RTR-X Mustang

Team Need for Speed RTR-X Mustang - Click above for high-res image gallery

Vaughn Gittin Jr. is mostly known for his ability to pilot Ford Mustangs in a sideways – he currently leads the points race in the 2010 Formula Drift season – but over the last year the Maryland native has also been busy launching his own car brand, RTR, beginning with last year's show at SEMA with the debut of the RTR-C Mustang.

Not one to rest on his laurels, Gittin will be following up the RTR-C with perhaps something even more impressive. In a collaboration with Team Need for Speed, the drifter/car builder will unveil another Mustang at the 2010 SEMA show dubbed the RTR-X. Based on a 1969 Mustang using a Dynacorn replacement body shell, the RTR-X will feature the 5.0-liter V8 from the 2011 Mustang GT and a one-off sub-frame from Art Morrison. You can follow the progress of the build until its debut at SEMA in November and even vote on the car's livery over at SpeedHunters. Hit up the gallery below to see Gittin's upcoming creation in more detail.

Gallery: SEMA Preview: RTR-X Mustang

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Blitz Toyota sector incentives at launch in March

When the American car market fell in the autumn of 2008, driven automakers incentives in a good way to erase a lot of bloated dealer inventories. But when cash deng Inventory - leaked to industry-wide incentives reached $ 3165 per vehicle - while almost 700,000 used cars taken off the market, car manufacturers are now familiar from incentives.

Steering clear of heavy incentives probably not too difficult for Toyota, the Japanese automaker, which is traditionally close to the EIA, the prices even in times thinner instead. That changed when Toyota was published interchangeably with the term "unintended acceleration." Toyota publicity nightmare scenario that the quality of traditionally wealthy manufacturer was forced to recover more than eight million vehicles. The sale fell like a stone in the first two months of 2010, while all other producers outside of Auburn Hills, MI substantial benefits, since 2009, more than a crude.

Toyota had to do something for the traffic to the showroom floor walk up, the Japanese car manufacturer has a terrible hand with zero-percent financing for most popular models. Analysts Edmunds and elsewhere tell us that the returns are positive by the first great discounts for Toyota said that sales of around 47 percent since March 2009.

But Toyota is rolling back, other car manufacturers looking for more revenue and incentives, in turn, seems the best way to do it. Detroit automakers have returned to zero, and Honda also spending large stimuli. Barclays Capital, said a new automotive of 60 months at no cost to percent on a loan of less than $ 30,600 Vehicles $ 4857 a car manufacturer. That is a lot of money, but the anticipated return of the money in the hood are positive. Edmunds said it was the beginning of March, the annual turnover of about 12.5 million, its highest level since the program thud.

It seems that Toyota has begun a potentially expensive and less stimulating long war. In the short term, customers will receive all the car manufacturers who make the best of these new incentives. Over long distances, but producers must make profits, so that more products would do likewise.

Toyota sued for full repayment of vehicles recalled

"When we talked, the owners of Toyota, which brought them all to convey the same desire - to take the car back the party, but their key and you get to go check it." Said Steve Berman, Seattle, a lawyer who has filed a class action lawsuit against the Toyota name, "tens" says the owner, Arizona and Washington. Fat chance, right?

Not so fast, replies Berman. "Fortunately, we think the law is precisely this solution, and we ask the court to make it." Although not accelerate closed the first class action lawsuit against Toyota after the revelations of the possible tendency of the car to ensure it is the first event that sold a full refund for every user car.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, most of these complaints are just looking back to $ 500 for the owner, or on the amount of Kelley Blue Book finds that the average Toyota has lost resale value because of the allegations go, vehicles are at risk. That was over 3 billion dollars would be needed. Suit Berman, but could add up to many times to be successful, whether that amount.

Although Berman cd class action suit fails, Toyota in more rough times courtesy of Toyota will be lawyers Action Consortium (ATAC), the extortion of some of their demands, adding. Northeastern University law professor Tim Howard, and coordination of ATAC, said: 'It's always clear that Toyota, the gains are not built on quality, but a pattern of willful misconduct, fraud and extortion. "

In any case, a panel of federal judges in San Diego is doing in a week to determine whether or not to be combined 110 or so class action against Toyota in a case and if the case go to trial. We'll see.

According to BMW

A little after a leaked brochure gave us our first taste of the lightly refreshed 2011 3-Series Coupe and Convertible models, BMW rushed out an official release and a whole bunch of pictures. For the 2011 model year, the Bavarian automaker's bread-and-butter coupe and cabriolet models receive some minor cosmetic touches and updated powerplants.

The most notable - that is, if you're a hardcore bimmer fan- changes on the outside concern the widened kidney grille, reshaped LED headlamps, front and rear bumpers with restyled lower fascias, new exterior mirrors and finally, reworked tail light cluster with a new color scheme.

According to BMW, these modifications slightly extend the front and rear overhangs by 1.14 and 0.12 inches respectively.

The only change in the cabin concerns the convertible models and the use of sun-reflective technology to mitigate temperatures on leather seating, armrest surfaces, headrests, and gear shifter. BMW says that this new treatment is able to reduce surface temperatures on dark interior colors by up to 20 Celsius degrees (36 Fahrenheit degrees) and by as much as Celsius degrees (27 Fahrenheit degrees)on light-colored upholstery.

In North America (we'll bring you details on the Euro spec models shortly), the 2011 3-Series Coupe and Convertible models will be offered once again in two flavors, the 328i and 335i.

As noted in our previous post, the 2011 335i is fitted with BMW's new twin scroll single turbocharged 3.0-liter straight six, designated N55, that replaces the previous model's N54 twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight six.

BMW says that even though output has remained the same as before at 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque, the new single turbo engine is more responsive, more fuel efficient, and cleaner-running than its predecessor.

The rear-wheel drive 335i Coupe and Convertible accelerate from 0 - 60 mph (96km/h) in just 5.3 (5.5 coupe automatic) seconds and 5.5 (5.7 cabrio automatic) seconds, respectively, when equipped with a six speed manual gearbox.

The all-wheel drive 335i xDrive coupe is slightly faster at 5.2 seconds (5.3 sec for the automatic model).

The 328i's 230 horsepower, 200 lb-ft, 3.0-liter inline-6 engine has been carried over unchanged from the 2010 model.

No word yet on the sporty 335is variants with a tweaked 3.0-liter twin-turbo churning out 322HP that were mentioned in the leaked sales leaflet (click here for details).

In the U.S. and Canada, the 2011 3 Series Coupe and Convertible models will go on sale in Spring 2010, with pricing set to be announced closer to the on-sale date.