TOP 10  -  Toyota chops '09 target

Toyota Motor Corp. on Thursday cut its global-sales target for next year by 6.7%, as higher gasoline prices and the slowing economy hurt demand in the United States, its largest market, media reports say.The world's most profitable automaker said Thursday it expects to sell 9.7 million vehicles worldwide in fiscal 2009, compared with its previous estimate of 10.4 million vehicles.

[ Source : freep ]

TOP 9  -  Mini Creates Rooftop Event Space in Manhattan to Promote Its Cars

During daylight hours, the Mini Rooftop, a design and marketing experiment from the German car brand Mini, will function as a park. The outdoor space, which opens Sept. 4 atop a building in Clinton, will greet daytime visitors with a 4,500-square-foot landscaped expanse, an 8-foot grassy hill implanted with plastic dishes that serve as seats, and activities like symposiums on “green living” and Pilates classes.At night, 320 flashing L.E.D.’s and a pulsating 28-foot lighting tower will turn the rooftop into a site for invitation-only parties and other events.

[ Source : nytimes ]

TOP 8  -  Mercedes-Benz moves dirt on new Georgia facility

The German car company, which makes M-Class SUVs in Vance, Ala., broke ground on the new 70,000-square-foot facility and plans to begin operations in summer 2009. The Brunswick plant replaces an existing facility in Jacksonville, Fla. It will process Mercedes vehicles headed for Mercedes-Benz dealers throughout the South, Texas and Oklahoma.The U.S. Maritime Administration’s Port Impact economic model estimates the additional 50,000 automobiles through Brunswick will create 122 new jobs, generate $1.5 million in state and local taxes and add $5.5 million to Georgia’s gross state product.

[ Source : bizjournals ]

TOP 7  -  Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Decked Out in Chrome

There's something slightly gaudy about driving around town in a supercar. We all know that these vehicles aren't exactly practical, but they would be an absolute blast to drive. Well, when a regular old Lamborghini isn't eye-catching enough for you, there is always the possibility of wrapping it all up in extra shiny chrome. You know, like this car.For whatever reason, one guy decided to take his Lamborghini Murcielago LP640, already quite the eye-catching vehicle on its own, and he decked it out in chrome. We're not just talking about little chrome accents here and there either, as all the body panels were dipped in the super shiny stuff.

[ Source : mobilemag ]

TOP 6  -  2008 Kia Magentis EX Review

Chances are you've never noticed the Kia Magentis on the road -- and that's perfectly normal. Despite the arrival of a new generation two years ago, this Korean sedan remains one of the most low-profile models in the entire auto industry -- at least until the upgraded 2009 edition hits the market. The conservatively-styled front and rear fascias, in particular, seem to have been penned by Buick designers. Look at the taillights; they're virtually identical to those of the Buick Lucerne.

[ Source : auto123 ]

TOP 5  -  Ford leading after first stages

With Ford's Jari-Matti Latvala setting the fastest time on the opening stage of Rally New Zealand and team-mate Mikko Hirvonen quickest through the second, the Ford duo lead the rally after Friday morning's first two stages. The Ford team is in full attack mode, taking advantage of the slight disadvantage that Sébastien Loeb faces running first on the road.

[ Source : tvnz ]

TOP 4  -  One Last Trip to the Beach: Fiat Portofino Show Van

The quirky design of the vehicle was inspired by open-topped beach cars from the '60s that were built onto Fiat models by Italian coachbuilders. This one is originally based on the Fiat Fiorino, with the doors and roof removed and replaced by a rollbar-like central ring that makes the structure sturdier.

[ Source : edmunds ]

TOP 3  -  Ferrari Racing Days At Budapest

The Hungaroring, Budapest is preparing to host this weekend’s Ferrari Racing Days, which will see the F430 cars take part in the fifth round of Italian and European series of the Ferrari Challenge Pirelli Trophy and the historic cars compete in the third round of the Shell Ferrari Historic Challenge. The programme also provides the opportunity to see in action the historic single-seaters run by the F1 Clienti department of Maranello: driving one of the 17 cars – an ex-Barrichello F2003-GA, will be Frenchman Guillaume Moreau, currently leading the GT1 class in the Le Mans Series.

[ Source : paddocktalk ]

TOP 2  -  BMW Mulls Building More in U.S. With Latest 3 Series

For 2011, Volkswagen and (by association) Audi are working on a new plant in Tennessee that will build the A4 and Q5, among other models, and Mercedes is looking to get C-Class production into the Alabama plant by 2011 as well. Now it's BMW's turn to up the ante with higher-volume production from its South Carolina location.

[ Source : edmunds ]

TOP 1  -  2008 Audi A5 S-Line Coupe All-new Audi is a modern grand tourer

The ringmasters at Audi have launched new model series into a highly charged market segment. The new A5 coupe skillfully blends Audi's strong design cues with exhilarating driving performance capability while managing to combine generous levels of refinement and sophistication. The look is elegant, dynamic and racy, sitting low and hugging the road.

[ Source : sfgate ]