ALL ABOUT AUTO
Allaboutauto.us-Delivering daily auto news.
Citron releases production DS3 ahead of Frankfurt debut
French fashion is at the forefront of the industry, and the same goes for French cuisine and French wine. But when it comes to cars, France's auto industry can hook you up (assuming you live overseas) with economical hatchbacks and minivans, but that's just about it until you get to the seven-figure Bugatti Veyron. Which is owned by a bunch of German fellows. That gigantic gap is apparently one which Citro?n hopes to plug with its new DS line.
Citro?n launched its premium initiative with the DS Inside Concept at the Geneva Motor Show this past March, and the French automaker has a whole range of premium vehicles lined up. Now Citro?n has released the production version of the first model in the line, and it looks pretty darn close to the concept. In fact, the only thing they seemed to have changed from the show… Read the rest of this entry
First Drive: 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is a diamond on the rough
Although some of us have an unabashed love for all-things off-road, the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor didn't register a huge blip on our collective radar. We figured it would be a performance kit that was much more kit than performance, or an off-road wunderkind that makes life a Hobbesian kind of brutish when used anywhere but the moon. We spent two days in Southern California, one of which in the Raptor's Anza Borrego Desert birthplace, to discover one thing: We were wrong. The Raptor is all that. And a bag of chips. And dessert.
Gallery:First Drive: 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
A few years ago, some of the gents at SVT decided to try their… Read the rest of this entry
9ff reveals details and renderings of its custom Porsche Panamera
For better or worse, the new Panamera promises to open doors to new markets for Porsche – and for Porsche tuners, for that matter. But 9ff isn't about to let Gemballa have all the fun. The tuning house responsible for the berserk GT9 supercar, with its Bugatti Veyron-rivalling capabilities, announced its Panamera tuning program even before Porsche unveiled the car, and has now revealed initial details and another round of renderings.
Predictably for power-hungry 9ff, the alphanumeric tuner starts with the Turbo model and upgrades in stages. The PT-55 gives the Panamera Turbo an ECU upgrade and new air filters to boost output up from 500 to 550 horsepower. The PT-60, as you might have guessed, offers 600 horsepower courtesy of a fresh exhaust with sport… Read the rest of this entry
P.S.A. – Facelifted 2010 Honda CR-V coming Sept. 17
You're excused if you look at these images and see little more than the Honda CR-V that we already know and love. According to a corner of its home-market website, the Japanese automaker is debuting what it calls the “new CR-V” on September 17th, possibly at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Already a hot perennial seller, Honda is understandably cautious to mess too much with success, though calling this updating anything other than a mid-cycle refresh is a bit of a stretch.
Subtle grille and fascia changes are about the extent of what we can make out from the limited images, leaving the CR-V a good looking sales workhorse in Honda's stable. We'll all have to hold our breath until mid-September when the whole enchilada will be revealed and we'll find out if there are changes under the skin worth talking about.
[Source: Honda Japan via Carscoop]
What Hath the Economy Wrought: Entry-level Ferrari Spider?
As the global economy shows signs of both recovering and getting worse, luxury and exotic automakers are hedging their bets more and more. Introducing cars like the Aston Martin One-77, Bugatti Sang Bleu and Bentley Muslanne made perfect sense — in 1999. In today's unstable financial climate, you just can't be too careful. While most enthusiasts are salivating over the release of the new Ferrari 458 Italia with its auto-deforming front air intakes and 200+ mph top speed, the more rational among us are getting excited about the new low cost offerings from Europe like the Alfa Romeo MiTo, Fiat 500 and the just spotted baby Ferrari Spider (that's prancing horse speak for “roadster”) pictured above.
Set to be named the El Duce, Maranello's newest rag top will compete with the likes of Porsche Boxster, BMW Z4 and Chevrol… hey wait a second — that's not… Read the rest of this entry
REPORT: Honda to show EV prototype in Tokyo, production in 2015
Honda has repeatedly told the world it doesn't see battery electric vehicles as being viable anytime soon. Instead, the company has planned to retain its focus on hydrogen fuel cells. However, the realities of hydrogen distribution (or lack thereof), may be pushing Honda to do something it doesn't necessarily want to.
Honda will reportedly unveil a prototype for a battery powered mini car at the Tokyo Motor Show in October, with a production version expected to hit the streets by 2015. Despite the company's preference for hydrogen fuel cells, a plug-in may be necessary in order to meet the numbers of zero emission vehicles mandated by new California standards in coming years.
The automaker could certainly leverage the work it has done on the electrically driven FCX Clarity in combination with lithium batteries from its joint venture with GS Yuasa.
[Source: Reuters]
Frankfurt 2009 Preview: Maserati GranCabrio unveiled!
After what seems like years of eager anticipation, and with the weeks ticking down until the Frankfurt Motor Show, Maserati has finally unveiled its long-awaited convertible model. With the Maserati GranCabrio, it looks like the Italian automaker has done a beautiful job of translating the Pininfarina-designed GranTurismo into an open-top machine.
The questions on all our minds as we saw an endless stream of heavily-disguised test mules were whether the new convertible would have a fabric or metal roof, retain its four seats or sacrifice the back row (like its predecessor, the Spyder), and which engine would be found under that long hood.
Now we've got our answers. Unlike the Ferrari California, the GranCabrio features a cloth roof that deploys over the four-place passenger compartment, saving both weight and space. In fact, it's the first four-seat convertible in the company's history, and boasts what Maserati says… Read the rest of this entry
European Grand Prix: Barrichello Triumphs, Badoer Struggles
Photos
Felipe Massa's replacement Luca Badoer had a disappointing day at the European Grand Prix, finishing seventeenth. Ferrari, apparently without irony, lauded Badoer because he “managed to finish the race.” (Photo courtesy of Ferrari)
VALENCIA, Spain — Rubens Barrichello, 37, won the European Grand Prix on Sunday, his first Formula 1 victory in five years. Lewis Hamilton, who started the race from the pole position, finished second ahead of Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.
Barrichello has been at the center of news surrounding Formula 1 for a good part of the summer.
Ferrari driver Felipe Massa, 28, suffered skull fractures in July when he was struck by a spring from the Brawn GP car of Barrichello after Barrichello crashed during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher was originally set to replace Massa, but he dropped out due to neck problems following a February motorcycle accident. Filling… Read the rest of this entry
Sen. Frist Trades In Suburban for Prius Under Cash for Clunkers Program
Photos
Recently retired Sen. Bill Frist, the Tennessee Republican, told TV talk-show host Larry King that he traded in his 1991 Suburban for a new Toyota Prius under the federal Cash for Clunkers program. (Photo courtesy of BillFrist.com)
NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Recently retired Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) has traded in the vehicle you might expect him to own — a 1991 Chevrolet Suburban — for a brand-new Toyota Prius under the government's just-concluded Cash for Clunkers program.
When asked about the reported trade-in by talk-show host Larry King on CNN's Larry King Live, the former Senate majority leader acknowledged it, commenting, “You don't see a lot of Republicans driving a Prius.” He said the “50 miles to the gallon” convinced him to get the Toyota. That, and the fact that “the taxpayer gave me $6,000 to do it, so I'm out there driving my Prius.” He also… Read the rest of this entry
Skoda Superb Launched in China
Photos
Skoda Superb, a midsize sedan from Volkswagen's Czech unit, will be assembled and sold in China by Shanghai VW. (Photo courtesy of Skoda)
SHANGHAI, China — The Volkswagen group has launched the Skoda Superb in China, where it will be assembled by the Shanghai VW joint venture. Prices will start at just over $26,000.
VW intends for the Skoda to compete in China with such models as the Buick LaCrosse and the Toyota Camry. The midsize sedan will be offered with a choice of 1.8- and 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines, mated to a six-speed transmission.
Prices will top out at nearly $37,000.
The Superb “completes Skoda's product portfolio in China and will play an important role in lifting the brand image,” said Zhang Hailiang, sales and marketing executive director of Shanghai VW. “It also will help to boost the overall market competitiveness of Shanghai Volkswagen.”
Skoda's expanding product lineup… Read the rest of this entry
Popular Posts
Subscribe To Updates
Blog RSS Feed
Subscribe via E-mail
Follow Me on TwitterLooking For Something?
