Video: Peugeot 208 T16, Sebastien Loeb finally meet Pikes Peak

Filed under: Videos, Hatchback, Peugeot, Racing

In preparation for the 2013 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb being held later this month, Sébastien Loeb is getting in his first testing sessions of his Red Bull-sponsored Peugeot 208 T16 racecar. Marking its return to Pikes Peak for the first time in 14 years, Peugeot has released an exciting video that provides a look into the background behind this effort, as well as our first look at the car in its race-ready Red Bull livery.

Loeb, a Pikes Peak rookie, will be driving this specially modified 208 T16 in the Unlimited class with an 875-horsepower, twin-turbo V6 mounted in the rear. The video gives us an excellent perspective as the racecar rockets up the hill, and we all get to hear the powerful engine in action. Scroll down to watch this video, and we’ll have more coverage of the race in a couple of weeks.

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Peugeot 208 T16, Sebastien Loeb finally meet Pikes Peak originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Jun 2013 19:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Motors finally gets its own iPhone app

Filed under: Car Buying, Technology

eBay Motors iPhone app

If you’re anything like us, trolling eBay Motors for cars you can only hope to one day own is like teeth brushing or hair combing – you could go without it for a day, but it wouldn’t be a very good day. Thankfully, the chances of that happening have just dropped to nothing with this week’s introduction of the eBay Motors iPhone app [iTunes link]. Sure, eBay itself has had an iPhone app for a while, but it’s a PiTA to use if you’re just looking for cars.

What we like about the new eBay Motors iPhone app is that it’s designed around how we use eBay Motors’ website. The app will of course let you search eBay Motors’ big database of vehicles and parts for sale, but it also has an area of the app called the Garage. This is where you input both the vehicles you own (My Vehicles) and the vehicles you want to own (Dream Vehicles), making it easy to search for either with the flick of a finger. One slick feature is that you can add vehicles to your Garage by using the iPhone’s camera to scan a VIN barcode, which is usually located on the inside of the driver’s door.

There are some things we’d like eBay Motors to fix with the app’s first update, mainly that the app’s search parameters are so limited. For instance, when filling the app’s Garage with cars, you have to input a specific Year, Make and Model, which means you can’t, for instance, claim an entire generation of vehicle as a Dream Vehicle you want to own, just one particular model year. Likewise, you also can’t dig deeper and pick a particular trim, which means my own vehicle, a 1991 Ford Taurus SHO, shows up in My Vehicles as just a 1991 Ford Taurus, making a search for the right parts damn near possible.

That said, we’re still happy that eBay Motors finally has its own iPhone app and hope the team behind its development will take a serious look at the limitations we mentioned. Click here to check it out in iTunes, and why not download the new Autoblog.com app while you’re at it.

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eBay Motors finally gets its own iPhone app originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 May 2011 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Perana Z-One finally enters production

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Plants/Manufacturing

Perana Z-One

Perana Z-One – Click above for high-res image gallery

Zagato’s been keeping busy, what with the TZ3 Stradale, a new Aston Martin, and the rumored Fiat 500 coupe. Now, PistonHeads reports that another another sexy Zagato-bodied sports car can join the party. The Perana Z-One has finally reached production, with UK deliveries set to commence.

The Z-One, as you might recall, debuted in March 2009 at the Geneva Motor Show, where it stole the spotlight. The custom chassis was reportedly set up by Lee Noble – the same talent behind a variety of cottage-industry sportscars wearing names like Ultima, Ascari, Rossion, Fenix and, of course, Noble. Powered by a442-hp GM LS3 V8, it’s bound for these shores as well, with the order book now open – though precisely when we’ll begin receiving deliveries remains to be seen.

Perana Z-One finally enters production originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 May 2011 13:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jeep JK-8 Independence kit finally turns your Wrangler into a pickup truck

Filed under: Truck, Chrysler, Jeep

Jeep Wrangler JK-8 Independence pickup truck

Jeep Wrangler JK-8 Independence pickup truck – Click above for high-res image gallery

We’ve seen Jeep Wrangler pickup trucks before that never had a chance at production. They’re the kind of teasing that many die-hard Wrangler lovers just can’t handle, so the folks at Mopar are giving owners of the four-door Unlimited a chance to make their own Jeep pickup.

Jeep Wrangler JK-8 Independence pickup truck bedThe Wrangler JK-8 Independence is a new Mopar kit that provides a 50-inch pickup truck bed with 44 inches of width between the wheel wells. The folks at Mopar aren’t ready to talk price just yet, but they promised two variants of the kit. One is a weld-free bolt-on setup that mechanically inclined Jeep owners can put together “over a weekend.” The second is a show-ready kit that can be fitted at the dealership or a specialty body shop. The parts for both kits will reportedly cost about the same, but labor costs for the show truck version will cost extra. The kit will reportedly be available in every color that you can currently get the Wrangler Unlimited.

In all, Mopar tells us the kit includes a bed floor, all the necessary body panels, the fiberglass cap and a new bulkhead. To build your own JK-8 Independence, you’ll need to remove all the interior parts behind the front seats. The new body panels will cover the second row entrance, and a short fiberglass cap provides enough covered space for your gear.

The bright yellow JK-8 show truck, which is based off of a 2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, features a Mopar/Dynatrac ProRock 44 front axle and a stock 44 rear axle with 4.88 gears. Thirty-seven inch BF Goodrich Mud Terrain KM2 tires and a 4.5-inch long-arm suspension kit make sure this makeshift truck doesn’t get stuck even in the most inhospitable terrain. Special off-road capable bumpers round out the modifications, and all of the above modifications are available straight from the Mopar catalog.

Click on the gallery below to check out the official Jeep Wrangler pickup truck that you’ve all been waiting for.

Gallery: Jeep Wrangler JK-8 Independence pickup truck kit

Photos copyright (C)2011 Chris Shunk / AOL

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading Jeep JK-8 Independence kit finally turns your Wrangler into a pickup truck

Jeep JK-8 Independence kit finally turns your Wrangler into a pickup truck originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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KTM X-Bow finally on sale in North America

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

KTM X-Bow

KTM X-Bow – Click above for high-res image gallery

Long ago, we told you that the KTM X-Bow was coming to the United States in street-legal form. Now, the magic moment is upon us – the Audi-powered, carbon fiber X-Bow is available now as a special construction vehicle kit car through British Racing Group, LLC.

The X-Bow is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged Audi four-cylinder with direct injection, good for 240 horsepower. While 240 hp isn’t exactly astronomical by anyone’s standards, the X-Bow’s Formula 1-style carbon fiber monocoque chassis means it’ll shoot to 60 miles per hour in less than four seconds. This lightweight chassis also helps the X-Bow pull 1.5g on a skidpad if you’re running track tires. When you finally manage to terrify yourself and your passenger, as you inevitably will, huge Brembo brakes will bring you to a halt from 60 mph in just 99 feet.

To get the car legal for stateside use, KTM has to import the X-Bow as a kit car, which means supplying the Audi powerplant is up to you. To get your hands on one, contact British Racing Group, where you’ll get an estimated purchase price proposal from one of the customer relations specialists.

Gallery: KTM X-Bow

[Sources: British Racing Group via Lotus Talk]

KTM X-Bow finally on sale in North America originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lexus to finally debut LFA with exclusive Nürburgring package in Geneva

Filed under: Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Lexus

Lexus LFA Nürburgring package

2012 Lexus LFA Nürburgring Package – Click above for high-res image gallery

Typically, when an automaker launches a new car, or even a variant on an existing one, we get a chance to see it up close at a major auto show within a matter of months at most. But it will have been the better part of a year by the time we see the Lexus LFA with the Nürburgring package in the flesh.

The track-focused version of the Toyota luxury division’s supercar was released all the way back in May 2010, but Lexus has only now announced that it will make its public debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March of this year. For a quick refresher, the ‘Ring edition LFA upgrades the 4.8-liter V10 by ten horses to 562 and drops the shift times down by 50 miliseconds to 150. It also gets an upgraded aero package, all for a $70,000 premium over the “stock” LFA’s $375k sticker price.

With only 50 of the total run of 500 offered with the package, this could be one of our only chances to see the track-prep’d LFA in the flesh, so watch this space in a few weeks’ time for live shots from the Geneva Palexpo show floor.

Gallery: Lexus LFA Nurburgring Package

[Source: Lexus]

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Lexus to finally debut LFA with exclusive Nürburgring package in Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Noble M600 supercar finally enters production

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, UK

Noble M600

Noble M600 – Click above for high-res image gallery

We’ve been talking about the Noble M600 since roughly 2008. It was officially unveiled in 2009 and the crew at Top Gear UK even got to test one before the clock ticked 2010. So where’d it go? We don’t know, but Noble has finally popped its head up again with the very first M600 off the factory production line.

Considering its absence, a quick refresher course on the M600’s credentials is in order. This British-built supercar sports a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter Yamaha V8 with three power levels: Road, Track and Race. An Adaptable Performance Control switch will vary the V8’s output between each level, letting the engine produce 450 brake horsepower, 550 bhp or an absolutely silly 650 bhp. Couple that with a curb weight of just 2,775 pounds, and you’ve a great recipe for 0-60 times around three seconds or less and an estimated top speed of 225 miles per hour. Only one’s been built so far, but Noble claims it has orders for a full 50. At £200,000 a pop, the M600 should make the company a pretty penny assuming it doesn’t take them a decade to deliver.

For more fun, follow the jump to rewatch Jeremy Clarkson’s review of the M600 prototype from 2009 and check out new high-res images of the car in our gallery below

Gallery: Noble M600

[Source: Noble, Top Gear]

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Noble M600 supercar finally enters production originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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F1 to finally go HD in 2011

Formula One HDMotorsports fans, rejoice. Formula One took its sweet time in rolling out coverage in glorious High Definition, but starting next season, viewers will be able to soak up all the open-wheel action in 1080i resolution. According to Autosport, F1 organizers have been toying with the notion of delivering an HD feed for some time. This winter, Formula One Management began testing brand-new equipment to make sure that broadcasts could be made at the rate of 42 mbps. Those tests apparently went well, as FOM has announced that every F1 camera will be replaced with new HD hardware. In-car cameras, meanwhile, will still be standard definition.

So far, a handful of broadcasters have already committed to carrying the new HD coverage, including Sky Germany and Globo in Brazil. There’s no word as to whether American fans will be able to sink their eyeballs into the 1080i broadcast or if we’ll be stuck with a scaled-down version of the feed. According to Autosport, that’s exactly what most viewers in the UK can expect. Rumor has it that the BBC has its eyes on broadcasting the races on its HD channel and then downscaling the footage for the rest of its viewers. Thanks to all for the tips!

[Source: Autosport]

F1 to finally go HD in 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Jan 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Marchionne: Jeep is finally getting a pickup… kinda

Filed under: Truck, Jeep

Jeep Gladiator Concept

Jeep Gladiator Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

During a roundtable meeting in Detroit, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne confirmed that Jeep will be getting a new model in the near future, one that he’s classifying as a “multipurpose” vehicle fitted with “a truck bed.”

Although Marchionne stopped short of calling the Jeep a pickup, he did reference the 2005 Gladiator concept (above) and said “there’s better than a 50% chance that you’ll get one.”

Just as intriguing, the perpetually sweatered-CEO told the assembled media that the cargo-hauling Jeep will come to market whether the Ram brand likes it or not, saying, “They’re totally peeved off at the fact that we’re going to have anything that looks like a pickup truck with a Jeep badge on it. I actually think there’s space for it.” So do we Mr. Marchionne. So do we…

Gallery: 2005 Jeep Gladiator Concept

[Source: PickupTrucks]

Marchionne: Jeep is finally getting a pickup… kinda originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reader Spy: U.S. Border Patrol finally gets its leatherless Ford Raptors

Filed under: Truck, Government/Legal, Work, Ford, Off-Road

U.S. Border Patrol Ford Raptors being delivered – Click above for image gallery

What the U.S. Federal Government wants, the U.S. Federal Government gets. And what the Customs and Border Protection division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security wanted were at least 10 Ford SVT Raptor pickup trucks to patrol the area where Arizona borders with Mexico. Only problem is that Ford puts a standard leather interior in all its Raptor trucks, which is evidently against the ordering preferences of the Feds.

So, what to do? Put in an extra-special order with Ford, make a few phone calls (give us what we want… or else…) and patiently await delivery – a truckload of specially liveried pickups that Autoblog reader Matt happened photograph and send in to us. We went ahead and contacted Ford to be sure that it managed to deliver the authorities the Raptors it wanted, and we got an affirmative… sort of.

Ford would need the actual Vehicle Identification Numbers of the trucks to confirm individual equipment levels, and we’re not about to march on down to Southern Arizona to grab them. But Ford says the Feds did order Raptors without leather and that the Blue Oval Bosses complied. So we’re going with a definite probably. Have a look for yourself below. Thanks for the pics, Matt!

Gallery: U.S. Border Patrol Ford SVT Raptor shipment

Reader Spy: U.S. Border Patrol finally gets its leatherless Ford Raptors originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Nov 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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