Report: Famed designer Jason Castriota to pen for Shelby Supercars
Mar 16, 2010 Object
Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Design/Style
Bertone Mantide - click above for high-res image gallery
While definitely one of (if not the) fastest production cars in the world, the SSC Ultimate Aero has seldom been praised for its looks. Somewhat resembling just about every other supercar out there in one detail or another, the styling has charitably been described as everything from derivative to kit car-ish. Shelby Supercars wants to do something about that. Now that they’ve proven they can get their car up to its claimed top speed of over 255 mph, the next step is to get a few more of them out the showroom doors. To that end, the company is said to be courting supercar designer Jason Castriota to pen a fresh look.
Jerod Shelby, the “Shelby” in “Shelby Supercars,” has apparently tapped Castriota to design SSC’s next generation hypercar. If Castriota’s name sounds familiar, and even if it doesn’t, he is the designer of record behind the Pininfarina P4/5, the Bertone Mantide (shown above) the neo Maserati Birdcage and the Rolls-Royce Hyperion. Having recently left his post at Bertone, Jason will become the exclusive designer for SSC’s next two cars and will add a degree of credibility to the team, or at least that’s the plan. According to the Tri-City Herald, the cars will actually be badged with his name to hammer home that point.
While the new Aeros will carry a price tag double the current cars’ at $800,000 to $900,000, the company says it will also develop a “little brother version” that will retail for just $300,000. Production targets are a dozen or so Aeros and about 50 Aero-lites per annum. The cars might also show up in a reality TV series that is being pitched to chronicle the project.
Gallery: Monterey 2009: Bertone Mantide
[Source: Tri-City Herald]
Report: Famed designer Jason Castriota to pen for Shelby Supercars originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: a-price-tag, bertone mantide, castriota, civicrs, ferrarif430spider, legend, royce-hyperion, ssc aero, ssc ultimate aero tt, sscaero
PSA: Buy a Dodge Challenger, get $2,000 in Mopar bucks for go-faster (or look faster) bits
Mar 16, 2010 Object
Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Dodge
Dodge Challenger Mopar Performance Appearance Package - Click above for high-res image gallery
Having trouble deciding which of the three modern muscle cars you want to buy? Dodge is now providing some extra incentive to buy a Challenger over a new Ford Mustang or Chevrolet Camaro. Through April 30 Mopar is offering $2,000 in “Mopar Bucks” to anyone who buys a Challenger R/T, R/T Classic or SRT8, allowing customers to choose between several combinations of performance parts and accessories.
For those who want their Challenger to look even more retro, the best option is probably Mopar’s exterior package. It includes a body-color hood with scoop, rear “Go-Wing” and stripe graphics. Of course, at $1,995, that leaves you with nothing left for performance parts. That’s why we’d probably opt for the cat-back exhaust system ($1,190) and pair it with the interior package ($780) for the manual transmission (of course) that includes a T-handle shifter and full car cover. For super-boring more practically minded Challenger buyers, Mopar is also offering customer care packages that include scheduled maintenance, towing and roadside assistance and rental car allowance. Thanks, but no thanks. Get all the details of the offer after the jump.
[Source: Chrysler]
PSA: Buy a Dodge Challenger, get $2,000 in Mopar bucks for go-faster (or look faster) bits originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: a-friend-via, a-price-tag, body-color-hood, dodge, dodge-challenger, high-res-image, mopar performance parts, pair-it-with, sscaero, through-april
REPORT: Track-focused, budget-oriented Toyota FT-86 on the way
Dec 22, 2009 Object
Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Europe, Japan, Hatchback, Honda, Toyota
Toyota FT-86 Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
The latest issue of EVO hasn’t dropped into our laps yet, but our favorite Brit pub apparently got the scoop on another variant of the Toyota FT-86 — one that’s supposedly track tuned and considerably cheaper than the model due to arrive in 2011.
Powered by the same Subaru-sourced, Toyota-tuned boxer four, this supposedly stripped out variant could dispatch some of the standard model’s amenities and come equipped with upgraded brakes and suspension components specifically designed for track work and drifting duty. According to EVO, a fully optioned FT-86 would carry a price tag of around $27,000, while this budget-oriented performance model will retail for around $22,000 — a similar setup to the Hyundai Genesis Coupe RSpec.
EVO goes on to report that Toyota’s crosstown rivals are working on a one-make race series for the Honda CR-Z and plan to campaign the hybrid hatch at the 24 hours of Nurburgring enduro in May. The more the merrier we say…
Gallery: Toyota FT-86 Concept in the Studio
[Source: EVO via FT86Club via Jalopnik]
REPORT: Track-focused, budget-oriented Toyota FT-86 on the way originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: a-friend-via, a-one-make-race, a-price-tag, crz, honda, hondacr-z, hyundai-genesis, japan, pub-apparently, sports, supposedly, toyota, toyota ft-86, toyotaft-86, track-focused
Rendered Speculation: JDM rumormill reports Subaru’s FT-86 will get turbo power, AWD
Oct 27, 2009 Object
Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Japan, Subaru, Rumormill
The crew from Japan’s BestCar magazine have apparently taken the initial pics of the Toyota FT-86 concept and grafted a unique nose, rear fascia and wheels onto ToMoCo’s new sports coupe, and while the result is less-than-fetching, the accompanying report offers a pseudo-confirmation of what’s been suspected all along.
According to BestCar’s (notoriously unnamed) sources, the Subaru coupe (internally dubbed 216A) will come equipped with all-wheel drive, and a choice of two engines in Japan - the 250-horsepower 2.0-liter EJ20 or the worked over, 300-hp boxer four from the WRX STI.
Naturally, the additional kit will result in a substantial price increase over the Toyota version, not to mention a 220-power weight penalty courtesy of its AWD drivetrain.
There’s also talk of a slight increase in height, width and wheelbase, but no word on whether the Subaru coupe will make it to U.S. shores. If it does, expect it to arrive sometime after its introduction in Japan in 2011, with a price tag somewhere around the $30,000 mark.
Gallery: Toyota FT-86 Concept
[Source: BestCar via 7Tune]
Rendered Speculation: JDM rumormill reports Subaru’s FT-86 will get turbo power, AWD originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: 2011a8, a-price-tag, a-unique-nose, arrive-sometime, available-with, from-the-wrx, ft-86, nurburgring, price-increase, sports, toyota ft-86, toyota ft86, toyotaft-86
Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 10.27.09
Oct 27, 2009 Object
Review: 2010 Buick LaCrosse CXL aims upmarket and almost hits target
Is the all-new Buick LaCrosse America’s answer to Lexus or will it continue to be the preferred conveyance of octogenarians? We drive Buick’s newest savior for a week to find out.
Ford makes biggest gains in Consumer Reports annual reliability report, Japanese still lead
Consumer Reports has released the results from its annual reliability survey and the findings show that Ford has made major gains to place itself among or ahead the most reliable Japanese brands.
Accord Crosstour, JDM Odyssey, or JDM Accord Tourer - Which would have been your pick?
The Honda Accord Crosstour hasn’t exactly set the world on fire, so if given the choice, would you pick the JDM Odyssey or the Accord Tourer over Honda’s latest entry into the psuedo-CUV set?
Also of interest:
- SEMA Preview: Hyundai finally delivers racer-friendly Genesis Coupe R-Spec
- Fisker buys GM’s Wilmington Delaware plant
- Wall Street Journal makes early Chrysler, Dodge and Fiat predictions
- BMW looking at cheaper 5 Series Gran Turismo, rules out M model
- SEMA Preview: Lingenfelter to show off Camaro-based Pontiac Trans Am
Browse our archive of Daily U-Turn posts or subscribe to the RSS feed
Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 10.27.09 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: 2011a8, a-friend-via, a-price-tag, accord-tourer, america, among-or-ahead, arrive-sometime, genesis coupe, japanese, pontiac-trans, price-increase, sports, street-journal, toyota ft-86, toyota ft86
Spy Shots: Lexus LF-A back on ‘Ring wearing white
Filed under: Spy Photos, Performance, Lexus
Looks like the Lexus LF-A (LF-L?) might be closer to production than we had thought. The gang at NextAutos just posted spy pics of a very production-ready-looking white LF-A doing some more hotlapping at the Nordschleife.
Although this ages-in-the-making supercar has been trotted out at several auto shows and twice been raced in the 24 hour endurance race ’round the ‘Ring, it wasn’t until recently that Toyota President Akio Toyoda confirmed it for production and even stated that it will be sold in the good ole U.S. of A.
Rumors have suggested that the car might go on sale in the UK as early as October with a price tag around
Tags: a-price-tag, beast-virtually, editorial, lexus, lexuslf-a, media, money, nurburgring, video
VIDEO: Ford shows off new Focus EV for the Jay Leno Show
Filed under: Videos, Hatchback, Ford, Celebrities, Alternative Fuel
Jay Leno’s Green Car Challenge Ford Focus EV - Click above to watch video after the jump
We’ve already showed you the first images of a new battery electric Focus that Ford has built for the guests of the new Jay Leno Show to drive in his Green Car Challenge. Now Ford has also posted a video with some of the engineers showing off their handiwork. Once the team got the Euro-spec Focus electrified, it was time for the Ford Racing crew to charge it up. Andy Slankard, Engineering Supervisor at Ford Racing, describes the work done to prepare the car for its life on the small screen. While these show cars started life as Focus ST models, their new powertrain and the added mass of a 23 kWh battery pack meant the suspension needed some beefing up. With the battery pack sitting in the cargo hold in the rear, the weight balance was undoubtedly shifted towards the back. Nevertheless, the car still looks pretty good going through the autocross, as you’ll see in the video after the jump. Thanks to Clifford for the tip!
[Source: YouTube]
Continue reading VIDEO: Ford shows off new Focus EV for the Jay Leno Show
VIDEO: Ford shows off new Focus EV for the Jay Leno Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: a-price-tag, a-video-with, beast-virtually, editorial, focus, fordfocusev, jay leno show, jump, lexus, nurburgring, prepare-the-car, suspension, video, work
REPORT: Audi could sell A1 in the States
Audi A1 Sportback concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
Luxury marques are betting big on small cars all around the world, and some are even testing the waters here in the good ‘ol U.S. of A. Despite the fact that most every small car intended for premium customers in the States has failed dismally in the past, there’s reason to believe that tide may be shifting, and automakers have taken notice.
Add Audi into the mix of European car companies interested in dipping a toe in the small car waters. According to a report from Bloomberg, following the undeniable success of rival BMW’s Mini brand, Audi may very well engineer its next-gen A1 with U.S. distribution in mind. We’ve been hearing this rumor for a while now, and it’s once again sourced from Audi’s head of sales Peter Schwarzenbauer.
The move is seen as another possible way the four-ringed German automaker can reach its goal of outselling BMW and Mercedes-Benz in all markets all three companies compete in, including, obviously, the United States. In order to line up against Mini, Audi’s A1 would likely need a price tag that’s well under $20,000 - not an easy task with the car expected to sell at a significantly higher price point in Europe.
Gallery: Audi A1 Sportback Concept
[Source: Bloomberg]
REPORT: Audi could sell A1 in the States originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: 2009frankfurt, a-price-tag, audi, audia1america, audia1sportback, entry, high-res-image, into-production, into-the-mix, possible, price, united-states, with-the-car
Real estate can be deadly: British tycoon kills stubborn tenant
Sep 8, 2009 Object
Filed under: People
Businesses, insurers, and other analysts have often sought to put a price tag on the value of a human life. In the health-care debate, for example, the magic number is $129,000; by comparison, when Ford designed the Pinto, its number-crunchers determined that the company’s customers (or at least the lawsuits that they were likely to generate) were worth $200,000 apiece. Meanwhile, as people sell kidneys for as little as $6,000, it seems like a life might be worth even less if it is sold a la carte.
In 2000, faced with an inconvenient tenant who stood in the way of a $3.8 million deal, British businessman Thanos Papalexis determined that a human life was worth approximately $500,000. That was the amount that he stood to make on a real estate deal. This assumed, however, that he was able to get rid of Charalambos Christodoulides, the shy, quiet man who lived near a London warehouse that Papalexis was trying to sell.
Continue reading Real estate can be deadly: British tycoon kills stubborn tenant
Real estate can be deadly: British tycoon kills stubborn tenant originally appeared on DailyFinance on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Real estate can be deadly: British tycoon kills stubborn tenant
Tags: a-friend-via, a-price-tag, health, paris-hilton, parishilton, people, stubborn-tenant, the-health-care
VIDEO: Porsche 911 Sport Classic wags its ducktail
Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Porsche
Click above to view the video after the jump
How many versions and permutations of the 911 can Porsche churn out? Apparently one more, as we discovered this morning with the release of the new, limited-edition Sport Classic.
The 911 SC packs an extra 23 horsepower over stock, retro duck-tail spoiler and carbon ceramic brakes in a body with tone-on-tone racing stripes, classically-inspired Sport Classic wheels, and a special woven leather interior. But with only 250 to be made and a price tag approaching a quarter-mil, the video after the jump may be the closest any of us get to this exclusive sportscar. Check it out.
Continue reading VIDEO: Porsche 911 Sport Classic wags its ducktail
VIDEO: Porsche 911 Sport Classic wags its ducktail originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: 911, a-friend-via, a-price-tag, entry, ferrari458italia, porsche, porsche sport classic, sport-classic, video porsche 911 sc, view-the-video
