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Showing posts from November, 2010

2012 BMW 6-Series Convertible Snapped Without Camouflage?

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Those quick fingered camera jockeys over at Motor-Talk.de have got what appears to be an undisguised 2012 BMW 6-series convertible. This could be our first look at the new convertible, which is set to go on sale next year, au natural . Soon after, the Photoshop magicians over at Autobild cleaned up the picture, taking out the cameraman and other foreground obstructions and removing some of the grainy-ness. It has to be said, this picture looks very close to the artist's impression by e90post forum member 'Alpince325ci', even down to the shape of the bootlid. Well done, sir. The 6-series Convertible will the most expensive drop top in BMW's lineup, slotting in above the cheaper 3-series convertible and Z4 roadseter. Oddly, it still retains its fabric top, something the current-gen 3-series and Z4 have done away with. Carscoop will have more details and pictures as they come through. By Tristan Hankins Sources: Motor Talk , e90post and Autobild __________________________

Hell Yeah; Dodge Teases Viper V10-Powered Chrysler 300 SRT10 on Video

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Dodge has published a video of a current generation Chrysler 300 badged as the SRT10 and fitted with a Viper-sourced 8.4-liter V10 powerhouse on its official Youtube channel. The company did not provide any intel on the car, but it did ask the question, " What happens when you put a Viper engine into a Chrysler 300? ". Feel free to post your answers in the comments section below. A quick search on the net failed to return any results on the Chrysler SRT10, so this V10 powered project car could be anything from an older private build to a new tuning proposal for the upcoming 2010 SEMA Show in Las Vegas this November. We just don't know - yet. Those of you with a strong memory, will surely recall the Detroit firm's 2008 SEMA Show Dodge Challenger SRT10 Concept car powered by the Viper's 8.4-liter V10 engine churning out 600 wild ponies and 560 lb. ft. of torque. If you don't remember it, scroll down and refresh your memory with the promo video. Source: Dodge , V

Disney's Magic Highway USA is a Future that Never was

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Ah, highway motoring in the 21st century: the epitome of fast, safe and comfortable transportation for the masses. Where there are rarely more than half a dozen cars on the road and the family relaxes with a board game while their car automatically whisks them to work or to the shops. The 21st century: where traffic accidents are dealt with by airborne units that are police, fire and ambulance all rolled into one and road works cause only minimal delays thanks to prefabricated components and enormous road laying machines. And what would 21st century motoring be without our cantilevered sky ways, non-stop freight ways and undersea transcontinental highways, all of which are as commonplace today as trains were seventy years ago? Don't worry; I haven't gone off my rocker. This is the 21st century motoring gospel according to "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color", a television program produced from 1954 to 1990 and hosted by Old Man Disney himself up until 1967. Th

Vilner Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT600: "Bulgarian Job, but a Nice One"

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That's the title that came with the press release on Vilner's Jeep Grand Cherokee tune that arrived in our mailbox, and we just had to use it. After all, it's always refreshing to see people in the auto industry with a sense of humor. Now, onto the little bit of info on this 600-horsepower Jeep. Vilner, a Bulgarian tuner, has crafted this über-luxurious interior for the SRT600 Grand Cherokee. The Bulgarian tuner says the car has a "Vortech" turbo system (likely a Hennessey unit, as it's an SRT600) and, as you can see for yourself, a sea of grey leather and Alcantara highlighted by carbon fiber trim. Other than that, there isn't much to say. Enjoy the pics below and don't forget to take a look at the press release which includes some hit catch phrases such as " your chances to sit in this car are close to zero " and " it smells like a LOT (and) expensive leather ". By Phil Alex Link: Vilner VILNER PRESS RELEASE: Bulgarian job but a

VIDEO: C&D Pits Lexus LFA Against Ferrari 599 HGTE

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In 1971, one of the greatest one-on-one boxing matches took place in New York's Madison Square Garden: the bout between Mohammed Ali and Joe Frazier. So big was this event, advertisers dubbed it, 'The Fight of the Century'. Now, two different contenders take to the ring (uh...tarmac). The reigning champion: the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano HGTE. The challenger: the Lexus LFA. Video after the jump. One is a purebred, Italian racehorse with decades of motor racing heritage under its belt. The other is the new kid on the block: the young hood with its 'doof doof' music and unshakable will to win. So maybe I went a bit too far with the boxing analogy... The real scoop here is U.S. magazine Car and Driver putting the V12-powered 599 GTB HGTE and V10-powered LFA through their paces on the narrow, sodden backroads of Wales. Technical editor Michael Austin is behind the wheel of the Ferrari while executive editor Mark Gillies is in the Lexus. Their goal: to find out which of the

Gone in 180 Seconds: Neiman Marcus Camaro Convertible Sells Out in Record Time

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As absurd as it may seem to spend $75,000 for what is essentially a luxed-up edition of the forthcoming mass production 2011 Camaro Convertible, it took only three minutes earlier today for 100 people to put their name down for the Neiman Marcus special edition cabrio. The new owners claimed their 2011 Camaro SS ragtops through a special telephone reservation process, a few hours after the car made an appearance on NBC's Today Show. All 100 examples of the special edition Camaro Convertible (see video here), which was prepared exclusively for the annual Neiman Marcus Christmas Book, will be SS models with a 6.2-liter, V8 engine hooked up to either the 6-speed manual gearbox or 6-speed automatic transmission. Unique feature include an exclusive Deep Bordeaux exterior color, accented by subtle, "ghosted" rally stripes, a matching color fabric top, windshield frame finished in matte silver and 21-inch polished alloy wheels with red detailing that are wrapped in beefy Pirelli

2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate Spied, Shows Redesigned Interior

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Our intrepid spy photographers not only caught the Estate version of the facelifted 2011 C-Class, but this time they also managed to snag some pictures of the car's redesigned dashboard, which will be the same for all body styles including the sedan and the new addition to the range, the coupe. Taking styling cues from the larger E- and S-Class models, the prototype C-Class facelift pictured here gets a newly designed instrument panel that extends to include the display screen over the new center console, which has new controls and air-vents. On the outside, the light camouflage hide a series of subtle design tweaks that include gently massaged front and rear bumpers, small changes to the design of the headlamps and tail lights plus a more contoured bonnet and front grille. There's not much info going around about the engineering upgrades, but buyers should expect some mechanical tweaks to improve fuel economy and reduce CO2 emissions across the range. The facelifted C-Class se

NHTSA Warns Ford Owners on Older Recall Concerning 17.5 Million Vehicles

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In an unusual announcement today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) voiced concerns that millions of Ford vehicles previously recalled for a faulty cruise control system may have not been repaired, despite FoMoCo's notification efforts. The safety agency noted that Ford Motor Company "has been diligent in contacting owners of the affected vehicles, including sending re-notification letters to owners in many cases." According to the feds, since 1999, approximately 17.5 million Ford vehicles have been involved in the recalls because of the faulty cruise control disconnect switch, which can overheat and burn, potentially causing a fire long after the engine has been turned off. "As more of the affected vehicles enter the used car market, the agency is concerned that most used car buyers don't know whether the used vehicles they purchased were ever returned to dealers for the needed repairs," the NHTSA said in a statement. The agency sai

2011 Dodge Journey Facelift: First Official Photos and Details

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The Chrysler Group continues to bombard the U.S. market with new or refreshed products, the latest being the revised 2011 Dodge Journey which has been given a mid-life facelift with a redesigned and retuned suspension, a new V6 engine, a completely new interior and some subtle exterior tweaks. T he big news here, of course, is the Journey's newly crafted interior with higher-quality materials which puts the outgoing model's cabin to shame (not that it was hard..). Just about everything you see on the dashboard is new, including the sporty looking instrument panel with a standard electronic vehicle information center featuring a full-color display backlit. The makeover is completed with a new multi-functioning three-spoke steering wheel, larger front storage bin with side nets, newly designed seats and controls, as well as an available Uconnect Touch media center with a touch-screen display. Dodge said the mid-size crossover offers six new interior color and trim options. On the

Porsche wants Hybrid Version of every Model, 918 Spyder to follow Panamera Hybrid

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In the ever-growing world of automotive efficiency, more and more sports car manufacturers have decided to get in the game of providing more efficient speed. Now, Porsche has taken it one step further, committing to a hybrid version of each of its models in order to get its average CO2 emissions down to 216 g/km by 2015 (from the current 255 g/km). "In the future, we will have hybrid drive in every model line," Porsche's development chief Wolfgang Duerheimer, told Autonews Europe. After the hybrid Cayenne and the upcoming Panamera hybrid, Porsche wants to release the hybrid 918 Spyder as a halo car to garner attention and learn more about the new path the company is taking. To help bring down corporate CO2 output and improve fuel economy, Porsche also aims to cut weight by 10% on each model with every following generation (through the development of carbon fiber for body panels and the like), as well as possibly utilizing four-cylinder engines. "If the CO2 guidelines