POV car video
WR TV: 2015 Ford F-150 Platinum Supercrew 4×4
This week we’re behind the wheel of what will likely be the tow vehicle of choice for many racers in the coming years – the all-new 2015 Ford F-150. Based on the Atlas Concept that Ford showed off at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show, perhaps the biggest news about the new truck is the incredible diet it has gone on – one which has allowed the F-150 to shed 700 pounds of weight in the process (in certain configurations).
WR TV: 2015 Aston Martin Vanquish
This week we’re at the helm of Aston’s posh V12-powered grand touring coupe. For 2015 the Vanquish introduces the new Touchtronic III eight-speed automatic gearbox into the mix, a transmission that’s been honed meticulously with technical partner ZF for use in the Rapide S and Vanquish. This, along with changes to the final drive gear ratio result in a Vanquish that’s both faster and more fuel efficient than last year’s model.
WRR TV: Like A Bull In A China Shop
When Henrique Cisneros in the No. 30 MOMO NGT Motorsport Ferrari 458 GT3 Italia stalled at the start of Race 1 in the GT class race during Cadillac Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, it caused massive havoc. Among the numerous competitors taken out of the race, the No. 37 Blancpain Racing Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 FL2, piloted by Maximilian Voelker, seems to take some of the worst of it as he gets bounced around like a pinball by multiple collisions before he even gets a chance to cross the starting line.
WR TV: 2004 Lamborghini Gallardo
This week we’ve got the keys to the best-selling Lamborghini in the company’s history. Powered by a 5-liter V10 dishing out 493 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque, the “baby Lambo” could be had with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automated manual gearbox.
Driven: 2015 Volkswagen Golf R
Conventional wisdom often dictates that in order to boost the performance capabilities of a road car, an inevitable trade-off must be made in terms of comfort, drivability, amenities, and so on. After our seat time in the all-new GTI last year, we left San Francisco thoroughly convinced that VW had reclaimed the title as the manufacturer with the hot hatch to beat. Because of that great mixture of fun, usability and pragmatism, we approached our stint with the new Golf R with some slight trepidation, wondering if the car’s bolstered enthusiast credentials would upset the balance of such a well-sorted vehicle. Fortunately, our concerns were unfounded – the Golf R retains all of the GTI’s best attributes and cranks up the sporting prowess considerably with virtually no drawbacks – provided you don’t spend too much time looking at your bank statement after you leave the dealership.
WR TV: 2015 Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack
This week we’re getting our first chance to get behind the wheel of the new Charger R/T Scat Pack. While the Hellcat is stealing headlines for its supercar-level power, the R/T Scat Pack is no slouch either, and at a 40% discount, it makes for a compelling alternative for those who might not have the means to pony up for a $65,000 vehicle.
WR TV: 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (Z07 Package)
This week we bring you a walkaround, POV Test Drive, and a few dyno pulls in the new 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z07 Package at Smokey’s Dyno & Performance in Akron, Ohio.
WR TV: Mercedes-AMG CLA45
A little late to the party but arriving dressed to the nines, this week we’ve got the keys to the most diminutive AMG currently offered, the CLA45.
Driven: 2015 McLaren 650S Spider
As the manufacturers of supercars continue to explore ways to satisfy shareholder expectations, phrases like “race derived technology” have started to drift into nebulous marketing territory, where they pertain more to concepts and emotions than the mechanicals found underneath the skin of a vehicle. McLaren is, first and foremost, a company that builds race cars. They are not part of a larger company that cranks out road-going vehicles by the thousands, so there isn’t a wealth of parts bin components from more common models to pilfer from in order to reduce development and build costs. So when we were handed the keys to this Volcano Yellow 650S Spider, we had a hunch it might be something genuinely special. A car that felt bespoke, made by a company whose primary objective has always been about building vehicles made to perform. Something truly compelling. The first time the all-aluminum 3.8-liter V8’s turbochargers spooled up, our suspicions were confirmed.
WR TV: 2015 Aston Martin Rapide S
Today we’re at the helm of Aston’s V12-powered sports sedan. Externally 2015 might look like a carryover year for the Rapide S, but the four door gets a host of crucial tweaks this year that pay dividends behind the wheel.
Driven: 2015 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S
Few marques enjoy the perception of exclusively and class the way Aston Martin does. Though they’re seeking to broaden their horizons a bit these days, there’s no denying that the brand carries some well-founded clout. While most enthusiasts would consider Aston’s cars to reside closer to the grand touring side of the supercar equation than an equivalent offering from, say, Porsche or Ferrari, after having spent some time behind the wheel of the V12 Vantage S, we can report with no uncertainty that this particular model is no soft-edged cream puff, and brings enough performance prowess to the table to set just about anyone’s hair on fire. Of course, that doesn’t come without a bit of compromise as well.
WR TV: Switzer P800 Nissan GT-R
This week we have the keys to something particularly special, courtesy of our friends at Smokey’s Dyno & Performance. While the Nissan GT-R is certainly no slouch straight off the showroom floor, there’s still those among us who yearn for even more performance. That’s where the folks at Switzer Performance come in.
WR TV: 2015 BMW 228i Convertible
This week we’re behind the wheel of the all-new 2015 BMW 228i Convertible. With BMW promising more cargo space, greater fuel efficiency and better performance than its 128i predecessor, our expectations are running high for this new sporty ragtop.
WR TV: 2015 Audi S3 2.0T S-Tronic
This week we’ve got the keys to Audi’s latest small sports sedan. Coated in Sepang Blue paint and equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four cylinder motor that’s hooked to a six-speed dual clutch gearbox, the 3300 pound S3 is capable of getting from zero to sixty miles per hour in 4.9 seconds and boasts an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.
WRR TV: Instructional Laps Around COTA In A 2015 BMW X6 M
Ride along as BMW Factory Driver Bill Auberlen leads us on some very helpful instructional laps around The Circuit of The Americas in the 2015 BMW X6 M.
A Day at the Track in a 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat
When we went to Portland last July to get some seat time in the Challenger Hellcat, one of the biggest surprises we took from the event was the car’s relatively well-mannered behavior on Portland International Raceway’s road course. It is without a doubt a big car – a grand touring vehicle by nature – but it was clear that engineers at Dodge had spent some time dialing out some of the persistent understeer that had become a hallmark of Challenger handling in models past, resulting in a much more neutral balance and a car that was much easier to corral around a race track than its reputation would suggest.
Driven: 2015 Lexus RC F
Ask a random soul what descriptors first come to mind when they think of the Lexus brand, and they’re likely to offer terms like “luxury”, “refinement” and “maturity”. Back in 1989, the first Lexus models made landfall in the US as a premium alternative to the more prosaic models produced by parent company Toyota, with the LS sedan leading the charge – a car which embodied those values and continues to do so today. More recently, Lexus has sought to make inroads in the sport-luxury market, a segment long dominated by BMW’s M division, AMG and Audi’s S and RS lineup.
WRR TV: It’s Not Over Until It’s Over
Ride along with Team Winding Road Racing member Daniel Ibrahim in this SM class race at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. After qualifying fifth on the track and in first for the SM class in the race (which included entrants from ITS, GP, ST2 and FP classes), Dan gets boxed in during the start and falls back to 3rd in class during the first lap. Working his way through the pack, Dan eventually finds himself in an epic battle for the lead with Thomas Burt in the #85 car.
WR TV: 2014 Tesla Model S P85 – POV Test Drive
During the first day of the MPG Track Days event, Tesla took the opportunity to introduce journalists who hadn’t had any previous seat time in the Model S a chance to give it a brief spin around Pasadena. Of course we jumped at the chance to hop into the driver’s seat of the sport sedan, here outfitted with the P85 high performance package.
WR TV: 2014 Chevrolet SS Street and Track POV Test Drives
Today we’re getting up close and personal with Chevrolet’s performance sedan, the SS. From a fundamental standpoint, the SS shares much its mechanicals with the gone but not forgotten Pontiac G8 GXP, a car which itself was largely derived from the Holden Commodore. Back in 2009 the G8 was heralded by many as “the poor man’s M5”, so considering the close lineage, the SS brings with it some high expectations.
WR TV: 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z51 Convertible
Today we’ve got the keys to a drop top C7 Stingray optioned with the seven speed manual transmission, performance active exhaust system, and magnetic ride control suspension. This particular Corvette is also equipped with the Z51 performance package, which includes upgraded brakes, shocks, springs, anti-roll bars, wheels, and tires, along with dry-sump oiling and an electronic limited-slip differential.
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