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The fifth installment of the Fast and the Furious series, Fast Five, is ready to debut this summer, unleashing another round of “nos”-fed hilarity. In anticipation of the promised vehicular mayhem, they guys at Inside Line caught up with Dennis McCarthy, the man behind the stable of hot rods featured in the movie.

The first is a one-off, tube-frame monstrosity of an offroad car hauler lovingly dubbed “Mongo.” Mongo was designed to assist Vin Diesel and Paul Walker in filching exotic cars from a moving train. To our eyes, Mongo looks ready to do just that, sporting a 600-plus-horsepower 502-cubic-inch Chevrolet V8, 7:10 gears and 18 inches of suspension travel. According to McCarthy, Mongo did his own stunts, completing a 75-foot jump and driving away unscathed. Wow.

The next sample on today’s palette is possibly the most famous car to come out of the Fast and the Furious franchise, Dom Toretto’s 1970 Dodge Charger. Though the car in the film sports a 900-horsepower supercharged Hemi, keeping costs low dictated a slightly tamer set up for the actual workhorses of the film. In stuntman-ready trim, the Charger sported a 400-hp Chevy small block (sorry, Mopar fans…) capped by a gutted BDS blower just for effect. According to IL, it’s loud, scary to drive and uncomfortable, just the way any self-respecting mock up should be.

The final car on the list is the star of the show, a replica of a 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport, build by Mongoose Motorsports. It features the ubiquitous Chevrolet 502 big block, backed up by a Borg Warner Super T-10 four-speed stick. The combination rides on C3 Corvette suspension, which struggles to handle nearly 600 horses stuffed into a featherweight frame.

After weeks of abuse at the hands of Hollywood, none of the cars are feeling as healthy as they once were. That said, they all still run, which can’t be said for hundreds of other cars used in the movie. Added to that, they’ll all still burn up the rear tires with poise, showing they still have their dignity. Click past the jump to see all three cars in action.

[Source: YouTube via Inside Line]

Continue reading Video: Inside line drives a trio of Fast Five cars

Video: Inside line drives a trio of Fast Five cars

Back in 2008, gas prices soared past $4 per gallon and car buyers clamored for more efficient forms of transportation. But once fuel became affordable again, we’re guessing there were quite a few Honda Civic and Chevy Cobalt owners who longed for their old SUVs. The price of gas is skyrocketing yet again, but it appears that customers aren’t inclined to make that mistake again.

Consumer Reports recently polled 911 new car-buying adults to gauge the size of their next vehicle, and 56 percent responded that their next car or truck will be the same size as the one it replaces. The poll shows that a quarter of the respondents did plan to downsize, but another 19 percent were inclined to buy bigger the next time around. And if you’re 18-34, you’re more likely to up-size your next vehicle, in part because younger buyers will in many cases own a smaller vehicle because they are typically cheaper to purchase. This demographic also falls into the heart of family starting years, so children could be driving the growth.

Among those who wanted to downsize, 92 percent were looking for improved fuel efficiency, while 71 percent wanted less expensive repair costs and 67 percent were concerned about the environment. Improved reliability and a lower purchase price are also factors. Unsurprisingly, 80 percent of those who wanted a larger vehicle were looking for more space, while comfort came in second at 72 percent. Safety, reliability and lower maintenance and repair costs were also factors.

Hit the jump to read over the Consumer Reports press release, and let us know in the poll below whether you plan to up-size, downsize or retain the status quo when you buy your next vehicle.

View Poll

[Source: Consumer Reports]

Continue reading Consumer Reports: Most car buyers not looking to downsize

Consumer Reports: Most car buyers not looking to downsize

Another icon has gone under the knife and emerged, well, only slightly differently iconic, but the changes made to the 2012 Beetle are only superficially slight. Volkswagen global marketing director Luca de Meo says of the car that was revealed simultaneously in New York, Berlin and Shanghai, “We worked on the entire packaging of the car, engine, trunk, interior, everything.” Take a close look at it, and it’s clear.

Marketing guru de Meo says VW laid out three objectives for the new hatchback: Bring back the spirit of the original, i.e., make it affordable, tough, and easy to use; reconnect with the emotion of the car; and bring the shape and concept of the original into the 21st century.

To achieve all that, Volkswagen’s head of design, Klaus Bischoff, says they threw everything from the current Beetle out the window and had an original Beetle in the studio when they started the redesign in 2007. Working from those vintage cues, the 2012 car is stretched everywhere: it’s 150 millimeters longer, 3.2 inches wider, and has a wider track. The bonnet is longer, a look exacerbated by the cabin being pushed back and the windshield being more upright and closer to the driver. The finished product even looks different compared to the car we saw in spy shots back in January.

Continue reading New York 2011: VW Beetle live reveal…

Live Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

Continue reading New York 2011: VW Beetle live reveal

New York 2011: VW Beetle live reveal

When you talk about race cars for the road, one of the first names that comes to mind is Radical. The British niche automaker’s core model – the SR3 RS – is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and to mark the occasion Radical has released a limited edition of its track-ready rocket.

The SR3 RS Limited packs some unique touches at a lower price point aimed at bringing new customers into the fold. Its features list includes oversized vented disc brakes hidden behind center-lock wheels, a high-downforce rear diffuser, trackday exhaust silencer (necessary at many circuits due to noise pollution regulations) and a spares package with an extra set of rain tires mounted to another set of wheels and more. The Limited model also gets special gelcoat paint in yellow, orange or red, with matte vinyl decals for that race-car look.

Oh, and don’t forget the 1.3-liter Suzuki motorbike engine, tuned in house by Radical to deliver 210 horsepower to the rear wheels via six-speed sequential gearbox. Only 25 examples will be offered at £49,850 (equivalent to about $80k) including British taxes, which hardly makes the RS Limited a cheap proposition, but – considering its blistering levels of performance – one which Radical says encompasses its best value yet. Have a closer look at the information page in the gallery below for more information.

[Source: Radical]

Radical SR3 RS celebrates 10th anniversary with limited edition

The Chinese auto market is the biggest in the world, and thanks the country’s population of 1.6 billion people, nobody knows just how big this market will end up being. General Motors has been a major force in the success of this emerging market, with 2.35 million sales in 2010, and the automaker may just be getting started.

The Detroit Free Press reports that GM China President Kevin Wale is looking for sales of five million vehicles per year by 2015, or more than double the 2010 totals. That’s a massive sum that would likely require billions of dollars in added production, but based on sales over the last decade, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if the demand continued to climb for another ten years or more.

Chinese car buyers will get a glimpse of the next generation of new vehicles at the Shanghai Motor Show this week. As in recent years, the show will be home to many global vehicle introductions that in the past would have seen their debuts occur at Europe or U.S. shows.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Report: GM looking to double China sales to five million units

Alex Van Halen made his name as co-founder of legendary hair metal band Van Halen, alongside the guitar-shredding talents of his younger brother Eddie. Remember the drum solo intro to “Hot for Teacher”? That was the talented Mr. Van Halen. Turns out the man behind that killer, Harley Davidson-aping drum solo is a car aficionado par excellence, apparently with a penchant for tube-frame track rats.

According to this eBay listing, Van Halen has decided to get rid of his black-on-black, Eco Tec-powered Ariel Atom. The asking price for this celebrity-owned Atom is accordingly steep, despite the fact that the only documentation of Van Halen’s ownership is the seller’s word.

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: Alex Van Halen’s murdered-out Ariel Atom

There are some incredibly gifted people out there who obsess over automotive detailing. No paint swirl is too small and no interior crevice is too tight for this dedicated set. Others, however, call themselves detailers, but deliver sub-standard work when compared with the real pros. The staff at North West Auto Salon came across a particularly egregious example of shoddy detailing when a new customer pulled into their cleaning booth.

Choosing a cheaper competitor first, the customer sought to have a large coffee stain removed from his car’s floor. Some quality cleaning products, detailing knowledge and elbow grease should be in order, right? Not so for this “lucky” customer. It seems a can of spray paint was the preferred cleaning tool here. We’ll assume that the resulting overspray and still-visible coffee stain won’t result in a good review on the detailer’s Yelp page.

Head over to North West Auto Salon’s website to see a few more images of this not-so-detailed detail work.

[Source: North West Auto Salon via The Car Lounge]

Detailer tries to clean up coffee stain… with spray paint?!

The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu will be unveiled on Monday at the Shanghai Motor Show. General Motors is expectedly making a big deal of the event, and started dropping teasers a couple weeks back. Those were followed by a full-on, high-resolution pic of the Malibu in red on Thursday. And now? Another picture of the China-spec car in blue. Since it’s static, we get a clean look at the new Malibu’s wheels and a better idea of the car’s profile

If you feel like you’re already overstuffed on the 2013 Malibu, try to save some room for the main course, which comes in the form of the sedan’s official debut in Shanghai. The live reveal will be streamed via webcast on Chevy’s Facebook page on Monday, April 18 at 8:30 p.m. EDT.

[Source: GM via EGM Car Tech]

GM releases another shot of the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu

As you’ve likely noticed, new cars aren’t getting cheaper. Pack enough options onto a new C-segment hatchback or sedan, and it’s not difficult to elevate the MSRP to $25,000 or more. At the same time, there are still plenty of B-segment and C-segment vehicles that can be had for $16,000 or less, and the base Nissan Versa can still be snagged for $9,990; albeit with zero options and no radio. The same goes for the cheapest Hyundai Accent, which starts at $9,985.

How much longer can Nissan continue to offer a new car for under $10,000? USA Today thinks those days are about over, as the 2012 Versa is set to bow at next week’s New York Auto Show. The new Versa appears to be better looking and more refined than the model it replaces, making a $10,000 price tag unlikely. The new Accent is another probable candidate to drop its $10K model. It’s also expected to make an appearance in New York, and should be markedly improved over the current car in all respects.

So, does the arrival of the next-generation Nissan Versa and Hyundai Accent mean the end of the $10,000 vehicle? Does it even matter? While the ultra-cheap stripper models are handy marketing tools for their manufacturers, a shopper with $10,000 to spend can get a lot of car for that money on the used market. With a radio and A/C to boot.

[Source: USA Today]

Is the age of the sub-$10,000 car passing?

The United Auto Workers will soon be sitting down with Detroit automakers in an effort to reach a new contract agreement. Some in the know feel Ford will be the targeted OEM in the negotiations due to the automaker’s recent successes, and a recent criticism levied by UAW leadership is that The Blue Oval employs more temporary workers than General Motors or Chrysler.

The Detroit Free Press reports that Ford took a step to rectify that issue on April 7, when it laid off 120 “temporary” workers at its Dearborn truck plant. The automaker will reportedly relieve another 80 workers of their duty in the coming weeks, bringing the total pink-slip count to 200. Ford has some 2,000 temp workers in plants across the country, compared to 1,000 at GM and next to none at Chrysler.

Ford spokeswoman Marcey Evans tells the Freep that the workers were only brought on to launch the 2011 F-150, and that they knew that the position was temporary. Gary Walkowicz of UAW Local 600 points out that he’s sad to see the temps go, adding that some have been receiving half pay and zero benefits since 2002.

While it’s never nice to hear of layoffs, the cuts make some sense to Ford due to the fact that the automaker has displaced full-time workers all over the country in need of new positions. We’re thinking Ford will try to find work for as many of those workers as possible leading up to contract talks.

Photos copyright (C)2010 Jeremy Korzeniewski / AOL and Ford Motor Company
[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Report: Ford laying off 200 temporary workers at F-150 plant

Pixar’s latest stop on the CARS 2 character roll-out tour is the country of Japan. The Land of the Rising Sun will no doubt provide the World Grand Prix with plenty of racers, but today we have some native vehicles to show you that do anything but compete on a track.

One tends a Zen garden, one is a Kabuki dancer and the other two are sumo wrestling micro vans complete with mawashis and culturally correct hairstyles. Have a look see and read their official descriptions in our burgeoning CARS 2 character gallery.

Zen gardens, Kabuki and sumo wrestling represented in CARS 2

Back in 2007, General Motors unveiled the Buick Riviera concept at the Shanghai Auto Show. The handsome concept featured a lot of the design cues that we now see every day in the LaCrosse. At the same time, the Riviera showed that The General’s sometimes dowdy Buick brand could rock a coupe as well as the next brand.

Four years later, GM is going back to the two-door at Shanghai, but this time we’re talking about the crossover-like Envision concept. GM tells us that the design illustrates “elegant and smooth exterior that emphasizes its modern styling and contemporary sportiness.” We don’t know about all of that, but the sketches show the Envision could be a very handsome crossover that may suggest us what the next Enclave could look like. The whole gullwing coupe thing is another matter, as the doors look longer than a school bus, and a pillar-less crossover doesn’t sound all that reasonable.

The Envision is also said to include the expected plug-in hybrid technology that is all the rage with concept cars these days. The sketch of the interior, which are showed in the gallery below, is fanciful and not for production. The Envision concept will be officially unveiled at Shanghai on April 18.

[Source: General Motors via China Car Times]

More Buick Envision CUV concept renderings trickle out ahead of Shanghai

No one was hurt – but two plug-in vehicles were destroyed – in a fire in a home in the Connecticut town of Barkhamsted last night. The cars were a brand-new 2011 Chevrolet Volt with just 2,000 miles on the odometer and a converted all-electric Suzuki Samurai that the homeowner, Storm Connors, converted himself years ago. At this early stage, it is impossible to tell if one or the other vehicles was the cause of the blaze – or if it was one of the charging systems or the garage’s electrical system – but firemen who responded to the 911 call said that this is one angle that the investigators will look in to. Local news channel WTNH reports that Connors, “likes his cars too much to think having them charging in the garage started the fire.” Another news channel, WFSB, says that, “fire officials suspect an electric hybrid car may have sparked” the blaze.

You can watch a video news report of the aftermath after the jump. Interestingly, Connors himself has commented on AutoblogGreen stories in the past, so our thoughts go out to a reader who is dealing with a terrible loss. Hat tip to Pete!

[Sources: WFSB, WTNH]

Continue reading Video: Garage fire claims Chevy Volt and homebuilt EV

Video: Garage fire claims Chevy Volt and homebuilt EV

Fiat has been in a big, fat hurry to increase its stake in Chrysler, as the Italian automaker has managed to increase ownership from 20 percent to 30 percent so far this year. A report out of Automotive News Europe (via Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera) shows that the stakes may raise once again by June of 2011.

From the onset, the first goal for Fiat has been to hit 35 percent ownership by the end of 2011, but sources tell AN that CEO Sergio Marchionne and his team are now aiming for 46 percent this summer. To hit that number, the automaker will need to pay down U.S. and Canadian government debt from the original $7.4 billion to under $4 billion. On Monday, Marchionne reportedly said that Fiat planned to speak with banks in an effort to refinance the loans. Earlier in the year, Marchionne referred to the government loans as “shyster loans,” which, though he later apologized, tells us everything we need to know about the CEO’s motivation.

As part of that agreement, Fiat has the option to pay down $1.14 billion in debt by the end of 2011, while waiting until next year will effectively raise the rate to $1.37 billion. That translates to a 20-percent interest rate for the year, which is high for a credit card, much less a government loan.

The next step for Fiat is to achieve another five percent ownership in Chrysler by the end of 2011. To do this, the automaker will need to sell a 40+ mile per gallon Dodge (likely a rebadged Fiat) and sell it in the U.S.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req. Image: Massimo Pinca/AP]

Report: Fiat looking to up Chrysler stake to 46% by June

Rumors surrounding a prospective motorsports expansion in the Volkswagen Group have been swirling around for years now. One of the largest automakers in the world, VW’s factory-supported racing activities are largely limited to Audi and its considerable Le Mans program and Volkswagen’s own Dakar efforts, with a handful of lower-level initiatives and non-works entries in other series. We’re still expecting a big shake-up, but the first step, according to reports, will see the Volkswagen brand launch a challenge for the World Rally Championship.

The initiative was set to launch last month at the WRC Portugal Rally, but Germans being Germans, the launch was reportedly delayed because the papers had yet to be signed by the right people. With all the Johan Hanckonenshteins now apparently in place, the program is set to be announced next month at Italy’s Sardegna rally.

Volkswagen’s WRC entry is expected to revolve around the Polo (pictured above in South Africa in S2000 rally spec), which will challenge select rounds in 2012 before going flat-out for the full season in 2013 – similar to the path which Mini and Prodrive have taken with their new entry. Norwegian driver Petter Solberg – who won the championship for Subaru in 2003 – is rumored as a potential driver, as is Nasser Al-Attiyah, the Qatari driver (and competitive marksman) who won at Dakar in a Volkswagen Touareg this year as well as the WRC production class which he won in 2006 in a Subaru Impreza.

[Source: Autosport]

Report: Volkswagen to announce WRC entry in May

Mini is excited to get back to rally racing, and its hoping the new Countryman WRC will be a good tool for the job. The automaker has been all over the place to show off its pumped-up racer, and, thankfully for us, cameras were brought along the whole way.

We have five videos waiting for you after the jump. In the first three, driver Kris Meeke does his best Ken Block impersonation by tackling a mini (or is that Mini?) Gymkhana course. The other two videos show a bit of Mini’s racing history and give a look at the official launch of the Countryman WRC.

[Source: Youtube]

Continue reading Videos: Mini has some fun with the Countryman WRC

Videos: Mini has some fun with the Countryman WRC

When Lotus ushered out a plethora of new concept vehicles at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, we were more than a bit surprised. Sure, many of the designs had no chance of making it to production, but even a new Elan or Esprit would cost the boutique automaker millions to build – money Lotus simply doesn’t have.

Auto Express reports that the English Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has turned down the automaker’s application for a £27.5 million loan ($50 million U.S.). The money was reportedly sought in order to build a new plant in Hethel, Norfolk, that would have produced some of new models while also employing another 1,200 Brits. The BIS turned down Lotus in spite of the fact that the government body had already approved £450 million in loans to automakers like Jaguar and General Motors.

The automaker is no doubt disappointed with the decision not to allow the loan, but Team Lotus isn’t going down without a fight. Lotus released a statement saying that the automaker was exploring all options, adding that a next step could be “submitting an updated bid for round two of the RGF (government loan), which is set to close on July 1.”

What does this latest setback mean to Lotus? We’re not privy to the automaker’s financial statements, but we’re guessing Lotus really needs this money to build any and all of its new products. If it doesn’t get the proper financing, we’re thinking that there may not be any new Lotus models anytime soon.

[Source: Auto Express]

Report: Lotus unable to secure local government money

Mounting a rally is never easy to begin with. Organizing one in the Middle East amidst the greatest popular upheaval in the region’s considerable history, however, is another matter entirely. We recently reported on the potential effects which demonstrations and revolutions across the region could have on motorsport competition, and now it’s all come home to roost.

Only two months after protests forced the cancelation of the Bahrain Grand Prix, a number of unpredictable factors have caused the delay – but not the cancellation – of the WRC rally in Jordan. Although the Hashemite Kingdom itself has remained relatively stable, getting the cars and equipment there this year proved a unique hassle. Teams were cautioned against trying to go through the Suez Canal due to the situation in Egypt, and with protests kicking into high gear in Syria, Plan B was out, too. Organizers ended up shipping by sea from Italy to Israel, only to be faced by further setbacks.

Stormy weather reportedly dictated it unsafe for the ship to dock in Haifa – Israel’s northern port on the Mediterranean – leaving it stranded one kilometer offshore. When the harbor finally gave the all-clear for the ship to dock, one of its engines wouldn’t start, forcing tug-boats to bring it in and shutting down all traffic in the port in the process. The shipment was then delayed in customs and took fourteen hours to finally reach the Jordanian coast of the Dead Sea where the garages are being set up.

The rally is now set to begin on Friday, two days behind schedule, but ready to go nonetheless. Meanwhile, the ship has since been impounded by the Israeli ministry of transportation until its engine can be repaired, forcing organizers to make alternative arrangements for getting their cars and gear back to Italy for the Sardinia rally on May 5.

[Source: Autosport Image: McKlein/Citroën]

WRC Jordan Rally delayed due to political unrest, stormy seas and engine trouble

Our long-term Hyundai Equus has already impressed our staff with its copious level of luxury refinement and general largess. Now Hyundai can put another notch in the belt of its luxury sedan after being designated an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick.

The Equus won the award by scoring a “Good” in front, side, rollover and rear crash protection. The Equus also manged to surpass the stringent IIHS requirement for roof strength, as the big sedan was found to have a roof that can support a force equal to 4.87 times its weight. To receive a “Good” score, a roof must be able to support at least four times its weight. The Equus also features electronic stability control; another must-have to receive a Top Safety Pick designation.

Click on the gallery below to see high-resolution pics of a $60,000 luxury sedan getting destroyed in the name of science and safety.

[Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety]

2011 Hyundai Equus named IIHS ‘Top Safety Pick’

Personal protection is a big deal south of the border, and the people of Mexico reportedly spend upwards of $80 million per year on armored vehicles. When we think of armored cars, we tend to think about Chevy Tahoes and Ford Expeditions, but Volkswagen has for years offered a smaller, slightly more affordable option.

The Bora Protect is little more than a previous-generation Jetta, except it can stop a bullet. The no-doubt heavy little sedan costs about $70,000 in U.S. funds, but if that’s what it takes to stop a high-velocity round from entering the cabin, it’s likely money well spent. And as an added bonus, buyers of the Bora Protect receive the superior interior of the last-generation Jetta, as opposed to the cost-cut cabin of the current model.

And as you might expect, the base 115-horsepower 2.0-liter engine isn’t the mill of choice when you’re hauling several hundreds of pounds worth of Kevlar and other bullet blockers. For 70-large you also get the 200-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter mill mated to a six-speed DSG for (at least close to) proper motivation. Run-flat rubber makes shooting out the tires a less-fruitful endeavor, as well.

Something tells us that the 2.0T isn’t quite as peppy under the hood of the Bora Protect as it is in the GLI, but then again, the Bora Protect is about stopping bullets, not driving like one.

[Source: Volkswagen]

VW will happily sell you an armored last-gen Jetta… in Mexico