Category: Auto Industry

Report: Nissan GT-R to get power bump, Spec R version

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Nissan

2012 Nissan GT-R Egoist

2012 Nissan GT-R Egoist – Click above for high-res image gallery

Staying on top demands constant improvement, and Nissan has certainly proven itself up to the task with the current R35-generation GT-R. Since its domestic introduction in 2007 and global roll-out in 2009, Nissan has launched successive improvements on its flagship sportscar, and now word is coming of another upgrade on the way.

According to the folks at 7Tune, output from the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 is set to increase from 530 horsepower up to 560. And to supersede the current Spec V model, a Spec R is said to be in the works, dropping another 70 pounds or so for even more extreme performance.

Development of the new GT-R has reportedly been postponed in the wake of the quake fallout in Japan, pushing the car’s launch back by several months. These are expected to be the final iterations of the R35 before its successor arrives.

Nissan GT-R to get power bump, Spec R version originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: BMW 328 Hommage even sexier in motion

Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Performance, Europe, Videos, BMW, Design/Style, Luxury

2011 BMW 328 Hommage

2011 BMW 328 Hommage – Click above to view video after the jump

Last week at the Concorso d’Eleganza at Villa d’Este, BMW unleashed its lovely 328 Hommage on the world as a tribute to its legendary 1936 328, the car that still holds the fastest average speed ever achieved at the Mille Miglia. This week, they’ve pumped out a video of the car in motion, disguised as a behind-the-scenes look at its California photo shoot. As you might expect, the video just serves confirm our earlier conclusion: this car has some beautiful details.

For those who need a refresher course, here’s how the numbers break down: The 328 Hommage tips the scales at just over 1,700 pounds thanks to the use of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics. Pushing that scant poundage around is BMW’s venerated inline six, backed up by a mystery transmission. To ogle the video, click past the jump.

Continue reading BMW 328 Hommage even sexier in motion

BMW 328 Hommage even sexier in motion originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2011 Bentley Continental GT

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Bentley, Reviews, Luxury

Updated Best-Selling Coupe Doesn’t Err From Its Luxury Mission

2011 Bentley Continental GT

2011 Bentley Continental GT – Click above for high-res image gallery

Somewhere around the world, floating amid a sea of crystal-clear water, is a Hatteras 100 Motor Yacht. It is hardly an ordinary boat.

Built for long passages, with a sturdy sea-keeping fiberglass hull, the Hatteras offers unparalleled engineering, meticulous craftsmanship and immense power. Its staterooms feature exquisite wood cabinetry, double bullnose moldings, and polished natural stone countertops. The main salon is equipped with plasma video screens and multi-channel surround sound for entertainment, while the pilot house features state-of-the art digital electronics for monitoring systems and navigation. And under the stern deck, there are twin 16-cylinder turbo diesel powerplants generating 2,400 horsepower each. It’s enough propulsion to move the 270,000-pound yacht through the water at speeds approaching 30 mph.

On open water, the 100-foot Hatteras is the ultimate expression of luxury and sport unequalled in its ability to project wealth and prestige. However, thirty percent of the world is land – with many a mile of paved road. All of which begs the question: What does an uncompromising Hatteras owner motor about in when they come ashore?

They drive their new Bentley Continental GT, of course.

Continue reading 2011 Bentley Continental GT

2011 Bentley Continental GT originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: BMW 3 Series production to end in October, next-gen model coming in spring 2012

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Sedan, Performance, Europe, BMW, Luxury

2011 BMW 335is

2011 BMW 335is – Click above for high-res image gallery

Production of the current E90 and E92 BMW 3 Series will come to an end for good in October, in preparation for next spring’s launch of the all-new F30 3 Series. Before the gas models bow out, the oil-burning 335d will cease production in August.

The death of the current 3er makes room for a sleeker, less cluttered version of the car which clings closely to the more aggressive new BMW design language. Among the changes will be flatter kidney grilles as well as shorter overhangs, as well as a more muscular stance.

The new 3s will also get a bump in efficiency, with a range of turbocharged four- and six-cylinder mills, with the outside chance of a three-banger joining the lineup later on. The next M3 will ditch V8 power in favor of a twin-turbo inline-six sporting about 450 horsepower.

BMW 3 Series production to end in October, next-gen model coming in spring 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Autocar pits BMW 1 Series M Coupe against Porsche Cayman R

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Europe, Videos, BMW, Porsche

2011 BMW 1M Coupe vs. 2011 Porsche Cayman R

2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe vs. 2011 Porsche Cayman R – Click above to view video after the jump

The 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe has been setting hearts on fire across the automotive press since Munich started teasing the car a couple years ago. Now that it has finally arrived, Autocar decided to see if it lived up to its own hype when faced with the lithe 2011 Porsche Cayman R.

We’ll save giving away the outcome of the comparison in the video, but suffice it to say the 1M Coupe satisfies expectations. It brings back the raw, visceral driving experience characteristic of the old M cars and is relatively affordable. All things we dig. With that knowledge safely in hand, click past the jump to see how the little M rocket stacks up to the competition.

Continue reading Autocar pits BMW 1 Series M Coupe against Porsche Cayman R

Autocar pits BMW 1 Series M Coupe against Porsche Cayman R originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 May 2011 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: Jeep Wrangler Jurassic Park edition

Filed under: Aftermarket, Car Buying, Classics, SUV, Auctions, Jeep, Off-Road

Jurassic Park Jeep

1995 Jeep Wrangler Sahara Jurassic Park – Click above for high-res image gallery

Some lucky hoon will be getting his Dr. Grant on in the most authentic Jurassic Park recreation Jeep Wrangler we’ve ever seen. The graphics are painted on, rather than being rendered in vinyl, which means this Jeep’s look is there to stay. Even the complicated and expensive light bar is functional.

Underneath its prehistoric bodywork sits a 118,000-mile 1995 Jeep Wrangler Sahara with an impressive list of new or refurbished parts, not to mention rare-for-YJs air conditioning. The thing sold for a heady $9,000, which is way more than any reasonable person should spend on a 118K-mile 1995 Jeep under normal circumstances. But with this level of workmanship and the important maintenance done, the figure doesn’t sound so horrifying.

eBay Find of the Day: Jeep Wrangler Jurassic Park edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 May 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Infiniti M25 not bound for U.S. market

Filed under: Sedan, Infiniti, Luxury

2011 Infiniti M37

2011 Infiniti M37 – Click above for high-res image gallery

If you were hoping for a “cheap” Infiniti M, it appears that your wish won’t come true. Inside Line reports that there will be no entry M25 for the U.S. market, leaving the $47,700 M37 as the base model.

While it’s unfortunate that Infiniti won’t offer a more affordable alternative to the nearly $50,000 M37, we’re thinking that the decision may be for the best. After all, the 2.5-liter V6 that currently resides under the hood of the G25 only produces 218 horsepower and 217 pound-feet of torque, and since that already feels a bit weak in the G, we can’t imagine that it’d make for a truly engaging M.

It’s not like the 2.5-liter engine is all that more efficient than Infiniti’s outstanding 3.7-liter V6, either. Under the hood of the G sedan, the mill averages 20 miles per gallon in city driving and 29 mpg on the highway. For comparison, the 330-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 averages 19 mpg city and 27 mpg highway.

Infiniti M25 not bound for U.S. market originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 May 2011 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Porsche denies KERS-equipped 911 reports

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Europe, Porsche, Rumormill

2013 Porsche 911

2013 Porsche 911 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Sources within Porsche told us that KERS would be available throughout the entire next-gen 911 range, but now, a Porsche executive calls it “nonsense.” While the automaker is developing ways to make electric range extenders work in some Porsche models, a hybrid 911 reportedly isn’t in the cards – for now.

When and if there’s a 911 hybrid, it will be a long way down the line and will likely employ a plug-in system rather than a KERS-style regenerative braking setup. The reason the 911 won’t get a hybrid drive anytime soon is pretty simple: Porsche has no interest in homogenizing its driving experience across the entire lineup.

Since electrics deliver all their power from zero rpm, they offer an extremely predictable power curve, and Porsche would rather each of its cars vary from its stablemates in power delivery and behavior. For now, it seems hybrid technology will be limited to the likes of the Panamera and Cayenne.

Porsche denies KERS-equipped 911 reports originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 May 2011 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Raikkonen moves up the NASCAR ladder with respectable Nationwide Series debut

Filed under: Motorsports

Kimi Raikkonen

Between the Indy 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix – both packed with nail-biting action right to the finish line – there was no lack of excitement for racing fans this Memorial Day weekend. But open wheels weren’t the only ones turning yesterday as NASCAR headed back to its heartland at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. And while the top-tier Sprint Cup was the headline event, our eyes were on the second-step Nationwide Series as Kimi Raikkonen made his next step up the stock-car racing ladder in the Top Gear 300.

Following his solid debut last week in the Camping World truck series, the former F1 champion turned rally driver took the next step up, driving the #87 Toyota Camry fielded by NEMCO Motorsports and prepared by the same Kyle Busch Motorsports with the same Perky Jerky sponsorship from his truck debut.

So how’d he do? Not bad. Not amazing, but not bad, considering this was only his second oval-track race, his second outing in a stock car and the first in the Nationwide Series. Kimi was up to fifteenth for much of the race, running on the lead lap and taking advantage of green-flag restarts to gain position. He struggled, however, with the car’s front-end handling, as well as heat burning his feet inside the cockpit, and dropped down several laps after a series of disadvantageous trips to the pit lane – one for fresh fuel and rubber, one to remove debris from a crash and another to serve a drive-through penalty.

In the end Raikkonen finished 27th out of 43, running but four laps down on the race leaders. Sprint Cup drivers ended up dominating the race, with Matt Kenseth taking the checkered flag. So what’s next for Kimi? Well he’s back in the WRC next month for the Acropolis rally in Greece, but there’s no telling when he might be back Stateside for more NASCAR action. The Sprint Cup road-course race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, could give Raikkonen a chance to shine, but his team fears there’s precious little time to put it together with less than a month to go.

Raikkonen moves up the NASCAR ladder with respectable Nationwide Series debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 May 2011 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2012 Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster is a topless beauty

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Europe, Videos, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

2012 SLS AMG Roadster

2012 SLS AMG Roadster – Click above to view video after the jump

On the heels of its official unveiling, Mercedes-Benz has dropped a video of the 2012 SLS AMG Roadster in its natural habitat. Let the ogling begin. If you were floored by the still shots of the latest confection from AMG, the video will leave you gibbering lump.

Though the Roadster loses the coupe’s iconic Gullwing doors, it keeps its performance credentials and only gains a scant 88 pounds. Power doesn’t budge, but somehow Mercedes claims the topless SLS is quicker than the coupe to 60 by one hundredth of a second. That isn’t much, but faster is faster. To see the newest SLS in action, click past the jump.

Continue reading 2012 Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster is a topless beauty

2012 Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster is a topless beauty originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 May 2011 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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