BREAKING: Layoffs and executive shuffles at Tesla Motors

Filed under: Convertibles, Hybrids/Alternative, Sports/GTs, Green, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

Click above for high-res gallery of the Tesla Roadster

Tesla is now on its fourth CEO in just 12 months as the fledgling all-electric automaker has announced today that chief fund-raiser, architect and Chairman Elon Musk will take up the mantle from current CEO Ze'ev Drori. Early this morning Valleywag reported that Tesla would be firing up to 100 of its staff and that Drori might be leaving. A call to Tesla SVP Darryl Siry revealed that the story was not entirely accurate. Drori is not leaving the company, but will move over to become Vice Chairman. Exactly what that means is not entirely known at this point, although clearly Musk intends to take a more hands on role now that his Space-X rocket finally managed to get into orbit. Tesla is also laying off some staff, although the extent of lay offs is unknown at this time. Siry promised an official announcement sometime this morning, but we're still waiting.

Gallery: First Drive: Tesla Roadster

[Source: Tesla Motors]

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Filed under: Convertibles, Coupes, Mercedes-Benz

Click above for more rejected renderings of the Mercedes-Benz CLC

Mercedes-Benz took the easy route when it comes to making its current CLC, using the previous C-Class coupe as a starting point instead of engineering a new entry-level model from the latest C-Class platform. That may be about to change, as CAR is reporting that MB will introduce a proper C-Class coupe to replace the CLC. The new model will ditch the cut-off hind-end of the current car, which isn't quite as pretty as its competition from Audi and BMW. A soft-top convertible is expected to follow a few months after the new 2010 C-Class coupe is introduced.

Moving up the Mercedes line, a new E-Class coupe is also in the works to offer a direct competitor to the Audi A5. We wonder if a "shooting brake" style hatchback could be offered as well. In any case, the two-door will lose its CLK nomenclature in favor of being known simply as a coupe. Also dead is the CL moniker, which will be replaced with an S-Class coupe. In addition to the expected gasoline and diesel-powered models, hybrids are expected to be offered across the entire Mercedes-Benz range in an effort to lower fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz CLC renderings

Gallery: 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLC

[Source: CAR]

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Filed under: Car Buying, Convertibles, Coupes, Euro, Supercars, Ferrari, UK

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Ferrari California

As you read this, journalists in Europe are getting their first taste of the Ferrari California, flogging the new coupe/convertible through the rolling hills of Italy, and periodically stopping to snack on shaved white truffles and sip Brunello di Montalcino. Jealous? We are. But rest assured our time will come. If it doesn't, then at least we know what we'll have to remove from our tanking 401k to get a California of our own... in Europe.

Evo is reporting that the Ferrari California will set back our friends abroad �143,000, placing it right in between the F430 coupe and spider. To put that into a U.S.-dollar perspective, the F430 coupe costs around $185,000 in the States, while the drop-top F430 is priced somewhere north of $210,000.

We'll have to wait to see how the 460-hp California fares in the first round of reviews, but in the meantime, start saving your pennies and get in line.

Gallery: Ferrari California LIVE

[Source: Evo]

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First Look at MRT Ford F-350 for SEMA

First Look at MRT Ford F-350 for SEMAAlthough Mustang Racing Technologies cut its teeth on - get this - Mustangs, the custom design and fabrication firm is busy prepping a 2008 Ford F-350 for the 2008 SEMA show.Its theme?  Well, we weren't informed of the official name, but by a quick look at the various painted parts scattered around the build shop, it's not hard to guess what Scott Hoag, owner of MRT, had in mind. "This truck is made in America, by Americans," Hoag said, "and it's built so Americans can both work hard and play hard." By that, Hoag says he envisioned an F-350 that could perform not only as a dedicated work truck, but also as a weekend plaything.  As a result, you're not going to see MRT produce a pickup that's been SkyJacked into the stratosphere - such a truck may be fun to build, but it may not cut it at the job site. "If you're talking about functionality," said Hoag, "then that rules out the giant lift kits.  You need contractors to have easy bed access; you need to be able to easily enter and exit the cab, and I certainly don't want to use a drop-down hitch to pull a trailer." Instead, MRT's relegated its wildest customization (aside from the paint) to the bed.  Starting with a stock Super Duty box, engineers cut along the inner seams and along the outer sheetmetal stampings, allowing two side-mounted cargo boxes to be fabricated.  Though similar boxes have been offered through the aftermarket, none retain the stock appearance like MRT's design - which is expected to go on sale by the first quarter of 2009. Hoag promises some additional functionality with Ford's novel WorkSolutions in-cab PC, but during our visit, the MRT team was getting ready to tinker with the truck's 6.4-liter PowerStroke twin-turbocharged diesel V-8.  Modifications won't occur to the engine itself, but to its intake and exhaust systems.  MRT plans to scrap the diesel particulate filter for a custom airbox and tuning chip - the combination reportedly offering clean emissions but with better fuel economy. We'll see how that pans out, as we plan on swinging by the MRT shops over the next few weeks to document their build progress.  Stay with Automobile Magazine for the latest news and happenings surrounding the 2008 SEMA show.Read More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us