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Tuesday, April 20, 2010
RPMGO.com (former Auto Unleashed) |
- Mercedes-Benz presents Shooting Break concept, previews future CLS version
- Toyota pays $16.4 million fine, still won’t admit any mistake
- Aston Martin DB9 named UK’s favorite car, followed by Golf and Mini
- Video: Nine things you should definitely do in a Ford F-150 Raptor
- Electric Volkswagen Milano Taxi concept revealed
- Four-door Fiat 500 variant coming soon, targets North America
- Chevrolet Volt-based MPV set to appear in Beijing
- GM reportedly ready to repay government loans on Wednesday
- Nissan begins taking reservations for Leaf EV
- Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa by Zagato gets teased before its Villa d’Este debut
| Mercedes-Benz presents Shooting Break concept, previews future CLS version Posted: 20 Apr 2010 03:00 AM PDT  Mercedes-Benz is often credited with starting the new fad of four-door coupe models in the auto industry when it launched the CLS in 2004. Now, the company is aiming to once again flex its design muscles, and presented the new Shooting Break concept, before its debut at the Beijing Motor Show later this week. While most of the industry has gotten used to the Shooting Brake nomenclature, MB decided to use the more literal Break name, reminiscing of the actual origin, which was given to coaches used to break wild horses. But enough with the name lesson. All you need to know is that this model, alongside the F800 Style we saw in Detroit are going to represent the next generation CLS variants, both in four-door coupe and shooting break style. As you can see, it borrows from the F800, but still presents elements from the slightly older Concept Fascination. Also, it will definitely attract those who want a bit of an utilitarian side to their luxury models and don’t really like the BMW 5 Series GT. As an added bonus, the Mercedes-Benz Shooting Break concept also showcases the future MB powertrains that will be sported by the CLS and other MB models. From the 306 HP 3.5-liter V6 unit to other engines like a turbocharged 435 HP 4.6-liter V8, and to top it all off, the AMG-prepped turbocharged, direct injection 5.5-liter V8 capable of 563 HP and 664 lb-ft of torque. Overall, the new Mercedes-Benz Shooting Break concept is going to make a lot of fans extremely happy and excited for the next generation CLS. Check it out in the photo gallery below. Photo Gallery: Mercedes-Benz Shooting Break Concept
Source: Mercedes-Benz Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Toyota pays $16.4 million fine, still won’t admit any mistake Posted: 20 Apr 2010 02:13 AM PDT  As we reported yesterday, Toyota did formally announce that it is going to pay the fine the NHTSA and the Department of Transportation imposed on it, worth $16.4 million. At the same time, the Japanese company didn’t admit any wrongdoing in regards to how it handled the two huge recalls it made at the beginning of the year. The fine was paid to avoid any other litigation and in order to show that the company is changing.
The decision was met with approval from Ray La Hood, the U.S. Transportation Secretary. He then said that other investigations are still underway against the Japanese carmaker so it isn’t over just yet.
The investigations already underway include the drifting Lexus GX460 and will also involve more House of Representatives hearings for Toyota officials. Source: Toyota Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Aston Martin DB9 named UK’s favorite car, followed by Golf and Mini Posted: 20 Apr 2010 01:56 AM PDT  DirectLine Insurance group,a company based in the UK, recently celebrated 25 years of existence, so it decided to conduct a poll to find out what is the UK’s favorite car from the last quarter decade. The result might surprise quite a few people, as it’s not a cult classic like the Audi Quattro or the DeLorean, but the recent Aston Martin DB9. It seems the British model captured the hearts of nearly 10% of voters, who believed it is “synonymous with James Bond,” even though the famous fictional spy never drove one. Runner up was the Volkswagen Golf GTI, proving that hot hatches still rank up with the best of them, followed by the BMW-era Mini, who impressed Britons by keeping a retro feel while offering a great car for today’s market. Another interesting statistic that was shown by the survey was that, in the 1980s, nearly 29% of British families owned a Ford model, with Vauxhall coming in second with 14%. Agree with this survey? Share your thoughts below. Source: DirectLine Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Video: Nine things you should definitely do in a Ford F-150 Raptor Posted: 20 Apr 2010 01:39 AM PDT  Kelley Blue Book has always been about giving sensible advice about cars and showing the customer just how reliable such vehicles are. In a new video though, the company really blew off some steam, and released a fantastic guide for anyone lucky enough to get behind the wheel of the stunning Ford F-150 SVT Raptor pick-up truck. In it, KBB shells out nine ’sensible’ tips that you should follow when wrangling the the Blue Oval’s rebel child. From jumping it to driving it like you’re chased by apocalyptic killer robots, KBB covers everything in the video located after the jump. Source: KBB Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Electric Volkswagen Milano Taxi concept revealed Posted: 20 Apr 2010 01:18 AM PDT  Volkswagen is aiming to surprise those who will attend the Hanover Trade Show this week, in Germany, by presenting the Milano Taxi electric vehicle concept. Those with a sharp memory can easily spot the fact that the Milano Taxi is based on the older Space Up! plug-in hybrid concept that was shown off at the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show. It seems that when/if the new Up! city car lineup will be established, this electric taxi won’t be far behind. Still, plenty of modifications have been made to the design of this new concept, from eliminating the driver-side rear door to extending the sliding one on the curb side for an easier access in and out for customers. Likewise, the front passenger seat has been replaced with more luggage space, while a touchscreen system has also been added as rear-seat entertainment, a common feature in newer taxi models and concepts.  In terms of power, the concept has an electric motor capable, thanks to the lithium-ion battery pack, to run for about 186 miles on the EU combined cycle. The Volkswagen Milano Taxi is just a concept at the moment, so don’t go thinking you’ll be hailing them on the street anytime soon. Source: Volkswagen Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Four-door Fiat 500 variant coming soon, targets North America Posted: 20 Apr 2010 12:58 AM PDT  Chrysler and Fiat are expected to announce an updated release plan this Wednesday, and in it, the small Fiat 500 might make be officially confirmed and dated for its North American debut. Still, the guys at AutoWeek are looking even further into the future, and reveal that the Italian company might soon introduce a four-door variant of the Fiat 500, codenamed Lo. The version (rendered above by Quattroroute) might be made with the North American market in mind, who always craves more space. As you know, the small two-door Italian model won’t satisfy this criteria that much. As such, the four-door 500 will be positioned as a small van in Europe and be a part of the Fiat 500 lineup in North America, including the standard coupe, the convertible 500C and the Abarth 500 performance version, all of which set to be built at the Chrysler plant in Toluca, Mexico. Do you think this is the right strategy for the Fiat 500 or just a wrong step for the very popular compact? Share your thoughts below. Source: AutoWeek Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Chevrolet Volt-based MPV set to appear in Beijing Posted: 20 Apr 2010 12:34 AM PDT  Patent drawings once again foil the plans of a large carmaker. This time it’s GM, as it has filed a registration for the design of a new MPV model. What’s so great about this specific patent? How about the fact that it uses almost the same front fascia as the Chevrolet Volt and that one of the designers is Bob Boniface, who also worked on both the Volt and the Opel Ampera. As such, there’s a big possibility that this new people-carried will be using the Volt’s extended-range electric vehicle drivetrain, the Voltec.  This specific model is expected to debut at the Beijing Motor Show later this week, and might make sense in the E-REV lineup that GM wants to slowly create. We can’t say for sure that this will be a traditional 7-seater MPV, given the compact size, so it might be just a more family friendly alternative to the Volt sedan, which is hitting the US market late this year. Source: Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| GM reportedly ready to repay government loans on Wednesday Posted: 20 Apr 2010 12:17 AM PDT  In what is a pretty interesting turn of events, General Motors is reported to announce that it will repay the government loans it received from USA and Canada on Wednesday, a full two months ahead of the schedule it signed with the US Treasury department. The Detroit News is reporting that when GM’s CEO Ed Whitacre will be visiting a Kansas City GM plant, this Wednesday, he will make the official announcement. After that, he will make his first visit to Washington D.C., after becoming permanent CEO of GM. That is when the money will be payed back by GM. For those not keeping count, the General is going to repay $5.8 billion, to both the US and Canadian governments. This still leaves the $43 billion taxpayers still have invested in GM stocks, owning 61% of the company. Neither GM nor Treasury officials have commented on the report, but if it turns out to be true, it will certainly help in rebuilding customer confidence in GM. Do you think the US company will repay its loans in full? Share your thoughts below. Source: Detroit News Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Nissan begins taking reservations for Leaf EV Posted: 19 Apr 2010 11:59 PM PDT  Nissan is continuing the push for what it thinks will be the biggest money maker in its history, the Leaf electric vehicle. A new step has now been made, as the Japanese company announced it will begin taking reservations for those who registered on its website today, while general public reservations will begin in May. After customizing their own Leaf, those who want to reserve one will need to pay a fully-refundable $99 and then point out their preferred Nissan dealer. Actual pre-orders for the electric vehicle will begin August, in case you really want to drop some major cash for your future Nissan Leaf. Speaking of cash, the Japanese model will have MSRP price of $32,780, but with various tax rebates across the USA, it might go down as much as $25,280 or even lower, depending on the state you live in. The Leaf is going to hit preferred territories this December, and will be marketed across the USA at the beginning of 2011. We’re still have some mixed feelings about the tiny EV though. What do you think? Will you be dropping pennies for the Nissan Leaf? Source: Nissan via Autoblog Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa by Zagato gets teased before its Villa d’Este debut Posted: 19 Apr 2010 11:45 PM PDT  The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este is set to start on April 23, but before that, famed Italian customizer Zagato decided to tease us a bit by releasing an overhead shot of the Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa one-off model it will be showcasing at the famous luxury gathering. As you could have guessed, Zagato aims to honor the Italian brand’s centenary with this custom model, based on the 8C Competizione supercar. Don’t go thinking this is just a concept though, like the Alfa Romeo Pininfarina 2uettottanta or the Bertone Pandion, both of which dazzled us a few months ago. The TZ3 Corsa has been comissioned by a private German racer, who wants to show what the Alfa can do on the track. Before it will hit the tarmack though, the race car will be showcased at Villa d’Este at the end of the week, alongside other cult cars like the BMW 328 Kamm Coupe. Source: Zagato Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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