Automotive News

Filed under: Car Buying, Trucks/Pickups, Toyota

At the risk of piling on, we bring you more news from the Toyota Tundra camp. Earlier this month Toyota told dealers they would be allowed up to $1,500 in incentives on the base-model Tundra in an effort to take some market share from the Big 2.5. Now, ToMoCo is offering Toyota, Lexus, Scion and Hino Motors Ltd. truck dealers $2,000 toward the purchase of a B-cab Tundra.

In the past, dealers had to go through “channels” to acquire such vehicles, but in addition to the cash, the new program is apparently intended to allow dealers to skip some of the red tape.

Should it be necessary to offer incentives to your dealers to buy the very product you’re trying to sell? With more than 1,200 dealers, sales numbers wouldn’t spike all that much, actually. But the image boost of all those shiny new Tundras would surely be a plus. Maybe Toyota should also consider offering special incentives to the behind-the-scenes crews of its commercials and, what the heck, those NHTSA workers too. Couldn’t hurt.

[Source: AP via Forbes.com]

 

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Filed under: Motorsports, Lotus

Click on the photo for a high-res gallery of Lotus 2-Eleven images

The Lotus 2-Eleven, unveiled just prior to the Geneva Motor Show, recently hit the track for the first time. Apparently the results were good — very good, in fact! AutoCar ireports that acceleration for the 1474 lb speedster is already beating initial projections, with 0-60 taking just 3.9 seconds and 100mph arriving in 8.9 seconds from a dead stop. The £39,995 track-only version will start rolling off the line at Hethel next month.

[Source: AutoCar]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Sedans/Saloons, DaimlerChrysler, Mercedes Benz

The C-class is the entry-level Benz in the North American market. As such, every nouveau riche new graduate seemingly goes out and treats themselves to a slice of flashy bourgeois pie. That can be alarming for the Euro-car fan, as you risk being lumped into that precocious category along with Johnny Overachiever from down the block. There’s no denying that the Stuttgart Swabians build nice vehicles, and we’ve certainly considered parking one in our driveway. We wouldn’t want to deny ourselves the pleasure just to avoid being lumped in with a group of lecherous climbers, either. Lorinser has given the C-class a once-over and made it possible for true car-guys to have their Mercedes pleasure while standing apart from the schmuck brigade.

We love the look of the cosmetic upgrades. The turbine-style wheels look like impellers from a turbocharger with a wacky pituitary gland, and we wonder if they can slice, dice and julienne at speed. We’re not normally fans of unnecessary extra ventilation, but the revised front quarter panels have gained a nice pair of extractors. We do find the “gills” in the lower rocker covers sorta strange, and they don’t appear to have any purpose other than serving as a visual element. The front airdam has also received some tasteful attention, and Lorinser offers performance upgrades to back up the high-powered looks. Unlike some of the entry-level MBZ crowd, we’d rather the car be the high-powered one in a zoot suit.

[Source: World Car Fans]

 

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Filed under: Coupes, Sports/GTs, Japan, Nissan

And so, this is how it ends. The final Super Godzilla Specification R34 GT-R (a.k.a. the Z-tune) has finished its run. Initially intended to be a 20-car series, NISMO issued a press release last week announcing that in addition to the two cars finished in “NISMO R34 GT-R Z-tune Proto” trim, a smaller-than-intended group of cars was completed at the final customer Z-tune level due to difficulties finding appropriate R34 GT-R source vehicles. As such, the final run of Z-tunes, including the two prototypes, was limited to a grand total of 19.

Most remained in Japan, but a handful were exported (NISMO mentions Australia specifically), and the final deliveries are scheduled to take place in the immediate future (if they haven’t already happened). This effectively closes the book on the R34, which is revered the world over by enthusiasts (and Grand Turismo players) of every stripe.

The next GT-R drops the Skyline moniker entirely, becoming a separate car in Nissan’s lineup, and we’ll finally see the finished product in Tokyo later this year. In the meantime, NISMO’s keeping busy with a new hotted-up Z-car, and we have a feeling that they’ll cook up something really tasty when the 2009 GT-R finally hits the scene.

Until then, follow the jump for a YouTube oldie-but-goodie, showing one of the two Z-tune Protos lapping the ‘Ring at ludicrous speed. Long live the R34 GT-R!

[Sources: NISMO, YouTube]

Continue reading A moment of silence, please: NISMO R34 GT-R Z-tune sales officially end

 

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Filed under: Sports/GTs, Videos, Supercars, Aston Martin

We just thought that it would be apropos to take a look back on the history of Aston Martin, as the automaker begins another chapter of its storied legacy. This is an episode of Victory by Design that our friends over at Coolbrit.net came across, covering everything from its owners, its racing victories and the models that we’ve come to know and love. You can watch hour-long episode after the jump or follow this link to watch a full screen version. Enjoy! And yes, there will be a quiz.

Continue reading Weekend History Lesson: Aston Martin 101

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

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Filed under: Motorsports, Convertibles, Mazda

One of the fastest growing race series in the U.S. is the Mazda MX-5 Cup, and the reasons behind its popularity are obvious. Drivers with the motivation, a modicum of talent and limited funding ($10-13k will get you in the door) can experience the thrills of wheel-to-wheel racing at tracks around the country. Few racing series can offer the same bang-for-the-buck action as the MX-5 cup and for many (if not most), it’s the realization of a life-long dream.

Until now, there hasn’t been much in the way of organized training to get competitors ready for the series, so in partnership with Mazda, Skip Barber will begin offering a three-day training course at its facilities around the U.S.

Based off the same curriculum used to train its open-wheel students, participants will get behind the wheel of race-prepped MX-5s, built to the same specs required in the formal racing series.

The first course will be offered at Laguna Seca this April 27 through 29, with another course on May 21 through 23 at Road America. Other classes will be added throughout the year at Sebring, Daytona and Lime Rock, for the same price as their formula-car school: $3,995.

You can read the full press release after the jump and visit the Skip Barber website for more information.

[Source: Skip Barber]

Continue reading Skip Barber to host MX-5 Cup racing school

 

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Filed under: New York Auto Show, Convertibles, Supercars

Click the image for a high res version, perfectly suited for your desktop.

The folks at Callaway figured that if their customers were willing to plunk down the cash for a fixed-roof bespoke coupe, they’d be even more smitten with a drop top version. So at next month’s New York Auto Show, they’ll be debuting the C16 convertible, another supercharged super-Vette creating either 560 or 616 HP from its blown V8.

Much like the hardtop version that debuted in Montreal, the open-air version will be able to reach 60 in three and half seconds and on to a top speed over 200 MPH. All that, while still leaving the factory with a five-year, 100k-mile warranty. If you’ve got the $128,765 entry fee, go on and read the full press release after the jump.

[Source: Wired’s Autopia, Callaway]

Continue reading New York Auto Show: Callaway C16 Convertible cometh

 

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Filed under: Gadgets, Tech

The world is certainly not lacking devices that allow you to track and control your vehicle from afar. The newest breed of these systems was developed by Inilex, which allows a subscriber/user to do everything from unlock their doors, start their vehicle, sound the alarm, disable the engine or give the location of their ride. The system can be used by logging on to Inilex’s website via a PC, calling a toll-free number or using a PDA with access to the internet.

Aside from providing a bit more convenience and protection, the major draw for some users, namely parents, is the ability to not only track the movements of the vehicle, but also be alerted via text message or email if the kiddies stray from set boundaries or operate the vehicle during certain times of the day or night (no more ditching school or sneaking into the love interest’s window at 3 AM).

Straightline has several links that provide more information and Inilex has a demo posted on their site.

 

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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green

For a company who’s engineering capabilities have made it so popular with so many other automakers, Lotus sure has been a hot potato for the past couple of decades and it looks like they may get new owners again before long. Zap! has announced a new high speed charger for their EVs, which looks set to maintain their reputation for producing outstanding press releases. British fans of the Coventry Cats can now get them as green under the hood as the British Racing Green on the outside.

• Is Lotus for sale? Will Spyker purchase them?
• ZAP is hoping to clear one more electric car hurdle with their new high speed charger
• Introducing Britain’s greenest luxury car: the Jaguar XJ Diesel
• Edmunds says now is the time to buy a hybridWhat happened to the ECOmmodore? It’s in a museum, and now Australia wonders why it’s not building hybrids
• American Electric Power and Alstom to commercialize CO2 capture by 2011
• MIT claims ecomagination Challenge grant
• Geneva Motor Show: The beON, a two-seat, hybrid, off-road sportscar?
• Robin Hood on CO2: Tax rich motorists to help the poor get a cleaner car? I say ‘yeah!’
• President to visit GM and Ford hybrid plants
• Michigan Senator wants to see tax cuts for biodiesel
• Marco Werner, Audi R10 set new track speed record at Sebring

 

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Filed under: Trucks/Pickups, Safety, Toyota

Toyota’s not having an easy time with the Tundra so far. It’s been criticized for lacking a fully-boxed frame, the internet is alight with Tundra-hate, and now along comes the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Both Regular and Double Cab variants of Toyota’s intended domestic-fighter were crashed by the agency, and both only managed four stars.

While a four star crash test rating isn’t horrible, the Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado / GMC Sierra and Dodge Ram all have the strength to ring the 5-star bell and win the stuffed bunny. The likelihood of injuries in a Tundra could be up to 10-percent greater than the domestic brands because of its one-star deficit. The difference could also be as small as one-percent, however, so this news may not be as significant as it sounds at first blush. All we can really say with certainty is that the Tundra performs worse when crashed into a concrete barrier at 35mph than its competition.

No doubt the Tundra’s performance in this test will again focus scrutiny on the truck’s frame, which is not fully boxed like its competition. According to Mike Levine from Pickuptruck.com, the Tundra’s frame is split into three parts and the front piece actually is boxed. However, the frame under the cab and bed are C-channel, and they are also affected by a frontal crash. As Levine told us, the rest of the Tundra’s competition now has some ammo to aim back at the Tundra in their marketing efforts.

We expect that acceptance of the brawny fullsizer from Toyota will take a little while, and it may not come until the current generation Tundra is dead and buried, but when Toyota wants something, they don’t mess around. They were up front in expecting the Tundra to receive five stars and a Best Pick from the IIHS, so don’t expect this 4-star rating to last long.

[Source: Pickuptruck.com]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

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