The March 11 earthquakes in Japan took a huge toll on all of Japan’s automakers. And while some companies, like , are recovering quicker than others, it’s not exactly something to brag about. Or is it?
Nissan’s two most recent advertising spots tout the fact that its dealerships have a better inventory than competitors, like or – two car companies hit much worse by the earthquake catastrophes. Speaking to Automotive News, Nissan’s vice president of sales and marketing, Al Castignetti, states that while Nissan was affected by the disaster’s aftermath, the company is faring better than others and his dealerships are very well-stocked at the moment – a 54-day supply in most cases.
to watch both of Nissan’s latest ad spots, especially the first one, titled “Car Carrier.” Then, let us know if you think Nissan’s latest ads are fair game or a cheap shot by voting in our poll below. Sound off with your full reactions in the Comments, as well.
Here it is, folks: the all-new 991 . Like nearly every 911 that came before it, the iconic coupe’s design has not changed too much, keeping the line’s classic styling and proportions intact. Aside from some new LED running lamps and revised air intakes up front and some thinner taillights out back, the 2012 model is extremely similar to the 997 911 currently out on the road.
The big changes, though, are more than skin-deep. The car is about two inches longer than the current 911, and features revised six-cylinder engines. The base Carrera now uses a 3.4-liter direct-injected flat-six, producing 350 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, while the Carrera S will use a direct-injected 3.8-liter unit, delivering 400 hp. Both engines will be mated to a seven-speed manual (yes, we said it) or PDK dual-clutch transmission, either of which can be had with launch control.
Inside, the 911’s cabin uses a design borrowed from the , with a more pronounced, downward-sloping center console. Like the exterior, nothing radical has been done to the car’s innards, and that’s just fine with us.
We’ll have the official details in the coming weeks in anticipation of the new 911’s official debut at the .
Our enthusiast’s Spidie Sense started tingling when we heard about the newest bit of technology employed on the enhanced . It was not a more advanced variable valve timing system; the Yaris’ 1.5-liter engine is carried over and already has an intake cam with adjustable phasing. It was not more cogs gracing a more advanced transmission; the Yaris makes due with a 4-speed automatic and a 5-speed manual. The suspension is also traditional with struts up front and torsion beam in the rear.
So what was the next great thing?
A mono-arm windshield wiper with washer jets aimed to either side of the big blade. Ah, our Spidie Sense was trying to warn us of an exceptionally dull car. In this world where small, inexpensive cars are becoming more fun – and anyone – the new Yaris is a yawner.
For normal consumers, however, the 2012 Yaris – available as the L, LE and SE – is a much improved, affordable and economical transportation appliance. It’s the kind of car you’d feel comfortable recommending to a friend’s sister or anyone who thinks of cars as nothing more than subway substitutes.
If you live in downtown Austin, Texas, don’t plan on sleeping in next Saturday morning. First of all, you won’t want to miss this, and secondly, even if you did, something tells us the wail of an F1 car running past the capitol building will keep you from snoozing anyway.
Though completion of the new Circuit of the Americas is still a good year away, Formula One is coming to Austin this weekend when Red Bull brings one of its famous road show events to the state capital city. The event is reportedly slated to feature veteran driver and team ambassador David Coulthard driving one of the team’s demo cars up Congress Avenue between 15th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard from 7 a.m. to noon this coming Saturday.
A crew will be filming the event, which spectators will also get a chance to watch from the sidelines, though details on how many passes DC will make and whether he’ll be meeting with fans after the demonstration remain undisclosed. For that matter, the team has reportedly yet to secure the necessary permits for the event, but assuming the paperwork comes together, Texas is about to get an earlier taste of F1 than they expected.
For an even earlier glimpse, to see what Red Bull had in store when its road show hit Hong Kong.
and aren’t exactly setting the sales charts ablaze these days, but the North American President of the British makes is bullish about the future. Automotive News reports that Andy Goss, Jaguar Land Rover North America’s new boss claims that Land Rover could hit 50,000 sales by 2012, while Jaguar could crest the 50k mark in annual U.S. sales within the next few years.
The key to growth at Land Rover and Jaguar in a mature market will obviously be new product, and Tata Motors’ luxury utility brand is a lot closer to making its mark. Land Rover sold 31,864 units in 2010, and the make is already past 20,000 vehicles sold through July of 2011. Add the compact and stylish Evoque in 2012, and Goss feels the 50,000 mark is well within the brand’s reach.
Hitting U.S. sales of 50,000 units could be quite a bit trickier for Jaguar, as the Leaping Cat only moved 13,340 units in 2011. Goss again feels fresh product will help move more metal, with a sports car and -fighting sedan are at the top of the list. Another, smaller engine to compliment the excellent but somewhat thirsty 5.0-liter V8 could be on order, though such a powerplant could could take a few years to arrive Stateside.
What may not arrive is the small crossover we’re sure many Jaguar dealers are hoping for, but Goss and company have plans for their retail stores anyway. Goss tells AN that dealers will likely be asked to revamp their facilities, though corporate has yet to bring up any changes to the Jaguar dealer council.
As we’ve , is ready to improve overall fuel efficiency for the 2012 model year with the introduction of a new 2.0-liter turbo four. The new mill, which is slated to put out 240 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, will arrive Stateside under the bonnet of the , and .
If you’re willing to part with your hard-earned cash, the 528i and Z4 models will arrive in September. And now we know just how much money you’ll have to kiss goodbye, as the German luxury make gave us the price of entry for both models.
Removing two cylinders will lead to increased fuel economy, and you can apply those pump savings towards the higher purchase price. The 2012 528i will set buyers back $47,575, or $2,505 more than the $45,050 2011 model. Meanwhile, the Z4 will carry an MSRP of $49,525, or $2,075 more than the 2011 model. For now, all we have is the new base prices for the turbo-four-equipped models. We can only hope these higher prices also come with a bit more standard equipment.
The E-Type celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. And it seems about that long now that its rebirth has been in the making. Or at least the rumormill.
While the might to some seem like its successor, the luxury coupe is considerably heftier and more sedate, much as there is to love about it. A sportier model to slot in below it – in terms of both price and size – has been touted for some time, and now it appears to be nearing its manifestation at long last.
The sketch above and the press release after the jump represent the first Officially Official confirmation from Jaguar of its plans for a new sportscar – if only in “production concept” form for now. Dubbed C-X16, it looks taut (like a tiger, er… jaguar) and ready to pounce on the et al.
The concept coupe is slated for debut at next month’s , after which we’re promised a production version. So come, all ye faithful, and witness the return of the E-Type – or at least something like it.
There are no less than five auctions slated for this week in Monterey, with literally hundreds of collectable cars up for sale. Bonhams, Gooding & Company, Mecum, RM and Russo and Steele have all been consigning cars for the past several months to try and lure in the thousands of automotive enthusiasts that gather in the Monterey peninsula every August.
It can be hard to fathom the amount and value of cars actually being auctioned off in Monterey, so to put things into perspective, collector car insurance company has compiled the estimated net worth of every car being offered up in Monterey later this week. The total? An incredible $230 million.
A few of the highlights that will add to that total include a (pictured above) expected to sell for around $3 million, a pair of and the that could very well break the overall record price of a car sold at auction.
Check back later this week for highlights of the auctions, as well as the rest of our Monterey coverage.
Inside Line has released an of what its editors consider to be the 100 greatest cars of all time. We’re constantly arguing about what the best cars of all time are here in the virtual halls of Autoblog HQ. And we hardly ever agree, but with a list of 100 vehicles, you’re bound to see most of the cars you want included somewhere. Where they land in the list, however, is what’s most clearly debatable.
For instance, does the 1992 Hummer H1 at 95 deserve to be ahead of the 1991 Ford Explorer at 99? Should the 1968 Toyota Corolla, which went on to become the best-selling nameplate ever, be a little higher than 83? What about the first V8-powered Corvette at 72 or the 1906 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost at 68, both behind the 2010 Porsche Panamera at 67? The 1941 Jeep MB didn’t even crack the top 50.
We’ve debated this list among the staff fairly extensively already – some Autobloggers are rather pleased with it, while others believe there are glaring holes (no 1948 Citroën 2CV or 1955 DS? 1956 Volvo Amazon? 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air? 1969 Dodge Daytona Charger? 1992 McLaren F1?). We won’t spoil any more spots for you and let you discover on your own what made Inside Line’s Top 100. After you look over the list, drop us a line in Comments to let your fellow readers know what you think about the list.
There are places you expect to find a Škoda, and places you don’t. European streets, for example, fall squarely into the former category. Dried up lake beds in the United States, however, belong firmly in the latter. But someone forgot to tell that to the people who make the Czech derivatives.
In between for the Wörthersee show and the British Touring Car Championship, that cadre of lead-footed Škoda personnel to take the Octavia to the slat flats at Bonneville. The occasion was the tenth anniversary of the automaker’s vRS performance brand, and while their target – breaching 200 miles per hour – may have seemed distant to anyone who’s ever sat in the old Jetta with new clothes, they got theirs.
The world’s fastest Škoda achieved an official run of 202.15 mph four days ahead of schedule at the [currently ongoing] Bonneville Speed Week. The Octavia vRS with which they did it was aerodynamically optimized, dropped closer to the ground, reinforced with a roll cage and other safety equipment and fitted with a larger turbocharger and intercooler. Otherwise, however, it’s the same Octavia vRS available at dealers overseas.
Far from calling it a day and heading back to the Czech Republic, Škoda’s Bonneville team are sticking around in pursuit of the 2.0-liter production car land speed record, which currently stands at 216 mph. We’ll be watching, but in the meantime you can follow the jump for the full press release and scope out the images in the gallery for more.
If you’ve just purchased a new , you have our sincere congratulations, but you also might not want to read this post any further.
The 2012 Grand Cherokee, which goes on sale next month, will reportedly benefit from a $3,220 price decrease versus the 2011 model. This means that the base Laredo trim level with two-wheel drive will now carry an MSRP of $26,995. It also means that the resale value of your 2011 model has likely just taken a pretty severe whack.
introduced the all-new Grand Cherokee for the 2011 model year, and thus, only minor changes have been made for the 2012 model. The 5.7-liter V8 is now mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, rather than the aging five-speed, and models equipped with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 will now come with electro-hydraulic power-assisted steering. These enhancements are good for very minor increases in fuel economy – likely no more than a single mpg here or there.
The folks at Kicking Tires point out that the lower base price may be a reflection of higher price points for option packages and the removal of once-standard equipment. For example, the 2011 Grand Cherokee Laredo came standard with an eight-way power seat, whereas the 2012 model does not. What’s more, the Laredo’s leather seating package now costs a whopping $5,300 instead of $4,000.
Elsewhere in the lineup, the and receive price decreases of $250, and the costs a substantial $1,450 less than the 2011 model.
It’s weird for us to report on leaked photos of a car that , but we still haven’t seen the completely finished . The sedan will make its public debut at the this coming weekend, but it appears that photos of the unwrapped prototype has already leaked onto the web.
Seen here in all-wheel-drive GS 350 guise, we must admit that the finished design is decidedly more sedate than what led us to believe. Keep in mind, this car is the spawn of the attractive concept from the , and while all cars lose a bit of sex appeal in the transformation from concept to production, the GS seems to have lost a bit more than we had expected, especially out back.
In any case, this looks to be the low-end of the range, not the F Sport or V8 model, and we’ll hold our final judgments until we see the finished product in Monterey. Stay tuned for the full details this weekend.
The roadways can be a dangerous place to be, no matter what type of vehicle is moving you and yours to and fro. Though cars and trucks are getting safer year after year, the same can’t necessarily be said of motorcycles. While advances like anti-lock brakes, traction control and even have made modern motorcycles easier to ride, it’s no surprise which vehicle generally wins when a car and a motorcycle collide.
That’s where the proper safety gear comes into play. In order to maximize safety when riding on two (or three) wheels, a rider needs to cover him or herself in the full spate of riding apparel, and companies like fill that need. Thing is, motorcyclists tend to be an interesting bunch, and appealing to their sense and sensibilities isn’t easy.
Hence, the video you’ll see .* In it, a super cool dude with a ratty has locked himself firmly in the ’80s and doesn’t give a single thought to anyone else, including a pair of -mounted bikers, ably played by Rob Carpenter and Chris Rayburn. Mayhem ensues. Oh, and as is often the case in the real world, the motorcyclist gets the girl.
If you like the production values, check out a couple more Icon videos that we’ve featured on Autoblog in the past.
The trusty hatchback was far and away the segment leader when the second-generation car arrived in late 2008. But since then, the B-segment has been a huge point of attention for many automakers, and as such, Honda’s all-star now has some pretty serious competition from the likes of the , , and , not to mention soon-to-be-released newcomers like the , and .
In an effort to keep the Fit fresh, has, um, fitted it with some new standard equipment for 2012, as well as some minor styling tweaks. Sport models now get a new grille, black headlight bezels and a new finish for the 16-inch alloy wheels. The base Fit receives body-colored mirrors and a new wheel cover design. New standard features on the Fit Sport include steering wheel-mounted audio controls, as well as Bluetooth HandsFreeLink on navigation-equipped cars.
Under the hood, the Fit’s 1.5-liter inline-four carries on unchanged, producing 117 horsepower and 106 pound-feet of torque, mated to either a manual or automatic transmission, both of which are five-speed units. It’ll be another couple of years before the Fit’s all-new replacement arrives. Just in time, too – by then it’ll be the old dog in a segment of new pups. for Honda’s official release.
has teamed up with specialty manufacturer SPX and Barrett-Jackson to create a custom widebody that will sell for charity early next year.
Inspired by the 1969 Boss 429, this features a hand-fabricated metal widebody kit that adds an incredible nine inches to the width of the car, functional side scoops above the rear wheels, and a functional hood scoop from an actual Boss 429. Under the hood is a Ford Racing supercharger system that boosts the 5.0L V8 to 700 horsepower. For the interior, Galpin added custom red suede and black leather seats and upholstery and a 1000-watt JLT audio system. To top it all off, the car is painted in a PPG Candy Apple Red hue.
The car is scheduled to make several appearances, including Barrett-Jackson’s Las Vegas auction and before going up for auction at the Scottsdale auction in January, with the proceeds from the sale to benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital. You can read more about the car and the auction .
If you’re and you feel the need to top your previous and ridiculously popular videos with a fourth installment, what do you do? Why, turn to Hollywood, of course. For Gymkhana 4, Block and his crew travel to the Universal Studios lot, and, as such, you’ll see plenty of classic movie props in this film.
Let’s see… we’ve got Back to the Future, Jaws, Zombieland and Slumdog Millionaire for starters, along with a couple of gorillas and Segways. But it’s the automotive action you’re most interested in, right? And in that case, we’ve got more good news for you: Block’s sideways smokey action in back in full effect, and this time, he crashes through buildings, dodges animatronic sharks and pirouettes around the guys from .
All in, you’ll find just over nine minutes of automotive hoonage starring Block’s , punctuated by movie references and product placement along with plenty of special effects and insane camera angles. See it all for yourself right
Monterey weekend is almost upon us, boys and girls. The event at Pebble Beach is consistently packed year-in, year-out with mouthwatering classics, record-breaking auctions, historic automobile races and even a few new vehicle debuts. And this year, has some big plans.
No, it’s not about to unveil six new concepts at once like it did at the last year, but it does have a couple of tricks up its proverbial sleeve. First up is the GTE road car concept we’ve been , which looks poised to take a page out of the less weight, more power playbook employed on such favorites as the Ferrari 430 Scuderia and . The concept starts with the Evora GTE race car and retunes it for the road, with 420 horsepower on tap, a competition-spec sequential gearbox and center-locking forged aluminum wheels.
If you’re looking for something more tangible than a concept car, though, Lotus will also be unveiling the Matte Black Final Edition. Exclusive to North America, the special Exige, as you might have guessed, bids a fond farewell to the lightweight sports car with a matte black paint job, plus black Alcantara interior and a 257 horsepower upgrade. Only 25 individually numbered examples will be made, and you can follow the jump for the full press release on both these new debuts.
What you see above is a teaser sketch of new car, called Hemera, from a new London-based luxury automobile company, called . The full concept will be revealed at the in just a few weeks, and don’t worry – up until this writing, we had never heard of any of this before, either.
Call us skeptical on the car and company’s viability, but we’ll have to wait until we see this thing in person to assess its chances.
Aside from this sketch, Eterniti Motors has not released a single detail about its Hemera concept. We can see that it’s a high-riding five-door and its sleek proportions and aggressive front fascia speak to an aura of sportiness. Kinda.
Until we can figure out what exactly is going on here, give us your best guess in the Comments, and for Eterniti’s official press release (all three sentences of it), as well as a teaser video for the Hemera.
Despite a , has been widely reported as planning to send its unibody Ridgeline down the same road as its and after 2013. Even if that’s true, that doesn’t necessarily mean the curtain will have completely closed on the automaker’s pickup truck offerings. According to AutoWeek, the next-generation – previewed in the officialconcept image seen above – could spawn a compact pickup variant. Since the CR-V is itself based on the , in a roundabout way, this could mean that we’re looking at a Civic pickup, which is a bit tough to wrap one’s head around.
A full-size car-based pickup never really set Honda’s sales charts on fire, so maybe a smaller iteration will do the trick, right? We’ll believe it when we see it.
In the meantime, Honda has a bunch of other updates planned for the next few years, including the launch of an all-new in 2012. The next Accord will once again be offered with a hybrid variant (which hasn’t been offered since 2007), and this gasoline-electric powertrain could also find its way under the hood of the CR-V.
Elsewhere in Honda’s portfolio, AW asserts that the slow-selling will finally get an entry-level four-cylinder model, and the Pilot will get a complete overhaul in the fall of 2013. Furthermore, rumors of a hotter Mugen-inspired are still being mumbled, and a city car may arrive as early as 2012.
The name is synonymous with high performance. The name Omni is more often recalled as a small hatchback offered by in the 1980s, and while it was practical and efficient, nobody ever thought of the little runabout as anything other than basic transportation. A funny thing happened when got the bright idea to combine Shelby and Omni into one package, though: an iconic hot hatch was born. And darn if they didn’t come up with one of the quickest production cars in America…
On second thought, “iconic” may be too lofty a word for the Dodge Omni GLH and, a few modifications later, its slightly quicker GLHS sibling. “Memorable,” “noteworthy” and, above all else, “fun,” on the other hand, apply perfectly. And speaking of memorable, have a look at the glorious commercial , where the advertising geniuses combined an all-black Shelby Omni with a voiceover that sounds a heck of a lot like Billy Dee Williams.
Oh, and in case you were wondering, GLH stands for Goes Like Hell. GLHS stands for Goes Like Hell Some More, or so the legend goes.
