This year’s SEMA awards were announced Wednesday morning, with the Chevrolet Camaro, Ford F-Series and Jeep Wrangler taking home the awards for Hottest Car, Truck and 4×4 SUV respectively.
The big surprise here was the announcement of the Fiat 500 as the Hottest Sport Compact, despite a relatively small presence at the SEMA show. The Hyundai Veloster seemed like a far more likely candidate for the award, given the ubiquity of the new Hyundai hatchback.
Check out AutoGuide’s SEMA coverage here
The Hyundai Veloster is arguably this year’s hot sport compact, and Hyundai came out in full force with a collection of Velosters covering both the “show” and “go” ends of the spectrum.
First up is the hotly anticipated ARK Performance Veloster, featuring the first application of a turbocharger on the Veloster. With Hyundai’s subsequent announcement of a Veloster Turbo for 2012, the ARK gives us a pretty good preview of what to expect – a twin scroll turbocharger putting out 210 horsepower. The wild green paint scheme and tuner-esque wheels likely won’t make the cut.
The PM Lifestyle Veloster was developed by Universal Technical Institute, a training school for auto mechanics. Konig wheels, carbon fiber hood, a custom interior and the usual bolt-ons add visual flair and boost power to 163-horsepower. The Hyundai Re:Mix Veloster Music Veloster is obviously focused on audio, with a full DJ deck setup installed in the trunk while the Re:Mix Gaming Veloster is focused on video games, with an XBOX in place of the DJ booth.
Finally, the RMR Global Rallycross Veloster was built by Rhys Millen Racing to take on the competition in 2WD Rallycross. The sport exists in a much different form in the rest of the world, as opposed to the X-Games style Rallycross popular on our shores. Lightweight body panels, a 300 horsepower turbocharged engine, rally suspension, safety modifications and rally tires help take the Veloster from sport compact into a real deal race car.
For more SEMA coverage, click here
Amid the rally cars, modified Impreza STi hatchbacks and performance parts in Subaru’s booth was a bit of 1980′s nostalgia, a perfectly restored 1986 Subaru XT Turbo.
At the time of the XT’s introduction, the car was the most aerodynamic on the road, with a 0.29 drag coefficient. A turbocharged flat-four, all-wheel drive, a hydropneumatic suspension and awesome period graphics are just some of the neat features from a couple decades ago. The XT has been largely forgotten by car lovers, but Subaru and Drive magazine lovingly restored this example back to showroom condition.
Since so many parts were discontinued or unavailable, the team had to restore things like fasteners and bolts, which had been worn away by a couple decades of neglect. No word on what Subaru plans to do with this automotive relic, but it’s almost too good for anything but a museum.
Check out AutoGuide’s SEMA coverage here
Volkswagen announced that they would unveil two new vehicles at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, and a convertible version of the Beetle is among the rumored introductions.
Considering the popularity of the previous droptop Beetle, Los Angeles seems like an obvious choice for the new car. On the other hand, we’re not so sure what the second vehicle could be – something like a production version of the Bulli would attract more buzz in the run-up to the show, so we’re guessing it’s merely a revised version of an existing product.
[Source: Kicking Tires]
Enjuku Racing’s SEMA Hyundai Genesis project is looking ready to roll into this year’s SEMA Show with its supercharged LS1 V8 engine swap. We first broke the news about their swapped project earlier last month, and now the folks over at Enjuku sent over photos of the completed Genesis along with a short video of the supercharged LS1 firing up and sounding healthy while taking its maiden voyage.
We’ll be checking out the project in person at the BC Racing booth at this year’s show, where it’ll be showing off its coilovers that gives this Genesis the stance it needs to show off the new Work Wheels VS-XX that now adorns each corner of the project. SPEC Clutch pitched in some help on the project while ISIS gives the LS1 swap some go-faster help. Wilwood also pitched in with a brake upgrade for the Genesis, while Quaife hooked Enjuku up with a high quality limited slip to get all the power to the ground. With the help of Chase Bays, the swap looks as clean as ever and Enjuku Racing will be offering a swap kit for those Genesis owners interested in doing a swap themselves.
Check out the video after the break and see AutoGuide’s complete 2011 SEMA Show preview here.
2012 is going to be a big year for Ferrari, with two major product launches at the upper-end of the Italian supercar manufacturer’s model range. Ferrari will be bringing out replacements for its now defunct Enzo supercar and its 599GTB grand tourer.
The Enzo successor will have carbon fiber construction and a midship V12, as well as a hybrid system. Ferrari CEO Amadeo Felisa confirmed that the system would be in place, and also have benefits beyond performance, with an eye to increased efficiency as well.
Felisa also noted that the next 599 will be a more extreme car than the current version, and make over 700 horsepower. The current 599GTO (above) makes 661 horsepower, so squeezing more out of the front mounted V12 is certainly within the realm of possibility.
[Source: Car and Driver]
Porsche‘s Camp4 Canada will return to Mont-Tremblant, Quebec for another season starting January 31st until February 6th. A new course, dubbed “Camp4S” wil continue from February 7th to February 10th.
Camp4S will expand on the skills taught at Camp4, but will only be offered for one wave. Otherwise, participants can expect a similar experience to ours when we attended Camp4 in February 2011. Of note is the addition of a fleet of new 991-chassis Porsche 911 Carrera S models, and a new off-track base at the Esterel Suites Spa & Lake hotel.
Pricing for Camp4 will be $4,995, with Camp4S pricing to be announced later. The standard course lasts two days, but one day programs will be available for corporate functions. Participants can register at porsche.ca/camp4 or by calling 1-800-Porsche.
Ferrari‘s been making a big push to promote the winter driveability of their cars, even going as far as to set up a winter driving school in Colorado featuring their new, AWD Ferrari FF.
Now Ferrari has released a video of their rear-drive California tearing up the slopes in St. Moritz, Switzlerland. It’s actually a pretty uninspiring video as far as hooning and speed go, but seeing any Ferrari driving on a snowy course is a novelty.
Hit the jump to see the video
Kia‘s heart-stoppingly cool GT concept was was powered by a 3.3L turbo V6 packing 400 horsepower – but the production version might not get such an exotic powertrain.
Speaking with Auto Express, Kia styling boss Peter Schreyer said that “I think done in the right way, with a smaller engine or hybrid technology, it would work,” he said. “It would still be fast, but return good fuel economy, too.”
Screyer said that the GT is aiming for the German coupe set, which we can assume as being the BMW 3-Series and Audi A5. Schreyer also described the GT as Kia’s “halo car”.
[Source: AutoExpress]
According to General Motors’ PR machine, the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 set a Nurburgring lap time of 7 minutes, 41 seconds and 27 milliseconds.
For the sake of comparison that time is just a second and a half off the time released by the new 2012 Porsche 911 and is the same as the 997 Porsche GT3. The 2012 Corvette Z06 recently laid down a 7:22 lap time, while the current record holder for production cars is the Dodge Viper ACR with a 7:12 time.
We wish we were excited about this announcement, but knowing what a crock most Nuburgring times are, we’re remaining unmoved. The only accurate measure of its performance will be to actually drive the car, so until then, speculation on the ZL1′s performance will remain off-limits for us.
Since 2009, Toyota has been eager to display their new entry level FR concept coupe throughout its development. First displayed at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, it made appearances at Geneva, New York, and Frankfurt auto shows as well. The press has been so tired of covering the concepts, in fact, that journalists have dubbed it the “perpetual concept car.”
Inexplicably, Toyota’s marketing and media push is in stark contrast to Subaru‘s sister BRZ concept, its designs still shrouded in mystery.
What’s even more strange is that Masashi Uemura, Subaru’s deputy general manager of corporate communications, made it clear that ongoing platform and drivetrain development, production engineering and final assembly for the compact rear wheel drive coupe are all being handled by Subaru at Subaru facilities. Since Subaru has been in charge, why haven’t we seen any concepts from them?
In an attempt to clear things up, Car Magazine had the pleasure of speaking to Mr. Toshio Masuda, Subaru’s product planning senior general manager and the director of the BRZ project.
During the Q&A, Masuda provides a few telling answers that shed light on the BRZ’s development. First off, the BRZ will only come in a rear wheel drive trim. Masuda explained that the team has been approaching the BRZ as a test bed, focusing on rear wheel drive handling characteristics that they hope to apply onto all future all wheel drive Subarus. Furthermore, the BRZ’s 2.0-liter flat-four engine will be naturally aspirated, instead of turbocharged as rumors had suggested.
Secondly, the “Boxer Sports Car Architecture” platform used for the FT-86 and BRZ are bespoke. It is not a chassis that will be shared with any other models so do not expect to see four door variants. However, future generations of Subaru vehicles will no doubt adopt innovations from the chassis. The party piece of the chassis is its incredibly low 450mm center of gravity.
In terms of exterior design, lines and proportions of the BRZ will share a likeliness to the FT-86. Expect to see a similar glasshouse as well as elements along the central body. Brand specific styling will be penned for the front and rear ends.
[Source: CAR Magazine]
Discuss this story at SubaruBRZForum.com
The Ferrari 458 Italia Spider will retail for a starting price of $257,000 when it goes on sale in January of 2012. The 458 Spider features a retractable aluminum hardtop rather than the soft top of previous Ferrari Spiders.
The new system weighs 55 lbs less than a soft top and takes only14 seconds to deploy. The Spider is expected to hit 60 mph in 3.4 seconds thanks to its 4.5L 570 horsepower V8 and 7-speed dual clutch gearbox. Like other Spiders, the 458 costs about 15 percent more than its hardtop counterpart, and Ferrari expects owners $60,000 in options alone.
[Source: Automotive News]
Saab‘s museum collection of historically significant vehicles was seized by Swedish authorities from the company’s museum. The Swedish Enforcement Office took possession of the museum and other contents, including 13 exhibits, 22 engines and six workshop tools.
Saab is said to owe parts suppliers more than $31 million in overdue payments, and the Swedish government is moving to seize Saab’s assets. Saab was said to have been readying to sell off its museum collection, but was granted protection from creditors, enabling them to hold off attempts to seize assets.
[Source: Left Lane News]
Not long after Mercedes-Benz revealed their C-Coupe DTM car, Audi went ahead and one-upped their German rival with the launch of the A5 DTM.
Like most DTM cars, the A5 DTM has nothing in common with its road car sibling. The A5 DTM uses a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis and a 455 horsepower V8 as well as a 6-speed sequential gearbox. No other details were released, but given the competitive nature of DTM and the fairly limited wiggle room in the rules and regulations, we’d expect the specifications to be a fairly closely guarded secret.
Prototypes are apparently undergoing testing at Audi facilities in Germany, and should be ready to go in time for the upcoming DTM season.
Ford‘s designs have come a long way over the last decade, with practically their entire lineup looking sharp and attractive – but the Ford Evos Concept has just managed to move the bar substantially higher.
Revealed at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Evos looks like something that would have a V12 under the hood, but it actually packs the same 4-cylinder/plug-in hybrid powertrain as the C-Max minivan. Ford says that the powertrain can be hooked into “cloud computing” technologies that can tell the electric motor system when to increase or decrease energy flow based on changing conditions – a novel idea sure to give privacy advocates a good fright.
The Evos may never see production, but we’re happy that this is supposedly a sign of things to come for Ford’s styling. If only we could throw the Focus ST motor and drivetrain in there.
Gallery: Ford Evos Concept
The 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show gave us our first look at the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series Coupe in the flesh. Despite the ridiculously long name, the car is a certified badass, with a 6.2L V8 packing 517 horsepower and 457 lb-ft of torque. This will likely be the final application for the big 6.2L engine before AMG switches over to its 5.5L twin-turbo version.
19″ wheels, a special aerodynamics package and AMG sport seats are the notable changes from the regular C63 Coupe. One interesting option are the available rear seats, with Mercedes forcing you to pay more for the privilege of being able to carry rear seat passengers. The rest of the interior is all business, finished in black Alcantara, while a tuner-esque aluminum wing lets other plebians know just what they’re dealing with.
See video of the C63 AMG Black Series Coupe from Frankfurt after the jump:
Given all the attention the Lamborghini Aventador has been getting of late, it would seem that it’s older sibling, the Gallardo has been left out in the cold.
Well, Laborghini has decided to give the smaller car some love, bolstering the lineup with the hottest version ever; the LP 570-4 Trofeo Stradale.
Unveiled at Volkswagen’s Press Night, during the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show; the spicy new Gallardo is derived from the racers that compete in the one-make Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo series, hence the name.
Key features include carbon composite aerodynamic aids that improved aerodynamics over the regular Gallardo, including a manually adjustable rear spoiler (which result in a three-fold increased downforce); as well as improving stability through the corners.
There’s also a quick release, race car style engine cover ; plus a 570 horsepower mid-mounted V-10; race-derrived six-speed gearbox with standard steering wheel paddles; plus a Blancpain Super Trofeo based suspension, featuring aluminum double wishbones at all four corners. Monster brakes with eight piston front and four-piston rear calipers plus aluminum rotors round out the chassis features.
Riding on ultra-lightweight, black finished 19-inch wheels, shod in Pirelli P-Zero Corsa rubber and complimented by a Rosso Mars exterior hue with black accents (optional for the roof; standard on the spoiler , air intakes and mirror housings), the Trofeo Stradale is truly a sight to behold (Lamborghini says it will also offer the car in Grigio Telesto or Bianco Monocerus, fancy terms for gray and white, for those so inclined).
Weighing at just 1340 kg (2954 lbs), it promises to be the best performing of the breed ever; 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 3.4 seconds; with a top speed of 198 mph (320 km/h). It’s shame that the company says it will only be producing 150 examples, though for the lucky few that managed to put one in their garage, there’s no question they’ll have a bonafide future collectible.
Fisker Automotive has announced a new partnership with BMW that will supply engines and other automotive components for next-gen Fisker vehicles.
Fisker is interested in BMW’s new turbocharged four-cylinder engine for the “Project Nina’ mid-size premium sedan. The “Project Nina” sedan will be built at a former GM plant in Wilmington, Delaware by the end of 2012. The contract signed between BMW and Fisker allows for the supply of up to 100,000 engines per year.
“The BMW engine was an obvious choice for us, as BMW is known for producing the best and most fuel efficient gasoline engines in the world,” said Fisker CEO Henrik Fisker. “We are very pleased to have signed this agreement with BMW.”
Currently, Fisker uses a General Motors turbocharged 2.o-liter engine for the Karma, but nothing has been mentioned as to whether the vehicle will also receive BMW power in 2012.
Two knucklehead dealership technicians decided to borrow a BMW 1 Series M Coupe and put it through its paces. What makes the video even more painful to watch is that the technicians have no sympathy for the car’s delicate break in period.
Interstingly, members of the 1Addicts forum managed to narrow down the location of the joyride and trace it back to Pacific BMW in Southern California. Fortunetly the car had not been sold yet, and the dealership asking price was a whopping $20,000 over MSRP.
Once the driver knew the heat was on, he attempted to cover his tracks by removing the video from his account, but someone had already made a copy. The BMW abuser has apparently been fired by the dealer after forum members reached out in outrage. Furthermore, local city spokesman Tom Lorenz also indicated that local law enforcement is investigating the technician in regards to the obviously unsafe and illegal speeds obtained during the joyride in residential neighbourhoods.
Check out the video after the jump!
British Columbia Mounties have impounded 13-high end sports cars following an alleged street race in Metro Vancouver on Wednesday afternoon. Around 3:30 pm yesterday afternoon, police received reports of high-end cars racing southbound along Highway 99 in the area of George Massey tunnel.
Witnesses reported that the cars were travelling in excess of 200 km/h (120 mph), and on several occasions, the sports cars would travel side by side to block traffic, allowing their friends in front to race. Thirteen drivers were pulled over and their cars are worth a total of more than $2 million.
The vehicles involved in the race include a, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Nissan GT-R and Aston Martin. RCMP Insp. Bryon Massie said, ”The majority of them had personalized plates as well and were souped-up, so they’re fairly distinguished and the witnesses had no problem in providing us with the descriptors that were tracked back to the vehicles.”
Many of the sports cars had green “N” stickers in their rear windshields, as part of B.C’s graduated licensing system. Massie said, “The drivers of the vehicles are all in around the age of 20 years old. They’re all new drivers. The majority of them do not have their full driver’s licence status — they’re still in the ‘N’ new category.”
[Source: CBC]
The high revving 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 is known strictly for its energized 5.0-liter V8 and its adjustable suspension because it was built as a track car. It was built to go fast and handle well in the corners but one aspect of the car that could use some work is the no-frills interior.
Several owners have been complaining that the interior could use some more technology. It looks as though they may be getting their wish, as a leaked list of features includes the SYNC system. The Boss will also be getting a 4.2-inch LCD message center that will likely be the same one currently used in the Explorer and F-150. The Boss will also get HID headlights, although it is unclear whether they will be standard or an option, but what has been confirmed is that the graphics package will be available, similar to that of the 1970 Boss 302.
Read our full review of the Boss 302 here!
[Source: Mustangs Daily]
MINI has recently released another short commercial featuring the adventurous 2012 coupe. This video is a tad bit creepy, involving a hitchhiker, a MINI driver and a wanted poster. The video leaves us on a cliffhanger, and we’re not exactly sure what happens. Maybe MINI Coupe owners attract negative attention? MINI also released two other videos, with one set in Hong Kong (and taking a much lighter tone) and another set in Rio, with a carnival/samba theme.
Three different trims will be offered with the Coupe including the standard Cooper, Cooper S and the high performance John Cooper works model. The base model will start at $22,000 and have a 121-hp engine. The S model will start at $25,300 and gets a turbocharged 181-hp engine. The steroid infused JCW model will start at $31,900 and produce 208-hp, also through a turbocharged engine.
Check out the video after the jump!
With the upcoming launch of the R8 GT Spyder at the Frankfurt auto show, Audi has recently released another video featuring its venerable sports car. The new promo video includes an extensive walk through of the high performance car, showcasing the exterior and interior. We also get to see the car in action on the track, and hear the amazing exhaust note.
Production is limited to only 333 units and the car sheds 187 lbs (compared to the standard Spyder) thanks to extensive use of carbon fibre, allowing it to achieve mind blistering acceleration. This Audi is capable of 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds with a top speed of 317 km/h. The Spyder will be powered by a V12 5.2-liter FSI engine producing 560-hp. The transmission will be an automatic R-Tronic 6-speed. The car will cost a cool € 207 800 or $295 782.52 in USD. Apparently 90 units of the GT Coupe will arrive Stateside, so expect the same number for the Spyder version.
Check out the video after the jump!
Despite poor showings in various quality surveys, not to mention anecdotal evidence abound, Volkswagen is tackling its vehicle quality problems head on, and is openly discussing the steps it will take to remedy them.
The J.D. Power Initial Quality Survey, regarded as the gold standard among industry types, pegged VW at 29th out of 32 brands, a poor showing for a company eager to sell 800,000 vehicles per year in the United States by 2018.
Volkswagen said that its warranty costs were down by 10 percent last year, and are on track for the same figure this year – a figure that’s adjusted for a new free maintenance program and a shorter warranty term. VW will be looking to improve its score on the J.D. Power survey, which includes not just defects but consumer complaints about functioning parts of the vehicle – a criteria that some automakers have begun criticizing.
[Source: USA Today]
