2009 Smart ForTwo – Click above for high-res image gallery
The brand has been in flux for the last few years. Sales have fallen off a cliff from the days when the moved nearly 25,000 units in 2008. In 2010, just 5,927 went home with new owners. of watching sales submarine, and plucked back distribution rights, sales and marketing of the brand. Now, the German automaker is looking to inject new life into Smart.
How does Mercedes hope to revive the ailing subcompact brand? For starters, Smart has a new executive team in place, which forms a new group called Daimler Vehicle Innovations USA. This group reports directly to Mercedes-Benz USA sales leader Michael Slagter. The newly formed Smart team is lead by Tracey Matura, who was plucked from her role as general manager of MB’s strategic retail development group.
Matura will work with Mercedes-Benz dealers to incorporate Smart vehicles into their showrooms. In the past, it was required of a Smart dealer to utilize a separate, or even standalone, showroom space. Now, Matura will simply ask for a corner of an existing Benz showroom, and, given the size of a Smart ForTwo, the corner doesn’t need to be very big.
Right now, 75 Mercedes dealerships also sell Smart products, and Matura aims to get that number up to 100 by year’s end. Read all about the new Smart plan .
Audi A1e-Tron – Click above for high-res image gallery
German automaker has, , claimed the title of overall winner in the Silvretta Electric Car Rally in Austria’s Montafon region. The 2011 victory by the A1 e-tron follows the e-tron’s win in 2010. The second Audi in the rally, a fuel cell, finished in sixth place out of 32 vehicles.
After three days and 307 kilometers (190 miles), the A1 e-tron bearing number 206 was named the winner of the second Silvretta Electric Car Rally. The event took place from July 7 to 9 and was held on “highly taxing mountain roads” with inclines up to 15 percent. A1 e-tron driver, Franciscus van Meel, says that:
Sending an electric car into the Alps is one of the toughest challenges you can present it with. The fact that the A1 e-tron proved so impressive here is especially gratifying to me and it proves we’re on the right track with our electric mobility approach of combining an electric motor with a combustion engine.
The A1 e-tron’s 75-kilowatt electric motor, 12-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and single-disc, 254-cc rotary engine were apparently enough to propel the range-extended electric to the front of the pack, landing it in the winner’s circle. See the complete victory-touting press release .
The Car Show – Click above for our high-res image gallery
Comparisons are both unavoidable and inevitable. Tomorrow evening, SPEED debuts its all-new and highly anticipated weekly automotive television series, The Car Show. Hosted by comedian and car buff Adam Carolla, with co-hosts Dan Neil, Matt Farah and John Salley, the self-touted “ultimate car lover’s show” will be scrutinized from set design to sign-off as viewers attempt to parallel its agenda and personality with the BBC UK’s wildly popular Top Gear and the more recent domestically sourced Top Gear USA show from The History Channel.
The glue that will need to hold the show together is the chemistry between the hosts.
After a day spent on the set at 20th Century Fox Studios in Los Angeles last week, we left smiling and very impressed.
As expected, a decent chunk of the production is filmed outside the studio. The venues vary from public roads to race tracks (both concrete and dirt in this particular episode) and other interesting gathering spots (Carolla interviews several amusing civilians and delivers some good laughs at the Pomona Swap Meet & Classic Car Show). However, the glue that will need to hold the show together (and keep viewers from channel surfing over to Mythbusters) is the chemistry between the hosts back in the studio. They’ve got a good shot at this – these guys are a witty and amusing cast of characters.
Our take is that The Car Show is a clever blend of unscripted individuality. It is a carefully calculated mix of The Man Show humor, The Smoking Tire rambunctiousness, The Wall Street Journal objectiveness and the curiosity of the The Best Damn Sports Show Period. Bring out Peter Brock with his stunning , a live interview with Dario Franchitti and some special guests and the hour becomes even more compelling.
Catch this Wednesday, July 13, at 10 p.m. EDT on .
Kelleners BMW 1 Series M Coupe KS1-S – Click above for high-res image gallery
The has quickly become an enthusiast’s favorite, but for every performance-oriented Bimmer out there, there are another half-dozen tuners rearing for their chance to turn up the wick.
The latest is Kelleners Sport, which has taken the 1M Coupe and its twin-turbo six from 332 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque up to 404 and 405, respectively, in its creation, dubbed KS1-S. That’s principally thanks to a new exhaust system and – we suspect – a little recalibration of the engine mapping.
The KS1-S also packs a new aero kit, 20-inch alloys and an independently adjustable coil-over suspension. The skunk motif carries over from the body to the cabin, where Kelleners has applied two-tone perforated leather and Alcantara to just about every surface. See for yourself in the high-res image gallery and the press release .
BMW 1 and 3 Series London 2012 Performance Editions – Click above for high-res image gallery
Another day, another special edition… from . Only this time, the latest Bimmer specials commemorate a special event with a whole lot of extra kit.
Building on its position as Official Automotive Partner of the 2012 London Olympics, BMW has released a pair of special Performance Editions based on its and .
The 1 Series Performance Edition is available in 116i, 116d and 118d guise with either three doors or five, but it’s based on the outgoing model. It starts off with the full M visuals, including aero kit, 18-inch wheels and sport suspension, plus darkened exterior trim and an interior does up with blue trim. All this for just £1,500 (around $2,400 USD) over a comparable ES model, but with a lot of extra equipment thrown in.
The 3 Series Performance Edition, meanwhile, doesn’t get the full M suspension package, but does get the aero kit and 18-inch alloys and more, and it’s available on the 318i sedan for just £500 extra ($800).
Both the 1 and 3 Series specials can be had in Alpine White, Titanium Silver, Bluewater or Black Sapphire, and naturally come with the requisite special badging. But as you might have guessed, this pair is available exclusively in the UK. Details in the press release below the fold, with high-res images in the gallery.
2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class – Click above for high-res image gallery
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Those are apparently words to live by for – the automaker has released a slew of information on its updated 2012 M-Class, yet the starting price remains the same as the sticker on the 2011 version. The U.S.-built luxury SUV is ready to give more, without charging for it.
Initially offered in two flavors, the gas-sipping ML 350 has a starting MSRP of $49,865 and the diesel-drinking BlueTec ML 350 will cost you $51,365 (*including destination). Both versions of the 2012 M-Class get a new front-end that features the familiar three-pointed star, an encroaching chrome “skid plate” and a set of LED daytime running lights.
Under the hood, each M-Class features an updated power source. The ML 350 is motivate by a new 3.5-liter direct-injection V6 engine, which produces 302 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. Also new is the seven-speed automatic transmission to which the motor pairs. If you prefer diesel to traditional gasoline, the ML 350 BlueTec boasts a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 that’s rated at 240 horses and an impressive 455 lb-ft of torque. Both M-Class variants come standard with 4Matic all-wheel-drive.
The 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class also benefits from upgrades to its interior. Reading like a Hemingway novel, the list of standard features is quite impressive in length while the available options are equally impressive, especially the iPad docking stations built into the front headrests.
What else is on that list of features? for the full press release, and be sure to take a look at the next-generation Mercedes-Benz M-Class in the included gallery.
New Lancia Stratos – Click above for high-res image gallery
is not exactly a company we’d categorize as territorial. Competitive, sure. But territorial? Hardly. Not when you the upper end of sister-company ’s range starts nudging into the ’s market, and not when the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione attracted Maranello’s customers, too. But the New Stratos project seems to be a different story.
Like the original, the revived Lancia supercar relies on mechanicals. And, as its creators point out, Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo only had to say about the outcome. But saying nice things and backing it up with support are two different matters entirely. All the more so for specifically getting in the way.
According to the project’s website, they’ve reached a bit of an impasse as Ferrari is not allowing its suppliers – namely Pininfarina, which put the New Stratos together – to take the car from the one-off it currently is to a limited production prospect. This despite the more than 40 preliminary orders its backers have received from prospective buyers.
As a result, the people behind the New Stratos are looking into other avenues for production. But while there are lots of coachbuilders out there that could probably do a very nice job at it, we have to wonder which of them would be willing to raise the ire of the Prancing Horse should they go against its influential management’s dictates.
is all about technical advancement. And the new B-Class, according to the German automaker, will encompass more new innovations than any other in the company’s considerable history.
The new luxury hatchback is set to debut in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, with European deliveries set to begin in November, but Mercedes has given us more than a little glimpse at what to expect, with a full raft of technical details and a batch of teaser images to go with ‘em.
For starters, the new B-Class will debut the fresh M270 family of compact engines for Mercedes-Benz. In this hatchback, they are to be offered initially as 122-horsepower 1.6-liter and 156 hp 2.0-liter direct-injection turbo fours, as well as 109 hp and 136 hp turbo diesels, mated to either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
In what Daimler terms as “the democratisation of safety,” the car will also include such systems as adaptive headlights and cruise control, blind spot assist and, for the first time, a Collision Prevention adaptive brake system as well. The new B under development also has a lower coefficient of drag than the model it replaces, despite growing in overall dimensions to the benefit of interior space.
Beyond these salient points, there’s plenty more to delve into in the press release , as we start counting down to Frankfurt and wait for word on whether this next B-Class will make the trip across the pond – or across the Canadian border – to the U.S. market.
Last month, following an IM conversation between myself and Autoblog’s Test Fleet Manager, Steve Ewing, I tweeted . I love the Supersonic Blue paint GM the , you see, and I think it’d look killer on the . I hadn’t given it much thought until yesterday, when I attended a event at the Monticello Motor Club. Parked outside the clubhouse next to the pit road, was the car you see above, a new CTS-V sedan finished in Supersonic Blue with satin graphite wheels. Inside, the Recaro seats and door trim matched the exterior. It’s wicked.
I immediately asked Cadillac spokesman David Caldwell if this was a new paint color for the 2012 model. It’s not. Not yet, at least. Caddy prepped the car and brought it out to Monticello to gauge reaction to the color before a final decision is made. If it winds up happening, it’ll likely be a new special edition, in the vein of this year’s package. Personally, I think this is a no-brainer, and said as much to the Caddy reps on hand. Maybe you think differently, though, so here’s your shot to weigh in.
Use the poll below to tell Cadillac if you think they should have the CTS-V go Supersonic. Before you vote, just imagine the done up like this. Got that mental image? Good. Now go vote.
Spada Codatronca Monza – Click above for high-res image gallery
The father-son design team of Ercole and Paolo Spada made a real splash a few years back when they unveiled the . Inspired by the Kamm-tailed Alfas Ercole designed back in the day for Zagato, the Codatronca looked something like a cross between a , a and Darth Vader’s helmet.
Radical as the design was, however, it wasn’t quite extreme enough for Aznom. So the Italian coachbuilder and aftermarket firm commissioned Spada to build the car you see here: the .
Initially unveiled at the Top Marques Monaco a couple of months ago, Spada has only now revealed the details in full. The roadster packs the same 710-horspower twin-supercharged 7.0-liter V8 (presumably based on the Z06’s LS7), but in an open-roof bodystyle named after the legendary Italian racing circuit. Weighing in at only 2,600 lbs, the show car features a stripped-out cockpit with Sabelt buckets and full data acquisition system centered around the F1-style steering wheel. It rides on a fully adjustable suspension with OZ Ultraleggera wheels, Pirelli PZero Corsa tires and Brembo brakes with the same ABS system employed in the FIA GT3 series. The Spada boys say these factors add up to a 0-62 mph time of three seconds flat and a face-shredding 208 mph top end.
The Monza was commissioned by Aznom as a demonstration vehicle, but Spada says it would built more to order, and will develop and additional Barchetta derivative that will presumably offer a little more in the way of creature comforts at the expense of the Monza’s extremity. In the meantime you can check out the full high-res image mega gallery along with the press release and video for a closer look.
2012 Morgan 3 Wheeler – Click above for high-res image gallery
It weighs just 1,090 pounds, chuffs out 115 horsepower and 140 pound-feet of torque, and can launch to 60 mph in less than 4.5 seconds. Oh, and you definitely feel every bit of it.
The 2012 Morgan 3 Wheeler is a decidedly modernized homage to the trike that inspired it. Beginning back in 1909, this British tripod evolved through a succession of V-twin engines, culminating in 1953, when the last of the original Morgan three-wheeled “cyclecars” rolled off the line in Malvern Link. By that time, a four-cylinder Ford engine good for up to 32 hp was also available, but it’s the V-twin’s legacy through 1946 that has always carried the most significance for aficionados of the three-tire flyer.
Words like “fun” don’t even begin to describe what it is that would lead a North American enthusiast to spend north of $50,000 to secure a Morgan 3 Wheeler. (Note that whereas the original cars went through some variants in the official writing of the name, the new car is to be written exclusively as “Morgan 3 Wheeler” – so say the adamant company spokespeople). People who simply must have this heated runabout are incurably sick with a British disease. They love getting rained on at 70 mph, the persistent smell of dairy cattle cannot deter them from a vigorous country drive and $50,000 borders on a small price to pay for the pure handmade exhilaration of a proper trike. Yep, they’re nuts.
That apparently means we’re nuts, too, because after taking this journey into deepest Worcestershire and tearing around the UK’s storybook Malvern Hills, darting through the pelting rain and cruising in the glistening sun between cloudy spells, we desperately want one of these beautifully useless 3 Wheelers.
An Aston Martin Cygnet for Stirling Moss – Click above for high-res image gallery
Wrapping your head around the cars that Sir Stirling Moss has driven over the course of the many decades in which he drove competitively would be a mind-boggling task. Regarded as the greatest Formula One driver never to win a World Championship, Moss won 212 out of the 529 races he entered, including 16 grands prix. He also competed in sports cars, including countless , and racers.
Oh, the Astons he must have driven over the course of his career. As part of the factory works team, Sir Stirling piloted the likes of the DB3S and DBR1 to championship titles and race wins. But the latest is undoubtedly the most timid.
In celebration of his 82nd birthday at the Royal Automobile Club’s “Palace on Pall Mall” in London, Lady Moss and Aston Martin presented Sir Stirling with one of the first Cygnet city cars to be delivered. Readied by its oldest dealership – HWM Aston Martin, which actually prepared Stirling’s first grand prix cars – the unique city car is decked out in Aston’s trademark shade of green with a black interior and silver top stitching.
It’s probably just what Stirling might need to get around London now that he’s from racing for good, but we can’t help but have a little trouble with the notion of one of the world’s greatest racing drivers puttering about in reheated . Details in the press release after the jump.
2011 Audi A8 – Click above for high-res image gallery
The Transporter film series is taking a detour from the silver-screen to arrive in TV land. Called – crazily enough – Transporter, the new Cinemax series stars a man who is not Jason Statham quite good at … transporting. Lead actor Chris Vance’s preferred method of transportation will reportedly be the redesigned , which we think should fit the bill quite nicely. After all, a 372-horsepower, 4.2-liter V8 paired with Quattro all-wheel-drive, excellent seats and a 1,400-watt B&O sound system should be enough to keep driver, passengers and cargo moving along quickly and comfortably.
Of course, were we the appropriately named Transporter in question, we might wait for to hand over the next . How about you – What would be your preferred tool for the Transporter gig? Have your say in Comments.
Audi Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak – Click above for high-res image gallery
When we think of the future of motor vehicles, we’re (mostly) excited about what’s coming next. We’re a bit less than thrilled about the prospect of vehicles that can drive themselves, but the state of Nevada seems all too ready to welcome the autonomous vehicle.
The Huffington Post reports that Nevada has passed a law that will allow autonomous vehicles on its roads as early as March 1, 2012. The new law simply directs the Department of Motor Vehicles to come up with regulations authorizing the use of autonomous vehicles on the highways within the state. The law even directs the DMV to come up with a driver’s license for such vehicles.
While the law in Nevada is less than a year from hitting the books, keep in mind that the driverless car is itself still a long way from reality. After all, Google’s autonomous vehicles have about 140,000 miles under their collective belt. Meanwhile, we’re betting that most have more road time than the entire Google fleet.
Rolls-Royce 102EX Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
At the grand opening of the dealership in Chicago’s Gold Coast area, Kicking Tires got the chance to sit down with David Archibald, president of Rolls-Royce North America. On discussion was the general business strategy of the ultra luxury brand and how electrics play into that.
Since its debut at the 2011Geneva Motor Show, the electric vehicle has been making the rounds at various events and dealerships. The automaker is even letting customers drive the concept back-to-back against the (on which it is based) to get an idea if it has market potential. According to Automotive News has been a bit lackluster, with the 100-mile range being the biggest hurdle.
However, Archibald pointed out, “If you’d have come here 12 months ago and asked our customers, ‘What do you think about alternative fuels,’ they would have said, ‘What are you talking about.’” Now, that’s starting to change as new electric vehicles are pretty much popping up weekly.
Still, no decision has been made regarding a production electric or hybrid. With alternative fuels now on the minds of even a luxury car buyer, it sounds to us like it’s not a matter of if but when.
is using the design elements of its latest to create its first foray into the four-door coupe world with this, the . We’ll likely see the finished product at the in September, and judging by these latest spy shots, the big four-door is indeed nearing completion.
Much like the 6 Series coupe, we can expect the Gran Coupe to launch in 650i guise, powered by BMW’s 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8, with a six-cylinder 640i model following shortly thereafter. In any case, the Gran Coupe will go head-to-head with the and , and we’re eager to see how the big sedan looks with all its camouflage removed.
2011Hyundai Equus Ultimate – Click above for high-res image gallery
Seems that even the ridiculously wealthy can’t pass up a good bargain. According to The Wall Street Journal, a seemingly amazing six percent of American Express Centurion “Black Card” holders say they have a in their garage. The Centurion is an exclusive card only offered to the utmost wealthiest of people, with the average Black Card holder having $16.3 million in assets and an annual household income of $1.3 million.
For reference, only six percent of Centurion holders own . By that logic, you could say that for every or a Black Card holder owns, there’s also an or . Weird, right?
Not surprisingly, Black Card holders commonly flock to the usual host of luxury automakers. accounts for 22 percent of Centurion automobiles, with at 21 percent, at 15 and at 11.
The doesn’t exactly need any help in the ridiculous department. From its questionable purpose and usefulness to its enormous, bulbous proportions and Herculean power figures, this thing has elective purchase written all over it.
Now, though, thanks to Germany’s Lumma Design, it is – you guessed it – more ridiculous. To start with, the company bolted on huge 22-inch wheels to complement a complete body kit. Inside, there’s a custom dash, steering wheel and sport seats, all in two-tone leather.
Under the hood, Lumma has cranked the X6’s diesel up to 340 horses, which should give your two feet plenty to think about when you’re in stunna mode. Full press blast .
gets even more extreme at the hands of Lumma Design
Short of full-grain fitted leather, luggage doesn’t get much nicer than Tumi. Last year, we brought you a range of custom pieces , but this latest release goes beyond the trunk.
Teaming up with , Tumi has created a pair of special editions : one in Hunter Green with black and orange trim and a custom luggage pod mounted on the roof, and another Clubman Cooper S in black with red trim. Both custom Minis naturally pack special luggage sets, but Tumi has also applied its own fabrics to the custom interiors.
The pair were reportedly designed for the Chinese market, though details on availability remain scarce. The initiative is, however, expected to lead to more collaborations, so stay tuned.
The 2012 Peugeot 508 RXH diesel-electric hybrid has been officially revealed ahead of its world debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
Featuring all-wheel drive via Peugeot’s technology, the 508 RXH comes packing the automaker’s 2.0-liter HDi diesel engine with a 28-kilowatt (38-horsepower) electric motor. This system, identical to the one found in , makes the 508 RXH a so-called “through-the-road” hybrid vehicle. Combined, the diesel-electric hybrid drive unit delivers up to 147 kW (200 horsepower) and cranks out 332 pound-feet of torque.
The 508 RXH can operate in electric-only mode, though Peugeot has not revealed the vehicle’s “zero-emissions” range. The French automaker say the 508 RXH consumes less than 4.2 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers (56 miles per gallon U.S.) in the combined cycle and emits 109 g/km of CO2.
The 508 RXH will go on sale in spring of 2012. Peugeot says it will extend its HYbrid4 technology to additional vehicles in the near future. Learn more in the official press release after the jump.
