world automotive news: September 2011

Friday, September 30, 2011

Magnifico! Ferrari Brings F40 and 599 GTB Together for a Whimsical Duel

From time to time, automakers manage to overcome their crippling fear of being creative and actually produce something that's original and interesting for viewers. The video you're about to see is one such rare example.

Titled "Duel for the Crown – Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano", the short video, which is close to 4 minutes-long, shows Maranello's modern V12-powered gran turismo going up against the classic and still beautiful F40 that was built in limited numbers from 1987 to 1992.

Hop over the break to enjoy the clip and don't forget to power up the volume of your speakers...

We think most of you will agree with us when we say that, for the same reasons the Cadillac Escalade is extremely profitable, it also doesn't quite fit the brand's current image being sort of a throwback to the glory days of the classic American cruisers~~hips.~~

But this didn't stop General Motors from raising the ante in yet another provocative commercial for Cadillac that follows the CTS-V spot featuring the Ferrari 458 Italia.

This time, the General took the Escalade and pointed its ammo towards Mercedes-Benz and its C-Class sedan. The video spot shows the big Caddy V8 beating the C300 on a straight line duel, and then…hauling back the Merc.

Less than a month ago, Porsche unveiled one of the world’s worst kept secrets: the brand-new, 911 in Carrera and Carrera S versions. As usual, the coupe versions are just the beginning. Porsche may be criticized for carefully simply updating its classic model’s looks with each generation, instead of presenting something different, but apparently that’s what its customers want.

Even its most vehement detractors, however, cannot deny that the Weissach carmaker gradually rolls out many versions of the 911, which cover every niche of its segment –and then some… So read on to see how Porsche’s 48-year old sports car will evolve in the near future.

Now here's a review that is bound to get the conversation heated up. Motor Trend's senior editor, Jonny Lieberman of former Jalopnik, The Truth About Cars and Autoblog fame, tried out the new 2012 Ford Explorer with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four that produces 240-ponies. And well, let's just say he didn't like it one bit.

After testing the Explorer, Lieberman states, among other things, that the 2.0-liter model is "slow, clumsy, pricey, thirstier than we would have thought, and a packaging disaster".

As we reported earlier this week, raffish-haired Akihiro Dezi Nagaya, Toyota’s global design chief, plans to implement a more aggressive design theme for the brand. “We have eliminated emotion. We need to pump that up” he said in an interview at the Frankfurt Auto Show.

Changing Toyota’s “quiet and non-offensive” image won’t be easy. Nagaya will be faced with challenges both from within Toyota, a company known for consensus-driven conservatism, and with the brand's consumer base. Nagaya recognizes that Camry buyers, for example, “don't want something too aggressive.”

The new Ypsilon supermini is not the only Lancia model to wear Chrysler's winged badge in Britain. Joining the Ypsilon's voyage across the British channel is the Lancia Delta hatchback that went on sale today as a Chrysler with a starting price of £16,695 OTR.

The move is part of the Fiat-Chrysler alliance's decision to market all Lancia models in the UK under the Chrysler brand name.

Chrysler is marketing the new Delta a C-segment model with D-segment interio space and features. The five-door model measures 4520mm in length and rides on a 2700mm long wheelbase.

Do you remember the 1960s? It was all about peace, love, Woodstock and a VW Camper van to go with the hippie and surfer culture -or so they say, as any of us under 50 have only heard stories or seen movies about the era.

LEGO's latest creation is harking back to that time. No, not the Woodstock festival or the anti-Vietnam riots, but the iconic 1962 VW T1 Camper, also nostalgically known as the “hippie van”.

What's the first thing automakers do when they want to boost their sales but don't have a completely new or refresh product(s) in the pipeline? The age-old answer to that question is a special edition model.

For Lexus it's actually three new limited edition models based on the 2012 LS 460, ES 350 and CT 200h, with the first two arriving in U.S. dealerships in November, and the third next month.

After a great trackday at the Modena circuit in Italy, the owner of this Lamborghini Gallardo took the road towards home. Little did he know just how much (deep) trouble he would get into…

According to supercar enthusiasts Marchettino who filmed his friend in the Italian supercar doing the rounds on the track and during the aftermath of the incident you're about to watch in the video below, at some point the owner of the Gallardo tried to pull to the side of the narrow road to avoid coming in contact with another vehicle.

Unfortunately, he miscalculated the width of the road and ended up half-way into the ditch.

Honda has released UK pricing and equipment levels for the new Civic, which made its world premiere at the 64th International Auto Show in Frankfurt earlier this month. Buyers can order their car now with first deliveries set to take place in January.

In Britain, the ninth-generation Civic will be available with three engines and a choice of four trim levels. Prices for the five-door hatchback start at £16,495 for the entry-level 1.4-liter petrol model and top out at £26,595 for a fully equipped 2.2-liter diesel.

In one of those embarrassing moments than can haunt you for a very, very long time (especially when the mishap occurs in front of a crowd with hand held cameras…), a driver of what looks like a modified second-generation Buick Regal Coupe from the early 1980s, gets ready to impress by beating his rival in a drag strip race.

And then it happens; as he leaves the line in full force the seat breaks and he falls back… Watch the funny incident in the video after the jump.

We already know for a fact that Hyundai is planning to launch a more powerful version of its new Veloster sports car fitted with a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine delivering 208HP for a 0-62mph (100km/h) sprint time of under 7 seconds (Carscoop has officially confirmed all numbers), with European sales to start in early 2012.

We still don't know when and if this engine will be offered in North America, but those interested in a more hardcore Veloster will have a chance to see plenty of aftermarket options at this November's SEMA show in Las Vegas.

Among the many Veloster proposals that are expected to be displayed in SEMA, is a highly modified model created by Hyundai in partnership with ARK Performance.

Kia Motors does not intend to build new plants despite increased worldwide demand for its products, the automaker’s co-CEO, Lee Sam-ung told Autonews in a recent presentation. The Korean company will instead focus its efforts on quality.

“Quantitative growth is important, but qualitative growth is also important. We plan to focus on improving product quality and our brand," Sam-ung said at the launch of the new Rio.

Renault is playing the good versus evil card with its new limited run Clio Renaultsport 200 “Ange & Démon”, which is French for Angels and Demons. Deviously, the bespoke version of the Clio RS will be produced in a…fiendish 666 units worldwide - as most of you already know, that's the number of the Beast in the Book of Revelation.

Buyers can choose among three different matte shades, including Toro Red, Givre Nacré and Hologramme Grey, all of which feature a gloss black finish for the roof, upper tailgate, rear spoiler, rear diffuser, F1-style blade in the front bumper, the door handles and exterior door mirrors.

The Fiat-Chrysler alliance has said that the two groups will work hand-in-hand towards the development of all future models, with the Italian branch handling the smaller and compact / medium segments and the American, the medium and larger categories.

We'll have to wait to see the first (real) results, but for the time being, the group is making use of one brand's vehicles to supplement the lineup of another brand through the age-old approach of rebadging.

Following the European premieres of the Chrysler 200, 300 and Town & Country with Lancia badges and names, the table has turned around with Chrysler welcoming a Lancia model into its range, the new Ypsilon supermini. But it's not for U.S. consumption.

Is it sibling rivalry or pure coincidence? No matter: the PSA Peugeot Citroen Group unveiled today not one but two compact crossovers: the Peugeot 4008 and the Citroen C4 Aircross.

Both models are based on the Mitsubishi ASX and were created as part of an OEM agreement between the French automaker and it’s Japanese counterpart.

The differences between the two French models are purely cosmetic, with each variant featuring bespoke front and rear ends along with some other signature styling traits such as the Citroen's C-column trim.

French carmaker Peugeot has revealed its entry in the compact SUV / crossover segment, the new 4008 that will make its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show next March before it goes on sale in the second quarter of 2012.

Positioned under the larger 3008 and 4007 in Peugeot's lineup, the 4008 (previously thought to be named 2008) is based on the Mitsubishi ASX, which you may also know as the Outlander Sport in the USA, and RVR in Japan and Canada. The PSA Peugeot-Citroën group had announced the agreement with Mitsubishi in early 2010.

Jeep's Updated Production Plan Includes Four New Models Covering Most Segments by 2014

While future production plans for the Fiat-Chrysler alliance's Italian brands (Fiat , Alfa Romeo and Lancia) can change from one moment to the other for a variety of reasons, up until now, the American branch of the group has proved to be more reliable and on time when it comes to new projects.

At a recent investors presentation in Germany, the Fiat Group unveiled its product plans for Jeep, which the automaker considers as one of the two global brands in the alliance, the other one being Alfa Romeo.

Under the revitalization plan, which runs up until 2014, Jeep will expand its portfolio with a series of new models to cover all SUV/Crossover segments. The group's –admittedly ambitious- goal is to double Jeep's global sales from around 400,000 units in 2010 to about 800,000 vehicles in 2014.

Swedish Automobile N.V. [Swan] owner of cash-strapped Saab, announced today that it has reached an agreement with US-based private equity firm North Street Capital LP concerning the main terms for the sale of its Spyker luxury sports car business. Read more »

I Kid You Not: Consumer Reports Says Chrysler 300C is “Excellent”

The redesigned 2011 Chrysler 300C has scored an impressive 80 -- an “Excellent” rating -- in the road test portion of Consumer Reports’ latest assessment of upscale sedans.

David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports' Auto Test Center, lauds the 300C as having a “quick, muscular 5.7-liter V8 engine… responsive handling and a more comfortable ride."

Though only ranking near the middle of the pack, the 300’s score is a huge leap from the pitiable 64 given to the previous model. The car impressed the editors and engineers at Consumer Reports so much that they hailed it as "the best Chrysler sedan we've seen in decades."

For the most part, BMW has made some smart decisions over the years, but occasionally, even the all-knowing Bavarians make mistakes. The ActiveHybrid X6, which will reportedly soon be retired from BMW's American line-up due to poor sales, is one such example: a 480HP turbocharged V8 hybrid with mildly better fuel efficiency (19mpg highway) but with a similar price tag to the almighty X6 M.

Their counterparts at Audi seem to be doing a better job, as proved with the new A8 Hybrid that combines a 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol with an electric motor for a fuel economy of 6.4 liters per 100 km (36.8mpg US).

This brings us to the new ActiveHybrid 5 sedan that was introduced today, ahead of its sales launch in March 2012.

BMW decided to base the first hybrid version of the latest 5-Series on the 535i – not the wisest choice if you're targeting fuel efficiency and low emissions.

For Sale: ’84 De Dion Bouton Et Trepardoux Dos-A-Dos “La Marquise”. Low kilometre (mileage), twin engined four-seat convertible with leather / wood interior, only four owners since new and restored in the mid-‘90s by a dedicated individual. Would suit classic car / steam enthusiast with large amounts of disposable income. Price is US$2 - $2.5 million (€1.5 - 1.9 million) ONO with all enquiries to RM Auctions, Pennsylvania.

At 127 years, the 1884 De Dion Bouton Et Trepardoux Dos-A-Dos or “La Marquise” is the world’s oldest running motor car. It’s a steam-powered quadricycle built by toymakers Georges Bouton and Charles-Armand Trepardoux with the financial backing of the Comte Di Dion in 1884.

It’s 9 feet (2.7 metres) long, weighs 2,100 pounds (953 kilograms), has solid axles front and rear and dos-a-dos (back-to-back) seating for four.

The Ford group is currently negotiating a four-year contract with the UAW (United Auto Workers) union, which could add as many as 10,000 new jobs at its American factories.

Citing sources familiar with the issue, Bloomberg News reported that the job-discussion is part of the negotiations between the two parties that also include wages, benefits and employment status in the new contract.

Among the moves being considered, is shifting production of the Ford Fusion mid-size sedan from Mexico to the U.S.A., which could help in the creation of nearly 4,000 new jobs alone.

I think it's safe to say that at one point or another, we've all done something senseless on two or four wheels, especially at a younger age.

But seriously now, who in their right mind would attempt a wheelie on a ~~motorized bicycle~~ motorcycle on the move with three men on board? Guess they got what they were looking for….

Enjoy the video right after the break.

In what can be considered a historical moment, the Cuban government legalized today the purchase and sale of new automobiles for all its citizens, ending the prohibition that had been enforced since the 1959 revolution.

It was a move that was announced last April by President Raul Castro, but would not become law until it was published in the Official Gazette.

The new ruling, which is effective from Saturday, stipulates that both the buyer and the sellers will each pay a 4% tax for new cars. Buyers will also have to go to state-owned dealerships and prove that the money they intend to spend were obtained through their work and not sent by relatives who live abroad.

The BMW X6 has entered its fourth year of production, which means the Bavarian company will proceed to at least some changes to keep its successful crossover model fresh and ensure that it remains on the priority list of its desired target market.

Our man with the long lens caught up with a very early and hardly disguised prototype of the X6 in Germany. The only parts of the car covered, were the headlamps and the tail lamps, both of which will likely be revised to match the rest of the BMW line-up like the new 1-Series.

Working in what appears to be a basement somewhere in San Francisco, two biotech employees and a former NASA engineer have developed a radically new lighting system…for bicycles.

While advances in bicycle technology don’t typically arouse my interest, I’m a sucker for shiny objects and the wheel-mounted Revolights are actually very cool.

Drawing power from a rechargeable lithium ion battery, the system consists of four “light rings,” each sporting a dozen LEDs and a dash of electronics. While stationary, the lights simply flash in sequence and are as every bit as boring as one might expect flashing lights on a bicycle wheel to be. But just get those wheels spinning and watch the magic happen!

A new special edition version of Toyota's facelifted 2012 Tacoma pickup truck series was revealed in pre-production form at the State Fair of Texas today. Said to be inspired by the Japanese firm's Baja racing heritage, the Tacoma TRD T|X Baja edition will be available to the public starting from late spring 2012.

The special edition is equipped with the standard 4.0-liter V6 engine matched to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a five-speed automatic transmission.

Up until now, we were used to seeing Japanese and later on, Korean and Chinese executives measuring and taking pictures of every detail of their rivals’ cars at major auto shows.

But now the tables have turned, and in a big way: at the recent Frankfurt Motor Show we saw none other than VW CEO, Martin Winterkorn himself, examine Hyundai’s newest C-segment hatchback, the i30.

And boy was he impressed with the i30’s quality…But at the same time, he seemed to be frustrated by the work his own staff is doing in VW Group models. “I hear nothing!” Winterkorn said about the absence of any rattles while adjusting the steering wheel. “How did they do it?," he continued.

The growing importance of China has led many carmakers to introduce a variety of dedicated special edition models created especially for the domestic market. In the recent past, the BMW Group has presented many such vehicles, including but not limited to, the M3 Matte and Tiger Editions.

The Bavarian firm's latest attempt to capture the attention of Chinese buyers with a special version is the Z4 sDrive23i Flame Edition.

The most popular truck in Ford's range, the F-150, is entering the 2012 model year with a few mild upgrades concentrated on fine-tuning the driveline and improving the equipment packages.

Under the sheetmetal, Ford replaced last year’s electronic shift-on-the-fly with a an enhanced two-speed automatic 4x4 system that gains a 4x4 auto mode for Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum trim levels. Across the range, there's a new standard Hill Start Assist feature that prevents the truck from rolling backward at a stop.

Can you count to 10? Well done, so does Hyundai, and in particular the Korean company’s engineering team responsible for car transmissions. According to a Bloomberg News report, Hyundai Motor Group president Park Seong Hyon said that 10-speed automatic transmissions will become available in the group’s luxury models from 2014.

Only a few years ago, six-speed automatic gearboxes were available only in top-of-the-line cars. Then the gear count started to increase gradually: first at seven, which seemed like a novelty, and quite recently at eight, which most luxury carmakers rushed to adopt.

You've met them before – drivers that think that they're better than the rest of us and can do as they wish on the road. But sometimes, they get what's coming to them.

The driver of this silver Daewoo Matiz wanted to bypass everyone on the left turning lane by sprinting across the center and squeezing his/her way in front of the other cars.

But in the driver's fury, he (or she) failed to notice the closed triangle in the middle of the road and as a result, got caught inside. Watch the short clip in the vide below.

Ford is heavily promoting its ECOnetic technology, which promises extremely low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. With the official help of Ford, two Norwegians, Knut Withil and Henrik Borchgervink set out to prove that the technology delivers what it promises.

They took a bog-standard Ford Mondeo wagon 1.6-liter diesel ECOnetic, filled up the fuel tank with 70 liters of diesel and started their quest to find out how far it would take them.

By now, you have probably heard that the upcoming 2014 BMW M3 in both four- and two-door formats will do away with the current model's atmospheric 4.0-liter V8 and gain a turbocharged six-cylinder engine.

Most seem to agree that the most likely candidate is an M Division modified version of one of BMW's 3.0-liter straight-six units with either two or three turbos.

However, there are some rumors circulating around the net that BMW is developing a new force-fed V6 engine for its next M3 models. The speculation is based on a recent design filling for a twin-turbocharged V6 made by the Bavarian company at the German patent office. BMW has not commented on the matter.

Someone once said that in the future, the inner works of our vehicles after a crash will look like a balloon party – sans the bright colors. And true enough, after the front, side, roof, knee, rear curtain and seat-belt airbags, automakers have now discovered another area of the car that can be fitted with an inflatable bag for our protection: the center.

Following Toyota's presentation of the first production rear-seat center airbag on the Japanese domestic market Crown Majesta in 2009, General Motors is introducing the automotive industry's first front center air bag, designed to protect the driver and front passenger in far-side impact crashes.

At the 2011 State Fair of Texas, Scion revealed two new limited production models as part of its "RS" series based on the 2012MY xB and xD, both of which will begin arriving in showrooms in October.

Starting with the xD Release Series 4.0, it is offered exclusively in a Blizzard Pearl exterior paint and comes equipped with 16-inch alloy wheels finished in a smoked platinum color.

One of the victims of the March earthquake and the Tsunami that followed was Japan’s auto industry and especially Toyota, which saw many of its suppliers hit hard by the dual natural disaster. The result was that production slowed down considerably, and sales took a hit all around the globe relegating the former No 1 carmaker in the world to third place. Read more »

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