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| eBay Find of the Day: 2007 Ford Shelby Mustang GT 350 gets backdated to 1969
September 7, 2009 at 8:08 pm
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| Filed under: Aftermarket, Classics, Performance, Auctions, Ford 
Want the muscular, retro look of a 1969 Shelby Mustang without any of the rust, engine problems and, well, cachet of a 40-year-old classic? Then fire up the eBay and check out what Retrobuilt has wrought.
What you see is not a 1969 Shelby fully restored to better-than-new condition. Nor is it a 1969 Mustang Fastback retromodded to look like said Shelby. The car you see is listed on eBay as a 2007 Shelby Mustang GT 350 custom-made by Retrobuilt to fool most casual observers into thinking the car is 33 years older than it is.
The auction description says the car is a prototype created by the company used to produce molds for fiberglass kits for aftermarket customizers. As the car has been built as a prototype, this coupe's doors are metal, as are the fins over the back glass. Front fenders, hood, quarter panels and trunk lid are all rendered in hand-laid fiberglass. The door handles are 1969 repros and the bumpers are triple-chromed steel. The rear wing is a factory-correct 1969 wing stretched four inches to fit the 2007's wider stance.
Barring some slightly wonky proportions, it's certainly a loyal interpretation of the original, and with a current bid of under $30,000, possibly an interesting bargain. Check out the gallery for many more pics.
[Source: eBay]eBay Find of the Day: 2007 Ford Shelby Mustang GT 350 gets backdated to 1969 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments 
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| Dow Jones names BMW the greenest automaker - for the fifth year in a row
September 7, 2009 at 6:27 pm
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| Filed under: Performance, Technology, BMW, Alternative Fuel, Diesel, Luxury BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics Concept - click above for high-res image gallery
There's a lot of competition to be seen as the world's greenest automaker - just look at the branding efforts surrounding the Toyota Prius or the Chevrolet Volt for examples - but if you look at the way an automaker designs, builds and recycles its products, then BMW is the top dog.
At least that's the case if you're consulting the Dow Jones Sustainability Index World, which has declared BMW Group to be the "most sustainable automobile company worldwide." If this sounds familiar to you, well, perhaps you were reading the site last year - or perhaps it's because BMW has won the title for five years in a row now. In fact, BMW reminds us it is the only automaker that has been listed on the Index since it was created in 1999. Guess the DJSI likes BMW's responsibility - the Germans call it Verantwortung - a lot. You can check out the official press release after the jump, or sample BMW's soon-to-debut Vision Efficient Dynamics Concept by checking out our high-res gallery below.
[Source: BMW]Continue reading Dow Jones names BMW the greenest automaker - for the fifth year in a row Dow Jones names BMW the greenest automaker - for the fifth year in a row originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments 
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| Another Station Fire bummer: Angeles Crest Highway closed indefinitely
September 7, 2009 at 4:58 pm
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| Filed under: Etc.  We already heard about the bike and car mecca Hidden Springs Cafe burning down, and now it looks like another Los Angeles auto treasure has succumbed to the flames. Years ago, when the then new Shelby GT500 came out, we pounded up about half of Angeles Crest's 66 miles before stopping to take photos. Despite that uber-Stang's propensity to get a bit squirrelly when the going got rough, the glass-smooth Angeles Crest pavement proved to be an ideal place to test out man vs. snake. While our shutter was snapping away, a tow truck pulled up and the driver got out to ogle the Shelby.
"How many accidents do you get up here a day?" we asked, knowing that before they repaved and smoothed Angeles Crest Highway it held the infamous title of most dangerous road in California. "Ten" he responded, his head examining the chemistry set lurking in front of the GT500's 5.4-liter supercharged mill. "How many of those involve motorcycles?" we asked, remembering a grade school friend losing both her bike-riding parents to Angeles Crest. "Ten" he said.
Looks like our tow trucker friend is going to have some time off. Due to the Station Fire, more than 40 miles have been closed "indefinitely" due to "burned off road stripping and destroyed guard rails and signage." As far as the pavement goes, it's "largely intact" but CalTrans has no idea how long before everything else gets patched up. Also of note to LA area drivers and riders - looks like the fire hit both Big and Little Tujunga Canyons. Its going to be a dull autumn.
[Source: Los Angeles Times | Image: Kevork Djansezian/Getty]Another Station Fire bummer: Angeles Crest Highway closed indefinitely originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments 
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| Let us help you with that: Lotus develops off-the-shelf range extender engine
September 7, 2009 at 3:57 pm
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| Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Hybrid, Technology, Lotus, UK 
The Lotus ethos has always been about efficient performance. "Simplicate, and add lightness" is an oft-echoed mantra coined by founder Colin Chapman. While the company is most known for its sports cars and racing endeavors, it's got a history of engineering for hire, as well. Embracing a definition of high performance that has protracted to include alternative propulsion technologies, Lotus has brought its experience to bear for series hybrids.
Bowing at Frankfurt Motor Show, the Lotus Range Extender engine has been designed for driving a generator optimally without the compromises of conventional engines. Reducing cost, parts count and emissions were all part of the design dossier. This 1.2-liter three-cylinder that produces 47 bhp at 3,500 RPM is being described by Lotus as a monoblock - the cylinder head and exhaust manifold are integral with the engine block, reducing separate parts and potential failure points. Low mass, more thermal efficiency and a low build cost are other superlatives used to describe this powerplant with a more focused purpose than traditional car engines. Lotus appears to have a keen eye on the future of autodom, involved as it is with ventures such as Tesla, and working with Jaguar, MIRA and Caparo on this engine as part of the UK Technology Strategy Board's "Limo-Green" project.
Lotus has spent its lifetime innovating with technology and making light and efficient cars. While the thrill of series hybrid sport driving may have a different soundtrack, the exhilaration will likely be the same. Press release posted after the jump.
[Source: Lotus]
Continue reading Let us help you with that: Lotus develops off-the-shelf range extender engine Let us help you with that: Lotus develops off-the-shelf range extender engine originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments 
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| Frankfurt Preview: Lexus LF-Ch shows its face
September 7, 2009 at 2:31 pm
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| Filed under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Motor Show, Hybrid, Europe, Hatchback, Lexus 
Lexus LF-Ch Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
Lexus has apparently released this new front-end shot of the Frankfurt Motor Show-bound LF-Ch hybrid concept car, now making the rounds on the Internet. The hatchback is quite a looker, especially coming from Lexus, whose present lineup is relatively staid in appearance. Unfortunately, the body style is likely to be a Europe-only thing, where the eventual production version will cross swords with the likes of premium-compact rivals like the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series. It sure wouldn't hurt if Lexus decided to migrate that more assertive face to some of its U.S.-market cars, though. As it stands, this has a lot more visual appeal than the Lexus HS250h we get in these here parts. Stay tuned for a lot more on this car as it makes its formal debut in Frankfurt later this month. We'll be there, as always, to bring you all the details.
[Source: Autoblog Spanish]Frankfurt Preview: Lexus LF-Ch shows its face originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments 
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| Forbes names 12 hardest new cars to find
September 7, 2009 at 1:31 pm
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| Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Plants/Manufacturing, Audi, Chevrolet, Ford, Infiniti, Lexus, MINI, Toyota, Luxury 
2010 Audi Q5 - click above for high-res gallery
With many automakers scaling back production to better balance supply with demand, it's not surprising there are several hard-to-find models right now. Forbes Magazine made some calls and did a little research and turned up what they say is the top 12 most difficult to find cars. After the run on high-mileage cars recently, you'd expect to see hybrid models like the Toyota Prius at No. 2 on the list. Tied for second is a car on the other extreme, the Chevrolet Camaro. Both model are spending an average of 18.5 days on dealer lots.
But Forbes says the hardest to find new car recently is actually the Audi Q5. The Four-Ringed crossover sat around in showrooms an average of only 16.8 days in June and July. Audi had another hit on the list with its S5, which tied for 12th place with the Mini Cooper.
Only one other American nameplate showed up as a hot seller, and that was Ford's Escape and Escape Hybrid, slipping in at No. 10. Toyota had a whopping five vehicles on the list, including the Prius and the Lexus RX 350/RX Hybrid. The Matrix was No. 4, the FJ Cruiser No. 8, and the RAV4 was No. 9. Said another way, "Thanks, Cash for Clunkers!"
Oddly, the Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen TDI didn't show up on Forbes' list. From our personal experience and reports from readers, the car is almost impossible to find due to production issues and demand -presumably that's because the study calculated days on lots for the entire Jetta lineup, not just specific models therein.
[Source: Forbes]Forbes names 12 hardest new cars to find originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments 
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| Coming this Wednesday, the McLaren MP4-12C!
September 7, 2009 at 12:10 pm
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| Filed under: Coupe, Performance 
1997 McLaren MP4/12 Grand Prix racer
This coming Wednesday, McLaren will finally reveal the followup to its legendary F1 road car, but this weekend, in an interview with the Times of London newspaper, Ron Dennis finally announced the car's name. The supercar which until now had been referred to as the P11 will be dubbed the MP4-12C. That designation draws directly on McLaren's formula heritage where the company's racecars have borne the MP4 designation since 1981. Why the road car is named after the relatively unsuccessful 1997 model is not clear at this point, but perhaps we will learn more this week.
Of course, a name in-and-of-itself doesn't have anything to do with how good the car itself might be. Besides the name, Dennis did drop a few other hints about the car. As with the venerable F1, the chassis of the new supercar is to be made of carbon fiber. This time around, the car has gullwing doors and only two seats, rather than the three staggered thrones of the F1. Features like an automatic variable rate suspension likely means the MP4-12C won't be under the 2,400-pound weight of the F1.
In spite of its immense performance, the only 106 F1s were built over six years including the race cars - for the MP4-12C, McLaren is looking to achieve a much more ambitious target: 1,000 units per year.
[Source: The Times of London | Image: Wikimedia Commons - CC 2.0]
Coming this Wednesday, the McLaren MP4-12C! originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments 
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| Ron Bloom, Obama's chief auto advisor to become manufacturing czar?
September 7, 2009 at 11:29 am
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| Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Plants/Manufacturing, UAW/Unions 
Ron Bloom's role in the bankruptcy and re-emergence of Chrysler and General Motors has proven that his experience driving negotiations with the United Steelworkers union is portable. Pushing the two automotive giants through restructuring in an impressively quick manner has given the Obama administration the impression that Mr. Bloom (far left) is a good choice to head up a manufacturing overlord position which will focus on building that sector of America's economy back up. An appointment announcement is scheduled today at an AFL-CIO picnic in Cincinatti, Ohio, where both President Obama and Bloom will appear.
Bloom's credentials in manufacturing go back further than just his recent automaker involvement. As special assistant to the president of the United Steelworkers union for ten years, Bloom looked out for union jobs during a deal between Wheeling-Pittsburgh Corporation and Esmark, compromising where necessary, and stringing profanity together when needed to meet his objective.
Bloom is going to need as many fancy swear words as he can muster to stanch the bleeding in manufacturing. Many believe the United States will never have as robust a manufacturing sector as it once did. Even with our shrinkage in manufacturing, Bloom indicates that the United States shouldn't forget how to make things just yet, and that the Obama Administration wants an "innovative, vibrant manufacturing sector." In that vein, monies from the stimulus package are going into environmentally-focused programs such as electric vehicles, as well as helping automakers to retool by giving low coast loans.
[Source: Detroit News | Image: Chip Somodevilla/Getty]
Ron Bloom, Obama's chief auto advisor to become manufacturing czar? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments 
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| Time Magazine lists its "10 Most Exciting Vehicles of 2010" - Do you agree?
September 7, 2009 at 10:12 am
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| Filed under: Etc.  Before we begin, let us say that when it comes to cars, Time Magazine can get it right. Like the time they hired Dan Neil to write The 50 Worst Cars of All Time. That was really good. However, now Time has the "10 Most Exciting Vehicles of 2010," and boy is it really awful. In fact, it's so awful that we're dying to hear what Dan Neil thinks of it. Time's list isn't just regular bad, it's take all your credibility on a given subject and light it on fire bad. Akin to letting Glenn Beck run the civil rights desk. OK, but in car terms how bad? The Volkswagen Golf is one of Time's most exciting vehicles of 2010 - and that's not even the really terrible part. We're making you follow the jump for the really bad stuff.
Continue reading Time Magazine lists its "10 Most Exciting Vehicles of 2010" - Do you agree? Time Magazine lists its "10 Most Exciting Vehicles of 2010" - Do you agree? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 09:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments 
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| REPORT: Proton could take the reins from BMW Sauber, return Lotus to F1
September 7, 2009 at 9:00 am
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| Filed under: Motorsports, BMW, Lotus, Rumormill 
Lotus Type 72 - Click above for high-res image gallery
When BMW announced several weeks ago that it would be withdrawing from Formula One at the end of the 2009 season, the automaker left open the fate of the operations it bought from Peter Sauber. Since then, reports have indicated that the automaker has been evaluating possible buyers for the team.
According to Autocar, one of the possible suitors is Malaysian automaker Proton and the British sportscar maker it owns, Lotus. Team Lotus was a staple of F1 from 1958 until 1994 - winning seven Constructors Championships in that span. During its heyday in the Sixties, Seventies and early Eighties, Team Lotus was one of the greatest innovators in the sport. Unfortunately, after founder Colin Chapman's death, the team eventually withered.
The new Lotus effort would likely be sponsored by long-time Sauber backer Petronas and the team could be led by former Renault and Toyota technical director Mike Gascoyne. So far, there has been no official comment from anyone reported to be involved.
[Source: Autocar]REPORT: Proton could take the reins from BMW Sauber, return Lotus to F1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments 
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