automotive: 2010

Friday, July 23, 2010

SCOOP: Hyundai Readying Veloster Coupe to Take on VW Scirocco and Honda CR-Z

These are the latest spy pictures (see the scoop video here) of Hyundai's upcoming compact coupe based on the 2007 Veloster Concept. The South Korean company's answer to the VW Scirocco and Honda CR-Z hybrid will act as a replacement to the Tiburon, otherwise simply known as the Coupe, and it will be offered with naturally aspirated and turbocharged engines.

The new car that may or may not keep the Veloster nameplate, will most likely make its world premiere as early as September at the Paris motorshow and go on sale on both sides of the Atlantic early next year.

While the production model is expected to retain much of the Veloster concept's styling including its shooting brake-like roofline, it won't be a two door model. Instead, Hyundai has opted for an asymmetric body with two doors on the passenger side of the car and a single longer door on the driver side.

Vauxhall is following an aggressive pricing policy with its new Astra Sports Tourer that will enter the UK market later this year after its world premiere at the Paris motorshow in September. The base 1.4-liter 100HP SE model starts at £16,575, or more than £500 less than the current entry-level Astra Estate. The premium over the 5-door hatchback model is £995.

SAAB 91 Concept Dreamed up by the Brand's Enthusiasts

What you see pictured here is a conceptual study for a B-segment SAAB hatchback model named 91 that was created by young Italian designer Fabio Ferrante with the help of an online community called "Saab 91 Petition and Support Group" - or at least that's what we understand.

The Saab enthusiast group, which can be found on Facebook, sprung up before the tie-up between Saab and Spyker N.V. with the goal of developing through an open collaboration similar to the Open Source movement a small hatchback model that could potentially save the company.

That may sound like wishful thinking, but the group is taking the project seriously. In an interview with Virtualcar, Ferrante said the group hopes that the final outcome can inspire the styling and overall character of the small hatch SAAB has reportedly been looking into lately (read more about that in our report here).

With first deliveries of the all-new Volvo S60 just right around the corner, it's high time for the German aftermarket gurus at Heico Sportiv to ready their performance and aero enhancements for the much-promising Swedish sedan.

Lincoln won't be subjecting buyers to a premium price for fuel-efficiency when its 2011 MKZ Hybrid hits showrooms this fall as the hybrid sedan will be offered at the same base price as its conventional V6 gasoline sibling, with an MSRP starting at $35,180 including destination and delivery.

A new and rather aggressive advertising campaign regarding the Nissan 370Z and GT-R sports cars has kicked off in Britain. The company launched a series of poster and print adverts highlighting the fact that both sports cars are better in terms of performance yet cost less than their equivalent German rivals.

And mind you, Nissan isn't being polite as the automaker is using tongue-in-cheek phrases in the ads such as "The Winner Hans Down," "The Germans Came Off Wurst," "Kaisers Chiefed" and "Deutschland Deutschland Über-Rated".

To further frustrate its German adversaries, the Japanese company took an Audi TTS bearing the slogan "More expensive, slower and less powerful than a Nissan 370Z" around the streets of London. It was joined by a Porsche Cayman adorned with the words "I dream of being as fast as a Nissan 370Z". Ouch...

Ford's dedicated Facebook page on the new 2011 Explorer hit 30,000 fans / likes today and to celebrate this oh so special achievement, the company published one more photo in a long line of dreadfully boring teaser pictures. This time, Ford showed off the '11 Explorer SUV's grille piece. Nothing more to say here.

More interestingly, the Dearborn automaker also released a new video explaining the process that went into camouflaging the prototype versions of the SUV model, which by the way, will be unveiled on Monday, July 26. You can watch the video after the jump.

As we approach closer to the launch date of the new BMW 6-Series, we're seeing less camouflage on the prototype models. Caught on film here in and around the Nurburgring circuit, are two test cars of the upcoming 6-Series Convertible.

The next 6er Convertible follows the recipe of today's model, with a cloth top and seating for 2+2. However, it gets sharper (and less controversial) looks with styling cues lifted directly from the recently revealed Concept Gran Coupe. We haven't had the chance yet to get a look of the interior yet, but expect to see a fresh styling with bits and pieces borrowed from the recently-launched 5-Series.

A Ford insider has reportedly confirmed to Autoexpress magazine that the hotted-up ST version of the new Focus hatchback will make its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in September. We remind you that the five-door hatchback and four-door sedan variants of the all-new Focus broke cover at the Detroit Show in January, followed by the European-market-only Station Wagon at the Geneva Salon in March.

It is possible that Ford may introduce the three-door hatchback version of the Focus alongside the ST in Paris. Either way, as with the current model, the hot hatch will be offered in both three- and five-door flavors.

Ford's product development boss, Derrick Kuzak, has already confirmed that the new ST will make use of the company's new EcoBoost engine (see here). This means the current ST's 225HP 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five will be replaced by Ford's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost unit, which is already offered on the refreshed S-MAX and Galaxy MPVs with 203HP, as well as on the facelifted Mondeo in 203HP and 240HP versions.

Not surprisingly, Mercedes-Benz engineers are testing the redesigned for 2011 C-Class sedan together with its new two-door brethren that will carry the C-Class Coupe name populating another niche for the German carmaker when it arrives in the marker next year.

The development of the new C-Class Coupe has led to some modest styling updates for the sedan (obviously for the Estate model also), which include the re-designed front bumper and headlights along with a recontoured grille. It also appears that the sedan's gets a reprofiled rear bumper and a fresh design for the tail lights.

As for the C-Class Coupe model that will most likely try to take on both the BMW 1- and 3-Series coupes, aside from losing two doors, it gets a sleek, swooping C-pillar and frameless side windows while the centre pillar has been discarded.

Thanks to Twitter user who posted a link to a Twitpic page, we now have the first photo the 2012 Dodge Durango, which could end up being named Magnum or something entirely different, without any trace of camouflage.

The full size SUV model is believed to ride on the same or lengthened version of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee platform, which was developed alongside the next generation Mercedes-Benz ML SUV.

Salon Privé 2010: Live Photos from the Event [176 Images]

This year's edition of the annual Salon Privé event opened on Wednesday bringing together some of the most sought after classic and modern sport and luxury cars for three consecutive days (until Friday, July 23) at the lawns of the Hurlingham Club in Fulham, London.

And while the show, which is in its fifth year, doesn't have any world premieres for 2010, the huge collection of vehicles on display makes the event a must for any car enthusiast. Follow the jump to check out our high-res photo gallery from Day 1 of the event, and you'll see what we mean.

This is Volkswagen's facelifted Caddy compact van that enters the 2011 model year with six new TDI diesel and TSI petrol engines returning up to 21 percent lower fuel consumption, a new nose, an upgraded interior and added standard features.

The exterior facelift includes a completely redesigned front end that draws inspiration from the latest Volkswagen models and re-trimmed tail lamps at the back. Inside, there's a new steering wheel design, a revised instrument cluster and higher-grade materials.

Kia announced today that its all-new 2011 Sportage compact crossover goes on sale in the U.S. at the end of the July with a starting price of $18,990, which includes a $695 destination and handling fee. There are three trim levels, Base, LX and EX. Standard safety features include ABS, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and six airbags.

At launch, the South Korean firm's fully redesigned crossover comes with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 176HP, while returning 22mpg in the city and 31mpg on the highway. A far more potent 2.0-liter turbocharged GDI petrol engine with 270+ horsepower will join the range next year.

So, how do you show off a car's redesigned interior without following traditional advertising guidelines? The answer to that question for VW's Brazilian ad agency, AlmapBBDO, was to turn inside-out (apparently via photoshop) the revised South American market Fox city car. If their goal was to get our attention, then they definitely succeeded.

This hardly ever used 1987 Yugo GV Sport (don't take the "Sport" part of the name seriously), which has seen a mere 1,800 miles on the road, is up for sale by a Las Vegas car dealer. The asking price is $14,500, which is a long way off from the car's original sticker in the late 1980s.

The Yugo's short-lived American career started back in the mid 1980s, when Malcolm Bricklin, the automotive entrepreneur responsible for the introduction of several foreign brands to the American public including Subaru and Fiat, had another bright idea; to import the then communist-made Yugo subcompact hatch from [what is now former] Yugoslavia into the heart of Ronald Reagan's America.

Yesterday we brought you the full performance specs as well as a new gallery of the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta. Now, the German automaker has dropped a B-roll video of the compact sedan with driving footage from San Francisco as well as the usual interior and exterior beauty shots. You can watch the video footage right after the jump.

When Porsche's designers were trying to make a five-door liftback out of the Beetle, Maserati already had one of best looking proposals in the sports saloon segment; the Quattroporte. And while neither the 430HP Quattroporte S or its 440HP Sport GT S brethren are underpowered, the German tuner of all things Italian, Novitec, has come up with a package of upgrades for both versions of the saloon, including a significant power bump and some styling enhancements.

Starting with the engine bay, Novitec strapped on a supercharger along with a new water-to-air intercooler to the Quattroporte's 4.7-liter V8.

Other modifications include a new intake manifold and larger fuel injectors, while a recalibrated ECU takes care of the electronics. In both the Quattroporte S and Sport GT S, these changes help lift output to 590HP at 7,300 rpm, while torque grows from 490Nm to 572Nm / 421.9 lb-ft.

If you think the roads are bad in your area wait until you see this video that was allegedly filmed somewhere in Russia. Now that's a pothole worthy of a prize! We lost count of the number of cars, trucks and even buses that danced in and out of the pothole, evidently causing some serious damages to wheels and suspension bits. Watch the video after the break.

Jeep and Mopar have teamed up to introduce a new pair of Jeep-branded off-road camping trailers that will be offered for sale in the U.S. starting this August. The designs of both the entry-level Trail Edition model and the Extreme Trail Edition are inspired by the Wrangler sharing many parts with the actual model including tail lights, wheels, fender flares and badges.

We came across what is quite possibly, one of the rarest and most sought after production BMWs, the iconic M1 mid-engined sports coupe of which only 451 examples were built between 1978 and 1981. This particular M1 is a 1980 model with only 26,999 miles on the odometer and it's offered for sale for $250,000 by a dealer located in Scotts Valley, California.

The tuning folks over at Hamann Motorsport got their hands on the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG 'Gullwing' and developed an initial assortment of upgrades. For the time being, Hamann's offerings for the Gullwing model include a new set of " 21-inch cross-spoke "Design Edition Race" alloy wheels in a black matt anodized finish with titanium wheel bolts.

AMV-R Supercar Design Study by Alexei Mikhailov

This here conceptual proposal for a mid-engined supercar is the AMV-R (an acronym for Automotive Visual Racing) and it's the brainchild of Alexei Mikhailov, a third year design student at the Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning in Toronto, Canada. The renderings were not accompanied by any details on the car, but we could easily see the AMV-R wearing the Pagani logo. More photos after the jump.
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EV Humor: Tesla Roadster with "LOL OIL" License Plate

Vanity plates are a great way to set your car apart from its like and at the same time, poke some fun at everyone. In this case, the owner of the orange-colored Tesla Roadster chose to make a humorous statement with a personalized license plate that reads "LOL OIL".

The almighty Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG is entering the 2011 model year with some interior revisions in the form of "ARTICO" leather appointments on the upper section of the dashboard and door beltlines and new black piano lacquer finish trim on the upper section of the center console.

In addition to these standard upgrades, Mercedes-Benz is also offering new optional appointments with the introduction of the "Designo Leather II" in which the lower section of the dashboard, the glove compartment lid, the door linings including map pockets and the side upholstery of the centre console are covered in exclusive nappa leather.

In less than a week's time, on Monday July 26, the teasing will finally be over with the unveiling of the completely redesigned for 2011, Ford Explorer. But until then, Ford will continue to offer sneak peeks of its car-based crossover through pictures and videos.

This time, the Dearborn-based automaker released a photograph of Jennifer Brace who helped design MyFord Touch partially revealing the 2011 Explorer's dashboard and center console, as well as two videos with Ford racing drivers Robert Hight and Bob Tasca III.

The new 2011 Explorer will arrive in U.S. showrooms before the end of the year. It will be offered with the choice of a 2.0-liter turbocharged four and a 3.5-liter V6, both paired to a six-speed automatic transmission for improved fuel economy.

It sure doesn't look like "the force is strong with this one" nowadays, but at some point, the 1983 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 pictured above was owned by none other than David Prowse, the man behind the mask and under the suit of Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy. We know Darth Vader might find our lack of faith disturbing, but we always imagined his ride somewhat more sinister... If by any chance you're interested, the car is up for grabs on eBay UK with a starting bid of £650.

We know; aside from the alloy wheels, it's hard to imagine by looking at these pictures that the heap of crumpled metal was once a Ferrari 458 Italia. Little is known about the accident other than it reportedly took place somewhere in France after the supercar's V8 engine caught on fire. If true, it is not the first time that this has happened as another example of the 458 Italia -again in France - went up in flames earlier this month. More photos after the break.

Following on from its world premiere at a special event at New York's Times Square in June, Volkswagen has released more details and photos of the new 2011 Jetta sedan. Designed in Germany but built at VW's plant in Mexico, the sixth generation Jetta goes on sale in the U.S. in October with prices starting at US$15,995 (€12,450 at today's exchange rates). VW said European prices will be announced when ordering begins in individual countries.

The new four-door saloon has grown in dimensions measuring 182.7 inches (4.64 meters) long, 57.1 inches (1.45 meters) tall and 70.1 inches (1.78 meters) wide, making it 3.54 inches (90mm) longer than the previous Jetta, while the styling is sharper adopting VW's new design language.

Buyers in the U.S. and Canada will have a choice of three petrol engines, a 115HP 2.0-liter four-cylinder, a 170HP 2.5-liter inline-five (if it makes you feel better, VW notes in the press release that this powerplant is derived from the Gallardo's V10...) and a 200HP 2.0-liter turbo four, plus a 140HP 2.0-liter turbo diesel.

In Europe, the Jetta will be offered with four petrol engines, all featuring turbocharging and direct-injection technology, producing between 105HP and 200HP, as well as two direct-injection turbo diesels with 105HP and 140HP. More details on performance and fuel economy figures in the press release after the jump.

Fiat has announced a new limited edition version of the 500 city car, which will go on sale across Europe (including Britain) in September. Called, appropriately enough, the 500 Blackjack, the special mini is decked out in a matte black finish with glossy black details such as the door handles, exterior mirrors, fog lamp surrounds and bumper trims. The car rides on 16-inch black alloy wheels with a red frame on the center, while some variants also get red brake calipers.

A new 19-inch Goodyear all-season tire and wheel package that uses carbon fiber in the tire's sidewall for improved support during cornering and maneuvering is being added to the options list of the 2011 Cadillac CTS sedan and Sport Wagon.

Up until now, GM offered the 19-inch wheel package exclusively with summer tires on the CTS models. The package with the 19-inch wheels and Goodyear Eagle RS-A2 all-season tires with an asymmetric design has a suggested retail price of $850 over the standard 18-inch wheels.

In 100 days from now, on October 28, 2010, the world's first Ferrari theme park and the largest of its kind, will open its doors and welcome the public for the very first time at Abu Dhabi's Yas Island.

The Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is located next to the futuristic Yas Marina circuit that hosted Abu Dhabi's first Grand Prix race in November 2009, and is housed under a massive triangular red roof stretching over 200,000 square meters (2.15 million square feet).

Today, the theme park's authorities released details on all 20 attractions and rides that include the record-breaking Formula Rossa roller coaster, which is capable of reaching speeds of up to 240km/h [149mph], and the G-Force tower ride that will shoot visitors 62 meters in the air before plummeting back to the ground.

SPIED: 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class SUV

Despite the rising importance of green issues in the auto industry, carmakers continue the development of full-size SUVs / 4x4s such as the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class. Our scoop photographers snagged some of the very first pictures of the next generation Mercedes SUV while undergoing testing in Germany.

Although details are scarce, we do know that the new GL will make use of a stretched version of the next ML's platform, which is also shared with the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and the upcoming Dodge Durango. The same goes for the powertrains options that will mirror those of the new ML and include V6 and V8 engine options.

For the 18th annual Life Ball fundraiser for people with HIV and AIDS that took place on July 17 at Vienna's City Hall Square, MINI joined forces with celebrity fashion designers Diane von Furstenberg, Kenneth Cole and Calvin Klein Collection's Francisco Costa to create three one-off specials.

About a week before Ford lifts the covers off the all-new 2011 Explorer, the company released the first details about the expected fuel economy performance of the SUV's new 2.0-liter turbocharged straight-four EcoBoost petrol engine.

Ford says the Explorer with the EcoBoost engine will get at least 30 percent better gas mileage than the existing V6-powered 2010 Explorer, without, however, releasing any specific numbers.

The current Explorer with the 210HP 4.0-liter V6 is rated at 14mpg city, 20mpg highway and 16mpg combined (4x2 model), meaning that fuel economy for the EcoBoost-powered 2011 Explorer will be better than 18.2/26/20.8 mpg respectively.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Monday, July 19, 2010