Autoblog

As you read this, journalists in Europe are getting their first taste of the Ferrari California, flogging the new coupe/convertible through the rolling hills of Italy, and periodically stopping to snack on shaved white truffles and sip Brunello di Montalcino. Jealous? We are. But rest assured our time will come. If it doesn't, then at least we know what we'll have to remove from our tanking 401k to get a California of our own... in Europe.

Evo is reporting that the Ferrari California will set back our friends abroad £143,000, placing it right in between the F430 coupe and spider. To put that into a U.S.-dollar perspective, the F430 coupe costs around $185,000 in the States, while the drop-top F430 is priced somewhere north of $210,000.

We'll have to wait to see how the 460-hp California fares in the first round of reviews, but in the meantime, start saving your pennies and get in line.


[Source: Evo]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart.

Mitsubishi has just released pricing on the all-new 2009 Lancer Ralliart and for $26,490, you can get behind the wheel of the turbocharged, all-wheel-drive Evo Lite. Equipped with the same 4B11T/C as the Evolution X, the Ralliart is putting out 237 hp through a modified version of the Evo IX's AWD system. That includes an Active Center Differential, along with front and rear mechanical LSDs and settings for Tarmac, Gravel and Snow. Active Stability Control is part of the package, as is Traction Control, but unfortunately, Ralliartists have to make due without the Active Yaw Control equipped on its big brother.

The optional Recaro Sport Package will set you back an additional $2,750, and includes front Recaro buckets, HID headlamps, a 650-watt Rockford Fosgate sound system with a six month subscription to Sirius Satellite Radio.

All the details are available in the press release below the fold.

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart.

According to Greb Migliore, an Autoweek scribe attending the Ralliart's press launch, the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart will arrive in showrooms this September with a price tag under $27,000. The turbocharged middleweight sedan – aimed squarely at the Subaru WRX – is a clear choice for those that don't want to shill out $40k for its big brother the Evolution X.

Instead, you can get the same 4B11T/C engine (equipped with a smaller turbo) sending 237 hp and 253 lb.-ft. of torque to Mitsubishi's dual-clutch SST gearbox and on down to a modified version of the Evo IX's all-wheel-drive setup. Go crazy with the options, including Recaros, Sirius radio, sat nav and HID headlamps, and you'll be knocking on the $30k ceiling.

However, don't hold Migliore (or Mitsubishi) to that price just yet. The final cost hasn't been determined and will be dependent on currency fluctuations between the U.S. dollar and the Japanese yen.


[Source: Autoweek]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Scion xD Release Series 1.0.

Scion seems to release more limited-edition models than we have fingers and toes to count, and it's continuing that tradition this June with the xD Release Series 1.0.

Scion's attempt to differentiate the xD RS 1.0 from its staid siblings includes a Hot Lava paint job, a DAMD four-piece body kit and a rear spoiler. The magma-themed exterior works its way inside with color-matching trim and seat inserts, while a RAZO shift knob, TRD lowering springs and model-specific wheel covers (wheel covers, really?) round out the poser package.

Scion is limiting production of the xD RS 1.0 to 2,000 units with an MSRP set at $1,999 over the standard xD's $14,550 base price (not including the $640 destination charge).

Click above for a high-res gallery from our First Drive of the GT500KR.

Ford will be producing 1,000 GT500KR Mustangs this year, with another 700 in 2009, so FoMoCo is pricing the ultimate 'Stang accordingly. For $79,995 (including destination and gas-guzzler tax), you get everything included in the "standard" GT500, plus Ford Racing's Power Upgrade Package, which includes a new exhaust and a recalibrated ECU to push out 540 hp and 510 lb.-ft. of torque from the supercharged 5.4-liter V8. The only options on the ordering form are a Shaker 1000 stereo, Sirius satellite radio and a navigation system. Ford hasn't disclosed fuel economy numbers yet, but we doubt anyone willing to drop $80k on a blown V8 is troubled by topping off their own KR with $4.00-a-gallon premium. Get your orders in now; sales begin later this month.

Don't forget to check out Part 1 and Part 2 of our First Drive: 2008 Shelby GT500KR if you haven't already, as well as the galleries below that contain a number of high-res images begging to be your next desktop wallpaper.

Hit the jump for the full press release and a video of Mr. Shelby talking up the GT500KR and its history.

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Scion xB.

Scion announced pricing for the 2009 xB and tC today, and if you want to get your hands on the love-it-or-hate-it toaster on wheels, you'll have to pony up an extra $100 this year. The xB's base price is now $16,370 (including shipping), and comes equipped with a five-speed manual as standard equipment. If you can't stand swapping your own cogs, you can shell out another $950 for a four-speed automatic. The tC's price remains the same as the 2008 model, starting at $17,620 with a five-speed manual and $18,420 for the four-speed auto 'box. Sales of the xB begin this month and the "slightly tweaked" tC will arrive in May.

Scion's press release is available after the jump.

Click on image above for a high-res gallery from our GT-R First Drive!

Nearly 700 Brits plunked down pre-order deposits of £3,500 (about $7,000) within the first 48 hours of Nissan's hot GT-R going on sale, proving demand for the latest Japanese supercar doesn't seem to be diminishing. Customers in the UK don't seem to be deterred by the GT-R's base sales price of £52,900 (about $105,000), or the fact they won't see delivery until March 2009. After our "First Drive" in the GT-R, you won't see us ridiculing frenzied buyers...

[Source: Nissan UK]

Click above to view high-res gallery of the Volvo C30 R-Design

Following up on our story about the Volvo C30 R-Design at the New York Auto Show, Volvo announced pricing today for its sporty hatchback tunerish trim level. MSRP will be $25,700, plus destination charges of $745. Doing simple math, you can put one of these hot turbocharged Swedes in your garage at a base price of $26,445. Of course, most of you will want to add available goodies such as the DVD-based navigation, bi-xenon headlights, or the Dynaudio premium sound system...and they'll cost you extra, which will balloon the price into what many consider too dear for a Swedish hatchback.

If a cosmetically-enhanced C30 is just your thing, however, we suggest you act fast. With a production run limited to just 400 examples, the exclusive R-Design will probably roll quickly out of showrooms starting in April.

[Source: Volvo Cars of North America]

click above to view more high-resolution images of the Maybach 62 Laundaulet

Lord help us, for the automotive industry has sunk to a new low. As if it wasn't bad enough that Maybach created an ode to conspicuous consumption like the 62 Landaulet, but now Mercedes' big, goofy brother has decided to put the thing into production.

Following a spat of rumors, Maybach initially unveiled the half limo/half convertible/half marshmallow in Dubai this past November, and then laid it on us in person at the Detroit show. It starts with the Maybach 62 S and then peeled off half the roof like a can of sardines and slathered whitewash all over the thing. Unfortunately, as we could see by the yellow Cayenne we showed you yesterday, money and taste don't always go together, and Daimler seems content to separate the former from those who don't have the latter. The reported list price rivals the concept itself for sheer lunacy: $1.19 million. That's an unfathomable $756k premium over the $433,750 list price for a 2008 Maybach 62 S, though we've found conflicting reports that it will start at £350,000 or around $685,000 USD. We'd like to speak to any potential customers considering buying a Maybach 62 Laundaulet about this bucket of extremely rare sand that we're offering for a very reasonable price.

We've added some new official high-res images of the 62 Laundaulet to our gallery of live shots from the 2008 Detroit Auto Show below.

[Source: Motor Authority]

To go with its newly trimmed styling, Nissan has treated the Murano's price to a nip and tuck, too. The 2009 model has had $1500 removed from the MSRP across all trim levels, and a new dual panel moonroof makes the options list along with three new exterior colors. Inside, the seats and instrument panel have been redesigned to improve the atmosphere. Among the multitude of luxury and convenience options, a hard-drive equipped Bose Music Box stereo is available if you opt for the navigation system.

The Murano now rides on the new D platform that underpins the Altima, and the mighty VQ serves up 265 horsepower from its 3.5 liters, a 25 pony increase. The sole transmission is the XTronic CVT, sending torque to either the front wheels, or through all four. The revised platform is solid and sure-footed in our experience with recent Altimas. An S FWD model will buy you entry to the Murano club for $26,330. AWD bumps the price to 27,930, and you can keep adding stuff until you've got the pretty much loaded LE AWD, which starts at $35,910. It's still a Murano, with all of the polarizing style that comes with the name. You might end up with a "tastes great, less filling" type of argument when talking with owners of the original Murano, but this one sweetens the pot with a lot of revisions and a better chassis, new fascia haters be damned. Press release after the jump.

[Source: Nissan]

Gallery: 2009 Nissan Murano