Orlando Performance Motorsports

The devil may wear Prada, but what does he drive? Playing the field, the Italian fashion house has jumped into bed with both Audi and Hyundai for its foray into the automotive sphere. The outcome of Prada’s venture with Audi has yet to be realized, but Hyundai has revealed this special edition Genesis Sedan it developed with Prada, previewed last November, for debut at the upcoming home-market Seoul motor show.

The Genesis Prada you see here is a one-off, painted a matte-finish purplish-blue with a white “saffiano”leather interior featuring illuminated floors and door panels, along with 20-inch wheels and an “outer antenna with edge shape.” It’s one of three distinct versions that will be auctioned off for charity, so don’t go looking for your own designer edition down at the local Hyundai dealership. Details in the press release after the jump.

Two weeks ago, Auto Express reported that MINI would be creating a John Cooper Works edition diesel with more than 160 horsepower and improved torque. Now, fellow UK publication Autocar looks to have the details, which includes speculation that the extra oomph will come from BMW engines now used in the 1 Series cars – and they might not just be for JCW models.

According to the report, the white coats at BMW inserted a detuned 2.0-liter diesel that is longitudinally mounted in the 120d into the transverse engine bay of the MINI. The result was a MINI diesel with 40 hp more than the Cooper D, which currently uses an engine that BMW developed with PSA Peugeot/Citroen. 

Autocar also reports that the twin turbo lump from the 123d can be fitted to the MINI, which could be used to create a diesel JCW. If they don’t detune the engine, that would mean a 7 hp drop versus the gas-engined version, but 105 more lb-ft. of twist and better than 40 mpg when the drivetrain isn’t being stomped on.Autocar says that BMW has begun testing the new diesels with an eye on retail sales in 12 months.

Source: Autoblog

Some concept cars are design studies, while others closely preview production models. But as much as we may have hoped, the gorgeous Essence concept unveiled by Infiniti earlier this month at the Geneva Motor Show will remain firmly in the former, as company spokesmen have reportedly verified that the show-stopping show car will not be entering production.

Alright, so that may be no big surprise, but we’re allowed to dream, aren’t we? That doesn’t mean elements previewed by the Essence won’t be trickling down to production models. We certainly hope some of the breathtaking design will find its way into production sheetmetal, and reports suggest that the quirky kink in the C pillar could appear on future products from the premium Nissan division. The long-awaited successor to the flagship Q45, if produced, is tipped to borrow heavily from the Essence’s design, while its concept drivetrain is expected to lead the way for a hybrid M as well. So while the show car itself will remain a glimmering memory, its bits and pieces will, in essence, resurface in future Infiniti products.

Source: Autoblog

With the days winding down until the opening of the 2009 New York Auto Show, Subaru has released the full details along with photographs of its highly anticipated new Legacy, which replaces the outgoing model for the 2010 model year. The new Legacy has big shoes to fill, as the outgoing model offered a compelling package with a sleek design and capable chassis. 

The exterior design of the new model bridges the gap between Subie’s aging flagship model and theconcept car the Japanese automaker revealed in Detroit. The new Legacy also grows an inch longer, and about three inches in each the wheelbase, width and height, in order to offer a more commodious cabin. 

Three engines will be available: A naturally-aspirated four, a revised turbocharged flat-four and the flat-six. The 2.5-liter normally aspirated engine produces 170 horsepower and equal torques, and the fla-six swells from 3.0- to 3.6 liters, now producing 256 hp and 258 pound-feet of torque. But the big news is the revised turbo boxer in between, producing 22 more horses than the outgoing model (now 265 hp) and 17 lb-ft more torque (for a total of 258) from lower revs. Of course, all the engines will offer all-wheel drive (otherwise it’d hardly be a Subaru), but the six-speed manual (fresh to the North American market) and five-speed automatic are joined by a new CVT to keep any of the engines in their sweet spot. 

The interior has likewise been thoroughly revised, incorporating a new voice-command sat-nav and slick ambient lighting. All of this amounts to a modest 50 pound increase in weight, which seems like a small penalty to pay for all the added features. 

We’ll be sure to check it out and report back live from the Javitz Center show floor next week. In the meantime, load up on info with the press release after the jump and the high-resolution image gallery below.

It isn’t even noon yet here in Detroit, but already it’s been a busy day thick with bailout fallout and new consumer loan guarantee programs introduced by General Motors and the Ford Motor Company.

The Blue Oval has just unveiled its new Ford Advantage Plan, which can be thought of as a riff on Hyundai’s much talked about Assurance Program. Ford’s new initiative will cover payments of up to $700/month for up to 12 months on any new Ford, Lincoln, or Mercury vehicle if the loan holder loses his or her job. 

We hope to learn more specifics about the program soon (conditions/exclusions, etc.), but for now, the program takes effect immediately and runs through June 1. Buyers will be able to take advantage of the program as well as a new round of zero percent financing offers through Ford Motor Credit.

As part of the announcement, Ford is also preparing a new dealership-level assistance program “to assist local charities impacted by the economic downturn,” the details of which will be announced in April. Official press release after the jump.

[Source: Ford Motor Company | Image: Bill Pugliano/Getty]

General Motors has announced a new incentive program that it hopes will encourage people to enter the car buying market again. Called GM Total Confidence, the program has four prongs that includes Payment Protection if you lose your job, equity assistance if you trade in your vehicle later for another one from GM, one year of OnStar and the automaker’s 5-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. We’re already familiar with the last two components of GM’s Total Confidence program, so let’s focus on the first two. 

GM’s payment protection program is much like Hyundai’s Assurance Program in that the automaker will cover your payments in the event that you lose your job. GM’s program covers you for 24 months and will make up to nine payments valued at up to $500/month. According to GM, if you qualify for state unemployment benefits, you’ll qualify for the payment protection to kick in. 

The last element of GM’s Total Confidence incentive program is equity assistance, or what GM calls Vehicle Value Protection. This part of the program will cover the difference between what you owe on your vehicle and its NADA Clean Retail Value when you trade it in for another GM vehicle. The idea is to wipe out any negative equity caused by vehicle depreciation when you move on to your next car. 

The GM Total Confidence incentive program begins tomorrow, April 1 and runs through April 30, 2009, though could be extended if it works and sales go up. You’ll be seeing marketing for the program during the Final Four as well, so keep your eyes open.

Follow the jump for a poll and the official press release on the GM Total Confidence program.

[Source: GM Total Confidence, Photo by MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty AutoBLOG.com]

After a series of stories surfaced over the weekend reporting the demise of the Lamborghini Estoque, the supercar manufacturer has issued a statement addressing the rumors. According to Lamborghini, the Estoque has not been killed off, but it hasn’t been approved for production either.

The release continues to tow the company line that if a new model is added to the Lamborghini line-up, “a four door luxury performance saloon could be a logical product strategy.”

When the Estoque was revealed in Paris, the 500-horsepower, V10-powered all-wheel drive sedan was hailed as the automaker’s first volume model – a daily driver that could conceivably sell between 2,000 and 3,000 units annually. Speculation of the Estoque’s eminent arrival in 2011 was stoked when the company’s R&D chief Maurizio Reggiani, said that a case was being made to VW’s board and that a mule was currently undergoing testing. Hit the jump to read Lamborghini’s brief release.

Source: Autoblog

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety isn’t waiting around for the federal government to enact tougher roof strength standards for passenger vehicles. The IIHS has created its own new category of roof strength standards that requires a strength-to-weight ratio of 4 times a vehicle’s weight to earn the highest rating of good. Federal standards are currently 1.5 times a vehicle’s weight, with a proposed increase to 2.5 times still pending. 

The IIHS used a batch of 12 small SUV/CUVs as guinea pigs for the new standard, and only four were rated good: the Volkswagen Tiguan, Subaru Forester, Honda Element and Jeep Patriot. The Suzuki Grand Vitara, Chevrolet Equinox, Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue and Mitsubishi Outlander were rated acceptable with strength-to-weight ratios of at least 3.25. The Honda CR-V and Ford Escape achieved a marginal rating with scores of at least 2.5 and the Kia Sportage was rated Poor with a score below 2.5.

The IIHS roof strength crash test is conducted by pushing a metal plate at constant speed against one side of a vehicle’s roof. In order to earn a good rating, a vehicle’s roof must withstand a force of 4 times the vehicle’s weight before reaching 5 inches of crush. Earning the roof strength test’s highest rating will also be a new requirement for the Institute’s Top Safety Pick awards. As a result, the list of winners for 2010 will likely be much smaller than last year’s. Eight of the small SUV/CUVs tested by the IIHS were previous Top Safety Picks, but only three would earn the award with these new standards.

Running television ads. Taking orders. And now, setting up a network of dealerships. Fisker Automotive is starting to act like a real car company. 

The company announced today that it has signed up its first group of 32 retailers. These outlets will be located in 17 states – Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, Virginia, and Wisconsin – and one Canadian Province, British Columbia (see the full list after the jump). But Fisker isn’t stopping there - the company hopes to have at least 40 dealers in the U.S. signed up by June. Deliveries of the $87,900 plug-in hybrid Karma should begin at the end of this year, and Fisker hopes to sell 15,000 units a year once they get up to full production. 

Like the luxury PHEVs themselves, Fisker vows that their showrooms will make efforts to be eco-friendly, with natural and sustainable materials used throughout, and a solar-powered carport available. 

Source: Autoblog

Hyundai has just released info on its plug-in hybrid concept for the upcoming Seoul Motor Show. Called the BLUE-WILL, the concept features a direct-inject 1.6-liter gas engine mated to a CVT transmission and 100kw electric motor. The car features a state of the art lithium ion polymer batter pack that’s packaged with the fuel tank below the rear seats, as well as a trick panoramic roof that integrates solar cells while still being able to see through. The BLUE-WILL also features eco-friendly plastics, with some components, like the headlamp bezels, made out of recycled plastic bottles and other plastics derived from plant extracts. We’re not sure where the plug goes, but Hyundai claims the parallel hybrid can be tethered to a wall socket for extra amps.

The concept’s five-door hatchback body style is striking with criss-crossing character lines on the body sides and a high rear deck lid. The thick C-pillars also turn into the center of the roof, leaving a window above each pair of doors. The BLUE-WILL’s face has an angry look with its forward canted fascia that bends around on each side to blue-tinted headlights sweeping back up the fender. Koreans will get their first look at the BLUE-WILL when the Seoul Motor Show opens on April 2nd, and Hyundai will begin selling its first hybrid, the Elantra LPI Hybrid, in July in South Korea.

Source: Autoblog

Like the Porsche Cayman S Design Edition 1 and Boxster S Design Edition 2 before it, the Cayenne GTS Design Edition 3 shows off what German automaker’s industrial design shop can do. The Cayenne version continues the trend set by the Cayman S and Boxster S with special dark striping on the doors and hood that subtly contrasts with the unique Lava Grey Metallic paint color. The 21-inch SportPlus wheels are also cast in the same dark color and feature this spokes through which the GTS’ braking hardware can be viewed. A roof spoiler, tinted glass and special “Porsche Design Edition 3″ badging round out the exterior accouterments. The interior is finished with lots of carbon fiber trim, black leather and contrasting red stitching, while more “Porsche Design Edition 3″ branding can be found on the tach face, door sill and a placard in the glove box along with the vehicle’s serial number. 

While there are no real performance improvements to this limited edition version of the Cayenne GTS, which is already a capable performance SUV, you do get a sports exhaust and slightly lowered suspension. What may sway buyers more are the Porsche Design accessories that come standard, including a chronograph watch and four-piece luggage set. Only 1,000 examples of the Porsche Cayenne GTS Design Edition 3 will be made, each starting at €79,100 in Europe where they’ll be exclusively sold and $89,900 in the U.S. where only 100 will be sold.

Source; Autoblog

In a move that will likely get California’s consumers in a huff, impending legislation may soon restrict the paint color options for Golden State residents looking for their next new vehicle. The specific colors that are currently on the chopping block are all dark hues, with the worst offender seemingly the most innocuous color you could think of: Black. What could California possibly have against these colors, you ask? Apparently, the California Air Resources Board figures that the climate control systems of dark colored cars need to work harder than their lighter siblings – especially after sitting in the sun for a few hours. Anyone living in a hot, sunny climate will tell you that this assumption is accurate, of course. In fact, legislation already exists for buildings that has proven successful at reducing the energy consumption of skyscrapers.

So, what’s the crux of the problem… can’t paint suppliers just come up with new, less heat-absorbent dark paints? According to Ward’s, suppliers have reportedly been testing their pigments and processes to see if it’s possible to meet CARB’s proposed mandate of 20% solar reflectivity by 2016 with a phase-in period starting in 2012, and things aren’t looking good. Apparently, when the proper pigments and chemicals are added to black paint, the resulting color is currently being referred to as “mud-puddle brown.” That doesn’t sound very attractive, now does it? Windshields, backlights and sunroofs are also slated to get reflective coatings starting in 2012.

When we first heard of this issue, an internal debate immediately began as to whether this might be an elaborate early April Fool’s joke, but it isn’t. Read through CARB’s complete Cool Cars Standards and Test Procedures here (PDF link) for more. Thanks for the tip, Joaquin!

Anyone who uses a satnav regularly knows the feeling of looking at the directions being given – or actually trying to follow them – and wondering “WTF?” Try an experiment and plug one of your regular destinations into your satnav and see what it spit out; seven times out of ten you’ll wonder “Why would it tell me to go that way?”

A driver in England has once again followed the instructions from his car’s GPS system as if he were Abraham heeding instructions from The Almighty. Headed to a friend’s house, the driver was told by his GPS to go up a steep walking path, and he did so. Luckily the path was lined by a fence, because when the driver crested a hill, he slid down the path and into the fence, which stopped him from going over a 100-foot cliff. 

Fortunately, he was unhurt, although charged with careless driving. Never forget: trust your good sense before you trust your satnav…

Source: Autoblog

Lamborghini said it was going to make just 20 examples of the Reventon. And it did. But the raging bull didn’t say anything about following that run up with some Reventon roadsters. At least, that’s the talk coming out of the UK, where “a very reliable source inside Lamborghini” has dropped the news that nine – that’s right, nine – Reventon Roadsters will be forthcoming, and they’ll be even more powerful than the hardtop. 

The roofless Reventons will get the same engine used in the Murcielago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce, with 670 hp and 487 lb-ft. Not that you would expect anything else, but it will also get a price bump: €1,2 million ($1,633,975.25 USD). That means you – or some high-net-worth person you know – will pay a $634,000 premium to add 20 hp and lose a roof. And join a club with only eight other members…

Source: Autoblog

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG F1 Safety Car

AMG has been involved in Formula 1 for well over a decade now, starting with a Mercedes-Benz C36 AMG serving as the safety car back in 1996. Most recently, the SL63 AMG earned the spot last year, and it is returning for 2009 to set the pace at each F1 race this year. To ensure that it’s capable of performing its duties in any situation, the car has been fitted with quite a few upgrades, including an upgraded coilover suspension system, a three-stage traction control system, massive composite brakes – 15.4 inches up front and 14.2 inch in the rear – and additional coolers for the oil, transmission, coolant, and power steering. The overall weight of the car has also been reduced by 485 pounds thanks to carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic body components and the removal of the convertible top mechanism. Follow the jump for more details in the press release from Mercedes-Benz, and check out the high-res gallery below.

Source: Autoblog

Last month, Crane Cams announced that it had shut its doors and told all 280 of its employees not to come back the next day. Shortly afterward, the storied automotive aftermarket parts company indicated that it wouldreopen after the restructuring process had taken place. That’s apparently not the case after all.

LiquiTec Industries has issued a press release stating that it has been contracted to liquidate all of the assets of Crane Cams. The sale will include everything that the company had owned, including all of its unsold products, machinery, raw materials, trademarks and patents. Bids are currently being accepted, after which all of the unsold goods will be put up for auction.

This news comes after speculation that Crane Cams would be purchased by a company called Scorpion Performance. We’re not sure what happened to that deal, but we’ve placed a call with Scorpion in an effort to find out. Press release after the jump.

[Source: LiquiTec Industries]