INVIDIA SHIELD

Despite its problems, we actually liked Nvidia's original Shield Android gaming handheld. Our biggest issue with it was that it was bulky and heavy. With rumors swirling around about a Shield 2, we were hoping to see a slimmer, lighter design.

So consider us initially disappointed when we learned that the next iteration of Shield would just be yet another Android tablet. Yawn, right? The fact of the matter is that the Shield Tablet may be playing in an oversaturated market, but it's still great at what it sets out to be.

For one thing it's surprisingly affordable, as the Wi-Fi version can be had for just $299 (£239.99, around AU$320).

At eight inches, the Shield Tablet features a gorgeous 1,920 x 1,200 display, which shares the same resolution as Google's flagship Nexus 7 tablet. At 13.1 ounces, the Shield Tablet is about three ounces heavier than the Nexus 7 but still a lot lighter than the original's 1 lb. 4.7 ounces.

Part of the weight increase with the Shield Tablet over the Nexus 7 is due to the extra inch that you're getting from the screen, but also because the Shield Tablet is passively cooled and has an extra thermal shield built inside to dissipate heat. It's a little heavier than we'd like, but isn't likely to cause any wrist problems.
Despite its problems, we actually liked Nvidia's original Shield Android gaming handheld. Our biggest issue with it was that it was bulky and heavy. With rumors swirling around about a Shield 2, we were hoping to see a slimmer, lighter design.

So consider us initially disappointed when we learned that the next iteration of Shield would just be yet another Android tablet. Yawn, right? The fact of the matter is that the Shield Tablet may be playing in an oversaturated market, but it's still great at what it sets out to be.

For one thing it's surprisingly affordable, as the Wi-Fi version can be had for just $299 (£239.99, around AU$320).

At eight inches, the Shield Tablet features a gorgeous 1,920 x 1,200 display, which shares the same resolution as Google's flagship Nexus 7 tablet. At 13.1 ounces, the Shield Tablet is about three ounces heavier than the Nexus 7 but still a lot lighter than the original's 1 lb. 4.7 ounces.

Part of the weight increase with the Shield Tablet over the Nexus 7 is due to the extra inch that you're getting from the screen, but also because the Shield Tablet is passively cooled and has an extra thermal shield built inside to dissipate heat. It's a little heavier than we'd like, but isn't likely to cause any wrist problems.
Other ports include Micro USB, Mini HDMI out, and a MicroSD card slot capable of taking up to 128GB cards. Buttons on the Shield include a volume rocker and a power button which we found to be a little small and shallow for our liking.
Performance

The Shield Tablet was initially running on Android KitKat, but Nvidia has now pushed out Android 5.1 to users, which brings the tablet right up to date and includes a new-look interface inspired by Google's Material Design, as well as various performance improvements and fixes.Google's influence is clear in fact as the Shield Tablet is running a pretty stock version of Android, with the main difference being that Nvidia has pre-loaded the tablet with its Shield Hub, which is a 10-foot UI for you to purchase, download, and launch your games.

Arguably the real star of the tablet is Nvidia's Tegra K1 mobile superchip. The 2.2GHz quad-core A15 SOC features Nvidia's Kepler GPU architecture and 192 CUDA cores along with 2GB of low power DDR3. K1 supports many of the graphical features commonplace in GeForce graphics card including tesselation, HDR lighting, Global illumination, subsurface scattering, and more.In our performance benchmarks, the K1 killed it. Up until now, the original Shield's actively-cooled Tegra 4 is arguably one of the most if not the most powerful Android SOC on the market, but the K1 slaughters it across the board. In Antutu and GeekBench benchmark, we saw modest gains of 12% to 23% in Shield versus Shield Tablet action.

But in Passmark and GFX Bench's Trex test, we saw nearly a 50% spread, and in 3DMark's mobile Icestorm Unlimited test, we saw an astounding 90% advantage for the Shield Tablet. This is incredible when you consider that the tablet has no fans and a two-watt TDP. Compared to the second-gen Nexus 7, the Shield Tablet benchmarks anywhere from 77% to 250% faster. This SOC is smoking fast, even standing up well to newer devices like the Nexus 9.

In terms of battery life, Nvidia is claiming you'll get 10 hours watching/surfing the web and about five hours from gaming with its 19.75 Wh battery. This is up 3.75 Wh up from Google's Nexus 7 equivalent and from our experiential tests, we found those figures to be fairly accurate if not a best case scenario. It will pretty much last you all day, but you'll still want to let it sip juice every night.

Fernando Alonso say to the fans "SEE YOU NEXT YEAR"

Two-time F1 champion downplays remarks after scoring first point of the season

McLaren-Honda Formula One driver Fernando Alonso has clarified his comments, after suggesting "bored" McLaren fans should "turn off the TV until next year."  In the midst of McLaren-Honda's abysmal 2015, the Spaniard at Silverstone warned fans who are frustrated that more of the same pain will be felt for the rest of the season.  Alonso, a two-time F1 champion, scored his first point of the season on Sunday with a 10th-place finish at Silverstone in what has otherwise been an embarrassing season. Teammate Jenson Button has just four points. Button is 17th and Alonso 18th in the points, leading just the two drivers from hapless Marussia.

"So whoever is bored, turn off the TV until next year, or at least until Japan or later because it is going to get worse than this," said Alonso.
 But after scoring his first point of 2015 in the British Grand Prix, the former world champion insisted he was in fact not urging his supporters to go away, but simply downplaying expectations as the team gets up to speed.

"The message was misunderstood," Alonso was quoted as saying by the Spanish news agency EFE. "I did not mean to turn off the TV, I just meant that there will be other races like this but also worse ones, because the car will not change overnight."

And he insisted that nobody at the team is getting tired or preparing to call it a season.
 Alonso said the three-week gap between Silverstone and Hungary -- created due to the German Grand Prix cancelation -- is "important" for McLaren, as it gives the team extra time to improve.

FERRARI ENZO vs FERRARI LAFERRARI

                     FERRARI ENZO
Dario Benuzzi, Ferrari's famous rubber-burning test driver, wants to demonstrate the new Enzo's brakes, not its acceleration. He understands that to show off its stopping power the supercar will also reveal its massive performance.
At Ferrari's test track, Benuzzi stretches the new 6.0-liter V-12 to the 8200-rpm rev limiter — exhaust howling — in first, second, third, then fourth gear, and we flash through the left-hand chink at 150 mph (6800 rpm in fifth). Benuzzi is grinning, knowing what comes next. He hits the brakes, left hand simultaneously tapping the paddle to downshift, revs automatically soaring between each 0.15-second shift. The brakes growl, the 19-inch Bridgestone Scuderia rubber scrambles for grip. The Enzo stays straight, flat. Under the staggering deceleration, our eyes water and our bodies strain against the four-point belts. It's as if some secondary magnetic force were slowing the Ferrari, dragging it into the track surface. Three-lap demonstration over, motion sickness induced, Benuzzi tells us the discs are 25,000 miles old and have been through a series of 200-to-0-mph tests.
These are no ordinary brakes; they're Brembo's new 14.9-inch Carbon-Ceramic Material system, which boasts a significant 27.5-pound weight saving and consistent stopping regardless.

The bare facts for Ferrari's Enzo are: 650 horsepower, 3000 pounds, a top speed of 218 mph, 11.0 seconds for the standing quarter-mile, a price of about $650,000, and 349 of them to be built — numbers that make this the fastest, most expensive Ferrari of all time.

Officially, the supercar is the Ferrari Enzo Ferrari, but Maranello realistically acknowledges it as just the "Enzo." In virtually every area, this spiritual successor to the 288GTO, F40, and F50 steps outside Ferrari's existing order. The Enzo pushes road-car technology barriers and incorporates enough Formula 1 philosophy to go far beyond merely celebrating Ferrari's three (going on four) consecutive world-championship titles. Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo says, "I wanted to go a little bit too far in every element to build a superextreme car."
The Pininfarina-styled Enzo looks intense, purposeful, dramatic, mean, and smaller than the F50. The front end mirrors the F1 car with its raised nose splitting the two side vents, and it's at odds with the softer, curvaceous tail. It's an aerodynamic statement, and what you don't see is an underbody tailored to wind-tunnel demands. Flaps ahead of the front wheels work in unison with the small, adjustable rear spoiler and two rear diffusers to give a downforce load of 756 pounds at 124 mph, increasing to 1709 pounds at 186 mph before it gradually decreases to 1290 pounds at top speed.
The doors include a section of roof and the lower sill, and they're hinged at the roof and waistline to open up and forward. You step in feet first and slide down into the racing bucket. The cockpit offers a comfortable driving position, even for tall drivers. There's air conditioning, but no sound system. Apart from a few patches of leather, the interior is carbon fiber (the composite chassis and body use sandwich panels of it and aluminum honeycomb).
In imitation of Ferrari F1 driver Schumacher's Sunday car, many controls (including those for reverse gear and traction control) are located on the steering wheel along with warning lights that flash in 500-rpm segments beyond 5500 rpm.
You shift gears F1-style, without a clutch pedal, via column-mounted paddles just behind the steering wheel. Unlike the 360/575M, there's no auto mode. The Enzo slides smoothly away, no awkward clutch takeup. We're in learning mode, short-shifting to second and third, conscious of the engine's remarkable flexibility. The power steering is quick (just 2.2 turns) and fluid; the car feels agile, easy to drive, and far from intimidating. The brakes rumble at every stop; we know how powerful they are.

The Enzo delivers sound on demand. At light throttle the engine is a distant rumble. Push it, and the computer knows by throttle position, revs, and speed when to open the exhaust bypass valves, kicking off a deep, smooth goose-bump-inducing howl. You take the rush for granted, the Enzo passing from leisurely to 150 mph seemingly without going through an intermediate stage.
Ferrari now acknowledges that the F50's F1-based V-12 left drivers yearning for more torque. For this car, a new naturally aspirated, 65-degree V-12 was developed, and it will go in the successors to the 456 and 575M. The Enzo V-12's 92mm bore and 75.2mm stroke give a capacity of 5999cc. The quad cams are belt-driven with variable inlet- and exhaust-valve timing, and the intake-runner lengths are continuously variable. Each bank of cylinders is controlled by a Bosch Motronic ME7.0 ECU and fed via a drive-by-wire throttle, with a single coil for each spark plug. The V-12 makes 650 horsepower at 7800 rpm and 485 pound-feet of torque at 5500 rpm. At 3000 rpm, it's still punching out 391 pound-feet of torque, whereas the F50 peaked at 347 pound-feet at 6500 rpm.

 

The oddly-named Ferrar LaFerrari is the latest in a long line of technologically-advanced hyper-cars from the Prancing Horse. Limited to just 499 examples , the LaFerrari (a name that literally translates to "The Ferrari" in Italian) stands out as Ferrari's first street legal gasoline-electric hybrid.
At its core, the LaFerrari uses a 789-horsepower 6.3-liter V12 engine capable of revving to 9,350 rpms. From there, the engine is coupled to a 120-kilowatt electric motor which bumps total maximum output to 949 horsepower and 663 lb-ft. of torque. Two electric motors are actually on board - one to power the driven wheels and one to run ancillary devices.

Power is sent to the rear wheels via a F1-grade seven-speed dual-clutch transmission controlled by shift paddles mounted behind the steering wheel. With both power sources running, the LaFerrari is capable of sprinting from zero to 62 mph in less than three seconds, from zero to 124 mph in less than seven seconds and reach a top speed of over 217 mph.
Huge carbon ceramic Brembo brakes hidden behind 19-inch wheels up front and 20-inch wheels out back help bring the car to a stop.

F1-Sourced Tech
The LaFerrari's HY-KERS hybrid drivetrain is modeled after the system found in Ferrari's Formula 1 cars. Attached to the floorboards, the 132-pound battery pack helps lower the LaFerrari's center of gravity and enabled engineers to place 59-percent of the car's weight on the rear axle.
The battery pack is recharged during braking - even when ABS kicks in - as well as when excess torque is being produced such as during hard cornering. The electric motors powered by the pack lower gas mileage and improve performance but they cannot drive the car by themselves like the ones found in competing cars built by Porsche and McLaren.

Cheating The Wind
A blend of form and function, the LaFerrari was conceived to be as aerodynamic as possible with the help of a wind tunnel typically used to design Formula 1 cars. It borrows some styling cues from the Enzo, its predecessor, and others from current members of the Ferrari lineup like the F12berlinetta. It boasts an aggressive appearance with large air dams up front, a F1-like nose cone and a wide rear end characterized by two round tail lamps and four exhaust tips.
Active aerodynamic devices such as diffusers on both ends, a spoiler out back and guide vanes integrated into the underbody generate downforce when needed and help the LaFerrari cheat the wind. A wide array of sensors work to deploy the devices automatically without any input from the driver.

Driver-Focused Cockpit
The LaFerrari's cockpit is accessed via doors that swing upwards. Continuing the Formula 1-inspired theme, the steering is commanded with a flat-bottomed steering wheel that groups every major command including switches for the turn signals, the headlights and the windshield wipers, a knob that enables the driver to select from five different driving modes and a button used to start the engine. The climate control knobs are conveniently located on the dashboard.
The car is equipped with a digital instrument cluster consisting of two high-definition color screens and a large tachometer mounted front and center. The driver can configure the information displayed by the two screens.
Interestingly, the LaFerrari's driver seat is tailor-made and cannot be adjusted, but the driver can change the position of the pedals and the steering wheel. Ferrari used input from drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa to create a driving position that is similar to that of a single-seater race car.

FERRARI F40 vs FERRARI F50

                      FERRARI F40
The 201 mph Ferrari F40 is unlike all other supercars : every year that passes, its stunning exterior design and brutal turbocharged power delivery seem even more appealing. In the new-is-best world of supercar ownership, the lasting and growing influence of this 30-year-old exotic is quite unique.  The F40 legend started with a bang as the final car to be presented by Enzo himself on the year of his death. Rows and rows of the matching Rosso Corsa red F40’s lined the Fiorano pit area with another key figure in Ferrari lore: a young Luca Di Montezemolo smiling in his 1980s power suit next to this line of exotica.  As much a story about the passionate men and women behind the scenes, there is almost nothing boring about the F40 in any way. Originally set for a 399-unit production run, the total swelled to more than 1,200 over the car’s lifetime from 1987 to 1992.  The F40’s shocking looks and speed are appreciating in value steadily, and may one day even overtake the Ferrari NART Sypder’s $27 million dollar auction record from this past weekend.

Until then, this Ferrari is already one for the ages. It is as much a joy to drive as it is to admire, almost like a fine painting — new details emerge and captivate the mind. Collectors are notoriously fastidious when it comes to flogging their prized investment, but the F40 is no show queen.  The F40 can dance. The mid-mounted V-8 engine’s then-state-of-the-art twin turbochargers power just the rear wheels through an 8-ball billiard gear knob and the classic polished H-gate pattern.  Weighing more than 500 pounds less than its arch rival — the Porsche 959 — the Ferrari F40 slams its driver toward any horizon at light speed (once those parallel IHI turbochargers spool up).

The F40 runs a 2.9-liter V-8 with a parallel twin-turbocharged design, which was a first when the F40 launched in 1987. This design sees two IHI turbos operating simultaneously, with each providing boost for each 90-degree engine bank. A Japanese company, IHI was instantly the go-to supplier for the new breed of Japanese turbocharged sports cars - including the reborn Nissan Slyline GT-R (R32) of the late 1980s. Of course, Mitsubishi and Subaru also leaned — still do — heavily on IHI for their highest-performing turbos.  The parallel turbo design is important because it partially defines the F40’s driving style. This was far before any variable-vane turbochargers or sequential turbocharging came on the scene in the 1990s.

Along with the F40’s heavy and imprecise shift linkage, drivers had a few pre-flight checks before nailing the F40’s throttle: get in gear, hang on tight, and brace yourself.  The launch is marked by slight turbo lag, which is actually helpful to get the Pirelli P-Zero tires to hook up to the asphalt before the real power arrives in a frenzied blur. The result of the 471 horsepower is a 60 mph sprint in 3.8 seconds and a record-breaking 201 mph top speed.  The small-capacity V-8 is still a departure for Ferrari’s most premium models, as the subsequent F50, Enzo and now LaFerrari are all naturally-aspirated V-12’s. For anyone skeptical of the turbo V-8 at the time, one quick test ride was proof enough.  The Plexiglas engine cover was vented to allow the high-strung V-8 to sing, while the lack of insulation makes the whole F40 cockpit like one big resonance chamber.  Delightful noises and vibrations tingle through the body even after the engine is off.

 

FERRARI F50

The Ferrari F50 is by far the least popular of the firm’s first four generations of modern hypercars. All the world’s respect and awe for the F40 met the F50 at its debut, but the tide quickly turned for this $480,000 machine after reviewers and Ferrari customers alike revealed the F40 replacement’s familiar styling hid dynamics and a driver experience nowhere near the ferocity of the legendary original.  Instead of a peaky and violent Group B reject like the F40 , the F50 was a heavy, high-speed missile with limited tractability at low speeds from the V-12 versus the explosive F40’s twin turbochargers and short gearing.  Make no mistake, there is nothing wrong with the performance of the F50, which easily spanked [the hottest thing available from Lamborghini at the time, the Diablo VT in sprint pace, as well as maximum velocity.

The construction is carbon-fiber with the rigidity of a fortified bunker, the rear wing is eye-catching, and the 1990s makeover of the F40 ’s simple nose was beautiful, at first. The F50 largely included the F40 ’s exaggerated and exotic proportions and clamshell hoods front and back. Headlamps above the bumper and hood’s leading edge were possible via shrouded enclosures for the first time in three decades, and the unadorned intake wears only a simple and modest prancing horse.
This is the Ferrari F50’s biggest problem: a V-12 whose weight and lack of explosive low-end power felt very dull after the F40’s twin-turbocharged V-8. In addition to a net power loss verus the F40, the F50’s atmospheric V-12 hits its quite torque peak 2,500 rpm higher than the F40. Add tall gearing, and the F50 felt far too slow versus the 1993 - 1998 McLaren F1.

The F50’s claimed weight gain of over 300 pounds on the official books is largely believed to be more like 500 or 600 extra pounds versus the F40’s flyweight specs. On top of that, it drove like the extra weight was more like 1,000 pounds.
This V-12 is still an evolution of some classic Ferrari racing V-12 engines, which when they debuted were absolute engineering marvels of compactness and power output. As displacement grew from the original tiny displacements (often less than 2.0-liters, which for a V-12 is completely unheard-of then or now).
Chain-driven quad cams with dry-sump lubrication is an engine type that is still largely beyond any American or Asian car makers’ abilities, But as size grew, this big engine got heavy and lost its appetite for revs. This is before variable valve timing, but the F50 does have five valves per cylinder.
The engine is more optimized for high-speed tracks, where the car will always be going at least 80 mph or so. From below that pace, the F40 was a huge letdown.

LAMVORGHINI MURCIEALGO SV LP670-4 vs AVENTADOR SV LP750-4

             MURCIELAGO SV LP670-4
SuperVeloce, or SV, is a storied name in Lamborghini’s history, seen most recently on the 1995–99 Diablo SV. The moniker is usually applied to a more powerful, gussied-up version of a car that’s near the end of its life cycle, which is what we have here in the Murciélago LP670-4 SV.
Compared with the plebeian LP640, the SV’s version of the 6.5-liter V-12 develops 29 more horsepower—up from 632 to 661—owing to revised valve timing and modifications to the intake system. Torque is unchanged at 487 pound-feet. The more powerful engine doesn’t have to work as hard, either, as Lamborghini has sliced off a claimed 220 pounds, mostly through the extensive use of carbon-fiber panels and interior parts, and a lighter exhaust system. As a result of higher power, lower mass, and quicker electronic gearchanges, we expect the SV to rip from 0 to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds en route to a claimed top speed of 213 mph with the optional small spoiler, or 209 mph when equipped with the lofty “Aeropack” wing.

Despite sacrificing top speed, serious drivers will opt for the Aeropack because the big fixed wing creates so much downforce that Lamborghini should consider changing the name to SG, for Super Glue. On the 16-turn, 3.9-mile handling track at the Nardò proving ground in southern Italy, the SV’s rear end always remained firmly planted, in contrast to the base Murciélago’s occasional booty shake around tight corners.

Notwithstanding much improved behavior on the handling course, the SV felt most at home on Nardò’s nearly eight-mile-long high-speed circle. “We tuned the steering for high-speed sensitivity,” says Maurizio Reggiani, head of Lamborghini R&D, and the resulting on-center feel is precise and responsive at what would be liftoff velocity for most aircraft. Following the upper lane around the big Nardò ring’s gentle arc is point-and-shoot simple—the broken white lines simply whiz by faster.

On a whim, we nudged the speedometer near 340 km/h (211 mph), at which point our passenger, a Lamborghini Driving Academy instructor, raised and lowered his left hand, a gentle reminder to return to the posted 240-km/h (149 mph) limit.
Decelerating the SV inspires confidence, too. Standard 15-inch carbon-ceramic discs with six-piston calipers at all four corners (optional on the LP640) stand at the ready behind lightweight, glossy-black 18-inch wheels. The brakes are aided by the huge rear appendage, which also acts as an air brake. To coast to a crawl, simply lift off the throttle and let drag take over.
Production will be limited to 350 cars, with a price that’s likely to be nearly $100,000 more than the base LP640’s already lofty $361,400 sticker. Even so, the SV offers more performance than a REVENTON,for about a third of the price.

 

             AVENTADOR SV LP750-4

The term “hot commodity” doesn’t even begin to describe the Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce. Just three months after it was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show, the SV-spec model has already achieved sold-out status.  While not all of the 600 planned units have been produced, each and every one of them has been pre-sold. 200 units are scheduled for North and South American delivery, another 200 are headed to Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and the final 200 supercars will ship off the Asian Pacific countries.  Priced from €327,190 in Europe and $493,069 in United States, the more powerful, better handling, and more aggressively-styled Aventador SV also shaves 110 pounds off the standard Aventador’s belt line.  Related: The Lamborghini Aventador SV Laps the ‘Ring in Under 7 Minutes
As the name suggests, the LP 750-4 developed 750 horsepower — 50 more than the normal car. Thanks to its aerodynamic upgrades, the SV is 150% more efficient at cutting through the air, and adds an extra 70% of downforce. These tweaks add up to a 2.8 second sprint to 60 mph and a top speed of over 217 mph.
The Lamborghini Aventador Superveloce is rivaled by models like the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta and Pagani Huayra. The F12 develops 740 hp and 508 pound-feet of torque from a 6.3-liter V12 while the Huayra uses an AMG-sourced twin-turbocharged V12 with 720 hp and 740 lb-ft of torque on tap. The F12 gets to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds and the Huayra falls behind both the F12 and Aventador SV with a 3.2 second sprint.

Most most to least unique, the Huayra costs $1.4 million and only 100 models have been built. The Aventador SV is the next most expensive and rare, while the F12 seeming like a bargain at $350,000.
Without any more hardcore Aventador versions being planned, the LP 750-4 SV may maintain its status as the most powerful production Lamborghini –besting the Veneno LP740-4– for a good while.

MERCEDES BENZ E-CLASS 6.3AMG vs BMW M5

     MERCEDES BENZ E-CLASS 6.3AMG
In the high-performance-sedan segment, there is little room for subtleties. More power, more performance, more aggression all are par for the course. The quest for domination leads to ever-more outrageous variations of the family sedan. With the latest E63 AMG, which we’ve already sampled in prototype form, Daimler's performance division has raised this bar once again.  The outgoing E63 AMG was the second Affalterbach-fettled version of the W220 E-class. Launched with a naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V-8 in 2009, it switched to a 518-hp 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 in 2011. That 5.5-liter also was available with an optional Performance package that upped the power to 550 hp. For the 2014 model year, that engine is upgraded again: 550 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque now are standard, and there is an S version that makes a remarkable 577 hp—achieved by tweaks to the engine-management system, an increase in peak injection pressure, and by raising the boost pressure from 13.0 to 14.5 psi. That is more horsepower than any other E63 in history, and more than any of its competitors currently offer. Top speed is governed at 155 mph on the standard car and is raised to 186 mph on the S model. Mercedes estimates the sprint from 0 to 60 mph will take a mere 3.6 seconds, with the S shaving down another tenth.

To put that awesome power down, an all-wheel-drive system is standard, making this the first AMG passenger car offered without rear-wheel drive. Other AMG cars will follow in the E63’s footsteps, including the CLS and the next-generation S-class. (In Europe, you will still be able to order a rear-wheel-drive model.) The all-wheel-drive system is rear-biased, with only one-third of the torque going to the front wheels. However, there is—as is always the case in such matters—a weight penalty involved: The all-wheel-drive system adds 154 pounds, according to Benz.

The only available transmission on the E63 AMG remains a seven-speed automatic, and it can be controlled by paddle shifters. The gear shifter is where it belongs—in the center console—and not on the steering column, where it is on every other E-class. The slightly enhanced interior now is graced by a centrally located clock with IWC Schaffhausen branding—a nice touch, even though this must be the least-sophisticated IWC timepiece ever.

The E63's stability-control system offers three modes; most notably, Sport Handling mode will briefly apply the brake of the inside rear wheel to counter any understeer. The suspension—sprung with steel in front, air in the rear—can move through three settings: Comfort, Sport, and Sport Plus. The S model adds a limited-slip rear differential. Wide 255/35 front and 285/30 rear tires on 19-inch wheels are standard on both versions; carbon-ceramic brakes are available only on the S model.
Then there's, uh, the styling. The E63 AMG is based on the heavily face-lifted E-class, but while the goal of Gorden Wagener's design team was to tone down the mainstream models, the AMG arguably has become meaner-looking than ever. Okay, the four-headlight style has disappeared, but these new units with their sharply angular LED daytime running lights aren't exactly subtle. The lower front fascia is graced by gaping air intakes. Gone are the extroverted rear fenders, which were hated by customers, but the four large exhaust pipes are more extreme than ever.

 

                              BMW M5
Just as it did to the 5-series, BMW is making subtle yet significant changes to the M5 for 2014. But while those upgrades border on inconsequential, the brand will offer an optional Competition package that reinforces the M5's position as the purest among high-performance sedans. It’s the Bavarians’ latest response to the high-performance luxury arms race, if you will.  Unlike the more-pedestrian versions of the 5-series, the refreshed M5 doesn’t receive new front and rear bumpers, and, subsequently, changes will be recognized only by the initiated. Among them are a new grille with glossy twin spokes and an M5 logo, which recalls the original M5; there now are full LED headlights, and the taillights receive new, and less cluttered, inner workings. The interior benefits from a new, slightly retro-styled three-spoke steering wheel—the same that’s found in the M6—which replaces the previous, slightly bloated tiller. There are a few more chrome strips inside, and the knob of the iDrive system now recognizes handwriting inputs, much like upper-crust Audis.

Moreover, the M5 gets all the electronic goodies that don’t pertain to the strict business of focused driving, but attempt to save your posterior as your attention drifts away in today's dull traffic environment. They include upgraded lane-departure- and collision-mitigation systems, pedestrian recognition, and a new high-beam assistant.

All of these changes are good, but what really stirs our enthusiasm is the optional Competition package. It will be offered at a still-undisclosed price on the 2014 M5, and also on all three M6 models—coupe, cabriolet, and Gran Coupe. This package bumps horsepower from 560 to 575, which cuts a tenth of a second from the 0–60 times of each model, with the exception of the M6 cabrio. This means that the M5, thus equipped, will now require 4.1 seconds to do the deed. Real-world numbers could be even more favorable; we recorded a 0-to-60 time of just 3.6 seconds in a test of the current-generation M5. Top speed, of course, will be limited to 155 mph with the option to raise that governor to 190.

Customers can continue to choose between the excellent seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and the six-speed manual.
Even more important than the improved acceleration are the improvements in handling, the Competition package adds a revised, stiffer suspension with stronger stabilizers; the elastokinematics—that’s geek speak for flexible components of the suspension, such as bushings—have been adjusted, as has the M-spec rear differential. When it’s all said and done, the vehicle sits lower by 0.4 inch. The hydraulic power steering is more direct than on the standard M5. And the M Dynamic mode, which can be pre-selected by the driver, is even more aggressively tuned with this package. Carbon-ceramic brakes, which provide the ultimate edge in performance, remain optional.

To visually differentiate M5’s equipped with the Competition package, BMW bolted on aggressive and specifically designed 20-inch aluminum wheels and a black-chrome exhaust system. The result is subtle, yet sufficient to attract the attention of brand aficionados.
Thanks to the Competition package, the M5 has virtually caught up with the 577-hp Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S 4MATIC. Where BMW continues to lag behind is in the department of four driven wheels, and, and in a recent interview, M GmbH chief Friedrich Nitschke remained adamant that this won't change in the current model generation.

FERRARI F12 BERLINETA vs MERCEDES BENZ SLS AMG BLACK SERIES

        FERRARI F12 BERLINETA
The Ferrari F12berlinettais a mid-front-engined coupe that is more expensive and more powerful than any road-going member of the Prancing Horse's lineup save for the mighty, limited-edition LaFerrari.
Bucking the industry's downsizing trend, the F12berlinetta uses a naturally-aspirated 6.3-liter V12 engine that churns out 730 horsepower and 509 lb-ft. of torque. Linked to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, the mill sends the F12 from zero to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds, from zero to 124 mph in 8.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 211 mph
The F12berlinetta returns 12 mpg in the city and 16 mpg on the highway when driven conservatively. The aforementioned statistics are evidently far below the industry average but they make the F12 one of the most fuel-efficient cars in its segment.
Huge carbon ceramic brakes on all four corners keep the extra power in check, while vanes that open automatically at high speeds help route cool air to the rotors and the calipers. The electronic driving aids include a high-performance ABS system, Ferrari's F1-Trac traction control, ESP Premium and an electronic differential.
The F12's chassis and body are crafted out of 12 different kinds of alloy in order to reduce weight and increase structural rigidity. Thanks to careful packaging, 54-percent of the coupe's 3,362-pound weight lies on the rear axle.

Aerodynamics First
Penned jointly by Ferrari's in-house styling department and Pininfarina, the F12berlinetta's aggressive design is noticeably inspired by the four-seater FF. Its front end is characterized by a long, sculpted hood, sharp headlamps and Ferrari's signature egg-crate grille. Vents on the hood reduce drag by routing air away from the top part of the car.
Heavily-sculpted flanks and a functional air diffuser integrated into the rear bumper further enable the F12 to cheat the wind, while round tail lamps pushed to the extremities of the rear end emphasize the car's width.

Driver-Focused Cockpit
The F12berlinetta offers a premium, high-tech cockpit with numerous aircraft-inspired touches. The two passengers are treated to round air vents made with carbon fiber and aluminum, exquisite Frau leather on the seats, the center console and the dashboard as well carbon fiber trim on the dash.
The driver sits in front of a three-spoke, flat-bottomed steering wheel that houses every major command including switches for the turn signals, the headlights and the windshield wipers, a knob used to select a driving mode and a button that turns the engine on and off. The climate controls are conveniently located on the dashboard.
The instrument cluster consists of a large tachometer mounted front and center. It is flanked by a speedometer, a fuel gauge and gauges for the oil and water temperature.
Interestingly, a small, discreet screen mounted above the glovebox gives the passenger basic information such as the engine's rpms and the speed the car is traveling at.

  MERCEDES BENZ SLS AMG BLACK
It wasn’t exactly a well-kept secret, Mercedes-Benz’s plan to come up with an über bad-ass version of the SLS to maintain the momentum and give the competition something to chew on. We spied the prototypes and we received hints from AMG chief Ola Källenius himself. Despite all the foreshadowing, though, the aggressiveness of the 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series leaves us stunned. The gaping intakes, the spoilers, and the carbon-fiber trim of Affalterbach’s latest pride and joy makes the SLS AMG GT look pretty vanilla—only by comparison, of course.
The Black Series models are rarer, quicker, much louder, and beastlier than the standard models on which they’re based. To top the regular-grade SLS, Källenius's troops laid their hands on almost every facet of the car. The 6.2-liter V-8 engine now makes 622 hp, a healthy dose of burly over the standard SLS GT’s 583. This bump in power is achieved through a derestricted air intake, a revised valvetrain, an increased compression ratio, and a redline elevated from 7200 rpm to 8000.

Interestingly, peak torque has dropped from 479 lb-ft to 468. And while the 0-to-60-mph sprint is quicker at 3.5 seconds versus the GT’s 3.8-second time—we think those are awfully conservative estimates considering the last standard-spec SLS we tested did the deed in 3.5 seconds when Benz predicted 3.6—top speed actually drops from a governed 197 mph to 196. Go figure. It would appear as though the extra power can’t conquer the aerodynamics.

To keep the engine reliable under extreme loads, the crankshaft and its bearings are modified, a new oil pump is installed, and the connecting-rod connections are altered. The structure housing the higher-power engine is supported by a gas-filled strut brace to keep unwanted movement to a minimum. For the three people who believed the regular SLS sounds too wimpy: A much louder titanium exhaust system has been fitted to the Black—it also happens to be nearly 29 pounds lighter than the standard car’s exhaust. The seven-speed dual-clutch automatic has been mounted a touch lower than in the SLS GT, and it features quicker shift programs as well. And your grandmother will appreciate the fact that the throttle blips on downshifts are “more pronounced and striking than ever.”
Grip is improved by a new, electronically controlled locking rear differential, and the control-arm suspension has been significantly altered. The coil-overs can be individually adjusted, and the SLS AMG Black Series sits on 275/35-19 tires up front and 325/30-20 tires in the rear. The same carbon-ceramic brakes available on the SLS GT come standard on the Black.

Visually, the aforementioned air intakes and carbon-fiber trim make an immediate impression, and that’s because the SLS Black’s looks are inspired by those of the SLS AMG GT3 race car. The front end features aero flics bookending the lower fascia, a front splitter, and a large heat extractor in the center of the hood that also increases downforce at the front axle. A fixed rear spoiler with a Gurney flap resides on the decklid when the car is optioned with the Aerodynamics package. The body is significantly wider, and four exhaust finishers replace the dual outlets of the SLS GT. The Solar Beam exterior finish is unique to the SLS Black Series, but otherwise the car can be painted the same color as any other gullwing Benz.

Depending on your priorities—speed or comfort—the interior has been either upgraded or downgraded. The COMAND telematics system is thrown out, saving 13 pounds from the interior, but it remains available as an option. But in stripped form, the SLS AMG Black series manages to drop an impressive 154 pounds when compared to the plain-old SLS GT. The remainder of the interior is swathed in faux suede, Designo leather, carbon-trim, and red accent pieces.
The SLS AMG Black Series ought to have AMG aficionados tripping over themselves to get one of the limited-production Blacks when the car goes on sale next summer, even though we expect prices to have a considerable markup from the base car’s $192,175 sticker.