloth fabric draped over simple metal frames. The glass was all flat, including the windshield. The side windows slid back instead of rolling down, which saved money. The fabric roof rolled back to make it a cabriolet. Simplement!

We got to drive this just by asking if we could. Let’s just say we know some people at the museum. When we arrived the Dyane was parked out back.

“Wanna drive?” asked Mullin mechanic Nathan McNeil.

Sure! The car had already been warmed up, so there was no need to pull out the mechanical choke. Just turn the key and it started right up. While the shift pattern has at least the potential for disaster -- since first gear is left and back and reverse is left and up -- there’s a spring load that gently pulls the shifter knob to neutral as you leave first. We were careful not to get near reverse.

The engine is surprisingly strong. By the time our Dyane was manufactured in 1978 power had risen to as much as 33 hp, depending on which Citroen book you’re reading. Curb weight is listed in books at 1,452 pounds, but the VIN plate lists something called P.T.C. at 930 kg, or 2,046 pounds, which might be a GVWR. With three people in it adding another 500 pounds, we might have expected it to be a slouch, but it got up and went. One source lists 0-60 at 52 seconds, so it’s no drag chevaux. But its acceleration was fully functional.

Likewise, cornering was nowhere near as bad as we’d expected it to be. Sure it leans like a sailor on leave in Marseille, but it’s not like it rolled over or anything. The tires are skinny little things, but they are bigger than bicycle tires. And it all worked. It was cute! We liked it just as much as we thought we would. Merci, Mullin!

We, no kidding, started looking at classic car classifieds as soon as we got back home. With almost 1.5 million of these made over 16 years of production, there have to be thousands left, some of which haven’t completely rusted out. We also decided we’d accept an Ami 6, too. Maybe buy one of each. They wouldn’t take up too much space. And what an entrance we’d make at The Best of France and Italy car show Nov. 5. Vive la France! Vive La Mullin!

Read more >> 1961: The final DeSoto showed this face to the world

1961: The final DeSoto showed this face to the world

The DeSoto Division was created by Walter P. Chrysler for the 1928 model year, and spent the following 32 years selling cars that were a bit snazzier than Plymouths but not quite as upscale as Chryslers (Dodge and DeSoto swapped roles a couple of times as the "just above Plymouth" marque). Brand confusion, intra-division office politics, and the late-1950s recession doomed DeSoto, but not before the cars of the final model year (1961) were built with the jarringly strange snout treatment seen in the brochure photograph above.

From the side, the 1961 DeSoto looked quite similar to its Chrysler Windsor sibling. The termination of the DeSoto brand was announced in late 1960, so customers had enough reason to avoid the 1961 DeSotos, even without their odd-looking faces.

Read more >> 'Iran's Arrow': Don't miss this documentary about Iran's beloved Hillman Hunters

'Iran's Arrow': Don't miss this documentary about Iran's beloved Hillman Hunters

We love cars that stay in overseas production for decades beyond what the designers intended; there's the Hindustan Ambassador (a 1956 Morris Oxford, built in India until 2014), the 1960 Ford Falcons built in Argentina through 1991, the Mexican-built Borgwards and many more. One of the all-time greatest -- maybe the all time-greatest -- of these cars is the Iran Khodro Paykan, essentially a 1966 Hillman Hunter, built in Iran well into our current century. "Iran's Arrow: The Rise and Fall of Paykan," the fascinating documentary about the Paykan and its place as Iran's most beloved car, will be showing around the United States this week, and we say you should check it out.

The Paykan (which means Arrow, as in Hillman Arrow) was the only reasonably affordable family car for generations of Iranians, was (and is) Tehran's iconic taxi, served as an ambulance during the nightmarish Iran-Iraq War and became so close to the hearts of the Iranian people that a song from a 1970 Paykan TV advertisement became the song Iranians sing at birthday parties.

This film, created by automotive engineer Shahin Armin and filmmaker Sohrab Daryabandari, shows the history of the Paykan and includes interviews of Paykan owners, Paykan racers, Paykan repairmen and a cross section of Tehran intellectuals and artists probing the role of the Paykan in their country's culture.

This film instantly became one of my all-time favorite car documentaries, and I recommend you go watch it this week. As part of the Docunight series, "Iran's Arrow" will be showing at numerous venues between Oct. 5 and Oct. 9. Here's where to go (be sure to check with specific venues to make sure you get the correct details):

Oct. 3:
Santa Monica, California: Santa Monica Public Library, 7:00 PM.
Oct. 4:
State College, Pennsylvania: Penn State University Park, 7:00 PM
Albany, New York: University at Albany, Husted Hall 214, 7:00 PM
Durham, North Carolina: Duke University, East Duke Building Rm 209, 7:00 PM
Indianapolis, Indiana: The Cyrus Place, 7:00 PM
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Doherty Hall 1212, Hamerschlag Dr., 7:00 PM
Cambridge, Massachusetts: 250 Jefferson Lab, 17 Oxford St., 7:00 PM
Toronto, Ontario: Imagine Cinemas Carlton, 7:00 PM
New York, New York: The New School University Center, Rm UL105, 7:30 PM
Minneapolis, Minnesota: Bell Museum of Natural History, 6:30 PM
Montreal, Quebec: Concordia University, EV Building, 8:30 PM
Chicago, Illinois: 1307 Screening Room, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
San Diego, California: 6790 Top Gun St. Suite 7, 7:00 PM
San Francisco, California: Roxie Theater, 7:00 PM
Irvine, California: UC Irvine, McCormick Screening Room, 7:00 PM
Seattle, Washington: University of Washington, PACCAR Hall, 7:30 PM
Oct. 5
Plano, Texas: Angelika Film Center, 8:00 PM
Oct. 9
Charlotte, North Carolina: UNC Student Union Movie Theater, 7:00 PM

Read more >> 3 Mercedes-AMG Project One facts we learned from AMG chief Tobias Moers

3 Mercedes-AMG Project One facts we learned from AMG chief Tobias Moers

We got a chance to chat with Tobias Moers, CEO of Mercedes-AMG, to gain a little insight into the company’s incredible upcoming hypercar, Project One. Moers got right to the point, and here are three bits of information -- including some myth busting -- we learned:

One: We believe Lewis Hamilton helped develop the Project One, but he hasn’t yet driven it. Hamilton lent a hand in the development process, but not in the way you think -- at least not yet. The powertrain is close to the Formula 1 car, which Hamilton helped develop, and many simulations of the car have been run, so it’s very possible that Hamilton contributed there, too. But he has not yet driven any test mules or prototypes. So far, the engineers have more miles on the car than anyone.

Two: Yes, it uses Formula 1 tech, but from what years? 2015 and 2016 according to Moers. “2015 and 2016 was the same spec, so it is 15/16 Formula 1 spec.” True, but certainly the powertrain was developed throughout that time period, so we suspect it’s effectively a 2015 power unit from the beginning of that season. This unit comes from Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth, England, just as the Formula 1 power unit does.

 

Three: Over 1,000 system hp, but from where?

Mercedes claims over 1,000 hp, and we believe them. But where does that power come from? Of course, the single biggest contributor is the super-high-tech turbo 1.6-liter V6 with pneumatic valves and an 11,000-rpm redline, which produces 510 hp. Attached to the crankshaft is a 161-hp electric motor to help motivate the car along. Total power in back, 671 hp.

Up front are two more electric motors to power the front wheels; they are the same as the motor attached to the crankshaft, producing 161 hp each, or 322 hp. Total power comes to 993 U.S. spec hp, which converts to 1,006 metric ponies, or pferds, since we’re talking about a German car. And we’re willing to bet those are conservative estimates -- look for at least 1,100 hp from the production car.

The initial Mercedes-AMG Project One model run may already be spoken for, but technologies from it will certainly make its way down market -- think of the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E Hybrid and its relationship to the Porsche 918 Spyder. It’s only a matter of time before a “regular” AMG product includes some Project One, hence F1, tech.

Read more >> These 10 (Well, 9) cars have the fastest laps around the Nurburgring

These 10 (Well, 9) cars have the fastest laps around the Nurburgring

Nurburgring record lap times are not without their controversy. Some say it ruins the tuning of the cars, making them too stiff on normal roads. Some manufacturers have been caught using non-street-legal tires or special suspension setups. Also, the definition of “production car” can be debated; however, the 12.9-mile, 154-turn Nurburgring is technically a toll road, meaning the regulations of Germany and the European Union apply.

Personally, if you want a street car that’s built for a track day, we think it is a good measuring stick and development tool. If you don’t want that out of your daily driver, you may think differently.
For this list, the cars have to be street legal, use OEM tires and have uncut onboard video proof.

 

10. Mercedes-AMG GT R
 

The Mercedes-AMG GT-R wore Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires for its 10th-place run back in December 2016. The RWD German rocket has a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 making 577 hp in the most extreme version of the AMG GT. It uses supplemental electric rear steering to increase maneuverability.

9. Nissan GT-R Nismo N-Attack

The Nismo version of Nissan’s GT-R is the quick one -- Nismo of course stands for Nissan Motorsports, but this is the one with the extra tuning. It ran on Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT tires, with Michael Krumm at the helm. Its time of 7 minutes, 8.679 seconds had it in eighth place, until that pesky GT2 knocked it back one.

8 & 7. Dodge Viper ACR

The next two spots are both held by the Dodge Viper -- the first American car on this list, by the way. It ran a 7:01.3 with Lance David Arnold at the wheel and a 7:03.45 with Dominik Farnbacher, of Farnbacher-Loles fame. The Viper, as you know, has a V10 and makes 640 hp. The ACR version, which both of these were, gets extra aero, including a rear wing big enough to block out the sun.

6. Lamborghini Aventator 750-4 Superveloce

The all-wheel drive Superveloce now comes in sixth on the list. It’s 744-hp (750 PS) V12 is good for a time of 6 minutes, 59.73 seconds on Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tires. Marco Mapelli, a Lamborghini factory driver, was behind the wheel.

5. Porsche 918 Spyder

The 918 Spyder was and is a marvel of modern technology. Its 'Ring run happened in 2013 when it clicked off a time of 6 minutes, 57 seconds. The Spyder’s 4.6-liter V8 and two electric motors deliver an astounding 875 hp and 944 lb-ft to the rear wheels.

4. Radical SR8

This is the more “pedestrian” version of the Radical SR8 LM. It has a few less ponies, but it weighs about the same. It set a time of 6 minutes, 55 seconds way back in 2005. Driver Michael Vergers was at the wheel for both Radical runs.

3. Lamborghini Huracan Performante

The all-wheel-drive Huracan Performante gets active aero and carbon bits at the corners, along with a 640-hp V10. It comes in at cool $274,390, and it held second place with a time of 6 minutes, 52.01 seconds on the 'Ring list for about a year, until Porsche bumped it down.

2. Radical SR8 LM

This is a purpose-built track car that’s barely legal on the street. It uses a teeny, screaming 2.8-liter V8 making 455 hp. It weighs about 1,600 pounds, hence its insane lap time of 6 minutes, 48.28 seconds.

1. Porsche 911 GT2 RS

We just saw this lap. Porsche driver Lars Kern laid down a time of 6 minutes, 47.25 seconds after a handful of tries. It was using Michelin Pilot Cup 2 tires, along with a 700-hp 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged flat-six motor. It’s good to have an undebatable production car at the top of the leaderboard.

We’ll be updating this list as new challengers come to the table. Speaking of, there’s a new crop of F1-inspired hyper GT cars on their way from McLaren, Mercedes and Aston Martin; maybe one of them can knock Porsche off the top spot. Regardless, it’ll be fun to watch.


Read more >> Future Ferraris: No official crossover, at least not yet

Future Ferraris: No official crossover, at least not yet

Ferrari will incorporate more hybrids into its core lineup while it considers whether to follow other luxury makes into the utility market and whether to launch an entry-level subbrand.

Portofino: Ferrari's entry-level vehicle debuted at this month's Frankfurt auto show as a 2018 model. Essentially a heavily revised version of the California T that it replaces, the hardtop convertible sheds about 160 pounds and adds 38 hp to its 3.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 for a total of 591 hp. Pricing starts around $210,000. A freshening is likely for 2022.

488: Introduced for 2016 as a 458 replacement, the 488 GTB and its Spider sibling use a 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 to make 661 hp and 561 pounds-feet of torque. A more track-focused iteration is due next year, possibly carrying the GTO moniker; look for the standard recipe of less weight and more power when this car arrives in 2018. A year or so later the 488 will get a redesign and a new name. Look for it to continue with a turbo V-8 and the likely addition of a hybrid system.

812 Superfast:​ The 812 Superfast is a thorough freshening of the F12 Berlinetta, Ferrari's front-engine V-12 grand tourer, released for the 2018 model year. The update gives the 812 the most powerful engine in a front-engine Ferrari ever: 789 hp and 530 pounds-feet of torque. It's also likely to be the last naturally aspirated V-12 model in Ferrari's history: Its successor, due in 2020, will be a hybrid and could even loop turbocharging into the mix.

Crossover: Like nearly all other exotic brands (save for McLaren), Ferrari is finding it difficult to resist the cash and volume that a utility vehicle adds. The automaker is adamant that such a vehicle won't be an SUV but that's likely more a question of semantics. If a crossover gets the green light, it would have four seats and a practical bent like the current GTC4Lusso; four doors are likely. If the vehicle reaches production, look for hybrid versions involving V-6 or V-8 powertrains and a production date no later than 2022.

GTC4Lusso:​ Freshened for 2017, the GTC4- Lusso had been the FF, a two-door, four-seat all-wheel-drive shooting brake with a front- mounted V-12 engine. In addition to the new name, the update brought revised styling and a bump in horsepower. It also brought the GTC4Lusso T, a lower-priced model with rear-wheel drive and the 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 Ferrari uses elsewhere in its lineup. If Ferrari adds a crossover, this car likely will be dropped.

Dino:​ Sergio Marchionne, chairman of Ferrari and CEO of its former parent company, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, has publicly offered support for an entry-level Dino subbrand, though support within Ferrari is mixed. If it happens, the car likely would be positioned as a more performance-oriented, midengine alternative to the GT ethos of the front-engine Portofino. Ferrari could source a twin-turbo V-6 from FCA's Maserati and Alfa Romeo brands or use the 3.9-liter turbocharged V-8 from elsewhere in FCA's lineup; the addition of a hybrid system is expected. A formal decision is set for 2018, which means production likely wouldn't start until 2020 at the earliest.

Read more >> The Porsche 597 Jagdwagen was a hunter's dream; now it's a collector's dream

The Porsche 597 Jagdwagen was a hunter's dream; now it's a collector's dream

Many Porsche enthusiasts can say they've seen all the major models of the 356 family, from the Gmund to the C, but most would be leaving one out: the Porsche 597 Jagdwagen.

The Jagdwagen, which roughly translates to "hunting car," came out of a NATO competition to create a light army-transport vehicle similar to the American Jeep. Porsche's entry was a small, canvas-topped 4x4 that used stamped-steel body panels and a simplified 356 engine for power. Just like in the 356 itself, the engine was in the back, with Porsche using 1.5- and 1.6-liter versions of the air-cooled flat-four engine. The "top" 1.6-liter unit, fitted in later versions of the Jagdwagen, produced 50 hp, giving the vehicle a top speed of around 62 mph. With a weight of 2,182 pounds, the Jagdwagen was relatively nimble and put its horses to good use with the help of a five-speed gearbox -- a lot of gears for something like this -- and was also able to switch between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive on the fly. With generous approach and departure angles, the Jagdwagen offered plenty of off-road ability and could even climb gradients of 65 percent. The Jagdwagen was also a little amphibious, being able to float without taking on water when needed, but it would not have been anyone's first choice for a whitewater rafting trip.

What happened to the whole project? The similar-looking DKW Munga beat entries from Borgward and Porsche in the competition, owing to even simpler engineering and build process.

Normally this would have meant the end of the project, with a few prototypes stashed away in museum, but having invested 1.8 million Deutschmarks (a lot in those days) in developing the Jagdwagen, Porsche attempted to find other uses for its 4x4. And that's where the Jagdwagen name comes from: Porsche decided to "rebrand" it for use by hunters, game wardens and forestry workers.
The automaker built about 71 examples of the Jagdwagen between 1955 and 1957 -- not exactly a 24/7 production line -- with 49 built to civilian spec and sold to owners. Sadly, precious few survive to this day, and recent auction sales have noted that only about 15 are now known to exist.

As much as we'd like to see the Jagdwagen make appearances in official Porsche videos introducing the 2019 Cayenne -- cue grainy footage with a German-accented voiceover announcing: "Inzpired by zee original Jagdwagen" -- the experiment had little lasting effect on Porsche's lineup, perhaps aside from convincing the company it was financially advantageous to sell sports cars one at a time to private owners versus dealing with high-discount government contracts.

Read more >> Electric cars and crossovers: Here's what we expect in the next 5 years