Archive for the ‘USA’ Category
September 5th, 2010 | 
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“Everyone wants to be Mercedes-Benz,” said Ernst Lieb, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA. Either Mercedes is getting a little cocky or they are just that confident about their plans for the future. They have already announced plans to build a new generation B-Class for the 2012 model year and now they have confirmed that not only will the hatchback version come to the U.S. market, but so will a coupe, a crossover, and a sedan version. These will be the first FWD models Mercedes will sell on the US market.
The next B-class will also be seeing some changes under the hood. Mercedes has taken advantage of the Renault-Nissan partnership and has had them develop new three- and four-cylinder engines with turbos and gasoline direct injection. The four-cylinder engines will be the first to see U.S. soil in a Mercedes product since no other four-cylinder Mercedes has been offered in the States.
In a previous interview, Dr. Joachim Schmidt, head of sales and marketing at Mercedes-Benz, commented on the upcoming A- and B-Class models, noting that, “In the next couple of years, we will launch additional cars where we don’t currently have predecessors. Our current A-Class and B-Class will be replaced by a new platform for four totally different cars defining new segments for Mercedes.” He added, “If you want young customers, you need to have a brand that is sexy and sporty. The reason we didn’t get this customer before was, in my opinion, not a brand issue, but a product issue.” We can only guess that they are just that confident in their future products.
Mercedes works on new B-class coupe, crossover, and sedan originally appeared on topspeed.com on Sunday, 5 September 2010 07:30 EST.
Posted in Mercedes, Mercedes B-Class, USA, coupe, crossover, future cars, hatchback, sedan | 
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Spectre Performance’s mission of breaking the 400 mph barrier in a four-wheel, gas-powered vehicle took another turn for the better this week when the team went back to the Bonneville Salt Flats to set a new speed record of 366 mph with their twin-engined 3,500-plus horsepower speedliner. They were even able to set three new world records in the process.
The mark is still well short of their target speed, but it’s also a marked improvement from the car’s performance last year at the SCTA World Finals where it blasted at a top speed of 330.57 mph.
Armed with determination and experience of the task at hand, Spectre Performance, together with driver Amir Rosenbaun, took the speedliner and squeezed every little juice of speed it has, topping it at 366 mph.
Despite the record-shattering run, Spectre Performance is not sitting on its laurels. The goal, after all, is 400 mph, and they’re not about to give up just because they just set new world records. So, the team is setting its sights on the Bonneville FIA Meet on September 20-25 with one goal in mind: breaking the 400mph barrier.
“Speed Week was an incredible experience,” said Rosenbaun. “I joined one of the most exclusive clubs on earth and we set three records – but we remain focused on breaking the 400mph barrier and becoming the fastest gasoline powered car on earth. So we’re going back, in one month, with more power, safer parachutes and one goal: 400mph.”
Press Release after the jump.
Spectre Performance runs 366 mph at Bonneville Speed Week; still falls short of target 400 mph mark originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 3 September 2010 09:00 EST.
Top Gear USA has a long way to go to even be mentioned in the same breath as their counterparts from the UK, but as this new trailer of the show suggests, they’re off to a pretty good start.
Unlike the last trailer we saw of Adam Ferrara driving a ’76 Cadillac Deville through a “moonshine” run dirt course, this new trailer features the type of cars that we’re getting all excited about: three Lamborghinis!
Not only are they three Lambos, but their three special edition models, too. There’s the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, the Gallardo Valentino Balboni Edition, and the Murcielago SuperVeloce. That’s a lot of snorting bulls in a two-minute trailer.
More importantly though is that the three hosts – Ferrara, Tanner Foust, and Rutledge Wood – seem to be in their element behind the wheel of these Lamborghinis. Whereas they didn’t show a whole lot of testosterone in the last trailer, this one’s got them in fair amount of supply.
Like we said, they still have a long way to go before they can stack up against the iconic trio of Clarkson, May, and Hammond. But if they can have more supercars in their show and a little less giggling and high-fiving, then they should be in good shape.
Top Gear USA gets introduced to the Raging Bull from Sant’Agata originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 2 September 2010 15:00 EST.
Posted in Lamborghini Gallardo, Lamborghini Murcielago, Supercars / Exotic cars, TopGear, USA, video |
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When Aston Martin first unveiled the Cygnet they announced that it would only be offered in Europe, and only to those customers who already owned an Aston Martin model. Oh, how things change, as Aston Martin has now stated that the Cygnet will be making its way over to the US in 2012.
What we don’t get is why Aston Martin would put a more expensive, rebadged Toyota iQ in the States. Sure, cars like this would make sense in highly congested cities or for people who like to throw some extra money away for a badge that says Aston, but, overall, wouldn’t people just buy the cheaper iQ?
When the Cygnet is offered in 2012, it will come with a 1.3-liter gasoline engine. An electric-only version with a 60-mile range will arrive in 2013. In the USA, the mini car will be priced at a steep $35,000. Of course, this price is nothing compared to the $200K for the newly launched Rapide sedan, but the rule still stands, only current Aston Martin owners can purchase the Cygnet. All the rest of us will just have to stick with the iQ if we want a vehicle like this, which is just fine by us.
Aston Martin Cygnet coming to USA originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 1 September 2010 22:00 EST.
We’ve seen some pretty mind-boggling headlines about traffic incidents lately, like that ten-day traffic jam in China. Now, we have another ridiculous traffic episode to report – a 69-car pileup along westbound Interstate 10.
You read that right, fellas. It included 69 cars. It’s absolutely ridiculous to comprehend the thought of 69 cars involved in a chain reaction of collisions, but as it turns out, that’s exactly what happened when heavy rains caused sub-standard driving conditions in the area of I-10 near downtown Phoenix.
The crashes resulted in a number of injuries with six people being taken to a number of hospitals in the area for treatment of injuries, two of which were serious cases. In addition to that, a number of other people were also treated at the scene for minor scrapes and bruises.
According to local authorities, the crashes came as a result of the sudden downpour that eventually made the roads impossible to see, causing cars to hit each other in rapid succession. Hours after the pileup, a number of people were still at the scene and were being given snacks and refreshments by local authorities while keeping them in city buses until arrangements were finished to take these stranded motorists back to their homes.
No word yet on how long the highway is going to be closed, but we can only imagine that the clean-up from this traffic incident will be a pretty significant one, and could take days – at the very least.
Interstate-10 Westbound becomes the scene of a 69-car pileup originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 1 September 2010 18:00 EST.
The 2012 US Grand Prix is drawing closer and closer, and with a little less than two years before it actually kicks off, the organizers have finally revealed the first look at the 3.4-mile track that will be located just southeast of Austin, Texas.
The track will come with 20 turns, 133 feet of elevation change, a three-fourths of a mile long straight, and a width that will vary anywhere between 39 and 52 feet.
Race promoter and head of Full Throttle Productions, Tavo Hellmund, commented on the layout for the new track, saying that “drivers and fans should really like it”.
The $200-million dollar track is set to be built on an empty vast of land and is expected to be completed in time for the race two years from now. It’s going to draw inspiration from a number of world-class F1 tracks in the world, including those found in Silverstone, Hockenheim, and Istanbul. In addition to that, the track is also expected to come with a number of passing areas that should make the race more interesting.
Judging by what we’re looking at, the track looks like it’s going to feature some pretty-action packed racing in the future. Let’s just hope that the organizers find a way to finish it on time, which, in the world of Formula One, is a tall order in itself.
A first look at the Austin USGP Formula One race track originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 1 September 2010 12:00 EST.
Being somebody that earns millions and millions of dollars to play basketball certainly has its perks, one of which is that the person can afford just about any car that catches his wandering eye.
Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum is no exception to that. With a salary of $13.8 million for the 2010-2011 season, Bynum can practically open the doors to any dealership in the world and drive off with that dealership’s most expensive ride. Yes, it’s unfair, but we’re not 7 feet tall and we certainly don’t play professional basketball for a living. Tough luck, eh?
In any case, of all the cars that he can choose from, Bynum decided to opt for a pretty nice ride, a modified-to-the-brim BMW M6. Apparently, there are other endeavors pro ballers enjoy as much as putting the ball to the hoop; tuning up their already expensive sports cars.
Read the rest of the story after the jump.
Video: Andrew Bynum introduces us to his pimped-out BMW M6 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 31 August 2010 20:00 EST.
After a long and lengthy absence, Fiat is finally returning to the US, and they’re bringing with them the 500 hatchback. The US-spec version of the minicar, which will be sold in the US through Chrysler, is set to make its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, giving us a first-hand look at Fiat’s first offering to the US market after an extended absence in the country.
Earlier this week, the Italian auto conglomerate hosted a meeting with 400 of its car dealers to gauge the amount of interest for the 500 in America. Apart from these dealerships, Chrysler is also looking at opening about 165 Fiat dealerships across the country, more specifically in areas where there is a healthy market for small hatchbacks that the 1.4-liter 500 hatchback can take full advantage of.
According to Laura Soave, Head of Fiat Brand North America, “Our dealers will be able to interact with a group of individuals that are not part of their current customer base.”
“These are individuals interested in Italian automotive design coupled with fuel efficient technology,” she adds.
As part of Fiat’s return to the US, the company is set to begin their retail network later this year with plans of bringing in the American version of the 500 and following that up with the release of the 500 Cabrio edition sometime in 2011.
Fiat 500 finally headed to America originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 31 August 2010 16:30 EST.
In the world of classic cars, the Woodward Dream Cruise is the cream of the crop. The event is held annually on the third Saturday of August and it takes place in the former home of mostly all American car production, Michigan. The drive starts on Woodward Avenue in Pontiac, through Ferndale in Oakland County, and goes all the way to the State Fair Grounds inside the Detroit city limits, just south of 8 Mile Road. It might not be a Los Angeles beach cruise, as it’s Detroit, but for lovers of all the old days, it’s as good as it gets.
The event isn’t just big for the fans, it’s big for the city of Detroit as well. It is now the largest single day classic car event in the world, and brings in over $56 million annually for the Metro Detroit economy. It is, without a doubt, the world’s largest one-day automotive event, drawing about 1.5 million people and 40,000 classic cars each year.
After the jump, we have assembled numerous photos of the events. If you have photos of your own, feel free to share them with us.
Recap Of Woodward Dream Cruise In Pictures originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 30 August 2010 20:00 EST.
In the world of classic cars, the Woodward Dream Cruise is the cream of the crop. The event is held annually on the third Saturday of August and it takes place in the former home of mostly all American car production, Michigan. The drive starts on Woodward Avenue in Pontiac, through Ferndale in Oakland County, and goes all the way to the State Fair Grounds inside the Detroit city limits, just south of 8 Mile Road. It might not be a Los Angeles beach cruise, as it’s Detroit, but for lovers of all the old days, it’s as good as it gets.
The event isn’t just big for the fans, it’s big for the city of Detroit as well. It is now the largest single day classic car event in the world, and brings in over $56 million annually for the Metro Detroit economy. It is, without a doubt, the world’s largest one-day automotive event, drawing about 1.5 million people and 40,000 classic cars each year.
After the jump, we have assembled numerous photos of the events. If you have photos of your own, feel free to share them with us.
Recap Of Woodward Dream Cruise In Pictures originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 30 August 2010 20:00 EST.
Just when you thought that Toyota was finally turning the corner after all its recall woes this year, here comes news that the manufacturer is once again issuing a (voluntary) safety recall involving approximately 1.13 million units of 2005-2008 Toyota Corolla and Toyota Matrix vehicles.
According to Toyota, the recall is being issued in the US in large part because of a potential defect in the cars’ Engine Control Modules (ECM).
According to Toyota: “On vehicles equipped with the 1ZZ-FE engine and two-wheel drive, there is a possibility that a crack may develop at certain solder points or on the electronic component used to protect circuits against excessive voltage (varistor), on the ECM’s circuit board. In most cases, if a crack occurs at certain solder points or on certain varistors, the check engine may illuminate, harsh shifting could result, or the engine may not start. In limited instances, if cracking occurs on particular solder points or varistors, the engine could stop while the vehicle is being driven.”
Continued after the jump
Toyota to recall 1.13 million Corollas and Matrix over electronic problems originally appeared on topspeed.com on Saturday, 28 August 2010 06:00 EST.
Tragedy has struck BMW after Jack Pitney, the car brand’s vice president of marketing, was killed in a freak accident while he was on vacation at his farm.
Details are still being withheld as we speak, so we don’t have anything to say until more information surrounding the circumstances of his passing comes to light.
Pitney, who was 47 years old at the time of his passing, joined BMW in 1995 as the lead man of the company’s corporate communications department. Pitney was also directly responsible for BMW’s decision to bring MINI to America, and was likewise being prepped to for a new vice presidency position beginning on September 1.
There’s not a whole lot to say when a tragedy like this happens. So it is with heavy hearts that we send our deepest condolences to the family of Jack Pitney.
The world lost a really good man.
Press Release after the jump.
BMW North America VP of Marketing dies in tragic accident originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 27 August 2010 21:00 EST.
Porsche is going all out with their 60th anniversary celebration, and to their credit they’re trying to get a lot of their fans involved.
Their latest offering involves a 500-word essay, thousands of contestants, and three all-expense paid trips to the Porsche Sport Driving School in Birmingham, Alabama.
Interested now?
If you’ve got the skills to make a finely-crafted 500-word story that “exemplifies your unique passion for a specific Porsche car, an experience, or the brand as a whole”, then you better hit them keyboards and start writing. Just know that if you’re chosen as one of the three winners, you’re going to experience something the rest of your Porsche-loving peers can only dream about.
You’ve got until November 1, 2010 to make your story and, if you’re one of the 20 entries that gets picked, your story, as well as the 19 others, will then be decided entirely by fan voting.
Start writing!
Porsche giving out three trips to Porsche Sport Driving School originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 26 August 2010 20:00 EST.
Imagine cruising along a highway on a relatively peaceful day and, all of a sudden, a Pontiac Firebird blasts through on the left side, hits the guard rail, and gets sent straight up into the air before breaking into three pieces and disintegrating in a matter of seconds right before your very eyes.
Totally unbelievable, right? It also happened. Recently, in fact.
The scene was the I-675 highway in Ohio where a police cruiser was driving along with the in-car camera turned on. What happened next was a scene straight out a Michael Bay movie. A Pontiac Firebird driven by a 19-year old blasted past the cruiser and proceeded to do the launch and crash right in front of the flabbergasted police officer.
Miraculously, the driver of the Firebird survived the crash, but is in critical condition after being airlifted to Miami Valley Hospital. While we’re hoping that he fights his way back to recovery, we don’t know what on Earth this guy was doing when he decided to use the guard rail as an off-ramp.
Video: Pontiac Firebird involved in hellacious crash after catching air originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 26 August 2010 14:00 EST.
By now, American fans of the Audi A1 have given up all hope in seeing the premium hatchback in the US after Audi global sales head Peter Schwarzenbauer – try spelling that name – ruled out the A1’s chances of making it to America.
Now, it turns out that there may be a glimmer of hope, albeit a pretty small one. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Schwarzenbauer mentioned that the A1 will eventually be shipped out of Europe into the Chinese market soon with the US market being considered so long as small – and expensive – cars have a chance in the country. Translated, Americans will have to prove to these guys that they’re willing to spend the bucks for a premium hatchback, something that, as history suggests, Americans aren’t prone to doing.
But still, there’s hope, fellas. However long that will take will be entirely up to how the “pricey” compact car segment does in the US. We don’t even know if that’s going to happen in the next few years, but at least the door – no matter how small the crack is – has now been opened.
Audi opens door to possible A1 entry in the US in the future originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 26 August 2010 12:00 EST.
Unlike the rest of the Mustang-loving fan base, Jay Leno is one of those people that can thoroughly enjoy being a Mustang aficionado because, well, he can afford to buy the best of the best without even making a dent in his bank account. The rest of us? Yeah, wishful thinking.
And being that he is Jay Leno, he can also take the time out of his busy schedule to meet a few people directly associated with the Mustang, one of which is Tom Barnes, the car’s vehicle engineering manager.
During a recent trip to the Monterey Motorsports Week at Laguna Seca, Leno caught up with Barnes to talk about the latter’s new – and returning – pride and joy: the 2012 Mustang GT 302 Boss Edition.
Hit the jump for the full story.
Video: Jay Leno drops by to pay a visit to the 2012 Ford Mustang 302 Boss originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 26 August 2010 09:00 EST.
Posted in Celebrity Cars, Ford, Ford Mustang, USA, muscle cars, special editions, video |
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Forget any concert tours heading your way, the tour everyone should try to attend is the launch tour being presented by McLaren for their new MP4-12C. This news comes to us after McLaren presented their supercar for the first time to the North American market at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
During this tour, which kicks off on September 1st and 2nd in Toronto, Ontario, the MP4-12C will be presented at key dealerships throughout the States to allow prospective buyers to see the MP4-12C and get a chance to talk to the people the people behind the supercar.
The new MP4-12C will be presented at the following locations: McLaren Chicago: Lake Forest Sportscars; McLaren Dallas: Park Place; McLaren Greenwich (McLaren’s representative in the New York Tri-State area): Miller Motorcars; McLaren San Francisco: Price Family Dealerships; McLaren Tampa Bay: Dew Luxury Motor Cars and The Collection McLaren (representing the Miami market). Two more presentations will be made in Orange County and Philadelphia, but those dates have not been scheduled yet.
The McLaren MP4-12C is powered by a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 engine producing around 600 horsepower and 433 lb-ft of torque. The engine is coupled to a McLaren seven speed Seamless Shift dual clutch gearbox (SSG). It sprints from 0 to 60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds and can hit a top speed of more than 200mph. The car will go on sale in the summer of 2011 with prices starting between $225,000 and $250,000.
Press release after the jump.
McLaren announces MP4-12C US prices and launch tour locations originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 16:00 EST.
Posted in McLaren MP4-12C, Mclaren, Supercars / Exotic cars, USA, coupe, sports cars |
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SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association, has long been known for its street rods, customs, and replicas that are rarely seen on the roads of America. These are more like parade vehicles that are shown at exhibitions and, well, parades.
With these modified vehicles roaming the streets, state government had to find a way to make money off of them. Numerous states, including Washington, Florida, North Carolina, and California have enacted the SEMA-bill and now, Massachusetts joined the party.
Governor Deval Patrick signed the law in the legislation that will create a vehicle registration classification for these special vehicles. The new law will set parameters of what street roads, replica vehicles, specially constructed vehicles, and custom vehicles are.
“After 5-years of working with the legislature on various iterations of this bill, we are extremely grateful to State Representative Carolyn Dykema, in addition to Representative Brian Dempsey, Representative Joseph Wagner, Representative Charles Murphy and Senator Steven Baddour and their staffs for taking it over the last hurdle,” said SEMA VP of Government Affairs, Steve McDonald.
A benefit of this new law is that these vehicles are now exempt from emission inspections. That being said, specially constructed vehicles and replicas built after April 30, 2012 will be subject to emission requirements.
“This new law simply recognizes the immeasurable amount of time, money and attention automotive hobbyists invest in their cars. For many vehicle enthusiasts in Massachusetts and throughout America, building, maintaining and enjoying their vehicles is a favorite pastime. This new law represents an opportunity to acknowledge their commitment to the hobby and to protect it for future generations,” said McDonald.
Massachusetts Enacts SEMA Model Registration Law originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 14:00 EST.
A man who held a ticket for a chance to win a 2011 Shelby GT500 sold it for $200 to another dude who ended up winning the car. Ridiculous? Yeah.
Unbelievably enough, it’s also true.
In a scene straight out of a Hollywood script, an attendee at this year’s QuakeCon Gaming Festival that was held in Dallas sold a raffle ticket – it was just one of 100, actually – for just $200. Turns out, it didn’t take long for this sale to backfire on the poor attendant.
Moments after thinking that he just swindled $200 from the supposed “schmuck” who purchased it, the latter’s newly-bought raffle ticket was chosen among the 100 tickets, winning him a $50,000 Shelby GT500.
One of the hosts summed up the whole situation perfectly by saying, “He’s (the seller) gonna have some drinks tonight. He’s (the buyer) going home with a Shelby GT500!”
Talk about a broad spectrum of emotions at play. The seller’s probably kicking himself right now and the buyer, well, to say he’s ecstatic is a gross understatement.
Video: Man sells $200 raffle ticket only to see the buyer win a 2011 Shelby GT500 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 24 August 2010 22:00 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.
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