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Autoblog SUV
Armortech and Atelier Valdeig outfit Audi Q7 to Bentley standards Sunday, 20 May 2012, 7:03 pm
Filed under: Aftermarket, SUV, Audi, Luxury
Can’t wait for Bentley to start producing the EXP 9 F? Sold on the idea but not on the execution? Armortech may be able to help you out.
They’ve teamed up with Atelier Valdeig to turn the Audi Q7 into something of a Bentley SUV, only without the Bentley badge. Called the Tresor (from the French word for “treasure”), the custom Q7 igets fully restyled, and boasts an interior that has been (or will be, from the look of the cabin renderings) retrofitted to Bentley-like levels of opulence.
The customizers can base their modifications on any version of the Q7, all the way up to the 493-horsepower V12 turbodiesel, and can even stretch the wheelbase or armor it – a particularly sought-after feature in markets where security is a luxury. The full press release is posted below, and you can check out the renderings in the photo gallery for a closer look.
Continue reading Armortech and Atelier Valdeig outfit Audi Q7 to Bentley standards
Armortech and Atelier Valdeig outfit Audi Q7 to Bentley standards originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 20 May 2012 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Autoblog SUV | Noah Joseph
Lego Land Rover Defender 110 is plasticized perfection [w/video] Friday, 18 May 2012, 5:13 pm
Filed under: SUV, Etc., Videos, Land Rover, Toys/Games, Off-Road
It’s official. You really can build anything from Lego blocks. Behold a fully-functional 1:8.5 scale version of a Land Rover Defender 110. This radio-controlled machine features a five-speed transmission with reverse, a two-speed transfer case that offers both four-wheel and two-wheel drive modes and functional disc brakes on all four corners. It’s cool. We’ll wait while you pick your jaw up off the floor. The machine was also built with fully functional steering that uses the same number of turns-to-lock as the real deal. All told, there are nearly 2,800 parts in the build, including seven motors.
There’s a full solid-axle suspension underneath with long-travel springs. Top speed is around 2.5 mph. What’s more, the whole body can be removed with just four pins to see the workings underneath.
If that’s not cool enough, the machine has been picked up over at Lego CUUSOO. If it gets 10,000 votes, Lego will produce a kit based off of this creation. That’s right – this masterwork isn’t a kit – an independent Lego maniac by the name of Sheepo came up with it. Head over to the site for more information, and be sure to scroll down to check out a video of the machine.
Continue reading Lego Land Rover Defender 110 is plasticized perfection [w/video]
Lego Land Rover Defender 110 is plasticized perfection [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 12:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Autoblog SUV | Zach Bowman
Bentley plotting Dakar effort with used VW Touareg racers? Friday, 18 May 2012, 4:31 pm
Filed under: Motorsports, SUV, Bentley, Off-Road, Racing
Bentley is an automaker not without its own racing pedigree, but the bulk of that is anchored in the 1920s and at Le Mans, to which it returned in winning form in the earlier part of the new millennium with the Speed 8. The latest development could, however, see the Flying B marque enter into another class of motorsport competition altogether.
That opposite end of the endurance racing spectrum is the torturous Dakar rally. We first published rumors of Crewe’s consideration of the possibility back in November, but according to CAR Magazine, those rumors are apparently kicking into high gear.
That much is owed largely to the emergence of the above-pictured EXP 9 F program, Bentley’s concept SUV currently under development. Well, sorta. Bentley’s parent company Volkswagen recently withdrew from the Dakar rally after winning it three times in a row – ostensibly to focus on its new World Rally Championship effort, but spurring rumors all the same of it transferring the team to another brand.
Given that the EXP 9 F is based (or would be, anyway) on an architecture related to the Touareg – the race model of which is what the VW team used to dominate the event – the facilitation of Bentley’s take-over of the program could prove even more straight-forward than the manner in which Audi successfully supported Bentley’s Le Mans team.
To wit, the boys from Crewe are said to be in the process of buying back all the Race Touareg rigs – complete with their 2.5-liter twin-turbo diesels producing 300 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque – that Volkswagen sold to privateer teams upon its departure, suggesting rather poor planning and perhaps only a passing resemblance to the eventual production EXP 9 F (which, incidentally, isn’t expected to look like the concept above).
Bentley plotting Dakar effort with used VW Touareg racers? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Autoblog SUV | Noah Joseph
Volvo XC90 to become Geely Thursday, 17 May 2012, 11:01 pm
Filed under: SUV, China, Plants/Manufacturing, Volvo, Luxury
Volvo recently unveiled yet another model year of the impossibly old XC90 – promised to be the final one before a complete redesign. But the overripe vintage of the first SUV to fall from Volvo’s vine isn’t stopping corporate parent Geely from absconding with the platform to launch a new high-end brand for China.
According to China Car Times, Volvo’s new XC90 will be launching in 2014, and after that the original will soldier on in China, at least in some form. The report does not make clear whether the first-generation XC90 will merely be re-badged, or if the platform will be used for a new Geely design.
Geely launched its first SUV, the GX7, at this year’s Beijing Auto Show, according to the report.
Volvo XC90 to become Geely originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 May 2012 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Autoblog SUV | Jeff Sabatini
Lamborghini eyes low weight, Audi-sourced twin-turbo V8 for production Urus Wednesday, 16 May 2012, 2:30 pm
Filed under: Concept Cars, Performance, SUV, Crossover, Lamborghini
Long before Lamborghini unveiled the Urus concept for its new SUV at the Beijing Motor Show last month, we got two chances to preview the show truck: once at the factory in Italy and once at a private preview in New York. The Italian automaker’s development chief Maurizio Reggiani wasn’t prepared to talk about powertrain options at the time, but in speaking with Automotive News, he’s now given us a hint of what to expect should the Volkswagen Group board give the project the green light.
As expected, the Urus would have to be based on the same platform that is slated to underpin the next Volkswagen Touareg, Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne and Bentley EXP 9 F (if similarly approved) in order to make good business sense. Unfortunately, that new PL73 architecture is made principally of steel, a material that Lamborghini has been getting away from in favor of new types of carbon fiber construction. In order to keep weight down – Lambo is targeting 4,400 lbs for the Urus, significantly less than its potential competitors – it would need to make other components out of carbon to compensate.
That covers the mass side of the power-to-weight ratio that is integral to any performance vehicle. As for the power, Reggiani says the company has yet to make a final decision. The last time Lamborghini made an SUV – the legendary LM002 “Rambo Lambo” – it was powered by the same high-revving V12 as the Countach, lending to speculation that the Urus could incorporate the new V12 from the Aventador or the V10 from the Gallardo. Reggiani, however, indicates that the new twin-turbo V8 powering the latest Audi RS models and the Bentley Continental is a more likely choice, given that it would help keep weight down and provide more low-end torque than the naturally-aspired 10 or 12-pots the Raging Bull marque currently produces for its sports cars.
Lamborghini eyes low weight, Audi-sourced twin-turbo V8 for production Urus originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 May 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Autoblog SUV | Noah Joseph
Icon Bronco dissected in detail Saturday, 12 May 2012, 12:28 am
Filed under: Aftermarket, Classics, SUV, Etc., Ford, Design/Style, Luxury, Off-Road
The crew from Cool Hunting finally got around to stopping by the Icon headquarters for a little chat with founder Jonathan Ward. The man has made a name for himself by crafting some of the most detail-oriented interpretations of classic cars on the planet.
The Icon Bronco features all of the vintage style of a late ’60s SUV with a hand-built frame, modern running gear and electronics underneath. We are, needless to say, smitten with the creation. Ward gave Cool Hunting the complete tour, including showing off a number of Icon Bronco models in various stages of completion.
Ward brings up an interesting point about modern vehicles about halfway through the clip. He says that with manufacturers continuing to pile on unnecessary technology, today’s machines are almost guaranteed to be obsolete in five years or so. In contrast, Ward says he builds each Icon to be durable enough to last decades without needing serious revision. We like his style. Scroll down below to watch the video.
Continue reading Icon Bronco dissected in detail
Icon Bronco dissected in detail originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 May 2012 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Autoblog SUV | Zach Bowman
Richard Hammond picks 10 best American cars Saturday, 5 May 2012, 2:01 pm
Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Coupe, Performance, SUV, Truck, Etc., Work, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, UK, Celebrities, Electric, Off-Road
Of the three “Top Gear” hosts, Richard Hammond may be the most sympathetic towards American tastes. He’s made no secret of his love for American machinery, including our big-boned muscle cars and pickup trucks. Hammond even spent some time filming in our neck of the woods while working on his new show, “Crash Course.” The series puts Hammond behind the wheel of the largest machinery on the planet, and not surprisingly, the first episode focuses solely on the monstrosities of America.
Hammond sat down with GQ to discuss the project as well as some of his favorite vehicles from the States. While cars like the 1969 Dodge Charger and 1968 Ford Mustang GT are obvious picks, Hammond also seems to favor creations like the modern Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and the Jeep Wrangler. Head over to Wired to take a look at the full list for yourself. “Crash Course” airs Mondays at 10 on BBC America.
Richard Hammond picks 10 best American cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 May 2012 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Autoblog SUV | Zach Bowman
