Looks like is giving the mid-sized sedan segment a good ribbing. The company has unleashed a new viral marketing campaign promoting the 2011 Mediocrity – a four-door that has “figured out a way to blend in more.” Funny, we think we’ve driven a few of those over the past year or two. The company has even gone so far as to rework an aging to stand in as the unfortunate Mediocrity. There are even spy shots, promo videos and complete interviews with designers to try to capture the heart and soul of the world’s most boring personal conveyance.
The whole stunt is aimed at setting the lovely apart from the rest of the four-door crowd. Is it successful? We’ll leave that for you to decide. We will say that the whole project is plenty funny and embodies the kind of lightheartedness we’ve come to enjoy from Subaru. And, fortunately for , the next-generation Optima looks to be about as far from the Mediocrity as possible. to see the videos for yourself.
Based on the photo above, you might think that you’re looking at some version of the Ferrari 599. You’d be wrong, though, as this is actually a specially-built rotary supercar from an independent German manufacturer known as – you ready for this? – Rotary Super Cars.
Underneath what appears to be replicated fiberglass and carbon fiber Fiorano bodywork sits a four-rotor Wankel engine developed by RSC with parts sourced from that other House of Rotor, . The supercar is projected to offer four levels of trim including S, RS, RSR and N-Spec, featuring single or twin turbochargers with output ranging from 500 metric horsepower all the way up to 1,200. An in-house eight-speed sequential transmission is also part of the package, along with active aerodynamics and suspension, electronic differential and a carbon-aluminum driveshaft, making its resemblance to its Maranello counterpart (rotary engine notwithstanding) more than passing.
Inside, the RSC Raptor GT is also said to feature a pair of seven-inch digital displays coupled with a five-inch tachometer, gear indicator and shift lights, the entire package supposedly weighing in at a claimed 2,425 pounds. RSC also plans an all-wheel drive, mid-engine project with similar specs, which seems like a lot to bite off while they still appear to be chewing on this one. But in the meantime you can check out the trio of renderings in the gallery below and the press release after the jump.
Infiniti’s first foray into in-house tuning manages to increase performance at a palatable price.
The hotly anticipated 2011 Dodge Charger has beat a path onto the Internet in a million little ways, but this is the first complete, undisguised look that we have of the redesigned muscle sedan after a seemingly endless stream of spy shots and leaks.
The Camaro Z28 is shipped off to Germany to attend the Nurburgring Finishing School.
Also of interest:
Wagon priced from $62,990
Convertible Neiman Marcus edition commands $75,000
2011 BMW K1600GTL – Click above for high-res image gallery
If you’ve ever looked at the current and thought, “Yeah, but what it really needs is two fewer wheels,” has your number. The company has dropped all of the juicy details on both the K1600GT and K1600GTL onto the interwebs, and the bikes are pretty much what we expected – a tech-loaded rolling testament to German engineering. Tricks like adaptive headlights, traction control, iPod connectivity controlled by iDrive and a full-color display are all part of the package. That’s cool and all, but the biggest news comes from down below.
BMW says that the inline six-cylinder engine at the heart of both the GT and GTL is the world’s narrowest such beating heart in any production motorcycle. At 1,649 cc, the mill churns out 160 horsepower and 129 pound-feet of torque at 7,500 and 5,000 rpm, respectively. All of that punch comes from an engine that’s a mere 22 inches wide.
Additionally, BMW says that it has kept the weight of both bikes amazingly low. The K1600GT tips the scales at a skinny 703 pounds with all of its fluids in place while the K1600GTL comes in at 767 pounds. The biggest competitor to these big Bavarian cruisers, the Honda Goldwing, weighs a comparatively portly 895 pounds.
How much are you going to pay for the bikes? BMW hasn’t said just yet, but the stars point north of $21,500.
MTM Audi TT RS – Click above for high-res image gallery
You’d be forgiven for believe the Audi TT RS is fast enough. By most accounts it is, packing a 340 horsepower, turbocharged inline five, it’s good for a four-and-a-half-second sprint to sixty and a 174 mph top speed. But if you’re going after the triple-century metric mark (close to 200 mph), you’re going to need a little something extra.
So says MTM. And they ought to know. The German tuning house has a history of taking to the V-max and beyond, having brought an to 344.2 km/h in 2009, a radical to 393.6 in 2007 and a Bentley to 331 in 2008.
In an effort to take the TT RS past the 300 mark without the need for breaching the 500 hp mark, MTM tweaked the ECU, modified the turbo spools and fitted a new exhaust system – along with new wheels, tires and brakes. The result of the engine mods was 472 hp, enough to get its customized TT RS up to a GPS-certified top speed of 312 km/h (just under 194 mph) at Italy’s Nardo test track. And they’ll sell you the modifications too, for a price: €14,500 for the engine mods and another €9,973 for the suspension and wheel work, taxes and installation included.
Having proven their point about power:speed ratios, MTM’s also working on a 500+hp version. We can hardly wait to see what they’ll manage with that one, but for now you can check out the images in the gallery below and the details in the press release after the jump.
It may not be entirely rational, but we love ourselves the Morgan three-wheeler. After all, the old Morgan was the first vehicle Sir Stirling Moss ever drove on the street, easily making it the coolest thing on three wheels.
It seems we’re not the only ones traveling on the Crazy Train. A Harley-Davidson-powered replica called the (shown above) has apparently been selling well enough that Morgan will restart production of the old trikes that were last produced back in 1952.
According to the Telegraph, even the old JA Prestwich air-cooled V-twin engine design will be resuscitated to sit between the two front wheels just as they did way back when. If Morgan is interested in any other options, may we suggest a call to might be in order?
2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R – Click above for high-res image gallery
has just officially pulled the wraps off its 2011 ZX-10R literbike, and the specifications are impressive. According to the Japanese company, the 2011 ZX10R will put out 197 horsepower (207 with ram air in full effect) and weigh just 436 pounds. That means it just barely has a better power-to-weight ratio than the previously all-conquering , which makes 193 horses and weighs about 450 pounds. Sadly, the American version of the bike, while still impressive, is expected to put out roughly 10 fewer ponies… dang the EPA!
Equally as important as those raw figures are the high-tech components and electronic bits and pieces that are intended to keep everything in line when the going gets tough. First on that list are an Ohlins steering damper and Showa’s Big Piston Forks up front. At the aft end, a new horizontally mounted rear shock is said to improve mass-centralization and smooth out damper’s rear action. As with most modern bikes, there are three power modes (Full, Middle and Low) intended to match horsepower requirements with riding condition realities.
On the gee-whiz front, Sport Kawasaki TRaction Control, or S-KTRC, is standard on the $13,799 2011 ZX-10R and promises to make the bike both faster and safer by monitoring both the front and rear ends every five milliseconds and allowing some amount of tire slippage and even power-on wheelies. If that weren’t enough, there will also be an optional Kawasaki Intelligent anti-lock Brake System (KIBS, seriously, for an extra $1,000) that keeps the tires from locking and also minimizes the rear wheel’s tendency to lift off the pavement.
Now that all the techy bits are covered, take a look at the new Ninja’s styling. Naturally, everything is painted up in Kawasaki’s trademark neon green and black motif, but the overall look is sharper and more aggressive than before. Note the pointy snout with ram-air duct and integrated LED light that matches the new LED-equipped mirror/turn signal assemblies. It’s a pretty slick looking package, we’d say.
See for yourself in our high-res image gallery below and be sure to check out the full press release after the break.
World’s Fastest Lawnmower – Click above to watch video
One minute, you’re the king of going fast on a lawnmower. The next, you’re number two behind a . That’s what happened to Bobby Cleveland, but he didn’t sit idly by on his grass clippings – he went out and brought the title of World’s Fastest Lawnmower back to the United States with a new speed record of 96 miles per hour.
Cleveland set a world record back in 2006, with a speed of 80.792 mph. His mark was then bested by Don Wales whose Project Runningblade mower was clocked going 87.833 mph. Bobby Cleveland wanted to be the first to , but 96 mph is still a mighty leap over Wales’ mark. The way these two are going back and forth it’s only a matter of time before one of them hits that magic number, but until they do, check out Cleveland’s latest run .
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Alex Nunez jumps in with Chris and Dan on Episode #198 of the Autoblog Podcast. The aftermath of the Paris Motor Show is a point of discussion, along with the product blitz. Moving to a completely different continent, we finish with the before wrapping it all up by responding to some of your feedback. An hour and twenty minutes later, we’re done – see you next week!
Autoblog Podcast #198 – Paris Motor Show, Lotus unveilings, Chevrolet Montana
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Paris Auto Show recap
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Following that the is scheduled to get a rather extensive overhaul next year, our spies have captured this test mule of next fighter out on the road.
Even though this mule uses the current GS body, we can see that extra panels have been added around the wheel wells, meaning a wider track is probably in order. What’s more, the reworked GS underpinnings will go on to form the groundwork for the smaller, overhauled , which is set to debut in 2013.
Expect to see the next-gen GS show its restyled body within the coming months, with an official debut happening sometime next year. For now, click through the gallery to see high-res shots of the early-build mule roaming the streets.
Like every other automaker, is always looking to increase the safety of its vehicles, be it through investing millions of dollars towards R&D or incorporating new safety measures as standard equipment. It’s also working hard to fully restore its recently tarnished public image. Hurdles do keep popping up now and again, however, with the latest one has been placed by Allstate. According to the Los Angeles Times, the insurance company is seeking $3 million in compensation as a result of 270 claims of sudden acceleration.
The suit was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on October 1, 2010. Allstate claims that the suit was a last resort as a result of failed out-of-court negotiations. However, a spokesperson for the automakers says “the unfounded allegations in this suit have no basis.”
Toyota recently announced that it has as a result of three main recalls. Nearly two million of the vehicles had stuck accelerator issues while the other three million had their floormats replaced or repaired.
Complaints of sudden acceleration have fallen by 80 percent since April of 2010. At its peak, the claims averaged 800 per week but have since fallen to around 150 per week. Toyota has dispatched safety review teams to examine over 4,000 vehicles and has yet to find an instance of sudden acceleration being caused by anything electrical. Regardless, the automaker is increasing the standard safety features fitted to its vehicles, the latest of which is Smart-Stop, a brake override system that engages when the throttle is open greater than 33 percent, the vehicle speed is over 5 miles per hour and the brakes are pressed firmly. Allstate believes that Toyota vehicles should already have featured this technology.
Rain didn’t cut this year’s Petit Le Mans short. Unlike last year’s race, racers went carbon-fiber fender to carbon-fiber fender for the full 1,000 miles at Road Atlanta during the running of the 2010 Petit Le Mans. By the time the checkered flag fell, Peugeot walked away with a one-two win, effectively establishing a French dynasty in the American Le Mans series. As you may recall, Peugeot took the overall win at last year’s Petit Le Mans as well, beating out arch-diesel-rival in the process. This year, the quad-rings fell to third place, a full two laps behind the leading French racer thanks to a flat tire late in the race. The German car, piloted by Le Mans legends Tom Kristensen, Allen McNish and Dindo Capello, simply couldn’t make up the time lost to the pits, sealing the win for Peugeot in the process.
The pair of Pugs led 299 of the 394 total laps, but that doesn’t mean that’s where the only show was. Hit the jump for a quick recap.
Neiman Marcus Edition Chevrolet Camaro Convertible – Click above for high-res image gallery
It’s a big day for the . has pulled back the curtains on a low-volume special edition version of the drop-top muscle car set to go on sale next year. The vehicle is slated to be featured in the annual Neiman Marcus Christmas Book – a catalog of high-end goodies for the ruling class. Only 100 examples of the Neiman Marcus Camaro Convertible will be sold through the catalog, each wearing special Deep Bordeaux paint and boasting drivetrain components borrowed from the mighty Camaro SS. That means there’s a full 426 horsepower on tap. Inside, GM has slathered the cockpit in leather touches only available on this special edition.
Want one? You better have been one very, very good boy or girl this year. The price tag for the beast you see above is a heady $75,000.
The General also showed off a handful of additional photos of the standard Camaro Convertible on Facebook. This time, we get a closer look at the vehicle’s interior as well as a view from the front of the car. It looks good, sure, but we don’t know if its $75,000 good. Fortunately, the base Camaro drop head should come at a more tolerable $30,000. for the press release. Thanks for the tip, Jason!
Gallery:
Gallery:
[Source: GM]
Camaro Convertible Neiman Marcus edition commands $75,000
There’s some word that is seriously considering resurrecting the Continental name. The internets are buzzing with both confirmation and denial of the rumor depending on where you look. Over at Automotive News, a report suggests that dealers have been told that the Conti will resurface as part of an upcoming renaissance that includes the introduction of up to seven new or significantly reworked models in short order. Those dealers have supposedly been shown a handful of concept-level renderings of what the new models will look like.
Meanwhile, Motor Authority is reporting that Ford is trying to silence any speculation that the big Continental will return to the Lincoln stable. The site quotes Lincoln spokesman Christian Bokich as saying that of the seven new models headed to the showroom soon, none of them are a new take on the Continental.
That would seem to make sense for a number of reasons. With Lincoln fully embracing a terribly confusing alphabetic naming system, a nameplate like Continental would stick out in a big way (though perhaps Ford is reconsidering this nomenclature strategy). Throw in the fact that the is currently tucked into the slot that the Continental traditionally held, and there’s less and less room for resurrecting the nameplate.
So what does Lincoln have planned for the near future? The crew over at Pickuptrucks.com seems to think that the brand is going to take another swing at a luxury pickup, even though the Blackwood and Mark LT models before it have failed to move the sales needle. Of course, all of this is just well-intentioned speculation at this point. Chances are that with today’s dealer meeting proceedings underway, Lincoln won’t be able to keep its real plans under its hat for long.
The highly anticipated , which we caught an of this summer, has been shipped off to Germany to be put through its paces on the Nürburgring. Much of the early prototypes’ heavy front cladding has been stripped away and replaced with ‘ usual checkerboard camouflage, but we can still see the Z28 upgrades clear as day under all that tape.
As if the massive power bulge in the hood doesn’t give it away, the Z28 will be powered by the same supercharged 6.2-liter LSA V8 that’s found in the . In that application, 556 horsepower is pumped to the rear wheels, but there’s no telling what sort of power numbers will be on tap in the Z28.
We won’t be shocked if the Z28 makes its official debut at the or auto shows with the first sales starting sometime in 2011.
2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery
The extended-range EV has . For most Americans who buy one, this can be reduced by $7,500 thanks to a federal tax rebate. Additionally, some buyers will be able to take advantage of state or local government incentives that will drop the after-rebate price below $33,500, like from . The people with the absolute cheapest entry point for a new Volt, though, could be those in Lansing, Michigan.
That’s because the local utility, Lansing Board of Water & Light (BWL), will offer incentives that match the $7,500 from the feds. According to the , the incentive is, “a $7,500 cash rebate to the first 25 buyers of the Volt in BWL’s service area and install high-speed charging stations for those who make the list.” The financial assistance comes from a $750,000 grant from the federal government that is meant to promote electric vehicles in mid-Michigan. BWL will also buy two Volts for its own use with the money.
The bad news? This amazing deal is limited to the just 25 people, and it doesn’t seem to include any otherplug-in vehicle (why no love?). If you’re only helping 25 people, why not just buy some Volts to give away? In any case, it’s a pretty sweet deal, and we would be surprised if other local governments are working on similar programs with their own federal grant money. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we need to go make a phone call.
Nissan Juke on a donut run – Click above to watch the video
Is the a smart tool for doing donuts? It’s a fun whip, but as a front- or front-biased all-wheel driver, we’re leaning very close to ‘No.’ Is the a great tool for getting donuts? After watching new ad for its little crossover, we might just have to say ‘Yes.’
The first Juke ad we saw went , however this new spot plays up the CUV’s sportiness. The Juke squeezes 188 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque from its 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Pair that with an available six-speed manual transmission and a curb weight that sits on the good side of 3,000 pounds (for the front-wheel drive model), and you have a tiny machine capable of a surprising amount of thrills behind the wheel.
Grab the e-brake and to see the donut-run action, along with a second bonus commercial in which the Juke takes on ‘The Dread.’ Thanks to everyone for the tips!
Gallery:
Photos by Chris Paukert/Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Increases Performance Little, but also Increases Price Little
2011 Infiniti IPL G Coupe – Click above for high-res image gallery
Our waiting Infiniti IPL G Coupe idles curbside. Exiting its enormous Thermos-sized chrome exhaust tips, the invisible waveforms invite a closer listen. The baritone note suggests power, with a cadence that is is lumpy, sounding closer to a V8 with a heavy cam than any V6 we’ve ever heard. A harbinger of things to come, or just an evil audible tease? We had flown to California’s Napa Valley to find out, but first we needed some context.
2011 Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon – Click above for high-res image gallery
This is sort of like a dream come true. We’re already madly in love with the in both its sedan and forms, and in just a few months, we’ll have a five-door station wagon version that still packs the V’s 556-horsepower supercharged V8, rear-wheel drive and a proper manual transmission. It’s like made this one just for us (we aren’t complaining). Want one? $62,990, including destination charges.
So, what does $63K get you other than some family haulin’ lunacy on wheels? Leather, heated seats, navigation, HID headlamps, a premium Bose sound system and Cadillac’s premium care maintenance service for four years or 50,000 miles. Optional goodies include the $3,400 Recaro heated and ventilated front chairs (you want these – trust us), $800 19-inch polished aluminum alloys, $600 for slightly fancier wood trim and $300 for suede on the steering wheel and shifter.
Realistically, you can get a perfect CTS-V Wagon with a six-speed manual and the Recaro seats for $66,390. That, folks, is one heck of a bargain. As great as it is, we’re thinking that GM won’t manage to sell a whole bunch of this very niche product, so we’re thinking it’s an easy pick for a future collectible. to read GM’s official press blast.
2011 Dodge Charger – Click either image for high-res image gallery
The hotly anticipated has beat a path onto the Internet in a million little ways, but this is the first complete, undisguised look that we have of the redesigned muscle sedan after a seemingly endless stream of spy shots and leaks.
Said to be more closely inspired by the second-generation Charger of 1968-1970, the rear/all-wheel-driver picks up the classic model’s full-width rear taillamps but goes without the original’s hidden front lighting. That massive ‘race track’ brake lamp assembly, incidentally, is illuminated via 164 LEDs. The nose appears to be more closely derivative of the outgoing model, albeit with a prominent grille assembly that a bit more proudly ahead of the rest of the front fascia.
Under that big hood, Chrysler confirms that the 2011 Charger will receive both the 5.7-liter V8 Hemi and the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 as expected. All-wheel drive will be available in R/T trim, and the system includes a front-axle disconnect function to aid in fuel economy, meaning that when it isn’t needed, the AWD Charger ought to behave like its rear-drive counterpart (albeit with some extra weight from the additional componentry).
The Ontario, Canada-built Charger is expected to rumble into showrooms before the year is out. For many more details, to view the official press release.
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