BB1 begins a European tour

PARIS : October 30, 2009 - After Peugeot BB1 presentation at the Frankfurt Motor Show, BB1 was seen in the streets of Paris. This weekend, BB1 begins a European tour which starts at the Sony Center in Berlin.Next, the English will welcome BB1 to Covent Garden on 7th and 8th November. BB1 will then go to Spain for 21st and 22nd November, then to Italy, where it will be on show in Milan on 28th and 29th November. BB1 will finish its European tour in Paris on the weekend of 12th December 2009.In the five countries it visits, BB1 will be exhibited in places that draw large crowds. In this way, Peugeot is showing the general public its solution to the new automobile deal of the future: a 100% electric project capable of carrying 4 people in 2.5...

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Galpin Auto Sports builds Halloween-themed hearse

We generally don't think of a hearse as a great platform for customizing, but then again, we've never known Galpin Auto Sports to shy away from messing with anything on four wheels. That's why we weren't surprised to see this specially-built conveyance of corpses constructed by the Southern California customizer. The hearse features a Halloween theme including dozens of hand-painted skulls on the front and side, as well as a spiderweb grille. It's not all spooky, though, and Galpin has made the interior an inviting place to be, with a working barbeque, chilled cooler, and a flatscreen TV all in the coffin. Not a bad place to spend your last few hours above ground!More Pho...

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Hamilton Dominates Qualifying In Abu Dhabi

Lewis Hamilton claimed his fourth pole position of the season Saturday in qualifying for the inaugural Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix.The McLaren-Mercedes driver dominated the session on the new 5.554-kilometre Yas Marina Circuit, registering a time of 1 minute 40.948 seconds to secure the 17th pole of his career.'It's never easy but it was definitely as fun as it looked,' said Hamilton, who continued his strong finish to the season with a fourth top spot in the last seven races.'The car was the best it's been all year.'Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel will start alongside Hamilton on the front row after clocking a lap 0.667 seconds slower than the 2008 champion. Vettel's teammate Mark Webber starts from third, followed by Rubens Barrichello and...

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2012 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti Successor Test-Mule Spy

While this test-mule was previously thought to be for a minor mid-cycle facelift for the 612 Scaglietti, key details such as the extended front-end, bonnet bulge, longer wheelbase and stacked exhaust pipes suggest this vehicle represents something much more significant than a facelift.It seems like just yesterday that Ferrari's 612 Scaglietti was launched but it's actually been almost five years, which is why it’s not surprising that test-mules for the car’s successor are already running around the streets of Maranello. Designers will be primarily focused on giving it an edgier, more up-to-the-minute look, however, the new look may be joined by a greener powertrain as well.If the report proves true, the Scaglietti successor will have a fuel...

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Subaru Concepts Push the Limits of the Fast, the Low and the (Very) Slow for 2009 SEMA Show

CHERRY HILL, N.J., Oct. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru of America, Inc. today announced two tuner models along with a "blast from the past" Subaru classic that will debut at the 2009 Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center Nov. 3-6. Further models will be announced in due course.Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT®), Subaru of America's in house performance division, built a custom Impreza WRX® STI® and Legacy® VIP concept especially for the 2009 SEMA Show. The WRX STI by SPT demonstrates what a WRX STI owner can build at home using just the SPT catalog as a source for bolt-on parts. The WRX STI by SPT offers more power along with even sharper handling response, making it the ideal machine for high...

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SEMA Show: Powered by Hennessey's tweaked LS9 engine, the supercharged HPE700

LAS VEGAS, NV – Hennessey Performance Engineering (HPE) is set to debut the company's limited edition, Corvette ZR1 inspired, 2010 HPE700 LS9 Camaro on Tuesday, November 3 at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Powered by Hennessey's tweaked LS9 engine, the supercharged HPE700 Camaro cranks out 725 bhp and 741 lb-ft of torque twist. 0 to 60 mph is achieved in just 3.5 seconds. The HPE700 LS9 Camaro will be on display in the Mobil 1 booth (#24466).The HPE700 LS9 Camaro is able to whoa as well as it can go with massive 15 inch Brembo brakes with 6-piston calipers in front and 4-piston calipers in rear. Ride quality and handling are also improved with the addition of KW Variant 3 coilover suspension with upgraded sway bars. Combined with Hennessey's own...

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THE SCIROCCO R AND GOLF R NOW AVAILABLE TO ORDER - With Video

Volkswagen has today confirmed pricing and specification for the most powerful and fastest accelerating derivatives of the Scirocco and Golf ever produced. Developed by Volkswagen's special projects wing, Volkswagen Individual, prices for Scirocco R start at £26,945 on-the-road and £28,930 for the Golf R.Fitted with a 2.0-litre TSI four-cylinder engine and a six speed manual gearbox as standard, the Scirocco R develops 265 PS and 258 lbs ft of torque while the Golf R produces 270 PS and 258 lbs ft of torque. A six-speed DSG gearbox is available as an option on both models from £1,300.For the first time on an ‘R' model, the Scirocco R channels power though the front wheels and is fitted with the XDS electronic cross-axle traction control system...

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New Opel Corsa ecoFLEX with only 3.7 liter/100 km and 98g/km CO2

95 hp and 190 Nm of torque add driving dynamicsThree- and five-door models seat five and yet emit less than 100g/km CO2Diesel Particulate Filter is standardRüsselsheim. Starting January 2010, the new Opel Corsa ecoFLEX is more respectful of the environment and fun to drive than ever. It is powered by a sophisticated, 70 kW/95 hp 1.3 CDTI diesel engine boosted by a turbo with a variable geometry. It is packed with 28 percent more power than the previous generation Corsa ecoFLEX even though fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are slashed by some 10 percent - yet the price is the same as the standard 90 hp Corsa 1.3 CDTI.The new Corsa ecoFLEX illustrates Opel's philosophy of developing ecologically responsible cars that are still fun to drive....

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SEMA Preview: Suzuki Equator ICON

The Suzuki Equator ICON comes with a custom suspension with performance coilovers in front and 2.5-inch piggyback shocks supporting linked to Total Chaos upper control arms. For a little more power, the Suzuki Equator ICON is fitted with Doug Thorley long-tube headers and a cat-back exhaust system.ICON Vehicle Dynamics will premiere at this year's SEMA show in Las Vegas the Suzuki Equator ICON which is powered by a 4.0 liter V6 engine. The Suzuki Equator ICON has been assembled with a variety of parts from several Southern California-based suppliers and features Bushwacker fender flares, LightForce lights and an AMP Research bed extender.Source:zercust...

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Wolf Racing Unleashes 360-horsepower Ford Focus RS360

And to think Ford believed that 300 ponies under the hood of a Focus were more than adequate... Hot on the heels of Loder1899's Focus RS tuning program, renowned German tuner Wolf Racing has launched a new sport package for the fastest series-production Ford ever. As its name suggests, the Focus RS360's revised 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine puts out a hefty 360HP and 559 Nm / 412 lb-ft of torque, up from the standard unit's 300HP and 440Nm.To achieve these figures, Wolf Racing optimized the Focus RS's engine software and turbocharger. The cost for the engine kit has been set at €1,299 or about $1,920 USD.more detail. ...

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SEMA Show: 2010 Yenko Camaro

General Marketing Capital Incorporated (GMCI) announced today that it will present its official 2010 Yenko Camaro Prototype to the public in the OER booth (# 23795) at the 46th annual SEMA Trade Show in Las Vegas, November 3-6.The company will present the modern Yenko almost 44 years to the day that Don Yenko's Corvair Corsa was officially recognized as a Class D Production Competition Car by the SCCA.The official 2010 Yenko Prototype began its life on a 2010 Camaro SS platform. The vehicle then underwent several significant upgrades including modification to a "Phase I" Yenko Camaro Supercar. Preliminary highlights and specifications of this powerful vehicle include a high performance 600hp supercharged and intercooled LS-based engine, Tremec...

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Luxury Crossovers Sales Decrease 25 Percent According to Edmunds.com

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Luxury crossovers are not living up to the expectation that they would be the new fad among car buyers, according to a new report published on Edmunds' AutoObserver.com today. Sales of the segment have dropped nearly 25 percent since 2007, despite the fact that four new products were introduced into the segment during this period."The luxury crossover segment has taken a beating in sales because most of today's consumers are concentrating on value," says Jessica Caldwell, Senior Industry Analyst at Edmunds.com. "Big profits were anticipated for new models introduced into this segment, and that is just not proving to be the reality for most."Below is a chart that shows year-over-year sales decrease in...

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Hendrick Motorsports 25th Anniversary 2010 Camaro SS

Hendrick Motorsports, a NASCAR racing organization has commissioned Callaway Cars to develop and build a limited edition run of Hendrick Motorsports 25th Anniversary 2010 Camaro SS vehicles. The 25th anniversary Camaro will include a host of engine, body and interior modifications. Under the hood power has been increased from 426 to 582 by way of Callaway's Eaton TVS series supercharger, high-flow air filtration system, low-restriction exhaust system and engine tune. The suspension has also been upgraded with Callaway coil springs, shock absorbers and anti-roll bars. Keeping the power firmly mounted to the road is a set of new Callaway wheels.What does the price of two fully loaded SS Camaros get you? Lots of carbon fiber, for starters....

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2010 Saleen S281 Mustang Official Photos

New 2010-spec Saleen S281 Mustang have been released ahead of it's unveiling at the SEMA Motor Show.These pictures have confirmed our initial reaction to the teaser photos, which is most definitely positive. Saleen's designers have managed to retain much of the design language that made previous versions of the S281 so popular while updating the style enough to properly flow with the lines of the 2010 Mustang. Check back next week for our full SEMA coverage and live photos of the new Saleen S281.Like the current model, Saleen will likely offer a variety of engine tuning packages for the 2010 S281 Mustang. These will probably include a naturally aspirated 4.6-liter V8 with 335 hp and 345 lb-ft of torque and a supercharged 4.6-liter V8 with 465...

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New Opel Corsa ecoFLEX

The new Opel Corsa ecoFLEX is more respectful of the environment and fun to drive than ever. It is powered by a sophisticated, 70 kW/95 hp 1.3 CDTI diesel engine boosted by a turbo with a variable geometry. It is packed with 28 percent more power than the previous generation Corsa ecoFLEX even though fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are slashed by some 10 percent – yet the price is the same as the standard 90 hp Corsa 1.3 CDTI. The new Corsa ecoFLEX illustrates Opel’s philosophy of developing ecologically responsible cars that are still fun to drive. With its 190 Nm of torque available between 1750 and 3250 rpm, this Corsa ecoFLEX needs only 3.7 l/100 km, releasing just 98 g/km CO2 as a three-door. The five-door Corsa emits 99 g/km.Both...

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2009 SEMA; Suzuki Kizashi Tuned to the Max

While the Concept Kizashi series debuted globally over the past two years, (in Frankfurt, Tokyo and New York), U.S. anticipation for the production Kizashi was met by a number of custom builders - and members of Suzuki management - asking the proverbial "what if?" What if you melded Kizashi's production underpinnings and artfully-crafted sheet metal with modifications fully appropriate to a concept's debut? With European sport sedans serving as Kizashi's inspiration, and Suzuki's design and engineering team constructing a platform fully appropriate to a global marketplace, the all-new Kizashi serves as the perfect platform for those stylistic and performance mods integral to America's motoring DNA. The challenge went out and four custom shops...

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BMW builds an M5 CSL

Celebrating 25 years of M5, BMW reveals today at Nurburgring an one-off BMW M5 CSL. Our german editor Benny is on-site and will report more news in the next few hours.BMW’s Motorsport division buils a special lightweight version of the current E60 M5. The car is being described by M division’s head of development, Albert Biermann, as “the M5 CSL we never built”.The transformation began with a modified version of the standard M5's 5.0-liter V10, which has been stroked to 5.5-liters and fitted with a carbon fiber intake, secondary oil cooler and a new fascia. BMW remains mum on official power figures, but Biermann says the mods are good for around 580 hp and 400 lb.-ft. of torque over the standard 507 hp engine.BMW’s M division has also stripped...

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