Archive for March, 2008
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.
Welcome to the Autos Blog
Welcome to the Autos Editors’ Blog. We have a passion for all things automotive: keeping up to date with the latest trends, providing coverage of all major auto shows, and test driving the newest vehicles — basically, we’re car nuts.
Each week we’ll provide thoughts on the cars we’re currently driving, as well as occasional commentary on big automotive news items. We might get up on our respective soapboxes from time to time, but it shouldn’t be too painful.
Here’s a bit about us:
Perry Stern - I’m lead editor here at Autos. I’ve been on staff here for almost ten years, but have always been interested in cars. I actually wrote to Car and Driver magazine when I was 15 to ask how I become an auto writer. They never responded. I don’t have a regular daily driver - my last car was a 1988 Toyota Celica All-Trac Turbo. My wife drives a Ford Explorer. I prefer high-performance cars, but I like them to have the ability to carry passengers and cargo as well. My dream car is a 2004 BMW M5. I also understand the value that a car company such as Hyundai or Suzuki brings to the table — not all cars have to have sportscar-like performance. (See my picture below — standing next to the silver Bentley.)
Mike Meredith - I’m the new guy at Autos since I have only been here six years, but my interest in cars started basically at birth. My Dad has been in the car business my whole life so there were always interesting cars around. I started working at his car dealership (on weekends and in the summer) when I was 12 (there were no child labor laws then). At about 14 he let me start driving cars around the lot, and since then I’ve been behind the wheel every chance I get. Once I finished college I went straight to the Renault Elf Winfield race driving school and have been club racing and teaching high-performance driving ever since. In 1982 I traded my T-Top Camaro with a 350 V8 and a 4-speed manual for a BMW 320i and I’ve owned many BMWs since then, all with manual transmissions. I teach at the ProFormance Racing School at Pacific Raceways near Seattle.
Eric Bellscheidt - Probably the least nutty of these “car nuts,” I too have worked on Autos for almost a decade. As associate editor I ensure we have readable content for our varied car-shopping audience, from gearheads to grannies. With a wife and two kids in tow, my preferences fall to the more practical side of automobiles: utility, safety, comfort and economy — but a middle-aged guy can also dream a little, can’t he? Our family driver is a Toyota minivan nicknamed Ayrton Sienna. (That’s me below in the blue jacket.)