is out to draw parallels between the company’s new GT86 sports car and some of the legends of the automaker’s past. A new video depicting the new coupe’s development spends plenty of time with the GT86 on screen with the likes of the Toyota Sports 800 and even the AE86. Those are both fine sparring partners for a vehicle that prides itself on superior handling over outright brawn. Watching engineers cane the GT86 around the world’s various road courses only stokes our desire for a little more time with the either of the two-door’s corporate cousins.
As you may recall, the and both left favorable impressions on us during our recent drives, but we could use a full week’s worth of sideways action to figure out whether those pieces of hardware are worthy of sharing tarmac with the likes of the legendary AE86. to take a look.
Thailand’s worst flood in 50 years claimed the lives of 610 people and caused billions in damage, but with the waters slowly receding, the extent of the damage is coming into focus.
Among the tens of thousands of businesses affected by the disaster, hasn’t been spared – its factory was hit hard, and in an effort to assure that damaged vehicles never make it to consumers, the Japanese automaker has begun to scrap over 1,000 vehicles damaged during the flood.
Honda workers have begun disposing of row upon row of and subcompacts submerged during the flooding using construction equipment and vehicle crushers to demolish the 1,055 vehicles. The tragic yet oddly beautiful gallery above chronicles the aftermath and resulting destruction.
has been busily preparing its new , and the automaker just put the racer through its first shakedown tests in Turin, Italy. So far, the Lotus team is happy with the vehicle’s progress, but testing will continue in 2012 as the company prepares to take on the 2012 FIA World Championship. Don’t expect the to take on too many gravel stages, however. Lotus says the rally car will lock horns with competitors in the FIA GT Class on the asphalt events in Monte Carlo, Tour de Corse and San Remo.
Lotus began working on its rally fighter in July, 2011, which is a pretty quick turn around for the vehicle’s first shakedown run.
But the Exige R-GT Rally Car isn’t the only tasty piece of news from the company. Lotus also fired up the company’s IndyCar engine for the first time as well. for the full press release.
First, let’s put some salient numbers on the table: 5.5 million versus 2.7 million and $67.14 per hour versus $33.77 per hour.
The first set of numbers belong to , and represent the total number of vehicles built in 2010 and the average wage of an autoworker in that country. The second set of numbers are the equivalent figures from the United States. In other words, twice as many vehicles are built in Germany every year than in the U.S., and German autoworkers make double what their American counterparts earn.
Interestingly enough, all three major German automakers – the , and groups – operate facilities in both their home market of Germany and in the U.S. And, just as intriguingly, the factory workers in the southern states of America who work for German automakers aren’t paid wages that even come close to matching those of their German counterparts.
Why the disparity? According to an article from Remappingdebate.org, it has to do with an ongoing “race to the bottom” when it comes to wages in the U.S. and a mutually beneficial working relationship between German automakers and IG Metall, the German equivalent to the union in the States. In short, German automakers are paying Americans less because they can.
There’s an entire with commentary from industry insiders and other experts on the matter, and we suggest you read it for all the details on the great wage disparity that makes the U.S. a low-cost country for German automakers operating outside their home borders.
sent Calvin Klein model Lara Stone out with a 2013 SL, and put photographer Alex Prager in charge of documenting the platform-heeled, Arcadian shenanigans. The project is called the 2012 Fashion Collaboration, Icons of Style, and will be shown in its entirety at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, February 9-15, 2012. Meant to be a modern take on film noir and, apparently, Storm Catchers, Stone uses the SL to outrun a tornado.
of the photo above, and for a behind-the-scenes video and more details on both models – the car and the woman – and Alex Prager.
shows off SL’s new curves with supermodel Lara Stone
Unlike most cities, Japan’s capital city plays host to two major automotive exhibitions: the and the . While these terms may be interchangeable when it comes to European expos, in Tokyo, they connote two different shows altogether. The first is the Motor Show, where new concepts and production models are unveiled by the world’s automakers. The Auto Salon is more of a tuner expo along the lines of the show in Las Vegas. So after made its long-anticipated splash at the Tokyo Motor Show with its new , now it’s heading to the Salon with some modified versions.
First up is a version of the , packing some prototype carbon-fiber components, suspension upgrades, Brembo brakes and more. Subaru has also teamed up again with aftermarket tuner Prova (which shares its name with the traditional license plates carried by prototypes in italy) for a BRZ Black Edition. And you can bet there will be a handful or two of other tuners eager to show what they can do with the new rear-drive sports coupe, as well.
Subaru itself will also be showcasing an upgraded called the G4 STI with all manner of performance enhancements, and will, at long last, announce its return to a number of different motorsport disciplines. The Super GT300-spec BRZ, , will be displayed alongside the Legacy-based racer it replaces. But there will also be a WRX STI that’s slated to be fielded at the Nürburgring 24, and Subaru will also be announcing its return to professional rally competition, though not the World Rally Championship series it left years ago, it will contest the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. Follow the jump for the full press release.
Despite major improvements, public perception still lingers that most American luxury sedans don’t quite approach the level of refinement and equipment offered by their imported competitors. And so it follows that models fall shy of and , especially because their pricing is less dear. But the latest announcement from Auburn Hills aims to close that perception – and pricing – gap ever so gently.
Whereas in the past, the Pentastar automaker may have tried to sell the buying public on terms like “Corinthian leather” to sell their luxury automobiles, today, all it has to do is call up its friends (read: corporate overlords) in Italy to get some top-quality Potrona Frau leather (usually found in and top-of-the-line Alfa Romeo models) and hand-sanded wood trim sent over. The new-for-2012 Luxury Series is visually distinguished as well by “platinum-chrome” trim on the grille, door mirrors and handles, plus 20-inch polished wheels and all the bells and whistles Chrysler can muster. Starting at $40,125, it’s also a good bit less expensive than other luxury cars its size cars with similar trappings.
Couple that with what Chrysler claims is the first eight-speed automatic transmission offered on a domestic luxury sedan and available all-wheel drive, and the 300 Luxury Series could just make luxury import buyers swing by their local Chrysler dealership for a closer look. Short of that, have a look at the high-res images in the gallery and the press release after the jump for a closer look.
Corn-based ethanol is a controversial fuel in its own right, and a longstanding federal subsidy for blending the biofuel with gasoline has been an additional source of consternation over the last 30 years. According to The Detroit News, Congress has wrapped up its work for 2011 without extending the incentive, a move that’s drawn praise from environmental groups and taxpayer advocates.
Hand-in-hand with the discontinuation of the tax subsidy, an import tariff on ethanol imported from Brazil has also been cancelled, which opens the tap for a source of ethanol that doesn’t have the reputation of being a dirty diversion of a food crop that corn-based ethanol carries. That means that while the blenders’ tax credit is no more, the 2007 legislation calling for a significant increase in the use of renewable fuels is likely not going anywhere if the abundant ethanol produced from Brazil’s sugarcane economy can be used instead.
The corn lobby is naturally not thrilled with the news, but it has put on a brave face. Tom Buis of , a group that supports and fosters the cause of domestic ethanol production, tells the DetNews, “without the tax credit, the ethanol industry will survive; it will continue to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, create jobs, and strengthen our economy.” That statement isn’t exactly at odds with the actions of Congress, since there’s now about $6 billion per year that could be plowed into further renewable fuel research and development that would ensure corn ethanol is indeed a stepping stone fuel, as it was sold in the first place.
The earthquake and tsunami in Japan wreaked havoc on the automotive supply chain. , and lost many thousands of units to the natural disaster, which meant that car buyers here in the U.S. sometimes had a difficult time finding and buying certain vehicles. We know how these disruptions hurt sales, but a study conducted by ALG shows that prices were also shifted because of the shortage of key vehicles.
ALG predicted that a 20-day production disruption would lead to 1.5-percent higher prices, and when production stoppage reaches 100 days, the anticipated spike in prices could be up to 10 percent. So, how’d it turn out in reality?
The study looked at the and the . ALG found that Rogue production was back up and running by May, and the CUV went up in price by three percent by June. That’s a significant margin, especially when compared to the overall CUV price increase of .3 percent during that time.
The was even harder to find between March and June, and the numbers bear this out. The price of the Fit jumped by 5.6 percent during that time. The compact segment as a whole jumped by a still significant 2.3 percent during that time frame.
If you went to the movies over the holiday, chances are pretty good you saw the latest box-office-topping Tom Cruise vehicle. We’re not talking about the globetrotting explosion-fest it came wrapped up in, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol; we’re speaking of the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept car that (along with seemingly every other model in Munich’s arsenal).
But the Vision EfficientDynamics coupe isn’t just a flight of fancy for the world’s auto show circuit or for Cruise’s Ethan Hunt character – it’s set for production , albeit . Snapped undergoing testing through a chain-link fence, the extended-range plug-in supercar looks ready for the street, if only we could peel away the Van Gogh camouflage. This 2+2 is widely expected to deliver a 0-62 mph time of 4.8 seconds, and we’re expecting the lightweight flyer to lose the unique lower glass door panels of the 2009 show car (a design change hinted at by this prototype’s swirly coverup).
Speaking of the doors, they also look to be more conventional in size and possibly operation – the concept car featured elongated butterfly doors that afforded accesses to both the front and rear seats. The prototype seen here would appear to have more conventionally sized apertures. We’re guessing that mundane real-world considerations like crash-worthiness and ease of operation had something to do with the transition. Another likely concession to the realities of production auto-making appear to be a pair of rather ungainly bumper-level nacelles in the rear fascia that weren’t present on the show car. We’re not sure if these are merely reflectors, actual taillights or if they’re simply clever camouflage, but we’re hoping for the latter.
While the concept was powered by both an electric drivetrain and a small diesel generator, our spies suggest that the production car may switch over to a more conventional turbocharged four-cylinder range-extender. Whether it burns gas or oil, however, the i8 is sure to be one of the most radical cars on the road… and it’s likely to carry an exotic price tag to match.
Art cars are becoming de rigeur once again, but while most automakers getting in on the action contract painters of some sort or another to spruce up their products, Renault has gone in a slightly different direction for its latest project.
To celebrate the arrival of its new Twingo hatchback, the French automaker has brought in a musician, a chef, a fashion designer and a product designer to give their take on the Twingo’s interior.
Pop singer Nicola Roberts installed a mobile recording studio and a dressing trailer’s worth of equipment in hers. Fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac turned his rolling canvas into a stately presidential city car. Designer Nils Holger Moormann made his Twingo into a mobile “reading room.” And chef Davide Scabin drew inspiration from pasta in his interpretation.
Intriguing ideas, all, if a tad impractical. But the photos speak for themselves, so check ‘em out in our high-res image gallery and follow the jump for the full press release.
News doesn’t travel fast in Poland. In fact, very few things travel all that fast in Poland. Sure, the emergence of Robert Kubica on the Formula One scene has shown well for the Eastern European country, but when he tried his hand at rallying, well… . (His hand, we mean.) So you can imagine our surprise when we caught wind of a Volkswagen Polo rally car being developed in Poland.
Apparently nobody told a guy named Paul Dytko that was already building a Polo-based rally car to challenge the World Rally Championship. Or that sister-company Skoda had turned its Fabia (which shares its underpinnings with the Polo) into an S2000 rally car, too. Not that we’re complaining, mind you – there’s always room for another fire-breathing, 400-horsepower hatchback in the world. We’re just surprised, is all.
Dytko is reportedly trying to raise funds to continue development on the project, and potentially take it to Pikes Peak to prove what it can do. In the mean time, the Polish Polo will be taking on hill climb events across Europe in the coming season, now just weeks away. But if you can’t wait that long, there’s a good six minutes of rather artfully shot footage of the prototype drifting sideways around what looks like an abandoned airfield . Check it out.
Ward’s Auto reports the European Commission is pushing new measures that could burden automakers with stiff noise regulations for cars, buses and trucks. Under the proposed legislation, automakers would need to curb vehicle noise levels by two decibels two years after the legislation’s wording is agreed upon by EC member countries. Another two decibel reduction would occur three years after the first installment. Trucks, meanwhile, would be forced to reduce noise by one decibel in the first wave of reductions and two decibels in the second wave. Officials behind the proposed rules say the change will slash road noise by 25 percent and greatly improve the health and quality of life of European citizens.
Automakers are busily lobbying for amendments to the proposal, saying they have issues with the timing, levels and legal categories contained within the noise-control measures. The European Automobile Manufacturers Association says that while the first step could be implemented immediately, the second step could take as many as six years to accomplish. Head over to Ward’s to read the full report.
A German tuning outfit called has put the on , and the numbers returned were 444 horsepower at the wheel, 553 at the engine, and a “corrected number” of 574 hp. Max torque came in at 532 pound-feet (721 Newton/meters).
Compare those figures to the official numbers of 560 horses and 502 lb-ft. If the 444 number is accurate, then no matter how you slice it on horsepower – whether you use the numbers from or PP-P’s figures – you’re losing around 20 percent from the engine to the wheels. However, adjusting for driveline and twin-turbo losses, that puts things right about where they should be. The 30-lb-ft surplus of torque, on the other hand, is the kind of surplus no one would complain about – again, assuming it’s accurate.
for video of the dyno run, and for another vid of the being taken to 293 km/hr (182 mph). And with that second vid, try to ignore the fact that the terminal velocity attempt is being conducted on an engine with just 40 kilometers on it…
It’s never too late for some Christmas cheer from the Formula One team, and it’s certainly not too early to hear about what it expects to do in the 2012 season. After a brief intro, the 15-minute(!) video turns to Ferrari CEO and Luca di Montezemolo’s musings on 2011, starting with “I’ve been extremely unhappy with what happened” this year, admitting he still has nightmares about the last race of 2010.
Team drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa also get a chance to discuss their seasons and aims. Naturally, it boils down to they “want to be perfect every race in a competitive car,” but don’t let that stop you from checking out the Santa-laced video .
2012 will be the first year that the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will be held on an entirely paved road, and while many who have long been involved with the event are bemoaning the loss of the gravel sections, the full tarmac course has peaked interest in the race. In fact, event organizers are considering adding a second race day for 2013. This time last year only 46 racers has expressed interest in participating in the event, but that number is already up to 170 for next year’s race.
“The interest is astronomical compared to last year,” says Tom Osborne, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb board chairman. “We’re seeing all kinds of unique new cars.” Osborne says that the race will likely have to hold a qualifying for 2012 to limit the number of entries into each class.
While you can count us in the group that will miss the gravel, we’re duly excited to see what sort of new cars show up to Pikes Peak in the next several years.
We were pretty surprised to find out just a few days ago that ’s new rally team had, for some reason, for next year’s World Rally Championship. “Inexplicable” is what we called it at the time, but the latest reports coming out of the UK where the team is based could serve to cast some light on the situation.
Not only has the outfit – run by the rally gurus at Prodrive (who have, in the past, run Subaru’s rally team, as well as and works efforts at Le Mans) – missed the filing deadline, but they’ll also reportedly let their best driver go. The reason? Funding, apparently. Although the team supposedly benefits from factory backing, a lack of sponsorship has reportedly left the team strapped for cash.
As a result, Northern Irish driver Kris Meeke – who was called up to the WRC team after claiming the 2009 title in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge – and his co-pilot have reportedly been released from their three-year contract after only one year. Meeke’s seat will reportedly be auctioned off to the highest bidder – that is, whoever comes with sponsorship dollars, pounds or euros already lined up. Former Citroën WRC driver Dani Sordo, however, will reportedly carry on with the team, assuming it can secure its entry for the upcoming season.
How a factory-backed team like Mini’s could find itself without enough funding has us scratching our heads, but our compatriots over at Autocar point to parent-company ’s costly new entry into DTM next season as a potential answer.
We like us some matte finish here at Autoblog, but we have to admit that the usual smattering of matte black vinyl wraps leave us a bit in the dark. That’s why our eyes pop just a little wider when we see a car that cuts the glare but keeps the palette. That’s also why the storied brands of the Fiat group are getting top marks in our books these days.
At the 2010 , the group’s top brand showed off a with regenerative braking and a delicious matte green finish. The following year at the same venue, Alfa Romeo lifted the veil on the tempting in a beautiful shade of matte red. And at the Bologna Motor Show earlier this month, their sister brand showcased this special in matte blue.
The car in question is a unique GranTurismo S Limited Edition exclusive to the Italian market, limited to only twelve examples to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Italian unification. It also packs carbon spoilers front and rear, as well as carbon side mirrors and door handles, with matte black side skirts and headlamps, and black 20-inch rims with polished aluminum brake calipers. Check it out in the press release and the high-res images in the gallery for a closer look.
hits the matte with exclusive GranTurismo S Limited Edition
A new study by Warranty Direct in the UK claims makes vehicles that are the least-susceptible to damage from potholes. According to the company, only 1.4 percent of Honda owners submit a warranty claim for repair due to pothole damage. Compare that figure with the 12.2 percent of owners who submit claims – the American automaker found itself the least resilient to pothole damage alongside luxury makes like , , and . Surprisingly enough, Smart actually landed itself in second place for the number of claims submitted as a result of pothole damage.
Economical brands like , , and all fare well against rough pavement, however. We’re not surprised by the outcome. Luxury vehicles are more likely to be equipped with low-profile tires and large, expensive wheels that can easily be bent or broken under the right circumstances. Budget vehicles, meanwhile, make due with meaty sidewalls and sturdy steel wheels. Head over to for the full rankings.
How many sports cars can one automotive group offer? Just ask the people at , whose various divisions – , , , – churn them out like you and I would write Christmas cards. (Or Hannukah cards, anyway.) And the group is right behind their German counterparts, with and keeping the upper crust of the market satisfied, and now Alfa Romeo and Abarth filling a more accessible – but potentially no less exciting – niche.
Recently we brought you a progress update on the Alfa Romeo 4C, a concept mid-engine sports car that’s now apparently been green-lit for production. In the ruminations of its potential roadworthiness, there was speculation that Abarth could get a version of its own. But those rumors have existed for longer than the 4C concept, and will now appear to outlast it as well.
According to the latest reports, Abarth is pitching a project that would see it develop its own sports car. But while the 4C would be priced similarly to a or , the Abarth would be positioned lower – maybe at the or the new /Scion FR-S/Toyota GT-86. It would also likely be front-drive, with between 200 and 250 horsepower, and draw its inspiration from the 1968 Abarth Scorpione pictured at right.
Whether it comes to fruition or not remains to be seen – not to mention its potential arrival in North America – but the prospect of another Italian sportscar isn’t something we’d turn down.
