Auto Mobiles

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Sedans/Saloons, Green, Hatchbacks, Rendered Speculation

Road and Track has taken an early speculative look at what Tesla's Model S sedan may look like. Of course, it's impossible to know for sure how close this rendering may be to the real thing, but it's always fun to guess, right? We can see some clear inspiration taken from the company's first effort, the Tesla Roadster, along with a hint of Nissan GT-R in its flanks. We know for sure that the rear of the car will feature a deeply sloping hatchback, like the Porsche Panamera, and R&T's artists seem to have that feature down, as well.

We've actually gotten an early peek at the Model S from the rear via Tesla's new design chief Franz von Holzhausen, formerly of Mazda fame, which shows a nice carbon fiber rear diffuser and an aerodynamically sound cut-off hind end. Unfortunately, the Model S has been delayed by roughly six months due to the tough economic climate and some massive reorganization taking place at the Silicon Valley automaker. We don't expect to see the fully developed car until next Spring. Thanks for the tip, Kunal!

[Source: Road & Track]

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A road in Palmdale with grooves that create music as cars travel at 55 mph is about to change if things go according to plan.

Filed under: Time Warp, Sports/GTs, Porsche, Lifestyle, Sunday Drive

Click above for high-res gallery from our drive to Chino

We were recently invited along by the Porsche 356 Registry and 356 Club of Southern California for a Sunday drive out to the Chino Airport and couldn't think of any good reason to say no. Like any car club, the glue that holds these groups together are the cars they own, drive and admire. In this case it is Porsche's classic 356 and its successor, the Porsche 912. While some see these models are little more than gussied up Beetles, those in the know appreciate them for what they really are, the cars that made Porsche a household name.

Follow the jump to read more about our special day with these iconic cars and the equally legendary planes at the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino. And don't forget to check out the high-res gallery for your next desktop wallpaper.


Photos Copyright (C)2008 Frank Filipponio/Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Porsches and planes make for great Sunday drive

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Filed under: Time Warp, Sports/GTs, Porsche, Lifestyle, Sunday Drive

Click above for high-res gallery from our drive to Chino

We were recently invited along by the Porsche 356 Registry and 356 Club of Southern California for a Sunday drive out to the Chino Airport and couldn't think of any good reason to say no. Like any car club, the glue that holds these groups together are the cars they own, drive and admire. In this case it is Porsche's classic 356 and its successor, the Porsche 912. While some see these models are little more than gussied up Beetles, those in the know appreciate them for what they really are, the cars that made Porsche a household name.

Follow the jump to read more about our special day with these iconic cars and the equally legendary planes at the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino. And don't forget to check out the high-res gallery for your next desktop wallpaper.


Photos Copyright (C)2008 Frank Filipponio/Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Porsches and planes make for great Sunday drive

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Chrysler LLC plans to reduce its white-collar workforce by 25% by the end of the year, the company said in an announcement Friday.

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Chevrolet

Tom Wallace, Corvette Chief at GM, will be retiring from the company at the end of the month. The news was delivered during an event at the Peterson Museum honoring Corvette history. While no reasons were given for the November 1st departure, there is speculation that it could be related to the timing of the seventh-generation Corvette. Wallace may be unwilling to commit to the vehicle's extended launch schedule -- the car was originally set for a 2012 model-year release, but it has reportedly been pushed back to 2014. Wallace was known for his keen grasp of performance-car culture and a passion for the marque, and his departure has come as a shock to many.

[Source: Corvette Action Center]

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Filed under: Etc.

This week in Arizona, NASA conducted tests of the new battery-powered Small Pressurized Rover (SPR) it hopes to use when the U.S. sends astronauts back to the moon by 2020. The SPR is a huge leap forward over the original open-air (or is it open-vacuum?) rovers used by the Apollo astronauts. The configuration consists of a pressurized cabin mounted atop a modular chassis that can drive in any direction, thans to wheels that turn 360 degrees. The cockpit leads back to an area housing an airlock that the astronauts can use to transfer from one rover to another, from the rover to a apacecraft, or from a rover to a surface installation and vice-versa.

At the back of that compartment are two "suitports" that allow the astronauts to enter and exit their EVA (extra-vehicular activity) spacesuits without having to bring them into the vehicle itself. The suit backpacks lock into the ports and open up, allowing the wearer to climb out and work in the pressurized vehicle in normal clothing. Very, very cool stuff here. Since the rover is modular in nature, it can also operate as a non-pressurized vehicle, with all the operators in turrets wearing suits. Top speed is 10 km/h (around 6 mph), and the rover should enable astronauts to go on missions away from base for up to two weeks, covering up to 625 miles, according to Reuters. We've gallerized a pair of high-res images and NASA's fact sheet below, and the NASA Edge blog has more photos you might be interested in checking out.


[Sources: Reuters, NASA, NASA Edge Blog]

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Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

Those helpful road alert signs currently dedicated to warn drivers of accidents, road closures, or Amber alerts, may take on yet another role if Caltrans (the California Department of Transportation) moves forward with their latest senseless consideration... advertising. With millions of dollars in potential ad revenue clouding their judgment, Caltrans is reviewing the idea of putting ads on the state's highway signs. Without regard to the distraction of drivers, ad agencies would sell the advertising and give the state a cut (after taking out their share of the profit, of course). According to Caltrans, the idea would reduce costs, generate revenue, and create more jobs. The California State Outdoor Advertising Association is all for it, while Scenic America (a preservation group) is having heart palpitations at the thought. If there is a sign of hope (hey, a pun!), none of this will go through without the occasionally level-headed DOT's approval. Let's hope they aren't as hard up for a few bucks.

[Source: All Cars, All the Time]

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Filed under: Concept Cars, Spy Photos, Trends, Sports/GTs, Etc., Ford, Lifestyle, Humor, Special/Limited Editions

While cruising along in Southern California one morning this week, we spied what could pass for a new hero car in the next installment of the "Mad Max" movie franchise. Just check out those rows of steel studs along the hood, roof and trunk. Perhaps bouyed by the historic executive branch runs of Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin, the newest chapter of this apocalyptic anecdote could see the Mad Max reins being handed over to a woman. Spotted proudly piloting this studded silver V6 'Stang, we've dubbed her "Mad Maxine." Just like the car, the driver transformation hadn't been completed yet, but she definitely looked the part with her steely gaze and guard dog companion. Whatever it is, we got a kick out of this personalized pony. One word of advice though -- if you see this in your rearview mirror, kindly move aside. Come to think of it, it doesn't look too pedestrian-friendly either...

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Filed under: Motorsports, Sports/GTs, Euro, Supercars, Lamborghini

Ferrari does it. Porsche does it. And now, Lamborghini is going to do it, too. "It" is a single-make race series, and Lambo's will showcase a competition-spec Gallardo LP560-4 dubbed the Super Trofeo. Each race will feature 30 of the cars, piloted by deep-pocketed private owners, dealer teams, and a single, Lambo-sponsored "celebrity driver" who'll change from race-to-race.

The Super Trofeo racer weighs in at 1300 kg/2866 lb and is spec'd out with all the requisite safety equipment; race-specific chassis adjustments, ABS brakes and wheels; Pirelli slicks; new instrumentation; and aero tweaks. The powered-up 5.2L direct-injected V10 sends 570 horses to all four wheels via the automaker's e.gear six-speed sequential gearbox. If you have the itch, head to your Lamborghini dealer with €200,000 -- that's the buy-in fee for the car and parts package. Each race will offer trackside support and parts sales to participants, who get to cool their heels in luxury at the Lamborghini Village that'll be set up at every venue. It all kicks off next May at Silverstone. Head over to the Super Trofeo website for the rest of the schedule and additional info. Thanks to Mobius for the heads-up!


[Source: Lamborghini]

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