Alizium Auto Blogs: 2009

Renault Laguna Black Edition

Renault Laguna range kicks off 2009 with the release of a stylish limited edition version of Laguna Black Edition. Renault Laguna Black Edition stands out through its great look of black front bumper, black headlamp masks, tinted rear lights.

[Source: Renault]

Tanner Foust Tours the Lamborghini Factory

If I ever make it over to Italy, going to Sant’Agata to see the Lamborghini factory is going to be one of the first things I do. Obviously, there are tons of gorgeous shots in this Supercars Exposed clip, but just getting to see the Murcielago’s massive V12 laid bare makes the entire clip worth watching. The only thing I was a little confused about? In the very beginning, there’s a shot of someone applying a Lamborghini racing sticker. The footage looks old, and since Lamborghini didn’t participate in motorsports until recently, I have to wonder what’s going on there. Anybody know?

Infiniti G37s Coupe

[Source: Infiniti]

When to pull the trigger

horse In response to talk of bankruptcy as a better solution than a bailout, jgoods says you don’t shoot the horse you are riding.

He and I agree on the bottom line: the auto industry needs a complete overhaul. We both want to see the U.S. companies become competitive, and even lead, in the world of automotive innovation.

We agree that they’ve simply followed the easy money when Americans were in love with city dwelling monster trucks. In fact, I wrote a blog about that here. It’s true that the American public simply got what they were demanding and probably should accept some guilt.

However, it’s the responsibility of a corporation to plan for the possibility of future scenarios, rather than just hope a lot that things stay the same forever. That’s where the Detroit 3 have failed miserably.

The UAW hasn’t helped. The union has bogged down the industry with high labor costs and forced the Big 3 into paying unfathomable sums of money for health care and retirement benefits. While being good for the employees, it came at the cost of stagnant innovation and sub-par quality. That’s not good business.

It’s time to accept that the U.S. auto industry isn’t confined anymore to the United States. Those foreign transplants, Toyota, Honda and all the others, will have a significant impact on the shape of the industry here. We have to think bigger than our borders and accept the fact that organized unions can’t control everyone.

The U.S. automakers do need our support. And now that they’re being humbled and forced to play on the same field as the rest of the world, they’ll probably earn it. But that doesn’t mean all 3 companies have to survive by being bailed out.

Remember that horse? If he’s got broken a leg and won’t take you where you want to go, it’s time to shoot him. Even if you can’t imagine traveling without him.

Do you think all three U.S. auto companies can be succesful in the future? Let us know where you fall in this debate!

-tgriffith

Top Gear 13×05 Now Available

A few minutes slow today due to circumstances outside of my control, but it’s out now.

Top Gear Polar Special In 1080p Available Once Again

If you were looking to download the Polar Special in 1080p but were unable to as the torrent had been pruned from Mininova, well then you’ll be happy to know that the torrent is available again.

And before you ask, this Top Gear in HD was a one-time thing. It was the only episode of Top Gear to ever be broadcast in HD sadly.

Aston Martin V12 Vantage sports car

Aston Martin will present the V12 Vantage Fastest and most agile Vantage ever; ultimate performance interpretation of the Vantage range at the Geneva motor show.The V12 Vantage will feature a 6.0-litre V12 engine producing 510 bhp (380 kW / 517 PS), and 570 Nm (420 lb ft) of torque with a top speed of 190 mph (305 km/h) and 0-62 mph (0-100 kp/h) time of 4.2 seconds.

[Source: Aston-Martin]

Ford Flex Car Profile

Ford Flex

The Ford Flex is a great choice when it comes to a family vehicle. It has several great features, and is a 4 door, 7 passenger vehicle. The Flex is available in 6 different trims, which are listed below.

Ford Flex’s available: SE FWD, SEL AWD, SEL FWD, Limited FWD, Limited AWD

Seating capacity : 7 people

MSRP: $28,495 – $39,015

Key features :

- Applies to certain models only:

3 Chromed grill
2 Toned roof option
Ambient lighting
Vista roof
Ford SYNC
Navigation system
SIRIUS Satellite radio
Active park assist
Refrigerated counsel
MyKey
6 Airbags
Tire pressure monitoring system
AM/FM/CD player
MP3 Capable

Gas mileage : 17/24

Awards won : No awards yet

News articles:

Hot Rod
Los Angeles Times

Videos:

Kelley Blue Book
Ford Flex Commercial

AutoblogGreen for 11.20.08

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green

click to visit AutoblogGreen

Joining in the massive Autoblog crew at the LA Auto Show, AutoblogGreen saw the show through our green-tinted glasses. The big surprise, natch, was the FC Sport concept but we also oohed and ahhed over the 2010 Lexus RX 450h and the Ford Fusion hybrid. And all these:

AutoblogGreen for 11.20.08 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | | |

Is the bailout just a band aid?

Wow, how about the pump-fake that ol’ Mr. Bush pulled on us all, huh?

On Thursday the White House was playing up the possibility of an ‘orderly bankruptcy’ for the Detroit automakers. Bush even said,

Under normal circumstances, no question bankruptcy court is the best way to work through credit and debt and restructuring.

Then the influence and pressure of the Big 3 and the UAW kicked in, who called the idea “unworkable and dangerous.”

bandaid Never mind the fact the majority of the Americans were against a bailout, as was Congress who voted not to bail out the automakers. Even the president was considering bankruptcy as the best option to allow a complete reorganization of the auto industry.

Then something happened and Bush abruptly threw to the other side of the field. Maybe his decision was partly the influence of Chrysler’s desperate ploy of playing up their upcoming month-long plant closure; portraying themselves as victims because people weren’t buying their cars anymore. (If they were any other business they’d react by decreasing the size of their business, not whining to the government that they’re out of money.)

President Bush’s $17 billion bailout does come with considerable restraints though, the biggest of which being the question of viability. According to the White House, “A firm will only be deemed viable if it has a positive net present value, taking into account all current and future costs, and can fully repay the government loan.”

If, by March 31, 2009, any of the companies are not deemed viable, the loans will be called and bankruptcy will likely result. Can GM or Chrysler achieve a “positive net present value” by spring and avoid having to give back the government’s money? I have my doubts.

This bailout seems like President Bush’s way of saying, “Hey, good luck President Obama. The automakers didn’t collapse on my watch, so now it’s your turn!”

Even though he believed it was the better option, I don’t think President Bush wanted to oversee a federally orchestrated bankruptcy process this late in his administration. The bailout option was easier and provided a nice band aid that would last until the next president could make the final decision.

Do you think at least one of the Big 3 will still end up in bankruptcy come spring? Let us know by leaving your comments here!

-tgriffith

2010 Mazda 3 I-Stop and MPS

New Mazda3 I Stop And Mazda3 MPS Car Walls

Mazda3 is one of the Mazda's core products, with more than 2 million unites of the first generation produced. Mazda3 I Stop and Mazda3 MPS will premiere at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show in March 2009.

[Source: Mazda]

Porche says No Thanks to the Detroit Auto Show

The North American branch of Porsche announced today that they would be skipping the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan in 2009. Vice President of Marketing, David Pryor, explained that Porsche would instead be focusing their marketing on areas in which they recorded the majority of their sales in the past year.

porche detroit auto show

So by refocusing their attention on their current customer base Porsche North American, Inc will only be taking their displays to the major auto shows in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and Toronto. Thus, Porsche will be attending all the major shows in the USA except Detroit. In making this decision to sit out the 2008 NAIAS in Detroit Porsche has given up their prime space in the Cobo Arena and thus opted to sit-out the season opener of the Auto Show season.

Source[PureGreenCars]

Gas Not So High by 4th of July

Well July 4th has come and gone, the hot dogs have been devoured, the fireworks have gone off, and gas…. well gas prices actually have gone down since the month of July started. Oil dropped $2.97 a barrel today alone. It’s so low that today’s price is just a little more than half of what speculators put as the peak price for this summer. So if you happened to catch our fuel speculation contest back in March, and you were feeling a little optimistic about gas prices, you were right. After checking out all of the potential prices I couldn’t help but point out the most optimistic and pessimistic members who participated. The most optimistic award goes to suzukiesteem for his guess of 30 cents. Maybe he thought the Honda Insight would bring about the fuel apocalypse and drive prices to the ground. We can all dream, can’t we? The most pessimistic was surkalistahoe who envisioned a different fuel apocalypse with a prediction of $6.00 per gallon. Thank god he was wrong. As for the winner, he’s a mild-mannered man with a mild-mannered car, he likes his eggs sunny side up and believes the grass is just as green on his side as it is yours. That man is no other than Satty12 with his dead-on accurate guess of $2.60 as the national average for regular gas in America on July the 4. Congrats Satty12, on this July 6th we salute you and your optimistic nature !

Gas Not So High by 4th of July

What Are The Best Ways to Sell a Car?

There comes that time when we need to get a new car, and great rid of the one we have now. When we’re looking to get rid of our current vehicle, we often do some research for the best ways to sell it. We of course want the most money we can get for it, and some ways will make sure of that. There are several different strategies, so if you’re interested in finding out how you should sell your car, consider a few of these tips!

Craigslist – If you’re looking to reach a ton of people in a little amount of time, consider putting your car on craigslist. This is a website on the Internet that allows people looking for cars to find what they want (which may be your vehicle.) Consider Craigslist and see what happens!

Ad – Another great way to sell your car is through an ad. Try putting it in the “for sale” category of your local newspaper. This will allow people in the area looking for car to come by and see yours. Ads are cheap, and allow everyone in the area to see it!

Display – Displaying your car where there is a lot of traffic is a great way to find someone that is interested. Ask if you can pay someone to set it on their lawn (like at a busy store or intersection.) This will draw the attention of the people around the area, and increase your chances of selling it.

Trade it – Trading your current car for a newer one may be a good option for you. See how much money you could get for it, and be sure to check out a few other dealerships before you settle on one price. Sometimes this is a great way to bring in money, and sometimes this will bring you less money than you want.

There are many different things you can do to sell your vehicle. Always find which way would bring in more money for your vehicle. In the meantime, consider a few of these ideas to sell your car!

LA 2008: Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder unveiled LIVE

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Convertibles, Supercars, Lamborghini

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder

When we got word that Lamborghini was bringing a new model to the LA Auto Show, it wasn't hard to guess what it would be: the Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder. Sun-loving Californians would all drive convertibles if they could, making Los Angeles an ideal venue for the debut, and Lamborghini has a habit of following up its coupe models with a drop top version. Our hunch was confirmed earlier this morning when pictures flooded the internet, and we know have live shots from the show floor, along with more details on the car. The new folding top runs via a hydraulic pump as well as electric motor that can close and raise the top in around 20 seconds. The headlights have been slightly updated with new LEDs and daytime running lights. As with the coupe version, the Spyder features the new 5.2L V10 producing 552 bhp and 398 lb-ft torque, and the suspension and e-gear transmission upgrades carry over as well. With the reduced weight and added power, the Spyder now reaches 100 km/h in four seconds flat and tops out at a touch over 200 mph. Full details can be found in the press release after the jump, and both live and press shots are in the high resolution galleries below.

Gallery: LA 2008: Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder

Gallery: Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder

Continue reading LA 2008: Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder unveiled LIVE

LA 2008: Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder unveiled LIVE originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

| |

Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG: Fine-Tuned Saloon

When you’ve got two-time Formula 1 world champion Mika Hakkinen and German touring car legend Klaus Ludwig at your stable, prototyping your latest performance car, then you can be sure that the result is a sure winner. Before Mercedes-Benz released the E63 AMG into the wild, it was first tamed by Mika and Klaus to expel the bugs and reveal the most powerful sedan yet from the three-pointed star. The hand-built 6.2L V8 delivers 518 horsepower all channeled into the 7-speed MCT dual-clutch transmission. This means that the car can gallop to 60 mph from a standing start in 4.4 seconds onward to a 155 mph top speed. Despite the added power, the car boasts of a 12% better fuel efficiency, resulting from better engine management and clever transmission setup. Setting this E63 apart from the other E-Classes are the AMG-specific 18 inch wheels (19s also available), different front and rear fascia, and the quad-exhaust. ~$88,000.

Top Gear 13×04 Out Now

I really gotta come up with something else to say besides that it’s out now.

Chevy-Sponsored Camaro Black Heading For SEMA Show Floor [Sema]

Chevy has released a single teaser-style image of their 2008 SEMA show-bound Camaro Black, described only as "a dark and mysterious interpreta." We're pretty sure they meant "interpretation" but ran into character limitations in their imaging software. Regardless, the Camaro Black show car actually looks to be a gunmetal gray based on the photo and appears decked out with a sinister-looking body kit and the requisite SEMA monster alloy wheels shod in low-profile rubber. The red glow from the headlights may also indicate some sort of LED illumination kit, but what you see is all we know at this point; we'll either get a constant dribble of teasers a-la 2010 Mustang or just bring you the goods from the Vegas show floor in two weeks.

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