Honda News - Honda Civic Type R may come to America in 2010
February 28, 2007 by tsikot · Leave a Comment
, Sports/GTs, Japan, Honda
During a recent press drive of the Euro-market Civic Type R, Winding Road’s European editor Matt Davis appears to have gotten unofficial confirmation that Honda will be offering a Type R variant of the U.S. model Civic in 2010. Speaking with an unnamed assistant chief engineer, Davis learned that the car we’ll get is likely based on the Japanese Domestic Market Civic Type R, which is a four-door sedan rather than the Euro market’s three-door hatchback. Since Honda already sells the four-door Civic in the States and not the Euro hatchback, this only makes sense. Davis’ source also revealed the car would receive a horsepower boost and limited-slip differential. We imagine any car wearing the Type R badge would also lose some weight, as well.
While we do appreciate Honda offering the Civic Si here in the U.S., especially the four-door version, it’s high-revving 2.0L enginer producing 197 hp is easily outmatched by many of its competitors that have crested the 200 hp mark and then some. The closest thing Honda has right now to what we’ll eventually get in the U.S. is this prototype four-door Type R Civic (shown above) based on the JDM model. It was used as the official pace car for the 2006 F1 Japan Grand Prix and is the prototype for the four-door Civic Type R that will be on sale in Japan this year.
[Source: Winding Road]
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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time
Source: www.autoblog.com
[tags]honda cars, honda news, honda models, honda[/tags]
Ford News - Bring back the SHO, baby!
February 28, 2007 by tsikot · Leave a Comment
click above image for renderings of the 2009 Ford Taurus SHO Concept
Those that know me are well aware of my infatuation with the Ford Taurus SHO. Those not among the automotive literati scoff that I would waste my affections on a Taurus, but those in the know realize that in 1989 Ford introduced a pivotal sports sedan with a gem of a motor called the Taurus SHO, a.k.a. Super High Output. With the reemergence of the Taurus name in 2008, we’ve already had fun speculating what a SHO version of the new Taurus might look like. Some folks who are as serious about the SHO as I am have gone one step further, however, and created a website, the sole purpose of which is to convince Ford to once again produce a Taurus SHO.
Bringbackthesho.com (BBTS) went live on February 11th immediately following the announcement at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show that the Five-Hundred would henceforth be known as the Taurus. The BBTS site features concept renderings of what a 2009 Taurus SHO might look like (see gallery below courtesy of BBTS), all convincing and attractive IMHO. It also features a section discussing possible engine candidates that include the 4.4L V8 from Yamaha that’s a distant cousin of the last SHO motor and currently used in the Volvo XC90, as well as the concept TwinForce motor introduced in the Lincoln MKR concept. You can brush up on your SHO history and even watch an original commercial for the Gen. 1 Taurus SHO!
[Source: Bringbacktheshow.com]
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Continue reading Bring back the SHO, baby!
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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time
Source: www.autoblog.com
[tags]ford cars, ford news, ford models, ford[/tags]
Saab News - Geneva Preview: Saab 9-5 BioPower Rinspeed
February 28, 2007 by tsikot · Leave a Comment
, Wagons/Estates, Geneva Motor Show, Euro, Green, Saab
Click photo for 37 more hi-res images
Well, this one’s a surprise. We thought that the radical eXasis concept would be all Rinspeed had on hand at the Geneva Motor Show, but instead, the Swiss tuner has teamed with Saab to create a matching 9-5 BioPower station wagon, as well. Lowered and painted a striking yellow, the car features fiberglass elements similar to those seen on the eXasis. Rhombus patterns adorn yello fiberglass inserts in place on the grille, headlight surrounds, rear licence plate area, and dashboard. The shape pops up again on the car’s seats,which are padded with a “technogel.” Upsized black five-spoke wheels with metallic outlines fill out the wheel wells quite nicely.
At the time of this writing, no English-language press release was yet available. Trollhattan Saab has posted a basic translation of the German one at Saab’s Swedish media site. If a picture says a thousand words, however, we have a gallery equivalent to 38,000 of them linked below. We’ll update this post with the English press materials as soon as they’re made available, and of course, our Geneva team will being you live coverage from the show itself when it opens next week
[Source: Saab via Trollhattan Saab]
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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time
Source: www.autoblog.com
[tags]saas cars, saab news, saab models[/tags]
Dodge News - Dodge releases another video of the Demon, this time with sound!
February 28, 2007 by tsikot · Leave a Comment
, Geneva Motor Show, Videos, Dodge
A couple of weeks back Dodge released some videos of the Demon roadster concept that will be unveiled next week in Geneva. Those videos had no audio, and were just for background reports. Now they’ve put out another promo clip, this time with some narration and music.
[Source: DaimlerChrysler]
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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time
Source: www.autoblog.com
[tags]dodge cars, dodge news, dodge models[/tags]
Nissan News - VIDEO: Nissan ad turns Qashqai into skateboard
February 28, 2007 by tsikot · Leave a Comment
Nissan’s really thinking outside the box with advertising for its new Qashqai crossover. Turning it into a giant skateboard for an unseen giant operator, they portray a Nissan as athletic equipment. With an oddly soothing soundtrack making the sights seem so natural, the Qashqai does things that no vehicle is capable of. But that’s not the point really. The ad is showing us how the CUV will tackle anything the urban jungle can throw at it and provide some youthful thrills in the process. Just like a few years ago when potential buyers were doing ollies and following the X Games more closely than the stock market. Just because you’re getting older doesn’t mean you have to grow up. Very clever and very slick. Follow the jump to see the whole ad via YouTube.
[Source: YouTube]
Continue reading VIDEO: Nissan ad turns Qashqai into skateboard
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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time
Source: www.autoblog.com
[tags]nissan cars, nissan autos, nissan news, nissan models, nissan[/tags]
