CEC announces Lexus LFA customization program

Los Angeles-based tuner CEC has announced a new partnership with Lexus North America to create a tuning program for the Lexus LFA. Limited to just three vehicles, these unique supercars will feature a variety of enhancements created specifically for each customer. "We believe these three CEC Tuner Edition LFAs will be the most expensive and rarest of all the LFA supercars that Lexus will manufacturer and sell worldwide," said Sherif Yassa, Vice President of CEC.

Thanks to the technical innovations that went into building the LFA, the CEC upgrades will mostly be limited to aesthetics. "We looked at the LFA and what Lexus engineers had done, and knew it would be crazy to try and improve it from a performance or engineering standpoint," said Claus Ettensberger, founder of CEC. Even so, the tuner has managed to squeeze an extra 10 horsepower from the 4.8-liter V10 and trimmed shift times to .15 of a second.

While we don't have any photos of the trio of custom LFA supercars quite yet, CEC did have an LFA on display featuring their lightweight forged wheels. You can see high-res photos of the car in the gallery below.

 

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Launched In Australia

Chrysler Australia has launched its all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee into the Australian market, following an international launch late last year.

The new Grand Cherokee represents the first new model launch under new CEO, Sergio Marchionne, and the first of a number of new Chrysler Group models destined for Australia in the next two years.

Here, the new Grand Cherokee will kick off with the entry-level V6-powered Laredo, priced from $45,000, followed by V6 and V8 versions of the Limited and the range-topping $69,500 V8-powered Overland.

 

F1: Ferrari F150 Revealed, Vettel Hints At Red Bull Stay For 'Next Few Years'

Farrari on friday became the first team to reveal its 2011 car
At the famous famous team's Maranello headquarters ached of a track debut at nearby fiorano, the wraps came off the f150 a tribute to italian unification and featuring an italian flag on the reaward facing rear wing.

One front angle of the car reminded strongly of last year's championship winning red bull, but the rear of the car showed push-road suspension - unlike red bull's pull-rod- has been retained.

Noble Introduces Production-Ready M600 with up to 650-horses

It's been a long time coming, but Noble has finally released the production version of its new M600 sports car. The British-made model comes with a full carbonfiber body and a mid-mounted 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine from Yamaha that sends up to 650bhp at 6,800 rpm and 604 lb-ft of peak torque at 3,800 rpm to the rear wheels through a Graziano six-speed manual gearbox.

The M600 is equipped an Adaptable Performance Control (APC), which adjusts the power output and tailors the boost curve, traction and throttle response, allowing the driver to select from three different modes with 450, 550 and 650bhp.

It's curb weight of 1,200kg [2,645 pounds] is 50 kg less than the original prototype, and gives the M600 an amazing power-to-weight ratio of 520bhp per tonnes. The company states that the M600 can accelerate from 0 to 120mph [193 km/h] in a ridiculous 8.9 seconds en route to an estimated top speed of 225 mph [362 km/h].

One of the most eye-catching features in the M600's cabin is the fighter-jet inspired 'Missile Switch' which activates (or deactivates) the Traction Control system.

The M600 is poised to go on sale before summer with pricing to be announced closer to the launch date.

VW XL1 Hybrid Coupe Study: Videos and Photos from Qatar

The highlight of Volkswagen's presentation at this week's Qatar motor show is the new XL1, a futuristic looking diesel-electric plug-in hybrid study for an everyday-use coupe vehicle with a combined fuel economy of just 0.9 liters per 100 kilometers or an amazing 261 mpg US.

The extremely low fuel consumption is achieved through the use of a lightweight construction, carefully honed aerodynamics and of course, the hybrid powertrain that combines a 0.8-liter twin-cylinder diesel producing 48-horses with a 27HP electric motor. If you follow the jump, you can check out live photos as well as on the road videos of the XL1. For more details on the study, read our previous post here.

Nissan to Sell Rebadged Mazda5 MPV in Japan

Nissan and Mazda said Friday that they are expanding their original equipment manufacturing (OEM) projects to include the Mazda Premacy, otherwise known as the Mazda5 MPV in markets such as North America and Europe. Under the agreement, Mazda will supply a "clearly differentiated version" of the Premacy to Nissan for sale in Japan, starting from May this year, the two companies said in a joint statement.

No pictures or other details have been released at this point, but given the short timeframe, Japanese buyers shouldn't expect any significant changes over the Premacy.

The two Japanese automakers are currently collaborating through a mutual OEM agreement, which enables Mazda to provide the Bongo Van/Truck to Nissan (sold as the Nissan Vanette Van/Truck), while Nissan supplies the AD/AD Expert to Mazda (sold as the Mazda Familia Van).

Volvo to Cut Down its U.S. Lineup, V50 Among the First to go

With its U.S. sales steadily declining for 7 years now, Volvo has no choice but to radically rethink its strategy. The Swedish automaker is currently offering nine models in the States or about as many as Volkswagen does, but it sold almost five times fewer cars than the Germans in 2010.

Consequently, the Swedish brand, which is now owned by China's Geely, has decided to significantly reduce the number of models in its North American lineup and concentrate on best-selling vehicles in an effort to increase sales.

“Five or six is probably a good number”, said Doug Speck, head of Volvo’s operations in the U.S., in a telephone interview for Bloomberg. “We have to focus on the key segments with significant volume potential”.

Mr. Speck confirmed that the V50 estate is sure to go, although didn’t specify exactly when, saying that dealers will be notified first. The manufacturer hasn’t decided yet which other models will be phased out, but it will definitely keep the S60 sedan and the XC60 and XC90 crossovers, he added.

Volvo will also try to boost sales with more advertising and expects “double-digit” percentage growth in the U.S in 2011.

As for the near future, Mr. Speck said that Volvo will introduce hybrids and all-electric cars, but declined to say if it will bring diesels to America.

 

Fiat Abarth 500 Gulf Limited Edition: The Real Photos

This here is the actual, factual Fiat Abarth 500 Gulf Limited Edition special in the flesh, photographed at the Autopolis Fiat dealership in Luxembourg. We say this because yesterday, we reported on the limited run special and Fiat's photoshoped picture that made the internet rounds. While our friends from Auto55 and Autofans verified the story with the official press release, we were left wondering what the Italian mini with the classic racing-livery would look like in real life.

Today, our pondering came to an end as the Marketing and Communications director of Autopolis Luxembourg dropped the first real life shots of the car in our mailbox. We believe Fiat should have released these photos instead of the 'chop from the beginning, but we'll give them props for keeping a close eye on the web-o-sphere and swiftly reacting to our post.

AC Schnitzer Offers First Batch of Goodies for MINI Countryman

German tuner AC Schnitzer has launched its first tuning package for the MINI Countryman . The focus is clearly on the wheels, as clients can choose between four different designs in two different sizes (18- or 19-inch) to go with the two-tone white and black exterior paint job. In fact, AC Schnitzer has just broken a personal record: in a company first, it has fitted a MINI with 19-inch rims. As for the interior, the tuning house offers an aluminum pedal set and gear knob or various knobs clad in leather with incorporated, digital gear display unit.

Poll: Should GM give in and call the Volt a hybrid?

Apart from the humorous articles and the plethora of eBay finds we come up with, Carscoop’s bread and butter is automotive news straight from the manufacturer. And as such, we read a lot of press releases. In all the ones I’ve read, General Motors refuses to call the Chevrolet Volt a hybrid. It’s a range extended electric vehicle.

I speculate that it might have something to do with hybrids being uncool (so sayeth GM CEO Dan Akerson) or to avoid comparisons with that other hybrid. You know, the one made by the world’s other biggest car manufacturer.

So let’s hear the cases for and against:

Yes, GM should call the Volt a hybrid and here’s why:

A hybrid, by definition, is a vehicle that has two or more powerplants. In most cases, one is an electric motor and the other is a gasoline engine. There’s no requirement that these run in tandem, or be connected to one another in any way. More than one powerplant and you have a hybrid. And let’s face it: GM isn’t trying to lure buyers away from the Nissan Leaf or the Mitsubishi iMiev; their target is and always has been the Toyota Prius. And what’s the Prius, children? “A hybrid!” In a dumbed down worldview, nobody wanted to buy a Saturn Green Line so this was Option B. The Volt looks like a hybrid, is mechanically like a hybrid and was designed to compete with hybrids. For this, the Volt is one and the same.

No, GM should call the Volt a range extended electric vehicle and here’s why:

The Prius uses its electric motor at low speeds, when idling and when overtaking. The rest of the time it’s running on its gasoline engine alone. On the other hand, the Volt engages its gasoline engine only when its electric motor has run out of juice. Like a WWII submarine limping home on its diesel engines after its batteries have run dry. So if anything, the Volt is like a Nissan Leaf with the added security of a gasoline engine making sure you don’t end up on the hard shoulder, waiting for the AAA man to come along with a very long extension cord. For this, the Volt is a range extended electric vehicle.

So where do you stand? Do you buy GM’s marketing buzz or do you side with the cynics? Cast your vote and leave us a comment.

It Came from eBay Hell: ‘80s VW Golf Stretch Limo with Mercedes Nose

So you want your own limousine? Sure, I can dig that. Who hasn’t thought of trading in their daily commute for something that’s chauffer driven? And what better place to start your search than on eBay, where you’re sure to find something both unique and affordable, if not exactly well built or driveable.

Here’s one such find, based on a 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit (Golf for the rest of the world) with a Mercedes-Benz nose piece. The seller’s description reveals that this vehicle has new brakes, struts, a new exhaust, new wheels and tires, new windshield and gas tank. And it still has its original motor and transmission, with a twin barrel carburettor with aluminium intake and header which the seller assures us makes it, “Fast for what it is.”

Inside there are two bench seats facing each other, and an electrically operated tinted glass partition that can separate the passengers from the driver. Classy.

The interior is in need of a lot of attention, though. There’s no headliner, no carpet and the custom interior panels have yet to be fitted. The air conditioning’s not hooked up and there’s no sound system, either. The car’s also missing a, “Few other odds and ends.”

On the upside, it has a clear title and the car comes with a fixer upper GTI engine and a white rabbit plush toy that has been stretched and has a VW hat on its head. Sadly there are no pictures of the latter. The starting price is a low, low US$4,999.00 (€3,676). Price for a first generation Rabbit, but not bad for something with such...uh...”unique qualities.”

The strange this is, this car has been on sale before, almost two years ago. And it was in the exact same state it’s in now. We don’t know what this means, except maybe that the owner grew tired of working on it. Take that however you want, and leave your comments below.

EPA Rates the 2012 Fiat 500 at 38MPG on the Highway

 The U.S.-spec 2012 Fiat 500 equipped with the 5-speed manual gearbox has received EPA ratings of 38 mpg on the highway, 30 mpg in the city and a combined figure of 33 mpg. American buyers can also opt for a 6-speed automatic, which is rated at 34 mpg highway, 27 mpg in the city and 30 mpg combined.

The 500 is produced at the Fiat Group’s Toluca plant in Mexico and it will start arriving in larger volumes this spring. The automaker plans to open a total of 130 dealerships, of which 40-50 will be in business by the end of March, while the rest should be open by the end of the year, according to Fiat North America.

At the start of sales three models will be available. The entry-level Pop costs $15,995, while the Sport and Lounge are priced at $17,995 and $19,995 respectively, with all prices including destination charge. The Sport model is expected to become the biggest seller of the lineup.

All models come equipped with power locks and windows, air conditioning, 50/50 split fold-down rear seat, speed control, heated mirrors, 7 airbags, 15-inch steel wheels and 4-year, 50,000-mile warranty.

Compared to its European counterpart, the U.S.-spec Fiat 500 was modified in order to be more appealing to American customers. The automatic transmission is one of the major additions, but the North American car is also quieter and has a more comfortable ride, while the 101HP 1.4-liter FIRE engine received the MultiAir intake system as well. Fiat claims that MultiAir improves fuel efficiency and power output by 10% over the Euro-spec engine.

1955 Ford "Beatnik" Bubbletop Custom Concept going up for Auction

Making its way down to Florida for RM Auction's annual Amelia Island even on March 2, is this 1955 Ford "Beatnink" Bubbletop custom concept inspired by futuristic design studies from the 1950s. Despite its name, the Beatnik is a fairly new creation built by Gary “Chopit” Fioto. It is based on the body of a 1955 Ford model but rides on a modifies chassis of a 1988 Lincoln Town Car and is powered by a Chevrolet 350-cubic inch small-block V8 engine.

The brand mixing doesn't stop there as Fioto used a variety of components from Cadillac, Chrysler and Lincoln, including the canted quad headlights. The front bumper was adapted from a '59 Cadillac, while the rear bumper was fashioned from the front bumper of a '58 Cadillac. In addition, the finned taillights are sourced from a 1960 Chrysler. However, the front and rear fenders, the door skins and the entire rear section of the car were all hand formed.

The one-of-a-kind model, which took four years of hard work to create, also features a bespoke interior complete with an aircraft control yoke-inspired steering wheel and a rounded dash pod as a tribute to the late 1950s and early 1960s concept cars from Detroit.

New Chrysler 200 Convertible Prices Announced, Four-Cylinder Starts from $27,195, V6 from $31,990

We've already had our first in-depth look at the revised Sebring Convertible, which has been renamed to 200 Convertible, but now, Chrysler has releasing pricing a couple of months ahead of its market launch in the States. The new 200 Convertible is available in three trim levels (Touring, Limited and S), two engine choices including a 2.4-liter four-cylinder and a 3.6-liter V6, plus the option of a traditional soft top or a retractable metal hard top.

The range begins with the entry-level Touring model powered by a 173HP 2.4-liter four-banger matched to a six-speed automatic transmission, which is priced at $27,195 including a $750 destination fee. That brings the 200 Convertible in the same price range as Ford's 305HP Mustang Convertible V6, which starts at $27,495 (including destination and a $500 cash back).

Volkswagen Reconsidering Scirocco and Phaeton for the U.S. Market

Earlier this month, Volkswagen announced that it’s going to expand its North American SUV lineup in order to catch up to GM and Toyota and triple its U.S. sales by 2018. However, the automaker also wants to boost its image, so it may bring back the Scirocco coupe and Phaeton sedan to the States.

In an interview in Washington, Jonathan Browning, head of Volkswagen’s U.S. operations, told Bloomberg News that the company is exploring the idea of selling the two models in the U.S. “We will reconsider bringing the Phaeton back to the U.S. in the next product cycle,” said Mr. Browning who added that no final decision has been made yet.

While not a bad car, the Phaeton had a short-lived career in the U.S., which ended in 2006. It seems that American buyers just couldn’t get used to the idea of a Mercedes S-Class rival with a Volkswagen badge. On the other hand, the Scirocco was successful in the U.S. during the 1970s and 1980s, so to this day, many are wondering why VW chose not to import the latest generation of the coupe model. In Europe, the Scirocco is offered with a variety of powertrains ranging from a 52.3 mpg 140HP diesel to a 265HP 2.0-liter turbo in the sporty 'R' model.

The Scirocco and Phaeton are not expected to offer a lot in terms of sales, but rather to provide an image boost for the company. The real “earners” will have to be models such as the new Jetta and Passat.

“VW wants to capture U.S. buyers by rolling out more emotional cars and the Scirocco certainly fits that category,” said Frank Schwope, a NordLB analyst in Hanover. “In terms of volume sales, the Scirocco and Phaeton are only decorative accents, they won’t be crucial for VW’s goal to greatly increase deliveries”.

Russian Customizer Turns a Jaguar into a GAZ-21 Lookalike

Previously on Carscoop, we’ve seen Pontiac Fieros turned into “Fierarris”, Toyota Soarers adorned with Mercedes-Benzes off cuts and some others too hideous to even mention. For the most part, it’s a case of turning a boring, mainstream car into something that resembles a high-priced exotic if you’re squinting through grease paper with the sun in your eyes and have lost a lot of blood.

What you rarely see is something exotic transformed into something that some people would call mundane. That’d just be silly. Never to be one to shy away from a challenge, the Russians have done just that: taken a Jag and turned it into a GAZ.

Originally this car was a 1993 Jaguar XJ40 with an automatic transmission and a 3.2 L V6. Its exterior has been adorned with the grille, head- and taillights, unique side vents and boot emblem from a ‘70s Volga. It’s not quite in the same league as the BMW 6-series derived Volga V8 Roadster or the Porsche Cayenne-based “Lenin-mobile”, but it’s still an impressive transformation.

Volvo V60 Diesel-Electric Plug-in Hybrid Returns 125 MPG, will Debut at Geneva Show

The 2011 Geneva Motor Show will host the world premiere of the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid, a near production-ready model that is said to return a very impressive 125 mpg US (1.9 lt/100 km), with CO2 emissions under 50 g/km. In order to achieve this, engineers entered a new variable into the plug-in hybrid equation: a diesel engine.

The V60’s front wheels are driven by a 2.4-liter 5-cylinder turbo diesel powerplant capable of 215HP and 440 Nm (325 lb-ft) of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. At the back, there's a 70HP electric motor that powers the rear wheels and a 12kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

According to Volvo, the V60 Plug-in Hybrid “features the very best properties from three different car types in one sports wagon”, including an all-electric driving mode with a range of up to 32 miles (52 km).

“In order to get true car enthusiasts to think green, you have to offer them the opportunity to drive with low carbon dioxide emissions without taking away the adrenaline rush that promotes genuine driving pleasure. The V60 Plug-in Hybrid has all the traditional properties of a genuine sports wagon. What we've done is to spice it up with spearhead technology”, said Stefan Jacoby, President and CEO of Volvo Cars.

Jointly developed by Volvo and Swedish energy supplier Vattenfall, the V60 Plug-in Hybrid is scheduled to enter series production in 2012.

 

Euro NCAP's Best and Worst Performers of 2010

The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP), which is similar to the American IIHS testing regimen, has released a list with the safest car in each vehicle category and the two worst performers overall of 2010. The cars that attained the coveted five star rating and achieved the highest overall score in their respective segment are:

------ Executive category: BMW 5 Series
------ Small Family category: Alfa Romeo Giulietta
------ Supermini category: Honda CR-Z
------ Small off-road 4×4 category: Kia Sportage
------ Small MPV category: Toyota Verso

On the other side of the fence are two models that achieved the poorest results of 2010. These are the Citroen Nemo with three stars and China's Landwind CV9 that received only two stars.

The European body noted that the cars in the top list "accomplished a high combined score based on the scores in each of the individual four areas of Euro NCAP’s assessment, while notably exceeding the thresholds for a 5 star overall rating". Along with the five top achievers, Euro NCAP said that the Suzuki Swift, Kia Venga, BMW X1, VW Sharan/Seat Alhambra, Citroen C4 all exceeded the 80% mark in overall score putting them on the runner-up list for the safest cars of 2010.

Commenting on the results, Dr Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP Secretary General said: “Every year, car manufacturers constantly work to innovate and make their cars better and safer for the driver, whatever the size of the vehicle. The presence in these categories of high performing 5 star cars demonstrates car manufacturers’ commitment to safety for all sizes of vehicles.”

In early 2009, Euro NCAP implemented tougher crash testing procedures that make it more difficult for vehicles to receive a five-star rating. Last year, the European body crash tested a total of twenty-nine vehicles from numerous categories, of which 65 per cent reached the five star rating, compared to 90% in 2009...

Proposed Bill to Increase Number of Plug-in Hybrid and EVs Eligible for Federal Tax Rebate

Michigan congressmen Sander Levin and Carl Levin proposed a new piece of legislation on Wednesday, which would potentially increase the number of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles eligible for the $7,500 tax credit from 200,000 to 500,000 per manufacturer.

“Green vehicles represent the vanguard of automotive innovation, but they have to be economical for consumers and profitable for manufacturers”, Sander Levin said in a statement. “Raising the cap on this credit will help carmakers reach the demand and production scale necessary for long-term viability," he added.

The bill was presented just one day after President Barack Obama reiterated the government's commitment to put 1 million eco-friendly vehicles on the road by 2015.

Introduced via the Recovery Act of February 2009, the current tax incentive applies to five vehicles – Chevrolet Volt, Tesla Roadster, Nissan Leaf, Coda sedan and Wheego LiFe –, with a per-manufacturer cap of 200,000 units.

The increased number of eligible cars should help keep EV and hybrid sales on track, as many of them are simply too expensive without the applied federal tax rebate. For example, the Chevrolet Volt sells for $41,000 (delivery included) before the tax break.

Additionally, the White House wants to take one step further and convert the $7,500 tax cut, which applies after the vehicle was bought, into a rebate that customers could use at the time of purchase.

President Obama also promised increased federal grants by as much as 30% for companies researching and developing batteries and electric drivetrains.

“With more research and incentives, we can break our dependence on oil with biofuels, and become the first country to have a million electric vehicles on the road by 2015”, Obama said in his State of the Union Address.

Last but not least, the U.S. administration is offering separate $10 million grants for as many as 30 cities across the country, which will be invested into public charging stations, electrified parking space access and fleet conversions.

2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Sedan and Estate: First Official Photos

This is the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, the performance version of the facelifted C-Class, which will make its official show debut at the 2011 Geneva Salon in early March. Available in both sedan and estate body styles, the C63 AMG receives a styling makeover as well as a series mechanical and chassis tweaks.

On the outside, the C63 AMG sports the same design changes as the rest of the range including the new L-shaped headlamps, adding to the mix a new aluminum hood, restyled bumpers with LED day time lights up front, a revised grille and specific alloy wheel designs. We don't have any photos of the interior yet, but the cabin will feature the standard model's revised dashboard spruced up with AMG-specific trim.

For the 2012 model year, the C63 AMG keeps the pre-facelift's naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 engine with 457HP and 600Nm or 442 lb-ft of peak torque, but gets the firm's new AMG speed-shift MCT 7-speed sports transmission, which helps improve fuel consumption by around ten percent to 12lt/100km [19.6 mpg US] for the sedan and 12.3 lt/100km for the Estate. The four door model completes the 0-100km/h [62mph] sprint in 4.5 seconds, while its Estate sibling in 4.6 seconds.

An available performance package pushes output to 487HP, allowing the sedan to reach 100km/h [62mph] in 4.4 seconds and the estate in 4.5 seconds.

AMG engineers have also tweaked the suspension settings promising improved handling characteristics.

The revised C63 AMG is expected to go on sale this summer.

Mysterious Air Force Project Car Surfaces on eBay

One of the most memorable movies quotes of all time is from the 1994 comedy-drama Forrest Gump, in which Tom Hanks’ character said: “Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get”. Fast-forward to today, and eBay seems to be the proverbial box of chocolates with some truly sweet surprises, like this VW Beetle-based 1973 Air Force project car, named Talon.

According to plaques bolted to the dashboard and driver door, the fiberglass Talon was built by cadets at the United States Air Force Academy over a 5-month period, between January and June 1973. Other than that, there’s no information about the purpose of this car and the seller got nowhere after an investigation of his own. He claims to have called an aviation museum, researched the names of the cadets on Facebook and posted pictures on multiple Volkswagen websites, but to no avail.

The Talon was once motivated by a variant of the Beetle’s flat-four gasoline engine (the owner doesn’t know which one exactly), mated to a manual gearbox. Currently, the powerplant doesn’t run and, judging by the pictures, the chassis is also in a pretty poor condition. Luckily, the fiberglass body aged well and the potential buyer will surely find enough Beetle parts to be able to restore this oddball creation.

The current bid at eBay stands at just US $1,300, making the Talon an offer worth considering. We know it’s a long-shot, but if anyone can offer us some information on this seemingly one-off project car, we would be much obliged.

Hyundai Sells 3.6 Million Vehicles in 2010, up 16.3% from 2009, Net Profits Soar 78%

Hyundai continues its juggernaut-like growth breaking one record after the other. In 2010, the South Korean carmaker not only replaced Toyota as Europe’s best-selling Asian brand and passed the 500,000 sales mark in the US for the first time since entering the market in 1986, but the company also posted record sales and impressive profits.

Not including affiliate Kia Motor's results, Hyundai alone recorded global sales of 3,612,487 units (domestic plants: 1,730,682, overseas plants: 1,881,805) in 2010, which represents a 16.3 percent increase from a year earlier.

Sales revenue rose 15.4 percent to 36.8 trillion won (US$ 33 billion) from a year earlier thanks to the introduction of new cars and an improved product mix, while operating profit also soared 44.4% to 3.2 trillion won (US$2.8 billion). Net profit increased 77.8 percent to 5.3 trillion won (US$4.8 billion).

South Korea's largest automaker has set even higher goals for 2011, stating that it plans to "reinforce its internal competitiveness" and achieve a global sales target of 3.9 million units.

How do you Say Camaro in German? Schmidt Revolution's 625HP Supercharged Chevy

It's not very often that we come across European tuners doing their thing on good ol' American muscle - and for a very good reason as there are more chances of seeing a snow storm in Florida...in the summer than a Chevrolet Camaro in Europe. That said, Schmidt Revolution's tuning proposal certainly piqued our curiosity.

The German tuning house's tuning program concerns the Camaro SS with the 6.2-liter V8 engine. The addition of a compressor kit from Speed Box (€8,999 or US$12,300) along with a BORLA stainless steel exhaust system (€999 or US$1,370 without the tail pipes) pushes output to 625-horses.

Schmidt Revolution tune continues with H&R coilovers (€1,272 or US$1,740) and stabilizer (€530 or US$725), while the Camaro rides on 22-inch alloy wheels in tires sized 265/30 R22 up front and 295/25 R22 at the back (€3,399 or US$4,650). The program can be complemented by a matte black body finish priced at €3,500 or US$4,800.

EV Owners in California to Feel the Shock of Higher Electricity Rates

Woe betide the electric car. Outpaced by their petrol-powered cousins in the 1900s, saddled with heavy and potentially dangerous batteries in the 1970s and crushed in the name of the Almighty Dollar in the 1990s, it’s been a rough road from there to here.

And now, on the dawn of a new age where electric cars seem poised to take their rightful place alongside gasoline cars, the electricity companies are about to throw a wrench into the works. If you live in California and intend to buy a plug-in hybrid Toyota Prius or Chevrolet Volt or an all-electric Nissan Leaf, you could be in for a...shock.

If the energy giants have their way, the Chevy Cobalt, which would have to rate on my list as one of the least desirable cars built by GM, is more economical to own or operate than any of the above. The reason?

Essentially, The California government has approved its energy providers to impose higher rates on customers who exceed, “typical household levels” of energy use all in the name of conservation. So if, for example, you spend eight hours a night recharging your electric car, you’ll find yourself classed as one of these excess customers.

Wham, bam, the electricity companies charge you more than Mr. Joe Public next door who drives a Toyota Sienna and still has to pay for the good oil. And contrary to what you may of heard, it doesn’t matter if you recharge your car at night when the rates are lower; you’re still gonna take a hit to your hip pocket.

And it’s not like the California legislature is rushing to correct this oversight.

Wally Tyner, the James and Lois Ackerman Professor of Agricultural Economics, said that to make the Volt more economical than the Prius or the Cobalt, oil prices would have rise to between $171 and $254 per barrel, depending on which electricity pricing system is being used. Californians for example, pay an average of 14.42 cents per kilowatt hour, which is about 35 percent higher than the national average.

"People who view the Volt as green will pay $10,000 more over the lifetime of the car because it's green," Tyner said. "Most consumers will look at the numbers and won't pay that.

So until you’ve taken a pen and paper and worked out the real cost of owning an EV in California, maybe keep that Geo Metro for a while longer.

Audi A7 Sports car

The Audi A7 is Audi's new model. This sedan shares its platform with Audi's A8, but has a much more agressive and sports car-like design.

Audi's A7 design is inspired by the Audi Sportback concept, that we saw few years ago at Detroit Motorshow. The main innovations in Audi A7 will be based on this prototype, like their angular lines, LED technology lights, 20-inch wheels, and a lightweight chassis.

This large sedan is a pretty good alternative to a Mercedes CLS, which is a strong rival for Audi's A7. Future versions, like Audi S7 and Audi RS7, will compete with Porsche Panamera or Lamborghini Estoque.

About Audi A7 engines, we may find the same engines in Audi A8, with V6 and V8 gasoline engines and powerfull diesel engines.

Audi A7 white car
Audi A7 sports car
Audi A7
Audi A7 presenting for sale
Audi A7 interior
Audi A7 sports back
back view of Audi A7
Audi A7 car

Audi A7 Model

Acura Legend

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