Built as Ford’s response to losing the prestigious SCCA Trans Am manufacturer championship to their pony car rival the Chevrolet Camaro, the Boss 302 edition of the Ford Mustang was given form in 1969 as both a premium straight-liner and an aggressive turn-hugger. Thanks to Trans Am series homologation rules, Ford was required to produce road-going variants for customers. A fruit of production-based racing specifications, the original Mustang Boss 302 is one of the blue oval brand’s most beloved contribution to the muscle car era (perhaps second only to the Boss 429). Musing the Mustang faithful since advertising the return of the 5.0 liter engine size (302 cubic inches), Ford Motor Company has given new life to the Boss name for a limited edition issue in 2012.

On first glance at the 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302, Ford again projects the heritage of their beloved pony car through modern sheetmetal. Signifying the 2012 Boss 302’s adhering to the pride of the original vehicle, the iconic Boss 302 C-stripes are tattooed along the side panels. Wearing one of five classically-inspired but still provocative exterior primarily colours, the 2012 Mustang Boss 302s C-stripes, roof and hood sections will stand out in either black or white. Having been a model for late 1960s aerodynamics, the Boss 302 appears in 2012 a graduate student of cutting edge air manipulation techniques. The lower air dam now features a large air splitter while the rear end treatment is topped with modest but functional rear spoiler and a rear diffuser.

A revised Mustang suspension system featuring high-rate coil springs and a wider stabilizer bar faithfully provides the performance-oriented ride the 1969-1970 Boss 302 was known for creating. The 2012 Boss 302’s new suspension assembly lowers the car incrementally compared to a 2011 Mustang GT with 11 mm on the front and 1 mm in the rear. Minor-sounding adjustments, this slightly altered ride height will serve the Mustang Boss 302 well for handling in corners or traveling along a high-speed stretch. The enhanced Boss 302 ride is also supplemented with a ride type selector. Via a driver-controllable knob, three settings allows handling to be Comfort, Normal or Sport quality. Backed by electronic stability control and traction control, the 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 strides with confidence.

When coming to a stop, high-performance brake lines are engineered to provide a more instant response in slowing down the Mustang’s four wheels. Brembo 4-piston brake calipers firmly grabs the 14 inch disc brake rotors with grace. Compared to the GT version, the 2012 Mustang Boss 302 is slated to stop about 3 feet sooner with the improved brake hardware. Beyond this braking system, the full extent of the stop and go workout is credited to the Mustang Boss 302’s Pirelli PZero summer tires. Surrounding 19 inch black alloy wheels, the wheel and tire combination fosters control good effort to achieve over 1 g of lateral acceleration.

Thankfully not simply a dress-up package, under the 2012 Mustang Boss 302’s hood is 440 horsepower secured within a 5.0 liter V-8 sporting a retro-styled plenum The most powerful Ford Mustang available without the intervention of Carrol Shelby or supercharging, the Boss 302 engine’s 28 horsepower increase over the 2011 Mustang GT is accredited to an ultra-high capacity intake manifold design and a reshaped camshaft. Special final gearing and a limited-slip differential assures the 440 horses are providing the best gallop.

Becoming the boss of the Boss, the driver rides within a specifically-catered interior design. Recaro racing seats combine cloth and suede-like materials comforting driver as well as the front passenger as the Mustang Boss 302 is put through its paces. Unique to other Ford Mustangs, the dashboard surroundings are trimmed with a dark metallic finish while the driver will have an equally distinctive gauge cluster to admire. Driver and passengers ears will ring with an unparallel sound of the 5.0 liter V-8 engine. Compared to the GT model Mustang, 11 pounds of sound-deadening material had been removed for weight-savings and for simply enhancing the driving experience. As a Muscle Car era touch, the 2012 Mustang Boss 302 shifter knob resembles the black pool-cue ball.

As an added bonus to the Boss Mustang’s reincarnation, a select number of buyers will have an opportunity to buy an harder core driving sensation with the Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca edition. The name Laguna Seca was given for the race track where an original SCCA Trans-Am competition Mustang Boss 302 won on in 1970 in a significant opening race. The Ford Mustang Boss 302, driven by Parnelli Jones at the Laguna Seca round, won for what would be a precursor in retaking the league’s manufacturer championship back from Chevrolet. The 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca will offer increased chassis stiffness and extreme aerodynamics for optimized race-like handling. This Laguna Seca’s devotion setting up the race car experience even includes omitting the extra weight of the Mustang’s rear seat.

Returning to the streets through the next model year, its worth noting the Boss 302 name has been rejoicing in a resurrection in auto racing competition. Since the beginning of the 2010 Grand Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge season, the Ford Mustang Boss 302R is a race-fitted 5.0 liter V-8 ringer within the production-based sports car series. Winding through its first season of competition, Ford Motor Company has credited the Boss 302R race cars in the development of the upcoming production Boss Mustang. Director of Ford Racing Jamie Allison commented “The tradition and the spirit of Boss, a car born for the track, remain today and you can bet more than a few Ford Racing employees will have a Boss 302 in the garage soon.”

Information and photo source: Ford Motor Company

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How much will driving an electric car save on transportation costs? It’s one of the biggest questions people have as they consider the switch from internal combustion to electric drive. For people accustomed to per gallon calculations, entering the world of plug-ins involves a bit of new thinking and some extra consideration.

Across the U.S., electricity rates vary from lower than 3 cents per kWh in central Washington state to more than 27 cents per kWh in Hawaii. In some regions, such as much of California, electricity rates vary drastically by the time of day the electricity is being used (it becomes more expensive during high demand periods, typically the middle of the day). Given these huge variations from state-to-state, and sometimes hour-to-hour, figuring out how much you might save by driving an electric car can get to be a bit tricky.

For those of you not interested in the particulars, suffice it to say that, even at 27 cents per kWh (currently the most expensive in the U.S.), you will be paying about half as much per mile in “fuel” costs as your average family sedan at $3 per gallon gas. On top of that, you won’t have to go to the service shop for oil changes anymore (saving about $30 every 3-4 months for most Americans). And, at the average US electricity rate of 12 cents per kWh, you would be paying about a quarter as much for “fuel” costs—dropping your yearly fuel bill from about $1,400 to $350.

But what if you live in an area that has time-of-day use charges? Will you always be able to charge in the wee hours of the morning when rates are lowest? How do you start to figure out how much it might cost you to charge your vehicle every month? Detroit Edison (DTE), a Detroit, Michigan, utility company, has decided to experiment with charging rates for electric vehicles to help satisfy consumer anxiety about the issue.

Yesterday, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) approved two rate options for eligible DTE EV customers: one that provides a lower rate for charging during low demand periods (between 11 p.m. and 9 a.m. Monday through Friday) and another that provides for a monthly flat fee of $40 per vehicle no matter how many kWhs are used.

“As manufacturers begin to sell plug-in electric vehicles, it is important that Michigan’s electric utilities be ready as well,” said MPSC Chairman Orjiakor Isiogu. “The program approved today will help Detroit Edison evaluate the effect of electric vehicles on its electric system, offers off-peak rates that customers can use to charge vehicles, and offers the infrastructure required to charge these vehicles.”

The experimental electricity rates will initially only be available to 2,500 residential customers. As part of the program, the users will be eligible for up to $2,500 of installation of a separately metered circuit and charging station, or will have up to $2,500 of installation costs reimbursed by the installing company if their station meets the program’s needs. If participants want to take advantage of the grant money, they will need to sign an agreement with DTE that specifies the “terms and conditions regarding the use of such equipment.”

So is the flat fee worth it? It appears that DTE off peak rates average about 9 cents per kWh, and on peak rates are about 16 cents per kWh. For the sake of comparison, if you were able to charge your vehicle completely off peak (I know it’s unlikely, considering you’d need to charge it on the weekends), you’d spend about 2.25 cents per mile driven. At those rates, in order to make the flat $40 rate worth it, you’d have to drive more than 1,800 miles per month (21,600 per year).

I know my numbers are speculative because DTE hasn’t announced their rates for the experimental program yet and I’m just going off of what they currently charge for off-peak usage, but even so, 21,600 miles per year is a lot of mile for a vehicle that goes 100 miles on a charge. It’s possible, but you’d have to drive almost 60 miles each and every day. If that sounds like your driving pattern, and you live in Detroit, the $40 flat fee could be worth it. In any event, the program is enticing if only for the $2,500 charging station installation grant.

source: plugincars

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Flat out, power-sliding in a Corvette ZR-1 at a hundred miles an hour was probably the wrong place to mockingly ask NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya if he was “having fun turning right.” Don’t worry, he punished me for it. More »

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Inching closer to producing an universally likable subcompact car, Chevrolet is looking favourably on the 2011 Cruze as being the vehicle which will be seated alongside the leaders in the class. Hoping to lead through quality and sales, the Chevrolet Chevrolet is also positioned for class-leading fuel economy with the Eco version.

Picking up in the foot steps of the Cobalt XFE, the Cruze Eco promises of even better fuel economy gains up to 40 miles per gallon highway through the integration of several fuel-savings features. Sporting 1.4 liter turbocharged Ecotec engine, lowered height and weight, low-rolling resistance tires, the Chevrolet Cruze Eco will also feature an innovative automatic air shutter system designed to optimized engine bay airflow equating to a fuel economy gain.

Always strategic in their placement and layout of air intakes, the typical attitude for many motorist is to look at a car’s front grille in merely a stylistic point of view. In reality, the size and shape of the opening is also a carefully considered element for vehicle engineers as well as aerodynamists. Engineers will wanting to induce sufficient breathing into the engine compartment only to have an aerodynamic expert arguing that a sizable air intake would negatively affect the vehicle’s drag profile.

While this is a typically a fixed arrangement on road-going production cars, competitors in the motorsport world have long realized that certain conditions have required variances in front-end air openings. Assembled as a low-cost but effective way to alter the air intake, NASCAR fans would be familiar with the technique of placing tape over the grille work. For stock cars, applying tape offers a chance to gain much-desired downforce by diverting air. Changeable through pit stops in the course of an event, too much tape can cause the 800 horsepower V-8 engine to overheat potentially damaging the NASCAR racing powerplant.

Combining sensors and electric motors, automatic air shutter system within the Chevrolet Cruze Eco allows the intake volume to be controlled in real-time. Operating inconspicuously behind the Cruze’s lower front fascia, the shutters are set to open at low-speeds for maximum engine cooling but closes at faster speeds when a consistently higher quantity of air into the engine bay. Besides creating a catered aerodynamic flow, the engine benefits with an additional temperature control measure. The automatic air shutter system is credited for a half a mile per gallon for the Cruze’s combined driving distance.

While the Cruze Eco is designed to be a low-cost alternative to hybrid vehicles, Chevrolet has been flashing around a working prototype Cruze combined with the Chevy Volt’s plug-in hybrid technology. As General Motors will be devoting itself to the Volt’s efforts, don’t expect a production version of an extended range Cruze any time soon.

Information and Photo Source: General Motors

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Taco trucks offer authentic, cheap and delicious food, yet fear of the unknown sends most of us straight to Taco Hell. Follow this simple guide and you’ll be running out for more salsa verde instead of running for the border. More »

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With four of the five premium German automakers adopting the four-door coupe experiment, BMW is not blind to the realization that they are the living with a void in their product array. Shown at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show as a concept vehicle, BMW showed off their fighter to the Mercedes-Benz CLS and the soon to be released Audi A7 Sportback. Identified in China as the Gran Coupe, BMW’s low-looking, four-door captured the sporty essence the brand known for producing “The ultimate driving machine” is meant to project. Though classified as a concept, the degree of production car cues made it clear that the Gran Coupe was merely awaiting a powerplant choice and a starting price tag. According to Automotive News, BMW has issued the official go ahead to the Gran Coupe’s production version for the 2012 calendar year.

Presenting a satisfying exterior image, expect very little to change from the Gran Coupe concept vehicle. Shorter in overall height than the BMW 3-Series sedan, the four-door coupe’s design conveys a racier appearance which also helps lower the center of gravity. Wheel arches are powerfully emphasized while vehicle lighting projects an equally strong character. On the concept Gran Coupe, BMW took a fresh approach on the tail lighting.

If going with a choice of existing powerplants, the 4.8 liter normally-aspirated V-8 or the 4.4 liter twin-turbocharged V-8 seems to be formidable candidates featuring 360 and 400 horsepower. The only problem with these high-technology BMW engines is they’re already widely used in the current German luxury car lineup. If BMW wants to furnish more of a specialized sports coupe, there might be a chance for the German automaker could spark an unique sensation with their fusion creation. Perhaps the 4 liter V-8 used in the BMW M3 could inspire the passion needed for their upcoming four-door coupe.

The roll-out of BMW’s four-door coupe is expected to closely correspondent with the upcoming revision of the 6-Series. Caught testing at the Nurburgring next week, the set of spied 2012 BMW 6-Series (provided on pistonspy.com) has given potentially truer insight on the composure of the four-door coupe drivetrain. A six-cylinder entry-level engine is expected to produce more than 300 horsepower while a 4.4 liter V-8 will again be offered with a mild power bump. The real power gain will be made on the new BMW M6 slated to house a powerplant with a 600 horse output. It’s reasonable to assume the four-door coupe will also be honoured through an M line upgrade. Automotive News’ source with the announcement has also entertained (albeit casually) the notion that the production vehicle based on the Gran Coupe could be a hybrid.

With the BMW production car unlikely to be sold with the Gran Coupe name, the question remains for where will the four-door coupe fit in the German’s auto company’s numerical lineup. With the Bavarian auto company wanting to position this car above the 5-Series, the closest number left available on top of the listing is 8-Series. However, it seems more reasonable that BMW may opt to use their alphanumeric sports car scheme the ‘Z’ preceding the selected number perhaps the Z5 or Z6.

Information Source: Automotive News, BMW, Pistonspy.com
Photo Source: BMW

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You’ve seen the trailer, now hear the stars of American version of Top Gear give Jalopnik some dirt on the upcoming show in an exclusive interview, including how two of them nearly died in the backseat of a Camry. More »

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I am a big foodie, but unlike some people I know (ahem), I can go either high-gloss and upscale or low-blow and cheap. I am always open to new flavours and unusual combinations, be it at big-named restaurants or at small-scale joints. I also love restaurants where the chef is the owner and the cook, and where the menu is market-oriented.

For this trip, we are mixing it up a little bit in terms of restaurant choices. And since we’re going with a bunch of Toronto friends who are foodies-in-the-making, we are prepared to go the distance! So far, we are set for the following places…No particular order!

• Dinner at Balthazar - Keith McNally’s gorgeous doppelganger of a Parisian bistro is still alive and kicking a decade later. Most guidebooks, critics, bloggers, and friends have recommended this place, so naturally, we feel that we should have the whole gang here for dinner. The last time I sat at a table at Balthazar’s was during the early millenium, so let’s see if it’s still all good. Eater NY lists Balthazar as a Top 38 Essential New York Restaurant, Restaurant Magazine salutes it as one of the World’s 50 Best, Gayot rates it an honourable 14/20, Michelin Guide NY recommends it, Time Out NY puts a star on it, New York Magazine’s Hal Rubenstein hails it to be “a masterpiece”, and Urban Spoon ranks it #1 Best Restaurant in New York.

• Midnight snack at Momofuku Ssäm Bar - Can Chef David Chang do any wrong at this point? We’ll see! I’d like to compare his pork belly bun with my grandmother’s, but I’m almost certain that anything that fatty (the pork, I mean) will win me over. Momofuku Ssäm stands unassailed: it’s in San Pellegrino‘s Top 50 Restaurants of the World, it’s also in Eater NY‘s Top 38 Essential New York Restaurants, Gayot rates it a respectable 14/20, New York Times food critic Frank Bruni gives it 3 out of 4 stars, Chef-author Mike Colameco raves about it, along with virtually every guidebook in the city.

• Brunch at The Little Owl - Joey Campanaro, chef and owner, remains at the helm of The Little Owl’s kitchen – which is a rarity these days for chefs who attain a certain celebrity. The Little Owl is on Eater NY‘s Top 38 Essential New York Restaurants list, New York Mag rates it 8/10 as a critic’s pick, Gayot rates it a decent 12/20, Time Out NY recommends it with a star, Chef-author Mike Colameco reports, “this is the place,” and both Zagat and Michelin guides give it a thumbs-up. We’ll certainly be up early and in line to snag a few of their 25 seats for weekend brunch.

• Dinner at Perbacco - The cute and geeky Italian chef-transplant (from Emilia region), Simone Bonnelli, dishes out what is touted as “avant-garde Italian”. I’m not sure exactly what that means, but I’m here to find out. Apparently, the chef dabbles in molecular gastronomy. Perbacco Enoteca e Cucina has been recommended by NY writer David Farley at Grantourismo! blog, Mike Colameco proclaims, “Perbacco is a winner!”, Gayot rates it 14/20, New York Magazine calls Bonnelli’s cooking a “modern Italian prodigy”, New York Times’ Frank Bruni gives it 2 out of 4 stars, which means it’s a top pick and it’s very good for its category.

• Dinner at Peasant – A rustic Tuscan trattoria in the middle of urban SoHo seems a bit kooky, but Chef Frank DeCarlo made it work! Peasant is widely-acclaimed by its peers in the industry and is lauded in New York Magazine‘s as one of the Top 10 Italian Restaurants in the city. Gayot rates it 15/20 and it’s a critic’s pick for Time Out NY and New York Mag. As well, chef-author-critic Mike Colameco imparts that he’s not had “a bad plate” here. Polpi in Purgatorio is sounding molto delicioso!

• Dinner at Hakata TonTon -  Himi Okajima, a native of Kyushu, Japan, brings pigs’ feet to the public. He claims that he gets his feet (pig’s feet, that is) from the same Berkshire farm Robert de Niro gets his for Nobu down the road. Only, Nobu gets the ribs and the loins. I am curious to try pigs’ feet in all sorts of reincarnation – on pasta, puff pastry, omelette, shabu-shabu, gyoza, sushi, etcetera. Peeter Meehan of the New York Times feels that the place is “honest and genuinely warm”, and Time Out NY awarded it as the Best Paean to a Single Body Part.

• Lunch at Nobu - We were tossing around the idea of either Nobu or Morimoto, but most critics, guides, and legit foodie seem to prefer Nobu Matsuhisa’s joint. Moreover, we are pleased to discover that the flagship sushi bar is offering their reasonable prix fixe lunch for Summer Restaurant Week. Gayot rates it an astounding 17/20 (vs. Morimoto’s 14/20), The New York Times hands it 4 out of 5 stars (vs. Morimoto’s 1 out of 5 star), Urban Spoon hails it as Top 10 Best New York Restaurants, and Time Out NY gives it a nod.

• Lunch at Casa Mono - Batali doing Spanish seems suspicious, but after getting to know him more through that Spain culinary tv show / trip, I have respect for the guy. Eater NY lists Casa Mono as the lone Spanish tapas dive in their Top 38 Essential New York Restaurants, Adam Platt honours it on 101 Best New York Restaurants in 2006 at New York Magazine, Frank Bruni of the New York Times declare that “it is in many ways my favourite, the one I most frequently find myself itching to go.”

We left a few meal times open for the possibility of discovering some hidden gem in the city. But as a back-up, we have the numbers of Prune, Five Points, Little Giant and Boqueria in our back pockets. I await for New York with mouth agape!

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Three teens in the Maryland suburbs of Washington were trapped by a police officer after carjacking a Ford Escape. So the driver decided to try running over the officer’s Crown Victoria in reverse. Physics sides with justice on this one. More »

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The sport utility vehicle (SUV) has grown through a noticeable metamorphosis within the past 20 years. Popularized through the 1990s as an affordable yet ambitious family vehicle, the SUV was in fact a cheaper product for auto manufacturers to build than sedans and minivans. Eventually deciding not to continue passing the savings to the customers within the hot SUV market, the tall-standing conveyances began springing larger price tags as luxury became the true focus. Adapting to the confines of the crossover vehicle, the traditional rough and tumble SUV has fallen onto the endangered species list. Looking to reintroduce the of truck-based ruggedness, Mahindra and Mahindra Automotive unit have been planning their step into the American automotive market intending to put empathize utility in sport utility vehicle.

Based on Mahindra’s Scorpio platform, vehicle configurations include a two-door and four-door pick-up as well as a sport utility model. Borrowing styling cues which many major automakers abandoned in the early 1990s, the Mahindra line of vehicles refreshingly provides nothing more than practical body panels on the outside and a simple cabin layout inside. Powered by a 140 horsepower clean diesel engine developed by reputable American trucking name International, 236 pounds feet of torque would also be delivered with a thrifty 30 miles per gallon highway fuel economy. Sporting a planned starting price tag around $20,000, the light truck-based vehicle features a six-speed automatic transmission, electronic stability control and a MP3-enabled stereo system.

Creating a name on this continent as a farm equipment maker (presently 4th most popular tractor producer in the United States), plans for 2010 had called for the Mahindra name to adorn a United States lineup through a importation deal with Group Vehicles USA, Incorporated. However, as you can tell, the first quarter of the year deadline has past with the dealership lots of 350 American distributors left empty. Group Vehicles are now arguing that the Mahindra and Mahindra automotive head office in India has been deliberately holding up the process for green-lighting the vehicle for American sales. Awaiting government approval on items such as emissions, the Georgia state-based importer has been preparing since 2006 to bring the Mahindra light truck to North America. Global Vehicles has earmarked a fall 2010 release date but that plan seems to be falling in peril as the legal fight is readying.

Taking into the account the past efforts of similar vehicles entering the United States market, Mahindra sport utility vehicles are attempting the impossible with a truck-based only lineup. As recent as 2003, a company called Cross Lander USA was plotting to import a practical, low-cost SUV on Romanian off-road vehicle producer ARO. In the end, funding dried up for the venture before a single vehicle had been sold. It is the hope of Global Vehicles and their dealership network that the outcome with Mahindra would see the Indian-derived vehicles roaming American off-roads

Information Source: Global Vehicles, Business Standard Motoring
Photo Source: Global Vehicles

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Because summers in Japan are hot and humid, Japanese cooks know a thing or two about the refreshing dishes such sultry days call for.

Gomadofu falls into that category: a concoction of sesame paste cooked with a thickening agent until set, it resembles tofu in color and texture, hence the name (goma = sesame), and is served chilled.

I first came across it when Maxence and I traveled to Japan last spring, and stayed overnight at a temple in Koya-san. There we were served a shojin ryori dinner, the vegan cuisine that is practiced by Zen Buddhist monks in Japan*, and one of the many little dishes brought to us was a shallow cup of gomadofu, silky on the tongue and richly flavorful.

I hadn’t really thought to make it myself until I found this post on Maki’s ever-helpful Japanese food blog. Her recipe seemed so easy, I couldn’t not try it.

I already had sesame paste on hand — mine is a Middle-Eastern-style tahini I buy at the organic store — so all I needed to get was some kudzu powder, a starch drawn from a Japanese vine, which is not hard to find if you have access to a natural foods store or a Japanese market.

I made my first batch following Maki’s recipe, to deliciously rewarding results. All you do, really, is combine the sesame paste with kudzu powder and water, heat it up to thicken, then chill to set.

On a later occasion, I used a couple of tips I got from another inspiring Japanese food blog I frequent, called Tess’s Japanese Kitchen. I steeped some kombu (a type of seaweed) in the water first, and added a little sake for flavor, but both of these steps are optional.

All in all, very little exertion is required to create your very own sesame “tofu,” which you’ll then divide into cubes and serve cold, as an appetizer or as part of a light meal, typically pairing it with soy sauce, wasabi, and freshly grated ginger, or the homemade sauce Tess suggests.

I myself like it with yuzukosho (a yuzu and pepper condiment) and a little seaweed — strips of torn nori or, as pictured above, a sprinkle of freshwater seaweed from Jugetsudo in Paris — in addition to soy sauce.

Having made the original sesame version a few times now, I am planning to branch out and make amondodofu with almond butter and kashudofu with cashew butter**.

Don’t forget to read Maki’s post and Tess’s post; they both offer interesting info on gomadofu.

* If you’d like to learn more about shojin ryori, Maki recommends a book called The Enlightened Kitchen, by Mari Fujii.

** Not official names; I’ve just made them up.

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For our UK-dwelling readers, breakdowncover.org has created a graphic covering some interesting facts about speed cameras. Even though some areas over there are shutting down their cameras, many of you still have to deal with it for a while. Click on the infographic below to view the full version:

Infographic by BreakdownCover.org

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Everyone has played enough with the idea of the Toyota FT-86. We have all seen renderings of the future sportscar and have even been privy to a few rumors circulating, but were eventually squashed by Dr. Shigeyuki Hori, Project General Manager for the Sports Vehicle Management division and Kazuo Okino, Group manager for the same division.

They state that the Toyota FT-86 will be ready by November 2011, and not the 2013 date that was rumored, and that it will be very close to the Toyota/Subaru concept version that debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show this year.

Well, the fans have had it and now we are moving on to Subaru’s version of the FT-86 sports car which has managed to stay under the radar until now.

The two versions of the FT-86 will use similar technology since the concept was a collaboration between the two companies, but Subaru’s version, compared to the Toyota version, will be sportier and will develop much higher performance. The Subaru model will be powered by a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter flat four engine that will develop around 200 HP, however the STI version will use a turbocharged powerplant with around 260 HP. Both versions will use a six-speed manual gearbox. The two versions will be distinguished by bumpers, front grilles, and wheels.

The new sports car is already testing at the Nürburgring race track, so expect the official debut to occur sometime soon. When it does go on sale, prices will range from $30k to $40k.

source: topspeed

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Melodi Dushane, 25, pulled up to a Toledo-area McDonald’s at 6:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day demanding McNuggets. Told of McDonald’s breakfast-lunch barrier, Dushane tried to order a side of McWhoopAss instead. Here’s the just-released crazy video. More »

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Through the past year, Ford Motor Company has been making a lot of the best moves within the automotive industry. Refining their line-up with a variety of vehicles destined to please the majority American Motorists, Ford has infused use of advanced technologies not many into the comfort and convenience of the cabin but into the drivetrain. Astonishing buyers with their engine developments made transparent through their EcoBoost class of gasoline engines, this gained expertise attributed to an all-new 6.7 liter Power Stroke diesel powerplant available on their Super Duty line of pick-up trucks.

The lead engine in the performance arsenal for the 2011 Ford Super Duty, the 6.7 liter Ford Power Stroke diesel deployed advance including graphite iron construction, an unique dual-sided turbocharger and B20 fuel (a 20% biodiesel mixture with conventionally-derived diesel). So dedicated to their new 2011 engine, Ford’s continued efforts in formulating their diesel powerplant a class-leading package would not end once the vehicle left the Kentucky Truck Plant. In an unprecedented move in the auto industry, Ford Motor Company will be contacting present owners of 6.7 liter Power Stroke diesel engined 2011 Ford Super Duty for a performance enhancement.

Showing a sign of changing times of automotive performance, the Ford 6.7 liter Power Stroke diesel is gained entirely through reprogramming the engine’s electronics. Long-exploited by racers and individuals within the sport tuner world, this might be the first factory-approved mod through software changes. Entailing only a 30 minute visit to a Ford service dealer, 2011 Ford Super Duty sold since its spring launch will receive a software tweak worth 10 horsepower and, most impressively 65 foot pounds of torque. The 6.7 liter Power Stroke diesel engine, after the software improvement, is understandably more robust and capable producing a most important 800 pounds feet of torque. With engine torque pivotal to a work truck, this Power Stroke diesel also enjoys 400 road-going horsepower.

This performance boost is clearly a direct reaction to the power of the 2011 Chevrolet/GMC HD pick-ups fitted with the Duramax diesel engine. Prior to Ford’s software upgrade, the rival General Motors trucks Duramaz powerplant (producing 397 horsepower and 765 pounds feet of torque) would have edged out the Ford Super Duty’s new Power Stroke diesel on the performance sheet. Instead of allowing GM the honour of holding the ‘class-leading’ moniker for the 2011 model year, Ford’s radical step of availing power above the initial specifications has given their 6.7 liter Power Stoke diesel Super Duty top billing against this latest rival between the two auto companies.

A surprising move, Ford Motor Company is not the first car company to furnish non-safety improvements for existing vehicles. In the recent unveiling of refresh Tesla Roadster 2.5 edition, the California-based builder of the electric sports car provided an interesting proposition of a factory-approved upgrade. At an additional cost, body panels and interior parts of the Roadster 2.5 can be applied to previous generation Tesla sports cars.

With the first 2011 Ford Super Duty trucks undergoing their reprogramming by the end of August, car owners in general may see this after-factory modification as perhaps a new era approaching in the automobile. Could it be possible we’ll soon be receiving regular software updates from car manufacturers as they can constantly fine-tune our vehicles?

Information and photo source: Ford Motor Company

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Dubai is one of the most opulent places on earth, and its remarkable subway system reflects this fact, with palatial stations, high-tech trains, and first-class accommodations. Alex Ion of DeviceMAG took this look at the system’s high points. —Ed. More »

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Jerry Flint, the official curmudgeon of the auto journalism world whose career dated to the Eisenhower administration, died Saturday. We fly our ascots at half-staff in his honor today. More »

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I tried to use up the entire tank of fuel, I really did. I drove aggressively, took the car everywhere I went, and even took an extra five-hour trip, but no luck. As much as I drive, it’s normally not a problem to use up a tank or two of fuel in our test cars weekly, but the 2010 Volkswagen Golf TDI makes it hard. After all, over that five hour trip I averaged 57 mpg – this thing is unbeatable on the highway. In a world of hybrid-electric cars, you’d think anything that gets over 40 mpg would be slow and boring to drive, but that’s another place where diesel has an advantage over hybrid and gasoline-powered cars – gobs of torque is available at will.

The compact hatchback segment has always been huge in Europe, but it’s yet to really catch on here in the States. When Volkswagen brought the Golf to the US in 1975, they called it the “Rabbit,” to convey its light, nimble, and quick nature. Ten years later, they gave up on the Rabbit nameplate, renaming it to the original “Golf.” In 2006, VW tried the Rabbit name yet again, but apparently it didn’t pan out like they had hoped; for 2010 the compact hatch is back to being called “Golf.” Confusing, I know. But this year, it’s not just the name that changes – now in its 6th generation, the 2010 VW Golf is completely redesigned inside and out. Although it carries over last year’s (the Rabbit’s) 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine, this year we get the choice of the excellent 2.0-liter turbodiesel inline four cylinder engine from the Jetta TDI.

Our review car is a 2010 four-door Golf TDI with the standard six-speed manual transmission. Optional on the TDI is Volkswagen’s six-speed automatic DSG dual-clutch gearbox for an extra $1,100 – the DSG is a great transmission…for an automatic. The base Golf gets a standard six-speed auto and an available 6-speed manual for the 2-door model only. I happen to fancy rowing my own gears.

The redesign for 2010, both inside and out, is a huge improvement over last year. It’s a much more modern and stylish design overall, doing away with the “budget hatchback” appearance and going for a more upscale look. Take a look at some comparison photos between the 2009 and 2010 models:

2009	2010

Yeah, I think “huge improvement” is an understatement. And pricing? The 2010 Golf starts at a reasonable $17,620 for the 2-door hatch with 2.5-liter gas engine. Bump it up to the diesel-powered TDI and you’re starting at $22,354. Don’t worry, you’re not paying $4,700 for a different engine; the TDI comes standard with much more equipment, too. Along with that torquey and fuel-efficient turbo-diesel motor, you’ll get standard 17-inch alloy wheels, bluetooth, fog lights, a sporty suspension, and a touchscreen interface with CD changer, an iPod interface, and satellite radio. Options on the TDI include HID headlights, premium sound, and a hard-drive navigation system. If you want the four-door Golf TDI, you’ll need to pony up an extra $1500 or so. Something to keep in mind – the base Golf doesn’t get most of that stuff – even as an option – it’s for the TDI only.

The diesel-powered Golf TDI with manual transmission gets a 30 mpg city, 41 mpg highway rating from the EPA, but it’s easy to get more than that, especially on the highway. Opt for the DSG gearbox and the hwy economy gets nudged up to 42 mpg. 140 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque gets the car from zero to 60 mph in 8.6 seconds, although it feels much faster than that.

Recently, Volkswagen has done one thing to really stand out among its competitors: refinement. Even in the cheapo budget models like the Golf, the interior feels like it belongs in a much more expensive car with solid build quality, soft materials, and nice metallic trim that doesn’t feel cheap. The instrument panel and gauge cluster looks and operates great, and the LCD driver information center in between the main gauges is wonderful. If you opt for the navigation system, it’s one of the best you can get – it’s easy to use, looks great, and it’s one of the few that lets you use it while moving (as if you’ll never have passenger with you?) And there’s something to be said about details – I love the simplicity of the manual climate controls, seat controls (manual and power,) the easy button layout, and the single button to switch between day and night mode for navigation (most make you go into the settings or use the auto mode, which rarely works correctly.)

The Golf’s major competition is the Mazda3. And as much as I like the Golf, the Mazda3 is a great car; I’d have a problem choosing. Other competition is loosely defined, but you might want to cross-shop the Subaru Impreza, Honda Fit, and MINI Cooper. None of them, however, offer a diesel option, so if you’re looking for fuel economy in your hot hatch, the 2010 VW Golf TDI is the way to go.

Let dealers compete for your business and have the upper hand in negotiations before going into the dealership by getting a free, no-obligation quote at Yahoo! Autos.

© Gearhead Media – Please visit Automoblog.net for more great content.

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This is part of a series on French idiomatic expressions that relate to food. Browse the list of idioms featured so far.

This week’s expression is, “Ne pas manger de ce pain-là.”

Translated as, “not eating that kind of bread,” it means refusing to act in a way that goes against your values, steering clear of a situation or behavior that you think is beneath you.

Example: “Il faudrait que je fasse des ronds de jambe à la directrice pour obtenir une place pour ma fille, mais je ne mange pas de ce pain-là.” “I’d have to kowtow to the principal to get a spot for my daughter, but I don’t eat that kind of bread.”

Listen to the idiom and example read aloud:

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This is the first trailer for the U.S. version of Top Gear on History, giving us a first taste of the American spin on the BBC’s wildly popular motoring show. A peek at the cast, cars, and challenges below. More »

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An important milestone in every young person’s life is getting their driver’s license. For young people, getting their driver’s license is a big step to adulthood. Although driving a vehicle means more freedom, responsibility, and independence, it also comes with a number of costs, particularly the cost of auto insurance. Young drivers, particularly young teen males, are faced with high car insurance quotes. The reason that young drivers tend to receive higher insurance quotes is that the insurance companies have rated them as high risk drivers.

High risk drivers are drivers that are at a higher risk of making a claim or having a claim filed against them. When insurance companies rate drivers, they will rely on statistics to determine their risk. For instance, a 2005 report by the CDC revealed that “although teens accounted for only 10% of the population, 12% were involved in fatal motor vehicle accidents. As well, 4,500 teen deaths were a result of injuries sustained during an automobile accident and 400,000 teen drivers suffered nonfatal injuries.” Much of the reasoning behind such high statistics is a teen’s lack of driving experience, increased likelihood of taking more risks while driving, and they tend to violate more traffic laws such as speeding. Therefore, the car insurance quotes reflect the risk.

Although it may seem disheartening to learn that young drivers receive higher car insurance quotes there are a number of measures that can be taken to reduce the costs of young driver auto insurance. Below are a number tips to reducing young driver car insurance quotes:

Online Auto Insurance Quotes: The internet is a great source to locating cheaper auto insurance for teens. There are auto insurance resource websites and insurance websites that provide a free online insurance search tool that allows users to acquire several insurance quotes from a number of different auto insurance providers. Users just submit some personal details such as their ZIP code, age, gender, make, model, and year of the vehicle. Once they have “clicked” the submit button, it is just a matter of seconds before they receive several auto insurance quotes.

Auto Insurance Discount Incentives: When purchasing car insurance, it is important to take advantage of all discount offers. Such insurance policy incentives can include: a discount for teen drivers who have taken and completed a defensive driver’s program, a discount for maintaining a high grade average such as an ‘A’ average, a discount for maintaining low mileage, fuel efficient vehicle discount such as driving a hybrid car, discounts for installing anti-theft devices and safety devices such as airbags and motorized seatbelts.

Type of Vehicle: The type of car that young drivers drive will affect the cost of their insurance premiums. For instance, cars that are at a high risk of theft such as sports cars will cost more to insure. Teens can lower their insurance premiums by driving an older car that is at a low risk of getting stolen.

By taking the time to find out the factors that are taken into account when determining the price of an auto insurance policy taking steps to mitigate those factors, researching insurance options, and taking advantage of the available discount incentives, young drivers can greatly reduce the price they pay for their car insurance.

© Gearhead Media – Please visit Automoblog.net for more great content.

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Hennessey Performance’s “standard” Raptor is supercharged, produces 500 horsepower and is called VelociRaptor 500. Their new 6.2-liter Raptor produces 600 horsepower and is called the VelociRaptor 600. Creative? No. But who needs creativity when you’ve got two giant bumper-mounted turbochargers? More »

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In only a few more months, General Motors will become the first major auto manufacturer to publicly offer a plug-in hybrid (a electric-powered car with an internal combustion engine present to takeover when the battery is depleted). As General Motors continues to express their enthusiasm for bringing electric propulsion to the forefront, the Detroit-based auto company is investing into the efforts of Anderson, Indiana’s Bright Automotive.

A company created through the collaboration of corporate entities including auto part supplier Johnson Controls, metals producer Alcoa and Internet search engine company Google, what make Bright Automotive so special is an idea called the IDEA. A large commercial van, the Bright IDEA is powered using a plug-in hybrid drivetrain. Striding to provide up to 100 miles per gallon driving through the use of a electric system capable of storing 40 miles of power, the IDEA is also a fresh take on the commercial van featuring a design optimized for aerodynamics.

“Funding early-stage start-up companies is a new way of doing business at GM to accelerate the introduction of innovative technology to support our core automotive business and give us a competitive advantage,” the president of GM Ventures unit Jon Lauckner stated assuring that Bright Automotive will also gain access to General Motors’ technology base. This will prove useful to the Bright IDEA since an internal combustion engine has yet to be identified for the plug-in hybrid van.

In relations to the electrical system, it would not be surprising to see the Chevrolet Volt provide some technical inspiration to the Bright IDEA. Allowing Bright Automotive to bring their vehicle into full-scale production, General Motors will be certain to gain from the technology sharing. After presenting a sticker-shocking $41,000 price tag on the Chevrolet Volt, the wider production of their plug-in hybrid hardware should eventually lower their manufacturing costs.

Without a precise dollar amount announced to their investment, it is also unclear how much deeper this relationship could go in the future. There may even be an chance that the Bright IDEA will be found in GM showrooms. Having only the aging Chevrolet Express/ GMC Savana vans available for sale, there have been rumblings that a newer van is planned to rival the Ford Transit Connect. More than a month ago, there were reports that such a vehicle was confidentially revealed to dealership representatives.

The Bright IDEA is being launched at the same time as Ford Motor Company prepares to sell their first fully electric Transit Connect vans in the United States. AM General will be handling the installation of the electric motors, batteries, and other hardware.

Information and photo source: Bright Automotive, General Motors

© Gearhead Media – Please visit Automoblog.net for more great content.

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My first visit to Paris, I had lunch with a friend at Chez Georges on rue du Mail in La Bourse, 2nd arrondissement. I expected mostly tourists in this bistro (which opened in 1964), but was pleasantly surprised to find a mixed crowd of shrewd traders from the nearby stock exchange building and chic residents from the nearby Place des Victoires.

Chez Georges specializes in Lyonnais fare, which means the menu is heavy on unctuous butter and cream – again, not that there is anything wrong with that! Little has change in this bistro run by three generations of the Brouillet family, not even the menu. Here, the standard is classics-only.

For starters, my friend and I shared the foie gras d’oie maison (goose liver) and jambon persillé, both of which were stick-to-your-lips rich but smooth down the pipe. For mains, my friend picked a perfectly grilled turbot in béarnaise sauce, while I tried a very memorable sirloin in Cognac mustard cream sauce. For dessert, we shared a plate of profiteroles.

What stood out the most in this meal is the Cognac mustard cream sauce. Yes, it was rich, but the woody sweetness of Cognac paired with the robust kick of the Dijon mustard is a marriage made in heaven. So naturally, I pestered my friend to ask the staff at Chez Georges for the recipe; however, we were without success in obtaining it. I figured it was simple enough to replicate, but through research, I got the affirmation I needed for the recipe in Daniel Young’s book, The Bistros, Brasseries, and Wine Bars of Paris (2006). Even though I like the sauce on steak, as they have it at Chez Georges, I also enjoy it on pork chops, as per my very own recipe below!

~Recreating Paris Memories Through Food~

Pork Chops with Cognac Mustard Cream Sauce Chez Georges

4 centre cut pork chops
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup Cognac or fine brandy
1/4 cup whipping cream
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
salt and pepper
2 cups mushrooms, sliced (optional)

Melt butter in a pan and fry pork chops until internal temperature registers 170 C or when it is firm to touch. I used pork from Quebec’s duBreton farm.

Remove chops and set aside. Pull the skillet from the heat and deglaze pan with Cognac, scraping up the bits with a wooden spoon. Return skillet to heat, add whipping cream and Dijon mustard and stir well, seasoning with salt and pepper. Let liquid simmer until it thickens, about 1 minute.

Optional: Sauté mushrooms in butter with salt and pepper.

We then walked to the nearby Galerie Vivienne for tea and dessert at A Priori Thé. We were able to snag a table at the arcade, where we enjoyed cheesecake amidst graceful fanlight windows.

Who says you can’t get a good meal in Paris (and recreate it at home)?

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For 30 years, engineers in GM’s Aerodynamics Laboratory have improved automotive fuel economy with this, the world’s largest wind tunnel designed for automotive applications. This week, on the tunnel’s 30th birthday, here’s an amazing look inside. More »

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I decided to test and compare a $150,000 sports car produced in Europe and a $30,500 Ford Mustang GT made in the U.S.

As a result I had to acknowledge that Ford Motor Company’s new Mustang is really good. To start with, it is necessary to point out that this car has a 5.0-liter motor that channels 390 pound-feet of torque and 412 horsepower.

I hope that you will agree with me that $30,500 is a really bargain price for such an engine. While driving I simply satisfied its delicious, raw, and bright sound.

What concerns gas mileage, the V-8 can manage 26 highway and 17 city. Moreover, you don’t need to fuel up premium gasoline – regular will be enough with a bit reduced power.

It is possible to install different sport and convenience options – then the car will cost somewhat $42,305. It will include then electronic stability control, 19-inch wheels, improved Brembo brakes, and navigation.
GT, equipped in such a way, offers far much fun while driving than any other same-priced Japanese or European car.

It is too difficult to believe that Mustang GT has reached such a high level.

source: abcnews.in

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It’s been one year since the United States government threw some jumper cables onto slumping auto sales with the trade-in program known as Cash for Clunkers. Formally called the Cars Allowance Rebate System (CARS), the U.S. Government offered a $3,500 or $4,500 incentive in exchange for a 1984-2001 model year car. Attributed to the sale of around 700,000 vehicles within a 30 day period, the program was viewed as widely successful in stimulating an automotive sale bounce. In relations to the top-10 cars purchased under the Cash for Clunkers program, every car had a retail price starting under $30,000 meaning the government rebate accounted for 10-15% of the qualifying new car’s value.

Above all, the Cash for Clunkers program gave drivers the opportunity to upgrade from older, less fuel efficient to more efficient, cleaner automobiles through either purchase or a long-term lease. In the midst of poor economics, the well-promoted car sale was a deal too good for many to pass up. However, as time passed, some car agreements made by consumers under the government incentive program has bred some buyers remorse of late.
According to LeaseTrader.com, droves of Cash for Clunkers-inspired vehicle lessees (who is said to account for 1 in 5 total vehicle sales during the incentive’s period) are actively seeking rescue from their contracts. In lease agreements required to be a minimum of five years, a degree of these commitments have fallen under the category of biting off more than a lessee can chew as monthly payments began to overwhelm the pocketbook.

As some are finding the car payments are becoming a hardship, lessees are taking measures to escape their contracts by arranging for their vehicle leases to be transferred. A lease transfer is a much more preferable measure compared to paying hefty cancellation charges if returning the vehicle to the dealership. Several websites including LeaseTrader.com provides a marketplace for a car lease to be properly transferred to another owner who will fulfill the remaining term. A chance for relief, CEO and founder of LeaseTrader.com Sergio Stiberman cautions this may not be an immediate source of refuge for burdened lessees. “It will be difficult for these people to exit their lease because there is very little market for a used car with three or four years left,” Stiberman said. A key factor to shying away drivers from longer term leases is the total amount of payments border on the vehicle’s retail price.

Certain to complicate the issue further is the fact the one-year old lease transfer vehicles may not always be as aesthetically or financially attractive as some of the brand new cars being released into showrooms. One of the most popular new vehicles in the 2009 Cash for Clunkers program was the Ford Focus. The redesigned 2012 Focus have prevent a distraction to second-hand lessees sending them for Ford dealerships.

Setting in place the conditions which hurt some one-time benefactors of the incentive, the Cash for Clunkers or CARS program effectiveness is still under debate as for whether new car buyers were provided with sustainable wheels. Far from an ideal circumstance for the Cash for Clunkers-related lessees now buried within their own financial paperwork, the entire ordeal could unfairly trap the program as a scapegoat while other economic factors are more realistic areas of consideration. Is credit still too easily distributed or are Americans remaining too comfortable attitude in assuming debt? In whatever case, this is not a situation a car buyer would elect to make when attempting to understand their long, small print lease contracts.

Information Source: CARS.gov, LeaseTrader.com
Photo Source: General Motors

© Gearhead Media – Please visit Automoblog.net for more great content.

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Seeing a Lexus with its rear tires steeply cambered by an overladen trunk, John Scott, a Wisconsin car enthusiast, had a brilliant idea. Now his concept for negatively cambered tires may literally reinvent the wheel. More »

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Proving that dreams really do come true, Porsche has announced that it plans to put its plug-in hybrid 918 Spyder supercar concept into production – leaving the world of motoring in an unparalleled state of euphoria, and justifiably so.

Looking like a Carrera GT that has been sculpting its guns at the gym, the 918 Spyder first said hello to the world at the Geneva Motor Show in March, instantly winning the affection of motor critics based on its looks alone.

Then Porsche went and shocked us all by claiming that the Spyder – a car powered by a petrol engine and electric motors – had a fuel economy of 94.1 miles to the gallon and emissions levels of just 70g/km, meaning that not only would it be the maiden green Porsche but also the kindest car to the earth ever conceived.

And it’s no slow Joe either – with a predicted top speed that falls just shy of the 200mph mark and a 0-62mph of 3.2 seconds, the 918 Spyder will be one of the fastest-accelerating sports cars out there.

Combining those amazing statistics with that dreamy exterior, we think it’s fair to say we never thought the 918 Spyder would see the light of day. We’re happy to admit we were wrong.

Porsche hasn’t divulged when the 918 Spyder will go on sale, but we do know the hybrid is going into a limited production run and customers will have to shell out somewhere in the region of £415,000 if they want to get their hands on one. Though, from what we’ve seen and heard so far, it’ll definitely be worth the expense.

source: orange.co.uk

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Epson employees took advantage of their papercraft skills and giant printers to build an impressively detailed 1:1 cardboard replica of an Acura/Honda NSX Super GT race car. Build photos of what we consider the sexiest recycling project ever below. More »

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If you’ve been on the fence about getting a pasta roller — either an attachment for your stand mixer or a hand-cranked one for your biceps — I may be able to offer the justification you were hoping for: a pasta roller proves handy for homemade crackers, too.

You see, to make good crackers, you need to roll the dough out thinly, for optimal snap, and evenly, so that they’ll bake in a uniform fashion, without doughy or burnt spots.

And as I learned from my talented friends at Hidden Kitchen (see their blog), a pasta roller is the ideal tool to achieve that. You’ll use the first roller only, the one that’s just two cylinders facing each other and rolling inward, and switch from narrow to narrower, exactly like you would for pasta, until you have a super thin strip of dough, ready to be baked.

It’s also a kitchen activity that ranks high on the fun-o-meter: rolling pasta or cracker dough never fails to remind me of my play-doh days, and I could spend all afternoon doing just that.

My cracker recipe is quite simple: regular flour and semolina flour (the latter provides a slightly more rustic texture), some seeds (I use sesame and poppy seeds), a bit of salt and olive oil, and enough water to bind into a dough that will be smooth but not tacky (or it will gunk up your pasta roller).

The crackers you get in return for your efforts are impeccably crisp — sturdy enough to scoop up stuff, but thin enough to shatter under your bite — and will remain so for a few weeks.

This is a good thing because the recipe makes quite a bit, but as long as you’re taking out the roller and preheating the oven, you might as well bake a good batch. And really, once you have them around I don’t think you’ll run out of things to eat them with: hummus, roasted eggplant and yogurt dip, anchoïade, muhammara, peacamole, cashew cheese, you get the idea.

The recipe is naturally open to variations, so you could add the spices and dried herbs of your choice, and possibly some grated hard cheese to the dough. If you decide to play around with the seeds, though, I recommend you stick to teeny ones, or they’ll get in the way of the thinning of the dough.

Sourdough starter note: If you maintain a sourdough starter, you can use up some of your excess starter in this recipe, according to the same conversion rule I’ve described before: here, I’ve been using 100 grams (3 1/2 ounces) 100%-hydration starter, and lowering the amount of flours to 125 grams (4.4 ounces) each and the water to 75 ml (5 tablespoons).

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Getting the first look at the 2011 new cars, have you been noticing the increased use of the term five-door for vehicles sold in the United States?

During the early to mid 1980s every manufacturer sought a way to include the extended rear window to their designs of sedans. Mainly touting itself as aerodynamically more efficient, the truth was the hatchback or fastback was considered an aesthetic choice. A flashy variant of the family vehicle which sold well as Toyota Corollas in the 80s, the hatchback craze in the United States was also accompanied by some of the true lemons of the decade. The Hyundai Pony and Chevrolet Citation were two examples quality-challenged products which were likely culprits in stalling the progression of five-door body style. Interesting enough, North America fizzling to the idea of hatchback cars design went against the grain of the world as five-doors gained popularity in Europe.

However, in recent years the hatchback has been finding niche as a low-cost alternative to crossover vehicles thanks to their better optimization of interior space in smaller packages. The Madza3, Suzuki SX4 Hatchback and Kia Rio5 are such five-door designs, all presenting an under $20,000 starting price. Vouching the cargo gains with a hatchback over a sedan, the Kia Rio5 15.8 cubic feet of rear cargo room as opposed to only 11.9 cubic feet Realizing that the tastes of United States motorists have slowly begun to feel romantic to European styling philosophies, Ford Motor Company will also be bringing back the five-door Focus when they introduce the all-new 2012 car when the next few months.

With refined aerodynamic science, the larger greenhouse has now served as a key to increasing fuel efficiency. Particularly important in the design of the newest hybrids Toyota Prius and the revised Honda Insight, each vehicle sports the lowest drag coefficient numbers for a North American production car at 0.25 in 2010.

As the North American market appears warm to the hatchback cars again, there could also renew the perception of five-door vehicles. Introduction of the Honda Crosstour, BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo and most recently the 2011 Audi A7 Sportsback have shown a bolder, upscale interpretation of the sleek-looking car. Refurbishing the image of the hatchback, marketing guile has also ignited to rebrand the body style. Provoking a pointless exercise in reclassifying a vehicle not seen since the crossover vehicle’s coming of age, the term ‘hatchback’ has been replaced by five-door, sportsback or utility vehicle by premium car makers. Evidently, this careful marketing seems to indicate they still foresee the American marketplace may be a fragile pitch.

With the classic classifications for automobile design falling to the waste side, it was timely that automakers have returned to the hatchback.

Information source: Kia Motors, Ford Motor Company
Photo source: Ford Motor Company

© Gearhead Media – Please visit Automoblog.net for more great content.

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Security gaurds at the Luxor Las Vegas casino mistook a lightly camouflaged Mini Countryman prototype for a car bomb Saturday night, shutting down the garage and disrupting a Playboy model’s swan song. Exclusive photos of the sad, booted Mini below. More »

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Is the torrent for this week’s episode of Top Gear not yet done? Then hit the jump for our YouTube open thread to hear the Ferrari 458 Italia sound like a bear… a burning bear. More »

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Workers at The Henry Ford pulled out a replica of Henry Ford’s 1901 racer and took it ’round a course laid out for the Power Wheels Racing series today at Maker Faire. But can it beat the pink Barbie car? More »

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At the beginning of every month, I am offering C&Z readers a new wallpaper to apply on the desktop of your computer, with a food-related picture and a calendar of the current month.

Our calendar for August is a picture of slow-roasted tomatoes (tomates confites in French), a fine way of preserving a glut of fresh tomatoes, if such is your delicious plight.

It’s simple, really: you just bake halved tomatoes for a few hours in a low oven, and the process leaves you with scarlet half-moons that pack a tomato punch, ready to be thrown later in salads, sandwiches, pasta, and assorted dips and spreads. (See recipe details.)

What about you, what’s your favorite way to deal with too many tomatoes?

Instructions to get your calendar are below.

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Home Owners Associations (NAMBLA) are tyrannical little organizations exerting pointless rules on home owners. One man fought his HOA over one such rule — to park his pickup in his own driveway. He won. It only cost him $187,000. More »

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The British blokes at the Austin Rover Group hadn’t so much as sneered at works rallying since they swept the sport clean in the ‘60s with the Mini Cooper. . . . That’s not true. Most people in the states just don’t recall the other rally cars the Austin Rover Group campaigned, like the Triumph TR7 V8 that proved both competitive and reliable in the ‘70s – on this side of the pond the words “Triumph TR7” bring to mind later-middle-aged men with a handlebar mustaches, polo shirts tucked into khakis, and brown leather driving gloves with holes for the knuckles to breathe through. The TR7 V8 was retired in 1980, a year after Group B was announced, and the Austin Rover Group began pushing ideas around for a new rally car to compete in this new class. Austin Rover’s “Very High Performance Division” (yes, I’m serious) decided a mid-engine, all-wheel drive version of their popular Metro econo-hatch would do quite nicely.

Austin Rover Group didn’t fool around with the development of the their new Metro rally car, which ended up being called the MG Metro 6R4, they turned chassis and drivetrain development over to the capable folks at Williams Formula 1 Racing. Furthermore they decided real world testing on the U.K. rally circuit would produce a much better WRC car than if they’d simply tested the thing on their own, off stage, and then callously threw it in the heavyweight WRC ring. In 1984 the first Metro 6R4 prototypes showed up to rallies in England – on its first go round at the York National Rally that year the 6R4 set the fastest stage times on eight stages, that is until it retired after an alternator fire, of all things. At the time the Metro 6R4 was motivated by an off the shelf Rover V8 with two cylinders lopped off – not ideal. The new 3 liter motor, dubbed the V64V (V6, four valves per cylinder) was developed by an ex-Cosworth engineer and was the first engine ever designed specifically for rallying. Williams continued to tweak the rest of the car and the final result was a seam welded tubular chassis with a mid-mounted, naturally aspirated V64V pumping out 410hp that was clad in a heavily aero’d glass reinforced plastic body shell.

An early MG Metro 6R4 prototype.

The finalized MG Metro 6R4 made its WRC debut at the 1985 Lombard RAC Rally; it took third place on the podium, right behind two Lancia Delta S4s. That was a pretty good result for a first time out, considering the mind-bending performance of the Delta S4. This was the last time the Metro 6R4 was to place in a WRC rally, Austin Rover entered Metro 6R4s into the ‘86 season’s Monte Carlo Rally, the Swedish Rally, Rally Portugal, and Rally Corsica, but the cars failed to complete any of the events due to issues with the still very new V64V. Mid-way through the 1986 season, the FIA banned Group B from WRC for 1987 after a series of fatal accidents – the cars were deemed “too fast to race.” Thus, like many potentially great Group B rally cars, the MG Metro 6R4 never reached its full potential in World Rallying. At the end of the season Austin Rover pulled out of rallying and sold off all 6R4 parts and engines, those sold V64V engines later ended up in Jaguar’s XC220 supercar — with two turbos added on to help the car reach 220 mph. Like many other Group B cars, the 6R4 went on to become a popular and successful car in privateer Rallycross.

Jaguar’s V64V powered XJ220.

Next Friday: Citroën’s B4 XTC

© Gearhead Media – Please visit Automoblog.net for more great content.

Related posts:

1. Group B Friday (Sunday) — ‘Le Car’ goes rallying
2. Group B Friday: The Roar of the French Lion
3. Group B Friday: How Audi’s Quattro Changed the Rallying World

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However, like many mothers, I have decided to breastfeed exclusively. This means, I can never go anywhere (i.e. adventure travel, anyone?) without her. Hmmm, this takes a bit of planning and strategizing… And although I am dabbling in food styling and blogging, I am a travel blogger first and foremost. By *that*, it means I have to travel to sustain my blogs!

Dabbling in a bit of food blogging and styling at home

Turning a Turkish kofte dinner into a food blogging project

The good news is, I am not abandoning travel blogging. In fact, we are heading to New York City in August, and I am starting to plan all the activities that will cater to us (adults) and them (kids). I did a two year stint in New York (the Ex was from Lower East Side), so the major theme of this trip is most likely to be about living and eating locally. I’ve also written about my love for markets here, so naturally, we’ll be hitting up some of New York’s finest. Furthermore, I talked about a couple of restaurants I wanted to try in NYC, but as I discovered, it’s harder to get a reservation at Mr. Keller’s restaurant than it is to spot a fake Rolex watch from a mile away. As for the other restaurant, I heard through the grapevine that Chef Ripert’s restaurant is slowly slipping in the quality and consistency department. So, au revoir to that as well!

I asked some friends and Twitter followers to suggest some restaurants in New York (including Brooklyn), and a mixed bag of delightful suggestions came up: Pearl Oyster Bar, Hakata Tonton, The Little Owl, Perbacco Enoteca e Cucina, Ditch Plains, any Momofuku, Jewel Bako, The Grocery (Brooklyn), Bar Tabac (Brooklyn).

I’d love to hear from you about your favourite NYC restaurants. Please leave me your comments or suggestions here. I will pick the most enticing and unique suggestion, and reward the person with this book. Thank you and have a great weekend! Suggestions close on August 13, 2010 Friday, and the winner will be selected on August 18, 2010 Wednesday, after our trip. Winner will be contacted via email.

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According to an official announcement made recently, Porsche, the famed German manufacturer of sports cars, will focusing towards producing all electric cars. The company believes the new electric drive will “take on an increasingly important role in the further enhancement of Porsche Intelligent Performance”.

Porsche officially confirmed that the company is at present researching on future electric cars. The research involves three cars with all-electric drive. The three research cars, based on the Porsche Boxster, are expected to supply an initial first all important insight with respect to new electric drive components including the battery systems. This insight would be used in all-electric vehicle drive bythe company’s engineering and design division.

This official confirmation from Porsche, however, is not the first of kind as several rumors already revealed the company is researching all-electric cars. Moreover, RUF, a very long-familiar German auto tuning company, has already unwrapped its electric Porsche to the world.

Notably the German manufacturer has already unwrapped 918 Spyder, a high performance mid-engine sports car earlier. The 918 Spyder exploits plug-in hybrid combining high-tech breakthroughs in the car engine technology and electro-mobility. The sports car churns out a total of over 600 hp of peak power output while reducing the total fuel consumption to a meager three liters per 100 km in the NEDC. This equates to about 94.1 mpg. The CO2 emission level is also as low as just 70 g/km.

Another evidence of futuristic electric cars comes in the form of Porsche’s 911 GT3 Hybrid. The sports car is rolled out with two 60 kW electric motors delivering a total of 82 hp attached to the front axle. The two electric motors add to the performance of the 480 hp six-cylinder power unit installed at the rear end of the sport sedan.

On top of it, Porsche also has another hybrid car, the Cayenne S Hybrid, which is currently the next in the line of succession. The Cayenne S Hybrid is rolled out with a petrol engine in conjunction with an electric motor. The petrol engine and electric motor together produce a total output of 380 hp. The fuel consumption is, however, is a meager 8.2 liter for every 100 km which equates to about 34.5 mpg. Additionally Porsche has also officially declared its plans for the Panamera S Hybrid for 2011.

Source: 4wheelsnews

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The latest addition to the growing MINI lineup, their micro crossover, the Countryman, has already attracted interest as the shortest length all-wheel drive automobile to be sold in North America. In a move that will no doubt gain more curiosity, the 2011 MINI Countryman will be the basis a new motorsport revival. Harking back to the 1960s when the original Mini (note the different letter casing in distinguishing between the old and new car), the small British car settled into victory lane for the Monte Carlo Rally 3 times within a 4-year span.

About to become a showcase vehicle in the FIA’s WRC (World Rally Championship) Super 2000 class, the new WRC category devotes itself as championing cars that are more production-based resulting in a more affordable medium for drivers to compete on the world rally stage. Featuring a MINI’s factory ALL4 all-wheel drive system, MINI Countryman is almost guaranteed to be the perfect counter against the Volkswagen Polo and Opel Corsa.

Powered by a MINI Cooper S-sourced 1.6 liter gasoline engine, turbocharging and direct injection will allow 184 brake horsepower to be generated coordinated with variable valve management technology which mirrors the BMW Valvetronic system. This engine power is field to the rally car’s drive wheels using a spec-gearbox in accordance to the FIA rules.

Planning a MINI rally car effort since last year, the BMW subsidiary gained the experience race engineering company Prodrive. Bolstering the image of British auto maker Aston Martin through world GT class competition prior to Prodrive’s owner David Richards buying the prestige brand, Richard’s company was also instrumental in aiding Subaru’s popular WRC efforts which is highlighted by the 3-straight manufacturer championships from 1995 to 1997.

While this sighted as a return to world rally competition by the company now known as MINI, the entrance of the Countryman into FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship, the MINI (or Mini) name in he series is not the only sense of nostalgia. MINI’s German parent company BMW have certainly not forgotten about their rallying history which included the BMW 2002 in the 1970s and a BMW M3 victory in the 1987 Corsica Rally.

While MINI will compete with a factory-funded works team, the manufacturer has also indicated that customer or privateer efforts are going to have a chance to race this race-prepped Countryman. Showing off their new Countryman vehicle in pro racing trim, MINI will be entering the specialized vehicle into select 2011 FIA World Rally Championship event before graduating to a full season schedule for 2012.

Seeking victory in one of the most grueling motorsports, mastering the rocks and sailing over snow will be no small order for the MINI Countryman. However, history has taught us that strength is not always a physical quality.

Information and photo source: BMW & MINI

© Gearhead Media – Please visit Automoblog.net for more great content.

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1. WC50 Mini Special at $40,300
2. MINI Performs Mini Tinkering on 2011 Lineup
3. The MINI Countryman, Fun has no Limits

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America is many things: Freedom. Food. Quality. The freedom to eat food lacking in quality. And Cadillacs. I took a 556-hp, rear-wheel-drive Cadillac into fast-food America, stuffing myself silly in search of truth and excess. This is what I found. More »

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Well that was quick. It was only a few months ago that Porsche debuted their 918 Spyder Concept at the Geneva Motor Show, and they’ve already confirmed the car for production. The Porsche 918 Spyder is a plug-in electric supercar that Porsche says will be getting a V8 engine good for around 500 horsepower, along with three electric motors, increasing output by about 215 hp. The part that’s hard to believe: a claimed 78+ MPG.

Given, it’s a plug-in hybrid, meaning the gasoline engines don’t have the burden of charging the batteries, but the MPG numbers here are misleading. They’re calculated on a course designed for standard gasoline engines, and don’t take a different powertrain into consideration. I’m sure we’ll get more details on that closer to production.

Regardless, the 918 Spyder is Porsche’s next Carrera GT – an over-the-top supercar meant for a wealthy few. We should hear more about the car in the next few months.

© Gearhead Media – Please visit Automoblog.net for more great content.

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1. Porsche 918 Spyder Concept – A 78 mpg Supercar
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3. Boxster Spyder Making World Debut in Los Angeles

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I hate to be a mean person, but this one deserves an F mark (for fail, fail, fail)! I mean, the restaurant’s concept is cute enough. Give people a place they can relate to; something that feels familiar – like a school. It works that the kitchen and bakery looks like a cafeteria. And that the bar is designed like a library (for oenophiles) is quite clever. A plethora of other school-related details show us that gimmicks could sometimes work: the wall clocks frozen at 3:30, the clipboard menus, and even apples on each table.

How do I justify the failing grade when others like blogger Mardi from Eat, Live, Travel, Write had such an excellent experience? Well, to start, I brought my infant daughter along and placed her and the car seat beside me on a banquette adjacent to the front patio. Prime location, I deduced, judging from the waitstaff scurrying back and forth immediately on the path beside my table. But even though the carved path was right there, they have all managed to ignore me as if I were the Invisible (Wo)Man. I kid you not, for almost one hour, they ignored me. My table remained empty, my glass unfilled. Despite my efforts to make eye contact, the wait staff merely walked past me with their eyes looking down (because I’m a glutton for punishment, I didn’t want to flag anyone down – I wanted to see if they made the first move). This situation totally baffled me, as I had – by then – a crying baby, but we were ignored yet again. Anyway, how could they have heard us above the din that was playing in the background?

So, I stood up and left – a class walkout! True, I was disappointed that I didn’t get to try their Lime-Cervesa Battered Halibut with Chili Pepper Fries, nor their Baja Fish Tacos with Avocado Chipotle Mayonesa, nor the towering Amigo Burger. I was so pissed, but not nearly enough to stop me from ordering some over-the-counter pastries on my way out. After all, everyone deserves a second chance.

Paying for bakery sweets here is based on an honour system: order your treats, then walk over to the other end to tell the cashier what you got and pay for it. This time, no one ignored a cash-wielding customer – good for them!

By now, the whole thing had left a bitter taste in my mouth, and it was hard for me to enjoy my take-home stuff. The popovers – I got one with spinach and the other with bacon and cheese – were dry, dull, and lifeless.

From left to right: apple cinnamon dough fritter, apple mini-cake, and lemon mini-cake were all nicely sweet and freshly made, but memories of bad service at School have left me with sour feelings as well.

Mr. Brad Moore, what’s going on? People, this is the one time I will recommend you to skip School!

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My weekday lunches revolve around salads like this one, built on grains, fresh vegetables, some sort of protein element, and fresh herbs. I prepare a few servings at a time, and that conveniently takes care of lunch for the next couple of days.

I do try to mix things up so as not eat the same thing all the time, but I admit I’ve become a little fixated on this particular one lately: it is full of flavor, refreshing and filling, with a satisfying mix of textures from the fleshy tomatoes and the chewy grain.

The cereal I am using is petit épeautre (literally, small spelt), an ancient cousin of spelt that goes by the Latin name Triticum monococcum or the common English name einkorn wheat.

Petit épeautre was one of the first cereals cultivated for food*; it is a nutritious grain that thrives on arid, mountainous grounds where little else will grow. The one I buy, an organic petit épeautre de Haute Provence grown in the Southeast of France, is said to have been grown unchanged — without cross-breeding that is — in the area for 9,000 years**. It is protected by a geographical indication, and it hopped aboard the Slow Food Ark of Taste a few years ago.

Einkorn wheat has long been displaced by higher-yield crops, but it is regaining a little popularity in France and elsewhere, as conscious eaters try not to rely so heavily on common wheat, and also because it has been suggested that the grain, although not gluten-free, might be safe for gluten-intolerant patients. (I’ll hasten to note that more research is needed and it is too early to be taking any risks, but these initial findings are hopeful.)

Einkorn wheat is worth seeking out, but if you can’t find it, feel free to substitute spelt (Triticum spelta) or emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccum, a.k.a. farro) here, depending on what’s available locally.

While the tomatoes and petit épeautre are permanent fixtures of this salad, the third wheel varies according to what’s on hand: I like it with firm tofu, as pictured, but it is also very good — perhaps better — with feta or mozzarella. You’ll also note that I add a touch of ground cinnamon to the seasoning mix: it is too subtle to be identified as such, but I like the spicy tickle it brings.

* See Alternative Wheat Cereals as Food Grains, G.F. Stallknecht, K.M. Gilbertson, and J.E. Ranney, 1996.

** If you understand French, I recommend reading this interview with einkorn wheat producer Etienne Mabille.

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The long-awaited and much-hyped Chevy Volt electric car is finally on Chevy’s purchase orders. Dealers in “select” markets are beginning to take orders for the electric car. This means if you’re close to one of Chevy’s listed dealers (the list can be found here [.doc]), you can head over to your trusted salesman and put in your order.

The Chevy Volt is called an “Extended-Range” electric car, meaning it’s a hybrid made the way they should have been made in the first place. It runs about 40 electric-only miles on a full charge (slightly higher than the average daily commute.) Once the batteries are drained, the gasoline-powered engine kicks in to recharge the batteries (not drive the wheels,) to extend the car’s drivable range another 300 miles or so. It’s a smart system – most people don’t do much more than 40 miles for “A to B” driving anyway, but when they do, they’ll have a regular gasoline engine to back them up. That’s the problem with fully electric cars right now – they couldn’t be your primary car due to a limited range and the fear of running out of juice too early with no place to charge up.

Pricing for the 2011 Chevy Volt comes in at $41,000 base price, with a federal tax credit of up to $7500, for a net starting price of $33,500. If you’d rather lease, Chevy will get you into one starting at $350/month. That pricing gets you 5 years of OnStar and a (surprisingly good) eight-year, 100,000 miles warranty on the batteries. Good luck trying to sell it after 8 years, though.

Deliveries are going to start at the end of this year. Check out the Chevy Volt website for more info and to ask any questions about the car.

© Gearhead Media – Please visit Automoblog.net for more great content.

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NASCAR team owner and motorsport legend Jack Roush crashed his plane while landing in Wisconsin today. Roush is reportedly in serious but stable condition. His jet, a Raytheon/Beechcraft Premier 390, broke in two and appears to be a total loss. More »

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A chair is still a chair
Even when there’s no one sitting there
But a chair is not a house
And a house is not a home 
When there’s no one there to hold you tight
And no one there you can kiss good night…

And all I can think about is how extremely lucky I am that I have my two girls to keep me sane and insane at the same time.

Like for instance, I was working on a pesto recipe for my food blog, Black Sushi. My older one wanted to help, so I assigned her to pick basil leaves off its stem and stuff them into the mortar. Normally, if I was working on this solo, I’d be done in no time. But with her around, it’s double (even triple or quadruple the time). But I do enjoy her company and I love seeing her eyes light up when she learns something new. See? Insane and sane at the same time!

Then there’s my littlest one, only 4 months old. There’s a reason God bestowed upon them chubby cherubim cheeks, soft cuddly skin, and funny little personalities. So you don’t go totally ballistic when they keep you awake at night (and day).

Our pesto turned out well in the end, even if took us longer than it normally would.

And for those who know our story, that’s how our life unfolds: it’s turning out well, even if it took us a long time to get here. I may even start travelling soon (for work)…

Our house is not a home without the deux of them…

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During the bad old days of labor disputes and union misbehavior, auto workers would “accidentally” lose tools in car doors or parts behind the dashboard. Those days are over. That means workers now just legitimately lose stuff. Here’s some examples. More »

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When Audi officially invested into the use of alphanumeric coding through the late 1990s, the German luxury brand used only even numbers to define their North American offerings. Consisting of A4, A6, and A8 for the longest name, it could be debated this could have been a choice made in result to German rival BMW’s constant use of odd numbers for identification of their model lineup. It would make sense for Audi to avoid any confusion and stick with even numbers. However, witnessing the emergence of a new, more aggressive Audi division, they threaten to rule the count.

Apart from using odd-numbered designations, the Audis built wearing the opposing number scheme have all been lively presentations. In 2005, the Volkwagen Golf-based A3 hatchback brought Americans an under $30,000 opportunity to experience Audi’s premium attention. Last year, Audi added some additional sizzle giving German luxury car fans a personal coupe/convertible inspired by the elegance of their sedans but heightened by a punch. Shoehorning a 4.2 liter, 354 horsepower V-8 under the hood for the high-performance S5 provided even more of a reward to Audi lovers. Audi has progressed to the next odd-numbered digit for the 2011 model year denoting what could easily be a bigger and better.

Coming this fall, the German luxury car company releases the most debonair example of Audi’s odd-numbered cars, the 2011 Audi A7 Sportback.

Unmistakably, the A7 Sportback is Audi’s weapon for the growing European 4 or 5-door sports car market which includes the Mercedes-Benz CLS and BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo. Advertising itself as a five-door coupe, the Audi A7 Sportback is again another lesson to North American motorists on automotive terminology. While the commonly-accepted declaration that a coupe is identified as a two-door on this left side of the Atlantic Ocean, the true definition of a coupe as a sporty-styled car is again exploited for another four-door German offering. Foregoing the deck lid as the long rear window flows gently onto uniquely contoured LED taillights. As for forward lighting, the Audi A7 Sportback can also benefit from a LED lighting solution. Mature, expertly-positioned styling, please avoiding using the dirty word ‘hatchback’ in describing this car.

A touch over 2 inches longer than the A6 sedan, the sleek body is an assortment of high-tech steel and aluminum. Balanced for lightweight as well as high-strength, the A7 Sportback is also configured for maintaining minimal cabin noise. Just as expertly-engineered as the upper body structure, the lower ride pieces of the Audi A7 Sportback feature aluminum control arms and an optional adaptive suspension and dampening system. A variety of 18 to 20 inch wheels will be available in complimenting the graceful roll of the five-door coupe.

Promoted with two gasoline engines and two TDI powerplants, the Audi A7 Sportback can can motivated with up to 300 horsepower from the supercharged, 3 liter six-cylinder engine. It’s unclear whether one or two diesels will be offered in North America but we can look forward to Audi’s famous Quattro all-wheel drive option. Joining the Audi Quattro drive system on the A7 Sportback will be an S-tronic 7-speed gearbox.

Accomplishing the sporty roof line, the 2011 Audi A7 Sportback’s exterior design adds some benefits to the interior. The rear lift gate provides access to 18.89 cubic feet of cargo space (considerably higher than any vehicle featured in Audi’s sedan lineup). Further forward, the passenger cabin area wraps around the occupants giving everyone a top-quality sports car feel. While the A7 Sportback may respond like a sports sedan, the luxury-oriented comfort suits at least four adults. The division’s MMI (Multi Media Interface) adds to the premium interior derived from the A8 with optional Heads-up Display offered.

With only a European price announced at 51,600 Euros (a little under $67,000 US in comparison), the Audi A7 Sportback release will be another option to enjoying Quattro drive to an extreme.

Photo and Information Source: Audi USA

© Gearhead Media – Please visit Automoblog.net for more great content.

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2. 2011 Audi A8 Gets Tuned by Hofele Design
3. Audi A5/S5 Cabriolet Unveiled

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Audi recently made its big-screen debut in the new Hollywood movie named “Iron Man 2” with its R8 Spyder 5.2 quattro (V10) – that’s the full name for the sports car. The company is also bolstering its U.S. sale by refreshing the super sport sedan.

Audi meanwhile has declared the Sypder Quattro V10’s pricing. The super sports sedan would be priced starting from $161,000 in case of the manual transmission system. The R-Tronic gearbox version of the car would cost at $170,000. You would have to add an additional $1,250 towards destination, tax, title, or dealer fee on top of aforementioned prices to calculate the final sticker price. However, this price is for the starting base model without any options added up, of course.

The 5.2-liter V-10 engine delivers 525 HP at full clip while creating a sort of siren sound. The max power is churned out by the engine at a speed of 8,000 rpm, which is even better than the coupe version. In addition it lets people view you doing it. This ability is not a small factor especially in see-and-be-seen segment populated by these cars.

Even if you set aside the alluring beauty or charm factor of the car, the car still remains capable of being warranted for a purchase based purely on the objective grounds. The super sports car is capable of sprinting at a rocketing speed from 0 mph to over 60 mph in a flat 4 seconds time. The top speed that the super sports sedan can hit is limited only to 195 mph keeping in mind that it is a rag-top. Impressive! Isn’t it?

The R8 Spyder V10 even casts off the side blades encountered on the hardtop sister. The Spyder secernates itself from the coupe version by use of “Aluminum optic” vents over the engine cover. The Spyder gets all the common Audi features available in Audi’s coupe version including the quattro all-wheel drive. The super sports sedan comes with a choice of a six speed manual transmission or a seven speed R-Tronic gearbox. In addition, the sedan’s convertibility allows use of heat tolerant leather that can remain up to 68 degrees cooler as compared to ordinary leather. This is achieved by treatment of ordinary leather using a special process.

The R8 V10 Spyder is expected to be available at showrooms for test drive and purchase to car lovers later this year. However, exact dates were not announced by Audi.

Source: motorauthority

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No, it’s not a joke. This is the 2011 Ford Explorer. But, built on the same not-at-all-off-road-ready platform that birthed the Ford Taurus and Ford Flex, it’s just not worthy of the name. More »

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A Renault R5 Maxi Turbo doing its thing on tarmac.

Before the 1980s, Renault’s rallying efforts were largely channeled into their Alpine sub-brand. Alpine’s miniscule, mid engine, rear-wheel drive coupe, the A110, was a pretty successful rally car from the mid-60s to the mid-70s. For example, Alpine A110s took first, second and third in the ‘71 Monte Carlo rally. The design philosophy of the A110 inspired the Lancia Stratos, which stole the spotlight from the A110 and its A310 successor in the later 70s. Just prior to FISA’s unveiling of Group B, Renault campaigned their R5 Alpine, a heated-up version of their hideous front-wheel-drive econo-hatch, which was sold briefly (and incredibly poorly) in the U.S. as “Le Car.” The R5 Alpine performed decently on tarmac rallies but failed to make a mark on other surfaces.

An Alpine A110 sexes up the air.

FISA revealed the details of Group B in 1979, effectively kicking Renault in the French gonads – front-wheel-drive wasn’t going to cut the cake. The product of this junk-kick was the R5 Turbo, a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive version of the R5 with the kind of obscenely flared ass that rappers dream about in their deepest weed comas. The R5 Turbo was powered by a detuned, turbocharged (surprise!) 1.5 liter four-cylinder sourced from Renault’s Formula 1 cars. The R5 Turbo made its WRC debut at the 1981 Monte Carlo rally, which it won tidily, but the car failed to capture any other podium spots in ‘81. Unfortunately for Renault, the 1981 WRC season was foreshadowing. The R5 Turbo won the 1982 Tour De Corse and took third in the 1984 Tour as well, these are the only times the R5 Turbo took podium spots outside a win at the ’86 Rally Portugal. The car was consistently clean on tarmac rallies where its rear-wheel-drive layout gave it a bit of an advantage, but off tarmac the lack of all-wheel-drive and its 60/40 weight distribution didn’t exactly tear it up.

Sir Mix-A-Lot still wishes he could get in this ass.

Renault unleashed a second generation R5 Turbo in late 1984, the R5 Maxi Turbo, essentially a standard R5 Turbo tuned up to nearly 400hp. The R5 Maxi Turbo won the Tour De Corse in ‘85 and took second at the ‘86 Tour, that’s about it, no other WRC podiums. A switch to all-wheel-drive would’ve done the R5 right against its ravenous Audi, Lancia and Peugeot competitors, but it never materialized. It’s widely held that Renault was focusing heavily on its Formula 1 efforts at the time; rallying took a back seat and it showed.

Next week: The Rover Metro 6R4

© Gearhead Media – Please visit Automoblog.net for more great content.

Related posts:

1. Group B Friday: How Audi’s Quattro Changed the Rallying World
2. Group B Friday: Ford comes late with the RS200
3. Group B Friday: The Roar of the French Lion

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Since we are in a penny-pinching, belt-tightening mode right now (new mortgage, upcoming vacation…), I am determined to find cheap places to eat without having to eat cheap food. Ha-ha, you know what I mean.  Toronto is in the midst of Summerlicious, our city’s version of restaurant week, where participating establishments serve three-course lunch meals for $15-$20 or three-course dinners for $25-$45. Some places offer excellent deals: a solid menu, ample proportions, and effortless service. More on that on future posts.

Lil’ Baci (meaning, little kisses) is an Italian eatery in the not-up-and-coming-anymore-but-already-here neighbourhood of Leslieville that serves delicious thin-crust pizzas with simple but robust toppings using seasonal ingredients.

The humble sign announces a homey, rustic-looking space that feels like your best friend’s apartment.

The seats by the big, front window has a retro vintage feel to them, and so does the gilded frames of wedding photos and children’s artwork hanging on the walls.

The space is pretty cute, but will the lunch menu survive the taste test?

The good news is, for $10, you can have a lunch of insalatina della casa (house salad greens) or zuppa (daily soup) with either a plate of daily pasta, panino, or pizza.

So far, their pizzas and pastas are a hit that they have prevented me from venturing into panini territory.

Their Fiamma pizza is generously slathered with tomatoes, mozzarella, and crumbled spicy sausage with a dash of chillies and whole basil leaves. I love how their pizza crusts are thin and crisp, and it can definitely withstand the liquid or oil test – meaning, they don’t become soggy.

Funghi pizza is a sauceless pizza with homegrown cremini mushrooms, DOP Taleggio cheese (which I have written about), sage and a drizzling of truffle oil. It was just a little bit dry for me, but the flavour is there!

My favourite pizza, Lil’ Baci, is obviously their signature dish and it comes with crumbled sausage, red onion, basil, DOP Pecorino cheese, and a generous sprinkling of fennel pollen. Lip-smackingly good and surprisingly juicy!

Their gnocchi agli spinace e limone is well-excuted; it has a perfect balance of tang from the lemon and savoury-sweet from the butter. The potato pasta has an al dente bounce to the bite, which I love.

My conclusion is: I definitely heart Lil’ Baci. I think they will continue to see more of me there. Next time, I shall order the pizza with Gorgonzola DOP, guanciale, new potato, and rosemary. I already can’t wait to sink my teeth in it!

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Click here to see full range Camaro Z-28 images originally by camaro5.com

The high-performance pony car rekindling of energy into the second decade of the 21st century shows how motorists are not ready to abandon high-performance V-8s for plug-in electric hybrids just yet. More than a year since the relaunch of the Chevrolet Camaro, it’s safe to say General Motors’ newest incarnation of the pony car was a runaway success. Selling 98,872 units in a 12-month period between May 2009 to May 2010, the Camaro stands as the golden boy of the American automotive company’s rebound.

Earning a power boost for 2011 models, the future of the Camaro looks forward to an old friend rejoining the performance band. Beyond the base Camaro and the high-powered SS model, Bowtie watchers were eagerly awaiting the return of the Camaro Z-28. Thanks to spy shot images featured on the website camaro5.com, the existence of the Z-28 is confirmed.

According the camaro5.com, rumours have Chevrolet fitting the supercharged 6.2 liter V-8 powerplant. Even though the Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 employs the LS9 engine meeting the criteria for being a 6.2 liter supercharged unit, the chances of Chevy throwing a 638 horsepower powerplant into a Camaro Z-28 is near zero. A more rational choice for the division would be the LSA V-8 engine which is currently found inside the Cadillac CTS-V cars. With indications that the Camaro Z-28 tester was equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission (the same gearbox choice routing horsepower on the mid-sized Cadillac), it seems to add credence to the LSA engine being chosen for production. Possessing a smaller blower than the LS9 powerplant, the LSA V-8 is pumping a still pavement-peeling 556 horsepower.

Wrapped around the probable Z-28 engine, the Camaro test car covers the powerplant with a prominent hood bulge with a larger cowling. Wearing Goodyear Eagle F1 tires around 20 inch wheels which do not appear to be of factory origin, the lack of apparent exterior styling changes on Z-28 Camaro might be a street sleeper. There is also a chance that the car itself is simply what is known as a test mule (a mundane vehicle with no design enhancements built to develop drivetrain and other hidden components).

Originating as an equipment package designed to enhance handling of the 1967 Chevrolet Camaro for SCCA Trans-Am racing, the Z-28 name was not immediately associated as a high-output machine. Meeting Trans-Am specifications for limited engine size, the smaller displacement 302 cubic inch V-8 engine which was design-suited to racing. The Chevrolet Camaro would not identify the Z-28 as the high-performing engine choice until 1973 after the Camaro SS was phased out due to emissions choking horsepower. While the SS version was reintroduced into the late 1990s, the Camaro Z-28 was favoured long afterward as the V-8 muscle up until the time Chevrolet pulled the plug on the pony car. Fixing one mistake, Chevy’s commitment to bring back the Z-28 is certainly righting another wrong.

Still tight-lipped on their Z-28 version of the Chevy Camaro, General Motors has also offered no official clue on when production start is expected for the supercharged pony car. In earlier speculation, GM executives stated the new Chevrolet Camaro Z-28 as a 2012 model year with availability set for late 2011.

Photo and Information Source: Chevrolet, Camaro5.com

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Although there are a few I listen to that are not food-oriented — This American Life being my unrivaled favorite — you won’t be surprised to hear I lean toward those that discuss cooking, eating, and the cultural or political ramifications of both activities.

I can’t be alone in this, and I’d like to share those podcasts I listen to regularly.

I wrote a similar post almost four years ago, but there are new kids on my podcast block, so I thought it was time to update that list.

Naturally, if you have favorites of your own to recommend, I’m always happy to add new ones to my rotation!

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Pilot Capt. Brian Bews ejects as his CF-18 fighter jet plummets to the ground during a practice flight at the Lethbridge County Airport earlier today for the weekend airshow in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. Amazing gallery below. More »

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It used to be said some years ago that the telephone was the ideal way to reach out and touch someone. Today, our hand-held smartphone devices instills a drastically surreal non-tactile feel. With a world at the touch of a button or icon, even the everyday items we had previously accepted through physical caress can become near virtual. The ability to access places where you lack a presence even your conveyance, the vehicle which links us between physical highways, has become the newest touchless connection.

Adding mobility to mobility, General Motors’ OnStar system been ported to a smartphone application. Devised for most 2011 model year vehicles from the Detroit 3 car maker, the OnStar app possesses electronic control and monitoring tools. If the plan of including an interactive vehicle app sounds familiar, that’s because General Motors had announced a mobile app companion for the upcoming Chevy Volt. This new announcement will add vehicles like the Chevrolet Cruze and the Cadillac CTS among other cars.

First off, the mobile app provides GM vehicle owners provides key fob functions such as locking/unlocking of doors and even remote starting to be accomplished. While many will realize a smartphone is roughly 3-4 times the size of a keyless entry control, the app is not limited to a prescribed range meaning your vehicle can be controlled anywhere a suitable cell phone signal exists.

Beyond the keyless control functions, the OnStar app supplies unprecedented access to the health of your selected General Motors product. Information such as current fuel capacity, odometer log, tire pressures and oil life are presented in real-time providing a fantastic tool in planning maintenance. Other OnStar services are also accessible by phone with a customer service adviser 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The mobile app includes a one-touch dial feature to OnStar.

Wanting to reflect the identity of each GM division, the OnStar smartphone app is promised to explicitly capture the character of the owner’s vehicle. Therefore a Buick OnStar screen will differ from one offered for a GMC truck. Apart from the branding distinguishing car makes, unique PIN codes will insure measure that the proper user should have access to the vehicle.

Offered for iPhones and Android-equipped smartphones, this OnStar feature is yet to make mention of Blackberry connectivity (An unusual predicament that the Blackberry was excluded since those devices are to the Cadillac crowd). With the roll-out of the current OnStar app just announced, the Blackberry omission could be addressed in the near future as new 2.0 version of the mobile software is already in the works. Through a collaboration with Google turn-by-turn direction and voice navigation could make this app an even more valuable connection.

In recent months, General Motors has been desiring a greater presence on mobile technology with the OnStar announcement being one such attempt. App happy, Chevrolet has created a virtual showroom app for Apple devices. A free download from the App Store, The Chevrolet Showroom App allows potential buyers or even enthusiasts a wealth of information.

Information Source: General Motors, OnStar
Photo Source: General Motors

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A reader sent us this camera phone photo of a sinkhole in Northern Milwaukee that swallowed a road, traffic light, and a Cadillac Escalade. Thursday night. The giant sinkhole is likely the result of ongoing flooding in the area. More »

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Many years ago, it would be impossible for an auto company to garner headline news for their products. However, hybrid and electric technology has since swayed general interest back to our most trusted form of transportation.

Honda was the first to present a hybrid car for sale in the United States narrowly beating the Toyota Prius to the gasoline-electric car punch. Promoting their IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) hybrid system, Honda offerings expand to three as the Civic, Insight and CR-Z completes the brand’s portfolio in the 2011 model year. Completing a compelling alternative energy collection, let us also recognize the Honda FCX Clarity is a fuel cell vehicle. Powered by hydrogen, the FCX Clarity sedan is also technically an electric car since hydrogen fuel is cycled into electrical energy. However, with new automotive gravitating to plug-in or pure electric vehicles, some were concerned that the Japanese auto company was falling off-track on the advanced powertrain bandwagon. In a July 20th release, Honda ended silence by providing details to their future electric vehicle production plans.

The biggest news item amounting from the auto manufacturer’s mid-year announcement pledges that both a plug-in hybrid as well as an all-electric vehicle will be destined for customers for 2012. While no official blueprints have been presented, some expectations for the all-electric car meant deeply reflect the concept Honda EV-N subcompact. If this is true, Honda will be giving the Nissan Leaf a run for its money in the pint-sized electric class (it would also make be an interesting closed circuit match race in the future). When released, this vehicle will be Honda North America’s first battery electric automobile since 340 EV Plus vehicles were distributed. For anyone who have watched the documentary ‘Who Killed the Electric Car?’, many of those first-generation Honda electric cars met a tragic, unceremonious end being quietly destroyed in a wrecking yard.

Less speculation is available on the design of the plug-in hybrid Honda. Still under development, Honda has indicated that the system will be aimed at mid to large scaled vehicles. By interpreting their design intent for creating the plug-in hybrid system, it seems possible the system may be implanted into either an Accord or Crosstour. Similar to the Honda EV Plus, the inclusion of hybrid power systems on the Accord would also be a case of the Japanese auto company reuniting with their past.

One more announcement relating to the upcoming 2011 Honda Civic Hybrid was directed with a more immediate impact in Honda’s corporate electric car development. For 2011, the revised electric-assist vehicle will be fitted with a lithium-ion storage battery. Replacing the Nickel-Metal Hydride battery pack, the new lithium-ion cells are credited for possessing a lighter weight design and fast-charging capabilities. With production planned to start by late this year, it will be interesting to witness any performance improvements a lighter battery can provide the Civic Hybrid.

Field testing of Honda electric vehicles will be commencing at the end of this year around California. Tech company Google Inc., Stanford University along with the City of Torrance are all going to play a part in readying Honda’s plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles for what will likely be a year of real-world testing.

By 2012, Honda will add to the growing electric avenue within the United States market.

Information Source: Honda
Photo Source: Honda, Chris Nagy

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Alex Severinsky, a Soviet emigrant who began his career developing antitank-warfare instrumentation, patented a system for powering gas-electric hybrids in 1994. Toyota used his system for the Prius without permission or payment. Until this week. More »

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An engaging priority of car makers worldwide is to go on reducing vehicle weight so that fuel consumption is brought down. The goal is environment protection. One way to go about the task is to seek substitution of steel by lighter weight aluminium, which has also other qualities absent in the ferrous metal. The more expensive vehicles already have their bonnets made in aluminium.

But the auto industry must secure much greater weight reduction by using aluminium in car outer panels like doors constituting nearly 20 per cent of total body in weight. Engineers at sheet-making centres and auto plants have wondered for long if aluminium will prove to be good for making critical structural components like complete floor tunnel and reinforcements too. If this happens, then light weight car designing could be taken to an altogether new level.

Thanks to the path-breaking fusion technology developed by Atlanta-based Novelis, which our own aluminium to copper maker Hindalco acquired in 2007 and the unflinching quest for lightweighting by the luxury car maker Audi, its new A8 Sedan has turned out to be highly aluminium intensive. Audi is chasing a target of raising the strength of load bearing components by a quarter and in this Novelis technology provides the right foil.

In the use of aluminium auto sheet, BMW is now keeping Audi company. Novelis tells us that BMW 7 series is the “first mass production vehicle” to employ fusion technology for making a one piece door inner, including a window frame. Higher weight factor beside, steel will not lend itself to such complex structuring. Here we are talking about cars for the market top end. But the increasingly tough regulatory environment will make demand for lighter cars across the board burning less fuel. This no doubt will create ground for greater application of aluminium in building car body and components going beyond current projections.

This brings us to the fact that when someone bids for the likes of Novelis, he looks particularly closely at the capacity of the targeted enterprise to add value to the metal and its R&D prowess to innovate technologies. As this was a major consideration with Hindalco when it saw an excellent fit in Novelis for its own strength in producing alumina and aluminium at least cost, so also Lakshmi Mittal and Tata Steel must have been besotted by high class technology at the disposal of Arcelor and Corus.

At the same time mergers and acquisitions should ideally be left to brave hearts. Both Hindalco and Tata Steel in their rightful desire to get global footprints in aluminium and steel bought Novelis and Corus by paying premium prices when the market was at its zenith. Who then knew that the world would sink into a recession in 2008 the severity of which would stand in comparison with Great Depression beginning October 1929.

As economic activity in North America and Europe took a painful beating, Novelis had to suffer. Its loss of $1.9 billion during 2009 financial year stands as testimony to that. But an unruffled Kumar Mangalam Birla then said, “I remain very confident that inherent strengths of Novelis will see us through in the next two years. Our commitment to Novelis remains unflinching.” Last year saw world primary aluminium production falling to 37.67 million tonnes from 40.13 million tonnes and consumption to 34.31 million tonnes from 37.42 million tonnes. Construction industry and auto sector in the western world, the US in particular, proved to be the Achilles Heel for aluminium makers. Unarguably, the Hindalco-owned flat-rolled products maker would have fared worse in 2008-09 had it not been for the emerging world buying one-third of Novelis items.

The fact also remains high tech value added aluminium based products do not fare in the same way as commodity aluminium. Same is the case with any other metal. But the last recession, embers of which are still flying, was unsparing of any business.

Even then a host of management actions but more particularly, as Hindalco managing director Debu Bhattacharya told the Press, the unexpected strong sales in Asia and South America helped in bringing a turnaround in Novelis which earned profits of $405 in 2009-10. Incidentally, Novelis is South America’s leading rolled products maker. The winding down of an unfavourable can supply contract, a back-breaking legacy of the earlier management and also a plant closure aided turnaround.

Speaking at a recent aluminium conference at Oslo, Novelis president Philip Martens said growing use of the white metal in construction, electronics, autos, packaging and infrastructure would be the principal driver for rise in demand for rolled products. Sustainability concerns are also underpinning such demand growth. By annually recycling over 35 billion aluminium beverage cans, Novelis is playing a trailblazing role. The good thing about aluminium is that like copper it lends itself well to reuse over and over again. This translates into considerable saving of energy. With a reenergised Novelis under its belt, Hindalco has a place in the sun.

source: BS

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That’s right, we’ve teamed up with the fine folks at FrugalMechanic to bring you an auto parts store integrated right into this site. Just click on the Auto Parts link up there at the top and enter your car information. The store will compare prices from multiple websites to find the best price for you for hundreds of parts.

Give it a try and be sure to let me know what you think! I think you’ll love it.

© Gearhead Media – Please visit Automoblog.net for more great content.

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I had my first taste of this cake at my friend Adam‘s last December. I was in New York for a whirlwind visit to promote the big fat pink book, and he and Craig had invited me to dinner at their place.

I would have been grateful for any home-cooked meal, which is by far my favorite kind when I travel, but this was a truly delicious dinner, one that refutes the “amateur” in “amateur gourmet.”

After a salad of roasted beets and a dish of milk-braised pork (read Adam’s post for the recipes), dessert was this almond cake, after a recipe Amanda Hesser published in the New York Times, and then in the edited collection of her columns, Cooking for Mr. Latte.

It was a spectacular almond cake, buttery and fragrant, moist in the middle with a good crust all around. After I’d finished the extra slice Adam gave me to take home (or in this case, back to the hotel) with me, I vowed to bake one just like it.

It took me a few months to act upon this wish, but I finally did when my nephew turned two in the spring, and the family got together to celebrate.

The distinguishing trait of this recipe is that it draws its flavor not from whole or powdered almonds, but from almond paste, and this contributes to the smooth, tender texture of the crumb. (It also reminds me of Julia’s Swedish cake, which I’ve had my eye on for a while and hope to make when apples return.)

I lightened up the recipe a little, lowering the amount of butter and sugar*, and using yogurt in place of sour cream, but the cake remained a pleasingly indulgent affair.

Because the almond and the blueberry are BFFs, I also prepared a quick blueberry coulis to serve with the cake: the idea was to make it a little more sophisticated, and provide a note of tartness to cut through its richness. And, well, I also had some blueberries in the freezer that I was hoping to use in preparation for a much-needed spring defrosting, which still hasn’t happened, but let’s not dwell on that.

The grown-ups around the table agreed this was a very, very good almond cake, but more important, the birthday boy wolfed down his (admittedly small) slice, asked for seconds, then thirds, and eventually had to be distracted with the toy shinkansen we’d brought him back from Japan so there would be leftovers for tea the next day.

* The original recipe calls for 8 ounces of butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar; I used 7 ounces butter and 1 cup sugar.

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Fiat has announced that it will enter mass car segment (A2) and the company’s R&D teams are very busy working out in designing this compact hatchback to be launched in 2012.

According to Mr. Rajeev Kapoor, President and CEO, Fiat India Automobiles Ltd (FIAL), Fiat will launch the new small car to compete with Hyundai’s i10, Maruti’s A Star and Chevrolet Beat. The upcoming car will be powered by a 1 L engine and Fiat may offer this small car in both petrol as well as diesel options.

Earlier the speculations were that, Fiat might bring the new Uno, which is produced in the Fiat’s Brazil plant. But, the Fiat’s President ruled this out and said, the new small car has nothing to do with its existing models, hence we get a fresh Fiat faced compact car!

Interestingly, according to officials, Fiat may bring the premium hatchback Bravo (as CBU) to India due to the favourable rates of Euro vs Rupee right now. Fiat recently launched its Grande Punto 90HP premium hatchback, priced at Rs. 6.79 lakh (Delhi).

Many auto majors like Hyundai and Honda are all ready to launch a small car in the next couple of years owing to strong demand in the domestic market as well as in the ASEAN region, where these companies can export the cars produced in India.

source: living.oneindia.in

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We’ve been waiting for some time to get in the new Camaro SS to review. Chevy finally sent us one, and we drove the living hell out of it. It’s exactly how I would take it, too – Inferno Orange with Cyber Gray racing stripes on the outside, black and orange leather with orange accent stitching inside, lining the steering wheel, shift knob, armrests center console, and seats. The Camaro’s legendary fire-breathing 6.2-liter V8 engine producing 426 horsepower was equipped, mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. It was even equipped with the popular RS Package – complete with 20-inch aluminum wheels, halo rings around the HID headlights, and tinted tail lamps.

So how does the SS compare to the 304 hp V6-powered Camaro? Two totally different cars for two very different buyers. Someone shopping for the V8 Camaro won’t glance twice at the V6 version. Not that the V6 isn’t quick, but the V8 is another story completely…

Zero to 60 mph takes only 4.6 seconds. Keep the pedal down and the quarter mile passes by in less than 13 seconds, helped out by “Stabilitrak Competitive Mode” – GM’s fancy term for launch control. Want to scare the salesman on your test drive? Press the “fun button” a few times (traction control) until the LCD screen shows that you’re in competition mode. Hold down the brake with the left foot, throttle to the floor with the right. The RPMs will hold at somewhere around 3000 until you let off the brake. The rear tires light up instantly with plenty of noise and show, until the tread catches onto the pavement and you take off with “optimal wheelspin.” Keep going and you’ll be at triple digits in no time, and you won’t even realize it. And that’s actually my biggest complaint about the car…

There’s no drama, and little sense of speed. The exhaust note sounds great but it’s not as loud as it should be. Even though the performance is good, I think it could be better. 426 horsepower is quite a kick in the pants, but it feels like there are all sorts of electronic nannys and computers holding it back from what it really could do, making it feel a tad…soft. Yes, it’s easier to drive, and yes, it’s safer. But I think a car that is emulating the high-powered musclecars of the “good ol’ days” should be more exciting, loud, and brash. What I’d like to see is a stripped-down version of the SS – remove all the gizmos and gadgets and comfort features, keep all the appearance and performance stuff, throw on a high-flow exhaust, and open up all 426 horsepower. The main culprit here is the weight – at 3849 lbs, it’s no lightweight, and you can feel it.

Having said that, the 2010 Chevy Camaro SS is a blast to drive, a great value for the money, and one of the best looking cars on the road. And in case you were getting concerned – yes, I would buy this car. Between all three contenders in the “musclecar wars” (Camaro, Mustang, and Challenger,) I think Chevy did the best job getting down a truly retro feel and appearance while keeping the features and technology modern. But of course that’s all very subjective. I like how you sit far down into the car – even my giant 6′4″ frame has to move the seat up vertically to see over the dash.

The interior, by the way, could use a bit of a touch-up. The cheap plastic trim lining the doors and dash are…cheap. Really, Chevy, everyone who sat in my test car car immediately gave a lemon-sour face after seeing, then knocking on that plastic. The orange color of the plastic (optional) is a nice touch and looks great until you get up close. I know colored leather would be expensive, but damn would that look nice. Aside from that, the 4-pack of gauges are a nice touch, the aqua blue and red lettering on the instrument panel accent the retro design nicely, and the simple audio/climate control center is relieving. My biggest complaint about the styling is the limited visibility. The hunkered-up style makes for very narrow windows all-around. A giant rearview mirror plastered in the middle of your forward-viewing angle doesn’t help, but overall the sacrifice is completely worth the styling. Aside form the mirror, don’t change a thing.

Now that the Camaro has been around for a bit, the initial novelty has worn off and we’re beginning to the see the car for what it is. It’s still great looking and it’s still a bargain, dollar-for-horsepower. In my opinion, it’s beginning to look like a cartoon – an over-representation of itself. Not that it’s a bad thing; it’s just that we’re not used to cars as charismatic as the Camaro. It’s going to be interesting to see how Chevy alters the Camaro’s styling after a few years to keep it fresh – I’m not sure where they can go from here.

Another thing to keep in mind is with Ford’s excellent updated 5.0 Mustang GT, Chevy is going to have to stay on their toes to make the Camaro a viable contender next year. The new Mustang is smaller, lighter, and faster – I’d love to see Chevy give the Camaro a similar treatment.

Overall, the Camaro is still an excellent choice for a modern day musclecar. Even though it feels a bit sluggish for having 426 hp (a result of its bulbous proportions and weight,) the Camaro is a great value. A big focus is on style, however, which limits its abilities as a performance car. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, of course, but it’s something to keep in mind while shopping around. With some changes to its interior materials, some better outward visibility, and a diet, the Camaro can easily out-muscle the new Mustang and Challenger.

Before You Buy

If you’re looking at the V8-powered Camaro SS, you’ll want to check out the Dodge Challenger SRT8 and 2011 Ford Mustang GT. While each has its own benefits and detriments, it usually comes down to a simple matter of personal preference. If you decide on the Camaro, be careful with the options – the base price of $22,680 for the V6 ($30,945 for the V8) increases VERY quickly when you start adding on from the huge list of packages and accessories. One more thing – get the six-speed manual. The wimpy automatic robs 26 hp from the car.

Let dealers compete for your business and have the upper hand in negotiations before going into the dealership by getting a free quote at Yahoo! Autos.

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When BMW proclaims itself as the ultimate driving machine, the German auto company never compromises their vehicle designs from the refined European performance they have established. As BMW took on the sport utility vehicle, the company styling DNA applied through their premium sport sedans creating an unique interpretation on the vehicle. Evidently popularizing the framework for what we accept as the crossover vehicle in 1999, the successful BMW X5 spawned a smaller companion called the X3 in 2004. Selling 150,000 American units, the compact luxury SUV/crossover market has exploded with rivals Acura, Mercedes-Benz and Cadillac becoming more concentrated in the category. New and more powerful for the 2011 model year, the BMW X3 trails back to the front for their self-coined ’sport activity vehicle’.

Outside, the 2011 BMW X3 has been given a sportier bravado. A mildly longer and wider ‘Sport Activity Vehicle’ compared to the previous BMW X3, vehicle lines on the new BMW X3 are sharpened particularly along the front fenders. The distinctively BMW kidney grille openings is more pronounced over the previous generation. Surrounding the expanded air openings, the 2011 X3’s headlamp lenses have an updated look corresponding with the brand’s other vehicles (most notably the BMW 3-Series). Optional HID (High Intensity Discharge) lighting and LED daytime running lights illuminate the oncoming road with BMW’s “Corona Rings” shining with a stylistic flare. Another area where BMW’s new styling DNA blends into the 2011 X3 is found along the side. Sheetmetal etches well-defined upper contour lines run along the door handles reflecting sensation of speed even when standing still. The made-over rear taillights are all LED light bars arranged more dynamic style.

Ride comfort had risen to be a major pet peeve for many BMW X3 owners found pothole encounters overly bumpy. With the restyled X3 body riding 0.5 inches higher than the 2010 model, a reworked suspension system travels along bumpier roads with more ease coupled with optional EDC (Electronic Damping Control). Thanks to the EDC, shock absorbers are able to quickly sense and adjust for imperfection in the road surface. Gone is the front-wheel drive BMW X3 for 2011 as all redesigned X3 models will be equipped with the company’s xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive system. Allowing power to transfer as much as 100% to the rear wheels, the xDrive system controlled by a multi-disc clutch coordinated with electronic controls such as Dynamic Stability Control.

Stateside customers will receive their 2011 BMW X3 with either a 3 liter normally-aspirated inline-6 engine in the xDrive28i or the all-new 3 liter turbocharged xDrive35i version. While the entry-level xDrive28i has been detuned by 20 horsepower to 240 total, the new turbocharged-equipped BMW X3 pumps out 300 horsepower. With both engines sporting direct injection and BMW’s Valvetronic control, high-technology is well-represented. Though fuel economy numbers have yet to be released, expect an overall improvement within the X3 lineup through the combination of the lower output powerplant and the use of turbocharging for bigger horsepower numbers. Contributing to maximizing fuel economy but also allowing for super-smooth power deliver, a new 8-speed automatic transmission for the 2011 BMW X3 include two overdrive gears.

In European markets, a 2 liter diesel powerplant option will be available for 2011. BMW does understand that the United States market has a potential diesel following (the BMW 3-Series and X5 have been added) will either avoid saturation of the market with an X3 diesel or introduce it at a later date.

For the ultimate driving machine, the 2011 BMW X3 cabin provides a rewarding premium motoring experience. Drivers will enjoy well-placed instruments and Servotronic speed-sensitive power steering for the optimal handling and control. Rewarding the driver highly, passengers will not suffer inside the revised X3 interior which now offers increased leg and elbow room. The BMW X3 interior seating has been augmented to not only improve visibility but entry and exit from the vehicle. Asserting itself as having best in class cargo capacity, the 2011 BMW X3 offers multiple storage solutions that could include an optional ski-pass through rear seat. BMW’s iDrive returns with an optional navigation system presented in the middle of X3 dash panel within a massive 8.8 inch screen.

Leaving from the Spartanburg, South Carolina, the 2011 BMW M3 is on target for showroom arrival in late 2010. Currently the smallest of BMW’s ‘Sport Activity Vehicle’, the X3 will soon be a middle child of the German family when the baby BMW X1 joins the American lineup sometime into 2011.

Information and Photo Source: BMW USA

© Gearhead Media – Please visit Automoblog.net for more great content.

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3. MINI USA To Add Dealerships

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Starting with an old cell phone a friend gave him, 17-year-old Steven Ortiz of Glendora, CA, used Craigslist to trade up 14 times over two years to eventually end up with a Porsche Boxster. Here’s how he did it. More »

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This fall, the world’s most infamous daredevil will have been gone for three years. For no reason whatsoever, we’ve decided to take a look back. This, in a nutshell, is the life of a daredevil. This is Evel Knievel. More »

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It’s always cool when those “oversea’s” companies launch a limited edition model. However, they’re almost always in honor of some race that no one in this country has ever heard of.

In recent months, Ford did a few F1 inspired Focus RS’, and Chevy did the British Touring Car Championship inspired Cruze CS. Now, Aston Martin’s getting in on the act with the Nurburgring 24 inspired N420.

This limited edition V8 Vantage is 59 lbs lighter, thanks to an expensive botox carbon-fiber treatment.

Some of the lightened parts include the seats, front splitter, the rear diffuser…and the two ‘N420′ sill plates.

Other features of the V8 Vantage N420 package include black mesh vents, unique tail pipe outlets, an Iridium interior package with graphite instruments, the choice of an Alcantara, or leather steering wheel wrap, and…’Race Track’ stitching on the Alcantara covered, carbon-fiber seats.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, the N stands for Nurburgring, and the 420 stands for the horsepower…which is completely unchanged at 420 hp. However, you do get the Sport suspension, with unique 10-spoke gloss black wheels, and the new ’sports’ exhaust system.

Like all Euro-edition’s,the Aston N420 gets a loud color pallet. Buyers can choose from several (very bright) Aston Martin N24 ‘Racing Liveries’…which include colors named ‘Kermit Green’, and ‘Elwood Blue’.

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage N420 will be available for order in Europe only. No word yet on how many they plan to build.

© Gearhead Media – Please visit Automoblog.net for more great content.

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1. Aston Martin V12 Vantage – Pricing Announced
2. Aston Martin V12 Vantage Confirmed for the States
3. Aston Martin Offers Upgrade Packages for 4.3-liter V8 Vantage Owners

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Well, maybe not coloring books, but definitely giant stickers…

In an effort to hide the fact that you’re buying an entry-level car, Ford is offering a huge assortment of colorful, vinyl appliqué’s. Attention-starved buyers can choose from giant dots, flowers, birds, bubbles and stripes.

Made from water-proof, 3M vinyl, the “wraps” are precision cut to match the shape of the car. They can be applied to the hood, the roof, the fenders, and the doors. Once applied, they can last for 3-5 years, and require little maintenance. They can also be removed without damaging the paint.

Teaming with Original Wraps, Ford is offering a large selection of…wraps for the Fiesta coupe, sedan and hatchback. In the near future, wraps will be available for the Mustang, Fusion and the F-150.

© Gearhead Media – Please visit Automoblog.net for more great content.

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Is the torrent for this week’s episode of Top Gear not yet done? Then hit the jump for our YouTube open thread. You’ll want to bring your hat. More »

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Ford’s RS200 in action.

At the beginning of the Group B era, when Audi’s Quattro and Lancia’s 037 were the only serious competitors, Ford was developing a new rally contender to replace the successful rear-wheel-drive Mk II Escort. The Mk II Escort RS1800 was so well suited to rallying that Ari Vatanen took the 1981 WRC driver’s championship in one – surely one of the reasons Audi pushed for more development with their Quattro rally car. The front-wheel-drive Mk III Escort had debuted in the U.S. and U.K. in 1980, though, and that meant it was time for change. Ford spent three years developing the Escort RS1700T, a 300hp; rear-wheel-drive rally car based on the Mk III Escort, but abandoned the project in 1983 after experiencing many problems in development. They decided to start from scratch and, much like Peugeot, combined the mid-engine layout of the Lancia 037 with the Audi Quattro’s all-wheel-drive, a recipe that seemed destined for success.

MK III Escort RS1700T prototype.

The new car was called the RS200. Its molded fiberglass body was penned by famous Italian design house, Ghia, making it the sexiest of the Group B cars. The famed Cosworth BDT turbocharged 1.8 liter four-cylinder was mounted behind the cockpit in the aluminum chassis and was tuned up to 450hp in full race trim. The chassis and suspension were designed by two former Formula 1 engineers; it ran a twin damper, double wishbone setup fore and aft and was known for its particularly keen handling. The car was remarkably well balanced, due in part to Ford mounting the transmission in the front of the car to help out with weight distribution, this made the drive train system unnecessarily complicated. Surprisingly, this setup proved fairly reliable.

Kallegrund’s RS200 on its way to a third place finish in the 1986 International Swedish Rally.

The RS200 made its WRC debut at the Lombard RAC rally in 1985 as a course opener with Stig Blomqvist behind the wheel. As a course opener, times set on the stages were unofficial, but they were the fastest times of the rally. The car didn’t officially run a rally stage until the International Swedish Rally in 1986, the second rally of the season. Blomqvist lead the snowy rally with his RS200 until the engine died due to extremely cold conditions. Ford works driver Kalle Grundel picked up where Blomqvist left off, driving his RS200 to a third place finish. Unfortunately this was the first and last time that Ford’s RS200 would take a podium spot in a WRC event. At the very next event, Rally Portugal, Ford driver Joaquim Santos lost control of his RS200, blasting it headlong into a crowd of spectators, killing three and injuring over 30. Two events later, at the Tour De Corse rally, Henri Toivonen and his co-driver Sergio Cresto burned to death when their Lancia Delta S4 exploded after careening into a ravine at speed. These events as well as Attilio Bettega’s fatal accident in his Lancia 037 led to the FIA banning Group B for 1987, famously declaring the cars were “too fast to race.” Ford and Audi pulled out of competition after the fatal wreck at the Tour De Corse – the RS200 only officially competed in three WRC rallies.

Many feel the RS200 would’ve decimated all competition had Ford had the chance. They’d developed an Evolution model of the RS200 for the 1987 season with upgraded suspension and brake components as well as a reworked Cossie BDT engine which was good for up to 815hp. Over a dozen of the RS200 Evolution cars, called the RS200 E2, were built and campaigned in the FIA’s European Rallycross championships, a fender-to-fender European variation on rallying that many Group B cars are privately campaigned in to this day. In fact, one of those RS200 E2s took the 1991 European Rallycross title.

Next Friday: Renault and the R5.

© Gearhead Media – Please visit Automoblog.net for more great content.

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We’ve all seen the stash of confiscated classic cars in a Green Zone garage, but what automotive treasures survive on the Iraqi street? Take a look at what Iraq-based reader Mark Trail has found for us! More »

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Paris. Ah, the City of Light, City of Love, City of Romance, City of Fashion…and the Capital of Clichés. It’s a place that rightly deserves every superlative, hackneyed praise hurled its way. For few cities can compare to its physical beauty, cultural offerings, and culinary bounties – of which the impact reaches deep and far into the psyche. Yet this was not the case all the time. Tourists in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, particularly Americans, returned to their home with tales that the French were “immoral, dishonest, and ungrateful,” as Harvey Levenstein reported in his book, We’ll Always Have Paris.

But for generations, beatnik young artists, writers, and philosophers flocked to its grand boulevards and quiet cafés, unshackling themselves from the tyranny of labour. This kind of attitude opened Paris as the land of freedom and joie de vivre; a kind of city that free-thinkers and vagabonds languish their time in. And when these same people returned home, either with success or failure under their wings, they brought back vivid memories of a different Paris. A Paris that is provocative, romantic, and libertine.

And this is the Paris many elect to visit and revisit. But author David Lebovitz reminds us that “Paris is not a museum; it’s a big city with flaws, just like any other major metropolis…” But to our detriment, we all choose to ignore this, and that’s why the city remains, to us, a vision of the enigmatic wonderland that it is. In fact, we envy Ernest Hemingway saying, “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.”

• Putting on the Ritz

When Irving Berlin sang “if you’re blue and you don’t know where to go to, why don’t you go where fashion sits,” did he mean the Ritz Paris ($$$$)? Ceasar Ritz’s institution of chic in the City of Light boasts a guest list that includes Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn, and Princess Diana, to name a few. But if you want to channel some Carrie Bradshaw and Aleksandr Petrovsky, the Plaza Athénée ($$$$) offers a Sex and the City package starting at a whopping €3800.

For those looking for less traditional digs, Hotel Keppler ($$$-$$$$) near the Arc de Triomphe is a Pierre Yves Rochon-designed classical contemporary hideaway with a bit of Hollywood glamour. The baroque contemporary Hotel Ares ($$$) near the Eiffel Tower has elegant Italian finishes that spell opulence all the way. For Da Vinci Code fans, the renovated Hotel Recamier ($$$) is your Zenned-out Regency-style lair adjacent to St. Sulpice in the St. Germain de Prés.

If the economic downturn shrunk your budget to bits but not your style, Mama Shelter ($$) in the 20th arrondissement near the famous Père Lachaise may suit your taste. But if toile and Louis-style furnishings are you thing, you can’t go wrong with constant Trip Advisor favourite, Hotel des Grands Hommes ($$-$$$) with its fantastic Pantheon views. Across the River on the gauche side, tucked away in the chic Marais district, the timber-beamed, stone-and-wrought-ironed Medieval Hotel Saint Merry ($$) is a great option.

• Bistros, Brasseries, Bars, and Cafés

Though no one can really tell the difference between brasseries, bistros, bars, and cafés these days, it’s a known fact that these joints have nourished the citizens of Paris through time. Fin de siècle, Art Nouveau, or Belle Epoque brasseries have gained notoreity ever since Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Marcel Pagnol, Ernest Hemingway, Louis Aragon, and Elsa Triolet made them hip. And even though some of these brasseries have been acquired by big restaurant corporations, the architectural and historical detail, as well as culinary standards are still retained, if not improved further. Fine examples are Brasserie Lipp ($$$), famed for its sole meunière and cervelas rémoulade (garlicky pork sausage with spicy mayonnaise). Le Grand Véfour ($$$$), with its elegant salons of red banquettes, has a tasting menu by Chef Guy Martin for a prodigous €268! If you want something cheaper than the Véfour, old-world bouillon, Chartier ($-$$), serves up tasty meals at a reasonable price. A one-time haunt of Sorbonne professors, the intellectual Balzar ($$$) can still cook up French classics like skate wings with brown butter sauce despite being acquired by the Flo restaurant group. Another Flo acquisition, Bofinger ($$-$$$), deserves special mention not only for its exquisite stained-glass cupola, but also for its authentic Alsatian choucroute garnie.

But if you’d rather go somewhere more intimate and au courant, grab one of the few chairs at rue Vieille du Temple’s Au Petit Fer à Cheval ($$) for their delicious duck confit and a pint of biere. For other traditional French fare such as cassoulet, tête de veau, and foie gras, go where every Mayor of Paris has eaten – Benoit ($$-$$$), now part of Alain Ducasse’s empire.

Street markets are very popular in Paris, with each one having its own neighbourhood bistro. In the rue Mouffetard market, Cave la Bourgogne ($$-$$$), with its wood panels and mosaic floor, is a perfect place to relax aprés shopping. And in the rue Cler market, Café du Marché ($$) is the spot for lunch.

Other notable bistros are La Palette ($$-$$$) on rue de Seine (open since 1903), a restaurant frequented by Picasso and Braque. A La Biche au Bois ($-$$) near the Gare de Lyon is a raucous but fun spot to eat. For a fast and simple lunch, the open faced sandwiches and tartines at Cuisine de Bar ($$) on rue Cherche-Midi are delicious. Christopher Beaufront’s L’Avant-Goût ($$) on rue Bobillot in the 13th is famous for its pot au feu and French terroir cuisine, but always with a twist. If béarnaise, mustard Cognac, and other unctuous cream sauces are your preference, Chez Georges ($$-$$$) on rue du Mail in the 2nd churns them out consistently.

When libations are your priority more than comestibles, the bars and cafés of Paris can satiate your thirst. Food here are usually just an after thought or an added bonus, but many places serve equally outstanding classic café dishes throughout the day. From the terrace of Café Marly ($$-$$$) at the Louvre, overlooking I.M. Pei’s glass pyramids, you can observe the de trop action in the courtyard with a salade or gateau. Pricey as it is, Café de Flore ($$-$$$) in St. Germain still pulls in the crowds with its chocolat chaud and pâtisseries. And if you don’t mind tight and dingy spaces, the übercool L’Art Brut in Beauborg, Marais district is part-bar, part-gallery where there’s no shame in getting wasted here. But when you tire of the tourist-trodden city centre, head to Belleville – once home to Maurice Chevalier and Edith Piaf – for a drink on the street patio of Aux Folies ($) or Le Faitout ($). 

• Shop ‘Til You Drop

Those with a penchant for fashion but in smaller doses should visit children’s clothiers Alice à Paris and Talc, some of the trendiest in Paris. You’ll wish they have their collection in bigger sizes! Want something for yourself? Tara Jarmon has sexy date-night clothing that makes you ooh and ahh. Collette is the French woman’s secret weapon for avant-garde fashion, while Didier Ludot is for the classic little black dress. Vanessa Bruno and Isabel Marant make an appearance in most wardrobes, alongside affordable yet chic RTW from