car ciecar: 2010

Friday, September 3, 2010

MTM Massages the Audi RS5, Top Speed Increased to 303km/h (188mph)

In one of its more 'lighter' tuning proposals, MTM has released details on its new line of performance upgrades for the Audi RS5 coupe. Instead of fiddling around with the RS5's 450HP V8 engine to increase the car's top speed, the German tuning simply reprograms the factory electronic speed limiter of 250km/h or 280 km/h, allowing the coupe to reach a maximum velocity of 303 km/h or 188mph. The cost for the removal of the speed limiter is a hefty €1,499 or a little over US$1,900 at today's exchange rates.

*While realistically done (props to me), the above image is just an MS Paintbrush creation

[Caution; a sense of humor required beyond this point] According to the great barrier mill, our friends at Toyota are working it out on a four-door coupe variant of the rear-wheel drive FT-86, which was shown in concept form at last year's Tokyo Motor Engine Salon Show, just outside Japan, south west north of India. The four-door sport saloon will most likely be called WTF-86.

Hot on the heels from last week's presentation of Heico Sportiv's tuning program for the new S60, Volvo's European division today announced the launch of a limited edition version of the T6 sedan model, all spruced up by the tuning specialists at Heico Sportiv. Only 100 units of the Black Sapphire metallic special edition will be available in Europe, each priced at €63,968, equivalent to US$82,000. We assume pricing is for the German market, since Volvo did not get into any specific details.

A show car version of the new Cruze hatchback will be Chevrolet's star attraction at this year's edition of the Paris motorshow, which kicks off on September 30. Even though GM uses the term 'show car', the five-door hatchback version of the Cruze is virtually production ready minus some show-floor bling such as the blue hue on the headlamps, big wheels and the LED daytime running lights.

While keeping the front end and taut body lines of the sedan model, the refreshingly stylish hatch comes with a sweeping coupe-like roofline and a unique rear end treatment. GM has not yet issued any photos of the cabin, but don't expect any changes over the four-door saloon.

Fiat Launches Japan-Only 500 Arancia Special Edition

Even dedicated fans of Fiat's 500 mini will have a hard time tracking down all the special edition models released by the Italian company over the years, but for those that continue to care, here's one more limited production version of the car, this time made exclusively for Japan.

If you've never heard of the Courses de Bazous Autoquad in St. Ferdinand, Quebec, then you're like me and definitely wouldn't mind checking it out. Clearly, insanity is the name of the game.

This is a home-made video of a guy committing some airborne overtaking off-road rally style. Check it out and think about some wacky possibilities (see here...) the next time you're crossing some raised train tracks.

Some may like the all-new, second generation VW Touareg the way it leaves the factory, but for those that wouldn't mind sprucing it up a bit, German tuning firm JE Design has released its first line of enhancements for the SUV model.

For the time being, the only available engine kit is for the 4.2-liter TDI V8 diesel unit that increases output from 340HP and 800Nm of torque to 410HP and a monstrous 930Nm or 686 lbs-ft, respectively. As a result, 0-100km/h (62mph) drops from 5.8 seconds to 5.4 seconds while top speed is increased from 242km/h to 269km/h or 167mph.

Remember yesterday when we said Suzuki got smacked by an average 68% sales drop compared to last August (and -52% from the beginning of the year) in the US? Well, we decided to take a deeper look at the company's sales figures and discovered some interesting facts.

All in all, Suzuki sold a mere 1,878 cars and SUVs in August, down from 5,751 units the same month a year ago. The Japanese automaker says it has around 300 dealers in the U.S. If you do the math, that comes to a little over 6 vehicles sold per dealer in August... Here are some more details on the company's sales broken down model by model:

And the news alerts from the upcoming Paris auto salon keep coming in. This time we have the first images of the refreshed Renault Laguna lift-back and Sports Tourer models that will join the European-spec Latitude flagship sedan and whatever else the French firm has in store for us at this year's Paris show.

It took 11 accidents involving the freshly launched 458 Italia with five of them being ruined by fire, and a whole lot of media attention from the internet, for Ferrari to finally investigate the issue and announce a total recall on their latest supercar.

Being that Ferrari considers itself as something out of this world that is not subject to the same unwritten rules as the rest of the automakers, the company did not publish a broadly available press release to inform the media, and consequently, the public, about a problematic product that puts at a fiery risk the lives of its clients. Instead, the Italian brand simply answered questions to individual media outlets such as CNN through its spokespersons.

The most popular roadster of all time, the Mazda MX-5 (otherwise known as the Miata), has achieved yet another milestone by surpassing the 100,000 sales mark in the UK, some twenty years after its first arrived in the country in 1990.

[Updated] There have been no shortage of spy shots, teaser photos and even trademark sketches to be had showing the 2011 Durango SUV, but today Dodge finally came out with full blown pictures and initial specs on its brand-new 7-seater crossover that's scheduled to arrive in U.S. showrooms in the fourth quarter of 2010 competing against the likes of Ford's new Explorer.

Even though it makes use of an older name, the 2011 Durango is all-new inside and out. Under the fresh sheetmetal you'll find the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee's unibody structure and the same engine options including a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and a 5.7-liter HEMI engine with the Chrysler Group's Multi-displacement system (MDS) four-cylinder mode.

The first recall of the month comes from Kia, which is recalling approximately 23,973 Soul subcompacts from the 2010MY and around 11,213 Sorento crossovers from the 2011MY, all built from September 7, 2009 through July 30, 2010, due to a potential fault with the vehicles' electrical system.

A 1959 Cadillac that was first turned into an ambulance by coachbuilder S&S for a Church in Maryland, USA, and then underwent a full transformation to become the Ghostbuster movie car replica you see here, is now being auctioned at Historics at Brooklands forthcoming sale on the 25th of September.

What you're looking at here is the first teaser sketch of Hyundai's foray into Europe's mini-MPV segment, the ix20, which will make its world premiere along with the facelifted i10 city car at the Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris on September 30th.

Holden to test Brazilian market with limited edition Chevrolet Omega Fittipaldi

Oh, would you look at that? GM will indeed be making some of its left-hand drive Holden conversion money back after all! Unfortunately, it's not doing anything other than cop cars in the States, just yet. Brazil, on the other hand, will be getting its own Holden Commodore Series II wearing the Omega nameplate. This move marks the return of Holden exports to Brazil, which ran between 1998 with the VT-based Chevrolet Omega and 2008.

This is the AG Shark, not the Mercedes CL-based AG Excalibur (although both are big, red, and kind of freaky-deaky), and it was snagged in Latvia by a reader of the Autogespot forums. The Shark is based on a BMW 6-Series and features a carbon/Kevlar/fiberglass body over a steel and aluminum frame. The AG website says that the Shark wears 24s out front (like the Excalibur) and 26s out back, while its CL-based buddy has super-sized 30s at the rear; all rims can be chromed, powder coated, or gold plated.

August sales, for the most part, are hurting from a year ago. To be precise, initial data showed sales came in at 997,574, down 21 percent from a year earlier, according to Autonews. After the cash-for-clunkers sales surge of '09, it was to be expected. So, after the economy's cash-injection car sale plan, where do automakers stand compared to August last year?

First off, American automakers are all over the map: Ford is down 14%, Chrysler is up 7% due to fleet sales, and GM fell off a hefty 25%.

And yes, we have another design proposal for a future Saab model. This one is a compact sports coupe named Bóreas after the god of the north wind and bringer of winter in Greek mythology, and it's the work of Spanish designer, Jorge Martí Vidal. There's no info from the designer's behalf, but we could easily picture it as a modern day replacement to the Saab Sonnet. More pictures and a video after the break.

We all know Hyundai has pulled a 180-degree turn in brand image over the past few years, but alas, no one (including Ferrari) is immune to the threat of recalls. The NHTSA has recently begun a preliminary investigation of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata for an issue with the steering system. Approximately 16,300 of the Alabama-built units could be affected, although there have been no official complaints, injuries, or accidents yet.

Here are some amusing TV ads from Honda's creative Australian division. The spots were made to show off how practical, roomy and versatile the Honda Jazz is (known as the Fit in North America and Japan). So if you want to learn the answer to questions such as "How much Massive can you pack in a Honda Jazz?" and "How much Rap can you pack in a Jazz?", and don't mind watching 'iron boy' here in very tight speedos, hit the jump to check out the videos.

After Ferrari announced in June that they would be organizing special presentations for people to view a topless 599, is it surprising that the Italian Stallion previewed a 599 roadster (or "Barchetta", perhaps?) at Pebble Beach? Not particularly. What's surprising is that it took this long for A) the car to come out, and B) someone to spill the beans. Who cares about non-disclosure agreements and a "no cell phone" policy, on with what we can expect!

These are the first official photos of Citroën's mildly refreshed Picasso 5-seater and Grand Picasso 7-seater MPVs, which are both due to make their first public appearance at this month's Paris Motor Show. The styling changes on the outside are rather minuscule and include the addition of the latest fad to hit the auto industry, LED daytime running lights up front, along with re-trimmed tail lamps, and for the Grand Picasso, a new rear hatch logo.

Welcome to the next-generation Ford Explorer Pursuit, aka the Police Interceptor Utility. This, for lack of a better term, is the "wagon" version of the Taurus Interceptor. Got a 0.50-cal or a K-9? You're gonna be in this thing.

Designed to "complement the sedan", the Explorer Pursuit will be available for order next to the sedan when the Crown Vic finally passes away (so don't be shy about trying something new, 5-0!). It will also be 20% more efficient than the outgoing Panther-based cruiser.

US government officials have launched an investigation into possible engine problems in the 2009 VW Jetta sedan and Sportwagen TDI diesel models. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Tuesday it had received seven complaints on the aforementioned models alleging that while driving and without any warning, the engine limped and then stalled almost immediately.

The Zeta-based Holden Commodore lineup is getting a "Series II" refresh to keep up with the times. Highlights include a new "iQ" touchscreen interface for the usual suspects (Bluetooth, USB, iPod, backup camera, etc.), improved fuel economy/reduced emissions, and 3.0-liter and 6.0-liter engines that are E85-compatible. This "[allows] them to run on bio-ethanol, E10, Unleaded, Premium or any combination in between."

If the stock Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG doesn't offer quiet enough power or pizazz for your tastes, Anderson Germany will try to make good use of your money and turn Stuttgart's coupe into something a bit more special. Heck, they'll even pick up your car from your house and return it all zinged up - though we're assuming this offer stands for its Germany-based clients only. And by zinged up, Anderson Germany means it will upgrade both the styling and performance of the CL65 AMG.

Mazda's Flow evolves into the Soul of Motion, Shinari Concept now in Real Life Shots [61 Photos + Video]

[Updated with video from the presentation] While the debate rages on regarding the Mazda Shinari's inspiration (Fisker Karma, Infiniti Essence, or something more sinister?), here are some real life photos of the car outside of the studio. Introducing Mazda's new Japanese-Euro-American Kodo design language, the Shinari shows where Mazda will be zoom-zooming after its Nagare-derived smiley face cars are dead and gone.

Expect the flowing, toned lines to appear on everything from the Mazda3 and Mazda6 to the MX-5 Miata and potential RX-8 successor; on that note, can we get a decent rotary engine around here or what?

Since these "tense" and "organic" designs are becoming more and more common nowadays, how will Mazda emphasize its own unique design elements? As with most unofficial homages (because we all know this isn't a purely original design or layout), the answer is in the details.

Joining the new Verso-S small MPV at Toyota's 2010 Paris Motor Show stand, will be the 2011 model year versions of the iQ and Aygo city cars, both of which benefit from some minor interior revisions.

For the 2011 iQ, which will be sold in the States under the Scion brand, Toyota is increasing the level of perceived quality with the use of higher-grade, soft-touch plastics on the dashboard and the door panels, the introduction of new color schemes and upgraded trim options.

What's the deal with cheesy Pontiac-based replicas? Every time I see one, I ask myself how anyone in their right mind would ever think it's a good idea (unless purely testing one's kit building and car chopping talents). This ebay-situated Firebird-based 308 replica can be yours for the low-low price of $6,500; if you'd like to try your luck with the auction, feel free. We won't judge either way (sinner!).

Volvo will soon welcome two new additional engine options, the T3 and T4, to its 2011 S60 sedan and V60 estate range of models. The pair of 1.6-liter four-cylinder GTDi gasoline units employ both turbocharging and direct injection technology for improved fuel efficiency without sacrificing performance. Furthermore, the two engines come equipped with Volvo's Start/Stop tech (manual gearbox models only) as standard.

Suzuki's UK division has released pricing and specification details for its all-new 2011 Swift supermini, which is available for order now. Priced from £9,995 for the entry-level three door model to £12,245 for the top-spec five door with manual transmission, the 2011 Swift is offered at launch with a new 94HP 1.2-liter petrol unit that returns a combined fuel economy of 56.5 mpg UK. A revised 75HP 1.3-litre diesel engine with a combined fuel consumption of 67.3mpg UK will be added to the range next spring.

For more than a year now, the Prius has enjoyed some hefty sales in Japan thanks to the government subsidies for hybrids. But now that the cash-for-clunkers program is coming to an end, sales of Toyota's hybrid model will most likely take a hit, according to automotive analysts.

Under the program, many Japanese buyers flocked to trade in their 13+ year-old car for a Prius. With the subsidy window coming to a close, there will be a need for dealers to readjust their sales strategy.

We're not quite sure what the driver of this dark colored BMW X5 SUV (or at least it looks like an X5) was trying to do here, but something tells us that performing a 180-degree flip and crashing into an electricity / telephone pole wasn't part of the plan / stunt. See the accident for yourself in the video after the jump and don't forget to rate the freestyle flip in the comments section below.

Are you a teenage girl and yearning to make your Beetle just the cutest damn thing on the road? Get some of these Car Lashes. If you're an S-Class owner and want to make your car cuter, how about you take a step back, count to ten, and ask yourself what the heck you're thinking.
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Argentinean Donto wants to battle Ariel and KTM with its P1

Donto Motor Company of Argentina has been working on a competitor to take on some world-class track day stars, the Ariel Atom and the KTM X-Bow. The South American two-seater has apparently been in development for the past 18 months and is called the P1.

Toyota has released the first official images of its new MPV contender in the European B-segment today, the Verso-S, ahead of its world premiere at the Paris Mondial de l'Automobile in a few weeks time. Japanese shoppers will eventually come to know the Verso-S as the new Ractis in their own market.

It's officially official; Nissan today confirmed it will be rolling out the long-rumored convertible version of the Murano crossover named CrossCabriolet at the Los Angeles Auto Show in late November. And that's not the only news coming from Nissan's LA motorshow front as the Japanese automaker added it will also lift the covers off a new concept sedan model called the Ellure as well as the production version of the all-new 2011 Quest minivan, pictures of which have already been released.

European fans of the Lexus IS-F rejoice; this is one sports car that won't be axed on the other side of the pond due to the introduction of the more stringent Euro 5 emissions standards. Unlike the current generations of the Ford Focus ST, Honda Civic Type R and Mazda RX-8 -just to mention a few, the IS-F will make it to the 2011 model year thanks to its tweaked 5.0-liter V8 that is now fully compliant with the upgraded Euro 5 norms.

Suzuki delays US Swift until at least 2011, getting advice from VW

Those of you waiting for the new Suzuki Swift to get Stateside will have to wait a little bit longer. After the Kizashi didn't exactly make the splash that Suzuki had hoped for, and with Suzuki sales in America crumbling, it appears that the Japanese automaker and 20% stakeholder Volkswagen AG will sit down to form a new battle plan.

Part of that plan includes putting the Swift's US arrival on hold until at least 2011 so that pricing and strategy could be evaluated. Some of the reasoning behind the delay has to do with the rising Japanese yen, which has also dented the company's US marketing division.

The upcoming Orlando minivan, which shares its platform with the Cruze, is another one of Chevrolet's upcoming attempts to rectify its sub-par image as a brand. How has the MPV developed since it debuted as an attractive concept two years ago to woo European car buyers? Well, it still seats seven and will get both gasoline and diesel four-cylinder engines as promised, but unfortunately, it's put on some flab over the concept's original well-toned lines. While GM has yet to release photos of the interior, expect a modern Chevrolet cabin very similar to the concept.

The 2010 edition of the Los Angeles motor show is still three months away, but since Infiniti doesn't have something that we haven't seen or heard of before, the Japanese automaker decided to end the suspense early by revealing its plans today.

The Chrysler Group today hosted a special event in Detroit for around 400 of its car dealers from targeted markets across the country to tell them what it will take to become a Fiat dealer in the United States. Fiat, which controls 20 percent of Chrysler, plans to unveil the U.S.-spec version of its 500 mini at the Los Angeles auto show in November and begin selling the car by the end of the year.

We finally found someone that makes Lloyd and Harry [that would be the dynamic duo from Dumb & Dumber] look like Mensa candidates. Meet the now unemployed, but as-of-yet unnamed, security guard at the Dallas Auto Auction in Dallas, Texas.

This bright young man not only gave in to his urges upon seeing a brand new $111,000 Corvette ZR1 in the secured parking lot (that, we could try to understand), but also had the brilliant idea to film his joy ride and upload the video that showed his face as well as the car's dealer plate on Youtube.

While we're waiting for Mazda to release some official information on its new Shinari sports sedan concept that we first told you about earlier today, here's a comprehensive gallery with more than 40 photos, renderings and preliminary design sketches of the car. We still don't know for sure if the Shinari is heading to next month's Paris Motor Show - although we would be surprised if it didn't.

Following last week's teaser preview of the current generation 1 M Coupe and more relevantly, spy shots of the next 1-Series hatchback in three-door form, today we bring you pictures of the new five-door variant and for the first time, scoop images of the baby BMW's cabin that give us a flavour of the interior styling.

Our new spy photos reveal a redesigned center console that is slightly angled towards the driver and comes with new controls. As with the current BMW 1-Series, the iDrive / navigation screen is located at the top of the dashboard. We can also see a newly styled three-spoke steering wheel with a chunky girth.

Friday, September 3, 2010

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