The hotest stuff on cars

Jan

Lamborghini’s Ad Personam: personalize this car

Posted by galardo Published in Lamborghini

If you can’t find a stock Lamborghini that fits you and you’d rather not put one under the tuner’s knife, what are you to do? Lamborghini has just what you’re looking for: their Ad Personam personalization program. Now those with the means can have their own tailor-made, one-off Lamborghini straight from the dealership.

Three examples of the program’s handiwork will be on display at the Detroit Auto Show, which starts January 13. The Gallardo Spyder on display will be shown in matte brown paint, the interior covered in brown Alcantara and several shades of custom leather. The matte finish is the first to be available on a Lamborghini besides the Reventón.

The Murcielago LP640 coupe and roadster pair on show will be painted in Blu Cepheus, a light shade intended to reflect a natural appearance reminiscent of polar ice - and it doesn’t hurt that it’s at the height of fashion. The same custom-leather treatment can be found in the cockpits of both cars, although in the roadster, the tone is more natural and untreated, to keep with the car’s overall image.

Whatever you choose to do with your Lamborghini, you can - the logo of the raging bull wants its customers to “think of the impossible” when designing their custom cars. No word on the cost of such free-thinking personalization, but as the saying goes, if you have to ask…

Source: Lamborghini’s Ad Personam: personalize this car

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Jan

Spy Shots: Production 2008 Dodge Challenger caught, too

Posted by galardo Published in Dodge

John Neff
Chicago Auto Show, Spy Photos, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Dodge

click above image for more spy shots of the production Dodge Challenger

Seems like one when modern day muscle car gets caught a spy photographer, they all get shot. We’ve already shown you new spy shots of the 2010 Ford Mustang GT today, and now we bring you two new shots (the first two in the gallery below) of the production Dodge Challenger that’s been caught testing out in public. Dodge is saving the production Challenger’s debut until February when it will be unveiled at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show, but as we’ve seen from official teaser shots, don’t expect a car much different than the Challenger with which we all fell in love. This test vehicle was reportedly sporting a HEMI V8, so it’s probably an SRT8 model, the same kind that will go on sale this year before the rest of the Challenger line-up arrives next year.

[Source: Brenda Priddy & Co.]

Gallery: 2009 Dodge Challenger - spy shots

Source: Spy Shots: Production 2008 Dodge Challenger caught, too

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Jan

Does Toyota gain now that Gibbs isn’t a redskin?

Posted by galardo Published in Toyota

Ralph Kalal
Filed in: Toyota | Nextel Cup

Joe Gibbs is in the football Hall of Fame, has a Super Bowl ring, and a NASCAR Winston Cup. And, he’s now out as the president and coach of the Washington Redskins.

So, does that mean that Gibbs will start paying more attention to the race team? Or does he leave his son, J.D., in the place where he put him: in charge?

Gibbs’ strength has always been considered to be his people skills, his ability to make a team cohesive. This past year, many believe that it was Gibbs’ unique capabilities in dealing with the many personalities on a team that made it possible for the Redskins to weather the loss of star Sean Taylor.

One ESPN commentator, David Newton, is weighing in. According to Newton, Gibbs’ NASCAR team “needs its Coach Joe.”

Well, maybe Joe’s smarter than that.

Joe put J.D. in charge of the team when Gibbs returned to football. At the time, it seemed apparent that the move caused some internal disruption in the team, and that J.D. hadn’t been expecting to take on the level of responsibility being thrust upon him, at least not that soon. But, he had it handed to him, and he accepted it.

Implicit in the notion that the NASCAR team “needs its coach Joe” is the premise that Joe Gibbs would be better at running the team than his son.

That’s probably a false premise.

A great deal changed in NASCAR while Joe Gibbs was trying for a football comeback. The Car of Tomorrow arrived. The Chase was modified, again. The Hendrick team ascended to clear supremacy over everyone else. And, of course, the team itself switched to Toyota.

There is a lesson to be learned from Gibb’s own efforts to regain his form with the Redskins. Gibbs improved the Redskins, but he did not make them a winning team. Following his resignation, the talk was all about his legacy, whether he had diminished his previous Hall of Fame performance as Washington’s coach when it went to the Super Bowl.

But, the real question should have been, could another coach have done a better job? The answer is, “maybe.” Whether it is an NFL team or a NASCAR team, the person running the team can make only so much difference. Ultimately, that person must depend on others to execute the plan.

Making that plan a winning plan requires knowledge and expertise that comes only from daily immersion in the sport. That may not be enough, but it is certainly a necessity. It is that level of immersion in NASCAR which Joe Gibbs now lacks.

Joe Gibbs Racing may or may not be good enough to cope with the challenges that it faces this year. But, the only person who has what it takes in background and current experience to address those challenges is J.D. Gibbs, the man who’s been in charge of dealing with them ever since Joe went back to the Redskins.

If Joe Gibbs is half the manager he’s said to be, he knows that already.

Source:ESPN

Source: Does Toyota gain now that Gibbs isn’t a redskin?

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Jan

Bugatti developing even higher-performance Veyron?

Posted by galardo Published in Other

There has been a lot of speculation about Bugatti's future lineup over the past several months — from a targa Veyron to a model slotted below the Veyron — but a new report finds that Bugatti is considering an even higher-performance version of the Veyron.

Where as the Veyron comes with all the luxury amenities that one would expect to find in a top-tier grand tourer, the new model would be more of a no-thrills track machine.

Power for the knew model would likely be sourced from the Veyron's quad-turbo W16, but power would total 1175 horsepower.

The new model is said to be underdevelopment under the codename "Project Lydia," after Ettore Bugatti's wife. While Bugatti has yet to confirm the rumor, the new model would like see a production run of 70 units with a list price of Є2.5 million.

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Source: Bugatti developing even higher-performance Veyron?

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Jan

VIDEO: Battle Royale between new and old Evos, Imprezas

Posted by galardo Published in Other

Damon Lavrinc
Sedans/Saloons, Videos, Mitsubishi, Subaru

Best Motoring’s Tsukuba shootouts regularly put all the others to shame. Sure, they might lack some of the high-dollar production quality of other motoring shows, but they make up for it with mesmerizing track sessions and entertaining commentary. Case in point, in the recent edition of the Japanese-language video series, they’ve pitted the new Subaru Impreza WRX STI against the Mitsubishi Evolution X with the five-speed gearbox. But to make it even more interesting, they included the SST-equipped version of the Evo X, an Evo IX MR GSR and the last generation WRX STI. The video shows where each vehicle excels and falters, with a few choice gems coming from the drivers like, “Ohhhh, undudasteero!” and “sido-by-sido.”

The results may be surprising, but we won’t spoil the ending. Check the video after the jump.

Thanks for the tip Ovidio!

[Source: YouTube via Zercustoms]

Source: VIDEO: Battle Royale between new and old Evos, Imprezas

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Jan

TTAC Photochop: New Saab Mid-Size Convertible

Posted by galardo Published in Saab

Nobody other than the Trollhatten Saab (and probably not them if they were honest) seems happy with what happened with Saab's design direction since GM bought the Scandinavians. The General replaced the aeronautical roots of the original 9-something models with a cheap, cost-effective farrago born from Subaru, Opel, Chevrolet (!) and/or other shared-components from GM’s scrapyard. Luckily for the few remaining SAAB fans, faith smiled on the brand in 2006, when they got to see the Aero X concept. The X is a very subtle blend of aeronautical inspired elements and pure SAAB DNA, packed in a modern (but somehow immortal) shape. The Aero X resurrected the spirit of the brand. Unlike most show cars, many of the Aero X' styling elements are fit for production– especially if we consider the sportier vehicles of the brand, like the 9-3 Cabrio. Here I tried to mix some Aero X touch lines with the requirements of a convertible, keeping in mind that the vehicle should be producible in the current GM environment. Is there any life in the old girl? Thanks to the Aero X, if there's the will, there's a way.

[For more Avarvarii photochopistry, click here.]

avavarii.com »

Source: TTAC Photochop: New Saab Mid-Size Convertible

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Jan

Chevy looking to sell a pickup smaller than Colorado?

Posted by galardo Published in Other

Damon Lavrinc
Trucks/Pickups, Chevrolet

The Chevrolet Colorado hasn’t been much of a sales success recently. Despite competing in what many feel is an untapped market, the Colorado’s sales numbers in 2007 slipped by almost 20% compared to 2006. The solution? Possibly offering a truck below the Colorado in size that combines a small footprint with a fuel-efficient engine.

Mike Levine over at Pickuptruck.com sat down with Chevy’s General Manager, Ed Peper, and asked if there’s a market for a vehicle similar to the Toyota A-BAT concept bound for Detroit. Peper thinks its might be feasible in the future. What form it could take is open to debate, but Levine maintains that if it slots in below the Colorado, it might as well carry a New Mexico badge.

[Source: Pickuptruck.com]

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Jan

Jaguar’s Future: Can Tata succeed where Ford failed?

Posted by galardo Published in Jaguar, Ford

It's a Hell of a good question. Strangely, few Western media outlets have tackled it. While TTAC's take is forthcoming, The Liverpool Daily Post's Alastair Houghton casts his beady eye on Tata's prospects with the damaged British brand. It may be painful for Jag fans to reconsider the fate of the ill-fated X-Type and re-scan the arterial spray or red ink dogging the cat, but they'll be heartened to read Houghton's historical analysis of the Indian conglomerate's success with other British concerns. The story surrounding Tata's entry into the steel market is especially resonant. “Do you mean to say Tata proposes to make steel rails to British specifications?" Frederick Upcott, Chief Commissioner for Indian Railways reportedly remarked at the turn of the last century. "Why, I’ll eat every pound of steel rail they succeed in making.” Last year, Tata ate Corus, the company that had eaten British Steel. Equally reassuring (to "traditionalists"), the chief executive of the UK India Business Council doesn't see any branding issues. “If you look at Tetley [tea], you don’t see the Tata brand on it at all," Sharon Bamford says. “They put the interests of the brand and the community they serve at the forefront. The process we’ve seen appears to be a typical Tata deal.”

The Liverpool Daily Post »

Source: Jaguar’s Future: Can Tata succeed where Ford failed?

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Jan

VIDEO: EcoBoost-equipped Taurus drag races Cadillac and BMW

Posted by galardo Published in Cadillac, Bmw

John Neff
Sedans/Saloons, Green, Videos, Ford

Though we already miss the Twin-Force name, Ford’s newly minted family of turbocharged, direct-inject EcoBoost engines has our curiosity piqued. The first application of an EcoBoost engine will be the twin-turbocharged, direct-inject 3.5L V6 available in the 2009 Lincoln MKS. Ford claims it will produce an estimated 340+ horsepower and 340 ft-lb of torque, so even thought it may be down a couple cylinders on the competition, it will clearly be competitive.

Autoblog reader Joshua found this video on YouTube that demonstrates just how competitive this engine will be. Fast forward to about 6:54 and you’ll see Ford engineers take a Taurus mule fitted with the EcoBoost 3.5L V6 and drag race it against a Cadillac STS and BMW 3-Series. We’re not entirely sure which engines were powering the competition, but if it were a fair fight than the Cadillac would be fitted with the 320-hp 4.6L Northstar V8 and the BMW with its 300-hp twin-turbo 3.0L inline-six. The Taurus mule has more power of course, but we thought the lighter BMW stood a chance. Apparently not, as after they leave the line and the Taurus exhibits some serious squat, it begins to pull away decisively from the other two.

Now, shoehorn that twin-turbo 3.5L V6 into an all-wheel-drive Fusion. We want SHO, we want SHO!

[Source: YouTube]

Gallery: Ford EcoBoost GDTI engines

Source: VIDEO: EcoBoost-equipped Taurus drag races Cadillac and BMW

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