| New Jersey increases distracted driving enforcement with sting operations |
May 18th, 2013 |
|
New Jersey enforcement officers are increasing measures to stop distracted driving. Those who are distracted while driving and cause an accident could face vehicular homicide and assault charges.
|
| |
|
| |
| European car sales rise slightly in April |
May 18th, 2013 |
In April, for the first time in 18 months, monthly new auto registrations in Europe increased. The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association said Friday April registrations in the 27-nation European Union climbed nearly 2 percent, from 1.02 million to 1.04 million. The numbers got a little help from the calendar: The Easter holiday was in March - not April, as it was in 2012 - so there ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Suzuki dealers want payout over auto maker’s plans to leave Canada |
May 18th, 2013 |
Suzuki Canada Inc. dealers say they deserve a payout from the auto maker over its plan to halt vehicle sales in Canada next year.The dispute has ended up in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, where Suzuki has filed a motion seeking dismissal of a claim dealers brought against the company under the National Automobile Dealer Arbitration Program (NADAP), which settles issues between dealers and ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Introducing Backfires Briefs, Home to Your Opinions, Musings, and Possibly Even Your Rants—and a Huge Kick-Off Prize |
May 17th, 2013 |
|
Boxers or briefs? Well, stretch up your tight short ones, because today we’re talking about briefs—as in Backfires Briefs, the newest corner of Backfires! It works like this: For Level 4 and above community members, Briefs offers a chance to post a response to a periodic brief or question. The topics will range from current [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| NTSB Recommends Lower Blood Alcohol Limit for Drivers |
May 17th, 2013 |
|
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) made 19 recommendations to lower alcohol-related automotive deaths this week, including a recommendation for all 50 states to lower blood alcohol content (BAC) level to 0.05 to less. Other recommendations include stiffer punishments, better enforcement of existing laws, and wider use of technology to eventually lower the number of [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| To Protect and Impress: Bugatti Veyron Joining Dubai Police Fleet |
May 17th, 2013 |
|
When it rains, it pours — even in the middle of the Arabian Desert. Weeks after adding Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari FF, and Chevrolet Camaro police cars to its fleet (among other things), the Dubai Police Force plans to add an even more exclusive exotic to its ranks: the Bugatti Veyron. The above rendering of a [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Storm the Colorado Rockies in a 2013 Audi S8 on Epic Drives |
May 17th, 2013 |
|
On this episode of Epic Drives, host Arthur St. Antoine hits the high roads in wintery Colorado. A bitterly cold and snowy location deserves a car well prepared for the climb, which is why St. Antoine chose the 520-hp 2013 Audi S8 sports sedan to drive through the scenic Rocky Mountains. Starting at Fort Collins [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| NHTSA Tests New Crop of Vehicles |
May 17th, 2013 |
A host of 2014 vehicles have earned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's five-star rating in crash tests, perhaps most notably the ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Live Test Drive auto chat today |
May 17th, 2013 |
Join the auto conversation today. Chat live with Test Drive columnist James R. Healey. You can use the big gray box below to ask questions ahead of time, or during the chat. It starts at 2 p.m. EST. ...
|
| |
|
| |
| BMW’s Z4 GTE Picks Up Where the M3 GT Left Off—Winning |
May 17th, 2013 |
|
It’s going to break the hearts of many M-sters, but the last of the current-generation M3s are spoken for. And we’re not likely to see the F30-generation-sedan M variant until near the end of this year. On top of that, the coupe version, the M4, won’t make its first public appearance until some time next [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| TransUnion, Carfax Team on Finance Tool |
May 17th, 2013 |
|
 TransUnion has developed a risk assessment model designed to help auto lenders evaluate the potential for future loan delinquency based on the history of the vehicle used as collateral.
The TransUnion Vehicle History Score was developed in partnership with Carfax and uses vehicle-specific information to help lenders improve risk segmentation.
|
| |
|
| |
| Cars collide in north St. Louis after driver runs light |
May 17th, 2013 |
St. Louis, MO (KSDK) - A north St. Louis crash late Thursday remains under investigation after one of two drivers involved ran a red light and collided with a second car. The impact flipped the speeding car onto its top, where it then slid on the roof nearly a block. The crash occurred around 11:50 p.m. last night on North Florissant at Salisbury Street. Witnesses told police a northbound car ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Turkish police arrest suspect in bombings that killed 51 |
May 17th, 2013 |
Turkish police said they arrested a man who allegedly bought two cars used in two bombings that killed at least 51 people on the Syrian border last week. Mehmet Genc was arrested and police sought to detain two other suspects who attempted to escape to Syria but failed because of increased security at the ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Expect millions of electric car charging stations by 2020 |
May 17th, 2013 |
Andrew Utter plugs converted a Toyota Prius Zipcar into a charging station across the street from City Hall in San Francisco. Charging stations are hard to find but researchers expect more than 10 million worldwide by 2020. Tesla Motors might have scored its first-ever profit during the first quarter, but sales of plug-in vehicles are lagging below expectations, which analysts blame on the high ...
|
| |
|
| |
| European Auto Sales Rebound but With an Asterisk |
May 17th, 2013 |
PARIS -- European auto sales broke an 18-month losing streak in April, industry data showed Friday. But don't pop open the Champagne just yet: The uptick was mostly a trick of the ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Tesla plans to raise up to $1.08B while repaying U.S. |
May 17th, 2013 |
Tesla Motors Inc., the electric-car maker run by Elon Musk, increased the size of its equity and debt offerings by 30 percent to as much as $1.08 billion to repay its U.S. loan and build up cash reserves. The Palo Alto, Calif.-based company said in an SEC filing that it plans to sell as many as 3.9 million shares for $92.24 apiece. Musk is due to purchase 1.08 million shares for about $100 ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Cars catch fire in Tampa brush fire |
May 17th, 2013 |
TAMPA - Hillsborough County Fire Rescue is working on a brush fire that broke out in the Port Manatee area of Tampa at a junkyard, putting several cars in the line of fire. The flames caught at least four cars on fire near a junk yard at near East Bay Raceway Park off US-41. Tons of smoke is pluming over the area, but it is not affecting visibility on Us 41 right now. On Thursday night, there ...
|
| |
|
| |
| 2013 Mercedes-Benz ML550 4Matic review notes: With AMG-like acceleration |
May 17th, 2013 |
|
EDITOR WES RAYNAL: Iand#8217;ll rarely turn down the chance to drive an ML, any ML. They are among the best midsize SUVs in the land. Expensive, but excellent. With that said, I like the ML350 Bluetec diesel best over the gas-powered ones.
|
| |
|
| |
| Supreme Court says warrantless blood tests are generally impermissible |
May 17th, 2013 |
|
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that warrentless blood tests for DUI suspects are generally unconstitutional.
|
| |
|
| |
| San Diego police officer gets probation after DUI accident |
May 17th, 2013 |
|
The recent arrest of a San Diego police officer highlights the potential consequences of drunk driving
|
| |
|
| |
| Even during the joyous act of motorcycling in Utah, accidents can and do happen |
May 17th, 2013 |
|
With spring and summer upon us, it behooves every Utah motorcyclist to follow common-sense safety practices. However, despite responsible motorcycle driving, sometimes bikers are hurt or killed in accidents caused in part or in whole by the negligence of other drivers.
|
| |
|
| |
| Cars Internet connectivity poses cyber attack threat |
May 17th, 2013 |
Wellington, May 16 : With the cars becoming more powered and connected to the Internet and operated by computers, the risk of cyber attacks have ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Good news today Chequeout this honest auto driver |
May 17th, 2013 |
He could have been a billionaire overnight, but autorickshaw driver Raju Bharwad chose honesty over a cheque of Rs 1.9 crore sent in his name by Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation.Bharwad was surprised to receive the cheque, which also had the name of his mother as the corecipient.The accompanying letter said the money was being given to them in lieu of 10 bigha land that they owned at ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Virginia man accused of crashing stolen ambulance into cars www.privateofficer.com |
May 17th, 2013 |
Police say a man was drunk when he stole an ambulance and crashed into five cars in Norfolk. Just after 11:00 p.m. Tuesday, police say 25-year-old Lamont Antonio Davis got into the private ambulance that was parked at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and drove off. They say he drove down Colley Avenue, crossed the median and crashed near the intersection with Westover ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Ram’s 2500 / 3500 HD pickup Driven: Going for the Gold Medal of Tow Ratings |
May 17th, 2013 |
|
While half-ton pickups often lead lives of suburban leisure, three-quarter and one-ton class trucks are seldom extended the luxury. Often put to work within minutes of taking delivery, big dogs like Ram’s 2500 and 3500 HD models are built to flex their muscles on a daily basis, and live in a world where a soiled [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| UPDATE 1-Honda to return to F1 in 2015 as McLaren engine supplier |
May 17th, 2013 |
(Adds Honda and McLaren CEO comments, background) By Yoko Kubota TOKYO, May 16 (Reuters) - Honda is returning to Formula One racing in 2015, after a seven-year hiatus, as McLaren's engine partner, the Japanese carmaker said on Thursday. The ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Column Electric cars charging forward |
May 17th, 2013 |
Photo credit: Consumer Reports gave the Tesla Model S a stellar rating. (Getty) It's been a wild couple of weeks for Tesla Motors, the rapidly-growing manufacturer of electric cars. It became a Wall Street darling after its announced its first-ever quarterly profit, driven by significantly better-than-expected sales. But even more importantly, the highly-influential Consumer Reports named ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Honda confirms Formula One return |
May 17th, 2013 |
from 2015. The Japanese brand had been strongly rumoured to return to motorsport’s premier racing category after leaving at the end of the 2008 ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Honda to Return to Formula 1 in 2015 with McLaren |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
Confirming a rumor that has been making the rounds for years now, and picked up quite a bit of steam within the past six months, Honda has announced it will return to Formula 1 as an engine supplier beginning in 2015. Honda didn’t explicitly say why it wouldn’t join up next season when the 1.6-liter [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| 2013 Nissan Pathfinder AWD Long-Term Intro: Climbing Aboard for 40,000 Miles |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
The Nissan Pathfinder isn’t what it once was. Like the Ford Explorer, this one-time hardbody truck has morphed into a mom-bomb crossover. Towing capacity and cargo volume are now secondary concerns to fuel economy, comfort, and refinement. The V-8 engine has disappeared, the drivetrain has flipped to a front-wheel bias, and the sheet metal has [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| 2014 Maserati Quattroporte S Q4 Driven: 404-hp V-6 and AWD Get It Done |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
We are literally flying in a Maserati Quattroporte S Q4 at the automaker’s Balocco test track. Former WRC rally driver Alex Fiorio has launched Maserati’s sedan into a dipping left-hander— WHAM, we land, and he deftly cranks the 4500-pound sedan into a rising right. A few corners later, Fiorio purposely misses an apex and slides [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Dial M for Motorsport: BMW Adds M Sport Edition for 6-series, Starts at $80,625 |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
Walking into a BMW dealership is no different than entering a five-star steakhouse–everything’s a la carte and you will pay through the nose to get the best trimmings. But sometimes BMW throws us a bone (possibly a T-bone, in this instance), and suddenly, an $80,625 640i coupe is somewhat easier to swallow.The 2014 6-series M [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| NADA: Auction Prices for Full-Size Pickups Up 7 Percent |
May 16th, 2013 |
In the first four months of 2013, auction prices for full-size pickup trucks rose nearly 7 percent.
|
| |
|
| |
| Naming the Best M3, Range Rover vs. G-Wagen on Wide Open Throttle |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
Carlos Lago soaked up in BMW M3 goodness when he drove all four generations of the sports sedan at the automaker’s track in South Carolina and, naturally, other Motor Trend staffers want to know how it went. On this episode of Wide Open Throttle, hosts partake in a heated debate about the best M3, talk [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Mitsubishi Prepares Second-Gen EV Pikes Peak Racers |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
536-hp, AWD racer set to "race to the clouds."
|
| |
|
| |
| NHTSA Considers Making Automatic Braking Mandatory |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
First antilock brakes, then traction and electronic stability control, and now automatic braking? The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) is reportedly considering a push to make automatic braking, as seen on vehicles such as the Volvo S60, a mandatory feature for all new cars. The news comes from NHTSA administrator David Strickland, who made [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Watch Infiniti M Sedans Slide Around in the Dirt |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
Infiniti is making the most of its partnership with Red Bull Racing, releasing a new video featuring newly named Infiniti performance director and three-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel behind the wheel of an Infiniti M sedan. This time, instead of dueling with teammate Mark Webber, Vettel’s partner is former Red Bull driver David Coulthard. The [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| TOTD: Chevrolet Camaro Hot Wheels or Camaro 1LE? |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
Until recently, the Chevrolet Camaro was a mostly-show-and-a-little-go kind of car. Now, with performance variants like the 1LE, ZL1, and upcoming Z/28, you can say “Camaro” and “race track” in the same sentence without feeling silly. Still, many are sold on the retro-inspired Camaro’s looks alone. The 2013 Camaro SS Hot Wheels Special Edition we [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Toyota starts exports of French-built Yaris cars to N.America |
May 16th, 2013 |
PARIS | Thu May 16, 2013 1:02pm EDT PARIS May 16 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp has begun exporting French-made Yaris compact cars to customers in North America for the first time this month. Toyota said it planned to export around 25,000 gasoline versions of the Yaris built at the northern French town of Onnaing, near Valenciennes, to the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Porsche Reveals An Itsy Bit of News on 918 Spyder Plus Photos |
May 16th, 2013 |
-- a time when electric vehicles were thought to be the near future for everyone. The idea of Porsche putting a plug-in hybrid powertrain into its halo race car might have dimmed with the tepid reaction to typical EVs. That doesn't seem to be the case. Porsche has let out some more details about the prototype for the 918 Spyder, which is running rings at Germany's famed ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Toyota is Asia’s top firm |
May 16th, 2013 |
Tokyo - Toyota has accelerated past South Korea's Samsung Electronics to become Asia's biggest company by market value, after the Japanese automaker's shares doubled in the past ...
|
| |
|
| |
| IEC in talks to buy Better Place cars |
May 16th, 2013 |
Better Place Inc. electric cars in what is being described as a pilot project. IEC would then consider gradually expanding the scale of procurement if the pilot project is deemed successful. IEC's departmental managers already receive Toyota Prius hybrid cars. IEC said, "As a national company we see importance in participating in the reduction to the environmental damage by introducing ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Osceola County shoot-out damages cars in Buenaventura Lakes |
May 16th, 2013 |
KISSIMMEE – Gunshots fired about 1:40 am. Thursday drew Osceola County sheriff's deputies to the area of Royal Palm and Alameda drives, according to the sheriff's office.When they arrived, an unidentified resident told deputies he had been in his back yard when he heard gunfire on the street and then saw an older model white Dodge Caravan leave the area. Deputies found what ...
|
| |
|
| |
| A16Zs Chris Dixon on the Internet of Locks Cars New York and Everything Else |
May 16th, 2013 |
Kevin Maney Chris Dixon is a New York guy with a degree in philosophy from Columbia University. He's also, as of last fall, a partner at hot Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (which shortens its name to A16Z--16 is the number of letters between the A and the Z). All in all, that gives him a pretty interesting point of view on the big technology shift that's being ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Honda looking forward to green return to F1 |
May 16th, 2013 |
Sitting in an interview room at the Bunkamura cultural complex in Tokyo's Shibuya district, Mara Pags leans forward, smiles and tells me: "Flamenco is my ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Fitch Rates CarMax Auto Owner Trust 2013-2 |
May 16th, 2013 |
Fitch Affirms IDRs of 12 Global Trading and Universal Banks Fitch Ratings has concluded its periodic review of 12 Global Trading and Universal Banks, which resulted in Affirmations of all 12 banks' Long-Term Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs). All of these banks' Viability Ratings were also affirmed, with the exception of Bank of America, whose viability rating was upgraded to ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Briefs New No. 2 NHTSA official has history with automakers |
May 16th, 2013 |
Washington - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a new No. 2 official who has often sparred with automakers. David Friedman, deputy director of the Clean Vehicles Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, was sworn in as deputy administrator at NHTSA on Wednesday, his boss, David Strickland disclosed at a Senate Commerce hearing. Friedman, who was in attendance at the ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Disneys Planes Teaser Soaring Over Cars Land |
May 16th, 2013 |
First full length trailer for Disney's animation featuring voices by Dane Cook, Val Kilmer, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Brad, Garrett, Teri Hatcher and John Cleese. The plane racing movie is set to hit theaters on August 9, ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Safety Services Standard on All New Hyundai Vehicles |
May 16th, 2013 |
Hyundai announced today that all its new vehicles equipped with the automaker's Blue Link communication system will come with three years of free protective services. The Assurance Connected Care service package, announced in March at the 2013 New York International Auto Show, is similar to GM's OnStar safety system. Hyundai's offers a full lineup of safety and car-care features, ...
|
| |
|
| |
| SUV vs. Small Car Crashes Deadly Despite Good Test Scores |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
A new study from the University at Buffalo has found that crash test scores are less relevant when a sedan is in an accident with an SUV. The study will be presented in full on May 16 at the annual meeting of the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine in Atlanta. In a head-on collision between [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Edmunds Sees Strong CPO Sales |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
 Certified pre-owned vehicles are more popular than ever, according to a new report from Edmunds.com.
The report, which evaluates the landscape of America's used car market through the first quarter of 2013, found that CPO sales this year are up 6.2 percent over the first three months of 2012, and that the segment's 21 percent share of all used car sales by franchise dealers in 1Q 2013 was the highest it has ever been.
|
| |
|
| |
| Bowling Green auto parts plant will invest $66M create 100 jobs |
May 16th, 2013 |
A Bowling Green auto parts maker has broken ground on its second expansion since November. Kobe Aluminum Automotive Products LLC will add an 87,000 square-foot building, an investment of up to $66 million that will create 100 new full-time jobs, according to The Associated Press. The plant, a joint venture between Kobe Steel Ltd., Mitsui & Co. Ltd. and Toyota Tsusho Corp., has been located in ...
|
| |
|
| |
| McLaren confirm Honda as engine suppliers from 2015 |
May 16th, 2013 |
Formula 1 team McLaren confirmed Thursday that they will form a new multi-year technology partnership and use Honda engines from the 2015 season. The McLarens will race using Honda engines and energy recovery systems, renewing an association that became one of the most successful and powerful in Formula 1 history during the 1980s-90s. The announcement brings back Honda back into the sport after ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Several Compact Crossovers Fail IIHS Small Overlap Test |
May 16th, 2013 |
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's newest test -- frontal small overlap -- is pretty tough to ace. The agency recently performed the test, meant to simulate a crash of a vehicle's front corner into another vehicle, a tree or a pole, on 13 compact SUVs; 11 scored Marginal or Poor. The ...
|
| |
|
| |
| Automotive Leather Supplier Eagle Ottawa Increases Hungarian Plant Capacity |
May 16th, 2013 |
Eagle Ottawa, the world's largest automotive leather supplier, is expanding its manufacturing facility in Szolnok, Hungary to meet increasing customer demand. The facility will increase by 60% in size. Groundbreaking will take place on June 10, 2013 and the expansion is expected to be complete in October 2013. The company's investment will be bringing 150 new jobs to the ...
|
| |
|
| |
| National Transportation Safety Board Recommends Lowering Legal Drunk Driving Limit |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
Not wholly shocking, the National Transportation Safety Board has recommended that all states lower what legally constitutes drunk driving from a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 to 0.05 percent. The NTSB says that about 10,000 people die each year from alcohol-related car accidents, and 170,000 are injured. This would be one way to lower those numbers, [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Gran Turismo Celebrates its 15th Anniversary |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. has announced that Gran Turismo 6 will be released in time for the holidays this year, game creator Kazunori Yamauchi revealed a 15th anniversary celebration today. The newest installment of PlayStation’s best-selling franchise will bring more authenticity to the “Real Driving Simulator,” along with new track and cars. Along with the [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| First 2014 Infiniti Q50 Rolls off Assembly Line, Signals Infiniti Future |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
The discontinued Infiniti G sedan fell a little further back in the rearview mirror today, as the first production 2014 Infiniti Q50 rolled off the assembly line at the Tochigi plant in Japan. Infiniti CEO Johan de Nysschen was on hand, as was Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn. The future of the Japanese luxury automaker will [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Recall: 2013 Subaru Outback and Legacy Over Steering Problems |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
Earlier this week Subaru announced a recall that would affect certain 2013 model year Outback and Legacy vehicles manufactured between February 15, 2012 and June 15, 2012. The reason these vehicles are being recalled is that the inner and outer shafts of the steering column may become disengaged from one another. In the event that [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Breaks Cover: Mega Gallery |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
Sorting through Mercedes-Benz’s ever-expanding lineup, it can feel like a never-diminishing bowl of alphabet soup. But as far as the suits in Stuttgart are concerned, there is one letter that matters above all: S. The 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class exemplifies that rare confluence of driving characteristics, advanced technology, and luxury that embody and lift the automaker’s [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Top 10 Incentives for May |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
Summer is right around the corner, making it the perfect time to get yourself behind the wheel of that car you’ve been eying. With all the vehicles on our list this month, there is no doubt something for everyone, and even a convertible to help you beat the summer heat that has already started to [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Tesla To Pay Back Department of Energy Loan Through Stock Sale |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
Tesla Motors, Inc. has announced its plan to pay back the Department of Energy by offering almost 3 million shares of common stock, as well as $450 million aggregate principal amount of convertible senior notes. The automaker has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 405,454 shares of common stock [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| IIHS Gives Top Safety Pick + to 2014 Subaru Forester, 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) has announced test scores for its most recent compact crossovers, and Mitsubishi and Subaru have reasons to smile. Only two out of the 13 vehicles tested earned the top honor of Top Safety Pick+. The 2014 Subaru Forester was the only vehicle to earn Good ratings on the [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Nissan Leaf Hits 25,000 U.S. Sales |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
Earlier this year, the Nissan Leaf had its best-ever monthly sales, and a 423.5 percent year-over-year increase compared to last year. Capping it off, today Nissan announced that the Leaf hitting the 25,000 U.S. sales threshold, making it the world’s best-selling electric vehicle. Since the vehicle’s launch, sales have continued to grow, especially in areas [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Lamborghini Egoista: Sant’Agata’s Aviation-Inspired, Hot Wheels–Like Anniversary Special |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
Those who appreciate the wildly styled Lamborghini Veneno are sure to take pleasure in Lamborghini’s next 50th birthday present to itself, the Egoista. As for the rest of us, and as far as the design community is concerned, it seems that the Sant’Agata operation just had its EXP 9 F moment, which is to say, a bit of [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Exclusive: Feds Declare War on Black-Market Land Rover Defenders |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
About half of the action movies made in the 1980s and 1990s, it seems, end up with a final showdown in a shipyard, hero and villains weaving through crates and pallets and containers. (The other half in abandoned warehouses and steel mills with free-flowing magnesium sparks.) “Diplomatic immunity!” a South African criminal taunts from atop [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Ten Things You Probably Didn’t Know—And Neither Did We—About McLaren’s P1 |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
We recently had the opportunity to participate in a technical workshop hosted by McLaren to discuss all things P1. The long-awaited successor to the famed F1 has been touted by the Woking-based operation as “the world’s best car on road and track.” So we took the opportunity to discover what will make this $1.15-million hypercar [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| The Continental: The Autobahn is Safe, Mercedes Unimog Gets SL Grille, and VW and Lambo Tidbits |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
Each week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and quick-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may say Jens Meiners, but we simply call him . . . the Continental. Whew—that wasn’t even close! An attack on unlimited speeds on the German autobahn has collapsed after [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| 2013 Volkswagen Jetta “Safety” Commercial: A Little Fresh Heir Is Good [The Ad Section] |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
There’s an old maxim in advertising that says if you want people to pay attention to your commercial, show babies or puppies. Over the years a lot of research—from eye-tracking studies to serious neuroscience experiments—has confirmed what every mother already knows: Adults are fascinated by the cute little buggers. E*Trade has certainly taken this adage [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Acura Reveals More Details of NSX, Will be Produced in Ohio |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
Long known as the home of buckeyes, cornfields, and Amish communities, central Ohio soon will be home to something a little more exciting for car aficionados: the Acura NSX. In an announcement made today, Honda confirmed the NSX will be produced at a $70-million production facility to be housed inside Honda’s former North American logistics [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| LeMons New England Inspections: Honda-Powered VW, Saab-Powered Nissan, Suzuki-Engined Saab |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
We have returned to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the third annual Loudon Annoying 24 Hours of LeMons, where legions of BMW E30 3-series and E28 5-series race cars provide a sort of bland backdrop for the more brain-hurtingly weird hardware. Let’s see what we’ve got lined up for this weekend of wheel-to-wheel action. Three [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| John Phillips: As Slow as Possible. As Fast as Necessary |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
Last Sunday, my wife and I drove our website’s long-term Mazda CX-5 to Blue Joint Creek, about 30 miles southwest of Conner, Montana. Julie’s goal was to photograph a troupe of bighorn sheep that hangs out there, initiating little rock slides that dissuade viewers below, although not Julie. My goal was to pit the Mazda’s [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| The Concepts of Wörthersee: VW Group’s Pilgrimage to Austria |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
The GTI meeting at the picturesque Lake Wörthersee in the Austrian state of Carinthia has turned into the VW Group’s annual adoration event. The entire company’s top brass, including Ferdinand Piëch, is present on location, embracing the culture surrounding the GTI. This year, VW, Audi, Seat, and Skoda will debut six concepts, and if the [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Name That Shifter, No. 128 |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
It’s Monday, and that means it’s time to present this week’s shifter. You’ll have until mid-day Wednesday to identify the make and model of the vehicle whence this shifter came. The first person to respond correctly in the Backfires section below will win a Save the Manuals button and sticker.* Good luck! (* Offer open [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Aaron Robinson: Where Have All the Hobby Stores Gone? |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
In January, my pal Paul Grusche and I drove the 94 miles to Kalamazoo, Michigan, for the Kalamazoo Thunderbirds R/C Club swap meet at the Kalamazoo County Expo Center. I’m only being specific because I like writing “Kalamazoo.” The large parking lot was jammed, and I was impressed until I learned that there was also [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Prime Cuts: The Difference Between Regular and Run-Flat Tires Revealed—By Slicing Them Open |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
Modern run-flat tires rely on strong, stiff sidewalls to carry the vehicle’s weight when air pressure dissipates. Extracting 50 miles of use from a flat tire, however, requires more than strength. Driving on a deflated tire—run-flat or not—initiates a destructive cycle: As the sidewall collapses, increased friction generates more heat, which softens the rubber and [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Lexus LS460 F Sport AWD Tested: Serene with an Attitude |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
Note to luxury automobile manufacturers interested in entering the performance market: The world’s strategic reserve of performance-signifying alpha characters is dwindling fast. BMW has M locked up, Audi claimed RS, Cadillac took V, and greedy old Mercedes-Benz, acting with characteristic disregard for its Bavarian comrades, took A, M, and G. Thank heaven the letter F [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Name That Exhaust Note, Episode 184 |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
|
| |
|
| |
| 2012 BMW 328i Sport Line Manual: 27K Miles of Enthusiastic Controversy |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
Is the F30-generation BMW 3-series genuinely superior its E90 predecessor? That debate rages at Car and Driver and, after nine months and 27,000 miles on the road in a 2012 328i, we’re still straddling the fence on this subject. READ MORE ››
|
| |
|
| |
| Lamborghini Urus SUV Finally “Officially” Approved for Production, Surprising Nobody |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
Lamborghini has finally formally confirmed that the Urus crossover will move from concept to reality in 2017—one hopes with a new name—ending a year of executives saying that it really, most likely, probably, almost definitely would be approved by upper management at VW. The news was announced by none other than Rupert Stadler, the CEO of [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Driven: Good, Green Fun |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
The 918 Spyder may pay homage to Porsche’s illustrious past, but its real mission is redefining supercar possibilities. Smart use of advanced technology works to eliminate the traditional conflict between performance and efficiency. Faster, and theoretically more fuel-stingy than any past Porsche, the 918 ventures beyond today’s expectations of hybrid technology to ensure that driving [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| Two Metals Enter, One Leaves: The Miracle of Friction Stir Welding |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
The typical images of welding—a robotic arm burping sparks or a masked Jesse James hovering over a glowing metal puddle—don’t apply to friction stir welding (FSW). The metal-joining technique was developed in 1991 by The Welding Institute, an industrial research center near Cambridge, England. In the mid-1990s, two Scandinavian aluminum-extrusion companies became the first to [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| In Support of Lowering the Blood-Alcohol Limit to 0.05 |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
When Roger Sterling takes a glass of vodka “for the road” on the television drama Mad Men, we laugh it off as another bit of black comedy. We’re smirking on our couches, nervously, from the reckless, carte blanche behavior seen on the show’s fictional 1960s setting. But five decades on, despite hundreds of laws on [...]
|
| |
|
| |
| SEMA Enhances Collision Expo |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
 The 2013 SEMA Show will include enhanced features for the Collision Repair & Refinish market, including an expanded show floor area, targeted activities both inside and outside the Las Vegas Convention Center and an educational program.
|
| |
|
| |
| Value Guide Pioneer Passes Away |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
 James Harry Lawrence, a member of the National Auto Auction Association Hall of Fame, died May 2. He was 90.
Lawrence served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He then attended the Johns Hopkins University, graduating in 1951 with a degree in political economy.
|
| |
|
| |
| CarMax Hires for New Store |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
 CarMax Inc. is currently hiring for the company's new store in Jackson, Tenn.
It is CarMax's first store in Jackson and its seventh store in Tennessee.
|
| |
|
| |
| Manheim Expands Into Western Canada |
May 16th, 2013 |
Manheim Canada has signed a partnership agreement with Source Auto Auction, a newly created auction facility in Edmonton, Alberta.
|
| |
|
| |
| Group 1 Assessing Storm Damage in Oklahoma City, Houston |
May 16th, 2013 |
Group 1 estimates that the storms in Oklahoma City and Houston caused damage to facilities and about 3,200 new and used vehicles. The auto retailer is continuing to assess overall damage.
|
| |
|
| |
| Santander Plans IPO |
May 16th, 2013 |
Santander Consumer USA and three other equity firms are planning to list Santander in the coming months to take advantage of favorable market conditions to sell shares.
|
| |
|
| |
| CNW: Americans Looking to Spend More on Cars |
May 16th, 2013 |
Used-car buyers are looking to spend 3 percent more than in the previous survey, and new-car shoppers are expected to spend 2.9 percent more.
|
| |
|
| |
| April SAAR at 14.92 Million Units |
May 16th, 2013 |
The SAAR is up slightly vs. April of last year, and most manufacturers experienced an increase in sales during the month.
|
| |
|
| |
| N.J. Dealer Sues Chrysler |
May 16th, 2013 |
Lucas Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram has filed a lawsuit against the automaker for terminating its franchise agreement after the dealer failed to make expensive renovations to its facilities.
|
| |
|
| |
| Illinois AG Sues Dealer for Deceptive Sales Tactics |
May 16th, 2013 |
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan files lawsuit against a Carterville auto dealer for deceptive sales tactics. The Illinois dealer allegedly promised repair guarantees on cars sold “as is” but didn’t follow through.
|
| |
|
| |
| Auto/Mate Integrates DMS With Xtime ServiceCRM |
May 16th, 2013 |
The company’s AMPS Dealership Management System is now fully integrated with Xtime ServiceCRM, a cloud-based CRM and scheduling platform.
|
| |
|
| |
| Group 1 Reports First-Quarter Performance |
May 16th, 2013 |
First-quarter net income was up 26.5 percent for the dealer group, while total gross profit grew 15.4 percent on 18 percent higher revenues.
|
| |
|
| |
| 4 Realities of F&I |
May 16th, 2013 |
The man behind the industry’s only sanctioning body for the F&I trade returns to offer his take on today’s regulatory environment.
|
| |
|
| |
| Ball of Confusion |
May 16th, 2013 |
‘Da Man’ finds his groove and issues another prediction about the fate awaiting several ‘domestic’ car manufacturers.
|
| |
|
| |
| The Perfect Blend |
May 16th, 2013 |
The ‘Father of the F&I Menu’ offers his thoughts on how many and what type of products should be on your store’s menu.
|
| |
|
| |
| 2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS Hot Wheels Edition review notes: Feeling like a kid again |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
EDITOR WES RAYNAL: Sometimes it's necessary and fun to unleash your inner hot-rodder. Such is the case with this 2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS Hot Wheels Edition.
|
| |
|
| |
| 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid drive review: Cultural progressives can't save Lincoln and#8230; yet |
May 16th, 2013 |
|
What Is It?
|
| |
|
| |
