Auto shows are generally defined by their location: Detroit, Los Angeles, Geneva, Frankfurt, Tokyo…. Moving a show from one city to another, then, wouldn’t fly. But Goodwood is different.
The Festival of Speed is called the Moving Motor Show because it displays cars in motion, but the whole show could be moving itself if the latest reports come to fruition. Word has it that Lord Charles Gordon-Lennox, the Earl of March who organizes the Festival of Speed and the Goodwood Revival is in discussions with organizers in China about replicating the legendary British event in the People’s Republic.
Lord March reportedly visited China recently, and will be accepting a delegation of government representatives and automakers from the populous country at the Festival later this month.
is known for many things. Well, safety technology, mostly, but not so much performance. Sure, the Swedish automaker has tricked out the occasional sport wagon, but muscle is not really its forte. So where did the extra 25 horsepower and 29 pound-feet of torque come from when Volvo models? Polestar, if the latest reports are to be believed.
The Volvo tuner, as you may recall, is responsible for , and also gave us last year. Pretty Swede stuff, if you ask us. And according to Swedespeed.com, it was to Polestar that Volvo turned for those modest, but notable performance upgrades on its R-Design models.
What’s more is that Volvo is reportedly looking into ways to offer Polestar performance upgrades to existing customers – say, owners of the pre-boosted S60 and XC60 R-Design, for example – and potentially offering more upgrades on future models. We wouldn’t go so far as to suggest that Polestar is becoming to Volvo what AMG is to or the M division is to , but Brabus and Alpina – that is to say, quasi-works-endorsed tuning houses – could be models to look to here.
Chevrolet Sonic pricing, Factory Five crowdsourcing, Coral Gables bans pickup parking, 2012 BMW M5
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Episode #235 sends Chris, Dan and Zach off on topics like the official pricing for the Chevrolet Sonic, Factory Five’s crowdsourced car design contest, the Coral Gables, FL ban on parking pickups overnight in driveways and the . Weaving it all together are tangents aplenty as we respond to the feedback of our live listeners and deal with Zach’s cranky Skype connection. The Q&A Module is also fertile ground for feedback, and that’s how we close out the show. We’re having lots of fun with the live podcasts, and your feedback is welcome as we refine the experience.
Hear how it went down live, or catch it as it happens next week at our , as well as the traditional ways we’ve always offered. We’ve embedded our Q&A module for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #235:
In the Autoblog Garage
Hosts: , , Runtime: 01:17:17
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Porsche 911 Turbo on a driveway race track – Click above to watch video
We don’t want much in this world, but a tract of land with 400 acres or so in its borders wouldn’t hurt our feelings. Aside from giving us a comfortable buffer between ourselves and any irritating neighbors, a slice of earth that large would allow for one very entertaining driveway – a driveway like the one in the video . We can’t attest to just how much property is attached to the sprawling manse in the clip or whether or not the pilot of the can actually lay claim to the kingdom, but we do know the guy has a blast getting around the estate.
The short clip covers a quick loop around the house’s exquisite concrete driveway, complete with a small jump, plenty of elevation changes and at least one hairpin. Sounds like a mighty fine way to make the drive to work a little more appetizing each morning. to check it out for yourself.
Heesen 37m “Aurelia” – Click above for high-res image gallery
Most mega yachts come in white. Some cut a different path through the water with dark blue, forest green or even dark red hulls. But this, this is something else entirely.
The proud new owner of the 37-meter (121-foot) motor yacht you see here is evidently a certifiable car nut. He named his vessel Aurelia after the iconic Lancia coupe, and the guest cabins below decks after famous coachbuilders Bertone, Pininfarina and Zagato, whose designs influenced the cabins’ decor.
And there’s something else here… what are we forgetting? Oh yeah, the owner had the aluminum hull painted baby blue and orange in tribute to the classic livery of so many famous racing cars, with a big number 10 on the side in reference to her hull number. Even the tender – a 14-foot Castoldi water-jet-powered runabout – has reportedly been decked in matching livery.
The tenth of its type to be launched by Dutch shipyard Heesen Yachts, Aurelia has been fitted with four spacious bedrooms, each with en-suite head (that’s bathroom to you landlubbers) instead of five smaller ones. It also has a salon with dining table and lounge space with bio-ethanol fireplace, and plenty of exterior lounging space.
A pair of gyroscopic stabilizers keep Aurelia steady in rough waters for the comfort of all aboard, but you’re not interested in stability, are you? Of course not. You want to know what she’s got in the engine room, so we’ll tell you: a pair of MTU 65-liter V16 turbo-diesels, each producing – wait for it – 3,648 horsepower, for a grand total of 7,296 horsepower. That’s sufficient to propel her up to 30 knots (34.5 miles per hour). Which may not sound very fast, but keep in mind this floating mansion weighs 155 metric tons.
We’ve got the full press release for you and a full gallery of high-resolution images, so wipe off the old Sperrys and climb aboard.
Japanese automakers are turning to new lease programs in an effort to lock down buyers who may stray to other automakers due to a lower-than-average supply of popular models. , and are still in the process of restoring production to pre-earthquake levels, and as a result, buyers may not find the exact model they are looking for on dealer lots. Honda has authorized its dealers to extend current lease customers’ arrangements by up to six months. Additionally, the company is offering $500 to drivers who move from an old lease into a new one and promising to honor current incentives if buyers commit to an unavailable model. The automaker calls the effort the Honda Promise Program.
But Honda isn’t the only company sweetening its deals. Automotive News reports that Toyota is extending its lease offers by six months and handing out a coupon worth $750 to customers who return to lease another Toyota product. Nissan is offering dirt-cheap lease options for its most popular model – the . Buyers can snap up the sedan for $179 per month for two years.
Manufacturers are also pushing for better lease deals due to a dearth of quality used vehicles this season.
The current-generation , or F01 to you Bimmerphiles, was launched in 2009. After the German luxobarge hit the streets, and decided to launch their own redesigned flagship sedans. will soon step out with an updated , and that means will need to give its 7 Series a touch-up. Spy photographers managed to capture a camo-clad 7 hiding some of the newly updated exterior features.
If you look at the photographs closely, you can see that BMW will add an LED strip above the headlights. The front bumper has been redesigned, and the turn signals now sit on the side mirrors. Out back, a revised rear bumper wraps up the exterior upgrades. As the camo tape eventually comes off, we expect to find more nuanced updates before a lightly re-skinned production version hits an upcoming auto show stage.
A Quick Spin In A Chinese EV Raises Eyebrows And Expectations
Luxgen EV MPV – Click above for high-res image gallery
This little company could soon make a big splash in the automotive world.
Whether flashing down the highway or wending my way through Taipei’s notoriously chaotic rush-hour traffic, I was duly impressed by . Quick, luxurious, and bristling with electronic technology, I was astonished at how well this car has been developed.
Acceleration from this seven-passenger minivan can only be described as brisk. Though I wasn’t able to do any kind of timed runs, my seat-of-the-pants reaction is that it sure feels faster than a or . And with its aggressive re-gen, I was pretty much able to drive in stop and go traffic without using the brakes. That sure makes traffic jams a whole lot easier to take.
The only thing that detracted from my test drive was an annoying whine in the drivetrain, which my Luxgen hosts said was due to an issue that they’re working on with the transmission. They assured me that noise would be gone before the vehicle goes on sale. I have no reason to doubt them.
John McElroy is host of the TV program and daily web video . Every week he brings his unique insights as a Detroit insider to Autoblog readers.
2011 Dodge Durango – Click above for high-res image gallery
Hide your kids, hide your wife, hide your husband. One of the four-horsemen of the apocalypse has officially arrived. Consumer Reports has gone and paid a compliment by saying that the and are the company’s most-improved models and, on the whole, the automaker’s cars are getting better. CR even awarded both the V6 and V8-powered Dodge Durango a “Very Good” road test score, putting it in contention with the likes of the . The 2011 Dodge Charger Rallye also nabbed a “Very Good” rating, which is comparable to the and .
Even the walked away with the honor of a “Very Good” designation, but things aren’t all lollipops and rainbows. Consumer Reports says that its testers were unimpressed with models like the , , , and , calling the vehicles mediocre.
Ouch.
The report says that poor reliability hasn’t helped the Chrysler cause. Over the past three years, the organization has only recommended one of the automaker’s vehicles – the Dodge Ram 1500. to check out the full press release.
The has officially arrived in the United States, and we’re not sure if it arrived by boat or simply left the ground and flew across the Atlantic (it could do that, you know). Jordan Shiraki (), working for Las Vegas Lamborghini and , was the lucky lensman who got to spend time with the newest angry bull. Shiraki scored the exclusive photo shoot, and we’re happy to share the photos, which can be viewed the attached high-res image gallery.
We think with the car, and we look forward to more video and photography of the Aventador having fun here in the States. For now, Shiarki’s shots will help satiate our Lambo desires.
2012 Audi A7 – Click above for high-res image gallery
German publication Autobild has reportedly acquired some powertrain details about a few upcoming models, including the , and . Apparently we can expect a twin-turbocharged V8 packing up to 500 horsepower in the S8, while the S6 and S7 will get 440 and 470 horsepower, respectively.
Toward the end of 2012, Audi will unleash the RS6, which will carry a -besting, 580-horsepower version of the same twin-turbo mill powering the S6. We still don’t know how big the proposed engine is – earlier reports have suggested that a 4.0-liter V8 is in store – but it should get 20 percent better fuel economy than the outgoing naturally aspirated V10.
Of Detroit’s three automakers, may have emerged the strongest from the economic crisis, but its luxury division, Lincoln, isn’t looking too rosy these days.
While has been steadily rejuvenating itself with exciting new vehicles, has reinvented itself from a stodgy old-man’s brand into a fresh face of entry-level luxury, and even has a strategy in place by pairing up with Lancia, appears to be spiraling downwards. The days of luxury behemoths like the Town Car and Navigator are behind us, and the brand’s latest products have failed to fill the void.
Sources anticipate Lincoln’s sales will drop below 80,000 units this year, but a plan is reportedly in place to nearly double that number by 2015.
So how does Lincoln expect to get there? According to reports, through a large cash injection from its parent company. Sources state that Ford is preparing to invest $1 billion into Lincoln over the coming years.
So what will Lincoln get for all those zeros? As many as seven new products. The Navigator will reportedly be phased out by 2016, and the is tipped to be dropped in favor of a luxury version of the . A -based C-segment sedan and crossover are also in the works, along with a new sedan.
Dearborn reportedly plans to differentiate new Lincolns from their Blue Oval-badged counterparts with fresh sheetmetal, higher specification levels and stronger engines. Will that be enough? It had better be, as Lincoln is reportedly asking its dealers – many of which lost their lines when that brand was shuttered last year – to in their showrooms as an integral component in bringing Lincoln up to the level at which it can compete with its German rivals.
isn’t interested in knocking shields with the likes of the M guard, the S line or even the AMG legion with its . Instead, the newest addition to the Genesis line is out to offer buyers an extra helping of power and slightly sharper dynamics without all the motorsports pretense of its haughty German rivals. With 23 straight months of sales increases and 29,122 units sold last year, there doesn’t seem to be much of an argument for varying the luxury sedan’s recipe.
Even so, Hyundai has been quick to update its mid-luxury creation. Despite having arrived in 2008 as a 2009 model, the Genesis received a mild refresh in 2010, and 2012 brings a range of improvements across the line. Those include more power and fuel efficiency for the entry-level 3.8-liter V6 engine, aesthetic tweaks and the arrival of this range-topping Genesis 5.0 R-Spec. We were able to spend some time behind the wheel of the new five-liter four-door just outside of Las Vegas, but is the new bruiser worth its $47,350 price tag?
Travis Pastrana reveals the new livery on his 2011 WRX STI – Click above to watch video
may have , but he clearly didn’t forget how to drive a rally car. He’s prepping for the upcoming 2011 X Games, and was looking for a way to show off the new livery on his . Taking a page from the book of Block, Pastrana has decided to go with a marketing video that looks, um, awfully familiar.
Pastrana has called upon the Mad Media production company, the same crew responsible for a Ken Block clip from earlier in the year. , as well as some scantily clad ladies, pumping music, quick focus changes and snappy cuts. The formula is clearly a simple one: Hot Chicks + Cool Cars = Maximum Views, and that’s the very title of Pastrana’s video.
Ken Block also produced another video to hype his Gymkhana contest, which gave him . Pastrana is looking to return the favor, and, unless he decides to do a barrel roll with the car, our money is on the Subie to take gold at the 2011 X Games.
Check out Pastrana’s shiny new WRX, and his take on the Block school of marketing in the clip posted .
2012 Mini Cooper Coupe – Click above for high-res image gallery
Just yesterday, took the wraps off its all-new two-passenger , or “Couper,” as we’ve been calling it (clever, eh?). We think the Mini Coupe adds a nice touch of diversity to the growing lineup, and if you strongly agree, perhaps you’re ready to plunk down your cash for one, and the cost of entry is $22,000.
The 2012 Mini Cooper Coupe comes in three varieties; base Coupe, S Coupe and John Cooper Works Coupe. That $22,000 price tag is reserved for the base Coupe, while the mid-range S Coupe commands $25,300 and the JCW Coupe will set you back $31,900.
Mini has also announced pricing for the rest of the 2012 lineup, with nearly all models getting a $100 bump. The two exceptions are the $800 jumps for both the . These models now come standard with an aero kit, hence the added cost. There are a few other equipment updates and color changes for the 2012 model year, which you can read about in the press release posted .
2011Nissan Altima Hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery
There may , but that doesn’t mean it won’t return as part of the sedan’s next generation lineup. According to Japan’s Nikkan Kogyo business daily, is reportedly developing a new based on the automaker’s in-house hybrid technology, currently used in the .
Of course, the gasoline/electric system will need to be altered before it slots into the next-generation Altima. Nissan’s current hybrid architecture is made up of a 3.5-liter V6 and rear-wheel drive in the M35h, but in the Altima, this system will be adapted for four-cylinder, front-wheel drive use. In talking to Automotive News, a Nissan spokesperson says that the automaker is committed to expanding its hybrid lineup, calling the front-drive/four-cylinder application “the most effective way to increase mileage in larger D-segment vehicles and above.”
Currently, the Infiniti M35h is the only hybrid vehicle in Nissan’s greater portfolio, and is the first vehicle to use a hybrid system developed solely in-house. The Altima Hybrid, introduced in 2007, was powered by a -sourced hybrid drive system.
While Red Bull continues to dominate in Formula 1 – defending its title with five wins out of seven races so far this season – its (quite literal) track record in NASCAR hasn’t been nearly as spectacular. Not by a long shot.
In five seasons, the Red Bull Racing Team has won a grand total of one NASCAR race. That’s it. So its little wonder, then, that reports are circulating that the energy drink concern is preparing to pull the plug on its stock car racing team.
Team officials reportedly indicated the move at the Michigan International Speedway where the field raced this past Sunday. The team is expected to finish out the current season, and is looking for a new buyer to step in and take over its pair of stock cars for next year.
Kazunori Yamauchi, the creator of the Gran Turismo franchise, has jumped back into real-world racing. The mastermind behind one of the most popular racing videogame series on the planet recently campaigned a in the four-hour Nurburgring VLR alongside Tobias and Michael Shulze and the founder of Opera Performance, Yasuyoshi Yamamoto. The team’s car is reportedly the spitting image of the GT500 Stealth GT-R from Gran Turismo 5, and word has it that the four-man team is out to compete in this year’s Nurburgring 24 Hours.
Last year, Yamauchi raced a specially-prepared in a number of VLN races. His efforts netted his team a class victory in a four-hour race, and GTPlanet reports that the gaming mastermind took home fourth in his class at the 2010 Nuburgring 24 Hours. Look for Yamauchi and his crew in the #71 car when the green flag drops.
That is, so long as the team isn’t delayed from arriving until Christmas 2015…
Gullwings at the Golden Gate – Click above for high-res image
They don’t build ‘em like they used to. The unofficial slogan of classic car owner’s clubs around the world may just as well apply to Fort Point, the U.S. military installation at the foot of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. Fifty years ago, the Gull Wing Group – a club for owners of ’s iconic 300 SL – gathered at the fortress for a group photo. And fifty years later they’ve come back for a reunion.
With a little help from Mercedes-Benz USA, the Gull Wing Group assembled nearly 100 Gullwings and 300 SL Roadsters at the site where the original photo was taken. And to mark the occasion, MBUSA is donating 125 scholarships for local kids to participate in the San Francisco Recreation and Parks department’s summer camp programs. It’s as nice a way to mark a milestone as we’ve seen. Read more about it in the press release and scope out the reunion photo in full resolution by clicking above.
-Benz recreates famous photos with Gull Wings and Golden Gate Bridge
Californians have a tendency to avoid automobiles from , and , opting instead to purchase vehicles from import brands. The proof is in the numbers: owns 18.5 percent of the market in California and claims about 12 percent. Of the American brands, Ford leads with 11.6 percent of the Californian market, followed by Chevrolet (8.3 percent) and Chrysler (5.9 percent, including and ).
But there’s good news buried in those numbers for the domestic brands, as each of them have posted very slight gains over the last several quarters. According to the LA Times, it’s small cars that are finally turning the tides in California. The in particular is performing well in the import-rich climes of The Golden State, tripling Chevrolet’s market share in its segment over the car it replaced, the .
Still, it bears mentioning that there , and imports still outsell domestics 4:1 in that large new car market. Clearly, the Detroit Three have a long way to go before they are on equal footing with their import rivals in California.
John McElroy is host of the TV program and daily web video . Every week he brings his unique insights as a Detroit insider to Autoblog readers.
