Dude, that takes STONES: Pics of the Corvette SS / Blue Devil / Whatever...

HOLY SCHNIKES!

Here are millions of dollars of development and thousands of hours of work laid bare for us to ogle. This Corvette caught by Fast-Autos.net forum member, Chikara83, definitely has some trick bits on it and apparently it's the real deal. There's a liquid/liquid intercooler perched atop the V8, and where the alternator used to be sits a supercharger. We can't tell what type of huffer it is, though -- positive displacement Roots-type or centrifugal.

The hood and front quarters are wearing camouflage to cover changes in those panels. The low-pressure area behind the front wheels makes the perfect location for extractors, which are likely fed by the high pressure area at the base of the windshield. Together they provide a good path through the engine bay for extra cooling air. That's a nice, tidy explanation for why the camo is where it is, too, so we're going with it. There's also a vent in the leading edge of the rear quarter panel, which we presume is for rear brake cooling. The burning question that everyone wants to know has finally been answered: the interior (of the mule, at least) is still kinda cheap. We are gonna be so embarassed if this is Winding Road messing with us again.

Many thanks to tipster Chris.

[Source: Fast-Autos.net]

Gallery: Sneak Pix of Corvette SS/Blue Devil

Rendered Speculation: Production Jaguar C-XF

We're going to have to wait until pictures of the actual production XF drop, but in the meantime these renderings are likely not very shy of the mark. Motor Authority commisioned Schulte-Design to analyze the concept car, various spy shots of XF mules, and inside information from people familiar with the car, melding it all into a coherent stab at what we can expect on the street. The S-Type is so last millennium, so it will be nice to see its replacement wearing a modern design language.

That design language is pulled back a bit from the concept, but it still ends up looking great. If this is the new face of Jaguar, there's hope. Not that paying homage to 40 years ago is outright bad, but it's nice to see something new emerging. If the transition from concept to production is as gentle and dare we say refined as what we see in the renderings, we have a billet-sculpted, muscular Jag coming.

[Source: Motor Authority]

GTI Fahrenheit Edition heats up VW dealerships

Click above for 8 high-res images

For those wanting a little ray of sunshine in this seemingly endless winter, Volkswagen has a treat for you. The Fahrenheit GTI should be available right now at your local VW dealership. Limited to only 1,200 copies, this sunny flier might be exactly what you're looking for. If the driving experience doesn't lighten your mood, the bright orange paint certainly will. Besides the "Fahrenheit" badging and individual vehicle number on the three-spoke steering wheel, this special edition gets the European sport-tuned suspension, 18-inch alloy wheels, mostly leather heated seats and sunroof, as well as all of those spiffy Fahrenheit orange interior accents and matching stitching on the floor mats, DSG boot, brake handle and steering wheel. DSG only on this one, at a starting price of just $27,665. We saw one of these in Chicago and can honestly say that the color pops, if that's what you're looking for. We might hold out for the R32 ourselves.

[Source: Volkswagen]

Gallery: Volkswagen GTI Fahrenheit Edition

Continue reading GTI Fahrenheit Edition heats up VW dealerships

More pics of the Mazda Hakaze concept

click above image to view all the new Hakaze photos

Mazda has had a successful auto show season so far thanks to the warm reception of its first two concepts, the Nagare and Ryuga. Unveiled at the L.A. and Detroit auto shows respectively, those two concepts were admittedly as far from production ready as you can get. Mazda's third and final concept for this show season, the Hakaze, is said to be the only one of the three that could be made production ready in a relatively short amount of time. Well, we brought you a large gallery of images showing the development and design team behind the Hakaze concept already, but there were only two exterior shots of the vehicle and no interior shots in that batch of snaps. KickingTires.com has come across almost a dozen additinal shots that show the Hakaze in real world situations, as well as the interior.

[Source: KickingTires.com]

Gallery: Mazda Hakaze Concept

Continue reading More pics of the Mazda Hakaze concept