No sane Boxster owner would subject his softop sportscar to this kind of cold weather punishment, so it's pretty obvious that the Porsche in our latest spy photos is a prototype. We guessing it's the 2009 Porsche Boxster as there's minor camouflage on the headlights and taillights. The front air dam has been reconfigured as well, but the rest of the car looks unchanged. Expect the usual level of horsepower and torque enhancements, although given there's already 280 horsepower 236 pound-feet of torque in the Boxster S, the need for even more power seems unwarranted.
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Categories: Frankfurt Auto Show,Future Vehicles,Porsche,Sports Cars,Spy Photos
Lee Iacocca, must be feeling lucky, as the Nevada Gaming Commission approved the purchase of Stockman's Casino in Fallon, Nev., by Full House Resorts Inc. The former Ford president and Chrysler Corp. CEO is a director and owns 12% of Full House.
So now he and casino owner (and former auto industry dabbler/meddler) Kirk Kerkorian can do lunch and talk shop...
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Categories: Chrysler,Ford
One of the "perks" to being a UAW member was higher salaries as compared to those at (import) factories. Now, according to the
Detroit Free Press,
that may no longer be true, as foreign automakers are offering bonuses. So the old UAW argument of higher salaries going to UAW workers is no longer a selling point in terms of joining the UAW.
For example, Toyota Motor Corp...
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Categories: Trends
The Hummer H2 was once the vehicle of the moment, with people clamoring to be the first to buy this cartoonish SUV. That moment has passed. Actually it passed some time ago.
Predictably then, Hummer is resorting to the oldest trick in the car business to try to create some excitement around the H2: the Limited Edition model...
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Categories: Chicago Auto Show,HUMMER,SUVs,Trucks
Got a hankering for a 17.18 acre 5-bedroom 5902 square-foot estate with a view of Lake Huron owned by none other than Ford Chairman Bill Ford, Jr.?
Got $3,950,000, as that's the asking price?
Other features include an in-ground pool, tennis courts and 650 feet of lake frontage.
Home listing with more pics
here
. Related story
here
...
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Categories: Ford
When I first saw images of the Chevy Volt at the Detroit auto show I thought: 'hey that's cool looking,' completely disregarding the technology behind it.
Last week I saw the car in the flesh at the Washington, DC auto show, and that confirmed my initial gut feelings. Not only is it cool looking, it's flat out stunning to look at as you walk around it--and I absolutely love the unique side window treatment and almost zero rear overhang! I really think GM has some of the best car designers on the planet...
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Categories: All Auto Shows,Auto Industry,Chevrolet,Detroit Auto Show,General Motors,Green Tech,Honda,Hybrids,Toyota
First pictures of F1's Kimi Raikkonen in his new Ferrari digs.
See more on Planet-F1
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor
Categories: Ferrari,Motorsports
Goodwood, 29 January 2007:
The first Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé destined for the USA has been bought at a charity auction held during the annual Naples Winter Wine festival in Florida for $2million. More than $1.6 million will go to the Naples Children and Education Foundation, which supports charitable and educational programmes to improve the physical, emotional and educational lives of underprivileged or at-risk children.
The car was bought by a resident of Naples, who will take delivery of the car later this year. The winning bid of $2 million is the single highest price paid for any lot in the eventâs seven-year history and, it is believed, makes this Phantom Drophead Coupé the most expensive new car ever sold in the USA...
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Categories: Rolls-Royce
Image: AP Photo/Kathy Willens
We all know the military is using unmanned aircraft, but would you trust a robotic garage to park your car? Well, if you live in NY's Chinatown, you just may find yourself in just that situation when you go to park your car, because as of February, there will be just such a parking garage there. Good luck...
Full story here
...
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Categories: Trends
From the Press Release
Detroit (USA), January 8th, 2007 â Ferrari is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2007 with a major event from June 21st to June 24th in Maranello, Italy. Maranello will be the finish line in a ârelay raceâ across five continents where participants will carry a baton embossed with symbols of the 60 greatest moments in the companyâs history. The relay represents an extraordinary, collective sign of enthusiasm that will bring together Ferrari clients and their cars representing every model and era.
The âFerrari 60 Relayâ will kick off on January 28th in Abu Dhabi, site of the future Ferrari theme park, and conclude in Maranello on June 24th, after traversing about 50 countries in 148 days...
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Categories: Ferrari
Not sure if this is the final production ready version, but if it isand being a Subaru fan, I'm disappointed. I guess, Subaru being burned by the controversial 3-piece grille found on the Tribeca and current Impreza, has decided the bland-is-better approach is the way to go...
The funny thing is, while the Tribeca has been a slow seller, the Imprezawhich is near the end of its product cycleis selling like hotcakes. It's setting sales records almost monthlyand this is with the so-called controversial grille...
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Categories: Future Vehicles,Subaru
The facelifts at Ford just keep on coming. Our latest spy photos reveal the 2008 Ford Freestyle complete with an updated front fascia and revised rear end. And to no one's surprise it looks just like the
Five Hundred
thanks to a three bar grille and aftermarket style taillights. We expect it will get the same 3.5-liter V6 as the Five Hundred as well, a sorely needed upgrade for the three-row Freestyle...
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Categories: Chicago Auto Show,Ford,Future Vehicles,Spy Photos,Wagons
"Ditch Divers!" I love that term. It's what Alaskans call drivers who end up in the ditch (natch!) while driving in the snow. Apparently, even with all the snow and so-called experienced snow drivers up there, a lot of cars and trucks still end up in the snowbank.
Not surprisingly, many of those ditch divers tend to be driving big macho 4x4 trucks, many of which happen to be red; again, not surprising...
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Categories: Trends
From the sound of it, Jack Roush is preparing to go to war (his term) with Toyota this NASCAR season. Roush, a long time critic of allowing Toyota to race in NASCAR (as well as along time critic of anyone buying foreign cars), had the following to say:
"I expect to hand Toyota their head over the short term," Roush said recently during NASCAR's preseason media tour. "Nobody's frightened. We're going to go to war with them, and they should give us their best shot...
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Categories: Ford,Motorsports,Toyota
Okay, before someone tells me this story is 6 month oldâI know that. Still, for those uninformed it's pretty funny.
It turns out that Honda apparently misprinted a toll-free number in the owner's manual of a number of Acura and Honda cars, and when that number is called a sultry voice says: "just 99 cents per minute"⦠Well, you get the picture. The affected manuals were printed between August 2006 and July 2006...
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Categories: Honda
Honda just introduced their RA107 F1 racer for the coming year. There's not a whole lot here in terms of specifics, as it's mainly comments from key Honda people who are involved in this project.
Full story here
.
Categories: Honda,Motorsports
Image: Robin Buckson / The Detroit News
Now that the shocker news about the worst financial year ever for Ford is over, we're starting to see stories about "okay, where do we go from here?" Clearly Ford's future rests with Alan Mulally. Is he up to the task, is the question on many minds inside and outside of the industry? I guess we'll know in due time.
"It now comes down to whether you believe in Mulally," said bond analyst Bradley Rubin of BNP Paribas...
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Categories: Ford
According to
Jalopnik
, GM could be somewhat cash-strapped, and may be considering selling their medium-heavy truck Allison transmission division to raise some cash.
GM, of course denies that there is a cash shortage. Even so, here's a quote from their press release on this subject:
"This process is another potential step in GM's plan to improve liquidity through the assessment of strategic options for a business that is not central to GM's mission..."
So, you decide...
Full story here
...
Categories: Auto Industry,Chevrolet,GMC,General Motors
I just got back from that show—and guess what? It's almost like the Detroit show deja vu'ed. Many of the new models that debuted at Detroit were there.
The change of the show dates has made this show much better than before...
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Categories: All Auto Shows
It's not like we haven't seen the
2008 Mini Clubman
numerous times already, but these latest spy photos are some of the clearest shots yet of the upcoming three-door. That's right, three-door as this new model from Mini will have an additional access door on the passenger side. It will also have a set of barn doors out back for easier access to the enlarged cargo area. According to
Motoringfile
, the Clubman will make its official debut at the 2007 Frankfurt auto show in September with U.S. sales beginning in early 2008.
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Categories: Coupes,Frankfurt Auto Show,Future Vehicles,MINI,Spy Photos