Brands like Buick have been around for a long time, and as such have years of history behind them. A long-lasting nameplate has a lot of benefits. Today’s market is increasingly segmented and it takes millions of dollar sot launch an all-new product onto the market. Old names have positive feelings, as well as baggage, associated with them. Buick isn’t short on names from the past. Today’s lineup consists of the Enclave, LaCrosse, Regal and Verano. Out of those, only the Regal is a historic name. GMInsideNews reports that Buick has registered a trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for Riviera. The Riviera name has a lot of equity even today, as it is regarded as a classic. It’s amazing that General Motors let the trademark lapse. The more interesting question to ponder though is what it means in terms of product. Sometimes manufacturers file for many different trademarks that end up unused . GM has toyed with the idea of bringing back the Riviera before though, debuting the 2007 Buick Riviera Concept in China. It was a stunning two-door coupe that while thoroughly modern, displayed some classic design cues from the Riviera. Most everyone begged for it to be produced, but nothing has come out of it yet. We think Buick could use a coupe like that, even if it was front-wheel drive on Epsilon II. Even better though would be a rear-wheel drive model on the next-generation Zeta platform. With Buick moving forward in the luxury market and these models having resonance in China, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a new Riviera pop up in the near future. In China, the Park Avenue full-size luxury sedan is a big seller. That is a car that may come here as well. The likeliest scenario would be the Riviera becoming the coupe version of that car. No related posts. Automoblog.net – A Car Blog for Auto Enthusiasts View original post here:  Triggering Speculation, Buick Files for Riviera Trademark

One of the most disturbing websites on the internet is forgottenfiberglass.com . There’s no weird porn, just the stories of hundreds of nearly successful-to-completely failed automotive projects built after WWII. More » See the original post: COTD: Forgotten Fiberglass Edition [Video] Go here to read the rest: COTD: Forgotten Fiberglass Edition [Video]

  A sign of emerging technology and a push to minimizing the environmental impact of automobiles has led to the sizable production of electric or electrified vehicles becoming a reality. Dismissed for a long time, cars using battery-backed propulsion are being inundated into a world where a well-performing counterpart (the internal combustion engine) has existed as the standard. Aside from driving range of a battery-powered vehicle, charging time is the biggest obstacle in operating an electric car. In the normal life of today’s motorists, the trip to a nearby filling station has been regarded as a practical way of refuelling a vehicle. Taking only a few minutes to pump multiple gallon of flammable fluid into a fuel tank, the prospect of waiting several hours for a battery to recharge is, indeed, unattractive. While most electric cars can be charged from a 120-volt outlet commonly found in households, there would be very few motorists who are willing to wait between 10 to 21 hours for charging their Chevrolet Volt or Nissan Leaf. In fact, the Tesla Roadster’s 120-volt mobile connector can take over 30 hours to fully charge the battery. Many electric car buyers are encouraged to pick one of many home charging stations such as the GE Wattstation that can greatly improve battery recharge times with 240 volts of power. With 240 volts, these power stations are capable of charging a Nissan Leaf from an empty to full battery in 7 hours from a wall unit. Found within commercial charging stations and can easily be wall-mounted to a garage. Now, as commercial charging infrastructure is furnishing in major cities, a quicker method than the 240-volt charger unit exists for delivering significant energy to an electric car in 30 minutes or less.     At the ongoing Electric Vehicle Symposium 26 at the LA Convention Center, the new reality for electrified motoring is DC fast charging units. Injecting a charge to a compatible battery with up to 500 volts, DC fast charging is being shot to the main stage for selling battery-powered cars and trucks to the public. Several major manufacturers of electric car charging stations have already or will soon commit to incorporating DC fast charging set-ups in public. Eaton, ECOtality and Schneider Electric are among the...

The Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4. Image: Lamborghini If you were hoping the Lamborghini Aventador Roadster would pack a slick, power-retractable hardtop like Ferrari’s 458 Italia, it appears you’re out of luck. If reports from Italy’s Quattroroute are correct, the topless Aventador will come to market with a removable targa roof, similar to that used by Bugatti on the Veyron Grand Sport. The Aventador Roadster’s top panels will be made from carbon fiber or carbon composite, and will be split in the middle for easy removal or deployment. That may make them small enough to carry on board the Aventador, eliminating the need to decide on topless motoring before leaving the garage (like the Veyron Grand Sport, whose roof can’t be stored on board the car). As for the “why,” the answer is relatively simple: adding any kind of folding top, whether manual or powered, would add more weight and would require redesign of the Aventador’s intricate engine cover. Not only is such a redesign cost-prohibitive, but it also would added significantly to the car’s development time. Assuming, of course, that the car actually exists. Lamborghini is neither confirming nor denying a topless Aventador, which means we’ll have to wait until the international auto show schedule resumes this fall before any official announcements are made.   Read the original here: Lamborghini Aventador Roadster To Wear Targa Roof: Report Go here to see the original:  Lamborghini Aventador Roadster To Wear Targa Roof: Report

We’ll warn you in advance: if you’re squeamish, you probably don’t want to watch the video below, especially right after lunch. If the thought of car-on-frog violence doesn’t disturb you, the video below (found on Autoblog ) is a well-played ad for the new Australian Ford Falcon EcoBoost, which is a front-engine, rear-drive family of full-size cars that we don’t get to see on this side of the planet. And before we get spam-bombed by PETA, let us just say that no actual cane toads (much less talking cane toads) were harmed in the filming of this commercial. We don’t condone running over wildlife, even if it is considered a nuisance that poses a threat to other wildlife in your part of the world. Get past the exploding toad, and there’s a valuable lesson to be learned here: never underestimate your opponent, especially when you’re distracted by a friend licking secretions from his parotoid gland.   Read the original: Australians Have The Best Car Commercials: Video Original post:  Australians Have The Best Car Commercials: Video

It’s Monday, and that means it’s time to present this week’s shifter. You’ll have until mid-day Wednesday to identify the make and model of the vehicle from whence this shifter came. This week we’re tossing in an extra incentive as a way to celebrate the 75th NTS: On Wednesday we will randomly select one winner from among those who correctly identify the shifter in the Backfires section below, and that person will win a copy of Forza Motorsport 4 for Xbox 360!* (* Offer open to U.S. and Canadian residents only .) Read the rest here: Name That Shifter, No. 75 [Forza 4 Giveaway] Here is the original post:  Name That Shifter, No. 75 [Forza 4 Giveaway]

BMW's headquarters in Munich, Germany. Image: BMW New engines are needed to meet ever-tightening global fuel economy and emission standards, and engines are incredibly expensive to develop, test and put into production. The cost to develop a new engine family can range between $1.3 and $2.6 billion dollars, and no automaker wants to pay that tab alone if they can split the cost with another partner. BMW already has cooperative relationships in place with PSA/Peugeot/Citroen, Toyota and Daimler, and is allegedly in discussion with General Motors as well. Now comes word from Automotive News , citing German source Automobil Produktion , that BMW may also be in talks with Hyundai over future engine development. Speculation surfaced after Hyundai Chairman Chung Mong-koo’s son, Chung Eui-sun, allegedly met with top BMW managers in Munich, although the purpose of the meeting (if it actually took place) wasn’t clear. While both BMW and Hyundai could benefit from sharing powertrain development costs, Hyundai could have been in Munich to pitch other business opportunities (like the use of its high strength steel) as well. In typical German fashion, BMW denied comment on the report, saying only that “further co-operation partners are currently not foreseen.”   The rest is here: BMW And Hyundai Consider Sharing Engine Development Costs: Report View original here:  BMW And Hyundai Consider Sharing Engine Development Costs: Report

Chevrolet Caprice Police Interceptor – GM Zeta Platform From recent reports, it seems Chevrolet has something up their sleeves hinting towards a new “SS” branded name potentially for an upcoming rear-wheel-drive performance sedan. We already know of a new Holden Commodore being the basis for Chevrolet’s new Caprice police interceptor , but what about a consumer version of what may be a new Chevy SS model? New repots have surfaced about the a trademark application made for the “SS” name , in addition to OnStar accidently confirming a “SS Performance” name on their Mobile App RemoteLink site. Now, the rumor mill is spinning faster than ever with new speculations from Car and Driver stating that a new Chevrolet SuperSport Sedan will have the underpinnings of the Zeta platform powered by the 6.2-liter V8 from the Camaro. Moreover, GM’s new 3.6-liter V6 engine found in the new 2012 Buick LaCrosse is rumored to be part of this new Chevy SuperSport Sedan’s lower trim levels with 320 horsepower.  As you may already know, the Zeta platform is the basis of the current Camaro . A sedan from Chevrolet based on the Zeta platform will most certainly be rear-wheel-drive and a true competitor against other performance sedans. In a way, you can think of this as the return of the Pontiac G8 … and most enthusiasts know how much of a prize vehicle the G8 was and still is today. To further support the mysterious Chevy SS Sedan speculations, a new model from Chevrolet is expected to compete in the 2013 NASCAR season, which happens to be the same year that this new “SS” model should be launched. Sounds like we have it all figured out, at least for now. See the rest here: Rumor Mill Stirs Up More Chevrolet SS Performance Sedan Details See original here:  Rumor Mill Stirs Up More Chevrolet SS Performance Sedan Details

When you think of James bond and Aston Martins, no doubt the iconic and gadget-laden DB5 comes to mind. Truth be told, when Ian Fleming wrote the novel Goldfinger , he drove a DB Mark III, just like today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe contender. But the question is, will this one’s price make it easy to bond with? More » See the original post: For $135,000, That’ll Leave A Mark III [Nice Price Or Crack Pipe] View post: For $135,000, That’ll Leave A Mark III [Nice Price Or Crack Pipe]

Filed under: Consumer When we were a lad, the most extreme BMX in the world was the crimson-spoked Raleigh Burner that fat Dave from up the road used to roll about on. Sadly it died in a tragic incident involving a steep downhill slope, a gammy brake cable, a small wall, a sudden stop and a 360-degree head-first flip. That wouldn’t have happened had Dave been riding an Athos – the world’s most extreme BMX, probably. The innovative four-wheeled pushbike “marries the intense stability and handling characteristics of a quad with the flexibility of a bicycle,” according to its maker, Contes Engineering. It also, apparently, “encourages defiance of gravity,” although we’re pretty certain it can’t fly. Only Supergran’s bike could do that. It does have a whopping eight inches of suspension travel, however, with a four-wheel independent setup that allows it to traverse the sort of terrain a regular bike simply could not. The hand-built bike comes in three versions: a Freestyle, with a simple single-speed setup and smaller frame; the bigger, beefier Trail; and an all-singing, all-dancing Cross Country, built to withstand all kinds of off-road nonsense. The latter pair have 11 gears. Options include rapper-spec 29-inch wheels , carbon fibre fenders and LED lights. It should have gone on sale by now – Californian company Contes has been hawking the Athos around bike shows for months, and had consistently promised an April 2012 release. However, the company is yet to announce prices and has ostensibly delayed it. We expect an announcement imminently, though. Get in touch with the company if you’re interested in importing one .   Read the rest here: Is this the world’s most extreme BMX? Read more from the original source:  Is this the world’s most extreme BMX?

The BMW Group has had a successful start in the new financial year. “We have recorded the best first-quarter figures ever — for sales volume, revenues and earnings — in the BMW Group’s corporate history”, said Norbert Reithofer, the Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG on Thursday in Munich. The main reasons for this positive performance are the strong demand worldwide for the BMW Group’s attractive vehicles, the strength of the BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands as well as improvements in efficiency. First-quarter group revenues rose by 14.1% to € 18,293 million (Q1 2011: € 16,037 million). Profit before financial result (EBIT) rose by 18.8% to € 2,132 million (Q1 2011: € 1,795 million), while profit before tax (EBT) climbed by 21.8% to € 2,076 million (Q1 2011: € 1,705 million). Group net profit increased by 18.1% and reached € 1,349 million (Q1 2011: € 1,142 million). First-quarter EBIT margin of 11.6% for Automotive Segment The number of vehicles sold by the BMW Group during the first quarter 2012 rose by 11.2% to 425,528 units (Q1 2011: 382,758 units), with the BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands all recording new sales volume highs. Revenues and earnings in the Automotive segment increased accordingly: segment revenues rose by 12.4% to € 16,159 million (Q1 2011: € 14,373 million). EBIT increased by 10.0% to reach € 1,878 million (Q1 2011: € 1,708 million), resulting in an EBIT margin for the Automotive segment of 11.6%. Profit before tax increased to € 1,820 million (Q1 2011: € 1,605 million; +13.4%). This strong performance enabled the Automotive segment to generate a free cash flow of € 1,635 million during the first quarter (Q1 2011: € 1,624 million). The BMW brand recorded worldwide growth of 11.0% in the first quarter with sales of 356,548 units (Q1 2011: 321,175 units). Sharp growth was recorded for the new BMW 1 Series, sales of which increased by 20.2% to 54,160 units (Q1 2011: 45,075 units). The new BMW 3 Series Sedan, which has been on the market since February, also got off to a strong start with first-quarter sales up by 13.6%. The total number of BMW 3 Series vehicles handed over to customers during the reporting period increased by 3.9% to 91,189 units (Q1 2011: 87,762 units). Sales...

With every ambitious automotive company, comes stiff competition. With that said, Maserati’s CEO has revealed that the company is considering the development of a mid-engined coupe ready to be launched as early as 2015 to compete with the likings of the Porsche 911 Turbo. Currently, Maserati isn’t spilling any beans on the find details or official introduction of a new mid-engined coupe. Right now sources speculate that Maserati could be using the Alfa Romeo 4C platform as well as a 4.7-liter V8 engine mated to a dual-clutch transmission. Maserati has slated to increase their annual sales to about 50,000 units and we think that an Alfa 4C mid-engine platform and big V8 engine could very well help reach this foreseeable goal. If plans for a mid-engine Maserati come to fruition, we could expect about 1500 to 2000 units built each year with a price tag safely under $200,000. Would you take a liking to a mid-engine Maserati over any Porsche 911 or other mid-engine vehicle? Read more from the original source: Maserati Considering Chasing Down Porsche 911 Turbo with Mid-Engine Competitor View original post here:  Maserati Considering Chasing Down Porsche 911 Turbo with Mid-Engine Competitor

Audi's R18 TDI Le Mans Prototype If you’re a racing fan who’s never seen the Audi-sponsored film Truth In 24, go download it from iTunes (or watch it on YouTube). It’s free, and it’s well worth an hour and a half of your time to learn about Audi’s preparation for the 2008 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Produced by Intersport and NFL Films, the documentary may be one of the best ever filmed on the sport of endurance racing. If you liked Truth In 24, here’s some goods news for you: Truth in 24 II will be released in just under two weeks. Like the original, the sequel is produced by Intersport and NFL Films, and also features the narration of Jason Statham. This time the story centers on Audi’s development of the R18 race car, and its preparation for the action-packed 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans. We won’t spoil the story, but you probably already know that two of the three Audi R18s crashed heavily after colliding with slower Ferraris on course. Want more info on the film? Want to grab it as soon as its available? Bookmark the Truth In 24 website , and schedule an email reminder of the release date.   Read the original post: New ‘Truth In 24′ Film Coming Read more: New ‘Truth In 24′ Film Coming

By now, there probably isn’t a driver in this country unaware of the dangers of texting and driving. No matter how many public service messages are put out there, the net effect is zero: drivers will continue to text and talk on hand-held cell phones behind the wheel. Why? Call it the “it can’t happen to me” factor, which is the same reason why people don’t wear seat belts. Here’s the bottom line: no one ever plans on having an accident, and using a cell phone behind the wheel increases you chance of having one exponentially. That’s why we’re fond of this video, found on Autoblog , which shows new drivers proving to themselves that texting and driving is a bad idea. Imaging if texting while driving was a required step to pass a driver’s test – how do you think you’d do under the watchful eyes of an instructor, dodging cones while sending a text? Here’s another thing worth pointing out – in most of Europe, getting a driver’s license is a much bigger deal than it is here. First, you go to a formal driving school, where you’re taught not just the rules of the road, but essential skills like car control that we tend to ignore on this side of the Atlantic. In other words, each of the students in this film had substantially more experience behind the wheel than the average new driver in America. We’re far too jaded and cynical to think this video will keep even one new driver from texting behind the wheel, but we’ll do our part to spread the word anyway. Don’t text and drive, and always wear a seat belt, because it can indeed happen to you.   Here is the original post: Video: Texting While Driving Really Does Impair Reaction Time Continued here:  Video: Texting While Driving Really Does Impair Reaction Time

This is the Morning Shift , our one-stop daily roundup of all the auto news that’s actually important — all in one place at 9:00 AM. Or, you could spend all day waiting for other sites to parcel it out to you one story at a time. Isn’t your time more important? More » Read the original: Maserati’s 911-Fighting GranSport, New Ford Ads Kill Ford Logo, And Chrysler Has Best April In Four Years [Video] Read the original here: Maserati’s 911-Fighting GranSport, New Ford Ads Kill Ford Logo, And Chrysler Has Best April In Four Years [Video]