Chinese Hybrid Sports Car Mixes Audi R8 and Ferrari Styling Traits

It has come to the point where this blatant copying of Western car designs from Chinese auto manufacturers is getting totally ridiculous. The Tong Jian S11 that was reportedly revealed at the Shanghai Motor Show earlier this year but somehow escaped our radars, borrows several styling cues from a number of vehicles including the Audi R8-esque profile and the Ferrari-inspired tail design.

The Tong Jian S11 is said to be a hybrid sports car that presumably combines electric motors with an internal combustion engine. There are no specific details on the car's mechanics nor if it is scheduled to enter production at some point.

Via: Leblogauto & Autoblog.com , Images: Goche Sohu

Alfa Romeo Milano: BMW 1-Series Rival Caught on Video

Alfa Romeo's MiTo sport hatch will soon get a big brother in the form of the 147's replacement that abandons the firm's numerical system in favor of the more 'sensual' Milano name. Spied here on film at Nurburgring, the Milano is still under heavy disguise but it is evident that the hatchback's styling will be influenced by the smaller MiTo which in turn was inspired by the 8c Competizione.

Based on Fiat's new C-Evo platform, the Milano will be offered with an extensive range of turbocharged petrol and diesel engines producing up to more than 200 horsepower. The five-door model will compete in the premium hatchback market along with the Audi A3 and BMW 1-Series.

The Milano's official presentation, which has been constantly delayed due to various reasons including the economic slowdown, is now expected to take place either at the Frankfurt show in September or, most likely, at next year's Geneva Salon. For more details and spy shots of the Milano, click here to read our previous post.

Via: Worldcarfans

Spy Shots: Ferrari Testing California with HGTE Sport Package at the Nurburgring?

Our spies have caught a mysterious Ferrari California performing test runs on the Nurburgring race track. According to our photographers, there were two Ferrari test drivers on hand that changed positions behind the steering wheel every so often and that the California featured the usual electronic equipment you find on test cars. Since the California has already been launched, there are two plausible explanations.

The first thing that leaps into mind is that Ferrari may be tweaking the California for future updates while another explanation is that the Italian automaker is readying a Handling GT Evoluzione sport package for their entry-level coupe cabriolet supercar, similar to the one offered on the 599 GTB Fiorano. Let's not forget that Ferrari's marketing team loves special edition models and packages.

Before we say anything else, let us not that besides the special antenna on the rooftop and the masked patch on the left-hand side of the front bumper, the California test car did not feature any other distinct features.

If Ferrari is indeed working on a HGTE sport package for the California, expect to see a modified suspension setup along with a lower ride height, special tires and a recalibrated seven-speed twin-clutch transmission. If the HGTE sport package for the 599 Fiorano is anything to go by, then minor styling enchantments inside and out as well as new alloy wheels and a sportier exhaust system should also be in the mix.

Jaguar Goodwood Special XKR: First Official Photos of Performance Model

The lime green Jaguar you see going slideways above is the 'Goodwood Special XKR', a one-off model that it will make its world debut at this weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed. It is based on the facelifted 2010 XKR that exits the factory with a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 producing 510HP and 625Nm of torque that propels the coupe to 60mph (96km/h) from standstill in 4.6 seconds. Jaguar said that the one-off model features an array of performance enhancements and a louder exhaust, but did not disclose any specific details.

The 'Goodwood Special XKR' also features 21-inch alloy wheels and a lowered ride-height while the coupe's exterior stands out with the unique Lime Green paint scheme and XKR exterior graphics along with satin graphite detailing to the front grilles, headlights, door mirrors, side window surrounds, rear signature blade and bonnet louvres.

Ford's Agency Tries to Lure Carscoop and Other Blogs into Writing about their Cars to Enter a Draw for a Media Test Drive...

In all the years I've been in the media business, I've seen and heard some really weird things but automakers and their marketing agencies never cease to amaze me with their ignorance and dubious promotion methods. Earlier today I received an email from a representative of the Social Media Group, an independent agency handling a Ford account.

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Nissan GT-R Sets Guinness Record as World's Fastest Production Four-Seater

Leaving the oh-so-boring Nurburgring lap time records aside for a moment, Nissan's European arm announced that the new GT-R has made its way into the Italian edition of the "Guinness Book of World Records". The Japanese supercar set a world record for the fastest 0-100km/h (62mph) acceleration by a four seater series production car with a sprint time of 3.5 seconds. We remind you that in April, Nissan revealed the GT-R established a new lap time at the Nordschleife circuit in Germany with 7min and 26.7 seconds.

Official: Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni - Lighter, RWD Model with 550HP

Turns out that we were spot with our estimates on the technical specs of the all-new Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 (okay, okay, we simply used Lambo's naming strategy) that was officially revealed today after the first photos of the supercar were leaked into the net yesterday. Named after Lamborghini's best known test drivers, Valentino Balboni who retired after 40 years with the company, the Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni ditches the Gallardo's four-wheel drive system for a rear-drive setup while power comes from a 550HP 5.2-liter V10 engine.

Lamborghini said that the conversion from all-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive only was not simply a question of moving the transmission to the rear axle as the vehicle had to be thoroughly adjusted and tuned. The company's engineers performerd changes on the supercar's springs, dampers, stabilisers and the tyres as well as adjusting the aerodynamics to take account of the change to the power flow.

Other changes concern the redevelopment of the rear axle differential, with a 45 percent limited slip, the recalibration of the e-gear transmission and a series of adjustment to the ESP system which now permits greater drift angles.

The only current Lamborghini that delivers its power to the road via its rear wheels alone is 30kg or 66-lbs lighter than its all-wheel drive equivalent, the 560HP Gallardo LP560-4. Weighing at 1,380kg or 3,042 pounds, the LP 550-2 launches from 0 to 100 km/h (0-62mph) in 3.9 seconds or 0.2sec slower than the LP 560-4, while it achieves a top speed of 320 km/h or 199 mph (LP 560-4: 325 km/h or 202 mph).

On the outside, the Balboni Gallardo features color strip in white and gold running from the front panel all the way back to the rear spoiler, a transparent engine cover and Scorpius alloys in dark grey finish while the brake callipers come in black, orange or yellow, depending on the exterior paint finish. Customers can choose from a palette of eight exterior colors.

Inside, the special edition Gallardo comes equipped with a full leather upholstery is black with the seats featuring a white color strip. The centre console is completely upholstered in a contrasting Polar white leather while a badge below the left side window bears the signature of Valentino Balboni and the production number of the car.

The Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni will be produced in a limited series of 250 units with suggested retail prices without taxes set at €162,000 for Europe, £137,900 for the U.K. and $219,800 for the U.S.

Report Says Opel-Magna Deal Hits Snag, GM Close to Signing Agreement with Belgium's RJH

General Motors is close to signing an memorandum of understanding with RHJ International, a Belgium-based industrial holding company, to sell a stake of its European division that includes Opel and Vauxhall, as talks with Magna International have hit obstacles, the Financial Times reported today. Citing a person close to the sales process, the newspaper said that RHJ improved its earlier bid and that GM was "taking it very seriously" adding that a deal could be signed within a few days.

"GM's negotiating team would love to see if we can get two very solid, definitive agreements sketched out from which to choose," the person told FT adding that RHJ's new offer would save more jobs in Germany.

The newspaper reported that one of the problems between Magna, which teamed up with Russia's GAZ and Sberbank to buy a 55 percent of Opel, and General Motors, is that the Austrian-Canadian parts supplier wants to secure access to the Detroit automaker's global technology, on behalf of its Russian partners.

Aside from Magna, it is reported that China's Beijing Automotive Industry Corp is also anticipated to present an improved offer for Opel while Fiat's bid that does not include cash, remains on the table.

Via: FT

Audi Presents Updated Navigation System Plus for A3, TT and R8

Just like any other electronic product, navigation systems are continuously upgrade with better software and hardware. Audi's updated navigation system plus with MMI (Multi Media Interface) for the A3, TT and R8 models promises to offer improved route calculation speeds thanks to a latest-generation processor clocked at 600 MHz while another significant enhancement is are the 800 x 480 pixel, high-resolution graphics displayed on the 6.5-inch screen.

On the back of the display, which can be folded away at the push of a button, are two slots for SD and SDHC cards with capacities of up to 32 GB, enough to store about 14,000 songs or 700 hours of music.

Also new on Audi's updated navigation system plus is the optical parking assistant which can be combined in the Audi R8 with the rearview camera. Aside from the acoustic warning signals, the distance to the front and to the rear is now displayed optically on the high-resolution display.

The new system is available for order now with prices ranging between €2,270 and €2,565, depending on the model.