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Here’s a bit of news that’s sure to acquaint faces with their respective palms all across the motoring world: word on the web is that Aston Martin is planning to produce an all-electric version of the company’s new compact, the Cygnet. This, friends, is why people drink in the morning. The vehicle is all but guaranteed to be a reworked version of the Toyota iQ EV, as you probably figured out all on your own.

Why would Aston Martin, a company that’s built its legacy on the aching chords sung by mighty V8 and V12 engines possibly forsake the altar of internal combustion for a battery pack? The same reason every other manufacturer on the planet is dabbling in electrons – to reduce its corporate average fuel economy and slim down emissions at the same time. Does this mean we can expect some other electrified coupes from Aston Martin wearing more appropriately British bodywork? Don’t hold your breath.

We can’t wait to see what Clarkson has to say about this one.

Aston Martin working on Cygnet EV

Nissan has yet to figure out exactly where the company will campaign its new Leaf RC racer, but that hasn’t stopped the engineers behind the Japanese automaker’s Nismo effort from getting the machine out on track for a little shake-down action.

With its sexy carbon fiber bodywork, three-door layout and silent electric drivetrain, the car looks plenty sinister in its element. And while the vehicle’s new skin is both longer and wider than the street-going Leaf, the race car uses the same drivetrain as what’s whirring around on public streets right now, though it’s worth noting that everything has been shifted closer to the passenger cell to improve weight balance.

Nissan says that ideally, the company would eventually like to replace traditional ICE racing with EVs and that it would also like to branch out into other forms of motorsports that have never been explored. Those include city races where typical race cars are too loud to compete and indoor events where a zero-emission vehicle could truly shine. Hit the jump to check out the video for yourself.

Continue reading Nissan Leaf Nismo RC gets on-track shakedown

Nissan Leaf Nismo RC gets on-track shakedown

Bimmerfest 2011 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Started more than a decade ago as a small get-together for enthusiasts at a Santa Barbara BMW retailer, Bimmerfest celebrated its eleventh anniversary at a much larger venue this weekend: the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The largest BMW gathering in North America draws participants from all over the country thanks to a very active online membership in its Bimmerfest forums. As has traditionally been the case, most attendees meet up early in the morning to caravan hours to the Southern California event.

Despite unseasonably gloomy weather, there were more than 3,000 BMW vehicles on display. BMW North American brought its big rig with several cars including the new 2011 1 Series M Coupe. There was an excellent showing of E31 8 Series models, including an 850CSi (powered by a S70B56 5.6-liter V12 with a six-speed manual gearbox). We spotted plenty of E30 M3 models, several Z3 Coupe variants and an E23 745i (the gray market sedan features a turbocharged inline-six). The Nitto Tire both held the GSR Autosport Z4R, competing in the 2011 Formula Drift series with a 600-plus horsepower turbocharged S54 engine. Other notable BMWs in attendance included a race-bred M1, several sinister X6 M SAVs, and a spectacular 1972 E9 3.0 CSi Coupe – this year, we’ll call that one our show favorite.

There is good news for BMW owners on the East Coast. The event organizers have announced a second North American event, to be held in early August in Aberdeen, Maryland. BMW owners, start polishing your cars now.

Bimmerfest 2011 invades the Rose Bowl

Other than the temporary shut down of General Motors‘ Shreveport, Louisiana plant and the loss of some paint colors, domestic automakers haven’t yet felt the brunt of parts shortages due to the March 11 earthquake in Japan. According to a report from The Detroit Free Press, that changes shortly for Chrysler. Spokeswoman Jodi Tinson tells the Freep that three plants will idle earlier than expected in an effort to “conserve parts from suppliers impacted by the situation in Japan.”

Chrysler’s Warren Truck plant, which builds the Ram 1500 and Dakota, and Toledo North, which builds the Jeep Liberty and Dodge Nitro, will both shut down for the weeks of June 20 and June 27. The original plan was for the plants to go idle for the weeks of July 11 and July 18. The Toledo Supplier Park, which builds the Jeep Wrangler, will shut down for the week of June 20 instead of the week of July 11.

A fourth facility in Saltillo, Mexico, which builds Ram models from the base 1500 through the heavy-duty 5500, will also lose overtime on May 20, May 27, June 10 and June 24. In a move that is likely to annoy the United Auto Workers, Chrysler is also dropping the plants’ planned week of downtime.

At this point, it is unclear if Chrysler will endure more downtime as a result of parts shortages, but it appears that Team Pentastar has more than enough supplies of key vehicles to keep dealers happy for weeks if problems persist.

Chrysler to idle three plants early for summer shutdown due to parts shortage

An Aging SUV Stalwart Sizes Up Its Crossover Competition

Would you describe yourself as an optimist? Someone who can always find the good in something that others fail to see? It’s an admirable quality, and one we’re going to try and keep in mind while putting down our thoughts on the 2011 Nissan Pathfinder.

We could write a thousand-word essay on the demise of the large, three-row, body-on-frame sport utility vehicle, but that hardly seems helpful. Instead, we’ll do our best to point out exactly what penalties you’ll be signing up for by choosing this type of vehicle over one of its newer crossover competitors.

Yes, a pessimist could surely find plenty about the aging Pathfinder to complain about, but the deep-seated, glass-half-full optimist can take that 4,800-pound bag of lemons and make some sweet-tasting lemonade. It took the entirety of our week with the 2011 Nissan Pathfinder, but we finally figured out exactly who this vehicle is for. Could it be you? Continue reading…

Continue reading 2011 Nissan Pathfinder

2011 Nissan Pathfinder

To say that Saab has struggled of late would be a gross understatement. The automaker has had to fight for loans, production was halted twice due to failure to pay suppliers, and an agreement with China’s Hawtai Motors was scrapped after all parties failed to agree to the terms. Then there was the supposed agreement with Great Wall Motor, which the Chinese automaker flat-out denied. What a mess.

But while Saab has certainly struggled, it would be wrong to say that the Swedish automaker isn’t trying. A Saab press release shows that the Swedish automaker has found another Chinese dance partner, and this time, a “Memorandum of Understanding” has been signed between Pang Da Automobile Trade Co. and the Swedish automaker.

Pang Da, the largest publicly traded automotive distribution chain in China, has agreed to purchase $43 million worth of Saab vehicles, and another $21 million 30 days later. In addition, Pang Da will pay $92 million for a 24 percent stake in Spyker. For Saab, the deal represents a 50 percent ownership in a distribution joint venture to sell Saab products. A separate 50 percent stake in a manufacturing joint venture has also been agreed upon, though the manufacturing partner has yet to be named.

Meanwhile, Automotive News reports that a long-term deal with a Chinese automaker could result in a majority stake in Saab. AN, which cites a report in the Swedish business daily Dragens Industri, quotes an unnamed source as saying, “It is not a problem if a Chinese partner wants a direct majority in Saab Automobile.”

Since the cash situation at Saab appears to be changing almost daily, it’s difficult to see how this will end. But for the short term, the Pang Da deal should help Saab quite a bit, provided the deal goes through as planned. Hit the jump to read Saab’s press release.

Continue reading Saab announces memorandum of understanding with China’s Pang Da

Saab announces memorandum of understanding with China’s Pang Da

Every year, the United States loses in the neighborhood of 30,000 people to traffic accidents. That’s like the entire population of a medium-sized town being wiped out annually. The number of deaths not only wreaks havoc with families, but it puts a strain on our economy.

In recognition of the rising costs of traffic fatalities – not just in the U.S., but globally – the United Nations General Assembly has declared 2011-2020 the Decade of Action for Road Safety. The ten-year span will be marked by increased consciousness of driving habits, road conditions and vehicle safety. In honor of the event, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has put together some alarming statistics.

In 2005, traffic deaths wound up costing just over $41 billion in medical bills and work lost. Yes, that’s billion with a “B.” According to the CDC, 10 states stood head and shoulders above the rest in monetary losses. Those were: California, at $4.16 billion, Texas, at $3.50 billion, Florida, at 3.16 billion, Georgia, at $1.55 billion, Pennsylvania, at $1.52 billion, North Carolina, at $1.50 billion, New York, at $1.33 billion, Illinois, at $1.32 billion, Ohio, at $1.23 billion and Tennessee, at $1.15 billion.

Though these 10 states handily outranked the others, the CDC tallied up the monetary total for all of the 50 states. To see how your home state fared, check out the CDC website. If the U.S. can rack up such an alarming total by itself, we shudder to think what the global costs of car wrecks is.

How much do traffic deaths cost your state? CDC has the answer

By all accounts, In-N-Out Burger makes a delicious sandwich. The chain has been a fixture in California for decades, but has only recently begun creeping its way across the country, bringing its much-lauded burgers to those who don’t live in SoCal. In-N-Out’s nostalgia for 1950s and ’60s carhop burger joints and cruise night culture is another big consumer draw.

When In-N-Out opened up its first franchise in Texas last week, the restaurant’s renown had people lined up for miles to get their hands on one of the joint’s never-frozen patties. The line was so impressive that the cops showed up to deploy cones and direct traffic safely through the parking lot and drive through.

While In-N-Out makes a good burger, it can’t possibly be worth voluntarily subjecting yourself to a mile-long traffic jam. Let’s not forget that this is just the drive-thru line. We can only imagine the chaos inside the restaurant. Click past the jump to see the madness for yourself.

Continue reading Texas motorists a little overexcited about first In-N-Out Burger

Texas motorists a little overexcited about first In-N-Out Burger

Tumblr is a collection of personal fetishes, with homemade sites focused on everything from cats to cars to freckles. The site 9-eyes.com, on the other hand, doesn’t look through the two eyes of Jon Rafman, but rather through the numerous and far-flung eyes of Google Street View; the site is nothing but the “best” pics from Google’s roving army, like the one above.

We have no idea how the suited man (or is it a mannequin?) ended up on a lonely, rural lane. Nor do we have any idea why the boy is hiding behind the garbage can, why the reindeer is running down the road, or why Rafman – who blurs every person’s face – decided to blur the face of an elephant, as if we would have recognized it otherwise. But you’ll find that and much more in the museum-worthy collection.

Be warned: 9-eyes contains many flipped birds and shiny moons of a decidedly non-lunar variety. If you’re all right with that and you have time to kill, you know where to head.

9-eyes.com features Google Street View’s most beautiful and disturbing images

The 2012 Kia Sorento will be available with the company’s hands-free UVO infotainment system, and its brand-spanking new GDI direct-injection four-cylinder engine. With those new features, the big Kia crossover can really dance with the big guns from the likes of Ford.

Other available options include Kia’s YES Essential seat treatment, which makes the seats resistant to stains and static electricity and includes an anti-bacterial chemical. That, along with an entertainment system to be reckoned with, should keep the young family demographic very happy.

The Sorento’s new engine uses the same GDI setup as the upcoming 2012 Rio, but this time it sees duty atop a 2.4-liter version of the brand’s Theta II architecture. Thanks to GDI, the 2012 Sorento should closing in on 200 ponies, as opposed to the old engine’s 175.

For those who aren’t looking to upgrade to the Sorento just yet, the new options are also available on the 2012 Sportage. Click past the break to see Kia’s full press release.

Continue reading 2012 Kia Sorento gets 2.4L GDI engine, UVO infotainment

2012 Kia Sorento gets 2.4L GDI engine, UVO infotainment

Zagato’s been keeping busy, what with the TZ3 Stradale, a new Aston Martin, and the rumored Fiat 500 coupe. Now, PistonHeads reports that another another sexy Zagato-bodied sports car can join the party. The Perana Z-One has finally reached production, with UK deliveries set to commence.

The Z-One, as you might recall, debuted in March 2009 at the Geneva Motor Show, where it stole the spotlight. The custom chassis was reportedly set up by Lee Noble – the same talent behind a variety of cottage-industry sportscars wearing names like Ultima, Ascari, Rosion, Fenix and, of course, Noble. Powered by a442-hp GM LS3 V8, it’s bound for these shores as well, with the order book now open – though precisely when we’ll begin receiving deliveries remains to be seen.

Perana Z-One finally enters production

When nearly 200 cars line up this weekend at the Nürburgring for the Adenauer ADAC Rudstrecken-Trophy, countless Porsches and BMWs will be among them. And a hybrid. Wait, what?

That’s right. This year Gazoo Racing – the ToMoCo-backed outfit that has campaigned the Lexus LFA at the same track – is fielding a competition-spec Lexus CT 200h.

Well, we shouldn’t call it a CT 200h, since while it’s almost identical to the roadgoing CT hybrid, the 200 nameplate would be a bit of a misnomer. Because while the electric component of the Lexus Hybrid Drive system was kept in place for this racing machine, the 1.8-liter four was replaced by a 2.4. Perhaps it’s a test platform for the upcoming more powerful CT?

Otherwise, beyond the required safety modifications, it’s pretty much bone stock, right down shutting the engine off at idle and under braking. Follow the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Gazoo Racing fields race-prepped Lexus CT hybrid at Nürburgring

Gazoo Racing fields race-prepped Lexus CT hybrid at Nürburgring

When nearly 200 cars line up this weekend at the Nürburgring for the Adenauer ADAC Rudstrecken-Trophy, countless Porsches and BMWs will be among them. And a hybrid. Wait, what?

That’s right. This year Gazoo Racing – the ToMoCo-backed outfit that has campaigned the Lexus LFA at the same track – is fielding a competition-spec Lexus CT 200h.

Well, we shouldn’t call it a CT 200h, since while it’s almost identical to the roadgoing CT hybrid, the 200 nameplate would be a bit of a misnomer. Because while the electric component of the Lexus Hybrid Drive system was kept in place for this racing machine, the 1.8-liter four was replaced by a 2.4. Perhaps it’s a test platform for the upcoming more powerful CT?

Otherwise, beyond the required safety modifications, it’s pretty much bone stock, right down shutting the engine off at idle and under braking. Follow the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Gazoo Racing fields race-prepped Lexus CT hybrid at Nüurburgring

Gazoo Racing fields race-prepped Lexus CT hybrid at Nüurburgring

Persian fashion designer Bijan Pakzad was a genuine car nut, and he drove high-dollar exotics on a regular basis. He passed away last month while he was working on a series of special editions for Rolls-Royce, but before he left this world he worked up this one-of-a-kind Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport.

Bijan’s signature yellow dominates everything on this custom Veyron, from the broad stripe running up the center of the polished aluminum bodywork to the wheels and interior. As you can see, Bijan’s trademark bearded face motif is featured prominently on the nose, and Bijan logos are even featured on both sides of the rear wing. There’s even an iPad installed in between the seats that displays the same flower as those rotated daily in his Rodeo Drive boutique.

Created in close collaboration with Bugatti and its design director, Achim Anschdeidt, the car was completed six weeks ago. Low-key it is not, but then neither were Bijan and his other designs. And as you can see from the second video after the jump, it wasn’t the flamboyant designer’s first custom Veyron, either.

Continue reading Bijan’s custom Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport revealed

Bijan’s custom Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport revealed

Hot on the tail of the music video for Sharam’s “Fun” comes word that an advertising agency will attempt to recreate the chase scene from Bullitt in downtown San Francisco once again. According to SF Appeal, Duroo Productions, Inc. is set to film a spot for a Korean-based movie theater chain hoping to strut its new 4D movie experience. From the sound of things, the city’s financial district will see its fair share of car chases and gun play with actors firing blanks at each other. San Francisco’s film commission is warning individuals in the area not to be alarmed or call the police if they hear a commotion.

The action is taking place today on Montgomery, Bush, Sansome, Sutter, Pine, Washington and Clay streets between 6:00 AM and 8:00 PM, and while residents will have access to their domiciles, they may have to wait a few moments until the crew is finished shooting a particular scene. For fun, the original Bullitt chase sequence is embedded after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Schirmer!

Continue reading Bullitt car chase being recreated in San Fran for commercial

Bullitt car chase being recreated in San Fran for commercial

Are sixth-generation Chevrolet Corvette coupes attempting to take out their owners? After one man recently became “trapped” inside his ZR1, another driver, captured above, also believed he was stuck inside his ‘Vette. The real issue here, however, isn’t folks being outsmarted by their cars; it’s that vehicle owners don’t even bother learning how their cars work.

When the battery dies on a C6 Corvette, the door-release buttons stop working. General Motors isn’t in the business of creating sports cars that turn into traps, so it installs (very obviously marked) levers on the floor that, when pulled, manually open the doors. Not rocket science, guys. No need to panic. But hey, when you do freak out, and your friends are kind enough to find it hilarious and videotape it, well, we’re happy to share.

Click past the jump to watch. Just be advised: the language is not safe for work.

Continue reading Friends videotape man “trapped” inside C6 Corvette with dead battery

Friends videotape man “trapped” inside C6 Corvette with dead battery

While Toyota has been one of the automakers hardest hit by the tragic Japanese earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disasters in March of this year, nearly every auto company on the planet felt its impact. Thanks to a global, tight-laced network of interconnected suppliers, manufacturers were left scrambling to make up gaps in the parts chain when Japan’s manufacturing mechanism ground to a halt. As it turns out, General Motors took on the challenge of making sure as many of its plants stayed operational as possible by employing a team of hundreds of employees that worked around the clock.

Officially termed “Project J,” the workers came up with creative solutions to manage the supply interruptions. As a result, GM says that its bottom line for 2011 won’t be significantly impacted by the Japanese earthquake.

In some cases, that meant shifting parts from low-volume plants like the Shreveport, Louisiana facility responsible for the Chevrolet Colorado and the GMC Canyon to other facilities. GM stressed that it didn’t want to simply walk away from its old suppliers in their darkest days, so the automaker sent a team to Japan to learn how it could help get key factories back up and running. That included sourcing hydrogen peroxide and steel from Korea from two different companies.

The whole effort is incredibly impressive and worth a read if you’ve got the time. Check it out over at The New York Times.

How GM avoided its own disaster after Japanese quake

In March, we heard that, because of production delays as a result of the March 11 earthquake in Japan, Toyota was looking at delays for the new Prius V and Prius + models set to go on sale in North America and Europe, respectively. The Detroit News is reporting that those delays could last as long as a year for some buyers due to battery pack shortages.

Despite the production problems, Toyota still launched the the larger Prius variant in Tokyo. But the lack of batteries means that the automaker can only build 1,000 of the three-row models with the lithium ion battery pack, and another 2,000 models with the nickel-metal hydride battery pack. That doesn’t quite jive with the automaker’s 18,000 orders for the nickel-metal hydride-equipped five-seater or the 7,000 orders for the pricier three-row model. And that’s just the orders for the up-sized Prius in Japan. The automaker intends to sell about 2,000 units per month each in North America and Europe as well.

In the big picture, Toyota has at least launched the new Prius, and new models should begin trickling in over the next few months. The Prius + won’t be offered in Europe until mid-2012, and it won’t be available in the U.S. at all.

Quake fallout may delay Toyota Prius V sales by up to a year

We got right up close and personal with the all-new Lamborghini Aventador when our own Matt Davis spent some quality time with the latest raging bull, and the exotic supercar earned itself plenty of high praise. But if our opinion on this newest Lamborghini isn’t enough for you, we would like to offer up another point of view. Steve Sutcliffe of Autocar secured some time with the Aventador and, despite the rain, put together an informative video review.

The clip, which you can view after the jump, is filled with wet-weather drifts, insight from Sutcliffe and the other-worldly howl from that 6.5-liter V12 engine. We’re going to end it here so you can stop reading and start watching.

Continue reading Autocar and the Lamborghini Aventador are slingin’ in the rain

Autocar and the Lamborghini Aventador are slingin’ in the rain

According to The Detroit News, Chinese automaker Great Wall has made it clear that the company has not been in talks with Saab over a potential partnership. After word trickled down that a $233-million deal between the Swedish automaker’s parent company, Spyker, and Hawtai Motor Group imploded, rumors of various other Chinese suitors have cropped up in a serious fashion.

Spyker said that Hawtai was forced to back out of the arrangement due to the company’s inability to obtain proper government consent, while Hawtai denied those claims. Instead, the Chinese automaker said that claim in a statement by saying that the true issues were commercial and economic realities.

Meanwhile, both BAIC and China Youngman Automobile Group have said that they aren’t in negotiations with either Spyker or Saab at this time. The Detroit News reports that BAIC recently bought the rights to some Saab technology, though the automaker said that no further discussions had been made about the future of the relationship between the two organizations.

Great Wall Motors denies Saab talks