convertible
Saab Production Halted Due To Payment Dispute With Suppliers
Saab has halted production yet again amid another dispute with suppliers. Saab representatives declined to say how long the production stoppage would last, but said that they were in discussions with their suppliers to resolve the matter. Saab’s parent company Spyker said that last week’s production stoppage was related to unpaid bills. In an interview…
BMW M6 CSL Axed Before Production
BMW reportedly considered creating a stripped-out CSL version of its M6 luxury coupe, but ended up axing the project after the company could not justify a business case for the car. The CSL would have had an active aerodynamics package, 220 lbs stripped from the car and upgraded power levels, but BMW ended up nixing…
Kia To Build Volkswagen Golf GTI Rival, Front-Drive Convertible By 2014
Kia is forging ahead with plans to build a rival to the Volkswagen Golf GTI, complete with a turbocharged engine and class-leading driving dynamics. The new car will be part of Kia’s effort to differentiate itself from Hyundai by focusing on performance and excitement. The GTI rival will likely be based on the well-received Cee’d, which…
Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet Won’t Be Available In Canada, Lucky Us Or Lucky Them?
The new Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet is an unusual vehicle, to say the least. It is convertible based on a SUV/Crossover platform, which could make it the ideal vehicle for a beach babe, or an automotive enthusiasts worst nightmare. Whatever it is, our cousins in the north don’t want it. We spoke to a representative from…
Volvo, Pininfarina To End Joint Venture
However, that arrangement is now coming to an end; Volvo stating that it will assume full control of Pinnfarina’s Swedish operations in May 2013.
BMW 4-Series May Appear As Rival To Audi A5 Sportback
BMW is planning to expand its range yet again, with reports of an upcoming 4-Series lineup that would compete against the Audi A5 Sportback in the burgeoning sporty hatchback segment. Rumors have been flying about a possible 3-Series GT, a complement to the crossover-like 5-Series GT (shown above), but this may in fact be part of the…
Donald Trump To Drive Indy 500 Pace Car
Donald Trump is set to join the illustrious list of Indy 500 Pace Car drivers when he slides behind the wheel of a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS at the quintessential American motorsports event. The Camaro SS Pace Car, announced earlier this year, will be a convertible model, and that gives us extra incentive to tune…
Porsche 911 Named Most Reliable Sports Car By J.D. Power
While Italian sports cars get a bad rap for being fickle, nobody has ever accused the Porsche 911 of having major reliability issues, and J.D. Power, publisher of the legendary reliability rankings, seems to confirm that, having named the 911 the most reliable sports car and Porsche as the top German manufacturer. While some of Porsche’s newer…
BMW M3 Pickup Will Not Enter Production
The excited hoardes of car-geeks who drooled over a prototype BMW M3 pickup, spied lapping the Nurburgring, will have to steel themselves for more disappointment, as Road & Track magazine confirmed that this car will not be entering production. “BMW M did indeed create the pick-up seen on the ’Ring, but it was just an…
Sultan Of Brunei’s Car Collection Decaying Amid Neglect
The Sultan of Brunei’s extravagant car collection is something of an urban legend among auto enthusiasts. Most of the evidence surrounding its existence is anecdotal, with a few grainy photos having leaked out over the years on rare occasions. Now, Sports Car Market has published an article by car broker Michael Sheehan detailing the vastness of…
Chevrolet Corvette Sales On The Uptick After Years Of Downturn
Automotive News is reporting that the Chevrolet Corvette sales are on the rebound after being on a steady decline since 2006. At their peak 5 years ago, Chevrolet moved 36,518 Corvettes. By contrast, Chevrolet only sold 12,624 in 2010. The first two months of 2011 have seen a 13 percent sales increase compared to January…
2012 Audi TT-RS Will Likely Get 360 Horsepower
As if news of the impending launch of the Audi TT-RS wasn’t enough, North American consumers will be treated to an extra 20 horsepower, according to Car and Driver magazine. C/D spoke to Audi representatives at the Chicago Auto Show, where they were informed that Audi is pushing for a total output of 360 horsepower…
Geneva 2011: Volkswagen Cabriolet Is A Car For Girls Who Wanna Have Fun
The Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet has always been a 4-wheeled shot of estrogen, and the new car, is no exception. While at first glance the Golf Cabrio looks identical identical to the Volkswagen Eos, the two cars have a couple key differences. The Cabrio shuns the complex folding hardtop used on the Eos in favor of…
Geneva 2011: Bentley Continental Supersports Ice Speed Record Debuts
As if Bentley needed yet another excuse to launch a special edition of their Continental GT line, the Continental Supersports Ice Speed Record edition will debut at the 2011 Geneva Auto Show. The model, released in a 100 unit production run, will commemorate Finnish rally hero Juha Kankkunen’s record setting 202 mph blast on ice…
Cadillac ATS To Get Convertible Soft Top, ATS-V May Get V6
The Cadillac ATS is a crucial product for GM’s luxury division, a car aimed squarely at the BMW 3-Series, and Cadillac is hoping to come out with a full line of models to give buyers an alternative to the German compact luxury cars. One noticeable difference will be among the convertibles, as the ATS will not offer…
KTM X-Bow On Sale In America
The KTM X-Bow, perhaps the only car more bonkers than the Ariel Atom, will finally be coming to the United States, and like other formerly forbidden fruit, a bit of trickery is required to get the car legally imported. While KTM will build the cars to the customers specifications, the vehicle must be shipped and…
Factory Five Announces New Mid-Engine Sports Car, Packing Subaru Power
Factory Five is a company mainly known for their inexpensive, popular Cobra kit cars, but the company has dabbled in original designs more than a few times. Their GTM supercar is a looker with Corvette power, and a rare beast at that. Now the company is expanding their own designs with a mid-engined convertible under…
Saab To Mark Independence From General Motors With Celebrations
Saab employees will get a day off on February 23rd to celebrate the company’s independence from GM and its resurgence as an automaker. Slated to die during GM’s bankruptcy proceedings, the Swedish vehicle manufacturer was rescued by Dutch boutique sports car maker Spyker, and is set to launch an all-new product line over the coming years. Saab…
Chicago 2011: Mazda MX-5 Special Edition Revealed, Just 750 To Be Produced
To celebrate the 900,000th Mazda MX-5 sold (as well as the 20th anniversary of Mazda’s most famous product), the company is introducing a Special Edition model for the North American market, set to debut at the Chicago Auto Show on Wednesday. Based on the Grand Touring trim level, chrome accents adorn the interior, as well…
BMW M Car Sales Up 14 Percent In 2010
BMW‘s M division saw sales of its sports cars increase by 14.2 percent in 2010, to 16,967 units. The M3 remained the brand’s most popular car, with the coupe, sedan and convertible making up 10,116 units. In second place was the X6M with 3,082 units and X5M with 2,778 units. The US led the world…
Mercedes-Benz To Launch Entry-Level Lineup, Including, SUV, Coupe, Shooting Brake
Mercedes-Benz will launch a new front-drive model for the United States market, aimed at capturing sales from a younger demographic, as the company seeks to stay competitive with rivals BMW and Audi. A coupe and SUV have been confirmed for an expected 2013 launch, while a third variant is under considering. Mercedes is evaluating both…
BMW Prepares For 4-Cylinder Onslaught
BMW has always been known for their trademark inline-6 engines, but the recent industry-wide trend of downsizing has led to BMW adopting turbocharged four-cylinder engines as an alternative to smaller, naturally aspirated I6 engines in the name of efficiency. First to get the turbo-4 treatment is the X1 small crossover, although Jim O’Donnell, head of…
Aston Martin V8 Vantage S Gets 7-Speed Transmission
First came the Aston Martin Vanquish S in 2005, followed by the DBS in 2008, and now for 2011 we are blessed by the arrival of the V8 Vantage S. Could this already ultra sexy machine get even sexier? Yes it can. While the visual changes to the Vantage S might be subtle, but they…
Lancia-Badged Chrysler 200, 300 To Debut At Geneva Auto Show
Lancia’s version of the Chrysler 200, likely dubbed the Flavia, will debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March. While the idea of a Lancia-badged Chrysler is unpalatable to many enthusiasts, the fact that Chrysler has decided use the much vilified 200 will surely make it the automotive equivalent of the Antichrist. Fiat CEO Sergio…
