“C” is for gladden, but that’s not dexterous enough for ABT. The German tuning house has taken Volkswagen’s soothe new Passat Comfort Coupe (CC) and given it a small degree more grunt. The 1.8-liter TSI goes up from 160hp to 200, the 2.0 TSI from 200 to 240, with the diesel versions up more conservatively from 140 to 170 and from 170 to 190. Suspension upgrades and a choice of wheels in 18-20 inches are also thrown into the mix, with a visual upgrades package to follow. Check out the trio of images in the gallery below.

[Source: ABT]

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A bell-bottomed, braless British babe heads to her MGB following catching Last Tango In Paris- yeah, British Leyland was making cars for rebels back in ‘73. Need we refer to the legendary build quality of Malaise Era BL cars? We’re jealous, in whatever manner, of the UK-market horsepower numbers listed in this ad; the North American ‘73 MGB packed a mere 78.5 horses under the bonnet.

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Earlier this week, we got the first unofficially official look at the 2009 Ford Ka, the biggest little thing to hit the Ford lineup in years. Today we get some unofficially official look at its tail-end and the center stack, albeit in small-image fashion. Worry not though, as it seems everything is going according to plan, and the car looks even-handed as it did when pre-production photos of the Ford Ka leaked out in May. Expect to discern the littlest Ford debut at the Paris Motor Show in October.

galleryPost(’09fordkamore’, 3, ‘New And Leaky Ka Pics’); galleryPost(’newfordka’, 6, ‘Old And Sneaky Ford Ka Pics’);

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With wholly the news swirling around about the downfall of leasing among the Detroit 3, Chrysler has unclouded to stick Stuart Schorr, Senior Manager, Sales, Mopar and Dealer Communications, in front of the mic to clear up a few things. The first point he makes is that Chrysler LLC dealers can still offer leases to customers from other financial institutions moreover Chrysler Financial. While this is true, some of those financial institutions have also backed out of the business of leasing Chrysler vehicles, including Chase Auto Finance. We’re not sure in what condition many lease backers that leaves, but the ones remaining will probable be forced to raise lease prices, much like Ford has done with its truck and SUV leases, to shield themselves from losing tons of money when vehicles leased today are eventually turned rear in. The second point made by means of Schorr is that all current leases are not affected and their let conditions will remain in effect. Well we would sense of possible fulfilment with equal reason! Third is that Chrysler Financial will waive the disposition fee if a current lease owner decides to corrupt his or her vehicle at the end of the lease term. LeaseGuide.com tells us that this fee usually amounts to between $250 and $450. Here’s some friendly advice – do not buy your lease vehicle at the end of its contract. Unless you’ve driven a ridiculously gentle amount of miles (not likely), your vehicle is worth way less than what Chrysler fancy it would be and the adjustment fee will not make up the difference. You would effectively be letting Chrysler Financial off the hook for overestimating the car’s residual regard. Schorr’s fourth point is that employee leases and company cars are not affected. Cool, ’cause we were pretty worried about that. At the end of the day, leasing is still a viable option for many people who notice the cost agreeable, as we’ve none doubt learned this past week that the pecuniary institution backing the let is shouldering the risk.

From Chrysler’s Firehouse Media Blog

Stuart Schorr is Senior Manager, Sales, Mopar and Dealer Communications

Given the media interest in vehicle leasing, I wanted to take this opportunity to give more details on what customers can expect from Chrysler and their limited dealers. Steven Landry, Chrysler Executive Vice President of North American Sales, elaborates in the video above.

1) Chrysler’s dealers are still talented to offer customers lease financing arrangements with other financial institutions, separate from Chrysler Financial.

2) Current vehicle owners, Chrysler employees and retirees with leased vehicles through Chrysler Financial will not be affected by this shift, and the terms of their contract determination remain in force. Chrysler Financial will prolong to support and service current Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge let and balloon-contract holders.

3) Should current lessees purchase their existing lease vehicle, or a new Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge vehicle at the end of their existing lease, Chrysler Financial will waive the disposition fee. Chrysler is also offering a loyalty bonus of up to $750 incremental to most other incentives with the purchase of a unaccustomed vehicle. Chrysler wants to keep these customers in our family!

4) Chrysler employee lease/troop car programs for current and retired salary Chrysler employees, in which vehicles are obtained end the association, are not affected.

[Source: Chrysler LLC]

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Pending white collar cuts and mournful sales facts have resulted in morale problems at General Motors. That’s going to put a damper without interruption the Detroit automaker’s centennial celebration, in like manner the General plans on showing employees a near-production-ready Chevy Volt to give workers hope. The (hopefully) game-changing extended bend electric vehicle will be shown internally around the September 16th centennial, and employees who see the Volt enjoin, of race, have to check their cameras and phones at the door. That doesn’t mean the public won’t lief get an eyeful of the car, as GM sources report that it’ll be shown in production trim at this year’s LA or Detroit Auto Show. Don’t forget also that it’s also been rumored that Volt could show up in Paris in October.

GM has 200 engineers and 50 designers working long hours to make the ER-EV happen by its late 2010 production target, and there are another 400 the multitude working on components. GM is furthermore constructing a new 530,000 sq-ft facility to build the Volt’s 1.4L engine and working on getting incentives for the planned construction.

[Source: Detroit News]

Tag: Detroit Auto Show, LA Auto Show, Hybrids Alternative, Green, Plants Manufacturing, Chevrolet, GM

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Mike Levine from Pickuptrucks.com newly spoke with Knight Rider Executive Producer Gary Scott Thompson and got the skinny upon KITT’s new ability to transform himself (seriously, I merited called it a “him”) from a 2008 Shelby GT500KR to a 2009 Ford F-150 FX-4. The idea in favor of having KITT morph into a small commodities came to Thompson when he needed his main character and that week’s damsel in distress to make a quick getaway without KITT having to interrupt notwithstanding them to get in, so he imagined the car as a pickup. This way the characters could hop right in its bed (we see this happen in the new prune that was released by NBC), though we’re unsure how they survive the metal origami that turns KITT back into a car. We also disagree by Thompson when he alludes to the GT500KR being “round the same mass” as the F-150, but he feels justified in apprehension this direction with KITT after consulting with “futurists” at Microsoft who forebode. that vehicles will change their shape to suit our necessarily by 2030. We don’t know what being a futurist entails, but we’re not inclined to believe ones employed by Microsoft who failed to predict the backlash against Vista, how bad the Zune would sell or that the entire first batch of XBox 360s would fail. Clairvoyants they are not.

Though the rendering at right reveals KITT F-150 was originally designed to carry a bigger resemblance to the GT500KR on which the car is based, it’s ended up being just a blacked-out F-150 FX-4 with KITT’s signature red light bar above and behind the top bar of the grille. That should make it easy for fanboys to recreate by their own 2009 F-150s though, as we just know sales of the truck are going to skyrocket after the new season of Knight Rider begins.

[Source: Pickuptrucks.com]

Tag: Trucks Pickups, Ford, Lifestyle, Celebrities

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One day later than spotting the “inexpensive” auto performance size tool Dynolicious for the iPhone, we’ve found another, and it’s much cheaper. Liberty For One has released its own automotive measurement cat’s-paw called g-tac, and its going toward just $4.99. For less than half the cost of the Dynolicious tool, you get times and trap speed for the quarter mile, as well in the same proportion that times for 0-60 and 60-0. The g-tac utilizes the iPhone’s (and iPod Touch’s) accelerometer to determine rate of motion, so the phone doesn’t have to be plugged into the car. The tool also graphs off your last three runs so you can hone your descant technique over time.

g-tac’s feature list doesn’t appear to have the sturdiness of the Dynolicious app, which also features metrics for Lateral Gs and horsepower, and there isn’t much documentation to detail what g-tac can actually do. The early reviews aren’t so hot either, as the first seven purchasers be favored with averaged a rating of just 2.5 stars compared to the four star rating for the Dyonlicious app. Since cheaper doesn’t typically small less ill, we intend to test as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but apps against an even more expensive hardware unit, and we’ll let you know if either iPhone app is worth your hard earned digital dollars.

[Source: Liberty For One]

Tag: Gadgets, Tech

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Owning a rare, exotic car comes with its own unique set of challenges. This is especially true for cars like the Caterham Seven, which tends to be raced and modified by a high percentage of its owners. In that pure intelligence, Caterham is now offering insurance to its customers. The best apportionment is the new plan covers track-day certified repair and is friendly to the kind of modifications that Seven owners are likely to make. This follows the Caterham CDX and other offerings from the company that shows its commitment to the unique kind of customers they serve in the UK. More info from the company below.

Caterham Insurance Info

We’re all based in the UK
Caterham Insurance advisors are based in Northamptonshire, Claims are in Yorkshire.

In the occurrence of a claim
All repair work is carried out by skilled Caterham mechanics.

Windscreen cover
Windscreens replaced by Caterham or yourself get the £75 excess wavered.

Introductory No Claims Bonus
At Caterham Insurance we understand that your Caterham may be a fun car for luminous days and weekends. If this is the case we can offer up to four years prefatory No Claims Bonus.

Agreed value
One of the joys of owning a Caterham is their high re-sale value. If your Caterham is to boot 10 years old we would be delighted to provide agreed value.

Is you Caterham modified?
A pleasantry part of owning a Caterham is modifying it over a sum up of years, for the road or track. Caterham Insurance recognises entirely modifications carried out by dint of. Caterham, but can also provide cover admitting that you have completed modifications at a later stage.

[Source: Caterham via AutoFiends, WCF]

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Porsche’s giving in adhesion to the KISS philosophy of exterior design won’t extend to the engine of the facelifted 911 Turbo, GT2 and GT3 when they’re released early next year. All three models will dispatch with the fictitious M97 powerplant in favor of the new, direct-injected A91 flat-six that’s equipped on the lately updated 911 Carrera.

The two turbocharged 911s will be packing 3.6-liters of displacement, by a 97 mm bore and an 81.5 mm stroke (the outgoing engine was sized 100 mm x 76.4 mm), along with revised turbochargers and intercoolers. Autocar’s sources suggest that output on both models wish rise by around 20 hp, with the Turbo producing 500 hp and the GT2 pushing out approximately 550 hp. Torque figures should also increase by around four percent.

The GT3 will tarry naturally aspirated, with a 3.8-liter rendering of the A91 with a 102 mm bore and a 77.5 mm calamity. The like inner changes from the Carrera S will carry over to the GT3, including lightweight pistons, valves and springs. Output should increase from around 415 to 430 hp. And all of these changes will also increase fuel efficiency and decrease C02 output. ‘Cause that’s what really matters… right?

[Source: Autocar]

Tag: Coupes, Supercars, Porsche

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The SR 392 horse, built by Quality Metalcraft’s Michael Chetcuti and Chrysler’s Mark Allen and Ralph Gilles, will be auctioned off in August at the the Russo & Steele car auction during the Monterey Historics. In case you’ve forgotten, the SR 392 concept made its debut in the Chrysler unfold at last year’s SEMA show and it’s named after the 392 6.4-liter Hemi hamper engine under the hood. Since then, it’s traveled the country, winning show awards left and right. We only hope it finds an owner who treats this Hemi-powered hot rod right. Full press release posterior the jump.

galleryPost(’SR392SEMA’, 8, ‘Hemi-Powered Hellion Of A Hot Rod’);

Private Seller to Auction One-Off Chrysler Concept Roadster at Russo & Steele

A sleek black and chrome Detroit-style roadster, designed by Chrysler’s Mark Allen and featuring a 6.4 L Hemi hamper engine, will be auctioned at the Russo & Steele car public sale in Monterrey, California this August 14-16, 2008. The SR 392 Roadster has won several prestigious awards at Hot Rod shows throughout the country this year.

Detroit, MI (PRWEB) July 30, 2008 — An edgy, HEMI-powered, award-winning roadster from Chrysler’s 2007 Mopar SEMA exhibit will be up for bidding at the August 14-16 Russo and Steele Auction in Monterey, California.

The SR 392 Roadster, featured widely in 2008 issues of both Hot Rod and Street Rodder magazines, has won numerous prestigious awards. Most recently it was hand-selected through the widow of the late Boyd Coddington for a Boyd Coddington’s Pro’s Pick Award at the Good Guys Nationals in Columbus, Ohio.

It also won a Chip Foose Design Excellence Award at the 2008 Grand National Roadster Show. “This hot rod is truly trend-setting. It’s design elements will be mirrored in hot rods and inform vehicles for years to come,” Foose said.

For nearly two years, Chrysler’s Mark Allen and Ralph Gilles planned to build the SR 392 Roadster as a SEMA stunner with Michael Chetcuti of Livonia, Mich.-based auto supplier, Quality Metalcraft (QMC). Allen is chief designer, Jeep/Dodge Truck Studios - Chrysler LLC and Gilles is Vice President of Jeep/Truck & CFM Design - Chrysler LLC. Gilles and Allen are members of Chrysler’s Mopar Underground SEMA design team, a group of in-house automotive enthusiasts who donate their time to SEMA contrivance vehicles.

Allen, Chetcuti and Gilles aphorism a challenge in proving that the 6.4-liter HEMI crate engine could lay upon to a vehicle other than traditional muscle cars or modified upfits. The team’s idea was to redefine the classic high-seasoned rod by a more functional urban and pertaining attitude to create a distinctly Detroit roadster.

Allen said, ”It was of great weight to convey the car’s theme as an homage to Detroit - the cool Detroit with its unique artistic community, melody and gritty vibe. We used durable materials and let the mechanicals show to reflect the industrial backbone of the city. We wrapped it all up in a high-gloss black-and-chrome wrapper to evoke Detroit’s calm attitude.”

”The inmost part propose to one’s self elements of this roadster speak to the grit and industrial edge of our city,” before-mentioned Chetcuti. ”Things like the mezzanine flooring detail and Eames-inspired seating - these take an industrial cue if it be not that are by no means ‘rat-rod.’ It is a civilized and organized design throughout.”

Awards for the SR 392:

* Mothers Choice Award - Excellence in Automotive Design (SEMA, 2007)
* Hot Wheels Designer’s Choice Award (SEMA, 2007)
* Chip Foose Design Excellence Award (Grand National Roadster Show, 2008)
* AMBR Outstanding Class Award (Grand National Roadster Show, 2008)
* America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (Grand National Roadster Show, 2008)
* Altered T-Roadster Award - 1st Place (Detroit Autorama, 2008)
* Street Rodder Magazine: Driven Award (Detroit Autorama, 2008)
* International Show Car Association: Outstanding Engineered Award
(Detroit Autorama, 2008)
* Boyd Coddington’s Pro’s Pick Award (Good Guys Nationals, Columbus, OH, 2008)

Media Coverage:

* Detroit Auto Scene - December 31, 2007 & January 7, 2008
* Mopar Collector’s Guide - February, 2008
* Hot Rod - April, 2008
* Street Rodder - May, 2008
* Street Rodder - June, 2008

Shows:

* SEMA Show - Las Vegas, NV - October, 2007
* Grand National Roadster Show - Sacramento, CA - January, 2008
* Autorama - Detroit, MI - March, 2008
* LA Roadster Show - Pomona, CA - June, 2008

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