Haihaupro: April 2012

Monday, April 30, 2012

2013 Ford Focus ST U.S. Pricing Leaked, Starts from $23,700*

We are not sure when Ford is planning to release official pricing for its U.S. market 2013 Focus ST, but a leaked dealer document discovered on the FordSTNation forums by the team over at Jalopnik tells us that the hot hatchback will start at $23,700 when it arrives in dealerships across the States within the next few weeks.

The aforementioned MSRP does not include a destination and handling fee (*), which should be the same as the rest of the Focus lineup at $795, bringing up the price to $24,495.

We also see the cost of some options including the moonroof at $895, the navigation system at $795, the Tangerine Scream Tricoat Paint at $495, and the engine block heater at $35. There are also two equipment packages named 201A ($2,505) and 201A ($4,840), though we don't get any details about their content.

The aforementioned MSRP does not include a destination and handling fee (*), which should be the same as the rest of the Focus lineup at $795, bringing up the price to $24,495.

Last month, it was reported that Volkswagen is mulling the development of a sporty looking compact sedan in the likes of the Passat CC (pictured above) based on the running gear of the next Jetta saloon.

Today we learn via a new report from Car&Driver magazine that even though Volkswagen's top brass is positive about the idea and could soon reach a final decision, company sources from Europe reportedly said, "It is highly unlikely that the car will make it to U.S. dealers".

What started out as a war of words between a 47-year old taxi driver and a 23-year old passenger quickly escalated to a hit-and-run incident that took place in Montreal, Canada, around 4 am this past Sunday, April 29.

Canada's Ottawacitizen identified the cab driver as Guercy Edmond, 47, of Laval, and the young man as Benoit Kapelli, 23.

The police have yet to determine what caused the conflict though at least two separate eyewitnesses recorded the incident on film. According to the first person that videotaped the scene, it all started when for unknown reasons a passenger slammed the door of the Toyota Camry cab.

"It began with one of the passengers slamming the door to the cab too hard on exiting the cab," wrote YouTube user Ilaneloc.

"Cab driver jumped out and confronted him on the sidewalk while the other passengers remained inside to pay. I left the scene as the verbal conflict escalated, presuming it would run itself out... I returned home to hear the commotion outside, where the conflict had escalated and the cab driver was aiming his cab in the wrong direction down St-Laurent towards the former passengers," explained Ilaneloc.

Canada's Ottawacitizen identified the cab driver as Guercy Edmond, 47, of Laval, and the young man as Benoit Kapelli, 23.

"It began with one of the passengers slamming the door to the cab too hard on exiting the cab," wrote YouTube user Ilaneloc.

Business is booming for South Korea's Hyundai Group that reported its first quarter results. The Hyundai brand sold an impressive 1,072,679 new vehicles worldwide (domestic: 154,800 / overseas: 917,879) in the first three months of 2012, up 16.7 percent from the same period a year earlier.

Hyundai Motor's net income climbed 30.6 percent to 2.45 trillion won (US$2.16 billion) in the first quarter, while its operating profit jumped 24.9 percent to 2.28 trillion won (US$2 billion).

For those that find the regular TT RS models not fast enough, Audi has announced that the new and more powerful TT RS Plus editions of the Coupe and Roadster will go on sale in Britain in early May, with first delivers expected in the summer.

The Plus package represents a £3,085 premium over the standard RS with prices ranging from £48,945 for the manual Coupe to £52,265 for the dual-clutch transmission Roadster.

The vast majority of bikers involved in an accident, no matter how small it may appear to be, will at least sit down to take a breath even if they are not hurt, but not this scooter rider who crashed into the side of a Toyota Camry while attempting to cross through a road without paying attention.

The man literally spun around himself almost touching the ground and immediately left the scene running towards the same direction he was heading with the scooter!

If you have any idea what just went on here, feel free to enlighten (or humor) us in the comments section that follows below the video.

The man literally spun around himself almost touching the ground and immediately left the scene running towards the same direction he was heading with the scooter!

If you have any idea what just went on here, feel free to enlighten (or humor) us in the comments section that follows below the video.

Being the number two automotive group in the US, and the fifth largest worldwide behind Hyundai, is no mean feat for Ford. Having an almost non-existent 2 percent share in the world’s largest car market, however, is.

Last year’s Thai floods resulted in a US$92 million loss for Ford's Asian operations in 2011. Adding insult to injury, Ford also reported a US$95 million loss in Asia for the first quarter of 2012. To make things worse, during the same period, its sales in China declined by 14 percent while both General Motors and VW gained market share.

Volkswagen continues to solicit ideas and views from the American public about the European Passat-based Alltrack concept it exhibited at this month's 2012 New York Auto Show.

This time, the German brand has released a new video with Serban Boldea, Product Manager for Volkswagen, walking around the Alltrack and asking viewers to tell the company what they would like to see on the tall estate model if it were to be offered in the United States.

Volkswagen continues to solicit ideas and views from the American public about the European Passat-based Alltrack concept it exhibited at this month's 2012 New York Auto Show.

The Esprit is one of the most famous and longest-living Lotus models ever having remained in production for close to three decades (!), from 1976 to 2004. Originally penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Esprit's design was freshened up initially by Peter Stevens in 1987 and later on by Julian Thompson in 1993.

Another landmark in the Esprit's lifespan was the presentation of a V8-powered model in 1996, the first of its kind for Lotus. Aptly named the Esprit V8, the British sports car was powered by an in-house developed, all-aluminum, twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V8 rated at 350hp (355PS) and 400Nm (295 lb-ft).

And it is this model that has fallen into the tuning hands of Germany's Cam-Shaft, which has introduced a new package with both styling and performance modifications.

A series of under-the-hood upgrades that include a software optimization, racing exhaust system, modified turbos and a new intercooler sourced from the Lotus Omega (Vauxhall Lotus Carlton), bump output to 485-horses (492PS). The tuner also replaced the stock 5-speed manual with a new 6-speed transmission.

And it is this model that has fallen into the tuning hands of Germany's Cam-Shaft, which has introduced a new package with both styling and performance modifications.

In the 1994 runaway hit film Speed, LAPD officer Jack Traven and Annie Porter - with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock in the respective roles, boarded a bus that had to keep moving above 50 miles per hour (80km/h) or a bomb would explode.

In the following incident that was captured by a dashboard camera of an adjacent passenger car along Alexandra Road in Singapore, there was no bomb on board but the full-size bus imitated the film speeding through a red light narrowly missing several vehicles and even a pedestrian crossing the road.

Just last week, Jaguar announced that its upcoming F-Type roadster would receive a tweaked version of the company's new 3.0-liter supercharged V6 pumping out 375hp (380PS) and 460Nm (339 lb-ft) of peak torque.

While the British automaker has made no mention (yet) of any other powertrain being offered in the F-Type, Edmund's InsideLine is reporting that a "very reliable source" told them that the car will also be available with Jaguar's 5.0-liter V8.

The production version of the pure electric Toyota RAV4 that we first saw in prototype guise at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show will make its world premiere at the 26th edition of the International Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS26), which takes place on Monday, May 7 in the City of Angels, the Japanese automaker announced today.

The new RAV4 EV has been developed in cooperation with Tesla that provides the electric driveline including the battery, motor, transmission and power electronics. Tesla will build the e-powertrains at its production plant in Palo Alto, California and then ship them to Toyota's Canadian facility for final assembly into the RAV4.

In 2009, Audi released a 98-minute movie called “Truth in 24”. The film documented the team’s preparation for the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hour race, the difficulties it faced before and during the event, the fight against the faster Peugeots and the eventual win of car number 2, driven by Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish and Rinaldo “Dido” Capello.

Last Thursday, the sequel to that documentary named “Truth in 24 II” made its world premiere in Los Angeles.

A cropped image allegedly showing the rear quarters of the next generation of the Renault Clio titled "Nouvelle Renalt Clio, Mondial de Paris 2012" has been making the internet rounds today after it was first posted on the Planeterenault forums.

The snapshot was reportedly taken from Renault's general shareholder meeting in Paris on Friday, April 27.

The shape of the rear passenger window with the hidden door handle and the lines around the lights match those of the prototype models we have seen testing in Europe over the past few months, so it is very likely that the picture is indeed the real deal.

The snapshot was reportedly taken from Renault's general shareholder meeting in Paris on Friday, April 27.

Even if you foolishly speed your way through a cross road to enter a gas station you may want to slow down as you approach and perhaps even come to a full stop before you come face to face with the cash register…

Hop over the break to watch the video.

The sixth generation of the Chevrolet Corvette may have entered its final year of production but Detroit's most famed sports car is making its first official appearance in South Korea.

The Corvette will go on sale in Korea on May 4. It will be offered exclusively as a coupe powered by a 430hp 6.2-liter V8 engine linked to a 6-speed automatic transmission that allows for a zero to 100km/h (62mph) sprint time of 4.3 seconds.

The sixth generation of the Chevrolet Corvette may have entered its final year of production but Detroit's most famed sports car is making its first official appearance in South Korea.

We have seen many camper conversions based on Volkswagen's highly popular Transporter T5 vans but what makes this new offering from British firm Doubleback is the innovative extendable rear section.

All the driver needs to do is press a button and the rear end of the van almost doubles its size thanks to an electric slide out rear pod that adds close to 2 meters (~78 inches) to the length of the vehicle.

We have seen many camper conversions based on Volkswagen's highly popular Transporter T5 vans but what makes this new offering from British firm Doubleback is the innovative extendable rear section.

The new Mitsubishi Mirage sub-compact model has been officially confirmed for Canada while the Japanese automaker is also contemplating the launch of the five-door hatchback in the U.S.

According to Mitsubishi's annual presentation on full-year sales and financial results for the fiscal year 2011 that ended on March 31, 2012, the Mirage will go on sale in North America in the first quarter of 2013 (FY2012/4Q).

Mitsubishi spokesperson Roger Yasukawa told Autonews that the Mirage will be sold in Canada but noted that U.S. sales are still "under consideration" and that "it's still 50-50 right now".

There are a couple of reasons why Mitsubishi is holding back on its decision over the U.S. launch of the Mirage, the first being its tight marketing budget as the company plans to introduce the new Outlander.

The new Mitsubishi Mirage sub-compact model has been officially confirmed for Canada while the Japanese automaker is also contemplating the launch of the five-door hatchback in the U.S.

Mitsubishi spokesperson Roger Yasukawa told Autonews that the Mirage will be sold in Canada but noted that U.S. sales are still "under consideration" and that "it's still 50-50 right now".

After its motor show debut in Geneva last month, ABT Sportline has now announced the commercial launch of its modification package for the second generation of the New Volkswagen Beetle.

The German aftermarket firm starts with a power kit for the Beetle's 2.0-liter TFSI that bumps output from 197hp (200PS) to 236hp (240PS).

After its motor show debut in Geneva last month, ABT Sportline has now announced the commercial launch of its modification package for the second generation of the New Volkswagen Beetle.

The German aftermarket firm starts with a power kit for the Beetle's 2.0-liter TFSI that bumps output from 197hp (200PS) to 236hp (240PS).

It has been three years since General Motors sold back its stake in Japanese car and truck manufacturer Isuzu after the Detroit company went into bankruptcy in 2009, though the two automakers never terminated their collaboration as evidenced by the new Chevrolet Colorado and the latest Isuzu D-Max pickup trucks.

Now we learn from Reuters that GM is interested in entering a new capital tie-up with Isuzu, reportedly to launch joint projects for commercial vehicles in Asia as well as Central and South America.

Aussie 1969 Ford Falcon XW GT Wagon Replica up for Grabs

Some will be surprised to know that the ridiculously fast family car is not a creation of the German auto industry that has dominated the segment in the past few decades with models like the Audi RS4/RS6, BMW M3/M5 and Mercedes C63/E63 AMG.

Back in the late 1960s, while American carmakers were obsessed with pony and muscle cars in coupe and convertible forms, Ford's Australian division gave birth to a vehicle that would change the industry: the 1967 Falcon XR GT sports saloon powered by a Mustang-sourced 225bhp 4.7-liter V8.

Holden tried to compete with the four-door Monaro GTS, but it was Ford that ended up creating the world's fastest production saloon in 1971 with the XY Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III propelled by a tuned 351 (5.8-liter) Cleveland V8 with up to 390bhp and a top speed of 250km/h (155mph).

Monday, April 30, 2012

Sunday, April 29, 2012