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It’s The New Black: Cadillac unveils Black Diamond Edition CTS-V [w/video]

Filed under: Coupe, Sedan, Performance, Wagon, Cadillac, Luxury

Cadillac CTS-V Black Diamond Edition

Cadillac CTS-V Black Diamond Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors has just unveiled its new take on the mighty Cadillac CTS-V called the Black Diamond Edition. Available on all iterations of the supercharged beast (sedan, coupe and wagon), the appearance package dips the company’s muscle-bound luxury fleet in new, proprietary SpectraFlair paint. The final product is achieved through a three-coat process that includes flakes of aluminum encapsulated in magnesium fluoride. The result is a paint that’s as gorgeous as it will undoubtedly prove impossible to repair.

This is not a car that’s to be left anywhere near a shopping cart.

The paint is joined by a set of Satin Graphite 19-inch wheels and yellow Brembo brake calipers outside. Slide yourself indoors and meet an interior that boasts microfiber suede Recaro seats and Midnight Sapele wood accents littered throughout the cabin. GM says that the whole package is meant to invoke images of a well-tailored tuxedo.

Prices start at $69,190 for manual transmission models and $70,490 for the automatic, including destination. Those figures mark a $4,850 bump over the standard CTS-V, and buyers can expect some fluctuation depending on whether they opt for the sedan, coupe or wagon body style. Follow the jump for the official press release and to see GM folks explain the Black Diamond Edition in a video.

Gallery: 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Black Diamond Edition

2011 Cadillac CTS-V Black Diamond Edition

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading It’s The New Black: Cadillac unveils Black Diamond Edition CTS-V [w/video]

It’s The New Black: Cadillac unveils Black Diamond Edition CTS-V [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Porsche Boxster S Black Edition gets horsepower bump, sinister styling

Filed under: Convertible, Porsche

2012 Porsche Boxster S Black Edition

2012 Porsche Boxster S Black Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery

Much like the recently unveiled 911 Black Edition, Porsche has created a murdered-out version of the Boxster S roadster that combines a slight boost in power with a raft of new standard amenities. Called the Boxster S Black Edition, the new two-seater features black paint, black wheels, a black convertible top and a fully black interior. It looks sinister, and we’re big fans.

Under the hood is a 320-horsepower version of Porsche’s 3.4-liter flat-six – 10 more ponies than the standard Boxster S – mated to a six-speed manual or the automaker’s PDK dual-clutch transmission. Sprinting to 60 miles per hour takes just 4.8 seconds, and the roadster will eventually top out at 170 mph. An optional Sport Chrono package shaves two-tenths of a second off that acceleration time, and the Black Boxster is capable of achieving fuel economy numbers of 19 miles per gallon in the city and 26 mpg highway.

New standard features include things like the black-painted Design package, convenience package (bi-xenon headlamps, auto-dimming mirrors, automatic climate control) and infotainment package (navigation, Bose surround sound and XM satellite radio with NavTraffic). The whole kit will set you back $65,200 when the car officially goes on sale this spring. Follow the jump for Porsche’s press release.

Gallery: 2012 Porsche Boxster S Black Edition

2012 Porsche Boxster S Black Edition

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading 2012 Porsche Boxster S Black Edition gets horsepower bump, sinister styling

2012 Porsche Boxster S Black Edition gets horsepower bump, sinister styling originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Volkswagen teases ‘Black Beetle’ Super Bowl ad

Filed under: Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Hatchback, Volkswagen, Humor

Volkswagen Super Bowl ad

Volkswagen Super Bowl ad – Click above to watch video after the jump

It looks like Super Bowl fans will be enjoying a pair of Volkswagen ads between plays this year. The German automaker is returning to the greatest spectacle in the NFL for the first time in nine years with two 30-second spots designed to get people excited about both the next-generation Beetle and Passat.

We’ve had the good fortune of seeing both ads, and they’re equally entertaining. Unfortunately, the full pieces are being kept under lock and key until later this week, when we’ll be sure to share them with the world.

Until then, Volkswagen has decided to show off a teaser clip for the Beetle spot featuring a road-hugging black beetle. We dig his white racing stripes.

Don’t like bugs? No worries. The spot for the Passat centers on a Star Wars parody. Stay tuned for the full clips and be sure to hit the jump for a look at the teaser as well as the press release.

[Sources: Volkswagen, YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Volkswagen teases ‘Black Beetle’ Super Bowl ad

Video: Volkswagen teases ‘Black Beetle’ Super Bowl ad originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Infiniti EX30d Black Premium edition introduced in Europe

Filed under: Europe, Crossover, Infiniti, Luxury

Infiniti EX30d Black Premium

Infiniti EX30d Black Premium – Click above for high-res image gallery

Buying a luxury automobile these days is as much about the “customer experience” as it is about the actual vehicle. Infiniti has shown its aptitude in delivering that experience as well as its rivals have – arguably better – particularly in Europe, where Nissan’s luxury division is a relative newcomer.

Its latest offering comes in the form of the EX Black Premium. Based on the diesel-powered EX30d GT Premium trim, the Black edition features (you guessed it) black paint (metalic Malbec, in Infiniti parlance) with graphite leather interior plus 19-inch alloys, a sunroof, aluminum roof rails and a Bose sound system.

That covers the vehicle. As for the experience, Infiniti has thrown in a night for two – fine dining included – at any of the hundreds of luxury hotels associated with the Relais & Château group, as well as membership in its exclusive Club 5C. Only 500 examples of the Infiniti EX30d Black Premium edition will be offered across Europe, at about a $5,000 premium over the standard top-spec model. Full details are in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Infiniti EX30d Black Premium

[Source: Infiniti]

Continue reading Infiniti EX30d Black Premium edition introduced in Europe

Infiniti EX30d Black Premium edition introduced in Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 23 Jan 2011 16:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Meet The Green Hornet’s original Black Beauty

Filed under: Etc., Celebrities

Green Hornet

The original Black Beauty – Click above for high-res image gallery

A derby-and-mask shod Seth Rogen and a mask-wearing Jay Chou owned the weekend box office reprising roles that were originally created in 1936: The Green Hornet and Kato, a superhero and his martial-arts-maven sidekick that began as a radio show in the 1930s. If the trailers are to be believed, this is the first superhero film in which the sidekick is more badass than his boss. It actually makes sense, though, because the first actor to play the role of Kato onscreen was none other than Bruce Lee in his first big American role. But what is perhaps most important about our current duo is the wheeled fiend they’ll be driving: a Chrylser Imperial called Black Beauty. A supercar long before there were Murcielagos and Veyrons, Black Beauty is so significant to the story that it gets just as much time and space as the superhumans in the trailers and on the billboards.

For The Green Hornet television show of 1966 and 1967, with Van Williams as the stinger leading Bruce Lee, two Black Beauties were built by star Hollywood carmaker Dean Jeffries, both based on 1966 Imperials. The first of those cars, the driving car, has disappeared into the void that we assume also contains Amelia Earheart and the aliens who made crop circles. But the second car, the hero car with all the gadgets – that still work, mind you – that one is parked in The Petersen Museum in Los Angeles. And because Autoblog enjoys doing its homework before going to see a film, we went to see it.

Gallery: The Original Black Beauty of The Green Hornet

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Meet The Green Hornet’s original Black Beauty originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit 2011: Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty: Black Ops Edition set for major pwnage

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, SUV, Jeep, Off-Road

Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty Black Ops Edition

Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty: Black Ops Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery

During the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, Chrysler silently displayed its latest hardcore version of the Wrangler, the Call of Duty: Black Ops Edition. The stealthy Wrangler, now shown in two-door trim, looks fantastic with its mineral gray wheels, 32-inch off-road tires and host of Mopar goodies. On top of that, all Wranglers are recieving a brand-new interior and other small improvements for the 2011 model year, so the Black Ops edition is clearly ready to comfortably get you through any sort of war zone.

We’ve captured a brace of high-res images of the Call of Duty Wrangler live from Cobo Hall, so scroll through our gallery below to see them for yourself.

Gallery: Detroit 2011: Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty Black Ops Edition

Detroit 2011: Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty: Black Ops Edition set for major pwnage originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ducati murders out the Diavel in Diamond Black

Filed under: Motorcycle

Ducati Diavel Diamond Black

Ducati Diavel in Diamond Black – Click above for high-res images

It doesn’t get much hotter than the Ducati Diavel. The long-anticipated Italian performance cruiser was unveiled last month at the Milan Motorcycle Show, and now the legendary manufacturer is rolling out a new addition to the lineup.

Following what Ducati describes as “huge interest from enthusiastic show visitors,” it’s added a new Diamond Black color option: black paint over a black frame with black anodized headlamp body and air intakes. In other words, it’s black.

Diamond Black apparently replaces the pearl white color and joins Red Carbon (gloss rosso over matte carbon weave), Black Carbon (contrasting carbon fiber weaves in matte and gloss finish) and traditional Ducati Red in the Diavel’s catalog. It’ll be available starting in February. In the meantime, you can read the announcement after the jump and check out the twin images in the gallery below.

Gallery: Ducati Diavel in Diamond Black

[Source: Ducati]

Continue reading Ducati murders out the Diavel in Diamond Black

Ducati murders out the Diavel in Diamond Black originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 19 Dec 2010 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series Coupe to get 5.5-liter turbo

Filed under: Coupe, Mercedes-Benz, Rumormill

Mercedes-Benz AMG Black Series badge

The Mercedes-Benz C Class already has a hugely capable and entertaining performance model in the 451-horsepower C63. But a refreshed C Class is expected to bow at next month’s Detroit Auto Show, and an exotic Black Series Coupe is expected to follow later in the year.

Inside Line reports that a conversation with Mercedes spokespeople has revealed that the 6.2-liter in the C63 will not be tweaked for Black Series duty, opting instead for the company’s twin-turbo 5.5-liter mill. That powertrain, as you may recall, already puts out 571 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque in the S63 AMG. That’s 71 more ponies than the the CLK AMG Black Series and more twist than almost anything this side of a diesel-powered heavy-duty pickup truck. That should help justify the expected $100k-plus price tag of the rarest of AMG variants, while simultaneously making every BMW M3 owner a bit leery of a race with the Black Series coupe. Let’s just hope it maintains the otherworldly bark of the naturally aspirated 6.2-liter, which is one of the C63’s primary draws.

[Source: Inside Line]

Rumormill: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series Coupe to get 5.5-liter turbo originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen crafts a London Black Taxi for the future

Filed under: Concept Cars, Work, Volkswagen, UK

Volkswagen London Taxi Concept

Volkswagen London Taxi Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Volkswagen is putting it’s own unique spin on a London icon. The VW London Taxi Concept, which is built upon the Up! city car platform, is an electric cab with an estimated range of 186 miles. Though the overall length of 3,730 millimeters means the Taxi concept is shorter than a VW Fox, its minimal front and rear overhang allow for plenty of room to accommodate the driver and two full-size adult passengers plus luggage. Inside, the Volkswagen London Taxi Concept features touchscreen displays that provide information on the surrounding area and the route being traveled.

Since this is just a concept, it doesn’t conform to current London taxi regulations. However, it does provide a glimpse at what the future might hold for emission-free urban transportation choices.

Gallery: Volkswagen London Taxi Concept

Volkswagen London Taxi Concept

[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading Volkswagen crafts a London Black Taxi for the future

Volkswagen crafts a London Black Taxi for the future originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World’s Most Popular Car Color: Silver under threat from Black

Filed under: Etc.

2010 DuPont Automotive Color Popularity Study

2010 DuPont Automotive Color Popularity Study – Click above for high-res image gallery

DuPont has rolled out its annual Automotive Color Popularity Report, and it looks like the long-reigning king may be under threat from a new foe. Silver held the most popular color title for seven years until 2007, when it was dethroned by the likes of white and white metallic. That trend carried over for 2008, but in 2009, silver took its place in the spotlight once again. Now it looks like black may be staging a comeback. This year, of all the cars sold around the world, 26 percent went home with a silver paint job, but 24 percent rolled out of the factory with a black coat of shiny.

Meanwhile, white, white pearl and grey soaked up just 16 percent of all cars sold in 2010. Dupont says that black’s popularity is largely propelled by the color’s success in markets outside of the U.S., where noir doesn’t quite have the same swagger as elsewhere. In fact, here in North America, white retained its popularity with a three percent lead over black and a four-percent jump over silver.

And what about the least popular color of the year? That one goes to yellow and gold, with just 1 percent of all new vehicles swaddled in the color of sunshine and the 70’s. Hit the jump for the full press release. Hat tip to Brent!

Gallery: 2010 DuPont Automotive Color Popularity Study

[Source: Dupont]

Continue reading World’s Most Popular Car Color: Silver under threat from Black

World’s Most Popular Car Color: Silver under threat from Black originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Dec 2010 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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