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Lotus Europa Getting the Axe by Year’s End
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Lotus will cease production of the slow-selling Europa model later this year. Designed as a more refined option to the Elise and Exige twins, the Europa was also based on the same chassis. Introduced in 2006, it essentially filled a slot in the Lotus lineup until the Evora was introduced, filling a spot for a…
Jaguar F-Type Headed to Production, And its Not Alone
With Tata just having announced a return to profitability based on increased demand of its Jaguar Land Rover models, the company is now laying out an ambitious plan for the future. Included in that plan is the production of the Jaguar F-Type – a more driver focused model that will likely compete more readily with the…
MINI Minor City Car to Rival Smart Fortwo, Toyota iQ?
After introducing a new crossover at the top-end of its lineup, MINI now appears to be readying a new entry-level model – reportedly referred to as the MINI Minor by BMW officials. Designed as a true city car, the new minier MINI would be built to compete against the Smart Fortwo and Toyota iQ models…
Sex and the City 2 Takes a Joy Ride in Mercedes-Benz’s Maybach Line
After a two-year hiatus, the girls from Sex and the City are back, and they’ve brought a few new friends with them. No, it’s not a few dozen pairs of Jimmy Choos (although, they do make an appearance). Sharing the screen with these 40-somethings is Mercedes-Benz’s ultra-luxurious Maybach line. Fitting right into the exclusive lifestyle…
Paul Walker of ‘Fast & Furious’ fame competes in Redline Time Attack series
The Redline Time Attack series — where man and machine compete against the clock to post the fastest lap time in Street, Modified, and Unlimited classes — attracts many of the biggest name tuner shops in the country, but it has also attracted Paul Walker, star of the film ‘Fast & Furious’. Walker has…
London Thieves Try And Steal Aston Martin DBS Wheels, Fail Miserably
Thieves in London, England tried make off with the wheels from a $266,000 Aston Martin DBS, but appear to have given up after taking 3 of the 4 wheels. The dim-witted criminals left the car with bricks under the rocker panels, and a jack wedged under the rear quarter panel, both of which mangled the delicate aluminum…
BYD And Daimler To Collaborate On EVs In China
Daimler, parent company of Mercedes-Benz and BYD, China’s fastest growing car company, established a joint venture to develop electric cars in China. Based in the industrial city of Shenzen, the two companies respective experience with electric cars complements one another. BYD is experienced with battery and drivetrain systems, while Daimler will bring their knowledge of…
“Hot” Version Of Opel Ampera Spotted, Could Volt Version Be Far Behind
The Vauxhall/Opel Ampera, sister car to the Chevrolet Volt, is set to launch in Europe in 2012, but GM is already preparing a more powerful version in time for the car’s launch, according to AutoExpress. Nothing concrete has been announced, but sources indicate that a larger gasoline engine and a bigger battery will help make…
BMW Ceases Selling European-Spec Parts Through U.S. Dealers
Bad news for BMW fans: BMW has stopped making European parts available to U.S. customers. It used to be that, if you had the European part number, you could walk into any BMW dealer’s parts counter and order it, no problem. But now, BMW enthusiasts will have to look to third parties and the aftermarket…
Tata Returns To Profitability
India’s Tata Motors is back in the black after rising demand for the Land Rover and Jaguar cars, as well demand in India for Tata products. The Tata group posted an overall profit of $543 million, compared to last year’s loss of $535 million. Tata was able to beat analyst expectations of a $321 million…
Mercedes SLK200 Kompressor Naked to Debut at World Ducati Week
To help celebrate World Ducati Week, Mercedes will debut a new ‘Naked’ limited edition SLK200 Kompressor model during the festivities, which start June 20th in Rimini, Italy. The reason for Mercedes’ involvement is due to the close connection between the Mercedes AMG division and financing and insurance firm Gruppo Generali – which also just so…
GM and BMW Working On Cars That Recognize Road Signs, Lame “Didn’t See The Sign, Officer” Excuses To End
A report out of Europe claims that BMW and General Motors are collaborating on a system that will scan road signs, including speed limit warnings and relay the information to drivers. The system still has a few kinks being worked out, but the objective is for the system to be able to display warning signs…
More Details Emerge Surrounding Gordon Murray’s T27 City Car
Not long after Gordon Murray’s McLaren F1 was feted at the company’s headquarters, new details have emerged about Murray’s all-new T27 city car, being developed by the South African-born engineer independently of McLaren. Essentially an electric version of the T25 city car, the T27 uses a lithium-ion battery and a small electric motor to hit…
G-Power Announces A Pair Of BMW M3 Clubsport Models
Just in case a standard run-of-the-mill BMW E92 M3 wasn’t good enough for you, G-Power has announced a pair of BMW E92 M3 Clubsport Models available to the general public. And by general we mean those with plenty of expendable income. Both vehicles have the same performance modifications, netting 600-hp and 430 ft-lbs of torque…
Next-Gen BMW 6 Series to Get Turbo 6-Cylinder 640i Model, Plus AWD 650xi
The next-generation BMW 6 Series will be offered with a turbocharged six-cylinder engine as well as an all-wheel drive V8 model. According to a BMW employee posting on BimmerPost, the 2012 6 Series will initially be offered as a 650 model in both coupe and convertible form with production starting in early to mid 2011,…
Brabus Goes Topless with E-Class Cabriolet
We’ll say it since everyone’s thinking it. Mercedes-Benz is really milking this generation E-Class for all it’s worth. First the sedan was released to much praise; then the coupe comes out and everyone rejoices, and now the cabriolet. But who benefits more from Mercedes-Benz’s continual segmentation from their E-Class? Brabus of course! After releasing tuning…
Xenatec Dream Car Renderings Include Bentley SUV, Aston Martin Hatch
We’ll give German Tuner Xenatec this much: their Maybach 57S Coupe is pretty sweet. But they’ve now released five Photoshop rendering of what they consider their “dream cars.” Thankfully these are just concepts, because quite frankly we’re not too sure about the styling. Let’s start with their Aston Martin hatchback/crossover. The rear end looks like…
Saab in Talks With Other Automakers Over 9-2 Technology says CEO
Rumors have floated around about Saab‘s planned 9-2 MINI competitor, but now company CEO Victor Muller has confirmed the Swedish automaker is in talks with other manufacturers about the project. Muller told Bloomberg that Saab is looking to work with another automaker over technology to develop a new small car platform for the 9-2. It’s…
Volkswagen in Talks with Proton Over Possible Tie-Up
In the past few months Volkswagen has expanded to become an even larger global player, taking over Porsche and announcing a majority stake in Italdesign Giugiaro. Now Germany’s largest automaker may be looking to add yet another brand to its stable – Proton. The Malaysian automaker might not be all that familiar to audiences in…
Out Of My Way, Plebes! 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL and S-Class Get More Power
Mercedes-Benz‘s flagships get more prole-crushing power for 2011, as the CL550 and S550 lose their 5.5L naturally aspirated V8 in favour of a twin turbo 4.6L unit, putting out 429 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque, up 47 horsepower and 125 lb-ft from the old model. The brand’s other naturally aspirated V8, the 6.2L AMG…
Chris Bangle To Return To Fiat?
Before he set the BMW world on edge with his controversial aesthetics, Chris Bangle had a comfortable post at Fiat, where he designed the Fiat Coupe, a car never sold in North America but regarded as an iconic and revolutionary design. French auto website Cardisiac is reporting that Bangle, who quit BMW in 2009, may be…
Time Flies: McLaren Celebrates Two Decades Of The McLaren F1
The Bugatti Veyron might be faster, the Pagani Zonda more eye-catching and the Ferrari Enzo more extravagant. Nevertheless, the McLaren F1 is still regarded by most enthusiasts as the greatest car ever made, bar none. The F1 was the physical manifestation of the dreams of Gordon Murray, a savant engineer whose personal quirks ingrained in…
Mercedes-Benz To Revive S-Class Diesel
Mercedes-Benz diesels have a fearsome reputation for being some of the toughest cars on the road. While most vintage German machinery has been sent to the scrap heap due to astronomical repair bills or oxidization, there are a number of diesel powered Mercedes-Benz cars from as far back as 1972 still kicking around, thanks to…
MINI Beachcomber Concept Likely to See Production
MINI appears ready to expand its product lineup some more with the addition of the Beachcomber. First shown at the Detroit Auto Show this year, the Beachcomber Concept rides on the Countryman’s new crossover platform and takes inspiration from the tiny Moke model, which the brand offered from 1964 to 1993. In an interview with…
