Filed under: Aftermarket , Frankfurt Motor Show , Performance , Europe , Chevrolet 2009 Geiger GTS - Click above for high-res image gallery Geiger is back, and this time it's the vaunted Corvette ZR1 that gets the tuner touch. Dubbed the "Geiger GTS," this

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show - Click above for complete list of vehicles covered You're looking at a Porsche Panamera S with a trailer hitch. We're looking at an empty bottle of scotch and 11-hour plane rides. But never mind all that - what you really need to know is five hacks blogged over 60 posts and approximately ninety-billion photos in two days. Why so many cars? We're thinking that the OEMs had a ton of new metal lined-up pre-Great Recession then got spooked by the economic meltdown. Frankfurt proved to be a dumping ground for all the new stuff - or at least it felt that way. But hey, what's better than new cars? For us and you, not a whole lot. Follow the jump for a list of every car we covered in Frankfurt and discover exactly how we felt walking back to the hotel after being (almost) forcibly removed from the media room. At least you can't accuse us of not trying.

Filed under: Government/Legal , Technology , Ford , GM At first, Ford's SYNC wasn't much more than a way for drivers to access music on their MP3 players through their car's radio. But SYNC grew up and, in its last update , gained the ability to summon help in an emergency, access navigation and information services and, basically, match GM's OnStar. Ford had Joseph Berry to thank for that. Past tense. Had. Back in July, Ford reportedly terminated Berry without getting him to sign over several key SYNC patents. Berry says the patents are based on ideas he came up with before joining Ford and therefore belong to him. But, he says, he'll be happy to license them to his former employer. Ford basically says, "No comment." The patents are directly related technologies that allow SYNC to use mobile phones to access data such as weather and real-time traffic information. Berry says he's currently in talks with "several automakers" and the head of GM's OnStar division will only say that they "know who Joe Berry is." Should Ford SYNC users be concerned about losing service?

Filed under: Concept Cars , Frankfurt Motor Show , Hybrid , Hatchback , Toyota Toyota Auris HSD Full Hybrid Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery And now for your viewing pleasure, we bring you these live shots of the Toyota Auris HSD Full Hybrid Concept (seriously, could Toyota have come up with a longer name?). Technically, the vehicle shown in our image gallery below is listed as a concept car, but every indication is that it's not all that different than what will be rolling out of Burnaston factory in England sometime during the second half of 2010. We wouldn't necessarily count on the dash-mounted solar panels that feature trays to recharge your electronics - though, how cool would that be? - but the rooftop cells may make it into production to help keep the cabin cool on sunny days as a similar system already is optional on the 2010 Prius. In any case, Toyota's 1.8-liter four cylinder and Hybrid Synergy Drive ought to ensure stellar fuel economy and carbon emissions of below 100 g/km - both important considerations across the pond where gas is especially pricey and taxes are high. Hit the jump to reread the press release and refresh your memory on all the little concept-appropriate details. Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: Toyota Auris Hybrid Continue reading Frankfurt 2009: Toyota Auris HSD Full Hybrid Concept needs a shorter name Frankfurt 2009: Toyota Auris HSD Full Hybrid Concept needs a shorter name originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show , Budget , Europe , Hatchback , Kia Kia Venga - Click above for high-res image gallery If you're going to ape the design of another automaker's product, it's best to choose one that's attractive. Therefore, we give Kia kudo points for making its Venga look something like a smoothed-over Ford Fiesta, a car we've gone on record multiple times as admiring. In any case, the Kia Venga is a somewhat derivative but all-in-all attractive take on the single-box hatchback bodystyle. If you're hoping to put a Venga in your driveway and you live in the United States, sorry to burst your bubble. While anything is possible, Kia has yet to give any indication that the Venga is headed Stateside. That being the case, feel free to gaze longingly at our gallery of live shots below. If you happen to live in Europe, all you need to do is wait a few months as the Venga is set to hit the showroom floor later this year. Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: Kia Venga Continue reading Frankfurt 2009: Kia Venga is nice... and a little Fiesta-riffic to our eyes Frankfurt 2009: Kia Venga is nice... and a little Fiesta-riffic to our eyes originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:27:00 EST.

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show Frauleins of Frankfurt - Click above for high-res image gallery Yes, that's a Lamborghini in the picture above. We think. Could be a bar stool. As we do with every auto show, Autoblog is happy to present the one post that we're sure at least some of you have been waiting for since we touched down in Germany to cover the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show . It's time to honor those women (and one dude in a furry suit ) who are charged with keeping our attention focused on those vehicles they've been paid to lean against. These sirens of chrome (not our label, see here ) are sometimes controversial (are the women objectified, do we need this service anymore, who does their hair?), but always a pleasure to behold. Check out the gallery below for our roundup of an admittedly smaller group of car models than years past (damn global recession!). Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: The Frauleins of Frankfurt Frankfurt 2009: The Fraulein of Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show Frauleins of Frankfurt - Click above for high-res image gallery Yes, that's a Lamborghini in the picture above. We think. Could be a bar stool. As we do with every auto show, Autoblog is happy to present the one post that we're sure at least some of you have been waiting for since we touched down in Germany to cover the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show . It's time to honor those women (and one dude in a furry suit ) who are charged with keeping our attention focused on those vehicles they've been paid to lean against. These sirens of chrome (not our label, see here ) are sometimes controversial (are the women objectified, do we need this service anymore, who does their hair?), but always a pleasure to behold. Check out the gallery below for our roundup of an admittedly smaller group of car models than years past (damn global recession!). Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: The Frauleins of Frankfurt Frankfurt 2009: The Frauleins of Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Filed under: Motorsports , Canada Felipe Massa passes the casino on Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve It's only been a year, but it's been a long one for Formula One fans in North America. Last year Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA canceled the Canadian Grand Prix - a regular fixture of the F1 calendar and the only stop the circus makes in North America - when race organizers and local governments rejected demands for increased fees. Negotiations failed to bring the race back, but following purported pressure from the remaining manufacturers in the series and renewed contact with officials on the ground, the race has been confirmed to return for next season. According to previous reports , Ecclestone's demand of $175 million to secure the race for several years was reduced to just $75 million, a price which supporting parties are apparently willing and able to pay in order to bring the grand prix back to the Gilles Villeneuve circuit. [Source: Autosport | Image: Paul Gilham/Getty] Return of the Prix: F1 confirmed back in Canada for 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show , Budget , Europe , Hatchback , Peugeot Peugeot BB1 Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery You know what the problem with Smart cars is? Not tough enough! Regardless, meet the Peugeot BB1. Yes, it is the logical result of a one night stand between a Subaru SVX and a Peel 50 . What are we talking about? We don't even know what we're looking at. Feel free to read a rational account of the Peugeot BB1 at your leisure. OK fine -- our editor is forcing us to tell you some facts about the BB1. Four wheels for sure. And the weirdly curved glass is all tilted forward before eventually morphing into solar panels on the roof. You steer it with moto-style handle bars.

Filed under: Car Buying , Chrysler , Dodge , Jeep It's been well over a year since you could lease a Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep vehicle, but as of tomorrow, that will all change. Chrysler LLC has announced it will once again offer leases on all 2010 model year vehicles through GMAC beginning Thursday, September 17th. You may recall that leasing was one element among many that contributed to a downward spiral of events leading to Chrysler filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year. The crux of it was that many vehicles were being returned at the end of their leases with a value far lower than what automakers were expecting. The difference between what they thought these vehicles would be worth at the end of their lease and what they could actually be sold for was money out the window. In addition to the return of leasing to Chrysler dealers (what's left of them), the automaker has announced additional incentives for the remainder of September including up to $4,500 of Consumer Cash or 0% financing for 72 months on select 2009 MY vehicles, up to $3,000 of Consumer Cash on select 2010 MY vehicle and $1,000 of Owner Loyalty Bonus Cash for current Chrysler vehicle owners on all 2009 and select 2010 MY vehicles. [Source: Chrysler | Photo by Scott Olson/Getty] Continue reading Officially Official: Chrysler resumes leasing Officially Official: Chrysler resumes leasing originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink