Filed under: UK

Caterham has released a teaser to follow in the over-powered, stripped-down footsteps of its predecessor, the R400. The Superlight R500 is rumored to be powered by a 2.0- or 2.3-liter Ford four-pot, hits 60 in under 3.4 seconds and tops out at around 150 mph. With a curb weight less than 500 kg (1,100 pounds) and body panels, dashboard and seats made up of carbon fiber, the R500 is expected to crest the 500 hp/per ton mark with ease. Sales will begin later this year with pricing expected to be around £40k.

[Source: Caterham via Car]

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Filed under: Motorsports, Hatchbacks, Mazda, Australia

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Targa Tasmania-ready Mazda3 MPS.

Mazda is heading Down Under to compete in the Targa Tasmania for its eighth campaign. The team, consisting of Rick Bates and Alister McRae, will be charging through the outback in one specially prepped Mazda3 MPS (or Mazdaspeed3 to those of us in NA). The 2WD Showroom Targa rules dictate that the vehicle has to remain somewhat stock, with the carpeting, power windows and audio equipment keeping things civil as the driving duo covers over 2,000 km during the six-day race. Naturally, the Mazda is outfitted with the necessary safety equipment, including a PCD roll cage, racing seats, five-point harnesses and a fire extinguisher, but the performance modifications are kept to a minimum. The MPS is equipped with upgraded springs and struts, brake pads, a new steering wheel, navigation equipment, cat-back exhaust (cats are still fitted), some additional ducting to cool off the brakes and a revised ECU. The race begins on the 15th of April and you can follow the teams’ progress at Mazda Australia’s Targa site.

Mazda’s full press release is posted after the jump.

Continue reading Mazda3 MPS to take on the Targa Tasmania, again

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Filed under: Euro, Hatchbacks, Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo has mounted a concerted campaign to get the public involved in shaping the brand image of its new Mi.To hatchback. One of the earliest steps was to hold an online contest to determine the vehicle’s name, but ultimately rejected the winning proposal “Furiosa” in favor of the quirky MiTo nameplate. Since then the Italian automaker took a page out of our favorite playbook by launching the MiTo blog, and most recently held another contest to select the car’s badge.

Out of all the proposals, this is the one that won out. The dynamic script that was our first choice came in second, followed by five more proposals that scored farther down the chart. Although we think it was a mistake to ditch the more evocative Furiosa name in the first place, we wonder what people were smoking when they picked this badge. Where’s the rest of it? If you think otherwise, voice your opinion in our comments section below.

[Source: Alfa Romeo]

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Filed under: Motorsports, Videos

Face it. Drifting is passé and drag racing is so 1996. So what’s the next big thing to hit the import scene? Flip A Bitch. You know the move. You did it with your Big Wheel when you were eight. Head straight, yank the wheel, grab the e-brake and pull a perfect 180 into a designated spot. With their tongue firmly in cheek, the GT Channel crew assembled some of the top drivers from Formula D, including Tanner Foust, Chris Forsberg and Dai Yoshihara, to see who can pull off “The Bitch” with style and accuracy. Hit the jump to watch the teaser and keep an eye out for the full video from GT Channel later this month.

Continue reading VIDEO: “Flip a bitch” picks up where drifting leaves off

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Filed under: Garage, Sedans/Saloons, Volkswagen

Click above to view high-res gallery of the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta 2.5 SE

“I think we’re gonna have to buy a Volkswagen,” I told me wife just hours after signing for the keys to a 2008 Jetta 2.5 SE. I had only done about four miles in the car and, already, the near-luxury interior and throaty exhaust had won me over.

But my wife was skeptical of a sedan’s ability to handle the needs of our pack-rat family even if it did have 170 horses. So I drove the handsome little VW a couple of days more before turning it over to her for toddler-toting duty. I felt sure she’d see the positives of German engineering by week’s end.

All photos Copyright (C)2008 Chris Tutor / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading In the Autoblog Garage: Volkswagen Jetta 2.5 SE

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Filed under: Coupes, Japan, Subaru, Toyota

AutoCar procured a sketch of the oft-rumored and all-but-confirmed lightweight coupe that’s being jointly developed between Subaru and Toyota, and their sources confirm that the final design will be signed off in July. According to the Brit pub, both automakers will have their own version of the rear-wheel-drive, two-door, powered by Subaru’s own 175 hp, 2.0-liter boxer engine. A 2.5-liter, turbocharged version is also being considered, which might send power to all four wheels in a nod to the historic Celica GT4. Sales are expected to begin in Japan, the UK and North America in 2010. Here’s hoping they can keep it under the $20k mark when it hits U.S.shores.

[Source: Autocar]

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Filed under: Euro, BMW, Rumormill

Here’s a juicy one. BMW Blog reports that it has two unnamed, independent sources who have spoken of a high-revving (how does 11,000 rpm sit with you?) new four-cylinder being developed for use in the 1-series. The power target of this fantasy mill is said to be 220 to 260 horsepower, and it would theoretically be offered in both naturally aspirated and twin-turbocharged forms.

If this rumor actually comes to pass (something that is far from guaranteed, to say the least), we’re told to expect a 2010 release. Take it all with a very healthy dose of salt. That said, squeezing more power out of less engine is going to be a continuing trend as governments tighten the screws regarding fuel economy and emissions targets, so efforts from BMW in this realm wouldn’t be the least bit surprising. We hope this rumor comes true, if only to be able to point to a shiny new 1-series coupe and say, “Ours goes to eleven… thousand.”

[Source: BMW Blog]

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Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, Mercedes Benz

Mercedes has been expanding its range faster than an invading army, with more three-starred vehicles popping up in segments we didn’t even know existed previously. (Probably because they didn’t.) What that ultimately means is that, at any given time, Mercedes is preparing a whole slew of new vehicles as each of their lifecycles comes due for replacement. Next up to bat is the E-Class, one of the mainstream staple vehicles in the Mercedes-Benz line-up.

As with every successive new E-Class, the latest rendition is expected to feature even more hi-tech gizmos than ever before. Reports suggest brakes that wipe themselves dry in wet weather and more sensors than a bank vault, measuring everything from eye movement to crosswinds. Styling-wise, the E-Class is expected to borrow cues from its big brother the S-Class, but we’re not sure that would be such a good thing. Of course the most heart-racing features will form part of the next E63 AMG, which could get optional carbon ceramic brakes, like the ones AMG is developing for the SL65 Black Series. One way or another, we’ll find out eventually, with reports placing the model’s unveiling at the 2009 Frankfurt show ahead of its 2010 market debut.

[Source: World Car Fans]

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Filed under: Coupes, Sedans/Saloons, Volkswagen

Click the images to view the VW Passat CC in hi-res

Volkswagen has long since emerged from its standing as a no-frills straightforward automaker with a handful of products to offer a full range of vehicles, including hatchbacks, sedans of all sizes, wagons, vans, convertibles, sport coupes, SUVs, a four-door coupe and even an upcoming pickup truck. The German automaker is banking on that diversity to reach an ambitious sales goal of 6.6 million units per annum within ten years from now.

The svelte new Passat CC unveiled in Detroit will form a big part of the company’s push, targeted to sell some 300,000 units around the world over the next six years…pretty ambitious for a niche vehicle, to be sure. Although reports suggest that Volkswagen could be dropping the Passat name from this vehicle (at least in the U.S.) in favor of the “CC” moniker alone, the latest information from the automaker itself (it’s a European press release) continues to employ the well-established name, which is the third most popular nameplate in Volkswagen’s history behind the Golf and Beetle. (Not to mention that the term CC could be confused with the coupe-convertible lexicon used overseas, like Volkswagen’s own Eos.) Whatever it will be called, the new four-door coupe will launch in the Fall in markets across Europe, the Far East and North America, and to soften the ground for its landing, VW has laid on us a whole mess of information and new pictures. We’re particularly intrigued by the range-topping Passat CC V6 4Motion, packed with all-wheel-drive, DSG and adaptive chassis control. Phaeton who now?

[Source: Volkswagen and Edmunds Auto Observer]

Continue reading Pics & Details Aplenty: 2009 Volkswagen Passat CC

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Filed under: Tuners, Auction Action, Etc., Chevrolet, Chrysler

When offering an item for sale, a fuzzy key selling point like “may be legal in some states already” might not be the deal clincher you’d hoped. On today’s episode of “Fun With Centers of Gravity” we have the delightful union of the neuter-car PT Cruiser with the greasy unmentionables of a 29 year old Chevy Blazer. It may very well be legal in some states, but it’ll still be unholy everywhere it goes. Build quality appears on par with a dollar store habachi - are those pop rivets on the fender liners? The battery sitting on a folded back seat is the crowning feature of the interior and there’s also no heat or air conditioning, making this a fun year-round ride. The zip-ties and extra-fun spark plug wire routing in the engine bay dress up the 350, and the seller believes so much in this powertrain that there’s a warranty to sweeten the pot. Let’s ignore the fact that the nearly $10,000 Buy It Now price would buy a used Jeep Wrangler with a suspension lift, because the seller is being truthful when stating that this is a true one of a kind.

[Source: eBay via Winding Road]

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