Autoblog

General Motors has finally added the 2-Mode Hybrid powertrain to its top-level GMC Yukon Denali. There aren't any mechanical changes to the gas-electric drivetrain that's been available since 2008 in the standard-grade Yukon and its platform mates, the Chevrolet Tahoe and Cadillac Escalade. All of which means we'll see a 6.0-liter Vortec V8 engine with 332 horsepower and 367 lb-ft of torque and up to a 6,200-pound towing capacity.

According to GM, the hybrid hardware is mostly contained in the 2-Mode Electrically Variable Transmission, which features twin electric motors powered by a 300-volt nickel metal hydride battery pack. Expect EPA fuel economy ratings of 21 city, 22 highway for two-wheel drive models and 20/20 when equipped with four-wheel drive.

As far as mechanical changes go, the Denali Hybrid will bring the first application of GM's MagnaRide suspension system to the Yukon. As you'd expect in a top-level SUV, the Denali Hybrid will come fully loaded straight from the factory – the only three options will be a sunroof, rear-seat entertainment DVD system and side blind spot alert mirrors. Hit the jump for the full press release.

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Enthusiasts who had hoped for an M-worthy performance upgrade may be disappointed by the largely cosmetic M Sport Package recently announced for the flagship 7 Series. But while purists have balked at the idea of a full-on X6 M (pictured above), buyers looking for a little extra oomph from their sports-activity-whatsit were undoubtedly satisfied. So it may come as a little surprise that BMW is reportedly preparing to launch an M Sport package for the X6 that also includes some power upgrades.

According to reports, the oil-burning X6 xDrive35d with the M Sport package will get a boost of 20 horsepower to 306 courtesy of the recently launched 740d's powerplant, while the twin-turbo xDrive50i will increase output by 42 horsepower over stock. Of course, there will also be a special body kit and bigger 20-inch wheels along with the requisite badging of the X6 M Sport package, all of which gives those who want a little extra sport in their ute but aren't interested in the full-on X6 M a solid choice in between. Expect the package to hit the market later this year.

[Source: Motor Authority]

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 wasn't even a distant dream in 1931. In fact, its father, Porsche family scion Ferdinand Piëch, wasn't even born yet. Bugatti was still racing and building cars under the watchful eye of its founder Ettore Bugatti. But on this side of the Atlantic, Bugatti's American counterpart Harry Miller was building some of the most influential racing machines in automotive history. Like the Bugatti Type 35 was to inter-war grand prix racing in Europe, Miller customer cars dominated Indy racing in America: in the mid-1920s, they accounted for over 80% of the Indy 500 field. Miller's cars won that famous race alone nine times, and his engine design – penned together with Fred Offenhauser – remained in use through the 1980s, it was so advanced. But what you see here is arguably the most advanced car Miller ever produced.

Bearing a 303-cubic-inch, 300-horsepower, sixteen-cylinder engine, the 1931 Miller V16 racing car was and remains today a unique piece of machinery. It competed in several runnings of the Indianapolis 500, and stands as the only sixteen-cylinder car that Miller ever made. It was reclaimed by one Chuck Davis in 1978, who painstakingly tracked down the original engine, which had been separated along the way from its chassis, and reunited the two ahead of an extensive restoration project. It's since been on display at Goodwood, Pebble Beach and Amelia Island, to say nothing of the numerous Miller Club events, and is now set to roll across the auction block at RM Auctions' event at Monterey next month. It's expected to fetch somewhere between $600,000 and $1 million. Check it out in our high-res image gallery below.



[Source: RM Auctions]

Fiat held a glitzy launch for the convertible version of its super hot supermini at the Whisky Mist in London the other night and swimsuit supermodel Elle Macpherson was the first in the UK to go topless, getting her very own 500C. We're told the Australian-born model and actress received the keys to the latest iteration of the Italian-built model outside her Notting Hill home and was soon overheard telling a friend how cool and sexy she thought it was. Of course, Elle knows all about cool and sexy Fiat 500s, having previously owned the original hard top version.

Other convertible-celebrating celebrities up in da club with Edoardo Agnelli, the nephew of Fiat's co-founder, included Tesla Roadster buyer and Black-Eyed Peas guy will.I.am and Sugababes' Amelle. Feel free to check out the gallery below of Elle's famous friends posing with her new ride. Americans lusting after a topless model for themselves may have to wait until 2011 before they are able to satisfy their desire. Hit the jump for a couple bonus vids of the 500C in action and the official UK launch press release.



[Source: MS&L London]

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Twenty-two inch wheels. A chocolate bar shy of two feet, the 2009 Ford Edge Sport has alloys the size of manhole covers. Despite being made of aluminum, these wheels pull the eyes of onlookers magnetically. The big rollers are not everyone's cup of tea, but they're the defining feature of the Edge Sport – even the standard Sport model kicks it with 20s. Ford adds even more visual slickness to the Edge Sport with smoked lenses for the head- and tail-lamps that go along with an uncommonly tasteful bodykit. We spent a week to-ing and fro-ing with an Edge Sport just to see if those rollers crushed our kidneys into renal failure, or if this crossover's aggressive looks are matched to a chassis that you can get along with every day. Click on the jump to find out.



Photos Copyright ©2009 John Neff / Weblogs, Inc.

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Episode #135 of the Autoblog Podcast is here. Chris, Sam and Dan took time out to chat about GM's fast-moving reorganization, Smart's dubious $99/month deal, raising gas taxes as a better way to increase fuel economy, and Shunk's new car dilemma. To wrap up, we hit a question, and that's it – a nice, tidy 65-minute affair. Tell us how we're doing by filling out our survey, if you haven't already, and we'll see you next week. In the meantime, you can drop us a note at Podcast at Autoblog dot com. Thanks for listening!

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With new sheetmetal, more power and an upgraded chassis, the new Ford Mustang GT500 was destined to be a hot for the 2010 model year. The pony king may have just just gotten a whole lot more exclusive, too, as production has reportedly been limited to only 2,000 units. Team Shelby forum member 06VistaBlueGT posted a PDF with important ordering information for dealers that explains the production cut.

Production cut on Shelby GT500. To date, 1,700 GT500s have not been scheduled and the plant only had the capacity to build 2,000 for the 2010 MY (model year). If you signed the agreement, you are guaranteed 1 Shelby GT500 for the model year.

The move figures to severely limit the amount of GT500s a dealer can order, with many likely receiving either zero or one model for the year. The good news for the 2,000 lucky owners of the GT500 is that the lower production totals could make the 2010 model the most collectible (and valuable) model since the 2007 was introduced. If you haven't already signed up for a new GT500, though, dealers may now jack up the price even higher over MSRP to capitalize on the newfound shortfall of 540 horsepower pony cars. Hat tip to Murray!

*UPDATE: We reached out to Ford to ascertain the veracity of this Team Shelby document, and they have categorically denied the website users' claims. 2010 Mustang GT500 production has NOT been limited to 2,000 units, and the report is inaccurate. Ford does not report volume figures for the GT500.



[Source: Team Shelby]

Ever fantasize about driving an exotic sportscar around Italy? Well who hasn't. And there are plenty of companies on the peninsula that'll be glad to help you out. Count among them now car rental giant Hertz. But while you may have images in your head of wafting around the countryside in a Maserati or Lamborghini, Hertz has something entirely different on offer: the Lotus Elise.

Starting this summer, Hertz Italiana will be offering the Lotus Elise SC at select locations throughout the country. It's part of the company's Fun Collection and is sure to cost a hefty premium, but then nobody said realizing your dreams would come cheap. Details in the press release after the jump.



[Source: Lotus]

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General Motors has certainly been pumping out a greener message for the last few years, but, on the eve of its likely emergence from bankruptcy, it looks like it might be ridiculously difficult to miss the company's shift to a new and very public eco-mindset: The General's traditional blue square logo could become green. No, really.

While no official decision has yet been made, insiders are saying that the background color change is being considered, "in an effort to show consumers that it is leaner and greener, more focused on fuel efficiency and better able to make quick decisions," says MSNBC.

The fuel efficiency meaning of a possible new green logo is easy to understand and the "quick decisions" part reflects a new GM that will likely have 35 percent fewer executives to go along with fewer employees overall. More announcements on these issues and the fate of the Spark minicar could come tomorrow, when GM is expected to emerge from bankruptcy.

The real color change that GM needs to make, of course, is a shift from red to black – but that's significantly harder than swapping pixels in a logo.



[Source: MSNBC | Logo Image: Adam Morath/AOL]

While the Lexus IS C is enjoying strong early sales and the luxury Toyota marque prepares to launch a version with the 5.0-liter V8 from the IS F, the top-of-the-line SC 430 grows increasingly irrelevant and long-in-the-tooth. However, contrary to reports that surfaced this time last year – 'tis the season for convertibles, after all – Lexus is indeed planning a successor to the range-topping coupe-cabrio.

Reports indicate that, far from the IS C replacing the aging SC 430, a clean-slate successor to the big roadster is in the planning stages. Because the SC has been around so long, Toyota's designers and engineers are reportedly going back to the drawing board. What they're apparently coming up with eschews the current model's complex folding hard top – one of the first on the market after the Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4 Spyder and Mercedes SLK – in favor of a simpler, lighter folding soft top.

With a new SC 430, an IS F convertible and a potential LF-A roadster all in the pipeline, the forecast looks sunny for Lexus.

[Source: Car and Driver]