Autoblog

True, red-blooded Alfa Romeo fans will remember the Clover Leaf emblem, and not just from the red car in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The badge was used on Alfa's most successful racing cars and most powerful road cars. Now the Quadrifoglio Verde is coming back to grace two new top-of-the-line versions of the 147 and GT.

Both models are being outfitted with the 170-hp 1.9-liter JTDM that made its debut on the limited-edition 147 Ducati Corse, coupled to Alfa's Q2 limited slip differential, a lowered suspension and a sport button to switch between touring and sport set-ups for throttle response. The Quadrifoglio Verde editions of both the 147 and GT also feature a range of cosmetic enhancements inside and out, including chrome exhaust tips, red brake calipers, satin-finish grilles and wing mirrors and a host of interior mods.

The 147 is being replaced soon by the "Junior" and 149, while the GT has largely become obsolete since the even more gorgeous Brera hit the market. We'd like to say these will be the last editions of both, but we have a feeling Alfa Romeo has a few more shots of adrenaline on hold to keep sales lively.

[Source: Italiaspeed]

click above to view more images of the 1980 Ferrari Pinin show car

Ferrari won't be building a four-door model now – that's what the Maserati Quattroporte, developed under Ferrari's tutelage, is for. But there was a time when Enzo himself considered the prospect. What spurred his interest was what you see above: the Ferrari Pinin show car, unveiled by Pininfarina on its 50th anniversary at the 1980 Turin auto show.

In the end, the rumored discussions between Enzo Ferrari and Sergio Pininfarina didn't yield a small production run of four-door Pinins, and only this one prototype was ever built. It's been sitting in the private collection of noted Ferrari collector and racer Jacques Swaters, who is putting it up for sale at the upcoming second annual "Leggenda e Passione" event run by Canadian auctioneers RM Auctions. The Ferrari and Maserati auction is scheduled to take place on May 18 at the Fiorano race track in Maranello.

Only a one-off as unique as the Pinin could manage to relegate this pair to "also ran" status: not one, but two Ferrari 250 California Spyders will also be up for auction, each estimated to fetch in the neighborhood of $5 million (give or take a mil). S/N 0923GT, a red 1958 long-wheelbase version (like the one Ferris Bueller crashed), was once owned by Hollywood actor James Coburn, and s/n 2377GT is a black 1961 short-wheelbase model. Only 100 examples of the 250 California Spyder were made, making them one of the most sought-after Ferraris out there.

[Source: Argentina Auto Blog and RM Auctions via Italiaspeed]

Any way you look at it, Maybach has not been the success DaimlerChrysler had hoped for when it revived the old super-luxury badge a few years back. Industry sources – and by industry sources, we mean our magic 8-ball and cabinet of stuffed-animal advisors – all seem to agree that the uber-Mercedes brand is going to need some new models to supplement the 57 and 62 limousines if Maybach is going to live to see another sunrise. The question remains, however, what those new models might constitute.

Earlier reports suggested the possible addition of convertible versions of both Maybach sedans, drawing on the concept previewed by the Mercedes Ocean Drive to revive the "parade car" segment. Another suggestion was the production of a Maybach sport-ute, based on the full-size Mercedes-Benz GL-Class SUV, but luxed-up and blinged out to the max to make for a super-premium truck destined for the Aspen slopes, Arabian dunes and Hollywood hills.

Newer reports suggest that the next Maybach model could take the form of an ultra-premium four-door coupe to take after its corporate cousin the Mercedes CLS, only positioned significantly higher in anticipation of the arrival of the Aston Martin Rapide and Porsche Panamera. This uber-CLS would slot in the range below the current Maybach 57, but above the Mercedes CLS and S-Class.

(More after the jump...)

Click above to jump to the Ocean Drive image gallery

When Mercedes-Benz showed us the Ocean Drive concept in Detroit, it was very clear that the enormous four-door convertible show car fell squarely into the "design study" category and not into "production preview". At the same time, like so many other show cars, DCX was carefully watching how the public received the idea. The feedback they apparently observed was so positive they've decided to build it. Sort of.

In a recent interview in Auto Motor und Sport, a senior DaimlerChrysler exec hinted that the company was carefully considering adding a convertible version of the CL luxury coupe, itself a two-door model based on the S-Class luxury sedan. The Ocean Drive concept was more closely based on the S-Class directly, uniquely retaining its four-door setup but chopping the roof. The production version, if built, will have a more conventional two-door setup instead of four, and is expected to be called the CLC, a name which, as we reported back in December, was registered for use by Mercedes.

Although others (including their own Chrysler Sebring) have pulled off proper four-seat hard-top convertibles, the sheer size of the CLC will likely dictate that it will, like the Ocean Drive, have a fabric roof. That should sit fine with customers, as the CLC's most direct competition will come from the Bentley Continental GTC, whose roof is also canvas. Engines, meanwhile, are expected to carry over from the CL-Class coupe in V8, V12 and torqualicious AMG versions, and reports suggest the possible addition of a diesel model and possibly even 4Matic all-wheel-drive. Bentley has been officially put on notice.

[Source: Motor Authority]

Toyota's not having an easy time with the Tundra so far. It's been criticized for lacking a fully-boxed frame, the internet is alight with Tundra-hate, and now along comes the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Both Regular and Double Cab variants of Toyota's intended domestic-fighter were crashed by the agency, and both only managed four stars.

While a four star crash test rating isn't horrible, the Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado / GMC Sierra and Dodge Ram all have the strength to ring the 5-star bell and win the stuffed bunny. The likelihood of injuries in a Tundra could be up to 10-percent greater than the domestic brands because of its one-star deficit. The difference could also be as small as one-percent, however, so this news may not be as significant as it sounds at first blush. All we can really say with certainty is that the Tundra performs worse when crashed into a concrete barrier at 35mph than its competition.

No doubt the Tundra's performance in this test will again focus scrutiny on the truck's frame, which is not fully boxed like its competition. According to Mike Levine from Pickuptruck.com, the Tundra's frame is split into three parts and the front piece actually is boxed. However, the frame under the cab and bed are C-channel, and they are also affected by a frontal crash. As Levine told us, the rest of the Tundra's competition now has some ammo to aim back at the Tundra in their marketing efforts.

We expect that acceptance of the brawny fullsizer from Toyota will take a little while, and it may not come until the current generation Tundra is dead and buried, but when Toyota wants something, they don't mess around. They were up front in expecting the Tundra to receive five stars and a Best Pick from the IIHS, so don't expect this 4-star rating to last long.

[Source: Pickuptruck.com]

With Porsche's four-door coupe nearing production and Aston Martin readying the Rapide, it's easy to forget the one that started it all has been on the market since 2004. The shape of the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class is still one of most striking on the market, but DCX evidently reckons that by the time the fourth year roles around, it'll be time for a few cosmetic changes.

This disguised test mule was caught undergoing cold weather testing somewhere in Europe. We can see the from the photo that the updated CLS will get a new grille mimicking that of its big-coupe counterpart, the CL, plus a new set of taillights and a new rear bumper around back. It'd also be safe to assume some changes will be made to the interior, and some new rims should round out the package. The arguably least attractive element of the design, the strangely-shaped headlights, will evidently carry over unchanged, though.

The revised CLS-Class should be hitting the market sometime in 2008, ready to hold its own against the onslaught of future competitors in the four-door coupe niche market. Click the Read link to check out additional uncropped spy shots of the next MB CLS.

[Source: World Car Fans]

Looks like Rinspeed won't be the only company going plastic at Geneva this year. Hyundai has released this image and a few details about the HED-4 concept crossover, after we brought you initial info a few weeks ago.

The fourth Hyundai European Design project was realized in conjunction with GE Plastics. The lightweight two-door crossover employs composite construction, including an energy-absorbing "Elastic Front" to meet Euro-NCAP pedestrian impact standards while retaining an aggressive design and a scratch-resistant plastic windscreen that weighs half as much as glass.

In addition to the alternative construction materials, the HED-4 is also tipped to preview the styling of the next Hyundai Tucson. We'll have more for you from the show floor in the coming days.

[Source: Auto Express]

Following earlier rumors of an off-roading MINI Colorado, reports are surfacing that parent company BMW is preparing to offer all-wheel-drive on the full MINI range by 2008. The rumors stem from this week's edition of the German weekly Auto Motor und Sport, which stated that the upcoming stretched-out MINI Traveller/Clubman will be available with all-wheel drive, but that the feature would be extended to the entire Mini range – presumably including the hard-top, convertible and Clubman models – sometime in 2008.

The reports haven't been confirmed at this point, but the idea of an all-wheel-drive MINI is making us salivate already. All the more so if BMW were to enter the MINI in rally competitions. The Mitsubishi Lancer Evo and Subaru Impreza WRX STi may be getting new duds, but with all-wheel-drive hatch as stylish as the MINI presents a compelling case.

[Source: Motoring File]

Those zaney Dutchmen over at Spyker have a couple of tricks up their sleeves for us at next month's Geneva show. The quirky exotic carmaker currently offers only one model, the Audi-powered C8 sportscar, but after acquiring their own F1 team with Ferrari-supplied engines, they're ready to triple their range by introducing two new model lines.

The first new Spyker model expected to be unveiled at Geneva is the production version of the – ahem – interesting D12 Peking-to-Paris exotic sport-utility vehicle (pictured), the finalized version of the concept car they showed in Geneva last year.

The bigger news is the four-door coupe Spyker is working on to compete with the upcoming Porsche Panamera and (if the new owners, whoever they may be, decide to build it) the Aston Martin Rapide. Reports are speculating that, with the sportscar called C and the sport-ute D, the four-door model would be labeled E (though we suspect Mercedes might have something to say about that). Rumor has it that famed Italian designer Zagato was commissioned for the design.

[Source: Motor Authority]

Click the image above for a full-sized gallery.

Mercedes-Benz put on an Icecapades-style show here at Detroit, simultaneously celebrating the 100-year anniversary of the all-wheel-drive Mercedes and of the Detroit auto show, where M-B had shown their first four-driver a century ago. Accompanied by a dogsled team, hockey players and figure skaters, the press conference-on-ice showcased Mercedes' full range of 48 all-wheel-drive 4MATIC models globally, while simultaneously focusing on the introduction of the BLUETEC clean diesel technology. Lastly, fitting in to neither part of the split 4MATIC/BLUETEC double theme, the red carpet was rolled out for the Ocean Drive concept.

Make the jump for the rest of the story and the press release.



For our comprehensive listing of everything from Detroit, click here.