A hatchback is a type of automobile design, consisting of a passenger cabin which includes an integrated cargo space, accessed from behind by a hatch or flip-up window. Hatchbacks are also often called three-doors (two entry doors and the hatch) or five-doors (four entry doors and the hatch) cars.
The Toyota iQ is far from a track-ready sports car. As a matter of fact, the mere thought of seeing a car like the iQ on track conjures up images of turtles participating in a quarter-mile race. But even if the iQ isn’t what you’d associate as a rocket-on-wheels, it doesn’t mean that it can’t look the part of one. That’s where the Toyota iQ City Racer comes in.
Limited only to a little over 300 units while being exclusively marketed in France, the iQ City Racer is being introduced as a sexier and far more aesthetically pleasing dress-up on the iQ. It’s got numerous color options to choose from - Orange Tabasco, Red, Pearl White, or Gray Aluminum - and can also get dressed up with two current black bands on the hood and the roof. There are also new mirror covers, some faux carbon elements on the flanks, a rear apron with a black chrome exhaust, dark tinted windows, and a new set of 16" black alloy wheels.
Output on the Toyota iQ City Car’s 1.33-liter Dual VVT-i petrol engine remains at 98 horsepower, which was expected considering that the whole point of the iQ City Racer was to make the car look more like a sporty racer, but not necessarily perform like one.
As it stands, Toyota has priced the car at €19,950, which is around $26,000 based on current exchange rates. It’s a pretty steep price for a car that only comes with aesthetic improvements, but hey, some people will love its new looks, even if they won’t get any performance enhancements.
The next generation Audi A3 has been caught testing yet again, this time during some winter testing. Audi was the first automaker to take full advantage of the winter testing grounds in Northern Sweden, right when the weather was just right. This marks the vehicle’s final testings, which means the launch date is right around the corner.
The new A3 will come in four different body styles. The first to arrive will be the three door hatch, which will then be followed by a five door hatch, - called the Sportback - a convertible, and for the first time, a four door sedan. The new model will be slightly larger than the current model and will be built on Volkswagen’s new MQB platform. The engine line-up will include a choice between six enginesc consisting of both TSI and TDI variants. Power will range between 105 HP and 210 HP, and all engines will bring a 20% improvement in fuel economy. Audi has also announced that they will be be bringing in all-electric and hybrid models for 2013.
If there was ever a Mini Cooper that was on everyone’s wish list, it would be the John Cooper Works, but just because everyone wants it, doesn’t mean everyone can get it. Until now. Mini has come out with a solution to turn your standard Cooper S, Cooper SD, and Countryman into a true JCW without taking a trip to the tuning shop.
The new John Cooper Works Championship tuning package will allow any Mini fan to experience the allure of rallying by adding a more dynamic and sporty character to their car. It was created as a tribute to the John Cooper Works WRC that Dani Sordo currently drives in the WRC. It includes go-faster stripes, side scuttles in a special package design, additional spotlights up front (which are available in Chrome and Black), a"37" logo on the doors, and the famous John Cooper Works aerodynamics package in the color of the car. You can also opt for a new set of Double Spoke R129 alloy wheels in matte black.
Courtesy cars are nothing new in the auto industry. Collaborations between two companies have gone on for sometime now in an effort to entice the company’s respective clients in the industry. If you recall, Ferrari once went this route, releasing a limited edition model of the Fiat 500 as a courtesy model for its clients. Now, a couple of other models under the Fiat umbrella will be giving birth to another one of these models in the form of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta for Maserati Edition.
The car will be limited to only 100 units and will be distinguished with a number of styling cues befitting its association with the upper-echelon Maserati. Among these features include a new set of 18" allow wheels with enhanced diamond tooling and a larger set of red caliper brakes. Meanwhile, the interior of the Giulietta for Maserati Edition has been dressed in a “Maserati Brown” Venere leather upholstery with brushed aluminum inserts. There’s also an “Alfa Romeo for Maserati” plaque on the dashboard, to go with aluminum door sill plates with the names “Giulietta” and “Maserati” engraved on each side.
In terms of performance, the Giulietta for Maserati Edition will be powered by the top-of-the-line, 1.8-liter four-cylinder turbocharged Quadrifoglio Verde engine that produces an impressive 235 horsepower.
A balloon-popping world record isn’t exactly the type that draws amazed reactions from people, but that doesn’t mean it’s not any less impressive.
Italian automaker Alfa Romeo thought it would be a cool idea to take 2,500 balloons, a Red Epic camera with IMAX quality resolution, and an Alfa Romeo MiTo to make a pretty cool record-setting video wherein the MiTo was to pop as many balloons as it could.
Driven by professional stunt driver and 19-time world-record holder Terry Grant, the whole stunt was christened as the "Aquabatics Challenge" and it featured Grant completely laying waste to the balloons as if they had just stolen his lunch money. At the end of the stunt, Grant managed to pop an astounding 2,496 balloons, leaving only four surviving balloons. After the run, Alfa Romeo immediately sent the video over to the Guinness Book of World Records to be verified.
As far as the four surviving balloons are concerned, the Italian automaker is running a competition asking people to guess which of the balloons - based on the correct grid location - managed to escape the MiTo’s wrath. You can check that out at Alfa’s Facebook page, and if you manage to be one of the four to win, you get a chance to participate in an exclusive Alfa Romeo track day at the famous Goodwood Motor Circuit.
Check out the slow-mo video of the attempt after the jump!
