If you’ve ever been to the Nürburgring, you’d have been wise to take a ride in the Ring Taxi. Operated by OK Speed Marketing on ’s behalf, the Ring Taxi offers you the opportunity to fly around the vaunted Nordschleife in an piloted by Sabine Schmitz or another from BMW’s talent pool. Or “offered,” we should say, as reports come in that the program may be drawing to a close.
Since the program’s start in 1986, some 90,000 passengers have enjoyed the experience, clocking more than 400,000 miles over the course of over 300,000 hot laps. But with financial constraints apparently coming to bear, OK Speed Marketing is reportedly canceling the Ring Taxi program due to an apparent lack of profitability. Which is a shame, because from what we hear, the combination of Sabine, an M5 and the Ring added up to one heck of a wild ride.
Looking on the bright side, however, it appears that some unknown entity is looking to pick the idea of the Ring Taxi back up… though it wouldn’t seem likely to keep the same name. We’ll let you know what we hear.
2011Hyundai Sonata 2.0T – Click above for high-res image gallery
has been on an extended roll these last few years, and car buyers have apparently noticed. The Korean automaker’s sales have been steadily climbing, and new products like the and only help matters. Winning new customers is obviously a large part of Hyundai’s recent success, but it’s important to keep current owners in the fold as well.
Hyundai is apparently doing just that, as Brand Keys has named Hyundai the brand with the best customer loyalty. Brand Keys President Robert Passikoff pointed out Hyundai’s ability to meet customer expectations, adding that the car maker “scored the highest levels of loyalty when it comes to the Automotive category.”
After Hyundai, the top six automakers were at number two, followed by a tie for and and another dead-lock for and . to read over the press release.
Ssangyong SUT-1 Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
, which has by , has announced its intentions to start selling up to 20,000 cars a year in the U.S., beginning sometime in the next two to five years. That would mean that Mahindra could wind up with a back door into the U.S. market.
Currently, there are no announced plans for such a deal, but the 350 dealers that have been planning to market Mahindra vehicles in the States have been left hanging in the balance and are surely starting to worry. Currently, nobody is sure if or when Mahindra will break into the American market after the company’s deal with Atlanta-based independent distributor Global Vehicles fell through.
For now, the only plans that are concrete are Ssangyong’s designs on bringing more Korean-made cars to our shores. Where Mahindra and Global Vehicles settle out remains to be seen.
Playboy model demonstrates co-ed naked drifting – Click above to watch the video
To some, drifting is kinda sorta a non-sport. After all, the winning car isn’t necessarily the one that crosses the finish line ahead of all others, and the vehicles themselves were created on purpose to be ill-handling, tail-happy smoke generators.
Somehow, we have a feeling all those ills would be forgiven by the detractors if the cars were piloted by naked Playboy models.
And so we bring you the video after the break. We’ll go ahead and label this one not-safe-for-work-ish… while there technically isn’t any nudity shown on camera, the model clearly is performing these smoky antics sans clothing. Oh, and of course she doesn’t know how to drive a stick.
We’ll say no more, and we’ll leave all those rather obvious double entendres to you. to see co-ed naked drifting’s first (completely non-sanctioned) clothing optional event.
One final note: This is the same car (repainted) we featured in a four-part web documentary that .
Playboy model demonstrates co-ed naked drifting – Click above to watch the video
To some, drifting is kinda sorta a non-sport. After all, the winning car isn’t necessarily the one that crosses the finish line ahead of all others, and the vehicles themselves were created on purpose to be ill-handling, tail-happy smoke generators.
Somehow, we have a feeling all those ills would be forgiven by the detractors if the cars were piloted by naked Playboy models.
And so we bring you the video after the break. We’ll go ahead and label this one not-safe-for-work-ish… while there technically isn’t any nudity shown on camera, the model clearly is performing these smoky antics sans clothing. Oh, and of course she doesn’t know how to drive a stick.
We’ll say no more, and we’ll leave all those rather obvious double entendres to you. to see co-ed naked drifting’s first (completely non-sanctioned) clothing optional event.
One final note: This is the same car (repainted) that we featured in a four-part web documentary that .
2012 Ferrari FF – Click either image for high-res image gallery
’s unprecedented FF marks a startling new direction for the Italian automaker. The first all-wheel-drive Ferrari is also the first factory shooting brake, picking up where coachbuilt specials like Drogo’s 250 GTO Breadvan and Chinetti’s 365 GTB/4 Panther left off in the 1960s.
Until now, we’ve seen the FF from the , we’ve seen it powering through and we’ve seen it in person on the of the 2011Geneva Motor Show. But to coincide with its public debut, Ferrari has hit us with another batch of images, apparently shot in Abu Dhabi around the grounds of the Ferrari World theme park. Among the fresh shots are also the best views we’ve gotten yet of the meticulously-crafted bovine graveyard that is the FF’s commodious interior. Check ‘em out in the updated high-res image gallery below.
The Golf R is Volkswagen’s new poster child for hot hatchery, and if you’ve ever fallen in love with a GTI, be prepared to be absolutely smitten with this little number.
What is it, when is it coming and where will it be sold?
The Pagani Huayra has finally shown its face in motion.
Also of interest:
Browse our archive of Daily U-Turn posts or subscribe to the RSS feed
Mini Countryman WRC teaser clip – Click above to watch video
is venturing back into the World Rally Championship fold. That’s right, we said “back into,” because in the 60’s, Mini decided to take its and go rallying. This wasn’t simply a half-cocked effort either; Mini won the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964, 1965 and 1967. Now the automaker is going full-tilt yet again by campaigning a in the 2011 WRC season.
A teaser clip is in order to help get you psyched over Mini’s upcoming rally run. Thankfully, Mini has just such a clip and it’s available for your viewing pleasure .
has announced that the automaker’s North American operations will now be helmed by Yoichi Yokozawa. The former vice president will replace Shinichi Kurihara as CEO on April 1 of this year. Kurihara is said to be returning to the Mitsubishi mothership at that time, though it’s unclear exactly what his duties will be once he returns to Japan.
Yokozawa got his start with Mitsubishi 13 years ago when he came on board the company’s European headquarters to help oversee the automaker’s financial planning on the old continent. Since 2006, the executive has been responsible for guiding Mitsubishi through NAFTA interests as the corporate general manager in the Mitsubishi overseas business management office.
The automaker says that Yokozawa has worked with the company on multiple levels on everything from corporate strategy to financial, merger, alliance and business projects. for the full press release.
Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200 – Click above to watch video
The kindly people at Aprilia have gone through the trouble of working up a teaser video for the company’s wicked new . The motorcycle manufacturer stuck to a fairly simple recipe when it came time to cook up its latest creation by bolting in a 130-horsepower 1200cc V-twin in place of the of 750cc mill on the . Throw in three different power modes (Sport, Touring and Rain), an advanced traction control system and anti-lock brakes and you’ve got what the company calls a maxi-motard.
It may not have the most flattering name on the planet, but the bike should pack the power and poise necessary to give metal like the Ducati Hypermotard 1100 and HP2 Megamoto a run for their lunch money.
Aprilia tells us that the Dorsoduro 1200 will cost $11,999 when it goes on sale in the States sometime in the middle of 2011. For what it’s worth, the Dorso 750 commands a sticker price of just under $10,000. to take a look at the teaser video for yourself.
Blue collar labor in the U.S. has come a long way in the past century, and Motor Company has been among the leading manufacturers in the fight for hospitable working conditions. But while The Blue Oval is a shining symbol of progress here in U.S., the automaker may have some issues with suppliers in .
The Detroit Bureau reports that an investigation by The Institute for Global Labour & Human Rights reveals that workers at one of Ford’s Chinese suppliers are being subjected to 14-hour days, seven-day work weeks and dangerous working conditions. And all that for the equivalent of 80 cents per hour. Further, the report claims that supervisors at the plant force their employees to turn off safety equipment so that they can work faster.
And as a result, there have been at least four major injuries according to the report. One worker, who was referred to as “Worker A,” lost three fingers while operating a stamping machine. He received $7,430 for his troubles, compared to $144,000 for a similarly injured U.S. worker. Worker A, like the other injured employees, also lost his job for his troubles. Charles Kernaghan, director of the Institute for Global Labour & Human Rights, is asking that Ford pays about $72,126 to cover the damages for the injured worker.
Ford, for its part, is investigating the claim of worker abuse. The company said in a statement that it takes the situation very seriously, adding “we expect our suppliers to comply with local laws and our Code of Basic Working Conditions.” Head over to for the full report.
Click above to subscribe to The Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
We record Episode #220 of the Autoblog Podcast tonight, and we’ll be joined by John Linkov of Consumer Reports, as well. We’ll of course discuss the Annual Autos Issue, as well as the other topics below. Use the forum below to drop us your own feedback and questions or vote on your fellow readers’ submissions to help determine what else we discuss this evening. You can subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast if you haven’t already to hear your question answered.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #219
Subscribe to the Autoblog Podacast and hear your questions asked:
[] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
Hennessey HPE600 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible – Click above to watch video
If for some strange reason you find that the doesn’t quite pack the punch you need, Hennessey has you covered. The Texas tuner has officially pulled the sheets back on the very first example of the company’s HPE600 Camaro Convertible, complete with a walloping 602 horsepower. That’s a full 172 ponies more than the most powerful production version, and the nudge in grunt comes courtesy of a TVS2300 supercharger and host of other upgrades designed to help the big V8 breathe a little easier.
As we’ve come to expect from Hennessey, the company’s wrenches also turned their attention toward the vehicle’s suspension, and buyers who opt for the muscle-bound droptop can expect to find a KW adjustable coilover suspension and wider 20-inch wheels wrapped in super-sticky Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires.
Hennessey says that the topless wonder is good for dashing to 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds and can clip off the quarter mile run in 12 seconds flat at 118 mph. That’s moving. to take a look at a video of the car in action as well as the full press release.
debuted the refreshed at this year’s , and in addition to revised styling and a brand new 5.0-liter V8, the Korean sedan’s 3.8-liter V6 gets a slew of enhancements. By adding direct injection, the V6 now makes 333 horsepower and 291 pound-feet of torque – gains of 43 and 27, respectively, over the outgoing V6.
During the Chicago festivities, about how soon this updated V6 would be available in the . We were originally told that upgrades wouldn’t be seen “for a little while,” and this latest set of spy shots shows that styling revisions are on deck for the Genesis Coupe, perhaps even with the upgraded V6 underhood.
Expect the Coupe to get slightly reworked front and rear fascias, and we won’t rule out the possibility of enhancements to the interior, as well. Mum’s the word on when the updated two-door will bow, though we’d guess that the later this year sounds about right.
Next-generation Chevrolet Colorado teaser – Click above for high-res image
let a sneak peek at its new global-platform Chevrolet Colorado slip ahead of the truck’s official debut at the Bangkok Motor Show in Thailand. The show starts March 25, so GM is giving us just enough to get the gist of what our next-generation Chevrolet Colorado/ may look like.
The General says it picked Thailand for the truck’s debut because the Southeast Asian market is becoming a huge player for the automaker, and people in Thailand are buying pickups at an alarming rate. In 2010, pickups accounted for 43 percent of vehicles sold in Thailand.
The truck will be built in Thailand for global consumption, but will most likely carry over Stateside as the new Colorado/Canyon, and is being prepped by GM of Brazil for the American market. for The General’s official press blast.
2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery
Chevrolet says the will cost €41,950, including Europe’s hefty value added tax, when it goes on sale in Germany later this year, and will carry a similar price tag when it launches on the rest of the continent. European Volts will come with standard leather seats, and Chevrolet’s eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty. The Volt’s -badged twin will also hit the streets of Europe in the coming months, as well.
The warranty covers the car’s powertrain as well as its lithium-ion battery. Chevrolet says that it offers the most comprehensive battery warranty of any EV manufacturer. Between its electric motors and gasoline-fed generator, the Volt is good for a combined range of 375 miles, and recharges on a normal household outlet. for GM’s press release.
2011 Pagani Huayra – Click above to view the video
The has finally shown its face in motion, carving up some beautiful European countryside to an ethereal soundtrack. This video is as pretentious as it is beautifully shot, which, for a car like the Huayra, may be exactly the right treatment… though perhaps a bit heavy handed in the imagined mythology.
In any case, introducing a car like this apparently requires allusions to mystical forces behind its construction, and Pagani delivers, likening the car to the wrath of ancient Andean gods. Like the mystical winds it’s named after, the Huayra seemingly sweeps along with an angry purpose. See for yourself in the video .
Jaguar B99 Concept by Bertone – Click above for high-res image gallery
Italian design studio Bertone came to the 2011 Geneva Motor Show with the , a design study for a prospective rival to the likes of the and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The sleek show car fostered rumors that perhaps Jaguar itself, which has been a successor to the discontinued X-Type, had commissioned Bertone to design the purple machine that graced the Geneva stage. According to new reports, however, Bertone was apparently on its own with this one.
Speaking with Jaguar’s global brand director Adrian Hallmark, Automotive News reports that the British automaker is passing on the concept car. “We appreciate the fact that Jaguar is interesting enough for people to do a concept around,” says Hallmark. “It is just not for us.”
2011 Jeep Wrangler – Click above for high-res image gallery
recently dodged the recall bullet when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration decided that the automaker didn’t have to recall 2007 and 2008 model year for reported . Good news for Chrysler, but while that fuel issue wasn’t deemed worthy of a recall, a new drivetrain problem is.
The automaker is recalling 20,459 2010 and 2011 Jeep Wranglers for improperly torqued front and rear axle fasteners. NHTSA says the maladjusted fasteners could result in “noise, or ultimately, degradation in steering and handling characteristics.” If this situation isn’t dealt with, the vehicle could lose steering control, which could result in an accident. The crop of affected Wranglers were built between July 12 and September 10, 2010.
To remedy this situation, a Chrysler dealer will re-torque all 19 fasteners to the maximum torque value – free of charge, of course. read NHTSA’s official statement.
It looks as if Renault and the French government may have been at the raw end of a hoax surrounding claims of corporate espionage. As you may recall, three of the automaker’s executives were recently escorted off of the company’s headquarters. While none of the individuals were charged with any crime, reports emerged that they were suspected of stealing secrets tied to the French car company’s electric vehicle program and selling them to parties overseas. Reports even pointed toward Chinese automakers as being the largest buyers of those corporate secrets.
That news prompted the French government to look into the Chinese connection, which raised more than a few eyebrows in the People’s Republic.
The whole conspiracy hinged on the existence of clandestine bank accounts in Switzerland and Lichtenstein which the corporate thieves could have used to stash their ill-gotten wealth. According to The Guardian, those accounts don’t exist.
The accused executives have since set about suing Renault for the accusations, and with no hard evidence to support the claims, it looks as if someone simply pulled an elaborate hoax on the company. At this point, it’s unclear who orchestrated the stunt or the motive behind it. Thanks for the tip, Aron!
