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Official: Entry-level F-150 now offers SuperCrew, Sport Package

Filed under: Budget, Truck, Work, Ford

Ford F-150 STX Sport Package SuperCrew

Ford has made a few notable tweaks to the lower end of its F-150 lineup, giving customers a more affordable version of the four-door SuperCrew body style. The popular SuperCrew could previously only be had on XLT models and above, but Ford has announced that 2014 F-150s with the base STX trim can get the more versatile body.

The STX SuperCrew brings the price of a four-door F-150 down from $34,525 to $33,145. Like the XLT SuperCrew, the STX will be available with the choice of a 5.5- or 6.5-foot bed, while a 5.0-liter V8 can replace the base 3.7-liter V6 for $4,425. Ford has not released pricing on the different bed lengths yet, but opting for the 6.5-foot bed on the XLT raises the price $1,240 and forces buyers into the 5.0-liter V8. We’d expect a similar arrangement on the STX.

The other big news for fans of affordable pickups is the addition of an STX Sport Package on the base-level truck. It adds 20-inch wheels, black exterior accents, black-and-gray cloth seats and decals on the truck’s box. The Sport Package is available on all three of the STX’s body styles, with Ford listing the price as $980 with current discounts.

Continue reading Entry-level F-150 now offers SuperCrew, Sport Package

Entry-level F-150 now offers SuperCrew, Sport Package originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Aug 2013 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: New entry-level Caterham Seven to get turbo’d Suzuki 3-cylinder

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, MISC

Caterham's next entry level car will have a 660cc Suzuki three-cylinder engine.

Caterham is lowering the price and adding lightness to its newest entry-level Seven, with a sub-17,000-pound ($26,061) window sticker and a new engine from Suzuki, a 660cc turbocharged three-cylinder mill that will produce less horsepower than the current 125-hp entry level model (it was not mentioned if the Suzuki-powered Seven will replace any models). The new, lightweight engine complements a re-engineered chassis featuring major suspension revisions.

Without releasing actual horsepower or fuel efficiency numbers, the automaker said in a release that the Suzuki engine is the smallest, cleanest and most efficient engine ever used in a Seven. That’s not surprising when considering that the engine we suspect Caterham will be using was designed for Suzuki’s kei cars in Japan, such as the MR, which are restricted to a maximum of 660cc and 63 hp.

“Our intention for this car is to offer the joy of the Seven in distilled form, so the new entry-level car is lighter, cheaper, more economical and more accessible than ever,” says Caterham Cars CEO Graham Macdonald. Check out the press release below for a few more details, and sit tight for word on North American availability.

Continue reading New entry-level Caterham Seven to get turbo’d Suzuki 3-cylinder

New entry-level Caterham Seven to get turbo’d Suzuki 3-cylinder originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Aug 2013 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rendered Speculation: Bentley looking to expand with entry coupe, crossover?

Filed under: Coupe, Sedan, Performance, Crossover, Bentley, Rumormill, Luxury

Rumors continue to swirl that incoming Bentley boss Wolfgang Dürheimer, who previously served as head of research and development at Porsche, is looking long and hard at how to expand the luxury marque’s product line. Considering Dürheimer’s experience making magic happen at Porsche, it seems likely that Bentley would tap into the platform used for the Panamera sedan, and that’s exactly what the blokes from Auto Express are suggesting.

The first new model may be an ultra-luxe machine that would fit into the burgeoning four-door-coupe segment. If so, expect a price tag in the mid-$250,000 range and engine choices ranging from the tried-and-true W12 to a new turbocharged 4.0-liter V8.

Those powertrains may also find their way into the engine bay of a Bentley crossover, says Auto Express. As much as some may protest, a Porsche Cayenne-based Bentley with a price near the $200K mark would seem a very real possibility… as would an optional diesel engine, which would be new territory for the brand.

Finally, the long-rumored entry-level (can anything with a $150,000 price tag be called entry-level?) Bentley coupe that would slot below the Continental GT is still a talking point. Branching out into any or all of these segments are seen as a way to get back to the 10,000-unit peak sales year of 2007, as compared to just 4,616 units in 2009.

Head on over to Auto Express to see some rendered speculation on what these vehicles could potentially look like.

[Source: Auto Express]

Rendered Speculation: Bentley looking to expand with entry coupe, crossover? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Infiniti bringing new entry-level car concept to Geneva

Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Infiniti

Infiniti sketch

Infiniti is on track to have a new entry-level model that slots below the G, and the automaker has announced that it’s bringing a concept that previews this new small(er) car to the Geneva Motor Show next month. With vehicles like the Audi A1 and A3, BMW 1 Series, Lexus CT and the Mercedes-Benz A- and B-Class on the market, Infiniti would likely do well to have a contender in the small luxury car segment.

The only information we have as of this writing is the official teaser sketch you see here, previewing what could possibly be a hatchback rather than a traditional sedan or coupe. Infiniti says that the new entry-level car will be “completely different to anything currently offered by our rivals.” We’ve heard that line before, but nonetheless, we’ll see what the Japanese automaker has up its sleeve in just a few weeks. Hit the jump for Infiniti’s very brief press release.

[Source: Infiniti]

Continue reading Infiniti bringing new entry-level car concept to Geneva

Infiniti bringing new entry-level car concept to Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lamborghini to position rear-drive LP 550-2 as “entry-level” Gallardo?

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Lamborghini, Rumormill

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni – Click above for high-res image gallery

Following in the footsteps of its parent’s at Audi, Lamborghini has made all-wheel drive something of a battle cry. What was introduced as an option on the Diablo VT has now proliferated across every model Lamborghini has made since its introduction. Well… until the Balboni edition came along.

To honor the career of the company’s long-serving test driver Valentino Balboni, Lamborghini rolled out a purist’s version of the Gallardo that did away with the all-wheel drive system in favor of rear-drive only, dropped 10 horsepower and was available with a classic gated manual in the place of the e-gear sequential gearbox.

The Balboni edition – carrying the LP 550-2 designation to mark its metric horsepower output and traction configuration – was set to be the only rear-drive Gallardo available, until Lamborghini announced the Bicolore edition just the other day. Although sold overseas with all-wheel drive, the American version was announced as the first rear-drive LP 550-2 to follow the Balboni.

According to reports coming in from Italy, Lamborghini is now preparing to offer the LP 550-2 as a sort of “entry-level” Gallardo, undercutting the price of other versions while offering the more direct drivetrain set-up. Apparently Lamborghini already sold a number of these LP 550-2s to Asian customers who missed out on the Balboni’s limited production run, and will now offer the bare-bones Gallardo as a regular member of the family.

Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni

balbonilp5502fd_01 balbonilp5502fd_02 balbonilp5502fd_03 balbonilp5502fd_04 balbonilp5502fd_05

[Source: OmniAuto.it – translated]

Lamborghini to position rear-drive LP 550-2 as “entry-level” Gallardo? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Infiniti debating anchoring line-up with both entry-level and halo models

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Hatchback, Infiniti, Luxury

Infiniti Essence Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

It’s not uncommon for an automaker to be evaluating several potential products at the same time, but those models usually hover within the parameters of the company’s existing line-up. Not the case with Infiniti. Nissan’s luxury division is reportedly looking at going both up-market and down with a pair of new products to give it a much father reach than the current range.

First up is a halo model, and after looking at the competition, Infiniti has reportedly come to the conclusion that, in order to lure buyers into showrooms, they’ll need something attractive and high-end. And while a successor to the Q45 flagship sedan was once seen as a potential route, reports indicate that, if given the green light, a sportscar to rival the likes of the Audi R8, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and even the Lexus LFA would be the way to go. The show-stopping Essence concept previewed that notion, but Infiniti is reportedly still mulling the idea over, and the presence of the Nissan GT-R surely isn’t helping focus the picture.

At the other end of the spectrum, Infiniti has long been considering the idea of an entry-level hatchback model to take on the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Volvo C30. Arch-rival Lexus became the first of the Japanese luxury brands to earnestly pursue the segment with the CT 200h, and if Infiniti is serious about getting a younger demographic, it could opt to follow suite in short order.

Gallery: Infiniti Essence Concept

[Source: Ward’s]

Report: Infiniti debating anchoring line-up with both entry-level and halo models originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rossin-Bertin Vorax guns for entry into supercar club with BMW V10 power

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, BMW, Misc. Auto Shows, South America

Rossin-Bertin Vorax

Rossin-Bertin Vorax – Click above for image gallery

Wiesmann may have been forced to switch from V10 power to the new twin-turbo V8 for their top-of-the-line MF5, but a Brazilian upstart apparently thinks it can secure an adequate supply of ten-cylinder BMW engines even after they’re discontinued. That’s what’s powering the vehicle you see here.

The Rossin-Bertin Vorax is set to debut at the São Paulo Auto Show later this month. It features a carbon fiber body over an aluminum chassis, cradling the Bavarian ten-pot in two states of trim: naturally aspirated with 570 horsepower, or supercharged with 750. The former is said to be good for a 3.8-second 0-62 mph time and a 205 mph top end. The latter marginally improves the acceleration time to 3.6 despite its 180-horse boost, but supposedly raises the top end to 231 mph. Of course, those figures are likely theoretical, as the vehicle appears to exist only in renderings at the moment.

Bankrolled by meat industry scion Natolino Bertin, Jr. and realized by former General Motors designer Fharys Rossin, the Vorax coupe is targeted to hit the market late 2011 or early 2012. A convertible version is slated to follow a year later, with overall production targeted at 500-1000 units in all and prices hovering around $400k.

Gallery: Rossin-Bertin Vorax

[Sources: Argentina Auto Blog, Carscoop]

Rossin-Bertin Vorax guns for entry into supercar club with BMW V10 power originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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