Chevy Orlando Revealed, Only Looks Good With The Lights Off

Like nearly every single other car we’ve posted on this week, the Chevy Orlando concept is yet another pre-Paris auto show leak presumably intended to heighten the buzz of anticipation. Sharing the same platform as the Chevy Cruze, the Chevy Orlando is intended to be a fresh, new take on the people mover [for further reference, see: Ford Flex]. We’re not completely sure what the deal with all the neon lighting is unless Chevy is hoping to market the Orlando to the acid tripping soccer mom, but we will admit the interior designs on the glass roof are pretty cool, even if they aren’t practical.

View gallery after the jump

[via Jalopnik]

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The Two Faces of the Fiat 500: Abarth and Aria

The Fiat 500 Abarth

The Fiat 500 (Cinquecento, per i miei amici Italiani) is such a crazy hit in Europe that Fiat’s already had to increase production several times. They originally planned on only producing 60,000 500s a year, but the insane demand means that, in the first half of this year alone, almost 95,000 orders were placed. At this point, Fiat has upped the production capacity to 200k 500’s a year.

To capitalize on this fame, Fiat is offering several different versions of the 500. Two extremes, the Abarth and the Aria, were shown off earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show.

The 500 is already an eco-car by American standards, and the Aria pushes the envelope ever further. It has a 1.3-liter 16v Multijet diesel, a particulate filter and robotic Dualogic gearbox with start-stop technology that cuts carbon emissions and reduces fuel economy by 10% in the city. The 500 Aria also has recycled leather for the interior, low-power auxiliary systems, ultra-lightweight components, and low-drag tires. Although it’s still just a concept, look for some of those eco-bits and pieces to be on the regular 500 in coming years.

The Fiat 500 Aria concept

The other side of the coin is the Fiat 500 Abarth, which has a 1.4L turbo four-cylinder producing 135 bhp at 5,500 rpm and 152 pound feet of torque at 3,000 rpm, if you hit the Sport mode button. In Normal mode, Fiat has the 500 Abarth producing 133 pound feet of torque at 2,500 rpm, still sweet for a tiny car like the 500.

The Abarth also has big wheels, a rear anti-roll bar along with a re-tuned suspension that helps it stay low and go, and the Torque Transfer Control system, which detects wheelspin and sends the power to the wheels with the weight for better traction and handling. This car can hit 0 to 60 in under 8 seconds, and yet its only 2,300 pounds. It zips like a ninja.

The question is, when will it be available in the US? The answer: it might not be. First the news was 2009 or 2010, then they said never, and now there are rumors back that there are plenty of people in high places trying to get at least the 500 Abarth version over here. Let’s hope they succeed.

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BMW Celebrates 30 years of Design with New M1 Concept

In celebration of 30 years BMW bestowed upon the M1 and the many fans who adore it a gift in orange and alloy. What you are looking at above is not a mere rendition of what a redesign of the M1 would look like, as animated as it appears to be. It is a physical reality that may be more study than reality, but truly does capture the spirit that drove the two preceding designs.

The new M1 concept car was received by those attending the Concorso d’Eleganza at Vista d’Este this weekend, where you will see in the photos of the gallery that it was joined by its 2 brothers. While what we see here may be just a concept it does reinforce the knowledge there are still people around today who can produce superlative designs such as this. To anyone’s knowledge thus far the 30 year anniversary M1 concept is merely a shell as no hint of a motive source or interior contents were exposed as its single outing.

Rekindling the knife’s-edge sharpness of the two prior designs tip of the hood the new M1 begins just as all others, with the two kidney shaped grill bookended by sinister headlamps. The contours of the body reflect well on the Giugiaro-designed M1 that followed up on the original M1 designed by Paul Bracq. The tribute follows suit from front to rear concluding with the louvered rear window and the dual BMW badging over-top of the rear break lamps.

Take a look at the gallery after the leap and join BMW in celebrating 30 years of M1 design. (more…)

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A Speed Racer Opponent’s Car Takes the Stage in Tokyo Reveal

As the Speed Racer’s Mach 5 receives plenty of gawking in Detroit one of his opponents cars gets it’s own staging area at the Tokyo Auto Salon. The futuristic racing car pictured above is actually a fine product placement from an winning racing team in Japan. The Autobac’s Racing Team Arguri (ARTA) were the team and drivers champions of the 2007 series in the GT500 Class of the Japanese Super GT series. Ofcourse their actual racing car differs a great deal (obviously), the movie car does share the race teams colors, sponsors and car number.

While in person and in photos the car may appear to be a living cartoon I am sure it will seem much faster beneath the magical lights and CGI effects that the Wachowski Bros. and Warner Brothers will put it through.

Thanks for the tip, Ben.

Source[Rocket Punch via SuperHeroHype]

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Mustang Week gets under way in Myrtle Beach, SC

It is that time of year again when the Ponies gather by the oceans side to frolic and play in wild herds the size of which few have ever witnessed. The 2007 Mustang Week in Myrtle Beach, SC begins festivities this Tuesday, July 24th at Planet Hollywood across from Broadway at the Beach. Events scheduled for the week are as follows:

Tuesday - Meet and Greet at Planet Hollywood - 4:30pm to 8:30pm
Wednesday - Fun Runs and Burn Out Contest at the Myrtle Beach Speedway - 4pm to 9pm
Thursday - Drag Night at Darlington Dragway, preceded by a cruise to the strip from the North Myrtle beach Hooters
Friday - 4th Annual Car Show at Colonial Mall 2pm to 4pm with Dyno onsite.
Saturday - Mustang and SVT Cruise-in at Colonial Mall in North Myrtle Beach - 3pm to 9pm

For a taste of the pony festivities take a look at this video complied from the 2005 Mustang Week.

For those of you in the South East looking to attend the official itenirary for Mustang Week is just a click away. For everyone else you can follow along on the MustangWeek webpage as both the Forums and Gallery for the event should be pretty busy this week.

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Barned Bugatti Sold for $852,500 in Auction at Greenwich Councours

It is truly amazing the number of classics that have been found and revived that had been left for dead out in a field or tucked inside an old barn. Back in the day when gas was cheap and a weekend drive thru the country side was not considered a guilty pleasure it was not uncommon to spot some classic grill or fender peaking through a opened barn door. Most of us are used to seeing a rounded ’50’s model fender or maybe the exposed trunk of a 1960’s Mustang. It would be a rare thing in America to catch a 1938 Bugatti cozied up along the hay and under-growth of a barn, but that is just what happened to one lucky person.

The 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante Coupe that survived all those years in that barn appears to be complete and in good shape considering its barned-state of hibernation. It was expected that this rare find would run somewhere between $300,000 and $400,000 in auction, but it seems word or wallets spread over the barned Bugatti. When the auction closed the winning bidder was $852,500 lighter in the bank account. Ofcourse for a bidder on a classic car of this stature that is not an unsightly price.

Over the years I have witness and her countless stories of barn finds and rusted field flowers. A friend of my fathers discovered and purchased a 1966 K-code Mustang with a HiPo 289 engine. It was all original and had not lost any of its horses while sitting in wait in that field. In another instance I stumbled upon a collection of 4 1920’s Model A’s barely covered along the road at the end of a private homes yard. The word around town was that some people had offered him money for one or some or even all and the owner would not budge.
As always where some see trash others see treasure; like the 1955 barned-up Chevy pictured below. A lot of money and a lot of hard labor over time and you have a classic that could last another lifetime. 
 

So let that be a warning to all or maybe just a piece of advice. While you are out there whipping up the back-road of where-ever America keep one eye on the road and one eye in the barns and field around you. You never know what you may find peaking back at you.

Source[ClassicCarGarage]

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