Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Crossover, Renault

Renault is planning a line of crossovers based on Nissan platforms and styled after the Captur concept that debuted at this year’s Geneva Motor Show.

According to Auto Express, the new family of soft-roaders will start with Nissan Juke-based Captur, slated to be the smallest in the lineup, and offer a mid-size model based on the upcoming Qashqai, while the top-spec model will ride on Nissan X-Trail underpinnings.

Engine sizes will range from 1.6 to 1.8 liters, and there will likely be two versions of Renault’s twin-turbo diesel on offer, generating 128 or 158 horsepower. Renault promises to use heavy styling cues from the Captur concept, including its huge Renault badge, curvaceous bodywork and full-width grille.

According to AE, the entire range should have debuted by 2016, with the first models arriving sometime in 2014.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Noah Joseph / AOL

[Source: AutoExpress]

Report: Renault Captur concept to spearhead family of CUVs originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Sedan, Chrysler, Dodge

The 2010 Mopar Challenger arrived last summer to a hero’s welcome. Chrysler only offered 500 copies of the special edition Mopar model, which carried a base sticker price of $38,000. With the all-new 2011 Charger now trolling Dodge dealer parking lots all around the country, you can probably guess which vehicle is next to feature a Mopar makeover.

Fortunately, Chrysler doesn’t plan to disappoint, as the automaker has released the first sketch of its forthcoming special edition model. The rendering reveals a black and blue color scheme similar to that of the Challenger, though the side stripes have been replaced with a stripe that stretches across the hood, roof and trunk. As an added bonus, the Mopar team appears to have gotten rid of the bulbous and unnecessary hood scoop for the 2011 Charger; a move we support 1,000 percent.

Some 2010 Mopar Challenger owners may have been disappointed that Chrysler’s mod team opted for the 5.7 liter V8 as the engine of choice instead of the more powerful 6.1 liter V8. Team Pentastar hasn’t yet announced which engine the Mopar Charger will receive, though the automaker did promise that engineers have “added even more performance.” We’re hoping that “more performance” translates into the new 470-horsepower, 6.4 liter V8, but we’ll have to wait until later this month when Chrysler officially reveals the hot new sedan at an as-yet undisclosed event (New York Auto Show?). Hit the jump to read over Chrysler’s brief press release.

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading Dodge offers sneak peek at 2011 Mopar Charger

Dodge offers sneak peek at 2011 Mopar Charger originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Ford

Click on Detroit reports that Ford Global Marketing Director and Blue Oval heiress Elena Ford has been arrested on charges of drunken driving and child endangerment. The incident allegedly occurred on Sunday night on Woodward Avenue in Ferndale, Michigan. The police report say Ford left the road in her 2011 Ford Explorer, jumping the curb and heading on to the median, before eventually getting back onto the road. Police then pulled Ford over and administered a sobriety test, which she apparently failed. Ford was also charged with child endangerment due to the fact that her 11-year-old son was in the car with her when the incident occurred.

Ford Motor Company declined to comment on the matter, as it is a private matter. The automaker says Ford will make a statement at a later date. Hat tip to Hamzah!

[Source: Click on Detroit]

Report: Elena Ford arrested for drunk driving, child endangerment originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Japan, Plants/Manufacturing

The March 11 earthquake and tsunami has wreaked havoc on Japanese automakers’ ability to build new vehicles, while also shuttering many suppliers that automakers around the world count on for production. Integrity Imports reports the devastating natural disaster has thrown a massive wrench in auto sales as well.

Japan’s March auto sales are reportedly the worst they’ve been since 1968. Overall vehicle sales were down 44.2 percent from the same month in 2010, while sales of all light cars were down a similarly colossal 32.5 percent on the month.

With many Japanese automakers still shut down nearly a month after the quake, we’re guessing the sales slump in Japan will continue at least through April, and possibly throughout the summer.

[Source: Integrity Imports | Image: Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty Images]

Japan’s new cars sales reportedly plummet to lowest since 1968 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Saab, Earnings/Financials

Last week, Saab ran into production problems when some suppliers stopped shipment of parts due to lack of payment. The news led to speculation that the Swedish automaker was running out of cash. And it didn’t help that outgoing Saab CEO Jan-Åke Jonsson seemed to retire unexpectedly as the automaker struggled to gain its footing as an independent automaker.

Just-Auto reports that Spyker CEO Victor Muller was at a new model presentation in Stockholm when he told Dow Jones Newswires that the cause of the problem was a “small glitch,” adding that the reports of the automaker’s demise is “disproportionate.” Muller went on to add that he now regrets discussing volume projections in the wake of the automaker’s sale early in 2010. We’re guessing that’s the case mainly because Saab doesn’t appear to be close to hitting its 2011 sales target of 80,000 units. After a couple of brief hiccups, Saab was able to get its factories firing again last week after the supply base was paid and deliveries were restarted.

[Source: Just-Auto | Image: Bjorn Larsson Rosvall/AFP/Getty]

Report: Saab seeks to reassure about finances originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Etc., Europe, Celebrities

The British tabloid press has exploded with rumors and reports that Jeremy Clarkson has been getting his David Letterman on with a production assistant for the Top Gear World Tour. According to reports, Clarkson has been cheating on his wife of 18 years with a 42-year-old blonde named Phillipa Sage.

Witnesses claim they saw Clarkson and Sage kissing publicly and sharing hotel rooms in Australia and Norway.

Clarkson said he’s shocked to find himself “the next Tiger Woods,” while his alleged mistress has taken to the press to call the reports “nonsense.” Sage went on to say it’s not unusual for Top Gear colleagues to share hotel rooms.

Of course, nobody expected either of the two to readily and openly admit to any sordid negligence of marriage’s sacred bond, particularly not when Top Gear is in hot water for its recent remarks about Mexico and up to its axles in a lawsuit with Tesla.

In the end, we don’t much care what Clarkson does when he’s away from home, in the privacy of an Australian hotel room. As for Clarkson’s assertion that he’s the next Tiger Woods, we’d wait on that claim until he has an early-morning run-in with an oak tree.

[Source: MetroUK, The First Post]

Report: Jeremy Clarkson accused of affair with Top Gear coworker originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Truck, Work, Dodge, Ford, GMC

Work trucks are the heart and soul of the U.S. It’s nice to have a big, powerful V8 engine under the hood, but the current crop of V6 mills provide both power and solid fuel economy numbers. PickTrucks.com wrangled up three 2011 V6 work trucks and decided to see which one is the new king of the hill.

Mike Levine and his team lined up the 3.7-liter Ford F-150, 4.3-liter GMC Sierra 1500 and 3.7-liter Ram 1500. All three pack V6s and automatic transmissions, with a regular cab, short-bed and rear-wheel drive setup. A 2011 Toyota Tundra was slated to be part of the test but was badly damaged during its cross-country transport.

Each truck ran through a gamut of testing to see how it would fair as a full-on light-duty work machine. We won’t spoil the winner, but let’s just say few others really determine just how good a truck is like Mike Levine and his crew. Check out the full story at PickupTrucks.com.

[Source: PickupTrucks.com | Image: PickupTrucks.com]

PickupTrucks.com features V6 work trucks in latest shootout originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Subaru, Celebrities

It’s official. Travis Pastrana has left his partnership with Subaru. The rally fiend joined up with the Pleiades in 2004 in supercross and freestyle motorcross before officially becoming part of Subaru Rally Team USA in 2006. Since then, Pastrana has raked in over 150 stage wins while nabbing a spot on the podium 40 times from behind the wheel of a WRX STI. His resume is also decorated with the fact he managed to walk away with four consecutive Rally America National Championship titles.

As of right now, there’s no indication as to exactly what Pastrana has planned for the future, though Subaru was cordial in wishing the company’s former hot shoe the best in whatever comes next. Hit the jump for the full press release.

*UPDATE: In a radio interview with Speed Freaks this week, Pastrana let slip that he was in talks with Michael Waltrip Racing to possibly drive for the team in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

[Source: Subaru, Speed Freaks]

Continue reading Subaru, Travis Pastrana part ways [*UPDATE]

Subaru, Travis Pastrana part ways [*UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Coupe, Etc., Videos, MISC

The Puente Hills Mall sits on an unassuming piece of blacktop in City of Industry, California. If you drove by it, you wouldn’t give it a second glance… unless you are a keen-eyed fan of Back to the Future. Called the Twin Pines Mall, and later the Lone Pine Mall, it served as the location where Doc met Marty to have him film his newest invention. It’s now the 25th anniversary of that film, and fans are gathering for a week-long celebration of their favorite movie.

Someone brought their BTTF DeLorean replica to one of the events being held at the Puente Hills Mall and, with video cameras rolling, recreated the scene where Doc gets shot by the Libyans. Showing up in their VW Bus, they gun down Doc and chase after Marty as he speeds away into the past. Check it out in the video after the jump.

[Source: Vimeo via Jalopnik]

Continue reading Video: Back to the Future DeLorean replica participates in Libyan scene recreation

Video: Back to the Future DeLorean replica participates in Libyan scene recreation originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Performance, SUV, Crossover, Lamborghini, Rumormill, Off-Road

Few rumors have been as pervasive over the years as the rebirth of the Lamborghini LM002. Originally designed for military applications, the Countach-powered LM002 blended Sant’Agata’s background in tractors with the exotic supercars for which they’re now known. Ever since, reports of a follow-up have ebbed and flowed, resurfacing once again on an Audi/Porsche platform.

Like the upcoming Porsche Cajun, the project codenamed LM00X is reportedly based on the Audi Q5 platform. The LM00X could retain the Cajun’s three-door body-style, infused with Lamborghini styling and the lightweight construction themes spearheaded by the Sesto Elemento concept. Word has it that the new twin-turbo V8 being developed for the Audi S7 and Bentley Continental would find its way into the Lambo crossover’s engine bay, though we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Raging Bull’s own V10 on offer, tipped to arrive as soon as 2012.

[Source: Auto Express]

Rumormill: Lamborghini developing Q5-based LM00X crossover originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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