Cloth, leather, Alcantara and that weird netting on the dashboards of some sedans are all examples of the varied materials employed to build the interior spaces of modern automobiles. is exploring new ways to bring the passenger cabin together, and the newest item at the Korean automaker’s disposal is volcanic rock.
Hyundai wanted add a bit more luxury to the passenger space of its newest models. The and both needed fabric-wrapped A-pillars to up the class quotient inside, but that would have raised the customer’s purchase price. Alternatives were sought and engineers concocted a blend of plastic resin, fibrous material and volcanic rock. The end result is a plastic material that provides the look and feel of being wrapped in cloth, with the apparent cost savings that come from stuff belched forth from the Earth’s underground.
As one of the world’s largest suppliers of automotive parts, Visteon is a highly valuable company with hands in many areas of vehicle production. Visteon produces components for automotive interiors, climate control systems, lighting and electronics. The company is run by CEO Donald Stebbins, and the man in charge has come out to say that it may be time to split up the company into separate entities. The Tier 1 supplier has struggled in recent years, declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early 2009, only emerging from protection last October.
There’s been no official disclosure of plans for any spin-offs, as Stebbins has reportedly noted that one shouldn’t discuss a sale until after it’s completed. Still, the Visteon CEO also stated that the company’s product portfolio won’t be the same in three years time as it is today.
According to reports, many Visteon investors want to see the company split up. They believe they could fetch far more selling the parts giant off in sections than they would if attempting to lump it all into one large sale.
With some of the most ferocious high-speed off-road vehicles under its belt, Bowler is no stranger to conquering new territory. But its latest project is something entirely different for the British rally-raid racing firm.
The company was recently purchased by Coventry Prototype Panels (CPP), the same outfit that gobbled up the sportscar company when all of the company’s cash was tied up in – and it’s also the same company that’s with Zagato. They recently as the brand’s managing director, and the ex- chief engineer is now hard at work taking Bowler to a place it’s never been before: the street.
Historically, Bowler’s vehicles have start out with mechanicals, which were then modified extensively for Dakar-class rally raid competition. But Haywood has joined the firm to bring the company’s first street-legal, commercially available product (previously known as the Nemesis) to market.
While specifications are a long way off from being finalized, Autocar reports that Haywood and Bowler figure on demand for about 150 to 200 units – ten times more than the competition-spec vehicles it currently products – at a price of around £150,000. At nearly $250,000, that’s twice the price of even the top-spec factory Range Rover. That’s a lot of cash, but we can think of a few places in the world where they’ve got the cash and appetite for such extravagance.
The new entries just keep on lining up for the British Touring Car Championship, which is rapidly becoming the most varied racing series in the world. There are already 27 cars based on 13 different models from 10 different manufacturers, but now the touring car series is about to get a 28th, based on a 14th from an 11th, respectively.
The latest car set to join the BTCC grid this year is the Skoda Octavia vRS. The compact sedan from the Czech subsidiary is based on some very old technology, taking its underpinnings (and everything else) from the several-generatons-old . That doesn’t seem to be deterring TH Motorsport from bringing it to the BTCC, though.
The independent team has been racing in the series since 2001, fielding everything from and to Protons and Seats. It withdrew from the BTCC after last season and has been plotting its return ever since, finally settling on the Octavia which it will adapt to the new cost-effective NGTC regulations that have opened up the field to so many independents.
Matt Hamilton, who drove for the team the past two years running (and who, as far as we can tell, is of no relation to F1 champion Lewis Hamilton), will be taking the wheel of the Skoda when it’s ready, but the team is considering the potential for a second car. Press release .
We’ve just touched down in Frankfurt to get all the details on new electric cars, but before we get into the nitty-gritty of BMW i, its philosophy and the engineering behind it, here’s a brief introduction to the first two models, the i3 and i8. Officially, the two artfully greenhoused cars seen above are ‘concepts,’ but they’re actually anything but. to read all about them.
UPDATE: Added a few live images, along with the first promo vid. More to come.
We’ve just touched down in Frankfurt to get all the details on new electric cars, but before we get into the nitty-gritty of BMW i, its philosophy and the engineering behind it, here’s a brief introduction to the first two models, the i3 and i8. Officially, the two artfully greenhoused cars seen above are ‘concepts,’ but they’re actually anything but. to read all about them.
Russian premier Vladimir Putin is known as a brutishly dictatorial politician. But that’s not all he’s known for. He’s also a consummate lady’s man, and a lover of Russian cars.
Now, his two passions have crossed paths in Moscow, where a group of nubile young Putin supporters called ‘Putin’s Army’ took to the streets, offering free car washes to drivers of domestic wheels.
Plenty of Volgas and Ladas stopped along the way, and Russia’s English-language RT news channel has the report. The only thing more entertaining than the bikini-clad girls soaping up the cars is the stilted debate that followed between the network’s anchors. to watch the footage and see for yourself.
Bask in the glory that is the . Even before it was , we were bombarded with and , so to say that this car has been on our minds for quite some time is indeed an understatement. We’re ready for our hot laps, .
Following the flood of images and information that was released earlier this year, BMW has now released B-roll footage of the M5 doing what it does best: looking awesome and driving fast. Of course, the German automaker is keen to show off all of the M5’s details and tech goodies, so in addition to loads of hardcore driving scenes in the video, there are lots of slow panning shots to show off every last detail of BMW’s new supersedan. to see the hotness.
is reportedly working on a refresh for its mid-size pickup, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The refreshed Taco will debut in October, as part of the automaker’s plan to debut many all-new or refreshed vehicles this year. In addition to the Tacoma, the and will also receive substantial overhauls for the new model year.
Bob Carter, group vice president and brand manager for Toyota, says that the 2012 Tacoma will keep the same engine and frame, but will have a new exterior design, as well as an updated interior. Currently, the Tacoma is powered by a 4.0-liter V6 that produces 236 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque.
Additionally, Carter states that the Tacoma will receive new entertainment functions, and as we , the automaker’s new infotainment system will be part of the offerings. We’ll have more details come October.
There was a time when “land yacht” was not a nice thing to say about a Buick Riviera car, but these days it seems de rigueur. has to take on their sport-ute, uses teak decking on its , Audi’s gone out to see with the , even has given its wagons the theme. Now is following the same lead with its latest show car, er…van.
Benz has taken one of its Viano vans (a model not available on these shores) and turned it into the Vision Pearl concept. Dubbed a “yacht on four wheels,” the Viano Vision Pearl is decked out in a unique matte pebble-grey paint job, but it’s the interior treatment that sets it apart: White and grey leather, wood floor, brushed aluminum trim, auto-tinting windows, on-board wi-fi and a Bang & Olufsen sound system.
All-in-all, it brings us back to the Nautica edition Mercury Villager and the Plymouth Voyager when it had that little sailboat badge on the nose we knew as kids, but then maybe there’s a reason both those marques went under. One way or another, the Viano Pearl Vision will come to port at the come September, but you can check it out now with the pair of high-res images below and the press release after the jump.
Viano Vision Pearl concept van sets sail for Frankfurt
The may not be sold here in the United States, but its presence in the global automotive marketplace is huge. It’s Britain’s . Much like the off-roader or even the , the Defender’s core styling and functionality hasn’t changed much over the past few decades, and that’s just fine with us. However, it looks like the Defender’s candle has the potential to burn out soon, according to Auto Express.
Simply put, does not have a concrete plan in place regarding what to do with the Defender. In speaking to Auto Express, the automaker’s Colin Green said, “If we get it wrong we are messing up one of the industry’s biggest icons, and in that sense it’s a tremendous responsibility.” We imagine this is why has taken its sweet time in bringing out the C7 .
Currently, the Defender is set up to meet Euro V emissions through 2016, but after that, it’s unclear what will happen to the British stalwart. One option is to fit cleaner engines under the hood to extend the vehicle’s life, and the option of a complete redesign is still being kicked around. Auto Express suggests that an all-new Defender could be built on the same platform as the and , but it would increase cost.
Thankfully, Land Rover says that abandoning the Defender program is its least-preferred option.
Car accidents are never fun and often expensive. In certain parts of the world, accidents can be push expenses into the stratosphere, and Monte Carlo has reportedly just played host to such a fender bender. A woman was driving a near the Monte Carlo Casino when she doubled-down on a nearby . That scrape led to the Azure meeting a , and .
For the drooling bodyshop owners reading along, the UK’s Daily Mailnotes this collision involves over a million dollars worth of machinery. Total damage estimates are reportedly much more modest, however, somewhere in the neighborhood of $65,000, but , such estimates seems laughably low.
Adding insult to injury? The driver and passengers of the droptop couldn’t get out of their car. Hundreds of tourist snapped photos of the carnage while the occupants of the Azure could only sit and smile for the cameras.
There’s a good reason why Formula One teams make two cars with one seat each instead of one car with two seats. Well, there are a lot of good reasons, actually, one of which is being that F1 drivers don’t like riding shotgun, something that is immediately apparent after watching this video.
Even when in preparation for the last weekend on the neighboring circuit, they gave each driver his own car, even though they each packed five seats. Now it’s time for to take its turn, bringing its own talents to the storied Green Hell for a little fun and publicity footage.
After Michael Schumacher took his junior teammate Nico Rosberg around the legendary track for a quick tour, it was Rosberg’s turn to chauffeur his employer’s , David Coulthard, for a hot lap in the . This, despite the fact that Rosberg had never driven the circuit before. Good thing DC only found out that particular bit of information after the lap was done.
to watch the video, and if you pay close attention towards the beginning, you just might notice Coulthard getting in little dig on his longtime rival Schumacher.
“We have now reached the right moment to step on the accelerator of the - integration,” Sergio Marchionne said this week in a statement regarding his appointment of a single management team for both companies. According to Automotive News, four regional chiefs – North America, South America, Europe and Asia – will be in charge of Fiat and Chrysler effective September 1.
Marchionne will retain his position as Chief Operating Officer for North America. Gianni Coda, Fiat’s head of purchasing, will now run the operations in Europe, while Cledorvino Belini – formerly the head of Fiat Brazil – will take charge of South America. Michael Manley, head of , will oversee up Asia.
The newly formed Group Executive Council (GEC) is the highest decision-making executive body within the company, outside of its Board of Directors. In addition to the four regional COOs, each individual brand will have its own head, consisting of Olivier Francois (Fiat), Lorenzo Sistino (commercial vehicles), Harald Wester (//), Saad Chehab (/Chrysler), Michael Manley (Jeep) and Reid Bigland ().
Though today the letters stand for power and performance, if you go back four decades, almost nobody had ever heard of a tuning garage called AMG. That was until the tuner showed up at the 1971 running of the 24 Hours of Spa with… a luxury sedan. But not just any luxury sedan.
AMG took the 300 SEL 6.3, complete with wood dash and carpeted floors, bored it out to 6.8 liters and raised output up to 428 horsepower and 448 lb-ft of torque. With a top speed of 164 mph, the car qualified fifth out of sixty entries and went on to place first in its class and second overall, beating the likes of Niki Lauda and Hans Stuck. It was a pivotal moment that put AMG on the map.
Hans Heyer was one of the three drivers who alternated behind the wheel of the car dubbed the “Red Pig” that fateful day. And now forty years later, his son Kenneth Heyer is returning to Spa in a GT3 in matching livery to the original. It’s a trip down the memory lane of AMG’s history – though – reuniting one of its first race cars to its most recent, seven of which, all told, will be contesting the Belgian endurance race this weekend. Scope it out in our high-res image gallery and follow the jump for more details in the full press release.
We’re nearly certain that robots will one day rise up and take over the planet. We’ve watched The Terminator enough times now to see how the scenario will play out. Thankfully, robots aren’t advanced enough yet to ruin your life, but they might be smart enough to ruin your day… at least if you’re a car buyer waiting to pick up a brand-new
Production of the popular compact has reportedly been hampered by a machine that makes dashboard coverings. Apparently, the Detroit area supplier’s equipment takes unscheduled breaks, and only works intermittently. According to the Associated Press, this issue has put the hurt on Focus production, forcing to fly in needed parts from European vendors in an effort to try and keep assembly moving. That’s a spendy way to make sure the Focus get its dash material, but Ford doesn’t have other options at the moment.
Lounging Around In Suzuki’s Race to Electrify Your Living Room
In the Great Race to bring a full-fledged electric vehicle to market, is refusing to fall behind. And with a minimal R&D budget and a tenuous relationship with its partners at , a rag-tag band of engineers are out to prove that Suzuki can hang with the big boys of the automotive universe. And here is their star.
Like every other EV under development, Suzuki’s vehicle is a balance of compromises. But the engineers from its North American arm won’t let comfort be trumped by silly modern niceties like a windshield. Or headlamps. Or airbags. Or any kind of weather protection. No, this is among the purest EV experiencse ever crafted by the hand of man. We’ve driven it. And you can too.
The Chinese like long-wheelbase versions of sedans, because execs like to be able to stretch out while the drivers ferry them about – and the country, if you didn’t know, has a whole lot of executives. sells a stretched there, and evidently feels the market looks robust enough for a long-wheelbase 3 Series Li. Why not just get a , you ask? Because the man says he wants a longer , and he’s got cash…
Reports indicate this is a China-only model that will bow at the 2012 . Its platform, though, is also expected to underpin the . That car might come to America, and if so it will offer some extra rear legroom for us and certainly be just as interesting to look at as this long-wheelbase model.
Click on the links below to get more looks at the extended 3, which offers clues to the front of the next-generation car.
has just released the fourth teaser image of its upcoming seven-passenger crossover, and while the , and images didn’t reveal much, this fourth photo shows a clear view at the vehicle’s front fascia. Decidedly more svelte than the larger , the JX takes styling cues similar to what we see on the sedan, and that’s certainly not a bad thing. The JX striptease will continue into the coming weeks until the crossover is officially revealed as part of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance festivities in mid-August.
Jeremy Clarkson is coming to an xBox near you. The Top Gear presenter has reportedly joined forces with Turn 10 Studios to lend his voice and automotive knowledge to the company’s upcoming Forza 4 videogame.
There’s a portion of Forza 4 called AutoVista, which is an in-game showroom where players can examine cars in great detail. Clarkson provides commentary in this area of the game, giving players his voiced-over viewpoint on specific cars.
We can only hope and assume that the commentary will include some of Jezza’s trademark catchphrases like “…in the world.” Regardless, adding Clarkson only rounds out , all of which should be enough to have at least a few Sony PS3 owners considering making the switch to Microsoft’s xBox 360.
