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Our jaded readers think that 35 grand is too much for a 500 horsepower BMW, so now we have no choice but to break out the heavy Nice Price Or Crack Pipe artillery: Ferrari! More »
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The Paris Motor Show press days have wrapped up, but if you missed some of last week's live coverage, here are some of the most trafficked posts from the show along with a couple more we added earlier today. Be sure to visit the full posts where you'll find more pictures, press releases and analysis. More »
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While exterior styling grabs all the new and concept car headlines, (and booth babes grab the eyes) it's the interiors that have the most potential to alter the way we experience our automobiles. Far from the squeaky, rattly, ill-fitting monuments to black plastic that are present on nearly every car at nearly every price range, show car interiors explore both new materials and new forms, as well as new ways for drivers and passengers to interact with their vehicles. Here are 14 of the 2008 Paris Motor Show's best dashboards and the ways in which we think they'll influence those on their road-going counterparts. More »
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Since we got a pretty good look at the Seat Exeo in European patent filings, it was pretty low on the priority list at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. Now that everything has settled down and we're home again, we figured it was time to circle back and show you our live shots of Ben's Audi A4 the Seat Exeo from hall three of the show. You'll note the striking, original design language of the car, with a commanding presence that can't help but take Seat in a bold new direction. Complete details and more pictures of the actual Exeo below the fold. More »
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Unless you're deep in the bowels of the automotive journalism industry, it may come as a surprise the Paris Auto Show is — despite the big reveals and beautiful flora and fauna — one of the worst of the global shows to cover. First off, the show is big. Really big. It's over a half mile across, and spread out over six main buildings with huge elevation changes — that's a lot of hiking. To compound this issue, the press room is on the far side of the convention center campus, half a mile away from anything useful. And, as we said two years ago, albeit more colorfully, it's the world's worst press room. So terrible is it in fact, we managed to use it for all of about 10 minutes before running to happier pastures at Volvo (thanks Volvo!). But, as a service to the Paris Motor Show planning committee, we've put together a list of the top ten reasons the Paris Motor Show press room sucks, along with ways to improve it. More »
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Pessimists will say China is no place for intellectual property; those people don't know what they're talking about. Take this vehicle displayed by importer China Automobile France. It's called Kiff and it is totally original and looks nothing at all like a half-scale Jeep Hurricane from the 2005 Detroit Auto Show. The "Kiff" is powered by its love of Amy and its loathing loyalty for Zapp Brannigan a mid-mounted Chery three-cylinder gasoline engine good for a respectable 69 HP driving a manual transmission. Toss it on the pile with the Heuliez Friendly and we're about ready to scoot out of here. More »
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Ben's gone to bed now, and the Paris Motor Show press days have wrapped up. Whether you agree or disagree, here's the top ten most trafficked posts from the last two days, compiled in order of popularity from most trafficked to least. Be sure to visit the full posts where you'll find more pictures, press releases and analysis. More »
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The 2009 Mitsubishi Colt is being brought in line with the rest of the Mitsubishi lineup, style-wise. You’ve probably already spotted the biggest new feature: the Lancer-style gaping front grille. While it makes the four-door somewhat confused-looking, that grille really sharpens up the three-door, especially in Ralliart guise. Three engines are offered: a 1.1-liter with 75 HP, a 1.3–liter with 95 HP and a 1.5 with 109 HP. The Ralliart adds a turbocharger to that 1.5 for 150 HP, making it a seriously interesting proposition for lovers of small, quick cars like us. The previous generation 1.1 was a hoot to drive, delivering extreme practicality from its flexible interior and huge character from its three-cylinder engine. Let’s hope this new model delivers more of the same. More »
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Tang Hua rocked our socks off with a trio of banana-yellow (and banana-shaped) concepts at the Detroit Auto Show, and they have followed up at the Paris Motor Show with this gorgeous sapphire blue semi-circular masterpiece dubbed the Tang Hua XY08 Chika. The Chika is yet another all-electric car featuring crushing performance from its massive four kilowatt electric motor (5.36 HP) and automatic transmission. Hold onto your hats: This baby does 31 MPH and will get you anywhere within 93 miles. Wait, that's actually not too bad for an e-car...well, if you discount the whole "fiery death in a crumpled heap of thermoformed polycarbonate" aspect. More »
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Sometimes it can be hard to distinguish a clean, green Hybrid model from its dirty, polluting counterparts. Thankfully, Kia’s designers have seen fit to equip the Kia Soul Hybrid with subtle hybrid badges to alert consumers to the presence of its 1.6-liter gasoline engine mated to a 180 volt, 5.3Ah lithium polymer battery pack and the 48 MPG figure the combination is capable of. It looks like this is actually going to be a production model, just one that’s been gussied up for the show floor with a clear polycarbonate hood and underfloor, revealing both the powertrain and battery pack. The Hybrid also debuts the full-length retractable canvas roof that will be optional across the Soul range. We’ll let you digest the rest of the facts and figures, but we’re finding the Soul increasingly appealing, even with over-the-top badges. More »
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When the Lamborghini Estoque sedan was revealed at the Paris Auto Show nobody was completely surprised that it was a four-door. With the upcoming crop of super sedans like the Aston Martin Rapide and Porsche Panamera, a concept Lamborghini sedan just seemed like the trendy thing to do. But we're still left wondering "why?" This is Lamborghini we're talking about, a company that built its brand image on massive scoops and spoilers, not elegance. Of course, as you can see in this video of the official unveiling, Lamborghini CEO Stefan Winkelmann explains that it's all about dollars and lack-of-sense. More »
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Meet the Heuliez Friendly, the Heuliez Pondicherry and the Heuliez... uh, Electric Dump Truck Scooter? Okay, we don't know the name of the last one, we just made that up, but all three are cool as hell for pocket sized electric cars. The Friendly contains more standard weirdness than any run of the mill Citroen could ever dream of, note the McLaren F1-inspired center seating and dual sliding doors — take that McLaren. Check out the wooden load floor on the camino-like Pondicherry — reminds us of our '51 Chevy 3100. These things are so cool, we might slip one in each pocket and try to smuggle them past customs on the way home. More »
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We can't tell what's more terrifying about the Wallyscar, planted right next to the Honda stand here at the 2008 Paris Auto Show; Is it the name all by itself? The deft combination of styling from the 70's era Ford Bronco, Jeep Scrambler, and Hummer H2? Or is it the fold-down front window on a vehicle made largely of injection-molded plastic? It could be any or all of the above, but hey, if you don't die in the rollover, the subsequent fire from the Peugeot 1.4-liter four cylinder will cause the melting plastic to ensure your corpse will stay preserved as a monument to poor decision making. More »
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The Aston Martin One-77 has only been partially unveiled at the Paris Auto Show to all but a select few monied d-bags, but Aston have now just released this first official video of the $1.9-million masterpiece, you know, for us plebes. There's a few quick glimpses of the actual car here, but mostly it's just Aston CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez and designer Marek Reichman hyping up the limited-production car, babbling on about emotion and essence. We just wish they'd show us the whole thing already. [via Aston Martin] More »
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With Ben all by himself at the Paris Motor Show, we've been back here across the pond bringing you his on-the-ground coverage. Here's everything revealed so far on the second day of the show, compiled in order of popularity from most trafficked to least. Be sure to visit the full posts where you'll find more pictures, press releases and analysis for all the best Paris has to offer from the day's coverage. And check back later when we'll bring you even more. More »
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Everyone's favorite communist-era carmaker and automotive laughing-stock on safety has just revealed a supercar concept here at the Paris Motor Show. Best part? It's called the Lada Revolution 3. Apparently the first two must have had something to do with forcing the Bolsheviks from power. Anyway, it's theoretically equipped with a Renault two-liter four cylinder able to make a 0-to-62 run in 5.9 seconds with a top end speed of 155 MPH. Stopping is done via two-piece 315 mm rotors and four-piston calipers. This would be the fastest Lada ever built, which begs a question. Would you really feel comfortable cruising Russia's roadways at 155 MPH in this Supercar? There's just something about a supercar with a Renault engine and the Lada name proudly emblazoned on the steering wheel that makes us shudder at the thought. Hold onto your buttskies, folks! Hit the jump to see how it would fit in with the rest of the Lada lineup. More »
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Squint just right and you’ll be able to see what the Saab 9-1 will look like. The Saab 9-X Air seeks to interpret traditional design cues into a more modern, smaller package that will be both fun to drive, uniquely luxurious and economical. The most successful par of the vehicle isn’t its proposed 1.4-liter turbocharged bioethanol hybrid powertrain, but its seriously nice interior, which does a great drop of adapting strikingly contemporary design themes into a friendly, welcoming package. It’s light years ahead of the plasticy, cheap interiors offered in the current models. Please Saab, find a way to bring something like this to market. Full details follow in the remarkably straight-forward press release, just ignore that whole fake “born from jets” thing. More »
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Ever wonder what the plug-in unit for the Chevy Volt looks like? Well now you know. Here at the Paris Motor Show the display car is tethered to the very slanted display stand by way of extension cord and locking plug-in mechanism. The power port is, as expected, hidden behind the "Volt" name plate ahead of the mirrors, though we expected it would flip up, apparently the plate slides forward. Pretty trick-looking if you ask us. More »
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The Lotus Evora has been loved and hated since its debut at the British Motor Show earlier this year, but it's now the Paris Motor Show and we haven't seen any kind of real shots of the so-called "back seat" of this supposed four-passenger car. Since we did the back-seat duties with the Lamborghini Estoque, we figured it only fair to visit the Evora and take a look at it for ourselves. In person, the Evora is a gorgeous car — its taut and swoopy skin really does give the impression of speed even standing still. Those back seats, however, give the impression of a perfect place for a family with dwarf amputee children. More »
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Venturi has debuted an all-new concept here at the 2008 Paris Motor Show: the Venturi Volage. The Volage takes the electric sports car concept and really runs with it — the all carbon-fiber car is equipped with the first application we've seen of the Michelin Active Wheel, the compact unit using in-wheel electric drive motors is installed at all four corners with a suspension driven by a second set of e-motors. The whole thing can be configured for any desired ride at the touch of a... uh, touch screen. According to Venturi, the Volage is actually expected to be produced in limited numbers in the 2012 model year, assembled by hand at its shops in Monaco. If this is true, it'll totally make the Tesla Roadster look like last decade's model (cause it will be by then). Press release and more images below. More »
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Subaru has finally pulled the trigger on its EE20 Boxer Diesel in a big way here at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. They've seen fit to lay down a copious supply of cross sectioned and exploded-view engines for a sufficient supply of engine porn and have thrown them into some cars to boot, namely the Subaru Forester 2.0D, the Subaru Impreza 2.0D, and the Subaru Legacy 2.0D. As you might have guessed, they're all outfitted with the same 2.0 liter horizontally opposed boxer diesel, a common rail, turbocharged oil burner good for 144 HP in the Forester and 147 HP in the Legacy and Impreza. All engines make 259 lb-ft of torque between 1800 and 2400 RPM while returning about 40 MPG on the European combined fuel cycle. Definitely some nice numbers, now if only we could get 'em in the States. Complete, and we do mean complete, details on the Boxer Diesel engine, galleries on the lineup and nearly-NSFW engine pics below. More »
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With Ben all by himself at the Paris Motor Show, we've been back here across the pond since 3 a.m. (our time) to bring you his on-the-ground coverage. Here's everything revealed on this, the first day of the show, since we started at 3 a.m. this morning (our time) — compiled in order of popularity from most trafficked to least. Be sure to visit the full posts where you'll find more pictures and press releases for all the best Paris has to offer from the day's coverage. Remember to stop back tomorrow at 3:00 AM when we let Ben handle the grunt work himself. More »
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We saw the first official press shots of the Mazda Kiyora earier this morning, but we dug the flowing Nagare design language so much we had to hunt it down on the show floor and check it out in the flesh. As you can tell from these live shots, it certainly didn't disappoint and Mazda seriously needs to figure out a way to bring these designs to production. We're not demanding anything ridiculous like a Furai (though we wouldn't mind it), but even an otherwise boring hatch like this Kiyora looks fantastic with the Nagare styling. Press release below the jump. More »
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We saw the Citroen Hypnos Hybrid in a sneak reveal a few weeks back and were frankly concerned about the mental health of the designers. In person, the Hypnos is a little less groundbreaking and a lot more crossover. The outside is like a Francofied Chrysler Pacifica, while the interior is...you know, different. It's still trippy as hell, but the flowing neon seating motifs of the concept renderings become a little less exotic when they're displayed in an actual vehicle. As for the 200 HP hybrid powertrain said to deliver 60+ MPG, that's still pretty damn impressive. More »
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Ben is all by himself in the City of Lights at the Paris Motor Show, and we're back here burning the midnight oil (and whatever it is you burn during the daylight hours) to bring you his on-the-ground coverage. Here's everything revealed since 3 a.m. this morning (our time) — compiled in order of popularity from most trafficked to least — so you can browse the ones you like and make fun of the ones you don't. Remember, these are just bits and pieces; be sure to visit the full posts where you'll find more pictures and press releases for all the best Paris has to offer this year. More »
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Ben is all by himself in the City of Lights at the Paris Motor Show, and we're back here burning the midnight oil to bring you his on-the-ground coverage. Since we're sure some of you weren't up at 3 a.m. this morning with Wert and Wes to catch our up-to-the-minute reporting, we've compiled a montage of all the cars revealed today — in order of popularity from most to least — so you can browse the ones you like and make fun of the ones you don't. Remember, these are just bits and pieces; be sure to visit the full posts where you'll find more pictures and press releases for all the best Paris has to offer this year. More »
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If you’re a cigar aficionado who drinks champagne and shoots on a Leica M8 you’re in luck, because Mercedes has the concept car for you at the Paris Motor Show. The Mercedes ConceptFASCINATION is both a preview of the styling of the already-spotted-nude 2010 Mercedes E-Class, but is mocked up here as a shooting brake with a trunk full of the kind of aspirational lifestyle accessories that exist together only in the pages of wanky magazines or in the minds of Mercedes execs. Hit the jump for a whole lotta fluff masquerading itself as luxury lifestyle marketing. More »
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Renault just unveiled the bird of prey-like Ondelios concept at the Paris Motor Show. Like seemingly every other concept car ever made, it’s a luxury crossover vehicle that’s also green by way of a mysterious hybrid powertrain. No one cares about any of that though, because they’re just looking at the Renault Ondelios's huge gullwing doors that provide access to the plush four-seat interior. Hit the jump for the waffley press release. More »
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The long unveil process is finally over, and here's the four-door Lamborghini Estoque Concept, live and in the flesh. We'd love to tell you more about Lambo's second ever four-door, and their first ever "four-door sports car" but since they haven't even made up their minds about which engine it'll have (anything from a big TDI to the Gallardo LP 560-4's V10), there's just not much to say. Looks better live than in the press shots though. And just in case you were wondering: we totally would. Lambo's lengthy release with little details on a car they're simply sure to make following the jump. More »
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The Mazda Kiyora, revealed today at the Paris Motor Show, is the latest in a long line of Nagare-style concept cars. In fact, there’s been so many of them, Mazda hasn’t even bothered saying much about this one, other than that it’s some sort of eco-friendly city car. The company hints the 1.3-liter DISI engine under the hood could soon be seen in a production model, but gives us no word on when this style influence will find its way to production vehicles. Full press release, for what it's worth, below the jump. More »
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By now you’re either laughing or cooing at the Nuvu, but this is a supposedly not just a silly design exercise, but a preview of the next Nissan Micra. Short for “New View,” the Nissan Nuvu is targeted at urban dwellers, and uses an electric powertrain to deliver zero emissions. It’s rumored the electric motor, which drives the front wheels directly sans transmission and is capable of 77 miles on a single charge while topping out at 72 MPH, will actually reach a production model some time next year. Yeah, we'll buy that when we see it. Worth noting on the design is what appears to be a centrally mounted internal pillar that supports the glass and solar panel roof. A neat, if impractical, touch. We'll wait for Ben to get us more information from the show floor. More »
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Audi’s hypothetical Mini rival, the Audi A1 Sportback is equipped with a 1.4-liter, 150 HP TSI engine that uses not only a turbocharger and supercharger, but a 27 HP, 111 Lb-Ft electric motor for both added performance and green credentials. Look for a production version of the Sportback to hit for the 2010 model year equipped with the new 7-speed DSG, but not the dinky hybrid. Audi’s spin follows. More »
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Nine months ago, an SC430 and a C70 knocked boots. The result? This, the 2009 Lexus IS250C hardtop convertible. Featuring the “world’s fastest” folding hard top (it takes just 20 seconds to reveal your baldspot). The biggest changes are the ugly taillights and the extended overhangs to make room for the spacious rear seats and large trunk — surely big enough for several sets of golf clubs. We’re going to hope the 205 HP 2.5-liter V6 makes it more fun to drive than the geriatric SC430, but we’re not holding our breath. The release follows. More »
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This is what passes for a small, budget sedan in Europe. The 2009 Skoda Octavia can be fitted with an optional 1.4 TSI or 1.8-liter turbo, both of which can be equipped with the same 7-speed DSG transmission as the 2009 Audi S3. There should also be a range of punchy, economical diesels. The Octavia looks like it’s based on a lengthened VW Jetta platform, sharing many of its interior features with the 2008 and prior Jetta and Golf. That’s a good thing, especially in a car that will be bigger, more practical and cheaper. We’ll have full details tomorrow or Friday as our Paris Motor Show coverage continues. More »
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The DuraCar QUICC! DiVa finally brings the enthusiast world what it has long been clamoring for: A Dutch electric car made entirely of plastic. The QUICC! is intended primarily for European urban delivery markets and features an all-electric powertrain wrapped in a "cradle-to-cradle" plastic chassis and body. The press release jumps around in typical broken English fashion, but the QUICC! apparently employs lithium-ion phosphate batteries in conjunction with bipolar lead batteries and some sort of fuel-cell mechanism. However it works, DuraCar claims a range of 93 miles and a top speed of 75 MPH for the DiVa, with no CO2 emissions. We'll bring you more after the QUICC! gets its Paris Motor Show reveal, but in the meantime the full release is after the jump. More »
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Welcome to Down On The Street, where we admire old vehicles found parked on the streets of the Island That Rust Forgot: Alameda, California. I've finally found a Ferrari on the island; sure, it's not even 20 years old and the Mondial isn't the most beloved of Ferraris, but it's the real thing. I was going to save this car for a special occasion, but it seems appropriate that we continue to honor Pininfarina in the wake of Andrea Pinafarina's death. More »
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It's been a few days since our last Choose Your Eternity Poll (in which the overwhelming majority of voters opted for Hopped-Up Crown Victoria Hell), but the series returns today with a vengeance! We've been spending a lot of time in British Car Hell lately, but we mustn't forget England's perennial rival for the Hell Project Crown: Italy. And we're not talking Fiats or Lancias or even Bianchis this time around... nope, get ready to dive into the real inferno! More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=338383&view=rss&microfeed=true While the Loverman and I agree on a great many things and have quite possibly slept with too many of the same women (all before we knew each other), now and then there is a great schism. DAF vs. FAF, Evo vs. WRX. Killdozer vs. Dave Matthews. Okay, so the last one was a complete and utter lie. But the 250 GTO is one of the only Jalopnik Fantasy Garage cars I've ever voted down. And it sounds like insanity, even to me. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=284585&view=rss&microfeed=true It must be rather unfortunate that the Ferrari Mondial QV was the first Ferrari James May ever drove. Then again, he is Captain Slow. I've known Mondial owners who love their cars, and the sound of any Ferrari eight is guaranteed to send shivers. But when somebody says, "Blah, blah...my Ferrari..." we inquire as to which Ferrari that may be and the answer comes back, "Mondial," well, we always wince a little inside. We'd much rather have a 308 GT4, frankly. Video above? May in a Ferrari he does like. – Davey G. Johnson More »
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