Auto & Car Blog

Filed under: Motorsports, Euro

It’s been almost four years since the Champ Car series has raced in Europe, but organizers are planning on bringing it back. 2003 was the last season the declining American open-wheel series raced in Europe, when French ace Sebastien Bourdais - now three-time Champ champ - won both the races at Brands Hatch in England and the Lausitzring EuroSpeedway in Germany.

The latest reports suggest that the 2007 season will include two new races in Europe, though not at the same venues as previous seasons. On September 2, Champ Cars will be racing around Holland’s Assen circuit, a former road track that has since been developed into a full facility. A week later, the second European race will be competing with the Italian Grand Prix at Monza when Champ Cars race at Zolder, once the site of the Belgian Grand Prix.

The two new European venues bring the Champ Car calendar up to a very full 17 races around the world, joined by events in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia and China. By comparison, the competing IndyCar series also has seventeen races scheduled for 2007, though the Motegi race in Japan stands alone as the IRL’s only race abroad. If you were a driver aiming to climb up the ladder to Formula One, which would you choose?

[Source: GrandPrix.com]

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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

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Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Podcasts

We took a week off from podcasting to bring you our excellent coverage of the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, but now we’re back with episode #54. Of course, the topic at hand is the Detroit Auto Show, and as a special guest we have Sam Abuelsamid on the show. Sam normally contributes to AutoblogGreen, but you’ll start seeing posts from him on Autoblog more often. He was also part of our Detroit coverage team and walked the floor of Cobo for us like a man possessed. Along with the usual suspects of Damon and Alex, our four-man panel reveal our Best of Shows for the 2007 Detroit Auto Show this episode, which includes Best Production Vehicle, Best Concept and Sleeper Hit of the Show. Likewise, we also reveal our Worst of Shows in those categories, as well. We’re not going to spoil the surprise here, so subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, download episode #54 and follow along as we praise and pan the vehicles of the 2007 NAIAS.

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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

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Filed under: Concept Cars, New York Auto Show, Sedans/Saloons, Hyundai

Click above image to view two-high res renderings of the Hyundai Concept Genesis

We’ve collected quite an archive of posts showing you spy shots of a large V8-powered, rear-wheel drive prototype sedan from Hyundai called the Equus, for lack of an official name. Things are getting more official ahead of the New York Auto Show in early April where this car, the Concept Genesis, is slated to debut. We’ve just received these concept renderings of the Concept Genesis that preview what we believe will become the production large, rear-wheel drive sedan from Hyundai everyone is expecting.

The Concept Genesis is clearly a large car, bigger than Hyundai’s current range-topping sedan, the front-wheel drive Azera. Overall the design is fairly simple, elegant even, with a Camry-like grille flanked by a pair of headlights the quickly retreat up the car’s hood. The rear continues the classy theme with what looks like a single strip of chrome that bisects and connects the two taillights. The New York state license plate is a nice touch, too.

We know nothing more about the Concept Genesis except what we can glean from these renderings, but will be sure to bring you the full scoop from the show floor of the New York Auto Show in a few weeks.

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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

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Filed under: Concept Cars, New York Auto Show, Sedans/Saloons, Hyundai

Click above image to view two-high res renderings of the Hyundai Concept Genesis

We’ve collected quite an archive of posts showing you spy shots of a large V8-powered, rear-wheel drive prototype sedan from Hyundai called the Equus, for lack of an official name. Things are getting more official ahead of the New York Auto Show in early April where this car, the Concept Genesis, is slated to debut. We’ve just received these concept renderings of the Concept Genesis that preview what we believe will become the production large, rear-wheel drive sedan from Hyundai everyone is expecting.

The Concept Genesis is clearly a large car, bigger than Hyundai’s current range-topping sedan, the front-wheel drive Azera. Overall the design is fairly simple, elegant even, with a Camry-like grille flanked by a pair of headlights the quickly retreat up the car’s hood. The rear continues the classy theme with what looks like a single strip of chrome that bisects and connects the two taillights. The New York state license plate is a nice touch, too.

We know nothing more about the Concept Genesis except what we can glean from these renderings, but will be sure to bring you the full scoop from the show floor of the New York Auto Show in a few weeks.
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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

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Filed under: Concept Cars, China, Buick, Chevrolet

Current Chinese-market Buick LaCrosse shown

When the curtain is raised on the 2007 Shanghai Auto Show (a.k.a. Auto Shanghai), GM will present the global debuts of two new concept vehicles. The first is described as an evolution of the Volt’s E-Flex architecture, and it’ll be joined on the stand by the Volt itself. The second concept comes from Buick, which has a strong presence in China already. According to GM, the Buick concept car will showcase the brand’s forthcoming global design language. It’s a product of GM’s Shanghai-based Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC), which, as we’ve previously reported, is responsible for the current Chinese LaCrosse and has been tapped to design the interior (and have input on the exterior) of the next-gen LaCrosse for North America. We’re very interested in seeing what the future look of Buick is going to be, and will be paying close attention to the proceedings in Shanghai later this month. For now, we’ll have to find a way to sate ourselves with the LaCrosse facelift and the mild visual update that went with the Lucerne Super, both of which are underwhelming, and both of which will be at New York this week.

[Source: GM China]

Continue reading GM bringing two new concepts to 2007 Auto Shanghai

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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

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