Every time we read Douglas Adams’ TheHitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, we find something new. Adams was able to spin phrases that hit on multiple levels, and his work requires repeated attention to be enjoyed in full. We wouldn’t be surprised if the folks at have been reading a bit of Adams themselves, because their latest lineup has been commanding multiple looks.
With new models being churning out both here and abroad, Kia is offering a range of vehicles that hit consumer needs on multiple levels. The latest member of the family is the 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid, and it’s looking to speak to the green-tinged car-shopping contingent.
There were two electric cars on the entrant list for this year’s Pikes Peak Hill Climb, and both set new records as they crossed the finish line at 14,110 feet.
First up was a , the first production electric car to compete in the event, and – by default – setting the initial record. Veteran Nissan off-road truck racing champion Chad Hord was behind the wheel, and completed the 12.42-mile course in a respectable 14 minutes 33 seconds. “The Leaf was great fun to drive up the mountain,” said Hord after the race. “With the instant torque from the electric motor, we were able to jump out of the many slow corners, and the performance was very consistent from the bottom to the top since the electric motor wasn’t affected by the high altitude near the summit like the gasoline powered cars.”
Next up was the custom open-wheel electric car built by featuring a high-performance version of the battery system found in the Mini E. The car with a time of 13:17.575, and for 2011, Japanese driver Ikuo Hanawa handily surpassed that with a 12:20.084 run up the mountain.
The Fourth of July is right around the corner, which means fireworks, alcohol-fueled patriotism and dogs hiding under beds. July also holds another day on the calender that’s cause for celebration, at least for fans of U.S. Top Gear. Tanner Foust, Adam Ferrara and Rutledge Wood are back for season two, which .
We fully expect the comment section below to be filled with folks on both sides of the fence. Some of you are ready to support the show, others wrote it off before episode one even aired, and many are caught somewhere in the middle.
We’re already hearing rumblings that the hosts are feeling much more comfortable with their chemistry this season and that the entire TG USA team is feeling more confident about the shows they are about to deliver, but the proof will be in this season’s pudding.
At Barrett-Jackson’s recent Orange County, California auctions, a 1964 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III James Young sedan went for $159,500, a 2005 Ford GT sold for $165,000 and a 1970 Dodge Hemi Challenger cleared $215,600. Topping them all, and every other car for the weekend: a 1963 Volkswagen Samba Microbus, hammering for $217,800 inclusive of bidder’s fee.
Even though Sambas, which were the top-of-the-line first generation bus and made for Alpine touring, have strong values, no one appears to be sure why this one beat everything else on offer. It’s restored to “much-better-than-new condition,” but that still doesn’t explain why it set a record for any VW bus at auction. We can only wonder where and when it will pop up for auction again, since for that kind of coin, we don’t imagine it will show up at any Magic Bus Extravaganzas or follow Phish around…
Morgan Threewheeler – Click above for high-res image gallery
When most carmakers try to retrace their roots, they do so with neo-retro resurrections of classic models. Think , , and such. But when Morgan went back to its roots, it did so in a decidedly different style, bringing the back into production while forging ahead with contemporary takes on its classic designs.
The new just a few months ago, and has just made its UK debut at London’s Salon Privé before heading to Goodwood for the Festival of Speed. The car packs a 115-horsepower V-Twin engine hanging off the front of the car between the two front wheels with an extra wheel along for the ride in the back of the old-school open-air body.
But how many people, you ask, would want a car with no roof and three wheels? 480. That’s how many deposits, according to reports, Morgan has received for the what’s-old-is-new-again trike roadster. Pile those on top of the 740 cars Morgan sold last year, and their 1,000-unit annual production target suddenly looks well within reach.
Morgan isn’t about to stop there, however, with plans to introduce a new model every year. The sleek, four-seat is set to enter production in 2013, but before it does, the British niche automaker reportedly has plans to show us something new at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. We’ll be watching, and waiting to see how many wheels it’s got.
has initiated a recall of certain diesel models due to a faulty belt tensioner. The German automaker says that a manufacturing error at the supplier could mean that the tensioners have incipient cracks in their welds.
Over time, the tensioners could fail. If that happens, the vehicle could lose power steering, which could potentially cause an accident. The recall covers a total of 923 2012 XDrive35D models, and BMW dealers will replace the part free of charge. The campaign is expected to get underway this month, and owners are urged to contact BMW customer relations with any questions.
The recall does not apply to the automaker’s gasoline X5 models. for a look at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall notice.
2012 Dallara IndyCar chassis – Click above for image gallery
In most racing series – as in most sports in general – a champion should have no trouble getting a new contract. In fact he ought to have every team with a budget beating a path to his door. But Indy is different that way.
Despite winning both the Indianapolis 500 and the IndyCar Series title in 2005, and scoring podiums every season since, Dan Wheldon couldn’t find a full-time ride for this year’s series. But he showed them all when he won the Indy 500 for a second time this year.
That’s why series organizers have chosen Wheldon to test the all-new Dallara chassis that will be introduced to the IndyCar field next year. A proven talent with no other commitments, Wheldon hopes that the test drive regimen, coupled with his high-profile win, will help him secure a full-time drive for next season. At that point, he’ll have more – if not the only – experience in the new car over any other driver in the series.
Fifth Gear rings out the McLaren MP4-12C and Ferrari 458 – Click above to watch video
Fifth Gear’s Tiff Needell and Jason Plato (lucky bums!) had a go at both the McLaren MP4-12C and Ferrari 458 Italia, testing each car for thrills and for precision. While both may seem to be winners in the pantheon of automotive excellence, one one can come off victorious.
Both drivers render the same verdict, and it’s the kind of final assessment you don’t often get from motoring shows: one wins on paper, then gets trounced once they discard the spec sheet and grab the wheel.
Powerslides, tire smoke and some unintentional off-roading can be found in the video . Enjoy!
If you find yourself edging close to the Begley side of the save-the-world spectrum, you’re no doubt paying attention to the fresh crop of all-electric cars on the market.
Electric automaker Think hopes you’ve been paying attention.
Aston has upped the app game by including a video function that can record your drive, a telemetry display that shows your speed and Gs, and a database of the world’s best roads.
Monster’s record was the big news, but that’s not all.
Also of interest:
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Don Swanson Racing School for sale – Click above for high-res image gallery
We’ve always thought that if we’d managed to marry above our station, the first thing we would have done with our spouse’s money would be to buy three or four identical cars and a meandering stretch of pavement. Friday night with the guys would suddenly become Friday night at the track with the guys with the winner taking ultimate bragging rights.
Now that dream is a little closer to reality. The entirety of the Don Swanson racing school has cropped up on eBay Motors, complete with a full semi, four racers and a .
If you’re playing the “which one doesn’t belong game,” we’ll give you a hint; it’s not the Civic race cars or the semi.
All four of the Civics look to be DX models with five-speed manual gearboxes and non-VTEC D15 single-overhead cam lumps under the hood. That means there’s likely way more grip on hand than power, which is the perfect recipe for some confidence-building on-track hijinks. Each of the racers come equipped with plenty of safety equipment and more than a few performance bolt-ons, and the auction even includes all the suits, helmets and gloves you’d need to stay reasonably protected. The buy-it now price sits at a somewhat reasonable $79,000 or best offer, so .
You can now satisfy your hankering for a by spending a little time on the recently unveiled configurator. The sedan we called “” starts at just $41,700 for the 211-horsepower, 2.0 TSFI in Premium trim with a CVT and front-wheel drive, but online ballers can jump right into the $56,780, 310-hp, 3.0 TSFI Prestige with the eight-speed automatic and quattro.
Hint: if you want to open up the full world of options then head straight for the big-money guy (as you can see in the image above, we did just that), but there’s fun to be had throughout the range by clicking the link below.
Local Motors DARPA XC2V – Click above to watch the video
Typically when the Pentagon puts out a tender for a new contract, it goes to to established defense contractors. Not so with the new XC2V FlypMode combat vehicle. This time, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) crowd-sourced the project, meaning that it opened up the contract to the general public to design.
The result is the vehicle you see here. Designed by the same Local Motors behind the Rally Fighter, the XC2V – shorthand for Experimental Crowd-derived Combat-support Vehicle – is, for the time being at least, a “proof of principle project,” so we’re not likely to see it go into production any time soon.
Whatever becomes of this impressively capable-looking vehicle, that Local Motors managed to put the whole thing together in just 14 weeks could be the most impressive part of all. Especially considering it would probably take us longer to build a kit car, and those have all the components and instructions ready to go. to watch the time-lapse video of the build from start to finish.
Kubica crash simulation – Click above to view video
We’re not really sure why, but a Skoda has been sacrificed to recreate Robert Kubica’s that threw his future into question. Using a completely stock Skoda Fabia, they ran the car into an Armco barrier at about the same angle and clip Kubica was going (you may recall that this same crash was ).
Simply put, the results are horrifying. This video proves suggests that not only was Kubica extremely lucky during his Andora incident, but the structural improvements to his race car almost certainly saved his bacon. to see the video for yourself.
2012 BMW M5 – Click above for high-res image gallery
Ah, the Nürburgring lap time board. Perhaps the ultimate in bragging rights for any performance automobile worth its Nordschleife bumper sticker. An unreliable indicator, maybe, since climate conditions can have adverse affects on a lap time around the massive, undulating German road course, but so it stands just the same.
The leader boards are populated by all manner of supercars, from Italian exotics and German muscle machines to Japanese monsters and barely street-legal racecars for the road. What binds them all is that they’ve all got two doors. Or no doors, as in the case of the Radical trackday racers that top the list. But what if you want to bring three or four friends along for the ride around the Green Hell?
Only four sedans have dipped below the venerable eight-minute mark: the , the , the and this, the new F10-generation . That is, at least, according to reports, which state that a factory driver posted a 7:55 lap time. The reports are completely unconfirmed and unofficial, and our man on the ground Michael Harley heard nothing about it while on location this past weekend for the Nürburgring 24 Hours. If true, however, the new M5 would stand as the fastest four-door on the Ring yet – and a good eighteen seconds faster than the model it replaces.
One year ago, a wagon was deemed “.” However, is reportedly looking to expand the Regal lineup, , but with the estate seen here. Sources within GM say that the Regal wagon could debut as early as the end of this year, making it a 2012 model year vehicle.
In addition to these live photos (note the “turbo” script on its rump), our spies are offering up a of what the production version of the Regal Wagon could look like, complete with the larger 19-inch wheels from the Regal Turbo sedan. If produced, the Regal wagon would aim squarely at the recently introduced .
If the Regal wagon is indeed set to debut this year, the is probably a safe bet. We’ll keep our ears to the ground for more details in the coming months.
The Car Show with Adam Carolla – Click above to watch videos
SPEED has released the first volley of promos for its upcoming Top GearU.S.A. rival, The Car Show with Adam Carolla. While one of the videos gives us a quick glimpse into what the show will bring to the table when it debuts next month, the rest introduce us to the program’s four hosts. Each of the guys take time to tell us about their very first vehicles and driving experiences, from a Honda 400 Four in the case of Adam Carolla to multiple pilfered rides in the case of Dan Neil.
It’s clear that each of the guys have a penchant for all things automotive, and there are some pretty entertaining personalities in the bunch. The Car Show hits the air on July 13, so we’ll have to wait awhile before we can say with any finality whether Carolla, Neil, Matt Farah and John Salley make for more lively hosts than the Top Gear U.S.A. three musketeers. to check out the videos for yourself.
2011 Think City – Click above for high-res image gallery
We’re all passionate about saving the world, but the amount of enthusiasm we each have is different for everybody. What’s your passion level? Let’s turn the question into a sliding scale; on one end sits, say, BP, while on the other end, we find Ed Begley Jr. It’s a big scale. If you find yourself edging close to the Begley side of the spectrum, you’re no doubt paying attention to the fresh crop of all-electric cars on the market.
Electric automaker Think hopes you’ve been paying attention.
At least, it did up until last week when the company . Clearly, attempting to bring a relatively affordable electric vehicle to the masses is difficult without federal funding () or the bank account of a major automotive manufacturer (). Think has been down this road before, and it’s possible that a group of investors could arrive to save the day. But for the company to be successful, the cost of its car, called the City, would need to come down and marketing dollars would need to go up, both of which are easier said than done. Is Think’s machine even worth saving?
The next installment in the Transformers franchise is set to hit theaters on Tuesday, June 28. Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon will continue the trend of providing . One of those vehicles in the Michael Bay explosion-fest is a yellow that goes by the name Bumblebee, and the banana-and-black Autobot is set to spawn a special edition automobile that fans can put in their driveway.
It’s called the 2012 Transformers Special Edition Camaro, and you can order one starting in July. If you do so, your Bumblebee decoy will arrive on dealer lots sometime this fall. The Transformers Camaro wears Autobot badges on the fenders, black stripes down the hood, roof and tail, a Bumblebee-specific rear spoiler and blacked-out 20-inch alloys sporting Autobot-logo center caps. Dealers will also be able to offer and install a ground-effects package and a set of 21-inch wheels so that customers can more closely mimic the on-screen Camaro.
The interior of the 2012 Transformers Special Edition Camaro also gets unique accents. Black leather surfaces are contrasted with yellow stitching, while Autobot logos can be seen on the headrests and center console lid.
Interested in picking one up? You’ll have to start with either a 2LT or 2SS Camaro that’s already wearing the RS appearance package. Tack on another $3,000, and you can drive like Shia Labeouf every day.
2011 Chrysler 200 – Click above for high-res image gallery
In redesigning the , the decision-makers at Team Pentastar wanted to give the vehicle sort of a fresh start, and opted to rename the car “200.” Sure, the new may look a lot like its forsaken forefather, but early returns show that the sedan and convertible have gained back a measure of respect – and sales, to boot.
But while the 200 has been an improvement, the The Detroit Bureau reports that the next-generation mid-size sedan will not carry the numeric moniker. Chrysler and Fiat have long asserted that the long-term replacement to the 200 will feature architecture, and The Bureau says the designs are frozen and a names have already been chosen.
This doesn’t mean that the 200 nameplate is history, however. If Chrysler does decide to change the name of the 200, it will lose the momentum it created for the name with the infamous . Further, another new advertising campaign to introduce a new name will likely cost many millions of dollars. But if Chrysler wants to forever disassociate itself from the Sebring, changing the name one more time may be the right thing to do.
may have finally found a willing partner to buy the company’s assets and lease them back to the automaker. According to Reuters, the Swedish real estate firm Hemfosa has agreed to make the move, but the complex financial situation surrounding Saab may make the deal difficult. The European Investment Bank must first sign off on the plan, and both Pangda and Youngman – two Chinese partners in the Saab dance – are also required to pay some money. Saab needs the deal to go through in order to secure short-term funding so that the manufacturer can continue to pay its employees. Right now, that’s not happening.
Still, Hemfosa isn’t entirely sold on picking up the Saab holdings. The properties are more valuable with the automaker in place and turning out vehicles, but since the company’s future is anything but certain, there’s more than a little risk involved in the deal. Reuters reports that the purchase and lease agreement is valued at around $46 million at current conversion rates.
Meanwhile, another unnamed Chinese buyer purchased a total of 582 Saab vehicles, offering an additional short-term lifeline worth €13 million, or $18.47 million USD. Even so, that’s only enough cash to pay the company’s workers, not its suppliers. The news wasn’t enough to stop the company’s union members from resigning from the automaker’s board of directors.
