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Report: Volkswagen WRC program to lead to street-legal Polo R?

Filed under: Performance, Hatchback, Volkswagen, Rumormill

Volkswagen Polo R WRC

Volkswagen Polo R WRC – Click above for high-res image gallery

It’s been an on-again, off-again affair with rumors of a possible R version of the Volkswagen Polo. But according to the latest from the Old World, things are looking up for the prospective pocket rocket.

The change in fortunes come down, according to Autocar, to the launch of the Volkswagen Polo R WRC, the car with which the German automaker is preparing to mount its assault on the World Rally Championship. As you can see, the rally machine carries R branding, prompting the British publication to press VW board member Ulrich Hackenberg on the renewed possibility of a production Polo R hot hatch.

Hackenberg admitted such a vehicle is more likely with the launch of the WRC Polo, but that it wouldn’t arrive before 2013. As for specs, that’s all up to speculation. Autocar figures on a version of the Polo GTI’s 1.4-liter twin-charger four with over 200 horsepower, with or without the all-wheel-drive system being developed by Audi for the A1 built on the same platform. One way or another, we’ll be watching this development as it unfolds (or doesn’t).

Volkswagen WRC program to lead to street-legal Polo R? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 May 2011 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rolls-Royce proves its Provenance with new certified pre-owned program

Filed under: Car Buying, Rolls-Royce, Luxury

Rolls-Royce Provenance certified pre-owned cars

Buying a new Rolls-Royce can be a bit more to bite off than most can chew. So for those looking to put Goodwood’s finest in their driveway but without the means for a new model, the company has announced its new certified pre-owned car program.

Similar to such programs available from other automakers, Provenance involves rigorous inspections undertaken by factory-trained technicians and a comprehensive two-year warranty with round-the-clock roadside assistance. Which is a good thing, because while you may want to drive a Phantom, you wouldn’t want it to give up the Ghost on your drive up to the country club. Details in the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Rolls-Royce proves its Provenance with new certified pre-owned program

Rolls-Royce proves its Provenance with new certified pre-owned program originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 May 2011 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari offers scheduled maintenance program for 7 years in Europe, other markets to follow

Filed under: Car Buying, Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Ferrari, Luxury

Ferrari has started offering a free, seven-year maintenance plan for customers in Europe. The plan covers all 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia, California Spyder or FF models bought at an authorized Prancing Horse dealership. For now, the program is only available across the pond, but will make it to these shores later in the year.

According to Ferrari, the plan is attached to each individual car, which means it’s transferable to different owners if the vehicle is sold within its first seven years. Coverage includes the cost of labor and original replacement parts, as well as oil and brake fluid.

When the program goes global, Ferrari says it will be the first maintenance plan of its kind to be offered around the world. With any luck, the new perk will help Ferrari gain back some consumer confidence after the the bad publicity surrounding the 458 Italia’s annoying propensity to burst into flames. Read the full Ferrari press release after the jump. Top tip, Don!

[Source: Ferrari]

Continue reading Ferrari offers scheduled maintenance program for 7 years in Europe, other markets to follow

Ferrari offers scheduled maintenance program for 7 years in Europe, other markets to follow originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: University shuts down Formula SAE program over racy photo

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Etc., Racing

Waterloo SAE Car

According to TheRecord.com, The University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario, temporarily shut down its Formula SAE team after a female team member was photographed next to the chapter’s race car, clad only in a bikini and high heels. The young lady who stripped down for the shot said she wanted to show her femininity juxtaposed with her engineering talents. The school, however, was not impressed with her racy display.

The irony, according to the team, is that the photo shoot was for an entry in a calendar contest designed to promote women. The female SAE member was hoping to use the photograph as her entry into the contest, which apparently celebrates beauty and brains.

Whatever her motives were, the university put the administrative clamp on the team, supposedly because they used the design department’s studio for the photo shoot without getting permission. The suspension means the team won’t be allowed to take their car to Michigan in May for the international SAE competition. Basically, the students’ months of toil on their 600-cc sportbike-powered track star will be for naught.

Despite the harsh penalty, the school was quick to praise the team’s efforts, and members were assured they’d still get academic credit for the work they put in. Still, for a team of aspiring automotive engineers who poured countless hours, more stress than anyone should ever live under and immeasurable passion into the build, academic credit is small consolation for missing the competition.

We’d love to show you the original image, but couldn’t find the photographer to ask permission. Instead, you’ll have to click here to see what all the fuss is about.

[Source: The Record, University of Waterloo | Image: University of Waterloo]

Report: University shuts down Formula SAE program over racy photo originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Hyundai vehicle return program ending tomorrow

Filed under: Car Buying, Hyundai, Earnings/Financials

Hyundai dealership window

Effective tomorrow, Hyundai is reportedly ending its vehicle return program, which allowed Hyundai owners who unexpectedly lost their income to return their cars. The program was a breakthrough when it was introduced in January, 2009 at the height of the global credit crunch.

According to Inside Line, only 350 people have taken advantage of the program, which fell under the blanket of the automaker’s Hyundai Assurance coverage package. With the job market slowly returning to a somewhat normal state and economic conditions on the rise, Hyundai apparently feels that the program has outlived its usefulness.

In the face of a worrying economy, Hyundai of America moved 538,228 vehicles in 2010. Despite the loss of the vehicle return program, the Korean automaker will apparently continue other programs associated with Hyundai Assurance, including its 10-year/100,000-mile warranty and five-year roadside assistance plan.

[Source: Inside Line | Image: Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty]

Report: Hyundai vehicle return program ending tomorrow originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: Lamborghini offering new Gallardo leasing program

Filed under: Car Buying, Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Lamborghini

2011 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4

2011 Lamborghini LP570-4 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Lamborghini has finally bitten the bullet and started a leasing program for the Gallardo. According to the DuPont Registry, there was enough demand for an alternative ownership program that leasing Lamborghini’s smallest offering made sense.

Gallardos eligible for lease include the 2010-2011 LP560-4 Spyders, 2011 Gallardo LP560-4 Coupe, 2011 LP570-4 Superleggera, and the brand-new LP550-2. The leases are on a 27-month term, and customers are limited to 3,500 miles a year. The program began in January and stops at the end of this month, so you’d better hurry.

Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera

[Source: DuPont Registry]

PSA: Lamborghini offering new Gallardo leasing program originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cadillac announces comprehensive warranty, scheduled maintenance program for 2011

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc., Cadillac, GM, Luxury

Cadillac Crest

Cadillac is stepping up its customer service game. The General Motors luxury nameplate has announced the introduction of Cadillac Shield – an extensive warranty service scheduled to hit the ground this month. Buyers can now look forward to Cadillac Premium Care Maintenance, which includes oil changes and tire rotations for the first four years or 50,000 miles, as well as the company’s five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and four-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper coverage. Pile on five years of 24/7 roadside assistance with courtesy transportation and you’ve got the basic groundwork for the new warranty program.

And to quote every infomercial ever made, “but wait, there’s more.”

OnStar is part of the party with one year of the company’s Directions and Connections plan and its own smart phone app. The app monitors oil life and fuel levels as well as allowing owners to manage simple vehicle tasks (like locking and unlocking the doors) from their phone.

Speaking of apps, Cadillac is rolling in its own smartphone program as part of the deal, too. The Caddy app allows users to locate their vehicle in a parking lot, schedule maintenance, locate dealers in the area and call for roadside assistance. Hit the jump for the full press blast.

[Source: General Motors | Image: Drew Phillips/AOL]

Continue reading Cadillac announces comprehensive warranty, scheduled maintenance program for 2011

Cadillac announces comprehensive warranty, scheduled maintenance program for 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CEC announces Lexus LFA customization program

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Lexus

CEC Wheels Lexus LFA

CEC Lexus LFA – Click above for high-res image gallery

Los Angeles-based tuner CEC has announced a new partnership with Lexus North America to create a tuning program for the Lexus LFA. Limited to just three vehicles, these unique supercars will feature a variety of enhancements created specifically for each customer. “We believe these three CEC Tuner Edition LFAs will be the most expensive and rarest of all the LFA supercars that Lexus will manufacturer and sell worldwide,” said Sherif Yassa, Vice President of CEC.

Thanks to the technical innovations that went into building the LFA, the CEC upgrades will mostly be limited to aesthetics. “We looked at the LFA and what Lexus engineers had done, and knew it would be crazy to try and improve it from a performance or engineering standpoint,” said Claus Ettensberger, founder of CEC. Even so, the tuner has managed to squeeze an extra 10 horsepower from the 4.8-liter V10 and trimmed shift times to .15 of a second.

While we don’t have any photos of the trio of custom LFA supercars quite yet, CEC did have an LFA on display featuring their lightweight forged wheels. You can see high-res photos of the car in the gallery below.

Gallery: CEC Lexus LFA

CEC Lexus LFA

CEC announces Lexus LFA customization program originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Jan 2011 19:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Ferrari’s personalization program gives the 458 Italia endless options

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Ferrari

Ferrari 458 Configurator

Ferrari Personalisation Programme for the 458 Italia – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Given the extraordinary waiting lists, most Ferrari buyers are probably taking possession of whatever vehicle in whatever specifications they can get their hands on. But if you find someone who ordered theirs directly from the factory and waited the months it took for delivery, ask them how much they paid. Not the list price, but all-in with all the extra bits and pieces. Because anyone who’s been through the process will likely tell you that the sticker price is just the starting point.

Beyond the basic options list, Ferrari offers a Personalisation Programme (that’s “personalization program” in American) that gives buyers nearly infinite control over every minute detail. And the new 458 Italia is no exception. As you’ll see from the video after the jump, there’s a whole new range of options – on top of the usual seat belt and brake caliper color choices – that includes unique touches like two-tone paint schemes (for that 599 GTO-style look) and carbon fiber everything, made in the same kilns that bake the components for the Scuderia’s F1 racers. Just don’t expect them to throw in the extra bits for free.

Gallery: Ferrari 458 Italia

[Source: Ferrari via World Car Fans]

Continue reading Video: Ferrari’s personalization program gives the 458 Italia endless options

Video: Ferrari’s personalization program gives the 458 Italia endless options originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McLaren confirms MP4-12C GT3 racing program

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, MISC, Racing

McLaren MP4-12C GT3

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 rendering – Click above for high-res image

Some automakers also race. Some racing teams also make cars. Ferrari is one example of the latter, but it’s not alone. With the launch of the MP4-12C, longtime on-track rival McLaren is getting serious about its automotive division. And you know what that means: a racing version.

We’ve seen reports and spy shots of a competition-spec MP4, but this is the first official confirmation to come straight out of Woking. And it comes with a press release, rendering, video and even a dedicated website.

Rather than develop the MP4-12C racer in-house, McLaren has teamed up with CRS Racing. And while the famous McLaren F1 GTR may have competed in the top tiers of sportscar racing – even beating the prototypes for outright victory at Le Mans – with the MP4, the British outfit has confined its competition (for now, at least) to the GT3 category. Only a limited number of cars will be fielded through privateer entries in the 2012 European FIA GT3 Series before McLaren takes on other championships, so if you run a team interested in getting on board, follow the link to register your intent.

[Source: McLaren]

Continue reading McLaren confirms MP4-12C GT3 racing program

McLaren confirms MP4-12C GT3 racing program originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 19 Dec 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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