Carz Arena

No, your eyes are not playing tricks. That is a Lincoln grille on the front of a new Ford F-150 pickup.

Wait! Didn't the Lincoln Mark LT go away last year?

Sort of.

While the luxury version of Ford's full-size pickup was discontinued in the U.S. market, it continues to sell in Mexico. And Lincoln is readying a new Mark LT based on the 2009 F-150 Platinum edition.

In addition to the grille swap, there will be Mark LT badging on the front doors and the tailgate--although this prototype still hauls the F-150 Platinum tailgate.

According to the Lincoln Mexico Web site, a 2008 Mark LT crew cab had a price of $41,300 for rear-wheel drive and $46,000 for four-wheel drive.

Those prices are close to what Ford asks for a F-150 Platinum SuperCrew--$40,910 for rear drive and $44,105 for four-wheel drive.

What this really means is that if you crave the Lincoln look for your new F-150, there will be a part number for a grille to make your dream come true.

Big, brash and bold, Aston Martin pulled the wraps off a super-luxury $210,000 Lagonda SUV at the Geneva motor show with plans to relaunch a brand dormant since the 1990s.

With styling that mixes a modern, BMW-look front end with a retro rear end based on a classic 1930s Lagonda, the 204.7-inch-long SUV possesses plenty of presence, but it can’t be described as beautiful.

The retro rear styling, in particular, doesn’t sit well with the SUV proportions and modern front end.

As yet there’s no commitment to production; 2012 is the earliest date Aston will consider.

“It’s far too early to talk about production, production numbers or future planning,” Aston chairman Dave Richards said.

Launching such an ostentatious model in the teeth of the worst recession in 60 years might also appear not to be the best timing.

“But we’re looking long-term here, 10 to 15 years,” sales director Bill Donnelly said. ”This recession will end and there’s still plenty of wealth in the world and will be in the future, too.”

The substance under the Lagonda is a Mercedes-Benz GL platform, offered up by Daimler as part of an ongoing discussion between the two companies about future cooperation.

Daimler is interested in Aston’s expertise in making luxury cars for the next Maybach, while Aston needs access to Mercedes-Benz powertrain technology.

It’s not hard to see the Lagonda concept as a tryout for that project.

In the meantime, Aston is talking about the Lagonda SUV as a niche for super-luxury cars in countries where road and weather conditions are tough and render conventional luxury sedans and sports cars unusable for many months of the year.



Russia, China, South America, India and the more remote parts of the United States are on Aston’s hit list.

Aston also sees the Lagonda as a way to extend the number of countries where it sells. Currently it sells in 33 countries around the world and reckons the Lagonda will extend that to 100.

The Mercedes underpinnings give the Lagonda strong engineering credentials. Aston, under design chief Marek Reichman, has kept key hard points the same--so the front axle, lower A- and B-pillars and firewall are in the same positions. The door hinges are carryover, too, although Reichman expects to tool new doors to ensure the styling suffers no compromises.

Under the hood is an Aston Martin V12, tilted up at the front to fit over the GL’s front axle.

The front overhang is extended to accommodate the longer Aston engine. The rear seat is moved back to a position halfway between the second and third rows of the GL’s layout, which boosts legroom.

Although the cabin has individual rear seats, both fold forward to turn the Lagonda’s cabin into a practical load bay, helped by access through a hatchback rear door.

Aston has yet to decide how to make the Lagonda, if the project ever gets the green light.

Reichman says the bodywork could be tooled in either steel or aluminum. The latter is Aston’s material of choice for its sports-car range, so the company has plenty of experience in forming aluminum panels.

Reichman says that despite the clean-looking body sides, the mix of soft curves and crisp edges in some panels will be a challenge to manufacture.

History of Lagonda



Lagonda was founded more than 100 years ago by Wilbur Gunn, an American who set up a workshop in England and built his first car in 1909, hence this year's anniversary. The name is a river near Gunn's hometown, Springfield, Ohio.

Gunn was successful in Czarist Russia after his 16/18 Tourer won a trial run to publicize Russia’s early road system.

Steady development made Lagonda a serious rival for Rolls-Royce and Bentley. The 1930s Lagonda open-top M45 tourer had a reputation as a very sporting sedan.

When Bentley went bust in the Great Depression and was taken over by Rolls-Royce, W. O. Bentley moved to Lagonda and designed the company’s iconic LG6 model, which Aston has taken as inspiration for the new SUV.

By 1947, Lagonda was struggling financially and it was bought by David Brown, the British tractor magnate, who had earlier taken control of Aston Martin.

Brown particularly wanted access to the Bentley-designed six-cylinder DOHC engine.

In the 1970s, Aston chief designer William Towns ripped up the rule book and created the V8, an incredible four-door sedan with wedgy, angular styling.

That was the company’s last production car. For the past couple of decades, the name lived on only in Aston’s official legal company title, Aston Martin Lagonda.

Ferrari has confirmed that it will bring two new versions of the 599 GTB Fiorano to the Geneva motor show. In addition to the rumored Handling GT Evoluzione (HGTE) package, it will show off the technology-laden 599XX.

Included in the HGTE package are newly designed 20-inch wheels wrapped in more aggressive rubber, stiffer springs, thicker antiroll bars, a retuned exhaust system and a new front grille. Expect the optional handling package to tack an additional $25,000 onto the 599’s bottom line.

The 599XX is Ferrari’s rolling test bed for its latest technological developments from the company’s road-going and Formula One work. Specifics haven’t been revealed, but Ferrari claims that many of the systems implemented into the 599XX are being used for the first time and have been exclusively developed for the model.

In the words of Ferrari, it’s “aimed at a select group of clients,” so look for it to make it to the road in some form.

Bling may not be the obvious place to be for a luxury sports car maker today, but here's Bentley showing what the ultimate development of the Continental GT will be.

The Continental Supersports will be shown next week at the Geneva motor show as a production model. Its 630-hp turbocharged W12 will make it the fastest and most-powerful Bentley ever.

The headline figure is 204 mph, taking the Supersports into the stratospheric territory of production cars capable of eating up a mile in less than 18 seconds.

The Supersports can do this while drinking either standard pump fuel or E85, making it the first Bentley to be biofuel compatible, a step that all future Bentley models will make as the British company pushes toward a greener future.

Started as an under-the-radar project, the Supersports is likely to become the best-selling Continental GT if Bentley¹s experience with its Speed models is anything to go by--the Speed model now makes up 60 percent of coupe sales.

"The Supersports is something my engineers worked on amongst themselves, to create the ultimate Continental, and then we picked it up as an official project," says Uli Eichhorn, Bentley chief engineer.

The changes to make the Supersports run on E85 should not be underestimated, adds Eichhorn. As well as re-engineering the fuel system to cope with the corrosive ethanol, all the electronic subsystems had to be reprogrammed and revalidated.

With U.S. regulatory approval still to be cleared, the Supersports will go into production the fall, with North American cars becoming E85-capable by summer 2010.

The main change to the engine to increase power above 600 hp is extra boost from the twin turbos, whose airflow is eased by 10 percent larger intercoolers. The latest, quick-shifting version of ZF's six-speed automatic helps the higher-output engine deliver sharper performance. Bentley quotes a 0-to-60-mph time of 3.7 seconds and 50 to 70 mph in 2.1 seconds.

Billed as the ultimate "extreme" Bentley by the company, there are dozens of detailed underskin changes to ensure the Supersports delivers a special driving experience.

Most significant is a new, rear-biased 60:40 torque split from the center differential for the four-wheel-drive system, which is said to reduce understeer and increase chassis adjustability on the throttle.

But there's also a wider rear track, extended by 0.8 inch to enhance high-speed stability, and standard carbon-ceramic brakes to haul the Supersports down from its tarmac-ripping top speed.

Steering, suspension, spring and damper rates have all been revised, too, in line with the extended performance.

The lower front suspension arm is now made from aluminum, the antiroll bar is retuned and stiffer bushings improve steering responses.

Even Bentley doesn't describe the 4,938-pound Supersports as lightweight, but it is considerably lighter than the Continental Speed.

The rear seat is removed, a rear panel is made from carbon fiber and new lightweight 20-inch wheels save 5.5 pounds per corner. In total, the Supersports is 242 pounds lighter than the GT Speed.

There are styling differences, too. The wider rear track necessitates new rear body panels that beef up the Supersports's rear haunch. Extra cooling vents are needed in the hood and front airdam, features that increase aggressiveness.

A subtle change is new brightwork around the window openings, which now features a smoky-chrome look. Even this cosmetic change introduces new technology, the finish being applied for the first time to stainless steel using physical vapor deposition.

Inside is new carbon fiber trim, including a cross-cabin beam that looks like a body stiffener but is actually a luggage retaining bar.

There's plenty of substance to this reworked Bentley Continental, which is also reflected in a significant 20 percent price rise. The figure is not final yet, but if you've got around $250,00 to spend on a fabulous sports car, the Bentley Continental Supersports just jumped onto your wish list.

Additional details and photos of Audi’s hotrod TT RS have trickled out onto the Internet ahead of its official debut at the Geneva motor show.

From the teaser information released last week, we know Audi plans to take a page from its heritage playbook by using a five-cylinder engine. We now know that the 2.5-liter direct-injection turbocharged engine will provide a meaty 340 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque. Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission are standard.

All this results in the TT RS reaching 62 mph from a standstill in less than 5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph.

From the full images, you’ll notice a new front fascia with larger air dams, LED daytime running lights, an exclusive rear bumper and a fixed rear spoiler.

Expect the standard high-performance RS fare with larger brakes and stiffer suspension tuning. The cabin features generously bolstered leather sport seats.

The TT RS will be available in Europe as a coupe and convertible. Unfortunately, the fact that the TT RS has not being approved for U.S. consumption remains. So start sending your angry notes to Audi today.

Audi's TT roadster is mighty sporty inside and out. But for some, that's not enough. Those enthusiasts will want the Audi TT RS, which will make its debut at the Geneva motor show. Audi is giving us a peek ahead of the show.

But here's the bad news: This bad-ass TT has not gotten the OK from Audi honchos to be sold in the United States--at least not yet.

Under the hood of the Audi TT RS is a 2.5-liter inline five-cylinder engine with direct injection and a turbocharger. That's right--Audi is dipping into its heritage with a new five-cylinder engine.

All that powertrain hardware is good for plenty more than 300 hp, Audi says. Top speed is limited to 155 mph--but it would go faster if the electronic leash was removed. The quattro all-wheel-drive system is standard.