Your friends don't need to know she's a Bullz-Eye model.
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Speaking of incredible rides - Here is a list of what MSNAutos touts as 10 future classics. Enjoy!
What makes a car a classic? Original and stunning design that translates into lasting beauty is a good start and can be all it takes to elevate a machine to this status. Exceptional performance, technical brilliance, landmark innovation and historical significance can also be key factors. Rarity or production in small numbers is another definite plus.
We looked hard at cars sold in the U.S. over the past five to 10 years that have a shot at becoming classics and highly collectible items. Some are obvious choices, others should be slam dunks — but a few of our picks might surprise you. Conversely, we omitted a few divas. And some inhabit the fringe and live for just a fleeting moment, in automotive terms. Only time will tell which of these will eventually stand out, quirks and all.
It's nice to dream about cars we know we'll never own so let's add this Ferrari 599 GTO and place it right at the top! It might get rough though because Ferrari is reportedly only going to produce 500 of these bad boy.
This machine looks unreal....
Ferrari is reportedly taking pre-orders for an ultra-high-performance version of the already impressive 599 GTB. The vehicle, referred to as the 599 GTO on Ferrari’s ordering information, is rumored to be inspired by the 599XX track-only model that launched earlier this year at the Geneva Auto Show.
Not only would the 599 GTO get a more powerful V12 engine with anywhere from 680 to 700-hp (up from the standard car’s 611-hp rating), but it would also weigh anywhere from 100 to 150-lbs less. We expect a more light-weight race-inspired interior as well as carbon fiber body parts to help reduce the weight.
With just 500 models set for production the asking price would be closer to the $400,000 mark.
The clock is ticking towards the launch of the Chevy Volt next year. It's getting down to the nitty gritty my friends, so keep your fingers crossed over at the Ren Cen.
Royal Oak -- Even on their days off, the engineers creating the Chevrolet Volt are working.
They're testing, measuring and evaluating what is arguably the most important vehicle in General Motors Co.'s history. They take their work home with them, literally, commuting in the vehicles, strapping baby seats in the back or picking up groceries.
When the official auto show season kicks off next month in Los Angeles, the Volt will play a starring role. On Monday, at Athens Coney Island, a group of Volt engineers talked about the car and how its development is progressing.
Reports state that the hard charging Korean car maker is going to build their 3rd North American assembly plant in Mexico with production beginning in 2013. It's amazing how fast Hyundai is growing in NA with all the stiff competition they face....Can they keep up the growth on their own? Time will tell.
According to Edmunds, the government agency Promexico has confirmed that negotiations with Hyundai are well underway. The new factory will likely be built in the Mexican state of Veracruz – which, coincidentally, is the same name as the company’s luxury crossover.
The new plant would build the Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio, boosting the Korean automaker’s North American output by 150,000 units. Construction could begin as soon as 2012, with the plant expected to be up and running by 2013.
It appears Fiat will be bringing a small utility van to America to compete with the recently introduced to America Ford Transit Connect van.
Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne obviously wants to carve out a piece of the commercial van market that Ford has dominated for years, starting with the pending introduction of the smaller Doblo van.
Small van: The next-generation, fwd Fiat Doblo will be imported from either Turkey or Brazil in 2012. It will be about same size as the Ford Transit Connect.
Full-sized van: Sales begin here in 2012. Although not identified by Chrysler, the van will either be the body-on-frame Iveco Daily or unibody Fiat Ducato. The truck will be assembled in North America.
This segment will be getting much more competitive than in the past as even Nissan is jumping in with both feet.(keep an eye open for a post of their offering soon) Look for fuel economy to play a much larger role with these haulers than ever before!
The comeback by Dearborn's Ford Motor Co. keeps pace with this shot in the arm from it's 2010 Fusion sedan.
In 1964, Motor Trend's Car of the Year award went to the entire Ford lineup, recognizing its combination of design, engineering excellence, and performance. In 1970, we gave the nod to the Ford Torino, which could be ordered in a wide variety of configurations. Forty years ago, buyers could choose from economical, six-cylinder-powered sedans to the dragstrip-ready 429 Super Cobra Jet fastback. These legendary winners had one thing in common: bandwidth. In the 1960s and '70s, this term wasn't yet part of popular lexicon. Today, the 2010 Ford Fusion's impressive bandwidth as a model range was one of the many factors that helped it earn the 2010 Motor Trend Car of the Year award.
Will the Blue Oval repeat next year with the all new for North America 2011 Fiesta?
Volkswagen had a cool event last week where they introduced the new 2010 GTI in a unique way.
Volkswagen of America, Inc. today announced the launch of the all new 2010 GTI via the App Store by making available a free version of the popular Firemint Real Racing game that exclusively features the all-new 2010 GTI. This is the first time an automotive manufacturer has used the App Store to launch a new vehicle. Additionally, users of the Real Racing GTI App in the U.S. can compete for the chance to win one of six, limited-edition 2010 GTI’s that are fully customized inside and out.
The free Real Racing GTI App is available worldwide and spares no detail, allowing players to experience every thrilling aspect of the all-new 2010 GTI right in the palms of their hands on iPhone and iPod touch. From the redesigned exterior with more aggressive headlights and the famous red-striped grille, to the sporty interior with a race-inspired steering wheel, the all-new 2010 GTI races its way to life on the screen for a thrilling gaming experience.
The contest sounds very cool, and you can go here for more information on how to enter. Registered players of the Real Racing GTI App can win one of six limited-edition 2010 GTI models. The more you play, they more chances you have to win. Each week for six consecutive weeks beginning today, one player will be chosen to win the ultimate racing prize: the exclusive GTI MkVI, an individually numbered, specially tuned version of the legendary hatchback. Each model includes the GTI’s 2.0T 200 hp four-cylinder engine, a performance tuned suspension finished with black, Volkswagen motorsport 18-inch all-new wheels, and special interior touches, including carbon fiber-look trim, a numbered dash plaque, and unique stitches in the front headrests.
As a proud Lincoln owner, I know that they've been making great cars for years. The LS was a great vehicle, and the new MKZ is a great sedan as well. The MKS, the new flagship vehicle, is a beast that would satisfy most Lexus buyers with its styling and performance. Now they've added the new MKT crossover (pictured above) to the mix.
Generation X, often referred to as the “slacker generation,” has shed that stereotype and now is a coveted consumer group at the top of its earning potential, Ford Motor Co. officials say.
With pockets flush with cash, consumers born between 1965 and 1976 are the target of Ford’s Lincoln brand, which is trying to reinvent itself after years of giving ground in the profitable luxury segment.
“We have an aging owner body, and we have the ability to move it in the right direction and get younger,” Matt VanDyke-marketing communications director, tells Ward’s at a recent media event here.
“To think we could flip over and get young 20-somethings into a luxury product at this point and consider Lincoln is something that I think is too much of a stretch,” he says.
Lincoln brass spent considerable time determining the unique makeup of Gen Xers, which VanDyke defines as being in their mid-30s to mid-40s. Unlike traditional luxury buyers, these consumers don’t want to appear “ostentatious.” Rather, they are “folks that are time-starved and look at luxury as something that makes their life simple and easier.”
How are they approaching this? One is an emphasis on technology. The design of the cars evokes a high-tech feeling that bears little resemblance to older Lincolns, yet it's not as edgy as the recent Cadillac designs so boomer buyers should feel comfortable as well. The other part of the strategy involves music. The campaign’s TV spots feature music that the Gen X group finds nostalgic. The ad for the Lincoln MKS features a remake of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” while the ad for the Lincoln MKT uses a version of the 1980s classic “Under the Milky Way," by Australian alternative rock band The Church. Check out a clip of the video below.
The strategy makes sense. I remember the Cadillac ad several years ago featuring the Led Zeppelin song. Music can help to reposition a brand, so Lincoln seems to be on the right track.
