2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 details emerge

The last Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 was one heck of a muscle truck, but it was somewhat encumbered by being based on the last Grand Cherokee. The new model, however, is a different beast entirely, billed as the kind of vehicle that could help turn Chrysler’s fortunes around. So what’s next? The new Grand Cherokee SRT8, of course. And rumormill reports of its specifications are beginning to pour in.

According to insiders, the new GC SRT8 will bow at the upcoming New York Auto Show in April. And when it does, it is expected to pack the new 6.4-liter Hemi V8 with around 470 horsepower and just as much torque. That’ll be mated, according to the rumors, to a five-speed automatic equipped with paddle shifters – an SRT first. Couple that to a new adaptive damping suspension, 14-inch Brembo brakes and 20-inch alloys wearing Pirelli rubber and you can start to see where Chrysler’s Italian cousins are starting to pitch in. Heck, Chrysler is even said to be working on boosting the towing capacity, so the next SRT8 should be a more well-rounded vehicle to live with, as well.

 

Source:Autoblog

Report: $33M in EV tax credits went to buy unqualified vehicles

Is a bicycle an electric vehicle? How about a Hummer H3? These are some of the things that Americans claimed were hybrids, alternative-powered or plug-in electric vehicles on their tax forms, reports USA Today. What’s more, the false claimants managed to get $33 million back from the federal government. According to the daily, $33 million is about 20 percent of the $163.9 million total that has been claimed under the tax credit programs so far.

The information comes from a new report, published by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, which found that the problem lies with the IRS, which apparently doesn’t have the “adequate procedures” required to ferret out which claims qualify and which don’t. The IRS responded by saying it, “has already implemented measures to address some of the problems highlighted in the report.” Okay, that’s all somewhat understandable, but a getting money back for a bicycle? We love bikes, seriously, but we’re pretty sure that they’re not cars…

Source:Autoblog

Lamborghini Gallardo Invidia edition by Amari Design

Lamborghini Gallardo Invidia edition by Amari Design, 863, 31.01.2011

Almost compulsory for any self-respecting tuning firm of supercars, the Lamborghini Gallardo has been chosen as their first conversion.

Amari Supercars, one of the largest pre-owned supercar dealers in the UK, has branched out into the tuning/lifestyle scene with Amari Design.

Almost compulsory these days for any self-respecting tuning firm of supercars, the Lamborghini Gallardo has been chosen as their first conversion. Dubbed the Invidia edition, the Gallardo features a restyled front bumper fascia, carbon fiber front lip, complete front fenders, quarter panels, side skirts, rear bumper fascia, carbon fiber diffuser, carbon fiber rear spoiler and stainless steel exhaust system.

The interior has also been made over with carbon fibre trim which is available in a range of different color weaves plus the carbon fiber racing seats trimmed in Alcantara.

Under the hood power output for the 5.0-liter V10 is increased from the standard 513 bhp (382 kW / 520 PS) up to a massive 740 bhp (552 kW / 750 PS).  Although no details are given on the performance upgrade, Amari Design emphasizes that all engine tuning is performed in-house by their own Amari Service garage headed by master technician John Greatorex who Amari states is in the UK’s top 5 supercar mechanics.

Development work is already underway for the first prototype and is expected to be launched end of April.

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Superformance MKIII roadster powered by the Mustang’s 5.0L V8

We were smitten with the Coyote 5.0-liter V8 the second we got behind the wheel of the 2011 Ford Mustang GT. We described the 412 horsepower engine as “a pot of pure honey” as well as “intoxicating,” and said that the “5.0-liter V8 pulls like a jet airliner.” With a curb weight of just over 3,600 pounds, the Mustang GT is not as bloated as the Camaro, but by no means a lightweight. Would we like the 5.0L even more if it had less mass to push around?

That’s what Superformance had in mind with its latest creation. The maker of Shelby-licensed Cobra replicas has installed a Coyote 5.0-liter crate motor into one of its MKIII Roadsters, creating a combination of classic styling with the best of Ford’s modern powertrains. The engine wedges snugly into the front of the car, and only a custom air intake and headers are all that are needed to make everything fit.

We stopped by Superformance to get a closer look at the car, and came away with some photos and even some video of it in action. Check out the high-res gallery of the car below, and follow the jump to watch the video and hear what the Coyote 5.0-liter V8 sounds like without mufflers.

First batch of U.S.-bound Fiat 500s coming with manuals

Fiat dealerships are just about ready to swap your money for the keys to a brand-new 500. If you are planning on being one of the first to park one in your driveway, we hope that you know how to drive a manual transmission – the first units being shipped to dealers in February will all be equipped with manual transmissions.

If you can’t handle the three-pedal setup, you’ll be forced to wait a bit longer for your Fiat 500. Examples equipped with the six-speed automatic will begin arriving in March and April. Then again, you may have to wait that long regardless of your transmission preference, since currently, only 20 percent of the 130 Fiat dealerships are ready to open. The first one, Motor Village in Los Angeles, is set to open its doors later this month.

New Car JNH Porsche GT3 996

New company J.N.Hephaiss have released details of this PIG UGLY kit for those wanting to devalue their Porsche 996 GT3.  (J.N.Hephaiss Press Release) Our very first model is the Porsche GT3 (Type 996), one of the top performance cars on the public road among naturally-aspirated engine cars. With power performance and instant acceleration that tops 300km/h, sharp handling and gear sound, it’s completely different from standard Carrera.

Humble appearance and exhaust sound of GT3, which we find a little disappointing for such a prestige car, are the main reason why we went into the lab for a year to create the extreme Porsche. The final product, aggressive yet not vulgar and so fitting of its power, adds am impact to its slender body of GT3. At the same time, it exceeds the functionality of the original car in terms of aerodynamics and cooling effect.

Mini: “The 500 is a darling little car… but we’re a premium brand”

Mini showed off the Paceman Concept at this year’s Detroit Auto Show and announced not long afterward that it would spawn a production model. Tom Salkowski, who recently moved from BMW USA to Mini USA to fill the role of marketing manager, will be the man charged with getting the word about about Mini’s eighth model and the ones beyond. Here’s what he had to tell us.

• The small car segment has erupted over the past couple of years and “Mini has prospered” even though it “faced significantly more competition.” But when asked what kind of head-to-head competitors the brand thinks it faces, Salkowski said “maybe Volkswagen, Mazda, Scion in the small-car segment,” with the caveat that since “Mini is very much a mindset, it’s different than other vehicles,” so “for the time being we don’t see anything.” Head of product management Oliver Friedmann confirmed the assessment with, “We don’t see any one-to-one competition, maybe the Evoque could be” for the Countryman.

• Salkowski offered his thoughts on the Fiat 500 with, “The 500 is a darling little car, but Mini is a premium brand.”

• On the discussion of roots and heritage at other emotional brands like BMW and Lotus, when asked how big the Mini brand and Mini cars could get and still be considered Minis, Friedmann said, “That’s what we try to find out at the moment. We just jumped over the four-meter line with the Countryman,” but reaction in the three months that the crossover has been on sale in Europe has been “very positive.”

• Nevertheless, it’s not about creating an acceptance of a Mini of any size. Friedman said, “The competitors for the Countryman are significantly larger. We will always stay the smallest in the segment.” But the number one rejection of Mini is due to size and space, so the company had to do something.

• Mini’s been known for its irreverent advertising, and it doesn’t sound like much will change under Salkowski, with a “bigger spend on television – you only get one chance to launch a car.” There will also be a huge billboard in Times Square, and a take-off on Mini’s original U.S. launch when they had a roving Ford Excursion driving around with a Mini on its roof. This time it will be a roving Countryman with a vintage Mini, Alec Issigonis’ original, on its roof.

GM marketing chief Ewanick: “We’ll focus on Cruze all year long”

Joel Ewanik was recently named General Motors’ global marketing chief, so we sat down with him and Buick marketing honcho Roger McCormack at the Detroit Auto Show to find out how they plan to get more attention for GM’s brands.

• For both men, the priority is to get people in seats since GM appears to realize that it can’t just rely on people to trust its marketing. “We’re making great cars – the Cruze was the first car in its segment to get five stars under the new NHTSA standards,” Ewanick said, “we need to get people in sitting in the cars.” For Buick, McCormack said as well that his brand will focus on “Activities to get people in cars, sitting in cars, experiencing cars.”

• On the subject of settling Cadillac’s advertising, Ewanick said, “With Cadillac we’re trying to create some dissonance, putting them in ski resorts to remind people that Cadillac is a great brand for their snow activities with the all-wheel-drive sports wagon and CTS, SRX and Escalade.” To that end, the brand has done deals with the Northstar ski resort in Lake Tahoe and they’re doing one with Vail, in Colorado.

Thieves swipe $140K BMW 7 Series in Detroit during auto show

The 2011 Detroit Auto Show is proving to be more eventful for BMW than the automaker had originally intended. As workers were preparing to load a BMW 7 Series onto a transport truck near Detroit’s Westin Book Cadillac hotel, a pair of thieves jumped in and drove off with the German luxury sedan. The car is said to be worth $140,000, and as of this writing, local police have had no luck tracking down the stolen vehicle. Thankfully, this 7 Series is equipped with BMW Assist, which locates a vehicle if it’s stolen, so it’s only a matter of time before cops close in on the BMW bandits.

If some brand new 7 Series parts wind up on Craigslist’s Detroit-area ‘for sale’ section, we’re willing to bet the sale price is too-good-to-be-true for a reason.

2011 Toyota Highlander

After more than a decade of wild growth and nearly limitless prosperity, Toyota experienced an unthinkable 2010 – the bandwagon derailed in a very ugly, very public way. Embarrassing recalls played their role in the Japanese automaker’s uncharacteristic slide, but even though that public black eye is beginning to heal, Toyota is still grappling with an aging product lineup. The Camry and Corolla still sell in massive numbers, but they’re growing long in the tooth. Admittedly, the latter received a very mild refresh for 2011, but the competition has caught up with each in every category that counts. It’s much the same story for Toyota’s truck and SUV portfolio, where the RAV4, Tacoma, FJ Cruiser and Tundra are hardly spring chickens.

Compounding the issue is the lukewarm response to some of its newly refreshed. The styling remains staid. The interiors are no longer class-leading. The powertrains and fuel economy have done little to separate them from the rest of the pack. Still, not all Toyota models are headed off the reservation. The redesigned Siennahas been well-received and is doing good work on the sales floor. The same can still be said for the Prius and the redesigned 4Runner, which is selling far better than its predecessor. The subject of Toyota’s latest refresh and the vehicle featured here, the 2011 Highlander, has been consistently successful over its lifespan. Will new tweaks to the seven-passenger crossover help this perennial top-seller stay near the top of the pack, or could the lack of a more comprehensive redesign relegate this CUV to also-ran status?