Mopar Avenger Rally Car – Click above for high-res image gallery
When we think of rally cars, the and immediately come to mind. At no point does the enter our thoughts, but that didn’t stop Team Pentastar from building its own dirt-ready rally sedan.
wanted to celebrate a new business partnership with subsidiary Magneti Marelli by building a collaborative vehicle that combines the talents of the Italian components maker and Chrysler’s iconic Mopar team. The result is an Avenger that can handle more than America’s urban jungle.
Magneti Marelli and Mopar spent a few weeks modifying a stock Avenger Heat with a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 underhood. The Avenger chassis remains intact, but a Magneti Marelli suspension was added for improved handling, lowering the Avenger by 1.5 inches. Brakes were upgraded to include 14.25-inch front rotors and 13.5-inch rear rotors, and a rear brake rally package with a hand-operated brake was included.
Mopar 2011 Charger – Click above for high-res image gallery
In 2010, released the with a 500-unit production run. Chrysler tells us the gussied-up pony car was so popular with the die-hard faithful that the entire production run was sold out in three days.
Team Pentastar is looking to make similar headlines for 2011 with the official introduction of the . The sedan comes only in Pitch Black with a Mopar Blue stripe that stretches across the top of the entire body, and a rear spoiler is standard fare on this limited production model.
Inside, this special edition Charger features Mopar-branded Katzkin leather seats with contrasting Mopar Blue stitching that also appears on the steering wheel. The Mopar Charger also features the next-generation Pistol Grip combined with Auto Stick, which enables the driver to select a higher or lower gear while a transmission controller ensures that you’re not over-revving. Further differentiation comes courtesy of special instrument bezels and an identifying plaque on the instrument panel. The Mopar name again appears on the floor mats and door sills.
Aston Martin Vantage GT3 – Click above for high-res image
It used to be that race cars were staggered: the GT1 and GT3 cars were based on the , while the GT2 and GT4 machines were based on the . But that was before the came into the production lineup, and before the company veered into top-tier LMP1 racing. And while the DBRS9 is still competitive in the GT3 class, Aston has opted to replace it with a new car based on the V12 Vantage.
The new Vantage GT3 packs a competition version of the dry-sump 6.0-liter V12 from the road car, mated to an Xtrac paddle-shift gearbox and race-honed ABS and traction control. Although exact specifications have yet to be finalized, Aston hopes to get the engine up to 600 horsepower and weight down to 1250 kg (2,755 pounds) by the time the car makes its debut in July, with ten customer cars set to be completed by the start of next season to gradually replace the 26 examples of the DBRS9 built to date. Press release after the jump.
2012 45th Anniversary Edition Chevrolet Camaro – Click above for high-res image gallery
has unveiled a special-edition to commemorate the pony car’s 45th anniversary. The 2012 model will feature a unique graphics package that includes a special red stripe and badging along with imposing 20-inch wheels. The vehicle’s lighting will also receive a few tweaks for the occasion, including dark-silver trim for the fog light and taillamp bezels. Inside, buyers will find a Jet Black leather interior with red, white and blue stitched seats adorned with a 45th anniversary logo. Special white gauges are nestled in the vehicle’s dash, as well.
That’s all well and good, but the biggest news is that 3.6-liter direct-injection V6 featured in the Camaro will now boast 323 horsepower – an 11 pony increase over last year. That nudge rather conveniently puts the V6 Camaro ahead of the V6-equipped at 305 horsepower.
In addition to the celebratory anniversary model, The General plans to introduce a new FE4 suspension package just for the SS Coupe. Along with re-tuned dampers on all four corners, the vehicle will now see a solid 23-mm stabilizer bar up front and a 24-mm bar out back along with 20-inch aluminum wheels.
Of course, if that’s not enough to wet your whistle, we probably don’t need to remind you that the epic ZL1 will also touch down next year. for the full press blast.
Mini Inspired by Goodwood – Click either image for high-res gallery
While it may seem anathema to American tastes, in the Old World, bigger is not always better. Particularly if you live in a city laid out long before the advent of the automobile. But overseas buyers can still have extravagant tastes, so downsizing to a smaller vehicle to get around densely-packed cities shouldn’t necessarily equate to losing out on those little touches that make a high-end automobile what it is. Hence cars like the Ferrari edition Abarth 695, the , the Aston Martin Cygnet, and this: the .
A joint effort between the two subsidiaries of in England, the Insipired by Goodwood (named for the home of ) is set to be unveiled shortly at the Shanghai Motor Show. Mechanically, it’s essentially a , packing the same 1.6-liter turbocharged four with 181 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque (192 hp on overboost).
The exterior is distinguished by Diamond Black Metallic – a color straight from the Rolls-Royce catalog (or alternatively, Mini’s own Reef Blue Metallic) – with 17-inch multi-spoke alloys and the requisite special badging. But like a Disney character seeking access to a secret, lion-shaped desert cave, it’s what’s inside that counts: Rolls-Royce craftsmen have collaborated with the Mini Yours custom orders department to trim the Cooper’s cabin out in Cornsilk leather, Walnut Burr wood trim, black Nappa leather upper dashboard, thick-pile carpeting… the works, in other words – everything you’d expect from a Rolls-Royce cabin, only smaller.
There’s a lot to love here, but try not to love it too much: only 1,000 examples will be made, and as with all BMW-related option packages, we’re sure it won’t be cheap. Even though deliveries start about a year from now, we see this car going down a storm, so you’d better get your order in quick. Otherwise, the closest you’re likely to get is the extensive high-resolution image gallery we’ve compiled along with the details in the press release after the jump.
Last leg of the 2011 Targa Tasmania – Click above to watch video
The Targa Tasmania is a road-rally event that’s been running since 1992, taking place, as you may have guessed, on the island of Tasmania. In 2011, this five-day race began in the coastal city of George Town and ended in the capital city of Hobart. The event features both classic and modern sports cars, changing weather conditions and some truly amazing driving talent.
Targa Tasmania has played host to some amazing drivers (such as ) and equally amazing machines (such as ). rather conveniently put together a video shot on the last leg of the 2011 Targa, and you can watch it by . There you’ll see Porsche driver extraordinaire Röhrl and others talk about their participation in the rally, and you’ll also see plenty of footage of all the little Tasmanian Devils as they wind their way across the island before finally crossing the finish line. Enjoy!
In a sense, the FF is one of those beautiful moments where a company has answered a question that nobody was asking, only for us to drive it and smack our foreheads for not having thought of something like it sooner.
Lexus has decided to pull the wraps off its LF-Gh – which stands for Lexus Future Grand-Touring Hybrid – ahead of its official debut at the upcoming New York Auto Show.
Mercedes-Benz has pulled back the veil on its tech strategy for the next few years.
Also of interest:
Browse our archive of Daily U-Turn posts or subscribe to the RSS feed
2012 Audi Q3 – Click above for high-res image gallery
is apparently done with rendering after rendering of its new Q3 crossover. Instead, the German automaker has gone ahead and let the cat completely out of the bag ahead of the cute ‘ute’s official unveiling at the 2011 Shanghai Motor Show.
As you’re likely already aware, the Q3 is Audi’s take on how to make a into an entry-level luxury model. Naturally, that means entirely new sheetmetal with Audi’s well-known gaping grille along with LED lighting all around and a steeply sloping rear hatch. Add it all up and Audi says you get an impressively low drag coefficient of just 0.32.
That shapely rear hatch means there are a few concessions inside. There’s 16.24 cubic feet of storage capacity with the rear seats in place, and 48.2 with them folded down. The Tiguan, by way of comparison, offers 18.6 and 56.1, respectively, and even that is about 25 percent smaller than the or . Judging by the shape of the hind quarters, large and bulky items may be a bit tough to fit inside as well.
You won’t be asked to skimp on options, though. Adaptive light technology that points the way forward, electronic parking assistance and Audi’s hard drive-based MMI infotainment and navigation system will all be available at launch, and an option to turn the Q3 into a wireless hotspot will come in the near future.
Two gasoline and one diesel engine, all with direct injection, will be offered at launch, offering between 140 and 211 horsepower. The two most powerful engines will be mated to Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system via a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. A 170-horsepower gasoline engine will also be offered with front-wheel drive. We’ll have to play a game of wait-and-see to find out which of these powertrains make their way Stateside.
Base price in Germany for the 2012 Audi Q3 will be 29,900 euros when it goes on sale in June. For those keeping track, that’s about $43,000 at the current exchange rate, though we wouldn’t go by that figure when estimating its cost when it eventually hits the U.S. Want to know more? Find all the details in the exhaustive press blast .
We’ve all known that Formula One racing is coming to Austin, Texas. Now we know what to call the track that will play host to the 2012 U.S. Grand Prix. Called the Circuit of the Americas, this 3.4-mile racetrack features 20 turns, 133 feet of elevation change and a 10-year F1 contract.
Circuit of the Americas won’t simply play host to four-wheeled machines, though. The two-wheeled action of MotoGP will also be coming to the Texas track. Beginning in 2013, CotA starts a 10-year contract with the motorcycle racing series.
Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!
Autoblog Podcast #225 features Chris Shunk, Zach Bowman, Chris Paukert and Dan Roth. We start with Ward’s Auto’s ten best interiors for 2011, speculate about the Subaru XV concept and a Jaguar SUV before contemplating what one million U.S. Prius sales means. Your feedback in our Q&A module winds us up, and we’ve embedded that in the post below, as well. Thanks for listening, we’ll see you next week!
Autoblog Podcast #225: Best interiors, Subaru XV, Jaguar SUV, a million Prius sales
In the Autoblog Garage:
2011
Hosts: , , ,
Runtime: 01:20:38
Get the podcast:
[] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
[] Download the MP3 directly
Feedback:
Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com
Voicemail: 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763)
Review the show in iTunes and take our
2012 Audi TT RS tested by Car and Driver – Click above to watch the video
When Car and Driver tested the , the magazine managed a 0-60 time of . That’s supercar territory, which is to be expected of a $165,00 Audi with 525 horsepower and all-wheel-drive.
The 2012 Audi TT RS should hit dealer lots this summer, with a much more reasonable Monroney somewhere in the $60,000 territory. The hot coupe features “only” 335 horsepower from its turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine, so it shouldn’t even come close to challenging the V10-packing R8 from 0-60, right? According to C/D, the TT RS can do more than just “challenge” the R8 Spyder, as the little hatch managed to hit 60 mph in a blistering 3.6 seconds (note: C/D conducts acceleration testing with a rollout). That’s quicker than the R8 and a lot of very expensive variants. Could this stupendous performance be an aberration?
to watch the action-packed video of the TT RS. It’s only 50 seconds long, and it’s worth your time if only for the amazing sounds coming from Audi’s boosted five cylinder. Top tip, JimmyX!
2011 Kia Sorento – Click above for high-res image gallery
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into the for possible driveshaft failure that results in a sudden loss of power. According to NHTSA, there have been four complaints about the intermediate driveshaft and another five alleging that the power loss was due to a transmission failure which may be related to the driveshaft issue. The investigation will look into 50,000 2011 model year Sorento CUVs.
The second, separate investigation concerns possible corroded lower control arms on the 2002-2003 . According to The Detroit News, there have been seven complaints alleging that the control arms on the Subaru can break at more than 50 miles per hour, with two claimants saying that the failure sent their car outs of control. The Subaru investigation affects 84,000 Impreza models.
Though no recall has been ordered yet in either case, Kia has reportedly issued a technical service bulletin to address a clunking or squealing noise from the intermediate driveshaft.
A study released by TrueCar.com revealed that 7.4 percent of buyers in 2010 were women, a 2.2-percent rise over the previous year. and also saw an increase in purchases by females, with Rolls climbing from eight percent to 9.3 percent and Ferrari going from 5.1 percent to 6.4 percent.
Those increases take the number of ladies who buy exotics from next-to-nothing to very small, but an increase is an increase. TrueCar doesn’t offer an explanation as to what may have caused the uptick. Got any ideas? Leave ‘em in the ‘Comments’ below.
Overall, the survey showed that females are far more likely to buy an inexpensive and practical car than males, who are much more likely to opt for big, brawny cars. According to the study, the top 10 cars that sold more than 50 percent of the time to women were the New Beetle, Spectra, , Volkswagen Eos, Entourage, S40, , , and the . Surely you saw some of those coming…
Conversely, the list for men was far less practical (excepting pickup trucks, of course) and far faster. It included the , Sierra, , , , , Ford Ranger, Tundra, and the . Well done, men – that’s not a bad lookin’ list right there. Check out more details and commentary in the press release .
This 1989 Rothmans tribute is the second such 953 rally car homage to come from this seller in less than a year. Last year, he reportedly sold a 1980 Porsche 911 Rothmans to the folks at GoPro for north of $70k. That car was nice, but was only two-wheel drive.
This year, he decided to go all out, and took a perfectly-maintained 1989 Porsche 911 C4 and turned it into a near-perfect representation of the 1984 -winning 953. Check out the , where the car has yet to meet its reserve. Using a C4 as the base car means this tribute carries an all-Porsche all-wheel drive system, making this year’s car even more desirable than last year’s.
Best of all, the car looks the part, but retains its street legality and some crucial creature comforts to make it a useful means of transportation as well as a suitable weekend warrior. According to the eBay listing, the car retains ABS, cruise control, climate control, a sunroof, power locks, power mirrors, power windows, and a differential lock. See the car in action after the jump. Top tip, Chris M!
Walter Röhrl and Christian Geistdörfer with their 1981 Porsche 911 SC – Click above for high-res image gallery
Thirty years ago, Walter Röhrl and his co-driver Christian Geistdörfer very nearly won the San Remo Rally, after a comeback that would have been one for the ages. Röhrl and Geistdörfer were up against a field of faster, more powerful four-wheel-drive cars in their rear-wheel-drive SC, and somehow managed to pull within an eyelash of victory.
Unfortunately, a broken driveshaft forced the pair to retire, leaving Michele Mouton’s Quattro to run away with the race. Now, exactly thirty years after their heartbreak in San Remo, Röhrl and Geistdorfer are back in their 911 SC for the five-day, 2000-km Targa Tasmania. The rally starts today, and you can follow Röhrl and Geistdörfer’s progress .
The car that Röhrl drove in the 1981 San Remo rally was thrown together last minute because he was without a drive until just before the start of the race. The ill-fated San Remo run was the car’s only outing in professional competition. For this year’s Targa Tasmania, the car was found in a garage and restored to its 1981 competition specification.
Gallery:
[Source: Porsche]
’s Walter Röhrl, Christian Geistdörfer team up 30 years later for Targa Tasmania
Skiing the French Alps is something you’d likely associate with a luxury lifestyle. Dacia, on the other hand, is a budget brand. In other words, diametric opposites, you might think – until you recall that it’s the Dacia Duster that’s been challenging for France’s Andros Trophy ice racing series at the hands of none other than Alain Prost. Now Renault’s low-cost Romanian subsidiary has announced a new special edition model.
Drawing on its years of partnership with the École de Ski Français (that’s French ski school, for the linguistically unfamiliar), the new limited edition Duster gets a white paint job, special badging, a reinforced aluminum sump guard, a roof rack to accommodate four pairs of skis, and a set of spare wheels pre-fitted with snow tires. Otherwise, the equipment is the same as the Lauréate 4×4 trim level, and it’s powered by a 110-horsepower turbodiesel four.
So who would be interested in buying a limited-edition Dacia? Ski instructors, apparently. The ESF edition Duster is available exclusively to ESF instructors, with a €18,990 sticker price. If that description just happens to fit you, well… do yourself a favor and read the complete press release .
Car insurance rate infographic – Click above to view in high-res
Car insurance rates are determined with a host of factors in mind. Objective items like a motorist’s age and driving record are the most-weighted factors insurers consider, but those items among a couple of dozens of things used to figure out what your premiums will be. Included in the CarInsurance.com graphic are stats like 2010’s most-expensive car to insure, the GT2, and the least, the Mazda Tribute.
Behind driving record, age and marital status are factors like what you drive, your gender, your state and credit rating. While lots of the factors are things drivers have some control over, a small part of the insurance rate you pay comes down to what company you choose to go with and which policy you buy. for an expanded breakdown of insurance costs.
2010 Suzuki Kizashi – Click above for high-res image gallery
is hoping to jumpstart its slow-selling with two concepts that will debut at the New York International Auto Show. Suzuki says that the cars will each feature a different “advanced propulsion system,” though they aren’t dropping many hints as to what that may mean.
Whatever it is, Suzuki’s New York show display will be advanced propulsion-themed, and all will become clear soon enough.
There aren’t any photos of the cars available yet, but Suzuki says one will be a “socially-conscious sedan,” while the other will be a rowdy tribute to Suzuki’s motorcycling heritage. We haven’t quite figured out what that means, either. Whatever the cars wind up looking like, Suzuki says it will debut them during its press conference at the show.
2011 Le Castellet 6-Hours crash – Click above to view video
The inaugural race of the 2011 Series, Le Castellet 6-Hours, got off to a nasty beginning today, with a mistake by the pit car causing a huge pileup in the GT field. Thanks to a hump in the back stretch of the Paul Ricard HTTT circuit, cars at the back of the pack can’t see the front of the field, just the green light telling them to go.
At the start of Le Castellet, the lights turned green, but the pace car didn’t leave the track. Fortunately for the pace car driver, the prototype field saw his mistake and slowed down abruptly.
Those in GT, thinking the race was still green, crested the rise to be met with much slower traffic. The resulting panic stops led to pandemonium, which left at least one Farnbacher-Loles out of commission before the race even got started. Check out the video .
1967 Toyota 2000 GT – Click above for high-res image gallery
The 1967 2000 GT is a unique beast in that it seems above reproach by even the harshest automotive critics. 44 years after the first 2000 GT rolled out of the Toyota factory, it checks all the right boxes. It’s fast, gorgeous, insanely rare and marked a new era for its manufacturer.
Prior to the 2000 GT, Toyota was known for spitting out small, reliable, cheap sedans and four-by-fours that got the job done admirably, but lacked a little je ne sais quoi. The 2000 GT changed all that, and showed that Toyota could hang with Italian blue-bloods like almost at the flip of a switch.
Toyota wound up building just 351 2000 GTs for worldwide consumption. Just 84 of those were left-hand-drive, with only 62 making it to the States. This is one of perhaps 40 American-delivery 2000 GTs that still exist. It’s a one-owner car, bought in St. Louis, Missouri. After a long time in storage, the car got a thorough detail job, engine rebuild and interior freshening at Maine Line Exotics in Biddeford, Maine. It’s available with a stupefying $650,000 Buy-It-Now. If you have the means, we suggest you do just that.
