Have you ever hopped in your car, only to discover it wasn't yours? When I was in college, I jumped into a Honda that wasn't mine, and my Mom just did the same thing yesterday with her Hyundai. Funny stuff. Anyway, here's the news:
- Even though there were screams of protest from Porsche purists upon its release, the Cayenne has been a financial boon for the company. So it makes sense to make a crossover. Right? Check out these shots of it testing at the Ring. AutoExpress
- Given that SUVs are selling for peanuts, it's not a huge surprise that Korean manufacturers Kia and Hyundai are dropping plans to introduce a pickup. With gas prices climbing steadily, they'll probably want to keep making all the small cars they can. Automotive News
- If your GPS is good enough, getting lost is already a thing of the past. But now you can even download the positions of traffic cameras and known speed traps, so it might just keep you from getting popped for speeding. Pretty cool. Wired
- Motorcycle riders in Louisiana will no longer have to wear helmets, as the law is being repealed. The really interesting thing about this story? It says that less than half of states require them. In a nanny state like the US, I'd figure that number would be higher. KFDM News
I'm just curious, and I the only person who really digs those FreeCreditReport.com commercials? Honestly, I think that "New Car" isn't nearly as funny as "Pirates" or "Dream Girl," but I like all of them. Anyway, here's the news:
- While US motorists are feeling pain at the pump, oil-producing countries are rolling in dough, and some folks over there are paying nearly a million dollars for low-digit license plates. Is this what we get for not becoming energy independent? Sigh. Autoblog
- The Gullwing—the successor to Mercedes' SLR McLaren supercar—has been spotted at the Ring. While it was wearing some Viper sheet metal on its hind quarters, even in this Franken-trim, the car looks pretty sexy. AutoExpress
- Chinese company Brilliance took serious heat after crash tests made its BS6 look about as safe as gator wrestling. But lo and behold, somebody has wrecked one—and lived to tell the tale! World Car Fans
- Microsoft Sync's system has made the Focus has a bright spot in Ford's lineup, but now that Hyundai and Kia will be getting similar technology, will it be able to keep its edge? Time will tell. Freep
Hyundai showed off this green Genesis Coupe at South Korea's Busan Auto Show this weekend. The thread over at genfans.com claims that it is powered by a Theta 2.0 liter I4 twin turbo GDI engine, rated at 290 hp (the engine found in the Kia Koupe Concept which was revealed at NYIAS).
Looks like there were lots of amazing rides at Cars and Coffee this weekend. I was just going through their gallery when I saw this Genesis Coupe. And of course we know that Rich was there with the new Challenger (more on that tomorrow).
John, Jen and Sean are all out of the office today, which makes it kind of lonely here at CarDomain world headquarters. It also means I don't have anyone to delegate the crap work to. Here's the news:
- F1 champ Michael Schumacher crashed his Triumph Daytona 675 motorcycle on the French track of Bresse. Maybe he should stick to four wheels. Jalopnik.
- Looks like the Tiburon is going bye bye. I guess that's not a huge surprise with the hot new Genesis Coupe coming out soon. Autoblog.
- Chrysler will remain unprofitable for 2008, but they're, like, totally cool with that. Motor Authority.
- The Hemmings guys had this amazing slab side Cobra pull into their shop today. I'm jealous. Hemmings Blog.
- Looks like DUB edition Chargers and 300s will be hitting the showrooms this spring in limited quantities. Upgrades include 20 inch wheels and Kicker surround sound stereo. MotiveMag.
It's Friday, and you know what that means: a couple of days of partying which will be awesome, even if it takes a little while to piece together what I actually did. Have a great weekend! Here's the news:
- If you've ever wanted to design a car from scratch, this might be your chance. Local Motors is calling for designs, and if they get a really killer one, it just might see production. Wired
- The brass at American Axle isn't pumped about the proposal the UAW has submitted, saying that it won't allow the company to be competitive. Obviously, this isn't good for workers, who have been on strike for over six weeks. Detroit News
- Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Mong-koo, who received a three year suspended sentence for fraud last year, recently had his conviction over-turned by Korea's Supreme Court. Life is good at the top. Automotive News
- Most car companies get all huffy about spy shots of their new vehicles, but not Opel. The automaker is actually releasing it's own. What's next, dog and cats living together? Winding Road
Most of the time, videos of autocross runs aren't terribly exciting to watch, but this clip of Bill's first place finish totally delivers. The perspective is just right, and there's none of the jerky motion which can render otherwise awesome videos unwatchable. Head over to his page and check out some shots of his sweet '03 Hyundai Tiburon on the track, and if you're in a position to dole out a sponsorship, drop him a line. Congrats on the win Bill!
With fuel prices increasing, I have recently been wondering if the car companies are doing all they can to develop alternative fuels. According to Today Tonight, Ross Blade from Harcourt Australia has started to produce his own electric car, the Blade Runner. Based on a Hyundai Getz, it's been recognized as Australia’s first zero-emissions car by the CSIRO. For the conversion, Blade removes the motor and exhaust system and replaces it with an electric motor that's powered by two banks of batteries. With a range of 100 km (62 miles), the Blade Runner’s main market will be those living in urban areas; however, at a cost of $35,000, it's expensive for a small car. Of course Blade is not the first person to attempt this, but if an individual working from a shed in a small country town can produce a funcitonal all-electric car, then why aren’t the large car manufacturers doing the same? Personally I have my doubts about Blade's car. Generally the batteries for electric cars are expensive to replace and they do more harm to the environment than good, and don't even get me started on that wonder of modern marketing which is the Prius. However, Blade does deserve a round of applause for showing what could be possible for the large car manufactures if they really tried.
As if Hyundai hasn't been kicking up enough of a buzz around its Genesis Coupe reveal at the New York International Auto Show, "sources" at the company have confided to Edmunds that a red turbocharged 4-cylinder will be making a high-profile cameo in the new Fast and the Furious film. If the Coupe gets put through its paces in the film anywhere near as skillfully as Hyundai's professional drivers did in CarDomain's video of the NYIAS reveal, we say, bring it!
There's been a ton of buzz around Hyundai's new Genesis Coupe, so the brass wanted to make sure it debuted with a bang—literally. Not only did the company employ a pair of sexy stunt drivers—the one behind the wheel of the silver car is Angelina Jolie's driving double—to turn some donuts for the assembled crowd, they shot off fireworks as each one rolled into view. Seriously, this video is awesome. While the smoke from the detonations did get a little thick, the whole event was perfectly choreographed, and when the ladies wound them up, the 300 horsepower motors sounded great. Of course, getting a decent picture of the new sheet metal was next to impossible in the post-demonstration feeding frenzy, but I did manage to get some great footage of the cars in motion. Enjoy.
Pics of the production version of the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe got leaked this weekend, ahead of its official debut at the New York Auto Show in a few days. I'm having dinner with the Hyundai guys on Tuesday, so I promise more details, and of course more pics very soon. The car will be available with a 300+ hp V6, so it will definitely liven up the pony car wars a bit when it arrives at dealers in the spring of 2009. More at Left Lane News.
Early next week, Rob and I are headed to the Big Apple for the New York International Auto Show. We've basically been chained to our desks since returning from SEMA, so we're both looking forward to getting out of the office. Along with all the general gawking, blogging, and picture-taking we'll be doing from the show floor, we'll also be hobnobbing with honchos from GM and Hyundai, and meeting some of our comrades from other automotive blogs. Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing the new GTR and Jag's XF in person, picking up some Engrish-laden Chinese press kits, and of course, soaking up some nightlife. What do you want to see?
Next week in New York, I'm going to have dinner with the folks from Hyundai, and since I have a big, fat crush on the company, I'm pretty excited. But in between laughing at every joke and batting my eyelashes, I'm definitely going to ask why the Genesis Coupe's engine bay isn't big enough to accommodate the new V8. Here's the news:
- White is the number one color for cars in the US, followed by silver and black. Since most people are pretty boring, it's to be expected most that people are will choose a boring color for their car. But the world would be a better place if more cars were painted like Skittles. World Car Fans
- Chrysler has just announced it will shut down all its facilities for two weeks in July. The company isn't saying why, but something tells me it has something to do with money. Freep
- Volkswagen had a pretty good 2007—everywhere but the US, that is. What's the problem? Well, there are a whole mess of them. Auto Observer
- Here's a surprise: Ford is "disappointed" with a California court's decision to reinstate an 82.6 million dollar judgment against the company. What's the problem? It's only 82 million bucks! Automotive News
