|
Browse by Tags
All Tags » Sports/GTs » Hatchbacks ( RSS)
-
|
Filed under: Convertibles , Coupes , Sedans/Saloons , Sports/GTs , Plants/Manufacturing , Hatchbacks , Supercars , Earnings/Financials , Alfa Romeo Dang. And everything was looking so good for a return of the Alfa Romeo brand to the United States. Too bad, it seems, 'cause the latest reports indicate that the Italian purveyor of stylish automobiles such as the Brera , 159 and the drool-worthy 149 will be pushed back to 2011 at the earliest. Fortunately for the very well heeled, the Alfa 8C Competizione has been made available through an assorted group of Maserati dealerships, though it's already sold out . Such a quick sellout indicates that there are plenty of enthusiasts anxiously awaiting the marque's entrance Stateside, but our current horrible economic climate will likely dictate otherwise. Alfa's owner, Fiat, is having difficulties of its own as it attempts to stem the tide of falling sales figures along with rest of the industry. Apparently, the only way for Fiat...
|
-
|
Filed under: Concept Cars , Motorsports , Hybrids/Alternative , Sports/GTs , Green , Hatchbacks , Citroen Click above for more shots of the Citroen C4 WRC HYmotion4 hybrid rally car One of Citroen's big debuts at the Paris Motor Show was its HYmotion4 hybrid technology, which was fitted to the Citroën Hypnos and C4 WRC along with the Peugeot RC and Prologue . Unlike most hybrid systems, the French technology has no direct connection between the car's engine and battery, so the pack is recharged "through the road" when the car's regenerative braking is applied. There's a 125-kW electric motor attached to the rear axle that gets its power from 990 individual lithium ion cells wired up to produce 400-volts. The C4 WRC's driver can select from a number of modes to allow a specific amount of electric assistance, including running solely on the electric motor or using it as a short-term boost for added acceleration. This way, the car can be run in zero-emission...
|
-
|
Filed under: Coupes , Sports/GTs , Hatchbacks , Volvo , UK Click above to view high-res gallery of the Volvo C30 R-Design Rumors of a new Volvo hot hatch have gotten hot again with talk of a new 300-horsepower C30 for Europe. According to reports, the new model would be powered by the same 2.5-liter inline-five cylinder turbo engine that powers the new Ford Focus RS . One difference between the two cars, which share a similar platform, is that the Swedish beauty would be offered with a Haldex all-wheel drive system in contrast to the Blue Oval's torque-steer inducing front-engine, front-drive layout. Larger 20-inch wheels ought to fill out the arches quite nicely, and a special body kit should bring the whole look closer to the tarmac. To keep demand high, Volvo may limit the new model to 4,500 units worldwide, though we have no idea where it will offer the hatch besides the U.K. Considering that the Swedish automaker has diluted its R-nameplate , we're also not certain what this...
|
-
|
Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Sports/GTs , Wagons/Estates , Etc. , Hatchbacks , Supercars , Bugatti , Porsche What if in an alternate universe Bugatti says, "We're not going out of business, we're doing a new model in the same market as the Veyron," but it doesn't know what that model will be? There's another luxury car company in the family called Porsche that's looking to get into the 4-door game. So Bugatti says, "Hey, we did this design study of a 4-door wagon-y thing a while back, have a look," and Porsche takes a peek and says, "Hey, maybe we can work with this," and then Bugatti says, "If it all works out, maybe, you know, since you own us now we can share things and stuff and stop losing so much money on each car," and Porsche says, "Be quiet, we're working..." and, well, you get the picture. There's no reason to think Porsche had the EB112 concept in mind when it penned the Panamera. But if Porsche did...
|
-
|
Filed under: Spy Photos , Sports/GTs , Hatchbacks , Subaru , Special/Limited Editions Click above for a hi-res gallery of the Subaru WRX STI spec C It looks like a regular STI , right? Well, according to the spies at KGP, it's not. This is actually the forthcoming Impreza WRX STI spec C out for a cruise in some approipriately sloppy weather. Note the white wheels and reworked rear diffuser, which are the visual giveaways in this case. When the spec C arrives, it should tip the scales at around 150 to 200 pounds less than the regular STI and be further augmented with engine upgrades and improved braking. That'll make for a nice neighborhood rally car, indeed. All you'll need is a little snow, some studded rubber, and someone yelling directions at you in Finnish from the passenger seat to really bring that WRC experience home. For the rest of you, just ask your wives to ride shotgun. They'll be shouting directions at you (though probably not in Finnish) in no time. Check out...
|
-
|
Filed under: Sports/GTs , Euro , Hatchbacks , Ford , Misc. Auto Shows Click above for a high-res gallery of the new Focus RS Yesterday brought the sneak peek, but today we've got the real deal. The new Ford Focus RS is is mean and green (we mean that in the literal sense, thanks to its killer-looking paint color), and it will make its debut at this month's London Motor Show. While the RS is still under development, the car being put on display isn't exactly a concept, either. Some details might change here and there before it reaches showrooms in 2009, but ultimately, what you see here is what European drivers are going to get. The wide, low-slung stance, intimidating fascia, racy dual exhaust, and requisite high-mount spoiler are all part of the package. Follow the jump for more Gallery: 2009 Ford Focus RS Continue reading Officially Official: 2009 Ford Focus RS Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
-
|
Filed under: Garage , Sports/GTs , Hatchbacks , Volkswagen , Special/Limited Editions Click above for high-res gallery of the 2008 VW R32 The scraping as I pulled into the church parking lot worried me. I'd only had one of the rarest of VeeDubs for a few hours and I might have already nicked it. An unholy shame for sure, since for two weeks I had looked forward to blasting down I-20 at the wheel of an R32 . For two weeks I had wondered how loud a redlined VR6 could wail. But for the last two hours I'd done nothing but get lost in Atlanta gridlock trying to set my destination on the car's in-dash nav. Pulling in the First Pentecostal parking lot's steep entrance was a decision made in frustration and impatience, one made easier with the R32's light, quick steering and massive acceleration. But shelter from the kamikaze traffic I expected, undercarriage damage I did not. A quick inspection revealed nothing of importance had suffered trauma. The 18-inch wheels and their...
|
-
|
Filed under: Concept Cars , Sports/GTs , Euro , Hatchbacks , Volkswagen , Misc. Auto Shows Click above for high-res gallery of the VW Golf GTI Performance VW hasn't released any info on the car you see here, which is called the Golf GTI Performance design study, so we'll call it like we see it. A black-and-copper checkered flag motif adorns the hatch, which is enhanced with a widebody kit, lowered suspension, and the expected wheel/tire upgrade. Out back, the GTI's rear bumper cover is covered with more grillework than you'll find on the rump of a Lamborghini Gallardo. A pair of giant exhaust outlet cutouts are also built into the corners. And speaking of Lamborghinis, VW has fitted the Golf GTI Performance with the dreaded "Lambo doors," which look predictably ridiculous here. The exterior color scheme carries through to the passenger cabin, which gets a 2+1 sport seating arrangement and what appears to be a substantial audio system install. Not our cup 'o...
|
-
|
Filed under: Concept Cars , Sports/GTs , Hatchbacks , Audi Click above for new high-res gallery of the Audi A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro We think Audi has concluded a fine trifecta of diesel-powered show vehicles with the introduction of its latest, the A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro . First there was the Q7 V12 TDI shown at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show that could haul people or tree stumps with equal aplomb. Then there was the oil-burning supercar, the R8 V12 TDI , shown at this year's Detroit show. Finally we have something a bit more relatable for the masses in the A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro. Rather than relying on Audi's venerable V12 TDI, this smallest of the three more than makes do with a 2.0L four-cylinder turbodiesel generating 221 hp and 332 pound-feet of torque. It's got adjustable everything on the fly and some killer good looks inspired by Audi's DTM race car to get by on. Ingolstadt has seen fit to grace us with 18 more high-res images of the A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro to...
|
-
|
Filed under: Sports/GTs , Euro , Hatchbacks , Alfa Romeo Click above for new high-res gallery of the Alfa Brera S As we reported earlier , Alfa Romeo handed over its Brera to Prodrive, which has extensively honed the hot hatch into what's being called the Brera S. Prodrive fit the new Brera S with Eibach coil springs and Bilstein dampers, and then conducted extensive testing to find the right balance of spring and damper rates for sharper handling without ruining the ride. The steering was also tweaked to take advantage of the car's faster reflexes, and 8C Competizione-inspired lightweight 19-inch alloy wheels wearing Pirelli rubber keep the car affixed to terra firma. Along with lighter wheels, hollow anti-roll bars and aluminum suspension components further reduce the car's weight below the rest of the Brera range. Exterior mods are minimal, but the exhaust has been reworked and is capped with chrome tips featuring Prodrive's logo, and there are now Prodrive-branded mud...
|
-
|
Filed under: Sports/GTs , Hatchbacks , Supercars , Alfa Romeo Click above to view the Alfa Romeo brothers in hi-res When I was a little kid I wanted to be like my big brother. I would dress the same as him, go to the same places as him, do the same things as him... It never really worked because, at the end of the day, I never looked anything like him. So while I doubt I was the only one, I had one eyebrow raised when Alfa Romeo set out to mimic the design of its show-stoppin', range-toppin' 8C Competizione with a new entry-level model. A mass-market hatchback designed to look like an ultra-exclusive supercar? Well Alfa arguably achieved just that with the new MiTo, and to prove that point it's graced us with a whole gallery of new images of the two siblings side by side. The kid brother may look that much more junior in juxtaposition, but the resemblance is uncanny. See for yourself in the gallery by clicking the thumbnails below. Gallery: Alfa Romeo MiTo and 8C [Source: Alfa...
|
-
|
Filed under: Tuners , Sports/GTs , Euro , Hatchbacks , Opel Click above for a gallery of the Steinmetz Corsa OPC The Opel Corsa is small, cool, and like most other cool U.S.-automaker Euro offerings, unavailable to us -- at least for now. As good as the current car would look wearing Saturn badges and slotted beneath the Astra, we'll have to wait a good while until the next -gen Corsa arrives to see it in Saturn stores. Nifty though it may be in standard guise, it's the OPC performance variant that really strikes our fancy. 192 horsepower, a 6.8-second 0-60, and fuel economy in the neighborhood of 30 mpg is a compelling combo. Longtime Opel tuner, Steinmetz, has unveiled a suite of mods for the butched-up Corsa OPC. The factory hot hatch gets a new exhaust that adds ten horsepower, bumping its peak output to 202 ponies. Next comes a suspension upgrade that drops the car 30 millimeters, giving it a more athletic stance. Finally, Steinmetz closes the deal with a new front spoiler...
|
-
|
Filed under: Sports/GTs , Euro , Hatchbacks , Ford , UK Click above for a high-res gallery of the new Ford Focus ST Today's reminder of how much more awesome the Euro-market Ford Focus is than our own comes from Ford UK, where the latest, greatest Focus ST goes on sale starting Thursday. As you're probably well aware, in ST trim the newly-restyled Euro Focus gets the once-over from Ford Europe's in-house tuning arm, TeamRS. The standard engine is replaced by a turbocharged 2.5L five-banger underhood that's good for 225 PS (around 223 hp), is mated to a six-speed stick, and lets the Focus ST do 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.8 seconds. According to Ford, the new ST also lapped the Nordschleife in 8:35. The exterior is dressed up with 18-inch wheels, the expected body kit and available racing stripes. Inside, the proper cockpit gets a push-button starter and Recaro seating. Depending on the ST trim level selected (there are three) and available options chosen, you can add all manner...
|
-
|
Filed under: Convertibles , Sports/GTs , Hatchbacks , FIAT In speaking with a representative at Abath's show stand in Geneva, Autoblog received confirmation that the Fiat performance division its planning its own offering unique from any existing Fiat models. British weekly Autocar is now reporting that Abarth is preparing two new variants, a coupe and a two-seat roadster, but before that will come out with a convertible version of the 500 Abarth. The Fiat 500 Abarth bowed at the Geneva Motor Show as the brand's second model following the Grande Punto unveiled a year prior, before the SS version debuted in Frankfurt last year. The convertible 500 Abarth is tipped to debut early next year. Gallery: Fiat 500 Abarth [Source: Autocar via Winding Road ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
-
|
Filed under: Garage , Sports/GTs , Hatchbacks , Subaru Click image for a high-res gallery of the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI I remember the last red Subaru I drove. I was in high school, and the car was my dad's - a new '88 GL wagon with an automatic and push-button 4WD on the shifter. I dug that Scooby. It wasn't powerful but it was fun -- especially when it snowed. Somehow I managed to avoid bouncing it off a lamppost while sliding it around corners. This had much more to do with luck than skill, as I was in high school and clearly an idiot. But I digress -- after all, this isn't about my dad's old GL. It is, however, about a red Subaru - the new Impreza WRX STI, to be specific. If this thing was around back during my neighborhood rally-pretender salad days, I'd probably just be getting my license back right about now. Gallery: Autoblog Garage: 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI All photos Copyright (C)2008 Alex Núñez / Weblogs, Inc. Continue reading In...
|
More Posts Next page »
|
|
|