In year’s past an unveiling of a company’s new model has been nothing short of something right out of Team America. Flashy lights, lasers, busty booth babes, and heavy metal blaring, have all been components of a press extravaganza for a new model. Because of the state of current business conditions, there will be no flash for Honda at the North American International Auto Show in January. Honda will still be debuting its new Acura and the production version of its Insight hybrid, but it will go on with less fanfare than a flashlight and the uncorking of a bottle of sparkling Costco wine.

“Normally we have a great TV moment with special effects to reveal a new model,” says Chris Martin, a spokesman for American Honda. “That’s a very expensive prospect. Given the economic times, we just didn’t see that as appropriate this year.”

Other auto companies are going to have even less flash than Honda. Nissan North America, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, and Porsche have also dropped out the NAIAS. I’m all one for an auto industry party, but it sounds like the NAIAS could be as festive as a wake.

By Holly R.

Pros:

• Super-stiff suspension
• Light-weight, small and extremely agile
• Drives like a sports car
• Superp acceleration
• Excellent gas mileage
• You can park this anywhere! EVERYONE has good parking karma in a MINI.

Cons:

• Appeared to not have a Bluetooth (even though there was a phone button on the stereo, I never could get it to work)
• Not all the dials and knobs were intuitive (I’m embarrassed to admit how long it took me to find the window controls…)
• One-touch window control was a bit TOO touchy

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By Twain Mein

Pros:

• (Useful) bells and whistles
• quattro® all-wheel drive
• Handling and comfort
• Beautiful interior
• Cruise control that works going down hill
• Good gas mileage; 22.6 mpg combined

Cons:

• Disappointing styling
• Rear seat room
• No telescoping steering wheel!
• Price

This is a review of the redesigned 2009 Audi A4 quattro with 265 hp 3.2 liter V6 engine. The base price is $40k but it came with $10k worth of options, including
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It’s so easy to look at the GM corporate web site with ironic detachment. The sad jokes write themselves. Where to start? Why first there’s the tab that says Life at GM, which you click and in large fonts trumpets, Life @ GM…More For You to Love. It then states, “This is one of the most exciting times in our company history.”

SAD JOKE #1: I guess begging for a $25 billion bailout equals “exciting” in the eyes of GM executives.

At the bottom of the page it relays Our GM Vision: We earn our customers’ trust and enthusiasm through continuous improvement driven by integrity, teamwork and the innovation of GM people.

SAD JOKE #2: Nothing earns customers’ trust and enthusiasm more than begging for a $25 million bailout with the prospect of declaring bankruptcy and collapsing the auto industry.

The site actually as a link for career opportunities at GM. Yes, this is for those who might potentially be thinking of taking on a career with GM despite the fact that hundreds of thousands of autoworkers might be losing their jobs. You follow the link to a page showing roughly 7 well-groomed smiley people looking like you just told them they won the lottery, with the words, “Careers at GM…Love What You Do.”

If out-of-the-ordinary is your inspiration, you’ll have plenty of company at General Motors. We encourage our automotive professionals to breakaway from the mainstream and explore the unimagined.

SAD JOKE #3: Out-of-the-ordinary must be a euphemism for soon-to-be laid off and out-of-a-job.

This is one of those, “How come they didn’t think of this sooner” kind of deals.

Seriously, how many times have you looked at a kids car seat, and thought to yourself, “You know, these things look a LOT like racing seats.” They really do. Multi-point harnesses, extensive head restraints, just scaled down to fit.

Seems like I wasn’t the only one thinking about the similarities, Rory Craig, a student at the prestigious Art Center College of Design, was thinking along those lines as well. His version features carbon fiber construction, Sparco belts, 3-way adjustablility, reclines, and can be pulled apart to be carry the kiddo around. Rory titled it the Wing Man, but unfortunately it’s not on the market just yet. He’s pitching it to Sparco (good choice), and hopefully, they’ll take him up on the offer.

It’d look perfect in the back of your Quatroporte, wouldn’t it?

Source: AutoBlog

With the same fanfare as the Enquirer releasing photos of TomKat’s baby Suri, Porsche AG, Stuttgart has unveiled to the world their latest baby. Yes, the first official photos of the four-seater Panamera Gran Turismo:

And what proud parents the Porsche family must be. While retaining the classic Porsche-look, this is the company’s first Sedan in all its four-door, touring car glory; with the typical Porsche sports car DNA and style, along with sporting driving dynamics, a generous and variable interior, and supreme driving comfort. Here’s the skinny on some of the Panamera Gran Turismo hardware surprises:

• Placed up front the power is supplied by V-6 or V-8 engines flexing 300 to 500 horsepower of muscle!
• It’s turbocharged with direct fuel injection for optimum efficiency!
• Like all good sports cars the Panamera Gran Turisomo will deploy rear-wheel drive along with an option for all-wheel drive
• Gears are shifted by a six-speed manual transmission or the company’s new PDK double-clutch, seven-speed, super-duper gearbox
• Because it’s a touring car, with its coupe-like tailgate, the two rear seats fold down for extra cargo.
• The Panamera will be making its world debut in spring 2009 and the first models will be at dealers worldwide in late summer of next year

Photos and video of this four door GT-wonder after the jump
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File this under “Uh-oh!”.

In another worrying sign, and hot on the the heals of Suzuki, Nissan has just announced it is pulling out of the North American International Auto show in Detroit. not only that, they’re also pulling out of the Chicago show too. So that now gives us a list of Porsche, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Ferrari, Land Rover and Rolls-Royce, and Nissan that aren’t interested in showing at Detroit.

What none of these car companies, or journalists have been able to explain is: Why? Why pull out of the biggest car show in the biggest car market in the world?

Some companies have simply scaled back and reprioritized things; a lot of them shuffled big debuts off to the Los Angeles show, but that’s only a half-answer at best.

Frankly, I don’t have a handle on it. It’s not like Detroit is going to disappear. Even in some ultra-free market/Stephen Colbert nightmare, the Earth isn’t going to open up and swallow Detroit whole. Say things get as bad as they could. By this time tomorrow, GM, Ford & Chrysler have completely shut down operations and fired everybody. Sure, huge economic catastrophe, but the city, and the workers and the factories will still be there. Something would be done with them, it’s not like Detroit (and Lansing and Flint et al) would just dry up and blow away like some mining boom down in Nevada, circa 1892.

So, Porsche, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Ferrari, Land Rover and Rolls-Royce, and Nissan, what gives?

Source: AutoBlog

We have driving shots of the newly redesigned 2010 Mazda MAZDA3 that was officially revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Mazda also tells us that the 3 will carry over its 2.0L four-cylinder, but be joined by a larger 2.5L engine to replace the current car’s 2.3L. As for the Mazda3 five-door hatchback, we’ll have to wait until some time after the L.A. Auto Show for that.

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In an effort to raise cash and prop up its faltering balance sheets, Ford Motor Company has sold 20% of its stake in Mazda, netting the blue oval boys $540 Million. This follows on the heals of GM selling of 3% of their stake in Suzuki (netting the General $230 Million).

According to statements from both Ford and Mazda, this will not effect their ongoing joint ventures, as well as the sharing of platforms and powertrains. That makes sense for both entities. especially for Ford. what will be needed in the near future will be smaller, more fuel efficient engines, which Mazda seems to have by the boxcar load.

Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally said, This agreement allows Ford to raise capital that will help fund our product-led transformation, and at the same time, allows Ford and Mazda to continue our successful strategic relationship in the best interest of both companies. Ford will continue to focus on the Ford brand worldwide and deliver the products our customers really want and value.”

And Mazda Chairman, President and CEO Hisakazu Imaki added, “The sale of Mazda shares by our partner, Ford, will not result in any change in Mazda’s strategic direction and we will continue to accelerate our product-led brand improvement and cost innovation initiatives. We will continue our strategic relationship through our ongoing joint ventures with Ford, as well as the sharing of platforms and powertrains.”

Source: CarScoop

Controversial filmmaker Michael Moore spoke out last night about the auto industry on CNN’s Larry King Live.

“I’m of mixed mind with this bail out,” Moore said, who doesn’t want to see hundreds of thousands of autoworkers suffer at the hands of these auto makers, but at the same time,“I don’t think that these companies, with these management people, should be given a dime because that’s just money going up in smoke or off to other country.”

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By Edsel Rollin

One of my biggest thrills this year had to be when I got a chance to drive the original Batmobile. It’s a big car with a lot of power, but it’s also very old school in many ways. From afar, it appears to be fairly hi-tech (when you consider when it was built), but, when you get to study the vehicle up close, the instrument panel, dash and interior look fairly low-tech.

I grew up on the Batman TV series and even though it was very corny, I loved it. So, when I got an opportunity to interview George Barris, I jumped at the chance. Barris is a collector of what I call “celebrity vehicles” – famous cars that make gearheads like me drool and wax nostalgic.

When I first got behind the wheel of the original Batmobile, I was reluctant to gun the engine or drive fast. But, after I began to feel comfortable behind the wheel, I really opened it up. I was in Sacramento at the time talking to a company that restores many of Barris’s vehicles. People were smiling and waving to me as I drove by and it was a rush. If you can’t get women with the Batmobile, it means you have absolutely no game.

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By Derek Mau

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the city’s buzzing hive of urban workers, a quiet ceremony was taking place in front of Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) San Francisco offices. A handful of reporters, the occasional curiosity seeker walking by, and a few employees on break were around to witness the delivery of Mitsubishi Motors (MMC) all-electric vehicle, the i MiEV (Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle), to PG&E for some extensive testing over the next few years.

The i MiEV is an all-electric powered vehicle based on the Mitsubishi i sold in Japan.The original i is a sub-compact car that has the size and dimensions of a “light car” (classified in Japan as “keijidousha” class) with an engine displacement of up to 660cc. The car looks tiny on the outside but is fairly spacious on the inside. Looking somewhat like a jellybean on wheels, it’s a tad over 133 inches from end to end. With the car’s 15-inch wheels pushed all the way out to the corners, the overhangs are zero. As a result, it has a 100-inch wheelbase and a very stable ride. For the sake of comparison, the 5-door VW Rabbit’s wheelbase is 101.5 inches. This translates into a surprising amount of interior passenger room — much more than you’d expect from such a small car.

(Video and photos if the Mitsubishi i MiEV below the jump)

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By Adrienne Gruben

BMW unveiled the MINI E yesterday at the Los Angeles Auto Show’s press day, realizing BMW’s long hope of an electric car on the road. You remember BMW’s electric concept car pacing the 1972 Olympic Marathon runners. Ok I don’t either, but a German born American won that year. Was this his “KITT” from Knight Rider? The Germans love Knight Rider.

BMW CEO Dr. Norbert Reithofer spoke with actual glee about the 500 Mini E’s becoming available for an $850/mo, 1 year lease to Southern Californians and New Yorkers by year’s end. And like on American Idol, the audience will control the outcome. Reithofer asked the crowd, “What kind of infrastructure do we need? The important feedback will help us in preparing for production.” And he means it. “This is not just a car to roll out from one event to another. The MINI E belongs on the road.”

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Looks like Aston Martin really wants to beat the bow-tie boy’s Corvette, doesn’t it?

Just to get you up to speed, for a while now, Aston Martin, under the guise of a ProDrive propped & managed Vantage GT4 have been duking it out with Chevy’s Corvette in the FIA’s GT series, most notably at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. And when I say ‘duking it out’, I ain’t kidding. Last June’s 24 Hours was a total slug fest, with the lead swapping multiple times a lap, it seemed.

The boys from Gaydon want more, hence they just rolled out the upcoming GT4 Vantage.

A 4.7 liter V8 replaces the old 4.3 mill. There’s a new free flow exhaust system and air filters (more air in and out) and you get your choice of either a six speed manual, or a Sportshift transmission with paddle controls. Both boxes have a Valeo twin-plate cerametallic racing clutch mated to a lightweight flywheel. It tips the scales at 2,932 pounds, which is 660 pounds lighter than the street Vantage V8 (no C & C features on the track boys). Of course there’s all the standards racing gear; roll cage, fire suppression system, 6-point harness, etc.

The suspension is only mildly tweaked from the original road car. Larger diameter front and rear anti-roll bars, adjustable ride height aluminum shocks, as well as single rate, flat ground springs with separate helper springs. You can dial in extra camber and castor via a modified front subframe and there are bespoke cast magnesium front and rear wheels wrapped in high performance Yokohama A048-R tires. The brakes are uprated with Pagid RS 29 pads.

Oh, and they’re selling them. Price? a mere $143,000 US.

Source: CarScoop

By Harmon Leon

With bells and whistles, this week at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Nissan introduced the 2009 Cube. Don’t be deceived by what looks like a refrigerator on wheels, the Cube has the same 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine found in the Nissan Versa, and is good for 122 HP and 127 lb-ft of torque.

Nissan first introduced the original Cube to Japan back in 1998. Judging how it went over, the ’98 Cube was perhaps a car way ahead of its time. But now with its funky style and affordable cost, the Cube could catch on Stateside with the Magna comic crowd and become a very fashionable vehicle with its Jacuzzi Curve layout and floating meter pod driver’s area. Like Godzilla, the Cube has already taken Tokyo by storm through massive exposure in trendy magazines, videos and smattering across the Web.

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