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Kia Motors has revealed the first image of its latest concept car that is scheduled to debut at the Paris Motor Show next week. The strikingly styled concept, named pro_cee’d, is based on the forthcoming three-door sporty hatch version of the all-new Kia cee’d.

This five-door family hatchback has its world premiere (in production-ready form) at Paris and will be manufactured at Kia’s European assembly plant in Slovakia from November 2006.

Continue reading 2006 Paris Motor Show: New Kia pro_cee’d Concept Points to Sporty Future Kia Model

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Ahhhh, technology is a wonderful thing. I’m writing this from the passenger seat of my car as we head down the road to the 2006 NOPI Nationals in Atlanta, GA. We just entered Louisiana, and will be staying overnight in Biloxi, MS. The fun begins Saturday morning when the NOPI Nationals kick off, and welcomes 7500 vehicles from all across the country to the Atlanta Motor Speedway. This is the biggest competitive car show in North America, and has something for everyone. Stay tuned for COMPLETE coverage of the car show, the hot NOPI models, Ludacris’ and Skid Row’s musical performances, and everyones favorite…the world famous NOPI Bikini Contest! We promise our coverage will make you feel like you are at the show, even if you are reading this from the other side of the planet. We’ll be posting a few photos from our first day a little later, and we look forward to hearing everyone’s comments!

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The past month has brought many sightings of next-gen Subaru WRX test mules in Legacy bodies, but these are the very first photos of an actual WRX prototype, and it isn’t like any WRX we’ve ever seen. At first glance, you might think this is just a WRX Wagon variant, but the bodystyle is actually that of a hatchback a la the VW GTI rather than a wagon! Subaru hinted at this style change with the B5 concept and it seems that the WRX models are following the lead of the concept with a dramatic makeover. We have actually heard rumors of Subaru dropping the Impreza name for the 2008 models, but can’t imagine they’ll drop the WRX designation. As for power, we are anticipating a highly upgraded version of the 2.5-liter H4 turbo with an output around 330 horsepower, and higher for some markets!

Anyway, enjoy these first shots of the next generation WRX, and leave us a comment to tell us what you think!

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Continue reading Spied!!! 2008 Subaru WRX Prototype!

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INGOLSTADT, Germany – Audi is proud to present a world first – the first twelve-cylinder diesel engine in a series passenger car. This six-liter V12 makes its debut in the Audi Q7. It produces a colossal 500 hp and 738 ft.-lbs. of torque. With this engine Audi has opened a new chapter in diesel history.

The V12 TDI is reminiscent of the engine featured in the new R10 Le Mans racing car – it catapults the driving performance of the Audi Q7 into the echelons of top-class sports cars. The car sprints from 0 to 62 mph in just 5.5 seconds, and has an electronically governed top speed of 155 mph. Maximum torque is available from just 1,750 rpm. The high-tech diesel engine, with the world’s first 29,000 psi Bosch Common Rail system, provides the high-performance Audi SUV with superior power reserves in any situation. The impressive sound of the new Audi is provided by the ultra-modern piezo-injection system. The V12 TDI transmits this power through a new six-speed tiptronic gearbox to the quattro permanent four-wheel drive system.

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Continue reading 2006 Paris Motor Show: Audi Introduces The Worlds Most Powerful Diesel Passenger Vehicle — The V12 TDI Audi Q7

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Photos and Text by Zerin Dube

General Motors put on its 2007 GM Collection media program in San Antonio, TX yesterday, and brought out nearly all of it’s new for 2007 models. Of all the vehicles available for us to drive (Everything from the Aveo to the XLR-V), I was most excited to get behind the wheel of the brand new 2007 Saturn Sky Red Line. While I only had 45 minutes or so to drive the car this time around, it was enough to get a good impression of what the car has to offer.

Most of the Sky Red Line’s changes occur under the hood by way of a new Ecotec turbocharged 2.0-liter, direct injection engine. This engine is GM’s first direct injection engine offering in North America, and produces a very respectable 260 horsepower at 5300 rpm, and 260lb-ft of torque at 2500 rpm.

There are a few visual elements that help the Sky Red Line differentiate itself from the standard Sky Roadster, including dual chrome exhaust tips in the rear diffuser, 18-inch polished aluminum wheels, a new lower front fascia with brake cooling vents, and black headlamp bezels. Simple as these changes might sound, they really do make an already great looking vehicle look even better.

Of course what I was most interested in was how the Sky Red Line’s driving dynamics felt, and to be honest I was somewhat skeptical going into it. It’s easy to throw a turbocharged engine in a car and produce big horsepower numbers, but it isn’t so easy to make the chassis and engine work together harmoniously.

Continue reading Dubspeed Driven First Drive – 2007 Saturn Sky Red Line

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Renault introduces its new Concept car, Nepta, a four-seater luxury cabriolet featuring sleek, thoroughbred looks and making its public debut at the Paris motorshow later this month. Nepta’s low-slung lines express elegance and movement, while its spacious, comfortable interior has all the hallmarks of a top-end model with performance worthy of a prestige touring car from its 420hp twin-turbo V6 engine.

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Continue reading 2006 Paris Motor Show: Renault Nepta – Cabriolet Concept

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Hyundai’s new C-segment concept will make its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show later this month. The ‘Arnejs’ is a designer preview of the car set to take the C-segment by storm in 2007, and will be unveiled at the Hyundai press conference at 17.30 on 28 September.

Continue reading Hyundai to Unveil C-Segment Concept at Paris Motor Show

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The elegant design lines of the C-Métisse, the latest out-of-this-world concept car from Citroën, will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show later this month. Exceptionally stylish and powerful, the C-Métisse proves that a high performance car can also be green, combining a top speed of 155mph with the ability to cover around 45 miles per gallon on the combined cycle.

Continue reading 2006 Paris Motor Show: Citroën’s C-Métisse Concept Car

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Chevrolet Europe has shown the first sketches of it’s new concept set to debut at the 2006 Paris Motor Show. GM says that the design of this concept is a culmination of GM teams around the globee, and really pushes the limits of Chevrolet’s worldwide design language. Best of all, it’s powered by a 190hp diesel engine. Actual photos of the concept will be released closer to the launch on the 28th of September.

Follow the jump for additional sketches and press release

Continue reading Exciting Chevrolet study WTCC Ultra celebrates world premiere

DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 5 – Ford Motor Company announced today that it has elected Alan Mulally as president and chief executive officer. He has also been elected to the Board of Directors.

Bill Ford will continue his duties as executive chairman of the company.

“One of the three strategic priorities that I’ve focused on this year is company leadership. While I knew that we were fortunate to have outstanding leaders driving our operations around the world, I also determined that our turnaround effort required the additional skills of an executive who has led a major manufacturing enterprise through such challenges before,” Bill Ford wrote in an email to Ford employees today.

Continue reading Bill Ford steps down as Ford CEO, Names Alan Mulally as new President and CEO