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When Renault brought the Gordini name out of retirement, enthusiasts took note. After all, Gordini was once one of the most respected names in the business. Some were a little disappointed that the name was applied to existing Renaultsport models that bore no changes beyond a paint job, but that was alright, because the company’s RS hot hatches are already regarded as some of the best around. But then they slapped the same blue paint and white stripes on standard models, and things went downhill.

Now Renault has announced a new Gordini version of the Wind Roadster. The innovative little convertible, as you may recall, is based on the Twingo but features the same kind of flip-top roof as the Ferrari 575 SuperAmerica. Unfortunately, that’s where the similarities between the Ferrari and the Renault end, relegating the Wind to the poseur category.

So what has Renault done to give the Wind the Gordini treatment? Sadly, they skipped the RS treatment altogether and went straight for the color scheme. So it’s got the French racing blue paint with the white stripes, 17-inch alloys and white trim, with the theme continuing to the interior. Oh, and there’s a Facebook page coming. Unfortunately, that appears to be the extent of it, so this is one European offering most won’t pine for from abroad.

[Source: Renault]

Continue reading Renault skips RS treatment with Gordini edition Wind Roadster

Renault skips RS treatment with Gordini edition Wind Roadster

What is it about working at the Chrysler Jefferson North facility (pictured above) that drives employees to get high? Controversy has bubbled up again in the form of a new report of auto workers at the factory smoking pot during their lunch break.

The last report came in September 2010 when a local Fox News affiliate caught video footage of a group of off-duty Chrysler employees apparently downing a few beers and smoking a joint or two in the company parking lot. This time, Chrysler reportedly busted another three workers – who were evidently not deterred by (or fully cognizant of) the publicity surrounding the previous incident – for partaking in the controlled substance during their downtime.

The automaker reportedly tipped off the man local police to the act on January 24, leading to the workers’ arrests. Formal charges have reportedly not yet been filed, however. Two possible outcomes as a result of the arrests? 1. Workers actually wait until they’re home to light up next time. 2. Afternoon vending machine revenue at Jefferson North plummets.

[Source: The Detroit News]

More Chrysler factory workers caught enjoying “the plant” at Jefferson North

Recently, we got an email from a reader named Bernadine asking about apartment dwellers charging their plug-in cars. She wrote:

I would like to see Autoblog contact, address, and consider how would apartment dwellers fit in the scheme of things by the manufacturers of “green” vehicles. I am quite sure there are others, like myself, who would love to purchase or get in line to order such vehicles. However, we do not have garages or nearby outlets that we can access to charge our vehicles, once purchased. Are there any projects in place that will address the needs of apartment dwellers? Will our local gas stations be transformed into electric stations?

Turns out, Bernadine isn’t the only one thinking about this particular issue. We covered it in some depth about a year ago in this Greenlings article, which noted that, in 2009, Mitsubishi helped develop an electric vehicle charging system for apartment buildings in Japan. More recently, our friend Paul Scott and Santa Monica Nissan did a presentation very subject at a local library. The panelists included people with deep knowledge of EVSEs, permitting and other related issues. You can watch a well-edited video of that event provided by Plug In America after the jump.

Lastly, we have some news about charging for people without a garage or a dedicated parking space. A company called 350Green is bringing a fast EV charging station network to the U.S. that is designed specifically for this type of plug-in driver. The network is made up of DC fast chargers that will be installed at “select, high-traffic retail locations” in six cities in the Bay Area. Find more details in the press release on the other side of the jump.

[Sources: Plug In America, 350Green]

Continue reading Video: How apartment dwellers can charge their electric vehicles

Video: How apartment dwellers can charge their electric vehicles

Williams joined the cadre of Formula 1 teams testing and revealing their 2011 challengers at the Valencia test session, pulling the wraps off the new FW33.

Unlike rival team Lotus Renault GP, which unveiled its new livery before rolling out the new F1 car, Williams opted once again to run its new car at the test sessions in plain dark blue paint with minimal sponsor logos. The independent racing team is sticking with Cosworth power for 2011, but despite having developed a flywheel-based KERS apparatus for 2009 (which it never actually ran, but was supplied to Porsche’s hybrid GT3), Williams F1 switched to a new battery-based system that it ran for the first time at Valencia.

Otherwise, the Williams-Cosworth FW33 follows the same general idea as most of its Formula 1 rivals: a high nose with a sculpted engine cover and side pods. Rubens Barrichello returns to the wheel alongside newcomer (and reigning GP2 champion) Pastor Maldonado.

In a related development, Williams announced its plans to proceed with the previously reported IPO on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, floating a little over a quarter of the shares while ensuring that Frank Williams remains controlling shareholder and team principal for years to come. Follow the jump for more details on the new FW33 Formula 1 racer and check out the high-resolution images of the car on track in the gallery below.

[Source: Williams F1]

Continue reading Williams FW33 Formula 1 car unveiled, IPO confirmed

Williams FW33 Formula 1 car unveiled, IPO confirmed

It’s hard to understand how Indian truck/SUV maker Mahindra could miss its fuel economy goal by one-third. Mahindra’s supposed U.S. distributor, Global Vehicles of Marietta, Ga. (which has been embroiled in an opera of lawsuits, name-calling and musical chairs management concerning its deal with the Indian manufacturer), has had an oft-stated goal of 30 mpg highway fuel economy for the clean diesel truck.

According to FuelEconomy.gov, however, the four-wheel-drive Mahindra TR40 crew-cab pickup with a four-cylinder diesel engine and automatic transmission has been rated by the EPA at only 19 mpg city/21 mpg highway. By comparison, the 4×4 2011 Dodge Dakota with a 3.7 liter V6 engine is rated at 14/18. The TR40’s miserable highway mileage doesn’t even match the Ford F-150 3.7 liter 4×2, which is rated at 16 city/23 highway. The 4×4 Ford Ranger, like the aforementioned Dodge, is rated at 14 city/18 highway. Mahindra’s compact pickup truck offers a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds and a payload of 2,765 pounds.

Mahindra and GV had been counting on the fuel economy angle to get on truck buyers’ radar. But the current differential between the Mahindra TR40 diesel truck’s mileage and that of the gas-powered competition is unlikely to turn heads or create headlines. Global Vehicles told PickupTrucks.com: “Good fuel economy will be an important part of the truck’s appeal, and we’re eager to see the fuel economy for all of the models, especially the two-door, two-wheel-drive model, which Mahindra told us to expect would achieve close to 30 mpg.”

It’s hard to imagine Mahindra squeezing out nine additional highway miles per gallon just by stripping out the 4-wheel-drive system.

Continue reading Mahindra TR40 pickup only good for 19/21 mpg?

Mahindra TR40 pickup only good for 19/21 mpg?

Formula One teams take a huge risk when they let one of their star drivers contest other forms of motorsport during the offseason. Never mind questions of focus: crashes happen all the time in every motorsport discipline, and one false step can have disastrous consequences for both driver and team.

Renault, however, has long permitted Robert Kubica to have his run at rallying on the side. Not unlike Kimi Raikkonen, Kubica has been proving himself a competent rally driver, but his skills didn’t prevent him from suffering a high-speed crash today at the Ronde di Andora rally. This was the first time Kubica – fresh from topping the time sheets in the third F1 test session at Valencia – was driving a top-spec Super 2000 rally car, in this case a Skoda Fabia, which he crashed during the opening stage.

The Polish driver was airlifted to a local hospital, and though sources confirm that he remained conscious throughout, reports of multiple broken bones are circulating. This close to the opening of the 2011 F1 campaign, observers can’t help but wonder what will happen if Kubica isn’t well enough to start the season. Fortunately for the team, they’ve lined up a full roster of reserve drivers, including Bruno Senna, who is tipped as the top among them.

Of course we wish Kubica – who bounced back well from his spectacular crash at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix – a full and (characteristically) speedy recovery, and hope to see him back at the wheel in full health in short order. Follow the jump for the brief statement from Renault, and watch this space for more.

UPDATE: Lotus Renault GP reports that Kubica is undergoing surgery for multiple fractures to his right hand, arm and leg. Updated statement posted after the jump.

[Sources: Renault, Autosport]

Continue reading Robert Kubica medevac’d from crash at Ronde di Andora Rally [Updated]

Robert Kubica medevac’d from crash at Ronde di Andora Rally [Updated]

Formula One teams take an enormous risk when they let one of their star drivers contest other forms of motorsport on the side or in the off-season. Never mind questions of focus: crashes happen all the time in all sorts of motorsport disciplines, and one false step can have disastrous consequences for both driver and team.

Renault, however, has long permitted its star talent Robert Kubica to have his run at rallying on the side. Not unlike Kimi Raikkonen, Kubica has been proving himself a competent rally driver, but his skills didn’t prevent him from suffering a high-speed crash today at the Ronde di Andora rally. This was the first time Kubica – fresh from topping the time sheets in the third F1 test session at Valencia – was driving a top-spec Super 2000 rally car, in this case a Skoda Fabia, which he crashed during the opening stage.

The Polish driver has been airlifted to a local hospital, and though sources confirm that he has remained conscious throughout, reports of multiple broken bones are circulating. This close to the opening of the F1 season, observers can’t help but wonder what will happen if Kubica isn’t well enough to start the season. Fortunately for the team, they’ve lined up a full roster of reserve drivers, including Bruno Senna who is tipped as the top among them.

Of course we wish Kubica – who bounced back well from his spectacular crash at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix – a full and (characteristically) speedy recovery, and hope to see him back at the wheel in full health in short order. Follow the jump for the brief statement from Renault, and watch this space for more.

[Sources: Renault, Autosport]

Continue reading BREAKING: Robert Kubica medevac’d from crash at Ronde di Andora Rally

BREAKING: Robert Kubica medevac’d from crash at Ronde di Andora Rally

Porsche and Daytona have a long history dating back to 1968, when the automaker won its first 24 Hours at Daytona. Porsche has spent the last 43 years dominating the event, leading all other manufacturers with 22 overall wins (38 victories total, when you add in class wins). Its closest competitor is Ferrari, which has managed five.

Hurley Haywood knows a thing or two about driving Porsche racing cars. He’s responsible for putting five of the company’s 22 overall Daytona wins on the board (as well as a class win, to boot). Before the 2011 Rolex 24 Hours at Dayona, Haywood discussed the long history between the racetrack and Porsche’s sports cars. Click past the jump to watch the clip.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Hurley Haywood details Porsche’s fond relationship with Daytona

Video: Hurley Haywood details Porsche’s fond relationship with Daytona

The Mitsuoka Himiko roadster has received an electric makeover that adds green cred to its retro-style allure. TGMY, the company responsible for the conversion, debuted the car at the 2011 Japan EV show, and the two-seater got at least as much attention for how far it could go – the stated range is 341.8 miles – as it did for its looks.

Typically, the Himiko comes with the running gear found in the Mazda Miata that it’s based on, but instead of a 2.0 liter DOHC gas engine and a 6-speed manual, TGMY’s version features an AC induction motor and controller from Azure Dynamics mated to a 2-speed gearbox from Shigehara Inc. The batteries that give the electric Himiko its industry-leading range are lithium polymer.

Orders are expected to be taken during the second half 2011. Hopefully by then we’ll have more details regarding specs, performance and pricing. For now, though, hit the jump for video of the car being presented by company president Takashi Ashida. Thanks to David for the tip!

[Source: Diginfo / TGMY]

Continue reading TGMY’s Mitsuoka Himiko goes electric, gets 340-mile range

TGMY’s Mitsuoka Himiko goes electric, gets 340-mile range

It started with politically incorrect commentary from Jerermy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May; the hosting trio of the BBC’s Top Gear. When discussing the Mexican-built Mastretta MXT, the three quickly turned to jokes relating the car to stereotypical viewpoints on Mexican citizens.

Shortly thereafter, the Mexican Ambassador didn’t find the spot humorous and complained to the BBC, which in turn has issued an apology (kind of). Now this entire affair has reached the modern pinnacle of worldwide attention… it’s been (That’s right, you guessed it!) turned into a cartoon by Next Media Animation. Finally!

Click past the jump to view Taiwan’s take on the the show’s falling out with Mexico. And remember, Top Gear can suck it!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Top Gear Mexico remarks get the animated dramatization treatment

Video: Top Gear Mexico remarks get the animated dramatization treatment

Honda has fired up a website for its new Fit Shuttle. The B-segment fighter’s larger twin is set to use the same center-tank design as the smaller of the duo, which means that buyers can look forward to a surprising amount of interior room. While the extended hatch will come with a gasoline drivetrain, the engineers have also cooked up a hybrid variant for squeezing the most out of every last whisper of fuel.

Word from Honda is that the Fit Shuttle will get an official unveil in March, which leads us to believe that the new creation will show its face at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show next month. That said, don’t expect to see the Fit Shuttle on our shores. This machine is likely to keep itself tucked away as a JDM-only model, though there is some chance that the car will show up in Europe as well. You can check out the Japanese site here.

[Source: Honda]

Honda officially previews Fit Shuttle, including hybrid model

Mercedes-Benz is throwing its hat into the Super Bowl advertising fray with a pretty new 60-second spot designed to celebrate the company’s 125th anniversary by heralding in a wave of five new models. The spot marks the very first time that the company has ever advertised during the NFL’s ultimate game. In the spot, Mercedes-Benz features four new vehicles, including a very quick peek at the upcoming C-Class Coupe and the SLS AMG Roadster.

The spot features many of the company’s past and current models escaping their owners in a bid to pay homage to the newborn Benz fleet. There are plenty of fantastic vintage Silver Arrows in the spot, along with a soundtrack by Janis Joplin and at least one celebrity cameo (we won’t spoil the surprise on that one). Hit the jump to check out the video for yourself.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz via Facebook]

Continue reading Video: Mercedes-Benz Super Bowl ad director’s cut reveals C-Class Coupe, SLS AMG Roadster

Video: Mercedes-Benz Super Bowl ad director’s cut reveals C-Class Coupe, SLS AMG Roadster

General Motors has gone ahead and saved us all the agony of waiting until the Super Bowl this Sunday to see all five of the company’s new ads. The automaker has officially yanked the veil of secrecy off of the spots well before kickoff, which means you can check them all out for yourself after the jump. The spots feature the Chevrolet Silverado HD, Cruze, Cruze Eco, Volt and Camaro in some very clever marketing. While we’re big fans of the Camaro “Miss Evelyn” spot that we saw earlier this week, the new clip for the Silverado HD is no less grin-inducing.

This year looks to be a good one for fans of clever advertising. With automakers from Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen to GM and Audi jumping into the fun, the commercial breaks are almost bound to be more fun than the actual game itself. Click past the jump to see the slew of Chevrolet ads before anyone else and to check out the press release.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Videos: Chevy drops entire load of Super Bowl commercials on us

Videos: Chevy drops entire load of Super Bowl commercials on us

We know the 2011 Kia Optima is an excellent sedan, but apparently it’s so desirable that anyone and everything across time and space are clamoring to get it.

In the Korean automaker’s new Super Bowl ad, a police officer playing ‘bad cop’ decides to take the car off the hands of a couple, now cuffed to his parked motorcycle. The constable, in turn, is no match for a super villain, his slick helicopter and a waiting mega-yacht. The Optima nearly falls into the villain’s hands, but by then, the all-new sedan has piqued the interest of the gods (we would have pegged Poseidon as a Maserati guy), and that’s when things get really interesting.

Click past the jump to watch the elaborate and visually impressive journey unfold.

[Source: Kia via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Epic Kia Optima Super Bowl ad stars Poseidon, aliens

Video: Epic Kia Optima Super Bowl ad stars Poseidon, aliens

42 MPG, Batteries Not Included

2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco – Click above for high-res image gallery

There’s always a little skepticism attached to Environmental Protection Agency fuel economy estimates. Even though the agency adjusted its testing procedures in 2008 to help generate more realistic figures, buyers and experts seem to approach the mystical city/highway numbers with the general impression that figures have little bearing on what owners actually experience in day-to-day use. So it should be no surprise that when General Motors and the EPA announced that the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco would hit 42 miles per gallon on the highway, a stink of disbelief filled our newsroom.

That kind of lofty highway fuel economy is typically relegated to hybrids, clean diesels and subcompacts that require an uncanny mastership of human origami to ferry four friends along – not roomy four-door compact sedans. Fortunately, GM was kind enough to turn us loose on a long stretch of Southern California interstate to put the fuel economy of the Cruze Eco to the test.

Continue reading…

Photos copyright (C)2011 Zach Bowman / AOL

Continue reading Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco

Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco

Designed in London and christened with the phonetic spelling of “thunderbolt” in an Italian Apennine dialect, the Agility Saietta has just been revealed at the Carole Nash/MCN London Motorcycle Show. This newest debutante on the electric motorcycle scene doesn’t hold back on the bold.

Sporting a narrow fairing evocative of a highly-stylized ram’s head (or possibly some sort of evil alien insect, we’re not sure) that swoops back to form a battery-encapsulating dome that fills the entire area directly ahead of the rider, the Saietta may be one man’s vision of rolling art. What sort of vision it provides for another man is anyone’s guess.

When the bike hits the streets, possibly as soon as April, it will be available in two packages: R and S. The S is the lesser of the beasts with 50 miles of range, a 0-to-60 time in the 5-second neighborhood and a price tag of £9,975 ($16,090 U.S. at today’s rates). The big brother is packed to go 100 miles, is a second quicker to 60 miles per hour and ships for £13,975 ($22,540).

As if we didn’t have enough to ponder whilst we wait for more specifics about the powertrain and performance, we can’t help but wonder what else might be lurking in the Agility Global Ltd. labs. The press release threatens that the “Saietta is the first of two new vehicle types that will revolutionise private transportation in cities.” Consider yourselves forewarned. Video of teaser renders after the break.

[Source: Agility Global Ltd. via Engadget]

Continue reading Agility Saietta electric motorcycle revealed, can’t be unseen [w/video]

Agility Saietta electric motorcycle revealed, can’t be unseen [w/video]

	Top Gear host wants electric vehicles powered by bumper car technology Watch out!		Italian designers envision amazing Solar Wind bridge It looks like the future, that’s for sure.
	Agility Saietta electric motorcycle revealed, can’t be unseen Two models coming this spring.	Other news: Mini E driver offers electric vehicle critic some real life experience Study: Diesels, hybrids retain more value than gasoline-fueled vehicles $33 million in EV tax credits went to buy unqualified vehicles (think Hummer H3, bicycle, etc.)

AutoblogGreen for 02.04.11

Every time a new pickup truck debuts, we get bombarded by marketing campaigns telling us how it’s more powerful, more luxurious, more capable and more economical than any other truck on the market. Every automaker plays this game. Now, though, every single truck on the planet has officially been lowered on the totem pole. Meet the Ferd F-Teenthousand.

Capable of towing 18 other trucks and making a new home for a beached whale, the Ferd F-Teenthousand comes with chest hair upholstery and a beard in the glove box. In fact, it’s so big and brutal that the United States government has apparently classified it as a tank. And not just one tank, eight tanks.

Pretty cool, right? Wrong. Really cool.

Follow the jump to see this parody advertisement, created by humorist Mark Little, all about the supreme majesty that is the Ferd F-Teenthousand. Really cool.

[Source: YouTube via Jalopnik]

Continue reading Video: Ferd F-Teenthousand parody commercial nails it

Video: Ferd F-Teenthousand parody commercial nails it

What the heck happened to Mercedes GP last season? The team showed at least as much promise as the three (Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull) that out-paced it at every turn – with Michael Schumacher coming out of retirement to drive for the defending championship team now backed by full factory support – but barely proved capable of keeping pace.

This could be our answer right here. When Brawn and company realized their transitioning team wasn’t capable of mounting a serious challenge for the title, it shifted focus mid-season from the W01 they were using to the new W02 for this season. It was the same sort of strategy Brawn undertook when the team was still under the Honda name, and it netted both titles the following year.

Can the new W02 follow the same path? Is it better suited (along with the new Pirelli spec tires) towards Schumacher’s driving style? Or will wingman Nico Rosberg prove capable of getting the better of him once again? Only one way to find out, and we’ll all be watching. In the meantime, follow the jump for the full press release and the images in the gallery below.

[Source: Mercedes GP]

Continue reading Second Time’s a Charm: Mercedes GP unveils its new W02 Silver Arrow

Second Time’s a Charm: Mercedes GP unveils its new W02 Silver Arrow

According to The Car Connection, a new study has found that the automotive industry is the second most trusted business in the world just behind technology. The research was conducted as part of the Edelman 2011 Trust Barometer and included results from 5,075 people in 23 countries. Each of the respondents were between 25 and 64 years old, held a college degree and were also in the top 25 percent of household income for their age group. Each participant was asked a series of questions concerning businesses, government and the media, especially concerning whether or not individuals trusted those entities to “do what’s right.”

Around 81 percent of those surveyed said that they trusted the technology sector to do the right thing (whatever that may be), compared to the automotive industry’s 69 percent. In fact, carmakers beat out 14 other industries including food and beverage, energy, pharmaceuticals, media and biotech. Why? The Car Connection seems to think the findings are coupled to the automotive industry’s underdog presence thanks to bankruptcies and massive recalls around the globe, while the greater push for green technologies and a rampant social media presence likely play a part as well.

[Source: The Car Connection]

Study: Auto industry second most-trusted behind Tech