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London Motor Show Mega Post

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:02:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Misc. Auto Shows

Click any image above for a high-res gallery.

The British International Motor Show wrapped up earlier this week and although we weren't able to attend in person, we've assembled a sizeable gallery of live shots from the show floor. Unlike past shows in London, this year's event actually hosted some serious debuts, including the Lotus Evora, Honda OSM concept, Ford Focus RS, IFR Aspid, Renaultsport Megane R26.R, Lightning GT, a trio of Imprezas and the Opel Insignia. Some will make it Stateside, while others we'll adore from afar, but our gallery below is proof that London has come into its own. We're looking forward to next year's festivities and hopefully we can scrounge up enough scratch to make the trip across the pond.

Gallery: London Motor Show 2008

London Motor Show Mega Post originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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META GALLERY: 2006 British Motor Show

John Neff — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 03:44:00 EST

Filed under: Supercars, Misc. Auto Shows

UPDATE 2

The 2006 British Motor Show is going on in London's Excel Center on the banks of the River Thames, so we decided to assemble a meta gallery of shots from the show in case you don't happen to be in the neighborhood. Shots of interest include more angles of the Arash AF10, the woolen Ferrari of Lauren Porter, the Caparo T1 and the 1005-bhp Barabus TKR shown above.

Let us know in the comments if we're missing any good galleries of the 2006 British Motor Show out on the web.

WorldCarFans - not many but includes nice write up by Nick Hall, second collection promised soon
World Car Fans 2 - second gallery with Nick Hall commentary, contains 270-mph Barabus TKR supercar
PistonHeads 1 - not very many, but there's a second one below
PistonHeads 2 - again, not many but decent selection of supercars and oddities
Supercars.net - the largest collection, four pages of the best shots
PopularScience - 11-shot slideshow, many green machines

UPDATE 1 - added PopularScience
UPDATE 2 - added WorldCarFans 2

META GALLERY: 2006 British Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Jul 2006 03:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mitsubishi keeping an "i" on the British Motor Show

Alex Nunez — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Etc., Europe, Japan, Mitsubishi, Misc. Auto Shows

An unlikely visitor made the trip from Japan to London for the British Motor Show. Joining the rest of Mitsubishi's lineup at ExCeL is one of Mitsubishi's "i" kei cars. Mitsubishi UK is in the final stages of a feasability study as to whether or not there's a market for the "i" in Britain.

The automaker is conducting surveys nationwaide to gauge demand, and if you're in London, you can make your voice heard at the Mitsu stand as well. In Japan, the "i" is equipped with a 600cc MIVEC DOHC 3-cylinder engine that's good for 64 horsepower. It's mated to either a 2WD or AWD drivetrain. Current speculation is that if the "i" is exported to the UK, it'll use that powerplant and be a 2WD-only vehicle.

Given that small city cars are very practical and popular in Europe, and that the "i" is a uniquely stylish little car, there's probably a good chance that our British friends will be seeing them on local roadways in due time.

(Press release after the jump)

[Source: Mitsubishi]

Continue reading Mitsubishi keeping an "i" on the British Motor Show

Mitsubishi keeping an "i" on the British Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Jul 2006 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda F1 "View Suspended": The ultimate technical diagram

Alex Nunez — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 18:56:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Europe, Honda, Misc. Auto Shows

The Honda Racing F1 car is made up of 3,200 individual parts, and if you go the the British International Motor Show this week or next, you'll be able to see every single one. Literally.

That's because Dutch artist Paul Veroude has seemingly worked magic with his exhibit called "View Suspended," in which each and every part of the car is suspended from above, creating a living exploded technical diagram. As awed as we are by the photographs of the display, we can only imagine how impressive it looks in person. Everything down to the smallest little screw is hanging in suspended animation.

Manufacturers always strive to have interesting displays at autoshows, whether they be safety demonstrations, cutaways, or other imaginative ploys to generate visitor interest. With "View Suspended," it's a safe bet that Honda will be capturing the attention and imagination of every single person who walks by it. It's just that cool.

Click on any photo to enlarge it. It's the best way to get a sense of the painstaking effort and incredible attention to detail that went into this piece.

(Additional photos, info after the jump)

[Source: Honda]

Continue reading Honda F1 "View Suspended": The ultimate technical diagram

Honda F1 "View Suspended": The ultimate technical diagram originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Jul 2006 18:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Arash AF10 shown in London

John Neff — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 17:33:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Europe, Supercars

This week at the British Motor Show, Arash Farboud unveiled a mockup of his company's future supercar, the AF10. Farboud says he'll have a running prototype of the £170,000 exotic early next year. The shape you see here, however, has already been wind tunnel tested, so what you see is likely very close to the AF10's final form. Of the shape Farboud says, "If you're at a set of traffic lights and an Enzo, Carrera GT, Pagani Zonda, Koenigsegg and McLaren SLR all pull up, the AF10 should not look out of place."

The carbon fiber sports car will be powered a 7.0-liter Corvette Z06 engine hooked up with a six-speed Graziano transmission and be capable of 200+ mph. The rest of the car's development will now be done out in the open, with Farboud releasing details and accepting feedback on his supercar along the way.

[Source: PistonHeads]

Arash AF10 shown in London originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Jul 2006 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEAT officially unveils the new Leon Cupra

Alex Nunez — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 20:44:00 EST

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

We brought you initial pics and details last week, and today, SEAT made it all official in London where factory Touring Car drivers James Thompson (WTCC) and Jason Plato (BTCC) pulled the checkered cover off the all-new Leon Cupra.

To refresh your memories, the Cupra is the latest tasty morsel from the Spanish automaker. The stylish hatch has VW's 2.0T FSI four-banger lurking underhood, tuned to produce 240 horsepower. So equipped, it makes the run from 0-62 in 6.4 seconds, topping out at an impressive 153 mph. Somehow through all this the Cupra (if you resist the urge to drop the hammer all the time) can average over 30mpg in fuel consumption along the way.

Distinguishable by its curvy body, tough aero kit, and 18" wheels, the Cupra also creates an inviting driving environment for it's pilot and passengers, with sport seats, contrast stitching, and a slick variation on the already-excellent VW-sourced dash and instrument cluster.

We wish we could get it here!

(Additional info and photos after the jump)

[Source: SEAT]

Continue reading SEAT officially unveils the new Leon Cupra

SEAT officially unveils the new Leon Cupra originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Jul 2006 20:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lexus launches GS 300 Limited Edition in London

John Neff — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 18:23:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Europe, Lexus, Misc. Auto Shows

Lexus has unveiled a special U.K. market-only version of its GS300 sedan called simply, the GS300 Limited Edition. Based on the GS300 SE, the Limited Edition adds 18-inch five-spoke wheels, a rear decklid spoiler, extended side skirts and a front spoiler. Inside the cabin, Lexus adds grey perforated leather upholstery, dark wood accents and custom designed floor mats (woo-hoo!). There's also the full smattering of options that's too long to list here, but includes a DVD nav system, Bluetooth, HID headlamps and much more. The exterior is painted in Aleutian Grey metallic, while the interior of the Limited Edition is finished in Grampian Grey. Power comes from the brand's 245-bhp 3.0-liter V6 that will lead the Limited Edition from "naught" to 62 mph in 7.2 seconds. As with Jaguar's XJR Portfolio, the Lexus GS300 is just for the Brits and only 250 will be built for a price of £37,350.

(A full press release from Lexus can be found after the jump)

[Source: Lexus]

Continue reading Lexus launches GS 300 Limited Edition in London

Lexus launches GS 300 Limited Edition in London originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Jul 2006 18:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaguar XJR Portfolio revealed in London

John Neff — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 17:27:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Europe, Jaguar, Misc. Auto Shows

The Jaguar XJR Portfolio is a direct descendant of the Concept Eight show car that was unveiled at the 2004 New York auto show and the Super V8 Porfolio based on the long-wheelbase XJR. Think of the XJR Portfolio as a standard-wheelbase version of the Super V8 Portfolio. As such, it maintains the visual cues of the Super V8 Portfolio that include the aluminum power vents, 20-inch Callisto alloy wheels and menacing Midnight black paint. It will be powered by the XJR's 400-bhp supercharged 4.2-liter V8 and gears will change hands thanks to a six-speed ZF automatic transmission. 60 mph will be achieved in a cool 5.0 seconds flat. The Jaguar XKR Portfolio is for the U.K. market only though, and as such only 100 examples will be produced for a street price of £62,040.

(More high-resolution shots and Jaguar's press release after the jump)

[Source: Jaguar]

Continue reading Jaguar XJR Portfolio revealed in London

Jaguar XJR Portfolio revealed in London originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Jul 2006 17:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aston Martin shows off endurance with Project 30,000

Alex Nunez — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 15:59:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Etc., Europe, Aston Martin, Misc. Auto Shows

After a driver team led by Dr. Ulrich Bez drove a production-standard V8 Vantage to a top-25 finish at this year's Nurburgring 24 Hours, Aston Martin engineers kicked off another demonstration of the Vantage's endurance.

To commemorate the milestone of 30,000 cars produced, Aston Martin staffers were invited to spend a day in Germany, where day and night, the car would be driven on the Autobahn and local roads with the goal of accumulating 30,000 miles in 30 days. Providing support to the effort was Aston's new German dealership, Moll Sportwagen.

True to the form shown by the Nurburgring Vantage, the Project 30,000 car accomplished its mission. Now signed by every employee who took part in the 30-day thrashing, it is on display with the Nurburgring car at the British Motor Show.

These overt demonstrations of the Vantage's robustness continue to make us wonder how long it'll be until Aston Martin decides to go all the way and field a car in the Le Mans / ALMS GT2 class. Given the success the DBR9 is having, there's no reason to believe a Le Mans Vantage wouldn't wreak havoc as well.

(Additional info after the jump)

Source: Aston Martin

Continue reading Aston Martin shows off endurance with Project 30,000

Aston Martin shows off endurance with Project 30,000 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Jul 2006 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aston Martin to sell N�rburgring Vantage V8 in limited numbers

John Neff — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 15:06:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Supercars, Aston Martin, Misc. Auto Shows

Like a proud parent after a track meet, Aston knows that endurance races are as much about finishing as they are about winning. This would explain why the company is planning to put into limited production the exact same car that completed the recent 24 Hours of Nürburgring. The actual race car finished 24th overall at Nürburgring amidst a field of dedicated racing machines. That's quite an accomplishment considering Aston's entry was completely stock except for a safety cage, special fuel tank and fire system, a racing seat and built-in air jacks. The Nürburgring Vantage V8 will be identical to the car that competed at the actual Ring in June, which means customers will be able to drive their car to the track and on the track, just like Aston did with the actual race car. Aston has not said how many it will produce, nor what the Nurburgring Vantage V8 will cost, but considering the modifications aren't that extensive we're being told it shouldn't be much more than the standard production car's price of £82,800.

[Source: Aston Martin]

Aston Martin to sell N�rburgring Vantage V8 in limited numbers originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Jul 2006 15:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Meet "ED", Kia's new European family car

Alex Nunez — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 13:51:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Hatchback, Kia, Misc. Auto Shows

Today in London, Kia released photos of the new European-market family car that the company will debut later this year at the Paris auto show. Known only by the code name "ED," the five-door will do battle with C-segmant stalwarts like the Ford Focus, Renault Megane and Opel Astra.

"ED" stands for European design, and the car will be produced at Kia's Zilina, Slovakia plant. Underhood, "ED" will be available with three different gasoline engines and one diesel. A station wagon and 3-door variant are also in the cards. If you're outside Europe and want one, you're going to be disappointed. "ED" is a Europe-only effort.

Kia will keep the name under wraps until the car gets it's formal introduction in Paris this September. Whatever it's called, it looks like a nice little car. Too bad it's not in the company's North American plans.

(Additional info, photo after the jump)

[Source: Kia]

Continue reading Meet "ED", Kia's new European family car

Meet "ED", Kia's new European family car originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Jul 2006 13:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe Unveiled in London

Alex Nunez — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 12:24:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Mazda, Misc. Auto Shows

Mazda officially unveiled the MX-5 Roadster Coupe this morning at the British International Motor Show, and it has the makings of a big winner. In the Northeastern and Midwestern United States, where rough winters are enough to scare off some convertible shoppers, this car is going to find many friends. If you're willing to accept the weight penalty for the retractable hardtop -- the Roadster Coupe weighs 81.5 pounds more than the standard MX-5 Roadster -- you'll be hard-pressed to find a four-season roadster this good.

The folding hardtop looks simply fantastic when closed, and it retracts in just 12 seconds. Like the soft-top MX-5, the driver has to manually unlock the center-mounted latch on the windshield and then press a button to let the motors work the rest of the magic. At first glance, it looks pretty much like any other MX-5 on the road with the top down (there are subtle differences). The roof itself is ingenious, folding into 3 sections that stow behind the seats, leaving trunk space unaffected. Considering the MX-5's size and its limited trunk space to begin with, this is a packaging triumph, and it gives dealers a great selling point to work with beyond the obvious benefits of the hardtop itself.

(More info and photos after the jump - Now updated with Mazda's comprehensive press release)

{Source: Mazda]

Continue reading Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe Unveiled in London

Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe Unveiled in London originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Jul 2006 12:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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