Shanghai motor Show 2009: Brilliance EV Concept

Chinese automaker Brilliance is showing off a new concept electric car that's currently on display at the Shanghai Motor Show. A large battery pack using lithium ion technology is reportedly capable of providing a range of around 93 miles (150 kilometers). The Chinese automaker claims that this battery can be hooked to a 220V charger that can use a "Quick Charge" feature to replenish the pack to about 80 percent in just 30 minutes.Driving the rear wheels is a 47kW permanent magnet electric motor that puts out about 90 lb-ft of torque (120 NM) and is capable of revving to 10,000 RPM. But wait, there's more! A second electric motor powers the front wheels at speeds of around 25 miles per hour for city use. Top speed with both motors engaged is around 80 mph.On the exterior front, this new EV concept may be vaguely inspired by the VW Space Up! concept from a few years back, but we don't think it's particularly egregious. Dual power-operated clamshell-ish doors allow access into an interior cabin that rather well done in clean-looking white materials. In typical showcar fashion, a fully electronic dash sits behind a yoke-style steering wheel. Have a look for yourself in our full gallery below.

Shanghai Motor Show 2009: Kia Soul Hybrid- green soul

At last year's Paris Motor Show, Kia showed off a version of the Soul equipped with a transparent hood and floorpan so show-goers could see the inner-workingings of the Korean automaker's hybrid drivetrain. Based on these photos of what appears to be mostly production-ready Kia Soul Hybrid at the Shanghai Motor Show, it seems the fuel-saver's date with the sales floor is getting ever closer. We wouldn't expect the two-tone paint scheme to make it past the concept stage (thankfully), but the important bits are all likely locked in. Like the concept from Paris, this Soul Hybrid is equipped with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder mated up with a 15kW electric motor. The dual powerplants send their ponies through a CVT transmission to the front wheels to offer up an estimated 48 miles per gallon and CO2 emissions of just 117 g/km – an improvement of over 26% in both categories.

Shanghai Auto Show 2009: Roewe 550 RS -

Roewe, SAIC's premium brand which owns the tooling rights to the Rover 75 platform, has brought out a sporting variant of its compact sedan, dubbed the 550 RS. In keeping with Shanghai Motor Show tradition thus far, little is known about what lies beneath the hood of the RS, but with the standard 550 packing updated versions of either the 1.6- or 1.8-liter Rover K-series four-cylinders, we suspect the RS' "performance" mods are limited to the decklid wing, roof aerofoil, side skirts and the matte (or just unpainted plastic?) front clip.

Shanghai Auto Show 2009: Peugeot RD Concept

Last year at the Beijing Motor Show, Peugeot announced a contest for budding car designers asking them to "Imagine the Peugeot in the Worldwide Megalopolis of tomorrow." By all accounts, the contest was a success with over 2,500 entries. Carlos Arturo Torres Tovar, a 27-year-old designer from Columbia, has been named the winner, which comes with the prize of seeing his Peugeot RD concept design come to life as a full-size clay model, a check for 10,000 euros and an Xbox 360 game console.Apparently, tomorrow's Peugeot will seat a single occupant, have three wheels and combine the ability to lean into turns like a motorcycle or scooter with the safety and security of a four-wheeled sedan. Of course, no auto concept for the future would be complete without an electric powertrain, and this one's no different. The concept is currently being shown at the Shanghai Motor Show.

Shanghai Auto Show 2009: Great Wall Hover H3

Great Wall has taken the wraps off this chunky, funky urban toughster, the Hover M3 (sorry, BMW). Reportedly based on the Scion xB-aping Coolbear, the production-bound M3 adds some faux off-road capability to the former vehicle's boxy proportions.Even if it lacks genuine rock-hopping ability, the upright result of the added cladding, big fender flares, and larger front light fixtures gives the H3 added spunk and originality. Looking a bit like a cartoonist's narrow-gauge Dodge Nitro, we might nix the big chrome wing badge on the front grille, but otherwise, we could almost see this car playing in the States. If nothing else, the M3 is markedly more original than the Coolbear, right?

Shanghai Auto Show 2009: Guangzhou Honda Linian roadster concept

Guangzhou Honda surprised everyone at the Shanghai show with this tidy little roadster, its second Linian concept in as many years. While the 2008 Beijing show concept was a more pedestrian five-door, this two-seat droptop has us wishing for a proper S2000 successor. Oh, one can quibble over some of the design details (oversized grille element, the showcar-only airplane yoke-style steering wheel, etc.), but fundamentally this is an interesting package.Sadly, according to our compatriots at Autoblog Simplified Chinese, Honda's domestic partner was mum on specifics, including driveline configuration, powerplant, and so on. That said, the shape does look quite production friendly. Add in a stronger windshield header, some larger mirrors, and do away with that Knight Rider steering wheel, and the rest seems plausible enough.

First electric roadster on the horizon

Last year, former McLaren designer Jim Dowle presented his P1 prototype sports car to great acclaim. The response at the time was tremendous. This singularly striking vehicle was conceived as an affordable sports model and as a potential challenger to the Lotus Exige. In the intervening period, Dowle has taken his initial design forward and the P1 has now become the P1-E. The letter E stands for the electric drivetrain and thus for the first sports car powered by an electric motor. By moving in this direction, its designer has bowed to current sentiment and lined his project up under the 'green car' banner. The drivetrain with its lithium-ion batteries and twin electric motors powering all four wheels doesn't exactly come cheap: the price is likely to be around the $75,000 mark. The acceleration figures are sensational: 0 to 60mph in 2.9 seconds. The range between recharges is 230 miles. The four-wheel drive provides the vehicle with maximum traction. A regenerative braking system on each wheel comes as standard. Dowle says of the P1's further development: "Up to now, cars with electric motors have not exerted any great attraction for motoring enthusiasts. We set out to bring an affordable electric sports car onto the market, one that would combine all the advantages of a conventional machine with those of electrical drive technology, at the same time dispensing with all the disadvantages of both. In short, we wanted to build a car for the 21st century." The P1-E prototype is due to be presented some time this year; however, there are a few funding issues to sort out first

The longest Ferrari in the world : Autosport International auto show

A Ferrari 360 Modena is one hell of a car. Fast and glamorous: in a word, an amazing sports car. But what happens if you want to take out a group of friends for a spin in your Ferrari? Hardly suitable as a family saloon or for an outing with friends.There were precisely the thoughts of Style Limousines, who with the aid of a specialist company converted the Modena 360 into a limousine. Behind the driver there is room for eight passengers in racing seats. Length: 6 m. Top speed: 267 km/h. Voilà: the longest Ferrari in the world or the fastest limousine on Earth: whichever you prefer. I would have a further suggestion: the ugliest Ferrari in the world. This is also what Ferrari thought, who apparently demanded that the owner remove all logos and indications of Ferrari from the monstrosity.

2009 New York Auto Show : BMW Z4 Art Car

There has long been a link between BMW and art. The latest creation is unusual by any standards. Up to now, the bodywork has served as a canvas for all types of artist, but South African action artist Robin Rhodes decided to try something different. While everyone else was busy painting Easter eggs , he got behind the wheel of a BMW Z4 and used it as a brush.

It looks like this 'creative navigator' (his own words) alternately dipped the tyres in red, yellow, green and blue paint before trying out all of the gears on the car at short bursts. The gallery provides artistic inspiration for us all as we contemplate our next choice of auto or wheel trim purchase.

BMW 760Li: 12 cylinders and 8 gears

We haven't been given any prices yet, nor has a date been set for the launch. But to whet our appetite and get us prising our assets out of deep investment, they have released some pictures of the new BMW 760Li. The two top-of-the-range models 760i and 760Li have been equipped with a newly developed V12 delivering 544 horsepower. The 6-litre engine with twin turbo replaces the previous non-charged version which had the same capacity but was a good 100bhp less powerful. The torque has also been increased from 600 to 750 newton metres. The powerplant has been fitted with a new 8-gear automatic transmission. This BMW goes from 0 to 62mph in 4.6 seconds, which shaves a full second off its predecessor. At the same time, though, mpg has improved from 20.7 to 21.9. In working out the consumption, they took into account the tougher Euro 5 emission standard.

Subaru Legacy Concept

The Subaru Legacy seems to have become veiled in mystery. While the new Subaru Boxer Diesel had the odd mention in despatches in the trade press some time back, that doesn't seem to have done much for the Legacy itself and somehow, Subaru seem to be hiding in their own shadow. O.K. - this Japanese company has its traditional engine concept, but in terms of design, there is absolutely nothing that makes Subaru unique, unlike their engines. If you asked me which design characteristic were typical for Subaru, you would have to put up with a ponderous and vacuous stare.

The new Legacy presented in Detroit was supposed to represent the first step in the direction of a unified visual identity. This led to an an attempt to stamp all current car design trends into steel, leading to something that lacked harmony and looked clumsy. The Mercedes R-Class style headlamps look sharp and aggressive and the air inlets arranged to the left and right of the main radiator grille could be seen on an Audi.

The ostentatious wheel arches at the sides look awkward and unfinished and of course, we can't do without the good old 'character line' raising to the rear. Somehow, it all seems unimaginative. The interior has a very bog-standard series look to it and was simply tarted up with a few futuristic looking inserts to deserve the name 'concept'.

Let's just hope that Subaru take serious note of public reaction and give the new Legacy a radical rethink. So there's not much else to say, at least for the time being.

Citroen DS3 Inside Concept

The Citroen DS, better known as the 'Goddess', was the most advanced car of its time, both in terms of design and technology. It can take the credit for much of Citroen's reputation today as an innovative, avant-garde manufacturer.

DS core values are now set to make a comeback on our streets in the shape of a separate series. The already familiar C3, C4 and C5 are to be joined by the DS, a lifestyle-oriented spin-off based on the same technology.

The first in the series is the DS3, due to appear in 2010 as a fashionable version of the next-generation C3. We got a preliminary idea of what to expect from the Geneva motor show where Citroen premiered the DS3 Inside concept which is pretty much intended to take on the Mini, MiTo and Fiat 500.

Small cars for an upmarket lifestyle are currently booming, which is why Citroen are hoping the DS3 will catch the mood of the time.

Purely from a design point of view, Citroen have been influenced a tad too much by BMW. The contrasting colour roof smacks rather strongly of Mini, however, this does not detract from the DS3's originality. Apart from that, there is plenty of fashionable frippery to emphasis its subjective superior quality. Nice, but no more than that.

We have already had ample opportunity to express our individuality with the Mini, MiTo and Fiat 500. I would really like to see more of the old DS5 coming through in the interpretation. The broadly conservative mid-range purchaser has not always rewarded experimental design.

Golden Car: All that glisters is not gold

Mercedes C63 Gold

Luxury cars barely attract a second glance on the roads of the United Arab Emirates, so in one of Dubai's shopping malls, they decided to one stage further. In a region that has grown rich on the 'liquid gold' that keeps crankshafts turning all around the world, the local sheikhs can afford to splash out.The showroom in downtown Dubai had a range of makes on display, amongst them this Mercedes C63 AMG. A model that would normally cost around 82,000 US dollars – and that's before you start adding on the usual Arab potentate extras. This particular owner managed to make the forecourt price of his car seem like a mere down-payment by commissioning a very special paint job. And here, we're back on the topic of 'liquid gold'. The gold finish probably cost the equivalent of a tankful or two – in fact, it will have cost more than the car itself. After you've taken a look at the gallery, perhaps you'll have your own view of whether they succeeded in making this particular 'Silver Arrow' golden.

Housecar: New house or new car?

Two sectors of the economy have been hit particularly hard by the downturn, namely the property market and the car industry. In the USA, buildings are standing empty and their value is on a downward slope. The automotive industry can barely shift any of its stock. In the American Midwest, one auto freak had the right idea – he built himself a 'housecar'. This home comes complete with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. At the time it was constructed five years ago, the costs were equivalent to a new Aston Martin V8 Vantage. With the drop in house prices, it is now worth, say, a Toyota Camry.Some years back, prospective house purchasers were being offered a 'free' car as an incentive to buy. The way things are going, it may soon be the other way round – buy a car and we'll throw in a free house...

Danica swaps race suit for bikini

Last year, Indycar driver Danica Patrick caused a stir when she posted her first ever race win. She is sure to have boosted her fan club membership even further with a series of revealing photos for the swimsuit edition of the 'Sports Illustrated' magazine. After such a successful season in 2008, it was clear that she was going to give a repeat performance (of sorts) in 2009. In the gallery below, you'll find the first bikini-clad shots of Danica on the bonnet of a no less attractive AC Cobra. Now all she needs to do is follow up on the track.

North American International Auto Show likely to move out of Detroit

In car-related news that will further disappoint an already reeling city, the chairman of Detroit's North American International Auto Show has gone on record that he is exploring ways to move the event out of the city. The very public battle to expand the show's home, Motown's Cobo Center appears to have failed for good, after the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Detroit City Council, in effect killing plans for a $288 million expansion, a plan voted down by council members in February. For his part, city mayor Ken Cockrel Jr. is evidently declining to go to the state Supreme Court to force the issue.So now, the search is on to take the show to a new venue, likely beyond Detroit's city limits, and potentially beyond the bounds of Southeast Michigan, as well. Automotive News quotes auto show co-chair Douglass Fox as saying:
At this point we need to consider any viable option that might be out there for us... There have been leaders -- (Oakland County Executive) L. Brooks Patterson comes to mind – who have made those overtures. We need to explore those options.Fox and his team are expected to move quickly, but given the scope of the planning required for a major international auto show, it is perhaps likely that the NAIAS will still be hosted by Cobo next January. Beyond that, though, the city of Detroit looks set to witness yet another auto-related casualty.

Source: automotive news

VW may have sold more than Toyota in Q1

Over the last several years, few automotive stories have held as much interest as the global fight between Toyota and General Motors for worldwide sales supremacy. Don't look now, but there's a new combatant hailing from Germany ready to take the reigns: Volkswagen. However, VW's ascendancy has less to do with the German automaker's output -- GM and Toyota are shedding sales at a much faster rate than VW.Toyota – currently the undisputed leader in automotive sales volume – is expected to post about 1.23 million sales in the first quarter of '09, down an amazing 47% from the previous year. Volkswagen's 1.39 million sales represent a much smaller drop of about 11%. We're not yet sure where General Motors will fall in the rankings, but it seems likely to come in third place. What's caused VW's rapid rise in global prominence?The two largest markets for Toyota are the United States and Japan, and vehicle sales in both countries have been some of the hardest hit by the global economic downturn. In contrast, VeeDub is very strong in Germany, China and Brazil, and, in attempt to boost new car sales, these three countries have recently implemented vehicle scrapping schemes. It's worked, and VW is reaping the rewards.Of course, if there's one thing that General Motors and Toyota have proven over these last few years, it's that life's not easy at the top. It should prove interesting to see if VW can manage to maintain the market share that it's so recently inherited. Thanks for the tip, Axel!

Sourece: autoblog

Ford celebrates 45 years of the Mustang

While some might be celebrating in their own way (Ford to Hyundai: Let us know when you sell nine million Genesis Coupes), the Blue Oval is putting on a huge birthday bash for the Mustang's 45th anniversary. Over 2,500 Mustang enthusiasts, many of whom are driving cross country with their pony cars, are expected to attend four days of festivities at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. Among the revelers will be nine original owners of 1964 1/2 Mustangs who still own their cars.On the schedule is a huge cruise of 500 Mustangs, plenty of track time, car show, a Mustang Challenge race,and more. More details on the event can be found in the press release after the jump or by visiting www.MustangEvents.org, but be sure to check out Ford's Mustang timeline graphic in the gallery below.