Performance


LA 2009: Audi R8 Spyder is shown again, this time in red

This isn't the first time we've seen the drop-top Audi R8 Spyder. Images were leaked in early September, and we were there in Frankfurt for its official debut. That said, its unveiling at the LA Auto Show was less than climactic... other than the fact the Spyder was sporting a flashy bright-red bodywork. New hue aside, the new convertible variant is a looker from its carbon-fiber mirrors to polished aluminum wheels. The blades are gone and it has gained 476 pounds in the transformation, but the standard Lambo-derived 525-hp V10 will ... Read more →

REPORT: Chevrolet Cruze SS being pushed for hard by company insiders Jeremy Korzeniewski

Still mourning the death of Chevrolet's pint-sized pocket rocket, the Cobalt SS? According to a report from Motor Authority, you're not alone, and a number of those fellow fans come from right ...

LA 2009: MINI Coupe & Roadster Concepts are so LA Frank Filipponio

Mini brought its birthday presents to itself out to the LA Auto Show for their North American debut today. The Cambden and Mayfair were there, but we spent a lot more time ogling the Coupe and ...

LA 2009: 2011 Ford Mustang V6 on show floor with little fanfare Drew Phillips

You would think that with all of the new powertrain improvements to the 2011 Mustang V6 that Ford would be making a big deal about the car here at the LA Auto Show. Not so. While the Fiesta ...

LA 2009: Porsche debuts lightweight 2011 Boxster Spyder Michael Harley

Porsche rolled out the 2010 Boxster Spyder, the third model in the Boxster lineup, for its world debut at the LA Auto Show, with an entirely new look and – we are led to believe – a ...

LA 2009: Dodge Viper enters final year with tweaks and first two limited-edition models 15 hours ago on Autoblog

The 2010 model year marks the last run of the 600-hp Dodge Viper. To keep performance (and consumer interest) high for the next 12 months, the automaker is adding new colors, enhancing performance and releasing several limited-edition models. Standard Viper SRT10 models receive two new ...

VIDEO: Lexus LFA illicitly investigated by fanboy in secret warehouse 15 hours ago on Autoblog

If Motor Mavens legitimately got a call from a well-placed friend and truly snuck in to fiddle with a $400,000 car that's ostensibly in trustworthy care, we apologize, but it smells really staged from here. It doesn't matter, though, the LFA looks fantastic in this video, and the LCD gauges are ...

What Price One-Upmanship? 2011 Bentley Mulsanne available from $285,000 16 hours ago on Autoblog

With a starting price of $285,000, Bentley's newest flagship model won't come cheap. Nor should it, with its 505-horsepower, 725 lb-ft, gasoline-fed 6.75-liter V8 engine sitting behind the automaker's trademark mesh grille and four round lights. Also included in that price will be an eight-speed ...

LA 2009: Cadillac CTS Coupe vogues, dazzles 1 day ago on Autoblog

Cadillac invited us down to a dance hall south of downtown Los Angeles and the convention center for a little lunch and a lot of talk concerning their new CTS Coupe. In fact, they brought a CTS Coupe along with 'em. A production CTS Coupe we should point out. The exact same car you'll be able to ...

Maserati rolls out limited edition GranTurismo for Middle East 1 day ago on Autoblog

If you thought Rolls-Royce had cornered the market on special editions for the Middle East, Maserati would like you to think again. But only if you've got a big wad of cash and actually, you know... live in the Middle East. The Italian automaker just took the wraps off a limited edition of ...

Spy Shots: BMW M3 caught with new LED taillamps 1 day ago on Autoblog

Just a couple of years into its run, this is your slightly revised BMW M3, free of camo save for the taillights. The photog on the scene said there is nothing we should expect from the next Munich mauler save for new LED lamps in back and an updated interior. We speculate that cabin changes will ...

VIDEO: The Mustang skates in latest episode of Unleashed 2 days ago on Autoblog

Though we all owned skateboards in our younger years, we can admit that we were never really any good at riding them. That doesn't mean we didn't fantasize about all the great stunts we wished we could perform. And were there any among us who don't remember sitting in the back seat of a car ...

REPORT: Tata Motors back in the black as Jaguar/Land Rover fortunes improve 2 days ago on Autoblog

While many confusing car-related things have happened in the upper strata of the Autoverse over the last few years (Aston Martin and Ferrari both being impart owned by Middle Eastern concerns, Aston Martin not being bankrupt) perhaps the most shocking and disconcerting was Ford's sale of Jaguar ...

Flight of the Alcador: Franco Sbarro unveils Ferrari Testarossa-based Lista Office in Essen 2 days ago on Autoblog

If you thought that last remaining piece of lasagna at the food court looked iffy, remember that's not even the most suspicious concoction to bear the Sbarro banner. Franco Sbarro rivals even his fellow Swiss coachbuilder Rinspeed for his, um... "originality." Recent examples have included a ...

Back to the Future: 1969 Danz Camaro concept goes the wrong direction 2 days ago on Autoblog

There's really nothing wrong with the first-generation Chevy Camaro, except perhaps for the fact that rows upon rows of them can be seen at every single car show in America. In fact, so ubiquitous is the 1969 model that there are a couple of aftermarket companies willing to build you a brand ...

Classic Recreations reveals specs of Shelby GT500CR Mustang 2 days ago on Autoblog

Earlier this month during SEMA, Oklahoma-based Classic Recreations announced that it had scored a licensing deal with Carroll Shelby to build a continuation version of the legendary Shelby Mustang GT500. At the time of the announcement, we didn't know much about the car, aptly named the ...

Gah!x2: Kicherer Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG rendered 3 days ago on Autoblog

To put it kindly, we'll call the attempts to tune the appearance of the Mercedes SLS AMG gilding the lily. Although the folks at Kircherer were obviously not doing the same amount or potency of drugs procured by the gents at MEC Design, they have still managed to disturb the lines of a car that ...

VIDEO: BMW M1 in mule-style camo? 3 days ago on Autoblog

For the life of us, we can't figure this. BMWblog has posted a video of what surely looks like an O.G. BMW M1, dressed up in that ubiquitous swirlydelic camouflage du jour and parked on a Munich street. It's either a very clever gag being put on by someone, or something potentially awesome is ...

Essen 2009: Brabus tweaks the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG 4 days ago on Autoblog

Don't have enough money for Brabus to swap out the V8 in your E63 AMG for a V12? Not to worry. Today at the Essen Motor Show, the German tuner officially launched its B63 S performance package for 6.2-liter V8 in the four-door Benz. The upgrade consists of dual "sport" air filters, high-flow ...

Geiger continues excessive use of bright paint, boost with 790-horsepower Ford GT 5 days ago on Autoblog

Geiger, the German tuner with a fascination with American performance cars, generally produces modified vehicles in not-so-subtle and "look at me!" variations. This Ford GT encompasses both varietys, with plenty of performance upgrades to boot. Geiger has previously modified the Blue Oval's ...

Chevron staging a comeback with new GR8 5 days ago on Autoblog

The history of the British automobile is littered with dozens upon dozens of small, independent cottage-industry automakers. Names like Lotus, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Bentley, Rolls-Royce and Land Rover have stood the test of time. And in recent years companies like Ascari, McLaren Automotive and ...

Spy Shots: Elise, Exige, Esprit? Lotus tests new model 5 days ago on Autoblog

When it comes to the successor to the Lotus Esprit, the specs -- and even the name -- are still up in the air. There is, however, a mule undergoing testing on the ground. Autocar has pics of an Exige with a seriously modified rear end, leading to speculation that the new Esprit's powertrain lives ...

Essen Preview: speedArt to debut PS9-650 Panamera 5 days ago on Autoblog

The Essen Motor Show is just days away, and all of Europe's tuners are set to unveil their latest and greatest aftermarket parts at Germany's version of SEMA. One of those companies will be speedArt, which will be introducing its new performance and appearance packages for the 2010 Porsche ...

Pics Aplenty: 9ff Speed9 takes Porsche 911 Turbo Cabrio to the next level 6 days ago on Autoblog

As we discovered earlier this month, the 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo is one heck of a fast car. The quickest Porsche has ever produced, in fact. So it would take considerable moxie to try and improve on it. Fortunately, 9ff has such moxie, as demonstrated with the company's new Speed9. We brought ...

Gah! MEC Design fantasizes over tuned Mercedes SLS AMG 7 days ago on Autoblog

Say what you will about the retro design of the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. Some call it a contemporary take on a classic shape, others may deride the lack of originality. But at least it's consistent. Which is a heck of a lot more than we can say for what MEC Design has done to it. The ...

VIDEO: Inside the cockpit of the Viper ACR's record lap at Laguna Seca 7 days ago on Autoblog

Pushing a performance monster like the Viper ACR around a race track at ten tenths takes some pretty massive cojones. But few tracks require the testicular fortitude of Laguna Seca. The iconic circuit in Northern California is packed full of decreasing radius corners, off-camber turns, and ...

Loma Performance unveils Corvette C6.BlackforceOne 7 days ago on Autoblog

Loma Performance seems to think that its new BlackforceOne Corvette is somehow evocative of POTUS' personal airplane. "Clearly reminiscent," they go so far as to say in their press release. (We think the moniker sounds as if could have been the title of a 1970s action film starring Fred ...

REPORT: Ferrari's twin-turbo F70 shapes up to succeed the Enzo 7 days ago on Autoblog

It's been nearly six years since production ended on the Ferrari Enzo. That's longer than we had to wait for the Enzo to arrive after the preceding F50 ended production, but far longer than the gap between the F40 and F50 or between the 288 GTO and the F40. In the interceding years, rival ...

Spy Shots: Mini working on diesel "S" versions of Cooper, Clubman? 7 days ago on Autoblog

Spy shooters posted outside Mini's testing facility in Germany snagged a duo of prototypes heading out for testing, but something seemed amiss. Both models -- a standard Cooper and a mildly camo'd Clubman -- sported the tell-tale exterior elements found on the S versions, specifically a ...

Mercedes-AMG presses on with alternative energy powertrains 7 days ago on Autoblog

It could be argued that Mercedes-Benz' AMG division -- more than any other brand -- is culpable for perpetuating the horsepower wars. Not that we're complaining, mind you, but sooner or later, consumer demands for environmental responsibility will catch up even with these stratospheric ...

REPORT: Ralph Gilles puts the brakes on Viper-Ferrari collaboration rumors 7 days ago on Autoblog

After setting a new lap record at Laguna Seca the other day, Dodge announced some minor revisions to the all-conquering Viper ACR for the 2010 model year. The snake that swallowed the famed 11-turn race track whole will be treated to some revised gearing and aerodynamics, a new short-throw ...

Renault introduces Twingo Gordini R.S. hot hatch 7 days ago on Autoblog

A few weeks back, Renault announced plans to revive the classic Gordini badge for its new high performance variants and now, the first model has been unveiled. Based on the automaker's smallest model, the Renault Twingo Gordini R.S. should prove to be mighty quick, with a 133 hp 1.6-liter engine ...

XTR Carchip Porsche Cayman X-Wide is the RS we've always wanted 8 days ago on Autoblog

We're not overly familiar with XTR Carchip, but the Berlin-based tuning company caught our eye with its "X-Wide" Porsche Cayman project. Designed as a daily-driver-turned-track-tool, the 987 S underwent a major exterior overhaul, with a detachable CFRP front splitter, fenders, side skirts, ...

Audi RS6 Avant driver reportedly caught going 133 MPH with nearly 2,000 pounds of pot 8 days ago on Autoblog

If you read publications about cars long enough, you'll no doubt catch on to our pro-wagon bias. In fact, if us auto-journo types ran things, SUVs, CUVs and sedans would be banned, and all passenger cars would either be mid-engined, 500 horsepower coupes or 600 hp wagons. With manuals and roll ...

VIDEO: 2010 Dodge Viper ACR makes the rounds at Laguna Seca, sets track record 8 days ago on Autoblog

The Dodge Viper is many things to many people. An object of unparalleled lust to some, a big-mouthed, truck-engined Corvette ripoff to others. And an ankle burner to still others. But no one ever thought of Dodge's V10 quarter-mile thug as a serious track car. Until the Viper ACR showed up. ...

LA Preview: Subaru WRX STI Special Edition headed for U.S. showrooms 8 days ago on Autoblog

For U.S. Subaru enthusiasts, it has long seemed like the folks at Fuji Heavy forgot that we might be interested in special-edition WRX models too. New hotted-up variants of the all-wheel-drive hero car have been released in the UK and elsewhere on what seems like a monthly basis, but here in ...

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Autoblog Podcast #155: 'Twas the night before LA...

Chris, Dan, and Editor Paukert go over some LA Preview action and quietly whoop it up on the podcast.

 
 

Featured Galleries

  • LA 2009: 2011 Ford Mustang V6
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  • LA 2009: 2011 Toyota Sienna
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  • LA 2009: 2010 Volkswagen Beetle
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  • 2011 Hyundai Sonata
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