Autoblog

The Show Must Go On: Italy's Bologna salon forges ahead without automakers

Noah Joseph — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Misc. Auto Shows, Earnings/Financials, Fiat

Local auto shows overseas like the one in Bologna don't really make a blip on our radar screens. Manufacturers might, upon occasion, use the venues to unveil a new product variant of generally limited consequence, but aside from the big shows in the United States, the significant foreign debuts for the U.S. market take place at the major shows like Geneva, Frankfurt, Paris and Tokyo. But if you thought the big shows were hit hard by a cost-conscious industry in remission, that's nothing compared to what Bologna's local show organizers are facing.

When we say "local shows," we're not talking about small towns, either: we're talking about the biggest shows in some of the biggest markets. After many major automakers withdrew, the organizers of the British Motor Show had to cancel the event for 2010. Barcelona's show has gone ahead, but only after significant government incentives. Now organizers of the Bologna Motor Show, the largest in Italy, have announced that the show must go on... despite the withdrawal of every major automaker that was expected to display there.

Last year's show in Bologna drew nearly a million spectators, keen to see what the industry had to offer under one roof. But the Fiat group - which comprises the vast majority of the country's carmakers - informed the organizers it wouldn't be participating. An offer was made to provide the space free of charge, but the remaining costs proved too high (vehicle transport, erecting a display, staffing, etc.), and shortly after, the rest of the industry followed suit, leaving the show with nothing to show. That hasn't deterred the organizers, however, who have shortened the run time from nine days to five and loaded it with motorsport displays in the adjacent stadium. Thus, the diehards will have something to flock to, but nobody's expecting the show to come anywhere near previous attendance numbers.

[Source: Bologna Motor Show]

The Show Must Go On: Italy's Bologna salon forges ahead without automakers originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maserati unveils MC Sport Line customization program on GranTurismo S

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:59:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Supercars, Maserati, Misc. Auto Shows

Click above for high-res image gallery of Maserati's MC Sport Line

Ferrari has the One To One Personalisation Programme, so it makes since that its sister brand, Maserati, would get one too. The Italian automaker unveiled its own customization program called the MC Sport Line today at the Bologna Motor Show, and this one is meant to amp up the sporting nature of its cars. Since the GranTurismo S is the model in Maserati's line-up, it was chosen to stand on display at the show wearing the functional bits and pieces from the MC Sport Line. GranTuriso S owners will be able to start ordering parts in early 2009 from the new line, which includes front and rear carbon fiber spoilers, side skirts, carbon fiber mirror housings, CF door handles and gloss black 20-inch wheels. Interior options include door sills monogramed with "MC Sport Line" that are made out of - you guessed it - carbon fiber, which is also the material of choice for the new steering wheel rim and panels that cover the doors, dashboard and central tunnel.

Aside from additional aerodynamic aid provided by the new spoilers and the fact that all these parts weigh less than their non-CF parts they're replacing, the only other functional hardware available from the factory is a new suspension setup that stiffens the springs and lowers the GranTurismo S by 10mm.

The Maserati GranTurismo S outfitted with the entire MC Sport Line catalogue seems like a no-brainer for someone with enough coin to be shopping in this segment, though Maserati has not yet revealed how much these new parts will balloon the car's substantial price tag.

Gallery: Maserati GranTurismo S MC Sport Line

[Source: Maserati]

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Maserati unveils MC Sport Line customization program on GranTurismo S originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VW Golf Plus officially debuts in Bologna

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Europe, Volkswagen, Misc. Auto Shows

Click above for high-res image gallery of VW Golf Plus

The second generation of Volkswagen's Golf Plus has made its official debut (after an earlier blooper-style unveil) today at the Bologna Motor Show in Italy. Like the first edition that debuted back in 2004 and was based on the MK V Golf architecture, the new Plus is a raised-roof MPV version of the new sixth-gen Golf. We think it's quite fetching in a mini-minivanish sort of way, especially when equipped with the optional 18-inch alloys as seen above. Although the official powerplant options have yet to be revealed, the European market, which is where this new model will be sold, is sure to dictate that a range of diesel and petrol engines are on the menu.

VeeDub's cool ParkAssist system will also be optional on the new Golf Plus. The technology displays a real-time image of what's directly behind the car and can take control of the steering wheel to guide the car into a parking spot. Expect the official launch to take place next Spring in the UK.

Gallery: Volkswagen Golf Plus

[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading VW Golf Plus officially debuts in Bologna

VW Golf Plus officially debuts in Bologna originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: Mazda3 five-door hatchback gets real

John Neff — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:57:00 EST

Filed under: Wagon, Europe, Hatchback, Mazda, Misc. Auto Shows

Click above for high-res gallery of the Mazda3 five-door hatchback

Mazda has officially taken the wraps off its five-door hatchback version of the redesigned Mazda3 at the Bologna Motor Show today. As you can see in the gallery of new high-res pics below, the Mazda3 five-door gets the same swoopy sheetmetal as its four-door brethren, including the super happy smiley front end face. What's new is an extended roofline that drops down at a steep angle to create a wagon-esque profile. With a D-pillar that kinks up at a swept back angle, the look is very similar to that of a Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix that's been stepped on by a giant. The new cargo capacity will no doubt be appreciated by families who can put every extra cubic foot to good use, and if the current generation Mazda3 is any indication, this will also be the basis for the Mazdaspeed model.

At the moment, all the specs for the new Mazda3 five-door hatchback are for the European market, so don't expect its new 2.2L and carryover 1.6L turbo diesel engines to be available in the U.S. Europeans will also have a choice of 1.6L and 2.0L gas engines, though we expect the U.S.-spec model to offer the same 2.0L and new 2.5L four-cylinder engines as the sedan. Check out the official press release from Mazda after the jump for more details and the high-res image gallery below for more shots of the new Mazda3 five-door hatchback.

Gallery: 2010 Mazda3 Hatchback

[Source: Mazda]

Continue reading Officially Official: Mazda3 five-door hatchback gets real

Officially Official: Mazda3 five-door hatchback gets real originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VW shows off Scirocco Study R in Bologna

Dan Roth — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:57:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Volkswagen, Misc. Auto Shows

Click above for high-res image gallery of the VW Scirocco Study R

Volkswagen's new Scirocco is rapidly becoming a popular canvas for customizing, and Wolfsburg itself is getting into the act. The Bologna Motor Show has been graced with the Scirocco Study R, which could be a preview of a production version called the Scirocco R20T. The Study R is a derivation of the ideas laid down by the GT24 race concept, with a sneery front end and a wing out back. The Study R is more understated in white with subdued striping, red mirrors and a nostriled hood. Power is provided by a 2.0 liter TFSI engine that twirls the cogs in a six-speed DSG gearbox. Suspension and braking systems have also been tweaked to deliver on the image's sporty promise, and a less restrictive exhaust offers some bark to underscore the bite. With the death of the R32, Volkswagen might bring the R20T to the North American market, and if it's anything like the Study R, we'll be saying R-thirty-who?

Gallery: Volkswagen Scirocco Study R

Gallery: Volkswagen Scirocco GT24 Race Concept

[Source: Motor Authority]

VW shows off Scirocco Study R in Bologna originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Event Alert: December Calendar of Automotive Events

Frank Filipponio — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 20:34:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Auctions, Misc. Auto Shows, Event Alert

Last year's Motor4Toys event, which collected more than 15,000 toys for needy kids

We started our monthly calendar of events last month and learned almost immediately that we will never be able to make it as comprehensive as everyone would like, but that's where you come in. Take a look at the list we've put together for December after the jump, and if you see changes that need to be made or events you'd like to add, leave a comment with event info and a link. Once again we've used two of our favorite resources: the New York Times automotive calendar for national and international stuff, and for local stuff here in Southern California, our buddy Dave Lindsay's SoCalCarCulture pages. Dave's photos from these local events are fantastic.

So check out the December event calendar we put together for you after the jump and start adding to it. And please note the large number of Toys 4 Tots drives being put on by local car clubs. With tough economic times it's important to remember that every child deserves a toy. Happy Holidays everyone!

Continue reading Event Alert: December Calendar of Automotive Events

Event Alert: December Calendar of Automotive Events originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Nov 2008 20:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oops! VW accidentally distributes new Golf Plus brochure in Essen

Alex Nunez — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 10:22:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Hatchback, Volkswagen, Misc. Auto Shows

It's been no secret that a facelifted VW Golf Plus has been in the works for a while. It's just that the Euro-market hatch wasn't supposed to be formally revealed quite yet. The car will be introduced on Wednesday with the usual fanfare at the Bologna Motor Show, but media at this week's Essen Motor Show got a sneak preview when they picked up the Golf Plus brochure at the VW stand. The error was apparently corrected in short order, but once something's out, it's out. Dutch paper De Telegraaf, which was also the first outlet to run official Panamera photos a week or so ago, was among those who grabbed a copy of the new Golf Plus materials. Their scan is what's shown above. As you can see here, it looks pretty much like the old Golf Plus, except it has the new Golf's front-end theme. We'll see the whole thing when VW releases more images and specs next week. If you click the photo you can read a Babel Fish-translated version of the Telegraaf article. Thanks to Jelle for the heads-up.

[Source: AutoTelegraaf]

Oops! VW accidentally distributes new Golf Plus brochure in Essen originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Nov 2008 10:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mazda3 hatch unveiled, will debut next week

Alex Nunez — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hatchback, Mazda, Misc. Auto Shows

Click above for a hi-res gallery of the 2010 Mazda3 hatchback

The Mazda3 hatchback will be unveiled next week at the Bologna Motor Show, and Mazda has released five photos to help get everyone excited. The Euro backdrop means that the 5-door's engine lineup will include a 2.2L turbodiesel that's guaranteed to keep the EU carbon nannies placated. Up front, it wears the same moderately unnerving perma-smile as its sedan brother. Look for more info next week, and feel free to start mentally transforming it into the next Mazdaspeed3. We have.

Gallery: 2010 Mazda3 Hatchback

[Source: Mazda]

Continue reading Mazda3 hatch unveiled, will debut next week

Mazda3 hatch unveiled, will debut next week originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maserati finally delivers: MC12 Versione Corse in Bologna

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 12:51:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Supercars, Maserati, Misc. Auto Shows

Although it showed the first car in Madrid back in May, Maserati is finally delivering MC12 Corsas and it took the occasion of the Bologna Motor Show to unveil the first customer car. In case you don't remember, the Versione Corse takes the basic MC12 and kicks it up a notch. Maserati is only building a dozen of these Fabergé eggs for special customers on a "build to order" basis. Neither fish nor fowl, the Corsa won't go through the certification process to make it road legal, nor will it qualify for any existing racing series. Similar to Ferrari's FXX, with which it shares a lot of hardware, the Corsa will essentially be a very fast, very rare, and very expensive trackday car.

For your $1.275 million, buyers will not only get exclusive bodywork for their Enzo derivative, but many mechanical upgrades including a horsepower bump from 600 in the standard MC12 to 755. Many will make comparisons to the Bugatti Veyron because of price and performance, but the Veyron is obviously a street legal car with an emphasis on luxury, albeit, very fast luxury. Although the Bug has that wicked 1,001 hp quad-turbo W16, it also has a lot more weight to push around. We see the MC12 Corsa being more of an Italian Saleen S7 TT. The Saleen almost matches the Maser with 750 hp in standard trim (Maserati can't match the 1,000 hp available with the optional Saleen Competition Package), although it also has to carry an additional 400 pounds worth of road regulations with it. We'll try to secure one of each for a comparison. Maybe bring along the Veyron and FXX for the heck of it. Can anybody hook us up? Please.

Release with specs after the jump.

[Source: Maserati]

Continue reading Maserati finally delivers: MC12 Versione Corse in Bologna

Maserati finally delivers: MC12 Versione Corse in Bologna originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Dec 2006 12:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford uses Bologna Motor Show to preview new C-Max

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 15:04:00 EST

Filed under: Ford, Misc. Auto Shows

Ford will unveil a freshened C-MAX at this year's Bologna Motor Show. Originally called a Focus C-MAX when it debuted a couple of years ago, Ford is losing its focus, umm, the Focus name and going with just C-MAX on the new version. Along with the S-MAX, the new "MAX" vehicles are being touted as the stylish family friendly versatility wagon lineup. The new C-MAX sports a revised front end that mimics the S, plus a slew of new features including a glass panoramic roof option.

One of the trick new features is the lighting. The C-MAX sports HIDs with 'light strips' in place of the more customary parking light bulbs, and light blue fluorescents create a very stylish and effective headlamp look. LEDs are used out back in a vertical arrangement that that reminds us of Volvos.

On the inside, the new look for C-MAX features upgraded materials all around, and a new instrument cluster uses red backlighting and cleaner graphics to give the dash a more modern and hip look. The center console also packs an auxiliary input socket for your iPod. And finally, that panorama glass roof will be an option, with its "Solar Reflect" coating keeping things cool inside despite the expanse of glass overhead. Pretty slick makeover. Now we have to wait and see if this C-MAX nanowagon will find its way stateside.

More pics and press release after the jump.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford uses Bologna Motor Show to preview new C-Max

Ford uses Bologna Motor Show to preview new C-Max originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Dec 2006 15:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Skoda Roomster earns merit badge: Scout model debuts

Alex Nunez — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 13:43:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Europe, Crossover

Click to enlarge

Joining the Octavia in Škoda's scout line is the quirky-cool Roomster MPV. Unlike the Octavia Scout, which at least has all-wheel-drive, the Roomster Scout remains a FWD-only vehicle, and the Scout trim is just a butch appearance package. That said, it looks good wearing the Audi Allroad-style black lower body cladding, and the chunky 5-spoke wheels would look good on just about anything.

We like the the current crop of Škodas, and the uniquely-styled Roomster is the kind of station wagon replacement we'd be into driving. As for the Roomster Scout, it comes with a choice of two gasoline and two TDI powerplants, and will make its debut next week at both the Essen and Bologna Motor Shows. If you're in one of Škoda's markets, you can buy one in March.

(Rear view, press release after the jump)

[Source: Škoda]

Continue reading Skoda Roomster earns merit badge: Scout model debuts

Skoda Roomster earns merit badge: Scout model debuts originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Dec 2006 13:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Murcielago going to Bologna topless?

Chris Tutor — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Supercars, Lamborghini, Misc. Auto Shows

Lamborghini, you sneaky little... Tried to get one by us, did you? But right there on your press site, you have a leak. Under "New Models" it says "Murcielago LP640 Roadster."

Something you wanna tell us? No? Well, TopSpeed says you'll be showing the whole world the new 640 hp, 210 mph droptop at the Bologna Motor Show, Dec. 7. You're really gonna make us all wait until then? Fine, but just so you know, you're not getting a Christmas card from us.

Thanks to reader Drew Phillips for the tip!

Murcielago going to Bologna topless? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Nov 2006 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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British supermodel Jodie Kidd challenges you to a race

Chris Paukert — Sat, 27 May 2006 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Maserati

British supermodel Jodie Kidd is arguably better known for her body of work on cars than in cars, but that could be changing. The winsome blonde counts motorsports among her chief preoccupations, and its hardly the stuff of hanging out in Formula One paddocks as driver arm jewelry. Ms. Kidd is actually becoming increasingly distinguished as a wheelwoman herself, notably for her fastest celebrity lap time on Top Gear, and more recently, for co-driving in a Trofeo Maserati race with Fabio Babani during a Bologna Motorshow event last December (where she finished second). She is also a multiple-Gumball Rally veteran.

Now, Kidd's teaming up to promote Project Gotham Racing 3, 'Game With Fame.' Next Tuesday, May 30, she'll duke it out on the pixilated tracks of the video game, chatting and racing again online gamers around the globe in the PGR100.

The UK's 'Game With Fame' series will also play host to celebrity entrants like Maroon 5, The Strokes, and Kasabian.

Click on the link to learn more about how you can log on and mix it up on the track with Jodie Kidd.

[Sources: AV Info UK; Female First UK]

British supermodel Jodie Kidd challenges you to a race originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 27 May 2006 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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