Transformers ‘Barricade’ Police Mustang For Sale

Fans of the original Transformers movie now have the opportunity to own the original Barricade Saleen Ford Mustang from the 2007 Hollywood blockbuster.

But that’s not all. The eBay auction is throwing in a “two for one deal” with a 2006 Ford Mustang GT designed to be like Bumblebee…except it’s not a Chevy Camaro. With the starting bid at $105,000 though, it’s not exactly a two for one. But given that the infamous “To Punish and Enslave” Barricade Mustang sold for $100,000 to Jim Ortte (who is selling it now) some could see the Bumblebee-themed GT as an added bonus.

Barricade was originally designed by Hasbro for Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg for the original Transformers movie, starting life off as a base 2005 Mustang GT before Steve Saleen converted it to a 2008 prototype. It is recognized by Saleen as one of the only non-serial numbered Saleen vehicles. This Barricade was one of three built for the movie and is known as camera car number 2.

Originally titled to Saleen himself, Barricade features a Jet Black exterior with Pearl White doors and is powered by a Saleen V8 engine mated to a five-speed transmission. On the outside is a Full Extreme body kit, 20-inch black Saleen wheels, carbon fiber lip and rear diffuser, Saleen gauge package, competition brakes and suspension, full Police LED light bar, front and rear strobes, specially-designed push bumper, Decepticon police badges, reflective police and 911 decals, Wilwood stunt brake line-lock kit, driver-side camera mount, underhood camera mount, and more.

The second vehicle is a custom 2006 Ford Mustang GT with a 4.6L V8 mated to an automatic transmission. It features 18-inch wheels, GPS, Yellow and Black stripes, yellow engine highlights, LED halo headlights, LED taillights, and other styling accessories.

Barricade can actually be driven so long as the included set of magnets are used to cover up the Police signage. The owner claims that Barricade functioned as a small business for him, being paid for many public appearances.

Offers are being accepted for either vehicle, or both.

2013 Lexus RX, IS and GS 450h Pricing Announced

Lexus has announced pricing for its recently updated 2013 RX series, the all-new 2013 GS 450h, and the 2012 IS models.

The hybrid variant of the new GS model will start at $58,950, while the 2013 RX350 will have a base MSRP of $39,310. The hybrid RX 450h will start at $45,910 while the RX 350 F Sport will be $47,000. All 2012 Lexus IS models see an increase of $200 in its MSRP.

The 2013 GS 450h joins the existing GS350 and GS350 F Sport in the lineup, sporting 338-hp with 29-mpg city, 34-mpg highway, and 31-mpg combined. The 2013 RX model receives plenty of new upgrades and enhancements including a new headlight design, LED daytime running lights, unique fog lamp bezels, aggressive new front bumper, updated taillights, and interior changes.

Starting pricing for the RX350 FWD as mentioned previously is $39,310, while the AWD model is $40,710. Both of those MSRPs are $325 higher than the previous model RX. The top-of-the-line RX 450h AWD will have an MSRP of $47,310.

With the $200 increase to the IS models, the IS 250 Manual now starts at $33,595 while the IS 250 Automatic will be $34,765. Opting for AWD will run you $37,225 while the IS 350 will begin at $40,020. The AWD IS 350 has a base MSRP of $42,480.

SRT Auctions First Viper To Benefit Pediatric Cancer Foundation

The all-new 2013 SRT Viper is without a doubt the star of this year’s New York Auto Show. Boasting big numbers, the Viper’s enormous 8.4-liter V10 engine produces 640-hp. Plus, SRT has announced a factory-backed return of the Viper to the American Le Mans Series and international endurance racing.

But here comes the most important bit of information of all – show your support for the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer and the very first Viper can be yours. The official charity of the American Le Mans Series, the Austin Hatcher Foundation For Pediatric Cancer’s mission is to aid cancer children and their families during the treatment and to provide continuing support throughout survivorship, all services are at no cost to families, and are funded solely buy donation.

The auction for the first 2013 SRT Viper will hold at Barrett-Jackson of Orange County, from June 22-24. Serial #01 vehicles have displayed a historic trend of reaching massive figures by auction end, so it will be exciting to see how much the new Viper can raise for the Austin Hatcher organization.

Co-founder of Austin Hatcher Foundation Dr. Jim Osborn said, “We are very excited that the first production Viper be auctioned at Barrett- Jackson Orange County to benefit the many families faced with pediatric cancer. We just can’t thank Mr. Gilles and his team enough.”

Nissan to Pull Infiniti Production From Japan

The powerful Japanese Yen is pushing Nissan to make some tough decisions, and Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn announced that Infiniti production will be moving out of Japan.

Infiniti currently exports all but one model from its Japanese production line, but it just doesn’t make sense for the company to keep this setup going. “You won’t have to wait a long time before we make a decision about the new base for sourcing of Infiniti,” said Ghosn. “If you follow our logic, we should make the cars where we sell them.”

Infiniti has already started the move, with the JX35 being built in Tennessee and plans to build a new $2 billion assembly plant in Mexico.

The decisions being made by the Japanese luxury brand are directly influence by German luxury companies, and their move to become truly global companies. ”We’re seeing what the Germans are doing,” said Carlos Ghosn, “the Germans are diversifying their base and they are producing practically everywhere.”

The other big reason for the move is the strong Japanese currency, which Ghosn claims held Infiniti back from its 2011 goal of claiming 10 percent of the worldwide luxury car market.

2012 Dodge Challenger Rallye Redline Delivers Performance in a V6 Package: 2012 NY Auto Show

Try to look past the fact that it’s a Dodge Challenger without a Hemi. Heck it still boasts 305 horsepower, which is about what a Mustang GT did in 2010.

If you can manage that, have a look at the 2012 Dodge Challenger Rallye Redline edition: it’s a V6 version of the coke bottle muscle car with generous upgrades for a bargain price. We already reported the details, but the car made its debut yesterday at the New York Auto Show where we got to take a look.

Opting for the Rallye Redline package costs $28,745, which is only $3,750 more than the base Challenger’s MSRP. Looking over the options, it’s hard to think of the package as anything but a great value.

For that money, you get new front and rear sway bars to stiffen the chassis and make the car more corner-capable but that’s only the beginning. It also gets 42 percent firmer monotube shocks in the front and 22 percent in the rear a cold air intake, a more aggressively-geared rear axle and upgraded brakes on all four wheels.

Cosmetic upgrades also add to the car’s style with a thick red racing stripe and two matching pinstripes running  the car’s length through the center. Black 20-inch aluminum alloy wheels with a matching red stripe further compliment the car’s special look.

Best of all, Dodge isn’t skimping on the other features you might want in a new car. This package is based off the SXT trim level, which is the high-end V6. That means it also comes with  standard equipment like leather seating (heated in the front), bluetooth connectivity, electronic stability control and more.

At $28,745 (plus a $925 destination fee) you’re looking at a handsomely upgraded car that would probably cost more if you took care of the upgrades yourself.

It’s true that the entry-level Hemi-having R/T is about the same price, albeit before the destination fee. The Redline Rallye is much better equipped than its similarly-priced V8 counterpart. Ultimately the decision boils down to a trade-off between horsepower and driving comfort.