AutoNews

Toyota developing $5k car under new brand

2008-11-10T16:13:00.000-08:00

The world's largest automaker is looking to join Tata Motors and Renault's Dacia brand as purveyors of cheap new cars. Toyota has cultured a company model by building high-quality, reliable cars, and has gone upmarket with its Lexus brand to compete at the high end of the automotive spectrum. More recently, the automaker has attempted to target a younger crowd with its Scion subsidiary and now a fourth brand is being considered to cater to emerging markets wihtout sullying the Toyota's hard-fought image. The new car would be targeted at the Indian and Brazilian markets, and would likely be made at Toyota's plant in Bangalore. Toyota is rumored to be partnering up with Daihatsu, another subsidiary of Toyota, that specializes in Japanese Kei cars for the new inexpensive model. If it indeed does happen, expect the new vehicle to make its debut by 2015.

Source Via Autoblog

Auto News:Ferrari CEO rules out diesels

2008-11-03T09:21:00.000-08:00

The Germans are embracing diesels wholeheartedly, and many of the Fiat Group's companies have a standing relationship with the oily fuel, but Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa has ruled out any move toward the technology, at least within the next five years, and probably beyond that.

"Diesel is not a direction in which we want to go," said Felisa last week, reports the Telegraph. "It is not in our five-year strategic plan and I don't think diesel is an answer to the problem."

Auto News:Mercedes-Benz offer workers buyout package

2008-11-03T09:10:00.000-08:00

The economy slowing and demand for new vehicles shrinking, Mercedes-Benz is offering buyout packages its nearly 4,000 workers at its Alabama plant for the first time since the factory opened 11 years ago.

Company officials did not specify how many employees Mercedes hopes will take the buyouts to balance the dip in demand, or what approach the company would take if too few employees opted for the buyouts.

Mercedes-Benz has announceed plans to halt production at plants in Germany for a month beginning Dec. 12. The Vance plant's converted to a four-day, 32-hour work week earlier this month.

2009 Nissan 370Z official photos surface

2008-10-31T03:24:00.000-07:00

The first set of official photos released by Nissan. From the photos we see that the car’s not just a facelift, because a lot of things have changed, the 370Z going for a more retro look than the 350Z. However, for more details we’ll have to wait until the official launch, in November at the Los Angeles Auto Show. However, rumors say that the 370Z name indicates a 330 hp 3.7 liter V6 under the hood and the fact that the car will be shorter and lighter means extra performance. After it’s LA debut, the Nissan 370Z is expected to go on sale at the beginning of 2009.

Auto News: 2010 Ford Fusion Facelift

2008-10-31T03:15:00.000-07:00

2010 Ford Fusion facelift, which, besides the obvious redesign, also got a new engine and a new six-speed transmission. This means the Fusion will be available with Ford’s all-new Duratec 2.5-liter I-4, producing 175 horsepower, an enhanced 3.0-liter V6 with 240 hp and a 3.5-liter V6 that delivers 263 hp for the Fusion Sport model. Ford claims that the Fusions equipped with the 2.5-liter engine will deliver at least 3 mpg better on the highway than the Honda Accord and 2 mpg better than the Toyota Camry. All engines are paired with six-speed transmissions which offers up to a 10 percent fuel economy improvement.

Ford also offers several fuel saving technologies, like EPS (Electric Power Steering), Adaptive Spark Ignition (senses what type of fuel is being injected into the motor and communicates the information to the powertrain control module, which adjusts the spark accordingly) and Aggressive Deceleration Fuel Shut-off (when the driver releases the accelerator pedal to slow down, the system temporarily turns off the fuel).

UK government gives £100 million aid to electric cars research

2008-10-29T07:11:00.000-07:00

Geoff Hoon, Britain’s transport secretary, has announced that the government has decided to offer a £100 ($155, €125) million aid to the development of electric cars and other ultra-low emission cars. Ford Motor, Mercedes-Benz, Citroen and Land Rover are among the 10 companies that will compete to supply low-carbon vans to local councils and government bodies, such as the Royal Mail, and city councils including Glasgow, Leeds and Liverpool.

The British government told that this funding was necessary to give an initial boost to electric car sales, which aren’t the most affordable vehicles out there, due to the expensive batteries, plus the problem of recharging mean. Beside that, Mr. Hoon also announced that an extra £20 million will be allocated for research and development in technology to make electric cars more affordable.

And it looks like Europe is really starting to support electric cars, because, this month, French president Nicolas Sarkozy also announced a 400 million Euros funding for electric cars development.

Alfa Romeo’s return to U.S delayed until 2011

2008-10-28T06:41:00.000-07:00

Fiat’s CEO Sergio Marchionne has announced that Alfa Romeo’s return to the United States has been delayed again until 2011. Wonder if they’ll ever make it across the ocean. Of course, the reason for this delay, the global financial crisis, with the United States being hit very hard by it. According to Automotive News, Mr. Marchionne said that “it would be simply crazy investing for returning Alfa in such a depressed U.S. market.”

Auto News:Renault Sand’up concept unveiled in Brazil

2008-10-28T06:37:00.000-07:00

Renault has unveiled the Sand’up concept, based on its Renault/Dacia Sandero. The Sand’up, which is the first Renault concept designer entirely in South America, has a modular design that allows it to go from a closed hard-top coupe to a convertible pickup. The concept is powered by a 1.6 liter Hi-Flex engine that delivers 107 hp when running on petrol and 112 hp when using ethanol. We have to admit, Renault did a great job with this concept, which is pretty attractive with its big wheel arches, satin nickel roof rail arches and see-through doors.

Obama a BMW, McCain a Ford

2008-10-26T13:47:00.000-07:00

Politics are a complicated subject. To simplify the way consumers really feel about the presidential candidates, Landor Associates and research firm Penn, Schoen & Berland asked survey respondents to compare them to brands.

The results were telling. While Democratic nominee Barack Obama was compared to Google, his Republican competitor John McCain was likened to AOL. Obama was also associated with BMW and Target, while McCain was linked with Ford and Wal-Mart.

[ Source : adweek ]

Auto News:The Good Life Audi's Diesels

2008-10-26T13:38:00.000-07:00

Audi Auto Group wants to change this perception with its latest fleet of diesels, but it may be hard to win over a U.S. market familiar with large buses, trucks and old European imports that chugged along noisily emitting a thick, dark cloud of emissions.

Alternative energy vehicles have become the new trend, with cars like the Prius selling faster than Japan-based Toyota can build them. But even though hybrids are a respectable option, many European manufacturers already have proven technology within their diesel fleets.

Take Audi, for example, which by building fun-to-drive vehicles with robust miles-per-gallon numbers and uncompromised performance has created a compelling argument for new diesel technology.

Auto News:Nissan 370Z Convertible renderings

2008-10-26T13:30:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Nissan 370Z Coupe is not even out on the market yet, and the guys from Inside Line already came with details on the Nissan 370Z Convertible. The upcoming Nissan drop top will sport a power-operated fabric top which, beside keeping a reasonable pricing for the car, also keep the weight as low as possible. The convertible 370Z will probably have the same powertrain from its coupe brother, which means it will be powered by a 3.7 liter Nissan engine, mated to a seven-speed automatic or a six-speed manual gearbox. The car, which will make its world debut at next year’s New York Auto Show, will be available with rear-wheel-drive only.

Auto News:Toyota's compact Lexus

2008-10-24T08:05:00.000-07:00

Toyota has confirmed its plan to build a compact Lexus, whose main competitors will be the BMW 1 Series and the Audi A3. ‘We will offer a Lexus in the compact class’, said Tadashi Arashima, Senior Managing Director and Member of the Board of Toyota. Mr. Arashima also said that Lexus will need smaller and more fuel efficient vehicles, in order to comply with the European CO2 standards, and this baby IS will be one of these cars. Unfortunately, there were absolutely no details on the car, except that it won’t be arriving until next decade.

The compact car won’t be the only small car Lexus is working on, Mr. Arashima also mentioning a small hybrid, based on the Toyota Prius, which will be available in the US and then in Europe. According to Car Magazine, the hybrid Lexus will be powered by a larger engine, possibly a 2.5 liter unit, and the car will be unveiled in late 2009.

Auto News:BMW 0.9% to all it's model

2008-10-24T02:53:00.000-07:00

The offer began on October 1st and is good through October 31st – likely a last ditch effort to clear out the '08s and spur sales in a month where buyers are putting off big-ticket purchases. If October's numbers are as abysmal as we expect, don't be surprised if this sale leads into November.

Kirk Kerkorian starts dumping Ford shares

2008-10-23T09:22:00.000-07:00

Kirk Kerkorian, the largest individual shareholder in Ford, sold 7.3 million shares of Ford stock on Monday, at an average price of $2.43 a share, which means for around $18 million. Between April and June 2008, Tracinda Corporation, Kerkorian’s company, paid $1 billion for 144 million shares. Considering that Ford’s stock price is dropping (now it trades for $2.07), Kerkorian is looking at a $700 million loss. Tracinda Corp also announced that, “depending upon market conditions and available sale prices,” it may sell all of its remaining 133,500,000 shares of Ford stock and has contacted an investment bank to handle the possible share sale. So, not very good news for Ford, with one of it’s most important investors losing his trust in the company.

Kerkorian, which has made a fortune from Las Vegas businesses (his net worth in 2008, according to Forbes Magazine, is $18.0 billion, making him the world’s 41st richest person) was also involved in the automotive industry. Before buying the Ford shares, he also owned 9.9 percent in GM and, last year, he was one of the bidders for Chrysler.

Auto News:BMW developing world’s first multifunctional car key

2008-10-23T07:35:00.000-07:00

Developed in cooperation with NXP Semiconductors, the independent semiconductor company founded by Philips, the new key could be used by drivers in order to pay general shopping, paying at the gas station, public transport, parking and road tolls, replacing the need for cash or additional cards.

Auto News:E-Go Revolt by Russian

2008-10-22T09:14:00.000-07:00

The newest car maker from the motherland, E-Go. Built off of a Mitsubishi platform with a twin-turbo V6 out front and a 6-speed manual, the car sports all the bits the world expects from a real live sports car. Six-piston brake calipers, air-ride suspension, 19 inch wheels and an LCD control center are all part of the package. The car is supposedly in the works as you read this, but there’s no word on when we’ll see anything tangible from E-Go. We dig the quasi GT-R styling meets Silvia, and the thought of a 550 horse rear-driver with an honest-to-goodness six-speed always gets us going.

[Source: Jalopnik]

Aston Martin give Daniel Craig a lifetime drive deal

2008-10-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

Aston Martin has decided to give Daniel Craig a lifetime drive deal, which means that the actor will be free to go for a spin in any Aston Martin, on the company’s track. Everyone knows that 007’s favorite car is Aston Martin, the DBS being the secret’s agent car in the most recent movie, Quantum of Solace. Of course, this has also brought a lot of advantages to Aston Martin, whose brand image had a lot to gain. And to show their appreciation

Craig said: “I’m lucky enough that if I desperately want to drive in an Aston Martin, the company is just fantastic to me. They’ll let me go on a track and drive one all day long […] I could drive it faster and more furiously (on the track) than anywhere on the road. I live in London (and) it doesn’t make any sense to drive an Aston Martin there. I’ve nowhere to park it.”

SEMA Preview:Toyota Venza Sportlux by Street Image

2008-10-21T08:44:00.001-07:00

The Toyota Venza Sportlux, which will be on display at this year’s SEMA Show, is based on the new 2009 Venza and it shows Street Image’s vision of a vehicle that could be offered as a factory tuned model. The body kit features six piece lip kit enhancement, rear hatch spoiler, integrated hood scoop, custom grille, mirror turn signals and dual center exiting stainless steel exhaust, plus 24 inch Chrome Cognac No 20 wheels. Mechanical upgrades include a TRD supercharger, oil filler cap and high pressure radiator cap, cold air intake system, Hose Techniques silicone vacuum hose, couplers and t-bolt clamps, a height adjustable coil over suspension and new TRD Big Brakes (15 inch diameter for the front wheels and 13.6 for the rear) with TRD forged calipers.

Of course, the interior also got some attention from Street Image, with seating in black and burgundy leather upholstery, accent upholstery in black suede, headliner and sun visors and steering wheel upholstered in black leather plus top of the line in car entertainment system.

Auto News:New Italian Alfa Romeo 149

2008-10-21T08:34:00.000-07:00

The front part follows the styling that made everyone fall in love, with the circular headlamps, sharp, arrow-like nose and deep Alfa shield grille. However, the rear part is new and, with the steeply raked tail, small spoiler, twin exhausts and circular LED tail-lamps, we might just look at the next hot hatch out there.

Based on the Fiat Bravo and Lancia Delta platform, the 149 will be available in three- and five-doors versions and it will be powered by a 1.4-litre petrol turbo and 1.9 diesel units ranging from 120 hp to 250 hp. Nothing official so far, but it seems that the Alfa Romeo 149 is scheduled to go on sale next summer and prices will start at around £16,500 (approx. $28,000).

80,000-pieces Lego Ferrari F1

2008-10-21T08:26:00.000-07:00

This LEGO Ferrari was built with 80,000 pieces LEGO bricks. It is the actual size of Ferrari but without engine, thus it can’t drive on the road. This LEGO Ferrari was made to promote LEGO World in Holland.

Don’t think now you can drive it at speeds over 200 mph, no! But you can drive it using your friends in order to push you, and reach an “astonishing” 1 or 2 mph!

Auto News:Sorry from GM to let 1,500 workers go due to low demand

2008-10-20T11:37:00.000-07:00

GM spokesman Tony Sapienza announced that, due to slowing demand, GM was forced to lay off 1,500 hourly workers from three of its plants that build pickup trucks, large cars and a two-seat roadster. There were 700 workers laid off at a Pontiac, Michigan, assembly plant, and 400 each at plants in Hamtramck, Michigan, and Wilmington, Delaware. All workers received the bad news in late September. Unfortunately, this isn’t something we weren’t expecting, because the entire auto industry is hurting, plus that GM is on of the companies that suffers the most, with a $15.5 billion net loss in the second quarter and a lot of rumors about them heading for bankruptcy.

Auto News:Sold Out for £115,000 Caterham RS Levante!!!

2008-10-20T11:32:00.000-07:00

The cars that still sell good are the most expensive ones.......
The RS Levante is powered by a custom-built 40-valve, 2.4-liter, supercharged V8 which delivers 500 hp. A lot of power, but nothing impressive, you might say. However, the car features a carbon-fiber, Kevlar and aluminum body, so it weights only 1150 pounds, which gives it a power-to-weight ratio of 1000 hp per ton, which is double that of the Bugatti Veyron. Caterham says that the RS Levante goes from 0 to 60 mph in under 3 seconds and they’ve also announced that all customers will need to go through a two-day advanced driving school before getting the car.

Auto News:MINI EV Unveiled

2008-10-20T11:26:00.000-07:00

MINI has pulled the wraps off its EV version ahead of the LA Auto Show coming next month. Power comes courtesy of a 201 hp electric motor mated to a 35 kw/h lithium-ion battery pack. Unfortunately, the power storage units put a hurt on storage space out back. Naught to 60 happens in about 8 seconds and has a range of about 155 miles. BMW is building about 500 of the ‘lectric MINIs for California, and they should start popping up soon.

[Source: BMW]

2008 SEMA:Dodge Challenger Blacktop

2008-10-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

The Dodge Challenger Blacktop,developed by the guys from Mopar Underground, the Blacktop is a 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T powered by a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 mated to a six-speed manual transmission. Mopar added custom spoilers and front brow, plus a black-on-black racing stripe paint scheme. Mechanical upgrades include Mopar coil-over suspension and strut tower brace, a cat back dual-exhaust and cold air intake, plus massive Factory Reproductions 22 inch Dodge Viper wheels. The interior also received some treatment, with Katzkin leather seating finished in bright red plus a Mopar Kicker audio system.

Auto News:Arash AF-10 will be in production line

2008-10-15T03:59:00.000-07:00

Arash Cars has been working on their supercar since 2005 and now they finally unveiled the production ready model of the Arash AF-10 supercar. The car will be powered by a GM 7.0-litre engine that delivers 550 hp and which, mated to a 6-speed Grazianno manual gearbox, allows the car to sprint from 0 to 60 mph (96.5 km/h) in under 3.4 seconds, and to achieve a top speed of over 200 mph (320 km/h). The AF-10 will also get 19-inch wheels (plus optional 21-inch), leather interior, satellite navigation, MP3 player and rear view camera with integrated touchscreen. In order to be as lightweight as possible, the Arash AF-10 will get a carbon fiber body shell and chassis. What also very interesting is that the carmaker has announced that they’re also working on a supercharged version of the engine, which will develop around 850 hp.