Mini Life Ball 2010 special by Calvin Klein – Click above for high-res image gallery
Over the past 10 years of supporting the Life Ball, has teamed up with a variety of fashion designers to create unique one-offs to support the largest annual HIV/AIDS fundraiser event. Past collaborations have included the likes of , Versace and , to name just a few. To date the special Minis have raised half a million Euros for the cause. But for the tenth rendition, the Anglo-German automaker has brought in no fewer than three big-name designers to create a trio of specials.
Calvin Klein creative director Francisco Costa has taken on the new Countryman in stealthy black-on-black; Diane von Furstenberg, a red Mini hatchback with a lip motif; and Kenneth Cole a Mini convertible with industrial-style studs. Each will be auctioned off at the event in Vienna on July 17 to kick off the 18th International AIDS Conference, details of which you can find in the press release after the jump.
Fischer Motorcycles MRX – Click above to watch the video
Television’s Original Automotive Magazine, MotorWeek, recently took some time out to sit down with Dan Fischer, former AMA motorcycle racer and the man responsible for . In the and corresponding video (see it ), Fischer stakes a claim as the only affordable American sportbike manufacturer in existence, now that .
While the Fischer MRX is indeed designed and built in the United States, its heart actually comes from South Korea. We’re fine with that, as this 650cc powerplant is what allows Fischer to sell its wares at an attractive $7,995 asking price. What’s more, the claimed 80 horsepower and 52 pound-feet of torque coupled with a fine six-speed gearbox means you won’t really be hurting for more power on the street.
Also included in the base asking price are an adjustable Ohlins rear shock, 43mm USD fork adjustable for compression and rebound and a made-in-the-USA one-piece frame. Options are plentiful as well, with full Brembo front brake package, carbon fiber bodywork and forged aluminum wheels acting as stand-out items. Want more? to watch the video.
2011Subaru Impreza WRX STI – Click above for high-res image gallery
has released pricing on its non-turbocharged models (which doesn’t include the pictures WRX STI, sorry), and you’ll be glad to know that your procrastination has been rewarded. Straight from the house that wears The Pleiades: “Pricing for the 2.5i, 2.5i Premium and Impreza Outback Sport are held to 2010 model year levels.” That means the base 170-horsepower Impreza 2.5i sedan holds steady at $17,495, so too the Impreza Outback at $19,995 and everything in between, while the five-door hatch garners a slight premium at $17,995.
On the color front, although Subaru has dropped Newport Blue, and in its stead two hues have been added: Marine Blue Pearl and Sky Blue Metallic. Additionally, there are a couple of monotone paint options for the Impreza Outback Sport, and a couple of trim packages have been reworked and discounted. Follow the jump to read all about it.
D1 GP comes to SpeedTV – Click above to watch the trailer
The wide, wide world of sports is getting so small it’ll soon be able to dance on the head of a pin. First soccer (i.e., The OtherFootball) took over ESPN, now the original drifting series, Japans’ D1 GP, is headed to SpeedTV for a multi-episode engagement from September to November.
There will be 15 one-hour programs, nine covering races in Japan, three U.S. races, plus an exhibition and a wrap-up show. It all begins with the event in Tokyo on September 12. You’ll want to turn off your smoke alarms, for burning rubber is headed this way. for the press release and the teaser.
A close look at the trailer for Atari’s Test Drive Unlimited 2 trailer – Click above to watch video
Gamervision has saved you the trouble of going on a frame-by-frame clue hunt through Atari’s Test Drive Unlimited 2 trailer. Among its findings, a bunch of hot new cars, jet-setting between stages, day-to-night transitions appear to happen in-game, not just in the trailer, and SUVs are included in a rally mode, but motorcycles and non-player road traffic have been left out. However, we’re thoroughly confused about the possible inclusion of the 2011 Shelby GT350 or the previously unheard of “Aston DB9S…” to see the breakdown and decide for yourself.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) governs the amount of . The current standard blend stands at ten percent (E10). With farmers wielding pitchforks in anger, the to 15 percent (E15), a move that would . As Green Car Advisor reports, the time to decide whether to move to E15 has come, but once again, the EPA has postponed, saying that more testing is needed before a final decision can be made.
The agency wants to further test the in modern vehicles. Reports have surfaced , and the EPA understandably doesn’t want to make a choice that could potentially leave drivers stranded.
When will the EPA make the final callon E15? The , then it was moved to this June, but now, who knows?
In the between the and the , a victor has been crowned, and as you’d expect, the blokes from had their bumpers handed to them.
Despite designed to maximize the potential and neuter the high-speed prowess of the , the Cooper still lost the battle by a full two seconds. Naturally, Mini likes to point out that the difference was $38,000 a second, but to anyone paying attention, the additional $76k is money well spent… particularly on a real track. Maybe Mini should’ve reconsidered …
for the race and two introductory videos, including a thoroughly comical explanation about why Mini opted for an autocross track and not the full course at Road Atlanta.
Lamborghini meet in St. Mortiz, Switzerland – Click above for high-res image gallery
We have an internet-sized soft spot for seeing being driven. We mean really driven – slugging it out with the elements, risking door dings and stone chips and racking up mile after mile of unadulterated driving bliss. Yes, there’s a place in this world for museum-quality autos, but by and large, supercars are built to be enjoyed, which is exactly why we’re so smitten by the pics from our friend David Kaiser. You see, Kaiser happened to be lurking around St. Mortiz Switzerland for a massive meet up this past weekend and he’s provides us scads of shots from the event.
By massive, we mean 110 Raging Bulls all ready to rack up mile after mile of some of the best driving roads on the face of the planet. The infamous even showed up as escort, working to shepherd the droves of Countach, Murcielago and Miura models through the Swiss Alps. The man himself, , was also on hand to enjoy the occasion. The best part? Photos of Sant’Agata’s finest slushing through the Alpine snow. Perfection.
Our have been busy little bees lately. The crew recently managed to set their lenses on what appears to be the next , complete with a pretty new face. From what we can tell, the company has refreshed the V12 heathen with all-new body work from the A pillars forward. The car now wears a revised fascia with thinner headlamps, and the hood appears to have a few new wrinkles as well. We’re having a hard time telling if the front fenders have been significantly massaged or not, but chances are they’ve been modified somewhat to mate with those new LED-bespeckled lights.
From the rear, its clear has equipped the car with a redesigned diffuser, and the taillights have been redrawn as well. So, will the company supply buyers with any extra power to accompany the new suit of clothes on the DBS? It’s possible, but not likely. Odds are the car will still pack the same burly 6.0-liter V12 with 510 horsepower. Which still sounds pretty good to us.
We finally drive the CTS Coupe and deem the days of uninspired Cadillac design officially over.
In the run-up to next week’s IPO, Tesla lays out a road map for its future products and reveals a new convertible, a utilitarian van and a sleek crossover all built atop the Model S architecture.
If there’s a market for small pickups, Jeep wants to be there to blend off-road ruggedness with open-bed utility.
Shortly after introducing the last year, announced that it was also developing a of the gull-wing supercar. The first prototype is now ready to be shown to the world, resplendent in bright yellow paint (AMG Lumilectric Mango to be exact – the Mopar Boys would be proud). The SLS E-Cell is propelled by a quartet of electric motors with the pair at each axle integrated with reduction gears to drive all four wheels.
Those motors, which top out at a screaming 12,000 rpm, combine to apply 526 horsepower and 649 pound-feet of torque to the wheels – sufficient to push the coupe to 60 miles per hour in just four seconds. The installation of the front motors necessitated the replacement of the double-wishbone suspension with a multi-link setup with push-rod dampers.
The lithium polymer batteries are split between the center tunnel and a box mounted behind the cockpit, and can provide a combined output of 480 kilowatts (643 horsepower). Two separate cooling circuits can manage the temperature of the battery packs and related power electronics by either heating or cooling the units as needed.
An extendable front splitter works with the reshaped rear diffuser to increase available downforce beyond what’s possible with the standard 6.2-liter-V8-powered SLS. Inside, the electric SLS gets a 10-inch touch screen in the center console. According to reports, this is a drivable prototype, so expect driving impressions to arrive before the production model goes on sale in 2013.
2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R teaser – Click above to enlarge
In case you hadn’t noticed, there’s a new crop of superbikes terrorizing the roadways and racetracks of the United States. And more than any other point in recent history, the Big Four Japanese brands aren’t leading the way. Instead, it’s the European brands – Specifically , BMW, and – that are encroaching on , Kawasaki, and Yamaha’s territory.
Team Green isn’t likely to let the newest challengers turn its flagship Ninja into an also-ran, and the latest evidence of such can be seen in a new teaser of the 2011 ZX-10R. Expect a completely new motorcycle for next year, including a new engine, frame and suspension package. In order to compete with the latest from Europe, we’d also imagine the literbike to get an upgraded electronics package.
While we don’t have any details on those hard bits, we do have one rendering that shows an aggressive new look with a gaping ram air scoop front and center. Want more? Check out an enlarged version of the teaser image above and be sure to for the accompanying video.
Nissan Leaf – Click above for high-res image gallery
Many car buyers refuse to purchase new cars for one important reason: With a few very rare exceptions, new cars will lose a significant chunk of their initial value the moment you drive them off the lot. The biggest chunk of a cars depreciation typically happens in the first minutes of ownership and companies like Automotive Lease Guide in the United States and Glass’ Guide in the UK specialize in estimating how much value will evaporate to estimate lease priceing.
Glass’ has taken a look at upcoming electric vehicles like the and come away with some very distressing numbers. Based largely on the expected lifespan of the battery, Glass’s expects cars like the Leaf to be worth only 10 percent of its value after five years.
The potential flaw in this analysis is the presumption that the battery will have little or no value after its useful life in the car. Electric vehicle advocates have claimed that even when the batteries no longer have sufficient capacity for use in a car, they could be used by electric utilities as buffers to help balance the grid. While this has yet to be proven, it could potentially tilt the balance back toward EVs. If this idea doesn’t come to fruition, the severe depreciation could kill the nascent EV market before it every really gets going.
Gallery:
Photos by Sebastian Blanco / Copyright (C)2009 Weblogs, Inc.
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Saab 9-4x concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
Judging by the latest spy pics, it looks like the 9-4x is fully baked and ready to hit the streets. Saab has stripped the camo off the integration prototypes for the new 9-4x crossover and it doesn’t appear to have changed much since the at the Detroit Auto Show two years ago.
reports that production has begun at the same Ramos Arizpe, Mexico plant that produces the , although our sources indicate that production is still a few months off and considering the time frame, it’s safe to assume that the production 9-4X will debut at the Paris Motor Show this September.
Like the concept, the production 9-4x will likely be powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four, with an optional 2.8-liter turbo V6 from the Turbo-X and the in the . AE is also reporting that the Saab will offer a which might be the V6 that was once planned for the European market Cadillac CTS.
We came away from the with the feeling that anything was possible. The season had settled into a blistering pace and drama had definitely begun to unfold. Departure from Mugello left many heads spinning as we saw defending champ Valentino Rossi following a nasty get-off and the subsequent end of Yamaha’s ownership of the top spot on the podium. We have a feeling that did not sit too well with the boys in blue, as Jorge Lorenzo showed up at Silverstone to put a punctuation on his championship points lead… a 6.743 second punctuation to be exact!
The race launch gave birth to a hungry pack of racers, and although Lorenzo held the top honors, there would be no runaway (at least not at first) as Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa gave early chase with the lead swapping between riders as early as lap one. As the laps ticked off though, Jorge had found his way to a comfortable lead, leaving the real battles behind him. Andrea Dovisioso and Randy de Puniet pushed hard to round out the podium, while a pair of patient young Americans named Nicky Hayden and Ben Spies lay in wait just outside the top three.
As the rubber boiled in and the laps wound down to just three, Dovisioso made his move pulling away from the battle with de Puniet. Just as this was happening, Spies also found his speed and was able to make another pass stick on the Frenchman, riding inside the top three for the first time this year. Nicky Hayden also managed to put his Ducati in front of de Puniet and would pass the checkers in the number four spot for the fourth time since . After suffering an extremely poor start and having to work his way up the ranks from the very last position, Casey Stoner pulled up the caboose of the train that would pass de Puniet prior to the finish line and round out the top five.
So there we have it folks, Jorge Lorenzo is taking care of business, both for Yamaha and for his championship hopes. Andrea Dovisioso is quickly becoming a solid runner up, and all the while Ben Spies finally found his groove and got a bottle of champagne in the process. We can only hope Hayden can break his fourth place curse one of these rounds. As for his teammate Casey Stoner… well, his results remain marginal at best this season, and it remains to be seen if that is going to change.
Next stop: the Netherlands. We can only imagine that it is still anyone’s game at Catalunya! Click past the break for the top ten results.
Russians selling tires – Click above to watch video
We’re not exactly positive what have to do with women, but Russian manufacturer Atlay Tire Company has rolled out an ad to rival . We’re guessing the majority of you are already well and halfway through the video by now, but for the rare soul who’s managed to stick around, here’s the skinny: The spot features a dance troupe of barely-dressed ladies prancing around in front of a virtual stack of tires. Treadwear rating? What’s a treadwear rating?
We’ll just go ahead and say the spot is slightly NSFW just in case you find yourself strapped to a cubical with your boss looming over you. to enjoy.
In any form of motorsport, manufacturers come and go, but the sport continues to be shaped by the teams and the major players that lead them. So when , you knew it was only a matter of time before David Richards and his company Prodrive would be back on stage. Now it looks like that opportunity could come from .
Richards has made no secret of his desire to bring Prodrive back to the WRC, but rather than re-enter as a privateer, he’s indicated that the new outfit will be fielded under the auspices of a major manufacturer. Given the ties which Richards has fostered with Toyota – particularly over the Cygnet/iQ deal which be brokered with the Japanese auto giant in his capacity as chairman of – and the reported presence of Toyota scouts at several rallies recently, the signs are pointing towards Toyota’s involvement.
It’s been over a decade since the Japanese automaker has competed in the WRC, but recently trimmed a significant drain on its motorsport budget by . A top-tier rally team is tipped to cost around 8% of what Toyota had been pouring into its over-funded F1 program. And speaking of F1, Richards has for the time being abandoned aspirations to return to grand prix racing, having run both the Benetton and BAR- teams in the past. But he leaves F1 with an intriguing suggestion to replace the current qualifying system with a computerized grid that would rotate the starting order with each race, thereby mixing up the outcome of each race. Interesting, but the Toyota reports seem more plausible.
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Yep, that’s right. It’s time once again to ask our podcast crew anything you want to know. Don’t forget to vote on which questions deserve our attention the most, though we’ll try to get to as many as we can. Discussion topics for Autoblog Podcast #183, which we’ll record tonight, can be found below. Finally, subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast if you haven’t already to hear your question answered.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #181
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2012 Hyundai Veloster – Click above for high-res image gallery
At a media breakfast in Los Angeles this morning, Motor America president John Krafcik let slip that the Korean automaker expects to breach the 40 miles-per-gallon barrier with its forthcoming small sports coupe. Conveniently, if they can reach that performance target, that would best the new , which, despite its hybrid powertrain, achieves just 36/39 city/highway when equipped with a CVT and 31/37 with a manual gearbox. The as-yet-unnamed Hyundai coupe (the nameplates and Tiburon are still up for discussion) will achieve those figures with a conventional four-cylinder engine, eschewing the added cost, complexity and weight of a gas-electric system.
Likening the forthcoming model to a long-distance runner, Krafcik promises that not only will this Hyundai best the in fuel economy, it will also deliver better performance as well as added utility (read: rear seats and better access). Given that it won’t have the cost penalty of a hybrid drivetrain (a ), we’d be surprised if it doesn’t come in at a lower price-point, as well.
In addition to sipping gas, Krafcik emphasized to Autoblog that a key mission for the affordable coupe will be enticing the world’s young and increasingly auto-ambivalent consumers with additional technology – all Velosters will come with a large screen on the dashboard as standard equipment, presumably to manage connectivity features in addition to more traditional vehicle functions.
With 40 mpg practicality and superior utility, it would appear that the Veloster not only has a shot at taking on Honda’s CR-Z, but also more conventional economy cars like the , perhaps trading a bit of practicality in favor of edgier coupe styling and (hopefully) greater performance.
Judging by the latest spy pics, it looks like the 9-4x is fully baked and ready to hit the streets. Saab has stripped the camo off the integration prototypes for the new 9-4x crossover and it doesn’t appear to have changed much since the at the Detroit Auto Show two years ago. ![f740e motogp silverstone MotoGP 2010: Momentum and surprises from Silverstone [Spoilers]](http://theautoblog.ru/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-matic/cache/f740e_motogp-silverstone.jpg "MotoGP 2010: Momentum and surprises from Silverstone [Spoilers]")
