Welcome to the Hooniverse News! As always, this is a weekly recap of some of the biggest stories in the automotive industry without the fluff or bull. I just throw in a little opinion of mine because I can. This week:  

• BMW reveals their coolest concept car, isn’t actually real

• Scion updates the FR-S for better handling

• Audi reveals insane A3 Clubsport Concept

• Cadillac prices the ATS Coupe

• And more!

BMW Vision Gran Turismo

Of all the cars in today’s edition of my little car news thing this is the only one that isn’t real, which is a shame because I find it freakin’ awesome. BMW has revealed their virtual race car designed exclusively for Gran Turismo 6 and it’s called the BMW Vision Gran Turismo. Ever since GT6’s launch last year developers Polyphony Digital have been teasing this Vision Gran Turismo project where well over a dozen of the world’s leading automotive designers pen virtual racing cars that embody the spirit of their respective company and the spirit of Gran Turismo. I guess it’s no surprise then that the second Vision Gran Turismo car arrived several months later than we were expecting. You can think of this as BMW’s vision for a perfect race car; one that pays homage to their touring cars of the 70’s but keeps its eyes on the future. The design, which you can thank BMW Group Design for, was intended to be dynamic with crisp and modern yet show off classic BMW lines. Designers also went for the “fast while standing still” look, and I think they pulled it off well. All of the extra body work is virtually functional to provide maximum grip and stability at virtual speed and is highlighted by the BMW M colors which follows the flow of the airstream passing over the car. BMW released a video highlighting the design process on YouTube for those interested. The aforementioned aero work is definitely put to good use with this car because it has the power to match the looks. The virtual 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged straight-six engine delivers a virtual 549 horsepower and 502 lb.-ft. of torque. A six-speed sequential racing gearbox sends power to the rear wheels. In true BMW fashion the weight distribution is a perfect 50/50 and in not true anymore BMW fashion it weighs just 2,600 pounds. It’s a shame that all of those fantastic words are for a car that doesn’t exist in the real world, but BMW could very likely be using this concept to inspire a future model or two. After all, this is pretty much a 2 Series on a Red Bull high. BMW M2, anyone? Until we see what real world cars are spun off of this, if anything, you can enjoy this car for free after downloading an online update in Gran Turismo 6. [Source: BMW]

2015 Scion FR-S

Back to the real world. Sigh – oh look, a Scion FR-S! The lovable, hoonable, and somewhat affordable Scion FR-S is getting updated for the 2015 model year. The updates are few in numbers but are primarily focused on improving the already wonderful driving dynamics of the car which sounds good to us. For 2015 Scion is improving what the FR-S was already great at – handling. By providing a more rigid from suspension and re-tuning the rear shock absorbers, the 2015 FR-S is more stable and agile than ever. The stiffer suspension means less body roll as well and provides for a more communicative driving experience, exactly the kind of words an FR-S buyer would love to hear. A handful of visual updates are present as well, including a new shark fin antenna which replaces the pole antenna on older models for better aerodynamics or something. Out back you’ll also find larger exhaust tips which are more flush with the rear bumper. Automatic headlights, an updated interior panel with a carbon fiber look, new Steel silver and Halo white paint options, and a new key design(!!!!) top off what’s new on the 2015 Scion FR-S. Pricing starts at $24,900 with a six-speed manual transmission and $26,000 with a six-speed automatic and the car will go on sale this June. Also on sale in June is an updated tC but I’m ignoring that. [Source: Scion]

Audi A3 Clubsport Quattro Concept

Not to be outdone by BMW’s virtual racing concept, Audi has revealed a real life concept car that also has some racing pedigree. The Audi A3 Clubsport Quattro Concept was built for the annual Wörthersee Tour, a car event in Austria where car enthusiasts gather round and show off their stuff. It’s essentially an S3 Sedan cranked up to eleven. The purpose-built concept features all of the required components for a high performance German sedan wearing four rings. A 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five engine produces 525 horsepower and 443 lb.-ft. of torque which goes to all four wheels for a 0-62 mph time of just 3.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 193 mph. The aerodynamics are more aggressive and optimized for touring car things as are its suspension components. Overall the car weighs 3,366 pounds which sounds like a lot for a compact, but with the power on tap that still means a power to weight ratio of 6.4 lbs. per horsepower. Large carbon ceramic brakes hide behind those twenty-one inch wheels and when most of their stopping power is summoned they get assistance from an electronic air brake integrated into the rear spoiler. That air brake alone reduces stopping distance from 155 mph by 39 feet. Even though this is just a show car, Audi says it’s a fully functional race car for the road. And it’s kind of awesome. When the Germans make a concept car it’s best to pay attention because they do like transferring stuff like this into their production cars. BREAKCLUSIVE: Audi A1 to feature electronic air brake! [Source: Audi]

2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe priced

Cadillac’s fairly attractive ATS line is about to get its newest addition with the ATS Coupe. Revealed first earlier this year, we now have pricing info to share and it isn’t as bad as it could have been. When the 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe goes on sale at the end of this summer, it will start at $38,990 (including destination) and for that kind of money you do get quite a bit of car. Even though it rides on the same chassis as the ATS sedan, it’s wider, longer, lower, and all of its body work is unique. Power comes from a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder as standard but a 3.6-liter V6 is optional along with rear-wheel drive or optional all-wheel drive. That power and the reworked profiles of the car work hand-in-hand to deliver a more sporty driving experience, certainly by non-V Cadillac standards. That doesn’t come at the expense of sheer luxury though, as they promise it’s just as comfortable as the sedan counterpart and still comes well-equipped at any trim level. It’s a Cadillac after all… but then again that really just means it isn’t as expensive as a BMW. [Source: Cadillac]

BLIPS

When was the last time you were able to call a tire revolutionary? Michelin has a new tire coming to market which is just that. Right now Michelin is launching the new Premier All Season tire with something magical called EverGrip, which as it sounds, is a tire with an evolving tread design which means that the tire wears at a rate it normally would but does so in a way that prolongs grip. Michelin claims that a worm tire with EverGrip provides as good if not better traction than some new tires do in all situations, including the all important wet weather panic brake stand. In a nutshell, this EverGrip technology is a series of hidden grooves that get exposed as the tire wears down so that your car is never touching the pavement through bald tires. Obviously it won’t last forever, but it will continue providing new tire levels of grip for substantially longer than any other tire can. Sound like a winner to you? Visit one of the 10,000+ authorized North American retailers and get a set starting today. [Source: Michelin] Hey… wanna hear a secret? Those pesky Germans in Wolfsburg have some interesting stuff headed our way that you may or may not know about already. For starters, the Volkswagen Phaeton is coming back sometime by the 2018 or 2019 model year*. It’s a fusion rotary with 600 total system horsepower (we actually don’t know what the powertrain is going to be like, in case it wasn’t obvious). Even though the Phaeton may or may not be a diesel, there is another car we know will be a diesel, and that’s the Golf GTD. The GTD was covered here before, but back then we were told it was a European-only affair. It turns out that American outrage over it not coming here reached the higher offices in Wolfsburg, because by 2016 or so it will be able to make the trip across the pond and hit our showrooms*. *Allegedly. If you’re from the future and this is all wrong send all complaints to Kamil.