The one off Ferrari Superamerica 45 made its world debut at the Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza this week. The Ferrari was built for Peter Kalikow, former owner of the New York Post and former chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The 45 symbolizes Kalikow’s 45th year as a Ferrari customer.

The Superamerica 45 utilizes a 670-hp engine from the 599 GTO, and can achieve 0-60mph in around 3.3 seconds. Also employed is a nifty folding roof mechanism that can’t be accurately described in words. Luckily we have a video below to show you just how it operates, as well as some pretty cool driving footage.

Check out the video after the jump!

[Source: egm Car Tech]

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The U.S National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has closed its investigation into the power steering system in the 2009-2010 Toyota Corolla with no defects found.

Furthermore, the NHTSA also said Toyota’s electronic throttles were not to blame for the 2009-2010 recall fiasco. However, Toyota is still dealing with major setbacks with the parts shortage caused by the Japanese earthquake disaster, which will undoubtedly hurt their efforts to rebound in the sales charts.

[Source: Autoblog]

Chrysler is delivering  10 Ram 1500 Hybrids to the U.S Department of Energy for testing within the next week. The pickups will be delivered to Yuma, Arizona, as part of a $100 million research project. The program with the U.S Department of Energy will run through June 2014.

140 Ram 1500 pickups will be delivered by Oct. 1 across the U.S. These plug-in hybrid trucks we be put through grueling testing including extreme temperature testing with fluctuations from 25 below zero to 125 degrees.

The Ram trucks utilize 5.7-liter V8s making 345-hp. The engine is mated to a two-mode hybrid transmission manufactured by GM and a 12.9-kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery. These trucks will be capable of traveling 20 miles on electric-power alone with a total range coming in at 655 miles. The Ram is capable of towing 6,000 pounds and has a 1,000 pound payload capacity.

[Source: egm Car Tech]

Ford researchers are taking an ‘active’ role in developing a series of health and wellness in- car connectivity solutions designed to improve drivers lives. Ford is utilizing its SYNC system to develop a first voice controlled in car connection to an array of health aids such as a glucose monitoring system, diabetes management services and asthma management tools.

“Ford SYNC is well known in the industry and with consumers as a successful in-car infotainment system, but we want to broaden the paradigm, transforming SYNC into a tool that can help improve people’s lives as well as the driving experience,” said Paul Mascarenas, chief technology officer and vice president, Ford Research and Innovation.

Medical software including mobile healthcare devices and health and fitness-related software are hitting the market today, leading to the possibility of automotive integration. ”We want to create the car that cares,” Gary Strumolo, Ford manager of vehicle design and infotronics.

Ford is taking a smart, high-volume approach to health and wellness solutions inside the car by looking at two populations with the most need of medical information- people with diabetes and those with asthma.

“Ford’s approach to health and wellness in the vehicle is not about trying to take on the role of a healthcare or medical provider, we’re a car company,” said Gary Strumolo, global manager, Interiors, Infotainment, Health & Wellness Research, Ford Research and Innovation. “Our goal is not to interpret the data offered by the experts, but to work with them to develop intelligent ways for Ford vehicles using the power of SYNC. In essence, creating a secondary alert system and alternate outlet for real-time patient coaching services if you will.”

“Health and wellness provides a tremendous opportunity for Ford to provide peace of mind and a personal benefit to drivers and passengers while they are in our vehicles,” said Strumolo. “As more and more devices and technologies lend themselves to such connectivity in the car, it is our responsibility, our philosophy, to examine those possibilities and open our doors to industry relationships that can help us do it intelligently, efficiently and economically.”

[Source: Ford Media]

Looking to transform your Jeep Wrangler into something more fun? Hauk Designs is offering a huge collection of customization options for your Jeep Wrangler, allowing you to pick and choose exactly what you want out of your build. Hauk Designs will start with any 2011 Jeep Wrangler and transform it to a real rock raiding machine with performance packages that can push 850-hp if you’ve got a 7.2L HEMI under the hood.

Pictured is Hauk Designs’ Rock Raider, which can be applied to any 2- or 4-door Wrangler variant. Standard exterior options from Hauk Designs include a Master Designs heat reducing hood, 40-inch Toyo Open Country MT tires, 20-inch Raceline bead lock wheels, full under carriage skid protection, steel epoxy-coated bumpers with integrated license plate and winch mount, epoxy-coated high clearance steel tube fenders, waterproof winch with remote control, steel differential protection, Wild Boar fast-back T-Top hard top, LED headlights and taillights, fold-down tailgate with remote popper, rear steel crusher corners with integrated light housings, solid billet door handles and Baja Light Bar with Force 170 Striker lights.

For the interior, Hauk Designs offers an integrated on-board air system, Spod Electronic system control unit, integrated navigation with Bluetooth, epoxy-lined interior and PSC hydro-assist steering system. Suspension options are plentiful with Hauk mainly utilizing Teraflex Long Arm’s sport-tuned suspension components. But the customer is always right with Hauk Designs, so whatever you wish to run, you can just let them know.

Each build is unique from Hauk Designs, and they’ll sit down to find out exactly what needs and wants you have with your Jeep Wrangler. The result will be yours and yours alone, so if you’ve been looking to make that Wrangler more fun than ever – give them a call!

GALLERY: Hauk Designs Jeep Wrangler Rock Raider

The Candian designers Dean and Dan Cate referred to as DSQUARED2, unveiled their exclusive Life Ball MINI in Vienna on May 21 at the Life Ball Event. The brothers refashioned their MINI Cooper S to include a front guard, rally headlamps and a spare tire on the rear. The car was also lifted to include deep-treaded all-terrain tires. The brothers are quite happy with the result, stating “Our MINI ‘Red Mudder’ is 100 per cent DSQUARED².”

A one-off MINI has been created and sponsored by the BMW Group for the legendary Life Ball for the last 11 years. The ball is Europe’s biggest AIDS charity event.

Honda‘s CR-V may be still popular, but it’s growing long in the tooth. With a new one dropping later this year, Honda may be preparing a diesel version for sale in the booming market of India—and likely depending on the perilous adventure that is gas-price speculation, we may be getting one too.

Honda’s new diesel for the CR-V will be a 2.2-liter unit. But the company is also readying a sub-1.5 liter diesel engine for use in the Honda City (which we don’t get) and the Honda Jazz (which we get as the Fit).

The styling of the new CR-V mimics that of Honda’s current lineup, like a taller Crosstour (which is already a taller Accord). Expect all of this tallness to come full circle by the end of the year, diesel or not.

[Source: Vicky.in]

We almost love it when we find things on the Internet that leaves us completely speechless. Unfortunately this find also made us throw up a little bit and shake our heads in disgust. This isn’t to knock the goals and dreams of an individual and having the determination to execute the task – but let’s be realistic here, it’s a poor attempt at a replica of one of the world’s most exclusive exotic vehicles.

The replica started life as a standard Nissan Cefiro sedan, and once the idea popped into the head of this Chinese enthusiast, money was earmarked and welders were hired to execute the project. Armed with your typical household tools and a scale Reventon model, he began turning his mundane car into his dream car. $14,000 and countless hours later, the Nissan was transformed into something that bears a passing resemblance to the Reventon in about two weeks time.

On top of the exterior transformation, the enthusiast also outfitted the car with a 2.5L Nissan six-cylinder engine. He’s now trying to raise funds so that he can paint the car and finish his dream machine in order to get the legal documents to drive it on the street. To his credit, it looks like he’s garnered plenty of attention with the build and we have to admit, it does look like a Reventon…somewhat.

GALLERY: Nissan A31 Lamborghini Reventon Conversion

[Source: Gadgets and Gizmos]

The BMW 328 Hommage made its world debut at the Villa d’Este COncorso d’Eleganza this past weekend. This car was designed to echo the automaker’s 1930s racing car on its 75th anniversary. The 328 Hommage weighs just over 1,700 lbs thanks to extensive use of carbon fiber.

While the look of the car is undoubtedly futuristic, design cues like the lack of doors and ultra-light wheels are meant to evoke the pre-WWII era BMW 328 sports car. One of the more interesting modern touches is the addition of two Apple iPhones in place of the  instrument cluster, and can also be used as GPS units in addition to stopwatches for timing laps and other endeavors. The 328 will get its official debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September.

Check out the video after the jump!

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A beautiful fire truck red Aston Martin V12 Zagato made an appearance at the Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza. This gorgeous piece of British engineering revs for just under a minute sounding unbelievabe. The Zagato features a 6.0-liter V12 producing 510-hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. No wonder it sounds so great.

Check out the video after the jump!

[Source: egm Car Tech]

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