Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Spy Shots: Next-generation Mercedes-Benz ML caught winter testing]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/08/spy-shots-next-generation-mercedes-benz-ml-caught-winter-testin/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/08/spy-shots-next-generation-mercedes-benz-ml-caught-winter-testin/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/08/spy-shots-next-generation-mercedes-benz-ml-caught-winter-testin/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

2012 Mercedes ML spy shots -- Click above for high-res image gallery

The next iteration of the Mercedes ML-class has been caught braving the European cold and snow for some testing as it gets ready for its debut.

There will probably be plenty of subtle stylistic changes to distinguish it from the current model, but the biggest news about the coming SUV is that it will be smaller. Of course, it's hard to tell from the cloak of darkness camouflage on the prototype pictured, but it does look slightly less imposing than the current hauler. Early indications are that the various engine offerings in the next ML will focus on efficiency over performance, but we suspect it won't be a slouch dynamically.

We can expect it to appear in the middle of 2011 as a 2012 model.


Gallery: 2012 Mercedes ML Spy Shots

Spy Shots: Next-generation Mercedes-Benz ML caught winter testing originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 mercedes2012 mercedes-benz2012 mercedes-benz ml2012 ml2012Mercedes2012Mercedes-benz2012Mercedes-benzMl2012MlBenz MLBenzMlmercedesMercedes MLmercedes-benzMercedesMlmlml classML-ClassMlClassspy shotsSpyShotssuvTue, 08 Dec 2009 10:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Volkswagen takes 49.9 percent stake in Porsche AG]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/08/volkswagen-takes-49-9-percent-stake-in-porsche-ag/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/08/volkswagen-takes-49-9-percent-stake-in-porsche-ag/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/08/volkswagen-takes-49-9-percent-stake-in-porsche-ag/#commentsFiled under: ,

Cue Ennio Morricone and the symphonic accompaniment to the endgame: VW has officially taken a 49.9% stake in Porsche. VW paid €3.9 billion ($5.75B U.S.) for its cut, "based on the enterprise value for Porsche AG calculated under a careful due diligence and valuation procedure." That's a few shades more than the €3.3 billion amount VW was saying it would pay a few months ago.

In acquiring Porsche, VW not only gains a premium brand that is still among the most profitable in the business, but VW expects its operating profit to jump by €700 million ($1.03B U.S.) over time due to cost-saving synergies. The purchase won't be finalized until 2011, though, when VW will incorporate Porsche Holding Salzburg, Europe's largest car dealer which also happens to be owned by Porsche.

You can read VW's press release - which has an air of something from Napoleon's PR department after the Battle of Austerlitz - after the jump.

[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading Volkswagen takes 49.9 percent stake in Porsche AG

Volkswagen takes 49.9 percent stake in Porsche AG originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 09:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>porscheporsche volkswagenporsche vwporsche vw mergerPorscheVolkswagenPorscheVwPorscheVwMergervolkswagenvwVW porscheVwPorscheTue, 08 Dec 2009 09:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Germany's Wimmer RS unveils stonking 386 HP Volkswagen GTI]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/germanys-wimmer-rs-unveils-stonking-386-hp-volkswagen-gti/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/germanys-wimmer-rs-unveils-stonking-386-hp-volkswagen-gti/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/germanys-wimmer-rs-unveils-stonking-386-hp-volkswagen-gti/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Wimmer RS 386-hp GTI -- Click above for image gallery

Wimmer RS played around with a VW GTI, and this is the result: nothing too much on the outside and terror under the hood. The exterior, especially for a German tuner, is admirably untouched: just a set of 20-inch Motec Antares wheels, and a lower stance with height-adjustable coilovers.

Up front, though, the revisions take the 211-hp, 2.0-liter TFSI up to 386 hp and 336 ft-lb of torque. The upgraded grunt is courtesy of a new turbo and a thorough rework of the intake and manifold, injection valves, piston rods, fuel pump, and other sundries, along with a new software flash. Top speed is 166 mph, which just might be fast enough to outrun those graphics. Follow the jump for the press release, or have a look at it in the gallery of photos below.


Gallery: Wimmer RS 386-hp GTI


[Source: Wimmer RS]

Continue reading Germany's Wimmer RS unveils stonking 386 HP Volkswagen GTI

Germany's Wimmer RS unveils stonking 386 HP Volkswagen GTI originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>giveawayturbinevolkswagenvolkswagen GTIVolkswagenGtiwimmer rswimmer rs gtiWimmerRsWimmerRsGtiMon, 07 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: 2010 Camaro UNC Tarheels Edition is for diehards only]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/video-2010-camaro-unc-tarheel-edition-is-for-diehards-only/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/video-2010-camaro-unc-tarheel-edition-is-for-diehards-only/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/video-2010-camaro-unc-tarheel-edition-is-for-diehards-only/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

UNC Tarheels Edition 2010 Chevrolet Camaro - Click above to watch the video

Many of us Autobloggers went to colleges that cultivated rabid alumni, but having seen this 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, our graduates were amateurs. In fact, we didn't realize you could love college, or its title-winning basketball team, so much. But a CarDomain forum member called "QuMongous" loves him some University of North Carolina Tarheels, and put his car in the game to prove it. Argyle pinstripes, his school's logo on the door, a hand-painted mascot on the rear quarters, and massive blue Dubs with UNC center caps have made this muscle car a tailgating hero. And wait until you see the back window.

Day-um. That's all we have to say. Follow the jump to see a walkaround of the car. And to you Tarheels players, you owe this guy another championship.

[Source: Tampa Sports Car Examiner]

Continue reading VIDEO: 2010 Camaro UNC Tarheels Edition is for diehards only

VIDEO: 2010 Camaro UNC Tarheels Edition is for diehards only originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2010 camaro2010 chevrolet camaro2010 chevrolet corvette grand sport2010 chevy2010 chevy camaro2010Camaro2010ChevroletCamaro2010ChevroletCorvetteGrandSport2010Chevy2010ChevyCamarochevroletChevrolet CamaroChevroletCamarochevyChevy CamaroChevyCamarogo heelsGoHeelstarheelsUNCUNC tarheelsUncTarheelsUniversity of North CarolinaUniversityOfNorthCarolinavideoMon, 07 Dec 2009 16:55:00 EST<![CDATA[REPORT: Minicar, EV on the way from Opel]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/report-minicar-ev-on-the-way-from-opel/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/report-minicar-ev-on-the-way-from-opel/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/report-minicar-ev-on-the-way-from-opel/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



General Motors has declared that Opel needs a minicar, a tiny little thing that can compete with runabouts like the Ford Ka and Peugeot 107. That's a fine sentiment here at the starting line, but to get to the finish GM will need to keep Opel running smoothly, get its Spark firing quickly (if indeed it aims to use that as an Opel), and lure some eyeballs away from the two dozen minicars currently in the segment and the ones on the way from the likes of Volkswagen and Toyota.

Opel showed off the Trixx Concept (pictured) five years ago, but it was left out back to die in favor of the Spark. Five years on, the Spark hasn't arrived, meanwhile the Ford Ka has solidified its position with 500,000 sales in the UK alone over the last 13 years, the equally cheap and cuter-than-kittens Fiat 500 is still winning awards and stealing hearts and the VW Up! is banging drums.

When Magna was going to purchase Opel it said it would have a minicar for the brand by 2012. GM gave no timeline for its arrival, but did say that it was also looking at battery-powered electric cars -- possibly an electric Spark with the help of Reva? Whatever it is -- as long as it's good -- it can't come too soon.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

REPORT: Minicar, EV on the way from Opel originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chevroletChevrolet SparkChevroletSparkchevy sparkChevySparkgeneral motorsGeneralMotorsgmNick ReillyNickReillyopelMon, 07 Dec 2009 16:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Autotechnik + Tuning brings the rain with its Thunderstorm BMW M3]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/autotechnik-tuning-brings-the-rain-with-its-thunderstorm-bmw-m/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/autotechnik-tuning-brings-the-rain-with-its-thunderstorm-bmw-m/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/autotechnik-tuning-brings-the-rain-with-its-thunderstorm-bmw-m/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Autotechnik + Tuning Thunderstorm BMW M3 -- Click above for image gallery

Autotechnik + Tuning has done a job on the BMW M3, but if you don't look closely, you might miss it. Echoing a sentiment we love, they declare "At first glance you cannot estimate the scope of retrofitting." However, while we appreciate their tuning philosophy, we're not so sure about their tuning math.

ATT adds a supercharger and remaps the engine software, all of which bumps the M3's horsey count from 414 to a nice, round 500. To get that bad boy in your engine bay will cost you a tear-shedding €11,749 ($17,455 U.S.). But that's not all: a new exhaust, KW coilovers, and ATT-TEC Le Mans wheels on 20-inch rubber will add more than €7,000 ($10,399 U.S.) to the line at the bottom of the invoice. Those are the kind of numbers that'll give you a concussion, especially when we're talking about an 86-horsepower improvement.

Either way, you can read about it in ATT's own words in the presser after the jump, or check it out in the gallery of photos below, and if nothing else, at least that's free.


Gallery: Autotechnik Tuning Thunderstorm BMW M3


[Source: Autotechnik + Tuning]

Continue reading Autotechnik + Tuning brings the rain with its Thunderstorm BMW M3

Autotechnik + Tuning brings the rain with its Thunderstorm BMW M3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2010 BMW2010 BMW M32010Bmw2010BmwM3aftermarketATT-TECautotechnikautotechnik tuningAutotechnik Tuningbmwbmw m3BmwM3m3tuner carTunerCartuningMon, 07 Dec 2009 13:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Chevy Volt: The Song]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/chevy-volt-the-song/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/chevy-volt-the-song/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/chevy-volt-the-song/#comments
Chevy Volt and Me song -- Click above to watch the video

The Kraft company recently held a competition inviting the public to name its new Vegemite cream cheese spinoff. The name that won, and made it to shelves, was "iSnack 2.0." Really. It took one day of public cacophony to encourage Kraft to change the name to "Cheesybite," but we hear you can still find jars of iSnack 2.0 if you're inclined. Why do we bring this up? Because sometimes we wonder what insights marketers are using to make product roll-out decisions.

And what's that got to do with the Chevy Volt? The Chevy Volt's new theme song, Chevy Volt and Me. In this case, we know what the thought process was. Said the Volt's director of global marketing,

Our goal is to craft that education [about the Volt] in a manner that is family friendly (as it should be because we are America's original mass /heart brand), entertaining and simple to understand for a rather sophisticated product.

A Volt song helps us to achieve those objectives. 'Chevy Volt and Me' explains what Volt is all about as a better EV in simple friendly terms.

All right then. So it ain't Eye of the Tiger or Diesel Power, but it is catchy. Fast-paced, too, so you better pay attention because there's a lot in it. Follow the jump to watch a video of the Volt's gestation, made by the folks at the GM Volt site and set to the new tune. We dare you to listen to it once and not find yourself humming for the rest of the day, "It's so simple like a dimple plug it in and see."

[Source: GM-Volt.com]

Continue reading Chevy Volt: The Song

Chevy Volt: The Song originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011 chevrolet volt2011 chevy volt2011 volkswagen touareg2011ChevroletVolt2011ChevyVolt2011VolkswagenTouaregchevroletChevrolet VoltChevroletVoltchevy voltChevyVoltmarketingvideovoltMon, 07 Dec 2009 12:32:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: TN Senator Corker's daughter carjacked, suspects apprehended via OnStar]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/video-tn-senator-corkers-daughter-carjacked-suspects-apprehen/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/video-tn-senator-corkers-daughter-carjacked-suspects-apprehen/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/video-tn-senator-corkers-daughter-carjacked-suspects-apprehen/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Senator Corker praises OnStar -- Click above to watch the video

Tennessee Senator Bob Corker had this opinion of OnStar a month ago: "Each month I get the bill for OnStar and [I think], 'I don't want to pay this again.'" Then his daughter Julia was carjacked in Washington D.C. last week driving his Chevrolet Tahoe, and having been yanked out of the car by her throat, she was left lying in the street.

Thankfully, Corker's daughter was all right, and she was able to call her father who was nearby. She also remembered that the vehicle as equipped with General Motors' OnStar system, and within an hour, the service had notified the D.C. police that the Tahoe was parked at a Taco Bell seven miles away in Maryland. Corker said that the carjacking happened about 9:15 pm, and by midnight the suspects had been identified and he was headed back home with his daughter.

His opinion of OnStar now: "this is an incredible service." Follow through to the jump to hear about the ordeal in Corker's words (the OnStar talk begins at about 2:15), or check out CNN for the nitty gritty details. And for proof of the extent of Southern politesse, Corker begins the tale with "A gentleman appeared, opened the door, grabbed her by the neck... and he threw her on the pavement and drove away." A "gentleman?" Hat tip to Berto!

[Sources: Politico; CNN]

Continue reading VIDEO: TN Senator Corker's daughter carjacked, suspects apprehended via OnStar

VIDEO: TN Senator Corker's daughter carjacked, suspects apprehended via OnStar originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bob corkerBobCorkercarjackcarjackingcorkeretcgovernmentonstarsenator bob corkersenator corkerSenatorBobCorkerSenatorCorkervideoMon, 07 Dec 2009 09:29:00 EST<![CDATA[REUTERS: China's BAIC secures $2.1B line of credit... is it for Saab?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/06/reuters-chinas-baic-secures-2-1b-line-of-credit-is-it-for/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/06/reuters-chinas-baic-secures-2-1b-line-of-credit-is-it-for/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/06/reuters-chinas-baic-secures-2-1b-line-of-credit-is-it-for/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation (BAIC) could still be in the game for Saab, having secured a $2.93 billion line of credit from the Bank of China. On the other hand, BAIC could just be gearing up for its own home-grown expansion plans, with an eye on ramping up production and putting financial and technological legs underneath its partnerships with Mercedes and Hyundai.

Or... it could be doing both: trying to buy Saab and as well as remodel its business. The deal for Saab between GM and Koenigsegg was for about $1 billion: the European Investment Bank approved a loan for $615 million, and BAIC provided about $400 million by buying a minority stake in the Koenigsegg Group. If BAIC did its own deal with GM for that same amount -- although we have a feeling they could get a Christmas discount -- that would leave nearly $2 billion for BAIC to take care of Saab and invest in its own operations.

This is, of course, pure speculation -- BAIC could have something else in mind entirely. All we know right now is that they've got a lotta yuan just sitting around waiting to be spent, and aborted plans to build the new 9-5 in China. This Saab story isn't finished yet...

[Source: Reuters]

REUTERS: China's BAIC secures $2.1B line of credit... is it for Saab? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Dec 2009 12:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baicBeijing Automotive Industry CorpBeijingAutomotiveIndustryCorpchinafinancialsgeneral motorsGeneralMotorsgmkoenigseggsaabSun, 06 Dec 2009 12:37:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: STR8 Weird: Euro cologne TV spot sounds like Mopar, looks like Chevy, but mostly stinks]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/05/video-str8-weird-european-cologne-commercial-sounds-like-mopar/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/05/video-str8-weird-european-cologne-commercial-sounds-like-mopar/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/05/video-str8-weird-european-cologne-commercial-sounds-like-mopar/#commentsFiled under: , ,

STR8 Cologne TV commercial
STR8 Challenger cologne TV commercial -- Click above to watch the video

According to one of the YouTube commenters for the STR8 Challenger cologne commercial embedded after the jump, it was made for Polish television. Which , of course, makes perfect sense, since the whole thing's in English. Regardless, the ad features Captain Generic Macho driving a Chevy Camaro, which gradually transforms into a giant robot tsunami of cologne that deposits him into the arms of Random Desert Babe. Frankly, "STR8 Challenger" sounds a lot more more like a certain Mopar than some quasi pheromone for European dudes. Check out the video after the jump to see how you too can have it "STR8 My Way." Or, at least, smell like you do. Or something. Hat tip to our man in Poland, Rafal!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: STR8 Weird: Euro cologne TV spot sounds like Mopar, looks like Chevy, but mostly stinks

VIDEO: STR8 Weird: Euro cologne TV spot sounds like Mopar, looks like Chevy, but mostly stinks originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertisingcamarocolognecommercialpolandvideoyoutubeSat, 05 Dec 2009 19:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Umlautfest: Kimi Räikkönen signs with Citroën Red Bull rally team]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/05/kimi-raikkonen-signs-with-citroen-red-bull-rally-team/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/05/kimi-raikkonen-signs-with-citroen-red-bull-rally-team/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/05/kimi-raikkonen-signs-with-citroen-red-bull-rally-team/#commentsFiled under: ,



Kimi Räikkönen is now a WRC driver. The Flying Finn will pilot one of two Citroën CR4 Junior Team cars with Kaj Lindström as his co-driver. It's been in the works for a while, and from the sounds of it, no one appears to have any doubts that Raikkonen will do well there. Team boss Olivier Quesnel rates the ex-Ferrari pilot highly, saying, "What he did there in a S2000 was amazing," when speaking of Kimi's run in an Abarth in a Finnish rally earlier this year.

Even 2003 WRC title winner Petter Solberg puts Kimi in with a shout, commenting, "If he's in a decent World Rally Car next season I think he could finish between third and fifth on some rallies." This will put four Citroën cars in next year's Championship, with returning title winners Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, Dani Sordo and Marc Marti, plus the junior cars of Räikkönen/Lindström and Sébastien Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia. You can check out Citroën's official release after the jump.

[Source: Citroën]

Continue reading Umlautfest: Kimi Räikkönen signs with Citroën Red Bull rally team

Umlautfest: Kimi Räikkönen signs with Citroën Red Bull rally team originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>citroenkimi raikkonenKimiRaikkonenmotorsportsworld rally championshipWorldRallyChampionshipwrcSat, 05 Dec 2009 15:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Royal Scam? UK license plate "D1ANA" expected to fetch £100,000 at COYS auction]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/royal-scam-uk-license-plate-d1ana-expected-to-fetch-100-000/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/royal-scam-uk-license-plate-d1ana-expected-to-fetch-100-000/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/royal-scam-uk-license-plate-d1ana-expected-to-fetch-100-000/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Coys of Kensington will be hosting a True Greats auction on December 1, and among the items for sale will be an MG service manual (Lot 1), a Corvette poster (Lot 61), and some pre-WWII driving gauntlets (Lot 81). Oh, and there'll also be the matter of Lot 142, a number plate reading "D1ANA" expected to pull down £100,000. That's $164,174 to us here in the American system.

That's no small beer, certainly, yet while it might appear to be impressive, other less obviously impressive number plates have recently been fetching ridiculous amounts: aside from the UK tuner who bought the "F 1" plate for $870,000, earlier this year a gent - also in the UK - bought "1 D" for $513,000. And it's not just our British pals in that game: "D1ANA" is far less fetching than the number "6," which was bought by a Delaware man for $675,000. So there.

The preliminary viewing was today, but it's not too late to get in on the auction. Follow the jump for the press release, and get your pounds and pence ready.

[Source: Coys]

Continue reading Royal Scam? UK license plate "D1ANA" expected to fetch £100,000 at COYS auction

Royal Scam? UK license plate "D1ANA" expected to fetch £100,000 at COYS auction originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>englandeuropelicense platelicense plate auctionLicensePlateLicensePlateAuctionnumber plateNumberPlateprincess dianaPrincessDianaukTue, 01 Dec 2009 18:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Spy Shots: BMW M3 caught with new LED taillamps]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/spy-shots-bmw-m3-caught-with-new-led-taillamps/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/spy-shots-bmw-m3-caught-with-new-led-taillamps/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/spy-shots-bmw-m3-caught-with-new-led-taillamps/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

2010 BMW M3 -- Click above for image gallery

Just a couple of years into its run, this is your slightly revised BMW M3, free of camo save for the taillights. The photog on the scene said there is nothing we should expect from the next Munich mauler save for new LED lamps in back and an updated interior. We speculate that cabin changes will include upgraded materials and lines that bring it closer to its recently unveiled siblings higher up the food chain. And that should be enough to keep everyone happy while BMW and M3 mavens focus on the M3 GTS.


Gallery: BMW M3 caught with new LED taillamps


[Source: CarPix]

Spy Shots: BMW M3 caught with new LED taillamps originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2010 bmw2010 bmw m32010 m32010Bmw2010BmwM32010M3bmwbmw m3BmwM3m3spy picsspy shotsSpyPicsSpyShotsTue, 01 Dec 2009 10:59:00 EST<![CDATA[The Amatoya: Meet the next generation of fire fighting vehicles]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/the-amatoya-meet-the-next-generation-of-fire-fighting-vehicles/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/the-amatoya-meet-the-next-generation-of-fire-fighting-vehicles/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/the-amatoya-meet-the-next-generation-of-fire-fighting-vehicles/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Amatoya Reconnaissance and Suppression Vehicle - Click above for image gallery

Designer Liam Ferguson's vision of how to fight fires almost makes us wish we were firemen - as long as we could have the keys to one of these. The Amatoya is a site recon and light tanker vehicle designed with a philosophy much more military than civilian. The seating position is like that of a AH-1 Cobra gunship, with the co-pilot up and behind the driver. The Amatoya is built on a monococque steel body, like armed forces MRAPs, insulated with NASA's aerogel, and painted with "military grade sacrificial thermo ceramic intumescent paints."

The Remotely Operated Suppression Cannon Outfit (ROSCO) can has a 2,200-liter (581 gallons) total water capacity, all the better for the fact that the crew members don't need to leave the vehicle to employ it. Nor should they have much problem getting to the fire, with absurd clearances all around, directional spotlights, and a thermal imaging camera. The only weak point would appear to be the rubber tires, which would melt long before the Space-Shuttle-worthy body would.

Still, we'd take one in a second. Take a peek at it yourself in the gallery of photos below.


Gallery: Amatoya Reconnaissance and Suppression Vehicle


[Source: Yanko Design]

The Amatoya: Meet the next generation of fire fighting vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amatoyaconceptfirefightingliam fergusonLiamFergusonyanko designYankoDesignTue, 01 Dec 2009 10:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Push Me, Pull You: R&T investigates the comings and goings of gear changes]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/push-me-pull-you-randt-investigates-the-comings-and-goings-of-ge/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/push-me-pull-you-randt-investigates-the-comings-and-goings-of-ge/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/push-me-pull-you-randt-investigates-the-comings-and-goings-of-ge/#commentsFiled under:



When it isn't unusual to get into five or six different cars a month, you realize you spend a lot of time figuring out how, and how many ways, one can shift the gears in an automatic or double-clutch car. Where is the shifter? How many settings does the shifter have? How do I get into manual shift mode? Once there, how does it work? Are there paddle shifters as well? Do the paddle shifters move with the wheel or not? And so on...

Road & Track surveyed a number of automakers about how they set up their manual shifting modes. Some require you to push the lever forward to upshift, while for others that's a downshift, and a couple demand you move the lever side-to-side. The 13 makers examined all have their reasons, the loose consensus being that the forward-for-downshift bunch is modeled after driving dynamics, the forward-for-upshift bunch based on intuitiveness and customer feedback.

At least two makers have two cars that use different shifting methods. And if not for Subaru, Audi, and Porsche there'd be a nice way to classify the forward-for-upshift crowd as being for buyers who aren't into sporting driving. As far as we're concerned, forward should be for downshifts, and single-function paddles should be mounted on the wheel, not the column. But you can tell us what you think in the comments.

[Source: Road & Track]

Push Me, Pull You: R&T investigates the comings and goings of gear changes originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gearboxManual TransmissionManualTransmissionroad and trackRoadAndTrackshiftingtransmissionTue, 01 Dec 2009 08:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Global search reportedly on to find successor for Ratan Tata]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/needs-image-global-search-reportedly-on-to-find-successor-for/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/needs-image-global-search-reportedly-on-to-find-successor-for/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/needs-image-global-search-reportedly-on-to-find-successor-for/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Three years ago the retirement age for Tata's holding company was upped to 75. Although Ratan Tata is only 71, there is no obvious successor to take his place at the head of India's global conglomerate, so the search has begun for the leader of the next act.

Whoever that person is will take the conductor's baton and guide an orchestra of 98 companies and 357,000 workers. He or she will also need to deal with the twin anchors of Jaguar-Land Rover debt and Corus Steel debt, both of which were brought on by economic freefall after top-of-the-market acquisitions.

At this point it looks like the CEO spot will be taken by someone outside the Tata family for only the second time in the history of the company. And while Ratan Tata has said "It would certainly be easier if [my successor] were an Indian national," he is open to filling the position with a foreigner. The company has three years to conclude, with Tata expected to step down in 2012.

[Source: Times Online | Photo: INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images]

Global search reportedly on to find successor for Ratan Tata originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ratan tataRatanTataretirementtatatata ceoTataCeoTue, 01 Dec 2009 07:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Essen 2009: 1,050-hp 1956 Mercedes Gullwing drag car]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/essen-2009-1-050-hp-1956-mercedes-gullwing-drag-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/essen-2009-1-050-hp-1956-mercedes-gullwing-drag-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/essen-2009-1-050-hp-1956-mercedes-gullwing-drag-car/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Gullwing dragster - Click above for high-res image gallery

This ungainly little creature had an area all to itself at this year's Essen Motor Show. Built over four years by Swiss drag racer Stefan Winter - who is a roofer by trade - the most important thing to say is this: Winter did not mangle a genuine 1956 Mercedes 300 SL to create this beast, and we can thank all the gods that be for that. He copied the body in fiberglass and placed it over a tube chassis, hiding a small block Chevy in front that's been bored out to 422 cubic inches.

With modified pistons, crankshaft, cylinder heads, and a bit more black-art-ness, the gullwinged monster puts 1,050 horsepower to the ground through a 3-speed transmission and rear tires 15 inches across. The 1/4-mile rolls off in 8.1 seconds at 166 mph. If nothing else, at that speed he shouldn't have any problem with keeping the car's interior cool, a problem the originals were known for...


Gallery: Essen 2009: Mercedes Gullwing Dragster


[Source: Das Auto Blog (translated) via Autoblog.nl]

Essen 2009: 1,050-hp 1956 Mercedes Gullwing drag car originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>300 SL Gullwing300SL300SL Gullwing300slGullwingdrag racingDragRacingessen 2009essen motor showEssen2009EssenMotorShowgullwingmotorsportsMon, 30 Nov 2009 19:28:00 EST<![CDATA[REPORT: Renault and Russia come to agreement on AvtoVAZ]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/needs-image-report-renault-and-russia-come-to-agreement-on-a/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/needs-image-report-renault-and-russia-come-to-agreement-on-a/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/needs-image-report-renault-and-russia-come-to-agreement-on-a/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Renault has found a way to appease Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin that didn't involve writing a check for $850 million. The French company took a 25% stake in Russian carmaker Avtovaz, and when Avtovaz started having a hard time of it earlier this year Renault looked content to see how things turned out. Putin wasn't: he told Carlos Ghosn to inject cash into Avtovaz, or Putin would dilute Renault's stake with a share sale.

Things retreated from the cliff when Renault promised technology to Avtovaz, in return for which Russia would put 50 billion rubes ($1.7 billion U.S.) into the company. Renault's technology share is valued at €240 million ($358 million U.S.). The know-how could be of greater assistance to both companies than if Renault had contributed cash: Avotvaz gets something it can build on long term, and Renault doesn't have to throw good rubles after bad.

Avtovaz is nowhere near rescued, however. The company remains loaded with debt, making it difficult to finance its restructuring, and sales of its primary vehicle, Lada, haven't rebounded. And to hear Putin tell it, he could be knocking on Renault's door again soon.

[Source: Bloomberg | Photo: PIERRE VERDY/AFP/Getty Images]

REPORT: Renault and Russia come to agreement on AvtoVAZ originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avtovazcarlos ghosnCarlosGhosnvladimir putinVladimirPutinMon, 30 Nov 2009 13:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Production Nissan Qazana will bring new era of design, love it or hate it reaction]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/report-production-nissan-qazana-bringing-new-era-of-design-lov/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/report-production-nissan-qazana-bringing-new-era-of-design-lov/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/report-production-nissan-qazana-bringing-new-era-of-design-lov/#commentsFiled under: ,

2012 Nissan Qazana - Click above for high-res image gallery

By this point in the year it's not as easy to find worthy entries for Understatement of the Year - there is just so much competition - but a comment made about the Nissan Qazana certainly qualifies: a Nissan insider told UK-based Autocar that the gelatinous crossover "will split opinion."

And not only will you get your chance to buy one in 2012, statements by Nissan indicate that you'll have your chance to buy other cars that also look like it. Nissan's customer research appears to have also given the company every reason for believing "it will be a success," and that this will give the brand "a more attractive and emotional appeal in the future."

Nissan hasn't said what Qazana design features might be seen on other cars, and we don't know if we're ready to even think about that possibility. Europeans have three years to get ready for it, and we in the States have that time to prepare for an Altima that looks like Admiral Ackbar.


Gallery: Geneva 2009: Nissan Qazana


Photos copyright (C)2009 Chris Paukert / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Autocar]

Production Nissan Qazana will bring new era of design, love it or hate it reaction originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 nissan2012 nissan qazana2012 qazana2012Nissan2012NissanQazana2012Qazanacrossoverdesignnissan qazanaNissanQazanaqazanaMon, 30 Nov 2009 08:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Canadian GP back on F1 calendar through 2014]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/canadian-gp-back-on-f1-calendar-through-2014/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/canadian-gp-back-on-f1-calendar-through-2014/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/canadian-gp-back-on-f1-calendar-through-2014/#commentsFiled under: ,

Canadian GP

It's official, Formula 1 and Montreal are in love again. Bernie Ecclestone's supersonic price increases in 2008 drove the Canadian venue (and North America entirely) off the map in 2009. It was the first time in three decades that the F1 club didn't visit Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, and by the end of this summer, everyone was highly motivated to get it back.

When Ecclestone's original demand of $175 million Canadian ($165M U.S.) over five years became $75 million Canadian, ($71M U.S.), the Montreal, Quebec, and Canadian governments got together to split the cost three ways. When the government's commitment to spend such an amount on a sporting event was questioned, Quebec's minister of finance replied that the GP will cost Quebec $4 million but return $10 million to its coffers alone. On top of that, Ecclestone promised them 30% of ticket sales every year, which, for a hugely popular grand prix, should be a substantial number. Vive le Montreal GP and June 13, 2010! Thanks to everyone who submitted tips

[Source: F1 Live | Photo credit: Vinod Sankar via CC2.0]

Canadian GP back on F1 calendar through 2014 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bernie ecclestoneBernieEcclestoneformula 1formula oneFormula1FormulaOnegpmontrealmontreal grand prixMontrealGrandPrixquebecSun, 29 Nov 2009 19:18:00 EST