Above: The first official photo of the 2007 Lincoln Aviator.

Below: Lincoln Aviator Concept from the 2004 Detroit show.

Not surprisingly, the production version lost the cool rear gate execution from the concept; but fortunately, its sleek overall profile has been retained. No matter how you look at it, the '07 Aviator is a big improvement over the current baby Navigator...and the changes goes far beyond cosmetic - the new Aviator will be largely based on the Mazda 6 whereas the old Aviator was pretty much a Explorer underneath. This car-based Lincoln midsize SUV will be powered by a twin-cam 3.5L V6 that pumps out 250 bhp and mated to 6-speed auto tranny. Can this new Aviator give the Lexus RX330 a run for its money? Will Lincoln add a hybrid version to the line-up? Only time will tell...

2007 Lincoln Aviator vs. 2004 Aviator Concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Oct 2005 13:30:46 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

GM is planning a big show for SEMA: it will be coming to the party with tricked-out versions of the Hummer H3, Chevy HHR and Cobalt, Saturn Sky and Ion, Pontiac G6, and this race-inspired Pontiac Solstice named "Weekend Club Racer". Built by GM Performance Division, this special Solstice features a removable hardtop that drew inspiration from the Viper, an aggressive body kit, and of course, an oversized spoiler. There's not yet any information on what goes on under the hood of this little beast, but stay tuned, as we'll bring you more details when our SEMA coverage begins.

SEMA Debut -- Pontiac Solstice Weekend Club Racer originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Oct 2005 07:30:18 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you are a fan of the Audi Shooting Brake Concept, you've gotta check out its new microsite - an up-close look at the stunning concept featuring some innovative flash navigation (albeit a bit confusing at times). And of course, they've got a bunch of wallpapers and a screensaver ready for download. Enjoy.

Audi Shooting Brake Concept Microsite originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Oct 2005 13:00:27 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With gas prices as high as they are nowadays, more and more Americans are starting to consider hybrids as an option for their next car purchase. And if you want a Prius, better get your order in now and be prepared for the wait - according to ToMoCo, the waiting list in the U.S. has gone from two months in September to three to four months in October. Rest assured, the debate over the validity of hybrids will be raging all the while you wait for yours.

Want a Prius? -- Get ready for the wait originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Oct 2005 11:30:05 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Note: there are only about 24 shorts right now, with more being added in the days to come.

2006 Passat -- 120 Feature Films originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 15 Oct 2005 11:00:50 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

OK. No more beating around the bushes. It's official. ToMoCo has confirmed those 500+ horses in the Lexus LF-A supercar will come from a V10. When the concept debuted in January's Detroit show, Lexus was very secretive about what type of engine will power the 200+ mph supercar, only going as far as saying it will be an engine "with fewer than 5.0 liters". Now, 10 months later, Lexus confirmed that the LF-A will be powered by a front-mounted V10 and will be rear-drive. It's likely Honda's announcement of its V10 powered next-gen NSX influenced Toyota's decision to green-light the V10 for the LF-A, or perhaps it was due to Nissan's 2007 GT-R plans...who cares, just let the Japanese supercar war begin.

Lexus LF-A gets V10 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Oct 2005 08:00:58 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Are minivans, pardon me, MPVs making a come-back? If you believe in J-cool, then the answer is YES.

We've already shown you Suzuki's funky P.X concept, and now, Nissan is joining in with their own cool MPV concept - Amenio. To be shown at the upcoming Tokyo show, Amenio hints toward what the next-gen Quest might look like. True, those 20-inch rims probably won't make it to production, but maybe those cool lounge chairs and that real skylight will. The coolest part of this concept, however, is the 18-inch ultra-wide monitor in the center of the IP that displays in 3 modes:

• City Browsing - showing various points of interest along the way as you drive

• Earth Browsing - looking down from outer space at cars traveling on earth

• Space Browsing - displays star constellations where the Amenio is heading

Sure, Earth and Space modes are probably not terribly useful, but they are so f**king cool. And oh ya, Amenio also comes equipped with the Around View Monitor that eliminates blind spots. Who knows, maybe Chili Palmer will drive one of these in the next Get Shorty sequel.

More pics after the jump...

Continue reading Nissan Amenio Concept

Nissan Amenio Concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 09 Oct 2005 14:00:31 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There's no question Porsche had a great year. How great? Well, just ask any of its 11,700 employees how they feel about their $3,900 bonuses. That's right. Porsche will be distributing a total of $45 million in bonuses this year thanks to a banner year where in which it sold 40,000 Cayennes, 24,000 911s and 13,000 Boxters. And with its product lineup expanding, it sure is a good time to be working at Porsche.

Porsche to hand out big bonuses originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 08 Oct 2005 15:00:35 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I had to change a tire recently after discovering a big nail stuck to the sidewall of my front passenger tire. Jacking up the car and loosening those tight lugs under the hot SoCal sun worked up a good sweat for me. If you'd rather do without the exercise and not having to change your shirt before heading back to the office, here is a handy tool to have: the Superjack Tire Changing Kit. The $149.95 kit comes with a remote-controlled jack that can lift up to 2 tons of vehicle six inches off the ground.  And you also get EZ Lug, which has a 32:1 crank ratio to loosen those tight lugs with ease.

Thanks MKS for the tip.

Superjack Tire Changing Kit originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 08 Oct 2005 11:00:14 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There is no doubt the 2006 Zephyr is a very important car for Lincoln. And to make sure it gets the proper attention, Lincoln is launching an innovative advertising campaign called "walking ads". These street-level motion picture ads are 60-foot-long sequence of high-res images that appears as 15-sec motion pictures from the viewpoint of pedestrians walking by. The company responsible for this campaign, Submedia, has been selling these modern-day zoetrope ads in subway tunnels in NY, Atlanta and Philly since 2001. In fact, GM used them when they launched the H3 Hummer in June.

Lincoln to launch "walking ads" for Zephyr originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 Oct 2005 11:00:05 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Last month, VW announced the switching of posts between the then VW North America head Len Hunt and Bentley's numero uno Adrian Hallmark. Apparently unhappy with sagging sales in the U.S. market, Wolfsburg decided to bring in Hallmark to turn things around.

Now, less than a month after the announcement, out comes the news that Len Hunt has resigned from Volkswagen AG for good. VW did not provide any details on Len's departure other than the standard "left to pursue outside business opportunities"...but it makes you wonder if Len "True Brit" Hunt just couldn't swallow being replaced by the 7-years-younger Adrian Hallmark. What will happen next? Nobody knows...but we'll be watching.

Warning: Subscription required to view the linking article.

Len Hunt Leaves VW originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 06 Oct 2005 18:30:48 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Let me say this again...Suzuki will NOT be ignored.

In addition to the P.X concept, Suzuki will also be showing this sleek MPV concept called Ionis at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show.

The 134 in. long MPV is a super-green fuel cell vehicle with an electric motor driving its front wheels and features an interior that's all show-car. The most eye-catching part of this concept is probably its trick exterior shell designed to emulate the flow of water and changes color to lighting conditions.

Interior pic after the jump...

Continue reading Suzuki Ionis Concept

Suzuki Ionis Concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 01 Oct 2005 07:00:03 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Suzuki will not be ignored.

At the Tokyo Motor Show later this month, Suzuki will unveil a funky minivan (never thought I'd use those two words in the same sentence) called P.X.

Designed for mid-aged Japanese men tired of the routines of everyday life (ever see that movie "Shall we dance?" - no, not the Hollywood knock-off with J. Lo, the Japanese original), P.X 's Bauhaus inspired exterior styling is retro-futurism applied to the classic Airstream trailer, and its interior is equally cool, with retro styling cues abound wrapped in white leather and blue electroluminescent lighting. And yes, those are 20 in. rims on this minivan - or shall we say, G-G-G-G-G-G-GEEE-WAGON.

More pics after the jump...

Continue reading Suzuki P.X Concept

Suzuki P.X Concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 01 Oct 2005 06:00:57 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Bank Robber Caught after Ditching Car near Police K9 Compound originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Sep 2005 19:00:19 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

You might remember this Kia KCV III concept from the 2004 Detroit Auto Show, and if Mr. Peter Butterfield, president/CEO of Kia Motors America gets his way, a version of this roadster might just show up on U.S. roads.

It seems Mr. Butterfield has been watching the overwhelming success of the Solstice, and wants desperately for Kia to get in the game with its own sporty sub-$20K roadster. While no such vehicle has been approved yet, it certainly has not stopped him from talking to WardsAuto about it...which is where it gets interesting. In an interview with WardsAuto, PB (sorry, couldn't resist) indicated the car would be VERY stripped - manual top, no radio, no carpet, and maybe not even windows. HUH? No radio and no window? Now, THAT is taking the term "stripped" to a new level. 

Kia Roadster? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Sep 2005 16:30:27 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

GermanCarBlog is one of the blogs that we frequent, for two reasons: 1. we love German cars; 2. we don't speak German. Luckily, Christian does and we find his blog to be a great source of late-breaking German car stories. The latest one to catch our attention is Auto Motor und Sport's article about the 2008 Scirocco. The old Scirocco was a cool ride in its time and judging from this rendering, the successor looks very promising. The Golf-based 2+2 will get a supercharged 1.4L engine that pumps out 170 horses and will start around 20,000 euro.

Next-gen Scirocco originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Sep 2005 15:00:17 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Earlier this month, we told you about GM's plan to use Sharp's dual-view LCD display technology on its navigation systems. But it appears ToMoCo has beat GM to the punch. Toyota unveiled its dual-purpose navigation/entertainment unit on the Alphard - a minivan sold in Asian markets. The system allows the driver to look at the navigation while the passenger watches a DVD at the same time. Frankly, we can care less who offered it first, it's just such a cool gadget we can't wait til it becomes adopted as an industry standard.

Toyota Introduces Dual-View Navi originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Sep 2005 13:30:21 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Tired of the same old black or yellow Hummers? No problemo. GM just released the 2006 Limited Edition Pacific Blue H2, available in both SUV and SUT form. Sure, Pacific Blue sounds pretty cool, but we think the blue is actually closer to blue M&M's rather than the Pacific Ocean. In any case, the paint job will definitely make you stand out alright, as if you are not already getting enough attention at the gas pump. Can I have mine in lime green, please?

Pacific Blue Hummer H2 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Sep 2005 11:00:38 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Talk about timing. The annual World Car Free Day kicked off on September 22nd as millions of Texans got on the road in their CARS to escape from the wrath of Hurricane Rita. The event, which promotes alternatives to car dependence and automobile-based planning, drew harsh criticism from opponents stating "it's not a day to celebrate" and noting that "lack of access to cars can be deadly - as demonstrated by the experience of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina." We at Autoblog could not even imagine a world without cars, our favorite object of fascination... I mean, what would we write about? On the other hand, had our cities been built with more efficient public transportation, perhaps an exodous like the one caused by Rita wouldn't turn into such a traffic nightmare and those without cars could evacuate safely as well.

What to do in a world without cars to escape from hurricanes? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Sep 2005 20:00:16 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Forbes ranks 2005's 10 most expensive street-legal production cars in the world, and here they are in order of price (highest base price in the world as many command a higher price in Europe than in the U.S.):

1. Saleen S7 Twin Turbo - $670,384 (Europe)

2. Pagani Zonda C12S 7.3 Convertible - $598,025 (Global)

3. Koenigsegg CCR - $562,659 (Global)

4. Koenigsegg CC8S - $522,120 (Global)

5. Porsche Carrera GT - $484,151 (Europe)

6. Maybach 62 - $457,991 (Europe)

7. Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren - $456,526 (Europe)

8. Maybach 57 - $389,226 (Europe)

9. Rolls-Royce Phantom - $328,750 (Global)

10. Spyker C8 Double 12 S - $325,560 (Global)

10 Most Expensive Cars in the World originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Sep 2005 14:00:42 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.