August 18, 2008
Infiniti released a photo of their upcoming G37 convertible at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The actual car, which has the now-obligatory folding hardtop, will debut at the LA auto show in November.
Here's Inside Line's take: First Official Photo of 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible Unveiled
And speaking of G37 Infinitis, here some info on the tweaked '09 G37 sedan: Revealed: 2009 Infiniti G37 Sedan
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- Posted by: Bob Holland August 18, 2008, 4:00 AM
- Categories: All Auto Shows, Convertibles, Infiniti, LA Auto Show
Tired of getting those pre-recorded "Expiring" Warranty" phone calls, stating that your vehicle's warranty is about to end? I am. I get perhaps one phone call a day from these "robocall" scammers. Not only that but I get stuff in the mail too. Grrr...
Here's an interesting link on just this topic. It offers a lot of info on what's going on here, and how you can fight it. Here's another link on this subject.
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- Posted by: Bob Holland August 18, 2008, 4:00 AM
- Categories: Auto Industry, Trends
August 17, 2008
So how do you top what is arguably the most impressive road car on the planet, the Bugatti Veyron? Well, you take the top off.
That's exactly what Bugatti did, and then renamed it the Bugatti Veryon 16.4 Grand Sport. As per all Veryons, the Grand Sport is powered by a 1001 hp W16. Sending all that 1-K+1 power to all four wheels is accomplished via a 7-speed DSG. With the top up it has a top speed of 253 mph, and sans top, the maximum velocity is limited to 190 mph. Can you imagine what it must be like doing 190 mph in an open-top car? Yikes!
Only 150 copies will be built, with 50 going to existing Bugatti owners. The car debuted at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, with the proceeds of the first unit being auctioned off going to charity. Price? 1.4 million euros excluding tax. First deliveries are expected in March of 2009.
Full story here.
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- Posted by: Bob Holland August 17, 2008, 7:34 AM
- Categories: Bugatti, Classic Cars, Luxury Cars, Sports Cars
August 16, 2008
Autoblog had a streaming video up (here) of the 2008 Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise while the vent was going on. More Autoblog Dream Cruise images can be found here. Also here is a video of the GM Century Cruise Parade that was part of the Dream Cruise.
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- Posted by: Bob Holland August 16, 2008, 8:01 AM
- Categories: Classic Cars
What a week! Chevy Volt details shots (more here). A Caddy CTS wagon there. And over there, a dim bulb congressman from North Carolina who wants to resurrect the Double Nickel. Let's hit the road before they slow us down!
Speaking of the Double Nickel, anybody for legalizing triple digit speeds? Donald Sensing at Winds of Change offers a persuasive case in favor of liberating us plebes on the highways of automotive life.
Ouch! Reason Foundation's Hit & Run Blog exposes the backstory of a Ladies Home Journal puff piece for red light cameras. Seems the LHJ tried to keep somebody's self-interest out of sight in the editorial trunk.
Peter DeLorenzo at AUTOEXTREMIST is flat out amazed at the short-sighted thinking on the energy crisis that, for once, is not coming from Detroit.
Hydrogen-powered prototypes are trickling into the hands of auto journos and other societal outcasts. Dan Reihl of The Fast Report tells about his recent encounter.
Chris Hafner at Car Lust praises the 70 Camaro as best looking Camaro ever. The 70 Firebird wasn't bad, either. As I recall, somebody (Car & Driver?) described their exterior styling as inspired by early 50s Ferrari and Maserati lines.
Know what "Equillibriance" means? Grant's Auto Rants explains it all and you need to read this if you happen to be upside down on a car loan.
Pontiac decides to call it the G8 ST. Jill McIntosh is not impressed.
On the other side of the globe, Paul Tan has some shots of the Honda Jazz on a transporter. Is that we get as the Fit?
How's the new Mazda6? Lori Hindman at Mother Proof says it's much improved, but ....
Did you hear about the Tampa Fraud-Boy? The Auto Prophet has all the details of a truly incredible story.
And speaking of amazing stories from our automotive past, Justin Berkowitz at The Truth About Cars reveals that a certain VW diesel was actually first produced in 1820. Yes, it's incredible but true, and you get an entertaining review of the new Jetta TDI to boot.
WHAT I'M DRIVING THIS WEEK: Audi R8
Well, not all week, just a couple of hours at the Audi Sports Car Experience at Summit Point Motorsports Park. SPMP's Shenandoah Circuit is mostly tight turns, with only one straight to speak of, but no matter - the R8 is gorgeously exotic close-up, is ridiculously easy to drive extraordinarily fast in relative safety, and is actually comfortable as a daily driver. As an old Formula Ford racer, I fell hopelessly in love after about three laps.
The mid-mounted 4.2 liter V-8 produces 420 horses, plus just the right kind of aural tones that come only from having two rows of four pistons pumping away at a 90 degree angle. With the Audi Quattro powertrain putting the muscle to all four corners, the R8 in third gear fairly leaped out of the Carousel Corner on the Shenandoah Circuit.
The cabin is roomy but snug, and the driver's seat would work just fine in concert with a five-point harness and a roll bar. The peddles are exactly where they should be and I even found myself un-distracted by the gated shifter, thanks to nicely weighted clutch and intuitive shift linkage.
Nits? Is it permitted for critics to have nits about this kind of vehicle? I would lose those cheesy LED lights adorning the headlamps. And from some angles the snout looks a bit over-done. But such thoughts instantly flee at the sound of that V-8 blipping on a downshift and the sublimely balanced feel of the chassis at turn-in. This thing is a joy for the serious driver.
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- Posted by: Mark Tapscott August 16, 2008, 4:50 AM
- Categories:
August 15, 2008
Hot Damn! A new Caddy wagon based on the slick CTS!
Two V6s are available. The base engine puts out 263 hp, and the hotter direct-injection version a healthy 304 hp; with both hooked up to either a 6-speed automatic or a 6-speed row-it-yourself gearbox.
Check out what Inside Line has to say, as well as two videos to boot: New Videos Offer Better Look at the 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon
If the CTS doesn't grab you, how 'bout the new next-gen 2010 SRX? This will be debuting at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance this weekend. No word yet on the mechanicals, but expect a V6, possibly a 4-cylinder engine (!), but a V8 is unlikely.
Revealed: 2010 Cadillac SRX
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- Posted by: Bob Holland August 15, 2008, 12:18 PM
- Categories: Cadillac, Classic Cars, Luxury Cars, SUVs, Wagons
It may look just like your everyday X5, but it's not; nope, not by a long shot. ...Or a short shot, or just about any shot for that matter, as this baby is designed to withstand a .44 Magnum attack. In fact it can meet tough ballistic level VR4 requirements, making it a good vehicular choice to make your weekly trips to the bank in.
Other elements include heavy-duty material and
ballistics-resistant steel and bullet-proof safety glass. It also has 22mm thick armor plating, an intercom
system and a camera monitoring set-up. The passenger cell has
been designed to protect its occupants from violent crimes such as
robbery, kidnapping or carjacking, and it can even sustain a blast from
a small explosive.
Full story here.
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- Posted by: Bob Holland August 15, 2008, 6:55 AM
- Categories: BMW, SUVs
Today, August 15, marks the end of the SOA news embargo on ride impressions of the new-and-improved '09 WRX. I've read several already, and the consensus is unanimous. The WRX has found its misplaced mojo. Fun is once again a word that can be used in the same sentence with the WRX. Welcome back old friend.
Full story here.
Here's Inside Line's take: ROAD TESTS First Drive: 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX
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- Posted by: Bob Holland August 15, 2008, 6:24 AM
- Categories: Sports Cars, Subaru
Ah, the long, slow, and painful tease has begun as GM has released some "detail" images of the upcoming Chevy Volt. So you can expect water torture to be dragged out until the car's been released in about two years.
Full story here.
Here's
Inside Line's take:
The Tease Continues as Chevrolet Releases More Volt Images
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- Posted by: Bob Holland August 15, 2008, 4:00 AM
- Categories: Chevrolet, Green Tech
There's been a lot of news on the upcoming Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance recently, and Straightline has sure done its share of posting on that event. However, there's several other classic car news events worthy to report on as well.
How about getting chance to bid on Carroll Shelby's 1949 MG TC? This car, which by the way, set him off on a career in auto racing, will be going up for auction at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event in Las Vegas this October.
Carroll Shelby's Life-Changing 1949 MG TC Hits the Auction Block
Here are a couple from the AACA Museum in Hershey, PA.
Porsche through Time, August 16-21 August 24-27
Porsche Cars North America will be hosting a North American dealer training event here in Hershey with special events at the AACA Museum. As part the updated 2009 911 Carrera training, Porsche will bring a total of six (6) vintage 911 cars for public display at the Museum from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM daily.
This exhibit will include the earliest 911, which is actually a 1963 Porsche 901 Prototype with chassis 13327. It is the only survivor of the original development prototypes.
Visitors will be able to see more than forty years of evolutionary advances in engineering, technology and styling to the iconic 911 model line.
More after the jump.
Continue reading...
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- Posted by: Bob Holland August 15, 2008, 4:00 AM
- Categories: Classic Cars, MG, Porsche, Sports Cars
August 14, 2008
What, no clapping? Or guns-a-blazin'? Not even a parade announcing this momentous event?
Sorry guys. No, it's not a Nuevo-El Camino; nor is it a Neo-Caballero. Nope, it's just a Pontiac G8 ST, as in "Sport Truck."
Name Contest no contest
If you recall, Pontiac earlier this year requested names from all who were interested in this truck. They got 80,000 entries and 18,000 different names--and out of that the best they could come up with is G8 ST?
As to the truck... Pontiac claims the following:
• A sports car with truck-like cargo and towing capabilities
• 361 hp V8 engine with Active Fuel Management linked to six-speed automatic
• 74-inch cargo bed, 1000 pound payload and 3,500 lb towing capacity
• Estimated fuel economy near top of vehicles with comparable cargo/towing capacity
• Available in late 2009 as a 2010 model
Full story here.
Well folks, it's shortly after midnight as I'm posting this, and the name "G8
ST" is about as good a sleeping pill as I could ask for...
Here's Inside Line's take: El Camino Out as Sport Truck Is Christened the 2010 Pontiac G8 ST
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- Posted by: Bob Holland August 14, 2008, 4:00 AM
- Categories: Pontiac, Trucks
There have been so many Nürburgring lap time stories and videos recently, I guess Subaru felt they needed to get in on the action. So FHI has put together this video showing various generations of STIs, right up to the current one, doing their 'Ring Thing.
Ah, one more thing... you need to understand Japanese to get the full story. If not, you can still enjoy the visuals.
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- Posted by: Bob Holland August 14, 2008, 4:00 AM
- Categories: Sports Cars, Subaru
So is this the beginning of the end for Jeep? A car-based Grand Cherokee? Is that what Jeep buyers want?
Or is Cerberus banking on the fact that each year there are less and less true die-hard Jeep afficienados out there, and that sooner or later that number will be so miniscule it won't matter?
"The segment the Grand Cherokee competes in has seen some of the most decline (because of the) high gas prices," said Global Insight analyst Rebecca Lindland. "This new product will allow the consumer to keep all attributes of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. They won't be able to navigate the Rubicon trail but they will get to the grocery store on less fuel."
Oh Lord, did I really read that? A real Jeep that can't do the Rubicon?
You know, it's all fine and dandy that all the other SUV pretenders are being designed to handle nothing tougher than shopping center parking lots, but must Jeep follow that path too? Unlike most SUVs out there Jeep has real off-road credibility, but if they go that route, you can kiss their stellar 60-plus-year reputation of being America's first and true off-roader goodby.
For the record, this is not about being unibody, as the Cherokee and and Grand Cherokee have always been unibody. And it's not about using IFS and IRS, as there are several really good off-road vehicles using IFS and IRS. No, this is about changing the mission of Jeep Grand Cherokee. No longer will it be a true dual-purpose on-off road vehicle, but instead it will be skewed heavily towards on-road abilities at the expense of its famous off-road heritage. So it looks like the Grand Cherokee will become just another CUV. Sad.
For the sake of the Grand Cherokee let's hope I'm dead wrong with this blog entry.
Full story here.
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- Posted by: Bob Holland August 14, 2008, 4:00 AM
- Categories: Jeep, SUVs
Apparently there is a new "Super" lithium-ion battery on the horizon, and Honda is hot to get there hands on it for their next-generation hybrids.
The new battery will allow the batteries to charge much more quickly. This, in turn, will allow for an increased amount of battery capacity that can be assigned to actually powering the motor. And more power means that the Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system can be employed for larger, heavier vehicles.
Here's Green Car Advisor's take: Honda Awaiting New "Super" Lithium-Ion Battery for Next-Generation Hybrids
In other Honda hybrid news, expect the next versions to be cheaper. Any complaints? Didn't think so.
Here's Inside Line's take: Goal of New Honda Hybrid Is Affordability, 100,000 Yearly Sales and New Honda Hybrid Will Be a Toyota Prius Fighter, Especially on Price
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- Posted by: Bob Holland August 14, 2008, 4:00 AM
- Categories: Green Tech, Honda, Hybrids
August 13, 2008
We got a pretty good look at the 2010 Cadillac SRX just a few months ago, but these latest spy shots from Michigan show even more detail. The Cadillac styling cues up front are unmistakable while the profile mimics the Provoq concept as we expected. The rear end gets a pair of tall, vertical taillights and a relatively small window. Look for the official debut of the 2010 Cadillac SRX at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show.
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- Posted by: Ed Hellwig August 13, 2008, 9:17 AM
- Categories: Cadillac, Detroit Auto Show, SUVs, Spy Photos
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