Autoblog

Detroit 2009: Dodge Challenger R/T Classic

Alex Nunez — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:01:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Classics, Coupe, Performance, Dodge

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Dodge Challenger R/T Classic

For the most part, the lineup at the Chrysler stand here in Detroit is like an advertisement for Zoloft. There are a few exceptions, however. The blue Ram R/T is one, and here's another: the Dodge Challenger R/T Classic. As appearance packages go, this one's a winner. 20-inch Torq-Thrust replicas fill the wheel wells, old-school R/T stripes run down the flanks, and best of all, the classic script Challenger badge adorns each fender. Hey Chrysler -- they should all get this treatment. As you can see, the one parked on the Detroit floor is painted HEMI Orange. We'd order the B5 Blue. Ultimately, it's cool either way.

Gallery: Detroit 2009: Dodge Challenger R/T Classic

Detroit 2009: Dodge Challenger R/T Classic originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit 2009: Ford's Mustang Alley features accessory wheels for 2010 model

Alex Nunez — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Detroit Auto Show, Performance, Ford

Click above the see the full lineup of Mustang accessory wheels

Don't like the stock wheels on the new Mustang? No worries. Over at the Ford booth at this year's Detroit Auto Show, the 'Stang has its own little area dubbed "Mustang Alley" featuring a display of hoods employed through the years (pretty cool) and a "Mustang Garage" wall with the full lineup of accessory wheels available for the new pony. Ford Racing has offered a variety of wheels before, but this is something else entirely, as it seems Ford would like to redirect some of those aftermarket bucks right back into the coffers at Dearborn. Some of these are really good looking - the gold 20-inchers above look particularly great in person - and we've got the whole lineup posted in the gallery below. Click away.

Gallery: 2010 Ford Mustang Accessory Wheels

Detroit 2009: Ford's Mustang Alley features accessory wheels for 2010 model originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit 2009: Subaru Legacy Concept shows its face

Alex Nunez — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 08:48:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Sedan, Subaru

Click above for high-res image gallery of the Subaru Legacy Concept

The official unveiling doesn't take place until later this afternoon, but Subaru has already released the details on the Legacy Concept it's introducing this year at Detroit. We only have the head-on shot at the moment, but what you're seeing here is likely the new face of the Legacy, complete with funky-shaped headlamp lenses and a trapezoidal theme to the prow. According to Subaru's, that paint color is called "Ultimate Silver" and the overall design theme is "High Definition," for what that's worth. Power comes from the automaker's 3.6L six-cylinder boxer mated, of course, to an AWD system.

Inside, you'll find a technology carnival, with a multitude of displays available to the four occupants, including the driver. The instrument panel gets a multifunction touchscreen display instead of a traditional center control stack -- no mechanical controls are present -- and those teensy side mirrors house cameras that display the view aft on the widescreen rearview "mirror" in the cabin. Rear passengers get their headrest-mounted LCD screens and their own touchscreen control interface. Outside of the obvious show-car tech, the shapes you see inside are likely what to expect when the production car makes its eventual debut.

Gallery: Detroit 2009: Subaru Legacy Concept

Gallery: Subaru Legacy Concept

Live photos copyright (C)2009 Alex Núñez / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Subaru]

Continue reading Detroit 2009: Subaru Legacy Concept shows its face

Detroit 2009: Subaru Legacy Concept shows its face originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 11 Jan 2009 08:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'09 Detroit Auto Show, now with 100% less Nissan

Alex Nunez — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:28:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Nissan

Visitors to the Detroit Auto Show will be able to eyeball a bunch of Chinese cars that have virtually no hope of ever being sold in the U.S., but they won't be able to scope out the Maxima... or 370Z... or Cube. You'll remember that Nissan formally announced that neither it nor its luxobrand Infiniti would participate in this year's exhibition, joining a parade of other no-shows. You'll also remember that local dealers had elected to supply their own vehicles to give the brand a floor presence in lieu of the spiked corporate display. That plan is now as dead as the Detroit Auto Show is shaping up to be, since the Tennessee mothership has pulled rank and ~~told the dealers to back off~~ asked dealers to "please respect their decision to not have a presence at the North American International Auto Show," according to auto show co-chair (and Nissan dealer) Doug Fox. Needless to say, the dealers have complied, and some primo floor space is once again available to interlopers from the basement level. Now, who's hungry for more Chinese?

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

'09 Detroit Auto Show, now with 100% less Nissan originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leakage: Honda Insight coming to Japan with Sporty Modulo trim

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:28:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hybrid, Green, Honda

Click above for more shots of the leaked 2009 Honda Insight brochure

As is so often the case these days, some early details regarding Honda's upcoming Prius-fighter have leaked out before the hybrid's official unveiling at the Detroit Auto Show. Included among the surprises is a Modulo-trimmed Insight featuring a full set of body mods from Honda's accessory catalog in Japan. We can't be sure if any of those bits will come Stateside (we're not betting on it), but it wouldn't be surprising if we got three trim levels similar to what's slated to be available in Honda's home market of Japan. We could get a base DX trim along with an up-level LX edition and a sportier EX model with such tasty bits as a paddle-shifted CVT automatic transmission and navigation system with 7-inch screen.

With just 88 horses underhood along with an additional 14 from the hybrid's electric motor, don't expect the Insight to be a tire scorching performer, as its true calling with be in delivering the best fuel economy possible. In Japanese testing, the Insight has scored over 70 miles-per-gallon, which may be lower than what the Prius was able to register, but the Insight is also expected to cost several thousand dollars less than its rival.

Gallery: 2009 Honda Insight leaked JDM brochure

[Sources: Temple of VTec, Insightman via Carscoop]

Leakage: Honda Insight coming to Japan with Sporty Modulo trim originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Event Alert: January Calendar of Automotive Events

Frank Filipponio — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 15:31:00 EST

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

This year's Detroit Auto Show (NAIAS) should be even bigger than last year despite dropouts

Thanks to your suggestions, last month we added a Google Calendar after the jump so you can bookmark it and constantly receive updates as we add them. We appreciate all of your input and hope you find our calendar a useful tool. We also appreciate your comments listing events we might have overlooked or that are just near-and-dear to your hearts.

Highlights for January include the North American International Auto Show, which we will be covering extensively from Detroit; the Arizona collectible car auctions featuring Barrett-Jackson, RM Auctions, Russo and Steele and others; the La Jolla Motorcar Classic at The Cove; the Cavallino Classic from The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida; and the kickoff of the 2009 motorsports season with the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

As always, we want to give a shoutout to our two favorite sources; 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 photographic coverage of these local events is fantastic. So check out the January event calendar we put together for you after the jump and start adding to it. Happy New Year, everyone!

Continue reading Event Alert: January Calendar of Automotive Events

Event Alert: January Calendar of Automotive Events originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Dec 2008 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit Preview: 2010 Chevrolet Equinox debuts with direct injection

Sam Abuelsamid — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 01:01:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Crossover, Chevrolet

Click above for high-res image gallery of the 2010 Chevy Equinox

Now that General Motors will be getting a cash infusion to stay in business at least through January, the automaker plans to unveil some new products at next month's Detroit Auto Show. The first one we can show you is the second-generation 2010 Chevy Equinox. You might recognize the greenhouse from spy photos we published earlier this year in which which the CUV was misidentified as the Cadillac BRX. While the Equinox gets a complete re-skin for 2010, the new CUV's dimensions are within an inch of the current model in all directions.

The Equinox remains a unibody crossover with either front- or all-wheel drive and the same basic suspension layout as before. The platform is an evolution of the current Theta architecture shared with the Saturn Vue. The Equinox's new styling looks more contemporary with prominent wheel arches and the obligatory Chevy twin-port grille. Inside, a new dual cockpit setup looks very similar to the one in the larger Traverse. As expected of any new model these days, the full array of USB audio, Bluetooth and DVD entertainment systems are also now available. Read about the new engines powering the Equinox after the jump.

Gallery: 2010 Chevrolet Equinox

Gallery: LIVE: 2010 Chevrolet Equinox

[Source: Chevrolet]

Continue reading Detroit Preview: 2010 Chevrolet Equinox debuts with direct injection

Detroit Preview: 2010 Chevrolet Equinox debuts with direct injection originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Dec 2008 01:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official Details: Mercedes-Benz Concept BlueZERO trio

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:02:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hybrid, Green, Mercedes-Benz

Click above for a gallery of the Mercedes-Benz Concept BlueZero

Mercedes-Benz has unleashed a ton of information (the laughably long press release can be found after the break) on its new Concept BlueZERO threesome, which will debut next month at the Detroit Auto Show. The lime green E-CELL electric model features a range of 120 miles via its on-board lithium ion battery pack. If that's not enough, an extended-range model is available that carries a three-cylinder engine that's cribbed from the smart fortwo and allows for a range of 370 miles on a single charge and one tank of gas. The last version is called the BlueZERO F-CELL and features a fuel cell that will allow for a range of up to 248 miles on a single tank of hydrogen. All three use the same 100kW electric motor and can reach 60 mph in 11 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 93 mph.

Each of these three models is built atop Daimler's unique sandwich architecture that first debuted on the A-Class in 1997. This arrangement allows the entire drivetrain to sit beneath the passenger compartment and allows each of these concept cars to keep their full allotment of 17.6 cubic feet (500 liters) of cargo space and seating for five. A striking exterior, featuring a grille-less face and translucent bodywork, is designed to draw attention to the unique structure and green credentials. We'll see it all for ourselves when we bring you the goods live from Detroit.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz Concept BlueZero Tease

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Official Details: Mercedes-Benz Concept BlueZERO trio

Official Details: Mercedes-Benz Concept BlueZERO trio originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volvo S60 Concept teased again ahead of Detroit Auto Show

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Sedan, Volvo

Click above to enlarge the Volvo S60 teaser image

You would have to set your way-back machine to the year 2000 in order to witness the last time Volvo released a brand-new mid-size sedan. That is an eternity in the auto industry, and competitors from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and even Saab have all since received significant updates. What we're getting at is that it's high-time for Volvo to introduce a brand-new S60 sedan. With the last of the P2-based S60 sedans set to roll down the Swedish assembly line next month, Volvo has just released its first official exterior image of the totally new mid-sizer that's scheduled to be shown for the first time in January at the Detroit Auto Show.

The first S60 was a radical departure from previous Swedish bricks, and Volvo is looking to make another statement with its newest model along those same lines. Volvo's shoulder-like design trademark will get a slight overhaul with a "double wave" accent over each wheel instead of just a straight shot from front to rear. We also see definite Audi and Jaguar XF hints in this car's profile. On the inside, the expected "waterfall" cluster and console will get an update with real crystal, which we definitely don't expect to survive through to productoin. Volvo has got a lot riding on this new P24 platform, and the once-popular and trend-setting S60 needs to be a big hit for the Swedish brand's continued survival.

Gallery: Volvo S60 Concept

[Source: Volvo]

Continue reading Volvo S60 Concept teased again ahead of Detroit Auto Show

Volvo S60 Concept teased again ahead of Detroit Auto Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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