The first official images and info of the new Range Rover Sport S have been released. The new SUV from Land Rover is powered by a 3.0 litre diesel engine delivering 211 hp and 520 Nm of maximum torque, which is said to be a ‘more efficient’ version of the 255 hp V6 already in use for the Range Rover range. This new unit comes with a ‘low flow’ injection system that allows for an average fuel consumption of 8.5 l/100km and CO2 emissions of 224 g/km.

The Range Rover Sport S comes with an 8-speed automatic gearbox with paddle shifters supplied by German specialist ZF, which helps drivers to fully exploit the engine in any conditions through the maximization of its power delivery while keeping the consumption down to a minimum. Technically speaking, the Sport S inherits all the functions of the current Range Rover line-up, making it perfect for off-road adventures and very comfortable for everyday use.

Fiat introduces the new ‘Strada‘, an upgrade of its little pickup truck assembled at their plant in Betim, Brazil. The model will become available in Europe in a matter of days and is meant to be first and foremost a commercial vehicle, but nonetheless it can be used outside work too. The Fiat Strada measures 4.41 meters in length (4.46 for the Adventureversion), 1.66 in width (1.74 m) and wheelbase of 2.72 meters, whereas its loading area is 1,685 mm long and 1,300 mm wide in its ’standard’ configuration. The variant with the long cabin instead will have a cargo area measuring 1,332 x 1,070 millimeters.

The Strada weighs 1,915 kg, can tow up to a ton and - driver included - can carry between 630 and 705 kg. The range includes three trim variants (Working, Trekking and Adventure) and three body-types (with short, long and double cabin), all of which will come with a 1.3-litre Multijet engine producing 95 hp and 200 Nm of torque from 1,500 rpm, with an average fuel consumption rated at about 5.3 l/100km. In its basic version, the Fiat Strada comes with a whole new instrumentation, ABS and (for Trekking and Adventure variants only) a steering wheel adjustable in height. The Adventure can be recognized by its black grille with chrome inserts and by its foglights integrated in the front fascia. Its standard features also include air conditioner, leather seats with special 205/65 R15 all-terrain tyres and E-Locker (Electronic Locking Differential), which improves the car’s performance on low-grip surfaces and includes compass and inclinometer.

All versions will also come with standard audio system and CD player, clima, sunroof, alloy wheels. Fiat has also released to official prices (before taxes) for the Italian market: the basic Fiat Strada with Working trim and single cabin will cost 12,900 €, while at the top of the range we have the Strada Advenure with double cabin, priced at 16,000 €.

View the full Fiat Strada photo gallery

German manufacturer PG releases the first images of the Elektrus, an electric sportscar that will be produced in only 667 units. The model shares several features with the Tesla Roadster, most notably Lotus Elise’s chassis, with a few aesthetic changes and different materials: the bodywork for instance is made of Carbon Fibre, while the front end uses a much bigger grille and much thinner LED head lamps.

As for now, there is no information about Elektrus’s powertrain. The maker just revealed that the car will have an output of 272 hp and 350 Nm of torque, with a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of less than 3 seconds and 250 km/h (155 mph) of top speed. The Elektrus should end up weighing less than 1.000 kg, with a range in excess of 350 km (218 mph). Each one of those 667 units will come with price tag of 285.000 € (roughly 367,700 $ - 237,000 £).

via | LeftLane

General Motors and the students from Israel’s Bezalel Academy of Art and Design have created the Windows Of Opportunity (WOO), a device which will basically turn the car’s side windows into multifunctional touch screens. With the WOO, passengers will be allowed to play, draw, write messages, interact with the surroundings and so on, making bored kids complaining on the back seat a distant memory. The device is still well into its testing stage and uses both motion and optical sensor technology, but at the moment it does not feature the “smart glass” function (that would modify the transparency or black out the windows), which will be implemented if the WOO will actually enter into production.

The current Windows of Opportunity prototype makes use of four different characters/apps called Otto, Foofu, Spindow and Pond - each one of which is in charge of a single specific function - that should be able to effectively entertain the kids while introducing them to the use of the WOO. We will be waiting for further development of this interesting idea, but for now you can enjoy the exhaustive video above.

Opel continues the celebration for its 150th anniversary with the introduction of a special trim package for its Corsa, Meriva, Astra and Insignia models, dubbed ‘150 Year Opel’.

With this celebrative package, both Corsa and Meriva will get 16″ wheels, tinted rear glass, fog lights, heated steering wheel, cruise control, an MP3-CD stereo and an adjustable panoramic roof or sunroof with separate air conditioning for both the driver and the front passenger. whereas the Astra will get the same goodies but with a set 17″ rims. As for the Insignia, the package is completed by heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, a Navi 900 Europa info-tainment system, an electric sunroof and a glazed panoramic roof as well as 18″ alloys. Needless to say, the whole lot will also receive slew of anniversary-themed badges and finishing.

What makes the ‘150 Years Opel’ jubilee trim even more interesting is that it promises to be quite cheap, savings of up to 2,100 € over the usual price of the aforementioned extras. The jubilee trim packages start at 450 euro (recommended retail price in Germany including VAT). Depending on the model, they represent a cost saving of 876 euro.

via | CarFanaticsForum

South Korean manufacturer Ssangyong has unveiled its new pick-up Korando Sports at the 2012 European Motor Show, currently ongoing in Brussels. The model is based on the Actyon Sports model, and is also somewhat inspired by the interesting SUT Concept 1, which was on display at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, and uses a cabin that can accommodate 5 people, including the driver.

The model will be initially available with one single engine option: a turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-cylinder ‘e-XDi’ diesel unit credited with an output of 155 hp and 360 Nm of peak torque. The model complies with Euro 5 regulations and will be available with both front- and all-wheel drive configurations, with the carmaker claiming for the latter an average fuel consumption of about 6.7 l/100km. An automatic gearbox for the model will be made available upon request. More info about the Ssangyong Korando Sports will be released at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, taking place next March.

View the full Ssangyong Korando Sports photo gallery

Audi has revealed the interior of the next Audi A3 at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), currently ongoing in Las Vegas, where the German carmaker also brought some already known model of its range as well as the Urban concept car. Frankly, the dashboard of the new A3 looks elegant but pretty minimal. Among its most distinctive there is the electrically deploying dash-mounted 7″ LCD screen - which allows for 3D graphics - and the original “Phone Box”: it is an area located in the center console that works as a signal amplification chamber, passing the signal of the mobile phone to an antenna mounted on the outside of the car. This device allows for better reception, less dropped calls and faster data speeds. The electronics of the car are based on a MMX board (Multi-Media eXtension), a plug-in module whose highlight is a powerful 1.2 GHz Tegra 2 processor, courtesy of Nvidia. The new 2013 Audi A3 will be officially unveiled at the next Geneva Motor Show, in March.

The other highlight at the Audi’s stall in Vegas is the Urban Concept, a futuristic compact two seater powered by a 20 hp electric engine. This model can go from 0 to 60 km/h (37.2 mph) in about 6 seconds and reach a top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph), with 50 km (31 miles) of range and charging time between 20 minutes and 2 hrs, depending on the voltage. Rumor has it that Audi Urban could actually become available to the general public in 2013 in the form of a 999 units limited edition series, but there is no official confirmation on the matter.

Here is an exclusive photo gallery of the Audi stand at the 2012 CES (courtesy of our buddies at Autoblog.it) as well as an official photo gallery released by Audi with the new interior of the next A3.

View the full Audi at the 2012 CES photo gallery
View the full 2013 Audi A3 interior photo gallery

One of the most interesting cars that debuted at this year’s North American International Auto Show is the Falcon F7, a new supercar assembled in Holly, Michigan. The model is a mid-mounted rear wheel drive coupe powered by a 7.0-litre V8 courtesy of Chevrolet, based on the LS7 unit of the Corvette. This engine produces 620 hp and 813 Nm (585 lb-ft) of torque, and is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. Weighing in at 1,263 kg (2785 lb), the car is claimed to hit the 100 km/h (62 mph) mark in about 3.3-3.5 seconds, with a top speed in the 310 km/h area (200 mph).

The F7 is based on an aluminum/carbon fiber monocoque, with its minimal interior using leather and carbon fibre. The car comes with Garmin sat-nav, iPod dock, BlueTooth connectivity and air conditioner. Falcon plans to build and sell 15 cars in its first full year of production, raising that to 25 the second year and 100 or more in subsequent years.

View the full Falcon F7 at the 2012 NAIAS photo gallery

via | windingroad

The mysterious supercar that Indian firm DC Design was going to unveil at the 2012 New Delhi Auto Expo has finally been revealed: it is called Avanti, and here are a few images of the model taken from the manufacturer official facebook page.

Billed as India’s first own supercar, this mid-mounted engine model is powered by a turbocharged V6 petrol unit sourced by Honda, with an output of more than 400 hp. The model weighs 1,545 kg and should enter production toward the end of 2013 at DC Design’s plant in Pune, India. The firm plans to produce 300 units in the first full year and then scale it up to 3,000 units subsequently. The price should be in the 56,000 $ area (about 43,000 €, 36,000 £), but we will be waiting for more info on the subject coming from the New Delhi event.

This year German manufacturer Opel (aka GM’s arm in Europe) will celebrate the 150th anniversary of its foundation, and to open the celebrations they have released this video which kind of compresses their whole century and a half of history in just three minutes. As you will figure out pretty soon watching the clip, Opel hasn’t been a carmaker the whole time: Mr. Adam Opel founded the firm in 1862 in Rüsselsheim, Germany, to produce sewing machines, and then the business gradually expanded in other sectors such as bycicles in 1886 (becoming the world’s largest bicycle manufacturer in the mid 20s) and, in 1902, cars. In 1914 Opel became Germany’s biggest automaker, opening the very first automated production line in 1924 and keeping on growing till the economic crisis of 1929, right after which GM stepped in as majority-stake holder, eventually becoming the only owner in 1931.

Since then, Opel has always remained one of the most well-known manufacturer in Europe - also producing electronic appliances for a short while -giving the automotive world some unforgettable vehicles such as the Kadett (all of them), the Corsa (all of them), the Olympia in the mid 30s, the Blitz truck, the Manta in the 70s, the Ascona rally car of the 80s and so forth until the more recent Astra and Ampera. There are just too many to mention. Nowadays Opel boasts 11 manufacturing facilities in 6 countries and 40,500 empolyees, and its headquarters are still based in Rüsselsheim. The brand continues to operate worldwide but is no longer present in the U.S. market, whereas in Britain all of its model are marketed under the Vauxhall brand. Well, happy birthday Opel.

January 1st is one of those extreme ’slow news days’, so here we are talking about some celebrity cars. Poison’s frontman and TV personality Bret Michaels will be auctioning off three cars of his fleet at an upcoming Barrett-Jackson event in Scottsdale, Arizona. As it often happens in situations like that, the cars once owned by some sort of celebrity get a ridiculous extra value on the top of what they would normally be on sale for in the real world, and a case in point comes from Mr.Michaels himself. Last year he showed up at another Barrett-Jackson auction offering a non-original 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, which got eventually sold for no less than 200,000 $ (about 155,000 € / 130,000 £ at current rates), meaning five times the cash it was likely to fetch up without its ‘celebrity status’. Ok, the singer also threw in a signed guitar in the deal, but still..

Quite understandably impressed with the result, Mr.Michaels will be back at this year’s Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale (January 15-22) with three cars: a 2004 Bentley Continental GT, a 2004 Lincoln Navigator and a 2011 Ford Explorer. Here’s a photo gallery of his offering and, right after the jump, the Press Release presenting the lot. Our advice is: if you would be interested in some of the models but you are not a Poison’s fan, forget it.

via | Autoblog.com

Rock Star, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist & Survivor Bret Michaels to Return to the Barrett-Jackson Block

World’s Greatest Collector Car Event to Auction
Three Pieces from the Celebrity’s Personal Collection

Scottsdale, Ariz. – Dec. 22, 2011 – Rock legend Bret Michaels will return to the Barrett-Jackson auction block to sell three pieces from his prized personal collection at the 41st Annual Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction, Jan. 15-22, 2012.

“We welcomed Bret to the Barrett-Jackson last year with the sale of his 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS,” said Craig Jackson, Chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “We’re honored Bret is returning to the block to sell three more pieces of his personal collection.”

But before his cars cross the block, Michaels will perform on the stage at the private Barrett-Jackson Opening Gala. Though the exclusive Gala is limited to invited friends, family and VIPs, a few lucky locals will win tickets through local radio stations, facebook.com/Barrett-Jackson and Barrett-Jackson’s Twitter feed @barrett-jackson.

Entrepreneur and rock icon Michaels has consigned his 2004 Bentley Continental GT
(Lot #705.4, VIN SCBCR63W24C021428). The stunning, Moonbeam Silver car features a 6.0 Liter twin turbo W12, GPS navigation and premium package.

Michaels is also selling his 2004 Lincoln Navigator (Lot #705.5, VIN 5LMFU28R24LJ31439), a true Rock Star vehicle as featured on Michaels’ hit VH1 show, “Rock of Love.” The 5.4 Liter V8 features leather interior and a DVD player.

Finally, Michaels will sell his 2011 Ford Explorer (Lot #705.6, VIN 1FMHK7F80BGA18572) featured on his hit TV show “Life as I Know it.” The Explorer features a navigation system, luxury package and V6 engine.

Last year, Michaels’ 1969 Camaro sold for $220,000 during primetime auction hours. An avid car and motorcycle enthusiast, Michaels was named 2011 People Magazine’s “Survivor of the Year” and Fox411’s “Celebrity of the Year.” In May 2010, he was hand-picked as Donald Trump’s Season 3 winner on Celebrity Apprentice. He has graced the covers of People, US weekly, Billboard, Scottsdale Health, Diabetes Forecast and other magazines.

As front man of legendary rock band Poison, Michaels has sold over 29 million records and scored an amazing 14 Top 40 hits, including the timeless #1 smash single “Every Rose Has its Thorn,” his solo country crossover hit “All I Ever Needed,” and his rock hit “Go That Far.” As an actor, Michaels has made regular appearances on multiple hit television shows and starred in his hit reality show, “Rock of Love with Bret Michaels,” which became the highest rated series on Vh1. His most recent show “Bret Michaels: Life As I know It,” still remains one of the top ranking shows on the network.

Over the years, fans of Michaels have seen him endure a great deal of personal adversity regarding his health. Since the age of six, Michaels has lived a daily battle with Type-1 diabetes, which he has turned into a lifelong cause that he continues to support as a spokesperson for the American Diabetes Association. He was awarded the ADA’s prestigious Chair’s Citation Award in 2010 for excellence in raising awareness and funds for diabetes. In 1994, he survived a car accident along with various traumatic injuries. Just this past year in 2010, he overcame a near-fatal brain hemorrhage and subsequent stroke. It is Michaels’s characteristic determination and strong willpower that pulls him through any hardship that might come his way.

“Bret Michaels is known to fans around the world as a rock star and a television celebrity,” added Steve Davis, President of Barrett-Jackson, “but what we’ve come to appreciate even more as we get to know Bret, is the personal side of this rock ‘n’ roll icon. He is a devoted father, active philanthropist and a passionate automotive enthusiast. We are honored to have him with us again.”

For more information about bidding on this special car or any other in the auction, follow the link to www.barrett-jackson.com/bid. To see the latest on Bret Michaels, please visit www.bretmichaels.com.