The original Citroen 2CV was the Ford Model T and the Volkswagen Beetle of France. In it’s over forty years of continuous production, it put France on wheels and stuck around long enough to be an icon for the starving artist. The frugal car was nothing more than basic. The diminutive two-cylinder engine (ranging from 375 cc to 602 cc.) never made more than 29 horsepower in its lifetime. It is the kind of icon that is loved by designers, but ignored by drivers.
With the advent of technology, classic cars can be turned into concept cars on a computer that’s powered with modern rendering software. And that’s exactly what car designer David Portela has done. He has taken original 2CV and modified every aspect without cutting out the trademarks.
While this kind of ’modernizing’ has been witnessed before, the number of designers in the Auto industry have multiplied. Blogs are able to project the talent of aspiring designers, like Portela, who may be the next to bring modern interpretations of classics, like the 500 and Mini, back to life.
It’s small, it’s cheap, and now it may carry a Fiat badge. The Italian auto conglomerate may sell Tata’s ultra-low price Nano outside of the car’s home market in India.
The partnership would likely be forged because Fiat’s strong international distribution, and Tata’s desire to keep the Nano’s price low through more sales. Both parties have shown interest in the idea, but it’s not a done deal yet. Fiat Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo said the company was in talks with Tata about making buses and trucks. "We’ll see if there are the conditions for us to go forward." In India, Fiat already has a joint venture with Tata to make and distribute cars, engines and commercial vehicles.
If Fiat were to get a version of the Nano, it would likely have to add more safety features to meet the requirements of most Fiat’s established markets (not the U.S.). This could mean added weight and cost to the $2,500 Nano, but it will take a lot to get this microcar out of people’s price range.
People are always trying to find a way to achieve some fame and here we found quite a strange way to become “famous”. Ryan Mickle, just a normal guy from the USA, bought in 2006 a Range Rover Sport for just $60,000, not for daily use but for trips. Now he decided that it is more important to be environment oriented and so he wants to destroy the car. He even opened a dedicated website, “OneFewer” where he makes a lot of buzz and people can actually choose what should happen to his car.
But surely he is not just interested in only keeping a cleaner environment, there are really many ways to get rid of car without making so much noise. In the end, wouldn’t he do much more damage to the environment if he went to “violent” measures like burning the Rover or dumping it in to ocean?
To help all those who are affected by tough economic times, Lexus is lowering car prices. OH WAIT, THAT’S BACKWARDS, LEXUS IS RAISING PRICES. For 2009, the SC 430, LX 570, GX 470 and the RX 400h, will all have price increases. You can probably blame tough economic times or blame a weak dollar. But the truth is, if your shopping for a Lexus, these increases (all under 1.5 percent) are not fun, but they shouldn’t stop you from taking home Toyota’s premium brand.
The 2009 SC430 will be priced at $66,805, an increase of 0.7 percent or $450; the 2009 LX 570 will be priced at $75,705, an increase of 1.3 percent or $1,005; the GX 470 will be priced at $47,615, an increase of 0.6 percent or $300; and the RX 400h front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive will be priced at $42,080 and $43,480 respectively, an increase of 1.2 percent or $500.
Are you living in a Manhattan Penthouse on the Upper East Side, wondering what to do this weekend? Wishing you could take out your Enzo without loosing it in a pothole? Well you’re in luck! For the small price of $125,000 (plus $7,500 yearly dues) you can join the Monticello Motor Club. You will gain access to a 4.1-mile professional-grade racetrack that is located just 90 miles from Manhattan. But it is by invitation only, just like your golf course.
A $50 million investment has transformed the old Monticello Airport into the 22-turn Monticello Motor Club, opening on July 27. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld and NASCAR’s Jeff Gordon have already joined. Motorsports legends Mario Andretti and Brian Redman will race there on opening day. The track will operate from April to November and members can enjoy 200 days of access.
The 650-acre complex will include a 30,000-square-foot clubhouse with fine dining, a spa, and overnight luxury suites. Racers can drop in by using the club’s helipad, and store their racecars in a temperature-controlled garage. Rentals will also be available including modern, vintage and Formula 1 racers.
Kia will unveil the 2009 SOUL on October 2nd, at the Paris Auto Show, and sales should begin in the U.S. by April 2009. The U.S. market will get a choice of the 1.6 or 2.0-liter gasoline engines, while Europe will also receive a 1.6-liter diesel option.
The front-wheel drive Soul is the replacement for the little-loved Spectra5. The Soul will be available as a five-door hatchback only and will have relatively small dimensions. It has an overall length of 161 inches (riding on a 100 inch wheelbase.)
Enjoy some footage of Lotus from the British Motor Show. Also in the clip is footage of Lightning Car Company’s GT. No wonder Tesla is branching out into other cars (next story below). It seems the electric sports car market may get crowded soon!
Electric cars are usually the enemy of performance. They are usually glorified golf carts that are a toy for the rich and infirm to get around a sleepy resort town. Telsa has been the company that has done the most damage to that image. Its Lotus Elise based roadster is the only true sports car that requires to be plugged-in at night. But the company is looking to be much more than a one-trick electric pony. After we’ve already brought you its plans for a future sedan, Tesla is now looking to put together a third project for its lowest price yet, $30,000.
Tesla’s founder, Elon Musk is looking to partner with a major auto company to build this budget all-electric car. When asked why Tesla is focused on all-electric cars as opposed to the gas-electric hybrids that the major manufactures are producing, Musk said, "(gas-electric) need both a gasoline-powered engine and a big battery, neither can be very good, and the engine will be a weak engine. It’s just not where the future lies. We’ll be able to offer a car (all-electric) with a 305-mile range roughly three years from now."
He’s got a green mind and a performance mind — nothing wrong with that!
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