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.
Porsche revealed today two new models in its new 911 line-up: the Carerra 4 and Carrera 4S. The new models will go on sale starting 25 October 2008.
The Carrera 4 is powered by a 3.6-litre power unit that delivers 345 bhp. Featuring the new PDK system the fuel consumption goes down to 10.1 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres, equal to 28.0 mpg imp.
The 911 Carrera 4S is powered by a 3.8-litre power unit that delivers 385 hp and the fuel consumption goes down to 10.7 litres/100 km, equal to 26.4 mpg imp.
The new all-wheel-drive sports cars come with sporting manual transmission featuring six gears. As an alternative the new models are available with Porsche’s new Doppelkupplungsgetriebe replacing the former Tiptronic S automatic converter transmission and offering an even faster gearshift on less fuel. The Doppelkupplungsgetriebe or double-clutch gearbox comes with seven gears shifting electrohydraulically without the slightest interruption of traction and pulling force.
Press release after the jump.
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Ever since Volkswagen announced pricing for the production Blue Sport Roadster, it was only a matter of time before Audi would come up with a rendering of their own. Although this looks a bit smaller and despite being both turbo and supercharged it’s got front wheel drive. They are calling it the A1 Targa, to be sold alongside the A1 sportback, convertible and roadster.
Like all the other versions of Audi’s subcompact, the Targa will get both the 140 HP and 170 HP versions of the 1.4 Liter TSI turbo/supercharged power plants currently found in the Golf GT Sport. These unique power train combinations will use Volkswagen’s signature DSG six-speed double-clutch gearbox to drive the front wheels. The German automaker expects that TSI versions will be sales leaders because of an appealing combination of Audi refinement, Vorsprung durch Technik performance and city car economy. The four ringed automaker will offer a 150 HP 1.8 Liter turbocharged engine alongside the high performance TSI unit. For car buyers wanting to capitalize on the economical aspect of the A1, there will also be an entry-level model powered by a 1.6 Liter four cylinder engine making 102 HP and two 2.0 Liter TDI oil-burners rated at 140 HP and 170 HP.
If a German tuning firm like ABT could get their hands on one of these A1 Targas, equip it with a bigger set of wheels, widen the already pronounced fenders and add a lot more boost from both power adders; this little A1 could become a force to be reckoned with.
If there was ever a story of a sports car with an uncertain future, the Volkswagen Blue Sport Roadster is it. Ever since the creation of the concept
, there has been speculations as to whether Porsche will make another 914 or what would and Audi version look like. Even Volkswagen has put the eco friendly sports car on the back burner due to the unstable economic climate and deficiency of new car buyers.
Anyhow, until the German automaker makes up their minds, they will continue to tease us with a few more images of the Blue Sport. The alternatively fueled vehicle is powered by a 2.0 Liter Clean Diesel (TDI) engine with common rail injection making 177 HP mounted in the midship position. Volkswagen claims that the roadster will go from 0 to 60 MPH in just 6.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 140 MPH, all while returning a very hybrid-like 55 MPG.
Ever since the People’s builder unveiled the BlueSport Roadster as a concept back at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the German automaker has been teasing the car buying public with a “will they or won’t they” saga about the future production car. The next chapter in the story has just been written, previous speculations have claimed that the production version has been put on hold due to the current global economic situation, but now it is time to put the diesel powered roadster back on track.
According to AutoWeek, "the compact mid-engine roadster has an internal development code name," this means that it is very likely that the VW will become the modern day successor of Porsche’s 914. The concept is powered by a 2.0 Liter, common-rail, four cylinder engine puts out 168 HP, but the production version will receive the hot rod 265 HP, turbocharged, direct-injection power plant form the Scirocco R.
When the production car finally does hit the streets, Volkswagen will have wrapped up a lot of fun into $30,000 package. The BlueSport will weigh in at only 2,600 pounds and because of the light weight chassis will be able to sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in a rather quick 6.6 seconds and have a top speed of 140 MPH.
The now Indian automaker, Jaguar, is currently working on a compact drop top sports car that can compete with the luxury roadsters of Germany, cars like the Audi TT, BMW Z4 and Mercedes Benz SLK. The modern day C-type will make its official debut in 2012, around the same time as the upcoming reincarnation of the E-Type and future mid-engine supercar.
The new C will be a lightweight two-seater, based around an aluminum monocoque for the best mix of chassis rigidity and weight reduction. Under the hood, Jaguar will use the same power plants as in the XF sedan. An entry-level version will be powered by a 3.0 Liter V6 making 235 HP and the top of the line model will take advantage of the new 5.0 Liter V8 making 380 HP. When it hits the test track, the eight cylinder version should be able to hit the 60 MPH mark in under 5 seconds.
So if Jaguar is bringing back the C-type, and plan to bring back the E-type, the only thing left for them to do would be a revival of the D-type. Perhaps it is the car’s racing pedigree or maybe it is the bulbous fenders or the vertical fin behind the driver’s head, but the D was the most attractive of all the classic Jaguar sports cars.
The all-electric automobile manufacturer Tesla Motors has a reason to celebrate today; because they have just delivered their 500th unit, a Twilight Blue Roadster to the New Jersey native, Martin Tuchman. The zero-emission vehicle comes with a few added bonuses in the Garden State. The green vehicles are exempt from sales tax and luxury taxes in New Jersey. Even when Martin is flying solo, he can use the HOV lanes on the New Jersey Turnpike. Not to mention the $7,500 U.S. federal tax credit that is available to all Tesla owners.
“My Roadster drives like a dream…it’s amazing” said Martin Tuchman, owner of chassis number 500. As a demonstration of faith in the alternatively powered automobile, he plans on using the EV as a daily driver.
As part of their boutique sales strategy, Tesla will be setting up shop in large urban environments like Chicago, London, Seattle, Miami, Washington, Monaco and Munich. Tesla Motors is also planning to expand their line up with a full sized four door model “S” and a more spacious 2+2 to go up against the flat sixes from Stuttgart, but until the battery powered sports car maker brings out their 911 competitor, they will just have to keep on pumping out environmentally friendly Roadsters.
Press release after the jump.
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The great debate has finally been resolved. Whether to go hard or soft, the Italian sports carmaker Maserati’s future Spyder will have a canvas roof. Taking a look at what they have learned from the Ferrari California, a model that is apparently not meeting its sales target. The trident wearing sports carmaker has decided to go the same route as their competition, the Bentley Continental GTC.
The rag top Maserati Spyder will be powered by the same 4.2 Liter V8 pumping out 405 HP and 440 HP in the 4.7 Liter S-trim, as in the coupes. As usual, the finished product will be penned by Pininfarina. This is always a good idea for FIAT.
The question is, will the diversification strategy put in place by FIAT pay off? This is a good opportunity to test a strategy and avoid head to head competition. In an economic climate that has reached the luxury segment, will consumers opt for a less expensive option? We will all have to wait and see when the next generation Maserati Spyder makes its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
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