Following the crash, Matt Groner entered the fray, his company Matthews Auto Sales specialises in taking virtually unrepairable high end cars and giving them a new lease of life.
Here they are! The first shots of the open top Audi R8 snapped by our resident spy photographer at Carpix and even better is the lack of camoflage on this virtually undisguised prototype.
E-Motion Wheels as the name suggest usually sticks to wheels when modification, but for this time limited project they got together with Digi-Tec to create a custom Audi Q5.
We already know just about every detail we need to know about the new BMW 7-Series ever since it was released in an extravagant ceremony in Moscow, but that doesn't mean we don't want to see more.
The way AC Schnitzer describes the BMW M3 Cabrio, I'm surprised they don't have to get out every half a mile for a change of trousers, but lets be honest – the rest of us would probably have to do the same as well.
rank Stephenson who is best known for his work on the design of the modern day Mini has been confirmed as the company's new design chief – but this is after the design for the McLaren F1 successor has already been signed off.
Hot on the heels of the facelifted A6 comes its more powerful sibling: the Audi RS6 Sedan. It follows the Avant variant which was first shown to the public at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year.
BMW have released first details of 'Edition Sport', a new sports package for 6 Series model ranges. Styling is suitably sharpened and driving dynamics enhanced for a package adding flair and exclusivity to BMW's Grand Tourer.
Starting in the Spring of 2009, Mercedes will introduce its latest technology: the innovative driver support system Attention Assist, created to detect and warn of driver fatigue.
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It was about time that Audi released the sedan version for their top of the line mid size sedan and estate line. After the RS6 Avant broke the mold with ridiculous power for an estate, easily defeating the direct competitors like BMW M5 or the Mercedes E63 AMG, the Audi RS6 Sedan version will arrive with a 5 litre V10 engine, fitted with twin-turbochargers, capable of delivering 580 bhp and a peak torque of 650 Nm (479.42 lb-ft).
The six-speed tiptronic automatic gearbox is designed to let drivers change the gears themselves via the shift lever or the paddles fitted on the steering wheel and gets the power to Audi’s proprietary AWD Quattro system. Performance specs are pretty amazing, the car going from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.5 seconds, and up to a electronicaly limited speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). Tehnological improvements include a reworked suspension, Audi’s proprietary Dynamic Ride Control (DRC), which, combined with the sports plus suspension offers three damper settings from which you can choose, sport, dynamic and comfort.
For the power it is capable of delivering, the RS6 Sedan doesn’t really show it. The only things that give away the horse power under the bonnet are the big wheel arches, under which 19-inch or optional 20-inch wheels can be put, and in the back the two big oval tail pipes. Other exterior elements which stand out are the revamped bumper fitted with the new grille, the deep side skirts and the spoiler integrated into the trunk lid. On the inside, you’ll find the optional racing bucket seats or the standard sculptured sport seats, the leather RS steering wheel and the high quality Bose sound system.
The RS6 Sedan is set to be launched in mid-October, at a starting price of €105,550 and whoever wants a ridiculously powerfull mid-size sedan should start saving up.
Click here to read the full press release and check out more photos after the jump. Photo Gallery: Audi RS6 Sedan
Yesterday was the premiere of the 14-th season for british car show Fifth Gear. This new season brings a few new improvements for the show, firstly a new presenter, Tim Shaw, and a new studio complete with top of the range test tracks for the cars to be put through their paces.
The show kicked off with british snooker world champion and current number one, Ronnie O’Sullivan, who came to Fifth Gear looking for help about choosing his new car. Vicki Butler-Henderson arranged for him to choose between the BMW M3 coupe, the Mercedes C63 AMG and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X. The last one was immediately dropped because of it’s import tuner look, which didn’t really go with Ronnie’s image. After going on a few test drives around the track, he was really impressed by the C63’s sound and smoke but was taken by the M3’s maneuverability and gentleness.
The first mission for the new presenter was testing a couple of simple methods to improve fuel economy. They consisted on more economical tires, a couple of weight saving tips, and a new performance chip, designed to improve fuel economy. The test proved to be quite … dissappointing because the car did actually worse than before the modifications were made. So, sadly, the best way to do more miles per gallon is to drive smoothly and gently.
The first dog fight between two old rivals, Tiff Needell and Jason Plato, and two much older rivals, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X and the Subaru Impreza WRX STI. The first test was a slalom between a few cones, the dual clutch gearbox fitted on the Evo X was the major drawback, having cost Tiff the victory in that event. The actual race was much more entertaining, the Evo being the clear winner, being more powerfull and manueverable than the WRX, although thanks to a dangerous overtake by Jason, it won the race.
The next car being tested was Ford’s entry in the small SUV market, the Ford Kuga. Although it impressed with the exterior and interior, and it’s road handling was pretty good for a car it’s size, when it was taken on the dirt roads it dissappointed with small ground clearance and non off road tires, managing to get stuck in a pretty big mud hole.
The growing price of scrap metal has attracted the attention of Jonny Smith, who set out to buy a old car for a small price and then sell it to a scrap car auction. He bought an old Vauxhall Astra for £150 and then went to an auction house where scrap dealers buy old cars for the value it’s metal has. Needless to say, the old Astra went for a price of £220, bringing Jonny quite a profit. If you live in the UK this is a method for pretty easy money.
The last car on the show was the prototype submersible car Rinspeed sQuba. Essentially it is a Lotus Elise, without the normal engine, its place being taken by 5 electric motors. The designer was inspired by the James Bond film “The spy who loved me”, where actor Roger Moore drove a submersible Lotus Esprit. The car was pretty impressive, while it was cruising on Lake Zurich and even more when it went underwater for some “deep sea” exploration. When it will go in series production, it will definetly have a lot of people interested in it.
All in all, it was a pretty entertaining show, good for settling our thrist of car shows.
Yes, the British Luxury Car Manufacturer will present a down-sized version of the famous Phantom at the Geneva Motor Show in 2009. It is said that the so called baby Rolls Royce is meant to be the volume sale from the luxury brand, while doubling the current production volume. The codenamed RR4 will share components with the brand new 7 series from BMW.
As for engine range, it is rumored to be a V8 double turbo engine, with a sportier version V12 lurking ’round the corner. But that’s not all. A Diesel and a Hybrid are taken into consideration. While the hybrid could prove to be a good choice when considering that Rolls Royce cars are famous for their noiseless apearences, among other things, we cannot say the same thing about the diesel version.
In conclusion, Rolls Royce is downsizing. Also, their entrance in volume market segments could proove to be very a profit-wise solution. We can hardly wait for this particular unveiling at next year’s Geneva Motor Show.
Last week, GM announced that the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid sales will begin this month. The car features GM's Two-Mode Hybrid technology, enabling EPA fuel economy ratings of 20/21 miles per gallon (city/highway), a 50 percent improvement over the current models. The hybrid system can operate the vehicle entirely on battery-electric power during idling or low-speed driving situations. Escalade Hybrid also incorporates Active Fuel Management technology that enables the Vortec V-8 engine to operate on only four cylinders in certain driving conditions to save fuel.
"In a changing marketplace emphasizing fuel economy technology, Cadillac is proud to be the only luxury brand offering a hybrid in this segment," said Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager.
The 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid is offered as a total package, including nearly all available luxury and technical features as standard. The two extra-cost options are four-wheel drive and power running boards. The car will arrive at Cadillac dealerships in the United States with an MSRP of $71,685 (only $3,600 over a comparably-equipped Escalade).
From September Toyota will begin sales of the mildly updated 2009 model year Rav4 featuring a new entry level engine and some subtle interior and exterior modifications.
Having already been on sale around Europe, the Fiat Panda Cross will make its way across the English Channel to the UK. It is based on the Panda 4x4 but offers a better SUV experience with a higher ride height and off-road features.
Now for all you comment happy punters out there, we can show you the Acura TL from all angles and with it, a few more juicy details to spice things up a little.
In preparation for the unveiling, the boys (and girls) at the Prancing Horse have been taking the brand new model out for a promotional photo shoot, probably for the trouser wetting press images set to be released.
hen we are looking for the latest designs of upcoming models, the EU Tradmark Office is hardly going to be our first port of call. But in the case of the 2010 Mazda3, we can tell you this has certainly been the case.
The only solid evidence that an open top version of the sportscar is coming was a leaked roll out schedule from late last year which stated we will likely see an Audi R8 Targa in March 2009.
In a video report for ABC News, GM's exterior design executive director Michael Simcoe pulls the cover off one of the Chevy Volt clay models in the design studio to partially reveal the front end styling.
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While the World’s head is turned towards the Olympics that just started in Beijing, that is the definitive place to have your commercial campaigns. Mini Clubman brings a whole new meaning to “chinese traditional transport”, with its very inspired campaign in the current capital of worldwide sports. The Mini-Rickshaws hit the headlines, and make the Mini Clubman campaign very sucessfull. The rickshaw is a traditional Chinese transport means, it was first powered by men on foot and dates back to 1868. Guess the Mini marketing team really hit the spot this time.
The Fast & Furious films have been one of the most successful films about car racing and the tuning scene. Cars which have been listed in their exclusive roster include Nissan Skyline GT-R, Mitsubishi EVO IX or Ford Mustang. For the fourth installment of the film one of the cars will be the new Subaru Impreza WRX STI, having been seen at a Motor Press Guild meeting in Los Angeles. The design a interesting to say the least, featuring a two tone color and several red stripes, black rims and a full body kit complete the import tuner look. F&F4 is set to be launched in June 2009, Vin Diesel is set a comeback after staring in the first film and having a short cameo in Tokyo Drift. Here are a few pictures:
From the new wave of more efficient hybrids, the Chevrolet Volt is one of the most expected, and for GM, it is the bet they’re hoping to win or else their financial crysis is going to get even worse.
ABC’s reporter talks with the exterior design executive director, Michael Simcoe, who actually shows off a piece of the front left side of the car, demonstrating that the exterior has been altered since the official prototype’s presentation at the Detroit Motor Show. He also talks with the battery testing department of GM, who works really hard to find a suitable battery for this model. All of the workers seem a bit sceptic on the late-2010 release date, but are confident that GM will pull it off. Here’s the video:
Yes, the “big bad wolf” of the SUVs gets a diesel engine. It is now official. Since Porsche owns a big share of VW, it was only a matter of Brand Image before they would have introduced a diesel on their models. Cayenne will get the 3.0 L V6 diesel that runs on both VW Touareg and Audi Q7. The 240hp engine could be a choice for the Panamera model, as well, although a hybrid was discussed for the 4 door Porsche saloon.
This is the latest creation from the Japanese carmaker, as a response to global warming. After the A-Star Concept’s debut at the New Delhi Auto Expo, the new Suzuki will officially be unveiled in October at the Paris Motor Show. Powered by a 1.0 liter Euro5 engine, the vehicle’s emissions will be only 109g of CO2/km. Assembled at the Suzuki plant in India, the Suzuki Alto will be marketed in Europe, India and other countries, especially if we think that Suzuki officials emphasized on the globally-car design. The first deliveries will begin at the end of this year.
Exclusivity is the name of the game in these days, the more exclusive and luxurios is the model, the more it will be sought after by people who don’t want their car driven by a mere mortals like us. Such was the case with the Lamborghini Reventon, 25 cars being made, such is now the case with the Aston Martin One-77.
Today, they have just launched the official site of this model with a couple of teaser photos. The name, derives from the number of models that will be put to sale, 77. If you’re interested, you should now know that the list of customers has reached 500 names in just a couple of hours, so the chances of getting one are pretty slim. And if the list doesn’t hold you back, then the price tag of €1.25 million will have, it’s even more expensive then the Bugatti Veyron, which sells at the low price of €1.2 million. But these lucky 77 customers will have at their disposal an entire team from Aston Martin which will help to customize their car in every way imaginable.
The tehnical details are pretty impressive, the car will be powered by a hand built 7.0 litre V12 engine. This monster, which will be housed in a body made of aluminium and carbon fiber, is going to take the One-77 to a top speed of over 320 km/h (198 mph) with an accelaration of 0-100 km/h (60 mph) at about 3.5 seconds. The power output of the engine is yet unknown but specialists estimate it at about 650 bhp.
This model will be the first after the manufacturer’s depart from the Ford group and some people think that it will be a part of Project Alligator which described a partnership between Mercedes Benz and Aston Martin.
