November 2009 ~ Audi TT-S

Rolls-Royce edition Mini reportedly confirmed for custom order

Mini Rolls-Royce special for Park Lane – Click above for image gallery

It's been about half a year since the initial reports of a Rolls-Royce edition Mini first surfaced, and nearly as long since the first batch of photos emerged. But rumors persist, and now reports from the UK indicate that mutual parent company BMW has given the green light for a series of Rolls-style accoutrements for the iconic retro-hatch.

Following market trends that seem to indicate that, in Europe especially, buyers aren't willing to give up on luxury when they go for more compact, fuel-efficient rides, the specially-trimmed Minis would offer customers a range of customization options suitable for a Phantom yet packed into a Cooper. But rather than outfitting Minis with stock luxury trim packages – like Aston Martin is preparing to do with the iQ-based Cygnet – the exclusive Mini hatchbacks would be outfitted at the Rolls-Royce factory according to individual customer orders. Clients would be able to choose from the best leathers and veneers to give their Minis a more upscale feel, much like the coachbuilt Minis popular amongst British celebs like Harold Radford and The Beatles in the '60s, but available through established dealers in a more organized fashion.

Unfortunately, that's about all the information available at this point, but sources suggest a public announcement sometime next year.

Rolls MINI for Park Lane

Renault could sell 40% of its F1 team to Russian investors

A few weeks back, Toyota announced its departure from Formula One, and it looked like Renault could follow. The team had lost its drivers, its team leaders, its sponsors and its reputation. The French automaker's board convened in France to discuss the matter, but no announcement followed, leaving everyone scratching their heads. Well if the latest rumors hold any truth, we could have our reason.

While the decision may have seemed fairly black or white (should I stay or should I go?) there are plenty shades of gray for Renault to choose from. One option would have been to sell or shutter its team while continuing to supply engines, but now another possibility has emerged: for Renault to sell part of the team but keep the rest.

The reports stem from Turun Sanomat, one of Finland's largest daily papers, which suggests that the French automaker could sell as much as 40 percent of the team to an unnamed Russian company. The move would help Renault raise some much-needed capital to continue its involvement in the sport, but could come with strings attached, including placing GP2 runner-up Vitaly Petrov in a race seat beside Robert Kubica. Considering the hot water Renault's already in with the Russians and how poorly the country's last venture into F1 went, they could prove hesitant, but then Ghosn and company might not have any better options.

Chrysler pledges to be quality leader by 2012

A quick glance at recent Consumer Reports or JD Power data shows that the Pentastar has a big problem on its hands, but the new Chrysler says that will change in a big way by the end of 2012. Chrysler is planning to be a quality leader in only three years by dramatically increasing staffing levels in its quality team while working to dramatically clean up its engineering processes. Just one year ago, there were only 200 staff members on the quality team. Chrysler is now hiring 200 additional workers and shifting head count to beef up its quality team to over 1,700.

Quality boss Doug Betts, who was hired from Nissan during the Cerberus acquistion, tried to address quality before the automaker descended into bankruptcy, but Chrysler's woeful money situation led to the postponement of the Pentastar's long overdue quality renaissance. With bankruptcy in the rearview mirror and Fiat's full blessing to dig deep to fix Chrysler's competitive disadvantages, Betts now has the tools needed to make drastic changes. And some progress has already been made.

For starters, Chrysler has cut per-vehicle spending by $240 million, and warranty spending is down 30 percent to an all-time low. In 2008, 75 percent of all quality problems were design issues, and that number has reportedly dropped to 50 percent this year though better engineering. The factory floor is also receiving attention, as Chrysler is adopting Fiat's "world class" manufacturing system.

Chrysler has also made several departmental shifts to give workers more autonomy to make changes faster. In the past, problems were shifted from one department to another, resulting in an average delay of 71 days to fix a problem. Now cross-departmental teams are organized by 14 vehicle groups, like brakes or transmissions instead of by model alone. Many of the quality fixes will occur as Chrysler unveils new or heavily updated products between now and 2013. The Detroit News reports that 75 percent of all models will receive heavy duty attention within the next 14 months, and all vehicles will be updated by 2013.

Acura ZDX starts at $45,495 with plenty of kit 2010

2010 Acura ZDX - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you're interested in picking up the 2010 Acura ZDX crossover, the bottom line begins at $45,495. There's a full press release with all of the details after the jump, but the main points are these: The ZDX will go on sale beginning December 15 with an MSRP of $45,495, plus destination and handling charge, which adds another $810.

The 2010 Acura ZDX will be available in three trim levels -- the base ZDX, ZDX with Technology Package, and ZDX with Advance Package. This being an Acura, even the base ZDX gets a ton of standard features, including premium items like the "world's longest panoramic glass roof," hand-stitched leather, Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) and that 300-hp 3.7-liter VTEC V6. And even with that much power on tap, Honda has figured out a way to give the ZDX class-leading fuel economy of 16/23 mpg.

For an extra $4,500, the Technology Package adds a 415-watt Acura/ELS Premium Audio System with 15-gig hard drive, a GPS-linked, solar-sensing, dual-zone automatic climate control, push-button start with Keyless Access, and Acura's Nav System with Voice Recognition, Real-Time Traffic, Real-Time Weather, a full VGA display and a new multi-view rear camera.

The Advance Package goes a step further by adding a blind spot information system (BSI), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Acura's Collision Mitigating Braking System (CMBS), an active suspension system, heated and ventilated front seats with Perforated Milano Premium Leather seating surfaces, premium brushed tricot headliner material and a sport steering wheel. All for another $6,050.

Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Acura ZDX

Formula Le Mans joins the big boys in the Le Mans Series 2010

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Formula Le Mans Oreca FLM09 – Click above for image gallery

Most major racing disciplines around the world have a clear and comprehensive framework to allow aspiring drivers to learn the ropes. Pretty much everyone starts in karting, but from there F1 hopefuls go on to Formula Renault and other open-wheeled series; NASCAR aspirants to ARCA and the Nationwide Series; rally prodigees to local championships; and so on and so forth. But teams fielding Le Mans prototypes had to recruit from other disciplines. That is, until now.

Earlier this year, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest – the organization behind Le Mans and its associated series – launched Formula Le Mans, known in America as the Le Mans Prototype Challenge. The idea was simple: everybody driving the same cars, designed on the same model as LMP1 and LMP2 racers, in support races to existing LMS events. French racing team (and, since acquiring Courage Competition, chassis constructor) Oreca was contracted to design and build the cars and help organize the series.

The purpose-built chassis known as the FLM09 packs a Chevy LS3 tuned to 430 horsepower with Magneti Marelli engine management, driving an Xtrac six-speed sequential gearbox to Michelin slicks housing Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes. Eight teams participated in the inaugural season this year, fielding some 50 drivers at races at Spa-Francorchamps, La Sarthe, Algarve, the Nurburgring, Silverstone and Magny-Cours.

The opening season was a success, prompting ACO and Oreca to launch a winter series, currently under way. But for next year's series, Formula Le Mans will be fully integrated into the Le Mans Series as another category, much as they've been run in the American Le Mans Series since their inception. In order to separate the FLM cars from the higher-level LMP2 and keep them running for the full race distance, however, the Oreca FLM09s be equipped with restrictor plates. The integration of FLM into the full series ought to make for some interesting racing and a more hands-on training ground for aspiring drivers when they join the grid next year, but for now you can read the full press release after the jump and browse the mega gallery by hitting the thumbnails below.