| It Begins: First tuned Tata Nano spotted |
[29 Nov 2009|07:59pm] |
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http://feeds.autoblog.com/~r/weblogsinc/autoblog/~3/5_QIEnqWCc4/ http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/it-begins-first-tuned-tata-nano-spotted/ Filed under: Aftermarket, Etc., Honda, Suzuki, Toyota, India, Tata, Design/Style 
DC Designs customized Tata Nano - Click above for image gallery
It was bound to happen. Think back to when Volkswagen Beetles infested the roads of the globe; there was no shortage of customized Bugs. Tata aims to put the world on wheels with its low-priced Nano, offering mobility to India's massive population for what many Americans just dropped on Black Friday. To stave off an impending swarm of same-same vehicles, and cash in with buyers looking to stand out, New Delhi-based Carnation Auto (not to be confused with North America's Car Nation) has teamed up with Dilip Chhabria's DC Design to offer prefab-custom options for the Nano.
The endeavor has been given the tagline, "The Artist Meets the Enabler," and it began with tarted-up offerings for the Toyota Innova, creating a car called the Innov8. If the reworked MPV is any indication, we can expect the DC Design Nano to have an interior that apes a Gulfstream, while we can all plainly see what's been done to the exterior. The Nano kit is not yet available, but Carnation says it will be ready to join the already-available Innova, Honda City, and Suzuki Swift kits in 2010. We're sure opinions abound over this visually-charged Nano, so feel free to express yourselves in the comments. Press release posted after the jump.
[Source: CarnationDC.com via Indian Auto Talk]
Continue reading It Begins: First tuned Tata Nano spotted It Begins: First tuned Tata Nano spotted originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| Canadian GP back on F1 calendar through 2014 |
[29 Nov 2009|07:18pm] |
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http://feeds.autoblog.com/~r/weblogsinc/autoblog/~3/qdPdGI8vU7g/ http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/canadian-gp-back-on-f1-calendar-through-2014/ Filed under: Motorsports, Canada 
It's official, Formula 1 and Montreal are in love again. Bernie Ecclestone's supersonic price increases in 2008 drove the Canadian venue (and North America entirely) off the map in 2009. It was the first time in three decades that the F1 club didn't visit Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, and by the end of this summer, everyone was highly motivated to get it back.
When Ecclestone's original demand of $175 million Canadian ($165M U.S.) over five years became $75 million Canadian, ($71M U.S.), the Montreal, Quebec, and Canadian governments got together to split the cost three ways. When the government's commitment to spend such an amount on a sporting event was questioned, Quebec's minister of finance replied that the GP will cost Quebec $4 million but return $10 million to its coffers alone. On top of that, Ecclestone promised them 30% of ticket sales every year, which, for a hugely popular grand prix, should be a substantial number. Vive le Montreal GP and June 13, 2010! Thanks to everyone who submitted tips
[Source: F1 Live | Photo credit: Vinod Sankar via CC2.0]
Canadian GP back on F1 calendar through 2014 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| How do you spell Hyundai's Kryptonite? J-D-M |
[29 Nov 2009|06:19pm] |
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http://feeds.autoblog.com/~r/weblogsinc/autoblog/~3/r5wLEd94rcU/ http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/how-do-you-spell-hyundais-kryptonite-j-d-m/ Filed under: Car Buying, Japan, Hyundai, Kia, Earnings/Financials, South Korea 
As Hyundai continues to pull itself up by its bootstraps, the company is moving decisively and picking up share around the globe. However, one key market continues to be so problematic for the brand that they've decided to abandon it altogether: Japan. Rather than dodder around and wait for its disappointing performance to improve, Hyundai is tying off the bleeder that is the company's Japanese market presence. The cars themselves, either under Hyundai badging or as Kias, have become contenders in terms of styling and quality, two key indicators of the company's commitment. And the move into Japan was part of Hyundai's worldwide plan for expansion. For all its efforts, though, the famously insular market has deflected this outsider. In the eight years Hyundai has been selling vehicles in Japan, it has only managed to shift 15,000 units.
For all its efforts, 1,875 cars per year just isn't worth it to Hyundai, though it will still try to sell commercial vehicles to Japan. According to the South Korean daily, Chosun Iibo, tariffs are slapped on outsiders selling cars in Japan, and the size of some models Hyundai's been trying to market there doesn't match up with typical Japanese garages and parking spaces. Buyers who have the space for larger cars aren't the ones Hyundai's trying to nab, either. Those purchasers typically pursue higher-end metal.
Interestingly, rival Toyota might see Hyundai's move as a sort of victory. Toyota itself established a beachhead in the more-welcoming South Korean market in 2000, and has been selling thousands of vehicles there under its Lexus and Toyota nameplates. While Hyundai is giving up on Japan, Toyota's looking to move more cars than ever in South Korea.
[Sources: CNBC. Chosun]How do you spell Hyundai's Kryptonite? J-D-M originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| VW Gol: Brazilian proto-Impreza by VW? |
[29 Nov 2009|04:45pm] |
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http://feeds.autoblog.com/~r/weblogsinc/autoblog/~3/-hQNNKnlvuk/ http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/vw-gol-brazilian-proto-impreza-by-vw/ Filed under: Classics, Etc., Hatchback, Volkswagen, South America 
The string of interesting and offbeat Volkswagens from the firm's Brazilian division is enough to fill a coffee-table book. The SP2, for example, is one of the prettiest variations ever laid atop Type III mechanicals, one that many die-hard Volks-fans in the United States have never heard of. The rest of the world probably knows better what VW do Brasil has wrought; forty-something years of cars we'd dearly love to roll here in The States, but which never came north. Eventually, a Brazilian VeeDub did head for os Estados Unidos.
Instead of Brasilias or Karmann Ghia TCs, we got the Fox. Known in Brazil as the Gol, which rode on its own BX platform, itself a derivate of the B1 platform that underpinned other VW and Audi products. Our Foxes were all sedans or wagons, but a recent troll of old car ads on Flickr turned up this masterpiece. Look carefully - we always thought the Fox transaxle looked a lot like the naughty bits of a Beetle. And there it is, a doghouse-shrouded 1300cc bit of air-cooled muscle mounted in the FRONT. Hot diggety, this thing has it all, 3-door hatch bodywork, a flat-four, and no pesky coolant to boil over in tropical climes. The closest you can come to something like this now is an Impreza hatch, which is an exponentially better car. That doesn't stop us from thinking about bolting that spare 1600DP into a Polo-Edition Fox and warping everyone's minds at the next Spring Dust-Off.
[Source: Flickr/Hugo90 - CC2.0]
Gallery: VW Gol  VW Gol: Brazilian proto-Impreza by VW? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| Gah!x2: Kicherer Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG rendered |
[29 Nov 2009|03:09pm] |
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http://feeds.autoblog.com/~r/weblogsinc/autoblog/~3/b8SCOsZ3F5E/ http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/gah-x2-kicherer-mercedes-benz-sls-amg-rendered/ Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Mercedes-Benz, Design/Style, Luxury 
Kircherer SLS 63 CP -- Click above for high-res image gallery
To put it kindly, we'll call the attempts to tune the appearance of the Mercedes SLS AMG gilding the lily. Although the folks at Kircherer were obviously not doing the same amount or potency of drugs procured by the gents at MEC Design, they have still managed to disturb the lines of a car that most feel needed no help in the looks department.
This is said to be Kircherer's version of a Pan-Am car, and it gets carbon fiber blackening bits all around, a rooftop air intake, Kircherer's trademark wheels, and a leering grille lifted from an Aston Martin. You can also get that grille in gold, if you wish. But there's only one part of the world where we see that happening...
[Source: World Car Fans]Gah!x2: Kicherer Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG rendered originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| REPORT: Alfa Romeo nixes "Milano" designation for 147 successor, ponders Giulietta |
[29 Nov 2009|01:51pm] |
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http://feeds.autoblog.com/~r/weblogsinc/autoblog/~3/qaiaOZ2JjH4/ http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/report-alfa-romeo-nixes-milano-designation-for-147-successor/ Filed under: Alfa Romeo, Fiat 
In truth, Alfa Romeo didn't simply rename the coming model formerly known as "Milano" to "Giulietta." It was Fiat's unhappy Milanese workers who made a stink awful enough to get the company to change course in nomenclature. Seems the new Milano was due to arrive as the last of the Milanese Alfisti were going to be made redundant or moved to Turin, where Fiat is headquartered. The Milan workers, dead set on not being remembered in name alone, protested to the parent company, and so the car has a new name.
That name might or might not be Giulietta, but that's supposedly where the smart money's headed. Alfa would only say that "organizational issues" prevented it from disclosing the name and pictures of the car, and gave no indication of when it would tell us what the car will be called. If Giulietta does win the name game, it would be the third time Alfa's put out a model wearing that moniker.
[Source: Auto News, sub req'd]REPORT: Alfa Romeo nixes "Milano" designation for 147 successor, ponders Giulietta originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| Rumormill: Volkswagen ponders becoming F1 engine supplier in 2012 |
[29 Nov 2009|12:19pm] |
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http://feeds.autoblog.com/~r/weblogsinc/autoblog/~3/ZMQlnKsaOUc/ http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/rumormill-volkswagen-ponders-becoming-f1-engine-supplier-in-201/ Filed under: Motorsports, Volkswagen 
There have been rumblings about VW getting into F1 by signing up with a specific team, but the chatter was always quashed. This time, reports suggest that VW is actively talking up the idea of getting into Formula 1 after 2012, but as an engine supplier to multiple teams. Hans-Joachim Stuck, VW's motorsports head, said with the way F1 engine regulations are going -- especially with costs and the potential of the "world engine" -- it could be the perfect opportunity for VW to start pumping out powerplants.
While future F1 regulations are still undefined, and VW's eventual entry into the series is by no means guaranteed, it's clear that VW's looking for ways to show off its engineering chops and get its name onto tracks. Stuck recently visited a NASCAR race and spoke about the company looking to get into the GrandAm series, and perhaps IndyCar.
Interestingly, the very conditions that Stuck sees as favorable for VW's entry are the ones that a number of F1 teams and fans are, at best, ambivalent about: substantially lower costs, spec engines, and more than 24 teams on the grid. With a new FIA president, what F1 is going to look like after 2012 is almost completely unknown. Hat tip to Stefano
[Source: Autosport]Rumormill: Volkswagen ponders becoming F1 engine supplier in 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| LA Preview: 2011 Chevy Cruze finally unveiled in U.S.-market trim |
[29 Nov 2009|09:14am] |
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http://feeds.autoblog.com/~r/weblogsinc/autoblog/~3/bTVyT93OKJA/ http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/29/la-preview-2011-chevy-cruze-finally-unveiled-in-u-s-market-tri/ Filed under: LA Auto Show, Budget, Sedan, Chevrolet 
2011 Chevrolet Cruze - click above for high-res image gallery
More than a year after first showing us a styling buck and nearly as long since launching it overseas, General Motors is finally showing off the production Chevy Cruze for North America. Set to be shown publicly this week at the LA Auto Show, the Cruze is still a good eight or nine months away from arriving in U.S. showrooms.
When it does finally arrive, the Cruze should be a huge step forward from the Chevy Cobalt, and GM hopes it will be an able competitor to the next-generation Honda Civic and Ford Focus, which are slated to arrive not long afterward. The Cruze is slightly larger than the Cobalt, but will be powered by downsized engines, including a new 1.4-liter turbocharged four cylinder with 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque, as well as a 1.8-liter normally-aspirated unit with similar power but less torque. All Cruze models will get six-speed gearboxes - either manual or automatic. The turbo Cruze is expected to score an impressive 40 mpg EPA highway rating.
Based on our brief experience driving a Chevy Volt powertrain mule (Cruze and Volt share common DNA), the Chevrolet Cruze should be more refined than the outgoing Cobalt by an order of magnitude, with a roomier interior and much better-executed passenger cabin. We'll see it in person later this week in L.A., and in the meantime, you can check out the first official images from GM in the gallery below. The official press release follows after the jump.
[Source: General Motors]Continue reading LA Preview: 2011 Chevy Cruze finally unveiled in U.S.-market trim LA Preview: 2011 Chevy Cruze finally unveiled in U.S.-market trim originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 09:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| Cars & Coffee: Chevy shocks the crowd, brings Volt |
[28 Nov 2009|08:05pm] |
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http://feeds.autoblog.com/~r/weblogsinc/autoblog/~3/FK-MMpQEePI/ http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/28/cars-and-coffee-chevy-shocks-the-crowd-brings-volt/ Filed under: LA Auto Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Etc., Chevrolet, Electric 
2011 Chevrolet Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery
General Motors shocked the crowd at Cars & Coffee this weekend by bringing out the 2011 Chevy Volt. Representatives on hand said this is the same car that will be on display at the LA Auto Show next week. They added that this is a pre-production model with a lot of development miles on it. For all that, it looked pretty good, especially given the wet conditions. We were disappointed that nobody faked an electric shock when touching the car in the damp lot.
Lack of hijinks aside, it seemed most people at the show liked the Volt, although several walked right past it, not realizing what it was. Good or bad, as important as this car is to GM, it looks pretty much like any other midsize sedan. On a day where Suzuki brought out all of their SEMA show cars and Tesla brought down a Roadster and Roadster Sport, the Volt and the Equinox fuel cell vehicle behind it still managed to draw a pretty big crowd. We snapped a few pics for our gallery, which you can check out below. We'll bring you more about the Volt and everything else worth noting at the LA Auto Show next week.
Cars & Coffee: Chevy shocks the crowd, brings Volt originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| Essen 2009: AC Schnitzer gives BMW 123d the police package treatment [w/VIDEO] |
[28 Nov 2009|07:31pm] |
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http://feeds.autoblog.com/~r/weblogsinc/autoblog/~3/PSox9PNwJFc/ http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/28/essen-preview-ac-schnitzer-gives-bmw-123d-the-police-package-tr/ Filed under: Aftermarket, Concept Cars, Coupe, Europe, BMW, Misc. Auto Shows, Police/Emergency, Design/Style, Diesel 
AC Schnitzer BMW 123d Tune It Safe! police concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
High performance vehicles like Porsche 911s being used for pursuit duty on Germany's autobahn is nothing new. As such, in order order to grab the attention of Essen Motor Show attendees, the Tune It Safe! program's annual police-liveried show car needs to go a step further. Past efforts have included rides such as a police-liveried Brabus Rocket and a TechArt-prepared Porsche 911. This year, AC Schnitzer got the call and it has unwrapped (or perhaps wrapped is the better term, given the side graphics) a police car concept based on the BMW 123d coupe.
Naturally, Schnitzer couldn't leave the stock, 40 mpg 204-horsepower twin-turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel alone, and so it has boosted the show car's engine to 241 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. They've also applied an array of their appearance upgrades including a front splitter, rear spoiler, and a bigger wheel/tire package. The body has been dropped 30 millimeters, which should help compensate a bit for the extra drag of the light bar on the roof. Inside, racing seats and carbon fiber trim are accompanied by a cover for the iDrive knob that matches the wheel design.
We'll pass on the light bar and the graphics, but take the rest of the car, please. Not sure about it yourself? Take a look at the high-res gallery below and a video available after the jump.
[Source: AC Schnitzer]Continue reading Essen 2009: AC Schnitzer gives BMW 123d the police package treatment [w/VIDEO] Essen 2009: AC Schnitzer gives BMW 123d the police package treatment [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| Bring the Noise: Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps reportedly safe... for now |
[28 Nov 2009|04:25pm] |
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http://feeds.autoblog.com/~r/weblogsinc/autoblog/~3/fZOKMhD4Jz8/ http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/28/bring-the-noise-belgiums-spa-francorchamps-reportedly-safe/ Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Government/Legal 
Following earlier news that the Donington track, which was supposed to take over the British Grand Prix in lieu of Silverstone, had to declare bankruptcy comes a reversal of fortune for the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. The longtime host of the Belgian Grand Prix looked to be in serious trouble with local authorities when nearby residents got fed up with the noise emanating from the track. Government officials threatened to shut down the circuit if the situation wasn't addressed, but now they appear to be singing a different tune.
According to the latest reports, the regional environment ministry has given Spa an exemption from noise regulations in light of the economic benefits the Belgian Grand Prix brings to the region. There are a few conditions, though. First of all, while they're willing to overlook the noise issue for the F1 race (and possibly a few other events), authorities will crack down at other times, even shutting down the track completely during parts of the summer. Beyond that, they've appointed a third party to monitor the noise levels, warning the track owners that their exemption will be up for review again within two years. So, while race organizers and fans can breathe a sigh of relief, it'll be a short breath, proving once again that racing and bureaucrats don't mix.
[Source: Autocar | Image: Vladimir Rys/Bongarts/Getty]Bring the Noise: Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps reportedly safe... for now originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| Followup: Auctioneer Kruse ordered to pay bank $1.3M, has jet repo'd |
[28 Nov 2009|02:33pm] |
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http://feeds.autoblog.com/~r/weblogsinc/autoblog/~3/N8gWvVEoQLw/ http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/28/followup-auctioneer-kruse-ordered-to-pay-bank-1-3m-has-jet-re/ Filed under: Auctions, Earnings/Financials  The walls are closing in on Dean Kruse, head of the Indiana-based Kruse International auction house. In September, a slew of lawsuits were filed against the company. Further opening the wound, a county court in Indiana has now ordered Kruse to pay more than $1.3 million to a bank in Warsaw -- just one of several debtors seeking money from the company -- for an overdue loan originally in the amount of $4.5 million. Two foreclosure lawsuits in DeKalb County, Indiana, are pending. One is for $6.5 million in unpaid loans. The other is for a loan in default for $7.8 million. Adding to his growing headache, and slowing down his travel, GE's financial arm has asked a federal court to repossess Kruse's million-dollar Cessna corporate jet.
While Kruse isn't talking to the media about his current events, he told The Journal Gazette last month that the recession has been hard on his sales. Compounding his troubles and drying up his cash flow, his longtime business practice of releasing cars to good customers before payment has come back to bite him. Understandably, he told the Gazette that he has since suspended that practice.
[Source: The Journal Gazette]Followup: Auctioneer Kruse ordered to pay bank $1.3M, has jet repo'd originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| Essen 2009: Brabus tweaks the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG |
[28 Nov 2009|12:44pm] |
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http://feeds.autoblog.com/~r/weblogsinc/autoblog/~3/z54ywCAWz94/ http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/28/essen-2009-brabus-tweaks-the-2010-mercedes-benz-e63-amg/ Filed under: Aftermarket, Sedan, Performance, Mercedes-Benz, Misc. Auto Shows 
2010 Brabus B63 S - Click above for a high-res image gallery
Don't have enough money for Brabus to swap out the V8 in your E63 AMG for a V12? Not to worry. Today at the Essen Motor Show, the German tuner officially launched its B63 S performance package for 6.2-liter V8 in the four-door Benz. The upgrade consists of dual "sport" air filters, high-flow catalytic converters, and revised program for the engine and results in a 30 horsepower increase.
Brabus is also offering other modifications for the E63 AMG as well, including a carbon fiber aero kit, wheels in 18 to 20-inch sizes, and various interior trim pieces like stainless-steel scuff plates, a new 225 mph speedometer, and wood or carbon fiber inlays. For the most part ,we'd skip the visual bits and stick with the engine upgrades. Hit the jump for full details in press release, or check out the high-res gallery below courtesy of Brabus.
[Source: Brabus]Continue reading Essen 2009: Brabus tweaks the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Essen 2009: Brabus tweaks the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Nov 2009 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| Well Heeled: Ferrari and Tod's team up for driving mocs |
[28 Nov 2009|11:11am] |
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http://feeds.autoblog.com/~r/weblogsinc/autoblog/~3/McyMiV7aufo/ http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/28/well-heeled-ferrari-and-tods-team-up-for-driving-mocs/ Filed under: Ferrari 
Tod's for Ferrari - Click above for image gallery
Tod's driving loafers and Ferraris go together like gin and vermouth, if not because every barchetta-driving playboy on the Amalfi Coast is sporting a pair, then because Ferrari's longtime chairman Luca di Montezemolo also sits on the board of the leathercrafter's company. But now the two companies have teamed up to bridge the divide with a special line of loafers bearing the iconic Cavallino Rampante.
The shoes bear all the hallmarks of Tod's enduring design - comfort, flexibility, style and those little rubber nubs in lieu of actual soles, all the better for gripping the pedals. The Ferrari line upgrades with little prancing horses, insoles patterned after Ferrari seats and - in the case of the Gommino Mascherina Griglia - a badge on the tongue reminiscent of the GTO's grille, replacing the tassels or laces on the Leccetto or Laccetto Tubi GT. They're available in a variety of colors, but will set you back a little more than the horse-emblazoned Puma sneaks available at your local Foot Locker.
[Source: Ferrari]Well Heeled: Ferrari and Tod's team up for driving mocs originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Nov 2009 11:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| REPORT: Saab still has at least two interested parties - BAIC and Merbanco |
[28 Nov 2009|09:40am] |
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http://feeds.autoblog.com/~r/weblogsinc/autoblog/~3/6LV5Ksg2oZE/ http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/28/report-saab-still-has-at-least-two-interested-parties-baic-an/ Filed under: GM, Saab, Earnings/Financials, Rumormill 
2010 Saab 9-5 - Click above for high-res image gallery
When Koenigsegg pulled out of its agreement with General Motors to purchase Saab, many thought that General Motors would dump the Swedish automaker much like it did the Saturn brand. But it appears that The General is still willing to look for another interested party, and speculation is that two perspective buyers are at the front of the line. The Swedish press is reporting that China's Beijing Automotive (BAIC) and Wyoming-based merchant bank Merbanco have shown renewed interest in perennially cash-poor Saab.
Saab spokeswoman Gunilla Gustavs reportedly told Automotive News that there were 27 suitors interested in the Swedish automaker prior to Koenigsegg becoming the preferred bidder and confirmed that there are now other bidders interested. "We have a close dialog and close contact with several who have expressed interest in buying Saab Automobile," Gustavs says.
if another bidder does win the opportunity to purchase Saab, they'll inherit an automaker that expects to lose $427 million in 2009 and a similar amount of cash in 2010. That buyer will also run into plenty of resistance when trying to get its hands on GM's technology assets. One issue that reportedly derailed the Koenigsegg bid was GM's reluctance to share its tech for new products like the new Saab 9-5. On the upside, the aforementioned 9-5 sedan has just begun serial production, the 9-3X allweatherwagon is ready to go, and the 9-4X looks to be just around the bend, too.
Earlier in the week, GM released a statement stating that it would "take the next several days to assess the situation and will advise on the next steps next week." Thanks for the tips, everyone!
[Sources: Autocar; Automotive News; Auto Motor und Sport]REPORT: Saab still has at least two interested parties - BAIC and Merbanco originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Nov 2009 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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| Essen 2009: Brabus tweaks the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG |
[27 Nov 2009|09:04am] |
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http://feeds.autoblog.com/~r/weblogsinc/autoblog/~3/uKRmjTiyNsc/ http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/27/essen-2009-brabus-tweaks-the-2010-mercedes-benz-e63-amg/ Filed under: Aftermarket, Sedan, Performance, Mercedes-Benz, Misc. Auto Shows
2010 Brabus B63 S - Click above for a high-res image gallery
Don't have enough money for Brabus to swap out the V8 in your E63 AMG for a V12? Not to worry. Today at the Essen Motor Show, the German tuner officially launched its B63 S performance package for 6.2-liter V8 in the four-door Benz. The upgrade consists of dual "sport" air filters, high-flow catalytic converters, and revised program for the engine and results in a 30 horsepower increase.
Brabus is also offering other modifications for the E63 AMG as well, including a carbon fiber aero kit, wheels in 18 to 20-inch sizes, and various interior trim pieces like stainless-steel scuff plates, a new 225 mph speedometer, and wood or carbon fiber inlays. For the most part ,we'd skip the visual bits and stick with the engine upgrades. Hit the jump for full details in press release, or check out the high-res gallery below courtesy of Brabus.
[Source: Brabus]Continue reading Essen 2009: Brabus tweaks the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Essen 2009: Brabus tweaks the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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