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Ford had to implement a few tweaks to its SYNC navigation system before introducing it to Europe. Automotive News reports that the company’s engineers have programmed the software to understand 10,000 commands in 19 languages, but SYNC also had to be calibrated to work at higher speeds. Developers discovered that the navigation couldn’t warn drivers about which exit to take while cruising along with traffic on the autobahn. As a result, the system had to be reworked to tell pilots about their upcoming exit a little farther in advance.

Ford claims that 2 million vehicles in Europe will have SYNC on board by 2015. That seems plenty feasible given the fact that 3 million cars, trucks and SUVs have been sold with SYNC in the U.S. since 2007. Ford is set to introduce SYNC at the IFA consumer electronics trade show in Berlin later this week, and European buyers will be able to option their purchases with the system starting next year.

Ford SYNC modified for autobahn speeds

Sacha Baron Cohen is currently working up his next contribution to cinema. The Dictator is a spoof flick built around a persona very similar to Saddam Hussein, the former ruler of Iraq. Cohen has turned to Russian SUV manufacturer Dartz to supply a few vehicles for his motorcade, and the automaker responded with a set of gold-plated Kombat wagon models. A few shots of the vehicles have made their way to the web, and we have to say that they wouldn’t look out of line cruising through the oil-rich sands of pre-invasion Iraq.

The Dictator is set to land in movie theaters in May 2012 with director Larry Charles behind the wheel. Word has it celebrities like Anna Faris, Ben Kingsley and Megan Fox will all make appearances in the flick, though it’s unclear what part they’ll play in the action. Head over to GT Spirit for a closer look at the gold-plated Kombat wagons.

Sacha Baron Cohen’s gold-plated Dartz spied

In the past few years, Ford hasn’t done too many high-style concepts. Most of its design studies have generally been previews of a future production model, with a few recent and distant exceptions. But the Ford Evos Concept stands apart.

Unveiled last evening and previewed here in Berlin, Germany ahead of its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the Evos is the next step in the One Ford strategy, creating a new global styling language to go along with its new global architectures. Whereas the outgoing Kinetic design was a stylistic turning point for Ford, debuting in Europe and then slowly making its way to the States in the form of the Fiesta and Focus, the Evos is a clear picture of the future face of a global Ford. And while we won’t see a production model based on this 2+2, Ford’s head of design, J Mays, says we’ll be seeing the first roadgoing example of this new styling not in four years, but in a scant four months.

Continue reading Detailed: Evos Concept foretells Ford’s future [w/video]

Detailed: Evos Concept foretells Ford’s future [w/video]

Yesterday, Land Rover released the first image and details (however few) of the new DC100 concept it’s bringing to Frankfurt, and it carries with it the promise of the next-generation Defender – an off-roader so accomplished and so ubiquitous that calling it the Sir Edmund Hillary (or Tenzing Norgay) of automobiles wouldn’t even be doing it justice.

Now, LR has dropped a second shot of the DC100, showing us the front end and what she’ll look like traversing the old rocky road. But that’s not all we’ve got to go with. Because nature abhors a vacuum, more speculative renderings were bound to pop up, and our friends over at Kilometer magazine have stepped up to fill the void.

The Defender, you see, has long come in different bodystyles, of which the three-door hardtop form taken up by the DC100 is only one. So the KM guys have stretched out the wheelbase, added a couple of doors, even chopped the roof short to leave an open short-bed. Follow the link to check it out, and scope out the second image in the gallery for more.

Land Rover DC100 gets rendered out

Call it a Caravan, call it a Voyager, call it whatever you want – just don’t call it a Dodge. Because while it may look exactly like a Dodge, it’s actually a Ram. And as the suits in Auburn Hills will point out, the Ram truck brand is no longer under Dodge’s purview.

What it’s actually called is the Ram C/V, which doesn’t stand for Commercial Vehicle but for Cargo Van. It’s the panel-wagon version of the Dodge Grand Caravan, and it’s just entered production in Windsor, Ontario.

The Class 1 commercial vehicle offers 1,800 pounds of cargo capacity and 3,600 pounds of towing capability for a Gross Combined Weight Rating of 8,750 pounds, all the while delivering up to 25 miles per gallon on the highway. It also gets a heavy-duty radiator and transmission oil cooler over the family-hauling version. It’s ready to order now from your local Ram dealership.

Continue reading 2012 Ram Cargo Van starts rolling in Windsor

2012 Ram Cargo Van starts rolling in Windsor

If you’ve been sitting at home or work wondering how much your dream 2012 Volkswagen Beetle will cost, today is the day you can stop guessing. Volkswagen has added its new Beetle configurator to its retal website, and the new-age Bug can be had for as little as just under $20,000, all the way up to $30,000 with a full suite of options.

The base Beetle, which comes with a 170-horsepower five-cylinder engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission, will set you back $20,565. That’s over $2,000 more than the 2010 New Beetle, but we’re thinking the substantial upgrades makes the extra coin worthwhile. The base Beetle comes equipped with 17-inch wheels, Bluetooth hands-free calling, a media interface with iPod cable and Electronic Stability Control. The six-speed automatic transmission is a $1,100 option.

Other trim levels include the $23,065 Sunroof model, which includes a panoramic sunroof (go figure), leather-wrapped steering wheel with redundant controls and push-button start. Step up to the Sunroof, Sound and Navigation model, and the price of entry jumps to $24,865. This package also adds 18-inch wheels and a multi-function trip computer.

If forced induction is your thing, the 200-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged Beetle Turbo with six-speed manual can be yours for $24,165. The Beetle Turbo also a number of sunroof/sound trim packages, as well, which start at $27,165 and $28,765, respectively. Option out the top Beetle Turbo with 19-inch wheels and an automatic transmission, and you’re looking at an MSRP of $30,865.

All quoted prices include $770 for destination. Head over to the VW website to price out a 2012 Beetle for yourself.

2012 Volkswagen Beetle configurator bubbles up

Automotive News is reporting that Lincoln is still planning to unleash a volley of seven new or substantially improved vehicles by 2014. Those of you with a calendar will note that the date is barely more than two years away, and so far, we haven’t heard word one about the company’s new product offensive. That is, until now. The Ford luxury brand has tipped its hand, explaining that its vehicles will receive significant revisions that include new sheet metal, altered wheel bases and new front and rear overhangs to differentiate the pack from the rest of the Dearborn family tree.

The aging Navigator will receive a light warm-over with the addition of a slight restyle for 2012 along with a range of new engines borrowed from the F-150. That means that buyers will be able to plop the new 3.5-liter Ecoboost V6 engine behind the headlights if they so choose.

Additionally, the Ford Kuga CUV (or rather, its replacement, previewed by the Vertrek concept) is likely to show up on Lincoln lots sometime in 2013.

2012 Lincoln Navigator getting 3.5L EcoBoost V6

We’re convinced that Forza Motorsport is out to take over the universe. With the racing simulator’s only real competitor, Gran Turismo, sucking wind, the title is kicking in teeth and taking what it wants. An example, you ask? Not only will Forza 4 feature the M12 FAV Warthog from Halo, the combat vehicle will receive an introduction from none other than Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear fame. How’s that for a few of your favorite worlds colliding? Word has it that the Warthog isn’t the only vehicle that will receive the Jezza treatment, as the game’s Autovista mode will introduce players to a wide variety of new metal.

Clarkson approaches the imaginary attack vehicle with his typical sarcasm and snark, which results in the kind of hilarity that we’ve come to know and love from the portly presenter and columnist. Hit the jump to check out the video for yourself, and cruise on over to the Forza site for more information on Forza 4.

Continue reading Jeremy Clarkson reviews M12 FAV Warthog from Halo… sort of

Jeremy Clarkson reviews M12 FAV Warthog from Halo… sort of

Less Turns Out To Be More Than Enough

When General Motors first announced that the U.S. would be getting some sort of hotted-up Regal, we were told it’d be just like the Opel Insignia OPC that continues to light fires within the hearts of European enthusiasts. That car boasts a 325-horsepower 2.8-liter turbocharged V6, six-speed manual transmission and all-wheel drive. We’ve had the chance to drive the Insignia OPC and will say without hesitation that it is, in fact, the bees’ knees.

Imagine our disappointment, then, when we found out that the Regal GS was fitted with a 270-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. Oh yeah, and it’s front-wheel drive.

But here’s what everyone seems to forget: The Regal GS may be down on power compared to the Insignia OPC, but it still produces 295 pound-feet of torque, just like the Opel. The Regal is also about 500 pounds lighter than the Insignia OPC. And sure, all-wheel drive is nice, but the Regal uses what is arguably the world’s most advanced front-wheel-drive architecture – GM’s HiPer Strut system. Finally, according to our Buick man, the Insignia OPC would have been hit with a gas guzzler tax had it been ported directly over. By contrast, the Regal GS achieves up to 27 miles per gallon.

There’s plenty of goodness to the Regal GS package, and after a long stint of hustling this hottest Buick along northern Michigan’s finest backroads, we aren’t all that disappointed, after all.

Continue reading 2012 Buick Regal GS [w/video]

2012 Buick Regal GS [w/video]

For a relatively small automaker, Subaru sure does have some big plans for this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show. Not only is it showing a “technology concept” to preview the BRZ rear-drive coupe it’s developing with Toyota, but the Japanese automaker is also set to unveil the XV crossover there, as well.

Previewed by the XV concept unveiled in Shanghai a few months ago and the rudimentary sketch from earlier in August, the new crossover is essentially a high-riding Impreza that’s a further extension of the Outback Sport. Considering how imprezive that vehicle can be – particularly in WRX or STi trim – that could prove a good thing. We’ll reserve judgement until the vehicle’s unveiling, but in the meantime Fuji Heavy has hit us with the teaser image above to keep our interests piqued.

Follow the jump for the press release, containing dimensions and powertrain for both new debuts.

Continue reading Subaru teases XV crossover ahead of Frankfurt debut

Subaru teases XV crossover ahead of Frankfurt debut

While we’ve been, um, enjoying the latest take on the Honda Civic for a few good months now, our cousins across the pond have yet to be able to sink their teeth into the new European version of the Japanese compact. That’s all about to change as Honda prepares to unveil the 2012 Euro Civic at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. The Japanese automaker has been so kind as to slide the web a little teaser ahead of the vehicle’s debut complete with a photo of the hatchback’s rear and a few scant details. The shot shows a new integrated spoiler and third brake light that Honda says helps manage the vehicle’s aerodynamics at speed.

In addition, the company says that the hatch will boast class-leading interior room for its occupants and its cargo as well as “stand-out looks.” We wait with baited breath. Look for the ninth-generation Euro Civic to take a bow in Germany on September 13. Hit the jump for a glance at the brief press release.

Continue reading Honda teases next-gen Euro Civic

Honda teases next-gen Euro Civic

With the Hummer long gone and the Land Rover Defender not even offered on this side of the Atlantic, the Toyota FJ Cruiser is one of those few vehicles (together with the Jeep Wrangler) that looks the part of a real off-roader. But if you actually want to take it off road, the Trail Teams edition is the one you want.

Available only in red with matching roof (unfortunately), the 2012 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams edition follows previous versions and packs a new set of Bilstein shocks, BF Goodrich off-road tires mounted on TRD wheels, a locking rear differential and skid plates to guard the engine, fuel tank and transfer case.

A whole mess of optional extras – from keyless entry and cruise control to power outlets and back-up camera, are also fitted as standard. The standard 260-horsepower 4.0-liter V6 is also fitted with an extra air filter, and of course there are the requisite special badges to set this model apart. Check it out in the trio of high-res images for a closer look.

Toyota FJ Cruiser takes to the rocks with new Trail Teams edition

If your nearest stop sign is looking a little worse for the wear, you should reach out and let your local government know. Up until recently, that sign was one of the hundreds of thousands that were set to be replaced by 2018, according to a mandate formerly on the books. Now, however, the Obama administration is getting rid of that rule so that local governments can decide if and when a sign needs to replaced.

According to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, and representatives from nearly all 50 states, the mandated 2018 sign swapping would’ve cost millions of dollars that didn’t need to be spent. Local governments can better determine when a sign needs to be changed, and it makes more sense for the move to be handled this way then by a random point in the future. It also saves everyone a lot of dough.

The state of Minnesota would need to spend anywhere from $55 to $75 million to hit the 2018 deadline, for example. Delaware would fork over $60 million, while the New York City on its own would spend millions of dollars and require 12 to 16 years just to complete the project. That would put the city while behind the 2018 deadline.

The federal government heard the cries, and it’s listened. 46 of the proposed deadlines have been eliminated. 12, however are remaining active because they are deemed crucial to public safety. Examples of this important intersections include railroad crossings without flashing lights and one-way signs wherever necessary.

Fed nixes costly mandatory street sign replacement program

The Nissan GT-R is no stranger to motorsports. Topping off its long history of racing around the world, Godzilla currently competes in Japan’s own Super GT series and in the FIA GT1 World Championship, among others. But while those models are loosely based on and bear a visual resemblance to the road car, they’re both largely purpose-built racers. In fact they’re both powered by V8 engines instead of the turbo six in the supercar you can buy at your local Datsun store.

Enter the GT3 version. Jointly developed by Nismo (Nissan’s racing division) and the JR Motorsports team that fields it in the Blancpain Endurance Series, the GT-R GT3 is much closer to the road car, powered as it is by the same turbocharged V6 engine (albeit tuned to GT3 specifications). The racer made its debut at the Magny-Cours circuit in France this weekend where it finished eighth out of 35 entries after 98 laps. That’s an impressive debut for a new endurance racer, and you can read more about it in the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Nissan debuts new GT3-spec Nismo GT-R

Nissan debuts new GT3-spec Nismo GT-R

Where Americans use pickup trucks, Europeans typically use cargo vans. But even on the other side of the Atlantic, some things just won’t fit inside a van. For just those occasions, Fiat Professional has come out with the Doblo Work Up.

Based on the Doblo cargo van, the Doblo Work Up features a pickup bed with not only a drop-down tail gate, but drop-down sides as well for ease of access.

Two diesels are available with either 1.3 liters of displacement and 90 horsepower or 1.6 and 105, backed up by stability control, antilock brakes and electronic brakeforce distribution, with options including hill-holder, the Blue&Me infotainment system developed with Microsoft and TomTom navigation.

Combined with relatively compact overall dimensions, it looks like the perfect thing for slithering down narrow city streets to fix old statues and clean stained glass windows and whatnot. Follow the jump for more details and check out the high-res images in the gallery for a closer look.

Continue reading Fiat Doblo gets a dropside Work Up

Fiat Doblo gets a dropside Work Up

Typically, when Renault comes out with a Monaco or Silverstone GP edition or something similar, it’s targeted at those who’d like to get their hands on a full-fat Renaultsport model but can’t quite get there. This time, however, the Monaco Grand Prix edition packs everything you’d expect from a Megane RS, and then some.

The Renault Megane RS 250 Monaco Grand Prix Limited Edition packs a 2.0-liter turbocharged four producing 246 horsepower, along with a glass roof, 19-inch alloys, red Brembo brake calipers and bi-xenon headlights. It only comes in pearlescent white, which contrasts nicely with the glossy black trim on the grille, side mirrors and rear diffuser – a theme continued inside with the black and white interior.

Since all 50 examples of this special are reserved exclusively for the Australian market, however, you’ll have to admire it from afar in the high-res image gallery and the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Renault Megane RS 250 Monaco Grand Prix Limited Edition gilds the lily

Renault Megane RS 250 Monaco Grand Prix Limited Edition gilds the lily

Lamborghini is serious about carbon fiber. More than simply using the material, the Italian sportscar manufacturer has developed new types of it. The question is, what to do with it once it’s developed?

Well, they make supercars out of the stuff, for starters. But that’s not the end of the story. Lamborghini also has partnerships with such companies as Boeing and Callaway to use its carbon fiber in applications as varied as airplanes and golf clubs. And now Sant’Agata has found another application: handbags.

While plenty of companies are making all sorts of stuff out of finished, hardened and glossy carbon fiber sheets, Lamborghini claims to be the first to use the unfinished weave to produce this line of fashion accessories. The collection includes a soft travel duffel, a messenger bag and an envelope-style satchel. Each is made primarily out of the raw carbon fiber and fitted with hand-stitched leather, galvanized brass hardware and cotton lining, all put together by hand.

The items will be available through Lamborghini dealers worldwide and through its online store, but don’t expect to have any cash left over to stash inside the bags: prices range from $1,200 up to $2,100. Take a closer look in the high-res image gallery and follow the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Lamborghini uses raw carbon fiber cloth to make handbags

Lamborghini uses raw carbon fiber cloth to make handbags

When Audi introduces a new S model, enthusiasts sit up straight and listen. Don’t even ask what happens when the German automaker rolls out two at a time, let alone three or four. But that’s what Ingolstadt has in store for us in Frankfurt this year.

Once the show opens in a couple of weeks from now, we’ll have a new S6 (both sedan and Avant wagon), S7 and S8 on our hands. And they’re looking pretty sweet so far.

At the top of the heap is the new S8 sedan, which adopts the new twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 that Audi has developed with Bentley, driving all four wheels through a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox. With 512 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque on tap, the big sedan is said to be good for a hugely fast 4.2-second sprint to 62 miles per hour and an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.

The S6 and S7, meanwhile, get a detuned version of the same turbo eight with 420 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, good for 4.8 and 4.9-second acceleration runs, respectively. Cylinder deactivation and an active noise cancelation system are also part of the package on the entire range, and we’re anticipating getting each of these models – minus the S6 Avant – in American showrooms.

There’s plenty more to delve into in the press release after the jump, so hop on in, and don’t miss the high-resolution image gallery for a closer look.

Continue reading Audi S6, S7 and S8 revealed ahead of Frankfurt debut

Audi S6, S7 and S8 revealed ahead of Frankfurt debut

Few vehicles have been on (or off) the road as long as the Land Rover Defender. It’s one of those few true icons of the automobile, and replacing it will be no easy task. But that’s precisely what Land Rover is gearing up to do.

Capable as the outgoing Defender is, you see, it hardly teeters on the cutting edge of the industry. Which is why JLR is committing to its replacement in 2015. And to give us an idea of what we might expect, the company is preparing to unveil this concept car at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.

All we’ve got to go on with the show truck called the DC100 is the solitary image above and the press release after the jump, which is rather short on details. It seems to borrow a few cues from the FJ Cruiser but with a slightly cleaner, leaner form that looks like it’d be as at home on a California beach as it would on a snowy mountain top.

This is one truck we’ll be looking forward to seeing up close and personal – fortunately it won’t be long now.

Continue reading Land Rover previews new Defender with Frankfurt-bound DC100 concept

Land Rover previews new Defender with Frankfurt-bound DC100 concept

The Army National Guard serves an important role in disaster relief. When called upon, members of the service leave their families at a moment’s notice, pack up and head into the thick of the worst that mother nature has to offer. In the case of the recent flooding in New York, New Jersey and Vermont, that means going above, beyond, and sometimes below the call of duty, er, waterline. From the looks of things, the soldiers in the video after the jump are in the process of rescuing residents – or at least attempting to rescue residents – in Manville, NJ who failed to heed flood evacuation warnings.

Though we aren’t huge military vehicle buffs, we’d say it looks like two Deuces braving severely flooded New Jersey streets. Big points to the videographer who simply stands by and insults the service members out to help him instead of actually warning the soldiers that the waters get deeper farther down the road. Class act.

Hit the jump to check out the video for yourself.

Continue reading Proof the National Guard will do anything to save you in a flood

Proof the National Guard will do anything to save you in a flood