Easy come, easy go. Only it was anything but an easy arrival for USF1, the highly anticipated and much-hyped American grand prix team that was slated to hit the grid this past weekend for the start of the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship. And in the end, much as Bernie Ecclestone predicted, the team failed to make it.

FIA president Jean Todt had dispatched his technical chief Charlie Whiting to assess where things stood at USF1 headquarters in South Carolina, and reported back on the construction of several cars at the factory. As it turns out, that wasn’t enough to get them to the starting grid and joining Virgin, Lotus and HRT which did.

According to reports, USF1’s management is still holding out hope that they could join the grid for next season. In order to do so, they’d have to retain a workforce that largely blames the team’s two principals – Peter Windsor and Ken Anderson – for misleading and mismanaging the team’s entry, re-apply through a selection process which the FIA intends to re-open for next season, and face possibly penalties from its World Motor Sports Council.

[Source: ESPN]

USF1 reportedly still holding out hope for 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Saab 9-3X – Click above for high-res image gallery

While newly emancipated Saab has some fresh product in its near-term pipeline, it’s fair to say that the biggest challenge for the Swedish automaker over the long haul will be the development of costly new technologies and platforms. To that end, Spyker CEO Victor Muller has let slip to Automotive News Europe that Saab is actively looking at technology sharing arrangements with other OEMs – and they aren’t just looking in former parent General Motors‘ direction.

More to the point, Muller says that Saab has already been contacted by around a half-dozen OEMS, including “some German brands,” although the unnamed Deutsch companies are said to exclude Volkswagen and Audi. Saab presently has production and intellectual property agreements in place with GM to keep fresh product flowing through the rollout of its next-generation 9-3 in 2012, but after that line launches, it could receive parts developed from outside partners, including things like new powertrains, and potentially down the road, platforms.

In other company news, GMAC has been selected as the preferred source of financing for Saab franchises, providing a bit of continuity to the company’s dealer base, as GMAC was also a major source of new car financing under GM. You can read the official announcement after the jump and check out our newly expanded gallery of the soon-to-launch 9-3X below.

[Sources: Automotive News - Sub. Req., Saab]

Continue reading Report: Saab pondering tech partnership with Germans, picks GMAC as official financer

Report: Saab pondering tech partnership with Germans, picks GMAC as official financer originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Playstation3 gamers: If you were disappointed that only XBox 360 players got the Ferrari DLC package for Need for Speed SHIFT, take heart, because the next one’s got your name on it, too. The Exotic Racing Series pack is being released by EA for both platforms (though not for PC, PSP or mobile platforms) on March 18, with some of the most alluring machinery this side of Maranello.

Included in the downloadable content package are the McLaren MP4-12C and SLR Stirling Moss, the Alfa 8C Competizione and Maserati GranTurismo S, BMW M1 Procar, Gumpert Apollo and Acura NSX. The DLC costs $10 (or equivalent points) on either XBox Live or PlayStation Network, and also includes an array of new events and track layouts. Video and press release after the jump, screen shots in the gallery below. Thanks for the tip, Andrey!

[Source: EA via rpmgo.com]

Continue reading Faster Downloads: Exotic Racing Series DLC coming to NFS Shift [w/video]

Faster Downloads: Exotic Racing Series DLC coming to NFS Shift [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota walked a fine line this afternoon when it revealed that its own two-day investigation of last week’s runaway Prius near San Diego, CA had reached the same conclusion as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s investigation. That is, the brakes on Jim Sikes’ 2008 Toyota Prius should have been able to stop the car. Toyota did not, however, go so far as to call Sikes a liar.

The investigation determined that the front brake pads were worn so far down from overheating that the rotors were scraping the pads’ metal backings. According to investigators, this could have only happened if the brake pedal were applied lightly (less than 50% or so) for an extended period of time, not pressed firmly to the floor as Sikes claimed he was doing. Only by “dragging” the brakes lightly could they become so overheated and worn, as firmly pressing the brake pedal while the car is accelerating would engage the brake override system that cuts engine power.

Though asked repeatedly if they had concluded that Sykes was lying, representatives for Toyota insisted that was not their judgment to make and they could only say that the investigation’s findings were not consistent with the scenario that Sikes describes.

Follow the jump for Toyota’s official statement in which it details all eight points of its findings.

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Toyota agrees with NHTSA investigation of runaway Prius, but not calling Sikes a liar

Toyota agrees with NHTSA investigation of runaway Prius, but not calling Sikes a liar originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You’ve heard of art imitating life? Well how about life imitating war? That’s another story entirely, but not so far fetched when it comes to the Hummer. The sport-’ute that met the public eye during Operation Desert Storm has all but completely gone through its entire life cycle in the intervening years: first as a military-only vehicle, the original model became available to the public, then GM bought the rights and started churning out pickup-based H2s and H3s, the U.S. armed forces went back Iraq, the original H1 was discontinued and now GM is preparing to wind down the brand entirely. But not before one last pistol-shootin’ hoorah, courtesy of the one dealership that arguably sees the truck for what it is more than any other: Lynch Hummer.

The St. Louis-area franchise made headlines last year when they started filling their emptying showroom with gun racks, selling firearms to make up for dwindling sales in the gigantic SUVs. Now the dealership is connecting the dots with a one-of-a-kind promotion: Buy a Hummer, get a free shotgun.

The Browning Citori White Lightning is worth $2,000, and one will be given away with each purchase of a new Hummer. Fortunately, the same legal measures apply to the promotion as they would to anyone buying a new firearm, but if you’re looking for a one-stop shop to jump-start your own private militia, Lynch Hummer is clearly the place. Details in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Lynch Hummer]

Continue reading Out With A Bang: Hummer dealer giving away free shotgun with every new vehicle purchase

Out With A Bang: Hummer dealer giving away free shotgun with every new vehicle purchase originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s no secret that Hyundai has been enjoying a healthy dose of praise lately, especially with fresh new products like the Genesis, Tucson and Sonata garnering a lot of media attention. But it isn’t just the press that thinks Hyundai is on a roll – Kelley Blue Book now reports that the automaker now holds the Number One spot in brand loyalty, with 56.3 percent of Hyundai owners looking within the brand for new car purchases. Honda continues to hold the second place rank at 55.8 percent, and Toyota, in light of its recent recall woes, is down 4.4 percentage points to 53.3 percent, putting it in the third place spot.

Furthermore, the Sonata is now KBB’s fifth most-researched new vehicle, mostly due to the hype surrounding the stylish new 2011 model. The only vehicles ahead of it on the list are perennial mainstays, such as the Honda Civic, Accord, CR-V and Toyota Camry.

KBB market analysts believe that Hyundai should continue to promote its attractive new products, competitive price points and great warranty program in order to keep the momentum going (duh). These analysts also suggest that domestic automakers (Ford and GM, specifically) will prove to be Hyundai’s biggest competition in the near future, as these brands are set to roll out a host of new products to win over consumers. Follow the jump to read the full details in KBB’s press release.

[Source: Kelley Blue Book]

Continue reading Study: Hyundai customer loyalty upends Toyota, Honda, takes #1

Study: Hyundai customer loyalty upends Toyota, Honda, takes #1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nobody knows Audis like Mattias Ekström. The Swedish driver has been campaigning four-ringed racing machines in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters series (DTM, Germany’s touring car championship) for the past nine years, and has taken the title twice. Who better, then, to put the latest performance Audi through its paces?

Having come up through the touring car ladder, Ekström may know tin-tops, but open cockpits are a novelty for him. The Audi R8 Spyder, with its 5.2-liter V10 engine running at full bore, sounds – and looks – like a good place to start. Follow the jump to see Ekström and the R8 do the sideways thing through an underground parking lot, complete with dub-tastic dialogue. Thanks for the tip, Braun!

Continue reading Video: DTM champion Mattias Ekström plays renegade valet in an Audi R8 Spyder

Video: DTM champion Mattias Ekström plays renegade valet in an Audi R8 Spyder originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Take a look at the Infiniti line-up compared to other top-tier luxury automakers and something’s missing. Nissan’s luxury arm hasn’t had biggie-sized luxo-barge after the brand killed the Q45 in 2006, and it doesn’t look like a replacement is coming anytime soon.

Speaking with Automotive News, Toru Saito, Infiniti’s veep of global business contends that the recently released M sedan will “play a flagship role” for the automaker going forward, and judging by the dimensions of the new M – which comes in around the same size as the old Q – he’s partially right.

Despite matching Audi, BMW, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz point-for-point on its entry-level and mid-size models, Infiniti’s offerings have always straddled segments. The G37 is noticeably larger than the A4, 3 Series, IS and C-Class, while the M – which would traditionally take on the A6, 5 Series and E-Class – has grown considerably since it’s last iteration.

According to Saito, if there’s significant demand for a larger vehicle in Infiniti’s line-up, the automaker will consider reviving the Q, but for now “the No. 1 challenge is the environment and efficiency.”

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Could the Infiniti M replace the Q forever? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Britain is rife with cottage-industry sportscar-makers, but two are joining forces as racing manufacturer Ginetta has reportedly acquired supercar start-up Farbio.

The Farbio GTS was the brainchild of one Arash Farboud, who since divested from the venture to build his own Arash AF10. Farbio was left to operate independently, launching various versions of the GTS over the past couple years of operation. The company’s acquisition gives Ginetta – known principally for its racing cars – a ready-made supercar offering to add to its portfolio, as well as a second factory with an in-house carbon fiber manufacturing facility. The unit will continue to operate more or less independently, however, with current Farbio chief Chris Marsh (previously with Marcos, another British sportscar-maker) remaining at the helm.

The Farbio GTS will be rebranded as a Ginetta product (the top-spec Farbio GTS400 renamed the Ginetta F400, for example), and pricing is expected to remain the same for the time being. Ginetta, however, feels that the chassis could accommodate more power, and while Farbio’s marketing strategy placed emphasis on Japan and the Middle East, Ginetta hopes to increase its market share domestically in the UK. Plans are also reportedly afoot to bring the supercar to the North American market, with a homologation team en route Stateside to begin the certification process.

[Source: PistonHeads]

Report: Ginetta acquires Farbio, GTS rebadged, U.S. certification under way originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If a recent report out of the UK is to be believed, Maybach is set to get the axe in the very near future. However, as a last hurrah, all three models from the ultra-luxury division of Mercedes-Benz (57, 62 and Landaulet) will receive facelifts this year. The last round of top-zoot Maybachs will debut in late April at the Beijing Motor Show. Expect the changes to the lineup to be very minor – new grilles and LED lights should be about the only differences from the sedans currently on sale.

So, why kill off Maybach? Ever since the brand was resurrected in 2002, it has suffered from very slow sales. Not surprising, considering the high price tags, comparatively low content levels and the hard financial times the world has fallen on in recent years. Furthermore, parent company Mercedes-Benz has big plans to expand the S-Class range, which includes adding more upmarket versions which should fill the void of Maybach’s current offerings. Look for the new S-Class to arrive in 2014, along with a fully updated version of the R-Class people-mover, as well.

[Source: AutoExpress]

Report: Maybach to get facelift in Beijing before brand gets the axe originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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