Vin Diesel Promises Furious 8 Will Be 'Best Movie You've Ever Seen'

Of course isn't that what the cast said about Fast & Furious 7? Still, we're excited that there's going to be yet another chapter in the F&F saga.

Not only that, but we're also looking forward to bigger and better things, and with good reason. In recent installments, the franchise has moved away from CGI. Sure, there will be the occasional "tower jump" that you obviously can't do with a real car and a rear stunt man, but other than that, everything has been done by good old fashioned hard work.

And we love that. It shows craftsmanship and respect towards fans who love cars and expect realism on the big screen, even in the most outrageous of scenes.

As for Fast & Furious 8, we'll be able to see it in theaters on April 14, 2017, and we're really excited since Vin Diesel took to CinemaCon to say "I swear to you and I swear to my brother upstairs we're going to make the best movie you've ever seen."

Furious 7 is still climbing its way up the 'highest-grossing films ever' chart, with $1.15 billion in the bag while still playing in theaters around the world. It currently sits 7th all time on this list, between Iron Man 3 and Transformers: Dark of the Moon.

Now back to Furious 8, we're not sure exactly what they're going to do in order to make the best movie we've ever seen. It probably won't be, but if their intentions are to blow us away by making something even bigger than Furious 7, then we're totally on board.

Better and crazier stunts? A more unbeatable villain? More exotic locations? All of this would probably seem like more of the same. Maybe they'll switch it up on us and deliver something we never expected.

Story references: usatoday

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Audi SQ7 with An Electrically Turbocharged V8 Diesel

Audi wants to offer a successor of the ice-cold cool Q7 V12 TDI according to a new report.

Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Audi’s head of technical development told English car magazine Autoexpress that a faster SQ7 model is in the works, powered by a twin-turbocharged V8 diesel engine which uses a pair of electric turbos in order to wipe out the lag forever and ever.

The technology was first shown on the Audi RS5 TDI-e Concept, and uses “e-boost” electric motors to spin the turbos before the exhaust gases get in there. With this solution the turbochargers will offer their benefits without the usual lag in throttle response and Audi says that even a diesel will offer a sharp response. The electric motors spin the turbos up to 3,000rpm and then leave the exhaust gases on their own completely to continue compressing the air into the induction. 

The same report says that the engine will be based on the 4.2-litre TDI unit used in the Cayenne Diesel S and might have a slightly smaller capacity. The engine is also going to be used in the Bentley Bentayga which is based on the same MLB-evo platform the Q7 uses. The power is expected to reach over 400hp with a torque figure to match its super-diesel credentials and be able to move the earth. 

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2016 Ford Ranger

Ford has lifted the veils off its facelifted Ranger pickup, which has received a new front end, refreshed interior, upgraded engines and new technologies. 

Available in 180 markets worldwide (not the United States, though), the facelifted Ford Ranger’s new look face is now similar to that of the Everest SUV, featuring sleeker headlights, a larger trapezoidal grille and a more muscular hood than before.

Ford says the interior has also been made more car-like, with upgrades including an 8-inch touchscreen and a new dual-TFT instrument cluster behind the steering wheel which displays information about the vehicle.

Moving on to the mechanical stuff, Ford has fine-tuned the Ranger’s suspension for additional comfort and better handling, while also adding an electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) system, which is said to make steering more accurate at higher speeds as well as light for low-speed maneuvers. EPAS does not need a power steering pump, which results in a quieter vehicle and improves fuel efficiency by about three percent.

As for the engines, the Ranger features an updated lineup of four units mated to either a six-speed automatic or manual transmission. There are three diesels, spearheaded by the 3.2-liter Duratorq five-cylinder TDCi which gets an updated exhaust gas recirculation system help to boost fuel efficiency by up to 18 percent. The engine produces 197hp (200PS) and 470Nm (347lb-ft) of torque.

There’s also the latest generation of Ford’s 2.2-liter Duratorq four-cylinder TDCi which is offered in two states of tune, depending on the market: 129hp (130PS) and 158hp (160PS). The former variant is 22 percent more economical than before. Finally, the Ranger is also offered with a 2.5-liter Duratec petrol engine rated at 164hp (166PS) and 225Nm (166lb-ft) of torque.

Standard and available technologies include Sync 2 (the latest generation of Ford’s in-car connectivity system), Lane Keeping Alert and Lane Keeping Aid, Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Alert, Front and Rear Park Assist, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Electronic Stability Program and more.

The facelifted Ford Ranger will continue to be produced in Thailand for Asia Pacific markets, South Africa for African and European markets and Argentina for Latin American markets.

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Land Rover Defender Pick-Up by Kahn Design

Kahn Design’s latest Land Rover Defender project is a wide-body 90 Pick-Up that brings both styling and equipment upgrades compared to the standard model.

The Land Rover Defender 2.4 TDCI 90 Pick Up – Chelsea Wide Track is painted Keswick Green and features front and rear wide wheel arches with exposed bolt apertures, an X-Lander front grille, stainless steel hood and fender vent mesh, full front bumper replacement with integrated lights and shadow chrome headlights.

The truck also sports Chelsea Truck Company wheel covers and optional side steps. 

The Defender rides on a new set of 1939 Defend Retro Dish wheels shod with 275/55/20 tyres, with other exterior tweaks including the toughened mud flaps and a twin cross-hair exhaust system.

Inside, the cabin gets a luxurious ambiance thanks to Sports GTB seats in quilted and perforated leather, leather wrapped instrument binnacle and door cards, as well as trim detailing in soft Alcantara. 

The package is completed by a Kahn billet steering wheel, vented foot pedals in machined aluminum, a Churchill Time Clock and hard-wearing front and rear floor mats.

The Land Rover Defender 2.4 TDCI 90 Pick Up – Chelsea Wide Track is priced at £28,930.

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New 240PS VW Passat 2.0 TDI Proves it Packs a Strong Punch

Numbers are rarely impressive in mainstream cars these days, but extracting 240 PS (237 hp) from a two-liter diesel engine is.

It’s a real achievement in the sector, and when powering the new (lighter) VW Passat, it promises a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint time of 6.1 seconds; top speed is 240 km/h (239 149mph).

If you’re wondering what that feels like, the video posted below puts it into perspective. It features acceleration runs of the new Passat powered by both the 150 PS (148 hp) and 240 PS TDI units. The first is fairly brisk, reaching the benchmark sprint speed in 8.2 seconds, besting its claimed time of 8.6 seconds.

The second, shoots off the line (helped by its standard DSG gearbox and 4Motion all-wheel drive) and even though it was going uphill, it still hits 100 km/h in 7 seconds dead (.9 seconds off what VW claims).

The second car tested is an estate, so the sedan could be a tad quicker. Oh, and do check out the fully-digital dials in action – they look very clear and are easy to read; they’re also very restrained, in typical VW fashion.

Via Autogefühl 

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AC Schnitzer Gives BMW Z4 with 424HP Diesel

The BMW Z4 roadster is exclusively offered with gasoline engines, which is probably why tuner AC Schnitzer decided to experiment and fit it with a massive diesel unit.

The AC Schnitzer ACZ4 5.0d is a one-off vehicle based on the BMW Z4 sDrive 23i, but with a major change: instead of the standard gasoline engine, it features an M50d diesel unit – the same triple-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six that is used on the BMW M550d. 

The engine has been upgraded and fitted into the ACZ4 5.0d, with output and maximum torque figures increasing from 381PS (375hp) and 740Nm (546lb-ft) to 430PS (424hp) and 840Nm (619Nm). 

Besides the new engine, the ACZ4 5.0d also features the rear axle gear and limited slip differential from the BMW M3 (E92), while the standard manual gearbox has been replaced with an 8-speed automatic with paddle shifters.

Needless to say, these modifications have a strong impact on the car’s performance, with the AC Schnitzer ACZ4 5.0d sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.5 seconds and reaching 300 km/h (186 mph). It is also capable of lapping the Sachsenring circuit in 1:37.22, making it the fastest diesel-powered car on the respective track.

Besides mechanical upgrades, the ACZ4 5.0d also features lightweight construction, including the folding roof and the boot lid made of CFC. These modifications alone account for a 90kg (198lbs) weight reduction. Furthermore, the standard silencer has been replaced by a lightweight silencer, saving 19kg (41.8lbs). 

A further 25kg (55.1lbs) are saved by the AC Schnitzer forged alloys Type VIII. In total, with a few further measures, 131kg (288.8lbs) have been saved, with the car tipping the scales at 1,469kg (3,238lbs), despite the significantly heavier M50d power plant.

According to AC Schnitzer, the "ACZ4 5.0d is a concept vehicle not for sale, which was produced to customer specifications and at the same time acted as a technology platform for AC Schnitzer product development. In its current form, the vehicle would cost € 113,965."

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New Octavia Combi 4x4

Following the world premiere of the new Octavia Combi at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, Skoda has released information about the 4x4 variants of its station wagon that are now fitted with an updated AWD system featuring the latest-generation Haldex 5 clutch.

Of the 124,500 Skoda Octavia estates sold last year in Europe, almost 20 percent were all-wheel drive versions, with the ratio being even higher in Scandinavian and Alpine countries (61 percent in Norway, 55 percent in Switzerland).

The upgraded all-wheel drive system has an intelligent distribution of torque between both axles and individual wheels. Under normal driving conditions, most of the power will go to the front axle. As soon as more torque is required or the wheels need more grip, the rear wheels are seamlessly activated. The Octavia Combi 4x4 also comes with a standard EDL (Electronic Differential Lock) which acts as a transversal lock allowing for stable starting-off on surfaces with uneven grip.

The Octavia Combi 4x4 is offered with a choice of three engines, one petrol and two diesels. The 180PS (177hp) 1.8 TSI petrol is the most powerful, with the base engine being the 105PS (103hp) 1.6 TDI diesel. There’s also the more powerful 150PS (147hp) 2.0 TDI on offer. All three versions come with start-stop and an energy recuperation system as standard. Skoda says fuel economy and emission figures have been improved by an average of 14 percent over the preceding model.

Combined with a six-speed manual gearbox, the 1.6 TDI averages 4.5 l/100 km (52.2 US mpg) and emits 119 g of CO2/km, while the 2.0 TDI has a combined fuel consumption of 4.9 l/100 km (48 US mpg) and CO2 emissions of 124 g/km.

The gasoline 1.8 TSI, available exclusively with an automatic six-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission, averages 6.7 l/100 km (35.1 US mpg) and emits 156 g of CO2/km. It is, however, the fastest, with 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) taking 7.5 seconds, while topping out at 227 km/h (141 mph).

Sales of the Octavia Combi 4x4 will begin in Europe in June, a month after the launch of the front-wheel drive model.

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