Autoblog

click above image for a full gallery of the Mercedes-Benz Ocean Drive Concept

Motor Trend is reporting that Mercedes-Benz has approved the four-door convertible Ocean Drive Concept that was introduced at this year's North American International Auto Show in Detroit for production. The car will reportedly be based on the S600 and arrive as a 2011 model. Being a platform-mate of the S600 means that the Ocean Drive production model will likely sport a 510-horsepower 5.5L V12 and a price tag well into the six-figure range. Of course, Mercedes could slip a myriad of possible engines into the car, from its 5.5L V8 to the 600+ horsepower biturbo V12 from AMG. With structural enhancements necessary to keep the car stiff, a high curb weight is likely that will require a big motor to move the car around.

MT also reports that the A7-based four-door convertible in Audi's product pipeline will arrive around the same time, not earlier in 2009 as some outlets have reported. Though the two will not be direct competitors (the A7 itself will be aimed downmarket at the Merceds CLS and arrive a couple years earlier), they will be the first four-door convertibles in production since the mid-60s Lincoln Continental. Hmmm... which would Drama choose?

[Source: Motor Trend]

During a recent press drive of the Euro-market Civic Type R, Winding Road's European editor Matt Davis appears to have gotten unofficial confirmation that Honda will be offering a Type R variant of the U.S. model Civic in 2010. Speaking with an unnamed assistant chief engineer, Davis learned that the car we'll get is likely based on the Japanese Domestic Market Civic Type R, which is a four-door sedan rather than the Euro market's three-door hatchback. Since Honda already sells the four-door Civic in the States and not the Euro hatchback, this only makes sense. Davis' source also revealed the car would receive a horsepower boost and limited-slip differential. We imagine any car wearing the Type R badge would also lose some weight, as well.

While we do appreciate Honda offering the Civic Si here in the U.S., especially the four-door version, it's high-revving 2.0L enginer producing 197 hp is easily outmatched by many of its competitors that have crested the 200 hp mark and then some. The closest thing Honda has right now to what we'll eventually get in the U.S. is this prototype four-door Type R Civic (shown above) based on the JDM model. It was used as the official pace car for the 2006 F1 Japan Grand Prix and is the prototype for the four-door Civic Type R that will be on sale in Japan this year.

[Source: Winding Road]

The Porsche Panamera four-door coupe is not scheduled for release until 2008, but with spy shots of a test mule running the Nurburgring in Germany having already infiltrated the internet, armchair designers like ourselves are already critiquing the car's shape. Infomotori.co.uk has commissioned a series of renderings that show the Panamera as a collaboration between what they think the Porsche sedan will look like and what they hope it will look like. There's a tension there, as the mule seen in test shots hasn't received the most favorable of judgments so far. These renderings, however, show a more stout Panamera with a taller front fascia that gives the car some visual weight. The mesh grille flanked by LED fog lamps is sharp, although the Infomotori people keep it real by giving their rendering 996-style headlights, which the actual production car is rumored to have. Follow the Read link to check out their rendering from every angle and see if their vision for Porsche's first foray into the four-door world looks better than the real thing.

[Source: Infomotori.co.uk]

Related posts:

• More Porsche Panamera spy shots
• BMW's CLS fighter for 2009
• VIDEO Nirvana - prototypes running the Ring

Not only is the new Wrangler as capable as ever, it's also less expensive and has more content than the Wrangler it replaces. As part of Chrysler's effort to bring the vehicle's MSRP down closer to its actual transaction price (thus eliminating troublesome incentives), the Wrangler starts at just $18,765, down $285 from the 2006 model and with $1,715 in more content. The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon drops an even more impressive $1,840 while gaining $1,255 in content. Across the lineup, the average Wrangler price drop averages out to around $1,200, and the all-new Wrangler Unlimited 4x4 four-door is just a few grand up from the base two door at $20,410.

Chrysler boasts that more content than ever comes standard, including a much needed engine upgrade thanks to the new 202-hp, 3.8L V6; Jeep's electronic stability program (ESP); Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM); anti-lock brakes; and multiple door and top configurations.

You can find the complete list of trim levels and pricing for the 2007 Jeep Wrangler in the official press release foundafter the jump.

[Source: Jeep]

Jeep's official unearthing of the 2007 Wrangler Unlimited left us wondering how long one needs to bury a standard two-door Wrangler before it up and sprouts a second set of doors. Alas, that question went unanswered. What was made clear is that a high-pressure fire hose is an effective means of extracting a buried SUV, and that if Jeep's PR folks are handing out plastic ponchos, it's wise to accept one.

While we thought that the full doors (shown in Jeep's official press release) appear a bit awkward when the top is removed, the half doors (shown in pics after the jump) definitely look to be the hot ticket for topless motoring.

(More photos after the jump!)