Autoblog: News Thread

[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Nissan GT-R - Too fast to race?

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Japan, Supercars, Nissan

click above image for a great gallery from the 2007 NISMO Festival

While top billing at the recent annual NISMO festival went to next year's Super GT500 GT-R, the surprise appearance made by the GT-R prototype that set the 7:38 lap time at the Nurburgring earlier this year got the most attention.

First Nissan had the masked maverick run a slalom course, flat out, down Fuji Speedway's mile-long main straight, demonstrating the preternatural abilities of the latest ATTESSA-ETS system. It then ran a quick 1/4-mile drag race against a 2007 Super Taikyu Class 1 350Z race car, which it didn't just win, it won by several car lengths. Unfortunately, the run wasn't timed and neither were the following laps, where the GT-R out-classed the endurance racer in every section of the circuit.

Follow the jump for more.

Gallery: 2007 NISMO Festival

Continue reading Nissan GT-R - Too fast to race?

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Pics from the set of Knight Rider TV show

Filed under: Time Warp, Etc., Pontiac


While it might be a dubious pursuit to rehash old B-level (or lower) TV series for a new generation, the possibility of a crap product has never stood in the way before. Indeed, the retreading of Knight Rider is underway, with shoots already taking place. Love it or hate it, it will hit the small screen, and if you can get over the fact that it's not the original, it might be fun. If it's rotten, it won't hang around long anyhow. It's not like the original series was Citizen Kane, so let's just be thankful that there's a new shadowy flight into the dangerous world of a man who does not exist.

Hollywood blog The ODI managed to finagle some time on a location shoot for the new series and snapped some stills. There's no shots of the new KITT, but our old pal the Knight Industries Two Thousand is there in this garage scene. The premise apparently is that the old KITT is being rebuilt in a garage/lab after being totaled. The shop is set up with automotive parts and tools, as well as much-later F-Body than the original (check out the taillights). We would have imagined that KITT's powerplant was something more exotic than a carbureted small block with an Eaton-style supercharger. Maybe that's the engine they removed to put in the exotic hydrogen turbine, or nuclear reactor, or whatever. Can we get a rewrite?

[Source: The ODI via SpoilerTV, Photos: The ODI]

Gallery: New Knight Rider set pics


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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Is this the 2009 Dodge Ram?

Filed under: Spy Photos, Trucks/Pickups, Dodge


var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/autos/Is_this_the_2009_Dodge_Ram'; A word of caution: We have no info other than the photo itself, which certainly appears to be the real deal and has been posted at DodgeTalk.com. For all we know, it's a 'chop, but let's assume for the sake of discussion that it isn't. If this is indeed the 2009 Ram, then Chrysler should soon find itself very much in the thick of the truck-segment mix. Of course, in the battle to win truck buyers, it's the tech specs that ultimately get people to commit. We don't know what those'll be yet, but in terms of appearance, this is a grown-up and classy evolution of the Ram nameplate.

The most important visual element, the grille, ensures that it is instantly identifiable as Dodge's full-size truck. Gone are the round-bottomed headlights in favor of the wraparound\parallelogram-shaped units shown. They're simple and fit the rest of the look. The truck pictured is obviously a higher trim level, as indicated by the polished wheels and two-tone paint scheme. Speaking for myself, it's easily as good-looking as the current GMC Sierra and Ford F-150, the two best-looking full-size trucks. 2008 is going to be a very interesting year in the truck segment as both Ford and Dodge bring their latest, greatest, best and brightest to the market and into battle against the year-old offerings from GM and Toyota.

If this is the new Ram, we're looking forward to seeing more of it.

Thanks to Gary for the tip!

[Source: DodgeTalk]
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Gas station attendant mistakenly sets pump price at $0.33/gal

Filed under: Etc.
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/odd_stuff/Gas_Price_Plunges_to_33_at_One_Store'; An attendant at a Minocqua, WI Shell station made a small data entry error when setting the pump price before closing time, and it clearly had an adverse affect on the day's receipts. The worker meant to drop the per-gallon price one cent from the $3.299 it had been set at. Instead, the trailing 9 was removed, which changed the price to $0.329. Even though the station was closed, the pumps were still on for credit card purchases, and it didn't take too long for drivers to take advantage and spread the word. Some 586 gallons were purchased by 42 people in the hour and forty-five minutes the erroneous pricing was in play. The feeding frenzy came to an end after police, noticing an unusual amount of traffic at the rural station, called the owner, who returned and shut off the pumps. It sounds like the employee who made the error is off the hook, as the owner termed it "an honest mistake" that even she could have made. She's less pleased with the locals who took advantage of the unintentional super-duper sale pricing, whom she chastised for being dishonest.

So, with this knowledge in hand, it's poll time:

View Poll


[Source: AP via Digg]
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: DeLorean's stillborn 40-foot bus

Filed under: Time Warp, Auction Action, Commercial Trucks


Glomming onto a Federal program in the 1970s meant to spur the development of more accessible buses, DeLorean Motor Corporation saw a potential revenue stream. Not that the DMC 80 had anything to do with their now cult-classic sports car, it wouldn't have even been built by DMC. An example of how badge engineering and pimping platforms has been going on forever in the automotive business, DeLorean was essentially planning on affixing the DMC badge to buses from Germany's FFG.

Like the DMC-12, success was not to be had. The Urban Mass Transit Administration's (now Federal Transit Administration) Transbus program was cancelled in 1981 after several years of floundering. DMC couldn't continue to devote resources to the effort, so they abandoned the licensing effort and scrapped a proposal for a bus assembly plant in New York, too. While DeLorean may be little more than a passing curiosity in automotive history, the fact that they got an automobile into production and on the market means that there are plenty of enthusiasts looking for any remaining vestiges of the company. The nature of launching an automotive enterprise also means that there's a ton of material to be strip-mined on eBay. If you find this little footnote in DeLorean's history as fascinating as we do, you can pony up bids and get your hands on a small trove of goodies like blueprints to the non-starter bus plant, a brochure for the DMC 80, and a random DeLorean certificate of achievement. Our favorite item, though, is the memo from John DeLorean to Bill Haddad, essentially saying "call this guy, he can help us, oh yeah, he was also convicted of fraud."

[Source: eBay via Winding Road]

Gallery: DeLorean bus



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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Zagato eyes Bentley for latest project

Filed under: Bentley

2002 Aston Martin DB7 Zagato
Zagato is responsible for some of the most exclusive and interesting rebodying jobs ever to grace tarmac. Beauty being in the proverbial eye of the beholder, some have had greater affection for their designs than others, but they're certainly intriguing. Some recent examples have included the custom Ferrari 575 GTZ and Maserati GS, but the Milanese coachbuilder's work has branched far out of the Italian peninsula, including the unfortunately stillborn Spyker C12 Zagato, as well as a stable full of British cars for Rolls-Royce, Jaguar and, of course, Aston Martin (among others).
The carrozeria has announced plans to prepare a coachbuilt Bentley according to the latest reports. The news arrives on the heels of Bentley's announcement that it would increase its in-house customizing efforts, which at the time ruled out turning to outside coachbuilders. This still appears to be the case, as a spokesperson for the automaker told us that to his knowledge, Bentley has not been involved with the Zagato project. No further details are known at this time, we're looking forward to scoping out what Zagato has in store for the Flying B badge. If we had to guess, a Continental will be the subject of the transformation. Stay tuned.
[Source: Italiaspeed]

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Try, try again: FIA puts further restrictions on F1, freezes engine develop

Filed under: Motorsports
The World Motor Sport Council of the FIA, the international racing authority that governs Formula One, among other series, has rolled out a series of restrictions on the development of F1 cars starting with the coming 2008 season.
The restrictions include a complete freeze on engine development for the next ten years. In a speech delivered last week in Monaco at the Motor Sport Business Forum, FIA President Max Mosley (pictured at right) justified the decision by pointing out that the engines developed by F1's six engine suppliers - Ferrari, Mercedes, BMW, Honda, Toyota and Renault - are already evenly matched and incredibly advanced: "There is no need to develop an F1 engine any further." (Heck, let's go back to foot-powered Flinstones-mobiles then.)
The far-reaching restrictions also covered the use of wind-tunnels for the first time in the formula. The new regulations state that each team can only use one wind-tunnel, can only operate it for 15 runs per 8-hour day, no more than five days per week. Further limitations were set on how the wind-tunnel may be used, and to prevent teams from simply switching their personnel over to even more expensive Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulators, the FIA intends to put a cap on that, too.
Ross Brawn, former technical director at Ferrari and new team principal at Honda, recently pointed out that restrictions like these don't achieve their intended goal of reducing costs, they just force teams to find newer, more expensive ways to gain a performance edge. We'd have to agree with Brawn: you can't contain a competitive spirit, and F1's chock-full of 'em.
[Source: Autosport]

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Man sets record for being thrown longest distance by a car

Filed under: Etc., Safety
Six years ago, paramedic Matthew McKnight was working an accident on a road near Pittsburgh. What happened next is one for the record books. McKnight was hit by a car doing 70 mph and was thrown a record-setting 118 feet.

At the hospital, yes, he lived, he was diagnosed with two dislocated shoulders, one of which was also broken, and a broken pelvis, leg and tailbone. McKnight spent two weeks in the hospital and 80 days in rehab. His ER doctor was so impressed by McKnight's impromptu flight, he submitted it to Guinness World Records.
The record took a while to verify, but will be in the upcoming 2008 edition of the book.

Kids, do not try this at home. There are much easier ways to get in the Guinness World Records book. We highly encourage you to attempt breaking the "Most Spy Shots of Experimental Ferraris Ever Submitted to Autoblog" as well as "Largest Cashable Check Ever Written to a Blogger Named Chris." Those numbers to beat, btw, are one and $4.63.

[Source: AP via WNEM.com]
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[stevorocket]

Can we club together and get a hit man to finish off this geriatric Alzheimer's sufferer? He should be sectioned - at a time when motor sport needs innovative eco friendly engines to survive the next ten years he bans engine development.

Classic.

:wall :wall :wall :wall :wall :wall

 

[Stuart]

What they need to do is persuade the teams to be more economical. I prefer fuel restrictions, i.e. you have 100 litres for a race; this encourages ways to get more power with less fuel. Which is useful.
To ban engine development is f'ing stupid.
Why not just have one engine for everyone.

If you want to reduce the dependance on downforce to encourage more overtaking, ban wings, but don't ban wind tunnels. Making the cars efficient at getting through the air is a good thing.

 

[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Volkswagen to build Up! in India

Filed under: Coupes, Economy, Sedans/Saloons, Plants/Manufacturing, Volkswagen


Volkswagen has been struggling here in the US, but in emerging markets the German automaker is among the best. VW has been a big player in China since way before it was cool, and now Mr. Winterkorn and co. are focusing their attention on the booming India market. VW is planning on producing 240,000 vehicles per year in India by 2012, and it's using two small cars to supply much of the volume. The size and price of the Polo compact and the upcoming Up! minicar are perfect for the India market, and Europe's largest automaker plans on building both vehicles at its new plant in Chakan. Up! will go head to head with its low-cost Indian market competition with a price tag in the $7,500 price range.

The Passat has already been on sale in India since November, the next generation Jetta and the ultra-luxury Phaeton are scheduled to hit India's VW dealerships in the next couple years. With VW's vast expertise making and selling its cars in low-cost markets, the company that created the original Beetle has a great chance to make hay in the land of Gandhi and the Taj Mahal.

[Source: Inside Line]


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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Europe: Freshened Kia Picanto now on sale

Filed under: Economy, Euro, Hatchbacks, Kia

Click image for photo gallery

Europeans have a new supermini available to them in the updated Kia Picanto. The facelift transforms the Picanto from the anonymous basic transportation it was (see here), to a friendly looking little critter that you want to name like a Build-A-Bear. The facelift consists of new front and rear fascias as well as a spruced up interior. The new face is a definite improvement over the outgoing car, and shows that Kia's moving toward a familial look. The grille, for example, is very Rondo-like. Rounded headlights give it a happier face than the vehicle it replaces, and likewise, there are now circular elements incorporated into the taillamp lenses. The interior details also look pleasing enough in the attached photos, and the car even offers niceties such as Bluetooth and both USB and auxiliary jacks for iPods.

Our sister site, Autoblog Spanish, has the French pricing posted. &euro;7,990 puts you in the 63 hp 1.0i. Tack on another &euro;1000 for the moderately spunkier 1.1i 66 HP. The costliest Picantos are the diesels, which sell for &euro;9,690 or &euro;10,690 depending on trim package. Both gasoline engines are good for combined-cycle fuel economy over 40 US mpg.

[Source: Autoblog Spanish]

Gallery: 2007 Kia Picanto


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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Lexus sues another porn-star...seriously

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Lexus, Toyota

Back in June, we brought you news that Toyota was in the process of suing a pornography firm for copyright infringement. Apparently the Japanese automaker didn't appreciate that adult film star Lexus Cash was using its luxury division's handle as her stage name and for her website. Evidently unwilling to stop its litigation campaign, Toyota is now turning its lawyers loose on a gay porn actor who also uses the name Lexus.
According to latest reports, the Japanese automaker's lawyers in DC sent a cease-and-desist letter to EBoys Studios in Switzerland. The EBoys honcho insists that his performer chose the name because of its association with Greek mythology, and not with the automotive brand, and that the company will not cave to the carmaker's demands to recall the two flicks it has produced with the actor using that name.
This has to be the funniest bit of news surrounding Lexus since that peacock had its way with one of their exhaust pipes.

[Source: Inside Line]

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: CONFIRMED: 2009 Dodge Ram pic is the real thing

Filed under: Spy Photos, Trucks/Pickups, Dodge

Click photo to enlarge

var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/autos/Chrysler_mistakenly_reveals_2009_Dodge_Ram_on_Mopar_site'; Seriously, you've got to love the source of this particular leak. A commenter let us know that the photo we've been speculating about all day is, in fact, posted on the Mopar Accessories site for the 2008 Dodge Ram. Somewhere, a webmaster is going to get an earful, because the truck posted is no '08. As several commenters also pointed out, if you study the bed-side closely you'll see that there's a door for some sort of storage compartment there. We also have it from an impeccable source that the '09 Ram has rear coils, 4 trailing links, and a panhard rod. Looks like the '09 Ram is gonna be full of surprises and good stuff. And now you have confirmation that this is the real deal.

Thanks to commenter GDG for the heads-up.

[Source: Mopar Accessories]
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Carroll Shelby responds to SAAC allegations

Filed under: Government/Legal, Shelby

click above image to read Carroll Shelby's statement
There are always two sides to every story. When Carroll Shelby canceled his licensing agreement with the SAAC (Shelby American Automobile Club), it looked like he was giving the 33-year-old club the short end of the stick. After all, the club has done an incredible job of promoting and preserving the Shelby brand. Rick Kopec and Ken Eber, who run SAAC, thought so and formed a legal defense fund to fight for the right to use the Shelby name. However, Carroll recently released an official statement giving his take on the situation, and has listed several ways in which he believes the SAAC has refused to comply with the various terms of the licensing agreement. Interestingly, he has extended an offer to local clubs to use the Shelby name. The cost? $1.00 per year, the same as he charged the SAAC.
Looking at Shelby's reasons for canceling the contract, it becomes apparent that the feud is not with the club, but with Kopec and Eber. Whatever the result, we hope that the 5,000 members of the SAAC don't suffer as a result.
Shelby's full response to Ken Eber and Rick Kopec after the jump.
[Source: Shelby Licensing]
Continue reading Carroll Shelby responds to SAAC allegations

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Ford to shutter Ontario plant sometime in 2010

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Police/Emergency


Despite the lack of a formal announcement (nor any real surprise), the Detroit News has the inside scoop on Ford's plan to close its Ontario plant after production of the Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car ceases, likely by the end of 2010.

The 2.6-million square foot facility currently employs over 2,400 workers and has built a number of models, ranging from the Pinto to the Escort.

Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) president, Buzz Hargrove, admitted to the News that, "There's nothing we can do to save St. Thomas," but we think there is. Convince Ford that the livery market is still dependent on the Panther-platform stalwart, despite New York City's vow to make all of its taxis hybrids in the next few years, and revamp the current car to be all things to all cops by fitting a new V8, a custom, police-friendly interior and anything else the boys (and gals) in blue could want.

[Source: Detroit News]
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: 2009 Mazda3 design to influence Mazda's entire lineup

Filed under: Concept Cars, Mazda

Click the image above for more high-res shots of the Ryuga concept.

It's no surprise that Mazda's looking to radically revamp its entire product portfolio in the coming years, and the cohesive style set by the Nagare line of concepts will bring Mazda's design chief, Laurens van den Acker's vision to the road in the next few years.

The first model to benefit from this new design direction will be the 2009 Mazda3, which will sport a trio of new elements that we've seen in concept form over the last year. The five-point gaping grin that's been showcased on everything from the Kabura to the Taiki will find its way onto all of Mazda's products, along with flowing creases embedded into the side panels. Like many automakers, longer wheelbases and shorter front and rear overhangs, with the wheels pushed to the outer edges of the body, will be adopted, and the Dutch designer is intent on making all of Mazda's products appear more sporting, with a low-slung style that mimics the shape of rear-drivers.

What lays beneath that new sheet metal should be just as intriguing as the styling, and if the aforementioned Kabura and Taiki are any indication, Mazda's continuing goal to be a driver-focused brand is evolving from the inside out.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Gallery: Mazda Ryuga Concept


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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: U.S. may slip to second in global car sales behind Europe

Filed under: Car Buying, Euro, UK
So far this year, increased car sales in the U.K. and Italy -- two of the biggest markets in Europe -- along with a rising tide across Central and Eastern Europe, have contributed to a 1.9-percent increase in car consumption across the Atlantic. While the U.S. has traditionally been the world leader in units of vehicles sold, with some 16 million leaving dealer lots in 2006, that might change come the end of this year.

The raw numbers are staggering. In the first ten months of 2007, 13,583,559 cars were sold in the U.S., compared to 13,572,669 in Europe during the same period. That's a difference of just over 10,000 vehicles, and with sales dropping due to rising fuel prices and the credit crunch here at home, Europe has a good chance of knocking the U.S. out of the top spot come December 31st.

Analysts predict that both markets will get close to the 16 million mark by the end of the year, with Europe handily eclipsing the U.S. in 2008.

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

Autoblog: BREAKING: Alonso signs with Renault

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings, Renault

var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/motorsport/F1_driver_Fernando_Alonso_returns_to_Renault'; Emerging reports confirm that Fernando Alonso has signed a two-year contract with the Renault F1 Team, with which he won a pair of world titles before defecting to a tumultuous and disappointing year with McLaren.
The contract, according to Spanish newspaper El Mundo, will make Alonso one of the top-paid drivers currently in F1 at a staggering $50 million per season (According to the Wikipedia, Kimi R&auml;ikk&ouml;nen makes $51 million/year). The deal is also reported to include minimal obligations towards Renault's sponsors, an exit clause should Alonso wish to terminate early, and clear, defined #1 status for Alonso over his team-mate.
That role, according to the reports, is set to be taken up by Nelson Piquet, Jr., who will be filling the #2 spot at Renault. The news subsequently leaves current drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovalainen without confirmed rides for next season, fuelling speculation that Kovalainen could take up Alonso's now-vacant seat at McLaren, especially since news broke of Nico Rosberg's renewal at Williams.
The official announcement from Renault is anticipated shortly, and Alonso is expected to begin testing next year's Renault car at his native Spain's Valencia test track late in January.
[Source: F1-Live.com]

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[Alice R.]

So he will get wasted by the number 2 driver for the second year running ?