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Officially Official: Full details on the 2011 Chrysler 300

Filed under: Sedan, Chrysler

2011 Chrysler 300

2011 Chrysler 300 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Chrysler has finally been kind enough to serve up a few official details on what buyers can expect from the innards of the 2011 300. While we know that the company’s big bruiser will be available with either the new 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 or the familiar 5.7-liter V8, but the company has just now let us all in on what they’ve done to update the vehicle’s exterior. The next-generation 300 now wears a windshield that’s been raked back by three inches, and combined with slightly thinner pillars all the way around, Chrysler says that visibility has been improved by around 15 percent. Given the tank-slit views from the cockpit of the old 300, that’s no bad thing.

Inside, buyers can expect to be met with a smattering of chrome accents and what Chrysler calls “cast-skin” instrument and door panels. But for us, the really good news is that, like it’s platform mate the Dodge Charger, the 300 comes with the company’s new, fantastically huge 8.5-inch LCD touchscreen. Joy to the world. Hit the jump for a peep at the full press release.

Gallery: 2011 Chrysler 300

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading Officially Official: Full details on the 2011 Chrysler 300

Officially Official: Full details on the 2011 Chrysler 300 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi R18 Le Mans prototype unveiled with full roof, epic LEDs

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Audi, Racing

Audi R18 LMP1

Audi R18 LMP1 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Right on schedule, Audi has pulled the sheets off its next-generation Le Mans prototype. As had been rumored before the unveil, the R18 has abandoned the open-top design of its forefathers – the R8, R10 and R15 Plus – for a closed canopy to improve aerodynamics and reduce driver fatigue. The company hasn’t worked with a clamshell since 1999, and we’re guessing is has more than a little to do with Peugeot’s 2009 Le Mans win. That victory is the only wrinkle in the Audi’s domination of the world’s most difficult motorsports race, and it’s no small coincidence that work on the R18 began in mid 2009.

The R18 gets its grunt from a 3.7-liter TDI V6 engine, and while Audi isn’t saying exactly how much horsepower or torque the oil-burner produces, we have to guess that the figures are nothing to sneeze at. Behind the engine is a new six-speed transmission, though the innovations aren’t simply chained to the drivetrain. Audi used a single-piece construction carbon fiber monocoque to keep weight down and increase stiffness, and those epic all-LED headlights are the first make their way to Le Mans.

While Audi is planning to campaign a total of three R18 racers at the 2011 Le Mans race this summer, the vehicle’s first appearance will be at the six hours of Spa on April 24. Click past the jump to see the full press release.

Gallery: 2011 Audi R18 LMP1

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi R18 Le Mans prototype unveiled with full roof, epic LEDs

Audi R18 Le Mans prototype unveiled with full roof, epic LEDs originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Dec 2010 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Automoblox debuts full-size hot rods and trailer set

Filed under: Toys/Games

Automoblox Hot Rod HR3 full size

The last time we heard from Automoblox was over a year ago when company owner and designer, Patrick Calello, debuted an all-new type of his unique toy cars: hot rods. A great way to introduce a child to icons of automotive past, the hot rods are fun to play with (so says my two nephews) but to date have only available as Automoblox Minis. This Christmas, the company is offering all three hot rod styles as full-size Automoblox cars (The red HR1 for $45, yellow HR2 for $50 and blue HR3 – my favorite, above – for $50), as well as debuting a new Hot Rod Trailer set ($120) that includes a full-size hot rod, pickup and trailer. And though you’ve probably seen Automoblox at more mainstream toy retailers this year, these full-size hot rods are available only at Automoblox.com for the time being.

Automoblox full-size Hot Rod Trailer Set
Based on my own experience, kids up to age 4 seem to always gravitate towards the Minis, while somewhere around 4 to 5 they switch over to full-size Automoblox vehicles. Keep that in mind if you’re considering Automoblox as a Christmas present for a young one in your family. If you’re shopping for an adult, also remember that while the full-size Automoblox are the most impressive, you can fit more Minis on a display shelf.

And because Patrick Calello is as big a fan of Autoblog as we are of his toys, we’ll also have some Automoblox to give away to readers in time for Christmas. Make sure you Like the Autoblog Facebook page now, as that’s where the giveaway will happen.

[Source: Automoblox]

Automoblox debuts full-size hot rods and trailer set originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Nov 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: AMG considering full takeover of Ducati?

Filed under: Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Mercedes-Benz, Motorcycle, Luxury

Ducati and AMG

Ducati Diavel posing with Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG – Click above for high-res image gallery

At this point, we’re going to go ahead and file this one away in the Highly Unlikely File, but here we go anyway. According to Autocar, which has been known to publish a few whoppers every now and again, the recent tie-up between AMG, Mercedes-Benz’s high-performance division, and Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati could eventually lead to a full-blown takeover of the two-wheeled brand by its new German partners.

For now, all AMG and Ducati are saying is that they are looking at further ways to combine forces in mutually beneficial ways, which will soon include AMG sponsorship of Ducati’s MotoGP racing efforts. According to “inside sources” at Ducati, however, Autocar suggests that the partnership could lead to AMG-branded, Italian-built motorcycles as a way to improve the “green” image of the three-lettered in-house tuners of three-pointed stars.

The British magazine’s unnamed “insiders” also suggest that many employees at the Bologna-based factory would welcome AMG’s ownership and the newfound resources it would bring. Just so long as it’s not another so-called merger of equals… Click past the break for the full press release from Ducati announcing the current partnership.

Gallery: Ducati Diavel posing with AMG

Ducati Diavel posing with AMG

[Source: Autocar]

Continue reading Rumormill: AMG considering full takeover of Ducati?

Rumormill: AMG considering full takeover of Ducati? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM stock closes at $34.19 after first full day of trading

Filed under: Government/Legal, GM, Earnings/Financials

The first day of a new era for General Motors has ended. The automaker released its IPO this morning on the New York Stock Exchange, and after reaching a high of $35.85 around 10:45AM EST, the stock price slowly retreated back to earth and settled on $34.19 for a closing price. Sure, you might see a downward trending line on the above graph, but GM can celebrate the fact that its stock price still ended the day more than a dollar above the $33 at which the IPO was priced to kick things off, a respectable rise of 3.6%.

Now that the day ended, President Obama has planned a quick preference to talk about General Motors that’s starting as we speak. You can watch it live on the Whitehouse.gov website.

[Source: Daily Finance]

GM stock closes at $34.19 after first full day of trading originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA 2010: 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist brings efficiency to the full-size luxury sedan

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Buick, GM, Luxury

2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist

2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist – Click above for high-res image gallery

Full-size luxury sedans are typically guilty pleasures since they can be either coddling, comfort machines or all-out speed freaks. One thing they haven’t been is fuel efficient… until now. Making its debut at the 2010 LA Auto Show is the 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist.

Power for the LaCrosse eAssist is provided by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with direct-injection. It gains an efficiency boost through the addition of a 115V lithium-ion battery pack, which allows the fuel system to take a nap during certain conditions. These two power systems working together, along with the six-speed automatic transmission, allow the Buick LaCrosse eAssist to achieve 25 miles per gallon in the city and 37 mpg on the highway – a 25% percent improvement compared to the 2.4-liter flying solo. Consider this the reinvention of GM’s long lost mild hybrid system.

Pricing for the 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist is expected to start around $30,000. What’s more, the hybrid system will be fitted standard to all LaCrosse models equipped with the 2.4-liter Ecotec engine. More green luxury information is sprouting just after the jump.

Gallery: LA 2010: 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist

2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading LA 2010: 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist brings efficiency to the full-size luxury sedan

LA 2010: 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist brings efficiency to the full-size luxury sedan originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 21:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Volkswagen developing Terminal Mode for full smartphone control through nav screen

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Videos, Volkswagen

Volkswagen and Nokia’s Terminal Mode – Click above to watch video after the jump

Bluetooth connectivity is getting better all the time. No longer content with just connect your phone, new systems also allow you to wirelessly stream music to your car’s speakers. Volkswagen is working on a system which takes the idea of pairing a phone to your car, and brings it to a whole new level. The system, called Terminal Mode, allows VW’s touchscreen display to become an extension of the your smartphone – weather, GPS, music, phone and text messaging are right at your fingertips in a highly visible location.

Currently, the system is still under development and promises to get better as Volkswagen upgrades its infotainment screens. The current units use resistive touchscreens which can be slightly slower to respond compared with the capacitive units, which will make their way into VWs in the near future.

The Terminal Mode system opens up a potential Pandora’s box of opportunity. Developers could build a whole slew of apps designed for use in automobiles and phones could be built with this integration in mind. There are many pluses to this concept, however this easily falls into the distracted-driving discussion. How soon before we see anti-Facebooking-while-driving laws? Hop the jump to watch video of the system in action.

[Source: Engadget]

Continue reading Video: Volkswagen developing Terminal Mode for full smartphone control through nav screen

Video: Volkswagen developing Terminal Mode for full smartphone control through nav screen originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 14:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Infiniti G25 gets online configurator, full pricing released

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Infiniti, Luxury

Infiniti G25 Sedan – Click above for high-res image

Infiniti now has a online configurator for the G25 powered by a 2.5-liter V6, and the details are, quite frankly, a bit of a mixed bag. We already knew that the base G25 starts at a very reasonable $30,950 ($31,825 with $875 destination), or $4,100 less than the base G37 Journey. That starting price won’t come with such niceties as Bluetooth, dual climate control or a USB interface for your electronic gadgets. To reach that level of refinement you’ll have to step up to the G25 Journey, which stickers for $32,350 ($33,225 with destination). To add all-wheel drive to your G25 you’ll have to come up with still more cash. The G25X has all the standard equipment of the G25 Journey, but adds AWD and a snow mode for $33,950 ($34,825 with destination).

You’ll undoubtedly save money up front if you opt for a G25, but you’ll also save at the pump… a little. The G25’s EPA numbers read 20 miles per gallon in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. That’s not bad for a luxury sled, but it’s also only fractionally better than the far more powerful G37, which nets respectable 19/27 numbers. The G25X tells a similar story, with 19/27 numbers only marginally better than the G37X’s 18/25 totals.

There is little doubt that there’s a market in the U.S. for the G25. After all, there are plenty of folks out who will be happy to rock a G Sedan with a lower MSRP and better fuel economy than the now up-level G37. But the G25’s 2.5-liter V6 with 218 horsepower and 187 pound-feet of torque is 110 horsepower and 82 lb-ft behind the G37’s fabulous 3.7-liter V6, and when you consider the mediocre improvement in fuel economy, we’re inclined to keep saving pennies until we can afford the G37.

[Source: Infiniti]

Continue reading Infiniti G25 gets online configurator, full pricing released

Infiniti G25 gets online configurator, full pricing released originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 13:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: GM SUVs to continue with full frame, Granite still on the table

Filed under: SUV, Crossover, Chevrolet, GM, GMC

The Sport Utility Vehicle is dead. Long live the Sport Utility Vehicle.

We all know by now that the SUV, considered the Official Car of the 1990s and early 00s, has mostly fallen out of favor. But that doesn’t mean we should expect the large, body-on-frame behemoths – with the exception of impractical niche models like those from Hummer – to completely disappear from automaker showrooms any time soon.

Instead, the market may just right-size itself back to a more natural mix, with those users who really do need the off-road and towing capabilities of a proper SUV sticking with their ‘utes and the rest of the population switching to crossovers. With that in mind, Automotive News reports that the redesigned GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe, due in 2013 or 2014, will likely stick to their truck-based roots. No surprise.

Nor should we be shocked by the revelation that the GMC Granite, which was first shown at the Detroit Auto Show early in 2010, is still in the works. In today’s market conditions, an entirely truck-based lineup makes very little fiscal sense, but we’d imagine that General Motors’ Lambda triplets will remain the automaker’s volume sellers.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

Report: GM SUVs to continue with full frame, Granite still on the table originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bloodhound Gang: Full-scale model of supersonic car unveiled in UK [w/video]

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, UK, Specialty, Racing

Bloodhound SSC show car – Click above for high-res image gallery

It looks like the Bloodhound project has reemerged from the ether of the internet, this time with a full-scale model of the team’s actual world land speed-record hopeful. If you dust off the way-back synapses, you might recollect that the Bloodhound Education Program is a ploy to get school-aged kids into the sciences by showing them exactly what Algebra can do. You know, like launch a hunk of metal to 1,000 miles per hour on land. As a show of progress, the team has unveiled a 42-foot-long life-size replica of the machine that it hopes to use to obliterate the standing world land-speed record of a little over 763 mph.

So far, construction of the rear section of the machine is slated to begin in the second quarter of next year, and the team claims that it’s in talks with another organization to begin building the front half right now. That means we could be hearing reports of shakedown runs by the end of 2011 or the beginning of 2012. From there, it’s a short hop to the Hakskeen Pan in South Africa for the real trial. Get excited, people. Hit the jump for a video of the car as well as the full press release. Thanks for the tips, Carlos and Mark!

Gallery: Bloodhound Supersonic Car

[Source: Bloodhound Project]

Continue reading Bloodhound Gang: Full-scale model of supersonic car unveiled in UK [w/video]

Bloodhound Gang: Full-scale model of supersonic car unveiled in UK [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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