Archive for November, 2008
30th November 2008
Filed under: Concept Cars, Trucks/Pickups, Euro, Videos, Volkswagen
Click above for a hi-res gallery. Follow the jump for the vid.
If automaker-produced kitesurfer-in-distress videos are your thing, VW’s got your back. While you wait for the production version of the Concept Pickup the automaker unveiled back in September, how about checking out VW’s promo film starring the truck, a pair of lifeguards, and yes, a kitesurfer in distress. Will the guys use the in-dash GPS? Yes! Will we see the pickup drive semi-urgently through sand? Yes! Will she make it? Duh! Will we have a demonstration of how well a collapsed kite fits in the bed? Yes again! Am I alone in thinking it’s weird that the lifeguards dive into the water wearing helmets? Anyone? In all, a serviceable vanity film for the pickup. Needs more yellow, though. And Hoff. The video’s embedded after the jump.
[Source: VW via GlobalMotors.net]
Continue reading VIDEO: VW Pickup concept to the rescue!
VIDEO: VW Pickup concept to the rescue! originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Nov 2008 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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30th November 2008
Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Nissan
The show must go on! In this case, we’re talking about what’s arguably the most important auto show in America: Detroit. It’ll be a cold day in Hell January for fans of Nissan’s finest, as the Japanese automaker has officially pulled out of the proceedings. The event will still attract a huge audience, despite the horrible economic state that many Michiganders find themselves in, and there’s no way that the local Nissan and Infiniti dealerships want all that foot traffic ogling every brand but theirs. Thus, none of us should find it too shocking that said dealers will be making their own display in January in Detroit.
Like the recently announced display for the Chicago Auto Show, the Detroit showing is not officially sanctioned by the mothership and it won’t be staffed by professionals. At least fans of the marque will get the chance to see Nissan’s latest products, sort of. Unfortunately, some of Nissan’s biggest attractions won’t be there, including the new Cube and the new-for-’09 370Z. Seriously Ghosn, can’t you just throw these poor guys a bone by at least shipping out a single, solitary new Z?
[Source: Detroit Free Press]
Local Detroit-area Nissan and Infiniti dealers to invade NAIAS originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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30th November 2008
Filed under: Motorsports
The preparations have begun for the race formerly known as the Paris-Dakar. The entrants have begun to gather in Le Havre, France, for scrutineering before shipping out to South America for the Dakar’s run across Argentina and Chile. Mike Werner was in Normandy and captured in photographs what was going on. If you ever wondered wanted to see what it takes to get ready for a big-deal international race, the words to describe the images are “intense preparation” — right down to making sure the vehicle sound level doesn’t breach 95 decibels. Follow the link to check out all the photos. And get ready to rumble.
[Source: Motorbiker]
Dakar scrutineering, in pictures originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Nov 2008 14:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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30th November 2008
Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Government/Legal, Green, Chrysler, LLC., Ford, GM
Remember the growing movement to caravan a few hundred of Detroit’s most fuel efficient vehicles to the automaker’s next meeting with Congress? Not happening. Interestingly, it wasn’t for lack of support. In fact, it was just the opposite. So many people had voiced their support and announced their intentions to join in that the event’s organizers just weren’t able to keep up. Talk about a logistical nightmare.
Organizers have not given up on the idea completely, launching a new website called TheEngineofDemocracy.com that’s supposed to drum up support for Detroit and fuel efficient cars in general. Along with an outpouring of support via the interwebs, a list of 51 people from various suppliers, dealership workers and Union officials will accompany the CEOs of General Motors, Ford and Chrysler to Washington - one from each state plus one from the capital itself - to prove that the loss of the American auto industry would affect everyone. At this point, we think it’s safe to say that Wagoner, Mulally and Nardelli will be, ya know, driving to the proceedings.
[Source: The Detroit News Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty]
Detroit to DC caravan cancelled originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Nov 2008 13:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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30th November 2008
Filed under: Coupes, Sports/GTs, Geneva Motor Show, Audi
Audi-philes have even more reason to rejoice now that news comes in of an imminent TT-RS launch next March at the Geneva Motor Show. The standard-fare TT offers plenty of punch, and the TT-S spices things up a bit with a high-pressure version of Audi/VW’s 2.0L forced-induction four banger. Sometimes, way too much is, ya know… just enough, and for speed freaks, Audi has apparently green-lighted an ultra-hot version as well. The RS will bring the vaunted inline-five engine configuration back under the hood of an Audi, and it’s a turbocharged unit derived from the mill that normally sees duty in Jettas and Golfs. If that doesn’t sound like a good enough bloodline, think of it as half of Lamborghini’s V10. With as much as 340 ponies corraled through a six-speed gearbox and quattro all-wheel drive, expect the TT-RS to be hottest four-ringer this side of an R8.
[Source: Car and Driver]
Audi TT-RS headed to Geneva Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Nov 2008 11:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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