Quote: (02-21-2013 04:09 PM)Athlone McGinnis Wrote:  

Quote: (02-21-2013 08:43 AM)Teedub Wrote:  

Quote: (01-16-2013 05:10 PM)Hotwheels Wrote:  

Hardly anyone knows how to drive a stick anymore. Sad...

Is that actually true for America? Is Canada the same? That would be unthinkable over here, or anywhere in Europe to be honest.

I can't drive a stick. When I was a kid (9-12), my mom drove a 96 Mazda Protege with a stick and sometimes when I was in the passenger seat I would shift for her. That was as close as I've ever gotten to actually driving a manual. I wish we'd kept that car-it was super reliable, cheap on everything, and if we still had it I'd probably have figured out how to drive a stick by now.

Frankly at this point, given the rarity of manuals, it wouldn't be all that easy to learn either. You really don't see them around very often.

You should definitely learn mate, there's nothing better than shifting gears when you're driving a fast car. I couldn't really imagine driving without doing it tbh. Haha yeah I used to change gears for my Dad when I was a kid in the passenger seat. I sometimes used to 'help' turn the wheel too. Ah, good times.

Quote: (02-21-2013 04:09 PM)Athlone McGinnis Wrote:  

I can't drive a stick

This is the auto equivalent of "I am Blue Pill". You really need to learn, and fast!

Quote: (02-21-2013 08:21 PM)Donnington93 Wrote:  

Quote: (02-21-2013 04:09 PM)Athlone McGinnis Wrote:  

I can't drive a stick

This is the auto equivalent of "I am Blue Pill". You really need to learn, and fast!

The new Jeep Liberty has been revealed:









Not sure how I feel. I really do not like the front end, particularly the headlights. The rest of the body looks fine to me, though, and I like the interior.
Maybe it'll grow on me the way the Juke did. Who knows.

^^It looks Asian from the front. Where is it made?

Quote: (02-22-2013 04:56 PM)Athlone McGinnis Wrote:  

The new Jeep Liberty has been revealed:


Not sure how I feel. I really do not like the front end, particularly the headlights. The rest of the body looks fine to me, though, and I like the interior.
Maybe it'll grow on me the way the Juke did. Who knows.

Interesting, could well be my next vehicle

BUT:

Chrysler ✔ @Chrysler

“@jalopnik scoop re @jeep. Photos not the vehicle to be revealed in NY. See u at #2013NYAS
6:14 PM - 22 Feb 13"

The above is a tweet from JEEP/Chrysler

Looks production to me, but who knows?

"Lifes about, shooting your load"

Quote: (02-22-2013 04:58 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  

^^It looks Asian from the front. Where is it made?

Proudly Made In USA!! Maybe in Italy and China if the demand is there

God bless America!

"Lifes about, shooting your load"

Anyway, its OFFICIAL

JEEP have released factory info and photos, it IS like above, so above tweet was bullshit of sorts:

http://jalopnik.com/2014-jeep-cherokee-w...-376452776

These use to sell for US$23k in USA and not too much more AUS$30k in Australia

If JEEP are keen in AUS they could well be on a winner

Me like!

"Lifes about, shooting your load"

Quote: (02-22-2013 07:55 PM)RASER Wrote:  

Anyway, its OFFICIAL

JEEP have released factory info and photos, it IS like above, so above tweet was bullshit of sorts:

http://jalopnik.com/2014-jeep-cherokee-w...-376452776

These use to sell for US$23k in USA and not too much more AUS$30k in Australia

If JEEP are keen in AUS they could well be on a winner

Me like!

Meh. Like I said, it might grow on me.

Anyway, back to ballermobile news...

I saw the new Cherokee at Chrysler a while ago. It was a crude hand made prototype. It's odd looking, but there's an "off road" version that looks badass. Should have a V6 and a 9-speed auto. They'll sell plenty of them. A lot of people thought the Nissan Juke would flop but it's one of Nissan's best selling cars globally.

New McLaren getting closer to production...

Official info on the new McLaren P1 is out, with new photos too. I'm pleased with everything and impressed that it is going to be a hybrid. Shame about the limited production, though.

Quote:Quote:

Without any further delay, here are the performance numbers: 0 to 100km/h (62mph) will take less than 3 seconds, 0 to 200 km/h (124mph) under 7 seconds, and 0 to 300 km/h (186mph) in no more than 17 seconds, or 5 seconds faster than the famous McLaren F1. The P1's top speed is electronically restricted to 350 km/h (217.5 mph), which falls short of the F1's 386km/h (240mph).

The Woking-based sports car maker also revealed that production of the P1 will be strictly limited to just 375 units to ensure that it "will remain a rarity and, if spotted on the road, an unforgettable sight", said the company.

Pricing in the UK is set at £866,000 on the road, which is equal to US$1.31 million and €1 million at today's currency exchange rates. In the U.S., the P1 will start at a cool $1,150,000. Sales begin this autumn.

McLaren said the base price is for "a specification that fully equips the car for both road and track use", adding that the options list is limited "to only bespoke content that a customer might wish to add through McLaren Special Operations, and fitted luggage".

The P1's hybrid powertrain comprises a mid-mounted 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 and an electric motor for a combined system output of 903HP (916PS) and 900 Nm (664 lb-ft) of torque, with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox driving the rear wheels.

Owners will be able to drive the car in pure-electric mode for up to 20km (12 miles) with an average speed of 48km/h (30 mph) – the higher the speed, the less the driving range.

The P1 will be displayed to the public in final production trim for the first time at the Geneva International Auto Salon next week.

In other news, Datsun is coming back in less exciting form this time:

Quote:Quote:

At a press conference at Nissan's Yokohama plant on Monday, the Japanese carmaker announced that the re-born Datsun brand is set to return to South Africa, with the first passenger car to be launched onto the market at the end of 2014.

The announcement follows a global decision in 2010 to re-introduce the Datsun brand as part of the Japanese company's "Nissan Power 88" mid-term plan, which calls for an 8 percent global market share and 8 percent operating profit by fiscal year 2016.

Currently, Datsun sales are planned for four major markets, including South Africa, India, Indonesia and Russia, during the course of 2014.

"Following Infiniti's launch last year, we are delighted that South Africa is also a destination of choice for Datsun vehicles," commented Mike Whitfield, managing director of Nissan South Africa (NSA).

"Datsun enjoyed a proud heritage in the country after the Bluebird made its debut at the Pretoria Show in 1958, the 120Y and SSS models were household names, before going on to become the number one brand between 1976 and 1978."

In addition to the announcement, we also found a teaser rendering showing the front end of Datsun's first production model that will be a compact passenger car. We're not sure if this image has gone public before, but this is the first time we've seen it.

In December, it was revealed that the Datsun's new low-cost family cars will share their underpinnings with Russia's Lada, which in mid-2014, will pass into the ownership of the Renault-Nissan Alliance.

When a regular Jeep Wrangler isn't enough, you can get creative...

The successor to the Ferrari Enzo and Ferrari's first ever hybrid is now out in the open:











I love everything but the name, "LaFerrari". As far as I'm concerned, this is the F70.

Technically this is Ferrari's first hybrid:



The fact that hybrid technology was forced onto F1 tells me all I need to know about it: it's a joke. I wonder who they're pandering to by putting it in a road car?

I'm excited about these two hybrids and I think they can do some amazing stuff with the hybrid supercar concept (watch the 918 video to see why)...but I'd always prefer a non-aspirated V10 or V12 car.

SPYKER B6 VENATOR CONCEPT

Quote: (03-06-2013 04:06 AM)porscheguy Wrote:  

Technically this is Ferrari's first hybrid:

The fact that hybrid technology was forced onto F1 tells me all I need to know about it: it's a joke. I wonder who they're pandering to by putting it in a road car?

I meant production hybrid.

As for who they're pandering to, my answer would be the large environmentalist lobby in the EU, USA and other parts of the western world. Carmakers of all kinds are facing pressure about going green, so all of them (even the supercar makers) have something to gain by at least looking like they're trying to comply.

Can't believe no one's mentioned the Singer 911:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJQ4hQSusjE