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Audi Scales Back Production
Photos
The other plant, in Neckarsulm, builds the R8 (pictured), as well as other Audi models. (Photo courtesy of Audi USA)
INGOLSTADT, Germany — Saying that it \”will not be able to permanently elude the negative impact of the current financial crisis,\” Audi has announced that it will cut production at its plants in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm in late February.
\”The overall demand in some major markets has dropped so drastically, especially in the last few weeks, that we\’ve been forced to act,\” said Werner Widuckel, member of the board of management for human resources at Audi AG, in a statement. \”This is our way of reacting to the… Read the rest of this entry
World Car of the Year Finalists Revealed
General Motors Explains How Opel Ampera and Chevrolet Volt Differ
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Frank Weber, GM\’s Volt/Ampera vehicle line executive, is blogging about the similarities and differences between the two electric cars. (Photo courtesy of General Motors Corporation)
DETROIT — It\’s a \”tall task\” to address the inevitable comparisons between the Chevrolet Volt and its European sibling, the Opel Ampera, said Frank Weber, General Motors\’ global vehicle line executive for the two vehicles, on the GM FastLane blog on Tuesday. But he reassured the curious that the two vehicles are bound for the real world and that the Opel Ampera \”will be true to its roots.\”
Weber hustled to provide the brief tutorial on the Volt and the Ampera… Read the rest of this entry
Mercedes gets hip, adds pelvic airbags to the mix
When we showed you the new 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class at the Detroit Auto Show, we mentioned that it had an amazing 11 airbags. What we missed in the press release was that one of those bags was a pelvic airbag. Kicking Tires caught that little nugget and dug up the backstory. The Mercedes pelvic airbag seems to be an industry first, and as such, one that deserves its own mention. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says they don\’t know of any other pelvic bags in use, but they do point out that some regular side airbags appear to be large enough to cover the pelvic area.
As you may know, traditional side airbags have been around for some time. Most are seat-mounted and generally only cover the upper torso. These new pelvic airbags are also mounted in… Read the rest of this entry
Battle of the Auto__s: Jaguar supercar rumors refuted
A couple of weeks back we reported on an ongoing debate between British automotive sites Autocar and AutoExpress over the emergence of a new Jaguar sportscar. While the former reported that Jaguar was to supplement the existing XK line with a smaller variant, likely named XE, the latter issued claims that the new model would be positioned above the XK with an engine placed behind. A third source, AutoWeek, has now thrown its hat into the ring, refuting AutoExpress\’ supercar reports and running instead with Autocar\’s idea of a smaller sportscar.
According to AutoWeek\’s man in the UK, rumors of a successor to the XJ220 are purely fantastical speculation, citing unnamed inside sources while noting quite rationally that something closer to the Porsche Boxster would make more business sense than a supercar in the Audi R8 mold. Who\’ll be vindicated in the Battle of the Auto___s? Time will… Read the rest of this entry
The Sound of Music: Porsche offers new exhaust on 911
Premium sportscar buyers expect their exotic machinery to sound as good as it looks and goes. Few automakers recognize this as well as Porsche, which has announced the availability of a new variable exhaust system for its mainstay 911 range.
The new sports exhaust, with a pair of dual exhaust tips protruding from beneath the car\’s tail, is adjustable from inside the cabin, varying the exhaust note according to engine load and speed. The system will be available from April on the latest 911 Carrera and Targa 4 for a $2500 premium, and can be retrofitted to existing models as well. Follow the jump for the full press release.
[Source: Porsche]
PRESS RELEASE
Powerful Sound at the Touch of a Button
New Sports Exhaust System for the Porsche 911 Carrera and Targa 4
Stuttgart . The engineers of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart,… Read the rest of this entry
Harley-Davidson introduces Sportster Iron 883
Sales of Harley-Davidson\’s line of Big Twin motorcycles have taken an unfortunate nosedive as of late, a fact directly attributable to the current recession here in the United States. Most new motorcycles, especially those costing as much as some small cars, are discretionary purchases, so HD is understandably working hard on new models with a lower price point, the latest of which is the Iron 883. This new bike enters HD\’s Dark Custom series and is therefore completely blacked-out. Available colors are Black Denim and Brilliant Silver Denim, both of which feature a distinctive matte finish that\’s perfect for their design ethos.
This new steed is based on the entry-level Sportster platform and starts at $7,899, which is a full $2,000 cheaper than its larger sibling, the Nightster 1200. The two Sportsers share the same basic design, including a slammed suspension complete with front fork gaiters, solo… Read the rest of this entry
LusoMotors LM23 rolling prototype ready for its closeup
Last July, we told you about the latest rolling homage introduced by Portuguese car design and development house LusoMotors. While our previous post featured a gallery of naked chassis and finished product renderings, we now have pics of the rolling prototype. Dubbed the LM23, this bathtub racer is nothing sort of an updated Lotus 23B for the street. Well, it is likely to spend more time on the track, but it is ostensibly streetable.
Set to go head-to-head with cars like the Ariel Atom, Radical SR3, KTM X-Bow, Brooks Double R, et al, this featherweight flyer features a steel tube frame chassis under its shapely foam-sandwich metal body. Track-ready details include inboard-mounted coilovers and brakes, plus an integrated roll bar.
This first roller is powered by a 150-horsepower, 1.0-liter Honda CBR1000 engine mated to a six-speed sequential transmission. Weighing just 881 pounds, 150 hp should be more… Read the rest of this entry
Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI
The way Volkswagen talks up the $42,800 Touareg V6 TDI, you\’d almost think it was the ninja of SUVs: a single package with so many highly developed capabilities that its gas-engined foes are annihilated and left on the side of the road with ninja shuriken lodged in their tailgates before they even realize they\’ve been outdone. The engine alone promises reduced fuel consumption, fewer emissions, more power, more torque, better responsiveness and quiet progress. The only questions then are: Does it deliver and will anyone buy it? We took it for a spin to find out. Follow the jump for the story.
Gallery:First Drive: 2009 Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI
On The Rocks: HUMMER H2 production suspended
General Motors and AM General have announced that 200 workers at the Mishawaka, Indiana, plant where the HUMMER H2 and military versions of the HMMWV are assembled will be temporarily laid off until at least March. All of the affected workers assemble civilian HUMMERS, though it\’s rumored that the company may move some of these displaced employees to the military side of the operation.
This round of cuts can be attributed to slow sales of large, fuel-thirsty SUVs in general and the aging H2 in particular. AM General spokesperson Craig Mac Nab was quoted as saying, \”Nobody knows what\’s going to happen with the H2 plant.\” In fact, nobody at either company is talking about when these employees may be called back or when H2 production will resume, leading some of us to wonder if it will pick back up at all. Thanks for the tip, Brian!… Read the rest of this entry
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