SEMA 2009: Lexus F-Sports sitting in the sun

SEMA 2009: Lexus F-Sports sitting in the sun

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Convertible, Sedan, Performance, Lexus, Luxury

Lexus GS 350 F-Sport - click above image for hi-res gallery

It's tempting to dismiss Lexus' F-Sport as a direct Audi S-Line rip off. But unlike Audi's visual-only appearance upgrades, F-Sport actually offers some performance (intake, exhaust, brakes, etc.), handling and exterior body mods. Advantage, Lexus.

And we like the Yakuza-y stance of this GS 350 F-Sport. The GS has in many ways been the forgotten Lexus for the past few years (it's a 5 Series competitor, don't you know), but this TRD tuned GS has us remembering. First, is the paint - in this case Vibrance Orange Glow Candy. Hubba bubba. There's also a full ground effects package and a grill insert (which kind of makes it look like the new Subaru Legacy), F-Sport wheels, shocks, springs and brakes. All in all a well done if not enticing package. And get this -- the IS 350 C F-Sport is done up in the exact same way.

Gallery: SEMA 2009: Lexus F-Sport

SEMA 2009: Lexus F-Sports sitting in the sun originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Drop the Hammer: Getting schooled with AMG Driving Academy at Lime Rock

Drop the Hammer: Getting schooled with AMG Driving Academy at Lime Rock

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Sedan, Performance, Etc., Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

AMG Driving Academy at Lime Rock - Click above for high-res image gallery

The world's sickly economy not withstanding, selling luxury vehicles is easy. From the suppleness of a swatch of leather to the exquisite graining on a piece of rare wood veneer to having every electronic gewgaw available at one's fingertips, what defines a luxury car is essentially self-evident. To a substantial degree, everyone knows quality and true luxury when they see and feel it. The same cannot be so easily said when it comes to matters of high performance.

Selling luxury may be easy, but as AMG has figured out, selling high-performance is a heck of a lot more fun.

As one of the globe's premiere aspirational brands, Mercedes-Benz would appear to have the luxury selling routine knocked. But the company's AMG performance division has become an increasingly prominent part of its portfolio and bottom line, and these vehicles attract a different sort of customer and require a different marketing approach. Thankfully, as AMG has become increasingly important to Mercedes, its product line has risen in quality and dynamic performance. But while luxury and quality are easily conveyed, how do you sell four-wheeled thrills?

The thing is, as an automotive marketer, you can preach how great your sports car is until you're blue in the face, but until you're able to really show people how superior your vehicle is, you're never going to win them all over. And if you're like AMG, your offerings have become way too fast and capable to be safely exploited on public roads. So what's Mercedes to do? Why, give current and potential owners the chance to explore the dynamic limits of both their automobiles and themselves in a fun, legal, educational, and most importantly, safe environment. Enter the AMG Driving Academy.

Mercedes has offered its AMG driving program overseas for some time now, but this year is the first time they've brought the experience to the States. With events at Connecticut's storied Lime Rock Park, Florida's Palm Beach International Raceway, and California's legendary Laguna Seca, the venues Mercedes has chosen are certainly top-notch. But what about the experience? We had to find out for ourselves.

Gallery: AMG Driving Academy at Lime Rock Park

Continue reading Drop the Hammer: Getting schooled with AMG Driving Academy at Lime Rock

Drop the Hammer: Getting schooled with AMG Driving Academy at Lime Rock originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Generation Y will "redefine" automotive market, trends green and big

REPORT: Generation Y will "redefine" automotive market, trends green and big

Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Etc., Alternative Fuel, Diesel

Were you born somewhere between 1976 and the early 1990s? Are you the child of a so-called Baby Boomer? If so, you, like me, are a member of Generation Y. So, what does that mean? Well, nothing really, but it's a convenient way to classify a large chunk of the American population... and we should all get used to hearing how marketers are targeting us as their current and future consumers.

Such is the case with a recent study from AutoPacific, which finds that Generation Y will "redefine" the automotive market. It seems our generation is "willing to embrace new brands, new technology and alternative powertrains." That means electric cars, hybrids and clean diesels. We're also likely to want lots of electronic gadgetry in our cars and we expect that all that computing power will improve fuel mileage and environmental friendliness. Oh, and we don't necessarily want small cars.

So, to recap, we want large cars with good fuel economy, lots of technology and without too big a price increase... No problem, right?

[Source: AutoPacific]

Continue reading REPORT: Generation Y will "redefine" automotive market, trends green and big

REPORT: Generation Y will "redefine" automotive market, trends green and big originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inden Design gets Mercedes-Benz SL 500 to go "deep and wide"

Filed under: Aftermarket, Convertible, Performance, Mercedes-Benz, Specialty

Inden Design SL -- Click above for image gallery

The Inden Design SL will turn your ordinary aging SL 500 into a previous-gen SL65 AMG lookalike and then some. The firm installs fascias front and rear and exhaust pipes that mimic the SL65, then the whole body is given the blackout treatment right down to the door handles. And could we even call it German tuning if it didn't get a set of custom 20-inch wheels tucked fender-deep on Pirelli rubber bands?

Interior bits get some varnish, the SL65 steering wheel makes an appearance, and to combat that ridiculous ride height an adjustable suspension module is installed to provide 50mm of vertical movement. The engine, however, only gets a 15-hp upgrade to 330 horsepower. So if you see any real SL65 AMGs, you'll probably want to keep looking straight ahead.

You can read about all the mods in the press release after the jump, and check it out in the gallery of photos below.

Gallery: Inden Design SL500

[Source: Inden]

Continue reading Inden Design gets Mercedes-Benz SL 500 to go "deep and wide"

Inden Design gets Mercedes-Benz SL 500 to go "deep and wide" originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tokyo 2009: Toyota Prius claims Japan Car of the Year title

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Japan, Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota

Thirty years of the Japan Car of the Year - Click above for high-res image gallery

For the past 30 years, Japan has declared a car of the year, an award given to newly released or redesigned vehicles released from November 1st of the previous year to October 1st of the current year. More than 60 jurors composed of Japanese journalists receive an allocation of votes, and the car with the most votes comes away with the crown.

This year the Toyota Prius narrowly edged out the Honda Insight, continuing the recent trend of environmentally-friendly winners. Other notable winners included the new Volkswagen Golf, which was named the Import Car of the Year, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, which was declared to have the Most Advanced Technology. The Nissan Fairlady Z won the category of Most Fun, and finally the Subaru Legacy took top honors for Best Value.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the award, the Tokyo Motor Show also organized a display of past winners, starting with the Mazda Familia 3-door Hatch Back in 1980-1981 and finishing with last year's winner, the Toyota IQ. We've included the winners from every year (some cars on display won alternate categories, like the Toyota Supra from 1993-1994) in the high-res gallery below.

Gallery: Thirty Years of the Japan Car of the Year

Photos copyright (C)2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Tokyo 2009: Toyota Prius claims Japan Car of the Year title originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tokyo Preview: Toyota launches HS-based SAI hybrid in Japan

Tokyo Preview: Toyota launches HS-based SAI hybrid in Japan

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Japan, Tokyo Motor Show, Lexus, Toyota

2010 Toyota Sai Hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery

We're starting to develop a bit of a complex. Why is Toyota holding out on us? Yesterday we showed you the handsome second-gen Toyota Mark X, the Lexus GS-based rear-wheel-drive sedan that seems a perfect fit for buyers on these shores. But no, Toyota says that model isn't coming Stateside. If it had been a one-time thing we might have forgive and forget, but no, Toyota's doing it again. The Japanese automaker just unveiled another model that is not intended for these shores - The 2010 Toyota Sai Hybrid.

The Sai is based on the Lexus HS250h hybrid, a vehicle designed for people who want a more premium hybrid experience than they would get in the Toyota Prius. The Sai would seem to fit somewhere in between. It offers the same powerplant as the HS, but not quite as many luxury features. It's basically an HS with different nose, tail and interior detailing.

The folks who do get a shot at the Sai will be rewarded with a DOHC 2.4-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine with variable valve timing. The engine puts out 147 horsepower on its own, but 187 hp when the electric boost from the 245-volt battery pack kicks in. It's good for an 8.4-second dash from 0-60 and an impressive 23.0 km/l, which roughly equates to over 54 mpg (a huge advantage over the 35 city/34 highway mpg rating of HS250h here in the U.S., mind you) if this handy dandy converter is to be believed.. Think of it as a more powerful Prius with a more conventional body, or a poor man's HS250h. Either way, think of it from afar.

Gallery: 2010 Toyota Sai Hybrid

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Tokyo Preview: Toyota launches HS-based SAI hybrid in Japan

Tokyo Preview: Toyota launches HS-based SAI hybrid in Japan originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW gets back into the leaning trike thing with SIMPLE concept [w/VIDEO]

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Hybrid, Technology, Videos, BMW, Motorcycle, Alternative Fuel

BMW SIMPLE concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

BMW has been rumored as of late to be pursuing everything from a so-called "0 Series" range of cars to a revival of its Isetta microcar brand, but the Bavarian automaker remains essentially mum on plans to diversify into the microcar market. Stoking the fires, however, is the new Simple concept, a leaning trike that is geared toward the "professional commuter" - that is, an urban dweller who travels alone.

From the start, the SIMPLE (which stands for: "Sustainable and Innovative Mobility Product for Low Energy consumption") was designed to minimize resources both in use and in production. The leaning concept is tall as a 5 Series, yet shorter than a Mini Cooper, and it offers seating space similar to that of a 3 Series coupe.

That tidy footprint and a slick drag coefficient of just 0.18 means that the Simple figures to be around 450 kilograms (under 1,000 pounds), so it only needs a small internal-combustion engine and an electric motor to power it. BMW says the Simple is capable of hitting 100 km/h - 62 mph - in under ten seconds and it tops out at over 200 km/h (124 mph), yet it needs a miserly 2 liters of gas over 100 km (62 miles), or around 118 mpg.

This isn't the first time BMW has investigated thrifty trikes - it actually began working on its CLEVER ("Compact Low Emission Vehicle for Urban Transport") concept back in 2002 in conjunction with the Berlin's Technical University, a project that took the form of a compressed natural gas trike with a CVT.

While there are no plans for production of either the SIMPLE or the CLEVER, BMW's expertise in motorcycles and its increasingly prominent Efficient Dynamics initiative doesn't have us ruling out a similar vehicle sometime down the road. In the meantime, you'll have to make the pilgrimage to the BMW Museum to check out BMW's SIMPLE and CLEVER contraptions. Check out the high-res gallery below and a video and press release after the jump.

Gallery: BMW SIMPLE Concept

[Source: BMW]

Continue reading BMW gets back into the leaning trike thing with SIMPLE concept [w/VIDEO]

BMW gets back into the leaning trike thing with SIMPLE concept [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bentley said to be "seriously considering" Continental Supersports convertible

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Bentley, Rumormill, Alternative Fuel, Luxury

Bentley Continental Supersports - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Bentley Continental is getting a little on in years. And sooner or later, Crewe's going to need to replace it. But while their focus has been fixed on the new Mulsanne and the various versions expected to follow, the boys haven't forgotten about their "entry-level" model. In fact, the Continental by now has spawned seven different derivatives - including the GT coupe, GTC cabrio, Flying Spur sedan, Speed versions of each and the Supersports coupe - but new reports indicate that adding an eighth version is being "seriously considered."

The variant in question would be a Supersports convertible, featuring the same 621-horsepower, flex-fuel twin-turbo 6.0-liter W12 (21 horses more than stock) as the Supersports coupe. In the process, the GTC would also shed extra weight - the Supersports coupe dropped 243 pounds - and pack carbon ceramic brakes and two fewer seats than the base convertible. Sources indicate that if given the green light, the Continental Supersports convertible would likely hit the market about a year from now, where it would almost certainly command the highest price in the Continental range.

Gallery: Bentley Continental Supersports

[Source: Car and Driver]

Bentley said to be "seriously considering" Continental Supersports convertible originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Frankfurt 2009: 2010 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid can't get any greener

Frankfurt 2009: 2010 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid can't get any greener

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Toyota

Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept -- Click above for high-res image gallery

One day, children will be taken to a Museum of Momentous Moments, and there among artist's impressions of the missing link and the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs will be an example of the first Toyota Prius. The placard next to it will declare that it is the car that turned green... green.

The standard bearer for all that makes Mother Nature smile has gone to the next level, adding a plug-in version to its bag of sticks and twigs. It isn't here yet, but when it does arrive, the Prius-with-a-cord will also be the first Toyota with a high-output, lithium-ion battery that can be charged in 90 minutes on a 230-volt circuit. It'll also go 20 km in EV mode and run up to 62 mph on electricity alone. And then it will do your laundry and teach your children how to be quiet on airplanes. Or something like that. You can read all about it in the press release after the jump and check it out in the gallery of high-res photos below.

Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: Toyota Plug-In Prius

Continue reading Frankfurt 2009: 2010 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid can't get any greener

Frankfurt 2009: 2010 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid can't get any greener originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan releases teaser of 2010 Altima, model changes leak out

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Sedan, Nissan

With the 2010 Nissan Altima coupe getting an impromptu full frontal reveal during a recent marketing photoshoot, Nissan has released a single teaser of its redesigned mid-size sedan to keep interest on boil.

Although the awkwardly cropped image doesn't show the reworked grille found on the recently tweaked Versa and Sentra, we do get a clear view of the revised headlamps and more sculpted, organic creases running along the doors. However, the L-shaped headlamps fitted to the Maxima and 370Z are MIA, an odd omission considering Nissan's recent push for familial cohesion.

According to an internal document we've received from a tipster, the 2010 Altima Coupe will receive a few key feature upgrades, beginning with the 2.5 S M6 (six-speed manual) model which will include Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), Traction Control System (TCS), a manually adjustable lumber support for the driver's seat and 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in P215/55 all-season rubber.

The 2.5 Premium IS 2.5 CVT Plus (whew!) will receive a 4.3-inch color display, along with an iPod interface and USB input capability, while the 3.5 SR M6 IS and 2.5 S M6 with the Premium Package will be fitted with Xenon HID headlamps. Joining the Tech Package's 6.5-inch screen and HDD navigation system is a 9.3 gig "Music Server" system with DVD playback, Bluetooth streaming audio and a new audio/video jack that replaces the standard auxiliary audio input. Expect all the official information to be released in the coming weeks, with the 2010 Nissan Altima coupe and sedan going on sale before November. Thanks for the tip Mehdi.

Nissan releases teaser of 2010 Altima, model changes leak out originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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