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For the first time in four years, Ford Motor Company has posted a profit for the year 2009, to the tune of $2.7B. Climbing its way back from a record loss of $14B in 2008, Ford's stunning recovery act is all the more remarkable given the pain that its rivals GM and especially Chrysler are still feeling. Furthermore, this week sees Toyota, a company whose techniques Ford CEO Alan Mullaly studied and applied as the number 2 at Boeing as well as at Ford, is reeling from a devastating outfall of a global recall caused by sticking gas ...

Sources inside VW have anonymously hinted that the company might offer a high-performance R version of the upcoming Jetta. Based very closely on the VW Compact Coupe concept pictured here, the Jetta will be built in Mexico, allowing VW to keep the price point low while attacking rivals.

If built, power will likely come from the highly-rated 2.0L turbocharged four cylinder engine currently doing duty in the Scirocco (please VW, reconsider and sell it here) and Golf R. To refresh your memories, said engine produces a healthy 265 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque.

Other tidbits worth mentioning here ...

The saga of Saab has had enough ups and downs over the past few months to fill an entire magazine. Just last week, GM declared Saab dead and reported that it was winding down the factory in Sweden.

Well, not so fast: giving new meaning to the term "11th hour", GM has now confirmed the sale of Saab to small Dutch sports car maker Spyker, which had already tried - and failed - to acquire Saab. The $400M deal sees Saab paying GM $74M, $50M when the deal is closed and another $24M on 15 June, 2010. Additionally, GM will retain a ...

With all the niches that BMW has been creating of late, it was not about to leave the 100+ horsepower gap between the M3 and the next most powerful 3-Series, the 335i/Ci alone.

Indeed, reports indicate that along with the newly face-lifted 335i coupe/convertible, the coupe which you see in these pictures, BMW will introduce a 335iS with 340hp and 322 lb-ft of torque to fit nicely within that gap. Compare the purported figures with that for the M3 and 335i/Ci:

M3
Power: 400 hp
Torque: 295 lb-ft

335i/Ci
Power: 300 hp
Torque: 300 lb-ft

Want ...

J.D. Power has released its 2009 Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study, which rates Jaguar as the highest-ranked luxury vehicle and Mercury as the top mass-market make. The index focuses on the new-vehicle purchase experience, as defined by dealership facility, salesperson, paperwork and financing process, delivery process, and vehicle price. The survey highlights dealer salespeople's improved quality, no doubt spurred by the need to be extra attentive to car buyers in a down car market.

"In this difficult economy, dealerships are working particularly hard to close sales, but need to be attentive to customers without exerting unwanted sales pressure ...

You may have already seen pictures of the all-new Audi A8 revealed to the world last week. However, we have a bit of a special belated post on Audi's flagship. You see, tucked away in the Neckarsulm division of Audi, where the "S" cars are created, sits a 6'6" Viking engineer whose job, among other things, is to fine tune A8 engines using simulation software. Not only can the horsepower and torque figures be predicted with amazing accuracy, but the engine note can also be analyzed and 'designed' as well. That A8 engineer just happens to be one ...

Audi has announced that it will enter a driverless Audi TT Quattro in next year's Pikes Peak rally. While Audi's entry will not be in contention for an actual award or title during the event, the company intends to demonstrate advanced technologies that will make it onto the marketplace.

Using a Java-based realtime script, the car receives telemetry updates within a 20-mile range. Eventually, Audi envisions a system comprising of aerial towers that communicate with cars, akin to the current mobile phone systems.

What is is point of this futuristic technology? Audi believes it will be useful in ...

No doubt spurred on by the newer and hot-selling Chevrolet Camaro, Ford has made a major improvement to the base Mustang for 2011. The upgrade in question comes in the form of a new, efficient 3.7LV6 producing 305 hp and 280 lb-ft. of torque.

On the face of it, this news should not be that remarkable, especially for a sports car. But compare these figures with the outgoing base engine: 4.0L V6 putting out only 210 hp and 240 lb-ft. of torque. The new V6 betters the base Camaro by one horsepower, and when mated with a new ...

This is the Korean-market Kia Cadenza, which will make its way here as the next Kia Amanti. As you can see in these pictures, the new car is far more handsome than the current model - and yes, we think it is ok to be subjective here - so it should definitely fare better in an increasingly impressive Kia lineup.

The new Amanti is slightly shorter than the outgoing model but has a longer wheelbase and more importantly, is a whopping 280 lb lighter. While three engines mated to a six-speed automatic transmission will be offered in non-US markets, American buyers will ...

In a disastrous turn for the small Swedish maker, the consortium of buyers for Saab, which included Swedish supercar manufacturer Koenigsegg, have reversed their decision to buy Saab. This news comes one month prior to the planned signing of the deal that would have saved Saab. Considering the fact that there exist no other bidders for Saab, this development could signal the shutting down of the historic, quirky Saab brand. Should Saab's fate be this bleak, it would mean that the relatively-promising new Saab 9-5 will never see the light of day.

"We're obviously very disappointed with the ...

Cadillac has taken the wraps off of its distinctive looking CTS Coupe. Sharing the same wheelbase as the CTS sedan, the Coupe is two inches shorter and sits two inches lower to the ground.

Cadillac is only offering GM’s direct-injected, 3.6L V6 with the coupe for the time being. That engine is good for 304 hp, 273 lb-ft. of torque. Transmission options are a six-speed automatic or a six-speed manual, and both rear-wheel and all-wheel drive versions are on offer. City/highway mileage figures with these transmissions are 17/26 and 17/25 mpg respectively. Cadillac has confirmed ...

BMW has officially introduced the all-new 2010 BMW 5 Series. Historically the second best-selling BMW line after the 3 Series, the new 5, codenamed F10, replaces a dramatically-styled car (the E60) that courted controversy its whole life as part of the “Bangle BMWs.” Taking styling cues from the new 7 Series, the 2010 5 Series appears more conventional and restrained compared to its predecessor. While the rear three-quarters view is reminiscent of the current BMW 3 Series, the overall shape dispenses with the angularity that marked the outgoing model in favor of a more rounded look.

The new car is ...

In a deal nearing $51M, BMW has joined the rank of high-profile partners for the 2012 London Olympics. BMW will provide 4,000 vehicles to transport athletes, officials and members of the press during the games.
The company, which does have a British presence with Mini and Rolls Royce, is also a sustainability partner for the 2012 games. It will supply low emissions vehicles, electric cars, bicycles and motorbikes to help the organizing committee with its goal of holding the greenest Olympics ever staged.

BMW’s victory has ruffled some feathers, especially that of Nissan. The company planned to supply ...

If you own a Mercedes-Benz and either an iPhone or Blackberry, things just got a bit more sci-fi for you. In partnership with Hughes Telematics, Mercedes has launched an application for iPhones and Blackberries that will allow drivers to lock and unlock car doors, locate their vehicles on a map, and contact roadside assistance using their devices.

Hughes developed the base software platform while Mercedes will add applications as it develops them. MBRACE will cost $280 a year.

[Source: POPSCI]

Fresh from winning MotorTrend’s Car of the Year award with the Fusion, Ford Motor Company received more good news today. In the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) annual Top Safety Picks test, Ford leads the list with six vehicles, including four models from its Swedish subsidiary Volvo. Subaru and Volkswagen/Audi came in second with five vehicles each. Troubled Chrysler was third with four models on the list.

The bigger new, perhaps, concerns a company whose vehicles did not make the cut: Toyota. While Toyota and its Lexus and Scion brands were named for 11 safety picks ...

A while ago, a hoax video appeared on the intertubes in which a young man drove his Honda Civic using his iPhone. Leave it to the Germans to make that joke a reality!
Engineers at the Freie Universität Berlin have created the "Spirit of Berlin", a completely autonomous vehicle that can be driven remotely using an iPhone. The iPhone app taps into the vehicle’s drive-by-wire system via powerful computers onboard to achieve this futuristic feat.

However, the tinkerers did not stop there. If desired, the Spirit of Berlin can drive itself to a location programmed into its GPS ...

This is a big day for Ford, currently the healthiest American car company. During the first live broadcast of its coveted and prestigious Car of the Year Award, MotorTrend has named the Ford Fusion its 2010 Car of the Year.

Ford’s achievement is noteworthy, especially when you consider the state of affairs in Detroit as well as the stiff competition it faced (including stable mates the Mustang and Taurus). The Blue Oval has dramatically improved the quality of its cars amid the recession and invested in fresh interior and exterior styling. The Fusion is offered with four cylinder, V6 ...

Earlier this year at the New York Auto Show, the rightpedal team noticed a pretty good-looking concept car at the Cadillac stand. Our reaction was first, “what the heck is that?” and then, “who cares, they should build it.” Turns out the car in question is the Cadillac version of the Chevrolet Volt, the Converj. In other words, a handsome (yes, it’s even better looking in person) Caddy that will run under electric power, complemented by an engine acting as a generator.

While the Converj has been a concept thus far, Cadillac is reportedly going to build it. This ...

Four months ahead of an official debut, Volvo has released pictures of its all-new S60, a car it calls the “sportiest and most dynamic Volvo ever.” It is understood that this official sneak-peak is meant to bolster the company's sale Chinese Geely, whom Ford has already dubbed the favored suitor for the sale.

Volvo has reportedly changed the S60's positioning to compete more directly with BMW's class-leading 3-Series. The new car is a bit smaller than its predecessor, which was sized between a 3-series and 5-series. Volvo is being very coy about the car's tehchnical details ...

"Now finance or lease any new Hyundai, and if you lose your income in the next year, you can return it with no impact on your credit."

Unless you have not watched any TV this year, you must have heard these now-familiar words in one of those Hyundai commercials promising to take back your new Hyundai should you lose your job. That bold initiative, along with other incentives such as a fuel-price guarantee, was part of the innovative and highly effective Hyundai Assurance program undertaken by Hyundai during the depth of this year's automotive sales crisis.

In concrete terms ...

Despite a recent facelift, sales of the current BMW 3-Series reportedly dropped 40% during the first half of 2009, prompting BMW to accelerate the development of the next generation of its bread-and-butter car. Codenamed F30, the new car will debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show.

The new car's styling was signed off by now-departed BMW Group design boss Chris Bangle and is said to be a departure from the current car's looks. Many changes will take place on the engine side. The 335i, while featuring the venerable inline-6 engine, will lose one of its two turbochargers and ...

Well, we (car blogs) all guessed wrong when we reported that the arrival of a BMW M3 CSL was imminent. But we were not too far off, as BMW has in fact unveiled a hardcore version of the M3. It is called the GTS and while it is road-legal, it is really a weekend clubsport racer.

The car comes replete with loud "look at how fast I am" bits like the front splitter and a massive, fixed rear wing, but according to the BMW M-Power site spotlighting the car, the real delight is the engine. The 4.4L V8 is ...

The ghost of James Dean must want one of these. Porsche has just released pictures and details of a successor the iconic 550 Spyder of 1953 that was made immortal by the Hollywood heartthrob.

Externally, the differences between the Spyder and its sister Boxsters is abundantly clear. The most striking change is the double-bubble rear deck featuring a larger diffuser. Of course, the canvas roof gives the car a dramatic yesteryear look, while the old-school Porsche door decals harken back to a more classic era. Up front, daylight running lights are gone in order to make room for reshaped air ...

Finally, some good news for at least two of the players in Detroit. Ford has posted a $1B Q3 operating profit ($997M to be exact), thus turning a profit for the first time in more than a year. This welcome news is paired with a 3% increase in year-to-year October sales for the Blue Oval.

Cross-town rival GM can also enjoy an upturn in its fortunes, announcing a 5% increase in year-to-year October sales. Conversely, Chrysler is struggling mightily, down a whopping 30% since last October. While FIAT is hard at work preparing what the industry calls product "synergies", no ...

On the heels of the unbelievable F1 season we have all witnessed, Williams has announced a complete driver lineup change for 2010. In a perfectly complementary matchup, veteran driver Rubens Barichello will be paired with 22-year old phenom Niko Hulkenberg. 37 year-old Barichello, whose career was left for dead with Honda's sudden pullout two weeks before the season began, resurrected his future with a stellar, almost fairy-tale season with Brawn. With 288 Gran Prix starts, Barichello is the field's most experienced driver.

"Rubens needs no introduction," said Frank Williams. "He is not only the most experienced driver in ...

Energized under its new owners VW and keen to spread the massive costs of developing the Panamera, Porsche is working on a second 928. As you might have guessed, the next 928 will be a shortened - and hopefully much prettier - version of the Panamera. The car will a 2+2 and will slot above the 911 in Porsche's model lineup.

The new 928 will naturally feature the Panamera's 4.8L V8 engines good for 400 or 500 hp in naturally-aspirated and turbocharged formats respectively. The range topper will also feature 4WD. However, the 928 will eventually be offered ...

Amidst all the hype about electric vehicles, it is easy to forget about other viable alternative fuel options. Among these alternatives is biologically-sourced compressed natural gas, or bio-CNG. VW has shown bio-CNG's viability to great effect of late by not only building a CNG Scirocco, but also winning the grueling 24 Hours of Nurburgring Nordschleife with the car. On the back of that success, VW will launch an all-CNG racing series next year called the Scirocco Cup. The one-make series will be held at Europe's most demanding race tracks, and according to VW, will be the cleanest racing ...

If you follow technology news, you already know that Google has been working hard to dethrone the iPhone as the market's darling smartphone. A big step forward is the Motorola Droid powered by the 2.0 version of Google's mobile operating system, Android. The big news for you drivers, though, is the free, turn-by-turn navigation system Google is offering on the Droid and future Android 2.0 devices.

This new offering seems quite powerful, if the accompanying video below is anything to go by. In addition to the already-familiar Google Maps, the navigation system has voice-activated search, voice-guided ...

CSL. These iconic letters suggest ultra-special in BMW speak dating back to the famous Batmobile of yesteryear. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, BMW's M Division has now affixed the letters to a one-off M5 CSL, which should have any car buff salivating intensely.

The most special part of the M5 CSL is of course its new engine. The M Division increased the base 5.0L V10's capacity to 5.5L with a longer stroke, creating the largest ever M engine. A carbon fiber manifold featuring a bigger air box and a secondary oil cooler combine to give the M5 ...

With one more race left in the 2009 season, it is almost time to turn our attention to 2010, which already promises to be great considering the movements in the driver market. While certain circuits and dates still need to be finalized, the FIA has released a schedule of the 2010 season which now features 19 races.

Almost all circuits will be familiar to F1 fans except for Abu Dhabi and South Korea. The Abu Dhabi race circuit (pictured above), known as Yas Marina, is very hotly-anticipated and will become a known commodity to you all as of this weekend ...

Consumer Reports has released its annual reliability reports, and the big winner is Ford. No, Ford does not trounce the Asian brands outright, which still lead the way overall. However, a large majority of its products - about 90% - find themselves at average or above average for reliability. Consumer Reports states that Ford has made the most progress of any major automaker and is the only American maker that competes with the Asian brands in terms of world-class reliability. The Fusion even outscores the class benchmarks, the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Ford looks even better when compared to its cross-town ...

These spy pictures are the best yet of the next generation BMW 5-Series (codename F10). While the car is lightly camouflaged, one can see that the new 5 has a less dramatic shape than the current, polarizing 5-Series. Up front, the car has hints of the 5-Series GT, while in profile, it has some resemblances to the current 7-Series. In fact, the next 5 is based on the current GT, which in turn is based on the 7-Series platform. According to Autocar's sources, BMW has applied many ride and handling lessons learned during the development of the GT to ...

Steven Rattner, Former Chief, US Treasury's Auto Task Force, was the man who led the auto industry's bailout. Not surprisingly, he was critisized for his lack of automotive industry experience, which he accepts in an interview with Fortune. More interestingly, he talks about why the auto task force team decided to remove former CEO Rick Wagoner from his perch.

Rattner points to several key factors that led to the decision. One is what he calls "perhaps the weakest finance operation any of us had ever seen in a major company." This comment is within the context of poorly ...

And no, we are not just talking cosmetics. Calling it a 'C63 AMG with a shot of SLS', Mercedes-Benz has released a version of its BMW M3 fighter with a Performance Package Plus. The main piece of attraction is a 30 hp boost to bring up the already potent 6.3L V8 to a whopping 487 hp. This was achieved through the use of new, forged-alloy pistons from the car's newest supercar cousin, the SLS Gullwing. A lighter crankshaft and lighter connecting rods, coupled with a new ECU map complete the upgrade process.

The uprated C63 is now good ...

With the official launch of the hotly-anticipated Lexus LF-A supercar at the Tokyo Motor Show hours away, the blogosphere has been set alit with pictures, details and video of the car. Here are the latest details, including the first pictures of the exquisitely-detailed interior.

- 4.8-liter 72-degree V10
- 560 hp at 8,700 RPM (116.5 hp/liter)
- Redline: 9,000 rpm
- 354 lb-ft of torque at 6,800 rpm
- Titanium valves, connecting rods, forged aluminum pistons, dry sump lubrication and a titanium exhaust manifold
- Six-speed sequential gearbox
- Torsen limited slip differential
- 3,263 lbs. curb weight
- 48/52 front ...

Even though BMW has denied it, the video below seems to confirm that the Bavarians are readying an ultimate, lightweight version of the venerable M3. Perhaps its the imminent release of the ultra-powerful Audi RS5, or just clamoring by hardcore enthusiasts. Regardless, the fixed wing and apparent weight savings hinted to by things like the carbon-fiber front splitter make this a plausible expectation. In addition, the car caught testing at - you guessed it - the Nurburgring, appears to have a wider track to accommodate fatter, racing slicks.

Rumors already have the car outputting 470 hp thanks to a better breathing system ...

Two weeks ago, you saw the first pictures of the Toyota FT-86, which will also spawn a Subaru twin. This exercise in badge engineering gives hope to car enthusiasts who want a new, fun-to-drive Japanese car they can afford, unlike the Lexus LF-A about to be unleashed into the exotic car market.

In the below video, you will see a heavily-disguised prototype of the car being tested at the Nürburgring. The fact that the car is being put through its paces there bodes well, indicating serious sporting aspirations on the part of Toyota and Subaru.

Watch this space for ...

As we reported recently, Audi has green-lighted the production of its all-electric sports car, dubbed the e-Tron in concept form. While it would be great if the concept's futuristic shape made it intact into production, InsideLine reports that the final car will likely look more like the car pictured here.

To be called the R4, the car will be somewhere between an Audi TT and R8 in size. Now that VW owns not just Audi but also Porsche, it is highly likely that the R4 will be built on the same platform as the next Porsche Boxster.

As for ...

We recently reported that the next generation BMW M5, due in 2011, will lose its fantastic, free-revving V10 in favor of a twin-turbo V8. Gone will be that signature V10 howl, to be replaced by the unmistakable turbo whistle that you will be able to hear in this spy video if you listen carefully.

As we mentioned before, the twin-turbo powerplant promises more power than the outgoing V10's 500 hp and undoubtedly, much more torque. So while we will miss the aural beauty of the current M5, we are looking forward to the performance figures of its more beefy ...

As heavily rumored over the past few weeks, Renault F1 has confirmed Pole Robert Kubica as one of its drivers in 2010. While not going into detail regarding the length of his contract, it seems like Renault is planning a long relationship with Kubica, saying that he will drive for the team “from the 2010 season onwards.”

The 24 year old Kubica, who survived the massive crash below at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix, is considered one of the top drivers in F1 today, narrowly missing a shot at the driver's title with BMW last season.

Acting Renault F1 ...

This is the car that Toyota and Subaru have been developing together over the past few years. Toyota owns a stake in Fuji Heavy Industries, Subaru's parent company, making this cooperation a natural one.

Using a Subaru-derived flat-four, the FT-86 will spawn a unique model for each of the two car makers, both of which will be built by Subaru at its Gumma plant.

Toyota has wanted to inject some excitement into its staid, conservative image, so it has hight hopes for the FT-86. It is rumored that the production car, which will look very similar to the concept ...

If you are getting impatient as you await the arrival of your McLaren Mp4-12C supercar.....of your dreams in a car magazine, too bad. All of us are in the same boat as McLaren teases us with veiled information on its latest, most exquisite creation.

In order to acquiesce us mortals though, McLaren has just launched a rather neat interactive website that it says will be the only source of information on the MP4-12C until the car is launched in 2011.

"Until the car is physically presented in showrooms in early 2011, this website will be the only publicly-available source ...

Akio Toyoda, Toyota CEO and the founder's grandson, has gone public with a harsh assessment of Toyota's health. As it continues to lower its sales forecasts and lose money, Toyoda said that Toyota is "grasping for salvation" and that the company is on the edge of "capitulation to irrelevance or death."

Toyota, who once targeted 10M vehicle sales, expects to sell only 7.3M vehicles this year, leaving a whopping 30% of its production capacity unused. Beside this decline in sales, Toyoda also lists the Dollar-Yen exchange rate as a source of trouble, saying"When you get to ...

GM has announced that it will shut down Saturn and close its dealerships after racing legend and billionaire dealership owner Roger Penske dropped his bid for the troubled GM brand. The deal fell through because GM's board did not agree to Penske's resuscitation plan of sourcing cars for the Saturn brand from another automaker (Renault had been a possibility).

“Without that agreement,” Penske Automotive said, “the risks and uncertainties related to the availability of future products prohibit” the vehicle distributor from moving ahead with the deal.

A statement from GM added, “This is very disappointing news and comes ...

Example of an unsecured driver-side floor mat trapping the accelerator pedal in a 2007 Lexus ES350

In its largest such move in the US ever, Toyota is recalling 3.8 million of its Toyota and Lexus vehicles built between 2004 and 2010. The culprit is a problem with poorly-designed floormats that in some cases, can cause the accelerator pedal to remain pressed down. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), who issued the bulletin, is asking owners of vehicles listed below to remove the driver's side floor mats while Toyota arrives at a solution.
The affected models are ...

After months of speculation, two-time F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso has been confirmed as a Ferrari driver starting next season. Alonso, who has signed a three-year contract with the Maranello squad and will reportedly be the highest-paid driver in the field, replaces Kimi Raikonnen and will therefore partner injured driver Felipe Massa. Alonso stated,

"Driving a single-seater from the Prancing Horse is everybody’s dream in this sport and today I have the opportunity to make this dream come true. Above all I want to thank Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo, who really wanted this three-year contract. We already had ...

Well, almost. While it was anticipated that Honda would unveil the full production version of the CR-Z concept at the Tokyo Motor Show, it has instead revealed this 'production concept' that is almost ready to hit the showrooms. For all practical purposes, you can assume you are looking at the final car.

The CR-Z, which can be considered the world's first hybrid sports car, features a 1.5L i-VTEC unit that will likely generate 135 hp when coupled with an electric motor. While the car's performance will only be adequate, meaning 0-60 mph in around nine seconds, its ...

Califronia-based Singer Vehicle Design has re-imagined the air-cooled 911 with the Singer 911. Essentially fusing 40 years of 911 engineering into one special concoction, Singer converts starts with any 1969-89 911 and then proceeds to completely reconstruct the car. The company's own blurb sums it up well:

"The Singer 911 attempts to channel the spirit of the pure and delicate 1964 original, the race-bred chic of the 70's "longhoods", the '80s' bomb-proof solidity, and the power and sophistication of the 964/993 series: a jewel-like form that singularly represents and celebrates the golden air-cooled era of the world ...

You didn't think BMW would build the outlandish Vision EfficientDymanics for nothing, did you?! If not, you were right: AutoExpress reports that BMW will resurrect the M1 moniker with a high-tech sports car based on the Vision concept. As expected, the M1 will feature the Vision's 1.5L three-cylinder diesel engine, paired with an electric motor. The hybrid powertrain will produce 350 hp and 590 lb-ft. of torque.

The M1 will reach 60 mph in less than five seconds and as with other BMWs, its top speed will be limited to 155 mph. The car will achieve these ...

If you are a motorsport fan, you may agree with the notion that WRC rallying is the most entertaining form of car racing out there. If you do and you live in the US, you might also be a bit frustrated that you cannot easily find WRC races on TV.

That is about to change, and how! As of October 4, Discovery's HD Theater channel will broadcast 17 hours of WRC programming in sweeping HD format. On October 4 itself, HD Theater will feature six hours of WRC footage and thereafter, the channel will bring you a one-hour wrap-up ...

If you have been following news regarding high-end sports cars of late, you will not be surprised by this post. Many car makers are downsizing their high-end performance engines in order to meet ever more stringent emissions rules, and BMW's M division is no exception. We have already heard that the next M3 will lose its V8 in favor of a twin-turbo inline 6, and now comes news that the same diet will affect the next generation M5 due in 2011. Gone will be that screaming V10, making room for a twin-turbo, direct injection V8.

Of course, BMW will ...

Volkswagen plans to introduce a production version of its lauded E-Up electric city car in Europe next year and as per reports, it is now working on a larger version of the car for the US market.

The European version, weighing in at a relatively light 2400 lbs., features 18kW batteries that provide an adequate-for-cities 80-mile range. Solar panels installed on the roof and even behind the visors provide supplementary power for the car's batteries. Full charging of the batteries takes five hours.

While the E-Up is suitably sized for the European market, it is considered too small for ...

It has been a busy week for BMW at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Not only the Munich manufacturer officially unveil the BMW X1, 5-Series GT and the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept, it produced another first by introducing the cars on a circuit built inside its corner of the exhibit grounds.

Here, you will find three videos: BMW's opening ceremony, a review of the highlights, and a fun video of stunt rider Chris Pfeiffer riding his BMW F800R on top of the four-cylinder BMW tower!

[Source: BMW TV]

These pictures give us an almost final glimpse of what Lexus' upcoming LF-A supercar will look like. As we reported a few weeks ago, the LF-A is going to be Toyota's 550 hp answer to the seminal Nissan GT-R. No more than 500 LF-A's will be built during its production run, which is expected to last two to three years depending on the pace of sales.

Autocar brings us a few more details on the LF-A. The 5.0L V10 engine reportedly redlines at 9,000 rpm, providing for a power-to-weight ratio of 367 hp per ton. This ...

It was only a few months ago that Tesla Motors strengthened its future prospects with a $50M investment by Daimler AG. Now, the future seems even brighter for the small San Carlos company that put the electric car discussion on the map in the US: Tesla has received an unsolicited $82.5M investment from a group led by Fjord Capital Management.

“It was an opportunistic investment,” said Elon Musk, Tesla's CEO. “We were not looking for money.”

Tesla, which turned a profit in Q2 of this year, plans to use the new infusion of cash to build up its ...

The VW CC is one of those sleeper cars, VW's answer to this whole "four-door coupe" segment started by the Mercedes-Benz CLS. This handsome sedan (sorry VW, a four-door car is a sedan) has just become more of a looker, thanks to VW's R-Line. Alas, the changes are cosmetic, so we cannot yet compare the R-Line to corporate sibling Audi's S line.

In R trim, the CC gets 17-inch wheels, a new spoiler and more substantial side skirts, and a few R-Line logos to remind you of the extra dollars you spend 'pimping' your Passat.

[Photos: Jalopnik]

The 2009 F1 season has been one for the ages, what with underdogs beating the giants, big companies pulling out of the series, new names coming in, major drivers moving.....the list goes on. A few significant changes have taken place just over the past few days, so we thought we would give you a quick rundown:

- Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds fired by Renault

The two men who as managing director and executive director of engineering, respectively, have led Renault to several championships over the past few years, have been fired by Renault. This is a serious blow to ...

We recently reported on a new, viral Audi site dedicated to the company's focus on electric cars. As hinted on the site, electricityuntamed.com, Audi had been planning something big for the Frankfurt Auto Show, and here it is: the Audi R8 e-Tron concept car.

This fully-electric R8 concept packs an equivalent of 313 hp and a transmission-destroying 3,319 lb-ft of torque! This mighty amount of shove comes courtesy of four electric motors powered by a Li-ion battery pack. While 0-62 mph comes at a brisk 4.8 seconds, it is the 4.1 second dash from 37 ...

There has been much talk about a four-door Bugatti and finally, Bugatti has revealed it. Behold the Bugatti Galibier sedan concept, replete with an outlandish, two-tone body that does indeed shout "I cost a lot".

Reports indicate that the Galibier is made entirely of carbon fiber. Somehow though, the car apparently manages to weigh 4200 lbs. To move all that heft, Bugatti will rely on a front-mounted, 8L W16 engine that we already know from the Veyron. While we do not know how much horsepower the Galibier version of the massive engine will produce, it will generate enough oomph to ...

Back in July, we brought you some scoop on the replacement to the rare VW R32, the R20. As VW prepares to unveil the car in Franfkurt, we have gotten our hands on some production pictures of the car.

The R20 is expected to feature a 265 hp, 258 lb-ft. turbocharged four cylinder engine. Transmission choices will include a six-speed manual and a dual-clutch gearbox. 0-60 mph times should be in the 6.5 second range.

We will update this post as we receive more information.

[Source: WorldCarFans]

Ever wonder what an Audi R8 would look like without its side blades? Well, you now can - sort of. The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 V10 has been unveiled to the world in Frankfurt, and its design is certainly quite a departure from that of its donor coupe. This being Audi, the Spyder is exquisitely crafted and it takes a while to take in all the details

As the name suggests, the Spyder comes with the delightful, Lamborghini Gallardo-derived V10, albeit in the detuned Audi form. Good for 525 hp and 391 lb-ft. of torque, the engine accelerates the Spyder ...

Today is one supercar-heavy day. Along with former supercar partner Mercedes-Benz, McLaren has unveiled its newest supercar and the first built independently since the F1. The MP4-12C was designed by American Frank Stephenson, the man who designed the Mini, BMW X5 and Fiat 500 - an impressive resume indeed

Full details have not been released yet, but we understand that the new McLaren features a British-built 90 degree, 3.8L V8 good for 600 hp. As is the norm these days, the MP4-12C features a seven-speed dual clutch transmission built by Graziano. Of course, given McLaren's expertise in racecar construction ...

The spiritual successor to the legendary 50's Gullwing Mercedes has been one of the worst-kept secrets in the car industry. However, we can now show you the first official pictures of the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing.

The first car designed fully by Mercedes-Benz's AMG division, this new BEnz supercar features the workhorse 6.3L AMG V8. In the SLS, the V8 produces 563 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque. Mercedes-Benz's first seven-speed dual clutch transmission sends the power to the rear wheels.

The SLS is made mostly from carbon-fiber, allowing for a 0-60 mph dash of ...

There is quite nothing like a bit of exquisite irrelevance to jolt the senses from time to time. Courtesy of Rolls Royce, we can bring you just such a jolt with these pictures of the discreetly handsome, all-new 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost. The 'baby Rolls" will be shown to the public at the Frankfurt Auto Show next week, giving birth to an entry-level Rolls Royce.

The Ghost stays true to the 200EX concept car shown earlier this year, and as you can see here, is opulently appointed as you would expect. Motive power comes courtesy of a BMW's 6 ...

The car racing game against which to measure all other car racing games is about to get better! Sony has released these pictures of GranTurismo 5, which will include new rides like the Nismo GT-R GT racer.

GT 5 will give virtual drivers a choice of over 1000 cars, which is twice the number of GT''s "closest racing competitor", a certain Xbox 360 game called Forza 3. A neat feature will even allow racers to upload footage of their racing prowess directly to YouTube.

Gentlemen, get ready to start your consoles!

[Source: Sony via Autoblog]

British magazine AutoEXPRESS brings us these renderings of the next, all-new Lamborghini Murciélago. The current car is already one of the most appropriate bearers of the 'supercar' moniker, so the next Murci will have to be something special in order to continue the tradition of a species that Lamborghini created with the Miura. If the pictures are anything to go by, the new car will still stun with its aggressive beauty.

Not surprisingly, the next ultimate Lambo will draw heavily from parent Audi's technological know-how. This will include an aluminum spaceframe chassis and carbon-fiber body parts. The car ...

Did you know that kissing for 10 minutes generates enough power to run a TV for one hour? This, along with several funny videos (see one below), is one of the many electricity-related fun facts you can find on Audi's new viral minisite, electricityuntamed.com. The site is dedicated to Audi's plans for electric vehicles. Strong rumors insist that on September 15, Audi will reveal an electric R8 at the Frankfurt Auto Show.

The idea is not so far-fetched, what with Audi's German rivals having already announced their electric performance car plans. BMW recently revealed its Vision ...

This is the new, hard-top convertible Volvo C70, a car that embodies Volvo's new 'design language.' Taking its cues from the S60 concept unveiled earlier this year, the new C70 has a more aggressive front end that adds more emotion to generally-staid Volvo designs. The rear of car also gets a complete overhaul, replete with LED lights. Volvo claims that the interior of the car benefits from higher quality materials that create a more luxurious feel.

The T5 tops the range with a turbocharged 2.3L five-cylinder engine producing 220 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. These figures give ...

When the designer of what many consider as being the most amazing supercar of all time, the McLaren F1, says he will design one more supercar, you listen. Car reports that Gordon Murray, a certified genius, will design another supercar that is even more radical than the F1. Murray hopes to start work on his final supercar after having sold several iStream licenses. iStream is the technology Murray has pioneered as a more efficient way of bulding cars, including his T25 city cars.

Murray insists that he will not pursue outright horsepower and speed with his next supercar, goal posts ...

No one can rival Porsche in creating desirable derivatives from just one car model. Case in point is the new Porsche 911 Classic Sport, which is yet another new offering in what has been a very busy year for the company. As any Porschephile will have already guessed from the pictures, the limited-edition Sport Classic is a nod to Porsche's much loved 1972 Carrera RS 2.7.

Starting with the Carrera S, the Sport Classic recreates the classic image with its permanent ducktail spoiler and gorgeous black Fuchs wheels. If you look closely, you will notice that the car ...

Those Germans, bless their hearts, are as good coming up with ridiculously convoluted car model names as they are engineering  complex vehicles (see our recent post on Mercedes' fuel cell car to see where we are coming from). This is the Mercedes-Benz BlueZero E-cell Plus concept, Mercedes-Benz's first, almost-production ready electric vehcile. The E-Cell is based on a modified A-Class chassis and will be produced in limited numbers starting next year.

As with the Chevrolet Volt, the car's electric motor is powered by an internal combustion engine mated to a generator. In other words, the three-cylinder engine sourced ...

Autocar reports that Toyota and BMW are in partnership talks that could see the two distinctly different companies exchanging platforms. Of interest to BMW is the next generation of Toyota's innovative iQ, "the world's smallest four-seat urban city car", which could underpin BMW's planned electric city car. This could see the resurrection of the Isetta brand name of the 1960s.

In return for the iQ chassis, Toyota would get access to the next generation Mini Coupe and Roadster platforms to extend its range of small urban cars.

The BMW tie-up would be the second cross-branding win for ...

Winner's circle
Now that August sales are behind us, a mixed picture emerges of the state of auto sales in the US. Ford's light vehicle sales rose by 17.2%, the largest boost the company has enjoyed since July 2005. The Ford Focus and Escape were particularly strong sellers.

Honda's light vehicle sales went up by 9.9%, while rival Toyota's sales gained 6.4%, the largest increase for the Japanese giant since June 2007. Toyota's German challenger Volkswagen Group saw an 11.4% increase. On the premium side of the market, the most notable ...

After much anticipation, wrong guesses by the media, and a few teaser pictures, BMW has revealed what it imagines the future of its performance cars as being. Have no doubt that this highly-complex, advanced concept car is a very significant statement by BMW, signaling the company’s technological direction in the upcoming years. If you are a fan of automotive technology, read carefully what is surely the most technically dense report ever posted on rightpedal. Quite frankly, your writer’s head is still spinning from trying to absorb the details of all the marvelous technology introduced in the BMW Vision ...

Time to eat a little crow. A little over two weeks ago, I posted this opinion piece on fuel cell vehicles and complained that Daimler-Benz had seemingly forgotten about its promise to bring a fuel cell vehicle to the market by 2010. I stand corrected, as Mercedes-Benz has launched its first production fuel cell vehicle, the ingeniously-named B-Class F-CELL.

As the name suggests, the car is based on the B-Class, 200 of which will be built later this year and delivered to European and American lease customers in 2010. Mercedes seems to have gotten around the perennial problem with fuel ...

Sometimes, older is better. To celebrate its 100th year as a car company, Audi recently updated its logo, giving it a shinier look and changing both the font and the positioning of the Audi name with respect to the four rings.

Below, you can compare for yourselves and also take a quick trip back to the Auto Union origins of the Audi logo.

Of course, this is subjective but I will miss the unique, backswept Audi font. What do you think?

2009 Audi logo

Former logo

Audi logo design progression

[Source: Autoblog]

It seems like yesterday that we brought you news of the brand-new Porsche 911 GT3 RS. That car is the closest road-legal 911 you can buy. We knew it would be a matter of time before Porsche introduced the race version of the RS, and we were right.

The GT3 Cup race car is based on the GT3 RS and therefore carries over its 450 hp, 3.8L flat six. Compared to the base car, the Cup is lighter, sits lower, has flared fenders to accommodate those wide racing slicks, rides on a firmer suspension, and in case that massive ...

In a tit-for-tat response to Honda, who plans to unveil the hybrid CR-Z sports car, Toyota will employ the services of an Italian styling house to build a Prius Coupe. The current Prius will not win any beauty contests, but if Italdesign, Pininfarina or Bertone exercise their design muscles properly, the Prius coupe will be a handsome hybrid.

While it would be great if the final product would look something like these renderings from ...

BMW Group has revealed this surprising little devil to celebrate MINI’s 50th anniversary. It was exactly 50 years ago today that the first Mini bowed in and changed the rules of small car design forever. The MINI Coupe concept will be shown at the Frankfurt Auto Show as just that – a concept. However, positive public reaction might actually prompt MINI to build this coupe. It looks too production ready for it to be just a PR exercise.

The Coupe features the 208 hp, 192 lb-ft 1.6L turbocharged four cylinder engine from the John Cooper Works. The aluminum roof ...

What do you do when you already make the world’s best-selling roadster, know for its straight-forward design, light weight and intuitive handling? You make it even lighter and improve its dynamics.

The Mazda MX-5 Miata Superlight is a concept car conceived in the company’s design studio in Oberursel, Germany. The intention is to refine every aspect of the car, from acceleration and handling to fuel economy and lower emissions.

Mazda does not intend to build the Superlight as seen here. However, given its good looks, we would not be surprised to see an enterprising aftermarket company emulating the ...

While you may not be familiar with BYD, you will likely soon come to know the company as well as you know the names GEICO or Berkshire Hathaway.  Why, you may ask? Because Warren Buffett was so enthusiastic about this Chinese manufacturer of electric vehicles that he broke his own rule of not investing in technology companies. The man who says he only invests in sectors he knows (technology NOT being one of them) must have seen something special to get behind the company.

According to BYD chairman Wang Chuanfu, BYD plans to sell a limited number of its e6 ...

You are looking at the first four-seater convertible that Maserati has ever made. Based on the beautiful Maserati GranTurismo S, the Maserati GranCabrio comes with the GranTurismo's 433 hp, 4.7L V8 and six-speed automatic.

Foregoing the modern trend toward folding hard tops, Maserati has chosen the traditional canvas roof that not only saves weight and trunk space, but it also links the GranCabrio to the Modena firm's historic convertibles, most notably the 1950 A6G Frua Spyder, 1960 3500GT Vignale Spyder, 1964 Mistral Spyder, 1968 Ghibli Spyder and 2001 Spyder.

The GranCabrio will go on sale next spring ...

In a day and age when most historic English car companies are owned by foreign entities, sports car manufacturer Noble is one of the only companies defending the national industry’s honor. With the launch of the Noble M600, Noble intends to take the fight to the world’s most exclusive supercars.
 
The most fascinating thing about this car is not that it has mega-horsepower, but that its powerplant is Volvo-based. The engine is ...

The government has just announced that it will end the popular, $3B program that incentivized consumers to trade in their old cars for more fuel-efficient ones. The $3500 and $4500 rebates did manage to get a hoard of new customers into dealerships, as evidenced by the $1.9B that dealers have already racked up in business, equating to 457,000 new vehicle sales.

Over the past week, dealers had asked the government to stop the program due to overwhelming consumer response. At the same time, many dealers have been facing cash-flow problems emanating from late reimbursements by the government. However ...

In February 2003, I traveled to South Korea for a week of business development in the Korean auto industry. Appropriately, my first stop was a huge industrial complex outside Seoul, home to a certain Hyundai-Kia.

My local colleagues and I spent most of the day in meeting after meeting, where inquisitive Korean engineers were visibly interested in learning as much as they could about the engine simulation products we were selling them.

On the way to lunch, which comprised of cabbage-heavy soups and delightfully spicy kimchee (can one ever get enough cabbage? I mean COME ON, throw in another vegetable ...

Car enthusiasts have been waiting for the hot-rod version of Audi’s handsome A5/S5 line for quite some time. It looks like their wait will come to an end soon, as hinted by these spy pictures of an RS5 prototype caught near the Nurburgring.

The RS5 will be distinguished from the S5 with not only much more horsepower, but also wider fenders with cut-lines reminiscent of the original Ur-Quattro. Power will likely ...

Thought we were done with new car news today? Think again! As you know, the 59th installment of the delightful Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance was held last week and predictably, car makers grabbed the opportunity to unveil important new models.

Infiniti was one such automaker, choosing Pebble Beach as the site for the 'virtual' debut of the all-new M line, Infiniti's BMW 5-Series fighter. In our market, the 2010 M will be available next spring with either a 316 hp 3.7L V6, called the M37, or a 420 hp 5.6-LV8, badged M56. British and European buyers ...

For several months now, we have been receiving teaser emails from Bentley not really revealing anything about an all-new Bentley. The VW-owned British make has finally revealed the Bentley Mulsanne, choosing the prestigious 2009 Pebble Beach concours d'elegance as the venue. The Mulsanne will eventually succeed the ageing Arnage, which was, along with all Bentleys since the legendary 1930 8 Litre except the Continental GT of late, a variation of a sibling Rolls-Royce model.

"The challenge we set our engineers was to create a grand new Bentley that would stand as the pinnacle of British luxury motoring, offering the ...

After a brief departure from Audi's showrooms, the Audi S4 is back in the US and it's all new. Starting at $45,900, the 2010 S4 is significantly different from its predecessor in one major way: it eschews the naturally aspirated, 340 hp 4.2L V8 in favor of a supercharged, 3.0L, direct-injected V6 producing 333 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. However, even though ever-more stringent emissions laws have prompted Audi to downsize the engine and take on forced-induction, you can rest assured that the end result is a faster S4. How much faster? How about ...

British magazine Car has uncovered future Jaguar product plans that shed light on a brand new coupe and roadster pair aimed directly at the Porsche Cayman and Boxster. Planned for 2013, the new car will be called the XE and will fall below the XK coupe and convertible in the company's model hierarchy.

The XE cars will be built on a new, lightweight aluminum alloy chassis that will also serve as the underpinnings for future XK, XF and XJ models. The architecture will be front engine/rear wheel drive, which should serve as an assurance for driving enthusiasts.

Jaguar ...

Yes, he comes from THAT Senna family. Bruno Senna, the nephew of my favorite F1 driver Ayrton Senna, has been making a name for himself in the junior formula series in Europe and is now being considered for a seat in Formula 1 next year. Adrian Campos, head of new Spanish F1 team Campos Grand Prix, has named Bruno the leading contender for a racing seat in his team.

It is said that upon leaving the McLaren F1 team in 1993, Ayrton remarked, "If you think I'm good, just wait until you see my nephew Bruno." Ayrton was very ...

Not content with winning over the hearts of swooning car fans and auto journalists alike with even its 'base' V8 model R8, Audi has been caught testing a hardcore, lightweight track-oriented version of its R8 V10 at the Nürburgring, where all great cars are born. Although it is too early to say, this new R8 will likely carry the "Clubsport" moniker. Visual clues of its special mission are the fixed wing a la the TT RS, spoiler blades up front as well as the heavy-duty diffuser out back. Old-school racing hood latches complete the track-biased effect.

Audi, who owns ...

A month before officially unveiling the new 'baby Rolls", the Ghost, at the Frankfurt Auto Show, Rolls Royce has released a promotional portable moving picture showing said motorcar in motion. Although the commentary emanates from the Ghost's Product Manager, Dan Balmer, we believe his assertions on the Ghost's brisk acceleration.

060 mph in 4.7 seconds, 575 lb-ft of torque and 563 hp thanks to a new BMW V12 engine are not exactly figures to excite the green crowd, but then again, Rolls Royces have never been about conforming to the commoners' way of life. I do declare ...

Next month at the Frankfurt Auto Show, BMW will launch its first hybrid models, called the ActiveHybrid X6 and ActiveHybrid 7. Both cars feature BMW's gasoline, 4.4L, twin-turbo V8 engines mated to a Lithium-ion hybrid system co-developed by BMW and Daimler-Benz.

ActiveHybrid 7 has one electric motor, which as a backup unit to the V8, gives the hybrid 7-Series the 459 bhp and 561 lb-ft. The car reaches 62mph in 4.9sec, and returns a UK cycle 29.1mpg.

The ActiveHybrid X6, recognizable through its hood power dome, features two electric motors for a total of 478 bhp ...

While you have to have a discerning eye to tell the difference, this is the face-lifted, 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo Cabriolet. The exterior tweaks are only part of the story. With rivals Ferrari, Lamborghini and most interestingly, Nissan of late snapping at its reign atop the world of sensible supercars, the Stuttgart maker has given a  boost to the venerable Turbo's firepower. The former 3.6L engine has given way to a direct-injected 3.8L unit borrowed from from the Carrera S.

Revised twin-turbochargers, an upgraded intercooler and a new fuel system combine to add 20 hp ...

In a blow to Formula 1 fans the world over, Michael Shumacher has announced that he will not return to Formula 1. As many know, Michael has been dabbling with motorcycle racing and injured his neck in an accident. Although everyone was aware that he still felt the effects of the injury as he entered his preparation period, it was believed that it was nothing but a sore neck and that exercise would get him back up to speed. Not so.

Here's the announcement from a clearly miffed Michael himself:

"Yesterday evening, I had to inform Ferrari President Luca ...

Suzuki makes great motorcycles - everyone knows that. However, their car business has never quite measured up to their two-wheel business. Yes, the Grand Vitara has sold decently well, but it is not a breakout product.

Now, Suzuki has unveiled a car that it hopes will change things and move the company upscale. Behold the Suzuki Kizashi. Details are still scant, but we know that the Kizashi will be available with the following:

- 2.4L 4-cylinder engine
- approximately 200 hp
- approximately 180 lb-ft of torque
- all wheel drive (switchable to FWD)
- 6 speed manual or CVT transmission
- sports tuned
- 425-watt Rockford ...

What an insane day in an already fascinating Formula 1 season! You will have seen that BMW announced early today that it will withdraw from F1 at the end of the season. Now, a day after denials by his own manager, Michael Schumacher has announced that he will replace injured driver Felipe Massa at Ferrari starting the next race at Valencia. His dramatic return is contingent upon his passing the FIA's physical checks, but Schumacher, who was known to be fittest driver of all time when he was active, will surely pass with flying colors.

"It is true that ...

This is a very sad day for Formula 1 fans. In an emergency press conference convened in Munich, BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer announced that BMW will withdraw from F1 at the end of the 2009 season. The announcement is part of a complete, cross-company strategic overhaul meant to align BMW's premium products with sustainability and environmental friendliness.

Flanked by BMW Motorsport boss Mario Theissen and head of R&D, Klaus Draeger, Reithofer said, "We are of the opinion that the premium segment has to remain a positive role model within our society." He stressed that BMW will remain active ...

After a small (make that large, actually) heart attack induced by its exciting shape, we can bring you this most special of automotive news that will likely not be topped this year: Ferrari has unveiled the all-new Ferrari 458 Italia, the replacement for the gifted Ferrari F430. As you would expect, superlatives will abound in this announcement.

458 stands for 4.5L, V8. Said engine's output is a soaring 562 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque, 80% of which is available from 3250 rpm onward. The engine redlines at an incredible 9000 rpm!

The aluminum structure of the Italia ...

In an attempt to help raise sales figures for light vehicles in the United States, the US government posted the rules today for its cash for guzzlers program. The program grants consumers $4,500 vouchers if they trade in their gas-guzzling vehicles for more efficient ones.

If you are interested in the program and would like to find a participating dealer in your area, which inspired BMW to offer the same rebates for its great diesel models, visit the www.cars.gov or call the hotline at (866) 227-7891.

[Source: Automotive News]

Well, it looks like VW Chairman Ferdinand Piech (on the left above) has won yet another battle of wills in his long and tumultous career as a Porsche grandson and car boss. On the heels of our recent post on the $140M sum being offered to Wendelin Wiedeking, Porsche's CEO (on the right in the above picture), we can now report that he and CFO Holger Haerter have left Porsche with immediate effect. Wiedeking's successor will be production chief Michael Mach, who ironically occupied the post Wiedeking held before he became CEO.

Wiedeking has accepted a 50M Euro ...

Here are unofficial but legitimate-looking pictures of the all-new Saab 9-5. Last month, we posted a rendering of the new model that seems to have captured the new car's front quite well, so we are excited to see the real thing.

If you have been keeping up with industry news, you will know that Saab was left for dead by GM and was saved by Norwegian investors and the tiny Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg. In this context, it is clear that this is a hugely important car for the embattled Swedish company which has been selling the aging 9-5 ...

Yesterday, I was reading an article that made me think the automotive end times are here: BMW and Mercedes-Benz are working on three-cylinder cars to be released in the next five years. And no, we are not just talking cars like the above Smart.

Now, anyone who has driven a Smart surely knows how rough and harsh-sounding three-cylinder engines can be. Their only saving grace is fuel-economy, which is obvious. Mercedes-Benz does not seem to care, given that it already makes a three-cylinder junker for the Smart, and apparently thinks that a C-Class and a three-cylinder would go well together ...

If you are among GM or Chrysler owners who were worried about senators fixing your axles at your next repair, worry no more: the US government has ended its warranty program for the two companies now that they have exited bankruptcy. According to Ron Bloom, the new head of the auto task force,

With the successful emergence of the new companies, consumers can now feel assured that the companies have the financial wherewithal to meet their warranty commitments on a continuing basis.

The United States government has invested $641M in the warranty program, but that sum has been returned to ...

This is the new VW Golf flagship, the R20, lapping the famed German race track. The R20 will replace the R32 and will have 260 to 270-hp from a turbocharged four-cylinder, as opposed to the R32's 350-hp VR6.

As you can see, gone is the Audi-like gaping front grill in favor of a two-piece front that emphasizes width. All in all, the new Golf's exterior does not look like a revolutionary departure from the current model's look, which is to be expected for a bread-and-butter model.

[Source: InsideLineVideo]

What do you get when you cross an Acura TL sedan with an MDX SUV? The answer is: the 2010 Acura ZDX. Acura has released these pictures of what it calls a 'sports coupe' but we will call it a cross-over.

The ZDX is powered by a 3.7L V6 generating 300 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque, mated to an all-new 6-speed automatic transmission equipped with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. It will also feature Acura's familiar SH-AWD all-wheel drive system. Buyers will have three trim packages to choose from:

- ZDX
- ZDX with Technology Package
- ZDX with Advance Package ...

As you know from our previous posts, Audi is celebrating 100 years as a company this year, and its birthday is today. As part of the international celebrations, Audi has created an online microsite replete with pictures, movies and facts about its achievements over the past century.

Take time and delve into the Audi 100 Years Online Special. It is quite a lot to take in from a great company that was left for dead in the US market following the devastating, fabricated 60 Minutes sudden acceleration report of 1986. Audi's product line improvement over the past 15 years ...

Would you take that amount of money to step down from the helm of one of the world's most storied companies? That is exactly what Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking is being asked to do.

Wiedeking is one of Germany's most respected executives, taking Porsche from near-bankruptcy when he took over in 1993 to the world's most profitable car company. However, Porsche's financial health has deteriorated considerably amidst the world economic meltdown.

The embattled Wiedeking amassed $9B of debt for a failed attempt at buying a majority stake in the auto giant VW. Now that econo-car maker ...

The announcement just came in from Ed Peper, US VP for Chevrolet. The site, called ChevroletVoltage, is 'a place for you to share your thoughts and opinions on the electrification of the automobile', according to Peper. He continues:

'The vision for this site is twofold: to inform and engage concerned individuals about the movement toward alternative transportation energy sources and to provide a behind-the-scenes view of how one manufacturer, Chevrolet, is working to bring its advanced extended range electric vehicle to life.'

If you are interested in the Chevy Volt or are curious about the topic of automotive electrification, log ...

After months upon months of speculation about the final looks, we can now show you the official pictures of this brand new Audi A5 Sportback. Unfortunately, Audi does not plan to bring this car to the United States.

In Europe, the car will be offered with three gasoline and three diesel engines:

180 hp 2.0L TFSI
211 hp 2.0L TFSI
265 hp 3.2L V6
170 hp 2.0L TDI
190 hp 2.7L TDI
240 hp 3.0L TDI

Depending on the engine selected, the transmission choices include manual, Multitronic or 7-speed S tronic. All three gasoline ...

Honda Motor Company has announced that it will build a production version of its lightweight, hybrid sports car concept, the CR-Z. The car, of course, takes its inspiration from the CR-X, a fun little car that inspired a fanatic following (one of my friends has two: his original CR-X for every day driving, and the other to keep perfect and NEVER drive in the rain).

The CR-Z will use the same hybrid system currently found in the Civic Hybrid and the Insight. Let us hope that Honda makes good on its promise to make the CR-Z a fun car, something ...

Yes, you heard right: you will soon be able to bid for a new GM car on eBay, including buying the car at the 'Buy Now' price you have surely already seen on eBay when buying old Star Wars figures.

This experiment is part of New GM's revival plan, in which the company is reducing its size, killing off brands and in general, trying to streamline its global operations.

eBay Motors is already one of the most highly-trafficked automotive websites in the US, so GM's experiment may actually be turn out to be a pretty good idea.

[Source ...

The automotive press has been busy today reporting on GM's exit from bankruptcy as the 'good' assets of bankrupt GM have been sold to a new entity, 60.8% of which is owned by the US government. As one would hope, GM CEO Fritz Henderson has announced deep cuts in the decision-making ranks, cutting the team in half and eliminating the matrix management structure. Henderson has reaffirmed the company's focus on just four brands, namely Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and Buick.

All these are good moves that GM should have made a long time ago, but the best news ...

A few weeks ago, we showed you renderings of the hotly-anticipated Jaguar XJ. Today, Jaguar launched the car in London amidst much fanfare and we can now say that the renderings were pretty dead on.

As is immediately visible, the new XJ resembles a combination of its siblings the XF and the XK up front, but it is at the rear that things get, well, strange. I personally cannot stop thinking about the Lancia Thesis when I see the rear lights and find the overall design to be a little incongruous, but I will reserve final judgement until I have ...

At the 2009 New York Auto Show, we excitedly reviewed the Volvo XC60 and its amazing self-braking technology. Volvo, like most other leading companies in this segment, has high hopes for this crossover vehicle.

In the September Frankfurt Auto Show, Volvo will officially unveil a design package for what it is calling the XC60 R-Design. Beyond the obvious cosmetic differences and with the base model, the R-Design will feature a more stiff chassis and a more sensitive steering. It will also come with more supportive seats to better bolster the occupants in this more 'spirited' Volvo.

[Source: Car and Driver]

Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board at Volkswagen AG, has announced that VW will introduce an electric car based on the highly praised Up! concept in 2013. Strangely, he then continued to warn against the growing interest in electric cars as 'electro-hype':

We are witnessing an electro-hype. Experts, consultants and politicians tumble over one another with forecasts. And the auto industry doesn’t hold back on announcements. The result is massively false expectations by the customer...More than eight percent of drivers in Germany are rock solid convinced that the electric car is already here.

I think this development ...

Does the world really need yet another tuned Porsche 911? Well, if the tuner in question does ridiculous things like creating an 858hp Porsche 911, then yes!

Behold the Sportec T80, a twin-turbo, 3.6L flat six 911 that produces 858hp and accelerates to 62mph in 3.0 seconds on its way to a top speed of 236 mph.

If those figures are not enough to make your head turn, here are some more: the T80 has a power-to-weight ratio of 637hp per ton. The Lamborghini Murcielago, a benchmark supercar, manages a wussy 352h per ton. Ready for more? The ...

A few days ago, we told you about yet another incentive Hyundai is offering prospective customers. Today, Hyundai has become the first company to participate in what is officially known as the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS). Essentially, if you trade in your car for a more fuel-efficient car, you will receive a discount toward your purchase.  The dealer will then receive a compensation from the NHTSA.

President Obama has already singed the program into law, but its full details have not yet been made public. This is why Hyundai is giving its dealers a cash advance so that they ...

These pictures are being referred to as 'leaked' in the blogosphere, and we are happy someone was a bit naughty. We showed you spy pictures of the baby Bimmer SAV a few weeks ago and as you can see here, no surprises: a handsome vehicle with typical BMW design cues inside and out.

With the X1, scheduled to be unveiled at the Frankfurt auto show this fall, BMW takes straight aim at its German rivals: Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLK, and Volkswagen Tiguan. Aah, nothing like a good duel.

The rivals:

Audi Q5

Mercedes-Benz GLK

Volkswagen Tiguan

2010 BMW X1

[Source ...

You must have already seen the Hyundai Assurance ads on TV that promise to take back your Hyundai for up to a year after purchase should you lose your job. Other manufacturers started copying Hyundai, a company that is unrivaled in taking advantage of its local rivals' woes through well-times incentives backing up solid products. Well, Hyundai itself has now copied another car company, namely Chrysler, by introducing the Hyundai Assurance Gas Lock program.

The Korean maker, who already offers the best warranty in the US at 10 years/100,000 miles, guarantees you a year's worth of regular ...

I guess this proves that the Japanese don't like good cars: a while ago, we reported that the Honda Insight had briefly become Japan's best-selling car. That very car has now been called 'the most disappointing Honda Consumer Reports has tested in a long time'. Those are the words of one David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports; Auto Test Center. He continued, 'The Insight is a noisy, stiff-riding car with clumsy handling that is nothing like the Fit on which it is based. Also, Electronic Stability Control is only available on the highline EX version.'

It is ...

BMW has released information about the cleanest 3-Series ever built. The car in question is a slightly mis-named 316d, motivated by a 2.0L diesel engine good for 114hp and 192 lb.ft of torque. Although the car is no typical BMW, what with a 0-60 time of 10.9 seconds, the main figures are the 52mpg mileage the car delivers, as well as the 120 grams per mile of CO2 it emits.

No words as to whether the car will make it to the United States, but don't hold your breath.

[Source: Autocar]

And here's our home country's list. American automotive journalists will be voting fro the following cars and trucks for the 2010 North American Car/Truck of the Year awards, respectively. Last year, the impressive Hyundai Genesis took the car award, while the venerable Ford F-150 took home the truck award.

As you can see below, BMW and Ford have a remarkable four cars each spread across both categories! Ford actually beats BMW if you count the Lincoln MKT, which is in fact a Ford (does Ford really want to admit to that, though?!)

Candidates for the 2010 North ...

A consortium of European automotive journalists has selected candidates of the 2010 Car of the Year award. Last year, the surprisingly good Opel/Vauxhall Insignia won the award.

As per the award's website, the contenders 'must be new models available in at least five European countries at the time of voting, with foreseeable minimum sales of 5,000 per year.' Here is the list:

• BMW Z4
• Chevrolet Cruze
• Citroen C3 Picasso
• Ford Ka
• Honda Insight
• Hyundai i20
• Hyundai ix55
• Kia Sorento
• Kia Soul
• Land Rover Discovery IV
• Lexus RX 450h
• Mazda3
• Mercedes E-Class
• Mitsubishi Colt
• Nissan 370Z
• Nissan Cube ...

OK, so I am teasing you with that one. BMW has always maintained that it will never build an M7 (even though Audi has the S8 and Mercedes the S63 AMG and S65 AMG), something about it clashing with the M division's brand values (oh, so it's OK to have X5 and X6 Ms but not an M7?)

BMW enthusiasts' complaints non-withstanding (ahem...AHEM), these are pictures of the 7 Series M Sport. Now, even though I am known as a BMW fan among friends, I have not been a fan of any BMW design of late, save ...

This is the first video of the highly-anticipated Chevrolet Volt in motion. An animated and visibly excited Andrew Farah, the Volt vehicle Chief Engineer talks about the chronology of Volt prototypes leading to this pre-production vehicle. He also talks about the next steps necessary to bring the Volt to the market.

As you will hear in the video, the car is so far ahead of schedule, one bit of good news for the heavily battered Detroit giant.

[Source: GM Fast Lane]

Once upon a time, Citroën was the most innovative car company on earth. But that was a long time ago. Over the past few decades, Citroën has been relegated to making mostly generic small cars with none of the bravado that used to make the marque stand out.

This is precisely why the news of the GTbyCitroën, a supercar that was previously just a virtual car made for the computer game Gran Tourismo 5, driving around the streets of London is so remarkable. When was the last time you heard the words Citroën and supercar uttered ...

Japanese tuner Mugen has released pictures of its new, aggressive Honda Civic Type R. As expected, there are aerodynamic changes to the car, including a deeper-set front spoiler that is also wider, a new front grill, plus a vented hood and vents behind the front wheels.

According to reports, the 2.0L VTEC four-cylinder engine produces a staggering 240hp. Mugen has also added new, more powerful brakes in order to slow down this race-spec Honda.

A few lucky drivers in the UK will be able to buy this car, while we just have to be jealous of them.

[Source: Autocar]

Surprise, surprise: Lexus takes the top spot in J.D. Power's 2009 Initial Quality Survey, followed by Porsche, Cadillac, Hyundai and Honda.

That Lexus should be at the top is actually not a surprise. In fact, Toyota's products, in Toyota, Lexus and Scion guises, took 10 segment awards, more than any other company. These include, as stated in the J.D. Power press release, 'five for Lexus, four for Toyota and one for Scion. Lexus receives awards for the IS, GS, GX, LS and LX models. The Lexus LX has the fewest quality problems in the industry, with ...

Those of you who follow Formula 1 know that for months, major manufacturers, who are not happy with the rules and regulations set in place by the FIA, have been threatening to create a break-away series.

FOTA, or Formula One Teams Association, includes all the major names, namely Ferrari, McLaren, Toyota, Renault, BMW, Brawn, Red Bull, Toro Rosso, and it has announced that it will indeed compete in a separate series next year. The following is an excerpt from the FOTA announcement:

"The teams cannot continue to compromise on the fundamental values of the sport and have declined to alter ...

While we anxiously await the unveiling of the new version of Jaguar's bread-and-butter model, the XJ, on 9 July 2009, we are bringing you an artist's rendering of what the car will look like, courtesy of UK's Car. Apparently, these pictures are very, very close to the final product (the top-view is actually an official Jaguar teaser picture).

In keeping with Jaguar's recent engineering practices, the new XJ's construction will be aluminum-intensive for the lightest possible result. The new Jag will reportedly weigh less than 3800 lb. According to Car, the diesel version of the ...

These are the latest official teaser and spy pictures of the BMW X1, accompanied by a video of a prototype undergoing testing in Mallorca, Spain. This new, all-wheel-drive crossover vehicle, to be unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September, is based on the 1-Series platform and is designed to fit in below the BMW X3. The X1 is similar in size to the X3 but rides significantly lower. The next generation X3 will, in turn, grow larger in order to leave a bigger gap between itself and the X1

In Europe, the X1 will come to the market in ...

GM has announced Swedish manufacturer of outlandish supercars, Koenigsegg, as the top bidder for Saab. Along with Norwegian investors, Koenigsegg will be receiving from GM $500 million in assets and cash, plus production equipment for a new Saab model as well as $150 million of cash already in Saab's account.

As far as automotive acquisitions go, this one is actually interesting. Saab has always been known for its quirky approach to car-making, a reputation that has perhaps been blunted by years of indifferent ownership by GM. While running a car company is an incredibly capital-intensive affair, worse things could ...

Remember when you drooled over the pictures of Aston Martin's four-door Rapide a while ago? Thanks to UK's Car, we now have pictures of a real live one parked somewhere in the UK.

While given a choice, I would take a coupe over a sedan any day, I have to admit that at least in pictures, the proportions of the Rapide are 'spot-on', as the English would say.

[Source: Car]

After a back-and-forth soap opera that saw the Supreme Court blocking the deal, FIAT has officially taken over Chrysler today and immediately made management changes that mirror the Italian giant's own management structure.

FIAT CEO Sergio Marchionne, a Canada-trained lawyer who miraculously turned the company around, has appointed former Toyota marketing whiz Jim Press as his deputy CEO. More interestingly, Marchionne has appointed an executive to lead each of the remaining brands:

• Peter Fong, president and CEO of the Chrysler brand

• Michael Manley, president and CEO of Jeep

• Michael Accavitti, president and CEO of Dodge

• Pietro Gorlier, president and ...

You have already seen pictures of the 2011 Tesla Model S sedan here, and in fact, voiced your opinions on whether Tesla will be able to bring this car to the market at the announced price of $49,000 after tax credits.

Regardless, Tesla continues to ramp up the marketing of this new model. In this video, Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen, who has an impressive list of cars to his credit (Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky, Mazda Kabura concept), talks about the exciting opportinity of designing a car around an electric architecture.

[Source: OnCars via YouTube]

On the heels of its historic bankruptcy and as part of its "GM Reinvention" public relations campaign, General Motors has announced the opening of the 'largest and most technologically advanced battery lab in the United States' on the grounds of its Technical Center campus in Warren, MI.

“The new global GM battery lab will benefit consumers across America by helping us advance the development of battery technology in the United States and put cleaner, more efficient vehicles on the road more quickly and affordably,” said Fritz Henderson, GM's president and CEO.

The Global Battery Systems Lab is four times ...

Itching to buy that Nissan GT-R but wondering how much it would cost to insure? Thanks to researchers at Insure.com, who have compiled a list of the most and least expensive 2009 cars to insure, you now know. At an average premium of $2,533, the GT-R is the most expensive car in the country to insure.

BMW, which always seems to have several cars in top anything lists, wins again here by having four of its cars featured on the most expensive list. But at least, its M3 costs less to insure than a Chevrolet Cobalt SS!

Below ...

Last month, we brought you the news that the new Honda Insight had claimed the title of best-selling car in Japan, the first time ever that such an honor had gone to a hybrid car. We were curious what would happen when Toyota announced its third-gen Prius, which is a bit more efficient and slightly more expensive.

Well, the Prius has knocked the Insight off its perch for the month of May. In fact, the Insight fell to number 3, below Honda's own Fit.

Aahh....the battle of silent, wheezing electric cars...almost as exciting as a Sunday drag ...

After 13 long years in production, the Saab 9-5 will finally be replaced by an all-new model next spring. The car shown here is in final production form and will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show this September. The new 9-5 will be offered with a series of engines ranging from a turbocharged 2.8L V6 to a four-cylinder diesel. Buyers will also have a choice between a standard and premium suspension, as well as four wheel drive.

A new car launch is always an important milestone for any company, but this launch will mean quite a lot to ...

You do not need me to tell you about the historic bankruptcy of GM today. Furthermore, you probably do not need yet ANOTHER opinion on what it all means. But this is rightpedal and therefore, I am bound to share my opinion with you.

Reading comments on the bankruptcy across the internet, I can best sum up the overall public sentiment as a sense of anger at the government for not having gone through these motions several months ago. Why, people are saying, did the government give GM $20B then, only to let them waste it on their way to ...

It has been reported that Canadian auto parts manufacturing giant Magna has won  the bid to buy GM's Opel/Vauxhall. While there may yet be a last-minute surprise by FIAT, the other leading contender, the tentative agreement is likely to hold. Magna's bid backed by Russian state bank Sberbank and Russian truck company Gaz.

GM will reportedly maintain a 35% stake in Opel, and the deal will go through even if GM files for bankruptcy on Monday, as is widely reported.

[Source: NYTimes]

Aston Martin will enter Formula 1 as a manufacturer team starting next year. This foray has been masterminded by David Richards, founder of motorsport engineering group Prodrive, former BAR Team Principal and Aston Martin investor.

Strangely, Aston Martin's 2010 and 2011 entries will be under the Prodrive banner. The team will be re-branded Aston Martin in 2012. While this move is likely an attempt to protect the Aston Martin brand during the 'teething' years, isn't the whole point of entering Formula 1 brand awareness and marketing? The fight to improve is surely something fans cherish. Nevertheless, a cautious ...

Peter Trepp, a venture capitalist, is the first person in the US to receive the keys to the electric MINI, the MINI E. Peter is part of a small focus group of 500 through which BMW will gather consumer feedback on electric vehicles. Each of these 500 people is leasing a MINI E for $850 a month.

Peter is chronicling his experiences on his blog and has already written some interesting posts on what the MINI E is like. If you are curious about what an electric version of one of the most fun-to-drive cars on the planet is like ...

Unless you were busy under a rock yesterday, you will have heard that President Obama announced the first national fuel efficiency standard in American history. As you can hear in the video, this standard required historically-opposing parties to come together. Perhaps it is a sign of the times that even car companies are seemingly behind this plan, if the symbolic presence of officials from the ten leading car manufacturers as well as the UAW president at the announcement was anything to go by.

The new standard requires auto makers to raise the average gas mileage of their cars and trucks ...

Replete with Star Wars-like theme music, Porsche has released a video of its first sedan, the Panamera. Journalists who have already driven the car report that it is a phenomenal car, a step above its supposed rivals like the Mercedes-Benz CLS and BMW 7-Series (the Aston Martin Rapide will the closest true competitor, but it is not yet on the market).

The styling continues to be a controversial talking point, but then again, the Cayenne sold well, and it was no Miss Universe. Porsche will offer the three following models in the US:

Panamera Turbo
          o MSRP $ 132,600.00 ...

Daimler, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, has made an investment in California-based Tesla Motors in return for a 10% stake. This is a smart move for Daimler and a strategic home-run for Tesla. The electrification of the vehicle is still in its infancy, what with range, battery life and maintenance infrastructure a long way from readiness for mass-adoption.

Through its investment, Daimler not only buys itself a stake in the immense buzz and public goodwill toward the first full-electric vehicle of the US market of recent times, but it also taps into the technology pioneered by Tesla, allowing it to ...

Recession? What recession? The sex-on-wheels you see here was sold for 8.2M Euros – or as our currency converter informs us, $11,093,682.12 - at the Leggione e Passione auction in Ferrari’s hometown of Maranello. This slightly more than I paid for mine (slightly larger too, as mine is a 1:18 version) and more than a million Euros dearer than the last record, set by British radio DJ (really? Radio DJ?!) Chris Evans for the Ferrari 250 GT California he bought last year. The original Testa Rossa is one of the most famous cars of all time ...

Of all the attempts to electrify the world of cars, Better Place, the brainchild of Israeli entrepreneur Shai Agassi, seems to be most complete approach. Better Place's strategy is applying the cell phone and minutes model to the automotive industry. In other words, the car is the commodity, you pay for energy consumed.

Part of the Better Place strategy is to build an infrastructure of “battery stations”, akin to gas stations, where cars can have their batteries swapped out in a matter of minutes. This video shows this very procedure, which can surely be streamlined even more as the ...

You be the judge, but this must be one of the strangest car commercials in recent history, if not ever. My first reaction after watching it was, "huh?" We get, but...dude, stay off the 'shrooms!

[Source: YouTube via Autoblog]

Many of you may not know that Honda was in fact the first manufacturer to offer a hybrid vehicle in the United States. However, perhaps suffering from its slightly impractical body style, the first Insight was not a commercial home run, paving the way for the Toyota claiming all the hybrid goodwill.

Honda recently released its completely redesigned Insight, hoping for better luck this time around. Well, at least in its home market of Japan, the Honda Insight is now the best-selling vehicle, having sold 10,841 units this April. No, not the best-selling ‘hybrid’ in Japan, but in what ...

Here is a close look a the newly-launched 2009 BMW Z4 in motion. Unlike the original Z4, this one has a folding hard-top roof and in general, has gone a bit more upmarket.

An interesting note: the exterior and interior were designed by two women who beat out the internal competition at BMW. Perhaps this is a good omen for BMW's marketing team, because the company has stated that it is targeting women with the new model.

We would love to know what you think of the new design, especially our female readers! Please leave your comments below.

In ...

When was the last time you saw those words next to each other, 'hot' and 'Volvo'? But those are exactly what we thought as we saw the renderings of this modern take on the famed 1960's Volvo P1800.

This beauty was dreamed up by Mattias Vöcks, who also happens to be an engineer at the Swedish supercar company Koenigsegg. Bo Zolland of Swedish design firm Vizualtech created the renderings, but it is reported that the car is already under construction.

While staying true to the general shape of the original, you can see that this retake is replete ...

Autocar reports that Audi is planning a much edgier Audi A3 with the hopes of increasing that model’s sales in the Unites States. While the current car is a handsome hatchback in the generally restrained Audi way, these rendering reveal a much sportier look reminiscent of the new VW Scirocco that will unfortunately not make its way to our shores (why oh why, VW? You create an emotional design and then you deny us?!)

The Audi A3 sells well in its home continent of Europe, but that likely has to do much with the fact that across the pond ...

As was widely rumored last Friday, General Motors has indeed shuttered Pontiac in its continued efforts to survive bankruptcy. This spells the end for a company dating back 88 years which created American icons like the Firebird, the cult-icon Fiero and even the talking Trans-Am of my Knight Rider-enriched childhood. Alas, Pontiac did too little too late, its recent Solstice being little more than a re-badged Opel GT and the G8 an Australian import.

GM's announcement today stated that Pontiac will be phased out by the end of 2010, leaving the corporate parent to focus on core brands Chevrolet ...

LG Chem, part of the Korean giant LG, has outbid Massachusetts-based A123 Systems as the manufacturer of the Chevy Volt battery packs. GM will be acquiring the batteries, 200-300 packs of which are needed for every Volt, through LG Chem subsidiary Compact Power Inc. Compact Power’s CEO Prahbakhar Patil asserts that there exist no obstacles that might halt the manufacturing process.

LG Chem plans to eventually build the batteries in the US, as we discussed in our 2009 Auto Show video coverage.

[Source: GM-Volt]

Yes, yes, I know you know that things have not been going, shall we say, ‘that well’ for the car industry of late. Given the downturn, it is inevitable to see major shifts in the center of power among the big corporations. But two recent pieces of news really demonstrate just how bizarre the car industry has become. Tell me I am not alone when I think that the below would make for one heck of a corporate thriller celebrity gossip rag, replete with courtships, breakups, back-stabbing and unpredictable behavior:

VW gets weak - Porsche buys VW - Porsche gets weak - VW ...

For those of you patiently following the construction of Bertone’s top-secret new supercar, the wait is over: here is the Bertone Mantide, Jason Castriota’s rendtion of a Corvette ZR-1. The car was unveiled at the Shanghai Auto Show and although we are not there to see this beast in the flesh, something tells us it is the showstopper.

One thing is for sure: Castriota's first creation under the Bertone umbrealla is a markd departure from his previous, more classical work at Pininfarina. But then again, what else did you expect from the historically-wild design house of Bertone ...

Alas, all good things must come to an end. In the final portion of our coverage of the 2009 NY Auto Show, we get up close and personal with the Ford Taurus SHO, about which we wrote here, wonder aloud about what the Chevy Volt means to GM, and give you our impressions of the general scene at the show against the backdrop of the current state of the US car industry.

Over the next several days, we plan to bring you full-length versions of a few of the interviews interspersed among our four-part series. So stay tuned!

In part 3 our look at the 2009 New York International Auto Show, we took a look at the Hyundai Genesis Coupe, the GM Segway (officially called the Segway P.U.M.A.), the Bentley Continental Supersports, and the Nissan 370Z NISMO.

Bentley Continental Supersports
We pretty much said it all in the video: most powerful, fastest and greenest Bentley of all time! Have your stupendous power and be kind to the planet at the same time, courtesy of the engine’s flexibility to run on ethanol.  The Supersports is some 200lb lighter than the regular Conti, in part due ...

In this segment of our coverage, we briefly talk about the new Honda Insight (sorry, we just could not get too much more excited about it), the new generation of iDrive in the new BMW 7 series (dubbed 'Version 4.0', it will make its way across the entire BMW model lineup), and the remarkable story of the Alfa Romeo BAT 11.

This last story needs some more context. Dr. Gary Kaberle of Traverse City, Michigan owned the rare Alfa Romeo BAT9d for over 30 years before selling it in order to finance his late wife Deb’s breast cancer ...

We are excited to bring you part 1 of our coverage of this year's New York Auto Show.

In this segment, we show you a self-braking Volvo (seriously, it works, and it's freakishly good!), talk to Henrik Fisker about his hybrid beauty, the Fisker Karma, and finally set eyes on the long-awaited Chevy Camaro.

We will have more for you throughout this week.

Leave it to the Germans to build Zeh Perkeft version of an Anglo-American icon: the original AC Cars of England has collaborated with German constructor Gullwing GmbH to produce this interpretation of the the immortal AC Cobra.

This new concoction features a hybrid-aluminum body shell, a rigid spaceframe chassis, a removable gullwing roof, massive Porsche brakes, and appropriately so, good ol’ American ponies courtesy of Corvette. The ‘base’ GT version will feature a 6.2L, 437hp V8, while the GTS version will have a 647hp version of the same engine. An educated guess says the latter will be a supercharged ...

Fresh from a new injection of cash from the EU earmarked for green vehicle development, Jaguar has announced a commitment to build a mild-hybrid electric version of its upcoming flagship car, the XJ, starting in 2011. The car’s electric drivetrain will be similar to that of the Chevy Volt. In other words, the car will have a range of roughly 30 miles on pure electric power, while a small combustion engine will charge the battery as it runs low.

[Source: Autocar]

Once again, the Germans are bravely (or insanely, depending on your values) launching high-power, high-performance, fuel-hungry products in the midst of a definite green-aware socio-political environment. Behold the new BMW X5 M and X6 M, the first-ever non-sedan recipients of BMW’s “M” treatment.

Some quick facts:
Engine: Twin-turbo, direct-injection V8
Horsepower: 555hp @ 6000rpm
Torque: 500 lb-ft from 1500 to 5650 rpm
Transmisson: 6-speed M Sports automatic w/steering-wheel paddles
0-60: 4.5s (manufacturer’s claim)
Top speed: 155mph limited (171mph with M Package)

We think the X6 M looks better than the X5 M, which looks like an after-market ...

If you are a Formula 1 fan, you surely agree that the season opener in Melbourne was a surprising and strange affair, with the team that was dead in the water only weeks before the start of the season dominating the entire field with a resounding 1-2. There was also the matter of the defending champion, one Lewis Hamilton, being gifted third place for a yellow-flag passing incident involving him and Jarno Trulli, whose points for third were stripped after the race.

Well, it’s not over: the FIA has given third place back to Trulli, saying that it feels ...

It is well-known that McLaren has been working on the P11, a future rival to the Ferrari 430 and Lamborghini Gallardo. Now, Autocar’s sources at McLaren have informed the magazine that McLaren has started work on a new version of the now-legendary McLaren F1 supercar.

Word has it that McLaren has reached an agreement with Mercedes-Benz to supply engines for both the P11 and the new F1. Only time will tell whether a Merc-engined F1 supercar will be as special as the BMW-powered original that took the car world by storm.

[Source: Autocar]

It seems as though news of the current “green” hype has not yet reached Stuttgart: Mercedes-Benz reveals a most naughty E63 AMG today, ahead of its official debut at the NY Auto Show.

Here’s what you need to know:

Engine: 6.3L V8

Horsepower: 518hp

Torque: 465lb.ft

Transmission: 7-speed MCT Speedshift

0-62mph: 4.5sec

Top speed: 155mph (limited)

You may now drool away!

[Source: Autocar]

Although any part of this rumor is yet to be confirmed, it appears that concurrent with GM’s planned presentation to the government of a restructuring plan tomorrow, Rick Wagnoer, CEO of GM, will be resigning from his post. The intriguing part of this news is reports that Wagoner is stepping down at President Obama’s request. Mr. Wagoner has been CEO of GM for eight years and has been at GM since 1977.

We will know more tomorrow and if true, the move represents yet another dramatic chapter in GM’s troubled trajectory of recent months. It has been ...

Following up on our earlier post from today, here are the first pictures of the fully-electric Tesla Model S’ official launch, including a look at the interior.

We think it's stunning, with hints of Mazda up front now that we have seen the full car. Let us know what you think in the comments section.

Vital details:
On sale: Q3 2011
Units: 20,000/year
Price: $49,000 after tax credit
Motor: Lithium-ion battery, 8,000 cells
Transmission: 1 speed
Top Speed: 120mph
0-60mph: 5.5s
Range: 230 miles / 300 miles (base model / optional)
Charge time: 4 hours with ...

These are the very first pictures anyone has seen of Tesla Motors’ upcoming four-door offering, the Model S. Kevin Rose of Digg fame originally posted these pictures on his Flickr site ahead of the official unveiling planned later today (the pictures have since been removed).

These images reveal a beautiful shape reminiscent of the current Jaguar XF, albeit even cleaner around the rear haunches. The Model S will be siginificantly cheaper than the Roadster, coming in around the $50,000 mark after the $7,500 federal tax credit.

We will bring you more details as soon as we get them ...

Talk of Ford planning to sell Volvo is by now old news. The fact that the Chinese are the most likely suitors is also well known. However, Ford sources have now offered some detailed information about the sale.

It seems that no Western manufacturers are interested in acquiring Volvo, and that several Chinese companies are involved in the evaluation process. Ford wants the buyer to demonstrate respect for and understanding of Volvo and its culture, the same criteria it considered when it sold Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata.

For the past year, the figure of $6B has been mentioned ...

Jaguar used to be synonymous with ‘spends its life at the mechanic’s’. So shock of shocks, in the 2009 JD Power & Associates Vehicle Dependability Study, Jaguar (along with Buick) dethrones Lexus as the most dependable nameplate. Toyota and Mercury round out the Top 5.

Jaguar being noted for reliability is as strange as Lindsay Lohan becoming a nun, which means that the magical but oft-troubled English brand should be grateful to its former parent Ford for the billions of dollars of investment during the years it owned Jaguar. Let us see how Jaguar does under its new Indian owners ...

The 2009 Brand Image Awards by Kelley Blue Book has named BMW the ‘coolest’ car brand, as well as the ‘best performance brand’ and ‘best exterior design brand’. Its arch-rival Mercedes-Benz, was voted as the ‘best prestige brand’.

The full results are as follows:

BMW: coolest
BMW: best performance
BMW: best exterior design - luxury
Cadillac: best comfort
Cadillac: best interior design
Ford: most rugged truck
Mercedez-Benz: most prestige
Nissan: best exterior design – non-luxury
Toyota: best value
Toyota: Most family

So, the question is, which would you rather be: cool, or prestigious? Do you agree with the other awards? Leave your ...

Note to self: do not be a Russian oligarch (or at least don't live in Russia if you are one). Alexander Antonov, the Russian billionaire owner of Dutch supercar company Spyker, has survived an assassination attempt outside his Moscow home. Antonov, whose net worth is estimated at $3.5B, has survived five bullets in his stomach, one in his chest, and one that caused him to lose a part of a finger. Fortunately, he is said to be in stable condition. The assassins are still at large.

The simply irresistible, achingly-beautiful car you see here is the Lamborghini Insecta, the work of a freelance Romanian designer named Iulian Bumbu. As the name of the concept suggest, Bumbu took his inspiration from the exoskeleton of insects for what he calls an organic shape.

Do you all agree that Lamborghini should buy the design and build it exactly as is (except, in the name of all holy cows, NOT in Barney purple)? We certainly do. The Insecta has been built around a Gallardo chassis and mechanicals, so making it a reality is not that far a stretch.

We will ...

OK, so this is REALLY a sign that the automotive apocalypse is nigh: bitter arch-rivals BMW and Daimler, Mercedes-Benz’s corporate parent, are reportedly considering a mutual 7% cross-ownership agreement. This follows older reports of the two companies planning joint purchasing activities with a view toward cutting costs, and the news today is within the same context.

The billionaire Quandt family, which owns 46% of BMW, is said to be against the deal, fearing an eventual takeover by Daimler. Furthermore, the German government has yet to rule on whether the agreement would be a violation of Germany's anti-trust regulations ...

Well, I guess there goes Jenson Button’s career. Today, it was confirmed that Ross Brawn, the man who helped Michael Schumacher win a historic seven driver’s championships, has purchased Honda’s former factory F1 team. Ross Brawn was hired by Honda following a year-long sabbatical in order to guide the team to some semblance of success that had eluded them. Funny how things turn out.

The collapse of the auto industry forced Honda out of Formula 1, which now leaves Brawn with a team running Mercedes-Benz client engines in a chassis designed around a Honda engine. While Brawn ...

Yesterday, I said we planned to post about only the most stunning cars at the Geneva Auto Show. However, today, our pick has to do more with significance than looks, even though the car in question is decent-looking to say the least. Here is the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe, whose four-door brother was unveiled in Detroit in January. The E-Class has always been Mercedes-Benz’s best-seller. The E-Coupe more or less replaces the CLK, which itself sold quite well.

In the US, the E Coupe, which will hit the market this summer, will come equipped with a huge panorama sunroof ...

For our second pick of Geneva for the day, we decided to show you this concept car that has been perfectly secret until now, and for good reason: everyone is calling is the showstopper of the Geneva Auto Show.

Behold Infiniti’s 592hp, hybrid coupe concept, the Essence. Released to celebrate Infiniti’s 20th anniversary as well as to raise the mark’s profile as it tries to find its footing in the European market, it is certainly a stunner. In fact, it is one of the most un-Japanese shapes to come out of Japan of late, what with its ...

There is no way that our humble little staff is going to be able to post on every car being revealed in Geneva this week, so we have decided to tell you about the ones that get our hearts racing.

Well, if the ultra-rare Aston Martin One-77 (yes, only 77 will be built) does not give you a cold rush of blood to the head, please check into the closest hospital and declare yourself dead. The sight of the delicate carbon-fiber work on the inside of the door, shown in the interior teaser shot here, is alone worth the price ...

It has been a good week for Japanese car companies. Lexus has displaced Jaguar as the top-ranked company in J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Customer Service Index Study released yesterday. The top five spots were occupied by BMW, Cadillac and Acura.

Today, Consumer Reports released its 2009 Best & Worst Cars list, in which Honda takes the number one spot for the third year in a row.  The last spot on the list goes to none other than the deeply troubled Chrysler LLC. Subaru, Toyota and Mazda took second through fourth, while Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Volkswagen and BMW were all tied ...

If you have a spare $25,000, like sexy hard-top convertibles AND want your green status symbol, you are in luck: the California-based Fisker Automotive, the company founded by former BMW and Aston-Martin stylist Henrik Fisker, is now accepting pre-order deposits for the plug-in hybrid Karma S Convertible unveiled earlier this year. The car will be ready in 2011.

By the way, if you prefer four doors, a $5,000 deposit will put you on the waiting list for the company’s first product, the Karma.

[Source: Treehugger]

Bentley has released pictures of the Continental Supersports, the fastest and most powerful car the company has ever made. The most significant detail is that the Supersports’ engine, the first Bentley power plant that can seamlessly run on E85, regular fuel, or a mixture of the two. Bentley plans the same treatment for all its engines by 2012, which means that the Supersports is a seminal and symbolic car in the celebrated marque’s history.

The Supersports has lost the base car’s two rear seats, which along with generous applications of carbon fiber, has led to a weight reduction ...

Just in time for a global financial meltdown, Rolls-Royce has released these official pictures of the upcoming baby version of the company’s flagship, the Phantom. Although the 200EX is a “concept” to be shown at the Geneva Auto Show, it is almost certainly the final product, which will be unveiled this September at the Frankfurt Auto Show.

No medals for guessing that this new model is closely related to the new BMW 7-Series. However, unlike the 7-Series, the RR4 will sport a V12 under the hood. We do not know the specifications of that engine, but it is a ...

Ever since Honda abruptly pulled the plug on its Formula 1 team, despite having hired the masterful Ross Brawn, the rumor mill has been busy producing news about a myriad of potential buyers. There has been talk that Mercedes-Benz is willing to supply the team with engines, but a proper Formula 1 effort requires a massive budget of at least $50 million a year.

Today, reports emerged that Virgin may be interested in taking over the team. If there is any truth to this, we would suspect that Sir Richard wants to duplicate the branding effort of his fellow billionaire ...

A group of undergraduate minds at MIT have created a shock absorber that converts the shock-absorption motion into electrical power. If you think this is a variation-on-the-theme of regenerative braking, you would be right: it is precisely that idea that inspired the students to seek and take advantage of other sources of wasted energy.

The shock absorber in question works as follows: every time the unit compresses or expands, it sends oil through a small, built-in turbine, thus generating electricity that can then be used to power a portion of a vehicle’s electrical needs.

Using a test truck, the ...

BMW has released details of the BMW Concept 5-Series Gran Tourismo, a car it says creates a whole new category as a “Progressive Activity Sedan’, which means that they probably hate us for calling it a station wagon. By now, we are used to BMW’s nomenclature of this sort, recalling “Sports Activity Vehicle” or SAV instead of SUV when the X5 was released. Although the car in the pictures is dubbed a “concept”, it is apparently production-ready, minus that show-car coat of paint.

The GT will hit the market this fall and will be officially launched in Geneva in ...

Porsche has released the first interior pictures of the upcoming Panamera. Remember, these pictures are historic because they show the inside of Porsche’s first-ever four-door sedan.

While the exterior of the car might take some…ahem….clear throat….”getting used to”, the interior is definitely unique.

What do you think? Leave your comments below.

[Source: Porsche]

Aahhh….it’s so nice to see Ford making all the right moves of late. There was the updated, 2010 Mustang Shelby GT500 at the LA Auto Show, the profitable year the company had in Europe, and now this: yesterday at the Chicago Auto Show, Ford unveiled the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO.

While the original, cult-classic SHO (which stands for Super High Output) had a magical Yamaha-built V6 that could rev to 8000rpm, the new iteration does with Ford’s twin-turbocharged, 365HP EcoBoost V6. The driveline consists of a SelectShift 6-speed automatic, replete with steering wheel-mounted shifters, and a torque-sensing ...

Chevrolet revealed this striking concept car, the Corvette Centennial, at the Chicago Auto Show today. The car, which is actually just a pure styling exercise, will be featured in the next Transformers movie, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. It was heavily inspired by the '59 Stingray Racer and '63 Coupe "Split Window" Stingrays. GM will not build it, but we think this wild branding effort is quite timely and a refreshing bit of news coming out of a gloomy Detroit.

Below is a video of GM’s VP of Global Design, Ed Welburn, talking about the concept.

[Source: Autoblog]

Wolfgang Bernhard, former head of the VW brand and prior to that, COO of Chrysler when it was owned by Daimler, is returning back to Daimler AG to head the Mercedes-Benz Vans unit.

Bernhard is one of the auto industry’s hotshots and was destined to some day take over the entire Mercedes-Benz unit. However, his blunt views on how to overhaul the ill-fated DaimlerChrysler irked former CEO Jürgen Shcrempp enough to cause his ouster.

Bernhard, 48, started out as a McKinsey consultant on the S-Class line and quickly climbed the ranks, earning a reputation as a cost-cutter. He ...

Let the arguing begin: a panel of legendary car designers assembled by Classic & Sports Car magazine has voted the 1955 Citroën DS the most beautiful car of all time. And when we say “legendary car designers”, we mean Leonardo Fioravanti, Marcello Gandini, Giorgetto Giugiaro, and Gordon Murray among others. These men themselves are responsible for a selection of the most achingly-desirable cars in history.

“The Citroën is a benchmark design, but we were still astonished that it came out on top when you look at the sexiness – and values – of some of its rivals,” said James Elliott, editor ...

Bob Lutz, the 76-year old GM Vice Chairman of Product Global Development (which really means “resident car guy”) will retire by the end of 2009. He was hired by GM at the tender age of 69 in order to oversee a product overhaul, and it is fair to say that under his watch, GM has indeed improved its product lineup. In April, Lutz will transition into a vice chairman and senior advisor role, making room for Tom Stephens, 60, currently executive vice president of global powertrain and global quality.

Before arriving at GM, Lutz’s last role in the industry ...

Welcome to Friday – here’s more bitter news from the car industry. Toyota announced today that its annual loss will be three times larger than what it had previously forecasted. Toyota used to be famous for never incurring an operating loss in its 70-year history, but it expects to lose a staggering $4.95 billion in the year ending March.

We hate to keep reporting such dismal figures, but it is clear that there is a tectonic shift afoot when the bulletproof Toyota can’t shift units.

The company still forecasts a worldwide sales of 7.32 million vehicles for ...

Our friends at ALPINA have given us a sneak preview of their B6 GT3 racecar, built to celebrate the firm’s return to racing after a 20-year absence. As you can see in the pictures, the car is based on the BMW 6 Series and uses the BMW ALPINA B6S’ 4.4L, supercharged V8 rated at 530hp.

The first chassis built was tested over a distance of 185 miles in freezing temperatures a few days ago. “We were surprised by how free of problems this maiden shake-down went,” commented ALPINA Proprietor Andreas Bovensiepen, who split driving duties with Claudia H ...

Today at the exclusive TED conference, where Bill Gates, Pierre Omidyar and the Google twins go every year to wonder at how smart they and their friends all are, Mission Motor Company debuted the exceptionally-beautiful Mission One, a 150mph electric motorcycle that has a range of 150 miles. Yes, this is the Tesla of motorcycles, with an equally for-the-rich-only price tag of $68,995 for the first 50, limited-edition models coming to the market in 2010.

The bike has only one speed and is propelled by a lithium-ion battery, just like the Tesla. In fact, Founder and CEO Forrest North ...

rightpedal is proud to be featured in the automotive listings of Alltop, the online "magazine rack" of popular topics. This minimalist site is constantly updated and features the top five headline news from a large and rapidly growing number of sources across a diverse range of topics. Simply pick a category and start catching up!

We encourage you to follow the Twitter feeds of two good people involved with Alltop, Guy Kawasaki and L.P. Neenz Faleafine (http://twitter.com/guykawasaki and http://twitter.com/neenz respectively).

If you have great content on your site which you keep updated and ...

Today was a big news day in the automotive industry, and most of it was not the good kind. US auto sales dropped more than 37% to the lowest figure in 27 years, with the Detroit 3 faring particularly badly. Chrysler was the biggest loser, with sales down 54.8% compared to this time last year. GM was down 49.1%, while Ford declined 41.6%. Only two companies’ sales grew, with Hyundai gaining 8.9% and Subaru up 8.0%.

Not surprisingly, the government is trying to prevent this precipitous decline from getting worse and today, took a positive ...

The American BMW Group Chief of Design, Chris Bangle, is quitting in order to "pursue his own design-related endeavors beyond the auto industry," according to BMW. Dutchman Adrian van Hooydonk, head of design for the BMW brand, will take over Bangle's role. Bangle, who started at BMW in 1992, oversaw corporate design for BMW, MINI, and Rolls Royce, is one the most controversial and yet influential designers of the last decade, inspiring anti-Bangle websites calling for him to step down.

Bangle was criticized for the shocking, angular look of recent BMWs, starting with the previous generation BMW 7-Series. While ...

Real car nuts love to argue over just about any automotive topic: would you buy an Audi A4 or a BMW 3-Series? What is the best-looking car on the market today? You get the idea. However, some cars demand respect from all. These cars, when mentioned, make a room go momentarily silent out of respect. They are almost religiously good cars.

The Porsche 911 GT3 has always been such a car. It is the precision instrument within the 911 arsenal; not so much brute force as it is finesse. This week, Porsche released details ...

As mentioned in the previous story, Ford topped AdAge’s “The Most Social Brands of 2008” list. We are publishing the list below, with the car companies highlighted.

   1. iPhone

   2. CNN

   3. Apple

   4. Disney

   5. Xbox

   6. Starbucks

   7. iPod

   8. MTV

   9. Sony

  10. Dell

  11. Microsoft

  12. Ford

  13. Nintendo

  14. Target

  15. PlayStation

  16. Mac

  17. Turner

  18. Hewlett-Packard

  19. Fox News

  20. BlackBerry

  21. ABC

  22. Coke

  23. LG

  24. Best Buy

  25. Honda

  26. eBay

  27. Sharp

  28. Lincoln

  29. NBA

  30. Pepsi

  31. General Motors

  32. McDonald's

  33. General Electric

  34 ...

If James Bond were to settle down and have a family, this would be his ride: the 6.0L V12, 480HP, 180mph, four-door Aston Martin Rapide! Autocar has posted these CAD renderings of the final product, which reveal a close family resemblance to the oh-so-gorgeous Aston Martin DB9. That iconic car is quite simply one of the most exquisite man-made forms in the history of the universe (no, seriously), and while the addition of two doors takes away some of the panache, the Rapide is leaps and bounds prettier than its direct rival, the ...

Anyone who remembers how far Hyundai has come since it first entered the US market will note the significance of the growing Chinese car industry. While the Chinese have rightly been accused of, well, copying Western cars, it is only inevitable that they will get better with time, and eventually enter the US market with force.

Case in point, the Chery A6 coupe (yes, Audi might have an issue with that name), seen here testing near the Lotus headquarters in Norfolk, England, getting ready for a European launch. That fact alone means that Lotus' engineering consulting arm, a legendary chassis ...

Until recently, BMW was planning on building a supercar to rival Audi’s smash hit, the R8. However, in step with the changing socio-political scene, BMW bosses scrapped those plans in favor of a high-tech, eco-friendly supercar.

It is reported that the upcoming Z10 ED is being developed by BMW’s Technik division, akin to Lockheed’s Skunkworks. “ED” stands for “Efficient Dynamics”, a BMW moniker that encompasses everything it is doing to increase efficiency in its lineup.

Instead of using a version of the current M5/M6 V10, which was the old plan, this supercar will use a brand-new ...

Chevrolet has launched an interesting site, www.chevroletdesign.com, on which it allows the public to take a peek into the design process of concept cars and the integration of ideas from GM’s worldwide operations.

This is a great idea (as well as a great branding exercise), giving the public insight into the genesis of cars, a process that involves years of preparation, inspiration, iteration, passion, and hard work. We think you will enjoy the site as much as we car people did.

[Source: Car Body Design]

On Monday, President Obama took another step toward fulfilling his campaign promises: he signed two executive orders that will affect the automotive marketplace in the United States in a big way. In one of the orders, the President has asked the Department of Transportation to issue tougher fuel economy standards in an effort to curb greenhouse gases. In the other, he has asked the Environmental Protection Agency to review the applications of California and 13 other states, in which they asked to be able to set their own statewide emissions rules. The Bush administration had previously blocked these applications.

This ...

Porsche is synonymous with one great product: the 911. The 911 has a great enemy as far as Porsche is concerned: the 911. You see, this legendary model defines Porsche-ness; it's the very prophet of the Porsche religion. Therefore, anytime Porsche's brilliant engineers want to branch out and make another model, they have to struggle NOT to make the non-911 too good. This was the case with the 944 and 968, but never more so than with the Cayman.

You see, as soon as the original Boxster came to the market, pundits called its handling superior than that ...

When I was stationed in Stuttgart, Germany for Ricardo several years ago, the train taking me to work every day would pass the Porsche headquarters in Zuffenhausen. I would sit in the car that stopped right in front of the factory so that I could peer at the 911 body shells moving in the second floor of the factory. Of course, I visited the Porsche museum one day and was disappointed by how small it was.

That has changed now. In 9 days, Porsche will open the doors to its gorgeous-looking new museum designed by Austrian firm Delugan Meissl (interestingly ...

We have new pictures of the all-new 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class with the optional "AMG" look exterior styling option. The true AMG model, with the magnificent 6.2L V8 already in the C63 AMG, is about a year away. What do you think of the new E-Class? I think it's a bit ungainly in the back and a bit too reminiscent of the GLK in the front. Leave your comments below.

[Source: Autocar]

After 77 years of claiming the title of the world's largest automaker based on sales figures, GM has now fallen to number two behind the Japanese giant Toyota. The difference is small, namely a bit over 600,000 units. To give you an idea of the scale of these two companies, Toyota sold 8.97 million vehicles, compared to 8.36 million for GM.

GM may not mind so much because while the psychological boost of being the world's largest car company is not negligible, neither is the intensity of the spotlight, often negative, that comes with the ...

The big automotive news of the day was reports of Chrysler and FIAT discussing a partnership. Chrysler has been given a lifeline by our generous government (actually, a generous us) and is desperately trying to improve its chances of survival. Therefore, it is reaching for just about any deal it thinks it can make.

FIAT, of course, has had a good run of late. If nothing else, it is enjoying the iPod-to-Mac-like halo effect of its successful Fiat 500, itself inspired by the iconic original. The company also owns Alfa Romeo, which plans to return to the US market next ...