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Project CARS vs reality at Laguna Seca shows amazing potential

Project CARS is aiming to be the next great racing sim. Offering a mix of modern and classic cars on famous tracks, developer Slightly Mad Studios is trying to inject a fresh energy into the genre, and at the moment its game looks ready to take on Forza and Gran Turismo.
The game is still about six months from release, and the graphics already look practically photorealistic. The video below shows side-by-side laps of Laguna Seca in a BMW - real life on the left and the game on the right. It's absolutely astounding. Other than some changes to the sponsorship around the track, they are almost identical.
Of course anyone with quality seat time in a racing sim knows that graphics are just one factor. How the game feels is even more important, and without getting hands on, it's impossible to judge yet. However, consider our interest piqued. Project CARS is scheduled to launch in November on the Sony PlayStation 4, Microsoft Xbox One, Nintendo WiiU, Windows PC and Steam OS. Scroll down to check out the video.

Which of these five plug-ins should win the 2017 Green Car of the Year?

It's going to be a competitive race for the 2017 Green Car Of The Year. With a minivan in the running for the first time in ages, the five finalists announced by Green Car Journal today include five very different plug-in vehicles. As Ron Cogan, the editor and publisher of Green Car Journal, said in a statement, "electrification is now considered by most automakers an essential technology for current and future high-efficiency models." Let's check out the list: Toyota Prius Prime, the updated plug-in version of the world's best-selling hybrid. Chevy Bolt, GM's all-new entry into the long-range EV game. Chrysler Pacifica, a family hauler with the ability to go 30 miles on electric power. Kia Optima. The nomination is for the full line-up, but really the hybrid and plug-in hybrid models are the green stars here. BMW 330e iPerformance, one of the automaker's many new plug-in hybrids that bring battery power to models outside the i sub-brand. Green Car Journal will announce the winners at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 17th, along with some, "other green transportation announcements," whatever that means. Last year, the winner was the 2016 Chevy Volt, the first model to snatch up two wins. Which do you think should win this year? Related Video: News Source: Green Car JournalImage Credit: REUTERS/Kevork Djansezian Green LA Auto Show BMW Chevrolet Chrysler Kia Toyota Chevy Bolt chrysler pacifica green car of the year toyota prius prime bmw 330e

BMW has a rough 100th birthday as share prices slide

BMW is 100 years old now, but falling stock prices are giving the German automaker the birthday blues. Investors are worried about the company's future outlook against luxury rivals, and the shareholders aren't happy about the recent dividend payments, either. According to The Wall Street Journal, BMW's shares dropped almost 2 percent on March 9. Investors have concerns that rivals are closing in. While BMW is in first place, it's not a commanding lead. For example, the German was first in the US luxury market last year with 346,023 deliveries. However, a Polk study found that Lexus actually earned the high-end crown in the US after looking at vehicle registrations rather than sales. BMW performed well last year, including delivering a strong 2.25 million vehicles. Net profits also jumped 10 percent to $7.05 billion, and revenue grew 15 percent, according to the WSJ. However, the shareholders wanted larger dividends after the successful year. The automaker paid out based on a percentage of earnings, but the investors expected more. BMW CEO Harald Kruger has an opportunity to get stockholders back on his side next week when he announces the automaker's new strategy. Expect technology to play a major role in that discussion, including electric vehicles and digital services. We might even see the i5 debut there, according to the WSJ. To be the automotive tech leader of the future, BMW plans to make computer programmers half of its research and development staff. The goal is to develop the most intelligent car on the road. Related Video: