Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Hurricane Sandy cost automakers 15,000 vehicles, may have ruined up to 200k]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/07/hurricane-sandy-cost-automakers-15-000-vehicles-may-have-ruined/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/07/hurricane-sandy-cost-automakers-15-000-vehicles-may-have-ruined/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/07/hurricane-sandy-cost-automakers-15-000-vehicles-may-have-ruined/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Porsche damaged in Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy was the largest Atlantic storm in US history, and its total economic impact is just now coming into view. According to Automotive News, Toyota, Chrysler, Nissan and Honda are set to scrap around 15,000 new vehicles ruined by the storm. Nissan alone accounts for about 40 percent of those, with 6,000 Nissan and Infiniti models deeded "un-saleable" due to damage. The company saw 56 dealerships shuttered due to the storm, but 51 of those have since reopened.

Toyota, meanwhile, had some 4,000 vehicles at its Newark port facility, and of those, 3,000 may be scrapped. An additional 825 were dealer inventory when they were ruined. Honda and Acura dealers are reportedly sending 3,440 vehicles to the salvage yard. By comparison, Chrysler weathered the storm fairly well with 825 units destroyed, while Hyundai suffered only 400 lost units and Kia scrapped around 200.

As you may recall, Fisker also suffered some losses, and Automotive News reports the manufacturer saw 320 Karma models damaged beyond repair. Ford and General Motors have yet to come up with estimates, and no automaker has commented on the full cost of replacing the vehicles.

Meanwhile, NADA said the storm could claim as many as 200,000 personal vehicles.

Hurricane Sandy cost automakers 15,000 vehicles, may have ruined up to 200k originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Nov 2012 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acurachryslerfiskerfordgmhondahurricanehurricane damagehurricane sandyhyundaiinfinitikianissansandytoyotaWed, 07 Nov 2012 16:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20373338/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/11/07/hurricane-sandy-cost-automakers-15-000-vehicles-may-have-ruined/20373338/article-detail.xml 20373338 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/sandy-flooded-porsche_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/sandy-flooded-porsche.jpg <![CDATA[Why Hurricane Sandy fallout will hit luxury carmakers particularly hard]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/31/why-hurricane-sandy-fallout-will-hit-luxury-carmakers-particular/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/31/why-hurricane-sandy-fallout-will-hit-luxury-carmakers-particular/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/31/why-hurricane-sandy-fallout-will-hit-luxury-carmakers-particular/#commentsFiled under: , ,



When we say the worst of Hurricane Sandy has passed, we're only talking about the weather phenomena; the depth of the storm's other impacts will take time to measure. Many of the estimated 4,751 car dealers in the states affected by Sandy spent the run-up to the storm moving their inventory to high ground if possible and bracing their dealerships for the storm. Many had already been through Hurricane Irene had some practice, but, as one dealer said, the water levels before Sandy hit were already at Irene levels, so all they could do was hope they got it right.

It's not that there's ever a good time for a civilization-battering natural disaster, but for dealers, Hurricane Sandy coming at the end of the month was the worst possible time. These last few days of the month are when they'd be discounting cars and courting shoppers to meet their monthly quotas. Luxury dealers might take the brunt of the hit, as a report in Bloomberg indicates that Volvo, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Acura sell from 23 to 25 percent of their wares in New York, Washington and Philadelphia.

According to the The New York Times, as of Tuesday night there were eight million people without power due to the storm, 2.3 million of them in New York state and another 2.6 million in New Jersey. Power outages there might last the rest of the week, if not longer. The Washington Post reported that the D.C. area is getting back to business, but it was shut down entirely for two days. Elsewhere, it's been reported that "the Northeast back to business," but that's the business of cleaning up, not the business of selling cars.

The 'good' news, relatively speaking, for dealers and the luxury makers is that Hurricane Sandy didn't change analysts' sales predictions for the month, nor the year. October is traditionally the slowest month of the year anyway, and the annualized rate of 14.8 to 14.9 million 2012 sales might be a little soggy, but appears to have emerged intact.

Why Hurricane Sandy fallout will hit luxury carmakers particularly hard originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acurabmwhurricanehurricane sandymercedes-benznatural disasternew yorkphiladelphiasandyvolvowashington dcWed, 31 Oct 2012 10:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20366183/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/31/why-hurricane-sandy-fallout-will-hit-luxury-carmakers-particular/20366183/article-detail.xml 20366183 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/cars-flooded-from-hurricane-sandy_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/cars-flooded-from-hurricane-sandy.jpg <![CDATA[600-hp G-Power 1 Series is excessively cool]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/23/600-hp-g-power-1-series-is-excessively-cool/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/23/600-hp-g-power-1-series-is-excessively-cool/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/23/600-hp-g-power-1-series-is-excessively-cool/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

G-Power G1 Hurricane RS

Save some unforeseen circumstance we've yet to encounter, you'll never hear us turn down shoving extra horsepower at a vehicle. The minds at G-Power seem to understand that concept better than most and have just finished pumping a full 600 horsepower into the BMW 1 Series M Coupe. The team is calling their newest creation the G1 Hurricane RS, and the car makes use of a supercharged version of the same V8 that powers the BMW M3. Likewise, the tuner's engineers plucked the dual-clutch gearbox from the larger M for service in the G1 Hurricane.

With 427 pound feet of torque on hand, the smallest of the G-Power line can bolt to 125 miles per hour in around 12.7 seconds on its way to a top end of 205 mph. The company threw in a set of carbon ceramic brakes to help bring the wicked 1 Series down from speed, which also helped reduce unsprung weight by half. Further weight reductions come in the form of a carbon fiber hood and trunk lid. G-Power plans to build just 30 examples of its wild little 1 Series M Coupe, so if you want one, you better get on the phone now. Head over to the G-Power site fore more information.

600-hp G-Power 1 Series is excessively cool originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Oct 2012 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1 series1 series m coupebmwbmw 1 series m coupebmw m3g-powerg-power g1 hurricane rsg1 hurricane rshurricanem3Tue, 23 Oct 2012 16:02:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20356341/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/23/600-hp-g-power-1-series-is-excessively-cool/20356341/article-detail.xml 20356341 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/01-g-power-g1-hurricane-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/01-g-power-g1-hurricane-628.jpg <![CDATA[Holden restores its first ever concept car, the 1969 Hurricane [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/19/holden-restores-its-first-ever-concept-car-the-1969-hurricane/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/19/holden-restores-its-first-ever-concept-car-the-1969-hurricane/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/19/holden-restores-its-first-ever-concept-car-the-1969-hurricane/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Holden has resurrected the company's ground-breaking 1969 Hurricane Concept with a complete restoration. The low-slung, mid-engine coupe served as a showcase for technology that wouldn't find its way into production vehicles for almost three decades, including a turn-by-turn navigation system, automatic climate control and a rear-view camera. At the time, engineers relied on genuine ingenuity to load the Hurricane with equal parts performance and technology. The navigation system relied on magnets embedded in the road surface to illuminate a series of arrows on the dash while the rear-view camera borrowed from closed-circuit TV.

A group of dedicated Holden workers took it upon themselves to put the Hurricane back in working order using as many original parts as possible. That includes the experimental four-barrel 253ci V8 mounted mid-ship. Holden eventually used the design as the platform for its small-displacement V8 effort, which began later in '69, though as GM points out, the V8s wouldn't receive the four-barrel treatment until much later in the '70s.

Holden has been working to restore the Hurricane since 2006, and now that it's finished, the concept will be on display at the Motorclassica Car Show in Melbourne from October 21-23. Follow the jump for a quick video on the car as well as the press release.

Continue reading Holden restores its first ever concept car, the 1969 Hurricane [w/video]

Holden restores its first ever concept car, the 1969 Hurricane [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1969 holden hurricane concept1969 hurricane conceptconceptholdenholden hurricaneholden hurricane concepthurricaneWed, 19 Oct 2011 10:57:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20085155/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/10/19/holden-restores-its-first-ever-concept-car-the-1969-hurricane/20085155/article-detail.xml 20085155 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/15-holden-hurricane-concept-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/15-holden-hurricane-concept-opt.jpg <![CDATA[Supercharged Hyundai Genesis Hurricane SC to bow at SEMA]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/14/supercharged-hyundai-genesis-hurricane-sc-to-bow-at-sema/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/14/supercharged-hyundai-genesis-hurricane-sc-to-bow-at-sema/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/14/supercharged-hyundai-genesis-hurricane-sc-to-bow-at-sema/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



The 2012 Veloster may be Hyundai's new hotness, but the Genesis Coupe is still its flagship performance car. And with this year's SEMA show right around the corner, Hyundai is quickly readying a full fleet of tuner cars to debut in Las Vegas. Here, we see the Genesis Hurricane SC - a collaboration between the Hyundai America Technical Center (HATCI) located near Ann Arbor, Michigan, and companies like Magnuson Products, Rhys Millen Racing, Harman International and Torvec Inc.

As its name suggests, the swan song of this tuned Genesis Coupe is its engine - a supercharged version of Hyundai's 3.8-liter V6. Adding this supercharger means the Hurricane is good for more than 450 horsepower, and Torvec Inc. has fitted its IsoTorque differential to allow for improved handling and traction. When tested on the road course at Hyundai's proving grounds, this new differential allowed the Hurricane to be one second quicker lap over lap than a standard Genesis Coupe.

Rhys Millen Racing provided the new front bumper, grille, side skirts, hood, diffuser and rear deck, and the company's partners - Enkei and Hankook - are responsible for the 19-inch wheel and tire package. Inside, there's a high-level Lexicon audio system and custom Katzkin leather upholstery with blue suede inserts on the seats. After all, it wouldn't be SEMA without heaps of suede.

Hyundai has only released this one teaser image as of this writing, but we'll be sure to bring you a full gallery live from SEMA next month. Follow the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Supercharged Hyundai Genesis Hurricane SC to bow at SEMA

Supercharged Hyundai Genesis Hurricane SC to bow at SEMA originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011 semagenesis coupehatcihurricanehyundairhys millensemasuperchargedFri, 14 Oct 2011 10:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20081405/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/10/14/supercharged-hyundai-genesis-hurricane-sc-to-bow-at-sema/20081405/article-detail.xml 20081405 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/3423811628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/3423811628.jpg <![CDATA[Making the best of it by jet-skiing through the streets after Irene]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/30/making-the-best-of-it-by-jet-skiing-through-the-streets-after-ir/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/30/making-the-best-of-it-by-jet-skiing-through-the-streets-after-ir/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/30/making-the-best-of-it-by-jet-skiing-through-the-streets-after-ir/#commentsFiled under: ,

Jet Skiing after Hurricane Irene

Hurricane Irene was an impressive storm by every measure. Despite losing some of its ferocity before making landfall, the system brought torrential rains to parts of the country that were already suffering from severely saturated soil. As a result, widespread flooding occurred up and down the east coast. One enterprising soul in Oceanside, NY decided to make the most of the situation by taking his jet ski out for a little romp down Lawson Boulevard.

Now, we should probably take a moment to point out that playing in flood water is all sorts of dangerous. Besides obvious threats like hidden currents, obstacles and fluctuations in depth, floods also pack all sorts of bacteria washed up from septic and sewer systems. Yummy.

Even so, it looks like this guy is having a blast in his own personal water world. Hit the jump to take a look at the video for yourself, and be sure to consider sending donations to the American Red Cross or relief organization of your choice.

Continue reading Making the best of it by jet-skiing through the streets after Irene

Making the best of it by jet-skiing through the streets after Irene originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>floodhurricanehurricane ireneirenejet skivideoTue, 30 Aug 2011 12:32:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20030193/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/08/30/making-the-best-of-it-by-jet-skiing-through-the-streets-after-ir/20030193/article-detail.xml 20030193 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/hurricane-irene-jet-ski-630_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/hurricane-irene-jet-ski-630.jpg <![CDATA[Unique Autosports South gets crazy custom-built automotive pool table]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/22/unique-autosports-south-gets-crazy-custom-built-automotive-pool/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/22/unique-autosports-south-gets-crazy-custom-built-automotive-pool/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/22/unique-autosports-south-gets-crazy-custom-built-automotive-pool/#commentsFiled under: ,


Unique Autosports pool table by Hurricane Custom Billiards - Click above for high-res image gallery

We see plenty of automotive-inspired products roll through our tip line, and most of them are pretty subtle: A logo here, a racing stripe there, a touch of carbon fiber or vulcanized rubber.... But "subtle" won't cut it for Unique Autosports, purveyors of blinged-out whips for the rich and famous. So for Unique's Miami showroom, they turned to Hurricane Custom Billiards of St. Petersburg, Florida, to create the one-of-a-kind pool table you see here.

The Unique Autosports pool table is built on a chromed steel frame and mounted on four giant shiny rims coated in ultra low-profile rubber, while the table top is covered in tournament-quality black felt and trimmed in black leather. It's even got a light kit installed capable of 1,000 different colors, in case the table would otherwise go unnoticed. Eight-Ball shifter, eat your heart out. Check it out in the gallery below, with our thanks to Keith for the tip.


Gallery: Unique Autosports pool table by Hurricane Custom Billiards


[Source: Hurricane Billiards]

Unique Autosports South gets crazy custom-built automotive pool table originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>billiardbilliardscustomhurricanehurricane custom billiardsHurricaneCustomBilliardspoolpool tablePoolTableuniqueunique autosportsunique autosports southUniqueAutosportsUniqueAutosportsSouthwhipsWed, 22 Jul 2009 19:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19106559/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/07/22/unique-autosports-south-gets-crazy-custom-built-automotive-pool/19106559/article-detail.xml 19106559 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/web_unique-billiards-07_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/web_unique-billiards-07.jpg <![CDATA[The world's fastest BMW coupe? 230 mph G-Power M6 Hurricane CS]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/30/the-worlds-fastest-bmw-coupe-231-mph-g-power-m6-hurricane-cs/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/30/the-worlds-fastest-bmw-coupe-231-mph-g-power-m6-hurricane-cs/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/30/the-worlds-fastest-bmw-coupe-231-mph-g-power-m6-hurricane-cs/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


G-Power M6 Hurricane CS - Click above for a high-res image gallery

The G-Power crew is constantly striving to produce the most insane BMWs on the planet, combining forced induction with thoroughly revised suspensions and aerodynamics to attain completely unreasonable speeds. It's latest creation, the M6 Hurricane CS, takes the standard set by its M5-based Hurricane RS, and straps a duo of superchargers onto the 5.0-liter V10, boosting the coupe's output to 740 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque.

Combined with a remapped ECU and a titanium exhaust, along with carbon fiber seats and a few other tweaks to reduce the curb weight by around 100 pounds, the CS can run to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, to 124 mph in 9.6 seconds, 187 in 26 seconds and on to a claimed top speed of 230 mph - making it the fastest road-going BMW coupe on Earth.

In addition to the twin superchargers and bespoke body-kit, G-Power fitted the CS with carbon ceramic brakes at all four corners, with the front discs measuring in at 380mm and clamped by six-piston calipers. A coil-over suspension with nine adjustable settings joins front and rear anti-roll bars, and for a scant 390,000 euros, it can be yours. All the details can be found in the press release below the fold.


Gallery: G-Power M6 Hurricane CS

Continue reading The world's fastest BMW coupe? 230 mph G-Power M6 Hurricane CS

The world's fastest BMW coupe? 230 mph G-Power M6 Hurricane CS originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bmwcsg-powerG-Power M6 Hurricane CSG-powerM6HurricaneCshurricanem6Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:32:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1533339/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/04/30/the-worlds-fastest-bmw-coupe-231-mph-g-power-m6-hurricane-cs/1533339/article-detail.xml 1533339 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/04/01-g-power-hurricane-m6-580op_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/04/01-g-power-hurricane-m6-580op.jpg <![CDATA[Leave worried, return in style: Gustav evacuee wins Mustang on the way home]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/07/leave-in-fear-return-in-style-gustav-evacuee-wins-mustang-at-c/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/07/leave-in-fear-return-in-style-gustav-evacuee-wins-mustang-at-c/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/07/leave-in-fear-return-in-style-gustav-evacuee-wins-mustang-at-c/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Norris Cadiere and his family were among the thousands who evacuated their New Orleans-area homes ahead of Hurricane Gustav last week. The Cadieres, who waited out the storm in Georgia, decided to stop at the Hollywood Casino in Bay St. Louis, MS on the way back to their home in Marrero, which is around 10 miles outside New Orleans. Norris was playing the maximum bet on one of the casino's nickel slots when he got lucky, and the slot machine started going berserk. Cadiere thought he had won himself a thousand bucks or so, but he soon learned that, in fact, he had won a $30,000 2008 Mustang convertible (we're assuming it's a GT, given that price). All too often, violent storms like this result in a loss of some kind for those affected by them. In the Cadieres' case, not only did they wind up with a brand new car, but their house escaped the storm unscathed as well. Little did they know that when they took their unplanned (and almost certainly unwanted) road trip last week, Lady Luck would be riding shotgun the whole time.

Gallery: 2007 Ford Mustang GT Convertible


[Source: SunHerald.com]

Leave worried, return in style: Gustav evacuee wins Mustang on the way home originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 07 Sep 2008 18:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cadieregustavhollywood casinoHollywoodCasinohurricanemustangSun, 07 Sep 2008 18:37:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1306901/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2008/09/07/leave-in-fear-return-in-style-gustav-evacuee-wins-mustang-at-c/1306901/article-detail.xml 1306901 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/mustanggt09red_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/mustanggt09red.jpg <![CDATA[G-Power builds twin-supercharged M6 Hurricane drop-top]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/10/g-power-builds-twin-supercharged-m6-hurricane-drop-top/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/10/g-power-builds-twin-supercharged-m6-hurricane-drop-top/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/10/g-power-builds-twin-supercharged-m6-hurricane-drop-top/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Click above for high-res gallery of the G-Power M6 Hurricane

We were highly impressed with G-Power's M5 Hurricane. After all, it's twin-supercharged V10 produced nearly 50% more power than stock and it had a top speed of 211 mph, which G-Power claims to be faster than any other street legal Bimmer. With the BMW M6 packing the same 5.0-liter V10, it was only a matter of time before it received the same treatment. Behold the G-Power M6 Hurricane! While the twin blowers are set for lower boost, only 6 psi compared to the M5's 10 psi, the M6 still produces a healthy 635 bhp @ 7300 rpm and 469 lb-ft torque @ 6300 rpm. This is good for a 4.5 second sprint to 60 mph and a top speed of nearly 200 mph. Not one to forget that appearance matters, G-Power also provides a new front and rear fascia, rocker panels, and carbon fiber rear diffuser along with 21-inch wheels that make room for a 15-inch brake system up front. M6 owners can drop off their car at G-Power's German headquarters or can order a fully assembled car starting at a mere 183,000 Euros. Full details can be found in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: G-Power M6 Hurricane


[Source: G-Power]

Continue reading G-Power builds twin-supercharged M6 Hurricane drop-top

G-Power builds twin-supercharged M6 Hurricane drop-top originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BMWG-PowerHurricaneM6Tue, 10 Jun 2008 11:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1218079/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2008/06/10/g-power-builds-twin-supercharged-m6-hurricane-drop-top/1218079/article-detail.xml 1218079 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/06/gpowerm6lead_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/06/gpowerm6lead.jpg <![CDATA[G-Power Hurricane M5 takes the crown as fastest, road-legal BMW]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/05/g-power-hurricane-m5-takes-the-crown-as-fastest-road-legal-bmw/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/05/g-power-hurricane-m5-takes-the-crown-as-fastest-road-legal-bmw/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/05/g-power-hurricane-m5-takes-the-crown-as-fastest-road-legal-bmw/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for a high-res gallery of the G-Power Hurricane.

No, the G-Power Hurricane isn't one of Fifty-Cent's Smart concoctions; it's the new record holder for the fastest, street-legal BMW on the globe. The modified E60 M5 was clocked doing 225 mph (360 km/h) at Germany's Papenburg speed bowl this past weekend, taking the title from the AC Schnitzer Tension M6.

The M5's V10, which normally produces 507 hp, was tweaked to the tune of 730 hp through the use of the firm's Evo II twin-supercharger setup. The duo of belt-driven compressors huff around seven pounds of boost into each one of the cylinder banks, and partnered with a higher differential, the G-Power crew maintains the Hurricane could have reached 250 mph if rain and light snow hadn't caused traction issues.

[Source: World Car Fans]

Gallery: G-Power BMW M5 Hurricane

G-Power Hurricane M5 takes the crown as fastest, road-legal BMW originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Feb 2008 07:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bmwe60fastest bmwFastestBmwg-powerg-power hurricane m5G-powerHurricaneM5hurricanem5Tue, 05 Feb 2008 07:35:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1106217/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2008/02/05/g-power-hurricane-m5-takes-the-crown-as-fastest-road-legal-bmw/1106217/article-detail.xml 1106217 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/02/hurricane_450-op_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/02/hurricane_450-op.jpg <![CDATA[G-Power Hurricane M5 claims mantle as fastest BMW with 730HP]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/03/g-power-claims-mantle-as-fastest-bmw-with-730hp-hurricane-m5/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/03/g-power-claims-mantle-as-fastest-bmw-with-730hp-hurricane-m5/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/03/g-power-claims-mantle-as-fastest-bmw-with-730hp-hurricane-m5/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


click above to view more high-res images o fhte G-Power Hurricane M5

Coaxing more power from an engine as finely-tuned as BMW M-division's 500-horsepower V10 is no easy task. But that didn't stop German aftermarket tuner G-Power, which managed to get total power output up to a staggering 730 hp for its Hurricane M5, claiming the hotly-contested mantle of the world's fastest and most powerful street-legal Bimmer.

To extract that kind of juice, G-Power fitted not one, but two superchargers - one for each cylinder bank - with stratospheric spooling redlines of 100,000 rpm. They've also fitted an overhead intercooler, swapped in a bigger oil cooler and tinkered with the M5's notoriously intricate electronics. The result: half a second off the M5's already supercar-like 0-60 time, now down to just 4.2 seconds. With all that extra power and the electronic limiter removed, the aptly-named Hurricane is claimed to hit a top speed of 340 km/h - that's over 211 miles per Autobahn-storming hour.

More after the jump, including all the specs and G-Power's official press release, and be sure to scope out the photos in the gallery below.

[Source: G-Power]

Gallery: G-Power BMW M5 Hurricane

Continue reading G-Power Hurricane M5 claims mantle as fastest BMW with 730HP

G-Power Hurricane M5 claims mantle as fastest BMW with 730HP originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bmwfastestg-powerhurricanem5powerfulsuperchargedThu, 03 Jan 2008 12:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1075611/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2008/01/03/g-power-claims-mantle-as-fastest-bmw-with-730hp-hurricane-m5/1075611/article-detail.xml 1075611 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/01/gphurricane04-web_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/01/gphurricane04-web.jpg <![CDATA[Repairing childhood trauma with Power Wheels Jeep Hurricane]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/repairing-childhood-trauma-with-power-wheels-jeep-hurrican/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/repairing-childhood-trauma-with-power-wheels-jeep-hurrican/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/repairing-childhood-trauma-with-power-wheels-jeep-hurrican/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



As a child who was a car geek since he was a knee-high to a back bumper, I coveted a Power Wheels electric vehicle over all the other toys in the JC Penny Christmas Catalogue. Power Wheels were magically self-propelled by something called ewectwicitee and cost hundreds of dollars ($8 bajillion in kid money). I never got one and am emotionally scarred because of it, but am waiting for the day I have my own mini-me and can spoil him on his fifth birthday with his very first car.

Power Wheels have come a long way since I was a tike, however. Case in point is the new Jeep Hurricane produced by the Fisher Price division that features Ultimate Terrain Traction. Yeah, you're reading that right. The newest Power Wheels has traction control. The PR language says it all about this "high performance drive system" though skimps on the details:
  • "It powers through places where other battery-powered ride-ons need a push"
  • "Through lush lawns, wet grass, mud, gravel, rough terrain and more"
  • "It's there when you need it - even when you think you don't"
We're not sure what comprises the Jeep Hurricane's Ultimate Terrain Traction, though it's probably not a complicated mess of electronic nannies varying power output to each individual wheel based on tire slip. It could be the simple fact that this Power Wheels has rubber tires instead of slippery plastic ones, but we won't tell the kids that.

The Jeep Hurricane also fixes some proportion issues of past Power Wheels by riding on a much longer wheelbase than past models. If that's not enough, there's also an on-board cup holder (sippy cup approved) and real working FM radio (what, no iPod jack?). The base MSRP for the Ultiamte Terrain Traction Jeep Hurricane is $400.00. There are no options to inflate the price further, but there's also no financing and certainly no incentives. That's a pretty steep price for a child's toy, but it's so cool we think dipping into junior's college fund for this is perfectly warranted.

[Source: Fisher-Price]

Repairing childhood trauma with Power Wheels Jeep Hurricane originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Nov 2006 18:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>childfisher priceFisherPricehurricanejeepkidpower wheelsPowerWheelstoyFri, 10 Nov 2006 18:25:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/699939/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2006/11/10/repairing-childhood-trauma-with-power-wheels-jeep-hurrican/699939/article-detail.xml 699939 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/11/jeephurricanepwheels_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/11/jeephurricanepwheels.jpg <![CDATA[Sales Report: Hurricanes create good looking August sales]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/29/sales-report-hurricanes-create-good-looking-august-sales/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/29/sales-report-hurricanes-create-good-looking-august-sales/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/29/sales-report-hurricanes-create-good-looking-august-sales/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Last year Hurricanes Katrina and Rita knocked the wind right out of automakers' sails, who were enjoying three months of healthy summer sales fueled by big incentives and employee pricing. From August through October of last year, however, sales were down 21 percent at GM, 13 percent at Ford and up only 2.1 percent at DaimlerChrysler, the Detroit Free Press reports. Because of this extended period of sales depression, the results this year for the next few months may look rosy in comparison. At the same time, some analysts caution if sales remain flat in the coming months compared with last year that it will focus the spotlight even further on the poor sales performances of GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler.

We will know by the end of the week how each has fared, as automakers will be releasing their sales figures for August on Friday. We'll round them up for you, of course, in our By The Numbers series of posts.

[Source: The Detroit Free Press]

Sales Report: Hurricanes create good looking August sales originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Aug 2006 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>augusthurricanekatrinaritasalesTue, 29 Aug 2006 09:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/660685/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2006/08/29/sales-report-hurricanes-create-good-looking-august-sales/660685/article-detail.xml 660685 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/08/hurricane-katrina-54_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/08/hurricane-katrina-54.jpg <![CDATA[Ford still thinking about rocking truck world like a Hurricane?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/03/26/ford-still-thinking-about-rocking-truckdom-like-hurricane/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/03/26/ford-still-thinking-about-rocking-truckdom-like-hurricane/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/03/26/ford-still-thinking-about-rocking-truckdom-like-hurricane/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Cancelled last year for a variety of reasons, The Detroit News believes that the Blue Oval has renewed its "Hurricane" next-generation V8 engine program. Despite high gas prices, horsepower and torque continues to sell vehicles, and Ford has found itself falling behind competitors in the full-size SUV and pickup market. Add in healthy competition from Nissan and Toyota's upcoming Tundra, and there is little doubt that Ford would do well to act immediately.

At this point, it's not clear if Ford will stay with an overhead-cam multi-valve architecture, or follow GM and Chrysler down the pushrod 2-valve path. Either way, expect the new engine to utilize a significantly larger bore and shorter stroke than the current 5.4L Triton (pictured).

While the primary application for the Hurricane is Ford's full-size truck lineup, it would be surprising if it didn't make it into the Mustang as well, as we can expect the Camaro and Challenger to both show up packing significantly more than the GT's current rating of 300 HP.

Expect to see the new engine sometime around 2008.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Ford still thinking about rocking truck world like a Hurricane? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 26 Mar 2006 06:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>F-SeriesFordHurricanePickupTruckV8Sun, 26 Mar 2006 06:56:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/602808/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2006/03/26/ford-still-thinking-about-rocking-truckdom-like-hurricane/602808/article-detail.xml 602808 http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/03/Ford-5_4_thumbnail.jpg http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/03/Ford-5_4.jpg <![CDATA[Editorial: Will DCX's move taking Jeep 'out of the woods' dilute the brand?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/03/21/editorial-will-dcxs-move-taking-jeep-out-of-the-woods-dilute-t/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/03/21/editorial-will-dcxs-move-taking-jeep-out-of-the-woods-dilute-t/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/03/21/editorial-will-dcxs-move-taking-jeep-out-of-the-woods-dilute-t/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

The Jeep Compass, arguably the 2006 North American International Auto Show's leading whipping boy has been outed (along with company's upcoming Patriot twin) by James Healey at the USA Today as potentially damaging brand extensions. The two vehicles are based on the DaimlerChrysler's on-road-only Dodge Caliber, offering comparatively little of Jeep's trademark off-road prowess, thus calling into question the marque's direction and identity.

The question is: Will DaimlerChrysler's division to forsake the Rubicon Trail for the Primrose Path lead to a sales success, a tarnished image... or both?

This author went so far as to call the Compass the NAIAS' 'Worst In Show' within hours of the vehicle's introduction and has yet to see anything to change his mind. As a Dodge-branded vehicle unencumbered by Jeep's 'mountain man' aura, the Compass might have made for a reasonable offering. In fact, it likely will be a fine offering-- as a Caliber. But as it stands, the model's name takes on an unwelcome ironic sheen for a company clearly losing sight of who it is and where it's going. This is a particular shame given that Jeep has arguably long remained the most self-aware brand in the entire domestic auto industry.

(continue reading after the jump)

Continue reading Editorial: Will DCX's move taking Jeep 'out of the woods' dilute the brand?

Editorial: Will DCX's move taking Jeep 'out of the woods' dilute the brand? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Mar 2006 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BrandChryslerCompassDaimlerChryslerDCXDodgeGladiatorHurricaneJaguarJeepJeepsterNAIASNorth American International Auto ShowNorthAmericanInternationalAutoShowPatriotRescueTreoTue, 21 Mar 2006 12:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/601221/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2006/03/21/editorial-will-dcxs-move-taking-jeep-out-of-the-woods-dilute-t/601221/article-detail.xml 601221 http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/01/IMG_3800_thumbnail.jpg http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/01/IMG_3800.jpg -1 2