Autoblog: News Thread

[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Subaru begins teasing us with new Forester mini site

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Wagons/Estates, Japan, Subaru


While we'd like to think that the launch of the new Subaru Forester teaser site somehow corresponds to the leakage of images we saw yesterday, we're forced to assume that coincidences are just that. Regardless, Subaru still hasn't learned that displaying a darkened image of its newest product (ala STI) doesn't stop tech-savvychallenged bloggers from doing a screen capture and lightening up the shot to reveal the new Forester's rump.

You'd be forgiven for seeing a Honda Pilot upon first glance, but the lower ride height and bland bottom quickly eschews that comparison. According to Subaru, "It's comming [sic]", and despite the fact that the mini site is for the Japanese market, we doubt little will have changed when the Forester makes its debut in Detroit.

Thanks for the tip, Jake!
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Mysteriously burnt Audi revealed to be V10 RS8

Filed under: Coupes, Sports/GTs, Supercars, Audi

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The phrase "580-HP twin-turbo V10" is hot enough to raise the temperature of any sports car enthusiast. And as sad photos of flambeed Audis have attested, without glacial cooling it's also hot enough to turn Audi RS8 test mules into fireworks.

When we first wrote about the burned out Audi R8 in the picture above, we mentioned scuttlebutt saying it was a test mule. Now, Quattro GmbH director Werner Frowein reveals that it was indeed an RS8 test mule, and that the problem was specifically due to the turbos of its V10 powerplant getting too hot in the mid-engined layout. Based on the best translation we can find of the Dutch article, Frowein says (or at least we think he says) that putting the twin-turbo V10 in the R8 is out of the question, and that they are instead working on a normally-aspirated V10 with a little more than 500 HP.

[Source: Paul Tan]
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Become a car designer, just $19.99!

Filed under: Gadgets, Etc., Toys


From time to time we've all been tempted to purchase that fake diploma from the endlessly circulating email, right? The last time I checked, though, they weren't offering fake certificates from the Art Center College of Design, or the Academy of Art University. If you still held onto the dream of someday shaping cars, even after all your sketch pads had been confiscated, the normal path was that you'd go to an institution where you could learn industrial design through a rigorous academic program. That's the reason why those of us who continue to doodle four wheeled conveyances are reduced to sketching while on boring phone calls; to truly design real cars takes years of practice, hard work, and skill. Alternatively, you could drop a measly 20 bucks and start computerating up some fun looking vehicles with Topics Entertainment's Sports Car Designer software.

In the end, it's still no replacement for learning to render a form on paper with perspective, shading and foreshortening; all those things that take years to develop skill with. From what we can see, you're limited to a profile view, but the options for body shape creation are wide ranging enough that you can whip up some interesting forms. We're not seeing a tremendous amount of variety or originality in the screenshots at the support website sportscardesigner.com, but for $20 at Best Buy what do you want, Cinema 4D? When you're done with your masterpiece of the moment, you can export it as a .jpg, or you can spit CAD data out so that another program might be able to stitch the entire car together for you in 3-D space. It's a fun way to divert some hours, and hey, it'll keep that eternally fidgeting car-crazy pre-teen quiet for the vast span of 15 minutes, at least.

Thanks for the tip, Larry!
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: D1 Grand Prix: USA versus Japan

Filed under: Motorsports, Japan

Click the above picture for a high-res image.

Over this past weekend Japan's D1 Grand Prix Professional Drift series was back in town at Irwindale Speedway in California. One of the events on the schedule pitted a five car team of driver's from Japan against a five car team of drivers from the United States (or at least drivers currently residing in the U.S) in an all out drifting battle. As expected the Japanese team drove all JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) vehicles such as a Toyota Soarer, Nissan Fairlady Z, Nissan Silvia, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and Nissan Skyline. The U.S. team was a bit more diversified with vehicles as they had two Ford Mustangs, a Porsche 911, Pontiac Solstice and Nissan 240SX. The rules of the match were simple; one car from each team went against each other in a tandem battle. The loser's car would get taken away until there was only one left standing, thus determining the winner. There were two judges for the event, one being D1's own Japanese judge and the other being Dodge sponsored drifter Samuel Hubinette. After the first round the American's were down in numbers with two driver's to Japan's three, despite efforts from Samuel in the judges stand to try and even things out. The second round saw the U.S. down again, one driver to two, but it was enough to keep things going to the end. The final pairing came down to two previous D1 Irwindale winners, Nobushige Kumakubo from Japan in his Evo and Vaughn Gitten Jr. (aka JR) from the U.S. in his Mustang. JR put up a good fight against the 2006 D1 series champion, but after one round of sudden death Kumakubo and team Japan won the title belt.

Check out the gallery below for some shots of each match-up and subsequent winning celebrations.

Gallery: D1 Grand Prix: USA versus Japan


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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Spy Shots: 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL in the photochopped buff

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertibles, Euro, Mercedes Benz
A design update for the Mercedes-Benz SL is on its way for 2009, and Lehmann managed to snag a very lightly disguised prototype running around while testing. Images in hand, they further disrobed the Merc coupe with the use of Photoshop, so what we're left with is a very clear picture of what's coming. The revision boils down to a new nose and tail, with powertrain changes, as well. The SL's front end gets a grille treatment that's more in keeping with the rest of Mercedes line, and the extractors on the front quarter panels mimic the SLR's gills. Headlamps have taken on the "hockey stick" look, sure to confound styling critics. They hardly touched the back end (not that there was anything wrong with it), as a new lower valance looks to be the most major change we can spot there. Engine choices are likely to remain largely unchanged, but the SL55 AMG will be replaced by an SL63 AMG, banishing supercharger whine from the SL for now.

[Source: Straight Line, Photo: Lehmann]
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Loose lion chases cars in Ohio

Filed under: Etc.
I am beaming with pride for my home state of Ohio as I deliver the news that motorists should keep an eye out for lions on the roadways this holiday season. Last Wednesday a pet lion named Lambert escaped from its owner's cage near Columbus and began chasing cars on the highway. This King of the Asphalt Jungle escaped through the top of his pen and was the source of some pretty entertaining 911 calls before its owner, Terry Brumfield, managed to coax it back into its cage. Before that, Lambert was chasing down cars left and right, though fortunately did not cause an accident. Brumfield reportedly raises lions, of which he has two named Lambert and Lacey, to battle depression. We can think of a number of anti-depressants that do the same thing without the risk of some truly exotic road kill, but to each his own. While Ohio does regulate animals that are native to its region, it does not have any legislation regarding the ownership of exotic pets like lions and tigers and bears, Oh My! Well, there are probably a few bears native to Ohio, but they're not usually found chasing cars on the interstate.

[Source: 11alive.com via Kicking Tires]
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Spy Shots: BMW E93 M3 hard-top convertible

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertibles, Geneva Motor Show, BMW
We knew it was only a matter of time before BMW would take the can opener to its 400 HP uber-coupe, and these newest spy shots prove that development is well underway. While little has changed from the standard 3-series cabrio, the fender flares, cut-up front fascia and quad exhaust are clearly M-specific kit, despite the lack of visible vents in the hood and on the front quarter panels.

We somehow doubt that a carbon fiber folding roof mechanism will be part of the package, but we'd like to be pleasantly surprised when the M3 convertible makes its debut in Geneva next year.

[Source: Jalopnik]
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Are GM and Toyota working on a hybrid together?

Filed under: Economy, Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Plants/Manufacturing, Hatchbacks, GM, Toyota
The evidence: rumor had it at the LA Auto Show that customers would soon have the option of buying a hybrid Toyota Matrix and a hybrid Pontiac Vibe; the 2009 Pontiac Vibe is made at NUMMI, a GM-Toyota joint venture manufacturing plant where the Matrix is also made; Toyota's already got its hybrid synergy drive -- so is GM working on a hybrid with Toyota, or will they use Toyota's hybrid tech to work in the Vibe?

The evidence is circumstantial, certainly. But it's possible. Lutz said at the recent Reuters Auto Summit that, no matter what GM thinks of hybrids, the company made a mistake letting Toyota get so far ahead with hybrids such that now the Japanese brand has become practically synonymous with hybrids and is perceived to be atop a green moral high ground. True, there's the Volt, and GM might not be doing anything with Toyota at all and it could just be a rumor. Or GM could surprise us with something completely new -- it wouldn't be the first time.

[Source: AutoblogGreen]
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: On again, off again: BMW and Daimler may enter engine partnership

Filed under: Economy, Euro, BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Mercedes Benz, MINI


It's been rumored for some time and the newest comments from BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer is further proof that the propeller people are looking to get in bed with other automakers to cut the high costs of engine development and production.

This isn't a first for BMW, which partnered with PSA/Peugeot-Citroen on the engine for the current crop of MINI models, but this newest endeavor could involve one of Bimmer's biggest rivals, Daimler. Mercedes is in need of small, four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines for its next line of A- and B-class vehicles, and the MINI's mill could be a good fit. The talks aren't exclusive with BMW, however, as Daimler is also sitting down with unnamed Japanese manufacturers to provide petrol and diesel powerplants.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Hyundai's worst kept secret: More shots of the Genesis surface

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, Hyundai

Click the image above for more shots of the Hyundai Genesis sedan

Over the last couple of weeks, a number of spy shots showing the upcoming Hyundai Genesis have surface and they've left absolutely nothing to the imagination. The production version will be pre-released at an upcoming party coinciding with Hyundai's 40th anniversary and then, two weeks later, the Genesis will make its official debut in Detroit this January.

These newest shots are some of the clearest we've seen yet, including several interior pictures that show a well-appointed cabin with an iDrive-like wart sitting below the gear lever. There's a lot of 5-series in the exterior, particularly the trunk lid and much of what's aft of the C-pillar, while we get a distinctly Toyota Crown feeling from the front end, hood and roofline.

Hyundai's big reveal is quickly loosing its luster, but we're still looking forward to seeing what kind of presence the Genesis has in person at the Detroit Auto Show.

[Source: World Car Fans]

Gallery: Hyundai Genesis spied in the buff


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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Enter the rumormill: Next Mustang iteration to get 007 flavor

Filed under: Coupes, Ford


God help us for posting about another Mustang iteration, but with Ford's commitment to bring a variant of the Pony car to market each year, it was simply a matter of time before the rumors began to swirl. This newest one, courtesy of MustangEvolution, contends that a revival of the Mach 1 is due out sometime in 2009.

While another special edition 'Stang is enough to cause a bout of acid reflux, the basis for the Mach 1 may be yet another tribute to the coupe's cinematic roots. James Bond drove a red Mach 1, sans black stripes and mag wheels, in 1971's Diamonds are Forever, and supposedly Ford is looking for the original car as the basis for the 2009 model. While we can argue the merits of another Mustang variant, a Bond-badged version might seem a bit more palatable - barely.

[Source: MustangEvolution]
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Castagna Cinquino, aka another Fiat 500 with a kooky interior

Filed under: Aftermarket, Economy, Hatchbacks, FIAT

Click on the image above to see a gallery of the the Fiat 500 Castagna Cinquino

Now before you write in and say this isn't a nice interior, notice we didn't say it isn't nice. It is nice. But we do think it's kooky. Castagna is all over the galaxy with its customization choices, but of late has settled on the Fiat 500 for a muse. Castagna means "chestnut" in Italian, and frankly, that's what the interior of this little baby reminds us of.

Outside, the car gets a two-tone paint job and some hand-applied stripes -- the contrasting wheel arches emphasize the car's stance nicely. It also gets a 30-mm lower ride height on Eibach springs, and Brembo brakes with 4-pot calipers on 280-mm discs up front. Under the hood, horsepower has been juiced up to 155, meaning the baby Fiat might crack 120-MPH.

Inside, vintage-finish leather, carbon fiber, and some mocha-colored Alcantara replace the usual fittings. As we said, it's very nice. It's just... very brown. If you're interested, the car is called the Cinquino, the transformation is called "Passion Kit Corsa," and price is, of course, never mentioned. And in case it isn't brown enough for you: Castagna will be happy to make custom-fitted luggage to slot perfectly into the expanded, 40-liter trunk. Check out the hi-res gallery of images below.

[Source: Auto Blog Italy]

Gallery: Castagna Fiat 500 Cinquino


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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Better sound in Volvos: HD radio standard in 2009

Filed under: I.C.E., Tech, Volvo
Since the debut of the original C70, and even before, Volvo's had a hi-fi fetish. That first C70 debuted the idea of in-car surround, running a Pro Logic head unit with available Dynaudio drivers arranged around the cabin. Volvo wants to continue offering its customers a euphonic experience, so they're equipping virtually all 2009 models with HD Radio receivers beginning in late 2008. HD Radio offers expanded programming, like the satellite services, but there's no fee. The selection may vary by geographic location, and variety may be spotty, but that's not as bad as it seems. Rather than blanket the country with the very same show from Atlantic to Pacific, HD offerings vary by locale, just like good old radio. Volvo's effort will give their vehicle fleet the largest base of standard-equipment HD receivers in the world, though the base S40 and V50 will not be available with the head units.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Kimi Räikkönen gets hardcore with Marcus Walz

Filed under: Motorsports, Euro, Ferrari, Motorcycles
click above image to view gallery of Kimi R&auml;ikk&ouml;nen's Iceman 2

Sure, you may think that racing Formula 1 in the Championship-winning Ferrari is pretty hardcore, but Kimi R&auml;ikk&ouml;nen has an even better idea of what being hardcore really means. Or not. Whatever... what we do know is that Marcus Walz of Hardcore Cycles has made R&auml;ikk&ouml;nen another bike. The first one was known as "Iceman", and the second has been imaginatively named "Iceman 2". The machine itself is pretty cool, although the basic premise of the machine is decidedly low-tech. Sure, it's got a single-sided swingarm, but no rear suspension to speak of. The fork may be high-tech, but it's placed at such an angle as to undermine its operation.
All of the preceding is beside the point, however. This bike is not meant to out-handle a Supermoto or out-race a GSXR. It's meant to be as much about style as function, and the rider is expected to show it off whenever possible. Good thing the bike looks so good, then. And when Kimi wants to go fast... that's not so much of a problem either.
Click past the break for the rest of the pictures.
[Source: Walz Hardcore Cycles]
Gallery: Kimi Raikkonen's Iceman 2


Continue reading Kimi Räikkönen gets hardcore with Marcus Walz

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: AutoblogGreen for 11.28.07

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green


Man, the Prius just cannot pass the Georgia emissions test. Learn what's up with that. If you want to go down the list of green fuel technologies, AutoblogGreen's headlines from yesterday covered the gamut: the future of gas cars, big news about biodiesel, a little bit about diesel, and an ethanol accident. The biggest news, though? The one about 3.65 billion tons of scrap.

• The latest story of a Prius and the Georgia emissions test
• Compromise fuel economy bill could be close
• Bob Lutz on winning the Car of the Year
• McLaughlin predicts gas cars will be gone in 50 years
• Detroit 2008 Preview: Diesel powered Mitsubishi Concept-RA concept
• Some Europeans are using the car more, even when it's not necessary
• Semi full of ethanol crashes in South Dakota
• Seat adds 1.4L TSI engine to their lineup
• Ineos plans 70m Euro biodiesel plant expansion in Baleycourt, France
• Forget car sharing, University of Washington to provide electric bikes
• Citro&euml;n's new 119gm/km CO2 Nemo delivery truck
• GM and Toyota to make a hybrid together?
• The Zenn of delivering the mail in Washington
• U.S. gas rationing 65 years ago ... and you are there
• Audi A5 3.0 TDI triumphs in the Challenge Bibendum
• How much? 3.65 billion tons of scrap in 25 years thanks to car boom

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: France family will not sell NASCAR

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Euro


Nothing is better at propagating a rumor like a nasty social disease than the internet, and the France family just got a lesson. A report surfaced in Europe that an investment firm based there was investigating the potential purchase of NASCAR. Brian France, chairman of NASCAR, dismissed the report as speculation. According to France, the death of his father, Bill France Jr. most likely kicked off the baseless chatter. The current scoop is that the France family is not stepping down from the top of NASCAR or International Speedway Corporation, another France enterprise. While rising energy prices have taken a bite out of profits, and will likely affect attendance attendance somewhat, France assures that NASCAR will be "just fine."

A couple of other items help fuel the speculation, too. International Speedway endured a couple of abortive efforts in Washington state and New York to add new tracks to its holdings, but the long term plan is indeed for new venues when the right ones present themselves. Television ratings are also down, but that doesn't affect NASCAR so much as whacking the price that can be charged for ad space during television coverage of NASCAR events. So, while it might have been fun to kick the ball around thinking of NASCAR without the Frances - not this time.

[Source: Auto News - Sub Req Photo: NASCAR.com]


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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: VW Tiguan R-Line headed to Essen

Filed under: Aftermarket, SUVs, Volkswagen, Misc. Auto Shows

Click image for photo gallery

The tuner-fest that is the Essen Motor Show will provide the backdrop for Volkswagen when it reveals its newest R-Line package from Volkswagen Individual. It's applied to the spanky-new Tiguan SUV, and aside from the wheels, bodykit and "R" logo on the headrests, we don't know what else (if anything) the R-Line package will bring. VW hasn't actually released any official info yet -- just the two photos. We'll find out the rest soon enough, as Essen kicks off this Friday.
[Source: Volkswagen (via CarScoop)]

Gallery: VW Tiguan R-Line


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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: K.I.T.T. to trade Pontiac badge for a Mustang pony?

Filed under: Etc., Ford, Pontiac

Photo from Jay Ohrberg's Hollywood Cars. Click for more photos of the car on that Web site.

So say our colleagues over at Jalopnik who quote their "validated connection" at an L.A. special effects house. Writing for the blog, Ray Wert nominates the Roush Blackjack Mustang for the role and even has photochopped one in full K.I.T.T. livery. But it wouldn't be the first time K.I.T.T. has appeared as a Mustang. In 1994, in a badly failed attempt to revive the Knight Rider series, Universal Television produced "Knight Rider 2010," in which K.I.T.T. is replaced by a Mad Max-styled Ford Mustang as seen above. The car is now in Jay Ohrberg's collection of movie cars.

Reading Jalopnik's readers' comments is pretty funny, like the one from Papercutninja, "The Mustang is as technologically advanced as a Trans Am from the '80s." And this one from Seth, "It's like putting the A-Team in Mercedes Sprinter!" But the best might be from SRT8Six, "Maybe the pilot episode will have Michael driving KITT around just so he can figure out where that annoying rattling sound is coming from."

But we have to give props to one of our own readers, James F., who predicted way back in May, 2006 that the Mustang just might be cast in the movie's lead role. Congrats, Mr. F!

So, Autoblog fans, what say you? Will a Mustang be able to save Michael Knight's son's ass just as well as a Firebird? Will the next special edition Mustang have oscillating LED's in the grille like Jalopnik's chop? Is this in fact, as Jalopnik commenter Novaload says, where, "Mustang AND Knight Rider jump the shark together!"?

[Source: Jalopnik, photo from Jay Ohrberg's Hollywood Cars]
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Connaught and Caparo conspiring on Type-D

Filed under: Euro, Plants/Manufacturing, Tech


Connaught's getting help from a fellow British sports car maker to get the Type-D to market next year. Caparo's vehicle engineering division, which does much the same thing as Lotus - supplying parts and engineering services to customers, will build the steel and composite chassis for the Type D. Caparo will also supply the body panels to Connaught, and production is planned to begin in June 2008. Connaught's original plan was to have a supplier based outside the UK provide chassis and superstructure, but Caparo managed to win the deal instead. We're sure fans of British iron are pleased that the Type D will be a properly English endeavor, and we're anxiously awaiting our chance to sample the uniquely-styled high performance ride. We wonder if Lucas will be tapped as the supplier for electrical components (not that it would matter - it's not the bad old days anymore)?

[Source: Autocar]


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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: VIDEO: Speed bump to end all speed bumps

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Volvo

As annoying as speed bumps can be, sometimes they're a necessary evil that can help keep speeds down in areas with high pedestrian traffic. Some would even like to install the bone-jarring rim benders on side streets to keep young folk from driving with reckless abandon in residential areas. A Deutsch-speaking, Volvo-hating CGI specialist decided to put his imagination to the test by coming up with a commercial with the "perfect" speed bump. The special effects look about as real as the tooth fairy, but it's kinda funny anyway. We have no idea what these European YouTube stars are saying, but we're guessing it has something to do with hating young kids who drive too fast. Hit the jump to view the 1:09 video in its entirety, and if you speak German, please tell us why they keep showing us video of their flowers.
[Source: Gizmodo]
Continue reading VIDEO: Speed bump to end all speed bumps

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