Technology
BMW ActiveHybrid 5 to Bow at Toyko Motor Show
BMW will officially introduce the new ActiveHybrid 5 at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show, which will open its doors to the press on November 30th. Confirmed details on BMW’s latest luxury sedan is a turbo-charged inline-six combined with a 40kW electric motor. During slow speeds, the BMW is capable of pure electric propulsion. Along with…
Mopar to Launch ‘Owner’s Center’ Website for Chrysler Owners at LA Auto Show
Chrysler‘s Mopar brand has launched a new website dedicated to Chrysler Group owners so that they can regularly view their vehicle information, service history, learn how to use vehicle features, roadside assistance, share vehicle galleries, and receive special offers. Appropriately named, the Owner’s Center website is set for launch on November 16th. Initial revealing will…
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…
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…
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…
Ford Releases Findings on NHTSA Mustang Transmission Investigation
Back in August, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation regarding the Getrag MT82 6-speed manual transmissions found in 2011+ Ford Mustangs. At the time, Ford was already carefully monitoring customer feedback as well as online forums as well to better understand the issues concerning the transmission. While only 3 percent of all…
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…
Jaguar XF Diesel Driving Across America Sparks Rumors of U.S. Diesel Jag Sales
The team at Jaguar have now begun North American testing of a standard 2.2 liter four-cylinder diesel Jaguar XF and, to channel the spirit of the Cannonball, have appointed two independent drivers to take their diesel sedan across 2,800 miles and through the 11 states between New York City and Los Angeles. While the words…
2011 Tokyo Motor Show Promises to Impress With Massive Growth, 176 Exhibitors
The Tokyo Motor Show, held only once every two years, marks its return for 2011. After the nation suffered severe destruction from earthquake and tsunami, Japan intends to show the world the resilience of Japanese industry and manufacturing. Moreover, as previous shows were held at Makuhari Messe, a convention center located in the Mihami-ku ward…
Ford Police Interceptors to Serve as NASCAR Pace Cars
The Ford Police Interceptor has long made its name chasing after speeding cars. However, at the Ford Championship Weekend NASCAR races at Homestead Miami Speedway this November 18-20, the roles are reversed as the 2013 Ford Police Interceptor Utility and Sedan are honored to serve as pace cars to lead the pack for the weekend….
Ram 1500 Special Services Police Truck Serves and Protects With Hemi Power
Law enforcement gets a severe-duty upgrade beginning this month, with Chrysler’s Ram Truck brand offering their new Ram 1500 Crew Cab 4×4 Special Service package for police enforcement and emergency services support. Combining durability, reliability, and value, president and CEO of Ram Truck Brand Fred Diaz announced, “Like the Ram Truck brand, first responders give…
GM Threatens to Halt 9-4X Production for Saab Pending Sale to Chinese Automakers
General Motors has announced that it will cut ties with Saab over its pending sale to two Chinese automakers. The threat has some very real consequences with GM stating it would cease manufacturing of the 9-4X crossover for Saab, as well as stop delivery of the parts it currently supplies the Swedish automaker with. “Although…
Honda Unveils “Autonomous” ASIMO Robot
Honda has just unveiled the latest version of its ASIMO humanoid robot, with impressive updates that allow the machine to operate autonomously, walk on uneven surfaces and perform more human functions. Thanks to new “advanced intelligence capability”ASIMO can now take in information about the world around it, including the movements of other people, and then…
Audi Urban Concept Rumored for Low-Volume Production
The Audi Urban Concept unveiled last month at the Frankfurt Auto Show is now reportedly headed for low-volume production. According to sources inside the German automaker, Audi will produce a limited batch of 999 units as a test run, each to be sold at 9999 Euros. Don’t assume that just because it’s a “test run,”…
2009-2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost Recalled For Defective Electric Auxiliary Water Pump
Back in 1907, Rolls-Royce presented the Silver Ghost as the “Best car in the world.” Unfortunately, more than a century later, the Rolls Royce Ghost models manufactured between September 2009 to September 2010 are now facing a recall pertaining to an electric auxiliary water pump that can overheat and potentially cause a fire. It would…
Tesla Aims For Profitability By 2013, Model S Sold Out
The little electric company that could has some bad news for its critics as its latest vehicle, the $50,000 electric four door sedan Model S, is sold out. According to CEO Elon Musk, Tesla has received orders for “more than 6,500” Model S cars for next year. Moreover, Musk claims that most orders of the…
Lotus Elise, Exige Recalled For Oil Cooler Defects
Lotus Elise and Exige sports cars manufactured between June 1, 2004 and November 30, 2006 are subject to replacement of a faulty oil cooler line, which may be prone to leak oil or suffer from the line detaching completely. If attention isn’t given at a timely matter, the defect can cause slippery oil to coat…
Cobra iRadar Community Crowdsources Speed Traps
For decades, Cobra has provided drivers with the technological edge necessary to speed without the risk of getting caught. After endless efforts from speeders and enforcers to one-up one another, Cobra finally revert to the age old adage of “strength in numbers” and “the power of the people.” In Cobra’s latest evolution of the iRadar…
Nissan Leaf Headed for New York City Taxi Duty
Six Nissan Leafs will partake in a journey that no other electric vehicle has gone on before. As part of a pilot program, six pioneering Leafs will serve commercial duty as taxi cabs for one of the most populous metropolitans in the world, New York City. The goal of this pilot program is to retrieve…
Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturer’s Act Introduced to Help Small Automakers
Congressman John Campbell has proposed the “Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturer’s Act,” an act that introduces a new regulatory system designed to work specifically for companies that produce no more than 1,000 vehicles a year. Without the resources of larger manufacturers, it is more difficult for specialized carmakers to provide vehicles for safety and emission…
Nissan Leaf Drivers Average 37 Miles Per Day, Added Range Not Needed Says Product Boss
Has Nissan already cracked the range sweet spot of electric vehicles? According to Mark Perry, director of product planning and strategy for Nissan North America, Nissan Leaf drivers average a distance of 37 miles in a single day. Moreover, the average length of a single trip is a short seven miles. According to these findings,…
Buick Envision Concept Headed to Production
While currently operating brands Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac, and Wuling in China, the very first China division GM crossover, the Buick Envision, will come to market next year, according to a report from the Beijing Times Newspaper. Shanghai GM first introduced the Envision concept at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show and presented a very progressive shape,…
Fisker Nina Delayed, Production Pushed To Mid-2013
Just as the Karma begins to enter showrooms, Fisker is raring to get a move on its Project Nina. However, despite the optimism, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for Fisker. Although it was initially intended for the $50,000 Nina hybrid to be completed by 2012, circumstances require the product’s launch to be pushed back a…
Toyota FT-86: There’s Even an App for That
Fanboys have been waiting for its arrival almost as long as Christians have been waiting for the second coming and now, lovers of Toyota‘s FT-86 sports car have a new way of passing the time until it arrives. Proving that there really is an App for everything, Toyota has just launched the “FT-86 World Report”…
