The Europa i6 concept car is a mid machine, rear wheel scud sports car. The independent designer supports that ideally, the weight of the car is ard 2030 lb (920 kg) with a supercharged 2.0 liter inline six cylinder engine.
According to specification, the car capable to press on from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) in 7 sec and on to a top speed of 165 mph or 265 km/h.
The artist antecedently known as the 2010 BMW V5 has been spotted for the period of hot-weather testing and continues to confound everyone of its raison d’etre. Since it’s not at all longer called the V5 apparently, we’re just going to refer to it as the Mutt, since it’s a mix of pretty much everything. The BMW Mutt appears to be about the size of a 5-series, but sporting a fifth-door hatch and no rear decklid. Completing the Mutt’s look is a wide, BMW 7-series-style grille and plenty cladding to make a styling guess nearly impossible. Seems to us BMW couldn’t be happy with candid the niche-UV BMW X6, thus they’re branching out to blur other segments. Full dazed-and-confused see report below.
A protoplast for BMW’s Progressive Activity Sedan—once known as the V5—made another appearance in Death Valley, showing a bit more of its face beneath its heavy camouflage. The large twin-kidney design seems to have being inspired by the new 7-series, while the inspiration for the rest of the body is a complete mystery. The genre-bending BMW has in mind is apparent by the stance and overall shape, but our first-hand effect leaves us extremely curious how the styling will clerk once the awkward camouflage comes off. We accede to to being puzzled by its looks and packaging, and other than a little intrigued as to how (if?) BMW stylings can actually draw apart off a compelling, salable design.
“Progressive Activity vehicle?” When will they just give up and call it a dang wagon. Cadillac seems to have the balls to do it.
Volkswagen put out a horn-tooting presser today touting their giving up of 3.31 million vehicle worldwide in the first half of 2008, against Ford’s 3.22 million sales. Those figures mark the first time till doomsday that the kids in Wolfsburg have cracked the lop three worldwide in sales, and VW is gleefully rubbing it in Dearborn’s face, stating “antagonist Ford had to settle for fourth position.” Enjoy it now, Volkswagen; there’s again six months to go. Never rate too low the willingness of American automakers to offer $20,000 cash rebates just to beat you in the last two weeks of the year, level if it does average receivership. USA! USA! Arrogantly German press release subsequently the jump.
VOLKSWAGEN OVERTAKES FORD
Volkswagen Group in the fast lane: Wolfsburg automaker now holds third place in global vehicle sales rankingWOLFSBURG, Germany - The Volkswagen Group has taken its place among the world’s top three automakers thanks to the Wolfsburg-based company’s outstanding delivery figures in the first moiety of 2008. Rival Ford had to settle for fourth position.
“We are delighted that the Volkswagen Group has made it to the global automobile industry’s top three for the first time. This shows that we are on the right track with our ever-stronger international presence and, above totally, our product program. We will systematically push ahead with our growth course even in the present uphill market environment,” Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, commented.
With 3.31 million vehicles delivered in the foremost half of 2008, the Volkswagen Group increased deliveries in the first six months of this year by 7.2 percent, moving up to third place in the global vehicle sales ranking and overtaking its rival Ford, which announced vehicle sales of 3.22 the great body of the people for this period.
Spy photog and all-around auto assiduity superstar Brenda Priddy is once again in the intervening of giving something back to the community, this time raising coin to support out auto writer Frank Washington following a brutal assault endure month. Washington was left unable to moil in imitation of he was mugged and stabbed, so Brenda is setting up a series of eBay auctions to raise money to help him out. Using her industry sources, she’s pulled together quite a list of auto-centric swag.
Currently on sale is a set of Volvo C30 wheels from the next Fast and Furious movie, but the auction includes prototype Dodge Challenger pistol-grip shifters, original mid-engine Corvette sketches from the 70’s, a BMW sculpture and a Bob Bondurant racing class. Further details have power to be had at The Garage Blog and you can check out the current auction over at eBay.
After receiving a report earlier today, we’ve lawful confirmed the sad news that Phil Hill, the first American to win a Formula One World Drivers Championship, passed away at 10:30 this morning at the age of 81 after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Hill self-reliance be remembered as one of the greatest race car drivers in American history, having won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Italian Grand Prix, among others. He will moreover be remembered as a great writer, known to many on this account that his years of work writing about cars and automotive history beneficial to Road & Track. Phil Hill is survived by his wife Alma, one son and couple daughters. Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends, family and colleagues. More advice as it becomes available. Photo Credit: Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images Sport
Although it’s a yawnsville of a story at the moment, Top Gear USA’s Tanner Foust is bombing around Italy right now in a Lamborghini Reventón, on his way to tackling the Nürburgring in a Lamborghini Murcielago LP640. Wake us then he gets there. Hopefully the LP640 stays in some piece, unlike the trend like of late. [AutoFiends]
Feel like going every one of out and indulging in obnoxious luxury? Grab yourself a $2,750 sterling-silver Maserati-branded pen. Yeah, that’s plenty obnoxious. This pen heralds from Bologna, Italy, and the hand of Armando Simoni, evidently a famed luxo-pen crafter. The Maserati pen comes in roller ball ($2,500 — for the plebes) and fountain ($2,750) styles. Each features a Maserati trident and Maserati signature fender vents etched into the body and cap. 1,200 of the fountain pens and 714 roller balls are to be made, with respect to a total of 1914 — the year Maserati was founded. We expect you to hate forward it in the same manner with you so ruthlessly did the Maserati Quattroporte [AutoWeek]
Cadillac plans to take the wraps off the production CTS Coupe at the LA Auto Show in November, inferior than a year after showing the self-possessed concept version in Detroit. We’re now also hearing we should rely upon every up-powered Cadillac CTS-V Coupe to bow at this January’s Detroit Auto Show. Rather than make you wait until then, the gallery below shows away what we’re expecting the all-new Coupe will take care like with the added power and V-styling. Hit the jump for our well stocked report.
Last year at Detroit, in addition to the Cadillac CTS Coupe universal, GM debuted the new production CTS-V sedan, which will go onward sale before the end of the year. Given that, as well as what we’ve heard from our sources, it’s highly likely we’ll escort the CTS-V Coupe get its sheet whipped off at Cobo Hall in January.
We await power to come from the same supercharged LSA as the new Cadillac CTS-V sedan, pumping audibly 556 HP and transferring 551 lb-ft of torque to the wheels through a Tremec TR-6060 6-speed hand-book or some optional paddle-shifting 6-speed automatic. Expectations are for the 0-to-60 and quarter mile times to be feebly faster than the V sedan due to a lower mass and in a more excellent way aerodynamics.
As with the V sedan, the Coupe will carry the same Magnetic Ride Control suspension to help it set blistering lap records at your favorite track. Stopping power is provided by Brembo in the form of six piston calipers in the front with a four piston setup in the rear and rolling hardware comes in the form of 19-inch wheels wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport 2 summer tires.
When the CTS-V Coupe rolls off the Lansing Grand River Plant next year expect to snatch one up from your topical Cadillac dealer for somewhere around $60,000. That is, if you can get one for MSRP. M3, RS4 and C63 drivers beware.
Some say he has a tattoo of a Saleen S7 on his rear end. Others tell us he was born with a penchant for oil rather than his mum’s milk. All we perceive is he’s called the Auto Insider and he’s always ready to provide the leave hollow from the other side of Eight Mile.
Shanghai Automotive plans to introduce four of recent origin MG models to the UK market starting next year. The company just relaunched production of the MG TF by a limited edition run of 500 vehicles, but its plans to convoy MG to the USA have fallen through. All four models will be built at Longbridge, which is currently having its production capacity expanded with new quarter-staff and furniture to manage the task. Shanghai (which merged with Nanjing last year) claims this assures the future of the historically troubled facility. But what new models is MG bringing to market? Will the just be based on sub-par Chinese vehicles? Can MG really find sales success?
The in the first place new car will be a TF replacement more completely equipped (ie not dating from 1995) to compete with the Mazda MX-5. Expect it late next year. That will be followed by a mid-size sedan based on the Roewe 550; it aims to take on the Mazda6 when it’s introduced in late 2010. Following that, there are plans for a Focus-sized vehicle and each all-new supermini. The Chinese made Rover 75-platformed MG ZT choose not be making a go to the European place of traffic.
The reborn MG brand will initially be marketed and sold in the UK, if it succeeds there, sales resolution extend to other countries in Europe. It sounds like Shanghai intends to take the reintroduction of MG slowly, currently producing just 500 MG TF LE500s. By producing cars in England they’ll be formation use of an expensive workforce, meaning they’re unlikely to massively undercut rivals’ prices. If MG take 3 is to succeed, it’ll need to be prompted by emulation with brands like Mazda, Renault and European Ford in one of the most product-led markets in the world. [via Autocar]
