Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show , Performance , Specialty , MISC Pagani Zonda R - Click above for high-res image gallery A diamond in the rough? We'd hardly consider the plethora of exciting new vehicle debuts and revolutionary concept cars that is the currently ongoing Frankfurt Motor Show as "rough." But behind the Tesla and Mansory show stands in the Messe - that's the German name for the exhibition grounds, not a critique of its tidiness - we stumbled upon a real jewel of carbon fiber and exhaust tubing. Pagani calls it the Zonda R, and it was on display courtesy of the Italian exotic automaker's German distributor. The ultimate incarnation of the eminently desirable supercar, itself due to be replaced shortly, the $1.8 million track-only Zonda R was unveiled back in February , but this was as close as we've gotten to the vehicle in the carbon yet. It costs about $1.8 million, is constructed out of a carbon-titanium weave, packs 739 horsepower and features Pagani's first sequential gearbox, delivering extreme performance, with a 0-60 mph run of three seconds flat and a 233 mph top end. Pagani Deutschland had the Zonda R on display with the engine cover removed, and with good reason: the engine bay - really everything aft of the bulkhead - is a beautifully sculpted masterpiece of mechanical engineering, from the 6.0-liter hand-built Mercedes AMG V12 to the inboard F1-style shocks. Unfortunately, the comparatively small display of a local distributor (as opposed to an independent automaker) meant that we couldn't get the kind of beauty shots to which we'd hope you've become accustomed by now, but trust us when we say that in this case, you can bet the devil's in the details. Have a closer look in the gallery below. Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: Pagani Zonda R Frankfurt 2009: Up close and personal with the sensational Pagani Zonda R originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .

Filed under: Coupe , Performance , Recalls , Nissan It was nearly a year ago when we reported on a NAGTROC forum user getting hit with a $20,000 bill to replace his toasted transmission after using Launch Control (LC1) on his GT-R. In time for the second model year of the car, Nissan first dropped Launch Control , then they decided to include it, but with safeguards (LC2). In the meantime, a growing number of owners of the initial batch got together and filed a class action suit against Nissan in the hopes of receiving some compensation for their transmissions. That suit was settled last weekend in California. The verdict: any owners with LC1 will have their warranties reset for 5 years/60,000 miles once they upgrade to LC2, and the LC2 transmission and internals -- including VDC -- will be fully covered by Nissan. If you use the LC2 with VDC on and something breaks, everything's covered. If you turn the VDC off and use LC2 and something breaks, you're in the poo. However, if you turn the VDC off and use LC2, then turn VDC back on and everything is fine, then you drive for a while and then a few weeks later something breaks, Nissan will have to prove that turning the VDC off weeks earlier is what caused the breakage. Previously the burden of proof was on the owner; now it's on Nissan. Owners of 2009 cars will also get a $75 coupon for service at a GT-R-approved dealership.

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show , Budget , Hatchback , SEAT 2010 Seat Leon Cupra R - Click above for high-res image gallery What you have here is one of the coolest little 4-door hot hatches that looks like a 2-door hatch. The 2010 SEAT Leon Cupra R gets 265 hp from its VW-battle-tested 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, making it the most powerful SEAT... ever. The front wheels can pull the car to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, and if you're not beating it up you'll get something like 29 mpg (35 mpg imperial). Outside, along with R badges everywhere, the sizzling Cupra gets 19-inch wheels with low-profile tires, bigger brakes, and special trim for the instrument dials and alcantara-lined interior. Read up on the details in the press release after the jump, and check out the gallery of high-res photos below. Gallery: Seat Leon Cupra R Continue reading Frankfurt 2009: SEAT Leon Cupra R makes a fine Green Goblin Frankfurt 2009: SEAT Leon Cupra R makes a fine Green Goblin originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 20 Sep 2009 19:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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: 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: Coupe , Jaguar To put it mildly, sales of the Jaguar X-Type have never quite lived up to worldwide expectations, and that's especially true in the American market where the car did way more damage to the automaker's reputation that its middling sales numbers were ever worth. Jaguar is hoping that its upcoming XJ restores some of the leaping cat's lost luster, and if that happens, exciting prospects may very well open up for the classic British automaker. Not surprisingly, there are no plans to replace the X-Type in Jaguar's line, but there are a number of options that the automaker could explore for future automobiles - not the least of which is the rumored XE compact sportscar . Engineering chief Mick Mohan tells Autocar that another possibility would be an entry-level coupe that could sport a sticker price several thousand dollars under that of the XF: Personally, I'd love to make a compact coupe - an Audi A5 or BMW 3 Series coupe rival. There's plenty of profit to be made on those cars, and our aluminum platform technology gives us the opportunity to make one. I think we'd make a really good one too. One more interesting tidbit from Mohan is that Jaguar has absolutely no intention of following Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz into the crossover market. "Utility will never be what we're about", he says, and somehow, we're thankful for that. [Source: Autocar ] X-Type Redux? Jaguar reportedly considering entry-level coupe originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:58:00 EST.

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 , Europe , Hatchback , Citroen 2010 Citroen DS3 - Click above for high-res image gallery Seriously Citroen, what is up? We're all for premium small cars (think Mini Cooper, Audi A3) and pray nightly that more will start coming to our shores. But calling this C3-based hatchback a DS? For reals? Look, any new Citroen DS has some mighty big Louboutins to fill. Like, huge. And, well, come on now - who you fooling? End oleopneumatic-a-phile rant. Hey hey - this is a nice looking little guy. Love the two-tone roof, the LED fog light surrounds, blackened wheels, the trick mirror and general demeanor.

Filed under: Concept Cars , Frankfurt Motor Show , Hybrid , Europe , Hatchback , Citroen Citroen REVOLTe - Click above for high-res image gallery Between storming the Bastille and a national rejection of the Venus razor, the French certainly know the meaning of the word "revolt". Interesting, then, that Citroen knowingly used the word - albeit Francofied with a superfluous E for its hybrid electric drivetrain - for its latest concept car. The REVOLTe concept is a throwback to the 2CV of yore, which celebrated its 60th anniversary last year. But while the Tata Nano might carry the flame of the bare-bones four-wheeled transport today, the REVOLTe simply borrows the basic shape of its forbearer and gives it a modern twist. That bit comes courtesy of an unspecified "small-capacity conventional combustion engine combined with an electric motor and a battery re-charging function." Measuring just twelve feet long, the REVOLTe seats three - one offset up front and two in the back - accessed by suicide doors. We could go on, but Citroen has waxed poetic enough in its press release after the jump, so we'll let them pontificate and have you skip straight to the photos below. Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: Citroen REVOLTe Gallery: Citroen Revolte concept Continue reading Frankfurt 2009: Citroen REVOLTe is... exactly that Frankfurt 2009: Citroen REVOLTe is... exactly that originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .