Filed under: Motorsports

Click to view a high-resolution gallery of the new Red Bull RB5

It’s been a month since the initial onslaught of new F1 car debuts, and Red Bull Racing is running in the back of the pack with the unveiling of its new contender. Called the RB5, the latest Red Bull was revealed at the Jerez circuit in Spain, where Sebastian Vettel, newly promoted from the Toro Rosso B-squad, drove a few test laps before a gearbox problem sidelined him for the rest of the day. He’ll be joining Mark Weber, who limped without crutches to the debut, fresh out of surgery to remove a titanium rod from his leg following his bike injury in Tasmania.

Like its engine supplier Renault, Red Bull has signed a new partnership with French oil company Total, which will supply fuel and lubricants to both teams this season. You can check out images of the new RB5, designed under the same new regs as the rest of the field - meaning a smaller rear wing, a bigger front one, regenerative braking system and slick tires at each corner - in the gallery below. But don’t expect to see any rear shots, as Red Bull was careful to keep the rear diffuser, which has been a source of controversy for the Toyota and Williams teams - hidden from sight pending the FIA’s ruling on the design. With Honda’s fate still undecided, only Toro Rosso and Force India have yet to reveal their cars as we approach the season opener in Melbourne late next month.

Red Bull gives you wings, slicks…heck, a whole new car at Jerez originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue...

Filed under: Minivans/MPVs, Wagons/Estates, Geneva Motor Show, Euro, Hatchbacks, SEAT

For some time now, it has seemed like the badges on cars are getting bigger and bigger. SEAT has certainly played its part in this trend, but the automaker’s S badge is getting downsized again on the latest Leon and Altea.

The badges are part of mild facelift packages being given to the two SEAT models, which also get revised grilles, lamps and a tailgate with full-width glass. Supposedly steered by SEAT’s new “Arrow” design language, you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference visually, although its easier to see changes inside where there is an updated cabin.

Thankfully, SEAT has also squeezed in some new tech. Ten different engines - five gas and five diesel - are on offer, including some common-rail diesels, and all are available with parent Volkswagen’s seven-speed DSG hooked up to paddles on the back of the steering wheel. There’s also a new differential called XDS, which works with the traction and stability control systems, a development that should help the hot versions of the Leon counteract the enormous torque steer we encountered when driving the outgoing Leon Cupra last year.

The new Leon and the Altea, a minivan/wagon derivative of a hatchback (itself with long-wheelbase and Freetrack softroader versions), will debut alongside the old-is-new-again Exeo ST at SEAT’s Geneva Motor Show booth next month. In the meantime, if you’re just itching to know more, details are in the press release after the jump and photos in the gallery below.

[Source: SEAT]

Continue reading Geneva Preview: SEAT prepares facelifted Leon, Altea

Geneva Preview: SEAT prepares facelifted Leon, Altea originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue...

Filed under: Geneva Motor Show, Supercars, Ferrari

Ageing can be a tedious affair, especially for Italian beauty queens. So when Ferrari GTs begin to show their age, Maranello typically treats them to a spa vacation, re-emerging more youthful and exuberant than before. The 575M got a GTC handling package as it approached retirement, the 612 Scaglietti got the HGT-S package a couple of years ago, and the next guest booked for treatment, according to sources, is the 599 GTB Fiorano.

However, the Fiorano’s nowhere near the end. It was only introduced three years ago; both the 612 and the F430 are due for replacement before the 599 is sent off to play mahjong and shuffle-board. But reports suggest that the 599 is to gain from a new HGTE package - the H standing for “handling”, GT for “gran turismo” and E for “evoluzione”, telling us that this package, tipped to debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, promises more than those installed on its sisters. Sources suggest that $25k over the $300k sticker price will get you 20-inch modular wheels wrapped in fresh rubber, a retuned exhaust, new front grille, upgraded spring rates, revised anti-roll bars, and some more carbon fiber bits in the cabin. Strictly necessary? Hardly. But if Maranello wants to make the 599 GTB even sharper, who’s going to complain? Thanks to Jerome for the tip.

[Source: Driver's Republic via CarPlatform.com]

Handling Evolved: Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano to gain new HGTE package? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue...

Filed under: Sports/GTs, Jaguar, Lotus

According to recent reports, Lotus has its hands filled with more than just Kia. Jaguar is supposedly outsourcing some of the initial development of its anticipated upcoming sportscar to Lotus Engineering. The two British marques, both owned by Asian automakers based just across the Bay of Bengal from each other, recently collaborated on the suspension tuning for the latest Jaguar XKR. But Lotus’ involvement in the project, tentatively known as the XE, may be more involved, with Jaguar entrusting Lotus to assess production feasibility before the go-ahead is given and possibly producing the car at its Hethel plant if approved.

If Jaguar and Lotus undertake the partnership to produce the XE, sources suggest a potential debut at the 2011 Geneva show, but it’s far too early to tell at this point. Adding another level of intrigue to the debate over what form Jaguar’s new sportscar could take, the report suggests that outsourcing the production of a mid-engine supercar was also considered. The plot thickens.

[Source: Autocar]

Jaguar turns to Lotus for development of new XE originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue...

Filed under: Gadgets, Ferrari

While Ferrari prepares the replacement to the F430 and its racing team continues to fine-tune the new F60 ahead of the Formula One season opener, the company’s tech partner Acer has released the latest addition to its Prancing Horse-emblazoned laptop range.

Called the Acer Ferrari 1200, the new ultraportable succeeds the 1100 (pictured above) introduced last year. It comes packed with an AMD Turion X2 Ultra CPU, four gigs of RAM, a SATA HDD, 12.1-inch LED-backlit screen, WiFi, fingerprint reader, bundled Bluetooth mouse and optional VOIP one, all packed inside a partial carbon-fiber case, with vents supposedly inspired by an F1 exhaust and an anodized metal touchpad styled after the pedals on a Ferrari sportscar. A load of BS? That depends entirely on your perspective, but Acer and Ferrari have lead a trend in automotive-themed laptops, and you can bet they’re going to push through every corner to stay ahead of the pack. Pricing has yet to be released as the laptop nears market launch in the UK, with the rest of the world to follow. See the press release after the jump for more details.

[Source: Engadget and Inside Line]

Continue reading One Fast Hard Drive: Acer’s latest Ferrari 1200 laptop

One Fast Hard Drive: Acer’s latest Ferrari 1200 laptop originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue...

Filed under: Chrysler, LLC., Dodge, Saleen

Saleen’s future has been in upheaval the last few years. First, company founder Steve Saleen left, then the company’s assets were sold off to private investors. Its new owners plan to continue making superchargers and bolt-on parts, but Saleen’s turnkey Racecraft and S lines could face the axe, while the company’s former keepers retain ownership of its supercar manufacturing business while they figure out what they can do with it.

Meanwhile, Chrysler has been looking to sell of its Viper operation, but while Saleen could have been a contender in years past, in its current condition few expect it to make such a large acquisition. That may be a false assumption, however, as silence is speaking louder than words. Understandably, Chrysler’s management is not disclosing the identities of the three potential buyers with which it is discussing the future of the Viper enterprise, but Saleen’s new owners are likewise refusing to comment. That kind of silence can be as deafening as a Saleen exhaust note, leaving us to wonder if the company’s new owners could turn the broken shards of a once-great American company into a new powerhouse with the Viper packing the punch.

[Source: AutoWeek]

Saleen’s new owners in the running for Viper acquisition? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 08 Feb 2009 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue...

Filed under: Convertibles, Sports/GTs, Maserati

For an automaker with only two model lines, Maserati is certainly keeping busy. One of a handful of luxury carmakers to improve its sales figures in 2008, the Trident marque is undoubtedly looking to build upon its growth with an eye towards setting yet another sales record. Fortunately that push is product-driven, prompting Modena to improve upon its already-mouthwatering offerings and give us something new to drool over, too.

First up is the Quattroporte GTS, the sportiest version yet of Maserati’s performance luxury sedan, which debuted at the Detroit show and goes on sale next month. That will reportedly be followed by a similarly-equipped version of its two-door counterpart. Called the GranTurismo GTS, we can’t help but wonder if it was named by someone with a stutter… or maybe by former UN sec-gen Boutros Boutros-Ghali. Naming aside, the high-spec GranTurismo is expected to ditch the robotized manual in favor of the performance-tuned automatic coupled to the 433-hp, 4.8-liter V8 from the Quattroporte GTS. Other changes will include a tighter suspension and sporty touches all around.

The bigger news, however, will be the debut of the new Spyder. While a smaller sports car has been speculated, sources expect this Spyder to be GranTurismo-based, retaining its four proper seats under the open sky. The new Maserati Spyder could make its public debut as soon as Frankfurt later this year, so stay tuned.

[Source: What Car?]

Along came a Spyder: Maserati to roll out GranTurismo GTS, convertible originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 08 Feb 2009 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue...

Filed under: Coupes, Hatchbacks, Ford, Rendered Speculation

Having driven the current European Focus in sporty ST trim and with the even hotter RS version rolling off the assembly line, we can tell you that our friends across the Atlantic have one fine-handling hatchback on their hands. And for the next generation, Ford is planning to give the Focus the styling and rakish profile its chassis deserves.

The next Focus, which we hope will replace the American version as well, will spawn several body-styles. First up to bat will be the C-Max minivan, but while the standard five-door will continue as the mainstay model, a new coupe variant is also in the works. Following the lead of Volkswagen, whose Scirocco cuts a sleeker profile than the Golf/Rabbit on which it’s based, and Renault, whose new Megane looks startlingly different in coupe and five-door guises, the Focus coupe will feature a sportier shape while retaining usability. You can bet the design for the new Focus range will follow the cues set down by the Fiesta (which we also drove in Europe), with the coupe adopting more pronounced wheel arches, a higher beltline, angled C-pillars, a sloping tail and sporty aero bits. Inside, the cabin will benefit from a complete redesign, with a central controller that we hope works better than BMW’s iDrive. Bank on a lineup of gasoline and diesel engines ranging from 89 horsepower all the way up to 197 ponies. The next-generation ST and RS should up the ante even further. Expect to see the Focus coupe debut later next year, with other variants to follow. We hope and pray Dearborn follows the One Ford plan and brings its best hatchbacks home. Thanks for the tip, Colin!

[Source: Auto Express]

Rendered Speculation: Ford’s next Euro Focus to spawn Scirocco-fighting coupe originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 08 Feb 2009 15:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue...

Filed under: Time Warp, Auction Action, Bugatti

Bugatti Atalantes don’t come up for sale very often, so when one unused example was unearthed from the garage of the reclusive late Dr. Harold Carr, enthusiasts and collectors alike stood up and took notice. The rare barn find 1937 Type 57S rolled across the Bonhams “Retromobile” auction block in Paris this weekend as scheduled, where it sold to a European collector for the equivalent of $4.4 million. While that may sound like a chunk of change - and certainly is by most standards, especially in this economy - it’s only half of the highest estimates placed on the Bugatti’s value upon discovery. You can bet that, after decades of neglect, its new owner will put in another hefty sum to have it restored to pristine quality before it starts hitting the concours circuit around the world. Thanks to Zack for the tip.

[Source: AOL]

Bought the Farm: barn-find Bugatti Atalante sells for $4.4M originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 08 Feb 2009 12:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue...

Filed under: Tech, HUMMER, Military

Remember those Saturday morning cartoons from when you were a kid, where futuristic soldiers battled with laser guns? Well if you were wondering what ever happened to that future we were promised, it’s here. Boeing’s Direct Energy Systems project recently concluded a test in the New Mexico desert where the Humvee-mounted Laser Avenger system successfully shot down three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in a demonstration for U.S. Army officers.

The Laser Avenger was initially created to dispose of unexploded ordinance (bombs that didn’t detonate) lying on the ground, but given the proliferation of UAVs for both surveillance and weapons deployment, Boeing adapted the lasers to shoot the UAVs out of the sky. The benefit over shooting down the drones with guns or missiles - in startling contradiction to the red lines depicted in the old G.I. Joe cartoons - is that the enemy can’t see where the laser beam is coming from, thereby keeping the ground troops’ position secure. Pretty awesome, unless you’re a UAV. Fortunately UAVs are unmanned by definition, so what we’re looking at here is lasers shooting down flying robots. You can check out the details in the press release after the jump if you’d like, but we’re going to sit right here in our pajamas until the next commercial.

[Source: Boeing via NextAutos]

Continue reading Humvee with Boeing Laser Avenger blasts UAVs

Humvee with Boeing Laser Avenger blasts UAVs originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 07 Feb 2009 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue...