Online Car Blogs

Alfa Romeo 4C speeds into production with £45,000 price tag

2011-12-16T18:13:00.001-08:00

By Noah Joseph

Imagine your dream car. What might it include? Lightweight carbon-fiber construction, high-tech engine behind the seats, legendary Italian badge on the nose.... The thing is, that usually means a big fat price tag that runs well into the six figures, if not seven. But while this latest Italian sports car is set to include all those ingredients, its price point is set decidedly lower.

We're talking about the Alfa Romeo 4C, the nimble-looking little number that debuted in delicious matte red at the Geneva show last year, and in liquid-metal finish in Frankfurt just a few months ago. Rumors have been circulating of its imminent production ever since its debut, but now the blokes over at Top Gear say that have the final details on good authority.

According to the report, Fiat has crunched the numbers and figured out how it can produce the 4C while neither breaking the bank nor spoiling the formula. And so the supercar is set to begin testing in the new year and hit the market in the next. And the price? £45,000, according to TG, which equates to about $70K at today's exchange rates. To put that into perspective, consider that is the same starting price in the British market as the Porsche Cayman S – a model which starts here at $62K.

The Cayman is an ambitious target, but the 4C promises to be both smaller and lighter. A new direct-injection turbo four will drive 230 horsepower to the rear wheels via a dual-clutch gearbox for a 4.5-second sprint to sixty, but is tipped to yield more powerful versions with as much as 300hp on tap and even a roadster version later on.

That last bit promises to be easier to pull off thanks to the carbon-fiber tub – engineered by Dallara – to which aluminum sub-frames will be attached front and rear. The Italian chassis constructor is best known for its racing cars, but also developed the KTM X-Bow, which could in and of itself give us the best idea of what to expect if and when the 4C assumes the place originally reserved for the 8C Competizione in finally heralding Alfa's return to the North American market.

Tips to ensure a cheap car is safe to buy

2011-09-22T06:48:00.000-07:00

More people are looking at buying a used car these days, simply for financial reasons - and there is no doubt that it does present a more cost-effective option. However, there are things anyone looking to secure a reliable vehicle cheaply should look into before actually investing in a used car.

Firstly take a good look at the tyres, examining the tread and the walls thoroughly.You should look for over 2 mm tread covering the whole of all of the tyres, in order to be sure that they are safe to drive on. This is very important as tyres with insufficient tread can be very dangerous for you, any passengers, other motorists and pedestrians -particularly in wet weather, when the road surfaces are slippery. Furthermore, uneven tread levels can offer a clue to other mechanical safety issues with the car.

These include problems with suspension, brakes or steering. To check the suspension on the car, you should ideally press down on the car at the four ends, which enables you to test the shock absorbers. If they are working correctly, the car should bounce back past the normal position once only. When it comes to the brakes, test them to make sure that they provide adequate resistance and that the car does not judder or veer when you apply them. The steering should be tested to make sure that there isn’t a delay between moving the steering wheel and the road wheels moving. Ideally the car should always be test driven -with someone knowledgeable about signs to look for - before you agree to buy.

If you are unsure about the safety issues to look out for when trying out a used car, companies such as www.Motors.co.uk offer cars for sale from used car dealers who have had their prior trading history thoroughly investigated.

Lotus Evora GTE is a refined racer for the road

2011-09-15T03:33:00.000-07:00

By Jeff Glucker

Lotus has been teasing a tuned-up Evora for a few months now, as rumors flew that the automaker was planning a hardcore version for the street. Finally, however, the rumors have all been confirmed as Lotus pulls back the wraps on the production Evora GTE Road Car. This is similar to the white and gray concept concept car we saw in Monterey, except the car now wears a matte yellow paint scheme, different wheels and a glossy carbon fiber lid.

Lotus says this Evora GTE Road Car is the automaker's most powerful production vehicle to date. The 3.5-liter V6 engine produces 434 horsepower, which is transferred to the forged alloy wheels by way of an automated manual gearbox.

Originally, the Evora GTE was planned as a China-only special edition. The original allotment sold quickly, though, so Lotus has apparently decided to expand production and bring the GTE to a greater number of markets.

Racers’ that make modifications to their cars could be left uninsured

2011-08-25T02:07:00.000-07:00

Young male drivers in that are creating dangerous vehicles for themselves are doing so by ignoring safety and fuel efficiency equipment on cars. This group of motorists are statistically six times more likely to be involved in a fatal road accident than any other group of drivers and are leaving themselves open to leaving their car insurance cover invalidated. Click here for more information.

Many of these drivers will over-ride the original electronic controls on their cars, which have been set by the manufacturer. They are then failing to inform their insurance provider of these changes.

Although third party injuries would probably be covered, the owner of the vehicle might be left facing huge medical bills with further compensation payments to the insurers of other people injured in the collision.

There is a trend developing amongst ‘boy racers’, which is known as ‘chipping’, and sees computer chips being bought on the black market to replace the manufacturers electronic control unit (ECU) chip.

The illegal chip has the power to remove the controls, allowing the engine to run at its maximum speed. This could result in an increase in horsepower of 30 per cent from 170bhp to 230bhp in a typical two-litre diesel turbo charged engine. The vehicle will also have increased acceleration from its starting position and increase the top speed by up to 20 per cent.

Young male drivers under the age of 25 years old account for 40 per cent of road deaths in, which is amazing considering people aged between 18 to 25 years old make up only five per cent of the countries population.

1997 Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion

2011-07-25T04:34:00.000-07:00

By Noah Joseph

Porsche is planning a full-on return to Le Mans in 2014, and while the German marque may be the most successful in the iconic race's history, the last time it took an overall victory there was in 1998 with the 911 GT1.

The regulations for the GT1 class at the time mandated a limited run of homologated street versions, and that's what you see here. Called the Straßenversion (that antiquated ß character in the German alphabet substituting for a double S), only 25 examples were made, and one's up for sale.

As a street-legal road car, the 911 GT1 Straßenversion followed the 959 and preceded the Carrera GT at the top of Porsche's lineup. While most were fitted with a version of the competition-spec 3.2-liter flat six with 536 horsepower, the seller of this particular example says his has been re-tuned to 690 hp. The car's asking price is €1.2 million (about $1.7 million), and it's currently located in Japan.

Clarkson gets nostalgic (in his way) about VW's new Beetle

2011-06-20T22:17:00.000-07:00

by Jeff Glucker

Jeremy Clarkson certainly has a way with words, and when he applies his wit to a topic the result is quite often an enjoyable reading experience. Clarkson has plied his wit upon the subject of Volkswagen's redesigned 2012 Beetle.

It's no secret that Jeremy and his Top Gear cohorts are not fans of the people's car. Perhaps Volkswagen can change his mind with the newest iteration of its iconic automobile?

Nope. In fact, his choice of descriptive words gets a little blue towards the end of the piece. Sample:

"Launching a modern-day incarnation that has sporty credentials is like launching a modern-day incarnation of the Mona Lisa who's crapping herself laughing."

Gumtree.com.au is a great place for Aussies to look for their next used car. That link was for Sydney used cars. If you're after Melbourne used cars, look here.

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster hits the web with online configurator

2011-06-08T06:26:00.000-07:00

by Noah Joseph

Everyone's got their compulsions: Touching wet paint, licking a metal pole outdoors in the winter, pushing that kid into the swimming pool... you know, the usual. But Mercedes-Benz is more constructive with its own brand of obsessions.

When Mercedes makes a sportscar, they just have to turn it into a convertible. The SL may the best most obvious example, but take a look also at the SLR McLaren, which spawned three roadster versions, the Le Mans-derived CLK GTR, which was offered as a convertible (albeit in very limited quantities), or the touring car-derived CLK DTM, which was offered as a cabrio as well. Noticing a trend here?

Now Mercedes has released its latest flagship convertible in the SLS AMG Roadster, and all is right in the world once again. But knowing it's out there is one thing. Playing around with one is another. Unfortunately, most of us will never get that chance, but whether you have the means to actually place an order for one or not, you can at least play around with the new online configurator.

The tool allows you to choose from nine exterior colors (most of them various shades of silver), seven interior leather choices, three convertible top colors and four different sets of wheels. Follow the link to check it out for yourself.

Gumtree is a great place for South Africans to look for cars. Some relevant links here: http://capetown.gumtree.co.za/f-Cars-Vehicles-Motorbikes-Parts-W0QQCatIdZ5 | http://www.gumtree.co.za/f-Cars-Vehicles-Motorbikes-Parts-cars-R35K-W0QQCatIdZ9076

Confirmed: 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid priced from $26,500*

2011-05-10T22:09:00.000-07:00

by Steven J. Ewing

We're capturing our first driving impressions of the 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid this week, but we've already learned that the midsize fuel-sipper will be priced at $26,500 when it goes on sale in the coming months, excluding $750 for destination and handling.

Curiously, the $26,500 price tag represents an increase of $705 versus the Optima's platform mate, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. Kia tells us that the price increase is because the Optima comes with more standard equipment than the Sonata, including things like a rear backup camera, rear spoiler, auto-down front windows for the driver and passenger, a cooling glovebox, compass, and Uvo, Kia's brand new infotainment system.

Like its Sonata kin, the Optima Hybrid uses the automaker's 2.4-liter direct-injected four-cylinder engine, mated to an electric motor and paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. This combination expected to return fuel economy ratings of 35/40 miles per gallon city/highway, same as the Sonata Hybrid.

Experts say kill your speed to save money

2011-04-18T15:53:00.000-07:00

Motorists are being urged to kill their speed to avoid paying double the average cost for their car insurance, following research on the issue by moneysupermarket.com.

The study by moneysupermarket car insurance experts found that drivers with nine points on their licence due to speeding convictions stand to pay up to 54 per cent more for their car insurance.

The research was based on quotes returned by five different insurers for the cost of insuring a 30-year-old male teacher in Manchester with five years’ no claims discount. The average cost of insurance for a 2006 Ford Focus parked on a driveway and driven 10,000 miles per year was £666.98 with a clean licence, compared to £1,026.83 with nine points.

Drivers with six points on their licence for speeding face paying 19 per cent more than those with
clean licenses, while drivers whose speeding convictions have earned them three points on their
licence are charged around five per cent more than those who have no points.

Moneysupermarket car insurance expert Peter Harrison said: “Insurers clearly take a dim view on policyholders who speed and this is reflected in higher car insurance prices. Even just going above the speed limit can add huge additional costs to your car insurance and, for repeat offenders, some insurers may even refuse to cover you, so motorists should take extra care to ensure they stick to the speed restrictions.

“We have witnessed sharp increases to the cost of car insurance premiums recently. moneysupermarket.com research found premiums rose by 44 pence per day in 2010 on average
and this trend is set to continue, especially with the recent ECJ ruling on the legality of using gender to calculate insurance premiums. Not only are motorists who flout the law by speeding risking the lives of other road users and pedestrians as well as their own, they also run the risk of adding to the existing headache of sky high car insurance premiums.

He added: “My advice to motorists concerned by the cost of their car insurance is to always scour
the market for the best deal for your circumstances.”

Photo source:credited to Florin Dr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/florin_dr/

Jaguar reportedly confirms 3 Series rival, XFR-S under development

2011-04-07T15:57:00.000-07:00

by Noah Joseph

Eager to show it's at the top of its game, Jaguar has been promoting a raft of new technologies, models and variants under development of late. We've recently confirmed a new four-cylinder diesel for the XF (earmarked towards European buyers) and reports of an all-wheel-drive variant of the XJ flagship (targeted for North American consumption), but new reports give us some more to anticipate from the Leaping Cat marque.

First up, word out of the UK indicate that the long-rumored 3 Series rival – possibly (and counterintuitively) to be called XS – has been confirmed by Jaguar's global brand director, Adrian Hallmark, who justifies that in order to compete with other European luxury marques, it needs to do so on all fronts.

Potentially more exciting, however, is the development of an even hotter version of the XFR (pictured above). The project reportedly transplants the upgrades in the XKR-S to the XF to make for a 550-horsepower super-sedan capable of taking on the likes of the forthcoming BMW M5 and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG.

eGarage aims to provide an Internet home for supercar enthusiasts

2011-03-21T05:24:00.000-07:00

by Jeff Glucker

A new automotive website is getting ready to hit the Internet. Called eGarage, the site's goal is to become a haven for supercar enthusiasts. The team behind eGarage wants to prove it's serious, so it has teamed up with HRE Wheels to dress up a pair of hyper-exotic supercars.

At the 2011 Supercar Experience in Miami, eGarage will show off a Koenigsegg CCX and SSC Ultimate Aero. The CCX wears a set of new 595 RS HRE Wheels and a matte-white wrap.

Currently, eGarage.com is just a splash page displaying a car-centric rewording of the U.S. Marine Corps' Rifleman's Creed. (Really, guys?) We'll withhold full judgement on the site's true potential until we see the finished product. If nothing else, the CCX and Ultimate Aero indicate that there should be plenty of hardware to drool over once eGarage goes officially live.

Ferrari FF hatches its plot

2011-03-01T06:39:00.000-08:00

by Noah Joseph

A European extravagasm like the Geneva Motor Show always holds its share of oddities, be they electric beach buggies or luxury cars swathed in Pepto Bismol. They don't usually come from a company like Ferrari, but this year the Maranello automaker joined the off-beat path with the new FF. It's a pure Ferrari thoroughbred, but its shape is vastly different from anything we've seen from the brand thus far.

The Ferrari Four is a four-wheel-drive, four-seat shooting brake that claims new territory for the Prancing Horse marque. Up until now, we've seen it in red and in beige (and from limited angles), but the good folks at Pininfarina also displayed one in white, which we've captured from every angle for your viewing pleasure. We'll tell you this much: it doesn't look any less odd in person, but to replace a car as bland as the outgoing 612, unusual could be just what the proverbial doctor ordered.

Land Rover says Range Rover branding is "in flux right now"

2011-02-12T20:27:00.000-08:00

by Jonathon Ramsey

The Range Rover Evoque will be priced somewhere around $45,000. That would be about $8,500 more expensive than a Land Rover LR2 and about $3,500 less expensive than an LR4. But the Evoque's full name is technically the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque and it wears a Land Rover badge on its rear valance - whereas brands like Toyota, Honda and Nissan don't put their badges on their respective luxury lines. With this initial overlap in price, and Range Rover possibly going even lower with a sub-Evoque Mini rival, we asked Land Rover if it was working to get any more separation with its Range Rover brand.

"Dealers will add Range Rover branding to their towers," said Skip Pavlik, Land Rover product manager, referring to the signage outside dealerships that will indicate three brands now - Jaguar, Land Rover and Range Rover, instead of just Jaguar and Land Rover. Pavlick also said that "the issue is in flux right now."

"Land Rover is more utilitarian, Range Rover is the top end of luxury," said Wayne Kung, Jaguar-Land Rover's manager of national product communications. "You don't lose any capability with the Range Rover, but the Evoque especially is about unabashed on-road and urban driving."

It was Pavlik who pointed out that "the Evoque started off as a Land Rover concept, the LRX, and it still has a Land Rover badge." When we asked if that badge would be there in three years, neither Pavlik nor Kung could say. The price issue, however - Range Rovers that are inexpensive, by comparison, to Land Rovers - isn't seen as posing any problems for the Land Rover line. "Price is secondary," said Pavlik. Added Kung, "They're different customers."

Ford to give out bonuses in 2011, but no merit raises

2011-01-18T06:26:00.000-08:00

by Jeff Glucker

Ford is looking back over the year that just was with an eye toward examining how well its employees performed. The automaker has told its workers that no raises are in order, which can be tough to hear. On the flip side, the Blue Oval is strongly crawling back from the financial downturn and is prepared to hand out bonuses to deserving workers.

Profit sharing payments are still being calculated, and the New York Times estimates that employees could earn as much as $5,000. That's a nice bump over the $450 they earned for the 2009 fiscal year. Ford has stated the the NYT estimate is a tad high, but we'll see who's right when the checks start rolling out in mid-March.

Honda so excited about winning Japan Car of the Year that CR-Z gets special edition

2011-01-03T04:05:00.000-08:00

by Zach Bowman

The 2011 Honda CR-Z may not exactly be sailing to success here in the U.S., but it has managed to walk away with the coveted Japan Car of the Year title. In order to celebrate, Honda has decided to work up a new special edition version of its tiny sport hybrid. Only available in a special "Pearl Dipusafaiaburu" blue paint, the hatch makes use of unique 16-inch alloy wheels and premium metal pedal pads inside. If the color and the wheels don't make this one easy enough to spot, Honda has also gone through the extra effort of placing a "Japan Car of the Year" commemorative sticker on the rear quarter glass behind the driver's side door.

Otherwise, the Japan Car of the Year Edition CR-Z will remain completely stock. Neither fuel economy nor power has been upped in any way. Not surprisingly, it looks like this one will remain a Japanese-only offering. Still, if you like what you see, chances are you could recreate the special edition CR-Z without breaking a sweat – or your bank account for that matter.

Binz takes Mercedes E-Class Estate to the extreme

2010-12-06T20:00:00.000-08:00

by Zach Bowman

If you've determined the current Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate doesn't have the room you need to stretch your legs, Binz has the answer. The company has released photos and specifications for its XTEND version of the Silver Arrow's long roof, and the new machine has enough cubes to comfortably ferry around an NBA team and a pilfered sarcophagus or two with room to spare. At nearly 19 feet long, the stretched wagon has a wheelbase of over 12 feet and hits the scales at 4,629 pounds.

Binz is offering the E-Class EXTEND in E250 CDI, E350 CGI and E500 configurations, with prices starting at €121,950. If you've got your heart set on bringing one of these home for the holidays, just make sure that your neighborhood is commodious to the country mile this beast will undoubtedly need to turn around.

Fraudulent Car Insurance Claims

2010-11-08T16:11:00.000-08:00

Most of us will make one or more standard car insurance claims in our driving lifetime. Hopefully nothing
serious, but possibly a light tap to the rear of the car in front of us because they stopped sooner than we
thought they would, or backing into a gate post or suffering a broken windscreen on a long country drive.

All pretty standard claims and something car insurers deal with on a daily basis. They are well versed in
managing the claims process and determining the outcome in a timely manner. In most cases the claims
process will quickly confirm the cause of the incident and establish responsibility and the financial outcome
between you, the other party and his or her insurance company.

However, standard or not, car insurance companies are always on the lookout for dodgy claims, claims
where the insured party feels that they were at fault and are trying to shift the blame to a third party in order
to avoid an excess payment, or perhaps where the insured party is simply falsifying the entire incident with
a view to receiving a payout. Fraudulent insurance claims have been with us for as long as insurance has
existed.

But the worst of the car insurance frauds are those where an individual will deliberately cause an accident
with an innocent third party in order to get a financial reward. A common incident of this type is where a
person will take a position in front of an unsuspecting third party and brake hard in order to cause a nose-to-
tail collision which, in normal circumstances, would be the fault of the driver at the rear. Or they may drive to
a remote location after such an accident and manually increase damage to the vehicle, subsequently arguing
that all the damage happened during the original accident.

Even scarier than this are the scammers who will intentionally signal to an innocent driver to perform a
certain manoeuvre and then crash into them in such a way that the ‘at-fault’ determination favours the
scammer.

If you are involved in an incident that you think may have been fraudulently set up, take as many notes as
possible, photograph the cars, ask witnesses to provide their version of events and make a very detailed
description of what caused the accident, how fast you were travelling, how fast other traffic was travelling,
the physical and mental condition of the other driver plus any passengers they may have.

If you have been accused of fraud by a car insurance company, stay calm and consider your options. Minor
fraud may not incur major penalties, but serious fraud my result in the matter being handed over to the
police. In that scenario you should seek legal advice.

Fraud increases the cost of insurance for everyone so if you do suspect insurance fraud don’t hesitate to
report it to the insurance company or police.

Note: This information is general and provided as a guide only. It is recommended that you discuss your specific circumstances with an
appropriate advisor.

2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport starts at $19,275, tops out near $38K!

2010-11-08T00:11:00.000-08:00

by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Shortly after finding ourselves strapped in the driver's seat of the 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, we called it "a right-sized CUV that takes the core components of its bigger brother (the regular Outlander) and distills them into a smaller, lighter package."

Smaller and lighter doesn't necessarily mean cheaper, though. While the Outlander Sport's starting price of $19,275 (*after destination charges) undercuts the Outlander's by about $3,500, it's not terribly difficult to option up a Sport beyond the $30,000 mark.

In fact, ticking off very available Outlander Sport option on Mitsubishi's Build & Price page will darn near double its base MSRP (none of those options is an engine upgrade, either - all Sports use the same 148-horsepower four-cylinder). Granted, a more realistic set of options still keeps the Outlander Sport well under $30k, but even that pricing seems remarkably close to the bigger, more powerful Outlander V6. Hat tip to Clayton!

Citroën to build Metropolis concept flagship

2010-10-27T17:47:00.000-07:00

by Noah Joseph

The beauty of an automaker entering a completely new market like China is the ability to completely redefine what the brand stands for to local buyers. In the case of France's Citroën, they're going decidedly upmarket, but instead of taking baby steps like turning its C3 econo-hatch into the DS3 premium hatch, the French automaker can start completely from scratch.

According to reports from Europe and China, parent company PSA/Peugeot-Citroën is planning on jump-starting its Asian operations by building a production version of its Metropolis concept, the first design carried out at the company's Shanghai-based design team. Unveiled there in May, the Metropolis stands for the Double Chevron's vision of what the marque could be to upscale Chinese buyers.

In production form, the Metropolis is anticipated to carry the DS9 nameplate, topping the DS range with an executive limousine that looks like the size of China itself. While the concept featured a compact V6 mated to an electric motor and seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, the production version could carry any powertrain, likely nestled into a modified platform borrowed from the outgoing Citroën C6 and Peugeot 407. The DS9 looks poised to be built at the joint-venture facility announced last July with Changan Automobile Group. Whether it will ever make it outside of China, of course, remains to be seen.

Considering a Train Horn? Read this First.

2010-10-04T17:16:00.000-07:00

If you keep up with the auto industry at all you’ve probably noticed that the mighty train horn is becoming a popular accessory to put on your car or truck. These aftermarket devices are a sure way to get your ride to stand out in a crowd.

This all started by people actually taking horns off of locomotives and putting it on their trucks. These horns were extremely loud but in most cases were also fairly large, cumbersome, and not that nice to look at. So naturally some extremely smart person saw an opportunity and started building them specifically for cars and trucks. These new train horn kits are smaller, typically chrome, and much easier to install.

They are quickly becoming a craze. If you search youtube you’ll find video after video of people showing off their air horns. Often times the video will be of someone driving down a crowded street and just letting a long loud blast that startles everyone within 100 feet. While this is certainly not the most responsible use of a train horn it still kind of funny.

You have a couple options if you’re interested in buying a train horn kit. First you have to decide how much you want to spend. Typically they range anywhere from $299 to $499 but can go all the way up to almost $1500. Next you want to think about just how loud you want your train horn to be. The less expensive kits usually put out around 150dB and can give a 5 second blast while the large kits not only put out more decibels but can sometimes blast for up to 15 seconds. The louder kits are also larger so take that into consideration. You probably won’t be putting the big kit in your Honda civic.

So if you’re interested in learning more about train horn kits get over to http://trainhornsdelivered.com where Marc has a great selection you can choose from.

Toyota to provide Daimler with hybrid components, technology?

2010-09-19T00:34:00.000-07:00

by Jonathon Ramsey

Mercedes-Benz is getting hot and heavy into hybrids, and parent company Daimler AG might be looking to a familiar name for help. Reports out of Tokyo indicate that Daimler is in talks with Toyota about getting "motors and batteries in addition to technology" to supply its hybrid needs.

The discussions have gone on for a year now, and have come to the point of detailing exactly which components Toyota will supply. Apparently, the pact could also include fuel cell technology sharing. Assuming a deal gets made, Daimler will join Ford, Nissan and Mazda on the Toyota bandwagon. And if that isn't what you call "hybrid synergy drive," we don't know what is.

Bentley Continental GT gets unique Sept. 7 internet reveal

2010-08-31T23:45:00.000-07:00

by Damon Lavrinc

A week from today, Bentley will take the wraps off the refreshed and restyled Continental GT ahead of its public debut at the Paris Motor Show, and like other automakers trying to cut through the auto show cruft, Bentley is leveraging the power of the Interwebs to make the unveiling a unique experience.

Beginning at 10 AM EST on Tuesday, September 7, Bentley will host a continuous, week-long online showcase of the GT, allowing visitors to ContinentalGT.com to take virtual tours in and around the new coupe, in addition to viewing a traditional "unveiling."

Saab moves to rehire dismissed workers after summer break; one-in-three refuse

2010-08-18T23:09:00.000-07:00

by Chris Shunk

When General Motors was on the precipice of dropping Saab forever, we imagine that the good workers of Trollhättan, Sweden were more than a little nervous. After all, how many high-paying jobs are there there in Scandanavia in the middle of a global recession? Well, it turns out that there may be quite a few jobs available if you consider the high volume of workers who reportedly turned down an offer to come back to work at Saab.

Sweden's SVT reports that as many as one-in-three laid off Saab workers turned down offers to come back to work in factory jobs for the company. Håkan Skött, Metallklubbens chairman at Saab in Trollhättan reportedly told SVT that up to 30 percent of the workers got new jobs or invested in training, adding "it's really nice that people have found other solutions." it's also good that Saab was still able to rehire 224 workers to help edge up vehicle production from a reported 28 units per hour to a max speed of 39 vehicles in any 60 minute period. The added workers will increase annual production to 60,000 units in total, and the company will need to hire still more workers if it plans to increase production more through a second shift.

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Ford Explorer reaches 30,000 Facebook fans, celebrates with grille shot

2010-07-22T17:13:00.000-07:00

by Sam Abuelsamid

Earlier today, Ford hit its 30,000 fan for the 2011 Explorer Facebook page, so the automaker could give away one all-new unibody 'ute to a lucky follower. To celebrate meeting its goal, Ford has posted yet another teaser, showing off the new Explorer's grille. But enough with the teasers. When can we actually see it in person? Glad you asked...

This coming Monday, Ford will reveal the Explorer at live events across the U.S., including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and at the "glass house" in Dearborn, MI. At a preview of the Explorer in Dearborn earlier this week, marketing VP Jim Farley discussed how Ford plans to drum up interested in the Explorer, and based on the success of last year's Fiesta Movement social media campaign, the Explorer will be omnipresent online and elsewhere in the lead-up to the on-sale date late this year.

According to Farley, the Fiesta campaign required only 10 percent of what a typical new vehicle launch costs, but it overwhelmingly succeeded in establishing name recognition for the small car well ahead of its arrival in showrooms. Given that America already knows the Explorer, Ford will be focusing on how it's "reinvented the SUV for the 21st century." We can't tell you more at the moment, but look forward to full details this Monday 12:01 AM EDT.

2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe headed to dealers ahead of schedule

2010-07-06T20:24:00.000-07:00

by Steven J. Ewing

When we had our first shot at the 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe, we described it as "audacity in motion." After all, the new Caddy coupe is indeed one of the most attractive designs to come out of General Motors in quite some time.

In an effort to get these hot new two-plus-twos out on the road as soon as possible, Cadillac is ramping up production of the CTS Coupe a bit early, and the first few models are starting to roll off of assembly lines at GM's Lansing Grand River assembly plant. Pricing starts at $38,990 for the base, rear-wheel-drive model, which will be joined by the pavement-bending CTS-V Coupe later this year.

Check out the sexy new CTS Coupe for yourself in the gallery below, and hit the jump to read Cadillac's press release.

Porsche bringing the goods to Goodwood

2010-06-23T19:43:00.000-07:00

by Jonathon Ramsey

Porsche is going big at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed. The Stuttgart marque will be hauling trailers full of vintage machinery into the English countryside to support the festival's theme of Viva Veloce. The icons will include a 908 from the Targa Floria, the 917 that won Le Mans in 1970 and the 804 Fomula 1 car that took the 1962 French Grand Prix.

If your tastes tend a little more modern, the 620-horsepower GT2 RS and the GT3 RS will be on display and you can climb all over the new Porsche Cayenne at the Porsche Experience. Read all about the spectacle in the presser after the jump and then admire the goods from afar in the gallery of high-res photos below.

2010 Indy 500 filled with crashes, drama

2010-05-31T17:28:00.000-07:00

by Frank Filipponio

Memorial Day weekend is always a great for racing fans. Formula 1 typically has its Grand Prix of Monaco on that Sunday, (although this year it was the Turkish GP taking the calendar slot), NASCAR has the annual Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" takes the IndyCar Series to its namesake venue, the Indianapolis Speedway for the eponymous Indianapolis 500.

The 2010 Indy 500 is billed as part of the Centennial Era races, celebrating the birth of the track in 1909 and the first 500 held in 1911. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was built by Indiana businessmen Carl G. Fisher, James A. Allison, Arthur C. Newby, and Frank H. Wheeler as a testing grounds to help bolster Indiana's burgeoning automotive industry. It wasn't long before racing became the raison d'être for the facility. The original tar and gravel surface was quickly replaced by 3.2 million bricks when safety became a concern.

The first 500-mile race took place on May 30, 1911, when Ray Harroun shocked everyone, unprecedentedly going solo in his Marmon "Wasp," the rest of the field using ride-along mechanics. Harroun's car was actually considered a safety risk without that passenger, but it made up for it by introducing a major automotive safety device. The Wasp, you see, was fitted with the industry's first rearview mirror. The average speed in that first Brickyard endurance race was a stupefying 74.602 miles per hour. This year's polesitter, three-time and defending race-winner Helio Castroneves, won last year's Indy 500 at more than twice that speed, 150.318 mph.

While speeds are way up, much at Indy has remained the same. The 500 is about tradition as much as anything, and so on this Memorial Day, 33 cars once again lined up, set to challenge each other, the track, and fate - crossing the bricks 200 times to complete 500 miles around the2.5-mile-long squared oval. Follow the jump to see how the 2010 Indianapolis 500 went down in the history books.

For the IndyCar Series participants, the importance of the Indy 500 can't be overstated. The whole month of May is given over to it, with qualifying spread out over a couple of weekends leading up to race day. Pole Day sets the front of the field two weeks before the run for the milk, while Bump Day settles the rest of the grid back to the 33rd spot. For 2010, qualifying held a few surprises, but also many expected results.

While female drivers have long been part of Indy lore, this year's race had five different ladies lined up to qualify. When four made it into the field, it became a record for female Indy 500 qualifiers. It certainly wasn't easy going for the women, though, nor for the other 29 racers who made the cut. A total of 24 drivers made it in on day 1 of qualifying, with the remaining nine spots filled on Bump Day a week later.

Helio Castroneves (Team Penske Car No. 3) summed up the spirit of Indy on Pole Day when he gave up his second place qualifying spot to make another run at the pole. The "Dancing With the Stars" winner put his foot down Saturday and proved he's still the one to beat, topping 228 mph on two of his four laps, for an average of 227.970 mph, enough to earn his fourth career Indianapolis 500 pole. The other eight drivers in the new pole "shootout" format slugged it out for the next eight spots, with Penske teammate Will Power (No. 12) and Target Chip Ganassi driver Dario Franchitti (No. 10) ending up second and third respectively to fill the front row.

To show how precarious qualifying can be, 2004 IndyCar Series champ Tony Kanaan (Andretti Autosport No. 11), was one of several drivers to crash on Pole Day, not making it into the field until Bump Day. It took a bit of luck and a whole lot of hard work by his five-car team for Kanaan to make it into the field, but he had to start at the very back of the pack, in 33rd position. Characteristically upbeat, Kanaan joked that at least the Brazilians had the field covered, with fellow countryman Castroneves at the front.

At the end of Pole Day, Ryan Briscoe (Penske No. 6), Alex Tagliani (FAZZT Race Team No. 77) and Franchitti's Target Chip Ganassi teammate Scott Dixon (No. 9), the 2008 winner, were in Row 2. Behind them in Row 3 it was Graham Rahal, driving the No. 30 The Quick Trim/Rahal Letterman Racing entry for his dad, '86 Indy 500 winner Bobby Rahal. Graham was joined by Ed Carpenter (No. 20 Panther/Vision Fuzzy's Vodka) and Hideki Mutoh (No. 06 Formula Dream/Panasonic Newman/Haas Racing).

Row 4 featured Townsend Bell (Sam Schmidt/Ganassi Racing No. 99), Justin Wilson (Dreyer & Reinbold Racing No. 22) and Raphael Matos (de Ferran Dragon Racing No. 2). Behind them in Row 5 were Mario Moraes (KV Racing Technology No. 32), Davey Hamilton (de Ferran Dragon Racing No. 21) and Mike Conway (Dreyer & Reinbold Racing No. 24). Row 6: Marco Andretti (Andretti Autosport No. 26), Ryan Hunter-Reay (Andretti Autosport No. 37) and Dan Wheldon (Panther Racing No. 4). Row 7: E.J. Viso (KV Racing Technology No. 8), Tomas Scheckter (Dreyer & Reinbold Racing No. 23) and the fastest female in the field, Ana Beatriz (Dreyer & Reinbold Racing No. 25). Row 8: Simona De Silvestro (Team Stargate Worlds/HVM No. 78), Danica Patrick (Andretti Autosport No. 7) who was startled when she was greeted by boos at the track today, and Bertrand Baguette (Conquest Racing No. 36).

Series veteran Paul Tracy was among several drivers with varying gaps in their driving resumes to return for a shot at making the 94th 500 this year on Bump Day. He came up short, but remained professional and hopeful for possible future rides. Jacques Lazier had similar luck, failing to make the field while subbing for A.J. Foyt IV. Former winner Bruno Junqueira was much luckier, finding himself on the inside of row 9 at the end of the day.

At the end of a dramatic Bump Day, the final three rows were set, with Bruno Junqueira, Alex Lloyd and Mario Romancini on row nine; John Andretti, Sarah Fisher and Vitor Meira holding down the 10th row; and Takuma Sato and rookie Sebastian Saavedra joining Kanaan at the tail end of the field on row 11.

The field was set, the flyovers were done, Jim Nabors had sung, and the action was finally about to start when the most famous words in motorsports were spoken by Grand Marshal Mari Hulman George: "Ladies and Gentlemen, Start your engines!" And with that, the 94th running of the Indianapolis 500 was underway.

When honorary starter Jack Nicholson waved the green, the pack of 33 cars swept through, with Castroneves leading the way. By Turn 2, the race saw its first incident when the oldest driver in the field, Davey Hamilton, spun into the inside wall, ending his day. As the pace car came out, it was Dario Franchitti who found himself at the front of the pack, having apparently slipped past Helio just prior to the yellow. At the other end of the field, Tony Kanaan timed the start perfectly and charged past 8 cars in half a lap before he had to slow down.

Back under green on lap 6, drivers were going four-wide to gain position. As they always say, though, it's a long race, and although you can't win a race in Turn 1, you can definitely lose it. Two laps later, Bruno Junquiera was forced to park it way too early. By the time the green came out again on lap 12, a full 80 percent of the race had been run under yellow – Not a good omen.

The first round of pit stops were wrapping up around Lap 38 and as the cars came back out, it appeared that Will Power had picked up a little extra equipment on his Dallara. An internal spring from the fuel hose remained attached to the filler when the hose was pulled away, creating a dangerous situation, as the slinky could have broken away and damaged another car or injured another driver. Visions of Felipe Massa came to mind. While the black flag came out, telling him he had to pit to have it removed, parts of the spring broke off and brought out the third yellow of the day.

When the green fell again on lap 43, Dario was out front, followed by Castroneves, Matos, Briscoe, Carpenter, Dixon, and the rest of the field. Tony Kanaan had moved up more than 20 spots from the start and was now running twelfth, closing in on the leaders.

On Lap 65, John Andretti, who had been running 26th following a black flag for blocking Dan Wheldon earlier, was up into the wall coming out of turn 2. It proved a good time for everyone to make their second stops. With almost half the field in, many teams used the opportunity to gain position. A couple of teams pushed a bit too hard, as Scott Dixon and Raphael Matos left with only three wheels secured. Matos spun a few boxes down, creating chaos for the other drivers trying to exit pit lane. Everybody else seemed to get through the melee unscathed, but it was definitely a pucker moment for a few of them.

Coming out of the pits, Franchitti and Castroneves were still 1-2, but close behind was the surging Kanaan. He came out in fourth, but when the field went back to green on Lap 72, he slipped back to fifth as Ed Carpenter squeezed by. Carpenter's run was almost as impressive as Tony's to this point, the veteran driver having sat out several races with sponsorship problems dating back to last year. Before they could go at it, though, the yellow had flown once again. Apparently the pit lane incident had upset the car of Matos a bit more than the team realized, and he was hard into the wall. It looked to be the worst crash of the day, but thankfully Raphael was able to walk away.

They were back to green on Lap 80, with the front three of Franchitti, Castroneves and Briscoe pulling away from fourth place Carpenter and the rest of the field. Back in the pack, Danica had moved up to 16th, putting her at the top of the filly class, with De Silvestro in 18th, Fisher in 21st and Beatriz a lap down in 26th.

At the halfway mark, Franchitti was still out front, but found himself held up by Graham Rahal, who was trying (successfully) to keep on the lead lap following a black flag penalty for blocking earlier on. A few laps later it was Vitor Meira's turn to meet the wall leaving Turn 2. The damage wasn't bad enough to stop the car, and Meira made it into the pits, as did Rahal, who was already headed in before the yellow came out. That gave him a chance to make up almost a whole lap and stay well ahead of the leaders who had been threatening to lap him. Ed Carpenter wasn't quite as lucky. He didn't make the cutoff before the yellow and had to stay on track until the pits reopened. It wouldn't have been a problem if he had a bit more fuel in the tank. He circled slowly and sputtered into the pits. He got back out but had to relinquish his fourth place spot, dropping back to 19th.

Almost everyone else pitted on the next lap, and the race out of the pits found Kanaan right behind Franchitti and Castroneves. Tomas Sheckter stayed out during that round of stops and found himself leading a few laps. The front two slipped past Sheckter pretty quickly, but it wasn't Dario and Helio, it was Dario and Tony Kanaan. TK had moved from last to second by lap 115, showing he at least had enough car under him to make things interesting during the second half of the race.

From that point it felt like we might get a large chunk of laps in without another yellow. Franchitti was apparently coasting out front, with Kanaan well back in second. On Lap 143, Dario had to pit, however, and while he was in, the team made a couple of adjustments. Were they tempting fate? Right behind was Helio, who also took a wing adjustment, but he killed his engine trying to leave, costing him precious seconds while it was restarted. The other leaders trickled through the pits, and then, just before the three-quarter distance mark, it was Ryan Briscoe's turn to bring out the yellow. He'd been quietly stalking the leaders all day and looked poised to make a run at the end, but cold tires spelled disaster for him coming out of Turn 4.

The green came back out on Lap 157, just past the point where most drivers feel it's time to make the final push. On lap 160 it was Franchitti, Kanaan, Marco Andretti, Scheckter, Wheldon, Hunter-Reay, Dixon... and another yellow. This time it was the youngest driver in the field, 19-year-old rookie Sebastian Saavedra. A few more laps under yellow meant most of the cars could make one final pit stop and dash to the green when the pace car came back in. That put some extra pressure on pit crews to get their drivers out in a hurry. The predictable collisions didn't manifest themselves, fortunately, but there were several hairy moments.

When the field went green again it was an unfamiliar call: Dario was back a few spots, making us wonder whether his car could do as well in traffic as it had out front all day. Sophomore Mike Conway was now the leader. Did he have enough to hold off the big teams over the last 30 laps? Conway hadn't pitted with everybody else, and the question of whether he had enough fuel to make it to the finish was answered a lap later when he headed to the pits.

That gave Justin Wilson the lead, but with everyone concerned about fuel economy, it was anybody's game. With just eight laps to go, Helio Castroneves was in for a splash and go, but he cooked his tires slowing for the pits and ended up having them replaced during the stop. Wilson pitted for fuel as well, which gave the resurgent Franchitti the lead ahead of Kanaan, who had to stop himself with only five to go, giving second to Dan Wheldon. Dario was hurting too, though, and after Kanaan dropped out of the chase, Franchitti had to slow to a snail's pace to conserve, allowing Wheldon to close the gap. Unfortunately, a multi-car accident brought out the yellow flag on the last lap, meaning Dario simply had to limp around to take his second Indy 500. He did so with no incidents, which made Chip Ganassi the only team owner to win both the Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500 in the same year.

The replays of that final lap crash showed a dramatic view of Mike Conway going airborne over Hunter-Reay, before returning to the ground upside down. Although it took a while to extricate Conway, he eventually stepped out and waved to the crowd, showing he wasn't seriously injured. The finishing order had to be sorted out due to the accident, but there was no doubt about who would pull into Victory Lane for the traditional milk toast. Wheldon, Lloyd, Dixon, Patrick, Marco Andretti, Wilson, Power, Castroneves and Tagliani filled in the second through tenth spots in the finishing order.

It was a dramatic finish to a crash-filled race, that ended much as it had finished, with Dario out front. The 94th Indianapolis 500 was in the books, the IndyCar Series already packing up, ready to head to Texas for the Firestone 550K on June 5th.

New KITT up for auction along with Iron Man Cobra and The Hangover Benz

2010-05-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

by Zach Bowman

Here's our chance. If we all come together, pool our resources and work for the common good, we can buy two of the Ford Mustangs used in the filming of the thankfully-deceased Knight Rider remake. Why would we want to lay our hands on the distastefully-modified NBC creations? To kill them with fire. Think of it: a world in which the only bad Knight Rider was the original Knight Rider; a world where children are safe from thinking that KITT was anything other than the world's most awesome self-aware Trans Am. We can do this.

The KR cars have cropped up with a handful of other, more famous TV and movie cars headed for a Mecum auction. Alongside the Knight Industries travesties, the well-moneyed out there can bid on the likes of the two unused Cobra body shells from the first Iron Man and a certain tiger-ferrying 1965 Mercedes-Benz 220SE Convertible from The Hangover. A few other lust-worthy models are also set to stand before the gavel, including the My Name is Earl El Camino and a 2001 Buell police bike used in Terminator: Rise of the Machines.

Of course, all of those pale in comparison to our chance to right history's wrong. We can't do anything for Nunez's damaged sanity at this point, but we can keep someone else from preserving these disasters for posterity. We need to hurry, though. The auction kicks off May 19 at the Indiana Fair Grounds.

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee gets final tuning on 'Ring

2010-04-27T04:42:00.000-07:00

by Zach Bowman

The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee has been spotted during testing, and the SUV wasn't wearing any of the camouflage we're used to seeing. Even more surprising, engineers weren't putting the truck through its paces out at Moab. Instead, the eagle-eyed crew over at Piston Spy nabbed a few shots of the Grand Cherokee as it was making laps of the Nurburgring.

Why would Chrysler be interested in flogging the newest Jeep around everyone's favorite test circuit? That answer may have something to do with the truck's new adaptive air suspension. Called Quadra-Lift, drivers will be able to choose from a number of settings that will either raise or lower the 2011 Grand Cherokee ride height according to the road conditions. While there will be two settings for blazing your own trail, including one that raises the truck by a hefty 2.6 inches, the system also features an aero setting that lowers the vehicle by around half an inch. Our guess is that's the setting you see above.

When the much-anticipated 2011 Grand Cherokee finally hits the market, buyers should be able to choose from a number of engines depending on where they call home. Word is a V6 and V8 options will be available here in the states, while buyers in other parts of the world will be able to opt for a diesel.

2011 Audi Q7 gets three new V6s, eight-speed transmission in Germany

2010-04-08T00:09:00.000-07:00

by Damon Lavrinc

Along with blessing us with a revised TT for 2011, the Audi Q7 gets a few choice upgrades in its home market of Germany, including a few new engines and an all-new eight-speed automatic transmission.

The upgraded Q7 doesn't benefit from any new sheetmetal, though Audi has seen fit to put the S4's supercharged 3.0-liter TFSI V6 to good use under the hood of its behemoth SUV. Available in two states of tune, the blown V6 puts out 272 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque in the base version, and the upgraded mill produces the same 333 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque as its sports sedan sibling.

A new 3.0-liter TDI is also available for the 2011 model year, delivering 240 hp and a more-than-adequate 406 lb-ft of twist from 1,750 to 2,500 rpm. Not only does the new diesel deliver respectable performance times (0-60 in 7.9 seconds) and above average fuel economy, but the weight of the oilburner has been reduced by 44 pounds.

All revised, German-bound Q7s receive a new eight-speed automatic gearbox based on the outgoing six-speed cog-swapper, with higher ratios and Tiptronic actuation, along with standard Drive and Sport modes. There's no word on whether this transmission is bound for the U.S. market in the near future, but we'd suspect Stateside Q7s will benefit from the new 'box by the end of the year. Full details in the press release after the jump.

2010 24 Hours of Sebring goes into the books

2010-03-21T17:17:00.000-07:00

by Sam Abuelsamid

The first of nine races that comprise the 2010 American Le Mans Series is now in the history books, as the 12 Hours of Sebring came to a conclusion under the cover of darkness Saturday night. For those of you who still have the race on your DVRs, you can come back here later. For the rest of you, read on to find out who got a jump on the rest of the ALMS field.

For the first time in a decade, there were no Audis in contention for the overall victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring. Audi has been in Florida for the past week, but for reasons that remain unclear, the Germans opted not to participate in the opening round of the ALMS season. Instead, the team tested the revised R15+ TDI in South Florida at Homestead Speedway. On Monday, Audi will join Peugeot in a private test at Sebring.

That left Peugeot largely unchallenged in terms of outright speed for the past week and it showed as the French team topped the timing charts with its diesel-powered prototypes. As the 908 HDi begins it final season of competition (at least for the factory team) the Peugeots grabbed the top two qualifying spots over the only other LMP1 entrants, Aston Martin and Drayson racing.

The Peugeots have always been fast in their previous Sebring runs, but the bumpy track has taken its toll in terms of reliability. This time, however, the progress that the team made to win Le Mans in 2009 showed, as the 908s ran trouble-free for the full 12 hours. The only real challenge came early on when the Drayson Lola-Judd briefly ran second in the hands of former Audi pilot Emanuele Pirro. Ultimately, the E85-fueled Lola slipped back as a result of cooling problems.

The #07 Peugeot of Marc Gene, Alex Wurz and Anthony Davidson led the way home ahead of its sister car, with the Aston Martin finishing three laps down in third overall.

In LMP2, the race was primarily between defending LMP1 champs Highcroft and the Cytosport Porsche RS Spyder. Highcroft has reverted back to an updated P2 Acura and qualified fastest in class. The Acura ran away from the Porsche for the first seven hours, building a five lap-lead. An electrical problem caused an extended stay in pit-lane for the ARX-01c, however, and the RS Spyder kept circulating in the meantime.

Ultimately, the Acura got back in the race seven laps down from the Porsche. David Brabham, Marino Franchitti and Simon Pagenaud whittled away that lead over the last three hours, eventually recovering three laps but finishing fifth overall behind the Porsche. Third place went to the butanol-fueled Dyson Lola-Mazda after it also experienced early electrical problems.

Perhaps the biggest drama of the race unfolded in the highly-competitive GT2 class, where 13 cars started. The #90 BMW M3 had a tough start; its qualifying time was disallowed and it subsequently crashed during the morning warmup. The Bimmer's driver, Dirk Müller, started from the pit lane and made his way up to fourth in class in the first hour. Meanwhile, the new factory-backed Jaguar XKR cracked a cylinder head and dropped out of the race after completing just 11 laps.

The most disappointing result probably went to the Corvette Racing crew. After dominating the old GT1 class for years, the C6.R is now a full-time GT2 competitor. After qualifying fourth and fifth, the Vettes got up to second and third before their troubles began. The #3 car was parked for an extended period of time to replace a damaged power steering hose, dropping it eight laps back. The worst was yet to come, though.

Corvette Racing has been together for over a decade, and the outfit takes pride in its professionalism. That makes what happened just past the three-hour mark even more shocking. A radio miscommunication resulted in Jan Magnussen being allowed to pull out of his pit just as Emmanuel Collard pulled in to the next pit. Collard nailed the #3 Corvette right behind the left front wheel and a crew member was almost run over.

Collard's #4 Vette spent several laps behind the pit wall getting its front bodywork and stabilizer bar replaced while Magnussen came back to replace a punctured tire after only one slow lap. After the repairs were completed on #4, the #3 car also pitted for some new bodywork. Thankfully, no one was injured but both cars dropped to the back of the class. The Corvettes ultimately finished in eighth and ninth positions, 11 laps behind the GT2 winner.

More weirdness came to GT2 when when the Falken Tires 911 lost a right rear wheel that ended up clipping the left rear tire of one of the Flying Lizard Porsches. That caused a bent wheel and loss of tire pressure. Both cars eventually continued and finished the race. Late in the race, a full-course yellow was triggered when Scott Sharp's new Ferrari F430 caught fire, dropping it out of the competition.

Both GT2 BMWs moved steadily up the field to recover from pre-race woes and crossed the finish line in second and third place, with the #92 car of Bill Auberlen, Tommy Milner and Dirk Werner leading the way. Overall GT2 honors, however, went yet again to the Risi Competizione Ferrari F430 GT driven by Jaime Melo, Gimmi Bruni Pierre Kaffer. The Sebring win follows a 2009 hat trick when the same team won at Sebring, Le Mans and Petit Le Mans. Double hat-trick, anyone?

In the new LMP Challenge class, six of the Oreca FLM09 cars started but none of the teams had extensive testing time going in. As the clock rolled around to 10:30 pm for the finish, the Level 5 Motorsports' trio of Scott Tucker, Christophe Bouchut and Mark Wilkins won handily as their ORECA FLM09 prototype held a 16 lap advantage over the Gunnar Racing squad for the victory. The Gunnar team was eventually disqualified and the Genoa Racing Oreca was classified second in class some 46 laps behind the winner.

The second new class is GT Challenge, which this year includes only Porsche 911 GT3s - something that'll hopefully change in 2011. Of the six GTC cars at Sebring, three were fielded by ex-Porsche factory GT2 squad Alex Job Racing. Veteran Butch Leitzinger was joined by Juan Gonzalez and Leh Keen at the top of the podium.

ALMS races also include a second competition in which efficiency and alternative fuels come to the fore. The Michelin Green X Challenge rewards the cars that exhibit the best combination of on-track performance, fuel efficiency and overall carbon footprint. In the prototype class, this was an easy victory for the same #07 Peugeot that took the overall victory on the track. Among the GT competitors, the #44 Porsche 911 RSR of Flying Lizard Motorsports took the honors. The Flying Lizard cars run the same cellulosic E85 blend used by the Corvettes; the fuel itself is made from wood chips.

The American Le Mans Series resumes in four weeks time on the streets of Long Beach, California

Who says Mustangs, Camaros and Challengers don't race each other?

2010-03-07T22:19:00.000-08:00

by Sam Abuelsamid

Last week in The Wall Street Journal, writer Ben Austen publised an article in which he ruminates on why no one appears to be racing the Detroit Three's neo-muscle offerings - the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger. That the piece succeeds overwhelmingly at, however, is highlighting the myopia of America's mainstream press when it comes to motorsports. Many people in media seem to be completely unaware that there are forms of automotive competition other than NASCAR, because the cars the WSJ article focuses on most assuredly are involved in active competition.

NASCAR may be the big dog in terms of the number of races, sponsor participation, and even people at the track. But by no means is anything about modern stock car racing in any way relevant. A more important question might be why automakers continue pour hundreds of millions of dollars into NASCAR every year, but we'll leave that for another day.

All three of the current crop of pony cars compete in a wide variety of racing, from drags to ovals and road courses. Ford in particular has offered turnkey Mustang race cars for several years, and they've been very successful in a number of classes, including the NASCAR-owned Grand-Am series. In fact, fans watching the 2010 Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge will see Mustangs, Camaros, and at least one Dodge Challenger slugging it out on a regular basis.

Pratt & Miller racing currently runs a program in which it converts Grand-Am Pontiac GXP.Rs to Camaro bodies. Dodge Challengers can be found at many drag strips (along with innumerable Mustangs and Camaros). And let's not forget that NASCAR is running Challenger- and Mustang-branded stockers in a few Nationwide Series races this year as part of its own "Car of Tomorrow" program.

Admittedly, it would be nice to see a revival on the level of the old Trans Am series, with all three of these machines running in force, but journalists like Mr. Austen would do well to remove the NASCAR blinders before summarily dismissing the modern pony cars as being absent from today's racing scene. It's just not so.

Acura considering small car below TSX

2010-02-23T00:46:00.000-08:00

by Damon Lavrinc

With Acura's decision to nix V8 power and rear-wheel drive in favor of new hybrid drivetrains, dealers are worried that the brand's relentless pursuit of Tier 1 status – on par with Audi, BMW, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz – may be threatened. But that's not the real news.

Buried at the end of an Automotive News piece about a recent Acura dealer meeting was this gem:

"[Jeff Conrad, vice president of the Acura division] confirmed that Acura is considering a small car below the TSX sedan. The vehicle not only would compete against the BMW 1 series, Audi A3 and Volvo C30 but also would help meet looming CAFE regulations."

With the TSX's growth spurt, a smaller offering from the automaker could be in order, and judging by the competition, that could mean the rebirth of the RSX. Then again, Acura could pull a CSX (an upgraded Civic for the Canadian market) or maybe even a CR-Z-based offering. Judging by the choice wording, we somehow doubt the former is in the cards, but with Acura's recent hybrid push, something with a gas-electric drivetrain seems likely.

Opel Vauxhall coming to Geneva with new concept

2010-02-12T17:31:00.000-08:00

by Jonathon Ramsey

Vauxhall will be trailering the new Meriva and the coming Ampera to next month's Geneva Motor Show, along with a concept that the company won't say a word about yet. A teaser image shows the car with an Opel logo, and it definitely isn't the Ampera unless they've dramatically reprofiled its front diffuser and dropped the mileage estimates.

Vauxhall reveals only that the secret car "embodies much of the company's future thinking in terms of design and engineering," and it's apparently being used to show that size and comfort can exist with environmental stewardship. We're going to guess some Volt/Ampera inner architecture, note the "Voltec" branding, under a larger sedan body. But we only have to wait three more weeks to find out.

You can read about the coming offerings in the press release after the jump, and check out high-res photos of the teaser and the new Meriva in the gallery below.

Top Gear crew dinged for being scruffiest blokes on the telly?

2010-01-30T17:11:00.000-08:00

by Dan Roth

Reports like this make us glad the Autoblog Podcast is audio-only. A new survey of British television viewers finds that the UK wants more smartly-dressed personalities and pundits. 1,000 people were asked their thoughts about fashion on the telly, and two-thirds of the Top Gear crew received the dubious honor of being called the scruffiest presenters on televsion. James May and Jeremy Clarkson apparently need to head to Carnaby Street and ditch the open collars and jeans.

Richard Hammond didn't get away unscathed, either. He was voted the fifth worst dressed. Most of the people polled want their presenters to wear ties, and nearly half think jeans should be out, too. The personalities deemed the best-dressed were Sir Trevor McDonald, a long-serving veteran, and the wise and dapper Bruce Forsyth. Taking this report to heart, we'll be speaking with our tailors directly.

Engineers still testing Saab 9-5 SportCombi, should somebody tell them?

2010-01-19T22:34:00.000-08:00

by John Neff

We know automakers like to test prototypes in remote, freezing locations to ensure that they'll start and run properly when sold to a family of five in Buffalo, New York. Perhaps these Saab engineers are in such a remote corner of Sweden that they haven't heard the mothership has crashed. While Saab's future is still undecided, hope seems to dwindle by the day that we'll ever see the new 9-5 go on sale to the public – at least while wearing a Saab badge. Nevertheless, these engineers are still at their mobile desks in case a miracle happens.

The next-gen 9-5 has already been outed and is a looker for sure. The SportCombi version (Saab-speak for wagon) adds an extra dose of practicality to those unique lines of the sedan and, from the look of the things, appears to operate just fine in crazy cold conditions. Not much else to report unless, you know, Saab survives.

General Motors teases GMC Urban Utility Concept

2010-01-06T22:04:00.000-08:00

That's how General Motors sums up its teaser of the GMC Urban Utility Concept before its official reveal next week at the Detroit Auto Show. Although GM Labs doesn't divulge much about the concept, the second teaser and few lines from the site provide a clear indication of what GMC is attempting to produce: a Kia Soul, Nissan Cube and Scion xB competitor.

Like its boxy brethren, GMC is pitching the Urban Utility Concept (previously disclosed as the Chevrolet Orlando-based "Granite") as the mobile home-away-from-home for the modern youth, calling it "a new breed of truck that's as efficient as it is chic, innovative as it is functional." The popularity of the aforementioned four-wheeled refrigerator boxes notwithstanding, does a compact trucklet really fit in with GMC's "Professional Grade" image? Let us know in the comments below.

Audi officially confirms Q5 hybrid coming in 2011

2009-12-28T20:44:00.000-08:00

by Chris Shunk

Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen doesn't seem to be a big fan of electric vehicles, yet the four-ringed automaker appears to be warming to the green tech. Since de Nysschen's assault on the Chevrolet Volt (and electric vehicles in general), the German luxury automaker has unveiled the sweet-looking eTron concept, and it is now officially confirming that it will venture into the hybrid market.

Audi published a press release today touting the billions of euros it is spending to increase its product portfolio from 34 models to 42 in 2015. One of the info-bits buried within the text is the promised 2011 arrival of a Q5 hybrid, a development first rumored back in May. The hybrid Q5 would be Audi's first full hybrid vehicle, giving the German luxury car maker an entry in the growing green scene. Audi didn't take the opportunity to provide any details about powertrains or battery types, but it does say that the Q5 hybrid would be officially unveiled by the end of 2010.

Audi has in the past said that it didn't plan to go all-in on hybrids due to the fact that the German automaker feels diesels make more sense both financially and in terms of practicality, particularly for the U.S. market. While most of us around AB agree with this thought process, we think that if Audi has decided to pursue gas-electric models anyway, the hot-selling Q5 should make a good first hybrid – especially as its size will enable Audi engineers to more easily fit an electric motor and a battery pack into its CUV proportions. Further, the Q5's somewhat hefty price tag might help hide some of the added cost associated with a hybrid powertrain. Hit the jump to read over the official verbiage.

Aston Martin Rapide to start at $199,950 in the U.S.

2009-12-06T23:32:00.000-08:00

by Sam Abuelsamid

A couple of days after announcing U.K. pricing for the the new Rapide, Aston Martin has now also priced the North American version of its slinky four-door. When Aston starts deliveries of its newest model next spring, U.S. customers will have to pony up a minimum of $199,950. Aston Martin dealers will doubtless provide clients with the opportunity to substantially elevate that price tag via costly personalization options. After all, when you're dropping that kind of coin, you don't want to see yourself coming and going all the time.

The Rapide will be the first Aston Martin produced outside of Great Britain once cars start rolling off the line in Graz, Austria. The special factory was set up in cooperation with Magna Steyr prior to the global financial collapse, back when the Gaydon factory that makes the other Astons was running at full capacity. In these post-meltdown days, the decision about where to produce the car may have been very different. If you have the means, your local dealer is taking orders now. Official press release available after the jump.

BMW 1 Series hybrid spotted in Munich

2009-11-19T16:19:00.000-08:00

by Sam Abuelsamid

At the launch of the BMW X6 ActiveHybrid, officials acknowledged the automaker would be producing several additional hybrid models in the near future. Rumors have been floating around that the new 5 Series – due to launch in 2010 – will get the same mild hybrid system going into the ActiveHybrid 7 and its crossover counterpart, but what about BMW's smaller offerings?

Testing near Munich, a BMW 1 Series mule was caught wearing "Hybrid Test Vehicle" badging, proving that BMW's hybrid system won't be used exclusively on its larger models. Given the small size of the 1, this will undoubtedly use a version of the same mild hybrid system, a modular setup that has the motor/generator sandwiched between the engine and transmission with a compact lithium ion battery in the rear.

The 1 Series hybrid will take on the production version of the Lexus LF-Ch concept recently shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show when it hits the market in late 2011 or early 2012. The Lexus is similar in size to the 1er, but will only be offered as a hybrid, while the 1 will retain conventional powertrain options. There's no word whether the Lexus or the 1 Series Hybrid will make it onto U.S. shores, but if both automakers plan to recoup development expenses, sales in North America are almost assured.

Lumma Design shows bizarre black-and-white BMW M5 with 730 HP

2009-11-10T22:09:00.000-08:00

by Drew Phillips

With its latest creation, the CLR 730 RS, it seems that Lumma Design is making a play for the title of Europe's most garish tuner. However, this two-tone widebody BMW M5 is actually subtle compared to previous Lumma Design models, and we think the title still firmly remains with Mansory.

So what's special about the CLR 730 RS? For starters, 730 horsepower. The 50% increase in chutzpah comes from a set of twin-superchargers courtesy of G-Power, and Lumma Design claims an impressive top speed of 228 mph. Additional performance upgrades come in the form of a sport suspension, six-piston front and four-piston rear brakes, and an upgraded exhaust system.

The candy cane interior of the CLR 730 RS is even more over-the-top than the outside, with a combination of carbon fiber, leather, and suede. It's not really our style, but we would probably be more accepting of it in a more subtle color. We have plenty of high-res photos in the gallery below, and Lumma Design's press release has full details after the jump.

Volkswagen to buy 49.9% of Porsche in first stage of merger

2009-10-22T06:24:00.000-07:00

by Sam Abuelsamid

The days of Porsche being an independent automaker will soon be drawing to a close. Volkswagen has announced that it is ready to move ahead with the first stage of its buyout of the smaller company that had tried to do the same thing to it just a short while ago. Back in August when the VW board approved the merger, the Wolfsburg company announced that it would start off by purchasing 42 percent of Porsche AG, the car building unit of Porsche. That stake has now been increased to 49.9 percent and the purchase will happen before the end of 2009.

According the announcement from Volkswagen, work on future joint projects between the two companies is moving ahead faster than anticipated. As a result, VW is buying a larger stake now with the expectation that Porsche's share price will increase next year due to these new projects.

Next year VW will be issuing more preferred shares in itself to help pay for the rest of the acquisition while maintaining its credit rating. The full merger is expected to be completed sometime in 2011.

Subaru's 250-hp FT-86 coupe in STI trim

2009-10-13T22:09:00.000-07:00

by Damon Lavrinc

Despite dropping all the information about its Tokyo-bound concepts, Subaru hasn't hinted at when we'll be seeing its version of the Toyota FT-86 coupe. Thankfully, Japan's Holiday Auto has stepped up to the plate to throw more fuel onto the fire with a subtly modified sketch of the FT-86 and some possible powertrain information of Subaru's first rear-wheel drive coupe.

According to the report (and a heaping helping of common sense), the Japanese rumormongers expect the STI version of the coupe to debut at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show (after the standard model is revealed next year), complete with Subaru's 250-hp EJ25 2.5-liter boxer. Similar to the dual-injected, 200-hp EJ20 fitted to its Toyota brethren, the engine will remain naturally aspirated, but a turbocharged version hasn't been ruled out.

In addition to a wider track and upgraded tires, wheels and brakes, expect the STI version to don a gaping front fascia and a sizeable rear wing, similar to the camo-covered mule we saw in the latest round of spy shots. If Subaru wants to compete with the rest of the high-horsepower sports cars in the U.S. and Japan, it better get cracking, because competition is fierce, and the only way it can compete is to keep the price down and the weight in check.

New VW Beetle coming in two years, Scirocco still not in cards for U.S

2009-10-08T00:30:00.000-07:00

by Sam Abuelsamid

We're in Wolfsburg, Germany right now for the launch drive of the 2010 Volkswagen Golf and we've just returned from a presentation at the company's design center with Walter de Silva. We'll have more on de Silva's comments a little later, but first, we did have a chance to chat with VW of America CEO Stefan Jacoby about future products.

First up, despite de Silva's promise that VW wont do retro designs, there is a new New Beetle coming. When the NB debuted a decade ago, we lamented the fact that it officially carried the "New" prefix (unfortunately, Autoblog was not yet born so no one at VW heard our complaints). This time around it will just be called "Beetle." Contrary to some speculation that it might move to the NSF platform of the forthcoming Up! model, the Beetle will still ride on the Golf's chassis when it appears in two years. Jacoby didn't say how the next Beetle might change to meet de Silva's "no retro" statement, but it will continue to fill VW's niche quotient.

Speaking of niches, the Scirocco remains dead to us, despite the fact that Lower Saxony seems to be crawling with them. The problem, Jacoby explains, is that the Scirroco appeals to almost exactly the same buyers who opt for the GTI. Company research indicates that there would be almost no incremental sales increase with the Scirroco, instead it would just cannibalize the GTI. Why not just replace the GTI? Adding the coupe would be another niche product that requires more parts inventory, training, marketing dollars and so on. While we as enthusiasts might want another coupe, the numbers just don't add up for VW – especially when every Euro costs $1.47. Sorry.

Near-production Honda CR-Z "Concept" unveiled

2009-09-30T00:38:00.000-07:00

by Jeremy Korzeniewski

One of the most highly-anticipated new model releases scheduled to debut at next month's Tokyo Motor Show would have to be the production version of Honda's CR-Z hybrid hatchback. That's not happening. Instead, we're getting a concept version of the production car. First unveiled at the Tokyo show back in 2007 in pure concept form, the sporty two-passenger CR-Z is slated for production early next year in Japan. We expect the CR-Z to hit the States sometime thereafter.

Underhood will be a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine mated to Honda's proprietary Integrated Motor Assist technology. Also on the menu will be a six-speed manual gearbox that will surely be a more entertaining partner for driving enthusiasts than the CVT used in the Insight hatchback.

While Honda is still calling the Tokyo-bound 2009 version of the CR-Z a concept, it's clearly one of those concept-in-name-only deals. Don't expect the attractive sheetmetal to be altered before the car hits the showroom floor, and that interior is pretty much the same one you'll be able to sample in 2010. That's fine by us – the car's wedge-shaped lines are very attractive and call to mind the seminal CRX from the early 1980s, though with a modern flavor reminiscent of the current Insight. See for yourselves in our gallery below.

Future Leno Show Green Car Challenge lineup leaked

2009-09-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

by Frank Filipponio

Last week, actress Drew Barrymore kicked off the Jay Leno Show's Green Car Challenge segment with a bang. Literally. Canons shot streamers and ping pong balls at the Ford Focus EV while she zipped around the track. Although the whole thing was a bit hokey, we know the segment is here to stay, hopefully with some healthy tweaking.

We say drop the second lap shenanigans, create a properly defined track and make it a real race with some interesting guests. Well, with what we just learned, we think they might be on the right track. No pun intended. It will be another Big Adventure for the next celeb to take the wheel, none other than actor Paul Reubens, better known to most of us as Pee-wee Herman. After Pee-wee has a crack at the challenge, other celebs scheduled to appear are sportscasters Bob Costas and Al Michaels, as well as the one and only, hybrid-loathing Rush Limbaugh.

Are any of these guys capable of besting Barrymore's lap time? Our money is on the lightweight Costas, although Pee Wee might be a shot in the dark. Michaels could surprise, but we doubt Limbaugh will be able to avoid the penalties that will ensue from mowing down the effigies of Al Gore and Ed Begley, Jr. What say you? Who will top the board after these guys complete the Green Car Challenge?

2010 Saab 9-5 is proof there's still some flight left in the ol' Griffin

2009-09-15T20:38:00.000-07:00

by Chris Paukert

To be honest, there have been points at which it felt like this new Saab 9-5 would never see the light of day. To say that the outgoing model had grown long in the tooth would be a colossal understatement, and in the hyper-competitive market that is the globe's entry-level premium segment, the 9-5 had become something of a placeholder, playing second fiddle to the automaker's newer, more dynamic 9-3. So with its own cheaper sibling playing the role of upstager and parent General Motors in the throes of bankruptcy, we didn't exactly have faith that Saab would ever launch this new sedan. But after an arduous development process and a new owner in the form of supercar maker Koenigsegg, the future looks – if not bright – at least markedly less dim.

If we sound like we're damning the 2010 9-5 with faint praise, we're not – after sitting in the car today at the Frankfurt Motor Show and talking extensively with members of Saab's team, we're actually rather optimistic that the perennially underweight automaker may yet emerge from its funk and put some rouge back in the 'ol Griffin. But until we drive it, we're going to reserve judgment before we break out the akvavit and reindeer steaks – we've been here before.

One thing's for sure – this new, larger 9-5 looks incredibly crisp in the metal. With clean flanks, a distinctive, cantilevered roofline paired with wraparound-look glass and handsome head- and tail lamp detailing, this is an attractive, cohesive design sans adornment – no gaping ducts, fender vents, or protruding aero addenda are in evidence anywhere. Very much in the Scandinavian mold, the 9-5 pulls design elements from the showstopping Saab Aero-X concept coupe and puts them in a real-world package. Similarly, like Scandinavian furniture, the design won't be to everyone's tastes.

Inside, there's gobs more space than in the outgoing car both front and rear, and the design has been tastefully updated in a driver-centric way that honors the marque's quirkiness (Night Panel button, eggcrate grid air vents, etc.) without becoming a caricature of Saabs past. Reinforcing the aeronautically-minded "Born From Jets" theme that had become something of a punchline with distractions like the 9-7x SUV, Saab has adopted new features like an optional heads-up display and a novel altimeter-like digital speedometer readout in case you aren't interested making use of the clear analogue gauges.

Another reason for quiet optimism: Thanks to new technologies and refinements, the world's markets are finally waking up to the joys of smaller displacement engines paired with turbocharging – a development that suits Saab just fine, as blowers have been a steady part of Saab's diet for the better part of 30 years. As such, the 9-5's engine lineup will be all turbo, all the time. Global choices will range from a 220-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo to a force-fed, 300-horsepower 2.8-liter V6 paired exclusively with Saab's lauded cross-wheel drive (XWD) system). A 160 hp, 2.0-liter diesel engine will also make the scene from launch, although we don't expect to see that motor, nor are we optimistic that the planned 180 hp 1.6-liter gas turbo or 2.0-liter E85-friendly BioPower powertrains will reach American shores. Whether fitted with a stir-it-yourself gearbox or an automatic transmission, all 9-5s will be equipped with six forward ratios.

Saab officials tell us they need a total of 50,000 units globally out of the new 9-5 (in both sedan and Sport Combi form) in order to be in the black on the model. While that's theoretically a modest goal, Saab is going to need more than the trickle of 9-5 sales that the U.S. has added to the books for the past few years if it is to make good on its international projections. To our eyes, the 2010 9-5 looks good enough, but given its front-drove roots (it's got GM's Epsilon II platform underneath), will it drive well enough? Perhaps every bit as importantly, will it be marketed effectively enough in order justify Koenigsegg's leap of faith? The jury's out – but with a new Swedish foreman running the show again and a distinctive new entry, we'll give them the benefit of the doubt... if only for a while.

Subaru considering using more CVTs

2009-09-09T01:01:00.000-07:00

by Chris Shunk

The 2010 Legacy will be the most fuel efficient Subaru in the Japanese automaker's US lineup, but only when it's powered by the 2.5i boxer engine mated to a CVT transmission. According to the EPA, that powertrain returns 31 mpg on the highway, a full four mpg better than the six-speed manual. With fuel economy standards set to climb over the next decade, Subaru is going to need more mpg success stories, and more CVTs could be a big part of the equation.

Japan's Nikkei Sangyo business daily reports that Subaru will flood its product lineup with CVTs over the next two years, starting with the popular Forester and Impreza models. The CVT, which is made at Subaru's engine plant in Oizumi, will eventually be offered on all models.

While the CVT is new for larger Subarus, the company has been using the transmissions in JDM city cars since 1987. Last week, Subaru began using a CVT in its Japan market Exiga MPV, which will soon be extended to the Australian market.

Ginetta developing all-new G40 for the road and track

2009-09-02T21:37:00.000-07:00

Race cars are usually designed one of two ways. Either a company's engineers take an existing road car and adapt it towards racing (as with most touring, GT racing and rally cars, for example) or they start with a clean sheet of paper and design a race car from the ground up (as they do for Formula One and Le Mans prototypes). Ginetta appears to be taking a different approach, however. The British sportscar manufacturer has announced the development of a new product, dubbed G40, to slot below the G50 in its road car lineup – but there's a competition-spec model planned right from the start.

Few details have been released on the G40's specifications, but Ginetta does say that it will be powered by a 1.8-liter Ford Zetec inline-four and should weigh in at about 850 kg (1874 pounds), pack two seats and exceed FIA regulations for crashworthiness.

On the track, the G40 will be used in the Ginetta Junior Championship – a British one-make racing series for racers between the ages of 14 and 17, currently campaigned with purpose-built Ginetta Juniors in support races for the British Touring Car Championship. The G40 could also be made ready for GT4 racing as well.

Just 20 examples are planned for the first batch, and the G40 will start at £24,950 (around $40,600 USD). Interested? You can learn more by checking out the official press release after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Sean.

Renault Mégane Sport Tourer launches in no fewer than 21 flavors

2009-08-23T22:40:00.000-07:00

by Jonathon Ramsey

Renault has introduced its new Mégane Sport Tourer, which might rightfully called "Blackjack," because there are twenty-one different versions in the range. That's one car available with four different engines in five different trim levels. It's the antidote to the kind of economic rationalization we've been seeing, but hey, it means you win -- if you're in a country where you can buy one.

The Mégane Sport Tourer starts from £15,485 ($25,553 U.S.) for the Expression 1.6 -- which appears to have a 1.4-liter engine -- to £22,785 ($37,599 U.S.) for a kitted out Privilège model. There's even a TomTom edition if that's how you roll, and you can get all the info on them after the jump.

Corvette-based SV 9 Competizione

2009-07-22T01:15:00.000-07:00

by Noah Joseph

Reclothing Corvettes with Italian coachwork is a time-honored tradition; one that sadly lapsed for years in between the age of classics and the modern era. But in an industry where old designs and old badges are resurrected with increasing regularity, this is one practice we're glad to see come back. Following such recent examples as Castagna Aznom comes the SV 9 Competizione, a re-skinned C6 Corvette with a touch of Italian flair.

Imagine a cross between an Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione – from which this creation clearly draws its inspiration (as well as its name) – and a contemporary Corvette and you're well on your way towards summing up the SV 9 Competizione's design. And while we have some reservations over the front-end styling with its protruding snout, overall, the design strikes an intriguing balance between American muscle and Italian style. And when you consider the price of many contemporary coachbuilt customs, the $99,995 sticker price – including the donor Vette – doesn't seem all that outlandish.

Along with the carbon fiber bodywork, SV has tweaked the interior, fitted a new intake and exhaust for a 14-horsepower boost to 450 and fitted a new set of wheels with Pirelli Pzero Rosso tires, giving the SV 9 Competizione a claimed 0-60 time of four seconds flat, a 12-second quarter-mile sprint, a braking distance from 60 of 107 feet and 1.03g of lateral grip. Not too shabby by any standard. And with configurations based on 25 exterior colors, five interior trims and four wheel choices, SV figures there's no reason any two of the 1,000 units to which production is limited will ever need to turn out the same. We wouldn't mind seeing one up close ourselves; the first example is set to debut in San Francisco this weekend ahead of its unveiling at the local Concorso Italiano next month, but in the meantime you can check out the computer renderings in the gallery below.

New Florida billboard campaign aims to curb distracted driving

2009-07-13T00:34:00.000-07:00

by Jeremy Korzeniewski

It seems to us that when we're glancing in the direction of a roadside billboard, we're not really keeping our eyes on the road. This undeniable fact hasn't stopped the installation of a new billboard in Fort Myers, Florida directing drivers to visit deathbycellphone.org. Good cause, poor implementation?

In a report that seems oblivious to the irony of an eye-catching billboard reminding drivers to pay attention to the road, the local NBC affiliate quotes Jay Anderson, founder of Stay Alive Just Drive, as saying, "Distractions are dangerous, period. At any given time, look left look right and you're going to see someone on their cell phone." Vinny Fazio of Lamar Advertising, which donated the billboard space, adds, "That's the good thing about outdoor advertising. We're looking to grab people's attention."

In related news, deathbybillboard.org has yet to be registered. Hit the jump to watch a video segment from WLBZ Channel 2 in Bangor, Maine along with a press release from the National Safety Council.

Porsche loan request rejected by Germany's state bank

2009-06-30T20:24:00.000-07:00

by Chris Shunk

Porsche is profitable and it owns a big chunk of the far larger Volkswagen, yet cash seems to be in short supply. Automotive News is reporting that the world-renowned luxury sports car maker's 1.75 billion euro ($2.45 billion USD) loan request from German state bank KFW has been rejected, leaving Porsche to search elsewhere for funding. Porsche secured 10.75 billion euros ($15.1B) in financing from banks in March to feed its 9 billion euro debt ($12.6B) mountain, but it's looking for alternative means for financing its cash crunch.

Porsche has already looked outside of Europe for funding to handle its mounting debt, as it worked with the Arab emirate of Qatar to secure a sizable stake in the company. VW, smelling blood in the water, reportedly gave Porsche an ultimatum, offering up 3-4 billion euro ($4.2-$5.6B) for 49% of the sports car maker in exchange for not forcing the repayment of a 700 million euro loan ($983M) in September. Porsche responded by saying that ultimatums don't belong in the 21st century. Unfortunately, bankruptcies are all too common in the new economy, so the proud German company may have to dig a bit deeper to keep themselves from falling into the financial abyss.

Iacocca Silver 45th Anniversary Edition Ford Mustang introduced by Lee himself

2009-06-22T07:20:00.000-07:00

by Drew Phillips

If anyone deserves to have his own special edition Ford Mustang, it's Lee Iacocca. The former president of the Ford division, Iacocca is known as the father of the Mustang and recruited Carroll Shelby to create special versions of the horse in his own image. Now, 45 years after the original Mustang debuted, Iacocca has built his very own version.

Known as the 2009 1/2 Iacocca 45th Anniversary Edition Ford Mustang, this coach-built pony car features a special body designed by Michael Leone and built by the legendary Gaffoglio Family Metalcrafters. The car features a reworked front end including sunken headlights and a prominent fastback look with the slope of the roof reaching all the way to the rear of the car. Inside, Iacocca's Mustang gets Diamond Design leather seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with "I" logos, and Iacocca-badged aluminum door sill plates. Finishing off the look of the car are 20-inch Iacocca Design wheels wrapped with Goodyear Eagle tires.

Performance enhancements come courtesy of the Ford Racing parts bin, all of which retain the factory warranty and include a cold-air intake system and the Ford Racing Handling Pack with new shocks and springs. Customers can also opt for a supercharger system that boosts the 4.6-liter V8 to 400 horsepower as well as a 14-inch front brake system.

Production of the Iacocca 45th Anniversary Edition Ford Mustang will be limited to a scant 45 units, available exclusively at Galpin Ford in Southern California. Follow the jump for the official press release and a full list of specifications.

Ford launches new free app for 2010 vehicles with SYNC

2009-06-01T00:28:00.000-07:00

by Chris Shunk

SYNC has given Ford a much-needed technology boost. The infotainment device provides motorists with features such as voice-controlled integration with MP3 players and automatic calls to emergency services in the event of an accident. For the 2010 model year, SYNC adds GPS hardware, giving owners access to traffic, directions, and information.

SYNC TDI works through your Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone to deliver real-time traffic information and turn by turn directions. SYNC TDI can also be personalized to deliver real-time updates of sports scores, weather, entertainment news and more. There is no subscription fee, either, because SYNC TDI uses your existing phone service, which you're already paying for.

This update is now available at syncmyride.com for owners of SYNC-equipped 2010 model-year Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models. The download only works with vehicles that aren't equipped with Ford's voice-activated navigation system.

To update your SYNC, load the SYNC TDI to a thumb drive, then start your car and plug into the USB port. SYNC will give you two completion notices; at one minute and again within 10 minutes. Once the download is complete, you have to reconnect your USB device to your computer, Log into syncmyride.com, and register the successful download. It's a bit of a bulky process to get SYNC TDI operational, but we're guessing real-time traffic, weather, sports, and directions will be worth your trouble. Hit the jump to pore over Ford's detailed press release.

North Carolina's Supercar Sensation gets you behind the wheel without breaking the bank

2009-05-18T01:30:00.000-07:00

by Noah Joseph

You've seen this concept before: Most folks can neither afford to buy exotic supercars, nor do they yearn for the headaches of ownership. But hey, it sure would be nice to get behind the wheel once in a while. That's where Supercar Sensation comes in.

They own the cars, they organize the drives; you just show up, cash in hand and they'll handle the rest. Most importantly, unlike the supercar clubs that have been folding left and right, there's no five-figure membership fee. Supercar Sensation's garage includes a Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo, Porsche 911 Turbo, Nissan GT-R, Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster, BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG available to drive in autocross-style track sessions and open-road drive packages starting at $199. Piquing your interest? Follow the link to the company's website for more information.

GM China spokesman denies pondering selling Buick to SAIC

2009-04-11T04:48:00.000-07:00

by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Yesterday's rumors regarding a possible Buick sale to China's Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC) might have been a wee bit premature according to an unnamed executive at GM China. This news should be anything but surprising – we didn't put much stock in the rumor when we first reported it – since the success of the Buick brand is one of GM's few current bright spots.

In America, General Motors has singled out Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC and Buick as the core brands that it will concentrate on, which gives further reason to believe that the Buick nameplate will be staying right where it is in the General Motors portfolio. Hummer, Saab and Saturn, on the other hand, remain very much for sale.

Gallery:2009 2009 Chinese-spec Buick Regal>

BMW Z4 priced from $46,575

2009-03-29T07:24:00.000-07:00

by Chris Shunk

The BMW Z4 is all new for 2010, and the updated roadster will be ready for production later this spring. BMW gave the Z4 sleeker sheet metal, a folding hard top, and upgraded powertrains, but the biggest change could be to its price tag. Buyers looking for a new Z4 can expect to plunk down $46,575. That's a big jump from the base $36,700 of the 2008 Z4, which packed less power and less road presence. The 46 large is also exactly the same price as the Z4's nemesis; the Porsche Boxster. The 2010 model will net you a 258-horsepower inline six capable of hitting 60 mph in 5.8 seconds. The base Bimmer will also come standard with leatherette seating surfaces (upgrading to Kansas leather tacks on another $1,250).

The 306-horsepower, twin-turbo Z4 sDrive35i will cost a whole lot more, with a starting price of $52,475, including destination and handling. The 2008 Z4 M was a bit cheaper at $50,400 and carried more power, but the 2010 car's higher torque numbers make for an equally-quick droptop, as evidenced by its 5.1 second 0-60 time with the dual-clutch gear box.

Options abound for the Z4, and they're both expensive and confusing. Bundles include a Premium package at $3,900, or $2,800 when also ordering the $2,300 Sport package, which is $1,900 when also going premium. You can also get a performance 19-inch tire and wheel package for $1,200, but only if you purchase the sDrive35i and the Sport package. A seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox can be had on the 35i for $1,525. For complete pricing options, check out BMW's Z4 pricing sheet.

Gallery: 2010 BMW Z4

Audi Shark concept tells of a future with no wheels

2009-03-11T01:17:00.000-07:00

by Noah Joseph

There are certain terms used so often to describe automotive designs that they become cliche. Right up there on the list with "Darth Vader, your car has arrived" and "This could be the next Batmobile" is shark imagery, with every other car being equated to the deep-sea hunters. This is a shame, because once in a while a car comes along that really does look like a shark, leaving us poor automotive scribes at a loss for words.

Take this fine piece of work for example. The brainchild of Turkish design protege Kazim Doku, the Audi Shark is a conceptual futuristic four-ringed hovercraft that won Audi's most recent design competition. The styling borrows elements from the R8, TT and S5, and looks thoroughly Audi right down to the LED lighting. A front-hinged canopy and air foils replacing the wheels are straight out of sci-fi, though. It's a compelling vision of the future in which we'd love to take a ride, and it isn't Doku's first prize-winning design, either. His Ustuminki concept made the final cut in Peugeot's 2007 design competition, while his door-less KA-Design concept won first prize in his native Turkey's Ototrend competition. The Audi contest awards Doku with a 70% scholarship to the prestigious Domus Academy, but he tragically had to turn it down as he couldn't put up the remaining 30. If you're interested in helping Kazim out with a little tuition cash, we're sure he'd be glad to hear from you through his website, but in either case, you'll want to check out the images in the gallery below and the video after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Will!

Audi teases TT RS with superlatives, new high-res photos

2009-02-24T23:12:00.000-08:00

by Drew Phillips

We have to admit that we got excited when we saw Audi had officially posted a press release and new photos of the TT RS that is set to make its debut at next week's Geneva Motor Show. After all, up until now we had only received the bare details and a few low-res photos of the car.

The new pictures are great, but we have been left wanting with a press release that is largely devoid of any additional technical or useful details that we were not already aware of. What we have learned, however, is that Audi is really jazzed about the TT RS. The generally conservative Germans seem to be going all out on this one, describing the acceleration as "explosive," the sound as "unrivaled," and the brakes as "stupendous." Audi claims it will need "nowhere near five seconds to reach 100 km/h" (62 miles-per-hour), it will be able to "perform extraordinary feats" and overtaking will be "child's play." Come on, Audi, are you sure you don't want to bring the TT RS stateside? Check out the gallery below and the press release after the jump.

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Gallery:Audi TT RS

Caparo T1 debuts at private London show

2009-02-16T16:39:00.000-08:00

by Noah Joseph

Lots of cars claim the "race car for the road mantle", but few manage to pull it off with as much authority as the Caparo T1. Bringing all that competition technology to the road isn't easy, though – during one media test drive, the front suspension actually snapped because the journalist riding on that side was heavier than calculated – and the T1 has been in development for years now. Caparo, the conglomerate that financed the T1's development, apparently feels the supercar is ready and has presented it to the public for the first time at London's Salon Privé at the exclusive Hurlingham Club, where the T1 took center stage.

As part of the debut, Caparo is expected to announce the T1's final specifications, which will include five trim levels, ranging form a bare-bones track car all the way up to the top-of-the-line Race Extreme model, packed with the highest-spec engine, advanced electronics, carbon brakes and lightweight magnesium rims. The full announcement is expected shortly, but in the meantime you can check out the press release after the jump and the updated gallery below.

Ssangyong restarts production

2009-02-05T22:53:00.000-08:00

by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Korean automaker Ssangyong has reportedly restarted five of its production lines at its plants in Pyeongtaek and Changwon. Earlier this month, Ssangyong was forced to enter receivership as a last ditch effort to stave off bankruptcy after failing to negotiate a deal with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp., the Korean automaker's Chinese owners, and Korea Development Bank, its largest creditor.

Prior to those negotiations, Ssangyong was hemorrhaging money due to a 50% drop in sales, which ultimately led to the inability to make payroll and fulfill supplier contracts. At this point, Ssangyong must wait until February 9 to find out if the local court of Seoul will allow the automaker to enter bankruptcy protection proceedings. Sounds like the road will remain bumpy for Korea's fifth-largest automaker for the foreseeable future.

P1-E electric sportscar planned by ex-McLaren designer

2009-01-23T16:41:00.000-08:00

by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Remember the P1 project from ex-McLaren F1 designer Jim Dowle? Just about a year ago, announced plans to build an inexpensive sportscar that was supposed to be a Lotus Exige challenger. Why mess with something that's already so well established? Instead, Dowle has charted a new, greener course and will now use an electric drivetrain for his upcoming gullwing-doored sportscar, now named the P1-E.

Being green doesn't often come cheap, and adding a lithium-ion battery pack and dual electric motors powering all four wheels has raised the expected price to £55,000, or about $75,000 USD. That sum would theoretically undercut the Tesla Roadster, and Dowle is claiming a run to 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds with a range of 230 miles to boot. Working prototypes are scheduled for 2009, after which some additional funding will likely be necessary. Stay tuned.

No Dummies: CPR instructor, others win custom Ford Transit Connect vans

2009-01-10T06:34:00.000-08:00

by Chris Shunk

Ford is bringing its Transit Connect van to the US this summer with hopes of generating sales to businesses that need 143 cubic feet of cargo space and wouldn't mind car-like fuel economy. To drum up some interest in the Euro-sourced vans, the Blue Oval has just given away five of them to small business owners. One of the winners is a CPR instructor in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Jerry Buffman had been lugging her dummies around in a 2001 Toyota Sienna, but needed more space. Buffman travels to locations with her bags full of CPR equipment and practice dummies, and the soon to be released Transit should make lugging all of her props a bit easier.

To showcase the Transit Connect's flexibility, Ford also gave away the mini cargo vans to a kayak company, a cleaner, a dog care business, and a pet and baby safety company. Ford is looking to introduce the production version of the Transit Connect at the Chicago Auto Show in February, with sales beginning this summer.

Gallery: Ford Transit Connect

2010 Ford Taurus - Now with undisguised interior

2008-12-28T05:36:00.000-08:00

by Chris Paukert

Late last week we clued you in to some spy shots of the 2010 Ford Taurus, and now that more mules are circulating frigid greater Detroit, we've got a whole set of even more revealing snaps. These KGP photos of a different prototype shed even more light on the Blue Oval's pivotal new sedan, including the first undisguised shot of the all-new interior.

Beyond the obvious jelly-bean camouflage, it should be noted that these up-close images reveal that Ford's anti-spyshot posse has done a commendable job of altering the shape of the light clusters with tape, particularly in the tail lamp area. We particularly like the nod to the new Nissan 370Z headlamp shape up front.

The big news, however, is inside where we see the Taurus taking a decidedly upscale tack thanks to premium-look materials and a twin cowl dashboard design. Notable highlights on this prototype include dual-zone HVAC controls, oversized chrome-ringed air vents (which should help cut down on fan noise), a Sony branded stereo system and a substantial looking gearshift selector. Be sure to click on the gallery below for the high-res experience of Ford's next Taurus.

Gallery: Spy Shots: 2010 Ford Taurus

GM Performance Parts to offer new Camaro body in white

2008-12-21T19:23:00.000-08:00

by Merritt Johnson

Since automotive sales are in the toilet and the sour taste of high gas prices still lingers, the unfortunate timing of General Motors' long-awaited Chevy Camaro has the armchair quarterbacks fervently debating its long-term viability. This, despite the fact that upon its release the Camaro will offer a little something for almost everyone throughout its various trim levels, a courageous attempt by GM to boost the iconic car's sales. However, many devoted Camaro enthusiasts will still be left out in the cold. This in part due to the vehicle's starting price as well as the many additional luxuries that drag down the Camaro's power-to-weight ratio. No one wants to pay MSRP for a vehicle they intend to strip. That's why GM Performance Parts will be offering a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro body in white. As a result, budget Camaro racers won't have to wait 10 years for a discounted used chassis and large race teams won't necessarily break the bank building a replacement when the driver inevitably stuffs the wall.

The Camaro BIW package will be a full body assembly structure available through GM Peformance Parts for $7,000 beginning in the first quarter of 2009. The chassis will not contain a VIN number, so there will be no means for street registration, as the body in white is reserved for race teams only. An application must be submitted to GM Performance Parts for approval before any transaction occurs. Follow the jump to see the press release in full.

Gallery: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro

WRC switching to S2000-spec car for 2010 season

2008-12-13T16:31:00.000-08:00

by Jonathon Ramsey

For whom does the cost-cutter's bell toll? It tolls for Formula 1... and for the World Rally Championship. The FIA has announced that from 2010 the WRC will use Super 2000-spec cars, instead of the current championship's Group N racers. As with the FIA's moves in F1 to standardize components in order to help teams save money, the S2000 cars all have third-party-supplied gearboxes and drivetrains, use 2.0-liter engines with 8,500 rpm rev limits, and are prohibited from being excessively modified (if you have some time, check out the FIA-mandated S2000 specs), among other things. Should manufacturers wish to sell their S2000 cars to privateer teams they can charge no more than €168,000. Five time WRC champion Sebastien Loeb has spoken out against an S2000 WRC, saying he won't be interested in rallying if the 2010 regs actually take effect. The Group N cars that drivers like Loeb currently pilot will be relegated to the P-WRC come 2010. We'll find out then if Sebastien Loeb goes with them.

Audi R8 V10

2008-12-10T21:09:00.000-08:00

Audi is cranking up the juice on its flagship R8 sports car with the introduction of the Audi R8
V10 5.2 FSI quattro, which got an early reveal on the web today. The Audi R8 shares some less visible bits with its corporate cousin, the Lamborghini Gallardo, but until now the Lambo's V10 engine has remained exclusive to the Italian side of the family. The Audi R8 V10 will be the street going version of the Audi R8 LMS that debuted a couple of weeks ago at the Essen Motor Show in Germany.

It's 5.2L V10 is rated at 525 horsepower and 390.91 lb-ft of torque in European spec form. Those numbers fall a bit shy of the latest Lambo Gallardo LP560-4 even with the same displacement, which ensures that the Lambo can still command a price premium over the German machine. The U.S. version of the Audi R8 V10 should remain pretty close to these numbers. That will be enough to push the 0-62 sprint under four seconds to 3.9 seconds. Unfortunately, the R8 is still saddled with the same craptastic 6-speed R-tronic as the only alternative to its proper manual gearbox.

The Audi R8 V10 now also inches closer to the magical 200 mph mark with a terminal velocity of 196 mph. The Audi R8 V10 version gets a new set of all-LED headlights for both high and low beams and the scoops on the side blades now bulge out to suck in the extra air needed to feed and cool the larger engine and new design wheels and tires. A new rear diffuser also helps keep the rear end planted where a set of twin oval tailpipes replace the quad exhausts on the standard model. The R8 V10 will be available in Germany starting next spring with a base price of EUR 142,400 (approx $180,000) and will make its official debut in January at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. This car now should hang with some serious motorcycles now.

Kia not slowing down 2009 Auto show plans, lots of debuts coming

2008-12-06T02:31:00.000-08:00

by Sam Abuelsamid

Despite the downbeat news out of Motown, good things are on the way from some of the transplants. Kia, in particular, is feeling pretty upbeat these days and is the only automaker that's decided to throw a holiday shin-dig in Detroit (so far) this year. While Honda and Nissan have cancelled plans for press conferences at the Detroit Auto Show, Kia will have debut new models in the Motor City, as well as in Chicago and New York. Fedorak told us that a brand new concept would be unveiled in Detroit while the US version of the compact Forte sedan will be shown in Chicago. Fedorak also promised something new for New York, but didn't give up any hints.

But one no show to the party was the Kia Soul. Immediately after the LA Auto Show, the Soul was packed on a truck and sent off in the general direction of Detroit. Unfortunately, a large snow bank ambushed the truck somewhere in the western states, causing it to run late and miss the party.

Gallery: Kia Forte leaked detail shots

Mercedes will begin phasing out V12 engines

2008-11-29T06:34:00.000-08:00

by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Mercedes-Benz, longtime stalwarts of the V12 engine, is considering lowering its preferred cylinder count by a third. While our first inclination is to assume that this change is being made to increase the fuel efficiency and lower the emissions of the overall Daimler line, the real reason that the bent-12 engine program is being dropped is simply because the block is too long. A V12 is, for all intents and purposes, the same length as an inline-six, and the German automaker's latest line of mainstream engines are all in a V-design, so its cars are no longer being designed with an engine compartment large enough to house such a lengthy engine. Fear not, power fans, as the company isn't abandoning high horsepower in general. The V12 program is apparently being shifted towards twin-turbo V8s, and the magic of forced-induction means there's no reason to assume that fewer cylinders will equal fewer ponies. Expect the moratorium on V12s to begin the next few years.

Let the customizing begin! LA Auto Show visitors can digitally accessorize the 2010 Mustang

2008-11-22T07:01:00.000-08:00

by Drew Phillips

Ford is wasting no time in allowing its customers to modify the new 2010 Mustang. In fact, they are so anxious to get started that visitors to the LA Auto Show will be able to digitally customize their own version of the pony car right on the show floor. A total of 43 accessories will be available, from wheels to spoiler to hood scoops. Wheels will be available in a variety of finishes, and body parts will come in black, silver, or body color. A carbon fiber package will even be available. Taking it a step further, Ford will have the crew from Galpin Auto Sports on hand to pick a design every hour and actually install the parts on a V6 convertible and a GT coupe to provide a real life look at the car. More details are in the press release after the jump, and if for some reason you haven't already seen them, you can check out photos of the 2010 Mustang in the galleries below. Stay tuned for our live coverage of the LA Auto Show beginning later this morning.

Gallery: 2010 Ford Mustang

Gallery: 2010 Ford Mustang - LIVE

BMW Performance releases 3-Series teaser

2008-11-12T03:54:00.000-08:00

by Chris Shunk

We're always up for a new 3-Series, and a performance variant straight from the manufacturer is even better. It looks like a new Bimmer is forthcoming from BMW performance, and the post-jump YouTube video shows just enough to keep us intrigued. We can catch a few details, and from what we can see and hear, this new performance Bimmer sedan will likely be faster and lighter than the standard 3. What it doesn't look like is an upgraded M3, as the front air dam isn't as large or aggressive as its M-powered sibling and it's lacking the M's quad-tip exhausts. What we do see is BMW Performance badging, carbon fiber side mirrors, and plenty of plastic molding to keep the souped-up 3-Series closer to the ground. BMW did mention that we'd see the new Performance 3-Series in its entirety some time in November, and we'll be first to show it to you when it hits the Internets. Hit the jump to view BMW's 40 second teaser video, and make sure to turn up your speakers.

GM merger would eliminate Chrysler vehicles

2008-10-31T06:03:00.000-07:00

by John Neff

Earlier this week we published a Battle Royale between General Motors and Chrysler in order to determine in a fun way which vehicles from each automaker that compete directly in the marketplace would survive if the two merged. Out of 12 matchups, GM vehicles won eight and Chrysler four. A new report by consulting firm Grant Thornton LLP largely confirms that our experiment was spot on. The report says that if a GM/Chrysler merger happens, only the Dodge Ram, Chrysler and Dodge minivans and a few Jeep models will survive. We had the Ram and Wrangler as survivors on our list, though perhaps we were too generous giving the dated Dodge Dakota and slow-selling Jeep Patriot stays of execution. Either way, the point is that Chrysler's model lineup across all three brands would largely be wiped out if a merger with GM happens, as well as the plants that build those models and the workers who do the building.

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2010 Ford Mustang GT caught... parked

2008-10-20T07:15:00.000-07:00

by John Neff

Spy shots of the 2010 Ford Mustang are an easy thing to come by lately, as Ford has seemingly taken to driving prototypes around Detroit just for fun. We've shown you the base V6 model wearing little camo, the GT500 and even the car's interior. Now we bring you shots of the '10 Mustang GT model that were recently snapped in the parking lot of a strip mall. The shots show of all the goods, including the new front end inspired by the Giuigiaro Mustang Concept that debuted in 2006 at the LA Auto Show.

The refreshed '10 Mustang GT has a much harder job on its hands than did the 2004 model that kicked off the modern Mustang era. That car enjoyed a rear-wheel-drive muscle car segment of just one – itself – for years. The new Mustang, however, will find the Dodge Challenger and brand new Chevy Camaro waiting for it next year.

Stop by AmericanMuscle.com and check out their large inventory of Mustang Rims.

Gallery: 2010 Ford Mustang GT - spy shots VI

Neimain Marcus offers first-ever Confederate Fighter motorcycle

2008-10-10T07:12:00.000-07:00

by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Not sure what to get that motorcycle fan who has everything? How about something that's never been available before. Joining the first 31 BMW 7 Series models for 2009 in the Neiman Marcus Christmas book are 45 Limited-Edition Confederate Fighter motorcycles. The basic premise of the bike is similar in principle to the rest of the brand's wares, but the details really make this one stand out. Like the Wraith, the Confederate Fighter uses a girder-style front suspension made up of titanium, aluminum and carbon fiber bits and a 120ci 45-degree air-cooled V-Twin. From there, things diverge rather rapidly, with the Wraith's carbon fiber monocoque chassis being replaced with a backbone unit made from titanium connected to front and rear bulkheads cut from solid chunks of billet aluminum. Confederate claims a top speed of 190 miles per hour, but that may be just a tad optimistic considering that a prepped Wraith managed a land-speed record of just a tad over 166mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Still, this is one sweet bike that would be awesome to ride. Too bad about that $110,000 price tag. Thanks for the tip, John!

2009 Saleen Dark Horse Mustang

2008-09-28T06:45:00.000-07:00

by Drew Phillips

A dark horse, which had never been thought of, and which the careless St. James had never even observed on the list, rushed past the grandstand in sweeping triumph." Beautiful words from the quotable Benjamin Disraeli, and inspiration for the name of the latest Mustang to come from Saleen's stable. Due to the car's name it may sound like our title is a clever play on words, but the truth is our seat time was limited to the passenger seat. We can't blame Saleen for being careful with the car - the 2009 Dark Horse Mustang you see here is the first one off the assembly line and is the only one built so far. To their credit, Saleen did take us out to Willow Springs Raceway outside of Los Angeles for some flying laps, so we were able to experience the full capabilities of the car's performance. Follow the jump to hear about our day at the track with perhaps the most fearsome production Mustang ever built.

Stop by AmericanMuscle.com and check out their large inventory of Mustang Hoods.

Gallery: 2009 Saleen Dark Horse Mustang

2009 Audi RS6 sedan

2008-09-21T21:52:00.000-07:00

by Noah Joseph

As far as Teutonic super-sedans go...scrap that: as far as anything goes – and go it does – the Audi RS6 is one of the most desirable cars on the market. Previously only available as a wagon, Audi gave us a sneak peek of the new RS6 sedan in Moscow ahead of its official unveiling next week in Paris. For those of you who cannot wait that long, Ingolstadt has come to the rescue with new images of the twin-turbo V10 speed demon, which we've added to our gallery below. Click away.

Gallery: 2009 Audi RS6

Audi Q7 V12 TDI

2008-09-13T22:32:00.000-07:00

by Alex Nunez

The Audi Q7 V12 TDI is set to launch (but not here in the U.S.), and it's just the thing to give that annoying neighbor with his fancy VW Touareg V10 TDI a debilitating inferiority complex. 500 horsepower and approximately enough torque to counter-rotate the Earth (758 lb-ft) come standard on Audi's diesel monster. 21-inch wheels mask carbon ceramic brakes, LED running lamps help light the way, and the interior is a festival of dead cow, TV screens, and Alcantara, all trimmed neatly in aluminum and carbon fiber. If we were, say, Russian gangsters, we'd totally be driving one of these. (Except Neff, who would undoubtedly, stubbornly continue rolling in the Alero.) In conjunction with the launch, Audi dumped a slew of new pictures on its media site, so here they are. Click away.

Gallery: Audi Q7 V12 TDI

Mysterious "Project B" Mustang concept to debut at SEMA

2008-09-06T06:41:00.000-07:00

Here's a spy shot from Mustang, a concept that could blast anytime it been available to the market. By this one, I really think Ford Mustang is going on the right track . . .

by Drew Phillips

Believe it or not, but the car above is based on the current generation Ford Mustang. We don't have a lot of details, but we do know that it's a Ford concept car codenamed "Project B" that is being built by Galpin Auto Sports and will debut at the SEMA show in November. Power will come from a twin-supercharged Mustang V8 that has been stroked to 5.0 liters. Massive wheels, 24 inches in the rear and 22 inches up front, engulf 16-inch Wilwood brakes. Our sources say that this will also be the very first car to feature Ford's second generation SYNC system. The concept definitely has an interesting design, and we're anxious to see the finished product in November. Check out more photos and drawings in the gallery below.

Gallery: "Project B" Ford Concept Car

The Best Deal In Car Insurance, Go To Specialist

2008-09-02T04:30:00.000-07:00

There are lots firms that offer car insurance or van insurance but leading the way to go for the cheapest is very difficult and takes a lot of effort, if you are looking for the best deal on car insurance then you have to go with a specialist car insurance broker, "also similar to van insurance" and let them wade through the quotes for you to dig out the cheapest.

A specialist car insurance broker have the expertise and knowledge when in looking for the best deals in car insurance and van insurance, and they will know where to look on your behalf, which can save you not only a great deal of time but also money. You will have to give the car insurance broker specialist a few details in order for them to shop around for insurance that’s right for your circumstances. The information they will need are the make and model of the car, your age and a few details about your circumstances. When it comes to getting the cheapest car insurance with a specialist car insurance broker, then there are some things you can do to help reduce the cost of the premiums.

The size of the car’s engine will play a big part in how much the insurance will cost, a smaller engine means smaller premiums. A flashy sporty model will cost more to insure than a more sedate family type car and when it comes to security then adding safety features such as steering locks, alarms, immobilisers and tracking systems all help to make the car more secure and there is a much lower risk of it being stolen, so your premiums can be lower. A younger driver will also suffer from dearer car insurance premiums is where possible choose a specialist broker that offers deals in young car driver insurance quotes.

Taking all these into account along with going with a specialist car insurance broker is the best and quickest way to obtain cheap car insurance and van insurance.

Chevy Volt caught on set of Transformers 2

2008-08-29T07:42:00.000-07:00

by Damon Lavrinc

Ed sent us the top pic pilfered from the Transformers Live Action Blog and judging by the roofline, headlights and taillights, you're looking at the first picture of the production Chevy Volt. Not proof enough? Click on the image above and look closely at the metal plate in front of the sideview mirror. It's emblazoned with the four letters that spell out GM's savior. The Volt it is.

Gallery: Production Chevy Volt

WSJ: Big 3 seeking $25 billion from Feds

2008-08-23T05:16:00.000-07:00

by Damon Lavrinc

No matter how you slice it, a proposed $25 billion loan from the Feds is a bailout, and that's exactly what Detroit's Big Three automakers are after, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.

Lobbyists for General Motors, Chrysler and Ford have met with White House officials, Rep. John Dingell and a smattering of Michigan Democrats to discuss the loan, with plans to unveil the proposal after Labor Day.

The plan includes lending $25 billion to automakers in its first year at an interest rate of 4.5 percent (about one-third of what the companies are currently paying), with the government having the option to defer any payment for up to five years.

Details are scarce, and naturally, GM, Ford and Chrysler reps aren't saying much, but if the automakers and the Feds are serious, expect more information to leak out before the proposal is officially announced.

Infiniti G37 Convertible revealed ahead of L.A.

2008-08-16T18:07:00.000-07:00

by Alex Nunez

Note to the Lexus SC430: it is now beyond over for you. Infiniti, Nissan's BMW-hunting luxury brand, has unveiled the 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible, a retractable hardtop 4-seater that preserves the Coupe's good looks even with its 3-piece folding metal roof neatly tucked out of sight, as you can see here. Power from the 3.7L V6 will be in excess of 320 horses, and numerous comparos against the BMW 335i convertible are inevitable. You can practically hear the buff mags reserving track time as we speak. Sunny Los Angeles will be the venue for the car's formal unveiling in November, and likely a fertile ground for sales when the time comes.

Is Pininfarina's future in doubt after CEO's death?

2008-08-09T05:38:00.000-07:00

by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Even prior to Pininfarina CEO Andrea Pininfarina's untimely death while out riding his scooter, the market for coachbuilt automobiles was shrinking fast. To wit, the Italian car design firm had recently just managed to sign an agreement with its creditors to reschedule the company's debt and is now asking for an extra one-hundred-million Euros from shareholders for future product development. Pininfarina is also planning on designing and building its own electric car using batteries and technology supplied by a French company known as The Bolloré Group. Currently, many questions surround the storied Italian marque. As of today, for instance, Pininfarina is without a leader as the company has yet to announce its next CEO, despite the fact that it is knee-deep in a turnaround plan to bring the company back to profitability. Can the storied design firm and coach-building company survive these tumultuous times without a leader? Time, as always, will tell.

Gallery: Pininfarina Sintesi concept

Tata mulls Jaguar return to Le Mans

2008-08-03T07:27:00.000-07:00

by Alex Nunez

Ratan Tata would like to see Jaguar return to Le Mans someday, and seeing as he owns the British marque's new parent company, he probably has a lot of say in the matter. Tata expressed his wishes at his company's annual meeting at the end of July, but jag aficionados shouldn't get their hopes up just yet. There's no timetable attached, and when asked for further clarification, a Tata rep told Endurance-Info.com that nothing has been finalized. Jaguar and Le Mans were synonymous in the 50s, when it won the race outright 5 times between 1951 and '57 with its C- and D-Type racers. It later returned to the top of the podium in 1988 and 1990 with the XJR-9LM and XJR-12, respectively. It would be great to see the cat return with a factory effort in one of the prototype classes.

Gumpert Apollo takes on America, foiled by speed bump

2008-07-28T01:49:00.000-07:00

by Frank Filipponio

The first Gumpert Apollo on American soil was brought out for its big debut Saturday, only to make more of an impression than intended. That impression was not only left on showgoers, but also on the speed bump leading into the parking lot. With roughly 4 millimeters of ground clearance it was easy to see this coming. The driver had brought the car from the sole U.S. distributor to show it off at a weekend cruise. He somehow failed to recognize that the speed bump was in fact approximately half the height of the low-slung supercar and after inexplicably getting the front air dam over the hump, found himself stuck.

The car came down and gently ground to a halt. It teetered a bit as it crept along the driveway, producing a grinding noise that had all of the witnesses cringing. As the carbon undertray was polished along its midsection, it became apparent that the rear tires might not make it over too. The driver stopped as the rears lifted just enough to take away traction. After a few moments of contemplation, he had the passenger get out and the lower payload gave the suspension just the right amount of lift to get the job done. Afterwards, there was much rejoicing in supercarland. A follow-up note from the dealer told us that there was thankfully no damage to the car from this incident. We recommend that anyone considering buying one of these 2400 lb, 750 hp monsters consider waiting for the "softer" model the company has pitched. Hopefully it will have an adjustable suspension.

Transformers Corvette concept shows some tush

2008-07-20T23:11:00.001-07:00

by Alex Nunez

Someone slipped Jalopnik a new pair of shots of the mysterious Corvette concept that's appearing in next year's Transformers sequel. So far, we've seen good views of the car from the front and side, but rear-end shots had yet to surface. Well, that's over. The concept -- now a confirmed product of the GM Design studios (note the plate in back), has large ducts in back that mimic the openings in front and presumably also hide the car's taillamps. Four big centrally-mounted exhaust outlets poke through the bodywork as well. Frankly, the rear view is the car's least appealing, with that chunky boattail mixed in with all those sharp angles. There's also a new detail shot of the front quarter, which focuses on that very traditional Corvette fender shape. Is it just a movie character or also a concept that GM's going to drop on us somewhere along the line? Your guess is as good as ours, and the trickle of spy shots is probably far from over.

Ford's new active safety initiative hits the street (signs)

2008-07-14T05:16:00.001-07:00

by Chris Shunk

Newer technology like GPS and Wi-Fi have given us easy access to directions, and soon, in-car Internet. Ford is working with the federal government and other automakers to use that same technology to improve safety on our roadways as well. Since 40% of all accidents and 20% of automotive fatalities occur at intersections, stop signs and stop lights were the smart place to start.

The new "Smart Intersection" uses Wi-Fi and GPS to find the exact location of your vehicle and determine if a warning is needed to help you stop. When driving through an intersection, an on-site black box and two wireless antennae communicate with your vehicle. If the light is red and it's determined that your vehicle isn't stopping, a wireless signal will be sent to your car, alerting you with a visual and audible warning signal in a fraction of a second. A series of red LEDs will flash, a noise will sound, and a voice will say "stop sign" or "stop light". With drivers preoccupied with cell phones, in-car eating and sipping on java, the warning quickly refocuses his or her attention back to the road. We tried it ourselves, and we can tell you firsthand that the warnings quickly got us to stop the car.

The move towards active safety comes as most automakers are getting four or five stars in NHTSA crash testing, making the next focus of their efforts the avoidance od accidents altogether. The Smart Intersection could help save thousands of lives per year, while also cutting back the three billion gallons of fuel wasted each year in accident-related traffic jams. Honda, Toyota, GM, and Daimler are also working on smart intersections, and Ford collaborated with Michigan's Oakland County to set up a couple of real-world techno-intersections for testing. Unfortunately, it could take 20 years to get smart intersection technology in every traffic stop and vehicle, but at least much of the technology needed to accomplish this goal is already here. Follow the jump to see a video of the Smart Intersection in action.

The Maybach Exelero can be yours... for $7.8 million

2008-07-07T04:45:00.000-07:00

by Alex Nunez

Big-bucks enthusiasts annoyed that they're not the only ones at the club with a Veyron can now ensure that they arrive in total exclusivity. That's because the one-off Maybach Exelero, commissioned by Fulda to act as a high-profile demonstrator for its tire line of the same name, is now for sale. The Exelero isn't some delicate flower of a show car. Based on the Maybach 57 and powered by a 700-horsepower version of that car's turbocharged V12, the Exelero reached 218 mph at Nardo. In many ways, Exelero represents what Maybach could have and should have been -- a place where daring styling and incredible performance could merge with extreme luxury to compete with Rolls-Royce and Bentley. Instead, while the marque's sedans clearly get the luxury part of the equation right, in terms of styling, they basically work in anonymity, looking like peculiar old S-Class sedans. There's nothing anonymous about the Exelero, though, and for €5,000,000 (around $7।8 million USD), you can drive the sybaritic supercar that Daimler should have given Maybach all along.

Gallery: Maybach Exelero

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Fast and Furious muscles up

2008-06-30T00:35:00.000-07:00

by Alex Nunez

OntarioStreetCar caught sight of a transporter loaded with Detroit Muscle being used in the filming of the fourth installment of The Fast and the Furious saga, innovatively titled, Fast and Furious. This is one truck we'd gladly hijack with a crew of accomplices driving tuned Civics, as it's hauling, at minimum, a pair of Chargers, a Chevelle SS, and the wicked Torino GT you see above. Not included in the attached gallery are studio shots of Vin Diesel with a Grand National and yet another Chevelle, both of which you can see at OntarioStreetCar. The F&F films may be light on plot, but they're long on car porn, and we can say without a hint of embarassment that we are totally going to see this movie. Thanks to Jesse for the tip!

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BMW ditching navigation DVDs for 2009

2008-06-22T23:43:00.000-07:00

by Jonathon Ramsey

BMW's MY 2009 cars will get a new iDrive system with a 40GB hard drive. According to Bimmerfile, the drive allotment will have 12GB dedicated to navigational maps (and 8GB for entertainment and 10GB for your address book, because you've got more friends than music, apparently). With nav maps placed on the hard drive, BMW will no longer be providing a case full of map DVDs. The maps will have the entire US on them, or Europe if you pick up your car at BMW Welt. When things have moved on and it's time to get your maps updated, you'll take your car and your checkbook to a BMW dealer, and they'll install U.S. v2.0.

What Kerkorian wants forFord Motor Company

2008-06-16T00:57:00.000-07:00

Let's stipulate that Kirk Kerkorian is sincere when he says he plans to keep quiet about Ford Motor Company after his Tracinda Corporation finishes buying up 20 million additional common shares of the automaker. Let's accept that Tracinda, which will own 5.3 percent of Ford, approves of the job Alan Mulally is doing, that Kerkorian just wants to have a bit of say at the struggling automaker by getting harpy Jerome York a seat on the Blue Oval's board. Let's figure that he'll hold on to the stock long enough only to make another small fortune.

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By the time his tender came due earlier this week, Kerkorian had offers from Ford stockholders to sell him 1 billion shares. And why not? Stockholders will get a 39-percent premium over Ford's current, $8.50 share price for 2 percent of the stock they own, Brent Snavely reports in the Detroit Free Press. (So if you own 100 shares and responded to Kerkorian's tender, you'll get $17 from Tracinda for two shares, instead of the $12.24 they were worth.)

You'll remember that within a week after Kerkorian announced his intentions and said he would not mess with Ford, York told Automotive News that the company should get rid of Volvo and Mercury. Surely, then, York will have something to say when he gets a seat on the board.

Forthwith, a special preview of Jerry York's first address to the FoMoCo Board. Or, ah, what he should say:

Keep up your corporate downsizing: CEO and President Alan Mulally seems to understand the U.S. market is becoming like the Western European market, with no one automaker owning more than 18-percent share. And Ford is likely to settle in the 12- to 14-percent range. My other points may help guide you on how to become healthy with little more than a niche-market share.

Fiesta should become Ford's bread-and-butter car: In North America as well as Europe. Good, cheap transportation is what made the company, and it will serve the company well, even if U.S. rivals continue to concentrate on bigger cars.

The F-150 should be absorbed into the Super Duty line: This is the model the company has relied on for more than 30 years, but those times are over no matter what you try to do. Let the macho big-truck guys bitch and moan while you make a smaller, more efficient EcoBoost V-6 F-100 your main truck. It'll keep Toyota off-kilter, and it'll pay off well in the long run.

Don't overemphasize crossovers the way you overemphasized SUVs for 15 years: Escape, Mariner, Edge, MKX, Flex, and a Lincoln Enclave-fighter based on the Flex should be all a pared-down FoMoCo needs.

Sedans: In the U.S., Fords Fiesta, Focus, Fusion and Taurus, Mercurys Milan and Sable, Lincoln MKZ, MKS, and a rear-drive flagship within five years, should cover it.

The next Mustang should be markedly smaller: About the size of a 3 Series sedan. With IRS. EcoBoost fours and V-6s. Sorry, V-8-lovers, this is the CAFE-dictated wave of the future. You can use the new Mustang platform for a new Lincoln sport sedan, too. And if you design and engineer it right, with the kind of handling no Mustang has ever had before, no one will think "Mustang II." Like BMW with its new M3, those willing to pay for a Shelby GT 500 should still get a V-8.

Design leads: Since most Ford models need to become "global," Martin Smith should take the lead on cars and crossovers Fusion-size and smaller, while Peter Horbury leads on big cars and crossovers, Mustang and pickup trucks.

Focus should never be on two platforms, globally, ever again: I understand that because of the market and cost-of-living, Ford of Europe can charge much more for such small cars than North America can. We'll have to make up the difference in North America with locally supplied interior bits, etc. The idea of small car as cheap car is quickly changing in the U.S., anyway.

I understand the usefulness of Mercury: L-M dealers are selling Milans and Sables to consumers who would never consider Fusions or Tauruses. As long as you don't want to cheapen Lincoln with $20k models, the cost of "differentiating" Mercs from their Ford counterparts remains minimal and worth it.

Volvo has some use, too: It's not making Ford any money, but it's a great image brand with upscale props here and in Europe. You should continue studying its sale, but given how little you got to unload Aston Martin and Jaguar/Land Rover, don't sell it unless and until you can get real money for it.

I could go on, but really, that's enough. Besides, this is pretty much what you already plan on doing, anyway. Right?

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Offset high gas prices by turning your car into billboard

2008-06-07T23:29:00.000-07:00

by Chris Shunk

Gas prices suck and the job market is almost as bad, but a little uglification of your car or truck can net you some big bucks. Alternative marketing companies that want to plaster your car with "tasteful" advertisements are paying hundreds of dollars to the right people, but chances are you aren't one of them. There is a reason you don't see many of these driving billboards, because the companies with the money are looking for people who travel a lot and park their car in interesting places. More scrupulous types know that people are willing to do just about anything to get relief from the rising cost of transportation, so there are a lot of scams out there, too. If anyone asks for, say, a deposit or a car for keeps, that's probably not going to really happen. Most arrangements only last a few months, and pay can fluctuate wildly.

If you've actually worked as a rolling billboard, let us know in the comments. Be sure to add the company you worked for, how your experience went, and whether you'd do it again.

BMW to add further features, complications, to iDrive

2008-06-02T01:16:00.000-07:00

by Jeremy Korzeniewski

These days, technology and customization go hand-in-hand. Laptop computers and MP3 players now come in a rainbow of colors and your computer's operating system can be made to suit your unique preferences. BMW has big plans in store for its oft-criticized iDrive system which would make it and the vehicle in which it's installed extremely customizable as well. Simple choices such as color schemes and screensavers for the iDrive's graphical user interface pale in comparison to the ability to adjust transmission shift points and engine boost levels in an effort to either increase fuel economy or improve overall performance. Multiple users will be able to make their own adjustments and save their settings and the car will know the driver based on which key fob is in close proximity.

There are way too many new features planned for iDrive than there is space in this post to display them. For the complete and exhaustive rundown. Thankfully, changes will be accessible from a web-enabled computer, which should simplify the in-car user interface somewhat. Rest assured, though, BMW's iDrive, already overcomplicated in the opinion of many, won't be disappearing from its dash-mounted perch anytime soon.

Holden Coupe 60 Concept

2008-05-29T03:54:00.000-07:00

Like the Cadillac CTS Coupe — another two-door coupe concept from GM — the Coupe 60 has a pillarless design, meaning there is no structural B-pillar between the front side and rear side windows.

EDO Competition tweaks Ferrari Enzo to 700 hp

2008-05-27T06:19:00.000-07:00

by Damon Lavrinc

Edo Competition has no qualms about taking positively perfect exotic machinery and tweaking it to suit customer's tastes. And when it comes to the paragon of rolling automotive masterworks, the Ferrari Enzo is arguably King of the Hill.

While the Enzo isn't lacking in either the power or appearance department, that hasn't stopped Edo from making some subtle changes to the Enzo's exterior and powertrain. Edo began by replacing the intake with a revised ram-air system and a set of high-flow air filters, then worked its magic downstream with a set of headers similar to those in the FXX, along with a duo of high-flowing cats and a new exhaust system with remote-controlled, butterfly valves that allow the sound levels to be adjusted on the fly. All those bits are tuned through a modified ECU to produce 700 hp and 527 lb.-ft. of torque, which is sent through a heavy-duty clutch and on down to a retuned stock transmission that replicates the shift times of the FXX.

The Enzo's factory rolling stock has been replaced with 19x10-inch wheels in front and 20x13-inch wheels in the rear, wrapped in Michelin tires sized 265/35 R19 and 335/30 R20, respectively. The wheels can be custom painted to the customer's specs and a new suspension package, with adjustable compression and rebound, has been developed to mimic the setup found on the FIA GT MC12.

Edo claims that the sprint from 0 to 62 mph is estimated at 3.5 seconds and that the run from rest to 186 mph is dropped to 22 seconds flat. All the specs are available in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Ferrari Enzo by Edo Competition

PRESS RELEASE

Specifications
Engine V12
Power est. 700 hp (514 kW) at 8200 rpm
Max. torque est. 715 Nm (527 ft-lb) at 5800 rpm
Performance

Top speed > 370 km/h (230 mph)
0 – 100 km/h (0 – 62 mph) est. 3.5s
0 – 200 km/h (0 – 124 mph) est. 9.5s
0 – 300 km/h (0 – 186 mph) est. 22.0s

Features

Power increased to about 700 hp thanks to new exhaust headers like on the Ferrari FXX, high-flow catalytic converter, performance muffler, modified intake with ram-air system, high-flow air filters and ECU recalibration
Stainless steel muffler with adjustable remote-controlled butterfly-valve, new exhaust tips
Exhaust sound level adjustable at the push of a button
Wheels can be custom-painted on request
Tire pressure monitoring system displaying air pressure and tire temperature for each wheel
Sport suspension for the road with adjustable compression and rebound damping like on the FIA GT MC12. Nose lift functionality is retained.
Special lightweight wheels with Michelin tires
Front: 10 x 19 with 265/35 ZR 19
Rear: 13 x 20 with 335/30 ZR 20
New high-performance clutch. Extremely lightweight. Two different friction compounds selectable (strada/pista)
New transmission control unit. Same shift times as on the Ferrari FXX

Ford subject of another fire investigation

2008-05-21T06:11:00.000-07:00

by Chris Shunk

Even after recalling 10 million vehicles over the past few years, Ford just can't seem to shake the cruise control blues. There have been 130 reports of fires in 1998-2003 Ford Windstars, both during use and while parked, and NHTSA is looking into the matter to determine if a recall is needed. The fires may be due to the Windstar's cruise control system, but Ford says the unit is different as the system that caused the 10 million unit recall because isn't powered at all times, and it doesn't pose a risk. If the Windstars are recalled, over 1.7 million minivans will be affected.

Snake Skin Green Hennessey Venom 1000TT up for sale

2008-05-11T00:49:00.000-07:00

by Drew Phillips

As if 1000 horsepower, 0-60 mph in 2.25 seconds and the huge rear wing didn't attract enough attention. It just had to be in Snake Skin Green. According to Hennessey, this is the first and only Venom Twin-Turbo in this color, and it's listed for sale on HennesseyPerformance.com. It comes with the 1200-horsepower upgrade option, VenomAero body kit, KW adjustable coilover suspension, Brembo brakes, lightweight wheels, and more. The car's new owner will also be able to make Bugatti Veyron owners green with envy as they see this Viper's taillights fading into the distance. Click away in the full-res gallery below.

Gallery: Hennessey Venom 1000TT SRT Coupe

[Source: Hennessey Performance]

The Truth About Smart: fortwo rumors dispelled

2008-05-02T22:44:00.000-07:00

by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Though Men's Vogue has already attempted to disprove the theory that only women can get away with driving one, it seems that smart has seen the need to dispel some rumors about the fortwo, their little urban runabout. Specifically, many people apparently question how large of a person the smart can easily handle, how safe a car this small could be, how much room there is for stuff and what features the fortwo is equipped with. In all honesty, the smart would probably work for a large percentage of the population of both the U.S. and the U.K., but certainly not for every situation likely to come up in everyday life. As a second car or strictly for commuting, we imagine that the smart would meet the needs of quite a few drivers who would never even consider a vehicle this small.

Just for fun, why not check out the truth about smart here. Even if you hate the car, you may enjoy seeing it mildly-mangled by a wrecking ball.

Pics Aplenty: BMW M3 Convertible

2008-04-25T21:28:00.000-07:00

by Damon Lavrinc

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 BMW M3 convertible.

To signal the beginning of sales of the M3 convertible in the UK, BMW decided to release two-dozen more photos of its drop-top super coupe, and that's enough of a reason for us to include them in a gallery with its white counterpart. Everything remains the same, including the choice of either a six-speed manual or six-speed DCT gearbox, all without that pesky roof to keep you from enjoying the 420 hp, 4.0-liter V8 when your sending it up into its 8.400-rpm redline.

BMW's UK press release is posted after the jump.

Gallery: 2009 BMW M3 Convertible