Autoblog

Click either image for a high-res gallery of the Ford Focus RS.

We've been teased twice and now we finally get our first unmasked glimpse of the Ford Focus RS concept, due to debut at the London Motor Show next month. Images of the gaudy green hatch have begun to surface on a few sites across the pond, and the aggressive body work and racy interior mean that Ford's hottest hatch has to be packing some serious kit underhood. It is.

The Focus RS will be equipped with a tweaked version of the turbocharged Duratec 2.5-liter inline-five found in the ST, and will send between 280 and 300 hp, along with 300+ lb.-ft. of torque, through the front wheels via a six-speed gearbox equipped with a Quaife limited-slip differential. With that kind of power, the RS should be able to make the run to 60 in less than six seconds – assuming you don't torque-steer yourself into a tree in the process.

The dynamic body kit, complete with gaping maw, flared fenders, side sills, rear diffuser and wing, and unfortunate fender vents, compliments the lowered ride height, 19-inch, 15-spoke wheels and upgraded brakes. Inside, color-matched, two-tone Recaro thrones join an RS-specific instrument cluster and smaller diameter steering wheel.

More information should be released in the run-up to the show. As always, watch this space.



[Source: Autoblog Spanish - Translated]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Opel Insignia.

GM's European branch is planning a big debut later this month at the British Motor Show in London for one of its most important mainstream models. The new Insignia is replacing the venerable Vectra and brings with it a whole new design language. We got our first preview of the new look on last years GTC and Flextreme concepts. In London, Opel will be displaying hatchback and sedan variants of the Epsilon II-based Insignia, with the sharp edged look of the Vectra replaced with smoother flowing lines and scooped out side panels. European drivers will have seven engines to choose from including four gas and three diesel models, all with six speed gearboxes. The four- and six-cylinder gas engines range from 115 hp to 260 hp, while the 2.0L diesel fours get 110-160 hp variants. The Insignia will also be available with a version of the Haldex torque vectoring all wheel drive system used on the Saab Turbo-X. GM plans to announce pricing for the new model on July 22 in London with sales later this fall, and don't be surprised if the Insignia makes the trip across the Atlantic and receives a Saturn badge in the process. The Opel press release is after the jump.


[Source: General Motors]

British kids are at least as into cars as American kids, and probably liked the Pixar movie just as much. But Route 66 is far away from old Blimey, as is the Cars-dedicated theme park which Disney is making at its California Adventure location. British parents will soon be able to pacify their octane-snorting Olivers when the British International Motor Show opens its doors in London, where a full Cars attraction will make its UK debut.

The highlight of the attraction will be a display of life-size Cars cast members, based on actual automobiles. Lightning McQueen will be there (based on a '78 Trans Am), along with Sally Carrera ('02 911) and Mack the Truck ('85 Mack Super-Liner), but British lads might relate best to Mater the buck-toothed tow-truck (based on a Chevy dually pick-up). Kids can also try out the special gaming pods and get their faces painted – though we doubt Ramone (voiced by Cheech) will be there to turn out the his custom schemes.

[Source: BIMS]

Click to view the Range Rover Autobiography in hi-res

Land Rover is preparing to unveil a new, even more luxurious version of its range-topping Range Rover at its home-market British International Motor Show later this month in London. Oddly named the Autobiography (though no more odd than the Vogue nameplate), the new luxury trim level features an array of premium features.

Among the elements that set the Autobiography apart from its "lesser" siblings are a choice of three new wheels (you actually get four of them, plus a spare) like the 20-inch diamond-turned alloys seen in the picture above, a pallet of new color options and stainless steel grille and side vents. Inside, the Range Rover Autobiography gets new leather trim everywhere, optional wood trim on the steering wheel and shifter, stainless steel pedals and sat-nav and TV screens.

Follow the jump to read the full press release, and click on the thumbnails below to view in high resolution (and we don't mean like living clean or eating less Doritos this year).

[Source: Land Rover]

Reports indicate that the highly-anticipated Lotus Eagle will be making its debut next month at the British Motor Show. The 2+2 sports car will be the first all-new Lotus in about 13 years, and will reportedly be powered by a Toyota-sourced 3.5-liter V6 lifted out of the Camry family sedan but highly modified for the task by Lotus' own engineering gurus. Output is pegged at 268 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque in naturally-aspirated guise, with a turbocharged version also reportedly in the works.

Along with the latest reports comes this teaser image reportedly released by Lotus ahead of the vehicle's debut, which joins the image of the front suspension module released way back in February and the spy shots that have been trickling in ever since. The teaser shows an unmistakably Lotus front end draped by a sheet which we hope to see lifted on July 22 from the show in London.

[Source: CarScoop]

Click above for high-res gallery of the IFR Aspid

While we can't get enough of the Caterham and all its copycats, the one thing we've never said to ourselves is, "This needs a roof, some luxury amenities and 400 horsepower." But that's exactly what IFR Automotive has done with the Aspid. IFR is an acronym for the engineer that founded the firm, Ignacio Fernandez Rodriquez, whose former employers include Prodrive and the Mitsubishi WRC team. Rodriquez wanted to create a track-day masterpiece that would not only confirm to FIA safety standards and European homologation requirements, but also offer a level of luxury and refinement previous unseen on other track-bound whips.

The result is a lightweight aluminum and carbon fiber structure that tips the scales at around 1,550 pounds. Two engines will be available when the production model hits the streets later this year, including a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter producing 270 hp, or a 400-hp turbocharged version of the same mill. Power will be sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox and a limited-slip differential. With that kind of power to weight ratio (570 hp per ton), IFR is predicting a 0-62 run of 2.8 seconds, a 0-100 sprint of 5.9 seconds and a maximum (restricted) speed of 155 mph. Slowing and turning the Aspid should be equally dramatic, with the lightweight coupe halting from 100 mph in three seconds flat and hitting 1.6 g of lateral acceleration.

All that mind-boggling performance will come at a cost, so when you place your order after the Aspid's debut at the London Motor Show next month, you'll be expected to cough up £75,000 before you can take delivery next summer. Press release below the fold.


[Source: Aspid via SCC]

Pininfarina announced yesterday that the legendary Italian design house has been commissioned to create a one-off version of the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe for an unnamed client. Said client apparently wants to make a big splash with his (or her) bespoke coupe, so they've given Pininfarina the go-ahead to debut the Hyperion at the Pebble Beach Concours in August.

The press release (posted below the fold) doesn't reveal any more details about the swoopy Roller, aside from saying that it is "firmly rooted in the history and heritage of the two Brands" and that the Hyperion is an homage to the pre-war cars of yore. We'll be on hand to see the unveiling of the Hyperion when it makes its debut in less than two months.

[Source: Pininfarina]

Click above for high-res gallery of Mazda's new CUV concept

Mazda announced today that it will debut a new compact crossover concept at this year's Moscow International Automobile Salan that incorporates the brand's Nagare design language into a more functional form. While not yet officially named, the crossover concept is said to express the design theme of "crosswinds" and is being developed specifically for the Russian market. SUVs are still popular in Russia and the market for new cars has grown large enough there to warrant the specific attention of automakers. The Moscow Motor Show will take place in late August at which time we'll get to see Mazda's Russian crossover concept, and we're told an official name will be announced in due course. Check out a few more pics in the gallery below to see if this concept is as impressive as Mazda's previous Nagare concepts, including the Nagare, Ryuga, Hakaze, Taiki and Furai.


[Source: Mazda]

Click any image to enlarge

The sights confirmed that it was was Car Guy Heaven, even if the weather was more reminiscent of Hell on Earth. That, in a nutshell, sums up the 2008 edition of the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance, a 2-day automotive carnival that never ceased to amaze, no matter how many times we walked around the grounds. Each pass seemed to reveal something new -- something we somehow missed just a few minutes earlier. As always, Day 1 was dedicated to American cars and Day 2 paid tribute to the Europeans. Oh, and temps were in the mid-90s and very humid both days. That didn't make it less awesome, though. Just more...sticky.




All photos Copyright ©2008 Alex Núñez / Weblogs, Inc.

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Ford Focus RS

In the magical lands where the Focus looks cool, otherwise known as Europe, new images of the hotrod 2009 Focus RS have had enthusiasts atwitter the last few days. While the images are clearly 'chops - the wheels and backgrounds look like they're in high speed motion, while the tire tread is statue-still - they're reportedly legitimate mockups that were used to illustrate internally how the car might look. Ford confirmed their legitimacy today when it released two more photos of an actual Focus RS prototype along with a press release. The two new pics show the RS prototype racing around the Nurburgring where it's being tested ahead of its launch in 2009. The press release confirms that the RS will be powered by a Duratic 2.5L engine that's turbocharged to produce 280 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Ford also claims it's got torque steer for this pocket rocket in check with a new front-wheel-drive system and limited-slip differential. As for the design, we'll get to see it for the first time at the 2009 London Motor Show in late July. Check out both the photoshopped pics and Ford's two official pics in our gallery below and read the official press release for yourself after the jump.


[Source: Ford, CarTribe via Carscoop]