Automotive News

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Lexus

Some of the most interesting marketing campaigns of the last 100 years has come from automakers, and Lexus is doing its best to capture buyers’ imaginations with the technical prowess of the new LS sedans. First came a multimedia blitz centered around the hands-free parallel parking capabilities of the Lexus flagship, and now the premium tunes of the LS 460’s Mark Levinson audio system are on display in a unique way. The LS 460’s impressive sound system (which is part of a nearly $8,000 option package here in the US) includes 450 total watts coming from 19 speakers per vehicle, but the folks from Aichi want to show UK buyers that the system is good enough for a full-blown orchestra.

The London Symphony Orchestra is teaming up with Lexus GB to perform a concert using the sound systems of 12 Lexus LS 460s. Each car will contain the music for one instrument section, and all music will be coordinated form a central digital sound desk. Concert-goers will be invited inside the LS 460 to hear the music up close and watch a video on how the performance was created It culminates in the full-blown concert-by-car-stereo. We know the LS 460 is a very nice luxury car with what is undoubtedly a killer sound system, but how tough is it to be entertained in the UK? Seriously, your average pub has a 5,000 watt sound system, and they play good music and serve food and drinks.

[Source: Lexus]

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

---

Click here to advertise on thousands of blogs including mine

Filed under: MINI, Lifestyle

Click image to enlarge

MINI has teamed up with Japanese heritage sneaker brand Onitsuka Tiger (part of Asics) and will offer 3 pairs of trainers to coincide with the UK launch of the MINI Clubman this November. Aimed squarely at the style mavens MINI targets with its vehicles, the shoes will be offered in Chocolate/Cream (shown), Black/Silver and Cream/British Green. The shoes wear the MINI logo on the area just above the heel. Customers who want to get their hands on the fresh kicks will be able to do via MINI’s online shop, Onitsuka Tiger stores, and UK MINI dealerships. The tie-in is one of doubtless many promotions MINI has in store to help the Clubman hit the ground…er…running. (Rimshot)

[Source: MINI]

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

---

Blog advertising

Filed under: Green, Tech

We’re not gonna try to explain all the physics involved in this new engine design. That’s for all you Autoblog readers with engineering degrees to do in the comments. But, from what we understand, MIT researchers have taken a long hard look at an engine design called homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) and say it could run cleaner and more efficiently than current popular engine designs.

Conventional gasoline engines work by pistons compressing a mixture of fuel and oxygen that is ignited by a spark. Diesel engines work by injecting fuel into hot, compressed air which then ignites. HCCI is a mixture of the two methods. Air and fuel are mixed, injected into cylinder, then ignited by pressure from the piston.

One MIT researcher says HCCI could get 25% better fuel economy over a gasoline engine, while running cleaner than most diesels.

The article from MIT’s Technology Review says several automakers are currently researching HCCI engines. Volvo has been testing an engine that can switch between spark ignition and HCCI. AutoblogGreen just recently wrote that Mercedes is working on what they call DiesOtto, which is basically HCC, as welI.

[Source: MIT Technology Review]

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

---

Click here to advertise on the Worlds largest Blog Advertising Network

Filed under: Tuners, Japan, Toyota

Click for photo gallery

No big surprise here, but the Toyota Blade Master hasn’t even finished its first cup of coffee in Japan’s Toyota showrooms and TRD is already standing by with accessories. In addition to the selection of appearance upgrades available since the Blade’s launch, TRD has released the Ver.S performance muffler and a TRD Sportivo suspension kit consisting of shocks, springs and stabilizers for the V6-powered hatch.

[Source: Toyota via Carview]

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

---

Buy any word or phrase on this site and thousands of others using Phrase Links™

Filed under: Sports/GTs, Videos, Alfa Romeo

Click the Alfa 8C Competizione for a high-res gallery

When Alfa Romeo showed off the magnificent 8C Competizione coupe earlier this week, the gathered media got to look at it, photograph it, touch it and drool at the site of it. What we didn’t get to do was drive it. Alfa did, however, provide some video footage of the 8C on the road attacking the sort of twisty mountain roads that would make a daily commute actually enjoyable. Alas we can but dream, and watch the video after the jump.

[Source: Alfa Romeo]

Continue reading VIDEO: Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione

 

Permalink | Email this | Comments

---

Click here to advertise on thousands of blogs including mine

Filed under: Chrysler, Ford, GM, UAW/Unions

When union contract negotiations are kicked off, the press is on the topic like white on rice, but interest quickly wanes after bargaining has been underway for a couple weeks. Right now we have no idea what’s going on at the negotiating table, but one thing is for certain; both sides are gearing up for the possibility of a strike. The UAW currently has a war chest of almost $1 billion, and on August 5-6, meetings will take place to decide how the cash is doled out and to train local leaders on the art of the strike.

Strike meetings during contract talks are nothing new, but as bad as the car business is for the domestic automakers, both sides are hoping work stoppages can be avoided. While the automakers can ill-afford a strike, $1 billion only amounts to about $5,500 per person with 180,000 active UAW members, and workers probably want paychecks to stop even less than the automakers. We don’t know how these negotiations will all pan out, but if the domestics can’t close the $30/hr labor cost gap with their Japanese competition, there’s a chance none of the active or retired UAW workers will have a retirement to look forward to.

[Source: Auto News]

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

---

Click here to advertise on the Worlds largest Blog Advertising Network

Filed under: Car Buying, Sports/GTs, Dodge

Man, and here we thought that the 600-horse Bentley Continental GT Speed was a bargain at $199K. Dragtimes.com has reportedly obtained the pricing info for the revamped, more powerful 2008 Dodge Viper. The news is good, as The New Chrysler’s flagship tire-melter will start at just $83,145 for the Viper SRT10 Roadster. Want the coupe? Pony up a little more: $83,895. Bang-for-the-buck, thy name is Viper.

[Source: DragTimes.com via Jalopnik]

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

---

Create Instant Buzz

Filed under: Lifestyle, Shelby

Italian watchmaker Anonimo Firenze is releasing a pair of Carroll Shelby-themed wristwatches this month. The launch is timed to coincide with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. As for the baubles themselves, they’re pretty nice-looking. The Anonimo Shelby Mark II SE is based on the company’s Cronoscorpio 2018 Mark II, is branded with the Shelby Cobra logo and is finished with either a black-and-silver or black-and-gold dial. Additionally, the back of the watch features an engraved Cobra logo. The special run is limited to 1000 pieces (500 in each dial color combo). The watches arrive in a box featuring Carroll Shelby’s signature and are packaged with multiple straps, to boot. As you might have guessed, these are not inexpensive items, and they carry a retail price of $5,500.

[Source: Motor Trend Blog]

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

---

Create Instant Buzz