While the U.S. is in regards to to get its mainly taste of two-door, rear-wheel-drive, car-based pickups in the craft of the Pontiac G8 ST (official and cr a great deal TBD), Australians experience continued enjoying these kinds of things, referred to as utes, for decades. While Holden introduced a new version of its Commodore-based ute the preceding year, Ford has recently gotten almost to meeting the problem amongst its new Falcon-based ute. And you recognize how who means: Ford vs. GM cage balance in Koala Bear country!

Pickuptrucks.com has pitted the Holden SS Ute and Ford XR8 Ute, both top-shelf sports models, against every further in their Ultimate Sh-Ute-Out for the ages. For as similar as these kinds of utes are in levels and power, we got surprised to discover how unique properties very are. The Ford ute, for instance, is thought a good amount of of a workhorse as opposed to the Holden and hence persists in to use a leaf-sprung rear suspension alternatively of an IRS want the Holden. Apparently it is the a great deal more truckish of the two, as distinguishable by its separated cab and bed judged against to the clean one-piece design of the Holden. Both cases tested use big V8 powerplants, but the XR8’s Boss V8 was a good amount high-tech judged against to tried-and-true Gen IV pushrod.

Being who Pontiac is just about to embark on re&wshyp;selling the Holden Ute in the U.S. as the Pontiac G8 ST, right now comparo is a fantastic Beginner’s Course in the good earth of Aussie utes. And who knows, if the Pontiac G8 and G8 ST turn over well, the current may recently be the urging Ford needs to bid the Falcon stateside sooner as opposed to the next-generation model. Check out the gallery of insanely cool high-res shots based on data from the comparo below, courtesy of Pickuptrucks.com, and hit the source to was reading the comparo based on data from create to finish.

[Source: Pickuptrucks.com]

When the BMW M3 sedan obtained its debut, we considered founded on its two door counterpart,’s performance so it will be fast. But that is one bit of floor we did not guess the V8 super-sedan could coat fairly so quickly: Barely on the sector already, the M3 Sedan is going to get a facelift.
The revisions, of course, plans to be minor, but spy shots desire the one above lead to that, in addition to the new tail lights making fitted to the standard four-door 3-Series, the M3 Sedan is forecasted to get particular new LEDs up front. Other less significant unrest can be obtained to the rear, and also a transformed rear bumper and diffuser, along surrounded by a few updates to the interior. We will not be complaining, recently as extended as it is as hastily as the pre&wshyp;existent model.

[Source: M3Post.com]

The PR operating points at the Kia both in New York focused on the automaker’s regulations to allure to a younger demographic in the U.S. and abroad. Kia aims to be the youthful yin to Hyundai’s supplementary staid yang, surrounded by the introduction of the Koup underlying thought in NY and the expected appearance of the SOUL CUV (never mind so Hyundai was working at burnouts on the third bottom of the Jacob Javits heart additonally Kia took the wraps off its redesigned Optima).

Regardless, at such year’s British International Motor Show (formerly renowned as the London Motor Show) Kia can be popping off 5 of the concepts the current suffer graced the automaker’s demonstrate stands within the go on year, along amid an announcement right about a coming years Kia product. The automaker certainly isn’t releasing any things on how declared car might be, alone claiming who “this new and astonishing car are able to come up with the clearest proof yet of the design coming years of the brand.” The prove becomes below way July 23rd and Kia has announced the the mystery exemplary serves to go on cash in on in the UK in 2009. What we are assuming is a Euro-only Kia ought to join 13 new or modified offerings in 2009 and 2010, all of that heart almost Kia’s new slogan, “The Power to Surprise!” The exclamation rank is theirs, not ours.

[Source: Kia via CarScoop]

Fiat has proven it is planning to be taking a convertible version of the 500 and in the face of a launch date has yet to be announced, Fiat type styling director Roberto Giolito revealed who the exemplary is on its way… at a couple of point.

Giolito furthermore announced such a the 500 cabrio serves to feature a fabric roof, and not a retractable hard-top, citing upgrades in resources the remove multitude of of the drawbacks associated in cloth roofs. The overall Fiat board performs not input any hard-top convertibles, even though a large number of experience continued reported to be in the works, as well as the coming up Ferrari California. However, the greater number of costly MINI convertible, that the 500 cabrio will be able to invariably objective in the marketplace, furthermore uses a fabric top.
 [Source: just-auto.com - sub. req'd]

As we reported earlier, Alfa Romeo handed for the duration of its Brera to Prodrive, that has for a while honed the hot hatch to what is making identified the Brera S. Prodrive fit the new Brera S in on Eibach coil springs and Bilstein dampers, and afterward conducted drastic testing to bring in the correct equate of spring and damper amounts for more capable handling without ruining the ride. The steering was too tweaked to take advantage of the car’s quicker reflexes, and 8C Competizione-inspired lightweight 19-inch alloy wheels wearing Pirelli rubber stay the car affixed to terra firma. Along among lighter wheels, hollow anti-roll bars and aluminum suspension elements more and more lower the car’s weight beneath the rest of the Brera range. Exterior mods are minimal, but the waste has kept on reworked and is capped through chrome guidelines featuring Prodrive’s logo, and there are now Prodrive-branded mud flaps up front and either ‘S’ or ‘SV6′ badges on the C-pillar. The Brera S has moreover kept on fitted provided new seats that, along amidst the dashboard, door panels, steering wheel and gear shift, feature red stitching. There are drilled aluminum pedals for your footsies and a limited-edition Brera S aluminum plate featuring the flags of every company’s real estate earth (Italy and Britain) is located in the headrest recess.

[Source: Alfa Romeo]

Volvo, yet the accomplishment story in Ford’s Premier Automotive Group, has hit choppy waters. And according to Wall Street Journal insiders, Ford is preparing to treat the Swedish automaker the same way it did the English ones: put particularlly floaties on it and continue the type bobbing extensively sufficient to deal it.

Volvo drew up $94 million in income in Q1 of 2007, but lost $151 million in Q1 of the current year. In total, within the beyond two years, the in the wake of smiling Swede has lost $1.7 billion, portion of that is due to exchange rates, and a new is due to marketing a lower number of cars. To battle the decline, Volvo is shedding up to a third of its strive motivate at one European plant, and cutting going back on creation at another. As you could suspect, both of people plants initiate the record vehicles in Volvo’s lineup.

A couple of weeks ago, Ford was intriguingly — or deceitfully — that much in “Volvo’s not for sale” mode. Now it looks the Mulally has admitted to one or two Ford execs the current Volvo is in regards to to wear the “Needs a Caring Home” sign. Jerry York, the best hand man of Kirk Kerkorian, maintains this Volvo would maybe be purchased in 18 months. The way Times seem now, we would be surprised if it took the present long.

[Source: Wall Street Journal via Yahoo!]

A few cycles ago we advised making our produce regarding Mattel leaking severe Ferrari revelation surrounded by a big grain of salt. But as which renowned toy maker has continued well&wshyp;known to do in the previous (remember the 1969 Corvette?), Mattel was indeed making an effort on a 1:18th balance ideal of a new, minute Ferrari. As we know, however, it can not be identified Dino.

A Mattel insider and Autoblog fan has tipped us off which a 1:18 balance Hot Wheels Ferrari California might be out there in “late 2008.” With the official unveiling of the Ferrari California supposedly constructued for the Paris Motor Show in October, we could be able to take one for a, uh, pitiful test impel before the car is a great deal unveiled.

The biggest impediment to the G8 Coupe actually seeing the light of day are looming new CAFE regulations, but we don’t see how selling a bulk of these cars with the still-excellent 3.6 liter V6 to less performance-addled customers would be a bad thing. It’d hopefully prevent Pontiac from running afoul of the fuel economy rules while getting another car out there that enthusiasts can embrace in a variety of flavors.

[Source: Inside Line, Photo illustration by Nick Wilcox, Inside Line]

we just used the word “thang”) and only feeds our fantasies of speeding along some glass-smooth tarmac under a bright blue sky with the top down. Well a boy can dream, can’t he? Click on the thumbnails below and you can drift off too, in one way or another.
[Source: Alfa Romeo]

Like other modern Ferraris, this one is fabricated from aluminum to keep mass under control. The 460 hp 4.3L V8 is the first from Maranello to use direct injection while following the racing tradition of using a flat-plane crankshaft. This car of firsts also debuts the production application of a dual clutch gearbox from Ferrari. The 7-speed unit is mounted in a rear transaxle configuration and should provide smoother shifting and even better performance than the existing hydraulically-actuated units that Ferrari currently uses. Acceleration to 60 mph should come in under 4.0 seconds.

[Source: Ferrari]