Friday, February 17, 2012

CARSCOOP

CARSCOOP

Link to Carscoop

Chrysler Review is a Concept Study for a Plush GT Coupe

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 06:14 PM PST


Lawrence Tech student Colin Bonathan is a name some of our regular readers might remember.

The young designer was responsible for the exterior styling of the Ford Motor Company-endorsed 2025 Lincoln Continental concept displayed as a quarter-scale model at this year's edition of the Detroit Motor Show.

We recently revisited his portfolio and discovered a new design project that he has been working on. This time, Bonathan dreamed up a styling proposal for a Chrysler-branded luxury GT coupe named Review.

We don't know if what we see in these computer generated images is the final design or if Bonathan is still contemplating on the details, but the styling is impressive in an elegant way.

Read more »


College Girl Creates "Walk of Shame" Shuttle Service for Students in Need

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 05:18 PM PST


From time to time, you're bound to have your low days especially if you're a young and active college student.

We're talking about the so-called "Walk of Shame", which is a term used to describe the morning after a crazy night out when you end up next to someone you may or may not remember and have to walk back to your own apartment or dorm in whatever condition you may be in – and usually, it ain't good…

A young entrepreneur from Michigan found a way to make some money - or at least a name for herself, from the "walkers".

Read more »


Confirmed: Peugeot will Debut 208 GTi Concept at the Geneva Auto Salon

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 04:35 PM PST


We just received word that the teaser picture released by French carmaker Peugeot earlier today is indeed the 208 GTi Concept as we suspected and it will make its world premiere at the 82nd Geneva International Auto Salon in the beginning of March.

The 208 GTi Concept will be powered by the 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine Peugeot shares with BMW's fast Minis. The study will be very close to the production model that will follow in less than a year's time.

Read more »


BMW Introduces New M Performance Parts Program, Includes Engine Upgrades

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 04:02 PM PST


There's a lot to see from many automakers at this year's Geneva Auto Show, including a raft of new models from the BMW brand, which will introduce the new 6-Series Grand Coupe, the facelifted X6 and X6M, the new M6 Coupe, X5 M50d, X6 M50d M550d xDrive sedan and Touring along with several new engines for the 1-Series, 3-Series and X3.

That's quite a handful but we're not done yet. The Bavarian firm will also showcase the latest 3-Series sedan, the i3 hatchback and i8 sports coupe concepts (all of which we've already seen before) and in a world premiere, the new BMW M Performance accessory program, which brings us to this post.

Read more »


Flamethrowing Suzuki Hayabusa Comes Equipped with an F14-Sourced Jet Turbine Engine!

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 03:08 PM PST


How do you make the world's fastest motorcycle, the iconic Suzuki Hayabusa, even faster – at least in theory? We assume the more technically inclined will each have a different answer to that question, but for Tony Pandolfo from Orlando, Florida, there's nothing better than a…jet-sourced turbine engine.

To be more precise, the 54-year old engineer fitted the Hayabusa with an AlliedSignal jet fuel starter (JFS) sourced from an early-model F-14 jet fighter! The JFS runs on K2 Kerosene or Jet A fuel and comes complete with an afterburner.

The only official figure released by Pandolfo on his website is the jet starter's peak torque of 300 lb-ft – remember, we're talking about a motorcycle and not a pickup truck…

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Pandoflo told the newspaper that he actually turned the jet unit's power down.

Read more »


New Photos of Volvo's 2013 V40 Hatch Leak Online

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 02:10 PM PST


While Volvo may be trying to keep the new V40 under covers until the 2012 Geneva Motor Show's grand opening in early March, the online pundits have a different opinion.

Following yesterday's revealing shots, new scans from the Swedish edition of Auto Motor und Sport were leaked onto the web providing an even better view of the 2013 Volvo V40 five-door hatchback.

Read more »


South American Consumers Wooed by China's Low Cost Cars

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 01:21 PM PST


China may be one of the largest car manufacturers in the world, but its local brands haven't really managed to infiltrate any major markets.

And while Europe and North America continue to be out of their reach (for the time being, at least) for a great number of reasons ranging from their vehicles' sub-par quality and safety credentials to the fact that some brands blatantly copy Western automakers' models, certain countries in Latin America are seeing a surge in Chinese car sales.

"Little by little, I heard favorable comments. It took a long time to decide, but I'm risking it," Lima taxi driver Mario Segura, told the Detroit News. Segura had just dropped $12,000 on a brand-new Fullwin XR sedan, half the cost of a comparable Fiat or Renault.

Another example from Peru is Luis Lina, a doctor by profession, who decided against buying a second-hand Japanese model after he was convinced by relatives to visit a JAC dealership. We'll remind you that JAC is the maker of the Ford F-150 pickup truck clone.

Read more »


Ferrari has a Very Hard Time Getting Out of Parking Lot, Viper Blasts Right Through

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 12:31 PM PST


It's only natural that you park an expensive exotic supercar in an enclosed parking space instead of leaving it on the road. Nevertheless, the assurance of safety may come at a cost, as the driver of a Ferrari F430 found out in an underground parking (assumingly) in Poland.

The man had a very difficult time positioning the Ferrari on the ramp leading towards the exit, and all this because of the car's extremely low ride height.

He and some other people, who all appear to be participating in some sort of rally (judging by the decals on the car and their badges), tried all sorts of ways including driving the F430 in reverse, but to no avail. Finally, one of the men lifted the Ferrari's front wing and the car was able to make the ride to the top unscathed.

Read more »


Project Kahn's Wide Body Audi Q7 3.0 TDI

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 12:01 PM PST


Next up on Project Kahn's list is the Audi Q7 with a 233bhp 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine. The British tuner visually transforms the premium SUV with a new exterior styling and an extensive makeover of the interior.

On the outside, Kahn exterior's package includes a ground effects kit with a front apron featuring gunmetal grey detailing, wheel arch extensions, front fender vents side skirts, a roof spoiler, and a rear apron that also houses the diffuser and the new exhaust tailpipes.

Read more »


Spied: 2013 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet Makes Another Appearance

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 11:32 AM PST


Porsche is taking its time to iron out all the kinks on the upcoming 911 Turbo models of its brand-new 991 series, the Carrera and Carrera S versions of which have already been announced.

This time, our crafty spy photographers caught up with the new 911 Turbo Cabriolet during cold weather tests near the Arctic Circle. Like the Carrera/S models, the Turbo Cabriolet features a retractable soft top made out of composite materials supported by a new magnesium frame to keep the weight down.

Read more »


The Veyron of Dump Trucks has 1,000+ Horses Under its Hood and Runs the 1/4 Mile in 14 Seconds!

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 10:58 AM PST


Dumps trucks ain't our cup of tea but there's always an exception to the rule, and this is it: a Kenworth T800 with a turbo setup that's good for more than 1,000 horses at the tires!

According to the folks over at Bangshift, who uploaded the following video on their YouTube channel, the Kenworth dump truck runs the quarter mile in 14.1 seconds.

Agreed; that's not something to brag about at a local supercar meet, but keep in mind that we're talking about a dump truck here… Just to get an idea of how fast that is for a vehicle of this type and weight, a few months back, British magazine Autoexpress clocked the BMW 1 Series M Coupe running the 1/4 mile in 13.9 seconds.

Read more »


Is this Official Peugeot Teaser for the New 208 GTi?

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 10:23 AM PST


Over the past three decades, Peugeot has made a name for itself in the hot hatch market with cars like the 205 GTI/Rallye/Turbo, the 106 Rallye/GTi and the 206 RC/GTi.

Naturally, the recent presentation of the 208 supermini meant that the French carmaker is getting ready to revive the RC / GTi moniker. This may happen sooner than we think as Peugeot just published a teaser photo of a double tip exhaust on its Facebook page with the caption "Is the myth coming back?"

Read more »


2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i with 2.0L Turbo Priced from $37,995

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 09:56 AM PST


BMW's new 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with a twin-scroll turbocharger continues to trickle down the range. Following its introduction in the Z4 sDrive28i, 528i and the all-new 328i, the force-fed four-pot is now replacing the 240-horsepower 3.0-liter straight-six in the X3 xDrive28i.

The German automaker announced U.S. pricing today for the four-cylinder X3 xDrive28i, which arrives in showrooms this April as a 2013 model with the same MSRP of $37,995, including $895 destination and handling, as the outgoing six-cylinder 2012 xDrive28i.

Read more »


New VW Tiguan Commercial Featuring Fast and Furious-Style Honda CR-X

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 09:06 AM PST


Volkswagen has just released a new spot that employs the use of a Fast and Furious-style Honda CR-X de Sol from the mid-1990s to promote its revised 2012 Tiguan SUV and more specifically, its safety credentials. Obviously, the goal here is to draw the attention of a younger crowd.

You can watch it in the video that follows after the jump.

Read more »


Lumma Design Presents New BMW 6-Series CLR 600 GT Prior to its Geneva Motor Show Debut

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 08:43 AM PST


For owners of the new generation of the BMW 6-Series Convertible codenamed F12 looking to improve the looks and the performance of their drop-top model, Lumma Design has released the first details on its CLR 600 GT package that will debut in a couple of weeks' time at the Geneva Auto Salon.

The German tuning firm's offerings include a rather discreet exterior styling kit comprising a front apron with additional LED daytime running lights (wonder how long these will last…), rocker panels, blacked out kidney grilles, and a rear apron with a diffuser.

Read more »


Renault to Build a New Luxury Model Based on a Mercedes Platform

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 08:11 AM PST


The Renault-Nissan Alliance is deepening its ties with Daimler and the Mercedes-Benz brand.

The two groups, which have already moved ahead with a multitude of joint projects such as the upcoming Renault-based Mercedes Citan van, the production of Mercedes engines at Nissan's Tennessee plant, and the development of a common platform for the Smart and Renault Twingo, added another task to their list.

Read more »


Supercharged 1968 Camaro Meets Supercharged 2011 Camaro SS on the Track

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 07:37 AM PST


One of the first things most publications did after the presentation of the latest crop of pony cars from Detroit's Big Three were to compare them with their 1960 and 1970s predecessors.

So, what's new about Insideline's latest test between a 1968 Chevrolet Camaro and its modern-day namesake? Well, the difference here is that both models featured in the video have been heavily modified.

Read more »


World's Largest BMW Showroom Opens in Abu Dhabi, Best Selling Model in the M.E. is the 7-Series

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 07:01 AM PST


Abu Dhabi, home of all things extravagant such as the largest indoor and first Ferrari theme park, can now lay claim to having the world's largest showroom for BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and BMW motorcycles.

BMW Group's long-standing importer for the region, Abu Dhabi Motors, invested some AED 300 million (roughly €62 million or US$81 million) in the new 35,000-square-metre showroom over its three-year construction.

The facility features separate showrooms and sales areas for the BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce cars, and for BMW motorcycles, with more than 70 automobiles and 10 motorcycles on permanent display.

Read more »


Ford Shows the Merits of the B-MAX's Pillarless Design

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 06:31 AM PST


Another day, another round of photos of the new Ford B-MAX. This time, the Blue Oval enlisted the help of one of its European designers, Erika Tsubaki, to demonstrate the advantages of the hidden pillars and sliding doors when it comes to accessing the small MPV's interior at its UK unveiling in London today.

Ford managed to do away with the central pillars by reinforcing the rear-hinged doors, which are made of special ultra-high-strength steels providing up to five times the strength of conventional mild steel.

Read more »


New Chrysler Ypsilon Black&Red Special Edition Arrives in Britain

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 06:02 AM PST


Following on from the launch of the Lancia Ypsilon Black&Red last November, the special edition version of the Italian supermini has now put on its Chrysler logos to go on sale in the UK.

Both on the outside and inside, the new edition of the Chrysler Ypsilon subcompact hatchback sports a two-tone black and red color theme.

Read more »


Porsche Names its Upcoming Compact SUV "Macan", Releases First Official Teaser and Video

Posted: 16 Feb 2012 05:36 AM PST


As it turns out, Porsche won't be keeping the name Cajun for the production version of its upcoming junior SUV as the Stuttgart-based automaker announced today that it will be named "Macan". Porsche says that the name is derived from the Indonesian word for tiger.

"The Macan combines all sports car characteristics with the benefits of a SUV and is a genuine Porsche", said Bernhard Maier, Member of the Executive Board Sales and Marketing of Porsche. "The name of a new Porsche has to fit with the brand, sound good in very many languages and dialects and evoke positive associations."

Read more »


No comments:

Post a Comment