2011 Audi A8 revealed amidst the stars at Design Miami 2009

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Filed under: Sedan , Audi , Celebrities , Design/Style , Luxury 2011 Audi A8 – Click above for high-res image gallery We’ve just returned from the Audi A8 world premiere here at Miami’s star-studded Design Week, and we’ve got a slew of images of the new range-topping sedan. More evolutionary than revolutionary in style, the new wundersedan is nevertheless an impressive looking piece with the visual charisma to go toe-to-toe with the celebrities that filed in to fawn over its broad shoulders. Despite the clear heritage link to the outgoing model, there are a number of new technologies under the skin that represent firsts for the brand, including full LED headlamps that adjust their direction and throw based on the navigation system, a new development of MMI that includes a handwriting recognition feature, and an updated 4.2-liter FSI V8 engine with more power (372 horses) and an eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox

VIDEO: The Mustang skates in latest episode of Unleashed

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Filed under: Coupe , Performance , Videos , Ford 2010 Mustang Unleashed Session – Click above to watch the video after the break Though we all owned skateboards in our younger years, we can admit that we were never really any good at riding them. That doesn’t mean we didn’t fantasize about all the great stunts we wished we could perform.

Essen 2009: 1,050-hp 1956 Mercedes Gullwing drag car

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Filed under: Motorsports , Mercedes-Benz , Misc. Auto Shows , Specialty Gullwing dragster – Click above for high-res image gallery This ungainly little creature had an area all to itself at this year’s Essen Motor Show

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 11.30.09

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Volt charges toward production 2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery Three years ago this December we first walked into a Manhattan conference room for a background briefing on a new concept being…

REPORT: Tata Motors back in the black as Jaguar/Land Rover fortunes improve

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Filed under: Sedan , Performance , SUV , Jaguar , Land Rover , India , Tata , Luxury , Off-Road While many confusing car-related things have happened in the upper strata of the Autoverse over the last few years (Aston Martin and Ferrari both being impart owned by Middle Eastern concerns, Aston Martin not being bankrupt) perhaps the most shocking and disconcerting was Ford’s sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to India’s Tata. To many, the scheme seemed doomed from the get go and after a couple cash-hemorrhaging quarters coupled to the recent recession, the naysayers appeared right. Turns out, Tata can say nay to the naysayers as its two prestige/luxury brands just turned a profit.

Not-so-shocking admission: Zap kills Xebra, slows development of Alias

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Filed under: Budget , Specialty , Electric Our sleuthing colleagues over at The Truth About Cars have dissected electric car maker Zap’s latest 10-Q filing , and they unearthed the following little tidbit: “The decrease of $1.5 million (in revenue) is primarily due to the phase out of our three wheeled Xebra vehicle with reduced selling prices.” We can’t say that we’re particularly shocked that Zap has found it difficult to continue moving its little three-wheeled Xebra contraption, especially with discretionary spending money in such short supply these days and reasonably-priced hybrids flooding the used car market. Perhaps even more damning for Zap, though, is the admission that it is doing “less work on the development of the Alias prototype vehicle .” Whatever the future has in store for Zap in 2010 and beyond, one thing is for sure: there will be no shortage of press releases to let us all know what’s (supposedly) going on behind closed doors

Thunderstorm M3 with up to 500hp Presented by ATT

Monday, November 30th, 2009

ATT presents this tuned the BMW M3 Convertible-based Thunderstorm M3. A compressor system, among others, was used to get 500hp from it.

REPORT: Audi intent on keeping upcoming A1 premium

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Filed under: Hatchback , Audi , Luxury Audi A1 Sportback concept – Click above for high-res image gallery After watching from the sidelines for years as arch-rival BMW found success with the Mini brand, Audi is finally gearing up to jump into the scrum with the new A1. But unlike the Mini One (which slots below the Cooper in overseas markets), Audi doesn’t intend to target the budget market. Instead, the new A1 will take aim directly at the Mini Cooper.

All New 2011 Audi A8 Revealed – 87 Photos, Initial Details and Video Updated

Monday, November 30th, 2009

All New Audi A8 Live Reveal – Watch Now

Monday, November 30th, 2009