OCTOBER 28, 2015

(Photo by Jeffrey Sauger for Chevrolet)
Chevrolet rolled out the 2016 Camaro at the General Motors Lansing Grand River Assembly facility in Lansing, Michigan, on Monday, October 26, 2015. The Camaro will begin shipping to dealers later this week. The first vehicles delivered to customers will be LT or SS coupe models. The Camaro Convertible and models with the 2.0L Turbo engine will begin shipping in early 2016.

(Acura)
This is the new 2017 Acura NSX. Suffice to say you won't be able to move over the next few months without reading about it. The NSX Sport Hybrid power unit features a mid-mounted, 3.5-liter, twin-turbocharged, 75-degree DOHC V6 engine with dry sump lubrication, mated to an all-new 9-speed dual clutch transmission (9DCT) and Direct-Drive Motor. This is augmented by the front Twin Motor Unit (TMU) driving the front wheels. Total system peak output is estimated at 573HP: 500HP from the gasoline engine and 73HP from the front TMU. It weighs 3,800 pounds without options. There will be more to come on the NSX, much more, but... Editor-In-Chief's Note: 3,800 pounds for Honda's world beating (allegedly) supercar of the future? What the Hell is going on, exactly? Where is the lithe and agile engineering mindset that propelled Honda to such great heights in the past? Where is the "add lightness" component? GM's True Believers just took 300 pounds out of the all-new Camaro, and this is the best Honda can do? A flat-out disappopintement and a terrible miss. -PMD

(Audi USA images)
For those "sports" out there needing a bit more sport in their Audi A8 the German manufacturer is adding the A8 L 4.0T Sport model for 2016. It's basically a trim package with a 15HP boost over the previous model for the 4.0T twin turbo V8 engine, bringing it to 450HP. Exterior details: A new front fascia with larger air intakes, lowered front bumper, more prominent rocker panels and a lowered rear bumper. The A8 L 4.0T Sport comes standard with 20’’ 5-double spoke wheels and is available with two additional 20’’ wheel options. Also available are 21’’ 5-arm wheels with summer tires. The interior of the A8 L 4.0T Sport model includes standard Executive and Luxury packages offering 22-way Comfort front seats with Valcona leather, diamond pattern stitching and ventilation and massage functions. Also standard is an Alcantara headliner, panoramic sunroof and acoustic glazing on the windows "creating an interior experience that is more luxurious than ever," according to Audi PR minions. The price? $90,500 excluding the destination charge of $925.

(Porsche USA images)
The new 2017 Macan GTS incorporates hardware changes and a unique engine calibration (over the "S") to allow its 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 to develop 360HP at 6000 rpm and 369 lb.-ft. of torque. The rest of the all-wheel-drive powertrain matches up to the Macan Turbo. Porsche's seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission is combined with Porsche's Traction Management system (PTM) that actuates an electro-hydraulic, multi-plate clutch to variably engage the front axle depending on traction needs. With the optional Sport Chrono Package the Macan GTS goes 0 to 60 mph in 4.8s with a top track speed of 159 mph.
Porsche's Stability Management system is also recalibrated on the Macan GTS. Brakes? Large 360 mm front rotors with six-piston fixed calipers finished in red, and 330 mm rear rotors, with single-piston calipers also painted in red. Air suspension, including Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), comes standard on the Macan GTS. Specific suspension tuning also includes a 10-millimeter reduction of standard ride height compared to the Macan Turbo.
The Macan GTS uses a lot of black trim. The window trim is finished in high gloss black, a matte finish is used on the lower body and a Porsche Macan GTS designation appears on the rear hatch. The standard 20" RS Spyder Design wheels are finished in Satin Black. The side blades are matte black with GTS logos in contrasting gloss black.
The Macan GTS features a standard leather package and GTS sport seats with Alcantara® seat centers and GTS logos on the headrests.
The 2017 Macan GTS goes on sale in March 2016, with a base MSRP of $67,200 excluding a destination change.

 Peggy Noonan. Editor-In-Chief's Note: The Wall Street Journal columnist had some excellent advice for young journalists this week. "She took her seat in the hearing room handsomely coiffed, beautifully made up, wearing a sober, dark high-end pantsuit. Young journalists tell me I'm not allowed to describe how she's dressed or whether she looks tired (no, well rested) or stressed (no, cool as a cucumber). I tell them if they're going to be journalists they can't start out as word cops. Nor should they in their work put politically correct limits on their ability to describe a scene. If you mean to be a craftsman, you cannot start your career as a censor." Amen. -PMD

Check out The Autoextremist on AutoextremistTV below...we're already on Episode 3! -WG