Revealed ahead of the 2009 SEMA Show and then officially debuting at the aftermarket expo, it seems as though with all the hundreds of modified Camaros to cover, Saleen’s latest project flew under the radar. To remedy that, we thought we’d look back and give an update now that the new Saleen (Saleen Performance Vehicles) has released complete details on its 2010 S281 model.

The car features a Saleen Series VI.5 twin-screw supercharger and dual-stage intercooler mated to the factory 4.6-liter V8 engine to produce 485 hp and 460 ft-lbs of torque. All S281 models also feature a limited-slip differential. Additional modifications include a lowered suspension with new springs and shocks/struts, a sway bar, 7-spoke 20-inch wheels with Pirelli P-Zero Rosso tires, a custom interior and aerodynamics kit.

“Our goal was to create the most visually enticing American sports car ever,” said David Byron, design director at Saleen Performance Vehicles. “Ford provided the perfect launching pad with the 2010 Mustang, which allowed our team to create a car that’s world class and authentically Saleen. We painstakingly toiled over every bend and break in the body and every stitch and fold in the interior.”

“For more than 25 years the Saleen name has stood for excellence in design, engineering, and driving dynamics,” said Mike Shields, CEO of Saleen Performance Vehicles. “The new S281 is an excellent example of what those words mean when we craft concepts into real cars. Our team has done a terrific job; I’mproud of them and proud to be offering this car to our customers.”

GALLERY: 2010 Saleen S281

See more details on the 2010 Saleen S281 after the jump:

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Ferrari is hard at work trying to refine the turbocharging process so that future products will use the high-horsepower, low emissions (and low weight) technology. According to a report in the U.K.’s AutoCar, Ferrari engine developer Jean-Jacques His says the development is well under weigh, but the biggest issue facing the project is turbo lag.

Conventionally, turbos take time to spool up to full power, but that doesn’t suit the Ferrari way of doing things. Instead, Ferrari has traditionally opted for naturally aspirated (non turbocharged or supercharged) engines that deliver better throttle response and a more linear deliver of power. His told AutoCar that a delay of any sort in the power delivery was simply unacceptable.

A few years ago Porsche introduced variable turbine geometry (VTG) turbos that helped reduce turbo lag significantly, but apparently even that impressive technology is not enough for Ferrari. The company has also discounted using Fiat’s Multiair setup, as it doesn’t work as efficiently at higher rpm and with larger engines.

Ferrari has used turbos sparingly across its model range over the years, including most recently in the F40 supercar (pictured above), which was last made in 1992.

Another bit of info gleaned from the interview is that Ferrari’s new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, which debuted in the California, is suitable for V12 engines, meaning that were likely to see this new technology arrive in the successor to the 612 Scaglietti and other future V12 models.

[Source: AutoCar]

With a facelift back in 2008, the all-new “third-generation” Volkswagen Touareg is set to debut at the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The new SUV is expected to go on sale mid way through 2010, with a variety of powerplants being offered – including a hybrid.

This will be the first gas-electric hybrid from Volkswagen has launched. There’s no official word on the makeup of the hybrid setup, but it is expected to use the supercharged 3.0-liter V6 from the Audi S4/A6 3.0T – just like the one found in the Porsche Cayenne Hybrid. It should get an average fuel economy rating of 26 mpg.

[Source: AutoCar]

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If you’re at all interested in cars, you’re certain to be interested in McLaren’s new exotic, the MP4-12C. And if you’ve read anything about the new Ferrari-fighter, you’re likely impressed by its technological sophistication and want to know more about it. Well today must be your lucky day as McLaren Automotive has just release a short video highlighting the company’s extensive development process.

Not only is the MP4-12C stunning, but it has been built to rival the world’s best, with a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 engine that makes 600hp and 433 ft-lbs of torque. No performance specs have yet been released but we expect a 0-60 mph time of around 3.5 seconds with a top speed in the 200 mph range.

The V8 engine is mated to a new 7-speed dual-clutch transmission that promises even faster gear changes than conventional systems thanks to the ability to let the driver pre-load a gear by half pressing the shift paddle, which will ready the transmission for the next gear.

What really separates the MP4 from cars like the 458 however is the use of a full-cabon monocoque chassis (like the new Lexus LFA), rather than a weaker and heavier structure made of welded aluminum, steel, magnesium or other materials. This main chassis component weights just 176 lbs so we should expect the vehicle’s curb weight to be impressively low.

The MP4 will go on sale in 2011 with roughly 1,000 units being made ensuring the new car is highly exclusive. The car is expected to cost  £160,000 ($265k).

GALLERY: McLaren MP4-12C

Ford continues to thrive despite less than favorable economic conditions, announcing today that its Fusion mid-sized sedan is now one of the top 10 best selling vehicles in America. With two months left to go, the 2010 Fusion has already broken the car’s 2007 sales record of 149,552 units, with a total of 151,137 units.

But Ford has more to brag about than just that. On top of this success, the Fusion is now the best selling domestic car in America.

“It’s extraordinary that a car could set a sales record in an environment where overall industry sales are down 26 percent from a year ago,” Ford sales analyst George Pipas said.

Another coup for Ford comes from the fact that 60 percent of Ford Fusion buyers are coming to the American automaker after having owned an import.

See AutoGuide’s Ford Fusion reviews here:

2010 Ford Fusion Sport Review

2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid Review

Official release after the jump:

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To help promote the 2010 Evora, Lotus has publicly announced a U.S. tour for its new flagship sports car. The Evora will be visiting all 44 Lotus dealerships over the next four months starting today, November 13th with simultaneous displays at Lotus Motorsports, Inc. in Boston, MA and Park Place Limited in Bellevue, WA.

We don’t yet have full U.S. specs on the car, but they should be close to the European ones that list the Evora as being powered by a Toyota V6 engine with 276-hp at 6400 rpm and 258 ft-lbs of torque at 4700 rpm. The car will weighs just over 3,000 lbs (3,047 to be exact) and thanks to a six-speed manual gearbox can hit 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds. Lotus also gives braking distance figures for the Evora with its four-piston AP Racing calipers at each corner with front 13.8-inch rotors and rear 13.1-inch rotors. It will stop from 60 mph in 110 feet and from 100 mph in 290 feet. The car will come straight from the factory with a staggered wheel fitment, with 18-inch rollers up front and 19-inch wheels in the rear. A set of forged rims, which weigh 7.1 lbs less (in total), will be available as an option. As expected ,with the fuel-efficient Toyota engine, as well as the light-weight Lotus chassis, fuel-economy is impressive with 22.8 mpg in the city and 43.5 mpg on the highway for an average of 32.5 mpg.

GALLERY: 2010 Lotus Evora

See after the jump for the 2010 Lotus Evora Open House tour schedule:

Continue Reading…

Starting in 2011, Mazda’s new products will be lighter, more compact and use smaller engines. The announcement comes from Mazda North America product boss Robert Davis, who specifically said that all new products will weight at least 220 lbs less than their predecessors. The decision is part of Mazda’s initiative to improve fuel economy and Davis says the reduction in weight will lead to a fuel economy improvement of anywhere from three to five percent.

While successive products have grown in size over the year, much of the added weight is due to lager wheels and tires as well as more complex safety equipment, said Davis.

To meet the 220 lb goal, new Mazdas will use lighter materials. That doesn’t mean, however, that the next Mazda3 will be sporting carbon fiber body panels, as Davis specifically said that level of engineering just doesn’t fit the Mazda cost structure. Instead, look for the use of more aluminum as well as smaller chassis overall. The size of future Mazda products should shrink with much of the space being cut up front where new smaller engines are expected to take the place of Mazda’s current lineup of powerplants.

We expect to see this new Mazda weight-saving policy reflected in future versions of the MX-5 Miata (as hinted at with the 2,200 lb MX-5 Superlight Concept, above), as well as with the upcoming Mazda2, which is set to debut at the LA Auto Show next month as a 2011 model.

[Source: AutoWeek]

There’s no official word yet, but Mercedes’ high-performance AMG division is looking to expand and may do so by adding a baby SLS to the lineup. As the new sports car flagship for the Mercedes brand, the 563-hp SLS has just launched in the U.S. and is the first-ever ground up vehicle to be built by AMG.

A new, smaller version of the SLS would reportedly use the new car’s chassis, but with smaller dimensions, which is certainly possible as the SLS, with its front/mid engine configuration already has plenty of space up front that can be cut. A new V8 engine would be built for the car with a displacement under the current car’s 6.2-liters. It would get direct-injection as well as a new cylinder cut-off technology (using just four-cylinders when all eight aren’t needed), which is currently being developed for the next generation SLS.

This new AMG model would ideally be a shopping alternative for those in the market for a Porsche 911.

[Source: PistonHeads]

If the new 563-hp SLS exotic from AMG already sounds like your cup of Red Bull, then you’re absolutely going to love the upcoming Black Series. That’s right, according to recent reports, AMG will offer a limited edition hardest-core version of the new Gullwing exotic.

Total output for the new Mercedes halo car will be in excess of 600-hp, with roughly 500 ft-lbs of torque, thanks to updates to the 6.2-liter V8 engine including new cams and higher compression pistons. Additional modifications will include some aerodynamic tweaks, suspension upgrades and a weight reduction of around 110 lbs. The new 0-60 speed is expected to drop from 3.8 seconds to 3.5 seconds, with a new to speed in excess of 200 mph.

“We’re not at the limit with what’s out there the moment. There’s still a good deal more to come from the engine,” says AMG engine boss Friedrich Eichler. “We’re saving the best until last.”

The new SLS AMG Black Series is also expected to cost a good chunk more than the standard car, with a 50% premium bringing the $270,000 exotic up to a stratospheric $405,000.

In addition t the Black Series model, AMG also has plans to produce a cabriolet version of the SLS, as well as a GT racer.

See AutoGuide’s SL65 AMG Black Series Review Here

[Source: AutoCar]

In the future, Ford is looking to “focus” on the compact car segment. The pun here is intended, as Ford has announced plans to launch 10 vehicles in North America based off of the new Focus’s architecture. In a recent interview with Ford’s marketing boss Jim Farley, the folks at Car & Driver got some insight into these plans.

Along with several obvious Focus variants (like the sedan, as well as a wagon, three and four-door hatchbacks, a coupe and probably both a Ford and Mercury compact crossover), Ford has also announced plans for the new Grand C-Max (pictured above), which will take on cars like the Mazda5. On top of these, Lincoln is likely to get a premium small car along the lines of the C Concept.

Farley outlines Ford’s plan as betting on the growing popularity of the C-segment cars, just as Toyota bet on the mid-size D-Segment over the past two decades, with cars like the Camry, Lexus ES and all their crossover spin-offs. He says Ford believes the downsizing of cars has already begun, promoted by the recent recession and will be aided in the future by gas prices that will once again go up.

“I feel that 20 years from now, an Accord or Camry will feel like a late-1970s domestic car and our global products coming to the U.S. will feel a lot like Hondas used to be,” said Farley.

That’s quite a statement and we don’t doubt Ford’s plan, but the American automaker certainly doesn’t seem ready to give up on larger vehicles with strong products like the Fusion an Taurus. Perhaps, as Farley is Ford’s marketing boss, the Focus will be marketed much like Ford’s EcoBoost engines, which are continuously touted as fuel-sippers, but are really built for high performance. The Focus, therefore, would help Ford promote a small car image, while continuing to sell big in the big car segments.

[Source: Car&Driver]