Christopher Diken - Autoblog

The UK mag AutoExpress is reporting that BMW's new M-tuned 3-Series, due to arrive in Britian in 2006, will use a V8 making 400-hp, which is news to us. The article also strangely claims that the new M3 will be slightly slower to sixty than the current model, despite having 67 more hp— perhaps it stems from AE merely spying it on the back of a transporter, and not driving it, or hearing about anyone driving it. A more compact engine design and longer wheelbase should keep the car ba

The new ad riffs on the 1989 Kevin Costner emotion-manipulator "Field of Dreams" in which a man builds a baseball field in his backyard, thereby causing the creepy materialization og Shoeless Joe Jackson. This time around, a farmer constructs a racetrack amid his crop and Steve McQueen emerges from the cornfield to take a spin in the new 'Stang. McQueen is most famous for his role driving a Mustang rapidly in the 1968 action movie "Bullitt." The McQueen in the ad was created with a body d

But what will happen to its factory warranty? Won't it be voided? 5 Axis, the tuners partly responsible for this xB, have a done a number on the tC now as well. And you know that like Transformers, there's more than meets the eye here— more than just a bright-ass paint job, a front splitter that would be ripped off in five seconds on any real road, and some massively-dished rims. There aren't any specs to speak of yet, but I'm sure all will be elucidated at the SEMA show in early No

The French fuzz revoked Eric Clapton's British license after clocking him at 216 km/h (roughly 134 mph) in his Porsche 911 Turbo, 86 km/h over the limit near Merceuil in western France. Clapton can still drive in Britain, but will have to recover his license through a diplomatic route, i.e., bribing a government official. The guitar legend was order to pay a 750 Euro fine and pose for pictures with the gendarmes. He left the scene is the passenger seat with his secretary at the Porsche's

Why bother buying a Ferrari Enzo when you could just rent one for $7595 a month? Well, maybe you'd want to buy it because the car isn't going to depreciate, and if anything will gain value over time. But Putnam Leasing makes their strange case anyway in this article by listing their ten hottest leasable cars. Number four is the Porsche Carrera GT at $6295 monthly; number seven the Rolls Phantom at just under $5K for a month of use. I suppose these numbers are relative pittances to the peo

At the Challenge Bibendum, VW is showing a diesel-electric Golf that combines a 114-hp oil-burner with a 20-hp electric mill that supposedly can get 10 to 15 percent better fuel economy than current gasolectrics. A year ago, VW chairman Bernd Pischetsrieder wasn't really psyched about dual-powertrain technology, but now VW's research director says "we will definitely introduce hybrid vehicles in the future. We just have to consider whether to do it with gasoline or with diesel engines." P

To me, Caterhams represent all that is good with motoring: an open top, no silly luxury features, and a relatively light body that begs to be tossed around. The CSR takes over for the R500 in the Caterham Seven lineup, using a Ford Duratec brainwashed by Cosworth in order to produce 200-bhp and meet Euro IV emissions standards, something the old motor couldn't manage. The CSR still rocks the classic Seven design, except for the loud red interior that will most likely be optional on the &p

Occasionally, automotive writers, in order to describe the experience of driving a particular car,  will refer to the vehicle as a "race car for the street." Typically this is an exaggeration, as most race cars need extensive modification to be street worthy (for instance, this CLK-DTM weights 1600 pounds more than the race car). But this MB, your usual CLK AMG with a DTM stuck in the middle, is pretty damn close, at least performance-wise. Those three little letters change everythin

So wait, you mean to tell me minivans aren't cool? I guess it makes sense then that The General is referring to his new miniaturized vans like the Saturn Relay and Buick Terraza as "crossover sport vans." Although even a blind person couldn't be fooled into thinking these stodgy family transporters are SUVs, the term "crossover sport van" sure sounds better than "ain't-getting-laid-ever-again-mobile."

28,363 1998 and 1999 Audi A6s equipped with 2.8 liter V6 engines are being recalled in 30 cold weather states. When driven at a consistent speed in very cold weather (like 5º F), ice can build up in the throttle body and prevent the throttle from returning to its idle position, meaning the car will suddenly grow a mind of its own and keep moving forward down the road even though your foot is off the gas pedal, speeding mercilessly towards that bridge abutment or bustling preschool, c

Ok, ok, I give in. Want to be simultaneously awed by highly-modded performance cars and frustrated to no perceivable end by annoying web design? Then check out Car and Driver's Supercar Shootout, which puts 16 well-augmented rubber burners through the wringer in speed, handling and braking tests. A tuned Gallardo mixes it up with blown Vipers and Corvettes in the open class, while a Mallett CTS-V whoops up on the competition in the sedan segment. Unfortunately the article is set up so tha

This time, it's the mutated offspring of a Mercedes and a third-generation VW Jetta, apparently. But the Geely is actually a brand new car manufactured by the Chinese automaker Zhejiang Geely Automotive Company, Ltd., not some jokester's pet project. Besides the 84-hp motor (good for 49 mpg, purportedly), the absolute best thing about the car, according to AutoWeek, is the shift knob: "It is, simply, a joy to hold, and holding it also quiets its tendency to vibrate noisily."

Here's another look at the new Volvo 3CC concept. This time it seems to be a "real life" shot and to my peepers it looks even more freaking stunning than the images I put up yesterday. Dan Werbin, head of Volvo's North American operations, explains the tri-seater as such: "In the U.S., we have the luxury of owning two, three, even four cars. Why do they all have to be bulky?" Good question, my man. Werbin also said the shape could be elongated to allow a fuller aft compartment, to better

Bugatti wants you to know they're going to keep on keepin' on with the Veyron, the extensively delayed AWD stupercar that was supposed to offer 1000-hp, but now will only crank out 987. Is it that hard to extract 13 more equines from a 16 cylinder 8.0 liter engine? The Veyron will also employ the first ever seven-speed twin-clutch DSG-style shifting doohickey to handle the sickening power output. I might throw up just thinking about it.

No, it's not a Swedish Creedence Clearwater Revival cover band, you damn hippy. But it is one of my favorite cars right now, an 800+ horsepower sex machine that aims to become the fastest road car in history by breaking the 250 mph barrier and displacing the McLaren F1. The CCR is largely a carbon fiber enterprise, with some of the most dramatic doors on the planet, doors which make your typical Lambo setup look boring and sad in comparison. The interior's most striking component is the e

Now your little prince or princess will really know just how much your love is worth when you buy him or her this scoot-along Bimmer with functioning electronic turn signals and from the looks of the middle image, HIDs. Your love is worth exactly 160 bucks. But what about having the peace of mind that you've instilled in your child the materialistic streak necessary to convince him or her (for life) that he or she is simply better than the rest of the world because of his or her physical

This does. The Brat body is on the receiving end of an apparent full STi engine and interior swap, although there's no word on whether the Brat's traditional ultra-hazardous jump seats in the pickup bed were preserved. It's certainly not much of a sleeper in World Rally Blue with those UK-market wheels and exposed FMIC. Plenty of pictures in the link below document the transformation.

This award-winning widebody xB is the fruit of the collaboration of Five Axis Models, Pioneer Electronics, and Scion itself. The customization reportedly took over 3,000 hours and benefited from the consultation of a panel of renowned DJs including Tony Touch, Mark Farina, Rob Swift, Josh Wink and DJ Babu. The DJ platform that slides out of the hatch via linear actuator motor is set up with two tiers of digital and analog turntables and mixers, and the rear doors open along with the hatch

This week's Michelin Challenge Bibendum, besides putting GM's hybrid bus into action, will also host Volvo's introduction of its new small car concept, developed from the earlier Tandem prototype. While the Tandem was a vehicle built for two, the car most likely put on one of them fancy rotating platforms in Shanghai will be a three seater, with a 2+1 configuration. It's perfect for bringing a chaperone along on dates. We've also heard mentioned that the car, titled 3CC, will have an elec

17-year-old Laura Hatch was discovered 200 feet down into a wooded ravine near Seattle, WA yesterday, after having spent over a week in her wrecked Toyota Camry. She was last seen at a party on October 2nd, and many, including the authorities, theorized that she was a runaway. The search for Laura proceeded slowly because other party attendees initially refused to reveal where the gathering occurred because, surprise, there was underage drinking going on. During the search, Sha Nohr, the

Bob Lutz, the guy who insures that GM actually makes stuff, oversees another not insignificant trove of autos— his own. The Car Connection toured Lutz's lush grounds recently and took stock of the amazing cache of ancient lovelies he possesses. Commence slobbering below.