Autoblog: News Thread

[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Collector's Collection: Ferrari 60th Anniversary Icons

Filed under: Etc., Ferrari

With the end of the year 2007, so came the end of Ferrari's 60th anniversary celebrations. Although the 60 special-edition 612 Scagliettis made to mark the occasion were nothing compared to the F40 and F50 supercars that were created to celebrate previous anniversaries, for its sixtieth Maranello partied it up in a number of ways, including an around-the-world rally. The relay baton that was passed off through each country on its global adventure was decorated with 60 emblems, each designed for the occasion and depicting an icon from each year of the company's history.
Now those emblems are being offered to customers as a collection, each minted in brass and mounted on a wooden base covered in red silk. Anchoring the display is the same Ferrari badge that goes on the boot lid of every new Ferrari road car. The collection is available for about $2000, but if you think nobody would drop that kind of cash on something like this, there are thousands of Ferrari collectors out there who are used to spending easily a hundred times that on a new car without batting an eye, and 1947 of them will have these hanging in their homes, offices or garage.
[Source: FerrariStore.com via Luxurylaunches.com]

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: GM cancels $4.1 billion line of credit

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, GM, Earnings/Financials, Tokyo Auto Salon

Back in June 2007, GM was staring a lot of financial variables in the face. To help alleviate a potential cash crunch, the General took out a $4.1 billion line of credit with a syndicate of banks to ensure that bills would get paid in the event of an emergency. The UAW negotiations have come and gone, and the Cadillac CTS and Chevy Malibu have launched without the General needing to dip into the credit line, so GM terminated the agreement. The automaker informed the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that it had "sufficient liquidity and financial flexibility" in the first half of 2008 to cover its bills without borrowing additional funds.
We won't pretend to know whether GM canceled the credit line because it's starting to see progress in the US, or if the UAW negotiations went better than it thought, or if the Detroit automaker kept the plastic in its wallet this holiday season. We do know, however, that not having to borrow $4.1 billion is probably a good thing.
[Source: Auto News (subs. req'd)]

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Aerodynamics is not worth this...

Filed under: Etc., Green, Tech, Hatchbacks, Honda

Click the image above to see more photos of Franken-Civic
Car mods and great fuel economy are frequent topics here at Autoblog, but pair the two and sometimes they go together about as well as milk and whiskey. One gentlemen has modded his 1992 Honda Civic to achieve an alleged 85 mpg at 70 mph, but he had to beat the vehicle with a 500-lb ugly stick to get the job done. The would-be engineer used coroplast and aluminum (not papier-m&acirc;chi&eacute;, as it would appear) to add a "front spoiler", underbody cover, wheel covers, and a missile-like "boat tail." We're not sure why the muffler is wearing a codpiece, but this guy seems to know what he's doing, so we'll give him the benefit of the doubt. The end results of the modifications are Prius-destroying fuel economy, very little drag, and zero chance of ever getting a date while driving it.
We do have to give props where props are due, however. If the fuel savings are legit, this rolling tribute to ugly is very impressive. The liftable wheel covers and inverted side mirrors are clever touches, as is the stow-n-flow storage compartment beneath the boattail floor. In all, it's an interesting science experiment, but this Franken-Civic is more likely to elicit shrieks of horror than looks of awe.

[Source: Ecomodder.com via AutoblogGreen]
Gallery: Franken-Civic



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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Time Capsule: Fiat 500 set for UK launch on the London Eye

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Hatchbacks, FIAT, UK

The Fiat 500 is selling like hotcakes everywhere it's hit the market, but Fiat isn't about to sit back and let the product speak for itself. "Committed to making the country smile for the night", Fiat's British subsidiary is planning to debut the retro-mini in a capsule on the London Eye, the 443-foot Ferris wheel formerly known as the Millennium Wheel on the banks of the River Thames.
The 500, which has been winning award after award, will take flight on the wheel at precisely 500 hours into the New Year, on Monday, January 21, 2008 at 8 pm. The high-flying British premiere is one of several recent firsts for the 500 worldwide, having recently appeared in police guise in Amsterdam and been prepared for the track in Australia.
Follow the jump for the press release and an additional photo.
[Source: Fiat UK]
Continue reading Time Capsule: Fiat 500 set for UK launch on the London Eye

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Ford GTX1 production comes to an end

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA, Sports/GTs, Supercars, Ford

Click image for hi-res gallery of the GTX1

Gennadi Dedign Group has announced that the end draws nigh for the company's limited-run Ford GT roadster conversion, the GTX1. Over two years of production, the plan was to make 600 total cars available. 100 would be SEMA Edition replicas of the Valencia Orange show car shown above and in the attached gallery. The other 500 would be regular customer cars. According to Gennadi, only 100 cars or so have been ordered and completed, and whatever the number stands at when orders are officially ended on August 31, 2008 will be the final production run. The SEMA editions, in addition to the roof conversion, also received a host of additional upgrades including racing seats, adjustable shocks, Wilwood brakes, a power boost to 700 horses, a hidden rear bumper, and other some interior tweaks, too. Incidentally, we recently saw one of the finished customer cars (it sported the Tungsten paint job) in Greenwich, CT not long ago. With the roof in place, it can easily be mistaken for a "garden variety" GT -- which we would have done if not for the GTX1 labeling aft of the front wheel. Little did we know that it was one of a much smaller group than Gennadi probably anticipated building. If you've got a Ford GT and a hankering for an arier experience, you've got until August to let Gennadi have its way with it.

[Source: Gennadi Design Group]
Gallery: Ford GTX1

Continue reading Ford GTX1 production comes to an end

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Jeremy Clarkson for Prime Minister? Public support increases

Filed under: Government/Legal, UK
Some say his political views are frightening. Others say he's got a growing group of supporters. All we know is...he's called Jeremy Clarkson.
Back in August we brought you a report that the celebrity host of BBC television's hit program Top Gear had a petition started in his name to promote his popular candidacy for British Prime Minister. Not that he's in any way declared his intension to run for public office, but the petition that was at 15,000 signatures at the end of the summer has now nearly doubled.
In light of the mounting public support, British tabloid the Daily Mail has put together a mock platform for Jezza, the world's most famous automotive journalist, should he decide to run. Some of the platform's highlights call for promoting global warming by incentivizing gas-guzzling automobiles, while banning diesels and hybrids; shutting down the public health & safety department; arming constables in order to intimidate youth; abolishing speed cameras; promoting the glory of the British Empire; withdrawing from the EU and ending relations with the US; and reinstituting medieval punishment methods and public executions.
We say shoot for the moon and land among the stars: Clarkson for Transportation Minister.
[Source: Daily Mail]

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: European coachbuilders will sink or swim in changing market

Filed under: Aftermarket, Concept Cars, Euro, Plants/Manufacturing, Earnings/Financials

We've posted a number of articles in recent months about coachbuilders like Pininfarina and Bertone finding themselves in financially troubled waters. The difficulties these and other independent manufacturers around Europe are suffering now appear to be part of a larger trend that's forcing these companies to either adapt to the changing market or face extinction.
While major manufacturers once subcontracted the production of niche vehicles - sports cars and convertibles especially - to smaller companies, the larger carmakers have been adapting their assembly lines towards small runs of diverse automobiles, leaving the indie coachbuilders with declining business. As a result, Pininfarina, for example, has been dipping further and further into the red, while Bertone was forced to sell its business on the verge of bankruptcy hearings.
Industry experts now advise that the coachbuilders will have to change their focus in order to survive and return to profitability. Although some have been receiving patronage from wealthy customers seeking original automotive creations like Zagato's Maserati GS and Pininfarina's Ferrari P4/5, that business is sporadic at best. Magna Steyr continues to be awarded contracts from carmakers like BMW, and Karmann is gearing up for an anticipated contact from Kia, but these and other coachbuilders will need to begin looking elsewhere for continued viability. Pininfarina and Bertone can return to their erstwhile core business of automotive design while shutting down or severely downsizing their manufacturing divisions, while emerging markets like China could provide potential contracts in the future. But while there may be a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, European coachbuilders will need to streamline to reach it.
[Source: Automotive News (subscription required) via Winding Road]

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Spy Video: BMW Progressive Activity Sedan

Filed under: Spy Photos, Minivans/MPVs, Sedans/Saloons, Wagons/Estates, Videos, Crossovers/CUVs, Hatchbacks, BMW

Back in September, BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer announced an ambitious plan to increase production to 1.8 million vehicles by 2012 and to 2 million units by 2020. To reach those goals, BMW is planning several new niche models, including what it referred to as a "Progressive Activity Sedan". But while little in the way of details for the PAS were revealed at the time, a video has surfaced revealing a test mule for the car, which will be based on the next 5-Series with a fastback body-style.
The PAS is anticipated to slot between the 5-Series sedan and 5-Series wagon, with five seats and a hatchback rear end. Currently undergoing testing, the PAS is expected to go into production in 2009 or 2010 after an unveiling as a concept either at the Paris show later this year or in Detroit a year from now. Check out the video after the jump.
[Source: Autocar via Carscoop]
Continue reading Spy Video: BMW Progressive Activity Sedan

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: CES 2008: Bill Gates announces SYNC 2.0

Filed under: Safety, Tech, Ford, Lincoln, Mercury

var digg_url = 'http://www.digg.com/microsoft/Bill_Gates_announces_SYNC_2_0'; SYNC appears to be a big win so far for Ford, with the communications technology helping to move vehicles off dealer lots faster than vehicles without the system. Ford and Microsoft have been working to take SYNC to the next level, however, and the changes announced by Bill Gates at CES show that the technology is on an upward trajectory. Gates announced two new capabilities for SYNC that will help Ford offer a richer multimedia experience while competing with GM's OnStar satellite service.

First, SYNC will soon be able to assist drivers in calling 911 if an accident is detected. Drivers will need a SYNC-paired phone for SYNC 911 Assist to work, and since the SYNC simply uses the driver's phone, there is no monthly charge for the service. Ford tells us that it had to clear hurdles for 911 Assist because the government doesn't want systems to call 911 without human intervention, so a 10-second buffer gives drivers the ability to cancel the call. If the occupants of the vehicle are incapacitated, SYNC will automatically call 911 if the driver doesn't cancel the 911 call after 10 seconds. Ford points out that 911 Assist doesn't need an operator working as a 911 middle-man, giving it a speed advantage over OnStar. Hit the jump to read about SYNC's Vehicle Health Reports and Ford's official press release.

[Source: Ford]Continue reading CES 2008: Bill Gates announces SYNC 2.0

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: CES 2008: Preshow Peek

Filed under: Gadgets, CES

click above for more high-res preshow pics of CES 2008

CES doesn't officially open until Monday morning, but we were able to get a really quick, escorted tour of the Las Vegas Convention Center's north hall where all of the automotive booths are concentrated.

Many of the photos are badly focused, almost all are badly lit, but you can get an early glimpse of what CES has to offer automotive enthusiasts before anyone else does.

GPS navigation is big again this year, as is MP3 connectivity. The bigger thing, though is rolling both of them together with voice control and Bluetooth. And for those who haven't already bedecked every inch of their cars with LCD screens (inside and out), we saw plenty in our quick walk through.

We saw a Tesla being charged in anticipation of the big show, a bright orange SUV with ridiculously large wheels being navigated through the displays and a Cadillac limo possibly being assembled from scratch on the show floor. We caught BMW prepping its huge F1 display including a life-size clear plastic Formula One car.

We're interested to see how all of the booths look completed when the doors officially open in a few hours and hope to bring you numerous photos of the Cars of CES 2008.
Gallery: CES 2008: Preshow Peek


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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Confirmed! Porsche Panamera to come with hybrid flavor

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Sedans/Saloons, Green, Porsche

var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/autos/Porsche_releasing_four_door_hybrid'; Although Porsche has yet to fully reveal its "four-door GT" to the public, it's officially announced that the Panamera will have the option to come equipped with the same gas-electric hybrid powertrain that will find it's way into the Cayenne by the end of the decade.

The parallel hybrid setup will include a battery pack fitted below the luggage compartment, along with an additional clutch and electric motor mated between the engine and transmission. Fuel consumption is expected to be reduced by around 30-percent, while still providing the same motivation you'd expect from a Porsche.

Stuttgart plans to reveal the Panamera to the world in 2009, initially with traditional gasoline-powered mills, with the hybrid to go on sale later.Continue reading Confirmed! Porsche Panamera to come with hybrid flavor

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: AutoblogGreen for 01.07.08

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green


Well, if you were hoping to read news of the Dakar Rally this morning, the news is that the race was canceled on Friday due to a specific terrorist attack. Hopefully the NAIAS will go off without incident next week, as we're looking forward to learning more about some vehicles and technologoes that will be unveiled there: the list of the latest on the green front includes the Saturn Vue 2-mode hybrid, the Audi R8 V12 TDI concept, and Ford's EcoBoost GTDI engines.

• GM's Wagoner says there's no guarantee Volt will start production in 2010
• Detroit 2008 Preview: Audi R8 V12 TDI concept
• Detroit 2008: Ford EcoBoost Gasoline Turbo Direct Injection engines
• Detroit 2008: Saturn Vue 2-mode hybrid
• Dakar Rally canceled after terror threat
• It's Friday: Fahrenheit 451's vision of the future includes very green transport
• Ethanol promoters say ethanol is one "realistic solution" to high oil prices
• Aston Martin launches E85-ready GT2 race Vantage
• Gulf of Mexico "dead zone" expanding, possibly due to corn bubble
• Did Toyota hybrid sales peak in 2007?
• In future, the road heats you - solar energy stored in asphalt
• Spring could bring $4 gallons of gas to the U.S.
• Tom Cruise proves Scientologists &ne; green by spending $1,000,000 a year on fuel
• Video: Brangelina and the kids riding bikes

More AutoblogGreen headlines after the jump.Continue reading AutoblogGreen for 01.07.08

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: CES 2008: Wagoner expected to announce driverless cars within a decade

Filed under: CES, Tech, GM


General Motors' CEO Rick Wagoner won't be making his keynote address at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show until Tuesday, but word is that a big talking point in his speech will be driverless cars. According to CNN Money/Autos, Wagoner is expected to reveal that GM will be testing driverless cars by 2015 and have cars on the road by 2018. What is meant by "on the road" remains to be seen, as buying a real production Tahoe with this technology within ten years seems like a stretch. Still, the success of the DARPA Grand Challenge these past three years in which driverless vehicles pilot themselves through a miles-long course shows that we do have the technology to take our hands off the wheel. GM played its own part in sponsoring the Carnegie Mellon team that has done well in each competition, including the most recent one in which the university's driverless Tahoe called the "Boss" won the whole thing. We've confirmed that CMU's Boss will be on stage with Wagoner as he gives his speech on Tuesday. Thanks to its association with Carnegie Mellon and the DARPA Grand Challenge competitions, GM is definitely on the forefront of developing driverless tech, but promising hands-free driving in ten years is a bold move. We'll just have to wait and see what the Ricker says when he takes the stage on Tuesday.

[Source: CNN Money/Autos]
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Lewis Hamilton resigns with McLaren for $138 million

Filed under: Motorsports
Reports are coming in that Lewis Hamilton, the phenom F1 driver that nearly won the drivers' championship last season, has resigned with team McLaren for a reported $138 million USD over the next five years. The deal keeps the now 23-year-old at McLaren through 2012, though he's said he would stay put for his entire career if they wanted him to (and paid him to). On average, Hamilton will earn $27 million per year through 2012, which is a big raise compared to the $700,000 base pay plus bonuses he earned last year, his rookie season. Looks like all that money used to pay F1 star Fernando Alonso last season will be going to Hamilton now, despite the fact he couldn't beat the Stig around the Top Gear test track.

[Source: Motor Authority]
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Chery to delay exports to Europe

Filed under: China, Euro, Chery


Europeans anxiously awaiting their chance to buy a Chery will have to cool their heels a little longer. Chery's delaying the export of their B21, but it's not for anything major like crash performance woes. According to suppliers, Chery has pushed back production so they can revamp the interior design. The fitment that appeals to the Chinese domestic market is less thrilling to European buyers, so the cabin will get some attention before the B21 swings into production later this year. It won't be long until these cars start finding European buyers. Chery and its peers are getting their collective acts together and while these cars are currently punchlines, they won't be for long.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req., Photo: Autoblog Chinese]


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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Camless engine may debut on 2009 Fiat 500, Alfa Junior

Filed under: Tech, Hatchbacks, Alfa Romeo, FIAT
It's been bandied about for some time, but Valeo is looking to finally make it a reality. The supplier is developing a camless engine that utilizes electromagnetic solenoids to drive the camshafts, providing unlimited control of the valves, reducing emissions by up to 20-percent and improving performance in the process.

The system, which is also being developed by both Jacobs Vehicle Systems of Connecticut and Lotus Engineering, has had its share of fits and starts. Packaging issues have caused problems for all involved, particularly on engines with three or four valves per cylinder.

Although Valeo has yet to get an automaker to sign on, industry sources claim that Fiat is looking to employ a similar system, dubbed Multiair, on the 2009 900cc 500 and possibly some of its diesel offerings. Alfa Romeo might get in the game as well, when it releases the "Junior" model with a turbocharged inline four.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: At the Cadillac CAFE, V8s likely to come off the menu

Filed under: Etc., Cadillac


It all changed on December 19, according to Cadillac General Manager Jim Taylor. That's when President Bush signed the bill that made increased CAFE standards a reality. The revised fuel economy requirements mean that the days of widespread V8 power at Cadillac are all but over. This all dovetails neatly with GM's announcement that the DOHC "Ultra V8," a replacement for the aging Northstar, has been canceled. The Northstar will go out of production permanently in 2010.

Instead of the traditional V8, look for expanded use of the powerful direct-injected 3.6L V6 currently available in the CTS and STS. A caddy without a V8 might seem odd, but we thought the same thing when Lincoln announced the MKS wouldn't get eight cylinders underhood, either. That appears to be working out fine, and we're inclined to believe Cadillac will also have no problem making the transition. The DI V6 makes more than 300 horsepower in its current form anyway, and the General's pushrod V8s will still be around to service the Escalade and low-volume niche vehicles like the V-Series cars if needed. Automotive News says that the 2.9L turbodiesel in development for the European CTS could also be used Stateside when the time comes. Sounds good to us. A refined, punchy diesel and the excellent DI V6 would do well carrying Caddy's mainstream lineup into the post-V8 era, particularly when little to no power will be sacrificed along the way.

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

Autoblog: Ferrari SUV reportedly has codename F151, concept coming in 2010

Filed under: SUVs, Crossovers/CUVs, Ferrari


Leave it up to the blokes at AutoExpress to bring details about the rumored, and oft denied, Cayenne competitor from Ferrari. The Brit pub supposedly has the inside scoop on what could be the biggest brand dilution in the history of automobiledom, and it currently goes by the codename F151.

The five-passenger 'ute was rendered by AE's in-house photochoppers, taking plenty of cues from the 612 Scaglietti, from which the Ferrari SUV might be based. Power is likely to be supplied by one of Maranello's V8s or V12s, but the real problem isn't motivation, it's how that grunt will find its way to the ground. The two options available include either modifying the Scag's platform with a high-tech traction control setup and beefing up the running gear to allow it to make the regular rare trips off road or to source an all-wheel-drive system from Mercedes to limit the cost to Ferrari.

Whether this is strictly misinformed prognostication or based in reality remains to be seen, but according to AutoExpress, the F151 will be revealed to the world in 2010, with sales beginning the following year. Prices should easily crest the &pound;100,000 mark.

[Source: AutoExpress]
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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Aw Snap! First Nissan GT-R crash

Filed under: Coupes, Etc., Supercars, Nissan

click either image above to enlarge

var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/autos/Aw_Snap_First_Nissan_GT_R_crash'; Even with an advanced all-wheel-drive system, the Nissan GT-R must still be handle for some with its 480-horsepower twin-turbo 3.8L V6. Something like that must've been the case with the owner of this black GT-R, who has earned the distinctly displeasurable honor of being the first to crash a production Nissan GT-R. The location of the crash is unknown, though some forum goers have guessed Hong Kong. The circumstances surrounding the accident are also a mystery, though it's clear that the GT-R hit something almost head on and that its crumple zones do, in fact, work quite well. Hopefully we won't be posting about GT-Rs that bite the dust as often as we do Enzos, but clearly Nissan's new supercar needs to be respected by novice drivers. Thanks for the tip, Jeff!

[Source: North American GT-R Owners Club]
Gallery: Nissan GT-R Crash


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[monkeyboy]

Autoblog: Roll like Walter P: 300C Rodeo Drive Plus 6 package

Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Etc., Chrysler

Click either image for a gallery of the Chrysler 300C Rodeo Drive Plus 6.

Performance West has rolled out a stretched wheelbase blinged-out 300C with an appropriately protracted name. The W.P. Chrysler Executive Series 300C Rodeo Drive Plus 6 by Performance West pulls together the work and merchandise of several vendors to create a six-inch longer 300C for those executives who find the standard choices too boring. Nobody will be able to ignore the chrome spear down the flanks, and if they do just crank up the stereo. Mechanicals are upgraded with a Corsa cat-back exhaust and a Flex Fuel Smart system adds E85 capability to the Hemi. Coil-overs and thicker swaybars tighten up proceedings underneath, and SSBC's upgraded brakes hide behind 22-inch Sporza wheels. Inside, the seats have been retrimmed in custom leather, there's an audio system to rattle your molars and an integrated computer and communications rig, too. Look up, there's a Glassback installation by Classic Design Concepts, look down, you'll find a Hurst shifter sticking purposefully out of the console. It looks like it'd be a whole lot more fun to shuffle papers around in the rear compartment of the Plus 6 than, say, a Maybach. The whole shebang will be available for an as yet unannounced price at dealers.

Thanks for the tip, David!

[Source: Allpar]

Gallery: 300 Rodeo Drive Plus 6


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