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Report: Next Subaru WRX and STI to go sedan only; reveal headed for LA

Filed under: LA Auto Show, New York Auto Show, Spy Photos, Sedan, Performance, Subaru, Rumormill, Off-Road

Subaru WRX Sedan Spy Shots

After a serious bit of teasing at the 2013 New York Auto Show, Subaru might be finally preparing to pull the sheets off of the production versions of the new WRX and STI. The venue, according to Automotive News, will be the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show in November. Besides that tasty bit of info, AN has a number of other interesting ideas about the 2015 WRX.

If you’ve been a fan of the five-door bodystyle, don’t read this – the next WRX and STI will reportedly go four-door only. We’ve already seen the latter’s whopping great wing, a tradition we’re happy to see soldering on for next-gen car. According to the AN report, power figures to be around 265 horsepower from a 2.5-liter, turbocharged, flat-four engine.

Los Angeles is still quite far off, so expect to hear more rumblings about a production WRX or STI in the coming weeks. Take a look above for our most recent batch of spy photos, and then hop down below for some images of the stunning WRX Concept that was shown at New York.

Next Subaru WRX and STI to go sedan only; reveal headed for LA originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Aug 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Cache of vintage Chevys in Nebraska headed to auction [w/video]

Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Chevrolet

This isn’t the first car dealer turned time capsule, but it might be the biggest. Ray Lambrecht stashed about 500 new cars from 1958 to 1980 that didn’t sell at his Pierce, NE, Chevrolet dealership before he closed shop in 1996, Yahoo News reports. His reasoning? Instead of selling previous model-year inventory at discounted prices, he kept the cars thinking they’d appreciate over time. Soon we’ll find out how his unique business strategy worked, as all of the old/new cars – stored in the dealership and at a farm – will hit the auction block next month. We think old Lambrecht will be making some good money – perhaps as much as six figures on some cars – as many vehicles in the collection are über rare and word of the auction has spread worldwide.

It is reported that visitors from all over the US and at least a dozen countries will descend upon the 1,800-resident town for the auction to buy old Chevys with negligible miles. The cars with the fewest miles in the collection are a 1959 Bel Air and 1960 Corvair Monza with only one mile on their odometers. A 1958 Cameo pickup truck with just 1.3 miles sits in a corner with some damage to the roof and a thick layer of dust. About 50 vehicles have 20 miles or less, including the newest vehicle in the collection, a 1980 Monza with nine miles. While the cars in Lambrecht’s collection can be a bit rough on the outside, the ones that were stored in the dealership still have pristine interiors.

So what will happen to the vehicles once they’re sold? Jay Quail, executive director of the Classic Car Club of America, says many collectors who buy the low-mileage vehicles likely will put them on display as works of art. “It’s like having a Picasso in your garage,” he says. “Collectors will pay for a car that’s totally unmolested.”

UPDATE: Take a better look at this time-warp collection with the new Associated Press video added below.

Continue reading Cache of vintage Chevys in Nebraska headed to auction [w/video]

Cache of vintage Chevys in Nebraska headed to auction [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Aug 2013 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Kia teases B-segment concept headed to Frankfurt

Filed under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Motor Show, Kia, Design/Style

Kia Concept Frankfurt Motor Show

It’s not uncommon to see an automaker go a little outside of its comfort zone when creating a concept car, but Kia seems to be going all out for a new small concept it plans to unveil at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Although there is not much information to go on about this unnamed concept, Kia does say that it “hints at a possible future B-segment contender.”

With headlights that would look at home on a C7 Corvette or Jaguar F-Type and door cut lines reminiscent of a Ford GT, we can only imagine how sporty this car will look in the flesh. The wide door openings also give a good glimpse inside the car revealing details deep, flat-bottomed steering wheel with paddle shifters and the peculiar rotary-style shifter, but our attention is on the instrument panel switches. If you look closely, the second switch from the left seems to be for a center differential possibly hinting at a future sporty all-wheel-drive Kia. Yes, please! Scroll down for the brief press release on the car, and stay tuned for more info as we’ll be on hand covering the show next month.

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Kia teases B-segment concept headed to Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Aug 2013 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Chevy Trailblazer headed for US in 2014?

Filed under: SUV, Chevrolet, Rumormill

After killing off the previous Chevrolet Trailblazer back in 2009, General Motors continues to sell a new-for-2013 version of its midsize, body-on-frame SUV in foreign markets including Thailand and Brazil. Using an unnamed source, Edmunds is reporting that GM is looking at bringing this second-generation Trailblazer to the US, although an official statement from the automaker suggests otherwise, a stance that echoes what the company said when it revealed the truck back in 2012.

The article states that the current Trailblazer could go on sale here as early as next year, retaining its seven-passenger, rear-wheel-drive layout, but a Chevrolet spokesperson quoted in the story maintains that there are “no plans” to add another utility vehicle. If added to the lineup, the Trailblazer would give Chevy five crossovers and SUVs. One aspect that could make it an easier decision for GM is the fact that the Trailblazer is built on the same platform as the next-gen Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups, models that will be built in the US. Only time will tell if GM plans to bring its global Trailblazer to our market, but with as many car-based CUVs as there are these days, the idea of another rugged SUV sounds good to us.

Chevy Trailblazer headed for US in 2014? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Aug 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: BMW i8 headed to Frankfurt

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, BMW, Electric, Luxury

BMW i8

According to Edmunds, BMW will reveal its production i8 hybrid sports car at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month. The i8 is the second vehicle to come from the automaker’s new “i” initiative, following the debut of the smaller i3 hatchback last month.

The BMW i8 makes its debut nearly four years after the original Vision EfficientDynamics concept bowed at the Frankfurt expo in 2009. The production car is expected to use a 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine that drives the rear wheels, coupled to an electric motor that drives the front wheels. Combined output is said to be something like 393 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, based on our earlier reports. The i8 is also expected to be very light, with curb weight coming in somewhere around 3,125 pounds. Finally, the i8 is said to have a pure electric range of 20 miles, and should be able to hit 62 miles per hour in just under five seconds.

Other publications had the chance to ride along in the i8 (in prototype form) and came away impressed. We’re hoping we’ll feel the same when the car officially goes on sale sometime in early 2014. Stay tuned for more at the i8’s official unveiling in just a few weeks.

BMW i8 headed to Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Aug 2013 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: No FWD Smart crossover in the works, but two concepts headed for Frankfurt

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Budget, Crossover, Hatchback, Smart

If you’re a fan of Daimler’s Smart brand, here is some potentially good news for you today. First, a pair of concept vehicles will be on display at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month previewing the next-gen Fortwo and Forfour models, and more interestingly, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche has stated that are no plans to offer a front-engine, front-drive vehicle for the Smart brand, both reports according to Autocar.

There has been no shortage of concept vehicles from Smart in recent years, but with the Fortwo and Forfour due out in the next year or two, these concepts could be pretty close to the production designs. As for future products beyond these two models, Zetsche told Autocar the rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout is a “defining feature” for Smart, and a future crossover model will be based on the new Forfour platform rather than sharing its platform with a more conventional product in the Daimler portfolio.

No FWD Smart crossover in the works, but two concepts headed for Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Aug 2013 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Auctions: Shelby Cobra, Mercedes 300SL and 1947 Woodie from Petersen Museum headed to auction

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Wagon, Auctions, Ford, Ferrari, Luxury

The changes happening at the Petersen Museum have been making the rounds in major press, but it probably won’t be until August 18, during Pebble Beach, when we get the full story on what’s happening; that’s where and when museum reps plan on announcing the way forward for the SoCal institution. In the meantime, the museum is still reorganizing its collection, and that means auctioning some of its showpieces at this weekend’s Auctions America event in Burbank.

Three of the stars are a 1964 Shelby Cobra 289, one of less than 20 produced with a three-speed C-4 automatic transmission, a 1960 Mercedes-Benz 300SL owned by actor Robert Stack and the last 1948 Ford Sportsman ‘Woodie’ ever produced. The Cobra, now restored to its original white exterior and red leather interior, was a factory demonstrator that first sold for $5,250. Showing just 38,950 miles on the odometer, its pre-sale estimate is $800,000 to $1 million.

The 300SL is actually a 1957 model but wasn’t titled until Robert Stack took possession in 1960. The lead actor in the The Untouchables TV series used to drive by the Sunset Boulevard Mercedes dealership to ogle the car, but couldn’t justify spending the money to buy it. When he and the producer of The Untouchables won Emmys for the show, the producer, who happened to be Desi Arnaz, bought the car for Stack. He owned it his whole life, it has been left as Stack drove it and still bears the California license plate “UNTCHBL.”

The 100-horsepower 1947 Woodie is considered to be the last Sportsman ever built, one of just 28 examples produced that year. It’s been thoroughly restored and returned to its Maize Yellow hue, with the original Birdseye Maple along its flanks and gray cardboard lining in its trunk.

They will go up on the plinth with rarities like a Jaguar XJ220, 1974 Mercedes-Benz 600 LWB Pullman Limousine and 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona. You can read about the cars and the auction in the press releases below.

Continue reading Shelby Cobra, Mercedes 300SL and 1947 Woodie from Petersen Museum headed to auction

Shelby Cobra, Mercedes 300SL and 1947 Woodie from Petersen Museum headed to auction originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Jul 2013 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: BMW M4 Concept headed for Pebble Beach?

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, LA Auto Show, Performance, BMW, Misc. Auto Shows

If a report from AutoExpress is to be believed, BMW will have a surprise in store for August’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The sleuths on the other side of The Pond are expecting to see a production-ready concept of the M3 Coupe-replacing BMW M4. The near-production showcar move is something we’ve seen from BMW, particularly when it comes to M products, over the years.

From the report, AE is expecting production versions of both the M4 and M3 sedan to be shown at the North American International Auto Show in January. We’ve covered the M4 rather obsessively, reporting on the company’s efforts to reduce the new car’s curb weight just last week.

AutoExpress dives deeper, though, speaking to BMW Group’s Senior VP Brand and Product Strategies, Klaus Froehlich. According to Froehlich, the M3/4 only shares about 20 percent of its parts with the 335i/435i. The engine is expected to be a bespoke unit, and will be mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. There should be plenty of carbon fiber to cut weight, as well. The report gets even more explosive, though, as the British outfit has revealed that the M3 and M4 will be joined by a 4 Series Convertible and the new BMW 2 Series in Detroit.

Now, this all seems fantastic, and we’re inclined to believe that an M4 Concept could arrive at Pebble. But debuting four (four!) models, especially two M cars, at one auto show just doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense. What seems more likely, though, is for the two M cars to arrive in Detroit, having been preceded by the 4 Series Convertible at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Why? Well, LA isn’t covered in snow for half the year, making it a much bigger convertible market than Detroit. As for the 2 Series, that’s a toss up. We could see it being shown at any of the big American shows, or it could be held until Geneva. We’ll be sure to update when we know more.

BMW M4 Concept headed for Pebble Beach? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Jul 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: First Toyota unintended acceleration case headed for trial

Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Toyota

2006 Toyota Camry XLE front three-quarters

Toyota is going to be back in the spotlight, as the first of its unintended acceleration lawsuits is headed for trial. This case covers a Los Angeles sushi shop owner, Noriko Uno. According to the what the family told The Detroit News, Uno only put about 10,000 miles on her 2006 Toyota Camry in four years. Uno was apparently afraid of high speeds, avoiding the freeway and taking a route home along LA’s surface streets to avoid them.

On August 28, 2009, Uno’s Camry suddenly accelerated to 100 miles per hour, eventually striking a telephone poll and a tree and killing her. The family contends that Uno attempted to step on the brakes and pull the emergency brake, neither of which brought her speed under control, while Toyota maintains that improperly installed floormats and driver error have been behind the majority of the 80 cases expected to be heard in court.

In Uno’s case, The Detroit News is expecting the trial to focus on the lack of an override if the gas and brake pedals were pressed at the same time. Brake overrides were installed on Toyota’s European fleet. The Uno family attorney will need to prove to the jury that it wasn’t driver error that killed Noriko Uno.

Uno’s case will be a bellwether case, which other state courts will use to predict potential outcomes for similar lawsuits. Toyota is also combating suits in federal court as well, although in most cases both sides have chosen to settle. The federal suit argues that the Camry and other models had defective electronic throttle control systems, despite denials from Toyota and investigations from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and NASA coming up empty.

First Toyota unintended acceleration case headed for trial originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Jul 2013 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Followup: Lexus coupe caught in spy shots actually RC, headed for Tokyo reveal?

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Performance, Lexus

Lexus may have pulled a fast one on us. The car our spy shooters spotted yesterday may not, in fact, be an IS F Coupe as we indicated. Rather, the car shown above may be a new model, dubbed RC, that will arrive at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show.

Following a report from Automotive News, the RC is believed to be a pure coupe, rather than a hardtop convertible. This gels with information provided on the IS sedan’s launch, when Lexus spokespeople said the IS Convertible would remain on the current platform. With styling based on the LF-CC from the 2012 Paris show, the new car will share a rear-drive platform with the IS and GS sedans.

Power is expected to come from a 3.5-liter V6 that turns out 306 horsepower. That car will likely wear the RC 350 badge. A hybrid model is expected to follow, but in a twist, it won’t be coming to the US. The big news, though, is that the RC will spawn an RC F.

Sources told AN that a 460-hp V8 will replace the 416-hp mill found in the current IS F, allowing the RC F to really duke it out with Stuttgart, Munich, and Ingolstadt.

Where does that leave the IS F? We can’t be sure, but with Mercedes-Benz and BMW both offering (now or in the future) fast, compact sedans, we wouldn’t bet on Lexus sitting out. We can expect to see a production RC F at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show, with examples arriving in dealers later that year.

Lexus coupe caught in spy shots actually RC, headed for Tokyo reveal? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Jul 2013 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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