It was bound to happen; the very first official press photos of the new 2012 Porsche 911 were leaked onto the internet today well ahead of the sports coupe's world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in mid-September. If you're having a hard time spotting the styling changes we won't blame you as the 991 was closely modeled after the outgoing 997. And while there may be more differences than we care to mention, the most eye-catching alterations concern the concave front LED daytime running lamps, the door-mounted exterior mirrors and the much thinner and more futuristic looking LED tail lamps that adorn the more heavily sculpted rear end. As anticipated, the new 911's interior blends the two styling worlds of the 997 and the Panamera into one. A key highlight is the pronounced lower part of the center console that hosts a number of buttons. Move away from the styling and you'll find a larger platform with a 4.0-inch longer wheelbase as well as a new pair of engines, with the basic Carrera sporting a 3.4-liter boxer delivering 350HP, and the Carrera S, a 3.8-liter flat-six producing around 400-horsepower. In both models, power is channeled to the driving wheels through a new 7-speed manual gearbox or an optional PDK transmission. Stay tuned on Carscoop for more news on the new Porsche 911, as it won't be long before the German automaker comes out with a full release.
A stylish car associated with one of the most exclusive names in fashion needs the appropriate introduction. And that’s why Fiat chose to launch the 500 by Gucci edition of its subcompact car in the US at next month’s New York fashion week. The special edition, which has been available in Europe since July, is mechanically identical to the run-of-the-mill US edition of the 500, but Gucci's creative director Frida Giannini customized its styling, adding the brand’s famous red and green pattern, a two-tone leather interior as well as its double-G logo in places like the wheels and the gearlever. The Fiat 500 by Gucci will be available both as a hatchback and as a convertible, in black or white finishes. Expect pricing of both models to be equivalent to Gucci’s other products. Just to get an idea, in Europe the hatchback starts from €17,000 (US$24,200 and the 500C convertible from €20,000 (US$28,800).
A little over a month ago, we showed you a photo of a two-door Audi Q7 Pickup Truck, wondering at the same time if the picture was real or the result of some handy digital manipulation. Earlier this week, Carscoop reader 15 that the Audi Q7 Pickup Truck does indeed exist in real life, and to prove it, he pointed us towards a Facebook page with four photos of the one-off model. We can’t confirm this, but Majdo-dk wrote that the Q7 Pickup Truck was produced in Slovakia, while the photo album noted that the pictures were taken in VW BA, which we assume stands for Volkswagen Bosnia and Herzegovina. If that's the case, then the Q7 Pickup Truck could be an official project.
Good news for Roll-Royce's 'Bespoke' division which is responsible for the creation of unique automotive parts as well as life style items such as custom picnic sets for the brand's clientele, as due to growing customer demand, the British company has decided to expand its operations. Rolls-Royce said the 'Bespoke' division, which is based at the firm's headquarters in Goodwood in West Sussex, will see a flow of team members, including designers, engineers and project management staff, doubling the headcount to over 50 people by the end of 2011. “The ability to bespoke one’s vehicle has always been at the heart of Rolls-Royce so it is very encouraging to see that after more than one hundred years at the very pinnacle of the automotive world, our Bespoke services are still very much in demand from customers all over the world today”, said Rolls-Royce Member of the Board and Director, Sales and Marketing, Jolyon Nash.
It's been a long time in the making, but Suzuki is finally ready to add a sporty variant to the Swift's range. The Japanese automaker released a single photo and details of the Swift Sport ahead of its official debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month. The new Swift Sport is powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with an output of 135HP at 6,900 rpm and maximum torque of 160 Nm (118 lb/ft) at 4,400 rpm. The four-cylinder engine was developed especially for the Swift Sport and it transmits power to the front wheels via a newly developed six-speed manual gearbox. According to Suzuki, the new Swift Sport is more refined than its predecessor that was launched in 2006. The company says it will also be more responsive thanks to struts with internal rebound springs and a redesigned rear suspension. While it has a more aggressive look than the regular versions thanks to the large honeycombed front grille, the redesigned front bumper with the big fog lights and the side skirts, it isn't as wild as the Swift S-Concept we saw at the Geneva Show last March. Although Suzuki has not released any photos of the interior, the company claims that “it combines essential sportiness with a high-quality look and feel”. If you want a preview of the cockpit, take a look at the photo of the S-Concept as we reckon most parts including the sport seats will make it into production.
As you may have already heard, Formula 1’s regulations have been overhauled for the 2014 season with 1.6-liter turbocharged V6s replacing the current 2.4 V8s, while te new cars will also feature a new, more powerful Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS). The whole concept behind FIA’s proposal is that F1 cannot stay behind the times that demand lower fuel consumption and an environmentally-friendly profile. However, Bernie Ecclestone has discovered what he believes to be a serious flaw in the proposed regulations for 2014. Ecclestone says the article 5.19, which stipulates that cars must run on electric engines alone in the pit lane with no fuel whatsoever sprayed in the V6 gasoline engine, must be crossed out because “people could be killed”. "Formula One is absolutely not the right place to have electric engine" Ecclestone told the Daily Express. "It's like having ballet dancers with sneakers. More comfortable, but it doesn't work. There's no way that it will be electric in the pit lane. People could be killed because they won't hear the cars coming," he added.
Pagani’s new supercar, the V12-powered 700HP Huayra, will not be sold in the United States unless its maker conforms to the latest airbag regulations. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) denied Pagani’s request for an exemption to the 11-year old safety rule that mandates the existence of “smart” airbags. These airbags, which are mandatory the last 11 years for all new cars under US regulations, have sensors that adjust the deployment force depending on the seat occupant’s weight and height. Only limited-production carmakers have been granted a waiver in the past five years, including Lamborghini and Tesla, based on financial grounds. Pagani claims that, at best, it well sell five of its $1.1 million supercars in the US next year, whereas developing the advanced airbags demanded by US federal law would cost €4.0 million. In addition, the loss of net income due to NHTSA’s denial of a waiver would cost it an additional $4.5 million (€3.2 million) until 2015.
NHTSA Notice Summary:
"This notice denies the petition of Pagani Automobili SpA (Pagani) for exemption from certain advanced air bag requirements of FMVSS No. 208, for the Huayra model. The basis for the application is that the petitioner avers compliance would cause substantial economic hardship and that it has tried in good faith to comply with the standard. The agency has determined that Pagani has failed to demonstrate that compliance would cause substantial economic hardship. Furthermore, the agency is unable to find that an exemption would be consistent with the public interest or the objectives of the Safety Act. This action follows our publication in the Federal Register of a document announcing receipt of Pagani’s petition and soliciting public comments.
U.S. safety regulators are investigating an estimated 120,000 BMW 7-Series sedans from the 2002 to 2008 model years (E65 and E66) after receiving a complaint from a consumer alleging a roll-away incident after parking and exiting a 2006MY BMW 7 Series. According to the complaint filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA], the vehicle was fitted with BMW's Comfort Access electronic access and ignition system and an electronic transmission shifter with the gear selector mounted on the steering column. The shifter automatically puts the vehicle in Park under a variety of conditions, including after the driver has pressed the ignition button to turn the engine off. The safety agency said BMW submitted additional reports describing other rollaway incidents in "similarly equipped" 2002-2008MY BMW 7-Series vehicles. "Thus far, no cause has been identified for any of the rollaway incidents," NHTSA said in a statement adding that "a Preliminary Evaluation has been opened to assess the scope, frequency and causes of rollaway incidents in the subject vehicles".
While we could understand if someone forgot to release a broken or a loose handbrake that allows the rear wheels to turn around with some difficulty, how can you drive a car on the road with the rear wheels completely locked down and not take any notice? And that's exactly what we have in this video starring a lady behind the wheel of a green Fiat Cinquecento (which was the 500's predecessor in the Italian brand's range). Not only did she forget the handbrake on, but she doesn't even pay attention to the young men trying to inform her about the brake. Follow the jump for the video.
The showdown between BMW and the 68 union workers set to lose their jobs on August 31 at the Bavarian firm's distribution plant in Ontario, California, continues to escalate after Teamster members and their families protested outside 50 BMW dealerships in 11 states in the beginning of the month. Today, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters that represents the soon-to-be-laid-off employees said union members of the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) have been organizing informational pickets at 10 ports in nine countries over the past few days to show their solidarity with the BMW workforce. "This is what international solidarity is all about: Crossing state lines, seas and borders to help workers whose jobs are threatened," said ITF President Paddy Crumlin. "BMW is planning to outsource good, middle-class jobs," said Bob Lennox, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 495. "Many of these employees have worked there for decades – some as long as 30 years. BMW told these workers they were a family, and then proceeded to hire union-hostile lawyers to help it exploit America's plant-closing laws. BMW and its lawyers at Jackson Lewis are condemning 68 American families to poverty and misery" Lennox continued. In addition to the protests, BMW union workers recently launched a dedicated website under the name "BMW Ultimate Misery" where they have uploaded a series of videos to aid their cause. On its behalf, BMW said that the decision not to renew the contracts of the 68 workers is not related to the union or wages but about operating its Ontario facility in the same way it does with its other North American plants through third-party workers.
If there is one Japanese company that can lay claim to having a reputation for innovation and advanced engineering, it is Honda. It is a reputation built over more than 30 years, starting from the first generation of the Civic in the ‘70s and continuing throughout the years with novelties such as VTEC, the futuristic first generation Insight hybrid back in 1999, the S2000's high-revving 120HP-per-liter engine, the first practical supercar, the NSX – and the list goes on. However, something seems to have changed, and not for the better. In the USA, the Civic enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a reliable, frugal and well-made car. But when the new Civic sedan and coupe made their debut at the New York Motor Show last April, pundits were less than impressed. Then came the Consumer Reports test, and all hell broke loose. While the Civic's predecessors had often been Consumer Reports’ highest rated small sedans as well as "Top Picks" in five of the last 10 years, the new model scored too low to be "Recommended". To make a bad situation worse, it was placed second-to-last in CR’s ratings of 12 small sedans, followed only by the revamped Volkswagen Jetta. Is it because Honda decided to cut corners in designing the ninth generation of the Civic, reducing costs and, in the process, quality, or is it that the competition like Hyundai’s Elantra, have improved greatly in their latest iterations, catching up and even surpassing the establishment? “When I saw the interior of the new Civic, it worried me” Tatsuo Yoshida, an auto analyst at UBS Securities, told Reuters. “The mileage was impressive. But Korean brands are upping the ante with game-changing improvements to their cars’ interior. For people buying a new car for the first time, they are becoming an increasingly attractive option”. A more worrying prospect is the one expressed by Edmunds.com analyst Bill Visnic: that Honda is slowly, but surely, losing its character: “Honda built its reputation on engineering excellence. They are now becoming kind of a very normal car company”. American sales are very important to Honda since the US is its biggest market, accounting for almost 30% of its global sales. But the game is far from over as in 2010, Honda held a 10.7 percent share of the U.S. car market making it the country's number four automaker with three of its core models, the Civic, the Accord and the CR-V, occupying the first or second place of their respective segments. Moreover, it seems that Hyundai is not stealing so many sales from Honda as the Civic's share in its segment has grown 2.7% in the last four years. Apparently, the Koreans are filling in the void left by defunct brands like GM's Saturn and Pontiac. Moreover, it is difficult to judge buyers’ reaction to the new Civic since the March 11 earthquake in Japan has reduced inventory for all Japanese brands, with Honda’s US sales recording a 10% drop so far this year Even if sales of the Civic improve, Honda needs to do something fast. According to J.D. Power, Honda’s main strength was its consistently high ranking in durability and reliability studies. That's what convinced many buyers to choose one of the firm's cars. In J.D. Power's latest report published in June, Honda still held the number one spot among the mass-market brands. In contrast, Hyundai ranked below average. However, in another study that measures overall appeal, J.D. Power reported that Hyundai was the most improved brand: “Reliability is important,” admitted J.D. Power’s director of automotive research Raffi Festekjian. “But you know what? You still need to make a vehicle than is appealing, fun to drive and comfortable to sit in”. Unfortunately for Honda, in this survey it was fourth from the bottom. Our take is that Honda needs to reinvent itself by bringing back some of the engineering magic that made its products stand out from the crowd and devote more resources on the design aspect of its cars as styling is becoming an increasingly important factor in consumer choice these days. The Japanese company could communicate these changes with the introduction of one or more "halo" cars such as a replacement for the S2000 before applying them on mainstream models like the Civic. Lets not forget, Honda established the reputation of being an innovative automaker with cars like the S2000 and the NSX (sold as an Acura in North America but as a Honda in the rest of the world).
