Picture of SPIED: Porsche's Upcoming Cayman Sees The Light Of Day And Gets A Shakedown [source:autospies.com]

Though we don't have our rulers out, it appears to have gotten slightly longer and wider, and benefits from much of the Boxster's styling treatments. Given the MASSIVELY positive sentiment over the all new Boxster's looks, we know that the updated Cayman will definitely be a stunner.

In addition, we're seeing the FIRST pictures of the Cayman's interior. Though, to be straightforward, we weren't expecting anything different from the Boxster's cabin.

Unless I am missing something, it appears to receive the Boxster's touches.

The GOOD thing about this specific set of shots is that they make out the next generation Cayman better than ever. Sure, it has camouflage on it but it's pretty easy to tell where Porsche's taking the design of the next gen Cayman.[source:autospies.com]

Picture of Fisker Atlantic Delayed Until 2014, Price Tag To Start at $50-60,000 [source:Automoblog.net]

Fisker has remained confident about the future of the Atlantic, as well as its ability to raise funds from private equity. So far, Fisker has raised nearly $1 billion. With or without DOE funding, wed imagine these investors are willing to put in the funds needed to see the Atlantic to production. Like the Model S over at arch rival Tesla, the Atlantic is Fiskers make or break product. New documents have been leaked that shed a bit more light on how the delay in funding has impacted the Atlantics arrival date.

InsideEVs says the Atlantic is now on track for full production to begin in mid 2014. The first prototypes are slated to arrive mid next year. That is pretty disappointing given Fisker was bandying about late this year as a production start date. This a pretty significant delay, and it leaves Fisker with just the Karma for at least two years. Discussions with the DOE are said to be ongoing.

Interesting is that Fisker appears to be all in on the Wilmington, Delaware plant. There is no contingency plans for production being undertaken elsewhere, such as with Valmet in Finland. With DOE funding unlikely, most wrote off the plant in Delaware as a production site. According to these leaked documents, though, Fisker hasnt. As for the Atlantic itself, some new light has been shed on the car. It will make about 300 horsepower and be powered by a turbo four cylinder sourced from BMW (which we already knew).

Bigger news though is that the price tag will be in the upper range of what was originally thought. Atlantic will start at around $50,000 60,000 squarely in Model S territory. Fisker lists the Audi S4/A6, BMW 3 and 5 Series and the Mercedes C and E Class as chief competitors. The delay is disappointing. If Fisker can get its act together though, we do think the car has a good potential for success. It probably could sell on looks alone.[source:Automoblog.net]

Picture of Audi and VW Push Web-Enabled Cars [source:cargurus.com]

Audi has proudly announced it was the first luxury brand to offer Wi Fi and Google Earth access in its cars. Nissan, GM and Ford have followed suit. Web enabled cars are going to be a fact of life (and death), so get used to them.

Vehicles are now viewed by automakers as entertainment and technology platforms; not transportation. The transportation part is now a given; THAT you get there is far less important than HOW you get there

That statement is almost outrageous enough to be true. Last year, 3,092 people (9.4 percent of all road fatalities) didnt get there at allthey were victims of distracted drivingand the total is in fact considerably higher, since many distracted driving crashes arent counted. The National Safety Council thinks 24 percent of crashes are caused by mobile phone use.

Naturally, the auto, phone and software companies want to convince us that their distracto tech stuff is safe, but people in the know were questioning its use as far back as 12 years ago.

Smartphones and Wi Fi, Facebook and Twitter were never designed to be used in a car, and the regulators know this. But the Department of Transportation is holding still more hearings with inane discussions about how long a drivers eyes can be diverted from the road.

Agency Director Ray LaHood (right) is a phony (thats not a pun). After the NTSB late last year announced that all mobile phone use should be banned in cars, good ol Ray claimed that hands free use would actually be okay, which left the NTSB pantless and legless.

Many of us are disgusted with such delaying tactics. Even the blog writers who offer solutions point out that they are really non solutions. See 6 Ways to End Distracted Driving.

Let me repeat what I said the other day: All phone use should be jammed in cars unless the vehicle is parked. In addition, all in dash displays should be turned off, and all Web connectivity terminated unless the car is off the road with the transmission in Park.

I know. There is about as much chance of that happening as global warming dissipating.

One answer to the problem of distracted driving is for sensible people to buy cars that do not have web enabled techno junk. Do you agree?[source:cargurus.com]

Picture of The Next Wave? Delphi Developing Diesel Like Technology For Gas Engines [source:autospies.com]

[source:autospies.com]

Picture of Dismal Sales Kill The Lexus HS 250h Hybrid [source:AutomotiveAddicts.com]

As Inside Line reports, sales in the 2010 model year were acceptable, hitting 10,663 units, but plummeted to just 2,864 units for 2011. The introduction of the less expensive and more functional Lexus CT 200h had erased any market for the HS 250h, and the CT 200h has now become the fourth best selling vehicle in Lexus current product mix.

Sadly, the death of the HS 250h came with no announcement, but Toyota did admit to Inside Line that Production of the HS 250h ceased in January, 2012. Lexus continues to monitor sales for each product and we make adjustments to make sure we meet market demand, and the discontinuation of the HS was part of that adjustment.

If youre looking for a hybrid sedan offering from Lexus in the coming months, youre still in luck: Lexus will soon launch the ES 300h sedan, which is expected to be both more powerful and more fuel efficient than the discontinued HS 250h. Well bet that there are deals to be had on leftover HS models, though.

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Picture of Time For Tea? Fast and Furious gearchanges [source:pistonheads.com]

Anyway, enjoy. But if you have even an ounce of mechanical sympathy in your body, you probably won't.[source:pistonheads.com]

Picture of Pic of the Week: Shelby beyond the Cobra [source:pistonheads.com]

But Shelby wasn't just a car constructor, he was also a racer. As this picture taken during the 1958 British Grand Prix proves, he had a fair bit of natural car control, too.

Shelby wasn't a hugely successful F1 driver he only made eight GP starts, and this picture captures him on the way to ninth place in the non works Scuderia Centro Sud Maserati 250F (his best GP result was a fourth in Italy). But the very fact he was there, mixing it with the likes of Moss, von Trips et al, makes him even more of a legend to our minds.[source:pistonheads.com]

Picture of Testa Rossa Most Expensive Car Ever Sold at Auction? [source:cargurus.com]

News sources like to flaunt a 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa as the most expensive car ever sold at auction. With a $16.4 million bid when the final gavel fell, it is certainly on the list of most expensive cars ever. But does it really hold the record? Lets take a look.

Not surpassingly, the vintage Ferrari cars consistently bring a lot of money into auction houses.

A Wikipedia list (always trustworthy, I know) has the top 3 most expensive cars as Ferraris. A 1961 Ferrari 250 GT selling for $10.8 million, a 1957 Testa Rossa for $12.4 million and another (or possibly the same) 1957 Testa Rossa selling in 2011 for the record $16.39 million.

For the most recent sale, the car was touted as the

very first Testa Rossa the original prototype and rolling testbed for the 250 TR (Testarossa) line, one of the most successful sports racing cars ever.

Even at $16.4 million, it seems like something else has sold for much more than that. Like, almost double. Ah yes, now I remember. The 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic, which brought in somewhere between $30 million and $40 million. As far as I know, that car was sold at auction too. In fact, both the Testa Rossa and the Bugatti sales were handled by the same auction house, Gooding & Co.

Plus, theres another Ferrari, a 1964 250 GTO, which sold for $31.8 million earlier this year.

So, I have to raise my hand and say, No, guys, $16.4 million isnt a world record.

Its a heck of a lot of money, and I have no doubt the real record will be broken soon, but not yet.

At this level, these cars are purchased as investments only. If I had the money and bought one, Id still drive it to the grocery store every now and then. Would you?[source:cargurus.com]

Picture of PH2: Casey Stoner retires [source:pistonheads.com]

An amazingly talented rider, and one who often doesn't receive the praise he deserves from fans due to his less than characterful nature, Stoner has always said he isn't racing to beat records. Often abrupt when interviewed, Stoner prefers to let his riding do the talking and, with two MotoGP titles under his belt, (one for Ducati remember, something that Rossi looks unlikely to repeat) his class is undeniable which is part of the cause for his retirement.

"This sport has changed a lot and it has changed to the point where I am not enjoying it," said Stoner to a stunned press conference. "I don't have the passion for it and so at this time it is better if I retire. There are a lot of things that have disappointed me, and also a lot of things that I have loved about this sport, but unfortunately the balance has gone in the wrong direction. There are many, many different reasons but basically it's me losing my passion for the racing and my enjoyment for the sport.

"Sure, I'm going to enjoy this year but I'm sure if I continue it would be a mistake. There are many things I'd like to do with my life. I don't want to keep racing bikes to the point where I lose my passion for motorcycles. I love bikes, they've been my whole life, and if I keep doing this I'm afraid I'll completely lose my passion. Maybe I'll still have some involvement in the sport, if I can find the energy, to maybe help some young riders, things like that."

Stoner was famously booed by British fans when he won at Donington a few years back and with the change to 1000cc as well as heath issues and the birth of his first child, it looks like the Australian has simply had enough. Will he be missed?

The sight of Stoner winning a race by several seconds will not be missed, but one of the most talented riders of his generation saying he doesn't enjoy riding in the premier class and that at 26 years old he is walking away is a very sad, and worrying, development for MotoGP.[source:pistonheads.com]

Picture of ASK The Spies: What Are The 5 Best BEATERS To Buy Used Today? [source:autospies.com]

Tonight, we want to know what YOU think are the five BEST BEATERS on the used car market today.

Beaters are awesome.kind of. They're the kind of cars that you can take out and not worry about someone scratching, keying or knocking into it with a shopping cart. I have a suggestion for anyone that's going to get a beater tint the windows because you KNOW you don't want to be seen in it.

That said, fire up your list of the five BEST beaters on the market today![source:autospies.com]

Picture of Chris Harris Pits The Nissan GT-R Track Pack Against The Porsche 911 Turbo S: Video [source:AutomotiveAddicts.com]

In Britain, the Track Pack adds nearly $16,000 to the cost of a GT R, and on the surface its easy to question where that money was spent. The car gets lighter wheels (same as the Black Edition cars, as far as we can tell), a stiffer suspension, brake cooling ducts, sticky seat fabric and a rear seat delete to save weight. Customers can even have the suspension set to road (less negative camber) or track (more negative camber) by their dealer.

It may not seem logical to benchmark the Nissan GT R against Porsches uber grand tourer, the 911 Turbo S, but Harris makes a pretty good argument for the comparison. Cost difference aside (in Britain, the Turbo S costs some $71,000 more than the GT R Track Pack), both cars have force fed engines that produce over 500 horsepower and both feature all wheel drive. Both cars shift via flappy paddle gearboxes, and both feature adjustable suspensions and variable stability control.

In the end, Harris gives a fair assessment of both cars, and we have to agree with his summation. Which is the winner? Watch Harris flog both cars on a wet Brands Hatch racetrack to find out.

Tags: Kurt, Nissan GT R Track Pack, Porsche 911 Turbo S, videos

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Picture of Nissan Qashqai:an all-new version is on the way [source:eurocarblog.com]

The interior will be the focus of attention for the designers of the Japanese company: Everybody loves the Qashqais exterior, but perceived quality on the inside lets it down Plamer added Rather than bring the new car up to German quality levels, we want to surpass them. Auto Express also outlines the range of engines and finally reveals that todays 1.6 litre petrol unit will be replaced by a 1.2 litre turbo with output of 115 hp and 190 Nm of torque, with CO2 emissions of 120 g/km. Most buyers, however, will opt for the 1.6 litre dCi with 130 hp and less than 105 g/km of CO2. The second generation Nissan Qasqhai will go on sale in 2014.[source:eurocarblog.com]