At first, this prototype for the next-generation Porsche 911 didn't look like much. In fact, it didn't even look like a new test mule given all the 997-series bodywork. But look closer and it's clear there are a few changes to this prototype that aren't on the current model.
Most notable is the "double bubble" roof, although in this case it's less like individual bubbles and more like a dent in the middle. Also note the covered tail section and revised rear bumper. Hard to tell what's going on back there, but clearly some changes are in store as nearly every prototype we've seen has featured similar camouflage.
The news that the Chevrolet Camaro beat the Ford Mustang in June sales is being heralded by GM as some sort of breakthough, a triumph of good product over weak sales.
To some degree, GM has it right. The new Camaro is a compelling product and deserves some credit for getting buyers to pry open their wallets during one of the worst recessions of all time.
But let's face it, the Camaro hype machine has been running overtime for years now. From concept cars to movie cars to prototypes in the desert, the Camaro has enjoyed so much advanced publicity that anything less than a sell out would have been catastrophic.
To call a victory for the Camaro in the pony car war at this point seems a little premature. Let's wait until the early adopters get their cars and then see how sales pan out. Right now the overabundance of SS models being sold suggests that most of the buyers are true enthusiasts, but as we all know, it's the V6 models that end up carrying cars like the Camaro and the Mustang. We'll see how long that lasts.
This is one new problem GM is more than happy to discuss. Yesterday, officials told Inside Line news that demand for the Camaro has outstripped supply, forcing the company to work overtime at its Oshawa production plant.
According to GM, SS models account for about 70% of its current orders. Black is also the most popular color as 25% of all models are ordered that way. "We think this may stem from the SEMA Black Concept, which was the most popular GM car at SEMA last year," Chevrolet spokesman Adam Denison told Inside Line.
This is one of the dyno rooms at the AMG's headquarters in Affalterbach, Germany. Strapped to the stand on this particular occasion was the 6.3-liter V8 headed for duty in the upcoming SLS gullwing coupe. It's expected to generate 571-horsepower and 507 pound-feet of torque when it goes into production early next year.
According to our editor on the scene, AMG puts all of its engines through a test procedure that includes 800 hours of wide-open throttle operation, pausing only to sample the oil and change dynamometer operators every 20 hours. Yes, that's over a month of full throttle operation before the engine is signed off. That should make anyone who drives an AMG vehicle a little less squeamish about hitting the redline every once in awhile.
Sure, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS is fast and all, but next to the latest 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 the standard Camaro doesn't stand a chance. To even things up a little, we snagged a supercharged Hennessey Camaro to see how it matches up.
Contributor John Pearley Huffman was tasked with burrning the rubber off of both cars and in the end he came away with a clear winner. Which one would you choose?
This car could sell on looks alone, but it has a notable racing history thrown in for good measure. According to RM Auctions, this Corvette was owned by Georges Filipenetti, a Swiss racing enthusiast who brought the car to LeMans in 1968. It went on to race at LeMans for the next five straight years - a record that remains unbroken by a single chassis. The car was recently added to the roster at RM's Pebble Beach weekend auction in August.
Mercedes-Benz has officially announced a U.S.-based version of its AMG Driving Academy. Originally developed at AMG's Alfalterbach home base in Germany, the school is designed to teach driving enthusiasts how to get the most out of AMG's ridiculously powerful cars.
The U.S. version will be held at three different venues:Lime Rock Park, Palm Beach International Raceway and Laguna Seca Raceway. There are two levels, an entry-level Stage I program that lasts one day ($1,895) and a more advanced two-day Stage II program for experienced drivers ($3,495). There's also a special Stage I program at Laguna Seca that will include a drive of the upcoming SLS coupe ($2,295).
The plight of the Ferrari Enzo has become almost mythical ever since some unknown Swedish dude split one in half on PCH. This is the latest casualty, a rare Canadian car that caught fire somewhere in British Columbia. According to WreckedExotics, this is the 16th Enzo involved in a serious accident.
Inside Line has confirmed that the upcoming Audi R8 Convertible will appear in the sequel to Iron Man due out next May. Spotted on the Nurburgring almost a year ago, the soft-top version of the Audi R8 is expected to make its official world debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show in September.
Inside Line tests hundreds of vehicles a year, but not every vehicle gets a full write-up. The numbers still tell a story, though, so we present "IL Track Tested." It's a quick rundown of all the data we collected at the track, along with comments direct from the test drivers. Enjoy.
As factory track models go, the 2009 Nissan Nismo 370Z is not the most hard-core beast ever built on a production line. Then again, it's no sticker-and-stripe-job either. Underneath the aggressive new bodywork is a substantially revised suspension and a slightly more powerful version of Nissan's latest 3.7-liter V6.
So how does it all work, you say? Well we wanted to find out too, so we took the new Nismo out to our test facility to run some numbers. Then we compared the results to our long-term 2009 370Z Touring.
It was a moderate day in terms of temperature for both tests, but both of the 370s had auxiliary engine oil coolers so all the track work wasn't much of a problem. Once the results started to come in, however, the Nismo continually failed to deliver any better numbers than our standard car. Whether it was braking (worse), acceleration (same) or handling (same, but scarier), the Nismo never came out ahead. Actually, it did beat the standard 370Z in one category -- full-throttle decibel level. See the full results and explanations after the jump.
Now that Chrysler has emerged from bankruptcy, it can finally resume production at the numerous plants it idled weeks ago. And which plant did it decide to fire up first? That would be the Conner Ave. assembly plant that produces the Dodge Viper.
It only employs 115 people, so maybe Chrysler figured it should start small. According to the article in the Wall Street Journal, Chrysler still expects to end production of the high-end sportscar by the end of the year.
Mustangs and Challengers in the Nationwide Series next year? That's what Fox Sports is reporting. According to Lee Spencer, when the Car of Tomorrow debuts in NASCAR's second-tier series next year, it will include the Dodge and Ford pony car designs.
"Ten-fold better than a Cup car," a NASCAR official said of the designs, which must be submitted for approval by June 26 according to the NASCAR Rule Book.
Spencer also noted a conspicuous absence of talk about the Camaro, a possible consequence of GM's financial condition. Toyota is also stuck without a coupe, so it will most likely continue with its Camry sedan.
Clearly, the move is designed to bring back fans who grew bored with the cookie cutter designs of today's Sprint Cup cars, but the "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday" mantra may not have the draw even with the new designs.
Tired of trying to figure out how the Porsche and the Piech families fit together? Did you always want to know who designed the original 911? Is it Porsche, or Por-sha? Why does the Cayenne exist?
All those answers and more are now available on this lovely DVD titled "The Porsche Way". At over two hours in length, it's a virtual feature film on the history of the German sportscar company.
"This is the first time that a car maker is presented so exhaustively on a DVD", according to Dieter Landenberger, the Director of the Porsche Archives. And if we know the Germans, it will be exhaustively detailed indeed.
Sources in Japan have unearthed a few new details on the production version of the upcoming Lexus LF-A supercar. Yeah, you know the car that seems to only exist on autoshow stands and the Nurburgring?
Well, it's back on again and should make yet another auto show appearance in its finalized form at this year's Tokyo auto show in October. The attached rendering is based on both the recent Nurburgring prototype and additional details from an inside source at Holiday Auto, a prominent Japanese car magazine.
Our own insider also adds that of the 500 units destined for production, 350 of them will be left-hand drive. All LF-As will get 6-piston calipers with carbon ceramic brake rotors, titanium mufflers, run flat Bridgestone tires and a six-speed automatic sequential gearbox.
They call it "Wild Thing" and it seems quite appropriate. Never mind the Green Lantern paint, this Corvette Z06 by Geiger Cars of Germany boasts twin turbos, 890-horsepower and a top speed of 220mph. If that doesn't grab your attention, well then, move along and let us bask in the ridiculousness.
Maybe you've had enough supercharged Hennessey Camaros for awhile. Fair enough, but we figured you might want to check this one out anyway.
As you can see from this early build shot, the Camaro up on the lift is getting a full-fledged heart transplant, specifically, a supercharged LS9 just like the ZR1 Corvette. That means at least 638-horsepower will be on tap even if Hennessey doesn't start messing with stuff. And how often does that happen? Should make for an interesting Camaro.
International forecasting firm IHS Global Insight has released a detailed report on how it thinks the Chrysler/Fiat alliance will shake out over the new few years.
What's more lucrative than selling Teslas? Being Tesla's legal team of course. After unsuccessfully suing Fisker last year, Tesla's lawyers now have the chance to rack up some hours defending the company from Martin Eberhard, Tesla's co-founder.
Turns out Eberhard was none too pleased about the things current CEO Elon Musk said about him after Eberhard was ousted from the company. After mulling it over for some time, Eberhard finally decided to file suit for defamation among other things, a claim that Tesla calls "twisted and wrong." Well this ought to be interesting.
According to a Chrysler representative, only one measly offer of $5.5M was submitted for the Viper business prior to yesterday's sale of Chrysler to Fiat. The low-ball offer didn't sway bankruptcy judge Arthur Gonzales who promptly transferred all of the Viper assets to Fiat along with the rest of Chrysler.
Does this mean the Viper will live on? Don't get your hopes up. Fiat will most likely spruce up the business and sell it at a later date once more investor money starts getting tossed around.
Do something enough times and patterns become apparent. Dyno testing is no exception.
For example, supercharged cars usually produce their best dyno result within the first few pulls. Heat soak tends to quickly get the best of the intercooler circuit and erode the engine's output. Once this happens, we call it quits and review the data to select the run that represents the car's stabilized output.
Not so with the 2010 Shelby GT500. With each pull on MD Automotive's Dynojet chassis dyno in Westminster, CA, we witnessed the power from the supercharged 5.4-liter V8 creep up further and further. Five, six runs in and the power was still climbing.
Finally, upon the seventh run, the output of our color-coordinating GT500 stabilized. And we saw that it was good.
This new Shelby appears to have the thermal capacity of an industrial meat locker. That, and Gary and Jeff deserve a high-five for their efforts.
Jump for the dyno chart, video and the lowdown on Gary and Jeff.
Three weeks ago, Inside Line attended the introduction of the Nissan Nismo 370Z at Willow Springs International Raceway in Rosamond, CA. The event was to be a half-day of track driving in the new Z. We started the day with some sunrise powerslides in the car - the only example in the country -- for our photographers.
By mid-day, after four journalists had rotated through the car, its differential expired in an anticlimactic failure which quickly landed it on jack stands for a rear-end swap with a Sport Package Z, which uses the same viscous limited-slip differential.
Normally, this wouldn't be such a big deal - parts break, cars fail -- but this time it feels like news.
If Jay's dyno test left you thirsty for more Hennessey HPE550, you're in luck. We have a full test of the first blown 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS, and its numbers are downright impressive.
562 horses to the meaty Pirelli P Zero Rosso tires, a 12.1-second quarter-mile and a 4.3-second sprint to 60 mph. That cuts nearly half a second off the stock SS's 0-60 time, and almost a full second off of its gallop to 1,320 feet.
Whether it is the whining of the blower's 6 pounds of boost or the Yenko-inspired throwback graphics, the Hennessey HPE550 shows that American muscle is not dead - even with the looming CAFE standards.
The Aston Martin One-77 has finally come together in production form after showing up at several auto shows in bits and pieces. This video from Autocar in the U.K. features Aston CEO Ulrich Bez explaining the idea behind the $2.1M supercar. Even better, he gets in and fires it up so you can hear the 7.3-liter V12 roar to life. It's worth a listen.
According to Auto Express, Jaguar is currently working on a mid-price roadster that will be known as the C-Type when it arrives in 2012. Designed to go head-to-head with the Audi TT, BMW Z4 and Porsche Boxster, the C-Type will most likely offer both V6 and V8 engines. Inside Line News: Jaguar C-Type in the Pipeline for 2012
What's that? You're a power addict and the 426 horsepower with which Chevrolet endowed the 2010 Camaro SS is weaksauce?
Here's your fix. The orange 2010 Camaro SS you see above has been given the full Texas-style treatment, and I'm not talking about barbeque. Hennessey Performance Engineering, headquartered in Sealy, Texas, coerces more power out of more than just Mopars and Mitsubishis these days, and he's turned his attention to Chevy's latest pony car.
It's called the Hennessey HPE550. The centerpiece of the conversion is the breathing enhancement delivered by a Magnuson Roots-style blower and liquid-to-air intercooler. Supplementing the 6 psi generated by the supercharger is a cold-air intake and free-flow exhaust. Owner John Hennessey tells us that the package swells peak power to 562 hp as measured at the flywheel.
Aftermarket horsepower claims are notoriously optimistic, so we did the obvious thing and strapped it to MD Automotive's Dynojet in Westminster, California. The result was anything but weaksauce.
After signing off from the Tonight Show last week, Jay Leno figured he would have a weekend of doing nothing but playing with his cars. Which of course made this past weekend no different than any other weekend for Jay. This time, however, he pulled out one of his more interesting and rare toys: the EcoJet, turbine-powered concept.
You might remember the EcoJet concept from the 2006 SEMA show. It uses a 650-horsepower Honeywell turbine for power and runs on biodiesel, lots and lots of biodiesel. Underneath, there's an all-aluminum Corvette Z06 chassis, while the body of the EcoJet is made entirely of carbon fiber and kevlar. In other words, this sucker was expensive.
We'll hand it to Jay though, he said back then that he would drive it on public roads, and yesterday he delivered on that promise. And say what you will about the design, when this thing pulled into the parking lot with its turbine wailing, all the open-piped Cobras on hand suddenly seemed quite tame.
No, there is not a word missing in the title. They're called the BMW M3 Edition models. Maybe it's a bad translation, or there really isn't a good translation, either way it's an odd name for what looks like a pretty cool, although mildly upgraded, set of M3s.
Available in four colors -- Alpine White, Black, Dakar Yellow and Monte Carlo Blue -- all cars features dark chrome grill insets, side gills and exhaust tips along with black hood scoops and side mirror caps. The interiors get contrasting stitching on the seats and door panels in varying colors depending on the exterior.
A lowered suspension (-0.4") and unique 19-inch wheels are also standard. The light alloy, double-spoke wheels come in a variety of finishes including polished with white accents. Thankfully, that option is limited to black, white and blue versions only.
BMW says the M3 Edition models will be available worldwide starting in July. Strangely enough, that doesn't always include the U.S., but given the fact that these cars are nothing more than a minor cosmetic trim package, there's a good chance we'll get them too.
Will we ever get this hopped up TT in the U.S.? The jury is still out, but as contributor Alistair Weaver points out, as good as it looks on paper, the Audi TT-RS doesn't always feel like the Boxster-killer that its spec sheet suggests. See why in our exclusive test drive from Europe.
A report in the German press of an all-electric Audi R8 appears to be a little optimistic. Auto Motor und Sport claimed that the alt-power R8 would appear alongside the R8 convertible at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show.
When we contacted Audi to confirm the story, a spokesman gave us a much different and very precise answer: "Nope, not true."
So at this point, it depends on who you believe, but we won't be expecting anything more than the convertible in Frankfurt at this point.
Here's one problem that needn't be blamed on Elon Musk, Tesla Motors or electric cars in general. One of the roughly 400 owners of a Tesla Roadster noticed that his car had a "wobbly feel" when turning. When he took the car in for service, technicians discovered that the bolts on the rear hub hadn't been properly tightened.
Tesla then notified Lotus, which supplies the roadster's chassis. Turns out some Lotus Elises and Exiges have the same issue. As a result, separate NHTSA recalls were issued on May 22 for 345 Tesla Roadsters (MY2008) and 29 U.S.-spec Lotus Elises and Exiges (MY2009).
For Tesla owners not living near the automaker's California, New York, Chicago or Seattle service centers, Business Insider reports that Tesla technicians will be flown out to make the necessary repairs.
A source has told Inside Line news that the latest version of the Lexus LF-A production car is now capable of hitting 220mph. Toyota engineers has previously expressed disappointment with the top speed of the earlier LF-A prototypes.
Changes to the car's aerodynamics and a few engine upgrades were largely responsible for the increased speeds. The same source also said that the final production car is expected to arrive at the Tokyo auto show in October with a price tag between $220,000 and $250,000.
So Abt's Audi R8 LMS didn't win the GT3 class at the 2009 ADAC Nurburgring 24 Hour Race. So what? It's still an R8, which means it looks cool not winning an endurance race or sitting in our driveway. And as the race version of the R8 5.2 FSI V10 we might never see in the U.S., the R8 LMS is certainly the coolest R8 to date.
More videos of the R8 LMS after the jump, including Audi's moody promotional video released last year but re-posted here for your re-viewing satisfaction.
Not surprisingly, it's one of four Ferrari's that made the list. Other entries include a Talbot-Lago, a Duesenberg and a couple of Bugatti's. Nice stuff if you've got the scratch.
Lotus has never been about sensible transportation. The company builds serious cars for serious drivers. The Evora four-seater is still a serious performance machine, but as European Editor Alistair Weaver notes, it's been toned down to the point of daily drivability.
Does that make it any less of Lotus? Mr. Weaver doesn't think so.
A bit overkill? Sure, yeah, whatever. that's what the 2010 Aston Martin V12 Vantage is all about.
It's the classic American muscle car formula -- stuff the biggest engine available into the smallest car in the lineup. It rarely fails.
In this case, the results are predictable. The car is an absolute missile and Aston even saw fit to make it look like one. But as European Editor Alistair Weaver points out, it comes with a price. A big, huge price that make you wonder if it's all worth it. That's a muscle car for ya.
Last week we told you about a possible end around Nissan's more restrictive launch control setup. It sounded like it was worth a try, so we did. I'll leave it to test driver Josh Jacquot to tell you how it went:
This method might work, but it's clearly the exact thing Nissan is trying to avoid with its recalibration of the GT-R's launch control. Wheelspin and drivetrain shock stand to break parts on this car. It's that simple.
What's more, while we got it to launch on three occasions using this technique, the clutch overheat warning was triggered on two of those three occasions which immediately sent the engine into a temporary limp mode and made the whole endeavor pointless.
Plus, it's not consistent or easy to do or any quicker than simply following the standard launch control procedure.
You'll remember that we re-tested our long-term 2009 Nissan GT-R after it had its launch control reprogrammed and you'll remember that we picked up a couple tenths in the both the 0-60 (3.6 seconds new vs. 3.8 old) and quarter-mile tests (11.6 new vs. 11.8 old). That was with a 3,000-rpm launch.
But now a GT-R owner from Abu Dhabi claims on NAGTROC (North American GT-R Owners Club) that a 4,000-rpm launch is possible.
He writes, "i did the TCM update last week and found out that u can launch GTR at 4000, just when the RPM goes to 2500 or 2800 RPM release and the before the RPM go back to 1000 kick it again and it will reach 4000 RPM."
Another member participating on the forum reports, "I tried it [with the transmission temperature] at 80C and it reached to 3K. Try 85C+ it should work. Just to be clear, it took me well over 5 tries to achieve 3900."
As evidence, he submits two videos of his GT-R doing a 4,000-rpm launch. Hmm, wonder if we should give this a shot with our Godzilla.
Is the mid-engine-V6-powered 2010 Lotus Evora 2+2 a spiritural successor to the Dino 246 GT of the late 60s, the baby Ferrari that Maranello never gets around to building?
Or is it just the most accessible and refined Lotus built to date?
Either way, writes Matt Davis, the Evora is a car that satisfies on multiple levels. It's a sharp implement on back roads with incredibly strong brakes and hydraulic power-assisted steering that's as faithful in delivering feedback as the non-power steering in the Elise and Exige. Yet, a 60 percent stiffer structure (for torsional and bending rigidity) allowed Lotus to tune the suspension for far greater compliance than ever before without losing out on the handling front. And that "+2" backseat option is sure to make a difference when kiddies are a consideration.
North American deliveries start in January 2010, and Lotus says it already has 150 orders in the book for the Evora, which will cost about $74,500 in 2+2 form.
Reports of the theft of a Nissan Skyline GT-R used during filming of the mega-hit Fast & Furious may be - slightly - exaggerated.
Yes, a Nissan Skyline used during the filming of Fast & Furious was stolen from a warehouse in Sun Valley, California. But, according to Fast & Furious Picture Car Coordinator Dennis McCarthy, it wasn't a GT-R. Instead it was a less exotic Skyline GT-S model that had been redecorated as a GT-R. In fact it was wrecked during the production, sold by Universal Studios and then restored by new owner, drifting competitor Chris "Milano" Kregorian.
According to Milano, he was away in Georgia for the Formula D event at Road Atlanta this past weekend and returned to find the door of his shop in tatters and the Skyline missing. In getting the Skyline out of the shop, the thief (or thieves) hit several other vehicles including a Porsche Boxster, a classic Studebaker and a '69 Camaro. "There's blue paint from the Skyline on all of them," Milano told Inside Line over the phone. Since there was never any intent to drive the car (it would only be displayed), Milano had decided to forego insuring it.
While the Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the theft, Milano has developed several promising leads of his own. And he has hired private investigators to follow those leads and is hopeful that he'll soon recover the car intact.
On Monday we posted the first video of Hennessey's supercharged Chevy Camaro SS. There wasn't much to it other than a claim that it made 562-horsepower. Luckily, we had a guy on the scene who witnessed the runs first hand. He said there's no reason to doubt the horsepower claim, but it's still very much a work in progress.
See that open garage door? That would be the front of the warehouse where a GT-R from Fast and Furious was being stored. This security shot shows a couple thieves driving it away after breaking in to the Sun Valley storage facility. The owner said the car was worth at least $75,000, but was not insured. Agent O'Connor would not approve.
It lives. Yes, the Lexus LF-A still exists and it has returned to the Nurburgring, We assume it's moving closer to production, but that's what we thought the last time it showed up.
There are some minor bodywork changes this time around. The C-pillar treatment has obviously been altered and the front end looks a little different. Thankfully, the unique exhaust arrangement is still intact. If this on-again, off-again project ever gets finished up, expect to see it debut at this year's Tokyo auto show in the fall.
F1 star Kimi Raikkonen walked out of a Ferrari dealer on Thursday to find a parking ticket on his Ferrari 612, and the video cameras were there to capture the drama. Only there was none. The Ferrari factory driver climbed into his high dollar ride without a word and drove off.
And so the question is, which would you rather: Kimi's 612 or that awesome old school California?
Fresh off a mid-cycle update for 2009, the Porsche Boxster is already well into the development phase of the fully redesigned 2011 model. Seen here lapping the Nurburgring and ripping through the German countryside, this Boxster looks and sounds much like the current model.
There was a rumor circulating late last year that Porsche might be considering a turbocharged, four-cylinder powerplant as the base engine for the next Boxster. This prototype certainly doesn't sound like it's a four-cylinder, but that doesn't rule out the possibility in the future. After all, Porsche has to meet the same fuel economy regulations that everybody else does.
Tony Danza speaks Italian but drives German. TMZ caught the Hollywood D-lister climbing into his piss poor Porsche Speedster replica recently in Malibu. There's even a close up of the cracks in the fiberglass body. Man, what a POS. Come on Tony, if you're going to drive a fakey doo, at least make it a big-block Cobra.
Last week we were alerted to one of the first known breakdowns of the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. Turns out it may not have been an isolated incident as GM has now issued a recall to realign a battery cable that could cause a short.
According to the recall, it only affects certain Camaros with a V8 engine. Turns out the positive battery cable rubs on the starter housing which could eventually wear the protective insulation away and cause a short. GM is advising owners not to drive their cars and will provide courtesy transportation to the dealership.
We knew Nissan was looking to get into the hybrid game with its own technology, but we didn't know how far it would go. A report out of Japan unearthed by 370Z.com predicts a hybrid version of the Nissan 370Z by the 2012 model year.
Just a few weeks ago, Japan's Nikkei daily reported that Nissan would offer its first in-house hybrid system in its Fuga luxury sedan, which is known as the Infini M35/45 in the States. The new hybrid system will reportedly use a new lithium ion battery pack that delivers more power and shorter recharged times.
We've reported that Ford is busy gauging interest in a possible U.S.-spec version of the Ford Focus RS. And yesterday in Royal Oak, Michigan, a Focus superfan spotted a Focus RS with Michigan tags. It appears identical to the Euro-spec version we've already driven.
We'd guess there will be a few more opportunities for sightings as Ford mulls the desirability of a 305-horsepower hot hatch. Probably a few curbings, too, with those vulnerable 19s.
An amateur shooter caught the on-set crash of a Ferrari during the filming of an upcoming Nicolas Cage movie in New York City. Two people were hurt in the incident, but the damage was fairly limited given how out of shape the car was when it hit a storefront. Video after the jump.
There have been cop Camaros since the late 1970s. The ponycars second, third and fourth generations all made it into the hands of the man (some photos after the jump) and chances are the new 2010 Camaro will do the same. This video shows the best rendition of a 2010 Cop Camaro we've seen. The guy got it right, down to the push bar and extra lights.
Check this out. Avis will rent you a 2010 Chevy Camaro. One that seats 4, has air conditioning and the rare luxury of power steering. Automatic transmission too of course, as Avis has no interest in frequent clutch replacements.
Camaro5 member BUMLEB was stranded on Sunday when her yellow 2010 Chevy Camaro 2SS automatic conked out without warning. She had just bought the car and had driven it for only 20 minutes before needing her AAA card and a big white flatbed.
After far too many "teasers" of its upcoming supercar, Aston Martin will finally unveil a complete One-77 Concept at the Concorso d'Eleganza on the shores of Lake Como, Italy.
The all-aluminum sports car most recently appeared at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show, but only its stripped-down chassis and an exterior styling buck were on display. Aston Martin promises a complete interior and running drivetrain this time around.
Power will come from a 7.3-liter V12 with at least 700 horsepower, says Aston Martin. A paddle-shifted sequential transmission will handle the shifting. Aston expects a 0-60-mph time of around 3.5 seconds and a top speed over 200 mph.
What would happen if a tape-and-name special edition turned out to be something genuinely interesting and not just another shameless grab at the wallets of the Corvette faithful? Would we not make fun of it?
The answer is, "Yes, we would not make fun of it." Thankfully, such is the case with the 2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport. While the production Grand Sport isn't exactly the wicked racer that in the way the original '60s. But neither is it just a couple of piece of tape on the fender.
Porsche engineers told Inside Line that an RS version of the latest GT3 is definitely in the works. It will arrive in Europe later this year as a 2010 model. The U.S. version will take a bit longer, more like early next year as a 2011.
The talkative engineers also gave us one more bit of interesting information. Remember that 911 prototype that was spotted on the Nurburgring with the huge fixed wing stuck to its rear end?
Well, turns out that was just another 998 prototype. The engineers thought it would be amusing to see what kind of speculation it generated. See, those Germans aren't so stuffy after all.
At this point we've seen the upcoming Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG in the flesh, but never completely uncovered. These latest shots reveal more exterior detail than ever before and it's looking quite promising.
The shapes of the greenhouse and nose section are clearly visible now and they both show clear signs of the SLS's retro-inspired design. Smaller details like the headlights, drilled brake rotors and vents holes in the front quarter panels add a few more clues to the look of the final design.
U.S. Attorneys have charged the owners of a New York Bentley and Aston Martin dealership with corporate espionage after discovering they had tapped into the email network of a rival Ferrari and Maserati dealership.
According to Bloomberg, Giacomo Ciaccia and Leka Vuksanaj, the co-owners of Universal Autosports LLC,were former employees of the Ferrari dealership. A third man, Michael Lussos, listed as the Creative Director of Universal Autosports, helped to set up the email system for the Ferrari dealership.
Investigators discovered that the Ferrari dealership's email were being forwarded to an outside account. In some instances, Universal Auto sport attempted to use the information to thwart potential sales by contacting customers directly. The three men each face up to five years in jail and a fine of $250,000.
Audi of America will drop use of the Volkswagen-derived, narrow-angle VR6 six-cylinder engine for the 2010 model year.
The engine, which dates back to the '90s VW Corrado/Passat days, has grown to 3.2-liters over the years and produced 250 horsepower in the 2009 TT and A3. But the VR6 doesn't use direct-injection like Audi's newer engines (2.0T and 3.2 V6). The company will also drop the front-drive 2.0-liter turbo TT.
The company will also limit use of its more conventionally arranged 3.2-liter V6. The 265-hp V6 will no longer be available in the A4 sedan. Almost all A4s will be powered by the 2.0 turbo. The S4, that arrives later this year, will be the step up engine in the line. It will use the supercharged 3.0-liter that's just gone into the A6. It will be available in the A5 coupe, but only with the automatic transmission. In other A5 news, the ubiquitous 2.0T will be offered as the base engine in the two-door.
And you better get your order in for your V-10-powered S8 super-sedan soon because that model will be discontinued for the 2010 model year. The S6 carries on with the Lambo-sourced V10 and so does the R8 5.2 V10 which also arrives in the U.S. as a 2010 vehicle. And the range-topping, black-tie-wearing A8 W12 is dead too. Not a big surprise given that the car sold only about 100 units last year (no, we didn't forget a zero in that number).
Oh come on, you weren't expecting anything else from the next-generation 2011 Porsche 911 were you? It has looked this way for decades, so no matter how extensive the mechanical changes are to the 998-series of this classic sportscar, it's always going to look familiar on the outside.
More info and video of this prototype on the Nurburgring after the jump.
The way we figure it, there have been 10 generations of Mustangs. And within each generation, there's one version of the Mustang that stands out above the rest as the most emblematic of the breed. Not always the fastest or quickest, mind you, but the one that's the quintessential Mustang of its era. And the one that looks best today, exactly 45 years after the first Mustang was introduced.
So here are the top 10 Mustangs of all time; one from each generation of the pony car.
Our only apology is for the Mustang II King Cobra. To explain ourselves, all the other Mustang IIs were even worse than the King Cobra.
Since everybody has been calling the Hyundai Genesis Coupe the "Korean Mustang" since it was introduced, the folks at Hyundai figured it was only fitting that they acknowledged the Mustang's 45th birthday.
Last we heard, Mr. Keenan of Tool fame was making wine in Arizona. Thankfully, the Mustang has continued its role as a burnout machine unabated during its entire existence.
The Mustang's story of initial success is one of those fables we Americans learn alongside George Washington and the cherry tree and Abraham Lincoln's birth in a log cabin.
Exactly 45 years ago, on April 17, 1964, Ford debuted the Mustang at the New York World's fair and put it on sale at dealers across the country. Before the day was through, they had sold more than 22,000 of the new sports coupes and convertibles with prices starting at just $2,368.
Just 12 months later, a staggering 417,000 had found buyers. By early in the 1966 model year, over 1,000,000 were out on America's highways. And last year Ford sold its 9 millionth Mustang.
The Toyota/Subaru coupe kerfuffle continues. This time a report in the Japanese magazine Best Car says two very different prototypes have been spotted testing. Both ride on the platform used for the new Subaru Legacy, but Best Car didn't speculate on the styling of either coupe.
The magazine claims to know the exterior dimensions, however, pinning the length at 165.4-inches, the width at 68.9-inches and the height at 51.2-inches. Those numbers would make it considerably smaller than the Hyundai Genesis Coupe in every dimension. That said, Best Car still claims that both of the coupes will have rear seats, although it does describe them as "emergency"seats, so they will be small indeed.
Looks like Fabio's driving skills are as keenly honed as his taste in hairstyles. According to TMZ, he put this Ferrari 599 into a guardrail on Mulholland Highway, just above the Rock Store judging by the photo.
Luckily for Mr. Fabio, the car wasn't his. He was just borrowing it from World Class Driving, an exotic car club that rents out supercars by the day. A representative for World Class Driving told TMZ, "We are not very proud of the fact that Fabio wrecked our car." If it were Tom Cruise would they be "proud"?
#NYIAS Even this chocolatey brown 2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster looked good under the Javits Center lights at the New York Auto Show. It looked so good, a Super Silver Nissan GT-R got kicked off the stage and onto the carpet. --Erin Riches, Senior Editor
#NYIAS Though the 2009 Nissan Nismo 370Z first saw the light of day (well, the first official light of day) at the Morrell Wine Bar, we couldn't resist the favorable lighting conditions in the Nissan booth today at New York's Javits Center. We've got video, too. --Erin Riches, Senior Editor
#NYIAS For more than a year, there have been unending rumors of an Infiniti-badged, Nissan GT-R-powered sedan. The car was said to be an all-wheel-drive flagship for the luxury brand, powered by the same twin-turbo V6 used in Nissan's supercar.
Then Infiniti showed the GT-R-powered Essence concept at the Geneva show, and the rumors fired up again. Word was that the sedan plan was dead and the new flagship was to be an Essense-like coupe with GT-R power.
Well, today Inside Line has learned that both plans have hit the trash can. Infiniti has decided that a high-powered flagship is just not what it needs right now. Not at a time when S-Class and 7 Series sales are way down.
"It's fair to say that there's nothing in the product plan for an Infiniti flagship right now," Brian Carolin, Nissan's Senior VP of Sales and Marketing, told IL. "It's just not a priority in today's climate."
"Our dealers would rather have something with more volume," he continued. Twelve months ago they would have said yes; now it's way down on their wish list." -- Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief
#NYAIS I just spent a couple of hours crawling in and around a Mercedes SLS AMG prototype. The interior was finished, but the outside wore much of the same camouflage as the cars we've seen running around the Nurburgring for months (notice the black tape on the red car above). Photos were not allowed, nor could we open the hood or trunk, but everything else was fair game.
Now we've already published a number of stories on this car, so learning new info with such restrictions wasn't easy. Here's the new stuff we walked away with:
#NYIAS Funny how these things work. We don't really know what the 563-hp 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS "Gullwing" will look like or how much it will cost, exactly. But we know that its steering wheel has a diameter of exactly 14.4 inches, its glovebox can accommodate 3.7 liters of something and that the COMAND infotainment system's short-stroke buttons require only 4 newtons of force to operate.
Mercedes-Benz took a little break from the New York International Auto Show to give a group of journalists a sneak peek at the interior of the SLS "Gullwing," which should go on sale next spring. Don't look for it at the Javits Center, though. It's tucked away at an off-site location. And the body still wears some camo. We won't see the car in its full production glory until the Frankfurt show this fall.
As the latest move in a long striptease of the upcoming Gullwing-door-having Mercedes-Benz SLS sports car, the company has released these sketches of the exterior.
Judging by the anime-style, computer-y renderings, the SLS will have 33-inch wheels carrying tires with a 0.05 aspect ratio and will be fitted with leftover Nissan GT-R headlamp assemblies.
Uh, wait, is that a porthole on the B-pillar? Possibly that is supposed to be the world's most prominent fuel filler. Such is the trouble with early sketches.
Otherwise, the design of the SLS is what most expected, a long-nosed two-seater with a number of retro flourishes nabbed from the 1955-'57 300SL "Gullwing." Beyond the gullwing doors, which Mercedes has taken to calling "swing-wing" doors, the new car references the original with its twin longitudinal hood bulges, big front grille, fender vents and a tapered rear end with tiny, horizontal taillights.
How close are these sketches to revealing the real character and details of the eventual 563-horsepower, seven-speed dual-clutch, $250,000 SLS? We haven't a clue really. But we won't have to wait too much longer to find out. The car should finally be unveiled at this fall's Frankfurt auto show.
#NYIAS You wouldn't want to be drinking a glass of really nice Cabernet and also trying to understand the mass dampers on the 2009 Nissan Nismo 370Z. But tonight at Manhattan's Morrell Wine Bar in Rockefeller Plaza, the new Nismo Z and the 2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster were just there to hang out. Well, they weren't in the bar, but out on the sidewalk -- the better to be noticed by passers-by.
This is really their official 2009 New York Auto Show introduction. They'll be at the company's booth tomorrow, but there won't be a press conference.
We've written detailed stories on both the 2009 Nismo 370Z and 2010 370Z Roadster, so you know they're going on sale in June and July, respectively. In between sips of wine too rich for our blood, we took a few more photos.
Notably, Nissan's head of design, Shiro Nakamura, was on hand to toast the debut of the roadster and the Nismo Z. Although both trace their basic lines to NNA designer Randy Rodriguez, final design work on these two was completed in Japan. -- Erin Riches, Senior Editor
Why muck up your GranTurismo daily driver when you can have a dedicated track car like the GranTurismo MC? Designed to compete in the GT4 European Cup class, the GranTurismo MC uses the same 4.7-liter V8 as the production GranTurismo S. Revised engine mapping bumps output to 450-horsepower while the chassis has been stiffened and race-grade brakes installed. A full roll cage and racing slicks are also part of the package.
And the cost? A mere 135,000 Euros. Just call Maserati Corse and they'll arrange pickup of the money. We're sure you'll get a car eventually.
Audi officials have told Inside Line that the much anticipated R8 convertible is on the way, but not until next year. Prototypes caught testing last summer showed R8s with a full convertible top, a feature that product planners in the U.S. preferred over a less complicated targa setup. "We fought for a full convertible instead of smaller targa roof," an official from Audi USA told Inside Line.
The extended time frame will allow for more time between the launch of the convertible and the V10-powered R8 5.2 FSI Quattro. There was some initial hesitation from Audi USA regarding Stateside sales of that model, but it has now been confirmed for arrival later this year. And will the V10 fit with the convertible top? "Yes, it all fits," the Audi official told us.
Yes ladies and gentlemen, Fast & Furious blew up this weekend, and we're not talking about pistons going through hoods here.
The fourth installment of the series proved irresistible as Fast & Furious pulled in an estimated $72.5 million over the weekend. Add in its international take and it likely topped $100 million.
Those numbers make Fast & Furious the biggest opening of the year, not to mention the biggest April opening of all time. This of course means that a fifth installment is virtually guaranteed.
Maybe you heard that Steve Saleen has a new company called SMS Supercars. He started it after he was more or less booted out of his old company. Soon after his departure, the new owners issued a statement saying they were not responsible for honoring the warranty on Saleen vehicles.
Given the complex ownership structure of the "new" Saleen, vehicle owners were pretty much out of luck if they were hoping to start a fight over their sudden lack of coverage. Thankfully, and quite shockingly, Steve Saleen has stepped into the fray to resolve the situation.
From here on out, SMS Supercars will honor the warranty on any Saleen vehicle purchased before February 2, 2009. "This unusual step in uncertain times is a measure to assure that my past and future customers, as well as Saleen and Ford dealers around the United States, continue to have faith in products bearing my name", said Mr. Saleen.
Sure, any old GT-R can hit 193mph with enough room, but hitting that speed from a dead stop in only a mile is a little bit more difficult.
In this case, the Hennessey-tuned Nissan GT-R had help from upgraded turbos and intercoolers, revised plumbing, a new blowoff valve, waste gate and an electronic boost controller. The result is roughly 700-horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque. No word on whether they used launch control to get out of the hole quickly. Video after the jump.
After its recent freshening, the Porsche Boxster is headed toward a full redesign. Of course, in the Boxster's case that doesn't mean much as there's only so much you can do with its basic mid-engine, two-passenger layout.
This prototype was caught just outside the Nurburgring with a few extra body panels bolted on, but it's hard to tell what what's permanent and what's merely disguise. Expect to see this car in production form in roughly two years time.
There's an interesting story behind the 19-inch sport package wheels on the 2009 Nissan 370Z. Randy Rodriguez, the Nissan designer who penned the original sketches for the 370Z (and who showed up to our Z-car party in his 240Z), owns an MV Agusta F4-750, you see. He stores it behind his desk at Nissan Design America in San Diego.
"A digital modeler showed me the eBay auction for a stripped MV's frame, engine and suspension," says Rodriguez. "This was in the morning that I first saw the ad, and then I blasted to Sacramento in a truck and by late evening it was parked beside my desk at work.
"Within 3 months I had it mostly complete and running. I got parts for it from all over the world.
"In doing that, I got really familiar with the various parts of the bike, and the 19-inch wheels for the 370Z were inspired by the triple clamp on the MV (and the one on the Ducati 999). I morphed it into the spoke, which became part of the wheel."
The MV isn't just an office sculpture, either. "I totally ride it hard -- when it's safe to do so of course," Rodriguez says.
Already on sale in Japan, the Nissan GT-R SpecV is the first of what promises to be a long line of upgraded GT-Rs. This particular version doesn't add any power, but it does shed some weight and upgrade some hardware.
So how fast is the GT-R now? Find out in our exclusive full test of the SpecV direct from Japan.
With rumors flying that the Estoque was DOA, Lamborghini issued a press release to clarify the situation.
Turns out, no official decision has been made as the car is still being studied for production. Inside Line correspondent Matt Davis was with Lamborghini officials at the launch of LP560-4 Gallardo Spyder and got the inside scoop on the story behind the Estoque.
A race is kind of like a physics test, a high-speed evaluation of automotive machinery. But the best thing about sports car racing is, there isn't just one right answer.
The 12 Hours of Sebring provide a worthwhile reminder, as a surprising number of different exam booklets were submitted for the 57th running of the annual, twelve-hour endurance race in Florida. This road-racing event is part of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), one of the few racing championships that is about cars, not just money. In comparison, Formula 1 and NASCAR look like one-make spec-car series, where the only way to tell the cars apart is by color and sponsorship decals.
The Audi R15 TDI earned the gold medal in this particular physics test by narrowly winning the race by just 22.279 seconds over the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP with which it had rubbed fenders for virtually the entire 12 hours. But the Acura ARX-02a, BMW M3 GT2, and Lola B09/86-Mazda MZR-R also came up with some interesting answers.
Ah yes, the comparison test years in the making is finally here.
The debut of the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS was the final piece of the puzzle. Together with the 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T and 2010 Ford Mustang GT, these three cars represent American muscle at its finest - and fastest ever.
Of course, in the end, only one could come out on top. Was it Chevrolet, Dodge or Ford? See for yourself in our latest comparison test.
Can't say enough about the way the 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe looks on the road. Easily one of the most distinctive two-doors on the road today.
Only problem is what lies underneath. Without the turbocharged powerplant of the top-shelf GXP model, there's not much to get excited about. Editor in Chief Scott Oldham outlines the issues in our latest road test.
With deliveries of the 2010 Ford Mustang scheduled to begin any day now, Roush Performance decided it would be a good time to unveil its latest tuning kits for the revamped pony car.
As usual, there are various stages of tune available. The Stage 1 kit is nothing more than an appearance package, while the Stage 2 kit adds a retuned suspension to the bodywork of the Stage 1 kit.
The car you see here is the top-dog 427R. It's force fed by a "Roushcharger" that bumps horsepower to 435 and torque to 400 pound-feet. All models ride on 18-inch wheels and Cooper Zeon tires with 20-inch wheels available as an option.
It looks like the Brabham Racing BT92. The name might sound familiar, but Jack Brabham had nothing to do with it. This modified version of the E92 M3 was built by Michael Trick and an overqualified team of engineers. It's a nearly race-spec car with 494-horsepower on tap and a curb weight of 3,142 pounds.
Contributor Matt Davis took it for a spin to find out if it's worth the price. It's not, of course, but it's still fun to see what can be done with a big budget and one of the best sportscars in the world as a starting point.
The Hurst/Hemi Challenger was an oasis of taste in a sea of tackiness at last year's SEMA show. Decked out in traditional Hurst livery, the modified white Challenger boasted over 600-horsepower from its supercharged Hemi V8.
Now that the Hurst Performance Center is open in Irvine,CA you can order a similar Challenger for yourself. The company offers five stages of tune for the Challenger in addition to the 50th Anniversary Hurst/Viper, a limited-edition model finished in matte gold paint. You know, to get you noticed.
Although the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe is offered with an optional V6, it's likely that the turbocharged 2.0T version is destined to be the more popular choice. It's less expensive and lighter, plus it's got a happy spinny thing under the hood known as a turbo. And when it comes to tuning potential, a turbo is hard to beat.
We tested a bone stock Genesis Coupe 2.0T on MD Automotive's Dynojet chassis dyno located in Westminster, CA. Hyundai says its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder generates 210 hp and 223 lb-ft of torque at the flywheel, and like most factory ratings for turbo cars, those numbers are a bit on the conservative side.
Hit the jump to see the dyno chart and other discoveries.
We promise this will be the last Chevrolet Camaro post for at least...a day or so.
Figured you might want to check out the Camaro configurator on Chevrolet's official website. It's one of the better such devices as it gives you a rotatable view of the car that changes as you add and remove options.
We like the look of this base LS with the heritage wheels and side stripes. Not bad for $23,505
Yes, the hype machine is in full gear now that production of the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro is officially underway at GM's Oshawa, Ontario plant. According to Chevrolet, 14,000 Camaros have already been sold, most of them top-of-the-line SS models.
Official EPA numbers were released as well and they are indeed impressive. Base V6 models with the 3.6-liter V6 are rated at 18mpg city and 29mpg highway when paired with the six-speed automatic. With the six-speed manual, the city rating drops to 17mpg. SS models with the automatic are rated at 16mpg city and 25mpg on the highway. Manual models are rated the same in the city and 24mpg on the highway.
The first production Camaro off the assembly line will go to Rick Hendrick who bid $350,000 for the honor at the recent Barrett-Jackson auction in January.
Remember the red ("Redline") 2007 Nissan Nismo 350Z that debuted at the 2007 New York Auto Show? It was serial number 0000 out of the 1,500 Nismo 350Zs planned for North American import. We later tested this very same car.
Well, we've learned that Nismo 350Z number 0000 met its fate in the crusher. We met Joe Nagy, an engineer at Nissan's Arizona technical center. He helped build this particular Nismo Z for the New York show and he watched it being crushed.
Does this car look familiar? Grainy photos of it appeared prior to the Geneva Auto Show, but these are the first official pics of the Lamborghini Mucielago LP 650-4 Roadster.
Like virtually every Lamborghini these days, this is a limited edition (50) model. Only 50 will be built, and given its questionable grey and orange paintjob, 50 suddenly seems excessive.
Its 6.5-liter V12 produces 650-horsepower and 486 pound-feet of torque, enough to propel it from 0-to-62mph in 3.4 seconds according to Lamborghini.
Why bother discussing GT-R vs. ZR1 lap times with your buddies when you can brag about your own personal best lap time?
Because it's expensive you say?
Well, yes it is, but for those who can afford a trip to the AMG Driving Academy, it will be well worth the expense.
At least that's what our Director of Vehicle Testing Dan Edmunds says. He spent the better part of three days mastering Schwedenkreuz, Aremberg, Adenauer-Forst in an SL63 AMG. In the end, he was able to pull off a lap of 8:48.9, fast enough to secure bragging rights at track-side bench racing sessions for some time to come.
Here's the first of what are sure to be many heads-up battles between the 2010 Ford Mustang GT and the 2009 Nissan 370Z. Sure, the Nissan might not have rear seats and the Mustang is more muscle car than sports car, but if you're looking to spend $30-35K what else are you going to buy?
Ok, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS is another strong contender in that price range, but it's not on sale just yet. Rest assured we'll have one of those in the mix too at some point. For now, the 370Z tops the Mustang, at least in our book.
Will it be much of a fight? On paper it doesn't look like it, but as Scott Oldham, Editor in Chief of Inside Line, points out in our latest road test, this Mustang is already faster than the Dodge and should hold its own against the Camaro.
This of course leads to a bigger question: Does anybody care? Are big muscle coupes like these destined to linger on dealer lots as buyers save their money for more practical purchases?
Or maybe it's the other way around. Maybe these retro-themed muscle cars will remind Americans why the Big Three are worth saving.
Auto sales may have collapsed in February, but the market for Tesla Roadsters doesn't appear to have suffered nearly as much. At least that's was a recent Ebay auction seems to indicate.
According to the ad, the orange-on-black Tesla Roadster was due to be delivered within a week. The owner says he ordered it two years ago, but recent declines in his business forced the sale.
The opening bid was $150,000, but just days after the auction started, someone hit the "Buy It Now" button for $160,000. That's a steep price to pay considering the Roadster's $109,000 base price, but apparently someone wanted one now, not 12 months from now.
Looks like Earnhardt Sr. finally got the Ferrari he always wanted.
Actually, the Ferrari 599XX is a real racecar, but instead of pro like Dale at the wheel, Ferrari will offer it to owners as a factory-built track car.
It features a 700-horsepower version of the standard 599 engine along with a revised suspension, slick tires and new bodywork that adds up to 617 pounds of downforce at 124mph. No pricing was mentioned, naturally. -- Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line
You probably know the Koenigsegg CCX from Top Gear, and you've read about the 1,004-hp E85 CCXR version. So the idea of Koenigsegg, the Swedish Ferrari, a company that trades in oversteer and tire smoke, building a solar-electric car is a bit weird.
And, actually, the Koenigsegg Quant, is a project commissioned by NLV Solar AG, which specializes in photovoltaic technology. But like all other Koenigseggs, the Quant promises to do everything more quickly than just about every other car out there. Like recharging. It only takes 20 minutes. Supposedly.
Of course, with twin electric motors (one for each rear wheel), there's also regenerative braking going on while you're actually driving the car, helping extend range to 310 miles. A photovoltaic coating on the Quant's body could increase range beyond that, says Koenigsegg.
Is the Infiniti Essence concept the Nissan GT-R twin we've been hearing about for the last year or so? Hard to tell at this point.
Consider this statement from the product planner in charge of its development. "It isn't a teaser for a new model. It is solely dedicated to Infiniti brand promotion, to demonstrate and advocate the Infiniti unique values," said Francois Bancon.
Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Well, maybe, but according to the press kit this Infiniti concept also has a twin-turbocharged V6 under its hood that produces 434 horsepower. Not quite the size engine or horsepower as the GT-R, but close.
Oh, and as an added twist, the Essence is also a hybrid thanks to an electric motor sandwiched between the engine and transmission. It's powered by a lithium-ion battery pack in the trunk and is capable of delivering an additional 158 hp -- all of it going to the rear wheels.
So the Essence may not have all-wheel drive or a 3.8-liter V6, but with a combined 592 hp and rear-wheel drive, it would be quite the halo car for the Infiniti brand, not to mention one of the fastest cars ever to leave a Japanese assembly line.
So what do you think? Just a promotion for the Infiniti brand, or an early look at an Infiniti flagship? -- Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line
As promised, Ferrari displayed a 599 GTB with its newly available Handling Gran Turismo Evoluzione (HGTE) package. That would be in addition to the roughly $300,000 base price of Ferrari's already capable GT.
Spending the extra cash will get you a stiffer rear antiroll bar, a lower ride height and revised calibrations when the magnetorheological dampers are set to their firmest settings. Stickier tires are also part of the package, along with a less restrictive exhaust.
There are a few electronic changes as well. Ferrari claims quicker shifts from the transmission and improved throttle response.
To make sure everybody around you knows that you didn't cheap out on a base model, the HGTE package also includes new 20-inch split-rim wheels, a matte-black rear diffuser and chrome exhaust tips. Interior upgrades are limited to carbon-fiber trim and Alcantara seat inserts. And like, say, a Corvette Z06, the seats are emblazoned with "Handling GTE" stitching. Nice. -- Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line
Stephan Winkelmann may have thought he was being brief and to the point, but Bugatti boss Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen made Winkelmann look chatty in comparison.
Paefgen drove out in the Bugatti Veyron Bleu Centenaire and gave a speech that took all of one or two minutes tops. He noted the car's unique mix of gloss and matte finishes, bespoke wheels and aluminum mirrors. Then he coolly announced that it's a one-off car built to celebrate Bugatti's 100th anniversary and will be priced at 1.35 million euros, or nearly $1.7M.
And contrary to the rumors, there are no engine modifications apart from a layer of Bugatti Bleu paint.
There wasn't much to say after that, so Paefgen got in, chirped the tires on the glass stage and pulled it around back. -- Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line
At tonight's Volkswagen Group event, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann took all of about 3 minutes to introduce the new Lamborghini Murcielago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce. Maybe he's getting tired of telling the same story about every new model.
Yes, this is a limited edition (350). And yes, it has more power than the LP 640: 670 horsepower to be exact. It also weighs 220 fewer pounds and can go from zero to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds. Top speed is 212 mph.
Where will Lamborghini go from here? Who knows, but after seeing a couple Seat and Skoda intros, this was a welcome change of pace. -- Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line
We've shown you various spy photos and spy videos of this car over the past couple of years, and now it has an official name: the 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.
Hidden under Viper body panels during its early testing days, the latest prototypes are still covered in camouflage but there's no mistaking the gullwing-style doors and retro bodywork. Yep, this is a modern day 300 SL alright.
We were expecting AMG to unleash a monster of an engine for this exclusive super coupe and we were wrong.
Ferrari will use the 2009 Geneva Auto Show to unveil two new variations of its 599 GTB. The first is called the 599 Handling GT Evoluzione (HGTE), an upgrade package that's expected to add larger wheels and tires, retuned suspension components and a revised exhaust.
Also on display for the first time will be the 599XX, a developmental version of the 599 that blends the company's latest technology with customer input. The program is similar to the FXX program that used modified Ferrari Enzos.
Being a former U.S. President has its perks, but unlimited time to do whatever you want is not one of them.
During a recent green technology roundtable in Burbank, California, Bill Clinton said he was looking forward to taking a spin in the Tesla roadster that was on display. A Tesla employee quickly offered Clinton the keys, but Secret Service agents stepped in and denied Bill the drive saying he had to move on to another commitment.
Earlier in the presentation, Clinton called Tesla, "a shining example of the green tech movement," according to a post on the company's blog.
In related news, a report on Valleywag claims that Tesla's former Vice President of Marketing Darryl Siry quit after learning that Tesla was going to start taking deposits for its Model S sedan. The site claims that Siry considered it fraud to take money from customers for a car that existed only on paper. Tesla is counting on Department of Energy loans to fund the development of the Model S and the construction of a factory in which to build the electric sedan.
Ah, to be a rich car junkie with no kids. Such is the life of one Mr. Jay Leno. You may have heard of him?
Now that his Tonight Show gig is winding down, he has even more time to play with cars. In this case, it's the frighteningly ugly Deronda sports car, a V8-powered assemblage of carbon fiber and aluminum that puts the kitsch in kit car.
How do you make a 5,000-pound coupe "green"? You can't really, but the 2010 Bentley Continental Supersports is a fine attempt. It's not only lighter than your typical Continental GT, its 621-horsepower W12 engine is also capable of running on ethanol.
Well, it will be once the EPA approves it for U.S. sales. Bentley doesn't expect that to happen until mid-2010, so until then you'll have to either get by with the 600-hp, gasoline-burning Continental GT Speed or move to Europe.
Other notable changes include a 2-inch-wider track for the rear wheels, standard carbon-ceramic brakes, a quicker-shifting six-speed automatic and retuned dampers.
Geneva just got a tenth-of-a-degree more interesting with the announcement of the Aston Martin DBS Volante. For those who don't speak Aston, Volante means convertible.
In the case of the DBS, the convertible top is of the soft variety and it's capable of retracting in just 14 seconds at speeds up to 30mph.
The DBS Volante is powered by Aston's 6.0-liter V12 mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. A six-speed automatic with manual shift capability is optional. Aston Martin expects to begin shipping the DBS Volante in the third quarter and will announce prices next week in Geneva.
Well, SVT spokesman Patrick Hespen didn't appreciate the connection. "SVT was never on hiatus, or shutdown. SVT developed the 2005-06 Ford GT and the 07-09 Shelby GT500. Both of these vehicles were fully engineered by SVT. Granted, they were not specifically badged as SVT vehicles, but they were responsible for their development," Hespen told Inside Line.
He went on to say that "SVT's health is not in question," and the vehicles that it produces are all profitable vehicles.
Remember the F-Type Roadster concept? Maybe not, after all it debuted way back in 2000 when Jaguar was still an upstanding member of the Ford Motor Company. Even then it seemed like a long shot and indeed it was. Although it was announced for production in early 2001, the F-Type was never to be seen again as Jaguar instead focused its resources on the ill-fated X-Type sedan.
Rumors of a new Jaguar sportscar have swirled ever since and now recent comments by current Managing Director Mike O'Driscoll suggest there's a distinct possibility we'll see a new car soon. At a recent event in Spain, O'Driscoll told Inside Line that the company would love to build a sports car.
"If we were to do something, it would be a proper sports car priced like a 911. Wouldn't it be great to launch a sports car at Geneva on the 50th anniversary of the E-type?"
Well, yes Mike it would, and with that anniversary coming up in 2011, there's plenty of time to put something together. A report in AutoCar suggests there's already plenty of work being done on what could be called the Jaguar XE. Lotus appears to be involved and it looks as though the XE will use a cropped version of the aluminum chassis currently used for the XK. Expect to see a concept version around this time next year if all goes as planned.
Going for a face-lift must be a terrifying experience. For every Demi Moore, there's a Mickey Rourke. The opportunity to make hash of something sound is colossal, and it's the same in the automotive world. There was little wrong with the old Jaguar XKR that a quick trip to the surgeon's couldn't enhance.
Chief surgeon Ian Callum has carved some faux air intakes into the front fender, while the new LED taillights will tip you a wink. It's supposed to look sportier and it does. Inside, the once cheapo buttons have been smothered in chrome and the old gearstick's been replaced by a gently rising rotary knob, pinched from the XF sedan. It's better, but the fascia still looks a bit old-school next to the XF.
Hiding under the shapely hood - hinged at the front, just like an E-Type - is Jag's new 503-horsepower supercharged 5.0-liter V8, shared with the XFR. In face-lift terms, this is a giant pair of implants and could ignite the XK's career. The XKR was never a bad car, but it's suddenly hit its sweet spot and is now nothing short of brilliant.
You may know the Pagani Zonda as that peculiar-looking supercar with the odd tailpipes. Well, now there's an "R" version that's even less useful and of course way more expensive.
A small group of journalists recently had an opportunity to stand around a cold paddock at Monza and look at the Zonda R. Then it headed out for some hot laps without them.
Thankfully, someone from Bestmotoring (or was it Evo?) took some video and posted it for all to see and hear. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the Pagani Zonda R after the jump.
First it was a leak of the teaser shots, now more has spilled out on the Audi TT-RS that's headed for Geneva. Looks like there will be coupe and convertible versions, both powered by a 340-hp turbocharged five-cylinder connected to a six-speed manual transmission. Audi says to expect a 0-to-60mph time under 5 seconds. Not bad for a TT.
Teaser shots of the upcoming Audi TT-RS have hit the web and all we can say is, "were jealous". That's because this high-powered TT coupe isn't headed for the U.S.
Nope, only those highfalutin Europeans will get this direct-injected, turbocharged five-cylinder. Audi says it will produce "well over 300-horsepower" and take "nowhere near five seconds" to hit 60mph. We're assuming that means it'll hit 60mph in around 4.5- and not 6.7-seconds.
Audi also notes that passing in the TT-RS will amount to "child's play" while the top-speed is limited to 155mph only on paper. Who knew Germans could get so giddy?
Had your eye on the barely-new 2010 Ford Mustang? Well now you can take your obsession one step further. Full pricing and options are now available on Edmunds.com. Dream on.
Yesterday's news that GM will suspend all work at its High Performance Vehicle Operations will not threaten current performance vehicles or the upcoming 2010 Camaro SS.
"Camaro SS, Corvette ZR1 and Corvette Z06 are all regularly engineered cars," spokesperson Vince Muniga explained. "They did not go through HPVO. Most people did not realize that. They are safe."
More importantly, Muniga said that HPVO is on hiatus, not shutdown completely.
"Ford SVT did the same thing a few years ago and they are back," he said, holding out the prospect that HPVO may be revived at some point. "This is an indefinite hiatus."
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