misc auto shows
misc auto shows, automotive news online
Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, China, Buick, Misc. Auto Shows
Click above for more images of the 2010 Buick Regal
Two weeks ago we showed you spy shots of a 2010 Buick Regal caught testing in China that appeared to be nothing more than a rebadged Opel Insignia. (As you may recall, we'll be getting the 2010 Buick LaCrosse in the States.) All three of those cars are based on GM's Epsilon II platform, which we will also likely see under future vehicles from Saab, Saturn and Chevrolet. The Buick brand, and the popular Regal, are doing very well in China. As such, it's no surprise to see these latest spy shots of the barely disguised four-door Regal dipped in red, and it looks great despite being a badge job. The production version is expected to debut at the Guangzhou Auto Show in November. Thanks for the tip, Jason!
Gallery: 2010 Buick Regal - Spy Shots in Red
[Source: China Car Times]
Filed under: Time Warp, Cadillac, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Misc. Auto Shows, Ferrari, Saleen
Click above for huge high-res gallery from the concours
To celebrate its 26th year as Orange County's most prestigious classic car show, this year's Newport Beach Concours d'Elegance moved from its recent home in Irvine to the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point. Still not Newport Beach, but much closer to the ocean at least. Benefiting the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center at Hoag Hospital and the Assessment and Treatment Services Center, the event featured Cadillac as its honored marque to commemorate GM's 100th birthday this year. Besides the gorgeous 1931 Cadillac Sport Phaeton V16 Fleetwood poster car, there were at least a dozen other notable Caddys, as well as about 150 other beautiful classic and collector cars, of which you can see most of them in our high-res gallery below.
Although a notch below the premier events like Pebble Beach, some of the most beautiful and significant vehicles around show up for this concours. Representatives from The Petersen, The Nethercutt Collection, the William Lyon Estate, the Mercedes Classic Center, the Simon Collection, the Caballeriza Collection, and the Marconi Museum were on display, alongside some superb machinery from local collectors like David Sydorick and Peter Mullin. Altogether there were about 150 cars in 14 classes. Ferraris, Porsches, Jaguars, Aston Martins, Packards, Lincolns, Cadillacs, Delahayes, Mercedes, Rolls-Royces, Duesenbergs, Woodies, race cars and even a horseless carriage or two were visible through the fog around the links.
Personal favorites included the 1937 Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS Sport Coupe, 1939 Delahaye 165 Cabriolet, 1908 Niclausse D971B, 1961 Abarth 1000 GT Bialbero Berlinetta, 1953 Fiat 8V Supersonic Berlinetta, 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV Jota, 2006 Saleen S7R, 1959 Ferrari 410 Super America Series III, 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Competizione, 1933 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Shooting Brake Woody, 1933 Duesenberg J Speedster and the blue Ferrari 550 Barchetta in the parking lot. Another great show for a wonderful cause.
Gallery: 26th Annual Newport Beach Concours d'Elegance
All photos copyright (C)2008 Frank Filipponio/Weblogs, Inc.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Filed under: Concept Cars, Misc. Auto Shows, Motorcycles, Rumormill
Click above to view HD's 2006 patent drawings for a leaning trike
Harley-Davidson introduced its first official trike in years earlier in 2008 and now looks to flip things around a bit with a new reverse-trike that leans into corners. Rumors indicate that the huge American Motor Company will bring the corner carving trike in concept form to a motorcycle show set to take place next month in Cologne, Germany. If that debut indeed takes place, the machine is likely to be powered by the liquid-cooled Revolution V-Twin engine from the Rod series as opposed to the 45-degree air-cooled mill powering most of its bikes. We've known that the company has been working on this design for the past few years, filing patent drawings way back in 2006. The market is definitely ready for it now that Piaggio and Can Am have toed the waters. We look forward to seeing just how accurate these rumors prove to be next month. Thanks for the tip, Moose!
Gallery: Harley-Davidson leaning trike patents
[Source: Wired]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Filed under: Economy, Wagons/Estates, Euro, Hatchbacks, Ford, Misc. Auto Shows
Well, it wasn't the Paris unveiling we had expected, but Ford has indeed pulled the covers off its Fiesta Panel Van at the 2008 IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hanover, Germany. Based on the three-door Fiesta hatchback, the new Panel Van is designed for commercial and private users who only need to haul non-human goods and want to use the most economical vehicle possible for the job. Sure, it's no Super Duty, but it'll get the job done for a large number of drivers across the pond. Under the stylish hood, buyers will find a choice of gas or diesel engines ranging from a 60-horse 1.2-liter gas unit to the range-topping 1.6-liter diesel outputting 90-horsepower and 150 lb-ft. Europeans will be able to get over 67 miles out of each of their oddly-sized gallons while sending just 110 g/km of carbon out their tailpipes with the most frugal diesel engine option. See here for a preview of how the new car might drive and click past the break for all the juicy details.
Gallery: Ford Fiesta Panel Van
[Source: Ford]
Continue reading Ford makes Fiesta Panel Van official
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Time Warp, Cadillac, GM, Misc. Auto Shows, Celebrities
Click image above for full high-res gallery.
The 16th Annual Palos Verdes Concours d'Elegance was held this Sunday at Trump National Golf Club in Palos Verdes, California. Like a half-scale Pebble Beach, the PV Concours offers visitors a golf course setting above the Pacific that produces a beautiful backdrop for viewing some of the greatest classic cars around. This year's event celebrated 100 years of General Motors, as well as Cadillac, and alternative fuel vehicles among its dozens of classes. Highlights included a 100-yr-old electric car, a Ferrari short wheelbase, a Miura Jota, a '69 Trans Am, 427 COPO Camaro, '48 Delahaye, '54 Fiat 8V, and some great Corvairs and Cadillacs.
Besides the cars, concours are always fun for celeb spotting, especially around L.A. KNBC's Dave Kunz, Parnelli Jones, Barry Meguiar, Bobbie 'dine Rodda, Paul Moyer, Bruce Meyer and even Deepak Chopra were among those who made it out for the show, which benefits the Palos Verdes Art Center and Palos Verdes Peninsula Rotary Foundation. We assembled a huge gallery of some of the entrants, all labeled so you can identify some of your favorites.
Gallery: 16th Annual Palos Verdes Concours d'Elegance
Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Paris Motor Show, Audi, Misc. Auto Shows
Click above for hi-res gallery of the Audi RS6
As far as Teutonic super-sedans go...scrap that: as far as anything goes - and go it does - the Audi RS6 is one of the most desirable cars on the market. Previously only available as a wagon, Audi gave us a sneak peek of the new RS6 sedan in Moscow ahead of its official unveiling next week in Paris. For those of you who cannot wait that long, Ingolstadt has come to the rescue with new images of the twin-turbo V10 speed demon, which we've added to our gallery below. Click away.
Gallery: 2009 Audi RS6
[Source: Audi]Permalink | Email this | Comments
Filed under: Time Warp, Supercars, Lamborghini, Misc. Auto Shows
Click for a hi-res gallery of the Lamborghini Bertone Miura Spyder
Enthusiasts of exotic Italian automobiles everywhere owe a debt of gratitude to Adam Gordon. The New York real estate developer has just completed what is sure to have been an extremely costly restoration of the Lamborghini Bertone Miura Spyder. We say "the" Miura Spyder because it is the only one ever made. In fact its serial number doesn't even show in the company's register.
As we reported when Gordon first acquired the car a year and a half ago, the Miura Spyder was made by Nuccio Bertone and Marcello Gandini as a one-off show car in 1968, when it was unveiled at the Brussels auto salon, much to the amazement of even Ferruccio Lamborghini. The car was then brought back to Sant'Agata where Lamborghini's own people, in consultation with Bertone, deemed it impossible to put into production. The factory then refinished the only existing example in green with all manner of extra chrome bits and sold it to the International lead and Zinc Research Organization, which used it as a showcase piece and brought it to car shows in such locations as Detroit, Montreal, Anaheim, London, Tokyo, Sydney and Paris, before finally donating in 1981 it to the Boston Museum of Transportation in exchange for a $200,000 tax receipt. The car then disappeared largely into obscurity for 25 years as collectors failed - incredibly - to comprehend the value of the only factory-original Miura targa in the world.
Although the Boston museum invested what must have been considerable time and energy into refurbishing the Miura Spyder, it wasn't until Gordon got his hands on it that the car was returned to its original Bertone condition by the Bobileff Motorcar Company. The car's history has been chronicled in a new book, "The Lamborghini Miura Bible" by Joe Sackey. Follow the jump to read the full press release, and click the thumbnails below for a small gallery of images of the Miura Spyder.
Gallery: Lamborghini Bertone Miura Spyder
[Source: Veloce Publishing]
Continue reading Restoration completed on one-off Lamborghini Miura Spyder
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Minivans/MPVs, Euro, Volkswagen, Misc. Auto Shows, Lifestyle
Click above for high-res gallery of the Topos Sail concept
Turns out the recreational and commercial vehicle show in Dusseldorf, Germany has attracted more concepts than the just the Fiat Portofino. Volkswagen showed up with the Caddy Topos Sail concept, another nautical-themed vehicle that brings the boat life to land locked lovers of the water. Based on the Caddy MPV, the Topos Sail concept's biggest attraction is its roof, which is covered in wood decking and surrounded on all sides by aluminum roof rails. The roof deck is designed for lounging in the sun just like on the deck of a yacht, and the panels flip up to act as back rests. The concept also features a nifty ladder built into the rear lift gate with wooden steps, as well as wood trim elsewhere on the vehicle's exterior. We're certain it doesn't float, but you could park the Topos Sail down by the docks, climb up on the roof and order a daiquiri to get the full effect.Gallery: Volkswagen Caddy Topos Sail Concept
[Source: VW]
Continue reading Lounge on deck of VW Caddy Topos Sail Concept
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Concept Cars, Euro, Crossovers/CUVs, Hatchbacks, Misc. Auto Shows
Click above for hi-res gallery of the Lada C-Cross concept
The Moscow Auto Show is underway and Damon's on site with camera in hand. The car you see here is the Lada C-Cross Concept, which looks kinda like a Chinese knock-off of a last-gen Euro Ford Focus with added ground clearance. The C-Cross show car presumably gives a sneak peek at what a future AvtoVAZ car-based crossover might look like, and if we had to guess, a production version probably isn't too far off. We'll pass on it, though. Our hearts and minds forever belong to the Lada Niva, whose old-school looks are like visual comfort food. Plus, something tells us that this C-Cross thing wouldn't do nearly as well underwater.
Gallery: Lada C-Cross
[Source: The Auto Channel]
All photos Copyright (C)2008 Damon Lavrinc / Weblogs, Inc. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Filed under: Misc. Auto Shows
Click above for high-res galleries of models from Moscow
While Russia's auto industry is certainly not known for the beauty it produces, the country's stock of fashion models seems limitless. Standing next to each vehicle on display at this year's Moscow Motor Show was a maiden who, as you can see in the gallery below, was usually more attractive than the metal against which she was leaning.
Gallery: Moscow 2008: the Models of Moscow
Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Audi, Misc. Auto Shows
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Audi RS6 sedan.
All right. Now we're torn. RS6 Avant or RS6 sedan? Both are packing the same twin-turbocharged, direct-injected 5.0-liter V10 putting out 580 hp and 479 lb.-ft. of torque. Both send power to all four wheels through a six-speed tiptronic tranny and both can be equipped with absolutely massive 420mm (front) and 356mm (rear) ceramic brakes. While it's hard to deny the practicality of the wagon, we think the sedan comes across as more elegant - in a brutally Teutonic way. The voting will commence in the comments and check the gallery below for a plenty of high-res images from the show floor.
Gallery: 2009 Audi RS6
Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Crossovers/CUVs, Mazda, Misc. Auto Shows
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Kesselman Mazda CX-7.
From afar, our first reaction was: what's a Matrix doing at the Mazda booth? Upon closer inspection, the dumped wagon you see above revealed itself as a tuned Mazda CX-7. Unfortunately, our Russian is about as good as our Swahili, so we weren't able to get any definitive details on what exactly has been done to Mazda's mid-level CUV. But the upgraded intercooler, ultra-low stance, gaudy body kit, stripped interior and six-point roll cage is proof that Russia's Kesselman tuning excels at answering questions that no one asked.
Gallery: Kesselman Mazda CX-7
Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Lexus, Misc. Auto Shows
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lexus LS460 AWD.
The Moscow Auto Show seems like the perfect place for Lexus to unveil the all-wheel-drive version of its LS460. Russians have a torrid love affair with rolling living rooms, evidenced by the 7-series and S-class-lined streets of Moscow's high-end shopping districts. Add AWD to the equation and the LS460 makes a strong case against the Germans.
As previously reported, the Lexus LS460 AWD is fitted with the same four-wheel-drive system and eight-speed auto 'box as the LS600h, and comes equipped with a Torsen rear LSD and 381 hp, 4.6-liter V8 as the standard model. Torque split is set to 40/60 in normal driving conditions, but if you need to make a dramatic getaway on the mean streets of Moscow, 70-percent of the power can be sent to the rear-wheels.
Gallery: Lexus LS460 AWD
Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupes, Crossovers/CUVs, Mazda, Misc. Auto Shows
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Mazda Kazamai concept.
Mazda pulled out all the awkwardly executed stops for the reveal of the Kazamai concept, including four sets of dancers, guys in neon-pink shorts on roller skates and a 40-man Russian singing troop in Soviet-style dress. We couldn't make this stuff up if we tried, but what better way to kick off our coverage of the Moscow International Auto Salon.
Despite the strange theatrics, the Kazamai is one of our favorite Nagare-themed concepts since the Furai and Kabura. Then again, we're suckers for two-door crossovers. The Kazamai blends the "flow" theme we've seen on several other concepts with a more aerodynamic body and a slightly toned-down demeanor. Could this be a hint at the future of the CX-7? Don't count it out. But if it does head to production, we'll take it in a three-door package equipped with the MS3's drivetrain... and all-wheel-drive.
Gallery: Mazda Kazamai Concept
Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Euro, Misc. Auto Shows, Renault
Click for a hi-res gallery of the Renault Symbol/Thesis
As Russia develops into an increasingly important market for many Asian and European carmakers, the Moscow Motor Show is becoming a more important venue. Alongside such new launches as the Lexus LS460 AWD, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Audi RS6 sedan, Renault will be unveiling a new version of its simple Symbol sedan. The car will be sold in such markets as Eastern and Central Europe, Russia, Turkey and North Africa, labeled alternatively as the Symbol or Thalia. The styling is rather uninspired, and the mechanics are nothing to write home about, with power anticipated to come from the same range as found in the new Dacia Logan unveiled by Renault's budget subsidiary just last month. Hard to believe we almost didn't notice this one.
You know the drill: Follow the jump to read the press release, and click on the thumbnails below to view the images in our high-resolution gallery.
Gallery: 2009 Renault Symbol
[Source: Renault]
Continue reading Moscow 2008 Preview: Renault Symbol/Thalia
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