Geely Englong SC7-RV – Click above to view the image gallery
Chinese automaker is part owner of Manganese Bronze, which makes the famous black taxi cabs for the UK and Chinese markets. But while a pricey cab makes sense for the UK, a high-dollar cab in China isn’t always profitable. For that reason, Geely will introduce the Englong SC7-RV next week at the Shanghai Motor Show.
While the instantly recognizable UK taxi does its job well, it utilizes a platform that is totally unique. By contrast, the Englong SC7-RV will reportedly use a platform from Geely’s existing fleet. And since the parts are common and the production will likely occur in China, costs are expected to dip considerably. And if you ask us, the SC7-RV actually manages to look kind of cool. Even better for prospective taxi owners in China, this livery special will likely make it to production.
Suzuki Mighty Boy with LS1 V8 power – Click above to watch the videos
The JDM kei-sized Mighty Boy from the 1980s weighed about 1,100 pounds and typically packed no more than 30 horsepower. What happens, then, when the only extra weight you add to the mix are a pair of fat rear tires and a LS1 V8? A lot of smoky burnouts, that’s for sure.
Beyond the jump are three videos of the Mighty Boy crop-dusting fans in the stands. They may not be the newest, but we’ve never seen them before, and hopefully you haven’t either. The first clip is a minute long and every ounce of the Mighty Boy’s massive rear tires is shredded clear off the wheels. The second clip is two minutes, and you can expect more burnouts with a bunch of donuts mixed in. The last clip is only 27 seconds long, but six tire-smoking burnouts in that time-frame look like they’re taking place in a video game. We can almost smell the rubber from here. to watch for yourself.
Lamborghini Estoque and SVS Codatronca – Click either image for high-res gallery
We here at Autoblog have millions of kilograms, nay liters and liters, of respect for our friends at Automobili , and the upcoming will no doubt alter our lives when we drive it. We also root hard for the little shops in and around Turin that changed the world of car design in the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s, and nobly carry on today as best they can.
We were recently going through various photos and started juxtaposing the front end of the seen at the 2008 with that of the one-off (or TS). The latter was developed near Turin between 2005 and 2008 by the small shop named SpadaConcept SpadaVettureSport, led by legendary designer Ercole Spada and his son Paolo. The latter carrozzeria just unveiled their at the Top Marques Monaco show, called the Codatronca Monza. All Codatronca models so far are based on a supercharged Z06 chassis (it makes sense that we also see a little bit of 1967-1982 C3 in there, too).
We’re not insinuating anything here, and these sorts of coincidences do happen fairly easily. But the likeness is uncanny. Who’s doin’ who? Or is nobody doin’ anyone? Talk amongst yourselves, and see the two cars in full high-res glory in our galleries below.
The Tirrito Ayrton first reared its razor-edged head in 2009, looking like something Predator would drive if he was in the market for a supercar. For this year’s Top Marques Monaco, Tirrito has rolled out the Ayrton R , the lighter, more powerful version of Predator’s chosen mode of transportation.
Questionable styling aside, the Ayrton R packs a tuned version of the 5.0-liter V10 from the last-generation and M6, which should produce around 630 horsepower. That’s a lot by anyone’s standards, but in a car that tips the scales at a scant 1,980 pounds, it’s downright ridiculous. For those keeping track, that equals 3.3 pounds per pony.
Tirrito hasn’t released much in the way of performance figures, but we can only assume they’re as gaudy as the Ayrton R’s bodywork. For a full gallery of the Tirrito Ayrton R, head over to .
Pixar’s latest stop on the character roll-out tour is the country of Japan. The Land of the Rising Sun will no doubt provide the World Grand Prix with plenty of racers, but today we have some native vehicles to show you that do anything but compete on a track.
One tends a Zen garden, one is a Kabuki dancer and the other two are sumo wrestling micro vans complete with mawashis and culturally correct hairstyles. Have a look see and read their official descriptions in our burgeoning 2 character gallery.
Volvo Concept Universe teaser – Click above to watch the video
has ambitious plans to double its current volume by 2020, and a big component of that plan is to penetrate the Chinese auto market. That plan makes abundant sense given the booming Chinese market, and it helps that the automaker is now owned by China’s Geely.
A major step toward reaching that goal comes when the Shanghai Motor Show opens to the media next week, as Volvo will unveil the Concept Universe. We are a little short on details at this point, but Volvo predictably saw fit to tease us ahead of its debut. The short post-jump video shows little more than some sketches, a large, covered vehicle, and an outline of a very sleek sedan.
Is the Concept Universe a precursor to a that Geely chairman Li Shufu seems to want? Could it be a four-door coupe? Heck, some of the sketches almost make it look like like the big Volvo concept will be a fastback. We won’t know for sure until next week, but in the meantime, you can to watch the video for yourself. Hat tip to Alex!
Opel Insignia OPC ‘Unlimited’ – Click above for high-res image gallery
In its current form, the 325-horsepower (you know, the car that the upcoming 255-hp was supposed to but sadly won’t replicate) will carry speeds of up to 155 miles per hour before its electronic nannies kick in and prevent your speedometer’s needle to climb any higher. But since European buyers are able to take their cars onto the unrestricted Autobahn, has now created a special version of the OPC – dubbed ‘Unlimited’ – that removes its top-end cut-off.
With its electronic limiter removed, Opel says that the Insignia OPC will reach speeds as high as 168 mph. This new top speed only applies to OPC sedans fitted with the automaker’s six-speed manual transmission.
Unlimited models are visually distinguished by blue Brembo brake logos, as well as a revised tachometer and speedometer. Opel says that a special edition of the Unlimited OPC with a matte black wrap is also in the works. Buyers will also automatically be enrolled in an OPC performance driving training course at the automaker’s proving grounds in Dudenhofen, Germany, where they will learn how to properly manage the driving dynamics of this delicious performance sedan.
If you ask us, 155 mph is plenty fast, especially for a public road like the Autobahn. But if you’re on a closed track with a long straightaway, that added 13 mph will no doubt come in handy. for Opel’s official press release.
Stunt driver Steve Truglia loops a Fiat 500 – Click above to watch the video
If there’s an automotive spectacle that rivals the jump in sheer visual excitement, it’s got to be the classic vertical loop (aka loop-de-loop or loop-the-loop). There’s just something special about seeing a car go vertical, then upside-down and back all in one swift motion that makes the crowds go bonkers… and Shell (purveyors of gasoline that they are) used such a stunt to good effect at the 2011 AutoRAI show in The Netherlands.
Waiting for you past the jump are a trio of videos that include different angles (in-car and out, plus a bonus behind-the-scenes look) of a specially prepared coupe tackling the famed vertical loop, which looks like a giant spoked bicycle rim more than anything else. Most of the videos are in Dutch, but the stunt driver, Steve Truglia, speaks English… so you won’t be completely lost.
Cuba has an interesting law when it comes to the purchasing and sale of automobiles. While European and Asian cars can be imported, only vehicles built before 1959 (the year of the Cuban Revolution) are allowed to trade hands on the open market.
This means that Cuba’s automotive landscape is filled with an excess of classic American iron. It’s a post-war plethora of beautiful automobiles in varying states of repair. This could all be changing, however, because the island nation is talking about reforming some of the laws that have been on the books for decades.
If Cubans are allowed to purchase modern vehicles, does that mean an end to the classics, which have come to serve as iconic fixtures of this communist Caribbean country? Not right away, according to . The classic cars are a treasured part of Cuba’s history, and folks feel that they will be sticking around even after modern vehicles begin to arrive. Only time will tell.
With the DS3 hatchback already on the market and the DS4 crossover soon to reach dealers, Citroën has confirmed plans to launch the next model in its premium lineup next week at the .
We don’t know much about the DS5 at this point, except to assume that it’s likely based on the C5. Bearing in mind that the three-door DS3 is based on the five-door C3, and that the DS4 crossover is based on the C4 hatchback, there’s no telling what body-style the DS5 will carry on the back of the sedan. Given the latest industry trends, we’re probably looking at a four-door coupe or five-door slant-back.
The car will be launched simultaneously with the Shanghai show floor debut on the French automaker’s .
Dodge Viper ACR at Miller Motorsports Park – Click above for high-res image gallery
The DodgeViper ACR is no longer in production, but it remains one of the most impressive sports cars ever built as evidenced by a recent trip to Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah. Motorsports brought a 2010 Viper ACR to the track along with road racer Kuno Wittmer, and the result was a record-smashing lap time of 1:59.995 – nearly four seconds faster than the previous record of 2:03.86 held by a driven by Jan Magnussen.
This isn’t the first time the Viper ACR has broken a track record for a production car. In 2008, Dutch driver Tom Coronel piloted a Viper ACR to a , and one year later, an SRT vehicle dynamics engineer with a time of 1:33.92.
You can read more about the Dodge Viper ACR’s lap record at Miller Motorsports Park as well as a watch a video footage of the car on track .
We were suitably impressed a couple of years ago at the Frankfurt Motor Show where we stumbled upon the . The gullwing sportscar is based on the Lotus Elise and built by a historic East German nameplate revived by the son and grandson of its founder. That same marque has now rolled up at the Top Marques show in Monaco with more powerful variants.
Replacing the -sourced, 270-horsepower, 1.8-liter four from the Elise on which it’s based, the GT and GTS versions of the Melkus RS2000 pack a 2.0-liter turbo four – reportedly sourced from a “well-known German manufacturer” (we’re looking at you, ) – in 300- and 350-hp guises, respectively. With only 2,145 pounds to schlepp around, the new engine should be good for a 4.5 or 3.9-second 0-100 km/h (62 mph) time, while a new carbon-fiber aero kit helps it look the part.
The Stage 3 has always been the flagship of Roush’s modified stable, and the supercharged pony car is making a return for 2012 with a new RS3 moniker. With 540 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque on tap, the Stage 3 replaces the as Roush’s most powerful offering.
Along with the extra power, the RS3 comes with a new graphics package that is available in six stripe colors and six accent colors, making for 288 color combinations. You can use Roush’s new to see what colors like Luminescent Lime and Red-Blooded American look on the car and add optional items like the 20-inch Hyper Black wheels and rear three-quarter window louvers. The 2012 RS3 Mustang starts at $59,945 and comes standard with a 3-year/36,000 mile warranty. PR and full details after the jump.
Circuit of the Americas brings F1 racing to Austin – Click above to watch video
has motorsports fans (and local business owners) dreaming big. The folks behind the circuit have put together a promotional video highlighting the many potential positives that CotA will bring to Austin, including new construction jobs and lots of race fans with cash to spend.
Not just a venue for Formula One and MotoGP racing, this Texas track will be used for business functions, full-size concerts and even a trauma training facility for area medical students. ‘Course, if you don’t really care about corporate retreats or a Kings of Leon concert, the F1 cars are scheduled to hit this track for the 2012 U.S. Grand Prix.
to check out the Circuit of the Americas promo video.
is finally reining in its big bad snake. After years of shunning stability control for its no-holds-barred feel, the Pentastar is planning to incorporate stability control on the next-generation . Set to debut in 2012 as a 2013 model, the vehicle’s systems are currently undergoing testing on a 2010 chassis, and Chrysler was kind enough to share a photo of the serpent slithering through the snow.
There’s just something about seeing a supercar on the powder that makes grin like a canary-fed feline.
What else do we know about the next-generation Viper? Few solid details have been confirmed as of yet, but word on the web is that buyers can look forward to somewhere between 600 and 700 horsepower. There’s no indication as to whether those ponies will come from a V10 as in days of old or if Chrysler will opt for something with fewer cylinders and more forced induction. Either way, there will be enough power on hand to rankle the chains of hardware like the and .
Chrysler says that the company is prepping the Viper for the next “Supercar Olympics,” but from the sound of things, the beast will be more at home in an all-out street brawl. We can’t wait. Chrysler’s brief statement is available .
Bombardier Can-Am Spyder – Click above for high-res image gallery
In an effort to help on-the-go business types navigate the chronically gridlocked streets of New York City and Los Angeles, Moto Limos Club is starting the first motorcycle taxi service on these shores. Similar taxi services have been navigating Europe’s busiest cities for years, but the idea appears to be brand-spanking new in the States.
The club will feature a fleet of 15 examples of the 2012 – available with or without a trailer – along with an undisclosed number of trikes (shown above) if the prospect of a two-wheeled taxi scares you. For safety’s sake, the new taxi service is reportedly only hiring riders with 15 or more years of professional experience.
Since the club is aimed at businesspeople, passengers will be provided a Bluetooth-equipped helmet for conference calls on the go. When the weather turns nasty, Moto Limos Club has all-weather gear to fit over your fancy duds and keep them high and dry, and when it’s freezing, the club promises to provide passengers with a thick blanket to keep the chill at bay.
Moto Limos Club opens up shop next month in Los Angeles and New York City. Memberships range from $125 to $250 to start, and bike rentals are a maximum of $90 an hour for the Goldwing. That may seem steep, but sitting in time burns up valuable minutes and dollars. Besides, with lane splitting legal in Los Angeles, a bike taxi might get you to that boardroom session when the black and yellow livery options are stuck in traffic. Check out more about Moto Limos Club .
Buick Envision Concept – Click above to view the image gallery
Back in 2007, unveiled the at the Shanghai Auto Show. The handsome concept featured a lot of the design cues that we now see every day in the . At the same time, the Riviera showed that The General’s sometimes dowdy brand could rock a coupe as well as the next brand.
Four years later, GM is going back to the two-door at Shanghai, but this time we’re talking about the . GM tells us that the design illustrates “elegant and smooth exterior that emphasizes its modern styling and contemporary sportiness.” We don’t know about all of that, but the sketches show the Envision could be a very handsome crossover that may suggest us what the next could look like. The whole gullwing coupe thing is another matter, as the doors look longer than a school bus, and a pillar-less crossover doesn’t sound all that reasonable.
The Envision is also said to include the expected plug-in hybrid technology that is all the rage with concept cars these days. The sketch of the interior, which are showed in the gallery below, is fanciful and not for production. The Envision concept will be officially unveiled at Shanghai on April 18.
Chevrolet Volt garage fire – Click above to watch video
No one was hurt – but two plug-in vehicles were destroyed – in a fire in a home in the Connecticut town of Barkhamsted last night. The cars were a brand-new with just 2,000 miles on the odometer and a converted all-electric Samurai that the homeowner, Storm Connors, converted himself years ago. At this early stage, it is impossible to tell if one or the other vehicles was the cause of the blaze – or if it was one of the charging systems or the garage’s electrical system – but firemen who responded to the 911 call said that this is one angle that the investigators will look in to. Local news channel WTNH that Connors, Another news channel, WFSB, says that, the blaze.
You can watch a video news report of the aftermath . Interestingly, Connors himself has commented on AutoblogGreen stories in the past, so our thoughts go out to a reader who is dealing with a terrible loss. Hat tip to Pete!
has been in a big, fat hurry to increase its stake in , as the Italian automaker has managed to increase ownership from 20 percent to so far this year. A report out of Automotive News Europe (via Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera) shows that the stakes may raise once again by June of 2011.
From the onset, the first goal for Fiat has been to hit 35 percent ownership by the end of 2011, but sources tell AN that CEO Sergio Marchionne and his team are now aiming for 46 percent this summer. To hit that number, the automaker will need to pay down U.S. and Canadian government debt from the original $7.4 billion to under $4 billion. On Monday, Marchionne reportedly said that Fiat planned to speak with banks in an effort to refinance the loans. Earlier in the year, Marchionne referred to the government loans as “,” which, though he later apologized, tells us everything we need to know about the CEO’s motivation.
As part of that agreement, Fiat has the option to pay down $1.14 billion in debt by the end of 2011, while waiting until next year will effectively raise the rate to $1.37 billion. That translates to a 20-percent interest rate for the year, which is high for a credit card, much less a government loan.
The next step for Fiat is to achieve another five percent ownership in Chrysler by the end of 2011. To do this, the automaker will need to sell a 40+ mile per gallon Dodge (likely a rebadged Fiat) and sell it in the U.S.
Rumors surrounding a prospective motorsports expansion in the have been swirling around for years now. One of the largest automakers in the world, VW’s factory-supported racing activities are largely limited to and its considerable Le Mans program and Volkswagen’s own Dakar efforts, with a handful of lower-level initiatives and non-works entries in other series. We’re still expecting a big shake-up, but the first step, according to reports, will see the Volkswagen brand launch a challenge for the World Rally Championship.
The initiative was at the WRC Portugal Rally, but Germans being Germans, the launch was reportedly delayed because the papers had yet to be signed by the right people. With all the Johan Hanckonenshteins now apparently in place, the program is set to be announced next month at Italy’s Sardegna rally.
Volkswagen’s WRC entry is expected to revolve around the Polo (pictured above in South Africa in S2000 rally spec), which will challenge select rounds in 2012 before going flat-out for the full season in 2013 – similar to the path which Mini and Prodrive have taken with their new entry. Norwegian driver Petter Solberg – who won the championship for in 2003 – is rumored as a potential driver, as is Nasser Al-Attiyah, the Qatari driver (and competitive marksman) who won at Dakar in a this year as well as the WRC production class which he won in 2006 in a .
