Last Auto Reviews Blog

Geneva 09': Aston Martin One-77 Details Revealed in Technical Showcase

Aston Martin is going to officially unveil the One-77 at the Geneva Motor Show. The One-77 is a showcase of Aston Martin style and performance.

The One-77 is powered by a 7.3L naturally-aspirated V12 engine with upwards of 700 horsepower. The engine is mated to a six-speed transmission that is controlled via column mounted paddle shifters. It also features Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires (255/35 ZR20 front, 335/30 ZR20 rear) that were developed specifically for the One-77.

Aston Martin expects a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds and a top speed over 200 mph.

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Geneva 09': Infiniti Essence Hybrid Concept Unveiled with 592HP

Infiniti hit the Geneva Motor Show head on today with the unveiling of the Essence Concept, which combines sexy coupe bodywork with a "green" drivetrain.

The Essence Concept is a front-engined, two-seater. It features a 3.7L V6 engine mated to an electric motor that has been dubbed the 3D Motor. The combined output is 592 horsepower ( 434 from the V6 and 158 from the electric motor).

The styling of the Essence Concept draws cues from the current Infiniti lineup, but in a much sexier way. The assymetrical two-seat interior features a driver focused interior with two distinct cocoons. The driver's side is black, while the passenger's "cocoon" is an earthy red.

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Toyota HC-CV Unveiled at the Melbourne Auto Show

Toyota has unveiled the HC-CV (Hybrid Camry Concept Vehicle) at the 2009 Melbourne Motor Show.

Next year Toyota Australia is going to begin local production of the Camry Hybrid and to publicize it, Toyota has created the HC-CV for the show. The concept is basically the 2010 Camry Hybrid wish a modified front fascia, new wheels, decals and new leather seats with a wave-like graphic reminiscent of the Hybrid Synergy Drive logo.

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Top Gear's the Stig identified... as a sensible married man?

Filed under: Motorsports, Lifestyle, UK, Celebrities

The Stig's identity is one of those great mysteries that would lose all of its inherent intrigue if it were to be revealed. Regardless, here we are with another story that hints at the secret identity of the man behind the mask. Thankfully, though, the source of the leak was reportedly within the BBC, and the British giant says it will never officially confirm the Stig's ID. We do have clues, though, and if you want to hear 'em, see below.

According to News of the World, the Stig is a happily married man in his 30s who lives in modest home and drives a boring £15,000 car. Although he's been a successful racer in the past, he never quite made it all the way to F1, the pinnacle of motorsports. Feel free to speculate away in the comments, but don't expect us to join in. We like not knowing who he ~~she~~ it is, and hope it doesn't get spoiled any time soon.

[Source: News of the World]

Top Gear's the Stig identified... as a sensible married man? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Jan 2009 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pickens Plan Calls For Natural Gas Powered Cars

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Detroit 2009: Most Significant Vehicles of the Show

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show

With the state of the automotive industry and the wider economy, you could hardly blame us for expecting that this year's Detroit Auto Show would come off as cold and foreboding as the weather outside Cobo Hall. In reality, while the show's traditional glitz was definitely pared back, there was surprising depth on display, with a solid crop of new vehicle and concept introductions that point the way toward a bright future for the industry -- provided its players can navigate today's dicey waters. After taking it all in over the past few days, we've distilled down what we feel are the show's most important debuts, both production and conceptual. Click on the link below to launch our gallery list of the most significant vehicle rollouts at the show (in alphabetical by manufacturer order), and see if you don't agree.

Detroit 2009: Most Significant Vehicles of the Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More Reasons Not To Cut Corners On Racing Safety Gear: LeMons Arse Freeze-A-Palooza Hoonage! [24 Hours Of Lemons]

LeMons racers really need to be ready for the unpredictable to take place on the track; sometimes you'll whack into the wall, sometimes you'll blow up, and sometimes other drivers will make apparently unwise decisions.

Here we see a nicely edited video, put together from in-car footage shot in the Pandamonium Racing BMW during the 24 Hours Of LeMons Arse Freeze-A-Palooza race last weekend. We see some drivers who have Chicane Perception Disorder, an extremely ill-considered track reentry by an off-roading Mustang, the Unsafe At Any Speed Chevy Corvair showing some funky handling characteristics, and much more. The Pandamonium driver's shouted comments on the action really add comedic value here. When you're done here, be sure to check out LeMons Supreme Court Justice Lieberman's 20 Coolest Cars Of The Arse Freeze list. Thanks to Adam of Pandamonium Racing for sending this in!

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Rock the Vote! Last chance to vote Autoblog as Best Major Blog

It's been a long, tough campaign (ever since last Friday) and our honorable opponent has been a worthy adversary. After yesterday's rally, we find ourselves down in the exit polls. This is the time we pull together, people.

Click the link above to cast your final ballot for Autoblog as the Best Major Blog in the 2008 Weblog Awards. The voting closes at ~~10:00PM~~ 5:00PM EST tonight.

But you can do more. You have friends, family and Facebook accounts. Pass the voting link along to them and ask for their support. Tell them it doesn't cost anything to click, and Autoblog is the candidate that best represents their values, which may or may not be true.

Seriously, though, we've appreciated every vote cast for Autoblog and all the emails and comments of support. One last push and, win or lose, we'll see what's on the other side. Thanks!

Voting link: http://2008.weblogawards.org/polls/best-major-blog/

Rock the Vote! Last chance to vote Autoblog as Best Major Blog originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Polish Guy Builds and Drives a Backwards Car

It looks like some guy in Poland hooked up his car with a backwards facing seat, steering wheel and pedals, in addition to the regular controls. From what I can see in the video, he also hooked up the rear wheels to a steering rack so he can use them to steer. Strangely, the front wheels look like they still turn too, so they’re not locked in place. This is one of the weirdest DIY alterations I’ve seen in a while.

Also, the makers of the video like The Prodigy, there’s obviously something wrong with them.

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Fiat 500 May Make it to the U.S. in 2010...Thanks to Chrysler

This week Chrysler and Fiat announced a partnership that involves Fiat buying 35 percent of the U.S. automaker, which will give both automakers access to each other product lines and markets. The good news for Chrysler is that the automaker now has access to a whole new line of fuel-efficient small cars. According to Motor Trend the first fruit of the new partnership will be the Fiat 500.

Motor Trend editor Todd Lassa claims that the Fiat 500 is being fast tracked to U.S. showrooms within the next 18 months. The Fiat 500 would be sold in Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep showrooms.

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Detroit 2009: 2010 Mazda3 hatch just as happy as the sedan

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hatchbacks, Mazda

Click above for high-res gallery of the Mazda3 five-door hatchback from Detroit

Mazda took the wraps off the five-door hatchback version of the redesigned Mazda3 at the Bologna Motor Show last month, but here in Detroit, we saw the car for ourselves at its North American debut. As you can see in the gallery of high-res pics below, the Mazda3 five-door gets the same swoopy sheetmetal as the sedan we saw in Los Angeles, including the comic smiley face front end. What's new is the lengthened roofline that drops down at a steeper angle to create a wagon-esque profile. Some of the D-pillar design cues remind us of the Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix, but it also resembles the old Mazda3 hatch more than the new sedan. While we prefer the five-door to its four-door counterpart, we know customers want both, so this makes sense for Mazda.

Mazda3i models are still fitted with the MZR 2.0L engine, putting out 148 hp at 6500 rpm and 135 lb-ft of torque at 4500 rpm and controlled by either a manual or automatic five-speed. The Mazda3 MZR is packing the newly up-sized 2.5-liter four, providing 167 hp at 6000 rpm and 168 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm, with a choice of either a five-speed auto or a six-speed manual. And naturally, we're looking forward to the next Mazdaspeed model, preferably in hatch form. Check out the official press release after the jump for more details and the gallery below for plenty of high-res pics.

Gallery: Detroit 2009: 2010 Mazda3 five-door

Continue reading Detroit 2009: 2010 Mazda3 hatch just as happy as the sedan

Detroit 2009: 2010 Mazda3 hatch just as happy as the sedan originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford Kills Plans for Rear Wheel Drive Sedans

Ford has officially announced that plans for rear wheel drive Ford and Lincoln sedans have been shelved.

Ford design chief J Mays told Automotive News on Sunday, "It's out of the cycle plan."

"We've got other priorities at the moment," Mays said. "We're going down a path right now that is all about fuel efficiency, and we've got a lot to do about that. So we're not talking about rear-wheel drive."

A year ago Ford announced plans to work with Ford's Australian arm to develop a new, large RWD platform that would yield sedans in the US. The first sedans were expected by 2013.

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Hummer Brand Apparently Changing Hands, Downsizing And Badge Engineering [Custom Cars]

We knew things were bad over at GM's Hummer brand, what with the auto giant trying to peddle it off to any taker, but this Hummer Dodge Neon H2SE is just ridiculous.

This baby was spotted during our holiday travels somewhere in northern Indiana, so we're hoping the owner of this bad boy is actually a factory worker (or was) at the Hummer plant. If not there's something not quite right with this person.

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The Top 100 Lemons Of The 24 Hours Of LeMons Arse Freeze-A-Palooza [24 Hours Of Lemons]

The 24 Hours Of LeMons Arse Freeze-A-Palooza had chills and spills, with an all-time high number of entries on the track. Here's the complete roster of participants, ranked by lap totals.

We had some seriously crazy results this time around, with my Index Of Effluency predictions way, waaaay off the mark. In fact, three of the top five finishers were IOE contenders, and one of them took the checkered flag! Not only that, a TR7, an XJ-s, and an X1/9 each managed to finish more than 250 laps. This race featured the traditional LeMons themes of BMW electrical system malfunctions, connecting rods clanking onto the asphalt, and teams outraged by penalties they totally didn't deserve, plus more than the usual number of upside-down cars. Lap bonuses and penalties assessed during the BS Inspection process played a major role; 98th-place Krider Racing actually racked up the highest number of laps, for example. I'll go into more detail when it's time for the Arse Freeze-A-Palooza Über Gällery, but today it's time to provide fodder for endless bench-racing arguments. You can see the complete results here.
Thanks to Mad Science Senior and Mad Science for many of these photos. When you're done here, be sure to check out the Loverman's LeMons coverage, then head over to Autoblog to view Damon Lavrinc's work. If that's still insufficient LeMons action for you, we've got the Top Lemons Of LeMons posts for previous races, including Texas '08, Toledo '08, New England '08, South '08, San Francisco '08, Arse Freeze '07, and San Francisco '07

1. Team Geo Metro-Gnome, Geo Metro

2. Motoring J Style, Isuzu I-Mark

3. Team Baconator, Porsche 944

4. Eyesore FrankenMiata, Mazda Miata

5. Team Bigfoot Hunter, Ford Escort

6. Slow Santas, Honda CRX

7. Team Hurling Moss, BMW 2002

8. Fancy Junc 2, Acura Integra

9. Tinkerbell Rosso, Ford Crown Victoria

10. Formula BMW, BMW 3 Series

11. Spirit Of San Diego, Chevrolet Malibu

12. Lil' Smokey And The Bandit, Toyota MR2

13. B210 Racing, Datsun B210 Honey Bee

14. Old Fast Auto Race Team & Sons, Porsche 924S

15. The Flakes, Volvo 244

16. Team Nerd Herd, Toyota MR2

17. Snowspeeder Pilots Association, Toyota MR2

18. Ecurie Ecrappe Autodenta, Alfa Romeo Spider

19. Pole Position Racing, Toyota MR2

20. ZZ Uber Das Driver, Volkswagen GTI

21. Cape Coventry Racing, Triumph TR7

22. Banana Hammock Death Squad, Datsun 280ZX

23. sNot RAcinG, Mazda RX-7

24. Team California Mille #2, Alfa Romeo Alfetta

25. Mach Schnell #5, BMW 3 Series

26. Old Punks, Mazda RX-7

27. Pendejo Engineering, Jaguar XJ-S

28. Team Red Bear, BMW 325i

29. Black Metal V8olvo, Volvo 244

30. Team VIP, BMW 528e

31. Group Of Foolz, BMW 533i

32. Porcubimmer 2 Judgment Day, BMW 325e

33. D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F. Racing, Honda CRX

34. Kamakazi Ninjas With Lasers, Nissan Sentra

35. Mille Miglia, Alfa Romeo Alfetta

36. Rice Rocket Racing (The Sequel), Datsun 280ZX

37. Loose Nuts California, Mazda RX-7

38. Carpet Pissers, Honda CRX

39. Good Humor Racing, Ford Ranger

40. HALLINASSASSINATORS, Pontiac Firebird

41. Z Angry Elf, Nissan 300ZX

42. Blues Brothers Racing, Ford Crown Victoria

43. Reversed Darwinism, Ford Crown Victoria

44. Team Green Hornet, AMC Hornet

45. LEMON DEMOLITION, Honda CRX

46. Shelby, Ford Mustang

47. Italian Stallions, Fiat X1/9

48. Lipstick On A Pig, Nissan Sentra

49. Fish Out Of Water, Porsche 944

50. Team Cant Am, Volvo 242 Turbo

51. Two-Eleven Racing, Acura Integra

52. Automatica, BMW 3 Series

53. We Each Hit Racing, Toyota Paseo

54. Unsafe At Any Speed, Chevrolet Corvair

55. The Faustest Team

56. Bernal Dads Racing, Volvo 245

57. Family Truckster, Ford Pinto

58. PIT CREW REVENGE, Honda Civic

59. Absolute Lemons Motorsports, BMW 325iS

60. A Festivus Miracle!, Subaru Legacy

61. Flash Racing Ltd, Mazda Miata

62. Fancy Junk, BMW 6 Series

63. The UNDERGROUND, Nissan 300ZX

64. Huey Newis And The Lose, Ford Mustang

65. Car I Wanted In High School, BMW 325e

66. Lemon Martini Racing, Porsche 914

67. RotoRevenge, Mazda RX-7

68. Doughnut Lovers, Mazda RX-7

69. GI SHO, Ford Taurus SHO

70. Free Range Racing, Toyota MR2

71. Squirrels Of Fury, Volkswagen Scirocco

72. Cherbluracing

73. Heinzy 57, Saturn SL1

74. Timmy's Kids, Audi 4000

75. Blanco Basura Racing, Honda Prelude

76. Delinquent Racing, BMW 3 Series

77. Team Stimulus Package, Honda Civic

78. Pandamonium, BMW 325

79. Project Fate, Nissan 300ZX

80. Autobahn Society Racing, BMW 2002

81. Driving While Awesome, BMW 3 Series

82. Wedginators Redux, Triumph TR7

83. Faster Farms, Plymouth Belvedere

84. Saabs Gone Wild- Hare, Saab 900 Turbo

85. Chim Chim Racing, Ford Thunderbird

86. Safari West, Jaguar XJ6

87. Halfast Racing, Chevrolet Camaro

88. Bi-Polar Express, Ford Mustang

89. Team 60 Racing, Saab 900 Turbo

90. ONSET, Chevrolet Cavalier

91. Maximoat Truck, Ford Escort

92. ZZ UBER II, Volkswagen Corrado G60

93. Team Sh*tbox Beyond Thunderdome, Toyota Supra

94. Junk Yard Kats, Datsun 280ZX

95. Alzheimer's Autosport Racing, Toyota Celica Turbo All-Trac

96. Bavarian Alliance, BMW 535i

97. Lost Cause, Mazda RX-7

98. Krider Racing, Acura Integra

99. The Dead Smurfs, Mazda Miata

100. Delinquent Racing, Ford Taurus SHO

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