The 2009 Renault Megane Trophy has been unveiled today at the Paris Auto Show and is on track for the 2009 World Series by Renault. The 2009 Renault Megane Trophy is powered by a mid-rear V6 3.5 24V engine developing 360 hp and 390 Nm of torque. The 2009 Renault Megane Trophy comes equipped with a six-speed sequential gearbox, a semi-automatic with steering wheel-mounted paddle shift gearshift and a limited slip differential.
The company claims the new 2009 Renault Megane Trophy will be able to pull similar lap times to those of the Porsche GT3.
Visually, the 2009 Renault Megane Trophy features a new body design inspired by the new coupe.
Corvette ZR1 Cancellation Rumor
The rumor weed is abroad everywhere, and sometimes it can spread like crazy. This appears to be one of those times. The DigitalCorvettes.com forum posted a note earlier this day saying that Corvette ZR1 production has been halted (Bowling Green is shut down this week, so no Vettes are being built at the moment) and suggesting that the ZR1 may be cancelled. A post on dealer Rick "Corvette" Conti's blog, linked in the referenced DigitalCorvettes thread, added to the intrigue. Autoblog.com has contacted GM's Terry Rhadigan, who handles global communications for the Chevrolet brand. We presented the DigitalCorvettes link and asked for an official response. His was very clear: "Not true."
2009 Dodge Charger Cop Car Gets More Power
The boys in blue will be happy to know that a new, more powerful interceptor has just hit the streets. Just like the civilian version, the 2009 Dodge Charger police car benefits from Chrysler's tweaked 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine that produces 368 HP and 395 lb.-ft. of torque, or 28HP and 5 pounds of torque more than the 2007 model. As before, departments with a lower budget have the option of the basic version that gets a 250 HP 3.5 V6 engine.
Compared to the civilian version, the cop-spec Dodge Charger's features include performance-tuned steering and suspension, heavy-duty seats to accommodate fully equipped (or...fully-sized) officers, a column-mounted shift lever Load-leveling, height-control shock absorbers and a severe-duty cooling system.
Rolls Royce Sales up 42.8%
Credit crunch, what credit crunch? Maybe for us, but not for the rich and richer. While most automakers are in the process of tightening their collective belt, Rolls Royce is seeing its sales soar this year and it's getting ready to hire more workers to keep up with demand. Last month the British brand delivered 129 cars which represents growth of 7,5 percent compared to the same month in 2007. From January through September of this year, BMW Group-owned Rolls-Royce has delivered a total 827 vehicles to customers, achieving a gain of 42.8% over the previous year (579 units).
Commenting on the economic situation (we call it meltdown), Rolls Royce CEO Tom Purves said: “We’ve had a very good year. Nobody’s immune, and we certainly don’t think we’re immune, but we do think we have a certain degree of insulation.”
Dodge TriChrage: Two Door Charger
Force Performance answered the question no one asked: what would a two-door Dodge Charger look like? Despite this, the TriCharger does offer several useful modifications.
The engine was replaced with a new HEMI V8 engine featuring FAST XFI Engine Management Twin GT40 turbochargers and a Magna Charger Supercharger Custom EFI Blower Intake. Due to these components the car was named TriCharger. For better stability the car features a lowered suspension while in order to stop in time a new set of Brembo brakes were added. Although there is no official word about production or pricing, it may just be easier to put the engine in an established (similar-looking) Dodge product, like maybe the CHALLENGER.
The engine was replaced with a new HEMI V8 engine featuring FAST XFI Engine Management Twin GT40 turbochargers and a Magna Charger Supercharger Custom EFI Blower Intake. Due to these components the car was named TriCharger. For better stability the car features a lowered suspension while in order to stop in time a new set of Brembo brakes were added. Although there is no official word about production or pricing, it may just be easier to put the engine in an established (similar-looking) Dodge product, like maybe the CHALLENGER.
BMW May Be Planning X4
BMW has been aggressively expanding its vehicle offerings, and like most other automakers, crossovers make up the majority of additions. Earlier this year, team Bimmer added the X6, and with the X1 concept unveiled in Paris, mild-to-wild CUVs seem to be the focus for the boys in Bavaria. Automotive News is reporting that the SAV love will continue next year when BMW unleashes the X4. Design elements are said to come from the larger X6, which is to say that it'll probably look like a really tall hatchback. The X1 concept and the production X3 are based off of the excellent 3-Series platform, and we're guessing the X4 will also don the sharp-handling underpinnings.
If this is what BMW needs to do in order to remain the world's top-selling luxury automaker, we're not so sure it's worth the trouble. The X1 will probably sell relatively well, but it will do so with underwhelming sheet metal. An X4 based off the X6 sounds like an even worse proposition, but then again, we didn't think the X6 was a bright idea either.
The Maserati GranTurismo MC Concept unveiled
The Modenese company’s new concept car was presented during the Maserati Day, an event held at Monza
Chief Executive Harald Jacob Wester presented the GranTurismo MC Concept to a crowd of journalists and guests who had gathered at the temple of speed. They had come to evaluate the technology that could be applied to standard production models or to competition cars.
The GranTurismo MC Concept is based on the GranTurismo S launched at Geneva. However, the Reparto Corse technicians made significant modifications aimed at lightening the car and improving its dynamic performance.
The GranTurismo MC Concept features a remapped engine, a change made specifically to up the performance while also keeping a steady eye on reliability.
The engine's power was increased to 330.9 kw (450 bhp) while the torque climbed to 510 Nm, on tap at 4750 rpm.
The styling on the GranTurismo MC Concept combines the elegance of a roadgoing car with the aerodynamic touches needed to improve downforce on the track. These elements lend the bodywork a more aggressive look.
The Monza event was also a chance for the MC12 Versione Corse and the Vitaphone Racing Team's MC12 GT1 to take to the track. Those lucky enough to be there were in for a treat as Andrea Bertolini and Michael Bartels turned on the style.
Chief Executive Harald Jacob Wester presented the GranTurismo MC Concept to a crowd of journalists and guests who had gathered at the temple of speed. They had come to evaluate the technology that could be applied to standard production models or to competition cars.
The GranTurismo MC Concept is based on the GranTurismo S launched at Geneva. However, the Reparto Corse technicians made significant modifications aimed at lightening the car and improving its dynamic performance.
The GranTurismo MC Concept features a remapped engine, a change made specifically to up the performance while also keeping a steady eye on reliability.
The engine's power was increased to 330.9 kw (450 bhp) while the torque climbed to 510 Nm, on tap at 4750 rpm.
The styling on the GranTurismo MC Concept combines the elegance of a roadgoing car with the aerodynamic touches needed to improve downforce on the track. These elements lend the bodywork a more aggressive look.
The Monza event was also a chance for the MC12 Versione Corse and the Vitaphone Racing Team's MC12 GT1 to take to the track. Those lucky enough to be there were in for a treat as Andrea Bertolini and Michael Bartels turned on the style.
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