Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG available in Alubeam – If you have patience
Filed under: Coupe , Performance , Mercedes-Benz 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG in Alubeam silver - Click above for high-res image gallery If you’re shopping for a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG finished in Alubeam silver here in the United States, you’re in luck, but you’ll have to be patient. A reader dropped us a note to let us know that a Dallas, Texas dealer apparently informed a friend of his that Alubeam had not been released for the American market yet. We checked with Mercedes-Benz USA spokesman Rob Moran, who tells us that the special finish is indeed available. Alubeam first appeared on the 40th anniversary CL65 AMG several years ago. If you haven’t seen it, Alubeam is a stunning metallic finish that looks like molten silver. According to Moran, the Alubeam bodies are hand-painted at Mercedes-Benz’s Sindelfingen factory, while other colors are applied at a Magna Steyr body shop. The more labor intensive process means that only about 2-3 cars a week are available for U.S. market allocation. Hopefully the customer and dealer are just having a miscommunication about the longer wait time, because the special paint is definitely available. A tip of the hat to Ross! Gallery: Alubeam 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG in Mexico [Source: Mercedes-Benz] Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG available in Alubeam - If you have patience originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 Jun 2010 17:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Report: 2011 Euro Range Rover to get 4.4L diesel, the ex-F-150 engine?
Filed under: SUV, Truck, Europe, Ford, Land Rover, Diesel
A recent report says the 2011 Range Rover (in Europe at least) will be getting a new 4.4-liter V8 diesel engine with 308 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque to replace the current 3.6-liter V8 diesel. When the the current F-150 was launched back in 2008, Ford announced that it would add a diesel V8 to the powertrain lineup in mid-2010. That diesel V8 was rumored to displace about 4.4-liters and at that time, Ford still owned Land Rover and Jaguar. When the economy hit the skids and diesel prices skyrocketed, the diesel engine plan was shelved from the pickup. We haven’t been able to get any comment from Land Rover, but a Ford official has confirmed that the new Land Rover diesel V8 is being supplied from Ford’s Chihuahua engine plant which also produces the new 6.7-liter Scorpion diesel for the Super Duty pickups.
However, we were reminded that Ford never officially confirmed details of the planned diesel for the F-150, so this may not be the same engine. Given all the other information we have, it does seem to be a reasonable inference. We checked with truck expert Mike Levine at PickupTrucks.com who believes this is, in fact, the same oilburner.
The fact that it’s being built for the luxury SUV means that it could potentially be revived for the pickup, although that now appears unlikely since Ford has decided to add the Ecoboost V6 to the F-150 instead. As the engine was once destined for the U.S. market – with all the emissions requirements in check – it could, at the very least, eventually appear in American Range Rovers. Given the success of diesels in German SUVs, that much certainly seems plausible.
[Source: World Car Fans]
Report: 2011 Euro Range Rover to get 4.4L diesel, the ex-F-150 engine? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Nissan Leaf crushing Chevy Volt on Google, Facebook and more
Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Chevrolet, Nissan, Electric
If Google Trends is an accurate indicator of eventual success, the Nissan Leaf will be a smash hit. At the very least, it looks to be more popular than the Chevy Volt. The latest trends show that interest in the Leaf, as calculated by search volume and news articles, is nearly double that of the Volt. We don’t have to use Google as the only indicator that interest in the Leaf is high, just take a look at the Leaf’s Facebook page, which lists more than 54,000 fans (something Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn is particularly proud of), while the Volt has only managed to rack up 24,000. If you still doubt that the Leaf is leading the online popularity contest, then look no further than the official interest lists for each vehicle. As GM-Volt.com reports, the Leaf’s is 130,000 strong, whereas the Volt only has 42,000.
Now, there’s no real way to translate these numbers into eventual, actual sales, nor can we predict success based on statistics alone. For that, we’ll have to wait until these the new EVs go on sale later this year and the real-world results allow us to crown a champion. Still, current indicators suggest that the Leaf is hot, hot, hot.
[Source: Google trends, GM-Volt, Facebook]
Nissan Leaf crushing Chevy Volt on Google, Facebook and more originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 Jun 2010 11:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Steven Colbert Invented the iPad Suit Pocket! [Video]
The Wall Street Journal recently showcased a selection of iPad accessories, including the infamous “iPad Suit Pocket”. Problem is, Steven Colbert came up with the idea when he pulled an iPad out of his own suit pocket at the Grammys earlier this year, before the iPad was actually officially released, and the WSJ forgot to mention it. Of course, Colbert did not appreciate the omission… enjoy!
Note: This video won’t play on an iPad
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Vehicle downloads for Garmin Nuvi (sorta) make us want one
Filed under: Technology, Toys/Games
With an increasing number of new cell phones offering free, integrated turn-by-turn navigation, the days of the standalone navigation device must surely be numbered. Of course, those dedicated navigators still offer some features you can’t (yet) get elsewhere, such as the Darth Vader or Dennis Hopper voices for TomTom and downloadable vehicles for the Garmin Nuvi.
Garmin users can replace the regular old arrow that shows your direction with dozens of vehicles ranging from classics like the BMW Isetta, to space shuttles, to Bumblebee, as seen above. Does it improve the functionality of your Nuvi in any way? Of course not, but it can make the little screen more fun to look at. The Nuvi vehicle downloads are free from a non-Garmin-affiliated third party, while most of the TomTom voices cost extra. Will this sort of thing have us trading in our Droid? Not a chance.
[Source: Vehicles for Garmin Nuvi]
Vehicle downloads for Garmin Nuvi (sorta) make us want one originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 Jun 2010 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Solar Panel Bag for iPad?
Are you a big Apple fan? Well, maybe you may want to show off your allegiance to Apple by carrying your iPad on your back. Looks like you will be able to wear your brand new iPad with a “Solar Panel Bag”.
A Korean designer, Seo Eul Hwa, is releasing a new fancy design for a solar panel bag. We found out via Yanko Design, which is a web magazine dedicated to introducing modern and fancy international designs.
The “Solar Panel Bag” comes with solar cells arranged in the shape of an apple. The solar panel captures sunlight and stores it in a battery that in turn charges the iPad. At the moment, there aren’t many details (price and availability) for this new fancy bag design.
We have seen other solar options for the iPad such as Quickertek’s “Apple Juicz” solar panel. They are well known for Mac-related accessories, and have adapted their MacBook “Apple Juicz” solar panel to the iPad. It is a bit pricey (US$250), even though it is using fancy technology.
It seems that we will continue to see new creative accessories and gadgets to use with your iPad. We favor the use of solar technology for all gadgets out there, as long as it is at the right price for everyone.
Australian police hope to attract stares with Alfa MiTo cruiser
Filed under: Hatchback , Alfa Romeo , Police/Emergency , Australia NSW Police-spec Alfa Romeo MiTo - Click above for high-res image gallery If your aim in choosing a new car is to get noticed, there’s no shortage of attention-grabbing wheels to pick from, but few cars get noticed as quickly as a police cruiser . Sure, the flashing lights and blaring sirens might help, but not as much as the looming threat of being ticketed. Still, Australia’s New South Wales police department seems to think it needs some help getting noticed. That’s precisely why Sydney-area law enforcement has taken delivery of an Alfa Romeo MiTo. Noticeably bereft of emergency lighting, the MiTo will be used for community outreach and safety awareness programs. Whether the wee Alfa will prove more effective in its assignment than a Hummer H3 or Holden Commodore remains to be seen, but it might help the authorities catch up with the next F1 champion who tries spinning donuts on city streets. Gallery: Australian Police Alfa Romeo MiTo [Source: Car Advice via eurocarblog ] Australian police hope to attract stares with Alfa MiTo cruiser originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 Jun 2010 15:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read
Study suggests hay fever sufferers drive nine million miles blind
Filed under: Safety , UK Allergy sufferers really don’t get a break once the weather warms up. Spring brings an eruption of pollen that has most of us begging for the sweet release of cold death. Just as soon as we wean ourselves off our industrial supply of Benadryl and Claritin, summer comes around to smack us with hay fever. According to research sponsored by UK air-conditioning service company Kwik-Fit, British drivers will cover around 9,300,000 miles with their eyes shut this season as a result of sneezing while driving. According to the survey, around 28 percent of the country’s drivers have to deal with hay fever each season. The study also says that around 500,000 drivers have lost control of their vehicles while sneezing, and around double that number have had to pull to the side of the road to wait for sneezing fits to subside. Kwik-Fit’s solution? Have your air-conditioning serviced, of course. While making sure that your car’s cabin air filter is good shape might help keep your allergies in check, we’d recommend just staying off the road if you’re suffering that badly. Hit the jump for the full press release. [Source: Kwik-Fit] Continue reading Study suggests hay fever sufferers drive nine million miles blind Study suggests hay fever sufferers drive nine million miles blind originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 Jun 2010 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
