2008 Mercedes-Benz CLC Review

Mercedes-Benz has officially unveiled the 2008 CLC-Class, the Euro-market successor to the now-defunct C-Class Sports Coupe. Well, we should clarify that. It's not completely defunct in that its architecture has been carried over for the new car, meaning the CLC does not share underpinnings with the new-gen C-Class. Still, Mercedes boasts that the car features 1,100 "newly-developed or enhanced" components, including the direct steering system introduced on the freshened SLK. The changes are intended to give the car a different feel than its predecessor.

At first glance, it's clear that Mercedes is trying to leave the past behind, looks-wise. Sure, the coupe profile is carried over, but the sharp-looking face of the new C-Class finds its way onto the CLC's front end. Out back, fresh taillamps also keep up the family resemblance to the new C. An updated interior greets occupants, with available features like DVD or hard drive-based nav, iPod integration, and an in-dash SD card slot. The entertainment, communications and nav systems can all be operated by voice command, too.

Buyers can choose from four engines -- 2 gas and 2 diesel, all with improved fuel economy -- matched with six-speed manual gearboxes as standard equipment. Drivers who opt for automatics get a 5-speed unit for 4-cylinder engines or MB's 7-speed auto for the 6-cylinders. An available sports package dresses things up with enhancements like 18" wheels and also adds paddle shifters to the steering wheel for cars with automatic transmissions. The Brazilian-built CLC goes on sale in Europe this May. No plans have been mentioned regarding a possible US-market return, and given that the last-gen didn't sell particularly well here, that is completely unsurprising. The Mercedes press release is pasted after the jump.

Rumormill: Nissan to unveil updated 370Z next October

Speculation is circulating around the automotive media that Nissan is preparing a revised version of the Z-car. According to reports, the 350Z will turn into the 370Z when Nissan updates the sportscar with the 3.7-liter V6 in its recently-revised sibling, the Infiniti G37 coupe. Whether the Japanese automaker will use this opportunity to facelift the model altogether as anticipated remains to be seen.

The reports suggest that the 370Z will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show, home turf to Nissan's sister-company Renault, this coming October. That's still months away, so stay tuned for more information.

BMW M3: Two clutches, seven gears, eight cylinders and 54,000

The wind in your hair and an eight-cylinder soundtrack: does life get any better? BMW M3
The new BMW M3 Convertible goes on sale in April, with a retractable hard top, priced at £54,655, almost £4,000 more than the coupé.

The car will be the first model to feature the seven-speed M Double Clutch Transmission (M DCT) as an alternative to the standard six-speed manual gearbox. Gearchanges can be made via steering-wheel paddles or the gearlever.

BMW says the DCT improves Combined average fuel consumption by 1.1mpg and CO2emissions by 16g/km, to 293g/km. The DCT gearbox is an extra £2,590.

2008 Geneva Auto Show Preview: European Honda Accord Tourer Teaser Images

According to some some sources, Honda will unveil a new version of Accord this year at the Geneva Auto Show. Some teaser images of the European Accord Tourer Concept, the station-wagon model of the Accord Tourer, are circulating the web these days which show some design ideas of the Japanese company.

Although we didn’t see the “final product”, from these teaser images we can make a good image of how to car is going to look. The new headlights and the chromed door-handles seem to be the best features for this latest concept. The Tourer concept will pe powered by the new 2.2-liter four-cylinder iDTEC diesen engine, first presented this year at the Detroit Auto Show.

Also, it’s said that Honda will unveil the Acura TSX destined for the U.S. market.

2008 Geneva Auto Show Preview: Three-Door Mazda2

Mazda made an official announcement about the new Mazda2 which will be unveiled at 2008 Geneva Auto Show in March. The new model is a three-door version which has the same dimensions like the five-door version, also the Japanese company said that there will be available the same engine line-up.

According to Mazda, this hatchback mode will attract more customers from Europe. They said that the car weighs about 1,000 kg and apparently the engines have high fuel efficiency and low carbon-dioxide emissions.

In December 2007, Mazda2 was rated 5-stars by Euro-NCAP at their safety tests, also it received an impressive 20 automotive awards.

For Geneva ‘08, Mazda prepared other three cars, it’s the Taiki Concept, Mazda5 Hydrogen RE Hybrid and the Mazda RX-8 four-seater-four-doors sports car.

Spyker C8 Laviolette Ready For The 2008 Geneva Auto Show

Spyker is an exclusive automaker which was founded in 2000 by Victor Muller and Maarten de Bruijn. The purpose of this reborn company is to produce super sports cars like C8 and C8 Laviolette. For the Geneva Auto Show which will take place this in year in March, they are planning to unveil a new version of C8 Laviolette.

The previous model was based on Audi’s A8 4.0-liter engine which was delivering 400 HP and had a top speed around 300 km/h. The new version will be called C8 Laviolette LWD and it will feature a glass-roof-line. We expect them to maintain the power-train and we also heard that the wheelbase will be longer.

We will have to wait to see what they prepared for the forthcoming auto show.

Extreme Tuning of BMW 645i Modified Convertible

Two designers of the Alpine USA team remodeled a BMW 6 Convertible and they named it Dark Sinister Six. For the engine they have chosen a 4.8-liter V8 which produces 367 HP and it accelerates the car from 0 to 60 in 5.7 seconds. They worked very hard on designing both the exterior and the interior.

As you can see their work on restyling this car was not in vain.The 5-spoke black-colored rims were designed by the hot-rod manufacturer Boyd Coddington and have a width of 10-inches to 13-inches. The rims are dressed with Falken ZiEX S/TZ tires and the 360mm vented brake discs were produced by Brembo.

It’s a very interesting concept from the guys at Alpine and they managed to draw and built a very cool and attractive car. We hope that they will come and give shape to many other cars.

2008 Tokyo Auto Salon Booth Babes

After we presented some cars of the Tokyo Auto Salon, it’s time to show you other beauties that have drawn everybody’s attention. This year they continued the tradition and “exposed” among the super-cars some of the local models. We hope you will enjoy this photos as much as we did. Enjoy and behave!

$1,000,000 For Corvette ZR1 at Barret-Jackson Auction

You have to know this. The first Corvette ZR1 car has been sold for $1,000,000. For the two-seated car, it was a fierce battle between Jay Leno and Dave Ressler, but in the end the winner was Dave. We remind you that the super-car costs around $99,000, so 1 million bucks may be a little too much. The car features a 6.2 V8 supercharged engine which produces around 620HP. I think we all agree that this is a powerful car and it has an attractive design, but are very happy that a part of the money will go to charity.

Aston Martin Rapide Spy Photo

The Aston Martin Rapide was unveiled this year at Detroit Auto Show and is scheduled to get into production next year. The prototype was spotted at a gas station and it seems they changed just a little. The door handles and the 10-twin-spoke wheels are the same. We are curious to see if the interior will suffer major adjustments, because we were impressed by the two-bottles of champagne, the drinking glasses and the cigar cutter. We expect them to put these features in an extended package. We can hardly wait for the final version and we hope it will be better than the concept( if that’s possible!).

Nissan GT-R Amuse On The Circuit

At the Tokyo Auto Salon was presented the Nissan GT-R. Now we bring you the Amuse version which features an entirely carbon fiber front, new evacuation and new model seats. Nissan is preparing this GT500 for the Super GT Championship. The racing design was made with the help of NISMO. The Amuse was brought for testing at Tsukuba Circuit in Japan and it obtained a 1:01.332 time. Very good car and also very fast, for the GT fans we hope this car will keep up in the Super GT Championship.

Tokyo Auto Salon 2008: Mugen Type-RR

Back to the Tokyo Auto Salon, here is the Honda Civic Mugen Type-RR. The entire front of the car is made of carbon fiber and so is the special interior. The 2157 cc K20A engine produces 260 HP and 173 lb-ft torque and the transmission is a six-speed manual. The car features I-TCMS which means Intelligent Tire Condition Monitoring System. Other details we currently do not possess, but we hope that the extra-large name of the concept represents the quality of the car.

Saleen Announces the SA-25 Sterling Edition

Saleen Autosport is a company founded by Steve Saleen 25 years ago. Since then, he has been “upgrading” the Mustangs, some of them are the SA-5 Mustang in ‘88, the SA-10 in ‘93, the SA-15 in ‘98 and the SA-20 in ‘03. Now, the company informed that they will build the SA-25 Sterling Edition. For this Mustang they prepared a V8 supercharged engine which produces 620 HP and 600 lb-ft torque.

Other features are the unique wheels, “Gun Sight” racing stripes and the anniversary fender signs. The interior will feature Black Diamond Alcantara Leather and navigation system. For the customers Saleen prepared some bonuses which include first-class flight to Detroit, limousine transportation, dinner with Saleens’s Executives, a tour of the Saleen factory and a custom leather jacket.

For the 25th anniversary of the company, Saleen Autosport will make only 25 models which will cost around $99.995. Cool design, cool car, go for it!

Brussels 2008: Gillet Vertigo 5

Let’s turn our attention to Brussels. We present you another cool sports-car: it’s the Gillet Vertigo 5. This car is built by race driver Tony Gillet. The first model appeared 16 years ago at Brussels Motor Show in 1992. The coupe is propelled by a 4.0-liter Alfa Romeo V6 engine which accelerates the car from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.26 seconds. The Vertigo has a chassis made entirely from carbon-fiber which makes the car to be ultrathin. The price for the 5th generation of Gillet Vertigo is about €135,000. We believe this sports-car will offer you a special feeling when you go behing the wheel.

Detroit Auto Show 2008: Corvette ZR1

General Motors unveiled a supercar at Detroit, it’s the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette 2009. This car is a monster, the sound of the 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine makes your heart to beat faster and faster. The design cannot be confused, is impressive that they managed to keep the old looks but they brought new and cool features. Yeah, we refer at the carbon fiber splitter, the roof and the side skirts. The carbon-ceramic disc brakes also drawn everybody’s attention. We have to mention that this car has a number of 620 HP. What more can you say? Oh, the price for this supercar is $100,000.

Maserati GranTurismo convertible coming in March '09

Since Maserati unveiled the GranTurismo almost a year ago in Geneva, the question on everybody's mind has been, when is the convertible coming? The Trident marque from Modena has finally answered the call, announcing that, although it has yet to decide which show will feature its debut, the convertible will hit the market in March 2009.

Based on the GranTurismo's platform, itself shortened from the four-door Quattroporte's, the remaining question is what form the convertible will take. Although Maserati is thought to be developing a hardtop convertible, sources suggest the upcoming model will adopt a folding soft top, leaving the door open for a smaller hard-top convertible in the future.

The convertible GranTurismo will fill a void in Maserati's line-up created by the departure of the previous-generation Spyder – which ended production along with the GranSport and Coupe – and will form a vital component to achieving its sales targets. When the final figures come in later this month, Maserati expects to post its first profitable year since being taken over by the Fiat Auto Group some 17 years ago, buoyed by steadily increasing sales: In 2006 Maserati sold 5,714 units, rising to 7,353 units in 2007, anticipated to reach 9,000 in 2008, putting the company on track to reach its target of 12,000 vehicles annually by 2011.

BMW-Sauber unveils new F1 car

German automaker BMW-Sauber unveiled their new Formula One car in Munich on Monday, hoping to get a first victory in the upcoming season and then to challenge for the world title in 2009.

"This is the most beautiful car I have ever seen," said BMW's German driver Nick Heidfeld, who like in 2007 will be partnered by Poland's Robert Kubica.

The F1.08 car, unveiled at the BMW headquarters in Munich, has a distinct front wing which is to give the new model stability after the traction control has been outlawed for the 2008 season.

"The new car incorporates everything we have learnt over the past two and a half years," said BMW motor sport boss Mario Theissen.
BMW hope for a first team win in the 2008 season which starts on March 16 in Australia. In 2009, they want to challenge the leading teams of Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes for the world title.

BMW finished second in the constructors standings behind Ferrari last season after the disqualification of McLaren over a spying affair. Heidfeld was fifth in the drivers standings with two podium finishes and Kubica placed sixth.

Revealed : 2009 Ford F-150

It’s the best selling full size pick up and it’s getting a total redesign for 2009. Ford will unveil it’s newly designed F-150 at the Detroit show this week. Improvements are found on every level with a more commanding front end, more ridged body, better fuel efficiency, andmore luxurious interior details. Ford promises a truck for everone with over 35 different configurations including the ‘Platinum’ edition which includes many exterior and interior refinements in materials and finishes. 20″ wheels are now standard and the customizer in us digs that over 13 different wheel styles will be available to choose from.

Other notable features: Ford’s proprietary Sync voice-activated communications system, Sirius real time traffic stats, and a Sony 5.1 Surround audio system topping 700 watts of output.

The Ford truck team adopted a holistic, 360-degree approach to revamping the new 2009 F-150 – from its segment-first features to the tough new exterior highlighted by a dramatic three-bar grille and more spacious, flexible and refined interior, to the unparalleled choice of cab styles and trim levels – including a new Platinum series that redefines truck luxury.

2008 Audi's S5: A Muscle Car With Class

Back in the 1980s, when Audi's coupes were secret pleasures adored by just a few enthusiasts, the classic high-school car was one of two machines: Mustang or Camaro.

So, as my life has usually ended up, I drove in from left field when I bought an Audi Coupe GT. A trim four-seater with great handling, but not much power (five cylinders and counting), it was the pick of the top car mag's editors -- and it was quite different from the V-8-powered domestic iron. Make that two of us that didn't fit into any crowd.

So it's a little ironic driving Audi's gorgeous, supersonic new S5 coupe, that what comes to mind instantly is a Chevy Camaro Z28. The hotted-up V-8 version of the A5 two-door introduced last year throbs with musclecar power -- and especially from the rear, it's more than a passing resemblance to the coming 2009 Chevrolet Camaro.

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Auto show 2008

Motor show 2008

Detroit 2008: HUMMER HX Concept

Well, there's another embargo blown. HUMMERForums dropped all the images they had of the HUMMER HX concept that was due to be officially unveiled in a scant five days, and Jalopnik followed suit. So here it is, HUMMER's Wrangler-competitor in concept form, complete with a 3.6-liter SIDI E85 FlexFuel engine which sends power to all four wheels via a six-speed auto 'box. The HX is technically a convertible, meaning that the roof panels and modular rear can open or be stowed, while the interior instruments can be reconfigured depending on the type of driving you'll be doing. All the details are available in the press release after the jump.

Ford GTX1 production comes to an end

Gennadi Dedign Group has announced that the end draws nigh for the company's limited-run Ford GT roadster conversion, the GTX1. Over two years of production, the plan was to make 600 total cars available. 100 would be SEMA Edition replicas of the Valencia Orange show car shown above and in the attached gallery. The other 500 would be regular customer cars. According to Gennadi, only 100 cars or so have been ordered and completed, and whatever the number stands at when orders are officially ended on August 31, 2008 will be the final production run. The SEMA editions, in addition to the roof conversion, also received a host of additional upgrades including racing seats, adjustable shocks, Wilwood brakes, a power boost to 700 horses, a hidden rear bumper, and other some interior tweaks, too. Incidentally, we recently saw one of the finished customer cars (it sported the Tungsten paint job) in Greenwich, CT not long ago. With the roof in place, it can easily be mistaken for a "garden variety" GT -- which we would have done if not for the GTX1 labeling aft of the front wheel. Little did we know that it was one of a much smaller group than Gennadi probably anticipated building. If you've got a Ford GT and a hankering for an arier experience, you've got until August to let Gennadi have its way with it.

[Source: Gennadi Design Group]

BMW M3-2008

This M3 model from BMW is introduced in the year 2008.Its engine is located in the front with drive type of rear wheel.Its weight is 3650 lbs 1655.6 kg.

This is the first-ever BMW M3 with an eight-cylinder power unit, all-new V8 displacing 4.0 litres and developing maximum output of 309 kW/420 hp plus peak torque of 400 Nm/295 lb-ft at 3,900 rpm, maximum engine speed 8,400 rpm, optimum power and torque throughout the entire engine speed range.

Engine Configuration

Cylinders: 8

Aspiration/Induction: Normal

Displacement: 3999.00 cc 244 cu in. 4 L.

Valves: 32 valves.

Valvetrain: DOHC

Horsepower: 420.00 BHP (309.1 KW) @ 8300.00 RPM

Torque: 295.00 Ft-Lbs (400 NM) @ 3900.00 RPM

HP to Weight Ratio: 8.7 LB / HP (Vehicles with similar ratio)

HP / Liter: 105.0 BHP / Liter

Redline: 8400Gears: 6

Performance

0-60 mph: 4.5 seconds.

Top Speed: 155 mph 249.4 km/h (limited)

Dimensions

Seating Capacity: 4

Doors: 2

Length: 181.701 in 4615.2 mm.

2008 Mercedes SLK Roadster

With Christmas just around the corner, it’s your last chance to shoot off an e-mail to Santa. If you’re having difficulty deciding what to ask for, how about a 2008 Mercedes SLK? You might have to wait until Easter for it though, as Mercedes will only be launching the 2008 Mercedes SLK in the second quarter of 2008.
What you’ll get is a facelifted SLK roadster with a new front fascia and a new rear section, as well as a new instrument cluster and a new three-spoke sports steering wheel. Not to mention a choice of four powerful engines, of which two are modified and tuned engines!

The restyled exterior of the 2008 Mercedes SLK features a new front bumper with an integrated different air dam; and a rear end with an integrated diffuser, trapezoidal exhaust tailpipes and darkened taillights.

Powering the Mercedes SLK 200 Kompressor is a supercharged four-cylinder engine that produces 184 horsepower and 185 lb-ft. of torque while consuming only 36.7 mpg! The engine in the Mercedes SLK 280 has been tweaked to reduce fuel consumption to 30.4 mpg in the manual version, and 31 mpg in the automatic version. The Mercedes SLK 350 is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces 305 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and a peak torque of 265 lb-ft. at 4,900 rpm, thanks to a higher compression ratio, a new intake manifold and a modified valve train. Only the 5.5-liter V8 engine powering the Mercedes SLK 55 AMG remains relatively unchanged at 360 horsepower and a peak torque of 376 lb-ft.

All models, except the Mercedes SLK 55 AMG comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission. Optional on the Mercedes SLK 200 Kompressor is a five-speed automatic transmission, while on the Mercedes SLK 280 and Mercedes SLK 350 a 7G-Tronic transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddles is optional. The 7G-Tronic transmission is standard on the Mercedes SLK 55 AMG, which also features a new Direct Steer system.

The 2008 Mercedes SLK will be available from dealers in April 2008. The pricing is as follows:

SLK 200 Kompressor: € 36,503.25
SLK 280: € 41,858.25
SLK 350: € 46,975.25
SLK 55 AMG: € 69,049.75

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

The 2009 BMW X6

BMW are to unveil the production versions of the new X6 xDrive35i and X6 xDrive50i Sports Activity Coupes at the Detroit Auto Show in January next year, but don’t let that get your hopes up; the all-new softroaders are not coupes. Instead, the X6 is a four-door SUV with a slanted roof line that tapers out towards the rear to provide the silhouette of a coupe. Perhaps BMW will have the sense to add a real coupe to the lineup but that remains to be seen.

The exterior of the new BMW X6 features short body overhang at the front, wide front and rear wheel arches, and a rather high center of gravity, as you would expect on a SUV. The front end features BMW’s signature kidney grille and large air intakes in the fascia to help cool the engine.

The interior features four seats with high side supports and the integrated headrests, with the rear seats being separated by a center console. It also features a sports steering wheel with gearshift paddles, and multifunction buttons to operate the telephone and audio systems. Two of the buttons can be programmed.

Being an SUV, the new BMW X6 features BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system that electronic controls the distribution of torque between the front and rear axles in response to the prevailing driving conditions and the changing terrain.

Power is provided by an all-new 4.4-liter V8 engine in the xDrive50i, and a 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine in the xDrive35i. Both engines feature twin-turbos and direct injection, with the 4.4-liter V8 engine producing a maximum of 400 hp from 5,500 to 6,400 rpm, and a peak torque of 450 lb-ft. from 1,800 to 4,500 rpm. The 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine produces a maximum of 300 hp from 5,800 to 6,250 rpm, and a peak torque of 300 lb-ft. from 1,400 to 5,000 rpm! The 400 hp V8 engine propels the X6 xDrive50i from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.3 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph! Not bad for a SUV! Power is transmitted to the al-wheel-drive system via a six-speed automatic transmission that can be controlled by paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.

No pricing details have been released, but the BMW X6 is expected to be available from BMW dealer’s showrooms from the second quarter of 2008.

[Source: BMW]