2012 Porsche 911 First Official Photos

It was bound to happen; the very first official press photos of the new 2012 Porsche 911 were leaked onto the internet today well ahead of the sports coupe's world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in mid-September.

If you're having a hard time spotting the styling changes we won't blame you as the 991 was closely modeled after the outgoing 997.

And while there may be more differences than we care to mention, the most eye-catching alterations concern the concave front LED daytime running lamps, the door-mounted exterior mirrors and the much thinner and more futuristic looking LED tail lamps that adorn the more heavily sculpted rear end.

As anticipated, the new 911's interior blends the two styling worlds of the 997 and the Panamera into one. A key highlight is the pronounced lower part of the center console that hosts a number of buttons.

Move away from the styling and you'll find a larger platform with a 4.0-inch longer wheelbase as well as a new pair of engines, with the basic Carrera sporting a 3.4-liter boxer delivering 350HP, and the Carrera S, a 3.8-liter flat-six producing around 400-horsepower.

In both models, power is channeled to the driving wheels through a new 7-speed manual gearbox or an optional PDK transmission.

Stay tuned on Carscoop for more news on the new Porsche 911, as it won't be long before the German automaker comes out with a full release.

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Fiat 500 by Gucci Series at NY Fashion Week

A stylish car associated with one of the most exclusive names in fashion needs the appropriate introduction. And that’s why Fiat chose to launch the 500 by Gucci edition of its subcompact car in the US at next month’s New York fashion week.

The special edition, which has been available in Europe since July, is mechanically identical to the run-of-the-mill US edition of the 500, but Gucci's creative director Frida Giannini customized its styling, adding the brand’s famous red and green pattern, a two-tone leather interior as well as its double-G logo in places like the wheels and the gearlever.

The Fiat 500 by Gucci will be available both as a hatchback and as a convertible, in black or white finishes.

Expect pricing of both models to be equivalent to Gucci’s other products. Just to get an idea, in Europe the hatchback starts from €17,000 (US$24,200 and the 500C convertible from €20,000 (US$28,800).

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Audi Q7 Pickup Truck is the Real Deal

A little over a month ago, we showed you a photo of a two-door Audi Q7 Pickup Truck, wondering at the same time if the picture was real or the result of some handy digital manipulation.

Earlier this week, Carscoop reader 15 that the Audi Q7 Pickup Truck does indeed exist in real life, and to prove it, he pointed us towards a Facebook page with four photos of the one-off model.

We can’t confirm this, but Majdo-dk wrote that the Q7 Pickup Truck was produced in Slovakia, while the photo album noted that the pictures were taken in VW BA, which we assume stands for Volkswagen Bosnia and Herzegovina. If that's the case, then the Q7 Pickup Truck could be an official project.

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Rolls-Royce Expanding Operations of its Bespoke Division

Good news for Roll-Royce's 'Bespoke' division which is responsible for the creation of unique automotive parts as well as life style items such as custom picnic sets for the brand's clientele, as due to growing customer demand, the British company has decided to expand its operations.
Rolls-Royce said the 'Bespoke' division, which is based at the firm's headquarters in Goodwood in West Sussex, will see a flow of team members, including designers, engineers and project management staff, doubling the headcount to over 50 people by the end of 2011.
“The ability to bespoke one’s vehicle has always been at the heart of Rolls-Royce so it is very encouraging to see that after more than one hundred years at the very pinnacle of the automotive world, our Bespoke services are still very much in demand from customers all over the world today”, said Rolls-Royce Member of the Board and Director, Sales and Marketing, Jolyon Nash.

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Frankfurt Preview: New Suzuki Swift Sport

It's been a long time in the making, but Suzuki is finally ready to add a sporty variant to the Swift's range. The Japanese automaker released a single photo and details of the Swift Sport ahead of its official debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.
The new Swift Sport is powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with an output of 135HP at 6,900 rpm and maximum torque of 160 Nm (118 lb/ft) at 4,400 rpm. The four-cylinder engine was developed especially for the Swift Sport and it transmits power to the front wheels via a newly developed six-speed manual gearbox.
According to Suzuki, the new Swift Sport is more refined than its predecessor that was launched in 2006. The company says it will also be more responsive thanks to struts with internal rebound springs and a redesigned rear suspension.
While it has a more aggressive look than the regular versions thanks to the large honeycombed front grille, the redesigned front bumper with the big fog lights and the side skirts, it isn't as wild as the Swift S-Concept we saw at the Geneva Show last March.
Although Suzuki has not released any photos of the interior, the company claims that “it combines essential sportiness with a high-quality look and feel”.
If you want a preview of the cockpit, take a look at the photo of the S-Concept as we reckon most parts including the sport seats will make it into production.

Suzuki Swift Specifications
Overall length: 3,890mm
Overall width: 1,695mm
Overall height: 1,510mm
Wheelbase: 2,430mm
Treads Front: 1,470mm
Treads Rear: 1,475mm
Engine
Piston displacement: 1,586cm3)
Maximum output: 135HP (100kw)/6,900rpm

Maximum torque: 160Nm/4,400rpm

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Ecclestone Says No to Electric Engines in the Pit Lane

As you may have already heard, Formula 1’s regulations have been overhauled for the 2014 season with 1.6-liter turbocharged V6s replacing the current 2.4 V8s, while te new cars will also feature a new, more powerful Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS).
The whole concept behind FIA’s proposal is that F1 cannot stay behind the times that demand lower fuel consumption and an environmentally-friendly profile.
However, Bernie Ecclestone has discovered what he believes to be a serious flaw in the proposed regulations for 2014. Ecclestone says the article 5.19, which stipulates that cars must run on electric engines alone in the pit lane with no fuel whatsoever sprayed in the V6 gasoline engine, must be crossed out because “people could be killed”.
"Formula One is absolutely not the right place to have electric engine" Ecclestone told the Daily Express.
"It's like having ballet dancers with sneakers. More comfortable, but it doesn't work. There's no way that it will be electric in the pit lane. People could be killed because they won't hear the cars coming," he added.

 

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NHTSA Says No to Pagani Huayra Because it Doesn’t Comply with New Airbag Rules

Pagani’s new supercar, the V12-powered 700HP Huayra, will not be sold in the United States unless its maker conforms to the latest airbag regulations.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) denied Pagani’s request for an exemption to the 11-year old safety rule that mandates the existence of “smart” airbags.
These airbags, which are mandatory the last 11 years for all new cars under US regulations, have sensors that adjust the deployment force depending on the seat occupant’s weight and height. Only limited-production carmakers have been granted a waiver in the past five years, including Lamborghini and Tesla, based on financial grounds.
Pagani claims that, at best, it well sell five of its $1.1 million supercars in the US next year, whereas developing the advanced airbags demanded by US federal law would cost €4.0 million.
In addition, the loss of net income due to NHTSA’s denial of a waiver would cost it an additional $4.5 million (€3.2 million) until 2015.

NHTSA Notice Summary:

"This notice denies the petition of Pagani Automobili SpA (Pagani) for exemption from certain advanced air bag requirements of FMVSS No. 208, for the Huayra model.
The basis for the application is that the petitioner avers compliance would cause substantial economic hardship and that it has tried in good faith to comply with the standard. The agency has determined that Pagani has failed to demonstrate that compliance would cause substantial economic hardship.
Furthermore, the agency is unable to find that an exemption would be consistent with the public interest or the objectives of the Safety Act. This action follows our publication in the Federal Register of a document announcing receipt of Pagani’s petition and soliciting public comments.

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Feds Probe E65/E66 BMW 7-Series after Cars Break Free

U.S. safety regulators are investigating an estimated 120,000 BMW 7-Series sedans from the 2002 to 2008 model years (E65 and E66) after receiving a complaint from a consumer alleging a roll-away incident after parking and exiting a 2006MY BMW 7 Series.
According to the complaint filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA], the vehicle was fitted with BMW's Comfort Access electronic access and ignition system and an electronic transmission shifter with the gear selector mounted on the steering column.
The shifter automatically puts the vehicle in Park under a variety of conditions, including after the driver has pressed the ignition button to turn the engine off.
The safety agency said BMW submitted additional reports describing other rollaway incidents in "similarly equipped" 2002-2008MY BMW 7-Series vehicles.
"Thus far, no cause has been identified for any of the rollaway incidents," NHTSA said in a statement adding that "a Preliminary Evaluation has been opened to assess the scope, frequency and causes of rollaway incidents in the subject vehicles".

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Lady Drives Fiat Cinquecento with the Handbrake On !!!

While we could understand if someone forgot to release a broken or a loose handbrake that allows the rear wheels to turn around with some difficulty, how can you drive a car on the road with the rear wheels completely locked down and not take any notice?
And that's exactly what we have in this video starring a lady behind the wheel of a green Fiat Cinquecento (which was the 500's predecessor in the Italian brand's range).
Not only did she forget the handbrake on, but she doesn't even pay attention to the young men trying to inform her about the brake. Follow the jump for the video. 

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Video: BMW Union Workers in California Fight Back

The showdown between BMW and the 68 union workers set to lose their jobs on August 31 at the Bavarian firm's distribution plant in Ontario, California, continues to escalate after Teamster members and their families protested outside 50 BMW dealerships in 11 states in the beginning of the month.
Today, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters that represents the soon-to-be-laid-off employees said union members of the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) have been organizing informational pickets at 10 ports in nine countries over the past few days to show their solidarity with the BMW workforce.
"This is what international solidarity is all about: Crossing state lines, seas and borders to help workers whose jobs are threatened," said ITF President Paddy Crumlin.
"BMW is planning to outsource good, middle-class jobs," said Bob Lennox, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 495.
"Many of these employees have worked there for decades – some as long as 30 years. BMW told these workers they were a family, and then proceeded to hire union-hostile lawyers to help it exploit America's plant-closing laws. BMW and its lawyers at Jackson Lewis are condemning 68 American families to poverty and misery" Lennox continued.
In addition to the protests, BMW union workers recently launched a dedicated website under the name "BMW Ultimate Misery" where they have uploaded a series of videos to aid their cause.
On its behalf, BMW said that the decision not to renew the contracts of the 68 workers is not related to the union or wages but about operating its Ontario facility in the same way it does with its other North American plants through third-party workers. 

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2012 Range Rover Evoque

The Evoque is a big step forward for Land Rover. Not only because it is the smallest and most fuel efficient model in the British firm's range, but also because its styling will influence the design of the new 2012 Range Rover (spied here testing with heavy camouflage), according to the company’s head of design Gerry McGovern.
“There are aspects of the design that will be key. Range Rovers usually have a level window line and the body’s side and glass areas are equal. We’ve got rid of both on the Evoque, but we’ve still got the signature floating roof” said McGovern in an interview with Autocar magazine.
In addition, both the windscreen and the rear window will have a steeper angle, contributing to the sportier feel of the new Range Rover, while the interior will bear some resemblance to the Evoque. Land Rover says it will try to improve interior space, especially for rear passengers.
Reducing fuel consumption is also priority, not only with the use of more modern engines but also by constructing the Range Rover from alloy panels which is said to help shave about 450kg (992 pounds) reducing the weight to around 2,200kg (4,850 pounds).

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