The Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder made official debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The new LP 560-4 Spyder combines the Coupé’s design, performance and handling characteristics with the open-air pleasure only a soft top super sports car can deliver.
The Gallardo Spyder will be powered by a the same 5.2 liter V10 engine that is in the coupe version. It delivers 560 hp and over 380 lb ft. of torque to all four wheels. It makes the 0 to 60 mph sprint in 4 seconds and can go up to 201 mph.
Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder adds a new, lighter transmission, which allows increased shift times by 40 percent (Corsa Mode), combined with an all-new chassis, suspension and Lamborghini’s permanent all-wheel drive system. Despite increased performance, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions have been reduced by 18 percent.
Full details in the press release after the jump.
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Toyota unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show the compressed natural gas (CNG) Camry Hybrid concept vehicle. According to the company the car features "just one of the many alternative fuels we’re exploring in our ongoing advanced technology research and development."
The CNG Camry Hybrid Concept is powered by a 2.4 liter, 4-cylinder engine with Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive and the gasoline fuel system has been replaced by CNG system. The maximum output is 170 hp (Engine + Electric Motor + Generator + Power Storage).
The CNG Camry features a sporty look: a sleek custom front fascia and front bumper cover eliminate the grill opening, while a custom rear bumper covers the tail pipe and visible exhaust system. The vehicle is fitted with 19 x 7.5 alloy wheels and Bridgestone Potenza 225/35ZR19 run-flat tires to accommodate the lack of a spare tire.
Full details in the press release after the jump.
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Honda unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show today the FC Sport design study model, a hydrogen-powered, three-seat sports car concept. It basically takes the technology from the FCX Clarity sedan and stuffs into a "hey, look at me" coupe.
Although it is known that Honda has been working on hydrogen cars, the FC Sport was a true surprise in LA. Honda seems to be having some fun with this water-maker because it’s using a lightweight body, a low center of gravity, and an electric motor that Honda described as "powerful". Honda sees this as a design study concept is inspired by supercar levels of performance through low weight and a high-performance, electrically driven fuel cell powertrain. Very green, very cool.
The FC Sport is configured to accommodate a custom-formed high-power fuel cell stack, located between the rear seats, and a battery pack placed low in the middle of the vehicle. The electric motor resides just forward of the rear axle. Two fuel storage tanks, visible from above, are located above the rear axle.
The design could be a good one. The front is very cat-like and the profile is similar to the original NSX. Unfortunately the back end look like it’s hunting for truffles.
Full details in the press release after the jump.
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The last generation 3 shared a platform with the Ford Focus, and so now that the (European) Focus has upgraded its chassis, so will the 3. The new look of the 3 takes cues from the Mazda6, and continues what Mazda says will be the base of its future design language.
On the North American market, the new Mazda3 will be launched as a sedan only, with the hatchback version arriving at a later date.
2010 Mazda3 is offered with two engines: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine delivering 148 hp at 6500 rpm and 135 lb-ft of torque at 4500 rpm; and Mazda3 s powered by a MZR 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers 167 hp at 6000 rpm and 168 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm. The i version gets a five-speed manual transmission while the s version gets a six-speed stick-shift transmission.
The Mazda3 i achieves 25 mpg in city driving with the manual transmission and 24 mpg with the automatic. The highway mileage with the 2.0-liter engine is 33 mpg with either transmission. The Mazda3 s also tops 20 mpg in all conditions. Equipped with the six-speed manual transmission, its city rating is 21 mpg, rising to 22 mpg with the 5-speed automatic. The highway rating is 29 mpg with either transmission.
Press release after the jump.
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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.
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