car to ride: July 2012

U Spy: Can You Name the Mercedes-Benz Prototype in these Pictures?

One of our longtime readers, Vladimir P., was traveling on the roads of Munich in Germany this past weekend when he came across a prototype of a Mercedes-Benz model partially covered in black tape, strategically positioned to keep the styling details out of sight.

What we want from you is to tell us which upcoming Mercedes-Benz four-door sedan model do you think is hiding behind the plastic wraps of this prototype.

At the same time that many automakers are pulling away from the minivan segment offering alternatives in the form of seven seater crossovers, Audi has reportedly given the green light for the development of its first MPV (Multi Purpose Vehicle) that will arrive in 2016. Read more »

Lamborghini Gallardo T-Bones Shelby GT500 that Continues Like Nothing Happened [Updated]

Whenever you compete in a race and as much as any driver would like to avoid it, there is always the possibility that something might go wrong and you end up leaving your vehicle in shambles.

Which is precisely what happened to a driver of what appears to be a fairly stock Lamborghini Gallardo during a recent racing event called 'Formula GT500 Copa' that took place in Medellin, the second largest city in the Republic of Colombia.

New Yorkers and tourists passing through Times Square were treated to a rare sight this past weekend when an assortment of specialty cars were parked on the road for their viewing pleasure.

The vehicles that stood out the most were a Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 dressed in a chrome foil wrap with contrasting red pin stripes decorating and highlighting the supercar's hard edges, a Batmobile replica from Tim Burton's 1989 Batman film and a Dodge Viper ACR.

In the latest episode of Automobile Magazine's "The Downshift", the crew revisits the Monster Miata tuning shop in San Marcos, California, and interviews the company's founder Martin Wilson.

In the video, Wilson talks about the past, the present and the future of the company that became famous for stuffing a Ford Mustang-sourced 5.0-liter V8 into the engine compartment of the Mazda MX-5 roadster (see another V8 powered Miata here).

Earlier this month, we told you that aside from the upcoming Macan crossover and the 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid, Porsche is plotting a second supercar model with a conventional powertrain and a smaller version of the Panamera sedan, internally known as the Pajun.

As it turns out, these aren’t the only new models under consideration at Porsche's Stuttgart headquarters as Car&Driver is reporting that the German firm will unveil a station wagon concept of the Panamera with a "shooting brake" moniker at the Paris Motor Show in late September.

One way to draw car buyers into showrooms is to organize some meaningful events and show off your vehicles, which is what Toyota and its in-house tuning shop TRD (Toyota Racing Development) did in Phuket, Thailand.

The Japanese automaker brought along a race-spec GT86 (Toyota's version of the Scion FR-S) and a professional drift driver who took several event-goers for a slippery ride around the circuit.

Cross over the break to take a look at the video from the event.

Chinese carmakers and parts manufacturers stealing designs of components or even entire vehicles from Western automakers is nothing new, but we rarely see these issues coming out in the open when they happen. And if you are wondering why, it is because foreign companies don't want to disrupt their business in the country.

However, on Friday, German business daily Handelsblatt reported that the Volkswagen Group is investigating allegations that its Chinese manufacturing partner FAW Group Corp. illegally copied and manufactured transmissions, engines and other components owned by VW.

A Volkswagen spokesman in Germany was quoted by the Wall Street Journal saying that the company "was examining the situation carefully before coming to any conclusions".

It was reported that VW managers recently uncovered FAW's plans to copy the German automaker's MQ200 transmission found in several Audi, Skoda and VW models and use it on the Besturn B50 small sedan, to be sold in Russia where it will compete against similar models from VW and Skoda.

When the Fiat Group stepped in to acquire the Chrysler Group LLC back in 2009 after the Detroit carmaker emerged from a government backed Chapter 11 reorganization, the Italians were supposed to be the ones doing the saving.

Enter the present day and it’s the American arm of the group taking over this role as the alliance earned a profit of $440 million or €358 million in the second quarter thanks to Chrysler and not Fiat.

Designer Jonathan Adler and Barneys Creative Ambassador Simon Doonan were on hand to reveal the refashioned 2013 Lexus LS during a 'chic' event at the “Lexus Laws of Attraction” exhibit in San Francisco on Monday night.

Instead of calling in the media, Lexus invited more than 500 guests from the San Francisco arts and design community to show the redesigned premium saloon.

To meet its ambitious goal of reaching 800,000 annual sales in the United States by 2018, up from 324,402 deliveries last year, Volkswagen might need a little help through the introduction of new models and variants.

If Rainer Michel, Volkswagen of America's vice president for product marketing and strategy, could get his way, he would enhance the company's American lineup with a new base SUV placed under the current Tiguan crossover and a larger model slotting between the latter and the mid-sized Touareg SUV.

You have to admit that Bentley's people had a great sense of humor when it came to covering up a prototype for the updated 2014 Continental Flying Spur sedan.

The British firm's engineers devised a funny looking set of headlamp and taillight decals and fake wheel arch moldings with the intention of creating the illusion of a…Mercedes-Benz S-Class limo.

Refining of sports cars is more than just a business for Mansory. Extraordinary customisation is what the German supercar modifier is all about. Based in Brand, Germany and owned by Kourosh Mansory, the company has now modified the prancing horse’s 458 Spider, and only three will be made.

The customised Spider gets carbon fibre all over enabling a weight saving of 60kg. There’s a striking side skirt with optimised air intakes, the new bonnet and side sills exude an aggressive aura and adds to the drive dynamics steadying the air flow between axles and feed additional air to the engine compartment through integrated routed channels. The diffuser built into the new rear skirt stabilises the rear at high speeds and creates downforce with the serial air wing.

But the MANSORY convertible does not impress only with its fascinating design. As a result of an optimised engine management, a sports air filter and a sports exhaust system engine performance as well as acceleration both improve significantly.

Thanks to 590 hp / 434 kW and 560 Nm the eight-cylinder accelerates from zero to one hundred (km/h) in a breathtaking 3.2 seconds. The top speed is 330 km/h which is also higher than the base vehicle. As the perfect wheel-tyre combination MANSORY has built forged rims with central locking in 9 x 11 and 11 x 21 dimensions with Michelin PS2 tyres in the VA 245/35, ZR20 and HA 305/30 ZR21 sizes.source:lincah.com,zigwheels.com

2012 ABT Audi AS7

The design is simply exciting. The Audi A7 is among the most elegant silhouettes in the entire premium segment. The “Sportback” is a really chic model – and sporty at that. This particularly applies to the ABT AS7, which is not only a paper tiger but also a real one, exactly as its drivers would expect. Hans-Jürgen Abt, CEO of ABT Sportsline, summarises what these expectations are: “You should be able to feel that you are actually sitting in a ‘sports car’ all the time. But the car also has to be comfortable and suitable for everyday use.“ It goes without saying that the “AS” in ABT AS7 stands for “astonishingly sporty”. After all, its development was based upon all the motorsport and touring car experience of ABT. The AS7 embodies all the know-how that the largest tuner of cars of the Volkswagen Group has.

The new premium Sportback’s facts are impressive: We may disclose, even before the extensive tests have been concluded, that it has at least 520 hp (382 kW). By comparison with the very dynamic sstandard version, this is 100 hp (74 kW) more. The top speed is 290 km/h. The elegant luxury car is a vehicle that is also huge fun when being driven at high speeds. A torque of 650 Nm lets the V8 cope with every situation. “Our AS7 is powerful, torquey, but also easily controllable”, says Hans-Jürgen Abt. This chic sports car from Bavaria is simply an ideal travel companion and racer.

Befitting the sporty potential are the CR orDR alloy wheels in 20 or 21 inches. It goes without saying that ABT also sells these design wheels in combination with high-performance tyres. After all, it is only at high speeds that the potential of the fast ABT AS7 can be fully utilised. The right suspension springs guarantee an even more sporty feeling when taking a curve. Alternatively, ABT can also provide a lower air suspension setting called ABT Level Control.

And all those who would rather want a real limo or Avant station wagon but not do without the sporty ABT spirit, this could be interesting news indeed: ABT Sportsline is currently developing a similar performance package for the S6 as well. This is the A6’s faster brother, as it were. We will shortly provide you with this premium car’s exact specifications.source:seriouswheels.com

"Poor Man's" Batpod Prototype Discovered in Vietnam

Bruce Wayne has all the money and free time in the world to build the ultimate Batpod, but what happens when your resources are extremely limited? Well, as always, this it means it's time for your imagination and creativity to take over.

This one-of-a-kind replica of the Batpod in the Dark Knight Rises film is said to have been imagined into reality by the young Vietnamese man you see riding the bike in the video after the break. Too bad he skipped on the Batman costume.

The freshly launched in Europe Skoda Rapid sedan will soon be joined by a conventional looking five-door hatchback, previewed by the Vision D concept car displayed at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.

The Czech automaker's sales and marketing boss, Jürgen Stackmann, broke the news to Autocar magazine. He said that the hatchback would be shorter than the Rapid, which itself is a notchback-style sedan with a tailgate that lifts together with the rear window, featuring a "Golf–like rear end".

You know it is only a matter of time before the presentation of a new model when a carmaker drops pictures of a barely camouflaged prototype as MINI did on Tuesday with the Paceman.

The new images show the three-door crossover model with only parts of the rear end covered in the traditional swirly livery we have come to expect from Mini's engineers over the past few years.

Not that we're surprised, mind you, as back in April, Kay Segler, Senior Vice President MINI Brand Management, had confirmed the name of the new model and announced that the Paceman would be presented in a "few months’ time and launched onto the market in 2013".

Mercedes-Benz is completing the development of an even higher performance version of its SLS AMG 'Gullwing' Coupe, which will bear the Black Series Edition moniker.

The hardest and fastest street-legal SLS AMG of them all was recently filmed running some quick laps around the Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit.

As the new Chevrolet Spark hatchback begins to arrive in showrooms across the U.S., General Motors decided to share a second infographic with us about its mini car, which was first launched in South Korea in 2009 having sold more than 600,000 units worldwide up to date.

Whereas the first information graphic concentrated on the Spark's size, this one includes some interesting and some not-so-interesting facts about the car from around the world.

To say that the Peugeot 807 is long in the tooth is an understatement as the French MPV, which was the result of a partnership between the PSA Peugeot Citroen and the Fiat Group, has been on sale more or less unchanged since early 2002.

Nevertheless, Peugeot is willing to give the seven-seater 807 another year in the market with a petty update that brings a new two-tone emblem at the front and a redesigned tailgate finisher and badge at the back of the minivan.

As it turns out, the Yamaha R6 cannot go up a hillside. But all humor aside, the rider of this Japanese sports motorcycle had an unfortunate and painful encounter with a mountain side when he lost control of his bike, first heading up towards the sky and then face down on the ground.

From the surroundings, we're guessing the location is at Mulholland drive in Los Angeles. The video poster noted that the man was not injured.

You will find the video clip right past the break.

As the Volkswagen Group's largest market, the Germans want to maintain the momentum in China by opening a new plant for Shanghai Volkswagen (SVW) in Yizheng, situated in the eastern part of the country.

Construction of the new manufacturing facility that has an annual production capacity of 300,000 vehicles began in July of 2010 and was completed earlier this month ahead of schedule.

For the past couple of months, Porsche has been seen testing prototypes of the upcoming 918 Spyder wrapped in various Martini Racing-themed monochromatic outfits.

Today, we learn that Porsche has completed a deal with the Martini brand, represented by Bacardi & Company Limited, to offer the racing livery on the production version of the 918 Spyder that goes on sale in September of 2013 at a starting price of €645,000 (about US$789,900 at today's exchange rates), excluding taxes and country-specific charges.

At long last and after more leaks than the proverbial bucket, Lexus came out with all the official details and pictures of its redesigned for the 2013 model year LS flagship sedan series, which was unveiled on Monday during a special happening in San Francisco.

While based on the fourth generation model that has been in production since 2006, the refreshed LS sedan gains a more dynamic exterior look along with a restyled interior and notable changes under the sheetmetal to fend off the German competition that comes in the form of the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

For the 2013MY, the LS line-up includes the LS 460, LS 460L (LWB), LS 600hL hybrid, and the first-ever LS 460 F Sport variant . The LS 460 and LS 460L are available in both RWD and AWD versions while the LS Hybrid is offered with a full-time AWD system.

Volkswagen Golf GTI Cabriolet driven Price-£29,310

Volkswagen Golf GTI Cabriolet driven Price-£29,310

According to The Official Volkswagen History of Volkswagen, is the first-ever Golf GTI Cabriolet. This news may come as a surprise to those of you who remember owning a MkI Golf GTI cabrio. But VW doesn't classify that car - built from 1983 to 1993 - as an ‘official' GTI: offered only in the UK, it has been mysteriously eradicated from the Wolfsburg archives. Does VW also refute the existence of Birmingham?
The MkVI Golf GTI is a cracker, and the standard Golf cabrio is immaculate: sticking them together equals lots of GTI speed and precise handling and Golfness, imbued with a finer appreciation of the dung-spreading habits of your local farmers. The 2.0-litre 207bhp turbo remains smooth and tractable - you could survive Britain with second and sixth gears alone - and there's space for four full-size persons. It's fast. It's ace. But VW insulted Britain.

Piqued by such nationalistic rewriting of history, Top Gear feels obliged to dish out a British kicking to this definitely-not-the-first GTI cabrio. But we can't, for it is very good.

Ford C-MAX Hybrid 2012

The no-plug C-Max Hybrid and plug-in C-Max Energi are based on the five-passenger C-Max sold in Europe. In an announcement in June to expand production of the two C-Max hybrids, Ford said it had changed its mind about the seven-passenger gasoline-only version of the Grand C-Max in the U.S and the C-Max will be a dedicated hybrid vehicle. The C-Max Hybrid will arrive in the first half of 2012 followed by the C-Max Energi.

The Ford C-Max is an American version of the European five-passenger C-Max that shares its underlying global C platform and many key components with the 2012 Ford Focus. “C” refers to an international size class, which in the U.S. falls into the compact class. In Europe, the C-Max is called a multipurpose vehicle (MPV), while most Americans will dub it a hatchback.

Like virtually every car in the category, the 2012 C-Max has front-wheel drive. Front drive positions the weight of the engine and transmission over the wheels that propel the car. That benefits traction on slippery road surfaces and, by placing the powertrain components in the front of the car, provides maximum space for passengers and cargo.

A critical dimension is wheelbase, which is the distance between the front and rear axles and a key factor in cabin space, particularly rear-seat legroom. At 104.2 inches, the 2012 C-Max’s wheelbase is just one-tenth of an inch less than the 2012 Focus, indicating adult rear-seat passengers will have adequate leg room.

Honda Civic 2012 -Generation Civic Sedan

Honda Civic 2012 -Generation Civic Sedan

We all know many of you will find it hard to believe at a first look, but this here is the completely new, North American market, 2012 Honda Civic.
Not surprisingly, Honda managed to remove all the styling elements that made the Detroit Motor Show Civic concepts somewhat worth a second look from the production models.
2012 Civic lineup includes a sedan and a coupe with a conventional 1.8-liter gasoline engine, a new "HF" high fuel economy version with the same 1.8-liter unit, two sporty "Si" performance versions, along with one hybrid and a natural gas alternative-fuel variant.
The most fuel efficient model of the range is of course the Hybrid, which will be outfitted for the first time with a lithium-ion battery and a larger 1.5-liter i-VTEC engine producing a combined 110HP. Honda said the Civic Hybrid is expected to achieve an EPA-estimated city/highway combined fuel economy of 45 mpg, an improvement of 4 mpg compared to the 2011MY Civic hybrid.
Both the Civic HF and Civic Hybrid models are equipped with aerodynamic components for improved efficiency as well as with the Honda ECO Assist system.
The regular Civic Sedan and Coupe models get the 140HP 1.8-liter i-VTEC (but not the aero improvements) and are expected to return an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 39 mpg on the highway, an improvement of 3 mpg over the current model. The Civic Natural Gas model is anticipated to earn a 7 percent improvement in fuel economy compared to the current version.
Finally, the sportiest model of the lot is the Si which get a larger and more powerful 2.4-liter engine as well as a new 6-speed manual transmission. Honda said it the new engine will deliver 200 horsepower with 170 ft-lb of torque. According to the company, the Si models are anticipated to achieve an EPA-estimated highway fuel economy of 31 mpg; an increase of 2 mpg when compared to the current model.

Clean Looking VIP-Style Japanese Sedans Riding on Air Suspensions

One of the more popular fads in the Japanese tuning scene is the VIP Style or "Bippu", which usually refers to the modification of large Japanese sedans, though we have also seen the same theme being applied to import models as well as to vehicles from other categories.

The common denominator of VIP Style models is a clean and hunkered down look achieved through select aero parts, prominent exhaust pipes, high-end rims with low offsets that sit flush with the fender and a lowered suspension.

Given that, even the sighting of a single prototype of the upcoming Porsche 918 Spyder on a public road is a rare occasion, you can imagine the surprise of this driver who saw not one, not two but three examples of the plug-in hybrid supercar pass by on a highway in Valencia, Spain. Read more »

New 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Convertible Carries a Base Price of $60,445*

The 2013 Camaro 1LE that bridges the gap between the SS and ZL1 coupes wasn't the only new model to receive a price tag, as according to Autoblog.com, General Motors also announced pricing for the 2013 Camaro ZL1 Convertible during an event in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Sunday.

The rag-top version of the ZL1 will start at $60,445 (€49,100), which includes a $900 destination charge (*). That's a $5,450 premium over the current, 2012MY Camaro Coupe priced at $54,995.

Racing cars crashing and rolling over during a race is nothing new but you may want to stick around and watch this video until the very end.

To explain, during the Rally West Virginia on July 27, 2012, a Brakim Racing team car slid off the gravel road at speed and rolled over.

As you will soon see for yourself, the driver and his co-pilot reacted extremely cool during and after the crash, with the two men having a short chat about the best way to get out of the car that was lying on its side.

We're going to assume that the 'Bulgari' moniker on Vilner's latest creation has something to do with the design house's country of origin and not with the famous Italian jeweler and luxury goods retailer (or else it may have the same fate with Carlex Design's Burberry-themed Range Rover).

The Bulgarian company's second motorcycle tune after the BMW F800 R is based on the Ducati Monster 1100 EVO.

The so-called intelligent brake assist system on the 2013 Infiniti JX35 crossover may not have lived up to its name in two cases, if we are to believe complaints submitted to the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI).

According to a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), two drivers allege, "that the intelligent brake assist system inappropriately activated emergency braking autonomously bringing the vehicle to an immediate and complete stop."

We have known for some time now that Maserati plans to expand its range within the next few years with a new crossover model, previewed by the Kubang Concept, and a smaller sedan than the Quattroporte.

The latter will compete against the Audi A7, BMW 6-Series Grand Coupe and Mercedes-Benz CLS, as well as the higher end versions of the Audi A6, BMW 5-Series, Jaguar XF and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

For the first time, our scoop photographers have captured what they claim to be an early test mule for the executive sports sedan that will sit right under the next Quattroporte, which is nearing the final stages of development.

It didn’t take long for the first videos of the new Ferrari F12berlinetta to trickle down through the internet after the Italian automaker began inviting the press for test drives at the Fiorano circuit.

Among the first magazines to post a review of their encounter with the V12-powered supercar is UK car publication Auto Express, while US-based magazine Road & Track took the passenger seat with Ferrari test driver Raffaele de Simone handling the wheel.

Even one resignation of a high-ranking official at a major car company would make news, but General Motors is in the difficult position of announcing two separate resignations at the same time.

The first one concerns General Motors Marketing Chief Joel Ewanick who stepped down during the weekend, with Bloomberg News reporting that he resigned because he "didn’t meet the company’s expectations of an employee," according to an e-mailed statement it acquired from the Detroit automaker.

car to ride

U Spy: Can You Name the Mercedes-Benz Prototype in these Pictures?

Audi Reportedly Green Lights Seven-Seater Minivan

Lamborghini Gallardo T-Bones Shelby GT500 that Continues Like Nothing Happened [Updated]

Chrome Lamborghini Aventador, Viper ACR and Batmobile Assemble at Times Square

Monster Miata, the Makers of the V8-Powered MX-5, Revisited

Porsche Rumored to Debut Panamera Shooting Brake Concept at Paris Motor Show

Toyota Offers Drift Rides in a Specially Prepped GT86 in Thailand

VW Investigating its Chinese Partner FAW for Stealing Designs and Illegally Producing Parts!

Chrysler Saves the Quarter for Fiat Group with the Alliance Posting a $440 Million Profit

Lexus Shares Video from the 'Chic' Presentation of the New LS, Plus a Clip on the Model's History

VW Exec Dreams of More SUVs and the Return of the Phaeton in U.S. Lineup

Spy Shots: 2014 Bentley Continental Flying Spur Prototype Caught with Fake S-Class Camo

2012 Mansory Ferrari 458 Spider Monaco Edition

2012 ABT Audi AS7

"Poor Man's" Batpod Prototype Discovered in Vietnam

Skoda Confirms Five-Door Hatchback Version of New Rapid

MINI Prepares us for the New Paceman Crossover with Revealing Photos

Scoop: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series Edition Spotted on Video

GM Infographic Tells the Global Tale of the New Chevy Spark

Peugeot Treats 807 MPV with Some Trivial Updates

Race to Brokeface Mountain, the Motorcycle Edition

VW Opens Up New Plant in China with an Annual Capacity of 300,000 Vehicles

Porsche Seals Deal with Martini to Offer Special Racing Livery on 918 Spyder Plug-in Hybrid

Lexus Gives the 2013 LS Sedan a Little More Character with a Thorough Facelift

Volkswagen Golf GTI Cabriolet driven Price-£29,310

Ford C-MAX Hybrid 2012

Honda Civic 2012 -Generation Civic Sedan

Clean Looking VIP-Style Japanese Sedans Riding on Air Suspensions

Scoop: Three Porsche 918 Spyder Prototypes Filmed on a Highway in Spain

New 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Convertible Carries a Base Price of $60,445*

Rally Crash Proves It's Not Over Until It's Really Over [NSFW]

Vilner Crafts the Ducati Monster 1100 EVO Bulgari

Feds Probe 2013 Infiniti JX After Reports About Unnecessary Application of "Intelligent" Braking

Spy Shots: Test Mule for BMW 6-Series Grand Coupe Rivaling Maserati Sports Sedan

Auto Express and Road&Track Video Review the New Ferrari F12berlinetta

GM Global Marketing Chief and European Division's Next VP of Design Step Down