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Filed under: Coupes , Sports/GTs , Etc. Click the image above for a high-res gallery of the E-Go Revolt A new coachbuilding company in Russia called E-Go has come up with a new car built on a Mitsubishi platform. Called Revolt, by E-Go, we don't find it the least bit offensive, although we do think the rear end is a little funky. The Revolt -- in spite of the company's catchy name and word "volt" lurking around in there -- is not electric. Rather, a 3.0-liter V6 gets two turbos slapped on to run some 550 hp through a six-speed gearbox. It has an active air suspension and rides on 19-inch wheels from Japanese wheel company Work, with 325/30 rubber out back. Stopping power should be prodigious, thanks to six-piston calipers up front and four-pots in back. Most interesting, the car's electronics are being developed by engineering firm National Instruments, and you will be able to control them all via a touch screen monitor in the steering wheel. We can't wait to see...
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Filed under: Economy , Euro , Renault , Citroen Following the approach taken by rival Renault, PSA/Peugeot-Citroen is working on an entry-level car set to debut in emerging markets in 2011. The Renault Logan has done well in Russia and Romania, which has prodded this interest and action from PSA. The new five-passenger vehicle will be assembled in Turkey or Poland and sold in eastern and central Europe, Russia, Turkey, and North Africa wearing both Citroen and Peugeot badging. If successful, sales would also expand to include China and South America. Even if the vehicle sells well, PSA/Peugeot-Citroen CEO Christian Streiff maintains there are no plans to sell the new car in western Europe - regardless of Renault's strategy. [Source: Automotive News , subs. req'd] Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Lexus , Misc. Auto Shows Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lexus LS460 AWD. The Moscow International Auto Show is shaping up to be a serious event. Audi is showing off the RS6 sedan , Mazda is bringing a new crossover concept , Mitsubishi will debut the redesigned Pajero Sport and plan on plenty of Lada love to spread around. Lexus is joining the ranks of other top-tier automakers showing their wares in Moscow with the unveiling of an all-wheel-drive version of its LS460 flagship. The AWD system fitted to the LS460 is the same found on the LS600h, and includes a Torsen LSD integrated into the rear drive shaft that receives power from the 381 hp, 4.6-liter V8 via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. In normal driving conditions, torque is split 40/60 front-to-rear, with as much as 70 percent of the power being shoveled to the rear wheels depending on conditions. Russia's affection for stately sedans is one of the reasons that BMW decided to launch the...
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Filed under: Trends , Euro , Earnings/Financials Russia has just passed Germany as Europe's largest market for new car sales -- for the first half of the year, at least. In fact, Russian consumers managed to snatch up 41% more cars for the first half of this year as compared to the previous year. Not only that, but the vehicles being sold in Russia are more profitable than before as well, with the record $33.8 billion in sales so far an increase of 64%. Top marques are General Motors and Hyundai, which replace last year's first and second place finishers, Ford and Toyota. Russian brands? Not so much . Don't expect the sales figures to cool down any time soon, as the economy in Russia is still booming and it's the middle-class that is seeing the biggest benefit. Older cars will continue to be taken off the road as consumers purchase new replacements which will allow automakers to find an estimated 20-percent of the entire industry's growth in the Russian market over the...
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Filed under: Etc. , Autoline on Autoblog click above for gallery of hot, hot heat Since last Thursday, more than 20 cars and trucks in the Russian capital of Moscow have been torched by an elusive car arsonist. Each of the fires is started the same way: flammable materials are pulled from a dumpster, stacked under the vehicle's wheel, doused with lighter fluid and then set ablaze. While the arsonist has hit vehicles in five different towns, all are thought to be the work of one individual. According to police, the culprit seems to be drawn towards gray cars (yes, the color), and has completely avoided Russian Ladas, perhaps as a demonstration of national pride. Instead, more expensive luxury imports are the hot targets. Authorities believe the misfit may be a schizophrenic registered at a psychiatric hospital. It sure sounds like a good place to start looking. Thanks for the tip, Andrew V! Gallery: Moscow Vehicle Arsons [Source: RAI Novosti , Photos from English Russia ] Permalink ...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Coupes , Euro , Audi Growing up in Canada, my mother had a Dodge Caravan with fake wood siding. Then she replaced it with... another Dodge Caravan with fake wood siding. The wisdom of plastic made to look like wood notwithstanding, the van hardly felt rock-solid. Meanwhile, someone in Russia - that bastion of good taste that brought us, among other abominations, that hideous Cayenne/Touareg monstrosity - thought it would be a good idea to cover his brand new Audi S5 with a film that makes it look made of marble. Our first reaction: he was probably stoned when he decided this was a good idea. [Source: German Car Zone via CarScoop ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Etc. , Maybach , Porsche It's a brilliant marketing come-on, really. Who wants to climb into a GAZ-24 , however appealing it might be to obscure-car guys, when you could sink into the all-enveloping sumptuousness of a Maybach 62? Need to get to Gorky Park quickly? A Porsche Cayenne outfitted with a meter and checkerboard detailing awaits at the curb. It's not just a fancied-up VW, still carrying the VR6 behind the Porsche crest, either. No, this Cayenne is a TechArt Magnum , packing enough horsepower to light Long Island. Shaking that covey of shifty-eyed men in the shiny black Zil won't be a problem. It's not known if the fare is commensurate with the price of the vehicle, however. [Source: englishrussia.com ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Safety , Videos Click above to watch video We are inundated with safety reminders every time we get into our cars and turn the key. Your car reminds you to fasten your safety belt with incessant beeps and warning lights fill your dashboard when brake or airbag sensors think something is wrong. But, as the video pasted after the break proves, even standing next to your car can be dangerous under the right circumstances. Dynamometers, or dynos, can be awfully dangerous and are usually surrounded by some sort of guard rail, but not this one in Russia. While it's hard to ignore the guy in the red pants, keep your eyes on the older gentleman at the rear of the room. While our first inclination was to laugh, the reality is that this face-plant could have been much worse. We're glad that the man in the video appears to be alright. Papa! [Source: Dragtimes.com ] Continue reading VIDEO: Safety 101 around a dynamometer Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Etc. , Marketing/Advertising , BMW In terms of sheer size, Russia is the largest country in the world. That must have something to do with this gargantuan advertisement found in Russia... According to the caption, the surface area measures more than 1.5 acres (billboard haters should stop complaining right about now, as it appears we have it pretty good over here). More interesting than the sheer massiveness of the super-colossal ad are the full-sized BMWs, lights ablaze, mounted sideways as if zooming across the surface. Those aren't base model Bimmers, either -- sharp eyed readers will recognize them as the Z4 M Coupe , M3 , M5 , and M6 . Now, that is what we call an advertising budget! Thanks for the tip, Hank! Gallery: Russian BMW Billboard [Source: English Russia ] Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Etc. , Motorcycles Click to see more pictures of the Wickerbike We can't actually remember ever meeting the elusive crack band of Russian bikers known as Hell's Weavers, but we now have definitive proof that the group does indeed exist. Eschewing the dangerous rough-and-tumble lifestyle of drinking and running amok, the Weavers are rumored to have a much kinder, gentler side. With this in mind, we'd like to present the result of their latest weekend basket-weaving get-together, the Wickerbike . The Wickerbike appears to be a nearly 1:1 replica of Harley-Davidson's new FLSTSB Cross Bones, including the mini-ape-hangers, solo saddle and springer fork. We have little additional commentary to offer, other than pointing out the fact that the work done, such as it is, appears to be of a very high quality. Gallery: The Wickerbike [Source: Snegopad via Winding Road ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Economy , Etc. , Hatchbacks , Renault Relentless deal maker Carlos Ghosn has never stopped looking for any partnership that would give Renault a plum position in a profitable market. Already close to a Nissan deal with Chrysler working on Renault and Nissan deals in the Middle East , his latest paramour is in Russia. Ghosn has secured himself and four Renault managers seats on the board of AvtoVaz -- the company which, as you're all aware, is more popularly known for the name of its signature vehicle: the Lada. Ghosn's idea is that Russia will be the hottest thing going in two years, so he needs to book his place now. Renault will take a 25-percent stake in AvtoVaz, and the board members from Renault will be focused on technology and cost-cutting issues. AvtoVaz will still be led by its Russian majority shareholders -- one of which is the State -- but will benefit from the expertise of one of the most efficient men in the business. To boot, they are also in talks with...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , SUVs , Porsche Click the image above for a gallery... if you dare. Like driving skills , the unfortunate reality is that good taste doesn't always accompany wealth. There are just too many people out there looking to make the flashiest splash, and it is now confirmed that one more of those yahoos is living in Moscow, Russia. We don't know much about this frightening conversion of a Porsche Cayenne, and we're not sure we really want to. To paraphrase Fiddler on the Roof , we hope and pray the czar keeps this one far away from us. Thanks (we think) to Graham for the unfortunate tip. If you're a real glutton for punishment, you can hit the gallery below to see the monstrosity from all angles. Just be careful if the driver's backing up while you're checking out the tail and standing in the enormous blind spot, which shouldn't be too big a hindrance on Moscow's busy streets . [Source: CarsGuru.ru via English Russia ] Gallery: Unfortunate...
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Filed under: Concept Cars , China , Euro , Plants/Manufacturing , Volkswagen The Skoda Fabia (not sold in America) is pretty small. It's based on the Volkswagen Polo platform (also not sold in America). But Skoda chairman Reinhard Jung wants an even smaller car based on the upcoming production version of the VW up! concept, and that also won't be sold here in all likelihood. Where it will, however, is in Russia, India and China. These rapidly growing markets where Western automakers have been undertaking an equally rapid expansion via joint ventures with local companies are where Skoda wants to expand production. Currently the Czech subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group produces about 60,000 vehicles each year between the three enormous countries, which it plans to double to 120,000 units annually over the course of 2008. But by 2010, Skoda is targeting annual production of 350,000 in those markets. Volkswagen has shown several concepts that preview a small car range, including the...
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Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing , Mitsubishi , PSA , Peugeot , Citroen More news from the advancing front of European carmakers expanding eastwards: PSA, Europe's second largest automaker and the French parent company of Peugeot and Citroën, is considering opening its new plant in Russia to partnerships with rival carmakers. The new factory is located in Kaluga, some 180 km outside of the capital, Moscow. Russia is considered one of the fastest-growing markets worldwide, alongside India and China, where Western automakers have also been setting up factories, principally through joint ventures with local manufacturers. PSA's Kaluga plant, scheduled to begin production in 2010, will start out building only Peugeots and Citroens, principally mid-size automobiles which PSA says accounts for 60% of the Russian market for new cars. If PSA did look to partner with another automaker for production at Kaluga, it could go even father east to Japan's Mitsubishi, which recently obtained...
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Filed under: Etc. , Safety , Maybach , Lifestyle Picture this, you're stuffing your face full of gourmet food, giving your gullet a real workout, and you look up from your plate just in time to see your Maybach speed by. That last bite sticks in your throat, refusing to budge. Whoever absconded with your über-uglified super S-Class boots your driver out the door while rounding a corner. Now would not be a good time to recall that your €530,000 car is insured for a mere €300,000. Whoops. Vikotor Markov was enjoying a meal at the De Marco café when thieves swiped his Maybach 57. While introducing Mr. Chauffeur to Mr. Chlorfoorm is itself a dicey undertaking, Markov's 'Bach is the first to be swiped in Russia. The band of thugs that ambushed the driver and made off with the car is believed to be responsible for multiple luxury car thefts, including a passel of Bentleys. Perhaps it would have been wiser to just take the Metro. [Source: Luxist] Read | Permalink...
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