Audi Q3 Spotted in Germany – 2011 Production

Recently spotted by the cars worlds paparazzi was a partially covered up Audi Q3 at one of the German giants huge facilities in Ingolstadt. The new Junior SUV was heavily camouflaged and appeared to be in heavy testing but appeared to be not too far from a public debut. Audis Q3 will be set to [...]

Goodwood 2010: Celebrating 100 years of Alfa Romeo

Filed under: Classics, UK

2010 marks the 100th anniversary of Alfa Romeo, and the Italian car company will be the most celebrated marque at nearly every concours and motorsports events this year. The Goodwood Festival of Speed, however, will likely top them all, at least in terms of artistic expression. Alfa Romeo was the theme of the perennial sculpture outside of the Goodwood house, with a 1925 Alfa Romeo P2 and an 8C Competizione mated to 12 tons of red steel standing more than 60 feet high.

There were plenty of Alfas on the ground as well, with quite a few examples competing in the hill climb, including a beautiful 1968 Tip 33/2 Le Mans that won its class at the 24 hour race and a stunning 1991 SE 048 SP Group C prototype. Perhaps our favorite Alfas, though, were the wacky concept cars at the concours event sponsored by Cartier, like the 1968 Carabo Concept, the 1969 Iguana Concept and the 1976 Navajo Concept. Some of the more famous classic Alfas were in attendance as well including a gorgeous 1937 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta and perhaps on of the most cars of the 1960s, a 1967 Tipo 33 Stradale. You can view all of the photos of Alfa Romeo at the 2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed in the high-res gallery below.

Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Goodwood 2010: Celebrating 100 years of Alfa Romeo originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aston Martin releases new N420 edition V8 Vantage

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Aston Martin, UK

You remember the Vantage N400? Aston Martin released the special-edition sportscar back in 2007 to commemorate the success of its Vantage N24 racer at the Nürburgring. It packed 400 horsepower, a series of suspension tweaks and some special cosmetic touches. Unfortunately, Aston only produced 240 examples of the ‘N’, all of which have long since sold out. But now it’s back. With a vengeance.

Whereas the previous N400 upgraded the stock 380 horsepower to 400, the new N420 – based on the current, post-2008 updated Vantage – carries over the stock 420-horse mill. Suspension upgrades come courtesy of the otherwise optional Sports Pack, here fitted as standard equipment, along with a special exhaust unique to the N420. A new front splitter, side skirts and diffuser are made of carbon fiber, unique wheels are fitted along with black mesh grille inserts, and 27 kilograms (60 pounds) have been trimmed from the curb weight. Upgrades have also been carried out to the interior, and buyers can choose from a range of “race collection” paint schemes.

Like its predecessor, the new Aston Martin V8 Vantage N420 will be sold in coupe or roadster format and available with either six-speed manual or Sportshift semi-automatic transmissions. Deliveries will begin next month in the UK, the £96,995 price tag (that’s over $147,000 USD but includes the UK’s hefty Value Added Tax) represents a £13,804 ($21k) premium over the base model, which sells in the UK for £83,191 (equivalent to $126k at today’s exchange rates) and in the United States for $119,500. Details in the press release after the jump, high-res gallery below.

[Source: Aston Martin]

Continue reading Aston Martin releases new N420 edition V8 Vantage

Aston Martin releases new N420 edition V8 Vantage originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mazda to create life-size Scalextric track at Goodwood Festival of Speed

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Mazda, UK

Mazda is pulling out all the stops for this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. While the company will show off a number of its more exciting models from the past, including the ever wicked 787B edition MX-5 and the more recent MX-5 Superlight Concept, the biggest news is that the display will feature a life-size Scalextric track. Yep. Mazda will build an automated track with real-life cars in an interpretation of every hoon’s favorite childhood toy. Mazda has chosen a handful of cars to celebrate the 20-year history of the MX-5, including a 1990 Miata, a 2000 10th anniversary edition and a California Special Edition.

If that’s not enough to get your eyebrows up, visitors will be able to drive the actual hill climb course in a new MX-5 or ride shotgun in a special-built racer. Not that we needed any more of a reason to want to be in West Sussex this weekend, but these Mazda goodies sound like a good time. The event kicks off on the first of July and runs through the fourth. Hit the jump for the full press release.

[Source: Mazda]

Continue reading Mazda to create life-size Scalextric track at Goodwood Festival of Speed

Mazda to create life-size Scalextric track at Goodwood Festival of Speed originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alfa Romeo unveils its statue at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

Filed under: Alfa Romeo, UK

Audi celebrated itself at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last year, and the sign it hung out front as advertisement was a 135-foot statue with a 1937 Auto Union at one end and R8 V10 at the other. This year Alfa Romeo will be doing the major celebrations, blowing out 100 candles for its centennial soiree, and it has unveiled its statue on the Goodwood lawn. If tradition holds, the statue was designed by Gerry Judah and according to Motor Trend, called “the most stylish and memorable sculpture ever crafted for the event.” Hmmm…

On the left is one of the only two P2 racers left, and this particular example won the 1925 Gran Prix World Championship. On the right, an 8C Competizione. In the middle is… well, something red and swoopy, which we’ll suppose is a fitting enough representation of 100 years of Alfas.

[Source: Autocar]

Alfa Romeo unveils its statue at the Goodwood Festival of Speed originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Special two-tone California to lead Ferrari fleet at Goodwood

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Misc. Auto Shows, Ferrari, UK, Racing

Ferrari always shows up big for the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and this year will be no exception as a roster of factory and private entries fill out the Prancing Horse stables on the run up the Earl of March’s front yard.

Both the 458 Italia and the 599 GTO will be making their British debuts at the event, but arguably more intriguing is the specially-prepared California that will be joining them. The two-tone roadster is decked out in a Argento Nurburgring hue, offset by a black roof and pillars similar to the treatment which Ferrari gave to various versions of the 599, including the XX, GTO, HY-KERS and China editions. Other optional extras like 20-inch matte-black rims and special interior stitching set this example apart from the standard model, but the question is – with some saying the body-toned roof helps the California’s unwieldy shape – does the blacktop treatment do it any favors?

Along with the 458, 599 GTO and California, the Scuderia will also be fielding last year’s F1 car piloted by factory test driver Marc Gené, while a range of vintage road and race Ferraris will also be on hand, all of which you can read about in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Ferrari]

Continue reading Special two-tone California to lead Ferrari fleet at Goodwood

Special two-tone California to lead Ferrari fleet at Goodwood originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG goes to the matte with DR 520 special from Brooklands

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Wagon, Mercedes-Benz, UK, Luxury

With 460 horsepower on tap, nobody was accusing the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG of being a slouch. But when you’re winning the horsepower wars, do you lay down your arms? Of course not. That’s why Mercedes‘ Specialist Products Division, headquartered at the legendary Brooklands race track in England, has released the new limited-production DR 520.

Why the name? Because it’s dyno-rated at 520 horsepower, meaning that the Benz studio has given it a 60-horse boost over stock. The result is a 0-60 sprint in 4.1 seconds for the sedan, or one tick more for the wagon, with the special edition available in either body style. The AMG Performance Pack Plus – complete with upgraded brakes and engine internals – is also fitted as standard. Buyers can choose between white or black matte-finish vinyl wraps, offset by titanium-finish brightwork and the requisite special badges.

Additional upgrades have been carried out on the interior, but unfortunately only 20 examples of this bahn-stormer will be made available exclusively in the UK. Full details and pricing in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG goes to the matte with DR 520 special from Brooklands

Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG goes to the matte with DR 520 special from Brooklands originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford begins online car sales in the UK, 40% of buyers approve

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc., Ford, UK

Ford has started offering vehicles for direct sale via the internet for United Kingdom customers. Ford conducted its own research and found that almost 40 percent of buyers don’t even care about a test drive; they just want what they want with the click of a mouse.

Ford has set 50 dealers up to sell new and used cars and commercial vehicles on the web, and sales swung into action on June 29th. A new call center has also been opened to close the deal for customers that seek an alternative to the online purchase. The cars will be delivered to regional delivery centers; Ford has set up 12 facilities where customers will collect their cars and drive off.

The 550 traditional Ford dealers in the UK might understandably be miffed at this direct-sales move, but they’re still the preferred choice of sixty percent of buyers. Haggling is possible with either outlet, and cutting out a level of complexity and cost would make life easier and possibly more profitable for Ford. For now, all statements support both efforts running in parallel.

[Source: Telegraph.co.uk]

Ford begins online car sales in the UK, 40% of buyers approve originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 07:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Spen King, father of the Range Rover, dead at age 85

Filed under: Classics, SUV, Etc., Land Rover, UK, Celebrities, Luxury, Off-Road

We’ve got sad news for the auto world – Autocar reports that Charles Spencer King, the father of the modern Land Rover, has passed away. The 85 year-old King died as a result of injuries he sustained during a traffic collision between his bicycle and a van almost two weeks ago. The man is most known for heading up the team that brought the iconic 1970 Land Rover to life, sparking a movement that would have the world clamoring for high-riding, comfortable off-road cable vehicles that continues on today.

King was so instrumental in Land Rover’s development that the company honored him with a special edition model in 1990 called the Range Rover CSK, limited to 200 individually-numbered units. But over his career, King also spent plenty of time working on a number of other interesting projects, including the Rover JET1 prototype and the wildly successful (if not reliable) Triumph TR6.

Our sincere condolences to his family and friends.

[Source: Autocar | Image: Michael Dunlea/AFP/Getty]

Report: Spen King, father of the Range Rover, dead at age 85 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevrolet Volt to be powered by engine at high speeds? Seems unlikely.

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Europe, Chevrolet, GM, Opel, Vauxhall, UK, Rumormill, Electric

Whoa. Color us shocked and awed if this rumor from The Telegraph is accurate. According to the UK paper, General Motors is set to make some drastic changes to the Chevrolet Volt’s European Opel Ampera twin. Specifically, the report suggests that the extended-range-electric-vehicle’s powertrain is being redesigned so that the gasoline-fueled engine can and will power the wheels under certain high-speed conditions.

If true – and we’re filing this firmly in the rumormill folder for now – this change would completely alter the entire ethos of the Volt idea. GM has gone to great pains to ensure that its green halo vehicle can be called an electric vehicle with a range extender, not a hybrid.

Semantics perhaps, but the distinction has been made clear and driven home by The General. Further, we know that the machine is well into its final development phases, and any changes of this magnitude this late in the game would be darn near impossible to implement in time.

The reason cited by The Telegraph for the recalibration is that Europeans require more power during high speed use. We find that explanation highly suspect as well, unless GM of Europe actually believes the Ampera will spend more time than normal on Autobahns in the far-left lane… which we doubt. Consider too that Europeans are known to embrace vehicles with much smaller and less powerful engines than Americans and the report continues failing to add up.

In any case, the report cites Andreas Voight, an Opel project engineer, who is quoted as saying that we can expect an announcement on the matter this autumn. We’ll see, and we’ll be pestering GM for a comment in the meantime.

[Source: The Telegraph]

Chevrolet Volt to be powered by engine at high speeds? Seems unlikely. originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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