Drive Wire: February 25, 2016
McLaren’s 570S, a lean AMG C-Class, Aston’s new factory, a smart jump rope, and insane ski tricks.
Hey guys it's Christina Thompson and this is Drive Wire for Thursday, February 25.
Less-is-more news from McLaren, of all brands, as the maker of British supercars has decided to tone down its hard-edged 570S. The result is the 570GT, a somewhat softer supercar that debuts at the Geneva Motor Show next week. The "GT" in this case truly stands for grand touring, with the car reworked to offer more long-distance comfort. The 4-liter, 562-horsepower V8 remains, but the GT gains almost 8 cubic feet of cargo space, a re-calibrated suspension, and other road-friendly improvements. The 570GT also gets a wee bit slower, as in it hits 125 miles per hour in 9.8 seconds instead of 9.5, but we assure you, it's a sacrifice you should be willing to make.
Mercedes AMG has announced a lean but not as mean version of its C-Class bruiser. If you liked the C63 AMG, you'll probably warm up to the C43 as well. The C43 will utilize a twin-turbo 3-liter V6 -- good for 362 horsepower and a respectable "zero to 60" in 4.6 seconds. The middleweight C43 will get all the AMG goodies, including a rear-biased all-wheel-drive system, AMG ride control, and of course sporty wheels and trim packages. We'll know more about pricing when the C43 debuts this fall.
No Alabama assembly for James Bond's car -- after a worldwide search for a new manufacturing location, Aston Martin has announced it will be building its new crossover in South Wales. While the SUV based on the DBX concept is still a few years off, the first order of business at the new factory will most likely be the DB11, which is scheduled to start production in the fall. Our condolences to anyone who was warming up the phrase "sweet home Aston-bama."
Today in gear, we're trimming calories with the smart rope from Tangram factory. This is not the jump rope you used in high school P.E. The Smart Rope is app-enabled and LED equipped to help you track jump count, calories burned, and workout duration for a precise and efficient exercise. Get yours at tangramfactory.com.
In today's ridiculous video, it's the return of Candide Thovex! We recommend risking possible motion sickness at your desk to enjoy the third installment of the one-of-those-days series, a truly absurd compilation of hilarious and thrilling first-person ski-tricks.
That's it for today's edition of Drive Wire. For more, be sure to come back to thedrive.com, and follow us @thedrive on all your favorite social media platforms.
