When Porsche’s Panamera was first launched it turned heads because no one had ever seen a Porsche sedan before. Well, it finally entered into production and has been generally well received, so well in fact that Porsche has decided to cook up a few new models.

New models include a V6 touting Panamera along with a diesel model. But the real model all of us care about is the new sport-oriented model that will pump out more power than the Panamera Turbo.

There’s no telling when we’ll be seeing these new Panameras but considering the Turbo has a turbocharged V8, anything higher is good with me.

Read (Autoblog)

Now, it’s not very often that you get your hands on an expensive car with the soul purpose of covering it in artwork. However, artist Romero Britto got just that chance with a Bentley Continental GT nonetheless.

Nothing has been done under the hood but as you can see it’s been covered with white squiggles and all sorts of other artwork sure to make any collector drool.

This peice of art will be auctioned off after Britto’s Come to my World exhibition taking place in Berlin from July 10th to September 6th.

Read (WorldCarFans)

Chevrolet’s Camaro has been a picture perfect example of American muscle ever since its first production model was conceived. But what would happen if you dropped American muscle smack dab in the middle of the UK? Chevy is looking to find out.

They have recently announced that not only has their 2010 Chevrolet Camaro completely sold out despite the economical climate, but that they will begin selling the Camaro in Europe sometime in the near future.

Unfortunately no prices have been announced but the car is currently priced at $23,040 for a V6 touting 2010 Camaro and $35,423 for the V8 touting SS Camaro. The same goes for release dates, no word yet.

Just in case Pagain’s Zonda Cinque wasn’t expensive enough, Pagani has gone ahead and announced the Zonda Cinque Roadster.

Despite having a €1.3 million price tag, underneath the hood buyers will find some very enticing goodies. It sports an AMG tuned engine capable of 678HP and a 0-100km/h sprint of just 3.4 seconds. Match that with the ceramic-coated titanium exhaust, traction control, six-speed sequential transmission, 19/20-inch aluminum, mangesium wheels and carbo-ceramic brakes you find yourself with a car fit for a king.

If by some stretch of the imagination you have enough money to purchase one of these you better pull some strings because there will be only 5 of them made.

It seems that UK automaker Lightning Car Company has announced that, in addition to their recently announced Lightning GT, they will be launching 3 additional all-electric vehicles.

If you didn’t know, the Lightning GT is an all-electric vehicle with a 120,000 price tag, 0-60 mph sprint of 4 seconds and a range of 180 miles. It hasn’t hit the market yet but Lightning Car Company head honcho Ian Sanderson says that they have a smaller sportscar, SUV and a “high-end chauffer-driven car with electric power” in the works.

So yeah, none of us will be able to afford these, but thanks anyways Lightning Car Company.

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Volvo is shifting into high gear for their fuel cell technology venture, possibly creating additional jobs in Stockholm if everything goes according to plan. Swedish Energy Agency and the Volvo Group are investing SEK 200 M in Volvo’s development of fuel cells. The investment will create around 100 new positions in the Gothenburg region within the next three years.

In the autumn of 2009, Powercell Sweden will need to hire around 60 people in an entirely new plant in the Gothenburg region. Per Wassén, who is Investment Director at Volvo Technology Transfer and chairman of Powercell Sweden AB, foresees that the company will create around 100 new jobs within the next three years.

With the growing need for alternative energy and fuel for various means but largely for vehicles, fuel cell technology can truly be a big help towards the efforts of local motorists and car companies. A fuel cell resembles a small battery. It is charged with hydrogen gas and converts this into electricity, water and carbon dioxide through a chemical reaction.

The areas of use can be power supply units for households, trucks, boats, radio masts in remote locations and electric hybrid vehicles. Compared with normal diesel or gas-powered engines, fuel cells produce significantly less carbon dioxide and no emissions at all of particulates and nitrogen oxides. In addition, they are more efficient, smaller and lighter.

(Source) Press

For the first 100 gallons using the Shell Card, Shell has announced a limited offer where 30 cents per gallon will be returned for the first 100 gallons purchased using the said cards. The promo is valid onl for a 90 day period and available at all Shell-branded stations. The promo is valid for those who sign up and are approved for a new Shell Card from June 29, 2009 to September 30, 2009.

“Whether it means taking vacations closer to home or replacing flights with road trips, being budget-conscious is top of mind for many consumers this year,” said Mark Theobald, US Consumer Cards, Shell Oil Products US. “The Shell Card promotion will help drivers get the most out of every drop by offering a timely and effective solution that lowers the cost of driving without sacrificing the quality of fuel.”

For easy budgeting, Shell Card holders can track and manage gasoline purchases separately from other day-to-day expenses. The Shell Card is a proprietary credit card that offers free 24/7 online account access, no annual fee, flexible payment options and pay-at-the-pump convenience.

Consumers can use the Shell Card at any Shell-branded station coast-to-coast, participating Jiffy Lube locations nationwide, and more than 250,000 ATMs across the US. With the promotion, new Shell Card holders will receive a $30 statement credit after purchasing 100 gallons of gasoline within 90 days of the account open date.

(Source) Press

Continental Tires North America is set to acquire a larger market share in Latin America with the reported acquisition of Compania Ecuatoriana del Caucho S.A.(ERCO). What makes Continental in a better position with this deal is that ERCO has a strong distribution network in Ecuador and the Andean region.

“Our plan is to have ERCO manage the six countries of the Andean region so that we can expand our business in these critical growth markets which, together, have a larger population size than that of Mexico, but with faster growth.”

Over the last two years, Continental Tire has significantly increased its market share in Latin America by a focused growth strategy. The opening of a Sales office in Argentina in summer 2008 accelerated the growth even further. Continental Tire manages its Latin American operations with the exception of Mexico and the Andean Region out of its significant operations in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

(Source) Press

T3 Motion has recently announced its intentions to launch an all-electric 3-wheeled ‘personal commuter’ entitled the CT3. Autoblog reports that this is T3 Motion’s first vehicle designed for personal commuter use.

The CT3 will apparantly have a restricted top speed of 45 MPH and will be powered by T3’s Power Management with the juice coming from lithuim polymer batteries.

Despite looking insanely real the above image is only a render with no word on release dates or pricing.

Nissan’s 370Z is awesome in itself but the automaker is looking to make the car even more enticing recently announcing a Yellow GT4 coupe limited edition at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.

This limited edition will feature an exclusive Ultimate Yellow paint job, 370Z decals and 19-inch allow rims. On the inside there is black leather seats, suede upholstery, illuminated sill plates, heated seats, satellite navigation and last but not least a BOSE sound system.

What really matters, however, is whats under the hood. This vehicle will feature a 3.7L V6 engine capable of 331PS and 270 pounds of torque. All of this coupled with a 6-speed manual transmission (or 7-speed automatic if you opt for it) make for a 0-62mph sprint of 5.3 seconds and an (unfortunately) restricted top speed of 155mph.

Nissan says that the Yellow will be made available at participating UK dealers for £31,650 with manual transmission or £33,050 for automatic. Unfortunately, there was no mention of a North American release.

The drop in incentives along with the overall reduced market demand have caused the Toyota Motor Corporation’s United States sales to be lower than expected in June. The car manufacturer saw a staggering 32 percent drop in June. Both Nissan and Honda also experienced significant drops (30 and 23 percent.)

On the bright side for Toyota was that the Prius hybrid had better numbers. The company saw a huge 10 percent increase in the Prius sales. This may be due to the gas conscious consumer looking for ways to save money. The Prius is rated as getting 50 miles per gallon by the U.S. and uses a gasoline and electric engine combination.

Is a vehicle from Toyota built in the United States truly a “domestic vehicle?” Without trying to get too detailed in what makes a domestic vehicle a true domestic, there are several vehicles that are considered more American than others.  The National Highway and Transportation Administration provided some information for a list of vehicles “Most American”.

The following are the top vehicles rated “All American, based on what percentage are built in the U.S.”  The Ford Taurus is ranked number one, followed by the Lincoln MKS, Toyota Sienna and Chevrolet Express in the top four. Each vehicle is at least 82 to 85 percent American made.

As you may know, the government announced its Cash For Clunkers plan recently. Under the plan, consumers can get rid of their older gas guzzling vehicles and receive a voucher to use towards purchasing new vehicles. But, there’s a catch! There is a ceiling limit on the vehicles which means those valued at $4500 or higher will not qualify for the program.

The problem with this, some believe, is that those who have a vehicle valued so low may be unable to afford a new car in the first place. The program does not work for all cars, either. You will need to check out the government’s website to find out if your vehicle is approved. This is based on age and the MPG the car gets, too. The program isn’t as simple as it sounds.

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Much has been said about the celebrated Cash for Clunkers program and now, there is one company that has officially announces entertaining customers who wish to avail of such a program. Hyundai, known to be among the first in business and a lot of unique programs to entice sales breaks the ice as being the first official company to entertain customers who will avail of the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS).

In fact there was already a first customer. Katherine Michon of Arlington, Virginia was the first to trade-in an eligible clunker for a new Hyundai, replacing her 15 mile-per-gallon 1995 Ford Explorer with a 26 mile-per-gallon Hyundai Elantra Touring, at Alexandria Hyundai in Alexandria, Virginia.

Hyundai buyers will receive the full rebate allocated under the CARS program (also known as “cash for clunkers”) when an eligible trade-in is exchanged for a qualifying Hyundai model. Hyundai is the first automaker to extend the government incentive to consumers, accelerating its implementation by several weeks by backing dealerships with short-term cash advances as the government organizes the rollout of the program industry-wide.

(Source) Press

To most car enthusiasts, only a few would perhaps hear about GM’s Equinox. Well for the record, this is another potential SUV for consideration, another vehicles that GM is pinning its hopes on with regards to the growing market we have today.

The Equinox is rising in popularity and if forecasts holds true, we may see another successful GM variant in the works. In fact, GM is expecting a growth of 60% by 2013, and the Equinox is seen as the SUV that will make it all happen. All of this comes after the much heralded reorganization process that General Motors has been through.

The Equinox will get over 32 miles per gallon on the highway and provide a range of nearly 550 miles. It will also have 5-star safety and six airbags, delivering the best in each of those categories.

(Source) Press

All drivers need to undergo the necessary protocol to be issued a driver’s license. Apparently, this has been missing in Texas, leaving teenagers to drive at their own discretion. However, all that is set to change as the traditional drivers license exams and tests are brought back thanks to this bill by Governor Perry.

The House Bill 339 is authored by Larry Phillips which can be viewed in full here.

House Bill 339 was signed by Governor Perry on June 19, 2009 and it becomes effective on September 1, 2009. As a result of this Bill, an on-road driving test will be required for minors, drivers aged 16 and 17, who are getting their driver license. Driving instructors can no longer waive the actual driving test.

A study of Texas driving records shows that 16 and 17 year old graduates of Driver Ed in a Box have a collision rate of less than two percent (2%) compared to all other programs in Texas whose graduates have a collision rate of eleven percent (11%).

(Source) Press

Think of the craziest things you can do in your car and perhaps you can compare them with these findings in the UK market. Apparently many UK motorists have admitted what goes on inside their vehicle ranging from having sex all the way to fighting inside them. Others which made up the survey dined out and even slept in them.

From these facts alone, you have an inkling of an idea what a car is for Brit folks, something that may not necessarily be different to us locally. Of these things, the glaring figure is finding out that over 11 million Brits admitted having sex in the car, something that could perhaps be attributed to the rising expense of checking in a motel or hotel?

“Our survey provides a rather detailed picture of what some of us Brits are getting up to in our cars. Getting changed through to having sex, are behind-the-wheel activities that could surprise many. However, there is a serious note to these findings which is the distraction element some drivers are exposing themselves to when multi tasking. It’s absolutely critical drivers focus their full attention on driving and the road around them. If a motorist is involved in an accident, whilst being distracted, they can face criminal charges, points and even prison.”

(Source) Press

The electric car is all the rave these days. And while we have seen a lot of concept cars in the making, many compare it to the route of the Apollo Programs’ Lunar Rover which took years to complete. In the same way, electric cars are still a bit lagging and one derivative is cost. However, most critics feel that pricing structures may be a hindrance, especially if the current economic situation does not improve. For example, would you pay over $15,000 for an electric car?

“What people overlook is that accomplishing ‘big picture’ programs like Apollo require accepting the concept of unlimited spending to achieve the mission,” says Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the industry authority Green Car Journal and editor of GreenCar.com. “Current levels of unprecedented federal spending notwithstanding, electric cars are not an exclusive answer to future transportation challenges and consumers will not be willing to buy them at all costs.”

The primary culprit is not the car. Automakers in the 1990s proved they could produce full-function electric vehicles offering the attributes that most drivers expect, although with limited driving range of about 100 miles or so. What they couldn’t do was replace a gas tank with an advanced battery pack that cost less than $20,000 to $30,000. Extraordinarily high battery cost is why we’re seeing newly-announced battery electric sedans with a retail cost of $45,000 to $55,000.

(Source) Press

People over at Alpharetta were treated to a fun event and a first-hand glimpse of the 2010 Mercedes Benz E-Class. The new vehicle from the German car company features the latest safety, efficiency and comfort technology from Mercedes-Benz. Groundbreaking safety features perform such functions as monitoring driver alertness, preparing the vehicle to minimize damage in a collision, and automatically adjusting high beam brightness. In addition to the sedan and wagon, the E-Class will be available as a two-door sport coupe for the first time in 15 years.

Not only is the E-Class loaded with innovations and an updated, aerodynamic design; the starting price is also $4,600 lower than for the 2009 E-Class models.

General Manager Randy Powell said, “RBM-North was delighted to be able to give our local community a preview of the exciting new 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. It’s the perfect car for anyone looking to combine luxury and value - and I believe there are a lot of consumers these days who fall into that category. We are thrilled at the great turnout for this event, and we really feel that we’ve become a part of the community. We look forward to many more events like this one, where we can offer something for everyone in the family to enjoy.”

(Source) Press