Auto & Car Blog

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Detroit Auto Show, Nissan

That was short lived. Just a few days after announcing that it would be pulling out of both the Detroit Auto Show and the Chicago Auto Show, Nissan has changed its mind. Sort of. The Japanese automaker will indeed have a presence in the Windy City thanks to the support of its local dealerships, which will be manning the show in lieu of an official factory effort. This being the case, don’t expect a particularly showy display, but at least attendees will get the chance to see the new 370Z, Cube and Infiniti G37 Convertible that were all unveiled across the country at the LA Auto Show. According to Nissan, there’s next to no chance that the situation for Detroit will change.

To recap, Porsche, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Ferrari, Land Rover and Rolls-Royce have all pulled out of the International Auto Show in Detroit. All’s not lost, though, as room is now available for a couple of Chinese upstarts to show their wares at the big boy table upstairs.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Nissan back on for Chicago Auto Show, still avoiding Detroit originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Nov 2008 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Spy Photos, Convertibles, MINI

Now that the very last of the first-gen convertible MINI Coopers has officially rolled down the assembly line, all eyes turn their attention towards the new R57 model. There are some undisguised spy shots floating around, though all but the most die-hard fans would be hard-pressed to spot the differences. The top works the same, featuring the same partly opened ’sunroof’ style and the fully opened wind-in-you-hair mode of the last model. Also, the top does not stow away like many modern convertibles, instead sitting atop the rear deck like many of the classics MINIs. Also conspicuously absent is the large external roll-bar of the old model, replaced with a single pop-up unit for ‘09. It’s under the skin where the changes are most apparent, most notably the new 1.6-liter BMW/PSA/Peugeot-Citroen mill. Expect standard Cooper and up-level Cooper S models to make it to the U.S. with the Cooper One and Cooper D added for Europe.

Rumor has it that MINI is set to debut the new ‘09 ‘vert at the Detroit Auto Show in January. We expect production to be fully ramped up so that customer deliveries will begin in earnest before summer. And if you don’t have your order in yet, expect a very long wait.

[Source: Auto Express]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Supercars

The desire to take on Ferrari has birthed at least one iconic car (GT40) and launched an entire brand (Lamborghini), and for David Frem, a 25-year-old Lebanese design student, the ambition to chase after Italy’s prancing horse has created this: the Frem F1.

After three years of design and fabrication, Frem has created the F1 prototype as a steppingstone to the production version, aptly titled the F2, which is slated to appear at the Detroit Auto Show this January.

The F1 is currently powered by a Volkswagen-sourced 2.0-liter four-pot and mated to an Audi gearbox (DSG?), good for a claimed top speed of 124 mph — assuming it doesn’t undress itself in the process. But if the world’s first Lebanese supercar has any chance of catching up to Italy’s finest, it had better be packing twice as many cylinders and a bit more refinement.

Needless to say, the styling and build quality leaves a lot to be desired. The front end might bare a striking resemblance to Frem’s targeted marque, but the massive upright schnoz and gaping air intakes won’t lend themselves well to European pedestrian impact standards. And if you think the exterior is bad, the foam and wood interior, complete with offset steering wheel held in place by a bent metal bracket, is even worse.

If Frem hopes to have a show-worthy car ready by January, he’s going to need a lot more than just a massive wing and a prayer.

[Source: NextAutos]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Audi

Good news and bad news go hand-in-hand, but in this case, it’s not entirely unexpected.

According to Audi RS6 project manager Jens Koch, the twin-turbocharged V10 sedan won’t be coming to the U.S. in its current iteration. Originally, Audi thought that the four-door body style would be more appealing to Stateside consumers rather than the Avant, but apparently there’s too much energy and expense involved in making the V10 powerplant pass the more stringent sniffer standards here in the U.S.

On the upside, the third-generation RS6 is being developed for the global market, so the next iteration should arrive on our shores in 2012. Koch hinted that the RS6’s weight problem and 5.0-liter V10 wouldn’t carryover to the 2012 model, and that the next RS6 will be more “revolutionary” and “far more RennSport than anything previously developed.”

Meanwhile, Audi will take the wraps off the RS5 this January in Detroit, with the next RS4 debuting shortly thereafter.

Audi plans to further its goal of taking on BMW’s M division and Mercedes’ AMG lineup with more Quattro-branded vehicles positioned above run-of-the-mill Audis, along with more clearly defined R-, S- and RS-derivatives. “S” badged variants will also be sportier than current S models, while the “R” lineup will be “significantly souped-up” and “RS” will be reserved for lightweight, track-friendly models.

[Source: InsideLine]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, LA Auto Show, Sedans/Saloons, Crossovers/CUVs, Lincoln

Mark Fields, Ford’s president of the Americas, has confirmed that the Lincoln MKT crossover is due to be reveal this January at the Detroit Auto Show, while a refreshed MKZ will be unveiled at the Los Angeles Show in November.

We already knew the Ford Flex-based CUV was headed to Detroit, with power provided by either a 3.7-liter or a 3.5-liter Ecoboost V6. Both six- and seven-passenger seating arrangements will be offered, along with Blind Spot Monitoring and a Cross Traffic Alert system which utilizes two sonar modules to notify drivers that a vehicle has moved into their blind spot by shining a light on the corresponding outside mirror. Sales are expected to begin later in 2009 and Ford is insistent that the MKT won’t share any body panels with its platform sibling.

The facelifted MKZ sedan will sport the new split-wing grille originally found on the MKR concept. New taillights are also rumored to be part of the package and sales should begin later this year or early in 2009.

[Source: MotorTrend]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read the rest of this entry »