The Auto Blog .ru

It sounds ominous. The United Auto Workers union has imported interns from other automaking countries like China, Germany, South Korea and India to teach them the organizing techniques the union uses in the United States. The UAW’s Global Organizing Institute will give interns from other car building countries an indoctrination into the practices the union uses for collective bargaining, which they will then take back to their home countries and act as homegrown advocates for the UAW’s organizing efforts at non-unionized transplant facilities in the United States.

Bob King, UAW president, has a goal of bringing his union to one of the currently non-unionized transplant auto factories in the American south. With agents arguing for the UAW on the homefront and the union doing its best to get a transplant automaker on board, the union hopes it can not only help workers organize in other countries, but also help its own causes.

The UAW has asked for no interference from the leaders of those car companies and has threatened to use protests and other attention-grabbing practices should any automaker try to strongarm its workers into staying non-union. The interns will be given six weeks of training and field experience before they’re sent back to their home countries packing a new arsenal of skills.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

UAW creates Global Organizing Institute to organize transplants

BMW hinted that a 3 Series GT was in the works. Like its larger BMW 5 Series GT sibling, the 3 Series GT would feature a two-tier rear hatch, raised seating position and a boosted ride height. And rumor has it that a non-swirly-camo version will be heading to the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.

The BMW 3 Series GT will slot in the lineup to combat Audi’s upcoming Q3 crossover. It’s also enough of segment jumper that the A4 Avant could wind up in its crosshairs. Take a gander at the gallery below, and try to look past the swirls to decipher the hunchback body hiding underneath.

[Source: Brenda Priddy & Company]

Spy Shots: BMW 3 Series GT caught taking a break from bell-tower duty

A trial fleet of around 400 Volvo C30 Electrics is coming, and anyone who wants one had better have an awful big piggy bank. Speaking at a media launch near Indianapolis, IN today, the president of Volvo Car Special Vehicles, Lennart Stegland, said that, while the final price for the car hasn’t been set, Volvo will not sell the EV, but instead offer the car through a three-year lease for around 1,500 Euros. Per month.

1,500 Euros comes out to about $2,129.85 at today’s exchange rates, so if you stick it out for the full 36 months, you get to spend $76,674 to not buy a car. Even worse, Stegland said that Volvo will lose money on the deal. Ouch. Developing electric vehicles for mass production (which, on Volvo’s schedule, will happen sometime around 2013 or so) is more than mildly expensive.

Sure, for the three years you drive the C30 Electric, you’ll probably be quite happy with the car. We certainly were when we drove it last fall and fell for it again in Indiana today (our full write up is coming soon). To convince EV skeptics, Volvo is pushing its traditional safety message pretty hard with the C30 Electric, and we’re sure the car is as safe as can be. We’ll see how powerful this argument is when a hundred C30 Electrics come to the U.S. in the first quarter of 2012. An official lease price hasn’t been set but, as much as we like it, it’ll be hard to justify two-large a month for four-seat hatch.

Photos copyright (C)2010 Sebastian Blanco / Weblogs, Inc.

Volvo considering insanely high $2,100/month lease for C30 Electric

A situation has developed between Allied trucking and automakers General Motors and Chrysler that has deteriorated to the point of hostage-taking. The Detroit News reports that GM has filed a lawsuit against the car-hauling company that alleges it’s holding 1,700 of the automaker’s valuable Chevy Silverado and Camaro models that should be on their way to dealers. The vehicles in question are worth $47 million, and many of them are reportedly already bought and paid for by customers. The suit also claims that the inventory will depreciate in value if dealers don’t receive the vehicles, while at the same time dissatisfying customers.

The problems between Allied, GM and Chrysler started when the car hauler asked for a 15-percent raise. Allied had previously tried to cut the pay of Teamster union members by 20 percent, but was unable to do so due to a provision in the company’s labor contract. GM then severed ties with Allied on March 16.

One day after GM filed suit against Allied, Chrysler filed its own lawsuit in Ontario Superior Court. Team Pentastar claims Allied has 700 of its vehicles at Allied locations. The court has already granted Chrysler the right to recover 200 of those vehicles. Chrysler has resourced its vehicle hauling to other car hauling companies as a result of the dispute.

[Source: The Detroit News Bill Pugliano/Getty]

Report: GM, Chrysler sue Allied shippers over cars “held hostage”

Typically when an automaker rolls out a new vehicle, it fits into a certain mold. Even if it isn’t replacing a specific model, it generally follows a certain formula by which the automaker operates. Especially for an automaker like Ferrari, which only makes – and only has ever made – two-door, rear-wheel drive coupes and convertibles. That was the case, at least, until the new FF came along.

The FF represents a complete game-changer for Maranello – an entirely new model with a new engine, new body-style and new four-wheel drive system never before seen in a Ferrari. And to drive that point home, the Prancing Horse marque has released yet another set of videos: one documenting the new technology in the car, another the flexible cabin configurations and a third going behind the scenes in the production of the previous videos released. Follow the jump to watch for yourself.

[Source: Ferrari via World Car Fans]

Continue reading Videos: Inside and behind the scenes of the new Ferrari FF

Videos: Inside and behind the scenes of the new Ferrari FF

And Why That Could Be A Good Thing

Word came down from on high that a handful of automakers, a few consumer electronics manufacturers and two suppliers had joined forces to create the Car Connectivity Consortium. The underlying purpose: to begin standardizing in-vehicle connectivity solutions ranging from Nokia’s awkwardly-named “Terminal Mode” to Near Field Communications (NFC) and wireless charging capabilities.

In a world where platforms, devices and vehicle software runs the gamut from bleeding-edge (your smartphone) to bled-out (your two-year old, OEM-supplied navigation system), The Consortium has the potential to meld ease-of-use with constant connectivity. But there’s a problem: two of the biggest names in mobile technology – Apple and Google – aren’t in on the party. So is The Consortium dead before even it issues its next press release?

Continue reading Nokia’s Plan To Control Your Car…

Continue reading Nokia Wants To Control Your Car

Nokia Wants To Control Your Car

Of the more than 52,000 contestants who originally entered into the United States version of GT Academy, jointly hosted by Nissan and Sony, just 16 have advanced to the final competition being held in Silverstone in the United Kingdom. The top 32 virtual racers from the four U.S. regions descended on Orlando, Florida this week to go pixel-to-pixel for a spot among the sweet 16. But this is about more than just bragging rights. Those that made it into the final round will face a battery of new challenges, including physical fitness tests and evaluations behind the wheel of real-live race cars.

The top winner will have a shot at becoming a professional race car driver by joining a legitimate team, just like GT Academy Europe winner Lucas Ordonez. As you may recall, Ordonez and his team managed to finish second at the 12 Hours of Sebring with a Signatech Nissan LMP2 racer, and the 25-year-old Spaniard is headed to this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans for a shot at taking home the checkers at one of the world’s most grueling race events.

Nissan and Sony are currently working up a reality TV show about the GT Academy’s U.S. contestants. While the winner will be chosen after the throwdown in Sivlerstone this summer, look for the show to hit the airwaves this fall. Hit the jump for the full list of final contestants.

[Sources: Sony, Nissan, GTPlanet Image: Zach Bowman/AOL]

Continue reading GT Academy ‘Sweet 16′ head to Silverstone

GT Academy ‘Sweet 16′ head to Silverstone

Our compatriots over at Edmunds’ Inside Line said it best: The new Lamborghini Aventador looked pretty striking sitting still upon its debut at the Geneva Motor Show this year, but a Raging Bull like this one shouldn’t be sitting still. It needs to be run, and run hard.

Fortunately, our friends had the opportunity to accompany the new Lambo on a video shoot in the Californian desert to let it stretch its legs and get it good and covered in silt. Follow the jump to watch the video footage.

Live photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Inside Line]

Continue reading Video: Inside Line takes us behind the scenes with the Lamborghini Aventador

Video: Inside Line takes us behind the scenes with the Lamborghini Aventador

Saab has big plans for the next generation 9-3, and a hybrid variant is apparently in the mix. The Detroit Bureau reports that the hybrid would be of the “through-the-road” variety, enabling torque-vectoring all-wheel drive while also improving fuel economy.

A through-the-road hybrid utilizes a completely independent electric motor that motivates only the rear axle. The system is less expensive than the parallel hybrid tech you’ll find in a Prius, for example, while still potentially providing a low-speed electric-only mode and regenerative braking.

Saab management reportedly told The Bureau that the turbocharged 2.8-liter V6 currently in use in the 9-5 would motivate the front wheels, while the electric motor and clutch assembly would work its magic out back. The new clutch assembly routes power to either of the rear wheels in a fraction of a second, helping the 9-3 stay on course regardless of the conditions. This setup will reportedly improve performance and agility, while negating the need to run a driveshaft from the engine to the rear axle. The end result is a simpler, lighter drivetrain, and we’re sure the overall gains in fuel economy won’t be to shabby, either.

[Source: The Detroit Bureau]

Report: Next-gen Saab 9-3 will get through-the-road hybrid tech

Nissan loves spending time in Germany. We imagine that Nissan engineers have passports filled with German point-of-entry stamps. However, they’ve likely only spent time in one specific area: the village of Nürburg, Germany.

With the GT-R now producing an extra 45 horsepower for model year 2012, Nissan went back to the Nürburgring last October with it’s updated super coupe to see how much time it could shave off the old car’s best lap – a blistering 7m 26.7s. The result? With a new lap time of 7:24.22, how does a hair quicker than the Maserati MC12 sound?

That time doesn’t just place the 2012 Nissan GT-R ahead of the Maserati. Other cars with slower times include the Pagani Zonda F Clubsport, Ferrari Enzo, Porsche Carrera GT and a host of other expensive, hard-to-pronounce exotic machines, at least according to Wikipedia. Since there is no official governing body that records Nürburgring lap times for production cars, it’s hard to say which ones really do have the lowest lap times. From what we can tell, the Dodge Viper ACR and Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 are still quicker than the 2012 GT-R.

Follow the jump to watch the run for yourself, which we just found on YouTube for the first time today, but note that the driving action begins around the 3:09 mark.

[Source: Youtube via Motor Authority]

Continue reading Video: 2012 Nissan GT-R shaving 2.48 seconds off ‘Ring time

Video: 2012 Nissan GT-R shaving 2.48 seconds off ‘Ring time

Due to the extensive damage in Japan caused by the massive earthquake and resultant tsunami on March 11, many have questioned if the island nation can recover in a year, much less a few months. If the swiftness with which the Japanese can repair roads is any indication, we wouldn’t bet against the country cleaning up this catastrophe in short order.

As a result of the quake, a 150-meter section of the Great Kanto Highway in Naka was absolutely obliterated, with massive chasms running right through the middle of the road. Work crews at the NEXCO road repair company sprang into action on March 17, working at a fevered pitch to help get their country on the road to recovery, literally. Amazingly, after only six days of labor, the road is silky smooth and ready for travel. Look at the the before and after photos above to see just how amazing this feat is.

Given the fact that road crews in the U.S. can spend three or more months repairing a single lane of concrete, only to leave the orange barrels on the road for another two weeks, we’re blown away by this feat of engineering. Simply amazing.

[Source: Daily Mail via Jalopnik Images: AP Photo/NEXCO East]

Japanese repair quake-ravaged road in just six days

A Larger Lancer For These Crossover-Obsessed Times

Mitsubishi has a problem with its current lineup. Unless you’re looking for a Lancer, your options are limited to the Galant mid-size sedan and the Endeavor and Outlander crossovers. Right now, the Galant is contemplating seppuku and the Endeavor hasn’t been fully redesigned since it first went on sale back in 2003. The Outlander, however, has something positive to offer. It seats up to seven passengers (in a pinch), has been named an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick, and tops out at 28 miles per gallon on the highway.

Mitsubishi knows having just two competitive vehicles to choose from isn’t enough to compete in an industry eager to fill every niche, and the company appears focused on evolving the two lone bright spots in its lineup. The Lancer has spawned many variants, the latest being the Lancer Sportback, a fun-to-drive wagon that doesn’t step on the toes of the top-trim Lancer Evolution. The Outlander, meanwhile, recently gave its name to the smaller 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, a five-passenger crossover looking to make its mark in a currently crowded segment.

Continue reading Review: 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport SE AWC…

Photos copyright (C)2011 Jeff Glucker / AOL

Continue reading Review: 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport SE AWC

Review: 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport SE AWC

At the Rally of Portugal, Ken Block and teammate Alex Gelsomino were in the midst of shakedown runs when things suddenly got messy. Block clipped the inside of a turn and it sent his Ford Fiesta WRC car flying sideways.

The Fiesta rolled once before smacking the ground and rolling several more times. It was a violent accident that sent Block and Gelsomino to the hospital, though both men are reported to be uninjured. The car, however, is toast.

This gives Block a bit more time to prepare for the next leg of the WRC circuit, which will take place at Rally Argentina. In the meantime, you can click past the jump to see the reason he won’t be competing at Rally of Portugal.

[Sources: YouTube, Autosport.com]

Continue reading Video: Ken Block destroys Fiesta WRC car before Rally of Portugal

Video: Ken Block destroys Fiesta WRC car before Rally of Portugal

Remember taking your SATs? They were filled with reasoning questions like this one: Cajun is to Cayenne as ___ is to Panamera. Give up? The answer, according to the latest reports from Germany, is “Pajun.”

That’s the tentative name rounding the rumormill in connection to a potential baby brother to the Porsche Panamera. Just as the automaker is developing a Cayenne Junior dubbed Cajun, so too could a Panamera Junior be in the cards.

There doesn’t appear to be much detail in the reports beyond speculation, but the reasoning strikes us as sound enough. If the Boxster and Cayman have proven successful underneath the 911, and the business model for the Cajun has been approved to slot in below the Cayenne, why not follow the same path with a smaller Panamera?

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: AutoBild]

Porsche working on “Pajun” baby Panamera?

Ferrari and Lamborghini have been locked in a brass-knuckle battle ever since one man insulted the other over a clutch. Since then, the companies have matched each other move-for-move, so it’s natural to expect a Lamborghini response to just-debuted Ferrari FF. Car and Driver has gone ahead and imagined what a Lamborghini Estoque might look like with a roof stretched all the way back.

Lamborghini itself hasn’t even decided to put the four-door Estoque into production, let alone entertaining a shooting brake flight of fancy. That said, Ferrari’s willingness to flip the script with the FF makes enthusiasts hopeful that there will be an answer. Wagons may be the car fan equivalent of an underground band, but the tongues of the mainstream will be wagging at warp speed when Lamborghini introduces its FF competitor, no matter what it looks like.

[Source: Car and Driver]

Rendered Lamborghini Estoque wagon: The ultimate fantasy?

There’s a grand old tradition of Italian coachbuilders rebodying Corvettes that stretches back for decades. And thankfully that tradition has been revived of late, giving us such radical creations as the Bertone Mantide and the Spada Codatronca. And now we can add one more to the mix.

Just shy of two years ago we brought you news of Ugur Sahin’s Corvette Z03 design being put into production with input from a Corvette tuning house called Mallett Cars. Now it appears the final version, with some substantial tweaks to the styling, will be unveiled next month at the exclusive Top Marques show in Monaco.

Now carrying the nameplate Anadi and built under the Soleil Motors banner, the shape has apparently undergone some adjustments but is still recognizable as the same design. The see-through hood window, for example, is gone, as is the kink in the grille’s lower lip, while the rear end features a more contemporary shape than the Daytona-like surface of the original design.

Overall, the Anadi still looks distinctly Sahin, and arguably more Corvette-like. But we’ll have to wait another few weeks to see all the angles. In the meantime you can scroll through the few images available in the gallery below, the earlier design renderings in the one below that, and an earlier interpretation in the gallery after the break.

[Source: Top Marques Monaco]

Continue reading Soleil Anadi coachbuilt Corvette headed for Top Marques Monaco

Soleil Anadi coachbuilt Corvette headed for Top Marques Monaco

Let’s say you wanted to create a replica Ferrari. Your first move would undoubtedly be to acquire a Pontiac Fiero, but what if you lived in an area where Fieros are actually mythical beasts? Executive Modcar Trendz of India turned to one of the best-selling cars on the planet; the Toyota Corolla to create the one-off F430 you see here.

That’s right folks, underneath this Rosso Fakeo paint job lies the beating heart of a Japanese compact car. The entire interior has been reworked so it more closely resembles the Ferrari F430 on which it’s based.

What does it cost to go from gas-drinker to faux-corner-devourer? Around 10 Lakh, which translates to approximately $22,242 USD based on current conversion rates. Head over to IndianAutosBlog for a closer look at this Ferroyta Cor30.

[Source: IndianAutosBlog.com]

Corolla-based F430 replica not the worst Ferrari copy we’ve seen, sadly

TomTom is giving developers a big gift at the CTIA wireless show in Orlando, Florida. The navigation company will begin providing access to its speed camera database, allowing devs to incorporate the location of speed traps into their own smartphone applications.

TomTom claims it has more than 50,000 speed cameras in its ever-expanding database, covering some 34 countries, including the U.S. The goal is to allow developers to tap into the fixed speed, red light, average speed and toll road cameras, enabling motorists to avoid the fuzz throughout the world. And with developers gaining access to the database, it’s not hard to imagine major automakers incorporating the data into their own in-dash navigation systems.

TomTom will be rolling out the API in the coming months and you can get all the details in the press blast after the jump.

Continue reading Devs granted access to TomTom speed camera database

Devs granted access to TomTom speed camera database

For automakers, just-in-time production means parts and supplies arrive at the assembly plant on a regular basis, and that constant flow of parts means automakers don’t have to pay for storage or track tens of thousands of individual items, saving huge sums of money.

Just-in-time is a great thing for automakers when times are good, but what happens when there is a problem with the supply chain? Just such a scenario is playing out in the wake of the earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan, as many tier one, two and three suppliers are shut down and unable to feed the always-hungry supply chain. As a result, Japanese automakers aren’t able to keep factories open in Japan, and General Motors has already shut down two plants due to parts shortages. Is this the extent of the damage, or is there more to come?

Reuters took a close look at the just-in-time supply chain in a special report, and it’s definitely worth a read. Experts have repeatedly asked automakers to diversify their supply chains, but the costs of doing so would be prohibitive… until there is a natural disaster like the Japan earthquake and tsunami. Head over to Reuters to read the report.

[Source: Reuters]

Reuters takes a look into the flaws of Japan’s just-in-time supply chain

Pro golf tournaments often feature a par three hole with a high-end luxury vehicle parked somewhere near the green. Get a hole in one, win the car. It makes for great television, and it’s a fantastic advertising opportunity in the event a golfer actually wins the car. But what about the caddie that told the golfer which club to use and how much the wind and the surface of the green would affect the shot? The folks at Cadillac think they have an answer to that question.

The winner of the HP Byron Nelson Championship will receive one of those really big checks that you only ever see on television, but his caddie will receive something much, much larger. The winner’s caddie will receive a Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, which retails for $73,840 and gets quite a bit pricier when tacking on options. Not a bad prize for toting a bag for four days.

This will be the first “Caddy for Caddie” promotion since Cadillac gave away a XLR-V at the 2008 Byron Nelson Championship. Hit the jump to read over the GM press release.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Cadillac brings back “Caddy for Caddie” promotion

Cadillac brings back “Caddy for Caddie” promotion