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2015 Dodge Charger R/T NHRA Funny Car burns rubber into SEMA [w/video]

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is showing off a completely redesigned Dodge Charger Funny Car at this year's SEMA Show in Las Vegas and it's ready to blow through the NHRA timing lights next year. Initially, the shape might look like any of the other entrants in its class burning through the quarter mile, but this is the first comprehensive rethink for the racecar's aerodynamics since 2006, says Dodge.
Draped in classy red and black Mopar livery, the 2015 Dodge Charger R/T NHRA Funny Car tries to share the front and rear styling with its roadgoing counterpart, plus the scallops along the side, but this racer is all about crossing the finish line first.
The major goals for the redesign included making the body stronger and lighter without sacrificing aerodynamics, and that has been done with materials like Kevlar and carbon fiber. However, engineers have accomplished even more. By moving the cockpit further back, they've increased engine clearance and improved driver visibility.

What you missed on 11.4.14

We'll obsessively cover the 2014 SEMA Show
Today is the day that all the craziness that is the 2014 SEMA Show in Las Vegas begins in earnest. We're live from the show floor, bringing the best, the worst and all the rest of can't-miss automotive content from inside and outside the Las Vegas Convention Center right onto your computer screen. You can thank us later.
Two-wheeled highlights from EICMA in Milan

1971 Chevy Corvette Jimmie Johnson Concept is a modern classic [w/video]

The Autoblog staff is full of men and women who love cool cars, whether they are old or new, foreign or domestic. And there's a special place in our hearts for the Chevrolet Corvette, which has stood out as a performance icon at a benchmark price since well before the 1971 model you see above rolled off the assembly line in Kentucky.
Thing is, time marches on, and so do the standards of automotive performance. While there's certainly nothing at all wrong with the classic small- and big-block V8 engines the Corvette has been fitted with over the years, the latest pushrod V8 in the current C7 Corvette is the best ever designed and built by The General, equipped as it is with continuously variable valve timing and direct injection to pump out 460 horsepower while still meeting the latest efficiency and emissions requirements.
Chevrolet has teamed up with NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson on the creation seen here at today's SEMA Show. Behind the aforementioned Gen V LT1 V8 sits a six-speed manual gearbox that, like the engine itself, can be found in GM's expansive aftermarket parts catalog. Adjustable coil-over suspension bits replace the stock pieces, and the 18-inch blacked-out wheels were made to emulate the rallye wheels of the 1971 original.

Tanner Foust Racing ENEOS RWB Beetle is more pumpkin than Porsche

"Many Porsche owners like the Beetle. The Beetle is a very good car and it looks like a Porsche a little bit," according to Akira Nakai, the man at the helm of Japanese tuning house RAUH-Welt Begriff. "It is similar, but a Beetle is not a Porsche, so we made a completely new design for this Beetle."
We like the VW Beetle for what it is, and these days that's, basically a front-wheel-drive economy car with a bit more fun baked in than is typically seen in its segment. Yes, it once had ties to Porsche - designed as it was by Ferdinand Porsche in the mid-1930s using a similar rear-mounted, air-cooled engine as early Porsche sports cars - but those ties have long since vanished.
That out of the way, Nakai has teamed up with racer and Top Gear USA host Tanner Foust to create the machine seen above. Exterior modifications include a body kit that widens the Bug by eight inches, allowing it to hunker down nicely over a custom set of 18-inch Motegi Racing Traklite wheels. We're not sure what, if any, changes have been made to the drivetrain, but rest assured, it's almost certainly nowhere as performance-minded as the 560-horsepower all-wheel-drive Beetle GRC Foust will pilot at the Las Vegas round of the Global Rallycross Championship tomorrow evening...

Chevrolet gives us a Sonic for show and one for go

Amongst the treasure trove of tuning that Chevrolet has brought to SEMA this year, this pair of Sonic hatches is perhaps the most accessible. With one car tweaked for show and the other go, both halves of the SEMA ethos are nicely represented.
The Sonic Performance Concept has been fitted with the company's Performance Stage Kit, meaning cold-air induction for the 1.4-liter turbocharged engine and a new exhaust to let it breath more freely. The company tells us that the kit increases power, though it has declined to quantify that assertion, sadly. A track-tuned suspension means the performance Sonic rides lower and should corner flatter, too.
The second Sonic wears an Accessories Concept designation. The concept is essentially a test bed for appearance packages, with matte-black striping, white headlight and taillight rings, a new grille and fresh wheels. Dive deep into the world of modified hatchbacks in our gallery above.

Scion gets weird with '70s-inspired xB and Slayer tC at SEMA

Scion certainly isn't afraid of taking a step into the bizarre at this year's SEMA Show, with at least two concepts that are probably the last thing you would expect from the brand.
First, the company is taking a step back into the 1970s heyday of custom vans with the Scion x Riley Hawk Skate Tour xB seen above. It's painted in an eye-popping shade of orange with an oh-so-retro white, yellow and card red stripe running down both sides. The fenders are connected by a streak of brown, and there's a pop-up skateboard holder on the roof in a matching color scheme to the rest of the body. The Cragar-look wheels trimmed in raised white letter tires and the throwback mirrors really sell the period look. The interior is similarly decked out in disco-era touches like shag carpeting, woodgrain trim and brown leather. In a nod towards the modern, there's a Pioneer media center in the back.
If the xB is too sunshine-feel-good for your style, then the Scion x Slayer Mobile Amp tC goes for an angrier vibe, with inspiration from the heavy metal band Slayer. The exterior is inky black with airbrushed skulls running over each side and the band's crossed-swords emblem on the hood. The motif is carried to the wheels with their blade-shaped spokes. When the custom's suicide doors open, you find a massive Pioneer sound system with a tower of speakers inside that should be loud enough to deafen anyone tempted to turn it up to 11.

First Corvette Museum sinkhole victim restored [w/video]

When a sinkhole at the National Corvette Museum opened up in Bowling Green, KY and gobbled up eight important examples of the American sports car in February, videos almost made it look like the hole picked the perfect spot to do the most damage to as many vehicles as possible. None of the cars made it away unharmed, but some were luckier than others. The Skydome sinkhole quickly became a national sensation, and Chevrolet smartly stepped in to offer restoration assistance with the damaged cars. The 2009 Corvette ZR1 Blue Devil shown above is the first such vehicle to complete its restoration process at the hands of the automaker.
The Blue Devil was one of the two examples to debut that supercharged monster Corvette in 2008, and it was on display on loan from Chevy itself when the sinkhole pulled the coupe in. However, the ZR1 was also the luckiest of the bunch because it was actually still drivable after being lifted out of the hole of debris.
Being drivable didn't mean that the 'Vette wasn't harmed, though. The Blue Devil suffered significant damage, including a cracked carbon fiber ground effects, cracked doors and a mangled passenger-side front fender. Mechanically, the car also had bent rear control arms and cracked oil lines. The work only took the restorers at the General Motors Heritage Center about six weeks to bring the ZR1 back to shining condition. Its first stop now is to go on display at this week's SEMA Show.

Five bikes from EICMA you need to know about

Each and every year, the world's biggest motorcycle manufacturers gather together in Milan, Italy to show off the latest and greatest machinery that will soon be offered to dealerships the world over. It's called EICMA (Esposizione Internazionale Ciclo Motociclo e Accessori), and this year's crop of new motorcycles is just as exciting as ever.
We've selected five of the coolest motorcycles shown at this week's show, including models from Aprilia, BMW, Ducati, Honda and Yamaha. Join us down below for a high-performance, two-wheeled Italian journey.

Jeep dealer buries WWII Willys GP in showroom floor

The Willys MB Jeep earned icon status during World War II thanks to its ruggedness, simplicity and go-anywhere ability. Following the war, it didn't take long for the handy vehicles to be scooped up by the public, and a brand slowly grew around the vehicles that has continued to thrive. Fast-forward to present day, where it's not uncommon for auto dealers to try to grab some of the magic of yesteryear by displaying classic models to connect customers with their brands' proud histories. Now, a Canadian Chrysler Group dealer is taking that notion to the extreme by actually making a vintage WWII Jeep part of its foundation.
Bay King Chrysler in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, recently completed its new showroom, and the franchise really wanted to show its dedication to the Jeep brand. As dealer principal Jamie Richter tells Autoblog, the inspiration for the Jeep installation came from his brother, who became fascinated with a home that had a glass floor looking down into its wine cellar. The company already had the 1943 Willys MB to display, but it had originally planned to build a jungle gym around it for customers' kids. Now, the classic is literally in the floor as customers enter. Richter tells Autoblog that customer reaction so far has been "fantastic."
It's certainly a novel way to bring people into the showroom, and seemingly a nice nod not only to Jeep, but to the men and women who served in the war. If you want to see more about how the Jeep was actually installed and what it looks like, check out this video.

Recharge Wrap-up: Volt makes up third of Quebec Chevy dealerships sales, Tesla seeks Aussie talent

A Chevrolet dealership in Quebec has had the Volt make up 35 percent of its sales so far this year. Bourgeois Chevrolet in Rawdon, Quebec received recognition for the feat at the 2014 Electric Vehicle Conference, where it won the award for Leading Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Dealership. To sell that many, Bourgeois Chevrolet had to import used Volts from the US, and keeps about 50 units on the lot in various configurations. The conference also saw Park Avenue Nissan of Brossard, Quebec win the Leading Battery Electric Vehicle Dealership Award, and Loch Lomond Mitsubishi of Saint John, New Brunswick receive the award for Electric Vehicle Dealership Inspiration. Read more at Green Car Reports. Tesla Motors has begun scouting Australian engineers as other automakers shutter operations there. Ford, General Motors and Toyota have announced that they will shut down their Australian factories, leaving behind a lot of unused talent. Tesla recently held a "Recruiting Open House" in Melbourne for engineers to fill positions at its plant in Fremont, CA, where they will be paired with other Aussie engineers already on staff. Read more at Green Car Reports, or at Motoring. Electric turbochargers may come to play a key role in making internal combustion engines more efficient. Valeo recently showed an electric turbo it plans to supply to an unnamed automaker at a fuel economy showcase event at the EPA's National Vehicle Emissions and Fuel Lab. Electric turbochargers have the advantage of greatly reduced lag when compared to exhaust-driven turbos. They also work well when paired with cylinder deactivation, providing a much-needed boost when driving on a grade, which can help reduce the need for cylinders to reactivate. Independence from the exhaust system also makes it easier to package the turbocharger wherever there is room. Read more from Navigant Research. US crude oil futures have dropped to their lowest in more than two years. Saudi Arabia cut oil costs for the US and raised them for Europe and Asia as the US has increased output. On November 3, US crude futures fell as much as 2.2 percent in New York. West Texas Intermediate closed at $78.78, the lowest since June 2012. Brent crude slipped $1.08 to $84.78 a barrel. Read more at Bloomberg.

Autoblog Podcast #404

Episode #404 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Chris Paukert and Brandon Turkus talk about the BMW i8 and i3, this week's SEMA show, the looming Ferrari spin-off and the passing of Tom Magliozzi, longtime co-host of NPR's Car Talk. We start with what's in the garage and finish up with some of your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Check out the rundown below with times for topics, and you can follow along down below with our Q&A. Thanks for listening! Autoblog Podcast #404: The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience. Topics: BMW i8 and i3 SEMA Ferrari to be spun off Tom Magliozzi of Car Talk passes away In The Autoblog Garage: 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 4Matic 2015 Ford Mustang GT Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Paukert, Brandon Turkus Runtime: 01:54:34 Rundown: Intro & Garage - 00:00 BMW i8 and i3 - 36:18 SEMA - 01:00:53 Ferrari IPO - 01:12:44 Tom Magliozzi - 01:21:12 Q&A - 01:32:45 Get the podcast: [UStream] Listen live on Mondays at 10 PM Eastern at UStream [iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes [RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator [MP3] Download the MP3 directly Feedback: Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show in iTunes Auto News Celebrities Earnings/Financials Podcasts SEMA Show BMW Ferrari Ford Mercedes-Benz SEMA 2014 mercedes gla45 amg

Ford announces bevy of recalls, 2 of which are recalls on recalls

Ford has announced five separate recalls, affecting 202,000 vehicles built between 2005 and 2014.
It's not been a great couple of weeks for Ford. On October 30, the company announced a 205,000-unit recall, and yesterday, it was revealed that the Ford brand's year-over-year sales were down over 5,000 units while the company itself was down 3,000 units over through October. Now, the company has announced five separate recalls affecting 202,000 vehicles built between 2005 and 2014.

Forza Horizon 2's latest car pack includes Lamborghini Jalpa, Toyota 2000GT [w/video]

With over 200 vehicles to choose from, Forza Horizon 2 players are hardly starving for cars out of the box, but the developers at Turn 10 Studios are happy to give gamers even more choices with regularly released downloadable content. The latest Falken Tire Car Pack is now available with six more cars, with one of them being free for everyone.
The $5 pack has quite a range of vehicles to offer, including the classic 1969 Toyota 2000GT and 2014 Alfa Romeo 4C. There's also the 2014 BMW M4 and 2014 Chevrolet SS. There's even some choices for those who prefer to drive something a bit more obscure, with the 1988 Lamborghini Jalpa (pictured above) and the 1990 Subaru Legacy RS, which also happens to be available to download for free separate from the package.
Scroll down to read all of the details about each of the new cars and to watch a brief video showing them off in the game.

Infiniti recalls Q50 and Q70 Hybrid models

Infiniti is issuing three separate recalls for its Q50 Hybrid and Q70 Hybrid and M35 Hybrid covering roughly 13,794 vehicles in North America.
The larger campaign listed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration covers 5,831 examples of its 2014 Q50 Hybrid (shown above) and 2014 Q70 Hybrid in North America, with 5,412 of those in the US and its territories. According to NHTSA, "due to a software error, the electric motor may stop working while the vehicle is being driven using the electric motor only," creating a "stall-like condition." To fix the fault, the company is reprogramming the motor inverter software, and owners should be contacted in mid-November.
The second recall covers just 890 2014 Q50 Hybrid and 2014 Q70 Hybrid models in North America, with 817 of those residing in the US. It's possible that their transmission housings were damaged during manufacturing, and on affected models, the housing could have a crack that might fracture while driving. Dealers will inspect the transmission and faulty examples will be replaced.

2015 Ford Edge holds line on pricing, starts at $28,100*

The Ford Edge gets an updated platform, bolder styling and a standard 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost engine pumping out 245 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque for the 2015 model year. You might expect that all those new features would result in a big price bump, but you'd be wrong. Ford is keeping costs identical to the 2014 model with a starting MSRP of $28,100 (*plus an $895 destination charge), according to Edmunds. Ford spokesperson William Mattiace confirmed the numbers to Autoblog.
That's a pretty good deal, but the real ticket here might be the model's Sport trim. Buyers get a 2.7-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 EcoBoost engine with over 300 horsepower and standard adaptive steering for $28,600 plus destination. That's just $500 more than the base model.
Pricing for the Titanium trim has not yet been announced, but it'll be a short wait to find out. Mattiace tells Autoblog that full pricing and the configuration for the model will launch on November 5. He has also confirmed that the 2015 Edge will begin hitting dealers in the first quarter of 2015.

We spy the Ford Mustang King Cobra early at SEMA

As is the case with most auto shows, waiting for the reveal of hot new models is the worst part. So, while our own Drew Phillips has been wandering the halls here in Las Vegas since they unlocked the doors for SEMA 2014, we didn't expect him to come back with any big reveals until later in the day. Until this happened.
Meandering by the Ford stand, Phillips eagle-eyed a trunk lid that caught his attention. Popping out from an otherwise draped 2015 Mustang, the matte black lid clearly has the name King Cobra embossed on the rear.
That name is interesting for a few reasons: to start, Ford hasn't used the Cobra name (without "Jet" attached) since way back in 2004, so a new snake is certainly something to take note of. Second, the King Cobra name dates all the way back to the ill-remembered Mustang II, meaning there is a clear link to Blue Oval history here.

Why newly independent Ferrari may be forced into fuel-efficient cars

The repercussions from Ferrari's pending transition into an independent automaker won't be understood for some time, but one of the biggest consequences could be that the iconic Italian marque will be forced into building more fuel-efficient vehicles.
As Wired points out, while Ferrari built fewer than 7,000 cars in 2013, its status as a public company could trigger pressure from shareholders to build more six-figure supercars and grand tourers. In turn, doing so could lead the company afoul of US Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, which dictate that any company that sells over 10,000 vehicles needs to maintain a certain fuel economy average across its fleet or risk fines.
With arguably its most popular model, the 458 Italia, hitting just 17 miles per gallon on the highway and its most efficient model, the turbocharged California T, stuck at 18 mpg, Ferrari isn't in a great place to hit the government's mandates (which are somewhat convoluted as Wired explains). The gist of the situation is that Ferrari will either need to continue limiting the number of vehicles it sells each year - a move that's certain to upset shareholders and irk its boss, Sergio Marchionne - or radically improve the fuel economy of its cars at the risk of performance. Rock, meet hard place.

Is Chrysler's 'America's Import' campaign outdated or offensive? [w/poll]

Chrysler launched its America's Import campaign with a splashy ad during the Super Bowl starring Bob Dylan and featuring a whole bunch of patriotic imagery that included Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, factory employees and, of course, the city of Detroit. Since then, the brand has followed the original spot with even more ads using the same tagline. Not everyone is pleased, it seems, including The Detroit Free Press auto critic Mark Phelan, who's fed up with the marketing. In an editorial for the newspaper, Phelan claims that it's insulting to the US auto industry and its workers.
"The phrase 'America's import,' with its suggestion that 'import' equals 'better,' feels terribly dated, a relic of the 1980s. It's the rhetorical equivalent of hanging a pastel-hued 'Miami Vice' poster on your office wall," writes Phelan in the piece. Also, since some of the brand's cars are made in Canada, the line isn't even entirely true, he claims. Phelan goes on to praise the company's earlier Imported from Detroit commercials for getting the right message across and showing pride in the city.
While "America's Import" might be the tagline for Chrysler's ads, it's not the whole message. Subsequent ads keep the hard-working, patriotic imagery from the original Super Bowl spot but put a bigger emphasis on the Chrysler 200 that the commercials are meant to sell.

Mercedes previews midsize US van with Metris SEMA concepts

It seems like the commercial van market is booming at the moment. After years of consumers being limited to elderly choices like the Ford E-Series, Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana and various Dodge/Ram models, these days, buyers have fresh options in multiple sizes from companies like Ford, Ram and Nissan. Now, Mercedes-Benz is previewing an expansion of its van lineup with concept versions of a new midsize commercial van called Metris at this week's SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
Positioned a step below the Mercedes Sprinter, the North American Metris (sold in other markets under the Vito nameplate) will be initially available in long-wheelbase, rear-wheel-drive form (the European Vito is also available in front- and all-wheel drive configurations). The automaker isn't talking about pricing or specification yet, but when it debuts in the fall of 2015, Mercedes plans to offer the Metris in both passenger and cargo configurations. At this time, a Freightliner variant isn't planned.
While the Metris' actual production debut is still pretty fair away, Mercedes has worked with some upfitters to create custom versions for SEMA to show off the forthcoming model's versatility. Among them, Rado has built a concept vehicle for a fire chief (pictured above) with a striking red and silver exterior, and the interior has been furnished as a mobile command center. The normally power-crazy tuners at Renntech have turned the van into a party machine, complete with a pop-up roof, wild paint and a DJ booth (inset). Garmin has turned its Metris into a golf pro shop, complete with a performance center to help shave strokes off one's scorecard. Finally, a company called HQ Custom Design has added a luxurious interior to show the Metris' potential as an executive shuttle.

Manchester United stars spurning free Corvettes and Camaros

High-profile soccer players, or footballers as they're known outside the US, in the English Premier League are known for two things - excellent footwork and a propensity for writing off a wide variety of high-dollar automobiles. Considering their questionable driving talents, then, we'd think the fact that the players of Chevrolet-sponsored Manchester United are ignoring the team's free fleet of Camaros and Corvettes for their own vehicles isn't necessarily a bad thing for the team's sponsor.
Still, Chevrolet isn't happy that its 47-million-pound-per-season ($75.2 million at today's rates) sponsorship, which includes a fleet of 15 Camaros and Corvette Stingrays for the players to use, aren't being used by stars like Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney (shown above). A tabloid shot of one of the players at the helm of a Corvette would be a publicity coup for Chevy, considering the average footballer's preference towards Range Rovers, Porsches and Bentleys.
According to The Daily Mail, the fleet of vehicles has only been used by the workers at the team's Carrington training ground rather than the players themselves. Speaking to The Mail, a Chevy spokesman said players weren't obligated to drive the cars, which are part of a "voluntary drive program."

Hyundai And Kia Penalized $350 Million For Overstated MPG Claims

Nearly two years after Hyundai and Kia announced they exaggerated fuel economy numbers for several of their most popular models, the two Korean automakers have paid a heavy penalty for the transgressions. The Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency announced a settlement Monday that will cost the two car companies approximately $350 million. The financial sum includes a $100 million fine, the largest ever levied under the Clean Air Act, and about $200 million in forfeited greenhouse-gas emissions credits. At a time when car buyers rank fuel economy as a top concern when they head to dealerships and the federal government has mandated increased efficiency, Attorney General Eric Holder said the settlement should serve as a warning to automakers not to fudge their numbers. "This will send a strong message that cheating is not profitable," he said. The settlement ends a federal lawsuit filed against the automakers in U.S. District Court, but it's important to note that it doesn't end a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of consumers. A preliminary settlement in that case, based in Los Angeles, was approved last month, but final approval isn't expected until July 2015. Officials with the EPA said the $100 million figure roughly equals the economic benefits the two companies received from exaggerating the mileage claims on the window stickers of new cars. Fuel-efficient boasts helped Hyundai and Kia establish a strong foothold in the U.S. marketplace. Advertisements for the Hyundai Elantra stated the vehicle achieved 40 miles per gallon in highway driving, and helped the car win the prestigious North American Car Of The Year honors at the Detroit Auto Show for its 2012 model. In July 2011, the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog began receiving complaints from consumers that the Elantra and other Hyundai models fell short of their stated mileage claims in real-world driving. The group wrote to the EPA and Hyundai, asking both to investigate. Government officials said Kia had overstated the mileage on its popular Kia Soul crossover by 6 miles per gallon, and more than a dozen overall models were affected. On Monday, EPA administrator Gina McCarthy said the violations were "egregious." Based on the exaggerations, the EPA calculated that Hyundai and Kia had underreported the greenhouse gas emissions of their fleets by about 4.75 metric tons over the estimated lifetime of the vehicles. That figure aided in the $200 million credit forfeiture.

The 'AMG of Tesla' unveils SEMA-bound Model S

Take a Tesla Model S, rip out the interior and throw on a new face and you might come up with the electric blue EV you see above. The modified Model S pictured is the new car that Unplugged Performance will bring to SEMA this week as it continues towards its self-declared goal of becoming the "AMG of Tesla." The first thing we noticed was how the updated fascia has a real Tom Selleck vibe, even if it's not quite the can't-look-away mustache of the Fisker Karma. Unplugged Performance says the new carbon fiber oval plastic nosecone is just one of a number of changes. It's easy to spot the new sports headlights and the 21-inch UP-01 wheels from the outside, but the inside is where most of the work was done. Unplugged Performance says it "dispensed with nearly all of the original Tesla innards" and "completely reimagined [the interior] for higher performance and more luxurious grade materials." That means a lot of the company's prototype upgrades are being shown here for the first time, things like sport seats in Italian Alcantara material and "luxury floor mats," that have "plush Rolls Royce carpet and Ferrari leather detailing." Performance has been changed as well, with prototype suspension components and new, prototype sports brake pads that UP says will "improve the car's driving dynamics." We won't be able to test them out when we get to SEMA, but we do look forward to getting a closer look at what's going on here. Unplugged Performance Brings New Developments to SEMA with Extensively Redesigned Tesla The Model S Gets a Face Lift and Slew of New Upgrades Las Vegas, NV – 11/04/2014 – Today, Unplugged Performance, a pioneer in Tesla Model S tuning, debuts their highly anticipated and freshly redesigned Model S at the SEMA trade show. The car features a completely new front end image, a complete overhaul of the interior, revised lighting, revised suspension, revised braking, upgraded wheels and enhanced aerodynamics. The first thing viewers will notice is that the oval plastic nosecone is changed to a wider and more aggressive design in carbon fiber. The bumper itself is an exercise in form following function with a priority on retaining cooling, ground clearance and aerodynamic efficiency. Despite the sharp modern looks, the bumper quietly integrates a ram air ducting system that feeds four factory integrated motorized cooling louvers which assist the car's cooling systems.

Romania's Forza Rossa to join 2016 F1 grid

Bazac's Maranello ties have prompted speculation that Forza Rossa could be as closely affiliated with Ferrari as Hass. Formula One may be in a bit of a crisis at the moment, with two of its smaller teams collapsing into bankruptcy, but there may yet be light at the end of the proverbial tunnel as two new teams are gearing up to take their place. One of those teams is Forza Rossa, and while we haven't much anything about the Romanian entry in in recent months, a new report from Pitpass indicates that plans are well under way – if not without their complications. Forza Rossa is being backed by a number of Romanian parties, including veteran race strategist Colin Kolles (who was most recently involved in the Caterham buyout) and Ion Bazac, former government minister and Ferrari's Romanian importer (pictured above next to Giancarlo Fisichella). Interestingly, the latter's ties to Maranello have prompted speculation that the team could be at least as closely affiliated with Ferrari as Haas (the American team being started by industrial machinery magnate and NASCAR team owner Gene Haas). A third Romanian individual – former soccer player Constantin Cojocar – turns out to have been the one who bought Caterham Sports Ltd, the company which designed and built the cars for the Caterham F1 Team until its recent collapse. The plan was to supply chassis and components to both Caterham and Forza Rossa, but Cojocar evidently had trouble paying the bills and keeping the lights on. Caterham's bankruptcy, however, could present a golden opportunity for Forza Rossa to scoop up the assets of both the team and the manufacturer at a good price, building the new team on the burnt foundations of the old one – even if it has already been granted the go-ahead by the FIA to form its own entry. That, however, won't happen until 2016 at the earliest, whittling down the grid in the meantime from 22 cars to 18. According to the arrangement between the FIA, Formula One Management and the teams, that threshold would oblige at least the leading teams to make up the lost places on the grid by fielding a third car each – something they couldn't prepare in time for US Grand Prix this past weekend, but which could be put into action for next season.

Fisker, Quantum pairing up to relaunch Karma PHEV

The upcoming relaunched Fisker Karma will look a lot like the old one. Turns out, the brains of the car will share a lot with the old Karma as well. Fisker (and its new owner, Wanxiang) and Quantum Technologies have announced a deal worth over $5 million. Quantum is going to license its plug-in hybrid control software to Fisker in exchange for $2 million this month and another $2 million a year from now. The first payment will be used to get the software into the relaunched Karma and the next payment is for "Fisker Auto Group's planned Atlantic vehicle line." Fisker has the option to pay more by October 27, 2016 to "acquire joint-ownership of the hybrid control software for the Karma, Atlantic and future platforms." There's another part of the deal worth "approximately $1.35 million" for software development services over the coming year. If this all has a somewhat familiar ring to you, you might be thinking about the $10.2 million that Fisker gave Quantum five years ago to develop the PHEV powertrain when it was still called the "Q-Drive plug-in hybrid system." The fact that we're talking about a relaunch now tells us something about how that all turned out. Maybe it'll be better this time, if those 250 bugs get squashed. Quantum Technologies Enters into License Agreement with Fisker Automotive and Technologies Group LLC to provide Plug-In Hybrid Control Software to Support Re-Launch of the Fisker Karma Vehicle - Control Software Agreement to provide Quantum with more than $5.0 million over the coming year - Control software license to cover Fisker Karma and Atlantic series with option for joint-ownership for these and other future platforms LAKE FOREST, Calif., Nov. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. ("Quantum") (NASDAQ: QTWW), a global leader in natural gas storage systems, integration, and vehicle system technologies, today announced it has entered into an agreement with Fisker Automotive and Technologies Group LLC ("Fisker Auto Group") pursuant to which Quantum will license its plug-in hybrid control software to Fisker Auto Group and, in return, will receive an initial payment of $2.0 million on or before November 27, 2014, and a second payment of $2.0 million on or before October 27, 2015.

Motorweek goes retro with '80s hot hatch shootout

Motorweek's decades of history on television make it the perfect medium to look back into the automotive past and see how things are different now. It recently added old road test videos to its YouTube channel of the Acura NSX and Toyota Supra, as well as the Ferrari F40. For one of its newest flashback clips, Motorweek has exhumed an affordable five-car challenge of 1986's premiere hot hatches.
By today's standards, this is an eclectic field that features fondly remembered classics like the Volkswagen GTI 16-valve and Acura Integra. However, it also throws in some nearly forgotten contenders like the Dodge Colt Turbo and Ford Escort GT. The angular Toyota Corolla FX16 GT-S rounds out the group.
It's fascinating to watch Motorweek run the quintet through the slalom, down the drag strip and on various roads. What's most striking in this clip is the difference in the definition of a performance car between then and now. With its 16-valve, 1.8-liter four-cylinder, the GTI is the burliest of the contenders with 123 horsepower, but it still takes 8.8 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour. By today's standards, that would make it a plain-jane economy car, and not even a particularly quick one.

Watch this Lamborghini Aventador shoot flames and light itself on fire

The stationary revving of high-horsepower, high-cylinder-count Italian engines may be an adolescent pleasure among the world's wealthy, but it's a mechanical display of machismo we're usually prepared to indulge simply because it sounds so great. And it's a spectacle made all the better when one's exhaust spits flames, right? Well, most of the time. Check out this Lamborghini driver, who gets a bit exuberant with his right foot only to have disaster strike.
The driver's Aventador has no problem shooting long flames, and apparently they're hot enough to catch portions of the supercar's body alight. However, the driver's reaction might be even more unbelievable. Watch the video to see what happens - his response certainly isn't how many people would react to their supercar being on fire, perhaps because he isn't completely comprehending what's going on.
One final note; while the video's title claims that the fire is the result of a design flaw, there's not really enough information here to know if that's actually the case. The Lambo could be running an unsuitably modified exhaust or ECU to help it shoot big flames, or the issue could be as simple as debris caught in the rear vents lighting up.

Toyota FCV rallies to the hydrogen cause as zero car

It's been two decades since Toyota dominated the World Rally Championship with its Celica Turbo 4WD. But this past weekend, Toyota hit the rally stage in a very different vehicle.
That, as you can see, is the Japanese automaker's Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV), which is still in its prototype phase. We're still at least half a year away from seeing the FCV in production trim, but the model has already been pressed into duty as the "zero car" at the Shinshiro Rally, the last round of the Japanese Rally Championship.
The zero car, for those unfamiliar, is to rally what a pace or safety car is to circuit racing, driving the rally stage to check for signs of trouble before the competitors put their feet to the floor, so it's not as if the FCV needed extensive modifications. From the looks of things, it just needed some jazzy stripes, mud flaps, probably different rolling stock and an interior with racing buckets and harnesses, roll cage, radio equipment and maybe a bit more ground clearance.

Porsche recalling 4,400 911, Boxster and Cayman models over hood latches

Porsche has issued a "precautionary" and voluntary safety recall affecting some 4,400 sports cars across the globe. Here in the United States, the recall includes 1,382 911, Boxster convertibles and Cayman coupes, all of which are from model years 2014 and 2015.
Porsche will be replacing the lock bracket for the front cargo area (the frunk) after internal testing revealed that, while the vehicles meet "strength requirements," specific parts might not meet the company's quality standards throughout the vehicle's life. There have been no reports of accidents or injuries.
Owners of the affected cars will be notified within 60 days and will need to report to a nearby dealer for a free repair, which should take about 30 minutes.

Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #404 LIVE!

We're set to record Autoblog Podcast #404 this evening. Check out the topics below or drop us your questions and comments via the Q&A module. And don't forget to subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so. To take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.
Discussion Topics For Autoblog Podcast Episode #404
BMW i8 and i3

Nissan shows how EVs are breaking the niche barrier in Norway

Call it Keeping up with the Hansens. Through a combination of environmental consciousness, big-time government incentives and good old-fashioned peer pressure, Norway has become the country with the highest number of electric vehicles per capita. And Nissan couldn't be happier. EVs have about a 15-percent new-vehicle market share in Norway, Nissan says in a new four-minute video called No Longer Niche (watch it below). Between Norway's cheap electricity and incentives such as bus-lane use, free parking and free public recharging, Nissan's sold more than 15,000 of its all-electric Leaf EVs since sales started in Norway in 2011. In fact, Norway's EV incentives were scheduled to run through 2017, but the rules' 50,000-EV threshold may be reached as soon as next year. The rising (and, we suspect, somewhat frigid) EV tide has helped other vehicle makers, to a lesser extent. This past spring, The Wall Street Journal reported that Tesla Motors' all-electric Model S sold almost 1,500 units in March, breaking the all-time single-model monthly sales record for the country. To put EVs' 15-percent market share in perspective, consider this: last year, Ford F-Series pickups, the biggest-selling US model, accounted for about five percent of US new vehicle sales. So, in order to visualize the EV effect in Norway, imagine three times as many Ford F-Series pickups on the road in the US as there are now. On second thought, don't. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.