Mazda Introduces Special Edition RX-8

Mazda is introducing a third special edition model of its Mazda RX-8 rotary powered four-door sports coupe. Called the ‘Mazda RX-8 Nemesis’ the latest model builds on the success of the earlier Mazda RX-8 Evolve and Mazda RX-8 PZ.

The ‘Nemesis’ features unique paint colors and interior trim, plus an exclusive accessory package, all at the extremely attractive price of £22,995 (on-the-road), £330 less than the model on which it is based – when similarly specified.

Taking the standard 192 bhp version of Mazda RX-8 with leather and a five-speed transmission as its foundation, the Nemesis has several unique exterior and interior features.

A choice of two exclusive colors (Copper Red Mica and Stormy Blue Mica) is offered, and each Nemesis comes with a polished aluminum Rotary crest on the front air dam, polished aluminum side air-outlet trims behind the front wheel arches, special B-pillar trims with a Rotary crest and ‘Nemesis’ badging.

Chevy Prices The HHR Panel

Chevrolet announced that pricing for the new, segment-exclusive HHR Panel will begin at $16,750 (including destination) for a well-equipped LS model. Orders for the HHR Panel will begin in early January.

“Priced at only $200 more than an HHR passenger model, the HHR Panel demonstrates tremendous value to business customers,” said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. “The HHR Panel is a model unlike anything else in the segment, offering commercial customers and expressive enthusiasts a bold, functional and different vehicle – and one that delivers more than 30 mpg on the highway.”

The HHR Panel features windowless side panels and rear cargo doors in place of conventional rear doors. A flat load floor provides more than 57 cubic feet (1,614 L) of cargo space, along with approximately 5 cubic feet (141 L) of additional covered, under-floor storage. Inside, the HHR Panel has seating for two and a large, flat cargo floor. Tie-down points are located strategically on the floor.

Saab Launches Anniversary Edition Models To Celebrate 60 Years Of Making Cars

Saab will celebrate its 60th anniversary by launching special editions of its 9-5 and 9-3 model lines, featuring unique exterior and interior detailing, worth up to £3,000, all at no extra cost to the customer. The Anniversary Editions will go on sale from January 2007.

Initially founded as a manufacturer of military aircraft, Saab surprised the automotive world in June 1947 when it revealed the prototype for its first production car, the Saab 92. With streamlined bodywork, unitary construction and front wheel drive, it owed little to the conventional design wisdoms of the time, establishing a tradition for innovative and independent thinking that has characterised the Saab brand ever since. In 2007, 60 years on from the unveiling of the timeless Saab 92, Saab’s clean bold lines testify to a Swedish design ethic which is as apparent today as it ever was.

The $1.3 Million Maserati MC12 Versione Corse

The MC12 Versione Corse makes 755 horsepower, compared with 600 hp for the GT1. It also is equipped with an electrohydraulic Cambiocorsa semiautomatic transmission in place of the racing car’s manual gearbox, and features a passenger seat.

The price: a cool 1 million euros, or $1,333,000 at current exchange rates. Plus taxes, of course. The car goes on sale this month, with the production run limited to a mere 12 units.

Rinspeed Presents Ethereally Transparent Concept Car eXasis

Is it just a clever 3-D projection or maybe a mirage of a four-wheel art object? Or is it actually a real car sitting there? Some visitors to this year’s Geneva Auto Show (March 8th thru 18th) will ask themselves just these questions when faced with the new fully transparent Rinspeed creation “eXasis.” The insect-like body and even the floor pan of the seemingly “glass” concept car from the renowned Swiss powerhouse for new designs and ideas actually consist of a transparent high-tech plastic with a tinge of pale yellow.

The “eXasis” has open wheels, a cigar-shaped body with fore and aft tandem seating, and has elements of the legendary Auto Union race cars from the first half of the last century combined with a modern Baja-1000 off-road vehicle.

Six-cylinder Bio-ethanol Engine For The Volvo XC60 Concept

The powertrain for the All Wheel Drive Volvo XC60 Concept, due to make its world debut at the Detroit show in January, is a six-cylinder, 3.2-litre bio-ethanol engine. The engine offers dynamic performance with 265bhp and 340 Nm of torque – with 80 per cent lower carbon dioxide emissions compared with the same engine running on petrol.

“We believe that the FlexiFuel also has great potential for larger engine sizes and we are planning to expand our range of bio-ethanol-powered engines in the coming years,” says Magnus Jonsson, Senior Vice President, Research & Development at Volvo Cars.

The powertrain for the Volvo XC60 Concept uses the same six-cylinder, 3.2-litre, in-line petrol engine that was introduced in the all-new Volvo S80 and revised XC90 in mid-2006. The engine has been optimised for E85 (85 percent bio-ethanol, 15 percent petrol). This gives acceleration from 0–60 mph in 8.2 seconds and a top speed of approximately 143 mph. Fuel economy when running on E85 reduces to 19.2 mpg, as the energy content of ethanol is 40% lower than that of petrol.

Cool European Police Cars

George Lucas Takes Delivery Of First Mosler MT900S

Noted American film director, producer and screenwriter George Lucas, an avowed high-performance auto aficionado, could buy any car on the planet. He chose the car Darth Vader would drive a stunning black-on-black Mosler MT900S from Mosler Automotive.

In mid-December at his ranch in San Rafael, California, Lucas, who created American Graffiti and the epic Star Wars saga, took delivery of the first street-legal production Mosler MT900S. He first became interested in the Mosler six months ago when his 13-year-old son brought a car magazine into his office. The boy was fascinated by the car and it caught Lucas’ eye as well. After a few calls, an order was placed.

“I was drawn to its looks, its power, its use of high-tech materials, and, of course, its speed,” said Lucas, who also owns a Ferrari F360.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz has updated its E-Class midsize sedan for 2007, adding two new optional engines, styling changes, a PRE-SAFE system and an AMG performance variant. PRE-SAFE is arguably the most advanced collision-mitigation system on the market, and Mercedes claims that its optional Bluetec diesel engine is the cleanest available.

The V-6-powered E350 continues, and a new 5.5-liter V-8 changes the E500’s name to E550 for 2007. The diesel E320 CDI is now called the E320 Bluetec, to represent the engine’s new emission-control technology. The new E63

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AMG replaces the E55 AMG.

Renault Launches New Clio Renault Sport

The European market is blessed with a host of hot hatchbacks, and this latest addition ratchets the competition up a notch. Renault’s new Clio Renault Sport is distinguished by “Formula 1-inspired” aerodynamics, notably front fender extractor vents and a first-in-class functional rear diffuser. The latter generates about 88 pounds of downforce at highway speeds, maxing out at more than 150 pounds at high speed.

Power comes from an uprated version of Renault’s 2-liter, 16 valve engine, redlined at over 7,500 rpm. The normally-aspirated powerplant produces 197 hp and about 159 foot pounds of torque. A close-ratio 6-speed gearbox is new for this year’s model, and in combination, the revamped drivetrain is good for the 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint in 6.9 seconds.

Broader fenders are stretched over 215/45 tires running on 17-inch alloys. Brembo brakes on cross-drilled discs provide the stopping power.

New chassis upgrades include a 2-inch wider track front and rear, and a new-design “double axis” front strut suspension, which Renault claims is immune to the torque steer that plagues many high-performance MacPherson strut-type FWD cars. The new RS also gets a stiffer rear torsion beam suspension.

Aston Martin DBS

Aston Martin has shown pictures of the next Bond car, the DBS. Based on the DB9, the DBS is more muscular and sits menacingly on polished 20” wheels. Additional inlets on the sill, hood and bumper also connect the car with the DBR9 racing car, their depth more powerfully planting the car on the road. The exterior is painted in unique ‘Casino Ice’, with details including nickel-finished headlamps as previously executed on the Rapide concept in Detroit.

VW Chico Efficient Green Car

In its most economical form, the new VW Chico will return a class-leading 141 MPG and emit less than 60g/km of CO2 - all without hybrid drive.

The three-door hatchback is set to compete with the Smart and Toyota iQ.
It could cost as little as $9,000 when it goes on sale in the UK in 2011.

Tramontana Sports Car

A relatively unknown Spanish company called Tramontana has developed a monster. They took a Mercedes-sourced twin-turbo 5.5-liter V12 producing 720 horsepower and placed it in a completely carbon fiber chassis, then covered it in a body made completely from carbon fiber.

Top speed: 201 mph.

There will only be 12 of these made per year, and expect to pay a rather hefty sum of about $500,000 each.

Voisin Concept Sports Car

The Voisin Concept sports car is a high performance car inspired by the Avions Voisin French brand from the 1920s and 1930s.


It was created by Portuguese car design studio LusoMotors.

Porsche Boxter Spyder

The 2010 Porsche Boxter Spyder is powered by a 3.4-liter six-cylinder engine that produces 320 hp.

It accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds before topping out at 267 km/h (166 mph) with the roof down, and it consumes just 9.3L/100km (30.4 mpg).

The Boxster Spyder will go on sale in February 2010 for 53,100 euro.

New Camaro 2009

What was originally the 2009 Chevrolet Camaro will now debut in the first quarter of 2009 as a 2010 model. The 2010 version shares some of its basic design with the Pontiac G8.
Camaro comes in three trim levels: LS, LT, and high-performance SS. Two engines are available - a V6 and a V8. The V6 is a 3.6-liter unit that produces 300 hp. It’s available on LS and LT.
SS versions with a manual transmission get a 422-hp 6.2-liter V8.

Hennessey Venom GT Super Sports Car

Hennessey released details of their upcoming supercar. It has massive power, coming from a twin-turbo version of the already powerful 8.4L V10 from the Dodge Viper.
The Venom GT should push out at least 1000 horsepower.
In a body weighing 1500 pounds lighter than the Bugatti Veyron, the Venom GT could be breaking the top speed record.

With either a six-speed manual or sequential gearbox, the Venom GT should run from 0 to 62 mph in less than 2.5 seconds. We could see the Venom GT in the concept stage in early 2009.

Cool Porsche Race Car

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