For anyone fearing that the sun may set on their dream of owning a new Bugatti Veyron before they are able to build up their super car budget maybe a lesser alternative is on its way. Upper management with Bugatti and its parent company Volkswagen AG are looking to recoup more of that initial R&D investment and some alternatives could be in the works. After investing something in the US Dollar close to $500 million to build and design the car, and with a limited production number of 300, Bugatti is losing money on the deal. That $1.4 million window sticker, according to costs, should really be a $5 million sticker.

Bugatti has a couple options on the table and both could yield some extra return to make it all profitable. The first would be to make a limited production run of a convertible Veyron. Some more work would have to go into the design and engineering of the car to get there, but that could still help bring in more money and more buyers. The other option would be to build a second model based on the same technologies.

With the Honda Odyssey still one of the better of the mini vans still on the market does Honda really see an opening for their mid-sized van the Stream?
Well that seems to be the word coming across the Pacific. The mid-sized people mover that is built on the same platform as the CR-V and the Civic is said to be bound for the US in 2009. That will also be the year that the diminutive mini van will receive its latest model update.

While other auto makers are leaping into the crossover-utility-vehicle market Honda seems to have other ideas. Is the Stream marked to be their own unique entrant into the CUV market? The Japanese version of the Stream currently comes with AWD so if that same option came over to the US it could do some posturing against some CUV’s.

Honda always finds a way to compete and in their own way they seem to make things relevant rather than trying to be relevant. The Stream may be just what some small families are looking for: a smaller, fuel efficient people mover with enough style and functionality to make buying a mini van okay. The word is that there will be no 3rd row of seats coming to America, but in a mid-sized mini van that might be best.

Source[WindingRoad]

The above Audi R8 is a test drive mule that is supposedly from pre-production. Back during the testing phases of the R8 Audi reported some combustibility tendencies in the engine bay behind the seats, but those concerns have (according to Audi) been addressed in the production version. In the forum post where this report was found it mentioned that some fuel during fill-up may have spilled down in the engine bay on or near the exhaust. Ofcourse the actual cause can still be any number of things.

The forum post that is the source for this story recommends that Audi R8 owners not use any flammable cleaners or solvents on their engine. He also recommends allow the gas tank to vent a seconds before commencing to fill the tank. Apparently there is a belief that the rising fumes could block the flow of gas and cause the fuel to over-spill. Now I would not attest to any of these things being likely to have caused the above captured fire, but if I were an R8 owner there is a good chance I would take the precautions described.

For some additional photos of the charred Audi R8 you can follow the link below to the forum. There you can also read through the worried or doubtful posts of other R8 owners. Hopefully there will be no further test mule instances nor any production model R8’s being claimed in the name of pyrotechnics. Such a shame to see such artistry so dismembered and mangled… although thankfully no injuries were reported.

Source[R8talkvia AutoBlog]

At this years Frankfurt Auto Show that begins on September 13th Hyundai will reveal their first vehicle designed from the ground-up that was built specifically  around their fuel cell technology. The i-Blue is an electric vehicle that is fueled by Hyundai’s 3rd generation hydrogen fuel cell technology clothed in a CUV auto armor that represents the future forward thinking behind their alternative technology.

The i-Blue is a bold step toward future design and future fuels while following suit with the theme of this years Frankfurt Auto Show: “See What is Driving the Future.” Hyundai’s R&D team have developed a hydrogen fuel cell that is more compact than prior generations while building a safe, crossover-styled body around it.

Hyundai’s i-Blue is their current design that is to help transition us over the next decade toward the greener technology of hydrogen. Yet to many of us hydrogen fuel cells still seem quite a ways away from being close to taking over for the combustion engine as what motivates the majority of todays cars. Despite the advantages that Hybrids, Plug-in EV’s and alternative fuels may have by being more road ready today the exploration toward hydrogen fuel cells is still an important one.

There are two other supposedly radical designs that Hyundai is planning to reveal at the Frankfurt show. Hyundai’s Volester is said to be a roadster aimed directly at the Y-generation with what seems to be some futuristic designing cues. The i-30 Crossover Wagon is designed as the exact opposite of the Volester. With the i-30 Hyundai is returning to the 5-door hatchback model that is an important segment in the European market. More significant details and photos of all 3 of the vehicles Hyundai plans to unveil at the Frankfurt Auto Show are sure to come in the weeks ahead.

Source[topspeed, PureGreenCars]

If there was one motto that the entire auto industry thrives on it would be: 
Monkey See - Monkey Do.
So when the Monkey’s that See saw BMW put together their answer to the Audi Quattro series with their 335xi it was just a matter of time before the Monkey’s that Do came out with their own entrant. Infiniti is now planning to step up to the challenge by offering up their G37 with their own all-wheel drive system.

While the timing for the AWD G37 has not been determined by the minds who make such decision at Nissan (the parent company of Infiniti), the M35 and G35 coupes are already scheduled to display their own AWD platforms in 2008. Thus making it easy to conclude that the G37 would not be far behind.

Inprice, performance and horsepower the G37 is already a strong competitor along side BMW and Audi. With the AWD G37 they would continue that competition and possible provided the cheapest of the three alternative brands. As noted over at Edmunds Inside Line, buying an Infiniti G37 AWD would be like getting the Nissan GT-R only half the car for half the price. I think I could live with that.

This Saturday some new automotive regulations will be taking affect that are going to provide the dealership walking customer better information and more accurate information than before. Appearing on the sticker of all new cars will be the newly calculated fuel mileage ratings gauged by the EPA for real world driving. Also, to make their first appearance on a cars window sticker will be the NHTSA’s official crash test ratings for all new cars that have undergone testing. There are also two new safety features that have now been made mandatory for the 2008 model year that will take affect on Saturday. All-in-all Saturday will be a most busy day.

The change in the EPA standards for measuring fuel mileage have been talked about for a while now. Some 2007 cars carried additional stickers that indicated both the old mileage ratings based at 55mph highway and the new measurements based on real world driving. 

The New Chrysler seems to have some new thinking under the thumb of Cerebrus and that new thinking is having second thoughts about the Challenger. No, it is still going to be built and sold, but its production numbers and sales locations are dwindling.
Due to the decision by Cerebrus to make the Challenger a limited production car there will be no official sales of the car on the European market. Ofcourse any person with the proper means can broker a deal across the pond to acquire one, but do not expect many Challengers to be sitting at dealerships waiting for a home long. Especially do not anticipate to find a lonely Challenger SRT-8 begging for a buyer.