Filed under: Motorsports, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Nissan, UK, Special/Limited Editions

American fans of Nissan’s fantastic new 370Z can order their cars in Chicane Yellow, but up until now, their counterparts in Blighty have been out of luck if they’ve wanted a sunburst Z of their own. Until now. That’s because Nissan UK has cooked up a special new limited-edition (if unimaginatively named) 370Z Yellow.

Apparently inspired by the Japanese automaker’s European GT4 series racers, all Yellows will receive 19-inch forged RAYS alloys, a black leather and suede interior, along with illuminated door sill plates, special floor mats, and so on. Did we mention the bespoke lower body graphics? They remind us of less subtle, billboard-sized versions of the graphics packages on certain Porsche 911s.

Nissan assures that there will be a “strictly limited volume” of Yellows for sale in the UK, with “exclusivity guaranteed.” But tellingly, perhaps, the company isn’t divulging just how many it plans to produce in the model’s press release (available after the jump). If you’re interested, prepare to shell out

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	Review: 2010 Honda Insight EX, familiarity breeds discontent A week with Honda’s new Insight proves there’s more to making a dedicated hybrid than aerodynamic sheetmetal and a miserly mill.		Hurst announces Competition/Plus Dodge Challenger Hurst’s Competition/Plus Dodge Challenger gets back to basics with a new hue, Eibach springs, 20-inch wheels and a full exhaust.
	VIDEO: Twin-turbo Viper V10-engined Ford Mustang looks to be one sick pony How do you breath life into a decade-old Mustang? Throw in the Viper’s 8.4-liter V10 and attach a couple of turbos for good measure.	Other news of import Cadillac DTS to be replaced by XTS, which will be built in Canada alongside new Buick Regal BMW 335i Gran Turismo dialed in for 2011 Next Ford Focus to be built exclusively in Europe? Steeda announces 2010 Sport Edition Mustang

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 7.2.09 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Euro, Dodge, Earnings/Financials, Alfa Romeo

With the ink still wet on the Fiat/Chrysler deal, many auto sites (including Autoblog) have had a bit of fun prognosticating which Fiat/Alfa models would be rebadged as Chrysler products. U.K. site Autocar is reporting that Fiat is exploring bringing in Dodge models to Europe to be rebadged at Alfa Romeos. CEO Sergio Marchionne is said to be considering the move, saying that the two brands share the same core identity.

Autocar quotes Marchionne as saying that Dodge is the muscle car of the U.S. while Alfa is the muscle car of Europe, the latter being an interesting bit of positioning that we Statesiders don’t normally associate with the brand. If the right Dodge-branded products were to make their way to Europe, the theory is that the Auburn Hills marque could actually bolster the products already offered by Alfa. The problem is, though, that there are few (if any) Dodge models that could reasonably be expected to perform well in Europe. The only models that are likely to be of interest are the Charger, Viper and Challenger, and the there is a chance that the Viper could soon find itself outside of the Chrysler portfolio altogether. The Charger and Challenger are likely too big for Europe as well, and would probably only sell in small numbers.

Marchionne also tells Autocar that the Chrysler group is still losing money, but the rate has slowed due to production and labor cuts.

[Source: Autocar]

REPORT: Dodges to be rebranded as Alfa Romeos in Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Supercars, Rumormill

McLaren has put up a job posting for a Senior Engineer for Powertrain Hybrid Technology on its official website, which may offer a few clues as to where the automaker may be heading in the near future for its road cars. As far as rumors go, this one seems pretty solid. According to an unnamed spokesperson quoted by Autocar:

It (hybrid technology) is something we want as a forward-thinking, technology-driven company. We have been considering it for future projects. All the advert means is that we are looking for a senior engineer in powertrain hybrid technology. Read into it what you will.

One possibility is that McLaren will attempt to adapt the KERS system from its Formula 1 race cars for street use. It’s widely agreed upon that McLaren’s KERS implementation is the best in F1 and both BMW and Ferrari are also thought to be working on KERS for future road cars.

Within the next few years, McLaren is expected to introduce a couple of new supercars, including a replacement for the current SLR, codenamed P11, and a successor to the famed F1 supercar from the mid ’90s that’s currently known as the P12.

[Source: McLaren via Autocar]

Rumormill: McLaren planning hybrid supercar originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, BMW

A year ago, we showed you pics of the next-generation BMW 5-Series doing some high-speed testing on the N