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Spy Shots: Bentley Continental GTC Speed

Some new cars are predictable; others catch us by surprise. This one we could see from a mile away, and not just because it's enormous. But after Bentley rolled out Speed versions of the Continental GT coupe (which we've sampled) and Flying Spur sedan, it was only a matter of time before the same treatment would be applied to the GTC convertible variant. And now we're seeing the spy shots to prove it. The Bentley Continental GTC Speed, as it's certain to be called, will feature all of the same upgrades we've seen on the Speed versions of its fixed-head counterparts. That means a power bump for its W12 engine to 602 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque, suspension and aero tweaks and bigger wheels. All of it will add up to one fast-moving warm weather front that should hit U.S. shores in the near future as Hurricane Bentley.
posted : 10/27/2008 @4:20:21 PM
Acura dealer takes the TL's nose in for rhinoplasty

Acura's new corporate fascia hasn't gained the affection of the automotive press, not to mention our commentators. And to make matters worse, not only is "The Shield" employed on the MDX, TSX and TL, it's expected to infect the rest of Acura's lineup into the next decade. We're still far from convinced that the new nose was a smart move, but we've conceded that it doesn't look nearly as bad on a silver TSX, matching the lines and the color to slightly better effect. An Acura dealer seems to have a similar idea, and after taking delivery of one burgundy TL, had the grille painted to match the rest of the exterior. While it's an improvement, we'd love to see something similar to the 2009 Legend's schnoz retrofitting an Acura emblem in place of the Big H.
posted : 10/21/2008 @8:00:08 PM
First Drive: 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera S with PDK

Introduced in 1963, the Porsche 911 is one of the most successful competition cars ever built. Despite its unconventional rear-engine platform, the 911 Carrera holds recorded wins in nearly every type of automotive competition. Continuously upgraded and refined, Porsche has introduced a mid-cycle refresh for the 2009 model year. While the cosmetic changes are immediately apparent, the most significant improvements – two new engines and a new double-clutch transmission – are hidden under its sleek skin. We spent a long day putting the 2009 911 Carrera through its paces on a race track near Salt Lake City framed by the spectacular snow-capped surrounding mountains of Utah.
posted : 10/21/2008 @7:48:23 PM
SEMA Preview: Toyota Venza Sportlux by Street Image

Toyota's SEMAfied Venzas won't stop, even if we ask nicely. The second modified don't-call-it-a-Camry wagon comes courtesy of Street Image, which will bring the SportLux Venza "performance show car" to SEMA. A contradiction in terms if we've ever heard it. According to Toyota PR, the SportLux is a model that could be offered as a factory tuner, complete with six-piece body kit, spoiler, custom grille and, of course, a hood scoop. Thankfully, Street Image's blood, sweat and tears didn't stop with the body, so a TRD supercharger has been fitted to the engine (although no power figures were divulged), sending the additional grunt to four, 24-inch Chrome Cognac No 20 wheels (seriously), suspended by a set of custom coilovers. The same brakes fitted to the Five Axis vehicle appear on the SportLux, and in keeping with the "Lux" part of its name, black suede covers the roof, sunvisors, pillars and trunk, along with a black and burgundy leather interior, accent lighting and color matched trim. An Eclipse AVN6620 sound system with a 7-inch TFT display churns out 2,500 watts of only the finest Michael Bolton.
posted : 10/21/2008 @7:31:48 PM
eBay Find of the Day: the VolksAru

While sharing our nightmares around the Autoblog virtual water cooler, we've discovered that it's common for interweb auto scribes to wake with a start in the middle of the night, cold sweat trickling down our brows. The common terror? Frankenstein cars. The dreaded dreams are usually brought on by late night eBay surfing, and this vehicle may haunt our slumber tonight. If you've ever thought to yourself "Gosh, I wonder what a Type I Beetle coughing up a Subaru GL would look like," here's your ride. It's got a Subaru dash and door panels, while the seats are VW, so the seam is somewhere up there. It's being sold as a gas-saver, likely because both of the flat-four powertrains - there are two - are relative fuel sippers. We can't discern whether the engines are synchronized to run at the same time, or if it's a one at a time type thing with the other motor and transmission serving as 500 pounds of extra mass to haul around when not in use. Like our nightmares, the seller of this vehicle is definitely dreaming with a $20,000 starting bid. Check out more awkward angles of this monstrosity in our gallery below, but don't blame us when the Boogey Man begins driving it in your dreams.
posted : 10/15/2008 @10:05:55 PM
Build your own 1960 Beetle - with Legos

There's likely to be no shortage of VW Beetle owners who can relate to this new kit from Lego. It's a box with 1,626 parts in it that one day, after hours of work, will resemble a classic Bug. Three differences: This box of bits will only cost you $120 and a successful build is probably not above your skill level. Oh, and your spouse probably won't mind you building this one on the kitchen table. When completed, the VW measures 16 inches long by 6.5 inches tall. Its tiny stick shift moves, the glove compartment opens and the seats fold forward. The engine is in back where Beetle engines belong and up front is the spare tire. When you're done, finish off the car with the included VW logo decal. It's too bad the Beetle's curvaceous roofline and nose are made jagged by the blocky Logos, but on the other hand, it's kinda cool, too.
posted : 10/15/2008 @9:08:51 PM
Rumormill: Bugatti and Bentley join forces to battle Rolls-Royce

The whisperers have it that Bugatti may be borrowing from Bentley for a new sedan. What they can't seem to pinpoint is exactly what kind of sharing the two marques will be doing, and whether or not the resulting super Bug will be a supremely high-powered four-door to compete with the Rolls-Royce Phantom. If the two brands do indeed share something, like the next Arnage's platform, for instance, that might make sense. But just a few months ago, Bugatti said that its next product would be even more expensive than the Veyron, and lead man Josef Paefgen has also said that there will be no inexpensive Bugatti. A $400,000 sedan wouldn't be inexpensive, true, but compared to $1.6 million for a Veyron, it's a flat-out bargain. Besides, the $242,000 Arnage T, after all the bespoke options, would come perilously close to a $400K Bugatti in price, and the next Bentley Arnage is growing in order to fight the Phantom. So if a Bugatti sedan with Bentley underpinnings were that close in price to a Rolls Phantom... then who's Bentley meant to get in the ring with?
posted : 10/15/2008 @7:34:06 PM
eBay Find of the Day: Lincoln Town Car(nage)

When is a 1996 Lincoln Town Car with 114,000 miles on the clock worth $15,098? The correct answer should be never. In this case, however, the answer is when someone supposedly drops $45,000 worth of work into one to make a fake Bentley Arnage. The result is what you see above; add a couple of fender-mounted chandeliers and it could score a role as The Duke's car in Escape From New York. That giant C-pillar is more Rolls than Bentley and those chrome dubs are more bad than good. The biggest disaster comes into view when you open the door and look inside. That interior reportedly cost $10,000. You'd think that amount would buy more than quilted leather, a passel of winged-B emblems that aren't fooling anybody, and that stock instrument panel, but apparently... no. Anyway, somebody liked it enough to buy it, so what do we know. We're sure it'll look great in their garage. You know – right next to the Fierarri.
posted : 10/15/2008 @6:58:24 PM
What the...? Volkswagen considering Beetle-based pickup?

Of all the wild-ass rumors we hear on a weekly daily hourly basis, this one has that special air of cow manure. According to Automotive News, Volkswagen is considering a pickup truck for the U.S. based off the second generation Beetle, which is due out around the turn of the decade. The rationale behind this implausible idea stems from VW's goal to boost annual vehicle sales in the U.S. from its current 230,000 units to 1 million vehicle sales per year by 2018. Other derivatives of the new new Beetle could also include a crossover and a wagon. Although the recently revealed VW Pickup Concept is only bound for markets outside the U.S. and Europe, a compelling case can be made for a light-duty truck for occasional haulers here in the States. But we somehow doubt that the U.S. consumers could warm up to a Beetle-based truck – nostalgia can only go so far.
posted : 10/13/2008 @9:16:40 PM
Late night winner at 2008 Petit Le Mans

The 10th anniversary of the Petit Le Mans occurred this weekend at Road Atlanta, and the annual endurance event that occurs before the season-ending race of the American Le Mans Series at Laguna Seca did not disappoint. Peugeot arrived ready to take up its diesel-powered feud with Audi in the LMP1 class that recently concluded overseas in the European Le Mans Series with the German brand on top. The LMP2, GT1 and GT2 classes were also hotly contested, and the most drama came from Helio Castroneves, who arrived at the track to drive an LMP2 Porsche for Penske after having been in handcuffs the day before facing tax evasion charges.
posted : 10/13/2008 @9:15:56 PM
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