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Ferrari fanatics should be familiar with the work of Novitec Rosso. The Dutch tuning house regularly churns out beefed-up versions of Maranello’s finest. But while recent releases have upgraded the California, 599 GTB Fiorano and 430 Scuderia, Novitec has now turned its attention to Ferrari’s flagship grand tourer.

The custom 612 Scaglietti has been treated to an ECU upgrade and a host of cosmetic and rolling stock upgrades. The lightly massaged 5.7-liter V12 – good for 530 horsepower and 434 lb-ft in stock trim – has been boosted to nearly 560 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque, dropping the big coupe’s 0-60 mph sprint below the four-second mark and its top end to north of 200 mph.

Coupled with interior enhancements, darkened indicator lights and 20-inch front and 21-inch rear modular wheels, Novitec has imbued the big Scag with a modest, but much needed attitude adjustment until its replacement arrives. Details in the press release after the jump, high-res images in the gallery below.

[Source: Novitec Rosso]

Continue reading Novitec Rosso bids farewell to the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti with upgrades

Novitec Rosso bids farewell to the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti with upgrades

The 2011 Ford Shelby GT500 is so good we don’t even want to associate the word “Mustang” with it anymore. Not that there’s anything wrong with the Mustang – particularly the revised 2011 model. But as a sports car, the word “Mustang” conjures images of something much less than refined. If a Porsche is a scalpel, a ‘roided up ‘Stang is the Jaws of Life: it’ll get the job done, but it ain’t gonna be pretty.

However, if a Mustang is a mauling maw, the Shelby GT500 is a defibrillator. Perhaps not pinpoint precise, but it hides a sting, a little bit of burn and you can put it right where you want. And once you’re there, you can use it to deliver a glorious shock to the system. Follow the jump to find out why.

Photos by Jonathon Ramsey / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Ford Shelby GT500 is a heart-starting jolt

First Drive: 2011 Ford Shelby GT500 is a heart-starting jolt

In a completely expected move, General Motors has just recalled 2010 Cadillac SRX crossovers that are equipped with the turbocharged 2.8-liter V6 engine due to the possibility of engine failure. The problem stems from the misuse of gasoline with lower than the required 91 octane rating. If driven aggressively with non-premium fuel, pre-ignition may be induced.

Such cases of pre-ignition can be very serious, with broken pistons or connecting rods standing out as possible results… as was found out not long ago by Automobiles De Luxe after mistakenly filling Caddy’s latest ‘ute with 88 octane fuel instead of the required 91 octane.

Owners of the 547 affected vehicles are being directed to get their Engine Control Modules reprogrammed free of charge from their favored dealer. More information can be found in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s notice after the break.

[Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]

Continue reading GM recalling select 2010 Cadillac SRX crossovers over engine failure fears

GM recalling select 2010 Cadillac SRX crossovers over engine failure fears

With production of the Veyron coming to an end, speculation has been rampant over what Bugatti will build next. A super-sedan based on the 16C Galibier concept could still get the green light. A 1,200-horsepower “Super Veyron” has also re-entered the rumor mill of late. Even an entry-level roadster was mooted at one point. But a new project could give us a clearer (and more radical) picture than ever before.

According to the rumormongers over at Auto Express, Bugatti is currently working on a massively powerful electric supercar that could eclipse the notions of what was previously thought possible with battery power. A test mule based on sister-company Bentley’s ubiquitous Continental GT is reportedly undergoing testing at present, powered by two giant electric motors and an advanced lithium-ion power cell to deliver the equivalent of 800 horsepower and some 1,600 lb-ft of torque, all available instantly from a standstill. Yowza!

Such technology would doubtlessly draw from the work sister-company Audi has been doing with its successive e-Tron concepts. But as AE points out, this wouldn’t be the first time Bugatti has experimented with electric power: Back in its heyday under founder Ettore Bugatti’s direction, the original company built the Type 56. Originally built as a one-off, public demand prompted the Molsheim marque to bring it to market.

The rumored Continental-based prototype may be strictly a one-off at the moment, but if demand could force the Type 56 to market in the 1930s, it certainly could do the same today.

Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Auto Express]

Rumormill: Bugatti developing secret Continental GT-based electric supercar

Honda Vice President John Mendel recently admitted to AutoWeek that the next-generation Civic will be delayed from the Fall of 2010 to sometime in 2011. Mendel said in the interview that the Civic was delayed because of tightening emissions standards and he also noted that changing market conditions were partly to blame. AW also notes that the Civic’s design was changed along the way, as Honda’s second biggest selling model was originally scheduled to be larger for 2011. Happens all the time, right? Well, not to Honda it doesn’t.

Michelle Krebs over at Edmunds Auto Observer has taken a deep-dive look at the broader implications of the Civic redesign, and came up with some very interesting points. For starters, Krebs speculates that the next Civic was delayed in part because it wasn’t competitive compared to the new, vastly improved competition from companies like Hyundai, General Motors and Ford. While some analysts feel that the Honda redesign shows that the Japanese automaker is willing to swallow some humble pie and get things right, Krebs counters that going back to the drawing board shows that Honda has lost its touch with the car-buying public. Further support for her theory centers around the lackluster greeting for the Insight by both consumers and pundits, Acura’s polarizing styling language and the love/hate Accord Crosstour and its embarassing social media launch efforts. Analyst John Wolkonowicz of Global Insight appears to agree with Krebs, saying that Honda is living off of its reputation from the 1980s and 1990s.

Where do we stand on the Honda Civic design pushback? We’re thinking that as long as the Civic continues to sell in big numbers with relatively small incentives, Honda is smart to head back to the drawing board, especially as it is still selling strongly five years into its lifecycle. However, we’ve been worried that Honda has been losing its engineering-led focus for a while now, so we’ll be looking to the next-gen Civic for some level of redemption.

Be sure to take our poll and check out our high-res gallery of Honda Civic history before heading over to the Auto Observer for some very interesting analysis.

View Poll

[Source: Auto Observer]

Delayed Civic Begs the Question: Has Honda lost the plot? [w/poll]

You could get with this, or you could get with that. ‘This,’ in case you were wondering, would be the 2010 Kia Soul, and ‘that’ would be, um, anything else. Especially a toaster, washing machine or cardboard box… and we’ll leave those vehicular associations up to you to decipher.

Before you actually watch the video pasted after the break, please know that our collective heads heads have officially exploded due to the sheer awesomeness of this effort from Kia and its marketing firm. First of all, the clip features the oddly popular Hamsters from Kia’s initial marketing launch for the Soul, the first commercial of which managed to win Nielsen’s Automotive Ad of the Year.

More importantly, as far as we’re concerned at least, is the use of Black Sheep’s The Choice is Yours as the musical accompaniment to the Alien Green Soul and its urban backdrop. Also note that the character’s so-called Hamstar clothing will soon be available for purchase by fans at hamstarclothing.com. Seriously.

Expect to see this advertisement all over your television set and in movie theaters starting on Friday, May 28. That said, we highly suggest that you get the jump on everyone else and watch the video now. Seriously, what are you waiting for? Hit the jump.

[Source: Kia]

Continue reading Video: Kia Soul hamsters return to kick it old school

Video: Kia Soul hamsters return to kick it old school

When you think about all of the truly iconic supercars that have been produced throughout history, not many carry the same mystique and world-renowned praise as the McLaren F1. Exactly 20 years ago, a team of engineers and designers came together in an attempt to build the automaker’s vision of “the finest sports car the world had ever seen.” And even though the official F1 road car was not launched until May 1992, McLaren is celebrating 2010 as the 20th anniversary of the F1 project. After all, this car changed how the world thought about lightness, packaging and supercar design.

Over the course of four years, McLaren produced 64 F1, five F1 LM and three F1 GT road cars, along with 28 F1 GTR racers and six test prototypes. At the end of its lifespan in 1998, the F1 became the world’s fastest production car, and while that title is now reserved for the almighty Bugatti Veyron, the McLaren still holds the record for fastest naturally aspirated road car. (Tricky, tricky!) Beyond that, the F1 garnered a healthy amount of respect for dominating Le Mans – these cars took first, third, fourth, fifth and thirteenth place at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as winning that year’s GT1 championship.

McLaren Automotive celebrated the F1’s 20th anniversary by inviting owners, past and present, to a dinner at the automaker’s technology center in Woking, England, which included a display of 21 road and race F1s. Looking to the future, McLaren will begin production of the MP4-12C supercar, followed by an entire range of performance cars, all built in-house. Will any of these new creations be able to hold a candle to the iconic F1? Only time will tell, but for now, we raise our glass to the original McLaren F1. Three cheers, indeed.

Follow the jump to read more about the F1 and the 20th anniversary celebration in McLaren’s press release.

[Source: McLaren Automotive]

Continue reading McLaren Automotive celebrates 20 years of the pulse-quickening F1 supercar

McLaren Automotive celebrates 20 years of the pulse-quickening F1 supercar

Back in 2006 when the Chevrolet Volt was first conceived, its extended-range electric (ER-EV) powertrain was originally dubbed E-Flex as its configuration was designed to be flexible. The only part of the system that was constant was the electric drive and the presence of a battery. The architecture was designed so any type of powerplant could be used as a range extender, and over the last three years concepts have been shown with flex-fuel three-cylinder turbos, inline-four diesels and hydrogen fuel cells.

Ultimately, powertrain chief engineer Larry Nitz and his team opted for a normally aspirated 1.4-liter inline-four for the first generation Volt because it offered the best combination of cost and efficiency. However, while working on the first generation Volt, work on the second-gen. model has been happening in parallel. Way back in May 2007 we talked to then-VP for R&D Larry Burns about using an HCCI engine for the Volt since it could be optimized to operate at steady state speeds and he agreed that was certainly one possible direction.

Right now the top priority for the second-generation Volt is driving down the cost of the powertrain, including the battery. Although automakers are always reluctant to talk about parts pricing, GM’s project management VP, Jon Laukner, has hinted on more than one occasion that the Volt pack costs somewhere in the $600 per kilowatt-hour range or under $10,000 for the 16 kWh unit. The goal is to get that cost down below $400 per kWh in the next few years and a combination of increased volumes and LG Chem launching cell production in western Michigan will certainly help to achieve that.

Reducing the cost of the range extender will also play a part. GM’s VP of global vehicle engineering, Karl Stracke told Inside Line that smaller range extenders in the 15-18 kilowatt range are part of the strategy and either a two-cylinder piston engine or a single rotor Wankel are possibilities to replace the current inline-four. Volt communications manager Rob Peterson confirmed to Autoblog that a number of different variants are being evaluated, but he wouldn’t say if any particular direction has been selected yet.

Powertrain engineering consultant FEV has recently been showing off an ER-EV Fiat 500 with a Wankel range extender. While Wankels are not known for fuel efficiency (quite the opposite actually), a modern direct injected unit for this type of application could be highly optimized to provide acceptable performance and consumption. A Wankel also has the advantage of being both very compact for its output and vibration-free, making it well suited for this type of application. With the first generation Volt only expected to have about a three-year life-span, a final decision will likely be made very soon.

Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Inside Line, General Motors]

Next-gen Volt could use diesel, two-cylinder or rotary range extender

The Porsche 918 Spyder might’ve been our pick of the Geneva Motor Show, but the consensus on which vehicle we’d drive home was unanimous: The Bentley Continental-based Flying Star.

As many of you have pointed out, we’ve got a undying love of all things shooting brake, so the Flying Star lit up all the right nerve endings. And apparently, we aren’t alone.

Car and Driver spoke with Stuart McCullough during the launch of the Mulsanne and when asked about the possibility of a Bentley-built hatch, the Volkswagen board member said, “We have an idea in the back of our minds that we may yet bring to market.”

That’s far from a confirmation and it’s doubtful that a Continental-derived shooting brake is coming, particularly when you consider that the GT is due for a refresh. However, something based on the Mulsanne’s underpinnings could replace the aging Continental, and Bentley is sure to be considering other body styles when that model arrives within the next few years.

[Source: Car and Driver]

Report: Bentley says shooting brake a possibility?

The 2011 Chevy Silverado HD didn’t pull any punches about wanting to beat the competition, but it might just pull everything else. In case you missed any of its maybe-or-maybe-not best-in-class numbers, The General has put together a nifty little animation for you that trumpets all of its heavy duty points. And it does a much better job of it than the Dude Perfect spot did…

However, since it is well known that size matters a great deal in the world of pickup trucks, you can expect Ford and Dodge to be unveiling bigger trumpets soon enough. Follow the jump to see the Transformer-esuqe spot.

[Source: Chevy via PickupTrucks.com]

Continue reading Video: GM wants you to see a few things about the Silverado HD

Video: GM wants you to see a few things about the Silverado HD

There’s a difference between being rich and being downright wealthy. And while the 2011 Audi A8L W12 can only be afforded by anyone who falls into the very top tax bracket, the style, refinement and technology built into Audi’s newest flagship will make anyone feel like they’re worth a (couple) million bucks.

You thought your S Class made you a high roller? Think again.

Put on your best Italian suit and hand-made cuff links, and follow the jump to watch what the latest twelve-cylinder luxury barge has to offer.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: 2011 Audi A8L W12 reminds us that we aren’t rich enough

Video: 2011 Audi A8L W12 reminds us that we aren’t rich enough

2011 Infiniti M56S – Click above for high-res image gallery

Renault-Nissan and Daimler recently announced a strategic alliance that promised technology and facility sharing that could result in the saving of over $1 billion per year. We’ll have to wait a while before we can see any parts or factory sharing, but that isn’t stopping the rumormill from running rampant.

The latest tease comes courtesy of Japanese enthusiast rag Best Car, which claims that the Infiniti M and G will share a common platform architecture with the Mercedes E-Class. The move would make sense from a money-saving perspective, as Infiniti could save hundreds of millions of dollars in development costs. Daimler could reap huge sums of savings through increased economies of scale, while likely receiving funding from Renault-Nissan to help pay for the costs of developing the architecture. The two companies are reportedly also looking into sharing engines, factory space in the U.S. and possibly even commercial vans.

But while it makes sense for Daimler to share the E-Class platform with Infiniti from a cash standpoint, we’re taking this bit of news with a healthy dose of skepticism. Infiniti already has an excellent rear-wheel drive platform and there’s a good chance that it’s cheaper to build. But then again, if Daimler and Renault-Nissan are truly serious about saving over $1 billion per year, these are exactly the kinds of parts-sharing agreements that will help them reach their cost-saving goals.

[Source: Pistonheads]

Report: Next Infiniti M and G to share platform with Mercedes-Benz E Class?

Up until last week, Mercedes-Benz had been doing a rather admirable job keeping the 2011 CLS under wraps. But as we saw last Friday, that got blown out of the water as the forthcoming four-door was caught posing for the camera as part of what appeared to be a photo shoot. All that was missing was a nice clean shot from the front.

Problem solved. This morning, a lone image has appeared that shows off the shapely new 2011 CLS’ SLS-inspired fascia with LED lighting, dramatically sloping roofline and its newly contoured bodysides. As we saw last week, a bit of comparison work proves that the production car will share the vast majority of its sheetmetal with the CLS Shooting Break (yes, we know… it should be Brake, but we didn’t name it) concept that M-B introduced just a few months back.

In fact, the car in the spy shot looks so much like the conceptual CLS hatch that we had to open the two in their own windows the double check what we were looking at. See for yourself. In any case, we’re mostly digging this new fastback sedan shape and relishing the idea of a 5.5-liter turbocharged and direct injected AMG-fettled V8 engine underhood.

[Source: SecretNewCars.com]

Spy Shots: 2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS shows off even more skin

Nearly four years after its debut, New Zealand-based Hulme Supercars has finally opened up the order books for the CanAm, but if you want one, you had better move fast. Hulme will build only 20 examples of the CanAm and they are going on a first come, first serve basis. To get on the order list, prospective customers will have to submit a £10,000 fully refundable deposit (that’s around $14,400 at current exchange rates). Production of the CanAm won’t start until the fall of 2011 and Hulme will hold a private showing and test drive sometime before the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Hulme will put the deposits in a trust account that will be returned for any prospective customers that decide to cancel. For those that decide to take delivery, the $700,000+ purchase price includes two business class tickets to Auckland, New Zealand for final fitting of the car and some local driving time. Once the customer is satisfied, the car will get shipped to its final destination.

[Source: Hulme Supercars]

Continue reading Hulme CanAm now available for order – Hurry, just 20 available

Hulme CanAm now available for order – Hurry, just 20 available

Mini is reportedly seriously considering creating a production version of the Beachcomber concept that debuted at this year’s Detroit Auto Show. The Beachcomber was produced as a Mini Moke-inspired preview of the Countryman crossover that debuted in Geneva, but the concept left the doors and roof behind to create what looked like the offspring of a Jeep Wrangler and the iconic British small car.

Mini SVP for brand management Dr. Wolfgang Armbrecht acknowledged that the response to the concept was so strong that BMW is now looking at the business case for this open-sided variant. If Mini does proceed with the Moke/Beachcomber that would bring the lineup to seven models, including the upcoming coupe and roadster variants. A production version would probably come with removable doors and a folding fabric roof. We wouldn’t expect to see this one appear until at least 2012 or 2013 at the earliest, if then, but in the meantime, make the jump to see Dr. Armbrecht and designer Gert Hildebrand discuss the Beachcomber concept.

[Source: AutoExpress]

Continue reading Rumormill: Beachcomber-based Mini Moke may get the greenlight [w/video]

Rumormill: Beachcomber-based Mini Moke may get the greenlight [w/video]

If a report from Japan’s Best Car is to be believed, Toyota will delay the release of the FT-86 from 2011 to 2013.

The reasons behind the delay are varied, and include a different design direction, the economic slowdown and possibly a revised powertrain strategy that could include some kind of hybrid motivation.

As reported previously, the original FT-86 concept was just that – a design study – and Toyota is apparently second-guessing the styling of the coupe before it reaches production. Additionally, ToMoCo is reportedly gauging the success of the Honda CR-Z, which could influence the final drivetrain specs of the FT-86. If that means a hybrid powerplant is in the cards, we’re not totally heartbroken, but if Toyota decides to remake the coupe as a front-driver, consider our dreams officially dashed. Regardless, the next iteration of the FT-86 is slated to debut at the Tokyo Motor Show at the end of 2011.

[Source: Best Car via 7Tune]

Report: Toyota FT-86 delayed until 2013, hybrid under consideration

Inside, there’s plaid seat upholstery and higher-quality materials. Just like it was back in ‘83, the underhood motivation is only available from a four-cylinder, a change from recent generations that could be stuffed with Volkswagen’s VR6. At a glance, the 2010 model promises to be more visceral than its direct predecessors, but does it come anywhere near the primal magic of the original, or is it just playing dress-up? Click through to the jump to find out.

Photos by John Neff / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Review: 2010 Volkswagen GTI – It’s got its mojo workin’ again

Review: 2010 Volkswagen GTI – It’s got its mojo workin’ again

Here’s your chance to lay your hands on a piece of muscle car history. One of Dan Gurney’s 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302 racecars is up for bid on eBay Motors with a chilly Buy it Now price of $1.1 million. The car campaigned in a number of race series, but the biggest feather in its cap is that it helped Ford secure the silver in the 1969 Trans-Am manufacturer championship. According to the listing, this particular example was the prototype for the rest of the Trans-Am Mustangs driven that year, and it was built for Caroll Shelby’s team by Kar Kraft.

Gurney whipped the car around the track at Kent and used it for practice at Sears Point, but Peter Revson piloted the Boss to its best finish of the ‘69 season – fourth at Laguna Seca. After Shelby walked away from the Trans Am series, the Ford spent some time as a wind-tunnel test car and made its way around a variety of race circuits, nabbing an SCCA Championship along the way. In 2003, it was restored to its 1969 configuration in concourse condition, complete with a 527 horsepower 302 under the hood.

The auction includes a mountain of documentation, including signed letters of authenticity from Carroll Shelby himself, Kar Kraft engineering drawings and a stack of period photos of the car going fender to fender. Hit eBay Motors to check it out.

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: Ex-Gurney 1969 Shelby Trans Am Mustang Boss 302

Oh yes, kids and kiddies. BMW has just dropped the juicy details on the spanking new M3 GTS. Here’s the skinny: under the hood is a 4.4-liter V8 with 450 horsepower and 324 pound-deet of twist. All that muscle kicks at the rear tires via a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and helps the car get to 60 mph in under 4.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 189 mph. BMW’s army of Bavarian engineers managed to slim the car’s weight down to around 3,373 pounds, which should make the already wicked M3 even more devilish on track.

Speaking of tossing the M3 GTS around on track, BMW has fitted the car with a bolted-in roll bar as well as factory mounting points for an additional cage. While the standard three-point belts are par for the course, the race-bred German comes with six-point belts for both front occupants as well. Stopping duties fall on hefty six-piston calipers squeezing on 14.9-inch rotors up front and four-piston blocks out back.

If you want it – and lets face it, we all want it – get ready to shell out a lofty $170,000.

[Source: BMW]

Droolworthy: BMW releases M3 GTS specifications

The last major Ford Ranger redesign ocurred in 1993. Bill Clinton was president, the Internet was almost completely unknown and many Autoblog readers were in utero or non-existant. In the 17 years that followed, Ford has done next to nothing to their neglected little pickup, yet we still have a recall notice for the 2010 model year.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced the recall of 2,934 Ford Rangers equipped with manual transmissions. The vehicles reportedly contain a potentially defective parking brake cable that can be disconnected from the right rear actuator in colder climates. The condition presents itself when the brake is released and a wet parking brake shoe is frozen in the applied position. If the cable becomes disconnected, the parking brake may not fully engage.

Affected vehicles were built between June 8, 2009 and February 2, 2010. If you purchased one of these Rangers, you can take it to the nearest Ford dealer. The dealer will replace your faulty parking brake actuator free of charge. Hit the jump to read over the NHTSA press release.

[Source: NHTSA]

Continue reading Ford recalling select 2010 Ranger pickups over rollaway risk

Ford recalling select 2010 Ranger pickups over rollaway risk