American VW tuner APR has worked out a deal with Volkswagen of Singapore, which will sell the Alabama-based company’s performance parts as official “Volkswagen Performance” parts, starting with a new 246hp version of the fifth-generation Golf called the GTI V50.

Volkswagen will even back-up the parts with a 3 year/100,000 km (62,000 mile) warranty.

APR contributes it’s Stage 1 ECU tuning system, as well as a performance exhaust and carbon fiber airbox to bump horsepower of the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine to 246hp and 282 ft-lbs of torque. This is enough to achieve a 0-60 mph time of 5.6 seconds!

Also included in the V50 kit are a set of 18-inch Pirelli rims with 255/40/18 Pirelli P Zero rubber as well as a more powerful brake setup – the same found on the legendary R32.

The final Volkswagen Performance modification is a new aero kit.

The GTI V50 is available on in Singapore, however, the performance modifications are available world-wide through APR.

GALLERY: Volkswagen Golf GTI V50

[Source: GoAPR.com]

Full Golf GTI V50 specifications after the jump:

Continue Reading…

The next generation Mitsubisi Outlander is due out soon and you can be sure it will look a lot like the Outlander GT Prototype that the Japanese automaker will debut at the New York Auto Show next week.

Mitsubishi has just released three teaser images of the crossover concept and while it doesn’t give the whole picture, it might as well. The “jet fighter” front end is taken directly from the Lancer Evolution and gives the crossover an aggressive style far ahead of other SUVs in its class.

The Outlander GT Prototype will showcase several new technologies that are expected to make it into the production version. An Idle Neutral Logic system is one of these advances, working to shift the transmission into Neutral when the vehicle comes to a stop to help preserve fuel. The car will also feature a Super-All-Wheel-Control System as well as a more powerful 3.0-liter SOHC MIVEC V6 powerplant.

We’ll be sure to bring you more info with live coverage from the New York Auto Show beginning April 8th. The Outlander GT Prototype will debut April 9th.

GALLERY: Mitsubishi Outlander GT Prototype

[Credit: Mark Weber, World-Challenge]

DP7 Racing, the team behind the lone Lamborghini Gallardo in the SPEED World Challenge GT series has just hired on World Challenge veteran Chip Herr to pilot the exotic racer for the remainder of the season.

Former NFL quarterback Dan Pastorini, who was scheduled to pilot the car for the season, will stay on as a part of the DP7 Racing team. The DP7 Gallardo did not compete in the first race of the season at Sebring, however, the team had intended to run the car but after a dismal showing during the practice sessions (with the slowest tie in the field) the Lambo never even made it to qualifying.

“After Sebring, I felt we needed someone with experience that can give the necessary information to the crew in order to maximize the performance of the DP7 Gallardo GTR,” said Pastorini. “I had a chance to visit with many drivers, but Chip is a special individual with all the ingredients to accomplish what team owner Betty Johnston and I wanted and that’s to make this program successful.”

Herr, being a big football fan was eager to accept. “NFL Football has been a huge part of my life,” Herr said. “But I weigh 135 pounds and I’m 5’5″. I was going to have to find another sport to try and become a professional.”

“To be asked to work with Dan Pastorini and the DP7 crew is a dream come true for me. Yes, DP7 is an excellent organization and the Lamborghini is a great car, but holy smoke, Dan Pastorini wants ME to drive HIS car!”

Last year Herr was featured as “One of the Dynamic Dozen in North America, by Grass Roots Motorsports magazine, which said he was a driver to watch in the coming years. He has 11 years of racing experience with a great deal of time in the World Challenge Touring Car series, having earned six poles and topping the podium six times.

Herr is also signed on this year to race in the Touring Car series in the Mazda6 of Tindol Motorsports.

The DP7 Racing team is hoping that with a marketable young driver with “rockstar good looks” the team can secure sponsorship. The car is already a great marketing platform as, “Nothing looks better on the track or generates more interest and excitement than our Gallardo GTR,” says Pastorini.

“There is one driving force behind any race team and that’s sponsorship, without it you simply cannot succeed,” said Pastorini. “The addition of Chip will allow me more time to focus on securing the necessary sponsorship for our program. We have all the ingredients of a winning team and the addition of Chip will only make our presence stronger when we come to Long Beach.

The second race of the World Challenge season takes place this Sunday, April 5th at Long Beach.

[Source: World-Challenge.com]

General motors has just released some new info on the upcoming 2010 Chevy Equinox, with the most surprising item being the price. The all-new model will come in at $1,800 less than the outgoing ’09 model, with a starting price of $23,185, including a $745 destination charge

The other important bit of info GM has released is the two engines that will be offered, both of which provide some impressive fuel-economy numbers – especially for a large crossover. The standard engine for the Equinox will be GM’s tried-and-true 2.4-liter Ecotec engine, which has been updated with direct-injection technology to improve output to 182hp. Direct-injection is also known for improving fuel-efficiency and GM estimates this engine fitted in the Equinox will result in a 30 mpg highway rating and a 21 mpg city rating.

The optional powerplant will be a 3.0-liter V6 engine, which also gets direct-injection, for a total output of 264hp. This, GM estimates, will achieve a rating of 18/25 mpg (city/highway).

Range for one tank of gas is expected to be 500 miles (800 km) with either engine.

“Offering the fuel economy of a sedan with the functionality of a crossover, the Equinox is a superior value for our customers,” said Ed Peper, VP of Chevrolet. “Getting best-in-class fuel economy and great storage for less than $24,000 is significant.”

GALLERY: 2010 Chevy Equinox

More on the 2010 Chevy Equinox after the jump:

Continue Reading…

Kia has chosen the Seoul Auto Show to officially take the covers off the new 2010 Sorento CUV and we’ll have to admit to being impressed. The new SUV is better in pretty much every way.

The new Sorento is built on an all-new platform that is longer, with a dash that has been moved further forwards and a tailgate that has been moved further rearward. The new SUV now has more legroom, headroom and shoulder room than the previous model, with 2.5-inches more headroom and 4-inches more legroom for third-row passengers. Trunk space behind the rear seat has also been increased by 15 percent.

The Sorento’s driving dynamics have been improved thanks to a body that sits lower by 10mm and a center of gravity that is 54mm (2.1-inches) lower. There is even a better feel from behind the wheel as the Sorento gets a six percent more direct steering rack.

Inside the crossover is impressively luxurious and features plenty of technological gadgets and gizmos, including a push-button ignition, navigation with a 6.5-inch LCD screen and the choice of a 6, 8 or 10 speaker sound system with a MP3 and iPod connectivity.

There’s even a panoramic glass roof.

Safety features like HAC (Hill-start Assist Control) and DBC (Down-hill Brake Control) are also a part of the package, as is a back-up camera with images being transmitted to a screen on the car’s rear view mirror.

As for engine options, the Sorento will be offered with four different engines including a 2.7-liter V6 LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) powerplant available in Korea, a 2.2-liter diesel engine (with 194hp and 321 ft-lbs of torque) destined for international markets and a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine that makes 173hp and 166 ft-lbs of torque.

Fuel economy should improve significantly thanks to a new six-speed automatic transmission. A five-speed automatic will also be available, and it’s not clear if it will be offered in North America (but likely will on lower trim levels). There is even a six-speed manual available, but that will most certainly not make it to the U.S.

And as expected, the Sorento will be available in 2WD and 4WD.

“With the new Sorento, we have created an all-new, seven-seater CUV that will soon be recognized as an ‘exciting all-rounder’ with a much broader customer appeal,” said Hyoung-Keun Lee, Senior Executive Vice President & COO of the International Business Division at Kia. “Despite the current economic uncertainties, we are confident that New Sorento will significantly increase Kia’s share of the utility vehicle market, achieving annual global sales of 140,000 units from 2010.”

GALLERY: 2010 Kia Sorento

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

While the focus at the BMW stand at the New York Auto Show will no doubt be the new M version of the X6, BMW has also announced that it will display “freshly updated” versions of the 5 Series and 6 Series for 2010.

There is no word on if this update will include any design changes, something both models could certainly use to stay current. The last time with 5 Series underwent an update was in 2007 for the 2008 model year, when it received new front and rear bumpers as well as LED taillights.

What we do know is that all 2010 5 and 6 Series models will get an improved navigation system (the same one found in the current 7 Series). This new system provides access to Google Maps points-of-interest when the car is equipped with BMW Assist.

Toyota is taking Honda’s Insight threat seriously… very seriously. In fact, the world’s largest automaker will price the new (third-generation) Prius directly in competition with the Honda’s Insight in the Japanese market.

Set to go on sale on May 18th, the new Prius will cost just $20,750 (2.05 million yen). The number isn’t official from Toyota, but that is the price that dealerships have been given.

The Insight has a starting MSRP of $20,470 ($19,800 before delivery), which is well below the expected Prius price of $24,000.

If the Prius does in fact get it’s U.S. pricing set at just over $20,000, it will be an attractive package as it is not only a larger vehicle than the Insight (with more interior room) but it also gets significantly better fuel mileage with 51/48 mpg (city/highway) compared to the Insight at 40/43.

Higher trim levels of the Prius will, however, raise the price significantly with the top level model coming in at 3.27 million yen (or $33,100). The fully-loaded Insight, on the other hand, will still only cost 2.21 million yen (or $22,370) in Japan.

Meanwhile Toyota, which has sad that it will keep selling the current Prius model in Japan, is discounting its MSRP to 1.89 million yen ( or $19,130).

[Source: AutoWeek]

With all the excitement surrounding the Hyundai Genesis Coupe, you’ve probably forgotten all about the Tiburon.

The what?

Do they still make those?

Our point exactly… and technically speaking, no, they don’t make Tiburon’s any more… although you can still buy a “new” one.

OK, so the car does still exist, but it won’t for long. Hyundai is planning the next iteration of the sporty front-wheel drive vehicle but conceptually it’s going to be completely different and it probably won’t even use the Tiburon name.

Hyundai U.S.A.’s CEO John Krafcik told AutoWeek that the next car, expected in 2011, will be “positioned below the current Tiburon.”

It will still use the front drive Accent/Elantra platform and will be powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine – so it better be small and light weight if it’s going to be at all sporty.

“It is not going to be all about performance,” Krafcik continued.

Instead, the car will be more economical and more environmentally friendly. It will, however, be recognizable as a sibling to the Genesis Coupe, with styling also based on the Veloster Concept car.

GALLERY: Hyundai Veloster Concept

[Source: AutoWeek]

Several months ago we reported that Acura has achieved an historic first by earning a perfect rating by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for every vehicle in its lineup.

Now Acura has claimed another manufacturer first after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded the new Acura TL a perfect 5 star rating. Along with the TL, every other vehicle Acura sells has a perfect 5 star rating from the NHTSA, giving the company the best possible safety score in every vehicle it sells, in both recognized safety

This not only means that the Acura lineup is safe when it comes to withstanding an impact, but the IIHS requires stability control (a life-saving technology) to be on a car in order for it to be award a Top Safety Pick rating.

“No other automotive brand has accomplished what Acura has, nor can make the safety claims that Acura can,” said John Mendel, executive vice president of automobile sales. “When consumers think safety, they really should think Acura.”

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

We’re sorry to report that Infiniti’s breathtakingly beautiful Essence Concept will not see production, this according to a company spokesman.

The Essence Concept was unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show and took everyone by surprise as rumors had circled that the vehicle was to be yet another crossover. With a true grand touring look that had cars like the Aston Martin DBS and Ferrari 599 in its sights, the Essence also had the ponies to back it up with 600hp.

It was also a hybrid, with 440hp generated from the twin-turbo 3.7-liter V6 engine and an additional 160 ponies coming from an electric motor.

One part of the car is, however, certain to live on as Infiniti has already confirmed the direct-injection technology used in the Essence motor will make its way into the next M37 and the G37.

And with talk of a higher performance version of the GT-R coming out, there’s no reason it couldn’t get direct-injection technology too.

Still, we’ll miss never seeing this automotive work of art make it to the street.

[Source: AutoWeek.nl via AutoBlog]

GALLERY: Infiniti Essence Concept