When Peugeot took the covers off the in early July, it only offered a few photos of the sedan and station wagon models. Now, the French carmaker has issued a comprehensive gallery as well as detailed specs on the engine range of the mid-size model that replaces two cars in Peugeot's range, the 407 and 607, and will be marketed in Europe from the beginning of 2011.
Based on the same platform that underpins the Citroën C5 and C6 models, the 508 will be offered at launch with a variety of petrol and diesel engines. Available gasoline units will include a 1.6-liter VTi with 120HP linked to an electronically-controlled 6-speed manual gearbox, and a 1.6-liter THP turbo with 156HP mated to either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed automatic transmission.
From 2012, a year after the commercial launch of the 508, Peugeot will introduce diesel-electric hybrid version using the same technology as the recently announced . It will employ the PSA Peugeot-Citroën Group's 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine allied to an electric motor driving the rear wheels, which offers a potential combined output of 200-horsepower and "by wire" 4-wheel drive. Peugeot says that this model will emit just 99g/km of CO2.
The Peugeot 508 in both sedan and SW forms will have its world premiere at this month's Paris Motor Show.
Lamborghini is using the same teasing method as it did with the 2008 Paris Show concept to preview its new creation for this year's edition of the Paris Mondial de l'Automobile. The Italian supercar maker will publish a total of six teaser images of the mystery model before the official unveiling, with this cryptic picture being 'numero uno'. The photo is accompanied by a tagline that says, "Discover the way to the future of supersports cars."
So, what do you think Lamborghini is getting ready to present at the Paris Show; could it be the successor to the to the testosterone-boosting Murcielago, a concept model for a new addition to the range or something different altogether? Share your thoughts in thesection below.
Ford today announced pricing on the all-new Focus-based five-seater and its seven-seater sibling, the C-MAX Grand, which will go on sale in the UK this October (U.S. sales of this model will start in late 2011). Both will be offered in a simplified two trim line-up (Zetec and Titanium) with prices starting from £16,745 for the C-MAX Zetec and £18,745 for the C-MAX Grand Zetec.
Buyers in Britain can choose from three petrol engines and two diesel engines. The gasoline lineup includes a naturally aspirated 1.6-liter unit with 105HP or 125HP, and Ford's new 1.6-liter Ecoboost engine with direct injection, turbocharging and twin independent variable valve timing that delivers 150HP. The Ecoboost unit is paired to a standard six-speed manual gearbox.
For those that prefer a diesel engine, there's a 115HP 1.6-liter TDCi and a 140HP 2.0-liter TDCi, both hooked up to a standard six-speed manual gearbox. The 2.0 TDCi is also offered optionally with Ford's dual-clutch Powershift six-speed automatic.
Standard equipment on all models includes alloy wheels, air conditioning, leather steering wheel, alarm, radio/CD and Bluetooth with USB connectivity and voice control. The Grand C-MAX also gets powered child-proof locks on the rear dual sliding doors, and rear parking sensors.
The Titanium trim adds auto front wipers and headlamps, dual electronic automatic temperature control, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, hill launch assist, keyless start, cruise control with speed limiter, premium Sony audio, and tire deflation detection system. The Grand C-MAX Titanium also has power folding mirrors.
For details on pricing, check out the table below.
Dodge came out this weekend -so it's still happening- and got involved with the common folks at a half-marathon in Virginia Beach. Officially, the event is called the "Dodge Rock 'n' Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon presented by SunTrust", but really it was just a nice chance to show off the new Durango () in action as the pace car/truck/crossover.
If the is the face of things to come from Dodge, the brand might finally be competing with the big boys. Now, if the Journey could get a decent refresh (or a second-generation), Dodge will have a few crossovers to entice family buyers. Tack onto that the refreshed Charger and the upcoming Fiat-based Avenger replacement and we've got a Dodge lineup that could really bring in some customers.
There's a storm brewing between the Explorer and the Durango, and now that both have been detailed and released, what do you think? Check out the vids below for some dealer input and to watch the Durango representing itself out on the road.
The Cruze sedan has been on sale in other markets for a while now. With it finally coming to the States, GM hopes to keep what momentum it has going by debuting the Holden-designed Cruze hatchback in Paris (full details in our ). A production version of the damn-fine hatchback is just around the bend, so it's no surprise that Holden will also get its own sleek 5-door Cruze.
Look no further than right above (and below for a larger image) for what a Holden Cruze Hatchback should look like. Holden's Cruze simply gets a different nose, badges, and right-hand drive to make it stand out from its Chevrolet brethren, meaning this pic we photoshopped (pound it down) should be fairly spot-on.
The Cruze Hatchback show car, designed and built by Holden at its Port Melbourne design studio, is the result of a year's worth of work using input from GM designers worldwide.
Richard Ferlazzo, Holden's chief designer, says, "Our brief was to create an alternative body style to the traditional sedan that retained the same dynamic proportions that has made Cruze such a success around the world. We are very proud of the result which will be tailored further for the Australian market and given an appearance consistent with the rest of the Holden portfolio next year."
Thankfully, this one looks so good and so production ready that GM would be hard-pressed to screw it up as much as they did the .
Hot on the heels of the , here's some footage of a toasted Bentley Continental GT in Irkutsk, Eastern Siberia. Now, my Russian's a little weak, so if anyone could clarify these video reports that would be greeeeeaaaat.
According to the email we received from reader Alex, it appears as if this occurred in the Baikal neighborhood of the city. The investigation is ongoing, and arson is suspected. Mobsters? Could be, but there's really no telling.
Here's the interesting part (bear in mind, what you'll read here was translated through Google): "Testimonies of two cotton suggest arson, the reasons may be the mass, such as a place of competitors, insurance payments or assume illegal parking, as the car was across the parking lot and took three cars."
That suggests that someone either couldn't afford the car anymore, or some people just plain got pissed because the owner took up more than one parking spot. If it's the former, I've got two words for the owner: MONEY MANAGER. If it's the latter, well, learn how to park properly.
Car auctions always have some interesting product to show off. Hell, I'm going to have to pick up my Boss '9 at one somewhere down the road, but that's beside the point. The one-of-one GTO Judge convertible seen here is about to hit the block in a few weeks at Mecum's St. Charles Auction and here's a little something about it.
It's a triple-black 1969 GTO Judge convertible that's been documented - by the Pontiac Historical Society, no less - as a one of a kind vehicle out of 108 Judge convertibles built in the big 6-9.
Riding on redlines, this mack daddy comes with a Ram Air III-equipped 400-cubic inch (6.6-liter) V8 putting down 366 horsepower through a 4-speed tranny. Its option list includes a wood rim steering wheel, Rallye gauges, a hood-mounted tachometer (these need to come back, aerodynamics and legibility be damned), and an 8-track player.
For value's sake, the car's been through a complete restoration with almost all NOS (New Old Stock) parts and has zero miles on it since.
Man, I feel like I need to go haze some freshman just writing about this. Anyone got a case of beer and a paddle?
Looking at Subaru's relatively boring lineup (barring the STI, and to a lesser extent, the WRX), it's refreshing to find people interested in bringing some new ideas to the brand. In the case of the Celeno, that person is budding car designer Xuacu Pérez Quesada.
Mr. Quesada interned for Italdesign and received an M.A. in Transportation Design from the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia; he is obviously not a person playing around on the computer with a bong and some photoshop skills (to those people out there: feel free to keep sending stuff in, we don't mind).
The Subaru Celeno is Quesada's interpretation of a small Subaru with some BMW Visions EfficientDynamics thrown in. It's a sleek four-door coupe seen down the hypothetical line created by Subaru's own .
Ultimately, is the Celeno clearly a Subaru? Nope, but it has some very cool details - like the frowning front fascia, colored side panels, and backlight-hugging tail lights - that would be much-welcomed in future, less bulbous Subaru designs. What do you think?
Former Obama car czar Steven Rattner (not to be confused with destroyer of films Brett Rattner) is set to cash in on his six month experience under an administration tasked with bringing the American auto industry back from the brink.
Titled Overhaul: An Insider's Account of the Obama Administration's Emergency Rescue of the Auto Industry, it's meant to tell the story of how the US government reacted in at a time when automakers the world over were hit by a global economic crisis and surviving on a wing and a prayer.
Instead of boring you with all the blah blah blah, here are some interesting facts that have already been revealed:
- After Obama gave former CEO Rick Wagoner the boot, Rattner offered the General's top position to one Carlos Ghosn, who turned it down due to his loyalty to Nissan-Renault.
- In a meeting after being elected, Obama asked "Why can't [GM and Chrysler] make a Corolla?"
- That $85 Billion is actually less than planned. The White House initially agreed to $100 Billion.
- White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel's soon to be infamous comment, "Fuck the UAW."
- The ever-calm Obama was shocked to hear that Rick Wagoner, "the man who had brought [GM] down", got to deploy a $7.1 Million golden parachute. Join the club, Mr. President.
- Obama spent more time deciding if it was right to pay Wagoner than deliberating whether or not to fire him.
- The government wanted money from Fiat up front for its 20% stake in Chrysler. Needless to say, they didn't get it.
- In a spat between Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne and UAW President Ron Gettelfinger, Marchionne thought workers should "embrace a 'culture of poverty' instead of a 'culture of entitlement'" when discussing retiree health-care. Rattner says "no one in the Obama administration ever asked us to favor labor for political reasons."
- Former GM CEO Fritz Henderson thought executives should become more involved in research and product planning. To do so, he wanted to move GM headquarters from the current location to the Tech Center in Warren, Michigan. The idea was vetoed under the assumption that GM's leaving would wreak havoc in Detroit. Rattner says, "Fortunately, this unique intervention into a specific GM matter was never leaked to the press, saving us from having to explain how it comported with our policy of letting GM and Chrysler manage their own affairs."
If anything, it's interesting to see who was having which discussions at a time when the future of companies like GM and Chrysler looked extremely bleak. GM, on the other hand, isn't interested in the book. Spokesman Greg Martin says, "The book is history. We're a new company and we have too much work to do and no time for book reviews."
Here's hoping that one day we too will be able to tell a tale about our car like Murray Fowler and his beautiful late 1960s / early 1970s BMW 2800 CS. The 81-year-old owner of the BMW coupe is from Costa Mesa California and he has clocked an astonishing 413,575 miles (that's a little over 665,000 km) so far. The video is part of a new series from BMW called "Unscripted", in which everyday owners talk about their life and passion with the Bavarian automaker's cars. Watch the short film after the jump.