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With Nismo set to expand its scope and product range in the coming years, Nissan’s in-house tuning division needs to start with something both customizable and attainable. And it appears the Juke is it.

Nismo has done the standard cadre of mods to the Juke, including the fitment of larger Brembo brakes with slotted rotors up front, stiffer springs and shocks, 19-inch wheels with performance rubber and an assortment of interior baubles to match the racy exterior. The body kit isn’t just a looker – it’s functional – with the revised front and rear bumpers, grille and rear diffuser all aiding aerodynamics.

Nismo isn’t saying what’s been done to the turbocharged 1.6-liter four-pot aside from saying it delivers “more power,” so we’re assuming it’s an ECU reflash partnered with some new breathing hardware.

As for the possibility of production, our sources say Nissan is looking into offering the Nismo Juke as either a stand-alone model or an upgrade path, but the trigger hasn’t been pulled yet. If it does, expect it to be available in the first half of next year. Make the jump for the official release.

Continue reading Nissan Juke Nismo Concept isn’t a sure thing, yet

Nissan Juke Nismo Concept isn’t a sure thing, yet

Volkswagen will unveil a new CUV concept at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show this week. The Cross Coupe concept is the first vehicle, concept or otherwise, that we’ve seen ride on the company’s new modular transverse matrix architecture. More importantly, it may give us an indication of what to expect from the next generation of Volkswagen SUVs.

The Cross Coupe is smaller than the current Tiguan and offers a unique all-wheel-drive hybrid drivetrain with two electric motors (one for each axle) and a direct-injection, turbocharged gasoline engine. The system has a maximum output of 262 horsepower with the engine and one electric motor sharing propulsion duties up front, and a second 114-horsepower electric motor powering the rear axle when driving conditions require all-wheel drive.

Volkswagen managed to fold the vehicle’s lithium-ion battery pack into the transmission tunnel where the driveshaft would typically reside. This design allows for a low center of gravity and plenty of interior space, as well. VW says Cross Coupe weighs in at 3,854 pounds with a full tank of fuel. Even with all of that heft, it can travel up to 25 miles on pure electric power while dashing to 60 miles per hour in around seven seconds.

Follow the jump for the full press release and stay tuned for our coverage of the Cross Coupe’s live debut tomorrow at the Tokyo Motor Show.

Continue reading Volkswagen Cross Coupe concept hints at future SUV design

Volkswagen Cross Coupe concept hints at future SUV design

Less than five minutes after entering the new home of the Tokyo Motor Show, we’re greeted with this: the Subaru BRZ GT300 race car.

Designed to compete in the GT300 class of Japan’s SuperGT touring car series, the BRZ is set to replace the Legacy B4 that’s competed in the series for the last two years. Being a GT300 contender, the BRZ’s output will be limited to 300 horsepower and judging by the “Proud of Boxer” stickers flanking the front and rear, it’s sure to be packing some manner of flat four, likely displacing around two liters.

We’ll be seeing the BRZ racer take to the track early next year, but in the meantime, scope out the live shots in the gallery above.

Subaru BRZ GT300 set to take on SuperGT

Remember the old saw about German cars being “over-built?” Well, if this doesn’t lend it some credence, nothing will.

MythBusters decided to try its hand at debunking the decade-old “Lumber Car” photo. You know you’ve seen it at least a dozen times by now – the Volkswagen Jettta with the giant stack of plywood and two-by-fours on the roof? So the guys found a Jetta III, bought some 3,000 pounds of building supplies, and… Well, we can’t tell you exactly what happens, as that would spoil the ending, but you can clearly see that they at least managed to get the car loaded.

Maybe VW ought to try something like this with its “Great For The Price of Good” Jetta to convince the faithful it is still building them in the German tradition?

Watch the whole four-and-a-half minute “MiniMyth” after the jump.

Continue reading Mythbusters test the lumber-hauling prowess of a Jetta

Mythbusters test the lumber-hauling prowess of a Jetta

Ken Block had a busy summer. The exhibition driver spent the season frolicking around the globe with a few friends and putting on Gymkhana shows as part of a world tour. The event showed up in just three cities; Los Angeles, Vienna and Melbourne, and gave a handful of lucky Block fans a show worth remembering. But with so few shoes spread across such a wide distance, that left plenty of the driver’s faithful out in the cold. Ever the publicist, Block crafted a video for those who couldn’t make it out to breathe the tire smoke.

The result is three shows crammed into less than six minutes of footage. There’s plenty of sideways Ford Fiesta action as well as airborne motocross riders, scantily clad ladies of multiple nationalities and at least one gold tooth as part of the clip. One very famous Segway also makes an appearance or two. Hit the jump to see the full clip for yourself and read the press release.

Continue reading Ken Block recaps 2011 Gymkhana World Tour in latest video

Ken Block recaps 2011 Gymkhana World Tour in latest video

Ural, the Russian motorcycle company that specializes in sidecars, has never been known for groundbreaking designs that blaze a trail through electronic gadgetry or super lightweight composites on the way to the most technologically advanced motorcycles possible.

Instead, the heavyweight iron steeds that roll out of the factory in Irbit near Siberia (out of the range of the bombs of Nazi Germany) trade things like fuel injection and ABS brakes for shovels and machine gun mounts. Seriously.

The latest machine from Ural looks as far back into the past as the Russian sidecar industry can go, harking all the way to 1942 when the first M72 motorcycles were sent into the Battle of Stalingrad based on designs for the German BMW R71, which had been superseded by the R75 in 1941. A total of 9,799 M72 motorcycles were produced by Ural for military use.

The new 2012 Ural M70 Anniversary Edition celebrates 70 years of history with two distinct models; one with a sidecar for $14,200 and one solo for $9,150. Both come painted in a perfect shade of olive drab, and there’s a canvas tonneau cover, spare wheel and tire and shovel on the sidecar. And yes, there’s also that machine gun mount.

Ural based the M70 on its Retro model with 18-inch aluminum rims, 40mm Marzochhi telescopic forks, Sachs rear shocks and a Brembo front disc brake. The frame boasts a longer wheelbase than other Ural models and sits closer to the ground, making it the fastest and best-handling model available. We especially like the teardrop gas tank fitted with a throwback Ural badge.

Read all about the M70 after the break, but not before getting an eyeful of its old-school design in our high-res image gallery.

Continue reading Ural takes a giant step back with M70 Anniversary Edition

Ural takes a giant step back with M70 Anniversary Edition

Radar Tires has initiated a new charity campaign to fight breast cancer. The Mobilizing Hope campaign is aimed at stirring awareness through various channels, including the Ring of Hope project, which features a limited-edition pink sidewall tire. Based on the Radar Tires RPX900 all-season performance tire, the rubber will initially be available in two sizes: 195/60R15 and 205/55R16. Radar Tires says that those sizes will fit a variety of popular vehicles, including the Mini Cooper, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Volkswagen Beetle, Chrysler PT Cruiser and BMW 3 Series among others. Look for the limited edition tires to hit the market in the first quarter of 2012.

Radar Tires has been donating $1 for every four tires it sells to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation since May of 2011, and the Ring of Hope project is simply a more visible way to underscore the company’s commitment to fighting breast cancer. Radar Tires will donate a minimum of $250,000 annually to the charity. Hit the jump for the full press release and check out the company’s Facebook page for more information.

Continue reading Radar Tires debuts pink-wall radials to fight breast cancer

Radar Tires debuts pink-wall radials to fight breast cancer

Ford UK is giving Focus buyers a model to tide them over until the Focus ST arrives next year. The Focus Zetec S wears a full sports suspension with stiffer springs and dampers for slightly improved handling, though there’s no word on whether or not the model sits any closer to the ground than its base counterpart. A full aero kit is part of the package, as well, complete with front and rear spoilers and new side skirts. Buyers can also look forward to a set of 17-inch alloy wheels, and inside, the driver is treated to sport pedals.

The Focus Zetec S will be available with four engine options, including a range-topping 177-horsepower 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. That’s a far cry from the 246 horsepower available in the upcoming Focus ST, though buyers looking for a little style without any of the go may find something to smile about in the Zetec S. Hit the jump for the press release.

Continue reading Ford UK adds sportier Focus Zetec S to lineup

Ford UK adds sportier Focus Zetec S to lineup

Toyota FT86 and Subaru BRZ, Chevrolet Volt fires, Maybach done, Jaguar XF Sportbrake, Cadillac diesel

Episode #258 of the Autoblog Podcast is here with Chris, Dan and Zach this week. Topics include the Toyota FT-86 and Subaru BRZ coupes, the investigation into Chevrolet Volt fires, Mercedes-Benz winding down Maybach, the Jaguar XF Sportbrake, and the possibility of diesel-powered Cadillacs. Your questions and comments power the end of the ‘cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. We’ve embedded our Q&A module after the jump for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #258:

• Toyota GT-86
• Chevrolet Volt crash test fires
• Maybach dead
• Jaguar XF Sportbrake
• Cadillac diesel coming?

In the Autoblog Garage
2012 Volkswagen Passat 2.5 SEL
2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Coupe

Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Zach Bowman

Feedback
Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com
Voicemail: 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763)

Review the show in iTunes and take our survey

Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #258

Autoblog Podcast #258

A lot has happened in the last 56 years… mankind landed on the moon, the Cold War ended and General Motors managed to build 100 million small-block V8 engines.

First launched in 1955 with 265 cubic inches of displacement, the small block V8 has seen duty in nearly every memorable machine produced by Chevrolet in the last five decades. In addition to being the bread-and-butter engine in GM’s bread-and-butter brand, the small block has also been widely seen in the engine bays of various Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, GMC and Cadillac models in the States, as well as in Vauxhalls in the UK, Opels in the rest of Europe and Holdens in Australia.

While the current fourth-generation small-black V8 engine from GM doesn’t share much at all in common with its forebears, it’s still a tribute to a solid basic design architecture (4.4-inch bore centers, eight cylinders and overhead valves) that has remained a stalwart in power, affordability and efficiency.

The actual 100,000,000 engine will be a supercharged LS9 V8 that would normally be found in the engine bay of a Chevy Corvette ZR1, but this milestone powerplant will be kept and preserved by GM as part of its historical collection. Fittingly, the LS9, with 638 horsepower, is the most powerful engine ever offered by the automaker in a production vehicle.

In related news, GM has announced that its fifth-generation small block, due in the “near future” (perhaps the C7 Corvette?), will be blessed with a new direct-injection combustion system for enhanced efficiency. Naturally, it will still have 4.4-inch bore centers.

There’s plenty of cool statistical information in the press release and video after the break, so we suggest you check it out for yourself… especially if you belong to the camp that believes pushrods automatically equal antiquated technology.

Continue reading GM marks 100-millionth small-block engine built [w/video]

GM marks 100-millionth small-block engine built [w/video]

If you ask us, this 25 Hottest Products for 2011 list in Advertising Age isn’t exactly packed with automotive excitement. But with Dove soap, Malt-O-Meal, and Goldfish crackers also claiming spots, perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that it’s a Chevrolet Cruze, rather than a Camaro headlining the “America’s Hottest Brands” issue.

Besides the Cruze, the venerable sister pub to Automotive News points out the Kia Soul and Jeep Wrangler, seemingly more for their marketing campaigns than anything else. Kia’s hamster ads are legendary, while Jeep’s marketing deal with the Call of Duty video game franchise has proven successful.

The Cruze, on the other hand, is an actual hit for General Motors – topping 200,000 sales through October, and ranking as the company’s top-selling car. While that certainly makes the Cruze worthy of recognition, sales have begun to cool now that its newness is wearing off. While GM’s marketers can give themselves a brief pat on the back for making the list, clearly they still have work to do if they want to land on the 2012 version of the Ad Age list.

Cruze, Soul and Wrangler among America’s 25 Hottest Products for 2011

While Honda doesn’t have any plans to bring the carbon fiber-laced CR-Z Mugen RR to production, the company has announced that buyers in the UK will have the chance to pick up a quicker version of the hybrid hatchback. The Honda CR-Z iCF will boast a little over 172 horsepower thanks to some wrenching by Mugen Euro. The base 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine packs a centrifugal supercharger along with an intercooler and a remapped ECU. As a result, the dash to 60 miles per hour takes just 6.1 seconds. For reference, the base CR-Z hobbles to the same speed in well over nine seconds.

The Honda CR-Z comes from the factory with 122 horsepower, which is only adequate for hustling the 2,657-pound hybrid around town. The additional 50 ponies in the iCF should make the machine plenty entertaining, and Honda says that the vehicle’s three drive modes have been maintained for the best fuel economy possible. Will we see something similar on our shores? Don’t hold your breath. Hit the jump for the press release.

Continue reading Honda UK and Mugen launch supercharged CR-Z iCF

Honda UK and Mugen launch supercharged CR-Z iCF

We aren’t typically ones to geek out on furniture, but this warrants an exception to the rule. Phillips Collection has worked up a coffee table perfect for any BMW fan. From the side, the piece simply looks to be three tilted boxes, but view the table from above and it becomes clear that it’s actually a physical manifestation of the BMW M logo. Made from cold-pressed steel and powder coated in the exact hues used by the BMW go-fast division, the table is sure to last for years and years. If you want one as badly as we do, you’ll have to contact Phillips Collection for more information.

Designer Jason Phillips is based in Greensboro, North Carolina and has crafted a number of innovative tables and chairs. You can check out his full portfolio by heading over to his Behance page.

The BMW M table is too good for coffee

Yes. A thousand times, yes.

It’s no secret that we – and every other automotive enthusiast on the plant – love insanely fast wagons. So it comes as no surprise that we’re seriously excited to see this, the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series Estate, come to life.

All of the bulgy bits you see here – the front bumper, massive air intakes, wide fender flares and vented (yet camouflaged) hood – are all found on the similarly equipped C63 AMG Black Series Coupe. The only major difference here is that this wagon still sports oval exhaust pipes, rather than the squared-off ones found on the coupe, but that’s an easy fix that may come into play later in the hot wagon’s development.

We expect what’s under the hood to be exactly the same as the two-door Black Series: Merc’s naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8, massaged to the tune of 510 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque. All that power will go straight to the rear wheels via the seven-speed AMG Speedshift MCT dual-clutch transmission.

Mercedes-Benz doesn’t sell the standard C63 AMG Estate here in North America, so we don’t expect the Black Series to touch ground here on our shores. Sad stuff, but just knowing that this beast exists somewhere in the world makes our hearts skip a few beats. See the hotness for yourself in the attached high-res image gallery.

Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series Estate preparing to storm the supermarket

With over 20,000 Leafs running around the planet, Nissan is looking to introduce yet another alt-powered vehicle to the world, and judging by its recent work with fuel cells, a hydrogen-powered vehicle could be here in about four years.

Today in Japan, Nissan showed off its next-generation fuel cell stack, the one that the automaker has claimed has the world’s best power density for its size. Compared to the 2005 model (above, left), the new fuel cell (above, right) has 2.5-times more storage capacity while being both smaller and lighter than its predecessor. Weight is down from 265 pounds to just under 90 pounds and output is up to 2.5 kilowatts per liter.

This third-generation fuel cell stack makes uses of an improved Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA), which combined with single-row lamination, has reduced the size by over half. More importantly, the amount of platinum bits inside has been decreased, which means this new cell is about one-sixth the cost of the last generation design. But – and there’s always a “but” when it comes fuel cells – the cost of production is around $50,000. However, that price is set to come down and one engineer confided in us that he’d like to half the size and components yet again, while providing 1.25-times more storage.

Considering Nissan’s EV push with the Leaf, we could see the automaker’s first fuel cell vehicle on the market in 2015. Earlier reports said Nissan wanted to launch its fuel cell car at a cost of less than ten million yen ($128,000 U.S. at today’s exchange rate). In its recent “mid-term environmental plan,” Nissan said it plans to sell 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles by 2016 (some coming from Alliance partner Renault). That number includes all-electric vehicles as well as an “all-new fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) together with strategic partner, Daimler,” Nissan said in a press release last month. Now about that infrastructure…

Nissan fuel cell vehicle on track for 2015

Margie Petersen, philanthropist and wife of late automotive publisher Robert E. Petersen, died on November 25, succumbing to breast cancer at the age of 76.

Mrs. Petersen was best known in automotive circles for helping her husband found the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, which opened in 1994, and serving on the Board of Directors of the Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation. Earlier this year, she made a $100 million contribution to the museum that bears her name, which included her family’s private car collection.

But Mrs. Petersen’s philanthropy extended beyond the automotive world, as the long list of organizations she worked with included Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Cedars Sinai Research for Women’s Cancers in Los Angeles, St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, Boys and Girls Club of Hollywood in Los Angeles, and Friends of Robinson Gardens in Beverly Hills, California, among many others.

Born Margie McNally, in her youth Petersen was a model and actress. She and her husband had two sons that died in a plane crash in 1975. Robert E. Petersen died from cancer himself in 2007, after a lifetime of publishing such esteemed car magazines as Hot Rod and Motor Trend.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Petersen Automotive Museum at 6060 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036, or the charity of your choice in Mrs. Petersen’s honor.

Click past the jump to read the entire press release.

Continue reading Petersen Automotive Museum co-founder Margie Petersen passes away at 76

Petersen Automotive Museum co-founder Margie Petersen passes away at 76

The Great Saab Sob Story of 2011 continues unabated as Saab Great Britain has officially filed for bankruptcy protection. Saab GB is a wholly owned subsidiary of Swedish Automobile N.V., the parent company of Saab, and has the exclusive rights to distribute Saab automobiles in the UK.

There are 58 Saab dealerships in the UK, 20 of which are standalone operations. According to Saab, court-backed protection is its best course of action in the UK, as it has yet to receive any sort of funding from its supposed Chinese partners. Read the official press release after the break for all the details.

Continue reading Saab Great Britain files for bankruptcy protection

Saab Great Britain files for bankruptcy protection

Nissan has announced that the company plans to expand its Nismo offerings in the near future with performance variations of the company’s mainstream models. Until now, buyers have only been able to take home factory-tuned versions of the 370Z, but company CEO Carlos Ghosn said that the time was right to allow ordinary buyers to sample Nissan’s performance DNA. What does that mean, exactly? For starters, vehicles like the Juke Nismo Concept may actually make it to market, and other models may get the go-fast treatment soon thereafter. Nissan has also made it clear that Nismo will get its own global headquarters.

The company says that the new HQ will put all of Nissan’s road-race and performance expertise under one roof while giving Nismo fans a central location for fan events. The site will also sell performance products and include a heritage center with plenty of vintage race metal on hand.

We like the idea of more performance-oriented vehicles on the road so long as it doesn’t translate into the dilution of the Nismo brand. The world doesn’t need a Nismo CrossCabriolet. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Nissan expanding role of Nismo further into road cars

Nissan expanding role of Nismo further into road cars

The 1,104-HP Supercar You Can Drive To The Mall

The soundtrack of existence is mostly thrum and clatter, the day’s small deeds and smaller conversations usually having no more affect on you than the burbling of a refrigerator. And then there’s a noise that makes an impact and catches your attention. For us it was: “The Zenvo ST1 will be in town, want to drive it?”

It was three years ago that we first wrote about the outlandish coupe, with specs like a 7.0-liter, twin-charged (that means it’s supercharged and turbocharged) V8 hammering out 1,104 horsepower forcing the admission, “Attention officially granted.” Then there was that body, penned by a cabal of intergalactic villains, Predator and Klingons handling the ridges up front that fade into Robotech and Romulan sleek out back.

What’s more, there’s the fact that it’s from Denmark, a land continually offering up enduring icons of understatement: the Egg Chair, the Sydney Opera House, The Little Mermaid and Helena Christensen, among others. That means, even with 1,104 horsepower, the Zenvo ST1 cannot escape the pull of its own heritage. Obviously, then, it is the wildest looking, most wildly understated supercar ever.

Continue reading Zenvo ST-1 [w/video]

Zenvo ST-1 [w/video]

We expected Kimi Raikkonen to return to Formula 1, but we didn’t expect it to be with Lotus. The 2007 world champion, as you may recall, left Ferrari and all of F1 at the end of 2009, competing in the meantime in the World Rally Championship and in NASCAR. Rumors of his potential return to F1 have been circulating ever since, and have now been confirmed by way of a two-year contract with Lotus Renault GP starting next season.

The Finnish driver’s return answers a number of questions: For one thing, who would fill injured driver Robert Kubica’s seat while he recovers. For another, Kimi was linked to a drive next season with Williams, leaving Rubens Barrichello – the oldest driver on the grid – to potentially continue for at least another season. With Kimi back behind the wheel next year, it should be an interesting season of F1 racing ahead. Follow the jump for the official announcement.

Continue reading Kimi Raikkonen returns to F1 with Lotus Renault GP

Kimi Raikkonen returns to F1 with Lotus Renault GP