tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85350850448679526672024-09-08T21:30:45.981+08:00Information to provide online car auctionsWaterSoUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455823265243745088noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535085044867952667.post-34572259380001459242011-01-25T06:49:00.000+08:002011-01-25T06:49:00.362+08:00by <STRONG>Jeff Glucker</STRONG> (RSS feed) on Jan 18th 2011 at 4:02PM <br /><P></P> <STRONG>201? Audi A6 Hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery</STRONG></EM><BR>At last week's Detroit Auto Show, Audi unveiled the 2012 A6, and trotted out a hybrid variant capable of achieving 38 miles per gallon and running up to 62 miles per hour on electricity alone. So when can we buy one? Audi isn't sure. <br /><P>According to Autoweek</EM>, Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen says the timetable for the A6 hybrid is still to be determined. In fact, we may not see the gas- and electron-powered luxury sedan until 2015. In the meantime, we'll be quite happy to spend some seat time with the 300 horsepower supercharged version.</P><BR><B>Live photos copyright c2011 Chris Paukert / AOL<BR></B><BR>[Source: Autoweek</EM>] Filed under: Car Buying, Detroit Auto Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Audi, Luxury<br /><P></P><STRONG>Tags:</STRONG> 2011 detroit auto show, 2012 audi a6, a6 hybrid, audi, audi a6, audi a6 hybri<br /><P></P><br /><P><A href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/18/report-audi-a6-hybrid-not-coming-until-2015/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P>WaterSoUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455823265243745088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535085044867952667.post-67983920748845600842011-01-24T23:40:00.000+08:002011-01-24T23:40:00.175+08:00 by <STRONG>Steven J. Ewing</STRONG> (RSS feed) on Jan 18th 2011 at 12:29PM </P><IMG border=0 hspace=0 alt="Ferrari 612 Successor" vspace=4 src="/01-ferrari-spy-shots630opt.jpg"> <STRONG>Ferrari 612 successor spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery</STRONG></EM><BR>It's been less than a week since the last batch of shots of Ferrari's 612 Scaglietti replacement have hit the Net. And while we were quick to dismiss the hunchbacked shape the last time around, this more revealing set of photos proves that the 612 does, in fact, take on a more traditional shooting brake design rather than that of a swoopy coupe. <P><IMG border=0 hspace=0 alt="Ferrari 612 successor interior" vspace=4 align=right src="/07-ferrari-spy-shots250.jpg">Our spies managed to get a quick glance inside the 612 replacement, and in addition to confirming that there's an honest-to-goodness luggage compartment out back, we now have a relatively clear idea of what the cockpit looks like. In addition to heaps of the finest leather, we can see what appears to be a set of nicely bolstered seats and a Ferrari-spec steering wheel complete with the bright red "engine start" button and drive mode selector switch.</P><P>This latest Ferrari will undoubtedly be an eye-catching piece of machinery when the camouflage cladding is removed. Gorgeousness aside, we're salivating at the rumors of a 670-horsepower 6.3-liter V12 being found underhood, meaning 0-60 should be ripped off in just 3.7 seconds and the car's top speed should be well north of 200 miles per hour.</P><BR>[Source: CarPix] <br /><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/18/spy-shots-ferrari-612-successor-snapped-again-interior-reveale/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>WaterSoUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455823265243745088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535085044867952667.post-37766482798577151472011-01-24T16:24:00.000+08:002011-01-24T16:24:00.362+08:00by <STRONG>Chris Shunk</STRONG> (RSS feed) on Jan 18th 2011 at 4:33PM <br /><P></P> <br /><P>New Bentley CEO Wolfgang Durheimer inherited a high-end marque with only two product lines; the recently refreshed Continental GT and the spanking new Mulsanne. The two vehicles are tasked with continuing to prop up the brand after sales dropped to only 4,616 units in 2009, and according to a The Detroit Bureau</EM> help could be on the way.</P><br /><P>During an interview with outgoing Bentley boss Franz-Josef Paefgen, the CEO said that Durheimer is tasked with noodling the idea of a third model. If we were the betting type we'd place our chips on a high-end electric car to help the brand reach rising emissions standards or an "entry model" under $150,000 to help increase volume – and the latter seems far more likely. At any rate it appears a third Bentley is still years out even if Durheimer and his team decide to expand its product lineup.</P><br /><P>[Source: The Detroit Bureau] </P><br /><P><A href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/18/bentley-mulling-third-product-line/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P>WaterSoUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455823265243745088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535085044867952667.post-39627844186478956592011-01-24T09:00:00.000+08:002011-01-24T09:00:01.666+08:00 by <STRONG>Sebastian Blanco</STRONG> (RSS feed) on Jan 18th 2011 at 6:57PM </P><P><IMG alt="Tesla Model S" src="/tesla-model-s-driving.png"><BR><STRONG>Tesla Model S road testing – Click above to watch the video after the break</STRONG></EM></P><P>The last time Tesla Motors released a video about the Model S, it was a lot of talking from the company's vice president and chief engineer for vehicle engineering, Peter Rawlinson, about engineering the vehicle. Today, new video shows just the opposite. No talking, just pretty pictures.</P><P>Almost eerily silent, the video shows the first Alpha build Model S (tons of details on the car here) cruising down rural roads, and it's a beautiful sight. The car looks like it handles well and makes us the need to get behind the wheel yesterday. Tesla's Vehicle Dynamicist (we're guessing thats fancy talk for test driver?) Graham Sutherland said in a statement that:</P><BLOCKQUOTE readability="5"><P>The first Alpha is amazingly agile for a car of its size. It has great handling balance and poised ride with communicative steering. Just goes to show what combining a low center of gravity with a very stiff body structure can achieve</EM>.</P></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Sounds – and looks – good. Let's hope it gets better. Watch the video after the jump.</P><P>[Source: Tesla]</P>Filed under: Sedan, Videos, Tesla, Electric</P><STRONG>Tags:</STRONG> electric vehicle, model s, model s alpha build, tesla, tesla model s, tesla model s driving, tesla model s sedan, tesla motors</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/18/tesla-model-s-begins-first-phase-of-road-testing-w-video/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>WaterSoUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455823265243745088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535085044867952667.post-82079917205649112422011-01-24T01:01:00.000+08:002011-01-24T01:01:00.591+08:00by <STRONG>Noah Joseph</STRONG> (RSS feed) on Jan 18th 2011 at 5:34PM <br /><P></P> <BR>When an automaker is forced to issue a recall, the defective part or feature is generally the fault of the automaker or of an OEM supplier it contracted to. In the case of the Toyota Tacoma – part of a 110,000-unit recall in 2009 – the problem appears to have been traced back to the supplier. And now the supplier is forced to pay for its mistakes. <br /><P>The company in question, according to reports, is Dana, the Ohio-based OEM contractor supplying (among other components) axles and driveshafts for automobiles, commercial trucks and heavy equipment. In this case, it supplied the frames for the Tacoma pickup which were found to rust when exposed to road salt.</P><br /><P>Although in 2010 Dana sold the plant that manufactures the frame to Mexican conglomerate Grupo Porza's Metalsa subsidiary, since the component in question was built prior to the sale (from 1995 to 2000), Dana has reportedly been forced to shell out $25 million to Toyota over the issue.</P><br /><P>[Source: Reuters] </P>Filed under: Truck, Government/Legal, Recalls, Toyota<br /><P></P><STRONG>Tags:</STRONG> dana, grupo porza, metalsa, porza, recall, recalls, tacoma, toyota, toyota recall, toyota recalls, toyota tacoma<br /><P></P><br /><P><A href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/18/report-dana-coughs-up-25m-to-toyota-over-rusty-tacoma-frames/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P>WaterSoUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455823265243745088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535085044867952667.post-14706459003217333882011-01-23T17:04:00.000+08:002011-01-23T17:04:00.584+08:00 by <STRONG>Jeff Sabatini</STRONG> (RSS feed) on Jan 18th 2011 at 11:57AM <IMG alt=Featured src="/swipe-featured.gif"><IMG alt=Review src="/swipe-review.gif"></P><BIG>A Minivan Screams For Vengeance</BIG></EM> <P><IMG border=1 hspace=0 alt="2011 Honda Odyssey" vspace=4 src="/lead1-2011-honda-odyssey-review.jpg"> <STRONG>2011 Honda Odyssey - Click above for high-res image gallery</STRONG></EM><BR>While we shouldn't be shocked by anything coming out of Madison Avenue, part of me is incensed to hear Honda using Judas Priest to advertise its new Odyssey. That's right, the opening riff of the greatest album from the gods of heavy metal deployed, not in the service of Satan, but to sell a minivan? <P>While the 18-year-old headbanger in me would like to stand up and rail against Honda ("If you think you're going to make me think your stupid soccer mom taxi is cool, well, You've Got Another Thing Coming!"), the truth of the matter is that Honda's ad agency nailed it. We're not teenagers anymore. We've grown up and had families. I even own a minivan, and, indeed, there is at least one Judas Priest CD that lives in the center console. And after driving the new Odyssey for a week, I have serious van envy. Honda has crafted the ultimate, state-of-the-art people mover, even if it's not much more than some flashy design and incremental improvements in areas like powertrain, fuel efficiency and equipment.</P><P>Continue reading...</P><BR><STRONG>Photos copyright c2011 Steven J. Ewing / AOL</STRONG></EM> <P>The biggest changes in the redesigned Odyssey are obvious at first glance, as it no longer looks so much like a conventional minivan. Honda's ideas on styling have been polarizing as of late (read: the Accord Crosstour is ugly as sin), so it's smart that the company chose the Civic as the donor of the new minivan's face. The venerable compact is still the most complete and fluid execution of modern Honda design language, and what it lends to the Odyssey works to make Honda's largest vehicle appear smaller and sleeker. It helps that the Odyssey has a lower and much wider stance, having been stretched over two inches across. </P><P>While its front and back sections don't exactly mate up well in profile, each works on its own. The flying buttress D-pillar helps the rear end achieve a more contemporary look, like that of many crossovers. Honda is calling the quirky jog in the beltline at the Odyssey's C-pillar a "lightning bolt," and it's more than just a clever device to give the vehicle a dynamic, moving-forward look. That little dip makes the third-row windows bigger and increases the feeling of roominess for passengers in the way back.</P><P><IMG id=vimage_3795541 border=1 hspace=4 alt="2011 Honda Odyssey side view" vspace=4 src="/lead2-2011-honda-odyssey-review.jpg"><IMG id=vimage_3795542 border=1 hspace=4 alt="2011 Honda Odyssey front view" vspace=4 src="/lead3-2011-honda-odyssey-review.jpg"><IMG id=vimage_3795543 border=1 hspace=4 alt="2011 Honda Odyssey rear view" vspace=4 src="/lead4-2011-honda-odyssey-review.jpg"></P><P>Honda clearly wants to make the back of the bus a more desirable place to ride, and it's come up with some enticing new features to serve the rear-seaters' needs. The first is that the third row now has two sets of LATCH anchors, while the second row can be had with three. These carseat attachments mean more than horsepower to breeder parents, and the Odyssey has more of them than the competition. </P><P>The second row is interesting in that Honda has decided not to follow Chrysler into its folly of designing seats to fold into the floor like those in the third row. Understanding that it's the rare day when you want to use your minivan like a pickup truck, Honda instead designed a system that allows the second-row seats to be moved laterally to make more room for passengers or car seats, while improving third-row access through the center in the process. The optional second-row-center seat can even be moved forward to place an infant carseat closer to mom and pop in the front. This is smart engineering trumping gimmicky marketing. </P><P><IMG id=vimage_3795560 border=1 hspace=4 alt="2011 Honda Odyssey third row" vspace=4 src="/lead12-2011-honda-odyssey-review.jpg"><IMG id=vimage_3795559 border=1 hspace=4 alt="2011 Honda Odyssey rear cargo area" vspace=4 src="/lead11-2011-honda-odyssey-review.jpg"></P><P>Up front, the cockpit is functional and the controls are similar to any number of other Honda or Acura vehicles (save for a dash-mounted shift lever). While having a central LCD display with a field of buttons and one large controller knob below seems to be the industry norm these days, it's unfortunate to see Honda abandoning the touch-screen interface that made its in-car navigation systems the class of the industry a decade ago. Also upsetting is Honda's decision to place the climate controls above those for the audio and navigation systems, a huge flaw when you consider that many drivers will set an automatic temperature setting and then rarely look at it. </P><P>Behind the wheel, the Odyssey is a nice driver, though it no longer feels as much like an Accord. It's not that this new version of what used to be the best driving minivan on the market can't corner, but that the steering doesn't provides as much feel as its predecessor. </P><P><IMG id=vimage_3795563 border=1 hspace=4 alt="2011 Honda Odyssey interior" vspace=4 src="/lead14-2011-honda-odyssey-review.jpg"><IMG id=vimage_3795562 border=1 hspace=4 alt="2011 Honda Odyssey front seats" vspace=4 src="/lead13-2011-honda-odyssey-review.jpg"><IMG id=vimage_3795566 border=1 hspace=4 alt="2011 Honda Odyssey navigation system" vspace=4 src="/lead16-2011-honda-odyssey-review.jpg"><IMG id=vimage_3795565 border=1 hspace=4 alt="2011 Honda Odyssey instrument panel" vspace=4 src="/lead15-2011-honda-odyssey-review.jpg"></P><P>If the Odyssey drives more like a minivan than a station wagon now, it certainly doesn't accelerate like one. Honda's 3.5-liter V6 makes 248 horsepower in the 2011 Odyssey, along with 250 pound-feet of torque. It revs quickly and has great throttle response, and Honda has done a masterful job of matching the gear ratios of the new, optional six-speed automatic transmission to make the Odyssey move. This is a minivan than can go quicker than it should, at least with babies onboard. </P><P>Honda has also included its Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system as standard equipment. This shuts down two or three of the V6's cylinders when they're not needed, improving fuel economy. This and some other measures, including a 50-to-100 pound weight reduction, have helped the Odyssey boast some impressive EPA numbers for a roughly 4,400-pound vehicle. With the standard five-speed automatic, the van is rated at 18 mpg city, 21 combined and 27 on the highway. The six-speed automatic improves each of those numbers by a single mile-per-gallon, and that's tops among any vehicle that can carry eight passengers.</P><P><IMG id=vimage_3795544 border=1 hspace=0 alt="2011 Honda Odyssey engine" vspace=4 src="/lead5-2011-honda-odyssey-review.jpg"></P><P>No minivan these days would be complete without some sort of video screen for the kids, and Honda has gone big in this department with an optional 16.2-inch widescreen that folds down from the headliner in the second row. (A more conventional nine-inch screen is also available.) Before you get too excited about having a display larger than a MacBook Pro in the Odyssey, however, understand this is really just two normal-sized displays mated into a single, wide LCD panel. While it's possible to stretch out a single video source to cover the entire screen in a grotesquely distorted aspect ratio, the more useful application is to allow each side of the vehicle to select a separate input source for their half of the screen, choosing from the DVD player, composite auxiliary inputs and an HDMI port. </P><P>While this HDMI port is bound to get video game geeks excited, it's more of a way for Honda to future-proof its van than anything else. The screen in the Odyssey is still pretty small, making most modern video games designed for widescreen, high-definition displays difficult. Your World of Warcraft addiction will have to be a lot more severe than mine to want to play in the back of an Odyssey. </P><P><IMG id=vimage_3795550 border=1 hspace=4 alt="2011 Honda Odyssey rear seats" vspace=4 src="/lead7-2011-honda-odyssey-review.jpg"><IMG id=vimage_3795551 border=1 hspace=4 alt="2011 Honda Odyssey rear seat television" vspace=4 src="/lead8-2011-honda-odyssey-review.jpg"><IMG id=vimage_3795553 border=1 hspace=4 alt="2011 Honda Odyssey storage console" vspace=4 src="/lead10-2011-honda-odyssey-review.jpg"><IMG id=vimage_3795552 border=1 hspace=4 alt="2011 Honda Odyssey storage bin" vspace=4 src="/lead9-2011-honda-odyssey-review.jpg"></P><P>As much as I like the Odyssey, I do have three caveats that are absolutely worth mentioning. The first is an audio system that had issues outputting varying levels of distorted sound across all audio sources throughout a 1,000-mile roadtrip, making even podcasts unlistenable. I'm trusting the tester was merely defective, and that this isn't a widespread problem with Honda's Active Noise Cancellation system, which uses the audio system to make the interior of the vehicle quieter.</P><P>The second issue is an aesthetic one: Why can't Honda hide the Odyssey's door track? Honda knows the importance of styling, given how much its redesign of the Odyssey was based on making a van that looked different from any that have come before. So why is it, then, that this company continues to allow these giant gashes on either side of the minivan to persist. Toyota and Chrysler tuck their door tracks under the third-row window, and such a configuration would make all the difference in tidying up the Odyssey's busy rear, which looks too much like it has been on the losing end of a battle with a guardrail.</P><P><IMG id=vimage_3795545 border=1 hspace=0 alt="2011 Honda Odyssey rear 3/4 view" vspace=4 src="/lead6-2011-honda-odyssey-review.jpg"></P><P>My final complaint has as much to do with my own financial situation as it does with Honda, but $40,775 to get an Odyssey with the six-speed automatic seems a wee bit dear. That's an exceptional amount of money when the base model costs just $27,800. Whatever happened to paying an extra $1,500 for the better transmission? Why is the six-speed transmission bundled with a nav system and DVD player? This kind of business practice is akin to a cell phone provider offering a cheap plan with a token few minutes for thirty bucks, and then charging twice that amount to get enough minutes to actually use your phone. </P><P>As fantastic as the Odyssey is, there's a bigger question at hand: Can it (or Toyota's "Swagger Wagon," or a nicely revamped Grand Caravan from Dodge, or the all-new Nissan Quest) convince the masses that minivans aren't the automotive equivalent of wearing sweatpants? Surely there are a sizable amount of people who wouldn't drive a minivan even if it came with a personal invitation from Rob Halford himself. But Honda thinks that this market is primed for growth, and that's reasonable speculation. With plenty of consumers making the SUV-to-crossover jump in the interest of cutting their fuel bills while maintaining a capacious interior, giving minivans another look is the smart thing to do.</P><BR><STRONG>Photos copyright c2011 Steven J. Ewing / AOL</STRONG></EM><br /><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/18/2011-honda-odyssey-review-road-test/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>WaterSoUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455823265243745088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535085044867952667.post-62493669064679636562011-01-23T09:46:00.000+08:002011-01-23T09:46:00.230+08:00 by <STRONG>Jeff Glucker</STRONG> (RSS feed) on Jan 18th 2011 at 5:00PM </P><IMG alt="Top Gear hosts" src="/top-gear-series-16-lede.jpg"> <STRONG>Top Gear returns for Series 16 – Click above to watch video after the jump</STRONG></EM><BR>The first season of Top Gear USA is in the books and as it closes its rookie outing with mixed reviews, the original BBC version is ready to kick off. The new season will be the 16th series for Top Gear and is set to air Sunday, January 23 on BBC 2 and BBC HD. Those of us in the States will have to wait a bit longer, depending on your preferred means of obtaining the show. <P>Top Gear has put out a trailer of what's in store for the upcoming season, including segments on how to kill a classic Volkswagen Beetle, a battle between a Ferrari F40 and a Porsche 959, the best way to land a helicopter on top of a car and... well... whatever's going on in the picture above.</P><P>Hop the jump to check out the trailer and prep your favorite torrent app for Sunday.</P><P>[Source: Top Gear] </P>Filed under: Videos, Porsche, Volkswagen, Ferrari</P><STRONG>Tags:</STRONG> bbc, bbc top gear, ferrari, ferrari f40, james may, jeremy clarkson, porsche, porsche 959, richard hammond, top gear, video, volkswagen, volkswagen beetle</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/18/video-the-real-top-gear-returns-this-sunday/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>WaterSoUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455823265243745088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535085044867952667.post-35091486189455171682011-01-23T02:23:00.000+08:002011-01-23T02:23:00.362+08:00 Autoblog Podcast #213: With Dave Sullivan of AutoPacific — Autoblog <body class="make"><big>Skip to posts</big>AOLMAILAutoblogMainReviewsAllReviewsFirst DrivesQuick SpinsAuto ShowsAllBeijing Motor ShowCESChicago Auto ShowDetroit Auto ShowFrankfurt Motor ShowGeneva Motor ShowLA Auto ShowNew York Auto ShowParis Motor ShowSEMA ShowShanghai Motor ShowTokyo Motor ShowTokyo Auto SalonMisc. Auto ShowsGreenAutoblog SitesAutoblog UKAutoblog EspanolAutoblog Auf DeutschAutoblog En Francais Autoblog 日本版 Autoblog 繁體中文Autoblog ?体中文AboutRSS FeedsSend FeedbackSend a Tip...loadingBrowse posts by:Make/ModelVehicle Style/Type</p><b>All Categories</b><b>Features</b><b>Close Features</b> <img src="/2011-honda-odyssey-carousel.jpg" alt="" /><strong class="label featured">Featured:</strong><strong class="label review">Review:</strong><strong><big>2011 Honda Odyssey</big> – A Minivan Screams For Vengeance<br /> </strong> <img src="/2011-bmw-alpina-b7-carousel.jpg" alt="" /><strong class="label featured">Featured:</strong><strong class="label review">Review:</strong><strong><big>2011 BMW Alpina B7</big> – Alpina Delivers Its Best Impression Of An M7</strong><img src="/01-minagi-630143x85.jpg" alt="Officially Official: Mazda Minagi Concept headed to Geneva" /><strong>Officially Official: Mazda Minagi Concept headed to Geneva</strong><img src="/autoblog-podcast-3143x85.jpg" alt="Autoblog Podcast #213: With Dave Sullivan of AutoPacific" /><strong class="label featured">Featured:</strong><strong>Autoblog Podcast #213: With Dave Sullivan of AutoPacific</strong><img src="/greenhornetblackbeautym143x85.jpg" alt="Meet The Green Hornet's original Black Beauty" /><strong class="label featured">Featured:</strong><strong>Meet The Green Hornet's original Black Beauty</strong><img src="/leaf12143x85.jpg" alt="Nissan's Tavares to GM: Electric cars don't have tailpipes" /><strong class="label green">Green:</strong><strong>Nissan's Tavares to GM: Electric cars don't have tailpipes</strong>Breaking news:NHTSA announces new 'ejection mitigation' regulationHyundai teases Veloster one more time, third rear door revealedBMW Vision EfficientDynamics spotted in Abu Dhabi - is it closer to production? [w/video]Ford recalling nearly 15,000 F-Series and Edge/Lincoln MKX crossoversToyota reveals new JDM Vitz - that's Yaris to you, fellah←→Autoblog Podcast #213: With Dave Sullivan of AutoPacificby <strong>Dan Roth</strong> (RSS feed) on Jan 18th 2011 at 4:45PM <img src="/swipe-featured.gif" alt="Featured" /></p><img hspace="0" height="142" border="1" width="630" vspace="4" alt="Autoblog podcast logo" src="/autoblog-podcast-3.jpg" /><strong>Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!</strong></em><br />Episode #213 of the Autoblog Podcast is our first show in a while with a guest. Dave Sullivan, auto analyst for AutoPacific, joins us as we discuss the supposedly impending arrival of the Toyobaru coupe at the Geneva Motor Show, the apparent officialness of a Camaro Z28 for 2012, whispers of a new Ford GT, and UAW attempts to convince automakers in the southern U.S. to organize. Your feedback and questions fuel some more discussion until we wrap up at an hour and thirty eight minutes. Thanks for listening! <br /><br /><strong> Autoblog Podcast #213: With Dave Sullivan of AutoPacific<br /><br /><object application="" data="http://www.weblogsinc.com/media/audio_player.swf" height="24" type="" width="290" x-shockwave-flash=""> <param name="movie" value="http://www.weblogsinc.com/media/audio_player.swf" /> <param name="FlashVars" value="soundFile=http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/stadium.weblogsinc.com/autoblog/podcasts/01-18-11-autoblog-E213.mp3" /> <param name="quality" value="high" /> <param name="menu" value="false" /> <param name="wmode" value="transparent" /></object></strong> Toyobaru confirmed for Geneva UAW president calls non-union carmakers "Human Rights Violators" Camaro Z28 begins production January 1, 2012 New Ford GT possibly in the cards? Editors' Choice: Top five vehicles from NAIAS<strong><br /> </strong><br /><strong>In the Autoblog Garage:<br /></strong><br /><strong> </strong><br />2011 Hyundai Elantra<br />2011 Buick Lacrosse<br />2011 Kia Optima EX<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>News Topics:</strong> Autoblog's complete coverage of the 2011 North American International Auto Show <strong>Hosts:</strong> Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Zach Bowman <br /><strong>R</strong><strong>untime:</strong> 01:37:39<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Get the podcast:</strong><br />[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes<br />[RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator<br />[MP3] Download the MP3 directly<br /><br /><strong> Feedback:</strong><br />Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com<br />Voicemail: 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763)<br /><br />Review the show in iTunes and take our survey<br /> </em> Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Podcasts, Buick, Chevrolet, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, UAW/Unions</p><strong>Tags:</strong> 2011 buick lacrosse, 2011 detroit auto show, 2011 hyundai elantra, 2011 kia optima, 2011 north american international auto show, 2012 chevrolet camaro z28, autoblog podcast, camaro z28, detroit auto show 2011, featured, ford g, new ford gt, North American International Auto Show, united auto workers</p>Print thisEmail thisComments (4</em>)Tweet(function(d){var w = d.getElementById("aol-related-videos").offsetWidth;d.write('New Features From Our Partners<img src="/carsale.jpg" alt="men in car" class="car-photo"/><strong>Toyota Prius C City Car Concept</strong><strong>Motor Trend Experiences Deja Vu</strong><strong>2011 Chevy Volt Review</strong><strong>New OnStar Apps for Verizon 4G</strong>2010 New York International Auto Show2011 Audi A62011 Audi TTS2011 Ford Escape2011 Ford Fusion2011 Honda CR-Z<br/>2011 Honda Pilot2011 Hyundai Genesis2011 Hyundai Veracruz2011 Volkswagen CC2011 Volkswagen JettaPowered by AOL AutosReader Comments (Page 1 of 1)</p><img src="/346098264.jpg" alt="FlappyPaddle" class="avatar" />65.1629072682%1FlappyPaddle 1:48PM (1/18/2011)<p>W00t podcast time favorite time of the week.</p>Reply</p><img class="star-img" src="/stars25.gif" alt="2.5 stars" /> ↓↑report<img src="/330556164.jpg" alt="UrbanGlowCam" class="avatar" />73.3333333333%2UrbanGlowCam 4:58PM (1/18/2011)<p>Thank you for answering my question about the Honda sports car guys. :) </p>Reply</p><img class="star-img" src="/stars2.gif" alt="2 stars" /> ↓↑report<img src="/212465564.jpg" alt="mel" class="avatar" />77.037037037%3mel 5:46PM (1/18/2011)<p>Glad you guys touched on my question.<br><br>And it's Mel H Russell III (as in the third) ;)<br><br>Thanks<br>Mel</p>Reply</p><img class="star-img" src="/stars2.gif" alt="2 stars" /> ↓↑report<img src="/463307064.jpg" alt="inefficient" class="avatar" />4inefficient 1:21AM (1/19/2011)<p>I'm a new autoblog reader and 3 questions asked before this podcast had me very interested:<br><br>- whether Honda will ever make another sports car<br>- why Honda's styling direction is off base<br>- whether dual clutch will replace automatics<br><br>but this podcast format is a just a really, really poor and inefficient way of transmitting info. It'd require me to listen to the whole thing (90 mins), which I just don't have the time or willingness for.<br><br>Are there any better ways of doing this? e.g. can you at least roughly point out what topic is discussed around the x-minute mark? Even better would be to have the podcast summarized in written form, but I know that's asking for too much.</p>Reply</p><img class="star-img" src="/stars2.gif" alt="2 stars" /> ↓↑report Add your commentsNew ReadersReturning<b>AIM</b>First time? A confirmation email will be sent to you after submitting.</p>Create username:<br />E-mail:<br />Members enter your username and password.</p>E-mail:<br />Password:<br />Enter your AOL or AIM screenname and password.</p><img src="/loading.gif"></p>Your comments:Remember meE-Mail me when someone replies to this commentPlease keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. <strong>Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments.</strong></p><p>When you enter your name and email address, you'll be sent a link to confirm your comment, and a password. To leave another comment, just use that password.</p><p>To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br /> tags.</p><br class="clear" />FeaturedBreakingPopular<img src="/autoblog-podcast-3thumbnail.jpg" width="30px" height="30px" />Autoblog Podcast #213: With Dave Sullivan of AutoPacific<img src="/greenhornetblackbeautymthumbnail.jpg" width="30px" height="30px" />Meet The Green Hornet's original Black Beauty<img src="/lead1-2011-honda-odyssey-reviewthumbnail.jpg" width="30px" height="30px" />Review: 2011 Honda Odyssey<img src="/lead1-2011-bmw-alpina-b7-reviewthumbnail.jpg" width="30px" height="30px" />Review: 2011 BMW Alpina B7<img src="/lead1-2011-toyota-highlander-reviewthumbnail.jpg" width="30px" height="30px" />Review: 2011 Toyota HighlanderView all</p><img src="/rolloverthumbnail.jpg" width="30px" height="30px" />NHTSA announces new 'ejection mitigation' regulation<img src="/02-2012-hyundai-veloster-teaser-optthumbnail.jpg" width="30px" height="30px" />Hyundai teases Veloster one more time, third rear door revealed<img src="/5309998026f97c472766bthumbnail.jpg" width="30px" height="30px" />BMW Vision EfficientDynamics spotted in Abu Dhabi - is it closer to production? 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Aren't we all?<img src="/ncdot-superstreetillustrationthumbnail.jpg" width="30px" height="30px" />Should left turns be illegal?<img src="/01-2011-chrysler-t-and-c-1284484117thumbnail.jpg" width="30px" height="30px" />Top ten most and least expensive cars to insure in 2011<img src="/nissan-leaf-630thumbnail.jpg" width="30px" height="30px" />Report: Nissan admits Leaf EV launch could have been handled better<img src="/russian-motorcycle-videothumbnail.jpg" width="30px" height="30px" />Video: Moscow motorcyclist's crazy high-speed commute<img src="/AutosPhone300x100.jpg" width="300" height="100" /><img vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" alt="" src="/pin-bynumbers.png" /><br /><img vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" src="/pin-autoline.png" alt="" /><br /><img vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" alt="" src="/pin-twitter.png" /><br /><img vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" src="/pin-uturn.png" alt="" /><br /><img vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" src="/autoblog-podcast-sliver.png" alt="" />Autoblog Podcast #213: With Dave Sullivan of AutoPacificEpisode #213 of the Autoblog Podcast is our first show in a while with a guest. Dave Sullivan, auto analyst for AutoPacific, joins us as we discuss the supposedly impending arrival of the Toyobaru coupe at the Geneva Motor Show, the apparent officialness of a Camaro Z28 for 2012, whispers of a new Ford GT, and UAW attempts to convince automakers in the southern U.S. to organize. Your feedback and questions fuel some more discussion until we wrap up at an hour and thirty eight minutes. Thanks for listening!</p><object width="290" height="24" data="http://www.weblogsinc.com/media/audio_player.swf" x-shockwave-flash="" application="" type=""> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"/> <param name="movie" value="http://www.weblogsinc.com/media/audio_player.swf" /> <param name="FlashVars" value="soundFile=http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/stadium.weblogsinc.com/autoblog/podcasts/01-18-11-autoblog-E213.mp3" /> <param name="quality" value="high" /> Download Archive RSS iTunes ? ? </object>Subscribe via: iTunes | RSS</p>Featured Galleries<img src="/01-minagithumbnail.jpg" alt="Mazda Minagi Concept" width="75" height="75" title="Mazda Minagi Concept"><img src="/01-2011-honda-odyssey-reviewthumbnail.jpg" alt="2011 Honda Odyssey: Review" width="75" height="75" title="2011 Honda Odyssey: Review"><img src="/01greenhornetblackbeautythumbnail.jpg" alt="The Original Black Beauty of The Green Hornet" width="75" height="75" title="The Original Black Beauty of The Green 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After Allegedly Making ThreatsSource: Carl Pavano, Twins Close to DealArmando Galarraga, Tigers to Part Ways<img src="C:\Program Files\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\Aries online car auctions\1\" alt="" height="16" width="16" /> AsylumBetter Looking People Are SmarterCollege Student Pays $14,000 Tuition With One-Dollar BillsGet the Whole Story With 'Better Book Titles'<strong>MORE ON AOL Autos:</strong> Cars | New Cars | Car Loans | Certified Used Cars | Car Reviews | Car Buying Tips | Car Safety | Auto Repair | 2011 Detroit Auto Show</p>Aol Autos.<p>c 2011 AOL Inc. All rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Trademarks | AOL A-Z HELP | Advertise With Us</p> </body><img src="C:\Program Files\ABS\Auto Blog Samurai\data\Aries online car auctions\1\status.gif"><br /><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/18/autoblog-podcast-213-with-dave-sullivan-of-autopacific/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>WaterSoUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455823265243745088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535085044867952667.post-18131925342488186382011-01-22T19:05:00.000+08:002011-01-22T19:05:00.372+08:00 <STRONG>Mazda MINAGI Concept to Showcase Mazda's All-new SKYACTIV Technologies and KODO Design at the Geneva Motor Show</STRONG> <P>HIROSHIMA, Japan-Mazda Motor Corporation will showcase the world premiere of its new MINAGI compact crossover SUV concept car during the press days of the 2011 Geneva motor show, which is being held from March 1-13, 2011. The Mazda MINAGI concept fully embraces Mazda's new SKYACTIV technologies and its new design theme, KODO – Soul of Motion. The exciting MINAGI concept is the forerunner to the launch of Mazda's upcoming next-generation products and symbolizes the evolution of the Mazda brand as it begins a new era.</P><P>Mazda MINAGI</P><P>The Mazda MINAGI is a compact crossover SUV concept that combines Mazda's SKYACTIV technologies - which represent the harmony between driving pleasure and outstanding environmental and safety performance - with emotional KODO design that communicates pent up energy bursting with vitality as the vehicle nimbly navigates a sprawling urban cityscape. Fully introducing SKYACTIV technologies throughout, MINAGI is equipped with a SKYACTIV engine and SKYACTIV transmission fitted to a SKYACTIV-Body and chassis that merge comprehensive weight reduction with the assurance of ample safety features.</P><P>Mazda's stand at the Geneva show will also feature new SKYACTIV technology exhibits and the<BR>Mazda SHINARI design concept car, among a wide range of products.</P><P>Officially titled the 81e Salon International de l'Auto de Geneve, the show's press days are March<BR>1 and 2, and the public days are March 3-13, 2011. Mazda will hold a press conference on Tuesday, March 1.</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/18/officially-official-mazda-minagi-concept-headed-to-geneva/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>WaterSoUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455823265243745088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535085044867952667.post-24775892502095909482011-01-22T12:03:00.000+08:002011-01-22T12:03:00.800+08:00by <STRONG>Jonathon Ramsey</STRONG> (RSS feed) on Jan 18th 2011 at 2:59PM <IMG alt=Featured src="/swipe-featured.gif"><br /><P></P><BR><STRONG>The original Black Beauty – Click above for high-res image gallery</STRONG></EM><BR>A derby-and-mask shod Seth Rogen and a mask-wearing Jay Chou owned the weekend box office reprising roles that were originally created in 1936: The Green Hornet and Kato, a superhero and his martial-arts-maven sidekick that began as a radio show in the 1930s. If the trailers are to be believed, this is the first superhero film in which the sidekick is more badass than his boss. It actually makes sense, though, because the first actor to play the role of Kato onscreen was none other than Bruce Lee in his first big American role. But what is perhaps most important about our current duo is the wheeled fiend they'll be driving: a Chrylser Imperial called Black Beauty. A supercar long before there were Murcielagos and Veyrons, Black Beauty is so significant to the story that it gets just as much time and space as the superhumans in the trailers and on the billboards. <br /><P>For The Green Hornet television show of 1966 and 1967, with Van Williams as the stinger leading Bruce Lee, two Black Beauties were built by star Hollywood carmaker Dean Jeffries, both based on 1966 Imperials. The first of those cars, the driving car, has disappeared into the void that we assume also contains Amelia Earheart and the aliens who made crop circles. But the second car, the hero car with all the gadgets – that still work, mind you – that one is parked in The Petersen Museum in Los Angeles. And because Autoblog enjoys doing its homework before going to see a film, we went to see it. </P><br /><P>Continue reading...</P><BR><STRONG>Photos copyright c2011 Jonathon Ramsey / AOL</STRONG></EM> <br /><P>From The Shirley Bassey Files, this being "just little bits of history repeating," 40 years ago there was a huge interest in superheroes. Batman's popularity on ABC in the 1960s kicked it all off (this following the monumentally popular Superman series from the 1950s), and the show known for its BIFF! and KABOOM! fight scene cuts led to shows you've probably never heard of, like Mr. Terrific and Captain Nice. But it also spurred 20th Century Fox Television to create The Green Hornet, which meant they needed to create Black Beauty.</P><br /><P><IMG id=vimage_3797812 border=1 hspace=0 alt="The Green Hornet's Black Beauty" vspace=4 src="/05-green-hornet-black-beauty-opt.jpg"></P><br /><P>Dean Jeffries was given the job and 30 days to get it done. The series had just two Imperials (whereas the modern-day movie had 29), and because the studio didn't want to spend a fortune recreating effects, the hero car had to be able to do all of them. The whereabouts of the #1 car is another rendezvous with oblivion, the story of the #2 car is another tale of Hollywood props: after the show was canceled just two seasons in, the car was left to rot on the 20th Century Fox backlot, then an anonymous woman in Beverly Hills bought it – no one knows how or why – and it rotted on her estate, then a Southern California man bought it, gave it back to Dean Jeffries in 1993 to restore, and left the restored car on Dean Jeffries lot, and finally it was bought by the Petersen.</P><br /><P>"It" is an Imperial with a 440-cubic-inch V8 turning out 350 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque running through a three-speed automatic. There were 13,752 such sedans made by Chrysler, and this one got to live a more fruitful life than any other. Believe it or not, just four purely cosmetic changes were made to the exterior of the car: the greenhouse sail panel was extended 14 inches to make the sedan look more like a limo, the door handles were replaced with electric switches, the rear lights were redesigned to run up the trunk, and the gas tank filler flap was moved to a spot on the back deck ahead of the trunk, since the original spot in the center of the rear valance was taken by a gun. </P><br /><P><IMG id=vimage_3797828 border=1 hspace=4 alt="" vspace=4 src="/14-green-hornet-black-beauty-opt.jpg" width=618 height=412><IMG id=vimage_3797824 border=1 hspace=4 alt="" vspace=4 src="/10-green-hornet-black-beauty-opt.jpg"><IMG id=vimage_3797826 border=1 hspace=4 alt="" vspace=4 src="/22-green-hornet-black-beauty-opt.jpg"><IMG id=vimage_3797825 border=1 hspace=4 alt="" vspace=4 src="/16-green-hornet-black-beauty-opt.jpg"></P><br /><P>Every other tweak was done to serve the show, down to The Green Hornet center caps in the Keystone alloys. In front, the grille is noted for a gun barrel that emits non-lethal Green Hornet gas. It's flanked by rocket launchers down below and, barely visible next to the launchers, there are retractable rams meant to hold the car upside down on the underside of the rotating floor in The Green Hornet's garage. Up above, the headlights rotate from a regular pair to a green pair, which provides Kato his night-time 'infra-green' vision. Kato would use a green plastic panel that flipped down from the sun visor in conjunction with the lights.</P><br /><P>The sides are the barren black lengths they appear to be, which only emphasizes the fact that the car is as long as a Tolstoy novel, a whisper under 19 feet in length. It's also lowdown – the Imperial lords itself so close to the ground, the impression it gives is that if you replaced the fat sidewalls with some low profile rubber you'd have trouble getting over a speedbump. And when you're a filthy rich badass in a black limo, that's probably the way it should be.</P><br /><P><IMG id=vimage_3797844 border=1 hspace=4 alt="" vspace=4 src="/19-green-hornet-black-beauty-opt.jpg"><IMG id=vimage_3797843 border=1 hspace=4 alt="" vspace=4 src="/21-green-hornet-black-beauty-opt.jpg"></P><br /><P>The devices return in back: There's a homing and tracking scanner that emerges from the trunklid, another gun barrel in the rear valance that emits grease, smoke and oil, and rotating rear license plates flanked by more rocket launchers. To cover his tracks – literally – The Green Hornet has brooms that would descend behind the rear wheels... as if no one would notice...</P><br /><P>Inside, the front of the cabin has the look of a regular '66 Imperial. Well, aside from the plaque in front of the passenger seat attesting to this being the Black Beauty that worked in every episode of the series. But open the glove compartment and a double-length panel opens up that hides the glove compartment on the right and The Green Hornet's phone on the left, in the center of the dash. Beneath that, in place of the gargantuan ashtray is a scanner for the tracking system in the trunk. The sun visor hides the green visor for Kato's infra-green, and the steering wheel center cap clearly identifies the owner of the car.</P><br /><P><IMG id=vimage_3797852 border=1 hspace=4 alt="" vspace=4 src="/31-green-hornet-black-beauty-opt.jpg" width=618 height=412><IMG id=vimage_3797849 border=1 hspace=4 alt="" vspace=4 src="/28-green-hornet-black-beauty-opt.jpg"><IMG id=vimage_3797850 border=1 hspace=4 alt="" vspace=4 src="/29-green-hornet-black-beauty-opt.jpg"><IMG id=vimage_3797851 border=1 hspace=4 alt="" vspace=4 src="/30-green-hornet-black-beauty-opt.jpg"></P><br /><P>It is in back where props meet reality. There is barely any room in the back seat because a cabinet of switches and props juts out of the back of the front bench. For effects, there are two scanners contained in the cabinet (The Green Hornet loved his green screens, apparently), there are compartments in the C pillars that hide guns, and there are flaps astride the rear window that open so he could shoot at baddies behind. Lower the center armrest and you'll find one of the oddest superhero accoutrement in one of the oddest places: a drafting set, complete with protractor and compass.</P><br /><P>What really sponges up space is Mission Control: a deep panel of buttons, toggles and switches that emerges from another panel in the cabinet, and another two-rows-deep set of controllers in the passenger-side armrest. The dedicated battery and hydraulic pumps didn't help the legroom either. In fact, there isn't any legroom. But this is where the props were actually controlled, by men we imagine who were either sitting cross-legged... or amputees.</P><br /><P>In spite of Bruce and Beauty, and verisimilitude, the show didn't do well enough to last beyond its 29 episodes (the last two episodes were movies that team Hornet up with Batman). Have a look at the high-res gallery for photos and descriptions of The Green Hornet's tricks and tools, and if you want to see them up close just head to The Petersen Museum – the Black Beauty is in the Hollywood Gallery in the permanent collection, in front of Michael Keaton's Batmobile and across from a wounded-in-action General Lee. We haven't seen the Rogen/Cho effort yet so judgment will be forthcoming, but based on Jeffries work, the good old days of superheroes look pretty freakin' cool.</P><BR><STRONG>Photos copyright c2011 Jonathon Ramsey / AOL</STRONG></EM> <br /><P><A href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/18/meet-the-green-hornets-original-black-beauty/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P>WaterSoUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455823265243745088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535085044867952667.post-48118990569086418972011-01-22T04:46:00.000+08:002011-01-22T04:46:00.759+08:00 by <STRONG>Jeff Glucker</STRONG> (RSS feed) on Jan 18th 2011 at 2:28PM </P><IMG border=0 hspace=0 alt="Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG" vspace=4 src="/15mercedescl63amg2011review.jpg" width=629 height=418> <STRONG>2011 Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG – Click above for high-res image gallery</STRONG></EM><BR>The era of the green(-ish) sports car is fast approaching. Porsche unveiled its 918RSR at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show while Audi enjoys showing off one of its many e-Tron concepts at nearly every expo. Mercedes-Benz is no stranger to pairing up powerful vehicles with electric propulsion, trotting out the SLS AMG E-Cell at the NAIAS and searing our retinas in the process. Now there's word that AMG is ready to cut fuel consumption across its lineup by partnering its torquey gasoline engines with some kind of hybrid electric powertrains. <P>According to Daimler's head of future mobility and advanced engineering Herbert Kohler, it's a "given" that AMG vehicles in the coming years will be available as hybrids. The AMG family will still be about performance, but – like every other automaker under the sun – fuel consumption is a constant part of engineering discussions going forward.</P><P><B>Photos copyright c2011 Michael Harley / AOL<BR></B><BR>[Source: Autocar] </P><br /><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/18/rumormill-mercedes-benz-ready-to-bring-hybrids-to-amg/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>WaterSoUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455823265243745088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535085044867952667.post-87356604556070234122011-01-21T20:58:00.000+08:002011-01-21T20:58:00.496+08:00by <STRONG>Steven J. Ewing</STRONG> (RSS feed) on Jan 18th 2011 at 11:45AM <br /><P></P> <STRONG>Mazda Minagi Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery</STRONG></EM><BR>Even though the Mazda Shinari concept probably won't see the light of day as a production car, its design will indeed influence the next crop of Mazda's production vehicles. Case in point: The Minagi concept that is set to debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Take one look at this crossover concept's front end and the Shinari influence is crystal clear. <br /><P>When the Minagi comes to life, it will slot below the CX-7 within Mazda's lineup. In fact, we've already spied a test mule for this new small CUV, dubbed CX-5, meaning Mazda's plans for production are moving forward at a rather rapid pace. A good thing, since we're eager to see how this Shinari-inspired crossover looks in motion.</P><BR>[Sources: Autokopen (translated)] <br /><P><A href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/18/mazda-minagi-concept-leaks-out-ahead-of-geneva-debut/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P>WaterSoUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455823265243745088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535085044867952667.post-28892836663754825332011-01-21T13:52:00.000+08:002011-01-21T13:52:00.197+08:00 by <STRONG>Zach Bowman</STRONG> (RSS feed) on Jan 18th 2011 at 2:02PM </P><IMG border=1 hspace=0 alt="BMW Megacity EV" vspace=4 src="/megacity-630.jpg"> <STRONG>BMW Megacity EV – Click above for high-res image gallery</STRONG></EM><BR>According to the rumors kicking around the interwebs, the upcoming BMW Megacity won't be bargain basement transportation. Autocar</EM> cites an unnamed source as saying that when the city-sized electric car hits dealers, it will carry a premium price tag. That likely means that the Megacity will cost more than the Nissan Leaf EV that it's designed to compete against. <P>That's no real shocker given the Megacity's complete carbon-fiber passenger cell and unique aluminum chassis. Throw in the extensive research and development that's gone into the vehicle so far, and it's not difficult to imagine a lofty price tag for the Megacity when the EV hatch goes on sale as a 2013 model. </P><P>There is some indication that as technology and manufacturing costs decrease, BMW will lower the vehicle's price tag, but that's not thought to happen until the Megacity has already been on the road for some time. So far, BMW has said official word one about how it plans to price its EV.</P><P>[Source: Autocar] </P>Filed under: Europe, Hatchback, BMW, Rumormill, Electric</P><STRONG>Tags:</STRONG> bmw, bmw megacity, bmw megacity ev, electric vehicle, ev, megacity, megacity ev</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/18/rumormill-bmw-megacity-is-a-premium-product-will-carry-premium/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>WaterSoUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455823265243745088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535085044867952667.post-20764083237195997992011-01-21T06:46:00.000+08:002011-01-21T06:46:00.623+08:00by <STRONG>Zach Bowman</STRONG> (RSS feed) on Jan 18th 2011 at 3:31PM <br /><P></P> <br /><P>Autocar</EM> reports that Porsche is hard at work on whipping up a new four-cylinder to power everything from the oft-rumored small Porsche as well as the Boxster, Cayman and potentially even the 911. While speaking at the Detroit Auto Show, Wolfgang Durheimer, the head of research and development for the automaker, said that Porsche was already slaving over the four-pot and that it could potentially be applied to models outside of the upcoming sub-Boxster model. </P><br /><P>There was some indication that the smaller Porsche would borrow bits from a sister car built by Volkswagen and Audi, and while that route would certainly cut down on development costs for all three cars, Porsche seems to be bent on powering its version with a beating heart designed and developed in house. </P><br /><P>If you're still reeling from the thought of a four-cylinder 911, breathe easy. Durheimer said that for the time being, Porsche plans to keep to the flat-six for its bread-and-butter sports machine, though there's no telling what the far-off future could bring.</P><br /><P>[Source: Autocar] </P>Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Convertible, Performance, Europe, Porsche, Rumormill<br /><P></P><STRONG>Tags:</STRONG> baby porsche, four cylinder, porsche, porsche four cylinder, rumor, small porsche<br /><P></P><br /><P><A href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/18/report-porsche-confirms-work-on-four-cylinder/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P>WaterSoUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455823265243745088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535085044867952667.post-25496176493303167472011-01-20T23:11:00.000+08:002011-01-20T23:11:00.331+08:00 by <STRONG>Zach Bowman</STRONG> (RSS feed) on Jan 18th 2011 at 12:58PM <IMG alt=Tokyo src="/swipe-tokyo.png"></P><IMG border=0 hspace=0 alt="Toyota T-Sport Concept" vspace=4 src="/t-sport-concept-630-1295295948.jpg"> <P>We've been clamoring for a date with the production version of the Toyota FT-86 for longer than we care to remember, but we officially have a new infatuation. Meet the boxer coupe's younger sister – the TES T-Sport Concept. If our Google Translator is to be believed, the car supposedly originated from an inner-company survey that asked what type of cars Toyota engineers would most like to see built. Apparently the overwhelming answer was a fun-to-drive, affordable sports car. </P><P>Color us stunned.</P><P>From there, the Toyota Engineering Society set about crafting their vision of a low buck machine that could still slather a smile on your face. Power comes courtesy of a 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine with around 110 horsepower, and this thing hits the scales at less than 2,000 pounds. That sounds like a winning combination to us. The T-Sport Concept wears some plenty funky styling, but we certainly wouldn't hold that against a would-be Mazda MX-5 competitor. As with most things awesome that hail from auto shows, there's little likelihood that the T-Sport will ever see production. Head over to AutoGuide to get a closer look at the two-seater. </P><P>[Sources: Caradisaic, AutoGuide | Image: AutoGuide] </P>Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Budget, Japan, Toyota</P><STRONG>Tags:</STRONG> 2011, concept, t-sport, t-sport concept, tokyo, Tokyo Auto Salon 2011, toyota, toyota tes t-sport concept</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/18/tas-2011-toyota-concept-is-the-ft-86s-little-sister/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>WaterSoUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455823265243745088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535085044867952667.post-18283020270933167052011-01-20T16:11:00.000+08:002011-01-20T16:11:00.363+08:00by <STRONG>Jeff Glucker</STRONG> (RSS feed) on Jan 18th 2011 at 1:32PM <br /><P></P> <STRONG>2011 Fiat 500 – Click above for high-res image gallery</STRONG></EM><BR>Fiat dealerships are just about ready to swap your money for the keys to a brand-new 500. If you are planning on being one of the first to park one in your driveway, we hope that you know how to drive a manual transmission – the first units being shipped to dealers in February will all be equipped with manual transmissions. <br /><P>If you can't handle the three-pedal setup, you'll be forced to wait a bit longer for your Fiat 500. Examples equipped with the six-speed automatic will begin arriving in March and April. Then again, you may have to wait that long regardless of your transmission preference, since currently, only 20 percent of the 130 Fiat dealerships are ready to open. The first one, Motor Village in Los Angeles, is set to open its doors later this month.</P><BR>[Source: Autoweek] Filed under: Car Buying, Hatchback, Chrysler, Fiat<br /><P></P><STRONG>Tags:</STRONG> 500, car buying, chrysler, fiat, fiat 500, manual transmission, motor village, motor village of los angeles<br /><P></P><br /><P><A href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/18/report-first-batch-of-u-s-bound-fiat-500s-coming-with-manuals/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</A></P>WaterSoUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455823265243745088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535085044867952667.post-73067385915705084012011-01-20T08:30:00.000+08:002011-01-20T08:30:00.751+08:00 by <STRONG>Noah Joseph</STRONG> (RSS feed) on Jan 18th 2011 at 5:58PM </P><IMG border=1 hspace=0 alt="Porsche Cayenne in China" vspace=4 src="/gyi0055841585.jpg"> <P>When Porsche was integrated into the Volkswagen group, its new parent company set an ambitious sales target for its latest division: 150,000 units annually. That would require a 50% increase in sales, but Porsche figures it can hit the far more ambitious target of 200,000 units per year for a 100% increase.</P><P>To get there, however, Porsche realizes its current production capacity will not be enough. And so it will need to produce vehicles at additional facilities, which could include plants in the United States and China.</P><P>The latter would seem a logical first step as the Audi Q5, on which the upcoming Cajun SUV is based, is already being built in China. Beyond the Cajun, however, production in the United States – still the biggest market for Porsche – could be in the cards within a few years.</P><P>[Source: Automotive News – sub. req. | Image: China Photos/Getty] </P><br /><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/18/report-porsche-looking-to-china-for-production-of-cajun-cuv/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>WaterSoUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455823265243745088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535085044867952667.post-47704901192416419502011-01-20T00:30:00.000+08:002011-01-20T00:30:02.120+08:00 by <STRONG>Jeff Glucker</STRONG> (RSS feed) on Jan 18th 2011 at 7:58PM </P><IMG alt="Behind the scenes clip from Lexus' The Hard Way Chain commercial" src="/lexus-hard-way.jpg"><BR><B>Behind the Scenes of Lexus' "The Hard Way - Chain" commercial – Click above to watch video after the jump</B><BR>Lexus has released a new line of commercials that revolve around the theme "the hard way." In one such commercial titled Chain</EM>, Lexus attaches cables to an LS sedan and raises it off the ground. The idea is to show you how strong the chassis is because it can support its own weight when lifted into the air. Since the theme is "the hard way," the weight of just one single LS clearly isn't enough and Lexus attaches four vehicles to LS and raises them all in the air. <P>The commercial does an excellent job of conveying Lexus' solid built quality through a visual exercise. Is it real though? You bet'cha it is... and to show how they did it, Lexus has released a behind-the-scenes video and it's hanging around after the jump. We also threw in a few more examples of Lexus' "The Hard Way" campaign just for the fun of it. Enjoy!</P><P>[Source: YouTube] </P>Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Lexus, Luxury</P><STRONG>Tags:</STRONG> advertising, commercial, lexus, lexus commercials, lexus ls, lexus the hard way, the hard way, video</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/18/video-behind-the-scenes-with-lexus-the-hard-way-spot/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>WaterSoUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455823265243745088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535085044867952667.post-83934226241840414442011-01-19T17:24:00.001+08:002011-01-19T17:24:49.958+08:00 The storied racing heritage of one of Britain's legendary motor car companies will be celebrated, as Jaguar will be the featured marque of the 2011 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. Few companies are as synonymous with sports car racing as Jaguar, and the reunion will highlight the 50th anniversary of the iconic Jaguar E-Type and 60th anniversary of the remarkable Jaguar C-Type's win in the 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans. <P>"The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is hallowed ground for automotive racing aficionados, and thus a very meaningful place to celebrate the Jaguar E-Type's 50th Anniversary," said Richard Beattie, Executive Vice President Marketing and Sales Jaguar North America. "Today, as much as 50 years ago, hi-performance, racing and stunning design are integral to the Jaguar brand. At the Reunion we will give enthusiasts a chance to take a look back and forward at all three of these elements in Jaguar's sensational cars."</P><P>The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, August 19-21 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, will host approximately 550 authentic and historic race cars from nearly every decade of motorsports history. The cars are divided into 17 groups according to age, engine size and must be period-correct in their presentation. </P><P>"Jaguar and their many famous drivers represent a time in motorsports where camaraderie among drivers and works teams was second only to winning," explained Gill Campbell, CEO/general manager for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. "We look to share Jaguar's heritage with fans worldwide. And for the E-Type, it's hard to argue with what Enzo Ferrari said 50 years ago upon seeing the sleek E-Type at its introduction, saying it is, 'The most beautiful car ever made.'"</P><P>For Sir William Lyons, founder of Swallow Sidecar and Coach Building Company which evolved into Jaguar, winning Le Mans was a crucial goal to demonstrate to the world the robustness and performance of the XK120-C. Malcolm Sayer's aerodynamic, lightweight design was based on his aviation background with wind tunnel testing. The C designation stood for "competition."</P><P>Three factory C-Types were entered in the 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans with stunning results. A 22-year-old Stirling Moss recorded the fastest lap, and Peter Walker and Peter Whitehead won the race. It was the first of seven Le Mans victories for Jaguar.</P><P>Jaguar's American racing roots are firmly planted on the Monterey Peninsula. It was in 1950 at the inaugural Pebble Beach Road Races that Jaguar achieved its first win on American soil. A 23-year-old American named Phil Hill, who months earlier accompanied the same Jaguar XK120 aboard the Queen Mary, took the checkered flag, thereby capturing international accolades for both himself and Jaguar.</P><P>This is the third time Jaguar has been the featured marque, having been honored in 1976 and 1992 at the previously named Monterey Historic Automobile RacesR. </P><P>For additional information and tickets for the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, please call 800-327-7322 or visit www.MazdaRaceway.com.</P><br /><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/18/jaguar-named-as-featured-marque-for-2011-monterey-motorsports-re/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>WaterSoUhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09455823265243745088noreply@blogger.com0