Dodge used last year’s SEMA Auto Show to roll out a concept version of a Super Stock Challenger racer but like most outlandish concepts few suspected the car would go into production. At the time, officials did confirm the concept’s monster 392 HEMI V8 engine would eventually go on sale as an aftermarket crate engine but apparently that wasn’t the end of the story.
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The Smart brand has just been launched in the U.S. and with preorder sales already beating expectations Mercedes officials think it’s time to bring back the ForFour. The original model was quickly dropped from the Smart lineup following lackluster sales but with carmakers around the world desperate to launch new eco-friendly models we’re likely to see Mercedes launch a second-generation version of the car in the not too distant future.
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Earlier today we posted information about the European launch of Mercedes’ facelifted SL convertible and now we have all the details for the U.S. market. Americans will once again miss out on the V6 models, including the new entry-level SL280, and instead get updated versions of the SL550 V8 and SL600 V12 models. The flagship SL65 from AMG will also be on offer and is expected to be joined further down the track by a new SL63 (pictured) fitted with the tuner’s hand-built 6.3L V8.
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The Phaeton limo may have been a major flop for Volkswagen but officials are keen to the launch of a successor. The car was priced similarly to BMWs and Audis but it wore a humble VW badge, and there was nothing particularly exciting or innovative about the car either. It had mundane styling, poor dynamics and a much heavier chassis than its Audi A8 cousin, and in the U.S. it only managed 2,814 sales since its launch back in 2003.
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We’ve been tracking the Singapore Grand Prix for over a year now, and as we reported last May, the Singapore GP will in fact be a night race – the first ever for a Formula 1 Grand Prix. Details of the race were released today, along with a few pictures to get the imagination going. Those who are lucky enough to attend the inaugural Singapore GP are in for a treat.
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In what seems to be a growing trend, Volvo cars was found guilty of manslaughter in a 1999 accident. Just a few weeks ago, a former Mitsubishi Motors head and several other executives were found guilty in the death of a man driving a defective truck that went out of control and hit a wall. The woman at the wheel of the Volvo in 1999 struck and killed two children after her brakes failed.
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Small, sporty runabouts are often short-changed in the minds of enthusiasts. Their numbers don’t stack up so well when faced with competition from big, powerful sedans or turbocharged hatchbacks. But in terms of sheer driving fun, they can rank right up there with the best, especially in the vast majority of real-world street driving conditions. And they are kind to the pocketbook – and the environment – as well. The Twingo Renaultsport looks like a great example of a fun, efficient car, designed to slot in the Renaultsport range alongside the Clio and Megane.
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Diesels have proven to be much more economical than similar sized petrol engines and even rate better than petrol-electric hybrid vehicles in some circumstances, so it comes as no surprise that GM Holden wants an oil-burner for its Commodore range. The Australian designed and built sedan is a crucial model in the GM Empire, its Zeta platform and RWD architecture destined to spawn several new global RWD models, and if the Commodore is to be truly successful on a global level then it needs a diesel option.
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Last year Maserati recorded its first profit in 17 years, posting a €1 million trading profit for the second quarter, but according to officials this is only the tip of the iceberg. Early last year the boss of Maserati’s parent company, Sergio Marchionne, made the bold objective that Maserati would deliver up to 12,000 units in 2011, and we suspect that he’s not one to back down on his claims. This year Maserati is on track to sell 9,000 vehicles, up from 7,500 last year, and if it hopes to come near the 12,000 target a new model is a must.
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If America’s luxury brands want to be around in years to come they need to expand sales overseas and become more relevant in a global context. Cadillac has made it clear that it wants a big slice of the international market. It’s already launched several models in the Middle-East and Europe and next year the brand will be launched as far away as Australia. Ford’s Lincoln brand, on the other hand, is barely acknowledged in markets outside of North America but this may soon change according to recent comments from Ford boss Alan Mulally.
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Bertone has been in financial trouble ever since a deal between it and Fiat to build several new Lancia models went sour back in April last year. The Italian coachbuilder has yet to secure any major projects since then and has been relying on government handouts to pay its staff. Hope came when Italian turnaround specialist Domenico Reviglio planned to buy out the struggling Carrozzeria Bertone coachbuilder but any of this happening was blocked by Italian courts and now Reviglio has announced he’s walking away from the deal.
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The race cars of the GT500 class in the Japanese touring car series (JGTC) have some of the most extreme aerodynamic and powertrain packages in the business and the latest iteration of one of the event’s legends, Nissan’s GT-R super sports car, doesn’t fail to live up to the standard of past heroes. Nissan first unveiled the racer at a press event earlier in the month but today at another event in Tokyo full specifications for the car were detailed.
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We all know driving smoothly, accelerating at a constant pace, shifting to a higher gear, and coasting whenever possible helps reduce fuel consumption, but at the end of the day most of us rarely do it. Carmakers in Europe are now calling on the European Union to promote this more environmentally-friendly style of driving to help reduce greenhouse gases and thus help reduce the burden placed on themselves.
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Alfa Romeo is set for a rough couple of years. The carmaker is on the verge of relaunching in the U.S. and to make matters worse the boss of its parent company, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne, has laid down the challenge of doubling Alfa’s sales and turning around the carmaker’s fortunes before its centenary in June 2010. This gives Alfa Romeo’s new CEO Luca De Meo roughly 1,000 days to set things right.
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Saab’s currently ailing product line can look forward to a revamp thanks to a slew of new models planned for release over the next couple of years. Already we’ve seen the facelifted 9-3 and according to officials we can expect to see an all new entry-level model, dubbed the 9-1, in 2010 followed by a 9-4X crossover and next-generation 9-5 sedan.
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