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Autoblog by Sam Abuelsamid 22 Nov 2008 at 7:49pm Filed under: GM  A story has surfaced on the Latin American Herald Tribune (a publication we hadn't previously heard of) stating that General Motors was planning to invest $1 billion in it's Brazilian operations to update its South American products. So far, that part of the story is true. However, that's where the truth apparently ends. The story goes on to say that GM plans to use money obtained from the proposed government bailout package to pay for the Brazilian investment. We contacted General Motors to check on the story and spokesman Richard James replied, "I don't know if something got lost in translation but Jaime Ardila, President of GM Brazil did NOT say that funding for GMB projects would come from the US financial aid package. GM Brazil has $1 billion in investments that have already been approved but they will be financed by our Brazilian operations through local sources." Just as Opel (GM's German division) is going to the German government for assistance, GM Brazil-Mercosur is raising capital in that country. During the congressional hearings this week, CEO Rick Wagoner also indicated that GM operations in different regions are each funding projects locally in response to a question about a recent expansion in Russia. It appears that any money that GM gets from the US government will stay here. [Source: Latin American Herald Tribune] GM not sending any bailout money to Brazilian operation originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Nov 2008 20:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Commentsby Frank Filipponio 22 Nov 2008 at 5:33pm Filed under: Etc., Videos, Toys, Event Alert 
Photos courtesy Speed and MotionIt's not often you see this many sports cars chasing a police cruiser, but this was for a good cause. To help get things kicked off for the 5th Annual Motor4Toys charity toy drive event, a bunch of participants followed a police escort over to a local Toys "R" Us to start buying toys for the December 7th event. The Motor4Toys group has been collecting gifts for needy children since 2004, and to date has donated more than 38,000 toys. The unique thing about this organization is that it is all centered around cars.  Motor4Toys taps into the Southern California car community and turns a huge car meet into one of the largest charity toy drives around. Car guys and gals from all over the Southwest show up with their sports cars, exotics, muscle cars, race cars and museum rides to help this worthy cause. Organizers expect to see over 5,000 cars at the event's new home this year, The Anthem Building in Woodland Hills. Entrance to the event is free for everyone, just bring along at least one new, unwrapped toy valued at $10 or more. If you're in the Los Angeles area that weekend, make sure you stop by between 9am and 1pm. And for those who can't make it, PayPal donations are also accepted. Hope to see you there, and remember, every kid deserves a toy! Complete details including maps to the new location and mandatory insurance waivers can be found on the Motor4Toys website. More photos of the drive can be found at Speed and Motion, who provided a video from last year's event that we have posted after the jump.Continue reading VIDEO: Supercars make charity toy run in L.A. VIDEO: Supercars make charity toy run in L.A. originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Commentsby Noah Joseph 22 Nov 2008 at 4:03pm Filed under: Hatchbacks, Renault, UK
Renault makes a hot hatch for every taste. Some burn gas, some burn diesel. Some are track-biased, some are great for hauling around the family. Some are flyweights, and some are luxurious. The latest version is the latter, upgrading the Clio Renaulsport 197 with a host of luxury amenities for those who want it all. Called the Lux, the new package is being offered to British customers from the beginning of the new year, packed with £2,000 of equipement for only £1,000 over the standard price. Included among those amenities are leather upholstery, automatic lights and wipers, cornering lamps, black tinted rear windows, an upgraded 60W MP3/CD sound system, brushed alloys and satin-chrome trim touches. Electric folding mirrors, electric panorama sunroof, xenon headlamps, Speedline rims in white or black and tightened-up Cup suspension are also available as optional extras. But if this is all sounding a little familiar, you're not experiencing deja vu: Renault introduced a similar package, called "Luxe" (the extra is for "Europe") to continental customers a year and a half ago. Details in the pess release after the jump. [Source: Renault] Continue reading Luxe Redux: Renault gives Clio RS the premium touch...again Luxe Redux: Renault gives Clio RS the premium touch...again originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Nov 2008 17:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Commentsby Noah Joseph 22 Nov 2008 at 2:36pm
Luca di Montezemolo is already president of Ferrari and chairman of the entire Fiat group, but he isn't about to stop there. Together with Diego della Valle from the famous driving-shoemaker Tod's, the hereditary Marquis di Montezemolo is investing in a new company called Nuovo Transporto Viaggiatori (NTV) that plans to start a new high-speed rail service across Italy with a new train design that could put the final nail in Alitalia's coffin. Called the Automotrice à Grande Vitesse (AGV -French for "high-speed self-propelled carriage"), the new bullet train is being built by Alstom, the same company that built the French TGV. But the newer Italian version will use even more efficient engines, located right in the train cars, eliminating the need for a separate locomotive. The AGV is anticipated to reach speeds of 225 mph, which could rival the Enzo and the F2008 for the fastest vehicle Montezemolo has ever thrown his weight behind. [Source: NYT Wheels] Faster than a Speeding Ferrari: Montezemolo invests in Italian TGV originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Commentsby Alex Nunez 22 Nov 2008 at 12:01pm Filed under: Sports/GTs, Porsche  Click above higih-res image gallery of the Porsche Panamera var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/autos/More_official_shots_of_the_Porsche_Panamera'; Thanks for the heads-up to our friends at Supercars.net, where a forum poster has uploaded more official shots of the Porsche Panamera (apparently lifted from Autoweek.nl) ahead of its official reveal extravaganza scheduled for Monday. The first photo and technical details trickled out last night, and the new batch gives you a better view of the car's controversial rump, which is already polarizing enthusiasts the world over. It's not so much that we think a round booty is a bad thing -- it's just that Porsche has done it better before. Or have you guys already forgotten about the awesomeness that's spelled 9-2-8? Anyway. Have a look at the gallery, and stand by for more on Monday (or whenever the next group of pics gets leaked). Gallery: Porsche Panamera Gran Turismo      [Source: Supercars.net] BREAKING: More Porsche Panamera pics surface originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Commentsby Jonathon Ramsey 22 Nov 2008 at 12:00pm Filed under: Maintenance, Etc.
[Source: Meguiar's | Photo credit: hypertypo] Ashes to residual ashes: take care of your car in areas of falling ash originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Commentsby Noah Joseph 22 Nov 2008 at 11:34am Filed under: Motorsports
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is not an area we typically cover here at Autoblog, but for all our love of wheelspin and tire smoke, there's no better reason for spinning your wheels than the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. Diplomats and militants, moderates and extremists have tried for decades to reach some sort of agreement, but their efforts towards achieving peace invariably end up slipping through their fingers like so many grains of sand - at best - or more often blowing up in their faces. While politicians seem resigned to leaving the negotiations for dead, two young ambitious locals have taken the wheel on their own in hopes of showing the world that Israelis and Palestinians are capable of doing more than fighting. They've got this crazy idea in their heads that gasoline can be used to fuel race cars instead of rockets. We headed out into the desert outside the border town of Arad to see what they were up to. Gallery: Racing 4 Peace      Photos courtesy of Harel Rintzler. Continue reading Formula for Peace: Israeli and Palestinian drivers get on track Formula for Peace: Israeli and Palestinian drivers get on track originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Nov 2008 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Commentsby Dan Roth 22 Nov 2008 at 10:03am Filed under: Etc., Japan, Honda  Honda is one of the few automakers that's demonstrated studied restraint during the recent SUV boom. There is the Pilot, which is a big ol' thing, but it's also as efficient as something that size can be, with unit-body construction, and an engine that shuts off three of its six cylinders whenever possible. The company also has a long history of making small cars that aren't penalty boxes, and amazingly clever engineering. It should be little surprise, then, that the man at the helm is an engineer by trade, deftly maneuvering the automaker into whatever endeavors hold promise, popular fashion be damned. Takeo Fukui worked on the company's CVCC engines early on in his tenure, and his respect for the vision of Soichiro Honda has netted him the title of Man Of The Year from Automobile magazine. The new focus on fuel efficiency (though today, oil is under $50/barrel for the first time in three years) has made Honda seem oddly prescient for its steadfast manner. Cheers! [Source: Automobile] Automobile names Takeo Fukui MOTY originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Nov 2008 11:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Commentsby Dan Roth 22 Nov 2008 at 8:31am Filed under: Time Warp, Economy, Euro, Plants/Manufacturing, Hatchbacks  "Cao, nema više" reads the piece paper affixed to the tailgate of the red Serbian hatchback, as a small throng of proud workers gathered around the car to bid it "Goodbye, no more" this week. After a 20-year run, the last Zastava Koral, #794,428, quietly made its way to the Zastava museum and the scrappy Eastern European automaker has wound down production on all but one of its models. The very last Zastava, a Skala 55, will be the last of its kind when it makes its way down the production line on November 20th. After that, the proud, tenacious people who have been working at the Kragujevac factory aren't sure of what the future holds. Zastava has long been linked to Fiat, and when the lines restart, the Zastava 10 will be badged as a Fiat Punto, which it is. Make as many Yugo jokes as you'd like, but Zastava has a long and fascinating history, and the company has managed to produce automobiles through several periods of war, even after the factory sustained bombings. The now classic Zastavas will live on; the company is working on setting up Skala 55, Koral In, and Florida In production lines in Africa and the Zastava 128 is still being produced in Egypt. In those climates, we figure they won't need to come with defroster grids to keep your hands warm when pushing. [Source: Zastava] Continue reading Zastava builds the final Yugo Zastava builds the final Yugo originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Nov 2008 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Commentsby Damon Lavrinc 21 Nov 2008 at 6:50pm Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Porsche  According to AutoTelegraaf, the image above is the first official picture of the Porsche Panamera, showing the new four-door "coupe" in all its oddly proportioned glory. The Dutch pub released the image and details on the sedan after Auto Motor und Sport supposedly broke the Monday embargo. More details will be released late Sunday night, but in the meantime, let's look at the reported specs. The Porsche Panamera Gran Turismo is 16.3 feet long, 6.3 feet wide and 4.66 feet tall, with a wheelbase of 9.6 feet. Weight hasn't been disclosed, but its roughly two tons. The most striking detail on the profile shot is the indentations leading from the front fenders, aft of the wheels, into the doors, but the jury is still out on the Panamera's bulbous back end. The slippery shape and low profile gives the sedan a drag coefficient of 0.29, while an electronically actuated rear spoiler will keep things planted at speed. An electronic air suspension is part of the package, along with an LSD, and power can be sent to either the rear wheels, or all four, depending on the trim level. Motivation will be provided by a range of engines, beginning with 3.6-liter V6 putting out 300 hp, and continuing upwards with the 400 hp, 4.8-liter V8 Panamera S and the Panamera Turbo, packing a twin-turbocharged version of the same bent eight putting out an estimated 500 hp. Power will be sent to Porsche's new PDK dual-clutch gearbox and although a diesel model has been ruled out, a V6-hybrid variant with 350 hp will come along at a later date. Porsche aims to sell approximately 20,000 units of the Panamera each year, with the automaker estimating that 20% will be the range-topping Turbo model. The Panamera will only be available in S and Turbo guises at launch, with the V6 model following shortly thereafter. Once established, Porsche hopes demand will increase to 50,000 units annually, with sales beginning in the U.S., Europe and Asia next year. Thanks for the tip, Jelle! UPDATE: More photos have surfaced. Gallery: Porsche Panamera Gran Turismo [Source: AutoTelegraaf] Porsche Panamera image and details leak out originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Commentsby Jeremy Korzeniewski 21 Nov 2008 at 6:28pm Filed under: Economy, Videos, SMART, Suzuki, Motorcycles  Click above to watch the video of a stunting smartabusa Stunting on a Suzuki Hayabusa is crazy in its own right, but stunting in a smart fortwo? Now that takes some real effort. While the bike's got the power to wheelie all day long and its dual front discs are more than powerful enough to raise the rear tire just as far as your guts allow, that's not really the bike's intent. Still, it's much more suitable for the activity than the smart fortwo with its lazy 70-hp three-cylinder and skinny tires, right? Well, maybe not. Take a good look at the video after the break for visual proof that the smart, when properly equipped, makes a fine stunt ride. Of course, in this situation, properly equipped equals a major horsepower infusion via the aforementioned Suzuki Hayabusa, along with some major front brake modifications. Seriously, ever see a smart fortwo perform a tail-whip? Neither had we, until today. [Source: Autofiends] Continue reading VIDEO: Hayabusa-powered smart , or... a rolling death-wish on skinny tires VIDEO: Hayabusa-powered smart , or... a rolling death-wish on skinny tires originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Commentsby Frank Filipponio 21 Nov 2008 at 5:59pm Filed under: LA Auto Show, Etc., Celebrities  Well, it was only a matter of time before we got around to posting our people gallery from the auto show. Models were pretty scarce this year in Los Angeles, but they were definitely still worth the effort to stop and photograph. We also had a few celebrity sightings again, although none at the press conferences and only one got caught on camera. California's own Governator made it over for his annual tour, but we missed him. The lone celeb in our gallery was Jerry Seinfeld, who showed up at the Porsche news conference with gorgeous blue 550 Spyder in tow.Gallery: LA 2008: People watching      Live photos copyright (C)2008 Frank Filipponio / Weblogs, Inc. LA 2008: People watching in the city of angels originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Commentsby Damon Lavrinc 21 Nov 2008 at 5:32pm Filed under: LA Auto Show, Crossovers/CUVs, Audi  Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Audi Q5 Although we've already seen the Audi Q5 in a variety of forms after its initial unveiling in Beijing this past July, the four-ringers decided to finally show off their cute 'ute in North America for the first time at the LA Auto Show. The compact(ish) CUV is packing the award-winning 2.0-liter TFSI gasoline engine putting out 211 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque through the seven-speed, dual-clutch S tronic transmission, and Audi is quick to point out that with a drag coefficient of just 0.33 and a turbocharged four, the Q5 will be one of the most fuel-efficient offerings in its class. Check the galleries below for more and see our previous post for all the details. Gallery: LA 2008: 2009 Audi Q5      Gallery: Beijing '08: 2009 Audi Q5      LA 2008: 2009 Audi Q5 makes its North American debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Commentsby Jeremy Korzeniewski 21 Nov 2008 at 4:58pm Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Chevrolet, GM  Things are moving along quite nicely with the development of the Chevy Volt. According to Bob Lutz, test mules of the extended-range electric vehicle are now being built atop the soon-to-be-released Chevy Cruze. This is a logical progression since the production Volt will share its Delta underpinnings with the new compact from General Motors when it finally goes on sale in 2010. Prior to these latest mules, the test cars used last-gen Malibu shells that Lutz and the team affectionately referred to as "MaliVolts." Predictably, Mr. Lutz praises the new Delta platform, and we have every reason to believe that it will be leaps and bounds better than its Cobalt forebear, just as that model is light-years ahead of the Cavalier it replaced. Lutz goes on to say that the battery pack, motor and internal combustion engine are all working very well together, even in the freezing cold temperatures around Detroit these days. It all sounds rather promising, though it'd be even better if that first paragraph on the FastLane Blog weren't necessary, right? [Source: GM FastLane] Lutz Update: Volt moves from Malibu to Cruze mules originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Commentsby Jeremy Korzeniewski 21 Nov 2008 at 4:27pm Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Videos, Hatchbacks, Toyota  Click above to watch video after the jump Toyota's irritatingly slow leak of seemingly insignificant 2010 Prius teasers has shown us such riveting details as the hybrid car's startup screen, power seat switch and some sort of all-knowing seeing-eye camera. A much more interesting set of leaks has also granted us an early but pixelated peek at the car's external shape, along with detail shots like the rear LED tail lamp assembly and a few different looks at the interior. Now, we've discovered a set of YouTube videos that definitely don't seem to have come from Toyota itself. In the videos after the jump we see the new 2010 Prius spinning on a rotating stage, we see buttons on the steering wheel that change the digital readouts on the central dash and we see a brief glimpse of the car's generous storage capacity via its hatchback body style - all of it set to wonderfully numbing elevator music. There is one interesting bit that we've recently seen: an air conditioning button on an old-school key fob that allows the climate control to run via rooftop solar panels even while the car itself isn't running. Fortunately, we only have about two more months to wait for the car's official debut at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show in January. Thank God for small miracles. Check out both videos for yourself after the jump. Thanks for the tip, everyone! Gallery: Confirmed: 2010 Toyota Prius     
[Source: Prius Chat] Continue reading 2010 Toyota Prius revealed more in YouTube video 2010 Toyota Prius revealed more in YouTube video originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments |
Jalopnik by Matt Hardigree 22 Nov 2008 at 4:00pm
Emboldened by their success with the Cayenne SUV, Porsche is planning to sell 20,000 Panameras globally each year, with approximately 20% of these as the top-of-the-line Panamera Turbos. These sedans are going to be quite large if, as the leaked information states, the vehicle is actually 16.3 feet long and 6.3 feet wide. By comparison, a new 5-series BMW is only 15.9 feet long. [Supercars.net, Auto Telegraaf via CarScoop] by Murilee Martin 22 Nov 2008 at 1:00pm
See how forward thinking we were, a car on ethanol, does that not sound familiar today? On the other hand the forward thinking stood still with the booth babes they looked more "nun" than "babe", also the air-cooled boxer was a best-seller. by Andrew Didorosi 21 Nov 2008 at 6:30pm
[ABChina] by Andrew Didorosi 21 Nov 2008 at 6:00pm
No highways lead to Norman Wells, meaning the car would need to be flown in or driven up a winter ice road. Edgi opted for the cash while belting out possibly the most un-Jalopnik statement in the history of the world by saying, "The car is a Swedish make; it'll do 400 kilometres an hour. I don't see anybody would need that..." [CBCNews] by Matt Hardigree 21 Nov 2008 at 5:40pm
Come on down to Jesus Christ Superstore, where it's a VERY Good Friday as we kick off our Easter weekend super-sale! We're literally crucifying the competition! But hurry, because these prices will rise again in just three days!!! The power of Christ compels YOU...to save! by Matt Hardigree 21 Nov 2008 at 5:20pm newVideoPlayer("/Hardball_GM_Terror.flv", 506, 423,""); We wonder if the automakers wouldn't have such a hard time getting help, wouldn't be on the receiving end of an ultimatum, if they weren't such morons when it comes to presenting their case. All that being said, sometimes we wonder if the media isn't making them seem worse than they are. For example, Chris Matthews attmepts to go to a video of the Detroit CEOs testifying and that's not quite what they showed. You have to see it to believe it. [MSNBC] by Ben Wojdyla 21 Nov 2008 at 5:01pm
Here's the thing about the ReplicaAudiR8 — we don't hate it. For being a front-engine, front-wheel-drive approximation of a mid-engined all-wheel-drive supercar it looks damn good. We find ourselves thinking it wouldn't be a terrible thing if an actual Audi looked like this. Sure some of the details need a little work, like the lack of inner fenders at the back, and an interior upgrade which goes beyond adding an "R8" badge to the steering wheel, but it's pretty slick looking. Lets take a look at the car side by side with its inspiration. After all that, here's the big kicker: You can buy one of these if you live in Spain. The car was built by Alberto Gavach Fuertes of Zaragoza, Spain, who has a website dedicated to the car. Don't go to the site unless you want to scream bloody murder at the terrible website design, but on it, Alberto outlines the details on the car and tells us the price on this beauty: 40,000? or about $50,000. This of course makes us wonder how fast the four-ring fellas will be slapping Al with a cease and desist, but that's for him to worry about. [Replica Audi R8, NECO Forums] by Andrew Didorosi 21 Nov 2008 at 5:00pm
by Ben Wojdyla 21 Nov 2008 at 4:40pm
by Murilee Martin 21 Nov 2008 at 4:20pm
by Matt Hardigree 21 Nov 2008 at 4:00pm
We're not sure, though up until recently we've heard that Angus Mackenzie, Editor-in-Chief of Motor Trend, has proclaimed that the magazine is awash in cash, allowing him to spend money on more writers and more features. Perhaps with the reduction in operating expenses Motor Trend will have some money to spend on their website. by Ben Wojdyla 21 Nov 2008 at 3:30pm
by Wes Siler 21 Nov 2008 at 3:00pm
by Andrew Didorosi 21 Nov 2008 at 2:30pm
by Murilee Martin 21 Nov 2008 at 2:00pm
CARBLog by admin 19 Nov 2008 at 11:38am
Look at the first photos of the new 2009 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder. Pics were made this morning ahead of the debut at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show. The drop-top Spyder features a series of styling and mechanical upgrades including a more powerful V10 engine. Cosmetic updates concern the redesigned front bumper, the new taillights and the different alloy wheels. Open the rear hood and you’ll find the coupe’s new 5.2-liter V10 engine that develops 560 HP at 8,000 rpm (previously 5.0-liter V10 and 520HP). Other improvements concern the redesigned four-wheel drive system and the new suspension set-up.
by admin 13 Nov 2008 at 12:29pm
Hot news, guys! Hyundai’s brand new rear-wheel-drive Genesis Coupe was crashed for the first time when his slammed into metal pole somewhere in Korea. Spicy detail: as you can see in the pics, both the driver and front passenger airbags failed to deploy. The Genesis Coupe’s front-body structure looks like it did its job by absorbing most of the energy caused from the impact, which is a good thing in the event of an accident.
by admin 14 Oct 2008 at 9:30am Look at the promo video that showed the 2009 Golf GTI in action on the road. Its a first commercial film for Golf GTI VI hatch that will enter production in spring 2009. The extended version of the promo film starts off with a guy sky diving down to earth then taking the GTI back home where he leaves a flower on the bed of his sleeping beauty. by admin 7 Oct 2008 at 7:14am The Lamborghini Estoque was unveiled at the Paris Auto Show. Look at the video and enjoy as much as possible of Lambo’s four-door coupe study as it might very well find its way into production if there’s enough interest. The video from Lamborghini’s stand showing both the exterior of the sport car as well as a second video taken during the media presentation by admin 30 Sep 2008 at 11:50am
Suzuki unveiled its facelifted version of Grand Vitara. The 2009 Grand Vitara features styling tweaks and most importantly, a new 2.4-litre petrol engine matted to either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 4-speed automatic transmission that replaces the 2.0-liter unit. Inside the cabin sports new chrome and wood-effect inlays, together with improvements to the design and operation of some of the dashboard controls, including a new multi-information display and revised air conditioning control panel. The new Grand Vitara for the European market is equipped with a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine developed from the 140 HP 2.0-litre petrol unit that it replaces. In the 3-door model, the 2.4L engine delivers an output of 166 HP while in the five-door model, 169 HP. When matted to the standard five-speed manual gearbox, the three-door Grand Vitara 2.4 accelerates from standstill to 100 km/h (62mph) in 11.2 sec (5d: 11.7 sec) and goes on to a top speed of 180 km/h or 112 mph. by admin 25 Sep 2008 at 10:41am
The Kia has unveiled its Soul Hybrid prototype at the Paris Auto Show. This Soul prototype features a 1.6-liter gasoline engine mated to an electric motor that delivers an output of 15 kW and 105 Nm of torque. Power is driven to the front wheels via Kia’s own CVT while the Soul Hybrid’s batteries are charged through regenerative braking. The new Kia’s prototype is designed to return an average fuel consumption of 4.9 lt/100 km or 48 MPG US and a CO2 figure of 117 g/km reducing CO2 emissions by 26.4% compared to the conventional Kia Soul 1.6L. In order for the show visitors to be able to check out the Soul’s hybrid powertrain and battery pack, the prototype comes complete with a transparent bonnet and floor. by admin 24 Sep 2008 at 11:02am
The Ferrari 599 has been spied out testing without ane camo. Only easy distinguish by its mock hard top, which doesn’t quite match the colour of the main bodywork. The production top could well be a folding metal item, much like the coupe-cabriolet California due next year. The front engine layout of the 599 would certainly allow space for a trick mechanism at the rear, although the weight could blunt performance. The 575 Superamerica, enjoyed a 25bhp hike to counter the 60kg weight increase, although it featured a unique rotating glass panel rather than a full length CC option. It is likely the 599 Barchetta’s engine will remain unchanged, keeping the 6.0-litre 620bhp V12 from the GTB Fiorano coupe, though the top speed will drop from the GTB’s 205mph. The open-top could appear at next spring’s Geneva Motor Show, with production to start in the summer. The tin-top model costs $400 000, so expect the convertible will cost around $430 000. by admin 19 Sep 2008 at 10:35am
Bad news for Nissan fans: japan carmaker has issued a recall for more than 3,400 MY’09 Altimas equipped with 16-inch alloy wheels. Reason? Some of the alloy wheels may not have been manufactured to the correct specification, something that could lead to one or more of the five lug nuts attaching the wheel to the vehicle to become loose. Nissan authorized dealers will inspect the vehicles and if find will replace the faulty alloy wheels new ones. Nissan Altima owners can contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261. by admin 9 Sep 2008 at 10:36am
The spy shooters caught the Saab 9-4X in camo. Though the SUV may share a platform with its Cadillac BRX cousin, we’re told that the 9-4X will be much more of a Saab directed product, unlike the badge-engineered 9-7X and 9-2X that came before it. The car’s design is a product of teams in both Germany and Sweden, and already shows a nicely aggressive stance with huge wheels pushed out to each corner. Cues from Saab’s Aero X can also be spotted in the glasshouse and front fascia of the mule seen here. There’s a good chance that the uncovered 9-4X could show up for the Detroit Auto Show in 2009, and based on what we’re seeing here, we’ll be first in line for the reveal. The new 9-4X will be a sporty looking SUV with a lot of the Aero X look in the front, low side windows and short overhangs. by admin 30 Aug 2008 at 12:04am
Hot pics, guys! As we know, the best way to get the attention of autofans, who often happen to be male, is to display its cars next to hot sexy babes. Look at the photos from Moscow Auto Show. The slav girls look so hot! Click on images to enlarge.
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Auto Review 21 Nov 2008 at 12:34pm  In a somewhat confusing move, German carmaker has revealed a fuel-efficient version of its highly successful Porsche Cayenne SUV pow |
Photos of and details about the 
What kind of outfits would you expect Brazilian booth professionals to wear when showing off VW Beetles and Variants at the '79 Salão do Automóvel in São Paulo? How about long flowery dresses, the better to show off the features of the new alcohol-fueled VWs? 
As a result of covering an 
Louie Edgi, a cancer patient currently residing in the horribly frigid area of 
The Easter egg, as a symbol of life and rebirth, works fairly well. Ignoring the Greek and Roman fertility aspects of the egg, it's something that even a child can understand, which is why Christians are so eager to pass them out on Easter Sundays. They even have beeping Easter eggs for the students at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. They even have them on DVDs. The concept is so popular that now you can't buy a DVD of a made-for-Lifetime movie without finding a hidden scene of the cancer-girl-with-druggie-dad singing an acoustic version of "Date With Ikea" in her dressing room. In fact, if you go all the way to China you'll see a not-quite-egg-shaped 
We wonder if the automakers wouldn't have such a hard time getting help, wouldn't be on the receiving end of 
The Audi R8 is one of the most exclusive and beautiful supercars in the world, commanding auto-lust wherever it goes and wherever it's seen. But what if you want an R8 but don't have the $105,000+ to buy one yourself? You could go through the arduous process of designing and building the whole thing from 
The front three-quarter view is almost creepy in how much the cars look alike. If you didn't know better, you'd swear it was a Chinese rip-off and not a home-built replicar. The only dead giveaway is the treatment on the lower lip of the front bumper. We'll be honest here, we're split on which one actually looks better from this angle. Henkl and Udo will be miffed at us, but it's the truth.
The one area the ReplicaAudiR8 has nothing on the real R8 (aside from the engine, the transmission, the suspension, the wheels, the chassis etc.) is the interior. The stock Mercury Cougar interior remains largely untouched from the day the Ford line workers installed it. The addition of an "R8" badge to the wheel can't compete against the shiny stainless steel, Nav system, D-wheel and general awesomeness of the Audi R8 interior.
At the front end we see the proportions of the wide Audi is again interpreted pretty cleanly on the Cougar chassis. The intakes are again a bit deeper on the replicar, and that lower lip comes into a clearer focus. Take a note, the ReplicaAudiR8 gets thin-line fog lamps where the real Audi is lamp free.
In the scheme of awesome things to do on a November weekend, liveblogging the SCORE Tecate Baja 1000 from a beefed up 
Welcome to 
We've been able to confirm that both Truck Trend and Sport Compact Car magazines, august titles from the the sprawling Source Interlink automedia empire, have been killed by their publisher. Word is up to 115 employees were notified yesterday that their services would no longer be required. A former employee tells us that, if this is true, it would mean multiple titles were also canned. We've heard that many of these publications were profitable in recent years, but in a down economy it may be hard for one company to justify publishing 4Wheel Drive & Sport Utility, 4Wheel & Off-Road Four Wheeler and Off Road magazines simultaneously. No one at Source Interlink has returned our calls, so we're currently in the dark as to exactly which titles were cut. (UPDATE: We hear that 
Leave it to Chinese automaker BYD to build a Toyota Aygo cheaper and cooler, as they've done with the release of the BYD F0 Sport. The F0 Sport comes equipped with such innovative additions of performance as red seat covers with pillows on them, a red shifter knob, and a sporty paint job over a mild body kit. The whole deal goes for $5,000 US, which, is a fair bit more than the 
Taking a leaf out of their Western counterparts? books, Roewe is showing off a group of badly modified Roewe 550s in an effort to get down with the young folk. Apparently, Chinese males between the ages of 18 and 34 find tacky modification as ?groovy? as we do here in the states. We?re particularly impressed by the Liberace-esque gold lamé interior and hope it makes its way stateside when Roewe?s parent company Shanghai Auto buys the Not-So-Big Three.
The Linian is a cooperative project between the 
The best ads tell a story, and this one for the mid-90s Citroën XM Pallas certainly does that. In fact, it's more of an informercial than an regular car ad, with inspiring music right out of an Early Dot-Com Era shareholder's meeting. Best as we can tell, the Citroën driver here is bringing a box containing a critical mass of our favorite off-brand fissionable material, 
