About
Some Automotive Stuff:
Topix - AutoBlog - AutoNews - AutoExpress - Tesla - GreenCar - WhatCar - Sigalon Buzka - AutoblogGreen - MDI - Autopia - M6Turbo - Argus -
Topix - AutoBlog - AutoNews - AutoExpress - Tesla - GreenCar - WhatCar - Sigalon Buzka - AutoblogGreen - MDI - Autopia - M6Turbo - Argus -
Accounts
Friends
Newer posts are loading.
You are at the newest post.
Click here to check if anything new just came in.
Click here to check if anything new just came in.
February 08 2010
Geneva Preview: Europe gets its own 40th anniversary Nissan 370Z Black Edition
Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Nissan
2010 Nissan 370Z Black Edition - Click above for high-res image gallery
It's been a couple of months since Nissan first announced a special 40th anniversary model of its svelte 370Z, and, following a batch of spy shots confirming the car's arrival, we're about to get our first up-close-and-personal look at the upcoming Chicago Auto Show. But Nissan isn't about to let American customers have all the fun, so it's releasing a similar special edition for the European market.
Like its American counterpart, the Europe's 370Z Black Edition celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Nissan Z, and packs most of the same features that distinguish its Yankee brother. That means darkened 19-inch Rays wheels, red brake calipers, red leather interior with a red-stitched steering wheel, special badges and the like. In fact, the only thing that seems different, apart from the "Black Edition" moniker, is the availability of a second exterior color: while the American version can only be had in "quartz" dark grey, the European Black edition can also be had in - you guessed it - black. It also comes with the full infotainment package
The 370 examples will begin distribution in April - a month after the Geneva Motor Show where it's set to debut - with a £33,645 (~$53k) price tag in the UK. That's over £5k above stock, but then the Black edition comes packed full of optional equipment. Full details in the press release after the jump and high-res photos in the gallery below.
[Source: Nissan]
Continue reading Geneva Preview: Europe gets its own 40th anniversary Nissan 370Z Black Edition
Geneva Preview: Europe gets its own 40th anniversary Nissan 370Z Black Edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFebruary 07 2010
Baby, Let's Cruze: Chevy reportedly weighing four-door coupe, SS variants
Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Chevrolet
2011 Chevrolet Cruze - Click above for high-res image gallery
General Motors has been looking for ways to capitalize on the investments made in its platforms by increasing the number (and retail price) of the vehicles sharing them. Hence, reports of the next-gen Camaro sharing its platform with the upcoming Cadillac ATS and CTS successor. Now reports suggest that the General is hoping to capitalize on the Delta platform by creating more aggressive, sportily-minded variants of the Chevrolet Cruze.
One option, according to the report in Motor Trend, would be to build a four-door coupe based on the Cruze. The idea would follow the same formula that took the Volkswagen CC and Mercedes CLS up-market from the comparatively humble platforms (Passat and E-Class respectively) on which they're based. The wheelbase and much of the mechanicals would carry over, but a more rakish roofline would give it a sportier profile, at the expense of rear headroom.
Another option fielded once again would create a Cruze SS, with more aggressive suspension and an upgraded 2-liter turbocharged engine. The potential application of all-wheel-drive from the larger Epsilon platform, meanwhile, could be used to aid traction. Either option could stand to bridge the gap between the Cruze and the Camaro. But while the options are presented as "either or", would it be too much to ask for both?
[Source: Motor Trend]
Baby, Let's Cruze: Chevy reportedly weighing four-door coupe, SS variants originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 18:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsA look back at the Super Bowl's green car sides
Filed under: Etc., Green Daily
This year, the green car angle for the corporate adgasm / replay event that is the Super Bowl - we hear there may be as much as 11 minutes of game played today - has been the hoopla surrounding Audi's Green Police commercials. Previous years, though, have had a little more going for them. So, between plays during the big game is on this evening or when the victor has been crowned, feel free to click around in the archives and see what was.
2007:
- Honda to talk up superior fuel efficiency in Super Bowl ad
- It's the Colts, the Bears and Segways in Super Bowl action this weekend
- Yukon Hybrid Super Bowl ad includes imagery from 1976 animated short
- Trying to find the green at the Super Bowl - it's there if you look for it
- Malibu, Vue hybrid Super Bowl ads might not air because of low inventory
- Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning choses Escalade hybrid as his prize
- Audi gets Cheap Trick to re-record
DreamGreen Police for Super Bowl ad, download it now for free - Audi responds to Green Police critisicms over Super Bowl ad
A look back at the Super Bowl's green car sides originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 17:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsVideo: Toyota recall apology blitz includes new mea-culpa TV spot
Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Recalls, Safety, Videos, Toyota
Toyota "Commitment" ad - Click above to watch video
Recalls have left Toyota battered and bruised with a very damaged image that now needs rebuilding. Consumer trust is not easily earned. Toyota knows it, too. The automaker worked for decades to build an image that equated quality and reliability with the company name itself. Now under heavy fire over its handling of the problems that led to the floor mat and gas pedal recalls involving its most popular and important models, Toyota has embarked upon a PR blitz intended to convince frustrated customers and a skeptical media that everything's going to be all right.
Whether that's indeed the case will become evident over time. Sales numbers speak for themselves, and if the public isn't buying Toyota's explanation, they won't be buying its vehicles, either. In any case, it'll probably be years before the recall story's epilogue can honestly be written.
For now, Toyota's primary focus is on re-establishing itself as a business that's deserving of consumers' trust. That starts with saying "I'm sorry" as frequently and in as many different venues as possible. The latest part of Toyota's apology blitz comes in the form of a new TV spot called "Commitment." It's embedded after the jump for you to watch. The message is simple and delivered well: Toyota messed up big time, it knows it, and it's fully aware that the onus is on itself to win back customers' confidence.
If Toyota's smart, it'll air during the Super Bowl later this evening. But seeing it also leaves us wondering if Toyota had spent a fraction of its PR resources on getting out in front of these recall problems months ago instead of the damage control its writing checks for now, would it even be in this position today? Unfortunately for Toyota, we'll never know.
[Source: Toyota via Gaywheels]
Tired of Toyota recall news? Try out the recall-free version of Autoblog.
Continue reading Video: Toyota recall apology blitz includes new mea-culpa TV spot
Video: Toyota recall apology blitz includes new mea-culpa TV spot originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsVideo: Brett Favre talks blueberries, fishin' rodeos and the moon for Hyundai commercial
Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Hyundai, Celebrities, Humor
Brett Favre for Hyundai - Click above to see full video after the jump
What do blueberries, fishin' rodeos, the moon, and 400-pound linemen that run 4.3-second 40s have in common? They're among the wide range of things Brett Favre discusses in this locker room interview shot for an upcoming Hyundai Super Bowl commercial. Used to hype Hyundai's 10-year warranties, it's a funny look at what the NFL might be like in the future.
The year is 2020 and a gray-haired Favre fields questions from reporters about how things have changed during his 29 seasons in pro ball. While holding the 2020 MVP trophy, Brett echos some of the sentiments he's put out there in the past few seasons while being traded from the Pack to the Jets, retiring, and ending up in Minnesota, where he almost made it back to today's big game. Follow the jump to see a hilarious five minutes from the four-hour shoot, most of which will end up on the cutting room floor by game time.
[Source: Hyundai Motor America]
Video: Brett Favre talks blueberries, fishin' rodeos and the moon for Hyundai commercial originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSocial Experiment? Digg community to interview Toyota President on Monday
Filed under: Etc., Recalls, Safety, Toyota, Event Alert
Digg, the "what's popular" website that allows users to share and rate links to stories they've discovered online, also offers a feature known as "Digg Dialogg," wherein it hosts a streaming exchange between prominent public figures and the masses (those that frequent Digg, at least).Monday's Digg Dialogg will be with Toyota's U.S. President & COO, Jim Lentz, who will presumably answer questions about that hot new 2011 Sienna. He might field a few queries on the recall woes afflicting the company right now as well. We're just guessing.
The description of the event gives us some indication of what will be covered and why Toyota is reaching out in this unique manner:
The interview starts at 2 p.m. PST Monday, February 8 and will be broadcast live on Digg's Dialogg page. They've already started accepting questions, which you can post up until 8 a.m. PST Monday. As of this writing, there were exactly 900 comments already in the queue. As you can probably imagine, most of the questions have an irate tone, but some people are asking the mundane, the humorous and the absurd as well. What did you expect from those sociial mediates?"Toyota is one of the most admired and recognizable brands in the world. With this recall, Toyota is facing intense scrutiny around how they will manage and get past the crisis. With social media channels such as Digg emerging as primary sources for news and engagement, Toyota is taking the unprecedented step of putting its senior executive in a direct dialogue with consumers, using social media to address Toyota's response to this extraordinary challenge."
[Sources: Toyota, Digg]
Social Experiment? Digg community to interview Toyota President on Monday originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 13:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsChicago preview: all-electric Ford Connect Transit will make an appearance
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Ford, Chicago Auto Show
Ford Transit Connect at Chicago 2009 - Click above for high-res image gallery
At the 2008 Chicago Auto Show, Ford unveiled its Transit Connect utility van for the U.S. market. In 2009, the company was back with the urban delivery vehicle, this time decorated for use by a variety of small businesses, and confirmed that a plug-in version would be coming to the U.S. At the 2010 show, which starts next week, the Transit Connect will be back, and this time Ford will be displaying the all-electric version. Finally.
There are not a lot of surprises left to learn out about the Transit Connect BEV. Ford is working with Azure Dynamics on the vehicle (not Smith Electric Vehicles), which will use li-ion batteries from Johnson Controls-Saft to get a range of about 80 miles a charge. The van will be available to commercial fleets sometime later this year, and we'll be in Chicago and will try and get for information from Ford about when the vehicle will be available and how much it might cost.
[Source: Green Car Advisor]
Chicago preview: all-electric Ford Connect Transit will make an appearance originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 12:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsVideo: 2011 BMW X5 blasting around in the snow, starting at $46,675
Filed under: New York Auto Show, Videos, Crossover, BMW
2011 BMW X5 - Click above for high-res image gallery. Click here to watch video.
Yesterday we learned about the refreshed 2011 BMW X5 which goes on sale right after the New York Auto Show in April. Shortly after yesterday's announcement, BMW dropped over 150 new photos of the X5 on us, along with some video footage of one on the new models running around in the snow in Arjeplog in northern Sweden.
When the updated X5s arrive, the vehicles won't be any lighter, but the base window stickers will. The xDrive35i carries a base price of $46,675 including destination charges. That's almost $1,800 less than a 2010 xDrive30i. We're not sure if the equipment level has changed to achieve that lower price point, but any time you get a price drop it can't hurt. On the other hand, no good deed goes unpunished as the $59,275 twin-turbo V8 powered xDrive50i will cost you about $2,100 more than the starting point for the outgoing xDrive48i model.
Check out the video after the jump along with all the new pics in the gallery.
[Source: BMW]
Continue reading Video: 2011 BMW X5 blasting around in the snow, starting at $46,675
Video: 2011 BMW X5 blasting around in the snow, starting at $46,675 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 12:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: Saab 9-3X now available for order at U.S. dealers
2010 Saab 9-3X - Click above for high-res image gallery
The good news for Saab loyalists is that dealerships have been told they may start placing orders for the Saab 9-3X. The bad news for Saab loyalists is that if the deal with Spyker falls through, that brand-new Saab you are dreaming about will never arrive in your driveway. In a nutshell, dealers are allowed to take orders for the cars, but there's no pricing information and nothing will be officially submitted until the Saab/Spyker deal closes (as of now, this is scheduled for February 15).
The announcement isn't completely unexpected. After all, we reported just a few days ago that Spyker had big plans for the Saab lineup, including full range of 9-3 models for 2012. These will follow on the heels of the new 9-5, and the 9-4X, due in the U.S. market during 2010 and 2011, respectively. Whatever the case, if you believe in Saab, now's the time to scoot down to your local dealer, open your checkbook and place an order!
[Source: Saab History]
Report: Saab 9-3X now available for order at U.S. dealers originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 10:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFord Suisse rolls out special edition Focus RS WRC
Filed under: Performance, Europe, Hatchback, Ford
Ford Focus RS WRC special edition for Switzerland - Click above for image gallery of livery proposals
While the rest of us think "rallying", the Swiss look at their snow-capped mountains and think "skiing". That's largely because the Swiss are not known to be car people. But for every rule there's an exception.
In Switzerland those exceptions include the efforts of notable speed-freaks like Peter Sauber (of F1 fame), Frank Rinderknecht (Rinspeed) and Franco Sbarro (the flamboyant coachbuilder - not the food-court pizza guy). And we can now add Ford to that list, as the Detroit automaker's Swiss subsidiary is rolling out a special edition Focus RS to pay tribute to the 40th anniversary of the company's iconic RS division, exclusively for the Swiss market.
Although mechanically identical to the existing Focus RS - not much change needed there - the Focus RS WRC edition wears a special livery submitted and chosen through an online forum. Black and green decals overlay a white background, complimented by blacked-out 19" OZ Superturismo GT alloys, while inside, a special plaque carries the Hancocks of Ford's top rally ace Mikko Hirvonen and his co-pilot Jarmo Lehtinen.
Only 50 examples will be offered, exclusively in Switzerland at a price of 55,900 Swiss francs - equivalent to about $53k in American greenbacks and representing a 2000-franc premium over the standard Focus RS. We'll see if we can grab a closer look when we descend upon the multilingual alpine nation for the Geneva Motor Show next month, but in the meantime you can view the top liveries proposed in the gallery below and, if your French, German or Italian is up to the task, check out the press release after the jump. After all, while "speed" is not among the languages commonly spoken in Switzerland, neither is English.
And if some of you longtime readers think that a 50-unit Focus WRC special edition sounds familiar, well, it should. Back in 2007, The Euro Oval did a similar package based on the Focus ST.
[Source: Ford]
Continue reading Ford Suisse rolls out special edition Focus RS WRC
Ford Suisse rolls out special edition Focus RS WRC originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsWhy conservatives should support the "good kind" of public transit
Filed under: Transportation Alternatives, Green Daily, USA
Think conservative political beliefs mean you can't support public transportation? Bill Lind, the conservative co-author of Moving Minds: Conservatives and Public Transportation, says "no way" in a new interview with Melissa Lafsky over at Infrastructurist. Lind says that, "From the conservative perspective, the federal government has two and only two legitimate functions: national security and infrastructure," and that, "This is consistent with a free market economy, because the markets only work if there is adequate infrastructure."
For Lind, the kind of public transportation that conservatives should support is quite specific: commuter trains, light rail, and streetcars. These are options that can make people more productive. Lind's bad kind of public transportation? Buses and high speed rail between cities. Lind's book include reasons why his "good" kind of public transportation should get bipartisan support and said that:
[Source: Infrastructurist | Image: Rususeruru. - C.C. License 2.0]We would like to see a national consensus going across left and right. It's simply a matter of bringing back what we had. We threw it away - we subsidized national highways and taxed electric railways, and we think that was an unwise move, and we need to bring it back. Not put enormous amounts of money into a few lines that would serve geographically only a small portion of the country.
Why conservatives should support the "good kind" of public transit originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 08:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFebruary 06 2010
Officially Official: 2011 BMW X5 goes all turbo
Filed under: New York Auto Show, Crossover, BMW
2011 BMW X5 - Click above for high-res image gallery
The original BMW X5 marked Bimmer's first entry into the then-burgeoning SUV segment, and it remains a strong seller for the company, trailing only the 3 and 5 Series. The time has now rolled around for the X5's mid-cycle refresh, which brings two new gas engines and some mild visual updates. The lower front fascia has been reshaped with the larger outboard air intakes inspired by the X5 M. Similarly, the rear bumper is re-sculpted and both ends get more of their bodywork painted the car's main color instead of black.
The more important changes are underhood, however, where both gasoline engines have been replaced. The base engine for the xDrive35i is now the same single turbo, 300-horsepower N55 3.0-liter inline-six finding its way into most other 2011 BMWs. Similarly, the xDrive50i gets the sweet 400-horse twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 found in the X6, 7 and 5 Series Gran Turismo. Both gas engines are paired with the new eight-speed automatic also making its way to other BMW models. The gas versions also adopt brake energy regeneration to reduce parasitic losses.
The diesel-powered xDrive35d, which only debuted just a year ago but is already accounting for about one-third of X5 sales, carries over its powertrain unchanged for 2011.
Official EPA numbers for the gas X5s won't be available until closer to their on-sale date, which follows shortly after the X5 makes its public debut at the New York Auto Show in April.
[Source: BMW]
Continue reading Officially Official: 2011 BMW X5 goes all turbo
Officially Official: 2011 BMW X5 goes all turbo originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments2011 Chevy Volt appears in order schedule, Job 1 November 1!
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, GM
2011 Chevrolet Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery
Up until now, General Motors has remained deliberately vague in public about the scheduled Job 1 date for Chevrolet Volt production. Given the complexity and new technology involved in the program, we certainly can't fault GM from wanting to get locked in until much closer to the appointed day. After all, when you don't know what the future holds or what problems will crop up, who would want to give a date and time years into the future when something might happen.
Internal schedules, on the other hand, are something else all together. Every program has to have deadlines so that people will know how much time they have and how many resources to apply to a task. Those internal Gantt charts have undoubtedly had the magic date on them for several years. Among the stakeholders that need to know when a vehicle will launch are dealers that have to schedule orders for inventory. Around about this time of year, automakers let the dealers know when the current model year vehicles will end production and new ones will start.
With less than ten months to go, GM has put November 1, 2010 as the Volt's Job 1 date on the production start list for dealers. By September, dealers will have start giving GM an indication of how many Volts they want to order so the head office can determine allocations. Interestingly, the GM chart indicates that dealers won't know their allocations until two weeks after production starts and won't be able to start placing orders until then. Typically, those last two items happen about two months before production starts. The timing for start of production is still far enough out that those dates may yet change in the coming months.
A final item of interest is that the Cruze, which was originally slated to launch in April and then pushed back to September, is listed as TBD.
Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: GM-Volt.com]
2011 Chevy Volt appears in order schedule, Job 1 November 1! originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments2011 Chevy Volt appears in order schedule, Job 1 set for November 1
Filed under: Hybrid, Chevrolet, GM, Electric
2011 Chevrolet Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery
Up until now, General Motors has remained deliberately vague in public about the scheduled Job 1 date for Chevrolet Volt production. Given the complexity and new technology involved in the program, the automaker's reluctance is understandable. After all when you don't know what the future holds or what problems will crop up, you don't want to put a misleading date out there, years in advance.
Internal schedules, on the other hand, are something else altogether. Every program needs to have deadlines so that people know how much time and resources to allot for a given task. Those internal gantt charts have undoubtedly had the magic Volt Job 1 date on them for several years. Among the stakeholders that need to when a vehicle will launch are the dealers that have to schedule orders for inventory. Around about this time of year, automakers usually brief dealers on when the current model year vehicles will end production and new ones will start.
With less than ten months to go, GM has set November 1, 2010 as the Chevrolet Volt Job 1 date on the production start list for dealers. By September, dealerships will need to start giving GM an indication of how many Volts they want to order so that the head office can determine allocations. Interestingly, the GM chart indicates that dealers won't know their allocations until two weeks after production starts, and won't be able to start placing orders until then. Typically, those last two items happen about two months before production starts. The timing for the Volt production kickoff is still far enough out that those dates may yet change in the months to come.
A final item of interest is that the Cruze, which was originally slated to launch in April and subsequently pushed back to September, is listed as TBD.
Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: GM-Volt.com]
2011 Chevy Volt appears in order schedule, Job 1 set for November 1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSubaru confirms Impreza XV crossover debut for Geneva
Filed under: Geneva Motor Show, Crossover, Hatchback, Subaru
The big premiere for Subaru at next month's Geneva Motor Show will be the new Impreza VX. The all-wheel-drive specialist hasn't yet provided any images of the car, but judging from the description in the press release, it sounds as if this Europe-only model is pretty much the Outback Sport we get here.
A unique grille, wheel arches and roof rails visually set the VX apart from standard Imprezas. Propulsion comes via a choice of 2.0-liter boxer-fours, fueled by either gasoline or diesel. The Impreza VX goes on sale in Europe this summer.
Joining the Impreza VX on the stand will be the Hybrid Tourer Concept that we first saw at Tokyo last fall, as well as the plug-in Stella. The press release is after the jump.
[Source: Subaru]
Continue reading Subaru confirms Impreza XV crossover debut for Geneva
Subaru confirms Impreza XV crossover debut for Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsBiodiesel Smarter now offering U.S. map of B100 sales locations
Filed under: Biodiesel, Green Culture
Here's an idea: plaster your wall with "useful information, titillating stories and inspiring highlights from around the country" about biodiesel. Also, use the same space to show off a map featuring all of the places in the U.S. that sell 100 percent pure biodiesel. This is easily accomplished with the new B100 Map from Biodiesel Smarter magazine and designer David Huyck. The map is 34 inches wide by 22 inches tall and costs $20. Biodiesel Smarter bills itself as "the magazine for biodiesel enthusiasts," and is rooted in the home-brewers mentality (a good thing). With articles like "Algae: The New Snake Oil" and "Dumping Glycerine for Fun and for Profit," it's not your standard biodiesel publication. Worth a read.
[Source: Biodiesel Smarter]
Biodiesel Smarter now offering U.S. map of B100 sales locations originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsGalpin launches new Spyker dealership in Southern California
Filed under: Car Buying, Performance, Spyker
Galpin Spyker dealership launch - Click above for high-res image gallery
Most people think of Ford when they hear the name Galpin. After all, the Van Nuys, CA dealership has been the Blue Oval's number one volume seller for twenty years running. But Galpin sells more than Mustangs and Fusions. Their Premier Collection showroom houses inventory for Aston Martin, Jaguar and Lotus - it's the same place we visited to get up close and personal with the Aston Martin One-77.
Galpin can now add one more to that list. Spyker, the new owner of Saab, has appointed Galpin as its latest dealer and the only one in Los Angeles. The announcement kicked off with a party earlier this week at Galpin's Classic Collection building with various colors of the C8 Aileron coupe and spyder on display.
Don't expect the Dutch supercars to fly off Galpin's showroom floor, though. Just 45 cars were sold worldwide last year, with the United States accounting for less than half that total. That said, Beau Boeckmann, President of Galpin, has realistic expectations for 2010. He hopes to maintain ten percent of the North American market share, which would currently equate to just a couple of cars each year. Hit the jump for the press release from Galpin or click on our gallery of live shots from the event below.
Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading Galpin launches new Spyker dealership in Southern California
Galpin launches new Spyker dealership in Southern California originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsPics Aplenty: Mercedes-Benz museum showcases 120 years of automotive history
Filed under: Classics, Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz Museum - Click above for high-res image gallery
Located in Stuttgart, Germany, the new Mercedes-Benz museum houses more than 160 vehicles and 1,500 exhibits ranging from the company's first cars, dating back to 1886, to the SLS AMG supercar of today. Built in 2006, the facility has accommodated no fewer than 2.8 million visitors who have had the option of taking a guided tour or browsing the car collection on their own. Unfortunately, haven't gotten the opportunity to be included in that list of visitors yet.
Thankfully, Mercedes-Benz has unloaded nearly 100 new photos of the 16,500-square-meter facility. You can see everything from the legendary Silver Arrows, to Formula 1 racers, to beautiful pre-war cars. All are included in the gallery below, or you can even take a virtual tour of the building at the museum's official web site.
[Source: Mercedes-Benz]
Continue reading Pics Aplenty: Mercedes-Benz museum showcases 120 years of automotive history
Pics Aplenty: Mercedes-Benz museum showcases 120 years of automotive history originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 11:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFisker Automotive moves Michigan jobs to California
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Fisker
In late 2008, Fisker Automotive opened an office in Pontiac, MI. At the time, COO Bernhard Koehler said in a statement that:Well, it's just over a year later now and that office is being shut down, the 30 full-time employees who work there are being relocated to Fisker Automotive's southern California HQ. In a new statement, CEO Henrik Fisker said:The available talent, supplier base and infrastructure in Michigan will help us reach our production goal. While Fisker Automotive will continue to be headquartered in Irvine, California, the new facility will allow us the opportunity to collaborate with our Michigan supplier base and have everyone under one roof.
So, the lesson here is that no matter where Fisker employees are, it's better for the company. The move will be completed by the first of March. Thank to Roy B. for the tip!Having our entire team in California ensures greater efficiency and speeds up development of our new plug-in hybrids.
[Source: Crain's Detroit Business, Green Car Advisor]
Fisker Automotive moves Michigan jobs to California originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsWrite Hand Redux: Bentley Mulsanne pen by Tibaldi
Filed under: Etc., Bentley, Luxury
Tibaldi for Bentley Mulsanne pen - Click above for high-res image gallery
Their pricing might be different (by order of magnitude), and their vehicles might be radically different as well, but Bugatti and Bentley largely cater to the same cadre of elite clientele. The two auto marques - both subsidiaries of the Volkswagen Group and both managed by the same CEO - share a common branding approach as well, so it should hardly come as any great surprise that, following Bugatti's collaboration with Italian pensmiths Ferrari da Varese, Bentley's gone a similar route with Tibaldi.
Fact of the matter is, like the timepiece collaboration with Breitling, Bentley and Tibaldi have been working together for several years already. We reported on one of their previous collaborations a few years ago, and now the Italian pen-maker has released their latest in honor of the new Bentley Mulsanne.
The Tibaldi for Bentley Mulsanne pen series includes roller-balls and fountain pens crafted in sterling silver and 18-karat rose gold. They feature knurled metal grips and wood trim in any of Bentley's three veneers: dark stained vavona, burr oak or burr walnut. With a clip reminiscent of Bentley switchgear and an emblem styled after the car's starter button, you can bet the Mulsanne pens have a feel to them as weighty as the car they're designed to compliment. And just to gild the lily, each comes in a specially crafted wooden box to match. Have a look for yourself in the gallery below and read the details in the press release after the jump.
[Source: Tibaldi]
Continue reading Write Hand Redux: Bentley Mulsanne pen by Tibaldi
Write Hand Redux: Bentley Mulsanne pen by Tibaldi originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 09:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
Older posts are this way
If this message doesn't go away, click anywhere on the page to continue loading posts.
Could not load more posts
Maybe Soup is currently being updated? I'll try again automatically in a few seconds...
Maybe Soup is currently being updated? I'll try again automatically in a few seconds...
Just a second, loading more posts...
You've reached the end.
