automotive: 2011

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Official: VW Says Suzuki Violated Agreement by Purchasing Diesel Engines from Fiat

It's no secret that Volkswagen's business relationship with Suzuki after the Germans acquired a 19.9 percent of the Japanese manufacture's shares in December 2009 under a strategic cooperation has been a deeply troubled one. However, up until now, the two sides tried to keep the problems "in house".

But today, following recent comments from the Japanese firm's chairman Osamu Suzuki that the two companies "aren't even talking", the Volkswagen Group decided to make these problems public with an official announcement.

Super-Duper Lamborghini Gallardo Heading to Frankfurt Motor Show

[2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera Pictured Above]

Remember Lamborghini's media invitation to the 2011 International Auto Show in Frankfurt that read "Lamborghini. Racing Towards Frankfurt"? At the time, we asked you what could the Italian firm be readying for the largest motor show of the year.

If you answered a special Gallardo – and at least one of you did in our comments section, you may give yourself a pat on the back.

[2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera Pictured Above]

If you answered a special Gallardo – and at least one of you did in our comments section, you may give yourself a pat on the back.

McLaren may have tried to secure some publicity by opening its only Italian showroom in Milan just before the local GP, but on the track, it was Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel who captured the spotlight with his 10th pole position of the year in Monza. Read more »

Formula 1: Italian GP Qualifying Results

This 1989 Batmobile Replica is Powered by a Boeing Jet Turbine! [+Videos]

Perhaps the most celebrated Batmobile after the 1966 model from Adam West's Batman TV Show is the Anton Furst designed version from the 1989 and 1991 Tim Burton films.

And while collectors may seek the original Batmobiles featured in the movies, we're pretty sure that fans will take a special liking to this replica, which is up for grabs on eBay.

What separates this replica of the 1989 Batmobile, not only from the other clones on the market but the original as well, is that, according to the seller, it is the only turbine-powered car of its kind in the world.

Perhaps the most celebrated Batmobile after the 1966 model from Adam West's Batman TV Show is the Anton Furst designed version from the 1989 and 1991 Tim Burton films.

And while collectors may seek the original Batmobiles featured in the movies, we're pretty sure that fans will take a special liking to this replica, which is up for grabs on eBay.

Following Cadillac's unsuccessful efforts to enter the compact luxury sedan segment and challenge Germany's finest including the Audi A4, BMW 3-Series and Mercedes C-Class with the European market BTS that was a basically a Saab 9-3 dressed as a Caddy, General Motors appears to have learned its lesson about cutting corners.

The Detroit carmaker is now developing a brand new competitor for the 3-Series from the ground up based on a rear-wheel drive platform. The entry level Cadillac is codenamed ATS and it is destined to enter production next summer (2012).

Hyundai has released some new chatter regarding the second generation of its i30 compact hatchback that will make its grand debut at next week's 64th International Auto Show in Frankfurt

The South Korean car manufacturer's Ford Focus and VW Golf challenger will go on sale in Europe as a five-door hatchback in the Spring of 2012.

Buyers will have a choice of two direct-injection gasoline engines with a displacement of 1.4-liters and 1.6-liters, and two CRDi turbo diesels, again with a displacement of 1.4-liters and 1.6-liters.

Hyundai has released some new chatter regarding the second generation of its i30 compact hatchback that will make its grand debut at next week's 64th International Auto Show in Frankfurt

The South Korean car manufacturer's Ford Focus and VW Golf challenger will go on sale in Europe as a five-door hatchback in the Spring of 2012.

Scientists at New Orlean’s Tulane University have perfected a new strain of the bacteria Clostridium. Dubbed TU-103, this microbe is the first of its kind that can synthesise butanol from cellulose.

What does this mean for our readers? Well, imagine taking a stack of old newspapers or sugarcane waste and turning into useable bio-fuel for your car. TU-103 can take any type of plant or plant product and turn it into renewable, sustainable butanol.

We Hear: New Kia GT Concept gets V6 Turbo Engine, May Inspire a Production Model

Continuing our flow of stories from the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show, we now have some fresh news on the Kia GT sports saloon concept, new pictures of which we showed yesterday.

The South Korean maker had told us the GT will feature a traditional layout with the engine mounted up front and power being delivered to the rear wheels, however, we knew nothing about the motor lurking under the hood. Up until now, that is.

Continuing our flow of stories from the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show, we now have some fresh news on the Kia GT sports saloon concept, new pictures of which we showed yesterday.

McLaren’s expansion strategy is running like clockwork. After the flagship showroom in London’s Hyde Park, the British company opened two more retail shops in Germany, in Dusseldorf and Hamburg just before the local Formula 1 Grand Prix. Now, McLaren has landed in Italy. Read more »

Then we take Milan: McLaren Opens First Dealership in Ferrari's Home Turf

Video: Dark Knight Rise, Your Lamborghini Aventandor Awaits You

Last we heard about the next chapter in Christopher Nolan's Batman franchise, the Dark Knight Rises was filming in Pittsburgh where we got a glimpse of the Batwing as well as Catwoman (played by Anne Hathaway) riding around in a futuristic looking motorcycle.

Now new footage has emerged on Youtube, this time from the Los Angeles shoot out.

Back in August, Ford revealed to us that when the doors open to the 64th IAA International Motor Show on September 13, it will be ready to exhibit four world premieres.

Since then, the Detroit-based automaker has told us about the EVOS sport concept and final production version of the performance Focus ST with 250-ponies, so if you do the simple math, there are two more cars left.

We're still working on the last one but we learned that the third world premiere will be the performance Fiesta ST, thinly disguised as a concept study.

Back in August, Ford revealed to us that when the doors open to the 64th IAA International Motor Show on September 13, it will be ready to exhibit four world premieres.

We're still working on the last one but we learned that the third world premiere will be the performance Fiesta ST, thinly disguised as a concept study.

The U.S. division of Suzuki has been ordered by a Jackson County, Missouri court to pay one of its official dealers, Jeremy Franklin Suzuki located in Kansas City, the sum of $18.5 million for negative publicity against its business.

Out of the $18.5 million, $15 million are due to punitive damages caused by Suzuki’s action to the dealership, while the remaining $3.5 million are to be paid as compensation to Jeremy Franklin, president of the dealership.

The limited edition Fiat 500 by Gucci made its way to New York city and Gucci's fashion store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.

Appropriately, the two Italian brands brought over fashionistas, tastemakers and catwalk models including a couple of ladies that were disturbingly ~~anorexic~~ skinny (like the one pictured on your right), to create some fuss around the Fiat 500 trimmed by Gucci.

"In the ‘50s, the Fiat 500 created a style revolution when it first hit the road. It quickly became the must-have car of its time," said Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini.

The limited edition Fiat 500 by Gucci made its way to New York city and Gucci's fashion store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.

"In the ‘50s, the Fiat 500 created a style revolution when it first hit the road. It quickly became the must-have car of its time," said Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini.

Volkswagen and Porsche announced that they do not expect their merger to be accomplished within the period they originally established. In late 2009, VW acquired a 49.9% stake in Porsche for €3.9 billion ($5.3 billion) and initiated an integration plan that would be completed before the end of 2011. Read more »

VW and Porsche Postpone Merger Plans but Say “Goal Remains Unchanged”

Fernando Alonso Drives the New Ferrari 458 Spider

Ferrari Formula One driver Fernando Alonso temporarily left the seat of his racing car to try out Maranello's new 458 Spider, which will be officially presented at the IAA Frankfurt next Tuesday.

The Spaniard, complete with all the necessary marketing decals strategically positioned on his clothing (really, do these guys ever go out without looking like a walking billboard?) took the roofless supercar for a spin out in Italy.

You can watch him driving the 458 Spider for yourself in the video after the break.

Ferrari Formula One driver Fernando Alonso temporarily left the seat of his racing car to try out Maranello's new 458 Spider, which will be officially presented at the IAA Frankfurt next Tuesday.

You can watch him driving the 458 Spider for yourself in the video after the break.

Despite what the title of this article may suggest, it's not what you're thinking. You see, Lotus just dropped a note into our email box titled "The Lotus Fight: What the F...rankfurt?" along with a video that is supposed to be a teaser for the British firm's world premieres at next week's automotive gathering in Frankfurt, Germany.

However, all we get is a boxer and a couple of fuzzy images of an undefined car. Lotus has stated that it will show three new models in Frankfurt, but has only named the Elise S as one of them.

If you try hard enough, you may trace the lines of Maranello's latest achievement hiding somewhere behind those…Italian curves. And yes, we're trying to concentrate on the new Ferrari 458 Italia Spider.

As you can see in the opening photo, courtesy of the crew over from Teamspeed, the pre-show presentation that took place in Maranello earlier this week proved more interesting than we originally thought.

If you follow the jump, you can check out a comprehensive gallery of Ferrari's newest Spider model that features a retractable, lightweight aluminium top, and which will make its public debut at the 64th International Auto Show in Frankfurt on September 13.

While BMW officials were content with the new 1-Series M Coupé's 340-horsepower strong, the German tuning industry thinks otherwise.

Just before the grand opening of the largest motor show of the year that takes place in Frankfurt from September 13 to 25, AC Schnitzer released details on its comprehensive tuning package for the smallest member of the BMW M family.

While BMW officials were content with the new 1-Series M Coupé's 340-horsepower strong, the German tuning industry thinks otherwise.

In a move that perhaps shows more than anything else how intertwined the automotive industry is today, the Fiat and Chrysler Alliance announced today plans to sell the Fiat Doblo van in the U.S. and Canadian markets under the Ram brand.

You may recall that GM's European division Opel, will debut its own rebadged version of the Fiat Doblo called the Combo at next week's Frankfurt Motor Show .

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Friday, September 9, 2011