Imitation, they say, is the sincerest form of flattery. So then the Japanese must really love Aston Martins, because from Japanese tuning house DAMD (the same people who brought you this custom Mitsu Outlander) comes yet another Aston Martin look-alike.
Like the 350Z roadster we brought you a while back, DAMD's Nissan Skyline 350GT/Infiniti G35 Coupe puts an Aston snout on a Datsun. Aside from the custom front end and a set of ghastly chrome rims, the rest of the coupe seems pretty much stock.
The Aston G and the Aston Z are both part of the Black X Metal line-up, in collaboration with ANCEL, and also includes an Aston-nozed MX-5 (similar to this one).
Want to own the Renault that Fernando Alonso drove during his second championship-winning season? It's up for sale on eBay. Unfortunately, the Renault in question is not an F1 car, but a road-going Renaultsport Megane which Alonso drove for some promotional events, being sold out of Barcelona, Spain.
Retired F1 cars sell for millions, and usually aren't available for purchase until several years later so as to avoid rival teams buying the car and dismantling it for the team's secrets. Billing this as "the next best thing" would be a bit of a stretch, especially considering the €21,500 mark-up over the cost of any other Megane RS for an asking price of €50,000. That's pretty steep, especially considering that you can pretty much bet the car was driven hard, as the 19,000 kilometers on the odometer were racked up partially at special events shuttling celebrity guests around the track.
Good thing Alonso's selling it the hot hatch, 'cause you can bet his new team McLaren-Mercedes (for whom he just began testing) will be putting something better in his driveway.
If this doesn't put a grin on your face, you're probably dead. Witness the impossibly fast Bugatti Veyron make the jump to hyperspace as filmed from a 350Z chase car.
Well, now we all know what fast -- real, on-the-street fast -- looks like. The thing's like a bike, for crying out loud. Utterly ridiculous ... in the best possible way.
In an effor to expand its European offerings and meet tighter emissions requirements, Subaru has made a deal with Toyota to re-badge as many as 10,000 small cars. Partly owned by Toyota, Subaru will sell slightly modified Daihatsu (a Toyota subsidiary) Sirions (also known as the Daihatsu Boon in Japan and the Toyota Passo) in Europe. The small Subes could be on sale as early as later this year. No word yet on what the new variant will be called and we aren't holding our breath for a high-horsepower rally version any time soon.
Standing seven feet and one inches tall and weighing in at 375 pounds, Shaquille O'Neal is one big dude. Must drive a big 'ol car then, right? Umm, not exactly. The Phoenix Suns star center has recently been spotted in his newest automotive purchase, a smart fortwo. Seriously. And, surprisingly enough, he fits! Don't believe us? See above for photo proof. Well, so he sorta fits. It's a good thing that Shaq opted for the convertible, as his head comes up several inches over the top of the windshield. Oh, and we can find no real proof that the door has ever completely shut with Shaq inside. Just sayin'.
A British car dealer has what it believes will become the most expensive Nissan Micra ever sold. Yes, even more expensive than the Conran designer version we told you about earlier this year. The Micra C + C (coupe and cabriolet) in question is one of 275 special edition pink Micras made to support Breakthrough Breast Cancer, a breast cancer charity.
Although the normal asking price on this diminutive cab is only £14,750 (that's about 28 grand, US), the ace in the hole for this particular C + C is the license plate. Newreg.com is hoping that some Barbie lover will also want this personalized number plate as part of the deal. And apparently, the 'BAR81E' plate is worth more than the car!
If the Micra is sold with the number plate, it might bring as much as £36,250! That's almost $70,000, folks. A lot of cash for the car, but its limited edition nature and the unique plate will surely attract a buyer. And with at least £250 pledged to Breakthrough Breast Cancer, the buyer will be able to feel good about themselves too.
Seems like a golden, erm, pink opportunity for some Barbie wannabe. Full release after the jump.
Press Release:
BARBIE CAR IS MOST EXPENSIVE MICRA ON THE ROAD
Chorley Nissan has launched a search for a Barbie girl to drive away in what could prove to be the most expensive Micra on the road - a special edition pink Micra C+C with personalised numberplate 'BAR81E'.
The pink Micra C+C (coupe and cabriolet), is currently on display in Chorley Nissan's showroom on Strand Road, Preston - and appropriately, sports a number plate any Barbie Girl would be proud of.
The dealership is hoping that the pink C+C, normally priced at £14,750, will be sold together with the number plate for an incredible £36,250, making it the most exclusive and most expensive Micra on the road!
Chorley Nissan, the North West's leading Nissan dealer group, has pledged to donate £250 to breast cancer charity, Breakthrough Breast Cancer, when the car is sold.
Steve Jackson, Managing Director of www.newreg.com, a Preston-based company and owner of the BAR81E numberplate has also pledged a charity donation if the plate, worth £21,500, is sold with the pink Micra.
Chorley Nissan Group Director Peter Portlock said: "Nissan produced just 275 of these pink Micra C+Cs as a result of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, and we're lucky enough to have one of them here in Preston.
"When Steve Jackson from www.newreg.com approached me and asked if we would display the vehicle with their BAR81E numberplate - it seemed a fantastic idea and a great way to promote the 'Breakthrough' campaign.
"We're absolutely certain there's a Barbie girl out there who'd love to get her hands on both the limited edition pink Micra and the 'BAR81E' number plate that really makes this a true one-of-a-kind car."
Peter added: "Breakthrough's research, education and campaigning work is absolutely vital and we're delighted to be able to support them and have a bit of fun in the process."
Suzuki is on a roll, setting sales records, enjoying three years of double-digit sales growth, introducing the new SX4, and working on a larger and better model mix. Getting people in place before for the next phase really takes off, the company has announced that Masafumi (Mark) Harano will become president of automotive operations of American Suzuki Motor Corporation as of May 1, 2007.
Currently the president of Suzuki Canada, Inc., he has previously held positions in marketing and product planning in 19 years with the company. His task will be to ensure Suzuki's profitable growth continues as the company introduces five more models over the next four years, some of them in segments they haven't been in before. He replaces Koichi Suzuki, who will return to headquarters in Japan to run Suzuki North America's marketing department.
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Many, many thanks to Royal Oak Ford north of 11 mile for hosting Autoblog and the LIVE STREAM of the Woodward Dream Cruise. Royal Oak Ford will be Autoblog HQ for the day, so if you're around, stop by and say hi.
Continue reading Woodward Dream Cruise 2007: LIVE STREAMING - RIGHT NOW!
Click the image above for a gallery of live and press shots of the new Honda Fit.
Honda's redesigned Fit was on the floor for all and sundry to kick tires, snap photos and enjoy the economy-class interior provided by the Big-H's sub-compact offering. Although the Fit apes the styling of the Euro-Civic, much of what's aft of the A-pillar will look familiar, with a few subtle tweaks to differentiate it from its predecessor. Powertrain choices include a 1.3- or 1.5-liter four, with an all-wheel-drive option.
Our previous post has all the details and the gallery below has a selection of live and press images.
Click above for more images of the 2010 Buick Regal
Two weeks ago we showed you spy shots of a 2010 Buick Regal caught testing in China that appeared to be nothing more than a rebadged Opel Insignia. (As you may recall, we'll be getting the 2010 Buick LaCrosse in the States.) All three of those cars are based on GM's Epsilon II platform, which we will also likely see under future vehicles from Saab, Saturn and Chevrolet. The Buick brand, and the popular Regal, are doing very well in China. As such, it's no surprise to see these latest spy shots of the barely disguised four-door Regal dipped in red, and it looks great despite being a badge job. The production version is expected to debut at the Guangzhou Auto Show in November. Thanks for the tip, Jason!
Suzuki is on a roll, setting sales records, enjoying three years of double-digit sales growth, introducing the new SX4, and working on a larger and better model mix. Getting people in place before for the next phase really takes off, the company has announced that Masafumi (Mark) Harano will become president of automotive operations of American Suzuki Motor Corporation as of May 1, 2007. 
