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Scion has long been labeled as a “youth brand,” so perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised to read word of parent Toyota turning over the marque’s aging nameplates so quickly. According to Ward’s Auto, Scion is set to kill off its xB and xD models – the first a onetime icon for the brand, the latter an econobox that never truly caught on with buyers (not unlike it’s predecessor, the xA).

A model like the xB was always going to be a love-hate proposition, and indeed, the subcompact sharply divided opinion because of its its t-square styling and funky stance back when it was introduced in 2004. But enough buyers fell enough with its good qualities – remarkable space efficiency, solid fuel economy, ease-of-driving and low pricing that the xB sold surprisingly well, in the process becoming something of a totem for the brand. The second-generation model, which bowed for 2007, seemed to alter all the things that made the original so endearing: the xB grew substantially, had the uniquely sharp corners of its design chamfered off, and it gained more power without adding much in the way of performance because the vehicle had been so radically upsized. Fuel economy dipped, too, as did the xB’s popularity with shoppers. Last year, Scion only moved about 17,000 examples – in its heyday, the xB sold over 60,000 units.

A couple of years ago, Jim Farley, Ford’s vice president of global marketing, told Autoblog that Scion’s intent wasn’t to be a youth brand at all – it was to be an experimental division, an incubator for product and marketing techniques. Farley, as you may recall, was one of the driving forces behind Scion, ascending to the role of its vice president before being reassigned to Lexus. By Farley’s yardstick, perhaps Scion had pushed the xB and xD as far as they could go, and now it’s simply time to test new vehicular hypotheses. Indeed, more recent models like the tiny iQ and FR-S coupe show the brand experimenting in bold new directions… exactly the sort of innovation we can get behind.

Scion xB, xD models getting the axe

Go back just a few years ago, and you’d easily conclude that Ferrari and hybrids would go together about as well as ice cream and pickles. But a lot’s changed since then, and Ferrari is making no secret of the fact that it’s developing hybrid powertrains of its own.

The first system it developed is the Kinetic Energy Recovery System, a type of regenerative braking device developed with its sister company, Magneti Marelli, for use in Formula One. That lead to a similar system installed in an experimental version of the 599 called the HY-KERS concept displayed at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. More recently reports surfaced that Ferrari had patented a more conventional hybrid powertrain system, leading to speculation that the KERS type had been abandoned for road-car use – most poignantly in the upcoming successor to the Enzo. But while Ferrari apparently pursues development of that more conventional hybrid system, it appears that its next mid-engined V12 hypercar will adopt an evolution of the HY-KERS system displayed on that green 599 two years back.

A revised HY-KERS system has just been announced by Ferrari at the Beijing Auto Show, where the Prancing Horse also marked the Asian debut of its new F12 Berlinetta. Ferrari says the new system – installed on a V12 engine mounted amidship – is more effective than the one that preceded it, bringing emissions down to 40 percent of what a conventional engine with the same output would produce (compared to a 30 percent reduction from the previous incarnation), all while bringing engineers closer to their target of producing one kilowatt of energy for every kilogram of weight the system adds.

As for the F12, Ferrari has revealed that its latest supercar set a lap time at Fiorano of one minute, 23 seconds, making it the company’s quickest road car yet: a full second quicker than the 599 GTO it replaces, and about two seconds quicker than the Enzo, the 458 Italia and the 430 Scuderia. With that kind of progress, we can count on the new hybrid V12 hypercar to set an even quicker time still. Scroll down for the press release and video clip.

Continue reading Ferrari previews Enzo successor’s V12 HY-KERS powertrain [w/video]

Ferrari previews Enzo successor’s V12 HY-KERS powertrain [w/video]

Eterniti Motors chose the 2012 Beijing Motor Show to unveil the Artemis, an engineering prototype of the Hemera SUV Concept we saw at the Frankfurt Motor Show earlier this year. From the looks of things, the boutique automaker has ditched the Porsche Cayenne-inspired front for a fascia that borrows a bit more heavily from the Jaguar playbook. The company says the vehicles on display are currently running prototypes used for testing and that finished examples should be in production by this summer.

Designed to offer buyers new levels of luxury and performance, Eterniti calls the Artemis a Super SUV. The cabin boasts absurd levels of hand-crafted detail, including quilted carpets with lambswool rugs, natural wood veneers with carbon fiber and piano black accents and twin reclining rear seats. Eterniti stitched the SUV’s body from carbon composite and massive 23-inch wheels are standard equipment. Under the hood, a 4.8-liter twin-turbo V8 (wonder where they got that?) dumps 600 horsepower to the ground and helps the machine dart to 62 mph in a scant 4.5 seconds.

Buyers may purchase their own Artemis for around $337,785 at current conversion rates, complete with a two-year, 100,000-mile warranty. Eterniti thoughtfully offers insurance and financing for those who don’t have that sort of cash on hand. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Eterniti Motors brings updated Hemera Artemis SUV to Beijing

Eterniti Motors brings updated Hemera Artemis SUV to Beijing

Cyber crime is big business these days, and everyone from organized crime rings to governments are participating. The latest publicized attack was announced by Nissan, after the automaker detected malicious malware on its computer network.

Nissan Vice President Andy Palmer issued a statement that the attack has been detected, adding that neither customer nor employee data was accessed. Palmer says that the incident “initially involved the malicious placement of malware within our IS network, which then allowed transfer from a data store, housing employee user account credentials.”

Palmer did say that employee user IDs and hashed passwords were transmitted. That certainly sounds bad, but Palmer claims that Nissan has no indication that personal information was compromised.

Palmer also added that the attack occurred on April 13, but the automaker apparently chose not to disclose the issue until the extent of the damage was known. Nissan has also reportedly taken the time to ensure that their system data was properly secured. Scroll down to view the video statement issued by Nissan.

Continue reading Nissan suffers major cyber attack [w/video]

Nissan suffers major cyber attack [w/video]

Just about every brand under the Volkswagen Group umbrella has its own performance line these days. Marques like Lamborghini, Bugatti and Porsche may not need them, but Volkswagen has the R line, Audi has the RS range, Skoda offers the vRS models, and Seat badges its under the Cupra name.

It’s a nameplate that’s become synonymous with Latin-flavored hot hatches in markets around the world, and one of those vital markets is China. Little wonder, then, that Seat chose the Beijing Motor Show to launch its latest Cupra model.

Technically billed as a “concept,” even Seat admits the vehicle you see here is pretty darn close to the production model that is scheduled to debut later this year. It starts out with the latest Ibiza hatchback (which itself shares its underpinnings with the Volkswagen Polo) and upgrades it with VW’s celebrated 1.4 TSI engine that packs a turbocharger, supercharger and direct injection to produce a solid 180 horsepower. All that juice is driven to the front wheels through an electronic differential and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Seat’s also given the Ibiza Cupra Concept a suitably beefed-up look with LED lights and 17-inch wheels and a fully equipped interior, all of which you can read more about in the press release (together with video footage) below and scope out in the high-res image gallery above.

Continue reading Seat hatches hot little Ibiza Cupra Concept in Beijing [w/video]

Seat hatches hot little Ibiza Cupra Concept in Beijing [w/video]

Bulgarian tuner Vilner has some kind of Luxo-Ray that fires munitions packed with at least two tons of quilted leather and Alcantara, then aims it at just about everything as soon as it can be reloaded. The latest target is the Land Rover Defender Wood, making this the second time in a year that the Defender has come into Vilner’s sights.

Last time they only hit it with one barrel and left the floorboards and cargo area covered in black carpeting. This time they unloaded both barrels, so in addtion to black-and-brown Nappa leather and Alcantara wrapping everything from the sport seats to the third brake light, Vilner’s added leather arm rests, wood paneling underfoot and a new treatment for its 600-watt “Ground Zero” sound system that all but eliminates usable cargo space.

Oh, and the whole thing is soundproofed. So that no one can hear you scream at your passengers to remove their dark-soled shoes and not eat, drink or touch anything.

Continue reading Vilner adds wood paneling to Land Rover Defender

Vilner adds wood paneling to Land Rover Defender

At what point does a political issue become a moral one? And at what point, if any, should motor racing enter that debate? These are the questions that Formula 1 and all those involved have wrestled with since the Bahrain Grand Prix was put back on the calendar for this year.

Some argued that sporting competition should rise above such issues. Others decried the cold-heartedness of holding something as glitzy as an F1 race where government forces are brutally cracking down on protestors – particularly when the race itself is orchestrated by said government.

One way or another, however, the grand prix took place this weekend in Bahrain, entering the record books as the fourth round in this year’s championship. Keep reading to find out how it unfolded.

Continue reading Bahrain Grand Prix races on despite the protests [spoilers]

Bahrain Grand Prix races on despite the protests [spoilers]

Britain is not without its automakers, even if they are all foreign-owned, but Mini certainly ranks among the most quintessentially British of them all. Parent company BMW has cashed in on this with a succession of special editions that celebrate its Anglophilia.

The latest are called the Hyde Park and Green Park editions, named after public spaces in London. The Hyde Park model comes in off-white with brown trim (which Mini calls “Hot Chocolate”) on the roof, mirror caps and stripes. The Green Park edition has green trim (British Racing Green, naturally) to contrast with the same Pepper White body color.

Owners putting down their deposits for a special new Mini can opt for two body styles (hatchback and Clubman wagon) and four engines: 122-horsepower Cooper, 184hp Cooper S, 112hp diesel Cooper D and 143hp diesel Cooper SD.

The interiors have also been spruced up for the special editions, as you can see for yourself in the attached image gallery. More info can be found in the press release below the fold.

Continue reading Mini motors through London with Hyde Park and Green Park editions

Mini motors through London with Hyde Park and Green Park editions

James Bond has driven a lot of noteworthy vehiclesover the course of his long, fictitious career in Her Majesty’s secret service: Bentleys, Aston Martins, Lotuses, BMWs… and those are just the cars. There’ve been countless motorcycles, tanks and trucks as well. And in between high-speed chases across dangerous and picturesque terrain, 007 has streaked across the sky in helicopters, jets and hot-air balloons, above it in the space shuttle. Let’s not forget that Bond is also a commander in the Royal Navy, so he’s also no stranger to speedboats, jet-skis, yachts, warships and submarines.

It’s hard to keep track of it all, so with the latest film, Skyfall, coming out in October, we’re glad to share this tidy infographic that lays out all the Bond vehicles from every movie, plus some trivia and miscellany for the most die-hard Bond fans and automotive enthusiasts. It’s similar to the one we brought you last year, only updated and more comprehensive. Click the image above to view the infographic in higher resolution.

Infographic lays out all of 007’s vehicles

Of course you all know who that man in the picture is, don’t you? He’s Jeremy Clarkson, one of the stars of Top Gear, the BBC’s hilarious automotive variety show. Its 18th series just premiered on BBC America this past Monday, with more new episodes airing Mondays at 8:30 p.m. EDT/PDT.

We include this preamble because the powers that be at the BBC have kindly suggested that if we want to use this photo of their Mr. Clarkson, we do so “for show promotion only.”

Now that we’ve taken care of that, we’ll get on with the news, which of course, pertains to the aforementioned celebrity rankling yet another group in Britain. This time it’s a result of Clarkson’s commentary in The Sun newspaper, calling people who commit suicide by jumping under trains “selfish,” suggesting that trains should be put back on schedule after these incidents as soon as possible. According to a report by Press Gazette, five groups who assist suicide victims and their families have complained to the Press Complaints Commission, stating their belief that Clarkson and his newspaper employer violated a clause pertaining to “intrusion into grief.”

The Sun apologized, according to the report, removed Clarkson’s column from its website and agreeing to train its staff in reporting suicide sensitively, among other concessions.

Given Clarkson’s long history of seemingly attempting to offend everyone in Britain, from its clergy to public sector unions, if not the world (particularly Indians), we wonder if he’ll actually be forced to complete the training. And if he does, we can only imagine what an amazing BBC special that might make.

Sun retrains staff over Jeremy Clarkson suicide jabs

We last saw the Aston Martin V12 Zagato on the floor at the Geneva Motor Show in March. It was hardly an opportune moment to relish the automaker’s stunning new two-seater, however, as we were forced to dodge the crowds while shooting images for our live gallery. Wanting to get a closer second look at the exceedingly rare exotic and shoot a more detailed photo montage, we visited Galpin Aston Martin in Southern California for a private viewing (astute readers may recall that several years ago we visted Galpin’s exclusive “vault room” to check out the Aston Martin One-77).

Beneath this example’s glossy Diavolo Red paint, mounted within the all-alloy aluminum monocoque platform, is the powerful running gear of a V12 Vantage (a car we called “an intoxicating machine masterfully engineered to gratify every emotion in a car enthusiast’s soul” in our V12 Vantage review). In a nutshell, the rear-wheel drive V12 Zagato features a naturally-aspirated 6.0-liter V12 (rated at 510 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque), a rear mid-mounted transaxle and a traditional six-speed manual gearbox. Ever so slightly lighter than the V12 Vantage, the V12 Zagato will crack the 60 mph benchmark in about four seconds and not run out of steam until about 190 mph. Scroll down to continue reading.

Continue reading Private showing gives us a closer look at the Aston Martin V12 Zagato

Private showing gives us a closer look at the Aston Martin V12 Zagato

Remember the rumors of BMW working on a hot 1 Series hatch just below the 1 Series M? The evidence trail was so faint that we called it “the most speculative sort of specualtion” when we posted on it six months ago. The trail and the car just got a lot hotter now that the very three-door hatch in question, the M135i, has been spotted burning serious gas around the Nürburgring.

Juice will come from BMW’s N55 inline-six cylinder with somewhere around 320 horsepower, and we’re told there will in fact be an all-wheel-drive version to follow. This will put BMW at ground zero of the small luxury hot hatch battle alongside the 350-horsepower Mercedes-Benz A25 AMG and 340-horsepower Audi RS3. That gives us one more thing to remember: even if the Benz comes in at 340 hp there’ll be 1,000 horsepower between just these three cars in a segment best known for frugal luxury, which means the good old days in this segment are still on the way.

BMW M135i caught in a ‘Ring fling

Ever get the feeling that not every grand prix on the Formula One calendar should be worth as much as every other? Aside from the bragging points that go with winning a race like, say, the Monaco Grand Prix, maybe the most prominent races should be worth more championship points, too? So says Bernie Ecclestone, according to the latest reports.

The notoriously outspoken F1 supremo is always hatching new ideas on how to make the series more interesting, and his latest borrows from the world of competitive tennis. The four most important tournaments on the tennis circuit – the Australian Open, French Open, U.S. Open and Wimbledon – are not only more prominent in every way than any other, but they’re also worth more points for the players who win them.

Since the current calendar of 20 races is the most F1 has ever seen and regarded as the most it could possibly accommodate, could awarding more points for a handful of iconic races be what the proverbial doctor ordered to mix things up? Maybe, but identifying which races would get the honor would be another matter. Out of 20 races, we’d pick Australia, Japan, Britain, Monaco, Canada and Brazil as the likely candidates. Is this a good idea? Have your own list in mind? Let’s hear your thoughts in Comments.

Ecclestone mulling tennis-style Grand Slam races for F1

If you’ve been waiting for someone to combine R/C cars and Ken Block’s brand of gymkhana, you’ll want to pay a visit to Hot Wheels. The toy maker has produced a replica of Block’s rallying Ford Fiesta, and after you load the required eight AA batteries you’ll be drifting it around corners WRC-style in much less time than it took Block to learn his craft.

We won’t mention the center-mounted wheel under the car that makes it all a bit easier. Instead, you can scroll down to see a video of Ken Block writ small for yourself.

Continue reading Ken Block’s latest Gymkhana vid goes small scale

Ken Block’s latest Gymkhana vid goes small scale

In between bouts of Olympic games, the official torch that traditionally kicks off the opening ceremonies makes the long journey by a relay of runners to the host site. And you can bet that over the course of years, it has passed through some tricky environmental conditions. But is it ready to endure the unpredictability of British weather?

To find out, BMW – a main sponsor of the fast-approaching London Olympics – lent its wind tunnel facility to test the torch in a variety of conditions. Over the course of the grueling test, the torch was made to withstand temperatures ranging from 23 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, winds generated at upwards of 50 mph, with snow packed into the front and under driving rain. But all the while the flame stayed lit.

The tests were carried out at the BMW Energy and Environmental Test Centre in Munich, a facility which boasts three wind tunnels and two climatic test rooms capable of simulating weather from -4F to 131F, replicating the Arctic Tundra and the Sahara Desert, generating wind speeds at up to 174 mph, and simulating altitudes approaching 14,000 feet above sea level.

Watch a video of the testing procedure shown on the UK’s ITV1 news by scrolling down.

Continue reading BMW lends its wind tunnel to test the Olympic torch [w/video]

BMW lends its wind tunnel to test the Olympic torch [w/video]

The group of hackers known as Anonymous issued a press release last night announcing their intent to hack and take down the official website for Formula One at formulaone.com for the duration of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Their reason? To protest the increasingly violent crackdown on the people of Bahrain by their own government.

As of this writing, formulaone.com is down as promised and another website, F1-racers.net, is displaying a message from Anonymous that claims responsibility.

In its press release, Anonymous addresses Bernie Ecclestone, president and CEO of Formula One, directly, promising the following:

Anonymous will turn your web site (www.formula1.com) into a smoking crater in cyber space. We will also jam your phone lines, bomb your E-Mail inboxes – and wreck anything else of yours we can find on the internet.

The group also calls upon fans of F1 to ignore the race by either not attending in person or watching it on television. They also appeal to the drivers themselves to protest the race by not crossing the starting line at the beginning of the race.

Last year’s Bahrain Grand Prix was cancelled due to civil unrest, and despite the increasing frequency of protests and severity of their crackdown leading up to this weekend’s race, it has not yet been cancelled. As a result, activists, now including the Anonymous group, are using the motorsport’s worldwide popularity to gain attention for their cause.

Scroll down to read the press release from Anonymous in full.

Continue reading Anonymous hacks official F1 website ahead of Bahrain GP

Anonymous hacks official F1 website ahead of Bahrain GP

Don’t Call It A Comeback

Continue reading 2013 Ford Escape [w/video]

2013 Ford Escape [w/video]

When a major automaker shuts down its racing program like Peugeot did at Le Mans, it leaves a big gaping hole for everyone involved. The French automaker’s departure from endurance racing left the series organizers scrambling for another team to take its place just as it was preparing to inaugurate the new FIA World Endurance Championship. It left Audi – the Diane Sawyer of Le Mans racing, to borrow an analogy from Talladega Nights – without its Katie Couric. And arguably most of all, it left Peugeot’s roster of highly skilled drivers without a ride.

Easily among the most talented of these drivers is Marc Gené, the driver who helped Peugeot clinch the checkered flag at La Sarthe in 2009. A longtime factory test driver for Ferrari (and one time grand prix driver for Minardi and Willaims), Gené has a wealth of experience that couldn’t very well be left untapped. So it should come as little surprise that Audi has scooped him up.

Although the German automaker already has a full roster of pilots – proven race winners, no less – at its disposal, it has found room for Gené as a reserve driver. In this capacity Gené will be filling in for an uninjured Timo Bernhard to drive the #3 Audi R18 Ultra together with French drivers Romain Dumas and Loïc Duval at Spa-Francorchamps in just a couple of weeks, and will undoubtedly be on hand to jump into the cockpit at Le Mans in June should duty call.

Continue reading Audi Sport scoops up ex-Peugeot driver Marc Gené for reserve role

Audi Sport scoops up ex-Peugeot driver Marc Gené for reserve role

We can’t see any way for Mr. LaHood and his crusaders against distracted driving to win; consumers want access to their connected lives even while behind the wheel and they’re going to find a way to get it. Even if it means not being able to actually use a cellphone, manufacturers are right now working on ways to further integrate the app-sphere into their infotainment systems, and a Michigan company called Livio would like to help them.

Livio makes devices so you can get Internet radio in your car. It has begun working on a set of software tools that will provide a common language between automakers’ inftotainment systems and apps. Livio wants to develop the software with each interested maker to provide integration tailored to specific systems, and its role as translator would free automakers from software duties and give app makers an easier route to in-car adaptability.

One could ask why don’t automakers simply work together on a common standard. It’s possible that they are, but with carmakers having come so far with their own systems, with infotainment one of the hottest battlegrounds between brands, and with colossal variation in regulatory diktats, we can see why Livio is presenting the option. The firm hasn’t set up any deals yet, but automakers and electronics firms are paying attention.

Livio developing common standard for using apps in cars

Chances are, if we asked you to replicate the sound of a Chevrolet small block with a mild cam, you could probably pull it off with nothing more than a little slobber and a few embarrassed glares from your significant other. If you keep practicing that particular skill, you may just find yourself in front of a massive studio audience. Just ask 19-year-old Daniel Jovanovic.

The teenager recently took the stage on the show Australia’s Got Talent and managed to wow all three judges with his impressive engine impersonations. He started with the sound of a Formula One pit stop before moving to a variety of other machines.

Talented? Absolutely. Even if he doesn’t manage to take the top nod, Jovanovic has already soared to internet stardom. Scroll down to check out the quick video for yourself.

Continue reading Australia’s Got Talent contestant wows judges with car impersonations

Australia’s Got Talent contestant wows judges with car impersonations