Who knew classical music could blend in so well with cars?  Check out this week’s Pick of the Week Corvette Z06 Vs. Toyota Supra T88 Single Turbo II.  Stay Tuned every Thursday to see if your video has been chosen for Our Pick of the Week.

GM has had its hands full lately. As the automaker plans to get rid of or minimize a number of its brands, including Saturn, Saab, Hummer, and Pontiac, GM has officially announced that it will be spinning off Opel into its own brand. The German subsidiary of the American conglomerate has already asked the German government for a cash injection of $3.3 billion to stay afloat during the pending restructuring, which is expected to receive plenty of resistance by German taxpayers (just as we’ve already witnessed here in the U.S.). GM will retain a small stake in the company.

Next week at the Geneva auto show, Toyota plans to unveil a more powerful version of its iQ subcompact. Currently powered by a 67 horsepower engine, the upcoming Toyota iQ will features a 99 horsepower 1.33-liter Dual WT-I engine. With the same Optimal Drive technology and fuel preserving stop/start system, the new iQ model still manages 49 mpg when mated to the standard 6-speed transmission. The new 99-horsepower Toyota iQ should go on sale in Europe this summer. No word yet on when the iQ will be available here in the States.

Auto shows are expensive, and in the current economic climate no automaker has cash to throw away. That’s precisely why Nissan has decided that it will not be participating in a number of auto shows this year. Following the 2008 LA Auto Show where Nissan generated plenty of hype for a number of new models including the all-new 370Z and the Cube, the automaker immediately passed on the Detroit Auto Show in January. So, don’t expect much from Nissan at the upcoming Frankfurt show or even next year’s show in Detroit. At this time Nissan is still planning to be present in Geneva, Tokyo, New York, and Shanghai.

With all kudos and comments in mind, we will search for the best crash video for your weekly viewing pleasure. Genre of videos do not matter as long as it is Automotive content, so tune in every Thursday and view the craziest crash videos on the internet exclusively on StreetFire.net.

Watch StreetFire’s Crash of the Week!

With all kudos and comments in mind, we will search for the best DYNO VIDEOS for your weekly viewing pleasure. Genre of videos do not matter as long as it is Automotive content, so tune in every Tuesday and view the best DYNO VIDEOS on the internet exclusively on StreetFire.net.

Living in SoCal we don’t see too much snow.  In fact I have never, not once, plowed a driveway.  For those of you that do deal with the white stuff this winter, here’s a handy way to get your car out.

Props to Roma007 for the upload!

While there are plenty of import automakers pulling out of this year’s Detroit Auto Show, Maserati will use the opportunity to show off its special-edition Quattroporte Sport GT S.

The new Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S produces a staggering 433 horsepower - not to bad for a full size sedan - but many specs still have yet to be released. The Special edition GT S features a new front and rear suspension system, new springs, and a new exhaust.

But the 2009 Maserati Quattroporte GT S doesn’t just offer mechanical updates. The new car also gets a stunning black grille which certainly helps draw attention to Trident logo. There’s also black finish around the doors, black exhaust pipes, and titanium accented headlights. Check out additional photos and information on the new Maserati below.

Modena �?? December 22nd, 2008 - The new Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S sets yet another milestone in terms of sportiness in the high performance luxury sedan segment of the automotive market . Conceived and developed as �??a real driving machine in the guise of a luxury sedan �??, the Quattroporte Sport GT S is the ultimate expression of Maserati�??s sportiness in the Quattroporte range.

The technical changes to the new Quattroporte Sport GT S in respect to the Quattroporte S concern four areas:
�?� the mapping of the V8 4.7 liter engine, with power increased to 323kW (433 HP);
�?� the gearshift management software, with new features designed to increase driving enjoyment;
�?� the front and rear suspension system featuring single-rate dampers, stiffer springs and lower ride height;
�?� the sports exhaust controlled by pneumatic valves for a deep, throaty and captivating sound.

The sportier and more aggressive look is evident also by virtue of the interior and exterior stylistic choices:
�?� the new black grill with concave vertical fins featuring the Trident logo with red accents, typical of the sportier versions of Maserati models;
�?� the new headlights, in metallic titanium finish;
�?� the side and rear �??shadow line�??, which includes black finishing around the doors, body-colored door handles and black twin oval exhaust pipes,
�?� the new M-design seats with perforated Alcantara® and leather upholstery;
�?� the standard trim in Titantex, a �??titanium colored�?? composite material.

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Stay tuned for more Maserati news come January.

Suzuki’s latest advertising efforts are centering around the “Live Large. Drive Small” advertising campaign, which kicked off with the SUVasaurus commercial. The commercial is cute, comical, and truly well-executed, but Suzuki missed its chance to entice people to run to their nearest Suzuki dealer to by a Grand Vitara.

First, SUVs are not gone, and they won’t be any time soon. At the recent LA Auto Show, the emphasis may have been on glamorous new concepts and models like the MINI E or the Nissan 370Z, there certainly was no shortage of SUVs. While we’re likely to see more hybrids and more flex fuel variations, production of the SUV simply didn’t just come to a halt overnight as the whimsical commercial would like consumers to believe.

The other component of the SUVasaurus commercial that inhibits its ability to truly win over crossover shoppers is the timing. If this commercial aired over the summer, when the price of gas soared to nearly $5 per gallon in many parts of the country, the Suzuki’s SUVasaurus message would have likely resonated with many more drivers. But since then, the national gas price average has dropped to about $1.80 and is expected to keep on dropping. In fact, the average price of gas is likely to be lower than the price shown in the beginning of the commercial by this time next week!

Although consumers certainly aren’t flocking to big truck-based SUVs, Suzuki’s SUVasaurus ad missed its window of opportunity to stand out from the crowd. Sadly the timing doesn’t allow the Grand Vitara to really show how it not only offers an attractive alternative to larger SUVs, but that it also offers something fun and rugged when compared to the tough competition within its class, such as the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and NIssan Rogue. The commercial is by no means a failure, but it just proves that timing is everything. Check out the SUVasaurus commercial below.

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It may not be a SUVasaurus, but the Suzuki Grand Vitara doesn’t disappoint those who want to live large and drive small.

Aston Martin has conjured exotic images of the the fast lifestyle led by 007 ever since the DB5 first appeared in a Bond movie back in 1956. In the latest Bond movie, 007 is again teaming up with his favorite British automaker, this time behind the wheel the Aston Martin DBS.

With a price tag pushing $270,000, the Aston Martin DBS has everything 007 would want and then some. This includes a heart pounding 510 horsepower V12 engine and rumbling 1,000 watt Bang & Olufsen audio system.
Riding on a lightweight aluminum chassis, the body is ultra curvy and subtly reminiscent of the new Jaguar XK, perhaps because both cars were designed by notable British car designer Ian Callum. But of course these curves are not only graceful and bewitching, they’re also muscular and brawny as any respectable GT should be.

While it’s easy to talk about the looks of the Aston Martin DBS, it’s equally easy to talk about how it performs. In 4.2 seconds the DBS reaches 60 mph and delivers a top speed of 191 mph. To harness this power, the DBS surprisingly features a true manual shifter, which even in the purist of sports cars is increasingly rare. For those few who may prefer an automatic, there is an optional paddle shifted auto available.
If you’re lucky maybe you can get your hands on an Aston Martin DBS gratis like 007. Otherwise, you’re looking at a $270K price tag, not to mention the steep gas bill thanks to a meager 12 mpg. But while the new DBS may sadly be only a fantasy for most civilians, no other car on the road can match the allure of the Aston Martin, even those stock models that aren’t outfitted with super spy gadgets.

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Since Ford’s sale of Aston Martin, the British automaker shows no sign of slowing down with the new DBS.