Archive for the ‘rumors’ Category
September 7th, 2010 | 
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We all know that Mitsubishi is having some trouble with their American car line-up and we also know that it’s due to have some serious work done to it. It seems while part of that work is a global small car, the other part is the deletion of a few well known vehicles, at least that’s what Autoweek believes.
The aging machines, the Galant and the Eclipse, won’t be getting any new updates until 2012, as the company looks to create a new global small car. Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket. With those models gone, that would leave the Japanese automaker with only the new small car, the Outlander Sport and the i-MiEV to bring to its already small lineup.
We have all known about this small car for a while now and we can guess what it will feature upon its release. Under the hood will probably be a 1.0-liter or a 1.3-liter four-cylinder motor and for the company’s sake, we hope that America loves the small car by its release in 2012 or 2013, because an engine that big won’t sell well in a power obsessed culture.
We’re still not sold on the idea of dropping a few of the core models because what will dealers have to sell to people? The Outlander and the Lancer are good vehicles, but their sales aren’t that impressive, and the small car and the i-MiEV might not be what Americans are looking for.
Mitsubishi To Kill Galant and Eclipse By 2013 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 7 September 2010 19:00 EST.
Posted in Mitsubishi, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Mitsubishi Galant, USA, midsize cars, rumors, sports cars | 
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There are rumblings within the auto industry that Ferrari may have a surprise vehicle that the company is planning to unveil at the upcoming Paris Motor Show.
A report coming out of OmniAuto has suggested that a “green” Ferrari California could be headed to Paris to make its world debut. Nothing has been made official yet, but the word is that, contrary to the ‘green’ tag it’s being described in, the car isn’t being classified as a hybrid. The description used for this vehicle claims it to be something along the lines of a sports car that will come with a number of features similar to the Vettura Laboratorio HY-KERS concept that was unveiled earlier this year.
There’s no denying that a ‘green’ approach is something that Ferrari has long spurned on, but even Ferrari President Luca di Montezomolo has admitted that due to the implementation of stricter government standards, the Italian-based company is beginning to adhere to the new regulations by improving fuel efficiency by 30% while, at the same time, cutting down on emissions by 40%.
With these new regulation requirements on the back of everybody’s mind these days, the idea of seeing a “green” Ferrari out on the streets has turned from highly improbable to a distinct possibility.
Ferrari to unveil "green" California in Paris? originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 7 September 2010 12:00 EST.
Car lovers around the globe are anticipating the new McLaren performance machine, called the MP4-12C. A weird name for a car it might be, but given the company’s history, it’s sure to be something special. McLaren isn’t sitting by and waiting for the cash to roll in though, they’re planning on much more.
We know that McLaren is hoping to release three core models, with the MP4-12C leading the charge, followed by a hyper-car or a mid-level sports car like the Audi R8. What we didn’t know was that the company is also planning on a few more models.
McLaren is planning on releasing one new model each year for the next five years. Some of the new cars might be different variations of the MP4-12C, but who’s complaining about that? Remember the 430 Scuderia? Imagine that sort of thing, but on the MP4. Just thinking about it makes us all fluttery inside.
McLaren To Release A New Product Every Five Years originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 2 September 2010 20:00 EST.
Posted in McLaren MP4-12C, Mclaren, Supercars / Exotic cars, coupe, industry news, rumors |
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The 2010 Formula One season has been ripe in unpredictably and, while we kind of figured that it would be a three-headed race for supremacy with Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren, we didn’t expect one other team to have had the success they’ve had this year.
That team is Renault and the team’s success has generated some interest from the French carmaker Renault SA to consider buying back a majority stake in the team that bears its name.
If you recall, earlier this year Renault actually sold a majority stake of the team to Genii Capital, an investment firm in Luxembourg. The sale was widely viewed as Renault’s intention to cut their losses with the team after a major scandal rocked Formula One that centered on then Renault boss Flavio Briatore. Add that to the economic crisis that gripped a number of brands, and it seemed like a perfect time for the French manufacturer to drop the team and focus more on their production cars.
But now that the economy has stabilized and the Renault F1 team is doing surprisingly well this year, the French auto brand is rumored to be looking to buy back a piece of the F1 team’s pie. Whether or not this happens is still up in the air. But if you ask us, it does look suspiciously like a boyfriend looking to get back together with a girl he previously dumped because she lost weight and got hot all of a sudden.
And we know how those things turn out.
Renault looking to buy back Formula One team? originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 2 September 2010 13:00 EST.
There appears to be rumblings coming out of Maranello that Ferrari is finally doing something about all those burning 458s, and they’re doing it really soon.
Two members of FerrariChat seem to have been given the heads-up by a Ferrari dealer, saying that Ferrari will officially begin recalling all 458 Italia models by today.
Again, Ferrari has yet to make the announcement official, but according to one of the posters, Superquant, the recall is finally happening. In his post, he said: “My dealer just informed me that as of 1 minute ago he learned that Ferrari has issued a recall on ALL 458s due to the fire situation.
Ferrari has determined the cause of the 458’s that have caught on fire was from an adhesive that attached the heat shield under the rear fenders.?The heat shields were attached with an adhesive and became flammable under high temps. The new shield will be attached rivets, not any type of adhesive. Every 458 produced will get this new part so call your dealer now and set up your appointment which of course is free of charge.”
If this man is right in saying this, then that should be good news for all owners of the 458 Italia that have become weary of bringing their cars out of their garages over fears that they might get barbecued out on the road.
But as is the case with rumors like this, we’re going to hold back on announcements until we hear it straight from the (prancing) horse’s mouth.
Is the Ferrari 458 Italia recall coming soon? originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 1 September 2010 13:00 EST.
In the middle of all the hoopla that comes with the Pebble Beach Concours, one car, that nobody saw, supposedly made an appearance that now has the Internet abuzz.
From what we’ve heard, it looks like the Ferrari 599 Roadster made an appearance at Pebble Beach for a select group of owners, all of whom got a sneak peek at the new Ferrari supercar. Not much was made of the super-duper secret showing during the event, which pretty much explains why nobody even saw the car on the Pebble Beach grounds.
But with rumors circulating that the roadster was, in fact, present during the event, a poster from Luxury4Play uploaded what appears to be a scanned letter from Ferrari North American CEO and President Marco Mattiaci to a certain Nicolas Jimenez – we’re guessing he was one of the select owners that were invited for the sneak peek – where the former thanked the latter for his visit to “our Ferrari 599 presentation at Pebble Beach.”
Mattiaci then goes on and writes “the first feedback from the highly selected group of friends visiting us at Quial Meadows has been enthusiastic on this upcoming limited-edition product,” suggesting that Ferrari may have been asking for some input from its customers regarding the 599 Roadster.
It looks like Ferrari may have pulled a fast one on all of us by keeping this event so tightly guarded. But as is the case in the auto industry, you can’t keep a secret too long and, at some point, something’s going to get leaked out.
Ferrari 599 Roadster made an appearance at Pebble Beach? originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 1 September 2010 10:00 EST.
Posted in Ferrari, Pebble Beach Concours, Supercars / Exotic cars, ferrari 599, roadster, rumors |
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The Opel brand has been fairly big in Europe, despite its financial troubles. That being said, the nameplate isn’t that well known outside of continental Europe. That might soon change.
General Motors hopes to use the brand’s brilliant product lineup to attack consumers in China, South America, and Australia, according to Deutsche Welle in Germany. GM hopes to establish Opel as a premium brand.
Last year, the automaker sold 4,000 vehicles in China, as part of its preparation efforts for expansion into the country. The brand will be marketed as a European premium brand, as there are more and more people who can afford such a vehicle in China.
It should be interesting to see what becomes of Buick in China, as they were usually just Opels with a new badge. As we all know, Buick is very popular there, so GM needs to be careful not to hurt that market.
GM Wants To Expand Opel Brand originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 31 August 2010 20:30 EST.
As rumors go, this one is somewhere in the middle. Not quite as crazy as it could be, but not really a sure thing. Mazda U.S VP of product development, Robert Davis, made a comment that a diesel engine could be in the next Mazdaspeed3. That’s about all the information we have at this time.
We wouldn’t be opposed to this, but it seems odd that Mazda would put a diesel in the performance model and not the economy based standard Mazda3. That being said, if Mazda had boosted the new diesel Sky engine for performance, the new hot hatch could be something special.
There are many issues with this rumor though. We all know that the normal Mazdaspeed3 has issues with torque steer, so imagine how much there would be with a diesel motor. Not to mention a performance tuned Sky diesel will likely have to forgo efficiency for performance.
We would expect to see a diesel in the base Mazda3 way before we see one in the hot 3.
The New Mazdaspeed 3 To Get A Diesel? originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 30 August 2010 20:00 EST.
As rumors go, this one is somewhere in the middle. Not quite as crazy as it could be, but not really a sure thing. Mazda U.S VP of product development, Robert Davis, made a comment that a diesel engine could be in the next Mazdaspeed3. That’s about all the information we have at this time.
We wouldn’t be opposed to this, but it seems odd that Mazda would put a diesel in the performance model and not the economy based standard Mazda3. That being said, if Mazda had boosted the new diesel Sky engine for performance, the new hot hatch could be something special.
There are many issues with this rumor though. We all know that the normal Mazdaspeed3 has issues with torque steer, so imagine how much there would be with a diesel motor. Not to mention a performance tuned Sky diesel will likely have to forgo efficiency for performance.
We would expect to see a diesel in the base Mazda3 way before we see one in the hot 3.
The New Mazdaspeed 3 To Get A Diesel? originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 30 August 2010 20:00 EST.
It’s taken a while for Americans to smarten up, but it seems they are taking to the versatility of the hatchback more and more. The new Ford Fiesta, the Honda Fit, and the Nissan Versa are just a few examples of hot selling hatches in the United States. Yet, even we aren’t sure if the Audi A3 is worth the expense, when you can just get a GTI.
To try and solve this sales issue, Audi might be bringing the A3 sedan to the U.S. That would give the German automaker an entry-level sedan below the A4. We don’t have any details on the A3 sedan yet, but there should be some coming soon.
If these rumors are true, an A3 sedan would compete with the BMW 1-Series and possibly the Mercedes-Benz B-Class. That is, if it comes stateside. We should expect to see the A3 sedan around 2013 if not later.
Audi To Bring A3 Sedan To U.S originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 24 August 2010 18:00 EST.
At first we thought it was a massive joke because we sure laughed like it was one, but apparently Nissan was serious. The company has already shown it has massive cojones with the crazy styling of the Juke, but this new Murano convertible is one level up.
We expect to see the Murano convertible at the Los Angeles Auto Show, sporting a soft top and two doors. We had originally thought that a four-door might be hard to pull off, so a two-door configuration makes sense. This leaves us to think that the production model will look a little like a Japanese PT Cruiser convertible, which isn’t a good look for anything. Hopefully Nissan’s design team can think of something to make this thing a bit more stylish.
The workers over at Nissan are smart people and they understand the unusual aspect of this new car. “It’s not going to be a volume car,” said Brian Carolin, Nissan North America Inc.’s senior vice president for sales and marketing to Automotive News. “But there’s a degree of bravery for us to bring out a car like that right now. It will surprise a lot of people.”
The normal Murano is a strong seller, with 34,141 examples sold through July.
Nissan Murano Convertible To Be Put Into Production? originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 24 August 2010 14:00 EST.
Posted in Los Angeles Auto Show, Nissan, Nissan Murano, convertible, crossover, rumors |
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If imitation is the highest form of flattery, than consider the Mercedes-Benz S-Class completely flattered. Volvo has already made it clear that they want to build an S-Class rival, and now Detroit automaker General Motors wants to build one for Cadillac. Let’s just hope it’s more CTS than DTS.
The luxury playing field has been expanding over the past few years. The Germans were all over the segment, with the 7-Series, the A8, and the S-Class. Toyota came along and released the Lexus LS and the Infiniti Q45, Jaguar released the new XJ, and Hyundai is about the drop the Equus.
Reports are indicating that the top dog, CEO Ed Whitacre, would like Cadillac to create a premium luxury sedan. We would expect this new car – if the rumors are correct – to be slotted above the XTS around 2014. In total, that will give Cadillac nine vehicle modes on offer, from the ATS down to the Escalade. That being said, Whitacre has some time before he gets a new ride to be driven around in.
GM Wants S-Class Rival For Cadillac originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 12 August 2010 17:00 EST.
A little while ago, we wrote on the possibility of a mid-engine Corvette. Karl Stracke, General Motors Vice President of Global Engineering has just denied these rumors when he spoke to Automotive News and Autoweek.
“There is no mid-engine in the plans,” said Stracke.
The mid-engined Corvette has been in our minds for years, almost as long as the car has been around. There have been numerous concepts and different sketches that keep our minds focused on this possibility. The latest machine was the CERV-III concept that debuted in 1990.
Stracke also put down the possibility of a V6 Corvette, as GM has just created a new small-block V8 that might find its way into the sports car sometime in the future. He did say that a hybrid might come along eventually, but we can only imagine how that would go over with the Corvette faithful.
Let us know what you think down below. Do you think there should be a V6 in the Corvette or a hybrid? Or do you think the engine should be in the middle?
GM Denies Rumors Of The Mid-Engined Corvette originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 12 August 2010 08:00 EST.
The Lancia Stratos that we saw driving around keeps getting more interesting every day. Many thought that this was just a one-off car built for some rich person with way too much money to spend. This might not be true after all, as Car and Driver has done some research.
This car was said to be in the works for years and Jason Castriota designed it when he worked for Pininfarina. The website, Italiaspeed, has a sketch of the Stratos with a different front end that is signed by the designer. If this drawing is accurate, it could mean big things for Lancia.
Lancia has come back with rebadged Chryslers – which isn’t going to work – and they haven’t been very good. This new Stratos could give the company the car it needs to get back on the world stage. We truly hope that this information is accurate because the car looks sensational.
Lancia Stratos Might Not Be A One-Off originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 10 August 2010 23:00 EST.
The Lancia Stratos that we saw driving around keeps getting more interesting every day. Many thought that this was just a one-off car built for some rich person with way too much money to spend. This might not be true after all, as Car and Driver has done some research.
This car was said to be in the works for years and Jason Castriota designed it when he worked for Pininfarina. The website, Italiaspeed, has a sketch of the Stratos with a different front end that is signed by the designer. If this drawing is accurate, it could mean big things for Lancia.
Lancia has come back with rebadged Chryslers – which isn’t going to work – and they haven’t been very good. This new Stratos could give the company the car it needs to get back on the world stage. We truly hope that this information is accurate because the car looks sensational.
Lancia Stratos Might Not Be A One-Off originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 10 August 2010 23:00 EST.
Leaked photos, leaked pamphlets, spy shots; The truth always seems to come out no matter how much automakers try to hide it. This time, the truth was inadvertently released by an announcer during a Grand Am race. Turns out, the road going version of the Mustang Boss 302 will be debuted in Laguna Seca during the Pebble Beach Concours on August 13, 2010.
Back in May, Mark Fields, President of the Americas for Ford Motor Company made a bold move by providing a not so subtle hint about the next special edition edition Mustang. After stating that he couldn’t exactly say what the next special edition would be, he offered everyone a hint. As soon as he finished his sentence, a 1970 Boss 302 drove across the stage and Fields said “Is that a subtle enough hint?”
What we didn’t know was when the special edition Mustang would get the cover thrown off of it. Thanks to an inadvertent slip of the tongue, we now know the Boss will be coming back, and he will be doing it very soon. We just hope this announcer wasn’t blowing smoke because it would suck to have that carrot dangled in front of us and then have it snatched away.
Will Ford be unveiling the Mustang Boss 302 on August 13th? originally appeared on topspeed.com on Saturday, 7 August 2010 21:47 EST.
Volkswagen isn’t just going to let Ferdinand Porsche’s immortal beetle get washed down the drain. After such a successful sales run, it would be a shame for the beetle to just drift away into nothingness so Volkswagen has decided to rejuvenate the bug by presenting the funky Volkswagen Ragster Concept.
Sources say the Ragster concept will be exhibited during next year’s Detroit International Motor Show where it will either create a big stir amongst the Beetle lovers or be haphazardly glanced at by passers-by. According to recent reports, Volkswagen says the Ragster isn’t just a remodel of the current Beetle, but a completely re-engineered vehicle complete with an all new chassis, body panels, and interior.
The power for the concept comes from a choice of three engine packages, from a range-topping 2.0-liter to a 211hp four-cylinder, and a 1.2-liter that produces a mighty 110hp. There are also plans for a mix of turbo diesel variants.
We must say, the Volkswagen Ragster Concept does show a bit of promise. They have basically taken the Beetle, added a ragtop, and gave it some attitude. The Ragster even looks the part with the front windshield looking as if the Beetle has furrowed its eyebrows. Nicely done, V-Dub. Definitely a much better option than the next generation Beetle rendered by David Cordoso. Now we’ll just have to wait and see if it can take the place of the classic Beetle.
VW Ragster concept the next Beetle? originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 6 August 2010 18:00 EST.
We’ve heard this one before; Lancia may or may not be working on a new version of their legendary Stratos model. If these photos taken at the Fiat Group test track at Balocco near Milan are indicative of the Stratos’ future then, this time, the rumors may be true.
The Lancia Stratos was a sports/rally car designed from the mind of Marcello Gandini, then head designer of Bertone, and was based off the Stratos Zero concept presented at the Turin Motor Show in 1970. It was short, wide, and had a wedge shape that provided maximum traction. The Stratos was home to three different engines during the first part of its life: The Lancia Fulvia engine, the Lancia Beta engine, and the mid-mounted 190bhp Dino Ferrari V6 engine, with the V6 being the favorite.
The Stratos was produced from 1972-1974 and ended up winning the 1974, 1975, and 1976 WRC titles as well as gaining victories in the 1975, 1976, and 1977 Monte Carlo Rally. With 492 units sold during its time, the Lancia Stratos is a very rare and beautiful automobile.
So, is it making a comeback? Unfortunately, we think the answer to that question is no. Apparently, the spy shots taken of this new Stratos is a project that is being privately funded by a European industrialist. We are hoping that the distinct Stratos characteristics, such as the wheel arches cutting into the bonnet, the curved windshield and wraparound side glass, the engine cover, and the flip-up rear spoiler, will mean that this prototype will give way to a new Lancia Stratos for us all. Especially since the vehicle is also being tested at Balocco. Here’s to hoping!
Lancia working on a new Stratos model? originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 5 August 2010 13:00 EST.
Not much is known about the 2012 Porsche Panamera Hybrid so any information we can get is fine by us. And seeing since the 25,000th Panamera just rolled off the Leipzig plant in Germany today, it’s nice to know that the Hybrid version is not getting forgotten. What we hear about the future hybrid is that it will share the same engine as the Cayenne S Hybrid. This means the green Panamera will be loaded with a 3.0L supercharged V6 engine that will produce 333hp. This will be combined with an electric motor that will develop 47hp. Together these two components will allow the Panamera Hybrid to deliver 380hp and 427lb.-ft. of torque at 1,000rpm. If fuel economy matches the Cayenne S Hybrid as well then the Panamera will be looking at 34.4mpg.
The price for the 2012 Porsche Panamera Hybrid is not yet known and, unfortunately, neither is the sales date, but we’ll get back with more information as soon as we uncover it.
New details on the 2012 Porsche Panamera Hybrid originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 29 July 2010 19:00 EST.
There have been quite a few talks of the next C7 Corvette and those talks have been circulating for some time now. In fact, there have been so many talks that Chevrolet chief engineer, Tadge Juechter, even had a few words to say in defense of the next generation C7. But with all of those talks, there still aren’t too many hard facts, leaving everyone with plenty of opportunities to speculate.
This speculation comes to us from MotorAuthority and it is a rendering of the 2013 Corvette as drawn up by Schulte Design. It draws inspiration from the Stingray Concept as seen in the Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen movie and brings forth the egg-crate grille, vertical slat headlights, side vents, and the jet-fighter glasshouse. Adding some truth to speculation, this rendering also includes a split rear window that will be a part of the next C7 according to GM’s product design head, Ed Welburn.
Very little details are known as to the engine options for the Corvette. GM says there have been talks about a 440-horsepower, 5.5-liter V-8 version of the next-gen GM small block engine, but others say a smaller, forced induction engine may also be possible. We think Chevrolet is going to keep the lid tightly closed on this one until the car debuts in late 2011. Sales should begin in early 2012.
Check out another rendering of the Corvette C7 by clicking here!
2013 Chevrolet C7 Corvette Rendering originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 27 July 2010 12:00 EST.
Posted in Chevrolet, Spy Shots and Rendering, chevrolet Corvette, rumors, sports cars |
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