Heikki Kovalainen crashes out at the 2010 Race of Champions – Click above to watch video
The Race of Champions saw more action than usual this past weekend. In the very first round, Heikki Kovalainen managed to stuff his into the wall while going head to head against Sebastien Loeb. Kovalainen clipped the inside barrier that separates the two tracks before spinning into a concrete wall, destroying his racer’s suspension and knocking himself unconscious in the process. Kovalainen said that a sticking throttle was the cause of the accident in his Twitter feed, though the video also looks like he simply got too close to the inside barrier.
Fortunately, Kovalainen was not seriously injured during the bang-up. Likewise, his girlfriend, who was riding in the vehicle at the time, walked away from the incident without so much as a scuff as well.
SPOILER ALERT: Loeb went on to make his way all the way to the finals, but fell to Felipe Albuquerque at the last second. to see Kovalainen’s spectacular crash.
It’s beginning to look like Fiat’s plan for includes heavier use of the C-EVO platform that underpins the . There’s already going to be a based off the C-EVO, and Fiat has just laid out plans to build a new model on the platform at the company’s Mirafiori plant in Italy. The Jeep model will share the production line with Alfa models, and Fiat is trying to get the work rules tweaked to help support the 280,000 vehicle per year volume. TheDetroit News reports that Italian unions are pleased with the plan that bumps volume by about 100,000 cars versus 2009 output.
Most of the Italian-built Jeeps will be exported, mainly to the United States. Engines and transmissions will come from Chrysler’s U.S. operations, at least for vehicles headed here. Fiat and Chrysler are sharing plants and volume with apparent ease, with a coming out of Detroit’s Jefferson North plant and sharing much with the excellent Jeep . A mid-size Fiat SUV is also expected to use the as a canvas; all moves that underscore how stingy things were under Daimler.
Are you clamoring for a droptop version of the hybrid? We didn’t think so. But even so, just because won’t build you one (though that ) doesn’t mean you can’t get your kicks elsewhere.
The gang at CarScoop has stumbled upon this diecast model of a CR-Z convertible, giving us a glimpse at what an open-top version of Honda’s two-seat hybrid could look like. It certainly isn’t the prettiest of scale models, and we dread to think about what the cabrio’s rear end looks like with the roof (and hatch) lopped off, but it might be enough to stave off your hybrid/coupe/convertible pangs.
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Gallery photos copyright (C)2010 Steven J. Ewing / AOL
2007 Opel Gran Turismo Coupe Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
Grumblings about a new Opel Calibra have been around for years, and now there’s some substance behind the rumors. In 2007 Opel spoke of based on the shown at the 2007 Geneva Auto Show. Now GM Europe chief Nick Reilly has waved his wand and said, “I believe we should have one, so we will have one.”
Although Reilly has said, “Make it so,” issue remain. When the matter was brought up , the question was whether to think of this as a Calibra or an Insignia Coupe, since the GTC Concept was quite a bit longer than the two-door Opel of yore. And if the 30,000-units-per-year is still the number to justify a Calibra, would it make sense for the brand to make a much smaller coupe that compromises the Insignia’s roominess?
Engines are already being mentioned as Vauxhall’s smaller displacement, turbo powerplants. The top trim could get some variant of the 320-horsepower motor in the Insignia GXR, and have all-wheel drive.
Fiat’s recent introduction of the two-cylinder has not swayed to reconsider placing a two-piston mill in its own city car. If anything, Fiat’s TwinAir debut has convinced VW that two-cylinder engines are simply too costly and complicated to develop.
VW actively pursues engine downsizing, witnessed by its use of and but, according to the company’s research and development chief, Ulrich Hackenburg, downsizing is and dropping the cylinder count to just two is not in the automaker’s near-term plans.
Hackenberg told Autocar that further downsizing is not practical, framing it:
Improvements can now only be made in performance and economy, not in making the engines any smaller. Instead, the Up will make use of three-cylinder engines that will really advance the technology and make strong use of it.
VW technical boss, Michael Hinz, added that even three-cylinder engines can be challenging to develop, stating:
I’ve seen two-cylinder cars running, but from a production point of view it’d be very hard. Even three-cylinder engines are very expensive as they’re not as smooth or refined as we’d like. But we’re not going to abandon them.
If Fiat can produce a two-cylinder engine, then other automakers could, too. However, VW displays no immediate interest in tackling the complicated development of a two-pot engine, instead electing to stick with motors packing three pistons or more.
The Unplugged Tour is officially over after traveling to 12 cities across the country. Chevy is calling it a success with a total of 6,384 lucky participants spending time behind the wheel. The tour traveled 4,124 miles and made sure to stop in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego, which are part of the initial launch markets.
After driving the Volt in Tacoma, Washington, professional test pilot Normal Howell remarked that “It is very well sorted out… very, very mature in all aspects of vehicle dynamics and driver interface, and I’m very impressed.” Chevy created a Driver Scrapbook section on the Volt’s website allowing people to share their driving impressions of the Volt at .
The Aussies prepare a special skateboard for Tony Hawk – Click above to watch video
Tony Hawk will be in attendance at the Telstra 500 V8 Supercar race in Sydney next weekend, where he’ll demonstrate his undiminished skills on the Monster Vert Ramp. As part of his welcome to the Antipodes, the locals have built him a ’skateboard’ powered by a 630-horsepower V8 Supercar engine. Unlike the race cars, with their fancy roll cages and steering wheels, Tony just gets a throttle and a panic button. We’d love to see him run the ramp with it, but we’ll settle for him going just a little faster than the guy in the video . Hat tip to Allan
Oshkosh Extreme Racing Light Concept Vehicle (LCV) – Click above for high-res image gallery, for video
Yep, that’s a diesel hybrid Light Concept Vehicle (LCV) from the Extreme Racing team competing in the 43rd running of the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000. “Light” in this case is relative, of course. Oshkosh builds a large variety of bigger machines, ranging from fire trucks to rigs capable of hauling up to 70 tons.
Now, the Oshkosh outfit didn’t win the event. In fact, only one of its two entries finished, and it was six and a half hours too late to be scored. It was, though, an opportunity to see how Oshkosh’s hybrid system would hold up to the rigors of off-road abuse. In that department the race was a success.
According to the Oshkosh, the hybrid system uses a diesel engine to send power to a generator which, in turn, directly powers the wheels (Though not stated, we imagine there’s an electric motor involved for each set of wheels.) In place of batteries, the setup relies on ultracapacitors to store and deliver energy. The arrangement is said to reduce fuel consumption by 20 percent thanks to the elimination of components such as the torque converter, automatic transmission, transfer case and driveshafts. To get a better look at this beast, check out the gallery below or the video of it in action .
For us, one of the most interesting parts of the LA Auto Show is the , in which automakers are invited to rack their brains, sharpen their pencils and crank out a concept that best matches a set of predetermined parameters. This year, manufacturers were challenged to come up with a concept that was stylish, engaging to drive, and easy on the environment, all wrapped in a 1,000-lb. package. Automakers from to Maybach rolled out their ideas of what said vehicle should look like, and while the judges crowned both and as this year’s winners, we were intrigued by the Nissan iV.
Fortunately, has been kind enough to give us a closer look at the vehicle. The spec sheet for the iV reads like a who’s who of concept fantasy, with building materials sourced from fast-growing ivy and spider silk, plus a propulsion and steering system that makes use of clever electromagnets. While a bio-battery stores energy for your commute, the iV also makes use of a supercapacitor to recover energy that would otherwise be lost during braking. to take a look at a video of the concept.
Roundabouts are the scourge of many a motorist and a favorite calming device of traffic engineers, and they’re spreading like crazy across the United States roadscape. As anyone who’s had the joy of driving in Massachusetts or New Jersey will tell you, plenty of drivers have absolutely no idea when to yield or how to successfully navigate these rings of macadam.
According to The New York Times, the fertile Midwest has sprouted a bumper crop of these sometimes-confusing intersections, with 100 popping up in Wisconsin since 2004, and almost 100 blooming in Kansas, as well. Other states have a richness of roundabouts; Maryland has nearly 200, for example; and there’s more on the drawing board across the nation.
Despite a public that’s apparently skeptical of the change, there are plenty of positives to roundabouts. Speeds are low, and any crashes that do occur are less severe because the head-on collision is virtually eliminated. Emissions are also purportedly lower because there’s less starting and stopping (though drivers waiting in epic backups approaching these things might disagree), they don’t require electricity to operate and they keep traffic moving simultaneously in multiple directions. Since they do seem to be the favorite device of traffic engineers, roundabouts won’t be going away any time soon, so we’re all going to get the chance to try them out. Like brussels sprouts at Thanksgiving dinner, they might even turn out to not be so bad.
Volkswagen’s Fun Theory speed camera lottery – Click above to watch video
Volkwagen’s Fun Theory experiments have been all about proving that people will do the right thing if you make the right thing fun to do. For instance, people just to hear the noise it made. The latest hijinks come courtesy of Kevin Richardson, an American whose idea was selected for the next Fun Theory experiment.
This time, the challenge was to make driving the speed limit rewarding, and Richardson’s idea was a speed camera lottery. Although it doesn’t sound the least bit compelling, his idea worked. We won’t spoil the surprise here, so to see it in action.
The Ginetta G50 has so far been the star of the Ginetta GT Supercup, a one-make support series for the British Touring Car Championship. There’s a brighter star on the way next year, though, when Ginetta introduces the G55. The new car will compete alongside the G50 in next year’s races but in its own class and with separate a points system and podium ceremony.
To go along with its more aggressive looks and aero, the G55’s Ford engine is 3.7 liters instead of the G50’s 3.5, and it puts out 370 horsepower – 70 horses more than the G50. Other tweaks include beefier brakes front and back and a new exhaust. Current G50 owners can upgrade to the G55 for £25,000 ($39,219 U.S.), or privateers can buy the car new for £75,000 ($117,661 U.S.).
Ginetta’s latest will be publicly unveiled at Autosport International on January 13 in Birmingham, England. Follow the jump for the press release, and get a couple of glimpses in the gallery of images below.
2011 Ford Explorer – Click above for high-res image gallery
The is a drastic departure from its predecessors, ditching body-on-frame construction in favor of a unibody structure, and sharing its platform with the sedan (as well as the , and ). This shift to a traditional crossover construction has not turned away buyers, however, and Ford reports that Explorer pre-orders have nearly doubled original projections.
According to The Detroit News, Ford has received roughly 15,000 orders for the 2011 Explorer. This includes about 3,000 retail and 7,500 dealer orders, as well as an additional 4,500 orders from companies.
Jason Mase, Ford’s manager of utility vehicles, told The Detroit News that about 55 percent of buyers are opting for the trailer tow package, and 64 percent want all-wheel drive. Mase says that consumers don’t really care if the vehicle is a crossover or an SUV, the major concern is that the vehicle fits their specific needs. So far, so good, and Ford expects this trend to continue after the Explorer officially hits dealerships in early 2011.
Rhys Millen’s Climb Attack Brazil – Click above for to watch video
Rhys Millen recently of him sliding up the slopes of Serra do Rio do Rastro, and now the tease has been expanded upon in tropical glory. It’s a three-minutes-and-change blast of sideways slithering and vulcanized clouds for which few words are needed. In fact, the only words in the entire four-minute vid are: “The course is clear.” You’ll find the accompanying smoke and fury .
Next Autoworks, nee V-Vehicles, recently to shepherd its planned 2012 car through to production. The design of the car itself was overseen by Tom Matano, who penned the original Mazda Miata and the 1993 RX-7. Matano recently shared some of the compact car’s details with Automotive News, which describes it as a “utilitarian five-door hatchback… a cross between a Nissan Leaf and a Lada Niva.”
The car’s build sounds just as intriguing: a spaceframe with non-load-bearing body panels attached. Countering a build process that is pricey by segment standards, costs are kept down by interchangeable door panels and taillight assemblies. Matano suggested he was after “an advanced concept car that would look like something by Ikea.” It all sounds like it could go quite right or very wrong, but before it can build anything, Next Autoworks needs to have its request for funds from the Department of Energy approved.
Long-form Fiat 500 U.S. ad – Click above to watch video
The enthusiast hordes have been gearing up for the arrival of the Fiat 500 for some time now. At last, Fiat has prepared its ad campaign to let the more casual car fan know what’s about to hit, and the initial result feels, to us, a lot less exciting than the car itself. Think Anthony Robbins meets a Target commercial, with a little bit of a white 500 thrown in. Or just think Moby since, with no disrespect to the musician himself, his tunes have become the soundtrack to tapioca advertising.
The 1:47 spot you’ll find will supposedly be cut up to provide more TV-friendly commercial spots of various lengths. Have a look and let us know if you think the Fiat 500 is well served, or deserves more. Hat tip to Jamie
Pan’s Labyrinth 1936 Rolls-Royce Phantom III by Inskip – Click above for high-res image gallery
Few auction houses have dealt with as many celebrity automobiles as Bonhams, and the upcoming event at Brooklands is poised to carry on the tradition.
Among the lots up for grabs during the auction at World will be this unique Phantom III. The first of 24 Phantom IIIs sold to the United States, this particular 1936 example – a five-seat limousine with custom Inskip coachwork and 7.3-liter V12 – was used in the bizarre fantasy film Pan’s Labyrinth in the chase scene against a .
Also crossing the auction block at the event on December 6th will be a 1934 Lagonda M45 Tourer once owned by Nick Mason (of Pink Floyd fame) and a Mercedes-Benz 600 formerly owned by Elvis Presley. Other highlights include a ‘64 , a ‘55 Mercedes Gullwing, a 2000 550 GTZ and a ‘64 AC Cobra. for the full press release and check out the trio of Rolls-Royce photos in the gallery below.
According to Ford, 70 percent of the company’s growth in the next decade will come from the Asia-Pacific region and Africa. The Blue Oval had only planned to have 310 dealerships in China at the end of 2010, but having sold nearly half a million cars this year and expecting the boom to continue, the number has jumped to 340 dealers. This is part of Ford’s larger plan to add 100 new dealerships in China, mostly in smaller cities and inland provinces where new car demand is high.
Ford is planning a new plant with its Chinese joint venture partner, Changan, and will introduce four more models into the Chinese market next year, including the . Elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific market, Ford has already spent $500 million on increasing production capacity in India, where it now sells the Figo subcompact.
Peugeot 504 – Click above for high-res image gallery
Given the manner is which demonstrations are put down by the Islamic Republic, populism may not seem like a key element in Iran’s political system. But in an effort to gain support from lower classes during his campaign, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad rode around in his modest 1977 Peugeot 504. Not an extravagant car by any means, but one that became a symbol for the despotic ruler.
Part of his campaign pledge was to create housing for low-income Iranians, and to that end the president is selling his Peugeot. Proceeds from the car’s sale are earmarked to benefit the Mehr housing project. The vintage French sedan is actually registered to the president’s wife, but given the association, this particular example is sure to sell for more than the modest sum it would otherwise fetch. Thanks for the tip, zedster!
