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Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone seems to believe he has a recipe to make his sport a bit more entertaining, and it involves heaping buckets of artificial rain. That’s right – no longer content to simply play with KERS and points systems, Ecclestone has reportedly turned his attentions towward bending weather to his will.

The F1 honcho says that overtaking in the dry is nearly impossible thanks to marbles on the course, but the instant things turn wet, the racing gets more exciting by the second. Some tracks are already outfitted with systems to water down the tarmac, and Ecclestone says that it would be relatively simple to fit other courses with irrigation.

While speaking with the official F1 website, Ecclestone said that he could imagine flooding tracks for 20 minutes during the middle of a race or for the last 10 laps with a two-minute warning.

Why not just drop Sebastian Vettel and the rest of the F1 gang in row boats and make them paddle around the Seine? We’re sure that would be plenty entertaining, and probably a good bit safer. Thanks for the tip, Andre!

[Source: Yahoo Sport Image: Clive Mason/Getty]

Report: Ecclestone wants fake rain to make F1 racing more exciting

Famed coachbuilder and industrial design studio Italdesign Guigiaro has released a free app for the Apple iPad that tracks the history of this famous design house since its founding by Giorgetto Giuguaro in 1968.

The app features a brief introduction that runs along the timeline from 1968 to 2030, showing key moments in Italdesign’s past and future. You’ll see Giugiaro with the Bizzarini Manta, the Alfa Romeo Alfasud and the Fiat Punto as the intro sequence plays out.

The iPad app’s release follows Italdesign’s new website launch last July, and its Geneva Motor Show-specific page for last year’s show. If you’re looking to download it, the Italdesign Giugiaro app is now available in App Stores worldwide. Click here to download it now from the iTunes Store or follow the jump for more details if you’re still on the fence.

[Source: Italdesign Giugiaro]

Continue reading Italdesign Giugiaro launches free iPad app

Italdesign Giugiaro launches free iPad app

And… we’re spent. Over the past three days we’ve tried to make you feel as if you were at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show with us, and in doing so showed you 76 production and concept vehicles that were unveiled or on display here. For those counting, that’s a new record for the number of vehicles that Autoblog has covered at one auto show, and you can find every single one below.

But now we’re done. Most of us are power napping right now so that tomorrow we can return to the normal business of Autoblog. It’s been fun and we hope you enjoyed the coverage. See you next month in the Big Apple for the 2011 New York Auto Show.

Lamborghini Aventador	2012 Ferrari FF	Pagani Huayra
2012 Jaguar XKR-S	2012 MB C-Class Coupe	Porsche Panamera S Hybrid
MB C63 AMG Estate	Saab 9-5 SportCombi	Alpina B5 BiTurbo Touring
Koenigsegg Agera R	Aston Martin Virage	Gumpert Tornante
Toyota Prius+	Chevy Cruze Hatchback	Lancia Ypsilon
De Tomaso Deauville	Morgan Threewheeler	Porsche Boxster S Black
Maserati GranCabrio Sport	Ford B-Max	Ford Ranger Wildtrak
VW Golf Cabriolet	VW Tiguan	Hyundai i40 Wagon
Opel Ampera	Mansory Cormeum	Fab Design SLS AMG
ABT R8 GTS	MTM R8 Biturbo	Lexus LFA Nurburgring
Audi RS3 Sportback	GTA Spano	Bentley Supersports ICR
2012 Kia Rio	Fiat 500 by Gucci	2012 Kia Picanto
Koenigsegg Agera	Range Rover Ultimate	BMW ActiveE
Volvo V60 PHEV	Ruf Rt 12 R	Novitec Ross Ferrari 458
Carlsson C25 Royale	Brabus 700 Biturbo	AC Schnitzer 99d

Toyota FT-86 II	Alfa Romeo 4C	Volkswagen Bulli
Audi A3 Sedan	Wiesmann Spyder	Fiat 500 Zagato Coupe
Saab PhoeniX	Volkswagen Giugiaro Go	Volkswagen Giugiaro Tex
Mitsubishi Global Small	BMW Vision ConnectedDrive	Mazda Minagi
Nissan Esflow	Renault R-Space	Smart ForSpeed
Rinspeed BamBoo	Infiniti Etherea	Mini Rocketman
Renault Captur	RR Sport diesel PHEV	Rolls-Royce 102EX
Bertone Jaguar B99	Suzuki Swift S-Concept	Tata Pixel
IED Abarth Scorp-ion	Ssangyong SUT-1	SEAT IBX

Peugeot 908 Hybrid4	1908 Fiat “Mephistoles”	Lotus F1 & Evora GT4
Pirelli F1 tires

2011 Geneva Motor Show: The 76-Car Ultimate Wrap Up

Porsche makes some amazingly capable and exciting machines. The German speedmeisters at Ruf are fans of those cars, but they like to take them, lock them in their insane asylum factory and release them back into the world as roadgoing rocketships. The company’s latest creation, unveiled on the 2011 Geneva Motor Show floor, is the Ruf Rt 12 R.

Based on the (quite pedestrian by comparison) Porsche 911 Turbo, the Ruf Rt 12 R begins life with the stock 3.8-liter twin-turbo flat-six engine. That unit is good for 500 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque (516 lb-ft with the overboost function). After Ruf gets its mitts on the powerplant, output swells to 730 hp and 693 lb-ft of torque. The engine is paired to Porsche’s six-speed manual transmission and all-wheel-drive system. And if you’re a rich lunatic, you can opt for rear-wheel drive.

Ruf also works its magic on the body of the Rt 12 R. Carbon fiber is applied to the front fenders, hood, luggage cover, seats and is available optionally on the roof. The side and rear windows are plastic instead of glass to further aid in the quest for lightness. This weight reduction, along with the massive increase in power, has helped Ruf claim an impressive 230 mph top speed for the Rt 12 R.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

Continue reading Geneva 2011: Ruf Rt 12 R is a 230-mph bolide

Geneva 2011: Ruf Rt 12 R is a 230-mph bolide

Way in the back of the Fiat booth at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, behind all of the shiny modern machinery with their tiny, fuel-sipping engines, sat a car that looks like one of those wood-carved models you see at every knick-knack store. Curious though it was, we knew right off the bat there is something far more significant to this car than met the eye. And indeed there is.

Nicknamed “Mephistoles” by the French public in the 1920s, this 1908 Fiat SB4 racer was, at the time, the fastest car in the world. Sir Ernest Eldridge bought it on the cheap after it crashed in a race at Brooklands in the UK, thereafter setting about turning it into a land speed record car. To get there, Sir Ernest and company replaced the engine with a 22-liter(!) inline six-cylinder aircraft engine that delivered 320 horsepower to the rear wheels via chain drive – a combination (hardly) kept in check by a single brake on the rear differential.

Mephistoles set a top speed of 143.26 miles per hour over a flying kilometer in Arpajob, France in 1924, but was later disqualified because the regulations stipulated the necessity of a reverse gear, which the Fiat lacked. Sir Ernest developed a system and came back, regulations satisfied, just days later to set a new record of 146 mph… the last such record achieved on a public road. To this day, according to the lore, nobody knows how Eldridge got the thing to go in reverse, but after over three years of restoration, Fiat is proudly exhibiting Mephistoles in Geneva, and we snapped a few photos to help you ponder the mystery and majesty for yourself.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Noah Joseph / AOL

Geneva 2011: 1908 Fiat SB4 “Mephistoles” land speed record car baffles the mind

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is certainly enjoying an interesting run at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. It’s had its ups and downs… and right now, it’s going through another low point courtesy of Hamann.

To be fair, the styling of the Hamann Hawk is almost kind of cool. But the matte pink pearl paint job does this car no favors. Hamann calls the color Everose Gold, but we’re going with Barbie’s First Supercar – it’s like Paris Hilton trying to act tough.

What’s certainly no act, however, is the work done under the hood. The Mercedes-Benz 6.2-liter V8 in the SLS, which normally produces 563 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, has been pushed to produce 636 hp and 502 lb-ft. This was accomplished through the use of upgraded manifolds, a new exhaust and adjustments to the engine mapping. Those changes help push the Hamann Hawk from 0-62 miles per hour in 3.6 seconds. Hold the go-pedal down and you’ll eventually hit 199 miles per hour.

Of course, you’ll still be driving something that 16-year-old girls would find oddly endearing, like a pair of pajama pants with pink skulls on it. Hamann, please paint this thing black, lose the garish grille emblem, and then let us disappear with your gas card for a few days.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Hamann]

Continue reading Geneva 2011: Hamann Hawk is Barbie’s First Supercar

Geneva 2011: Hamann Hawk is Barbie’s First Supercar

SPEED is looking to revamp its program lineup as it enters its 15th year on the air. One of the programs that’s set to hit televisions is called American Truckers. Hosted by Rob Mariani, the series looks at iconic rigs, amazing routes and the people who make up the industry. To kick off the series, the crew of American Truckers has decided to get down to business and re-create a route with which most of your are familiar: the epic 1,800-mile beer run from Smokey and the Bandit.

The first and most important part of the journey (besides the beer, of course) is making sure they have the right vehicles. Bud Brutsman, producer of American Truckers, Rides, Overhaulin’ (the list goes on…), and his crew acquired a 1974 Kenworth W900 Snowman tribute truck. Year One stepped up to the plate and handed over the keys to a resto-mod 1978 Pontiac Trans-Am. The Bandit car is packing a 605-horsepower LS7 engine with a five-speed transmission, Baer six-piston calipers on 14-inch front and rear rotors and a roll-cage with a five-point racing harness.

Vehicles in order, the team set out on their journey from Atlanta with their sights set on Texarkana. How’d they fare? Read on to find out…

[Source: Speed Image: Year One]

Continue reading New SPEED series replicates Smokey and the Bandit beer run tonight

New SPEED series replicates Smokey and the Bandit beer run tonight

BMW showed us the ActiveE Concept back at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. Now the automaker is using the Geneva Motor Show floor to roll out the latest version of its electrified 1-Series. The BMW ActiveE, following in the footsteps of the Mini E before it, will begin rolling out to select markets in the Fall of 2011.

Mini utilized a fleet of 600 electric Coopers for field tests, but BMW is upping the ante by producing 1,000 vehicles. The ActiveE will make its North American debut at the New York Auto Show in April. After that, it will roll its way into the driveways and garages of residents in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, New York, Boston and parts of Connecticut.

Powering the BMW ActiveE are a plethora of liquid-cooled SB LiMotive batteries. They provide enough juice to generate 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The ActiveE uses that energy to run from 0-60 miles per hour in about nine seconds and the juiced-up 1-Series has a range of 100 miles. Check it out in the galleries below and read more about the car in BMW’s official release after the jump.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

Continue reading Geneva 2011: BMW ActiveE looking to become the Ultimate Electric Driving Machine

Geneva 2011: BMW ActiveE looking to become the Ultimate Electric Driving Machine

The auction on Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s 1977 Peugeot 504 officially closed earlier this week with winning bid of $2.5 million. The funds are set to be used to build housing for low-income families. According to MSNBC, Iran’s Wellfare Organization, which organized the auction, hasn’t released the name of the Pug’s new owner, though there is some indication that the vehicle will be displayed in a museum in the near future. Locally, the vehicle would likely carry a price tag of around $2,000 without its unique ownership history. Ahmadinejad was frequently seen using the vehicle while he was Mayor of Tehran, but the Iranian President has favored other transportation since he took office in 2005.

According to MSNBC, Ahmadinejad campaigned on the promise to house every Iranian, and the charity auction is an attempt to make good on that pledge. Interestingly enough, outside of Iran, the most visitors to the auction’s website came from right here in the good ol’ USA.

[Source: MSNBC]

Followup: Ahmadinejad’s Peugeot reportedly sells for $2.5M

Customized Mercedes-Benz cars have been in the spotlight at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. Mansory, Fab Design and Brabus have all fallen in love with the SLS AMG, but Carlsson continues its affair with the SL65 AMG. At last year’s show, Carlsson unveiled its C25 super grand tourer. For 2011, Carlsson has come back with another iteration of the frighteningly fast two-door, this time called the C25 Royale.

What’s the difference between last year’s C25 and the 2011 C25 Royale? Both pack the same bone-crushingly powerful V12 under the hood, here producing 753 horsepower and 848 pound-feet of torque. The C25 Royale goes for a few extra steps in the weight savings department by utilizing a carbon fiber roof.

Just like last year, however, the C25 Royale will be limited to just 25 units. Also, to further increase the likelyhood that your neighbor will never have the same car as you, Carlsson says it will sell just one per country. Starting price on a Carlsson C25 Royale is €429,000, or just shy of $600,000 USD. Add in German VAT and the price rises to €510,510 (around $713,000 USD). As we said, that is the starting price. The options list is packed with further piggy bank busting features, which you see for yourself by reading the press release waiting after the jump.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Carlsson]

Continue reading Geneva 2011: Carlsson C25 Royale makes large quantities of money magically disappear

Geneva 2011: Carlsson C25 Royale makes large quantities of money magically disappear

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has fought long and hard to uphold a local law requiring all city cab companies to replace their gas-guzzling Ford Crown Victoria sedans with more efficient livery vehicles. A noble goal, no doubt, but the Supreme Court is having none of it.

The New York Post reports that the highest court in the land refused to hear the case after four years of battles in the lower courts, giving the victory to the Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade. The court ruled that federal agencies have the sole right to regulate emissions and efficiency, not the mayor of one town – even if it is the City That Never Sleeps.

When the Supreme Court swings its gavel, there usually isn’t another shot, but that likely won’t stop Mayor Bloomberg from lobbying Congress to change the rules. The mayor said that local governments are the ones dealing with climate change and energy policy, adding “the federal government seems unable to address those issues.”

While the city of New York appears to have lost the efficiency war, the Big Apple can still feel good about the fact that some 4,400 of the 13,237 cabs on its streets are hybrids. And if gas prices continue to jump, we’re thinking many of the other 8,000 cabs will follow suit.

[Source: New York Post Image: Chris Hondros/Getty]

Supreme Court strikes down Bloomberg’s hybrid taxi plan for NYC

Top Gear as we know it now is in its 16th season of automotive mischief, hoonage and – somewhere in there – journalism. What we tune in for now, though, is a reborn version of a show that soldiered on from 1977 to 2001 before being cancelled and once again exhumed.

The original show only resembles the current version in two ways: the theme song is Dickey Betts’ Jessica and Jeremy Clarkson is one of the hosts. Beyond that, it’s a whole different animal. Looking at these videos, it’s a wonderful thing that TG rose from the ashes of its former self into the show it is today. Looking at clips of the original series, it’s a wonder it lasted as long as it did.

For the most part, there a batch of dour presenters with bad hair and worse suits giving us the goods on the latest version of cars like the Lancia Beta or Rover 216. In some places, the future lunacy of the show pokes through, but for the most part it’s a very tame, and, yes, boring show.

Still, the clips of historic TG are entertaining, if for no other reason than Clarkson’s hair and denim jacket collection. Here’s hoping that Top Gear USA will itself enjoy enough time to metamorphosize into something bolder, funnier and harder-hitting as well. Thanks for the tip, Ryan!

[Source: BBC via YouTube]

Continue reading Videos: Rewind – Old Top Gear looks back at even older Top Gear

Videos: Rewind – Old Top Gear looks back at even older Top Gear

For the second year running, the Ford Fusion has not only come out as the top family sedan pick in Consumer Reports‘ list of the 2011 American Top Picks, once again eclipsing the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry in reliability.

Topping the list in the budget car segment is the Ford Fiesta, though CR admits they aren’t sure how reliable the car will be, given that it’s a clean-sheet design. The Chevrolet Cruze takes the small car category.

Ford captures CR’s small SUV category with the Escape, and Chevrolet has nailed down the family SUV category with its Equinox 2LT. The funky Ford Flex takes the family hauler category, and the Mustang is the top pick among sporty cars.

The only non-Ford or Chevrolet product on the list is the Buick Regal, which takes top honors for CR’s sports sedan category. The Ford Fusion Hybrid (above) garners the American green car pick for 2011, and the Chevrolet Avalanche rounds out the list in the pickup truck category.

It should be noted that some categories in CR’s list only have a top-scoring American vehicle, not a top pick. In the budget car segment, the sports sedan segment and the small car segment, CR passes on picking a favorite because there are models in the segment that are too new to have reliability data yet.

Photos Copyright (C)2009 Chris Shunk / AOL

[Source: Consumer Reports]

Consumer Reports releases 2011 list of American Top Picks, Ford again on top

Chrysler and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have announced that the Auburn Hills automaker is recalling 248,437 vehicles due to potentially faulty ignition systems. According to the company, certain 2010 Chrysler Town and Country, Dodge Grand Caravan and Dodge Journey vehicles were built with ignitions that could accidently switch from the “run” position to “accessory,” thereby causing the engine to shut off.

Both the company and NHTSA are concerned that the issue could cause an accident. As such, Chrysler will replace the ignition modules free of charge beginning in April of this year.

The recall includes vehicles manufactured between August 3, 2009 and June 17, 2010, and owners can contact Chrysler for more information. Click past the jump for the full recall notice.

[Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]

Continue reading Chrysler recalls nearly 250,000 minivans and crossovers over ignition key woes

Chrysler recalls nearly 250,000 minivans and crossovers over ignition key woes

It’s become quite clear that Mansory and Fab Design should leave SLS-tuning to the experts. Brabus has pulled back the wraps on its 700 Biturbo, and the results are pants-tightening impressive.

Brabus has taken the 6.2-liter SLS AMG V8 and attached a pair of turbochargers to the already-excellent mill. Output has gone from 563 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, up to 700-hp and 626 lb-ft of torque. Brabus has also gone ahead and changed the intake and exhaust manifolds, engine mapping and exhaust system on the Mercedes-Benz flagship.

In fact, Brabus has gotten down to the nitty-gritty with its 700 Biturbo at the Geneva Motor Show. Traditionally, twin-turbocharged engines have a pair of turbos both spinning in the same direction. Brabus has fitted a right-turning and left-turning exhaust to the respective sides of the engine, and this allows for optimal air flow into the engine.

All of this work has produced a luxurious grand tourer that hits 0-62 miles per hour in 3.7 seconds, and can run on to top speed of 213 mph. Brabus has managed to do all of this without slapping on eye-searing paint an ill-advised body kit (though obviously there’s an extensive bit of aero-tweakery present), and for that, we thank them. (Next time, though, maybe we can find someone around to close the hood…)

Live photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Brabus]

Continue reading Geneva 2011: Brabus 700 Biturbo is SLS AMG turned up to 11

Geneva 2011: Brabus 700 Biturbo is SLS AMG turned up to 11

We may not know whether Ford will stick with the Escape name when the vehicle’s successor comes along in 2012 as a 2013 model, but thanks to the quick shutters of our crack team of spy photographers, we now have a vague idea of what the machine will look like. Peek beneath all of that camouflage and you’re likely to see a vehicle that borrows nearly all of its proportions from the recently-unveiled Vertrek Concept. That boxy aft-end appears to be nothing but floppy camouflage designed to hide the vehicle’s arching rear hatch.

The Escape successor is slated to ride on the Blue Oval’s global C1 platform – the same bones that make up the Focus, C-Max and Transit Connect, among other future products. There’s word that Ford will banish the V6 in favor of an Ecoboost 2.0-liter engine at the top of the line. At this point, it’s unclear whether that four-pot will be a 1.6-liter or a larger 2.0-liter mill. Lower rung trims will likely still pack a 2.5-liter four-cylinder lump.

[Source: Chris Doane/Brenda Priddy & Company]

Spy Shots: 2013 Ford Escape caught!

Picking a color scheme for a race car is usually a straightforward matter, but when Lotus opted to revive the black-and-gold combination of the classic John Player Special livery for its new Formula One car, things got a bit complicated. Not because it was once associated with a tobacco brand, but because of the still-unsettled dispute with the other Lotus team.

The Malaysian outfit at the back of the field originally planned on adopting the black and gold for this season, but opted to stick with its existing green and yellow livery shortly after Lotus Cars assumed part ownership of the newly rechristened Lotus Renault GP team.

The naming rights may still be in dispute, but the livery issue is settled. And Lotus isn’t just applying it to the grand prix racer you see here. (Though Renault, incidentally, displayed the team’s car from last year in the new livery on its stand, and Pirelli a selection of last year’s cars as well, Lotus appears to have brought the new 2011 challenger…or at least a mockup.) The British outfit also brought along an Evora GT4 decked out in the same scheme. And it looks positively dynamite on both cars. But don’t take our word for it: check it out for yourself in the high-resolution image gallery below and see for yourself.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

Geneva 2011: Lotus flashes the black and gold with new racing cars

Unless this is footage from Zoolander 2: Blue Steel Drift Assassin, this drifter has a serious issue with the local authorities. We have to believe this is some kind of stunt rather than footage of someone actually driving fast and then furiously. Call us skeptical, but the placement of the cameraman is a bit too convenient, the road is a little too empty and the cop’s guns remain holstered.

Click past the jump to watch the clip (judging by the banner over the bridge, it looks like it was shot in Malaysia), then render your verdict in the comments. Hat tip to Semjon!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Hoax or No? Drifter with a deathwish makes fool out of police

Video: Hoax or No? Drifter with a deathwish makes fool out of police

Back in the days before every luxury automaker and its sister (company) got into SUVs, there was one name in the premium off-roading game: Range Rover. And keen to prove it’s still at the top, Land Rover unveiled the Ultimate incarnation of its premier line at this year’s Geneva Motor Show.

Called, appropriately enough, the Ultimate Edition, this top-of-the-line Range Rover is based on the already luxed-up Autobiography trim. Sure to be the new must-have item among oligarchs and oil barons, the Ultimate Edition is kitted out like a Rolls-Royce Phantom but with the added distinction of being able to take its pampered occupants anywhere a mountain goat can go.

There are individual rear bucket seats and tray tables like the first-class cabin on an airliner, a drink cooler, a teak-deck cargo area and – in what’s billed as an industry first – a pair of Apple iPad tablets mounted to the front seat-backs (for the use by rear passengers). Journalists and VIPs alike were clamoring for a chance to sit in the ultra-luxurious sport-ute, but we managed to capture the salient points for your viewing enjoyment with the gallery of high-resolution images below, and can tell you first-hand that it’s every bit as posh as Land Rover says it is. High-res galleries of all the sybaritic luxury below, official press release after the jump.

Live photos copyright (C)2011 Noah Joseph / AOL

Continue reading Geneva 2011: Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition takes its place as king of the hill

Geneva 2011: Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition takes its place as king of the hill

The list of finalists for World Car of the Year has been whittled down from 39 entries to just three, and the finalists were announced yesterday at a press conference hosted by Bridgestone at the Geneva Motor Show.

The finalists for overall Car of the Year are the 2011 Audi A8, the BMW 5 Series and the Nissan Leaf. The performance category is occupied by the the Ferrari 458 Italia, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and the Porsche 911 Turbo.

Representing the green catergory are the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt and the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Edition. The green car of the year will be decided by votes from three of the world’s top green technology experts.

The final category in the World Car of the Year competition is design. In that category is the Aston Martin Rapide, Alfa Romeo Giulietta and the Ferrari 458 Italia.

The winner of the World Car of the Year award has to represent some aspects of each category in the competition and will be decided, along with the winners in from the other categories, at the New York Auto Show on April 21.

[Source: World Car of the Year]

Continue reading Geneva 2011: World Car of the Year finalists shortlisted

Geneva 2011: World Car of the Year finalists shortlisted