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Monday, March 29, 2010

RPMGO.com (former Auto Unleashed)


Motorsport Weekend: Formula 1 Australian GP results

Posted: 29 Mar 2010 04:12 AM PDT

Motorsport Weekend: Formula 1 Australian GP results

Hello and welcome to a new edition of Motorsport Weekend, our feature in which we present the latest results from the biggest motorsport events taking place in the last three days.

Without a doubt the Formula 1 Australian GP, taking place in Melbourne, was the biggest event, but Nascar fans were also scheduled to enjoy some racing goodness. Sadly, the rain which befell the Martinsville Speedway made organizers postpone the event until today.

Luckily, the F1 race from down under more than made up for it, providing some interesting battles and dramatic events, even though it rained for quite some time.

Curious to see how Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel or Fernando Alonso faired? Hit the jump and find out!

The Australian GP started during a light rain, which was enough to cause Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso to touch with Mercedes GP’s Michael Schumacher and spin out. The event forced the German driver to make a pit stop while a new front wing was fitted, and returned in last place. More crashes followed during the first lap, and the brand new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG safety car had to intervene and pace the race until the debris were cleared.

What followed was another show of force by Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel, while a lot of tough battles were going on in his back, involving Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa, Nico Rosberg and even Renault’s Robert Kubica.

At this time Button made a very bold move, opting for slick tires as the rain stopped. At first the decision seemed foolish, with the British driver going outside the track on several corners. After the tires warmed up though, nothing could stand in front of Button.

Nothing except Vettel though, who even though opted for a late tire change, was still unreachable by Button. Sadly for Red Bull fans, the German’s car once again failed mechanically, as a loose nut in his front tire caused him to crash, handing the lead to Button on a silver platter.

Meanwhile, Renault’s Robert Kubica made a valiant effort by fending off Ferrari duo Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso for the later third of the race. The end was all about the battle between Alonso, Hamilton and Webber, all struggling for fourth place.

With just two laps to go, Hamilton made a desperate move to overtake the Spanish driver, but Alonso was coy, stepping on the brakes before attacking a corner. This left no room for Hamilton, which, to Webber’s surprise, also slammed the brakes. This led to the Australian Red Bull driver crashing into Hamilton, much to the Briton’s disappointment after the race.

The end results of the 2010 Formula 1 Australian GP are: Jenson Button (McLaren), Robert Kubica (Renault), Felipe Massa (Ferrari), Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), Nico Rosberg (Mercedes GP), Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India), Rubens Barrichello (Williams), Mark Webber (Red Bull), Michael Schumacher (Mercedes GP).

Currently Fernando Alonso leads the overall standings, with 37 points, followed by teammate Felipe Massa with 33 points, and Jenson Button, with 31. In terms of constructors, Ferrari leads with 70 points, followed by McLaren with 54 and Mercedes GP with 29.

Look forward to the next weekend, which will see the Malaysian F1 GP in Sepang.

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Motorsport Weekend: Formula 1 Australian GP results

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Hennessey Venom GT presents its 1,200 HP $600,000+ self

Posted: 29 Mar 2010 02:07 AM PDT

Hennessey Venom GT presents its 1,200 HP $600,000+ self

Many car fans, especially Americans, like the example the Shelby Cobra laid out a long time ago, by combining a British-built chassis and an American engine to produce one of the most exciting rides of that time.

Now, that example will be replaced by the Hennessey Venom GT supercar, which has finally been unveiled by the famous tuning company. The British side of things is assured by the chassis of a Lotus Elise, heavily modified, lengthened and stiffened, while the Americans add the General Motors-built supercharged 6.2-liter LS9 V8 engine.

The result of this unlikely combo? A mid-engined supercar capable of developing anywhere from 725 to 1,200 HP, and reaching 62 mph in under 3 seconds.

Let’s elaborate: the Venom GT will be offered by Hennessey in three specs. The “slowest” sees the LS9 optimized to deliver 725 HP with 741 lb-ft of torque, while running on 91-octane fuel. Two other versions are currently being developed, which both see twin-turbochargers added to the LS9. Their outputs range from 1,000 HP and 900 lb-ft of torque, running on 93-octane, while the other develops 1,200 HP and 1,100 lb-ft of torque, with 109-octane fuel.

Hennessey Venom GT presents its 1,200 HP $600,000+ self

This massive amount of power will be fed through a Ricardo six-speed gearbox, with programmable traction control, to the rear wheels. In case you’re feeling reluctant to get behind the wheel, Hennessey adds a special “orientation program” for all new buyers with a special test driver, so that you won’t crash the beautiful car. In order to help the handling, a set of Brembo brakes with 15-inch carbon ceramic rotors have been added.

The Hennessey Venom GT will start from $600,000 for the 725 HP variant, and will rise with the power output. For all that cash though you’ll be getting something with a better power to weight ratio than a Bugatti Veyron, and more exclusive, as just 10 will be sold each year.

Want to more of the Hennessey Venom GT? Then hit the jump to see a presentation, straight from the company.

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Hennessey Venom GT presents its 1,200 HP $600,000+ self

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Cadillac finally reveals CTS-V Sport Wagon

Posted: 29 Mar 2010 01:40 AM PDT

Cadillac finally reveals CTS-V Sport Wagon

Cadillac is extremely careful with its CTS range, which has become emblematic of the luxury carmaker’s revival. While the regular models like the sedan, coupe or sport wagon are all fine and dandy, the V Series performance editions have gathered the most fans.

That’s why the CTS-V, in its sedan and coupe body form, have impressed a lot of people. But ever since the introduction of the wagon in the regular range, some voices, albeit in a minority, have been clamoring for a V-badged performance version.

For those people, we have good news, as your days of waiting are coming to an end with the start of the New York Auto Show, when Cadillac will officially unveil the CTS-V Sport Wagon show car. While badged as only for show, production is already speculated to start at the end of the year.

Cadillac finally reveals CTS-V Sport Wagon

What will you be getting? In simple terms, a CTS-V sedan with extra space and hauling capacity. The 556 HP 6.2-liter V8 is still alive and kicking rather hard under the bonnet (551 lb-ft of torque), and the special features, from Brembo brakes, to 19-inch wheels wrapped in performance tires and even magnetic ride control are working fine.

As we revealed above, the Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon will be showed off in New York, and exit the assembly line at the end of the year. Until then, wagon fans will need to save up some money, as rumors pin the start price at $61,000.

Source: GM

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Cadillac finally reveals CTS-V Sport Wagon

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Lewis Hamilton in trouble with Australian police after drifting in his Mercedes-Benz

Posted: 29 Mar 2010 01:22 AM PDT

Lewis Hamilton in trouble with Australian police after drifting in his Mercedes-Benz

As many Formula 1 fans certainly know, the Australian GP was held in Melbourne last weekend, with some of the best drivers and the fastest cars descending upon the Victoria province of Australia.

According to a recent report though, it seems the action wasn’t limited to the track, as McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton saw his 2010 Mercedes-Benz model impounded by Victoria police after he was seen “driving in an over-exuberant manner” and “deliberately” losing traction of his sportscar (aka drifting).

It seems that the police encountered Hamilton Thursday night, after he was leaving the Melbourne track and heading to his hotel. Due to Australian’s famous anti-hoon law, his car was impounded for two days, and he might face reckless driving charges.

No other details were given at that time, and after the race Hamilton didn’t reveal anything besides saying he was sorry for his behavior, so perhaps things have been straightened out. Either way, I’m sure he can afford to drive a rental car at this week’s Malaysian GP.

Source: Autocar
Photo Source: ChrisMRichards' Flickr

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Lewis Hamilton in trouble with Australian police after drifting in his Mercedes-Benz

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Video: Ford teasing Focus RS500 limited edition

Posted: 29 Mar 2010 01:01 AM PDT

Video: Ford teasing Focus RS500 limited edition

Ford took the hot hatch concept to a whole new level with its 301 HP Focus RS model, but as you may have heard, an even more powerful edition is brewing for the Euro-only hatchback model.

While we revealed that it might be called ClubSport, it seems the Blue Oval will stick to a simpler denomination, and has just started teasing the RS500 limited edition through a special microsite. Nothing certain is known, as we only have a nighttime lap of the Lommel Proving Ground in Belgium with the new Focus RS500, but it’s obvious that it will be limited to just 500 units (a 500 HP Focus is still a bit overkill).

Also, many are pegging the new output of the 2.5-liter engine to be around 350 HP, a level reached by many tuning programs for the regular RS. Expect modifications to the styling of the car, the aerodynamics (a larger wing is seen at the beginning of the video) and many more.

Hit the jump to check out Ford’s teaser video of the Focus RS500, which proves that it can still corner, even with that extra power.

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Video: Ford teasing Focus RS500 limited edition

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BMW trademarks new car names, let the speculation ensue

Posted: 29 Mar 2010 12:19 AM PDT

BMW trademarks new car names, let the speculation ensue

Thought the car industry was boring? Well thanks to BMW’s new registered trademarks, we can now organize a guessing game about how and with what models will the new names be used.

The Bavarian company has registered names like: i1, i2, i3, i4, i5, i6, i7, i8, i9 and E1, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6, E7, E8, E9, while things like M50d, Urbanic, Gran Coupe, Compactive, and Compactive Tourer were also trademarked in order to prevent other uses by rival companies.

While you’re free to make your own guesses, we think the i lineup will be used with the future front-wheel drive city cars, while the E range will designate the electric models, as previewed by the BMW ActiveE electric 1 Series concept.

The other distinctions are a bit trickier. Some voices say the M50d will be pinned to the future tri-turbo diesel engine, while the Urbanic will be a new trim line. Gran Coupe may designate a four-door coupe body style for the future 6 Series, while the Compactive names might hint at the possibility of slightly higher-riding crossover models based on the 1 and 3 Series.

Do bear in mind this is just speculation, and BMW might not even be planning to use some of them, and just wants to mess with us. Either way, we still have some time to wait until we see these names pinned to any models.

Source: Autocar

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BMW trademarks new car names, let the speculation ensue

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Ford reaches agreement to sell Volvo to Geely for $1.8 billion

Posted: 28 Mar 2010 11:58 PM PDT

Ford reaches agreement to sell Volvo to Geely for $1.8 billion

Sale talks between Ford and Geely have finally reached an agreement, and there’s now a new reason to celebrate in Sweden, as Volvo will soon be owned by China’s Geely.

In case you haven’t been following the proceedings, the talks between the two companies for the sale of Volvo have been going on for quite some time, and now an agreement has been reached, with Ford selling Volvo for $1.8 billion to Geely. The transaction is set to be finalized in the third quarter of 2010, but at least it is certain at this moment.

"Volvo is a great brand with an excellent product lineup. This agreement provides a solid foundation for Volvo to continue to build its business under Geely's ownership," said Alan Mulally, Ford's president and CEO. "At the same time, the sale of Volvo will allow us to further sharpen our focus on building the Ford brand around the world and continue to deliver on our One Ford plan serving our customers with the very best cars and trucks in the world."

Ford will not retain any stake in Volvo, but will continue to collaborate for some time in terms of engineering and safety research programs. Also, the Blue Oval will continue to supply various parts, from engines to platforms for a limited time, until Volvo and Geely can find other partners.

"Zhejiang Geely would like to pay tribute to Ford's stewardship of the Volvo brand, and we look forward to continued cooperation as Volvo embarks on the next stage of its evolution with Geely," said Li Shufu, chairman of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Company Limited.

Overall, while many will think this is a bad sign for Volvo, it was the only reasonable way to avoid bankruptcy. Also, it seems everyone is happy: Ford has gotten rid of a money-wasting subsidiary and has a lot of cash to invest in itself, Geely now has access to improved technology and is closer to establishing a global influence, and Volvo finally has more money to invest in its own vehicle lineup and try to make a profit in the following years.

Hopefully we will hear only good things about the new Geely-owned Volvo.

Source: Ford

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Ford reaches agreement to sell Volvo to Geely for $1.8 billion

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Facelifted 2011 Mercedes-Benz R Class photos leaked ahead of NY debut

Posted: 28 Mar 2010 11:40 PM PDT

Facelifted 2011 Mercedes-Benz R Class photos leaked ahead of NY debut

Mercedes-Benz is preparing to showcase a new and improved 2011 R Class model lineup at this week’s New York Auto Show, at least according to these leaked photos which ended up on the Internet last weekend.

As you can see, this is a pretty major facelift, with MB radically improving the front fascia of the R Class, which as you may know, wasn’t exactly a best seller, due to its odd styling and small niche. With the new improvements though, we actually like what we see. The front end finally has a bit of personality, while the lenght of the people carrier isn’t as apparent as the original generation.

No concrete details are known at this point, but it’s pretty obvious that the same V6 engines will be offered to consumers, and basically the same interior. An AMG styling package will no doubt appear, but don’t cross your fingers for any performance variants of the luxury station wagon.

Stay tuned for more details at the end of the week when the New York Auto Show begins. Until then, check out the photo gallery below of the leaked pictures of the facelifted 2011 Mercedes-Benz R Class.

Photo Gallery: 2011 Mercedes-Benz R Class

2011 Mercedes-Benz R Class2011 Mercedes-Benz R Class2011 Mercedes-Benz R Class2011 Mercedes-Benz R Class

2011 Mercedes-Benz R Class2011 Mercedes-Benz R Class2011 Mercedes-Benz R Class2011 Mercedes-Benz R Class

Source: eMercedesBenz via Autoblog

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Facelifted 2011 Mercedes-Benz R Class photos leaked ahead of NY debut

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Hyundai starts teasing the Sonata hybrid before New York debut

Posted: 28 Mar 2010 11:14 PM PDT

Hyundai starts teasing the Sonata hybrid before New York debut

Hyundai is getting ready for the start of the New York Auto Show, where it will premiere two new versions of its 2011 Sonata sedan. The first is a range-topping model powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, while the second is the South Korean company’s first US-spec hybrid.

As you can imagine, Hyundai is focusing more on the hybrid, and has just released the first teaser photo of the model, showcasing a part of its redesigned front end. It seems the company wants to give the hybrid Sonata a distinct personality, and will add in some influences from the Blue-Will concept we saw earlier this year in Detroit.

No official details are known, but it is expected that Hyundai will be optimizing the 2.4-liter direct injection inline-four cylinder unit in order to make it more efficient, and combine it through a regular six-speed automatic gearbox with a 30 kW electric motor.

Until the start of the NY show, at the end of the week, the guessing game is still open regarding the new Hyundai Sonata hybrid.

Source: Hyundai

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Hyundai starts teasing the Sonata hybrid before New York debut

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Americans straying from Toyota, falling in love with Ford, new survey shows

Posted: 28 Mar 2010 10:57 PM PDT

Americans straying from Toyota, falling in love with Ford, new survey shows

For quite a long time, Toyota was looming over the auto industry as an unbreakable Goliath, reigning supreme in both sales and quality, and forcing other carmakers to struggle for second place. Now though, the David-sized unintended acceleration scandal and a few other bad choices in management have made the Japanese company fall to its knees.

During the fall of Toyota, other companies are slowly beginning to rise in the eyes of the consumer. Just what are those companies? To answer that question, Bloomberg issued a new survey, asking people what they thought of big name carmakers. The results aren’t all that surprising.

The current leader, with 77% of people saying they have a good opinion about it, is Ford. A lot of factors probably weigh in on this decision, from the top quality products, to the fact that it hasn’t received government money like “those” other two carmakers. Trailing the Blue Oval is Honda, with a rather impressive 70% of favorable opinions.

As opposed to the leaders, Toyota has seen some sharp drops, with just 49% still having a good opinion about the Japanese carmaker. What’s worse, 36% of those polled revealed that they would “definitely not buy” another Toyota model in the future.

After fixing its recalled vehicles and solving its legal problems, Toyota has a lot of catching up to do in terms of public opinion, at least according to this survey.

Source: Bloomberg

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Americans straying from Toyota, falling in love with Ford, new survey shows

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Friday, March 26, 2010

RPMGO.com (former Auto Unleashed)


Next generation Mercedes-Benz S Class to go all-hybrid in US except AMG variant

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 03:13 AM PDT

Next generation Mercedes-Benz S Class to go all-hybrid in US except AMG variant

USA’s love story with hybrids is pushing more and more carmakers to invest in that technology just so it can market it more accurately in that territory. It doesn’t even matter the hybrid versions are the most expensive nor that they aren’t even the most efficient in the range, if you have even the tiniest electric motor to help the internal combustion engine, then you’ll sell in the USA.

Mercedes-Benz is the latest carmaker to follow this train of though, and is apparently experiencing a lot of success with the S Class S400 hybrid (pictured above), especially among eco-conscious celebrities. According to a new rumor though, the hybrid push will come to shove with the next generation S Class, as all US variants will be available as gasoline-electric hybrids.

The new S lineup, set to debut in 2012, will bring a variety of engine choices, including very frugal CDI (diesel) units. Sadly, those won’t be available in the USA, as MB believes only hybrids S models will become popular. Performance enthusiasts needn’t worry, as the performance AMG variant will remain gasoline-only.

Do you think Mercedes-Benz is onto something here or that it is jumping head-first into the hybrid sea without thinking of consequences? This is just a rumor for the moment, but sources are claiming it might receive the green light soon enough.

Source: Autoblog

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Next generation Mercedes-Benz S Class to go all-hybrid in US except AMG variant

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Ferrari 599 GTO starts at $430,000 (€319,495) according to leaked pricing sheet

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 02:42 AM PDT

Ferrari 599 GTO starts at $430,000 (€319,495) according to leaked pricing sheet

The imminent release of the Ferrari 599 GTO has really sparked a huge amount of interest in the fans of the Italian supercar manufacturer. We were already treated with a presumably leaked photo of the 599 GTO, but now a new piece of the puzzle appeared, containing the pricing sheet of the new performance Ferrari.

So, how rich do you need to be in order to snag one of the scheduled 500 units set to be made? Quite a lot (ain’t that a shocker?). The base price for the Ferrari 599 GTO starts at €319,495 or around $430,000, at current exchange rates.

But that’s not all, it seems that for all that money you still won’t be getting a fully-decked out performance model. There are a lot of various features you can opt to add, from full leather or Alcantara interior, to a carbon fiber engine bay or a four-point harness, all for a (large) price.

You can check out the leaked Ferrari 599 pricing sheet here, and a select few might also start making arrangements with the bank.

Source: Autogespot via Autoblog

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Ferrari 599 GTO starts at $430,000 (€319,495) according to leaked pricing sheet

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Google Android-powered Roewe 350 car enters production in China

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 02:12 AM PDT

Google Android-powered Roewe 350 car enters production in China

Cars aren’t competing against each other just through engines or performance figures, but also through the various technical systems they use.

In terms of technology, Google is one of the biggest companies, so it’s pretty obvious to figure out that some of its software will make their way onto the cars we can drive today. We’ve already seen Google Earth be used on the upcoming Audi A8 as the primary navigation system, but Chinese company SAIC (GM’s partner there), has just revealed that the infotainment system in the Roewe 350 will use the Google Android mobile operating system.

In case you’re not familiar, Android is quickly becoming a very popular operating system for smartphones, thanks to a lot of useful features. The Roewe 350, constructed by SAIC under license from British companies MG and Rover, will use the latest version, 2.1, on the infotainment system of the car.

The Roewe 350 is set to debut at the upcoming Beijing Auto Show, and will be available on the market shortly thereafter. The price is pretty affordable, ranging from $10,250 – $19,000, but as you can imagine, it is just available in China. Given the partnership between SAIC and GM though, there are chances the technology might reach other vehicles.

Source: NextWeb via Mashable

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Google Android-powered Roewe 350 car enters production in China

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Volvo scrapping V70 in favor of XC70, axes S80 V8 from US lineup

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 01:48 AM PDT

Volvo scrapping V70 in favor of XC70, axes S80 V8 from US lineup

Volvo is preparing some huge changes to its US operations, as an internal dealer document has been leaked onto the Internet. In it we find all sorts of interesting tidbits about what models will continue to live on, what will die and what engine choices will be added.

First off, it seems that the V70 wagon has its days numbered, due to its sales dropping because of the XC90 and XC60. Instead of the traditional wagon, Volvo will add a front-wheel drive version of the XC70 crossover, to fill the gap.

Performance fans will also be sad to hear that the V8 engine option for the S80 limousine will be axed from the current lineup. The gap won’t be left open, as an upgraded T6 unit, with 300 HP and 325 lb-ft of torque will appear, offering almost the same performance, but with less weight and improved efficiency, as the old V8.

The 2011 S40 and V50 models will soon be available with just one engine, the turbocharged T5, with 227 HP and 236 lb-ft of torque. Also, all-wheel drive variants will be phased out, as well as manual gearbox-equipped ones, in favor of FWD and automatics.

Overall, some big changes coming from Volvo, but required nonetheless to keep its US operations alive.

Source: Autoblog

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Volvo scrapping V70 in favor of XC70, axes S80 V8 from US lineup

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Ford confirms new concept, 2011 Edge for Beijing Motor Show debut

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 01:35 AM PDT

Ford confirms new concept, 2011 Edge for Beijing Motor Show debut

Ford has just issued its traditional press release for the upcoming Beijing Motor Show, set to take place between April 25 and May 2, in the Chinese capital.

But between the Asian premiere of the 2012 Ford Focus, which will be appearing all around the world in practically the same format, and the reveal of new technologies, the Blue Oval has a few aces up its sleeve.

The first is the launch of the 2011 Edge, which will be bringing the new MyFordTouch infotainment system to the Chinese market. Two robots, which will demonstrate the EcoBoost technology, as well as a crash-test safety dummy, will also be showcased on the company’s stand, for that extra touch of awkwardness.

But the most important tidbit of information in the press release is the tease of a new global concept car. We wish we could tell you more, but Ford won’t say another thing, so until the Beijing convention opens, we’re left with rumors and speculations.

What do you think this new concept will be? Given the wide range of choices, your guess is as good as ours.

Source: Ford

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Ford confirms new concept, 2011 Edge for Beijing Motor Show debut

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Subaru recalls 2010 Tribeca over faulty door latches

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 01:12 AM PDT

Subaru recalls 2010 Tribeca over faulty door latches

Subaru has just revealed that a new problem has been plaguing 1,585 2010 Tribeca models, regarding the door latches and the power window system.

It seems that due to improper assembly, when the power windows are down, they might make contact with the door latches, subsequently opening the door of the vehicle. While this doesn’t seem like much, if you’re driving down the highway and decide to get some wind in your hair, an open door would cause a “few” problems.

Subaru has already started notifying dealerships and has issued letters to all owners, so that the faulty Tribeca models, manufactured between September 4, 2009 and March 8, 2010, can be fixed as soon as possible. If you are among the owners of the big SUV, contact Subaru at 1-800-SUBARU3 (1-800-782-2783).

Source: NHTSA via Autoblog

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Subaru recalls 2010 Tribeca over faulty door latches

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First Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon to be auctioned off in Palm Beach

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 12:51 AM PDT

First Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon to be auctioned off in Palm Beach

GM has just announced that the first model of the limited edition Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon series will be auctioned off at the upcoming Barret-Jackson event, set to be held in Palm Beach between April 1 and 3.

This is a tradition, as many other Chevrolet models were auctioned at such gatherings, with some proceeds going to charity, like the recent Corvette Z06, which helped Haiti at the beginning of the year. Besides the special car, the winning bidder will also get a private tour of GM’s Performance Center, where the LS7 and LS9 engines are being manufactured.

In case you forgot, the limited edition Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon features a lot of special options, including Brembo carbon ceramic brakes, magnetic ride control and enhanced cooling. In terms of looks, the model, as you could have guessed, has a carbon fiber raised hood, black headlamps and mirrors, as well as carbon fiber rockers and splitters.

If you want to own the very first one, make sure to bring quite a few cash in Palm beach at the beginning of April.

Source: GM

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First Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon to be auctioned off in Palm Beach

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Fiat 500 joins Abu Dhabi police force

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 12:34 AM PDT

Fiat 500 joins Abu Dhabi police force

After scaring a lot of criminals with the introduction of a Nissan GT-R in its fleet of squad cars, the Abu Dhabi police force, more specifically its Al Ain branch, has employed an even more “frightening” model: the Fiat 500.

As you can imagine, the news struck fear into the hearts of criminals and crime rates have dropped below 0. In all seriousness though, the 500 will mainly be used at police events, in order to portray a friendlier image of the law enforcers into the local community.

“The Fiat 500 makes the police car more approachable, appealing to the public; in addition to being small enough to maneuver around cities' congested areas. So far we have received great feedback on the Fiat 500 for city patrolling simply because the super mini is a friendly and funky looking vehicle. The car appeals to the youngsters and adults alike, which is exactly why it's rightly suitable for the Department of Traffic and Patrols,” said Nassim Mourani, General Manager of Al Ain operations

Fiat 500 joins Abu Dhabi police force

It definitely seems like the Abu Dhabi police fleet is getting more exotic by the minute. What do you think should be the next additions? A Tata Nano or a Pagani Zonda perhaps? Share your thoughts below.

Source: CarMiddleEast via Automarket

Post published on Rpmgo.com

Fiat 500 joins Abu Dhabi police force

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Geiger Cars reveals Hummer H2 Bomber, complete with rubber tracks

Posted: 26 Mar 2010 12:09 AM PDT

Geiger Cars reveals Hummer H2 Bomber, complete with rubber tracks

Before the winter season arrived, we revealed to you Ken Block’s awesome Subaru Impreza WRX STI Trax off-road machine, which combined the Japanese model with special off-road rubber tracks, in order to tackle any terrain.

But if you though the Impreza didn’t look just right, sitting on those big tracks, Geiger Cars has just the thing for you: the Hummer H2 Bomber. As its name suggests, the vehicle is based on the H2, and saw Mattracks 88M1-A1 rubber tracks added, in order to “guarantee unrivalled traction on virtually any type of terrain, whether the vehicle is needed for agriculture, emergency services or expedition.”

Geiger Cars reveals Hummer H2 Bomber, complete with rubber tracks

Geiger also threw in a new 6.2-liter V8 engine, capable of 398 HP and 423 lb-ft of torque. If you don’t want to mortgage your house to pay for gas, a version running on LPG Autogas is also available, as an option. In terms of looks, the Bomber has a matte silver paint job and a roof box complete with Hella lights. For the inside, passengers will enjoy a sunroof, a Kenwood navigation system and a new rear seat entertainment system.

Even though the Hummer brand is slowly being killed by GM, you can still own this awesome example of the potential its models had.

Source: Geiger

Post published on Rpmgo.com

Geiger Cars reveals Hummer H2 Bomber, complete with rubber tracks

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B&B tunes Volkswagen Scirocco to 357 HP in three stages

Posted: 25 Mar 2010 11:56 PM PDT

B&B tunes Volkswagen Scirocco to 357 HP in three stages

The Volkswagen Scirocco R is currently one of the most attractive models in the whole lineup from the German carmaker. With its 261 HP and 258 lb-ft of torque, you would think that its power levels are more than generous, but the tuners at B&B thought otherwise, and revealed a new three-stage tuning kit, squeezing as much as 357 HP from the VW ‘Rocco.

The first level includes an upgraded ECU and an optimized electronic injection system. This translates in an increase to 306 HP and a new top speed of 171 mph (275 km/h). The second level adds a new exhaust system, an optimized air induction technology and calibrates the air flow, ignition and fuel injection. The result? 320 HP and 321 lb-ft of torque. The level 2 B&B VW Scirocco is now capable of 173 mph.

B&B tunes Volkswagen Scirocco to 357 HP in three stages

The third level goes all out, fitting a new B&B turbocharger, a sports exhaust system and a new air intake, besides the other, previous changes. Power, like we revealed above, is rated at 357 HP and 354 lb-ft of torque. Maximum speed is 174 mph.

Overall, the new tuning options from B&B are certain to make many Scirocco R owners extremely happy.

Source: B&B

Post published on Rpmgo.com

B&B tunes Volkswagen Scirocco to 357 HP in three stages

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