Naughty Volvos are coming – Click above to watch video
March 2, at the Geneva Motor Show, is promising us “naughty” cars. We have no idea what they have in mind – Sinful sedan? Evil estate? Headstrong hatch? Your guess is as good as ours, but as the video shows, there will be an S60 involved somehow. We hope that lucky gold feline comes along for the ride, too. to check out the teaser. Hat tip to Matthew
2010 Ford Fusion Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery
Toyota is bracing for lower February sales as its and the ensuing media storm have cast a shadow over the automaker. Just how low can Toyota go? TheDetroit Free Press says it could see its lowest US market share in over five years this month, with about 12 percent of U.S. sales.
Most analysts anticipate that Toyota will have a very rough month, but the big question on their minds is which automakers stand to gain the most from Toyota’s pain. Edmunds and TruCar reportedly think that winner will be , as they estimate that the Oval will see a 35-percent sales increase. If correct, that’ll vastly outpace the nine to 14 percent increase for the month that was previously forecasted.
Despite Ford’s anticipated performance and projected double-digit gains for the industry as a whole, the market is still struggling. After all, these February 2010 sales projections are increases in relation to the dismal February 2009 numbers, which came as the recession helped deliver the industry its lowest sales levels in 30 years. February 2010 sales are also expected to be generally lower because of the multiple east coast snowstorms that kept customers out of dealerships for much of the month.
1937 BMW 328 Mille Miglia “Büegelfalte” – Click above for high-res image gallery
Built for the five years before WWII, BMW’s sleek 328 roadster is coveted for both its beauty and rarity. Fewer than five hundred were made, and the car featured an advanced tube frame chassis, independent front suspension and a 2.0-liter inline-6 producing 80 horsepower. That might not sound like much, but the 328 weighed just 1830 pounds and could top 100 mph.
The car you see here is a one-off 328 roadster built specifically to race in the 1940 Mille Miglia. In an effort to improve the car’s performance, BMW designer Wilhelm Mayrhofer created an especially lightweight and aerodynamic body welded to the tube frame, allowing the engine and drivetrain to sit lower for a better center of gravity. Its design influence can be felt even today, specifically with the .
Seized by the Russians after WWII, the 328 Mille Miglia Büegelfalte spent several years in Eastern Europe, although it was in BMW’s care for many years as well. The current owner purchased the car in 2001, and is now offering it for sale at RM’s Monaco auction on May 1. Hit the jump for more details on the car or browse through the beautiful high-res gallery below.
Nike Hyperdunk Kobe Bryant Aston Martin Edition – Click above for image gallery
You may recall back in ‘08 when Kobe Bryant went viral for Nike with his that appeared to drive right at him. As you also know by now, it was just an optical illusion; Kobe was next to the car and not in front of it. The stunt was part of the marketing campaign for the Nike Hyperdunk basketball shoes Kobe endorses.
For some reason, Nike apparently thinks people still care enough – around two years later, no less – to shell out $700 for limited-run Hyperdunk Kobe Bryant Aston Martin Edition sneakers via retailer . Nike’s production run will accommodate just 500 suckers collectors. Act now. Or better yet, don’t.
Supercross announcer Erin Bates gets a chest-casting for charity – Follow the jump to
If you’ve followed Supercross over the last few years, then chances are you know and Ashley Phillips. The attractive announcing duo recently partnered with and the foundation to give the world a chance to bid on their boobs (well, reasonable facsimiles, at least). It’s all for a good cause, of course.
Bates and Phillips agreed to have life-sized casts made of their feminine assets, one layer at a time. These were then painted by the gang at Troy Lee Designs. The resulting works, as seen on the right, were auctioned off earlier this week in an effort to help boost breast cancer awareness and promote prevention, early detection, and support for those afflicted.
Now, while you can no longer bid on these particular breasts, you can watch how they were made. to view the Troy Lee Designs-produced “making of” video of Ashley and Erin’s casting sessions.
2011 Audi A1 – Click above for high-res image gallery
Audi will finally show off its new A1 minicar this week in Geneva. As usual, it’ll be available in Europe with an array of gas and diesel engines, but a French website reports that the A1 will also form the basis for a third e-tron concept. If Audi sticks with the pattern it started last month in Detroit, this one will be dubbed the e-tron Geneva Concept. The idea isn’t without merit; reports that Audi plans to build a roadgoing electric version of the A1 have circulated for some time.
While Audi plans to build a limited run of the R8-based e-tron that it unveiled in Frankfurt, an electric car based on the new A1 is most likely to be the brand’s first volume plug-in vehicle. Small, limited-range, urban commuters like the A1 will likely dominate the electric car arena for the foreseeable future until battery costs come down. A tip of the hat to Adam!
Akin to other doctor-themed sites like WebMD, the recently-launched AutoMD wants to make you your own health official, this time overseeing the pain-free running of your car. The site’s tools include diagnostic assistance, cost estimates, finding a shop, or DIY repairs with pictorial instruction if you’re ready to get dirty.
AutoMD’s report, called Advocacy for Repair Shop Fairness, attempts to sort out which cities have the most honest auto repairmen. To compile it, mystery shoppers were sent to 600 repair facilities in the top fifty designated markets. Based on quoted prices for a repair, they evaluated the locations based on three criteria: affordability, price disparity, and shop integrity.
Not surprisingly, smaller metro areas such as Memphis, Tennessee and Jacksonville, Florida took the top slots for fairness, while places like Washington, D.C. and Chicago took some of the worst spots. Albuquerque and Honolulu, though, are also where you’ll want to exercise robust skepticism upon visiting a repair shop. Follow the jump for the press release on the report, click the link below to check out the full chart, and good luck out there.
Back in the early 1900s, Fritz von Opel, grandson of Opel founder Adam Opel, was enamored with rocket propulsion. As the company’s director of testing and the man in charge publicity, Opel had quite an outlet to fulfill his rocket-powered fantasies. Hence, the 1928 Opel Motoclub you see above.
The example showcased so beautifully doesn’t happen to have rockets attached to it, but , as seen on the right. The 500cc single-cylinder engine could reportedly push the silver-and-red Opel motorcycle up to about 75 miles per hour, after which a foot pedal lit the rockets, sending the bike to a calculated top speed of 132 mph.
Sadly (or perhaps fortunately?), the German government forbade Opel from conducting a world-record top speed attempt, fearing that such a run on two wheels couldn’t possibly be safe. The good news, though, is that decent examples of the Opel Motoclub can still be found from time to time, minus the six solid-fuel rockets, of course. Sounds like a good DIY weekend project, no?
Tampa Strippermobile gets shut down – Click above to watch video
To advertise the Déjà Vu gentlemen’s club in Tampa, Florida, the establishment’s visionaries installed a pole in the back of a box truck and then fitted plexiglass wall inserts so that outsiders could see in. The result: a rolling strip show… for everyone. Tampa authorities closed the show down last week, but not because of the women doing pole dances at stop lights. It turns out that the mobile display isn’t breaking any laws. No, it was shut down over issues with the truck’s Nevada license plate.
That’s ironic because the truck’s “career” began in Las Vegas, but city officials there – in sin city, of all places – ran it out of town. In Tampa, on the other hand, the strippermobile will be back for more action once the registration kinks are worked out. The truck’s owners have promised to curtail certain types of performances until a certain hour and to only trawl bar areas of town. This agreement has made the city, Déjà Vu, and the First Amendment one big happy family. to see the pole-tacular video.
The Autoblog Weekender – to find out what you missed
This week’s roundup is like a Jim Jarmusch film or a big pot of gumbo: there’s a little bit of everything in there, and some of it might make you wonder “What happened here?” People who watch UFOs end up catching a Honda CR-Z. The Buick Regal might not come with all-wheel drive but it might come with a nine-speed transmission. And one man buys ten – that’s ten – Aston Martin One-77s. For his family. But as with those Jarmusch films, these things are hard to explain, you just have to experience them yourself. Just one little click to will do it…
We’ve seen Valentino Balboni and even managed to while stuck in LA’s notoriously hellish traffic. Now, Danish magazine Bil Magasinet gets some quality time with the famed test driver as he flogs his across the frozen countryside.
Balboni’s warm, Italian charm stands in stark contrast to the surrounding snow as he offers up several choice quotes about Lamborghinis past and present, his time with the automaker and the development of the LP550-2, among others. Speaking about the lack of all-wheel drive, Balboni says simply, “You need to control the car, the car doesn’t control you.” And with that he pulls off yet another perfect powerslide and goes about his day. It’s like you’re sitting in the passenger seat yourself. to see what we mean.
Can a Lexus hybrid actually be an entertaining steer? We flog the GS450h for a week and come back with an answer. Yes.
Don’t mess with perfection. That’s the mantra of the new Koenigsegg Agera, a 910-hp, 250+ mph supercar that takes all the right bits from the CCX and distills them into a more attractive package.
Exodus Pictures has made a modern Firebird out of the 2010 Camaro and 50 examples are up for grabs in the ramp up to the company’s new movie.
2012 Hyundai Accent – Click above for high-res image gallery
With all the new product coming out of , the Azera and are beginning to stand out like the proverbial sore thumbs. To rectify the latter, Hyundai has begun testing the next Accent in the Great White North.
Since the upcoming Veloster will fill the hatch-sized space in Hyundai’s line-up, there’s a good chance that the next Accent will only be available in sedan form when it hits the market in the next two years. In four-door form, the Accent employs the now-standard sweeping roofline of its bigger sibling, and underneath the camouflage we expect a similar fascia and liberal application of chrome.
Early indications suggest that the i20’s platform will be used to underpin the new Accent, with power supplied Hyundai’s next generation 1.6-liter inline four, capable of producing around 140 horsepower. If all goes according to plan, we suspect the all-new Accent will make an appearance later this year or early next, with sales beginning in the middle of 2011.
World Rally Championship promoter North One Sport is working with gaming and GPS companies on a study involving real-time tracking data obtained from WRC stars during actual events. The study exams whether the data can be implemented into a WRC video game that will enable gamers to utilize their virtual racing skills against the real deal. The companies are collecting the tracking data with the goal of creating a very realistic, very accurate gaming experience for the rabid racing gamers among us.
We’re thinking the ability to go one on one against the best of the WRC would be a decidedly good thing, and North One Sport CEO Simon Long plans to take the concept even further. “If this test is successful then we hope in the future to crown our first virtual rally champion.” If the folks at North One Sport and its gaming and GPS partners can execute on the realistic racing gamers crave, this sounds like something that could be very, very cool.
is apparently content to sell lots and lots of diesel and sees no need to market the new hybrid model as a loss leader to get market share. While U.S. pricing for the 2011 Touareg has yet to be announced, the new configurator is up on VW’s German retail site. On that side of the world, the Touareg will be available with either a 3.0-liter V6 or 4.2-liter V8 diesel in addition to the hybrid. The 3.0 starts at €50,700 (approx $68,400) which includes the hefty value added taxes paid in Europe, so it’s not directly comparable to what we paid here.
Those that need extra acceleration and towing power can get the V8 TDI for €70,800. If you want that limited electric drive capability, you’ll have to fork over a minimum of €73,500 (approx. $99,100) for the privilege. That’s a premium of over $30,000. With our limited command of German, we’re not sure how they match up on a comparably equipped basis, but it’s obviously going to take several lifetimes of ownership to make that up in fuel savings over the V6 diesel.
Ferrari 599 Hybrid – Click above for image gallery
With just a few days separating us from the Geneva Motor Show, the list of surprises continues to dwindle. The latest victim is the much-anticipated Ferrari 599 Hybrid which the automaker will appear in Switzerland next week.
The shots appear to have been taken from the show stand, so there’s no hard information to go off of yet. What we do know is that will employ a version of its Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) that originally debuted during the 2009 Formula 1 season on the 599. The system captures energy normally lost to the flywheel under braking, sending a boost of energy to the wheels when the driver hits a steering wheel-mounted button. Judging by the size of the battery pack, it’s doubtful that the 599 will be able to operate on electric power alone. We’ll find out soon enough, but until then, check out Ferrari’s green beastie in the gallery below. Top tip John.
And the saga continues. According to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Ed Towns (D-N.Y.), – managing counsel in the product liability group of Motor Sales USA from April 2003 to September 2007 – “indicate Toyota deliberately withheld records that it was legally required to produce in response to discovery orders in litigation.”
Towns further says that many such documents “concern ‘rollover’ cases in which a driver or passenger was injured, including cases where victims were paralyzed.” In a letter sent to Yoshimi Inaba, president of Toyota’s operations in North America, Towns wrote:
In sum, the Biller documents indicate a systematic disregard for the law and routine violation of court discovery orders in litigation. People injured in crashes involving Toyota vehicles may have been injured a second time when Toyota failed to produce relevant evidence in court… Moreover, this also raises very serious questions as to whether Toyota has also withheld substantial, relevant information from NHTSA.
It has also come out that Toyota keeps so-called “Books of Knowledge” containing information from Toyota engineers on internal design and testing data. So closely held was this information that the automaker supposedly agreed to multimillion-dollar civic settlements to safeguard the data. Serious charges indeed, and Towns has given Toyota until Friday, March 12th, to respond.
Tired of Toyota recall news? Try out the of Autoblog.
Yamaha Super Tenere – Click above for high-res photo gallery
We first spotted in October of 2009 at the Tokyo Motor Show. Back then, it was shrouded in fabric and far too polished to be anywhere close to our garage. Fast forward – it’s a new year and the Tuning Fork Company has revealed that this concept has bridged the gap to reality. A good move, considering the continued growth of the adventure and dual sport motorcycle markets. But is the Super Tenere really all that super?
One look at the styling cues of Japan’s plus-size model, which tips the scales at 575 pounds wet, and we know what lies in her cross-hairs. For anyone who needs a hint, it starts with a B and ends with an MW. That may not be a bad thing, though. lineup has been parked squarely on prime real estate in the big-boned adventure market for some time now.
The production Super T looks to have made good use of the 6.07 gallon fuel tank covers that should double as wind deflectors. A no-frills upper fairing holds a factory guarded headlight and what could be an adjustable windscreen. What may be most interesting feature is the use of an upright 1199cc parallel twin producing 108 pulsing ponies and 84 pound-feet of torque. Yamaha is using a version of their “Pulsing Power” concept as well as traction control borrowed from the development team in charge of the . To reach terra firma, power will be dolled out through six gears and sent down a shaft drive system.
Upon closer inspection, we noticed center-reinforced tubeless spoke wheels as well as a fully adjustable set of suspenders front and rear. A two-piece seat, which should make loading cargo convenient, will require 33 to 34 inches of clearance depending on adjustment. The guessing game will have to suffice regarding pricing at the moment, however even with the optional ABS system and some other goodies, we expect a lower price category than anything sporting a Roundel. We’ll do our best to find out if a boat full of XT1200Z Super Teneres are up for the adventure of the U.S. market.
Hyundai “Lipstick Note” TV spot – Click above to watch video
Canada. It’s not just that place where Americans go to . It’s also the home of TV spots you’d never see in the U.S. because they’re just too edgy and inappropriate for our young’uns eyes. Case in point: a new Elantra commercial that Hyundai Canada is running in daytime ad buys. In it, a cute brunette is so impressed with an Elantra she comes across that she leaves the owner her lipstick-enhanced digits under the wiper. And the owner? Well she seems pretty jazzed by the possibilities. Watch it unfold . We now return you to your 24/7 Cialis and Enzyte saturation coverage on U.S. television.
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG F1 Safety Car – Click above for high-res image gallery
Sometimes, speed equals safety. Perhaps nowhere else is that more true than on a racetrack when you’re piloting the so-called safety car and you’ve got a pack of Formula One cars riding up your tailpipe. Good thing, then, that the newest safety car to be used for F1 duty is the 571-horsepower .
Interestingly, that tailpipe is the only mechanical change made to the SLS AMG to bring it up to Official F1 Safety Car specs. left everything else on the car, including the engine, suspension and carbon-ceramic brakes, stock. Not that you won’t be able to tell the difference between the Safety Car and a standard Gullwing – a new carbon fiber hood with front-mounted camera, rear number plate with a camera and 700 LEDs and an “aerodynamically optimised roof light bar” (for the first time using all LEDs) ensure nobody can miss this particular SLS AMG.
For what it’s worth, the SLS AMG replaces the , which had been the Official Safety Car for the previous two seasons. Again, the F1 Safety Car will be piloted by former DTM driver Bernd Mayländer. Also, the Estate (that’s wagon to us Americans) will serve as the Official F1 Medical Car. Let’s hope that one doesn’t see too much track time, eh? Click past the break for the official press release.
