The Auto Blog .ru

Chris Shunk, Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Paukert and Dan Roth are joined by Reilly Brennan of AOL Autos. After discussing what’s in the Autoblog Garage, attention turns to the Ferrari 599 GTO, the ongoing Chevrolet Camaro-Ford Mustang V6 cage match, wacky interior awards from Ward’s Auto, Audi beating Mercedes in the most recent sales numbers, and the Daimler-Renault/Nissan tie-up. We hit some questions and then skedaddle just under the hour and twenty mark.

Autoblog Podcast #174: with Reilly Brennan from AOL Autos

In the Autoblog Garage:

Audi A4 Avant
Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited
Mini John Cooper Works Cabrio
Ford Escape Hybrid
Mercedes CL550 4Matic

News:

Ferrari 599 GTO
Mustang/Camaro V6 smackdown
Ward’s Auto interior awards
Audi outsells Mercedes
Daimler and Renault/Nissan deal

Hosts:
Chris Shunk, Chris Paukert, Dan Roth, Sam Abuelsamid

Guest:
Reilly Brennan of AOL Autos

Runtime: 1:18:02

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Autoblog Podcast #174 – AOL Autos’ Reilly Brennan stops by

      

Tags: 2011, 599, 599 gto, A4, Apple, Audi, breaking, camaro, chevrolet, chevrolet camaro, ferrari 599 gto, ford, ford mustang, gto, hybrid, iTunes, Jeep, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Mac, mercedes, mercedes-benz, mp3, mustang, nissan, Official, Renault, review, sale, tC, Time, UK

We were pretty impressed after initially watching the Ferrari F430 Challenge cars turn laps at Miller Motorsports Park this past weekend. After all, each of the cars boasts a 490 horsepower V8 and is set up specifically for racing. You can imagine that they’re quite capable of turning insanely quick laps. Then a trio of FXXs took to the track and our definition of “fast” was altered forever.

Despite the fact that it will never turn a competitive lap, the Ferrari FXX is a brutally impressive racecar. The second generation Evoluzione version (pictured above), is Ferrari’s most advanced GT car ever built with an 860 horsepower V12, a sequential gearbox that can perform shifts in just 60 milliseconds and a curb weight of just over 2,500 pounds. We might have preferred the beauty of the 599XX, but there was no doubt which car was the most capable of the lowest lap times.

In addition to our photos of the FXXs in the pit lane garages, we also came away from the weekend with plenty of shots of the cars on track. Have a look for yourself in the high-res gallery below.

Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

2010 Ferrari Challenge at MMP: Ferrari FXX is king of the track

    

Tags: 599, Car, cars, horsepower, photo, Photos, tC, Time, V12, V8

The shared themes between watches and automobiles are nothing new to enthusiasts of either – or more often, both. Like a high-end automobile, the finest timepieces incorporate finely-crafted mechanisms encased in evocative metalwork, and serve for many as a sort of status symbol, representing their passion for all the world to see.

Trouble is, the top examples of European automotive timepieces like Chopard’s Mille Miglia line and Bernard Richards Manufacture (B.R.M.) often carry equally car-like price-tags topping the thousands, tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. But now the average Joe looking to get in on the action can take heart, because like the Fords that took on the Ferraris of yore and the Corvettes that take on today’s Porsches, a decidedly more accessible challenger has arisen from Detroit.

MoTown’s own watchmaker, Equipe just came back from displaying their debut collection at the Baselworld watch show in Switzerland where it took on Europe’s finest. But unlike its Swiss counterparts that incorporate one or two racing-themed pieces in their catalogs, Equipe’s entire range draws its inspiration from the automobile. Offerings carry names like the Hemi, the Dash, the Octane or the Rollbar, and bear design features that’ll be instantly recognizable to any gearhead.

Each packs a Miyota/Citizen Japanese quartz movement, surgical-grade stainless steel construction, water resistance to 100 meters and its own VIN-style serial number. Best of all, most of the models are priced in the $299-599 range, making them decidedly more accessible – if less exclusive and prestigious – than its Old World competition. Check out the full collection of 15 models in the gallery below, the details in the press release after the jump and the website after the link for more information and a closer look.

[Source: Equipe]

Continue reading Equipe brings the auto-inspired timepiece to MoTown

Equipe brings the auto-inspired timepiece to MoTown

      

Tags: 599, automobile, Car, challenger, Corvette, design, ECID, Europe, feature, features, ford, Japan, photo, Photos, Porsche, ring, sms, Switzerland, tC, test, theme, Time, USA, V12, Website

Oh, to be wealthy. We’re not talking about slightly rich, either. We’re talking about having your own Ferrari racecar with factory support wealthy. Such a program actually exists, known as Corse Clienti (translated from Italian as “Racing Clients”). Imagine showing up to the racetrack with your car already there, which was flown in from the Ferrari factory earlier that week. There’s no need to to get the car prepared, as Ferrari’s very own mechanics are already on the job. Just sit back and relax until it’s your time to get on the track, then hop in and take off.

The Ferrari 599XX, the latest member of the Corse Clienti stable, is brand new for this year and only made its debut at Homestead-Miami Speedway last month. We were eager to see them up close, and the first thing we did upon arriving at Miller Motorsports Park on Saturday morning was to go looking for the Corse Clienti cars. It didn’t take long to find them, as they were all safely stored in the garages along pit row. There were no less than seven 599XXs, plus an additional three FXXs as a bonus.

In person, the 599XX is a sight to behold. It’s not nearly as dramatic looking as the FXX, but that’s a good thing in our opinion. In fact, it’s one of the most beautiful modern racecars we’ve ever seen. Unlike the FXX, which seems to be a little rough around the edges, the 599XX has beautifully crafted details both inside and out. For instance, the inside of the door has “599XX” worked into the design of the carbon fiber, and the interior actually seems like a fairly hospitable place to be. The engine bay, like all other Ferraris, is a work of art, and even the functional aspects of the car like the splitters, winglets and diffuser all have an aesthetic appeal.

You can see all of the details of the 599XX, like the largest paddle shifters we’ve ever seen, the F1-like wheel donuts and more in the gallery below along with an additional gallery of the FXX.

Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

2010 Ferrari Challenge at MMP: A look inside the Corse Clienti garages

    

Tags: 599, AES, Car, cars, CTS, design, EDGE, epa, F1, fun, Other, photo, Photos, test, Time

What do you get when you start with a 599 GTB Fiorano, lose 430 pounds, add 49 horsepower and import street-legal tech from the track-only 599XX? The sum of those many marvelous parts is the 599 GTO, the fastest road-going Ferrari in the automaker’s legendary history.

The folks in Maranello unleashed it’s king Horse to the public earlier this week before its official unveiling next month at the Beijing Motor Show, with the promise to build precisely 599 examples carrying the venerable GTO designation. The good news is Ferrari created a vehicle configurator that lets you customize your 599 GTO to your heart’s content. The bad news: at an estimated $460,000, most of us couldn’t afford it.

But still, it’s fun to dream, and with the hundreds of available combinations you’ll have plenty of time to play. Hues for the 50s and 60s are available, along with metallic finishes, and you can choose your own seat type (racing buckets come in small, medium and large), steering wheel type, a host of available carbon fiber accents, over a dozen different interior stitching options and plenty more. Check it out and start saving your pennies for the launch later this year.

[Source: Ferrari]

Build your own Ferrari 599 GTO

      

Tags: 599, 599 gto, 599Gto, breaking, Car, cars, design, ferrari 599 gto, ford, fun, geneva, gto, horsepower, Official, photo, Photos, ring, tC, test, Time

A couple of new videos have landed on the tubes dedicated to presenting all the yummy details on the new Ferrari 599 GTO. The only problem – for us, at least – is that both videos are in Italian. That doesn’t mean gearheads can’t still enjoy the imagery, including in-car video of test driver Raffaele de Simone tapping the carbon fiber flappy paddles. Actually, carbon fiber seems to be the operative material everywhere in GTO’s interior.

While we don’t speak Italian, we can certainly pick up words like “Formula Uno,” “composite” and “aggresiva.” Regardless of your mother tongue, it’s worth spending a few minutes watching Ferrari’s latest creation after the jump before the GTO debuts at the Beijing Motor Show in two week’s time.

Continue reading Bone up on your Italian: Ferrari releases 599 GTO videos

Bone up on your Italian: Ferrari releases 599 GTO videos

    

Tags: 599, 599 gto, Car, ferrari 599 gto, gto, Other, photo, Photos, SIM, tC, test, Time, Video

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 4.8.10

    

Tags: 2011, 599, 599 gto, banner, bmw, breaking, camaro, Car, Coupe, CTS, Enzo, Europe, ferrari 599 gto, gm, gto, hybrid, mercedes, mercedes-benz, mustang, review, ring, spy shots, tesla, test, toyota, U.S.

We’ve seen the spy shots. We’ve even seen the options list. Now Ferrari has official taken the wraps off its new performance benchmark, the 599 GTO.

Sort of a street-legal stepping point between the production 599 GTB Fiorano and the track-only 599XX, the 599 GTO evokes the famous Gran Turismo Omologato designation made famous by the legendary 250 GTO of the 1960s and the muscle-bound 288 GTO of the 1980s. That’s quite a legacy to follow, so it’s a good thing the 599 GTO brings the goods.

Output from the 6-liter V12 – itself derived from the Enzo’s engine – is up from 612 horsepower to 661, with torque up a modest 9 lb-ft to 457. Coupled with a 195 kilogram 430 lb) weight reduction program – now tipping the scales at 1495 kg (3295 lbs), the leaner and meaner 599 can sprint to 62 miles per hour from a standstill in a scant (and very specific) 3.35 seconds, with a top speed in excess of 208 mph, while lapping the Fiorano test track from which its donor’s name is derived in a blitzing 1 minute, 24 seconds. That’s faster than the Enzo, people.

The GTO is also treated to more aerodynamic bodywork, including a new front splitter, side sills, diffuser and rear spoiler. The vented hood is new as well, as are the ten-spoke, 20-inch rims with F1-derived wheel donuts aiding aero efficiency.

Piquing your interest yet? Don’t get too excited. As the new flagship in Ferrari’s range, the 599 GTO is reported to fetch a price tag approaching £300,000 overseas (equivalent to nearly $460k). Only 599 examples will be offered, which is still more than the Enzo whose performance it eclipses. Follow the jump for the official press release, and check out the images in the gallery for a closer look.

[Source: Ferrari]

Continue reading Breaking: Ferrari takes the wraps off the new 599 GTO in advance of Beijing show debut

Breaking: Ferrari takes the wraps off the new 599 GTO in advance of Beijing show debut

    

Tags: 599, 599 gto, 599Gto, breaking, Car, design, Enzo, F1, ferrari 599 gto, gto, horsepower, Official, photo, Photos, POI, ring, spy shots, tC, test, V12

Some of you might remember Ugur Sahin. He’s a designer that we’ve featured before, specializing in grand touring cars that make our mouths water. Starting with already beautiful designs, he somehow manages to make shapely Chevrolet Corvettes and Ferraris look even better. From the Corvette Z03 to the Ferrari Dino and Ferrari-599-based USD GT-S Passionata, he’s created some of the most exotic and graceful shapes we’ve ever had the pleasure to lay eyes on.

The latest automaker to earn Sahin’s attention is Aston Martin. His latest design, the Gauntlet, blends some of our favorite design cues into a wholly unique package that’s simultaneously sensual and brutal. Study the images and you might see a bit of One-77 in the mix, along with a dash of DB AR1, or perhaps you are carried back to the old DB3S, a car that Ugur mentions specifically as inspiration for the Gauntlet.

There’s also some Maserati GranTurismo mixed with a little Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione as well, but we’re definitely not complaining. It’s a terrific design that has us wishing that Aston is looking at Sahin’s designs for the next DBS and V12 Vantage. For those who still lament the loss of the Vanquish, with its broad shoulders and studly swagger, this might be the car for you. It’s definitely earned a spot in our dream car garage.

You can read more of his thoughts on the project after the jump, and be sure not to miss the huge high-res gallery of pics below.

[Source: Ugur Sahin Design]

Continue reading Ugur Sahin dreams up Aston Martin Gauntlet concept

Ugur Sahin dreams up Aston Martin Gauntlet concept

    

Tags: 599, aston, aston martin, Car, cars, chevrolet, concept, Corvette, design, feature, featured, lfa, maserati, photo, Photos, ring, SD, SIM, test, V12, Wikipedia

A new website has cropped up to attempt to lure Ford CEO Allan Mulally back to Seattle. Evidently someone at Boeing is missing the guy’s ability to steer a company in the right direction. The recently launched site features a short list of Mulally’s achievements since he’s taken the tiller at FoMoCo, all spread out on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner background.

We can imagine more than a few souls at the aircraft manufacturer are pining for the good old days. Boeing has seen delay after delay in the launch of its carbon-fiber Dreamliner leviathan, while Ford continues to make its cousins in Detroit look bad. The Blue Oval posted a $2.7 billion net profit last year, snapping the company out of a downward trend three-years in the making. While Mulally certainly didn’t carry the company on his own, it’s clear he has made some smart decisions during his time at the helm, and now he’s become the poster child for Ford’s recent successes.

According to Automotive News, BringAllanBack.com isn’t associated with either Ford or Boeing, and no one is saying who owns the site at the moment.

[Source: Automotive News]

Someone at Boeing wants Mulally back?

    

Tags: 599, blue oval, Car, feature, features, ford, Other, profit, ring, Time, Website

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 3.26.10

    

Tags: 3.2, 599, 599 gto, banner, burnout, cadillac, Cadillac CTS, Cadillac CTS-V, Car, CTS, CtsV, ferrari 599 gto, focus, ford, ford focus, ford focus rs, gto, hybrid, Hyundai, iCan, Official, ring, spy shots, toyota, Video

Toyota commands about a 15.5-percent share of the U.S. market so far this year. That’s the same share it had a year ago, before its recall marathon began. Analysts studying the market have suggested that Japanes automaker’s brand perception hasn’t taken that big of a hit with the wider public, but Toyota has also dipped heavily into incentives and price dropping in order to keep moving its metal. Those are two corners of the retail world you don’t usually find Toyota, and the move has apparently dragged Honda with it.

Honda is the brand most cross-shopped against Toyota, so what its rival does to draw traffic must be closely watched and, in this case, matched. The Feature Special Lease deal Honda has just introduced is good for nearly every model, eliminates the down payment, security deposit and first month’s payment, and waives all lease fees. The program runs until May 3. On top of that Honda has 0.9-, 1.9-, and 2.9-percent APR financing deals. Between them, they cover Honda’s entire model line.

Honda’s lease program runs until May 3, a month longer than Toyota’s. Now that Toyota knows it’s going to be a long battle to hold its position, we’ll be interested to see how what kind of fortitude and endurance the company has. Honda probably will be as well…

[Source: L.A. Times via The Car Connection Image: Scott Olson/Getty ]

Japanese Price Wars: Honda counters Toyota with largest lease deals ever

      

Tags: 599, Car, feature, honda, Japan, security, tC, Time, toyota, U.S.

The Ferrari 599 GTO was caught standing still in the steel, and to quote the Big Tymers it’s a #1 Stunna. The 700-horsepower, top-of-the-heap beast with the 60-millisecond shifts and monster options list will be gracing out waiting eyes in the very, very near future. And in red, we’re feeling even better about spending 430 large on it when we finally do see it.

[Source: TeamSpeed]

Spy Shots: Ferrari 599 GTO spotted again, still looks awesome

      

Tags: 599, 599 gto, 599Gto, Car, ferrari 599 gto, gto, horsepower, Official, photo, Photos, spy shots, Video

You know that when Ferrari comes out with a new flagship supercar, it’s going to cost a pretty penny… or eight. The upcoming exotic from the gates of Maranello is the 599 GTO, reviving the stoic nameplate that adorned the 250 GTO of the 1960s and the 288 GTO of the 1980s on what stands to be the ultimate iteration of the 599 GTB Fiorano.

A pricing sheet has apparently leaked onto the interwebs, revealing the “base” price of the 599 GTO and itemizing the various costly options available on top. The cost of entry, according to the sheet, comes in at a whopping 319,495 euros (nearly $430k). But that’s just the tip of this high-performance iceberg.

Want the entire engine bay done up in carbon fiber? That’ll be another 7,774 euros (over ten grand). Four point harness? That’s a must-have at 2,990 euros (four grand). Want a full leather or Alcantara interior? Tempting choices at 4,425 and 3,708 euros, respectively (nearly six grand/five grand). There’s plenty more, so click the scanned image above for the full specs.

[Source: Autogespot (translated)]

Ferrari 599 GTO pricing sheet leaked?

      

Tags: 599, 599 gto, 599Gto, Car, ferrari 599 gto, Google, gto, Other, POI, super, supercar

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 3.23.10

    

Tags: 2011, 3.1, 3.2, 599, 599 gto, AMG, banner, bmw, BMW 1 Series, burnout, camaro, Car, Crash, duty, ferrari 599 gto, ford, gm, gto, honda, mercedes, mercedes-benz, mustang, Official, review, special edition, subaru, super, tC, test, tweak, Video

The crew at Fast Lane Daily have apparently scored the first official shot of the Ferrari 599 GTO ahead of its launch later this year, and while we’re still suitably skeptical about the pic, we’ve been assured by the show’s producers that this is the real deal.

So what’s Ferrari have in store? If previous reports are to be believed, the GTO will be a road-focused version of the 599XX, packing a 700+ horsepower Enzo-derived 6.0-liter V12 capable of revving to 9,000 rpm. Shifts will be delivered in a mind-boggling 60 milliseconds, resulting in a 0-60 time of 3.2 seconds as it climbs to a claimed 217 mph top speed. Only 500 units will be produced – and likely made available to select Ferrari owners – each carrying a price tag somewhere north of $400,000. Make the jump for Derek D’s insufferable commentary and photoshopped shenanigans, and expect the 599 GTO to be revealed in full in the coming months.

[Source: FastLaneDaily]

Continue reading Video: First official shot of Ferrari 599 GTO

Video: First official shot of Ferrari 599 GTO

    

Tags: 3.2, 599, 599 gto, 599Gto, Car, Enzo, epa, ferrari 599 gto, focus, gto, horsepower, New York, Official, photo, Photos, ring, tC, Time, V12, Video, YouTube

Over the past couple of years, Hyundai has been credited as having some of the best marketing efforts of any automaker in the U.S. The executive most credited with such programs as Hyundai’s Assurance program is Joel Ewanick. As vice-president of marketing at Hyundai Motor America, he led the team that came up with ideas like Hyundai Assurance, which promises to continue making payments or take a car back if a buyer loses his or her job.

Ewanick is now moving over to Nissan North America where he will take on the same task for the Nissan division. Ewanick is replacing Christian Meunier, who was recently appointed president of Nissan Brazil. Ewanick starts at Nissan on Monday March 22, so prepare for some marketing magic out of Nissan’s Tennessee headquarters shortly thereafter if he does for Nissan what he did for his former employer.

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Joel Ewanick defects from Hyundai to Nissan, takes top marketing post

Joel Ewanick defects from Hyundai to Nissan, takes top marketing post

    

Tags: 599, a1, Brazil, Car, CTS, epa, Hyundai, nissan, POI, U.S.

The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti is due for a major overhaul and the next generation 2+2 is expected to grow in size, be available with all-wheel drive and come packing Ferrari’s new HY-KERS system.

Caught cold weather testing near the Arctic Circle, the 2012 model is sporting a longer wheelbase and redesigned front and rear fascias, along with a massive hood bulge. Power is expected to be provided by an Enzo-derived V12 putting out around 530 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque, and delivering grunt to a modified seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox found in the 458 Italia and Ferrari 599 HY-KERS concept.

Although the fitment of all-wheel drive remains a rumor, there’s a significant chance that the next 612 will be equipped with Ferrari’s new hybrid system, complete with lithium-ion battery pack and three-phase electric motor to put out an addition 100 hp. If we’re reading our tea-leaves properly, we’d expect the new 612 to be unveiled early next year with sales beginning in late 2011.

[Source: World Car Fans]

Spy Shots: 2012 Ferrari 612 successor spied

    

Tags: 2011, 599, Car, concept, design, Enzo, geneva, geneva 2010, horsepower, hybrid, iCan, LG, photo, Photos, ring, sale, spy shots, tC, test, V12

What do Formula One drivers drive in their downtime? Well, when you’re a two-time world champion like Fernando Alonso, you get to drive pretty much whatever you want. That is, assuming the team you’re driving for isn’t owned by a specific automaker. Then you’ll need to drive whatever the provide you with. And in Alonso’s case, notwithstanding his solo 2001 debut season with Minardi-Cosworth, he’s pretty much only driven for automaker-owned teams: Renault, McLaren-Mercedes, then back to Renault and now Ferrari.

While at Renault, Alonso drove a Megane RS that was later offered for sale on eBay. When he moved to McLaren, he got his finely-honed hands on an SLR 722. Now that he’s at Ferrari, you’d expect him to be driving a new 458 Italia or a 599 GTB Fiorano, right? Almost, but not quite.

Ferrari’s sister company Maserati has announced that Alonso has acquired a new GranCabrio – to be sold Stateside as the GranTurismo Convertible, lest we be confused. The Spanish driver – who’s already off to a great start, having won his first race with the team to which everyone said he always belonged – picked one out in (very) dark gray with a two-tone beige and bordeaux interior with a matching canvas roof. And if you think about it, his selection makes sense: if you’re driving a high-strung performance machine for work, wouldn’t you want to unwind in something a little more relaxed? Press release after the jump, photos in the galleries below.

[Source: Maserati]

Continue reading Fernando Alonso gets himself a Maserati GranCabrio

Fernando Alonso gets himself a Maserati GranCabrio

    

Tags: 599, Mac, maserati, Megane, mercedes, mercedes-benz, photo, Photos, Renault, sale, tC, Time

Although previously the subject of some early obituaries, it appears that the future of the Cadillac Converj showcar is indeed at a dead-end. According to Automotive News, a production future for the rakish extended-range coupe has been scuttled due to “priorities and the conviction that the Volt and Ampera will use all available capacity for years to come” – that’s according to a text message from General Motors vice chairman Bob Lutz.

Lutz, who is himself retiring on May 1, openly championed the Converj, including telling members of the Society of Automotive Analysts that the car would be built after 2012. Prevailing logic also had the well-received 2009 Detroit Auto Show concept getting the green light, if only because affixing a higher-margin Cadillac badge to its flanks would presumably help GM recover some of its massive investment in the E-Rev technology it shared with the Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera. However, in a Bloomberg report from earlier this month, some company managers apparently successfully argued that the business case for the Converj could not be made.

Photos by Drew Phillips / Frank Filliponio / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

Once and For All? Lutz text message reportedly confirms Cadillac Converj is dead

    

Tags: 2011, 599, cadillac, Car, chevrolet, concept, Coupe, F1, general motors, geneva, gm, green, opel, photo, Photos, ring, Video