Autoblog

Click on the image above for our high-res 2008 WRX STI gallery

Subaru of America announced a service campaign this week focused on the 305-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter four powering the 2008 WRX STI. According to the verbiage on a letter sent to an owner, Subaru states that "abnormal combustion" could occur when the engine is repeatedly or continuously operated above redline (6,700 rpm). At these high engine speeds, the Engine Control Module cuts fuel to the powerplant to protect the engine from even higher revolutions (this is common industry-wide, not just with Subaru). Unfortunately, under certain situations the Subaru 4-cylinder Boxer is still under high boost and the fuel cut-off causes the engine to run "over lean" resulting in combustion that breaks piston ring lands... eventually destroying the engine.

Subaru's "Service Program Campaign WVE15" reprograms the Engine Control Module software to improve combustion at engine speeds above redline, preventing engine damage. Subaru is quick to point out that the revised programming "will not adversely affect the peak performance" of the vehicle, so owners need not worry about the free campaign messing up their 0-60 sprints. Letters from Subaru will go out to owners in the next week or two. In the meantime, try keeping the white needles out of the red zone!

[Source: IWSTI]

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has received around 40 complaints from owners of the Pontiac Solstice GXP and Saturn Sky Redline regarding the vehicle's braking performance. According to the owners, too much pedal effort is required to slow the vehicle down when the engine is cold. This may correlate with a TSB issued by General Motors back in December that advised dealers to recalibrate the braking control computer on both models. The system uses the stability control module's pump to increase hydraulic pressure when engine vacuum is low.

The investigation is in its preliminary stages, so no recall is in effect yet. However, NHTSA has one case of a crash involving one of the two models that could be attributed to the problem.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

When the Pontiac Solstice hit the market last year, there was enough electricity surrounding the new model in GM's "Excitement" division to power a small mid-western town. That buzz has apparently dropped off in quick order. Whereas before, dealers were tacking on huge markups, there are now reports of $1,000 being thrown on the hood of Pontiac's beautiful, bulbous roadster.

An article in the New York Times outlines a number of reasons for the recent sales slump, which include sales of the Saturn Sky rallying, Pontiac's brand perception waning and fashion victims, whose tastes change quicker than their Platinum card balance, losing interest in a vehicle that is becoming more commonplace.

Historically, highly stylized sports cars and convertibles have a short shelf life and that, coupled with the introduction of the GXP variant of the Solstice, may be the biggest culprits in the recent sales decline.

[Source: New York Times via Winding Road]

Click the image above for 29 high resolution pictures

The Pontiac Solstice is the crown prince of the General's lineup. With curves and flares, bulges and rakes, it's the modern equivalent of the Coke bottle aesthetic of yesteryear. Sure, some may prefer its sheetmetal sibling the Sky, but regardless of your chosen chariot, they're both head-turners. When the Solstice was introduced last year, however, it lacked the firepower to back up its sex-on-wheels image. Until now.

If you ask us, sacrificing a bona-fide Porsche Carrera GT for the making of a movie is almost unforgivable. Sacrificing both a Carrera GT and a Ferrari Enzo for the making of Redline is unconscionable. Now we find out a second GT barely made it out of filming Redline with its life.

Up for auction on eBay is a Carrera GT the seller claims was damaged while the filming the movie. Now, this isn't the GT that is seen going off a cliff, but instead is a GT once owned by the producer that was used and damaged during filming. Damage is confined to the left front, and the car still runs. It's just not drivable due to a busted front axle. The auctioneers warn that the repairs would cost much more than most new cars. Heck, an oil change on one of those probably cost more than some new cars.

Bidding starts at $100,000 (about $340k less than a new, undamaged GT) and is open to anyone and everyone not named Helmut Rehm. It seems Mr. Rehm of Germany hired an American eBayer to win the first attempt to auction the car, but then backed out of the deal. Be sure to read the kind, heartfelt letter to Mr. Rehm in the auction description. Here's an excerpt to whet your interest, "I think you are the lowest piece of $#%@ that walks the earth." Nice.

Check out the gallery for a couple more pictures, see the auction for more photos and detailed description.

[Source: TechEBlog]

Spiegel, Cohn, Welles, and Spielberg are unlikely company for the name of Daniel Sadek, producer of the new auto-themed movie out in theaters called Redline. According to Cinematical's review of the movie, however, this real estate mogul turned producer has bankrolled a movie guided by passion rather than the bottom line.

It certainly won't win an Oscar, but a RAZZIE for Redline is definitely a possibility. While the movie presents no real surprises, no mythic overtones, and nothing goes against type, it also doesn't make any attempt to pretend otherwise. It's a sea of B-listers with hot girls; really fast, really expensive cars; crazy, bored rich people casually risking other people's lives; and tough-yet-good-looking underdog guys who are going to make good.

Yet in real life, a real guy put his real money and his real cars in the service of that celluloid vision. And did we mention that his really fast, really expensive cars spend much of the movie actually going really fast? In fact, Sadek even sacrificed his sacred Enzo for the pic when it was practically destroyed at the hands of actor Eddie Griffin, who plays rap mogul Infamous in the film. If nothing else, Cinematical rates the movie as "agreeably psychotic" -- and who doesn't want to say hello to that?

Apparently Sadek even wrote lyrics to some of the score. Even if the movie isn't worthy, the review is. Check it out.

[Source: Cinematical]

You all remember Eddie Griffin, the celebrity gent who recently hopped in a borrowed Enzo and decided to test his theories on speed vs. coefficient of friction, vector change, and impact absorption? Well, like a proud papa whose kid blows up the chemistry class but gets on the front page of the local paper, the team behind his new movie, Redline, has decided to share the results of Eddie's physics experiment with the public: the And-There-Went-Another-Enzo is on display at Graumans' Chinese Theatre in Hollywood in advance of the movie's Thursday premiere.

It is entirely possible that Griffin was trying to show people at the Irwindale Speedway a scene from the film, which, based on the trailer, looks like 90210-meets-the-Gumball-Rally-meets-demolition-derby. Apparently people who go to movies bursting with multimillion dollar machines want to see them run into every solid object possible. A movie spokesperson, who said the car would be lying "in state," added that "Surrounding the car, in tribute, will be several high-profile sports cars as well as floral, candle and tribute displays to the car. It'll be a very special memorial service."

Oh Enzo, we hardly knew ye.

[Source: SFGate via Jalopnik]

At the very least we're about one year away from seeing the production version of the Dodge Challenger, probably longer for the Chevy Camaro. We can't wait that long, and we're guessing neither can you. Hot Wheels has come to the rescue with two pairs of limited edition miniature motors.

Beginning Tuesday morning at 9 AM PST, Hot Wheel Collector's Club members (membership is free) can buy the Real Riders Chevy Camaro and the Real Riders Dodge Challenger sets. The Camaro set has the iconic 1967 and 2006 concept versions of Chevy's pony car, and for the MOPAR fans, the Challenger set comes with a 1970 and 2006 concept versions. All four cars are much more detailed than any Hot Wheel car you'll find in stores, and feature rubber tires on special chrome wheels and a metal base. Each pack is limited to only 12,000 copies and at $9.99 each, are likely to sell out very quickly.

Check the jump for photos of the Challenger cars then go to the HWC website for even more photos of both.

Click for Red Line / Green Line photo gallery

It turns out that the Astra isn't the only thing GM's Saturn division has up its sleeve for this week's big Windy City show. Visitors to McCormick Place will also get their first eyefuls of the 2008 Vue's performance and hybrid variants.

The '08 Vue Red Line (above) gets a "performance-inspired" new look that's bound to have people talking (that may not necessarily be a good thing). The Red Line's front end is dominated by an enormous air opening below the front bumper, which is bookended by big secondary cutouts that house projector-beam foglights. The center cutout is so large, you'd expect to see an intercooler hiding behind it. Don't look for any forced induction here, though. The Vue Red line has the same powertrain as the Vue XR: GM's 250-horsepower 3.6L VVT V6 matched with a six-speed automatic with a manual-shift mode. Buyers can order it with either FWD or AWD.

Follow the jump for more info on the Red Line, initial info on the Vue Green Line and GM's official press release.

[Source: GM]

Click photo for gallery with 54 additional hi-res images

Badge-engineering is a two-way street when it comes to the relationship between Saturn and Opel. While we're eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Saturn Astra, our friends across the pond are welcoming the new Opel GT (née Saturn Sky Redline) to the party.

We had a Sky Redline in the Autoblog Garage a few weeks ago (review in the works), and as such can tell our European friends that they're in for one seriously fun (though astonishingly impractical) ride. The only major changes involve badging, the taillamps and the grille trim, and honestly, that's fine. The Sky's looks are A-OK in our book, and since it's based on a Vauxhall concept in the first place, we're confident the folks on the Continent will be happy with its appearance as well. We do feel terribly for the Brits, who, in a cruel twist, won't get a Vauxhall version.

In any case, we're BIG fans of this whole international "sharing the wealth" thing when it comes to product. Ford, please hurry. Less of this, more of this and this, OK?

(Press release after the jump.)



[Source: Opel]