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Preview: ALMS at Laguna Seca
Sat, 18 Oct 2008 18:27:00 EST
Filed under: MotorsportsClick above for a high resolution gallery
As part of the final leg of the Audi Mileage Marathon, we made a stop today at Laguna Seca in Monterey for the final ALMS race of the season. Acura was the top story yesterday, taking the two overall top spots with David Brabham capturing pole followed by Luiz Diaz in the Lowe's Fernandez Racing entry. Audi was the fastest of the LMP1 cars, although qualifying a disappointing 9th overall. In GT2, Dirk Werner took the top spot in the Farnbacher Loles Racing Porsche GT3 RSR, making Porsche the favorite to win the overall manufacturers' championship for the season. The Ferraris will have to win the race and have Porsche finish no better than sixth to take the points lead. Finally, in GT1 it was only the two sister Corvettes battling for position, with Jan Magnussen claiming the faster time. The race is scheduled to run today from 2:45 to 6:45 PM PST, and you can watch the race tomorrow on NBC from 2:00 PM to 4 PM EST. In case you miss it, we'll have plenty of pics from the race, and in the mean time you can view our photos from the practice session today in the gallery below.
Gallery: 2008 ALMS at Laguna Seca - PracticeAll photos Copyright (C)2008 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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SEMA Preview: Toyota Venza Sportlux by Street Image
Sat, 18 Oct 2008 16:55:00 EST
Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA, Tuners, Crossovers/CUVs, ToyotaToyota's SEMAfied Venzas won't stop, even if we ask nicely. The second modified don't-call-it-a-Camry wagon comes courtesy of Street Image, which will bring the SportLux Venza "performance show car" to SEMA. A contradiction in terms if we've ever heard it.According to Toyota PR, the SportLux is a model that could be offered as a factory tuner, complete with six-piece body kit, spoiler, custom grille and, of course, a hood scoop.Thankfully, Street Image's blood, sweat and tears didn't stop with the body, so a TRD supercharger has been fitted to the engine (although no power figures were divulged), sending the additional grunt to four, 24-inch Chrome Cognac No 20 wheels (seriously), suspended by a set of custom coilovers. The same brakes fitted to the Five Axis vehicle appear on the SportLux, and in keeping with the "Lux" part of its name, black suede covers the roof, sunvisors, pillars and trunk, along with a black and burgundy leather interior, accent lighting and color matched trim. An Eclipse AVN6620 sound system with a 7-inch TFT display churns out 2,500 watts of only the finest Michael Bolton.Hit the jump to read the press release and expect more from the show floor in a few weeks.[Source: Toyota | Image: Jalopnik]Continue reading SEMA Preview: Toyota Venza Sportlux by Street ImagePermalink | Email this | Comments
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VIDEO: Alonso vs. Kubica... in karts
Sat, 18 Oct 2008 15:34:00 EST
Filed under: Motorsports, Videos
Click above to view the video
Looks like Fernando Alonso and Robert Kubica didn't get enough head-to-head racing action last week in Japan. The first and second place finishers in Fuji decided to go at it once again when the pair reached this week's F1 stop in Shanghai. Rather than risk their multi-million dollar F1 race cars, and quite possibly their careers, the two opted to hit the local kart track instead. Alonso probably has a weight advantage in this scenario, but that shouldn't take away from his mad driving skillz. Watch the non-English video after the jump to see how it turned out and stick around for the victory lap. You'll get a chance to see the some of the best donuts you'll ever witness.[Source: F1 Fanatic]Continue reading VIDEO: Alonso vs. Kubica... in kartsRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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eBay Find of the Day: Ferrari + NSX = Ferracura 360 NSX
Sat, 18 Oct 2008 13:58:00 EST
Filed under: Sports/GTs, Auction Action, Supercars, Acura, Ferrari
Click above for gallery of this Frankencar
Up for grabs and with 56 bids registered bids, we have eBay item number: 270287784055. The lucky top bidder gets a Ferrari 360 Modena and an Acura NSX, but only needs one parking spot. The product description explains the impossible, while almost making this thing sound appealing. "The best parts of both cars were used to build an exclusive new vehicle. The appearance comes from the Ferrari 360 Modena, the quality and reliability from [a] Honda NSX... this is definitely no comparison to the Toyota MR2, Peugeot 306, or Pontiac Fierro [sic] conversions..."So you get a 94,000 km, 300 hp, Acura NSX with a custom body and interior that make it look something like a Ferrari 360. Lighter, more reliable, and cheaper to maintain than a Ferrari, presumably more lust-worthy than a stock-bodied NSX, and all for just EUR 25,500.While the front and rear views might make you think it's a real Ferrari at first glance, that NSX greenhouse makes any other angle a dead giveaway. The builder didn't do a bad job, but it's just another project that has us scratching our heads and asking, "Why?" It's in Zurich, Switzerland if you're interested. Thanks for the tip, Emanuel!Gallery: Ferracura 360 NSX[Source: eBay Motors]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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LA Preview: 204-hp lithium battery-powered MINI E revealed!
Sat, 18 Oct 2008 12:24:00 EST
Filed under: LA Auto Show, Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Hatchbacks, MINI
Click above for high-res gallery of the MINI E
BMW has finally unleashed some information and photos of the much anticipated MINI E set to debut next month at the LA Auto Show. For those who haven't been paying attention, late last spring BMW announced plans to build and lease a fleet of 500 battery powered MINIs starting sometime in 2009. The front wheels of the MINI E receive torque through a single speed gearbox from a 204 hp, 162 lb-ft electric motor. Those numbers are rather unusual for an electric drive system which usually has much more torque. Nonetheless, the MINI E can hustle to 62 mph in 8.5 seconds and, according to BMW, can cover about 150 miles on a full charge of its lithium ion battery pack. Anyone who has driven a MINI knows that the back seat is for small kids or occasional use only. For the purposes of this electric version, that is no longer an issue as that area has been completely consumed by the battery pack. The pack itself has a capacity of 35 kWh and judging by the description the company has used a similar set up to the Tesla Roadster. Instead of larger cells specifically designed for automotive applications, this pack uses 5,088 cells arranged in 48 modules. As always, charging time depends on the current and voltage of the outlet the car is plugged into. MINI will be supplying a high current charging station with the cars that can be installed in the driver's garage to facilitate quicker charges, providing a full charge in 2.5 hours. The regenerative braking system can provide three-quarters of the braking requirements when running in urban stop and go driving. Aside from the battery pack replacing the rear seat and the yellow trim, the main change inside is a battery meter that replaces the tachometer in front of the driver. BMW will be leasing the 500 cars to commercial and private customers in California, New York and New Jersey starting early next year. They may eventually expand the program to Europe as well.Gallery: MINI E[Source: MINI]Continue reading LA Preview: 204-hp lithium battery-powered MINI E revealed!Permalink | Email this | Comments
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SEMA Spy Shots: RKSport Hyundai Genesis
Sat, 18 Oct 2008 11:02:00 EST
Filed under: Concept Cars, Tuners, Sedans/Saloons, Hyundai
Click above for a gallery of the Hyundai-RKSport Genesis concept sedan
One of our faithful readers was hanging out a gas station not far from our Detroit offices when he spotted what was clearly a new Hyundai Genesis sedan getting a fill up.Now seeing Genesis sedans and other Hyundais in various states of camouflage is not out of the ordinary in these parts over since the Hyundai-Kia America Technical Center Inc. (HATCI) is in the area. This particular Genesis is something a little different though. Notice those indentations in the hood and missing bits of trim? A little digging revealed that this is in fact the car that is being developed in cooperation with RKSport for the SEMA Show in Las Vegas this November.RKSport is working on body and suspension modifications for the car, while the engineers at HATCI are working on engine mods. We don't know which engine will be under the hood, although the words "powertrain boosting" were heard from a source. Judging from what looks like a pattern for cutouts in the hood, a turbocharged or supercharged engine seems a possibility. Our article mentions an enhanced version of the 4.6L Tau V8, however, a pressurized version of the 3.8L Lambda V6 isn't out of the question either. We'll find out soon enough.Gallery: Spy Pics: RKSport Hyundai GenesisRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Audi employs fleet of snow plows to make a point
Sat, 18 Oct 2008 09:28:00 EST
Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Audi
Click above to enlarge the Audi-sponsored snow plows
Thanks to an alert reader, we have a good look at Audi's most recent advertising campaign in Toronto. It's a bit odd, but extremely unique, involving snow plows and huge signs proclaiming that "Winter is Coming." Indeed it is, and depending on where you live, winter could potentially put an end to your driving fun. As you're surely aware, though, one of Audi's selling points is its Quattro all-wheel drive system, which aids in traction over a variety of surfaces, including snow. According to our tipster, this particular stunt proved successful in that it definitely grabs attention, "People were putting down their Starbucks so you know it has to be a good ad campaign," says our man on the streets of Toronto. For what it's worth, this appears to be the second year in a row that Audi has used this advertising campaign. Thanks for the tip, Dylan!Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Ford to sell Mazda shares to insurers?
Sat, 18 Oct 2008 07:58:00 EST
Filed under: Ford, MazdaWhile GM is being swamped with the persistent rumors surrounding the addition/dissolution of Chrysler, Ford's rumor mill has been heading in the complete opposite direction. It appears Volvo is on the way out of Dearborn, but Mazda may be sneaking through the exit first. Recent reports since disputed by Mazda have Ford selling off a portion of its 33.4% stake in the Japanese automaker, which means the Blue Oval would lose majority ownership status. The Nikkei daily in Japan has been all over the Ford/Mazda story, and the latest news involves selling 20% of Mazda to 20 Japanese firms including some insurance companies, leaving Ford with a stake of around 13%. Ford is allegedly unwilling to sell the shares to its competition, so splitting the Mazda shares in 20 small chunks makes picking up all the shares difficult. Besides five insurance companies, parts maker Denso, steel companies, and trading companies are also rumored to be taking part in the purchase. The price of 1% Mazda ownership is in the neighborhood of $40 million, and the total sale could approach $1 billion. Japanese media is reporting that any deal could be announced next month, and neither Mazda or Ford are saying a word at this point.[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Cerberus attempting to buy remaining stake in Chrysler from Daimler
Fri, 17 Oct 2008 19:58:00 EST
Filed under: Chrysler, LLC., GMOne aspect of the possible GM/Chrysler merger often overlooked is that Daimler didn't completely divest itself of its Chrysler ownership back in early 2007, and the German automaker's 19.9% stake could get in the way of any deal. Daimler has been clear that it is disinterested in becoming part of some Detroit super conglomerate, and Automotive News is reporting that Cerberus is close to a deal to buy up the remaining 19.9% stake. Also part of the rumor mill is possible involvement with Renault/Nissan, which has been actively working with Chrysler on collaboration projects in the past year.According to CNBC, the merger of GM and Chrysler could be complete within the next two weeks, but with neither of the two parties talking, it's all speculation at this point. Recent reports from the Wall St. Journal and CNN say that talks are rapidly accelerating, so there could be more to Chrysler/GM talks than we'd originally thought. Then again, the Internets have been wrong before.[Source: Automotive News subs req'd]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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SEMA Preview: Toyota Venza AS V by Five Axis
Fri, 17 Oct 2008 19:28:00 EST
Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA, Tuners, Crossovers/CUVs, ToyotaToyota gave a sneak peak of its two tuned Venzas ahead of their unveiling at SEMA, and the first, designed and executed by Five Axis, is an attempt to portrait the jacked-up wagon as the go-to vehicle for active lifestyle types.The Venza AS V (Active Sports Versatility) features a custom body kit, Five Axis-designed AD R6:F_SPEC 20x10.5-inch deep dish wheels wrapped in Yokohama Advan ST tires (305/45s all around), TRD big brakes with six-piston calipers gripping 15-inch discs up front and four-piston calipers clamping 13.6-inch rotors in the rear, along with a custom rear cargo unit and a Magna Car Top cargo lifter mounted on the rear bumper.All the details are in the press release below the fold and expect more live images to follow in a few weeks.[Source: Toyota | Image: Jalopnik]Continue reading SEMA Preview: Toyota Venza AS V by Five AxisPermalink | Email this | Comments
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