AutoblogGreen discovered two unusual cross-country trips yesterday. In one, called WillieRun, the drivers plan to use just one* tank of biodiesel to go from NYC to LA. The other will see a wood-burning Dodge truck go there and back again. These trips both take place next month. What are you doing in September?
From the beginning, the Nissan GT-R's performance figures seemed too good to be true. Weighing in at over 3,800 pounds and packing a claimed 480 hp, the 3.5-second sprint to 60 and 11.8-second quarter-mile time just didn't add up. And then the tests began...
Buff books and online outlets began publishing 0-60 runs between 3.2 and 3.4 seconds, and quarter-mile times began dropping quicker than a co-ed's IQ on a nitrous binge. CARandDRIVER.com discovered a similar discrepancy between five different GT-Rs and finally decided to get some time on the dyno to get some real-world numbers.
InsideLine, no strangers to luxury, recently put the Hyundai Genesis up against the kind of competition the Korean automaker wants to be associated with: the Lexus GS 350. The GS 300 first came out in 1993 and had the luxury re-defining LS and ES for siblings; at the time, Hyundai was still making do with Excel, Sonata, and Scoupe, and parking any of them next to a Lexus would have laid bare the gulf. Now the marques are going head-to-head. This, ladies and gentlemen, is what we call progress.
Still, issues of cost -- and perception -- skew the comparison slightly. The V8 Hyundai goes up against a V6 Lexus, because adding two more cylinders to the Lexus would have meant a $12,000 difference. As it is, there's still almost $8,000 between them. And there's the fact that the Lexus and the Hyundai don't exactly compete with each other (we'd have thought an ES comparo would make more sense) in brief, either.
Nevertheless, it's not a bad bout, and it turns out to be one of the closest fights InsideLine has ever judged. The Lexus gets a win-by-a-nose for things like fit and finish and speed, while the Hyundai returns the favor in the highway performance and space issues. The flying H takes home the silverware by a mere two points, aided in part by the price advantage -- which, as far as Hyundai's concerned, is the point. Follow the link for the full story. Thanks for the tip, Charles!
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Honda NSX-R.
Honda's decision to only offer one Type-R model in the U.S. – the DC2 Integra – is still considered a crime among Hondaphiles. And of all the models that could have benefited from a serious performance injection later in life, the NSX was a prime candidate.
Thankfully, Spoon Sports, a long-time motorsport partner with Honda, will rectify the matter by converting left-hand-drive US-spec NSXs into NSX-Rs. The conversion involves a long list of modifications, including stiffer springs and shocks, larger anti-roll bars, forged 17-inch wheels, a shorter final-drive gear ratio, slotted brake rotors, flat underbody trays and a rear diffuser. Part of the NSX-R's appeal was a product of Honda's desire to keep weight in check, so in order to get as close to the JDM version's 2,800-pound curb weight, Spoon will replace the hood, rear spoiler and seats with carbon fiber pieces, fit a smaller battery, manually-adjustable mirrors, thinner rear window glass, lightweight carpets and will rip out all of the sound deadening material and replace the spare tire with a can of expanding goo.
Spoon hasn't released details on how much the conversion will cost or when it will begin taking orders, but if it has Honda's blessing on the project, expect to see the first few models on the road just ahead of the new NSX's launch in 2010.
Nissan's plans for an affordable, rear-wheel-drive coupe to slot in below the current Z have been rumored for years and we've been informed that internal politics have killed off at least one revival of an iconic Datsun. If work ever gets underway on another budget coupe, Nissan should seriously pursue Polish designer Iacoski and his interpretation of a 240Z/Fairlady revival.
Aft of the a-pillar, Iacoski's inspiration is clearly apparent, blending the old 240's slopping roofline and short rear overhangs with the muscular haunches and angled fender flares of the current 350Z. Up front, the Photoshop wizard retained the old Fairlady's elongated hood and power bulge, and matched them with a front air dam, bumper and headlamp arrangement influenced by the second GTR Proto concept.
We're totally smitten and think you'll be equally entertained when you check out the gallery of images below.
Saleen is primarily associated with its Mustang lineup, but the American tuner has been known to dabble in everything from mid-engine exotics to humble hatches. Back in 2004, they launched the N2O Focus, complete with a body kit, suspension upgrades, a sporty interior, and a 75-shot nitrous system (sorta). Saleen ended up selling only a handful of cars, and eventually resulted in a $700,000 fine from the California Air Resources Board for altering emissions control systems in the car. Despite the letdown of the N2O, Saleen is launching another version of the Focus, dubbed the RC2, under the budget-friendly Racecraft brand.
Based on the Ford Focus coupe, the RC2 features subtle exterior styling changes including a new front fascia, mesh grille, side skirts, rear spoiler, and 18-inch wheels. The suspension is upgraded with stiffer springs, shocks and larger sway bars, and larger brakes are fitted up front. Horsepower is bumped by approximately 15 with a dual-tipped exhaust system and cold air intake. Production will start in the first quarter of 2009 and will be relatively affordable at under $20,000. Will this next generation Saleen Focus have more success than the previous version? We think it's got a pretty good chance. Check out the galleries below to compare the Saleen N2O and RC2.
While there is a mad rush for automakers to make smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles for the U.S. market, many of the vehicles we crave are already available to European customers. Mercedes sells A- and B-Class vehicles were deemed too small for U.S. consumption. One product Mercedes doesn't have in either of its two biggest markets is a small crossover vehicle, but that could change in 2011.
Autocar is reporting that Mercedes is looking to rectify its small crossover position with the BLK, which will be positioned to take on the BMW X1 and Land Rover LRX. If Mercedes does build the BLK, it will likely be on an all-new FWD chassis that will also accommodate the next-gen A- and B-Class, as well as other like-sized models. The guys and gals on team Benz were looking to strike a deal with another automaker to platform share, but talks apparently came up empty. Mercedes is still looking to partner up with BMW on engine development, which would help drastically reduce engineering and development costs. BLK engine choices are rumored to be between 1.6- and 2.2-liters, with direct injection gasoline and diesel variants.
With a 510 hp V12 under-hood, you wouldn't need any extra motivation to buy an Aston Martin DBS, but the James Bond factor certainly doesn't hurt. So if you're going to be driving 007's ride, you're going to need a Bond-esque watch to go with it. While 007 sports an Omega, Aston Martin's official timekeeper has come out with a watch complete with the kind of high-tech features that would make even Bond take notice.
Like the first one we reported on a year ago, the second DBS watch from Jaeger LeCoultre integrates a transponder that can open and close the doors on the Aston Martin supercar it's designed to accompany. The device took some 18 months to develop, but operation is simple: touch the glass between 8 and 9 o'clock to open the doors, between 3 and 4 to close them. The watch has been redesigned to incorporate more DBS styling cues, with a silver DBS logo below 12 o'clock over a movement designed to mimic the brake calipers on the top-of-the-line Aston. The new AMVOX2 will be officially unveiled at the Paris show in October. Check out the press release after the jump and the micro-site here for more info.
Well, that didn't take long. A company by the name of Auto Tech Plastics has gone and done what seemed inevitable and many a blogger feared would happen: endow the new Ford Flex's slab-sidedness with fake woodgrain. Make no mistake, we have absolutely no problem whatsoever with the classic woody wagons from a bygone era. Sure, they may take a bit more upkeep than normal, but the classic models with their real wood paneling are just fine by us. This... thing? Not so much. The last wood-applique'd machine that rolled off the assembly lines should have been in '91 when the final Grand Wagoneer met its demise.
For those of you who don't share our opinion, there are plenty of choices with which to fill your plasti-wood fix. If you must, *sigh* click here to see some of your options.
If the name 'Trident' has visions of Maseratis and vintage Triumphs dancing through your head, you are in for a big surprise. When we first looked at the Trident Iceni, it was powered by a 375-hp GM turbo diesel V8 mounted up front and producing 520 lb-ft of torque. After a year or two of development, it's even better according to its makers, with the latest version of the venerable Duramax diesel tweaked to offer 550 horsepower at 3,800 rpm along with an arm-wrenching 950 lb-ft at just 1,800 rpm. Trident claims the Duramax can slingshot the Iceni to 60 mph in well under four seconds and on up to a top speed easily surpassing 200 miles per hour. According to the British company, its modified GM/Isuzu engine is capable of running on any blend of biodiesel without voiding the warranty and returns 68.9 miles per gallon (or 57 mpg in U.S. gallons) at a steady 70 miles per hour. Is this the guilt-free supercar for the eco-conscious speed freak?
With an elaborate chassis folded from stainless steel and a composite body, the Iceni will not rot away. The rear-mounted 8-speed automatic transmission also allows for wide gearing, which is fortunate since the diesel engine isn't going to be a revver. The company is currently looking for funding and hopes to offer the Iceni for about £75,000 out the door. So far, Trident has mentioned no plans to send its wares across the pond to the U.S. Pity us poor Americans.
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