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Click above for a high resolution image of the SL65 AMG Black Series

We haven’t seen any photos of the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series except for the press photos and a few wallpapers we scrounged up. As far was we know, no one has actually seen the car in person outside of Mercedes-Benz, let alone photographed it. So imagine our surprise when we spotted one headed our direction while trying to crash the Ferrari-owners-invited-only North American debut of the Ferrari California in Monterey. We instantly forgot about trying to catch a glimpse of the Ferrari and turned our lenses towards the Black Series. Fortunately, Mercedes-Benz had no problem with us taking photographs of the car, and we were able to get plenty of detailed pictures. Enjoy the high resolution gallery below and we’ll be back later with more from Monterey!

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Jaguar’s new XK supercar is a stunning looking car, bound to turn heads wherever goes. It has the beauty and sleekness of some of the old Jaguars of the 1960s. Yet like those masterpieces, the real story of the new XK, and what sets it apart from its competitors is what lurks beneath the paintwork.

No, this time it is not some sensational engine, as it was with the XK120, but the fact that the body is made from aluminum - like the new Jaguar XJ.

The idea of using aluminum – Honda started the trend 15 years ago with the NSX, and was quickly followed by Audi with the A8 – is to reduce weight. Honda reduced a lot of weight with the NSX sports car – the body was 40 per cent lighter than if had been made from steel.

Aluminum bodies last longer than steel ones because the metal does not corrode like steel, and they also absorb crash impact well – so they are safe. Now, several auto companies use aluminum for some body parts, but Jaguar is a world leader in making cars from aluminum sheet and extrusions.

There is no doubt that the new car is light. After all it is 300 lb lighter than the previous model, and is actually slightly larger. Not sure why the new car is bigger as the old one is a pretty big car. Here are the figures:

New Jaguar XK 3,513 lb (1,595 kg)

Current XK 3,820 lb (1,734 kg)

BMW 650i 3,778 lb (1,715 kg)

Mercedes-Benz SL500 4,064 lb (1,845 kg)

Compared with these competing supercars the new XK comes out very well. It is 250 lb lighter than the BMW and makes the Mercedes look the overweight fatty it is.

Yes, the new XK is a lightweight, but not in the way that the Lotus Europa S or Elise compete with their rivals. Sure, it is a good deal lighter than old fat 1990s design, but unfortunately Jaguar bosses wanted the car to have all the bells and whistles of a luxury sports car rather than the light weight of a super sports car. These all add weight. And they decided to make the car a bit bigger.

Even so, as a lightweight luxury sports car or supercar, the new Jag will do well. Why? Because it looks terrific - a real show stealer –has good performance thanks to that reduced weight, and handles like a much smaller car.

The engine guys have done a pretty good job of improving the response of the V-8 engine so that the 300 bhp mill gives much better performance than the current model. Once they put the supercharged engine in, the car will surely be a real cracker. And when you park it and look back, you’ll be sold on the Jaguar XK supercar every day of the year!

John Hartley is editor of http://www.fast-autos.com, an online magazine devoted to fast cars and supercars. He has written from many of the world’s top auto magazines, and has written about 10 books about cars and the auto industry, including ‘Suspension and Steering Q&A’ and ‘The Electronics Revolution in the Motor Industry’. He has been writing about fast cars and testing them for over 20 years, and has been involved in race car design, and has also raced cars

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Click above to view Porsche No. 1 in hi-res

If you’re a regular Autoblog reader, you’ll be familiar with the saga of Porsche’s take-over of Volkswagen. But back in the late ’40s when Germany lay in post-war shambles with its industry crippled, VW had been re-commissioned by the allies and Porsche was just getting started. Based on the mechanics designed by his father, Dr. Ferdinand Porsche led a team that crafted the very first Porsche, the original 356. That first prototype is still around, known to enthusiasts as Porsche No. 1 and destined to become the centerpiece of the factory’s new museum in Zuffenhausen on the outskirts of Stuttgart. To celebrate the company’s 60th anniversary, Porsche No. 1 is making the treacherous journey around the world to the United States.

The last time Porsche tried to bring 356-001 over to America, things did not go well. It was ten years ago when the company celebrated its milestone 50th birthday, and the car was badly damaged in Chicago. Long since repaired, Porsche No. 1 is on its way to the Atlanta headquarters of Porsche Cars North America before it makes the transcontinental journey all the way to California for the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where it’s sure to steal the show. Autoblog will be on the links to bring you news and images of its arrival, but in the meantime you can check out the pair of images in the gallery below and details in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Porsche No. 1 sets out for Pebble Beach

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Toyota RAV4

Toyota has revealed the 2009 RAV4, and while the changes to its smallest CUV are modest, they are worth noting. Foremost is a refreshening of the exterior with a new grille, front bumper and restyled rear. New wheels, mirrors and fender flares round out upgrades. A new Sport Appearance Package is also available on the top level 4WD V6 RAV4 that gets a unique rear door with no spare tire and a set of run-flat tires. The SAP also gets you color-keyed exterior molding, extra interior upgrades and a new rear spoiler.

Toyota has also found a way to both increase the size and power of the RAV4’s base four-cylinder engine while also squeezing out a bit better fuel economy. At an estimated 22 city and 28 highway, the new front-wheel-drive base model scores one mile per gallon higher than the ‘08 edition. The enlarged 2.5-liter four cylinder engine produces 179 horsepower and 172 lb-ft of torque, an improvement of 13 horses and 7 lb-ft over the previous 2.4-liter. We have to wonder though why Toyota placed a brand new automatic tranny in the ‘09 RAV4 with only four ratios from which to choose.

The optional 3.5-liter V6 soldiers on unchanged and offers EPA fuel mileage ratings of 19 city/27 highway for front-wheel drive models and 19 city/26 highway on models equipped with four-wheel drive. The six is mated to a standard, and again unaltered, five speed auto. Pricing for the base RAV4 remains the same at $21,500 while the rest of the range gets price increases and a 4WD RAV4 LTD V6 will start at $27,810.

Check out Toyota’s full press release after the jump and images of the 2009 RAV4 in the gallery below.

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading 2009 RAV4 gets refreshened, bigger base engine

Click above for high-res gallery of 2009 MY changes

BMW’s lineup of M-fortified vehicles now numbers nine, which is the largest it’s ever been in the sub-brand’s 30-year history. Munich has tweaked the lineup for 2009, and while nothing groundbreaking has been added, the additions and changes are worth noting. For instance, the BMW M3 Sedan gets a new rear end that sports updated taillights with two LED light clusters, and the entire M3 line gets some minor interior tweaks, new colors and crash-active headrests. The M5 and M6 soldier on with larger sideview mirrors, though BMW mentions that regenerative braking and an uncoupling air conditioner compressor - both fuel saving technologies - are right around the corner.

Of course, all M models are now offered with the latest generation of the automaker’s much maligned iDrive control system. We haven’t had the opportunity to sample the new version yet, so we’ll refrain from making fun of its user interface for now. A new, impressively large 8.8-inch nav screen is, however, available with the optional Professional navigation system package and each system has moved from being DVD-based to storing all the info on an in-dash 80GB hard drive. This fall, BMW will also be offering ConnectedDrive, the first application of unrestricted internet access in a car, across the M lineup and iPhone integration has now been worked out, as well.

Perhaps the most significant addition is the arrival of a Competition Package for the M6 Coupe. The Competition Package includes a newly tuned performance suspension that lowers the car 12 mm up front and 10 mm in the rear, an adaptable suspension control system and double-spoke forged alloy wheels. BMW claims this will be the most athletic M6 you can buy and that there will be visual distinctions to set it apart from a standard M6. Unfortunately, BMW refrained from showing us what those visual distinctions will be. You can view what they did show us, however, in the gallery below.

[Source: BMW]

Continue reading BMW updates M models for 2009

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Luxury Car Rental in Los Angeles - Exotic Car Rentals

It’s late, we know, but we’re not a host short like last week! Chris, Sam, and Dan kick it about what’s in the Autoblog Garage, the 2010 Camaro unveiling and other stuff that the Camaro overshadowed. What could possibly hold a candle to the Camaro officially rolling into that garage bay? Not much, but we touched on Honda’s Prius clone fighter, as well as Malcolm Bricklin’s legal action against Chery Motors after the breakup, but really, we spent a lot of time kicking the Camaro ball around, as it did happen to be the most excitement you could find without going racing. Hit us up at podcast at autoblog dot com with any questions/comments/suggestions, and thanks for listening!

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