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If you played with Hot Wheels as a kid (or as an adult, as some on the Autoblog team have admitted to doing), then you’ve probably imagined what it would be like to have the thing in full size. Chevrolet has tried to make that a reality, creating a Camaro concept car inspired by the “Custom Camaro” 1/64-scale model that was part of the original Hot Wheels collection released in 1968.

Making its debut at SEMA today, the Camaro Hot Wheels Concept features chrome green paint, ghosted Hot Wheels logos on the fenders, satin black wheels, a Euro-style rear fascia and taillights and black aluminum hood insert with milled heat extractors. Under the hood is the standard LS3 V8.

You can read a full list of the car’s features after the jump, and be sure to check out our live photos in the gallery above.

Continue reading Chevrolet Camaro Hot Wheels Concept fulfills a childhood fantasy

Chevrolet Camaro Hot Wheels Concept fulfills a childhood fantasy

The Mopar team showed up to SEMA 2011 in full force with a bevy of factory-tuned machines, including a Dodge Challenger ACR. The company says that the vehicle is an homage to the option-delete muscle-bruisers of old, and as such, this Challenger has scrapped any component that could possibly slow it down.

In addition to a gutted interior and plenty of carbon fiber, the Challenger ACR features a laundry list of Mopar components. Those include a complete coilover suspension, massive front and rear strut tower braces as well as a short-throw shifter and full cat-back exhaust. The easy-breathing pipes likely help the 6.4-liter V8 produce a bit more power than the base SRT8’s 470 horses.

Inside, the SRT engineers fitted a Drag Pack center stack and a carbon weave shift bezel kit. While we typically shy away from massive wheels, we have to admit that the 20-inch rolling stock on the Challenger ACR is plenty fetching.

Continue reading Dodge Challenger ACR sheds pounds, adds speed

Dodge Challenger ACR sheds pounds, adds speed

Toyota is headed to the Baja 1000 next year with a special Tacoma built specifically to take the worst that the Mexican desert can throw at it. The pickup has been specially-prepared by Long Beach Racers, a group of Toyota enthusiasts who have made a habit of building some of the toughest trucks to take to the off-road race. Created as a tribute to the production Tacoma TRD TX, the Long Beach Racers Tacoma boasts custom Bilstein 60mm racing shocks and 16-inch TRD wheels clad in 35-inch BF Goodrich tires. A SCORE-approved roll cage should keep everyone inside safe in the event of a shiny-side-down event.

In order to keep weight as low as possible, the team opted for carbon-fiber skid plates underneath. That’s a good thing, considering that a 50-gallon fuel cell has replaced the stock tank. A TRD big brake kit is on hand to help bring all of that liquid weight down from speed, and an array of Hella HID lights means that drivers and can see the course ahead once the sun sets.

Toyota Long Beach Racers Tacoma is ready to tackle the Baja 1000

Yes, we’ve already driven the Icon Bronco. But this is the machine’s official debut to the public, and, since it’s just as awesome here in Las Vegas as it was in Southern California at the company’s headquarters, we’ve decided to grab another set of live photos for your viewing pleasure.

As a refresher, this rough-and-tumble ride is based on the shell of a classic Ford Bronco from 1966 to 1977 (not the full-size one most famous for its low-speed car “chase”), and is powered by one of the Blue Oval’s latest 5.0-liter V8 engines that puts out 412 horsepower and 390 lb-ft torque. Those horses are transferred through a five-speed manual gearbox to an Atlas II transfer case and finally to stout custom-built Dana 60 and 44 solid axle assemblies.

We suggest you read all about our quick spin of the Icon Bronco here, but first, check out our live image gallery of the rethought and rebuilt classic at SEMA.

Icon Bronco makes drool-worthy official debut

Here’s the problem with releasing a concept: more often than not, people expect you to build it. So when a source tells you that a showcar doesn’t have a shot at production, many assume it’s been killed. Unless, that is, it was never going to come to market in the first place.

Such is the case with the fetching Lincoln Concept C, originally shown at the Detroit Auto Show in 2009.

Ford Inside News reports that the Concept C has been axed, but the truth is, it was never confirmed for production in the first place. Instead, Lincoln’s three-year plan includes seven all-new or “significantly refreshed” models, one of which will sport a diminutive footprint. But is it a C-segment vehicle? Sorta.

Rather than rework a sedan/hatch based on the Ford Focus platform – something Lincoln is shying away from as it attempts to move away from the badge-engineering game – our source tells us that Lincoln’s previously announced C-segment entrant is likely to be a compact CUV based off the new Escape platform with a reworked stance and a different seating setup. And if our tea leaves are in order, we’d expect to see some kind of concept version within the next year, likely sporting a hybrid-electric drivetrain.

Lincoln’s small car isn’t dead… it never really existed

Scion has turned its newest model, the iQ, over to some of the most ambitious tuners in the U.S. for SEMA 2011, and the results do not disappoint. Cartel has gone crazy with the company’s miniscule hatchback by turning it into a wild paddock service vehicle. With storage for tools and tires as well as a custom chop-top design, the Cartel Scion iQ Pit Boss is unlike anything else on the show floor. We’re not sure what we like best; the earth-shaking stereo system or the ever-ready impact driver in the center console.

Tatsu, meanwhile, has taken an entirely different approach with the Scion iQ. The shop started by surgically removing the vehicle’s tiny front-mounted four-cylinder engine and re-inserting it into back hatch. The result is what is very likely the world’s first mid-engined Scion iQ. The four-pot dumps power on the rear wheels, though the fuel cell has been moved under the hood for a little extra weight balance. Even so, the short-wheel base racer should make for a seriously entertaining handful out on the track.

Scion iQ Pit Boss by Cartel and iQ-MR by Tatsu are a wild bunch

As small as the car is itself, Volkswagen wanted to ensure its Up! city car would make a big impact when it lifted the veil on the production model at the Frankfurt Motor Show. So along with the basic three-door hatch, the German automaker also brought out a series of concept cars that gave us a hint at what the future of the product line could hold in store.

Though little in the way of details were offered on the show floor, Volkswagen has been highlighting these concepts one at a time in the weeks that have passed since. First in line was the Cross Up! that confirmed the arrival of a five-door model. Then came the Buggy Up! that showed a more playful side of the platform. Now Wolfsburg has detailed the GT Up!, demonstrating the little hatchback’s sporting potential.

Applying a similar formula that’s transformed the Golf into the GTI, the GT Up! packs such performance-oriented extras as 17-inch alloys filling up those little wheel wells, a wider grille, brake ducts with integrated LED daytime running lights, extended side sills, gloss-black side mirror housings, a rear spoiler and diffuser and twin exhaust pipes.

The interior has been done up with blue-checked anthracite upholstery, a black headliner, gloss-black trim and leather-wrapped three-spoke wheel. While the GT Up isn’t quite confirmed for production at this point, it does show us what could come down the pipeline. In the meantime, you can check out the high-resolution images and the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Volkswagen concept injects Up! with a shot of GT

Volkswagen concept injects Up! with a shot of GT

Every year, masses of Corvette aficionados descend upon a little town in Pennsylvania to celebrate their love of the long-running Chevrolet sports car. Here in Las Vegas at the 2011 SEMA Show, General Motors has decided to show its appreciation for the legions of Carlisle travelers with the Carlisle Blue Grand Sport Concept.

We don’t know if Chevy plans to offer this color scheme on production Corvettes, but we hope it does. The exterior is painted in a hue called Carlisle Blue, and it’s punctuated by Pearl White racing stripes and silver-painted Torque 2 wheels. We also like the Cyber Gray headlamps that are optional for 2012. What we like most, however, is the dry-sump 6.2-liter LS3 V8 under the hood. Feel free to peruse our image gallery, then check out the press release after the break.

Continue reading Chevrolet Carlisle Blue Grand Sport Concept celebrates Pennsylvania pride

Chevrolet Carlisle Blue Grand Sport Concept celebrates Pennsylvania pride

Some automakers returned from trick or treating last night with pillowcases full of great sales numbers, and others wish they had stopped at a few more houses.

The biggest winner continues to be the Chrysler Group, which for the month of October 2011 posted a sales gain of 27 percent versus the same month last year. The Pentastar’s ghoulishly good numbers are due among other things to Jeep, which enjoyed positively trending sales across the board except for the Grand Cherokee and a stellar performance from the Chrysler 200/Dodge Avenger duo. The new 200 alone added 11,205 sales to replace the Sebring’s achievement of 2,221 sales last October.

As for the other domestics, Ford Motor Company put up a 6.25-percent increase with no thanks to Lincoln, which was down 10.83 percent. General Motors, meanwhile, barely eked out increased sales of 1.71 percent thanks to a strong enough showing by Chevrolet (6.04 percent) to balance out negative numbers from GMC, Buick and Cadillac.

Volkswagen continues to be a standout brand, backing up last month’s gains of 35.57 percent with an industry-leading 39.55 percent performance in October. Honda and Toyota, however, continue to quietly lose sales. Ostensibly, blame can at least be partially attributed to the continued effects on production issues stemming back to the natural disasters suffered by Japan earlier this year.

Check out the rest of last month’s sales numbers in the table below.

*Brands and companies are displayed in descending order according to their percentage change in volume sales. There were 26 selling days in October 2011 and 27 selling days in October 2010, so the change in monthly sales volume will be different than the change in average daily sales rate (DSR) for each brand/company.

October 2011: Pillowcases of Candy Edition

Ever since Hyundai debuted its Tau 5.0-liter V8, we wondered just how tough it would be to shoehorn the naturally aspirated monster under the hood of the Genesis Coupe. After much anticipation, the Korean automaker has teamed up with Rhys Millen Racing to bring us this, the RM500 – a 450-horsepower Genesis Coupe with a free-breathing, eight-cylinder heart.

The 5.0-liter powerplant is obviously the big story for the RM500, but there are plenty of other upgrades that make this one-off Genesis Coupe all the more interesting. RMR has added a custom stainless exhaust with a GReddy rear section muffler, oil cooler and rear differential cooler – all good for 20 additional horsepower. What’s more, RMR has added things like a lightweight clutch and flywheel, new engine management system (natch), Brembo carbon ceramic brakes and new 19-inch tires on super-slick Z-rated tires (245/40 front, 275/35 rear) mounted on custom HRE wheels.

Specific RMR visual enhancements include a whole bunch of carbon fiber aero tweaks. Specifically, a new front lip, side skirts, rear diffuser, spoiler, grille, roof overlay, foglamp vents and foglamp covers. The end result is a sinister-looking Genesis Coupe that we’d love to get our mitts on.

Moving inside, RMR and Hyundai have added an interior suede package (because it wouldn’t be a SEMA car without a touchy-feeling interior), sport seats, a new shift knob and a small steering column extension, among other little details.

Like most SEMA cars, we don’t expect a factory version to come along anytime soon. But we’ll say this: It’s very good to know that the big V8 will fit under the Genesis Coupe’s hood so cleanly. You know, just in case Hyundai might have something else up its sleeve…

Gaze in wide-eyed wonder at our high-res galleries, then check out the official press release for more after the jump.

Continue reading Hyundai and Rhys Millen Racing show off Tau V8-powered RM500 Genesis Coupe

Hyundai and Rhys Millen Racing show off Tau V8-powered RM500 Genesis Coupe

Ford and Consumer Reports, Honda Civic refresh, Toyota FT-86 details, Saab’s latest sale and new 9-3 rumors

Episode #254 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, with Chris, Dan and Autoblog Executive Editor Chris Paukert crewing the show this week. Topics include Ford and its response to criticism about its PowerShift transmission and MyFordTouch. We also cover the Toyota FT-86 now that specs have been leaked, rumors of an accelerated refresh program for the much-criticized 2012 Honda Civic and the latest in the ongoing saga of Saab. 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 #254:

• Ford’s issues with Consumer Reports
• Honda moving Civic refresh up amidst criticism
• Toyota FT-86 details leaked
• Saab sold. Again. New 9-3 on the way?

In the Autoblog Garage
2011 Infiniti QX56
2012 Chevrolet Sonic
2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
2012 Toyota Camry

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

Review the show in iTunes and take our survey

Autoblog Podcast #254

Ford will officially debut the next-generation Escape at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month, but ahead of the crossover’s official debut, we’re getting our first look at one of the vehicle’s new features: a hands-free power liftgate. How does it work? Simply kick your foot under the Escape’s rear bumper (as long as the key fob is in your pocket) and the liftgate will open. When you’re done, wave your foot under the bumper again, and the hatch automatically closes.

It’s a neat-o-nifty feature, no doubt, but this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this technology. In fact, Ford first showed it to us on the now-dead seven-passenger C-Max, and the folks at BMW debuted this feature on the European-only 5 Series wagon. Regardless, it’s a bit of added convenience that other vehicles in the segment don’t yet offer. Click past the jump to see a video demonstration of the hands-free liftgate, and be sure to check out our latest batch of Escape spy shots if you missed them earlier this week.

Continue reading 2013 Ford Escape to offer hands-free power liftgate

2013 Ford Escape to offer hands-free power liftgate

Mazda has given SEMA goers something to get excited about with a pair of MX-5 Miata concepts. The MX-5 Miata Spyder Concept has done away with the standard car’s folding soft top or retractable hard top mechanism in favor of a lightweight grenadine-red canvas covering à la Porsche’s Boxster Spyder. The look lends the already lithe roadster an even more svelte appearance, and the Spyder’s 17-inch Advan alloys and Mazdaspeed coilovers ensure that the driver should have plenty of fun when the road turns twisty. Mazda has also rolled in quite a few excellent details, including etched brushed stainless Spyder badging on the front fenders and a clean MX-5 Spyder logo on the passenger-side dash.

While the 2.0-liter MZR four-cylinder underhood looks familiar, Mazda says the MX-5 Spyder runs on isobutanol, the same biofuel that powers in Mazda’s/Dyson Racing ALMS car. To further the company’s “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom” effort, the Spyder also has a lightweight lithium ion battery, among other changes.

Does the Spyder have a chance at production? Well, probably not the isobutanol powertrain, but a lighter model with a similar top configuration might have a shot. As Mazda’s design director, Derek Jenkins, notes “…because the stock models are extraordinarily versatile, who’s to say some elements of these SEMA concepts can’t be ready for public consumption?” Sign us up.

The MX-5 Super 20 – which debuted last year – brings more of a motorsports flavor to the convertible. A fixed hardtop has replaced the standard folding mechanism and the interior has been stripped bare in favor of a full roll cage. Additional power comes courtesy of a DPTUNE ECU reflash, a 304-stainless steel header and exhaust. Racing Beat hollow front and rear sway bars, Mazdaspeed coilovers and a Mazdaspeed shock tower brace help lend sharper handling, too.

Continue reading Mazda MX-5 Miata Spyder and Super 20 Concepts land in Las Vegas

Mazda MX-5 Miata Spyder and Super 20 Concepts land in Las Vegas

At first glance, Kerry Jenkins might seem to be a perfectly normal California girl, with her wispy blond hair and tanned complexion. But in a part of the country where getting an automobile has long been a rite of passage, the 19-year-old Los Angelino is quite content to live without a set of wheels, even though her parents offered to buy her a car when she graduated high school.

“I just don’t see why,” she says, ending her sentence with the Valley Girl’s upturned lilt. “I can always hitch a ride when I need it from my folks and friends. I have my bike. And I just wish more people would stop driving everywhere.”

While it’s easy to dismiss Jenkins as an oddball, the fact is she’s anything but unique these days. A number of her friends at college have also put off buying cars and industry research says that’s becoming increasingly commonplace.

“It’s something we’re watching,” acknowledges Mike Accavitti, the head of marketing for Honda of America. “There is a trend with kids under 30 that they put more value in their cellphones than in the cars they drive” – or the cars they decide not to drive.

(Click past the jump to continue reading and take part in our poll).

Paul A. Eisenstein is Publisher of TheDetroitBureau.com and a 30-year veteran of the automotive beat. His editorials bring his unique perspective and deep understanding of the auto world to Autoblog readers on a regular basis.

Continue reading Is America’s automotive love affair over? [w/poll]

Is America’s automotive love affair over? [w/poll]

Chevrolet has rolled a dozen customized Sonic models into SEMA, and while it hasn’t released details on every single variant of its entertaining subcompact, one of the modified hatches caught our eye.

If Chevy decided to launch a one-make race series for the Sonic, the Super 4 Concept (inset right) would be the blueprint. Sporting an SCCA-approved roll cage, racing seat, five-point harness, fire suppression kit and a detachable steering wheel, the Super 4 is as close to race-ready as the Sonic can get. The 1.4-liter turbocharged four-pot hasn’t been modified aside from a new intake and exhaust, but adjustable coilovers are fitted at all four corners and the braking hardware has been upgraded to four-piston front calipers with two-piece drilled rotors and two-piston piston rears with one-piece rotors, replacing the stock drums. Sticky rubber is wrapped around 18×7.5-inch wheels while a carbon fiber lower splitter, rocker panels and rear diffuser, along with a Concept Z-Spec spoiler round out the package.

Being SEMA, a brace of Sonics wouldn’t be complete without a hi-fi-infused version, and the Boom concept from Kicker answers the call. Get all the details on the concepts in the press blast below the fold.

Continue reading Chevrolet SEMA display reveals Sonic boom

Chevrolet SEMA display reveals Sonic boom

Please note: This is your one and only warning to set your DVR. You have until Monday, November 28, at 8:00 pm. That’s when BBC America will air the world premiere of the newest Top Gear spin-off: Top Gear Top 40.

Now we might normally be a bit critical of a television series that advertises itself as a greatest hits pastiche. In some ways, it kind of reminds us of those terrible sitcom episodes they used to slap together all the time back in the ’80s, with characters “remembering” bits from old episodes. But this is different. This is Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond doing what they do best. This is Top Gear.

How can you not get excited about re-watching clips like “Ferrari Daytona vs. Powerboat” and “Commie Cars” from Season 12? Or “Top Gear vs. Germans” from Season 11? Or “Veyron vs. Eurofighter” from Season 10?

Trust us, we’ve peeked at the 40 segments the show plans to feature, and nobody should be disappointed. In fact, the list of 40 clips comes from voting suggestions made by the general public, so there’s even less reason to fear. Read the entire press release after the jump.

Continue reading Top Gear’s Top 40 series headed for your TV, America

Top Gear’s Top 40 series headed for your TV, America

While Renault’s RS27 engine was powering Sebastian Vettel’s RB7 to yet another victory at the inaugural Indian Grand Prix, Renault was also unveiling a new dedicated vehicle for the Indian market.

Called the Pulse, the subcompact hatchback is built upon the same platform as the Nissan Micra at the Renault-Nissan Alliance’s assembly plant in Chennai, India. It was also designed at the automaker’s design center in Mumbai specifically with the Indian market in mind. Power comes from a 1.5-liter diesel four, also made locally.

Following the introduction of the Fluence sedan and Koleos crossover in India, and with the Dacia Duster and another sedan waiting in the wings, the Pulse is the third of five vehicles planned for introduction this year in India. The order books open at the New Delhi Motor Show in January. Follow the jump for the full press release and take a closer look in the high-res image gallery.

Continue reading Renault introduces new Pulse hatchback for India

Renault introduces new Pulse hatchback for India

About a month ago we reported that 1,500 Model S buyers showed up at the Tesla NUMMI plant to see firsthand the progress being made at the automaker’s new California factory. Many of those buyers even got the chance to drive pre-production beta models of the Model S. It’s the least Tesla could do to ease the minds of buyers who have already dropped $5,000 for a vehicle that won’t arrive for another year. Now we know that those 1,500 buyers are but a fraction of overall early orders.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has just announced that the Model S is completely sold out for 2012, with 6,500 models already accounted for. Bloomberg reports that Musk gave the update on pre-sales during an interview on “In The Loop With Betty Liu.” Musk added that most of those buyers were new to the Tesla brand, save for about 600 Roadster owners. That’s a lot of potential good news for Tesla, and Musk wasn’t finished. The tech startup mogul also added that Tesla could see an annual profit by 2013 – a lot quicker than many analysts expected.

News of Tesla’s pre-sale orders and the prospect of short-term profits helped jump-start shares of the EV company’s stock by 3.9 percent.

Musk says Tesla Model S sold out

Spotting celebrities at a Formula One grand prix is nothing new. The glitzy racing series in often exotic locales attracts the rich and famous like proverbial flies to honey.

The cameras rarely turn to the celebs present for race commentary, but then Rowan Atkinson is no ordinary celebrity. He’s a celebrity who drives a McLaren F1, gets Rolls-Royce to lend him their sixteen-cylinder prototype and tops the Top Gear “Star in a Reasonably Priced Car” leaderboard.

Mr. Bean himself was in attendance for this past weekend’s inaugural Indian Grand Prix, where Ferrari’s Felipe Massa and McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton got at it again with disastrous consequences. The look on Atkinson’s famously expressive face said it all. Follow the jump to watch the clip.

Continue reading Rowan Atkinson reacts to Massa/Hamilton crash in India

Rowan Atkinson reacts to Massa/Hamilton crash in India

Considering how long the Jeep Wrangler has been in production, we’re surprised that nobody thought of this sooner. The Jeep enthusiasts at Omix-Ada Inc. have designed what they’re calling the world’s first power folding soft top kit for the beloved Wrangler, which can be fitted to any 2007-2012 model year four-door model. (The company says a kit for the two-door Wrangler is expected to arrive later in 2012.)

The Rugged Ridge package comes complete with a vinyl top, power top frame, hydraulics, wiring harness and installation pack, and the top itself includes a zip-out, removable, tinted rear window. Omix-Ada says the whole kit comes ready to install with “no fuss or mess.”

We can’t help but notice that the top looks sort of flimsy during operation, but nevertheless, it’s a neat aftermarket tweak to one of the most iconic off-roaders ever to grace our roads (and trails). We’re not sure how well the hardcore purists will receive something like this, but there are plenty of people buying four-door Wranglers as lifestyle vehicles, too. Check out a pair of videos after the jump showing the power folding top in action, along with Omix-Ada’s press release.

Continue reading Jeep Wrangler power folding top kit debuts at SEMA

Jeep Wrangler power folding top kit debuts at SEMA