Last Auto News Blog: сентября 2009

Geneva 2009 Preview: Bentley Teases with a Biofuel Car

Автор: DarrenFerris | среда, 30 сентября 2009 г.

Bentley has released a single teaser image of its upcoming biofuel car that will be officially unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show.

Bentley hasn't released the official name of the car or any specs. According to Bentley the car will be Bentley's fastest, most powerful production car to date that also happens to run on biofuel.

Currently the most powerful car in the Bentley lineup is the Continental GT Speed with 600 horsepower and 553 lb-ft. of torque. So you can expect even higher numbers for this car.

Spy Shots: Is BMW working on an M7?

Автор: DarrenFerris |

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, BMW

Don't get us wrong; we've got no beef with enormously powerful luxury vehicles. In fact, we love 'em. But while Mercedes' AMG division has shoehorned their bestial power plants into all manner of vehicles big and small, BMW's Motorsport division has always drawn a line in the Bavarian sand. They'd tune the 3 Series and the 5 Series along with a handful of coupes and convertibles, but that's where it ended. But that line seems to be eroding, as spy shots of what could be an M7 sedan have been snapped soon after the news of M-tuned X5 and X6 crossovers.

It's hard to tell from the shots exactly what we're looking at, but it appears to be a sportified version of the latest-generation 7 Series (codename F01), complete with quad exhaust tips and lightweight painted wheels. Of course, it could be a tuner special, a simple M-Sport appearance package or an Alpina version, but then why would the BMW badges be covered? If it is an M7, it would be a first for BMW, and could, according to speculation, derive its power from a twin-turbo V12 with over 600 horsepower. Coupled with some weight reduction, the BMW M7 could give the the Mercedes S63 AMG and Audi S8 a run for their money, of which there is plenty at stake in this stratospheric sub-segment. And as with the reported emergence of an xDrive 7 Series, the Bavarians might be growing tired of seeing their customers leave town for Stuttgart or Ingolstadt. Props to RJ for the tip!

[Source: MotorTips]

Spy Shots: Is BMW working on an M7? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota to Cut More North American Production

Автор: DarrenFerris |

Toyota has announced plans to further cut its production in order to bring its inventory levels under control. The automaker wants to reduce its current inventory by half.

“This is a tough environment, and it may continue for a while,” said Jim Wiseman, vice president of external affairs for Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America.

Toyota's Jim Lentz recently told the Automotive News that inventory levels should be in line with demand by May.

Toyota announced plans earlier this month to idle its plants in Japan for 11 days in February and March due to the declining U.S. demand.

2010 Mercedes E-Class Coupe Spotted In Profile [2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe]

Автор: DarrenFerris |

We're still two and a half months away from the Geneva Motor Show and the debut of the 2010 Mercedes E-Class Coupe, but it keeps popping up with nothing but heavy eyeliner for camouflage.

In this nice profile shot we get to dissect what's happening under the spinning stars at Stuttgart. The strongest design element is the side glass emerging from an elegant pair of arching curves framed in chrome accents. The rear haunches are exaggerated in form almost to the point of emulating a pontoon fender. The wheels seem like they've been nicked from an Audi S5 along with the shape of the trunk lid, but the nose is pure Mercedes. That freight train flat and pedestrian friendly nose looks goofy in profile, but in a walk-around it turns from silly to stately. [Autoblog.it]

Detroit 2009: MINI Cooper Convertible chills out

Автор: DarrenFerris |

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Convertibles, MINI

Click above for a high-res image gallery of the new MINI Cooper Convertible

We'll be straight with you. We missed the MINI press conference. We know, we know... the horror. Anyway, you didn't exactly need to be Kojak to figure out what happened. The 2009 MINI Convertible drove out of a simulated ice block with a couple made up all frozen-like in the front seats. As for the car, well, it's pretty self explanatory. Available in March, it finally ditches the last-gen engines for the NA and turbocharged 1.6L fours available in the hardtop Cooper and Cooper S. Other changes? The trunk's roomier, the interior gets brought up-to-date, and the rollbar becomes a pop-up unit, significantly improving rearward visibility and giving the Cooper a much cleaner top-down profile. Finally, cute-gimmickry overload is fully achieved with the addition of the "Openometer," an add-on gauge that tracks the amount of time spent motoring with the top down. Adorable, right? Chicks are gonna dig it.

Gallery: Detroit 2009: MINI Cooper Convertible Live

Gallery: 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible

Detroit 2009: MINI Cooper Convertible chills out originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 11 Jan 2009 17:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commenter Of The Day: The Hampster Dance Edition [Commenter Of The Day]

Автор: DarrenFerris |

Those who came to the Internet after 2001 may not realize "The Hampster Dance" was once a fad and therefore not grasp the sensitivity an entire generation of people who once possessed Geocities accounts and Gateway computers have to the sped up version of "White Stop" from Walt Disney's Robin Hood. But there it is. A tribute to how easily amused we all are. The site was designed as part of a competition between Deidre LeCarte and others to create the most-trafficked website. Deidre, obviously, destroyed. The site became a craze, generating thousands of views daily and plenty of annoyance among coworkers, friends and neighbors of individuals who felt the need to fire up the site on a daily basis. Imagine if the competition had been to find a cure for cancer? The Hampster Dance (note, she didn't even spell hamster correctly) was one of the first Internet memes and more came as we found out in the 2009 Nissan 370z pricing story, wherein TurboWeasel named a few others.

SHIFT_ like it's going out of style.

I'm already sick of this meme.

In Soviet Russia, car shift_s you and your monorail cat to the WTFBBQ where a dragon gets it but then photoshop buffs it right out.

O RLY?

[Webhamster.com, if you must]

What Were the Top Ten Best-Selling Vehicles in 2008?

Автор: DarrenFerris |

2008 is finally over and with it ends one of the worst years for the automotive industry in recent history. Most of 2008 was plagued by high fuel prices, which forced buyers to look for more fuel efficient vehicles. Even with this trend the Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado pickups managed to remain at the top of the list for 2008.

In addition, even though buyers continued to ask for more fuel-efficient vehicles, the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic were the only "small" cars to make the list.

Nissan Abandons Detroit Auto Show and Asks Dealers to Stay Away

Автор: DarrenFerris |

Nissan has previously announced that the automaker is not planning on attending the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, which means that no Nissan or Infiniti vehicles will be present on the show floor. Last month Nissan and Infiniti dealers stepped up and said they would donate their own vehicles to be displayed at the show. Nissan has now reportedly asked the dealers to not participate in the show.

"The dealers were going to support a presence and had all stepped forward,” Doug Fox, auto show co-chairman and owner of Ann Arbor Nissan said in an interview with Detroit Free Press. “But the week before Christmas we received a request from Nissan to please respect their decision to not have a presence at the North American International Auto Show.”

That means Detroit show goers will not be able to see the new 370Z or even the Nissan Cube.

2010 Buick Lacrosse Spied Shopping At Old Navy [Detroit Auto Show]

Автор: DarrenFerris |

The 2010 Buick LaCrosse is on its way and these latest spy shots of a mostly uncovered Lacrosse show it could be just the car Buick needs.

We first showed you our rendered speculation, thanks to KORSdesign, back in October and judging by the looks of it, we were spot on. The new Buick LaCrosse shown in these spy shots has lost most of the camo it wore in previous images, giving us a pretty clear view of the sumptuous body side surfaces and shoulder design. The shoulder design is a throwback to Buicks of yesteryear, but the younger crowd will compare it to Bentley’s Continental GT and it seems GM’s engineers have played the connection up with a front mask that resembles the Bentley’s headlights and grille.

While mostly covered, the headlamps and tail lights will heavily resemble those used on the 2008 Buick Invicta Concept and can be seen in our illustrated rendition.

The 2010 Buick LaCrosse is the first car developed in the U.S. for GM’s new global front-wheel drive Epsilon II platform and will begin production in February 2009. Expect to see the LaCrosse at country clubs near you by mid-2009, but if you can’t wait, we’ll bring you live images from the Detroit Auto Show floor next month.
(Hat Tip to Scott!)

2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid Officially Gets 41 MPG

Автор: DarrenFerris |

Ford officially unveiled the 2010 Ford Fusion and Fusion Hybrid at the LA Auto Show last month. At the time it was estimated that the Fusion Hybrid would get better gas mileage than its closest competitor, the Camry Hybrid. Well the EPA has officially rated the Fusion Hybrid at 41 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway. Those numbers beat the Camry Hybrid by 8 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway.

Those numbers mean that the Fusion Hybrid is now the most fuel-efficient mid-size sedan.

The Fusion Hybrid is powered by a 2.5L 4-cylinder engine that is mated to an electric motor. The electric motor is powerful enough to propel the car to speeds up to 47 mpg without the assistance of the gas engine.

The 2010 Fusion Hybrid will be available this coming spring.

All-New 2010 BMW Z4 Officially Unveiled Before Detroit

Автор: DarrenFerris |

Following several spy photos and photo leaks, BMW has officially unveiled the 2010 Z4 before its official unveiling at the Detroit Auto Show next month.

The new Z4 gets all-new styling that is both more aggressive (front end) and cleaner (back end). A new first for the Z4 is a two-piece retractable hard-top that ditches the soft-top from the last generation.

The Z4 also employs BMW's new naming scheme (sDrive) with the sDrive30i and sDrive35i. The sDrive30i is powered by a 255 horsepower 3.0L 6-cylinder engine and the sDrive35i is powered by the 300 horsepower 3.0L twin-turbo 6-cylinder engine. Both engines can be mated to either a a 6-speed manual or a dual-clutch 7-speed automatic with paddle shifters. The sDrive30i is also available with a six-speed automatic.

The all-new Z4 will be officially unveiled next month with sales starting in the fall of 2009.

525 Horsepower 2010 Audi R8 V10 Unveiled in Red

Автор: DarrenFerris |

Audi unveiled the Audi R8 V10 5.2 FSI quattro yesterday ahead of its official unveiling at the Detroit Auto Show next month. Now the first photos of the R8 V10 in red have been released.

The Audi R8 V10 is powered by a Lamborghini-sourced 5.2L V10 engine that puts out 525 horsepower and propels the car from 0-62 mph in 3.9 seconds with a top speed of 196 mph. The V10 engine is mated to either a a 6-speed manual or R-Tronic semi-automatic.

LA 2008: Honda Shows off the Insight's "Eco-Friendly" Dash

Автор: DarrenFerris |

Honda's theme at the LA Auto Show this year was "green" vehicles with the Insight concept, CR-Z concept and FC Sport all taking the stage.

In addition to unveiling the FC Sport, Honda also provided more details about its next hybrid, the Insight. The Insight is going to feature a new interactive, driver-focused fuel economy enhancement technology named the Ecological Drive Assist System (Eco Assist). The system gives the driver feedback on how she or he is driving and provides real-time guidance on environmentally responsible driving. It basically tells you how "green" you are driving through the economy scoring function.

A green "ECON" button on the dash also activates the ECON mode which optimizes the control of the transmission, engine and other elements to optimize fuel economy.

Ford also recently introduced a eco-type dash in its 2010 Fusion and Milan hybrids.

The production version of the Insight will be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show with sales starting in April 2009.

2009 Saturn Sky Redline Still Looking For Respect

Автор: DarrenFerris |

2009 Saturn Sky Redline

Saturn is probably not the first, second or even on most people’s list of names when they think of sports cars. But for a company that really makes little attempt to cater to the motor enthusiast (only 5000 are made), the Sky Redline is a respectable junior member of the affordable roadster club along with sister model, the Pontiac Solstice and the Mazda MX-5.

2009 Sky Redline

First introduced as a high-performance version of the Sky roadster in 2007, the Red Line turns out decent performance from an Ecotec turbocharged 2.0-liter engine that produces 260 horsepower at 5300 rpm and 260 lb.-ft. of torque at 2500 rpm. These figures give this engine the notable distinction of having the best horsepower-to-displacement ratio of any GM engine and the most powerful motor in the Ecotec family. Gasoline direct injection technology helps the engine produce more power while maintaining the lower fuel consumption of a small displacement port-injected engine. With direct injection, fuel is delivered directly to the combustion chamber to create a more complete burn of the air/fuel mixture. Less fuel is required to produce the equivalent horsepower. EPA figures for the Redline are a decent 21 and 30 for highway driving. Despite those numbers, the Redline gets to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds.

Ecotec Engine: Small and Powerful

To compensate for the addition of more power, the car’s chassis has been tuned for better handling and its braking system has been upgraded for quicker stopping. Other technical highlights include a torque-sensing, limited-slip differential and StabiliTrak electronic stability control. Like all Saturn Skys, the Red Line model boasts a near 50:50 weight distribution, independent front and rear suspension, an extremely stiff body, and coil-over Bilstein monotube shocks.

The Red Line also features several unique interior and exterior differences compared to the base Sky roadster including dual exhaust with chrome polished outlets, 18-inch polished aluminum wheels, and a redesigned front apron with large vents and black headlamp bezels. Inside the Redline has a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, unique seatback and floormat embroidery, metallic sill plates, stainless steel pedal covers, Red Line-specific gauges and a digital boost gauge included in the Driver Information Center.

The Friendly Confines Of The Sky Redline

The base price of the Saturn Sky Redline is $30,475, which doesn’t exactly sound cheap. It is afterall still a Saturn. But all things being equal, you have to wonder if the car simply had a different badge on the hood if 30 grand would seem quite reasonable.

2010 Ford Mustang Pricing Leaked Before LA Debut

Автор: DarrenFerris |

Ford is going to officially debut the all-new Mustang this week at the LA Auto Show, but some of the pricing details have already leaked.

If the info leaked today is correct the 2010 GT with the Premium package will start at $30,095, which is inline with the pricing for the Camaro and Challenger. Some of the features included in this package are the 4.6L OHC 3V V8 Engine, SYNC system, 18″ wheels, shaker 500 audio, ambient lighting, bright aluminum accent dash, pedal covers, scuff plate & shift knob and 6-gauge cluster with MyColor.

UNICAT: Land Yachts for Saudi Princes

Автор: DarrenFerris |

UNICAT builds awesome RVs. I’ll let the pictures and the video do most of the talking, but just consider:

For $600,000 you get a badass exterior that makes you look like the Jawas from Star Wars, a queen-size bed, a working galley, and a bathroom inside the big box behind the cab, any number of terrain-appropriate extras like a dirt bike, to a quad, to a Zodiac inflatable boat. Since it’s classified as an RV, you don’t need a special license to drive the thing, either.
Check out the video after the jump.

They have a true GPS system too, not like those little Tom Tom’s in your company car, this is the stuff the government uses. Plus, it’s navigation system can also perform dead reckoning. That’s the cool part: Say you’re in a crazy world war with aliens and all the GPS satellites get destroyed or rendered unusable, well dead reckoning is the process of using your last known location together with your speed, direction (via compass), and elapsed time to calculate exactly where you are, no matter the state of the satellites. It’s good to know it’s there, in case of aliens.

Anyway, check out the unsettlingly good looking Veronica Belmont from Mahalo Daily inspecting one of the UNICAT RVs and talking to UNICAT CEO Avi Meyers. She can inspect my UNICAT anytime. I apologize, that was totally inappropriate. I’d like to Avi her Meyers. You know what I mean? Eh?
But seriously, I want to have sex with Veronica Belmont.

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