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2014 Corvette ( General Motors ) The 2014 Corvette Stingray's interior will include carbon fiber, aluminum and hand-wrapped leather trim pieces, and two 8-inch configurable "infotainment" screens.

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In a rational world, the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray wouldn’t exist. The very idea of launching a two-seat sports car named after a World War II ship powered by a truck-sized V-8 goes against every trend line on every chart in every automaker’s boardroom. Yet here it is, the seventh generation of America’s most venerated sports car, sharpened in all dimensions by racing experience toward out-hustling the best sports cars in the world. The question will be whether it can outrun history.
After 60 years of production, General Motors could have found ample reasons for waving the checkered flag at the Vette. Thanks to GM’s bankruptcy, the Vette has soldiered on longer than it should have without a major update; GM sold 14,132 last year, well off the 30,000 a year it sustained for much of the past decade. New U.S. fuel economy rules hit sports cars head-on, demanding the same measure of efficiency improvements in hot rods as in compact family sedans.
Slideshow: 60 Years of Corvette HistoryMore importantly, the Corvette has lost much of its cultural currency from the heyday of NASA astronauts drag-racing their free Corvettes on the beach, falling into the tar pit of an old man’s car competing for young people’s attention. From “Transformers” to the “Fast and Furious” movies, Hollywood prefers the new Chevy Camaro and those Vettes the astronauts drove. A survey from the popular Forza racing video game of the most-driven models found the modern Vette didn’t crack the top 40. And while you can still buy Barbie her classic pink Vette, it’s a far less popular choice than sending her off with Ken in a Mini Cooper.
On first view, the makeover wrought by Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter and team appears evolutionary. Yet every piece of the car has either been re-engineered or updated, from the new all-aluminum frame to the sharper, “shrink-wrapped” exterior to the 6.2-liter, 450-hp, 450 lb.-ft. V-8. That engine can now be paired to an optional Tremec 7-speed manual, a GM first, that will automatically match the engine’s RPMs to the anticipated gear in all shifts.
The biggest improvements come from applying modern electronic controls throughout the car for the first time. The Corvette will have five driving modes that alter 12 different systems, from the optional electronic limited-slip differential that’s part of the Z51 track package to launch control. In “eco” mode, the all-new V-8 will shut off four cylinders for maximum fuel economy, while in “track” mode, Chevy engineers say the new Vette will pull more than 1 g of cornering force and run to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds. (Chevy vows to release exact figures, including prices, closer to the car's launch this fall.)
The interior, long the weakest part of the car, has been renovated to modern sports car standards. In place of Barbie-quality plastic, the dash comes wrapped in leather and carbon fiber; the heated and cooled seats have bolstering built for track use. The Vette also finally gets the requisite HD LED screens for the center console, but Chevy wisely keeps separate radio and air control switches instead of touch screen controls.
Much of the Vette’s improvements began as lessons learned from the Le Mans-winning Vette C6.R endurance racing team, such as the new fender intakes by the rear window that cool the transmission and differential. Purists have already begun to exclaim over the loss of the Vette’s trademark round taillights; the new squarish units take that shape because their frames double as a cooling vents.
While Corvette enthusiasts often dream of more radical changes, the Corvette engineering team has six decades of experience arguing against such moves. Moving to a smaller V-8 or turbocharged V-6 as in the Nissan GT-R would have added more weight while doing little for fuel economy; Chevy expects the new model to easily surpass the previous generation’s 26 mpg highway rating. A mid-engine super Vette would lose the sizable hatchback space that makes it more livable as an everyday car or grand tourer than a Porsche 911. And the unique suspension, with its transverse leaf spring rear axle, sacrifices little on the track while weighing less than the alternatives.
Some compromises were inevitable. Even with a new carbon-fiber roof and hood, and a frame that’s 99 lbs. lighter, the new Vette will weigh about as much as the old one, due to added pounds from the engine, interior bits and crash safety — although it keeps its perfect 50/50 front-rear weight balance and sports a lower center of gravity. The new 7-speed manual will still have a skip shift that forces higher gears for better city mileage, and a revised six-speed automatic remains standard.
But the greatest challenge for the new Stingray won't come from rivals like the new SRT Viper, the GT-R or the 911. As Zora Arkus-Duntov, the famed "father of the Corvette" wrote in 1954: "If the value of a car consists of practical values and emotional appeal, the sports car has very little of the first and consequently has to have an exaggerated amount of the second." The engineers behind the new Vette hope the revival of the Stingray name for the first time in 37 years along with years of knowledge gained from racing will spark that emotional connection with a new generation. The most apt answer for why the 2014 Corvette exists may be an Internet meme: Because racecar.

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Even though it’s only July, car enthusiasts are already looking ahead to next year. While many of them are sizing up 2013's models to determine price, fuel economy and durability, others only want to know one thing: how fast does this thing go?

What follows is a list of the 10 fastest cars of 2013. It was provided by Karl Brauer, CEO and editor-in-chief of TotalCarScore.com, an online review aggregator and information resource for cars currently on the market.

“Entry into the ‘200 Miles Per Hour Club’ doesn't come easy, or cheap,” Brauer said in an e-mail. “As speed increases so does the horsepower it takes to push a car through the air -- at a geometric rate. … but ask any speed demon about what 200-plus miles per hour feels like and they'll likely say the engineering (and monetary) requirements are well worth it.”

The list does not include cars made in extremely small numbers, so if a car company has fewer than 20 dealers worldwide or sells fewer than 20 models a year worldwide, it isn't included.

Read ahead and see which cars made TotalCarScore.com’s list of the fastest cars of 2013.



10. Ferrari 458 Italia

Top Speed: 201 mph
Engine: 562 HP 4.5L V 8
MSRP: $229,825

Ferrari was founded as a manufacturer of race cars, but branched out into the production of street-legal models two decades later. The 458 harkens back to Ferrari’s early history in racing.

“The technology packed into this exotic sports car comes directly from Ferrari's F1 racing experience, as reflected in the 458's highly advanced drivetrain and suspension, not to mention the 201 miles per hour top speed,” Brauer said.




9. Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera

Top Speed: 202 mph
Engine: 562 HP 5.2L V 10
MSRP: $237,600

Italian luxury car manufacturer Lamborghini always brings the goods when it comes to power, speed and glamor. The 2013 Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera is no exception.

“Lamborghini knows a modern-day exotic, particularly one from Italy, has to achieve 200 miles per hour if it wants to be taken seriously by wealthy performance enthusiasts,” Brauer said. “The V10 in the Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera delivers, with 562 horsepower capable of pushing the car up to 202 miles per hour.”




6. (Tied) Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

Top Speed: 205 mph
Engine: 638 HP 6.2L V 8 (Supercharged)
MSRP: $111,600

The Corvette is the epitome of an iconic sports car, a status it’s enjoyed since its introduction in 1953. The 2013 ZR1 not only continues that tradition, it exceeds it.

“Making a bold statement in terms of both horsepower and top speed is the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1,” Brauer said. “At 638 horsepower it's the most powerful Corvette in the model's 60-year history, and at 205 miles per hour it's also the fastest.”




6. (Tied) Bentley Continental GT Speed

Top Speed: 205 mph
Engine: 616 HP 6.0L W 12 (Twin Turbocharged)
MSRP: $234,000

For the better part of a century, Bentley has turned out high-performance luxury cars. The 2013 Continental GT Speed continues that tradition, while clocking in at 205 miles per hour.

“Ninety years ago Bentley was more about performance and less about luxury,” Brauer said. “The company has gone back to its roots, winning Le Mans again in 2003 and entering the 200-miles per hour club with the latest Continental GT Speed.”




6. (Tied) McLaren MP4-12C

Top Speed: 205 mph
Engine: 616 HP 3.8L V 8 (Twin Turbocharged)
MSRP: $239,400

In the 1990s, McLaren manufactured the F1, a limited-edition car that reached 240 miles per hour and was the fastest street-legal model in history. The MP4-12C doesn’t quite reach that speed, but it’s fast enough to become part of the 200-miles per hour club.

"And, unlike the F1, McLaren will make far more than 100 MP4-12Cs available to the car-buying public,” Brauer said.




5. SRT Viper

Top Speed: 206 mph (estimate)
Engine: 640 HP 8.4L V 10
MSRP: $100,000

The Dodge Viper was introduced in 1991. It stopped wearing the Dodge brand name and is now part of Chrysler’s SRT performance division, but Brauer said that fans are elated at its return.

The top speed of 206 miles per hour is only an estimate. “It's tough to have all the details on these cars, both because of their exotic nature and because the 2013 information is still somewhat speculative,” he said. “But we feel confident about the approximate specs included with each vehicle.”




4. Ferrari FF

Top Speed: 208 mph
Engine: 651 HP 6.3L V 12
MSRP: $295,000

The look of the FF deviates somewhat from that which many people associate with Ferrari. However, Brauer insists that despite the new design, the car is true to its roots in the ways that matter.

“Ferrari traditionalists might question the design of the FF, with four seats and a less-than-sleek roofline,” he said. “But nobody can argue with the FF's performance pedigree, which includes a 651 horsepower V12 and a top speed of 208 miles per hour.”




3. Ferrari F12 Berlinetta

Top Speed: 211 mph
Engine: 730 HP 6.3L V 12
MSRP: $343,385

The 2013 F12 Berlinetta is not the fastest car in Ferrari history. That honor belongs to the now discontinued Enzo, which reached 217 miles per hour. However, the Berlinetta can achieve a not-too-shabby 211 mph.

“Ferrari has upped the exotic car ante with its all-new 2013 F12 Berlinetta,” Brauer said. “The F12's 6.3-liter V12, at 730 horsepower, is the most powerful engine the … company has ever placed in a production car.”




2. Lamborghini Aventador LP700

Top Speed: 217 mph
Engine: 700 HP 6.5L V 12
MSRP: $376,000

The Lamborghini Aventador is named after a legendary beast from Spanish bullfighting. It’s a powerful specimen, as its name implies.

“Lamborghini has a long history of producing top-speed titans, and the Aventador LP700 is the latest ground missile from the Italian exotic firm,” Brauer said. “The car's 217 miles per hour top speed is appropriate given its exterior design, which resembles a modern day jet fighter.”




1. Bugatti Veyron Super Sport

Top Speed: 268 mph
Engine: 1,200 HP 8.0L W 16 (Quad Turbocharged)
MSRP: $2.4 million

The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is the fastest car of 2013. It achieves a face-melting top speed of 268 miles per hour, and outpaces its nearest competitor by over 50 miles per hour. It also outpaces its competitors in terms of price.

“A ‘princely sum’ sounds inadequate when talking about a $2.4 million automobile, but if you want to go faster than any other street-legal car ever produced that's what it will cost you,” Brauer said “The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is the current King of Speed, and many Veyron owners have ‘king’ in their official title.”
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This Galaxy S III mini Knockoff Packs a 3.5-inch Display and Runs Android Gingerbread

If you have a very low budget to buying a smartphone in China, well, we think this is probably the best cheap Android phone you can get in the Chinese mobile market today. Called the BFA16, this cheap Android phone is introduced by a Chinese company called Bifer. Somehow the phone actually looks like Samsung’s Galaxy S III mini. More photos after the break.
On the left: Bifer BFA16 vs. On the right Galaxy S III miniThe BFA16 is a budget blower, and it cost just 500 Chinese yuan (about US$79) to purchase. According to its spec sheet, this Android 2.3 phone features a 1GHz ARM Cortext-A9 single-core processor, 512MB RAM, 512MB of internal storage plus an extra 32GB maximum via microSD. It packs a 3.5-inch display at 960 x 640 resolution, a rear shooter that maxes out at 8-megapixels with dual LED flash, and there’s a 0.3-megapixel VGA front-facing camera as well. What’s more, it includes 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, a 1,350mAh battery and it supports WCDMA + GSM networks with dual-SIM / dual-standby capability. More photos below.







Well, what do you think about this Chinese-branded bargain Android phone? We think it’s really cheap, and has the look and feel of Samsung Galaxy S III mini at first sight.
Source: Bifer via NetEase

The Made in Russia YotaPhone is definitely not a handset that you would want to trifle with, especially after you have checked out the kind of hardware specifications that it carries. The YotaPhone is said to be powered by the Android operating system, and it has now arrived at a fully working prototype stage, carrying a Gorilla Glass 4.3-inch 720 x 1,280 LCD display right up in front to dazzle your eyes, while there is a rear display which is made up of a 200dpi E Ink screen of similar size as well as toughness.
A dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor will run proceedings from underneath the hood, coupled with 2GB RAM and a minimum of 32GB of internal memory (non-expandable). Connectivity options include Bluetooth and LTE, with a 12-megapixel camera at the back and a 720p shooter in front. The YotaPhone will tip the scales at 140 grams, measuring a mere 10mm thin. Slated for a 2013 release, we do wonder just what kind of price point will the YotaPhone fall under considering the kind of serious hardware that it packs.
http://youtu.be/_wAKFc_hFN0

You don’t think Apple is done building their Death Star, do you?
In another move sure to separate consumers from their cash, the iPad 5 will likely be ready for Christmas, 2013 at the latest. Expect it to share some touch screen technology from the iPad Mini to make it lighter and slimmer.

Slimmer iPad 5 and New iPad Mini Coming Soon

Submitted by Fred Straker on Fri, 01/04/2013 - 00:48