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SSC
Ultimate Aero EV claims 200 mile-range, 10 minute recharging
 The
Ultimate Aero EV will feature SSC's newly developed package called
the All-Electric Scalable Powertrain (AESP). The system utilizes
a lithium battery pack with the ability to charge via a 110-volt
outlet in only 10 minutes. The pack, SSC maintains, provides a
150-200 mile range. The Ultimate Aero EV will combine this juice
storage with a pair of 500 horsepower electric motors to achieve
these claims. It all certainly comes off as a hard pill to swallow...
More
info
2010
Mercedes-Benz E-Class gets AMG sports package
 For
those more interested in the way their car looks or goes around
corners than how fast it accelerates, Mercedes-Benz has announced
an AMG sports package that will be optional with any powerplant
available for the new 2010 E-Class hitting European showrooms
in March. Exact pricing depends on the engine chosen and will
start at around 3,000 Euros (around $3900 USD). For that sum,
the buyer gets a unique set of aprons along with side skirts and
18-inch AMG alloy wheels. More
info
Chrysler
and Fiat announce partnership
 Chrysler
announced this morning that the beleaguered automaker has entered
into a global strategic alliance with Fiat SpA, giving both companies
access to each others' products and markets. Fiat will also lend
a hand in developing a business plan to present to the US Treasury;
bringing to bear experience gained through the Italian auto giant's
own restructuring. Overnight, Chrysler gets access to a range
of small, fuel-efficient cars that are nothing like what is currently
offered in Pentastar showrooms.Fiat's engineering will be ported
over to some Chrysler manufacturing sites, keeping the plants
busy and offering both brands ample capacity for the parts they
will need to build cars. More
info
Lexus
recalling 214,500 GS, IS, and LS models
 Toyota
is recalling around 214,500 2006-2008 GS300/350, IS250/350 and
LS460/460L sedans over potentially faulty fuel delivery pipes.
The Japanese automaker is working with NHTSA on the US recall,
which centers around fuel pipes that can corrode, eventually resulting
in a leak. The problem reportedly stems from certain ethanol fuels
with low moisture content that can lead to rust, occasionally
(but not always) triggering a dashboard indicator lamp indicating
a system malfunction. More
info
Pagani
Zonda R officially unveiled in Vienna
 The
Pagani Zonda did something incredible. It proved that the supercar
world did not revolve around Ferrari and Lamborghini. So to commemorate
Horacio Pagani's achievement, the hypercarmaker has created one
last version of the Zonda before its replacement arrives next
year.After 24 months of development, and at the urging of an unnamed
Italo-American customer that already owns three Zondas, the Pagani
Zonda R was created as a lightweight, track-only variant of the
iconic coupe. Production is limited to ten examples with a price
tag of 1.4-million euro. More
info
Officially
Official: Cadillac introduces the new presidential limo
 With
fuzzy spy photos of the new presidential limo out in the open
and Obama's inauguration less than a week away, Cadillac has finally
released official photos of the Command-In-Chief's new ride. As
expected, the new limo inherits Cadillac's current front- and
rear-end design cues, but the overused fender vents on civilian
Caddies are notably -- and thankfully -- absent. The back compartment
where our new CIC sits is equipped with all the communications
gear needed to stay in touch, and while we're picturing a few
LCD screens, lots of buttons and a big red phone that silently
rises from the center console, all we can do is imagine. More
info
Jaguar
XFR arrives early
 Jaguar
XFR and reveal some juicy info on the British brand's new top
cat. Set to go head-to-head with the big dogs in the high-performance
luxury sedan segment, the XFR draws its motive force from a new
version of Jaguar's AJV8 that's larger at 5.0 liters of displacement
and supercharged to produce 510 bhp and 460 lb-ft of torque. That's
good for a 0-60 mph run of just 4.7 seconds and a electronically
limited top speed of 155 mph.The XFR is also fitted with new 20-inch
Nevis alloy wheels and larger brakes with calipers bearing the
"R" logo. More
info
Nissan
GT-R SpecV: Details, live images and video
 Nissan's
press release on the GT-R SpecV left a lot of unanswered questions,
particularly the geeky tidbits that we thrive on. So with the
help of our friends at the GTRBlog, who were on hand for the unveiling
in Japan, and a few of our super-secret sources abroad, we were
able to scrounge up some of the more salient details on Nissan's
upgraded Godzilla. To begin with, Nissan maintains that the GT-R
SpecV is aimed at the discerning enthusiast, the same kind of
buyer that would pass up the Porsche 911 GT3 for the RS variant.
More
info, video & pictures
Yet
another special-edition Bugatti Veyron spotted in Dubai
 All
Bugatti Veyrons are special, but some are most special than others.
After seeing the seemingly endless parade of special editions
of this most exclusive of supercar, George Orwell would have revised
his work. Now, following the Sang Noir, Pur Sang, Fbg by Hermes,
Grand Sport, a rumored Grand Sport Sang Noir, the Pegaso, a mirror-finish
example and even the aftermarket Mansory Vincero, come these snapshots
of yet another special edition Veyron. More
info & pictures
Porsche
Panamera to officially debut at Shanghai show in April
 Underscoring
the continued importance that automakers are placing on the Chinese
market (especially in this difficult economic environment), Porsche
has made it official that the new Panamera will debut in the Middle
Kingdom in April. Porsche's new four door hatchback coupe/sedan
gran turismo thingy will get its first public showing at the Shanghai
Motor Show from April 20-28. In spite of its controversial looks,
the Panamera should not be wanting for performance. Direct injected
engines ranging from the Volkswagen 3.6-liter V6 up to 500 horsepower
turbo V8 from the Cayenne will be available. More
info
2010
Cadillac SRX reborn
 Almost
exactly a year after revealing the Provoq Concept, Cadillac is
debuting the redesigned 2010 SRX wearing essentially the same
suit of clothes. At that time, the Provoq was thought to be a
preview of a new smaller crossover called the BRX, but Cadillac
informed us last summer that the "BRX" was actually
the all-new SRX. We'll be seeing the new SRX in production form
at the Detroit Auto Show, and while automakers often throw the
term "all-new" around, in this case it really seems
to apply. More
info & pictures
2009
Mercedes-Benz CLS Grand Edition
 The
Mercedes-Benz CLS is due for a refresh within the next two years,
but before M-B releases an all-new version of its pioneering and
often imitated four-door "coupe," at least one special
edition is in order. The 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLS Grand Edition
features a set of bi-xenon headlamps, with an integrated cleaning
and range adjustment system, along with fog lamps that swivel
with the steering wheel to illuminate around the bend. AMG provides
a set of 18-inch, five-spoke wheels coated in titanium grey and
wrapped in 245/40 (front) and... More
info
Honda
Zest gets extra Spark
 Honda
apparently decided that its home-market Zest Sports wasn't zesty
enough. Away it went to the plastic surgeon for a freshened look
with more flavor. The result is the Zest Spark. Instead of basically
carrying over the base Zest's vanilla look up front, the Spark
gets a new fascia with a V-shaped grille/lights combo hovering
above the car's big, flat bumper. 660cc NA and turbo kei-spec
engines reside underhood. More
info
Rolls-Royce
does another special edition Phantom, this time in Sapphire
 The
bespoke department at Rolls-Royce has come up with another special
edition Phantom to go along with the already released Phantom
Pearl, Phantom Silver, and Phantom Tungsten. This one is the Phantom
Sapphire, and unlike its rarefied stablemates, it gets built on
the long wheelbase spaceframe.More
info
Reiter
Engineering builds Gallardo GT3 for the street
 Turning
road cars into race cars and then back into road cars seems to
be Reiter Engineering's new specialty. The factory-supported Lamborghini
race team, which also recently built a street-legal variant of
their Murcielago R-GT that competes in the FIA GT1 and European
Le Mans Series, is now offering a road version of their Gallardo
GT3 racecar. Based off the standard Gallardo with the 5.0L V10,
the "Strada".... More
info
BMW
announces pricing for 2009 7 Series, raises prices on everything
else
 The
latest iteration of BMW's all-singing, all-dancing plutocrat limo
will roll out the door starting at $81,125. That sum will get
buyers the 2009 750i (including $825 for destination charges),
but those who are looking for a bit more legroom in back will
have to pay $85,025 for the 750Li. Production for these models
began last month, but don't expect to see them on the forecourts
of your local BMW Center until later this spring.More
info
Mansory
builds mysterious Bugatti Veyron Vincero
 We're
convinced the Bugatti Veyron has to have the highest ratio of
variants per total production -- Ford Mustang included. There's
the Sang Noir, a first and second version of the Hermes, Pur Sang,
Grand Sport, and now the Vincero built by Mansory. Not much is
known about the car since no information is listed on the Swiss
tuner's web site, but United Arab Emirates exotic car dealer Prestige
Cars has posted the car for sale, listing it as one of three built.
More
info & pictures
Audi
Prices A6/S6 starting at $45,100/$75,900
 Audi's
upgraded A6 and S6 are scheduled to hit US dealerships in January,
and the four-ringed midsize sedan has new pricing to match its
upgraded powertrains. The A6 3.2 premium stars at $45,100, a price
bump of over $2,000 over the 2008 model. The newest member of
the A6 family, which comes with a 300 hp supercharged 3.0L V6
and standard quattro AWD, starts at $53,310. That's $3,000 less
than the starting price of the previous generation 4.2L V8, which
packed more punch at 350 hp, but the 3.0T fights back with more
low-end grunt and far better fuel economy. More
info
First
Drive: 2009 Nissan 370Z
 The
moment the first batch of Z spy shots surfaced, it was obvious
that Nissan's sports car was on its way back from the gym. The
coupe was wider, shorter and more sculpted. Although the Z's overall
length has been shortened by 2.7 inches, the wheelbase cut by
3.9 inches and a set of aluminum doors join an aluminum hood and
hatch, Nissan has only managed to shave 95 pounds from the curb
weight of the standard model. More
info & Pictures
Updated
SSC Ultimate Aero boasts 1287 hp, claimed top speed of 270 mph
 After
taking the Guinness-verified top speed world record, SSC has revamped
the Ultimate Aero for 2009 to make it more powerful, more aerodynamic,
and even faster. We thought the 2008 model had plenty of horsepower
with 1183 ponies underneath the hood, but SSC has increased that
number to 1287 courtesy of a new one-piece billet aluminum engine
block that improves structural integrity and oiling capabilities.
More
info
Detroit
'09 Preview: Volvo S60 Concept
 Next
month in Detroit, the Volvo S60 Concept will serve up a teaser
for the 2010 production sedan that'll likely debut later in the
show season. The S60 Concept demonstrates that Volvo's new sedan
will ditch the rather conservative duds it currently wears in
favor of a new, much more aggressive visual ensemble. Profile
views show off a coupe-ish roofline, while pointed headlights
extend back onto the fenders and flank a reshaped, more detailed
grille up front...More
info & Pictures
Officially
Official: 2010 BMW Z4
 BMW
will unveil the all-new Z4 roadster at the Detroit Auto Show next
month, but there's no need to wait for the show in Motown to see
the car in non-spyshot form, as all the Euro-spec details were
officially released when the clock struck midnight in Munich.
We're into the new bodywork, which is pretty voluptuous compared
to the preceding model, with a hint of 507 lineage evident in
the car's lines.Up front, wide double-kidney grilles establish
an aggressive face. Out back, the tail is cleaner and more elegant
than the current car's, featuring simpler...More
info & Pictures
Aston
Martin offers power upgrades to last-gen V8 Vantages
 If
you're a 2005-2008 Aston Martin V8 Vantage owner, you may have
wished you'd held out for the 2009 model which benefits from an
extra 0.4-liters of displacement (up from 4.3- to 4.7-liters)
and gains an extra 40 hp and 45 lb-ft of torque, along with some
revised suspension tuning. The crew at Gaydon feels your pain
and has begun offering a new performance package for the 4.3-liter
model. The kit includes a new induction system originally developed
for the DBS that features a pair of toggling airbox valves that
open at 5,500 rpm to bring more air into the engine. More
info
Top
10 Most Stolen Vehicles in 2008
Ten Most Stolen Vehicles:
1. Cadillac Escalade ESV
2. Ford F-250 SuperCrew
3. Cadillac Escalade
4. Dodge Charger
5. Ford F-350 SuperCrew
6. Hummer H2 SUT
7. Dodge Magnum
8. Hummer H2
9. Dodge Durango
10. Honda S2000 convertible
2010
Mercedes E-Class - official image leaked
Now it’s official, the future E-Class sedan will take some cues
from its S-Class big brother. This includes a sleeker body than
the current model, with harder crease lines and a slightly rising
rear-end.A correction from the earlier post has the E-Class sedan
premiering at the Detroit Auto Show in January, the coupe bowing
at the Geneva Show in March. Mercedes to offer a wide variety
of V6 and V8 engines, including a 525 hp 6.3-liter V8 for the
E63 AMG model.
Audi
R8 V10 5.2 FSI quattro unveiled ahead of Detroit (new official
images)
 For
those who still have sufficient cash-flow to purchase high end
sports cars, the latest and greatest remains a must. In keeping
with that reality, Audi is cranking up the juice on its flagship
R8 sports car with the introduction of the R8 V10 5.2 FSI quattro,
which got an early reveal on the web today. The R8 shares some
less visible bits with its corporate cousin, the Lamborghini Gallardo,
but until now the Lambo's V10 engine has remained exclusive to
the Italian side of the family. More
info & Pictures
Mercedes
considering two-seat roadster based on the A-Class
 As
goes Volkswagen and BMW, so goes Mercedes. Since VW/Audi are going
to make a small roadster and BMW is toying with the idea of a
Z2, Mercedes doesn’t want to be left out, and is exploring the
idea of making its own roadster based on the A-Class. Mercedes
already has a few design studies to work from, and it’s looking
back to the SLA concept from the Detroit Auto Show in 2000. "It
is part of the regular new-model review at Mercedes-Benz to look
at ideas from the past," a senior Mercedes-Benz official
told AutoWeek. "When the SLA was originally proposed at the
end of the last decade, we didn’t have a suitable platform; the
sandwich platform is too high and too heavy. More
info
Nissan
unveils NV2500 light commercial vehicle concept
 Today
at the Nissan Technical Center in Farmington Hills, MI, Nissan
revealed its new NV2500 concept commercial van. The NV2500 is
a preview of its upcoming light commercial vehicle that will debut
in 2010. The NV2500 will be taking the place of the Titan pickup
at the company's Canton, MS assembly plant and take Nissan into
a new market segment in North America. Nissan's Communications
VP Alan Buddendeck explained that the automaker competes in the
commercial vehicle market around the world and wants to round
that out with North America. More
info
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