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Spy Shots: Next-gen Porsche 911 sporting double-bubble roof
With every iteration of the 911, Porsche makes incremental improvements to its iconic sports car and naturally, the next generation will be no exception.
This latest 911 prototype was caught at the Nurburgring sporting 997 sheetmetal, but it's what's on top and out back that deserves note. A double-bubble roof panel has been fitted, while underneath the rear camouflage is a sizeable wing and additional ducting. Look closely and you'll see a small sill at the base of the rear windscreen that's assumed to be feeding the rear-mounted flat-six – likely necessary keep the boxer cool while Porsche engineers figure out how the new contoured roof affects aerodynamics. If previous reports are to be believed, we can expect the next 911 to debut sometime in 2010, but we wouldn't rule out an appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September.
Gallery:Spy Shots: Porsche 911 with double-bubble roof
Behold: The one-of-a-kind Mercedes G/E-Class
What is it lately that people don't seem to understand about hardcore off-roaders? They're not supposed to be aerodynamic, and they're not supposed to be pretty. And yet here we are yet again – after the modified Hummer recently spotted on eBay – looking at one of the world's most serious rock-climbing workhorses that's been smoothed out in controversial fashion, and in metallic Barney purple, no less.
What we have on one hand is the Mercedes Gel?ndewagen, the same essential truck that Magna Steyr has been building for the Three-Pointed Star for some thirty years now. It's got the aerodynamic profile of a barn. Attached to a parachute. On the other, we have the E-Class, one of the most aerodynamically slippery cars on the market. Part of the… Read the rest of this entry
Ford reportedly tops sales charts in Canada for first time in 50 years
Given the state of the market, the Ford Motor Company is on a bit of a roll right now. The Blue Oval posted an 11% decline in volume for June versus the same month in 2008; a far better number than nearly every competitor from Japan or Detroit. Ford also flat-out dominated the market in the Great White North, as the Dearborn, MI-based automaker ranked number one in sales volume for the first time in 50 years.
Ford outpaced perennial market leader General Motors by a substantial (for Canada) 5,000 units. Ford posted 27,408 sales for the month; a 24.6% increase over June 2008. Toyota and Honda also were in the rear view mirror, as the Japanese stalwarts managed sales declines of 17%. Chrysler was a distant… Read the rest of this entry
eBay Find of the Day: 1966 Batcycle with sidecar
Where does Batman get those wonderful toys? We may finally have an answer for the Joker: Batman shops on eBay, just like the rest of us, and he apparently also sells off his unwanted bits and pieces after they've served their purpose. Such is the case with the classic 1966 Batcycle, which was ably replaced a few years back by the far more menacing Batpod.
The Caped Crusader must have finally decided the Batcycle would be better served fighting crime in the hands of a new hero than collecting dust in a remote corner of the Batcave, as it's just been sold on eBay with a final winning bid of $29,500. It seems that Batman had put just 8,245 miles on his Batcycle before retiring it for more advanced machinery.
According to the auction, the bike itself was designed and assembled by Kustomotive for the original 1966 Batman feature… Read the rest of this entry
Spy Shots: Ford Verve mule spotted banging around in Australia
Eagle-eyed spy shooters for Car Advice in Australia have managed to snap off a series of photos of a new entry-level Ford hatchback that's likely headed to emerging markets like India, Brazil and some areas in Europe. The car seen in these spy shots is clearly disguised as the previous-generation Ford Fiesta, but it's believed that this new machine may actually be a production version of the Ford Verve concept that was first introduced back in 2007 at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
If it ever reaches production, it's likely that the Verve will feature a range of gasoline and diesel engines varying in size from 1.2- to 1.5-liters. According to Car Advice, this new hatchback is expected to get a formal green-light from Ford sometime in mid-2010 en-route to production a few months later. For what it's worth, we don't expect to see this car come Stateside, as America… Read the rest of this entry
REPORT: Porsche working on harder Panamera
Porsche plans to expand its Panamera line-up to include three new powerplants – a Volkswagen-sourced V6, a diesel and some manner of hybrid – but in addition to offering new engines, the automaker may offer a harder, more performance-oriented model to slot in above the Turbo.
Similar to the strategy Porsche employed with the Cayenne, this new model – which could be dubbed the Turbo S or GTS – would nix the Turbo model's standard air suspension and instead fit a set of performance-tuned springs and shocks to maximize grip and on-track prowess.
As for future powertrains, a senior Porsche executive told Autocar that VAG's V6 and V8 diesels could be fitted to future Panameras, and we wouldn't be surprised to find the new Audi S4's supercharged, petrol-powered 3.0-liter V6 in Porsche's first production sedan in the coming years.
Gallery:First Drive: 2010 Porsche Panamera
[Source: Autocar]
Spy Shots: New Grand Bentley pics smuggled out of Crewe factory
Bentleys may be as large and luxurious as yachts, but that doesn't mean the premium automaker's factory in Crewe is without leaks. Although Bentley is keen on metering out glimpses at a snail's pace, British auto mag CAR managed to get a hold of a batch of photos of the highly anticipated new “Grand Bentley”.
Under development with the code-name Project Kimberley, the new Bentley is slated to replace the aging Arnage sedan at the top of the company's line-up and do battle with the Rolls-Royce Phantom. With technological input from its sister companies under the Volkswagen auto umbrella, the as-yet unnamed Grand Bentley promises to take a big step forward from the Arnage, which still carries its mechanicals and platform from the days when the automaker was under the same roof as Rolls — not in direct competition. The spy shots reveal mesh grilles, LED lights, a retractable hood… Read the rest of this entry
REPORT: NHTSA to mandate lane departure warning and auto-brake systems?
Is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about to add some more safety measures to your next new car? According to The Detroit News, they might be. The Motown daily says that government officials are pondering whether or not they should require new vehicles to be fitted with lane-departure warning systems and automatic braking systems that trigger upon warning of an impending accident. Both systems are currently available only in very small percentage of new passenger cars – primarily luxury vehicles. According to the DetNews report, safety experts believe that the systems “show significant promise” in their ability to reduce traffic accident-related fatalities and injuries.
NHTSA will decide whether to require such systems in 2011 after further cost-benefit analysis, including looking at insurance company data and estimated manufacturing costs. It has already added new components to its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) for 2011 vehicles, including a test… Read the rest of this entry
The wacky, wonderful world of Japanese manhole cover art
Ever roll through some sleepy burg and notice the townsfolk have painted each fire hydrant, recycling bin or park bench as its own work of art? That's one thing… but how about a whole country? Only in Japan, where the same famously zany locals fascinated with sailor costumes and neon lights on dump trucks have done it yet again. Only this time, their attention has shifted to manhole covers. Yes, manhole covers.
We don't know anything about this fad, how it began or how pervasive it is – we'd be glad to hear from you in our comment section below if you do – but from the look of the pinpointed map available at the link, it seems the craft has grown quite pervasive across the whimsical island nation. Check out a slew of our favorite examples in the gallery below, and try not to wonder how the artists didn't… Read the rest of this entry
OnStar Goes to China
Photos
OnStar will be offered on some Shanghai General Motors vehicles sold in China starting in December. (Photo courtesy of OnStar)
SHANGHAI, China — General Motors has formed a joint venture called Shanghai OnStar to market its telematics service in China — the first time OnStar will be offered outside North America. The service will roll out in December on selected vehicles from Shanghai GM.
To market OnStar in China, GM has established Shanghai OnStar Telematics in cooperation with SAIC, China's largest automaker and GM's local manufacturing partner.
In turn, Shanghai OnStar will team with state-owned China Telecom to provide such wireless in-vehicle services as turn-by-turn navigation, remote door unlock, roadside assistance, automatic crash response and hands-free calling.
GM currently has 5.5 million OnStar subscribers in the U.S. and Canada.
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