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2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost

If there was any lingering doubt as to the business value of the 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost, recent sales figures appear likely to put such concerns to an abrupt end. Over the course of the first five months of 2010, Rolls-Royce has sold a total of 678 automobiles. That doesn't sound like a whole lot when judged against the world's largest automakers, but that figure represents an impressive 146-percent increase over the previous year.

As you might have guessed, that sales uptick is being driven by orders for the new Ghost, which, with a price starting at around $250,000, is Rolls-Royce's new entry-level model. Company head Torsten Müller-Ötvös expects the sales surge to continue throughout the 2010, suggesting that the automaker will post figures "at least double the volume of last year." As we found during our recent First Drive, Ghost buyers are likely to be very pleased with their new saloons.

New 2010 GMC Terrain Review

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2010 GMC Terrain

GMC's "Professional Grade" tagline works best when it's being used to upsell truck shoppers into Sierras instead of Chevy Silverados, but even wider mass-market success comes from snaring folks who couldn't care less about payload. And while the Yukon has its place at the table for some families, the thirsty brontosaur's broad appeal vanished with the disappearance of super-cheap gasoline. Hence, traditionally truck-focused GMC has crossed over, so to speak. The three-row Acadia was the beginning, and while the trucks are still there for those who want or need them, if you're shopping for a family car, the nice man in the tie would like to show you something different: the 2010 GMC Terrain.

BMW Megacity to spawn EV, Sport models, Gran Coupe coming in 2012

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BMW Efficient Dynamics Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Rejoice, Bimmer fans. If you thought the new BMW interest in the world of hybrids and EVs spelt the beginning of the end for your favorite driving machine, think again. Word has surfaced that the company is planning a multitude of different versions of its Megacity EV, including at least one sports car. While chatting with Autocar, Ian Robertson, the head honcho of sales and marketing for the company, said that the Megacity will be made primarily of carbon fiber in order to hit weight targets, and that it will in fact be sold under the BMW banner instead of a newly-minted nameplate.

That's all fine and good, but what about this sports car? The publication cites an unnamed BMW board member as saying that the Megacity platform will spawn multiple variations. Combine that with word from Inside Line that the Bavarian automaker is mulling the creation of a genuine sports car to compete with the likes of the Audi R8 and Mercedes-Benz SL, and you've got a recipe for a genuine EV bruiser. Word has it that the creation would be sculpted in the image of the Vision Efficient Dynamics Concept.

The IL crew also says that there's also plenty of indication that the ever lovely Grand Coupé will inspire the replacement model for the current 6 Series by late 2012. That's no bad thing in our book.

Keep in mind that all of this is still quite a ways off, though. The Megacity isn't expected to see the light of day until 2013 at the earliest, and any other progeny would crop up in the years to follow. In the automotive universe, a lot can change in two years.

Lincoln MKZ Hybrid Gets Updated SmartGauge

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When the 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid goes on sale this fall, it will have an updated version of the SmartGauge that debuted last year on the Ford Fusion Hybrid. The basics of the SmartGauge remain the same, with a pair of 4.3-inch LCD displays flanking a central speedometer. The LCDs can display several layers of information to help coach the driver to be a more efficient motorist.

The most obvious change is the color palette for the LCD gauges. They have been changed from a predominantly blue color scheme to what Lincoln officials describes as a more upscale-looking green and gold. The leaves on the right of the display have been present since the introduction of system on the Fusion and provide a graphical representation of the driver's short-term average fuel economy. The more thrifty your driving style, the more leaves you get. Behave like a lead-foot and they dissolve.

The SmartGauge in the 2011 MKZ Hybrid will also add some new flora to the mix in the form of a long-term fuel efficiency indicator. The indicator takes the form of apple blossom flowers (the state flower of Michigan) that appear amidst your tangle of digital leafs. If your average fuel economy is sufficient (Ford won't say what number you actually need), the first flowers will begin to appear after 4-6 weeks of driving. They first appear as buds and then grow into small and finally large flowers. More flowers appear over time, but the more you get, the more time it will take to earn more. If you earn all of the flowers, then you'll have saved about $8,000 in fuel costs and 30 tons of CO2 over the life of the car.

Aside from adding a whole new element to the game of achieving high MPG that we all play when behind the wheel of a hybrid, Ford's new long-term flower indicator also may serve a second, more practical purpose. If you decide to sell your MKZ Hybrid a few years down the road, a full bouquet of flowers in the SmartGauge proves you were a slow, careful driver and may fetch you a higher price on the used car market.

Asus Lamborghini VX6 And VX7 Laptops; Tail Lights & All

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Growing up, we spent most of our innocent youth being envious of the kid down the street. While we were spending our nights stuck in a lame twin bed, he was having the time of his life by catching his 40 winks in a genuine race car bed. Don't let anyone try to tell you life is fair. As it turns out, ASUS is out to help you elicit that same level of epic jealousy in your fellow coworkers with a new line of Lamborghini-inspired laptops.

Both the LX6 and LX7 feature a glossy case with styling borrowed directly from the tail-end of the ever-sexy Gallardo. Under the hood, er case, is a slew of drool-worthy tech, including a dual-core Atom 525 processor and a sound system courtesy of the gurus at Bang & Olfsen. They're sexy, they're over the top and they're everything we would hope a Raging Bull laptop would be. Asus hasn't released pricing on either of the two lappies, but chances are that they'll be considerably less costly than the four-wheeled products from Sant'Agata.

[Source: Engadget]

Ford Is Expanding Graphics To All Vehicles

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Claiming that its exterior graphics have proven far more popular than it anticipated, Ford will offer customizable decals for all of its cars and trucks by the end of summer.

You know what we mean: camo, flames, dots, stripes, flowers — all the designs that people think make their cars look unique. Ford first latched on to the idea when the graphics proved popular with its Fiesta test drivers; an impressive 70% of them chose graphics for their cars. Its graphics’ website, Fordcustomgraphics.com, has received more than 10,000 hits.

Ford spokesman Jim Abraham told the Detroit Free Press that he attributes the trend to a growing desire among young people to “customize products ranging from iPhones to cars.”

Ford will first offer graphics for the Mustang and F-150 pickup truck this month and then roll out designs for the rest of its vehicles by summer’s end. Ranging in price from $200 to $1,200, the graphics are permanently affixed to body panels. The automaker will wait and see before it offers similar products for its Lincoln and Mercury brands.

We’re still skeptical, though. Do exterior graphics interest you? Would you customize a Ford if you bought one? Let us know in the comment section below!

Next Generation (40th Anniversary Edition) Nissan Z to get Mercedes V6, I4-hybrid?

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Given the reality of upcoming CO2 emissions regulations in both Europe and North America, it's not much of a stretch to assume that the next generation Nissan Z will get more fuel efficient. How Nissan will manage to extract those extra miles per gallon and reduced emissions is purely conjecture on the part of everyone outside of Nissan's engineering staff at this point.

Thankfully, the British motoring press has no aversion to speculation or even simply stuff up. In the wake of the cooperation deal between Daimler and the Renault-Nissan alliance, the future of the Z is a ripe target for such prognostication. Could the 370Z successor get a version of the 3.5-liter V6 hybrid powertrain from the Mercedes S400? How about a V6 diesel or inline-four diesel-hybrid?

Anything's possible, but not necessarily probable. Given the personality that customers expect from a Z, we think something along the lines of a downsized, boosted gasoline V6 is a much more likely configuration. The relatively low volumes of the Z would easily be balanced out by all of the electric vehicles Nissan is planning to build without having to do anything too radical to the sports car.

2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK350 4Matic Being Reviewed

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2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK 350 - Click above for high-res image gallery

When you launch a vehicle during the year's most over-hyped estrogenfest, you're obviously trying to appeal to a specific demographic. Specifically, not us. There's a reason we haven't taken a crack at the Mercedes-Benz GLK until the sequel to Sex and the City hit the screen. It was just too easy to pigeonhole this cute 'ute as nothing more than a boxy four-wheeled trinket – a cynical fashion accessory designed to compliment your rat-faced pooch and Manolo Blahniks (yes, we had to look that up).

But a funny thing happened on the way down I-5.

While blasting the stereo and hauling along at a decidedly Germanic clip, all of the stereotypes about the GLK's target demographic flew out its expansive sunroof. For as much as we dislike the mere idea of "entry-level luxury" – and in particular the scads of pseudo-SUVs that populate it – the GLK started to make sense. It's well proportioned, has adequate power and comes with nearly enough amenities to match its tri-pointed badge. We actually enjoyed it, even though our manhood might've taken a hit in the process.

Which State Has The Dumbest Drivers?

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GMAC Insurance just completed its annual survey of driver knowledge, and the results don't look good. Of those questioned, New York drivers proved to know the least about the rules of the road, with 20 percent failing the written exam and 85 percent not knowing basic information like what to do when approaching a yellow light. The trend continued for most of the North East with the region managing the lowest average test score of 74.9 percent.

Meanwhile, the Mid-West took the highest average test score by region with 77.5 percent average. It turns out Kansas drivers are the most knowledgeable of traffic laws. The state's residents managed to pull down an average test score of 82.3 percent. GMAC surveyed a total of 5,000 licensed drivers from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. for its research, and looked into distracted driving issues as well.

GMAC didn't provide average test scores for the entire nation, but we can guess they're nothing to brag about. Our country's approach to driver's education is outdated and underfunded at best, and hand-me-down at worst. Bi-annual testing, behind-the-wheel training (complete with an understanding of vehicle control in emergency situations) and law-enforcement for infractions other than speeding would be a good place to start. It ain't gonna be cheap, but it certainly would be worth it in lives and insurance costs.

[Source: CBS News ]

TPC Racing to Turbo Charge Porsche Boxster Spyder

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TPC Racing Porsche Boxster Spyder – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Boxster Spyder may be one of the purest Porsches to date, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. However, unlike the majority of tuning firms, TPC Racing is different. They take a holistic approach to the project at hand and in the case of their white-on-black Spyder, they're not just looking to improve the Porsche's performance, they're out to build a supercar.

We've spent time with the company's Cayman S Turbo and there's no doubt they've got the skills to accomplish the task (20+ years of motorsports knowledge helps), but how do you improve on something that's damn-near perfect right out of the box? In this case, the answer (predictably for TPC) comes in the form of forced induction.

Although they've already increased the output of the flat-six to 321 horsepower with a few ECU tweaks, the planned turbo upgrade will boost the power to 470 hp... at the wheels. In a 2,811-pound roadster.

But if you only want the power upgrade, look elsewhere. TPC won't offer the engine work alone, opting instead for a comprehensive upgrade package that includes a round of suspension mods that won't just make the Spyder stick harder, but offer infinite adjustability through Porsche's two-mode shock system. The whole kit-and-caboodle will set you back around $16,000 ($10k for the engine mods and $6k for the suspension), but once it's completed, the $80,000 entry price should be enough to shame some of the world's most high-powered exotics.

Kilometer Magazine will be following the build, so expect more updates to come in the following weeks.

2011 Chevy Cruze Priced at $16,275, LTZ Costs $22,695

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Chevrolet announced the starting price of the all-new Chevy Cruze compact today, and it might be shocking to some. The $16,275 price tag, before a $720 destination fee, is considerably higher than the outgoing Cobalt it replaces — $14,990 — but it’s also a larger vehicle with better gas mileage.

The price bump puts it about $1,000 higher than the Mazda3, and we’d guess Ford will price its upcoming 2011 Focus somewhere in between or higher than the Cruze, which goes on sale in September. A Honda Civic VP starts at $16,405, and a range-topping Civic EX-L is $21,005.

The base price gets you a manual transmission LS model; a six-speed automatic is standard in the $18,175 LT. The highly touted Eco model, which is expected to get 40 mpg highway with aerodynamic enhancements, also will start at $18,175.

Check out the price and equipment breakdowns from Chevy below, including the top-of-the-line LTZ. Then let us know in the comments if you think the price is too high or just right. We’re more surprised that features such as USB input aren’t standard on more trim levels at this price point rather than the prices themselves.

2010 Aston Martin Rapide: 4 Door Sports Car Auto Review

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0-60 in 5 seconds? Nice! Check it out!

2011 BMW Z4 sDrive35is

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2010 Nissan Sentra

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Audi designs a foosball table, said to redifine "fine motor skills"

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We know what you're thinking. I love me some foosball; if only the game were infused with a bit more... car. Well, Audi Design has answered your prayers, good friend.

The design was initially unveiled a couple of years ago, but is only now entering production, albeit limited: Only 20 examples of this soccer table are being produced by specialist firm Leonhart, each carrying a heft €12,900 (~$16k) price tag.

And yes, you could probably get yourself behind the wheel of a nice used A4 for that amount. But would that be as much fun? Well, probably. But for the fanatic who's already got an R8 in the driveway, this very well might be the ultimate addition to the gaming room. Details – including endorsement from none other than the head of the Bavarian Table Soccer Association – in the press release after the jump.

Pagani says goodbye to the Zonda

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Pagani Zonda Uno

Another day, another special Zonda. The Pagani supercar is set to speed off into the sunset soon and be replaced by a new model. But before it does, the Modenese exotic automaker has been keeping (themselves and us) busy with special editions. The Cinque was one, followed by an additional run of Cinque Roadsters. Then came the track-bound Zonda R, followed by the Zonda PS, and the Tricolore edition unveiled in Geneva. And now this, the Zonda Uno.

Reportedly commissioned by a member of the Qatari royal family, the Zonda Uno bares the same turquoise paint scheme as the rest of the prince's motor pool. Otherwise, it features elements borrowed from the Zonda R and the previously-mentioned Cinque, including the air scoop and rear diffuser, and the latter's 690-horsepower 7.3-liter V12.

Nice work if you can get it, and you can bet the Al-Thani family payed dearly for it.

Citroën packs the tech into "all-new" C4 hatchback

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2011 Citroën C4

You'd think a term like "all new" would be fairly absolute. But not when it comes to new cars. Take the new Citroën C4, for example. The French automaker calls it "all new". But it's still based on the platform of the outgoing model. That said, the sheetmetal is fresh, the dimensions have grown some and the hatch is packed with all manner of gizmos, solidifying the chevron brand's place as a technological powerhouse.

What sort of tech are we talking about? How about adaptive headlights, lane departure and blind-spot warning systems, user-changeable backlighting in the cabin (along with ringtone-style chimes and alerts) and a new system called eTouch which monitors driving patterns and offers suggestions on how to improve fuel economy. Engine options will likely remain the same, with the addition of the new e-HDi hybrid diesel/electric drivetrain, and we'll be looking for the new C4 to debut in Paris this Fall before sales begin overseas early next year.

The three-door model isn't expected to continue into the new generation, leaving the five-door to go it alone against the likes of the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf. The DS4 is expected to be based on this model, but as a crossover it'll be further differentiated than the narrow gap between the smaller C3 and DS3 hatchbacks.

2011 Volkswagen Jetta starting under $15k

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According to a well-placed source at VWVortex, Volkswagen is set to release official photos of the new 2011 Jetta in about two weeks' time, and while the new compact sedan won't go on sale until sometime this fall, we'll be learning all about the new model over the course of the next month.

While the timing of the Jetta's release isn't a huge surprise (particularly considering the recent rash of spy shots), the real shocker could be the price. For the 2010 model year the cheapest Jetta will set you back $17,735, but word has it that the new model will start at just $14,950.

Volkswagen officials have long lamented how the dollar-to-euro exchange rate affects pricing of its wares, and recently, VW has been working to source more components and systems from dollar-zone suppliers. Hopefully, the drastically reduced price won't come at the expense of de-contenting and cheapening the interior of the new model. High-quality interiors have long been one of the hallmarks of VW products, so it's doubtful that V-Dub would go down market at the same time that Ford and GM are bringing serious competitive products to the segment. Expect more details to follow soon.

[Source: VW Vortex]

Range Rover settles into middle age, hits the big 4-0!

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Range Rover turns 40 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Since the mid-90s, the the luxury SUV segment has become an increasingly crowded field with almost every brand trying to get a piece of the pie (and in many cases several slices of various sizes). Way back in 1970, though, there was only one. Forty years ago this month the very first Range Rover rolled out of a UK factory and its continued rolling ever since.

Unlike the Jeeps, International Scouts and Land Cruisers of the day, the Range Rover managed to combine the luxury amenities and on-the-road ride qualities of a Jaguar with the rock crawling prowess of those other brands. Range Rover built such a reputation that at one time Jaguar even considered building its own competitor. Fortunately, Land Rover came into the Ford family before that happened and now both brands have passed into Indian hands. The realities of the modern world mean that future Range Rovers will undoubtedly change, getting lighter and perhaps adopting hybrid technology. For now at least, the badge still represents the epitome of British luxury blended with jungle crawling capability.

2011 Aston Martin V12 Vantage priced at $179,995

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2011 Aston Martin V12 Vantage Carbon Black

Aston Martin has finally put a U.S.-approved sticker onto the V12 Vantage, and if you're aching to get into the 510 horsepower coupe, you'll need to set aside $179,995 for the "base" model.

Included in the kit is the DB9-sourced V12 powerplant putting out the aforementioned 510 ponies and 420 pound-feet of torque, capable of scooting the svelte coupe to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 190 mph.

If the standard V12 Vantage is just too plebeian for your tastes, you can option up for the Carbon Black Edition – an exclusive trim for the States – which includes black metallic paint, carbon fiber accents, a reworked grille, 10-spoke black wheels and a host of interior appointments.

Pricing for the Carbon Black model comes in at a cool $194,995 (undercutting both the DB9 and DBS), and both prices include the $3,000 gas guzzler tax and $1,350 destination charge.