Today the wraps were officially removed from the 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe. The coupe is the latest model to join the burgeoning CTS lineup, which also includes the sedan that started it all, the 556-hp CTS-V super sedan and the more recent CTS Sport Wagon. The coupe, however, is by far the most visually distinct CTS, sharing only its instrument panel, console, headlamps, front fenders and grille with the sedan. Though its wheelbase is the same as the four-door's, the coupe sits two inches lower and stretches two inches less from tip to tail. The best touches are the hidden B-pillar, flush door handles, center-mounted dual exhaust, and a windshield and back glass that are raked at impossibly steep angles.

While the exterior screams excitement, the coupe's mechanicals are what we've come to expect from the CTS, which ain't a bad thing. The standard engine at launch will be General Motors' direct inject 3.6-liter V6 producing 304 hp and 273 pound-feet of torque. Expect 17 mpg city/26 mpg highway when paired with GM's optional Hydra-Matic 6L50 six-speed automatic and 17/25 with the standard Aisin six-speed manual. Both rear- and all-wheel-drive are available, as are two handling packages: a Performance package with 18-inch wheels and a Summer Tire Performance package with 19-inch wheels, summer tires and larger brakes. Cadillac also confirmed that a V-Series variant will be sold sometime 2010.

The 2010 CTS Coupe is being referred to by GM as the focal point of Cadillac going forward, and it certainly anchors an incredibly strong and varied CTS lineup. There are plenty of competitors out there, however, just waiting for the CTS Coupe to throw its first punch, including the incredibly competent BMW 3-Series coupe and Audi A5. From this first look at things, they should brace themselves.



[Source: Cadillac]

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Two steps forward and one step back seems to be the rally cry of the new 2010 Lexus GX460. This second-generation, three-row, mid-size, body-on-frame SUV from Lexus replaces the GX470, which, as its name implies, had a slightly larger engine. That 4.7-liter V8 engine, however, couldn't touch the combination of power and efficiency found in this new 4.6-liter V8. The new engine manages to pump out 301 hp and 329 lb.ft. of torque while returning 13 percent better fuel economy, now ringing in at 15/20 mpg. It also uses a second-generation frame and an all-new body with some class-leading features.

There's a lengthy press release after the jump with all the specifications and features of this new GX, but here are some of the highlights (take a deep breath): New standard power-folding third row, flip-forward second row slider for better third row access, rear swing gate with new pop-up glass for quick access, optional Pre-Collision System (PCS) with Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Driver Attention Monitor and Lane Departure Alert (LDA), full-time four-wheel drive, off- and on-road balancing Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) with available Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), 6,500-pound towing capacity, 18-inch alloy wheels, Crawl Control and Downhill Assist Control (DAC), ten standard airbags, Bluetooth, nine-speaker audio system with integrated iPod control and XM Radio receiver, rear back-up camera, optional Lexus Enform with Safety Connect, XM NavTraffic, XM NavWeather and XM Sports and Stocks by subscription. Got all that?

The 2010 Lexus GX460 will come in two different trim levels, base and Premium, identifiable by chrome strips surrounding the greenhouse and along the lower door contours. In addition to the features listed above, GX buyers can opt for a Convenience Package and a Comfort Plus Package. The Convenience Package adds power-retracting outside mirrors and Intuitive Parking Assist. The Comfort Plus Package includes semi-aniline leather, heated second-row outer seats, wood-trimmed steering wheel and shift knob, and a three-zone automatic climate control system. Major standalone options include the next-gen hard disc drive (HDD) nav system, a Mark Levinson Premium Audio system, a Rear Seat Entertainment (RSE) system with two LCD screens, a three-zone automatic climate control system, and the Wide-view Front and Side Monitor, which debuted on the 2009 LX 570.

We recently had a chance to sample this new GX460 and we'll have a lot more to say about it in our upcoming First Drive, but for now, here are the full details and a massive gallery of pics for you to enjoy.



[Source: Lexus]

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Fornasari, the independent purveyor of exotic sport-utes, has been in the game since before Porsche came along with the Cayenne, but despite its blend of Italian craftsmanship with American muscle, the three-door body-style of the Fornasari RR450 and RR600 relegated the quirky exotic truck to the fringe. Now Fornasari, has come back with its first proper (or not) five-door SUV.

Dubbed the RR99, the latest from the Creazzo-based automaker is some 25cm longer than its three-door predecessors, but thanks to a lightweight tube frame, it weighs only 1850 kg (just over 4000 lbs), significantly less than competing performance SUVs. This despite the six-liter General Motors V8 sitting up front, which Fornasari says it has optimized for near-50/50 weight distribution, driving 610 horsepower to all four wheels with a 40/60 rear-biased torque split via limited slip differential and six-speed Borg Warner transmission.

Wheels are available up to 23 inches, packing optional Brembo brakes mounted to F1-style triangular suspension. But the most ambitious figures come down to the performance: Fornasari claims its exotic sport-ute can rocket to 62 mph in just 3.8 seconds en route to a 174 mph top end. Those are eyebrow-raising numbers, and if the RR99, with substantially-improved styling over its oddball predecessors (upon which we reported three years ago), can actually come anywhere near those projections, count us among the flabbergasted.


[Source: Fornasari via Italiaspeed]

We see all sorts of recall notices here at Autoblog. Most of them affect ordinary passenger vehicles, but nearly all of them get cleared up the first time around. So this is a bit of a first: Ferrari North America and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have issued a second recall notice to correct a problem on the F355 that should have been addressed with the initial recall issued 12 years ago.

The concern apparently centers around the fuel delivery system, which initially prompted a recall back in 1997. The original repair should have corrected the issue, but if the "independent automobile repair facilities" that performed the service on many of the cars didn't properly install the new screw clamps, they could have damaged the fuel hoses, which in turn could cause smoke or even an engine fire. New fuel divider blocks should (hopefully) fix the issue this time around, which affects some 2,356 F355s and F355 F1s manufactured between 1995 and 1999. Full details in the recall notice at NHTSA.

[Source: NHTSA]

Reports circulating the motorsport press indicate that USF1 has signed a provisional contract with Argentine driver Jose Maria Lopez to drive for the new team next season. The arrangement, however, depends on Lopez bringing with him $8 million in sponsorship dollars, of which the young South American reportedly already has 80% in his coffers.

Lopez has experience in formula racing, but has been off the radar for a few years now. After competing in Formula Renault and Formula 3000, Lopez drove a couple of seasons in the GP2 series and even ran some test sessions for Renault F1 . After that, he returned to Argentina, where he competed in local touring cars and in a few international sports car races.

Only a few months ago, USF1 team principal Peter Windsor said the team would absolutely not take on a driver purely on these financial criteria alone, but after balancing their budget, the nascent American grand prix team has apparently decided otherwise. Meanwhile, the team is said to be considering a number of F1 veterans for the second seat, with a 12-name short list that reportedly includes such names as Villeneuve, Montagny and de la Rosa. So much for nurturing American talent.

[Source: Autosport and F1-Live]

The French timekeeper BRM is well known to the car world – and not because it happens to share its name with the 1962 F1 championship team – but because of its motorsport-inspired mechanical timepieces. For Abarth, BRM has tweaked its titanium-cased V12-T-44 chronograph with some unique Scorpion-brand touches, from the logo on the watch face and the chrome hands to the Nomex strap with red stitching. They'll only be making 49 examples, each individually numbered and selling exclusively through the BRM website for a handsome €4,900 (about $7,300). Details in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Abarth]

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Said the executive creative director of the 2010 Toyota 4Runner media campaign: "This is the last authentic SUV. All the rest have gone suburbia." By "authentic" he means dirt, surf, wilds, and maybe bears, and to show you how to get there, Toyota has rolled out the Toyota Trail Tracker.

A social media tool and soon-to-be mobile app, the trail tracker allows you to find and upload info on trails across the United States. And it isn't just for wild, rocky hellholes either (that's the 4Runner on the Rubicon Trail above) -- you can upload and find scenic drives and fire roads that lead to great surfing spots.

If you want the world to know what you did when you got there -- or how you manged to get out -- you can post photos and video to the site, as well as upload GPS data. The Trail tracker website is live now, with about 29 trails nationwide at the time of this writing. It's intriguing that one of the vehicles that led SUVs out of the wilds and into suburbia is now playing the Pied Piper to lure folks back into the woods. At least now maybe we'll get to see what it's really got.


[Source: Marketing Daily]

It used to be that a racing driver would pick his form of motorsport at the beginning of his career and stick with it for the duration. Sure, there have been a few notable exceptions – especially among the Finns – but these days, it seems as if the exceptions are gaining on the norm. F1 drivers like Juan Pablo Montoya are moving to NASCAR, WRC aces like Sebastien Loeb and MotoGP champs like Valentio Rossi are trying their hand at F1, while F1 champs like Michael Schumacher are checking out motorbike racing. But the latest trend has a growing number of current, active Formula One drivers contesting rallies on the world stage.

The most notable is Kimi Raikkonen, who has driven a few rallies behind the wheel of his own Punto Abarth. Now that he's looking to sit out of the next F1 season, all indications are that the departing Ferrari driver will find his way into the WRC. While downplaying the lingering prospect of the 2007 Formula One champion racing for the newly-christened Mercedes Grand Prix team next season, his managers are reportedly hard at work to get him a WRC drive for 2010. The most likely scenario would place Raikkonen with Citroen: Both the French rally team and the Finnish driver are sponsored by Red Bull, and the rapprochement could could pave the way for Kimi to return to F1 in 2011 for Red Bull Racing.

Even Red Bull's current F1 ace, Sebastian Vettel, has reportedly expressed interest in trying his hand at rallying, although his team principal is reportedly against the idea. After winning the Nations Cup at the Race of Champions together with Schumacher three years running, the young German has certainly demonstrated the versatility of his talent.

Meanwhile, the highly-rated Robert Kubica is preparing for his second rally since leaving BMW Sauber for the Renault F1 team. After a dismal first attempt, the Pole is set to return to the wheel of a Renaultsport Clio R3 Maxi for the final round of the French Rally Championship at Var next weekend. If Kubica manages to finish this time around, we could yet see more F1 drivers following him onto the rally scene.

[Sources: Autosport and F1-Live | Image: Clive Mason/Getty]

If you love the spirit of SEMA but tend to lean towards more European tastes, Essen is the show for you. The annual aftermarket show in Germany always brings out an enticing crop of European tuner cars, and 9ff isn't about to let it go by without making its mark.

The Porsche tuner is hitting Essen with the Speed9, a slick speedster inspired by the legendary 356 (circa 1955) and based on the latest 997 Turbo cabrio. Naturally, 9ff started in the rear, boosting the 3.6-liter twin-turbo flat six from 473hp stock up to a whopping 650, all by tweaking the ECU and swapping out the air filter, exhaust and catalytic converter. The tuners have also fitted adjustable stabilizers front and rear with double springs at each corner, coupled with upgraded brakes.

There's no word yet on what effect the mods will have on performance, but you can't miss the body kit 9ff has developed. They've done away with the rear seats to give the cabrio a speedster-like profile, while fitting a new front air dam, side skirts and rear apron. No word on price either, but you can expect it to be commensurately expensive, with much of the range customizable to order.



[Source: 9ff via WCF]