Autoblog

Click above for more gruesome shots of gold-plated exotics

Do you ever wonder what company actually does the 24-carat gold plating jobs on those gilded exotic and luxury cars that surface on the web from time to time? Perhaps you're looking for someone to do the same to your Camry? Alchemist is the appropriately named company behind these works, and its specialty is gold plating just the roof panel, though it will to dip the entire car in gold for the right price. The company is based in London, England and headed by a Frenchman named Jacques Blanc, who will soon be taking a perfectly good Aston Martin DBS and gilding the entire thing with 24-carat gold and platinum-leaf at the upcoming MPH Show in London.


[Source: Alchemist]

The picture at right was taken a just a day after the rally legend was killed in a tragic helicopter crash near his home in Lanarkshire. Without prompting, rally fans from across the UK drove to Scotland to hold a memorial in the McRaes' hometown, which quickly filled up with Subarus, most of them WR blue.

One year on, they've gotten organized. Next Saturday, August 30, Colin's dad, Jimmy, will drive his son's famous 555 Impreza out of Lanark and head for Prodrive's factory in Banbury, southern England. By the time he reaches Birmingham he will have 700 Subarus in his mirrors forming an all-wheel-drive parade that's expected to stretch over 10 miles. Then, on Sunday the 31st, another 600 scoobies are set to join the tailback as it heads to Prodrive's test track in Warwickshire. Yep, that's 1,300 cars in a 20 -plus-mile snake, powered by 5,200 horizontally opposed cylinders.

Although official entry to the event is now closed, organizers expect even more Subarus to show up on the day. Details of the route can be found at http://www.mcrae-gathering.co.uk/

Click above for a gallery of the Lotus Elise by Kahn.

Special edition Elises are becoming a dime-a-dozen, but Lotus decided Kahn Design should be tasked with creating its own bespoke version of the Elise to celebrate the automaker's 60th anniversary.

Kahn, primarily known for its body-kit-equipped Astons, Benzes, Landies and Rollers, has taken the standard Elise and given it an aesthetic once-over in an attempt to justify it's yet-to-be-disclosed price tag. The enhancements include a new front splitter, side skirts and rear wing, along with silver mesh fitted to the side air intakes and rear clam. The seats have replaced with thicker, leather thones and the Kahn logo has been embossed on the headrests, center console and steering wheel. In keeping with Kahn tradition, performance modifications are limited to 19-inch wheels, a new suspension and a sports exhaust.

The Kahn Elise will officially debut next month, with sales beginning later this year through the UK's Dream Machines Lotus dealership.


[Source: Autoblog.nl]

Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson has had nothing but bad luck when it comes to testing electric cars. Maybe the problem is that he's never gotten his hands on the right one. Reports are coming in from across the pond that the popular television series has recently procured a Tesla Roadster for Mr. Clarkson to wedge his rather large and surly self into. We have a feeling that Jeremy will like this car -- its performance, after all, rivals that of many gas-powered cars we consider super. Plus, it has British roots, and anybody who has ever watched the show knows that this fact earns brownie points from the three-man crew.

When will the test take place? That's a good question. Our compatriots over at AutoblogGreen have contacted Daryl Siry, head PR man at the Silicon Valley EV company, who told us that no specific date has been set. He did assure us, however, that a test will definitely take place. When it does, we sure hope that it goes better than the last electric vehicle test. Seriously, it could hardly go worse.


[Source: The Independent via AutoblogGreen]

Click above for more images of the Trident Iceni

If the name 'Trident' has visions of Maseratis and vintage Triumphs dancing through your head, you are in for a big surprise. When we first looked at the Trident Iceni, it was powered by a 375-hp GM turbo diesel V8 mounted up front and producing 520 lb-ft of torque. After a year or two of development, it's even better according to its makers, with the latest version of the venerable Duramax diesel tweaked to offer 550 horsepower at 3,800 rpm along with an arm-wrenching 950 lb-ft at just 1,800 rpm. Trident claims the Duramax can slingshot the Iceni to 60 mph in well under four seconds and on up to a top speed easily surpassing 200 miles per hour. According to the British company, its modified GM/Isuzu engine is capable of running on any blend of biodiesel without voiding the warranty and returns 68.9 miles per gallon (or 57 mpg in U.S. gallons) at a steady 70 miles per hour. Is this the guilt-free supercar for the eco-conscious speed freak?

With an elaborate chassis folded from stainless steel and a composite body, the Iceni will not rot away. The rear-mounted 8-speed automatic transmission also allows for wide gearing, which is fortunate since the diesel engine isn't going to be a revver. The company is currently looking for funding and hopes to offer the Iceni for about £75,000 out the door. So far, Trident has mentioned no plans to send its wares across the pond to the U.S. Pity us poor Americans.


[Source: Trident Performance Vehicles]

A new business deal signed between the BBC on the one hand and Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson and producer Andy Wilman on the other could see the vast expansion of the Top Gear brand worldwide. The deal involves BBC Worldwide, the international commercial arm of the government-owned television network, taking a majority stake in Badder 6. The latter is a company set up by Clarkson and Wilman two years ago for reasons unknown, but will now act to channel all revenues from the Top Gear brand back to the BBC, Clarkson and Wilman.

The deal is seen as a necessity to keep Clarkson happy so he'll remain on the show amidst offers from competing networks and producers for the world's most famous automotive journalist. Badder 6, which now includes three top-level BBC Worldwide executives, will be responsible for managing the marketing of Top Gear around the world, including the magazine, the original British television program, the new program for the United States undertaken by NBC, an additional new series for Australia, and all related merchandising opportunities. Now reaping the rewards for his efforts, Clarkson will act in a direct capacity as the figurehead for the Top Gear brand around the world. Although the deal did not involve his co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May, the pair are reported to have secured more lucrative deals themselves in light of Clarkson's new arrangement.

[Source: The Guardian via Inside Line]

Click above for high-res gallery of the Lotus Concept Ice Vehicle

We can forget all about the price of gas when we get news like this. Sure, we'll probably never ride in the Concept Ice Vehicle (CIV), but just knowing that folks at Lotus are working on things like this while we sleep... well, it's like finding out that there is a Santa Claus.

The CIV was developed to aid research for the Moon Regan TransAntarctic Expedition. The biofuel powered, propeller-driven trike on skids is 4.5 meters long and 4.5 meters wide with an independent suspension all around. It also has an ice penetrating radar to detect crevasses and is light enough for a man to pull it across difficult terrain, which basically makes it an Elise for explorers. It also appears to have a spiked "foot" under the cockpit, perhaps for stopping on icy terrain.

The CIV will lead the way for two other, heavier support vehicles as the explorers make their way from one Antarctic coast to the other. If you think the CIV is cool, have a look at the Econoline van, each with six independently-driven 44" tires. These monster vehicles were engineered by those kooky folks in, where else, Iceland. Check out the gallery of CIV photos below, and follow the jump for two videos of the slickest sled on snow.


[Source: Zercustoms]

London Congestion Charge: FAIL. According to the most recent reports, traffic in London is exactly as bad today as it was before the C-Charge was ever initiated. London motorists have made their opinion about the system clear in recently voting out ex-Mayor Ken Livingstone, a man who championed the charges and had plans to increase their dollar amount and expand their coverage. The new mayor, Boris "Fast Lane" Johnson, says, "I have always thought that the Congestion Charge is a blunt instrument." Blunt and ineffective, it would seem. While the number of cars within the city limits have gone down, other factors have crept up like an increase in bike and pedestrian traffic that keeps motorists crawling.

There is one thing that the London Congestion Charge was good at: making money. Last year alone, the C-Charges racked up some £268 million (a whopping $536 million) in charges. While it may be hard to see that income go away, the fact is that it still takes Londoners an average of 2.3 minutes per kilometer to drive through the city, so expect to see some major modifications to the system in the coming months.

[Source: Reuters via Motor Authority]

Click image for high-res gallery of pics of the first Fiat 500 in the States

Jim Magill's little Fiat 500 made a stop in SoCal this weekend and we were among the lucky few who got some seat time in it. As we recently blogged, Jim shipped his microcar to the States all the way from Belfast, Northern Ireland to help raise some cash for the Northern Ireland Children's Hospice, and to meet with some fellow Fiat tifosi along the way. As part of the plan the Cinquecento is being driven to some high profile events to show it off and help spread the word about his cause. In the OC this past Saturday morning, the car attracted a ton of attention at a weekly car show, even sitting in the shadow of a few Zagato-bodied Lancias and Alfas. While the nearby Isettas made it seem positively huge, the tiny Fiat was still appreciated for its frugality and miniscule footprint. After the show we went for a spin and stopped to take a few pics of the car next to a handy Smart ForTwo. Follow the jump to see what we thought of it.

There's a container of precious metals dangling from the bottom of your car: your catalytic converter. They contain platinum, and its rising cost has caused a recent spike in converter theft, especially in the U.K. Not only does a missing cat let more pollution into the air, it also disables operation of the car in some cases. In an effort to combat this growing problem, Ford has partnered with Retainagroup to place individual serial numbers on converters. These IDs are intended to give law enforcement the ability to track down and prove whether individual converters were stolen or not. Want one? Visit your local U.K. Ford dealer with £11.87 in hand and you're all set.

[Source: Automotive Business Review]