Tag: build

Report: Aston Martin to build Maybachs?

Filed under: Sedan, Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Rumormill, Luxury

2011 Maybach

2011 Maybach range – Click above for high-res image gallery

Aston Martin and Daimler are apparently becoming chummy right now. According to The Financial Times, the two automakers are chatting about a possible relationship centered around Daimler’s super-luxe Maybach sedan. Aston Martin is reportedly looking to glean some powertrain knowledge from the German automaker (for a possible Lagonda revival?) and Daimler could use help reviving a car that few are buying.

An exotic luxury sedan crafted as a joint venture between the Brits and the Germans sounds like an intriguing concept. As a matter of fact it should sound intriguing because Bentley and Rolls-Royce figured out the formula a few years ago. Though few out there can actually afford any automobile in this category, it would be nice to see new life breathed into the Maybach nameplate.

Gallery: 2011 Maybach range

[Source: Financial Times – sub. req.]

Report: Aston Martin to build Maybachs? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Dec 2010 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mitsubishi, UAW reach Illinois plant pact – but what will they build there?

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Mitsubishi, UAW/Unions

Mitsubishi emblem

The good ol’ Diamond Star Motors plant in Normal, Illinois – where such well-regarded vehicles as the original Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon and Plymouth Laser were built, among others – is apparently getting a new lease on life now that Mitsubishi, the United Auto Workers and laborers at the plant have all approved of a new contract.

At this point, it’s unclear what Mitsubishi plans to build in its only North American plant, and the present output of Eclipse, Endeavor and Galant are likely not long for this world. Would it be too much to ask for an Eclipse that hearkens back to the good old days of turbocharged engines and all-wheel drive? Probably, but we’ll settle for a new nameplate or two that escapes the automaker’s current mire of drab, dated and slow-selling sedans and coupes.

In any case, we’re told to expect a detailed product plan from Mitsubishi that will lay out the steps it will take to become relevant in the United States once again. And, incidentally, the Japanese automaker apparently has no intentions whatsoever of leaving the U.S. market… which means whatever it’s cooking up at the moment had better be rather impressive.

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Mitsubishi, UAW reach Illinois plant pact – but what will they build there? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM Perfomance Parts let you build your own 700-hp Camaro

Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, Chevrolet, GM

GM Performance Parts Catalog 2011 NeSmith LS9 Camaro

2010 Chevrolet NeSmith LS9 Camaro – Click above for high-res image gallery

GM Performance Parts Catalog 2011It’s that time of year, kids. Horsepower-crazy General Motors fans are anxiously dancing around their mailboxes waiting for the latest edition of the company’s performance parts catalog to arrive. As with past years, the glossy pages are packed from margin to margin with everything you need to give your Bow Tie a little extra giddy up. For 2011, the catalog has fully embraced the Camaro, and a pair of dealer-tweaked versions of the Chevrolet muscle car show exactly what you can do with little more than a crate engine and some spare time.

DeNooyer Chevrolet in New York decided to plop an LSX454 in their orange Camaro, coupled to a six-speed manual transmission via the same clutch used in the mighty Corvette ZR-1. The car turns over 520 horsepower and 530 pound-feet of torque at the rear wheels thanks to a tune-port fuel injection system.

But that’s downright child’s play compared to what the minds at NeSmith Chevrolet in Georgia cooked up. Those wrenches plopped an LS9 behind the Camaro’s headlights. With minor tweaking, the supercharged V8 is kicking out right at 700 horsepower, and NeSmith threw in beefier axles and a Baer brake system to bring the whole party to a stop. Hit the jump to check out the press releases.

Gallery: GM Performance Parts Catalog 2011

[Source: GM]

Continue reading GM Perfomance Parts let you build your own 700-hp Camaro

GM Perfomance Parts let you build your own 700-hp Camaro originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Dec 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How to build your own hidden racing sim setup and keep your wife happy

Filed under: Etc., Toys/Games

DIY Racing Cockpit Ottoman

DIY Racing Cockpit Ottoman – Click above for high-res image gallery

Two things have prevented us from installing a full-blown racing-wheel, pedals and seat in our living room for the likes of Gran Turismo 5 – the aggravation of having the hardware soak up space in the living room and the threat of endangering hard-earned household peace accords for such a folly. One enterprising soul over at OverClockers has come up with the perfect solution by genetically splicing attractive furniture and functional gaming hardware into one vastly superior being. Using a little MDF and some excellent upholstery work, user Lyshco has managed to create a racing cockpit that’s a little larger than your run-of-the-mill F1 throne, and he’s done so without shelling out nearly $7,000 for a convertible coffee table.

The trick is that the whole kit-and-caboodle folds up into a very attractive ottoman when not in use, saving everyone’s eyes from having to suffer through staring at the evidence of our dweeby past time. It turns out that old gem about necessity’s momma turns out to be true. Thanks for the tip, Bloop!

Gallery: Racing Wheel Ottoman

[Source: OverClockers]

How to build your own hidden racing sim setup and keep your wife happy originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sounds Familiar: Millionaire drops big bucks to build Lotus-based EV sportscar

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Technology, UK, Electric

Ecotricity Nemesis

We’re beginning to think that the real difference between a millionaire and a billionaire is simply whether or not one succumbs to the idea of building your own sports car. The latest to fall victim to that money trap is Dale Vince – a man with a vision for an all-electric, 330 horsepower beast capable of ripping off the 0-60 mph sprint in 4.4 seconds on its way to 100 mph in 8.5 seconds. Like a few other specialty racers we’ve seen surface recently, the Nemisis uses a Lotus chassis for its bones, while a pack of lithium-polymer batteries supplies the juice. And according to Vince, the cells can be topped off in 8-10 hours using a trickle charge.

All told, the car has a range of somewhere between 100 and 150 miles and boasts a theoretical top speed of 170 mph. Ecotricity, the company that builds the Nemisis, has its eyes set on besting the UK’s electric vehicle top speed record of 139 mph soon. So, how much would you have to pay for a car like the Nemesis? Vince isn’t saying, though considering that it cost around £25 million to develop (including a £400,000 investment from the British government), chances are it won’t be cheap should it ever hit production.

[Sources: Inventorspot, The Daily Mail]

Sounds Familiar: Millionaire drops big bucks to build Lotus-based EV sportscar originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: German inventors build car that comes when you call it

Filed under: Europe, Technology

KITT

Researchers in Germany say they’re now one step closer to bringing the nightmare fantasy of unmanned driving to life. A group of scientists have created a vehicle they call the MadeInGermany or MIG. Users can call up the vehicle via their smart phone or iPad and it will automatically chart the quickest and most efficient route to the user’s destination sans driver. Using an array of sensors, the vehicle generates a 3D image of its surroundings, helping it to navigate around pedestrians, other vehicles and bicyclists. Should the user decide to take control of the vehicle, they can operate the controls via that same smartphone or other mobile device.

The researchers say that their system will make car sharing more feasible, thereby reducing the number of cars in cities like Berlin by as much as much as 80 percent. Call us skeptical…

[Source: Canoe]

Report: German inventors build car that comes when you call it originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Ariel Atom 3 gets the time-lapse build treatment

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Videos, Racing

Ariel Atom time-lapse build

Ariel Atom time-lapse build – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Are time-lapse build videos the new trend in online automotive clips? It sure seems that way as more and more of them keep squeezing out of the ‘tubes. If you go back to 2008, you can see a Corvette ZR1 go from frame to furious in less than five minutes.

Last fall, the Patron Highcroft Acura prototype racecar came to life in under three minutes. Earlier this year we got to see the Chevrolet Cruze make the transformation from production vehicle to World Touring Car Championship contender in under two minutes.

Earlier in the month a BMW Z4 GT3 received the time-lapse treatment and now a new vehicle is ready to show you how its made. Top Gear has footage of an Ariel Atom moving quickly from inert to insanely-capable. The actual build took 24 hours but you can see the action unfold in under two minutes.

Make the leap to see the video after the jump.

Gallery: Quick Spin: Ariel Atom 3

Photos by Jeremy Korzeniewski / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Top Gear]

Continue reading Video: Ariel Atom 3 gets the time-lapse build treatment

Video: Ariel Atom 3 gets the time-lapse build treatment originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: How to build a BMW Z4 GT3 in 600 hours

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Videos, BMW

BMW Z4 GT3

Time-lapse video of a BMW Z4 GT3 coming to life – Click above to watch the video after the jump

The BMW Z4 GT3 is a fixed-roof, race-ready version of the standard Z4. Instead of a straight six, the Z4 GT3 is powered by a 480-horsepower 4.0-liter V8 coupled to a six-speed sequential gearbox. Designed and engineered for the track, this Z4 definitely means business – just look at it. You can purchase your own version for around $400,000, and after paying that price, you can have your new track assassin shipped to you… in pieces.

BMW ships the car out in boxes and it’s up to the proud new owner to put it together. Recently, Swedish race crew, Team West Coast Racing, did just that. The entire build took them 600 hours and they kept a camera rolling during that period. A time-lapse video captures the action as bare chassis becomes complete racer. 600 hours is 25 days, and 25 days is a long time to wait in between track sessions. In this case, the wait seems worth it and you can see the build video for yourself after the jump.

Gallery: BMW Z4 GT3

[Source: Cold Track Days]

Continue reading Video: How to build a BMW Z4 GT3 in 600 hours

Video: How to build a BMW Z4 GT3 in 600 hours originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi won’t build you an RS5 Cabrio, but Senner will sell you the next best thing

Filed under: Aftermarket, Convertible, Performance, Europe, Audi

senner tuning audi a5 cabriolet

Senner Tuning Audi A5 Cabriolet – Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi’s full-bore RS5 treatment may only be available in coupe form, but that doesn’t mean droptop enthusiasts can’t join in on some of the fun. Senner AG, a company known for its Audi upgrades, now offers its RS design package for the A5 Cabriolet, and while it doesn’t boast the outrageous power numbers of the RS5, it certainly has the look, with a couple of eccentric one-off touches, to boot.

Starting with an A5 2.0T Cabriolet, Senner has bumped engine output from 211 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque up to a more palatable 275 hp and 317 lb-ft through the use of sport air filters and ECU recalibration. An all-new exhaust system has also been fitted, as well, giving the A5 a louder, angrier sound – something even the S5 Cabriolet could benefit from.

Visually, Senner has added larger front air intakes similar to those on the RS5, though the A5’s foglamps have been kept intact. Filling out the wheel wells are silver-chrome 20-inch wheels, wrapped in low-profile tires (245/30 in front, 295/25 out back), and a new rear diffuser has been added to round off the host of exterior upgrades. The interior has largely been left alone, save the addition of carbon fiber trim throughout the cabin.

Senner’s kit retails for a healthy €19,900 (roughly $25k USD), and when added to the €55,000 cost of a new A5 Cabriolet, that brings the whole package to €74,900, or $95,150 USD based on current exchange rates. Scroll through the gallery below to see the handsome Senner A5 from all angles, and hit the jump for the full details in the press release.

Gallery: Senner Tuning Audi A5 Cabriolet

[Source: Senner AG]

Continue reading Audi won’t build you an RS5 Cabrio, but Senner will sell you the next best thing

Audi won’t build you an RS5 Cabrio, but Senner will sell you the next best thing originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Friends with Benefits: Hyundai shifts Santa Fe production to Kia plant to build more Sonatas

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Hyundai

Straight from HQ at The Department of the Obvious, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata is selling as quickly as Miley Cyrus tickets before Cyrus lost the plot. That’s got Hyundai Motor America shuffling production plans around in order to build enough Sonatas in the U.S., instead of getting them from South Korea.

Hyundai’s Alabama plant produces the Sonata sedan and the Santa Fe, but Santa Fe assembly is being moved to a Kia plant in Georgia where the Sorento is built – easy stuff as they share a platform. With a production capacity of 300,000 cars at the Alabama plant running full tilt, the way things are going, it’s no wonder Hyundai might be looking use all of it.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

Friends with Benefits: Hyundai shifts Santa Fe production to Kia plant to build more Sonatas originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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