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

• Porsche reveals its insane 2014 911 Turbo and Turbo S

• The 2014 Toyota 4Runner gets a refresh

• Lexus IS receives a new base price

• Aston Martin makes history at the Nürburgring

• The 2014 Corvette Stingray gets put on pace car duty

• Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance classes announced  

 

2014 Porsche 911 Turbo/Turbo S

The 991 series of the Porsche 911 is still relatively new and is just beginning its long process of repopulating into a wide variety of editions, referred to by Porsche as their “model offensive”. This week, the general ordered the 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo and the 911 Turbo S, and they’re pretty wicked.

For the 991 series, the “base” Turbo receives a new 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged flat-six engine which produces 520 horsepower or 560 hp if you upgrade to the Turbo S. The engine works with a new Porsche Traction Management (PTM) all-wheel drive system and an updated seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission to propel the Turbo from 0-60 miles per hour in just 3.2 seconds and on to a top track speed of 196 mph. The Turbo S has a 0-60 time of 2.9 seconds – which is negligibly slower than the Bugatti Veyron – and also benefits from a 198 mph track speed. No word on a manual transmission option.

Practical features like an automatic engine stop/start function which kills the engine when you’re coming to a stop or coasting are expected to provide substantial fuel efficiency improvements, but official EPA figures are still being calculated. Flat-six aficionados will be treated to induction and engine sounds piped into the cabin through some sort of speaker diaphragm.

The aforementioned PTM system provides a quicker and more precise power distribution to both axles for more control, but that is far from the only handling improvement on the new Turbo/Turbo S. A new active aerodynamic system features a retractable three-stage front-spoiler as well as a three-way adjustable rear spoiler to provide the driver with the freedom to adjust the aerodynamics to his/her heart’s contempt. For improved response, a new rear-wheel steering system is also included which can adjust the angle of the rear wheels by 2.8 degrees. Porsche claims that at speeds of up to 31 mph, that 2.8 degrees of counter steering is equivalent to shortening the wheelbase by 9.8 inches. You can either use that to your advantage in high-performance cornering or for maneuvering through the mall parking lot, which is probably the same thing for some people.

The 911 Turbo and Turbo S can be differentiated from others in the litter by the wider fenders, two-tone 20″ aluminum wheels (with center hub locks on the Turbo S), and full LED headlights with a four-point daytime running headlight design. The interior also gets a redesign to set it apart from others, with various bits of carbon and a few exclusive leather combinations. You also get a choice of a Bose or Burmester sound system and a cruise control system with speed limit recognition, which I’m sure will be a welcomed feature for typical Turbo buyers.

The 911 Turbo and Turbo S will arrive in the United States by the end of the year and will have a base price of $148,300 and $181,100 respectively (prices do not include the $950 destination charge).

[Source: Porsche]

The 2014 Toyota 4Runner’s Refresh

When the 2014 Toyota 4Runner goes on sale this fall, it will be sporting a new face along with other new exterior features, interior options, as well as improved practicality and comfort.

Beginning with the obvious, all three trim levels feature the new face which is designed to convey a more rugged and aggressive appearance with a new grille and headlight design. Trail models (pictured) receive color-keyed bumpers and overfenders as well as a hood scoop while the Limited model features fancy chrome grille inserts and chrome bumpers. The 17″ wheel design for the SR5 and Trail model is new while the 20″ alloy wheels on the Limited model only benefit from black paint. Four new paint colors join the palette, bringing the total up to eight.

Toyota’s interior designers were interested in adding a bit more luxury to the SR5 and Limited models, which now feature soft touch door trim, softer seating surfaces, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a leather shift knob. The Limited model still comes standard with a leather-trimmed interior that features ventilated and heated front seats. The increased luxury doesn’t mean the 4Runner has grown soft, however. Practical features like a standard roof rack, full-size spare tire, a 120V outlet, and an available pull-out cargo deck capable of carrying 440 pounds still help make the 4Runner one of the most capable mid-size SUVs on the market.

Off-road performance is further improved by an available Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System, Crawl Control, Hill-start Assist Control, front and rear clearance sonar system, standard backup camera, a two-speed, part-time four-wheel-drive system on SR5 and Trail models, and a full-time four-wheel drive system for the Limited model. The only engine available is a 4.0-liter V6 that produces 270 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque.

Pricing is not available yet.

[Source: Toyota]

2014 Lexus IS Priced

Lexus is just about ready to release its redesigned IS compact sport sedan into the wild, and when they finally do, it’ll sport a new base price of $35,950, not including a delivery charge of $895.

That base IS is the IS 250, which is powered by a more refined 2.5-liter V6 that delivers 204 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is available on the IS 250 but that requires $38,485. For those who want a little more kick on their daily commute, the IS 350 utilizes a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 305 horsepower and is paired with an eight-speed automatic. In rear-wheel drive guise, the IS 350 costs $39,465 while the all-wheel drive model commands $41,700, which reflects a two percent price decrease compared to the outgoing model.

New standard features include but are not limited to HID headlamps, dual-zone climate control, a 4.2-inch multi-information display, and a multimedia display that can fetch real-time traffic and weather information without a subscription. All in all, $1,400 in previously optional equipment is now standard on all IS models.

Three additional packages are available across the entire range, those being the Premium, Luxury, and F-Sport packages. The Premium package adds heated seats and LED headlamps for $1,050 on RWD models or $610 for AWD models. The Luxury package includes the Premium package plus perforated leather, linear wood trim, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and more for $3,665 for RWD or $3,225 for AWD. The F-Sport package (pictured) adds unique exterior styling, bespoke 18″ wheels, sport-tuned suspension, and a fancy digital tachometer adopted from the LFA for between $2,675 and $3,620.

[Source: Lexus]

Aston Martin Hybrid Hydrogen Rapide S Makes History

A few weeks ago, Aston Martin unveiled an innovative prototype racecar – the Hybrid Hydrogen Rapide S. The car was built to take on the legendary 24 Hours of Nürburgring and do so with minimal CO2 emissions. They also wanted to be the first to complete a full competition-pace lap of the “Green Hell” with absolutely no CO2 emissions. Aston Martin is pleased to announce “mission accomplished”.

Last Sunday, the car was entered in a four-hour VLN series race as a shake-down and test session and it was there that the first ever zero emission lap (at race pace) was completed. Aston Martin’s CEO, Dr. Ulrich Bez, was at the wheel. The next step for them is to use data collected at the race to further stabilize the hydrogen hybrid system before they go for the full 24 hour challenge next month where they hope to complete as many zero emission laps as possible.

[Source: Aston Martin]

2014 Corvette Stingray gets put on pace car duty

The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray will be pacing the field at the 97th running of the Indianapolis 500. On May 26th, 2013, this C7 will be the 12th Corvette to hold the honor. With the exception of the light bar mounted just inside the rear window and the official Indy 500 graphics, the car on track will be exactly the same as what you can buy this fall.

[Source: Chevrolet]

Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival Announces 2013 Concours d’Elegance Classes

This 1938 Jaguar SS Coupe was last year’s Best in Show.

If you happen to be around Hilton Head, SC on November 3rd this year, you may want to take some time out of your day to head on over to the 12th Annual Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival. This year’s Concours will feature 150 cars and 25 motorcycles within several classes competing for top honors.

The usual classes are as follows: Brass Era Cars, Classics, Production 1916-1948/Modern, English/International Sports Cars, and Micro Cars. This year’s unique classes include the special Gatsby class of 1920s-era Classics (in honor of Warner Bros.’ “The Great Gatsby”), two Preservation classes for pre-1949 and 1949 to 1973 that are unrestored, two motorcycle preservation classes through 1945 and from 1946 to 1973, a class celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Porsche 911, and a class celebrating 60 years of the Corvette. In all, 22 classes will be featured.

For ticket info and a complete schedule of events, head on over to the official website.

[Source: The Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance]