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Crazy Porsche Cayman wraps will win someone a free eduction

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Europe, Porsche, Design/Style

Porsche Cayenne wrap contest

Porsche Italy has jumped into the art car scene with both feet by inviting young designers from the world over to come up with a vinyl wrap for the Cayman. The entries have already been pared down to 30 semi finalists, and registered users at DesignBoom.com can submit up to 10 votes for their favorite. The wraps vary from playful to the outright trippy, and to be honest, we’d have a hard time picking one look over the others. After voting wraps up on January 31st, the top four designs will enter into a final round of voting.

Porsche will go through the pains of creating Cayman images faithful to the artists’ intent. From there, a final round of voting will choose the contest’s ultimate winner. One lucky designer will receive a full paid scholarship for a master’s degree at the Scoula Politecnica di Design in Milan, Italy. The winner must satisfy all of the guidelines associated with applying for the school, and the program starts this October. Head over to DesignBoom.com to check out all of the designs and choose your favorites.

[Source: DesignBoom]

Crazy Porsche Cayman wraps will win someone a free eduction originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan luring business owners to buy new van with free upgrade packages

Thanks to its new NV series of body-on-frame vans, Nissan now has a stake in the commercial cargo moving market. But how will the Japanese automaker entice fleet buyers to stop their scheduled orders for tried-and-true options like the Ford E-Series and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter in favor of unproven models like the NV 1500, 2500 and 3500? The answer appears to be some clever incentives.

Instead of just dropping cash on the hood, Nissan is instead offering the choice of several no-cost options to help NV buyers convert their vehicles into a cargo-carrying juggernaut. Customers who purchase an NV can choose from a cargo management systems consisting of three 44-inch shelving units, a steel cabin/cargo partition, or an exterior standard roof utility rack or an interior rack for high roof models. NV buyers more interested in marketing than cargo enhancements can opt for a personalized graphics package from Original Wraps that spans up to 70 square feet. And if none of those options sound good, Nissan will cut $300 from the new van’s $24,590 starting price. Hit the jump to read over Nissan’s press release.

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Nissan luring business owners to buy new van with free upgrade packages

Nissan luring business owners to buy new van with free upgrade packages originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Jan 2011 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevy offers free driving school to all Corvette buyers for limited time

2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible – Click above for high-res image gallery

We operate under the impression that on the whole we live in the best period of automotive innovation and power that the world has ever seen. Manufacturers are turning out four-cylinder engines with more horsepower and torque than the mighty V8 lumps of just two decades ago and eight pots that boast fuel economy numbers as impressive as their dyno charts. These days, mega power is mega cheap and more accessible than ever. But, as Uncle Ben reminds us, great power comes with great responsibility, and to that end General Motors is offering all Corvette buyers a chance to learn how to get the most out of their machines.

For a limited time, GM is giving away vouchers to both of the company’s Corvette Driving Schools to anyone who buys any model of a new Corvette. Typically, the driving schools are free only to those who lay down the coin for a mighty ZR1, but for a limited time, The General is splurging for Coupe, Convertible, Grand Sport, Z06 and ZR1 buyers to go on the company’s dime. The schools are at the Bob Bondurant school in Phoenix, Arizona and Ron Fellows school in Las Vegas, Arizona.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible

[Source: GM]

Chevy offers free driving school to all Corvette buyers for limited time originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevrolet Volt, Ford Explorer named Detroit Free Press Car and Truck of the Year

Filed under: Sedan, Crossover, Chevrolet, Ford, GM, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt

2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery

As more and more Car and Truck of the Year awards pour in from a variety of major publications, it’s no shock that the 2011 Chevrolet Volt continues to take home top honors as the best car of 2011. Both Motor Trend and Automobile have deemed the Volt their Car of the Year, and General Motors’ high-profile EV is even a finalist for the prestigious North American Car of the Year award. (Our readers, however, would apparently rather see that honor go to the 2011 Hyundai Sonata). Thus, it’s no surprise that the Volt was just named Car of the Year by The Detroit Free Press.

Similarly, the 2011 Ford Explorer is in the running for North American Truck of the Year, and the Detroit Free Press is honoring it as the best ‘truck’ of 2011. Freep auto critic Mark Phelan states that in the road ahead, automakers must choose the “right shade of green” for each type of vehicle. Phelan explains:

“The Volt allows most owners to go weeks or months without stopping at a gas pump. The Explorer recasts America’s best-selling SUV in a fuel-efficient new form based on the same chassis as the Ford Taurus large sedan.”

Interestingly, The Detroit Free Press details its second and third place choices for Car of the Year, with the Hyundai Sonata and Nissan Leaf taking those spots, respectively. These two vehicles are finalists for the North American Car of the Year award, and we’re wondering if the Free Press‘ predictions foreshadow the decisions that the NACTOY judges will make (Note: Phelan is a member of the jury). We’ll have the answer to that in just a few weeks, but for now, we tip our hats to the Volt and Explorer on taking home the Detroit Free Press awards.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Volt: First Drive

2011 Chevrolet Volt

Gallery: 2011 Ford Explorer: First Drive

2011 Ford Explorer

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Chevrolet Volt, Ford Explorer named Detroit Free Press Car and Truck of the Year originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 14:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2012 Ford C-Max demonstrates its hands-free liftgate

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Minivan/Van, Technology, Videos, Ford

2012 Ford C-Max

2012 Ford C-Max shows off its hands-free liftgate – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Call us weird, but we’re rather excited for the 2012 Ford C-Max to launch here in the United States. The majority of today’s minivans are anything but, and as more people look to downsize and seek out the most efficient vehicles to fit their lifestyles, small MPVs have a real chance to succeed here in the U.S.

Ford is bringing the heat by fitting its C-Max with an innovative new hands-free power liftgate, which automatically opens when the driver waves their foot under the rear bumper. Yes, you need to have the vehicle’s key fob within range, and we’re honestly surprised that no one thought of this sooner (okay, so maybe BMW announced that it’s coming to the 5 Series, but shouldn’t the Honda Odyssey have this by now?) In any case, you can see how easy opening the 2012 C-Max’s liftgate can be by watching the video after the jump.

Gallery: 2012 Ford C-Max

2012 Ford C-Max

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Video: 2012 Ford C-Max demonstrates its hands-free liftgate

Video: 2012 Ford C-Max demonstrates its hands-free liftgate originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Chevy goes free-hand for its latest billboard spot

Filed under: Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Chevrolet, GM, Middle East

Chevrolet billboard hand drawn

Chevrolet creates a cost-effective billboard advertisement – Click above to watch video after the jump

An affordable car should get an ad campaign to match. Following that logic, Chevrolet’s Middle Eastern advertising team put together a spot to highlight the low price of the all-new Cruze. Rather than slapping some highly-stylized photography work or clean studio images onto the side of a billboard, Chevy had an artist set to work on the blank canvas with a blue marker. For over eight hours.

Click past the jump to watch it come to life.

[Source: Youtube]

Continue reading Video: Chevy goes free-hand for its latest billboard spot

Video: Chevy goes free-hand for its latest billboard spot originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford launches naming contest for V6 Mustang, winner gets free two-year lease

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Coupe, Performance, Etc., Ford

Ford plans to rename the Performance Package for the Mustang V6, and it’s giving Facebook fans and LA Auto Show visitors the chance to decide what moniker it will carry. On the Contest page of the Ford Mustang’s Facebook profile, you can submit your choice of moniker for the package that adds go-fast items like a 3.31 rear axle, Shelby GT500 rear lower control arm and Pirelli tires to 305-horsepower coupe.

You can also stop by the Ford booth at the LA Auto Show and submit your clever-yet-corporate nomenclature. The contest is on now and runs until the middle of December. Make the jump for all the details.

[Source: Ford Mustang Facebook]

Continue reading Ford launches naming contest for V6 Mustang, winner gets free two-year lease

Ford launches naming contest for V6 Mustang, winner gets free two-year lease originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan to offer free conventional car loan to Leaf buyers to ease range anxiety?

Filed under: Car Buying, Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Nissan, Rumormill, Electric

2011 Nissan Leaf

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

The December 2010 launch of the 2011 Nissan Leaf gets closer every day and thousands of people have already signed up to reserve their spot for one. Still, some would-be buyers may suffer from a touch of “range anxiety” – that is, a nervous apprehension about running out of juice, only to be stranded somewhere. To quell that fear, TheDetroitBureau.com reports that Nissan is pondering an option for owners who need to undertake a journey longer than the 100-mile range the all-electric Leaf is rated for. A no-cost loan of a conventional, gasoline-powered vehicle could be made available to owners for periods of up to a week.

The loaner car option is still in the early planning stages, and it’s not yet clear exactly how it would work. Would the Leaf owner be required to arrange the loan through a rental agency, or could it be handled through a local dealership? Nissan still has a lot of details to iron out, but if the plan gets approved, it could prove to be a strong marketing tool.

Gallery: 2011 Nissan Leaf: First Drive

Photos by Damon Lavrinc / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: TheDetroitBureau.com]

Nissan to offer free conventional car loan to Leaf buyers to ease range anxiety? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Classic Recreations declared free of wrong doing

Filed under: Aftermarket, Classics, Coupe, Performance, Government/Legal, Ford, Specialty

Classic Recreations Shelby GT500 CR – Click above for high-res image gallery

Classic Recreations and its owner, Jason Engel, are back at work cranking out jaw-dropping interpretations of the Shelby GT500 CR. Early last month, the restoration shop was raided by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. According to Classic Recreations, a former disgruntled employee made false accusations to the OSBI about stolen equipment. Authorities even confiscated multiple vintage Ford Mustangs during the raid, but found no pilfered hardware. Instead, the investigators determined that Engel had not followed proper protocol when replacing rusty sheet metal on the Blue Ovals – specifically where the VIN plate is attached to the vehicle.

The OSBI determined that Classic Recreations couldn’t replace rusty metal around the VIN tag without completely retitling the vehicle – something that should concern anyone with an interest in putting an old car back on the road. Engel said that the OSBI’s findings will only serve to drive up costs for both his shop and his customers as instead of being able to start with a rusty shell, he will now have to start with higher quality donors. We’re guessing the Ford purists out there will be none too happy about that fact, either.

In the meantime, Classic Recreations is carefully inspecting the confiscated cars, detailing them and getting the wild ponies back to their rightful owners. Past that, Engel says that he is working with state legislators to more clearly define what can and cannot be replaced on a vehicle during a restoration. From the sound of things, that’s something that parties on both side of the issue can agree upon. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: Classic Recreations Shelby G.T.500CR

Continue reading Classic Recreations declared free of wrong doing

Classic Recreations declared free of wrong doing originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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