Jalopnik
Over The Back Fence
The Chevy Beat Goes On...Into US Showrooms?
Seems GM could be redoubling its efforts with small cars in the face of shifting consumer demand, and actually putting the Chevy Beat into the US market. Even though the Beat won in a popularity contest over its other two conceptual siblings, the Groove and the Trax — which we thought meant a green light for production, no formal product plan was put in place for the US. With shuttered plants and the need to reconnect with customers, we think the beat is exactly what the doctor ordered.[Bloomberg]
2009 Dodge Challenger Super Stock
Dodge Challenger Super Stock Teases Us In Video Form
Chrysler has released a teaser of sorts for the tasty Dodge Challenger Super Stock package, to be offered up through Mopar for straight line racing fanatics. Judging by the sounds this thing is making, it's going to be a gnarly beast on the track. We were hoping the meth-like addiction to Mopar's muscle car was fading. Must be all that Amerigasm action causing it to flare up again. More »
Industry News
Automobile Gets The Skinny On Truck Planning At Dodge
Given the current sales climate, it was probably about time somebody sat down with an automaker and asked them what the heck their plan was for trucks. Automobile's Phil Floraday interrogated the Chrysler folks about where the Dodge brand is going now that we're in the middle of the gaspocalypse. They spouted off something about making the Dodge Ram HD a bit more fuel efficient, and even reducing horsepower a bit. Then they wandered into smaller trucks. More »
custom cars
The Award For Loudest Use Of A Ural 375D Goes To: Power Acoustik Sub Truck
Imagine you have a Ural 375D at your disposal — basically the Soviet version of the deuce and a half. What do you do with it? If you're sound equipment manufacturer Power Acoustik, you stack it so high with subwoofers, amps and horns, astronauts in orbit can listen in to your books on tape. The tail end of this thing looks like a Soyuz launch vehicle just waiting to blast off. While it's just a demo vehicle, we're pretty sure it would make a rockin' PA system too — for the city of Moscow.[TechEBlog]
Sema
Dealers, Supercharge Your Dodge Challengers!
At this years SEMA show, Dodge will be unveiling a new supercharger kit for the 2008 Dodge Challenger, providing the potential to significantly boost output from the stock 425 HP (in SRT8 trim). The dealer-installed option will be sold through the Mopar brand, and if the co-developed kits from Speedfactory are any indication, it'll consist of a Vortec blower with a cold air intake good for a whopping 630 HP. Hey, that's right up there with the Corvette ZR1's numbers. More »
Noble M600
Noble M600 Spotted Stretching Its Legs
Spottings of the Zubaz-inspired-camo-wearing Noble M600 continue, and Autocar.uk has managed to get a peek at the tail of the new low-volume supercar. The exterior enhancements at the aft end seem to match the ones at the front, and the design is maturing to match a more refined character from Noble. The exterior upgrades are great and all, but it's what's stuffed in the back that has our eyebrows perked — a twin-turbocharged version of the Yamaha-designed 4.4 liter V8 from the Volvo XC90. More »
1:00 PM on Thu Jul 3 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
1,482 views,
11 comments
Latest by layabout: @BingleBangleBungle: Fringe brands cant afford radical new technology.Thats what makes them survive,just look at Morgan. more »
MG SV-R Convertible
MG Sport And Racing Planning SV-R Convertible And "Green" SV-R, To Launch At Tea Time
Despite Nanjing Motors currently owning the MG and Rover brands, MG Sport and Racing still operates independently within the Queen's kingdom. It seems they're preparing something new to entice niche sports car consumers: This MG SV-R with the top lopped off was discovered in the corner of the Sport and Racing workshops, and is the development prototype planned for use this summer. The new, properly British MG will be equipped with a manual soft top and the same 520 HP Ford V8 found in the regular SV-R. But that's not all they have planned. More »
10:00 AM on Thu Jul 3 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
1,261 views,
19 comments
Latest by mr.chophoppers: @amblito: LJK Setright would most likely not approve. It's too wide. more »
2009 BMW 7-series
After teasing us with the new 2009 BMW 7-series, BMW's finally revealed the new 7 via an early leak of press photos to the web. After throwing everything at us from a flowbee-equipped mule to the teaser at the German golf outing, they've tossed the next 7-series at us in every way possible but with the kitchen sink. Every time, it's been nothing but a tease. Well, except for that purported leaked press shot. But somehow these small press photos have wiggled their way out onto the web and we've managed to snap 'em up.
More »
2009 BMW 7-Series Hits Web A Wee Bit Early
After teasing us with the new 2009 BMW 7-series, BMW's finally revealed the new 7 via an early leak of press photos to the web. After throwing everything at us from a flowbee-equipped mule to the teaser at the German golf outing, they've tossed the next 7-series at us in every way possible but with the kitchen sink. Every time, it's been nothing but a tease. Well, except for that purported leaked press shot. But somehow these small press photos have wiggled their way out onto the web and we've managed to snap 'em up.More »
2009 porsche 911
2009 Porsche 911 Targa Picked Out In A Sea of Porsches
One of the boys over at the Teamspeed forums managed to get some awesome shots of a field of brand-new 2009 Porsche 911's, and among them was one we haven't seen yet — the 2009 Porsche 911 Targa. We catch a glimpse of the new glass-roofed 911 in two different flavors — the Targa 4, and the Targa 4S, though we'd wager the differences between the two lie largely under the sheet metal. Sure does look a lot like last year's Targa with a reflecto-bar slapped on the tail. In any case, we'll be getting the complete details on this new, subjectively improved Targa when Porsche tells us all about it on July 28th.[Teamspeed via GermanCarBlog]
8:40 AM on Thu Jul 3 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
1,401 views,
26 comments
Latest by diskreet: They still make 911 Targas? I have only ever seen 2 in person, and I have see dozens of 911s this week alone. Why? more »
2010 Lotus Eagle
FacelessPeople Ad Campaign Probably Attached To 2010 Lotus Eagle Debut, Definitely Creepy
Ferrari played their cards extremely well with the 2009 Ferrari California debut — it was stylish, it was measured, and it had the motoring press lapping out of the palms of their hands (a perfect example is today's spy photo of a topless California; see how Wert just laps it up? ). Lotus seems to be copying that campaign for the rollout of the pending 2010 Lotus Eagle, but this time, the marketing effort is decidedly more creepy. The "FacelessPeople" ad campaign consists at the moment of a website with a countdown timer, and, more bizarrely, people without faces attending public events wearing Lotus badges. Gah! Heebie jeebies anyone? Apparently the "True Character Will Emerge" in about 18 days. We're assuming that means they'll put a face on the much-anticipated new Eagle instead of covering it in a sheet.[MoueMagazine]
Industry News
BMW Thinks CAFE Is Unfair, Wants Special Treatment
Instead of manning up and facing the engineering challenges brought on by the Bush Administration's 2011-2015 CAFE regulations,
News
Michigan Governor Proposes Lower Speed Limits, Removing Last Reason To Stay In Michigan
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm today suggesting the state should consider lowering its 70 MPH (which, in practice, means 80 MPH) interstate speed limit in an effort to save energy. Wrapping her statement in the "families are hurting" argument, the governor made the politically delicate suggestion minus any actual proposals to lower the limit to a specific amount. Hey, here's an idea: If you don't want to use more fuel driving 70 MPH, then just slow down. And stay the hell out of the left lane. Welcome to 1974 all over again. [Detroit News]
Offbeat News
And So It Begins: Sex Traded For $100 Gas Card
That thing you never thought you'd see happen in your lifetime? Yeah, it just did. A Kentucky woman was nabbed for prostitution after accepting a $100 gas card in payment for her "services." Angela Eversole and Kenneth Nowak were picked up outside of the Days Inn in Fort Wright, Kentucky after officers suspected sexual tom-foolery. Nowak admitted to his status as a John, and to paying Eversole with a $100 Speedway gas card. Welcome to the gaspocalypse, folks. [TheSmokingGun]
Offbeat News
Attack Of The Killer Lexus RX300!
It came from a northern Ireland supermarket parking lot, it had a lust for Porsche Boxster and Toyota Celica blood, and it would not stop until it had crushed both into submission: It was the killer Lexus RX300! Dun, Dun, DUUUUN!!!!! Local news reporters assumed it was the result of poor automatic transmission shifting skills, but those in the know won't be turning their backs on any RX300's any time soon... they're all out there, just waiting to crush your ride next.More »
Jalopnik Automotive Amerigasm
Police car chases are as much a part of American cinema as the sappy love story and the life-like animated robot movie. With so many directors having tackled the police chase it has become a bountiful field from which to pluck perfectly formed flowers of destruction and tire smoke. As we continue our Jalopnik Automotive Amerigasm this week with the second part of our review of the 2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition, we figured we should see what the celluloid forefathers of this blacked out beast have been able to do on film. Except, the "top ten car chases" thing's been done so many times it's not funny. Since we know there's more out there than the usual Bullitt-to-Bandit list we've shaken things up a little — with five of the obvious best and five of the not-so-obvious best — silver screen police car chases. So grab your popcorn and hit the jump.
More »
Top Ten Best Movie Police Car Chases, With A Twist
Police car chases are as much a part of American cinema as the sappy love story and the life-like animated robot movie. With so many directors having tackled the police chase it has become a bountiful field from which to pluck perfectly formed flowers of destruction and tire smoke. As we continue our Jalopnik Automotive Amerigasm this week with the second part of our review of the 2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition, we figured we should see what the celluloid forefathers of this blacked out beast have been able to do on film. Except, the "top ten car chases" thing's been done so many times it's not funny. Since we know there's more out there than the usual Bullitt-to-Bandit list we've shaken things up a little — with five of the obvious best and five of the not-so-obvious best — silver screen police car chases. So grab your popcorn and hit the jump.
More »
12:30 PM on Wed Jul 2 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
7,776 views,
122 comments
Latest by om nom de plume: FOR FUCKS SAKE YOU MORONS.... THIS IS POLICE CHASES ONLY !!! GOD DAMN IT more »
2009 Ford Fiesta
Diesel Ford Fiesta Smokes Prius, Gets 62.5 MPG
Talk about having the right product in the wrong place. Ford will be debuting a version of the new as-of-now Euro-only Ford Fiesta Econetic at the British Motor Show later this month equipped with a miserly 89 HP, 1.6-liter TDCi turbodiesel engine. How miserly? It's good for 75 MPG in imperial gallons, which gives it a Prius-smoking 62.5 MPG here in the US of A. Something tells us Ford would have no problem selling a few of them here, considering the tectonic shift towards smaller, more fuel-efficient cars we saw evidence of yesterday. No word on US availability of the Econetic when the Fiesta hits our shores as a 2010 model, but it's a fair wager Mulally and Co. are mulling it over.[AutoExpress]
