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Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz
If this is what the next E-Class is really going to look like, we think we prefer the lightly camo'ed prototype better. Still not exactly a beautiful proposition, it could just be that the car looks better in silver and black than it does in purple. If that's the final grille, it loses a crossbar from the current E-Class. And frankly, we wouldn't mind seeing it with that whopping emblem on the new C-Class front and center for some aggression. This could be a car where wheel choice -- and AMG package -- make all the difference. Not that it matters much, because it's an E-Class. It's going to sell like crazy no matter what.[Source: Global Motors]
Spy Shots: Mercedes E-Class originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 31 Oct 2008 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The image has been removed at the photographer's request, to view it visit BusinessWeek.var 3/first-teaser-shot-of-the-tesla-model-s-appears/'; BusinessWeek has a story about last week's trials and tribulations at Tesla Motors, which wraps up most of what we already know, along with some new details. The investment bankers called up Tesla chairman Elon Musk to let him know that the company's IPO plans weren't going to fly in the current financial markets. Musk and the management team reacted quickly by slashing 25% of the company's workforce, shutting down the Rochester Hills, MI engineering office and pretty much halting all non-revenue producing work. That meant the much anticipated Model S sedan was put on the back burner until more cash was flowing into the coffers. Now, the four-door electric sport sedan won't be going into production until at least 2011.
Tesla SVP Darryl Siry tipped us off that the story was being published tonight and more importantly, to the presence of the photo you see above. That's recently hired Tesla design boss Franz von Holzhausen revealing a wee bit of the tail of the Model S. Siry tells us that we probably won't be seeing the whole car until the Geneva Motor Show next March. In the meantime, this is probably just the first of a series of teasers that will appear to keep the publicity pot boiling.
[Source: BusinessWeek via AutoblogGreen]
Tesla teases freshly delayed Model S sedan originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Click above for a high-res gallery of the Pagani Zonda R
The Pagani Zonda is on its way to supercar heaven, due to be replaced by Horacio Pagani's next masterpiece, currently code-named the C9. To send off the current Zonda in style, Pagani is working on the Zonda R, limiting production to ten examples with a price tag of €2,000,000.
Despite looking very similar to the Zonda F and its predecessors, the R only shares ten percent of the outgoing model's underpinnings, and instead, gets a sleek new shape that's 47mm longer, providing even more downforce through the use of a longer splitter, rear defuser and wing.
Pagani has released four new renderings of its all-carbon fiber coupe, and according to Autoblog.it (no relation), Pagani won't be using the 750-hp, 7.3-liter Mercedes mill, instead opting for the 6.0-liter AMG V12 putting out similar hp and torque. Five road-going versions are planned, while the remaining five will be limited to circuit duty. We're hoping to finally see the Zonda R in person sometime next year, likely at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show.
Gallery: Pagani Zonda R
[Source: Autoblog.it]
Pagani releases more renderings of the Zonda R originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Spy Photos, Wagons/Estates, Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz
A covered up E63 AMG Wagon has been caught doing the rounds on public roads before we see it in showrooms some time next year. It looks like the potential ungainliness of the new E-Class could be gracefully smoothed out by the longer lines of the wagon. Of course, even if it is still ungainly, you'll get 85 extra horsepower over the current model, which should let you get away from gawkers with increased alacrity. That also means the baby on board might need a G-suit. The "Duplo" rear lights are probably mule-only fitments, but they'd be pretty cool if they were wrapped in polished housings.[Source: Global Motors]
Spy Shots: Mercedes-Benz E63AMG Wagon originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Oct 2008 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The crew from CAR laid out what the future holds for Mercedes' two-door offerings and now its tapped Larson to render what the forthcoming E-class coupe will look like ahead of its debut at the Geneva Motor Show next year.Taking cues from the Fascination concept unveiled in Paris, the sporty E-class features a pair of drawn and halved headlamps that nix the oval units fitted to Mercs in the last decade, along with a pair of highly stylized rear fenders sporting a two-tiered blister that flows into the reworked rear end.
Engine choices will range from 184 hp four-cylinders (E200k) to an E63 AMG variant putting down 481 hp, while a 525 hp Black Series version will be offered further down the line. Seven-speed automatics will proliferate throughout the range, along with direct injection on all gasoline-powered models.
Having learned from past mistakes, Mercedes-Benz will throttle back some of its high-tech features, nixing the brake-by-wire system, along with the air suspension and active body control. But all won't be lost. When the convertible version arrives six months after the coupe, Mercedes will offer it with a heated fabric roof to keep occupants warm in the winter, while infra-red night vision, hard-drive navigation and front seats that tilt and slide to ease ingress and egress will keep Mercedes' owners in their element.
The 2009 E-class coupe (code-named C206) should arrive in June, while the drop-top variant (A206) will follow later next year.
[Source: CAR]
Rendered Speculation: Mercedes-Benz E-class coupe originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Aston Martin has stepped in to clarify recent rumors of its Lagonda revival. We know that a Lagonda concept is due to be shown at next year's Geneva Motor Show, and of late it was speculated to be something SUV-ish. An Aston spokesperson has laid out the plan, and this time neglected to mention the acronym "SUV" at all.
Two upcoming Lagondas will probably be sedans and use Aston's VH platform, tending to the luxury side of sporting while Aston solidifies its grip on the sporting side of luxury. An upscale and up-priced version of the Rapide will come in 2011, followed by a $100,000-or-so S-Class challenger in 2012. Now that we've got the SUV thing out of the way, let's hope Aston stays on the right course and creates cars that don't look anything like more DB9 clones.
[Source: Automotive News, sub req'd]
Aston Martin's Lagonda S-class fighter coming in 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Frankfurt Auto Show, Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz
If you're Mercedes-Benz, then what you have here is a failure to keep your photo shoots under wraps. First Autobild came out with bare naked shots of the 2009 E-Class, and now German magazine Auto Zeitung has more shots of the car getting some fresh air.
With a minimal front end and a profile that rises seemingly without arc to a chunky back end, the car is reminiscent of a stretched Alfa Romeo Milano. We aren't sure how big these wheels are, but the car's increased upright stance makes them look exceptionally small. As usual with the launch of revolutionary E-Class designs, the car could take some time to get used to, but by the time E-Classes are clogging roads worldwide they will look perfectly natural.
There will be some excitement in the engine choices, including a 204 hp turbodiesel Bluetec, a BlueHybrid lump shared with the S400, and a 550 hp V8 in the AMG. The new E will also benefit from closer association with its spin-offs. Now that the CLK is no more, the E sedan will receive more of the spotlight that shines on its coupe and convertible siblings. If Mercedes doesn't get tired of the clandestine attention, we'll see the sedan for the first time at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, with the other variants to follow at Frankfurt that same year.
[Source: Auto Zeitung]
Spy Shots: 2009 Mercedes E-Class originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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When we recently posted on Aston Martin dragging Lagonda out of its crypt, one of the assertions was that "they've reportedly ruled out the possibility of a sport-ute." That might have been nothing more than a semantic turn, as Car & Driver is reporting that the first Lagonda will be "something SUV-ish."
Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez said the new car will have historical influences at the same time as it is "future-orientated," but the giveaway for C&D seems to be in his line that it will be "truly versatile" and "suitable for both existing and emerging markets." We can't tell if anyone actually came out and told the mag that the car would be an SUV, but an Aston source is quoted as saying it "wouldn't be an SUV in the same way as BMW X5."
So back to the semantics of no "sport-ute" and "SUV-ish" -- this sounds like it could be a brutish, hi-luxe sedan, or even a wagon suitably forceful enough to put space between it and the Rapide. Since Aston's looking at its long-term future, we imagine it will want something that won't leech sales, and that leaves a number of options. Which one the company settles on, however, we won't know until the concept shows up at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show.
[Source: Car & Driver]
Aston Martin Lagonda line could have SUV flavor originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Lagonda is set to celebrate its 100th anniversary next year. But while enthusiasts are bound to celebrate by recalling Lagondas of yore, Aston Martin plans to give us all something more tangible to commemorate by reviving the long-dormant marque. (Truth be told, having been founded in 1906, Lagonda marked its centenary two years ago already. But we're not going to let some simple facts get in the way of a good story, now are we?)
The British automaker produced luxury cars independently until 1947 when it was bought by Aston Martin. Although Aston used the Lagonda name as a model designation from 1976 to 1989 for a quirky angular four-door, with a handful of coachbuilt specials and concept cars in between, the last model Lagonda produced was the 1961-65 Rapide, a nameplate which Aston is also revived with its upcoming four-door coupe model, previewed by the 2006 concept in Detroit. While the production Rapide is expected to continue as an Aston Martin, the company is planning a unique concept car to be unveiled at the Geneva show next March that will show the way forward for the rejuvenated marque.
While Aston has not confirmed what form the vehicle, which could hit the streets as soon as 2012, will take, they've reportedly ruled out the possibility of a sport-ute. Sources suggest a new competitor aimed at Bentley and Rolls-Royce, although the Longonda will be more focused on performance than long distance cruising. No telling what that will mean for Aston's partnership with Mercedes-Benz, which has its own failing Maybach brand competing in the segment as well. However the resuscitation of Lagonda is bound to form a vital component of Aston Martin's ambitious growth plan. (Press release after the jump.)
[Source: Aston Martin]
Continue reading Aston Martin to revive Lagonda with new concept at Geneva '09
Aston Martin to revive Lagonda with new concept at Geneva '09 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Sep 2008 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The RR4 -- the Rolls-Royce that asks that you "don't call me 'baby'" -- is slowly undressing, striptease-like, before its final reveal at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. Previous spy shots hinted at rear suicide doors, or coach doors as Rolls-Royce refers to them, and now it is official: the hinges on the rear door are on the rear of the door. The car has plenty of Phatom-esque cues, and although it doesn't look anything like the initial sketch, it looks like it could be a very attractive proposition when it shows up for the big dance. Still no word on engines, but we have no doubt its output will be something along the lines of prodigious. Thanks for the tip, Andrus![Source: Global Motors]
Spy shots: RR4 wearing even less camouflage originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 31 Aug 2008 15:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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To the 'Ring we go, and our companions today are -- in the apt words of World Car Fans -- "beauty and the beast." That would be the Aston Martin Rapide and the Porsche Panamera. We'll let you decide which one deserves which title. Follow the link and you'll find a large gallery of both cars in basic black, un-camo'ed and racing each other around the 'Ring to help cast your vote.
In practical considerations, the Panamera looks to have the Rapide beat in all kinds of ways. For instance, it should get better gas mileage if you get the V6 or V8, and it has more trunk space with 450 liters. Aston's cars have little trunk syndrome, and the Rapide probably won't really change that. But hey, who would buy a Panamera or Rapide for practical reasons? Either way, we won't really know the state of things until the 2009 Geneva Motor Show next March when they are officially introduced.
[Source: World Car Fans]
Spy Shots: Porsche Panamera and Aston Martin Rapide 'Ring battle originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Time Warp, Convertibles, Geneva Motor Show, BMW
Click above for hi-res gallery of the '89 BMW M5 cabrio
These days BMW's M division is pretty busy, cranking out all manner of sport-tuned models in every form. You can get an M3 as a coupe, convertible or sedan, the M5 in sedan or wagon form, and the M6 as either a coupe or a convertible, in addition to M versions of the Z4. But back in the late '80s, the selection of M cars was much more limited. Not that the engineers in the sporting division weren't trying, though. Case in point is this M5 cabrio prototype that almost made it into production, but was canceled at the last minute.
Starting with an E34-generation M5 sedan, engineers in Munich chopped off the roof, strengthened the chassis and replaced the four doors with two longer ones. (If you think the idea is entirely absurd, just look at the Audi A4 cabrio and its quattro GmbH-tuned versions.) The resulting M5 convertible prototype was actually scheduled to debut at the 1989 Geneva Motor Show and even priced at £50k for the British market, but fearing that its addition to the BMW line-up would create demand for a conventional 5-series convertible and subsequently harm sales of the existing 3-series cabrio, BMW executives decided to kill the project. Only one prototype of the M5 convertible was made bearing ZS license plates from the BMW Individual program, as you can see in the gallery below.
Gallery: 1989 BMW M5 convertible prototype
[Source: BMWBlog.com]
Stillborn: 1989 BMW M5 convertible originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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click above image for high-res gallery of the Koenigsegg CCX
We've seen stretched out exotics before, but Koenigsegg is reportedly planning on producing a model with four doors right from the factory. Carbon-fiber saloons from the Swedish automaker have been undergoing testing for the past two years, with the new model set to be debut in concept form at the Geneva Motor Show in 2010. Sales of the car are planned for 2011 with a sizable allocation destined for the U.S. The other big market for the brand is the Middle East, where much of the development money is said to have been sourced. Powered by a 700-horsepower V8 not shared with Koenigsegg's other exotics, the new super saloon is expected to surpass 200 miles per hour. Pricing would almost surely be higher than its closest rivals, the upcoming Porsche Panamera and Aston Martin Rapide, but lower than the marque's other carbon creations.
Gallery: Autoblog Drives the Koenigsegg CCX
[Source: CAR Middle East via Jalopnik]
Koenigsegg developing 700bhp four-door originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Autobild is hardly a bastion of integrity on newsstands in Germany, so its cover story proclaiming it has "Exclusive Photos" of the new Mercedes-Benz E-class "without camouflage" needs to be taken with the appropriate grains of salt. However, based on the various reports we've seen over the past year, these images of the E-class are spot on, if not official pics from M-B.
The new front fascia is an interesting amalgamation of the C- and S-class' front ends, with an upright grille framed by two-piece headlamps, a sculpted front bumper and LED indicators. The sides of the new E incorporate a C-class-inspired swage line, while the rear taillights wrap half-way around the fenders.Autobild reports that the new E-class will be unveiled in March, so expect to get all the details from Geneva next year. Sales will likely begin in Europe next summer, with the U.S. model arriving shortly thereafter.
[Source: Autoblog.nl via BenzInsider]
Rendered or official? 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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After more than a year of speculation, and even a leaked sketch, we finally have our first spy shots confirming that Audi is developing an open-air version of its R8 supercar. And just to sweeten the deal, the test mule spied is all but completely undisguised.
While nomenclature has yet to be confirmed - possibly using the Targa, Convertible, Cabrio, Roadster or Spider tags - the shots confirm that the convertible supercar will employ a fabric roof. Power is expected to carry over from the 420-hp FSI V8 coupe, but the presence of wider tailpipes on this test mule indicate that the highly-anticipated V10 is likely to appear in the roadster, as well. The car is expected to make its debut next March at the Geneva Motor Show show in Switzerland.
[Source: NextAutos]
First spy shots of Audi R8 Targa surface originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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