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Report: Lamborghini bringing not one, but two new cars to Paris Motor Show

Filed under: Performance, Europe, Paris Motor Show, Lamborghini, Rumormill, Luxury

Lamborghini Teaser

Lamborghini Jota teaser – Click above for high-res image gallery

The plot thickens. Word ’round the web is that the minds at Sant’Agata have something special planned for the Paris Motor Show. Lamborghini will be bringing not one, but two new models to France next month. The news comes courtesy of the crew at 0-60 Magazine. From what we can tell, the Raging Bull will show up with the car that we’ve all come to know as the Jota, complete with a direct-injection V12, something like 715 horsepower and a heap of carbon fiber. That would be the little gem we’ve been seeing teasers of for the past month or so.

The second machine is a little more mysterious. A document obtained by 0-60 magazine indicates that the car is internally called the 83X. It could be the long-anticipated production version of the company’s four-door Estoque concept, a new interpretation of the Gallardo or a flying ice cream truck for all we know. We’re just guessing, here.

Either way, we don’t have to wait long to find out. The company is planning a simultaneous unveil of both vehicles for dealers on September 23.

Gallery: Lamborghini Jota teasers

[Source: 0-60]

Report: Lamborghini bringing not one, but two new cars to Paris Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Lotus bringing a pair of front-engine hybrids to Paris Motor Show

Filed under: Hybrid, Paris Motor Show, Lotus

Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid

Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery

In addition to the pair of Evoras being introduced at this year’s Paris Motor Show, Lotus will also be unveiling two front-engine hybrid vehicles, in keeping with the automaker’s promise to offer more gasoline/electric sports cars. Edmunds’ Green Car Advisor reports that one of these hybrid cars will be a four-door hatchback and the other will be a two-door coupe.

Lotus debuted its hybrid concept earlier this year in the form of the Evora 414E Hybrid (pictured), but unlike the mid-engine concept, the two front-engine models will utilize a 47-horsepower 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine specifically designed to provide power to electric-drive hybrids.

We’ll have the full details direct from the Paris show later this month, so stay tuned.

Gallery: Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid

[Source: Green Car Advisor]

Report: Lotus bringing a pair of front-engine hybrids to Paris Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IndyCar: 2010 Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300 [SPOILERS]

Filed under: Motorsports, Racing

2010 Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300 from Chicagoland Speedway – Click above for high-res image gallery

It might seem that the 2010 IndyCar championship is a foregone conclusion. After all, Team Penske’s Will Power has a sizable lead in the standings and there are just four races left to run. Ah, but those four are all on ovals, and Will has never claimed the top step of the podium at an oval track. Plus, right behind Power in the race for the overall IZOD IndyCar Championship are Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon – two drivers who have considerably better luck than Power when everybody only has to turn left.

In fact, Dixon leads Franchitti in the new-for-2010 A.J. Foyt Oval Champion standings. Furthermore, Dixon basically owns this week’s venue – Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois – despite never actually winning there. That might seem like a contradiction, but Scott has been the bridesmaid on five separate occasions at Chicagoland.

IndyCar’s return to the ovals also means bigger fields, with 29 drivers lined up to run for the checkers on Saturday night. Among those 29 were a record five female drivers – Ana Beatriz, Milka Duno, Sarah Fisher, Danica Patrick and Simona de Silvestro. Would Dixon finally take the win in Chicago? Would Dario claim victory and close the gap on Power? Would one of the ladies break through and be the first across the stripe? Follow the jump to see how the 2010 Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300 from Chicagoland Speedway played out.

Gallery: 2010 Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300 from Chicagoland Speedway

[Images: Jonathan Ferrey, Streeter Lecka/Getty Images | Skip Stewart, Nam Y. Huh, Warren Wimmer/AP]

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IndyCar: 2010 Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300 [SPOILERS] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Aug 2010 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM to show Cruze hatchback at Paris Motor Show?

Filed under: Concept Cars, Budget, Europe, Paris Motor Show, Hatchback, GM, Holden, Australia

The internets are aflame with word that General Motors will unveil a new Cruze hatchback at this year’s Paris Motor Show. According to Go Auto, the concept was worked up by none other than The General’s Down Under contingent at Holden. Now, before you start hoping for a more functional version of the Chevrolet Cruze to show up in a showroom near you, know that the production version of the car will be built in Australia and sold to, you guessed it, Australians. Chances are looking slim that the long-roof Cruze will ever make it to the Land of the Free in any official capacity.

Shucks.

GM has made it clear that it will debut no less than four new models in Paris, including production versions of the Chevrolet Aveo and Chevrolet Orlando. While the Orlando is another piece of forbidden fruit from the General, buyers in the U.S. can look forward to getting their hands on the Ford Fiesta-fighting Aveo sometime soon. From what we’ve seen of the new subcompact, the car looks galaxies better than the outgoing model – of course, that’s not hard…

[Source: Go Auto]

GM to show Cruze hatchback at Paris Motor Show? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Woodward: 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 makes its Motor City debut

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Ford

2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 – Click above for high-res image gallery

We may have gotten our first glimpse of the 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 at this year’s festivities in Monterey, but the Blue Oval folks quickly hot-footed the new ‘Stang back home to Detroit for a showing at this year’s Woodward Dream Cruise.

It may be raining at this year’s Dream Cruise, but the Boss still looks like its ready to devour some pavement. It’s certainly built to handle that task, what with a 440-horsepower version of Ford’s 5.0-liter V8 under the hood. In both standard spec and special edition Laguna Seca trim, we’re big fans of the Boss treatment, and it’s certainly causing quite a stir here in gloomy metro Detroit.

Click through the gallery below to see high-res shots of a few different Boss Mustangs live from Woodward Avenue, and check out the dream cruise for yourself by visiting our livestream.

Gallery: 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302: 2010 Woodward

2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302

2010 Woodward: 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 makes its Motor City debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 21 Aug 2010 12:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motor Inn: Stuttgart’s Meilenwerk V8 Hotel is pure automotive kitsch

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Europe, Design/Style

Meilenwerk Hotel – Click above for high-res image gallery

Theme hotels have fallen off significantly since the rise of the interstate. Whereas once our nation’s highways were dotted with any number of clever themed establishments for passing a night away from home, now we’re typically treated to hotel chains with less personality than a Number 2 pencil. Fortunately, ze Germans are on it. If you happen to find yourself traveling in or around Stuttgart, you might want to stop in at the Meilenwerk, a.k.a. the V8 Hotel – lodging that offers up special accommodations for the auto obsessed among us. With 34 rooms total, a handful of suites are gussied up with special themes that include some pretty wild décor.

Always wanted to spend the night snoozing away in a Cadillac? No problem. Does driving a Mercedes-Benz through a car wash make you want to take a nap? This hotel has you covered. You can even opt to sleep in a Morris-Minor garage if your heart so desires. Room rates vary with season, but the top-of-the-line Zeppelin Suite will set you back around $489 per night.

Gallery: Meilenwerk Hotel

[Source: V8Hotel.de via The Daily Telegraph]

Motor Inn: Stuttgart’s Meilenwerk V8 Hotel is pure automotive kitsch originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Look: 2011 Toyota Highlander to launch at Moscow Motor Show next month

Filed under: Crossover, Toyota, Misc. Auto Shows, Russia, Design/Style

2011 Toyota Highlander – Click above to enlarge

Toyota Europe has confirmed to Autoblog that the automaker’s popular Highlander crossover will go on sale in Russia and the Ukraine for the first time ever. Why should Statesiders care? Because the new-look model above will be unveiled at the Moscow Motor Show on August 25, and it’s almost certain to be the refreshed CUV that we will receive in North America.

From the looks of things, the 2011 Highlander will retain its strong body lines, but ditch the conservative front fascia of the 2010 model in favor of a leaner, more aggressive nose with angry looking headlamps. With appropriate helpings of chrome in all the right places, the new Highlander is downright handsome. As this is the only shot that we have, we don’t know what’s going on at the rear, but we would expect redesigned taillamps and perhaps some revamped trim. From what we can see, the Highlander’s profile appears unchanged, save perhaps for a new wheel pattern and a very discreet set of turn signal repeaters in the mirrors.

While we have no confirmation that we will receive this same model, European officials believe that it will make it to North America with “more or less the same look.” The Highlander is only built in three places at the moment – China, Japan and in Indiana, so it doesn’t seem likely that Toyota would bother to develop new sheetmetal for select European markets without disbursing it elsewhere.

Unfortunately, we don’t know too much about what’s going on under that hood or in the cabin. So far, the only thing that Toyota Europe has confirmed with us is that the hybrid version of the Highlander won’t be available in those markets. We’ll just have to wait for details from the Moscow Motor Show for more information. Thanks for the tip, Mike!

First Look: 2011 Toyota Highlander to launch at Moscow Motor Show next month originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prince Charles planning eco-friendly motor show in London?

Filed under: Hybrid, Misc. Auto Shows, UK, Electric

Prince Charles drives a Saab 9-3 BioPower

While fire-breathing performance cars and hot rods are car-show fixtures, there aren’t many environmentally-friendly car shows out there, so Prince Charles is having one in his front yard. The Prince of Wales will open his gardens at Clarence House to the public from September 8-19 (neighboring gardens at Lancaster House and Marlborough House will also open their respective gardens) for what’s being dubbed “The Garden Party to Make a Difference.” Proceeds from the event will support the Prince’s Charities Foundation, whose aim is to help people “lead more sustainable lives and to show what a more energy efficient, cleaner and healthier future could look like.”

The garden party will feature a number of eco-friendly vehicles, music, comedy acts and a race from Glasgow to London pitting the sustainable stallions against the Prince’s royal train, which runs on waste vegetable oil. Entry to the gardens costs £15 (about $23 USD), but the display of green cars is free. Is a green car show worth a trip across The Pond? We’re thinking no – unless of course we can burn some rubber racing Charles’ choo-choo – all in the name of environmental responsibility.

[Source: Auto Express | Image: Saab]

Prince Charles planning eco-friendly motor show in London? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Jul 2010 15:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota ‘victims’ urge passage of Motor Vehicle Safety Act

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

No one can accuse our legislative process of being particularly swift. Even in the midst of one of the most productive congressional sessions in years, it takes plenty of hemming and hawing to push a bill all the way from committee to law. Unfortunately, a group of individuals affected by the recent rash of runaway Toyota vehicles must not have gotten that memo. A group of family members of those who died in instances of unintended acceleration recently met with members of congress to discuss the obstacles facing the Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2010.

The bill specifically addresses the need for brake override systems on all new cars as well as so-called black boxes, or event data recorders, but it also ensures that federal investigators will be able to quickly access information stored on a vehicle in case of a widespread safety emergency. Meanwhile, the bill has run into some opposition. Most automakers have come out in favor of EDR’s, but have found issue with other portions of the legislation.

Other potential snags include worries about the cost of the added technology. As such, proponents of the bill have decided to underscore the need for such a law for fear that the topic will grow cold in the public’s memory. Hit the jump for the full press release.

[Source: Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety | Image: Kevin Burkett | CC2.0]

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Toyota ‘victims’ urge passage of Motor Vehicle Safety Act originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Smart to reveal electric scooter at Paris Motor Show

Filed under: Paris Motor Show, Smart, Motorcycle, Rumormill, Electric

When you’re already known for producing what basically amounts to the smallest vehicle currently available for public consumption, what do you do for an encore presentation? Go even smaller, of course. In the case of the Smart brand, that means cutting the total wheel count in half. That’s right, a scooter.

According to Autocar, Daimler’s littlest auto brand is planning to debut a new plug-in electric scooter at the upcoming Paris Motor Show. According to a “senior Mercedes-Benz official”:

Smart was originally established to tackle the need for improved mobility, especially in congested city environments. Up to now we have concentrated our efforts on four-wheel solutions. The next stage is to look at how to expand beyond this with other environmentally friendly vehicles.

If true, this electric scooter may be seen as a response to longtime German rival BMW’s efforts in the two-wheeled arena. In fact, BMW recently showed off an electric scooter concept of its own called the C1-E, which was based on its previous production C1 covered scooter.

Just one last question: What are the chances this electric scooter will be called the ForOne?

[Source: Autocar]

Report: Smart to reveal electric scooter at Paris Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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