Autoblog: News Thread

[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: The Dark Knight goes for a spin on the Batpod

Filed under: Etc.

Click the image above for a high-res pic.

Since the automotive acid trip that is the Speed Racer trailer left us shaking our heads, there's not much left for us to look forward to on the big screen. Thankfully, Warner Bros. is rectifying the matter with what we're hoping will be the most badass Batman flick to date: the Dark Knight. The Joker's back, and as we've seen already, he doesn't stand a chance.

This newest shot released by the film house shows the man in black taking his Batpod for a spin and naturally, we've got a high-res pic for your desktop enjoyment below. The return continues on July 18th next year and you can sate your thirst for details by checking the Wikipedia page and Cinematical in the meantime.

[Sources: Cinematical, Wikipedia, Slashfilm]

Gallery: The Dark Knight's Bat Pod


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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Detroit 2008: Automotive X-Prize entries coming to Cobo

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, New York Auto Show, Hybrids/Alternative, Green


The New York Auto Show in March will provide the official venue to launch the Automotive X-Prize contest, but all 43 entrants will be making an advanced appearance next month in Detroit at the North American International Auto show. The teams vying for the Auto X-Prize have to bring a combination of functionality and fuel-efficiency in order to win the substantial chunk of change offered by the organizers.

The picture above is the Aptera, which through the use of either a plug-in gas-electric hybrid or a straight electric setup can get 300 mpg and has the potential of being retailed for less than $30,000. Some of the entrants could easily be chocked up to vaporware, but we're sure our colleagues at our greener sibling site will give us the skinny next month in D-town.

[Source: Click On Detroit via Jalopnik]
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Ford temporarily shuts down truck, SUV plants

Filed under: SUVs, Trucks/Pickups, Plants/Manufacturing, Crossovers/CUVs, Ford


As reported earlier, both Ford and General Motors will be cutting back production during the first quarter of 2008 in an effort to stem the tide of excessive dealer inventory. GM already idled three pick up plants for two weeks and now Ford has temporarily shut down two of its own plants Monday.

The F150 plant in Dearborn, MI and the Explorer plant in Louisville, KY ceased production yesterday and it's unclear as to when the factories will resume their duties. Both models have seen a slip in sales over the course of the year (F150s are down 12.4-percent and Explorers sales have slipped by 23.5-percent compared to 2006), with analysts pointing to the slow economy and even slower house sales contributing to the downturn.

In a related article from the Detroit News, FoMoCo exec Mark Fields says that the automaker is expecting a rough 2008 as car sales in the U.S. continue to slow. Fields asked and answered his own question, saying, "Do I think it's going to be Armageddon? No." And continued by saying that Ford will take the coming year on a month-to-month basis in order to "manage the business appropriately." We'd hope that Ford is looking a little bit further down the line then "month-to-month," but in its current predicament, maybe that's all it can do.

[Sources: Detroit News, Automotive News - Sub. Req.]
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: British place 3,000 orders for new Jaguar XF

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedans/Saloons, Euro, Ford, Jaguar, UK

Ford may finally be ridding itself of the cash bleeding Jaguar brand, but the automaker is doing so just as the XF is about to hit dealers' showrooms. If indications from the UK mean anything, the XF may be the hit for which the leaping cat has long searched. The Brits have placed 3,000 orders for the good-looking sedan, and it seems the S-Type replacement has some momentum on its home turf. Ford chief technical officer Richard Parry-Jones sees a more confident Jaguar, mainly because of early indications that the XF will meet or exceed sales projections, netting a profit for the ailing nameplate.
While it's great news that the XF is racking up orders in the UK, the positive results are still in Jaguar's back yard. If the XF is going to succeed, it will need to sell in the US and elsewhere in Europe. With it's modern sheet metal and elegant interior, the XF has a better chance to succeed than any of the leaping cat's in recent memory. If Jaguar's new sedan approaches the greatness of it's two door sibling XK, then the sky will be the limit.
[Source: Just-Auto - Sub. Req.]


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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: VIDEO: Raikkonen and Schumacher in Fiat Bravo commercial

Filed under: Motorsports, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Ferrari, FIAT

"So...wanna see a pensioner drive?"
Michael Schumacher casts a pretty big shadow over all of F1, and nobody knows it better than Kimi Raikkonen. That's bred a little animosity by Ferrari's latest world champion to his septuple-crown predecessor, but that hasn't stopped either from fulfilling their contractual obligations towards their corporate overlords at Fiat by appearing side-by side, swapping keys in a television commercial for the new Fiat Bravo.
The ad reminds us of a similar spot filmed with uber-rivals Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso earlier in the season for their employers at Mercedes-Benz. The same spirit of, ahem, "camaraderie" permeates this Fiat spot, filmed in German, in which Kimi and Michael take turns behind the wheel and riding shotgun. Follow the jump for the video, complete with - God bless 'em - English subtitles.

[Source: YouTube]
Continue reading VIDEO: Raikkonen and Schumacher in Fiat Bravo commercial

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Class warfare continues: Lexus owners get their own parking lot in Philly

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Lexus, Lifestyle

Lexus must be doing a booming business in Philadelphia. The city's Wachovia Center, host to the 76ers basketball team and Flyers hockey team, already has a courtside VIP club sponsored by Lexus. Now, in an expanded sponsorship deal, the Center has set aside two special parking areas for Lexus owners. The Lexus sections will be in the Center's C-Lot and E-Lot, but there's no info on how close to the building those areas will be.

And these lots don't appear to have anything to do with the VIP lot or VIP entry. Which means that the guy in the Hyundai Azera could be parked closer than you and get in before you do. But you'll at least get to be with your peeps. Perhaps this will lead to Lexus-only tailgating parties, though we wonder how well the IS folks will mix with the LS600 folks. Regardless, next time you want to see the 76ers and Flyers, um, struggle... make sure you take the Lexus. Follow the jump for the full press release.

[Source: Lexus]Continue reading Class warfare continues: Lexus owners get their own parking lot in Philly

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Limited MINI Clubman availabilty in the U.S. for 2008

Filed under: Car Buying, Wagons/Estates, BMW, MINI


Add another model to the Limited Initial Availability pile: the MINI Clubman. It's being reported that BMW only plans to provide US dealers with four -- that's right, four -- MINI Clubman's "for the first few months of US production."

The Dodge Charger is going into limited production its first year in order to keep the car exclusive. The Malibu Hybrid is only being sent to certain dealers in order to make the best attack on its competitors. The MINI Clubman will make its way here in so few numbers not just for exclusivity's sake, but because BMW apparently makes more money on a MINI sold in Europe than one sold here, and Italy has been identified as the largest market for the little big MINI. For those of you interested in the 3.5-door, do you hear that? Yeah -- it's the sound of a long wait...

[Source: Motoring File]
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Montoya to return to Daytona for Rolex 24

Filed under: Motorsports, Sports/GTs

Juan Pablo Montoya has been a busy boy since leaving F1. After working his way up the American stock-car racing ladder - and winning the NEXTEL Cup Rookie of the Year award for his troubles - the Colombian driver is still planning on making a return to Daytona to defend his title in the Rolex 24.
Montoya made his Grand Am debut behind the wheel of a Daytona Prototype at the event last year, taking the checkered flag to become the first driver in the history of motorsport to win the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indy 500 and the 24 Hours of Daytona. At the next race in January, Montoya will be sharing driving duties in the #1 Chip Ganassi Racing car along with his NASCAR team-mate Dario Francitti, as well as Scott Pruett (with whom he shared victory last year) and Memo Rojas.
This year at Daytona, Ganassi will be fielding two cars. The second Daytona Prototype will be driven by Salvador Duran (who shared victory with Montoya and Pruett last year), IRL IndyCar champions Dan Wheldon and Scott Dixon, and Indy Pro Series champ Alex Lloyd.
Altogether Ganassi is heading to Daytona in January with a star-studded line-up of drivers in pursuit of their third consecutive win at the famous race.
[Source: Autosport]


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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: G500 not enough? Try the Unimog Black Edition

Filed under: Etc., Commercial Trucks, Mercedes Benz


If a G-Class Mercedes stirs dispassionate responses, there may still be a Mercedes for you. While the Gelandewagen is no joke in its own right, Daimler's own ultimate terra bully would roll right over it. Unimogs have been around for about fifty years, and were originally designed as go-anywhere, do-anything work trucks. The U500 Black Edition Unimog is still akin to a vehicular Chuck Norris, but luxed-up to the point that you'd hate to mar the blingy pedals with muddy boots.

England's BigLorryBlog had a chance to bruise the earth with one of these, and found it an object of workmen's desire. The U500 they sampled was not outfitted with any hard labor devices, so the ride was a bit bouncy, but nobody was complaining from the leather clad driver's perch with its own suspension. At &euro;250,000, it's not cheap, but the good stuff never is. Here's what you say when someone questions your buying decision: "Buy the best, cry once. Now get outta my way before I make your Paseo scrap."

Thanks for the tip, Dan!

[Source: BigLorryBlog]
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Taxicab GP: What's Schumi Driving Now?

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc.

Ever found yourself sitting in a taxi, thinking you could pilot that cab much better than its driver? Well, who hasn't, but that's rarely an option. If only everyone recognized your driving talent. Unfortunately most of us don't get that kind of recognition. Unless, of course, you're Michael Schumacher.
The seven-time world champion was with his family in Munich en route to the airport, and like the rest of us, they were running late. Naturally Schumi asked the driver, Tuncer Yilmaz, if he could drive, and the next thing Tuncer knew, he was riding shotgun as Michael did what Michael does best.
Needless to say, the Schumacher family made their flight, landed in Coburg and picked up their new dog from the breeder. (Seriously). The cabbie, for his part, attested to having the ride of his life, and in addition to the fare, got a generous tip.
[Source: F1-Live]

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Santa fires Rudolph, switches to BMW 1-series

Filed under: Coupes, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, BMW

After centuries of counting on eight reindeer (unless there is fog), it appears as though Santa Claus has instead opted for the internal combustion engine. To traverse the sometimes tight airways around metropolitan areas, good ol' Saint Nick decided the nimble nature of the BMW 1-Series was best-fitted to do the job.

The boys and girls of team Bimmer have decided that the best way to sell the 1-Series on their home turf during the holiday season is to involve the biggest commercial icon of Christmas. As you can see above, Santa is haulin' ... presents, and the smallest four-wheeler from the Bavarian Motor Werks is leading the way. St. Nick is going so fast, all the vowels have left the billboard. If this doesn't keep awake the children of Hamburg, we don't know what will. Imagine trying to sleep when every car that drives by makes you think Santa is pulling into your driveway. Heck, we're sure there are a lot of parents hoping to get the little BMW coupe for Christmas, too.

[Source: AutoblogGreen]


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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: BREAKING: Luca de Meo announced as new Alfa Romeo CEO

Filed under: Euro, Hirings/Firings, Alfa Romeo, FIAT

You'd be smiling, too...
According to emerging reports, Luca De Meo is being appointed as the new chief executive of Alfa Romeo, succeeding Antonio Baravalle who recently announced his departure.
De Meo is credited with the recent rejuvenation of the Fiat brand, overseeing the introduction of the enormously successful Grande Punto, followed by the new Bravo and most recently the hot new 500 retro-hatch. The industry was shocked when De Meo stepped down as Fiat brand CEO just a few months ago to assume a new position in the parent company as Chief Marketing Officer for the entire Fiat Group. De Meo will be retaining the marketing position in addition to his new responsibilities as head of Alfa Romeo, while keeping his third post as head of the Abarth division, which he launched during his tenure as Fiat brand CEO.
With the new appointment, it becomes all the more clear that Luca De Meo is being groomed to take over from Fiat Group chief Sergio Marchionne, whom he succeeded as Fiat brand CEO and remains the only one with more responsibilities in the Fiat empire than De Meo (with the possible exception of his namesake Luca di Montezemolo, president of Ferrari, chairman of the Fiat Group and head of industrial alliance Confindustria).
As Marchionne pointed out, the duality of De Meo's positions put him "in the ideal position" to spearhead Alfa Romeo's imminent return to the North American market.
[Source: Italiaspeed]

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Lotus planning entrance into India

Filed under: Coupes, Supercars, Lotus


Like any automaker looking to solidify its future in the next five ten fifty years, Lotus is beginning a plan to enter the Indian market. The producer of our favorite minimalist motoring experience is beginning to scout out potential dealers throughout the country, and is expected to bring a version of the Elise to market first.

Anything that brings the sublime steering and point-and-shoot nature of Lotus to the masses is a good thing, and with a successful run of cars in Thailand and Mexico, India might prove to be yet another financial boom that can allow Lotus to continue building supremely engaging cars.

[Source: InsideLine]
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[monkeyboy]

Car Magazine: Skoda Superb teaser picture

New Skoda barge ahoy! First teaser details of the new Superb released

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Detroit 2008 Preview: Mazda Furai concept, 2009 RX-8 to debut

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Supercars, Mazda

Click image to enlarge the Mazda Furai concept

var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/motorsport/First_teaser_shot_of_the_racer_based_Mazda_Furai_concept'; Mazda has released a teaser shot of its Furai concept, which will debut next month in Detroit alongside the "heavily revised" 2009 RX-8. It's name translates from Japanese to "sound of the wind," and the car takes the design language introduced on the Nagare and applies it to what is literally a race-bred sports concept. The Furai, you see, is built atop the Courage C65 chassis that Mazda campaigned two years ago in ALMS. Power comes from a 450-horsepower three-rotor engine that runs on E100 Ethanol. As for the '09 RX-8, Mazda's announcement states only that it boasts an updated design, better quality and features, and improved handling and acceleration. The announcement now has us wondering if the spy photos that came out yesterday are actually the car we'll see in Detroit, and not the 2010 as initially believed. Finally, Detroit will mark the first appearance of the Taiki concept outside Japan. The Taiki, you'll recall, was introduced at the recent Tokyo Motor Show. We'll be there in force to cover it all.

[Source: Mazda]Continue reading Detroit 2008 Preview: Mazda Furai concept, 2009 RX-8 to debut

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: AutoblogGreen for 12.12.07

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green

Two Hummer posts on AutoblogGreen yesterday, and both point to the biofuel/ethanol nature of future vehicles carrying the lightning-rod brand name. We also posted a bit more from EVS23, including information on the new (to America) Smith Electric Truck and Kim Adelman's Plug-in Prius.

• Does the Heritage Foundation misstate results of a CAFE-safety study?
• EPA makes it official: 2008 Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon hybrids get 21 mpg
• All Hummers to be biofuel capable by 2010
• EVS23: The green machine - Smith Electric Truck comes to America
• EVS23: Kim Adelman's Plug-in Prius with Nilar nickel-metal hydride batteries
• Pacific Ethanol, Inc. Suspends Construction of Imperial Valley Ethanol Project
• Danish engineers ready li-ion Zap Xebra with 152-mile range
• We may yet see Cadillac's new 2.9L V-6 diesel in the US
• EU might raise mandatory biodiesel blend
• Grinch-y! Biofuels increase the price of Christmas trees
• Most ethanol plants in the US built in economically depressed areas
• Hummer HX concept is ethanol-capable. Does that mean anything?
• Goin' Green into the afterlife: all-electric hearses for your last ride
• Good idea? Smart-clone importers violate court injunction at Bologna Auto Show
• Toshiba's new SCiB battery charges in 5 minutes, releases March 2008 for electric vehicles
• Pro-ethanol folks respond to Economist's ethanol attack
• VW's TSI technology wins two awards in Japan

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Detroit 08 Preview: Next-gen Honda Pilot prototype to be shown

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, SUVs, Honda

Click rendering to enlarge

var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/autos/Honda_Pilot_SUV_prototype_sketch_released'; Honda's big debut at the Detroit Auto Show will be the prototype version of the next-generation Pilot SUV. As was the case with the Accord Coupe Concept shown a year ago, expect to see a very thinly disguised version of the production vehicle. From the rendering above, it looks like Honda's embracing a more Jeep-y, rugged look for its sport ute, which gets new interior packaging and capacity for eight passengers as well. Joining the Pilot proto will be the automaker's L.A. show darlings, the FCX Clarity and CR-Z hybrid concept.

[Source: Honda]Continue reading Detroit 08 Preview: Next-gen Honda Pilot prototype to be shown

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Alfa Romeo to open new plant in US

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Alfa Romeo, FIAT

Alfa Romeo isn't kidding around about its return to the US market: Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne revealed that Alfa is planning to open a factory in the United States.
Citing the drop in the US dollar against the Euro as a principal motivating factor, Marchionne said that manufacturing cars in America was vital to the profitability of Alfa's stateside venture. The Canadian-Italian industrialist anticipated that Alfa would only begin making a profit after three or four years in the US.
This won't be the first time a Fiat division has manufactured in the United States. In 1909 the Italian automaker inaugurated a plant in Poughkeepsie in upstate New York which it closed a decade later.
Meanwhile, industry sources indicate that Alfa's main factory at Pomigliano d'Arco in southern Italy will close for two months beginning in January as a last-ditch effort to get Alfa Romeo build quality up to spec or else face complete closure.
[Source: Automotive News (sub. req.) via Italiaspeed]

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Ford helps buyers see the light with glass roof option for Mustang

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Ford

Ford is giving potential Mustang buyers a third choice alongside its coupe and convertible in the form of a glass roof option that will be available on 2009 V6 and GT models. The $1,995 option consists of a special tinted glass that reduces infrared rays and heat, as well as a manual roller blind can completely block incoming sunlight.
This new option comes on the heels of a heavy decline in Mustang sales as the current model it enters its fourth year on the market. Nearly 30% fewer Mustangs were sold this November than last year, and overall sales for the year are down nearly 19%. This new option, and hopefully a Mach 1 or Boss model, just might give Mustang sales a kick in the pants in its last year before a refresh for 2010.
More details about the glass roof option are available in the press release after the jump.
[Source: Ford]
Gallery: Ford Mustang Glass Roof


Continue reading Ford helps buyers see the light with glass roof option for Mustang

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Official dealer invoice for 2008 Dodge Challenger surfaces

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupes, Chrysler, Dodge

The 2008 Dodge Challenger is Chrysler's next smash hit, with big power, great looks, and collector appeal. Chrysler may produce 10,000 or more two door muscle cars in 2008, but the first model year's worth all models will be of the SRT badge. As we've covered already, Dodge is throwing the kitchen sink at the SRT-version of the coupe, so there won't be many options to check. Still, the Mopar fans over at Allpar.com have posted the dealer invoice anyway. The only major option listed is the MyGig Multimedia Infotainment w/Nav, which will cost buyers a reasonable $890. The one real source of pain comes from a $2,100 gas guzzler tax, which seems harsh considering that any Challenger owner will be punished each and every time they hit the pump. Allpar also speculates that next year the 6.1L Hemi engine could get a power bump to 460 HP, making the RWD brawler even more potent. There's little doubt that for the first couple of years the Challenger will be a hot commodity, and even less doubt that virtually every one sold will involve dealer markups, bringing the muscle car reincarnate well above its $40,000 MSRP.

Gallery: 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8



[Source: Allpar]
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