The hotest stuff on cars

Nov

Porsche Cayenne Hybrid At The Los Angeles Auto Show

Posted by galardo Published in Porsche

just go with it

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is presenting drive concepts particularly friendly to the environment at the Los Angeles Auto Show starting on November 16, 2007: The highlight of this event at the Los Angeles Convention Center is the first appearance of the Cayenne Hybrid in America.Porsche will be offering a hybrid version of the Cayenne sports utility vehicle by the end of this decade. Based on the Cayenne with its V6 power unit, prototypes of the Cayenne Hybrid are already on the road today. This revolutionary new model will combine Porsche’s 3.6-litre gasoline engine featuring Direct Fuel Injection (DFI) with an electric motor, already giving the vehicle composite fuel consumption of 9.8 litres on 100 kilometres in the new European driving cycle (NEDC) and 28 miles per gallon in the US FTP cycle. And making further improvements, Porsche is looking at a further reduction of fuel consumption to just 8.9 litres/100 kilometres by the time the Cayenne Hybrid enters the market.

Porsche is taking a new approach, opting for parallel full hybrid instead of the branched or split power hybrid concept. Indeed, many reasons speak in favour of parallel full hybrid:

* The high degree of compatibility of the hybrid components, on the one hand, and the existing platform of the Cayenne, on the other. The risk of having to accept restrictions affecting the capacity of the luggage compartment or all-wheel drive, for example, is reduced to a minimum by parallel full hybrid.

* Greater fuel savings when driving overland and on the autobahn. Contrary to other hybrid concepts which offer their benefits primarily in city traffic, the system chosen by Porsche provides the option to run the vehicle without the combustion engine at speeds of up to 120 km/h or 75 mph.

Source: Porsche Cayenne Hybrid At The Los Angeles Auto Show

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Nov

Mercury Mariner VOGA edition

Posted by galardo Published in Other

Simona Alina
Filed in: Mercury | 2007 | suv | Mercury Mariner | Miami Auto Show

Mercury continues pushing fashion-forward design, with a new runway-inspired production series called VOGA. Literally translated as “fashionable and trend-setting,” VOGA hits primetime today at the South Florida International Auto Show, debuting on a 2008 Mercury Mariner. Over time, the VOGA series will be offered on a series of Mercury products.

“Mercury always has been about smart and contemporary design aimed at the style-conscious customer who appreciates a unique look,” says Peter Horbury, executive director, Design, The Americas. “At a time when stores like IKEA and the concept driving Design Within Reach are influencing our choices of style, the Mercury brand and the new VOGA theme, in particular, are ideal for satisfying customers’ desires for even more expressive vehicles.”

Mercury Milan Voga Concept

VOGA came to life on a Mercury Milan VOGA concept revealed during Miami Fashion Week in 2006. Reaction to the vehicle and the idea of a more fashion-focused series resonated with consumers, making a dedicated production series a choice move.

“It’s great to be back in Miami to announce the new series and show off the Mercury Mariner VOGA,” says Eric Peterson, Mercury Mariner Brand manager. “Given the sophistication of the south Florida market and the enthusiasm around the launch of the Mercury Mariner last year, it made perfect sense to debut our first production application of the VOGA styling here.”

The Mariner, along with the Milan sedan, continues to draw new, progressive customers to the Mercury showroom. New customer conquest rates for both vehicles are at nearly 50 percent. Sales of the Mercury Mariner, redesigned for 2008, were up 19 percent in October.

2008 Mercury Mariner VOGA

Already known for its distinctive flair and good looks, the stylish Mercury Mariner has been customized to create the VOGA edition.

At first glance, the Mariner VOGA catches looks with Moss Green metallic paint, special chrome brightwork highlighting the grille, rear fascia trim and unique VOGA badging. The additional brightwork matched with the 17-inch VOGA-capped chrome wheels lends this fashionable vehicle a sporty appearance, making the Mariner VOGA appear ready to hit the scene.

“VOGA is about making a fashion statement each time you go for drive,” says Chief Designer Camilo Pardo. “I’m really excited to bring the concept of VOGA to reality across the Mercury line-up. It’s my passion to design vehicles that emotionally connect with customers – that ‘gotta-have-it’ appeal is what fashion is all about.”

The Mariner VOGA’s distinctive style carries through to the interior, as well. A charcoal black environment surrounds the plush, unique VOGA-embroidered Cashmere leather seats, which are trimmed with contrast Ash stitching to match the exterior color. Charcoal black floor mats are embroidered with the VOGA label, reinforcing the personalized feel.

The focal point of the interior is the striking Tarragon metallic instrument panel covered in a unique paint. The subtle silver-green metallic spans across the center console and door switch plates as well. All of these extra touches provide Mercury customers with the look and feel of a personalized vehicle customized to suit their tastes.

“Customers definitely care about choice and personalization – from their MP3 player case to their cell phone ring tone – that’s why Mercury strikes a chord with savvy individualists who aren’t looking for the run-of-the-mill products,” says Peterson.

The Mariner VOGA will include the same great host of features as the Mariner Premier edition, offering one of the most advanced safety packages in the compact SUV segment with standard side curtain air bags and AdvanceTrac® with RSC®. It also delivers fuel economy up to 24 miles per gallon.

Customers will be able to show-off their sense of style with the new Mercury Mariner VOGA beginning early 2008 when vehicles hit dealer showrooms. Mariner VOGA will join the Mercury Mariner and Mariner Hybrid produced at Ford’s Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Mo.

Source: Internal

Source: Mercury Mariner VOGA edition

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Nov

BMW M3 E92 by Ac Schnitzer

Posted by galardo Published in Bmw

Simona Alina
Filed in: AC Schnitzer BMW | coupe | car tuning | BMW M3

The 4th generation of the BMW M3 has begun. In our experience, many M3 drivers seek individual solutions for their vehicle while retaining high technical standards. Naturally a complete AC Schnitzer range for the BMW M3 is currently in development.

AC Schnitzer alloy and racing rims Type III and Type IV are already available in 19″ and 20″ and alloy forged wheels Type V in 20″.

Source: Internal

Source: BMW M3 E92 by Ac Schnitzer

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Nov

VW to equip all vehicles with touch-screen control panels

Posted by galardo Published in Other

Volkswagen has announced that it will equip all of its vehicles produced after 2008 with a touch-screen interface. The new touch-screen will control many of the vehicle's functions, including HVAC, radio, navigation and trip-computer. The move is intended to decrease the number of switches and buttons in VW vehicles, as well as reduce manufacturing complexity.

“Touch-screen is the most intuitive and easy to use man-machine interface,” VW group design chief Walter de’ Silva told Automotive News Europe. “Simplicity is what we are trying to install, not only in design, but also in functionality of all new VW models to come.”

VW's head of electrical and electronics development, Volkmar Tanneberger, said that ease of use of the new touch-screen is a high priority for the automaker. “It is important that the development of increasingly enhanced electronics does not result in car owners being overwhelmed by them,” he said.

The shift to a touch screen control panel is an innovation that will beat most other automakers to market and could give VW a slight boost in its North American turnaround plan.

Source: VW to equip all vehicles with touch-screen control panels

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Nov

GM Death Watch 150: My Kingdom for a Malibu

Posted by galardo Published in Other

GM touts their new Chevrolet Malibu as "The car you can't ignore." I've driven the new ‘Bu. It's a handsome, well-built, thoroughly competent machine. As good as it is, Chevrolet's mid-size sedan will only remain psychologically inescapable as long as GM sustains the car's $150m ad campaign. To suggest otherwise ignores the quality and strength of the ‘Bu's competition. It's yet another example of GM's mindless arrogance. In fact, Chevy's first hit in years is already in deep trouble, as I discovered down at the dealership.

Sitting in the salesman's cubby, waiting for the demonstrator to return, I watched a customer vent his ire. "I am NOT satisfied," he yelled at a manager sheltering behind the reception desk. "It's a new car. I've been back here FIVE TIMES and I am NOT satisfied."

This confrontation could have happened at any car dealership. J.D. Powers, Consumer Reports and TrueDelta have documented GM products' increased quality and reliability. But the way the dealer's staff glanced at each other during the customer's diatribe told me that the distraught buyer's remorse was neither unexpected nor unfamiliar. Worse, I observed a frisson of fear spread across my fellow customers, as they contemplated what could- maybe even has- occurred to them.

Even if we assume that the new ‘Bu represents a new dawn for the brand, Chevy's past is a recurring nightmare that will not fade away. Call it import bigotry or sensible self-protection, but GM's marketing campaign should have addressed this problem head-on. Instead, they sent a subliminal message that their latest next big thing is good enough to convince customers to ignore Chevy's ignoble legacy of customer alienations. It's an intellectual leap that GM's marketing maven are making on their own.

A minute later, I asked the middle-aged Mom emerging from her Malibu test drive what she thought about the car. She was all smiles. "We came down to look at an Impala," she said, pointing to a picture in a discarded ad resting on the salesman's desk. "But this is one sharp car."

Cannibalization is one of GM's less-discussed afflictions. For example, the domestic automaker basks in the success of its Lambda-platformed crossovers. Yet many if not most of these sales came straight out of the hide of their more profitable SUV business.

If the Impala intender above clicked over to TrueDelta to compare base vs. base, she'd find that the new 'Bu is $1568 cheaper than the Impala. With incentives, it could soon be a wash. She'd also discover that the new 'Bu is just $807 more than its sister-under-the-skin, the Saturn Aura, and $364 LESS than Pontiac's platform sib, the slow-selling G6. Clearly, the new, better-built, sharper-looking Malibu will steal sales from other corners of the GM empire.

Model and brand overlap is a luxury the Malibu's maker can't afford. If GM is to prosper/recover from its dramatic downsizing, it must attract NEW players to the table. Reshuffling the deck for the same old diehards won't do it- especially if the old cards were better stacked in GM's favor (i.e. more profitable) than the new ones.

Let's face it: the buyers most able to ignore the new Malibu- contented Accord, Camry and Altima buyers- are the ones GM needs the most. To be fair, the new Malibu is a highly credible alternative in a highly competitive genre. But…

GM didn't make enough Malibus. The dealer I visited had one Malibu. They'd sold another. Only two more were due this month. Next month, they MIGHT get four. Hell, even their own ad agency seems to be having trouble getting them; all the spots I've seen use computer-generated cars. This is an epic blunder.

This is the Mother of All Screw-Ups. Imagine you're a transplant-type who suddenly decided to shop for a mid-size car. You stop by the Chevy dealer for the first time in a decade- or ever- to clock the new ‘Bu. No demo car. No cars on the lot. All (and by that I mean a handful) of the cars coming are pre-sold. What are the chances you'll wait?

The competition won't. Not only do Honda, Toyota and Nissan (not to mention Ford and Chrysler) already have plenty of stock at all trim levels and colors in this class (duh), but they aren't about to be caught flat-footed by GM's nifty newbie. Look for them to amp-up their marketing campaigns and/or offer discounts– as Chevy dealers charge full sticker (just because they can). And then, soon, the 'Bu's foes will counter-attack with even better cars.

You only get one chance to make a good first impression. Chevy's blown it. Given the aforementioned bad vibes dogging both GM and Chevy, this is an irrecoverable mistake. The Malibu hype will die down. The new Chevy will be a solid seller when supplies ease, but it will have lost the chance to capitalize on GM's $150m marketing mitzvah to build the momentum it needed to provide The General with a breakout success.

So, GM finally built a commercially viable car, yet failed to make a meaningful marketing campaign, sort out its model lineup or assure adequate supplies. The new ‘Bu reveals the fundamental problem plaguing GM, the deficiency we've highlighted since this series began: a bloated, unfocused and incompetent bureaucratic structure. Until and unless GM corrects this fault, they're doomed.

Source: GM Death Watch 150: My Kingdom for a Malibu

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Nov

2010 Ferrari FS 599 Fuoristrada SUV

Posted by galardo Published in Ferrari

Huh; a Ferrari SUV? We admit, it does sound weird but as the saying goes, “where there’s smoke, there’s a fire”. And if anything else, we’ve been hearing a lot about Ferrari’s intentions to broaden up its line-up with a high-performance SUV. We won’t lie to you and say that we have inside information on the SUV project, but if Porsche did it successfully with the butt ugly Cayenne (and without denting its image), we can’t find a reason to as why Ferrari shouldn’t.

This rendering, which we acquired from our newly found friends at the Romanian car website “Automarket”, was created by Andrei Avarvarii. Unlike other propositions for a Ferrari SUV that we’ve seen in the past, the FS 599 Fuoristrada (according to Automarket, that’s the codename Ferrari uses), looks quite good combining styling elements from the past and the present. -Continued after the jump

The guys at Automarket support that Ferrari company bosses are attempting to seal a business agreement with the Fiat Group as we talk. Basically, Ferrari has to convince Fiat that that the SUV project will be profitable in order to get the final okay. In this case, the model will most probably make its worldwide premiere at the Geneva Show in 2010. Here are the initial specs that Automarket posted: weight 2,200 kg / 4,850 lbs, +600 HP, less than 5 seconds for the 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint, 300 km/h (185 mph) top speed and a price of around 250,000 euro or $360,000 (in Europe).

Via: Automarket

Source: 2010 Ferrari FS 599 Fuoristrada SUV

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Nov

Video: Mercedes McLaren SLR and Shelby Cobra drag race

Posted by galardo Published in Mercedes

Here’s a pair of cars you wouldn’t normally associate together captured on film at a drag race in the States. In one corner we have a modern German supercar and in the other corner we have old-school American muscle. Click ahead for the full video and to find out which one comes out on top.

Mercedes-Benz SLR: 11.59 seconds at 128mph.
Shelby Cobra: 11.53 seconds at 125mph.
Via: Autoblog.it

Source: Video: Mercedes McLaren SLR and Shelby Cobra drag race

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Nov

HPA 565hp Audi TT Named “Best In Show” At SEMA

Posted by galardo Published in Audi

LAS VEGAS, NV, November 2, 2007 — The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) auto show in Las Vegas, NV brings out the best of the best in automotive aftermarket offerings. Each year a team of respected automotive journalists are put to the task to choose the top contenders for the Sony Gran Turismo Awards.

These judges choose the winners of each category based on the criteria of most well-balanced performance, style and speed. This year’s Gran Turismo Award winners are: “Best European Import” Marcel Horn, 2007 Audi TT; “Best Domestic Automobile” Gary Cheney, 2007 Factory Five GTM; “Best Hot Rod” Jim and Mike Ring, 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback; “Best Japanese Import” Michael Chung, 2007 Nissan 350Z; and “Best Truck / SUV” Mike DeFord, 2007 Dodge Ram.

The “Best in Show” award was personally selected from the five category winners by Kazunori Yamauchi, the famed creator of the racing game franchise, and announced at the 2007 Gran Turismo Awards gala hosted by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. on November 1st, at Tryst night club inside the Wynn Hotel & Casino. The party featured an exclusive concert by singer/songwriter, Chris Cornell performing hits from Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, and Audioslave, and an opportunity for guests to test their driving skills on an early version of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue prior to its 2008 release.

“The 2007 Gran Turismo Awards showcases the collaboration between the automotive culture and the gaming industry,” said Kazunori Yamauchi, “We are proud to honour auto enthusiasts for their passion of cars, and to celebrate the automotive lifestyle that Gran Turismo embodies.”

The top award of “Best in Show” went to Marcel Horn, owner of HPA Motorsports Inc. located in Surrey, BC, for his 2007 Audi TT, earning a place in history as their vehicle would be immortalized in a future instalment of the Gran Turismo franchise. This is the second win for Horn’s company whose twin turbo Volkswagen R32 received the top prize at the 2004 SEMA show and is currently featured in Sony’s Gran Turismo 4 game.

“I am so proud of our entire team who were involved in the preparation of this car, and truly honoured to be chosen as “Best in Show”. The experience of driving this TT is like being in a video game; the power delivery is so smooth and effortless that before you realize it, you are exceeding 160MPH,” said Marcel Horn.

The winning entry from HPA Motorsports Inc. is a European spec 2007 Audi TT boasting 565hp and 500 ft/lbs of torque through a 3.2L V6 motor with DSG transmission. This custom painted Lamborghini Orange sports coupe is equipped with HPA’s comprehensive twin turbo package, 365mm 8 piston brakes, 19” Moda wheels with Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT tires, adjustable KW coilover suspension, Haldex performance drivetrain, Oettinger body kit, LSD Lamborghini Style Doors, and custom two-toned interior. It will accelerate from 0-60 MPH in 3.5 seconds, and cover a quarter mile in 11.6 seconds.

Photos and text from vwvortex.com

Source: HPA 565hp Audi TT Named “Best In Show” At SEMA

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Nov

More cracks in the dam: 2009 Nissan Murano

Posted by galardo Published in Nissan

Damon Lavrinc
LA Auto Show, Crossovers/CUVs, Nissan

With only two days between us and the unveiling of the redesigned Nissan Murano, The Car Connection saw fit to let out a couple of images of the 2009 CUV. The new front end is visible in all its, ummm… glory, and the shot of the freshened interior may have eschewed Alex’s initial concerns about the chintz-factor that plagued the last generation.

While we’ll avoid any Battlestar Galactica references, we will say that the new front clip is a pretty large departure for Nissan, who obviously nixed the idea of aping the redesigned G-series for a clean sheet makeover. The profile is much the same as the current Murano, but according to TCC, the rear benefits from new LED taillamps and the roof has a skylight hovering over the second-row passengers.

Inside, the new Murano gets a huge helping of refinement, complete with push-button start-system, wood and aluminum trim, optional Intelligent Key, Bose audio, DVD navigation, 9.3-gig hard drive and iPod connectivity (on LE models). Buyers who haven’t ticked off all the options will get a standard audio system with a six-disc changer and an auxiliary jack.

Front- and all-wheel-drive models will get power from Nissan’s 265 HP, 3.5-liter V6, mated to a CVT, with five trim levels available: S, LS and LE, the latter of which will only be available with AWD.

[Source: The Car Connection]

Source: More cracks in the dam: 2009 Nissan Murano

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