The Fruit of Knowledge
Posts tagged gaping hole
Massive sinkhole in China swallows building
Jan 29th
The gaping hole engulfed buildings and knocked out power to thousands.
Massive sinkhole in China swallows building
Jan 29th
The gaping hole engulfed buildings and knocked out power to thousands.
Massive sinkhole in China swallows building
Jan 29th
The gaping hole engulfed buildings and knocked out power to thousands.
Massive sinkhole in China swallows building
Jan 29th
The gaping hole engulfed buildings and knocked out power to thousands.
Report: Small Jaguar sedan to fight BMW 3 Series rumored anew
Oct 14th
Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Jaguar, Rumormill, Luxury
It’s hard not to be skeptical when we read a report in Automotive News like this one: “Work also is under way on a compact sedan, but that car is a few years away from production, Jaguar officials said.”
It’s been over six months since we last reported on Jaguar’s ‘XS’ sport sedan, the would-be rival to the BMW 3-Series, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4. Unlike, say, the Cadillac ATS, we still have relatively little actual information about this new competitor in one of the most hotly contested luxury segments.
How Jaguar might be planning on plugging such a gaping hole in its product lineup remains to be seen, but the hope is that the new sedan might share components with the forthcoming sports car based on the Jaguar C-X16 concept from the Frankfurt Motor Show. The concept was fitted with a supercharged 3.0-liter V6 making 376 horsepower, along with a hybrid battery pack to allow for an additional 94-hp boost.
However Jaguar plans to go at its competition, it will be an uphill battle, as the brand hasn’t fared well in the segment in recent years. Its X-Type sedan was poorly received when it was launched under Ford ownership a decade ago. Since then, the entry luxury market has seen plenty of excellent sport sedans attempt to dethrone BMW, including models like the Infiniti G37.
Small Jaguar sedan to fight BMW 3 Series rumored anew originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Report: Alfa Romeo 159 heading for the edgy dustbin of history
Sep 1st
Filed under: Sedan, Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Alfa Romeo
Say what you will about the Alfa Romeo 159, but it’s arguably one of the most attractive sports sedans on the (foreign) market. And when it’s gone, it will be missed. But gone is precisely what it will be soon, as the Fiat group begins its gradual discontinuation.
According to reports, production of the 159 has already ceased as the assembly plant in Naples where it’s built is re-tooled for production of the new Fiat Panda. The entire model line has reportedly disappeared from the order books in several keys markets, including the UK, while other markets continue offering the 159 from stockpiles built up ahead of the factory’s temporary closure, but that means only four colors and one engine are available.
The 159 was a model mired by its shortcomings from the get-go. Although the Giugiaro styling turned heads, its edgy front end made for pour aerodynamics. The GM-sourced platform didn’t serve the car well, and neither did its engines. And while it was originally engineered to meet U.S. regulations, the brand’s return to the American market was pushed back time and time again, and is still yet to arrive.
The departure of the 159 leaves a gaping hole in not only Alfa Romeo’s but the entire Fiat group’s line-up. Aside from the Maserati Quattroporte and Lancia-badged Chryslers, the Golf-sized Alfa Giulietta, Lancia Delta and Fiat Bravo hatchbacks now stand as the largest passenger vehicles the company offers. And with the 159′s successor – expected to be dubbed Giulia – not expected until later in 2013, it looks to stay that way for another couple of years at least.
Alfa Romeo 159 heading for the edgy dustbin of history originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Samsung Galaxy XCover gets uncovered in Germany, dares us to drop it in mud
Aug 10th
The Samsung Galaxy lineup has become so diverse that nearly every demographic has at least one selection to choose from, with one clear exception: we haven’t seen a rugged version. Samsung’s hoping to fill that gaping hole by announcing the Galaxy Xcover, the world’s first Android device with IP67 certification — which means it can be submerged in water up to 1 meter deep and can hold its own against a continual onslaught of dirt and dust. The Xcover will offer Gingerbread out-of-box, and features a 3.6-inch scratch-resistant display, a 3.2 megapixel camera with LED flash, and 7.2Mbps HSDPA. The company’s still vague on the other details, such as pricing and availability; the only country announced so far is Germany, which should see the device sometime in October. We hope the device will have a wider distribution; we know for a fact Germans aren’t the only folks on this Earth that are hard on their phones. Press after the break.
Continue reading Samsung Galaxy XCover gets uncovered in Germany, dares us to drop it in mud
Samsung Galaxy XCover gets uncovered in Germany, dares us to drop it in mud originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 10:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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PhoneGap 1.0 lets devs write apps for six platforms, WP7 not included (video)
Aug 1st
Until now, mobile app developers have followed a pretty predictable MO: develop for iOS first, Android second, and everyone else after that. Since last year, many of you code monkeys out there have been tapping into Nitobi’s PhoneGap, a project that makes it easier to churn out apps for almost every OS, all at once. It’s been picking up steam, with about 40,000 downloads per month, 600,000 in total, and a steady stream of donations. That all culminated this weekend with the release of PhoneGap 1.0., which lets devs use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to write and deploy apps for iOS, Android, BlackBerry, webOS, Bada, and Symbian. That’s a long list indeed, but we see one glaring omission: Windows Phone 7. Considering that it’s a product that prides itself on convenience and being all-inclusive, that’s a mighty gaping hole in the lineup. Now it’s true, Microsoft only released Mango to developers a month ago, but Nitobi could have at least thrown in support for Nodo with the promise of adding Mango later on. In any case, let’s just assume it’ll make its way into a future version. For now, hit the source link to download it for free and check out the promo video below for an oh-so quick overview.
Continue reading PhoneGap 1.0 lets devs write apps for six platforms, WP7 not included (video)
PhoneGap 1.0 lets devs write apps for six platforms, WP7 not included (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Aug 2011 11:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Rumormill: Porsche 928 revival on Panamera platform rumored anew
Jul 13th
Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Porsche, Rumormill, Luxury
Porsche 928S – Click above for high-res image gallery
Take a look at Porsche’s lineup and you’ll notice one great big gaping hole. There are sportscars of every flavor – hardtops and convertibles ranging from the Boxster to the Cayman and nearly every conceivable iteration of the iconic 911 the inventive minds in Stuttgart can think up – along with two differently sized crossovers and one high-performance sedan.
So, what’s the problem? There isn’t a single grand touring coupe in the mix.
As such, it’s not surprising that rumors of a Porsche 928 revival have been spreading like wildfire across the dry plains of the internet over the last several years. The logical reasoning sees Porsche shortening its Panamera platform and ejecting the rear seat to make such a grand touring coupe, which would leave the manufacturer with a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive machine in the tradition of its old 928.
According to the Brits at Autocar, such a beast could be christened, rather imaginatively, 929 and be ready for the market as early as 2014, coinciding with the launch of the second-generation Panamera. For those not keeping track, it’s widely thought that same platform could spawn a new coupe to join the Bentley Continental, and if that’s the case, development costs could be split between Bentley and Porsche, which both operate under the massive Volkswagen umbrella of influence.
Just as interestingly, rumor has it that, in addition to compacting it for a coupe, Porsche has ideas of lengthening the Panamera platform and is also considering a shooting brake.
Porsche 928 revival on Panamera platform rumored anew originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Report: Alfa’s return to the U.S. delayed until 2013
Apr 10th
Filed under: Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Design/Style, Fiat
Alfa Romeo Giulietta – Click above for high-res image gallery
Alfa Romeo is reported delaying its return to the States until 2013 because Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne is unhappy with the proposed vehicle designs bound for the U.S. Marchionne cited manufacturing and styling issues that need fixing before the 2013 Alfa Romeo Giulia is ready to be released both in the States and abroad.
The delay pushes the Giulia back from a late-2012 release to sometime mid-2013, which leaves Alfa Romeo in the lurch in two continents. Without the Giulia, Alfa will have a gaping hole in its lineup and nothing to offer in the hotly-contested mid-range market.
Marchionne is also unhappy with efforts from Chrysler designers to retool the Giulia as a replacement for the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger, models which Fiat-Chrysler is hoping to debut in 2013. Since the two new Chryslers and the Giulia will share a platform, a delay for one means a delay for the others.
With the Giulia’s release postponed, Alfa will have to make do with a three-model lineup, comprised of the MiTo, the 159 and the Guilietta, until its new small SUV arrives in late 2012, followed by the Giulia the following year.
Gallery: Alfa Romeo Giulietta
[Source: AutoNews]
Report: Alfa’s return to the U.S. delayed until 2013 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 10 Apr 2011 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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