MG Zero Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. has done a stand-up job evangelizing the MG brand with the and the (the latter slated for production as the MG3). Now, the automaker has added an $8.2 million design center to its Longbridge site.
Antony Williams-Kenny, MG’s design director, says the studio “gives us superb tools and facilities to go further forward on projects such as the MG Zero concept and beyond.” An MG spokesperson adds, “The designing of new cars and the engineering and technical aspects of the cars is all happening here in the UK.”
Along with MG6 production moving back to Longbridge later this year, the forthcoming Zero/MG3 is expected to offer 1.3-liter and 1.5-liter engines when it’s finalized for retail. That kind of news gives folks in the Midlands (and sporty-car folks everywhere) something to look forward to from The Octagon. Finally.
Gumpert Apollo Replica, and yes, we use that term loosely – Click above for image gallery
Ever seen a Salet S5 Turbo Concept Car? Well, you have now. And it’s actually more of a rebodied MR2 than anything else, designed and built to look something like a . And you thought that such kit cars would end as the world’s supply of unmolested Fieros dried up? Don’t be so sure.
According to the seller (yep, this sucker is available on eBay), a Toyota MR2 frame was utilized, “along with the modern conveniences of airbags, power windows, power locks, air conditioning, exhaust and suspension.” No, we don’t consider exhaust and suspension modern conveniences, either. But we digress…
Supposedly, the massaged 2.0-liter Twin Cam engine from the donor Toyota has been dyno’d at 255 rear-wheel horsepower thanks to the large aftermarket turbocharger. Crank it all the way up to 19 pounds of boost and you’re at 303 horses. Not bad, but still a far cry from the 650-horsepower twin-turbo V8 in its supercar inspiration.
In any case, feel free to browse our image gallery below, and if you’ve got itchy bidding fingers.
BMW 0 Series, is that you? – Click above to watch the video
If intends to go downmarket any further, which seems likely considering that the automaker has already under its own badge, there’s available: . And by all accounts, it’s soon.
Intriguingly, BMW may be offering a few hints as to what we should expect from the new entry-level model. In a new video released for its Innovation Days in Asia, the automaker prominently displays a series of still images that may very well be early sketches of the upcoming 0 Series.
Assuming for a moment that we are indeed witnessing the new Zilch, we like what we see. Deeply sculpted sides, a nicely sloping rear hatch and large, vertically oriented kidney grilles indicate a design language that’s suitably differentiated from current rear-wheel-drive BMWs. And it looks pretty dang good. Judge for yourself after watching the video .
It helps to have an excellent eye for detail when trying to find the updated features on a Lexus IS. A facelifted IS caught in China, said to be taking the model through 2012, will get LED running lights in the headlight clusters, redesigned fog lights and taillights, revised chrome trim for the steering wheel and glovebox and a tweaked wheel design. Right now is paying attention to the and the new GS coming in 2011, so if you were hoping for more from the small sedan, mark your calendars for two years from now.
German tuner has released word (and pictures) of the first tuned we know about, the AS8. ABT freely admits that the new A8 is pretty sporty on its own. Therefore, the AS8 package seeks to “underline” what Audi’s already done in terms of huge, sporting luxo-bargeness. To wit, “[ABT] has not changed the elegant glider into a racing car, but carefully into a confident and sporty automobile.”
Naturally, ABT started with a version of the A8 we can’t get here in the States, the diesel. In stock form, Audi’s 4.2-liter TDI V8 produces a healthy 350 horsepower and a yacht-towing 590 pound-feet of torque. In ABT trim however, the sparkless mill churns out 385 hp and a foundation-shifting 649 lb-ft of torque. The car’s 0-60 time falls from the factory’s 5.5 seconds to around five flat. Quite good for a 4,300+ pound oil burner, no?
Of course it would be in very bad form to just hop up the engine and leave the rest of the car stock — how would anyone know you’re driving a tuner? To that end, ABT has gone on and designed a body kit for the AS8. This kit primarily consists of a front spoiler with a splitter, side sills and a rear-end apron enclosing new tail pipes. There’s also a three-piece rear spoiler and 21-inch wheels. We’ve never been totally sold on the looks of the 2011 A8, so while the ABT treatment helps in some respects (the rear looks excellent), it doesn’t help much in others. Specifically the droopy looking sides and over-sized schnoz. But hey, at least they’re trying.
If comically obscene and offensive ghettofied twin robots aren’t your thing – and we certainly hope they are not – allow us to introduce you to a transforming automobile that is in much better taste. Designer Nikola Nikolov took his first car, a Lada Samara Diva, cut it apart and welded it all back together to form the finished product you see here.
The artist describes his created as standing “in a position of ready surprise. He is in the moment between knowing what he was and knowing what he has become.” No, we’re not quite sure what that means either. Regardless, we think this 6.5-foot-tall, 200-pound robot statue is pretty darn awesome.
Mazda Furai Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
According to Auto Express, Europe’s British design boss Peter Birtwhistle has confirmed that the Japanese automaker will take on a new styling direction. Perhaps the news shouldn’t come as a shocker, considering that former Mazda design head Franz von Holhausen, the man responsible for the previous styling direction of concepts like the Nagare and Furai, back in 2008.
Further, Laurens van den Acker, who styled the latest Mazda5, left the Japanese automaker for . As such, Birtwhistle told AE, “Nagare is done. After the 5, it’s highly unlikely that there will be another Nagare car. Mazda has moved on.” Apparently, Mazda found it rather difficult to apply the swoopy and flowing conceptual styling direction to production cars, specifically boxier shapes like that of the Mazda5.
We tend to agree with Mazda that the Nagare look is awesome on concepts but tough to translate to production. So, what’s next? Apparently, Mazda will attempt to turn itself into a “Japanese Alfa Romeo,” with an initial concept based on its new “Thrusting Motion” styling direction. We should see the fruits of this early effort at the upcoming Paris Motor Show.
2011 Buick Regal – Click above for high-res image gallery
In its ongoing quest to reinvent the brand as something other than the official car of the AARP, has launched a new social media marketing campaign complete with swanky parties in cities like Miami, Chicago and Philadelphia. There will be no shuffle board. The move is part of The General’s new “Buick’s Moment of Truth” campaign, where party attendees are given flip cameras to record their impressions – positive or negative – of the brand’s products. The videos will then be posted to a site for all to see.
According to Brand Week, the Remix parties are designed to help people become aware of exactly what the Buick brand means in post bankruptcy trim, and the shindigs dovetail with an aggressive internet marketing campaign targeted to 35-40 year-olds. That’s a smart move, considering that most consumers hold opinions on the brand that range from apathetic to downright negative.
Automotive News says that while West Coast buyers have little idea of what Buick means as a brand, mid-westerners remember the malaise days of Tri-Shield engineering better than most. Buick’s new campaign should kick off later this month with the launch of the Moment of Truth site.
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Photos by Michael Harley / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
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Lotus Engineering has reached an agreement with the Spanish Fagor Ederlan Group to develop and produce a small engine for use as a range extender in electric vehicles – a system similar to that found in the . Lotus first showed its 1.2-liter inline-three engine at the Geneva Motor Show in the and concepts.
Both cars used a similar series hybrid powertrain architecture, where an electric motor provides the drive torque while the engine only drives a generator to sustain the battery after the plug-in charge has been depleted.
Because this new engine is designed specifically for use as a range extender rather than a primary power source, Lotus has been able to optimize the efficiency and reduce the weight. An adapted off-the-shelf engine like the one in the Volt is still designed to hold accessories like the alternator, air-conditioning compressor and power steering pump. Lotus has left out these structures for a lower cost and mass.
Lotus and Fagor Ederlan will take the 47 horsepower engine to production and offer it up to any automaker that wants to build an extended range electric vehicle, but no production timing or customers have been announced yet.
Mini vs. Porsche at the starting line – Click above to watch the video
The race is over, the hype can now officially simmer down… right? Not so much, apparently. has uploaded yet another video from its challenge event, complete with a guest appearance from Joe Rogan.
Since we’ve brought you all the updates up to this point, why not conclude with this bookend video. Here you’ll see each driver give a pre-race interview, followed by the course designer, who gives a kinda-sorta-ridiculous explanation as to why the track was set up in a certain way (hint: it wasn’t to favor Porsche).
There are the obligatory cheerleaders rooting for Mini and a suitably buxom flag girl… and finally a full video of the race. Oh, and a congratulatory note from Mini to Porsche, along with an ending that leaves the event open for a sequel. You saw that one coming, didn’t you? Full video .
Ford Focus RS Le Mans Editions – Click above for high-res image gallery
Across the pond, is continuing to roll out a few tricks to keep the tasty before its demise later this year. As such, it’s unveiled five special edition models designed to commemorate its winning history at the . Each of the hatches wears a unique paint scheme and wheel combo designed to invoke the liveries of storied Blue Oval racers of yore. It’s easy to spot the blue and orange of the Gulf liveried GT 40 racers – those cars famously took the checkers in ‘68 and ‘69 – but more casual fans may not recognize some of the less imitated designs.
The black and silver of the ‘66 Mark II, red and white of the ‘67 Mark IV and the blue and white of the ‘72 RS 2600 are all replicated on one of the hottest hatches to roll out of Ford Europe in a long while. Each carries special interior treatments, including Recaro racing buckets that have been stitched to match the exterior paint. Ready for the real kicker? Ford is only selling the five you see above – no more, no less. for the press blast.
Something is rotten in Zuffenhausen. Ingolstadt, too. Once upon a time, in the frozen wasteland that is Detroit in January, Volkswagen unveiled the turbo-diesel at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. The press was awed, the car drove onto the stage amidst a flurry of dancing children, the marketing gurus at ze People’s automaker were thrilled and we all expected to see the car hit production with some expediency. That didn’t happen, and now we may know why. According to Automobile, the project may have been given the back burner treatment due to internal jousting between , and .
It’s no secret that all three automakers have been mulling whether or not to jump on a small, mid-engine platform, but it looks like both Porsche and Audi aren’t really interested in filling their ranks with a VW creation. Porsche isn’t keen on the notion of selling a new entry model that might dent sales of the upcoming redesigned , and Audi can’t really make a case for adding another sports car to its portfolio.
That leaves VW with one very efficient, very sexy concept and no way to bring it to reality without the cooperation of its corporate cousins. Odds are the scuffle will be ironed out after Porsche is officially brought under the VW tent once and for all, but until then, we wouldn’t hold our breath for the VW BlueSport. The on the other hand…
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Live photos by Frank Filipponio / Copyright (C)2009 Weblogs, Inc.
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Mini Life Ball 2010 special by Calvin Klein – Click above for high-res image gallery
Over the past 10 years of supporting the Life Ball, has teamed up with a variety of fashion designers to create unique one-offs to support the largest annual HIV/AIDS fundraiser event. Past collaborations have included the likes of , Versace and , to name just a few. To date the special Minis have raised half a million Euros for the cause. But for the tenth rendition, the Anglo-German automaker has brought in no fewer than three big-name designers to create a trio of specials.
Calvin Klein creative director Francisco Costa has taken on the new Countryman in stealthy black-on-black; Diane von Furstenberg, a red Mini hatchback with a lip motif; and Kenneth Cole a Mini convertible with industrial-style studs. Each will be auctioned off at the event in Vienna on July 17 to kick off the 18th International AIDS Conference, details of which you can find in the press release after the jump.
Fischer Motorcycles MRX – Click above to watch the video
Television’s Original Automotive Magazine, MotorWeek, recently took some time out to sit down with Dan Fischer, former AMA motorcycle racer and the man responsible for . In the and corresponding video (see it ), Fischer stakes a claim as the only affordable American sportbike manufacturer in existence, now that .
While the Fischer MRX is indeed designed and built in the United States, its heart actually comes from South Korea. We’re fine with that, as this 650cc powerplant is what allows Fischer to sell its wares at an attractive $7,995 asking price. What’s more, the claimed 80 horsepower and 52 pound-feet of torque coupled with a fine six-speed gearbox means you won’t really be hurting for more power on the street.
Also included in the base asking price are an adjustable Ohlins rear shock, 43mm USD fork adjustable for compression and rebound and a made-in-the-USA one-piece frame. Options are plentiful as well, with full Brembo front brake package, carbon fiber bodywork and forged aluminum wheels acting as stand-out items. Want more? to watch the video.
In the between the and the , a victor has been crowned, and as you’d expect, the blokes from had their bumpers handed to them.
Despite designed to maximize the potential and neuter the high-speed prowess of the , the Cooper still lost the battle by a full two seconds. Naturally, Mini likes to point out that the difference was $38,000 a second, but to anyone paying attention, the additional $76k is money well spent… particularly on a real track. Maybe Mini should’ve reconsidered …
for the race and two introductory videos, including a thoroughly comical explanation about why Mini opted for an autocross track and not the full course at Road Atlanta.
Our have been busy little bees lately. The crew recently managed to set their lenses on what appears to be the next , complete with a pretty new face. From what we can tell, the company has refreshed the V12 heathen with all-new body work from the A pillars forward. The car now wears a revised fascia with thinner headlamps, and the hood appears to have a few new wrinkles as well. We’re having a hard time telling if the front fenders have been significantly massaged or not, but chances are they’ve been modified somewhat to mate with those new LED-bespeckled lights.
From the rear, its clear has equipped the car with a redesigned diffuser, and the taillights have been redrawn as well. So, will the company supply buyers with any extra power to accompany the new suit of clothes on the DBS? It’s possible, but not likely. Odds are the car will still pack the same burly 6.0-liter V12 with 510 horsepower. Which still sounds pretty good to us.
We finally drive the CTS Coupe and deem the days of uninspired Cadillac design officially over.
In the run-up to next week’s IPO, Tesla lays out a road map for its future products and reveals a new convertible, a utilitarian van and a sleek crossover all built atop the Model S architecture.
If there’s a market for small pickups, Jeep wants to be there to blend off-road ruggedness with open-bed utility.
Tesla future models – Click above for more slides from the road show
The long-delayed initial public offering for is expected to happen as early as next week. Naturally, then, company CEO Elon Musk now has to go out and sell it. One of the last steps before the stock’s on-sale date is the Road Show, where executives go before the mavens of Wall Street to convince them of the value of the company.
Slide #19 of Musk’s Powerpoint gives us the first glimpse of what might come after the Model S, which includes a cabriolet, van and crossover. All will be built on a common platform with the Model S and will mount the battery pack under the floor in a similar manner to the Nissan Leaf. The cabriolet, in particular, is quite the stunner and should provide a real competitor to the Fisker Karma Sunset.
Among the other changes that Musk revealed are liquid-cooled power electronics and motor starting with the Model S. While this will add to the cost and complexity of the powertrain, it should help improve the overall efficiency and overcome some of the limiting factors that were found late in the development of the Roadster. The full and you can watch the .
2011BMW 5 Series M Sport Package – Click above for high-res image gallery
Through the wonder of the internet, we’ve been given an early glimpse at a set of M goodies for next-year’s . Bimmer Today managed to get their hands on a few scanned brochure images of a long roof wearing a few fancy bits of kit, including a reworked front fascia, aggressive side skirts and tweaked rear diffuser. The scans even show a couple of extra wheel options that should be available on 2011 models. has managed to up the sex appeal by slathering the parts all over a long roof 5, but we feel pretty safe in guessing that the same parts will be available on sedan models as well.
Inside, buyers opting for the can expect a few minor changes, including a new three-spoke steering wheel, seats trimmed out in a new design and an M-branded shift knob. The photos don’t say too much about what kind of performance upgrades will come along with the bolt-ons, but we would be surprised if BMW decided to stray from its tried and true formula of offering a more aggressive suspension along with the new track suit.
There was a time when was a design leader. Before the Aztek, before the Catera, before the Sunfire and before the Citation, GM was synonymous with bold, strong, emotional automotive design. The General was so good at it that in the 1950s it was able to flood dealerships and stress factories just by tweaking a given model’s sheetmetal a few shades. Imagine anyone caring about a new rear end on a 2011 Chevy Malibu. Yet the revised bodywork of the 1956 Bel Air was a major cultural phenomenon.
The name Harvey Earl – the legendary head of GM design from 1927 until 1958 – still strikes reverence into the hearts of many. One glance at his famed Buick Y-Job, a 1949 or the original is enough to see why. Earl’s parting shot was the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado – the one with the tail fins that could nearly touch the moon. Then you have Earl’s successor, Bill Mitchell, the man responsible for the third generation Corvette, the 1966 Toronado and the magnificent boattail Riviera.
For a variety of reasons, in the 1970s General Motors and striking design parted ways. GM’s styling wandered through the desert, swapping glitz, purpose and chrome for tighter profit margins, increased badge engineering and a large patina of plain ol’ dull. All you need to do is take a gander at the third-generation B-bodies to see how far GM went in the wrong direction. Let’s not even mention cladding.
For the last decade or so there have been signs of hope. Vehicles like the SSR, , C6 Corvette and the new were proof that GM and great design are on the road to reconciliation. As a division, Cadillac has made the biggest strides with their Art and Science design motif, showing great signs of life. The front end of the second generation CTS is fantastic. From a pure design point of view, and with the possible exception of the now dead Pontiac Solstice, no General Motors product has been world class since Mitchell retired in 1977.
That changes now. Meet the 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe.
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Photos by Damon Lavrinc / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
