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Use your truck for work? Chances are good, according to Ford, that truck is an F-Series Super Duty proudly wearing a Blue Oval on the massive front grille. Perhaps that shouldn’t come as too big a surprise, considering that Ford has sold 4.1 million Super Duty pickups since 1998, which, Ford is happy to point out, is enough trucks to wrap around all 16,000 miles of the Australian coast.

Something tells us that Ford’s placement atop the heavy duty work truck market is secure for at least a little while; after all, every 63 seconds, a Super Duty pickup truck rolls off the assembly line. Want more interesting stats? You’ll find plenty of ‘em – including 21 separate industries where the Super Duty reigns supreme – in the infographic above (click on the image for the full-size version) and press release after the break. And if you’re a Super Duty owner yourself, Ford invites you to share your own story at its new We Own Work website.

Continue reading Infographic: Ford Super Duty shows off market share in the workplace

Infographic: Ford Super Duty shows off market share in the workplace

The menacing Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG coupe is slowly making its way into dealerships, ready to eat the souls of any driver willing to tame the 451-horsepower super coupe. It’s a hardcore two-door with a naturally aspirated V8 powerplant under the hood, and in our recent stint behind the wheel, we fell head-over-heels in love.

But the C63 isn’t the only hot super coupe on the block. The Audi RS5 – a model that will soon be available Stateside – offers 444 horsepower but puts that grunt to the ground via all-wheel drive. It’s not as outright vicious as the Merc, but it’s certainly capable of standing toe-to-toe, particularly on wet tarmac.

That in mind, the folks at Fifth Gear took these two coupes to the Cadwell Park circuit in Lincolnshire, Great Britain to see which German could pull off the quickest lap time. We won’t spoil it for you, so follow the jump and watch Tiff Needell and company have a bit of high-horsepower fun.

Continue reading Fifth Gear lines up Audi RS5 vs. Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe

Fifth Gear lines up Audi RS5 vs. Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe

Italian automakers have a knack for stretching a two-model line into a full range. Just take a look at what Abarth has done with just the Punto and the 500. Or what Maserati has with the GranTurismo and Quattroporte. And Lamborghini certainly fits the same with the Gallardo and the Aventador (or the Murciélago before it).

The Gallardo itself has spawned a good dozen variants, distinguished by their roofs, drivetrain configurations, states of tune and other parameters. Soon enough they’ll all be replaced by an all-new model, but before they are, word on the street (or chat boards) has it that Lamborghini has one last variant in the works.

That variant is tipped to be the LP550-2 Spyder, a derivative previously mooted but now claimed as confirmed, apparently. So what will make it special? The combination of simplicity and open-air motoring. The powertrain is borrowed from the Balboni edition – meaning slightly less power than the standard model, but lighter in weight and driving just the rear wheels – but with the Spyder’s convertible roof.

More intriguing still would be if Lamborghini were to nix the roof altogether and carry the Gallardo out as a fair-weather purist’s dream, but at this point, we’re just grasping at straws.

Lamborghini to debut Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder for one last hurrah?

Dakar. The very name conjures up images of daring dashes through the brutish desert, running down scorpions and dodging terrorists at full throttle. Not exactly the place you’d expect to find a Bentley, then, but that’s what the rumormill is pointing towards today.

Wait a second, you say, Bentley’s parent company Volkswagen is already a dominant force in the Dakar rally! And right you are. But now that it’s heading to the World Rally Championship, VW isn’t expected to return to the iconic desert race. Which leaves it with two options: either mothball the operation it’s been cultivating to domination over the past several years and hand victory to one of its erstwhile rivals, or bring in one of its subsidiary divisions.

Okay, makes sense, but why Bentley? Well, the British luxury marque is understood to be preparing to roll out an SUV, and Dakar could be just the place to prove it won’t be just some pampered show horse.

The last rumor linking Bentley with a world-class racing series revolved, much like its actual last foray, around Le Mans. But with sister-companies Audi and Porsche gearing up to contest the endurance race next season, this Dakar scenario suddenly doesn’t seem so far-fetched.

Bentley gearing up to take on Dakar?

Walk around most any European city – Germany especially – and you’re bound to see a wealth of showroom-stock German automobiles with factory-installed sport packages. BMWs with M-Sport kits. Audis with S-Line packs. Mercedes-Benz in AMG Sport trim. These are vehicles that don’t include the upgraded engines, brakes or suspensions of their more muscular counterparts, but at least they look the part. Wolfsburg is the latest to join in on the action, as Volkswagen R GmbH continues to roll out sporty body kits for VWs in addition to genuine performance variants like the Golf R and Scirocco R.

The latest offering accessorizes the Tiguan with a range of options to make it look sportier than it actually is. The R-Line exterior pack includes reshaped bumpers front and rear, side sills (in what Volkswagen calls “matt chrome” and we’ll assume means satin finish), a faux-diffuser, 19-inch alloys and a rear spoiler. Inside, customers can also opt for an R-Line interior pack complete with sport seats, multifunction steering wheel, aluminum accents, stainless pedals and black roofliner, with black leather upholstery available to match.

Of course, R-Line badges abound inside and out, but while the package is initially being offered in Germany (where, Volkswagen asserts, the Tiguan reigns as the most successful SUV on the market), we’ve yet to receive word on American availability. Feel free to scope out the full skinny in the press release after the jump and the pair of high-res images in the gallery.

Continue reading Volkswagen rolls out Tiguan with R-Line package

Volkswagen rolls out Tiguan with R-Line package

There’s no shortage of automotive publications seeking to crown their own Car of the Year. And of course, each has their own criteria on which to base their decision. But for performance parameters, Evo does a more impressive job than most.

The British car mag does away with the minivans and the crossovers and focuses only on high performance machinery – regardless of price point – so when it comes down to naming the Evo Car of the Year, they have no trouble assembling the best driving machines that have come out in the past twelve months. Naming just one winner, though, is another matter entirely.

This year, the Evo team brought the very best the industry has to offer down to Portugal’s Portimao circuit, and the crop of nominees was something to behold:

• Aston Martin V8 Vantage S
• BMW 1 Series M Coupe
• BMW M5
• Ferrari FF
• Jaguar XKR-S
• Lamborghini Aventador
• Lotus Elise CR
• McLaren MP4-12C
• Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0
• Porsche Cayman R
• Renaultsport Megane 265 Trophy

You’ll have to pick up the latest issue to find out which driving machine won out over such distinguished rivals, but we’ll ask you: Based on what you know about these cars, which do you think should win? Follow the jump to watch the drool-worthy video footage and cast your vote in our poll.

Continue reading EVO shortlists its 2011 Car of the Year [w/poll]

EVO shortlists its 2011 Car of the Year [w/poll]

MyFord Touch has taken plenty of flack from both consumers and critics since its release last year. The combination of capacitive controls for the climate control system and a cluttered user interface on the center screen were proof that MyFord Touch was a very one-point-oh product. To be fair, it was obvious that Ford’s new system was both very advanced and very powerful, but its cool reception suggests that Ford may have attempted to sprint when it should have jogged following the success of SYNC. The first iteration of MyFord Touch was overly complex and occasionally glitchy, triggering a fair amount of bad press around some of the industry’s leading quality indexes. Now, the Dearborn automaker is out to rectify some of the issues with its system for 2013 models – and existing Ford drivers will benefit from the updates as well.

To start, Ford has expanded the features of MyFord Touch to now include Apple iPad connectivity and access to Audible.com audiobooks through voice commands or the touchscreen. A range of improvements are also being implemented for better Bluetooth telephone connectivity, an updated map experience from TeleNav and Navteq, along with new Gracenote album cover art and improved voice recognition powered by Nuance technology.

The most obvious and front-facing updates have come in the form of a reworked interface for the central touchscreen. Ford claims to have significantly enhanced or augmented over 1,000 screens in the MyFord Touch system, using larger, bolder fonts, making the designs more consistent and removing low-priority elements while bringing the most frequently used controls closer to the driver. All that, plus improved touchscreen response time – something Ford heard loud and clear from owners – that’s up to two times faster than the outgoing system.

These MyFord Touch enhancements are set to debut early next year on the 2013 models, with updates for existing owners going out around the same time (we’ve been told MyLincoln Touch will get similar upgrades). Overall, it looks like a solid – if not mind-blowing – update and you can see some before and after shots in the gallery above, along with the full details in the press release below the fold.

Continue reading MyFord Touch gets overhauled for 2013, existing models included

MyFord Touch gets overhauled for 2013, existing models included

If you’ve ever glanced through a new vehicle’s official PR photographs and wondered exactly what went into their creation, we have something special for you. Mercedes-Benz has released a quick video detailing the work involved in photographing the company’s SLS AMG Roadster. Let’s just say it wasn’t one guy in a parking lot with a point-and-shoot. The endeavor looks to have taken more talent than a shuttle launch to execute, with Michael and Ralf Schumacher on hand as models, multiple grips, and arsenal of photo technology. Color us jealous.

We think that the SLS AMG Roadster looks sexy in any situation, but the professional photography sure doesn’t hurt, either. Hit the jump to check out the making-of video for yourself.

Continue reading Shooting the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster

Shooting the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster

The devil is always in the details when it comes to industrial design. Sure, there are some ugly and disjointed consumer products that should never have been wrought upon the buying public, but the differences between most of the things we build and buy are subtle. Paying attention to the little stuff is important, especially in the auto industry, as it’s the collection of these details that add up to produce truly memorable vehicles.

Which brings us to this cool design blog from Christian Annyas, where he’s posted 24 black-and-white images of Chevrolet speedometer designs dating back to 1941. (The 2002 Monte Carlo SS Dale Earnhardt Signature Edition speedometer pictured above is not one of them.)

Tracing the evolution of the fonts and layout of all these speedos is interesting in itself, but Annyas seems to have a more pointed motivation – trashing digital speedometers. He pictures a single digital unit, from the Chevrolet Sonic, describing it as “not an ideal situation.” To be fair, the Sonic’s speedometer wouldn’t be our choice if we had these to choose from, either. That honor would have to go to the trio of art deco 1940’s Chevy truck designs Annyas selected.

Evolution of Speed: Chevy speedometers through time

We know there’s lots of drama in NASCAR, and for some reason, Kyle Busch often finds himself in the middle of it. Back in June, Busch found himself in a headlock after a race courtesy of a fellow driver who felt the 26-year-old driver had intentionally bumped him during a cool down lap. Busch also recently lost his drivers license for 45 days after being caught by police doing 128 miles per hour in a Lexus LFA. Fortunately for Busch, NASCAR doesn’t require its drivers to have a valid drivers license to race.

Maybe they should, as Busch has again dove headlong into a heap of trouble after intentionally putting Ron Hornaday’s truck into the wall during Friday night’s Camping World Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. The incident happened after the two drivers made contact on lap 13, which brought out a caution flag. At that point, Busch aimed his truck at the back of Hornaday’s and accelerated, sending his competitor – who happened to be competing for the series championship – into the wall and out of the race.

NASCAR pulled Busch from Friday’s race and then followed up by also suspending him for this weekend’s Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup races, as well. The governing body has said more penalties are possible and will be considered on Monday.

Busch has already released an open letter apologizing for the crash, which can be read after the jump.

Continue reading Watch the crash that got Kyle Busch banned from racing this weekend

Watch the crash that got Kyle Busch banned from racing this weekend

The first examples of the 2012 Buick Verano are being built at the General Motors Orion Assembly plant, so that means it’s time for Buick to fire up the configuator. We knew the Verano would start at $23,470 ($885 destination included), but we didn’t know exactly what features were standard at that price. Base Veranos include a 180-horsepower, 2.4-liter engine, six-speed automatic transmission, 18-inch wheels, USB port, Bluetooth, a seven-inch LCD radio interface and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

Step up to the Convenience Group and expect to pay $24,670. The Convenience Group adds features like a six-way power driver’s seat, rear park assist and heated mirrors. The top Verano features the Leather Group trim, with leather seating surfaces, heated seats and steering wheel, keyless entry with push-button start, and a nine-speaker Bose audio system.

Options include some premium paint finishes, $795 navigation, a $900 power sunroof and a $370 rear spoiler. If you’re looking for the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, you’ll have to wait until 2012. Head over to the Buick retail site to build your own Verano.

2012 Buick Verano configurator warms up

We knew Honda’s load-lugging curiosity, the Ridgeline pickup, was getting a modest refresh for the 2012 model year, and we even knew there was a new Sport model waiting in the wings. But now we have more details – including pricing.

For 2012, the Ridgeline range starts at $29,250* for the entry-level RT model and zooms all the way to $37,180* for the top-shelf RTL with navigation. The sweet spot, however, might just be the new Sport model shown above. At $29,995* it’s only $749 more than the base RT, yet includes such visual niceties as 18-inch alloys (the base RT rolls on 17-inch steelies), blacked-out honeycomb grille and matching light bezels, as well as fog lamps and tinted rear windows. Inside, there’s a leather-wrap wheel with audio controls, an aux input on the stereo and floor mats. (*All Ridgeline models are subject to a $810 delivery charge).

Range-wide changes for 2012 include a new front grille and various small aero improvements that help net the genre-straddling pickup a revised fuel economy rating of 15 city and 21 highway, an increase of 1 mpg on the interstate. The rest of the range remains basically unchanged, including the 3.5-liter V6 that offers 250 horsepower and 247 pound-feet of torque and its trademark in-bed trunk.

Despite consistently slow sales, Honda recently pledged that the Ridgeline still has a future. While we haven’t seen or heard anything official out of the Japanese automaker about a successor, it has been rumored that the new-for-2012 CR-V could spawn a light-duty pickup variant at some point down the road, an interesting idea about which we won’t hold our breath.

Continue reading Honda prices 2012 Ridgeline Sport from $29,995*

Honda prices 2012 Ridgeline Sport from $29,995*

As popular as their vehicles are with aftermarket customizers, Ford wouldn’t miss out on something like the SEMA show. And while the Mustang and various Ford trucks play a big role in the Blue Oval booth this year, a significant part of the Motor Company’s exposition centers around the latest Focus.

All-in-all, seven Focus models are on display this year. 3dCarbon has busted one out in a white matte finish with tinted windows and red accents, plus roof spoiler, Eibach springs and Pirelli rubber. Roush has brought out a Stage 3 upgraded Focus complete with supercharger, custom induction and exhaust systems and body kit. The ID Agency is bridging the gap between Japanese and European tuner trends with its dark green model, packing Magnaflow exhaust, Brembo brakes, Recaro seats and even a Thule bike rack.

The only sedan among all the hatchback versions has been done up by Capaldi Racing, with a Borla exhaust, Torsen diff, AST suspension and a big orange splitter jutting out the front. Steeda’s Focus hatchback packs an aftermarket intake, sway back and springs, with an engine bay filled with billet aluminum-style components and 19-inch monoblock alloys with Nitto rubber.

Bojix Design’s Stage 2 show car has been done up (like the 3dCarbon and Roush models) in white, black and red, with a full aero kit, 20-inch wheels on H&R suspension packing AP Racing brakes and a full leather and Alcantara interior. Finally, COBB Tuning (best known for its Subaru work) has gone with a racing approach, complete with turbocharger, intercooler, upgraded breathing apparati, reworked suspension, and super-sized brakes.

You can check ‘em all out in our high-res gallery of live images from the show floor, the factory-released renderings in the gallery below and the details in the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Ford Focus hatches wicked tuner concepts

Ford Focus hatches wicked tuner concepts

Former NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield is back in the news for all the wrong reasons again. Back in 2009, Mayfield was suspended indefinitely from NASCAR after testing positive for methamphetamine. Twice. Now the driver is in trouble with drugs again, as CBS News reports that Mayfield has been arrested on meth charges.

Mayfield, 42, was reportedly busted at his home in Catawba after police searched the house for stolen goods and found the drug. The Catawba County Sheriff’s may have also found the stolen goods, as several items were seized to determine if they are actually stolen property. Mayfield was released from jail on $3,000 bond.

Mayfield started his career back in 1994, and he never won a race. He did manage several top 10 finishes, and in 1997 he finished 13th in points.

Ex-NASCAR racer Jeremy Mayfield busted on meth charges

Toyota tucked its Yaris B-Spec Club Racer amongst a flotilla of pickups at SEMA 2011. The slammed hatch is set to compete in the SCCA B-Spec class with BMX guru Jamie Bestwick behind the wheel. The race-ready Yaris was built by SportsCar Magazine and features a stripped-out interior and an Autopower Industries eight-point SCCA roll cage for less weight and greater driver safety. OMP supplied the complete fire suppression system as well as a six-point racing harness and a WRC-style steering wheel.

A Cusco Zero-3 suspension gives the hatch greater grip and Cusco center-lock pillow ball upper mounts provide greater rigidity and less suspension flex than the stock components. Enkei 15-inch wheels shod in Hoosier racing tires help keep the car stuck to the tarmac as well.

SportsCar Magazine gave the Yaris B-Spec Club Racer a little nudge in power as well thanks to an AEM series 2 engine management system, a Beta Motorsports cat-back exhaust and a custom tune by Church automotive testing.

Toyota Yaris B-Spec Club Racer

Detroit Auto Show attendees hoping to gawk at the latest sheetmetal from British luxury stalwarts Jaguar and Land Rover will be disappointed to learn that the marques will not be displaying at Cobo Hall this January. Instead, the pair will concentrate on showing their wares at India’s New Delhi Auto Expo, whose dates overlap that of the North American International Auto Show.

Stuart Schorr, JLR’s Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs, tells Autoblog:

Jaguar Land Rover recognizes the Detroit Show is a world class exhibition, but for 2012 we will not exhibit there. This decision was driven by the fact that since our newest concept vehicles were featured at the Frankfurt show and will be featured at the upcoming Los Angeles Show, we decided to show them next in the Delhi Show in January as part of our effort to build our brands in this growing market. Therefore, without anything new to show in Detroit this year, we felt it most efficient to not participate in the show.

The switch makes some sense, as not only is staging auto show displays a particularly costly and time-intensive endeavor, the change also reflects India’s growing importance as a global automotive market. Perhaps not coincidentally, Jaguar Land Rover has been under Indian ownership since Tata Motors purchased the brands from the Ford Motor Company back in 2008.

It is not immediately clear if the brands will return for the 2013 NAIAS.

Jaguar Land Rover won’t exhibit in Detroit

It just wouldn’t be SEMA without a whole slew of Chevrolet Camaro coupes and convertibles staring us in the face, and this week’s Vegas show doesn’t disappoint. General Motors’ own booth features four rather interesting specimens, which you can see in the image gallery we’ve compiled here.

First comes the Camaro ZL1 Carbon Concept, which boasts a sinister Ashen Gray look with a smattering of carbon fiber bits and pieces. Power comes from the same 580 horsepower and 556 pound-feet of torque supercharged V8 that’s set to debut in 2012 in the ZL1.

Up next is the Camaro Red Zone Concept. Based on the convertible version of the Chevrolet pony car, this machine wears a coat of Crystal Claret that’s newly available for 2012 along with Chevrolet Accessories silver Ice interior pieces. The exterior features Accessory wheels and a full body kit, all available straight from the dealer. Finally, that stripe package you see will soon be available to Camaro owners.

The silver convertible you see in our gallery is the Camaro Synergy Series Concept, and it’s wearing a coat of Silver Ice plus black Synergy decals with red line inserts. Chevrolet Accessory black-painted wheels join a body kit and body-color grille.

Finally, there’s the Camaro 1LE Concept. As with other 1LE packages, this one has a suspension kit that is intended for road race circuits. It’s Victory Red exterior is set off by a flat black hood and hash mark extensions. Most of the underpinnings will be available on the ZL1 for 2012, including the magnetic ride suspension.

Read all about each of these concepts in the press release after the break.

Continue reading Chevrolet Camaro concepts storm the General Motors booth

Chevrolet Camaro concepts storm the General Motors booth

Scion has turned its newest model, the iQ, over to some of the most ambitious tuners in the U.S. for SEMA 2011, and the results do not disappoint. Cartel has gone crazy with the company’s miniscule hatchback by turning it into a wild paddock service vehicle. With storage for tools and tires as well as a custom chop-top design, the Cartel Scion iQ Pit Boss is unlike anything else on the show floor. We’re not sure what we like best; the earth-shaking stereo system or the ever-ready impact driver in the center console.

Tatsu, meanwhile, has taken an entirely different approach with the Scion iQ. The shop started by surgically removing the vehicle’s tiny front-mounted four-cylinder engine and re-inserting it into back hatch. The result is what is very likely the world’s first mid-engined Scion iQ. The four-pot dumps power on the rear wheels, though the fuel cell has been moved under the hood for a little extra weight balance. Even so, the short-wheel base racer should make for a seriously entertaining handful out on the track.

Scion iQ Pit Boss by Cartel and iQ-MR by Tatsu are a wild bunch

As small as the car is itself, Volkswagen wanted to ensure its Up! city car would make a big impact when it lifted the veil on the production model at the Frankfurt Motor Show. So along with the basic three-door hatch, the German automaker also brought out a series of concept cars that gave us a hint at what the future of the product line could hold in store.

Though little in the way of details were offered on the show floor, Volkswagen has been highlighting these concepts one at a time in the weeks that have passed since. First in line was the Cross Up! that confirmed the arrival of a five-door model. Then came the Buggy Up! that showed a more playful side of the platform. Now Wolfsburg has detailed the GT Up!, demonstrating the little hatchback’s sporting potential.

Applying a similar formula that’s transformed the Golf into the GTI, the GT Up! packs such performance-oriented extras as 17-inch alloys filling up those little wheel wells, a wider grille, brake ducts with integrated LED daytime running lights, extended side sills, gloss-black side mirror housings, a rear spoiler and diffuser and twin exhaust pipes.

The interior has been done up with blue-checked anthracite upholstery, a black headliner, gloss-black trim and leather-wrapped three-spoke wheel. While the GT Up isn’t quite confirmed for production at this point, it does show us what could come down the pipeline. In the meantime, you can check out the high-resolution images and the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Volkswagen concept injects Up! with a shot of GT

Volkswagen concept injects Up! with a shot of GT

Ever since Hyundai debuted its Tau 5.0-liter V8, we wondered just how tough it would be to shoehorn the naturally aspirated monster under the hood of the Genesis Coupe. After much anticipation, the Korean automaker has teamed up with Rhys Millen Racing to bring us this, the RM500 – a 450-horsepower Genesis Coupe with a free-breathing, eight-cylinder heart.

The 5.0-liter powerplant is obviously the big story for the RM500, but there are plenty of other upgrades that make this one-off Genesis Coupe all the more interesting. RMR has added a custom stainless exhaust with a GReddy rear section muffler, oil cooler and rear differential cooler – all good for 20 additional horsepower. What’s more, RMR has added things like a lightweight clutch and flywheel, new engine management system (natch), Brembo carbon ceramic brakes and new 19-inch tires on super-slick Z-rated tires (245/40 front, 275/35 rear) mounted on custom HRE wheels.

Specific RMR visual enhancements include a whole bunch of carbon fiber aero tweaks. Specifically, a new front lip, side skirts, rear diffuser, spoiler, grille, roof overlay, foglamp vents and foglamp covers. The end result is a sinister-looking Genesis Coupe that we’d love to get our mitts on.

Moving inside, RMR and Hyundai have added an interior suede package (because it wouldn’t be a SEMA car without a touchy-feeling interior), sport seats, a new shift knob and a small steering column extension, among other little details.

Like most SEMA cars, we don’t expect a factory version to come along anytime soon. But we’ll say this: It’s very good to know that the big V8 will fit under the Genesis Coupe’s hood so cleanly. You know, just in case Hyundai might have something else up its sleeve…

Gaze in wide-eyed wonder at our high-res galleries, then check out the official press release for more after the jump.

Continue reading Hyundai and Rhys Millen Racing show off Tau V8-powered RM500 Genesis Coupe

Hyundai and Rhys Millen Racing show off Tau V8-powered RM500 Genesis Coupe