Archive for September, 2006

Most Precise Website Ever

Friday, September 29th, 2006

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We have a feeling that Emil Rensing may behind this. And seeing as he and his wife Keri own an RS4, a Neun Elf and one of those good-for-nothing half-breed Gallardo SEs (the baby Lambo’s precision is sullied by what the Italians refer to as “passion,” but true believers in the power of wafer-sliced-micron-thin tolerances understand as an excuse to drink grappa on the job), he’s obviously a believer in the power of fine German engineering and workmanship. (And yes, as a citizen of the EU, Belgian Luc Donckerwolcke was bestowed Emergency German Citizenship in an attempt to revive Lambo’s wayward styling until such time as an appropriate German could be located to redefine precision in Lambo design.) Just in case there was any wonder left in your kopf, doof.

Fine German Precision [Internal]

Related:
Precision Comes to Paris: The Porsche GT3RS [Internal]

Audi: New 1.8 TFSI engine

Friday, September 29th, 2006

Honda at the Paris Motor Show

Friday, September 29th, 2006

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Funny story. We had a tech snafu in the Paris auto show press room this afternoon. Apparently, Gawker ended up on some kind of banned-site list, which turned our online posting page into the Web 2.0 equivalent of the Great Wall of China, and we a trio of ersatz Mongols. (Don’t get too excited, CNN wound up blocked, too). It turned out ok because we had time to check out the new hot hatchness over at Honda. The company unveiled the Civic Type R, the UK-built king of Honda’s Civic tri-doors (we turn to our friends at World Car Fans, to whose photographic skills we humbly bow, for more extensive action), along with its racing equivalent (pictured). Honda also showed off the new Type S, whose suspension mechanicals form the basis for the Type R, and the Civic Hybrid Sports concept, which shows what can be done when SEMA meets Greenpeace. Beautiful music, indeed. And lest we forget, the homely but practical CRV. May we live in interesting times. [Gallery]

Related:
More on Honda [internal]

In Cordoba, We Have What We Need: The Girls of the Paris Auto Show

Friday, September 29th, 2006

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As the hoary old maxim goes, it ain’t over ’til the overweight female bursts into song. And while the large lady with the Viking helmet has yet to belt out her last at the Mondial de l’Automobile press days, she is in the dressing room squeezing into her metal bustier. Mindful of that, we thought we’d offer up a collection of some of the Paris show’s finer examples of French womanhood. Sadly, the Small Chrysler wasn’t available, so we had to settle for a SEAT model. Ricardo Montalban and Lee Iacocca, no doubt, are extremely distraught. [Gallery]

Related:
The Obligatory SEMA T&A Post [Internal]

Super Electric Potential! Venturi Launches New Fetish, Two EV Up-and-Comers

Friday, September 29th, 2006

Those zany French electric-supercar builders, Venturi unveiled the newest incarnation of its EV for gearheads, the Fétish roadster. The current (heh heh) model sports 31 li-ion batteries, which give it a range of between 100 and 155 miles, depending on the weight of one’s foot. The cells can be charged in three to four hours, making it convenient for commuting to places with long extension cords handy. Alongside the Fétish, Venturi unveiled two new models, the One, an EV roadster that can draw power from the sun and wind (seriously), and the Eclectic, a weird open box van with a range of 44 miles. Plans are in the works to build the vehicles for series production, with the One priced at around $30,000. [Gallery]

Related:
Avant le Fetish: Venturi to Show Electric-Supercar Precursors in Paris [internal]

It Takes Two, Baby! Rick And Bob Versus The World

Friday, September 29th, 2006

Earlier, we showed you Renault et Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn getting his media shwerve on, but what about the tumultuous twosome of the General’s General Wagoner and his hetero life-mate, Bob Lutz? And although some folks might give you the full frontal, we like to take things from behind every once in a while. And as you can see, these two’re no slouches when it comes to media hawtness. But Ghosn’s got two things going for him Rick n’ Bob’ll never have in attracting media attention. First, Ghosn’s like a rock star with the Japanese and French elbow press, and second, he’s got a comic book about his adventures. What kind of a comic book would Bob and Rick have — the “The Generally Ambiguously Gay Duo?” Oh wait, maybe it’d be “The Adventures of Bob and Silent Rick.” Yeah, that’d totally be it.

Kerkorian Pushes G.M. for Renault-Nissan Deal [NYT]

Related:
Ghosn Ape! Carlos, Suits Tour the Paris Auto Show [internal]

Ciao Babies: Lamborghini Shows Versace Edition Murciélago at Paris Show

Friday, September 29th, 2006

Lamborghini introduced a new, limited-edition Murciélago geared toward Italian counts and the countesses who sweat them. It’s the LP640 Versace (that’s ver-sach-ee, not ver-say-ss), a variant of the company’s higher-spec flagship, the one with the 6.5-liter V12, zero-to-60 times in the 3.4-second range, and overall ornery disposition. Maison Versace’s providing something called “full grain nappa” with the company logo, custom-designed wheels, white “Isis” paint scheme, interior accoutrements and a set of embroidered, his-and-hers luggage. It’s all showcasing Lambo’s personalization program, or “ad personam,” which may or may not be latin for “Eurotrash in the hizznouse.” [Gallery]

Related:
Lambo’s Enzo: The Lamborghini LP640 [internal]

Dodge Is So Tough, It Wears Panties

Friday, September 29th, 2006

What happens when you’re a brand all about being anything but cute, yet you’re trying to sell your wares in liberal France? You sell Dodge branded panties — on display now at the Mondial De L’Automobile. Just look for the new Avenger display. We think it’ll probably cost extra to get the models to try them out…but that may be worth the effort.

Related:
Not Yet Production! Dodge Releases Avenger “Concept” In A Barrage Of Bold; more paris auto show [internal]

Audi R8 Shifted by More Precise eGear

Friday, September 29th, 2006

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We swung back by the Audi booth wearing our investigative earmuffs and wrassled up a product planner from the Artists Formerly Known as DKW, Horch, Wanderer, and by the name the Auto Union is still known, Audi. The question? Just what is the gearbox in the new R8? The answer? It’s a modified version of the Gallardo’s eGear DSG SMG transmission, the news of which put a pucker on Paukert’s face the likes of which we haven’t seen since Wert switched lemon juice for Spinelli’s morning pampelmousse beverage. However, according to Audi, the evolved eGear will be smoother, which led us to ask, “Will it be more precise?”
“Yes, it will be more precise.”

Related:
More from Audi Builds a Car for Our Wives: More From the R8 Reveal [Internal]

Nous Sommes Plus Intéressants Quand Nous Sommes Ivres: Paris Auto Show Press Preview Day Two

Friday, September 29th, 2006

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We’re still in the envrons of Paris, where automakers are launching new models, showing off prototypes and suporting the habits of scores of the world’s geekiest auto press reps. Today’s the last of two press preview days, during which we’ll be reporting on the local camera fodder here at Porte de Versailles. Let us know if there’s anything you’d like to see more of, at tips@jalopnik.com. We’ll try to accommodate requests, though Wert says he draws the line at lip synching Serge Gainsbourg’s “Histoire de Melody Nelson” in front of the Citroën girls.