One of the commercials that Chrysler had aired during the last Superbowl was not dedicated to any specific model, it was a sort of statement about Detroit’s new found fighting spirit recited by Hollywood’s legend Clint Eastwood. The striking speech - which was shown during the half time break - appeals to the patriotic heart of the US to not give up, even though it’s a tough time for the home economy, and can be considered the second chapter of the famous Eminem ad that was broadcast during the same event last year. Definitely well made.
If you’re a true Lamborghini fan, you can’t miss the third episode of this documentary, which describes what’s going on around Lambo’s HQ in Sant’Agata Bolognese. And I’m saying around because the most striking thing in this footage is probably Lamborghini HQ’s car park, where fans regularly flock in to show off their super sports cars, or just to view the unusual parade which includes rare and exotic specimens.
The place has become the world’s largest gathering of 12-cylinders, where you can see the most extravagant models cruising around as in a quite surreal catwalk show. Enjoy!
In the wake of the recent restyling of the Bmw X6 M, a face-lifted Bmw X5 M gets now introduced by the German carmaker sporting more or less the same modifications applied to its bigger sister, which were not that many anyway. We are talking about a small upgrade that doesn’t really affect the overall look of the car, which was introduced just three years ago and still feels quite fresh and modern. The revamped X5 M in fact shows slightly different head lights, larger air intakes on the front and new tail lights, now featuring LED technology. Speaking of which, BMW will also offer a full-LED head lamps set as an optional extra, which will be made available in the US for 1,900 dollars.
Other distinctive features of this new X5 M include blue-painted calipers, new multifunction ‘M’ seats and Mogello Red leather upholstery, which replaces the ‘old’ Sakhir Orange trim. The model’s signature 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 unit - delivering 555 hp and 678 Nm of torque - has been left untouched, implying that its performance figures remain the same too: 4.5 seconds to hit the 100 km/h mark (62 mph) from standstill and 250 km/h (155 mph) of top speed. In the US the new facelifted X5 M will be 1,600 $ more expensive than the outgoing range.
Last month we showed you a bunch of spy shots picturing a mule of the Rolls Royce Phantom sedan, which is currently undergoing its mid-life restyling. Similarly, the coupe version of the famous RR model will is also about to receive some cosmetic change, and here are a few spy shots showing us the relative mule taking on some cold weather testing.
The most visible modifications should be affecting the front end of the car, especially the layout of its head lamps. In fact, just like the aforementioned Phantom sedan mule, this one too sports some smart cammo on the front lights designed to resemble the aesthetics of the current model, making it clear that that is the area where the major changes will happen. As with the sedan version, we suspect that the coupe will feature some minor changes to the interior and infotainment system too, and it is quite likely that some new units with more power and less CO2 emissions will also be added to its engine range.
A 5-door version of the Seat Mii will become available this summer, joining the already marketed 5-door variants of its twin sisters Volkswagen Up! and Skoda Citigo. In the same fashion as its two siblings, the new model gets an extra set of pillars at the back that do not alter the overall style of the car, buy surely add up to its practicality. Unfortunately the rear windows cannot be wound down as there’s just a clip to pop them out. The size of the 5-door Mii is exactly the same as its 3-dooor counterpart, meaning 3.56 meters in length and 1.64 meters in width, with 2.42 meters of wheel base. Trunk capacity varies between 251 and 951 litres (with the rear bench folded).
The Seat Mii with the 5-door body-type will come with only one engine option, a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder unit available in power steps of 60 and 75 hp. Average fuel consumption for the model is rated between 4.5 and 4.7 l/100 k, figures that can be improved when choosing the Ecomotive variant, which makes use of start-stop system, KERS and a set of low-resistance tyres. This configuration allows the Mii to consume only 4.1-4.2 l/100 km, with CO2 emissions of 96-98 g/km.
View the full Seat Mii 5-door photo gallery
A new variant of the Volkswagen Beetle with a 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine is scheduled to debut on the market in the summer, following its official unveiling at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show (February 8-19). This unit is the same one equipping the the Jetta TDI, an iron/aluminum 2.0-liter turbocharged and direct-injected Clean Diesel producing 140 hp and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of maximum torque. The model will come with a standard 6-speed manual transmission, but VW will also make a 6-speed ‘dual-clutch’ DSG gearbox available as an option.
The Beetle 2.0 TDI requires 8.1 litres of diesel every 100 km in urban traffic, a figures that goes down to 6 l/100km when traveling on motorways. The standard equipment also includes six airbags, ESP, RCD310 audio system with CD player, Blootooth connectivity and eight speakers. We will be waiting for some news in regard to the European version of the model.
The next Geneva Motor Show will see the official unveiling of the new Morgan Aero Coupe, a new two-seater from the British carmaker entirely made of aluminum and hand built. According to Morgan, the new Aero Coupe is inspired by the famous GT3 Aero, a car that enjoyed a number of racing victories in its days.
The model is powered by a 4.8-litre V8 engine courtesy of BMW, which provides the Aero Coupe with 367 hp in its stock version and 390 hp with the package inclusive of sports mufflers. The car comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard equipment, but Morgan also offers an automatic transmission option (supplied once again by German specialist ZF) that will be able to operate in two modes, Auto and Sport, with the latter that switches gears past the 6,500 rpm, allowing for a full exploitation of the power coming from the German engine.
In terms of sheer performance, the Morgan Aero Coupe boasts some quite impressive figures: top speed is rated at 273 km/h (170 mph) while its 0-100 km/h 862 mph) sprint time is just 4.5 seconds. Outstanding performance aside, Morgan did not fail to provide the new model with the level of comfort and usability that one would expect in a gran turismo car of this leverage. Inside we found leather and suede with top notch finishing, while the ash hardwood that surrounds cockpit and doors can be hand polished in a colour chosen by the customer. Check out Morgan Aero Coupe’s specs right after the jump.
Continue reading: Morgan Aero Coupe to be unveiled in Geneva
The commercial starring the Chevrolet Silverado that will be broadcasted tonight during the XLVI SuperBowl is set in sort of post-apocalyptic scenario, where the pick-up truck from Chevy emerges from a pile of rubble and begins traveling through the ruins of town with a pale gray sky and fuming volcanos in the background. The ad is obviously focusing on toughness and vigour of the model, and is scheduled to air during the first quarter of the game.
The Chevrolet Silverado is powered by a 6.6-litre V8 Duramax engine that develops 370 hp and allows this heavy beast to reach 100km/h (62 mph) from standstill in less than 9 seconds. The vehicle comes with a Allison 1000 6-speed automatic transmission, which is replaced by a Hydra Matic gearbox on the less powerful 6-litre V8. The Silverado has been designed to deliver in any situation and weather condition, to the point that it can be switched on even at -30 degrees.
German specialist Edo Competition introduces yet another tuning program for the Porsche Panamera Turbo S that includes new air filters, exhaust manifolds, turbochargers, a stainless steel exhaust system with butterfly valves, high-flow catalytic converters and a recalibrated ECU. All these modifications allow the 4.8-litre V8 engine of the standard model to boost its output from 550 hp and 750 Nm (553 lb/ft) up to a staggering 700 hp and 880 Nm (649 lb/ft) of peak torque.
This spiced up version of the Panamera S boasts a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of just 3.5 seconds, meaning three tenths of a second less than the stock version, while the 0-200 km/h (124 mph) is completed in 11.4 seconds, definitely way faster than the 13.5 seconds that the standard model requires to reach that same speed. Top speed instead is limited to 340 km/h (211 mph). Other remarkable features of the model include Edo competition’s own suspension lowering module - which can reduce the Panamera’s ride height by 30 mm - and a set of house-made 22″ alloy wheels.
View the full Porsche Panamera Turbo S by Edo Competition photo gallery
Acura introduces the ad that will promote the new NSX during the XLVI SuperBowl, which will see the New York Giants and the New England Patriots battling each other at the Lucas Oil Stadium of Indianapolis, Indiana. The model is basically the long awaited heir of the iconic Honda NSX sportscar of the 90s, but will be marketed in North America with Honda’s luxury brand Acura. The car was unveiled in mid January in Detroit, at the North American International Auto Show, and is powered by a V6 Vtec engine in combination with two electric motors. Its innovative Super Handling All Wheel Drive system makes sure that the ideal torque in any situation gets constantly transferred to all four corners of the car, implying an obvious benefit to its overall performance.
However, the real star of this commercial is Jerry Seinfeld, the famous American comedian that owes his worldwide popularity to the successful “Seinfeld” sit-com of the 90s. Simply put, Seinfeld finds out he is just number two on the customers’ waiting list for the new Acura, and tries to convince the holder of the number one spot to switch places through a number of different odd offers, with no success. Then, as soon as the number one guy gets persuaded, another special guest gets in the way..
The car is frankly a bit neglected in the commercial, but if you want to take a closer look, check out our photo galleries: the official one dispatched by Honda and an exclusive one taken live at the 2011 NAIAS a few weeks back by our colleagues from Autoblog.it.
View Honda/ Acura NSX Concept at the 2012 NAIAS photo gallery
View Honda NSX Concept official photo gallery