Last week we reported on the teaser website Italian supercar manufacturer Pagani launched for yet another one-off Zonda model.

The Pagani Zonda HH was detailed a bit, promising to blend equal parts Zonda F with the Cinque, as well as borrow some elements from the beast which is the Zonda R.

Now, the car has finally been pictured, and as you can see, it is a convertible. Besides the fact hat it has a chopped roof, no other details were revealed.

Still, expect the same carbon titanium chassis, with the massive AMG V12 in the back, capable of pumping out 680 HP, with exhaust going through a titanium assembly.

Until the car is officially delivered to its mysterious American owner though, we’re still in for a long wait.

Source: TeamSpeed via Autoblog

Post published on Rpmgo.com

Pagani Zonda HH convertible revealed

In case you already recovered from the matte purple Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG we revealed to you last week, we now have something a bit more different, coming from German customization company Laureus Design.

As you can see, the brand decided to promote itself by revealing a chromed Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 race car.

A few subtle red highlights survived the chrome treatment, as well as a few orange ones on the massive rear wing of this track-only race car.

While it most certainly is out of this world, the polished look doesn’t look all that bad, at least in comparison to the matte purple from last week. What do you think? Share your thoughts about this interesting race car in the comment section below.

Source: JonSibal via Jalopnik

Post published on Rpmgo.com

Chrome Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 shown off by Laureus Design

After almost a year of negotiations, weeks of rumors and speculation and a lot of legal battles, Ford has finally revealed that it has sold Volvo to Chinese car company Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Company Limited, simply known as Geely.

The whole deal has been priced $1.8 billion, which was paid by the Asian company for 100% ownership of Volvo, as well as all of its assets together with the Swedish and Belgian manufacturing plants.

The deal was met with excitement by both Ford and Geely. The companies will continue to work together on joint platforms and engines developed by Blue Oval and Volvo engineers. Supply contracts will also be honored.

The former head of Volvo, Stephen Odell, will move on to lead Ford of Europe, and his place will be taken by Stefan Jacoby, none other than the former CEO of Volkswagen USA. The chairman of Volvo will be Geely founder Li Shufu.

Plans include the obvious expansion into the Chinese territory for Volvo, while Geely will put to good use the safety technologies the Swedish company uses in all of its cars.

May this new deal help all of the parties involved, and let’s hope that Volvo will continue walking its own path under the Chinese ownership.

Source: Ford, Geely
Photo source: Automarket

Post published on Rpmgo.com

Ford officially sells Volvo to Geely for $1.8 billion

A new research report has arrived from the Highway Loss Data Institute, showcasing the highest and lowers insurance claims for theft per vehicle.

As you might have guessed, thieves are mostly interested in big, luxury SUVs, with the Cadillac Escalade topping the most stolen vehicles list. According to the HLDI, insurance companies were forced to pay $146 per each Escalade insured last year, due to theft loss. In simpler terms, around 10.8 Cadillac SUVs were stolen per each 1,000 insured.

How do thieves get past things like OnStar or other security measures? Simple, by putting the SUV on a flatbed and driving off.

Other vehicles with high theft claims include the Ford F-250 Crew pickup truck, as well as the Infiniti G37 or the HEMI-equipped Dodge Charger.

On the other end of the list, the car with the least theft claims is the Volvo S80 limousine. Other safe vehicles include the Saturn VUE, the Nissan Murano or the Toyota Prius.

As a last bit of warning, the HDLI says that people should avoid big, luxury SUVs as well as pickup trucks, no matter how many security systems they have.

Source HDLI via Autoblog

Post published on Rpmgo.com

Cadillac Escalade tops the most stolen vehicles list, research says

Since last week, when GM officially revealed the base price of the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle, people have been contacting dealerships left and right.

But even though the standard price should be $41,000 ($33,500 if you factor in the federal tax rebate), dealers are more than willing to charge over the MSRP.

How much over? Researchers from Edmunds decided to find out, and contacted dealerships about the upcoming Volt. One response was a staggering $20,000 over the MSRP of the future model, motivating the increase because only 9 cars will be delivered to that specific dealership.

For its part, Chevrolet has revealed that it is aware some outlets might charge extra for the Volt, and will monitor the pricing situation during the launch of the ER-EV model.

Don’t forget that with a $2,500 down payment, you can lease the Volt for $350/month. Still, if they will be able to charge extra for a regular purchase, don’t expect many dealerships to offer any models for leasing.

Source: AutoObserver via Autoblog

Post published on Rpmgo.com

Chevrolet dealers ready to charge even $20,000 over the Volt’s MSRP

We’ve seen some pretty interesting ads lately, culminating with the ones for the 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, which put real people in the passenger seat of the performance model being thrown around by rally driver Dave Mirra.

Now, Honda Australia has revealed a brand new batch of commercials, under the slogan ‘How much _____ can you pack into a Jazz?’.

As you know, Jazz is the name of the Honda Fit outside the USA. The compact hatchback is now showcasing its spacious interior by trying to fit in as many unusual things as possible. The commercials attempt, in a ‘scientific’ way, to see how many hipsters, ninjas, rappers or even professional body builders can be squeezed into the Jazz/Fit.

Needless to say, all of the videos are hilarious, so hit the jump and check them out.

Post published on Rpmgo.com

Videos: Honda Australia shows off how many things you can pack in a Jazz/Fit

Nissan wants to make its GT-R sportscar even more exclusive, and is setting up a special owner’s club in its native Japan, complete with a dedicated track-only Nissan GT-R.

This new organization is called The Prestige Club of GT-R. The special car made by the Japanese company will be the Nissan GT-R Track Club Edition. It has been developed with insight from Nissan, NISMO, Nova Engineering and Nordring tuning.

Why is this track-only Godzilla so great? Well, it packs a huge array of upgrades over the regular model. It has a recalibrated ECM, a new traction control, Blistein dampers and a front lip spoiler. On the inside, you will find special Bride sports seats, with four-point harnesses, a fire suppression system and a race-ready data logging system from NISMO. The twin-turbo engine is now rated at 493 HP with 434 lb-ft of torque.

In case you want in on this track-ready goodness, you’d better be prepared to pay a lot of money, as well as move to Japan. The Nissan GT-R Track Club Edition costs ¥10,479,000 ($120,725), while membership in the prestige club costs ¥2 million ($23,024), and the annual fee is ¥1 million ($11,513). For all that, you’ll get access to a special yearly gathering, as well as participation in two race days. Make up your mind fast, as applications are open until September 20.

Source: GT-R World via Autoblog

Post published on Rpmgo.com

Nissan GT-R Track Club Edition revealed, get your wallets ready

A lot of people were surprised at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show when the Chrysler 200C concept was revealed.

Afterwards, the model dropped off the radar, and with the bankruptcy and bailout, Chrysler had plenty of other things to worry about.

Now though, it seems that the 200C is making its way to production, at least judging from a batch of recent patent sketches leaked onto the web. The photos depict a model quite similar to the concept, but with a few more toned down elements.

We still don’t know much about this car though. According to rumors, it might replace the Sebring sedan, which will be axed in the near future by the Pentastar and its corporate overlord, Fiat.

If it will retain its bold design, and pack plenty of features, alongside the new Pentastar V6, then the Chrysler 200C might be a winner for the US company. What do you think? Share your thoughts below.

Source: Noticias Automotivas via Autoblog

Post published on Rpmgo.com

Chrysler 200C patent shots leaked

Swedish carmaker Saab is wasting no time after it swapped owners, going from General Motors to Spyker, and has already announced plans to introduce a test fleet of all-electric vehicles, based on the next Saab 9-3 entry-level sedan.

According to the Scandinavian executives, these vehicles will be part of a test fleet, set to roll onto the streets at the beginning of 2011. They are the result of a partnership between Saab, lithium ion battery producer Boston Power, electric powertrain manufacturer Electroengine and, last but not least, the Swedish Energy Authority.

The data and information resulting from the test fleet will be used in the near future to make cars more efficient, and drive the fuel consumption as low as possible.

The research will also benefit a future all-electric vehicle, but Saab isn’t ready to make any commitment about a launch date.

Source: Inside Line via Autoblog

Post published on Rpmgo.com

Electric Saab 9-3 prototypes to appear in 2011

Even though Volvo has made a name for itself with safety features and flawless manufacturing, this doesn’t mean it isn’t spared from the occasional recall, as highlighted by the recent XC90 problems.

Now, the Volvo S80 sedans manufactured between 2007 and 2010 are subjected to a brand new recall. It seems that the vehicles in question are fitted with faulty tire pressure information.

More specifically, both the owner’s manual and the door sticker of the S80 contain inaccurate maximum tire pressure information. What’s worse is that the tire pressure monitoring system is also coded with that faulty inflation data, so it won’t warn drivers if their tires are subjected to extreme pressure.

Luckily, according to Volvo, no incidents were reported as of yet. Still, customers will be notified in the near future about this problem, and advised to head to their local dealership. The monitoring system will receive an update, while the manual and the door sticker will be replaced.

For more information about this recall, Volvo S80 owners can contact the Swedish company at 1-800-458-1552.

Source: NHTSA

Post published on Rpmgo.com

Volvo recalls 2007-2010 S80 over tire pressure issues