2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro Pricing & Specs

Toyota’s TRD Pro off-roaders have gained quite a reputation since their launch a few years back as rough and tumble pickups and SUVs that are also nice to live with. So when we weren’t at all surprised when they announced that the 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro is going to cost $40,760 for the manual and $42,760 for the Automatic.

Now, forty grand might sound like a lot of money for a what’s essentially a mud plugger, but with the 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro you get a whole lot more than a vehicle to carry manor around your ranch. This thing is hooked up for a Baja race, should you fancy to enter one, right out of the box thanks to features like a 3.5-Liter V6 with variable intake and exhaust, TRD cat-back exhaust, TRD-tuned front and rear suspension with lift and FOX components, crawl control, Active Traction Control (A-TRAC) 4WD, two package, Toyota Multi-terrain Select system, hill assist, and…
Despite all that off-road goodness, most people buy the TRD Pro Tacoma simply because it looks awesome. Based on the Double Cab Short Bed model, this model comes in three exterior colors of Cement, Barcelona Red Metallic, and Super White, featuring 16-inch TRD black alloy wheels, TRD badging and skid plates, Rigid LED fog lights and projectors, black bezel taillights, front grille with color-keyed surround, blacked out hood scoop and graphic, color-keyed power outside mirrors with turn signal indicators, color-keyed door handles, black overfenders, and a color-keyed rear bumper.
2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro also wins a good score in terms of interior refinement thanks to highlights such as black TRD Pro leather-trimmed heated front seats with logos, leather steering wheel, Entune audio system, power privacy windows, Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA), parking sensors, and TRD floor mats and shift knob. You also get GoPro mounts and a 4.2-inch color Multi-Information Display (MID) with an integrated inclinometer and tilt gauge which also measures outside temperature, odometer, tripmeters, and average fuel economy.

Alfa Romeo Giulia UK Pricing Confirmed

We can’t even remember when was the last time you were able to buy an Alfa Romeo sedan in the UK, but it doesn’t matter because the Italians are back in Blighty with an intriguing new offer. The all-new Alfa Romeo Giulia is now available to order in Britain, starting from £29,180.

So if you have at least 30 grand to spend on a car, you can get an Alfa Romeo Giulia. Those who have more will enjoy greater options as the Giulia arrives in the UK with five trim levels, 13 different exterior colours, and four engine choices. So there is something for everyone. Of course, the one you want is the range-topping Quadrifoglio 2.9 V6 Bi-Turbo with 510hp, but this one starts at £59,000, which is a lot, but still much cheaper than similarly hot German models.

The entry-level 30 grand Giulia is also a good choice if all you care about is the sexy looks of the new girl. It’s simply called ‘Giulia’ and it boasts a 200hp four-pot turbo engine as well a rich list of standard kit, which includes Forward Collision Warning (FCW) with Autonomous Emergency Brake (AEB) with pedestrian recognition, Integrated Brake System (IBS), and Lane Departure Warning (LDW), 16” rims, LED rear lights, chrome exhaust and aluminium brake calipers, Uconnect, DAB, Bluetooth, dual zone auto air con, rear parking sensors and cruise control. The sedan is a value monster.

Alfa Romeo Giulia UK Price List:

Giulia 2.0 Petrol Turbo 200hp	£29,180
Giulia Super 2.0 Petrol Turbo 200hp	£30,880
Giulia Super 2.2 JTDM-2 150hp	£30,750
Giulia Super 2.2 JTDM-2 180hp	£31,950
Giulia Tecnica 2.2 Turbo Diesel 150hp	£30,995
Giulia Tecnica 2.2 Turbo Diesel 180hp	£32,195
Giulia Speciale 2.2 JTDM-2 180hp	£34,150
Giulia Quadrifoglio 2.9 V6 Bi-Turbo 510hp	£59,000

Elvis Presley’s BMW 507 Headed to Pebble Beach Concours

The mystery’s solved. The stars are back in order and the universe has regained its equilibrium now that that Elvis Presley’s BMW 507 is found and restored. In 2014 we found out that Elvis did take the car back with him to the U.S. after his military service in Germany, but it soon disappeared into obscurity again and not much was heard of it. Until now.

Now, the younger readers may not understand what all the fuss is about. So you can think of this way: imagine Justin Bieber dying tomorrow from having too much, I don’t know, diet coke, on the toilet. Immediately, the value of his wide body Ferrari 458 will skyrocket. Now imagine somebody buying the car today and have it stored somewhere and fifty or so years from now it reappears in the market.  That would cause a bit of a stir, wouldn’t it?
And that’s the case with Elvis Presley’s BMW 507. The car has been tracked, found, and restored by BMW Classic Group and some enthusiastic journalists, and it is going to be exhibited for the first time at the 2016 at the Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach, California. BMW Classic has returned the car to its original glory which means a feather white paint job, entre-lock rims, black-and-white interior and a Becker Mexico radio. They have also rebuilt the 150-hp V8 engine, so the 507 is showroom fresh.
We don’t know is they have any plans for auctioning off this car, but rest assured if they do, the thing’s going to set some kind of record for the most expensive classic ever.

“The opportunity to bring back the BMW 507 owned by the King of Rock’n’Roll to us here in Munich for purposes of restoration in accordance with the wishes of the previous owner, Jack Castor, was a dream come true for all those involved,” commented Ulrich Knieps, Head of BMW Group Classic. “This was an exceptionally fascinating project. The outcome is not simply a source of great pride to us. Jack would undoubtedly have been delighted by the outcome

Sibal-Designed Lexus LC 500 Headed for SEMA Debut

Most of the renderings by Jon Sibal we feature here are flights of the designer’s fancy, doodles the man put together for fun. This time though, we have here a Sibal project, a kitted-out Lexus LC 500, that is being prepared for 2016 SEMA show.

This project was commissioned by Lexutuned who evidently want to be one of the first to come out with a tricked-out Lexus LC 500. Fortunately, these guys have a great taste in car and the body kit they’ve come up with is brilliantly dignified and subtle in its proportions. They are yet to release the details, but you can see the carbon front spoiler lip, the side skirts, rear diffuser and spoiler combo in the renderings.

We also see here lowering suspension that slam this gorgeous Lexus LC 500 right to the ground, but the wheels, at least at this stage, appears to be stock LC. We are liking what Sibal has done here a big deal, and we hope the tuners in charge of building it also play a few tricks on the car’s 5.0-liter V8. Not that it’s weak or anything (it makes a very decent 467 HP and 389 lb.-ft. of torque), but those million dollar looks deserve more than that… say, 550 HP.

We Drive Mercedes-Benz's Diesel-Powered GLC 250d 4Matic

While BMW and Audi are currently working on the next X3 and Q5, respectively, Mercedes-Benz already has a successor for the boxy GLK.
It sports an entirely new look that brings it closer to the facelifted ML and, similarly to its bigger sibling that was re-branded the GLE, it is named the GLC.

The Power And The Box

The test car is the GLC 250d 4Matic, which sits atop of the diesel range right now using the most powerful version of the 2.2-liter four-banger. Output stands at 204 PS (201 HP) and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) of torque, and considering that it tips the scales at a hefty 1,845 kg (4,068 lbs), the 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration time of 7.6 seconds is more than respectable, as is the 222 km/h (138 mph) top speed.
On paper, the numbers look promising. This translates into the real world, too, where torque kicks in at low revs regardless if you chose the Eco or Sport driving modes, with the latter making it more agile. In fact, the only drawback is that the unit has a tendency to be quite noisy when it is cold, which is noticeable even in the cabin.
Channeling output to all four corners is a new 9G-Tronic 9-speed automatic transmission, which is way better than the old 7-speed auto. Gear changes are smooth and when cruising, it will select the highest gear possible, but it is quick to downshift when asked to kickdown.

How Does It Feel?

In short, very car-like and it has the C-Class to thank for that, as the two share the same platform, most components, engine lineup and interior. Body roll has been significantly minimized over the GLK, steering is quick and there's lots of grip around corners.
On the comfort front, the GLC performed exceptionally: the whole package, from the suspension settings to the seats performed convincing enough to make one end the short test drive and sign the papers over at the dealer. In fact, checking the options list with the Air Body suspension, which costs €1,900 ($2,130) extra on this version, can only make the ride more sublime.
Those who are inclined to leave the tarmac every once in a while will be glad to hear that the GLC, despite its better on-road manners, is still capable of tackling some pretty steep terrain. For even better performance, tick the Off-Road Engineering Package box in the options list and you get some styling tweaks, new wheels, Air Body Control suspension, hill descent control and specific driving modes.
Mercedes-Benz's official consumption figures stand at 5.0 lt/100 km (47.04 mpg US) min, 5.5 lt/100 km (42.77 mpg) max, but reality begs to differ, with the trip computer indicating up to 11 lt/100 km (21.38 mpg US) in heavy city traffic and a bit over 6.0 lt/100 km (39.2 mpg US) on the highway.

Let's Step Inside Then

Its premium look and quality materials used throughout the cabin, including leather, aluminum and wood trim, give it a classy look. The first thing that stands out is the tablet-like display for the infotainment system which is accessible through the Touchpad Controller. The latter is not as intuitive to use as BMW's latest iDrive, but it's improved over the old rotary knob.
There are enough storage spaces that will host most of your stuff, but if you have a smartphone with a generous display, then it will probably end up in the door pocket or the armrest, as you cannot really place it anywhere else. Two adults can sit comfortable on the rear bench, even with a tall driver behind the wheel, but add a third person and things get crowded, to say the least.
The equipment list is generous as it includes dual-zone climate control, navigation system, electrically-operated heated seats with memory function in the front, rear air vents, while an optional panoramic sunroof will set you back €1,420 ($1,595).

The Bottom Line

Even if the brand hadn't restructured its naming policy, the GLK replacement should have gotten a new moniker anyway. The GLC is not just better looking, it also handles better on and off-road and sports plenty of comfort and safety features that have trickled down from higher up the Merc food chain. Our test car came with a price tag of just over €65,000 but depending on the market, it can be had, in base form, from roughly €43,000. A premium price, sure, but then again it is without question a premium product.

Photos: Cristian Gnaticov / Carscoops.com

PHOTO GALLERY