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Are Chinese cars nothing more than cheap copies of other automaker’s products in other parts of the world? That’s a question that’s been asked rather widely for the last several years as the numbers of large Chinese automakers has risen dramatically, and even more so as they have shown their wares at major auto shows outside their home country.

There is certainly no doubt that many, if not most, cars rolling out of factories in China bear a striking exterior resemblance to popular models from Japan, Europe and the United States. But do those exterior facsimiles go more than skin deep, and if so, does it matter? What about the actual guts of the vehicles – are Chinese automakers creating their own important new technologies, especially in the burgeoning eco-friendly segment?

These are the questions bandied about in a special report from Reuters, targeted specifically in the direction of BYD, the Chinese automaker that has been buoyed by major investments and backed by Warren Buffett. The big draw for Buffett and his money was BYD’s proprietary battery technology, which it uses on its own branded electric cars, some of which are supposedly coming to America.

Reuters, though, citing documents it received by a third party from WikiLeaks, charges that BYD’s battery tech may not be all its cracked up to be, and that sales of its EVs are painfully slow. Further, officials such as Guanzhou Consul-General Brian Goldbeck reportedly said two years ago that BYD’s vehicles may pass China’s lax copyright laws, but aren’t likely to in other countries.

Just as damningly, unnamed consultants claim BYD’s vehicles are very unlikely to pass U.S. safety standards, saying of one of BYD’s models, “If you shut the doors too hard, they fall off.” Removable doors… not good. Some automakers polled by Reuters claim that BYD requests just enough parts from reputable suppliers to reverse engineer the designs and then assemble them itself using inferior materials.

What all of this means for BYD and for Warren Buffett’s billion-dollar investment into the company remains to be seen, but it can hardly bode well for the brand’s chances in such competitive markets as the United States.

[Source: Reuters]

WikiLeaks reveals disturbing business practices of Buffett’s BYD

Mercedes-Benz has released studio shots of the newly-redesigned SLK Roadster, which debuts later this year as a 2012 model. The new SLK will be the third generation of Mercedes’ entry-level convertible.

The redesign moves the SLK’s shape further toward its higher-end brethren, and introduces Merc’s new panoramic vario roof with Magic Sky Control, which means the car’s glass roof can change its tint.

Mercedes has redesigned the SLK’s engines, offering four- and six-cylinder mills with electronic stop-start as standard. Mercedes claims the new engines are about 25 percent more efficient than the mills in the last-generation SLK. Initially, the SLK will be available with a seven-speed auto, but Mercedes promises they will add a traditional six-speed manual in the future.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Pics Aplenty: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK

Bottpower BOTT XR-1 gives Buell bones new life

Typically, when an automaker develops an armored version of one of their sedans or SUVs, the added weight taken as inherent has an adverse effect on the car’s performance. But with the new Maybach Guard, the top-of-the-line Daimler division says it has whittled this down to a minimum.

The negligible effect of the added protection on the Maybach 62 comes down to two factors: First of all, Maybach’s twin-turbo V12, brakes and suspension components were designed from the get-go to accommodate the reinforced armor, and are already burdened enough by the car’s massive weight that the extra heft is relatively negligible. Secondly, the steel and Kevlar reinforcements weigh less than 900 pounds all told – far less than if you took an existing model to an independent firm instead of specifying it so equipped from the factory.

As a result, Daimler claims the Maybach 62 Guard can still accelerate from 0-62 miles per hour in 5.7 seconds and reach a threat-evading top speed of 155 mph – the electronically-limited level adopted by most of Germany’s automakers.

The Guard model is also said to be virtually indistinguishable to the naked eye from an unprotected Maybach 62, so if you want to know what it looks like, check out the recently revised model range in the gallery below. Official announcement in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Maybach]

Continue reading Maybach 62 Guard keeps the rich coddled from harm’s way

Maybach 62 Guard keeps the rich coddled from harm’s way

Singer has been so kind as to serve up a load of heart-stopping photos of its very first production 911. You may want to set aside a little personal time for this one. If the perfect lines of this particular machine aren’t enough to get you licking your chops, allow us to remind you that you’re currently eyeballing a host of custom-tailored carbon-fiber body work wrapped around a fully modern Porsche drivetrain. That’s right, kids and kiddies, tucked under that classic skirt is a walloping 410-horsepower 3.82-liter flat six engine.

We’re fairly certain that we’d be happy to perform any number of nefarious acts to call this creation our very own.

Singer has stitched in Brembo stoppers on all four corners along with Bilstein coilovers to put all that power to the pavement, and the interior is laced with the kind of kit that you’d expect from a vehicle with a price tag that knocks on the door of $200,000. Look around the cabin and you’ll see a Heuer chronograph, leather weave seats and an RSR steering wheel, among other goodies.

Trust us. You owe it to yourself to scroll through all 71 photos in our high-res image gallery below.

[Source and Images: Singer]

Pics Aplenty: First production Singer Design 911

Laurence Gartel has been involved with digital media since the early ’70s, beginning his artistic exploration of computers on analog machines long before anyone else. This guy has been at it so long he taught Andy Warhol how to create digital media.

For the last few years, Gartel has been looking at supercars as a vehicle, so to speak, for his works. Gartel holds nothing sacred when it comes to Ferraris (or Tesla Roadsters, etc…), arguing that art can make just about anything more meaningful.

His latest creation follows that ethos to a T. It’s a Ferrari 430 Scuderia that Gartel ‘enhanced’ with a pyschedelic vinyl he designed on a computer. Gartel’s people claim Gartel’s work pushes the value of the Scud near $1 million. Your definition of value may vary… In any case, check out the video, along with the press release, after the break.

[Source: Art Fellas]

Continue reading Video: Ferrari F430 Scuderia turned into rolling canvas by artist Laurence Gartel

Video: Ferrari F430 Scuderia turned into rolling canvas by artist Laurence Gartel

“Happiness isn’t around the corner. Happiness IS the corner.” So said an ad for BMW created in 1996 for the Z3. In the TV version (see the video at the very bottom after the break), a heavy-metal music track underlined the idea, which was carried over to magazines and billboards.

I’m reminded of that ad, one of the more perfect expressions of the BMW brand I have ever seen, this week as I take in the Bavarian automaker’s plan to launch vehicles powered by “alternative” powertrains under the “i” sub-brand: as in, yes, iPad, iPod, iMac. So far, I’m not hearing about Apple filing trademark infractions. It is, I believe, also “i” as i Isetta, the last time BMW brought out a mini city car. “I” for innovation probably figures into the choice, as well.

BMW has brand issues. Take the Super Bowl on Feb. 6. BMW ran two ads in the big game for a cost of between $5 and $6 million. One ad was to push diesel engines. Another was to push the fact that all X3 crossovers are now being built at BMW’s plant in South Carolina. “Designed in America. Built in America,” says the voiceover at the end of this ad. How about using the big game to push the core of your brand equity – driving excitement. How about an ad that says: “aspire to own and drive this marvelous machine.”

Something has gone horribly wrong at BMW. And I think I know what it is. Back in 2006, then- BMW marketing director Jack Pitney (who tragically died in 2010) shared with me a Powerpoint strategy showing how far too many people, in his mind, weren’t considering a BMW because they were intimidated or otherwise put off by the performance image of the brand. It was this finding that led BMW to first do a corporate ad campaign touting BMW’s independent ownership, and then the softer “Joy of Driving” campaign that ran most of last year. It was literally meant to advance a “softer side” of BMW, and attract more people who were not necessarily driving enthusiasts to the brand.

Continue reading…

Continue reading Opinion: Is BMW becoming too soft?

Opinion: Is BMW becoming too soft?

Toyota showed off yet another version of the FT-86 concept at last week’s Geneva Motor Show, one they say is closer to production than any of the others. That’s right, the FT-86 has been around long enough to warrant a facelift even before it goes on sale.

According to Akihiro Nagaya, manager of Toyota’s design department, the changes are in response to driver feedback on the original FT-86 concept. Along with a redesign for the front end, necessitated by Europe’s strict pedestrian impact rules, the A-pillar has been pushed back by around four inches to produce a more upright windshield.

Autocar says the redesigned windscreen apparently makes the driving experience closer to the original AE-86, and alleviates a tunnel-vision effect the old concept produced.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Jeremy Korzeniewski / AOL

[Source: Autocar]

Toyota FT-86 II restyling happened because of driver feedback

Small Changes Make A Big Difference

For years, Acura approached the evolution of its vehicles with the deliberate patience of a carpenter wielding a sanding block. Rough mechanical or aesthetic edges were banished not with axe swings, but with small motions that seemed barely perceptible compared to the ranging whims of the competition.

Then the 2009 TL came along.

While the automaker had already begun to dabble with its then-new corporate shield grille, the TL took the piece and ran with it in a direction no one else was heading. Ask Acura about the thinking behind the design, and the company will say that the look was a product of the times. When the vehicle was penned, the world was preoccupied with ever larger displays of affluence, and Acura wanted a sedan that was unmistakable in every way. Unfortunately, the fourth-generation TL landed right as the housing bubble popped and the rest of the economy began circling the drain.

In order to right the TL’s wrongs for 2012, Acura has put down the chainsaw in favor of the carving knife to build an altogether more attractive vehicle that brings additional fuel economy to the table as well. Are the small changes enough for the luxury sedan to put its dreaded beak behind it?

Continue reading First Drive: 2012 Acura TL…

Photos copyright (C)2011 Zach Bowman / AOL

Continue reading First Drive: 2012 Acura TL

First Drive: 2012 Acura TL

Independent design studios and coachbuilders – the famous Italian ones especially – are still facing tough times, with business waning and designers switching positions like a proverbial game of musical chairs. Pininfarina is among the most storied of them all, and has reportedly named a new design director to lead its activities.

According to reports, the latest man in the hot seat is Fabio Filippini. The Italian graduate of the Milan Politecnico comes to Pininfarina from Renault, where he has served as Vice President of Interior Design since 2008. Over the course of his tenure at the French automaker, Filippini oversaw the design of the latest Megane, was founding director of the satellite Renault Design Paris studio and has lived in France, Japan and Spain.

In his new capacity at Pininfarina, Filippini takes over from Lowie Vermeersch, who left the company late last year, and will report directly to Pininfarina’s CEO Silvio Pietro Angori.

[Source: Car Body Design]

Pininfarina names Renault’s Fabio Filippini as design director

The Shayton Equilibrium looks like it could be a whole barrel of fun. Or rather, it might be – if only it existed. For now, the Shayton remains a digital rendering only, but the Slovenian company is apparently toiling away at making the design a reality.

The Shayton packs a 1,000-plus-horsepower V12 amidships, and, Shayton says it will nail down 62 mph in just 2.9 seconds, on the way to topping out at 248 mph. Couple that with carbon fiber bodywork equaling just 2,600 pounds, and you have a true hypercar recipe.

The design is a little bit Ferrari Enzo, a little bit Lotus Esprit, and maybe even a little Marussia B2, but looks to spank all three of them on a track. To do that, the 20 or so Shayton plans to build will need to exist, and so far there’s no notion of when that might be.

[Source: Car Advice Images: Autowereld]

Shayton Equilibrium: Would-be supercar one part Ferrari, one part Lotus

The Audi A3 Sedan Concept may not have been the Volkswagen Group’s biggest show-stopper at the Geneva Motor Show, but it still garnered a lot of high praise from those in attendance. Automotive News reports that if produced, the A3 sedan would likely be sold here in the United States – a no-brainer, really, especially since the German automaker has long considered offering a four-door bodystyle of the A3 here in America.

Peter Schwarzenbauer, Audi AG board member for sales and marketing, tells Automotive News that, “If you look at this specific segment around the world, you come to the conclusion that this car is designed – but it is not yet decided – with the U.S. and China in mind.” Schwarzenbauer further states that these are two markets where “the [sedan] segment is quite big.” The A3 sedan could come to the U.S. as early as 2013.

However, when it comes to the smaller Q3 crossover that’s currently being developed, Audi has not yet decided whether it will be sold in the CUV-hungry U.S. Automotive News reports that if the Q3 is given the green light, it would not arrive for another 12 to 15 months – even though the European-spec crossover is scheduled to go on sale this year.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Jeremy Korzeniewski / AOL

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

Report: Audi A3 sedan likely for U.S., Q3 crossover not in the cards (right now)

This year’s Geneva Motor Show was as packed as ever with new concept cars that point the way forward for the world’s automakers. And with their debuts now behind us, reports are pouring in on their prospects for production.

First came word that the Alfa Romeo 4C Concept is destined for U.S. showrooms, then reports surfaced of Jaguar passing on Bertone’s design pitch. Now sources from across the pond are indicating that Mini plans to go ahead with production of its Rocketman concept.

The subcompact show car aimed to pacify purists who bemoan the enlargement of the modern Mini range, and the new model could bridge the gap between the original Mini and the contemporary iteration.

According to Autocar, Mini plans on producing the Rocketman based on the BMW Group’s new front-drive platform and i-initiative technologies. Rather than replace the existing three-door hatchback, however, the production Rocketman would slot in below it (at least in terms of size) in the company’s rapidly expanding range.

Live photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Autocar]

Rumormill: Mini Rocketman headed for production

Think today’s concept cars – like the ones recently unveiled at the currently ongoing Geneva Motor Show – are off the wall? They ain’t got nothin’ on what American automakers and independent engineers alike were coming up with circa the 1950s.

With the jet age throttling up to full speed, the concept cars of yesteryear embodied the unbridled optimism of post-war America. Today, of course, they seem as kitschy as an old Disneyland ride, but you can take that step back into the future that never was in the brief video after the jump. Just don’t forget where you parked the DeLorean there, Marty.

[Source: Retro Thing]

Continue reading Video: ‘Yesterday’s Cars of Tomorrow’ makes us nostalgic for a future that never was

Video: ‘Yesterday’s Cars of Tomorrow’ makes us nostalgic for a future that never was

We should have known better, but we just couldn’t bring ourselves to believe the rumors. For over two years now, we’ve heard whispers of Nissan’s plan to introduce a convertible version of its Murano crossover, but the idea seemed so far-fetched that we just couldn’t wrap our gray matter around it. We managed to fall sleep at night by dismissing the notion as yet another silly bit of industry rumor-mongering, the sort of fodder serially dished out by British auto weeklies that splash absurd future product predictions on their covers (generally accompanied by fanciful artist’s renderings) to sell more paper at the newsstand.

We doubted it, but we should have known better. Nissan has shown real design bravery lately, as well as an unquenchable desire to fill any and all white space in its portfolio. Remember, it was Nissan’s product planners who conceived of a car designed exclusively with a T-square, throwing in a bit of asymmetrical glass and a patch of fake grass atop the dashboard – just in case anyone thought the resulting box was too boring. The automaker then announced that it was making a big bet on a brilliant but funny looking $33,000 five-door only capable of driving 100 miles before having to have its e-umbilical cord reattached. It followed this up with a tiny yet oddly lovable space-age hatchback-crossovery thing wearing a Kabuki mask. In retrospect, we shouldn’t be questioning Nissan’s wisdom in lopping the top off its mid-size crossover to create a ragtop – we should be wondering what’s taken it so long.

As we stand around looking at the CrossCabriolet at its sun-drenched San Diego launch, we can’t help but be confounded. By all rights, the CrossCabriolet ought to look like a SEMA refugee. You know the type: four doors, shadetree roofectomy by Sawzall, a frumpy and ill-fitting top and a targa bar straddling the passenger compartment to keep the whole thing from collapsing in on itself. Amazingly, in person, the Murano convertible doesn’t look anything like this. Nissan has clearly expended a surprisingly large amount of styling and engineering resources on the project, and the resulting vehicle looks more cohesive than it has any right to.

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet…

Photos copyright (C)2011 Chris Paukert / AOL

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet

First Drive: 2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet

Autoblog Podcast #220 is here, and Chris, Dan and Zach are joined by Consumer Reports’ Jon Linkov. Topics start with the annual CR Autos issue and move on to the idea of a subcompact Jeep, the Smart ForTwo Electric Drive, a globally designed Mustang and, of course, your questions and feedback. It’s an hour and fifteen minutes of fun this week – thanks for listening, we’ll see you next week!

Autoblog Podcast #220: Jeep subcompact, Smart ED, Global Mustang, with Consumer Reports’ John Linkov

• Report: Jeep to build subcompact by 2013?
• Smart ForTwo Electric Drive to go on sale in early 2012
• Report: Next-gen Ford Mustang will have global design input
• 2011 Geneva Motor Show: The 76-Car Ultimate Wrap Up
• Consumer Reports releases 2011 list of American Top Picks, Ford again on top
• Consumer Reports’ Annual Auto Issue

In the Autoblog Garage:

• 2011 Hyundai Sonata Turbo
• 2011 Nissan Xterra
• 2011 Porsche Cayenne

Runtime: 01:15:10

Feedback:
Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com
Voicemail: 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763)

Review the show in iTunes and take our survey

Autoblog Podcast #220: Jeep subcompact, Smart ED, global Mustang, with Consumer Reports’ John Linkov

Ssangyong, which has just been bought by Mahindra, has announced its intentions to start selling up to 20,000 cars a year in the U.S., beginning sometime in the next two to five years. That would mean that Mahindra could wind up with a back door into the U.S. market.

Currently, there are no announced plans for such a deal, but the 350 dealers that have been planning to market Mahindra vehicles in the States have been left hanging in the balance and are surely starting to worry. Currently, nobody is sure if or when Mahindra will break into the American market after the company’s deal with Atlanta-based independent distributor Global Vehicles fell through.

For now, the only plans that are concrete are Ssangyong’s designs on bringing more Korean-made cars to our shores. Where Mahindra and Global Vehicles settle out remains to be seen.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

Will Ssangyong market Mahindra vehicles in the U.S. soon?

We record Episode #220 of the Autoblog Podcast tonight, and we’ll be joined by John Linkov of Consumer Reports, as well. We’ll of course discuss the Annual Autos Issue, as well as the other topics below. Use the forum below to drop us your own feedback and questions or vote on your fellow readers’ submissions to help determine what else we discuss this evening. You can subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven’t already to hear your question answered.

Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #219

• Report: Jeep to build subcompact by 2013?
• Smart ForTwo Electric Drive to go on sale in early 2012
• Report: Next-gen Ford Mustang will have global design input
• 2011 Geneva Motor Show: The 76-Car Ultimate Wrap Up
• Consumer Reports releases 2011 list of American Top Picks, Ford again on top
• Consumer Reports Annual Auto Issue

Subscribe to the Autoblog Podacast and hear your questions asked:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator

Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #220 with Consumer Reports’ John Linkov

If for some strange reason you find that the Chevrolet Camaro Convertible SS doesn’t quite pack the punch you need, Hennessey has you covered. The Texas tuner has officially pulled the sheets back on the very first example of the company’s HPE600 Camaro Convertible, complete with a walloping 602 horsepower. That’s a full 172 ponies more than the most powerful production version, and the nudge in grunt comes courtesy of a TVS2300 supercharger and host of other upgrades designed to help the big V8 breathe a little easier.

As we’ve come to expect from Hennessey, the company’s wrenches also turned their attention toward the vehicle’s suspension, and buyers who opt for the muscle-bound droptop can expect to find a KW adjustable coilover suspension and wider 20-inch wheels wrapped in super-sticky Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires.

Hennessey says that the topless wonder is good for dashing to 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds and can clip off the quarter mile run in 12 seconds flat at 118 mph. That’s moving. Hit the jump to take a look at a video of the car in action as well as the full press release.

[Source: Hennessey]

Continue reading Video: Hennessey releases 602-hp Camaro HPE600 Convertible

Video: Hennessey releases 602-hp Camaro HPE600 Convertible

Italian design studio Bertone came to the 2011 Geneva Motor Show with the B99 concept, a design study for a prospective Jaguar rival to the likes of the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The sleek show car fostered rumors that perhaps Jaguar itself, which has been considering a successor to the discontinued X-Type, had commissioned Bertone to design the purple machine that graced the Geneva stage. According to new reports, however, Bertone was apparently on its own with this one.

Speaking with Jaguar’s global brand director Adrian Hallmark, Automotive News reports that the British automaker is passing on the concept car. “We appreciate the fact that Jaguar is interesting enough for people to do a concept around,” says Hallmark. “It is just not for us.”

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

Report: Jaguar passes on Bertone’s B99 concept