MotorMediaWatch August 29: Aston Martin Values Scarcity +++ GM settles on Volt’s battery maker +++ 2008 Audi A5 S-Line Coupe

Brand DNA and the prototypical Porsche
Despite evolution, the 001 is recognizably a Porsche in the transcendent gestalt of the thing

Phil Hill, 81; first U.S.-born driver to win Formula One title
The racer, who was raised in Santa Monica, won the F1 championship for Ferrari in 1961 and was a three-time winner at both Le Mans and Sebring. He never suffered a serious injury. (LAT)+++

Honda redesigns a perfect Fit
Honda’s hottest product is the Fit, a small, modest, lumpen prole of a car that just happens to be one of the best-engineered vehicles on the planet. (TST)+++

Hybrid Race Car Planned
A racing team competing in the American Le Mans Series endurance-racing program plans to race a hybrid car later this year. The Corsa Zytek Hybrid, is the result of a partnership between Corsa Motorsports and the U.K.’s Zytek Group.

Aston Martin Values Scarcity
Ads for the new $1.8 million Aston Martin coupe say nothing about the car’s top speed or massive horsepower. They play up a different fact: only 77 of the cars will be built. (WSJ)+++

Auto Industry Skid Imperils Delphi
Delphi’s woes are raising doubts about its ability to survive. The auto-parts maker is laboring to craft a plan to emerge from bankruptcy-court protection, but odds are increasing that Delphi instead will be liquidated.(WSJ)+++

Toyota Pulls Back on Sales Goal
Toyota put its dreams of becoming the world’s first auto maker to sell more than 10 million vehicles per year on hold, the latest sign of how global auto makers are bracing for a long slowdown.(WSJ)+++

Ford, other automakers face conflicting safety rules worldwide
Automakers say different vehicle safety regulations governing everything from air bags to bumpers to lighting in the U.S. and Europe make it difficult to bring fuel-efficient European models to the U.S. quickly. (SJM)+++

Palo Alto Toyota dealer starts taking deposits on plug-in Prius
A Toyota dealership in Palo Alto has started taking deposits on a plug-in version of the Toyota Prius, a car the automaker hasn’t even confirmed it will put on sale. (SJM)+++

GM settles on Volt’s battery maker
JOLIET, Ill. — General Motors Corp. has decided on a battery maker for the Chevrolet Volt range-extended electric vehicle, but it’s not saying who it is, yet, Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said Thursday on the sidelines of a media event touting the automaker’s 2009 vehicle line. (DFP)+++

Mulally to address top electronics event
Signaling the growing importance of electronics in new cars and trucks, Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally is to be one of the keynote speakers at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show, the world’s largest consumer technology trade show.(DFP)++

Consumers hold off on August car, truck buys
As Detroit’s automakers race to offer more fuel-efficient cars in the face of one of the most challenging economies in recent memory, droves of consumers continued holding off on the purchases of big cars and trucks in August. (DFP)+++

Detroit 3 say potential U.S. loans wouldn’t be bailout
WASHINGTON — Detroit’s automakers pushed back Thursday against criticism of their drive for $50 billion in federal loans as a bailout, saying the government needed to step in when markets failed.(DFP)+++

Auto briefs: Toyota chops ‘09 target
Toyota Motor Corp. on Thursday cut its global-sales target for next year by 6.7%, as higher gasoline prices and the slowing economy hurt demand in the United States, its largest market, media reports say. DFP)+++

2009 Dodge Challenger is a grand muscle car
Dodge brings back a famous rear-wheel drive coupe to challenge some of the fastest cars on the road. It’s the return of the muscle car - Challenger. The original Challenger debuted almost 40 years ago. (SFC)+++

2008 Audi A5 S-Line Coupe
The ringmasters at Audi have launched new model series into a highly charged market segment. The new A5 coupe skillfully blends Audi’s strong design cues with exhilarating driving performance capability while managing (SFC)+++

Two wheeling - a primer for beginners
As you’ve probably noticed, scooters and motorcycles don’t come with training wheels. So if you’re starting to think outside the car and if you don’t already know how to ride, you need to start somewhere.  (SFC)+++

2008 Hyundai Accent SE 3-Door
For more than 10 years, Hyundai’s Accent has been building popularity on the U.S. automotive scene by offering good quality with often unexpected features and performance at affordable entry-level prices. (SFC)+++

Tuning to the MAX… Gallardo Twin Turbo

If you are not impressed by your Gallardo, there is a tuning company in Sarasota, Florida called Heffners Performance. When it comes to extreme tweaking, this is the answer, a manufacturer’s Gallardo comes with a Horsepower range from a 513 to 552 from regular to the LP 560-4. Read more

Mercedes-McLaren Speedster: The final celebration

Mercedes-McLaren’s partnership is about to come to an end with the SLR not being a major success for the partners. Then there is the AMG division with new projects like the Gullwing sports car to be launched in 2011. Also, on the market are the new Black Edition cars offered Read more

Lightning GT: Your Dream Car for the Energy Crisis

In America there is the Tesla Roadster, but there is a British Answer to the Tesla’s Sports car:  The Lightning GT looks like an Aston Martin, obviously as it is a GT car and British styling cues are existent. It is a car without a conventional engine under that expansive bonnet; it rather has four electric motors independently for each wheel. Read more

Honda Convertible: Could This Be the Next S 2000?

Honda went topless with this stunning beauty at the 2008 British Motor Show. This was definitely a show stealer, called the OSM that stands for Open Study Model, which is just a more conservative way to say ‘we are not sure’.

This car is needed in the Honda Car lineup which just recently had a bloated Honda Pilot SUV. Not only that, it’s about time Read more

Aston Martin One-77: Not even James Bond gets one …

Now the Bugatti Veyron can count its days on the top. The Aston Martin One-77 is going to be here soon, the project was recently announced by the company to make a bespoke Super car. The number is limited to only 77 of these, way less than the Veyron. There is not a single prototype out yet but we are sure it will be a better looking car than any imaginable. Read more

Extrem tuning: Hennessey makes 1000+ HP Ford GT

There are a lot of supercars at the moment on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, but there are only a few crossing over the 1000 Hp barrier. This is where tuners like Hennessey take over; it is famous for its Vipers but now there is a Ford GT which for sure breaks the 1000 Hp barrier. Read more

Video: All-New BMW 7-Series

The Flagship model by BMW AG from Munich is not only a looker but also a performer. The car was launched in an extravagant ceremony in Moscow. But these new videos display more stuff about the cars. The added features and technologies in the new car happen to be the Dynamic Driving System, the Lane Change and Departure Warning System that steers the car right into the lane. Read more

MotorMediaWatch August 28

Six generations of Mercedes-Benz SL
Of the hundreds of cars out there, several are more than mere transportation, but not many transcend that level to become a dream car, a classic, a standout motor on the automotive landscape. The Mercedes-Benz SL has. (LAT)+++

2009 Mercedes-Benz SL
Keeping the same 2003 body style, the re-worked 2009 SL is a driver’s car again.(LAT)+++

Racing trophy queens on display in Pomona
Raquel Welch, Barbara Eden and other beauties are honored in the “Trophy Queens” exhibit opening today at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum.(LAT)+++

State insurance commissioner backs ‘pay-as-you-drive’ policies
Commissioner Steve Poizner released proposed regulations today. The plans are considered to be more accurate, and they would give a financial incentive to California motorists to drive less.(LAT)+++

Chrysler May Sell Dodge Viper
Chrysler is considering selling its hot-rod Dodge Viper nameplate, becoming the last of the Detroit auto makers to consider such a move amid escalating costs and pressure to return to profitability. (WSJ)+++

Big Three Auto Dealers Squeezed
The credit crunch squeezing U.S. auto makers is spreading to some of their dealers. GMAC stopped financing for a large Chevrolet dealer.(WSJ)+++

Consumers picked to test hydrogen car prototypes
WASHINGTON — Tom Albert drove his loaner Chevrolet Equinox like any other car.(SJM)+++

Lincoln Mercury dealers discuss Ford’s future
About 100 Lincoln Mercury dealers wrapped up meetings with Ford Motor Co. executives today to discuss the company’s future, including Ford’s ongoing plan to consolidate its 4,056 dealerships nationwide. (DFP)+++

Chrysler considers selling Dodge Viper
Chrysler LLC indicated this morning that its Dodge Viper sports car line could be sold as the company continues to spin off non-core assets.(DFP)+++

Too many unknowns make oil’s impact too tough to predict
In the short term, oil prices should decline, but long-term prices will be too volatile to predict, said Mustafa Mohatarem, chief economist at General Motors Corp., during the Society of Automotive Analysts conference today in Troy.(DFP)+++

Cadence files for Chapter 11
Troy-based Cadence Innovation LLC, which has about 1,500 employees in Michigan, filed for bankruptcy protection Tuesday, becoming the latest in the auto industry to try to sell its assets under Chapter 11.(DFP)+++

Ford delays its buyout offers to hourly workers
Ford Motor Co. has delayed the rollout of voluntary buyout offers to thousands of hourly workers in southeast Michigan, who had been expecting the deals to be offered earlier in the month.(DFP)+++

Deal shifts GM pensions to Delphi; retirees fear its default
When GM spun off Delphi in 1999, it moved the pensions of Ertman and scores of other American Axle salaried workers to Delphi. Now, Delphi has been in bankruptcy for nearly three years and is struggling to emerge.(DFP)+++

Japanese automakers report July production boom
TOKYO — Japan’s top three automakers said global production in July rose to records for that month, highlighting solid growth riding on their reputation for fuel-efficient models amid soaring gasoline prices.(DFP)+++

Auto news in brief: GM offers retirement deal
General Motors Corp. is offering retirement incentives to eligible salaried workers this week as it works to cut nearly 5,000 salaried employees. (DFP)+++

SEMA Preview: Hurst/HEMI Challenger packed with 500+hp for Vegas trip
Hurst is no stranger to offering up special edition Mopars. The 1970 Chrysler 300 Hurst packed a 440ci “TNT” V8 with 375 horsepower, as well as a fiberglass hood and trunk, Satin Tan leather interior, and a Spinnaker-White paint scheme with gold trim.(AUTOBLOG)+++

Ford to meet with dealers about future products, try to close stores
2008 has been a historically woeful year for the auto market, but Ford dealers have been in the crosshairs of a sales decline for over a decade.(AUTOBLOG)+++

New Seat Exeo is an old Audi A4
VW subsidiary Seat is, like The Jeffersons, movin’ on up, rolling out a new range of vehicles that will push it into new market segments.(AUTOBLOG)+++

Nissan to take on domestics with commercial truck in 2010
Sensing the ripe market opportunity, Nissan will start producing various light-commercial and medium-duty trucks in 2010.(AUTOBLOG)+++

Pininfarina Hyperion dash-mounted watch from Girard-Perregaux
If someone has enough cash on hand to commission an entirely rebodied Rolls-Royce from one of Italy’s most famous coachbuilders, you can bet he’s not going to be wearing an off-the-rack watch, either.(AUTOBLOG)+++

Ford reveals 2010 Mustang badge
The countdown to the 2010 Ford Mustang debut has begun, and it looks like Ford can’t wait to show us what the car looks like just as much as we can’t wait to see it.  (AUTOBLOG)+++

Lounge on deck of VW Caddy Topos Sail Concept
Turns out the recreational and commercial vehicle show in Dusseldorf, Germany has attracted more concepts than the just the Fiat Portofino.(AUTOBLOG)+++

Ferrari Monza concept too complex for puny humans
It appears that after seeing a number of its finest works crashed by errant drivers, Ferrari should consider making something like this. It’s called the Monza, and it’s part car, part motorcycle, part flying wing, and all anime. (AUTOBLOG)+++

MotorMediaWatch August 27

Auto Makers Offer Deals to Sell Crossovers
Discounts on crossovers — which are built on a car’s frame but styled like a SUV — are at their highest level in two years. Auto makers are using cash-back offers, low-interest-rate deals and subsidized leases to lure buyers. (WSJ)+++

Politics Drives Big Three’s Pitch
Detroit’s Big Three auto makers are betting the importance of Midwestern battleground states in the presidential election will lift the chances Washington will deliver billions in low-cost government loans to buoy their operations.(WSJ)+++

Auto Makers to Make Public Push
Executives at GM, Ford and Chrysler are considering making a more public push to lawmakers in the near future as they seek about $50 billion in low-cost loans that would greatly overhaul their product portfolios.(WSJ)+++

Home Depot Sticks With Nascar
Home Depot said it struck a multiyear deal to continue sponsoring the Nascar Sprint Cup No. 20 Toyota team as 18-year-old racing phenom Joey Logano replaces longtime driver Tony Stewart.(WSJ)+++

Why Bring Diesels Now?
This week, Jonathan Welsh answers reader question on why car makers are bringing diesels to the U.S. while prices are high, how long touchscreen navigation systems will last and what to do before towing a trailer.(WSJ)+++

Ford to spend $75 million to retool plant for small cars
WAYNE, Mich. — Ford Motor said today it will spend $75 million to retool part of its Michigan Truck factory to make car bodies, part of the automaker’s plan to convert some truck factories to make smaller vehicles.(SJM)+++

Michigan autoworker asks Democratic Convention for ‘fair chance’
DENVER — Autoworker Robin Golden told the Democratic National Convention tonight of the problems he faces: His job in Grand Rapids will disappear in two weeks, outsourced to Mexico. (DFP)+++

Material costs, drop in revenue break Cadence
Troy-based Cadence Innovation LLC said Tuesday that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware because of rising raw material costs and declining production volume.(DFP)+++

Ford to invest $75 million in Michigan Truck Plant
Ford Motor Co., which has lost $8.6 billion through the first half of this year because of falling sales, especially of large trucks, will invest $75 million in Michigan Truck Plant’s body shop to prepare for small-vehicle production.(DFP)+++

Detroit 3 tweak mileage for cost-conscious drivers
In a normal year, the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt wouldn’t be any different from the 2008 model, save for a few minor cosmetic changes. But this is far from a normal year.(DFP)+++

Racing and autos boss Roger Penske leaves little to chance
Maybe Roger Penske is just lucky, eh? Hardly. Ride around the Belle Isle race course for an hour with Penske, as I did Monday, and you’d see a man who leaves little to chance.(DFP)+++

Joe Biden blasts McCain on auto loans
Democratic vice presidential hopeful Joe Biden wasted no time Monday in hitting Republican presidential candidate John McCain on auto industry issues, saying McCain does not fully support the industry’s bid for $50 billion in government loans.(DFP)+++

Ford shares hit low as dealer council meets
As shares of Ford Motor Co. touched a 22-year low on Monday, about two dozen members of Ford Motor Co.’s Lincoln-Mercury dealer council began arriving in Detroit to discuss the company’s future products and direction during private meetings with Ford leaders.(DFP)+++

Handleman’s stock price soar last week a mystery, but it deflates rapidly Monday
Many companies don’t like to discuss their stock price. When they do, it’s not usually because the price is too high. But that’s what happened Monday morning, when Troy-based Handleman Co. issued a news release to say it had no explanation for the 48% run-up in its stock price last week.

Auto news in brief: Hybrid prices head up
Toyota is raising its prices for the Prius and Harrier hybrids in Japan in response to the soaring cost of steel and other raw materials — the first hike in the country without a model makeover in three decades. (DFP)+++

Moscow 2008: Lada shows off C-Cross concept
The Moscow Auto Show is underway and Damon’s on site with camera in hand. The car you see here is the Lada C-Cross Concept, which looks kinda like a Chinese knock-off of a last-gen Euro Ford Focus with added ground clearance. (AUTOBLOG)+++

Toledo Jeep workers to get four more weeks of “vacation”
Employees at Jeep’s factory in Toledo, Ohio reported back to work this week after two months of mandatory downtime.(AUTOBLOG)+++

F1 musical chairs depends on where Alonso sits
Every year towards the end of the season, the world of Formula One racing plays a big game of musical chairs as drivers’ contracts come up for renewal and seats open up.(AUTOBLOG)+++

Ferrari to offer California with manual, HGTC handling pack
Some of the more hard-core tifosi have been whining that Ferrari has gone soft with the new California.(AUTOBLOG)+++

BMW makes 2.1% price increase official
BMW made it official today, after we told you about it “unofficially” last week. As expected, the German automaker is raising prices across its model range an average of 2.1 percent for the 2009 model year due to “…significant structural and economic changes in the marketplace.”(AUTOBLOG)+++

Ford investing $75M to switch Michigan Truck plant from trucks to cars
News flash: small cars like the Ford Focus are selling beyond expectations (ours anyway) while trucks and SUVs are sitting on dealer lots much longer than auto manufacturers would like.(AUTOBLOG)+++

GM reconfigurable performance display available 2009
As of 1996, the United States requires all new vehicles to come equipped with the OBD II on-board vehicle diagnostics system.(AUTOBLOG)+++

Rumormill: Cadillac to get its own Volt?
With enormous V8 land-yachts and even bigger Escalades rolling down America’s boulevards, Cadillac doesn’t have the most environmentally friendly of images. (AUTOBLOG)+++

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