Because Ed Hardy shirts, Bluetooth ear pieces and driving down main arterial roads in second gear is not enough to show the world how “sick” you are, BMW Performance has released new carbon fiber accessories for its M3 coupe, sedan and convertible.

Available for purchase are new mirror caps, a decklid spoiler and a front splitter made out of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic, the same material as the M3 Coupe’s roof.  The accessories carry a 2 year warranty on their own, but if installed on the car prior to delivery, they are covered under the standard 4 year warranty. The parts are expected to add 20 horsepower each – in the mind of the driver, at least.

[Source: 4WheelsNews.com]

Nobody likes taxes, but just like a fat refund check, Chinese taxes on displacement mean that the 2011 Porsche Cayenne V6 will ditch the 3.6L V6 that is available in other world markets, and instead get the 3.0L Supercharged V6 available on the Cayenne Hybrid and the Audi S4.

China taxes vehicles with a displacement between 3000 cc and 4000 cc at about 40 percent of their value. However the 3.0L motor actually puts out 2995, putting it in the lower 25 percent bracket, while also delivering more power and better fuel economy figures.

At this point, you’re probably wondering why Porsche doesn’t do the same thing for every other market. The truth is, the Supercharged Cayenne would probably eat into sales of the pricier (and more profitable) Cayenne S. With the majority of Cayenne buyers likely indifferent to what’s under the hood, and the eco-conscious types directed towards the Hybrid, the blown Cayenne V6 looks like it’s destined to become a model we can covet from afar for the rest of our days.

[Source: Left Lane News]

Stay in touch no matter where you are – BMW has expanded the office functions ConnectedDrive so you can receive email messages while driving.

Enabled by a Bluetooth connection, the new BMW feature is the first of its kind. Starting this fall, BMW owners who use a BlackBerry smartphone will be able to access the phone’s e-mail function via the operating system iDrive.

Expanding their role with the integration of entertainment, communication and online functions while driving, BMW’s Bluetooth interface will integrate the BlackBerry device into the vehicle. This will enable e-mails to be received, displayed on the Control Display and even read out by an optional voice output function (this can be activated with the press of a button, the text of the e-mail is then read out loud).

E-mail access will work with the BMW ConnectedDrive office functions, a feature that came out earlier this year. With this cool feature, you can call and contact lists, and calendar entries, text messages, tasks and memos will be transferred from compatible BlackBerry smartphones to the vehicle via Bluetooth interface. Using the Controller of the iDrive operating system, entries can be selected and shown on the Control Display. You can also play your saved music using the iDrive system. This system only works with the BlackBerry Pearl 3G at this time, but we would be surprised to see even more smartphones added to the list in the near future.

The new e-mail function is available for all BMW models fitted with the navigation system Professional including mobile phone preparation. It will be offered in Europe and North America starting in the fall of 2010.

Ford‘s new Curve Control system is arguably a bigger competitive advantage for the 2012 Explorer than the crossover’s new sheet metal, but for some reason, the Blue Oval was happy to demonstrate their new technology while covering the exterior of the car in black material.

Essentially, Curve Control is an extra layer of protection on top of the vehicle’s stability control system. While there’s no new hardware involved with the system, new algorithms were developed to help detect if a driver was trying to negotiate a large radius turn (such as an on-ramp) at too high speeds. Curve Control can apply the brakes with 5 times more power and speed than standard stability control systems, giving it the ability to slow the car by 10mph in less than a second. With a big, heavy SUV and a winding on ramp, that could be the difference between life and death. Ford estimates that 50,000 accidents occur per year due to driving too fast through a curve, and the Curve Control system could become a pioneering bit of safety equipment if it actually meets Ford’s claims.

On the other hand, systems like this (and the upcoming Continental Steer Assist)the onus should be on the driver to drive at a responsible speed through a turn, especially in a big, unresponsive SUV, and most importantly, on public roads.

[Source: Autoblog]

Several sketches of a pickup truck have been leaked from the U.S. Patent Office, showing what appears to be the next-generation Chevy Colorado. GM filed the design patent on November 23rd of last year and received confirmation from the office yesterday.

Judging from the big grille, the drawings show what is quite obviously a Chevrolet. And while it’s not confirmed that this is the new Colorado, recent spy shots have shown what appear to be a Colorado replacement out testing. Adding to the speculation is news from GMI’s sources that a new Colorado is set to be built at the company’s Spring Hill, Tennessee plant where die kits for a “new small truck” are scheduled to arrive later this year for initial testing.

There is a possibility that this new truck might be a product destined only for South America, especially as several of the designers mentioned on the patent are from Brazil. Our GM-crazed friends at GMI assure us, however, that this the next Colorado.

GALLERY: Chevy Colorado Design Patent Sketches

[Source: GMI]

Maserati, we hardly knew ye. The one time car of gentlemen, scoundrels and masochists (Maserati is a synonym for “unreliable” in many thesauri) has become positively mainstream, with all kinds of celebrities and nouveau riche types snapping up the GranTurismo and Quattroporte as an alternative to the usual German offerings.

Maserati CEO Harald Wester told Auotmotive News that as part of Maserati’s targets for fuel consumption, V6 and V8 engines will be offered, with the V8 being smaller than the current 4.7L unit. In addition, weight will be reduced by 15 percent and an 8-speed automatic will be the transmission of choice. Combined with a start-stop system, this should help reduce fuel consumption by 25 percent.

The Quattroporte will also move to all-wheel drive as part of a common platform being developed for use across the entire Chrysler/Fiat/Alfa Romeo range. The current Quattroporte and GranTurismo may well be the last “pure” Maserati in the eyes of some aficionados. Better re-mortgage the house before you’re stuck with an eight-cylinder, Sebring based Maser.

[Source: Automotive News]

Pikes Peak International Hill Climb veteran Jeff Zwart put on an awesome display of RWD car control on his record-breaking assent of Pikes Peak this weekend, taking his Luminox Watch Porsche GT3 Cup car up the 14,115 ft mountain in a Time Attack RWD class record time of 11-minutes and 31.1-seconds.

Zwart’s time up the mountain shattered the RWD Time Attack 12-minute 2-second record time set last year by Rhys Millen in his FormulaD Hyundai Genesis. Zwart’s pace up the mountain in his Porsche was also 1-minute 50-seconds quicker than his nearest competitor this year, making his performance all the more impressive.

For proof of this record-breaking trip up Pikes Peak, check out the video after the jump.

[Source: Porsche]

Continue Reading…

Nobody likes a man who cries. Well, unless you’re Chris Brown, and crying at the BET Awards “saves your career.” There’s no crying in Baseball, and certainly no crying in Congressional hearings, well, unless you’re just plain guilty of everything they say you did…. Toyota‘s shareholders have noticed that.

During a June 24th meeting, company CEO Akio Toyoda apologized to shareholders again for the worst quality crisis in the company’s half-century history, with over 10 million recalls in progress, mostly resulting from cases of unintended acceleration. But what do the shareholders really want? To quote one directly:

“Mr. Toyoda, you’ve been all over the media this year and you’ve gone teary-eyed on several occasions,” the shareholder said. “For a man of your position, this is unacceptable. Please keep your chin up and try not to weep!” he pleaded.

It would be very difficult for any of us “little people” to know what it’s like to be in Toyoda’s shoes, with the entire world taking every opportunity to tear his family business to shreds, but this guy’s got a point. If you’re the CEO of a multi-national company, you don’t cry on TV.

Well, unless you’re on Oprah.

[Source: Reuters]

[Photo Source: Telegraph]

After designing the legendary McLaren F1, Gordon Murray decided to try his hand at something completely different. Murray revealed his latest creation, the T.25 City Car, at an event in Oxford, England, and to say that it’s a 180 from the McLaren F1 is an understatement.

The T.25 weighs in at a truly featherweight 1,212 pounds and is less than eight feet long. Power comes from a 51-horsepower inline 3-cylinder engine, and 0-60mph can be measured in geological epochs (the official number is 16.2 seconds). Of course, the T.25 really has nothing to do with performance, as its focus is on city driving. The T.25 will get 61.9 mpg in the city, while being small enough to park perpendicular to the curb, fitting three T.25s into a single space.

Since this is a Murray design, the T.25 will share a design cue with the F1. The cockpit is laid out similar to the F1, with the driving sitting in the center, flanked by two passengers. To facilitate easy entry, the front of the car swings open like a clamshell.

Hit the jump for the official press release

Gallery: T.25 City Car

[Source: Gordon Murray Design]

Continue Reading…

Charles Spencer King, the engineer behind the Range Rover SUV and the Rover SD1 luxury sedan has died at age 85 after being involved in a traffic accident involving his bicycle and a van.

King famously set out to combine the best attributes of the Land Rovers of his day (rugged, off road ability) with the luxury features of a Rover sedan. In doing so, he created the Range Rover, the grandfather of the modern luxury SUV, and a product that has gone on to become an icon of luxury, off road performance and conspicuous consumption.

In addition to the Range Rover, King went on to help develop the Rover SD1 and the Triumph TR6, a car that helped spark America’s love affair with British roadsters.

[Source: Auto Express]