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Filed under: Hybrid, Recalls, Hatchback, Toyota
Not one day after a high-profile incident involving a Prius taking off on its owner in Southern California, we're hearing reports that another one of Toyota's popular hybrids has suffered unintended acceleration in New York. This time, instead of the car eventually succumbing to the will of its braking system, it crashed into a stone wall. Fortunately the owner was reportedly just pulling out of her driveway in Harrison, NY and the car only accelerated across the street, though the collision allegedly sent "some pretty big boulders" flying, said one police chief.
The 56-year-old driver reportedly suffered non-life threatening injuries, and like the incident in Southern California a day earlier, a floor mat trapping the accelerator pedal has been ruled out as a cause. The 2005 model year Prius' driver side floor mat was reportedly tied to the seat base with plastic ties.
The 2004-2009 Prius is included in an earlier Toyota recall for floor mats that may entrap the accelerator pedal, but the Japanese automaker does not have a fix ready for the cars, which may include reshaping their pedals, replacing floor mats and altering the shape of the floor. These cars are not, however, included in Toyota's other major recall involving drive-by-wire accelerator pedal assemblies that could stick due to wear and other environmental conditions. That leaves no obvious explanation as to why these two Prius models took off on their owners. Toyota has stated it will join California and the U.S. government in investigating the first vehicle, though hasn't commented on whether it will investigate the vehicle in New York yet.
[Source: The Detroit Free Press]
Report: Another Prius accelerates unintentionally in New York and crashes originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Convertible, Coupe, Sedan, Infiniti
20th Anniversary Edition 2010 Infiniti G37 - Click above for high-res image gallery
Has it really been 20 years? As a matter of fact, yes. Infiniti has been selling its upmarket wares in the U.S. for two decades and to commemorate the occasion its releasing three special edition G37 coupes, sedans and convertibles.
Limited to 200 variants of each model, Infiniti has outfitted the 20th Anniversary Editions with Monaco Red interior, maple trim and a sexy Graphite Shadow exterior, along with Premium and Navigation packages. Included in the kit are heated and cooled seats, summer rubber, a blacked-out grille, new side sills and revised fascias, with a standard rear spoiler on the coupe and sedan.
Pricing and availability is yours for the taking after the jump and sales are set to begin towards the middle of next month.
Gallery: 20th Anniversary Edition 2010 Infiniti G37
Continue reading Infiniti celebrates 20 years with limited edition Gs
Infiniti celebrates 20 years with limited edition Gs originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Truck, Chevrolet, Ford, GM, GMC, Diesel
2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD - Click above to enlarge
Not even a month ago, at the end of our post on the 2011 Ford Super Duty engine specs, we wrote: "General Motors, there's a big ass ball in your court." Someone at GM has apparently grabbed their big ass racket and said, "Oh, I got this...", then smacked the ball right back into play. The Ford's measurements 390 horsepower, 735 pound-feet of grunt. The General has just announced that its 6.6-liter Duramax turbo diesel has 397 horsepower and 765 lb-ft. of torque, a jump of 32 horsepower and 105 lb-ft. over the previous Duramax.
A closer look at the numbers does reveal some give-and-take, however. The Ford's maximum tow rating is 24,000 pounds, while GM's is 20,000 pounds. And while not exactly engine related, the Ford truck also has a higher max payload than the GM twins. Still, the RenCen pickups take the power crown, and the new Duramax is more efficient than the previous one - GM didn't put a specific mileage number to it, but claims 680 miles of highway going possible from the 36-gallon tank. You'll find GM's press release on the new engine after the jump.
In related news, GM has released the first image of its GMC Sierra Denali HD pickup, mechanical and sheetmetal twin of the Chevrolet Silverado HD. There's an additional press release after the jump for it as well.
So... anyone else want to take a swing at that even bigger ass ball?
[Source: General Motors via PickupTrucks.com]
Continue reading GM quickly one-ups Ford with 2011 Duramax diesel ratings, shows off GMC Sierra Denali HD
GM quickly one-ups Ford with 2011 Duramax diesel ratings, shows off GMC Sierra Denali HD originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Classics, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Mercury
Classic Mercury Tracer - Click above to watch the video after the break
"It's peppy," the salesman said as an enticement to buy... It's not that the Mazda 323/Ford Laser-based first-generation Tracer was a bad car, but the Escort apparently called stronger for our own hard-earned dollar, so we drove home in a brand new 1989 wagon. Ford apparently figured this out with the second-generation Tracer, which was joined with the Escort as part of a comprehensive redesign in the early 1990s.
Must have been a step in the right direction - that car managed to make it onto Car & Driver's 10Best list. A preponderance of Tracers seem to have been painted metallic teal, one of the hottest colors of the time, but even in its second iteration the Tracer was nothing more than someone else's hardware with a badge/grille job.
Out of all the shelved model names it could choose from, Mercury is apparently going to dust off the Tracer name for an interplanetary version of the new Focus. Since the next-gen Focus appears to be so good, the new Tracer ought to follow suit, but why not take this opportunity to remember a time when power mirrors and a tachometer were "features?" On to the videos, then, after the jump.
Continue reading Video: Memory Jog - Revisiting the Mercury Tracer
Video: Memory Jog - Revisiting the Mercury Tracer originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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eBay find of the Day: all-electric 1966 Chevrolet Corvair Corsa conversionSo close to awesome.
Report: Feds probing Prius' unintended acceleration incident, no new recall issuedOne car in California is causing a lot of problems.
Report: Nissan has 56,000 pre-orders for all-electric LeafOr something. Other news:
KAIST's On Line Electric Vehicle draws energy from the road, now in use in S. Korea Owning an Electric Car prepares and enlightens Do it for the kids us: vote in Treehugger's 2010 Readers' Choice Awards
AutoblogGreen for 03.10.10 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet
2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon - Click above for high-res image gallery
For the truly hard-core Corvette fanatic who likes to spend weekends thrashing his or her car at the track, there is only one Corvette worthy of consideration: the Z06. However, thanks to the ZR1, the lightweight, normally aspirated 7.0-liter coupe is no longer the absolute quickest Vette, but it is felt to have the most responsive handling. What it doesn't have is the uber-cool carbon-ceramic brakes, carbon-fiber body panels and magnetic ride active damping system of its supercharged sibling. That can now be changed to past tense with the birth of the Z06 Carbon edition announced today by General Motors.
The Z06 Carbon was created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first appearance of the Corvette at the 24 Hours of Le Mans when John Fitch and Briggs Cunningham won their class and finished eighth overall. The Carbon edition is essentially a Z06 with a ZR1 chassis and some of the carbon skin. When production starts this fall, only 500 examples will be made and they will only come in two colors, Inferno Orange and Supersonic Blue. All examples get black-painted wheels and a black interior upholstered in leather and suede. Follow the jump and we'll tell you more.
Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon
[Source: Chevrolet]
Continue reading 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon slots in right below ZR1
2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon slots in right below ZR1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: SUV, Videos, Off-Road
StreetFire checks out the Icon FJ 4x4 - Click above to view the video after the jump
The vintage FJ Landcruiser tuners at Icon turn out highly detailed 4x4s with custom-designed suspensions comprised of top-shelf parts, powdercoated exteriors and German military convertible tops. We've sampled the firm's wares before and those details turn Icon vehicles into impressive - if spendy - SUVs: $79,000 gets you a look at the bottom of the barrel, more than $100,000 is needed for a taste of the cream. Are they worth it? StreetFire takes a look at three Icons, and along with our own Jonny Liberman and PickupTrucks.com's Mike Levine, renders the muddy verdict. Follow the jump for all the action.
[Source: StreetFire]
Continue reading Video: Icon's ultimate 4x4s from another perspective
Video: Icon's ultimate 4x4s from another perspective originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Car Buying, Marketing/Advertising, GM, Toyota
Recently, General Motors has been offering special buying incentives specifically tailored to steer people away from Toyota and Lexus dealerships, and even get current Toyota owners out of their cars. And while most people look at this as just a clever marketing technique to promote other automakers in the wake of Toyota's recall wound, a group of dealers are none too happy about the marketing campaign. What's more, because the U.S. government currently owns a 60 percent stake in GM, Toyota dealers have made accusations that American taxpayer dollars are being used to fund these incentives.
The Toyota National Dealer Council, which represents approximately 1,250 Toyota dealers across the United States, claims that using taxpayer dollars for this purpose is "reckless, unfair and detrimental to the entire auto industry." And while we believe it's a potentially rational argument for the TNDC to make, we must remember that no specific evidence has been presented to completely prove their point. GM may be mostly owned by the U.S. government, but it's still an autonomous company, and no one can say for sure if its marketing decisions are, in any way, influenced by the officials in Washington, D.C. Hit the jump to read the entire TNDC press release.
[Source: Toyota National Dealer Council | Image: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images]
Continue reading Toyota dealer group peeved over tax dollar use for GM incentives targeted at Toyota owners
Toyota dealer group peeved over tax dollar use for GM incentives targeted at Toyota owners originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Review: 2011 Jaguar XJ is indisputably British and not afraid of a storm
We endure the most powerful storm to ever hit France to sample the all-new Jaguar XJ. And it was totally worth it.
Rendered Speculation: Ford Taurus SHO wagon is the apple of our eye
We love wagons almost as much as we love pavement pummeling power. Meld the two together and you've got something special. Too bad this SHO five-door is just a glint in one designer's eye.
Video: Honda execs talk up historical link between CR-Z and CRX
The connection between the CRX and the CR-Z might be hard for enthusiasts to swallow, but Honda tries to tie the two together in a new promotional video.
Browse our archive of Daily U-Turn posts or subscribe to the RSS feed
Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 3.9.10 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Coupe, Performance, Audi
Audi R8 V10 - Click above for high-res image gallery
We already know that Audi plans to fit the standard R8's 420-hp, 4.2-liter V8 into its all-new Spyder variant early next year, and now comes word that at least one more version of the R8 is in the pipeline and that the R tronic sequential automatic might not be long for this world.
According to company insiders speaking with Car and Driver, the herky-jerky gearbox will likely be dispatched in favor of Audi's new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. There's no word on the amount of torque the DCT can handle, but considering how much better the R8 V10 performed with the standard sequential tranny, we'd suspect that the dual-clutch setup will make its way onto the V8 models only. And if you're worried about the gated six-speed manual being nixed from the options list, don't be - it will continue to be available on all models.
C&D also reports that a sportier version of the R8, inspired by the LMS model, could be in the cards, packing more power (think: Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera) and a not-so-insignificant weight reduction thanks to the liberal use of carbon fiber. Expect that to only be available on the V10 model and yes, a fully-electric version based on the original e-tron concept is supposedly on the way and due to arrive in a few year's time.
Gallery: Review: 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI V10
Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Car and Driver]
Report: Audi R8 to spawn sportier model, dual-clutch gearbox cometh originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Government/Legal
Is CARB backing down on its so-called "cool cars" regulation? On May 7, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) will have to turn in its final draft of the controversial regulations, which calls for automakers to build cars and trucks with windows that prevent 45% of the sun's energy from entering a vehicle by 2014 and 60% by 2016. Vehicle manufacturers have argued that it will be expensive to meet the requirements, and other groups are complaining for their own reasons. Heck, there was initially concern that off-roaders might lose their beloved Jeep Wrangler altogether. Thank goodness they came to their senses.
While several different groups have significant concerns about the proposal, it looks like CARB might finally be listening to one group in particular - law enforcement. It seems that California's sheriffs, police chiefs and crime victim groups are calling for the plan to be amended... and CARB is actually listening.
According to The Detroit News, The California Police Chiefs Association, California State Sheriffs Association, Crime Victims United of California and other groups are concerned that the required window glazing needed to meet the new regulations will seriously degrade cell phone signals, as well as those from ankle monitoring bracelets. We wouldn't want to lose track of felons now, would we? The other big concern is that 911 calls might not get through if the window treatment prohibits a strong signal.
That seems to be sending CARB back to the drawing board, with suggestions coming that the plan will be revised before the May 7 deadline. As a refresher, the idea behind the "cool cars" regulation is to save gas and reduce emissions. Cooler cars reduce their air con use, and with California's overflowing freeways, that could mean a significant drop. In fact, CARB is predicting that the regulations will save 700,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide by 2020 - the equivalent of parking 140,000 cars a year.
[Source: The Detroit News]Report: California to amend 'Cool Cars' legislation over... criminal activity? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Mercedes-Benz, Tata
Daimler has been hit hard by the weakening global demand for luxury automobiles, as evidenced by the German automaker's larger than expected 2009 losses and the company's decision to cut its dividend for the first time in 14 years. Automotive News reports that Daimler is looking to raise money to rebuild its business in developed regions by selling its 25.6 million shares of Tata Motors stock. The move would reportedly net the German automaker an estimated $429 million, four to seven percent below market value. Shares of Tata Motors stock are up 19 percent since February 26, so Daimler stands to earn some serious coin from the share sell off.
AN quotes Juergen Pieper at Metzler Equities as saying "we certainly now have as a priority turning around the mature markets and then China. This is certainly now a higher priority for Daimler than India." And while Daimler is selling, it appears that Tata isn't buying, stating that its collection of companies isn't interested in purchasing the shares. Daimler is looking to sell the stocks on the open market in block deals, which moves large amounts of stock at once.
Daimler's break from Tata will be likely be a clean one considering the two companies reportedly don't have any joint ventures or collaborative projects in the pipeline. Analysts reportedly don't foresee Daimler's sale of Tata shares affecting the Indian automaker's stock price.
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req. | Image: Sascha Schuermann/AFP/Getty Images
Report: Daimler dumping stake in Tata Motors originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Hybrid, Sedan, SUV, Safety, Infiniti, Lexus, Toyota, Luxury, Off-Road
First the Oscars and now this! The envelope please! The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has released a bevy of scores for the Infiniti M, Lexus HS 250h and Toyota 4Runner and it was nothing but "Good" all around. The Infiniti and Toyota were tested for frontal offset and side impacts, with their "Good" score maintaining the scores of their predecessors. The Lexus scored a first-time Good" in the frontal offset test. You can get all the details on the most recent round of crash-testing here and scan the IIHS archives to see how the competition stacks up.
Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Infiniti M56
[Source: IIHS]
IIHS releases latest round of safety scores for Infiniti M, Lexus HS and Toyota 4Runner originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Motorsports, New York Auto Show, Podcasts, Safety, Acura, Cadillac, Ford, Honda, Toyota, Rumormill
Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!
Episode #169 of the Autoblog Podcast has arrived, and it's Chris, Sam, Alex, and Dan again this week. As usual, the Autoblog Garage starts us off, this time with a couple Suzuki Kizashis, a Ford Transit Connect, and the Cadillac SRX. The first topic for discussion are the latest developments in the ongoing Toyota Recall issue. The Cadillac CTS-V Wagon catches our fancy next, and we stay on the wagon tip to talk about the Acura TSX Wagon, which will debut at the New York International Auto Show. Honda's CR-Z is next, before we go big and talk about the 2011 Ford SuperDuty. Wrapping up on a sporting note, we offer totally uninformed commentary on the Carl Edwards NASCAR wreck before taking a few listener questions and calling this turkey done. Thanks for listening!
Direct fanmail to Podcast at Autoblog dot com, review the show in iTunes, fill out our survey or even leave us a voicemail on our Google Voice line 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763). Until next week, hit up Joystiq and Engadget when podcast loneliness sets in. Thanks for listening!
Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #169: Wagons and SuperDuty and NASCAR, Oh My!
Autoblog Podcast #169: Wagons and SuperDuty and NASCAR, Oh My! originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Hybrid, Recalls, Safety, Hatchback, Toyota
In the wake of yesterday's "runaway Prius" in San Diego, Toyota says it's still working on a fix for the thousands of hybrids included in the 4.36 million vehicles recalled last November. The source of the unintended acceleration on these affected Prius models is the same as the other vehicles involved in the recall: A floor mat that gets jammed up against the throttle. Unfortunately for Toyota, the owner of yesterday's "runaway Prius" claims the floormat wasn't his car's problem.
Regardless, Toyota says that new, smaller pedals and redesigned floor mats are in the works for these vehicles, but modifications haven't begun because the automaker is still working on a more specific solution. Yeah, we're a bit confused as well.
Contrary to a report by the Wall Street Journal, a new recall isn't in the cards for the last-gen Prius and Toyota spokesperson Brian Lyons told The Detroit News that while he can't disclose exactly when this floormat fix will happen for affected Prius models or how the correction will be implemented, the changes will take place "sometime this year." Here's hoping it's sooner rather than later.
Tired of Toyota recall news? Try out the recall-free version of Autoblog.
[Sources: Detroit News, Wall Street Journal - Sub. Req.]
Report: Toyota continues to work on floormat fix for 2004-09 Prius originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Kourosh Mansory puts a designer piece on wheels. Together with celebrity fashion designer Philipp Plein, the automobile refiner MANSORY turns the Mercedes-Benz G-class into a luxury vehicle.
Beautiful women and hot cars. Men's dreams. At the 80. Geneva MotorShow there were even more of them than the years before. And ofcourse most of them were to find at the stnds of the Italian car makers. Less girls - but mostly more exotics - were to befound with the smaller exotic manufacturers.
Bavarian tuning specialist MANSORY presented modified version of Aston Martin DBS with carbon body at Geneva Motor Show.
The Aston Martin Cygnet Concept is a bold step towards a new form of transportation; the luxury commuter car, a form of personal transportation that sees the company's core values engage with a new environment.
On the occasion of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the “Frecce Tricolori”, Pagani Automobili created the Zonda Tricolore as a tribute to the National Aerobatic Team.
SEAT unveiled the IBE Concept at the Geneva Motor Show, a compact, sporty, urban vehicle equipped with an all-electric powertrain packaged with a fascinating design statement that shapes the silhouette of future company models. The Geneva event also witnessed the presentation of the new compact Ibiza estate version that will go on sale before next summer.
A large programme for the “little“ Rolls Royce. Automobile refiner Kourosh Mansory offers a breathtaking individualisation for the Rolls Royce Ghost.
The multi-award winning Lotus Evora provides the basis of the stunning carbon design concept unveiled at the 80th Geneva Motorshow. The car boasts a stylish carbon fibre, leather and alcantara interior, aggressive carbon diffuser and an evocative high tech composite body.
Compared with the already lean Gallardo LP 560-4, the weight of the Gallardo Superleggera has been trimmed by 70 kilograms (154 lb). The super sportscar from SantAgata Bolognese boasts a dry weight of no more than 1340 kilograms (2954 lb) - the lightest road-going model in Lamborghinis range.
Porsche presents a high-performance mid-engined concept sports car with ultra-efficient, low-emission drive technology. With the release of the 918 Spyder, the company is further increasing its competence in hybrid technology.
One year on from the launch of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport, Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. will be exhibiting two customised Grand Sport models at the Geneva International Motor Show 2010.
Through the Peugeot SR1, the Marque reveals the stylistic design trends for its future models. The concept car embodies the new world of Peugeot, refl ected by the new Lion badge which adorns its body.
Mr Christian von Koenigsegg, CEO and founder, presents the World Premiere of the Koenigsegg Agera.
The “5 by Peugeot” concept car is another indication of the changing face of Peugeot and provides an insight into the Marque’s future ambitions in the large luxury vehicle segment. Its pure and elegant lines blend with subtle technical detailing to create an overall effect of a timeless, exclusive and modern design.
It takes an avid and passionate collector, with a taste for special coach building, to be at the basis of a project like the Bentley Continental Flying Star by Touring. Exactly such a person contacted Touring Superleggera in early 2008.