Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Misc. Auto Shows, Ferrari

We may have obsessively covered the cars of Pebble Beach Week out in Monterey, California, but it appears that we – and everyone else in the media – may have missed one.

If a letter sent to a Ferrari owner is to be believed (and we’re not convinced it should be), the automaker held a special gathering for a select group of owners to view a 599 Roadster prototype. The letter, which you can view at Luxury4Play.com, thanks the attendees for their “first feedback” on this “upcoming limited edition product.” There’s no way to verify the authenticity of this letter, but if we’re honest, it looks kinda-sorta legit.

Ferrari usually does a pretty good job of keeping these things under wraps, and since we didn’t get to see the 599 Roadster during our time in Monterey, we wouldn’t be surprised if it shows up at a future auto show (Paris, perhaps?). We’ll keep our eyes peeled.

[Source: Luxury4Play via 0-60 Magazine]

Was a Ferrari 599 Roadster present at Pebble? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Hyundai, Kia

Officially confirming what we’ve all but known for some time now, Kia announced this morning that its West Point, Georgia plant will add a second vehicle to its production line, the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe. The move will also be paired with the addition of a second shift beginning October 1, although limited production of the Santa Fe is earmarked to ramp-up on September 27.

The move hasn’t been driven by a need to consolidate as much as it is Hyundai-Kia’s need to find capacity to keep up with demand. The Sorento crossover, which is also produced at the plant, is currently Kia’s hottest-selling model, and Hyundai needs additional room to build more Sonata sedans at its Alabama facility, so it makes good sense to dual the two, especially as they share a sizable amount of components.

Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, which opened just last November, has an annual capacity of some 300,000 units, so there’s room to grow. For more details, click past the jump for the official press release.

[Source: Kia]

Kia confirms Hyundai Santa Fe to be produced alongside Sorento originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, Crossover, Ford

In case you thought installing SYNC into Ford vehicles was a ho-hum-whatever affair, that’s not the case – Ford puts a lot of thought into it. The Blue Oval’s latest assembly line advance is to have SYNC’s infotainment software installed into the 2011 Ford Edge via WiFi. Made possible by the the latest version of SYNC with WiFi access, the new process allows Ford to save money on parts and inventory by using a common module among vehicles in different cars and made in different plants. After the Edge, the Lincoln MKX and 2011 Explorer will gain the same systems. Follow the jump for the press release.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford begins using WiFi to install Sync on assembly lines

Ford begins using WiFi to install Sync on assembly lines originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Europe, Paris Motor Show, Volkswagen, Diesel

A Norwegian website claims to have snagged the first official photo of the 2011 Volkswagen Passat from one of the automaker’s European retailers (they didn’t, see the UPDATE below), and sources suggest we could see the restyled mid-size sedan as early as the Paris Motor Show this October.

There’s still some question about what engines will be available when the new Passat arrives in Europe, but VW’s ubiquitous turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four is sure to make an appearance, while a new 300-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 will be available in higher-spec trims, along with the normal assortment of diesel mills. A hybrid model has also been confirmed by VW, and soon after the sedan launches abroad, the wagon variant will debut, along with a possible R36 model. Expect the full details to be revealed before the end of the month.

UPDATE: Looks like the Passat pic is a rendering by the artists from Autobild.

[Source: DadBladet via WCF]

First image of 2011 Volkswagen Passat leaks out? [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, Hatchback, Audi, Diesel, Luxury

The arrival of the A1 abroad means the tuning of Audi’s pint-sized hatch begins in earnest. Germany’s Senner has taken on the angry-eyed three-door and has beefed up the 1.6 TDI model, boosting output from 103 to 138 horsepower. And just the engine mods alone will run you €899 ($1,146 U.S.).

If you have more needs and more to spend, the comprehensive Senner Tuning Package for €4,999 ($6,373 U.S.) bolts on an adjustable KW suspension, 18-inch Barracuda Voltec T6 wheels, stainless steel sport exhaust and “special painting.” For more details, check out the presser after the jump and for a look, hit up the gallery of high-res photos below.

[Source: Senner]

Continue reading Senner Tuning among first to amp up Audi A1

Senner Tuning among first to amp up Audi A1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Ford, GM, Nissan, Electric

Remember the documentary “Who killed the Electric Car?” Director Chris Paine created the film in 2005 and 2006 to bemoan the decision of some automakers to kill off their electric car programs. It’s now five years later and Paine and company are back with a vengeance videotaping “Revenge of the Electric Car.”

In the original film, General Motors was reviled for its decision to deep-six the innovative EV1 all-electric two-seat car. But thanks to the impending production of the Chevrolet Volt, GM is now considered one of the reasons that the EV is on the comeback trail. Paine and his crew were allowed access to The General’s Detroit Hamtramck plant to witness – with cameras rolling – the assembly production of pre-production Volt number 100. And to think that five years ago Rick Wagner and his crew would have been more likely to lend a size 14 boot to Paine’s rear end than allow him to film inside one of the company’s most important plants. My how times have changed.

There is no solid timetable for the release of “Revenge of the Electric Car” right now, but the documentary will likely align very well with the release of the Volt and Nissan Leaf, which are followed by an electric Focus not long after.

[Source: Revenge of the Electric Car]

Revenge of the Electric Car coming to a theater near you… sometime originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nigeria’s focus on its oil industry has resulted in an under-developed solid minerals industry, yet exploitation of the vast and largely untapped solid mineral reserves could provide the answer to the country’s power-supply problems. The government is keen on putting in place an attractive regulatory framework and has produced substantial geo-science data for use by investors who are now showing interest in the sector.

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Filed under: LA Auto Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Infiniti

Infiniti has officially announced plans to debut its first hybrid sedan at the Los Angeles Auto Show this November. The M35 hybrid first appeared – badged as the Nissan Fuga hybrid – at last fall’s Tokyo Motor Show, propelled by Nissan’s first in-house hybrid system. The M35 is powered by a retuned Atkinson cycle version of the 3.5-liter VQ V6 paired with a 50-kilowatt electric motor and a lithium ion battery pack that uses the same type of cells that power the Nissan Leaf.

The motor is a disc-type unit packed between the engine and the six-speed automatic transmission in a similar fashion to the systems from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Porsche. Infiniti claims the M35 will deliver V8 performance with the fuel consumption of a four cylinder. While the Fuga is set to go on sale in Japan this fall, the M35 hybrid arrives in the U.S. next year as a 2012 model.

[Source: Nissan]

LA Auto Show preview: Infiniti to launch 2012 M35 hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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STRUGGLING under the pressure of the strong rand and depressed global markets, fruit farmers are being forced to venture into various processing sectors in the value chain, according to Handri Conradie, director of At Source Handmade Foods in Ceres in the Western Cape.

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SOUTH African mining companies have been urged to use their advanced mining technology as a services skill to penetrate India’s mining industry.

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