Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[REUTERS: China's BAIC secures $2.1B line of credit... is it for Saab?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/06/reuters-chinas-baic-secures-2-1b-line-of-credit-is-it-for/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/06/reuters-chinas-baic-secures-2-1b-line-of-credit-is-it-for/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/06/reuters-chinas-baic-secures-2-1b-line-of-credit-is-it-for/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation (BAIC) could still be in the game for Saab, having secured a $2.93 billion line of credit from the Bank of China. On the other hand, BAIC could just be gearing up for its own home-grown expansion plans, with an eye on ramping up production and putting financial and technological legs underneath its partnerships with Mercedes and Hyundai.

Or... it could be doing both: trying to buy Saab and as well as remodel its business. The deal for Saab between GM and Koenigsegg was for about $1 billion: the European Investment Bank approved a loan for $615 million, and BAIC provided about $400 million by buying a minority stake in the Koenigsegg Group. If BAIC did its own deal with GM for that same amount -- although we have a feeling they could get a Christmas discount -- that would leave nearly $2 billion for BAIC to take care of Saab and invest in its own operations.

This is, of course, pure speculation -- BAIC could have something else in mind entirely. All we know right now is that they've got a lotta yuan just sitting around waiting to be spent, and aborted plans to build the new 9-5 in China. This Saab story isn't finished yet...

[Source: Reuters]

REUTERS: China's BAIC secures $2.1B line of credit... is it for Saab? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Dec 2009 12:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baicBeijing Automotive Industry CorpBeijingAutomotiveIndustryCorpchinafinancialsgeneral motorsGeneralMotorsgmkoenigseggsaabSun, 06 Dec 2009 12:37:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: STR8 Weird: Euro cologne TV spot sounds like Mopar, looks like Chevy, but mostly stinks]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/05/video-str8-weird-european-cologne-commercial-sounds-like-mopar/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/05/video-str8-weird-european-cologne-commercial-sounds-like-mopar/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/05/video-str8-weird-european-cologne-commercial-sounds-like-mopar/#commentsFiled under: , ,

STR8 Cologne TV commercial
STR8 Challenger cologne TV commercial -- Click above to watch the video

According to one of the YouTube commenters for the STR8 Challenger cologne commercial embedded after the jump, it was made for Polish television. Which , of course, makes perfect sense, since the whole thing's in English. Regardless, the ad features Captain Generic Macho driving a Chevy Camaro, which gradually transforms into a giant robot tsunami of cologne that deposits him into the arms of Random Desert Babe. Frankly, "STR8 Challenger" sounds a lot more more like a certain Mopar than some quasi pheromone for European dudes. Check out the video after the jump to see how you too can have it "STR8 My Way." Or, at least, smell like you do. Or something. Hat tip to our man in Poland, Rafal!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: STR8 Weird: Euro cologne TV spot sounds like Mopar, looks like Chevy, but mostly stinks

VIDEO: STR8 Weird: Euro cologne TV spot sounds like Mopar, looks like Chevy, but mostly stinks originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertisingcamarocolognecommercialpolandvideoyoutubeSat, 05 Dec 2009 19:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Umlautfest: Kimi Räikkönen signs with Citroën Red Bull rally team]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/05/kimi-raikkonen-signs-with-citroen-red-bull-rally-team/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/05/kimi-raikkonen-signs-with-citroen-red-bull-rally-team/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/05/kimi-raikkonen-signs-with-citroen-red-bull-rally-team/#commentsFiled under: ,



Kimi Räikkönen is now a WRC driver. The Flying Finn will pilot one of two Citroën CR4 Junior Team cars with Kaj Lindström as his co-driver. It's been in the works for a while, and from the sounds of it, no one appears to have any doubts that Raikkonen will do well there. Team boss Olivier Quesnel rates the ex-Ferrari pilot highly, saying, "What he did there in a S2000 was amazing," when speaking of Kimi's run in an Abarth in a Finnish rally earlier this year.

Even 2003 WRC title winner Petter Solberg puts Kimi in with a shout, commenting, "If he's in a decent World Rally Car next season I think he could finish between third and fifth on some rallies." This will put four Citroën cars in next year's Championship, with returning title winners Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, Dani Sordo and Marc Marti, plus the junior cars of Räikkönen/Lindström and Sébastien Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia. You can check out Citroën's official release after the jump.

[Source: Citroën]

Continue reading Umlautfest: Kimi Räikkönen signs with Citroën Red Bull rally team

Umlautfest: Kimi Räikkönen signs with Citroën Red Bull rally team originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>citroenkimi raikkonenKimiRaikkonenmotorsportsworld rally championshipWorldRallyChampionshipwrcSat, 05 Dec 2009 15:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Royal Scam? UK license plate "D1ANA" expected to fetch £100,000 at COYS auction]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/royal-scam-uk-license-plate-d1ana-expected-to-fetch-100-000/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/royal-scam-uk-license-plate-d1ana-expected-to-fetch-100-000/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/royal-scam-uk-license-plate-d1ana-expected-to-fetch-100-000/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Coys of Kensington will be hosting a True Greats auction on December 1, and among the items for sale will be an MG service manual (Lot 1), a Corvette poster (Lot 61), and some pre-WWII driving gauntlets (Lot 81). Oh, and there'll also be the matter of Lot 142, a number plate reading "D1ANA" expected to pull down £100,000. That's $164,174 to us here in the American system.

That's no small beer, certainly, yet while it might appear to be impressive, other less obviously impressive number plates have recently been fetching ridiculous amounts: aside from the UK tuner who bought the "F 1" plate for $870,000, earlier this year a gent - also in the UK - bought "1 D" for $513,000. And it's not just our British pals in that game: "D1ANA" is far less fetching than the number "6," which was bought by a Delaware man for $675,000. So there.

The preliminary viewing was today, but it's not too late to get in on the auction. Follow the jump for the press release, and get your pounds and pence ready.

[Source: Coys]

Continue reading Royal Scam? UK license plate "D1ANA" expected to fetch £100,000 at COYS auction

Royal Scam? UK license plate "D1ANA" expected to fetch £100,000 at COYS auction originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>englandeuropelicense platelicense plate auctionLicensePlateLicensePlateAuctionnumber plateNumberPlateprincess dianaPrincessDianaukTue, 01 Dec 2009 18:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Spy Shots: BMW M3 caught with new LED taillamps]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/spy-shots-bmw-m3-caught-with-new-led-taillamps/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/spy-shots-bmw-m3-caught-with-new-led-taillamps/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/spy-shots-bmw-m3-caught-with-new-led-taillamps/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

2010 BMW M3 -- Click above for image gallery

Just a couple of years into its run, this is your slightly revised BMW M3, free of camo save for the taillights. The photog on the scene said there is nothing we should expect from the next Munich mauler save for new LED lamps in back and an updated interior. We speculate that cabin changes will include upgraded materials and lines that bring it closer to its recently unveiled siblings higher up the food chain. And that should be enough to keep everyone happy while BMW and M3 mavens focus on the M3 GTS.


Gallery: BMW M3 caught with new LED taillamps


[Source: CarPix]

Spy Shots: BMW M3 caught with new LED taillamps originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2010 bmw2010 bmw m32010 m32010Bmw2010BmwM32010M3bmwbmw m3BmwM3m3spy picsspy shotsSpyPicsSpyShotsTue, 01 Dec 2009 10:59:00 EST<![CDATA[The Amatoya: Meet the next generation of fire fighting vehicles]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/the-amatoya-meet-the-next-generation-of-fire-fighting-vehicles/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/the-amatoya-meet-the-next-generation-of-fire-fighting-vehicles/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/the-amatoya-meet-the-next-generation-of-fire-fighting-vehicles/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Amatoya Reconnaissance and Suppression Vehicle - Click above for image gallery

Designer Liam Ferguson's vision of how to fight fires almost makes us wish we were firemen - as long as we could have the keys to one of these. The Amatoya is a site recon and light tanker vehicle designed with a philosophy much more military than civilian. The seating position is like that of a AH-1 Cobra gunship, with the co-pilot up and behind the driver. The Amatoya is built on a monococque steel body, like armed forces MRAPs, insulated with NASA's aerogel, and painted with "military grade sacrificial thermo ceramic intumescent paints."

The Remotely Operated Suppression Cannon Outfit (ROSCO) can has a 2,200-liter (581 gallons) total water capacity, all the better for the fact that the crew members don't need to leave the vehicle to employ it. Nor should they have much problem getting to the fire, with absurd clearances all around, directional spotlights, and a thermal imaging camera. The only weak point would appear to be the rubber tires, which would melt long before the Space-Shuttle-worthy body would.

Still, we'd take one in a second. Take a peek at it yourself in the gallery of photos below.


Gallery: Amatoya Reconnaissance and Suppression Vehicle


[Source: Yanko Design]

The Amatoya: Meet the next generation of fire fighting vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amatoyaconceptfirefightingliam fergusonLiamFergusonyanko designYankoDesignTue, 01 Dec 2009 10:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Push Me, Pull You: R&T investigates the comings and goings of gear changes]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/push-me-pull-you-randt-investigates-the-comings-and-goings-of-ge/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/push-me-pull-you-randt-investigates-the-comings-and-goings-of-ge/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/push-me-pull-you-randt-investigates-the-comings-and-goings-of-ge/#commentsFiled under:



When it isn't unusual to get into five or six different cars a month, you realize you spend a lot of time figuring out how, and how many ways, one can shift the gears in an automatic or double-clutch car. Where is the shifter? How many settings does the shifter have? How do I get into manual shift mode? Once there, how does it work? Are there paddle shifters as well? Do the paddle shifters move with the wheel or not? And so on...

Road & Track surveyed a number of automakers about how they set up their manual shifting modes. Some require you to push the lever forward to upshift, while for others that's a downshift, and a couple demand you move the lever side-to-side. The 13 makers examined all have their reasons, the loose consensus being that the forward-for-downshift bunch is modeled after driving dynamics, the forward-for-upshift bunch based on intuitiveness and customer feedback.

At least two makers have two cars that use different shifting methods. And if not for Subaru, Audi, and Porsche there'd be a nice way to classify the forward-for-upshift crowd as being for buyers who aren't into sporting driving. As far as we're concerned, forward should be for downshifts, and single-function paddles should be mounted on the wheel, not the column. But you can tell us what you think in the comments.

[Source: Road & Track]

Push Me, Pull You: R&T investigates the comings and goings of gear changes originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gearboxManual TransmissionManualTransmissionroad and trackRoadAndTrackshiftingtransmissionTue, 01 Dec 2009 08:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Global search reportedly on to find successor for Ratan Tata]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/needs-image-global-search-reportedly-on-to-find-successor-for/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/needs-image-global-search-reportedly-on-to-find-successor-for/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/needs-image-global-search-reportedly-on-to-find-successor-for/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Three years ago the retirement age for Tata's holding company was upped to 75. Although Ratan Tata is only 71, there is no obvious successor to take his place at the head of India's global conglomerate, so the search has begun for the leader of the next act.

Whoever that person is will take the conductor's baton and guide an orchestra of 98 companies and 357,000 workers. He or she will also need to deal with the twin anchors of Jaguar-Land Rover debt and Corus Steel debt, both of which were brought on by economic freefall after top-of-the-market acquisitions.

At this point it looks like the CEO spot will be taken by someone outside the Tata family for only the second time in the history of the company. And while Ratan Tata has said "It would certainly be easier if [my successor] were an Indian national," he is open to filling the position with a foreigner. The company has three years to conclude, with Tata expected to step down in 2012.

[Source: Times Online | Photo: INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images]

Global search reportedly on to find successor for Ratan Tata originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ratan tataRatanTataretirementtatatata ceoTataCeoTue, 01 Dec 2009 07:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Essen 2009: 1,050-hp 1956 Mercedes Gullwing drag car]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/essen-2009-1-050-hp-1956-mercedes-gullwing-drag-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/essen-2009-1-050-hp-1956-mercedes-gullwing-drag-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/essen-2009-1-050-hp-1956-mercedes-gullwing-drag-car/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Gullwing dragster - Click above for high-res image gallery

This ungainly little creature had an area all to itself at this year's Essen Motor Show. Built over four years by Swiss drag racer Stefan Winter - who is a roofer by trade - the most important thing to say is this: Winter did not mangle a genuine 1956 Mercedes 300 SL to create this beast, and we can thank all the gods that be for that. He copied the body in fiberglass and placed it over a tube chassis, hiding a small block Chevy in front that's been bored out to 422 cubic inches.

With modified pistons, crankshaft, cylinder heads, and a bit more black-art-ness, the gullwinged monster puts 1,050 horsepower to the ground through a 3-speed transmission and rear tires 15 inches across. The 1/4-mile rolls off in 8.1 seconds at 166 mph. If nothing else, at that speed he shouldn't have any problem with keeping the car's interior cool, a problem the originals were known for...


Gallery: Essen 2009: Mercedes Gullwing Dragster


[Source: Das Auto Blog (translated) via Autoblog.nl]

Essen 2009: 1,050-hp 1956 Mercedes Gullwing drag car originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>300 SL Gullwing300SL300SL Gullwing300slGullwingdrag racingDragRacingessen 2009essen motor showEssen2009EssenMotorShowgullwingmotorsportsMon, 30 Nov 2009 19:28:00 EST<![CDATA[REPORT: Renault and Russia come to agreement on AvtoVAZ]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/needs-image-report-renault-and-russia-come-to-agreement-on-a/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/needs-image-report-renault-and-russia-come-to-agreement-on-a/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/needs-image-report-renault-and-russia-come-to-agreement-on-a/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Renault has found a way to appease Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin that didn't involve writing a check for $850 million. The French company took a 25% stake in Russian carmaker Avtovaz, and when Avtovaz started having a hard time of it earlier this year Renault looked content to see how things turned out. Putin wasn't: he told Carlos Ghosn to inject cash into Avtovaz, or Putin would dilute Renault's stake with a share sale.

Things retreated from the cliff when Renault promised technology to Avtovaz, in return for which Russia would put 50 billion rubes ($1.7 billion U.S.) into the company. Renault's technology share is valued at €240 million ($358 million U.S.). The know-how could be of greater assistance to both companies than if Renault had contributed cash: Avotvaz gets something it can build on long term, and Renault doesn't have to throw good rubles after bad.

Avtovaz is nowhere near rescued, however. The company remains loaded with debt, making it difficult to finance its restructuring, and sales of its primary vehicle, Lada, haven't rebounded. And to hear Putin tell it, he could be knocking on Renault's door again soon.

[Source: Bloomberg | Photo: PIERRE VERDY/AFP/Getty Images]

REPORT: Renault and Russia come to agreement on AvtoVAZ originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avtovazcarlos ghosnCarlosGhosnvladimir putinVladimirPutinMon, 30 Nov 2009 13:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Production Nissan Qazana will bring new era of design, love it or hate it reaction]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/report-production-nissan-qazana-bringing-new-era-of-design-lov/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/report-production-nissan-qazana-bringing-new-era-of-design-lov/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/report-production-nissan-qazana-bringing-new-era-of-design-lov/#commentsFiled under: ,

2012 Nissan Qazana - Click above for high-res image gallery

By this point in the year it's not as easy to find worthy entries for Understatement of the Year - there is just so much competition - but a comment made about the Nissan Qazana certainly qualifies: a Nissan insider told UK-based Autocar that the gelatinous crossover "will split opinion."

And not only will you get your chance to buy one in 2012, statements by Nissan indicate that you'll have your chance to buy other cars that also look like it. Nissan's customer research appears to have also given the company every reason for believing "it will be a success," and that this will give the brand "a more attractive and emotional appeal in the future."

Nissan hasn't said what Qazana design features might be seen on other cars, and we don't know if we're ready to even think about that possibility. Europeans have three years to get ready for it, and we in the States have that time to prepare for an Altima that looks like Admiral Ackbar.


Gallery: Geneva 2009: Nissan Qazana


Photos copyright (C)2009 Chris Paukert / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Autocar]

Production Nissan Qazana will bring new era of design, love it or hate it reaction originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 nissan2012 nissan qazana2012 qazana2012Nissan2012NissanQazana2012Qazanacrossoverdesignnissan qazanaNissanQazanaqazanaMon, 30 Nov 2009 08:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Canadian GP back on F1 calendar through 2014]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/canadian-gp-back-on-f1-calendar-through-2014/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/canadian-gp-back-on-f1-calendar-through-2014/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/canadian-gp-back-on-f1-calendar-through-2014/#commentsFiled under: ,

Canadian GP

It's official, Formula 1 and Montreal are in love again. Bernie Ecclestone's supersonic price increases in 2008 drove the Canadian venue (and North America entirely) off the map in 2009. It was the first time in three decades that the F1 club didn't visit Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, and by the end of this summer, everyone was highly motivated to get it back.

When Ecclestone's original demand of $175 million Canadian ($165M U.S.) over five years became $75 million Canadian, ($71M U.S.), the Montreal, Quebec, and Canadian governments got together to split the cost three ways. When the government's commitment to spend such an amount on a sporting event was questioned, Quebec's minister of finance replied that the GP will cost Quebec $4 million but return $10 million to its coffers alone. On top of that, Ecclestone promised them 30% of ticket sales every year, which, for a hugely popular grand prix, should be a substantial number. Vive le Montreal GP and June 13, 2010! Thanks to everyone who submitted tips

[Source: F1 Live | Photo credit: Vinod Sankar via CC2.0]

Canadian GP back on F1 calendar through 2014 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bernie ecclestoneBernieEcclestoneformula 1formula oneFormula1FormulaOnegpmontrealmontreal grand prixMontrealGrandPrixquebecSun, 29 Nov 2009 19:18:00 EST<![CDATA[Gah!x2: Kicherer Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG rendered]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/gah-x2-kicherer-mercedes-benz-sls-amg-rendered/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/gah-x2-kicherer-mercedes-benz-sls-amg-rendered/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/gah-x2-kicherer-mercedes-benz-sls-amg-rendered/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Kircherer SLS 63 CP -- Click above for high-res image gallery

To put it kindly, we'll call the attempts to tune the appearance of the Mercedes SLS AMG gilding the lily. Although the folks at Kircherer were obviously not doing the same amount or potency of drugs procured by the gents at MEC Design, they have still managed to disturb the lines of a car that most feel needed no help in the looks department.

This is said to be Kircherer's version of a Pan-Am car, and it gets carbon fiber blackening bits all around, a rooftop air intake, Kircherer's trademark wheels, and a leering grille lifted from an Aston Martin. You can also get that grille in gold, if you wish. But there's only one part of the world where we see that happening...


Gallery: Kircherer SLS 63 CP


[Source: World Car Fans]

Gah!x2: Kicherer Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG rendered originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2010 mercedes-benz sls amg2010 sls amg2010Mercedes-benzSlsAmg2010SlsAmgaftermarketkirchererkircherer sls 63 cpKirchererSls63Cpmercedes-benzmercedes-benz sls amgMercedes-benzSlsAmgsls amgSlsAmgSun, 29 Nov 2009 15:09:00 EST<![CDATA[REPORT: Alfa Romeo nixes "Milano" designation for 147 successor, ponders Giulietta]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/report-alfa-romeo-nixes-milano-designation-for-147-successor/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/report-alfa-romeo-nixes-milano-designation-for-147-successor/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/report-alfa-romeo-nixes-milano-designation-for-147-successor/#commentsFiled under: ,



In truth, Alfa Romeo didn't simply rename the coming model formerly known as "Milano" to "Giulietta." It was Fiat's unhappy Milanese workers who made a stink awful enough to get the company to change course in nomenclature. Seems the new Milano was due to arrive as the last of the Milanese Alfisti were going to be made redundant or moved to Turin, where Fiat is headquartered. The Milan workers, dead set on not being remembered in name alone, protested to the parent company, and so the car has a new name.

That name might or might not be Giulietta, but that's supposedly where the smart money's headed. Alfa would only say that "organizational issues" prevented it from disclosing the name and pictures of the car, and gave no indication of when it would tell us what the car will be called. If Giulietta does win the name game, it would be the third time Alfa's put out a model wearing that moniker.

[Source: Auto News, sub req'd]

REPORT: Alfa Romeo nixes "Milano" designation for 147 successor, ponders Giulietta originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alfa romeo giuliettaalfa romeo milanoAlfaRomeoGiuliettaAlfaRomeoMilanogiuliettamilanoSun, 29 Nov 2009 13:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumormill: Volkswagen ponders becoming F1 engine supplier in 2012]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/rumormill-volkswagen-ponders-becoming-f1-engine-supplier-in-201/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/rumormill-volkswagen-ponders-becoming-f1-engine-supplier-in-201/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/rumormill-volkswagen-ponders-becoming-f1-engine-supplier-in-201/#commentsFiled under: ,



There have been rumblings about VW getting into F1 by signing up with a specific team, but the chatter was always quashed. This time, reports suggest that VW is actively talking up the idea of getting into Formula 1 after 2012, but as an engine supplier to multiple teams. Hans-Joachim Stuck, VW's motorsports head, said with the way F1 engine regulations are going -- especially with costs and the potential of the "world engine" -- it could be the perfect opportunity for VW to start pumping out powerplants.

While future F1 regulations are still undefined, and VW's eventual entry into the series is by no means guaranteed, it's clear that VW's looking for ways to show off its engineering chops and get its name onto tracks. Stuck recently visited a NASCAR race and spoke about the company looking to get into the GrandAm series, and perhaps IndyCar.

Interestingly, the very conditions that Stuck sees as favorable for VW's entry are the ones that a number of F1 teams and fans are, at best, ambivalent about: substantially lower costs, spec engines, and more than 24 teams on the grid. With a new FIA president, what F1 is going to look like after 2012 is almost completely unknown. Hat tip to Stefano

[Source: Autosport]

Rumormill: Volkswagen ponders becoming F1 engine supplier in 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The season of hitting the roads to places you don't really want to go, so that you can give gifts you didn't really want to buy and eat food you don't really like has begun. Naturally, a lot more people on the road means a lot more folks getting lost. Fear not, you invincible iPhone-equipped holiday travelers: Appcast has ranked the created a list of navigation apps taking into account 31 different features and metrics.

With all the measuring they've done, they leave the decision of which one is best up to you. But with factors such as coverage area, traffic and speed camera notifications, demo routes, and even text-to-speech (including how the application handles voice instructions when the phone is playing music), you should have plenty of tools to make the best choice for your tastes.

There are seven apps tested, starting at $29.99. One of them could help make your holiday treks that much more manageable -- but they still won't eat fruitcake.

[Source: Appcast]

Which iPhone navigation app should you buy? This'll help originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When it comes to the successor to the Lotus Esprit, the specs -- and even the name -- are still up in the air. There is, however, a mule undergoing testing on the ground. Autocar has pics of an Exige with a seriously modified rear end, leading to speculation that the new Esprit's powertrain lives underneath.

This time engine talk centers on "a version of" the Lexus lump in the IS F, but with 275-325 bhp per ton as the goal, that could mean an engine which is quite close or quite far from its source material. Knowing Lotus, we won't doubt the power -- what we really can't wait to see are the looks. The Esprit V8 was the last of the gee-willikers rip-snorters from the house of Chapman, but it was the design of the earlier s4s that made us go "Oh yeah." Please, Lotus, give us that lovin' feelin' again...

[Source: Autocar]

Spy Shots: Elise, Exige, Esprit? Lotus tests new model originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Titan movie teaser - Click above to watch video

As any parent knows, when a child finds a video he likes he can watch it a kabillion jillion times with undiminished joy. That's exactly the kid we turn into any time you cut up race footage and set it to classical music and exhaust notes. This time it's the preview of the movie Titan, by French director Stephane Benini, which strings together action from the 1000 KM of the Nürburgring and features modern and vintage racers and motorcycles.

The movie has its own Facebook page if you really want to declare your love, or you can do the secret admirer thing and just enjoy the 6-minute HD clip from YouTube after the jump. The sound of the GT2 Corvette and DB9R is nothing short of knee-trembling. Follow the jump for the clip, and try not to spill your pureed peas...

[Source: Clash Productions]

Continue reading VIDEO: Titan trailer celebrates the glory that is the Nürburgring

VIDEO: Titan trailer celebrates the glory that is the Nürburgring originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A while back, Nissan scientists helped to develop a paint clearcoat called Scratch Shield that can self-repair light scratches overnight or over the course of a week.

Now the Japanese automaker is spreading the love, licensing the technology to Japan's largest wireless company, NTT DoCoMo. The clearcoat uses a special top layer of highly elastic resin that gives the coating a 'flexibility' that reportedly means that it can prevent or "heal" 80% of surface marks. The coating itself is also tougher, so it is less susceptible to marks in the first place. Official press release after the jump.

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Nissan's self-healing Scratch Shield paint to be applied to mobile phones

Nissan's self-healing Scratch Shield paint to be applied to mobile phones originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cellphonemobile phoneMobilePhonenissanntt docomoNttDocomoScratch ShieldScratchShieldFri, 27 Nov 2009 08:59:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: Audi tracks down the last Horch... in Texas?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/26/video-audi-tracks-down-the-last-horch-in-texas/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/26/video-audi-tracks-down-the-last-horch-in-texas/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/26/video-audi-tracks-down-the-last-horch-in-texas/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The search for the last Horch -- Click above to watch video

You have August Horch to thank for Audi. A former engineer for Karl Benz, Horch started the second oldest company of the original four companies that merged to form Auto Union (the first was Wanderer). But it was Horch whose name, translated into Latin, became "Audi."

The last Horch was built in Ingolstadt in 1953, and Audi wanted to find it. They put their vintage car locator, Ralph Hornung, on the case and he ended up in a field in West Texas. Follow the jump to view a video explaining the search and how the once mighty V8 found its way to a lonely Lone Star pasture. And on a side note, Hornung has a most awesome job... Thanks for the tip, Alex!

[Source: Audi TV via YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Audi tracks down the last Horch... in Texas?

VIDEO: Audi tracks down the last Horch... in Texas? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 20:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiAuto UnionAutoUnionchasing classic carsChasingClassicCarsclassic carclassic carsClassicCarClassicCarshorchIngolstadtRalph HornungRalphHornungtexasvideoThu, 26 Nov 2009 20:19:00 EST