Yesterday, we told you about the rising influence women of different ethnicities have when it comes to vehicle purchases. And now, R.L. Polk & Co. has released new information about the correlation between women and the Asian automakers.

The Asian OEMs in question are Toyota, Lexus, Honda, Acura, Hyundai, KIA, Nissan, Infiniti, Subaru and Mazda, and these companies make up the top picks across all ethnic groups.  On the high end, Vietnamese take the top 21 consecutive spots when it comes to Asian brand affinity, while African American women round out the low end of with just seven model selections.

Ironically, however, Asian women aren’t buying Asian cars, they instead go for European Brands such as BMW, Mercedes or Volkswagen models. These European brands come in as the 13th choice for Chinese, Indian and Korean women, and as the 22nd selection for Vietnamese women.

The only women who thought that domestic brands were the way to go were African American and Hispanic women. Making these group’s top 10 picks were the Chevrolet Malibu (#8 for African American women) and the Ford F-Series (#10 for Hispanic women).

[Source: Polk]

As if improving on BMW‘s M3 wasn’t enough with the M3 GTS, German tuner G-Power has gone on to improve the raw and track-ready machine further. G-Power is proud to announce the arrival of their first three G-Power BMW M3 GTS models, pumping up the 4.4L V8 from 450-hp to all new heights: 720-hp.

Stroking the motor and increasing its displacement by 10-percent was only the beginning for G-Power, as they went on to install a modified SK II CS Sporty Drive supercharger to the larger powerplant. And to keep up with the abuse the supercharger provides, G-Power also shoves in low compression pistons into the block while they’re in there increasing the displacement.

No pricing was announced but you can bet the combined package costs as much as a stock M3.

GALLERY: G-Power BMW M3 GTS

[Source: GT Spirit]

Steve McQueen is eternally cool. And that’s what makes TAG Heuer Meridist’s newest phone so hip. Answer the call for cool with the Gulf Meridist, a cell phone that’s inspired by Steve McQueen’s character Michael Delaney in the 1971 film “Le Mans.”

Adorned with Gulf Oil’s signature light blue and orange color scheme, this luxury mobile phone is covered with a black body finish and its PVD surface treatment ensures it won’t get scratched up.

But the cool doesn’t stop there. Its rear battery cover is black rubber that sports two orange and blue stripes. Just above the cell phone’s rear camera shutter, you’ll find the Gulf logo above the rear camera, and the TAG Heuer logo appears just below the front crystal sapphire screen.

If you’re thinking to yourself: “I am pretty cool, but I could be cooler,” you’ll want to get your hands on the Gulf Meridist mobile phone soon, as there are only 400 of these limited edition models being made.

[Source: Born Rich]

Autoblog has revealed that the 2012 Kia Rio will make its debut at this April’s New York Auto Show, with an expected 1.4L 4-cylinder making 108 horsepower and 100 lb-ft of torque.

Expected transmissions are a 6-speed manual and an automatic, rumored to be a 4-speed. The sedan will complement the hatchback previously revealed at the Geneva Auto Show. Also possible is a 138-hp direct-injection 1.6-liter 4-cylinder, similar to the one offered in the 2012 Hyundai Accent.

AutoGuide will have complete coverage of the New York Autoshow starting April 20th, so stay tuned to our site for more photos and videos.

[Source: Autoblog]

Federal legislators have begun examining ways to tax highway users based on Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) as a way to bring up shortfalls to the Highway Trust Fund.

A concern is that as fuel-efficient hybrids and plug-in cars increase, fuel tax generated revenues will do little for the already insufficient funding base.

In a Congressional Budget Office report released last week, ways were examined in great detail to begin tracking vehicles across the country via GPS, electronic sensors, and other sophisticated technology.

The Obama administration has said it wants $566 billion over the next six years to pay for the federal portion of roadway building improvements. States and local municipalities also pay for these projects.

Since 2008, the general fund had to be tapped for $30 billion to make up for deficits. Presently, gasoline is taxed at 18.4 cents per gallon, and diesel at 24.4 cents. This has been used until recently to raise needed revenues, but the U.S. DOT says it is now not enough.

Earlier in March, the Senate Budget Committee expressed concerns over super efficient vehicles getting away without paying an equitable share.

The CBO report was quickly generated to give policymakers info to better propose new road tax legislation. Other concerns raised by the CBO study are for lower income, urban, and rural dwellers. It made a case that VMT-based taxation could be more equitable, if not entirely so.

Concerns over citizens’ privacy would need to be tackled, as VMT monitoring involves nationwide tracking and reporting of drivers’ data. Also, figuring out how to fairly tax heavy trucks compared to much-lighter cars and many other issues would need to be settled.

Any possible scenario could be proposed. For example, fuel taxes could be eliminated, with the VMT taking over. Fuel taxes could be reduced, with VMT taking up the slack. Fuel taxes could be raised, and no move to impose the VMT could be chosen.

[Source: GM-Volt.com]

One of Zagato’s most beautiful concepts in recent memory, the Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa, has been confirmed to be set for production—and it will ride on a Dodge Viper chassis, as well as its v10 engine.

The Corsa owes its production to the strange bedfellows between Alfa Romeo and Dodge, both a part of the Fiat/Chrysler conglomerate. As such, Dodge will lend the Viper chassis as well as a massaged 8.4-liter V10 that will deliver over 600 horsepower. Italian-American fusion hasn’t come together so well since the Chrysler TC by Maserati, or Olive Garden.

The TZ3 was unveiled at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este about a year ago, as a continuation of Zagato’s equally-collectible TZ1 and TZ2 specials. The TZ3 was originally a one-off for a wealthy customer, but why should he have all the fun? Zagato will churn out a limited-production run in street-ready Stradale trim, presumably for other wealthy customers to whom we can grovel for a ride.

[Source: Autoblog]

In its June issue; which hit newstands on Wednesday, March 30; Truck Trend magazine declared the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD and it’s GMC counterpart, the 3/4 ton Sierra Heavy Duty; ‘Best in Class,’ when it came to work trucks.

The magazine’s editors stated that “despite their size and the hard work demanded of these vehicles, much effort has been put into making full-size [trucks] more fuel-efficient, capable and comfortable.”

The Silverado and Sierra HD received notable praise for hauling and towing capability, the editors citing regular cab RWD models,which can carry a payload of up to 4,192 lbs and yank 17,800 lbs behind them.

GMT900 trucks also did well in the full-size SUV category, the Tahoe and Yukon Hybrids scoring points for fuel efficiency, seating capacity and towing capability.

[Source: General Motors]

The world famous Autobahn, known for its sections of speed-limit-free roads, looks set to lose some of its famous stretches of highway, with the election of a new, environmentally focused government in the home state of manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz and Porsche.

With the Green Party having emerged victorious in a regional election in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, the likelihood of a 120 km/h (roughly 75 mph)  speed limit is imminent, as the Green Party pledged to implement this measure as a means of reducing greenhouse gases. “Traffic in Baden-Wuerttemberg contributes around 30 percent to carbon-dioxide emissions,” Winfried Kretschmann, the Green Party’s leader, said in a statement.

Automakers like Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, which are based in the region, sell cars that are capable of more than double the proposed limit.

[Source: Bloomberg]

The base price of a new Ferrari 458 Italia is $225,325. But just think—for only $49,675 more, you could own Ferrari’s latest and greatest product: The Official Ferrari Opus, a book detailing Ferrari’s past and present, limited to 400 copies, and one book per country.

Labeled “the most exclusive book in the world” by its British publishers at the Opus Media Group, the book aims to be the Gutenberg Bible of collectible novelty prancing-horse-related filigree. The 852-page tome is inlaid with a genuine silver Ferrari logo composed of 400 diamonds, almost guaranteeing that it won’t show up at the 26th Annual Lake Woebegon Library Book Swap and Chili Cook-Off. Buyers will get their money’s worth, however: its 200,000 words and 2,000 photos details every single road and race car Ferrari has ever built since 1947 as well as biographies of every driver ever to pass through Scuderia Ferrari.

And as if all this talk of “exclusivity” was enough to make one reach for the smelling salts, owners of the Ferrari Opus will be entered into a drawing to win one of five Ferrari F2005 replica F1 cars, as driven by Michael Schumacher in the 2005 season.

But don’t fret, Sir Richard Branson: more plebian versions are available as well. There’s the Enzo edition, limited to 400 copies and available in a carbon-fiber case and “personally signed by all living Ferrari world champions on an individually numbered, silver-foiled signature sheet,” for only $37,500. There’s the Cavallino Rampante edition, which is merely autographed by Ferrari senior management, for $7,000. And for retiree grandmothers looking to get their beloved nephews that special stocking stuffer, the Classic edition starts at only $4,100, limited to—unsurprisingly enough, given Ferrari’s enthusiasm for exclusivity—4,100 copies.

You can witness a copy at your local Formula One race when Ferrari takes the book on a promotional world tour, where it will be signed by Ferrari greats such as president Luca di Montezemolo. Copy #1 will be auctioned for charity in Ferrari’s home of Maranello at the end of this year. But Ferrari has also released an app for the iPad and iPhone with excerpts from the book, available in the iTunes store. The app, of course, is free.

No word yet on when the official Ferrari the Coloring Book, Ferrari: the Lunch Box, Ferrari: the Breakfast Cereal, or Ferrari: the Flamethrower will be released.

[Source: New York Times]

With the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid delayed due to a change to the pedestrian warning system, the Kia Optima Hybrid will face similar delays, with units expected to arrive at dealers sometime in the summer, a full 5 months later than planned.

The Optima Hybrid, being mechanically identical to the Sonata Hybrid, must also undergo the removal of a switch to disable the pedestrian warning system, which emits a sound to alert bystanders that the vehicle is running while the silent electric motor is online. Hyundai also wants the Sonata Hybrid to debut first, and with supplies trickling to dealers at a very slow rate, the Optima Hybrid must wait on the sidelines until the Sonata has made its presence known.

[Source: Wards Auto]