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March 12, 2010
March 11, 2010
Filed under: Concept Cars, Spy Photos, Convertible, Performance, Europe, Porsche, Luxury 
Porsche Panamera Convertible patent drawing - click above for high-res image gallery
See, apparently we aren't crazy, though we may have been a little smidge off the mark. Back in October, we reported that Porsche had begun work on an open top version of their then new Panamera super sedan. Only we said it would be a two-door 'cause, you know, drop top and all that. Whoops! If these alleged German patent office images from Autocar are anything to go on, Porsche is going after the highly nuanced (to put it mildly) - and presumably lucrative - four-door convertible market, joining the ranks of such noted automakers as... those dudes in Miami that chop the tops off Chrysler 300Cs. Okay, fine, the Maybach 62 Landaulet is kinda like a four-door convertible (but not quite), though at $1.35 million, it actually might compete in a different segment. And yes, yes - we know - the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is technically a four-door convertible.
But never mind any of that, as judging by these images, the Porsche Panamera convertible looks to be pillarless, something that the neither the $25,000 Jeep nor the mega-bucks Maybach can lay claim to. As such, the Panamera's chassis would presumably have to be beefed up in a major way to retain some semblance of stiffness and rigidity. Though maybe not quite as much as you (and we) might think. If you look closely at the patent images, you can see that, like the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drop Head Coupe, the A-pillar has been reinforced with a mini-triangle. You'll also note that the Pan's butt isn't any bigger than before, suggesting a folding cloth top as opposed to a space-intensive retractable hardtop. Back to chassis strength - thanks to modern production techniques, it's possible to substitute in thicker gauge steel that will increase stiffness without adding as much weight as traditional afterthought convertible chassis bracing.
And where does this leave those of us wishing for a modern-day 928? Not in a very good place, we're afraid. These patent drawings clearly show that the new, most-likely upcoming Panamera Convertible has been engineered as a four-door from the get-go, and never a duoporte. Shame...
[Source: Autocar]Alleged patent images for Porsche Panamera convertible turn up originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
March 11, 2010
BMW Sauber F1 has unleashed its unique piece of filming, done during the pre-season tests in Barcelona. A wonderful piece, recorded in HD, featuring some unique camera angles and other images that usually are hardly available for the fans. We hope you enjoy it
March 11, 2010
Former Sauber ace Jacques Villeneuve will join David Croft and fellow BAR alumnus Anthony Davidson in the commentary booth for the "Beeb" on the British broadcaster's Radio 5 Live coverage of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
March 11, 2010
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March 11, 2010
March 10, 2010
Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Mercury, Luxury 
Mercedes-Benz C-Class spy shots - Click above for high-res image gallery
Our spy photographers have just snapped these shots of the next Mercedes-Benz C-Class undergoing winter testing, and these latest shots give us the clearest look yet at the entry-level luxury sedan's updated front and rear. The baby Benz should make its official debut later this year, and these photos clearly show that we can expect some mild yet substantive alterations to their appearance.
So, what's new? Up front, a new front fascia integrates LED daytime running lamps - something that's becoming standard fare on the entire Mercedes-Benz lineup. From there, we see slightly revised headlamps, what appears to be a more upright grille and a new hood. Out back, there's a modified rear bumper and revised LED taillights.
Our spies also suggest that minor interior and mechanical updates could be present in the new C-Class. We aren't expecting giant leaps from the already very good current car, but squeezing a few more miles-per-gallon out of the Merc's mill probably isn't out of the question.
[Source: CarPix]Spy Shots: Best look yet at forthcoming Mercedes-Benz C-Class update originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
March 10, 2010
Filed under: Spy Photos, Wagon, Opel, Vauxhall 
Opel/Vauxhall Astra SportsTourer spy shots - Click above for high-res image gallery
The Opel/Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer - otherwise known as a wagon or estate - is testing its cold weather chops with minimal camouflage.
Details on the little cargo carrier are slim, but snappers at CarPix tell us that the rear liftgate differs from that on the larger Insignia ST by being separated from the taillights. We are also told that the interior and engine options will be the same as on the five-door hatch, and a spicy GSi model is on the way to fill out the line. It's too bad no one from Buick will tell us in the States, "Yes, you can have it..." You can check it out from various angles in the gallery of high-res photos below.
[Source: CarPix]
Spy Shots: Opel Astra ST spotted braving the elements originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
March 10, 2010
Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Dodge 
Next-gen Dodge Charger spy shots - Click above for high-res image gallery
There've been no shortage of spy shots to be had showing the upcoming next-gen Dodge Charger, but to date we've yet to see the interior fully revealed. Our spy photogs have remedied this by finally capturing the big rear-wheel-drive sedan's inner domicile. What's plainly obvious is that Dodge designers have added some swoop to the Charger's angular interior. Note the silvery dashboard piece that acts as a backdrop for the cluster gauge, driver and center air vents and the rather large navigation screen. This particular interior is two-tone with what appears to be light-colored leather seats and door inserts, with black plastic (soft touch, we're hoping) everywhere else and some nickel-colored trim thrown in. There's also a new three-spoke multifunction steering wheel and information display between the tach and speedo.
All in all, we see a big improvement over the current car's aged interior, but a final verdict will have to wait until we can get our grubby paws all over it. We've also got some new spy shots of the exterior that don't reveal much more than what we've seen before except a naked C-pillar. Have a look in the high-res gallery below.
Spy Shots: Next-gen Dodge Charger interior gets outed originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
March 10, 2010
Filed under: Aftermarket, Spy Photos, Coupe, Hybrid, Japan, Videos, Hatchback, Honda 
Noblesse-tuned Honda CR-Z on-track - Click above to watch video after the jump
A couple of days ago, we wrote about the specs for the 2011 Honda CR-Z, and most commenters weren't all that impressed. Spoon then let a little bit slip about what it was doing to make the hybrid coupe a little more engaging, but those were merely words. Now we have what is said to be track footage of Japanese tuner Noblesse in one of their tuned CR-Zs at Suzuka, and it might put people in a mind to at least reserve judgment.
It's all in-car video, and yes, Noblesse is primarily known for their bodykit work, not for actual performance parts. All which makes this footage a little tough to gauge, but there were moments when we did find ourselves thinking, "Hey, this could be something." And yes, we will only accept fully blacked-out CR-Zs from now on. Follow the jump for some Suzuka lapping, and have a look at it in the gallery of high-res photos below. Thanks for the tip and images, Chris!
[Source: Six Sylinder]Continue reading Spy Shots: Noblesse takes tuned Honda CR-Z to Suzuka for testing [w/video] Spy Shots: Noblesse takes tuned Honda CR-Z to Suzuka for testing [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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