Autoblog

Dealer accidently unveils Audi R8 Spyder in classified ad?

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Spy Photos, Convertible, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Marketing/Advertising, Audi, UK

Stafford Audi, a U.K. Audi dealer, placed an advertisement on the popular website Pistonheads for the forthcoming R8 Spider. For a picture of the car, they used an uncamouflaged picture of an R8 Spider from the Iron Man sequel, as you can see from the California license plate that reads "Stark." According to the ad, though, the car was "spotted testing in Germany."

The ad copy goes on to say that the production car will differ from the coupe in the lack of side blades, extra air intakes behind the rear seats, a different location for the fuel filler cap, and the addition of rollover hoops that we assume are hidden until needed.

The car won't make its debut until the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010, but you can deposit down on one right now with Stafford. Estimated price: £105,000 ($177K U.S.).

Gallery: 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro

[Source: Pistonheads]

Dealer accidently unveils Audi R8 Spyder in classified ad? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Tony Stark snapped driving Audi R8 V10 Spider

Chris Shunk — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:27:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Performance, Supercars, Audi, Celebrities

The first Iron Man movie, which came out in May, 2008, turned out to be a very supercar friendly affair. Among the vehicles in Tony Stark's multi-million dollar garage were a Saleen S7, a Shelby Cobra, a Tesla Roadster and an Audi R8. Stark even worked on a 1932 Ford Flathead roadster when he wasn't killing bad guys.

We were assuming the billionaire superhero genius will continue to have a great stable of rides in the next installment of the series, and spy photos taken on set confirm our suspicions. Robert Downey Jr. is seen driving in an Audi R8 V10 Spider during shooting of the film, which is scheduled to be released on May 7, 2010. In one of the spy photos, the V10 badging is clearly visible, confirming that Stark's drop-top R8 will be powered by VW's corporate 5.2-liter V10. With an expected 525 horsepower,the Audi R8 V10 Spider looks like our kind of Arc reactor.

[Source: Auto Express]

Spy Shots: Tony Stark snapped driving Audi R8 V10 Spider originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota to offer Ironman packages for Tundra, Tacoma and FJ Cruiser

Noah Joseph — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:55:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SUV, Truck, Toyota

Click above for hi-res gallery of the Ironman edition Toyota Tundra

Back in April we brought you an initial report of the upcoming "Ironman" edition Toyota Tundra, and full details have now made their way into cyberspace. The package will be comprised of a number of dealer-installed accessories and components aimed at pumping up the testosterone levels in Toyota trucks. The special-edition is named for Ivan "Ironman" Stewart, who has raced Toyota trucks to an unparalleled 10 championships and 84 career victories.

Not only will there be an Ironman Tundra, but also Ironman editions of the smaller Tacoma truck and the retro FJ Cruiser beachcomber. Whereas the previous reports suggested that engine output would remain unchanged, the Ironman Tundra will actually offer a supercharger that boosts output from 381 hp to a whopping 504, and torque from 401 lb-ft to a stump-pulling 550. The Tacoma and FJ Cruiser likewise have their power increased from 239 hp to 304 and from 278 lb-ft of torque up to 334. Other components on offer for the Ironman Tundra are a Magnaflow cat-back exhaust, Bilstein shocks, Hella lamps, a Hurst pistol-grip shifter and 20-inch Alcoa aluminum-alloy rims with General tires. Similar accessories will reportedly be available for the Tacoma and FJ Cruiser as well.

With Toyota truck sales slumping, the company's performance division TRD hopes that the new Ironman packages will help boost sales. However, most buyers are not expected to pony up the $20k for the full monty, with most anticipated to spend between eight and ten grand on Ironman accessories from the pick-and-choose menu. The components are supplied directly by California-based Halo Special Edition Vehicles, which hopes to sell 500 Ironman packages this year before increasing targets to 5,000-10,000 packages in 2009.

Gallery: Ivan "Ironman" Stewart Signature Series Toyota Tundra

[Source: Automotive News]

Toyota to offer Ironman packages for Tundra, Tacoma and FJ Cruiser originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi launches Iron Man mini-site

John Neff — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:34:00 EST

Filed under: Audi, Celebrities

Click above to view more high-res stills from Iron Man

Audi is obviously pleased with the product placement monopoly it's acquired on the upcoming blockbuster movie Iron Man starring Robert Downey, Jr., Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow, among others. Sharing the screen with those actors will be the Audi R8 - Tony Stark's personal daily driver, an airborne Q7 SUV, and no doubt many other autos branded with the four rings that are subtly slipped in here and there. To drive home the point that Audi is as hip as can be, the German automaker has launched an Iron Man mini-site that, at the moment, looks pretty flashy but lacks much substance. There are of course movie stills, which you can check out below in our own gallery sans the flash interface, as well as the trailer and a few brief video clips that are new and heavily infused with Audi products. Other than that, there's also a breakdown of the Audi R8 and its features, which you could also find on Audi's regular website, as well as character bios (Did you know Stark's assistant, Virginia Potts, drives an S5?). Regardless of how heavy handed Audi is with the product placement, we still expect Iron Man to be an epic on-screen adventure and orders of magnitude better than that other car movie coming out this summer.

Gallery: Iron Man movie stills

[Source: Audi]

Audi launches Iron Man mini-site originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iron Man's garage contains more than just an R8

Alex Nunez — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 09:33:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Audi, Saleen, Shelby, Celebrities

Click image to enlarge

The next television spot for Jon Favreau's Iron Man will debut this weekend during (what else) the Super Bowl. Quint at Ain't It Cool News posted a screen capture released by the studio that shows our billionaire industrialist hero, Tony Stark, working in his garage on the armor's glove- and boot-mounted boosters. And what a nice garage it is, boasting not just Tony's R8, but a Shelby Cobra, a Saleen S7, a Tesla Roadster, and a pair of bikes we can't identify (weigh in if you can). Bruce Wayne, eat your heart out.

[Source: AICN]

Iron Man's garage contains more than just an R8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 02 Feb 2008 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iron Man alter ego Tony Stark's R8 at Comic-Con!

Frank Filipponio — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:16:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Supercars, Audi

Our sister blog, Cinematical, is covering Comic-Con in San Diego and lo and behold, what did they spot out in front of the convention center? Tony Stark's Audi R8. This is just an early tease for Fanboy Nation, and this major product tie-in that will also see several other Audis cross the screen in Iron Man. The silver R8 was parked out front sporting the plate "Stark 4." Priceless. Robert Downey, Jr. portrays the armor-sporting hero in this newest comic-book-to-big-screen adaptation, which, if the reports on the footage shown at the convention are accurate, is going to kick ass. Click over to Cinematical for a few more pics.

[Source: Cinematical]

Iron Man alter ego Tony Stark's R8 at Comic-Con! originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iron Man will drive an Audi R8

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 18:17:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Audi

Don't tell Toyota, but Iron Man drives an Audi - at least in the movies. Not to be confused with longtime Toyota off-road truck racer Ivan "Iron Man" Stewart, we're talking about Tony "Iron Man" Stark here. Word from Variety is that the newest big screen superhero will be piloting Audi's latest supercar, the R8. The Ingolstadt flyer was chosen by Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures to be the personal wheels of billionaire industrialist Tony Stark. At least when he's not donning his armor as Iron Man, he'll be tooling around in this mid-engine stunner. And from the sound of it, the movie will be a family affair with the A6, Q7 and the upcoming S5 playing supporting roles. Expect a huge movie tie-in campaign for the film's release that's scheduled for May 2 of next year.

Thanks for the tip, Jay!

[Source: Variety]

Iron Man will drive an Audi R8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Jul 2007 18:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford Explorer dons Ironman armor

Alex Nunez — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 06:56:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Ford

After Ford signed on to become the title sponsor of the Ironman Triathalon in 2005, the company decided to create an Explorer "buzz vehicle" to celebrate the relationship. The result is the 2007 Ironman Explorer, easily the best-looking Explorer variant based on the current body style.

Up front, the grille gets blacked out, making it look more compact than it does on other Explorers. This is a simple change that results in a huge visual improvement. Below that, a U-shaped silver grille embossed with the Ironman logo is added. Again, a welcome change -- it adds contrast and looks tougher than the simple bulge on the lower bumper of the standard Explorer. This new piece is flanked by amber foglights, and the standard headlight assemblies get a sharp-looking blackout treatment as well.

The black theme continues on the lower body cladding and the new exposed-rivet wheel flares, while Ironman-specific six-spoke 18" wheels fill the wells. The net effect of the external mods is that the truck, in pictures at least, looks less massive and a whole lot sportier.

Inside, two-tone Black-and-Stone leather covers the seats, and the center stack gets done up in silver trim.

Five exterior colors are available, including Orange Frost, which is exclusive to this model. Look for the Ironman Explorer in Ford showrooms this September.

(Additional info after the jump)

Source: Ford

Continue reading Ford Explorer dons Ironman armor

Ford Explorer dons Ironman armor originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Jul 2006 06:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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