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Call the BMW X1 what you like. A hatchback with an identity crisis. A BMW crossover with a Napoleon complex. But whatever you call it, you can’t argue with its success. Since going on sale less than two years ago in Europe, the smallest of Munich’s X Series has sold out in just about every market it’s reached. Which is why it’s not here in America yet – the Bavarian automaker just can’t keep up with demand, and taking a bite out of the U.S. market is more than it can chew at the moment.

That won’t stop the X1 from reaching our neighbors to the north, though. A BMW dealership in the affluent Toronto suburb of Thornhill has announced that the X1 is coming to that vast frozen landmass above the 49th Parallel, verified by the inclusion of the CUV’s presence on the BMW Canada website, but not on BMW USA’s.

It won’t be the first time the Canucks are getting an import before America does – the Mercedes-Benz B-Class stands as another notable German example – but could this prove a precursor to the crossover’s arrival in the United States? We’ll just have to sit tight and see – either that or defect northwards.

[Source: BMW Autohaus]

BMW X1 will go on sale in Canada, still no word on U.S.

Introducing a new vehicle every year is perfectly normal for a Formula 1 team like McLaren, which brings a new grand prix racer to the grid for every championship. Less so for an automaker that offers only one model range, but according to reports, McLaren Automotive plans to bring a new product to market each year moving forward.

Following up on past offerings like the legendary McLaren F1 and the SLR jointly developed with Mercedes-Benz, the new MP4-12C is the first offering from the new McLaren Automotive. But it won’t be the last. It’s already introduced a GT3 racing variant of the MP4, and is reportedly in the process of developing a roadster variant, as well. Beyond that, reports have linked McLaren with a 911-fighter to slot in below the MP4, and a stratospheric hyper-car to slot in above. With three core ranges in store, that could give McLaren enough space to launch variants of each for years to come.

While the key to its meeting ever-restricting environmental regulations rests in its lightweight construction, the British racing-team-turned-automaker is also said to be working on bringing battery-assisted propulsion – similar, we’d suspect, to the KERS regenerative braking system found in its latest Formula 1 racers – to the street, reportedly already managing to extract a single horsepower out of a lithium-ion fuel cell no larger than a AA battery.

[Source: TheDetroitBureau.com]

Report: McLaren Automotive to introduce a new product every year

Continue reading Dartz presents Iron Diamond… for ladies only

Dartz presents Iron Diamond… for ladies only

The more things change – or so the saying goes – the more they stay the same. Half a century after the originals graced the open roads and the auto shows of the early 1960s, two classic coachbuilt Alfa Romeos have been reborn in modern style. We’re talking about the Alfa Romeo TZ and the Coda Tronca – the former now heading into its fourth iteration in the form of the TZ3 Stradale, and the latter just recently remade as the Spada Codatronca Monza. And now their progenitors are set to cross the auction block.

Regarded in the same light by Alfa aficionados as the 250 GTO is by the Ferrari faithful, the original TZ (so named for its tubular space frame and Zagato coachwork) made a remarkable 1-2-3-4 class finish upon its race debut at Monza in 1963, complimented the same year by class wins at Sebring, Le Mans and the Nürburgring as well as an outright win at the Alpine Rally the following season. Only 112 examples were made, and this particular model – chassis #750006 – was prepared by Autodelta (the same Alfa tuner still operating in the UK) and fully restored to its original 1964 Le Mans condition after single-family ownership of 23 years.

Likewise bodied by Zagato, this 1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ “Coda Tronca” (chassis #0184) is one of only 30 such examples made out of 200 total SZs. Its Kamm-tailed body gave it its name, a shape which its original designer Ercole Spada reprised for his eponymous modern Corvette-powered special and which led to the development of the aforementioned TZ.

Both of these historic examples feature DOHC four-cylinder engines (1.6 liters and 150 horsepower for the TZ, and 1.3 liters and 135 hp for the Coda Tronca) mated to five-speed manual transmissions. They’re set to join the Bertone prototypes and the Art Deco classics at RM’s forthcoming auction at Villa d’Este, where the TZ is expected to fetch €475,000-€575,000 ($690k-835k) and the Coda Tronca €260,000-€300,000 ($377k-435k). With their modern successors destined for the garages of the extremely fortunate, we could hardly imagine better stablemates to join them. Have a closer look at each in the galleries below and delve further into their histories in the backgrounders after the jump.

[Source: RM Auctions Images: Dirk De Jager, Simon Clay/RM]

Continue reading Alfa Romeo Zagato classics consigned to join their modern counterparts at Villa d’Este

Alfa Romeo Zagato classics consigned to join their modern counterparts at Villa d’Este

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has completed its first test of mainstream plug-in vehicles, and both the 2011 Chevrolet Volt and the 2011 Nissan Leaf have were named “Good” for their front, side, rear, and rollover crash protection. Testing procedures for these plug-in vehicles were exactly the same as for any other automobile the IIHS tests, as they should be.

The two plug-in pioneers join 80 other 2011 vehicles in earning the Top Safety Pick title, thanks to their fine performance in instrumented crash testing and their standard electronic stability control. For what it’s worth, other fuel sippers like the 2010 Toyota Prius and 2010 Honda Insight have also been named Top Safety Picks in the past. That said, the IIHS has taken issue with some plug-in electric vehicles in the past, specifically the not-quite-a-car NEVs like the Gem e2 or the Wheego Whip.

Of course, we all know how much fun it is to watch brand-new cars being smashed to bits in the name of safety, so we’ve gone ahead and embedded a video of the two plug-ins undergoing the crash testing process. Hit the jump to see for yourself and to check out the official press release.

[Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety]

Continue reading Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf earn Top Safety Picks in first IIHS electric vehicle crash tests

Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf earn Top Safety Picks in first IIHS electric vehicle crash tests

Ford’s new M3-fightin’ Mustang, the 2012 Boss 302, is a 444-horsepower, rear-wheel-drive two-door designed to fight well above its weight class. Motor Trend decided to spend quality time with the coupe, and something scary happened. Not scary as in ‘whoa, this thing is scary fast’ but more along the lines of ‘call my tailor, I ruined my pants’ terrifying.

Part of M/T’s testing gauntlet includes a look at braking distance. Road Test Editor Scott Mortara ran the Ford up to 70 miles per hour. Now it was time to see how quickly he could bring it to zero. Typically, this is just a matter of mashing the brakes and holding on. The sound of straining tires is a sound that’s welcome, but a metallic snapping noise is not. Either way, the 2012 Boss 302 was a runaway pony.

Mortara used the six-speed manual transmission to reduce the coupe’s speed before exiting the track through a gap at its end. What went wrong? A pin that connects the brake pedal to the rod that actuates the master cylinder had failed and snapped off. Normally, the brake pedal connects to the rod in a manner that distributes the pressure evenly over a large surface area and would still actuate the brakes when one presses the pedal. The setup on this particular Mustang was faulty, and allowed for far more pressure on the individual piece that failed.

Ford has examined this car, as well as the brake installation process at its assembly plants. It seems this car is unique in its defect. Motor Trend contends that it’s possible the brake assembly was removed then reinstalled after the vehicle left the factory, which could explain why the part failed in such an abnormal manner. Check out the full story over at Motor Trend.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Motor Trend]

Ford Mustang Boss 302 fails Motor Trend brake test. Here’s why

Fast Five, the fifth installment in The Fast and the Furious franchise, hits theaters Friday, April 29th. Since we live in the age of instant gratification, you’re able to hunt down some of the key scenes and check out the furious action before you decide to plunk down your hard-earned bucks for a ticket. In order to facilitate the decision making process, a key chase scene has made its way to YouTube courtesy of the French arm of Universal Pictures.

We’ll let you decided whether or not you want to watch the clip posted after the jump. However, we will tell you that Dom (Vin Diesel) and Brian (Paul Walker) use a pair of pumped-up Dodge Chargers in a… unique capacity. The tow-rating on a 5.7-liter-equipped Charger is 2,000-pounds max, and even if you double that figure we’re pretty sure the director is employing a healthy scoop of automotive movie magic to shoot this scene. We’ll save the real sleuthing for a future episode of Mythbusters.

Click past the jump to watch three minutes and 44 seconds of Fast Five. It goes without saying that there are massive spoilers here, right? The audio is in French, but you shouldn’t have too much trouble figuring out what’s going on.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Spoiler Alert! The French leak key chase scene from Fast Five

Spoiler Alert! The French leak key chase scene from Fast Five

Kelley Blue Book has announced the winners of its 2011 Brand Image awards, which are given out based on KBB data culled from a survey taken by over 12,000 in-market shoppers. Cadillac’s image must be rather strong with said shoppers, because it took home KBB hardware in three out of the 10 award categories.

Constantly citing the CTS family of vehicles, KBB handed Cadillac the awards for Best Exterior Design, Best Comfort and Best Interior Design. Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Honda, Toyota and BMW snagged the rest of the 2011 Brand Image trophies. BMW and Ford received two nods apiece, but Caddy is still king of this particular hill for 2011. Click past the jump to read the full list of categories and winners.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Kelley Blue Book]

Continue reading Cadillac cleans up with three KBB Brand Image Awards

Cadillac cleans up with three KBB Brand Image Awards

Fox Marketing Supercharged Lexus CT 200h – Click above for high-res image gallery

Fox Marketing has given Lexus’ entry-level hybrid some much-needed teeth, adding an Eaton supercharger to the 2011 CT 200h. The huffer forces air through a Climax Racing intake manifold, helping the CT’s 1.8-liter four pot crank out 300 high-voltage ponies.

Fox also says it beefed up the car’s batteries, but details on what exactly the company did are nil. The added power means the CT 200h has to work a little harder to stay pointed in the right direction, which Fox addressed with a full-on custom suspension and enormous Baer brakes. The 13-inch Baers sit behind a set of 20-inch wheels sporting a huge offset and healthy 225/30-series meats up front and 255/30s at the back.

You’d think that a 300-horsepower hybrid would make an excellent sleeper, but that’s just not Fox Marketing’s style. Instead, it cloaked the little Lexus in metallic burnt orange paint, and draped it in a wide body kit, featuring huge three-inch fender flares. Inside, there’s a set of Yonaka racing seats complemented with LED Lexus logos on the door panels. Check out a video clip of the car after the jump.

[Source: Vimeo via Carscoop Images: FoxMarketing - CC 2.0]

Continue reading Fox Marketing supercharges the Lexus CT 200h [w/video]

Fox Marketing supercharges the Lexus CT 200h [w/video]

“With electric automobiles popping up like dandelions across the landscape of American driving, it’s no surprise that they will be part of the field at the 89th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 26.”

So says the press release you’ll find waiting for your prying eyes after the break. While it’s true that we’re not exactly surprised that an electric car will make its way up to the top of the historic hill – there was, after all, a dedicated electric vehicle class for 2010 – we are a little curious whether a completely stock Nissan Leaf has any chance of dethroning current EV Hill Climb record holder Ikuo Hanawa of Japan.

Certainly, Leaf driver Chad Hord knows what he’s doing, as he currently pilots an off-road racing truck in the TORC series. In any case, we’ll find out soon enough if the Leaf’s 110 horsepower and 90-mile-per-hour top speed has the stuff to hang with the purpose-built EV racers; Hanawa will again contest the championship in his Concept two-wheel drive 2010 Custom Summit HER-02.

Oh, and about that dandelion thing… those are generally unwanted guests of those who actually care about keeping a lush carpet of green in their yards. Maybe not the way lovers of automotive greenery want to think of their rides, eh? Check out the complete press release after the break for all the details, and spend a few minutes watching Hanawa’s record-setting HER-02 do its thing on the Peak.

[Source: Pikes Peak International Hill Climb]

Continue reading Unmodified Nissan Leaf entered in Pikes Peak Hill Climb [w/videos]

Unmodified Nissan Leaf entered in Pikes Peak Hill Climb [w/videos]

Need a way to get yourself, four buddies and a whole lot of cargo across the country with the bare minimum of fuel stops? The Ram Long-Hauler Concept is your truck. The rig got a quiet coming-out party at the Mid-America Trucking Show, which was held March 31st through April 2nd in Louisville, Kentucky.

This behemoth of a tow rig sports a 197.7-inch wheelbase, or about as long as your average oil tanker. That much space means it has a full-size eight-foot bed and Ram’s four-door MegaCab passenger compartment. In keeping with the oil tanker theme, the Long-Hauler has the capacity to hold an astonishing 162 gallons of diesel fuel, thanks to a 60-gallon auxiliary tank in the bed. That much fuel should give this thing enough range to cross the country in two fuel stops if you aren’t too liberal with the throttle.

The Long-Hauler is based on the Ram 5500 commercial truck chassis cab, which comes with a 19,500-pound gross vehicle weight rating. Ram combines that with a self-leveling air suspension on all four corners, a dual-rear-wheel package, 19.5-inch Alcoa 10-lug wheels and an Allison six-speed automatic. Add it all up and you’ve got a gross vehicle weight rating of 37,500 pounds, which should be enough to handle whatever you throw this hauler’s way. Doing the grunt work will be a 350-horsepower, 6.7-liter Cummins diesel inline six spitting out 650 pound-feet of twist.

The Ram Long-Hauler, should it make production, will be aimed at those who need enormous towing capacity and range, but don’t want to step up to something like a Freightliner SportChassis just yet. There’s still no word on a production timetable or what the truck might cost should it become available.

[Source: Pickuptrucks.com Images: Pickuptrucks.com]

Ram Long-Hauler concept sports 1,600-mile range for epic road trips

Between myself and Editor-in-Chief John Neff, Autoblog has racked up 3,500 miles on our long-term 2011 Hyundai Equus Ultimate since its arrival in March. Now that the initial honeymoon phase is over, we’re getting a very good feel for how the Big Korean handles day-to-day tasks.

First and foremost, I continue to be impressed with the sheer number of compliments the Equus receives, most of which are from women. This car really turns heads, possibly due to the fact they’re scarce on the road – I have yet to see another one in metro Detroit. I wasn’t too keen on the Hyundai’s design when it first arrived, but am now finding the Equus to be a very regal beast, especially in white. Even the guys at my local car wash, who don’t usually say much about the test cars I bring through, could not hold back their positive praise. Neff even took the Equus on a high-end house hunting trip and found its presence was enough to convince real estate agents he could afford the top-dollar listings.

I’ve had the chance to take the Equus on a couple of longer road trips, and while it’s comfortable and quiet for the most part, these long-distance drives also brought out some complaints with our long-term tester.

Continue reading 2011 Hyundai Equus Ultimate: April 2011…

Photos copyright (C)2011 Steven J. Ewing / AOL

Continue reading Long-Term Logbook: 2011 Hyundai Equus Ultimate, April 2011

Long-Term Logbook: 2011 Hyundai Equus Ultimate, April 2011

There are few things more satisfying for a younger sibling than besting their older kin. Be it a hard-fought round of Stratego or a bare-knuckle brawl, putting an elder brother or sister in their place can be more satisfying than winning the lottery. In this spirit, German magazine Sport Auto just finished pitting the new 2012 1 Series M Coupe up against BMW’s venerable M3. The pair locked horns around Hockenheim in a battle for ultimate supremacy that saw the M3 do the deed in 1:14.2. The M Coupe, meanwhile, managed to lap the track a hair quicker at 1:14.1.

That gave the newcomer to the game the overall win and put it just one tenth of a second behind metal like the Porsche Cayman S on the famous track. Is this conclusive evidence that the 1 Series M Coupe is the better performance buy than the legendary M3? Not necessarily. After all, this is just one comparison with one magazine. Still, the fact that the baby BMW can get within striking distance of its predecessor with two fewer cylinders is a testament to the vehicle’s prowess.

[Source: 1 Addicts]

BMW 1 Series M beats M3 around Hockenheim… by a hair

There are few things more satisfying for a younger sibling than besting their older kin. Be it a hard-fought round of Stratego or a bare-knuckle brawl, putting an elder brother or sister in their place can be more satisfying than winning the lottery. In this spirit, German magazine Sport Auto just finished pitting the new 2012 1-Series M Coupe up against BMW’s venerable M3. The pair locked horns around Hockenheim in a battle for ultimate supremacy that saw the M3 do the deed in 1:14.2. The M Coupe, meanwhile, managed to lap the track a hair quicker at 1:14.1.

That gave the newcomer to the game the overall win and put it just one tenth of a second behind metal like the Porsche Cayman S on the famous track. Is this conclusive evidence that the 1-Series M Coupe is the better performance buy than the legendary M3? Not necessarily. After all, this is just one comparison with one magazine. Still, the fact that the baby BMW can get within striking distance of its predecessor with two fewer cylinders is a testament to the vehicle’s prowess.

[Source: 1 Addicts]

Report: BMW 1-Series M beats M3 around Hockenheim… by a hair

The Ford Crown Victoria has been such a valuable asset to police agencies around the U.S. that some municipalities have gone as far as to order extras. The reason? The Crown Vic will be retired at the end of 2011, with a replacement coming in the form of the Taurus Police Interceptor. But with the new 2013 Taurus being shown at the New York Auto Show and Ford already having shown a version of the cruiser based on the 2011 model, which version will the cops get?

USA Today reports that Ford product boss Derrick Kuzak says the Taurus PI will in fact be based off the 2013 model, which includes LED taillights and new front and rear fascias. Beyond cosmetic upgrades, the 2013 Taurus will also receive a 27-horsepower boost from the 3.5-liter V6 (to 290 hp) and an EcoBoost 2.0-liter turbo that boasts highway fuel economy of 31 miles per gallon. The V6-powered EcoBoost Taurus SHO will continue to feature 365 hp.

Since the new Taurus PI will be a 2013 model, will it also offer all three powertrains? We’re thinking there might be a few police agencies that would be interested in a more fuel efficient cop car. A 2.0-liter EcoBoost model could save municipalities some bucks, but historically, most departments have shied away from the high-tech and smaller displacement in favor of the less complex and tried-and-true, so we’re not sure how well they’d fare in the marketplace. What are your thoughts? Have your say in Comments.

[Source: USA Today]

Report: Ford Taurus Police Interceptor to hit streets with 2013 updates

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG debuted at last week’s New York Auto Show sporting a 6.2-liter naturally-aspirated V8 packing 451 snorting ponies. On the heels of that debut comes a report that AMG’s upcoming C63 AMG Black Series will arrive packing just over 500 horsepower from a tweaked version of the same engine. With that much grunt on tap, the Black Series two-door should go from zero to sideways faster than you can say “new tires.”

When the C63 AMG Black Series Coupe debuts, expect it to differentiate itself from the rest of the C-Class world with a lower stance and significantly wider and more aggressive bodywork, and we wouldn’t be surprised if it weighed less, too. The coupe should follow the debut of the C63 AMG Black Series Sedan. Like the four-door, the Black Series Coupe will almost certainly funnel grunt through Mercedes-Benz’s AMG Speedshift seven-speed gearbox. Thanks for the tip, Jason!

Live photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: BenzInsider]

Rumormill: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series Coupe to get 507-hp, 6.2-liter V8

It’s hard to put into words why someone should buy a 2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 without sounding like an energy drink-swilling high schooler. It’s just hard to describe its level of performance, styling and je ne sais quoi without using the hackneyed standbys like “epic” or “awesome” or “dude.”

That’s probably why Lamborghini isn’t really bothering with words. Instead, they’ve put together a three-minute clip of the Aventador thwarting a geological disaster to amply illustrate its appeal. Sure, it still doesn’t answer how you’re going to put groceries in it, or what kind of gas mileage it gets or how much it costs to insure, but if you’re still worried about those sort of mundane details, you’re a lost cause.

As if the video’s impressive CGI, magnificent driving and glamor shots of the new Lamborghini flagship weren’t enough, the clip ends with an apt way to describe the car. Check out the video after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Zachary!

Photos copyright (C)2011 Wolfango Spaccarelli / AOL

[Source: Lamborghini via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Lamborghini Aventador battles the apocalypse

Video: Lamborghini Aventador battles the apocalypse

How AMG Does Suburban Winter Assault

No one needs a 503-horsepower SUV capable of 155 miles per hour. In the real world, the 2011 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG make no sense whatsoever. But you want one all the same. We understand.

All it took was one glance at its massive tailpipes out back for us to fall in love. The ML63 is fitted with equal parts absurdity and brilliance, and almost immediately, our minds filled with images of blasting the AMG SUV along the snowy roads of southeastern Michigan, its 6.2-liter V8 bellowing at full volume, ricocheting off the concrete overpasses looming above metro Detroit’s Interstate 696.

Senior editor Damon Lavrinc appropriately described this behavior as “suburban winter assault,” but as we found during our week-long winter test, the ML63 AMG is perfectly equipped for battle no matter the weather.

Continue reading Review: 2011 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG…

Photos copyright (C)2011 Steven J. Ewing / AOL

Continue reading Review: 2011 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG

Review: 2011 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG

Supercar manufacturers are in a very exclusive club that really isn’t all that easy to get into. After all, it’s hard to get a buyer to fork over a couple hundred thousand dollars for a two-seater, no matter how quick it is.

Those obstacles didn’t stop Oullim Motors from developing the hand-made Spirra, and we’re kind of glad they did. The Spirra’s design isn’t revolutionary by any stretch, but a 2,600-pound supercar with up to 500 horsepower routed to the rear wheels sounds pretty good to us.

And if you just want to look like you own an exotic, you can even opt for a run of the mill, naturally aspirated 2.7-liter V6 variant with 175 horsepower. We have no idea why anyone would do that, but the option is available.

Follow the jump to watch a three-minute video that shows some of the care that goes into building the Spirra. There are no assembly lines, materials are sewn with only a human and a sewing machine and the designers apparently started with a pencil and a piece of paper as opposed to a bunch of modeling computers.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Spirra shows you how it crafts supercars

Video: Spirra shows you how it crafts supercars

We first heard back in January that Mitsubishi was planning to kill off the Eclipse, Endeavor and Galant by 2013. Now, however, AutoWeek is reporting that the euthanization timeline is a lot closer to summer, with only the Galant receiving a reprieve.

Mitsubishi North America CEO Yoichi Yokozawa has reportedly confirmed that the automaker will stop production on the Eclipse and Endeavor in August, but added that a determination on the Galant won’t happen until later. The vehicles are currently being built in Mitsubishi’s Illinois assembly plant, but the automaker is looking to make room for the Outlander Sport. Mitsubishi plans to make 50,000 copies per year of the crossover utility vehicle, with half the vehicles tabbed for export.

If you’re looking to get your hands on one of the last Endeavor models, you’d better hurry, since Mitsubishi only has a 23-day supply of the outdated model. The Eclipse and Eclipse Spyder will probably take a while to peter out, though, as the automaker currently has a 180-day supply of the coupe and convertible. Either way, for tens of thousands of devotees, it’s an ignominious end for a once-proud performance model.

[Source: AutoWeek]

Report: Mitsubishi to kill off Eclipse, Endeavor in August, Galant to live on