Mercedes is bringing its AMG Driving Academy to the U.S. this September, allowing participants to hone their driving skills and experience the thrill that an AMG can deliver.

Launched in Europe in 2007, the AMG Driving Academy lets you get behind the wheel of cars like the E63 AMG, SL63 AMG, C63 AMG, SLK55 AMG and the CLK63 AMG Black Series. And now for 2009, AMG has included the upcoming 2011 SLS supercar. On a racetrack the AMG driving instructors will help you develop your driving skills and get the most out of the amazing AMG machines.

A Stage 1 one day program teaches fundamentals in performance driving and car control and includes a “high speed” track drive. A Stage 2 class is more advanced and involves much more track driving with timed laps and a “competitive performance course competition.”

Priced at $1,895 per person for Stage 1 and $3,495 per person for Stage 2, the AMG Academy will be at Lime Rock Park in Lime Rock, CT from September 9-15; Palm Beach International Raceway in West Palm Beach, FL from September 22-27 and Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, CA from November 7-8 and 17-20th.

The AMG Driving Academy will also offer a special opportunity at Laguna Seca from November 17-20th to drive the upcoming 2011 SLS AMG supercar. The price for this one-day event is $2,295 and includes a one night stay at the InterContinental Hotel in Monterey.

For more information visit:

www.AMGacademy.com

Official release after the jump:

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General Motors may still be in bankruptcy protection but that doesn’t mean work at America’s largest automaker has stopped. In fact, engineers have been hard at it, especially those working on the upcoming Chevrolet Volt.

Today Chevy has released a few photos of a pre-production model of the Volt. Until now, every other version was either a show car or a test mule and not an actual representation of what the Volt will look like – or be like for that matter.

The pictures show top Volt engineer Andrew Farah testing the car in a real world scenario and then plugging it back in to charge the battery pack. The Volt uses state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries and if the car makes it to market soon enough, it will be the first mass-market vehicle to do so with lithium-ion power.

The Volt is a PHEV (a plug in hybrid electric vehicle). It is a full hybrid that can operate on gasoline, electric power or a combination of both and will be able to travel as many as 40 miles on pure electric power before the gasoline engine needs to kick in.

GALLERY: Chevrolet Volt Pre-Production Model

[Source: Edmunds]

As it turns out the spy photos that were reported to be an M version of the new BMW 7 Series were actually of a 7 Series M Sport. Rather than a high-performance model, this 7 is more tuned towards aesthetics – although the new M Sport wheels are certain to be lighter weight models and may come with more rubber attached to them.

Up front the bumper gets a slight redesign, as does the rear and inside a new M Sport steering wheel is included.

No pricing is available as BMW has yet to officially released details on the car. And while we’re a little upset there won’t be an M7, with 400hp and 450 ft-lbs of torque in the 750i, an M version really isn’t necessary.

GALLERY: BMW 7 Series M Sport

[Source: CarThrottle]

We still have more than half of 2009 to go and already the list of 2010 North American Car & Truck of the Year nominees have been picked. That’s because the list is essentially a list of every new model for 2010.

Nominated for car of the year are: the Audi S4, BMW Z4, BMW 335d, BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon, Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Fusion, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Ford Mustang, For Mustang GT500, Ford Taurus, Ford Taurus SHO, Honda Insight, Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Kia Forte, Kia Soul, Lexus HS250h, Lotus Evora, Mazda3, MazdaSpeed3, Mercedes E-Class, Nissan Cube, Nissan 370Z, Porsche Panamera, Subaru Legacy, Suzuki Kizashi, Toyota Prius, Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Golf TDI.

The 2010 North American Truck of the Year list is only slightly shorter and includes: the Acura ZDX, BMw X5 xDrive 35d, Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Transit Connect, GMC Terrain, Honda Crosstour, Land Rover LR4, Lincoln MKT, Subaru Outback, Toyota 4Runner and Volvo XC60.

Many off these vehicles have yet to be officially released and some (like the Honda Crosstour) haven’t even been officially named yet.

Jurors will now begin the lengthy process of making a short list, with the final winners chosen at the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Last year’s winners were the Hyundai Genesis and the Ford F-150.

[Source: Edmunds]

News of the special edition Denim Kia Soul leaked several weeks ago but now Kia has officially introduced the car, and hinted that there will be more limited edition models coming.

The Denim Kia Soul is based on the Soul+ model and gets a few extras. Setting the Denim model apart is a special denim blue exterior paint color and an offset white stripe that runs the length of the car. Also included are a set of 18-inch white wheels and white side mirrors.

As with all Soul+ models, the Denim Kia Soul gets the upgraded audio package with a subwoofer and lights that blink with the music. There is also an iPod connection, steering wheel mounted audio controls and a moonroof.

Other standard Soul+ trim items include keyless entry, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity and seats with the Soul logo on them.

The Denim Soul is $2,350 more than a standard Soul+ and is priced from $17,300 with a manual transmission and $18,250 with an automatic.

When we first heard that Kia was releasing a limited edition model of the Soul, we predicted that this wouldn’t be the last special Soul from the Korean automaker and it appears as though we were right. Kia hints at this in its press release when it says that the Denim Soul is the “first” special edition model from the company. With denim now covered, is leather next? Or maybe plaid?

GALLERY: Kia Denim Soul

Official release after the jump:

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Land Rover recently secured a $38 million grant from the U.K government to investigate building an environmentally responsible vehicle, likely to be based on the LRX Concept that debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in 2008. And according to a recent report in the U.K.’s AutoExpress, Land Rover has given the project the green light.

The upcoming smaller SUV will be a sporty model and feature a full hybrid powertrain, meaning it will be able to run on electric power, gasoline power, or a combination of both. Electric power may even be able to be split between axles, and distributed to either side of the SUV in order to obtain maximum grip.

The vehicle is still at least two years away from being introduced to the market, but other hybrid-like technologies are expected to make their way into Land Rover models before then. For starters, Land Rover is currently developing a start-stop system that will shut off the engine when at a stop light or in traffic. A regenerative braking system is also in the works, that would see energy from braking stored in a battery and then either used to power on-board electronics or even be used to help power the SUV.

[Source: AutoExpress]

Thanks to Lequios, you can do more for the environment once you’re dead than just become fertilizer for pushing up daisies. The Japanese hearse manufacturer is designing a hearse based on the 2010 Toyota Prius, meaning your last trip in a car can be an environmentally-responsible one. And you thought saving the planet for future generations was best left to the living?

Lequios hasn’t confirmed production of the extended Prius, but it is looking in to the matter based on actual consumer interest. The Prius hearse would be significantly longer than the mid-sized hybrid, measuring an additional 77.2-inches for a total of 256-inches. That’s 21.34 feet!

Fuel-economy would, understandably, suffer with an expected average fuel economy rating of 44mpg – which isn’t bad when you consider the new Prius gets a combined rating of 50 mpg.

If Lequios does go ahead with the Prius Hearse is is expected to cost 7,875,000 Yen, or roughly $83,000 – although the chances of one making its way to the U.S. is unlikely.

See the gallery below for some interior photos of some of Lequios’s other hearses.

GALLERY: Lequios Hearses

[Source: Inventorspot]

The next BMW M5 will get a version of BMW’s Formula 1-developed KERS system. KERS, which stands for Kinetic Energy Recovery System, is a technology whereby the energy generated from braking is reused to help “power” the vehicle.

The regenerative braking system will use the electricity to help power electrical aspects of the car (and thereby reduce the strain that alternator and accessory belts would have on the engine). The stored energy will also be harnessed and made accessible to the diver for enhanced acceleration through a “boost” button. The next M5 is also expected to feature cylinder deactivation for city driving.

Word of a regenerative braking system comes from a BMW insider Scott27 on The German Car Zone.

As for the powertrain of the next M5, code named F10, there are two current speculations. The first is that it will get a version of the 550hp, 4.4-liter V8 used in the BMW X5 and X6 M, but there have also been several rumors that a V10 powerplant based on that same architecture is a possibility. Based on BMW’s Efficient Dynamics approach we expect to see a smaller engine than the current 5.0-liter V10, with turbochargers.

[Source: BMWBlog]

Czech website ChechFerrari.cz is claiming that the photo above (as well as several others) are of the upcoming Ferrari F450 – the successor the the F430. Presumably the cars are test vehicles used by governments to ensure all the parts pass certification.

Until now the only spy photos of the F450 that have appeared show a mostly F430-like design. These new photos show something that is considerably more modern, with plenty more hard lines and edges.

We still don’t know what the front and rear bumpers will look like, but the profile gives a definite idea of the shape.

And those doubting that these are in fact photos of a Ferrari just need to look at the interior and the engine.

CzechFerrari.cz also recently posted spy photos that it claimed are of a convertible version of the 599.

Ferrari is expected to debut the F450 at the Frankfurt Auto Show this September.

[Source: CzechFerrari]

When Ferrari unveiled the 599 GTB HGTE at the Geneva Auto Show in March the company’s press kit didn’t contain much in the way of photography…. just a few CGI images. Now the Italian automaker has spent the time to do a proper shoot of the 599 equipped with a special handling package and released these photos.

The HGTE in the name stands for Handling GT Evoluzione, and as the name suggests, this Ferrari has improved cornering capabilities due to several modifications. The magnetorheological shocks get revised settings and a more aggressive spring package is used. Larger sway bars also help keep the Ferrari flagship planted in the corners. On top of this there is a slightly revised front bumper, new exhaust tips and a new set of 20-inch wheels – which we presume are lighter than the stock units (but Ferrari hasn’t said as much).

Inside the cockpit is mostly unchanged except for new sports seats that feature stitching that reads “Handling GTE.” All this will cost a cool $42,000 on top of the $300,000-plus Ferrari charges for the standard 599.

GALLERY: Ferrari 599 GTB HGTE