900,000 units is a heck of a milestone, and that’s precisely the production benchmark the has over the course of its 22-year lifespan so far. And to celebrate, is launching a commemorative special edition.
Launched at the Chicago Auto Show, the MX-5 Miata Special Edition features an interior decked out in a unique gray leather color scheme with gray top-stitching and aluminum trim. It’s based on the PRHT model, so it’s got a retractable hard top, and comes standard with the otherwise optional Premium and Suspension packages along with special 17-inch alloys.
Buyers can choose from Sparkling Black or Dolphin Gray Mica, with either automatic or manual six-speed transmissions. Only 750 examples will be made, exclusively available in North America, with prices starting at $30,925. Full details in the press release after the jump.
Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstacy Centenary Drive – Click above for high-res image gallery
may sell as many motor cars in Hong Kong and Dubai as they do in their own domestic market, but if you had to pick one city that embodies the Spirit of Ecstasy, that’d be London. So to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the iconic Rolls-Royce mascot, the company rolled out a parade of 100 of its vehicles around the sites and streets of the English capital.
The latest and models lead the procession that included shining examples from the company’s history – including Silver Ghosts, Clouds, Shadows and Spurs – past such local landmarks as Big Ben, Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus. Full details in the press release after the jump.
2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 Green With Envy – Click above for high-res image gallery
Dodge is spicing up the line with a new eye-searing paint color. The hue is called Green With Envy, and it’s supposed to pay homage to some of the wilder colors from the company’s past, including Sublime and Green Go. Buyers will be able to grab their new green Challenger in one of two configurations, including a new R/T Classic that serves up the company’s 372-horsepower 5.7-liter V8 engine with two A-line body stripes. The accents are available in either matte black or white.
For those who need a little more bite with their bark, Chrysler is also serving up the Challenger SRT8 in the new paint. In that trim, owners can enjoy the same 470-horsepower 6.4-liter V8 engine found in the Challenger SRT8 392, and the muscle bruisers will be differentiated by full-body black stripes. Likewise, the interior will enjoy Green With Envy accented seats.
Look to pony up around $35,785 for the Challenger R/T Classic Green With Envy and $44,875 for the SRT8 iteration. Both prices include destination. for the full press blast.
2011 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T – Click above for high-res image gallery
As part of ’s giant product onslaught for the 2011 model year, The Pentastar has released new R/T trim levels of both the and crossover. Both models make their debut at the this week, and while there aren’t any big power boosts, the spruced up exterior and interior designs speak of sportiness.
Both the Grand Caravan and Journey R/T use Chrysler’s 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, pumping out 283 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, mated exclusively to a six-speed automatic transmission. The minivan is only available with front-wheel drive, though an all-wheel-drive variant of the Journey R/T is available.
Outside, the Grand Caravan R/T gets new appearance tweaks like a “dipped” body-colored grille, body-colored side moldings and a new set of 17-inch alloy wheels. Likewise, the Journey R/T features the same sort of exterior treatment, but rides on larger 19-inch aluminum wheels with a satin carbon finish. Inside, both vehicles benefit from upgrades like black seats with red contrast stitching throughout, as well as the latest in Chrysler connectivity and infotainment.
The 2011 Grand Caravan R/T and Journey R/T will arrive at dealerships this Spring, priced from $30,595 and $28,995, respectively. Opting for the all-wheel-drive Journey R/T will set you back $30,695, and you can read the full suite of details in the automaker’s press release, .
is lighting a figurative fire under its entire lineup of vehicles these days, and one vehicle that’s igniting the match is the redesigned-for-. Perhaps it’s fitting, then, that the automaker has just announced the new Heat package for the 2011 Durango, which is basically an R/T minus the Hemi V8 engine.
In place of the brawny V8 beast is a version of the new 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine boasting 295 horsepower (up five ponies from other V6 Durangos) and 260 pound-feet of torque. Naturally, the main benefit is improved fuel efficiency, with the Heat earning EPA ratings of 16/23 (city/highway) for the rear-wheel-drive model and 16/22 for the all-wheel-drive model. That’s up from 14/20 with the more powerful V8.
Besides the engine, most everything about the Heat matches that of the R/T. Included among the changes over less sporting models is a body kit that includes a monochromatic front fascia with a lower air dam, suspension lowered by 20 millimeters, 20-inch wheels with all-season performance tires and a dual exhaust system. Dodge saves a bit of weight by ejecting the third row; the Heat is available as a five-passenger model only.
Pricing for the 2011 Durango Heat begins at $30,295 ($32,295 with all-wheel drive). Want to know more? for the full press release.
has dropped the Street and Racing Technology motherlode on the eve of the Chicago Auto Show and first out of the gate is the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 – what Eminem should’ve rolled in during the Super Bowl.
As with anything birthed from in-house tuning division, the Charger SRT8 is all about the engine, so the transformation begins with the new 6.4-liter HEMI V8 putting out 465 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque – a boost of some 80 lb-ft over the old 6.1-liter mill. That torquey wave comes on at 2,900 rpm and Dodge claims that with the fitment of its Fuel Saver tech, allowing the engine to run on four cylinders when its not under load, fuel economy will improve, although Dodge isn’t saying how much.
Chrysler’s W5A580 five-speed automatic transmission backs up the HEMI, and you can select your own gears by either slapping the AutoStick or thumbing the steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifters.
All that adds up to an estimated top speed of 175 mph, a 0-60 mph time in the high fours and a quarter-mile run deep into the 12s.
In addition to the five-spoke, 20-inch forged aluminum and polished wheels, the SRT crew saw fit to equip the SRT8 with an adaptive damping suspension with Auto and Sport settings that process speed, steering angle, brake pressure, throttle application and lateral acceleration. Brakes are sized 14.2-inches up front and 13.8-inches in the rear, with a new front fascia, LED taillamps and four-inch dual exhausts rounding out the exterior mods. And naturally, the interior isn’t left out in the cold, with a flat-bottom steering wheel, heavily bolstered seats and a 900-watt, 19-speaker audio system courtesy of Harmon Kardon.
We’ll be on the floor tomorrow to snag live pics of all the SRT-fettled goodies, but in the meantime, peep the gallery below and get all the details in the press release after the jump.
2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI – Click above for high-res image gallery
When first debuted the new-for-2011 sedan, we were told that a total of four engine choices would be available. The standard Jetta makes use of the naturally aspirated 2.0- and 2.5-liter mills, as well as the much-loved 2.0-liter TDI powerplant. The final engine in this set – Volkswagen’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four – now makes its debut under the hood of the 2012 Jetta GLI, which gets its official reveal at this week’s .
Think of the Jetta GLI as a bigger, fatter . Just like in the smaller hatchback, the 2.0-liter turbo-four produces 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque, mated to either a six-speed manual transmission or VW’s DSG automatic. The Jetta GLI uses the same XDS cross differential system that debuted in the GTI, which assists in controlling wheel spin and understeer during cornering.
The Jetta GLI is available in three trim levels – GLI, GLI Autobahn and GLI Autobahn Navigation – priced from $23,495, $25,545 and $26,445, respectively. The base GLI comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, smoked taillights and a revised front fascia, not to mention enhanced suspension geometry for better engagement out on the road. The GLI Autobahn ups the ante with a set of 18-inch alloys, dual-zone climate control, heated leatherette seats and a new Fender premium audio system. The top-trim GLI Autobahn Navigation adds, well, navigation, as well as push-button start.
Look for the 2012 Jetta GLI to hit dealerships in the coming months. For the full details, for Volkswagen’s press release, and stay tuned for live impressions direct from the Chicago show floor.
2011 Zero S pulls a stoppie on a pier – Click above to watch video
has just unveiled its lineup for 2011, and while the model names remain the same, the changes in each are striking. The company seems to have done a good job of listening to customer feedback and have rethought and reengineered their entire range. The bikes that begin shipping in March will not only have upgraded brakes, wheels and other components, they will also all be capable of charging in half the time with an optional J1772 connecter that is now the public charging station standard. And that’s just for starters.
Both the 2011 trail-riding X and its more hardcore brother, the MX, are now available in fully-homolugated street versions with lights, mirrors and different gearing for higher speeds. The MX has been given a beefier Agni motor and is good for 57 miles per hour in full road-going dress. Both still retain the same quick acceleration as their dirt-bound brothers.
The dual-sport and street machines from Zero have their own surprises. Both the DS and S are now quieter and require less maintenance, having traded in their chains for a belt drive set up. As well, their batteries have gained 12.5 per cent more capacity and both have an range of 43 miles with maximum distance listed as 58 miles. The S has also been lowered two inches to enhance its handling.
Don’t forget to to watch each bike’s own (music-free, thank you) video along with three more high-res image galleries and the official press release. If that’s not enough to satisfy your curiosty, there is lots more info over at .
2011 Ford Explorer – Click above for high-res image gallery
According to Bloomberg, the can thank Alan Mulally for its stay of execution. When the former Boeing executive took the helm at FoMoCo, the powers that be urged him to make a decision on the then-ancient SUV. Mulally said that the nameplate could live on, but only if the company’s engineers could find a way to seriously cut weight and increase fuel economy at the same time. The new vehicle was not only able to meet those demands, but was able to offer a larger package with much of the same off-road ability as well.
That meant sacrificing the body-on-frame blue print for a unibody design and exploring alternative engine solutions – engines like the upcoming Ecoboost four-cylinder. In the end, the Blue Oval boys were able to shed 100 pounds off the platform.
Ford has since interpreted that same quest for svelteness into a company-wide strategy, and Bloomberg says that the Dearborn automaker is now on par with automakers like BMW when it comes down to aggressively stripping weight from a vehicle. You can read the full story on how Mulally’s obsession with reducing weight changed Ford for the better . Thanks for the tip, Andrew!
We received the about ’s new earlier today, but we’ve just returned from seeing the car in person before the officially kicks off tomorrow. Visually, the more fuel-efficient looks no different than the standard car, save the addition of eco-friendly 17-inch alloy wheels and low-rolling-resistance tires.
What’s most important about this car is what’s under the hood – a 15-kilowatt electric motor that offers 15 horsepower and 110 pound-feet of torque for initial acceleration thrust, matched with Buick’s 2.4-liter direct-injected inline-four. Combine that with regenerative braking and a start/stop system for the engine, and the end result is a Regal that’s capable of achieving 26 miles per gallon in the city and 37 mpg highway.
Buick’s new eAssist system first debuted on the larger sedan, where it will serve as the base powertrain for 2012 model year vehicles. With the Regal, however, the eAssist model will slot just above the base 2.4-liter car and below the Regal Turbo, which uses the automaker’s 220-horsepower 2.0-liter Ecotec inline-four. Pricing will be announced closer to the eAssist’s official launch later this year.
Typically, when an automaker is preparing to unveil a new car, we get a look at the styling and then the technical details. But is used to doing things backwards. It was, after all, one of the first automakers to build a mid-engine sportscar, and was also the one that got its start reverse-engineering with tractor parts. And the backwards tradition continues with the highly anticipated successor.
Though Sant’Agata has been gradually releasing details of the supercar’s mechanicals – including the , – glimpses at the car’s design have been few and far between. This swirly job “spy shot”, ostensibly leaked from the factory, has been circulating the internet like a viral video, and gives us one of our best looks yet at the car’s shape.
Though the does a good job of breaking up the body’s lines, you can still discern a healthy dose of Reventón-like fighter jet-inspired design cues in the beast expected to be called the Aventador LP700-4. With less than a month to go before it makes its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, there’ll undoubtedly be more to come soon, so watch this space.
Intermarine 55 by BMW DesignworksUSA – Click above for high-res image gallery
Head down to the local yacht club and you’re likely to see as many in the parking lot as anything else. It’s not that Bimmers are any more nautical than any other car, but they seem to attract the same sort of clientele that are drawn to the open water – and they have the means to get there. But over the past few years, the company’s design house has been bridging that gap by dabbling its proverbial toes in the waters of naval architecture (read: boat design).
Following their partnership with the Bavaria shipyard (which has yielded both and styled by BMW’s pens), BMW DesignworksUSA has teamed up with Brazilian company Intermarine to launch a new 57-foot cockpit motoryacht.
BMW Designworks USA focused their design of the Intermarine 55 on creating an open environment, emphasizing big windows to let the sunshine in and the occupants see out, as well as an open-plan interior and plenty of deck space for enjoying the good life on the water. Similar to other vessels of this size, the Intermarine 55 features three cabins, two bathrooms and a large salon.
The Intermarine 55 also highlights the expanding business which the German automaker’s American design studio has pursued in Brazil and across South America, most notably in but also branching into a wide variety of disciplines, from medical equipment and metal hardware to computers and cameras. Follow the jump to read all about it, and check it the high-resolution images in the gallery below.
2011Toyota Matrix – Click above for high-res image gallery
will not be having a formal press conference at this week’s , but the automaker will still have something fresh on its stand. The 2011 hatchback has officially bowed, with a slightly retouched exterior (new wheels, different paint choices, etc.), a touched-up interior with a new steering wheel and seat fabrics, and a new standard brake-override system called Smart Stop.
The 2011 Matrix is only available in two trim levels – base and S – and is powered by either a 132-horsepower 1.8-liter or 158-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. Transmission choices include a four- or five-speed automatic, as well as a five-speed manual, and all-wheel drive is available on the Matrix S when paired with the 2.4-liter powerplant.
New sport packages are available for both Matrix trims, with the S Sport Package incorporating things like 17-inch alloy wheels, front and rear underbody spoilers, a roof-mounted rear spoiler and, of course, ‘S’ badging. Pricing has not been released for the 2011 Matrix as of this writing, but we expect the starting MSRP to be just under $17,000. for the official details.
2011 Ford Territory – Click above for high-res image gallery
has finally unleashed information on the production version of the 2011 Territory, giving us all the skinny on what Australian buyers can look forward to when the crossover hits showrooms this May. The party gets started with an all-new exterior that makes use of Ford’s kudzu-like kinetic design language. The Territory now wears a fascia that’s reminiscent of the new global Focus and more than a few Aston Martin products, and the rear produces a cohesive look thanks to integrated glass in the rear quarters and hatch.
The Territory will be available in three configurations when it lands: TX, TS and Titanium and while there’s preciously little information available about what will power those machines, we do know that a diesel mill will find its way under the hood. There’s also some indication that the CUV won’t be available with a manual transmission no matter what engine you opt for.
Inside, Ford has graced the new Territory with an interior that borrows a bit from the Falcon. A large LCD touch screen dominates the dash, and the center stack looks to be cleanly designed. Hit the jump for the full press release.
Ken Block, the Ford Fiesta RS WRC and the Monster Girls – Click above to watch the video
Gentlemen, start your engines. The Monster World Rally Team has announced its full schedule for the 2011 season, and there’s plenty of impending action to drool over.
Speaking of drooling, there’s a video of the the all-new Monster Energy Ford Fiesta RS WRC that Ken Block will be using to contest the World Rally Championship along with Summer X Games, Gymkhana GRID, and select RallyCar rallies and RallyCross events in the United States. Oh yeah, and there’s more than just automotive eye candy in the video you’ll find after the break, if you know what we mean… nudge nudge, wink wink.
Says Block, “We even have a few top-secret projects in the works. I’m a lucky bastard to be doing all this, it’s going to be an amazing year!” Lucky indeed.
For those interested in more, this is said to be the first video in a three-part series. Part two is scheduled to be released on February 9th, so stay tuned for that. to watch this first video and to see the full slate of appearances for 2011.
2011 Marussia Virgin Racing MVR-02 – Click above for high-res image gallery
Last year, Virgin Racing popped its cherry with the VR-01 that led the team through a lackluster first season, finishing the 2010 Formula One World Championship dead last. The team failed to start one of its cars at two grands prix, retired fifteen times and scored a grand total of zero points in the standings.
Now , the team has unveiled its Cosworth-powered 2011 challenger in the form of the MVR-02 in the hopes of a more competitive followup season. The car was unveiled at the BBC Television Centre in London, and followed the debuts from , , , , , , and , leaving only Force India and HRT to follow suit.
With a similar design to its competitors (but a slightly lower nose cone) reflecting the latest tweaks to the formula, the MVR-02 will be driven again by Germany’s former GP2 champion and F1 driver Timo Glock. Partnering Glock this season is the Belgian former International Formula Master champion and GP2 Asia Series runner-up Jérôme d’Ambrosio, who replaces axed Brazilian driver Lucas di Grassi.
Follow the jump for the full press release from Virgin and check out the high-resolution images in the gallery below.
Subaru Impreza Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
We were smitten with ’s from the 2010 . The production version will certainly be toned down for normal road use, and a report from Inside Line states that we could see the next-generation bow sooner than expected. In speaking with IL, Subaru of America’s executive vice president, Tom Doll, confirmed that the 2012 Impreza will go on sale in the United States in August, meaning that an official reveal at April’s is very likely.
Like the current model, the 2012 Impreza will be offered in both sedan and five-door hatchback body styles, powered by the automaker’s revised 2.5-liter Boxer flat-four that debuted in the 2011 . We hope that Subaru keeps many of the Impreza Concept’s lines intact for the production car, especially since we drool at the thought of what the STI-fettled version will look like.
2012 Acura TL teaser – Click above for high-res image
is set to debut the revamped 2012 sedan at the this week, and the automaker has just released this teaser image, showing the car’s slightly refreshed rump. It doesn’t appear that the rear design has changed too much versus the current TL; this refresh is more than likely similar to the updo that the smaller received for the 2011 model year.
What we’re most curious about, however, is the 2012 TL’s front fascia. Acura’s new corporate face wasn’t too well-received by members of the media when it debuted on the 2009 TL, and we’re curious to see if the angular lines have been smoothed out for the new model year.
Additionally, we’d expect that the sedan’s powertrain options – currently a pair of 3.5- and 3.7-liter V6s – have been refined ever so slightly. We’ll have the full details during this week’s Chicago Auto Show festivities, so stay tuned.
2010 Jeep Liberty Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery
Cher·o·kee-itis:A disease that infects the minds, hearts and wallets of Jeep buyers who cannot accept that there was, is, or ever could be a replacement for the Cherokee, sometimes referred to as the XJ.
Yes, we just made that up, but the fictitious symptoms of Cherokeeitis do afflict a great number of SUV aficionados. After all, the was, if not the very first mid-size SUV on the market, the definitive sport utility vehicle from 1984 straight through to 2001.
Interestingly enough, Cherokeeitis seems to infect Jeep’s engineers, designers and product planners as well. To wit, nearly every Jeep developed since the final XJ rolled off the line at the company’s Toledo-based factories has been designed to conjure up images of the 1984 Cherokee. Such is the case with the , and the mostly forgotten . Only the iconic and hitherto unloved have strayed from the XJ.
It’s also true of the current , which was last restyled in 2008 to look less like a four-door Wrangler and more like the butch Cherokee it was designed to replace. Nobody ever said supplanting an icon would be easy. But just how successful was that mid-life makeover, and is the Liberty worthy of consideration for those in the market for a mid-size SUV?
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Gallery:
Photos copyright (C)2011 Jeremy Korzeniewski / AOL
Now that the V6 achieves 30 miles per gallon on the highway, is apparently looking to up its game by offering a more efficient version of its ponycar. Reportedly given the 2LS trim designation, this new Camaro will be available for order through dealers starting at the end of this month, and its 3.6-liter direct-injected V6 reportedly hits the magic 30 mpg highway figure.
If GMInsideNews has it right, the Camaro 2LS will only be available with The General’s six-speed automatic transmission, and will be fitted with a rear spoiler, 18-inch steel wheels and a 2.92 rear axle ratio. The website also reports that the Camaro 2LS will still wear a 2011 model year badge, and that pricing is expected to be set around $24,700, including destination charges.
