Autoblog

Knight Rider: The Liveblog - Season 1, Episode 10

2009-01-07T19:59:00Z

Okay. The "reboot" begins tonight. Without further ado, I'll see you after the jump. Continue reading Knight Rider: The Liveblog - Season 1, Episode 10 Knight Rider: The Liveblog - Season 1, Episode 10 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments...(read more)

CES 2009: The cars of CES

2009-01-07T19:58:00Z

Filed under: Aftermarket , Concept Cars , CES , Pontiac Click above to view a high-res gallery of the cars of CES 2009 The doors to the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show don't officially open until Thursday morning, but we got a sneak preview of the setup going on in the LVCC's North Hall. That's where most of the automotive action will be concentrated and there are plenty of wild rides lining the halls. You'll notice that in most of the photos, like the Galpin Scythe (above), the exhibitors'...(read more)

Renault and Nissan deliver new 3.0L V6 diesel engine w/VIDEO

2009-01-07T19:32:00Z

Filed under: Green , Nissan , Renault Click for a high res gallery of the new Nissan-Renault diesel The clean diesel V6 you see above will supposedly find a home under the hood of the Nissan Maxima sometime in 2010. Back in April in 2007, Nissan announced it would offer an oilburner in the Maxima, but that was before the price of diesel spiked well above gasoline. That price increase, combined with the huge drop in car sales over the past 12 months, has caused most of the non-German automakers planning...(read more)

Spy Shots: Mitsubishi Ralliart Sportback spotted in MI

2009-01-07T19:01:00Z

Filed under: Spy Photos , Sports/GTs , Hatchbacks , Mitsubishi , Rumormill Click above for another shot of the Lancer Sportback The crew at NextAutos caught a Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback testing in the great state of Michigan, providing us with further proof that the WRX-fighter is on its way to the States. The Sportback is the hatch/wagon/combi variant of the Lancer that originally debuted in Paris , and while Mitsubishi still hasn't confirmed drivetrain choices for the U.S., we've been...(read more)

Ferrari and Peugeot to collaborate on KERS?

2009-01-07T18:32:00Z

Filed under: Motorsports , Hybrids/Alternative , Green , Ferrari , Peugeot Put a Ferrari and a Peugeot side-by-side and you'll struggle to find any similarities , but on the race track, the two share more in common than you might think. Before masterminding Ferrari's rejuvenation, former CEO Jean Todt was head of Peugeot's competition department, and brought with him some of PSA's top racing engineers. Peugeot's renewed Le Mans racing operation employs several F1 drivers , including...(read more)

Bloc Rockin' Beat(er): Volga GAZ-21 meets Porsche Cayenne

2009-01-07T17:58:00Z

Filed under: Time Warp , Sedans/Saloons , SUVs , Etc. , Porsche , Humor Click above for high-res image gallery of this heavily disguised Cayenne Turbo We recently told you that the Porsche Panamera would be unveiled at the Shanghai Motor Show in April, but it turns out that it has already debuted in Russia. This Porsche-powered four-door just popped up with a retro body that seems to have caught the whole automotive world by surprise. We thought that the last batch of pics were the real deal, but...(read more)

U.S. car sales in the doldrums to infinity until 2012 and beyond

2009-01-07T17:34:00Z

Filed under: Car Buying , Plants/Manufacturing , Earnings/Financials There were about three million fewer cars sold in 2008 than 2007. Based on 2007's numbers , it would be the same as if Acura, Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Lexus, MINI, Porsche, and Saab all closed their doors in 2008. In terms of pure automotive carnage, that's not the kind of damage you can just buff out. And the predictions for the future agree on two points: it's going to get worse, and it won't return to...(read more)

For Eur-eyes Only: Volvo releases new five-cylinder diesel in S80

2009-01-07T16:59:00Z

Filed under: Euro , Green , Volvo , UK Click above to view the Volvo D5 engine in all its high-resolution wonder By now, Volvo has been almost completely integrated into the Ford empire, but with its parent company looking to offload the Swedish subsidiary, Volvo's going to have to demonstrate its worth as a standalone automaker. Developing its own engines is a good place to start, and Volvo has just unveiled its own unique diesel powerplant. Replacing the existing D5 diesel, the new variant...(read more)

Renault to unveil new Megane RS in Geneva

2009-01-07T16:27:00Z

Filed under: Geneva Motor Show , Euro , Hatchbacks , Renault Click above for a hi-res gallery of the Renault Megane Trophy concept Hot hatch enthusiasts know what it means when Renault unveils a new compact car: a new Renaultsport variant will follow. The French automaker's performance division continues to roll out some the hottest compacts in the business, so when the wraps came off the third-generation Megane in Paris this past fall, it was only a matter of time before the tuned-up sport version...(read more)

Suzuki's Hungarian production halts due to Russia/Ukraine gas dispute

2009-01-07T16:01:00Z

Filed under: Euro , Plants/Manufacturing Russia and Ukraine are presently in the midst of a natural gas pricing dispute . Russia wants Ukraine to pay closer to market price for the commodity. Ukraine says that Russia should pay more for the use of its pipelines, through which the bulk of the EU's Russia-sourced natural gas flows. Russia has escalated matters by cutting off its gas shipments via Ukrainian pipelines completely, and the EU is scrambling as it deals with shortages. Obviously, there's...(read more)

Scion bringing xB Release Series 6.0 to Detroit

2009-01-07T15:31:00Z

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show , Hatchbacks , Scion , Special/Limited Editions Click above for a high-res gallery of the Scion xB Release Series 6.0 Scion will continue its habit of offering tweaked versions of its wares as "Release Series" models at next week's Detroit Auto Show where the Scion xB Release Series 6.0 will be revealed. As is de rigeur for these special editions, the R.S. 6.0 will get its own paint color, "Absolutely Red" (it's a standard color for the Yaris...(read more)

Next Jaguar sedan looks like stretch XK, with four-door "coupe" overtones

2009-01-07T14:59:00Z

Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Sports/GTs , Jaguar , Rumormill Is Jaguar planning a Panamera and Rapide challenger? Until now we've had speculation and spy pics , but Channel 4 is reporting that Jaguar officials have confirmed plans to "introduce a new saloon" later this year, that "takes the luxury saloon to new heights in terms of its technical enhancements." Although this new sedan will eventually replace the XJ in the company's lineup, it is said to be radically different...(read more)

Unofficial details emerge on Lamborghini LP670-4 SV

2009-01-07T14:27:00Z

Filed under: Supercars , Lamborghini , Rumormill , Special/Limited Editions "Regular" Lamborghini Murcielago LP640-4 shown for illustrative purposes Recently, we told you that Lamborghini is rumored to be working on a couple of rear-drive-only models to entice the most enthusiastic of enthusiasts. One of those models was supposed to be a lightweight version of the V12 Murcielago , possibly dubbed the SV. According to recent reports, the SV is on the way, but that it will most likely retain...(read more)

Holden Commodore once again Australia's best seller, with a catch

2009-01-07T14:03:00Z

Filed under: Car Buying , Sedans/Saloons , Holden , Australia Click above for a high-res gallery of the VE Sportwagon SS-V In a classic case of good-news versus bad-news, the Holden Commodore has once again managed to retain the title of Australia's best-selling vehicle in 2008. With this announcement, the Australian arm of General Motors has extended the Commodore's run as best seller to 13 straight years. That's the good news part. On the other hand, its 51,093 sales in 2008 are the...(read more)

New Mercedes-Benz E-Class brochure scans hit the web

2009-01-07T13:33:00Z

Filed under: Spy Photos , Sedans/Saloons , Geneva Motor Show , Mercedes-Benz Click above for a gallery of leaked Mercedes-Benz E-Class scans Mercedes-Benz needs a successful E-Class sedan in its lineup to properly compete with the BMW 5 Series and Audi A6. With the current W211 model soldiering on since since 2002 and getting long-in-the-tooth, the German automaker is expected to launch a new E-Class sedan at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March. As is often the case, it's proving rather difficult...(read more)