Ford Previews 2009 SEMA Show Custom F-150s with Teaser Renderings

Ford will also be represented by a variety of customized F-150 pickup trucks at next week's SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Among the tuned proposals revealed by Ford today is a real-life version of Mattel's Hot Wheels vision of the 2009 F-150 created by Superlift and a low-rider stylized variant with a 5.4-liter supercharged V8 engine crafted by K-Daddyz Kustomz.

GM to Present New Crate Engine at 2009 SEMA Show

Among the various aftermarket products and tuning proposals that General Motors is planning to bring along to the 2009 SEMA Show in early November is a new crate engine (a V8.

GM to Shut Down Antwerp Plant in Belgium, Announces More Cuts for Opel / Vauxhall

General Motors has turned its focus on its European division as a little after the announcement on its decision to wind down its Saab unit, the U.S. carmaker revealed that it intends to close Opel's manufacturing plant in Antwerp, Belgium,

2011 Buick Regal Pricing Announced, Starts from $26,995, Less Costly Version to Follow in 2011

General Motors has just released pricing for the new 2011 Buick Regal sedan, or if you prefer, the North American market version of the Opel Insignia. Initially, the Regal will be offered in a premium CXL trim with two engine options, a 182HP 2.4-liter Ecotec four-cylinder with direct-injection and a 2.0-liter Ecotec turbocharged and direct injected four-pot rated at an estimated 220HP.

Prices have been set at $26,995 (that's about €19,100 for our Euro friends) for the CXL 2.4L and $29,495 (€20,870) for the CXL 2.0L Turbo and include a $750 destination charge in both cases.

Kia Ray Hybrid Sport Sedan Concept Teaser Leaked, Will Debut in Chicago

A teaser shot of what is said to be the Kia Ray concept car has made its way onto the interwebs. According to the folks over at Insideline that broke the story, the sporty-shaped sedan was penned at Kia's American design studio and it's supposed to hint at a possible design direction for a plug-in hybrid vehicle.

One more 2010 Camaro-Based Pontiac Trans Am Conversion

Not surprisingly, Pontiac's demise has spurred an interest in the creation of Trans Am replicas based on the new Chevrolet Camaro. We remind you that we've already seen a conceptual proposal for a modern-day Pontiac Trans Am from ASC Creative Services and real-life examples from Lingenfelter and Trans Am Depot.

The latest company to join the list of tuners interested in creating a Trans Am replica is a company called Gearhead Performance Group.

Makeover and New Hybrid Version with Prius Drivetrain

When Toyota introduced the successor to the hatchback versions of the Corolla (the sedan variant kept the name) in Europe in 2006, the company's bosses decided to baptize the new car "Auris", not only due to its supposedly fresh and contemporary styling, but also because the name "Corolla" had become more synonymous with dull than with quality in the Old Continent.

Fast forward to 2010, and the Auris has yet to shake off its predecessor's bland-mobile reputation...

And while the subtle cosmetic makeover for the 2010 model year won't make the standard Auris any more interesting than before, the addition of a full hybrid version to the range is something that could very well capture the interest of European buyers.

Lexus LFA: Early Customer Interest Exceeds Production Numbers (You don't Say...)

To no one's surprise, in the three months that have passed since the official introduction of the LFA at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 2009, the number of formal expressions of interest in purchasing the $375,000 V10 supercar is already far greater than the limited production run of only 500 examples, Toyota's subsidiary announced today.

322HP Coupe and Convertible that Bridge the Gap Between the 335i and M3

While BMW has yet to make an official announcement on the all-new 335is Coupe and Convertible, the Bavarian firm uploaded the first official photos of both models on its public website. The 335is, which is believed to be offered initially only in North America, closes the gap between the 300HP 335i (306HP in Euro spec) and the 414HP M3 (420HP for the Euro model).

As we've already informed you from our previous post, a leaked spec sheet from BMW's Canadian division reveals that the 335is makes use of a tweaked version of the outgoing 335i's N54 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline six - and not the single-turbo N55 engine of the facelift 2011 335i.

MINI Countryman Crossover: Official Details and 57 High-Res Photos

After yesterday's leak there was no point in keeping the new Countryman under wraps so MINI went ahead and released initial details and a full gallery of its first-ever crossover model. Bear in mind that the BMW Group owned automaker noted that the car may not be named Countryman in certain markets without giving out any further details.

The Countryman is not only the British firm's first-ever crossover, it's also the first modern MINI to have four doors, an available all-wheel-drive system, four full-size seats and to measure around four meters in length.

The styling inside and out is unmistakably MINI, with the Countryman trying to stand out from the rest of the range with its chunkier nose job, raised ride height and some unique styling cues such as the headlamps and the alloy wheel designs.

2011 Mustang GT to Pace Daytona 500, Ford to Build Limited Run Edition for the Public

In a first for the Mustang and the first time for Ford since 1970 when a Torino GT Convertible did the honors at the Daytona 500, a Blue Oval model will be pacing the field for the NASCAR season-opening race on February 14 at the Daytona International Speedway.

The car of choice is none other than the refreshed 2011 Mustang GT that's powered by Ford's new 412 horsepower 5.0-liter V8 engine linked to a 6-speed transmission. Interestingly, Ford said that the actual pace car will be auctioned off for charity before the race at this week's Barrett-Jackson.

But fear not because Ford also announced that it is planning to build another 50 examples of the 2011 Mustang GT Daytona 500 Pace Car to sell to the public.

Mitsubishi ASX Compact Crossover: Euro Spec Version of RVR Revealed

What Japanese buyers will come to know as the RVR when the compact crossover goes on sale in its home market in February will be sold in Europe as the ASX. The digitally enhanced photos show only a few minor differences between the two models, the most important being the black finish on the ASX's front and rear bumper inserts, grille and rocker panels as well as the addition of turning signals on the exterior mirrors.

Pinked Out Special Edition Fiat 500 Launched, Barbie Fans Celebrate

Quickly bypassing Fiat UK's claim that the car seen here is "the limited edition Fiat 500 that customers have been asking for ever since the popular city car was launched in 2008", the 500 Pink is the first of several special edition versions of the mini that the company plans to introduced during this year.

9ff GTurbo mods Porsche GT3 up to 1,000 horsepower

There's a fine line between a sportscar and a supercar. Porsche is one of the few automakers that straddles the line, but an elite cadre of tuners seem to take pleasure in laying down strips of burnt rubber to blur it beyond recognition. Names like Gemballa and Ruf come to mind, but 9ff has emerged as the new power player, in one sense or another. And the German tuning house has just let its latest out into the world.

Called the GTurbo, what we're looking at essentially is a tuning program for the 911 GT3 and its even more extreme brother, the GT3 RS. Bolting on a pair of turbochargers, 9ff can take a GT3 up to 750, 850 or even 1,000 horsepower. That's Veyron-league power, only without the all-wheel drive, the ground-grabbing track and the aero designed to go with it. Fortunately, 9ff has part of the answer in the form of a corresponding kit, including new bumpers front and rear, side skirts, and new quarter panels, with extra vents all around to keep the intercooler breathing and the air flowing. In full-fat 1,000hp spec, 9ff says its GTurbo will hit 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) in a scant 2.9 seconds and, theoretically at least, hit 392 kilometers per hour (243 miles per hour) flat out – which may seem like a heck of a claim until you realize that one of their own modded 1,000hp 911 Turbo hit just that at the Papenburg test track.

Review: 2010 Lincoln MKT EcoBoost AWD has a good personality and great moves

Approaching the 2010 Lincoln MKT for the first time is like meeting a blind date. You've been told by friends she has a good personality, which immediately has you wondering what she looks like. From a distance you see your fears confirmed: She's a big girl with a toothy grin and a weird hump. If super models are your thing, you'll be disappointed by this three-row crossover sitting alone in the corner with a red carnation in her hair. But if you meet her with an open mind, you'll find that a good personality goes a long way.

It's our job to go on blind dates with vehicles before you do, and despite the MKT's controversial design, we're glad we sat down and got to know her. Now, if you can't get over seeing a beached whale in your driveway every morning, stop reading; no twin-turbo direct-inject V6 engine, advanced infotainment features or luxurious appointments will change your mind. We'll agree to disagree and you'll probably pass judgment on the MKT from afar, not even giving it the courtesy of a test drive before shacking up with that German model. Will you regret not getting to know the MKT like we did? Read on to find out.

Lotus returns to Formula One with the launch of the T127

After 15 years, one of the most successful names in Formula One returns to the grid with the launch of the Lotus T127. Note that we said "name," not necessarily "team," since Lotus F1 Racing is not officially affiliated with Group Lotus, the carmaker and engineering firm. There is a somewhat tenuous relationship, since the team that began as Litespeed is largely backed by the Malaysian government, and Malaysian automaker Proton owns Lotus. The team actually acquired the rights to the Lotus name for F1 racing purposes from David Hunt, brother of the late world champion, James Hunt.

Graceful Hyundai i-Flow rendered ahead of Geneva sheet-pulling

Hyundai has decided to release a single rendering of its i-Flow concept ahead of its big reveal at next month's Geneva Motor Show. To our eyes, the i-Flow looks to be the logical evolution of the Korean automaker's recent "fluidic sculpture" design philosophy, as seen on the new 2011 Sonata and sister-company Kia's Ray concept, which is currently being shown off at the Chicago Auto Show.

Actual details on the i-Flow are still pretty hard to come by, but Hyundai says this concept will preview its new D-segment car that will go up against the likes of the Ford Mondeo in Europe. As such, we certainly wouldn't be surprised to see some sort of diesel powertrain, or possibly even a hybrid system assisted by the i-Flow's BASF-supplied solar cells.

1964 Shelby Cobra factory race car up for sale at Amelia Island

Last month RM Auctions offered up the 427 Cobra prototype at its annual auction in Phoenix, and although it failed to meet reserve price, the final bid of nearly $1.5 million signified the importance of the car. Fortunately for car collectors who still want to add a notable Shelby to their garage will have the chance at RM's auction next month. A 1964 Shelby Cobra, chassis CSX2557, will be crossing the block during the sale coinciding with the Amelia Island Concours on March 13.

Just one of 42 289-powered racecars and one of only six "cutback door" factory team cars, CSX2557 was built to race in the U.S. Road Racing Championships (USRRC). Much of the design foreshadowed the later 427 Cobras like the widened fenders, larger intakes and side exhaust pipes. Although this particular car had a limited race history in the hands of Shelby, it is one of the most original examples in existence and is in excellent condition thanks to a restoration in the mid-1990s.

Report: Toyota recalling 8,000 2010 Tacoma 4WD pickups over driveshaft defect

In a dealer communique sent out today, Toyota has announced the voluntary recall of some 8,000 2010 Tacomas that could suffer from a defect in the front propeller shaft.

Pickuptrucks.com reports that a crack can form in the rear joint, causing the driveshaft to come loose from the truck. Obviously, this defect will only affect four-wheel drive models, so standard two-wheel drive Tacomas are left out of the recall.

According to Brian Lyons, Toyota's head of safety communications, "Most of the vehicles [included in the recall] are in the pipeline in Toyota's distribution system or on dealer lots."

Affected owners can contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331 for more information, and Toyota dealers will perform a ten minute visual inspection of the trucks. Naturally, if they find a fault with the prop shaft assembly, it will be replaced free of charge.

Tanner Foust Moving To European Rallycross Championship for 2010

Tanner Foust has about the most solid "car guy" curriculum vitae there is. Drift king, stuntman, rally champ, X Games legend, TV star, momentary Top Gear USA host, two-time U.S. representative for the International Race of Champions and of most important/impressive, Autoblog Podcaster. Well friends, let's go ahead and add Rallycross participant to Tanner's already padded resume.

When/Where/Why? Foust will be competing in the 2010 European Rallycross Championship as the sole American representative. Tanner will be traveling to Europe for the first four races before returning to the United States and bringing the races with him. For those unfamiliar with the discipline, rallycross is similar to rally racing, only the cars are typically 50 percent more powerful (600 horsepower as opposed to 400 hp) and the quick stages consist of dirt, jumps and tarmac. Tanner will of course be driving the same 600 hp devil of a Ford Fiesta he took to a bronze medal at last year's X Games.

Says Foust, "I've been watching European-style Rally Cross for years. I love the combination of dirt, pavement, jumps and door-to-door action – it's like a real-life videogame. I'm really excited to be on the leading edge of this discipline as it grows in the U.S. It's been popular in Europe for years – the fans here are going to love it." We're fully in agreement with Tanner on that last bit.

Opel Vauxhall coming to Geneva with new concept

Vauxhall will be trailering the new Meriva and the coming Ampera to next month's Geneva Motor Show, along with a concept that the company won't say a word about yet. A teaser image shows the car with an Opel logo, and it definitely isn't the Ampera unless they've dramatically reprofiled its front diffuser and dropped the mileage estimates.

Vauxhall reveals only that the secret car "embodies much of the company's future thinking in terms of design and engineering," and it's apparently being used to show that size and comfort can exist with environmental stewardship. We're going to guess some Volt/Ampera inner architecture, note the "Voltec" branding, under a larger sedan body. But we only have to wait three more weeks to find out.

Lamborghini celebrates 4,000th Murcielago made

It's been a long time since Lamborghini introduced the Murcielago. In it's original form the Diablo replacement came with a 6.2-liter V12 putting out 580 horsepower and 480 lb-ft torque. Since then Lamborghini has continuously upgraded the car with more horsepower, limited editions like the Reventon and the series-ending flagship in the form of the LP670-4 SuperVeloce. We've also seen plenty of good and bad tuner versions, and Lamborghini even managed to have a little success in motorsports. Best of all, we even got to take an LP640 home for a few days and couldn't help but fall in love with the Italian supercar. Why all the reminiscing? Lamborghini has just built the 4,000th Murcielago. In comparison, just 2,900 Diablos were built from 1991-2001.

The 4,000th Murcielago was recently completed at the Sant'Agata Bolognese factory where Lamborghini celebrated the occasion.

Chicago 2010: Chevrolet rolls out Caprice Police Car

Late last year, General Motors announced that it would build a Zeta-based Police Car for North American duty. Though there was already a perfectly good Pontiac G8 available before GM decided to shutter the brand, this Zeta would be based on the longer version of that platform as used by the Holden Statesman and be known as the 2011 Chevrolet Caprice police patrol vehicle.

Well, what do you know. Chevy brought just such a vehicle to the Chicago Auto Show, and we managed to snap off a series of photos to share. According to the personnel manning the booth, the Caprice PPV is still in concept form, complete with a refurbished Toughbook panel from Panasonic attached to the center console.

Being a long-wheelbase Zeta, the Caprice PPV has plenty of room for a divided cockpit with what appears to be a plexiglass barrier protecting the driver and front passenger from whatever or whomever happens to be confined to the rear. Other interesting tidbits include a number of storage locations, including one for weapons between the two front seats.

What would a new VW Corrado look like? Patrick Moczarsky thinks he knows...

Just about every Volkswagen aficionado who knows the Corrado has thoughts about the chunky coupe. Introduced in 1988 to replace the aging-yet-still-cool Scirocco, VW first "full-blooded sports car" went nuts with tech and equally nuts with pricing. The Corrado's VR6 engine and speed-reactive rear spoiler couldn't get people past the steep cost of entry, and the car was dead six years later.

The car still maintains a strong cult following, however, which is why graphic designer Patrick Moczarsky has envisioned what a new Corrado would look like, even though VW itself has released a new version of its predecessor, the Scirocco. The original car isn't a bad looker, which is why we aren't surprised that Moczarsky's concept looks almost exactly like the new VW corporate face on an old Corrado body. Moczarsky's other nod to the original: this one is also described as "expensive." Follow the jump for his thoughts on the car, and have a look at it in serial and tuned form in the gallery of high-res photos below. Just for fun, we've also embedded a bonus video of a VW Corrado G60 ad circa 1988, so be sure to check that out as well.