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Volkswagen Jetta Coupe Confirmed in Patent Filings
Leaked Volkswagen patent filings have turned up a new model from the German automaker that was already assumed to be headed to production: the Jetta Coupe. Technically known as the New Compact Coupe, there’s no denying the resemblance to the newly released 2011 Jetta sedan and the New Compact Coupe that debuted earlier this year…
Italian Superstars Series Brings V8 Heavy Metal to the Race Track [video]
If “regular” Touring and GT class race cars are just too small and too low budget for your taste, then you need to check out the Italian-based Superstars Series, which pits the heavy metal of Grand Tourers against each other in a 10 race season at some of Europe’s (and South Africa’s) greatest racing circuits….
BMW X6 Performance Unlimited Special Edition Announced for Japan
With two gasoline versions, a hybrid version and a powerful M model, you’d think there were enough different flavors of BMW‘s new X6. But over in Japan, the German automaker has just announced a limited production of a very limited edition special model called the Performance Unlimited X6. Just 20 versions will be built and…
Heffner Twin Turbo Audi R8 Laps Miller Motorsports Park [video]
Heffner Performance is all about tuning luxury and exotic vehicles to maximize their performance. Recently they had the opportunity to team up with Roger Miller and TDC Motorsports to install their coveted twin turbo kit on an Audi R8 at Miller Motorsports Park. While Heffner Performance was working on twin turbocharging the R8 beast, PPI…
BMW Breaks Ground On Carbon Fiber Plant
BMW‘s new joint venture with SGL Group on a carbon fiber plant in Washington state got underway, as the two companies broke ground on the factory. While vehicle assembly will take place in Germany, the carbon fiber material production will take place in the state, due to the large presence of aerospace expertise in the…
1 of 1 Green Audi S5 For Sale – It’s Not Easy Being Porsche Lime Green
Jack Baruth is a many who wears many hats; auto racer, contributor to The Truth About Cars, musical savant and contrary to his reputation in some circles, an all-around nice guy. Being in possession of a few too many cars, Jack has decided to turf his most infamous steed, his bright green Audi S5. While…
PSA Peugeot-Citroen To Revive Talbot Brand For Low-Priced Cars
Peugeot and Citroen’s parent company, PSA, is planning to bring back the long dormant Talbot (seen above, in rally trim) brand to compete with Renault’s low cost Dacia brand. It’s unclear whether the new Talbots will be all-new offerings engineered from scratch, but PSA President Philippe Varin stressed that despite their low price, the cars…
Hofele-Design Releases Porsche Panamera Tuning Package, Has Funky Name
Even though Porsche‘s move to the Panamera caused some controversy, we think it’s safe to say the model has been well received by the general public and the aftermarket. Tuning programs, body kits, suspension and a load of parts have been unleashed for Porsche’s newest luxury sedan and the newest entry to the field is…
Smart Wraps Up the ForTwo with Customized Vehicle Wraps
How do you stand out from the huddled masses in traffic? If you’ve got a Smart ForTwo, there is a multitude of ways, thanks to their new vehicle wraps. You’ve got one on your phone, you might as well get one for your car too. Wraps are the latest way to customize your car. Following…
Win a Factory Tour and Test Drive the SLS AMG Supercar? Yes, Please!
As part of their series of SLS AMG ‘Rare Experience’ contests, this time Mercedes-Benz is giving you a chance to win an exclusive guided tour of the AMG factory in Affalterbach, Germany along with the opportunity to drive the SLS AMG supercar after watching it come together on the assembly line. And if that’s not…
Volkswagen Scirocco R Cup Car Crashes in Spectacular Two-Wheel Style
We love Volkswagen‘s new Scirocco, which is why we hate to see this happen to one of the cars. During last week’s Scirocco R Cup Race at the Norisring in Nuremberg, driver Dennis Rieger appears to hit the inside wall on a turn, sending him up on two wheels. Unable to steer properly, Rieger’s car…
Lotus Appoints New Chief Technical Officer as COO Departs for VW
Lotus has just announced the appointment of a new Chief Technical Officer, while subsequently confirming the departure of the recently hired Chief Operating Officer Frank Tuch. Tuch is leaving for Volkswagen, but not without importing important information to the team at Lotus. According to Lotus ECO Dany Bahar, “We were able to reach a mutually…
BMW 1 Series M Coupe Confirmed and You Could be the First to Drive It [video]
BMW has confirmed an M version of its 1 Series Coupe with a YouTube video showing the small sports car being rung out on Spain’s Ascari race track. No concrete details are yet known about the car but BMW M CEO Dr. Kay Segler says its so good that, “You will not leave the car….
Lotus to Unveil Four New Concepts at Paris Auto Show
Details of what exactly the “New Era” for Lotus will entail have begun to slip out with reports that the automaker will show-off four new concept cars at the Paris Auto Show this Fall. According to some reports the vehicles will include a successor to the Esprit, two new front-engined GT cars and a new…
Lotus Terminates Dealer Network As Brand Moves Upmarket
As part of its attempt to re-position the brand as a competitor to Ferrari and Aston Martin, Lotus is axing its entire European dealer network in an effort to revamp the level of customer service provided by its sales centers. Lotus CEO Dany Bahar alerted dealers that their contracts would not be renewed on July 18, 2012…
Victoria Beckham Named as Creative Design Director for Range Rover Evoque
Oh Posh, what don’t you do? Victoria Beckham, aka Posh Spice, has just added creative design director to her already impressive resume, as she’ll be designing the interior of the special edition Land Rover Range Rover Evoque. Since being a pop star, model, soccer wife, yummy mummy, clothing designer and luxury style plate aren’t enough…
Jeep Joins Fiat In Paris Mega-Dealership
A Fiat dealer along Paris’ famed Champs-Elysees will play host to the first side-by-side Jeep and Fiat dealer as the brands seek to integrate themselves in anticipation for anticipation for Chrysler’s European rollout. The Motor Village megastore as the dealership is known, also displays vehicles from Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Lancia and Maserati. Several other automakers…
Two-Cylinder Fiat 500 TwinAir Launched
In a move reminiscent of the original Fiat 500, the Italian automaker is launching a two cylinder version of their new Fiat 500 hatchback. The two-cylinder model puts out 85 horsepower from a 900 cc two-cylinder engine. The engine uses Fiat’s innovative Multiair system, which is essentially a super-advanced variable valve timing system. With a…
Volkswagen Group On Target For Record Sales In 2010
Volkswagen Group’s worldwide sales are up 15% compared to 2009, with the company moving 3.5 million units in the first six months of 2010. While the company went on to sell 6.3 million units in 2009, CEO Martin Winterkorn believes that its goal of selling 7 million units in 2010 “will not be achieved easily”….
Volkswagen Preparing Race Touraeg 3 For Assault On Dakar Rally
With the demise of Mitsubishi’s Dakar rally program, Volkswagen has stepped in to fill the void left by the iconic Pajero rally truck. The Race Touraeg has performed admirably, but Volkswagen driver Carlos Sainz demanded that the Race Touraeg 3 be a significant step forward from previous iterations. While the Race Touraeg 2 was mechanically…
New Jaguar XJ Off to Strong Sales Start in the UK, Handily Beating German Competition
From the moment we first set our eyes on the new Jaguar XJ it was obvious that the progressive new design was a shot across the bow of its German competitors and was aimed at attracting new and youthful customers in a bid to expand Jaguar’s reach in the marketplace. Jaguar even said as much,…
2011 Mercedes CL63 Gets Twin-Turbo V8, MCT Speedshift Transmission
With the recent announcement of the new 2011 CL550 and its 4.7-liter twin-turbo V8, we can now confirm via Mercedes-Benz‘s German website that the CL63 will come with the company’s latest twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8. The website lists the engine’s output at 536-hp, the same amount Mercedes claimed the engine could produce when it released specs…
Mercedes Passes Audi to Take Second Place in Luxury Sales Race
With record sales last month, Mercedes was able to push past rival Audi to claim the second spot in the race to become the world’s largest luxury automaker. With first-half results now in, Mercedes sales total 556,700 units so far this year, just 1,750 units ahead of now third-place Audi. BMW remains in the top…
BMW M5 Ends Production as Best Selling, Least Loved, Version Yet
Easily the first BMW M car that wasn’t universally loved, as of today the current M5 has become the old M5, with production of the V10-powered monster selling 20,548 worldwide. That number includes 1,025 Touring (wagon) models sold in Europe. As the most successful M5 yet, the U.S. market played a huge role in its…
