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Saab North America acknowledged that the chances were exceptionally slim, but it hoped to avoid bankruptcy long enough to give another company a chance to buy it. Shortly after Saab NA appointed a third-party administrator, McTevia & Associates, it was decided there was no way to save the company short of liquidation, and on January 23, the administrator announced plans to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

But Saab NA was beat to the filing by a group of 162 out of the 188 Saab dealers, who filed for involuntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware. The dealers said last week they were going to file for Chapter 7, but instead chose Chapter 11 because of its lower costs and in case China’s Youngman or Turkey’s Brightwell Holding’s bid for Saab NA’s parent succeeds and they want to restart operations here. The document was filed in Delaware because the dealer body feels they’ll get better hearing “further away from Detroit.” Dealers also wanted the force of court orders to back up any decisions made, not that of a third-party administrator.

Underneath all the legal machinations, though, if estimates from Saab NA dealer attorney Leonard Bellavia are accurate, then the parties could emerge without getting financially kneecapped. When McTevia announced its plan to file, Bellavia suggested that Saab NA’s liabilities were $10.5 million and assets at between $75 million and $125 million. With no more parts on the way and 2,400 cars on lots, McTevia had earlier said that the parts distribution business is “the only meaningful asset.”

Dealers trying to push Saab NA into bankruptcy

When McLaren released the MP4-12C, there were some questions about the distinctiveness of its styling, but not about whether the engineers at Woking had extracted every bit of performance they could from its 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 engine. John Hennessey and company, however, think they can do better. That’s why Hennessey Performance Engineering has targeted the 12C for its latest tuning package.

Traditionally, Hennessey usually starts by bolting on a pair of turbos to whatever car it can get its hands on. But McLaren has already done that, so Hennessey has fitted new ones, and along with it, upgraded the intercooler, intake, exhaust, electronic control modules and transmission. It’s also fitted a CarbonAero body kit, new wheels with Michelin Pilot Super Sport rubber and a redone interior swathed in carbon, leather and Alcantara.

The result is 800 horsepower, up from 592 stock. What Hennessey hasn’t touched, however, are the MP4-12C’s suspension and brakes, which the Texas-based tuner didn’t feel it could improve upon. Whether the rest is advisable is up for debate, but that’s never stopped the Texas tuner before, so check out the details in the press release after the jump and the renderings for a closer look at what to expect should any McLaren owners inexplicably feel their 12C is just too slow.

Continue reading Hennessey dreams of tuning McLaren MP4-12C into twin-turbo HPE800

Hennessey dreams of tuning McLaren MP4-12C into twin-turbo HPE800

This year’s selection for North American Truck of the Year was something of a sign of the times as the pool of nominees didn’t really fit the traditional definition of “truck” – beasts of burden with features like a low range, open bed and/or body-on-frame construction. Not only were all three finalists crossovers (including the winning 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque), but so were the other four on the short list of nominees.

The jury has been monitoring the market’s shift from body-on-frame SUVs to unibody-based crossovers for years now, and detailed discussions about whether to alter the name of its Truck of The Year award have been a staple conversation among members of the voting pool for perhaps half a decade. Those debates have finally bore fruit. Beginning with next year’s award, instead of North American Truck of the Year, the hardware will be awarded as the North American Truck/Utility of the Year.

The name change should not only be a bit cleaner when it comes to including the market’s ever-diversifying pool of crossovers, it will also afford room on the other end of the spectrum for the inclusion of heavy-duty full-size trucks, a segment of vehicles that previously weren’t eligible. The change reflects another shift in the market, where vehicles like the Ford F-Series Super Duty and Ram 2500 HD are no longer being considered solely for purchase as work trucks – more and more everyday consumers are looking to them as capable daily drivers. The jury had previously considered only light-duty trucks like the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Toyota Tacoma for the award.

With the crossover segment mushrooming in popularity and diversifying rapidly, it’s become difficult to readily classify what constitutes a crossover vehicle as opposed to a car. Branches of the U.S. government classify the exact same vehicle as a car and a truck, automakers invent new terminology to trumpet, journalists call them one thing and consumers end up labeling them another. The NACTOY jury will thus look to indicators like overall height and capability to help funnel eligible vehicles into the Car of the Year or Truck/Utility of the Year category.

NACTOY changes truck award to “Truck/Utility of the Year”

The Panamera That Can Win Back Purists

The roads winding from the southernmost coast of Spain up to Ascari Race Resort near the town of Ronda are enough to bring telling tales out of any car that professes to have high performance intentions. What talented few acquit themselves well on these roads are then exposed to the 3.4-mile Ascari circuit, and that’s usually enough to send most of them home in a huff of brake dust and blow-by.

This time in the crucible, it’s the 2012 Porsche Panamera GTS, a car first shown under the hard lights of November’s Los Angeles Auto Show. Despite not being the most powerful in the range, this naturally aspirated GTS is tipped to offer the most race-like dynamics of the entire Panamera portfolio. And after 100 or so miles on public amusement park roads and 20 or so on the track, this plus-size GT showed us it’s capable of dicing it up like a 911 or Cayman while delivering an understandably different experience from behind the wheel.

Continue reading 2013 Porsche Panamera GTS [w/video]

2013 Porsche Panamera GTS [w/video]

This year Mopar is celebrating 75 years since its name – a combination of MOtor and PARts – was first trademarked. During that time, Mopar has evolved to become synonymous with performance parts for Chrysler and Dodge vehicles, as well as amp’d-up specialty package vehicles, vehicle service and maintenance, and add Fiat to the long list of Chrysler Group brands it supports since the Italian automaker took part ownership in the smallest of Detroit’s Big 3.

Anniversaries usually come with presents, and Mopar is bring four to show and share at the Chicago Auto Show next month. The first, and only one that will be sold turn-key, is the ‘12 Mopar 300, which becomes the brand’s third factory-built model for modern times following the ‘10 Mopar Challenger and ‘11 Mopar Charger. While offering no more power than a standard 5.7-liter V8-equipped 300, the ‘12 Mopar does benefit from a new final-drive ratio of 3.91:1 that drops its 0-60 time in the low five-second range, as well as a significantly stiffer suspension, grippier tires and brake system upgrades.

Then there’s the exterior. If the plague’s preferred method of transmission were by car, this would be its ride. It is the Black Death on wheels, which themselves are 20-inch, 8-spoke forged aluminum rollers painted Gloss Black with Mopar center caps. We especially like the tasteful blue striping that appears across the ‘12 Mopar’s sides and around its rims. While we’ve yet to see it, Mopar says the interior is equally void of light save for accents of Mopar Blue.

Only 500 of these ‘12 Mopar 300 models will be built and sold this summer for the price of $49,700, which includes destination charges. Each one will also come with a special box of goodies that includes Mopar-branded key fobs and merch; proof of the vehicle’s exact manufacture date and number built; and a sketch of the car signed by its designer.

Follow the jump for three more anniversary models from Mopar.

Continue reading Mopar celebrates 75 years with bunch of Chicago-bound special editions

Mopar celebrates 75 years with bunch of Chicago-bound special editions

Last year was a good one for Harley-Davidson. According to Asphalt and Rubber, the American bike manufacturer saw its sales increase by 5.9 percent globally compared to 2010. Sales in the U.S., meanwhile, were up 5.8 percent. All told, Harley-Davidson managed to move 235,188 units last year, with 151,683 of those heading to owners in the States. Those figures mean the manufacturer managed to post a net income of $105.6 million last year. By contrast, during the fourth quarter of 2010 the company saw a net loss of $46.7 million.

The global recession hadn’t been kind to the company. With a model line designed to cater to the wealthy and their lust for toys, Harley-Davidson suddenly saw itself posting yearly losses. Those at the helm sold off MV Agusta and pulled the plug on Buell all together in an effort to keep Harley-Davidson up right.

Those moves seem to have helped. The company posted $4.6 billion in revenue last year, which marks an increase of 11.6 percent over 2010.

Harley-Davidson sales grew 5.9% in 2011

Early last year, Chrysler announced that it would be bringing the Viper back into production, with the brand’s performance flagship once again taking its place at the front of the SRT lineup. The next generation Viper won’t be unveiled until April at the New York Auto Show, and it looks like Dodge will be doing its best to tease us mercilessly until then with vague sketches of the car. The first has just been posted on the official SRT Facebook page, providing the very first look at the front end of the 2013 Viper. From the silhouette it’s hard to really tell what the design will look like, but the overall shape and the hood scoop distinctly remind us of the Viper GTS coupe built from 1996 to 2002.

So, what do we know about the 2013 Viper as of right now? For starters, traction control will be used for the first time in the model’s history as mandated by federal law. The powertrain is still unconfirmed, although there are rumors that the V10 could get a bump in displacement to an incredible 8.7 liters.

All of these rumors will be laid to rest come April, but until then we’ll just have to settle for the teasers that SRT gives us. We’ll be sure to bring you more news on the 2013 Viper as soon as its released, and let us know what you’re hoping to see from the new Viper in the Comments.

SRT offers up first 2013 Dodge Viper teaser

We’ve finally come to accept the fact that we’ll never be Vaughn Gittin Jr. There can be only one one pure-bred drift hooligan of his caliber on this planet and truth be told, our sideways skills are paltry at best. That doesn’t mean we can’t pretend, though. Gittin Jr. has teamed up with a smattering of companies to give away five very limited-edition RC cars made up in the image of his sinister Ford Mustang GT drift machine. Only 5,000 of the HPI RC Ford Mustang cars will be produced in total, and Gittin Jr. is giving five of them away to Facebook fans.

To get the word out, Gittin Jr., K&N, Monster Energy and Falken Tire crafted a video demonstrating just what happens when the drifter can’t get his hands on the scale Mustang. An epic chase ensues, with the RC car taking a little “How it’s Made” tour of the K&N factory. The clip also features a few outtakes worth watching, as well. We won’t spoil it for you, but we will say more than one RC car gave its life in the making of the film. Hit the jump to check out the video for yourself. If you want to enter the sweepstakes, head over to the K&N Facebook page for more information.

Continue reading Vaughn Gittin Jr. almost out-drifted by RC car

Vaughn Gittin Jr. almost out-drifted by RC car

How good will the upcoming return of the Acura NSX be? So good, apparently, that despite still being three years out, the supercar has converted well-known Porsche fan Jerry Seinfeld to worship at the altar of the NSX Concept.

Though we wouldn’t think the creator and namesake of the hit TV show Seinfeld would need any more money (syndication ftw!), here he is shilling for Acura, obsessed with being first in line for a product that the Japanese automaker isn’t expected to begin selling until 2015. Turns out, however, he’s not the only comedian with more money than sense who wants an NSX.

Watch the commercial yourself, and help us posit why Acura would spend millions of dollars producing a Super Bowl commercial that doesn’t promote any of its currently available products. Couple this commercial with parent company Honda’s ad that features Matthew Broderick reprising his role as Ferris Bueller, and we think Honda and company have earned this year’s award for spending the most on celebrity talent.

Continue reading Seinfeld dumps Porsche to promote Acura NSX during Super Bowl

Seinfeld dumps Porsche to promote Acura NSX during Super Bowl

Our spy photographers have snagged a few fresh images of the 2013 Land Rover Range Rover as engineers put the SUV through its paces during a little winter testing. The prototype looks identical to the bruiser we say playing around on the Nürburgring last year. Details were scarce then and they remain so now, though this batch of photos show the big Rover’s interior for the first time. From the looks of things, the cabin doesn’t seem to have received much in the way of an update, though there’s no way to tell if this particular tester is fitted with a full production-spec interior.

The next-generation Range Rover is expected to bow with a gently sloping roofline and a more aggressively raked rear window. Word has it that the vehicle will ride on the same underpinnings as the Jaguar XJ, though the luxury utility will likely undergo a serious diet before it debuts. Land Rover has made it clear that reduced mass is a top priority as governments around the world continue to push more aggressive fuel economy and emissions targets.

Next Land Rover showing up pixel by pixel

See that above? It’s the Monroney for Tony Stark’s Acura in The Avengers. We saw the car on set last year, when most of what we had to say about it centered on its potential hints to the as-yet-unseen Acura NSX concept. Someone got a closer look at the roadster on display, and its details are nothing short of cartoonish but in the best way.

The $9,229,000 supercar uses a palladium-powered 80,000 TOHC 32-valve engine boosted by, get this, nitrous. As well as its nine-speed hyper-shift transmission, lithium dioxide-injecting shocks and reflex-response steering column with target guidance feedback, it is fitted with a device to create an enviro-clone projected hologram of its surroundings. You know, for defense. And because actual palladium use might vary among agents, the 234 city/302 highway mpg is for Tony Stark only.

Head over to Collider.com for more closeup images of Stark’s low-density-plasma-emitting Acura roadster and a closer read of that window sticker.

Monroney details on Tony Stark’s $9,229,000 Acura from The Avengers

Super Bowl Sunday is a scant six days away, which means you’ve got less than a week left to prepare yourself for the onslaught of advertising that will commence well before kick off. We’re doing our part by showing you the car commercials ahead of time so you can use those commercial breaks for more important things like evacuating your bladder or refilling the salsa, not necessarily in that order.

Cadillac has developed an ad for the Super Bowl that will be 30 seconds in length and highlight its new ATS sedan, which debuted this month at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. Unlike every other Super Bowl commercial you’re probably going to see, Cadillac’s playing it straight with this one. There will be no humor, no overpaid celebrity endorsement and no sweepstakes on Facebook involved.

Instead, you’ll just see real footage of the ATS being tested during its development in an inhospitable environment. No, it isn’t footage of the ATS playing Peek-a-boo among the snow drifts of Scandinavia or arid dunes of Death Valley. Where this footage was shot was truly hell. Descend to the first circle after the jump.

Continue reading Cadillac’s Super Bowl ad shows ATS in hell

Cadillac’s Super Bowl ad shows ATS in hell

In spite of the near-Pavlovian howling that commences anytime the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo is mentioned, and in spite of the 5GT falling so short of its sales target that BMW has been forced to consider bringing back the 5 Series Touring, the ungainly hatch has outsold that wagon during its time on our shores. And that was before it got dressed up with an M Sport package.

It shouldn’t be a surprise then that the 3 Series GT is still rushing our way, with a report on BMW Blog (not connected to the company) declaring it will be here in March 2013. BMW is promoting the hatchback 3 as “the alternative to alternatives, a style conscious car with the dynamic prowess to match its looks,” which smacks of PR-speak veering dangerously close to Newspeak.

We’ll find out soon enough, nevertheless, for the moment, the 3GT is claimed to offer the cargo capacity of the 5 Series sedan but with even more room for everyone’s legs. It is predicted to wear a slightly different face than the rest of the 3 Series line and have frameless windows (the rendering on BMW Blog has frames). Power should be from the current 3 Series lineup of turbocharged four- and six-cylinder engines.

BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo coming next March

Aging Three-Row Still Light On Its Feet

All of the auto industry’s big-time players are making large three-row crossovers these days, so the segment has become extremely competitive. With stalwarts like the Honda Pilot, Chevrolet Traverse and Ford Explorer at the top of the sales charts, how does a smaller automaker like Mazda compete? Two oft-repeated words: Zoom-Zoom.

The Mazda CX-9 checks the same boxes as its competition: a beefy V6 engine, seating for up to seven, available all-wheel drive and a bevy of technology optio­­ns. Those features are all part of the price of admission, but to make headway in this crowded field, that’s not enough to cut it. On the market since 2007, we wanted to find out the 4,546-pound CX-9 still has the engineering mojo to dance to the head of the pack, so we grabbed the keys to a loaded Grand Touring AWD and headed for the floor.

Continue reading 2012 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring AWD [w/video]

2012 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring AWD [w/video]

Yup. Someone has apparently taken it upon themselves to slather the slinkiest of Alfa Romeo models with the bright orange paint and stars and bars of the General Lee from The Dukes of Hazzard. Why? Because if you have enough cash to park an 8C Competizione in your expansive garage, you can paint it in whatever livery you damn well please. Details are scarce, but our source says the coupe is real, and it rocks the appropriate “01″ numbering on each door. We’re hoping there’s a horn capable of whistling Dixie under the hood as well, and we’ll award bonus points if the doors are welded shut and there’s a cage inside.

We’d love to know who ordered up this particular color combination. Our source, John S., says this photo was clicked near Balocco in Northern Italy (presumably adjacent to Alfa’s test track facility there), but for now, we’ll just content ourselves by wondering how you say “Daisy Duke” in Italian.

Did someone really order this Alfa Romeo 8C with a General Lee paint scheme?

Heather Peters is suing Honda in small-claims court in Torrance, California over the lackluster fuel economy she’s gotten out of her 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid. It isn’t really a new lawsuit, it’s one that sprung from Peters not signing onto the settlement of an earlier class-action lawsuit brought by one John True, who sued Honda over the same issue. The meat of the claim is that Honda’s window sticker attested to an EPA combined 42 miles per gallon figure, but unhappy drivers are getting closer to 32 mpg.

True’s suit was settled out of court in 2009 and plaintiffs have until February 11, 2012 to partake of redress that the Attorneys General of 26 states declared unfair. Peters didn’t sign on, taking her own case to small-claims court where cases aren’t tried by lawyers. According to Automotive.com, Honda’s point man Neil Schmidt didn’t appear at the previous hearing, but this time he showed up and provided several dossiers to Commissioner Carnahan. Most of the paperwork submitted into evidence was reportedly “testimony from happy Civic Hybrid owners,” which the judge dismissed.

Schmidt first suggested that Peters did not adhere to the right service procedures with her car, then Honda’s EPA certification engineer said that Honda had no option but to follow the EPA’s testing procedures. While that is correct regarding following testing protocol, Peters argued that automakers have the discretion to use lower fuel economy numbers in their advertising and on Monroneys if they see the need. Peters claims Honda didn’t lower the number because it was trying to take advantage of “the green revolution.”

Some observers believe the reduced mileage is an effect of a mandatory software upgrade applied to 2006-2008 Honda Civic Hybrids. The upgrade was meant “not just to prolong the life of the battery, [but] it also helps improve the performance.” While there were complaints about the mileage before (as there are of a great many cars), it was after the upgrade that forums began to light up with tales of poorer mileage. That could have been because the upgrade reduced the car’s reliance on the battery, a fix to allegedly offset the battery deteriorating more quickly than Honda anticipated.

Commissioner Carnahan is expected to rule on the case as soon as next week. Peters hopes it’s before the February 11 deadline to participate in True’s lawsuit settlement. At stake is not just the $10,000 Peters is seeking, but a figure potentially in the billions as other unhappy owners could flock to lawyer-free small-claims court to fight their cases. In the event of a loss, Honda is expected to appeal, to which Peters says, “I’m ready!”

As Civic Hybrid mileage lawsuit continues, Honda shows up

It was only a few weeks ago that Mercedes-Benz CEO Dieter Zetsche laid out his global sales vision for the brand, aiming to be the world’s Number One luxury automaker by 2020 with 2.7 million annual sales. One component of that plan is building another plant in North America, and a report by the TheDetroitBureau.com indicates that the plant will be built in Aguascalientes, Mexico – right next to a Nissan assembly plant that’s already there.

Nissan recently announced a two billion dollar expansion of its Aguascalientes facility to produce up to 175,000 units annually. According to the Bureau report, “the sprawling Aguascalientes complex has been laid out with the idea that the German maker will eventually participate.” Daimler hasn’t commented officially, but if it does happen, then that would give Daimler and Renault-Nissan two tie-up locations, the other being in Tennessee where Nissan will be making engines for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class (a prototype for which is shown above).

One of the factors at the heart of the Mexico decision would be Mercedes’ MFA platform, which supports the A- and B-Class vehicles soon headed here: that platform is also expected to underpin the production Infiniti Etherea. And if Renault-Nissan CEO can be believed, then a great deal more sharing between the two firms is an eventuality, and further up the food chain at that. Ghosn is reported to have said last year, “You’d be very surprised if in five or six years that Mercedes and Renault-Nissan had only cooperated on small cars.”

Expect Daimler’s new plant to be right next to Nissan’s in Mexico

The 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee was the first home for Chrysler’s Pentastar V6 engine. As you may recall, the powerplant was codenamed “Phoenix,” and it was charged with replacing seven other engines in 11 models in the Chrysler and Dodge lineups. Along with it being a well-regarded piece of engineering, its sheer ubiquity goes a long way toward explaining how in just 18 months the Trenton, Michigan plant that produces it has cranked out a million of them.

The 3.6-liter V6 is rated from 283 horsepower up to 305 hp, and can be found under the hood of front-, rear- and four-wheel drive vehicles in varying transmissions. Another signal of how much Chrysler thinks of the Pentastar: after being finagled into the 2012 Jeep Wrangler, rumors last year suggested a twin-turbo version of it could go into the Maserati GranTurismo.

Follow the jump for Chrysler’s press release on the seven-figure milestone of a lump voted one of Ward’s “10 Best Engines.”

Continue reading Just 18 months into production, Chrysler builds millionth Pentastar V6

Just 18 months into production, Chrysler builds millionth Pentastar V6

You know those Toyota commercials that we never get, the ones aired in distant lands like Australia and Brazil and that are, oh, interesting? We’re finally getting one. Toyota is returning to Super Bowl advertising after a three-year hiatus with a 30-second version of this longer-form 60-second spot for the 2012 Camry, and we think it’s amusing enough to be worthy of The Big Game.

This is a continuation of the reinvention theme introduced in the first 2012 Camry ad last year, and this commercial adds some comedy, a welcome change from Toyota’s typically sober marketing campaigns. Toyota will also air a second 30-second spot during the NFL’s championship game. Check it out in long form (along with the official press release) after the jump.

Continue reading Toyota returns to Super Bowl with “It’s Reinvented!” Camry commercial

Toyota returns to Super Bowl with “It’s Reinvented!” Camry commercial

Business was a-boomin’ in the auto industry last year, and while a number of factors conspired to keep cars moving through dealerships, chief among them was discounts. How do we know that? This infographic contains part of the answer.

Compiled using data from car-shopping website CarWoo!, the infographic tells us which automakers gave the most discounts last year, where they were given, who got them, and more. Which automaker doled out the most discounts? Jeep, which CarWoo! says was selling its vehicles at a 17.7-percent discount in 2011. Which automaker also posted the largest percentage gain in sales last year? Jeep, whose sales jumped over 44 percent compared to 2010.

Mitsubishi and Kia, which posted the second and third largest percent increases in sales last year, also make CarWoo!’s list by having offered high discounts of 11.7 and 12.1 percent in 2011.

Big savings didn’t always equal big sales, though. Infiniti, for instance, is on record offering discounts of 12.2 percent in 2011, but still saw its sales fall 4.8 percent.

Check out the rest of what CarWoo!’s infographic has to say about savings after the jump.

Continue reading Infographic: Which automakers gave the biggest discounts?

Infographic: Which automakers gave the biggest discounts?