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Driven: Infiniti gives M35 more firepower for 2009 Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Infiniti 
Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Infiniti M35
We slid behind the wheel of the 2009 Infiniti M35 S last week in Napa, California. It was a quick jaunt, but we wanted to try out the newly revised powerplant under the hood. Yes, even thought the nomenclature remains the same, the Japanese automaker has swapped out the mass of aluminum up front for something a bit more updated and powerful. Find out how the 2009 Infiniti M35 S did after the jump.
Photos Copyright (C)2008 Michael Harley / Weblogs, Inc.Continue reading Driven: Infiniti gives M35 more firepower for 2009 Permalink | Email this | Comments
Porsche considering diesel and targa top for Panamera? Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Sedans/Saloons, Sports/GTs, Porsche, Rumormill 
Click above for high-res gallery of the Porsche Panamera Gran Turismo
Regardless of what you think of Porsche's upcoming Panamera (we're currently on the fence), it is going to be an extremely important launch for the company. Despite the fact that purists panned the Cayenne, it has sold like hotcakes and has made an extremely tidy profit for the German automaker, now in the midst of a major takeover of Volkswagen, the most valuable automaker in the world. Obviously, Porsche is hoping for similar successes from its very expensive four door. As we've heard countless times, a hybrid option is currently in the works and a diesel engine is also on the drawing board. We're not entirely sure how the crazy German engineers will do it, but a targa-style top is also being developed. No matter, we'll have all the details soon enough as Porsche brings its production Panamera to the 2009 Geneva Motor Show in March.
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
X2 might be out, but BMW could be planning an X4 Filed under: Crossovers/CUVs, BMW, Rumormill 
BMW has been aggressively expanding its vehicle offerings, and like most other automakers, crossovers make up the majority of additions. Earlier this year, team Bimmer added the X6, and with the X1 concept unveiled in Paris, mild-to-wild CUVs seem to be the focus for the boys in Bavaria. Automotive News is reporting that the SAV love will continue next year when BMW unleashes the X4. Design elements are said to come from the larger X6, which is to say that it'll probably look like a really tall hatchback. The X1 concept and the production X3 are based off of the excellent 3-Series platform, and we're guessing the X4 will also don the sharp-handling underpinnings.
If this is what BMW needs to do in order to remain the world's top-selling luxury automaker, we're not so sure it's worth the trouble. The X1 will probably sell relatively well, but it will do so with underwhelming sheet metal. An X4 based off the X6 sounds like an even worse proposition, but then again, we didn't think the X6 was a bright idea either.
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Neimain Marcus offers first-ever Confederate Fighter motorcycle Filed under: Motorcycles 
Click above to enlarge the Confederate Fighter motorcycle
Not sure what to get that motorcycle fan who has everything? How about something that's never been available before. Joining the first 31 BMW 7 Series models for 2009 in the Neiman Marcus Christmas book are 45 Limited-Edition Confederate Fighter motorcycles. The basic premise of the bike is similar in principle to the rest of the brand's wares, but the details really make this one stand out. Like the Wraith, the Confederate Fighter uses a girder-style front suspension made up of titanium, aluminum and carbon fiber bits and a 120ci 45-degree air-cooled V-Twin. From there, things diverge rather rapidly, with the Wraith's carbon fiber monocoque chassis being replaced with a backbone unit made from titanium connected to front and rear bulkheads cut from solid chunks of billet aluminum. Confederate claims a top speed of 190 miles per hour, but that may be just a tad optimistic considering that a prepped Wraith managed a land-speed record of just a tad over 166mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Still, this is one sweet bike that would be awesome to ride. Too bad about that $110,000 price tag. Thanks for the tip, John!
[Source: Neiman Marcus]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Audi Mileage Marathon: If it's Thursday we must be in ... ? Filed under: SUVs, Audi 
click for a gallery of shots from Day Three of the marathon
Day Four is upon us and we're on our way out of Chicago. We've got one of our longest days of the trip today, with a 550-mile run to Memphis for some BBQ. In Chicago we had our first driver crew swap. The first of four legs is over and a predominantly new group of drivers is taking over the diesel Audis as we move on to Dallas, Amarillo and Denver on Sunday. The nature of this trip is predominantly highway running punctuated by lunch and overnight stops in the various cities along the route. That means the diesels are truly in their element... and it shows. Diesels love steady state running and there is no way even the sophisticated two-mode hybrid system in the Chevy Tahoe can get anywhere near 30 mpg even on a long highway cruise. We're seeing up to 33 mpg in the Q7s and 38 in the Q5s. The A4s and A3s are topping 44 and 50 mpg respectively. Of course, around town those numbers drop off, but they still turn in very respectable mileage in the low 20s. Having said all that, read on after the jump to find out who was victorious in over the first leg and what I think about driving across America in a Q7.
Photos Copyright (C)2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.Continue reading Audi Mileage Marathon: If it's Thursday we must be in ... ? Permalink | Email this | Comments
SEMA Preview: CGS ReFlex Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA, Tuners, Crossovers/CUVs, Ford 
Click above to enlarge
Every time we see a Flex on the road, it looks cartoonish to us - those two massive rectangles sitting on cute little wheels. We wouldn't be surprised if, a la CARS, a Flex started talking to us. The "ReFlex" above, designed by Sean Smith of SS Designs and being prepared by CGS Motorsports for this year's SEMA Show in Las Vegas, looks like it could have something interesting to say. Who knew that a minimal body kit, a drop, and a set of 22s could give the Flex that personality it's been missing. The custom DuPont-painted CUV is also getting a suede interior, a Kicker sound system, and even new door solenoids from SPAL. We'll take it, or at least a ride in it. Check out the full press release after the jump, and stay tuned for the full report from SEMA.
[Source: CGS]Continue reading SEMA Preview: CGS ReFlex Permalink | Email this | Comments
GM and Ford take a beating on Wall St. Filed under: Ford, GM, Earnings/Financials 
General Motors and Ford just concluded an absolutely brutal business day on Wall Street, which echoed the performance of the markets in general as the Dow Jones Industrial Average slid another 678.91 points to close below 9,000 at 8,579.19 points. GM closed the day at 4.94 after having dipped as low as 4.72 just minutes before the bell rang at 4PM, while Ford ended today at just 2.14. Analysts are noting that GM shares haven't been this cheap since the 1950s and that a single share of Ford stock costs less than a gallon of gas at the moment. We are most certainly not financial analysts, but we do know these companies are heading in the wrong direction fast and that a brighter future is not weeks but months and years away.
[Source: AOL Money and Finance]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Thus sprache Zetsche: Maybach not going anywhere Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Maybach, Mercedes-Benz 
Click above for high-res gallery of the Maybach 62 Landaulet
Seemingly nothing - not the credit crunch, not miniscule sales, not its own lengthy, lugubrious looks - can kill the Maybach. People who have wondered how long Mercedes will keep dishing out tiny servings of the enormous cars can wonder no more: top guy Dieter Zetsche has said Maybach is here to stay, and that the brand "is not losing money."
We don't know how a division that moved just 146 cars last year, even if they start at $372,000, isn't losing money. But the $1.35 million Landaulet should help things, and to be to be fair, Zetsche has said before that Maybach's profitability or otherwise is not the issue - the car is a suitable competitor to Rolls-Royce and Bentley. And Daimler has demonstrated patience: it waded through the rough times with the smart car division for ten years, and now has black ink and a hot brand to show for it.
[Source: Automotive News via eGM Car Tech]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Rumormill: Bugatti and Bentley join forces to battle Rolls-Royce Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Supercars, Bentley, Bugatti, Rumormill 
The whisperers have it that Bugatti may be borrowing from Bentley for a new sedan. What they can't seem to pinpoint is exactly what kind of sharing the two marques will be doing, and whether or not the resulting super Bug will be a supremely high-powered four-door to compete with the Rolls-Royce Phantom. If the two brands do indeed share something, like the next Arnage's platform, for instance, that might make sense. But just a few months ago, Bugatti said that its next product would be even more expensive than the Veyron, and lead man Josef Paefgen has also said that there will be no inexpensive Bugatti.
A $400,000 sedan wouldn't be inexpensive, true, but compared to $1.6 million for a Veyron, it's a flat-out bargain. Besides, the $242,000 Arnage T, after all the bespoke options, would come perilously close to a $400K Bugatti in price, and the next Bentley Arnage is growing in order to fight the Phantom. So if a Bugatti sedan with Bentley underpinnings were that close in price to a Rolls Phantom... then who's Bentley meant to get in the ring with?
[Source: TopSpeed via German Car Blog]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
10-year-old crashes van while driving drunk parents home Filed under: Etc.  Reality shows and the Internet have not created a more ridiculous world, they have only promoted the outrageous things that are already going on. You're a dad in Tennessee who's had 15 brewskies and an unknown quantity of other liquor, your female company is under the influence of something and has a pocket full of pills, and you need to get home. Thankfully there are three kids in the group, and the 10-year-old is probably straight up enough to drive the van. But who knew the kid would think 90 mph was an appropriate cruising speed and then flip the van over? A few police later - after the woman has tried "to swallow as many pills as she could" - the adults got a much more relaxed ride to the pokey and the kids got passport into state care. It's a good thing the proud papa was wearing his lucky beer T-shirt, or things really could have gone wrong. Thanks for the tip, OM617!
[Source: Fox News]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Mazda MX-5 will get lighter, maybe alternative powertrain Filed under: Convertibles, Coupes, Mazda 
Click above for high-res gallery of the Mazda MX-5
The Mazda MX-5 is one of the world's best handling cars under $25,000, and as much as we Americans want more power and size to turn the Japanese roadster into a proper pony car, that's probably not going to happen. Increased fuel economy and CO2 reductions will force the MX-5 into the same situation as larger vehicles. It has to get more efficient and lighter to stay competitive. MX-5 program manager Takao Kijima told Drive that Mazda is looking at alternative powertrains for its little roadster, but the Zoom Zoom specialists are also looking to drop 10% of the car's weight.
One way to improve efficiency is with diesel technology. Diesels can be 30% more efficient than petrol powerplants, but beefier diesel parts means that total displacement must be smaller than the current engine's 2.0 liters. Another idea is a hybrid, which, like the diesel, would provide instant torque that would also add weight to a vehicle that's just about to go on a diet. Kijima also stated that any MX-5 would absolutely have to have 50/50 weight distribution, meaning that a hybrid with its heavy batteries would by tricky, but not impossible. For our money, we'll take a 10% lighter Miata with a smaller turbocharged, direct-inject gas engine with ethanol injections.
[Source: Drive]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
C&D performs first instrumented testing of Corvette ZR1 Filed under: Coupes, Sports/GTs, Supercars, Chevrolet 
Click above for our high-res ZR1 burnout gallery!
Car and Driver recently strapped its test gear to the new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and, as expected, recorded some impressive numbers. All eyes have been on the supercar Vette as it enters the boxing ring to duke it out with the heavy-hitting Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR, Nissan GT-R and Porsche GT2 (among others), and it looks like the latest Corvette will more than hold its own. According to C&D's trusty electronic gear, the supercharged 638-hp beast knocked off a 0-60 mph time of just 3.4 seconds as it continued towards a blistering 7.6 second 0-100 mph run. The quarter mile was cracked in 11.5 seconds @ 128 mph (Chevrolet claims 11.3 seconds, but the guys at C&D didn't believe in "...that sort of drivetrain abuse" to get lower numbers). The top speed also remains unverified as the team "ran out of room" before they could hit the claimed 205 mph. Under braking, the ZR1 set a new C&D record as it hauled itself down from 70 mph in just 142 feet. Of course, we must mention the obligatory claimed Nürburgring lap time of 7:26 (at the hands of Chevrolet). So you don't have to Google the competition's best-claimed Ring times yourself, here they are: Porsche GT2 - 7:32, Nissan GT-R - 7:29, and the Dodge Viper ACR - 7:22. Of course, we'd like to see all four on the track under identical conditions, and with some digital timing gear!
[Source: Car and Driver]Permalink | Email this | Comments
Autoblog enters the Twitter Age Filed under: Etc. 
Autoblog has decided to finally put the power of Twitter to good use and start our own feed. What's a Twitter feed? You go here and choose to follow "therealautoblog" Twitter feed (our procrastination led to us losing "autoblog" as a name to Autoblog.nl - no relation), and then whenever we publish great features like our In the Autoblog Garage review of the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640, cool posts like the recent Nissan 370Z spy shots or excellent event coverage from auto shows, you'll be the first to know via a text message, email or visiting your own Twitter page. We know you don't have time to sit in front of Autoblog and press F5 all day, so following us on Twitter will ensure that you don't miss the good stuff while you're away. Again, just go here and choose to follow "therealautoblog" and we'll make sure you have the automotive hookup 24/7.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Carbon Motors releases real shots of purpose-built E7 police car Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Government/Legal, Green, Videos, Police/Emergency 
Click above for more shots of the Carbon Motors E7
We haven't heard a peep from Carbon Motors in a very long time, but that doesn't mean the company hasn't been hard at work on its purpose-built E7 police car concept. To prove that it's moving forward, the automaker-to-be has just released two shots of a real E7. What's more, the company will show the car to prospective clients - police officers - at the upcoming 115th Annual International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Conference and Exposition. Unlike curent cop cars driven by these officers, usually police-spec Crown Vic Interceptors, the E7 was specifically designed just to do police duty. Instead of a 4.6-liter Ford V8 engine underhood, the E7 will feature a clean-diesel engine capable of running on biodiesel. With a cockpit derived from jet-fighter technology that includes built-in radar, radiation and biological threat detectors among other techno goodies, the E7 sounds suitably high-tech for real-life crime fighters of the modern era. To further highlight this point, check out the video, along with the press release, after the break.
[Source: Carbon Motors via Jalopnik]Continue reading Carbon Motors releases real shots of purpose-built E7 police car Permalink | Email this | Comments
BMW X1 to offer both all- and rear-wheel drive Filed under: SUVs, Euro, Crossovers/CUVs, BMW 
Click above for high-res gallery of the BMW X1 Concept
In a move that marks a significant departure from its current direction, BMW will offer both all- and rear-wheel drive versions of its upcoming BMW X1 model. Up to this point, consumers have only been offered all-wheel-drive mechanicals under the skin of the BMW X6, BMW X5 and smaller BMW X3. The German automaker cites weight savings and gains in efficiency as the reason why its newest and smallest SAV loses its front driveshafts, but be assured that it's also a cost-saving maneuver as automakers squeeze to keep prices down. As the models will appear virtually identical from the outside, BMW will offer the rear-wheel-drive version with a special "sDrive" badge to differentiate it from the xDrive-equipped all-wheel-drive model (of course, you'll have to squint to discern the badge differences between a rear-wheel-drive "BMW X1 sDrive28i" and the all-wheel-drive "BMW X1 xDrive28i"). Built on the 3 Series platform (and set for production at the same Leipzig plant), the showroom version of the X1 is expected to look much like the X1 Concept shown in Paris last week. There has been no word on when we'll see it on this side of the pond, but those in Europe should look for the X1 to appear in showrooms sometime in 2010.
[Source: Autocar]Permalink | Email this | Comments
Meet the Beckers: Audi has fun at expense of BMW, Mercedes and Lexus Filed under: Videos, Audi, BMW, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz 
Audi wants you to know that its customers are normal people just like you and I, and it's created a series of shorts to prove this point. But instead of showing moms and dads driving their kids to soccer games in a Q7 or going through the McDonalds drive-thru to pick up some chicken nuggets in an A4, the German automaker took a more comedic tack. Before you roll your eyes and scroll down to the next post, trust us on this one, it is absolutely priceless.
After the jump is a three-and-a-half-minute video called "Meet the Beckers" that chronicles a couple driving to the family home (mansion) for a reunion. They seem normal and even likable. The video also shows other members of the Becker clan heading to the reunion, but they're driving a BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus RX350. Instead of pointing out the virtues of Audi vs. the competition, the four-ringed automaker hammers home the long standing stereotypes associated with the other players in the luxury market. The creepy couple in the BMW convertible cuts off a Prius and the driver has a Bluetooth headset on his ear. The Mercedes owner is an old man with a hot young bride, and he he drives away with the wipers going and his blinker on. The Lexus owners are yuppies with twins who appear to have a devil-worship problem. This is laugh till you cry stuff, folks, and an absolute must watch.
[Source: YouTube]
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This post has been Twittered. Click here to follow Autoblog on TwitterContinue reading Meet the Beckers: Audi has fun at expense of BMW, Mercedes and Lexus Permalink | Email this | Comments
Force Performance building two-door TriCharger Filed under: Aftermarket, Time Warp, Trends, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Dodge 
Click above for more shots of the Force Performance TriCharger
Fans of the classic B-Body Dodge Charger from the late '60s and early '70s have long been disappointed that Chrysler released the modern Charger as a four-door sedan. Despite being a sales success, there is still a faction of die-hard MOPAR fans who believe it was a mistake to put the Charger name badge on anything other than a two-door. We'll be polite and leave the '80's four-cylinder front-wheel-drive Charger out of the discussion - oops. A company by the name of Force Performance is currently working hard to rectify the situation by chopping up an LX-based Dodge Charger into a coupe. As you can see from the pictures in our gallery, the scalloped doors from the 68-70 Charger have made the conversion along with a twin-nostril split grille reminiscent of the classic '69. We can also see a well-domed hood, which is necessary for clearance over the insane HEMI V8 engine that's both twin turbocharged and supercharged. Three blowers, hence the TriCharger name. Awesome. Thanks for the tip, Orange Bread!
[Source: Force Performance]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Spy Shots: Nissan 370Z again, with interior shots Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Nissan 
Click above for high-res gallery of Nissan 370Z spy shots
 Nissan continues to parade around a 370Z prototype near the Nürburgring in Germany, and today our spy photogs have nabbed its interior during a refueling stop. As you can see, the interior is definitely a Nissan, and in facts looks Infiniti-esque thanks to the large nav screen and joystiq-controls dominating the center stack. The spies say the quality of materials appear to be a vast improvement over the current model, and you can see this particular prototype's interior is wearing bright orange suede door panel inserts and orange seats. Certainly livens things up, no? Elsewhere there are three gauges atop the dash that point towards the driver and big paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, which our sources suggest may indicate that Nissan will use a version of the GT-R's six-speed dual-clutch transmission. That may not be the case, however, as the current car's five-speed automatic with paddle shifters, which Infiniti already pairs with the company's 3.7L V6 in its G cars, would look the same from peering in through the car's windows. Check out more interior and exterior pics that we've added to our gallery of 370Z spy shots below.
[Source: KGP Photography]Permalink | Email this | Comments
Lamborghini reveals Estoque interior for first time Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedans/Saloons, Paris Motor Show, Supercars, Lamborghini 
Click above for more live shots of the Lamborghini Estoque concept's interior
 At this point, we've seen nearly every possible angle of Lamborghini's latest raging bull, the Estoque, with one rather large exception: the interior. As a four-door sedan, the compromises one naturally expects from the Italian motor company's supercars are wholly unacceptable in this application, so there is naturally a sense of luxury inside the Estoque that's missing from the Gallardo and Murcielago. We can also see large paddle shifters for the e-gear transmission that are yanked straight from the Gallardo and plenty of two-tone grey and creamy white leather covering most every surface. Plus, there's a whole lot more space now for such pleasure-inducers as a Blu-ray player, in-cabin television and, um, legroom. Still, it's clear that this is a concept cockpit that was likely rushed to deadline for the Paris Motor Show. The buttons in the cockpit are all hard black plastic, which is not exactly fitting for a sister brand of Audi, an automaker that arguably sets the gold standard for interiors by which others are judged. Take a look at the Estoque's interior for yourself in our gallery below.
[Source: Lamborghini]Continue reading Lamborghini reveals Estoque interior for first time Permalink | Email this | Comments
HSV unveils 40th Anniversary GTS, SV08 in Sydney Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Sports/GTs, Misc. Auto Shows, Holden, Australia, HSV, Special/Limited Editions 
Click above for hi-res gallery of the HSV SV08
It's anniversary time in Oz for HSV, Holden's high-performance division. That means stripes, stickers, commemorative badges and a pair of new unveilings at the Sydney Motor Show. In HSV's case, at least, the extra pieces of flair go on fire-breathing, tire-shredding LS3-powered monsters, so the usual lameness attached to these sorts of things goes right out the window. The 40th anniversary of the GTS nameplate's first appearance (on the '68 Monaro) means we get a special HSV GTS 40th Anniversary model. And since 20 years have passed since the original SV88 appeared, a special edition HSV Senator Signature dubbed SV08 has also been unveiled. HSV will build 100 of the Anniversary GTS models and just 50 SV08s. And yes, we'd happily take one of each, thank you.
[Source: HSV]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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