Autos Blog

2009 Porsche 911 Targa

Porsche has recently revealed their Targa version of the 911. Its techno upgrades as the rest of the 911’s include direct injection engines and PDK double clutch gearbox. It will be made available with a 3.6litre flat-six engine (Targa 4) with a max output of 345bhp and a top speed of 176mph and a 3.8litre (Targa 4S) with a max output of 385bhp reaching a top speed of 184mph.

The exterior of this glass roofed 911 includes LED daytime running lights, LED taillights and smaller fog lights. The focal point of this Porsche’s interior is the new Porsche Communication Management 3.0 (PCM 3.0) touch-screen which provides easy operation of the audio system as well as the HDD navigation system (optional). Other functions of PCM 3.0 include Blue-tooth connectivity, IPOD port, USB port, satellite radio and XM NavTraffic capability.

The 911 Targa goes on sale in the UK and USA this October.

Tags: 2009 Porsche

2010 Porsche Cayman – Rendered Speculation Leaked

Hey there petrol-fueled-heart people. Did you hear that Porsche is planning to hit us in the near future with a new Cayman and a new Boxter S? If you didn’t, here’s the news.

We all knew Porsche was up to something, but we didn’t know what exactly. Apparently the new Cayman and Boxter will get direct injection, the new seven speed PDK transmission for faster shifts than the conventional six-speed manual box and a limited slip differential. Now stop your WOWs because there’s more. Because of all these, the Cayman is getting a 25 hp boost up to 320 hp and a 273 lb-ft torque.The other models won’t get direct injection, but something else. A displacement bump from 2.7- to 2.9-liters and a corresponding jump to 265 hp. The Boxster and Boxster S each will come with 10 fewer horsies under the hood, than the Cayman.

There’s also a Sport Chrono package included, that will be available along with Launch Control.

Seems like a good change under the hood, but do you have anything for us on the outside? Guess not now!

Tags: 2010 Cayman

Audi A8, W12 Quattro, 2008

A friend of mine who writes car reviews found himself in a game of oneupmanship with a friend of his. My friend was given a Jaguar Super V8, 2008 to review. His friend drove an Audi A8, W12 Quattro, 2008.

The Audi won if for no other reason than the base sticker price. The Jag goes for $95,000. The Audi has a sticker price $140,000!!! Of course, that price includes

$6,300 for the Bang & Olufsen sound system

$3,200 for the 20-inch alloy wheels and summer performance tires

$2,500 for the Palace Blue exterior paint

$2,100 for the adaptive cruise control

$1,500 for the rear-seat refrigerator

$790 for solar sunroof

$200 for heated steering wheel

$1,700 for gas-guzzler tax

My friend, Bill, tells the story of when he was in China. He was being driven in a Red Flag Chinese car on a road with no speed limit. The speedometer was tick-tick-ticking to the far right at about 220kph. Thinking to himself that he was going to die if the driver lost control he looked out the window to keep himself distracted. Suddenly, an Audi went flying by. Perhaps it was a predecessor to this 6.0 liter, 12-valve, 450 horsepower 2008 Quattro.

Oh, to own an Audi.

Tags: a8

Pontiac G8, 2008

It seems that Pontiac hasn’t rolled out a full-size, rear-wheel drive sedan in more than 20 years. Twenty-two years to be exact. Enter the Pontiac G8. (This is not to be confused with the G8 Summit happening in Toyako.) The G8 will replace the Bonneville and the Grand Prix as well as the V8-powered GTO coupe. One trim has a 256 horsepower V6 engine, standard with a 5-speed automatic transmission. The other trim has 361 horsepower V8 and 6-speed automatic. Can you say 60mph in 5 secs?

Airbags, 6 of them, traction control, stability control, dual tailpipes 18″ alloy wheels, sports body kit….ah, and a 7-speaker audio system. The driver can’t hear the Vrroooom of the engine over the beautiful tunes. Pontiac says this car is the most powerful car in the U.S. available for less than $30K. Test driver James Raia at TheWeeklyDriver says the car’s shortcomings are no navigation system and finding the emergency brake. Bumper to bumper, 3 years/36K, drivetrain warranty, 5 years/100K, and corrosion 6 years/100K. Pontiac obviously thinks this car will look good while it lasts a long time.

Audi Q5

The new Audi Q5 made its world debut, where do you think? At the Beijing Motor Show.

I’m sure Audi knows who they are going to fight with, in the compact crossover niche, because BMW already has the X3 live, Mercedes-Benz have just announced the GLK and Volvo seems pretty active, too. Their ace up the sleeve is the sportier (elegant) looks, or at least the Germans think so.

Beautiful headlights with bi-xenon lamps and LED daytime running lights, a large single-frame grille or those big wheels are extremely eye-catching when you take a look at the picture. I wouldn’t expect anything cheaper on the rear: taillights with LED technology or the aluminum wraparound tailgate.

The engine palette is also nice. Three choices that include two diesel versions and a petrol engine, all turbocharged:

* 2.0 TFSI that outputs 211 hp and 350 Nm torque.
It does o to 100 km/h in 7.2 seconds and has a top speed of 222 km/h. Fuel consumption is 8.5L for 100 km.
* 2.0 TDI that outputs 170 hp and 350 Nm torque.
It does o to 100 km/h in 9.5 seconds and has a top speed of 204 km/h. Fuel consumption is 6.7L for 100 km.
* 3.0 TDI V6 engine that outputs 240 hp and 500 Nm torque.
It does o to 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds and has a top speed of 225 km/h. Fuel consumption is 7.7L for 100 km.

Want more audi stuff? Check out our favorite Audi Blog!

Renault Laguna GT goes on sale

By this summer the new Renault Laguna GT is going to be available for sale in a saloon and an estate version. Both petrol and diesel engines have been announced. The diesel is a 2.0L dCi that outputs 180hp at 3,750 rpm and 400Nm of torque, does 0 to 100kph in 8.5 seconds and a mixed fuel consumption of 6.5L/100km (172 g/km CO2 emissions). If you want something sportier than the 2.0L 16-valve petrol engine may be the solution. It outputs 205hp at 5,000 rpm, has a 300Nm torque and does the 100 (kph) in 7.8 seconds. Of course the mixed fuel consumption is a little bit higher, 8.2L/100km and 194 g/km CO2 emissions.

Now that we know what we can expect under the hood let’s see the other details.

It was developed by Renault and their Renault Sport Technologies division, has an Active Drive chassis with four-wheel steering, some new lateral air-intakes, gloss black wing mirrors, smoked rear lamps and aerodynamic sills. My personal favorite are the twin tailpipe and the Celsium wheels equipped with 225/45 18-inch special Bridgestone Potenza tyres.

Geely GT Concept, goes to Beijing

It’s been a while since I haven’t seen such a concept, not to mention that this one comes from a Chinese manufacturer. Apparently the 2008 Beijing Motor Show is going to have a pretty special guest in the name of Geely GT. They don’t have any spectacular models so far, so I presume this is a marketing move to get some attention their way.From what I see it has a few lines from well known models including Ferrari’s 612 or the Nissan GT-R, all packed in a beautiful Peugeot 607 theme. This is definitely something I’d love to put my behind in, but need something more than just these teasing renderings.

Kitschy Cat: Galpinized Jaguar XF

It’s been argued that the Jaguar XF lost a lot of the edge that it’s conceptual predecessor displayed on the show stand. The end result was less than thrilling, but the available powerplants and sumptuous interior may have made up for the exterior’s shortcomings. Galpin Jaguar, the largest volume Jag dealership in the States, has decided to pull an Emeril on the XF and kick it up a notch through a custom, two-tone paint scheme, 22-inch, color-matched Forgiato wheels, smoked tail lamps and “blacked-out” window trim. Thankfully, Galpin has left most of the interior intact, save the wood trim and matching black and burgundy leather seats. Overall, the effect ranges from cruel to unusual, and as such, we’re considering a call to the Hague.

On the ball: Hennessey already out with SRT700 Dodge Challenger upgrade

It’s been less than a month since Dodge officially took the wraps off the Challenger SRT8, and horsepower fanatic John Hennessey already has a performance package available called the SRT700 that will have muscle car fans tingling with excitement. Since there’s no replacement for displacement, Hennessey adds extra cubes to the 6.1-liter V8 with a stroker crankshaft, pushing it out to 426ci. For good measure, a 67mm turbocharger system is added as well, complete with an air-to-air intercooler. Forged aluminum pistons, forged steel connecting rods, high-flow cylinder heads, and a 3-inch exhaust system are also added, among other upgrades. The result is a tire-shredding horsepower increase of nearly 75% – 725 bhp @ 5200 rpm and 750 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm. Hennessey claims it’s good enough for the Challenger SRT8 to hit 60 mph in 3.5 seconds (with the optional drag radial tire upgrade) and top out at 190 mph. Yep, sounds like pretty typical Hennessey stuff.

Like they used to: Sport Speciale by The Creative Workshop

It’s true, that old saying: they don’t built them like they used to. They build them better, actually. But they arguably don’t style them like they used to. For many enthusiasts, the ideal combination is old-school styling with new-world construction. Count among them The Creative Workshop, the Florida-based carrozzeria which has created this special one-of-a-kind roadster it calls the Sport Speciale.

The retro spider draws inspiration for its design from the likes of the 1959 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, 1956 Aston Martin DBR1 and 1957 Maserati 450S. Not a bad place to start, then, but underneath the seductive classic lines lies a BMW-sourced 6-liter V12, driving 450 horsepower through a six-speed transmission. The specially-fabricated engine is cradled in a tubular chassis overlaid with handcrafted aluminum bodywork made in classic Superleggera fashion and appropriately painted in Ferrari Rosso Barchetta. Authentic retro touches abound, from the Borrani wire wheels with knockoff hubs, Marchal and Carello lamps, Veglia gauges, Nardi steering wheel, Magneti Marelli switchgear and Monza quick-fill fuel cap, while a modern limited-slip traction control system ensures smooth handling and grip with Brembo brakes keeping the power in check. By all accounts the Sport Speciale strikes us as a stunning example – unfortunately only one was built, on special commission for Barry and Lynn Smith of Scottsdale, Arizona, who we hear are very generous people and should feel free to contact us to arrange a special Autoblog test-drive. In the meantime, we’ll invite our readers to gawk along with us at the images in the gallery and the full details in the press release after the jump.