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The U.S. spec Mazda 6 looks decidedly different than the European model that debuted last fall at the Frankfurt auto show. (Photo by Brenda Priddy & Company)

DETROIT — Caught by spy photographers in the Detroit area, the red 2009 Mazda 6 looks like a full production-spec model right down to its odd-looking headlights. In the rear, the new Mazda 6 appears to use a pair of exhaust covers like the Lexus IS-F.

Although the 3.7-liter V6 now used in the Mazda CX-9 would make the Mazda 6 one of the more powerful sedans in the segment, a slightly smaller 3.5-liter V6 is the more likely powertrain.

Look for the official debut of the 2009 Mazda 6 in the next few months, with sales beginning this fall.… Read the rest of this entry

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Chrysler started selling the Dodge Caliber (pictured) in China this week alongside the Avenger and Caravan. (Photo courtesy of Chrysler LLC)

SHANGHAI, China — Chrysler LLC is introducing a variety of new models in China, under the Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep brands, in an effort to boost its presence in the world’s second-largest auto market.

The U.S. carmaker plans to launch more than seven vehicles this year to propel brand recognition, according to Ulf Ausprung, general manager of marketing and product management at Chrysler Group (China) Sales.

Chrysler this week began selling the imported Dodge Calibe, with prices starting at $31,950. It joins the imported Dodge Avenger sedan, which went on sale last month, and the Dodge Caravan, which is being assembled in Fuzhou in a joint venture with Fujian Auto and Mitsubishi Motors.

A partnership with Beijing Auto is assembling… Read the rest of this entry

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Package is very user-friendly at under $2,000. (Photo courtesy of SEAT)

MARTORELL, Spain — Seat isn’t satisfied with making one of the quickest hatchbacks in Europe; it has to be pretty as well. The result: the affordable K1 body kit, which makes the outside look as good as the performance feels.

VW’s Spanish subsidiary, Seat, is always looking for new ways to set itself apart from its German counterpart. A sport hatchback is something shared by both brands — VW has the Golf GTI and Seat has the Leon Cupra.

Seat’s K1 body kit dramatically reshapes the Cupra’s front and rear bumpers and side skirts to give the car a sleeker profile. The rear features a K1 trunk badge, a distinctive spoiler and a… Read the rest of this entry

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The little 4-0: German firm Irmscher drops a 473-horsepower V8 into a little Opel GT to commemorate 40 years of tuning magic. (Photo courtesy of Irmscher)

REMSHALDEN, Germany — Irmscher tunes everything from Saabs to Cadillacs, but to celebrate its 40th anniversary the firm decided to do something special: put a really big engine into a really little car. The Opel GT seemed the perfect choice, and so the GTi40 was born.

To the untrained North American eye, the Opel GT may look like a Saturn Sky, and to be fair, they share about 99 percent of their DNA. But only Opel’s version is getting the Irmscher treatment.

The “i” in the GTi40 is a tradition for the company; among its other vehicles are the i120, i130 and i200. The “40″ in this case signifies the company’s 40 years of existence. Five years… Read the rest of this entry

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Nine-time winner of the Bathurst 1000 and three-time Australian Touring Car Champion: Peter Brock’s racing career inspired countless fans. Unfortunately, his legacy also seems to have inspired greed in one eBay seller. (Photo courtesy of drive.com.au)

AUSTRALIA — Peter Brock was a legendary Australian racecar driver with legions of fans before his untimely death in a racing accident in 2006. An Australian Web site now reports that Brock fans are outraged that someone is selling photos of the fatal crash on eBay.

Peter Brock was to Australian racing fans what Dale Earnhardt was to American NASCAR enthusiasts: a larger-than-life racer with stunning driving skills and innumerable trophies to back up his reputation.

He won the Bathurst 1,000 race no fewer than 10 times during his career. Held annually at the famed Mount Panorama Circuit in New South Wales, Australia, the grueling Bathurst… Read the rest of this entry

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No chance that this F430 Spider is a Fiero in Ferrari clothing. This supercar is the real deal. (Photo by Charlie Gray)

PUGLIA, Italy — Italian police have busted numerous body shops throughout Italy for selling what could be the ultimate in counterfeit luxury: fake Ferrari sports cars. A story in The Wall Street Journal reports that the ring operated in a dozen cities, stretching all the way from the Alps down to Sicily.

While fake Gucci sunglasses or some tacky rip-off Rolex might cost as little as $10 to $20, these bogus Ferraris are anything but bargain-basement copies. Each vehicle costs roughly $30,000, and several have already found buyers via the Internet.

Ironically, the majority of these phony Ferraris used the platform and mechanicals of the humble Pontiac Fiero. For those old enough to remember, the Fiero was a cute little two-seater… Read the rest of this entry

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Webasto continues to refine the retractable top with a series of futuristic roof system designs. (Photo courtesy of Webasto)

GENEVA — Webasto, the German roof systems specialist, will unveil its new LigHT concept vehicle next week at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show.

LigHT stands for Light Hybrid Top. What Webasto means by that is an innovative roof system that uses lightweight materials, incorporates a heated rear window and stows on top of the deck, rather than under the deck lid.

Webasto contracted IED Automotive to design a car around the roof system — in this case, a two-seat roadster, said to be inspired by the old Fiat 124 Spider.

The supplier also worked with Munich University’s Faculty of Design to create three quarter-scale models with futuristic roof systems.

What this means to you: Webasto is not nearly as well known… Read the rest of this entry

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Modifications that cut fuel consumption, clockwise from top: aerodynamic improvements to cut Cd to 0.25, including (top right) underbody cladding; a display suggesting the most fuel-efficient times to change gears; modified engines. (Photo courtesy of Mercedes-Benz)

STUTTGART, Germany — Mercedes-Benz has announced that it will market three BlueEFFICIENCY C-Class sedans that will be as much as 12 percent more fuel-efficient than the standard C-Class cars. The cars will debut at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show.

Numerous technological measures are credited for the increased fuel economy, plus lowered weight, better aerodynamics, a “needs-driven” power steering system and more efficient engines.

The most powerful, the C350 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY, has a 292-horsepower V6 with Mercedes’ second-generation spray-guided direct injection that gets 28 mpg using premium gasoline — and goes from zero to 60 mph in less than 6.2 seconds.

The fuel economy gets better… Read the rest of this entry

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Led Zepher is a shining example of the great man’s artistry. (Photo courtesy of BoydCoddington.com)

LA HABRA, California — Boyd Coddington, the star of the TV show American Hot Rod and a central figure in hot-rod culture, died this morning at age 63. He had been hospitalized in early January after a fall at home and had been recovering. The cause of his death was not immediately announced.

“His mental and physical burners have been on full-bore from Day One,” enthuses the Discovery Channel Web site for his TV show. Coddington grew up in rural Idaho and opened his first shop in California during the turbulent late 1960s. He is credited for creating a “new aesthetic” in customization and recognized for his genius in machining billet aluminum.

Boyd’s special projects are too many to list, but he is especially noted for the 1980s Cadzzilla,… Read the rest of this entry

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Still has those remarkable Audi TT looks, though. (Photo courtesy of Audi USA)

INGOLSTADT, Germany — After showing a diesel concept of its R8 supercar in Detroit, Audi is bringing diesel to the sports-car market with the TT 2.0 TDI. Audi claims to have the first diesel sports car with its unique package that combines the TT’s iconic sloping roof line and respected handling with a fuel-sipping engine.

Making 170 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, the diesel TT isn’t exactly a rocket. The coupe is capable of reaching 60 mph in less than 7.5 seconds and hitting a top speed of 140 mph, while the convertible is slightly slower. The diesel’s standout stats don’t come from performance, but efficiency. Both coupe and convertible average more than 42 mpg.

Due to the engine’s torque output, all diesel TTs will come equipped with Audi’s Quattro… Read the rest of this entry