ABT Elevates New VW Golf R to the Big League with 370PS Tune

While we wait to see if the rumor going aroundabout VW planning to debut a lighter and more powerful version of the Golf R named the EVO at April's 2014 Beijing Motor Show is true, ABT Sportsline has already envisioned a more potent iteration of the hot hatch.

Teased here in these digitally manipulated photos and likely set to debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month, is ABT's VW Golf R that comes with a software upgrade to significantly boost the 2.0-liter turbo engine's output from 300PS (296hp) and 380Nm to 370PS (365hp) and 460Nm, respectively.

ABT says that, with the pedal on the metal, the tuned Golf R hits 100km/h (62mph) from standstill in 4.5 seconds and tops out at 265km/h (165mph), a 0.6-second and 15km/h (9mph) improvement over the stock model's respective figures.

If you want to give the Golf R that ABT aftermarket look, the tuner will also offer a body kit with a front chin spoiler, side skirts, rear diffuser trim, roof spoiler, a different front grille, headlampeyelashes, and carbon fiber sticker accents, plus new wheels.

Porsche Recalls New 911 GT3s to Inspect Engines Over Fire Concerns, Tells Owners to Stop Driving

Following yesterday’s announcement that it will temporarily stop deliveries and sales of 911 GT3 vehicles after reports of two cars catching fire, Porsche swiftly moved to announce a recall of all 2014 model year 911 GT3 vehicles.

The sports car manufacturer said it is recalling all 785 delivered vehicles worldwide to inspect their engines. Porsche said it is directly informing the owners and “recommending that they stop using their vehicles.” Furthermore, “the carmaker is offering to pick up the vehicles and take them to a Porsche Centre immediately,” says the release.

Porsche said internal studies to determine the cause of the engine damage have not been completed yet, but it will report on any new findings immediately. Engineers at Porsche are still examining the remains of the burnt vehicles from Switzerland and Italy.

The recall comes after engine damage occurred in two vehicles in Europe, causing them to catch fire. There was no traffic accident and no one was hurt. The 469hp Porsche 911 GT3 is the hardcore version of the current 991 series and costs €137,303 in Germany and US$130,400 in the United States.

This Russian Dash Cam Scene is Not what it Looks Like

When it snows, people tend to “forget” to clean snow off their cars, with many of them thinking it’s perfectly normal to drive around with half a meter of snow on the roof of the car. Well, it’s not normal at all, it’s disrespectful to the other drivers and just plain dangerous, as it affects visibility.

As you can imagine, cars driving around while covered with snow are a frequent sight in Russia, and they cause their fair share of accidents. So what can people do to avoid that from happening?

Well, an example can be seen in the video posted below, where a motorist takes the matter into his own hands when he sees that the car in front has its taillights completely covered by snow.

The video may start exactly like a classic Russian dash cam crash incident, but if you are patient (for about 40 seconds or so), you’ll discover that it's actually funny.

Skoda Octavia Gets G-TEC CNG Version with Autonomy of up to 1,330 km or 827 miles!

The Skoda Octavia Scout won’t be the Czech carmaker’s only premiere at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. The Octavia lineup will also receive a natural gas variant for the first time, the Octavia G-TEC. Available both as a saloon and estate, the Octavia G-TEC will be Skoda’s second natural gas model alongside the Citigo.

The car is powered by a bi-fuel engine that runs on natural gas or petrol. The unit is a 1.4-liter TSI petrol engine producing 109hp (110PS) designed for CNG (Compressed Natural Gas). The G-TEC package also includes a Start-Stop System and regenerative braking, which helps the powertrain meet the Euro6 emission standards.

On CNG alone, the Octavia G-TEC can travel up to 410 km (255 miles) without refueling, corresponding to CO2 emissions of 97 g/km. On petrol, the car has a range of up to 920 km (572 miles). Combined range of the Octavia G-TEC is 1,330 km (827 miles). When running on CNG, the engine averages 3.5 kg (5.4 cubic meters) per 100 km.

“The natural gas engine is an important element in the Skoda sustainability strategy and and is now making its way into our best-selling model series,” said Dr. Frank Welsch, Skoda Board Member for Technical Development. “Using CNG technology makes sense, as it combines environmentally-friendly mobility with affordability,” he added.

Of course, while the fuel itself is cleaner than gasoline, the way it is extracted (mostly via the controversial method of hydraulic fracturing) in my view doesn’t make it that appealing on the long run. It’s equally unsustainable as owning an electric car that runs on electricity produced by burning coal.

2015 BMW M3 Sedan Priced from $62,000*, New M4 Coupe from $64,200*

The pricing and options guides for the new 2015 BMW M3 sedan and its two-door sibling, the M4 Coupe, are out in the open. If four-doors is your thing, the M3 will cost you $62,000, while the sleeker looking coupe starts a bit higher at $64,200 (obviously because a car designated with the number 4 should be more expensive than a car that starts with 3).

Neither price includes destination and handling (*), while if you prefer to pick up your car in Munich, Germany, from BMW's headquarters as part of their Euro Delivery program, the M3 will cost you $57,710 and the M4, $59,755.

And that is only the beginning, as there's also the wonderful premium brand world of pricey options, such as the $3,500 Merino Leather treatment, $1,900 LED lighting package and $8,150 Carbon Ceramic brakes.

A comprehensive list with the prices and options, courtesy of the crew over at the BMWBlog, can be found below.