The Jetta TDI Cup Series did so well this year that Volkswagen is expanding the series from eight to ten races next year. And now non-racers may have a chance to live the diesel racing dream, and if they do, it will look very similar to the Jetta TDI Cup Edition Street Concept unveiled at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas today. The diesel-powered sport sedan gets upgraded sway bars and brakes from the Euro-spec Jetta GLI and a “European sport-tuned suspension”, along with some cosmetic enhancements like a three-spoke steering wheel, sill plates, and Interlagos sport seats. This is one of those, “If we get the right response we’ll might make it” deals, but VW is so open to producing this sport version of the Jetta TDI that it even has a price point already established: under $30,000. So have look at the high-res gallery of images below and let VW know what you think. We say build it.

PRESS RELEASE

2008 SEMA: VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI CUP “STREET” EDITION
The performance of the Volkswagen Racing Jetta TDI is now available

LAS VEGAS – With the conclusion of the successful 2008 Jetta TDI Cup Volkswagen of America is bringing the race car to the people with their Jetta TDI Cup “Street” edition special model unveiled at the 2008 SEMA show.

The similarities to the race car are evident at first glance – the Jetta TDI Cup edition features the front bumper, side skirts and rear valance that are on the Jetta TDI Cup cars. However, the upgrades on the Jetta TDI Cup “Street” edition go beyond cosmetic with the addition of the brakes and sway bars found in the performance-oriented GLI sedan combined with a European sport tuned suspension.

The TDI Cup “Street” is powered by Volkswagen’s powerful 2.0L clean-diesel TDI producing 140 hp and 236 lbs. ft. of readily available torque, mated to the six-speed DSG transmission with Tiptronic® and Sport mode. The TDI Cup Street edition rides on Yokohama 225/40R18 ADVAN sport tires and 18-inch multi-spoke wheels.

The TDI Cup “Street” will be available in similar GLI colors and feature “TDI Cup Edition” appliqué for the vehicle side and branded door sill inserts. The interior brings upgrades that include a race-inspired three-spoke steering wheel with the TDI Cup logo and interlagos cloth sport seats.

Based on consumer feedback, the Jetta TDI Cup Edition may be available as early as 2010 with a price starting under $30,000.

[Source:Autoblog]

We noticed that the Chrysler Group is pretty excited about the Challenger after visiting the Mopar Underground display at SEMA this year. We are too, but it’s not just Challengers on display in Vegas. There are also a handful of custom ‘09 Dodge Ram pickups here, as well. We previewed these four Ram truck concepts recently, all tuned by the automaker’s in-house Mopar Underground division. Seeing the trucks in person gave us a better understanding and appreciation of each. Where we previously only had sketches and descriptions, now we have live shots and a sense of these pickups’ grandeur.

The bright yellow Dodge Ram TRXtreme looks a little less aggressive than the official sketch, but more than capable of tackling the artificial dirt mound set up in the booth. The blue-with-black-stripes Dodge Ram R/T is based on the ‘09 Ram Sport and looks like a good hauler for a race-spec Challenger. Actually, it looks like it could keep up with a Challenger. The Ram Sportsman, meanwhile, was the one with the “blowing leaves” camouflage paint job, which was so effective that we couldn’t find it anywhere in Dodge’s display. Last, but definitely not least is the Dodge Ram Mopar Street Package (above). It features a special Mopar Underground body kit with side sill extensions and a chin spoiler, a slight drop in ride height, 22-inch Mopar wheels and a dual-snorkel hood. This 4-door street machine is the one we’d most like to park outside our garage. Full details of each are in the press release after the jump and lots of live, high-res pics in the gallery below.

PRESS RELEASE:

Dodge Ram TRXtreme
The 2009 Dodge Ram TRXtreme plays up the off-road capabilities of the 2009 Ram TRX package. Starting life with a quad cab TRX-4 off-road truck, it was easy to upgrade this truck to a serious off-road machine. Mopar Underground design team added 4.5-inches of extra ground clearance using a Mopar lift kit. This made room for Mopar polished and forged 20-inch wheels wrapped in knurly BFG 37X12.50’s. The paint is a bright yellow and mineral grey two-tone incorporating a mud splash theme. A set of Mopar wheel flares, a wheel-to-wheel Mopar tube step and a box rail are painted to match the theme. Rearward visibility comes from the Mopar aftermarket telescoping mirrors, which extend when needed. The one-off steel hood with cooling louvers and larger grille take care of any heat issues that may arise under severe use. A bed accessory system from Mopar holds off-road gear and a Mopar tuned dual exhaust system gives an impressive growl. Interior features include a Mopar navigation system, DVD headrests and Mopar leather seats by Katzkin.

Dodge Ram R/T
The Dodge Ram R/T starts off with a 2009 Ram Sport with a 380-horsepower, 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8, a 4.10 gear and a high stall converter, which rockets the truck to impressive times. With this blank canvas, Mopar Underground created a Dodge Challenger-inspired version of the Dodge Ram. On the performance side, a Mopar cold-air intake kit to keep the engine breathing and a Mopar dual exhaust system with a performance rumble. The exterior is painted classic B5 blue with a Mopar dual-snorkel aluminum hood and carbon fiber accent stripes. Dropped chassis is possible with a concept Mopar air suspension kit. The look is made more evident by the body kit, consisting of sill and box pieces, finished up with a chin spoiler. For wheels, concept Mopar 22-inch Alcoas wrapped in 285/45R22s in front and 305/40R22s in the rear. A Mopar hard tonneau cover and a unique integrated spoiler are combined with the Mopar bed mat showing an ambient under-rail LED lighting system. The interior features Katzkin leather seats with body color stitching to match the instrument panel and steering wheel. A set of Mopar Pedals are installed, adding to the performance look and capability

Dodge Ram Sportsman
The most noticeable aspect of the 2009 Dodge Ram Sportsman is the unique blowing-leaves paint scheme inspired by a new interpretation of traditional camouflage designed by Mopar Underground. The paint is protected by a set of accent Mopar wheel flares and running boards with an integrated step. The Sportsman features Dodge’s exclusive RamBox storage system, filled with plenty of outdoor gear, and the bed rail system holds a cargo rack for additional cargo capacity. The Mopar telescoping trailer tow mirrors aid in rear visibility and match the color theme. The vehicle gets the right stance and added capability with a Mopar two-inch lift kit supported by Mopar polished and forged 20-inch wheels with 33-inch tires. You’ll never get lost with the Mopar navigation unit, but if you do you will be able to enjoy SIRIUS® Satellite TV or movies on the Mopar headrest DVD system. Sit back and relax in the perforated leather Mopar seats by Katzkin, embroidered with the Sportsman logo. The steering wheel and door pulls have been trimmed to match, and the Mopar ambient lighting system gives a unique glow to the interior.

Dodge Ram Mopar Street Package
Using a 2008 Dodge Ram Sport, the exterior blackberry paint really plays up the Dodge Ram Mopar Street Package. This Mopar Underground concept truck features a Mopar body kit consisting of sill extensions and a chin-spoiler. A slight Mopar body drop/leveling kit and Mopar concept 22-inch polished Alcoa forged wheels add to the appearance. A Mopar high-style hard tonneau cover blends with the truck. To add to the aggressive look, the Mopar all-aluminum dual-snorkel hood sits over the 390-horsepower HEMI® V-8, which is backed with a Mopar tuned dual-exhaust. The theme is continued in the interior with Mopar ambient lighting. Mopar suede and leather seats trimmed with premium piping and stitching add to the high-end feel of the truck. The steering wheel and door pulls are trimmed to match for a complete package. Entertainment is delivered via a Mopar DVD headrest system and a Mopar-kicker audio system that will blow you away. The bed is also dressed with a Mopar bed rug and under-rail accent LED lighting.

[Source: Chrysler]

Even though our lust for Japan’s forbidden fruit has been sated by three generations of the Subaru STI and Mitsubishi EVO – and now, the Nissan GT-R – one guilty pleasure is still out of reach. The Subaru Forester STI has always held a special place in our hearts, combining a healthy dose of practicality with a dash of rally-bred performance, and that’s carried over to the Forester XTI concept. Packing the WRX STI’s turbocharged 2.5-liter boxer four-cylinder putting out 315 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque, a cat-back exhaust, reworked suspension, STI wheels and a deep red/black paint job, the Forester XTI is begging to go into production. Here’s hoping Subaru wises up and gives it the green light.

Joining the Forester on the show stand is a five-door 2009 WRX tweaked by Subaru Performance Tuning (left) with a cat-back exhaust, short-throw shifter, OZ Botticelli III 19-inch wheels, a lower chassis brace and strut tower brace. The 2.5-liter four has gotten a 10-hp boost in output (from 265 to 275 hp) and an additional seven lb-ft of torque, and sitting beside that guy is the STI that’s making its big screen debut in the next installment of the Fast and Furious franchise.

[Source:Autoblog]

Over the past two decades, John Heinricy has probably done more to enhance the performance image of General Motors than any other single individual. From the perspective of a petrol-head, Heinricy has for many years held what is probably the coolest job at GM as the director of the Performance division and top-dog test driver. We found out today that Heinricy is retiring after 38 years as an engineer and test driver for GM. In his off time, Heinricy has raced a wide variety of cars at many different levels and captured 11 SCCA national titles. Much of his best known work has been at the wheel of the last several generations of Corvettes along with the Cadillac CTS, but this year he got the most attention for his exploits in the new CTS-V. Specifically, he became the first driver to record a sub-eight minute lap time at the Nurburgring in a production four-door sedan with the new Cadillac CTS-V. When we attended the first track preview of the CTS-V a few months ago, Heinricy was on hand with the record setting car to talk about the big lap.
[Source:Autoblog]

General Motors issued a statement today congratulating President Elect Obama on his win yesterday in the 2008 Presidential Election. Oh, and just in case our nation’s soon-to-be 44th president forgot, he made some statements during the campaign pledging support for the auto industry, and GM’s not going to let him forget it. In GM’s own words, the struggling automaker says it “welcomes President-elect Obama’s pledge to support our nation’s domestic auto industry in its ongoing efforts to transform its business and develop new technologies.” If you read between the lines, GM is actually saying it wants Obama to get to work securing an aid package for the ailing auto industry that includes speeding up the distribution of $25 billion worth of low interest loans and securing additional monies to facilitate a GM/Chrysler merger. At least that’s what we saw between the lines. Automotive News reports that Obama told NBC News anchor Brian Williams last week that he would meet with the Detroit 3 ASAP if elected. Rick Wagoner is no doubt waiting by the phone as we speak. Check out the full statement after the jump.

[Source: General Motors, Photo by EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty]

General Motors Statement Regarding The Election Of Senator Barack Obama As The 44th President Of The United States

General Motors congratulates Senator Obama on his historic win. He will assume office at an extraordinary time, with a number of national priorities that will require his and Congress’ immediate attention. GM welcomes President-elect Obama’s pledge to support our nation’s domestic auto industry in its ongoing efforts to transform its business and develop new technologies. This support comes at an especially critical time as our industry confronts one of the most difficult economic periods in our nation’s history , caused by the global financial crisis. And, this support will enable a competitive U.S. industry to contribute significantly to our nation’s economic revival, in employment, technology, energy security, and other important areas.

[Source:Autoblog]