UK specialist looking to give TVR Tuscan a second life as Chevy-powered Titan

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, GM, UK, Specialty

Might the quintessential British muscle car soon be blessed with the quintessential American muscle car powerplant? If UK-based racing specialist Classic World Racing gets its way, the answer is yes. The car is the TVR Tuscan – and we’re talking about the beautiful 1968 version, for what it’s worth – and the engine is none other than General Motors‘ undeniably excellent LS3 V8.

CWR has somehow managed to obtain the original molds for the old TVR Tuscan that had been sitting unused for decades in an old barn, after which the company built a race car using the molds for a client in Malaysia. Shortly thereafter, demand for a roadgoing version was deemed strong enough to make the necessary modifications to make it street legal. In this new form, CWR chose to call the machine the Titan.

Power figures for the Yankee-sourced 5.7-liter V8 engine start at 480 horsepower and go from there, and those ponies will be sent to a limited-slip differential at the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission. Couple that prodigious output with a weight of just 2,160 pounds (980 kilograms) and you’ve got a recipe for formidable performance. Price? Around £42,500 (plus VAT) in the UK – that’s about $65,500 dollars. Check out our high-res image gallery below and read the press release after the break.

[Source: Classic World Racing via Piston Heads]

Continue reading UK specialist looking to give TVR Tuscan a second life as Chevy-powered Titan

UK specialist looking to give TVR Tuscan a second life as Chevy-powered Titan originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, BMW, Luxury

Base model 5-Series? $44,500. Top-line 5-er? $59,700. Independence? Priceless.

Those were the key messages from a luncheon with BMW’s U.S. marketing and product planning chief Jack Pitney, who snuck into Motown to discuss, among other things, the upcoming American launch of one of the maker’s most important product lines.

The all-new 2011 528i, 535i and 550i models have gone through a significant transformation, and now share much of their underlying platform with the latest-generation BMW 7 Series. But they also share a lower price tag with other high-line sedans, something that reflects what Pitney admitted is a “highly-competitive” U.S. luxury market. The 528i will officially hit American showrooms, on June 19, carrying a sticker that’s $1,400 under that of the outgoing model.

Notably, all three models will offer the option of all-wheel drive, as well as a no-charge pick of either an eight-speed automatic or a six-speed manual, the latter likely only to account for about five percent of overall sales, but still critical, stressed Pitney, to reinforcing the brand’s “Ultimate Driving Machine” image.

And yes, he stressed, while BMW has been playing with a second advertising tagline, “The Joy of Driving,” that long-lived “Ultimate” slogan isn’t going away. “That,” he insisted, “would never, ever occur.”

Photos by Chris Paukert / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading BMW sets price on new 5-er; says no price too high for independence

BMW sets price on new 5-er; says no price too high for independence originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Etc., Europe, UK, Celebrities, Humor

It seems so obvious in retrospect, doesn’t it? Consider the facts. Exhibit A: Top Gear has demonstrated a penchant for visiting the faraway reaches of Iceland for some of their memorable television stunts and was seen filming in the cold just last week in one of their beloved Toyota trucks. Exhibit B: The boys at Top Gear – and especially ringleader Jeremy Clarkson - don’t exactly have a stellar reputation for respecting the planet. Exhibit C: A large volcanic eruption is taking place in Iceland as we speak.

We’re not the only ones suspicious. Says media commentator Annalisa Kneejerk:

It has been scientifically proven that Top Gear is responsible for almost every evil in the modern world, so the eruption of a furious tectonic force barely a week after Richard Clarkson’s ‘visit’ can hardly be viewed as mere coincidence… We have it on good authority that Jeremy Hammond [sic] drove one of his favourite Ferrari gas-guzzlers at 100mph, straight into the main magma chamber, which could quite easily have caused this geological catastrophe. Thankfully I’ve never watched the show.

Coincidence? We think not. After all, it’s already been scientifically proven.

[Source: Top Gear]

Top Gear takes blame for Icelandic volcano eruption originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Ford, Humor

Ford has officially stirred up a mess of snakes by inviting consumers to submit their ideas on how to improve the company’s vehicles to its website at TheFordStory.com. We’ve spent the better part of a day sifting through what the world has to say to Ford, and though we expected bucket loads of the web’s own brand of vitriol, so far the comments were largely constructive.

We say “largely” because, as you know, the internet is still the home of LOL Cats and Chocolate Rain, and for every common sense suggestion on the site, there’s one telling the company to offer an automatic pet feeder as an option. We wish we were kidding.

Ford has split its internet suggestion box into six categories ranging from performance and driving dynamics to safety, and while we dig ideas like trimming weight through the use of structural adhesives and the implementation of rear fog lights, a few themes rose above the rest to grab our attention. We’ve cataloged five we think Ford could do well to listen to, along with another five the company could skip all together.

Follow the jump to peek inside the suggestion box.

Continue reading Ford Gets An Earful: Five best and worst ideas from consumers

Ford Gets An Earful: Five best and worst ideas from consumers originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, BMW

BMW has just announced that the company will join forces with Seattle-based SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers LLC to build a new manufacturing facility in Moses Lake, Washington. Don’t get too excited just yet. The plant won’t be cranking out CF bits for your 3 Series so that you can have a roof that looks like the one on your neighbor’s M3 (shown above). Instead, BMW says the $100 million facility will be creating carbon-fiber reinforced plastics for the upcoming Megacity vehicle. At the same time, SGL and BMW will be creating 80 jobs in the Moses Lake area.

The Megacity vehicle is slated for launch in 2015, and will get stitched together at BMW’s plant in Lepzig, Germany. Since that’s the case, you may be asking yourself why the Bavarian automaker would bother investing in a facility nestled half way around the globe in the sticks of Washington State. Turns out the answer is that the location has plenty of things going for it, including clean hydro electric power, a capable work force and a government that was willing to work with both SGL and BMW.

Both companies have made a point of saying that this is a big step for the democratization of carbon fiber in auto manufacturing. Let’s hope they’re right.

[Source: BMW]

Continue reading BMW, SGL announce new carbon fiber plant in Moses Lake, WA

BMW, SGL announce new carbon fiber plant in Moses Lake, WA originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Toyota

According to Reuters, a federal judge has consolidated the majority of lawsuits filed against Toyota involving unintended acceleration. Over 100 such suits have been bundled together by U.S. District Judge James Selna, and temporary lead counsel has been chosen for both sides of the case. Expect a star-studded cast to show up for this one, including lawyers formerly involved with everything from Big Tobacco legislation to the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

Toyota is staring down the barrel of some pretty hefty claims, including calls for complete refunds for owners of the recalled vehicles. Needless to say, that’s something the company is aiming to avoid at all costs.

The initial hearing is set for May 13, and the outcome will likely weigh heavily on the public’s opinion of Toyota, not to mention the company’s bottom line.

[Source: Reuters | Image: Andrew Yates/APF/Getty]

Reuters: Unified Toyota lawsuits set in motion by judge originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Budget, Hybrid, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Hatchback, Honda

There has been plenty of debate about the Honda CR-Z around the Autoblog water cooler. Does Honda’s sport-inspired mild hybrid have the style, power (122 horsepower), sales appeal and fuel economy numbers (36 miles per gallon city, 38 highway) to make it a legitimate successor to the CRX? We’ll have to drive the CR-Z to get the answer to most of our questions, and we’ll have to wait for a few months after launch to see whether car buyers will welcome the mild little hybrid with open arms (and wallets).

One thing we do know for sure, though, is that the post-jump European Honda CR-Z promo has too much fog, too many lasers and way too many 1990s-style effects to be cool. That said, it beats the heck out of those bizarre-looking animated jazz videos used to market the Accord Crosstour. Hit the jump to watch the video for yourself and to check out the official press release.

[Source: Gaucho Productions via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Honda CR-Z ad gets crazy with the fog machine

Video: Honda CR-Z ad gets crazy with the fog machine originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Chrysler, Earnings/Financials, Fiat

When General Motors and Chrysler entered bankruptcy proceedings in 2009, it was very clear that one company had a future product portfolio and one didn’t. So while The General received the lion’s share of government funding, Chrysler was basically given to Fiat with the hope that Team Pentastar could benefit from platform and product sharing. The early results of the Chrysler/Fiat team have been somewhat encouraging. Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne and his team have made significant progress cutting costs, and the management team created a five-year plan for Chrysler that includes new, Fiat-derived platforms and re-badged Lancias and Alfa Romeos.

Will these steps be enough for Chrysler to remain the full-line manufacturer it is today? A report in Automotive News shows that Bernstein Research analyst Max Warburton doesn’t seem to think so. Warburton reportedly wrote in an assessment for Fiat investors that “we remain unconvinced Chrysler will survive in its current form despite Marchionne’s blood, sweat and tears.” Warburton cites four unnamed senior executives from Detroit.

The analyst’s feelings come despite the fact that he feels Chrysler will come close to breaking even in the first quarter even with relatively poor sales. Warburton actually anticipates that Marchionne will announce Chrysler made a small profit in the month of March. So why the doom and gloom? Warburton cites Chrysler’s still limited product development, light product portfolio and limited synergies between the two companies. The analyst also points to Marchionne’s target for Chrysler to hit a 14 percent market share by 2014 as a reason for alarm. Chrysler hasn’t been at 14 percent market share since 2000, and the Pentastar is currently just under 10 percent share.

In the report for Fiat investors, Warburton called a reasonable exit exit strategy from the situation “a slimming down of Chrysler to be just Ram, Jeep and a U.S. production base for Fiat.” We’re quite positive the folks in Auburn Hills, MI wouldn’t like that plan. What do you think? Drop us a line or two in ‘Comments.’

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req. | Image: Geoff Robins/AFP/Getty]

Report: Analyst claims Chrysler may not be able to survive in current form originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Truck, Videos, Ford, Off-Road

Do we even need to say again that we love the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor? No? All right. But we do. Anyway, if we can’t be actually driving the thing, what we’ll take after that is someone else properly driving it and getting high-def video, especially if said footage involves jumps.

The folks at Kelley Blue Book have filmed just such a video, in which it offers nine suggestions of the things you should definitely do in one, and while our favorite is jumping, we wouldn’t mind trying out Tip #6: Drive it like we’re being chased by murderous robots. Since that one will probably come true. Rather soon. And we could use some practice. Follow the jump for the vid.

[Source: Kelley Blue Book]

Continue reading Video: KBB gets down, dirty and airborn with the Ford Raptor

Video: KBB gets down, dirty and airborn with the Ford Raptor originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 12:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Subaru, Long-Term Garage

With the genesis of our 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT long-termer just a few hundred miles down the road in Lafayette, Indiana, we thought it only appropriate to pick up our bouncing burgundy baby at the factory.

Many folks we know still express surprise that our Legacy is built in the States, but the folks at Fuji Heavy Industries have been building the model at Subaru Automotive Indiana (SIA) since its production lines fired up way back in September of 1989. Like the Legacy itself, the plant was a much different animal at that time. Back then, it was a joint production facility between Subaru and fellow Japanese automaker Isuzu, which assembled its pickup, the Rodeo, and eventually, the Axiom (remember those?) before exiting the venture in 2004.

The plant presently builds the Legacy sedan, its tippy-toes-with-mukluks cousin, the Outback and Tribeca, and the Toyota Camry, a car it’s built since early 2007. In the past, it was also responsible for North American production of the Subaru Baja and the Honda Passport, the Rodeo’s mechanical twin. If you’re getting the impression that this plant has been a remarkably flexible manufacturing facility, you’ve got it right. Follow the jump to read more.

Photos by Chris Paukert / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Long-Term Update: Touring our Subaru Legacy 2.5GT’s birthplace

Long-Term Update: Touring our Subaru Legacy 2.5GT’s birthplace originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading about Long-Term Update: Touring our Subaru Legacy 2.5GT’s birthplace