www.StevesAutoBlog.com Volkswagen is riding more smoothly from quarter to quarter, now that management has rammed through some tough cost-reduction measures in Germany. Operating profit for the first half of 2007 (before exceptional items)soared 44.5% to $3.8 billion, despite heavy losses in…
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Originally Syndicated via RSS from BusinessWeek Online — Auto Beat
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Originally Syndicated via RSS from BOYTOONS MAGAZINE
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CAR has been releasing what it’s called “official sketches” from Audi execs privy to the future of the four-ringed automaker. This latest drawing shows what Ingolstadt plans to pit against the Mercedes CLS in the burgeoning sports sedan segment, likely to be dubbed the A7. Built off the next generation A6 platform, the shapely sedan will get similar styling cues as its cross-town rival, with a steeply raked roof flowing into what looks like a low-slung hatch.
Power is expected to come from either a three-liter V6 or a 4.8-liter V8, with the RS model fitted with a Lamborghini-sourced V10 in either naturally aspirated or twin-turbo’d trim. Expect a 4.2-liter TDI unit to be available in Europe as well.
Pricing will land squarely between the A6 and A8, so its safe to assume that prices abroad will be in the £35,000-£50,000 range, with the possibility of a soft-top model also being offered further down the road.
According to CAR, the A7 will make its debut at the 2008 New York Auto Show, with sales beginning in September 2009.
[Source: CAR]. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from EXCLE AUTO BLOG
http://www.StevesAutoBlog.com
Our obsession of all things automotive extends far beyond the latest and greatest that comprises the majority of what you read. That’s one of the reasons we’ve brought back the Reader Ride, so we can showcase what the majority of us roll on a daily basis. Today’s ride is exactly the kind of thing we’re into; a rather staid means of transport that is well loved by its owner. Flickr member thefultonhow through up three shots of his ‘92 Infiniti G20, along with a detailed description of life with his ‘G,’ and after reading his story, we couldn’t help but feature it.
Purchased new by his mother back in 1992, the G20 survived the rigors of daily driving at the hands his mom, and also provided of means of learning for both his brother and Mr. Fultonhow. After 169,000 miles of dutiful service, the stock mill decided to liberate a rod while his brother was behind the wheel, and after a series of attempts at selling the G20, he decided to perform a heart transplant in his grandfather’s garage. The only catch: he’d never done anything like it before.
Armed with a factory shop manual, endless patience and nearly a month of his life, he replaced the spent motor with a JDM SR20DE, mated to the stock five-speed manual. After a series of fits and starts, the SR finally came to life and after 4,000 miles everything seems to be going strong.
He’s kept the upgrades to a minimum in an effort to stay within the bounds of the H-stock autocross class, with plans to install an aftermarket stereo, some new wheels and some R-compound tires mounted on the stock rollers for competition.
We’re love this kind of stuff, so make the jump to see a few more pics and learn how to submit your own ride to our Flickr pool.. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from EXCLE AUTO BLOG
http://www.StevesAutoBlog.com
click above image for 21 high-res pics of the 2008 MINI Clubman
The trail of embargo breaking is long, but apparently the first images of the 2008 MINI Clubman were published by AutoWeek in their actual weekly magazine, which began arriving on some doorsteps yesterday. Since then, more and more pictures have appeared online, to the point that Autocar just let loose with the whole kit and kaboodle. Hence, we’ve added the rest of the pictures to our own gallery, and unlike most other sites, ours are high-res at 1,280 pixels wide so you can examine closely how odd those rear doors really are.
The actual embargo on the photos was supposed to be lifted this Sunday, so if that holds true, we should expect the official press release from MINI with more details then, and maybe even more pictures. That is, unless the brand realizes it’s futile at this point to hold out on us.. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from EXCLE AUTO BLOG
www.StevesAutoBlog.com Drought-beating waterless car wash wipes named Car Care Product of the Year in the U.K.
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Originally Syndicated via RSS from BusinessWeek Online — Autos
http://www.StevesAutoBlog.com
Just as the Prius is an essential piece of kit if you desire to wrap yourself in the color green, if being ever-ready is what you’d like to exude, “>buy a house. Not just any house, mind you - that’d be like a Greenie stripped of their Starbucks intravenous drip, Livestrong bracelet, and Macintosh laptop. If it’s backwood rancher/Eagle Scout that you’re looking to portray, no domicile will do better than a log cabin. Of course, while the outside says 1885, modern log cabins are a luxury item commonly purchased as a weekend home for the well-heeled, or as a retirement home. Canada-based Pioneer Log Homes has just launched a UK branch, and customers that purchase a model called “The Anchorage” will be rewarded with a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited left in the drive when construction’s done.
The two products definitely go together. Both the home and the 4-wheeler look like they could’ve been hewn with the same axe, offering a certain rugged charm. We like the idea, mainly because a vacation home is a delightful aspiration, as is a Wrangler. Pioneer says you don’t have to be a millionaire to afford one of their homes, with a starting point of £650 per square meter. Let’s see, multiply by two, divide by nine, hot damn - that’s actually not terrible! At today’s exchange rate, that square meter cost works out to about $150 per square foot. You could always turn around and sell the Jeep to pay down the mortgage.
press release after the jump
[Source: Pioneer Log Homes]. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from EXCLE AUTO BLOG
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Click image for a gallery of leaked HHR SS info
A member of ChevyHHR.net dropped us a line to let us know that his local Chevy dealer had gotten some 2008 Chevy HHRs yesterday. One of his first orders of business was to grab the new owners manual and start flipping through the pages. His perusal bore fruit, as on page 2-47, he found the following passage in the “Cupholder(s)” section (shown at right):
“If your vehicle is an SS model, the automatic transmission vehicles have a cupholder in front of the shifter.”
This serves as the first official-ish confirmation (Chevy has not yet made any formal announcements related to the HHR SS) that the 2008 HHR SS will be offered with an automatic in addition to the 5-speed manual that’s referenced in the brochure that was leaked earlier in the month. The next question, of course, is which automatic will be offered?
Thanks, Ryan!
[Source: ChevyHHR.net (registration req'd)]. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from EXCLE AUTO BLOG
http://www.StevesAutoBlog.com
Our friends over at the GT Channel are in the midst of Infiniti’s G37 press event, and between shrimp cocktails and the malaise of pandering PR-types, Mark Igo, the general manager and veep of Nissan’s luxury arm made the announcement that a new FX is due to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show next year.
It’s a foregone conclusion that the new 3.7-liter VQ-series V6 will be making its way under the hood of many new Infiniti models, including the new G37, M37 and now, the FX37. But aside from powertrain speculation, Igo remained mum on any styling revisions that the long-in-the-tooth FX will undergo. We’ll be on the floor in Geneva in March, so for now, the waiting game begins.
[Source: GT Channel]. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from EXCLE AUTO BLOG
http://www.StevesAutoBlog.com
Our friends over at the GT Channel are in the midst of Infiniti’s G37 press event, and between shrimp cocktails and the malaise of pandering PR-types, Mark Igo, the general manager and veep of Nissan’s luxury arm made the announcement that a new FX is due to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show next year.
It’s a foregone conclusion that the new 3.7-liter VQ-series V6 will be making its way under the hood of many new Infiniti models, including the new G37, M37 and now, the FX37. But aside from powertrain speculation, Igo remained mum on any styling revisions that the long-in-the-tooth FX will undergo. We’ll be on the floor in Geneva in March, so for now, the waiting game begins.
[Source: GT Channel]. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from EXCLE AUTO BLOG
http://www.StevesAutoBlog.com
Ahhh, Autumn. We love it so. The leaves change, football is in full swing, the air gets brisk, and Honda comes clean with a MUGEN for us Yanks. That’s right, kids: Americans will finally be able to “>buy a Mugen-prepared Honda Civic this fall. Following up on the Honda Civic MUGEN Si show car that was displayed at SEMA last year, Honda has announced that the production version will go on sale in October. The Civic MUGEN Si is powered by the same 197-horsepower four-cylinder as the standard-issue Si, but the MUGEN is the beneficiary of a track-tuned suspension, lighter wheels, and a new sport exhaust. It also gets the requisite aero kit with an updated grille, skirting and new spoilers fore and aft. Inside, look for a new shift knob and a plaque. Only 1,000 Civic MUGEN Si sedans will be built for the 2008 model year (sorry, no coupes), and all will be finished in the Fiji Blue Pearl you see here. Full pricing details weren’t announced, but Honda did say that the car will go for less than $30,000. Until enthusiasts here in the States are offered a Type-R, this is gonna be the Civic to have. Sure, it’s no Civic MUGEN RR, but it’s a start.
[Source: Honda]. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from EXCLE AUTO BLOG
http://www.StevesAutoBlog.com
According to suppliers quoted by Automotive News, soon after the MINI press conference concludes in Frankfurt, buyers will be able to get their iconic runabout complete with regenerative braking and start-stop features.
Both gasoline- and diesel-powered models will be equipped with the new technology, supplied by Bosch, and the oilburning offerings will emit 104 g/km of C02, a 12-percent decrease from the standard model. As a comparison, the 1.5-liter gasoline-electric hybrid Prius produces the same amount of C02, something that should be noted by both consumers and legislators alike. Sales are set to begin this September.
[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from EXCLE AUTO BLOG
www.ManFill.com
I love an artist who can push the envelope in a completely creative and artistic way. In my many internet travels I come upon alleged “art” sites. There, so-called artists have posted their works, deemed erotic, all in the name of envelope pushing art. Most of the time, they are hacks. Harsh, but true! One needs skill and finesse to push boundaries, and few have the skill and talent of the artist called Lewd.
Photomanipulation is not an easy art to master. It requires precision and patience, not to mention oodles of creativity. Lewd is a true master at this craft. His creations are so seamless, you can almost imagine them walking down the streets… though if you know what’s good for you, you might head in the opposite direction – unless of course your fantasies ere on the side of slightly extreme.
In the end, these Monsters may not be strictly boytoons per se since they are photmanipulations… but I think that makes them even better in a way. They bring a third dimension to our comic book and science fiction fantasies that traditional illustration has yet to tap into.
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Originally Syndicated via RSS from BOYTOONS MAGAZINE
http://www.StevesAutoBlog.com
When you hear that the US is 42nd out of 48 countries when it comes to number of deaths per capita, it might sound like a good thing. Until you find out that the rankings go from lowest to highest — which means, yes, that of the measured countries, there are only six places where driving is more deadly than the Land of the Free. (Tip: you might want to avoid driving in Russia and Lithuania for a few more years.)
The posited reasons are varied and numerous, and include the brevity of driver training, lax laws, weak enforcement, no emphasis on public transport, little public awareness, and a lack of Federal legislation. Regardless of the causes, the effect is that it’s riskier to get behind the wheel here than it is in the Poland or Estonia. This is despite the fact that cars have gotten exponentially safer, and the US leads the world in the adoption of electronic stability control, said to be “the greatest life-saving technology since the seat belt.”
If there’s any consolation, it’s that the US does considerably better in the number of fatalities per mile driven, where the US comes in at number 11. Before you celebrate, in 1970 the US was number one. Which country has the lowest number of fatalities per capita? Malta.
[Source: New York Times]. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from EXCLE AUTO BLOG
http://www.StevesAutoBlog.com
It’s with the greatest pleasure and sincerest honor that we’re able to kick-off the return of the Reader Ride with this 1972 Datsun 240Z. Aside from being one of the most handsome vehicles to ever leave Tokyo and its game-changing affect on the perception of Japanese vehicles, this 240Z has a history that was too compelling to pass up.
With only 40,000 miles on the odometer, it was purchased by Victor Vazquez of South Orange County from its previous owner located in San Diego. Originally intended to be a daily driver and perpetual project, Victor found it to be too much of a mechanical handful for daily duty, so it was sent off to a paint shop to restore it to its former glory. Regrettably, the reunion has never taken place, as Mr. Vazquez passed away on November 13th, last year.
The current owner, Victor’s brother, has yet to receive the Z back from the shop, but when he does, it’s expected to live out its life in the garage as a weekend-cruiser and rolling memorial to his brother.
Our love and regards are being sent out to the Vazquez family, and although this post could never do Victor’s memory justice, we’re honored that we were able to salute him in one of the only ways we know how.. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Originally Syndicated via RSS from EXCLE AUTO BLOG
http://www.StevesAutoBlog.com
Audi’s A5 line was supposed to mean “coupe,” but the exception to the rule appears to be the Sportback variant. While the renderings give it five doors, the car definitely retains its coupe DNA — there’ll be no chance of confusing it with an A4 Avant. The bog standard Sportback will make do with front wheel drive and common rail diesels producing 140 to 200 hp. Step above that and you’ll get gas options that utilize Audi’s TFSI engines, as well as quattro and torque vectoring. The star at the top of the Christmas tree goes by the name of RS5, and gets the 4.2-liter FSI V8. If the final version looks as good as the renderings, then we think we need two.
[Source: Motor Authority]
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Originally Syndicated via RSS from EXCLE AUTO BLOG
http://www.StevesAutoBlog.com
Tuners just can’t get enough of the 997 Turbo, with a list so far including SpeedART, TechArt, Edo, Rinspeed, and 9ff. That latter tuner even rings three bells by winning the HP competition, the top speed run, and being a convertible. The Swiss modifier fiddles with the ECU, swaps out the stock turbos for its own units, installs a high-flow exhaust, new air filter, and a strengthened clutch. Sportech also adds hi-po brakes with 6-pot calipers, a sports suspension, and a new front spoiler and rear wing — and some hot wheels. Then it tunes the entire thing in four stages: from a 530-hp Stage 1 package to a 580-hp Stage 4 time-bender that digs holes in the road with 564-lb-ft of torque. Top speed is 210 mph. We never complain about anyone who adds to the already fantastic 997 Turbo, but in such a crowded and nandrolone-infused field, this latest entrant could sound, well, excuse us for saying so, but… tame.
[Source: Motor Authority]
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Originally Syndicated via RSS from EXCLE AUTO BLOG
www.ManFill.com
Summer has a flavor — and if you happen to live in
2 – MIKEMEN.COM! Recently and exquisitely revamped, Mike’s website is a perfect example of how brilliant art meeting erotica can be. This man is an incredible talent. Yes, obviously I think so since Class just put out his Portfolio – but honestly, don’t take my word for it! Check the site out for yourself. And if you still don’t believe me (which is HIGHLY doubtful) then ogle this amazing illustration of Venom rimming Spidey which Mike created some time ago! This is one of the hottest frikkin’ Spidey/Venom image I’ve EVER seen! And when you’re done wiping your monitor clean, check out his Portfolio if you haven’t already done so. Hey, I know this is a shameless plug, but honestly, I wouldn’t prescribe something that I didn’t think you’d thank me for later! ;o)
3 – The Art of Ismael Alvarez! You all know I am a huge fan of Ismaels’ art, but somehow, Summer always seems to inspire this amazing artist to create in overdrive. His Boytoons are simply delicious (as are his Girltoons!), and his work keeps evolving into some of the most polished erotic art out there. You can practically feel the breeze by the ocean as you stare adoringly at his illustrations of hunks au naturel by the water. Simply perfect! Plus, Ismi created this issue’s très très hot illustration of Lanor exclusively for you! Yummy!!! Keep an eye on this boy’s website – the Summer months always seem to bring him an extra dose of inspiration.
5 – And last, but not least, I thought I might post a few more goodies that have recently come my way. Check out the gorgeous
Hugz + kisses!
Patrick XOXOXO
All other characters are © 2007 their respective creators / owners.
All images are © Copyright their respective creators. All Rights Reserved. Please do not repost without permission.
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Originally Syndicated via RSS from BOYTOONS MAGAZINE
http://www.StevesAutoBlog.com
I don’t think we’ve said this since at least yesterday, but when it comes to cars, Europe gets the best stuff. What you see above is only a concept, but it was dreamed up by Daniel Paulin, the gent who created Ford’s C-Max — which is a Europe-only offering — as well as the original Focus concept and the FAB1 ship from the Thunderbirds film. Paulin left Ford, moved home to Sweden, and started the Paulin Motor Company. Its first product is this, a 2-seater called the VR Concept. Part Speed Racer, part sea creature, it’s swoopy and planed at the same time. The lifting canopy is a pretty nifty evolution of Saab’s Aero X jet fighter-style raising canopy. With that and the scissor doors, ingress and egress should be simple by even the most supercar-challenged body shapes. It would also make ejector seat installation a snap. Paulin is looking for partners to help put the car into production, and in the mean time will be producing three concepts per year, as well as an actual model for a motor show. As far as the VR goes, Mr. Paulin, we’ll take it.
[Source: Auto Express]
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Originally Syndicated via RSS from EXCLE AUTO BLOG
