Report: Arrinera supercar born out of Polish Lamborghini replica?

Arrinera

If you thought it seemed a little odd that Poland – a country without much of a history of producing exportable cars – would suddenly come out with a high-performance supercar, well… we’re afraid you may be right. Because the latest reports out of the Eastern European country suggest that the Arrinera project is nothing more than a reclothed replicar.

Arrinera, as you may recall, is a project to build a supercar in Poland. Specifications recently hit the interwebs, indicating a $160,000 list price and a 6.2-liter V8 with 650 horsepower driving the rear wheels through a Graziano gearbox for a 3.2-second sprint to 62 and a 211 mph top end.

Now reports coming out of Poland – citing a certain Jacek Balkan who seems to be the Slavic version of Jeremy Clarkson – are calling the whole project into question. According to the word on the Warsaw boulevard, the people at Arrinera took a Lamborghini replica made by another Polish outfit called Bojar Tuning and gave it a new skin. Interior components were reportedly borrowed from the Opel Corsa and late-90s Audi A6, all in an effort to raise funds on the stock market.

The question we’re left with is, if the project started as a replica but now has its own design and identity, should its humbler beginnings matter? If the specs are right and legendary chassis tuner Lee Noble is involved, the Arrinera could still emerge as a winner. Of course, we’d have to drive it in order to tell for sure, but we’ve got some openings in our calendar coming up…

Arrinera supercar born out of Polish Lamborghini replica?

    



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    Report: Poland’s Arrinera supercar hits the road with 650 HP, $160K list price

    Arrinera

    There are a handful of countries where you’d expect most any supercar to come from. Italy, Germany, England… and even these United States have produced their fare share, and there’ve been a handful from Japan. Even France and Sweden have produced some notables. But Poland?

    Hardly the first country that would come to mind, but the folks behind Arrinera Automotive aim to fix that. We first reported last year on the supercar the Polish outfit has been developing, and now they’ve released a whole slew of details – including specifications and pricing.

    The as-yet unnamed vehicle (aside from the Arrinera marque, anyway) is powered by a 6.2-liter V8 that’s been supercharged up to 650 metric horsepower (641 by our measures) and 605 pound-feet of torque, driving through a Graziano gearbox for a 3.2-second sprint to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) and a claimed 340 km/h (211 mph) top end.

    Lee Noble – the talented engineer behind supercars marketed under the Ultima, Ascari, Rossion, Fenix and Noble names – has set up the suspension, with 380-millimeter brakes providing the stopping power up front and 350-millimeter discs in the back. The 1300-kilogram (2866-pound) package is made up of a high-strength steel frame with bodywork that’s carbon-intensive and similar in appearance to a Lamborghini, but that’s no bad thing.

    Production is slated to begin later this year, with pricing starting at £100,000 (about $160,000 at current exchange rates). Scope it out in the extensive and fresh gallery of high-resolution images above.

    Poland’s Arrinera supercar hits the road with 650 HP, $160K list price

        



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      Video: Mercedes-Benz shows off the dark side of the C63 AMG Black Series coupe

      Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series

      Mercedes-Benz has rolled out a new video for its vicious C63 AMG Black Series. The 510-horsepower machine spends a little time frolicking through an industrial complex before taking to an open stretch of track for a little more fun. The entire clip is appropriately shot in black and white and set to the riotous tones of the hefty 6.2-liter V8 banging off the limiter. Not a bad way to blow two minutes of your day.

      As you may recall, Chris Harris recently lined the C63 AMG Black Series up against bruisers like Porsche 911 GT3 RS and the BMW M3 GTS for a little German showdown. Harris found the C63 to be a willing dance partner with appropriate levels of presence on the street, but still found the machine out gunned by the track-bred Porsche. Scroll down to check out the Black Series video for yourself.

      Continue reading Mercedes-Benz shows off the dark side of the C63 AMG Black Series coupe

      Mercedes-Benz shows off the dark side of the C63 AMG Black Series coupe

          



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        Official: 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 to pace 96th Indianapolis 500

        2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Indy Pace Car

        Today Chevrolet announced that a 2013 Corvette ZR1 will pace this year’s Indianapolis 500, marking the 23rd time that a Chevy has paced the race and the 11th time the Corvette has performed the duty. With 638 horsepower from its supercharged 6.2-liter V8, the Corvette ZR1 will be the most powerful production machine to serve as the race’s pace car.

        Helping to celebrate six decades of production, the 2013 Corvette ZR1 pace car mimics the design cues of the 60th anniversary package that debuted earlier this year with Arctic White exterior paint and a full-length racing stripe in Pearl Silver Blue. Inside is a Blue Diamond leather-wrapped interior with suede accents.

        Look for the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 during the 96th running of the Indianapolis 500, scheduled to start at 12:00 pm ET on Sunday, May 27th.

        Scroll down to see the official details from Chevrolet.

        Continue reading 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 to pace 96th Indianapolis 500

        2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 to pace 96th Indianapolis 500

            



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          Official: Savage Rivale GTR earns Top Marques in Monaco

          Savage Rivale GTS

          If the idea of building a four-seat hard-top convertible supercar in Holland strikes you as off-the-wall, then its racing counterpart should blow your mind. We’re talking about Savage Rivale, the markers of the Roadyacht GTS and the competition-spec GTR model it just unveiled at the Top Marques show in Monaco.

          Packing upwards of 700 horsepower from a turbocharged 6.2-liter V8, the Savage Rivale GTR is said to be good for 2.8-second sprint to 62 miles per hour and a 360-km/h (234-mph) top speed. With those capabilities, the race-ready Savage is earmarked to tackle the Nürburgring Norschleife lap record for four-door automobiles, a distinction which (to the best of our understanding, anyway) currently belongs to a Subaru Impreza WRX STI driven by rally ace Tommi Mäkinen for Car and Driver in 2010 to a 7:55 lap time, edging out Pikes Peak legend Walter Röhrl in the Porsche Panamera Turbo at 7:56 the previous year.

          Only 69 examples are slated for production. We’re still waiting on final specifications to be released, but in the meantime you can check out the gallery of high-resolution images from its unveiling in Monte Carlo in the gallery above.

          Savage Rivale GTR earns Top Marques in Monaco

              



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            Official: Lingenfelter Camaro ZL1 tops 200 mph

            Lingenfelter Camaro ZL1

            With the 2013 Shelby GT500 putting out 662 horsepower and 631 pound-feet torque, we’re guessing that more than a few owners of the new Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will be looking to even things up via the aftermarket. The speed-obsessed guys over at Lingenfelter Performance Engineering are already putting a few options on the table with a three new upgrade packages that boost the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 to anywhere from 630 to 700-plus horsepower.

            Apparently, Lingenfelter was eager to prove the merits of its work, and just a couple weeks after taking delivery of an early production Camaro ZL1 had it out on the track putting down times. The test car, pushing out 720 horsepower, laid down a 10.79 second quarter mile pass at Muncie Dragway in Albany, IN, and later recorded a 202 mph top speed at Continental Tire’s proving grounds earlier this week. Coincidentally, that’s the same top speed that the 2013 Shelby GT500 reached during its high speed testing at the Nardo Ring in Italy last year.

            You can read more about Lingenfelter’s upgrade packages for the 2012 Camaro ZL1 as well as more details on the high speed test in the press release below.

            Continue reading Lingenfelter Camaro ZL1 tops 200 mph

            Lingenfelter Camaro ZL1 tops 200 mph

                



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              Official: Perana Z-One resurfaces with AC badge as 378 GT Zagato

              AC 378 GT Zagato

              We haven’t heard much about Perana in quite some time, but not nearly as long as it’s been since the name AC last came up on our radar screen. The progenitor of the iconic Shelby Cobra, AC Cars is one of those great many British sportscar manufacturers that has long since disappeared into obscurity. There has been talk here and there of reviving the marque with a new model, but none of that seems to have materialized. Until now. Sort of.

              Perana, as you may recall, is (or was) the name of an upstart automaker producing a devastatingly beautiful sportscar called the Z-One penned by no less accomplished a design house than Zagato. Now, the design (or, at least, what appears to be the same design) has resurfaced under the AC badge.

              Called the 378 GT Zagato, the AC-ified Z-One is apparently being produced on the same line in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, where the Perana was, and where, incidentally, some Noble models are, as well. The numeric nameplate is taken from the cubic-inch displacement of the 6.2-liter V8 engine.

              It’s certainly not the first time Zagato has designed for an established British marque, the production version of the V12 Zagato it designed for Aston Martin having been unveiled as this one was being announced at the other end of the Geneva Palexpo. AC and Zagato also collaborated on a one-off Bristol variant back in 1957, a model that is scheduled to be showcased alongside the new 378 GT at Pebble Beach later this year where AC will be the featured marque two years after the Z-One made its U.S. debut on the very same manicured lawns.

              That’s not where the collaboration is expected to end, however, as a roadster based on the same platform but featuring more Cobra-like bodywork is next in the pipeline. We’re not sure where that leaves Perana, but we’ll be watching to see where this goes. In the meantime you can see the full press release and spec sheet below, with high-res images (including some deliciously retro color schemes) in the gallery above.

              Continue reading Perana Z-One resurfaces with AC badge as 378 GT Zagato

              Perana Z-One resurfaces with AC badge as 378 GT Zagato

                  



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                Report: Chevy stops halts shipments of Camaro ZL1 over potential quality issue

                d8a70 03 2012 chevrolet camaro zl1 fd opt Report: Chevy stops halts shipments of Camaro ZL1 over potential quality issue

                GM Inside News has obtained a letter from Russel Clark, Director of Marketing for Chevrolet small cars, small utilities and performance cars, to dealers informing them that shipments of all 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 produced to date are being held by General Motors for a “quality assessment.”

                There is no explanation as to what’s causing the hold or its duration, though the letter does say it “may last a few more weeks.” Motor Authority has Chevrolet spokesman Monte Doran on record saying, “We may have found a potential issue that we want to resolve.” If you think you know what the issue is, let us know in the comments or send us a tip.

                Being one of the Bowtie brand’s halo cars, the Camaro ZL1 can hardly afford a hiccup in its roll out. Though with a 580-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 underhood and sub-$55k starting price, we’re certain that a few weeks wait won’t change the number of people in line to buy one.

                See below to read the letter to dealers in its entirety.

                Continue reading Chevy stops halts shipments of Camaro ZL1 over potential quality issue

                Chevy stops halts shipments of Camaro ZL1 over potential quality issue

                    



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                  Exclusive: Four-door Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG suggested by patent filings?

                  Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG four-door patent drawing

                  Perhaps more than most, Mercedes-Benz has proven to be remarkably adept at platform sharing, pulling and pushing at their various architectures to create new models. Take, for example, the marque’s E-Class chassis, which in addition to sedan, coupe, convertible and wagon variants, spawned the CLS ‘four-door coupe’ – a model that itself inspired a whole slew of imitators. The rakish CLS will shortly spawn a load-lugging shooting-brake variant, too – Benz’s offspring are having offspring. Could the same thing be in the cards for the SLS AMG?

                  Mercedes has already extended the supercar’s appeal with a new Roadster variant for 2012, but as Autoblog can exclusively reveal, an alleged German patent filing suggests that the SLS may be in for an unexpected third bodystyle – that of an unconventional four-door. As shown here, Mercedes appears to be considering a set of rear-hinged demi doors to go along with the vertically sweeping main gullwing doors that would give access to a small back seat. In typical patent-ese, the paperwork suggests that the automaker is particularly concerned about minimizing weight gain and preserving structural rigidity, though it appears there is no fixed B-pillar present.

                  It isn’t immediately clear if these alleged Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt documents are indicative of a production model, a show circuit-only concept, or just a bit of ambitious blue-sky designer thinking. For its part, when shown these documents and asked for comment, Mercedes-Benz officials wouldn’t say anything beyond the standard “We won’t take the liberty of sharing comments for any potential future products.” We specifically asked if they would like to deny the materials, and they declined.

                  The paperwork shown here doesn’t give away much else, certainly not touching upon whether any modifications would be made to the SLS’ 571-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 or its rear-drive power delivery. The drawings accompanying the filing clearly suggest an extended wheelbase to accommodate the extra doors, as well as what looks like a second COMAND multi-function control knob on the console between the seats, but that could just be a bit of artistic license or perhaps some lazy cut/paste work in Photoshop duplicating the front seats.

                  Presumably, if a four-door SLS AMG were to come to market, it would likely come at a premium price for the extra engineering – the coupe model starts at $192,175 delivered, so we’d wager that the pricing would start with a “2″ at the front, putting it in the hunt with cars like the Aston Martin Rapide and perhaps the Porsche Panamera Turbo.

                  Four-door Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG suggested by patent filings?

                      



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                    2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 configurator burns up the internet

                    2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 configurator

                    Chevrolet’s fire-breathing, Nürburgring-shredding Camaro ZL1 can now be custom configured for your very own garage – at least your virtual one.

                    The 580-horsepower, 6.2-liter V8-powered Chevrolet won’t come cheaply, starting at $54,995, and choices are limited. Major options include paint (we’re kind of fond of the $325 Rally Yellow scheme shown above, though perhaps it’s a little too Transformersque), transmission choice (six-speed manual or automatic), wheel finish, sunroof and faux suede interior bits. Given that this is a small-volume model with serious performance intentions, we’re not bothered by the limited decision tree offered by the configurator, and it helps tamp the bottom line down.

                    Build your own by checking out the link below, or compare and contrast builds against the ZL1’s nemesis, the Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 by checking out the latter’s configurator here.

                    2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 configurator burns up the internet

                        



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                      Official: Savage Rivale reveals GTR track-spec Roadyacht

                      Savage Rivale GTS racer

                      You wouldn’t expect something called the Roadyacht to weigh as little as 1,030 kilos (2,270 pounds), but that’s the curb weight that niche Dutch automaker Savage Rivale is claiming for its new GTR racing model. Couple that with between 700 and 800 horsepower, and what started out as a boulevard cruiser is shaping up as a serious performance machine.

                      That boulevard cruiser, as you may recall, is the Savage Rivale Roadyacht GTS, a four-door exotic hardtop convertible, which in roadgoing spec is already pegged to pack 600 horsepower from its Chevrolet Corvette Z06-sourced 7.0-liter V8.

                      The GTR packs an extra one or two hundred horses (this time from a turbocharged 6.2-liter V8), and while its creators were initially hoping to claim the Nürburgring lap record for four-doors, that the racing model has just two doors – and makes no such claim – leaves us wondering where the plans changed.

                      The finished product is set to make the mid-April trip from The Hague to Monte Carlo for the Top Marques Monaco show, after which no more than 69 examples will be made available at €141,250 (before taxes, or roughly $185k) – which is significantly less than the €257,000 sticker price originally forecasted for the street version (around $335k). Follow the jump for the brief announcement and full specifications, and scope out the high-res images in the gallery for a closer look.

                      Continue reading Savage Rivale reveals GTR track-spec Roadyacht

                      Savage Rivale reveals GTR track-spec Roadyacht

                          



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                        Video: Jonathon Ward talks about his Icon Derelicts in latest eGarage video

                        223f1 icon derelict egarage 2 Video: Jonathon Ward talks about his Icon Derelicts in latest eGarage video

                        There are very few things that get the unanimous approval of everyone here at Autoblog. One of them is Icon 4×4, which makes impossibly expensive yet worth-every-penny reimaginings of history’s best off-roaders. For this year’s SEMA Show, Icon debuted something new that had nothing to do with off-roading, yet still had our whole team salivating.

                        Christened a “Derelict” by Icon founder and designer Jonathon Ward, this 1952 Chevy Coupe looks like an abused artifact from a time not worth remembering. Knowing Icon like we do, however, it’s anything but. The Derelict is fitted with a 6.2-liter V8 from General Motors producing 430 horsepower and an interior upholstered in gorgeous vintage briefcase leather, but the exterior is as original and rusty as it was when Icon found it. What we didn’t know at SEMA is that the ‘52 Chevy isn’t the first Derelict that Icon produced.

                        Our friends at eGarage have produced an excellent video about how the two Derelicts came to be, including how Jonathon Ward and his company made them. Spoiler alert: It wasn’t as easy as dropping a new engine into an old car and redoing the leather. The Derelicts were meant to be high-performance yet reliable daily drivers, which requires more thought and engineering than we ever imagined.

                        Follow the jump to be one of the first to watch this latest video from eGarage.

                        Continue reading Jonathon Ward talks about his Icon Derelicts in latest eGarage video

                        Jonathon Ward talks about his Icon Derelicts in latest eGarage video

                            



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                          Auctions: SMS Supercars unveils 620 Camaro, auctions first example for charity at Barrett-Jackson

                          6ce4d sms 620 camaro bj Auctions: SMS Supercars unveils 620 Camaro, auctions first example for charity at Barrett Jackson

                          When Steve Saleen launched his new company, SMS Supercars, back in 2008, he announced that he would be expanding his portfolio of vehicles to include the muscle car offerings from Chevrolet and Dodge. First up was the 570 and 570X Challenger, followed soon after by the 302 Mustang.

                          Now, Steve Saleen’s muscle car trifecta is finally complete, as SMS officially unveiled the 620 Camaro at Barrett-Jackson this week. The car maintains the styling cues featured on both the Challenger and Mustang with an aggressive front splitter, side skirts, rear diffuser, butterfly hood and chrome 20-inch wheels. Inside is a custom leather interior, and under the hood, the 6.2-liter V8 has been supercharged to 620 horsepower and 570 pound-feet torque.

                          In addition to unveiling the car at Barrett-Jackson this week, SMS actually auctioned off the first production example last night. This particular car was also a special “Bondurant Edition” in honor of Steve Saleen’s former racing teammate, Bob Bondurant, and the two decided to donate the proceeds from the sale to two charities: Cox Charities and the Make A Wish Foundation of Arizona.

                          So, how did the car do? Bidding for the SMS 620 Camaro eventually reached the $100,000 mark, meaning the two charities will be getting a significant donation and the lucky new owner just got a nice tax write-off. Did we mention a Bondurant three-day performance driving school is included with the car?

                          You can see photos of the 2012 SMS 620 Camaro in the gallery above, and check out a video of the car being auctioned off at Barrett-Jackson in the video after the jump.

                          Continue reading SMS Supercars unveils 620 Camaro, auctions first example for charity at Barrett-Jackson

                          SMS Supercars unveils 620 Camaro, auctions first example for charity at Barrett-Jackson

                              



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                            Official: Roush announces new performance product line for the Ford F-150

                            2012 Roush Performance Ford F-150

                            We normally associate with Roush Performance with the Ford Mustang, as we’ve tested several examples over the year from the race-ready 427R Trak Pak to the current 540 horsepower RS3. The Michigan tuner is now looking to expand, though, and has recently introduced a new line of performance products aimed at another segment of the Ford product line, the F-150.

                            The F-150’s new powertrains are the main focus of Roush’s product blitz, with supercharger systems available for both the 5.0-liter and 6.2-liter V8s. Roush has also developed cold air inductions kits for the entire powertrain lineup with the exception of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. Additionally, Roush is offering a stainless steel cat-back exhaust for most of the F-150 lineup that produces a more aggressive tone than the stock system.

                            You can read more about the new F-150 products from Roush in the press release after the jump, and you can get a closer glimpse at the supercharger and the exhaust system in the gallery above.

                            Continue reading Roush announces new performance product line for the Ford F-150

                            Roush announces new performance product line for the Ford F-150

                                



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                              Report: GM schedules 21-week idle of three truck plants

                              b6aa9 gmpickupfactoryidel Report: GM schedules 21 week idle of three truck plants

                              Four of General Motors‘ full-size truck plants, three of them in the U.S., will go intermittently silent for a total of 21 weeks in order to retool for 2013 model year production. The Fort Wayne, Indiana and Flint, Michigan plants have both been in the news lately as recipients of multi-million dollar investments for just this purpose.

                              Fort Wayne will shut down for nine weeks over the course of 10 months, from January to October of 2012, while Flint will stop production for seven weeks from June to November, and the Arlington, Texas facility will be quiet from June to December for five weeks. The Mexico plant in Silao will find out its shut-down schedule next year. GM has been stockpiling a 90-day supply of its Silverado and Sierra pickups to make up for the loss of production.

                              When the 2013 models arrive, unconfirmed reports indicate we can expect a new forced-induction V6, the continuation of the 5.3- and 6.0-liter V8s, and the 6.2-liter V8 going into the heavy-duty versions exclusively.

                              GM schedules 21-week idle of three truck plants

                                  



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                                Official: 2012 Cadillac CTS gets new V-Series-like Touring option

                                2012 Cadillac CTS with Touring Package

                                Cadillac has just spilled the beans on how it plans to keep its MVP fresh for the 2012 model year. The recipe for the 2012 CTS lineup hinges on a new Touring package (from $2,065) that adds many of the features of the high-performance CTS-V range without adding any actual power.

                                Offered on all three bodystyles, the CTS Touring pack includes such niceties as a buttoned-up suspension (presumably not the actual magnetic ride control setup at the CTS-V given the price), faux suede inserts on the seats and steering wheel, Sapele wood trim and metal pedal pads. The extensive package also includes exterior touches like HID headlamps, dual exhaust, a darker grille finish, different wheel packages and a decklid spoiler cribbed from the V.

                                There are some equipment differences with the Touring Package depending on whether you stick with the base 3.0-liter V6 or opt for the 3.6-liter. The 3.0-liter package costs less at $2,065, but the 3.6-liter Touring group ($2,810) also includes grippy Recaro seats and larger 19-inch wheels shod in either summer or all-season tires. While we’d much rather have the 556-horsepower, 6.2-liter V8 of the real-deal CTS-V, either package seems like a screaming deal for all of the extra equipment.

                                For 2012, General Motors has also updated the entire CTS range with Bluetooth as standard fit and added blind spot assist and rain-sensing wipers to the options list. New paint colors include Opulent Blue Metallic, Black Diamond Tri-Coat and Mocha Steel Metallic. Pricing starts at $36,790 for the sedan, $39,590 for the rakish coupe and $39,890 for the Sport Wagon.

                                Continue reading 2012 Cadillac CTS gets new V-Series-like Touring option

                                2012 Cadillac CTS gets new V-Series-like Touring option

                                    



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                                  Spy Shots: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series Estate preparing to storm the supermarket

                                  d3572 01 mercedes benz c63 amg black series wagon spy shots628 Spy Shots: Mercedes Benz C63 AMG Black Series Estate preparing to storm the supermarket

                                  Yes. A thousand times, yes.

                                  It’s no secret that we – and every other automotive enthusiast on the plant – love insanely fast wagons. So it comes as no surprise that we’re seriously excited to see this, the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series Estate, come to life.

                                  All of the bulgy bits you see here – the front bumper, massive air intakes, wide fender flares and vented (yet camouflaged) hood – are all found on the similarly equipped C63 AMG Black Series Coupe. The only major difference here is that this wagon still sports oval exhaust pipes, rather than the squared-off ones found on the coupe, but that’s an easy fix that may come into play later in the hot wagon’s development.

                                  We expect what’s under the hood to be exactly the same as the two-door Black Series: Merc’s naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8, massaged to the tune of 510 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque. All that power will go straight to the rear wheels via the seven-speed AMG Speedshift MCT dual-clutch transmission.

                                  Mercedes-Benz doesn’t sell the standard C63 AMG Estate here in North America, so we don’t expect the Black Series to touch ground here on our shores. Sad stuff, but just knowing that this beast exists somewhere in the world makes our hearts skip a few beats. See the hotness for yourself in the attached high-res image gallery.

                                  Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series Estate preparing to storm the supermarket

                                      



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                                    Los Angeles: 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG offers all-weather, all-family rapid transit

                                    d48ed amg02 1321490591 Los Angeles: 2012 Mercedes Benz ML63 AMG offers all weather, all family rapid transit

                                    We posted the official pictures from Mercedes-Benz earlier this week, but it wasn’t until today that the 2012 ML63 AMG was revealed in the flesh.

                                    Muscle arrives in the form of the now-familar twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V8, which replaces the naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8. No need to complain, as the boosted engine produces 518 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque (opt for the AMG Performance Package and buyers will receive 550 horsepower and 560 pound-feet of torque). With a standard Mercedes-Benz AMG Speedshift Plus seven-speed transmission, the all-wheel-drive SUV will hit 60 miles per hour in just 4.7 seconds. While the standard ML63 AMG is electronically-limited to 155 mph, the Performance Package raises it to 174 mph (and reduces the 0-60 sprint to just 4.6 seconds).

                                    In person, the ML63 AMG looks really good. The AMG treatment, limited to aggressively reworked fascias, some matte silver trim and wider fenders to accompany the 20-inch AMG wheels, looks clean and understated. Now… where are the keys?

                                    2012 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG offers all-weather, all-family rapid transit

                                        



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                                      Official: Mercedes-Benz reveals 518-hp ML63 AMG ahead of Los Angeles debut [w/video]

                                      2c5e1 01 2012 mercedes benz ml63 amg628 Official: Mercedes Benz reveals 518 hp ML63 AMG ahead of Los Angeles debut [w/video]

                                      We’ve seen a lot of action from Mercedes-Benz and its AMG performance division this year, most of which concerns replacing the naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 with the company’s new, more powerful, more efficient twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V8. The 5.5 is a great engine, but we’ve lamented the death of the 6.2 for a while now (though Merc is still putting it to good use in the C63 AMG), and the next vehicle to get the 5.5-liter swap is the all-new 2012 ML63 AMG, which makes its official debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this week.

                                      In standard guise, the ML63 AMG puts down 518 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, though an optional AMG Performance Package raises those numbers to 550 and 560, respectively. This power is put to the ground via Merc’s AMG Speedshift Plus seven-speed transmission, driving all four wheels in the case of the ML63. The Performance Pack also raises the SUV’s top speed from 155 miles per hour to 174, and the extra grunt reduces the ML63’s 0-to-60-mph time from 4.7 seconds to 4.6.

                                      We like how the AMG design has been grafted onto the new M-Class shape, as the previous model was a bit too bulgy and brash for our tastes. Inside, there’s a standard Designo leather interior, along with a whole slate of high-tech gizmos to keep you safe, comfortable and entertained.

                                      Stay tuned for live impressions direct from Los Angeles later this week. In the meantime, have a look through our attached high-res image gallery, and hit the jump for the official press blast as well as some B-roll video of Merc’s new AMG crossover.

                                      Continue reading Mercedes-Benz reveals 518-hp ML63 AMG ahead of Los Angeles debut [w/video]

                                      Mercedes-Benz reveals 518-hp ML63 AMG ahead of Los Angeles debut [w/video]

                                          



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                                        Report: New details suggest evolutionary C7 Corvette, no split window

                                        5f6c7 01 2012 chevrolet corvette Report: New details suggest evolutionary C7 Corvette, no split window

                                        We’re as excited as anyone to see the next-generation Corvette, even if it is still a few years off. But while the C7 ‘Vette isn’t slated to arrive until 2013 as a 2014 model, it hasn’t stopped the rumormill from pumping out wild speculation. We’ve heard everything from a split rear window design to a turbocharged V8 engine, but according to GMInsideNews, it’s all a bunch of baloney.

                                        GMI reports that the design of the next Corvette will be more evolutionary than revolutionary. This means that the new car won’t feature a standard split window, and the publication’s inside sources won’t confirm an optional split-window, either. GMI also reports that the rumored 5.5-liter V8 likely won’t happen. Instead, word around the Interwebs is that the Corvette’s base engine will still be the tried-and-true 6.2-liter V8. To no one’s surprise, the mid-engine layout rumor – something that has never been corroborated to begin with – has also been debunked.

                                        But enough of what won’t happen: GMI sources do reveal that the design of the C7 ‘Vette will be European in nature, and the interior will receive a major – and much needed – overhaul. Materials are said to receive a bigtime update, and the Corvette’s infotainment system will include a large LCD display in the gauge cluster. Several sources have also claimed that the 2014 Corvette will feature a seven-speed manual transmission for improved fuel economy.

                                        New details suggest evolutionary C7 Corvette, no split window

                                            



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