Nother CarGuy

The HTC U11 has been one of the best flagship Android phones of 2017, and now it has been upgraded and enhanced as a new U11 Plus model, freshly announced by HTC today. What are the big differences? The display is the most obvious one, moving from 5.5 inches up to 6 inches, though HTC has shrunk the bezels to fit the new phone into a physical footprint that’s only slightly larger. A new, substantially bigger battery has also been added, and the two changes together have led to a subtle alteration of the design. But, all in all, this device is exactly what its name suggests: a U11 with more of the good stuff and a topping of Android 8 Oreo to sweeten the deal. For US readers, though, the biggest disappointment is probably that HTC has no plans to bring this device Stateside. It’s intended for other markets around Europe, Asia, and the rest of the world. Firstly, the good stuff. The new screen size and 18:9 aspect ratio might lead you to think this is another of those ill-fa...

ATS Automobili revealed its new GT supercar during the Salon Prive in the UK. 53 years after the company stopped producing road cars, ATS returns with a very limited supercar called simply the GT. The relaunched company says they will make just 12 units of their new creation, each reportedly priced at $1,150,000. Built on a carbon tub, the new ATS GT is powered by a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Although the company doesn’t reveal who supplied the powertrain, it’s not that hard to connect the dots just by observing the pictures. The twin-turbo V8 is producing 650hp as standard, with ATS offering an optional upgrade to 700hp. Combined with a dry weight of 1,300kg (2,866lbs), the ATS GT hits 60mph from a standstill in 3 seconds flat while 120mph arrive in 9.9 seconds. Top speed is more than 206mph. The cabin is covered in Nubuck leather and features an ultra-thin TFT screen with an aluminum surround behind the steering wheel and a ce...

Arsenal defeated Chelsea in a dramatic penalty shoot-out at Wembley to open the new English season with silverware. Thibaut Courtois and Alvaro Morata missed from the spot as Arsenal claimed the Community Shield by beating 10-man Chelsea 4-1 on penalties. After a 1-1 draw in regulation time, the shoot-out saw goalkeeper Courtois, an unusual choice to take his side's second penalty, bizarrely fire his attempt way over. That was followed by new signing Morata missing the target on his competitive debut, with Olivier Giroud going on to score the winning penalty. In the match itself, Victor Moses, sent off when the Blues lost the FA Cup final to Arsenal in May, struck early in the second half with what looked like it would be the winner. But Chelsea had Pedro sent off for a rash challenge on Mohamed Elneny and Arsenal substitute Sead Kolasinac, on his competitive bow, scored a header from the resulting free-kick with eight minutes remaining. Alexandre Lacazette, given h...

BMW has released details of its future electrification strategy, including on the upcoming all-electric Mini. Slated for production in 2019, the all-electric Mini will not be a model of its own; instead it will be a variant of the three-door Hatchback. The electric powertrain will be built at BMW’s e-mobility center in Bavaria before getting installed into the new model at Mini’s plant in Oxford, with BMW deciding to keep the production in the UK and despite the risk associated with Brexit. BMW Group expects electrified vehicles to account for between 15 to 25% of sales by 2025. However and since there are many factors such as regulation, incentives and charging infrastructure that will play a major role in the success of electrified vehicles from market to market, BMW Group will develop modular platforms that will be capable of hosting all three forms of powertrains: combustion engine, plug-in hybrid and fully electric. BMW also repeated that they will launch the i8 Roadste...

MG has revealed its new compact crossover will be called the XS in the United Kingdom. Set to go on sale this winter, the XS is essentially a renamed version of the ZS which debuted at the Guangzhou Auto Show last year. MG declined to release specifications but the automaker confirmed the British model will be offered with two petrol engines which can be paired to either an automatic or manual transmission. That's not much to go on but the Chinese variant offers a naturally-aspirated 1.5-liter engine with 120 PS (118 hp / 88 kW) and 150 Nm (110 lb-ft) of torque. Customers can also order a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine that develops 125 PS (123 hp / 92 kW) and 170 Nm (125 lb-ft) of torque. In a statement, MG UK Head of Sales and Marketing said "The MG XS will be a real game-changer in the compact SUV marketplace. Featuring state-of-the-art driver technology and innovative design, the new model builds on our growing reputation for capability, performance and quality, ...

The unprecedented expansion of Mercedes-AMG shows no signs of relenting with confirmation that a number of new AMG-dedicated dealerships are in the works. AMG’s first exclusive dealership opened in Tokyo back in January alongside the announcement that one would open its doors in Sydney as well. Now, AMG boss Tobias Moers has confirmed that Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, the UK and an undisclosed city in Germany will also get AMG showrooms. If these dealerships follow the lead of the Tokyo location, they can be expected to house the brand’s most popular models and will offer a distinctive buying experience in facilities inspired by the brand’s focus on performance. The performance division of Mercedes-Benz is currently enjoying its most successful period to date and in 2016, saw global sales skyrocket by 44 per cent to almost 100,000. According to Autocar, sales are expected to again rise by double digits this year and will steady out until the company’s next-generation models arrive in ...