Autoblog

Now that the 2009 Mini Cabrio has been unleashed onto the interwebs, expect to witness a full-court advertising press as the automaker tries to keep up the positive momentum in sales over last year. MINI has always had clever ads for its retro hatches, and that trend will continue with the latest 2009 Cabrio, which is officially set to debut at the Detroit Auto Show next month. Previous marketing attempts have humorously suggested that it's never a good idea to lower the top, and a similar theme is being used again, except in a much more eye-catching manner. Seriously, how disturbing is the ice-covered guy? That's the stuff of nightmares.

Besides print materials, some screen captures of upcoming UK commercials indicate that lowering the soft top is never permissible, even in the face of freezing temperatures, monumental rain puddles or, um, the occasional Ninja attack. Take a look for yourself in the gallery below.


[Source: MINI Forum]

We've been seeing camouflaged photos of the 2010 BMW Z4 tested in various locales for well over a year, but the first, almost fully exposed image has popped up online this morning. The car was apparently in a BMW dealership during filming of a new Michael Douglas movie. We should be getting a full online reveal on December 15 and we'll see the car in person next month at the Detroit Auto Show. The new car cleans up a lot of the Bangle flame surfacing that marred the last car with the front bumper picking up hints of the latest 3-Series. The Z4 will also reportedly have a retractable hard-top in place of the current car's soft top. If that happens, the coupe will likely be consigned to history. Thanks to everyone who tipped us on this!

[Source: e89.zpost.com]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Bertone Miura Roadster

There are few cars that are a true one-of-one. If you've ever watched Barrett-Jackson auctions on television, you've seen the guy who claims his '67 Camaro is the only one in existence... with that particular combination of options. Yes, his car is unique, but we wouldn't declare it a one-off by any means. We're talking a truly unique car, like this 1968 Lamborghini Miura Roadster with coachwork by Bertone. Built for the 1968 Brussels Motor Show, the Miura Roadster features an open top with larger air intakes integrated into a rollover hoop. The rear of the car was also reshaped with a larger spoiler and unique taillights. The car was recently restored to its original condition including its beautiful metallic blue paint. We saw it in person at this year's Pebble Beach Concours, a mere week after it was fully completed, where it finished second in the Lamborghini class. The Miura Roadster is now being offered for sale, and we imagine it will go for quite a bit more than the $330,000 it cost to restore the car.

[Source: Kidston via 0-60]

The Audi A5 and its V8-powered S5 sibling are considered by many to be the most beautiful Audis ever created. For some time now it's been common knowledge that an open top variant of Audi's latest coupe was coming. We'll still have to wait until the Geneva Motor Show in March to see the A5 and S5 Cabriolets in the metal, but we now have details and photos of the pair. Fortunately, unlike so many other automakers, Audi has chosen to stick with a more traditional fabric top rather than an articulated metal contraption. The soft top is lighter than metal hard tops and Audi also keeps the bulk further under control with aluminum fenders. With the top folded, the trunk still has 11.3 cu-ft of usable space; try that with a retractable hard top. Europeans will get the usual array of gas and diesel engines in the drop top A5, but here in the U.S. we'll only be getting the 2.0L TFSI four-cylinder engine or the 3.2L FSI V6 that powers the A5 Coupe. The S5 is a different story. While the S5 coupe has a 4.2L V8 that it keeps until the end of the 2010 model year, the Cabriolet will immediately get the new supercharged 3.0L TFSI V6 that recently debuted in the new S4. The 333-hp V6 can be had with either the 6-speed manual or 7-speed S-Tronic dual clutch gearbox. The A5 and S5 Cabriolet go on sale here next fall, which is ironically just about when the open-air motoring season ends in many parts of the U.S.



[Source: Audi]

The reports are true: a 3.0-liter diesel Jaguar XK is on the way. The new XK, long due for a serious refresh, will show up in 2009 with the minor addition of the JaguarDrive selector a la XF and the major addition of a diesel engine to boost fuel economy and sales, along with two new V8s.

Since Jaguar's 2.7-liter V6, which puts out 204 hp and 320 lb-ft., is only getting bored out to 3.0 liters it probably won't match the numbers put up by BMW's 3.5-liter, at 286 hp and 427 lb-ft. But the larger lump should goose the horsepower number and seriously increase torque (we hope) at least to the level of Audi's 3.0-liter V6 diesel, which turns out 240 hp and 369 lb-ft.

If diesel economy and pump prices still don't register with you, there will still be two gas options to fuel the fires. The 4.2-liter V8 goes away to make room for the new 5.0-liter with 400 hp, and if you want whipped cream and cherries on top, hit Jaguar up for the supercharged XK-R with 500 hp.

[Source: CAR]

Well, here's one car we'll all be able to cover in Detroit come January. BMW has officially announced that the second-generation MINI Cabrio will make its debut at the North American International Auto Show. No need to wait to place orders; you can do that now. The Cooper ragtop is priced at $24,550 while the Cooper S convertible costs $3,000 more. Customer delivery kicks off on March 28.

So, what's new? Well, for one, the new Cabrio looks like the current-gen Cooper. Likewise, it shares the hardtop cars' 1.6L engines -- 118 hp NA for the Cooper, and 172 hp turbo for the Cooper S. The Euro-market cars get BMW Efficient Dynamics features including brake regeneration and stop/start. The U.S.? Not so much. Out back, the fold-down tailgate's hinges are now internal, giving the car's tush a smoother look. The fixed roll hoops of the current car have been replaced by a pop-up system behind the back seat. This makes for a good-looking, clean top-down profile and should improve rearward visibility for the driver. Speaking of the top, it can be operated at speeds up to 20 mph or so, and it fully disappears in just 15 seconds. The sliding sunroof feature can be utilized at even higher speeds -- up to 60 mph or so. Stability control is standard equipment.

Inside, the current MINI instrument panel is employed, and drivers with a hankering for extraneous gimmickery can order up the "Openometer", a secondary gauge that mounts next to the tach. It monitors how much time you clock with the top down. Yeah, yeah -- useless. You know people are gonna eat it up. Follow the jump for a video and MINI's full PR (now updated with the U.S. version).


[Source: MINI]

Usain Bolt now wears the mantle of Fastest Man Alive having set world records in the 100 and 200 meter sprints at last summer's Olympics in Beijing. Fitting then that he was placed in one of the fastest cars in the world recently to take a stroll around one of the richest places in the world: Monaco. In the principality for the IAAF awards, Bolt was given the keys to drive an F430 along portions of the F1 circuit in the city. You can check out the gallery of high-res photos below while we wait for word on if he set any world speed records in the process.


[Source: Ferrari]

We were half-expecting the next generation BMW Z4 to be revealed at last week's LA Auto Show, but instead, we got an eye-full of the new twin-turbocharged V8 7-series and its ActiveHybrid variant. Yesterday, came word that the new coupe and roadster would be unveiled sometime next month and now, we've got a date: December 15th. BMW has launched a teaser site at http://www.bmw.com/joy that seems to imply that the Z4 will come in a variety of vibrant colors. Either that, or BMW is trying its hand at producing a combination slasher film/laundry detergent commercial.

There's no actual mention of the Z4, or any other car, on the site, just this odd little video that you can check out after the jump. Expect more details to be revealed in the coming weeks and look forward to live photos of the 2010 Z4 from the Detroit Auto Show in January.

[Source: BMW]

One of the vehicles that was teased in the run-up to the LA Auto Show, but never made it to the floor, was the redesigned 2009 BMW Z4. Rumors of the Z4's impending arrival have been circulating for months, and according to a source inside BMW, the automaker might reveal the restyled coupe and convertible next month.

Drivetrain choices will include either a naturally aspirated or twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six, found in the 328i and 335i, respectively, with an M version packing the M3's V8 and a carbon fiber roof. In addition to new front and rear fascias, a lower roofline and a ducktail spoiler, BMW is expected to employ a handful of stylistic differences to separate the Z4 coupe from its folding hardtop sibling. For 2009, BMW is expected to drop the soft-top Z4 and only offer the folding hardtop.

The rumored Z2 is currently in the works and could be available in both coupe and cabrio variants, and equipped with some form of BMW's EfficientDynamics system. The 1-series-based two-door is expected to be powered by either a naturally aspirated or turbocharged 2.0-liter four, and there's also talk of a hybrid version utilizing BMW's eDrive system.

UPDATE: BMW has put together a Dexter-inspired teaser site for a new model set to be revealed in 19 days. We'll know what's up on December 14th.


[Source: GermanCarZone via BMWBlog]

Click above to climb into the Spideria's open cockpit

If you didn't waste enough time already with Ferrari's online configurator don't worry, that's not the only roadster the Prancing Horse people have unveiled recently. And since most of us won't get within spitting distance of any of the 499 examples of the Scuderia Spider 16M which will be rumbling out the gates of Maranello, Ferrari has given us this dizzying turntable simulator of the Spider's interior.

Unfortunately, like the studio shots, Ferrari's fastest roadster yet is bathed in rather unappetizing florescent light. But with all that carbon fiber, Alcantara and exclusivity, that's not enough to make us want one any less. Follow the jump to check out the 3D view, unless you suffer from vertigo, in which case we'd recommend you take your meds and sit down... then follow the jump to check it out. Thanks for the tip, Demond!

[Source: Ferrari]