Archives: December 2005 - Newswheel.com

Porsche’s carbon fibre killer cleans up

Newswheel staff :: 29 December 2005 :: Filed under Mid / rear engine sportscar, Porsche, Europe & UK, US

It’s official. The Carrera GT supercar is the “most successful high-performance sports car of all time”. Of course, the definition of a “high-performance sports car” is flexible at best. So, it’s a pretty nebulous claim. But Porsche’s announcement that the 1,111th GT was delivered to a customer yesterday certainly proves the car is a resounding success.

V8 poke for new Volvo S80

Newswheel staff :: 29 December 2005 :: Filed under Saloon, Volvo, Volvo S80, Europe & UK, US

While Jaguar slowly but surely crumbles, another part of Ford’s Premier Automotive Group is looking stonger by the day. Volvo is currently tooling up to release a new flagship S80 saloon at the Geneva in March. Sleeker styling and possibly a new V8 lump are likely highlights.

Dodge Challenger concept caught

Newswheel staff :: 22 December 2005

If the new-age Dodge Charger has been a disappointment for muscle car fans (it’s only available in four-door trim) this Dodge Challenger concept, due to be shown at the Detroit motor show in January, should hit the spot.

Why car companies suck

Newswheel staff :: 21 December 2005 :: Filed under Ford, GM, Volkswagen, Europe & UK, US

The directors of America’s big car companies take it lying down. But the leading players at VW Group are preparing for a fight to the death. So says Detroit News columnist Christine Tienery on the different ways US and Euro car companies handle investor relations. Indeed, with various shareholder factions currently battling for control of VW, Tierney reckons that it’s not just the future of VW that’s at stake, but also corporate governance in Germany as a whole. Big deal? Yup, if you care about cars, that is.

Rear-wheel drive Gallardo confirmed

Newswheel staff :: 21 December 2005 :: Filed under Mid / rear engine sportscar, Audi, Audi R8, Lamborghini, Lamborghini Gallardo, Europe & UK, US

Great car, the Gallardo. But thanks to that four-wheel drivetrain, most think it’s a little too safe and secure to be a classic Lambo. That all-weather tackle also helps to push the car’s kerbweight over the 1,500kg mark. What we really want is an edgier, lighter, rear-wheel-drive-only Gallardo. And that’s exactly what we’re going to get, according to Lamborghini’s head Honcho Stephan Winkelmann.

Lola T70 reborn

Newswheel staff :: 20 December 2005 :: Filed under Mid / rear engine sportscar, Lola, Lola T70, Europe & UK, US

Lola cars has announced that the classic 60s and 70s racer, the T70 Mk3B, is to be reborn for the new millennium. But this isn’t a Ford GT aping retro-styled road car with modern underpinnings. It’s a faithful race-ready reincarnation of the original Chevy V8-powered track car.

Audi’s S8 on the move

Newswheel staff :: 20 December 2005 :: Filed under Four wheel drive, Saloon, Audi, Audi S8, Europe & UK, US,

Ahhh…We love the smell of a V10 engine in the morning. The Audi fanatics over at Fourtitude have been set loose in the German outfit’s new Lamborghini-powered S8 uber saloon. And they’ve committed the whole thing to video. Time for a naughties remake of Ronin, that classic car porn-laden 90s heist movie?

Wonder wagons

19 December 2005 :: Filed under Estate/Wagon, Audi, Audi A6, BMW, BMW M5, Mercedes Benz, Mercedes Benz E-Class, Europe & UK, US

In an age of crossover vehicles, cab-forward architectures and out-of-the-box thinking, the traditional estate seems like a rather frumpy concept. But as the original Audi RS4 Audi proved, if it’s the ultimate combination of practicality and performance you fancy, a souped-up wagon is very tough to beat. So, we’re pleased to see that all three of Germany’s heavy metal car makers are preparing hardcore performance versions of their full-sized estate models.

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Batty Brabus beast

Newswheel staff :: 19 December 2005 :: Filed under Brabus, Mercedes Benz, Europe & UK

The global new car market is becoming ever more niche-ified. But surely nobody expected a 11.9 tonne Brabus-tweaked Mercedes Unimog. Whatever next? An Alpina Schützenpanzerwagen half-track? An AMG Panzerkampfwagen Tiger tank?

Prodrive tech demo

Newswheel staff :: 16 December 2005 :: Filed under Coupe, Four wheel drive, Prodrive, Europe & UK

To Brits with an interest in World Rally or chintzed-out Subaru Imprezas, Prodrive is already a household name. What level of awareness the suits at big car companies have of Prodrive’s production car engineering capabilities, however, is another matter. So, the race and rally car preparation specialist has knocked up this “technology demonstrator” with a view to drumming up some business.

Big Caddy for Detroit debut

Newswheel staff :: 16 December 2005 :: Filed under SUV, Cadillac, Cadillac Escalade, US

The Cadillac Escalade SUV. It’s big, it’s bad and it’s very, very bling. But apparently it’s not enough for some US customers. Step forward the Escalade ESV, a new long wheelbase variant which takes Caddy’s already ridiculous SUV to all new lows of planet-raping excess.

E’s not so good

Newswheel staff :: 15 December 2005 :: Filed under Saloon, Mercedes Benz, Mercedes Benz E-Class, Europe & UK, US

Mercedes-Benz doesn’t build ‘em like it used to. On that most car enthusiasts can agree. So, it’s not altogether surprising to hear that sales of the underwhelming E Class have fallen by nearly 30 per cent in 2005. But is it poor quality or dreary design that’s to blame?

Beemer steamer

Newswheel staff :: 14 December 2005 :: Filed under BMW, Europe & UK, US

The best ideas are often the simplest. Take the turbocharger for instance. Exiting exhaust gas pressure, energy which would otherwise be wasted, is employed to turn a vein which in turn spins another which forces more fuel/air mix into the combustion chamber, so producing more power. But you knew that already. Now here’s another, theoretically very simple, idea from BMW which the in-house Newswheel hound probably wouldn’t have thought of either.

Jaguar NOT for sale

Newswheel staff :: 14 December 2005 :: Filed under Ford, Jaguar, Europe & UK, US

So says Lewis Booth, head of Ford’s European business. Following widespread speculation that Ford was about to offload Jaguar on Renault via Carlos Ghosn, Booth told news agency Reuters, “there are no truths in those persistent rumors." So, that’s it. Case closed. Perhaps…

Tangentially car-related video of the day: the Honda ASIMO robot

Newswheel staff :: 14 December 2005 :: Filed under Honda

Just what is Honda doing spending millions developing a humanoid robot? And what exactly is its relevance to a car news website? These questions, and more, will not be answered after the jump. But you still don’t want to miss the totally mesmerising videos of the latest ASIMO bot sprinting around in circles, sharing a coffee or two with a few terminally polite Honda employees and generally doing its freakily anthropomorphic thing.

Holy smoke: Audi diesel bids for Le Mans glory

Newswheel staff :: 14 December 2005 :: Filed under Audi

At the Nürburgring in ‘98 BMW’s rapid 320d Touring Car claimed the first ever victory for a diesel in a 24hr race. But it’s Audi which is gearing up for the first diesel-powered win at the mighty Le Mans 24hr.

Mazda CX-7: first official deets

News :: 14 December 2005 :: Filed under Crossover, Four wheel drive, MPV / People carrier, SUV, Mazda, Mazda CX-7, Europe & UK, US

It’s not often that a great looking concept survives the transition to production without the combined kill-joys of corporate bean counters and safety regulations reducing it to a feeble simulcrum of the original. But Mazda has released the first pictures and details of the MX-7 crossover vehicle. And it’s near-as-dammit identical to the MX-Crossport concept shown at the Detroit show in January.

Porsche boss predicts 200,000 sales

Newswheel staff :: 12 December 2005 :: Filed under Porsche, Europe & UK, US

In the beginning there was platform and component sharing between the 911 and the Boxster. And it was pretty good. But then came the Cayenne SUV. And there wasn’t much rejoicing. There was, however, a biblical deluge of profit. Now the Cayman has arrived and plans for a four door coupe and a hybrid variant of the Cayenne have been announced. So, how does Porsche’s CEO Wendelin Weidekin see the future shaping up for the world’s most successful car maker? How about annual sales in excess of 200,000 units, for starters?

Nissan 350Z: upgrades

Newswheel staff :: 12 December 2005 :: Filed under Front engine sportscar, Roadster, Nissan, Nissan 350Z, Europe & UK

Here’s one we missed last week. Nissan has announced a package of upgrades for the 2006 350Z. Both the coupe and roadster variants of the popular Japanese sportster will hum to the tune of 20 extra horsepower, matching the limited edition Anniversary model launched earlier this year.

Ascari A10: More power (and paint)

Newswheel staff :: 09 December 2005 :: Filed under Mid / rear engine sportscar, Ascari, Europe & UK

A 5-litre V8, 500bhp, 1,300kg, and 200mph. That’s the Ascari KZ1 supercar. And apparently it’s not enough for some. “Nay,” they said, “we want a lighter, more powerful, faster version”. And so it came to pass that the Banbury-based outfit recently announced 50 super-special A10s with deliveries commencing Summer ‘06…

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