Isn’t homologation wonderful? If manufactures want to go racing in the GT2 class, they have to cough up a few examples for the public to fight over. One such street racer is Spyker C8 Laviolette LM85, which will make its official debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It is a road version of its GT2 LeMans car and will be limited to only 24 units. The car will go into production by the end of 2008 and will be offered in both left and right hand drive.
The LM85 is powered by an Audi-sourced 4.2-liter V8 engine producing 400 bhp. The engine is mated to a manual six-speed Getrag gearbox, driving the rear wheels with a Drexler limited slip differential.
It will come with lots of racing characteristics: aluminium chassis, GT2 livery (Burnt Almond Orange with Gun Metal ‘S’ logo), carbon fiber rear spoiler, and GT2 windscreen streamer.
Press release after the jump.
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It’s officially official: the new 370Z is out. As expected, the new Z car is lighter, stronger, shorter and faster than its predecessor. Coupe sales will begin in North America by January 2009, followed by a new 370Z Roadster for the 2010 model year. Exact pricing has not been confirmed, but Nissan says it will remain around $30,000.
Compared to the 350Z’s four trim lineup (regular, Enthusiast, Touring and Grand Touring), the new generation Z will only be offered in two versions: 370Z and the 370Z Touring. For both models, Nissan offers two option packages: the Sport Package and the Navigation Package.
The 370Z is powered by a 3.7-liter VQ37VHR engine with VVEL (Variable Valve Event and Lift) rated at 332 hp at 7,000 rpm and 270 lb-ft of torque at 5,200 rpm. The engine is mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed 7-speed automatic with Downshift Rev Matching (DRM) and Adaptive Shift Control (ASC). Estimated fuel economy from the six-cylinder is 18 mpg City/26mpg Highway for both the 7-speed automatic and 6-speed manual transmissions.
The exterior of the car has been sharpened with "boomerang" HID headlights and taillights, revised front-end, and wider wheel arches. The interior uses upgraded materials. It still keeps the retro look from the original Z-cars, including the tri-gauge dash.
Full details in the press release after the jump.
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The 2010MY Fusion made its world debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show today. The 2010 model year adds two new versions to the line-up: Hydrid and Sport. The new Fusion features new design (inside and out), improved and new technologies and new powertrains with improved fuel consumption.
The 2010 Fusion features a more aggressive front fascia with new headlamps, grille and fog lamps; the three-bar grille in particular is larger with a more modern look. The fog lamps are housed below in a trapezoidal-shaped lower opening to help complete the more-muscular look. At the rear there are new modernized taillights and decklid to help give the vehicle a more unified look from front to rear.
The hybrid version is powered by a combination of a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine that delivers 155 hp and 136 lb.-ft. of torque and a nickel-metal hydride battery. The hybrid vehicles can operate up to 47 mph in pure electric mode, approximately twice as fast as some competitors. Plus, the city driving range on a single tank of gas is expected to be more than 700 miles.
The Sport version get a 263-hp V-6 Duratec engine, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with SelectShift. It is offered as a FWD model, but AWD is also available.
The model line-u include (besides Sport and Hybrid): S, SE, SEL. The S version gets a 2.5-liter I-4 engine that delivers 175 hp; the SE and SEL get a new 3.0-liter V-6 engine that delivers 240 hp.
Full details in the press release after the jump.
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Mercury unveiled the 2010 Milan, a new generation that adds for the first time a hybrid model to the line-up. The new Mercury will be built at Ford’s Hermosillo (Mexico) Stamping and Assembly Plant and will go on sale in spring 2009.
The 2010 Mercury comes with new grille, fenders, hood, and front and rear fascias. The chin was pulled forward and the fascia was pulled down to give the 2010 Mercury Milan a wider, sportier look. Those changes as well as substantial underbody work made for a cleaner, more aerodynamic car.
Under the hood there is a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine that delivers 155 hp and 136 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine is mated to an electronically-controlled continuously variable transmission or e-CVT. The hybrid version comes with a new smaller, lighter nickel-metal hydride battery has been optimized to produce 20 percent more power. It can operate up to 47 mph in pure electric mode, approximately twice as fast as some competitors. Plus, the city driving range on a single tank of gas is expected to be more than 700 miles.
More details in the press release after the jump.
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For the past twelve years, the Boxster has been playing the chase-the-911 with its styling. Now the 2009 refreshed Boxster gets more of its own look, sorta. Instead of taking its styling cues from the 911, it looks a little more like the ultra-fast Carrera GT.
Porsche officially unveiled today at the Los Angeles Auto Show the new Boxster and Boxster S. Both models will go on sale in Europe by February 2009. It’s expected that the new Boxster will reach these shores soon afterward with only a marginal price increase.
The new Boxster features a newly designed front and rear ends. The new halogen headlights with their integrated direction indicators are reminiscent of the lights on the Carrera GT, the new LED rear lights tapering out to the outside and integrated elegantly in the modified rear end of the car.
Under the hood, Porsche placed a 2.9-liter engine that delivers 255 bhp (an increase of 10 hp). The S version gets a 3.4-liter power unit that delivers 310 hp (up 15hp). Mated to a the standard six-speed manual gearbox, the new Boxter makes the 0 to 60 mph sprint in 5.9 seconds. Equipped with the PDK double-clutch gearbox, the sprint will be made 0.1 seconds faster.
As it turns out the increase in power will not mean worse fuel economy. The Boxster equipped with PDK averages 26.3 mpg, and 25.5 mpg for the Boxster S. That’s about a 4 mpg improvement from the Tiptronic automatic transmission cars.
Full details in the press release after the jump.
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The L.A. auto show is one day away, and the auto show page revealed new images of the 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible. The drop-top G37 will go on sale in the U.S. early next year, and Europe should get the car by the end of 2009.
The convertible version is based on the current G37 coupe and will feature a three-piece automatic retracting hardtop, enabling it to keep a coupe-like roofline. The convertible also features a unique interior treatment with automatic adjustment to audio and ventilation systems so the top-down driving experience is still pampered.
Under the hood Infiniti is using an engine already used in the coupe and sedan versions, as well as another car debuting in LA, the 370Z. The engine is the 3.7-liter V-6 rated at 328 hp and is mated to a choice of a new 7-speed automatic transmission or close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission.
It’s official: the 2010 mustang is out of the corral. After getting to see the myriad of preview pics, there’s now not a whole lot new to see. But it is refreshing to get a look at the full car.
Ford has been stuck with a tough issue: how do you update a retro car? Do you follow the path of the original? If Ford did that then the 2010 Mustang would bloated and on the path to have to be redesigned in 2014 to be replaced by a Focus-based Mustang II. Instead Ford let its retro design mature. In 2005 the current Mustang burst on the scene with a childlike innocence that said to the world, “Hey I’m back!” Now five years later, the car has matured into a teenager. It still looks very much like the happy child you once knew, but now his brow has permanently furrowed, and he’s more aggressive.
Everything on the outside of the car has gotten sleeker. The turn indicators have been incorporated into the design, the fog light fit in the grille better, the tail lamps have more curves, and the interior materials no longer have a shine that makes it look like it came from the dollar store. But these are minor improvements. What makes this a new car worth getting excited about is how it feels.
Ford had put the 2005 Mustang on an all-new platform (it’s first in about 25 years,) and the 2010 Mustang is Ford’s first chance at tweaking the chassis after five years of road development. The car still has an archaic live rear-axle, but now the set up is three-link rear suspension with a panhard bar. It’s not a rocket science leap forward, but it should keep the rear end in line while going fast on the streets.
The interior doesn’t change much in appearance or layout. It’s tough to stray to far from the original in a retro car. But as mentioned before, the materials are significantly upgraded. While it may look nice, the simple feel of sturdy materials makes the Mustang feel less like an economy car.
The 2010 Mustang will be initially offered with a choice of two engines: a 4.0-liter 60-degree V6 (carryover from the 2009 model) that delivers 210 at 5,300 rpm and a peak torque of 240 lb.-ft.; and a 4.6-liter 90-degree V8 (upgraded from the 2009 GT) with cold air induction that delivers 315 @ 6,000 rpm and a peak torque of 325 lb.-ft. @ 4,250 rpm. Both engines are mated to a standard 5-speed manual transmission.
Pricing shouldn’t stray too far from the original car, which means sticker prices of a little over $20,000 for the base model and about $28,000 for the Mustang GT.
Full details in the press release after the jump.
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Although the 2010 Mustang hasn’t made it’s official debut, the guys from MustangBlog revealed pricing and option package information for the Mustang GT. With premium package, the Mustang GT will be priced at $30,095. That’s a $935 jump in the current base price, and there may not be much to show for it.
It will be powered by a 4.6L OHC 3V V8 Engine, and while there is no mention of horsepower, those are the same specs for the current 300 hp engine that comes with the GT premium. It also comes with shaker 500 audio system, ambient lighting, bright aluminum accent dash, pedal covers, scuff plate & shift knob, and 6-gauge cluster with MyColor (all of which are also standard on the current car.) The only new part to this package is the 18″ aluminum wheels, which were formerly an option.
Customers will have the possibility to choose from five other packages: Security package, Comfort package, GT Track package, Electronics package, and racing stripe package.
Full details after the jump.
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We may not be the only ones excited about the new Nissan 370Z. This car was caught driving in the Los Angeles area possibly by some Nissan employees out for a joyride ahead of the car’s debut at the LA Show. Then again, these weren’t spy shots. It had to be pretty well staged if the GTR World got to pop the hood and the back hatch.
Looking at the completeness of the car and it’s Tennessee manufacture’s plate (Nissan North America’s headquartered out of there,) this is likely a car that will be used as a press demonstrator during the show. From these pics we can see other changes to the Z car besides the head and tail lamps. This shows there are a lot of little improvements on the 370Z like the upgraded interior and a crease in the roof that matches the one in the hood.
As a reminder: the 370Z will be powered by a 3.7-liter version of the Nissan VQ six-cylinder that is currently in use in the G37 coupe and sedan. As reported earlier in the week, the engine will deliver 332 hp.
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The current big Bentley, the Arnage family, is taking a final bow. While the premiere of last year’s Brooklands was a car that was more for the English crowd (foul-weather friendly hard top, understated coupe styling, etc.), the 2009 Azure T is more for an American crowd ("hey look me and at what I can afford!")
It’s safe to write that the Azure T is the most elegant convertible at the moment. PETA gets woozy every time it thinks about how many cows had to die so that the ultra-rich can have coddled hands, legs, elbows and butts. Like any good Bentley, there are only understated changes to the exterior. Little things like new 20-inch five-spoke two-piece alloy wheels, ‘Le Mans’ lower front wing air vents, and dark-tinted upper and lower grilles.
Like with most big Bentleys, its no slouch. Under the hood Bentley placed a liter twin-turbocharged version of their older-than-dust 6.75 V8 engine that produces 500bhp (50 hp more than the standard Arnage sedan, but 30 hp less than the Brooklands). The Azure T makes the 0-60 mph sprint in 5.2 seconds, hits 100 mph in 12.1 seconds, and doesn’t stop until it reaches the top speed of 179 mph.
While all Bentleys are extremely exclusive, there was no announced cap on productions as there is with the 550-unit Brooklands. Then again, it’s likely there won’t be too many neighbors picking up the kids from soccer practice in this.
The car is set to debut at the LA Auto Show this month. Why LA? Because although Bentley would not divulge the price of the super-lux ragtop (the Brooklands cost $680,000,) most of those who can afford it have had their names on a few movie posters or at least rapped about how much money they have.
If you want to be reminded of just how much money you don’t make, read the press release after the jump.
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