She loves the new Tata Nano in the driveway – Click above to watch the video
If small equals cute, the Tata Nano might be the cuddly-wuddliest little car in the world. Sadly, that cuteness at the level the Indian automaker was planning for. Hence, advertisements.
While Tata usually veers towards the humor side of the advertising coin, for its first Nano commercial, has decided to dance upon the heartstrings of the Indian audience, and rather successfully we might add. ‘Course, we’re not Indian, and no, those weren’t tears – we just had something in our eye…
to watch the Tata Nano advertisement, where you’ll see an adorable little girl with too much eye makeup asking her grandmother when their new microcar will make it home. As you’ll see in the video, the Nano impresses all who see it on its journey from dealership to neighborhood. And it finally gets a little eye makeup of its own. Aww…
2011Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery
A lot of ink is being spilled over the . There are arguments over whether it is worth even the $33,500 it costs after the Federal tax credit kicks in, or the $350.00 per month lease price (after $2,500 downpayment). There are debates over its real fuel economy, and range. There are debates about whether any vehicle should get a $7,500 rebate to make it decently affordable. The market should decide, the argument goes.
We know the market will decide in the end. Even as the federal government has imposed “Corporate Average Fuel Economy” rules in the hopes of forcing manufacturers to make more fuel efficient vehicles, new vehicle sales show that consumers in the U.S. still like their pickups and SUVs.
What most of the arguments over the Volt don’t take into consideration is what I call “The Vision Thing.”
What most of the arguments over the Volt don’t take into consideration is what I call “The Vision Thing.”
board member Steve Girsky, who is a former Wall Street analyst and consigliere to the United Auto Workers, says he has been a voice arguing inside the automaker to make a greater commitment to Volt and extended-range electrics. He also says that CEO Daniel Akerson is another voice pushing for the vehicle and technology despite its high cost.
“GM hasn’t had a leadership vehicle like this in a long time. And Ackerson is insistent that we have that,” says Girsky.
2011 Jeep Compass – Click above for high-res image gallery
is looking at a diesel version of the , or its replacement due in 2013 for the States, according to company officials.
The newly refreshed Jeep Compass (which we ), which goes on sale in early 2011 in the U.S., Europe and other markets, will be offered in some places with a 122kW/320Nm 2.2-liter turbo-diesel (164 horsepower/236 pound-feet) that has a claimed average of 6.6 liters/100km (around 43 mpg).
The diesel for the U.S., though would be a Fiat engine, according to officials who spoke to us on background. If the company decided to do it, it would likely show up in the Compass/ replacement, due two years from now, built off a modified engineering platform derived from the .
The interest in diesels for the U.S. is always controversial. sells close to 40,000 and TDI models per year. European automakers always try and make a case for diesels in the U.S. to extend their investments made for EU markets and to boost sales, but it isn’t clear if VW is making any money on these sales in the States.
Despite the fact that diesel prices can run higher in the U.S. than regular gas, a reverse of the situation in Europe, there is a dedicated and slowly growing base of enthusiasts for clean diesel in America.
The price of a diesel Compass would be close to $28,000, including the upmarket all-wheel drive package.
The Mercedes-Benz C Class already has a hugely capable and entertaining performance model in the . But a is expected to bow at next month’s Detroit Auto Show, and an exotic Black Series Coupe is expected to follow later in the year.
Inside Line reports that a conversation with Mercedes spokespeople has revealed that the 6.2-liter in the C63 will not be tweaked for Black Series duty, opting instead for the company’s twin-turbo 5.5-liter mill. That powertrain, as you may recall, already puts out 571 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque in the S63 AMG. That’s 71 more ponies than the the and more twist than almost anything this side of a diesel-powered heavy-duty pickup truck. That should help justify the expected $100k-plus price tag of the rarest of AMG variants, while simultaneously making every owner a bit leery of a race with the Black Series coupe. Let’s just hope it maintains the otherworldly bark of the naturally aspirated 6.2-liter, which is one of the C63’s primary draws.
When decided to the first available production to benefit the Detroit Public Schools Foundation, it probably envisioned someone with deep pockets and a strong connection to the Bowtie brand coming through with the winning bid. Well, when the dust settled and the auctioned Volt sold for $225,000 to bidder ChargeOn, it became clear that someone willing to dish out nearly a quarter of a million dollars had won Chevy’s plug-in. But who is ChargeOn?
The man that bid under the screen name of ChargeOn is none other than Rick Hendrick, a and owner of , the American racing juggernaut established back in 1984. It turns out that Hendrick, an avid car collector, just had to have a Volt to add to his collection and felt compelled to aid the Detroit Public Schools. After winning the auctioned Volt, Hendrick stated:
This was an opportunity to own a piece of history while giving back to the community. I have been a Chevrolet dealer for more than 30 years, and the Volt is one of the most exciting and important new cars since we opened our first dealership in 1976.
Our congrats go out to Mr. Hendrick for winning the auction and, more importantly, for supporting a good cause. Click past the jump to learn more in the official press release. Thanks to all for the tips!
Grand Opening of the Ferrari Pit Store store at Vulcano Buono – Click above for high-res image gallery
Another day, another Store opening somewhere in the world. Right? Maybe so – the company has proven particularly adept at capitalizing on its brand identity with a staggering array of merchandise and the retail locations at which to peddle them. But this one is a little different, and we’ll tell you why.
First is the nature of the store itself. Called the Pit Stop, it eschews the leather briefcases and fancy pens with the prancing horse logos and sticks with the motorsport paraphernalia. In other words, this store is for racing fans, less so for car owners, be they wannabe or actual. Besides the inventory though, it also features a different design from the store you might have seen in an airport terminal while traveling overseas.
Instead of lacquered red eveything, the Pit Stop store is designed to emulate the pit lane garages the team uses at grands prix, complete with perforated plates covering the wall and furniture styled after those industrial-strength travel cases the teams use to transport their equipment from race to race. There’s also a replica pit wall where visitors can try their hand at the race simulator and other attractions in the 900-square-meter retail space.
The second reason this store is different is its location. Ferrari chose to launch the first of this new kind of retail space at in Nola. The innovative commercial complex sits at the foothills of Mount Vesuvius and imitates its form in a 40-meter tall structure covering 500,000 square meters, insulated by acres of sloping vegetation fields in a unique green initiative. A telling location to launch a new concept store, and Ferrari has many more planned for the future. Details in the press release , along with photos from the store’s opening in the gallery below.
PorscheDesign composite bobsled – Click above for high-res image gallery
Traditionally, hasn’t been a name commonly associated with snow. That was before the German automaker got into the SUV game, though, and maybe just as important for the impending winter season, the downhill sled market, too.
A couple of years ago, Porsche Design rolled slid out its award-winning for kids, and has now followed up with an advanced composite bobsled. The design takes its cues from parabolic skis, with a slight bend in the runners for better steerability. Porsche Design also toiled over the optimal camber angle, kept the weight down to just 8.8 lbs, and got it certified to TÜV safety standards – all that for around $225 (hey, we never said Porsche ever did anything on the cheap). for the full press release and the images in the gallery below for a closer look.
The crew from Top Gear US are jumping over to the set of another certified car nut’s show. Jay Leno will play host to Tanner Foust, Rutledge Wood and Adam Ferrara tonight at 11:35 pm on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. While cars will no doubt be a central point of the discussion, we’re curious to see what Jay has to say about the show. Last time he spoke about it, .
The Speed Channel is approaching the 15th anniversary of its original air date and apparently its going to get much more aggressive with its content in the coming years. Right now, Speed has 20 new shows in development and six of those are ready to show up in your DVR in 2011.
We know that . Other items in the works include a series of specials with Jay Leno, a reality series based on Gran Turismo 5 (produced in cooperation with Sony and Nissan) and a Gymkhana program to be helmed by The Fast and the Furious Producer/DIrector Adam Cohen.
Those represent part of the growing projects currently under development. These six new shows are ready to by slotted into the lineup (titles subject to change):
-Car Warriors: Think Joes vs Pros but for car construction. A team of average folks square off against all-star builders and their work will be judged by George Barris, Jimmy Shine and Mad Mike Martin.
-American Truckers: Rob Mariani talks about iconic rigs, amazing routes and unique cargo tales. Kind of a niche audience here but the “iconic rigs” could be interesting.
-Car Science: The producers of Sports Science and Fight Science have turned their attention to automobiles.
-Speedmakers: Surprisingly not a Breaking Bad rip-off, but an examination of anything that makes speed possible. The show will examine the Daytona International Speedway, go behind the scenes at and will generally focus on engineering feats designed to maximize speed.
-Ticket to Ride with Dan Neil: Pulitzer-prize winner Dan Neil turns his column into a television show. If Speed lets him handle the writing, this one could prove quite interesting.
-The 10: This one is for the NASCAR fans. The 10 will highlight the best that NASCAR has served up over the years with topics such as Most Bizarre Finishes, All-Time Races, Throw-downs and Closest Calls.
Lotus Esprit Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
Might , in its unerring though recently intensified quest to take on Ferrari, develop its own V8 engine for use in the promised-before-2013 Esprit? According to company head Dany Bahar, it’s a distinct possibility.
It should be mentioned that Lotus is quite the well-sorted engineering firm. In fact, the British automaker has designed three complete engines for other manufacturers and last produced its own V8 engine from 1996 through 2004 in the then-current Esprit.
If it does indeed develop its own engine architecture, Autocar suggests it will be seen in V8 form in the Esprit and V6 form in the Elan, which is slated to follow about six months after the Esprit. And what of the -sourced powerplants – currently seen in the Lotus Elise, and and shown off in the recently unveiled at the Paris Motor Show – we’ve come to expect from Lotus?
“In the mind of sports-car enthusiasts, Toyota power might not be good enough,” admitted Bahar. In the end, though, the decision may come down to simple dollars and cents, and we’re certainly looking forward to seeing in the coming few years.
Lexus at Harrods – Click above for high-res image gallery
Looks like the Aston Martin Cygnet isn’t the only luxed-up to go on display in the window at Harrod’s this season. The Cygnet made its production debut there , and now is following suite with a holiday display of their own.
The ground-level display takes up four windows of storefront. One features the new , another the 450h, a third highlighting the Mark Levinson sound systems found in many a Lexus, and the fourth a Lexus Lounge, whatever the heck that means.
The display will give holiday shoppers at “the world’s most famous luxury store” a chance to check out the vehicles, sign up for a test drive or even place an order on site.
Gallery:
[Source: Lexus]
in the window? Lexus displays at Harrods for the holidays
The Koreans are coming! Actually, strike that… they’re already here. As a matter of fact, both the and its corporate kissing cousin, the , rank very highly on our own midsize sedan pecking order chart. All of this begs the question: Which one is better, and why?
The boys from Inside Line decided to pit the two sedans, which share most major components and assemblies, against each other in a no-holds-barred fight for supremacy. Not surprisingly – both use 2.4-liter four cylinder engines (plus or minus California emissions…) and six-speed automatic transmissions, and both weight nearly the same – picking a winner means delving into the details.
And IL found that the details favored the . There are a number of reasons given for the why and how of this conclusion, which you can read all about . Basically, though, IL found that the Optima is tuned more for the enthusiast as opposed to the competent and comfortable nature of the Sonata.
Which one would you pick? Take our poll below and then feel free to talk about your choice in Comments.
2012 BMW 1 Series – Click above for high-res image gallery
recently pulled the wraps off of its hot new , but this new addition to the automaker’s least expensive range isn’t the only changes on tap for the 2012 model year. Both the coupe and convertible versions of the 128i and 135i receive modest upgrades for 2012, including very, very slight styling updates and a new powertrain for the 135i.
Up front, cars equipped with Xenon headlamps (optional on 128i, standard on 135i) receive a new horizontal LED eyebrow to complement the corona running lamps. Out back, newly tweaked taillamps use LED running lamps similar to those on the rest of the BMW product line. The 1 Series also gets a tweaked M Sport package that includes an aero kit (standard on the 135i), increased top speed limiter and more sporting suspension geometry. Additionally, M Sport cars are fitted with sport seats and M-branded interior trim components.
Much like its older brother, the , the 135i is now powered by BMW’s N55 3.0-liter inline-six which uses a single twin-scroll turbocharger to produce 300 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque. In addition to the standard row-it-yourself six-speed transmission, the 135i can now be had with BMW’s seven-speed DCT that first debuted in the roadster. Fitting this new engine means that the 135i Coupe can run to 60 miles per hour in five seconds flat with DCT and 5.1 seconds with the manual (add 0.3 seconds to those respective times for the droptop 135i). The base 128i continues to use the naturally aspirated 3.0-liter mill found in the outgoing model, rated at 230 hp and 200 lb-ft and paired with six-speed manual or Steptronic transmissions.
Pricing for the 2012 1 Series will be revealed closer to the car’s on-sale date in the Spring of 2011, and we wouldn’t expect the current base price of $29,450 for the 128i and $36,350 for the 135i to change much. for BMW’s exhaustive press release that details the full host of changes.
Gallery:
[Source: BMW]
: 2012 BMW 1 Series coupe and convertible take a bow
Numerous have that the so-called new car smell – which is actually a potent outgassing of volatile organic chemicals and heavy metals – can be potentially dangerous to breathe in, and that some people are by these VOCs than others.
But could that new car smell be so insidious that it could cause you to lose consciousness long enough that you get into an accident? And if so, could an attorney use such a new car smell defense to ease a client’s legal woes? Sounds a bit odd, but just such a case is currently taking place in Colorado.
Here are the facts: Martin Erzinger, owner of a 2010 sedan (model unknown), fell asleep at the wheel, drifted off the road and struck a bicyclist named Dr. Steven Milo before colliding with a concrete barrier. The unresolved questions are whether Erzinger’s sleep apnea was compounded by his car’s odors, as suggested by a forensic specialist, and if he was aware that he had struck a pedestrian.
Of course, it’s not up to us to decide how guilty or innocent Erzinger may be… we’ll leave that up to the court. But we are curious what you think. Could a particularly noxious new car smell be a contributing factor in an accident?
2011 Gemballa Tornado – Click above for high-res image gallery
Death is an ominous shadow to cast over a company. All the more so when was not, as the case were, from natural causes. But in the wake of Uwe Gemballa’s passing, the company that bears his name appears to be emerging from that shadow, creating the beast of a machine seen here.
So far all that’s been released about the new Gemballa Tornado are the images you see here and scarce few details. It’s based on the , and as you can tell, replaces many of the body panels with carbon fiber. Uwe Gemballa’s , Andreas Schwarz, points out that unlike other aftermarket body kits, the composite panels on the Tornado replace the steel ones on the stock Cayenne instead of simply applying them on top. And an aggressive-looking job they’ve done of it, integrating gigantic air ducts, LED running lights, a significantly wider track and restyled taillights, all in a high-contrast treatment while shaving a good 150 pounds off the big sport ute’s curb weight.
Further details on the interior still under development and the engine – tipped to produce some 700 horsepower with a Stage 2 turbo kit – are expected to follow. As will pricing, which promises to be just as astronomical as that horsepower figure, with only 30 examples slated for production.
Automotive fatalities continue to drop year-over-year, which is perhaps not surprising in and of itself. What is surprising, however, is a study that notes a massive falloff in the number of motoring deaths. According to The Wall Street Journal, the total number of road fatalities in 2009 was 33,963 compared to 43,510 in 2005 – a 22 percent decline. That is the steepest rate of decline since automobiles entered mass production in the beginning part of the 20th century. So what gives?
According to a new study by a pair of University of Michigan researchers, it’s certainly not the invasion of handheld technology, which the story says has created a rise in fatalities due to inattentive driving. Keeping our eyes on an incoming text message or email has resulted in a 42 percent rise in distracted-driving fatalities from 2005 to 2008. However, those accidents only account for a small portion of the total number of fatalities, and it’s likely that with increased awareness that more deaths are being classified in this way.
Safety technology continues to improve, and new technologies continue to filtering down into more affordable vehicles. Deaths from side-impact crashes have declined more quickly than the decline rate for overall deaths, meaning that more people are surviving these types of accidents.
Another, more interesting, statistic is the drop in fatal accidents during rush hour driving periods. Why has that number fallen in recent years compared to 2005? According to the WSJ’s theorizing, it’s the economy. More folks out of work means fewer people on the road during rush hour. You just might not notice it when you are stuck in traffic screaming at the car in front of you that just cut you off to make its exit.
Regardless of why overall traffic fatalities are down, it’s great to hear that this number is falling. However, as the economy picks back up, it’s expected that traffic fatalities will as well.
If anyone knows about turning things around, it’s Bob Lutz. After all, he was a naval aviator, and those guys can pull some serious G forces. He’s also widely credited with keeping Chrysler alive for longer than it might have been otherwise. But what’s he up to these days?
Well for one thing he’s sitting on the senior advisory board for , giving and company some guidance as they endeavor to usher the House that Colin Built into a new era. And an ambitious endeavor it is, rolling out all at once while expanding its motorsports program tenfold and then some.
So what does Lutz think of Lotus’ chances? Well he’s optimistic, but cautiously so. Lutz reportedly gives the prospects at least a 60 percent chance to succeed, but importantly, he thinks it’s more viable than the company’s current path. According to Lutz, “It’s a risk. But I’m quite certain it stands a better chance than the Lotus status quo, which for sure would eventually lead this great brand into terminal decline.”
In other words, while there are no guarantees, it’s a good plan – not a perfect one – and it’ll take some good ol’ fashion elbow grease to make it work – something Lutz knows all about.
Gooding will be unearthing some vintage competitors and a barely used road car to its 2011 Scottsdale Auctions next month: a barn find 1964 Shelby Cobra and 1965 Shelby GT350 R, 1964 904, 1965 275 GTB, the purported lowest-mileage unrestored 300SL Roadster anywhere.
Said to be the only unrestored Cobra in blue and red livery, the ‘64 snake spent 33 years in “storage” yet comes off as surprisingly lustworthy in spite of that. It began life as Carroll Shelby’s promo car at SoCal racing venues, was dredged up from the deep to do the Postwar Preservation Class at this year’s Pebble Beach, and now expects to find a good home for somewhere north of $525,000. The ‘65 Shelby GT350 R is a one-of-26 that was campaigned and did plenty of winning in the B-Production Championship in the sixties.
Another serious racer was the four-cam, fiberglass-bodied ‘64 Porsche 904. The one up for auction was used to beat Phil Hill, who was driving a Cobra, at Candlestick Park in 1965. Finally, the ‘62 Mercedes 300SL has so few miles that it could qualify for a barn find: 7,367 original miles in 48 years and still in the care of its original owner. The auction happens January 21-22 next year. There’s more info on the cars in the presser , along with some high-res galleries below and after the break if you just want to window shop. And trust us, you do.
