Lincoln Concept C – Click above for high-res image gallery
According to Automotive News, there may be a new concept headed to this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show, based on Ford’s global small car platform. Information on the car is scarce for now, as is keeping its lips buttoned on the rumor. Though the company won’t spill its guts on the possible luxury compact, anonymous insiders claim designers are plugging away as we speak and the car is forthcoming.
We first got a glimpse at a possible Lincoln-branded compact at the 2009 , where the automaker debuted the (pictured above). This concept was powered by a 1.6-liter EcoBoost inline-four mated to a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, so perhaps this new, Los Angeles-bound concept is simply a further evolution of the funky little Lincoln from a few years back. The Concept C was said to ride on next-gen (2012) architecture, after all.
The move would certainly make sense for Dearborn, as and both have luxury concepts penned and aimed at production. For now, we’re left to wait until the LA Auto Show in November to see what the Blue Oval’s luxury department has in store.
A few years ago, India wasn’t a place one would naturally associate with Formula 1 racing. Now, however, the country has its own F1 team (Force India), a couple of F1 drivers (Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok) and will soon host its first grand prix.
The race is scheduled to take place on October 30, 2011, on the new Hermann Tilke-designed Buddh International Circuit. named for the region in which it resides. The circuit was designed to be one of the fastest on the calendar, with lap times for a contemporary F1 car set to come in around 1 minute, 20 seconds, with projected speeds topping 320 km/h (just under 200 mph). With 5.14 kilometers (3.19 miles) of track and sixteen turns, the facility is being constructed as part of a $400 million project that the FIA is expected to sign off on this July.
is quickly readying its new small crossover, previewed by the shapely that bowed at the in March. The test mule you see here still uses a lot of bits from the larger , but as more of the camouflage comes off, we can start to see the Mazda’s shapely new front end, inspired not only by the Minagi, but by the automaker’s designconcept from 2010.
When it enters production, the CX-5 will replace the CUV in Mazda’s lineup. The Tribute is simply a rebadged version of the , and since the Blue Oval is prepping its new -based global crossover to replace the Escape (and overseas), the Tribute will simply go the way of the dodo.
Look for the production version of the CX-5 to debut at the in September.
Bentley edition Carte Blanche book – Click above for high-res image gallery
While you might associate James Bond with , it’s been a few years since we’ve seen 007 piloting his on the silver screen. And it’ll be at least another year until the 23rd Bond film makes its debut, if not longer. In between, fans can keep up on the spy’s adventures through the pages of new Bond novels, in which the secret agent drives a . And so to commemorate the launch of the latest volume, Crewe has designed a special edition enclosure for the occasion.
Now Bentley, of course, is in the business of making cars, not books, so you know that when they were brought on board to make this unique edition of the latest Bond novel, , it’d have to be something a little more unique than the paperback you’d find at your local drug store. And indeed it is: the special edition is printed in red and black ink on ivory paper, book-ended, as it were, by red leather endpapers, and covered in white Nappa leather into which the title and logos are embossed.
Very nice and all, but what really sets this edition apart is the polished aluminum case – crafted on a machine specially commissioned for the task – which represents the form of the new that Bond drives in the story. And for one last special touch, the pages are pierced by a “bullet hole”, in which sits an individually-numbered and polished 9mm round. Only 500 examples will be made, each fetching £1,000 (approximately $1,650). Follow the jump for the official press release, and check out the images in the gallery below for a closer look.
Audi R18 TDI – Click above for high-res image gallery
Take a look at the beast that is the new Audi R18 TDI and you’d be forgiven for assuming it has a big, rip-roarin’ V10 with at least two turbochargers. Right? Wrong. Although the previous R15 TDI packed in ten oil-burning cylinders, new regulations – implemented to diminish the advantage the last generation of diesel-powered Le Mans Prototypes over their gasoline-burning competitors – forced to go with a single-turbo V6 for the new R18. That didn’t stop Audi from finding some unique ways to make the best of the new engine regs.
For starters, the engine block is made of aluminum – still a rarity for high-compression diesel engines, even after introduced their design some six years ago. Audi also opened up the angle between the cylinder banks to 120 degrees, giving it a lower center of gravity approaching that of a boxer engine, and relocated the exhaust manifolds from port and starboard to a single unit nestled inside the wide V.
The result is a 3.7-liter turbo-diesel V6 that produces over 540 horsepower. The smaller form factor also allowed Audi Sport to optimize the aerodynamics, while its lower weight allowed the engineers to beef up other components. As for a regenerative braking system like its chief rival Peugeot runs (and like those employed in Formula 1), Audi says it is keeping the door open to the idea as development continues, but has yet to implement any such system. to read more about the engine specifically designed for Audi’s latest prototype racer in the full press release.
The last time we heard from the , they were packing up their gear and hitting the road for a long trip designed to put both the MST-01 and the MST-R through their paces. Now it would seem that the American-built bikes recently put in some time on the track with the suspension gurus from Ohlins to get the kit sorted before full production kicks off. Fortunately for us, they brought along a video crew to document the action and give the whole world a sample of exactly what a pushrod V4 sounds like.
We like what we hear.
So, how long will it be before you can get your hands on either bike? Motus isn’t handing out any set dates just yet, but the company does say that it’s currently shopping for dealers. If you think there’s a dealer in your area that might be into selling American-made sport tourers with 160 horsepower on tap and an Ohlins-tuned suspension, drop Motus a line. to check out the full video for yourself.
Karsan V1 New York City Taxi – Click above for high-res image gallery
in the running to be the chosen supplier for New York’s “Taxi of Tomorrow”: , and Turkish firm Karsan. In an informal poll conducted by the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission – the same body that will be deciding which of the three gets the milk and roses – . Now Karsan wants to make the Commission’s job even easier by promising to build its taxi in Brooklyn if it’s chosen.
Previously, all three makers said they’d be building their vehicles overseas (the Transit Connect is built in Turkey, the Nissan NV200 in Japan). Perhaps sensing a huge opportunity to bring the four-year process to an end, last month Karsan turned tack and said it would build the V1 at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, in Brooklyn’s waterfront Sunset Park complex, creating up to 800 jobs. It might not only be about getting ahead with the public, however: the powertrain for the Karsan V1 comes from Chrysler, in Michigan.
What the Karsan lacks in looks it makes up for in its powerplant modularity, handicapped accessibility, and expansive glass roof. Karsan has said a Sunset Park factory would cost $100 million, a pittance in light of the billion-dollar contract it’s trying to win and being the yellow-cab-of-record in movies for the foreseeable future. Thanks for the tip, Julio!
Zagato TZ3 Stradale – Click above for high-res image gallery
Less than a month after the broke that Zagato was working on a new TZ3 Stradale, the Milanese carrozzeria has unveiled the first photos and details of its latest creation.
The sumptuous TZ3 Stradale is part of a continuous celebration by Zagato of Alfa Romeo’s centenary. So it’s based on an Alfa, then? Well, not quite. Its underpinnings are actually much more serpentine than even the snake on the Alfa badge, borrowed as they are from the all-conquering Dodge Viper ACR, over which is draped a bespoke carbon fiber body. You can discern some key Zagato design elements from its similarity to the Perana Z-One (that’s no bad thing) and the classic Kamm tail. But while this coachbuilt Viper doesn’t borrow any mechanical bits from the marque to which it pays tribute, its design puts a decidedly contemporary spin on decades of collaboration between Zagato and Alfa Romeo.
The fourth model in the TZ line, the Stradale follows the original TZ and TZ2, and the more recent TZ3 Corsa which was unveiled last year at Villa d’Este – the same location where, as we recently , an original TZ is set to cross the auction block. But while the Alfa-powered TZ3 Corsa was a strict one-off track car, the TZ3 Stradale (as previewed in ) will be built in an edition of nine examples.
The first is going to noted American collector Eric King, the second and third examples already earmarked for customers in Japan and Europe. Ask really nicely and maybe one of the remaining six can be yours. Otherwise, you’ll have to settle for perusing our high-resolution image gallery below and scoping out the official press release after the jump.
1939 Bugatti Type 64 Coupe – Click above for high-res image gallery
is nuts for classic French cars. His is a beautiful shrine to a very specific period of automotive history. One particular vehicle in his collection is Jean Bugatti’s unfinished 1939 Type 64 Coupe. Jean was Ettore’s oldest son, and he died while test driving the Le Mans-winning Type 57 C. His Type 64 Coupe chassis never got the body that hoped to have built for it… but Mr. Mullin is going to change that.
Using Jean Bugatti’s sketches as a guide, Mullin has partnered with Stewart Reed Design to develop a vision of what the car should look like. Now, that pair is joined by Mike Kleeves of Automobile Metal Shaping Company, which means that team officially have someone on their team capable of bringing this bit of conceptual art into the physical world.
2013 Ford Taurus – Click above for high-res image gallery
If you’ve been wondering exactly what has in mind for the next-generation Falcon, look no further than the recently revealed for a few clues. Ford design guru J Mays has officially made it clear that the look of the sedan will be transposed onto several of the automaker’s other products, including models like the and Falcon. The crew from Go Auto spoke to Mays at the New York International Auto Show last week where the designer said that the corporate look will still allow each model to flex its character.
Mays said that the design was heavily influenced by vehicles like the and that the new trapezoidal grille design on the will allow the vehicle’s face to be easily applied to a range of products. Even so, don’t expect to see exact carbon copies across the dealer lot. Mays made it clear that the design can be modified to deliver everything from an aggressive visage to a more subdued look.
On Thursday the 21st of April, the seventh annual World Car Awards were given out in a ceremony at the New York International Auto Show that was duly covered by Autoblog.
Full disclosure: I, Matt Davis, European Editor of this online obsession Autoblog, am both a co-founder and co-chair of the World Car Awards, and I intend to shamelessly soapbox herein about the WCAs, at least until the bosses toss me out on the sidewalk.
The WCAs comprise four awards: World Green Car, World Car Design, World Performance Car, and overall World Car of the Year – known as the WCotY. There is no other widely known award even remotely like this, as all four take into account truly global cars from every region of the world. The overall WCotY, in particular, pits cars of every type from every make on the globe, some of which may not be available in the English-speaking world, against one another and, in the end, we 66 international jurors shake out a winner, two runners-up, and the rest.
Our compatriots over at C in the form of the Pioneer AppRadio. The aftermarket double-din head-unit (model number SPH-DA01) is an iPhone or iPod Touch user’s automotive dream, complete with a 6.1-inch capacitive multitouch screen, home button, USB ports, S-Video and RCA jacks, along with a 30-pin Apple-spec dock to mount your iDevice.
According to CrunchGear’s sources, the AppRadio is designed to interface exclusively with iOS 4.1 devices (meaning Android and Windows Phone 7 users are left out in the cold) and runs a UI that’s remarkably similar to the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad (we’ll see how Apple’s lawyers take to that). Pioneer is developing apps for the head-unit, including Pandora and iHeartRadio, while the standard Bluetooth connectivity, AM/FM stereo, MicroSD slot and GPS functionality are also part of the package.
There’s no word on price or availability yet, and since the specs don’t include a modem, the AppRadio will pull data from your iPhone. We’d expect an official announcement before the end of the year and should see the hardware in person at the next CES.
Luxgen Neora EV Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
Luxgen is making a splash at the Shanghai Motor Show with the world debut of its Neora EV sedan shown here. Sporting a 48 kW induction motor, Luxgen says the car’s electric powertrain will push the four-door to 60 miles per hour in an impressive 6.5 seconds. That may not be lightning quick, but it’s plenty rapid enough – even by internal combustion standards. To make matters more intriguing, Luxgen says the Neora should be able to go around 250 miles on a single charge. When the juice runs out, the company claims you can have the Neora’s battery back to 80 percent within an hour, meaning you shouldn’t have to worry too much about longer journeys.
Inside, there’s a full-length glass roof to let in natural light and an LED-screen rear-seat entertainment system. Up front, Luxgen has installed a head-up display to keep the driver’s eyes on the road while he keeps tabs on the infotainment system.
There’s no telling how much of the Neora’s shape will make production, but says the car will set the design language for its upcoming offerings. Though the Neora is carrying around a raft of forward-looking tech wizardry, the car’s overall shape looks like it could be a production sedan with just a few tweaks.
Even so, the Taiwanese automaker is noticeably quiet about a production schedule and doesn’t give any indication when its future offerings might surface.
Caterham Seven Team Lotus Special Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery
We’ve been waiting a while for official confirmation, and it’s finally here: Team Lotus has British sportscar manufacturer Caterham. Both outfits lay claim to Lotus founder Colin Chapman’s legacy without any actual support from itself (with which it is currently embroiled in a naming rights legal dispute) and are now joined under the common ownership of Air Asia chairman Tony Fernandes.
The Malaysian businessman and his partners bought out Caterham’s previous owner, Corven Ventures, but have elected to keep Caterham’s current managing director Ansar Ali at the helm. The new cash injection ought to help Caterham springboard off the to further expand its lineup, while cementing the iconic Seven as a veritable staple of sportscar design.
To celebrate the tie-in, Caterham is preparing to launch a special run of Team Lotus Sevens, of which only 50 examples will be made – 25 for the UK and 25 for overseas. The special package can be added to any variant in the Seven range, bearing the same classic green-and-yellow livery as the team’s Formula One racers and a special plaque in the cabin, along with a commemorative book and an invitation to tour the team’s factory in England.
Click on to view the special edition in our high-res image gallery below, and for a video announcement and press releases on both the acquisition and the special edition.
2012 Opel Astra GTC – Click above for high-res renderings
A staple product of ‘ overseas subsidiaries, the Opel Astra has been a long time in the making. The five-door hatchback was back in 2009 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, which was then by the GTC show car that previewed the three-door version in concept form (along with the production Sport Tourer wagon variant) a year later at the Paris Motor Show. Another year after that, Opel will unveil the production three-door GTC in Frankfurt this coming September. The final product is still undergoing development, but while GM’s German division irons out the kinks, they’ve released these preliminary images showing us what to expect from the production version.
Although still months away from its public debut, the order books for the Astra GTC will officially open on June 7, when full details will be revealed. The Astra range, you’ll recall, is also offered a Vauxhall in the UK, as the Excelle XT in China, and as a in Latin America. But while had a version of the more angular previous-generation model, now that the brand is shut, we’ll likely have to do without. That’s a shame, because we recently saw a five-door model out on the road while overseas and were struck by its fluid design. So we’ll just have to do with admiring from afar. Follow the jump for the brief press release, and scope out the pair of images in the gallery below.
2013 Ford Flex spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery
The engineers and designers at are hard at work on the next take for one of its largest crossovers. Our spy photographers have managed to snap a few photos of the ahead of its debut later this year, and from the looks of things, the vehicle will borrow more than a few styling cues from its platform-mate, the . Expect to see a more corporate face, complete with a new grille, angular headlights and a revised front fascia among other tweaks. Projector fog lights seem to have made their way to the option sheet for the first time and new wheels should also be available.
Out back, the 2013 Flex looks like it will make use of a restyled tail gate as well. So far, it’s unclear exactly what sort of interior upgrades the three-row CUV will receive, though we’d feel comfortable in guessing that MyFord Touch will likely make an appearance in the cabin for the first time. In addition, Ford may pull some fuel economy tricks from the ether as well.
1964 Alfa Romeo TZ Coupe (above) and 1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ “Coda Tronca” (below right)
Click either image for high-res image galleries
The more things change – or so the saying goes – the more they stay the same. Half a century after the originals graced the open roads and the auto shows of the early 1960s, two classic coachbuilt Alfa Romeos have been reborn in modern style. We’re talking about the Alfa Romeo TZ and the Coda Tronca – the former now heading into its fourth iteration in the form of the , and the latter just recently remade as the . And now their progenitors are set to cross the auction block.
Regarded in the same light by Alfa aficionados as the 250 GTO is by the faithful, the original TZ (so named for its tubular space frame and Zagato coachwork) made a remarkable 1-2-3-4 class finish upon its race debut at Monza in 1963, complimented the same year by class wins at Sebring, Le Mans and the Nürburgring as well as an outright win at the Alpine Rally the following season. Only 112 examples were made, and this particular model – chassis #750006 – was prepared by Autodelta (the same Alfa tuner still operating in the UK) and fully restored to its original 1964 Le Mans condition after single-family ownership of 23 years.
Likewise bodied by Zagato, this 1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ “Coda Tronca” (chassis #0184) is one of only 30 such examples made out of 200 total SZs. Its Kamm-tailed body gave it its name, a shape which its original designer Ercole Spada reprised for his eponymous modern -powered special and which led to the development of the aforementioned TZ.
Both of these historic examples feature DOHC four-cylinder engines (1.6 liters and 150 horsepower for the TZ, and 1.3 liters and 135 hp for the Coda Tronca) mated to five-speed manual transmissions. They’re set to join the and the at RM’s forthcoming auction at Villa d’Este, where the TZ is expected to fetch €475,000-€575,000 ($690k-835k) and the Coda Tronca €260,000-€300,000 ($377k-435k). With their modern successors destined for the garages of the extremely fortunate, we could hardly imagine better stablemates to join them. Have a closer look at each in the galleries below and delve further into their histories in the backgrounders after the jump.
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[Source: RM Auctions Images: Dirk De Jager, Simon Clay/RM]
2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 – Click above for high-res image gallery
new , the , is a 444-horsepower, rear-wheel-drive two-door designed to fight well above its weight class. Motor Trend decided to spend quality time with the coupe, and something scary happened. Not scary as in ‘whoa, this thing is scary fast’ but more along the lines of ‘call my tailor, I ruined my pants’ terrifying.
Part of M/T’s testing gauntlet includes a look at braking distance. Road Test Editor Scott Mortara ran the Ford up to 70 miles per hour. Now it was time to see how quickly he could bring it to zero. Typically, this is just a matter of mashing the brakes and holding on. The sound of straining tires is a sound that’s welcome, but a metallic snapping noise is not. Either way, the 2012 Boss 302 was a runaway pony.
Mortara used the six-speed manual transmission to reduce the coupe’s speed before exiting the track through a gap at its end. What went wrong? A pin that connects the brake pedal to the rod that actuates the master cylinder had failed and snapped off. Normally, the brake pedal connects to the rod in a manner that distributes the pressure evenly over a large surface area and would still actuate the brakes when one presses the pedal. The setup on this particular Mustang was faulty, and allowed for far more pressure on the individual piece that failed.
Ford has examined this car, as well as the brake installation process at its assembly plants. It seems this car is unique in its defect. Motor Trend contends that it’s possible the brake assembly was removed then reinstalled after the vehicle left the factory, which could explain why the part failed in such an abnormal manner. Check out .
You never know what you’ll find cruising the halls of the Shanghai Motor Show. China Car Times has discovered a true oddity of automotive evolution – the Beijing Auto T60 Sedan. What’s so curious about this particular four-door? As you may recall, BAIC the old platform, and word on the web is that the automaker was itching to prove that it can hone aging bones into an attractive vehicle. The result is the T60. According to the Chinese automaker, the concept will reach production by 2012.
According to CCT, the T60 received a warm welcome from the auto show crowd. Though the vehicle makes use of design elements lifted from , and , the overall effect is attractive enough and as far from the aging 9-3 as you can get. Head over to to see the full monty and to check out a complete gallery of the T60 concept.
2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe – Click above for high-res image gallery
Kelley Blue Book has announced the winners of its 2011 Brand Image awards, which are given out based on KBB data culled from a survey taken by over 12,000 in-market shoppers. image must be rather strong with said shoppers, because it took home KBB hardware in three out of the 10 award categories.
Constantly citing the CTS family of vehicles, KBB handed Cadillac the awards for Best Exterior Design, Best Comfort and Best Interior Design. , , , and snagged the rest of the 2011 Brand Image trophies. BMW and Ford received two nods apiece, but Caddy is still king of this particular hill for 2011. to read the full list of categories and winners.
