Carsnews One: January 2011

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Transformers 3 Superbowl Trailer

Transformers 3 Superbowl TV Spot - Transformers Dark of the Moon Superbowl

Paramount will unleash a new Transformers 3 trailer during the Superbowl 2010. You'll be able to watch this Superbowl trailer Transformers 3 Dark of the Moon here as soon as it is available online.

Update 1 - The Super Bowl trailer of transformers 3:

Update 2 - A crossover ad for Chevrolet has already shown up on youtube:

Super Bowl ad for Chevy with Bumblebee from the Transformers

The Superbowl Transformers 3 trailer will air on February 6, 2011.
:)

Friday, January 7, 2011

One-off 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca to be Auctioned Off for Charity

At the 40th Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, a one-of-a-kind 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca will go under the hammer to help raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). Read more »

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe Photos Hit the Web

Official photos of the all-new 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe showed up on the internet today, revealing the exterior as well as the interior of the two-door model. Based on the refreshed C-Class that will bow at next week's Detroit Show, the newcomer in Mercedes' range features a sleeker and less complicated design than the larger and more expensive E-Class Coupe.

The front end of the car doesn't appear to differ from the sedan and estate models, but from the A-pillars and back, the Coupe gets its own unique styling with a more rakish roofline, a very Hoffmeister-like kink on the rear window and a redesigned rear end.

SCOOP: 2012 Kia Rio Spotted out on the Road

Like sister company Hyundai, Kia is in the midst of a new-product blitz that started a little over a year ago. Since the second half of 2009, the South Korean automaker has refreshed its lineup with a slew of new models such as the Forte Koup, Cadenza sedan, Venga mini MPV, Sorento, Sportage and Optima sedan.

Now, following the announcement on the completely redesigned Picanto city car that will break cover at the Geneva Show, our spy photographers snapped the next new model to be added to Kia's range, the 2012 Rio subcompact, while testing in Germany.

As well as revealing pricing information on the 2011 model year 300 earlier today, Chrysler has also unleashed a new video with driving footage of its redesigned saloon. We'll remind you that the 300 will get its world premiere at the Detroit Auto Show in just a few days, with sales to follow shortly after. In the U.S., Chrysler's full size sedan will offer buyers a choice of two engines, a 292HP 3.6-liter V6 and a 363HP 5.7-liter Hemi V8, the latter with the option of all-wheel drive. Video follows after the jump.

After teasing us with a couple of renderings in December, Cadillac today released the first official photographs of the CTS-V Coupe racecar, ahead of its North American International Auto Show debut on Monday, January 10.

The once ailing Skoda brand is turning out to be a solid investment for the Volkswagen Group as the Czech automaker is breaking one sales record after the other. In the year that just passed on, Skoda Auto recorded is best-ever sales results delivering 762,000 vehicles, which represents an increase of 11.5% over 2009 when it sold 684,200 units. Furthermore, the company broke the threshold of three quarters of a million vehicles sold in a single year for the first time in its history.

The upcoming Veloster sports hatch will be sharing the spotlight at Hyundai's Detroit motorshow stand with a new crossover concept called the Curb. The South Korean firm has released very little information on the study that carries the HCD-12 codename, but we do know that it has been penned at the firm's California Design Center. According to the company, the Curb's styling is an evolution of the "fluidic sculpture" design language seen on the latest Sonata and Elantra sedans. The official unveiling of the Curb will take place on Monday, January 10 at the Cobo Hall in Detroit. Read more »

GM Introduces Cell Phone Charging Mats at CES, Production Begins in 2012

Thanks to induction technology, mobile electronic devices, such as phones, can be wirelessly charged, just by placing them on special pads. At the 2011 CES in Las Vegas, General Motors announced plans to introduce the wireless charging technology in many future Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac products, beginning from the second half of 2012.

In addition to the previously mentioned 2011 Chrysler 200 Super S, Mopar will also be displaying several aftermarket accessories for the recently launched in the USA, Fiat 500, through a special version of the city car at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Like the Chrysler 200, the Mopar-flavored Fiat 500 is all show and no-go, as all upgrades are more or less purely cosmetic.

The Detroit Show Mopar 500 appears to be far less impressive than the concept shown by the same division at last year's SEMA gathering, with the overall styling bringing to mind the accessories found on Mopar's "10' Limited Edition Challenger". Details and photos after the jump.

Since we have a long way to go for the 2011 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Chrysler decided to give us a glimpse of what its in-house performance division Mopar is readying for the firm's redesigned Sebring, the 200 sedan, at next week's Detroit Motor Show.

The styled-up 2011 Chrysler 200 Super S by Mopar seen in the teaser rendering here features a black and grey two-tone body and a full aero kit plus a lowered suspension, larger 19-inch alloy wheels and numerous accessories that will most likely be available for the production model in the near future. Hit the break for the full list of accessories and parts featured on the Detroit motorshow car.

The C209 Mercedes-Benz CLK Coupe may have been replaced by the newer C207, but tuners aren't about to leave owners without aftermarket products. Florida-based Mercedes specialist RENNtech has just released a new aero package for the CLK 63 AMG Black Series, which includes a fully functional full carbon fiber front splitter and rear diffuser, front air brake ducts, a redesigned carbon air box and fully adjustable DTM style rear wing.

According to the company, all components have been tested by the firm's in house design and engineering staff "to integrate seamlessly within the original body work" and offer improvements in vehicle performance and handling. For details and pricing follow the break for the tuner's press release.

Saab sold just 31,696 cars globally in 2010, after having cut its sales target from 45,000 to 30,000-35,000 vehicles, due to the restructuring of the brand’s supplier base. However, with fourth quarter (2010) sales up 129% compared to 2009, Chairman Victor Mullen believes that Saab “is firmly establishing itself as an independent car manufacturer”.

We first reported on the new GMC Sierra All Terrain HD Concept in mid-December, but since then, General Motors has released a slew of new photos. The updated gallery includes the first photos of the design study's interior that has been spruced up with higher quality and more luxurious materials than the standard Sierra, upon which it is based.

Set to debut at next week's North American International Auto Show, GMC says the concept model is an exploration of heavy-duty truck capability combined with greater off-road versatility. Even if the Sierra All Terrain HD Concept doesn't make it as is onto the road, chances are that it will inspire a future production version. Full HD gallery after the break.

We didn’t have to wait long for the second teaser of the Pagani C9 to be released and, fortunately, this time it’s more about the car than some presumably good Italian coffee. The clip shows some of the interior’s highlights. Amidst the symphony of exposed metal parts and high quality leather, we could make out a Ferrari 458 Italia-style steering wheel, with all sorts of switches (including index controls), and the engine key featured in the first teaser. Video and screenshots available after the jump.

The redesigned 2011 Chrysler 300 will get its first public outing at the Detroit Motor Show next week, but the U.S. automaker has already released pricing information on the full-size sedan model that will be offered in the States in four trim flavors and two engine options. In particular, buyers can choose between the V6-powered 300 and 300 Limited models, and the Hemi V8-motivated 300C and 300C AWD.

Priced at $27,995 (all prices include a $825 destination charge), the entry-level 2011 Chrysler 300 comes with the firm's all-new 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine with 292HP, 260 ft.-lb. (353 Nm) of torque, E-85 flex-fuel capability and a five-speed automatic transmission with Auto Stick.

Among other standard features, the base model gets a full set of airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), Hill-start Assist (HSA), 17-inch alloys with P215/65R17 tires, Uconnect Touch 8.4, USB port with iPod Control, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, leather steering-wheel with audio controls, six-speaker audio, keyless start, dual-zone automatic climate control, 12-way power driver’s seats, cruise control, auto-dimming rear-view mirror and 60-40 split-fold rear seat.

In order to be able to invest €1 billion (US $1.31 billion) in a joint venture with Chrysler, Fiat needed to secure agreements with all unions representing its factory workers. However, a more hard-line Italian union, FIOM, is refusing to sign the deal Fiat is proposing for the Mirafiori plant and announced that it will go on strike later this month. In retaliation, the automaker threatened to withdraw the cash “should it not be satisfied”.

If you've been following the news on Carscoop, the 2012 Buick Verano won't come as a surprise as the new compact sedan is the North American version of GM's China market Buick Excelle GT that was revealed in the first half of 2010. The two Buicks are identical in styling right up to the somewhat gaudy chrome eyebrows over the tail lamps.

The small Buick is essentially the sedan version of the European market Opel Astra, something that is visible from the profile styling as well as the interior, and is built on the same platform and shares basic engine architecture with the Chevrolet Cruze.

Renault Suspends Managers on Suspicion of Leaking EV Secrets

French carmaker Renault has suspended three senior managers on suspicion of industrial espionage linked to the firm's electric vehicle plans. A company spokeswoman confirmed on Tuesday that the three individuals were suspended over unspecified ethical issues.

“In late August 2010, an ethical alert was brought to the attention of the compliance committee," a Renault spokeswoman told AFP on Tuesday. "The investigation that followed led to the suspension of three Renault executives”, the spokeswoman added without providing any more details.

Tuning specialist Anderson Germany has got its hands on the most insane version of Audi's Q7 SUV, the flagship V12 TDI model. In stock form, the 12-cylinder oil-burner generates an output of 500 horsepower and a ludicrous 1,000 Nm (757.56 lb-ft) of torque from six liters of displacement, enough to get the all-wheel drive model to 100km/h (62mph) in 5.5 seconds. A new air filter and software optimizations from Anderson Germany help increase output by 10 per cent to 550-horsepower.

James Glickenhaus’ P4/5 Competizione project may have missed its June 2010 deadline, but luckily for the famous car collector, he still has the “normal”, Enzo-based Ferrari P4/5 to kill some time with, while waiting for the custom racecar. In the latest footage available on Youtube, Mr. Glickenhaus took the car to France for high speed testing, followed by some R&R time in Paris. Check out the video after the break to see the simply breathtaking P4/5 in action.

The U.S. auto sales numbers for 2010 are out and once again, Ford's F-Series pickup truck has been crowned the best-selling vehicle of the year, a title which it has held for 34 years in a row. According to Autodata Corp., the Dearborn-based brand moved 528,349 units of its F-150 light-duty and F-250, F-350 and F-450 heavy-duty trucks in 2010, recording an impressive increase of 27,7 per cent over 2009.

The Chevrolet Silverado took second place with 370,135 units, or some 158,000 less than the F-Series. Sales of GM's pickup truck were up 16,9 per cent from the previous year.

Despite Toyota's recall debacle, the Camry finished third overall earning the title of the best-selling passenger car in the States with 327,804 units, posting an 8.1 per cent drop from 2009. The Honda Accord and Toyota Corolla followed in fourth and fifth positions respectively.

Operating heavy machinery near a muddy riverbank can be very hazardous, as this video demonstrates. A mud water-trapped Russian dump truck was just about to be pulled clear by a bulldozer, when it seems that the towing cable snapped, causing it to go underwater in less than 5 seconds. We’d say it’s quite a miracle that the driver made it out of the cabin and the presumably cold waters. Watch the clip after the break.

The all-new 2012 Mercedes C-Class Coupe, that may or may not debut in Detroit next week as a Geneva Salon show up in March is also a strong possibility, was spied at the Long Beach Vehicle Processing Center in California by a crafty Youtube user. The lightly camouflaged C-Class with the two-door body was parked alongside other Mercedes-Benz models including a pair of wrapped up prototypes that appear to be the next generation M-Class and SLK roadster.

Audi of America sold more than 100,000 vehicles in the U.S. last year for the first time ever, the company announced today. More specifically, the VW Group's luxury brand delivered a total of 101,629 cars and SUVs in the States, posting a 23 per cent gain over 2009 and shattering its previous record of 93,506 units in 2007.

If you're fond of GM's OnStar in-car wireless communication system but don't plan on owning a vehicle from the Detroit automaker, we have some good news for you. At the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, General Motors announced that it will begin selling the safety, security and connectivity service for non-GM and older GM vehicles already on the road.

Found for sale in Johannesburg, South Africa, by Carscoop reader 'SamuraiJack', is this strange creation called the Rover Ventura. We're not sure if it's actually based on the Rover SD1, but judging from the photos, it appears to sport the same front end as well as dashboard and door panels as the British saloon. The seller or the vehicle says it is powered by a new Chevrolet 350 c.i. V8 engine. Check out the full gallery after the jump and if you happen to know any more details on the car, feel free to share in the comments section.

In what could be seen by many as further proof that Alfa Romeo is steadily losing sight of its core values (whatever is left of them, that is...), the firm's UK division unveiled two concept designer bags for its MiTo subcompact as part of the company’s centenary year celebrations and to help support young British fashion talent. We might be wrong, but we think it would have been more appropriate for the Italian firm to show its support to young British car designers...

We already know that Porsche plans to debut a new model at the rapidly approaching North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit next week, but the problem is that the German sports car maker is keeping its cards close to its chest about the type of vehicle it will unveil.

Adding to the many rumors already circulating on the internet, Bloomberg today reported that the model in question will be a racing coupe version of the 918 Spyder hybrid concept that was first shown at last year's Geneva Show.

In 1986, Mercedes launched the 4MATIC four-wheel drive system on a test ground in Rovaniemi, Finland, alongside two other, equally important vehicle dynamics components: the automatic locking differential (ASD) and acceleration skid control (ASR), which used the sensory technology made available through the anti-lock braking system (ABS), first introduced by the German maker in 1978.

It's no secret Volkswagen is developing a new mid-size sedan (hence the NMS codename) to replace the Passat in the North American market, but today the German automaker posted a teaser on its website ahead of the car's world premiere which will take place at next week's Detroit motorshow.

Ford Releases List with the Top 10 Ways Our Cars Changed Over the Past Decade

The first decade of the new millennia brought an unprecedented amount of change to the automotive industry. While ten years ago having cupholders in the cabin was a big thing, today fast mobile communications, fuel efficient engines and complicated active safety features are just some of the technologies that have made their way into cars.

“Cars have become more like brains on wheels”, said Sheryl Connelly, Ford’s global trends manager. “Consumers today want to stay connected and they want the drive to be an experience, especially since the amount of time Americans spend in the car has nearly doubled in the last 10 years”.

Check out Ford's list with the Top 10 ways the automotive industry changed since 2000 right after the break.

From the same German car dealer that listed the production version of the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento concept for sale comes our next story on future models up for grabs. This time, exotic car dealer Auto Salon Singen is advertising the sale of the upcoming successor to the Lamborghini Murcielago, which the company names Aventador LP700-4. The forthcoming Italian supercar is listed on the site at a net price of €260,420 (US$346,500) or €309,900 (US$412,300) with 19% tax. There's even a list with performance specs and standard equipment features. Read more »

First Details of Underground Racing’s Twin Turbocharged Ferrari 458 Italia

While Underground Racing admits that Ferrari has done a great job with the 458 Italia, the North Carolina-based tuner wants to spice up the Italian supercar as “something’s missing” from the stock setup. And what may that "something" be, we hear you ask? Why a turbo kit, or even better, how about two? Underground Racing will develop a Stage 1 system that will be fitted to the stock engine, while the Stage 2 conversion will be a more comprehensive update, including a custom built powerplant and force induction. More photos and videos alongside with performance numbers are said to follow soon.

There's a right way and a wrong way to drive a vehicle down a steep hill. The folks in this previous generation Kia Sportage chose the wrong way, but fortunately for them, the incident ended without any bloodshed. Watch the video after the break.

You are looking at the first Dodge ever to use the Charger nameplate, the 1964 Dodge Hemi Charger Concept Car. Developed in late 1963 on Polara underpinnings, it was used by Chrysler to showcase its newest engine at the time, the now iconic 426-cubic inch (7.0-liter) Hemi V8.

Owned by several collectors over its 47-year existence, this rare piece of automotive heritage is going to be auctioned off at this year’s Automobiles of Arizona event held at Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa, on January 20. RM Auctions hasn’t released an official estimate yet, but last time it changed hands in 2007, it fetched US $1.1 million.

Launched onto the market in late 2009, Luxgen is Taiwan's first passenger carmaker and a subsidiary of Yulon Motor Co., a company mostly known for building Nissan models under license. Following last year's release of its first models, the 'LUXGEN7 SUV' and the 'LUXGEN MPV', the newly formed auto brand today unwrapped two special edition versions at the 2011 Taipei Automobile & Accessories Exhibition.

A post on the official Red Bull blog has set the GTPlanet forum on fire, as it features a discussion with rally driver and drifting star, Rhys Millen, about the best way to take on the Pikes Peak rally course in the recently released Playstation 3 exclusive, Gran Turismo 5. While that doesn’t sound like a capital sin, the only problem is that Pikes Peak is not on GT5’s track list and hasn’t been in a GT game since the days of Gran Turismo 2.

Consequently, this is either an error on Red Bull’s part or the famous climb will make a comeback to GT5 at some point in the future.

According to Hyundai's dedicated Veloster web page, we'll have to wait for the Detroit Motor Show to open its doors on Monday, January 10, to see the new sports hatch in the flesh. However, the South Korean automaker continues the tease with the release of yet another photo, this time revealing the Veloster's asymmetric layout with two conventional doors on the passenger's side and a single door on the driver's side. The Veloster also gets a large rear hatch with a split rear glass.

The Toyota Prius has set a new sales record in Japan as the automaker delivered more than 315,000 units (final figures will be released by the Japan Automobile Dealers Association in mid-January). of the gas-electric hybrid model in 2010, overtaking the Corolla for the first time in two decades. The previous annual record was held by the Corolla which sold around 300,000 units in 1990.

Following the release of two teaser sketches in December, Kia today published real-life photos of its second generation Picanto city car, which is set to debut at this year’s Geneva Motor Show in March. The 2011 Picanto will be offered in two body styles and with four all-new engines.

Alfa Romeo Giuseppe Merosi Design Study for a RWD Sports Coupe

From the creator of the Alfa Romeo Vittorio Jano Sedan and Sport Wagon concepts comes this new design study for a classy-looking GT. Named after Giuseppe Merosi, a famous Italian automobile engineer Giuseppe Merosi who worked for Alfa Romeo (then named A.L.F.A.) in the beginning of the previous century, the prototype presented by Marco Procaccini from MPcardesign is a four-seater sports coupe designed to feature a much missed by Alfa Romeo fans, rear-wheel drive layout.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Friday, January 7, 2011

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

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