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Review: 2013 Mercedes-Benz C250

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 09 Sep 2013 14:20:00 +0000

Here’s a little secret: ever since the folks at No Longer DaimlerChrysler decided to pervert their previously sensible nomenclature in order to better suit the lowest common denominator of California housewives, the replacement for the 190E has been known within Mercedes-Benz dealerships as the “Cheap-Class”. It’s a particularly common phrase in Service and Parts, but from time to time a salesperson will let it slip as well, although certainly not in front of the customer.

There’s something ungracious about calling a vehicle that sells for a minimum (and as-tested!) price of $36,725 the “Cheap” anything, but from the perspective of its manufacturer the sobriquet is legitimate. Set the Wayback Machine for 1975, and you can find a W115 240D selling for $9500. That’s $38,000 in today’s money, and it got you a German taxi with roll-up windows, no air conditioning, sixty-four horsepower, and M-B Tex seats. The new car offers more — a lot more — for less. So, Cheap-Class it is.

My recent trip to Napa for the VW Intramural League test offered me a chance to kill a couple birds with a single stone. By renting my own transportation, I’d be free to avoid the $100 dinners with various Heffalumps Of The Industry. And by paying an eye-watering $354 for three days including airport tax, I’d be able to review a Mercedes for the B&B. Done and done. To paraphrase Jerry Orbach in Dirty Dancing, let’s see what my money bought.

Don’t look now, but this car’s a bit of a media darling. I couldn’t find a bad review of it anywhere I looked. Had it just been the American press giving it props, I’d have suspected that the gilded hand of recently-deposed superstar Mercedes PR person Geoff Day had been hard at work. The Brits like it just as much, however, and they’ve been singularly unkind to the Baby Benz in the past. Although this is fundamentally a facelift of the 2007 model, the accolades for interior quality, styling, and dynamics have come thick and fast from sources as different as Car and Driver and Top Gear.

My initial impression of it was slightly different, and it was this: small, and crappy. Somehow, the “W204″ has avoided the unsightly swelling that has afflicted its cousin from Munich. The 190E was 175 inches long; this is 180. The E30 and F30 are 175 and 182 inches, respectively, but the numbers don’t properly communicate how tidy the Benz feels compared to the Bimmer. This is still a compact car. I suppose that’s a brave thing, and Mercedes gets away with it because it’s not their core product the way the Three is for BMW.

What’s impressive about the interior: The evergreen M-B Tex seats, long may they wear. The LCD screen in the centrally-mounted speedometer is extremely high-resolution and contains many beautiful fonts and images. The steering wheel’s about as good as what you get in a VW GLI, and that’s not damning with faint praise. The shifter feels solid.

The rest of it’s pretty low-rent, and perhaps deliberately so, because this is, after all, the Cheapest of the Class. I had to keep telling myself, “This doesn’t cost any more than a Ford Fusion with the goodies,” to which my self responded, “That would be a bigger car with more power and more stuff and a nicer interior.” Fortunately for my mental health, I was interrupted by the infotainment system’s decision to pretend my iPod Classic didn’t exist. After some fussing, I paired my Galaxy S3 and cued up the Amazon Cloud Player. Gotta have the Player to hear that Mayer, dontcha know. There was a Hertz NeverLost (aka “NeverRight”) GPS goiter mounted on the center console, which seemed odd until I remembered that thirty-six grand doesn’t get you GPS. Oh, Mercedes! You so crazy! First it was optional air conditioning on your luxury car, and now it’s optional GPS.

In just moments, it was time to hop on the 101 and press the throttle pedal to the carpet. Hmm. Thus began my three-day experience with the World’s Most Charmless Engine. It’s a 1.8-liter four-cylinder, turbocharged to a fairly stout 201 horsepower and 229 lb-ft of torque. Or at least that’s what I’ve been led to believe. On the move, however, it has no characteristics of an internal combustion powerplant whatsoever. When full-speed-ahead is requested, it hesitates for a moment while the 7G-TRONIC negotiates the proper gear. Then it emits an odd sort of drone and begins shoving the C250 forward. This shove does not vary as the tach needle climbs. It’s like an electric motor. When a gearchange is called for, there’s a brief pause and then the unchanging push continues. The electric Mercedes luxury sedan may be a thing of the future, but its indifferent, uninspiring power delivery is here today. Next to this thing, the Jetta 1.8TSI might as well be a Ferrari F355, character-wise.

My schedule required multiple trips from San Francisco to Napa over the course of three days. During that time, I came to appreciate a few things about the C250. Thing one: the seats, driving position, and feedback from the controls are efficient and relaxing. I could dimly sense the vestigial tail of my 190E’s forged-steel approach to the open road in its great-grandchild, even though it was dulled by the modern requirement for a few hundred pounds of Dynamat. After driving the Passat and CC, neither of which was significantly less expensive than this car, I was relieved to find myself back in the Cheap’s black-vinyl-and-aluminum-trim confines.

Thing two: what features the car has do in fact work well. The Bluetooth integration is flawless and hands-free chatting is acceptably hi-fi. The climate control dealt with heat and cold to my satisfaction and without adding a lot of blower noise to the quiet cabin. The cruise control has an extremely intelligent feature: move it a little bit in either direction and it adjusts your speed by one mile per hour. Push it farther and it adjusts to the nearest multiple of five. Leaving a 50mph zone for a 65? Three quick pushes and you’re speeding by the same amount. A dyed-in-the-wool M-B fan (which I am not; I’ve only had two in my driveway out of the 25+ cars I’ve owned in my adult life, with a third likely to arrive in a few weeks) would likely have something to say about the company’s ability to intelligently engineer a vehicle for stress-free high-speed operation and blah blah blah and at that point I would grab that person by the shoulders and scream “BUT WHAT ABOUT THE S430? HUH? WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT PIECE OF CRAP?”

The C250 grows on you with time. It really does. If you sit in one at the auto show, you won’t be impressed. If you test-drive it for twenty minutes, it’s likely to convince you to buy something else. It takes time to respect the car. I’m not talking about the old hundred-mile rule here. This isn’t a case of becoming inured to its faults. Rather, you become fond of its virtues.

Over the course of nearly three hundred miles on the trot, much of it stop-and-go traffic punctuated by frequent calls for all 201 psuedo-electric ponies, the little Benzo was claiming 28.9 miles per gallon. This would not do. Plus, I had a mind to step into the ocean for a minute. I set a course that would take me from Napa to Stinson Beach and from there to the Golden Gate Bridge overlook. I borrowed a passenger for the trip whom I felt it might be amusing to frighten. Along the coast we flew, obtaining all available speed from the tiny four-cylinder, stomping the brakes into ABS with the approach of each hairpin. On corner exits I would let the tail run wide, kicking pebbles from the shoulder surface into a thousand-foot freefall down to the midnight blue of the turbulent waves below. I made each and every pass the moment it seemed likely that it might be possible to do so. As the miles rolled on, I found myself daring fate again and again; once, as the C250 was snagging fourth towards an uphill right-hander, with only the sea and the horizon visible ahead, I stamped the carpet twice, loud enough for it to be audible over the moaning from the engine compartment, and said, “NO BRAKES!” before calling upon the deus ex anti-blockier for real and staccato-squeaking our way around the blind face of the rock to the next open straight at the last possible minute. This was not well-received, I must say.

By the time we reached the overlook for the big orange bridge I’d formed my true opinion of the C250, and it is this: Other cars offer more features, more power, more space, more convenience for the same money. You should probably buy one of those. This is not a W126 and it’s not going to last a million miles. The purchase of a Mercedes-Benz can no longer be justified on longevity or durability. But what you get for the money, in exchange for giving up the nav and the leather and the usable rear seats, is a car that is properly engineered on an excuse-free chassis. It is tangibly more satisfying to operate than a Camry or a Passat or a Fusion. On a fast road the gap between it and the jumped-up front-drivers is considerable.

That stupid, charmless turbo four-cylinder rewarded my irresponsible operation by returning 22 miles per gallon during that last drive. In circumstances like that, I’ve seen my Boxster return half that. Ugh. How I disliked the 1.8 turbo. but the numbers are pretty good. I’d spring for the big-power V-6 in the C350, and certainly Mercedes wouldn’t be unhappy were I to do so. Still, the 1.8 is okay. Nobody’s ever going to look forward to hearing it rev, but the same was true for the diesel in the 240D.

So. Relatively cheap. Not too many features. The engine is blah but the chassis is sound and it works over the long haul. I don’t know about you, but that sounds about like what I expect from a Mercedes-Benz. If any modern car deserves to wear the star, then I suppose this one does.

BMW M4 Coupe

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 20 Aug 2013 09:56:00 +0000

Comments BMW M4 Coupe Breaks Cover as a Pre-Production Concept, Gets 3.0 Straight-Six Turbo

BMW lifted the veils of its brand-new M4 Coupe, the successor to the outgoing M3 Coupe, at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California. In true BMW fashion, the car is presented as a concept, but it is very much production ready.

The Concept M4 Coupe is featured in a special color called “Aurum Dust”, exclusively developed for this model, and an aggressive bodykit worthy of an M vehicle. Although similar to the one seen on the 4-Series M Performance, the aero kit is a bit more aggressive, featuring large air inlets in the front bumper, a more “exaggerated” bonnet, bigger side sills on the front fenders and a different layout of the rear bumper including four exhaust pipes.

An attentive eye will spot even more differences, such as the flattened twin round LED headlamps and the BMW M double bar kidney grille, with the bars imitating the M double spoke design of the BMW M wheels. As all recent M vehicles, the M4 badge sits on the kidney grille and the boot. At the rear there’s also a spoiler lip integrated into the trunk lid which helps downforce.

The M gills incorporate the Air Breather, which together with the Air Curtain within the front apron helps ventilate the wheel arches and get better airflow values. The showcar rides on 20-inch bicolored M light alloys with the typical M double spoke design and has ceramic brakes.

The Concept M4 Coupe has several body parts made of CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastics) including the front splitter, the roof and the rear diffuser. While Unfortunately, BMWhas kept the technical package a secret for now but will most likely reveal it at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month. What’s certain is that the M4 Coupe and the M3 Sedan will ditch the V8 engine in favor of a brand new twin (or tri) turbocharged straight-six engine that is expected to develop at least the same power as the V8 (rated at 414 hp/420PS).

Aspid Teases BMW V8-Powered GT-21

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 00:34:00 +0000

Spanish specialty carmaker Aspid Cars has dropped the first teaser images of its new GT-21 Invictus, a 2+2 seater sports car. This is Aspid's second vehicle series after the hardcore Super Sports (SS), which kind of resembles a Lotus 7 on steroids.

"The GT-21 Invictus complements the Aspid Super Sport, but is bigger and more powerful,” says the car’s chief designer and company founder, Ignacio Fernández Rodriquez. "It has been a challenging styling exercise, but fortunately we have a really talented design team in the company."

Aspid's latest creation is built around a lightweight spaceframe and makes use of aerospace grade aluminium, ultra-light high-strength steels, and composites materials for the body to keep its weight at a low 990kg (2,182 lbs) when dry.

The GT-21 Invictus is 700mm longer than the SS at 4,447mm (175 in.), while also measuring 1,883mm (74.1 in.) wide and just 1,226mm (48.3 in.) tall.

Whereas the SS utilizes a 398hp (402PS) 2.0-liter turbo'd four, the GT-21 Invictus employs a BMW-sourced 4.4-liter turbocharged V8 engine producing 450-horses. A dual-clutch transmission with F1-style shift paddles on the steering wheel transfers power to the rear wheels.

The Spaniards estimate that the 2+2 seater will be capable of reaching 100km/h (62mph) in less than three seconds and top out at 300km/h (186mph).

The company said production of the GT-21 Invictus will be limited to 250 units per year with pricing to be announced.

Mercedes GL-Class 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:57:00 +0000

For those who just can't wait a couple of days until Mercedes-Benz formally drops the covers off the all-new 2013 GL-Class at the New York Auto Show, official images popped up on the internet today affording us our first view of the German firm's next generation full-size SUV.

The luxury crossover model is based on thelatest M-Class featuring a longer wheelbase to create enough space to place seven seats arranged in three rows.

The interior and exterior styling is similar to the ML, though like its predecessor, the GL gets a boxier shaped rear-end, this time with a small kink making its appearance on the side window while also sporting larger and more pronounced tail lamps.

We're still waiting for Mercedes to come out with an official release, but it’s most likely that the 2013 GL will be offered with the same 3.0-liter turbo diesel producing 240HP and 455 lb.-ft. as the ML350 BlueTec 4Matic plus one or more V8 gasoline engine options.

Rolls-Royce Ghost Six Senses Concept

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 May 2012 02:52:00 +0000

No this, Rolls doesn't see dead people. It's a Ghost that sees people wrapped in even more bespoke richness than the usual uber-sedan.
Or, as Rolls-Royce puts it in inimitably over-the-top fashion, Ghost Six Senses Concept is "a highly-bespoke luxury model that encapsulates the richness of experience that comes as standard with any Rolls-Royce and takes it to a new level of sensory indulgence."
Because there's not enough sensory indulgence in a standard Ghost. Or something like that.
Whatever the reason, however, the Six Senses Concept is undeniably luxurious, seeking to entertain all of the five sensory organs while providing a Rolls-born sixth that it sucks from the souls of its craftspeople--because after all, anyone can own a car; few can own the souls of those that made it.
So how does it engage the senses? For sight, the concept is painted in Carrara White pearl, wearing unique forged alloy wheels, coach doors, Walnut Burr veneer interior trim, and other bespoke touches to the cabin. Sound is evoked with a concept audio system with a set of special "exciter" speakers in the headliner. Aroma comes from the rich scent of the leather, and the "woody spice" of the walnut veneer. Taste is from the drink's compartment, where champagne can be cooled, then served with the included flutes. Finally, the sense of touch is stimulated with the textures of the materials, including lambswool rugs and a lambswool trunk liner, the supple leathers, and the sleek chromes and woods.
The Rolls-Royce Ghost Six Senses Concept is on display at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show, and while it's not headed to production--which is the eternal foe of bespoke, after all--it does offer a look at what a well-heeled Ghost buyer might have done for their own car.

Peugeot Urban Crossover Concept

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 06:10:00 +0000

In keeping with the CUV-crazy theme of this year's Beijing Motor Show, Peugeot has introduced this Urban Crossover Concept penned by the French lion's design studios in Paris, Shanghai and São Paulo. Eight inches shorter and three inches narrower than a Ford Focus hatchback, the concept is meant to be the ultimate expression of the company's decades of popular small cars, crossovers and design.
It is also said to show off Pug's new design cues, but we aren't told exactly which cues those are. At the moment, Peugeot isn't talking about what (if anything) powers its UCC, but perhaps we'll learn more as the vehicle continues to make the rounds of the auto show circuit. In the meantime, check out the press release by scrolling below and admire its angles in the high-res gallery.

Jaguar XJ Ultimate

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 02:13:00 +0000

The flagship Jaguar XJ ushered in a new interpretation of the company’s established reputation for dramatic design and – with its lightweight aluminium architecture – responsible performance. Now, the XJ Ultimate focuses on two further Jaguar hallmarks: innovation and luxury, extending the model’s emotive appeal.

Based exclusively on the long-wheelbase XJ, the interior changes applied to the Ultimate focus on the rear accommodation, extending the car’s limousine remit to provide a fully-appointed luxury business class experience for the most discerning of global customers. The XJ Ultimate offers the appointments of a private jet in a package to suit a wide range of requirements.

A full-length, leather-trimmed centre console separates the two individually tailored rear seats which feature power adjustment, ventilation, massage and lumbar functions. A table, machined from solid aluminium with piano-black and chrome detailing, rises up from the centre console at the touch of a button to provide a working area, its role supplemented by the provision of two third-generation iPads® with wireless keyboards that are housed in bespoke leather-trimmed docks in the rear of the front seats.

Switching the focus from business to pleasure is the bespoke champagne chiller mounted between the two rear seats. This cools the bottle to what experts agree is the perfect temperature before ‘presenting’ it forwards when the chiller is opened. Two specially commissioned champagne flutes reside in a purpose made cabinet beneath the centre table.

A full rear seat package with twin headrest screens and wireless headphones completes the experience in combination with a new 20-speaker surround sound in-car entertainment system developed by British audio experts Meridian.

To underline its purpose in ensuring that passengers remain cosseted at all times, the XJ Ultimate features revisions to the suspension to optimise rear ride comfort, with no compromise to the car’s breadth of dynamic ability.

The exterior detailing of the XJ Ultimate offers discreet clues to the model’s figurehead status with sculpted lower air intakes chromed to match the grille, polished stainless steel oval exhaust pipe finishers, unique dual-surfaced alloy wheels and subtle ‘Ultimate’ badging.

The XJ Ultimate is available with Jaguar’s existing 5.0-litre V8 supercharged petrol engine, its powerful and efficient 3.0-litre V6 turbocharged diesel, and a new 3.0-litre V6 supercharged petrol unit, all driving the rear wheels via an eight-speed transmission.

Infiniti Emerg-E

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 17:06:00 +0000

This new concept is the first time Infiniti's ever tried to build a mid-engine car. Adding to the complexity, it's the only one by any manufacturer where the mid-mounted engine doesn't actually drive the wheels. Infiniti's Emerg-E concept, while named like a powder you'd mix in water to help ward off colds, is the brand's first mid-engined, range-extended electric sports car.

The Emerg-E uses two 201 HP electric motors, one mounted at each rear wheel, for the business of going; these motors are fed from a lithium-ion phosphate battery pack good for an electric-only range of 30 miles, after which the Lotus-sourced 1.2 liter, 46 HP three-cylinder engine kicks in to act as a range extender, giving a total range of 300 miles. Infiniti says the Emerg-E will make 737.6 lb-ft of torque, good enough to get the car to 60 in 4 seconds, and then, if you're really in a hurry or being chased by cyborg bears, all the way to 130 in 30 seconds.

Like many electric motors, that maximum power is a "peak" power, and not available always and forever; Inifiniti specifies that the full power burst is only good for 30 seconds or less, suggesting that if you could somehow ignore or push that, you could accelerate beyond 130 mph. We'll have to test it in a special climate controlled warehouse to see for sure.

Lamborghini by Mansory

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:37:00 +0000

Mansory have been developing custom tuning and styling components for the past 23 years on manufacturers cars such as Aston Martin, Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini. Their latest tuning package has been released for the Lamborghini Aventador which pushes the already impressive 700bhp power figure to 754bhp!

Whilst Mansory usually make their models stand out amongst the crowd, this time they decided to go with something a little more subtle, but still visible enough to leave their unique mark on the supercar. The front bumper has been replaced with a much more aggressive one, with larger air openings and fenders created by Mansory, this makes the Aventador 1.5″ wider. The same custom treatment has been applied to the rear of the car which is now 2″ wider and includes larger air intakes for better cooling of the engine and brakes.

The exterior modifications continue with new sills and a rear spoiler that improves the aerodynamics of the car and carbon-fiber elements which include the roof and engine hood.

And, let’s not forget the new forged wheels with carbon-fiber inserts which are available in 20″ size for the front and 21″ size for the rear.

The exterior package is completed by new, more expressive side sills and a rear spoiler that improves the aerodynamics of the car. Also included are new carbon-fiber elements such as the roof and the engine hood.

Ferrari F12 berlinetta

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 19:42:00 +0000

Ferrari yanked back the sheets on the company's F12 Berlinetta at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, and the grinning horse has plenty cause to smile. It boasts a ludicrous 740 horsepower V12 under its hood that's capable of launching the vehicle to 62 mph in 3.1 seconds. Hesitate for another 5.3 seconds, and you'll waltz through the triple-digit barrier with ease.
Ferrari took the time to let the F12 Berlinetta loose for a few blistering laps around Fiorano, and the coupe managed to snatch the lap record from the 599 GTO. The newcomer did the deed in a scant 1:23, besting the previous champ by a full second, and the mighty Ferrari Enzo by two seconds.

Engineers positioned most of the vehicle's weight toward the hind quarters, with 54 percent of the vehicle's curb weight pushing on the rear rubber. While the styling certainly isn't for everyone (see below for a gallery of the car's styling buck from Pininfarina), there's no denying the performance on tap. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Nissan Invitation 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 23:30:00 +0000

Yes, the Nissan Invitation is technically billed as a concept, but it’s also a good reason for English residents looking for work to dust off their resume skills. Although the Invitation just debuted this morning at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, Nissan already has firm plans to build the car in England

Nissan isn’t saying very much about the Invitation concept that it didn’t previously hint at. The automaker maintains the Invitation previews its next “mainstream B-segment contender. Powertrain details are also lacking, but Nissan says the completed vehicle should be able to emit no more than 100 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer

At this point, the only firm numbers are tied to the car’s European production future. Nissan announced it’s spending nearly $200 million to build the Invitation (assuming that name carries through to production) alongside the Juke at its plant in Sunderland, England. Nissan expects to sell 100,000 units annually, and expects Invitation production to create 2000 new jobs in the United Kingdom’s automotive sector, including 400 new positions at the Sunderland plant itself

BMW X6 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:25:00 +0000

The biggest change with the 2012 BMW X6 comes from under the hood. BMW will introduce a new X6 model to the European market: BMW X6 xDrive50d. The new model is said to feature the long-time rumored tri-turbo diesel engine.

The Tri-Turbo diesel engine is said to like an inline six-cylinder with 3.0 liter displacement and three turbochargers. The power of this engine will peak around the 400 horsepower mark. The standard consumption is also reportedly lower than comparable diesel engines.

Other changes are also coming to the X6 facelift. The company will also revise the powerplants in the X6 xDrive30d, xDrive40d, xDrive35i and xDrive50i. All these models will receive updated units with more power and better fuel efficiency.

The US market will continue to offer the xDrive35i and 50i models, while the X6 ActiveHybrid is being phased out.

The second-generation BMW X6 will be built under the internal code F16 and will arrive in 2014.

Ferrari 612 GTO

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:27:00 +0000

Ferrari doesn't make a new GTO very often. About every 21 years, on average.

So with the 599 GTO landing in a giant, drifty plume of tyre smoke just a couple of months back, it's hyper-unlikely that we'll see any other current Ferraris converted to GTO spec in the near future.

Which is why German designer Sasha Selipanov has taken it upon himself to imagine how a 612 Scaglietti GTO might look. An ultra-hardcore version of Ferrari's four-seater grand tourer, you say? The results are spectacular, and more than a little reminiscent of the One-77.

Mercedes Classe A Concept

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 12:04:00 +0000

Mercedes revealed today the new 2012 A Class concept, which will have its world debut at the 2011 New

York Auto Show. We know what you are thinking right now. It looks a bit out of this world, and Mercedes them selves believe the same thing. However, after viewing the Merc's 2012 A Class concept from the rear, we have to say it does have some VW Scirocco in it, but not as much as its side view. Mercedes says the new 2012 A Class concept is powered by a new turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine coupled with a dual clutch transmission. We believe the production 2012 Mercedes A Class will offer a much broader range of engine and gearbox options.

Mercedes also fitted the 2012 A Class concept with a radar-based collision warning system with

adaptive Brake Assist. Not that it need it in any way since it's ust a show car. All they want to say is that the production version of the 2012 A Class will feature such systems.

The 2012 Mercedes A Class Concept is powered by a M270 series 4-cylinder gasoline engine, and comes with front-wheel drive. The engine has a transverse mounting architecture and features direct injection and turbocharging. Merc's new 2012 Concept A Class develops 210 hp, and features the BlueEFFICIENCY technology.

Audi Urban Concept

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 18:10:00 +0000

Audi released today the first sketches and details of the new Urban Concept, which is an innovative vehicle with a 1+1 seating configuration. Audi's new Urban technical study is an ultra-light concept car designed for congested cities, which also incorporates the main characteristics of a racing car and a "fun" car. Audi says they built the Urban Concept from scratch, without any inspiration from previous models. The main goals of the Urban concept is to be lightweight, efficient and as small as possible.

Audi's Urban Concept features free-standing wheels, with surrounding protective plates that integrate LED lights strips. It's meant to give Audi's design language a whole new dimension.

The two passengers of the Urban concept are sitting very low and sporty position inside the car, and the driver is able to adjust the steering wheel and pedals to fit his stature. The roof of the Urban concept is designed to slide to the rear when opened to allow access inside. This means that the passengers are actually entering the concept through its tailgate.

The cockpit of the Urban concept is built from carbon fiber-reinforced polymer and integrates the undercarriage of both seats. Audi's new concept also integrates some "urban" styling, featuring large, 21-inch light alloy wheels.
For powering the new Urban concept, Audi chose an electric motor and lithium-ion batteries. Audi did not announce the exact specification of the Urban concept.

Mercedes-Benz SL R230 By Piecha Design

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 14:16:00 +0000

The facelifted Mercedes-Benz SL received a new tuning package from Piecha Design that offers both function and style updates.

Design updates include new spoilers, daytime running lights and a four-tailpipe stainless steel sport exhaust system. In addition, there is also a lowered suspension to reduce the riding height by 30mm and to finish the R230 off, 20-inch alloy wheels.
A power converter and a updated roof module enable the hardtop to be opened or closed at speeds of up to 37 mph.

PIECHA DESIGN – Mercedes-Benz SL R230 Facelift 2008
A true designer car!
Things that are timeless and good just don’t tend to go out of fashion. The Mercedes-Benz designers provided perfect proof of that with the R230-series SL. They were far ahead of their times. By now, the famous roadster is in its eleventh year of production. Its looks have remained nearly identical through the years.
For all SL R230 models starting at the March 2008 facelift, Mercedes specialist PIECHA Design from Rottweil offers a comprehensive refinement package.
PIECHA is the only tuner to develop special build-in housings with LED daytime headlights, incl. fog lamp. They can be delivered ready for installation for the serial bumper and the AMG bumper of the SL63 and SL65. For the serial bumper, a refined, elegant, three-part front spoiler lip was developed as well to harmonise perfectly with the daytime headlights. PIECHA also offers a harmonious rear spoiler lip that is as elegant as it is effective. It provides an additional push down on the rear axle.
Elegant: PIECHA MP1 Monoblock!
The new PIECHA MP1 monoblock wheel rims in the front-polished titanium silky-gloss version are true eye-catchers. They are available at 9.5×20 with 255/30 R20 for the front, and at a gigantic 11×20 with 305/25 R20 for the rear wheel cases of the SL. The beautiful brand-new PIECHA designer wheel set matches all the CLS models of the 219 and 218 series with the same tyres. The car body also does not require any rework. Proper wheel covering, however, requires that the chassis is lowered.
The SL-chassis can be lowered either by classic Piecha lowering springs (-30 mm) for the coil-spring version, or a Piecha-lowering module (-30 mm) for the ABC-chassis.
PIECHA Quadro 4-tube exhaust system!
The stainless steel PIECHA Quadro sports exhaust system installed at the tail is a true designer piece. With its four end tubes in right/left loops, it ensures sportively perfect symmetry and a saturated, low growl.
There are some “must have” products that should be installed in any SL. Among others, they are the legendary PIECHA power converter to ensure clearly improved acceleration, and the comfort vario roof module with many additional comfort functions, among others permitting opening and closing of the roof at a speed of up to 60 km/h.
The result: Good can still be improved! As usual, PIECHA Design presents a plethora of interesting tuning components for the R230-series SL, every single one of them matching the car body lines of the cult roadsters in unparalleled perfection.

Edsel Ford’s Restored 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster Makes a Special Appearance at Monterey

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 01:44:00 +0000

Nearly eight decades after Edsel Ford, the son of the founder of the company, commissioned the one-off 1934 Model 40 Speedster, the historical sports car made a comeback at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance show in Monterey, California.

The custom made model, which served Edsel Ford as a personal roadster had changed many hands after his death in 1943 until its last owner, a Texas car collector, bought the car in 2008. After the collector’s sudden death in 2010, the Speedster returned to Edsel's home, now operated as an historic site called the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House.

Unfortunately, over the years, the numerous owners of the roadster model changed its looks and hardware but RM Auto Restoration in Ontario, Canada, reversed all the alterations to take the famous model back to the 1940 design and engine.

"My grandfather was an early believer that everyday objects - including automobiles - could be seen as works of art,” said Edsel Ford II, who unveiled the Speedster. “While he wasn't a designer in the traditional sense, his eye for styling and influence was apparent as he initiated and built the design department at Ford Motor Company.”

New Jaguar XJ into a Four-Door Convertible Oddity-NCE Converts

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 01:07:00 +0000

One of the latest models to fall into the hands of California-based company Newport Convertible Engineering (NCE) is the new Jaguar XJ.

NCE is known for chopping off the roofs of just about anything it can, be that a Toyota Prius hybrid or a luxury Range Rover SUV.

And while we respect the work that went into developing and applying the convertible treatment to Jaguar's flagship limousine, the end result is not what we would call elegant or stylish, especially with the soft top in normal position. Check out the rest of the pictures for yourself in our gallery after the break.

Kudos to Torben for the tip!

Fiat 500 by Gucci Series Coming to NY Fashion Week

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 10:35:00 +0000

A stylish car associated with one of the most exclusive names in fashion needs the appropriate introduction. And that’s why Fiat chose to launch the 500 by Gucci edition of its subcompact car in the US at next month’s New York fashion week.

The special edition, which has been available in Europe since July, is mechanically identical to the run-of-the-mill US edition of the 500, but Gucci's creative director Frida Giannini customized its styling, adding the brand’s famous red and green pattern, a two-tone leather interior as well as its double-G logo in places like the wheels and the gearlever.

The Fiat 500 by Gucci will be available both as a hatchback and as a convertible, in black or white finishes.

Expect pricing of both models to be equivalent to Gucci’s other products. Just to get an idea, in Europe the hatchback starts from €17,000 (US$24,200 and the 500C convertible from €20,000 (US$28,800).

And if you intend to place your order but don’t have a matching bag, you still have time to visit www.gucci.com and get it…

Ferrari 612 GTO

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 23:12:00 +0000

Ferrari doesn't make a new GTO very often. About every 21 years, on average.

Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:05:00 +0000

Allow us to rephrase a quote from the great Homer: First you get the Jeep, then you add the power, then you upgrade the interior. That's the plan of attack for this Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, which has already been given a power boost courtesy of Hennessey, and now it's received close attention from the interior-obsessed minds at Vilner.

Inside, red and black Alcantara is paired with black leather and red seams. The custom steering wheel gets the same treatment and Vilner also took a shot at the exterior while it was in their garage, upgrading the headlights with LED daytime running lamps.

2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Front Grill

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:10:00 +0000

As the highest-performing Camaro ever, the new ZL1 continues the momentum of Camaro, propelling it into a wholly new realm of leading-edge performance technology. it is planned to launch at the start of 2012. Leaving the opposite new releases of the Chicago Auto Show in dust is that the whole bright ZL1 Camaro – Camaro the foremost powerful ever. This beautiful animal is powered by a 6.2L LSA supercharged V-8 engine that produces regarding 550 HP and 550 lb-ft of torque, that is simply enough to get our hearts racing and our fingers twitching to grab the steering wheel .

Compressor driven by a V-8 engine manufacturing an estimated 550 hp (410 kW), the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Camaro will be the fastest ever offered by Chevrolet. And quite simply power, ZL1 options technologically advanced and highly developed chassis and suspension systems that help give treatment, balanced track-ready and braking power to complement its high-output engine. rigorous development of the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is underway, and official estimates of the capabilities of the car will be launched in 2011 because the check nears completion.

The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 are distinguished by a new front bumper, hood with air extractors, central section and a signature constructed of carbon fiber processed with black satin end. completing the planning could be a set of 20-inch wheels and exhaust tips with ZL1 badge on the grille cowl and brake calipers.

2012 Lexus GS Teaser

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 19:06:00 +0000

Lexus released today the first teaser image of the 2012 GS model range, which will have its world debut at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, on Thursday, August 18th. In fact, they're going to show the 2012 Lexus GS350 version of the mid-size luxury sport sedan. The exact details of the 2012 GS will probably be released at the time of its global premiere.

The 2012 Lexus GS is the fourth generation of the model. It features completely new styling, influenced by the company's latest design language, launched through the Lexus LF-Gh concept. The trademark feature of the 2012 GS will be its front grille and headlights. Both these elements will be found in all future Lexus models.

Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager, said about the 2012 GS that it will offer a "a more engaging driving experience, styling that makes a statement, and a roomier interior package". We'll have more details on the 2012 Lexus GS as soon as they're available.

2011 Porsche Cayman S Black Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 13:02:00 +0000

tuttgart. The next step up from the Cayman S is known as the Cayman S Black Edition: Starting in July 2011, Dr Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is bringing the mid-engine coupé to market in a special edition limited to 500 units boasting even better performance and especially lavish equipment specification. The Cayman S Black Edition is powered by a 3.4 litre six-cylinder boxer engine with power output increased by 10 hp (7 kW) to 330 hp (243 kW) at 7,400 rpm (an additional 200 rpm). The maximum torque remains unchanged at 370 Newton metres at
4,750 rpm
The extra power feeds directly through into the performance of the all black two-seater. The acceleration times from nought to 100 km/h (62 mph) are improved by a tenth of a second to 5.1 seconds with the six-gear manual transmission and to 5.0 seconds with the optional Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) respectively. A mere 4.8 seconds are required if the Launch Control is activated on the Sport Chrono package, available as an option. The Cayman S Black Edition’s top speed is two kilometres per hour (1.24 mph) faster than that of the Cayman S – 279 km/h (173 mph) with the manual transmission and 277 km/h (172 mph) with the PDK respectively.
The Cayman S Black Edition is not just more sportily agile in terms of its longitudinal dynamics but laterally as well. Among other factors, this is attributable to the Boxster Spyder wheels in black, which with a diameter of 19 inches are not just one inch bigger than the standard Cayman S wheels but are also half an inch wider than the optional 19 inch wheels on the Cayman S. The tyre sizes fitted are 235/35 ZR 19s on the front axle and 265/35 ZR 19s on the rear axle

volkswagen beetle 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 00:25:00 +0000

Volkswagen introduced its all-new Beetle design in New York today. It is only the third version of the car originally commissioned by Adolph Hitler almost 90 years ago to be Germany's answer to Ford's Model-T and a tool to cement allegiance from working class Germans

Despite its sinister beginnings, the Beetle became one of the most enduring automotive icons of the last century, as well as arguably the most "loved" car in America. Volkswagen is again looking to the Beetle to stir up emotions and sales, and lead Americans back into VW showrooms as the company pushes to be one of the most dominant import makes in the U.S. in the company of Honda, Toyota and Nissan