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The Cheapest Techart Porsche Money Can Buy
Finally, a Techart for the rest of us: those who can’t afforrd their hyper-fast, garishly-colored, modded Porsches. Well, this model is modded and garishly-colored too: it’s a 1/43 scale die-cast model of the Techart GTStreet, finished in black and California Orange. Top speed? Limited to how fast you can wheel it across a hardwood floor….
Audi Q5 Cross Cabrio Ready For Production?
This isn’t a bad joke, people: buoyed by the nonexistent success of the yet-to-be-released Nissan Murano CrossCabrio, Audi is rumored to be considering production of the Q5 Cross Cabrio. Because Audi’s brand motto is “leave no niche unfulfilled,” they are targeting the popular four-seater-four-wheel-convertible-CUV niche with a Teutonic vengeance. The Q5 CrossCabrio is expected to…
Ferrari Explains the 458 Italia’s Complex Cockpit [Video]
It may have more computing power than the Apollo mission, presumably. And it’s dedicated to just one thing: an almost Teutonic discipline of making you go fast—or, uh, even faster. Nevertheless, the bleeding-edge interior of the Ferrari 458 Italia might be confusing to those whose last brush with prancing horse greatness came with a wooden…
Cadillac Takes Us For A Ride At Miller Motorsports Park [Video]
What do you do if you’re a bored, successful race driver for an equally successful racing team in between races? You could go fly-fishing, maybe, or you could start practicing early for the next SCCA Pro Racing World Challenge behind the wheel of the Cadillac CTS-V coupe race car. That’s what Johnny O’Connell and Andy Pilgrim,…
BMW South Carolina One Of America’s Top Green Power Generators
Full of crap? Not exactly, but as it turns out BMW‘s Spartansburg, South Carolina plant gets over 37% of its power from methane gas harvested and compressed from a local landfill, which is enough to land it a solid 4th place rating on the EPA’s Top 20 Green Power Partners list. “BMW Manufacturing is leading the…
Pandora Internet Radio Now Available for BMW Models
All 2011 and 2012 BMW models will be able to stream Pandora Internet radio through the car’s controls, which is good news for potential owners with an iPhone and the app itself. The BMW Apps option will allow owners to pick their own Pandora stations, create new ones, skip songs and like others, all through…
Fast And Furious Movie Cars For Sale on AutoTrader
This author has a confession to make. Out of all the testosterone-laden, Ad-riddled, motorized-wet-dream action of the Fast and Furious franchise, I’ve only seen the fourth one—and it’s rather beside the point to say that it wasn’t very good. Not even the first movie of the franchise, which at this point has become basically an…
Russian Financier Vladimir Antonov Clear by Swedish Government to Fund Spyker
Vladimir Antonov, Russian banker, investor, billionaire, and perennial runner-up for Most Interesting Man In The World Award, has been cleared by the Swedish National Debt Office to become a shareholder in Spyker, and ultimately Saab. Despite possible connections with organized crime that any Russian billionaire is expected to hold in the first place, Antonov has…
Scion FR-S Lets us Hear Its Boxer Exhaust Note [Video]
The Scion FR-S, née Toyota FT-86 II Concept, Subaroyota, etc, finally gets a chance to open up its pipes for us in this exclusive video. The Scion evolution of the long-teased Toyota concept was shown at the New York Auto Show, but this is the first time it’s actually been turned on. Scion has said…
Lexus Warning Message is One Very Engrish Typo
There’s an urban legend that Mitsubishi originally wanted to name the Starion, the ultra-80s turbo terror, the “Stallion,” only to FUBAR the translation. Say what you will about stereotypical Japanese pronunciation—somebody at Lexus isn’t helping that cliché. A GS450h hybrid recently ran out of juice in Holland, only to display the unintentionally hilarious message “low traction battely.”…
Worst Cars on the Road List Dominated by Domestics
Forbes Magazine, that bastion of automotive truth and cutting-edge opinion, has released their annual list of bottom-feeders, scam products, and they still build those? malarkey known as the annual Worst Cars On The Road list. Forbes consulted the results of six Consumer Reports studies, including those about reliability, safety, fuel economy, cost of ownership, and…
2013 Ford Taurus Restyling Shows Design Future for Falcon, Mondeo
So the new Ford Taurus was only introduced last year. Why, then, did Ford refresh it for 2013 at the New York Auto Show—why go through all that effort now? Because, according to Ford head design honcho J Mays, the new front end is supposed to showcase Ford’s new global look, and the Mondeo and…
Mercedes-Benz Voted One Of The Best Places To Work In New Jersey
Perhaps there’s nothing more fitting than a Mercedes-Benz rolling on the mean streets of Camden or Newark. And it’s about high time the company got some credit: in a story that just happens to hit the right buttons, Mercedes-Benz USA was voted one of the best places to work in New Jersey, where they pump fists and…
Volkswagen Finishes First Quarter With Record Sales
Volkswagen sold a whopping two million vehicles around the globe in one quarter, the first time in the company’s history. The criticism of the new Jetta didn’t damper sales at all—sales profits grew over 30% in the first quarter, netting VW a tidy 37.5 billion Euros. Growth in China, India, and Eastern Europe helped fuel…
Chinese Automaker SAIC Considering Expanding into U.S. Market
China’s largest carmaker, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), is among a bunch of Chinese automakers looking to expand into the American market. Before they can form more concrete plans, however, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration official David Strickland visited China to explain U.S. safety standards, and touring the SAIC plant. Despite the reputation Chinese automakers currently have…
Steve McQueen’s Husqvarna Dirt Bike Up For Auction
The Steve McQueen nostalgia binge rolls on, with the news that legendary London auction house Bonham’s is putting up the King of Cool’s 1971 Husqvarna 400 for auction. The “Husky” took American off-road riding by storm—after McQueen ditched his own Triumph for a Husky in the classic motocross film On Any Sunday, popularity of…
Bentley Continental Supersports ISR Mulliner Package: For that Porsche GT3 Look
In case owners of the Bentley Continental Supersports convertible feel that they blend in too much, there’s a new appearance package available that transforms their cars into looking remarkably like a Porsche 911 GT3. Who would tart up their expensive British luxury car to look like a mere Porsche? Hey, there’s a market for that: the…
Toyota: At Least 6 Months Before Normal Production
Like other Japanese automakers, Toyota continues to be affected deeply by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Now the company is saying that it will be at least 6 months before they can resume production at levels before the disasters. By November, Toyota is hoping that production, both overseas and American, will return to normal—with…
Volvo S60 Voted International Sedan Of The Year
For Volvo, being naughty has paid off: the new S60 sedan was voted International Sedan of the Year at the New York Auto Show. “Receiving the International Sedan of the Year award demonstrates that the advanced technology, safety features, masterful Scandinavian design and award-winning engine resonate with industry experts,” said Jeff Pugliese, president of Volvo…
Subaru Planning to Separate Impreza from WRX and STI Versions
Subaru is pushing ahead to differentiate the WRX and STI performance models from their lesser, Great-Dane-schlepping brethern. Unlike their rivals at Mitsubishi, there’s no controversy to whether their rally monsters will see next year. With the new Impreza unveiled at the New York Auto Show, there’s set to be a gap between the models….
Mini Unveils A Collapsible Bicycle
Mini is following in the footsteps of Audi and designing its own line of bicycles. And in the interests of smallness, the bicycles are designed to be folded—perfect for today’s clogged cities. The Mini Folding Bicycle features a lightweight aluminum frame that collapses in a matter of seconds: the crossbar, seat, handlebars and pedals fold…
BMW 335d Voted Diesel Car Of The Year
The BMW 335d was voted “Diesel Car of the Year” at the New York Auto Show, by readers of The Diesel Driver magazine. Diesel gets its own magazine? You better believe it, buddy, and those fans are pretty influential—the 335 beat out 12 other cars and SUVs who make their diesels available in the United…
Toyota RAV4, Highlander Recalled for Side Airbag Problems
Toyota is conducting a voluntary recall for RAV4 and Highlander models in America, to replace the side curtain airbag sensor assembly. On certain RAV4s built between 2007 and 2008 and Highlanders from 2008, there are two side curtain sensors that detect the side angle of a vehicle during a rollover. These sensors could fail and illuminate…
2012 Volkswagen Beetle: Totally Manlier [2011 NYAS]
Volkswagen‘s main goal for the redesigned, sleeker Beetle was to appeal to the less fairer sex. So they’ve ditched the flower vase, lowered the roofline, employed turbo power, and even made it more fuel-efficient. Will manly men drive to steakhouses, gun ranges and the gym in the 2012 Beetle? It’s an evolved look, but it’s…
