2011
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Many in the U.S. have been hoping to receive the wildly popular Fiat 500 minicar for the past couple of years but a lack of interest in small cars has largely held it back. Now, with Fiat's alliance with Chrysler in place the Italian auto giant has a gateway to the lucrative U.S. market and the first model to arrive under the new alliance will be the 500, though it’s launch is still 18 months away. The 500 will be sold in Chrysler dealerships and it will be the only Fiat-badged model in the U.S. market. It will come in four different versions, all of which will be manufactured at a...
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Mercedes AMG Driving Academy coming to the U.S., bringing 2011 SLS AMGIf you're an AMG fan or just a fan of driving fast cars fast, you're probably aware of the Mercedes AMG Driving Academy. Unfortunately, those of us in the U.S. had to travel to Europe to take advantage of it - until now. Mercedes is bringing the AMG Driving Academy program, including Stage I, Stage...
Nelson Ireson -
Saab 9-4X crossover on track for early 2010 launchSaab’s split from General Motors and pending sale to supercar company Koenigsegg will apparently have no major affect on the Swedish automaker’s future model launches, such as that of the upcoming 9-4X crossover. The new crossover will share much in common with the recently-revealed...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
GM denies any plans to license Toyota's hybrid Synergy Drive systemEarlier this week news broke that General Motors would in fact be discontinuing the Pontiac Vibe, built alongside the Toyota Matrix at the California New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI) the two carmakers share. Since then, speculation as to what sort of joint GM-Toyota project might emerge...
Nelson Ireson -
Mercedes planning to phase out CLC, replace with new C-Class CoupeThe switch in nomenclature from the CLK to the E-Class Coupe made a bit of a stir when word began to leak last year. And then last month the issue was broken back open when it was revealed that the new E-Class Coupe is actually based on the C-Class platform - much like its CLK predecessor. So what...
Alex Kaufmann -
Mustang '5.0' fender badge to return with new 5.0L V8 for 2011?The Mustang is not just an iconic pony car or a retro-modern throw-back to simpler times. It's a fan-favorite performance vehicle that has a rabid and enthusiastic base of drivers, tuners and manufacturers behind it. So news of the return of the '5.0' badge to the front fender of the 2011 Mustang...
Ralph Hanson -
Jaguar’s most powerful engine at the moment is the supercharged version of the Gen III AJ-series 5.0L V8, which develops a peak output of 510hp (380kW) and 461lb-ft (625Nm) of torque and currently resides in cars like the XFR and XKR. This engine is also destined to appear in the next-generation Jaguar XJ, scheduled to be unveiled next month, however it won’t be the flagship engine for the new XJ range. According to AutoWeek, the XJ fitted with the supercharged 5.0L V8 will be badged the ‘SV8’. This will leave space for an eventual ‘XJR’ with an even more...
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Jaguar engineer confirms hybrid plans, says Lexus hybrids are inefficientJaguar is well underway in the development of its next-generation XJ saloon and despite the company’s financial hardship the car is still on track for a debut in the second half of next year. For the current XJ, Jaguar looked to its past for inspiration and this definitely hurt its sales...
Kenneth Hall -
Saab buyer to be revealed this week, most likely KoenigseggThe ongoing tale of Saab's sale may be drawing to a close, as early reports out of Sweden today have General Motors and Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg, along with a group of Norwegian investors, agreeing to the deal in a letter of intent. GM confirmed in its February viability plan that it would...
Kenneth Hall -
U.S.-spec Lotus Evora details leakedPre-release spec sheets detailing a new performance/luxury car like the 2010 Lotus Evora are, for many fans, just a degree or two short of holy relics. For the intrepid gang at Lotus Enthusiast, they're fodder for the fires of the web, and fair game for release. We're glad they let the data loose...
Nelson Ireson -
Wiesmann offers European driving getaway packageNiche German automaker Wiesmann is best known for its classically designed sports cars that tend to cost an arm and a leg, but now the company is expanding into the holiday and travel business. Wiesmann has revealed that it will be offering its well-to-do clientele further avenues to spend their...
Alex Kaufmann -
Lamborghini hints at hybrid future in new environmental strategyMore stringent fuel economy and emissions regulations rolling in across major markets around the globe have all automakers, even ultra luxury marques, rethinking their designs and manufacturing processes in an effort to become greener. Both Bentley and Ferrari have confirmed their commitment to...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
For the driving simulator fan, the Need for Speed series holds a certain nostalgia as one of the first really fun and engaging car games. For the past 15 years the franchise has expanded on that theme, evolving to a level of realistic graphics and fun-focused gameplay that everyone can get on board with. The latest chapter in the series, Need for Speed: Shift, promises to deliver on the fun while upping the reality factor. Now with the release of the latest instalment in the series, 'Need for Speed: SHIFT', the franchise is set to become more driver focused, in the same vein as Forza and the...
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GM reveals plan to build new small car at idled assembly plant in U.S.In an atypically cryptic press release, General Motors today announced that it will be building a new small car at an unnamed idled UAW-staffed assembly plant here in the U.S. The new vehicle will be in addition to the already-planned 2011 Chevrolet Volt and Cruze, but it's not yet known which...
Nelson Ireson -
Vath boosts C63 AMG Estate to 585hp V63 RS statusCarbon emissions taxes and fuel efficiency requirements are throwing a bit of a wet blanket on the horsepower wars, especially in Europe, but the aftermarket is carrying on the battle with undiminished ferocity. The latest combatant is Vath's V63 RS Estate, a re-interpretation of the already...
Alex Kaufmann -
Mazda France to celebrate 20 years of the MX-5 at Le MansOrganizing an exclusive event for one of the most inclusive sports cars ever made - the Mazda MX-5 Miata - may seem paradoxical, but that's exactly what Mazda France is doing this June at the Le Mans 24 Hours race. A maximum of 200 MX-5s and their owners will gather for a show and shine celebration...
Ralph Hanson -
Patent application reveals new direct-injection rotary engine from MazdaMazda's renowned rotary Wankel engine has been a staple in some of the carmaker’s sports cars for the last 44 years, with its first appearance in 1965 and its continuing application in the current RX-8 model. Throughout that period the engine has gone through a number of significant changes...
Jeremy Weber -
Preview: New Seat Ibiza ST wagonThe once cash-strapped Seat brand is on the verge of developing a range of new models, with no less than four different vehicles planned for production within the next three to four years. The launch of the Ibiza hatch last year was just the tip of the iceberg as the Spanish carmaker is now working...
Alex Kaufmann -
The convertible version of what’s arguably one of the world’s most beautiful and exciting cars has been spotted again in prototype form, ahead of a market launch planned for early next year. The new car is the V12 Vantage Roadster, but sadly, just like its recently revealed hard-top cousin, U.S. customers are likely to miss out due to legal issues stemming from its engine and crash safety. The V12 Vantage Roadster will be almost identical to the hard-top except for its three-layer fabric roof, which can be opened or closed in just 18 seconds by pressing a button on the center...
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Spy shots: Next-gen Chevrolet Aveo delayed until January 2011The Chevrolet Beat has been paraded around the last several auto shows as the forerunner to the production Spark hatchback revealed at March’s Geneva Motor Show, which will sit just below the Aveo as Chevy's smallest car. In the past couple of months, spy photos of a Spark-styled but slightly...
Ralph Hanson -
Lutz gives $32,500 ballpark price for VoltThe epic development period of the Volt has been unique in many ways, not least of which because it was announced about three years ahead of its actual debut - which is still more than a year out. But this week Bob Lutz told David Letterman one key detail of the upcoming plug-in hybrid from General...
Nelson Ireson -
Toyota unveils LF-A race cars for 24-hour Nurburgring raceThough over a year has elapsed since the Lexus LF-A was first spotted in testing, and it's been almost a year since it last ran the 24 Hours of Nurburgring, the crew at Lexus are prepping the perpetual prototype for yet another running of the ADAC Zurich 24h Race, and now they've released photos of...
Nelson Ireson -
Gotham Dream Cars gives access to five Lamborghinis for $1,500A New York car rental company has come out with a fairly interesting proposition - for the relatively small sum of $1,495, the Gotham Dream Cars company will offer members of the public a five-hour, five-Lamborghini driving tour, starting at its exclusive clubhouse in Northern New Jersey. If that...
James Martinez -
Chinese-built Chevrolet Spark, Aveo and Lova could hit U.S. showrooms by 2011Just a few days ago we brought you a story about General Motors considering bringing small cars from China to the U.S. in order to bolster its sales in the segment. Currently, the carmaker is looking to sell around 17,300 Chinese-made vehicles in the U.S. by 2011 and over 50,000 units by 2014...
James Martinez