FRESH SPORT CAR

Now that Ford has wrestled Ken Block away from the clutches of Subaru, the company is looking to leverage their alliance with the internet superstar beyond their collaboration with the new Fiesta and the upcoming rally car based off the compact hatchback.
In an interview with radio station KROQ, Block was asked about a special edition Fiesta named after him, DC Shoes or one of his other sponsors. Block was only willing to give the standard “We’re discussing those types of things but there’s nothing set in stone at this point,” answer, but it would be foolish of Ford not to leverage his high profile and large fanbase.
With Block already an “internet celebrity”, and the web being a crucial component of the Fiestas marketing campaign, don’t be surprised if the new model shows up in another installment of the Gymkhana videos.

Misha Designs has mostly specialized in Porsche spoilers in the past but we’re guessing given the fairly decent success they’ve had with their Mercedes-Benz SL project, the company decided to dabble in producing a full kit for the Porsche 997. Well, we’re finding the result a little less than stellar, but part of it might be attributed to the corny Photoshop work they did for their own press photos.
With a Gemballa-like tuning package, Misha’s GTM Aero Kit makes isn’t as sophisticated as some and makes the 997 Turbo look almost like a toy car.
In the rear, the bumper and diffuser combo has way too much going on with a mash up of vents, lines and angles. But at least it’s in carbon fiber. Our biggest design gripe is with the center of the rear bumper where Misha throws down a lot of straight and angled lines for the license plate area – on a vehicle known for its round shape.
We won’t deny that some may really like the aero kit – we’ve certainly seen a lot worse on various other cars. Perhaps we’re just turned off by the Photoshopped motion blur on the still photos.

After news of a track-only GT-R surfaced several months ago, Nissan has now released their 2011 GT-R Club Track Edition, a collaboration of several brilliant minds in Japan. Nissan teamed up with NISMO, Nova Engineering and Nordring for this special edition GT-R that’s only available to members of The Prestige Club of GT-R.
Specific race components are utilized on this track edition GT-R, focusing on the fact that it’s not entirely made as a dual-purpose daily driver. NISMO prefers if owners keep the car strictly for track use due to its extensive modifications which include an automatic fire suppression system, 2-way adjustable Bilstein dampers, and custom ECM, TCM, ABS / VCD upgrades on the management side.
On the outside, a front lip spoiler and under cover have been added along with a set of 20-inch Rays Forged Aluminum wheels with a staggered setup – 9.5 width with 45 offset in the front and 10.5 width with 25 offset in the rear. The rubber of choice for the track edition vehicle are Dunlop Direzza Long Life Slicks.
The car is rated at “over” 493-hp and 434 ft-lbs of torque. It also carries quite the price premium. The vehicle itself is a little over $120,000 but also requires a membership to The Prestige Club of GT-R which is around $23,000 per year. The membership gives you your own car number, two official track meets and entry to their annual get together. Renewal is cheaper at half the price, around $11,500.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past few years, you know all about the hard knocks the automotive industry has been dealt. But Chrysler dealers are seeing a boost thanks to women who have given them some much-needed props.
A recent survey conducted by Women-Drivers.com has ranked Jeep dealers in the number two spot overall in its semi-annual report of Top Auto Brands as rated by women’s dealership reviews. The domestic Chrysler brand came in just behind the number one ranked Mercedes dealers and ahead of Lexus and BMW dealers, who come in at three and four respectively.
And there’s even more good news for Chrysler brand dealers – they also came in at number five, while Dodge dealers came in at nine. Buick was the only GM brand whose dealers were in the top 10 (Buick took the number eight spot).
The results were based on scores given by survey respondents regarding their dealership experience during vehicle purchase, as well as the car browsing process and vehicle service experience. The dealerships were rated and scored in each category and given an overall score.
More than half of women who are in the market for a new car visit three or more dealerships during the process, says Anne Fleming, president of Women-Drivers.com. A woman’s browsing experience determines where she will buy, she adds.
“No one captures the browsing information; even in CSI, browsing isn’t scored,” Fleming says. “If she has a great browsing experience, she’s going to come back. If she doesn’t, she’s gone.”

Lotus will make three vehicle debuts at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, including the world premiere of an all-new track car, which will carry the 125 name. No details about the 125 have been provided, but judging from past Lotus models it’s likely a more hard-core version of the 2-Eleven, or a 2-Eleven style car based on the Evora chassis. (We hope!)
Another track-only model will also make it’s North American premiere, the Evora Cup GT4. Weighing 400 lbs less than the standard Evora at just 2,645 lbs and sporting a Cosworth 4.0-liter V6 engine with 360-hp, it’s a genuine track car built for the European GT4 series. Hopefully the debut at Pebble will be accompanied by an announcement that the Evora Cup GT4 will also compete in the U.S.
The third model set to debut is a U.S.-spec version of the restyled 2011 Elise SC RGB Edition. The RGB name comes from long-time (but now retired) Director of Vehicle Engineering Roger George Becker, who dedicated 44 years of his life to developing Lotus vehicles. In Europe, RGB models are full-loaded, offering most option packages and items like light-weight forged alloy wheels. Four colors are offered in Europe: Aspen White, Starlight Black, Solar Yellow and Carbon Grey. All models will also get a numbered plaque and will be signed by Roger Becker.

The world of tuning hybrids has really evolved in a short period of time. The good looks of the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius have really captured the Japanese aftermarket. We saw it first hand at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon, where the overwhelming amount of customized hybrids caught us by surprise.
Wald International has built a reputation over the years as one of Japan’s premiere manufacturers of high quality styling kits. Mostly geared towards luxury sedans and the entire VIP movement, Wald has now taken a different approach by teasing an upcoming kit for the Toyota Prius. Yep, even Wald is getting their hands dirty with the hybrids.
We’ve only been treated with a single photo of the kit, but we’re already digging it. Instead of changing the entire look of the car and messing with the Prius’ drag coefficient bod, Wald took a conservative approach, adding flair to the front bumper while maintaining a majority of the stock look. We particularly like the side skirts which are a perfect fit to the Prius’ body. We’re curious to see how the rear of the project is shaping up; we’ll be sure to report when we get a full release and pricing on the package.

In 2012 Buick will expand its lineup further down-market, introducing the Verano compact below the Regal. Riding on the same architecture as the Chinese Buick Excelle (and Chevy Cruze), several engines are possible. For starters it could be offered with the Cruze’s 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder, but a more likely candidate is the 181-hp turbocharged 1.6-liter currently offered on the Excelle GT in China.
After this model debuts we’ll see Buick unveil a compact crossover called the Encore. The basis for this vehicle is not entirely known, with different sources claiming it will be based on the Cruze architecture, while others suggest it will run on the upcoming Aveo platform – suggesting it will be a small vehicle indeed.
In related Buick news, before 2012 we’re set to receive a hybrid version of the LaCrosse and past 2012 GM has indicated plans to build a new Buick flagship based on the same platform as the upcoming Cadillac XTS.