Subaru RWD Coupe at the Nurburgring – Click above for high-res image gallery
We see a lot of spy shots here at Autoblog. But few vehicles have popped up quite as much as the Toyobaru FT-86. The rear-wheel drive sportscar that may very well spawn , and versions has popped up on roads around the world. And now it’s taken to the Nürburgring.
The legendary German road course is a favorite among chassis development engineers for the variety of corners and surfaces around its undulating distance. Most German and many Japanese and American sportscars undergo at least part of their shakedown there, with many manufacturers maintaining on-site workshops.
While the Subaru coupe and its FT-86 sibling may not be up to the task of chasing and , its appearance at the notorious Green Hell may be our best indication yet of the car’s sporting potential. Have a look in our high-res gallery of spy shots for more.
Starting today, dealers in all 50 states will begin taking orders for the . For the 2012 model year, has priced the Volt at $39,995 (including an $850 destination charge) before federal and state incentives. The base MSRP of the 2012 Volt is $1,005 less than the . For the record, GM says that the reduced price of the 2012 model is due to the “wider range of options and configurations that come with the expansion of Volt production for sale nationally.”
For the 2012 model year, Volt buyers will be faced with choosing from a total of seven option packages. A loaded Volt – packed with luxury touches like leather seats, a backup camera, navigation system, premium paint and fancy dancy wheels – comes in at $46,265 (including the aforementioned $850 destination charge).
The 2012 Volt will be offered with two additional interior accents: white and spiced red; and two brand spankin’ new exterior hues: Summit White and Blue Topaz Metallic. Some additional features for 2012 include standard keyless entry with passive locking, OnStar turn-by-turn navigation, Chevrolet MyLink and 17-inch alloys with black inserts (late availability).
Customers across the nation can visit their nearest Chevy dealer to order a 2012 Volt. Of course, ordering a Volt does not necessarily mean that you’ll take delivery of it any time soon. For the Volt’s estimated arrival date in your neck of the woods, refer to the map above. Also, don’t forget to check out GM’s press release .
Toyota has announced that the company’s net income for the fiscal year ending in March may decrease by as much as 31 percent compared to one year earlier. According to Automotive News, the Japanese automaker expects to earn around 280 billion yen, which is about $3.5 billion at current conversion rates. Last year, the company raked in 408 billion yen, or around $5.1 billion. The projected earnings are a far cry from what analysts had predicted. Bloomberg recently averaged the forecasts of 13 analyst estimates at 421.8 billion yen, or $5.3 million.
Toyota is facing a number of hurdles related to the shortfall. Chief among those are production delays tied to the earthquake and tsunami disasters that struck Japan in March of this year. Toyota has a higher level of Japanese production than rivals like or , and it may take longer for the manufacturing giant to get back on its feet. As a result, Toyota is bracing for a sales decline tied to fewer available vehicles.
In addition, the yen is currently at its highest level against the dollar since the end of World War II, which is making the company’s exports less and less profitable.
According to the rumors kicking around the web, the next-generation is going to look quite a bit different from the current model. Auto Express is reporting that when the 50th anniversary version of the pony touches down in 2014, it will arrive in unfamiliar markets, including the UK. That means that the muscle car will boast a right-hand drive interpretation for the first time in its history. The RHD Mustangs will supposedly be built right here in the good ol’ U.S. of A. and be shipped around the world, including to Australia and Japan.
As interesting as that little tidbit is, AE reiterates that the model will bow with an EcoBoost four-cylinder under the hood. , but the interesting part here is that the engine will be a 2.5-liter four-pot instead of the 2.3-liter variant pointed to by other sources.
If that’s not enough to bulge your eyeballs, the report also says that the next-gen Mustang will be smaller and rock an independent rear suspension for the first time since the 1999-2003 Cobras prowled the streets. Stranger things have happened. Head over to Auto Express for a full look at the site’s rendering and a heaping scoop of speculation.
Isn’t it nice when we can all get along? After decades of rift between the FIA (which governs such premier racing series as F1, the WRC and the WTCC) and the ACO (which organizes Le Mans and its related series), the two have gotten together to form the new FIA World Endurance Championship.
The rapprochement is widely credited to FIA President Jean Todt, who lead Peugeot’s factory team to victory at Le Mans before running the Scuderia Ferrari. After the a few days ago, Todt and his ACO counterpart Jean-Claude Plassart held a press conference just two days before the start of this year’s 24-hour race at La Sarthe to announce further details on what we can expect from the new series.
For starters, it would appear that the FIA World Endurance Championship will replace both the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup and the FIA GT1 World Championship in 2012, basing the new calendar on the ILMC’s current season now underway. The official calendar will be announced in the fall, and will consist of seven races of at least six hours each: two in the United States (likely Sebring and the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta), two in Asia (probably in China and Abu Dhabi) and three in Europe (including Le Mans and two others – we’d guess Spa and Silverstone).
Points will be awarded on the same scale used in all FIA championships, awarding 25 points for first place, 18 for second, 15 for third, then 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1 point for tenth place. The headline 24 Hours of Le Mans, however, will be worth double points towards the titles. The classes will follow the ACO’s formula, consisting of LMP1, LMP2, GTE Pro ad GTE Amateur. For more details check out the full announcement .
Aston Martin V12 Zagato at the Nürburgring – Click above for high-res image gallery
There are plenty of things to admire about a company like , and not the least of them is that it loves racing as much as it loves making sports cars.
Take its latest product, for example. After its at the Villa d’Este concours, Aston announced that it would take the V12 Zagato for a short race at the Nürburgring and then a full 24-hour assault later this month. The first one already , and the second one hasn’t rolled around yet, but Aston has already found time to fit in an extra race in between.
After the solitary entry failed to finish the last round of the VLN series it contested at the ‘Ring, Aston will now field two entries at this weekend’s race. One team will be headed by the company’s CEO, Dr. Ulrich Bez, the other by Chris Porritt (the chief engineer on the One-77 project, along with Evo magazine’s Richard Meaden).
The race will take place over four hours from noon local time on Saturday, which you can follow on the company’s Twitter feed. But for a closer look right now, you can check out the gallery of images of the V12 Zagato from its previous encounter with the Green Hell, along with the press release .
Good cars make you feel like a hero. Great cars compliment and connect with every fiber of your being. The Evora S falls into the latter camp. And it’s even better on the open road.
Turns out Americans won’t be getting another crack at a Euro-style mini minivan. Ford has officially canceled plans for its seven-passenger C-Max for the United States.
In 2008, a Corvette ZR1 ran around the ‘Ring in 7:26.4. The 2012 car blew that time away with a 7:19.63 blast.
Also of interest:
Browse our archive of Daily U-Turn posts or subscribe to the RSS feed
General Motors has announced that it plans to invest $49 million in the company’s Bedford, Indiana manufacturing facility. The cash will go towards purchasing the tooling and equipment necessary to build a new eight-speed automatic transmission as well as a range of small-displacement engines. GM isn’t saying exactly where we can expect to see the new eight-speed auto, but we do know that the engine program will turn out four-cylinder mills from 1.0 to 1.5 liters. You can probably bet that forced induction will be part of that party, too.
The move is part of a greater $2 billion investment program currently underway, with funds headed to a number of plants, including Bowling Green, Arlington, Toledo, Bay City, Flint, Lansing and Warren.
GM says that the Bedford funds will create or retain a total of 91 jobs at the plant, which currently has 405 salaried workers. for the full press release.
Consider it official: There will be no Formula One race in Bahrain for the 2011 season. This news comes despite a meeting where the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council into the F1 calendar on October 30.
What changed? Turns out that the FIA had sent a commissioner to Bahrain to check things out. He returned with a glowing report of the country, and suggested the race be held. Open and shut, right? Apparently not. That commissioner’s trip was reportedly a farce put on by the country’s dictator in an effort to secure the race and show the world that the situation in Bahrain is under control.
A number of human rights organizations allege the FIA easily allowed itself be tricked, including Avaaz, which has compiled nearly half a million signatures opposing the race. Ricken Patel, executive director at Avaaz had this to say:
Reading the FIA’s Bahrain report is like stepping into the Twilight Zone. While the FIA’s sham report says no human rights have been violated, at least 31 Bahrain citizens have been killed and hundreds more tortured and imprisoned. Formula One must pull out of Bahrain immediately or have their reputation forever tarnished.
Eleven of the 12 F1 teams protested the event, and with no cars or drivers on hand, holding a race would be a difficult assignment. Therefore it’s been officially cancelled.
The Astra is a car of many hats. It’s sold as an Opel in Europe, a Vauxhall in the UK, a in China and a in South America. The previous model was even sold as a in North America and as a Holden in Australia.
Now that’s versatility for you, and its body-styles are just as pervasive. The five-door hatch launched in 2009 has since bred a wagon variant, the last week, and there’s two more to come – including the convertible that’s simultaneously surfaced in these spy shots and in the rendering (below right) released by ’s European design studio.
Whereas the previous Astra cabrio went with a folding hard top, the new model is expected to incorporate a soft roof to save on space and weight. The resulting shape ought to be a bit longer than the hatchback, but maintain a svelte profile. Four seats and a usable trunk are also said to be part of the package, with the roof folding into its own compartment aft of the cabin and below an elegant chrome surround.
The Astra cabrio is expected to hit markets overseas in 2013. But with Saturn long gone, it remains to be seen whether will bring it over to its home market at all.
If there’s been a single reason for hope among auto executives during the past few lean years, it’s been spelled C-H-I-N-A. Despite being a difficult regulatory environment with , the People’s Republic has shone as the industry’s brightest and biggest hope for big volumes and bigger profits. Certainly, the nation has delivered massive sales increases as it has developed into a global superpower, and its population and growing wealth suggests it should be good for many more millions of sales per year. Thing is, recent sales haven’t supported this trend, and the Chinese government is reportedly stepping in to try and remedy the problem.
According to the Associated Press, China is planning its own version of the Car Allowance Rebate System (a.k.a. ““) that jumpstarted auto sales here in the U.S. during the summer of 2009. The program will subsidize the turn-in of everything from city buses and farm equipment toward the purchase of new vehicles. Depending on the type of vehicle, owners may qualify for subsidies of 11,000-18,000 yuan, or about $1,700-$2,800 USD. China previously offered a similar program at the end of 2009, but it did not make allowances for trucks and buses, and incentives were smaller, averaging about $730.
After years of double-digit sales increases, April showed the nation’s first sales decrease in two years, and recently new auto sales have shown signs of slowing down. Fresh sales figures for the month of May are due later this week.
Subaru WRX STI breaks the road-car Isle of Man TT lap record – Click above for high-res image
We talk about the Nürburgring a lot, but perhaps it’s time we start devoting more ink to the Isle of Man. Located between Great Britain and Ireland, the tiny bit of green plays host to one of the most impressive displays of speed on the planet.
The annual Isle of Man TT plays out on a 37.8-mile course made up of public roads, which are closed down during race days. It’s run by motorcyclists, and crazy sonsofbitches skilled pilots can complete the loop in under 18 minutes. Curious how long it would take an automobile to run the same course? Back in 1990, driver Tony Pond was curious as well, and he pushed a Rover 827 Vitesse around the island in 21 minutes, becoming the first driver to average 100 miles per hour in a car on the course.
decided to have a go at that record, and sent a and driver Mark Higgins to the Isle of Man. The car is a stock STI, with the exception of a roll-cage, race harness, fire extinguisher and adjusted springs and dampers to handle the various bumps found on the public roadway. How’d Higgins do? He smashed Pond’s record by two minutes, with a time of 19:56.7 and an average speed of 113 miles per hour. Higgins stated, “Setting the record was both the most exhilarating and the most frightening thing I have ever done.” We believe you, and we salute you Mr. Higgins, on a rather impressive bit of driving.
for the full press release and more information on the record-setting run.
Audi S7 spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery
We love the , that’s no secret. Still, an that wears the S badge will always be more fun than any A-badged example. Audi is still fine tuning its upcoming S7, and spy photographers managed to capture a helmet-wearing test driver flinging the shapely sedan around the ‘Ring.
It appears that the wheelman is making good use of the turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine. Rumor has it, that the powerplant in the S7 will be good for 450 horsepower. We definitely look forward to flogging one when an example finally arrives stateside.
Even when the S7 eventually does land in the United States, our impatient automotive journalist brains will be waiting for the rumored RS7. As nice as a 450-horsepower S7 sounds, the very notion that warms the cockles (and the sub-cockles) of our heart. Word on the street says that uber-sedan will hit the stage at the in September. We wait for that day to arrive with baited breath.
2011Lotus Evora S – Click above for high-res image gallery
I have a general rule: Don’t turn off traction control in anything over 350 horsepower. Adhering to this self-imposed restriction has kept your humble hack out of the weeds more times than I can count. But on my second-to-last lap around Laguna Seca in the , I just couldn’t help myself. After all, it’s only making 345 horses…
Just as I was cresting the ton down the front straight, I held down the aluminum button on the left side of the dash, saw the orange light illuminate on the instrument cluster and dove into Turn One with a fair amount of trailbraking. As the front end began to ever-so-slightly wash out, I gave it the boot and performed one of those life-affirming powerslides through One and Two, making the slightest of corrections on the wheel, grazing the curbing with the right rear tire and powering into the slight left hander that leads into Turn Three.
Ego briefly stroked, I reengaged the electro-nannies, barreled through Four and Five, and with Sport Mode set, managed a four-wheel-drift through turn six before making the long trek up to The Corkscrew.
Good cars make you feel like a hero. Great cars compliment and connect with every fiber of your being. The S falls into the latter camp. And it’s even better on the open road.
Bentley Continental GT Speed out testing – Click above for high-res image gallery
has released its latest to the world, and . We know what’s coming though, and we’re eager to see what the Bentley boys (and girls) have in store for the hotted-up versions of the Conti.
Spy photographers managed to capture a pair of two-doors out testing in the rain, and the twosome appears to be wearing clothes fit for the upcoming Continental GT Speed. An aggressive lower fascia and new exhaust outlets hint at the potential power buried under the long hood. The previous Bentley Continental GT Speed produced 600 horsepower, so we expect the next-generation car to up the ante a tick.
has a few upgrades in store for the mighty . One of which is a set of optional Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Zero Pressure Tires. Coupled with the the Performance Traction Management (PTM) system, the 2012 ZR1 is going to be one fast grippy guppy.
Chevrolet wanted to find out how the new car handles one of the worlds most exciting roads, so a trip to Germany and a ticket to the Nürburgring were in order. In 2008, a Corvette ZR1 ran around the infamous track in 7:26.4. The 2012 car blew that time away with a 7:19.63 blast around the ‘Ring – that’s a six-second improvement, for those who don’t feel like doing the math. Want to ride shotgun on the 12.9-mile journey? Put on your helmet, and check out the clip.
The rumormill is churning at full steam over whispers that is once again considering selling Opel. According to Reuters, two German magazines have reported similar tales without citing any sources, saying that GM is concerned that Opel won’t be able to return to profitability anytime soon. The General hasn’t commented on the situation publicly, but called the talk speculation in a letter to its employees. That comes after Dan Akerson, CEO of GM, said that Opel is continuing to bleed cash despite selling more vehicles than before.
The murky reports of Opel’s sale claim that the automaker could go to a number of potential buyers. Those include the usual suspects like any one of a multitude of unnamed Chinese automakers or more curiously, Volkswagen. The logic behind a VW purchase of Opel is based on the fact that the people’s automaker has fat stacks of cash on hand and an unwavering thirst to be the world’s largest automaker. Reuters reports that Volkswagen refused to comment on the situation.
$32,998. That’s the price that has announced for the i-MiEV in Canada when the little space egg goes on sale there . (That’s $33,891 U.S. at today’s exchange rate).
Yes, Canada will get the i-MiEV, and not the that (seen in the gallery below). The Canadian i-MiEV will be available in two trim levels: standard and premium. There’s nothing all that exciting about the standard version (A/C, heated driver’s seat and remote keyless entry) but the premium package adds a leather-wrapped steering wheel, 15-inch alloy wheels and an improved stereo, along with navigation (full details ) for $35,998 ($36,972). Both versions are targeted to have a range of 135 kilometers (84 miles) and have a 130 km/h top speed (81 mph).
The i-MiEV is no stranger to Canada, having spent time in in 2010. Oh, and the coast-to-coast reference in the image above? We think that this is a pretty clear reference to the Clean Across Canada Tour that Mitsubishi took the electric jellybean on last year. Read more about that plug-in adventure .
One last thing – ABG reader Keith R came up with this interesting table of price differences between the U.S. and Canada for three of the best-known plug-in vehicles (not factoring in the exchange rate), and it makes for interesting reading:
Mitsubishi i-MiEV
Standard $27,990 (U.S.) vs. $32,998 (CAN) = +17.9 percent
Premium $29,990 (U.S.) vs. $35,998 (CAN) = +20 percent
SV $32,780 (U.S.) vs. $38,395 (CAN) = +17.1 percent
SL $33,720 (U.S.) vs. $39,995 (CAN) = +18.6 percent
Barbie car jump and plenty more – Click above to watch the video
Wanna see something really crazy? How about some double and triple flips, with riders and pilots mounted on all sorts of crazy contraptions? We’ve got some of the usual suspects, dirt bikes, wheelchairs, pink barbie cars…
Yes, we said pink barbie cars. You know – the plastic kind that little girls from your neighborhood ride the sidewalks in.
The event took place on June 5th, 2011, at the MGM Grand Arena in front of a live audience in Las Vegas. Hey, and the rest of the motley Nitro Circus crew sure beats Celine Dion, right?
Among the world-firsts made or at least attempted during the event were a synchronized double back flip, a three-person back flip and a double front Superman flip. If you don’t know what any of that means, we suggest you check out the video .
Oh, and if all that wasn’t enough, Travis Pastrana also used the live event to propose to his girlfriend, X Games gold medalist Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins. Video of that blessed moment can also be seen… you guessed it, .
Kristian van Hornsleth “Kill Me Fast” Ducati collection – Click above for high-res image gallery
Ask anyone with a set of functional optic nerves and they’ll tell you that Ducati is responsible for crafting some of the most gorgeous two-wheeled machines on the planet. It’s something that the bike manufacturer just can’t seem to help. Danish artist Kristian van Hornsleth has responded to the lines of the company’s 1098 and 1198 bruisers by slathering 10 of the machines in a special paint scheme. Hornsleth calls the series “Kill Me Fast,” which seems darkly appropriate for bikes that can rip off the 0-60 mph dash in less than three seconds.
Hornsleth said he was drawn to the Ducs when he asked a salesman if it were dangerous to ride such a fast bike. The guy responded that you don’t feel anything when you hit a wall going 320 kph. That’s 198.8 mph for those of us with an aversion to the metric system. We can’t say with any authority whether or not that’s true, but chances are your friends and family will feel the loss long after the EMTs finish plucking your molars from the mortar.
If you like what Hornsleth has done with the bikes and can’t afford a real one yourself, you can snap up a poster over on the .
