If you want a top-of-the-line SUV with serious performance capabilities, look no further than the Group. Its unit has had tremendous success with the , a vehicle that has doubled its sales all on its own – and that’s not even accounting for the or that share some of its underpinnings. Keen to capitalize on that success, the German auto giant is overseeing the application of the same formula to two of its other divisions: , which just unveiled its new Urus concept, and , which is working on an SUV of its own.
The British marque has been showcasing the EXP 9 F concept to preview what it has in store. It only hinted at powertrain possibilities upon its unveiling at the , but at the , it got ever so slightly more specific. Like the range, the production version of the Bentley sport-ute would pack a 600-horsepower, 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12, but offer the (relatively) more sensible 500hp, 4.0L twin-turbo V8 as well. The bigger news, however, is the V6 plug-in hybrid option which Bentley is planning for its SUV, enabling it to travel up to 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) on electric-only mode, while rocketing to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than five seconds.
Bentley projects the variety of powertrain options will help it sell 3,000 units of the vehicle once it enters production in 2015 – the same figures sister-company Lamborghini is projecting for the Urus. To put that into context, consider that Bentley sold just over 7,000 vehicles (from its current and lines) around the world last year. That’s still a far cry from the number of Cayennes that Porsche churns out – it delivered nearly 13,000 of them in the United States alone last year – but then the EXP 9 F is expected to carry a price tag north of $200,000 (double the price of even the most expensive Cayenne Turbo) while sharing common components to make its first entrance into SUV market a lucrative one for the Flying B brand.
Scope out the fresh high-resolution images we’ve added to the gallery above for another look at the EXP 9 F (which is still expected to look different by the time it comes to production), and for the press release containing powertrain information.
Rumors that would some day build the in the U.S. have bounced around for years, with often being cited as the most likely candidate. After that plan was , a new version of the same story returned in 2010 when a Toyota executive vice president said . Given the on-again, off-again history of the story, we weren’t surprised when not much was officially said about the matter in the last two years. That changed today.
Koei Saga, senior managing officer in charge of drivetrain R&D at Toyota, has informed Automotive News that Toyota is now thinking of making the Prius in the U.S. by 2015 and wants to get hybrid drivetrain components – motors, inverters, batteries (likely lithium-ion packs) – from North American suppliers. The base fourth-gen Prius will probably still use nickel-metal hydride batteries, but the batteries made in the U.S. might be li-ion.
A 2015 timetable means it is likely that America would make the fourth-gen Prius model, which is due around that time. The reason this story keeps coming back is because it makes sense to build the Prius in the States. and expected to grow, so extra production somewhere will almost certainly be needed to meet demand. Plus, a strong yen means that Prius vehicles built in America would likely come at a lower cost to Toyota.
Toyota currently makes the hybrid in the U.S. at its plant in Georgetown, KY. The question as to whether the U.S. Prius would be made there, at Toyota’s Mississippi plant, at the plant in Fremont, CA (formerly known as NUMMI) – where have also floated around in the past – or somewhere else completely will need to be answered at another time.
It happens every time traffic gets too heavy and starts to slow: One inattentive driver panics and slams on his brakes, triggering a chain reaction that leads to a complete traffic stoppage a few dozen cars behind. If everyone could just slow down, pay attention, and maintain an even speed, we could all get where we’re going. hopes to deploy a new system to help make that a reality.
The Japanese automaker has developed the first-ever vehicle communications system geared to cut both traffic jams and fuel use by monitoring a driver’s acceleration and braking habits and providing information that Honda says will encourage smoother driving.
Honda, along with the University of Tokyo’s Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, has developed on-board terminals that connect to cloud-based computing systems to allow communications between cars on the same road that can help drivers maintain a relatively constant driving distance between vehicles. Tailgating is bad for both traffic and fuel economy, and Honda’s system discourages it.
The system differs from traffic monitoring systems that have been part of other vehicle communication systems in that it provides color-coded displays to indicate whether the driver needs to drive smoother and make acceleration and deceleration more gradual. The system can also work with adaptive cruise control to automatically regulate speed among a group of vehicles. The first public road tests will occur in Italy and Indonesia starting in May of 2012. Honda says the system can boost average speed by 23 percent and increase fuel economy by eight percent. Not bad for some cloud computing.
Any time a parent’s poor judgment results in harm or injury to a child, it’s a sad case. This story, however, seems particularly tragic. According to The Telegraph, a British woman whose daughter was seriously injured in a car crash was found negligent and partially responsible for her daughter’s injuries because the girl was riding in an inappropriate child safety seat.
While the accident was judged to be entirely the fault of the other driver, according to the report, his insurance company insisted that part of the responsibility for the girl’s injuries fell on her mother. Despite having an appropriate car seat with a five-point harness in the vehicle, the three-year-old girl was riding in a booster seat designed for older children. The judge agreed with the insurer and ruled that the mother was 25 percent liable for her child’s head, spinal and internal injuries, which the report said will affect her for the rest of her life. The decision means the woman will receive less financial compensation from the insurance company.
While we’re sure that the woman – who was described by the judge as “an excellent and caring mother,” according to the report – feels no small measure of guilt, her case reinforces the necessity of proper seatbelt and child safety seat use. For more information about keeping kids safe in and around cars, please visit , provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
We love action movies as much as the next guy, but sometimes the car stunts just look too ridiculous. Like when a cop car goes airborne during a chase scene after rear-ending a parked car. Or how about when a vehicle flips end over end upon impact. That never happens, right?
Well it apparently does in Russia, where, thanks to seemingly everyone in the country having a dash cam, you can watch video of a Land Rover Freelander 2 driving over a manhole cover and going Bourne Ultimatum.
What caused the cover to blow the way it did is not evident, though it’s interesting to note that in the aftermath (in the second video especially), you see that it’s not a plain, flat manhole cover that comes to rest near the car. It’s a cylindrical object with a square grate across the top. Lending credence to the whole thing not being a fake is that a second static security camera (or similar setup) pointed at the street also caught the whole episode.
It’s almost DLC time again at – Tuesday, May 1 will bring with it the Top Gear pack, a true goulash of automobilia. At one end you have the 2012 Hennessey Venom GT, a car that automotive historians will look back on and say “Wow.” At the other end you have the 1977 AMC Pacer X, a car that we look back on and say “Wow.” In ‘between’ are the: 2011 SuperSportVan, 1965 Austin-Healey 3000 MkIII, , 1966 Lotus Cortina, 1992 Galant VR-4, , 1990 RS and .
The bad news is that the TG pack won’t be part of the Season Pass, so you’ll need 560 MS points, or $7, to make it yours. But if you throw down the fresh amounts you’ll be able to enter the new Community Rivals Mode with the Hennessey Venom GT. Set a leaderboard time with it and you could win one of the 100 unicorn cars Forza will be handing out every week.
to check out the video and have a look at the wares in the gallery of high-res screenshots.
When rolled out their outrageously styled three years ago, car buyers took notice. It’s eye-catching exterior styling, well-appointed interior and affordable price was just what a lot of family sedan buyers wanted.
Few will admit it, but carmakers sat up and paid attention, too. However, Andy Palmer, executive vice president for global planning, doesn’t mind telling the world that his company certainly saw the significance of the midsize Korean sedan. So much so that they briefly halted design work on the 2013 .
“We even delayed development by a short amount just to check that the (new Altima’s) proportions were right, the (package) was right (and that) the product overall was right,” Palmer tells Ward’s Auto. “I’d say they (Hyundai) are our major point of reference.”
But with the Altima as the second-best selling car in its segment, Nissan is focusing not on the Sonata, but on and the No. 1 best seller: .
“If you keep coming with better cars and better communications, telling better stories, over a period of time,” Palmer says. “I guarantee you’ll be talking about Toyota and Nissan.”
You wouldn’t think $7.7 million is something to complain about, but then again, you’re probably not in the running to be CEO of General Motors. Despite the fact that GM is no longer the largest company in the world – or, depending on whom you ask, even the largest carmaker – it’s a big job. On most days, we imagine it’s a pretty thankless one too. So when you compare the salary of GM CEO Dan Akerson to that of his cross-town rival at , perhaps $7.7 million does seem like chump change compared to Alan Mullaly’s .
And according to a report in The Detroit News, GM apparently isn’t happy to see its CEO sitting in third place among Big Three CEOs when payday comes. GM’s proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday said that the company is having an “extremely difficult” time hiring qualified executives because of limits to compensation set by the U.S. Treasury Department. The Treasury has capped the amount Akerson and other execs can make as part of GM’s 2009 bailout.
Here’s a thought: Maybe GM just needs to do a better job emphasizing all the benefits that come with working for the General, like getting to drive a gratis.
Three years ago, released the documentary Truth in 24 highlighting its three-car effort at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Despite the Four Ring’s success at the race in the last decade, they were undoubtedly the underdogs to the much faster Peugeot teams that year, making for a Hollywood-like ending when Audi managed to take home the victory with teamwork and a little help from the weather.
The first film was such a success that Audi , once again featuring their three-car team battling Peugeot at the world’s most famous endurance race. We’re fully expecting the film to be packed with drama, as last year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans was one of the most action-packed and closest races of all time. Two bad crashes ended the race for two of the Audi teams, leaving a single R18 TDI to battle the Peugeots.
Sadly, with Peugeot having quite suddenly in January, it will also be the last such battle at Le Mans for the foreseeable future – all the more reason to watch the documentary when it comes out in a few weeks. For now we just have the trailer, which you can watch by .
What a difference a few years make. Back in 2009, Ford Motor Company’s North American operations were dragging down its earnings. The company reported a net loss of $1.4 billion in that year’s first quarter when market share in the U.S. was falling but rising overseas. The situation today, however, is the mirror opposite.
Today reported a first-quarter net income for 2012 of $1.4 billion on the strength of sales in the States. While that’s a 180-degree turnaround compared to the same quarter in 2009, it’s still a decline in earnings compared to the $2.6 billion earned just last year. This time, however, the blame for the fall lies with Ford’s operations in Europe and Asia.
In Europe, Ford reported an operating loss this quarter of $149 million, blaming the continent’s shrinking markets and weaker demand for parts and accessories. The company’s Asian operations reported an operating loss of $95 million, which can be attributed more to investments in new plants for increased production than shrinking sales. Ford attributes the rest of its losses during the first quarter to higher tax expenses and special charges.
Fortunately, Ford’s North American operations were able to offset most of the company’s losses elsewhere. The region reported a pre-tax operating profit of $2.1 billion, up from $1.8 billion last year and the highest quarterly profit here since 2000. Revenue in this region alone was $18.6 billion, up $700 million from the same quarter last year and the largest chunk of the automaker’s global quarterly revenue of $32.4 billion, which was down $700 million.
Remember that Ferrari Enzo that is still sitting in a Dubai police impound lot for ““? It was meant to be auctioned this week, but it wasn’t, and the Dubai authorities added some information to the Enzo’s backstory that boils down one word: Interpol.
Unpaid traffic fines are thought to have lead to a British businessman abandoning the seven-figure almost two years ago. After numerous reports of the Enzo being headed to auction – which lead to numerous calls from big spenders trying to buy it outright, Dubai police said the Prancing Horse is on the notice list at the International Criminal Police Organization. Vehicles flagged by Interpol are said to usually be the subject of theft investigations, and according to Emirates 247, the police commander says the Enzo and nine other flashy rides were “seized as they were part of thefts.”
That means that the next time you see pictures of the mummified Ferrari, you’ll know why it’s still there and not up for auction. And seeing how long international criminal cases can take to resolve, you’ll know why it’s probably going to be there for a while.
Looks like is finally getting a handle on this YouTube phenomenon. The French supercar firm has uploaded a trio of videos showing off its current and future cars; namely, the coupe and the 16C Galibier.
What Bugatti has clearly not figured out, on the other hand, is the definition of a teaser. While the slowly drawn out shots showing the upcoming super sedan from just about every angle are pretty impressive, aren’t teasers just supposed to whet the appetite? And if we’re honest, the narrative that goes with it is a bit… disarming. Finally, while most teaser videos are done and over with in a minute or less, this one is more than four times that length.
Oh well… nobody ever accused Bugatti of being subtle.
You can see the new Galibier teaser video by below, and if that’s not enough, we’ve also included two new videos showcasing the Bugatti Veyron and its most impressive bits and pieces.
It was only a matter of time, folks. As soon as finalized its of the brand, we knew to expect a slew of comparison tests pitting the German automaker’s finest wares against the two-wheeled exotica rolling out of Italy’s .
The scribes from Germany’s Auto Bild have indeed taken up the challenge. But what machinery to choose? Naturally, the mind first turns to the supercar and its -derived V10 engine, but, in reality, Audi officials have conceded to us that its 360-horsepower is actually quicker around most race tracks. So, the all-wheel-drive it is.
Holding the mantle for Ducati is none other than the 1199 Panigale – an easy choice, as this is the marque’s premier superbike for 2012. Sure, there was a replica MotoGP machine a few years back called the Desmosedici RR, but that bike is sold out and the Panigale is likely faster in the hands of all but the most talented riders anyway.
So, who wins? You’ll have to and watch the video to find out, but suffice it to say that it wasn’t even close.
Say goodbye to the Maserati Kubang, and say hello to…well, we don’t know what it’ll be called yet, but we’ll be seeing it come January 2014.
According to Automotive News Europe, will unveil the production version of its SUV – complete with a new name – at the 2014 , a little over a year and a half from now. In the meantime, however, the Kubang concept (pictured above) that previews its form will be put into retirement.
This after the concept has made the rounds on the international circuit including the (where it was first unveiled back in September), in Dubai (where it was shown to a large portion of its target market), at the (near where it will be built alongside the on which it is based, with engines shipped in from Italy) and at the , where it is currently on display for what is reportedly the last time.
One day, someone will make a list of all the unique special-edition Pagani Zonda models and all the one-off one-offs produced over the past few years. It’ll be a gargantuan task, because there have been many of each, and we suspect that we only hear about some of them. And you can bet that most of the buyers ordering them have little to no idea how to get the most out of their new rides. However, if new reports prove accurate, the Modenese atelier’s latest customer sure will.
That customer, according to reports, is one Lewis Hamilton. The 2008 Formula One World Champion has reportedly ordered his Zonda (dubbed 760 LH) with 760 horsepower – the same output as the we reported on a couple of weeks ago – 20 more than the track-spec Zonda R and 90 than the Zonda Cinque. And what else did Lewis ask for on his? A manual transmission. Apparently he has enough time with paddle-shift gearboxes at work. Solid.
In addition to the McLaren grand prix cars he drives “at the office,” Hamilton’s also got a very rare upon clinching the World Championship, and something tells us that he’s got a new MP4-12C waiting for him at home, too. Bringing a Zonda home, then, to park beside them would be high praise indeed.
A few members of the Autoblog team have been grappling with the issue of our ages recently. Yes, some of us are feeling old. Given that a primary motivation for getting into this automotive journalism racket in the first place was a desire to avoid growing up by spending our whole lives playing with cars, it is frustrating to find out that having Peter Pan Syndrome does not prevent man from turning 40.
So how’s this for some much needed perspective: Carroll Shelby will be 90 in January.
His exploits on the track made him an American hero and his success as a car designer and businessman only reinforced his status as one of the great ones. But it’s no secret that the octogenarian racer and legend has not been in the best health lately. It’s the sort of thing you have to expect when you start pushing nine decades on this planet, especially when you have lived the sort of life that Carroll Shelby has, pushing the limits in a way that most of us will never experience. He’s even got his fair share of aftermarket parts, having had both heart and kidney transplants.
Shelby shared this message concerning his health on Facebook yesterday:
There have been some rumors about my health lately. So I wanted to clear them up.
I’ve been in the hospital over the last several months with pneumonia. But I’m resting comfortably with my family and working on getting better. My kids are taking good care of me.
I am sorry that I can’t make any appearances right now. If you want someone from Shelby at an event in my place, contact Scott Black at TimePiece PR in Dallas. He’ll give those requests to my team, who will determine the right person to represent me.
I also have asked them to post on my behalf to keep you up to date.
Thanks for the all good wishes and thoughts.
Here’s another: Let’s hope he has a great party on January 11, 2013.
Watching television news can be depressing. Between the political rancor of election season and the “if it bleeds, it leads” mentality of most news directors, positive stories are scarce. But here’s one that should make any lover of fine automobiles pleased.
The story, as reported by CBS This Morning, starts when the owner of a Los Angeles-based rental car company that specializes in exotics and luxury cars noticed that one of his vehicles was uncharacteristically sitting still for a few days after being rented. The $2,000-per-day 2010 was equipped with a GPS tracking system, and the Italian Stallion’s lack of use made Eric Blumberg suspicious. So he notified the police, who eventually found the car – in Hong Kong. It had been shipped through the Port of Los Angeles, labeled as “used fitness equipment,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
It seems that the would-be joyrider who had “rented” the was part of an international crime syndicate worthy of a screenplay, according to the CBS report. When the police investigated further, they found between 15 and 20 other vehicles that were being loaded into shipping containers and exported to Asia, a total of $1.5 million worth of four-wheeled loot.
The investigators told CBS that the vehicles can command up to twice their value overseas. While no arrests have yet been made in the case, at least these cars now have a chance of being returned to their rightful owners.
Whenever Consumer Reports weighs in on the automotive landscape, we’re always eager to hear what its editors have to say. We value their opinions, not because we necessarily agree or disagree, but because CR plays it straight. And sometimes, amidst all the folderol spewed about new models in the pages of car magazines and on the myriad websites devoted to automotive minutiae, it helps to read someone write things like this:
Overall, CR’s testers found the is functional and easy to live with, if not particularly exciting to drive. The Touring… is more athletic and engaging to drive, thanks to its agile handling, taut cornering, and responsive steering.
Now this may strike most of you as nothing more than CR displaying its usually astute command of the obvious. But it reads that way for a reason – call it art imitating life. So when the mainstreamers read that the CR-V narrowly beat out the CX-5, it will not just reflect the reality of a market in which the brand lags well behind , but confirm their worldview. The Honda CR-V will continue to appear on the magazine’s “Recommended” list, while the jury will await reliability reports before nominating the Mazda CX-5.
The sun will rise in the east and set in the west.
To read CR’s full press release, which also spills the beans on the June issue’s head-to-head test between the and , as well as road tests of the hatchback and , . We also have the magazine’s video reviews of the crossover pair in video form, so .
In the high-stakes world of performance cars, horsepower is king. It’s the first stat bragged about by owners trying to explain why their , or is better than their foes’, and it’s the headline figure promoted by the automakers themselves year after year.
When announced that the would be punishing the pavement with , the world stood up and took notice. Remember, though, these were just estimated figures, as the car had not yet been SAE certified. If reports from the Team Shelby message board prove accurate, the 2013 GT500 has finally gotten its official figures.
How’s about 662 horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque?
Yep, that’ll do. It’s notable that these figures represent increases of 12 horsepower and 30 lb-ft over the earlier estimates, and they also put even more distance between Ford’s top-performing Mustang and Chevy’s 580-horsepower . It also means the Shelby lays down considerably more ponies that the and its 638 horsepower and 604 lb-ft.
Now, will we see a corresponding horsepower-addled response from or ? Only time will tell.
As reaction settles down to news that has right from under the nose of for a cool billion, we can now get back to the four-wheeled performance Audi does best. And there are few better ways I can think of doing that than throwing body and mind into a fully optioned new Audi S7 and hitting the sunny German countryside.
At least for this scribe-driver, Audi does a much finer job on its S models than it attempts to do on the RS versions. Not that the RS lineup is a bad thing, but its various members often strike me as just souped-up S models – not the true RennSport icons they ought to be. I want mayhem and magic in an RS and never really get it. What I probably really want is rear-wheel drive and about 400 fewer pounds to lug around, but knowing Audi’s modern day raison d’être, that’ll never be allowed to happen.
But the S cars are genuinely satisfying Sport-driving professionals that happily double as very stylish everyday drivers. The current civilian Audi that expresses best the stylish part of the equation is the sleek . It’s a funny car in that the initial reaction to the swoopy A7 was a bit hesitant from some quarters. But the enthusiasm has grown over time and now the sportback-style car is a certifiable hit in the United States and elsewhere.
