Lamborghini Navarra Concept Study Penned by Lockheed Martin Designer

Most young designers these days appear to have the hots for anything related to Lamborghini. After the Cnossus, Minotauro, Miura Nuovo, Conquisto, Furia and Toro LA690-4 - just to mention some of the Lamborghini design concepts we've shown you the past few months, here comes yet another proposal for a Raging Bull model, this time from American Adam Denning who happens to be a designer for Lockheed Martin USA.
The Navarra is design study for a flagship Lamborghini supercar to replace the current Murcielago model.

"I tried to imagine all the V12 flagships of the brand from the Miura to the Murcielago, and then create a car that would look like it not only belonged in this group, but that it was the result of these cars as well," Denning explains.



"I was very inspired by Michelangelo's La Pietà. The way Mary's garments flow down and fold over each other was the main inspiration for the Navarra's overlapping surfaces and organic shapes."

Denning, who has a masters in Automotive Design from the Scuola Politecnica di Design in Milan, Italy, says that the Navarra would make use of a carbon-fiber frame and carbon-fiber panels with power coming from a V12 engine.

Photos Courtesy: Adam Denning , Via: CBD :autocoop

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Spyker to Begin Selling Sports Cars at Saab Showrooms

In a move that won't surprise anyone in the automotive industry, Spyker Cars NV and Saab Automobile owner, Victor Muller, confirmed plans to sell Spyker's high-end sports cars through Saab retailers by the end of the year.

"We are signing up Spyker dealerships left, right and center," Muller said in an interview with the Bloomberg news agency at Saab's headquarters in Trollhaettan, Sweden.
The firm's CEO said that as Saab dealers open their doors, Spyker's dealer network will almost double in 2010 expanding from 35 to 60 outlets and to about 90 by the end of next year.



One of the first Spyker models to be sold through selected Saab outlets will be the C8 Aileron that can reach a top speed of 186mph or 300km/h, and carries a base price of $214,990 in the U.S.

Aside from the Swedish automaker's dealer network, Muller said that Spyker has also started to benefit from lower prices for "generic" parts such as windscreen wiper motors that Saab gets through its higher sales volumes, adding that Spyker also plans to "tap Saab's engineering resources".

"Spyker will be profitable in its own right, very much helped by its sister Saab," said Muller. "It's wonderful that the company that saved Saab is also benefiting from having done that in its own business."

Via: Bloomberg

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BMW, Mercedes-Benz Fight to Outsell Each Other in China

BMW, Mercedes-Benz Fight to Outsell Each Other in China
BMW may have outsold Mercedes-Benz globally in 2009, but the two German automakers are both vying to be the biggest luxury brands in the Chinese market.


For the time being, BMW holds that title. Over the past six years, its marketshare in China has grown from 16 to 23 percent, but BMW isn’t resting on its laurels. At the Beijing auto show, CEO Norbert Reithofer announced the company has increased its 2010 sales forecast (which includes BMW, Mini, and Rolls-Royce vehicles) by 20 percent, bumping the total to 120,000 units. In contrast, BMW sold 90,500 vehicles in China in 2009.

New vehicles tailored to the Chinese market -- like the new long wheelbase 5 Series sedan -- will likely help BMW achieve that goal, but the automaker sees the potential to grow over the long term. Reithofer believes his company can build as many as 300,000 vehicles annually in China, thanks in part to an expanded joint venture with Brilliance Automotive Holdings. BMW is expanding its existing plant in Shengyang, which builds the 3- and 5 Series lines, but is also building a second facility, which may build the X1 crossover for the market.

Daimler was a little less forthcoming with specific goals for its Chinese market strategy, but said it simply plans on outselling BMW by 2011. The automaker believes a number of products, designed exclusively for Chinese customers, will help propel it to the top of the sales charts. In addition to launching a new line of heavy-duty trucks for commercial clients, Mercedes-Benz will ultimately launch an electric car co-developed with Chinese automaker BYD, and a long-wheelbase C-class sedan.

Of course, these plans for domination assume another German rival -- Audi -- isn’t able to turn about its fortunes in China. Although it had been the leading luxury brand in the market for the last 20 years, Audi has seen its marketshare slip over the last six years, falling from 66 to 46 percent. Should the firm’s new A8L or the forthcoming A7 fastback resonate with Chinese buyers, BMW and Mercedes-Benz both have their work cut out for them.

Source: Automotive News; 1,2 (Subscription required)

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Infiniti G37 Sport Sedan

Infiniti G37 Sport Sedan

- Base price: $37,865
- 328 hp, 269 lb-ft of torque
- Inexpensive, powerful luxury sedan

Although the Infiniti G37 is available in coupe and sedan models, again the obvious family choice is the four-door. Available in several trim levels, the Sport model is the best performer of the bunch. With pricing for the Sport sedan coming in at $37,865, it can easily be considered one of the least expensive luxury sport sedans available today.


The G37's 328 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque come from its 3.7-liter normally aspirated V-6 engine. A six-speed manual is the sole transmission option for the Sport sedan. Eighteen-inch five-spoke wheels come standard on the Sport model. Four-piston calipers grab fourteen-inch rotors in the front, whereas two-piston calipers slow 13.8-inch discs in the back. The rear wheels spin harmoniously with the help of a viscous limited-slip differential, and a sport-tuned suspension aids spirited driving maneuvers.

Dual-zone automatic climate control helps keep all occupants comfortable, while leather seating throughout not only adds to the comfort level but also eases the task of cleaning crumbs. Family sing-alongs are sure to be fun with the standard ten-speaker Bose audio system. Audio can be piped to the Bose system either through the iPod connector or via the G37's streaming Bluetooth capabilities. The two gigabytes of onboard storage can house a significant amount of music, too. Infiniti's Advanced Air Bag System adjusts inflation rates for the front air bags depending on crash severity. EPA fuel economy numbers indicate that the G37 Sport sedan should be able to attain 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. The G37 Sport sedan leads the $30,000 to $40,000 pack in luxury, sporty feel, and above all family friendliness. ...
source by automobilemag

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BMW M3

Two tuners have worked their magic to turn out their own versions of the latest BMW M3 that are, respectively, faster and more carbon-fibery Ultimate Driving Machines.

On the speed side, wheel tuner Emotion Wheels has expanded its business to include full tuning packages. In the case of the E92 M3, Emotion has eked out 707 horsepower from the V-8 that usually produces 414, claiming "significant" improvement in straight-line performance. Emotion's full upgrade also includes 19-inch black matte wheels, exterior styling enhancements, and a carbon-fiber hood.

Speaking of carbon fiber, aftermarket supplier Arkym is now offering a hood, trunk, and spoiler made from the lightweight stuff

Arkym's kit will set you back $1999 for the single-side hood (add $500 to make it a double), and $1249 for the single-side trunk (add $450 for the double). No pricing information has been released for the Emotion power and appearance package.

 source by automobi

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