Car Uniooune: May 2011

Fiat just can't wait for spring. We wouldn't want to wait either if we were behind the wheel of Fiat's latest 500 variant: the 500c convertible. Fiat chose this week's New York auto show to debut the 500c for America.
The cute-as-a-button design from the hard-top 500 is carried over, swapping out the roof panel for an electrically folding soft top. The new roof is not a traditional convertible, though -- the A-, B-, and C-pillars remain intact along with the roof rails. What that means is that even with the top lowered, passengers will not get a full open-air experience; a good or a bad thing depending on how much you value your hairdo.
The roof is inspired by the canvas roof that was available when the original Fiat Cinquecento premiered in 1957. While the old car's roof only rolled back to the end of the roof panel and was powered by elbow grease, the 2012 500c's top is electrically actuated and can fold all the way back to rest behind the rear headrests. Driver's can drop the top to its fully open position at up to 50 mph, or fold the roof back to the integrated spoiler to create an open sunroof at up to 60 mph. Opening the rear trunk will cause the roof to lift up, allowing unobstructed access to the diminutive, 5.4-cubic-foot luggage compartment.
The look of the 500c is almost identical to that of the hatchback; however, Fiat has extended the windshield to help reduce wind buffeting with the top down and to give rear passengers better forward visibility with the top up. Hidden in the new windshield is a reinforced upper cross member to help maintain structural rigidity once the roads get twisty.
Color options for the 500c are plentiful, offering the same 14 exterior hues as the hardtop, as well as the choice between ivory or black interior dash and gauge trim. The seats are available in 12 different combinations, with the lower part of the buckets wearing either fabric or leather and the headrests matching the dashboard trim. Buyers will have three choices for soft top colors: nero (black), beige, and bordeaux (red).

2012 Fiat 500c

2012 Fiat 500c

Official: Audi unveils 500hp A1 Clubsport Quattro show car at Wörthersee

Filed under: Concept Cars, Performance, Hatchback, Audi, Misc. Auto Shows Audi A1 clubsport quattro concept - Click above for high-res image gallery Audi and all-wheel drive go together like mothers and apple pie. The German automaker has cultivated its Quattro systems as emblematic of its raison detre, incorporating it into its rapidly expanding range... with one exception: the A1. But thats about to change. After launching the diminutive hatchback in front-wheel-drive only, Audi is working on extending the traction to the rear wheels as well. And to give us an idea of what to expect, the company has launched the A1 Clubsport Quattro concept among the 18 vehicles on display at its annual celebration in Wörthersee. The little beast is built around an extensively tuned 2.5-liter turbo five with just under 500 horsepower. Optimized by direct injection and channeled to all four wheels through a six-speed manual, Audi claims the concept can hit 100 km/h (62 mph) from a standstill in a scant 3.7 seconds, doubling that speed in 10.9 en route to an electronically limited, Autobahn-crunching top end of 250 km/h (155 mph). The package is rounded out by an aggressive wide-body aerodynamic kit, decked out in matte white paint with a carbon-fiber roof, with a side-exit exhaust and 19-inch alloys. While the production A1 Quattro and the S1 or RS1 to follow isnt likely to pack the 500 horses of the show car, gamers can check it out in Need for Speed World for a limited time. Audi has also released a series of visual mods - including decals and aero kits - for the existing A1 at the show. Want to read more? Weve got the full press blast after the jump along, with an extensive batch of images in our high-resolution gallery.Continue reading Audi unveils 500hp A1 Clubsport Quattro show car at WörtherseeAudi unveils 500hp A1 Clubsport Quattro show car at Wörthersee originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 08:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

2012 Audi A7 Sportback

2012 Audi A7 Sportback

Audi claims that one small strip (1.2 inches wide, 0.08 inch thick) of the high-strength, lightweight, hot-shaped steel used in much of the new A7 Sportback's body is so strong that it could suspend five A7s, each one roughly 4000 pounds. That's one strong bookmark. Arguably more noteworthy than the super steel is the fact that feathery aluminum makes up nearly 20 percent of the Sportback's bod, including the hood, hatch, doors, and front fenders, resulting in a relatively light curb weight. A BMW 535i xDrive GT, in comparison, tips the scales with about 700 extra pounds.
But what really makes Audi's new blend of coupe, sedan, and wagon so special? Ah, that would be its elegant and sporty sheetmetal, a dead ringer for the drop-dead-gorgeous Sportback concept unveiled at the 2009 Detroit auto show. Full LED headlamps are available (Xenon plus lamps are standard), while the taillamps are made up entirely of LEDs, sans the reverse light. Moreover, the side-view mirrors sport LED indicators, and the CHMSL is a thin LED strip that extends above the back window across the width of the hatch. At the base of the rear deck resides an integrated spoiler that subtly sleeps until 80 mph, when it extends upwards for increased down force. Back to those side mirrors: They're mounted on the doors, a la the R8, to give the A7 a more sports-car feel. Another subtle but significant design cue is the small, rear window incorporated into the sweeping C-pillar that harks back to that of the 1969 100 Coupe S.

2012 Audi A7 Sportback

2012 Audi A7 Sportback

2011 Dodge Charger Mopar Special Edition

2011 Dodge Charger Mopar Special Edition

Hot on the heels of a special-edition 2010 Dodge Challenger, Mopar -- Chrysler's aftermarket and performance accessory division -- revealed today it's planning yet another limited-edition muscle machine for 2011. There's a twist, however -- this time, the Mopar-tuned ride is based upon the four-door 2011 Dodge Charger.
"After the success of our Mopar '10 Challenger, we moved on to the iconic Dodge Charger and added even more performance," said Mopar President and CEO Pietro Gorlier. "As a new company, we will continue to leverage the heritage of the Mopar brand at every turn."
So, what does Mopar have in store for the refreshed '11 Charger? The exact details have yet to be released (same goes for mechanical specifications), but the preview sketch suggests the Mopar '11 Charger follows the same recipe used for last year's special-edition Mopar '10 Challenger.
The car -- apparently based off the Charger R/T -- receives metallic black paint, along with an asymmetrical blue racing stripe running down the length of the car (if, like the Challenger, that stripe may also be offered in red and silver). Bespoke five-spoke rollers will likely measure 20 inches in diameter, and feature Mopar center caps. Katzkin leather seating is expected to grace the interior, with stitching matching that of the exterior stripe color, and Mopar embroidery found on the headrests. Customers may also find a Hurst T-handle gear selector for the standard automatic transmission.
If consistent with the special-edition Challenger, power upgrades will be relegated to a cold-air intake from the Mopar parts catalog, which should provide a 15-horsepower bump in power over the stock unit's 370-horsepower figure. We wouldn't be surprised, however, to see an upgraded exhaust to further improve respiration. Shock-tower bars and beefed-up stabilizer bars may also be included, along with improved brake pads, but at this stage, the Mopar folks are mum on the issue.
They're also mum on pricing. If the Mopar '10 Challenger is any baseline, the special Mopar treatment could add $3500 over a stock model. If that holds true for the Mopar '11 Charger, that could potentially bump its base price just below the $40,000 mark. We wouldn't be surprised if, like Mopar's custom Challenger, volume will be limited to a scant 500 examples. Expect full details later this month, as the car is expected to be unveiled at the 2011 New York auto show.

2011 Dodge Charger Mopar Special Edition

2011 Dodge Charger Mopar Special Edition

2011 Jeep Wrangler Mojave

2011 Jeep Wrangler Mojave

Under the management of Fiat, the Chrysler Group has pursued an important strategy -- steady product improvement. This includes the gradual introduction of new trim levels on existing models to improve the appeal of its overall lineup. The latest model to receive an incremental update is Jeep's iconic Wrangler.
Introduced in 2007 and treated to a comprehensive interior revamp at the beginning of the 2011 model year, Jeep is now showing off the Mojave trim level of the brand's spiritual leader, the third-generation JK Wrangler. The package is a combination of some of the most popular features of the other trim levels for the Wrangler, including the side steps from the Sahara trim, and the wheels and tires from the legendary and beloved Rubicon model.
The icing on the cake is a unique graphics package consisting of lizard decals and fender graphics. To add some flair to the interior, the lizard graphic is embossed on the front seats. Beefing up the exterior is a black fuel-filler door and taillight guards. The Mojave trim package will be available on both the standard Wrangler and the four-door Unlimited starting in June.
Unfortunately, there's nothing new to report in the way of mechanical upgrades. The Mojave soldiers on with the 3.8-liter pushrod V-6 and six-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. It's widely expected that the company's new 3.6 liter Pentastar DOHC 24-valve V-6 will appear for the 2012 model year with significantly improved power and fuel economy over the current powertrain