2011Hyundai Sonata Turbo – Click above for high-res image gallery
According to , its new 274-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged engine for the sedan is going to be a real gem. To wit, the Korean automaker says the boosted-four will propel its midsize sedan to 60 miles per hour in just 6.5 seconds. That’s serious speed for the segment and it means the Sonata will at least have the accelerative chops to stick with the rest of the sport sedan competition.
Of course, these days frugality is just as important as horsepower, and Hyundai assures us that its 2.0T-powered Sonata will be able to return the 22 miles per gallon in the city and 34 on the highway – all on regular-grade fuel. For those who like to keep track of such things, Hyundai claims those figures are 16% and 17% better respectively than the outgoing 3.5-liter V6.
Want more? Well, that’s all we can share for now… but our initial driving impressions will be on their way just as soon as Hyundai gives the word. Stay tuned.
Justin Timberlake flogging the Audi A1 in The Next Big Thing – Click above to watch videos
made an episodic series of short films for the A1 called The Next Big Thing, and it was apparently so big that it didn’t fall off the radar, it swallowed the radar whole. For those of you who missed the last four episodes, we’re here for you. We’re not sure that this was the intended effect of getting Justin Timberlake to promote the A1, nevertheless the A1 is selling so well that Audi is upping production.
Episode three – wherein JT ends up in a bare-chested cage match and a sleeper hold applied by co-star Dania Ramirez – is titled “What was that for?” Coincidence? Return to to refresh, or head and episodes three through six. There’s even a making-of video as a bonus. If that’s what you call that…
Volkswagen Routan – Click above for high-res image gallery
“No decisions have been made regarding the .” This according to a source from . Unsurprisingly, the re-branded minivan is rumored to be receiving less-than-enthusiastic support from Volkswagen’s current management, and the ambivalence might spell doom for the Routan. Volkswagen’s sales are down, though it’s not necessarily the Routan’s fault. The people mover has a consistent four percent of the minivan market and Volkswagen thinks that can be grown.
For now, Volkswagen’s concentrating on launching its latest and to assemble the majority of its U.S.-market cars. The Phaeton will also be returning to the U.S. market, indicating an intent to foster growth on the top and bottom of its model offerings. Volkswagen has set a goal for itself of tripling U.S. sales numbers, and the Routan puts the brand in a segment it would not otherwise be in here in the U.S., though its small market share may not make it worth the effort.
Lance Stroll in the Ferrari karting challenge, Montreal – Click above or below for high-res image gallery
Montreal has some great karting tracks. The French-Canadian metropolis, after all, is a veritable motorsport mecca, playing host to Formula One (among other series) on a more regular basis than any other city in North America. So it should come as no surprise that, while was in town for the , they took the whole team out to one such facility for some suitable R&R.
Among those participating were the team’s star drivers Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso, along with , the 11-year-old kid the team had signed to a driver development program the day before. So how did the young prodigy fare against the seasoned veterans? Well, after beating out the rest of the team personnel (including, we’d assume, at least one of the Scuderia’s many test drivers), Stroll finished second in the ranks, beating out one of the grand prix drivers.
Ferrari, somewhat understandably, isn’t saying which – Alonso or Massa – Stroll defeated in the friendly competition, but given that Massa is still an avid karter, we’d suspect it was Alonso. It’s worth noting that with his more relevant experience and lower body weight, the young Stroll had a bit of an advantage. But any way you cut it, that’s some fine work. Official announcement after the jump.
Audi A1e-Tron – Click above for high-res image gallery
According to a report out of Italy, Audi boss Rupert Stadler has said that the will not see production. Apparently the house of Audi believes that the conventional A1 will be sufficiently frugal and kind enough on the environment with its stop/start and brake energy recovery system. Additionally, there seems to be some issues with the A1’s platform and its ability to house all the necessary EV components. If true, ’tis a shame – that cargo-floor-mounted Wankel engine paired with lithium-ion batteries was supposed to be , and the A1 e-tron is a package we would have enjoyed by being so green we made grass jealous.
When Italian motorcycle manufacturer first announced the , there were some who questioned whether it was rational for MV to attempt an update that made the bike less, ahem… brutal. We decided it would be best to wait and see the bike in person and live with it for a while before making any such judgments – particularly since judging a vehicle solely by its spec sheet almost never has any real merit. And we’re certainly glad that we did.
Upon our first few minutes with the new Brutale 990R, we had developed an initial gut reaction: From the instantly recognizable styling to the raspy exhaust note of its heavily revised inline four-cylinder engine, the 2010 Brutale is every bit the sense-tingling naked bike that its predecessor was.
This revelation, though, raises a couple of questions. Is the new Brutale too much like the old Brutale? If so, is that really such a bad thing? And finally, would the new influx of cash and the corresponding watchful eye of current (though probably ) owner equal a watered-down Italian experience? To borrow a phrase from the marketing types from The Shack, You’ve got questions… We’ve got answers. Read on for enlightenment.
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Photos by Jeremy Korzeniewski / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
: 2010 MV Agusta Brutale 990R proves naked is beautiful
Abarth SS Concept by IED – Click above for high-res image gallery
While Fiat’s in-house tuning brand appears to be intensely occupied tweaking for the European market – and supposedly a for us as well – Abarth also has an eye on its own sports car. According to Autocar, this wouldn’t be a microwave job on a Fiat, but a unique creation to serve as a halo car.
We’ve heard this a , with the most recent reports indicating Abarth has been working with , perhaps using the next-generation Elise chassis as a base. Apparently, has been nixed. However, the specs being discussed are quite Elise-like: two-seater, mid-engine, 200 horsepower, around 2,000 pounds. Whatever it is, Abarth’s head of marketing said it will arrive within two years.
We don’t have much in the way of details yet, but according to a report out of Germany, ’s chief test driver has died in a crash on highway 410 near the Nurburgring after veering into the oncoming lane and colliding with two others test drivers driving a BMW.
While the two BMW test drivers survived the crash, the yet-unnamed Toyota driver died behind the wheel of the he was driving.
The report says that the driver of the LF-A was 67 years old and Toyota’s chief test driver, which leads us to believe that he is Hiromu Naruse, In addition to being the company’s chief test driver, Naruse is also Akio Toyoda’s personal driver and the Godfather of the LFA.
More information should be forthcoming.
UPDATE: The two test drivers in the BMW sustained life-threatening injuries and one is in critical condition. UPDATE 2: Video of the scene added . UPDATE 3: is confirming that Naruse was the driver.
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: Toyota’s chief test driver dies behind wheel of LFA in Germany
We don’t have much in the way of details yet, but according to a report out of Germany, two test drivers died in a crash on highway 410 after veering into the oncoming lane and colliding with a BMW.
While the BMW driver survived, the two Toyota drivers died while testing the .
The report says that the driver was 67 years old, which leads us to believe that one of the casualties was Hiromu Naruse, Toyota’s chief test driver, Akio Toyoda’s personal driver and the Godfather of the LFA.
Mazda Furai Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
According to Auto Express, Europe’s British design boss Peter Birtwhistle has confirmed that the Japanese automaker will take on a new styling direction. Perhaps the news shouldn’t come as a shocker, considering that former Mazda design head Franz von Holhausen, the man responsible for the previous styling direction of concepts like the Nagare and Furai, back in 2008.
Further, Laurens van den Acker, who styled the latest Mazda5, left the Japanese automaker for . As such, Birtwhistle told AE, “Nagare is done. After the 5, it’s highly unlikely that there will be another Nagare car. Mazda has moved on.” Apparently, Mazda found it rather difficult to apply the swoopy and flowing conceptual styling direction to production cars, specifically boxier shapes like that of the Mazda5.
We tend to agree with Mazda that the Nagare look is awesome on concepts but tough to translate to production. So, what’s next? Apparently, Mazda will attempt to turn itself into a “Japanese Alfa Romeo,” with an initial concept based on its new “Thrusting Motion” styling direction. We should see the fruits of this early effort at the upcoming Paris Motor Show.
Not quite sure what it is that you’re looking at above? Fret not, neither does anyone else… save some engineering types at , of course. Sure, we can all recognize the shape of the beautiful , but what’s with the large rear spoiler? And, even more puzzlingly, why does this GT have twin exhaust outlets poking out high up on the rear fascia in lieu of the normal quad pipes at the corners?
Back in April, Fiat unleashed its , and the Italian automaker promised to “maintain and sustain” its GranTurismo. At the time, we could only assume that meant more variants, but these spy photos only serve to muddy the waters further. What’s more, this machine doesn’t appear to be the shown earlier this year in Geneva. That said, we’re just going to assume this is an updated GranTurismo with a slightly hotter powertrain borrowed from corporate partner . See for yourself in our high-res image gallery below.
Hyundai Genesis Coupe – Click above for high-res image gallery
“Anything you can do, I can do better” might be playing on the loudspeakers in Korea right now, as is apparently set to introduce a bored out version of the formerly 4.6-liter Tau V8 for action in the and Equus. More interestingly, this new 5.0 may do duty in the as well. This new 5.0-liter V8 was mentioned during a media event at Hyundai R&D and if the claimed numbers are legit, this Mustang-challenger will produce a few more ponies than the Blue Oval bruiser. Where is getting 412 horsepower from its five-point-oh in the , Hyundai says its 5.0-liter V8 will be packing 429 hp when it reaches production.
No official word from the South Korean automaker yet, but this new direct-injection 5.0 in sure to be fitted to the Genesis Sedan for 2011, reportedly backed by a new eight-speed automatic transmission developed by Hyundai. Chances are it will eventually find its way under the hood of the Genesis Coupe, possibly backed by a proper stick. Hyundai is apparently launching the Equus with the 4.6-liter Tau, but the new flagship sedan will get the upgraded mill soon after, right about the time the upgraded 2011 Genesis Sedan appears. The output figures being reported are 429 hp at 6,500 rpm and 376 pound-feet of torque at 5,000 rpm, with an 11.5:1 compression ratio – a healthy jump above the 385 hp, 333 ft-lb for the 4.6 liter V8 currently found in the Genesis Sedan.
If the 5.0 does show up in the Coupe, we will definitely have to revisit our from last month. These arms races can start so innocently, but never end well, so don’t be surprised to see Ford’s 5.0 get a bump if this comes to fruition.
2010 BMW 335i Sedan – Click above for high-res image gallery
We like to think of ourselves as a voice of the people – a place for the proletariat of the interwebs who clamor for an honest take on the latest automotive hardware. To that end, we’ve always viewed the constant stream of fawning over with something of a jaundice eye. We get it. The company builds good products, but does it really deserve wave after wave of gushing prose in every car magazine? Even more troubling, does the deserve its honored position as the benchmark against which all other mid-sized sports sedans must be measured?
In a word, yes. We say that almost against our plebeian nature, but if you’ve come searching for a scathing tear-down of the bread-and-butter 3, best point your clickers elsewhere. After a full week with the 2010 BMW 335i sedan, we’ve come to understand why the bastions of auto-journodom have spent the last 10 years drinking the BMW Kool-Aid. It’s just that good. to find out why the latest 3 Series continues the tradition.
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Photos by Zach Bowman / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
It looks like could file its first paperwork for an initial public stock offering as soon as next week. The IPO registration is the first step in the process of getting approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission to become a publicly traded company again. A stock sale could come as soon as November and probably no later than early 2011.
At this point it appears that most of the shares to be sold will come from the block held by the United States Treasury, which accounts for 60.8 percent of the automaker. The Treasury would like to start unloading its stake as soon as possible and preferably before this year’s election. Roughly one third of the government’s holdings are expected to be sold in what may well be the biggest IPO of all time. Depending on the IPO price, the sale could bring in anywhere from $10-20 billion for what would be about 20 percent of the company. At the time of its bankruptcy last year, GM’s market capitalization was barely $700 million.
Hennessey VelociRaptor 600 – Click above to watch the video
Well of course they did. If is known for anything, it’s strictly adhering to the “Needs more power!” motif. This guy could watch a shuttle launch and return to his lab plotting a third booster. So yes, Hennessey has slapped two turbochargers onto Ford’s batty-yet-burly F150-mutant and produced the VelociRaptor 600 and 800, two products that will nicely compliment the existing , a supercharged version of the Raptor 5.4.
Through the magic of forced induction, power grows from the 6.2-liter V8 Raptor’s stock 411 horsepower and 434 pound-feet of torque to a slightly-goofy 602 hp and 622 lb-ft of twist in the V-Rap 600. Not enough for you? Hennessey either, which is why he’s also selling the VelociRaptor 800. Get all the liquids out of your mouth now, as the engine stonks it up to the Texas-sized tune of 810 hp and 745 lb-ft of torque. Can we borrow an exclamation point?
We know what you’re thinking — the twin-turbo V8 makes 752 pound-feet of torque, besting the Hennessey 800 by seven pounds of twisting force. However, the Hennessey VelociRaptor 800 makes 305 more ponies than the British thoroughbred, weighs less (what doesn’t?) and can keep up with the hounds no matter the fox hunt. That said, the Muslanne has a nicer interior. Think we’re being silly? We are, because engines like this bend our minds a bit. Remember, 810 hp is nearly 100 hp more than a Ferrari 599XX.
But what if you already have a Raptor 6.2, want more power but don’t want two turbochargers? Again, no problem, as Hennessey is also announcing the VelociRaptor 475, that through better breathing and some reprogramming, ups the big V8’s output to 475 hp and 485 lb-ft of torque. Dang. Watch the video .
Mini Countryman Aero Kit – Click above for image gallery
As is traditionally the case for revived range, the new crossover will be offered with an optional Aero Kit that makes the ‘ute look much more aggressive and might even do a wee bit for aerodynamic performance. Since the Countryman is such a large departure from the previous and , though, nobody was really sure what the new CUV’s Aero Kit might look like.
That little issue has now been resolved, courtesy of the followers-of-all-things-Mini at MotoringFile. Interestingly, the Countryman’s front fascia, which is one area previous Aero Kits have focused, sees very little change. A larger front air dam is in place, as are new side mirrors and rear apron.
We do note that the large flat black fender flares and seemingly one-size-too-small wheels look out of place on a Mini, though such concessions may be necessary considering the car’s expected (though largely unnecessary) soft-roading capabilities. See for yourself in our image gallery below.
Rumors continue to swirl around the paddock these days, many surrounding some of the top riders in the sport. Specifically, Australian Casey Stoner, who currently races for , is said to have to compete next season for . Naturally, then, there will be a couple of high profile slots open, possibly both for Ducati and for Honda.
One other silly season rumor that seems to have some legs would create a so-called Italian Dream Team, pairing up fan favorite Valentino Rossi with Ducati. Another storied Italian company is also known to be keenly interested in retaining Rossi’s services for the upcoming racing season: .
A new and intriguing possibility has reportedly sprung up that could see Rossi racing on both two and four wheels. According to a recent report, Ducati has crafted an offer for Rossi that would see him on the Italian bikes for two years, with dedicated time to along with a possible move to rally racing after the contract was up.
We have absolutely no way to verify an of this, so take it all with a suitably large grain of salt for now. If and when we know more, so will you.
2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Class – Click above for high-res image gallery
As it turns out, you have to do a little more than build the in order to get buyers to come take them off of your hands. Since the big Silver Arrow crossover first sauntered onto the scene back in 2005, has done very little advertising, and as a result, consumers can’t quite figure out what to make of the vehicle. According to Automotive News, that may be about to change. The company says that it will spend up to 15 percent of its total fall advertising budget on spots for the luxury people mover.
The ads will be geared toward wooing young families and will crop up during shows like CSI and Grey’s Anatomy as two 15-second spots – one at the beginning of the commercial break and one at the end. Beyond that, we’re not exactly sure what to expect from the commercials.
The move is part of a concerted effort to turn R-Class sales figures around. By May of this year, Mercedes-Benz had only managed to move a paltry 1,223 of the crossovers off of the lot. With a and plenty of advertising bucks headed toward the R, the German automaker says it hopes to see a double-digit percent sales increase compared to current numbers.
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Photos by Zach Bowman / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
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2011 Buick Regal – Click above for high-res image gallery
In its ongoing quest to reinvent the brand as something other than the official car of the AARP, has launched a new social media marketing campaign complete with swanky parties in cities like Miami, Chicago and Philadelphia. There will be no shuffle board. The move is part of The General’s new “Buick’s Moment of Truth” campaign, where party attendees are given flip cameras to record their impressions – positive or negative – of the brand’s products. The videos will then be posted to a site for all to see.
According to Brand Week, the Remix parties are designed to help people become aware of exactly what the Buick brand means in post bankruptcy trim, and the shindigs dovetail with an aggressive internet marketing campaign targeted to 35-40 year-olds. That’s a smart move, considering that most consumers hold opinions on the brand that range from apathetic to downright negative.
Automotive News says that while West Coast buyers have little idea of what Buick means as a brand, mid-westerners remember the malaise days of Tri-Shield engineering better than most. Buick’s new campaign should kick off later this month with the launch of the Moment of Truth site.
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Photos by Michael Harley / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
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You know the old conundrum, “Fast car slow or slow car fast?” If you’ve never heard it before, it’s a bit of automotive philosophy that asks on a given road, would you rather drive a Lamborghini Murcielago at five-tenths, or a 1982 Honda Prelude until the wheel-bearings shatter? And really, like the sound of one hand clapping, there is no answer. That said, the new is one slow car all of us would love to drive fast.
Check the stats: The wheelbase is nearly two-inches longer while the length has grown by almost 4 inches. The front and rear tracks are wider by a smidge — seriously, a smidge — 10mm front, 5mm rear. A 1.2-liter gas engine replaces the 1.3-liter from the previous Swift, but the new mill includes variable-valve technology, so while displacement is down, power is up — 92 horsepower and 87 pound-feet of torque. True, that’s barely enough oomph to get make it up the AMG staircase, but consider the Swift weighs half as much as most cars (the current car is just under one ton) and comes standard with a manual (automatic’s an option). Sounds better now, no?
While the exterior hasn’t changed much, the Swift’s suit appears a bit more tailored. The big news is the interior which has borrowed some dressy, ritzed-up cues from its big brother . Will the Swift come to our big-car loving shores? The answer is probably not, even though the Swift should get about 45 mpg and sticker under $10,000. However, does need products, and there will be a 1.6-liter Swift Sport coming soon, so who knows?
