2009 LA Auto Show Coverage by Autoblog

Alex Nunez

Connecticut, USA - http://www.autoblog.com

Alex has been with Autoblog since 2006, when he tapped Neff on the shoulder at the Saleen press conference at the NY Auto show. Things worked out pretty well from there. Also, he hates the Red Sox.

Loma Performance unveils Corvette C6.BlackforceOne

by Alex Nunez (RSS feed) on Nov 25th, 2009 at 6:00PM

C6.BlackforceOne
Loma Performance Corvette "BlackforceOne" - Click above for high-res image gallery

Loma Performance seems to think that its new BlackforceOne Corvette is somehow evocative of POTUS' personal airplane. "Clearly reminiscent," they go so far as to say in their press release. (We think the moniker sounds as if could have been the title of a 1970s action film starring Fred Williamson.) Anyway, labored connections to the Prez's 747 aside, with the BlackforceOne, Loma appears to have come up with something pretty tasty.

It starts off as a base-engined C6 Vette, which is subsequently twin-turbocharged to make 783 horsepower (794 PS). Of that, a devilish 666 hp (675 PS) or so actually make it to the rear wheels. Accordingly, the sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) takes a scant 3.4 seconds, and the top speed is 205 mph (330 km/h). The stock brakes are replaced with carbon-ceramic discs all around, and the suspension, wheels, tires, exhaust and other drivetrain components are also upgraded accordingly.

The package is then wrapped in a widebody kit drenched in one of three matte paint finishes. Production will be limited to 25 examples, according to Loma, which will formally unveil the BlackforceOne at the Essen Motor Show.


Gallery: Loma Performance Corvette BlackforceOne


[Source: Loma Performance]

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GM swings the axe: 9,000 Opel jobs likely to be eliminated

by Alex Nunez (RSS feed) on Nov 25th, 2009 at 4:25PM



General Motors shouldn't expect to achieve David Hasselhoff-level popularity in Germany anytime soon. The Detroit News reports that since GM has elected to keep and restructure its Opel division, 9,000 jobs (or somewhere thereabouts) will likely be cut, with the majority of those losses expected in Deutschland. The jobs will be eliminated as part of a $5 billion restructuring plan, which GM hopes to fund with a lot of help from European governments, as well as "employee contributions" (read: concessions). Just don't expect Angela Merkel to break out her Visa debit card anytime soon.

Opel/Vauxhall CEO Nick Reilly wins the Unintentionally Hilarious Quote of the Day award for this line: "We have also said that GM can and will put some money in, as well." What a novel concept. Digressing for a moment: Given that GM is out shaking the coffee can looking for ways to fund the Opel restructuring, it's hard to imagine a scenario where they find a way to save Saab, too. Getting the Opel business in order hardly sounds like it's going to be a picnic, so a rescue of the ailing Swedish automaker has got to be low on the priority list right now.

[Source: The Detroit News | Image Source: Thomas Lohnes/Getty]

Pull Over: Broward County Sheriff gets a full-dress Challenger R/T

by Alex Nunez (RSS feed) on Nov 20th, 2009 at 7:57PM


Dodge Challenger R/T Police Car - Click above for high-res image gallery

We like police cars. Seriously. Just not when they're filling our rearview mirrors, blue-and-reds ablaze. Then, our fanboy status diminishes markedly. In the meantime, however, we get pretty jazzed when a department does something a little different and cool. This week's example comes from the Broward County Sheriff's office, which appears to have added a fully-marked Dodge Challenger R/T to its fleet. Decked out in the BSO's familiar green-and-white livery, the muscular Mopar looks like it means business, ready to take down speeders and bust up meth labs with aplomb. We totally want to see it in person the next time we're down in South Florida -- just under our own, friendly terms. Thanks for the tip, Lee!


Gallery: Broward County Sheriff Dodge Challenger R/T


[Source: Law Officer Connect]

Lexus GX460 to debut in China at Auto Guangzhou 2009

by Alex Nunez (RSS feed) on Nov 16th, 2009 at 5:59PM Breaking

2009 Lexus GX 470
2009 Lexus GX470: Its days are numbered

The arrival of the 2010 Toyota 4Runner meant that a luxury-badged cousin would soon follow. Sure enough, Toyota has announced that the new 2010 Lexus GX460 will be among the array of vehicles to be shown next week at China's Auto Guangzhou 2009 show. As the nomenclature would suggest, the next-gen GX will be powered by a 4.6-liter V8, which is rumored to make 300 horsepower in the GX460, a 37-hp bump over the 4.7-liter V8's output in the current vehicle (shown above).

According to scuttlebutt posted to ClubLexus.com following last year's New York City dealer meeting, we should look for the new GX to arrive in January 2010 with styling that borrows heavily from the full-sized LX570 SUV and electrically-folding third row seating. We'll keep our eyes peeled for photos and additional info, but in the meantime you can check out Toyota's brief PR after the jump.

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VW building $125M flagship dealer complex on Manhattan's west side

by Alex Nunez (RSS feed) on Nov 13th, 2009 at 5:58PM

VW Audi Manhattan
Rendering of new VW/Audi complex in Manhattan – Click above to view in high-res

Volkswagen is building swanky new digs on New York City's west side for its VW and Audi brands. The automaker has purchased a 256,000 square foot space currently occupied by Potamkin GM (the Potamkin family has been synonymous with car sales in NY for decades), which stretches between 55th and 56th Street along 11th Avenue.

Visually unimpressive in its current state, the space will be converted into a state-of-the-art mega facility featuring brand-new Volkswagen and Audi stores. VW's total outlay for the real estate purchase and ensuing renovation will be around $125 million. The splashy move is part of the automaker's push to dramatically increase its U.S. sales numbers over the next several years. Potamkin GM will relocate a few blocks south to the space once occupied by Potamkin Honda (the family has sold its Honda franchise to another dealer group). Official press release after the jump.

[Source: Volkswagen]

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On Veterans Day, a word of thanks

by Alex Nunez (RSS feed) on Nov 11th, 2009 at 9:45AM



We'd like to take a brief pause from the normal frivolity around here to acknowledge and salute America's veterans. Thanks to all the men and women who have served our country, for the innumerable efforts and sacrifices you have made in the past and continue to make today. It is because of you that we have the great freedoms we take for granted. For that, we are humbled, and we are very grateful.

Thank you.

[Image: Flickr – dklimke via CC 2.0]

VIDEO: NASCAR's Dickies 500 shows you how to properly deliver a pace car

by Alex Nunez (RSS feed) on Nov 10th, 2009 at 7:01PM

Dickies 500 Chevrolet Camaro pace car delivered in style - Click above to watch the video

The official pace car for last weekend's Dickies 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race was none other than the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS. This, in itself, is no biggie. What's interesting is how the car was delivered to the Texas Motor Speedway prior to the race. If you watched sports over the weekend, you know that salutes to America's veterans were part of just about every event that took place (Veterans Day is tomorrow, remember).

As part of that theme, NASCAR had the Camaro delivered to the track in a CH-47 Chinook helicopter. In the video posted after the jump, you'll see the big heavy-lift chopper touch down, drop its ramp, have the Chevy drive on out, and take back off. At the wheel of the Camaro was NASA astronaut Doug Hurley, who is also a TMS season-ticket holder, a United States Marine Corps colonel, and was the pilot of the shuttle Endeavour on this year's STS-127 mission. Pretty. Freaking. Cool. In fact, short of the Camaro and Chinook subsequently turning into robots and fighting each other on the TMS infield, it doesn't get much cooler. Follow the jump to watch.

[Source: YouTube]

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Laptop steering wheel desk is real. And real funny.

by Alex Nunez (RSS feed) on Nov 7th, 2009 at 9:01AM

Laptop DeskYou know, when we're driving along, eating buffalo wings and trying to manage a Super Slurpee while playing Cooking Dash on the iPhone, it sure would be helpful to have a place to keep all that stuff organized. Thankfully, there's the Laptop Steering Wheel Desk, which accomplishes all of the above AND finally gives us a place to keep our bleu cheese and celery sticks, to boot. (You see, our cupholders are already occupied by french fries.) This "Why didn't I think of that?" stroke of genius slides right around your steering wheel, which it uses as an anchor for your much-needed flat surface.

Listen, steering is overrated anyway, right? Actually, the official product description on Amazon.com says, "For safety reasons, never use this product while driving." But come on, we're excellent drivers. We're pretty sure we can handle this. Based on the user reviers, others have found this device to be exceedingly convenient. Some of the user-submitted photos suggest that the Laptop Steering Wheel Desk may indeed be troublesome in the hands of less experienced drivers, but we remain skeptical. We think we'll put one in the shopping cart with that Three Wolf Moon T-Shirt we've been eying. Then, when it arrives, we're hunting for a drive-thru pizzeria. Thanks for the tips, everyone!

[Source: Amazon.com]

VIDEO: Fun, frolic and destruction with a dump truck at Detroit's Packard plant

by Alex Nunez (RSS feed) on Nov 6th, 2009 at 11:40AM

This dump truck is going to take a dive - Click above to watch the video

In future Detroit, pushing a junked dump truck out of a fourth floor window at the old Packard plant might result in a swarm of gen-1 Taurus police cars surrounding the building, and, if you're particularly unlucky, intervention by ED-209. ("You have 20 seconds to comply...").

In the present day, this creative bit of criminal mischief gets you featured on The Wall Street Journal website. Go figure! Follow the jump to watch the video.

[Source: The Wall Street Journal]

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ESPN: Danica Patrick close to two-year NASCAR Nationwide deal

by Alex Nunez (RSS feed) on Nov 5th, 2009 at 10:39AM



Rumors of IndyCar's Danica Patrick dipping a toe into the stock car racing pool have been swirling for months, but a new report suggests that an end to the rumors is near. ESPN says that Patrick is on the verge of signing a NASCAR Nationwide Series contract with JR Motorsports, the operation owned by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Unnamed sources that spoke to ESPN call the talks "near their final phase" and comment that it'd be a "surprise if it didn't happen." In any case, don't expect a formal announcement until sometime after the Sprint Cup chase draws to a conclusion on November 22.

The potential move to JR Motorsports was made possible when driver Brad Keslowski jumped ship to join Roger Penske's NASCAR Sprint Cup team. According to ESPN, Patrick is angling to drive the number 7 car (the same number she runs in IndyCar), which would replace the current JR Motorsports number 5 car. Since Danica will continue to run the full IndyCar schedule as well, she'd be a part-time driver for JR Motorsports, sharing the race car with Junior and another unnamed driver. If the signing happens and NASCAR gives its blessing, Danica will make her first stock car appearance in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 ARCA race on Feb. 6 during the Daytona Speedweeks, and go on to drive in 12 to 13 Nationwide Series races during the 2010 season. Frankly, given NASCAR's feel for marketing and Danica's undeniable celebrity, we see no way that she won't be in place for a debut during the February Speedweeks, assuming she does indeed ink the rumored deal.

[Source: ESPN | Image: Robert Laberge/Getty]

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Chris, Sam, and Dan kick out a podcast just in time for the long holiday drive.

 
 

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