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De Tomaso’s new Pantera spied leaving Modena factory

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Videos, MISC

De Tomaso Pantera

De Tomaso Pantera prototype – Click above to watch the video after the jump

There are some things in this world that, no matter how many there are, we can never get quite enough. Like sleep. Or Victoria’s Secret lingerie models. (Or ideally, a combination of the two.) And of course, mid-engined Italian supercars.

The next expected to join the fold is De Tomaso. The long-dormant marque has been revived by former Fiat executive Gian Mario Rossignolo, but as for its first debut – the Deauville crossover – let’s just say it’s not what we were looking forward to most. No, that role will be filled by the revival of De Tomaso’s most iconic model: the Pantera.

The new supercar is expected to debut in the fall at the Los Angeles Auto Show, which means development must be well under way by now. Exhibit A: the video after the jump, which shows a barely-disguised prototype rolling out of De Tomaso’s headquarters in Modena, Italy. It looks the part and certainly sounds it, as well. But don’t take our word for it – follow the jump to watch the short spy clip for yourself.

Continue reading De Tomaso’s new Pantera spied leaving Modena factory

De Tomaso’s new Pantera spied leaving Modena factory originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 May 2011 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: CFO Liddell leaving GM, Treasurer Dan Ammann named replacement

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, GM

GM Executives

General Motors has announced that Chris Liddell (above left), the company’s vice chairman and chief financial officer, is leaving the automaker. Liddell joined GM in January 2010 and was instrumental in guiding the manufacturer through its recent initial public offering. At this point, the reasons for Liddell’s departure remain unclear.

According to Automotive News, Liddell was initially viewed as one possible successor to Ed Whitacre as CEO of GM, though that changed when Whitacre unexpectedly announced his plans to retire.

Since then, Dan Akerson has been picked to lead GM.

Dan Ammann (above right), who currently serves as the automaker’s treasurer, will succeed Liddell. Ammann has been with GM for less than a year, having joined the company in March of 2010. Before joining the automotive industry, he served as the managing director and head of industrials investment banking at Morgan Stanley for four years. Hit the jump for the full press release.

[Sources: General Motors, Automotive News – sub. req.]

Continue reading Report: CFO Liddell leaving GM, Treasurer Dan Ammann named replacement

Report: CFO Liddell leaving GM, Treasurer Dan Ammann named replacement originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Daihatsu leaving European market

More than any other, two carmaking giants sit at the top of the industry: Toyota and General Motors. But while GM sells under a (shrinking but still) expansive range of brands, the Toyota Motor Corporation sells most of its vehicles under its own name. That doesn’t mean that Toyota, however, doesn’t have its own portfolio of subsidiaries. Here in the United States we have the youth-oriented Scion division, while Lexus handles its upscale offerings, and overseas there’s Daihatsu.

The budget brand offers a range of small cars under its own name; most are hatchbacks, but there’s also the Copen roadster and even a rebadged Camry called the Altis. You may have come across some of their offerings while traveling overseas, particularly in Europe, but that last part is about to come to an end, according to reports.

Word from across the pond is that Toyota plans to withdraw Daihatsu from the European market altogether. The move would reportedly take effect in 2013, and if it comes to pass, would follow similar withdrawals from the North American (1992) and Australian (2006) markets. Thanks for the tip, William!

[Source: Autohaus]

Report: Daihatsu leaving European market originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Jan 2011 12:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Hyundai Elantra Touring going five-door, leaving the wagon train behind

Filed under: Budget, Wagon, Hatchback, Hyundai

2011 Hyundai Elantra

2011 Hyundai Elantra – Click above for high-res image gallery

Fear not, hatchback fans. According to Hyundai CEO John Krafcik, the next-generation Hyundai Elantra Touring will debut in late 2012 as a 2013 model. Krafcik tells Autoblog that while the Elantra sedan is styled specifically for the American market, the Elantra Touring is being penned with European customers in mind. The company sells a long-roof version of the Elantra in the old country under the i30 banner, but from what we understand, American buyers will get a taste of the next-generation vehicle in about two years.

“We launched the Elantra touring a couple of years after we launched the Elantra and we’re going to have the same model cycle for Elantra Touring here,” Krafcik said. “We’re going to get the next-generation i30 here in the U.S. market in a couple of years.”

But don’t expect the vehicle to share too much DNA with the old long-roof Elantra. Krafcik tells AB that the new Touring will be significantly different from the model on sale right now: “It’s a great design. The Elantra Touring design actually came out of our California studio. We’re going to go with the shorter five-door hatchback bodystyle instead of the larger wagon style we have now.”

That means that when it debuts, the 2013 Elantra Touring will be squaring off against the likes 2012 Ford Focus and Mazda3 in a big way. While no one at Hyundai was willing to say exactly how much fuel economy we can plan on seeing from the five-door Elantra, we’d be surprised to see the figures slip much below the 29 mpg city and 40 mpg highway of the sedan.

Gallery: 2011 Hyundai Elantra: First Drive

2011 Hyundai Elantra

2013 Hyundai Elantra Touring going five-door, leaving the wagon train behind originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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