Designing a luxury automobile is easily as much about the cabin space as it is about the exterior styling. knows that very well, and as if to showcase what its design department can do outside the confines of a modern automobile, the German automaker is gearing up to launch a collection of furniture at the upcoming Milan Furniture Fair.
A collaboration between the Mercedes-Benz Style division and furniture manufacturer Formitalia, the collection includes items as varied as sofas, dining tables, home theater systems and beds. The pieces are all crafted out of familiar automotive materials like aluminum, glass and wood, with styling details borrowed from automotive design.
Suffice it to say, the items would look right at home in our ever-growing fantasy living room. Check ‘em out in the gallery of high-resolution images and renderings released ahead of the show, and the press release .
is hot in China right now, and the four-ringed automaker will show its appreciation by unveiling this hot-to-trot RS Q3 concept at the later this month. Any RS vehicle worthy of the label begins with an outstanding powertrain. In this case, the RS Q3 features the same 2.5-liter TFSI turbocharged five-cylinder that is available in the , with 360 horsepower and a zero to 62 time pegged at just 5.2 seconds. The powertrain also features a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission and full-time Quattro all-wheel-drive.
The pumped-up softroader also features several RS-themed styling cues, including a black honeycomb grille that Audi says has a particularly three-dimensional appearance. The concept also features brushed and polished aluminum trim around said grille, tinted headlights and an updated bumper with graping air intakes. The little Q3 also features massive 20-inch aluminum wheels coupled with a ride height that has been dropped by a full inch.
On the inside, the RS Q3 concept displays a blacked-out theme throughout, save for one high-class exception: The seat inserts feature dark blue Alcantara inserts surrounded by Nappa leather. The same dark blue re-appears in the form of door inserts that integrate blue luminescent glass fibers.
to read over the Audi press release and feel free to click on the image above for a of the Audi RS Q3 concept.
Our colleagues at Consumer Reports, when not for all things have recently . First they crowned the 2012 the top small sedan, while elevating the brand to the top of the 2012 CR ratings. Now comes this surprisingly entertaining “first look” video featuring the 2013 .
CR loved hot-shoeing the BRZ around the track, of course. As we’ve seen, this car is . But more importantly, the magazine answered a few important questions about the car’s suitability for the low-budget racing crowd. Those that might be interested in campaigning a BRZ in local autocross events or track days will be happy to know that a helmeted, six-foot-tall driver can fit inside the car with proper head clearance. Equally as important, the BRZ’s stability control can be switched entirely off, enabling the kinds of power slides that are great fun but sure to place you last in your SCCA Solo II class behind all the , and E36 ’s.
It looks as if the Mustang Club of Poland has inspired its South American counterparts to get in on a little movie-making action. The Mustang Club of Parana got together with a few local sponsors to commemorate the group’s eleventh anniversary with a brief flick starring some of Brazil’s most diehard fans.
Every generation of Mustang development gets at least a little time on screen, from less-loved members of the clan like the Mustang II to a few ever-popular Eleanor replicas. The video took its creators just over three months to produce, and the final product is clean and well-edited.
There’s plenty of engine note, smoky burnouts and sharp sheet metal to obsess over, too. So, is this better than the Polish original? We aren’t picking sides on this one. Both videos are a great way to blow a chunk of the work day. Be sure to check out Brazil’s ode to the Pony and for a look at the original inspiration behind the new film.
As we’ve reported in the past, one major issue confronting the U.S. auto industry is its ability to , home of and spiritual birthplace of and . According to the Detroit Free Press, advertising cooperative Commonwealth, a joint venture between San Francisco-based Goodby, Silverstein & Partners and New York-based McCann Erickson Worldwide, isn’t having the same problem.
Commonwealth plans to embed itself in the middle of with 280 workers mostly imported from such marketing powerhouse cities as New York and San Francisco. The firm has already begun moving into the Palms Building which also houses the popular Fillmore Detroit performance venue. Says Todd Grantham, associate partner and Goodby’s managing director for Detroit:
“You just have to be the type that comes in here and knows, I can build something here. That’s how we attract people. What we want is the people who come in here and go, ‘Wow, this is a blank canvas. It’s all around me and now I can do something.’”
Whether or not the advertising firm will be successful in its ploy to bring more young professionals to Detroit remains to be seen, but Quicken Loans’ Dan Gilbert with his various operations. So far, there are at least three such willing transplants interviewed in the video . It’ll surely take a lot more than three enterprising transplants to succeed, but at least it’s a start. If nothing else, we’re certain that there are already a good deal of talented individuals already in Detroit waiting for a chance to prove their worth.
’s new ad agency Commonwealth picks downtown Detroit as home [w/video]
After years of doing without a grand prix in the United States altogether, Formula One is gearing up to return to these shores in a big way. The United States Grand Prix is set to take place later this year at the newly constructed Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. And next year, the Grand Prix of America is scheduled to join the calendar in New Jersey, just across the river from Manhattan. But will the Jersey race be ready in time?
According to the latest reports, that second grand prix in the U.S. could be pushed off until 2014. This according to a quote attributed to Bernie Ecclestone, the man who orchestrates the commercial aspects of the sport – including where the races are held.
While he was at it, Ecclestone also reportedly indicated that the French Grand Prix will be back on the calendar within the next couple of years. But rather than holding it at Magny-Cours where it was held from 1991 through 2008, the renewed French Grand Prix – absent from the calendar every year since – will go back to the Paul Ricard circuit where it was held in the 70s and 80s (a track which Ecclestone just happens to own himself).
The arrangement will, according to reports, alternate year-to-year with the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa.
We certainly like the idea behind the Infiniti Performance Line, but execution has left us . Instead of an M or AMG fighter, buyers are left with little more than fancy paint and a stiffer suspension. But according to Motor Trend, Infiniti may have something more impressive brewing.
An unnamed source spilled the goods on the future of the G line, including a juicy detail about a hyper performance coupe. The next-generation G is set to hit the market during the summer of 2014, bringing with it a rash of changes.
One of those is the introduction of an IPL-specific 3.7-liter V6. The source claims the engine is all-new and features direct-injection and two turbos to help it produce a whopping 530 horsepower. This time, it seems Infiniti has its heart set on stepping up to the and . The engine will be built in Japan alongside the powerplant for the .
Now for the bad news. The shadowy source says the high-performance IPL will be priced in line with the GT-R, at least in Japan. On this side of the globe, the brawny commands a price well north of the $58,930 MSRP on the C63 AMG, which leads us to believe there’s still some pricing to be sorted out on that front.
Judging from the we’ve seen recently, the BMW i8 is coming along nicely. With its more realistic bodywork, the hybridsupercar is beginning to look like something that actually belongs on public streets. Now Sonny Lim, former head of BMW DesignWorks, has taken a stab at what the finished product may look like via a handful of renderings.
With it’s shorter wheelbase and clipped length compared to the concept, the production vehicle is rumored to tip the scales at around 3,187 pounds, or just under the concept’s original weight goal. Much of that weight savings is thanks to the substantial use of carbon fiber reinforced plastic in the vehicle’s chassis.
With the combination of an electric motor and a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine, the i8 will reportedly offer buyers just under 400 horsepower and three driving modes. The driver will be able to pick between pure-electric, gasoline or a medley of both. All told, the i8 should deliver a 0-60 mph run of under 4.9 seconds with the help of both power sources.
Episode #278 of the is here, and this week, Chris, Dan, and Zach are joined by of Autoblog and AOL Autos to chat about Dodge Dart pricing, the next Ford Mustang shying away from retro styling, Chevrolet quietly developing an Impala SS, and a NHTSA proposal to mandate brake override systems. Your questions and comments power the end of the ‘cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our , thanks for taking the time. We’ve embedded our Q&A module for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #278:
In the Autoblog Garage
Hosts: , ,
Runtime: 01:34:50
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If Ford actually comes to market with a new GT, then we’ll be right there with them.
With the debut of its at the earlier this month, you might be wondering what direction Shelby will be headed in the future. After all, they can’t just keep adding more horsepower to the . Can they?
Shelby president John Luft tells us that while they will continue producing post-title packages (they have a product plan for the pony car through 2020), the company is also considering branching out to other vehicles in the lineup.
“Our plans include everything from the Mustang to looking at future development of the EcoBoost motor,” he told us. “There could be a or development in our future.”
The plans don’t stop there, though. Luft revealed to us that Shelby is considering producing another halo sports car like they did in the late 1990s with the Series 1.
“We always pose the ‘what if’. If you remember when the Series 1 was developed, that was a purpose-built halo sports car for the Shelby brand. We always put those things in the plan because maybe down the road we would want to readdress a purpose-built Shelby sports car. It doesn’t mean we’ll build it, but we always want to challenge ourselves to put it on the table and talk about the practicality of it.”
Keep reading for more insights into Shelby’s plans for the future.
is not going to take attacks on the electric car lying down – the closest he’ll come to that is . After spending for their attacks on the , he is switching to a positive message about how plug-in cars can help with American national security. It is not surprising that Lutz, a former Marine, co-authors the article with two former U.S. Marines commandants and the CEO of FedEx (the three are all members of Securing America’s Future Energy’s (SAFE) Energy Security Leadership Council). The gist? Well, here’s part of the opening paragraph:
When … threats exist because the United States is the protector of the world’s global oil supply lines, it is a clear illustration of how our nation’s over-reliance on a single, globally priced fuel impacts our national and economic security.
America’s addiction to gasoline costs the government billions of dollars a year, an estimated $80 billion, in fact, to guard the sea lanes, including one little area by Iran:
From a national security perspective, the U.S. military is forced to protect the world’s vital oil infrastructure. The single greatest chokepoint is the Strait of Hormuz, through which 17 million barrels of oil per day passed in 2011 – 20 percent of global supplies. Protection of the sea lanes of commerce has become an American burden and will remain so, costing the United States Treasury an estimated $80 billion per year while taxing our military, which is already engaged on multiple fronts.
It’s arguments like this that have made the recent right-wing criticism of the Volt such a mystery. If we use less gasoline, we can spend fewer lives and less treasure importing the fuel (of course, we don’t lose many lives at the Canadian border, which is where most of our imported oil comes from). The Army says that .
Lutz and his co-authors are quite clear that high gas prices are hurting Americans’ pocketbooks, “essentially” wiping out tax cuts that Presidents Bush and Obama put into place. That’s why, they say, “government action is needed to mitigate the risks of oil dependence, because there is no free market for oil.” This intervention contains both expanded domestic production and – surprise – plugging in our light-duty transportation fleet as much as possible and feeding our big trucks lots of natural gas. To that end, they write:
Regarding electrification, the beauty of plug-in hybrids and pure electric vehicles like the Chevy Volt and the is that they are powered by electricity, which can be generated from many sources: nuclear, coal, natural gas, and renewables. Best yet, these are all domestic energy sources, meaning OPEC won’t be able to corner the market. And the retail price of electricity is far less volatile that the price of oil.
When a company like debuts a new model line, enthusiasts know it brings with it the promise of a high-performance muscle-beast to follow. And so is the case with the leading to the RS6.
The first RS6 packed a twin-turbo V8 good for 444 horsepower, and the second-generation model had a 571-horse V10. As is the general trend with German muscle, the new model pictured in these spy shots – snapped at the Nürburgring with telltale RS4-style intakes and widened fender flares – will likely downsize back to a twin-turbo eight. The smart money’s on Quattro GmbH taking the 4.0 TFSI from the and the , but tweaking it to its own specifications. Output is likely to hover around that of its predecessor, trading two cylinders for as many turbo spools.
As with past models, the new RS6 is likely to come first in Avant wagon form before the sedan comes along soon thereafter. Whether any RS6 models makes it Stateside, however, remains to be seen, but we can certainly hope.
Cadillac’s and are two of the most distinctive designs to come out of a mass-market brand in some time, and we’re big devotees to both here at Autoblog. Predictably, the two models attract a much smaller slice of the North American market than the four-door sedan, but says it remains committed to offering both a two-door and a load-lugger in its lineup. However, that doesn’t mean such future models will wear badging.
According to Car and Driver, Cadillac is undecided, but one or both bodystyles could migrate to the smaller platform. While neither of the two CTS variants has been any great shakes sales-wise (Cadillac does say the wagon has outsold its equivalent), the models are seen as important tools to woo shoppers – conquest sales in particular.
We might add that since General Motors remains committed to the idea of making Cadillac a global brand, a smaller coupe and wagon model could give the marque entry into larger volume segments in Europe. For its part, C/D expects Cadillac to position a coupe between the ATS and next CTS, mimicking pricing and hierarchy strategies at and , . The publication also predicts that a wagon will stay in the CTS family, as it “better meets the needs of older, richer luxo-wagon buyers,” noting that ATS wagon intenders could likely be wooed into the anyhow.
What do you think? Leave your musings in Comments.
Earlier this month, Rhys Millen took to Formula Drift Long Beach to introduce his newly updated racer. After securing second place during qualifying and besting Nick D’Alessio in the top 32 battle, Millen spun on his second run of the top 16 contention versus Daigo Saito. Saito was 2011’s D1 Japan champion. The spin knocked Millen from a shot at the podium all the way to sixth place, where he tied with Tyler McQuarrie with a combined 64 points. With a total of six rounds left in the season, Millen and the crew still have a shot at nabbing a championship podium finish.
Road Atlanta is next on the schedule. The sideways action gets started on May 11, so stay tuned for the results. In the meantime, you can check out the rather excellent HD video of the team’s Long Beach effort, complete with about a thousand different camera angles.
With over a billion people, the Indian market holds huge potential for any automaker. In fact, makes a dedicated range of vehicles on the subcontinent specifically for the local market under the Maruti banner, and this is their latest.
Dubbed Ertiga, it’s essentially a lengthened Swift hatchback “Life Utility Vehicle,” or what would conventionally be called an MPV (Multiple Passenger Vehicle).
Call it what you will, Maruti Suzuki has managed to fit three rows of seating into the stretched Swift for seven-passenger accommodation. Launching locally in India prior to export to neighboring markets like Indonesia in the aim to take market share away from the Avanza and Mahindra, the Ertiga takes advantage of huge economies of scale by sharing basic components with the Swift and the Dzire sedan which Maruti builds on the same platform.
Buyers in India will be able to choose between three trim levels, two engines (gas or diesel) and seven colors, but they’ll have to justify spending six or seven times the price of a Tata Nano to do so – but then again, that’s true of most cars. Take a closer look in our gallery above and for the official press release with more information.
has released the first commercial for the upcoming K9. The flagship sedan is set for a South Korean launch later this year, and details are beginning to emerge about the big four door. Power is said to come from either a 296 horsepower 3.3-liter V6 or a 3.8-liter V6 with 329 hp. The model will also be a showcase for new tech, including adaptive LED headlights that not only track with the steering mechanism but also adjust with the vehicle’s speed to give the driver a greater field of view.
Indoors, a full-color heads-up display provides plenty of pertinent information, and an epic 12.3-inch screen in the dash handles the entertainment interface. Judging from the three photos released alongside the new ad, the K9 will also feature a gear lever inspired by the likes of . Here’s hoping the Kia piece is a bit more intuitive. to check out the ad for yourself.
Drivers of 2010-2011 models and several models with turbocharged engines need to get their vehicles to their dealers. The cars are being recalled for a potentially hazardous defect that could turn their high-end autos into smoldering hunks of less luxurious melted plastic and steel.
The says the circuit boards on the cars’ water pump could overheat and possibly catch fire.
The 2011 BMW models are the and . 2012 models are the , , and . All affected models have either the turbocharged V8 or V12. NHTSA says the number of BMWs affected is 2,846. About 60 Rolls Royce Ghosts will be .
The recall is nearly identical to last November that recalled 2010 Rolls Royce Ghosts. This campaign seems to address the same problem that plagued 2011 models.
Economies of scale, globalization and production efficiencies continue to exacerbate any disruptive incident in an automaker’s supply chain. The latest snafu is due to a fatal explosion at Germany’s Evonik Industries, which arrested that company’s ability to produce cyclodecatriene (CDT). In turn, the production of the resin Vestamid Polyamide 12 (PA-12) is threatened by the loss of CDT, one of its key components. And a crimp in PA-12 supplies threatens the manufacture of crucial components like brake-line coatings and flexible hoses.
Auto-industry analysts have described the issue as “serious,” but no one, including automakers and suppliers, is sure of how grave the issue will be. Michigan-based Tier One carmaker supplier TI Automotive is hosting a conference later this month with competitors and carmakers to discuss the issue. The major car manufacturers have said they are monitoring the situation, but no disruptions have been planned for yet.
We’ve never been falsely accused of a traffic violation, having earned every last second of our time before a judge, but when it does happen to us, we’ll certainly want to brush up on our physics. Dmitiri Krioukov, a physicist with the University of California, recently pleaded his way out of a fine for rolling through a stop sign using the power of mathematics. Krioukov worked up a four-page physics paper underscoring the differences between linear and angular motion to prove that he could have theoretically come to a complete stop and resumed traveling in the time it took another vehicle to pass between him and the citing officer.
The idea is that perception of speed can be altered depending on one’s viewpoint. Since the officer viewed Krioukov from the side and the physicist supposedly came to a complete stop very quickly before accelerating again just as fast, it appeared as if he never stopped at all. Or at least that was the notion. Whether or not the judge believed the professor didn’t matter so much as the fact that Krioukov managed to shed some doubt on the accusation. He was declared innocent and spared the $400 fine.
But the story doesn’t end there. The physicist left a flaw in his proof, and has invited everyone to see if they can figure it out. From our layman’s point of view, it appears Krioukov’s managed to fall from 22 mph to 0 and vault back up to 22 in the span of three seconds. Must be quite the machine. You can check out the full paper .
We’ve never been falsely accused of a traffic violation, having earned every last second of our time before a judge, but when it does happen to us, we’ll certainly want to brush up on our physics. Dmitiri Krioukov, a physicist with the University of California, recently pleaded his way out of a fine for rolling through a stop sign using the power of mathematics. Krioukov worked up a four-page physics paper underscoring the differences between linear and angular motion to prove that he could have theoretically come to a complete stop and resumed traveling in the time it took another vehicle to pass between him and the citing officer.
The idea is that perception of speed can be altered depending on one’s viewpoint. Since the officer viewed Krioukov from the side and the physicist supposedly came to a complete stop very quickly before accelerating again just as fast, it appeared as if he never stopped at all. Or at least that was the notion. Whether or not the judge believed the professor didn’t matter so much as the fact that Krioukov managed to shed some doubt on the accusation. He was declared innocent and spared the $400 fine.
But the story doesn’t end there. The physicist left a flaw in his proof, and has invited everyone to see if they can figure it out. From our layman’s point of view, it appears Krioukov’s managed to fall from 22 mph to 0 and vault back up to 22 in the span of three seconds. Must be quite the machine. You can check out the full paper .
