Grassroots validation for Jeremy Clarkson to take the reigns as Prime Minister has carried on talked about before, but the Top Gear presenter admits this he’d be a “rubbish” leader. During a talking engagement in the UK, Jezza waxed just about his livlihood on Top Gear, his co-presenters, Hammond’s bubble burst and his opinions around the increased total quantity of authorities involvement in citizen’s lives. Typical Clarkson fare.

But afterward he demonstrated how different of us had guessed: the then season of Top Gear would feature a race in Japan against a Bullet train. While he did not say how automobile was pitted against the marvel of fresh engineering, we can appreciate how it is and according to Clarkson, the race has currently taken place. We’re appearing post to seeing the outcome when Top Gear proceeds next the present year.

[Source: BBC via FinalGear]

We’re positive you remember the Pontiac G8 “Spy Hunter” commercial so we requested on in mid-March. Arguably the proper car commercial, ummm… EVAR, the spot drops Pontiac’s new rear-wheel-drive sport sedan smack dab in the midst of our prefered top-down, 2D driving game on 1983. The visuals are so gargantuan the current we got especially shocked to decide on the video in the wake of the jump who all of it you see in the commercial is totally computer generated, together with the Pontiac G8 itself. The “Making of Spy Hunter - Pontiac G8 GT” pulls returning the curtain on a tiny group of computeristas who are responsible for the ad and apparently had way too a good deal fun rendering it. They somehow made a vintage Spy Hunter sit-down arcade machine based on information from the Reagan era and drew inspiration for the presume based on a mysterious cat this pokes it make every effort out of holes in the ceiling.

That brogue you hear pealing off the countryside? No, it is not a banshee (that’s Ireland, anyway), it is a 5.5 liter Judd V10 mounted admidships in the forthcoming Falen Scots Supercar. At the very least it can be, yet the car becomes off the computer score and onto the road. Lending credibility is the arrival of the Judd engine, the GV 5.5L V10 that is widely depleted in Le Mans Prototype course cars. Serious specifications go along investing in the gravity of 800 horsepower. The ultra-exclusive Falen – sole uni is able to be put up – are able to be put up of carbon fiber and feature a hinged greenhouse want a jet fighter. Four lucky rich folk can swiftly wind up in a track-day weapon fit of additional annihilation as opposed to William Wallace should muster if the Falen repeatedly comes to fruition. A prototype is imminent to debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March of 2009, and development progress can be checked at Dowdeswell & Hardie’s website subsequent to it goes make a home in June.

[Source: Evo]

Audi is intent on quitting no niche unfilled and the word for Inside Line is the present the automaker is planning to unveil a cabrio variant of its A5 and S5 coupes. The convertible versions of the A5 and S5 can not be fitted surrounded by the folding hardtops this suffer become de rigueur surrounded by its luxury competitors, so guess a similar soft-top method to who discovered on the A4/S4/RS4 cabrio and TT roadster. Power would be provided that by either the 265-hp, 3.2-liter V6 or the 354-hp 4.2-liter V8 discovered in the A5 and S5, respectively. Expect the new cabrios to debut subsequently this moment year or the beginning of next, in on dealings coming up in the spring of 2009.
[Source: Inside Line]

If you are one of the lucky 6,400 families to lay argue to the 425 hp Dodge Challenger SRT8, we suffer viable news. The above all 1,000 special edition Challengers suffer currently carried on built, and they’re en-route to a dealer close to you. For folks of you such a will not be purchasing your Hemi-powered muscle car in the mostly wave, you will not hold to wait long, either. Every SRT Challenger is planning to be made by the originating of July, that spells Woodward provided be comprehensive of good-looking retro coupes turn up August. If you need a 6.1L Challenger, you are being offered to hold to hit eBay or wait for 2009, when all 2008 tendencies experience kept on spoken for.

The Challenger has kept on one of the few pieces of decent surprise surrounding the Pentastar of late, and a hot product couldn’t be popping at a sharper time. We recognize gas if $4 per gallon and V8 muscle cars are not spot on how the doctor ordered, but we are more than likely simply as excited as the 6,400 Challenger SRT8 propietors to get behind the wheel of right now coming years classic.

[Source: Dodge]

Toyota has received its reputation for causing power miniature vehicles, but one dent in the Japanese automaker’s armor has kept on the gas-guzzling Tundra and Sequoia. To benefit rectify the situation, Toyota Engineers experience been heard struggling hard on a 4.5L clean-diesel powerplant which is planning to considerably augment energy state for the body-on-frame trucks. The 4.5L engine is reportedly scheduled to show up Stateside by 2010, and it is a no-brainer in neutral of the reality so both Ford and GM are giving similarly sized oil-burners for this trucks and SUVs.

You may remember the Dually Tundra fantasy truck this was proven go on year at SEMA. Well, currently shock suggests the mega-sized diesel may not be far of reality. Inside Line is additionally reporting the current Toyota may be delivering a monstrous 7.0L diesel for a commercial-grade Tundra, in on a likely generation date right about 2011-2012. Toyota nevertheless hasn’t looking at the go-ahead for a heavy assignment Tundra, so the king-sized diesel powerplant expected ought to show up one and only if the perfect Tundra does, too.

[Source: Inside Line]

Many high-end automobiles turn up equipped providing custom-fitted luggage such a takes advantage of most any obtainable inch in these types of space-deprived interiors. Pretty cool stuff, that. What are you to do if your ride was not ass a sufficient amount of to appear in its own travel gear? Consider the new Spinner series for Samsonite, that is fitted investing in two wheels — one at every corner, as a car. Not easily is the new luggage highly maneuverable, but it is carried on constructued employing high-tech factors inspired by automotive design. For instance, a few of the gear is built based on information from a composite material well&wshyp;known as CURV, that is assumed to be both lightweight and strong, additonally a good amount bits feature a diamond plate end in how are required to be a nod to the pickem-up crowd. Probably the coolest feature, though, is a built-in parking brake of kinds so is included in state of affairs you ask for to prevent on a less-than-level surface.
[Source: Winding Road]

We loved how PPI did through the Audi R8, so we impending not anything fewer when properties got the hands on the new Audi TT. This package for the moment creation Audi coupe, labeled the PS, parts a wide cycle of renovations to the body, suspension, engine and exhaust. Starting provided the exterior, PPI grown new pieces among aerodynamics in mind. The new front fascia, part skirts, rear diffuser, and rear spoiler all augment the air flow about the car, and carbon fiber trim pieces are in addition available. The 2.0L turbocharged inline-4 has carried on massaged to 245 bhp at 5,100 rpm and an gargantuan 270 lb-ft torque which is complimented by a new consume technique amid quad tailpipes. Other mods accessible list sport springs, PPI Formula wheels, sport steering wheel, and a big brake kit the present is at this moment below development. While not as over-the-top as Abt’s TT-R, we increment the PS TT’s flowing OEM look, too.
[Source: PPI]

The 2008 Ford Taurus is not the running bull it yet was or was calculated to be — at least, not yet. Combined transactions of the 2007 Five Hundred and new 2008 Taurus — in on its new name, new engine and refreshed design — got ebbed 3.2-percent in August and a brow-raising 30.1-percent in September versus folks same cycles in 2006.

Ford gave multiple reasons for the decline: endure year’s cases came provided 0-percent finance for 72 months, now year’s car’s appear in 5.9-percent for 60 months. The organization in addition ceased advertising through the end-of-summer clearance sells ads, believing the car could not get ideally respect with the shouting. And, the full-sized sedan boom has continued soft the year as car households move to smaller, !no! fuel-efficient cars.

As of the month, an a good deal more $500 has been heard added to the $1,000 in incentives for the car. Admittedly, though, the new Taurus is significantly making launched, ever since it just headed on turn over in July. With an eye on marketing 60,000 Tauruses in the car’s mostly year, Ford dealings analyst George Pipas alleged “the retail transactions inclination is in a ensured direction, and that is good.”

Look for our In the Autoblog Garage analyze of the 2008 Ford Taurus soon.

[Source: Auto News, sub req'd]

In the insane pissing contest which we use life, homeowners are often required to to compromise. High-performance by and large comes at the cost of off-road competence and vice versa. Every so often, however, somebody is able to aggregate a small amount cleverness amidst a dash of insanity in the hopes of possessing the proverbial cake and eating it, too. Often, the fruits of these types of labors can be discovered (and purchased) on eBay. Today’s ideal is an ‘06 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited ready by Burnsville OffRoad (who we have dealt with in the beyond for such a HEMI Jeep conversions) that is powered by an 8.3L 505-hp Viper SRT10 engine and equipped through a laundry catalog of grim off-road equipment. Whether dusting off opponents at the stoplight drags or dealt with in dust and dirt for forays to the wild, currently thing’s got all the roots covered, it seems. $75K and a click on “Buy it Now” writes you in the driver’s seat, that sounds fancy a devilishly fun place to be.

[Source: eBay]