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Cadillac ATS to show how much GM learned from the BMW 3 Series

Filed under: Sedan, Europe, Technology, BMW, Cadillac, Rumormill, Luxury

Cadillac ATS spy shots

Cadillac ATS spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors wants so badly for the upcoming Cadillac ATS to rock our worlds on all markets (i.e., not just in North America) that a source within the automaker has told us that the BMW 3 Series has been a prime focal point for benchmarking the Baby Caddy.

We always suspected this should happen, but then GM hasn’t had much of a tradition of reacting quickly until recently. According to our source, teams at GM have basically stripped various 3 Series cars down to bare naked chassis bits and pieces, and fully intend on emulating an awful lot of what they see there, while, it can be assured, making it all correct for the Cadillac brand.

Sounds intensely good to us. Jeez, mega-millions for Bowling Green to hopefully try and finally keep Corvette interiors from smelling like toxic plastic in the hot summer sun, and now a smaller Cadillac that will actually drive and feel like the Standard of the World? Is it too good to be true?

Cadillac ATS to show how much GM learned from the BMW 3 Series originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 May 2011 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saab 9-3 Sport Combi unlikely but awesome Viper V10 transplant recipient

Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, Performance, Wagon, Etc., Europe, Saab, Specialty

Saab 9-3 Sport Combi Viper V10 – Click above for image gallery

Of the multiple sacred laws of hot rodding, “Thou shall put big engines in small cars” is by far our favorite. This line of thinking spans cultures and has led to the creation of many a magnificent machine. Machines like this Saab 9-3 Sport Combi with a kicking V10 sourced from the mighty Dodge Viper under its hood. This thing puts a whole new spin on the term “sport wagon.” As you might imagine, shoving a longitudinally mounted lump of American engineering into the engine bay of a small Swedish long roof required significant re-engineering of the 9-3 body structure, including fabricating an entirely new transmission tunnel.

With that big lump situated behind the front axle and a set of stoppers lifted from the big snake as well, we have to imagine that this beast is an absolute terror on the track. Who do we have to bribe for a little seat time? Check out the full build over in Zatzy forums thanks to contributor mrspringer.

Saab 9-3 Sport Combi unlikely but awesome Viper V10 transplant recipient originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 May 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Chrysler to idle three plants early for summer shutdown due to parts shortage

Filed under: SUV, Truck, Plants/Manufacturing, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep

2011 dodge ram tradesman

2011 Ram 1500 Tradesman – Click above for high-res image gallery

Other than the temporary shut down of General Motors’ Shreveport, Louisiana plant and the loss of some paint colors, domestic automakers haven’t yet felt the brunt of parts shortages due to the March 11 earthquake in Japan. According to a report from The Detroit Free Press, that changes shortly for Chrysler. Spokeswoman Jodi Tinson tells the Freep that three plants will idle earlier than expected in an effort to “conserve parts from suppliers impacted by the situation in Japan.”

Chrysler’s Warren Truck plant, which builds the Ram 1500 and Dakota, and Toledo North, which builds the Jeep Liberty and Dodge Nitro, will both shut down for the weeks of June 20 and June 27. The original plan was for the plants to go idle for the weeks of July 11 and July 18. The Toledo Supplier Park, which builds the Jeep Wrangler, will shut down for the week of June 20 instead of the week of July 11.

A fourth facility in Saltillo, Mexico, which builds Ram models from the base 1500 through the heavy-duty 5500, will also lose overtime on May 20, May 27, June 10 and June 24. In a move that is likely to annoy the United Auto Workers, Chrysler is also dropping the plants’ planned week of downtime.

At this point, it is unclear if Chrysler will endure more downtime as a result of parts shortages, but it appears that Team Pentastar has more than enough supplies of key vehicles to keep dealers happy for weeks if problems persist.

Chrysler to idle three plants early for summer shutdown due to parts shortage originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 May 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Scion FR-S caught prepping for ‘Ring runs

Filed under: Spy Photos, Scion, Toyota

spy shots scion fr-s

Spy Shots: Scion FR-S – Click above for high-res image gallery

We’ve been waiting, rather patiently we might add, for Toyota to bring out its latest sports car for what seems like millenniums. This new coupe will be wearing a Scion badge and go by the name FR-S, which stands for “front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sport.” It’s the “R” and “S” that has enthusiasts eager to lay eyes on this Scion in the flesh. A concept version was trotted out at the 2011 New York Auto Show, but spy photographers managed to capture a camo-covered development mule adding “Germany” to the stamps in its passport book.

What specific area of Germany, you ask? Just a little town called Nürburg, which is home to a slice of asphalt you may have heard of before. This means Toyota engineers are fine-tuning the sports car, and the Nürburgring is sure to provide lots of data points for them to dissect. Data points make engineers happy, and happy engineers make fun-to-drive cars.

Looking over the pics, it appears those engineers have ditched the concept’s rear diffuser but added in a rear spoiler. We can’t wait to see what else is in store once that swirls come off.

Check out the spy photos of the Scion FR-S by clicking through the gallery below.

Scion FR-S caught prepping for ‘Ring runs originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 May 2011 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2011 Nissan Pathfinder

Filed under: SUV, Nissan, Reviews

An Aging SUV Stalwart Sizes Up Its Crossover Competition

2011 Nissan Pathfinder

2011 Nissan Pathfinder – Click above for high-res image gallery

Would you describe yourself as an optimist? Someone who can always find the good in something that others fail to see? It’s an admirable quality, and one we’re going to try and keep in mind while putting down our thoughts on the 2011 Nissan Pathfinder.

We could write a thousand-word essay on the demise of the large, three-row, body-on-frame sport utility vehicle, but that hardly seems helpful. Instead, we’ll do our best to point out exactly what penalties you’ll be signing up for by choosing this type of vehicle over one of its newer crossover competitors.

Yes, a pessimist could surely find plenty about the aging Pathfinder to complain about, but the deep-seated, glass-half-full optimist can take that 4,800-pound bag of lemons and make some sweet-tasting lemonade. It took the entirety of our week with the 2011 Nissan Pathfinder, but we finally figured out exactly who this vehicle is for. Could it be you? Continue reading…

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2011 Nissan Pathfinder originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 May 2011 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Mercedes E300 Bluetec diesel hybrid could make it to the U.S.

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Technology, Mercedes-Benz, Rumormill, Diesel, Luxury

2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

We’re about to witness the first-ever mass-production diesel hybrid in this summer’s Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4 crossover; this sort of powertrain has had engineers and many consumers drooling for a few years. The miles-per-gallon possibilities and environmental benefits are fascinating right away. All that has held them at bay was the expense of development and production, plus the unwanted risk of passing that big price tag on to buyers.

Mercedes confirms that its E300 Bluetec Hybrid is on the way and will be on sale by the end of 2012. We asked them right away what this means for Mercedes’ diesel investment in the United States. The team members in Germany grinned a lot and said they could neither confirm or deny anything at this time. But to stay tuned.

The first viable diesel hybrid from Stuttgart for public consumption was first shown at this past March’s Geneva Motor Show. It combines a latest-generation 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel good for 204 horsepower with an ultra-sophisticated 20-hp electric motor module. Effective combined torque, however, booms out at 428 pound-feet from way down low in the revs, while estimated miles per gallon in European city/highway combined cycle hits 57.4 mpg at its best. For the EPA cycle, knock that down to a more earthbound 45 mpg or so average in normal driving. Still, not too shabby for an E-Class, kids.

The lithium-ion battery assembly used in the E300 Bluetec Hybrid is the same one tried and liked already in the S400 Hybrid. Please, oh, please, get this baby over here for a near-future One Lap of America.

Mercedes E300 Bluetec diesel hybrid could make it to the U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 May 2011 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Texas motorists a little overexcited about first In-N-Out Burger

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Humor

In-N-Out Burger

The first Texas In-N-Out Burger draws a crowd – Click above to watch video after the jump

By all accounts, In-N-Out Burger makes a delicious sandwich. The chain has been a fixture in California for decades, but has only recently begun creeping its way across the country, bringing its much-lauded burgers to those who don’t live in SoCal. In-N-Out’s nostalgia for 1950s and ’60s carhop burger joints and cruise night culture is another big consumer draw.

When In-N-Out opened up its first franchise in Texas last week, the restaurant’s renown had people lined up for miles to get their hands on one of the joint’s never-frozen patties. The line was so impressive that the cops showed up to deploy cones and direct traffic safely through the parking lot and drive through.

While In-N-Out makes a good burger, it can’t possibly be worth voluntarily subjecting yourself to a mile-long traffic jam. Let’s not forget that this is just the drive-thru line. We can only imagine the chaos inside the restaurant. Click past the jump to see the madness for yourself.

Continue reading Texas motorists a little overexcited about first In-N-Out Burger

Texas motorists a little overexcited about first In-N-Out Burger originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 May 2011 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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9-eyes.com features Google Street View’s most beautiful and disturbing images

Filed under: Etc.

Tumblr is a collection of personal fetishes, with homemade sites focused on everything from cats to cars to freckles. The site 9-eyes.com, on the other hand, doesn’t look through the two eyes of Jon Rafman, but rather through the numerous and far-flung eyes of Google Street View; the site is nothing but the “best” pics from Google’s roving army, like the one above.

We have no idea how the suited man (or is it a mannequin?) ended up on a lonely, rural lane. Nor do we have any idea why the boy is hiding behind the garbage can, why the reindeer is running down the road, or why Rafman – who blurs every person’s face – decided to blur the face of an elephant, as if we would have recognized it otherwise. But you’ll find that and much more in the museum-worthy collection.

Be warned: 9-eyes contains many flipped birds and shiny moons of a decidedly non-lunar variety. If you’re all right with that and you have time to kill, you know where to head.

9-eyes.com features Google Street View’s most beautiful and disturbing images originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 May 2011 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aston Martin configurator launches with Virage and Cygnet

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Aston Martin, UK, Luxury

Aston Martin Cygnet configurator screen cap

If you’re anything like us, you’ve been waiting to unleash the full might of the Aston Martin customization program on the ~~Toyota iQ~~ Cygnet. What colors, both hideous and delicious, will the pint-sized Aston boast? What kind of leather will coddle the behinds of the overpaid and tasteless? Fear not, friends. All these questions and more are now easily answered with nothing more than a visit to the brand-new Aston Martin website. From there, you can easily configure your Cygnet in any fashion possible.

Unfortunately, there are four 16-inch wheels to choose from, so if you want any serious rollers, you’re going to need to turn your attentions to the aftermarket. Should you find yourself with a heap of time on your hands, we highly recommend heading over to the new Aston Martin site to wile away the day. The good news is that you can build up any number of the automaker’s products, including the sexy new Virage, should the Cygnet fail to inspire.

Gallery: 2012 Aston Martin Virage: First Drive

2012 Aston Martin Virage

Gallery: Geneva 2010: Aston Martin Cygnet

Aston Martin configurator launches with Virage and Cygnet originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 May 2011 17:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: 2012 Kia Sorento gets 2.4L GDI engine, UVO infotainment

Filed under: Budget, Technology, Crossover, Kia

2011 Kia Sorento SX

2011 Kia Sorento SX – Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2012 Kia Sorento will be available with the company’s hands-free UVO infotainment system, and its brand-spanking-new GDI direct-injection four-cylinder engine. With those new features, the big Kia crossover can really dance with the big guns from the likes of Ford.

Other available options include Kia’s YES Essential seat treatment, which makes the seats resistant to stains and static electricity and includes an anti-bacterial chemical. That, along with an entertainment system to be reckoned with, should keep the young family demographic very happy.

The Sorento’s new engine uses the same GDI setup as the upcoming 2012 Rio, but this time, it sees duty atop a 2.4-liter version of the brand’s Theta II architecture. Thanks to GDI, the 2012 Sorento should close in on 200 ponies, as opposed to the old engine’s 175.

For those who aren’t looking to upgrade to the Sorento just yet, the new options are also available on the 2012 Sportage. Click past the break to see Kia’s full press release.

Continue reading 2012 Kia Sorento gets 2.4L GDI engine, UVO infotainment

2012 Kia Sorento gets 2.4L GDI engine, UVO infotainment originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 May 2011 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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