июля 2009 - Latest Cars Reviews Blog

It is a brand new world for Chrysler as Cerebrus takes control

R0010673 This Monday at Chrysler offices across the U.S. a day of celebration will commence. It will be the first day of the rest of their corporate lives as Cerebrus begins its days as the leader of the littlest of the Big 3 American automakers. Guarded optimism seems to be the theme for the party for Chrysler employees on Cerebrus: Day 1, but at least the future is truly in their hands.

As the $7.4 Billion deal was sealed the percentage lines of Chrysler ownership came out as such: Cerebrus: 80.1%, Daimler: 19.9%. The smaller percentage share to Daimler will leave the door open for the sharing of some components and research; as in the new diesel engine research taking place now.

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Alpha Romeo announces its return to the US Market with the 8C Competizione

Those who are looking to attend the Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance in Rochesters Hills, MI on Sunday, August 5, 2007, will have the opportunity to see the unveiling of the first production Alfa Romeo to be sold in America since 1995. James Selwa, the President of Maserati North America announced on Tuesday that the Alpha Romeo 8C Competizione will be sold in the USA in 2008. As with many of the European luxury elite sport cars the Competizione will come with a limited release of 100 cars bound for the USA. So if you are feeling the need to be one of the few owners to get one you better start hitting up your car contacts now.

The 8C Competizione will be putting out 450-hp and running a sticker (not that you would put stickers on one of these super cars) price over $200,000. Watch the video below to get a glimpse of the Competizione in action on the streets and track of Nurburgring, Germany.

Joining the 2008 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione in Richmond Hills will be a wealthy selection of antiques, classics and some of the new super cars of today. The organizers of the Concours d’Elegance have noticed an influx of younger attendees and are looking to do more to appeal to them. While a number of the historical items of automotive history will be on display, like the 1931 Bugatti that is valued at $10 million, new super cars like the Bugatti Veyron and Ferrari Enzo.

All Concours d’Elegance events are a wonderful mix of history and nostalgia, and usually make a wonderful setting for a rousing day in the park. If you are any where near a scheduled event I highly recommend planning to spend a few hours of the afternoon soaking in the automotive ambiance.

Source[worldcarfans, Detroit Free Press]

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Aston Martin DBS is Sold Out for the Next Five Years!

According to Auto Car, Aston Martin has already received 1,500 order for the awesome DBS supercar. Aston Martin originally planned on only building 300 of the cars per year, so now the automaker is trying to figure out if they can produce more.

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Gesundheit! All Volvo models now allergy-friendly

Filed under: Safety, Volvo

Ursäkta! It's how you say "Excuse me!" in Swedish, though you might not be hearing it much anymore as Volvo has managed to get Oeko-Tex certification for all of its interior fabrics including the roof lining, floor mats, luggage compartment mats, upholstery, door panels, leather-trimmed steering wheels and seat belts. This means the entire Volvo line-up is now completely allergy friendly and won't make any of your friends break out in hives.

Seriously, this is why we love Volvo, which had embarked on a quest to reduce harmful pollutants from the inside of its cars a few years back. That "new car smell" so many covet is actually rather toxic and made up of Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOCs. Those are pretty nasty things, and the Swedish automaker has been working to eliminate them, and its new certified textiles only serve to improve the people-friendliness quotient of these stylish Swedish automobiles. And if it means a few extra sales to longtime allergy sufferers? Icing on the cake, as long as you're not allergic to icing or something.

[Source: Volvo]

Continue reading Gesundheit! All Volvo models now allergy-friendly

Gesundheit! All Volvo models now allergy-friendly originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM Letting Dealers Add More Cash Back This Holiday Season

2006chevytahoe

Word came over the wires today that GM was going to enlist a tactic that regular retail stores use this time of year: a big holiday sale. Their Red Tag sale starts tomorrow and allows dealers to allocate between $500 and $2,000 cash back on certain 2006 Buick, Chevrolet, GMC, Pontiac and Saturn models, depending on local inventories. That allows a dealer with too many SUVs on hand to discount them more heavily than low-inventory cars, and vice versa.

We were surprised to see the figures because GM already has significant cash back available on many 2006 models. This Red Tag sale is in addition to those offers. This is a significant amount of money on certain models, like a 2006 Chevy Tahoe. The 2006 Tahoe already has $6,000 cash back on its hood and will now see at least another $500, with chances of $8,000 back. That’s a lot of cash back.

Unfortunately, because these deals will vary greatly we can’t give you an exact rundown of each model’s discount. The sale is probably geared this way to get more people to actually go to their local dealer to find out just how much they can save. However, all the current incentives are located here, and you can determine if an additional $500 - $2,000 would get you motivated enough to check out a showroom.

[GM Offers Year-End Discounts, The Detroit News]

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Chrysler thinks "Let's Refuel America" gas lock plan just wasn't offered long enough

Chrysler's "Let's Refuel America" incentive was pretty soundly panned when it was announced in May. Consumer Reports did the math and agreed that getting gas for $2.99 a gallon for the next three years is not a deal. Customers apparently agree that the gas card incentive isn't worth it, since only about 5-10 percent of Chrysler buyers have opted for the promo (which locks out other options). Still, Chrysler doesn't have much else to offer these days, and so has decided to extended the promotion through July 31 rather than let this thing die a quiet death.

The bright side for Chrysler is that, the company claims, "The program continues to help improve showroom traffic and drive sales of the company's most fuel-efficient vehicles." Customers who bought Chrysler Sebring Sedans, Dodge Journeys, Dodge Calibers and Dodge Avengers were most likely to opt in to this deal.

Who's waiting for the program to be extended yet again in a few weeks?

[Source: Chrysler LLC]

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Ferrai Scuderia Spider 16M Completes Run In Under 1 Minute

Ferrai Scuderia Spider 16M Completes Run In Under 1 Minute Car Pics

The Ferrari Scuderia Spider 16M will be built in a limited run of 499 cars and is powered by a 4.3 liter V8 engine with 510 hp and 470 Nm of torque.

[Source: Ferrari]

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T buckets a Plenty at Motorex 2009

The hot rodding scene is like any other car scene, where various trends seem to come and go out of fashion at regular intervals. The one thing that struck me at the Meguiar’s show on Saturday was the number of T buckets on display. I might be mistaken but it looks like interest in T buckets is taking off again. More pics after the jump.

bucket1

bucket2

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sQuba Underwater Car by Rinspeed [photos + video]

A self-confessed Bond fanatic has made an up-to-date version of the wondercar using the Esprit’s spiritual successor, the Lotus Elise, as its base.

This “sQuba” prototype cost €1 million (£750,000), and can dive to a depth of 10m, and will be exhibited at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

It was the brainchild of concept car designer, Founder and CEO of Rinspeed Inc. Frank M. Rinderknecht, who said: “For three decades I have tried to imagine how it might be possible to build a car that can fly under water. Now we have made this dream come true.”

His team at Rinspeed replaced the petrol engine with three electric motors, one to power the rear wheels and two for the specially designed propellers. They are capable of taking it to 75mph on land, a more sedate 4mph while cruising in “boat” mode and a positively tranquil 2mph while underwater.

The company also claims that the car is extremely “green” as well, as it is a zero-emission vehicle powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

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Chrysler's Aggressive Lease Plans

2006jeepcommander_1

Last month Chrysler leases made up 26.7% of retail transactions, up from 22.4% in October 2005. Some analysts are worried that Chrysler is moving too aggressively with its lease deals, and that doing so could hurt residual and resale values down the line. Compared to Ford, with 4% of sales going to leases, and GM, with just 1%, we can see why the number-crunchers are worried about Chrysler. For those looking to lease vehicles like the Jeep Commander, this is good news. One dealership had a monthly lease payment of $179 for a $32,000 Commander; a comparable purchase price over five years would be closer to $500. Those who did buy a Commander might see lower resale value down the road because of the number of vehicles coming off lease deals.

[Chrysler Tries Risky Lease Plan, The Detroit News]

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Zero S: Smooth & Continuous Acceleration

Zero S: Smooth & Continuous Acceleration
One of the hybrid motorcycles that has been recognized as revolutionary because it is fully electric is the Zero S. With Zero Motorcycle’s propriety Z-Force power pack and aircraft grade alloy frame, it has an increased maneuverability and its lightweight design enables you to go on any city street, hill or obstacle. $9,950.
Zero S: Smooth & Continuous Acceleration

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2009 BMW M3 Sedan and Convertible Spy Photos...They're Pretty Naked....

Thanks to Fast Lane Daily we have some new photos of the upcoming BMW M3 convertible and sedan as they were getting ready to hit the Nurburgring.

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Gumpert Apollo: More pictures!

We have found more pictures of the fantastic Gumpert Apollo. Who said that you can build your dreams? Congrats to Mr. Gumpert and his team for this street machine.Read the full article here, Google-translated.Related news: GermanCarBlog, P4MR, Gumpert ApolloSource: Focus Online

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Small Prius Supply Meeting Lower Demand

2007toyotaprius_1

In the world of car sales, an average of 17 days on the lot is exceptionally good. That’s the current average for the Toyota Prius. Why is this is a big deal, given it’s a heck of a lot better than the national average of 64 days? It’s significant because the trendy green machine has been almost a sellout since its redesign in late 2003, and it used to sit on lots a mere five days.

A number of factors are impacting sales. Production is up, so that means there’s more supply. Sales were off 12% in September, likely due to falling gas prices. There’s also the fact that the tax credits for buying a Toyota hybrid are now reduced in half, plus there’s more competition from new, efficient subcompacts, and of course other hybrids. Some might even point out the Prius’ aging design, but the fact remains: Dealers now have Priuses on their lots for test drives and just plain window shopping. Interested hybrid shoppers can now actually see what all the hype is about without having to commit to a waiting list.

[Prius Finally Available Without a Wait, USA Today]

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AutoWeek Gets Around Chevy Silverado Embargo

2007chevysilverado_1

Before a new car model comes out, the automaker usually plans an event for journalists to test everything out so they can meet their deadlines. The company asks the journalists to hold off on publishing until a certain date, usually around the time the car goes on sale. Recently, GM invited journalists to one of these events for the new Chevy Silverado. You may have heard about the new truck — or seen it in one of the countless ads with John Mellencamp during the World Series. The new Silverado is now on sale at many dealers nationwide.

So what’s the problem?

GM doesn’t want anyone running a review until Nov. 27. The folks at AutoWeek came up with an inventive solution: They went to their local Chevy dealer and test drove two new Silverados. While the linked story below is long on history and short on driving impressions, the writer seemed to really enjoy the trucks. We’re surprised Chevy is trying to hold back what will most likely be a slew of very positive reviews.

[World Exclusive First Drive, AutoWeek]

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Solar-powered road studs increase night-time vision, coming to the US

A solar powered ’smart’ road-stud is making a significant contribution to road safety around the world. Astucia SolarLite ’smart’ solar-powered road studs invented in the UK...

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Acura denies rumors of NSX being priced like a Ferrari

Work on the next-generation has been completed and you can breathe a sigh of relief because it has been totally redesigned from the fugly 2007 Detroit Auto Show concept. Recently, rumors have been...

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Mike Burroughs’ 1988 BMW 635CSi

Mike Burroughs is a world class automotive photographer and proud owner of his 1988 BMW 635CSi. When considering working with Mike (for photography purposes), I was fishing through his Flickr and came across a relatively rare BMW that he seemed to photograph multiple times. I quickly found that it was his own ride and when I contacted him about it, he was more than happy to talk.

Continue reading after the jump!

There is nothing too extraordinary about Mike’s car, but in a sense, that’s what makes it so special. It’s clean, sleek and keeps a low profile. I found that it may take you some time to fall in love with this car, but once you do, there’s no going back. I went ahead and did a small interview with Mike and this is what we came up with:

What is the make, model and year of your car?

It’s a 1988 BMW 635CSi. It’s badged an L6 from the dealer it came from, however, the L6’s production was ceased in 1987. It was badged an L6 due to it having all of the L6 options (being an entirely leather wrapped interior, including the headliner, center console, shift surround, glove box, and everything else short of the carpet).

How long have you had it?

I’ve owned the car since January. I bought it stock from a fellow BMW enthusiast in Winchester TN, just after a friend wrecked my old ‘85 535i. It’s my “daily driver”.

Does it have a nickname?

No nickname yet, just “the 6″. No one else I know has one, and it’s not a common car, so “6″ says enough.

What is the theme of your car?

There’s no real theme, just low and classy. Perfect fitment is my eventual goal, but prime wheels and a good stance is the “theme” if there is one.

What was your first car?

My first car was an S10, but it wasn’t long before I made the leap to BMWs.

Any wild stories about your Bimmer?

None yet, aside from a few “small” things here and there. I’ve been pulled over for “throwing sparks” due to the ride height. The exhaust clips interstate reflectors quite regularly. Pretty uneventful ownership thus far. My car has been to the Netherlands though. The original owner shipped it over there during his military duty. That’s probably the most exciting bit about it.

What are your current modifications?

BBS RS285/286 (18×8.5 and 18×9.5 et13) allow the 6 to roll, while it’s held up by a custom mashup of parts (Ground Control, HyperCo, and thanks to Rob Case) to produce the lowest coil over possible (they’re all the way up). That’s about it. The basics, such as an exhaust and other small things, but we all know that’s not what makes a car.

What is your favorite aspect of the BMW?

My favorite aspect is the lines of the 6. BMW should be commended on their design- it’s what defines BMWs of the ’80s. Its classic, and I think in 20 years more people will look back and really see the importance of the specific model in the future. I just did what I thought accentuated those lines the best.

Some people hate BMWs and others love them. There really is no “in between”. But I think that we all can agree that Mike has most definitely set a great example for the car community at large with his brilliantly conceived 635CSi. This car truly proves that less is indeed more.

Mike currently does not have a CarDomain page. Who wants to help me pressure him into getting one?

Photography by the very talented and self-taught Mike Burroughs.

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Editor in Action

Any one of the editors in the Hemmings office can tell you that we almost always have our picture taken – of us taking pictures – by the car owner, or one of their family members or close friend. Mark J. McCourt shared a few of those shots not long ago, but if memory serves me right, Hemmings Muscle Machines editor Terry McGean escaped that series of posts.

Not anymore – as Peter Sellers once said, as he played the roll of Inspector Clouseau – thanks to Terry’s assistance in covering the happenings at Carlisle over the course of their Chrysler meet this past weekend.

terry 68 dart (300 x 450)

With the aid of the car owner’s tow vehicle, McGean gains height as he zeros in on a detail shot of a car to appear in a future issue of HMM.

_MG_0568 (450 x 300)

Perhaps a little more obvious as to the vehicle, McGean is at it again the next day, proving once again that getting out of work to go to work can be interesting.

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