Audi and Xbox to Host Forza 3 Tournament in New York City

Audi and Xbox to Host Forza 3 Tournament in New York City Want to watch the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans, but can't make your way to France? Perhaps the AXF 24 Challenge -- a party co-hosted by Audi and Microsoft's Xbox team -- is the second-best way to view the classic enduro. The event celebrates the Le Mans race and serves as a venue for a digital race challenge. Audi's currently asking gamers to fire up Forza Motorsports 3, pilot a digital 2009 Audi R15 TDI race car around the Circuit de la Sarthe, and submit their best lap times. Those with three best times will be invited to the Audi Forum in New York City on June 12, where they'll...

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Subaru Launches Impreza WRX STI Spec C for Japanese Market

We wouldn’t exactly call Subaru’s WRX STI “soft,” but the Japanese automaker has just launched the WRX STI Spec C--a performance-tuned variant exclusively for the Japanese market. Sure, the Spec C still uses the same 2.0-liter turbocharged boxer-four underhood, but engineers made a few small tweaks to boost performance. A redesigned turbocharger, along with a re-mapped engine computer, are said to help reduce turbo lag and improve the car’s top-end. The STI Spec C also receives an intercooler water injector, allowing intake air to remain cool, even at speed. In the twisties, drivers will likely notice tighter steering and less body roll, thanks...

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Chrysler May Abandon Sebring Nameplate

Chrysler May Abandon Sebring Nameplate In an attempt to break away from its pre-bankruptcy form, Chrysler is possibly dropping the Sebring name for its revised midsize sedan, which is due late next year.Chrysler is planning to significantly revamp its lineup in the near future, and is promising nine significantly upgraded vehicles -- Chrysler calls them "new" -- by the end of this year. The Sebring is one of those cars on the block. Apart from ditching most of the features found on the current car, CEO Sergio Marchionne suggests the new car may even ditch the Sebring nameplate. “You’ll see a completely different animal,” said Sergio...

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Marchionne: A Chrysler-Lancia Merger Could Happen This Year

Marchionne: A Chrysler-Lancia Merger Could Happen This Year The marriage between Chrysler and Lancia may come sooner than later. An Autocar interview with Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne says the two brands could merge their lineups by the end of this year."In Europe, Lancia is an undersized, underdeveloped brand, with nothing bigger than the Delta. Chrysler, which has a true global reach, has nothing smaller. Put them together and you have a full lineup," Marchionne said. "We could see the two converge as early as the end of the year." Marchionne's statements nearly confirm reports of such platform dating to last October. The first example...

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BMW Recalls, Halts Sales of 1 Series Models; Cites Fire Risk

New information released on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website shows that BMW is recalling all 1 Series models sold in the U.S. between 2008 and 2010 for a potential fire risk. According to the manufacturer, cars built between December 1, 2007, and May 27, 2010, may not have sufficient clearance between the seatbelt tensioners and the sound insulation in the B-pillars. Should a crash occur, the tensioners could overheat. In rare instances, the excess temperature could possibly ignite the insulation material. BMW has not yet released a fix for the issue, but has notified NHTSA of the recall and halted sales of all...

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Hybrid Haulers: Ford Announces C-Max Hybrids for European Market

Hybrid Haulers: Ford Announces C-Max Hybrids for European Market Ford has been producing hybrid vehicles for North America since 2004, but the company hasn't offered one in Europe. This is set to change. Ford announced today it will build both hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of its new C-Max people mover.“Our Valencia plant here in Spain will build these new C-Max five-seat hybrid models exclusively for European customers seeking a practical, efficient, and affordable environmental vehicle, while the export to North America of the new Grand C-Max petrol model in late 2011 opens a new era of production for the team at the plant,”...

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Lamborghini Navarra Concept Study Penned by Lockheed Martin Designer

Most young designers these days appear to have the hots for anything related to Lamborghini. After the Cnossus, Minotauro, Miura Nuovo, Conquisto, Furia and Toro LA690-4 - just to mention some of the Lamborghini design concepts we've shown you the past few months, here comes yet another proposal for a Raging Bull model, this time from American Adam Denning who happens to be a designer for Lockheed Martin USA. The Navarra is design study for a flagship Lamborghini supercar to replace the current Murcielago model. "I tried to imagine all the V12 flagships of the brand from the Miura to the Murcielago, and then create a car that would look like...

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FEATURES: Eight Great Volkswagen-Italdesign Collaborations(1970)

1970 VW-Porsche Tapiro The notion of an entry-level Porsche roadster -- built with some help from Volkswagen -- wasn't a horrible idea, but the blocky styling used on the 914 was divisive, to say the least. Giorgetto's solution was simple: take one 914/6, strip it down to the floor pan, and replace the awkward bodywork with a sleek coupe body. The "folded paper" look may have been commonplace in the 1980s, but a decade prior -- when the Tapiro was unveiled at the Turin motor show -- the result was rather groundbreaking. Gullwing doors provided access to not only the interior, but also the engine compartment and luggage bay -- a subtle nod to...

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