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Thursday, March 11, 2010
RPMGO.com (former Auto Unleashed) |
- RPMGO Awards: Nominees for week March 5-11
- Video: Audi takes the e-tron concept for a spin on the Pacific Coast Highway
- Audi R8 might get even sportier version, dual-clutch gearbox
- Video: Porsche promotes its 911 GT3 R Hybrid and Cayenne Hybrid
- New Toyota Prius incident: car smashes into wall after stuck accelerator
- Video: How NOT to get your Chevrolet Corvette out of a flooded barn
- Mitsubishi’s Ralliart closes down
- GM overtakes Ford’s Super Duty with new 6.6-liter V8 Diesel in Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra HD
- Video: Honda explains CR-Z legacy, its connection with the CRX
- Mazda designer keen on reviving the RX-7
| RPMGO Awards: Nominees for week March 5-11 Posted: 11 Mar 2010 04:34 AM PST Welcome to a new edition of RPMGO Awards, our feature in which we judge all of our stories and see which was the best and worst of the last seven days. While not as news-filled as last week, due to the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, we had plenty of things to admire in the last few days. From impressive, to hilarious to downright frightening. Without further ado, here are our nominees this week. As always, you can vote below in the two polls for the best and the worst ones. Perfect ShiftGQ by Citroen concept presents itself – Citroen’s on a roll with extremely attractive concepts lately, and the new one, GQ by Citroen, developed in partnership with the British magazine, is no exception. From the aggressive lines to the imposing presence, we like every inch of it. BMW set to launch 135is instead of M1 – While the news that we won’t get to see a true BMW 1 Series M-car, whether it’s named the M1 or otherwise made us sad, the thought of a more powerful 135is still comforts us. Even if it won’t substitute the M3, it will surely give us enough reasons to adore it. Porsche 918 Spyder Concept will become a reality, executive says – Porsche really made a lot of people happy when it introduced the 918 Spyder Concept last week in Geneva, but this week it made them ecstatic, by saying that if all goes well, the car should enter production in the future. This should give us enough time to save up for it. Audi R8 might get even sportier version, dual-clutch gearbox – Until the Porsche 918 Spyder appears, our favorite, the R8, is still king. It now seems that the supercar will get even better, as sources claim that a more powerful and lightweight V10 version will appear in the near future. Hmm, decisions decisions. Over RevSbarro Autobau concept takes ugly to a whole new level – We didn’t start the week with the best of news, as the Sbarro Autobau concept really shook us (and our eyeballs) pretty severely. If you ask us, this is the stuff automotive nightmares are made of. Mitsubishi's Ralliart closes down – Sad news for Mitsubishi fans, as its Ralliart subsidiary will soon be closed down. While its name will live on with various models, it won’t be the same. Still, let’s hope Mitsubishi won’t get into more trouble in the future. Video: How NOT to get your Chevrolet Corvette out of a flooded barn – We’re all for a good laugh around here, and this hoon going all Dukes of Hazzard while trying to get a Chevrolet Corvette out of a flooded barn achieved it with brilliant success. The same cannot be said about his attempt at an amphibious car. Toyota Prius experiences more unintended acceleration – These two stories got us pretty scared about encountering Prius hybrids on the road. It seems that even though their floor mats might have been fixed, unintended acceleration is still a big issue. Let’s hope Toyota can fix this ASAP. Those were our nominees this week. Sound off in the polls below and vote for the best and worst stories of the week. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Video: Audi takes the e-tron concept for a spin on the Pacific Coast Highway Posted: 11 Mar 2010 03:43 AM PST  Audi blew everyone away at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year with the e-tron concept. Its impressive power figures, coupled with the aggressive design made everyone admire the electric sportscar. But don’t go thinking it’s just a concept with all show and no go, as Audi has just released a video with the e-tron cruising on the famous Pacific Coast Highway in Los Angeles. The company is keen on promoting the model and the limited series of production units it will launch in the near future, so the video is quite impressive. You can check it out after the jump. Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Audi R8 might get even sportier version, dual-clutch gearbox Posted: 11 Mar 2010 03:29 AM PST  The Audi R8 is one of the most praised sportscars in recent times. But this doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its flaws, like the rather annoying R-Tronic sequential gearbox, which doesn’t perform all that well in the stock 4.2-liter V8, while in the larger V10, it feels right at home. According to Car and Driver, that’s going to change. Sources say that a more efficient seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox will make an appearance on the entry-level car. Worries about the amount of power it can handle will likely keep it as an option for the V8, while the V10 will be keep the R-Tronic option. But the sources aren’t done just yet. According to them, it seems a faster and lighter R8 V10 is in the making, much in the vein of the Superleggera models Lamborghini is constantly cranking out from its factory. Elements from the Le Mans R8 race cars might also be featured by the sportier model. Also, for those of you wanting to feel the wind in your hair but don;t have the money for the V10 Spyder, a V8 version is also scheduled, according to the same sources. All in all, if you postponed the purchase of an R8, you might want to wait a bit longer for some surprises. Source: Car and Driver Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Video: Porsche promotes its 911 GT3 R Hybrid and Cayenne Hybrid Posted: 11 Mar 2010 03:09 AM PST  Porsche is quite proud of its new hybrid endeavors, and released a video, showcasing both the 911 GT3 R Hybrid race car and the Cayenne S Hybrid. While the track car uses its hybrid setup to give it a boost in races (it even has a big shiny red button for that), the Cayenne will use its own setup to provide increased fuel efficiency in urban environments. Hopefully we will soon see the 918 Spyder Concept tearing it up on the track. Until then, hit the jump to see the 911 GT3 R and Cayenne S hybrids. Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| New Toyota Prius incident: car smashes into wall after stuck accelerator Posted: 11 Mar 2010 02:55 AM PST  It seem driving a Toyota Prius is slowly becoming an extreme sport. After the recall regarding its faulty brakes, which didn’t work at low speeds, new reports of unintended acceleration are appearing left and right. A couple of day ago we reported on the story of a runaway Prius on a San Diego highway, which stopped only after the police intervened and instructed the driver thoroughly through the procedures. Now a new incident, from New York, takes the spotlight. A 56-year-old woman got her car out of the driveway from her home, and while the Prius was facing forward, the accelerator got stuck and smashed into a stone wall across the street, sending pieces flying “a considerable distance”. The floor mat isn’t to blame, according to police, which said that it was tied to the base of the driver seat with plastic ties, in order to prevent interaction between it and the gas pedal. The car was impounded by police and experts will analyze it before revealing the cause of the incident. The woman wasn’t severely injured, but the trust of many people in Prius models received a big blow. As you may remember, the second generation Prius is affected only by the floor mat recall, and according to Toyota, its gas pedals should work just fine. It seems though that wasn’t the case here. Source: Detroit Free Press Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Video: How NOT to get your Chevrolet Corvette out of a flooded barn Posted: 11 Mar 2010 01:48 AM PST  Every day we should be grateful for the Internet and YouTube, as valuable life lessons can be learned from seeing others attempt various things. The most recent one is the adventure of some guy trying to get his Chevrolet Corvette C4 from this barn, and through a moderately deep trench, flooded with water. He could have waited, or gotten a tractor to pull the sportscar out, but he just went all “Dukes of Hazzard” on the situation, and decided to floor the acceleration and “fly” over the water. Sadly, at least for the car, he probably forgot that Corvettes don’t have wings and aren’t amphibious. Hit the jump to see the result of his clever reasoning. Source: Tampa Examiner via Autoblog Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Mitsubishi’s Ralliart closes down Posted: 11 Mar 2010 01:17 AM PST  Mitsubishi hasn’t been doing so well in terms of sales in the last few years, and the signs are beginning to show, as its performance and rally-oriented subsidiary, Ralliart, will begin the wind down procedure, according to a letter sent out to all customers. While the division will cease to exist, the brand and the Ralliart-badged models, which bridge the gap between the regular Lancer and the Evo one, will continue to be sold. Basically, the Ralliart division will cease from manufacturing any other aftermarket options for Mitsubishi models and shift all of the production and rally projects (like the presence in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge) over to Mitsubishi HQ. This is definitely a tough moment for fans but at least we’ll still have the memory of the performance division. Hopefully the Japanese company will refrain from any other tough measures in the near future. Source: Mitsubishi Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| GM overtakes Ford’s Super Duty with new 6.6-liter V8 Diesel in Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra HD Posted: 11 Mar 2010 12:53 AM PST  For many Americans, the heavy duty pick-up truck segment is the most important one. That’s why two of the biggest carmakers, Ford and GM, want to boast over their opponents with the biggest power, towing or hauling numbers. GM started the 2011 model year show with the announcement (and just that) of the Chevrolet Silverado HD, but Ford upped the ante by revealing its new Super Duty alongside its impressive performance figures, among which was the 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel, capable of 390 HP and 735 lb-ft of torque. Now, the General has finally decided to showcase the performance figures for its 6.6-liter V8 diesel, which will be appearing in the Silverado HD and its twin, the GMC Sierra HD. The raw power figures are 397 HP and 765 lb-ft, barely inching above the Ford offer, and becoming the most powerful diesel heavy duty pick-up this year. But GM shouldn’t start celebrating, as terms of towing and maximum payload, the Blue Oval’s Super Duty still beats the General’s offers, with 21,600 pounds over 20,000 and 6,520 as opposed to 6,335 lbs. Luxury fans should orient towards GM though, as GMC announced that its Sierra HD will also get a top-of-the-range Denali trim line, complete with things like body color bumpers, 18 or 20-inch aluminum-polished wheels, as well as a chromed grille, door handles and a few other accents. For the inside, brushed aluminum will be used, alongside Bose premium sound system, heather steering wheel, heated and cooled leather seats. Source: GM Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Video: Honda explains CR-Z legacy, its connection with the CRX Posted: 11 Mar 2010 12:24 AM PST  Honda, with its latest hybrid model, the CR-Z, is firmly trying to connect it with a pretty popular model it had in its heyday, the CRX. In order to further get the point across and highlight just what features, in terms of design and philosophy, went into the new CR-Z hybrid coupe, the company released a new video in which some of its executives, as well as enthusiasts or former owners of the CRX talk about the new hybrid model. Hit the jump to see the connection between the new CR-Z and the old CRX. Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Mazda designer keen on reviving the RX-7 Posted: 11 Mar 2010 12:13 AM PST  We’ve often talked about the possible revival of the iconic Mazda RX-7. We’ve heard from executives who are willing to push it through production, and now it seems the lead designer, Ikuo Maeda, is also keen on the breathing life back into the famous brand. Even more so, the fact that the original RX-7 was designed by his father makes it a personal endeavor. But before everything is given the green light, Maeda once again establishes something we feared: the economy isn’t strong enough, especially the US one, to support such a model. Many executives from the Japanese company are also citing the dwindling sales of the current sportscar, the RX-8, as more reasons to prevent such a money-wasting project. But hopefully with people such as Maeda, in the near future, when we’ll be spending money left and right, we’ll also receive a new RX-7, to compare it with the eventual production variant of another hot coupe from the land of the rising sun, the Toyota FT-86. Source: Automotive News via Autoblog Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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