We obsessively cover the auto industry…

A few short weeks ago we learned that Toyota is shrinking its overall plan for the Scion iQ EV down to an "extremely limited release." During its Future Mobility Seminar in Denver, CO this week, Toyota announced the small details for its diminutive electric vehicle (EV) program.

The teeny 2013 Scion iQ EV will deploy in slight fashion in car-sharing programs on campuses and in urban environments later this year, but only "approximately" 90 of them. Yes, the entire fleet of Toyota's petite iQ EV could fit in one big warehouse. And you can't buy or lease them, you can just rent them for the short term.

The iQ EV itself has decent numbers for a city EV, including a 13.5-foot turning radius thanks to its diminutive 78-inch wheel base. It seats four (well, if two people are itty-bitty) and has a top speed of 78 miles per hour. It uses a 47-kW (63 horsepower) electric motor and a 12-kWh battery to achieve a range of up to 50 miles per charge. That charge takes around three hours using a Level 2, 240V charger and there's an interesting additional feature: a timer that matches "charge completion time with the time the vehicle will actually be driven, to help reduce battery degradation." The iQ EV also has three driving modes – D, B and S – that each emphasize a different aspect of the car. D minimizes power usage in city driving. S gives better acceleration (from zero to 60 in 13.4 seconds). B improves the efficiency of the regenerative brakes.

As for looks, two exterior colors are available, Silver and Super Red, with the top half, rear hatch, battery cooling inlets and front headlamps all accented in black. The charging port is up front, with a charge door where lesser cars have an upper grille. There's even a leather-wrapped seat, so when you hop into one of these rare, shared EVs for a few minutes, you can feel like you're borrowing someone's upscale EV.

The pros and cons of the auto bailout and concerns about the rising price of gasoline have been a political football throughout this election season. So, it should come as no surprise that the auto industry was brought up more than a few times in last night's heated presidential debate.

Roughly a minute into the debate, the subject was raised by President Obama when asked a question about unemployment. The President's answer; "I want to build manufacturing jobs in this country again. Now when Gov. Romney said we should let Detroit go bankrupt, I said we're going to bet on American workers and the American auto industry and it's coming back."

Romney countered by pointing out that Obama followed the Governor's advice offered in his New York Times editorial "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt," from 2008. Romney stated that the President did, in fact, let Chrysler go bankrupt, and pointed out, "My plan was to have the company go through bankruptcy...and come out stronger." Obama retorted that Romney's view of taking the automakers into bankruptcy did not provide them with any way to stay open, and would have lost a million jobs in the process.

The candidates also spoke on energy and oil production, primarily in response to questions of recently spiking gas prices. The President pointed out that oil production on federal land is at its highest point in 16 years and natural gas production is at its highest levels in decades. Romney responded by saying that overall oil production is down 14 percent as a result of cutting licenses for drilling. Additionally, Romney criticized Obama for blockage of the Keystone oil pipeline.

Surprisingly, yesterday's bankruptcy filing of A123 Systems was not brought up, though Republicans, including Romney have criticized the Obama administration's investment in electric cars as well as grants and loans for battery makers. If Tuesday's Chapter 11 filing was not mentioned last night, it will most certainly come up in the days and weeks to come.

Contrary to earlier reports, Ferrari maintains that it will not be showing the F70 supercar successor to the Enzo at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next January. In fact, our sources say the launch rollout plans for the hybrid 920-horsepower exotic have not been finalized.

One scenario would have a launch separate from major auto shows in order to maximize publicity. Another factor in the decision not to show the F70 in Detroit is a desire not to step on the launch at the show of the all-new Maserati Quattroporte. Both Maserati and Ferrari are owned by the Fiat group.

Usain Bolt, the Jamaican Olympic gold medalist and world's fastest man, is teaming up with Nissan to auction off a Nissan GT-R on eBay later this month with the proceeds going to the Usain Bolt Foundation. The one-of-a-kind GT-R is painted in a special gold hue and the hood has been signed by Bolt.

In addition to helping create this car for his charity, Bolt, who has been named Nissan's "Director of Excitement," will also be working with the automaker to create numerous "What If_" advertisements and even assisting in the development of a limited-edition GT-R. This last little tidbit really perked up our ears, but Nissan says that it will release details about this car "at a later date."

Until then, Nissan has included some videos below showing its involvement with Bolt including the ceremony where he signed the gold GT-R for his auction and some entertaining footage of the Olympian being driven around Nissan's Japanese proving ground in a GT-R.

The motorsports community lost one of its best this past week. Paul Brown, 43, succumbed to his battle with skin cancer on Saturday, less than eight months after he was initially diagnosed with the disease. Not only a talented driver, Brown was known for his kindness, work ethic, sense of humor and love of the sport.

Son of famed racer Kenny Brown, Paul began his motorsports career at the age of 16 competing in autocross events before later moving to the SCCA World Challenge in which he competed for nearly twenty years. He finished in the top ten in over half of the races he entered.

The highlight of Brown's racing career came in 2011 when he dominated the GTS class of the SCCA World Challenge, winning five races, capturing nine top-five finishes and leading more laps than all other drivers combined.

Brown was diagnosed with cancer in March of 2011, just a few weeks before the start of the racing season. While Derek Bell took over driving duties for the majority of the races, Brown got behind the wheel one more time in June and managed to capture a podium finish.

Brown leaves behind a multitude of family members including his wife and fellow racer Carol Hollfelder. Scroll down below to read more about Paul Brown's life and racing career.

Here at Autoblog, obsessively covering the automotive industry sometimes takes us places we'd never have expected. Today is one of those days.

In the video pasted below, you'll see a very nice Dodge Challenger SRT8 – modified in some way if the quoted 490 horsepower figure is accurate – lining itself up on a long, straight stretch of tarmac. Pulling up alongside... or rather, setting itself down, is a McDonnel Douglass MD500 helicopter. Yep, we said helicopter.

So, is this a fair race? We have no idea. For starters, there's no indication as to how long this runway may be, and we don't know the various skills of the pilot or driver. Do we care? No, not really. The race results in a fun video, which you can watch below, and we suggest you keep your eyes peeled all the way through for a little surprise.

Ford has revealed a few images of five tuned Focus ST concepts that will be shown off at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas this month. None of this group of five is overly subtle, which would run counter to the spirit of SEMA itself, and all hope to highlight the performance nature of Ford's newest hot hatch. In no particular order then, here are the quick-and-dirty facts on each car, in advance of the full details out of Vegas:

• 2013 Ford Focus ST by Tanner Foust Racing (top): X Games warrior Tanner Foust wanted his ST to be able to go from work to the track, while not being too harsh for commuting in Southern California. A body kit, MagnaFlow exhaust and fully adjustable front and rear suspension have been added.
• 2013 Ford Focus ST by Bojix Design (upper left): The Bojix Design car stands out mostly for its eye-catching orange paint, black hood and low-rider stance. Upgraded brakes and coil-over springs are noted performance adds.
• 2013 Ford Focus ST by M&J Enterprises (upper right): M&J partnered with Ford, Cosworth LLC for ultimate performance. Ford Racing engine and suspension upgrades result in an aggressively fast car putting out some 330 horsepower.
• 2013 Ford Focus ST by Galpin Auto Sports (lower left): The sinister Galpin car, rocking some shockingly green wheels, was meant as a rally car-inspired build. The menacing looks of the body kit are backed by methanol injection and larger brakes, creating a car that the tuner claims is rally-ready.
• 2013 Ford Focus ST by Steeda Autosports (lower right): Steeda has added its own "G-Trac" suspension to its SEMA Focus, as well as Brembo brakes and a custom 19-inch wheel and tire package.

While the often misunderstood (and infrequently purchased) Acura ZDX may be going the way of the dinosaur, the company's far more conventional and successful MDX SUV is evolving. In fact, the 2014 MDX seems to be coming along rather nicely, if this latest set of spy images is any indication.

In the camouflaged prototype we see here, it is evident that Acura designers are going for a beefier look for the MDX front end. The current car's pointed and beaked nose are nowhere in evidence on this tester, though some version of Acura's prominent shield grille does seem to remain.

It's a bit difficult to tell if the shape of the glasshouse is much revised on this new car, as the camo is applied in such a fashion as to obscure the post C-pillar design. But it does seem as though, when we look hard at the full-profile shots of the MDX, that the wheel-arch bulges and side character lines of the current vehicle have been replaced with much simpler surfacing.

Under the hood we're told to expect a choice between a conventional V6 powerplant and the hybrid system with SH-AWD that will debut in the upcoming Acura RLX. Surely we'll see and hear more about this new MDX before it makes the scene in the last part of 2013.

Hyundai has already released renderings of its Cosworth-tuned Genesis Coupe that will be on display at the 2012 SEMA Show, and with the show just a couple more weeks away, Hyundai is now teasing a souped-up Veloster headed to Las Vegas. The Hyundai Veloster Turbo Velocity concept was designed at Hyundai's America Technical Center in Irvine, CA to be a street car that is also trackable.

To start, Hyundai had the Veloster Turbo's stock engine sent off to Cosworth for new internal components, turbocharger, intercooler, intake manifold and engine controller, and it was finished off with a custom exhaust system. The result gives the Velocity concept more than 400 horsepower and 350 pound-feet. To handle the track, Hyundai also upgraded the car's suspension and brakes.

SEMA concepts are known for their flashy, over-the-top designs, and the Velocity will not disappoint with its wide body kit, a massive rear wing and a white-painted roof that gives the car a custom chopped look. Intending to prove this concept is ready for the track, the Velocity also comes with a full roll bar, data acquisition hardware and racing harnesses.

We'll have live images of the Veloster Turbo Velocity concept for you in a couple weeks, but until then, Hyundai has included a press release and a quick video of its SEMA-bound concept that we've posted below.

New Global Cadillac Chief, Toyota Tundra Space Shuttle Tow, SEMA, Ferrari Enzo Successor



Episode #304 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth and George Kennedy talk about Cadillac's new global chief, who's already mentioned sports cars, the Toyota Tundra towing the space shuttle, the Ferrari Enzo successor and Chrysler and Ford's SEMA concept cars. Your questions and comments power the end of the 'cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Keep reading for our Q&A module for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #304:




Topics:

• Global Cadillac chief talking sports cars
• Ferrari Enzo successor coming to Detroit
• Toyota Tundra doubles as Space Shuttle transporter
• Ford and Chrysler SEMA cars

In the Autoblog Garage:
2012 Chrysler 200S convertible
2012 Fiat 500

Hosts: Dan Roth, George Kennedy

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When the Fisker Atlantic was revealed in April, no one was saying anything about production dates. Even in recent interviews and statements, Fisker has remained coy about when it might start building the smaller cousin to the Karma.

Given Fisker's financial difficulties and questions about where it will build the car, none of this was a surprise. It's also not at all shocking that reports now say Fisker might not start making the Atlantic until 2014 or 2015. Reuters says that was "the first time Fisker disclosed a production timetable for the Atlantic," but way back in 2009, the official timeline said the Atlantic (then called Project Nina) would start production by the end of 2012.

Fisker representatives used the new 2014 date in slides presented to investors. It was also revealed that a lot of the work on the car is done, since "about 90 percent of the parts in the Atlantic have been engineered." Should the Atlantic still be built in Delaware, as originally planned, suppliers might use some of the large factory that Fisker bought from General Motors. Of course, with the news that one of Fisker's main suppliers for the Karma – A123 Systems – might go bankrupt, we'll see how long the 2014 date holds firm.

Though it has been the company's star-laden Super Bowl commercials starring Eminem and Clint Eastwood that have garnered the most buzz for Chrysler and its ad agency Wieden + Kennedy, the principals agree that it was a far earlier spot that has made the biggest impact thus far.

Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne and John Jay, Global Executive Creative Director for Wieden + Kennedy, agreed recently that it was the commercial for the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee that has had the most significant impact for Chrysler in the post-bailout era.

The Grand Cherokee, you'll remember, was the first product introduced by the Chrysler Group coming out of bankruptcy, and was therefore poised to make a big impression – good or bad – on the American public. The Jeep commercial then needed to hammer home the notion of a quality, American-made product, while also laying the groundwork for the Imported from Detroit commercials (of Super Bowl fame) that were still to come. Marchionne called the Jeep commercial "a turning point" and said that it was still being tweaked, right down to the very end.

Watching the spot today (scroll down to have a look), it is easier to see it as a successful foundational piece of the messaging that we're getting from Chrysler today.

Not having the luxury of speaking proper Spanish, we should be at a loss when it comes to the video embedded down below. Fortunately, any language barrier that would otherwise be blocking our understanding is torn down by a language we all speak fluently: a love of cars.

In this case, the car in question is a bright red Ferrari F430 Spider, which is following what appears to be a Renault Twingo somewhere in the Canary Islands. Though the screaming sounds like it's coming from a girl, some internet sleuthing tells us it's actually a young boy who's screaming like, well, a girl.

In any case, we all get a little too excited every now and then, so we're inclined to cut the kid some slack... though we'd hate to think what might happen the first time he lays eyes on a Prancing Horse that's a bit more exotic, say, an Enzo or something. We can already feel our ears bleeding.

Scroll down below to see for yourself.

It appears that the World Rally Championship has lost another key player. After word that Mini is leaving WRC comes news that Ford is pulling out as well. While Mini's departure was rooted in its tenuous relationship with Prodrive, Ford's exit from the sport is tied to the poor economic climate in Europe.

According to a statement from Ford of Europe's VP of Marketing, Sales and Service, Roeland de Waard, "Ford has a long and proud history in the WRC and this was not an easy decision." He continued, "At this time, however, we determined that it was better for the company and the Ford brand to reduce our commitment to the WRC and deploy our resources in other areas."

While Ford's factory backing might be out, the rally masters at M-Sport were running the Ford team up until this news and plan to stay on with the Fiesta WRC in the years to come. The racing outfit, run by Malcolm Wilson, has achieved 52 wins and 208 podium finishes in the 16 seasons that it has been racing with Ford. The M-Sport boss voiced his gratitude toward the relationship with the automaker saying, "I would like to thank Ford of Europe for their enthusiastic support and the faith shown in the team over the past 16 seasons. We understand that tough decisions have had to be made to safeguard Ford jobs."

M-Sport has run Ford's factory team since 1997, and is talking with Ford to receive support in the form of vehicles and engineering. The extent of that support remains to be seen, and it is unknown if Ford will return to WRC if economic conditions in Europe improve.