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BMW i3 Spied During Testing In Germany
BMW‘s i3 may not be getting as much buzz as the 2012 3-Series, but their upcoming compact city car is probably the most important vehicle they’ll launch all decade. With the i3, BMW is moving in a totally different direction, both in terms of technology and sustainability. The i3 will have a chassis made of…
Volkswagen To Phase Out 2.5 Liter 5-Cylinder With New 1.8-Liter Turbo 4
Reports from sources within Volkswagen has revealed intents to replace its less popular 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine for a new 1.8-liter turbo four-cylinder engine. This smaller turbocharged engine is based on the staple 2.0 liter turbo engine found in the GTI, and are already found in Volkwagen’s European offerings. Producing 158-hp and 185 lb-ft of torque,…
VW Refuses to Let Go of Suzuki Shares
The soap opera between Suzuki and Volkswagen has been ongoing for almost a year and now the Japanese automaker is looking to back out. Suzuki wants to buy back all the 19.9% of its shares that VW currently owns and that if the German automaker does not comply, Suzuki will seek mediation. According to a…
2013 Honda Fit EV Gets 123 Mile Range: 2011 LA Auto Show
The Honda Fit EV just made its World Debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show and we want to take this opportunity to tell Nissan that it needs to watch its mirrors. Promising a range close to the Leaf Leaf (123 miles vs 138 for the Leaf), and a price of just $36,625, the new…
MINI To Join B-Spec Racing
MINI has announced that they will be entering the B-Spec racing class in 2012, with MINI of Charleston, a franchise owned by Hendrick Automotive Group. The B-Spec car will be a base Mini Cooper Hardtop with a 1.6L 121-horsepower engine. The car will weigh 2,535 lbs and KW Variant 1 coilovers, upgraded brake pads and…
Forbes Creates Worst Car Flops of 2011
Just as consumers purchase cars that best fit their lifestyle needs, automakers likewise produce cars that it believes are the best fit for the market. However, the devils are in the details and a jarring oversight can cause a product to flop. Last week, Forbes created a flop compilation of 2011. Enlisting the expertise of…
Jaguar XF Diesel Achieves 62.9-MPG In Cross-America Trek
Say the word Jaguar, and probably the first thing to come to mind won’t be fuel efficiency. Jaguar recently took a road trip from New York to Los Angeles in a British spec XF 2.2 Diesel, and covered the 2884-miles journey at an average of 62.9-mpg. This makes it the most efficient Jaguar ever made….
Toyota Prius c Brings Subcompact Dimensions To The Hybrid Segment
Toyota will add another vehicle to the Prius lineup shortly, with the upcoming Prius c subcompact. Intended to be the entry point into the Prius range, the Prius c will supposedly get over 50 mpg in the city. Technology will also be at the forefront of the Prius c, which comes with an integrated app…
MINI To Offer Recaro Seats As An Option
MINI is finally offering Recaro seats as an option for their various models, but only in one configuration. The Recaro seat option will come in black Dinamica and leather only, but they are heated. They will be available for all the MINI models except for the Countryman and Convertible. Pricing is set at $3,000 on Cooper…
2013 Chevrolet Spark Revealed Ahead of LA Auto Show with Tiny 1.2L Engine
Chevrolet’s answer to the Fiat 500, Smart ForTwo and Scion iQ will finally make its debut stateside at the upcoming LA Auto Show. The 2013 Chevy Spark mini car not only offers more passenger and cargo room than its tiny competitors, the hatchback is the only car in the segment to offer a seven-inch color…
Daihatsu Previews Fun, Eco-Friendly Concepts Ahead of Tokyo Motor Show
Toyota subsidiary Daihatsu has announced its plans of bringing 12 vehicles to this year’s Tokyo Motor Show. Four will be concept cars, three of which we can reveal already. Daihatsu’s slogan for this year’s show will be “Big Answer from Small”, which clearly emphasizes technological innovations in a compact car. The first of the three…
Honda CR-Z “Type-R” Confirmed
Honda is moving ahead with plans to deliver a higher performance version of the CR-Z. In fact, according to a report by Temple of Vtec, CR-Z project leader Norio Tomobe-san has confirmed the car is already in development. The first rumors of a CR-Z “Type R” came from Honda itself, with the release of the…
Dodge Hornet to Bow at Detroit Auto Show, Sized Smaller than Compact Rivals
Dodge will unveil its new 2013 compact car during the January 2012 Detroit Auto Show. Since this is the first all-new car designed by the combined Chrysler and Fiat Company that will debut three months from now, we are used to expecting information to leak prior to the car’s official unveiling, whether from spies and…
Lexus HS250h Axed Over Poor Sales
Lexus was one of the first premier automakers to introduce a series of hybrids in its line-up. In 2009, Lexus launched its first dedicated hybrid model, the HS 250h. However, due to a failure to meet market expectations, Lexus has reportedly decided to end its run. Although a time frame has yet to be officially…
Chevrolet Cruze Plant To Be Idled For A Week
With sales of the Chevrolet Cruze slowing down, General Motors will idle their Lordstown, Ohio plant to help bring supply levels of the Cruze down. Dealers currently have a 73-day supply of the Cruze, higher than the industry average. GM hopes that demand will catch up with supply by closing the plant for a week….
MINI Launches New Social Media Map App For Smartphones
MINI does social networking right. Introducing the MINI Motoring smartphone app, available for both Android and iPhone, it allows fellow drivers to share their favorite driving roads with each other. Probably the best automotive app ever created, the only complaint we have is it should have been invented sooner. After making an account, drivers can…
Jaguar X-Type Successor Will be Front-Wheel Drive, Turbo Powered
While the X-type, Jaguar‘s first attempt into the entry-luxury class, was ultimately a failure that earned a spot on Time Magazine’s “50 Worst Cars Of All Time,” Jaguar’s new and rejuvenated line-up of late looks to be the perfect opportunity to try again. This time, due to CAFE regulations, Jaguar must begin preparing a significant…
Kia Ray Micro-Box Revealed
Is the Kia Soul just a touch too big for your needs? Well if you happen to live in Kia’s home market of S. Korea, you could look into their newest offering, dubbed the Ray. While the name might sound similar to the sea creature, the Kia Ray is neither sleek or stealthy. What it…
Suzuki Previews Three City Car Concepts Ahead of Tokyo Motor Show
While Suzuki cars might not be very popular in North America, in its home market of Japan, they are a very big deal indeed. So to serve their home market, Suzuki is bringing a trio of concept cars for the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. These are the Regina, Q Concept and the Swift EV Hybrid….
Mitsubishi Mirage Targets 70-MPG with Tiny 3-Cylinder Engine: Tokyo Motor Show Preview
Mitsubishi is looking to re-enter the sub-compact segment in the U.S. and will do so in the near future with an all-new global small car, which will officially be unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in just a few weeks. Using a tiny 1.0-liter 3-cylinder engine and stop-start technology, as well as extensive weight savings,…
2012 Toyota Corolla Gets Minor Upgrades
For 2012, Toyota’s Corolla will be getting slight upgrades to the L, LE and S models. The L model now gets color-matched side mirrors, power windows with driver’s auto-down, power door locks and remote keyless entry. The LE model will now get 16-inch wheels as standard, and steering wheel audio controls. The S model will…
New Mazda6, Mazda3, MX-5 and CX-9 Due Out by 2014
Reports are coming in that Mazda is planning to overhaul four of its existing models by 2014. The four models up for redesigns are the Mazda3, Mazda6, MX-5 and CX-9. We’ve already seen the new patent drawings for the upcoming MX-5 refresh, which will hopefully come in 2013 along with a new Mazda3 and CX-9….
Peter Horbury Will Lead Design For Geely
A few years ago, a Chinese car company by the name Geely bought the Swedish luxury car brand Volvo. As part of Geely’s plan to move the Volvo brand forward, they hired famed car designer Peter Horbury to look after the design direction of this luxury car brand. Horbury, who hails from Britain, was no…
Ford Fiesta ST Concept Revealed Ahead Of LA Auto Show Debut
For long one of the most beloved hot hatches in Europe, the Ford Fiesta ST Concept will be unveiled at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show. Recently at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Ford revealed a three-door ST concept, a sign that perhaps the hot-hatch sub-compact would not be offered in North America. This new five-door…
