2009 North American Car Of The Year Nominees

2009 Car of the Year Nominee: Dodge Challenger

In January of next year the North American Car and Truck of the Year winners will be announced during the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.  The process that leads to that decision began last week with the release of the first round of 26 finalists.  Not suprisingly, vehicles from the crossover segment of the industry dominate this year’s list.

Since its inception in 1994, the winners of this prestigious award are chosen by a jury of 47 automotive journalists.  The path to the finals begins with a listing of all eligible vehicles, which in terms of this award means new or substantial modified existing models.  Earlier this month, jurors reviewed the entire list and picked the vehicles they thought deserved additional consideration on the next ballot. They were asked to limit their list to 10 cars and 10 trucks but are told to give the benefit of the doubt to vehicles they have not yet driven, which means their list may exceed 10 each.  Prior to the December 3rd deadline jurors send that ballot in to be tallied and the top three that emerge from that vote from each category are again voted on.  Finally, the winners are announced in January in Detroit.

In contrast to the long list of crossovers on both the truck and car lists, the only true pickups to make the cut this year are the Dodge Ram and Ford F-150.  A single SUV, the Kia Borrego is also a finalist.  Because the very nature of a “crossover” is a vehicle that has at least partial characteristics of both a car and a truck the process is a bit more complicated for this year.

A few of the more performance oriented front-runners for the award this year include the twin-turbo BMW 1-series, Nissan’s GT-R, the Dodge Challenger and the supercharged Cadillac CTS-V.  Whether the current economic and environmental climates have an impact on the voting will be interesting to see.  The full list of nominees is listed below.

2009 North American Car of the Year candidates

• Audi A4
• BMW 1-series
• Cadillac CTS-V
• Dodge Challenger
• Ford Flex
• Honda Fit
• Hyundai Genesis
• Jaguar XF
• Lincoln MKS
• Mazda6
• Nissan GT-R
• Pontiac G8
• Toyota Venza
• Volkswagen Jetta TDI

2009 North American Truck of the Year Candidates

• BMW X6
• Chevrolet Traverse
• Dodge Ram
• Ford F-150
• Honda Pilot
• Infiniti FX35/50
• Kia Borrego
• Mercedes ML320 BlueTEC
• Nissan Murano
• Saturn Vue 2-Mode Hybrid
• Subaru Forester
• Volkswagen Tiguan

Last year’s winners of the Car and Truck of the year were the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu and the 2008 Mazda CX-9.

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2009 Honda Insight Prepares For Parisian Debut

Today, Honda has confirmed that a bigger, updated model of their hybrid vehicle, the Honda Insight, will make its green entrance at the Paris auto show in October. Introduced in 1999, the Honda Insight is technically billed as the first mass produced hybrid vehicle and, in theory, should’ve beat the Toyota Prius at it’s own game. Unfortunately, in addition to being the leaders in hybrid technology, Honda was also the leader in aesthetically revolting exterior design. The latter distinction ultimately cost them big time; from 1999 to 2006, the Honda Insight only sold a total of 17,001 units. Expected to hit dealer showrooms in April, the 2009 Honda Insight will ditch the 2-passenger, covered rear wheel layout in favor of a five-passenger hatchback and will look absolutely nothing like its rival, the Toyota Prius. We jest, of course.

‘See The 09 Insight After The Jump

2009 Honda Insight

After licking their wounds, Honda sent the Insight back to the drawing board and for 2009, will reveal a fresh design shaded heavily with Prius-brand colored pencils. With a completely new platform, the 2009 Honda Insight adds room for three more passengers and loses those gross first generation rear panels. Although the Insight’s gasoline engine will be its primary power source, the electric motor will generate energy for the car’s auxiliary functions as well as provide additional power for accelerating, starting, and stopping. Surprisingly, the Insight’s upgrade does not spell price inflation - quite the opposite, in fact. Specifics have yet to be released, but Honda has confirmed that the Insight will retail for less than the both the $22,660 Civic Hybrid and the $21,500 Toyota Prius.

We say: We sympathize with Honda because they did it first, Toyota just did it better. We’re sincerely rooting for the Honda Insight, and if we manage to get our hands on a Prius and an Insight, we just might have to schedule a drag race shootout.

[Photo & News Source: Auto News]

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The IFR Aspid Super Sport: It’s What’s On The Inside That Counts, Really

Photo Courtesy of AutoExpress

Making its international debut at the British International Auto Show on July 22, the brand new IFR Aspid Super Sport stole the show. A super car by definition, the IFR Aspid Super Sport is a front engine, rear-wheel drive, luxury two-seater sportscar. Although its interesting (read: really acquired taste) exterior design suggests Lotus lineage, the IFR Aspid is in a league all its own.

Ground breaking technology, an unbelievable 50mpg, and the impressive power that usually comes standard with $100,000 sports car ($107,000; if you want to split hairs), does much to quickly set the Aspid Super Sport apart from would-be competitors. Unquestionably a car made to flex its specs on the asphalt (legally too, with its FIA endorsement), the IFR Aspid Super Sport boasts a 4-cylinder Supercharged engine capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 mph in 5.9 seconds, and from 0 to 62 mph in 2.8 seconds. In addition, the Aspid Super Sport also features a curb weight of 1,543 and a 402-horsepower engine, which clocks it in with a power-to-weight ratio of 570-horsepower-per-ton. According to egineering genuis and company founder, Ignacio Fernandez Rodriquez, “The whole point of the Aspid is that it is small and lightning fast, just like its namesake.”

The Aspid Super Sport’s performance stats certainly appear to spell “track car”, but the Aspid Super Sport is not the bare-essentials F-1 you would expect. Featuring both Bluetooth and WiFi capability, the Aspid Super Sport’s instrument panel and driver controls have all been integrated into one, user-friendly touch screen located in the center of the steering wheel. Offering a surprising amount of legroom given the Aspid Super Sport’s compact styling, the interior is a leather-clad, carbon-fiber, La-Z-Boy – our at least as close as you’re going to get to one barrelling down the freeway ( er, I mean – “closed professional driving course”) at 150 mph.

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Ford & Pontiac Leaning on Rappers Appeal to design and sell new cars

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2007 SEMA Show: Jay Leno shows off his E85 600-hp Corvette C6RS

Jay Leno is one of the premier car collectors of our time and with his switch in recent years toward Greener autos comes a new take on an existing Bow-Tie racer. Leno’s Corvette as seen above is a modified ZO6 that is dressed in carbon-fiber front and back and boasts a horse-heavy board aluminum 8.2 Liter engine that puts out 600 horses. What is special about the engine, besides how fast it spins the wheels, is the fuel that flows through the engine. The fuel that fed the vision Leno had for this Corvette and the fuel that ignites in each cylinder is E85.

The body design for Leno’s Corvette is based off of the C6R racer that runs in the Le Mans racing series. With wider front and rear fenders made of carbon-fiber and its straight black finish Leno’s E85 Corvette would be a highway thriller. However, more inspiring than the appearance of the car is the motivation behind the car, which is to prove that sports cars with high horses are not solely the realm of gasoline powered engines. You can take a homegrown fuel like E85 in this case and produce something that will still mash your head into the padding of your headrest.

For more on Jay Leno’s E85 C6RS Corvette read the official press release below.

Source[Chevrolet via Autoblog]

For release: Oct. 29, 2007, 12:01 a.m. EDT

GREEN AND MEAN: JAY LENO’S E85-CAPABLE Z06-INSPIRED C6RS CORVETTE BOASTS 600 HP AND ALTERNATIVE-FUEL CAPABILITY

LAS VEGAS: Tonight Show host Jay Leno’s predilection for performance cars is no secret, but many fellow enthusiasts may not know that he is keenly interested in alternative fuels. To prove that red-blooded power mixes easily with a touch of green, Leno partnered with Pratt & Miller the engineering company that builds and campaigns C6.R Corvettes to develop a modified Corvette Z06 that is capable of running on E85 ethanol. It was unveiled at the 2007 SEMA Show.

More than merely a conversion of the stock LS7 engine to E85 capability, Leno’s alternative-fuel supercar is powered by a custom, 8.2L (500-cubic-inch) all-aluminum small-block V-8 that pumps out approximately 600 horsepower and 585 lb.-ft. of torque.

The C6RS is the result of an idea we hatched to prove that high-performance cars and alternative fuel technology weren’t diametrically opposed concepts, said Leno. I love the idea of having 600 horsepower at my disposal, but using a homegrown alternative to gasoline.

The engine is built around a custom aluminum cylinder block that was CNC-milled from a single block of billet aluminum. And while the cylinder heads, intake system and dry-sump oiling system are stock LS7 components, the engine which has larger bore and stroke dimensions than the 7.0L (427-cubic-inch) LS7 uses a one-off reciprocating assembly, including a forged steel crankshaft, forged rods and forged pistons. Katech Engines, the company that builds engines for the Corvette C6.R racing program, developed the engine.

The fuel system and engine control computer were modified to accommodate E85, and spent gases exit through a Corsa exhaust system. Supporting the 600-horse engine ís power is a blueprinted and strengthened T-56 six-speed transmission and a high-performance Centerforce dual-friction clutch.

C6.R inspiration

On the outside, Leno’s bad and black C6RS emulates the styling of C6.R racecars, with wider front and rear fenders and a wider rear fascia with an integrated spoiler on top and a racing-style diffuser at the bottom (the diffuser incorporates an LED-lit backup lamp). A C6.R-style waterfall hood front fender louvers, rockers and lower grille opening further define this special Corvette and all of the car’s front-end panels are made of carbon-fiber, including custom brake air ducts routed through the front fenders. With all of its body modifications, Leno’s C6RS is 1.6 inches wider than stock.

The C6.R and production Corvette’s aerodynamically styled bodywork is designed to slice efficiently through the wind, which helps enhance fuel mileage.

The race-ready look of the car is enhanced with a quartet of BBS wheels that feature racing-type locking center hubs. The forged aluminum 18-inch front wheels and 19-inch rear wheels ride on Michelin P295/30ZR18 and P345/30ZR19 tires, respectively.

Adding authenticity to the carís custom bodywork was the involvement of Pratt & Miller. The company took on the task of crafting Leno’s Corvette into a street-going replica of the racecars, which included installing or fabricating a host of unique components, including:

* A custom DeWitt high-capacity radiator with dual cooling fans

* A carbon-fiber ram-air induction system

* Carbon-fiber inner fender panels that vent hot air from the engine compartment

* Brembo brakes with six-piston mono-block calipers in front and four-piston rear calipers

* Dyna-Mat used throughout the cabin and chassis to reduce interior noise

While the exterior and drivetrain were inspired by the racetrack, the C6RS’s cabin exudes luxury, with premium touches and enhancements from Genuine Corvette Accessories that include a two-tone shift knob and boot; leather-covered console armrest, parking brake handle and boot; an interior trim kit, racing-style pedal covers and more.

With its 600 horses on tap and domestically produced E85 fuel in the tank, Jay Leno’s alternative-fueled C6RS is an all-American supercar that proves high performance and environmental consciousness go together like the Corvette and checkered flags.

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