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Porsche Cayenne Diesel Slated For U.S. Market
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Porsche is spicing up their U.S. vehicle lineup starting next year with three new models, including a diesel Cayenne. It’s hard not to see the writing on the wall when a status symbol like Porsche decides to port the diesel counterpart of their high-end SUV to the U.S. Most people familiar with the European car market…
Alfa Romeo MiTo Busts 2,738 Water Balloons on a Skidpad [Video]
What happens when you mix a stunt driver with a sporty hatchback, skidpad and more than 2,738 water balloons? Just ask Terry Grant. The driving pro held a total of 19 world records for his fancy automotive footwork, but recently garnered his 20th by bursting the most-ever water balloons. Grant got to take part in…
Honda Crosstour Sales Disappoint CEO
The Honda Crosstour (pictured above) is seeing lackluster sales and disappointing American Honda president and CEO Tetsuo Iwamura. Iwamura said in a roundtable event related to the Tokyo Auto Show with journalists that it was a bad idea to originally bill the car as the Accord Crosstour because it made the CUV less individual. Sales are down…
Chinese Bank May Come To Saab’s Rescue
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Saab’s sob story saga might be coming to an end, though the information surrounding their pending acquisition is murky at best. Rumors swirled quickly around the media yesterday that the Bank of China, fourth-largest by market value had planned to acquire just under 50 percent of the company. Those reports are now being corrected— it’s a bank in…
Opel Insignia Gets New Biturbo Diesel
Opel, General Motors’ German wing is boasting big changes to their Insignia sedan, including a new biturbo diesel.The engine makes 195 horsepower and about 295 foot-pounds of torque, but the real eye-catcher on the new engine is fuel consumption and emissions. The new Insignia is only supposed to emit 129g/km of CO2 and achieves 48…
Mitsubishi i EV U.S. Release Moved Up
You won’t have to wait until the end of next year to own the Mitsubishi i EV anymore thanks to whopping dealer demand. Mitsubishi President Osamu Masuko decided to move the nation-wide U.S. release up by six months from the original date to June 2012. The company also plans to release another electric vehicle by…
Lotus Debuts New Evora GTE By Swizz Beatz
The Evora GTE is the most powerful Lotus to date, making 444 horsepower with a 3.5-liter v6, but track-bred performance isn’t quite enough to make it pop. Instead Lotus signed a deal with rapper/producer Swizz Beatz to collaborate on a special line of cars that have hiphop swag. This isn’t the first time an automaker…
Honda Adds Almost 1 Million New Vehicles To Airbag Recall
Honda‘s airbag woes grew significantly after they recalled an almost 1 million additional vehicles. The issue involves airbag pressure in 2001 and 2002 Accords, Civics and Odysseys from 2001 through 2003, CR-Vs from 2002 to 2003 and 2003 Pilots. The recall also affects 2002 and 2003 Acura 3.2 TLs and 2003 3.2 CLs. The latest development…
Volvo Adds Dual-Clutch Automatic To DRIVe Line
Volvo is adding a six-speed dual-clutch automatic to their lineup of fuel-sipping DRIVe cars powered by a 1.6 liter diesel engine. The change is significant because unlike previous automatic transmission offerings by Volvo, the dual-clutch auto boasts the same milage as the six-speed manual. Their DRIVe line of cars, not sold North America, is offered S60, V60, V70 and…
Study: Fewer Young Drivers, More Seniors On The Road
The old saying “stay off the sidewalks, my kid just got a license” may be losing its punch but “Grandpa, don’t drive on the curb” might be replacing it. A new study released yesterday by the University of Michigan found that fewer young people are dashing out to get a driver’s licence than in the…
Suzuki Sourcing More Diesel Engines From Fiat
Suzuki is working closely with Fiat to increase their supply of diesel-powered cars in India. The two have been working together since 2003 when Suzuki started offering a Fiat-sourced 2.0-liter diesel in their Sedici/SX4 duo. That partnership flew in the face of another deal between Suzuki and Volkswagen that has since imploded. Recently rising gas…
Hennessey Venom GT Gets Convertible Version
The Hennessey Venom GT will get even cooler in 2013 with the option to go topless. The 1200 horsepower ultra-exclusive sports car will sell for a cool $1.1 million, $150,000 more than the coupe version. Even if you have the cash to swing one of these, you probably won’t be able to get one. Hennessey…
2013 Dodge Viper To Debut In April
There’s no arguing with it— the Dodge Viper is a badass beast that churns out tire smoke faster than a hillbilly bonfire. That’s why it was such a disappointment when it briefly disappeared from the Dodge lineup, but fear not for the snake will be back soon. Chrysler has been pretty careful about keeping their…
Lotus Cars USA Announces New CEO
Lotus Cars USA made the public announcement that former Ferrari CEO Maurizio Parlato is the new CEO of their U.S. operation. Parlato has actually been with the company for a few months, but Lotus spokesman Kevin Smith told Automotive News Lotus hadn’t made the announcement until recently because they had been too busy appearing at auto shows. Parlato’s…
Chevrolet Announces 5th Generation Small Block Engine With Direct Injection
Chevrolet is offering more for less by adding direct injection to their upcoming line of Gen-V small block engines. “The Gen-V small block is an all-new, state-of-the-art engine family that will offer more efficiency and refinement than any other small block in its more than half-century of production,” chief engineer Jordan Lee said to Left…
Honda Ridgeline Will Remain In Production
The Ridgeline is a slow seller, but Honda isn’t ready to give up their only truck bed-bearing model just yet. The 2012 model will be getting a slight facelift along with a lower-cost sport (pictured above) model. The four-door pickup hasn’t managed to take hold since 2006 when it was first released. Those slow sales…
Jacksonville Jaguars Sold To Automotive Supplier
The economy aside, it’s been a very good year for Shahid Khan, owner of Flex-N-Gate Corp. “Becoming the owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars would be a dream come true for me and my family,” Kahn told Reuters. Kahn agreed to buy the NFL team yesterday after unsuccessfully trying to buy the St. Louis Rams last year….
Ferrari 599XX Evoluzione Unveiled
Ferrari is busting out a new track burner, well sort-of. They’ve tweaked and updated the 599XX that debuted at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show for better aerodynamics and power. The new version made its debute earlier today at the Bologna Motor Show and will be available only to the most loyal of Ferrari clients participating…
Chrysler, Lancia Enlist Former Ferrari Designer For New Styling Direction
Chrysler is getting some Italian style thanks to former Ferrari designer Lorenzo Ramaciotti, 63, who will now be lending a hand at Chrysler and Lancia. Ramciotti was lured out of retirement to head up the project, which aims for a common design language for the two brands. “We are trying to find an international language, which…
Chrysler Fined $955,000 By California DMV
The California Department of Motor Vehicles slapped Chrysler this month to the tune of $955,000 in fines. “We hope other manufacturers will see what happened in this case and think twice about doing something similar,” said Brian Moss, director of government affairs for the California New Car Dealers Association, in an interview with Automotive News. The…
General Motors Recalls Almost 2000 Full-Size Vans
If you own a new GMC or Chevrolet van, there’s a chance the airbags might not be safe. The notice comes after General Motors and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that airbags in 1,798 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans manufactured between June 2, 2011 and October 17, 2011 have faulty airbag systems that fail…
Subaru Share The Wealth Event Aims For $5 Million In Donations
Starting today, through January 3, 2012 you can feel especially good about buying or leasing a new Subaru.The company kicks off their fourth annual Share the Love event that lasts 46 days and promises to raise as much as $5 million in charitable donations. The company will donate $250 for every new sold or…
Hybrids Safer For Drivers, Dangerous For Pedestrians
Believe it or not, hybrids are safer in a crash than their gasoline-only counterparts, according to a new study by the Highway Loss Data Institute. “Hybrids on average are 10 percent heavier than their standard counterparts,” Moore said in a statement today. “This extra mass gives them an advantage in crashes that their conventional twins…
Jeep Wrangler Production To Stay In Toledo, Ohio
Despite concerns within Jeep, Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne confirmed yesterday that the Wrangler will continue to be manufactured in Toledo, Ohio exclusively. The question about moving production comes for a couple of reasons. First, because of remarks made in September by Jeep brand CEO Mike Manley that Chrysler was exploring production of Jeep vehicles in…
