Tag: joining

Rod Millen joining Rhys for his own run up Pikes Peak

Filed under: Motorsports, Hyundai

RMR Hyundai Pikes Peak 2011 Test Session

RMR Hyundai Pikes Peak 2011 Test Session – Click above for high-res image gallery

Chances are you’ve heard of Rhys Millen. The man pushes cars over dirt, into extreme sideways angles, through the air and up challenging mountain roads. If you’re a bit younger, however, you may not have heard of his father, Mr. Rod Millen… and that’s a problem, because you should know that name.

Rod Millen, born in New Zealand and possessor of the best driveway on the planet, is a racing legend. Typically known for his off-road records, the elder Millen has been hustling rally cars and trucks across tough terrain since the 1970s. The company he founded, MillenWorks, is responsible for the development of technical innovations used in racing, and by the military. Enjoying that cushy suspension setup in your Chevrolet Corvette or Audi R8? You can think MillenWorks for that.

Like Rhys, Rod also has a passion for competing. Before Nobuhiro Tajima came along, Rod Millen was the Pike’s Peak record holder. Driving a Toyota Celica All Trac in 1994, Millen smashed the previous record by 40 seconds. He broke his own record four more times, until the Monster took him down, and Rod hasn’t been back since 2001.

Father’s day is around the corner, and the Millen boys are ready to spend some time together. They’re going to do so in Colorado, because Rod is coming back to the mountain, and Rhys is planning to destroy it.

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Rod Millen joining Rhys for his own run up Pikes Peak originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 May 2011 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Volkswagen joining NASCAR rumors begin to swirl again

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Volkswagen, Rumormill, Racing

First Toyota, now Volkswagen? According to the boys from Motor Trend, VeeDub is seriously considering entering into the bastion of American motorsport. That’s right, NASCAR. While rumors of VW fielding a Formula 1 team have swirled for quite some time, this is the second time we’ve heard that the German automaker is considering American stock cars and oval tracks.

What may be prompting this apparent interest in NASCAR? As we all know, Volkswagen has its sights set on becoming a much larger player in the American market, going so far as to create a New Midsize Sedan specifically for the States that will be built by U.S. workers in Tennessee. Not exactly Carolina, the hub of NASCAR development, but close enough.

And it’s this upcoming New Midsize Sedan (unnamed as of yet) that would be doing oval duty against the likes of Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford and the previously mentioned Toyota. If the rumors are to be believed, VW will begin talks with NASCAR officials and Roger Penske, who fields one of the more successful teams in the sport, in November after the current season concludes.

[Source: Motor Trend]

Report: Volkswagen joining NASCAR rumors begin to swirl again originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet (convertible) joining Ellure concept in LA

Filed under: Concept Cars, LA Auto Show, Convertible, Crossover, Nissan

Yes, the Nissan Murano convertible is going to happen, and not only is it coming to the LA Auto Show, but now it has a name: The Murano CrossCabriolet.

Billed as the world’s first four-seat, all-wheel drive convertible crossover, the chop-top CUV will only sport two doors and – contrary to the renderings floating around – it won’t come with PT Cruiser-style roll hoop.

According to Inside Line, joining the CrossCabriolet at the So. Cal. show this November will be a new Nissan sedan concept that, is said to be “a new dimension to traditional sedan design – a dimension named innovation.” Ridiculous hyperbole aside, the four-door concept has been dubbed Ellure, and hopefully the “new dimension” it creates will swallow the CrossCabriolet into oblivion.

[Source: Inside Line]

Report: Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet (convertible) joining Ellure concept in LA originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Mahindra joining forces with Ssangyong

Filed under: SUV, China, Earnings/Financials, India, South Korea

India’s Mahindra & Mahindra may be joining forces with South Korea’s Ssangyong to share technology, costs and to create one of the biggest producers of SUVs in the world.

Ssangyong hasn’t exactly had the best track record when it comes to foreign ownership. While China’s SAIC Motor Group was at the helm, the South Korean automaker took a nose-dive that eventually led to bankruptcy, which is where the company is now. Earlier this month, Mahindra was picked as the preferred bidder for Ssangyong, though the principles involved in the transaction aren’t willing to say how much Mahindra & Mahindra has offered for the sinking Korean company.

Back in 2004, SAIC purchased 49-percent of Ssangyong for $500 million, but was largely criticized for failing to invest enough in the partnership. Analysts typically point to the lack of investment as the main reason behind the venture’s failure. Bloomberg reports that the Mahindra bid is somewhere in the $452 million range. Ssangyong has market value of $340 million.

[Source: Bloomberg]

Report: Mahindra joining forces with Ssangyong originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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