Latest News         No comments

Photos

Only 50 of Lorinser’s Nardo3 SL will be made. (Photo courtesy of Lorinser)

WINNENDEN, Germany — Mercedes-Benz tuner Lorinser has outdone itself this time with the completely overhauled Nardo3 SL. It’s set for a debut at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show along with its little brother, the revamped C320 T CDI.

Simply put, the Nardo3 SL is a monster. Lorinser has cranked up the output to Ferrari Enzo levels at 660 horsepower, and the car’s 747 pound-feet of torque could probably haul a small country if the opportunity presented itself. This is all thanks to a twin-turbo V12 engine that has been maxed out at 202 mph on the track.

To eliminate air resistance, the Nardo3 has been fitted with a practical aerodynamics kit that cuts down on drag on all sides of the car — and it doesn’t look too bad, either. If… Read the rest of this entry

 Latest News         No comments

Photos

Bertone heirs may be in disagreement about whether to attend the Geneva auto show at all. Meanwhile, the sketch for the coachbuilder’s Alfa Romeo B.A.T. 11 concept intended to appear at the show has been made public. (Photo courtesy of Automotive News)

TURIN, Italy — Stile Bertone, the financially troubled Italian carrozzeria, has unveiled a sketch of the Alfa Romeo B.A.T. 11 concept that it hopes to display at the upcoming 2008 Geneva Auto Show.

But the company is still debating whether or not to even attend the annual event, according to Automotive News, the industry weekly.

The publication reported that the Bertone family, including 72-year-old Lilli Bertone, the widow of Nuccio Bertone, and her daughters, Marie-Jeanne, 40, and Barbara, 39, continue to clash… Read the rest of this entry

 Latest News         No comments

Photos

Danica Patrick. (Photo courtesy of Sports Illustrated)

NEW YORK — Danica Patrick has landed once again in the pages of Sports Illustrated. Only this time, it’s SI’s annual swimsuit issue, where the celebrity IndyCar driver appears — at least in several images — in her driving suit. And a bikini.

The 25-year-old Patrick started racing go-karts in 1992. In 2005, driving for Rahal Letterman Racing, she was named Rookie of the Year at the Indianapolis 500, where she finished 4th. Patrick was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated the week after the race, with the magazine acknowledging her record-setting performance.

Patrick is no stranger to controversy, appearing previously in the pages of FHM magazine but reportedly turning down the opportunity to pose for Playboy.

What this means to you: Is that a regulation fireproof Nomex bikini? — Paul Lienert, Correspondent

 Latest News         No comments

Photos

Corvette 427 Limited Edition Z06 makes 505 hp from its 7.0-liter LS7 small-block V8. (Photo courtesy of General Motors Corporation)

DETROIT — Chevrolet on Thursday confirmed to Inside Line that its new 427 Limited Edition Z06, which is designed to “pay homage to the big-block Stingray models of the mid-1960s,” holds the title of the most expensive Corvette to date. The special-edition Corvette has a price tag of $84,195, including an $850 destination charge. That’s $6,695 more than the 2007 Ron Fellows Edition Chevrolet Corvette.

A base 2008 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 starts at $72,125, including shipping — nearly $13,000 less than the 427 Limited Edition Z06.

However, the 427 Limited Edition Z06 appears destined to be a true Corvette collectible — and the price tag is not likely to deter aficionados. “It is aimed, as always with our special editions, at Corvette enthusiasts who… Read the rest of this entry

 Latest News         No comments

Photos

In a market in flux, Chery’s QQ minicar remains one of China’s lowest-priced cars. (Photo courtesy of Chery)

SHANGHAI, China — Vehicle prices in China may drop more than 5 percent this year on concerns about market oversupply and more severe competition, according to the National Development and Reform Commission.

The price drop could be slightly larger than last year’s 4.86 percent decline as production rapidly expands in the world’s second-largest auto market, according to the latest survey from the NDRC’s price-monitoring department. NDRC is a leading regulator of the auto industry.

The growing production capacity is partly as a result of a series of mergers and acquisitions that have driven local carmakers to consolidate assets, according to the survey. Domestic auto manufacturers also have sped up their efforts to seek listings on the local stock markets, helping to fuel the expansion, the survey said.… Read the rest of this entry

 Latest News         No comments

Photos

Stay Connected: Aftermarket supplier Autonet offers a Wi-Fi router for your car. (Photo courtesy of Autonet)

SAN FRANCISCO — The next must-have in-car tech feature is Internet access. There are a few early examples such as Ford’s Work Solutions and the portable Dash Express navigation system. Autonet has a slightly different take on the technology and recently demonstrated it at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention.

Autonet has entered into an agreement with the Price Family Dealer Group based in Northern California to distribute the Mobile Wi-Fi Router. Unlike the Dash Express or Ford’s in-truck computer, Autonet is simply providing an access point that makes your car a rolling Wi-Fi hot spot. To actually access the Internet, you use your own device like a laptop or PDA. Autonet says the router is a purpose-built device that can be installed in 20 minutes.… Read the rest of this entry

 Latest News         No comments

Photos

The marque most associated with the color red is solidly in the black. Ferrari reported record $2.4 billion in sales for 2007. (Photo courtesy of Ferrari of North America)

MODENA, Italy — Driven by the success of the F430 and the 599 GTB Fiorano, Ferrari S.p.A. reported record sales and profits last year, with Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles in Formula 1 as icing on the financial cake.

Revenues jumped 15.3 percent in 2007, to $2.4 billion from $2.1 billion the previous year. Operating profit rose 45.4 percent to $388 million, while net profit climbed 40.4 percent to $436 million.

Ferrari sold a record 6,465 cars in 2007, up 14 percent from 5,671 a year earlier.

Chairman Luca di Montezemolo observed: “We have been receiving very positive signals from all of our markets [and] recorded unprecedented levels of growth in the emerging markets.”

Sales… Read the rest of this entry

 Latest News         No comments

Photos

Chrysler’s Hemi is the best-known of all V8s, but fewer customers are choosing it. (Photo courtesy of Chrysler LLC)

SANTA MONICA, California — In what may be a telling sign of the times, more vehicle shoppers — perhaps concerned with the high cost of gasoline and/or increasingly interested in environmental issues — appear to be just saying no to that most American of engines, the V8.

Installation rates for V8s — the favored power plant for the horsepower wars that have dominated the U.S. market for more than a decade — are dropping. And data from a new Edmunds.com study extrapolating the purchase intentions of consumers actively shopping for a new vehicle show those potential customers are markedly less interested in V8 power.

Overall shopper demand for V8s has dropped from 19 percent two years ago to just 15 percent today.

And the public’s… Read the rest of this entry

 Latest News         No comments

Photos

Land Rover Challenge, a biennial event, was last held in 2006. (Photo courtesy of Land Rover)

IRVINE, California — Land Rover North America has announced that Nevada will be the locale for the U.S. selection event for the international 2008-’09 Land Rover G4 Challenge, an off-road multisport competition. The Nevada Passage competition in May will serve as the U.S. audition for two-person teams wanting to take on the international event in Asia in 2009.

Twenty athletes from around the U.S. will compete in 4×4 driving, navigating, trail running, mountain biking and kayak competitions, and the two top teams will move on. Only one U.S. team will eventually make it to the international competition, which takes place in Asia in 2009.

The biennial Land Rover G4 Challenge first took place in 2003, but this is only the second time a U.S. selection event has been programmed.… Read the rest of this entry