Tag: official

Official: Mini and Dsquared² present the Cooper S “Red Mudder” at Life Ball 2011

Filed under: Aftermarket, Hatchback, Mini, Design/Style, Off-Road

Mini Cooper S Red Mudder

Mini Cooper S “Red Mudder” by Dsquared² – Click above for high-res image gallery

If you’re looking for an off-road Mini, the Countryman is your best bet. But Mini’s always toying with new bodystyles, and the Countryman’s All4 traction system may expand to other models as well. Could this be our first look at the next off-road Mini?

Well, we never know what the future might hold for the BMW division, but what you’re looking at here is the result of Mini’s latest fashion collaboration. Called the Red Mudder, this Mini Cooper S hatchback has been retrofitted by Canadian fashion designers Dean and Dan Caten.

Previewed in renderings earlier this month, the one-off features a raised suspension, brush guard, rally lights, tinted windows, knobby tires (including a spare mounted to the tailgate) and an interior fitted with aluminum plating and a compass on the dashboard. The Caten twins also applied their signature maple leaf logo to the door panels and to the headrests.

It’s the latest product of Mini’s 11-year sponsorship of the Life Ball – Europe’s largest HIV/AIDS fundraiser – that has seen such designers as Versace, Diesel, Kenneth Cole and Calvin Klein create their own interpretations of the Mini, each year auctioned at the event with the proceeds going towards the cause. Follow the jump for the full press release and scope out the images in our high-resolution gallery.

Continue reading Mini and Dsquared² present the Cooper S “Red Mudder” at Life Ball 2011

Mini and Dsquared² present the Cooper S “Red Mudder” at Life Ball 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 May 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Nissan donates cash, offers employee pricing and delayed payments to Southern storm victims

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Nissan

Nissan

Nissan Americas is offering employee pricing and delayed finance payments to victims of the recent tornadoes and floods across the southeastern U.S. The latest gesture comes after the company donated $115,000 to the Red Cross to help with the relief efforts.

Qualified buyers, meaning those from the southeast who were left without a mode of transportation after the storms, will be offered Nissans at a price normally reserved for company workers and their immediate families. To be eligible for the program, you have to live in Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Arkansas, Mississippi or Alabama and be able to provide proof of damage to your primary vehicle. Check out Nissan’s full press release after the jump.

Continue reading Nissan donates cash, offers employee pricing and delayed payments to Southern storm victims

Nissan donates cash, offers employee pricing and delayed payments to Southern storm victims originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 May 2011 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: 2012 Audi A6 Avant arrives, automatically acquires adulation

Filed under: Car Buying, Wagon, Europe, Audi

2012 audi a6 avant

2012 Audi A6 Avant – Click above for high-res image gallery

We love a good station wagon. Audi has just pulled the wraps off its sleek new 2012 Audi A6 Avant, and we’re already swooning over the capacious cargo-hauler.

‘Lightweight’ seems to be the buzzword for the latest A6 wagon. The body is comprised of bits of aluminum (20 percent of it in fact), and the A6 benefits from composite construction that integrates high-strength steel where needed to keep passengers safe. The lightweight approach to construction has helped the 2012 A6 Avant drop 66 pounds versus the previous model, and depending on the powertrain installed, the new car is as much as 154 pounds lighter than the one it replaces. The base A6 2.0 TDI Avant, for example, weighs just 3,616 pounds.

The A6 Avant is available with a choice of six engines and four transmissions. The base unit is a 2.0-liter TDI turbo-diesel four-cylinder that produces 177 horsepower, and is rated to consume approximately 47 miles per gallon when paired with a six-speed manual gearbox. A larger diesel is offered in the form of a twin-turbo 3.0-liter TDI mill, available in 204-, 245- and 313-horsepower configurations. That last one will push the A6 Avant from 0-60 miles per hour in 5.4 seconds.

Two petrol engines are offered, measring 2.8 and 3.0 liters, and both units employ variable valve technology. The 2.8-liter FSI engine produces 204 horsepower while the 3.0-liter TFSI pumps out 300 horsepower thanks to the attached supercharger. Besides the aforementioned six-speed manual, the A6 Avant can be fitted with a CVT or the seven-speed S-Tronic gearbox. However, the 3.0 TDI is equipped with an eight-speed Tiptronic transmission.

It seems there’s no word yet on whether this Audi wagon is making the jump across the pond to pose in U.S. dealerships. For now, it’s slated to go on sale in Europe later this summer with a starting price of €40,850 (approximately $58,288 USD). Read the full details in Audi’s press release, after the jump, and click through our image gallery for a smattering of high-res photos.

Continue reading 2012 Audi A6 Avant arrives, automatically acquires adulation

2012 Audi A6 Avant arrives, automatically acquires adulation originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 May 2011 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: 2012 Kia Sorento gets 2.4L GDI engine, UVO infotainment

Filed under: Budget, Technology, Crossover, Kia

2011 Kia Sorento SX

2011 Kia Sorento SX – Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2012 Kia Sorento will be available with the company’s hands-free UVO infotainment system, and its brand-spanking-new GDI direct-injection four-cylinder engine. With those new features, the big Kia crossover can really dance with the big guns from the likes of Ford.

Other available options include Kia’s YES Essential seat treatment, which makes the seats resistant to stains and static electricity and includes an anti-bacterial chemical. That, along with an entertainment system to be reckoned with, should keep the young family demographic very happy.

The Sorento’s new engine uses the same GDI setup as the upcoming 2012 Rio, but this time, it sees duty atop a 2.4-liter version of the brand’s Theta II architecture. Thanks to GDI, the 2012 Sorento should close in on 200 ponies, as opposed to the old engine’s 175.

For those who aren’t looking to upgrade to the Sorento just yet, the new options are also available on the 2012 Sportage. Click past the break to see Kia’s full press release.

Continue reading 2012 Kia Sorento gets 2.4L GDI engine, UVO infotainment

2012 Kia Sorento gets 2.4L GDI engine, UVO infotainment originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 May 2011 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: 2012 Toyota Prius V still on track for U.S. launch this fall

Filed under: Hybrid, Japan, Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, Crossover, Toyota

Toyota Prius V

2012 Toyota Prius V – Click above for high-res image gallery

False alarm, Prius fans. According to Toyota, the Prius V MPV is on track to hit the market as scheduled. Reports recently began circulating indicating that the Japanese automaker was delaying the vehicle’s launch due to the lingering impact of this year’s earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disasters. Word was that a battery shortfall was causing the hold-up, though the manufacturer has now confirmed that the large hybrid will debut this fall as originally scheduled.

Unfortunately, the arrival of the Japanese-market Prius Alpha is still slated to experience a delay of indeterminate length. Hit the jump for the brief press release.

Continue reading 2012 Toyota Prius V still on track for U.S. launch this fall

2012 Toyota Prius V still on track for U.S. launch this fall originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 May 2011 19:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Porsche

2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0

2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Enough with the leaks and speculation. Here it is. The 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0. The ultimate naturally aspirated 911 and the 997’s motorsports-infused swan-song.

As the name would suggest, this latest limited-edition 911 packs a 4.0-liter flat-six derived from the 911 GT3 RSR racer, complete with forged pistons, titanium connecting rods and a crankshaft pulled directly from its track-bred descendent. The result is the most powerful NA 911 to date, with 500 horsepower peaking at 8,250 rpm and maximum torque – 339 pound-feet – coming in at 5,750 rpm.

That massive engine partnered with a host of lightweight kit (carbon fiber buckets, front fenders, luggage compartment lid and “weight-optimized” carpets) allows the 2,998-pound (wet, mind) GT3 RS 4.0 to run to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, crack 124 mph in less than 12 seconds and top out at 193 mph.

A six-speed manual is the only gearbox available and the Carrara (their spelling) White paint comes standard, along with central twin exhausts, massive rear wing and the first production application of air deflection vanes on both sides of the front bumper (dubbed “flics”) to improve stability and exert an extra 426 pounds of downforce at speed.

And before you ask, the RS 4.0 ran the Nürburgring in 7 minutes and 27 seconds, putting it in contention for one of the fastest production cars ever run around the Nordschleife.

If you’ve got $185,000 laying around in your hedge fund, get your orders in now. Only 600 will be produced when sales begin later this year. Full details in the press blast after the jump.

Gallery: 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0

Continue reading Officially Official: 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0

Officially Official: 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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General Motors updates official statement about Chevrolet Volt in CT fire

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Government/Legal, Chevrolet, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt involved in Connecticut fire

While some have been quick to point fingers at the 2011 Chevrolet Volt involved in two separate incidents at the Barkhamsted, CT home of Storm and Dee Connors, General Motors has updated its earlier statement to improve the clarity of the situation. “While the Volt’s battery pack sustained damage,” says General Motors Global Electric Vehicle Executive Doug Parks, “it was not extensive enough or of the type that would suggest that it caused the fire.”

GM experts are working with fire officials in the small town in the Northwest corner of Connecticut to help determine the cause of the blaze that also destroyed a home-built Suzuki Samurai EV that Storm Connors had been chronicling on a blog. General Motors is confident that the engineering and systems in the Chevrolet Volt provide exceptional safety, and the vehicle’s involvement in this situation is one of circumstance, merely a damaged vehicle due to its parking spot, and not the root cause of the fire. Full statement posted after the jump.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading General Motors updates official statement about Chevrolet Volt in CT fire

General Motors updates official statement about Chevrolet Volt in CT fire originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi Q3 made Officially Official ahead of Shanghai Motor Show

Filed under: Crossover, Audi, Shanghai Motor Show, Diesel, Luxury

2012 Audi Q3

2012 Audi Q3 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi is apparently done teasing us with rendering after rendering of its new Q3 crossover. Instead, the German automaker has gone ahead and let the cat completely out of the bag ahead of the cute ‘ute’s official unveiling at the 2011 Shanghai Motor Show.

As you’re likely already aware, the Q3 is Audi’s take on how to make a Volkswagen Tiguan into an entry-level luxury model. Naturally, that means entirely new sheetmetal with Audi’s well-known gaping grille along with LED lighting all around and a steeply sloping rear hatch. Add it all up and Audi says you get an impressively low drag coefficient of just 0.32.

That shapely rear hatch means there are a few concessions inside. There’s 16.24 cubic feet of storage capacity with the rear seats in place, and 48.2 with them folded down. The Tiguan, by way of comparison, offers 18.6 and 56.1, respectively, and even that is about 25 percent smaller than a Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4. Judging by the shape of the hind quarters, large and bulky items may be a bit tough to fit inside as well.

You won’t be asked to skimp on options, though. Adaptive light technology that points the way forward, electronic parking assistance and Audi’s hard drive-based MMI infotainment and navigation system will all be available at launch, and an option to turn the Q3 into a wireless hotspot will come in the near future.

Two gasoline and one diesel engine, all with direct injection, will be offered at launch, offering between 140 and 211 horsepower. The two most powerful engines will be mated to Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system via a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. A 170-horsepower gasoline engine will also be offered with front-wheel drive. We’ll have to play a game of wait-and-see to find out which of these powertrains make their way Stateside.

Base price in Germany for the 2012 Audi Q3 will be 29,900 euros when it goes on sale in June. For those keeping track, that’s about $43,000 at the current exchange rate, though we wouldn’t go by that figure when estimating its cost when it eventually hits the U.S. Want to know more? Find all the details in the exhaustive press blast after the break.

Gallery: 2012 Audi Q3

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi Q3 made Officially Official ahead of Shanghai Motor Show

Audi Q3 made Officially Official ahead of Shanghai Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 18:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: 420-hp BMW M3 Pickup hauls ass, nearly 1,000 pounds

Filed under: Performance, Truck, BMW

BMW M3 Pickup

BMW M3 Pickup – Click above for high-res image gallery

It’s the First of April and the fun has officially begun here in Munich. BMW has officially taken the wraps off the M3 pickup after our spy shooters caught it running the ‘Ring late last month. And as we exclusively revealed, it’s the Bavarian’s idea of an April Fools prank.

However, that doesn’t mean that the uteified M3 isn’t a full-fledged performer. It’s packing the same 420-horsepower 4.0-liter V8 as its sedan, coupe and convertible brethren, but despite lopping off the back, BMW discovered during wind-tunnel testing that it’s coefficient of drag is close to that of the M3 coupe. It comes complete with a with a removable targa top, weighs some 110 pounds less than its drop-top sibling and topped out at the Nurburgring at 186 mph. Pop the removal roof and the M3 pickup sheds another 44 pounds, and in keeping with every automaker’s standard measurement of trunk capacity – the golf bag – the pickup can tote 20 bags of irons. Oh, and there’s a trailer hitch to boot.

Naturally, serial production isn’t going to happen, but the M3 pickup will serve as the workshop transport vehicle for BMW’s M division. Full details in the press blast after the break.

Gallery: BMW M3 Pickup – Live

Gallery: BMW M3 Pickup

Continue reading Officially Official: 420-hp BMW M3 Pickup hauls ass, nearly 1,000 pounds

Officially Official: 420-hp BMW M3 Pickup hauls ass, nearly 1,000 pounds originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Acura to be official car of spy agency S.H.I.E.L.D in Thor [w/video]

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Acura

thor trailer acura

Thor trailer – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Get ready for Marvel Comics and Paramount Pictures to rule commercial time leading up to their new Thor movie that premiers on May 6. The film, which will be followed up with Captain America later this summer, follows two Iron Man movies and the 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. Those films make up the lengthy run-up to the release of The Avengers movie next summer that will feature all the good guys on one silver screen.

Predictably, Thor will be jammed with corporate sponsors and product placements, which will lead to still more Thor commercials. Even Acura has gotten in on the act, as the upscale Honda brand has nabbed the roll as the vehicle of choice for the good guys at S.H.I.E.L.D., who are working hard to get all the superheros on the same team (hello, Avengers). Acura, whose corporate styling language already involves the shield-shaped front fascia that so many have complained about, were more interested in the role due to S.H.I.E.L.D’s high-tech, cutting edge reputation. The automaker will reportedly receive an amazing two minutes of air time during the movie, and Acura even allowed the bad guys to blow up some of its vehicles.

Acura no doubt paid big bucks to get all that screen time, but that’s not all it plans to do. Variety reports that Acura will push the movie in commercials, while also hosting Thor events at local dealerships that include giving away some tickets for advanced screenings. Hit the jump to watch the latest movie trailer. Top tip, Stewie!

[Source: Variety]

Continue reading Report: Acura to be official car of spy agency S.H.I.E.L.D in Thor [w/video]

Report: Acura to be official car of spy agency S.H.I.E.L.D in Thor [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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