VW New Beetle review

The incessant product buzz at the North American International Auto Show in 1994 centered on the concept car from Volkswagen that redefined the classic Beetle.

The overall shape and the dash-mounted bud vase, though, were about the only elements that were like the original. After all, the original was an air-cooled boxer 4-cylinder, rear-engine people’s car, built as simply and dependably as possible to be sold cheaply. The New Beetle was a transverse mounted front-engine, water-cooled, inline-four, nicely trimmed, fully featured and priced well above the bottom feeders. It was a hit at the show and still a hit when it came to market in 1998.

Interior design, while interesting to look at, is just a hint at the abovementioned quirkiness. Attractive round shapes and good quality materials make the inside of the New Beetle a pleasant place to spend time. I found some of the controls to be a bit awkward, particularly the power window and mirror controls mounted in the door.

And speaking of packaging, that engine is packed very nicely into the front. It is designed to contribute to excellent crashworthiness as well. The New Beetle has four-wheel disc brakes, stability control, lots of air bags front and side, and active front head restraints – a very safe vehicle for its class.

© germancarblog.com
Source: The Auto Channel

New Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

Versatility, power, safety and comfort

- Production in Düsseldorf and Ludwigsfelde
- Bigger range of versions than ever before
- High-tech diesel engines: powerful and clean
- Innovative suspension, standard-fitted ADAPTIVE ESP® with extended functionality

Eleven years and approximately 1.3 million units after making its debut, the European market leader in the 3.5 t GVW van sector, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, now has a successor.
DaimlerChrysler has invested some €1.8 billion in the development of this new model. With a raft of innovations, the new Sprinter is a milestone in its class. It will be launched at the end of March 2006.
The Sprinter is built at the two German factories in Düsseldorf and Ludwigsfelde (Brandenburg). DaimlerChrysler invested €550 million in expanding the paint and body shop in Düsseldorf, where panel vans and crewbuses are produced. The company also invested €300 million in the new paint and body shops for the Ludwigsfelde plant, where pickups and chassis versions are built. Combined, both plants will account for a moderate number of new jobs in the low three-digit range. The workforce will be drawn mainly from the current DaimlerChrysler employee pool.

The new Sprinter opens a new era, beginning with styling that combines emotional and rational aspects and is a perfect blend of form and function. The emotional and dynamic styling melds typical design themes of the Mercedes-Benz brand – for example the treatment of the headlamps and radiator grille – with the rational and functional qualities required in a van.

The dynamic side view, the rear lights which blend in with the contours of the vehicle and the taper in the lower part of the rear view are further typical Mercedes-Benz styling features, but they are interpreted in an original way. As far as the Mercedes star itself is concerned, the new Sprinter wears it proudly – at the front it appears on a sculpted base, while at the rear it occupies a central position between the doors.

- Bigger range of versions than ever before

- Extensive standard specification; options to suit individual needs

- Outstanding ergonomics and seating comfort

- First-class lighting and visibility; Sprinter now available with bi-xenon headlamps

- Keyless Entry and Slide: keyless door control

- High-tech diesel engines: powerful and clean

- A new dimension: 190 kW (258 hp) petrol engine

- Innovative suspension, standard-fitted ADAPTIVE ESP® with extended functionality

- New to the van segment: super-single tyres

- Particular attention given to passive safety and load restraint

Source: © germancarfans.com
Text & photos courtesy DaimlerChrysler AG

New engine for Vectra, Signum

The Vauxhall Vectra and Signum now have a new 1.8-litre petrol engine.

Packing 138bhp, the new engine has variable valve timing. It replaces the 120bhp 1.8 unit.

The new engine brings the 0-62mph sprint time down to 9.9 seconds and pushes top speed up to 131mph.

On top of the increased performance, the 1.8-litre engine improves fuel economy to 39.2mpg and reduces carbon dioxide emissions.

The Vectra and Signum with this new 1.8-litre engine are on sale now, with prices starting at £14,740 for the Vectra and £17,995 for the Signum.
Source: © topgear.com

Geely to test market cars in Puerto Rico

If you were wondering about the Chinese automotive invasion, to be lead by Geely, here's your first clue: Puerto Rico.

For those not familiar with Geely, they recently had a display at the NAIAS, and appear to be the first Chinese automaker to enter the North American market in 2008.
Source: © blogs.edmunds.com by Bob Jan

GOODYEAR - TIRE CHOICE OF NEW ENGLAND & QUEBEC LATE MODELS

Courtesy Marjorie Mulligan Fay

Waterbury, VT - The 8" tire short track special tire developed by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company with input from Tom Curley and the American-Canadian Tour (ACT), has been selected for use in 2006 by the 14-event Serie National Castrol (Quebec, Canada) and by the Late Model weekly divisions at both Maine's Oxford Plains Speedway and Seekonk Speedway in MA.

"Having two more historic New England tracks and more than 50 additional race teams moving to the Goodyear tire in 2006 is in keeping with the universal rules concept formulated by ACT. The tire transition is the final step in effecting the rules package which will simplify cost efficient weekly and Tour racing across the Northeast United States and eastern Canada. Unifying a state of the art tire with the Late Model community in our region will certainly be a great benefit to both the teams and tracks," ACT President Curley explained. In only two years under ACT's leadership, the inclusion of Quebec's Serie Castrol brings the number of Touring series to two, and the addition of Oxford and Seekonk brings the number of tracks to five, who have chosen to convert exclusively to this Goodyear product.

Vermont's Thunder Road Int'l Speedbowl, along with New Hampshire's White Mountain Motorsports Park and Lee USA Speedway, and the ACT Tour, helped pioneer the Goodyear D2472 and D2682 tire in 2005.

Cris Michaud, who will look for his third consecutive Late Model "King of the Road" title at Thunder Road in 2006 enthusiastically stated, "The Goodyear tires were awesome!" The Williamstown, VT driver continued, "I think they're especially good for weekly racing where there's apt to be more contact. We found that we could rub each other, and Thunder Road's infamous front stretch wall, and not cut down tires - they held up well."

Quinney Welch, a regular competitor at White Mountain in N. Woodstock, NH agreed, "The Goodyears are quite durable, they lasted longer than other tires I've run, plus they showed good repeatability." Welch, who also tested the ACT Tour waters five times in 2005 added, "As a team we found it easier to find set-up problems with our chassis, the tires were so consistent we knew we had to look elsewhere. I know there are other teams from White Mountain who found that true as well," the Lancaster, NH resident concluded.

Steve Reny from Boothbay, ME first put the Goodyear tire on his car in an ACT Tour event at his home track, Oxford Plains Speedway. "I was impressed by the numbering system on the tires - you don't have to measure every tire, which makes race day much easier and allows for more time to work on the car." Reny, who has filed a full season entry with the ACT Tour in '06 continued, "The tires we ran in the ACT 100 lapper at Oxford lasted forever, they're really durable and I picked up quite a bit of time on them. I really liked the tires and so did the other drivers from Oxford who ran that race and the other Tour show later last year."

The ACT Late Model Tour's 12-race season will be highlighted by three $10,000 to win ACTion Super Series events including a return to Quebec's Sanair Super Speedway, July 8-9. The Tour opens at Thunder Road, April 29-30 with the seventh annual Merchants Bank 150.

ROYAL PRO XTREME TEAM TAKES THREE OF FOUR AT NATIONAL EVENT

Courtesy Mark Royal

The CSRA national tour unloaded in Peterborough, ON for a three day event this past weekend. Friday night heats were run under the lights and provided all kinds of excitement.

Team spirit in the Royaldistributing.com hauler was high all week after a clean sweep in the opener at Owen Sound the previous weekend. The HUGE Peterborough Friday night crowd was all the motivation the boys needed as Joey Sagan and Iain Hayden piloted both their stock 440 and Open Mod Factory Recreation Ski-Doo Rev's to 4 out of 4 heat wins. It was a great night for Team Royal, with Joey taking his SEMI-PRO 440, and OPEN MOD heats, and IAIN dominating his PRO 440 and PRO-OPEN Heats in front of a huge crowd. Joey headed straight from the track to bed at the hotel, feeling like he was coming down with something.

On Saturday under bright sunny skies, both Joey and Iain were fighting some sort of flu bug, but soldiered on. Iain fought his way to a 5th in a PRO 440 heat, got some rest and then promptly laid down 3 more 1st's in the remaining PRO 440 and PRO OPEN heats in the afternoon. Joey fought with very hard charging Peter Raymer and his Cat to muscle out a 1st and 3 2nds in his remaining heats on Saturday. The Sunday finals were marred by rainfall and overall bad weather conditions.

Joey Sagan #202 and Peter Raymer had a battle in SEMI-PRO OPEN that saw a few lead changes and on the last lap Joey, still fighting the flu, ran out of steam and crashed hard while under pressure in a tough section trying to stay in the lead. Joey came back to win SEMI PRO 440 to cap off the weekend. Iain toughed out the day and a strong competitor in Carl Kuster to win both the PRO 440 and PRO OPEN classes.

Overall a great weekend for the Royal Pro Xtreme Team as they took home 3 of 4 premier classes. Thanks to Factory Recreation, Ski-Doo, Kimpex, FXR clothing, SPY goggles, IPONE oil, HMK boots, and Stud Boy Traction.

Round 7 – A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Durban, South Africa

Courtesy A1 Team Canada

Qualified: 9th / Sprint Race Finish: 12th / Feature Race Finish: 10th / Series standing: 10th (32pts)

A1 Team Canada salvaged a point with tenth place from this afternoon’s Feature race as President Thabo Mbeki joined 22,000 fellow South African’s to witness a lively afternoon of A1 Grand Prix action on the streets of Durban in Round 7 of the ‘World Cup of Motorsport’. Canadian racer Sean McIntosh missed out on back-to-back top-ten finishes for A1 Team Canada as a puncture in the earlier Sprint race left the Feature as the sole opportunity for points. A1 Team Canada remains tenth in the A1GP Nations Standings with 32 points.

Sprint Race (Winner – A1 Team France)

Having qualified ninth on the grid for the 20-lap Sprint race Sean held station for the majority of what was a fairly processional opener on the 3.2km temporary street circuit. Wrestling an ill-handling car since the second lap, the cause of which was later determined to be a slow puncture, McIntosh fought valiantly to keep ahead of Germany directly behind in tenth. Despite briefly dropping out of the top-ten in the latter stages Sean successfully climbed back to sit tenth overall with one lap remaining until the puncture blew his front right tire, demoting him to 12th at the checkered flag and out of the points.

Feature Race (Winner – A1 Team Netherlands)

A1 Team Canada’s decision to take their mandatory pit stop on just the second tour of the 40-lap Feature race looked set to pay dividends for Sean McIntosh as he ran third on track behind Switzerland and Germany of the team’s already pitted. The 20-year-old’s hopes of a second career A1GP podium finish were dashed early on lap nine however as contact with Portugal at Turn1resulted in a second trip to the pits, this time for a new nose cone. Back on track Sean set to work climbing up the order, looking to recover something from what had so far been a luckless weekend. Pushing hard, racing wheel to wheel with his A1 rivals, Sean guided A1 Team Canada’s entry as high as eighth before a broken steering column relegated him to a tenth place classified finish and a solitary point for his efforts.

Sean McIntosh:

“An unfortunate series of events really cost us here today because all things considered I think we had a good package. The car had pace and the team worked really well. We had an awesome strategy for the Feature race and it could have paid off if the Portuguese car hadn’t surprised me at the first turn and taken out my front wing. At least we came away with a point! I was sidelined out at Turn4 for the last couple of laps in the Feature but we had done enough to claim tenth. Hopefully we can piece everything together next time out in Indonesia and improve our standing.”

Indonesia hosts Round 8 of the A1 Grand Prix of Nations at the Sentul Circuit, 10-12 February 2006.

Standings: 1st France (120), 2nd Switzerland (92), 3rd Brazil (63), 4th Great Britain (58), 5th New Zealand (54), 10th Canada (32)

Sauble's 2006 Schedule is here!

Courtesy Sauble Speedway

The ultimate entertainment centre continues to build for 2006, with a great mix of cars, stars and Guitars. Sauble Speedway President Joe Chisholm is very pleased to announce that the “STEELBACK Canada Day Music Fest” will be held on Friday June 30th, and Saturday July 1st - Canada Day at Steelback Sauble Speedway. This popular music festival is in its 3 year and for the first time will be held at the speedway.

The Steelback Canada Day Music Fest will feature 2 days of blockbuster international music artists. In the near future president and CEO of Steelback Brewery Frank D’Angelo will announce details of this Steelback Canada Day Music Fest.

Also please find enclosed a copy of the Steelback Sauble Speedway Schedule of events for 2006.

Direct Link to 2006 Schedule: http://www.saublespeedway.com/Sauble_Speedwa/Schedule_Steel.html

A1 GRAND PRIX OF NATIONS, DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA

Courtesy Stuart Morrison Public Relations

Durban - The A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Durban, South Africa, attended by President Thabo Mbecki and just over 100,000 people over the course of the weekend provided one of the most spectacular races of the season to date.

As the cars left the starting grid and streamed down to the first corner, it was A1 Team Switzerland who got the best start and led A1 Team France out of the tight hairpin. However, the best start was definitely made by A1 Team Netherlands who were up to XX by from sixteenth on the grid by the end of lap one. The start wasn't without dramas as A1 Team Czech Republic stalled on his fifth position on the grid and so causing the cars behind him to take avoiding action.

The pit stops started early with the leader and second placed A1 Team France coming in at the end of lap two. This pit stop proved the start of an uncharacteristically troublesome race for Series point's leader France as a 53 second pit stop dropped them down the field and this was not helped by the fact that later in the race the team were given a drive through penalty for a pit lane infringement.

Unfortunately the first safety car period was when the race was only three laps old. This was to remove the cars of A1 Teams USA and Australia that had tangled in turn one when the American driver tried what proved to be an unsuccessful overtaking manoeuvre. A1 Team Great Britain didn't have any better luck than France as a slow pit stop was followed by a second one on the next lap because the air gun had become wedged in the back of the car and this obviously had to be removed.

When the safety car came in at the end of lap six it was A1 Team New Zealand leading helped by the fact they had yet to make their compulsory pit stop.

Despite the tightness of the track, there was plenty of overtaking but A1 Team Canada suffered when the racing was a little too close and they lost their front wing in turn one only to run over the debris a lap later before having the opportunity to pit for a new nose which they did at the end of lap 10.

The second safety car period started on lap 12 when A1 Teams India and Indonesia collided. The cars were removed and racing began at the end of lap 15 with Brazil leading at this point although again due to not having pitted. At this point in the race, A1 Team Ireland's hopes of a finish disappeared after lying as high as second on lap two and then spending time in the pits with a problem. On lap 15 Ralph Firman parked the car on the side of the track after developed a severe handling problem caused by a broken anti-roll bar.

The crowds witnessed A1 Team Malaysia overtaking A1 Team South Africa on lap 16 and after the re-start the racing continued with at one point, three cars abreast trying to go into a corner with A1 Team Lebanon being the filling in the sandwich. A1 Team Malaysia were the next culprits to bring out a safety car after spinning and partly blocking the track on lap 26, narrowly being missed by A1 Team New Zealand. This period lasted for three laps with Brazil still leading when the safety car pulled off at the end of lap 29.

A podium position for A1 Team Germany looked certain until the car hit a wall on lap 36. However, A1 Team Switzerland looked set to notch up win number two as when Brazil pitted at the end of lap 37 they moved into the lead. Jos Verstappen was in an amazing second place but it was obvious again he was not going to give up the chance of a win until the chequered flag. As the cars were on their last lap, Jos took his opportunity and passed the car with the red and white flag on it which seemed to be slowing although not enough to allow third place A1 Team Portugal to get by.

Race winner Jos Verstappen said 'I'm very happy. I had a fantastic start, and was battling with people all the way through. Both I and Alvaro made mistakes but I managed to get past and stay ahead, then Germany went into the wall and I know Brazil still had to pit.'

Speaking about his courageous overtaking manoeuvre on the last lap of the Feature race, Verstappen said: 'In the Sprint race second position was good, but I tried to overtake and it didn't work out as I wanted. This time I was in the same position, and Neel was running wide. I used my PowerBoost and managed to overtake. I'm really pleased for the guys because they worked very hard and the fans as well. It was quite tough to come here with a new mechanic and a new race engineer, there were quite a few things different, but right from the start when I got in the car, it felt good here and I felt confident.'

A disappointed Neel Jani said: 'It looks like we always have problems in the race, I had no brakes at all in the last few laps. What can I say? For sure I am disappointed; we lost in Dubai through bad strategy and here through brake failure. I'm not too happy. Out of the last six races we could have won 5. When you have made a mistake it is bad enough but when it isn't your fault it is even worse. I probably won't sleep very much tonight.'

Portugal's Alvaro Parente commented: 'I'm very pleased, especially after qualifying. We had really good pace in free practice and qualifying was a disappointment. I attacked the Sprint race and managed to finish eighth, a good position for the start of the Feature race. It was an interesting fight and overtaking is hard on a street track like this. It's great to have so many people watching the race, thanks to the crowd for their support. I'm delighted for the team who have worked really hard. Now we have to work for a win.'

A1 Team South Africa finished fifth which equalled Alex Yoong's record for best finish at a home race. For all their efforts, Brazil gained the bonus point for the fastest lap being the only driver to record a sub 1.19 time of 1.18.178 which obviously is now the official lap record for this circuit at an average speed of 151.2km/h.

Nice wooden lamborghini design :-)

Source: © karaul.ru by andreyka

Audi Q7 tuned by Abt !

We are delighted so see result from Abt design with the Audi Q7.

Besides the optical tuning Abt is bringing the Audi Q7 3.0 TDI from 233 bhp to 272 bhp and from 500 Nm to 580 Nm of torque.
Price for the engine tuning is 1740 Euro.
© germancarblog.com
Source: Auto Motor und Sport

¡Hey, Macarena! Heuliez Creates an Open-Top Peugeot 407

A third Peugeot convertible is set to make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

It's the Heuliez Macarena, product of French coachbuilding specialist Heuliez. The open-top version of the 407 midsize sedan has a retractable hardtop, like Peugeot's 206 and 307 cabrios. However, unlike the two smaller Peugeots, it's unlikely to be built. Instead, the Macarena is designed to show off the French engineering specialist's capabilities. Heuliez designed Peugeot's 206CC model and has developed the Macarena's folding hardtop for larger sedans — it's hoping to attract customers for the system at the Swiss show. Heuliez says it is in discussions with several manufacturers about using the system in production models.

The Macarena's roof mechanism folds away in around half a minute. And Heuliez has made novel use of the need to add a stiffening beam behind the front seats by incorporating LCD screens for the rear passengers into the crossmember.

Heuliez is one of a number of companies that can build complete niche models for automakers. Its main customer is PSA, but it looks like it's out to widen the net, so you'll probably hear that name again.
Source: © edmunds.com

Alfa Brera Spider - official photos !

The official photos are finally here: the Alfa Brera Spider in all its glory.

No data yet on prices or on the differences with the coupe (weight, performance), and it can be seen only with the roof down.

Beatiful, nevertheless.
Source: � eurocarblog.com by Luca

Five-door Renault Clio goes on sale

The Renault Clio is going five-door now.

Adding the rear pair of doors to the Clio also adds £600 to the cost of the equivalent three-door model.

Prices start at £8,995 for the 1.2 Authentique Clio, and the same 1.2-, 1.4- and 1.6-litre petrols and 1.5 turbodiesel engines are on offer as in the three-door.
Source: © topgear.com

VW CrossPolo In Detail

In February the new CrossPolo, developed by Volkswagen Individual, will follow its extremely successful predecessor, the Polo Fun.

Designed in the style of a small SUV, the distinctive four-door with a large hatchback presents itself as a practical and lifestyle-oriented all-around talent with can-do qualities. Thanks to its 15 millimeter increased ground clearance, the front-wheel drive CrossPolo manages even the roughest roads competently. With its new 17” alloy wheels, robust and color-coordinated body-mounted parts, the avant-garde Volkswagen visually stands out of the sea of compacts. Special seat covers and chrome ornaments mark the distinguished character of the multifunctional CrossPolo.

Standard equipment:
The CrossPolo generally comes with 17” alloy wheels, sports seats, roof railing, specially designed body applications and four doors

Standard equipment has been specially developed for the CrossPolo. In contrast to the Trendline version (basic version of the classic models), it also features:

Outside Equipment:

- Side mirror casing in silver and door handles in body color
- Roof railing painted in silver
- Transparent logo “CrossPolo” on the rear doors
- Body cover on the wheel arch, running boards and doors
- Alloy wheels “BBS radial spoke” 71/2 J x 17 in “Sterling silver”, tire dimensions 215/40 ZR 17
- Protection strip in body color
- Bumpers in the sporty design, tri-color
- Four doors

Interior equipment :

- Seat pockets on the seat backs of the front seats
- A cup holder in the front
- Chrome trim rings around the instruments on the instrument panel
- Driver seat with height adjustment
- Cushioned grips
- Parking brake lever in leather with colored seams
- Parking brake lever knob in chrome
- Leather steering wheel (4 spokes) in perforated leather with colored trim seams and aluminum decor
- Pedals in the aluminum optic
- Gear shift knob in leather with “Cross” lens
- Gear shift sleeve with colored decorative seams
- Drawer under the driver seat
- Seat covers in the plane fabric design “Dimension”
- Sport seats in front

Safety Equipment:

- Fog lights
- Functional Equipment
- Double tone horn
- Power windows in the front and rear
- Cargo area lighting
- Adjustable instrument illumination
- Illuminated make-up mirrors in the sun visors
- Off road chassis with approximately 15 millimeters of ground clearance
- Central looking system with remote control and two radio folding keys.

Source: © worldcarfans.com
Text & photos courtesy VW AG

Audi S4 Avant: Driven !

Perhaps it was part of a Christmas bonus for the employees, or a renegade draftsman who broke into his piggy bank in an act of selfless charity towards his fellow coworkers, but someone has gifted the designers in Ingolstadt a set of curved stencils. This is nowhere more evident than the seventh-generation of Audi's B-chassis cars, first introduced to us as the mid-year 2005 A4 and now embodied in the 2006 S4 Avant.

Gentle slopes and subtle contours permeate the front and rear of the new S4. Once a smile-free bastion of Bauhaus influence, the 2005.5 redesign adds much-needed levity to a car that, for generations, featured styling as rigid and inflexible as the German rail schedule. The new head and tail lamps are faired into the body work, and the S4 now bears Audi's new corporate face: A large trapezoidal grille that, in further proof of how just badly designers at some other German brands have been mixing the grain with the grape, seems restrained and decorous when viewed alongside its contemporaries.

The body of the Audi is an object study in assembly quality. Panel gaps are obsessively uniform, and unions between bumpers and sheet metal are more perfectly matched than peanut butter and chocolate. A definition crease running down its flanks ties the stem to the stern and serves to equalize the wagon's proportions. With its prominent front overhang and pert rear end, the S4 Avant could pass for Hollywood's idealized stereotype of a hooker. And like Tinseltown trollops, the S4 Avant has a heart of pure gold.
© germancarblog.com
Source: Fourtitude

Skoda Roomster has space aplenty

'Funny name, odd looks' may be the first reaction to the Skoda Roomster when it makes its debut at the Geneva motor show at the end of February.

Sticking closely to the Roomster concept that has been seen at shows for the past two years, the production model makes full use of its interior space.

Skoda's 'Varioflex' rear seat arrangement allows for a variety of seating and luggage layouts.

Based on the Octavia, the Roomster will be offered with three petrol and three diesel engines when it goes on sale in the UK in September. Prices will be announced closer to the car's launch.
Source: © topgear.com

Tough Hide: The New Rhino for India

At the New Delhi Auto Expo, International Cars & Motors unveiled its new Rhino. The utility vehicle may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it promises to be tough-skinned enough to handle the challenging roads of India.

International Cars & Motors (ICML) is a subsidiary of Sonalika Group, the third biggest manufacturer in India. Sonalika teamed up with MG Rover to develop the Rhino before the British carmaker went bust.

The Rhino is of very simple but sturdy construction, intended to be used in India and Pan-Asian countries where suitable roads are scarce, which explains why Toyota's similar Qualis has ruled for years. Toyota recently switched to marketing a more upmarket product, the Kijang Innova minivan, leaving a gap that so far had only been filled by Tata.

ICML hopes to sell 5,000 to 6,000 Rhinos this year.
Source: © edmunds.com

Can You Picture a Four-Seat XK?

Clay models might seem like old-school car design, but most carmakers, including Jaguar, still use them to flesh out the details of their vehicles. Jaguar chief designer Ian Callum says you have to: it’s only in this form that you see how a car looks before locking into production pieces. “It’s always a surprise when you cut a car,” he says.

In the case of the new XK, Jaguar’s multiple clay models dictated some of the car’s fundamental features, too. An early pass at a longer XK went belly-up in consumer clinics. “Buyers said, ‘Don’t make the car bigger,’” Callum recalls. Out came 4 to 5 inches from the wheelbase. Too, stylists and engineers had toyed with the idea of making the XK a hardtop convertible—but abandoned the notion when they realized that packaging a folding hardtop would mean squaring off and enlarging the XK’s tail.

Even after being vetted out with the clay model, finishing touches will always draw fire. The oval air intake on the XK’s nose has been a source of early criticism, drawing some unfavorable comparisons to the front end on the 2000 Ford Taurus. Callum says there’s a logical explanation for it: brother Moray, Mazda stylist and owner of an E-Type coupe, reinterpreted the latter car’s front end for the more pedestrian Taurus. And now it’s come home to roost on the XK, where Ian Callum points out that the oval shape and size are nearly identical not to the Taurus, but to Jaguar’s iconic XJ13 racer.
Source: © thecarconnection.com/blog/
by Marty Padgett

Lamborghini SUV: Heading for the hills

Wow, this would be great news: Lamborghini seems to have confirmed the production of a 4x4 !

It's built some of the world's finest supercars - but now Lamborghini is going back to its roots with an astonishing 4x4, exclusively revealed in this week's mag.

The Italian giant is no stranger to all-wheel-drive vehicles - company founder Ferrucio Lamborghini started out building tractors - but its next new model won't necessarily be a racer. Enthusiasts of the brand might have expected a four-seater to rival the Ferrari Scaglietti, but it looks as though a luxury off-roader is on track instead.

Lambo president Stephan Winklemann told Auto Express: "There is more need for an SUV, and parent firm Audi produces the Q7, so for me, this is a better option than a 2+2. I would like to do more, but we are a small company and can't build all the models we want at once."

Source: © germancarblog.com
Source: Auto Express

Audi S8 prices revealed

If you happen to find £70,780 down the back of the sofa, you could put your name down for an Audi S8.

The 5.2-litre V10 über-saloon goes on sale in April, and the first S8s are expected to growl on to UK roads in June.

With a modest 444bhp on tap, the S8 makes a discreet performance machine capable of 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds and is held back to a top speed of 155mph, so get rummaging down behind those cushions.
Source: © topgear.com

Porsche to Decide Build Location for Panamera

Porsche has announced that it will choose which factory will build its upcoming Panamera four-door, four-passenger sedan by April.

According to AFX News, Porsche executives have hinted that the company's Leipzig factory is the most likely site for constructing the rear-wheel-drive Panamera.

Currently, Porsche's Leipzig factory produces the Cayenne SUV and the Carrera GT.

The Panamera is due out in 2008. Porsche is expected to build the vehicle in quantities of 20,000 units a year.
Source: © edmunds.com

Joe Lilienthal ready to defend PMRA title in 2006

“It's always nice to win a championship.”

Courtesy Bruce F. Mehlenbacher

January 27, 2006, Kenmore, NY – Pro Modified Racing Association (PMRA), www.ProModifiedRacing.com, series champion driver Joe Lilienthal has a lot to prove this year as he goes out to defend his PMRA championship. In 2005, with 22 teams in the series, Joe Lilienthal of Kenmore, NY won the first PMRA title over his Ontario, New York, and Pennsylvania competitors.

"It's always nice to win a championship,” explained Joe Lilienthal, driver of the Lilienthal Racing 526-cubic inch Keith Black-constructed 1968 Jeep. "We were in three finals last year and won one of them.”

Lilienthal won the Luskville Dragway event in the JSL Automotive sponsored entry and took runner-up spots at the second Toronto Motorsports Park race and at the final event of the season at Lancaster Raceway Park.

“Kasey Janzen and I will compete as team-mates this year. That should help improve our program and hopefully we will be able to defend our title,” said Lilienthal. “If it wasn’t for the help from Kasey and Mike Swinarski it would be much more difficult to get out and run with these guys. The PMRA series has a bunch of real stout competitors.”

The Lilienthal Racing entry is powered by an Oddy’s Racing Keith Black power plant, a Littlefield supercharger, an Oddy’s fuel system, all coupled to a Lenco three-speed transmission and clutch.

The PMRA has four events confirmed for the 2006 season, the KC Auto Parts Family Day Celebration at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga, ON, Saturday, June 24, and the Pro Modified Racing Association is pleased to be running inaugural events at St. Thomas Dragway in Sparta, ON, August 5 and 6, the Eaton PMRA Challenge at Sanair near Montreal scheduled for Saturday, August 19, and at the Grand Bend Motorplex, over the Labor Day weekend.

VW Sharan cool ad !

Just a nice new ad for the VW Sharan:

© germancarblog.com
Source: Adverblog

Ford to offer extended Expedition this fall

Ford puts the revamped full-sized Expedition SUV into showrooms this fall for the 2007 model year. The lineup will include an extended-length version, badged the Expedition EL, which is intended to better compete against the Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon XL SUVs.

Exterior changes include a more pronounced grille that picks up the design theme from the Super Chief concept shown at the Detroit auto show. Ford says the new Expedition's frame is stiffer and the independent rear suspension is recalibrated for a smoother ride.

Under the hood is a 5.4-liter V-8 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Stability control is standard.
Source: © autoweek.com

German Customizer Adds 40 More Horses to the Chevrolet Corvette Z06

Geiger Cars, a German tuner that specializes in American cars, is offering performance modifications to the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 that boost its power from the standard 505 horsepower all the way up to 542 hp.

The STAGE 1 performance treatment contains a free-flow intake air guiding with sport air filter, special exhaust manifolds, steel bed catalysts, four large chrome exhaust tips, and engine tuning including special mapping for the ECU.

STAGE 1 adds even more performance to the already laser-fast Vette, putting the Z06's top speed above 203 mph.

Customers can also choose to add a high-performance brake system and a retuned spring strut sport suspension.

Geiger Cars offers special interiors, including full handcrafted leather. Fully tuned and customized Z06s are available from the company starting at about $114,000.
Source: © edmunds.com

How About A Free Jag?

What sort of incentives do you expect when you sign on the dotted line for a property?

Perhaps a freezer or a dishwasher. But how about a Jaguar ? That’s the amazing deal one real estate firm is offering when you buy a residential, retail, or commercial unit. You could even get a fleet of cars; the small print reveals if you opt for a full office floor you get ten X-Types. It’s certainly one way to shift the slow-selling sedan. You’re waiting for the catch, aren’t you? We’d love to tell you there isn’t one, but… you have to buy the property in the Arab Emirate of Dubai, and the company behind it, Damac, says it will only deliver the Jag there, too. Still, you could always ship it home. —Richard Yarrow
Source: © thecarconnection.com/blog/
Posted by Marty Padgett

DARRELL WALTRIP AND BUZZIE REUTIMANN TO BE INDUCTED INTO EMPA HALL OF FAME

CONCORD, N.C. (January 27, 2006) - David Reutimann is a third generation driver. His father Emil "Buzzie" Reutimann is a racing legend and so is his team owner Darrell Waltrip. This Saturday, both legendary drivers will be inducted into the Eastern Motorsport Press Association Hall of Fame during the annual convention at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in Trevose, Pennsylvania.

"It's a huge honor and I'm really proud that they are recognizing my dad and team owner," said David Reutimann, driver of the No. 17 Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Toyota. "I think they've both given a lot to the sport. It is really special that they are being inducted into the EMPA Hall of Fame together. My dad's still racing at 64 years of age and he's still just as competitive as he ever was. I'm so proud of them."

To be inducted into the EMPA Hall of Fame, is a special honor for Waltrip and the elder Reutimann.

"It is always flattering when people want to recognize your accomplishments that you worked so hard to earn," said Waltrip, a three-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion with 84 career wins. "I'm thrilled Buzzie and I are both winners together. The Reutimann family is a class act and I am excited about the opportunities that lie before Buzzie's son, David, for the future with my team."

The 64-year-old echoes Waltrip's sentiment.

"I would like to thank the press for telling our stories over the years," said Reutimann. "If it wasn't for them writing the stories, we wouldn't be anywhere. Without them, Buzzie Reutimann wouldn't be Buzzie Reutimann. I wouldn't be receiving an award tomorrow night if it wasn't for them. What they write is what you save in your scrapbooks. It is the memories you have. They write the memories we have and I know DW feels the same."

As Waltrip supposedly competed in his final NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway last October, Reutimann continues to race and win championships at age 64.

"When we started running at East Bay Raceway last year, I didn't think about winning a track championship," said Reutimann. "Right there towards the end, I was leading the points. That's when I thought I had a shot at another championship. We ended up winning the Open Wheel Modified championship. I don't know how many more championships this little body's got left in it. I'm 64 and I'll be 65 in May, but I've got a few years to go."

Reutimann's won so many races and championships in his lifetime that he can't seem to keep up.

"I have a friend that comes down each year and he's sort of our historian," said Reutimann. "He's telling me I've got somewhere around 1,200 feature wins in all types of cars. It goes back to when I started with my old Flathead Ford and then onto whenever I moved to Sportsman. I won like 20 features in a row at one time in Florida. As far as how many championships I have, gosh, I don't know. I've won all over at places like Sunshine Speedway, Golden Gate Speedway, East Bay Raceway and up north at places like Middletown, Nazareth, East Windsor, Syracuse and Fullerton to just name a few. We've won championships in all those places. When you race and pay attention to what you are doing, the championship comes along with it."

As Reutimann accepts his award, he will be also accepting on behalf of Waltrip in his absence.
"I want to thank my dear friend Buzzie Reutimann for filling in for me," said Waltrip. "I am so thankful for this honor, but I do have one concern. Buzzie is a racer and he always has been and always will be. He is like me and he is always racing for the trophy. So, I'm a little concerned that Buzzie is taking two trophies to his house tomorrow tonight and that I will never see mine."

"He'll get his trophy some day," laughed Reutimann. "It may just take me a while to give it to him. I've got an extra special place on my mantle to keep it for him until I see him in person. It's an honor for me to accept this award on his behalf. He's got big shoes to fill. I don't know about the speech he gave me to tell everyone. Here I am going to be in front of a few hundred people and I have to make a speech for him. How do you top Darrell Waltrip?"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Darrell Waltrip Motorsports

Derhaag Motorsports Qualifies for Rolex 24 At Daytona

Courtesy Cristi Brumm

Daytona Beach, FL (January 26, 2006) – The #40 Preformed Line Products Daytona Prototype is ready to take the start of ultimate American endurance challenge, the Rolex 24 At Daytona, with 70 cars scheduled to take the the green flag. Qualifying safely in the twelfth row for Saturday's noon start of this twenty-four hour racing marathon, the Derhaag Motorsports Pontiac Riley carries primary sponsorship from Preformed Line Products with additional sponsorship logos of Coyote Closures®, Park Place Ltd, KeyBank and McDonald Financial Group.

The driver lineup for the 2006 Rolex24 looks like a veritable "who's who in racing" and joining that esteemed group for the Rolex24 will be Derhaag Motorsports full season drivers, Chris Bingham and Randy Ruhlman, along with top Canadian Chevrolet factory driver Ron Fellows and endurance specialist Justin Bell. All four of the drivers are veteran endurance drivers, as well as experienced drivers in other sprint and endurance series.

Ron Fellows has an overall Daytona24 win to his credit (in 2001), as well as multiple wins at LeMans (in 2001 and 2002). Bell and Bingham have extensive experience at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, and Bell is a LeMans winner, as well. Ruhlman, having competed in endurance racing early in his career and most recently concentrating on the Trans-Am Series Championship, will be competing in his first Rolex24 at Daytona.

The Rolex 24 at Daytona weekend got under today Thursday January 26th with both day and night practices and qualifying. Driver and pit crew practices continue on Friday with the race scheduled to start at 12 PM on Saturday, January 28th and run a full 24 hours, ending at noon on Sunday. Television coverage on SPEED is scheduled for Saturday, January 28th from Noon until 6PM, and 8PM until 11PM, with continuing coverage from 8AM until 12:30PM on Sunday. The Rolex24 at Daytona is the premier endurance race in the United States and has been held at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida for the past 44 years.

NASCAR BOBSLED CHALLENGE TO BE TELEVISED THIS WEEKEND

Olympic Fundraiser Puts NASCAR Drivers Behind the Wheel of the Sleds

Many of NASCAR’s drivers shifted gears early this month when they gave up racing stock cars in favor of bobsleds at the Chevrolet Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge in Lake Placid. The event, which raised research and development funds for the US Men’s and Women’s Bobsled teams, will be televised on ESPN2 on Jan. 29 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and on the Speed Channel on Feb. 4 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and on Feb. 9 from noon to 2 p.m.

The event pitted NASCAR drivers Steve Park, Kevin Lepage, Dick Trickle, Todd Bodine, Boris Said, Stanton Barrett, Joel Kauffman, former driver Brad Noffsinger, Busch Series driver Tim Fedewa and the project’s creator, former NASCAR driver Geoff Bodine, against one another in two races at the Verizon Sports Complex in Lake Placid.

The drivers quickly rose to the challenge of driving on ice instead of asphalt as both races produced different winners, though one driver, Trickle, crashed in turn 18 during both heats of the first race. He later managed to successfully navigate that turn in the second race.

Organizer Geoff Bodine began the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project, which seeks to build high-quality, American-made bobsleds, after watching Americans finish poorly while driving foreign-made sleds in the 1992 Winter Olympics. The project began showing results at the 2002 Winter Olympics when Americans won a gold medal in the women’s bobsledding competition and silver and bronze medals in the men’s four-man competition.

For more information on winter vacation activities in New York State, visit www.iloveny.com or call, toll-free, 1-800 CALL-NYS. I LOVE NEW YORK, Whelen Engineering and Columbia Sportswear joined Chevrolet in the event’s family of sponsors.

For more information on the Chevrolet Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge, visit www.bodynbobsled.com.

Mitsubishi "i"

Mitsubishi just introduced their new "i" minicar in Japan. First shown at the Toyko Motor Show as a concept, the tiny "Kei-class" car is now in showrooms.

The spiffy "i" was developed as an innovative Premium Small Car that successfully overcomes the tradeoffs traditionally associated with the category: design and comfortable interior space; comfortable interior space and impact safety.
Note that it has a rear-mid engine, as shown in the cut-away image. It can be had with either 2WD or 4WD.
Source: © blogs.edmunds.com by Bob Jan

Ford unveils flexible fuel hybrid Escape; plug-in hybrids pushed by coalition

Ford Motor Co. is taking two increasingly popular gasoline-saving technologies and putting them in the same vehicle.

The company has built a Ford Escape Hybrid that also is a flexible-fuel vehicle. The internal combustion engine teamed with an electric motor in the hybrid configuration is capable of running on E85 as well as gasoline, the company says.

E85 is 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Ethanol generally is produced from corn in farm states. But automakers and others are touting opportunities to make ethanol economically from plant waste as an alternative to imported petroleum.

The vehicle was unveiled at the Washington Auto Show on Wednesday.

Ford executives say the flexible-fuel hybrid is a research vehicle at this point. They conceded in prepared remarks that technical obstacles remain before it could be produced. A big obstacle is controlling evaporative emissions, they said.

Still, Anne Stevens, Ford COO for the Americas, said: "This innovative research program could lead to breakthroughs to significantly reduce our nation's dependence on imported oil while also helping to address global climate change."

Ford is not alone in wanting to combine fuel-saving technologies.

A coalition of groups on Tuesday told of a campaign to pressure automakers to build hybrids that could be plugged in when they are not in use, to charge battery packs that are heftier than those in existing hybrids.

The argument for plug-in hybrids is that they would run more in the electric-only mode than existing hybrids do, especially on short trips and daily commutes. Proponents say plug-in hybrids would save more energy and produce less pollution than the hybrids produced so far.

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, supports the coalition. He said a plug-in hybrid, especially one that uses alternative fuel, could be a "silver bullet" for the nation's auto-related environmental problems and dependence on foreign oil. He was an author of federal tax credits for hybrids and other advanced-technology vehicles, which took effect Jan. 1.

The plug-in hybrid coalition includes city governments, electric utilities, environmental groups and national security organizations.

Automakers, stung by their experiences with all-electric vehicles, generally have downplayed the promise of plug-in hybrids.

At the Washington show Wednesday, Stevens of Ford was asked about plug-in hybrids. She said the company is interested in all kinds of technology but there are concerns about the durability of the heftier battery packs needed by plug-ins.

Peter Savagian, engineering director at General Motors Powertrain, said his company is looking into plug-ins, along with other technologies, and is "kind of intrigued by the concept."

Separately, in its own show announcement, GM unveiled ads that will be used in its new campaign to build consumer interest in E85 fuel.

The campaign slogan is, "Live Green, Go Yellow," referring to the corn from which ethanol is usually made.

Energy Secretary Sam Bodman toured Ford, GM and DaimlerChrysler exhibits on Tuesday. He announced the release of $119 million in federal funding toward further government-industry research on developing hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles.

President Bush made hydrogen a priority in his 2003 State of the Union address.
Source: © By Harry Stoffer /Automotive news/ autoweek.com

Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder: Great car in an unusual color !

If you don't like the typical Lamborghini yellow or even the great looking white, maybe this color fits you better.
Enjoy!

© germancarblog.com
Source: Focus

2006 Infiniti Coupe Concept

Infiniti today unveiled a dramatic new concept vehicle, the Infiniti Coupe Concept, at the 2006 North American International Auto Show. Infiniti also showed the new 2006 FX luxury crossover SUV, which has been refined with exterior and interior enhancements and greater differentiation between the V8-powered FX45 and V6-equipped FX35 models.

The Coupe Concept continues the Infiniti tradition of merging design and performance. It takes Infiniti’s vibrant design vocabulary, which has helped establish Infiniti as one of the most dynamic brands in the luxury market, and elevates it to the next level.

Among the Coupe Concept’s exterior design features are a full-length glass panel roof, modulated front fenders and hood, deep front spoiler and large projector headlights, polished bare metal-look paint, compact camera outside rearview mirrors, hidden door handles and large 20-inch, 9-spoke painted aluminum-alloy wheels.

The Coupe Concept interior combines a performance-inspired cockpit with a luxurious passengers’ space featuring a “double wave” instrument panel design, with large, violet-color gauge illumination and a dramatic, full-length center console. Specially textured aluminum accents project the image of traditional Japanese “Washi” paper, providing an added sense of warmth and crispness.

“The Infiniti Coupe Concept embraces the continuous advancement of Infiniti design with a unique combination of passion, imagination and creativity,” said Mark Igo, vice president and general manager, Infiniti.

Igo also provided an update on Infiniti business issues, including the fourth straight year of sales records. In 2005, Infiniti sold an all-time high of 136,401 units, an increase of 4.5 percent over calendar year 2004 sales.

“Infiniti sales have been strong across the entire model range,” said Igo. “We’re especially pleased with the acceptance in the marketplace of the all-new 2006 Infiniti M.”
© seriouswheels.com
Source: from Infiniti Press Release