Video: Peugeot RCZ teaser

The French manufacturer has released today a new Peugeot RCZ teaser video anticipating its premiere at the IAA in the fall.

The Audi TT fighter is expected to hit the streets sometime next spring. The Peugeot RCZ will have a 2+2 seating configuration with a coupe body style. so far no official information has been released regarding the Peugeot RCZ's engine and gearbox options.

via:zercustoms

Leaked: Aston Martin Rapide interior

A scanned rendering of the Aston Martin Rapide's interior, claimed to be taken from an official brochure, has slid onto the Internet, and judging by the images, occupants will get the full GT experience no matter where they're seated.


And in a first for recent Astons, the packaging appears to have left room for a properly capacious trunk. Stay tuned for shots of the real deal from the Frankfurt Motor Show.


Assuming there's room to get comfy, back-seaters should have a fine time of it. Screens in the headrests will entertain while controls on the center tunnel keep the climate in check. We aren't sure what the features in the seatbacks are, but we look forward to finding out.
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SpeedART: Porsche Cayenne Diesel gets a boost

The first two engine packages include a retuned ECU while the most powerful version adds a larger turbo. Prices for the power kit start from €1,990 or about $2,800.

Diesel a comprehensive performance makeover with engine, chassis, interior and body upgrades. The company names this proposal the TITAN DTR 310. The starting point is of course the Cayenne's 240 HP 3.0-liter V6 diesel with buyers being offered a choice of three different power kits with 280 HP, 290 HP and 310 HP.


On the outside, the TITAN DTR 310 has been treated with a full bodykit that includes a front spoiler with additional fog lights, side skirts, day time running lights and head light covers plus a new rear apron.


There's also a new sport exhaust system especially made for the V6 diesel and a lowering module for the air suspension or alternatively, a fully adjustable sport suspension plus 22-inch alloy wheels shod in 275 or 295/30 ZR22 tyres.


The new turbo-boost gauge top of the center console, the specific floor mats and the yellow-colored instrument dials complete the interior package.


The German tuner also created a bespoke interior for the Cayenne Diesel using a variety of premium upholstery and sporty accessories. More specifically, the dashboard, center armrest and door panels are covered in Alcantara with contrasting yellow stitches while the same material has been used on the new three-spoke steering wheel with F1-shit paddles.
via:carscoop

AS55K YAAS: Special vehicle for the Royal Family of Abu Dhabi Limited edition of one

There’s been one hellava mod done to this Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG that’s converted it into a rather cool ART vehicle. It can now pump up 620 hp of power and has a score of added attributes to it. These include high performance brakes, carbonized surfaces like the bonnet, the dorsal portion of the mirrors and the spare wheel cover. There’s also some portion of the vehicles body that’s gilded, this making it fit for a king. Besides these metals it also has its share of steel and chrome. To top it all, the AS55K YAAS has bi-xenon dual headlights and four fog lights.
via:newlaunches



Press Release

AS55K YAAS EDITION

* Special vehicle for the Royal Family of Abu Dhabi
* Limited edition of one

This thoroughbred luxury four-by-four in Obsidian black with engine version AS55K was developed specially at the request of the Royal Family of Abu Dhabi. It is based on the G55 AMG. His performance was optimized up to 620 hp with 880 rpm. It will be difficult to find the equal anywhere in the world of this AS55K YAAS EDITION with its unusual exterior fittings and luxurious interior design.

Aerodynamic components for the front, side, rear, and roof, including the Aero hood lend the AS55K YAAS EDITION new striking contours. The comprehensive package of high-quality carbonized surfaces makes for individual highlights on the outer skin. The hood, aerodynamics components, the door handles, the spare wheel cover, the exterior mirror shells and the engine block have been generously coated in this luxurious material by hand to sparkle with that typical magical three-dimensional effect. This exterior variant with carbon parts was developed and manufactured on the wishes and in accordance with the decided suggestions of the Royal Family of Abu Dhabi.

Numerous highly-polished stainless steel decorative elements draw attention to the air vents and other predestined points on the car body. The dual polished stainless steel bumper with its profiled appearance provides the finishing touches to the smart solid appearance of the vehicle rear below the rear skirt.

Light, enough to illuminate the skies, is provided by the xenon lighting system with bi-xenon dual headlamps as the basis, four xenon upper-beam headlamps and four fog lamps as add-ons. The six chrome-plated tailpipes of the exhaust system, each sporting an A.R.T. logo, dissipate what remains of the vast power from the engine block laterally under the running boards: its grandiose sound cannot be ignored.

The high-performance brake system operates at the front with perforated 380 size brake disks and 8-piston brake calipers. At the rear, perforated 345 size brake disks and 4-piston brake calipers provide deceleration to match the power. The entire window surface of the AS55K YAAS EDITION is treated with chrome color window tinting, protecting the interior world of the vehicle from the stares of the outside world.

As soon as you open the doors of the AS55K YAAS EDITION, you cannot fail to notice the graceful interior surrounds to entice all the senses. The seats, instrument board, door cladding and center console have been intricately covered in aromatic materials by hand. A.R.T. upholsterers use the finest velour leather, perforated smooth nappa leather, and alcantara in cinnamon and anthracite hues. High-quality carpets with leather edging and A.R.T. embroidered logo round off the overall warm and luxurious ambience for that very special driving experience.

Carbon features also lend magical highlights to the interior of the AS55K YAAS EDITION. All the covers on the instrument panel and doors have been given a high-quality carbon veneer. These features are crowned by the gold-color carbonized multi-function steering wheel.

A journey into the magical world of fairytales with this expertly equipped luxury-class vehicle AS55K YAAS EDITION by A.R.T.

Mercedes-Benz photographic treasure trove to be digitized

Mercedes has announced that many of their photographs, taken by Zoltán Glass, will be digitized by The National Media Museum in Bradford, UK.


The unique project aims to scan nearly 6,000 images taken by Glass, with an emphasis on the 1930s and 1950s. Scheduled to be completed in April 2010, the collection will be available for historical editorial work and various other projects.
via:worldcarfans




Press Release

Star Stills: The Mercedes-Benz Photographic Treasure Trove

• Photographer Zoltán Glass: Much of his work was commissioned by Daimler-Benz AG
• The edited collection currently comprises around 6,000 photographs
• Comprehensive scanning and digitising by the National Media Museum in Bradford, UK

Stuttgart - The National Media Museum in Bradford, UK, is currently in the process of raising a photographic treasure.

The project, which aims to scan a large proportion of the photographs housed in the Zoltán Glass archive, will systematically catalogue the work of the artist, whose main creative periods came in the 1930s and 1950s, and to make them accessible in digital format.

The Bradford collection numbers around 6,000 images in total; the work is scheduled for completion in April 2010.

Zoltán Glass was a significant photographer of the 20th century - and automobiles were one his favourite subjects. During the 1920s and 1930s he was also commissioned by Daimler-Benz AG to take many photographs of Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Glass, for example, documented the period of the classic Silver Arrows, the cars that dominated international grand prix racing from 1934 onwards.

But he also turned his masterful skills to photographing the brand's production vehicles for publicity material.

He could even turn ostensibly uninspiring subjects, such as Mercedes-Benz vehicle production, into aesthetically pleasing images.

After the death of Zoltán Glass in 1981, his photographic legacy was acquired by the National Media Museum, which houses one of Europe's most important photographic collections.

At the instigation of Daimler AG, his work is now being catalogued and digitised. The project also involves feeding the original photograph captions into the database. The process makes use of state-of-the-art technology, which enables the negatives and their immense wealth of detail to be photographed in high resolution using a calibrated high-end medium-format camera in order to create a neutral copy of the original. The results are first saved as files of approximately 100 megabytes in TIFF format. Finally, special software is used to convert the negative images into positives.

Colin Harding, Curator of Photographic Technology at the National Media Museum said: "We are delighted to be working with Daimler to digitise the Zoltán Glass Collection. Zoltán Glass is a photographer whose work deserves to be far better known. Daimler's generous support will enable us to make his photographs available to a much wider audience."

Once the work is complete, the photographs will be available for further historical editorial work and other projects.

Pininfarina family stake to be sold - Tata potential suitor

Pincar, the company owned by the Pininfarina family may sell its majority stake in troubled design house and coachbuilder Pininfarina. Through Pincar the family holds a majority stake of 50.7%. Selling the piece is a decision taken at a board meeting last week and was part of a debt agreement made with the banks in 2008. The end result would be that Pincar would no longer be the majority owner but at the same time the family would not leave the business completely.


A number of well-known industry names have been touted as possible new partners. One of them is Tata which owns the Tata Motors, Jaguar and Land Rover brands. The Indian company has an existing alliance with Fiat and was mentioned as an investor last year. Being closely related to Pininfarina, a company that has designed some of the most striking Ferraris and Maseratis in the past would certainly give Tata a boost in its design department.


Another possible partner is said to be Bolloré, the French industrial company. Pininfarina is working with them to develop an electric car dubbed, Bluecar. In 2008 founder Vincent Bolloré expressed an interest in becoming one of the shareholders at Pininfarina.


Could Ford also be in the mix? The Italian brand builds the Focus Coupe Cabriolet for the blue oval while another agreement sees it producing the Volvo C70 at a plant in Uddevalla, Sweden.
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2010 -JE Design Volkswagen Scirocco Cars Photo Galleries

2010 -JE Design Volkswagen Scirocco Cars Photo Galleries. The refiner located in Leingarten, Germany enhances the performance of the already agile turbo diesel in the VW Scirocco with an additional control unit by more than twenty-five percent from 140 hp (103 kW) to 180 hp (133 kW). Also the maximum torque increases from 320 to 400 Newton metres at 1,750 to 2,500 r.p.m. respectively. The maximum speed thereby rises from 207 km/h to 213 km/h, and the acceleration from zero to hundred is reduced by 0.9 seconds to 8.4 seconds.Also for the new 2.0 TDI CR, JE DESIGN offers a performance enhancement of 170 hp (125 kW) to 205 hp (171 kW). With that, the Scirocco then renders a top speed of 229 km/h (serial model: 222 km/h) and accelerates from zero to hundred in 7.1 seconds (serial model: 7.8 seconds). The torque rises to 410 Newton metres (serial model: 350 Nm).

JE DESIGN offers the entire performance pack with assembly for 1,249 euros (180 hp) and 1,449 euros (205 hp) including VAT and adds a 12-month warranty.

The kit for 919 euros including VAT includes a front spoiler with a centre sword in carbon look which already renders a racy glance when the car is still parked. The side skirts with air inlets and a rear skirt attachment which is perfectly adjusted to the other component parts and which is also available in carbon-look renders a powerful profile. A refining kit for gull-wing doors (1,549 euros) completes the body modification.

The muffler made of stainless steel with two central oval end pipes (899 euros) renders an earthy sound and an impressive appearance. The muffler comes with an EU-operating license. The lowering springs (299 euros) which were especially designed for the VW Scirocco, lower the car by 30 millimetres and are combined with serial shock absorbers. In order to fill the wheelhouses adequately, JE DESIGN offers the elegant wheel design Multispoke as a complete wheel set. The wheels are available in the size 8×19 inches in shadow silver (2,810 euros), or graphite matt / with polished edges (2,930 euros), both with 235/35 R 19 tyres.

source : Volkswagen

2009-The New Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 VB

the Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2, then Lamborghini's finally given enthusiasts what they've wanted, dropping their grip-locked all-wheel-drive system in favor of rear-wheel-drive action. With a six-speed manual, could this be the perfect Lambo. The new rear wheel drive version of the Gallardo will be limited to 250 units only, and has been christened the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni. Now you probably get what LP 550-2 means - 550 PS and 2 driven wheels, but what about the VB.The reason for the lessened number designation relates to a slightly de-tuned 5.2-liter V10 that makes 550 horsepower rather than the 552 in the 560-4, but that lack of two ponies doesn't make this Italian a slacker with a dash to 100 km/h arriving in 3.9 seconds. This is helped by a 30 kg overall weight reduction.

New Lexus IS250C Pictures

New Lexus IS250C Pictures

The new Lexus IS250C made its world debut at the 2008 Paris motor show, ahead of going on sale across Europe during the summer of 2009. The new model combines the award-winning design of the IS sports saloon with outstanding open-top engineering ingenuity.The new power-retractable hardtop roof is constructed from aluminum and folds away in just 20 seconds. It has been styled to offer minimal wind turbulence when driving with the top down, and when the top is up cabin noise is said to be the same as the sedan.

The new Lexus IS250C is so fastest car. The car is luxury with model on display in Paris shares the same 2.5L V6 engine as the IS250 saloon and is rated at 205hp (153kW). Other models are expected to follow over the course of next year, including the 3.5L V6 IS350C and possibly a topless variant of the IS-F. All of the convertibles will share their power trains with the sedan models.

Pininfarina Family Hires Bank To Sell 50.7% Stake In Design Firm

Reportedly, the family owners of Pininfarina have already engaged the services of an Italian bank to sell their 50.7% stake held by Pincar, the Pininfarina family's company. The news highlights the difficulty that luxury coachbuilders are facing from the financial crisis and the resulting drop in demand for their services and products, a situation that has had rival Italian coachbuilder Bertone on the back foot for some time now.


It seems Pininfarina's best chances for survival would come from having a group of investors, rather than a single controlling company, considering that if a large enough stake in Pininfarina was acquired by a rival company some of its contracts with auto manufacturers could be put at risk.


Despite seeking to sell off their majority stake in the company, an anonymous source within the Pininfarina company revealed to Reuters that the family had "no intention of leaving completely", and the sale was a measure taken to comply with previously agreed upon debt stipulations with banks last year.


With over half the company expected to go up for sale, speculation is rife as to who could step in to purchase Pininfarina. Last year we reported that Piero Ferrari, Enzo Ferrari's second son, Alberto Bombassei, chairman of Brembo, and the Marsiaj family, founders of the Sabelt seatbelt company have all considered investing in Pininfarina, along with Vincent Bollore, a French financier, and Ratan Tata, head of India's Tata conglomerate, who already announced its plans to invest.
Source:motorauthority

[Videos] eBay Find of the Day: 1980 Datsun 280ZX Black Gold #1

There's a great Sam Kinison routine that goes something like this: the problem with cocaine is that it ends one of three ways. You die, you go to jail or you run out coke. Of course, there's a fourth possibility -- you buy a Black Gold Datsun 280ZX! Only, we'd hardly consider the latter a "problem." Besides, if you buy this Black Gold you're Pablo Escobar, king of all that is 1980s. Why? Because it's ichiban, baby: Black Gold #1!





That's right -- the very first Black Gold. This baby is just sitting there on eBay waiting for you to snatch her up. Currently, the first bid is for $35,000 -- reserve hella not met! Now you might be thinking, "being 1 of 3000 is pretty special, but it's not greater-than-$35,000 special." And that's where you're wrong. This Black Gold has but 1,052 miles on it. We get press cars with fifteen times as much mileage. It's a brand new car! As working car journalists, we can't hardly afford the long distance phone call to Georgia to bug the poor seller half to death, let alone go any higher than thirty-five large. Here's hoping you can.





Ah, but you were born when Reagan was president, and you don't remember the 80s, let alone Black Gold. We're here to help. To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Z, Nissan Datsun released 2,500 Black Gold 280ZXs, along with 500 Black Red cars). While they were little more than trim packages -- special paint, leather seats, lots of decals stating "10th Anniversary," and a couple of numbered plaques -- Black Golds are nonetheless hugely desirable. Especially when those numbered plaques all say "1 of 3000."





Still not getting the whole Black Gold/Datsun/Cocaine trifecta? A bit confused about the awesomeness of T-tops and the double-triple awesomeness of a stainless steel 8-track? Then you must watch the unbelievably amazing commercial that Datsun used to actually air on the TV back in 1980, immediately following "Vote for Reagan" spots. Seriously, you won't believe your eyes after the jump, and here's hoping you don't have to pass any drug tests for the next little while. Talk about a contact high... Thanks to Tyler for the heads-up.





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Arden Tricks Out 2010 Jaguar XKR Convertible

Never satisfied with the factory Jaguars, German tuner Arden has introduced its take on the revised 2010 Jaguar XKR Convertible. Arden starts by hiking the performance of the new 5.0-liter supercharged V8 that gains 30 horsepower and 50 Nm of torque for a total output of 540 horsepower and 675 Nm (498 lb-ft). A sport suspension with new shocks and the removal of the electronic speed limiter complete the changes under the skin.


The tuner covers the XKR Convertible's front grille and air-intakes with handmade, chrome-plated stainless steel grilles while at the rear there's a new diffuser that houses the tail pipes of the new sport exhaust system. Of course, no Arden model would be complete without flashy wheels, and there's room for a new set of 21-inch Sportline alloys.
via:carscoop

80 years of BMW car production. The origins of EfficientDynamics

August 7, 2009 - Anybody who was not invited read it in the papers: On the morning of 9 July 1929 full-page ads informed the public that BMW had become a car maker. And guests invited to BMW’s new showroom in the middle of Berlin were able to admire a small car bearing the model designation 3/15 PS DA 2, with the two last letters standing for “Deutsche Ausführung” or “German Version”. In popular language the car nevertheless soon took on a new name, BMW’s first production model remaining a legend to this day as the “Dixi”.

The first of these attractive small performers coming off the production line on 22 March in BMW’s plant near the former Berlin-Johannisthal Airport set the foundation not only for the production of cars by BMW. For although the Dixi was largely taken over from an existing model with parts and components already in use, the car clearly bore the handwriting typical of BMW to this very day: From the beginning efficiency and dynamics were of utmost significance to BMW, forming an integral part of the brand’s DNA. Indeed, BMW had already made a great name for itself as a manufacturer of very economical high-performance products such as aircraft engines and motorcycles, before entering car production.

Read full story from thaiautomaxx

Videos: Rolls-Royce Star of India to go on auction for €10,000,000

Rabid Rolls-Royce fans will be familiar with the name of Hans-Günther Zach, who runs his own museum dedicated to the famed marque in Mühlheim/Main, Germany. The old boy has now decided to sell off the whole shebang, including the crown jewel of his collection, the famous “Star of India” (above). The Star is a one-off 1934 Phantom II 40/50 HP Continental “All-Weather Convertible” custom made for the Maharaja of Rajkot. That car alone is expected to fetch as much as €10 million; if it does that would make it the most expensive car in the world.


There's no indication if Herr Zach is feeling the pinch of the world wide economic meltdown -- or if he's just moving on to greener pastures -- but his entire collection is up for grabs. While there's no doubt other impressive cars up for sale (like the 1926 "Aluminum Sculpture" Phantom I Open Tourer) the star is without question the Star. Never mind the royal pedigree, how can you get past the aluminum on orange carriage work?


Should it sell for its asking price, the 7.7-liter pushrod straight-six Rolls equipped with two additional headlights to follow the path of the steering (fourteen headlights total), would be the most expensive car in the world. After all, rumors of the Japanese man that reportedly paid $15,000,000 for a Ferrari 250 GTO before Japan's economy imploded in the late 1980s have never been proved. Happy bidding.
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Aston Martin Cygnet Inspires the Supercar Shrinker

Hot on the heels of Aston Martin introducing its Cygnet Concept car, modeled after the Toyota IQ, our estimable car-compatriots over at iMotormag have created this wonderfully useful shrinking gizmo to provide for the same compact-ization of other supercar models.


iMotormag does the incredible shrinking supercar.

iMotormag shrinks a collection of supercars to see which ones work best as minis


Have a look see. Don't they all, inevitably, end up looking like a cartoon car in a Disney/Pixar production? They are all so invariably cute.

Baby supercars, yes, this is the future of the high-performance automotive realm.


Now, here's an idea on how to make this a money-maker. Call up Disney and Pixar and get someone to write a script for a children's film production about baby supercars. Then get a merchandising deal for those tiny, cuddly toy cars and rake in the millions. Building real DB9's will become an afterthought once they get a taste of how lucrative milking movie product tie-ins can be.


Seriously, not even that very real Aston Martin Cygnet Concept stands much of chance to ever make it to production. Just ask Mercedes-Benz how well their little enterprise with Swiss watchmaker Swatch has gone in their co-creation of the Smart brand. That (ad-)venture has yet to yield a profit after more than a decade.


via:worldcarfans

New Ferrari 458 Italia spotted in the metal

Following the official release of pictures and information pertaining to the brand spanking new Ferrari 458 Italia, the first on-the-road image has appeared. Maranello has gone with a contrast of black and white for this example to still obscure the design lines prior to its public unveiling. The location for the shot is not known but it appears to be in the countryside somewhere.
Read full story from worldcarfans