Wednesday, March 30, 2011

VÄTH Turns up the Wick on the Mercedes-Benz CL500 Coupe


The Mercedes-Benz CL500 [C216] coupe is the latest car to drop into the hands of German tuning firm VÄTH. The company starts by squeezing more power out of the 5.5-liter V8 engine through the use of sport camshafts, custom stainless steel sport catalysts and air filters. Output is lifted from 388HP to 460HP and 600Nm, while VÄTH also removes the speed limiter allowing the modified CL500 to reach a top speed of 290km/h or 180mph. Read more »

Tesla Sues the BBC and Top Gear for Libel Against the Roadster


Tesla Motors announced yesterday that it has sued BBC's Top Gear TV show for “libel and malicious falsehood.” The American automaker’s action refers to a Top Gear episode aired on December 14 2008, when Jeremy Clarkson tested the Tesla Roadster.

According to Tesla, the show “contained lies and misinformation about the Roadster's performance, behavior and reliability.” Tesla Motors considers the breakdowns of the Roadster that allegedly occurred during the Top Gear episode were “staged” and that the statements made during the show are untrue.

More specifically, Tesla claims Top Gear misrepresented that:

  1. The Roadster ran out of charge and had to be pushed into the Top Gear hangar by 4 men.
  2. The Roadster’s true range is only 55 miles per charge (not 211).
  3. One Roadster’s motor overheated and was completely immobilized as a result.
  4. The other Roadster’s brakes were broken, rendering the car undriveable.
  5. That neither of the two Roadsters provided to Top Gear was available for test driving due to these problems.

Read more »

2012 Jaguar XF Facelift with New 2.2-Liter Turbo Diesel to Debut in New York Auto Show


Undeniably, the XF is one of the most important models in Jaguar’s recent history, as it turned a new design page for the British carmaker at a time the company changed ownership, from Ford to India’s Tata Motors. Now, three years after its market launch in 2008 following a debut at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, Jaguar is preparing a facelift version of the XF that will receive its world premiere at next month’s New York Auto Show.

The facelift model will receive a makeover that includes a new front fascia with new lights, a redesigned front grille and reshaped bumper, which oddly enough, bring it closer to the original C-XF Concept that previewed the car. The XF will also benefit from tweaks to the interior and the overall quality, the introduction of new tech systems and an upgraded suspension for improved ride and handling.

Perhaps the biggest news for buyers across the pond is the introduction of a new 2.2-liter four-cylinder turbo diesel engine. The oil-burner is a development of the Ford unit found in the Land Rover Freelander and the European-market Ford Mondeo, however, given that the XF is rear wheel drive, it sits in a north-south configuration so Jaguar had to make several changes to the engine.

Read more »