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In a perfect world, maybe the world’s top museums would have infinite space and infinite resources to acquire and display every significant piece of artistic creation they could get their hands on. But, as we are all at times painfully aware, this is an imperfect world. Which is why the Guggenheim Museum is forced to sell this unique BMW M1 art car, in order to raise funds and make way for other works of art. And their loss could be your gain.

The original Bavarian supercar was painted by the celebrated artist Frank Stella in 1979. But while BMW has commissioned many art cars (including another M1 by Andy Warhol and a 3.0 CSL also by Stella) since the program kicked off in 1975, this is the only one that was officially sanctioned by the factory for a private client, whereas all the others remained in the German automaker’s private collection. This, then, represents an extremely rare opportunity to acquire an original BMW art car.

The vehicle has been part of the museum’s collection since 1999, and will be auctioned by Bonhams this coming August at the Quail Lodge in Carmel, California, where it’s expected to fetch around half a million dollars, an estimate we can see it blowing right past. Us? We’re just hoping that BMW itself decides to bid on the car so that this Stella M1 can rejoin its celebrated relatives in the German automaker’s collection.

If you’re in New York and want to catch a glimpse at this one-of-a-kind rolling work of art, it’s currently on display outside Bonhams’ offices in the atrium of the IBM Building at 56th and Madison.

Follow the jump for the official press release and scope out the images in the gallery below.

Continue reading BMW M1 art car by Frank Stella headed for the auction block

BMW M1 art car by Frank Stella headed for the auction block

The national average price of gasoline has hit exactly $4 a gallon, approximately a dime below its all-time high. According to a Lundberg Survey of fueling stations released on Sunday, pump prices rose 12 cents over the past two weeks. On July 7, 2008, the national average price of gas soared to $4.114 a gallon, a record-setting high, according to data from the U.S. Department of Energy.

If you’re hunting for bargain gas, and willing to drive to get it, then Tucson, AZ offers you the lowest average price among cities surveyed at just $3.62 a gallon. Meanwhile, drivers in Chicago suffered the most, having to dish out an average of $4.50 for a single gallon of the go-juice.

The U.S. Department of Energy will release its weekly survey of diesel and gasoline prices on Monday afternoon. Who’s willing to bet that prices will have come down by then?

It’s Official: National average gas price hits $4

In most segments, chances are the transmission was developed and manufactured by the same company that built the rest of the car. Some are made by independent suppliers like Borg-Warner, Getrag or ZF. But at the top end of the market, where exotic supercars roam, a disproportionate share of the high-performance gearboxes come from Graziano.

The Italian company – part of Oerlikon since 2007 when it merged with Fairfield – has built the transmissions in countless Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Aston Martins and Maseratis, to name just a few. That new-fangled seven-speed Independent Shifting Rod transmission in the new Lamborghini Aventador? Also Graziano’s. But before that project, Graziano developed the clever gearbox in the McLaren MP4-12C.

The Sequential Shift Gearbox developed for McLaren, as you may be aware, takes the dual-clutch transmission to a new level by allowing the driver to pre-select the next gear and load it onto the second clutch before engaging it, reducing shift times to practically nothing while engaging the driver in a way lost on many paddle-shift transmissions.

In an apparent nod to the clairvoyant siblings in Minority Report, Graziano and McLaren dubbed the system “pre-cog,” but that’s not the extent of the transmission’s advances. It’s also said to be the lightest, most compact, most refined and most durable gearbox of its type, while capable of keeping its fluids pumping at extreme levels of multi-directional loading. Want to read more? Follow the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Graziano highlights the “pre-cog” dual-clutch transmission in the McLaren MP4-12C

Graziano highlights the “pre-cog” dual-clutch transmission in the McLaren MP4-12C

It’s been several decades since Formula 1 has visited Watkins Glen, but the high-pitched scream of a modern grand prix racer is set to return there this summer for a special demonstration.

As we initially reported back in February, Lewis Hamilton and Tony Stewart will be swapping keys for the day, the Formula One World Champion taking the wheel of the No. 14 Chevrolet Impala stock car while the two-time wielder of the NASCAR Sprint Cup will slink into the cockpit of the McLaren-Mercedes MP4-23, the car which Hamilton drove to the world championship in 2008.

The initiative is being undertaken by Mobil, which sponsors both drivers in their respective series, and will take place on June 14 at the 3.4-mile road-course in upstate New York – one of the few locations (alongside such notables as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal) that has played host to both F1 and NASCAR over the course of its storied history. It’s also where McLaren locked up the first of its many world championships, with Emerson Fittipaldi behind the wheel at the 1974 United States Grand Prix.

It ought to be an interesting experience for both drivers, each of whom has mastered his respective motorsport discipline as well as the feeder series’ that led them to where they are today. Follow the jump for more details in the full press release.

Continue reading Lewis Hamilton and Tony Stewart gear up to swap cars at The Glen

Lewis Hamilton and Tony Stewart gear up to swap cars at The Glen

It would seem that the guys from Top Gear are back to giving electric vehicles the what-for. According to The Lincolnite, James May and Jeremy Clarkson were respectively spotted piloting a Peugeot iOn and a Nissan Leaf through England during a cross-country trek (which is exactly what electric cars are for, right?).

The duo stopped by Lincolnshire County to ask about the nearest place to charge their alternative-fuel steeds, only to find that the entire municipality is bereft of chargers. Apparently May and Clarkson then set about driving around the city until their vehicles died and they were forced to get a tow.

If this all sounds familiar, that’s because Top Gear rustled up a mess of snakes the last time Clarkson jumped behind the wheel of an EV. After depicting the Tesla Roadster as suffering a brake failure and running out of power, Tesla shot back refuting what happened as pure fiction. That little dust-up has yet to settle.

The truth is that the vast majority of people come to Top Gear to be entertained, and most viewers probably realize that there’s plenty of editing that goes into each segment. We seriously doubt that most EV buyers use the UK show as a go-to resource, but that doesn’t stop the constant ragging on alternative fuels from growing trite.

Check out the video after the break.

Continue reading Top Gear crew makes pit stop, has trouble charging electric cars [w/video]

Top Gear crew makes pit stop, has trouble charging electric cars [w/video]

If one name is synonymous with Ferrari in North America, it’s surely Luigi Chinetti. The Italian-American was Maranello’s first importer and dealer in the United States, and was also the founder of the North American Racing Team (NART) that campaigned Prancing Horses on American circuits. And in case that wasn’t enough to prove his credentials, he also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans no less than three times.

Chinetti’s considerable influence with Ferrari also led to a handful of road cars built to his specifications. The convertible version of the iconic 275 GTB/4, for example, was known as the NART Spyder. Chinetti also had a pair of these 365 GT Speciales built to his specifications by Carrozzeria Autosport of Modena, and one of them is now up for sale out of Seattle.

Given the 80s styling, we’d venture that the conversion was undertaken years after the vehicle’s production. And while its coachwork may be divisive, it is consistent: one look at the NART’s later 512 BB LM and you’ll immediately see the family resemblance. Based on the 365 GT 2+2 (not to be confused with the Daytona that replaced it), it packs a 4.4-liter triple-carb V12 and independent suspension.

According to the seller, this unique example (chassis 12611 in red over black, as opposed to the second example in black over cream) was featured on the cover of the April 1989 issue of Automobile Magazine. Ferrari of Seattle is asking just under $300k, which may seem like a big chunk of change, but for such a rare example of American Ferrari history – one which sold for $314k in Tokyo way back in 1991 – this could worth it.

Online Find of the Day: Luigi Chinetti’s ‘69 Ferrari 365 GT Speciale cover girl

It’ll be a landmark running for the Indianapolis 500 later this month, as the event celebrates its 100th anniversary as the premier open-wheel racing event in America. All of which only gave some fans more reason to be ticked off when Donald Trump was announced as this year’s pace car driver.

Annoyed by political implications detracting from the spirit of racing, many fans were up in arms when Trump was announced as the official pace car driver, evidently prompting the celebrity businessman and possible presidential candidate to change his plans. In his place, organizers at the Speedway have invited none other than A.J. Foyt to drive the Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible that will serve as the official pace car. As a four-time Indy 500 winner, Foyt is among the most decorated drivers ever to lap the Brickyard, and his nomination will surely come as more welcome news to the legions of open-wheel devotees.

In related news, two drivers better known for their formula racing activities overseas will make their Indy debuts at the 500 this year. One of them is Scott Speed, the last American to race in Formula One. Speed shifted over the NASCAR after things didn’t pan out in F1, until Red Bull dropped his sponsorship last year. Given his experience in open wheels and oval tracks, Speed may find a new home at Indy.

Also making his Indy debut will be Ho-Pin Tung, who will become the first Chinese driver to contest the Indianapolis 500. Tung is a reserve/test driver for Renault F1 this season and has contested such feeder series as GP2, A1GP and Superleague Formula. Both he and Speed will be driving for Jay Penske’s Dragon Racing team and will be eligible for the $5 million bonus available to drivers from outside the series should they overcome the insurmountable odds to claim the checkered flag and drink milk in victory lane.

A.J. Foyt to replace Donald Trump as Scott Speed and Ho-Pin Tung debut at 100th Indy 500

Like their body-on-frame SUV cousins, full-size pickup trucks are more prone to roll over than a standard passenger car. That’s exactly why it’s so important to have a vehicle that earns good marks in roof-strength tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has just released the data on its recent volley of tests on full-size pickup trucks, and both the 2011 Ford F-150 and 2011 Toyota Tundra earned the coveted Top Safety Pick designation. The vehicles earned the highest possible rating of ‘good’ in the institutes crush test, where a large steel plate is pressed against one corner of the roof to calculate a strength-to-weight ratio.

Meanwhile, the 2011 Nissan Titan took home an acceptable rating in the rollover evaluation while the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado, 2011 GMC Sierra and 2011 Ram 1500 netted marginal scores.

IIHS says that the roof on the Toyota Tundra stood up to 4.5 times the truck’s weight while the F-150 handled 4.7 times the pressure. A vehicle must withstand 4 times its weight before five-inches of crush is detected before being awarded a Good rating. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra earn IIHS Top Safety Pick Awards

Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra earn IIHS Top Safety Pick Awards

Volkswagen has made a big deal about the 2011 Jetta’s $15,995 starting price. After all, how many times have you seen those commercials that show a guy working hard to afford the new Jetta, only to find out that it’s starting price had been lowered. And then there’s the baby-holding dad that drops his cup as the baby drops his bottle after checking out the German sedan’s bargain-basement MSRP.

At any rate, you can pick up your cup and get back to work, because the starting price of the Jetta has now been increased by $500. The VW website clearly shows that the S model, which comes equipped with an anemic 2.0-liter four-cylinder with a scant 115 horsepower, now starts at $16,495.

This isn’t exactly great news for Jetta-loving budget shoppers, but we hear rising commodity costs is making it more expensive to build vehicles these days, so it isn’t totally unexpected. On the bright side, only the entry S model has been given a price bump. The rest of the Jetta lineup is unchanged.

Volkswagen Jetta price quietly increases by $500

If you have some time this evening, we highly recommend checking out Autoline After Hours. The crew will be hanging out with Margery Krevsky, the author of Sirens of Chrome. Krevsky painstakingly researched the 100-year history of the auto show model for the book and will be sharing some of her insights with hosts John McElroy and Peter Delorenzo for your enjoyment. If that’s not enough to drag you to the computer at 7 p.m. Eastern this evening, the news that Krevsky will bring along a few of her product specialist friends as well should have you patiently waiting at the keyboard.

The booth professionals will model dresses from the last 50 years of the car show circuit as a living, breathing supplement to the discussion on the book. Sound like a good time? You can see all the action by heading over to the Autoline After Hours site or by checking out the uStream feed after the jump.

Continue reading Autoline After Hours welcomes auto show models in the studio tonight

Autoline After Hours welcomes auto show models in the studio tonight

Despite some automakers continue to integrate their product strategies around the globe, Hyundai is sticking to a somewhat more localized lineup. While the Accent, for example is the smallest Hyundai in North America, overseas, it’s the slightly smaller i20 (previously known as the Getz). Towards the upper end of the company’s mainstream spectrum (before you get into Genesis and Equus territory) we get the Sonata, which is sold in Australia as the i45. And just below that sits the new i40.

Hyundai unveiled the i40 wagon in Geneva a couple of months ago, and as promised, it’s just now pulled the wraps off the i40 sedan ahead of its global debut at the Barcelona Motor Show. Like its extended-roof counterpart, the D-segment sedan was designed and developed specifically for the European market at Hyundai’s R&D facility in Rüsselsheim, Germany, but there’s an awful lot of Sonata at work both with and under the sheetmetal.

Four engines are on offer, each with four cylinders. There are a pair of 1.7-liter diesels with 113 horsepower and 134 hp, respectively. If petrol is more your thing, there are a duo of direct-injection gasoline engines at 1.6 liters with 133 hp and 2.0 liters with 175 horses. All come mated to a six-speed manual, with a six-speed automatic available only with the more powerful of the diesels. The 2.0 is the only one that drops its 0-62 time down below the 10-second mark. Scope out all the details in the press release after the jump and the trio of initial images in the high-res gallery.

Continue reading Hyundai drops new i40 sedan in Barcelona

Hyundai drops new i40 sedan in Barcelona

The launch of DiRT 3 is nearly here. You can pick up a copy of the Gymkhana-friendly game on May 24th, but since we’re not quite there yet, Codemasters is more than happy to show off this new video, tantalizing us until the day we can finally plunk down cash for our very own copy.

Like we’ve seen in the past, this latest clip features a virtual Ken Block sliding his perfectly pixelated Ford Fiesta through a make-shift course. This time around, however, Block is joined by Tanner Foust and his equally impressive Rallycross-ready Fiesta.

The last time these two met in real life, Foust wound up beating Block at his own game. Now he’s in Block’s game, and we can’t wait to take each car out for a few (thousand) laps of virtual tire destruction. Click past the jump to watch the clip.

Continue reading Ken Block battles Tanner Foust in DiRT 3 Gymkhana battle

Ken Block battles Tanner Foust in DiRT 3 Gymkhana battle

Earlier this morning came word that Saab’s deal with Chinese automaker Hawtai had fallen apart. While in discussions with Hawtai, parent company Spyker was evidently also talking with another automaker located in China – Great Wall Motors. According to Reuters, those talks have apparently never ended, and, in light of today’s news, we’re going to speculate that it’s time to escalate the discussion or officially turn off the lights at Saab assembly plants.

Great Wall has cash and Saab has cars, technology and a dealer network. The two companies could be mutually beneficial, but there are hurdles to overcome before anything can actually happen. The Chinese government must approve a foreign joint venture before it moves forward. Still, it’s a good sign that companies are still interested in working with Spyker, and that could keep Saab alive.

Spyker isn’t simply pinning all of its hopes on Great Wall, as other Chinese companies are also on its radar. Besides a potential Chinese investor, however, Spyker and Saab are still hoping to see their European Investment Bank drawdown approved. Once either scenario plays out favorably, Saab can resume producing automobiles.

Saab on the money hunt, still in discussions with Great Wall Motor?

Texas motorsports enthusiasts are no doubt excited about the Circuit of the Americas. Formula One racing, along with MotoGP, will have a new home in Austin, and the United States Grand Prix is sure to attract fans and fan money. Some, however, are not thrilled at the spending decisions being made by Texan lawmakers, as they apparently feel though the money being spent to bring racing to the state could otherwise be used to help teachers keep their jobs.

How much has Texas pledged to bring F1 racing to Austin? According to Bloomberg, Texas Comptroller Susan Combs has signed off to shell out $25 million per year through 2022. That’s a massive chunk of change, and some are not too thrilled at this idea as at the same time, 100,000 teachers could be losing their jobs.

That $25 million per year figure would not be enough to save 100,000 jobs. However, it could save the jobs of 500 teachers earning $48,000 per year. While CotA is bound to bring serious tourist and racing-fan money to the Austin area, should Texas be spending $25 million when teachers across the state are likely to find themselves out of work soon? Have your say in Comments.

Texans irked about lawmakers spending $25M to woo F1 while teachers are dismissed

New Engines Add Spark To Brand Staple

In past generations, she was often labeled planet Earth’s favorite taxi. (Or have you always preferred the Ford Crown Victoria with the shiny black leatherette?) The Mercedes-Benz E-Class, however, has long since graduated to become a premium middle-management darling in all corners of the globe.

Still, even Mercedes-Benz North America would have to admit that a mid-life and/or new model year E-Class is not generally a traffic-stopping event. This time around, however, there’s more going on with Mercedes’ ninth-generation contender than, say, adding a new Pipe Smoker’s Package or overhead cold beverage storage-TRONIC. And while it may still not cause a road block, this mid-shelf-life version of the W212 E-Class should, at least, make everyone slow down to rubberneck a bit, because the new V6 and V8 E-Class wants to take you farther on a full tank while making more power and torque to exercise your executive privileges. Continue reading…

Continue reading 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

We’re not exactly sure what’s in the water over in Stuttgart, but something apparently makes the folks over at Porsche wake up most mornings and think, “There aren’t enough versions of the 911. We should make another.” It’s the same time-to-make-the-donuts spirit that has already given us more than twenty versions of the iconic rear-engined sportscar, and has now given us two more in the form of the 911 Carrera 4 GTS coupe and cabriolet.

When the rear-drive Carrera GTS debuted last September, it included the wider bodywork typically reserved for all-wheel-drive models. Now Porsche has backed it up with the Carrera 4’s traction, packing the same 408-horsepower 3.8-liter flat-six as its rear-drive counterpart for an identical 4.6-second sprint to 62 mph – that’s in coupe form with the six-speed manual, to which you can add or subtract 0.2 seconds for the cabrio and PDK dual-clutch transmission, respectively.

A restyled front bumper with lip spoiler, side skirts, black 19-inch RS Spyder wheels and sport buckets trimmed in Alcantara round out the package, which now stands as the flagship of the Carrera range – those being the naturally-aspirated, non-Motorsport models in the 911 family. Prices start at $110,200 and spiral upwards from there. Details in the press release after the jump and high-res photos in the gallery.

Continue reading Porsche gives us another with the 911 Carrera 4 GTS

Porsche gives us another with the 911 Carrera 4 GTS

The immense LCD television that resides within the home stadium of the Dallas Cowboys is no longer the largest in the world. That honor now rests with the Charlotte Motor Speedway, which has installed a 200-foot-by-80-foot screen that would make even Miles Finch jealous.

The screen to end all screens, which makes its official debut during the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 21, is located between turns two and three across from the finish line. As if the live action wasn’t big enough.

To make the massive display all the more impressive, it can also be hooked up to a gaming console for some ridiculous driving simulation action. Sprint Cup champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. even got to fit in some laps in the iRacing.com driving simulator… like he doesn’t already get enough track time.

You may or may not think a 200-foot-wide screen is cool, but we’re to busy cooking up schemes to elicit an invite for the next Gran Turismo 5 tournament at the Speedway. Check out the video after the break of the massive screen in action.

Continue reading Gamers Take Note: Charlotte Motor Speedway installs world’s largest HDTV [w/video]

Gamers Take Note: Charlotte Motor Speedway installs world’s largest HDTV [w/video]

While in Washington D.C. for the 2012 Saab 9-4X launch, we had dinner next to Victor Muller, then spoke to the newly announced captain of Saab’s North American ship, Tim Colbeck, who actually fills the dual roles of president and COO – at the end of his first day on the job. Muller started the evening by talking about the most recent troubles, saying of the production stoppage, “It was all my fault.”

“Saab was really a General Motors subsidiary – GM financing, GM terms and conditions, GM suppliers, and things can start to come apart when you’re independent. Sometimes you have to tell suppliers it’s not going to be the way it was.”

Muller says a single supplier told Saab that “if we didn’t pay, he wasn’t going to open his truck that day,” and Muller “called his bluff.” The supplier was a man of his word, wouldn’t deliver the parts, and the lack of those particular components caused a production stoppage of two hours, which Muller says is “normal elsewhere, but not in Sweden.”

To hear Muller tell it, it might not have been such a problem if the Swedish media, which he accuses of being Saab bashers, hadn’t turned it into a sensational story. “Within two hours of the stoppage,” he said, “we didn’t have one supplier with problems, we had 92 suppliers with problems” as Saab experienced a “run on the bank.” Continue reading…

Continue reading Autoblog talks to Saab NA President and COO Tim Colbeck after his first day

Autoblog talks to Saab NA President and COO Tim Colbeck after his first day

Quick Spin: 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth [w/video]

Knowing that the factory-fettled 500 Abarth is headed our way in two year’s time, we snagged the keys to see if Italy’s hottest hatch was ready to bring the pain to the John Cooper Works models from Mini.

Spy Shots: Mercedes-Benz GLK to get a gentle nip/tuck

Nothing major to report here, but it seems this future GLK will be wearing updated headlights along with re-shaped front and rear bumpers. We may also get a direct injected 3.5-liter V6.

Official: 2,000-hp “Lamborghini” Indomable Concept to find its way into production

9.4 liters. 2,000-horsepower and 2,000 pound-feet of torque. Production? We’ll see.

Also of interest:

• Report: Last domestic car dealership in San Francisco shuts its doors
• Breaking: 2012 Mercedes-Benz A-Class hatches a bit early
• Official: Aston Martin to unveil new Zagato special at Villa d’Este
• Toyota Q4 profits fall 77% due to quake
• Report: Porsche to relocate U.S. headquarters to ex-Ford facility, plans to build track

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What you missed on 5.11.11

Ford uses Google’s Prediction API to increase efficiency – Click above to watch the video after the break

Yesterday we got word that Ford was tapping Google’s new Prediction API to provide location and routing services for its fleet of plug-in hybrids and full EVs. Today, Ford’s engineers are speaking at the Google I/O developers summit and they’ve released a video explaining how the system works and how they plan to implement it.

You can get the full details in our previous post, but the short-and-sweet version is this: Ford drivers can opt-in for the service, which tracks their daily driving routine, and, after building a database of destinations and waypoints, the system provides drivers with more efficient routing to optimize their powertrain, reduce range anxiety and decrease commute times. We’ve snagged a handful of slides from Ford’s presentation and you can check out the full video after the jump.

Continue reading How Ford is using Google’s Prediction API to increase efficiency

How Ford is using Google’s Prediction API to increase efficiency