Tag: officially

Officially Official: Ford F-150 SVT Raptor gains SuperCrew, loses 5.4L V8 for 2011

Filed under: Truck, Ford, Off-Road

2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew

2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew – Click above for high-res image gallery

Ford’s off-road beast, the F-150 SVT Raptor, has only been on sale for a year, but it’s already getting a few upgrades for the 2011 model year.

Many reports and a few spy shots indicated that Ford had been prepping a four-door SuperCrew version of the Raptor (you know, for when the family wants to do the Baja run with you), and the automaker has officially confirmed the details (again). The SuperCrew’s wheelbase is a full 12 inches longer than the standard Raptor, meaning it should provide a more comfortable ride along the way, and the 5.5-foot box can still haul everything you need when you get there.

Speaking of capability, all Raptors now come standard with more power on tap – the 6.2-liter V8 will be the only available powertrain for 2011 (sad trombone for the people who rushed out to get the 5.4). As we reported earlier, it stands to reason that the 2011 Raptor will get a price increase to account for the larger mill, but it’s a small price to pay for an extra 101 horsepower and 69 pound-feet of torque over the 5.4-liter V8.

From there, the other enhancements for 2011 are purely cosmetic. Raptors can now be had in a new color – Ingot Silver Metallic (pictured) – and matte black accent graphics are available on the hood. These new graphics can be ordered separately from the box side decals, too. Inside the cabin, Ford now offers a standard 4.2-inch LCD display (called the “productivity screen”) in the center of the revised instrument gauges, similar to what was introduced on the 2011 Super Duty.

Dealers will start taking orders for 2011 Raptors as you read this with the first examples hitting dealerships later this year. Ford’s detailed press release is available after the jump.

Gallery: 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Officially Official: Ford F-150 SVT Raptor gains SuperCrew, loses 5.4L V8 for 2011

Officially Official: Ford F-150 SVT Raptor gains SuperCrew, loses 5.4L V8 for 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: Citroën DS4 blends compact size and luxury

Filed under: Europe, Paris Motor Show, Hatchback, Citroën

Citroen DS4

Citroën DS4 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Citroën previewed its next-generation design language at this year’s Geneva Motor Show with the DS High Rider concept, and the first production car to use these shapely new lines will be the DS4 five-door hatch, which makes its debut at the Paris Motor Show in just a few weeks.

The DS4’s two rear doors are nicely incorporated into the overall shape and a set of muscular wheel arches and sloped roofline give the high-riding hatch a sort of coupe-like profile from some angles. LED running lamps top the front foglight surrounds, and Citroen’s minimal use of chrome lend the DS4 an upscale appearance. Additionally, those big arches will be nicely filled with a range of large wheels – 19-inch alloys will round off the top-end models.

Inside, Citroën has created a cabin that is both luxurious and spacious, with a tall, raked windshield providing a large, clear view of the road ahead. The chunky-funky steering wheel, sculpted dashboard and center stack look fresh and modern, though we’ll admit that the tiller’s design stands out a bit in what is otherwise a sleek, modern cockpit.

When it launches in 2011, the DS4 will be available with five powertrain options. Two diesel engines will be available, producing 110 and 160 horsepower, as well as three petrol-sippers, cranking out 120, 155 and 200 horsepower, depending on your need for speed. The three gasoline engines were co-developed with BMW, and the full range of powerplants can be mated to either six-speed manual or automatic transmissions.

We’ll be checking out the new DS4 in person in the not-too-distant future. For now, Citroën’s official press release beckons after the jump and a high-res gallery of shots is below.

Gallery: Citroen DS4

[Source: Citroën]

Continue reading Officially Official: Citroën DS4 blends compact size and luxury

Officially Official: Citroën DS4 blends compact size and luxury originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS revealed before Paris debut

Filed under: Sedan, Paris Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS
2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS – Click above for high-res image gallery

It seems like every automaker wants to have a “four-door coupe” in its lineup these days. Hyundai has its rakish new Sonata, Volkswagen has the stylish CC and BMW has reportedly given its Gran Coupe concept the go-ahead for production. This is certainly one of the hottest automotive design trends of recent memory, but we must remember that it all started with the Mercedes-Benz CLS back in 2004. The folks from Stuttgart told us that coupes can have more than two doors (though we’re still not 100 percent behind that idea), and the CLS quickly became one of the most stylish four-door vehicles on the market. Even today, the original CLS bodystyle still looks fresh, modern and sexy.

Recently, we came across some leaked shots of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS, showing the stylish new design that will be unveiled at this year’s Paris Motor Show. Now we have the official images direct from the manufacturer, and this car is even more beautiful in full high-res glory. The new headlight design is quite striking, and the CLS uses a full-LED setup, with a total of 71 bulbs making up the main headlamps, running lamps, turn signals and side lamps. We’re really anxious to see what this looks like in person with the sun below the horizon.

Even today, the original CLS still looks fresh, modern and sexy.

Inside, a new three-spoke sport steering wheel is on hand, and the CLS now uses a column-mounted gear selector similar to that in the higher-end CL and S-Class cars. The rest of the interior mixes luxurious appointments with modern style, and the end result is something that not only looks sporty and elegant, but immensely comfortable and cozy.

We don’t have official word about powertrains, but expect the CLS to be offered with two different gas engines when it goes on sale in North America in mid-2011. An all-new direct-injected 3.5-liter V6 is anticipated to be the base engine in the CLS350, while CLS550 models will reportedly receive a twin-turbo 4.6-liter V8 good for around 430 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. Of course, a CLS AMG will come shortly thereafter, packing lordly amounts of power.

We’ll have the official specs closer to the car’s scheduled unveiling in Paris, but for now, you can read what Mercedes-Benz has to say about the CLS in the press release after the jump and scroll through the gallery below for a few high-res shots of the svelte new Benz.

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Officially Official: 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS revealed before Paris debut

Officially Official: 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS revealed before Paris debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Aug 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Valentino Rossi makes switch to Ducati officially official

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Motorcycle, Celebrities

We’re sure that none of you saw this one coming, right? To the surprise of absolutely nobody paying even an ounce of attention, Valentino Rossi has officially announced that he will ride for the Ducati factory team for the 2011 MotoGP race season. It’s a veritable dream scenario for Italy, as an Italian rider will take to the track at the pinnacle of motorcycle racing aboard a bright red Italian motorcycle. Bellissima!

It’s expected that American Ben Spies will take over Rossi’s vacated paddock at the Fiat Yamaha factory team, joining 2010 title-leading rider Jorge Lorenzo. Lorenzo himself told us as much in an interview ahead of the U.S. Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca a few weeks ago. Rossi’s teammate at Ducati is very likely to be American rider Nicky Hayden, giving the Italian team a duo of riders who have each won world championships – in Rossi’s case, an impressive nine of them, in fact.

Of course, we already knew that current Ducati rider Casey Stoner was transitioning to Honda at the end of the 2010 season, where it’s rumored he could share space with both Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso. Read Vale’s own emotional statement about the move to Ducati, which was made shortly after the end of the latest MotoGP round in the Czech Republic, after the break.

[Source: Valentino Rossi]

Continue reading Valentino Rossi makes switch to Ducati officially official

Valentino Rossi makes switch to Ducati officially official originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 Aug 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: Ferrari 458 Challenge races in

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Europe, Ferrari, Racing

Ferrari 458 Italia Challenge – Click above for high-res image

The 458 Italia, like any other roadgoing Ferrari, draws its inspiration and development from the Scuderia’s considerable racing prowess. Turning the 458 back into a racing car, then, is an extra special feat – one to which Maranello is well accustomed, from the Challenge versions of the 348, 355, 360 and 430 that came before. The new race car will run alongside the F430 Challenge as part of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo next year, the latter of which is also getting a new Asia-Pacific series for 2011 as well.

While the Challenge car maintains the production 458’s 5.5-liter V8 drivetrain, it has gone on a substantial diet that includes thinner body panels comprised of Lexan and carbon-fiber. Ride height has been dropped for circuit duty by 30mm, and the Challenge also gets its own suspension bits and setup with stiffer springs, dampers and aluminum bushings. Center-lock 19-inch racing wheels are banded in slick Pirelli tires, and the whole gorgeous Italian parade reins to a halt with Brembo CCM2 carbon-ceramic brakes from the 599XX. In other big news, the 458 Challenge receives F1-Trac electronics that makes use of specific programs that help set the car up for both wet and dry conditions.

All of this information arrives on the heels of the initial spy shots and the video that followed, with Ferrari having issued an official statement (available after the jump) and the image above. In addition, a small batch of photos have crept their way onto the Teamspeed forums, apparently from the vehicle’s official unveiling in Maranello. You can check them out at the gallery below.

Gallery: Spy Shots: Ferrari 458 Challenge

[Sources: Ferrari, Teamspeed.com]

Continue reading Officially Official: Ferrari 458 Challenge races in

Officially Official: Ferrari 458 Challenge races in originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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