First official Porsche Panamera Gran Turismo teaser revealed

It's not like Porsche has done a very good job keeping the Panamera, its upcoming four-door sports sedan coupe, a secret. We've seen more spy shots of the Panamera undergoing testing than pics of Britney doing something unseemly in public, and that's a lot. But rather than just show us the final production form of the Panamera, the name of which is now officially followed by "Gran Turismo", Porsche has decided to do a full blown marketing roll out using the just launched Panamera Online Magazine as the medium through which we'll see the production Panamera bit by bit. The first issue is out and contains a few not-very-revealing sketches of the car as well as an image that will be used in upcoming advertisements in which the Panamera peeks its nose out of a garage. Unfortunately, the front end of the car looks pretty much like every other Porsche. Nevertheless, the roll out has begun and sooner rather than later we'll be able to pass judgment on Porsche's first four-door passenger car. Porsche says the Panamera's official debut is scheduled for next spring (probably the Geneva Motor Show in March), with sales to commence in late summer or early fall of 2009.

Gallery: Porsche Panamera Gran Turismo

[Source: Porsche]

Top Gear reviews ZR1, hard to get past Corvette looks

Let's not beat around any shrubbery with this: Top Gear magazine has reviewed the Corvette ZR1, and the quotes you need to know are, "The dynamics are better than an Aston DBS...," and "...[M]ake no mistake. What we have here is one of the truly great supercars."

Of course, there are caveats: it looks like a Corvette, the interior doesn't match those of its supercar rivals and the steering could use more feel. The latter quip is why you get other critiques like "...you don't get the precision of a 599." To have a UK magazine critique a Corvette against a 599 is probably the opposite of the insult it might appear to be on the surface. But don't take our word for it, follow the link and read for yourself how the ZR1 has "the performance and the chassis to match an SLR 722." It's not a bad way to start the week...

Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Corvette ZR1

[Source: Top Gear]

Obama a Prius? Palin a Camaro? Politics get revved up

We try to stay out of politics here at Autoblog, but sometimes, events obligate us to jump into the fray. The latest event is a Harvard Business School professor's comparison of the two leading presidential candidates to automobiles.

John Quelch said in an interview with Newsweek that he thinks of Barrack Obama as a new Prius and John McCain as an "old Ford F-150." Politically, those two products carry some weighty social symbolism that, as car guys, we're not all that concerned with.

But we do wonder what Mr. Quelch's comments mean to us. The Prius is generally seen as a visually boring, fiscally-conservative choice with little to no fun factor. On the other hand, an old Ford pickup truck isn't exactly exciting to look at and drinks a lot of gas, but it'll carry a lot more furniture on moving day and is way more fun in the mud than the Toyota. Then, in an interview with AdAge, Mr. Quelch says that by choosing Alaska Governer Sarah Palin as his running mate, McCain has put a red Chevy Camaro next to his truck.

Hmm. Palin as a Camaro? Next to McCain's Ford truck? Sounds like a house divided to us.

How about it? Is Obama a hybrid Japanese car? McCain a pickup truck? Should Mr. Quelch have said Palin is a Barracuda?

[Sources: AdAge via Newsweek]

Duel: HSV GTS and FPV GT-P face off Down Under

FPV vs. HSV is basically Australian for "Ford vs. Chevy," but on steroids. The two performance divisions have elevated the production of the muscle sedan to an art form, with audacious looks and big power ruling the day. It's as if the original American muscle car era never ended, but got a passport and moved Down Under. Granted, we in the States don't have much to complain about lately, with Aussie muscle now available in a Pontiac wrapper, as well as the 21st century editions of Camaro, Challenger and Mustang waiting to wreak havoc at stoplights.

Still, the sweetest fruit is that which is forbidden, so you might be interested in the Motoring Channel's super acronym showdown: FPV GT-P vs. HSV GTS. The FPV is based on the new Ford FG Falcon, which arrived earlier this year, while the HSV's Holden Zeta platform underpinnings are now a couple years old. Both have V8s, both look evil, and tires break into cold sweats at the mere thought of being mounted on either machine's rear axle. With these two rides, the differences are such that picking a winner is akin to choosing between porterhouse and prime rib. It's not as if you're going to be disappointed either way, but deep down, you do have a preference. Click here to read which menu item the Motoring Channel likes best. Thanks for the tip, Torrent!

Gallery: HSV GTS

Gallery: 2008 FPV GT-P

[Source: Web Wombat/Motoring Channel]

Ford delays 340-hp Fusion GT to 2012

Motor Trend is reporting in its October 2008 issue that Ford has decided to delay the Fusion GT, an EcoBoost-powered super sedan producing upwards of 340 horsepower. The original plan was to have the GT model arrive at the tail end of the current Fusion's product cycle as a low-volume, super niche send off to the successful mid-sizer before it merges with the European EUCD platform that underpins the Mondeo. The problem is that Ford is planning a big roll-out for EcoBoost engines across its brands and there may not be enough to spare for the Fusion GT. MT is now saying that the Fusion GT will debut around 2012 after the next-generation sedan debuts on the European platform and the automaker's ability to pump out turbocharged, direct-inject engines is up to speed. The good news is that the spiritual successor to the Taurus SHO has not been cancelled altogether, and by 2012 we should be able to drive it.

VIDEO: Autocar pits the Caterham R500 against a Ducati

There's no arguing that the Caterham R500 is an amazing piece of four-wheeled machinery. In fact, it may just be the quickest way around a race track short of a Formula 1 car. We're equally as certain that the Ducati Hypermotard is an awesome motorcycle, so putting both of these performers on the same track and letting them have at it is certain to entertain. Autocar must have thought so, too, and udging by the video posted after the break, the event didn't let anybody down. As is usually the case when a bike is put up against a car, the race was close. In the longer straight sections of the track, the Duck's power-to-weight ratio allows it to pull away from the Caterham. The Caterham, with twice the number of contact patches, easily out-brakes the Ducati rider and can carry more speed throughout the turn. So, is the race that will finally put an end to the age-old question about which is faster around a given course? Probably not, but it sure is fun to watch. Want to know who won? Hit the jump, and be sure to pay attention as the Caterham goes airborne.

London 2008: Mastretta MXT will be Mexico's first homegrown car

Click above for more high-res shots of the Mastretta MXT

It may have taken Mexico a while to produce its first car, but at least when it finally took place, it did so with style. When we originally heard of the Mastretta MXT, it was said to be powered by a stock Ford Duratec four-banger. Fortunately, the production machine will be blessed with a much more impressive version of the 2.0L mill, one tuned by the maestros at Cosworth, who have also bestowed the block with a turbocharger. Claimed output is 240 horses, which is plenty to move the MXT along at an impressive clip due to its light weight of just 900 kilograms -- just a bit shy of a ton. The run to sixty is dispatched in under five seconds and top speed is up around a buck-fifty.

The car will be available beginning next May in the U.K., with other European destinations to follow. Fitting, as the car, with its chassis a blend of aluminum bonded with composites and its body of fiberglass, will be compared most directly with Britain's own Lotus Elise and Exige.

Audi considering mid-engine layout for next-gen TT?

Not the next-gen model, but click above for Audi TT-S high-res gallery

Audi's next-gen TT may be getting a significant re-design, with a mid-engine placement if the swirling speculation around the interwebs is true. Now in its second-generation, the TT sits on Volkswagen's PQ35 platform (shared with the Volkswagen Eos and Tiguan) meaning customers are offered a front-engine chassis with a front- or all-wheel drive powertrain. When stacked against the front-engine BMW Z4 and mid-engine Porsche Boxster/Cayman, the current Audi TT holds its own... but that isn't keeping Ingolstadt engineers content. They realize that if they switch to a mid-engine design, like the one found on the amazing Audi R8, balance and handling will improve. Plus, Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system can be tailored with even more rearward torque bias. The third-gen TT, however, isn't set to debut until 2013. With Porsche moving closer to purchasing Volkswagen, a long lead may work to Audi's advantage as they'll have to convince the automaker from Stuttgart that a mid-engine TT won't chew into Boxster/Cayman sales.

London 2008: Mastretta MXT will be Mexico's first homegrown car

Click above for more high-res shots of the Mastretta MXT

It may have taken Mexico a while to produce its first car, but at least when it finally took place, it did so with style. When we originally heard of the Mastretta MXT, it was said to be powered by a stock Ford Duratec four-banger. Fortunately, the production machine will be blessed with a much more impressive version of the 2.0L mill, one tuned by the maestros at Cosworth, who have also bestowed the block with a turbocharger. Claimed output is 240 horses, which is plenty to move the MXT along at an impressive clip due to its light weight of just 900 kilograms -- just a bit shy of a ton. The run to sixty is dispatched in under five seconds and top speed is up around a buck-fifty.

The car will be available beginning next May in the U.K., with other European destinations to follow. Fitting, as the car, with its chassis a blend of aluminum bonded with composites and its body of fiberglass, will be compared most directly with Britain's own Lotus Elise and Exige.

Audi considering mid-engine layout for next-gen TT?

Not the next-gen model, but click above for Audi TT-S high-res gallery

Audi's next-gen TT may be getting a significant re-design, with a mid-engine placement if the swirling speculation around the interwebs is true. Now in its second-generation, the TT sits on Volkswagen's PQ35 platform (shared with the Volkswagen Eos and Tiguan) meaning customers are offered a front-engine chassis with a front- or all-wheel drive powertrain. When stacked against the front-engine BMW Z4 and mid-engine Porsche Boxster/Cayman, the current Audi TT holds its own... but that isn't keeping Ingolstadt engineers content. They realize that if they switch to a mid-engine design, like the one found on the amazing Audi R8, balance and handling will improve. Plus, Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system can be tailored with even more rearward torque bias. The third-gen TT, however, isn't set to debut until 2013. With Porsche moving closer to purchasing Volkswagen, a long lead may work to Audi's advantage as they'll have to convince the automaker from Stuttgart that a mid-engine TT won't chew into Boxster/Cayman sales.

Lock & Load: CTS-V to go hunting in Europe after all

Last week, we reported on a Top Gear piece that indicated Cadillac would not be sending the CTS-V super-sedan to Europe. Cadillac contacted us with some corrections and clarifications, which we now deliver to you. First, the CTS-V is going to Europe. That fantasy matchup in the likes of Auto Motor und Sport that pits it against the likes of the M5, RS6 and the AMG E-Class is bound to happen after all. Top Gear's complaint centered around the UK-market's particular situation. You see, the CTS-V is not going to Blighty in right-hand-drive form. The V-Series car is only being produced with the steering wheel on the left side of the IP, though the company STILL can (and intends to) offer a limited number of CTS-V sedans in the UK in LHD configuration, according to Caddy spokesman David Caldwell. This could be duplicated in other RHD markets as well, save for Australia, where apparently, the regulations are such that left-hand-drive vehicles are simply not an option. We won't shed a tear for Australia, though. They have plenty of cool stuff that we won't see either.

So, to sum up: the CTS-V will be exported. Europe will see it, and so might the UK, but with the steering wheel on the "wrong" side (as far as they're concerned).

Dodge officially announces Challenger Drag Race Package at Mopar Mile-High Nationals

This weekend, Dodge officially unveiled two Challenger Drag Race Package cars that made their inaugural runs down the 1/4 mile track in front of thousands of race fans at the Mopar Mile-High Nationals near Denver, CO. Based on the standard Challenger SRT8, each of the Drag Race Package cars features a completely stripped body that has the body sealer, sound deadener, and undercoat all removed. Additional components are also left out including the windshield wipers, HVAC system, air bags, rear seats, power steering, exhaust system, side-impact beams, rear bumper beam, and more. Further weight is saved by using composite and poycarbonate components, and overall a total of 1000 pounds has been shaved off the car.

Additional changes include repositioning the engine for a better driveline angle, a slightly shortened wheelbase, a bolt-in crossmember, and solid engine mounts. Engine options include the 6.1L and 5.7L HEMI or the 5.9L Magnum Wedge. Mopar will build at least 100 of the cars to meet NHRA requirement, and they will be eligible to run in Comp, Super Stock, and Stock categories. Pricing will start in the low $30,000 range, and Mopar will begin taking orders in late August or September. Full details can be found in the press release after the jump.

UK to get updated RX-8 starting in late August

Buyers in the U.K. are about to get their first crack at the revised 2009 Mazda RX-8, as the quad-door sportscar officially goes on sale in late August. All RX-8's destined for the U.K. will get the full body-kit that's optional in other markets. We've already seen all the images of the only rotary-powered mass market car in the world that we can stand, so lets move on to what's changed under the skin. Shorter final drive gearing combined with a steeper (numerically lower) sixth gear will allow the high-strung engine to reach its power-band earlier in gears one through five while still maintaining reasonable revs when cruising in sixth. New Recaro sport seats spice up the cabin and 19-inch rims with rotor-shaped spokes add some flair to the exterior.

Though power levels remain unchanged, the Renesis rotary engine sees minor revisions as well, with improved cooling as one main feature. Also updated are the oil metering pump -- all rotary engines ingest oil during normal operation -- and computer software which limits high-speed operation until the velvety-smooth powerplant has reached a proper operating temperature, likely to improve reliability somewhat. All in all, the '09 update of the sports coupe is pretty thorough, though the result is still instantly recognizable as an RX-8.

Saleen Gurney Edition Mustang arrives at dealers

It's been just a few months since Saleen announced its Dan Gurney Signature Series Mustang at the New York Auto Show in April, but the limited edition Mustang has already hit showroom floors. Apparently the car at the show was fairly production ready, although we heard that Gurney spent the last few months helping fine tune the suspension just the way he wanted it. According to Saleen, he still would be if they had let him. In addition to the specially tailored suspension settings, the Gurney Edition also features unique bodywork, graphics and interior as well as lightweight 19-inch wheels and Saleen's supercharged V8 pushing out 465 horsepower. We attended a kick-off party at Galpin Ford in Van Nuys, CA where Dan Gurney was on hand to show off the car and sign autographs. We were also able to take a closer look at the car so we could choose which of the three color schemes we like best, but we're still undecided. A high resolution gallery is below that should help you decide for yourself.

Spotted in the wild: 1968 Lamborghini Islero

For a car fan it's always cool to be wandering around somewhere and stumble across an extremely rare automobile. That's especially when it's out on the road in a most unlikely of locales. My wife and I took a little road trip this weekend in the new Saab Turbo X (you'll be hearing more about that soon!) to Yellow Springs, Ohio. For those unfamiliar with Yellow Springs, it's a small town northeast of Dayton that is home to Antioch College and Dave Chappelle. As we were walking to get some dinner, I noticed a very red coupe with an extraordinarily long hood. It looked vaguely familiar, but I knew I had never seen one in the metal before. I grabbed my camera and started shooting away. It turns out the car was a GT known as the Lamborghini Islero. Isleros were built in 1968 and 69 following the end of the 400GT run and preceding the Jarama. Unfortunately for Lamborghini, the rather sedately-styled Islero didn't have the flash of the gorgeous Miura that debuted in 1969 and it never sold in large numbers. According to Lamborghini, only 225 were built including 70 "S" models in 1969 with slight body changes and a more luxurious interior. The Islero was propelled by Lamborghini's 4.0L 350hp V12. If the owner of this car sees this post please get in touch and share the story of your car.

Ugur Sahin Design unveils USD GT-S Passionata concept

You may not remember the name Ugur Sahin, but if you've been reading Autoblog for a while you probably remember his designs. The Turkish designer has dreamed up the Corvette Z03 Concept, and before that brought the world his interpretation of what a modern Ferrari Dino might look like (he was a little off). It turns out that Sahin has been continually evolving his Dino design, however, and today we get our first look at the result of his extra doodling: the USD GT-S Passionata concept. Based on the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, the Passionata retains the grand sports tourer personality of its host chassis, but adds a body that's much more organic with swoops, bulges and soft curves everywhere the eye falls. The mega hood scoop makes the car look a little insect-like, and we also see some cues inspired by the Corvette, Lotus and even McLaren F1 in the front end, but overall it's a knock out design and the connection to Ferrari's own design language is unmistakable. Truthfully, we just wish that we could draw cars this well. Sahin, however, is hoping to do more than just draw the Passionata, as he claims in his press release after the jump that "production will be arranged" if there's a demand for it. Unfortunately, a brand new Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano will have to be sacrificed to build the Passionata, which we think probably violates Ferrari's warranty. Check out a high-res gallery of the Ugur Sahin USD GT-S Passionata below to view the design from every angle and let us know what you think in the comments.

Undercover Stangs: Indiana police to use unmarked Mustangs

Being a cop just got a little more fun for state troopers in the state of Indiana. The police department just purchased 18 brand new black Ford Mustang GTs for traffic patrol, with one being sent to each district. The Mustangs look completely stock and only have a light bar inside the top of the windshield - not even antennas usually found on unmarked vehicles. A few troopers took the opportunity to test out their new pony cars at O'Reilly Raceway Park last week and found them to handle "differently" than the Crown Vics. We would hope so.

2010 Chevy Camaro caught in first stages of production

We don't know how how someone got access to take these pictures or whether someone is getting in a lot of trouble as we speak, but they have infiltrated the internets overnight. So now we too bring you photos of the 2010 Camaro in its first stages of production. There are apparently two preproduction units on the line in these photos as we see the body shells advance from stage to stage and get molested by a dozens of potentially suicidal robots. In fact, not a single human can be found anywhere in these pictures, which is just as well considering the trouble GM's had with striking workers lately. As for where these pictures were taken, our best guess is GM's plant in Oshawa, Ontario since that's where actual production of the Camaro is scheduled to take place. Peruse the gallery below and see if you can pick out any interesting details we might've missed about the car. Thanks for the tip, everyone!

Yesterday we showed you the first clear spy shots of Jaguar's upcoming XF-R super sedan courtesy of CAR, but our own photogs have caught a black version of the cat driving around city streets in the UK, and we thought they'd be the perfect accompaniment to the tuna fish sandwich you're eating in your cubicle right now. We think the exterior mods are even more apparent on this car than the white one caught yesterday. Black tape can be clearly seen surrounding new hood vents and also adorns the more sinister front air dam that we're guessing gulpa a lot more air than the standard XF. The traditionally chromed vertical fender vents now match the jet black body color of the car, as do the new side sills that give it even more curves. New 20-inch wheels with a turbine-style design are fitted and project the appropriate degree of mechanical competence this car will offer, while quad exhaust tips out back complete the transformation. As we mentioned yesterday, speculation says power will be provided by a direct-inject, supercharged V8 producing 500 horsepower. The German super sedans must be at least a little worried, because not only will the XF-R be just as fast as them, in our opinion it looks a whole lot better, too.

Rendered Speculation: Is it SHOtime for the next Ford Taurus?

We heard yesterday from a group of Ford Taurus SHO fans who were questioned in a focus group by Ford employees working on the next Taurus program, so we know that the Blue Oval is at least considering a high performance version of the next Taurus. Combine that with a grainy cell phone pic we posted of what could be a design study for the next Taurus and you've got fertile elements for our friends over at BringBacktheSHO.com who specialize in letting their imaginations run wild. Ryan Pasch who runs the website actually attended the focus group in question earlier this week, so these renderings based off of that grainy camera phone pic may be more accurate than we realize. Pasch calls the car in his renders the BringBacktheSHO Concept V2, and judging from the pics in our gallery below, we're as ready for the SHO's triumphant return as he his.