Land Rover Range Rover Evoque live reveal – Click above to watch the live webcast
It’s been less than 24 hours since we told you that would be pulling the wraps off of its new baby (or whatever it ends up being called when it reaches showrooms). Well, it’s 3:30 PM Eastern time, and the live reveal should be spooling up as you read this.
to watch the webcast and see Land Rover’s latest creation for yourself. Stay tuned for the full smattering of details and images as well.
*UPDATE: We now have the first official image of the production model (), which will be dubbed Range Rover Evoque when it goes on sale in the Fall of 2011. Expect the full details to be released this September at the . For now, Land Rover’s press release is available after the jump.
2011Chevrolet Cruze CS – Click above for high-res image
Well, now – look who got themselves a set of fancy new dancing shoes. buyers in the UK can now outfit their thrifty little sedans with a trick lowered suspension, rear spoiler and contrasting wheels, straight from the factory. The look helps the car resemble the Silverline Cruze currently bashing around the . We certainly dig on the white 18-inch multi-spoke alloys. They look right at home on the blue car in the high-res gallery shown here, especially given the more aggressive stance served up by the reworked suspension.
is calling the package the CS styling kit, and those wanting a little extra menace with their Cruze better get ready to shell out £1,595, or $2,410 at current exchange rates. As the Cruze starts at around $15,500, that’s a not insignificant amount of dosh, but it also adds a good amount of presence to the visuals and hopefully improves handling.
Either way, we have a sneaking suspicion that we’re not likely to see the CS package on our shores. Most Americans have no clue what the is all about, and while the add-ons certainly sharpens the appearance of the Cruze, we’re more likely to get a mild body kit and not much else. for the press release.
Audi R8 5.2 FSI tears up an airforce base – Click above to watch video
We all like a good car video. Whether it’s a high-dollar commercial worked up just for the or one of pieces of cinematic glory, it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t mind watching a slick piece of sheetmetal get sideways. But it’s easy to underestimate the amount of work that can go into even the shortest pieces of footage. Take, for instance, this latest spot worked up by the crew at WebRidesTV for the 5.2 FSI. The guys shot from dawn till dusk, hired none other than Nathan Swartzbaugh of fame to pilot the mid-engined terror and even rolled out a slick camera car just for the action – all 30 seconds of it.
Now, if you’re like us, you’re probably wondering where the “” part comes from in the title. We honestly have no idea. As far as we can tell, there’s no sort of predetermined course, active timing or even meandering Segways – just Swartzbaugh getting sideways in a car that’s worth more than all of our worldly possessions. Still, not a bad way to blow five minutes of your day. to see the action.
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Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2009, Weblogs, Inc.
2011 Kia Sportage – click above for high-res image gallery
The crossover is the high-fructose corn syrup of the automotive world. Think about it: Rather than using real sugar, Pepsi opts for a cheaper, highly refined and processed sweetener. Which, according to lots of studies, is pretty bad for us. Why would they do that? Higher profits, pure and simple. Likewise, CUVs offer all of the space of a comparably long station wagon or hatchback, get inferior mileage, don’t handle as well, take longer to stop and in most cases offer none of the utility of a true off-roader. But guess what? They pull in fistfuls of greenbacks for auto companies.
Like high-fructose corn syrup then, car experts (”Hi, Mom!”) can scream out their lungs until they’re blue about the benefits of a more sensible, safer, smarter product (again, wagons). Yet consumers simply don’t listen. The fastest growing automotive segment is – of course – the small CUV. Like the Snickers bar, the Twinkie and a twenty-piece Chicken McNuggets meal with BBQ sauce (all of which is mostly corn syrup), they are here to stay, forever. Buyers just seem to like the looks and the perceived safety that a high-riding vehicle affords them. Plus, for those with infant children, not having to stoop down to strap Junior into his car seat is the most luxurious feature on earth. With all that in mind, some CUVs are better than others – and not only in terms of looks, but also handling, packaging, content and value. Is the new one of them? Read on to find out.
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Photos by Jonny Lieberman / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
With Robert Kubica’s contract up for renewal at the end of this season, speculation has been rampant around the F1 paddock as to where he’ll end up next. The highly rated Polish driver debuted with -Sauber in 2006 after winning the Formula Renault 3.5 title the year before, and went on to land as high as fourth place in the drivers’ standings two years later. This season the Pole switched to Renault and is sitting in sixth place so far after a couple of notable podium finishes. Reports now indicate that he’s looking to stay with the French team – which won back-to-back world titles just a few years ago – for another few years, so long as Renault can secure funding to compete at the top.
To that end, Renault is reportedly in discussions with MasterCard as title sponsor, something the team has been missing in the wake of the Crashgate scandal and subsequent dismissal of its top personnel. The credit firm had sponsored the Lola team in 1997, but failed to make it to the grid entirely. MasterCard’s sponsorship money, however, could be just what Renault and Kubica need to get back on track.
And what about the second seat, you ask? That’s currently filled by Vitaly Petrov, a young Russian rookie that Renault signed for financial concerns. With more cash on hand, the team could look to sign a more experienced and capable driver, and has been recently linked with bringing Kimi Raikkonen back to the series. This could get interesting.
Citroën DS3 – Click above for high-res image gallery
French motorists sure do love them some cabriolets, but while Renault and Peugeot each offer an assortment of convertibles, Citroën has largely stayed out of the sun-worshiping game. Until now, that is, according to reports from across the Atlantic.
A drop-top version of the DS3 premium hatchback is said to be in the works, although details at this point are scarce. No word on what sort of mechanism – fabric or metal – will be employed, or which engines will carry over from the fixed-roof model, but sources state that the hot version won’t go topless. The DS3 cabrio isn’t expected before 2012 at the earliest, at which point it will likely fetch a £2000 premium, or about €2500/$3000.
Jeff Zwart qualifies at Pikes Peak – Click above to watch the video
Life is filled with a number of paralyzing injustices. Chief among them is the fact that, by and large, the vast majority of humanity will never get to ride shotgun with Jeff Zwart as he raises hell on with his Cup racer. That’s a damn shame, too. Zwart just managed to set the Time Attack 2wd Class with a staggering 5:01.642, bending the laws of physics, time and space to his very will in the process.
Sadly, Zwart only has so much time on his hands, and while we’re sure he’s a nice enough guy, he’s got better things to do than ferry the common man up and down the mountain for the rest of his dying days. Fortunately for us, there’s Will Roegge and his continually mind-melting video abilities. Roegge was quick enough to throw a camera in Zwart’s cockpit as he ran a qualifying run up the mountain this year and has shared the footage with the world at large. Three words: stay on target.
Fiat 500 Ferrari Dealers Edition by Pogea Racing – Click above for high-res image gallery
Soon enough, we Americans will be able to feast upon the Forbidden Fruit that is the . Will we get the hotted-up models? That remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure, we’re super duper jealous of the hotter hatch that the folks at Pogea Racing have created – the 500 Ferrari Dealers Edition which boasts more power (a lot more power, actually) all wrapped in a too-cute (but still somehow menacing) package.
The Pogea team starts with a , which in standard form produces 160 horsepower and 169 pound-feet of torque. From there, a new turbocharger, exhaust system, downpipe and catalytic converter have been added, meaning that the tiny Fiat now cranks out a whopping 264 hp and 243 lb-ft. Staggering numbers for a car that’s smaller than a . To tame all of that extra grunt, larger brakes have been added that reduce braking distance by about six feet, though the new stoppers are identical in weight to the standard Abarth setup.
Yes, we want one. In fact, we’ll take two. Scroll through the gallery below to see dozens of high-resolution photos, and follow the jump to read Pogea Racing’s (translated) press release.
Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren crypt – Click above to watch video
Objects have a way of moving through time in a way that we as mere humans can only dream of. Given the proper storage environment, limited humidity, a little care and a lot of good luck, a car can sail through the decades without a scratch. While owners fade to dust and the powers that brought them from vision to reality wander from memory, the vehicles themselves continue on just as they were in the moments of their highest glory. If you’ve been very, very lucky, you just might have experienced something like the video after the jump.
While we doubt too many people get private tours of the storage center, it’s entirely possible that you’ve had a one-on-one moment with a special car of some kind. Maybe it belonged to an uncle, grandfather or parent, or maybe you reached out and touched a famous racer while the guards weren’t watching. Either way, it’s easy to feel the weight of years slip off so that you might make a connection with another point in time.
A new video has cropped up showing as they poke around in the McLaren garage, and what they find is something more than special. to see for yourself.
According to a official, a report suggesting that Carlos Ghosn is stepping aside after more than decade at the helm of Nissan “is not true!” A local news site in Cool Springs, TN (near the automaker’s North American headquarters) today that Ghosn, who is currently the CEO of both Nissan and French automaker Renault, plans to surrender the Nissan post to Carlo Tavares. Tavares is currently the Executive Vice President of Nissan Americas Operations.
Nissan spokeswoman Katherine Zachary emphatically told Autoblog that the report is “not true” but declined any further comment on the matter. Ghosn became Chief Operating Officer at Nissan in 1999 before later being named CEO. His leadership is largely credited with the brand’s product resurgence in the past decade and saving it from bankruptcy. More recently, Ghosn has pushed both Nissan and Renault to produce large volumes of mainstream electric vehicles.
Just a few short months ago, to serve as the head of Renault for another four years. If we hear any more news on the matter, we’ll dutifully pass it along.
The man responsible for the has reportedly passed away at the age of 82 of heart failure. Nicholas Hayek was a savvy businessman who wanted to apply the success he had experienced in the watchmaking world to car universe. Hayek brought affordability to the Swiss watch market with his Swatch products, and envisioned an automobile that would be just as customizable and affordable as his then wildly popular time pieces. What would eventually become the Smart Car was originally a joint venture with that flew under the Swatchmobile banner.
But the VW partnership eventually hit the rocks, and stepped in to lend a hand. Oddly enough, Hayek left the Smart Car program after Mercedes-Benz balked at his ideas for a diesel-hybrid model. Now Smart is launching its all-electric .
While the Smart portfolio hasn’t exactly taken the world by storm – or made money for its owners – there’s no denying its impact. Nearly everyone knows what the quirky little cars are, even if they’ve never driven one. Hayek’s brief time in the automotive spectrum had a lasting effect that will likely continue on for years to come.
Let’s take a stroll back through time to an era when droves of people, young and old, would willingly pay to watch bad actors and improbable cars join forces to fight evil on the silver screen. No, we’re not talking about 2007, nor Michael Bay’s . We’re interested in something altogether more pure – 1986’s The Wraith. If you’ve never seen the film, you’re missing out on a piece of cinematic car history that uses plot only as a vessel for plot holes. But never mind that. The star of the show is none other than the 1984 M4S Concept. Charlie Sheen is there, too.
Using its mid-ship, twin-turbo 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine, the newly christened Wraith is no longer a prisoner of the show circuit. Using state of the art special effects, the car spends the length of the film running down gang members and restoring order to society.
And now it’s for sale. After being found in pieces, some loving soul has taken the time to restore The Wraith to its former glory, and it’s now available for sale in Kansas. According to , the seller is open to entertaining offers. Take our advice: don’t low ball the guy. The Wraith just might come for your immortal soul.
is no stranger to being first – Japanese luxury vehicles and hybrids chief among them. Although may have launched earlier, remains the only Japanese luxury marque to market in Japan. And having launched in Europe shortly after America, Lexus was also the first to challenge the European heavyweights on their home turf, and with its and , it remains the only non-European marque to compete at the top level.
Credit Toyota, as well, for popularizing hybrid technology, as it launched the domestically as the first mass-produced gas-electric, whereupon it has dominated the market with successive generations. But where the Japanese auto giant has really stood apart is in the combination of both luxury and hybrid technology.
Recognizing the technology’s popularity with upscale buyers, Lexus has carved out a niche in producing luxury hybrids. In fact, its lineup in many European markets is comprised exclusively of hybrids. The launched late last year as the world’s first dedicated luxury hybrid model and now Lexus is branching out again by electrifying territory previously uncharted by Japanese automakers: the premium hatchback segment. We flew out to Toyota’s European headquarters to see how development of the new CT 200h has been coming along. Follow the jump to see what we found.
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Photos by Noah Joseph / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Fernando Alonso takes the Ferrari F10 around Fiorano – Click above to watch the video
The Nuclear Test Ban Treaty may have made the world a better place, but the test ban in place in Formula One has had some other rather interesting effects. Take Jaime Alguersuari, for example, who was racing in actual grands prix before getting a chance to actually test out . Or Michael Schumacher, who had to before coming out of retirement. Or in this case, Fernando Alonso, who had never even lapped iconic private Fiorano test track… until now.
Ferrari took advantage of a loophole in the regulations that allows teams to run their cars during the season for “promotional purposes.” So in order to test the revisions that the Scuderia made to its racer in advance of , and allow their two-time world champion to get some track time at Fiorano, Ferrari had to release this clip. Follow to watch the video from inside the cockpit, and consider the team suitably promoted.
Patent drawings for a small Chevy pickup – Click above for high-res image gallery
designers have had some fun with the company Etch-a-Sketch and came up with this, then filed the drawings with the patent office. Any details identifying its place in the Chevy lineup or in the automaker’s global marketplace were sadly left out of the filing.
Carscoop theorizes that it could be an update for the South American market, or a long-shot replacement for the Colorado. At right is a single-cab Chevy Colorado, whose door handles and greenhouse are close to the patent drawing.
However, beneath that is a Brazilian-market 2009 Chevy S10 Colina, whose taillights are a much better match for the patent drawing. Swapping its front end for the Cruze-ish grille in the filing might be more reasonable than performing the same swap on a Colorado, or maybe not. What’s really got us wondering are those exposed bed-rail tie-downs, which look like something from an early eighties Toyota. Or a . What truck and what market are looking for those?
Have a look at the high-res filings yourself and feel free to make all the guesses you want.
It doesn’t take a gearhead to know that engine coolant is vitally important to the overall health of your car or truck. Still, thousands of vehicle owners ignore their coolant every year to the detriment of their precious powertrains. Prestone wanted to demonstrate just how important coolant is to the health of an engine, but this isn’t the sexiest topic on earth. So did Prestone spend big bucks on a CGI simulation? How about boring us with a video showing how long it takes for a vehicle sans fluids to go up in smoke? Nope. Instead Prestone gave some well-trained pyromaniacs high-powered blow torches and melted the aluminum engine block of a 3.6-liter V6.
Hit the jump to watch as GM’s high-feature V6 feels the heat of several blowtorches. It only took about 20 minutes to mutilate everything but the crankshaft and cylinder sleeves, but Prestone cut the carnage down to three manageable minutes.
2007 Audi Cross Coupé concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
Apparently not content to let Mini hog the small premium crossover segment with its new Countryman, is reportedly working on an Allroad version of the A1.
The A1 three-door hatchback goes on sale this year with a five-door coming in 2011. A higher-riding crossover variant could come by 2013 and follow in the path of previous Audi Allroad editions with arch extensions, bigger wheel and tires and possibly even all-wheel drive. A quattro variant hasn’t yet been confirmed, although is reportedly working on an all-wheel drive variant of the which shares its platform with the little Audi. Given Audi’s 30-year commitment to quattro, we’d bet on both variants for the A1 Allroad – but of course, we were surprised when the A1 hatch arrived with only its front wheels driven…
New spy photos have turned up showing a standard-cab version of the Amarok… snagged testing on Germany’s Nürburgring, of all places. Up until now, the Amarok pickup has only been seen with a short-bed, crew-cab configuration, but the new standard-cab is expected to go on sale in 2011. The thick B-pillar should mean that the seats will have some space behind them to allow for storage or adjustment for more leg-room.
The current Amarok is only available with either four- or all-wheel-drive, but the new version is expected to have a rear-wheel drive base model as well. Judging by the relatively plain trim on this prototype, it appears that Volkswagen is aiming to offer a lower cost work truck similar to the pickups that are commonly sold to commercial fleets here in the United States.
The 163 horsepower 2.0-liter diesel is expected to carry over to the standard-cab with a dual-clutch DSG gearbox joining the existing six-speed manual box. As far as we know, there are still no plans to offer the Amarok in the North American market. Oh, and we’re also not sure if the Amorok was able to set any new ‘Ring records… but probably not.
The has been electromagnetic when it comes to special editions, nearly as powerful at attracting check-this-option-box versions as the . The next one to be rung up is the MX-5 Miyako for those roadster-loving Brits. Part of the year-long celebration of , the “summer special edition” Miyako gets the requisite leather interior upgrade with highlighted stitching and badging, unique colors and 17-inch wheels.
It is the first special edition that you can have in both ragtop and folding tin-top forms, with 500 each available to the consuming public. It goes on sale July 1, priced from £18,385 ($27,722 U.S.) on-the-road. Have a read on all the specs , and check the fun you’re meant to have in it in the gallery of high-res photos below.
Ralph Gilles reports that the halls of are abuzz with enthusiasm since Fiat rescued . In an interview with The Detroit News, Gilles conveys his enthusiasm for the Dodge brand and the new direction it’s headed. Among the most significant changes? 100,000-plus fans on Facebook for Dodge. To many, that figure may be nowhere near as important as the divorcing of Ram into its own sub-brand, but Gilles notes there was virtually no social media presence for Dodge just months ago. Brash moves like the during the World Cup are also harbingers of what we’re likely to see from Dodge, Gilles says.
Nuts-and-bolts developments like the horsepower rating of the in the new , the name and the possibility of a new Viper find Gilles being more coy. It’s an encouraging chat for anyone concerned with the future of Dodge. Gilles seems genuinely enthusiastic about the different directions Dodge is going to get its brand engaging with fans and customers. There’s an apparel line that’s done surprisngly well, , more grassroots focus and it all means that you should expect to see Dodge popping up in unexpected places. The most important, and perhaps still unexpected place you’ll see Dodge showing up soon is the auto show stand. Dodge and parent Chrysler are set to introduce a slew of new models in the coming months. If they’re as good as they need to be, we’ll be giddy like Gilles, too.
designers have had some fun with the company Etch-a-Sketch and came up with this, then filed the drawings with the patent office. Any details identifying its place in the Chevy lineup or in the automaker’s global marketplace were sadly left out of the filing.
