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Normally, any spy shots having to do with Audi’s RS series involve large wheels, huge fender flares and low-profile tires. This potential prototype for the Audi RS7 Sportback, however, appears to be going incognito under standard A7 skin.

The dead giveaway that this A7 is more than meets the eye? The brakes. Specifically, our spy photographers tell us that they’ve seen prototypes of the standard S7 Sportback plenty of times, and none of those cars we fitted with brakes this large. Even so, the quad exhaust pipes out back are similar to what all of Audi’s S models use, though we’re told that when it hits production, the RS7 will use a large, dual-exhaust setup.

As for what’s underhood, the latest speculation suggests that a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine will be in use, producing somewhere around 550 or 600 horsepower. This power will be managed by a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and sent to all four wheels via Quattro all-wheel drive. Expect the production car – with the normal aggressive RS fittings – to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September.

[Source: CarPix]

Spy Shots: Are you the Audi RS7?

Volkswagen and Chrysler lead

The Super Bowl is a contest of advertisers as much as it is for two football teams seeking championship rings, the big trophy and bragging rights.

This year, twelve of the advertisers are from the auto sector: Chevrolet, Chrysler, BMW, Mini, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Audi, Hyundai, Kia, Suzuki, Cars.com and Bridgestone.

Why so many car related ads? 2011 is widely seen as a breakout year for the auto industry. In 2008 and 2009, sales fell below 11 million, about one-third less than the industry had been doing in the early part of the decade. Sales in 2010 were better and sales are forecasted to come back even stronger this year.

The slowly recovering economy has kept a lot of consumers out of the new car showrooms. But cars and trucks are getting older. The U.S. has seen a sales rate below the annual scrap rate for a few years now. The stock market is back to where it was before the 2008 economic meltdown. Unemployment is ticking down. Things are looking up.

“The Super Bowl is one of the few times a year that most of the country is gathered around a single event,” says General Motors marketing chief Joel Ewanick, who bought five ads at $2.7-$3 million per to advertise Chevrolet models. Chrysler marketing chief Olivier Francois says, “There is no better place for a real coming out,” referring to a slate of newly designed vehicles Chysler is releasing this year. Chrysler bought an unprecedented two-minute ad.

Continue reading and to see the rankings of the Top 10.

Continue reading Opinion: Ranking the automotive Super Bowl ads from best to worst [w/videos]

Opinion: Ranking the automotive Super Bowl ads from best to worst [w/videos]

BMW was one of the few companies to keep its Super Bowl advertising plans to itself until kick off time, but the Roundel came to the game packing two 30-second spots. The company said it wanted to get two messages across to Americans: that its diesels are cleaner and more powerful than ever and that the German manufacturer is continuing to invest in America even as the economy struggles to recover. In order to make that happen, BMW enlisted the vocal talents of actor Chris Pine (of Star Trek fame) for the two spots. Pine is now the official voice of BMW advertising here in the States.

The first ad is clearly aimed at distinguishing the 335d from the American perception of diesel – sluggish old Volvo wagons, rough-idling Mercedes-Benz sedans and soot-spewing trucks and busses. The second ad focuses on the company’s efforts in Spartanburg, South Carolina, including producing every X3 on the planet. Hit the jump to check out both spots as well as the full press release.

[Source: BMW]

Continue reading Video: BMW Super Bowl commercials champion diesel and… American roots?

Video: BMW Super Bowl commercials champion diesel and… American roots?

Frolicking Topless Under The African Sun In BMW’s Latest Big GT

To say that the second-generation BMW 6 Series caused a bit of a scene when it hit the world stage in 2003 would be to underplay its shock value. The Dingolfing, Germany-built coupe and convertible’s styling seemed to win admirers and ruffle traditionalists’ feathers in equal measure, but regardless of how you feel about its aesthetics, the 6’s long model run has been a success, resulting in nearly 118,000 units sold.

Despite this victory (and despite what BMW officials tell us), there has been a clear bit of design capitulation in the halls of Bavaria, as Chris Bangle’s controversial surfacing treatments and high trunk lines have been smoothed out in newer models in favor of less polarizing designs throughout the BMW empire.

So it is with the 2012 6 Series range, which launches with the 650i convertible model shown here, a model that’s due to hit showrooms this April (just in time for top-down season). With North America enduring a hyperborean winter, it was only appropriate that we head to more temperate climates for some quality top-down running. BMW evidently had the same thought, so they sent us to Cape Town, South Africa. Famous for its finned and pointy-teethed population coursing offshore, we couldn’t think of a more appropriate spot to sample the 6 Series’ reborn shark nose look.

Continue reading…

Photos copyright (C)2011 Chris Paukert / AOL

Continue reading First Drive: 2012 BMW 6 Series Convertible

First Drive: 2012 BMW 6 Series Convertible

Frolicking Topless Under The African Sun In BMW’s Latest Big GT

To say that the second-generation BMW 6-Series caused a bit of a scene when it hit the world stage in 2003 would be to underplay its shock value. The Dingolfing, Germany-built coupe and convertible’s styling seemed to win admirers and ruffle traditionalists’ feathers in equal measure, but regardless of how you feel about its aesthetics, the 6’s long model run has been a success, resulting in nearly 118,000 units sold.

Despite this victory (and despite what BMW officials tell us), there has been a clear bit of design capitulation in the halls of Bavaria, as Chris Bangle’s controversial surfacing treatments and high trunk lines have been smoothed out in newer models in favor of less polarizing designs throughout the BMW empire.

So it is with the 2012 6-Series range, which launches with the 650i convertible model shown here, a model that’s due to hit showrooms this April (just in time for top-down season). With North America enduring a hyperborean winter, it was only appropriate that we head to more temperate climates for some quality top-down running. BMW evidently had the same thought, so they sent us to Cape Town, South Africa. Famous for its finned and pointy-teethed population coursing offshore, we couldn’t think of a more appropriate spot to sample the 6-Series’ reborn shark nose look.

Continue reading…

Photos copyright (C)2011 Chris Paukert / AOL

Continue reading First Drive: 2012 BMW 6-Series Convertible

First Drive: 2012 BMW 6-Series Convertible

Kubica’s crashed Skoda – Click above to watch video from surgeons’ press conference after the jump

With his recovery still in the critical phase after his accident, it is looking ever more likely that Robert Kubica will be out for the season, and possibly for the rest of his career.

The Renault Formula One driver suffered a devastating crash yesterday at the Ronde di Andora rally in Italy, where he crashed his Super2000 Skoda Fabia into the side of a building at a reportedly very high speed. He was airlifted to a local hospital where teams of surgeons operated on injuries sustained to his right limbs, including severe tendon damage and multiple bone fractures in his right forearm.

Although Kubica does not appear to have suffered any serious neurological damage from the crash, the injuries sustained could spell the end of his career, as questions remain as to how fully he can recover. What looks to be all but certain, however, is that he will in all likelihood be watching the impending F1 season – set to start in about a month – from pit wall.

Fortunately for Renault – and unlike the situation faced by Ferrari after Felipe Massa’s crash – the team has a deep roster of reserve drivers at the ready to partner with Vitaly Petrov, including Bruno Senna (who drove for HRT last season), Romain Grosjean (who drove for Renault two years ago), aspiring Asian drivers Fairuz Fauzy and Ho-Ping Tung, and LMS champion Jan Charouz.

Of course, at this point, everyone is wishing Kubica a fittingly speedy recovery, and we’ll keep you updated on his progress. In the meantime, we invite you to follow the jump for the latest statements from the team, and for video footage of the surgeons’ press conference outside the hospital.

[Source: Lotus Renault GP Image: Roberto Ruscello/AP]

Continue reading Followup: Injuries could force Kubica out of F1 season – if not entire career [w/video]

Followup: Injuries could force Kubica out of F1 season – if not entire career [w/video]

We’ve all been there: uttering words you almost immediately regret. You feel like an absolute idiot. But the next time that kind of situation comes up – and come up it will – know that you’re not alone. Because Sergio Marchionne has had a bit of backtracking to do himself.

The captain of industry was recently quoted as referring to the public funds that helped him and his Fiat group take over Chrysler as “shyster loans.” Not once, not twice, but thrice. And now he’s had to apologize.

The loans received from the U.S. and Canadian federal governments were negotiated, according to analysts, at advantageous rates for that time in 2009 – when the banking system was paralyzed and, as Marchionne put it, “we couldn’t have borrowed a buck from a 7-Eleven” – but the interest on which is now posing a burden on Chrysler’s recovery.

In apologizing for the remarks, Marchionne noted his gratitude for the government bailout in helping Chrysler back from the brink at a time when no one else would have taken the risk. All the while, Chrysler is reportedly seeking to re-finance its debt at better interest rates with private financial institutions, while seeking additional low-interest loans through the Energy Department programs for fuel-efficient vehicles.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Report: Marchionne apologizes for refering to gov’t bailout as ’shyster loans’

Remember simpler times when transmissions came in two flavors? Choosing a manual or an automatic was a straightforward decision: enthusiasts took the manual, commuters took the automatic. The emergence of in-between options like sequential and dual-clutch gearboxes may make it easier if you’re an enthusiast who also has to commute, but what does it mean when these robotized transmissions shift faster and smoother than any set of human limbs could ever hope to?

That debate will rage for years to come, but when it comes to one of the world’s purest driving machines, we could have our answer right here. According to reports circulating the interwebs, the next-generation Porsche 911 GT3 could lose the choice of a manual altogether, replaced by the PDK dual-clutch transmission. (Of course the stick could, mind you, come back for the yet more hardcore GT3 RS should enthusiasts object.)

That one bit will be enough to have purists up in arms, but that’s not the end of it. An enthusiast on the Rennlist forum citing high-up Porsche sources also claims the GT3 will pack a 4.0-liter flat-six with some 480 horsepower on tap and nearly 200 fewer pounds to schlepp around. Purists may also take exception to the point that the engine is slated to move forward from its trademark position behind the rear axle to a more optimal mid-engine layout.

Finally, notions of a streetable implementation of the Williams-developed regenerative braking system from the GT3 R Hybrid is apparently off the table as well – at least for the GT3, anyway. Guess a hybrid, robotic-clutched, mid-engined GT3 would be one step too far, even for the people who came up with the Porsche Cayenne.

[Source: Rennlist via 0-60]

Rumormill: Next-gen Porsche GT3 to ditch manual transmission, rear-engine layout and KERS?

You know all the lines by now, like “Chuck Norris doesn’t have a chin – under his beard is another fist,” or “There’s no such thing as thunder – only Chuck Norris’ laughter.” Well, like most jokes, they got old and died. (Unlike Chuck Norris, of course, who is immortal.) But now they’re back, in truck form.

Say hello to Truck Norris. (But don’t say hello too loud, lest you invoke the wrath of – you guessed it – Truck Norris.) Born before the dawn of time, but so named by its owner caretaker – Jeep enthusiast and IFSJA forum member Derf – when he noticed the falling snow avoiding his truck with trepidation, Truck Norris is an ‘86 Jeep J10 pickup that has spawned a thread of frankly hilarious anecdotes. A few notable examples:

• Truck Norris is as close as he wants to be to the objects that appear in his side view mirrors.
• Truck Norris doesn’t come equipped with 4-Wheel Drive. 4-Wheel Drive comes equipped with Truck Norris.
• Truck Norris doesn’t need oil. It just drives back in time and eats dinosaurs.

There’s plenty more laughs, if you’re so inclined, to be found in the forum thread, so head on over to check it out for yourself.

[Source: International Full Size Jeep Association via Hemmings]

Feast your eyes on Truck Norris. But don’t stare. He doesn’t like that.

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

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

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

[Source: The Detroit News]

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

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

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

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

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

[Source: Williams F1]

Continue reading Williams FW33 Formula 1 car unveiled, IPO confirmed

Williams FW33 Formula 1 car unveiled, IPO confirmed

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

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

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

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

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

[Sources: Renault, Autosport]

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Sources: Renault, Autosport]

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

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

2012 Volkswagen Tiguan – Click above for high-res image gallery

While it won’t make its official debut until March 1st at the Geneva Motor Show, European customers can begin ordering the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan compact SUV right now. VW made this announcement and released a small set of official photos yesterday (a leaked screencap also made the rounds earlier in the week).

The base price for the freshened Tiguan, whose styling reflects the automaker’s new corporate design language, is set at €24,175 for the Trend & Fun trim, which features the 120-horsepower 1.4L four-cylinder TSI engine. Volkswagen says that it’s opening up ordering so far in advance because the old Tiguan is sold out due to its popularity. VW is also quick to point out that the new-look Tiguan’s base MSRP is unchanged from the previous version.

No other specs were released at this time, and we’re still in the dark as to the updated Tiguan’s U.S. launch timetable and pricing (we figure it’ll be on hand at the New York Auto Show in April). More info will likely become available as we get closer to Geneva. In the meantime, check out the high-res gallery of the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan below. VW’s press release is posted after the jump. Thanks to Kyle for the heads-up.

[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan ordering now underway in Europe

2012 Volkswagen Tiguan ordering now underway in Europe

Are Formula One cars getting too sophisticated? A handful of drivers think so… and they’re beginning to speak out about the technology creep invading their vehicles. A modern F1 car utilizes aerodynamics that are adjustable on the fly and a steering wheel fitted with more buttons than Jenson’s last family reunion.

Mark Webber of Red Bull Racing feels that driving his car is akin to jailbreaking a phone. The drivers need 100% of their focus on the race, and pushing a button to adjust the rear spoiler can take away from that. Weber isn’t alone with these feelings as Rubens Barichello and Nico Rosberg have expressed similar sentiments.

Driving a Forumla One car is one of the most demanding jobs on the planet. It takes levels of concentration far above what the average person expands on another round of Angry Birds. Adding greater levels of sophistication and complexity sounds like it makes the already difficult task of keeping the machine on the road that much harder.

[Source: Crunch Gear]

Formula One drivers loathe technology creep

Bound to be faster and more furious than ever before, the fifth installment of the Fast and Furious franchise is set to open in a theater near you on April 29, 2011.

Once again starring Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris, but with the addition of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, this is sure to kick off the summer movie season with a bang – not to mention lots of star power to get the kiddies interested.

The flick, cleverly titled Fast Five, just got its first movie poster. We see the two main stars in some unidentifiable muscle cars with very serious looks on their faces. Clearly, these men live their lives a quarter mile at a time. Click on the image to the left to enlarge.

[Source: HeyUGuys.co.uk]

Fast Five movie poster looks Furious

Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco

42 MPG… That kind of lofty highway fuel economy is typically relegated to hybrids, clean diesels and subcompacts – not roomy four-door compact sedans.

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

Mercedes-Benz is throwing its hat into the Super Bowl advertising fray – for the first time ever – with a pretty new 60-second spot designed to celebrate the company’s 125th anniversary.

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

The 2011 Optima is apparently desirable to anyone and everything across time and space.

Also of interest:

• Videos: Chevy drops entire load of Super Bowl commercials on us
• Spy Shots: 2013 Land Rover Range Rover mule spotted winter testing
• Followup: BBC apologizes for Top Gear remarks about Mexicans
• Hyundai teases Veloster rally car ahead of Chicago debut
• Opinion: Chrysler no longer left for dead, biggest test still coming

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Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 2.4.11

Heads up, Hondaphiles – it looks like the NSX has been dug out of storage and plopped back on the table as a candidate for production. Company president Takashi Ito has announced that he’s jump-starting development on the supercar. As you may recall, the beast was unceremoniously put to bed after the global economy gutted itself back in 2008. At the time, the project sailed under the HSV-010 moniker, and Honda even went so far as to campaign a version of the machine in the Japanese Super GT series.

Since then, the supercar segment has all but exploded with new metal. Mercedes-Benz jumped into the action with its SLS AMG, Lexus came to the party with the high-tech LFA and old-timers like the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and Nissan GT-R have been enjoying their own slice of supercar territory. We’re all for the notion of a resurrected Honda fighter, but we’re still going to treat this one with a healthy dose of skepticism.

We’ve been burnt before.

[Source: Japanese Nostalgic Car]

Report: Honda confirms NSX development has restarted

Some years ago, sitting in my office with the windows open on a warm spring day, I heard a deep rumble – not unlike the sound of a freight train passing by… but closer, more menacing, and immediately followed by a violent shudder as a rare Midwest earthquakes rolled out from under Lake Erie.

I’m starting to hear a similar sound, not quite so loud, but this time emerging from Auburn Hills, Michigan, where Chrysler is headquartered. Call it a hum, maybe a rumble, though definitely not yet the sort of buzz that would follow a similarly seismic event – in this case the turnaround of a company most folks had long written off for dead.

This wasn’t supposed to be a particularly good year for the smallest of the Detroit makers. Its product pipeline, went the conventional wisdom, was all but empty, other than the completely-remade Jeep Grand Cherokee and redesigned Chrysler 300, due later in the model-year. But I think most of us in the media were delivered a pleasant surprise a few months back when we got a first good look at the rest of the maker’s 2011 lineup.

Continue reading…

Paul A. Eisenstein is Publisher of TheDetroitBureau.com, and a 30-year veteran of the automotive beat. His editorials bring his unique perspective and deep understanding of the auto world to Autoblog readers on a regular basis.

Continue reading Opinion: Chrysler no longer left for dead, biggest test still coming

Opinion: Chrysler no longer left for dead, biggest test still coming

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

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

[Source: Mercedes-Benz via Facebook]

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

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