Autoblog: News Thread

[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Spy shots: Volkswagen Passat CC "coupe"

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, Geneva Motor Show, Volkswagen
With the imminent arrival of the new coupe-shaped Volkswagen Passat at the Geneva Motor Show and the recently launched teaser site for the budget CLS competitor, it was only a matter of time before more detailed spy shots found their way onto the Web.

The artic white mule was caught undergoing testing in the chilly clime of Finland with its upmarket Mercedes rival. The front end struck us as particularly Lexus-like, aping the Japanese GS model with lights inset between the grille and the headlamps, and carrying a similar theme throughout the air dams. Whether all those elements will make it to production, or are merely camo to confound spy photogs, remains to be seen.

Unfortunately, the profile proves to be more last-gen Accord then Benz-beating chic, although judging from the awkwardly shaped rear window, we doubt that the back end will remain as staid when it graces the V-Dub show stand in March.

Click the pic above to check out several shots of the Passat "coupe" in action.

[Source: Auto Channel]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
</img> </img>

More...

 

[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: BMW and Google help European drivers navigate better, read Autoblog

Filed under: Gadgets, BMW

Those of you rolling in any new BMW model equipped with sat nav and Bluetooth connectability, save the Z4 and X3, can now integrate Google's useful, albeit sometimes erroneous, route plotting into your Bimmer. The joint effort between ze Germans and the search overlords allow users to log onto Google Maps UK, plan their route and then send the information to the vehicle's sat nav.

While that might seem like a redundancy, the truly sweet feature of the system is the ability to import ten RSS feeds into the BMW's computer, allowing you to check up on the happenings of the automotive world from your go-to obessives at Autoblog. Just try to avoid gawking at galleries while in route to pick up the kiddies.

BMW's full press release is posted post jump.Continue reading BMW and Google help European drivers navigate better, read Autoblog

Permalink | Email this | Comments
</img> </img>

More...

 

[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

Filed under: Autoline on Autoblog
John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.

WHEN THE OIL BUBBLE BREAKS

In 1995, way back in the days of print, I was doing research for the 100th anniversary of a magazine called Automotive Industries. It actually started out in 1895 as a magazine called The Horseless Age, a much more romantic name for a publication, don't you think? It was fascinating to go through all of the back issues and watch how the auto industry evolved literally each time I turned a page.

In the course of my research I started to notice a pattern. Starting in the late 1920s, the magazine ran an article warning that we were running out of oil. And once a decade or so after that there would be another article, written by a different editor, interviewing a different expert who predicted essentially the same thing--that we'd be running out of oil in the next 15 to 20 years.Continue reading Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

Permalink | Email this | Comments
</img> </img>

More...

 

[Henry]

I fancy this baby, wowza.

H.

 

[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Spy Shots: Suzuki Swift sedan nabbed in India

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, Suzuki


As we mentioned in an earlier post today, the Swift hatchback would be a great addition to Suzuki's lineup in the U.S. Much better than a mid-size truck, at least. The Swift is a well regarded little car in markets abroad where it's sold as a three- and five-door hatch, but if this spy shot supposedly taken at Suzuki's manufacturing plant in India is to be believed, a sedan version of the Swift is right around the corner. After glancing at the design, however, we're not so sure that's a good thing. The image was originally hosted on the GM Inside News forums by member indica, and the comments that follow are not flattering. Panel gaps wide enough to drive, well, a Suzuki Swift through and tons of unoccupied space between the wheels and the wells in which they sit are tops on the list of what's wrong with this car, though we think the back end just look fugly. Those taillights look similar to ones used on the Yaris Sedan, and they don't look good on the Toyota, either. Unfortunately we have no information about the Suzuki Swift Sedan other than what this pic provides, but we'll keep our feelers out for more.

[Source: GM Inside News]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
</img> </img>

More...

 

[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Caparo touts safety features of T1, mandatory driver's ed. for owners

Filed under: Safety, Supercars

The recent spate of negative press hampering the Caparo T1 hasn't stopped the makers of the clich&eacute;d "road-going racecar" from releasing a host of details outlining the finer points of the T1's safety systems.

While the press release after the jump goes into detail about the Caparo's lightweight, yet extremely rigid, carbon fiber composite tub and energy-absorbing snout, and regurgitates all the impressive details and stats surrounding the AP-sourced braking setup that hauls down the 1,256-pound street-legal F1 car from 100 mph in under three seconds, it's the last bit about driver training that caught our attention.

It seems that all owners of the Caparo T1 are required to attend a training course that allows them to experience the vehicle's dynamic pleasures on a closed track. If the T1 is to be driven on the street - something that's legal in the UK, but not highly advised - owners will embark on a separate course that gives them the ins and outs of driving a vehicle with such high limits on public roads.

Caparo is touting the T1 as "one of the world's safest ultra-performance vehicles," although we'd probably ask Jason Plato's opinion first if we had the means of acquiring one.

[Source: Caparo]Continue reading Caparo touts safety features of T1, mandatory driver's ed. for owners

Permalink | Email this | Comments
</img> </img>

More...

 

[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: McLaren mea culpa: we're sorry about Stepneygate, and Ferrari was right

Filed under: Motorsports
During the Stepneygate scandal over the course of the 2007 Formula 1 season, more than one critic accused the FIA of being on a witch hunt against McLaren. Based on what McLaren said it knew, and what the FIA said it knew, it looked to many like the governing body was simply doing everything possible to put Ferrari in the Championship lead. When the $100,000,000 penalty was given to McLaren, some folks were aghast.

But this one goes firmly to the FIA. McLaren has unreservedly apologized in a letter to the FIA, the World Motorsports Council, and F1 fans for not being forthcoming, for possibly allowing Ferrari secrets to get into its car, and for allowing the FIA's investigation of the team to reveal more information than its own investigation. It also agreed to pay the FIA's expenses for conducting the investigation.

In addition to all of that, McLaren has agreed to "'impose a moratorium' on development of three separate systems that may have been infected by the Ferrari secrets." Those three potentially "infected" systems were on Hamilton and Alonso's 2007 racers, which makes it quite convenient that Hamilton didn't win the Championship. Because of McLaren's acknowledgment of guilt and acceptance of terms, Max Mosley, head of the FIA, has asked that the investigation be closed, and that a February 14th meeting to determine the validity of McLaren's 2008 car be canceled.

[Source: F1 Live]


Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
</img> </img>

More...

 

[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: First Drive: 2008 Chevrolet HHR SS

Filed under: Sports/GTs, Wagons/Estates, Crossovers/CUVs, Hatchbacks, Chevrolet, Driving



The General has been on a roll as of late with new vehicles like the Saturn Aura, Cadillac CTS, Chevy Malibu and its line of redesigned trucks and SUVs that have been garnering good reviews and the attention of customers. We were invited to test drive the new Chevrolet HHR SS to see if they've knocked one out of the park, hit a foul or, ahem, missed the ball completely when transforming the little retro-mobile into a Super Sport. Our driving and vehicle impressions can be found after the jump, but for starters, remember these two key phrases: launch control and no-lift shifting. Intrigued? We were.
Gallery: 2008 Chevy HHR SS: First Drive


Continue reading First Drive: 2008 Chevrolet HHR SS

Permalink | Email this | Comments
</img> </img>

More...

 

[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Jaguar and Land Rover to build coolest design studio on Earth

Filed under: Etc., Tech, Jaguar, Land Rover


Even though Jaguar and Land Rover might only have a foot or so of visibility into the fog of their business futures, they continue to plan for long-term success. The latest step is a $4 million investment in a "virtual reality center" that will create three-dimensional projections for designers and engineers to study, saving the time and expense of having to build individual models.

Jag and Land Rover worked with four suppliers to create the four-walled studio. Projecting power will come from eight Sony SRX-S105 projectors, each one of them as powerful as the best cinema-standard projector and each one having four times the resolution of HD. With that kind of capability, designers -- wearing 3-D glasses -- will be looking at photorealistic representations of their creations.

When finished in the spring of 2008, it will be the most advanced design studio in the world. We're glad to see the two embattled marques focused on nothing but getting better. Now if Jag could use that studio to make a kick-ass XJ replacement, and make the XF -- as good as it is -- everything it could be, then they'd really have a blockbuster studio on their hands.
Continue reading Jaguar and Land Rover to build coolest design studio on Earth

Permalink | Email this | Comments
</img> </img>

More...

 

[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Nissan-built Suzuki pickup confirmed

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Trucks/Pickups, Nissan, Suzuki

Nissan is all about collaboration with its competitors, as evident by the rumor today that it could enter into an agreement with Chrysler to co-develop cars, trucks and engines. Japan's third largest automaker partnered up with Suzuki in 2006, and as Mike Levine from Pickuptruck.com figured out, one big collaboration that has resulted is a new mid-size Suzuki pickup that will be based off of Nissan's Frontier platform and be built by Nissan at its Smyrna, Tennessee plant. Both automakers have now officially confirmed that they're working on the truck together, and the only thing left to wonder is when it will debut and what it will be called. Mike Levine again provided us with an educated guess that the truck will show up at the Chicago Auto Show, and based on recent trademark filings by Suzuki, will be called the Equator. We feel compelled to reiterate our initial concern that entering the mid-size truck market is not the best way for Suzuki to continue increasing its sales in North America, as the segment is shrinking at fast pace. Isn't there a small three-door hatch you'd rather sell in the U.S., Suzuki?

[Source: Suzuki, Nissan]Continue reading Nissan-built Suzuki pickup confirmed

Permalink | Email this | Comments
</img> </img>

More...

 

[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Rendered Speculation: Mazda3 interpretation gets it all wrong?

Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Wagons/Estates, Hatchbacks, Mazda


The blokes over from AutoExpress tapped an artist to photochop the next Mazda3, supposedly utilizing sources within the automaker, and although it looks like an inoffensive evolution of the current model, we're somewhat doubtful that it's an accurate representation of what's to come.

Earlier this week, Automotive News sat down with Mazda's design chief, Laurens van den Acker, who said that the redesigned 2009 Mazda3 would take several cues from the Nagare line of concepts. All of the concepts featured a prominent five-point grille and "flow" inspired creases flanking the sides. In the rendering above, we don't see any of those elements. Instead, it's simply the integration of a few of the cues found on the new Mazda6 and its CUV/SUV siblings.

The Brits assert that the next 3 will be built atop the longer platform slated to underpin the 2010 Ford Focus, featuring a more spacious interior with higher quality materials, with a Mazdaspeed version (MPS abroad) that will utilize the 2.5-liter mill from the new Mazda6.

[Source: AutoExpress]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
</img> </img>

More...

 

[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: 2008 Chevy Impala 50th Anniversary Edition coming to Detroit

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Sedans/Saloons, Chevrolet, GM

Click the image above for over 30 high-res pics.

var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/autos/50th_Anniversary_Chevy_Impala_is_automotive_Xanax'; The Chevy Impala is celebrating its 50th Anniversary, and to commemorate the occasion the Bowtie division is offering up a badge-and-trim special edition. What you have here is the garden-variety Impala LT, upgraded for anniversary-edition duty with an FE3 sport suspension, 18-inch alloys, commemorative "50th" Impala badges and a rear spoiler. Inside, the seats are leather and two-toned, with eight-way adjustability for the driver and anniversary embroidery on the headrests. Other edition-specific features include a multifunction steering wheel wrapped in contrast-stitched leather, slightly fancier floormats, and doorsill plates sporting the anniversary logo. It comes in red or black and is, without question, the single most unexciting car GM will be introducing at next month's Detroit Auto Show.

[Source: GM]

Gallery: Chevrolet Impala 50th Anniversary Edition

Continue reading 2008 Chevy Impala 50th Anniversary Edition coming to Detroit

Permalink | Email this | Comments
</img> </img>

More...

 

[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Chevy Silverado commercial spoils CBS show for fans

Filed under: Trucks/Pickups, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Chevrolet


Earlier this year, the CBS show Cane was the seventh most searched new fall show. Since then, we haven't heard anything about it, neither good or bad. That changed this week when someone at CBS had a Homer moment ("D'oh!") and ran a story-spoiling commercial before the plot had run its course on the show.

On the show, cut to: Jaime taking off in a Chevy Silverado into a cane field, being chased by his father, Alex (Jimmy Smits in the lead role), and getting caught in a fire set by a rival. Fade to black. Cut to commercial: a Chevy Silverado bursting through a wall of flames, and a narrator asking "Did you think that stunt with the Silverado was hot?" Cut to viewers asking: "Uh, what the...?"
But come on -- was this really a plot spoiler? Because you really thought it possible that the main character and his son were going to die in a fire in the show's first season? Really? CBS, in fact, did get one angry call. And with that, probably lost the one ardent fan of Cane.

[Source: Winding Road]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
</img> </img>

More...

 

[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: First nighttime F1 race gears up

Filed under: Motorsports

On September 28, 2008 at 8 pm, the first Formula 1 race ever held at night will begin in Singapore. Sixty-eight miles of power cable will provide juice to 1,500 light projectors mounted on 240 pylons around the track. What does that mean? It means three billion watts of power -- about four times brighter than a sports stadium. And that might make it the only night time race that requires sunglasses.

Recent developments in Melbourne, Australia, however, mean that Singapore might not be so special for long. Hella has created a special night lighting system for the Australian Grand Prix, and is waiting on a response from the FIA to move forward with it.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
</img> </img>

More...

 

[Stuart]

What is the point?
If it is all under flood lights, then it is hardly a night race, just an articificial-light-day race.

I seems to me this is just about tv schedules and advertising revenues.

And it is not 3 billion watts either.

 

[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Spy Shots: 2009/10 Ford Fiesta

Filed under: Spy Photos, Economy, Hatchbacks, Ford

click above image for more spy shots

Brenda Priddy & Co. caught a Euro Fiesta mule filling up its gas tank in North Sweden, and the car can already be seen wearing a few cues inspired by the Verve Concept that debuted in Frankfurt. First and foremost is the large front grille that punctuates the cladding this mule is wearing. This car's beltline also sweeps up dramatically from front to back, and the rear taillights are mounted on the C/D-pillar just like the Verve's. Of course, we're interested in the European Fiesta because after it debuts over there next summer as a 2009 model, it will arrive in the U.S. virtually unchanged the following year as a 2010 model. Expect both three- and five-door hatchback models to be offered, which makes the loss of those model types in the larger Focus lineup a bit easier for us to swallow.

[Photos: Brenda Priddy & Co.]

Gallery: 2009/10 Ford Fiesta - spy shots

Continue reading Spy Shots: 2009/10 Ford Fiesta

Permalink | Email this | Comments
</img> </img>

More...

 

[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: 2007 SSC Ultimate Aero Twin Turbo for sale

Filed under: Car Buying, Supercars

Getting tired of the staid supercars sitting in your garage? Now is your chance to own the Guinness-verified world's fastest car, the SSC Ultimate Aero which was clocked at an average two-way speed of 255.83 mph - besting both the Bugatti Veyron and Koenigsegg CCX. Motorcars of Las Vegas, the sole distributor of the Ultimate Aero, has chassis #SSC-07-004 on its showroom floor ready for its first owner. This is the first one they have had for immediate delivery, and there are only 15 miles on the odometer. The twin-turbo V8 mounted amidships puts out 1183 horsepower and 1094 lb-ft torque. Other features include a full carbon fiber body, navigation system, back-up camera, and a front lift system to clear speed bumps. If this particular one doesn't suit your taste, you can also commission one to your own specifications.
[Source: Motorcars of Las Vegas]
Gallery: 2007 SSC Ultimate Aero Twin Turbo



Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
</img> </img>

More...

 

[skitt]

mmmmmmm lovely

 

[Stuart]

Since when has "besting" been an English word?
What's wrong with beating?

 

[Stuart]

I just think it strange that they have made the Fiesta, which is supposed to be small, into a Focus.
Presumably the Focus will turn into a Mondeo and the Mondeo will be a limo.