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The Ultimate Passenger Vessel For Travel To Infinity And Beyond

Sometime before the end of this century, humans will travel to Mars. The longest manned journey ever attempted will take the explorers at least 34 million miles over the course of many months, at best. The vehicle necessary to support such an odyssey will need to be spacious, comfortable, technically advanced, incredibly safe and very powerful.

Before plotting the future spacecraft’s design, we suggest the engineers take a close look at the 2012 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG for ideas.

Of course, we don’t think the S63 is fit for interplanetary travel – micrometeorites and ultraviolet radiation would likely wreak havoc on its expensive and vogue matte finish Magno Platinum paint – but we do feel it is one of the most spacious and luxurious rocket ships that someone outside of a space agency can put in their personal hangar.

During our week with the AMG-tuned S-Class, its four wheels never left the surface of planet Earth, but we did load it up and make a long weekend trek to Palm Springs. How did this twin-turbocharged sedan handle the long outing and subsequent run into the mountains? Does it drive ponderously, or is the big Benz agile and athletic? Most importantly, what’s not to like with this two-and-one-half ton almighty giant?

Continue reading 2012 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG [w/video]

2012 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG [w/video]

When Fiat pronounced that it was planning to sell 50,000 Fiat 500 models in 2011, we were more than a little skeptical. And now that 2011 is in the rear view mirror, it seems CEO Sergio Marchionne is ready to admit that the sales target was not very realistic.

CNN Money reports that the charismatic Fiat/Chrysler boss is now calling the 50,000 number “incredibly naive,” adding that the goal was to best Mini Cooper’s 2010 sales total of 45,644. Fiat only managed to sell 19,769 Cinquecento models for the year.

Given that Mini has been in the U.S. for a decade and the marque already has an established dealer body and marketing presence – as well as an entire range of products – critics have said that clear that Fiat’s 50,000-unit first-year goal was ambitious to a fault. Marchionne went on to add “we set ourselves up for a fall,” but the chief executive insists that the future of Fiat in the U.S. is still very strong.

Even though sales of the 500 came nowhere near 50,000 units, Marchionne says that the Mexico plant that builds the A-segment ride is still profitable. That’s because the plant also builds models for South America and China. Marchionne is reportedly hoping to sell between 25,000 and 30,000 copies of the 500 in the U.S. in 2012. While the 500 will likely be the only Fiat-branded model available in U.S. showrooms in 2012, the lineup is at least set to expand with models like the $22,000 high-performance 500 Abarth.

Marchionne admits 50,000-unit sales goal for Fiat 500 “incredibly naive”

The relentlessly unconventional Mini Cooper looks to be going a lot less unconventional for its third generation, at least on the inside. A glimpse of what appears to be Mini’s future was snapped by KGP Photography in the Arctic Circle, and outside, there looks to be little change except for slightly larger dimensions. Inside, though, the giant-speedo-and-toggle-switch IP looks to be binned in favor of a soberly BMW-esque dash cluster and horizontally laid-out central console.

If this interior is accurate and not just an elaborate – and expensive – engineering mule bait-and-switch, then it signals a rather marked change in the Mini way of life. The theories of why it might be the real deal are, again, the testing expense, the expectation that the Mini will get a BMW 1 Series GT brother and the platform sharing necessitated more commonalities, or that designers might simply be over the still-unique first- and second-generation interior design (a retro-minded setup that both delights and enrages with its haphazard ergonomics). What’s every bit as likely, however, is that this isn’t a Mini at all – it’s a next-gen 1 Series wrapped in a Mini mule shell.

While we all wait to find out if the Mini cabin dream is over, you can catch more high-res glimpses of this odd creature in our gallery.

3rd-gen Mini Cooper spy shots suggest retro-free interior

For every college student with a Che Guevara poster on their dorm room walls and a copy of Motorcycle Diaries on their shelves, there are plenty of Americans who remember the communist leader as a cold-blooded killer. That’s the problem with revolutionaries; they’re nothing if not divisive. Mercedes-Benz recently received a first-hand lesson in just how polarizing Guevara himself can be after the company used a massive image of the leader in the company’s presentation on car sharing at CES.

Dieter Zetsche, Daimler CEO, said, “Some colleagues still think that car-sharing borders on communism, but if this is a revolution, then ‘Viva la revolucion!’.”

The Guevara image then splayed across the one-story screen behind the executive, complete with a Mercedes-Benz three-pointed star on his trademark beret. Let the cringing begin.

It didn’t take long for Cuban exiles in Florida to descend on the Mercedes-Benz consumer site with promises of boycotts and shock at the company’s insensitivity. It does seem amazingly short-sighted for a German luxury manufacturer to embrace the image of a leader who happily shunned the niceties of the upper class for a rifle.

Mercedes boss Zetsche offends Cubans with Che Guevara joke

Love it or hate it, Toyota has done an impressive job with the Prius. What started as a single model has grown to a whole family, including the versatile new Prius V minivan. But for some even that won’t prove enough space, so Japanese conversion outfit Campinn has developed this rather bizarre appendage for the standard Prius hatchback.

Unveiled this weekend at the Tokyo Auto Salon, this conversion turns the current Prius into a camping van of sorts, complete with convertible sofa-bed and overhead sleeping area. It’s made of fiber-reinforced plastic and boosts the car’s length to 196 inches and its height to 81.1, and comes complete with a skylight and a back door for slipping out un-noticed when people are gathered around the front gawking and laughing at what looks like a hybrid with a tumor.

Toyota Prius camper conversion has us charging for the woods

Honda can thank Wal-Mart for the automaker’s recent victory in a class-action lawsuit over Acura RL models equipped with the company’s Collision Mitigation Braking System. The system was designed to warn drivers of a potential crash, tighten the vehicle’s seat belts and automatically apply the brakes. However, lawyers for approximately 2,000 plaintiffs sued the Japanese automaker, arguing that the system may warn the driver too slowly, and it may not work at all – the lawsuit also complained the system may shut off altogether in foul weather. Reuters says the suit involves RL models equipped with the optional CMBS system purchased or leased between August 17, 2005 and December 16, 2008.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena, California found that a court ruling in a Wal-Mart case last June effectively narrowed the scope of class-action lawsuits. The same ruling was found to apply to the suit against Acura as well. Previously, a district judge in Los Angeles had ordered that California’s consumer protection laws could be applied to RL owners nationwide, but the new ruling repeals that judgment. The circuit court also reversed the district court’s finding that car buyers could have relied on advertising by Honda about the collision system. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals found there weren’t enough common facts among the plaintiffs’ claims to apply the California laws across the board.

At this point, it’s unclear how the plaintiffs in the case will respond to the decision.

Honda wins Acura RL collision warning system class action lawsuit appeal

In case you hadn’t noticed, sales of the Jeep Wrangler are on the rise. For those whose brains work best with hard data, Jeep sold 122,460 Wranglers in the United States in 2011, representing a 30-percent increase over 2010’s results. Outside its home market, Jeep’s 26,278 Wrangler sales marked a 10-percent increase.

While that’s great news for the Jeep brand, it makes for a lot of headaches for those in charge of keeping dealership lots full. Says Mike Manley, CEO of Jeep:

“I’m always worried about having enough Wrangler production … The orders are still coming in very, very strong on Wrangler, not just here in the United States, but worldwide. We’re working very, very closely with the plant to try and get all the orders fulfilled.”

There’s only one plant in the world that builds the Jeep Wrangler, and that’s in Toledo, Ohio. As you might imagine, that plant is nearly always running at full steam, currently running 20 hours per day, six days a week. In order to meet demand, a deal has just been reached between the automaker and the United Auto Workers union to increase Wrangler production by about 100 units per day.

A little basic math tells us that’s five more Wranglers per hour while the production line is running. A total of 50 workers will be added to the production line, taken from nonproduction duties. The increase will be in effect by June, 2012. Future options include the addition of a potential third shift.

Chrysler boosting Wrangler production to meet heavy demand

There is a lot to like about the Pathfinder Concept Nissan unveiled at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. The thinly disguised showcar foregoes the body-on-frame construction of the current Pathfinder for a weight savings of about 500 pounds. Nissan also promises fuel economy improvement of about 25 percent with the production model, which would be no small feat.

Motor Trend reports that Nissan has confirmed that the 2013 Pathfinder will feature a 3.5-liter V6. That makes sense considering the Pathfinder’s all-new sibling, the Infiniti JX35, will also feature the same V6. Nissan has yet to divulge any details about the Pathfinder mill, but we do know that the JX35 will boast 265 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque.

Nissan has also apparently told MT that it has big plans for April’s New York Auto Show. Nissan will reportedly unveil a completely vehicle at the show that has never been seen by outsiders. Us? We’re not sure, but our best guess is it’ll be the 2013 Altima.

2013 Nissan Pathfinder engine confirmed, big deal debuting in Big Apple

What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Only in this case, when we say “goose,” we mean Toyota, and when we say “gander,” we mean Lexus.

Take, for instance, the Japanese auto giant’s hybrid strategy. Leave aside hybrid drivetrains available in conventional models (like the Toyota Camry Hybrid or the Lexus GS 450h) and look directly at the stand-alone hybrid models like the Prius, which has grown from a single model into an entire range into an of itself. Now Lexus is reportedly preparing to follow suit.

Fortunately that won’t mean more vehicles like the HS, which is being discontinued, but more variants based on the CT 200h. In the coming years we could be looking at more body-styles based on the hybrid hatchback, though details remain scarce at this point.

The expansion of the CT family is only part of a larger product push for Lexus, which reportedly plans nine new or significantly updated models before the end of this year. The new GS sedan is to come first, followed by new versions of the ES, IS and LS, plus hybrid and F-Sport versions. A facelifted LX sport-ute just debuted at the Detroit Auto Show, and we could see the addition of a seven-seat crossover (to compete with the new Infiniti JX) and a new coupe to succeed the long-gone SC.

All in all it’s shaping up to be quite an ambitious campaign to propel Lexus back to the top of the luxury car market, a position reclaimed in recent years by the likes of Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Lexus pondering CT variants, seven-seat people mover

The mid-size pickup truck segment should get a much-needed shot in the arm when the global Chevrolet Colorado reaches our shores in the near future. We’re not exactly sure when the Colorado will be built and sold here, but thanks to its 2011 reveal we have a good idea of what it will look like. We also don’t know any specs for the North American model, and we haven’t received confirmation whether a GMC variant will follow to replace the current Canyon model.

Car and Driver reports that General Motors President Mark Reuss still won’t confirm a GMC spinoff, but he does add that if a “Professional Grade” version of the Colorado is built, it will be very different than its Bowtie-wearing counterpart. As the current Canyon is essentially a badge-swap away from being a Chevy, the idea of increased differentiation strikes us as a welcome development. We aren’t exactly sure how much different the would-be pickup might be, but we’re guessing that Reuss is referring to more unique parts than than the front fascia and minor trim enhancements that differentiate the GMC Sierra from the Silverado.

Reuss also tells C/D that the new Colorado is surprisingly large – about 90-95 percent of the size of the Silverado, and he notes the truck will feature different powertrains. We assumed that the Colorado will feature different powertrains, and we hope that a fuel-efficient six-cylinder and a diesel offering will be available under the hood.

GMC version of Chevy Colorado to look “significantly differentiated” – if it gets built

Back in October, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating certain turbocharged Mini models for vehicle fires. The investigation came after reports of at least 12 vehicles lighting up, and now the investigation has officially lead to a recall.

NHTSA has announced on its website that Mini will recall 88,911 turbocharged models built between November 2006 and January 2011 for a water pump problem that could result in a fire. The government agency says on its website that “the electronic auxiliary water pump that cools the turbocharger has an electronic circuit board that can malfunction and overheat.” If that happens, the board could smolder and result in a vehicle fire.

Affected models include the 2007-2011 Cooper S, the 2008-2011 Clubman S, the 2009-2011 Cooper S Convertible, the 2011 Countryman S and John Cooper Works models from 2009 to 2011.

Owners of recalled vehicles will be asked to bring their Mini model to the nearest dealer for a free water pump replacement. Hit the jump to read over the official NHTSA release.

Continue reading Mini recalling certain Cooper S and JCW models over water pump

Mini recalling certain Cooper S and JCW models over water pump

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has confirmed the Obama administration didn’t ask the government agency to delay announcing potential safety issues with the Chevrolet Volt. According to The Detroit News, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood was briefed about Volt fires that occurred after two crash tests in September, three months after the first extended-range hybrid began smoldering. According to the report, the office of the president was then informed of the fires shortly thereafter, as well as being notified of NHTSA’s intent to investigate whether the results of the tests could be replicated.

The Detroit News quotes NHTSA administrator David Strickland as saying no one within the office of the president “requested or in any way suggested that NHTSA delay public release of information related to the Volt fire.”

That seems to be a fairly definitive answer to the three house Republicans who asked General Motors and the Obama administration whether the White House had called for any delay in publicly disclosing the Volt fires. A House panel plans to undertake a hearing on the Volt controversy later this month.

NHTSA says White House didn’t factor in Chevy Volt fire disclosure

Supercars play a volatile and ever-changing game of one-upmanship. With each new generation outperforming the last, it takes something truly special to endure the test of time. The Ferrari F40 is such an icon.

Built to celebrate Ferrari’s fortieth anniversary, the F40 was the most extreme Ferrari ever produced to date, and the last to be ushered into production under the watchful eye of its founder Enzo Ferrari. Popular demand saw its original intended production run of 400 expand to over 1,300, but just 213 were made for the American market. This one is noteworthy.

This particular F40, you see, was built for Lee Iacocca during his tenure as chief executive at Chrysler. When the CEO of a major automaker orders a vehicle from another automaker, it says a lot. Even more so in this instance, because when this Ferrari was built, Iacocca’s Chrysler also owned Lamborghini – Ferrari’s longtime rival.

With fewer than 300 miles on the odometer and three owners in its twenty-one year history, this F40 is set to cross the auction block in one week at RM Auctions’ event in Arizona. Follow the jump for the full listing, and check out the extensive image gallery for a closer look.

Continue reading Lee Iacocca’s Ferrari F40 up for auction

Lee Iacocca’s Ferrari F40 up for auction

We can’t tell you how many times we’ve each been asked about concept cars, “Why can’t I buy one of those?” Well you can. Not often, mind you, and not cheaply. But every once in a while, one of those glitzy concepts you see on a show stand comes up for sale. And now, it’s time to grab your checkbooks.

The show car (or truck, to be precise) you see here was the centerpiece of the Ford display at the 2001 Chicago Auto Show. Dubbed the F-150 Lightning Rod, it takes the formula employed by the SVT Lightning to a more stylized extent, with a chopped roofline and raked windshield, flush-fitted neon head- and tail-lights, and a minimalist interior. The whole package is finished in metallic red with a tribal tattoo motif. A 5.4-liter SOHC V8 sat under the hood, mated to a four-speed automatic. The 21-inch aluminum wheels wear tires whose tread is cut to match the tattoo pattern.

This unique concept truck is expected to fetch around $50,000 when it crosses the block at the RM Auctions event in Arizona next week, but while it’s in proper running condition, it isn’t certified to drive on public streets. Check it out the listing after the jump and browse the attached photo gallery.

Continue reading 2001 Ford F-150 Lightning Rod Concept up for grabs at RM Auctions

2001 Ford F-150 Lightning Rod Concept up for grabs at RM Auctions

Want to advertise a new plaything for the wealthy? The front windows at Harrods are the place to be. That’s where Aston Martin once displayed the Cygnet city car, and where Lexus showcased its hybrids a short while after. Little wonder, then, that Fisker has opted to park the Karma at the swanky London department store.

The Karma display gives prospective British buyers the chance to see the car and register their interest with a local dealership. It’s the first time the Karma is being displayed in a retail location in the UK, but something tells us the purveyor of luxury hybrids may have gotten a break on the price for this prime advertising space: Qatar Holding, which owns Harrods, also happens to own part of Fisker. Follow the jump for the full press release.

Fisker Karma showcased at Harrods in London

The unfortunate reality of a post-JFK, post-9/11 America means that our president needs to be hidden away from public view, and the details of his high-security transportation are just as hidden. But there was a time when the leader of the free world was paraded around for all to see, and for three presidents of these United States, this was the car in which they met their constituents.

Nicknamed the Queen Mary, this 1938 Cadillac V-16 President Convertible Parade Limousine was one of only two specially made for the White House (the other dubbed Queen Elizabeth), and was used by FDR, Truman and Eisenhower during their presidencies. Delivered on special order shortly after the introduction of Cadillac’s second-generation sixteen-cylinder engine (which was smaller and lighter than its predecessor but delivered the same output), the Presidential Limousine’s 165-inch wheelbase made it eleven inches longer than the already gargantuan production model.

After the end of WWII, as part of its routine maintenance, Cadillac replaced the sixteen-cylinder engines with V8s that were both more economical and easier to maintain. The cars were last used by President Eisenhower during his re-election campaign, after which longtime Cadillac dealer Jack Tallman, who witnessed the pair being rebuilt several times while visiting the factory, was offered the chance to purchase both cars. Tallman selected the Queen Mary for his collection, where it stayed for four decades. In 1999, the car was sold to one Al Wiseman, who showed it at Amelia Island in 2002 where it was awarded as the best original, unrestored vehicle.

It is now being offered for auction by the estate of John O’Quinn, its last owner, at the upcoming RM Auctions event in Arizona next week, where it is expected to fetch between $300,000 and $400,000. Have a closer look in the high-res image gallery and the detailed listing after the jump.

Continue reading 1938 Cadillac V16 convertible parades from White House to auction house

1938 Cadillac V16 convertible parades from White House to auction house

Ferrari isn’t shy about slapping its logo on just about anything it thinks it can sell to fans that will never be able to afford one of its cars. We’ve seen phones (plenty of them), computers, a home gym… and now, headphones and iPod speaker docks.

This new deal with Logic3 features six different lines of headphones and earphones and two distinct speaker docks. Logic3 has divided its offerings into two lines: the Cavallino Collection, which is influenced by the Ferrari road cars, and the Scuderia Collection, which is inspired by Ferrari’s F1 racing team.

As is common with these licensing deals, Logic3 promises that it has worked closely with Ferrari to ensure “the marque’s characteristic style, design and personality are captured within every product.”

Perhaps more of a concern here is how closely Ferrari has worked with Logic3 to insure that these new audio products are of a high quality. We’ll note that Logic3 is not Grado Labs, and its reputation among the audiophile community is virtually nonexistent – a search of Stereophile’s website, for instance, didn’t turn up a single mention of the brand.

To read the full press release, click past the jump.

Continue reading Ferrari branding expands again, now includes headphones

Ferrari branding expands again, now includes headphones

With only 350 cars built, the Jaguar XJ220 is a collector’s item, but some examples are rarer than others.

Having relied heavily on Tom Walkinshaw Racing for the development of the XJ220 in the first place, Jaguar turned to the outfit when it came time to assess the possibility of a competition version. Three XJ220C race cars were born as a result, but in order to homologate them for competition, Jaguar and TWR built six roadgoing examples dubbed XJ220S. One of them is now going up for auction.

To create the XJ220S, TWR removed all the aluminum bodywork (except the doors) and replaced it with carbon fiber, adding a front splitter, rear wing and wider side sills in the process. That helped drive weight down to just over 1,000 kg (2,200 lbs), while the twin-turbo V6 was retuned to deliver 680 horsepower.

This particular car’s owner recently had TWR install a titanium exhaust and recalibrate the engine output to nice round 700 hp. He also had it repainted the same shade of grey as the Lamborghini Reventon, fitted more modern headlights, and refurbished the magnesium wheels. As a result, RM Auctions expects it to fetch between $225,000 and $300,000 when it crosses the block in Arizona next month. Full details in the auction listing after the jump.

Continue reading Super-rare Jaguar XJ220S heading to Arizona auction

Super-rare Jaguar XJ220S heading to Arizona auction

All summer, I make it a point to hit the local cruise nights, and while there are plenty of regulars on hand week to week, a few cars make just one appearance and vanish. Way back in May, the car you see above, a surf-themed 1964 Ford Falcon Squire dubbed “Tiki Taxi”, showed up. Immediately smitten, I snapped a bunch of photos, all of which are now gallerized here. Good thing, because the car never materialized again.

Fast-forward to today. Turns out, the “Tiki Taxi” is for sale. The coolest ‘64 Falcon station wagon in the known universe has a 289, three on the floor, and a JVC cassette deck to play your Martin Denny tapes during the ride to Trader Vic’s. Current high bid (as of post time) is $6,600, and you still have two days to get in on the action. Check out the photo gallery to see just how beautifully turned out this wagon really is. You can also download full-resolution shots here.

eBay Find of the Day: ‘64 Ford Falcon “Tiki Taxi”

With the launch of the 2013 Fusion, Ford seems to have gotten the message that people are communicating in ways that are as sophisticated as the cars it’s building. Ford doesn’t expect you to leaf through a glossy brochure any more, or even sit at home on your computer researching your next automotive purchase.

All the pertinent details on the sharpest-looking sedan we’ve seen roll out of Dearborn in a long time are at fordfusionstory.com, a website optimized for tablet and smartphone viewing. The site went live on January 9, 2012, and provides overviews and deeper-dive information that’s delivered through infographics, text, and video. With an easily shareable collection of elements designed for the way people communicate right now, Ford is showing that it takes selling the 2013 Fusion as seriously as the engineering and building part of the job.

The 2013 Fusion is bound to turn heads out in the wild. If that translates to people whipping out smartphones and coming across fordfusionstory.com, then the effort will have been a success. One thing’s for sure, Ford’s doing its best to leave nothing to chance, and all the pieces are in place. Check out some of the videos posted after the jump.

Continue reading Ford tells the tale of the 2013 Fusion at fordfusionstory.com [w/video]

Ford tells the tale of the 2013 Fusion at fordfusionstory.com [w/video]