You may already know that Jaguar is preparing for the launch of the XE in 2012. Next to the V6 and V8 engines, the XE chassis will also be offered with a gas sipping 3 cylinder gas/electric hybrid version, set up similarly to Chevrolet’s upcoming Volt EV. The first concept version of this forward thinking hybrid sports car should make its Auto Show debut sometime in 2010; with this model Tata aims to compete directly with other electric roadsters builders like Tesla and Fisker.
Expect the 2011 XE Hybrid to be powered by a lithium ion battery pack, as opposed to today’s nickel based energy storage devices. The small displacement motor will act mainly to recharge the batteries which they will run off of most of the time, just like General Motors’ car of tomorrow. Good news for the petrol heads in the audience, the traditionally powered modern day E Type is expected to have Jaguar’s new 5.0 Litre V8 engine, making 385 HP, while a 510 HP supercharged version is expected to make an appearance under the range topping sport model.
This electrifying news comes after a report back in April that said Jaguar had an electric Jaguar XJ in the works for 2010, in which the now Indian owned company could benefit from a sizable sack of cash from the British Government.
Even though you won’t be able to enjoy the Ferrari F-450 Spider for at least another 24 months, Audi’s drop top super car may just have to hold you over until then. The Audi R8 Spyder has been spotted in the final stages of testing, and spy photographers were at the right place at the right time to catch it before the vehicle makes its official debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, ahead of even the hardtop Ferrari.
Like the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, the Audi R8 Spyder will feature a fancy electrically operated folding soft-top convertible roof. The German automaker has chosen to leave out the R8’s signature side blades made from carbon fiber, further distinguishing it from the coupe. However the Audi design team didn’t forget to add a powerfully sculpted side scoop to feed enough fresh air into the mid-mounted engine bay.
Fans of the fabulous 4.2 Liter FSI V8 that makes 100 horsepower per liter will be able to enjoy the sound of that motor behind them with the wind in their face by September, but if you really want to go Ferrari hunting, V10 powered Spyder will debut just six months later.
For all of the hot water GM has been embroiled in these days, the company can take comfort in knowing that its Corvette franchise is doing pretty well. It comes as no surprise then that GM is taking advantage of this situation by increasing the price of the 2010 Corvette ZR1 to $109,530 – a price hike of over $2,910 from the 2009 version.
While GM understands that the price hike might turn off some people from purchasing the 2010 ZR1, a price hike of a little less than $3K isn’t that much considering you’ll be spending over $100K anyway. Besides, we’ve heard from a number of people – most specifically, Corvette Blogger – that dealers have already pre-empted Corvette’s move in jacking up the price of the 2009 Corvette by over $10,000. So it’s not like GM is doing anything out of the ordinary and when you’re a manufacturer that was this close to dropping your production curtains, you’ll take any form of added income any way you can get it.
Continued after the jump.
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After Volkswagen revealed their BlueSport concept at the Detroit Auto Show, there were a number of rumors saying that Porsche will also be producing a production version based on the 21st century roadster, as a successor for the classic 914. However the German sports car builder denied those rumors until the bitter end, but apparently the rumors had a hint of truth to them and Porsche is really considering an entry level model priced below the Boxster for their lineup.
So why is the new 914 suddenly back on track? Due to the new Volkswagen-Porsche alliance, the project is now financially feasible because the new platform will be ideal to use as a launch pad for a mid-engine roadster. Expect to see Audi build something using the same platform, like the R4. Volkswagen will still produce the BlueSport clean diesel roadster based on the same chassis.
Under the hood Porsche can choose from the popular 1.4 Liter TSI making 170 HP or possibly even the 125 HP TDI motor. Although we can expect something with a little more oomph from the sportiest member of the VW Group, either way, if Porsche can keep the weight below 2,200 pounds, the new 914 will be a blast no matter what the power plant is in the back.
MINI has been one of those rare manufacturers that never seem to go out of its comfort zone. Part of it, we can say, is by design. After all, with one of the most recognizable cars in history (the Cooper), MINI could thrive under the Cooper banner just fine. So when word came out that MINI was coming out with a Roadster – predictably called the MINI Roadster – then you could say that it turned a few heads.
Word is being spread that MINI is close to releasing the MINI Roadster, possibly just in time for the Frankfurt Motor Show. The news was first reported by the French car magazine, L’Automobile and was likewise confirmed by the UK’s Autocar magazine.
From the few snapshots we’ve seen of the MINI Roadster, it looks quite like a loaded version of the MINI Cooper, complete with raked windshield and a retractable soft top – giving it a uniquely bad ass look that’s far removed from the conservative style of the Cabriolet. More so, the MINI Roadster has been reported to feature a low center of gravity, giving it superior driving performance than the Cooper.
As far as the engine is concerned, the Roadster is set to come with the same 1.6 L twin scroll-turbocharged engine, capable of exhausting up to 211 horsepower and up to 280 Nm peak torque with Overboost deployed.
It doesn’t strike us as coincidence that MINI is releasing the Roadster – along with the much talked about MINI Crossman SUV - on the very same year they’re celebrating 50 years of the Cooper’s existence. There have been no confirmed dates as to when the Roadster, and the Crossman for that matter, will be released for production.
What we all know is that barring the unforeseen, both vehicles will be on-hand for the Frankfurt Motor Show, making it a must-attend occasion for all MINI aficionados from all over the world.
Top Speed has already shown you the German tuner Hamann’s take on BMW’s redesigned roadster, the Z4. There is another group of tuners in the Bavarian region that are out to make the drop top Bimmer even more of a sporty ride.
The tuning house G-Power starts off by adding a set of their signature Silverstone wheels and height-adjustable G-POWER coil-overs in order to achieve the perfect stance. The GZ4-RS, 9 way adjustable shock absorbers also help to tune the dampening characteristics of the Z4 to work best with the sticky 295 series rubber incase there is a challenge regarding the vehicle’s handling abilities.
The German mechanics have managed to keep the grease out from under their fingernails. Tahnks to factory plug and play connectors, they have been able to extract an additional 45 HP from the car’s twin turbo straight six 100% electronically, increasing the output of G-Power’s Z4 sDrive 35i to 345 HP, good enough to get the new BMW to sprint from 0 to 60 PH in just 4.7 seconds down from the standard version’s 5.1 second 0 to 60 MPH time.
Press release after the jump.
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It was announced last July that the German automaker Mercedes Benz and the racecar constructers McLaren would soon be going their separate ways. This meant that the end was near for all variations of the SLR super car. However, before the two automotive giants part ways, they have decided to celebrate the by painting the last batch of SLR roadsters in McLaren’s signature racing livery.
The orange paint scheme was first used to cover the 1967 M6A Can-Am racecar, and is also the color of the McLaren F1 LM that Lewis Hamilton first saw in his karting days and made Ron Dennis promise to give it to the young Britton if he ever won the manufacturer a Formula 1 world championship. You should know how that played out.
However; the very last SLR Roadster will feature a deep copper color scheme called Sienna Pearl metallic and have a Tobacco Brown leather interior. The super car will be built for the U.S. market and ultimately auctioned off to help raise funds for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on November 20th.
One of the most iconic cars in the history of the U.S. is packing its bags and is heading East, well past the Statue of Liberty, leaving the East Coast behind. This pony car is going on a trip to visit the wealthiest, most car crazed place in the world.
The vehicle that is making its way to the Middle East is none other than the Chevrolet Camaro. It is safe to assume that if the Camaro could afford a smile it’d have one stretching from ear to ear, thanks in large part to the monstrous highways found in the region, as well as the bargain basement prices of fuel.
And we’re guessing that the feeling is well-reciprocated by those exceedingly rich Middle Easterners who can finally get their well-manicured hands on one of the most popular modern day muscle cars in the world. The Camaro’s popularity, which needed no additional boost, reached new heights thanks to its performance as Bumblebee in the Transformers franchise. The Hollywood buzz only added to the car’s long and illustrious history as an American automotive icon, and it’s a safe bet to say that order forms will be flying off salesmen’s desks as soon as the Camaro lands in the desert.
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Porsche unveiled today the first details about the 2009 911. The official debut will be made on 5 July. The European prices are as follows: 69,600.- for the Carrera (Euro base price). The Carrera Cabriolet and Carrera S both retail at Euro 78,000.- (Euro base price), and the Carrera S Cabriolet is entering the market at Euro 88,000.- (Euro base price).
911 Carrera is powered by a 3.6-litre power unit with an output of 345 hp (up by 20 bhp). Carrera S is powered by a 3.8-litre power with an output of 385 bhp unit (up by 30 bhp). The Carrera S Coupe now offers a top speed of 186 mph.
The new generation of the 911 is available for the first time with the new Porsche-Doppelkupplung (PDK), Porsche’s double-clutch gearbox. Offering no less than seven forward gears, the new gearbox combines the driving comfort of a converter automatic transmission with the dynamic gearshift of a sequential racing gearbox.
The new generation of the 911 stands out clearly at first sight through innovations in design both front and rear as well as new lights with LED technology. LED daytime driving lights and bi-xenon headlights now standard on all new models in the Carrera range give the silhouette of the 911 even more distinctive style and a truly unique look, interacting with new LED rear lights to ensure an unmistakable and striking appearance also at the rear. And as a further safety option, Porsche now also offers Dynamic Bending Lights on all models.
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Only a few days ago, Top Speed reported that the Japanese automaker, Toyota, is preparing a roadster version of their iQ city car. It turns out that they are not the only car builder from the Pacific island nation working on an open air subcompact.
The manufacturer from Hiroshima, Mazda, is also working on a roadster version of their smallest vehicle, the Mazda2. The new roadster is a response to sporty, fuel efficient models from Europe, like the upcoming Renault Twingo CC, Opel Tigra and Peugeot 207 CC. The roadster will be powered by the same engines that are found under the hood of the hatchback version, starting with a 1.3 Liter four cylinder and a larger 1.5 Liter gas burning engine. For those who like their fuel from a larger nozzle, Mazda will offer both a 1.4 Liter and a 1.6 Liter turbo diesel power plant to motivate the new roadster.
There is no word on a turbocharged gasoline engine or even a rotary powered roadster. Both are a bit too thirsty for the Mazda2’s intended customers, but wouldn’t it be exciting to see a compact Mazda city car powered by a 13B.
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