AutoBeat | blog Auto news, reviews, concepts, auto shows, first drive

(from Nissan Press Release) Nissan Skyline Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Style and Performance Tokyo (April 24, 2007) – Nissan Skyline celebrated its 50th anniversary today in grand style at an event held at Tokyo’s new Midtown development. Dating back to 1957, the Skyline is a legendary car in the Nissan line-up with a long heritage of style and performance, beloved by motoring fans all over the world. Taking this opportunity, Nissan also showed the all-new Skyline Coupe today, making its first appearance in Japan. The new Skyline Coupe is scheduled for release this fall in Japan. Present at the celebrations were the chief engineers that led the product development of each generation Skyline, including Shinichiro Sakurai, chief development engineer of the first Skyline model. The event featured a film presentation that reflected the evolution of the Skyline design, performance and image throughout the different eras of each generation Skyline. A fashion show entitled “Skyline G...

It's hard to believe that the Renault Espace has been around since 1743. Mainly because it hasn't. But the first-generation Espace was introduced way back in 1984 - a lifetime ago when shoulder pads were the size of badgers and MPV stood for nothing more technical than Major Perm Volume. And as you'll have noticed if you've hailed an airport taxi recently, the original people carrier is still going strong. Renault has just released details of its 2007 Espace line-up, which includes a new entry-level Team version. It'll weigh in at £18,595, undercutting the base Ford Galaxy and Chrysler Voyager by almost a grand. The Espace also gets a new trim level - Dynamique S - to replace the Privilege and Initiale specifications. And if that news wasn't enough to send you into a pique of electronica-inspired delirium, there's even a choice of two new diesel automatic engines. The 2.0 dCi 150 Auto FAP and 2.0 dCi 175 Auto FAP get Renault 's new six-speed automatic ...

(from Autodelta Press Release) The Autodelta Brera J5 3.2 C (C stands for “Compressore”) is a cutting-edge blend of Italian fashion and the pursuit of ultimate performance through advanced technology. It redefines Autodelta’s never-ending quest to draw the maximum dynamics and driving pleasure from Alfa Romeo ’s exciting production models, and is the culmination of more than a year’s intense research and development as well as hard work and innovative thinking put into application. Announcing that this new car is supercharged brings another strong Autodelta tradition into the equation, one that has become very central to their engineering philosophy in recent years. With a huge wealth of experience in supercharging – including its application on the famous ‘Arese V6’ with a 400bhp step arriving in final stages of its development, as well as on the direct-injection JTS engine, where Autodelta is the only company worldwide to offer forced induction on this Alfa Romeo unit (and in fac...

Transit van modifications are usually limited to a selection of deeply witty slogans scratched in the dirt on the rear doors, with a selection of choice dents for good measure. But we've found the Transit that takes White Van Man mods to a new level. Unveiled at the Commercial Vehicle Show this week (if you weren't there, why not?), the Transit SportVan was introduced to the world by TG's good friend Sabine Schmidtz - she who terrified Richard all the way round the 'Ring. Limited to a production run of just 500, the SportVan is aimed at those who want to make a 'bold statement' with their van. We can't argue with that. With a custom paintjob, bonnet stripes a la Fiesta ST, twin exhausts and full bodykit, the SportVan looks every inch the race-honed repo van. There's no upgrade in performance, though, because the short wheelbase SportVan retains the standard 128bhp TDCi Duratorq engine. No matter: it's still cool... in a sort of porno-stash chic ...

Chevrolet Corvette & Corvette Z06 2008 Chevrolet Corvette 2007-04-27 -- Get comfortable. There’s so much new and exciting with the 2008 Corvette that you’ll want to grab a hot drink, sidle up to your computer screen and absorb all the details. New for 2008: All-new LS3 6.2L V-8 engine for Coupe and Convertible: 430 hp (321 kW)* 424 lb.-ft. of torque (575 Nm)* 436 hp / 428 lb.-ft. (325 kW / 580 Nm)* with new, optional dual-mode exhaust system High-flow cylinder heads Enhanced valvetrain High-flow intake manifold Larger-bore block with structural enhancements Improved manual transmission shift effort Quicker shift times on paddle-shift six-speed automatic 2.73 performance axle ratio available with six-speed paddle shift; included with Z51 package Improved steering feel Standard split-spoke cast aluminum wheel design for Coupe and Convertible (Competition Gray finish optional) Available polished forged aluminum wheel design New Keyless Access remote key fob with integrated key Interio...

Mid size - without compromise Holden Epica CDXi 2007-04-27 -- Holden’s new value-packed and fuel efficient mid-size sedan, Holden Epica, is now on sale – with a special money back offer for private buyers. The Holden Epica is available in two variants (CDX and CDXi) with a choice of either a 2.0 or 2.5-litre in-line six cylinder engine, depending on model. A five-speed manual or automatic transmission is offered depending on model, with the 2.0-litre CDX manual sedan sharply priced at $25,990 (plus dealer delivery and government charges). Epica’s impressive fuel economy (ADR081/01) is 8.2 litres/100km for the manual variant and 9.3 litres/100km for the automatic – better than some of its four-cylinder rivals in the mid-size sedan segment. Holden Epica also offers generous interior space, excellent standard specifications, stylish fit and finish and Euro-influenced exterior design. The 2.0-litre engine produces peak power of 105kW and peak torque of 195Nm*. The 2.5- litre engine produce...

Want to put of the UK's first V8-powered BMW M3s in your garage? You'll have to part with at least £50,625. That's the official base price of the new 414bhp M-division coupe, as confirmed by BMW UK today; deliveries will start in September. That price makes the new M-car £6.5k more expensive than the last M3 coupe was when it was discontinued. However, it also happens to be a piffling £50 less than you'll pay for a new Audi RS4 saloon, a fact conceived to go unnoticed by few who have to decide between the two performance cars, or indeed anyone at Audi's UK headquarters in Milton Keynes. BMW has also confirmed a few other technical details about the new super-coupe. It will, apparently, crack 62mph in just 4.8sec and hit a limited top speed of 155mph. The surprise news comes with the fuel consumption claim; BMW says, thanks to brake energy regeneration and an enhanced double-VANOS valvetrain, the new M3 will return 22.8mpg on the combined cycle. That ma...

You've probably seen enough spy shots to have gained a good impression of what the new Mini Clubman will look like, but these are the first official images of the Mini estate to be released by BMW, and they're the most accurate guide yet as to the finished look of the car. We dug up these profile sketches from the press material given away by Mini at the Geneva motor show in March. Judging by them, the Traveller concept's 'suicide door' has been kept, to aid entry for rear passengers. Although you can't tell from these profile sketches, it only features on the passenger side. The split boot doors are also present on these images, evident from the panel gap that vertically bisects the rear panel and the boot. Engines and chassis parts are shared with the new Mini hatchback. This means there will be a choice of 1.4-, 1.6- and 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol units, plus the new diesel Cooper engine, which should be the favourite choice in this load...

Here's a better Buick you can own right now AT A GLANCE: 2008 BUICK ENCLAVE ON SALE: Now BASE PRICE: $32,790 DRIVETRAIN: 3.6-liter, 275-hp, 251-lb-ft V6; fwd, six-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT: 4780 lb 0 TO 60 MPH: 8.1 seconds FUEL MILEAGE (EPA COMBINED): 19 mpg Even though the all-new 2008 Buick Enclave is on sale (with $1000 incentive) and in customers' hands, General Motors hoped the media would wait until the end of May to report on it. That's when it will have the official media drives at which point it would hand out the official media information. Rather than wait until then to give you our take on the Enclave, we did what you could do and took a test drive courtesy of a local Buick dealer. The drive impressions you read here are based on that journey. Chalk it up to enterprising journalism. And to getting you what you have come to expect from AutoWeek : Information first and information fast. With all the commotion coming out of the Shanghai auto show, it would...

Chery A6CC Concept Geely KingKong 2 Huanghai NCV Roewe W2 GreatWall i7 Great Wall GW413EF GreatWall Cowry MPV Soar Automotive 1 Chery Shooting Sport Hafei HF8 MPV Brilliance Jinjue FRV Chery Tiggo 6 BYD F3-R Chang'an CV8 Concept Shuanghuan CEO SUV Shuanghuan Little Noble Geely Vision 2 FAW Weizi JAC C926 Haima H11 Haima Auto 3 Huanghai CUV BYD F6 BYD F8 source: automen