Is there anything more irritating on your morning commute than slow-moving drivers who refuse to extricate themselves from the passing lane? The answer is “no.” And so now we may have at least one good reason to consider moving to Georgia… that’s if the Senate follows the shining example of the House (the 129-29 vote was passed after just seven minutes of debate) in passing Bill 1047. Says Rep. Mark Butler, (R-Carrollton), who introduced the Bill:
I don’t think I’m alone in saying this, but there are so many times when you’re alone on a four-lane road, and people will get over in the left-hand lane, which by law is supposed to be used for passing, and will just sit there and use it as their own personal drive-out lane, and they may be going 50 miles per hour. It’s slowing down traffic. It’s frustrating.
No Mark, you most certainly are not alone, and it is indeed one of the most frustrating elements of our nation’s roadways. Though it’s technically already a law that slowpokes must move out of the far-left lane, it’s rarely enforced. This Bill would seek to change all of that with a way to accurately record how many such tickets are handed out each year.
Georgia Senate: The ball is officially in your court. Don’t let your constituency down.
Our friends across the pond have four new individualization packages to choose from when they start ticking the option boxes for their new or , and while isn’t offering any additional performance upgrades, the kit adds a bit more flavor to Stuttgart’s entry-level convertible and coupe.
The appearance elements include a range of interior and exterior color combinations, new 19-inch, blacked-out wheels and matching tailpipes, mirrors, air vents and, on the Boxster, roll bars. A new front lip and rear spoiler are also included in the Design Package.
The optional Comfort Package comes complete with bi-xenon headlamps, dynamic cornering lights, rain-sensing wipers and climate control, while the droptops benefits from a redesigned wind deflector.
The Infotainment Pack brings Porsche’s Communication Management system, and the Sound Package includes either a 185-watt, seven-speaker setup on the Boxster or a 235-watt, nine-speaker system on the Cayman. Pricing and availability details are available in the translated press release after the jump, and you can check out all new hues and body elements in the gallery below.
Apparently, under certain circumstances when gasoline with lower than the required 91 octane rating is pumped into the with the available 2.8-liter, 300 horsepower turbocharged V6, a “mega knock event” can be induced, leading to a complete grenading of the engine. Not good.
The worrisome issue was discovered by Automobiles De Luxe, which happened to be road testing one of ’s latest ‘utes. The driver inadvertently pumped in 88 octane fuel, which led to the aforementioned mega knock event and subsequent destruction of the engine. says it wouldn’t have happened if the correct grade of gasoline had been used.
So, open-and-shut case, right? Better use the premium. Not so fast. GM expedited the vehicle to its test center in Warren, Michigan, tore down the engine and came up with a “new calibration” for the engine’s computer that will eradicate the possibility of such an event. Six 2010 Cadillac SRX turbos are being field tested in Death Valley to ensure the problem is solved.
The fix will be applied to all new 2010 SRXs and customers will get the revised calibration during regular dealer servicing. Nicely done, Caddy. We hold out hope that this is a sign that the New GM reacts much faster to potential problems than the Old GM.
2010 Buick LaCrosse – Click above for high-res image gallery
The all-new hasn’t even been on the market for a year, but we’re already seeing slight changes to the sedan’s lineup. First and foremost, the 3.0-liter V6 (originally offered on CX and CXL models) has been discontinued, meaning customers who want six-pot power will have to make due with the well-received 3.6-liter direct-injected mill. However, all-wheel drive, which was initially only offered with the 3.0, can now be had on 3.6 CXL models.
The big update for 2011, though, is the addition of ‘ 2.4-liter direct-injected inline-four to the LaCrosse. Available only on the base CX, the 2.4-liter mill is good for 182 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque, and achieves up to 30 miles per gallon on the highway. While that might sound relatively impressive, keep in mind that GM managed to squeeze 30 mpg out of the larger V6 in the , and that the also trumpets a 30 mpg rating out of its four-banger, too.
Will 182 ponies and 172 pound-feet of twist be enough for the relatively large LaCrosse? We’ll be driving the car in the very near future, so stay tuned. In the meantime, hit the jump to read Buick’s press release.
Take a Holden SS-V Special Edition Sportwagon, drive it to Walkinshaw Performance and add another $AUS 43,9900 ($39,987 U.S.), and you’ll end up with a WP SS-V Superwagon. To make the change, Walkinshaw adds a supercharger to boost the output to 604 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque, with a water-to-air intercooler keeping things in check under the hood and a new exhaust keeps things grumbling out back.
Making sure you, your family and your groceries don’t end up in a ditch is a tuned, lowered suspension with new springs and dampers to handle the gumption. And of course, new body parts and 20-inch wheels do the business in the parking lot. The whole thing will get you to 62 mph in under five seconds. You can also mix-and-match, seeing that the parts are available a la carte and good for any Holden VE offerings. You’ll notice how we’ve managed not to mention what might have been with the dearly departed G8… until now…
2011 BMW Alpina B7 – Click above for high-res image gallery
Even though recently unveiled the hot new Alpina B7 at this year’s Chicago Auto Show, the fun won’t stopped there. At next week’s New York Auto Show, Ze Germans will debut a second iteration of the B7, equipped with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system.
Like the standard Alpina package, the B7 xDrive will be available on both the short- and long-wheelbase 7 Series. Official pricing hasn’t been released, but based on the non-Alpina 7 Series models, adding xDrive to the B7 should add roughly $3,000 to the sticker. BMW’s press release is available after the jump, and stay tuned for the full details from the New York show floor next week.
Q: What’s included in every Yugo’s owners manual? A: A bus schedule – click above for high-res image gallery
Everyone loves free stuff, right? Everyone also loves (and loves to hate) the Yugo. Well then, have we got a contest for you. Yesterday we posted our review of and many of you commented that you’d like to read the book. Friends, comrades, fellow travelers-now is your chance! Publishers Hill and Wang are sponsoring a contest where you submit your best Yugo-related story and (maybe) win a signed copy of The Yugo. Here are the details:
Jason Vuic, author of , wants to hear from everyone who has a Yugo story to tell. Whether you owned one, drove one, sat in one, passed one, or crossed paths with one, if a Yugo made a lasting impression on you, tell us about it. Love it? Tell us why. Hate the Yugo? Give us the cause. Jason Vuic will select his ten favorite stories, and Hill and Wang will include them in an updated ebook edition. The winners will also receive a signed hardcover copy of The Yugo. To submit, go to . Entries must be under 1,000 words and submitted by March 31.
In the interest of helping to stir the pot, take our own medicine and practice some preaching, here’s our best Yugo story.
As some of you may know, I’m heavily involved in the . At the 2008 race held at the mighty , the word goes out that someone’s bringing a Yugo. Which, at a $500 car race, makes a lot of sense. Not only does it make sense, but it makes us hard-hearted LeMons types oh-so very happy.
Sadly, the Yugo didn’t fair so well on the track. After about three laps (two to be totally honest) the extra weight from the roll cage was too much for the Zastrava-grade suspension, and after spinning and slamming into another car, the Yugo flipped over onto its roof. However, the Zastrava-grade roof quality (and aforementioned roll cage) held, and within moments emergency workers had pushed the little Yugo back onto its wheels and were towing it to the paddock. After much hammering, ritual spraying of WD40 into the Weber-derived carburetor, there was much rejoicing as the Yugo started back up.
Sadly for team Tito (or whatever they were called), the 24 Hours of LeMons has a rule called, “Why am I Upside Down?” If you do find yourself upside down in your race car, the car is done for the weekend and the driver is done for the season (don’t worry, it was December, the last race of the season). Shockingly, the Yugo team took the news very well. So well in fact, that they offered the Yugo to LeMons Chief Perp Jay Lamm. The conversation went something like this, “Take our Yugo, please.” Jay Lamm, a former Trabant owner, looked at the Yugoslavian race car, and after thinking things through for less than one second proclaimed, “Hell no!” That’s ours. .
These are the days when V6 engines are getting all the love, and the reasons are obvious. has finally got its Phoenix on, and down under recently rolled out the with its 3.0-liter SIDI V6. The point is to provide solid power and go easy on the gas, and in the U.S. the V6 that’s been making that point very well is ’s 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost found in the Flex and MKS and MKT.
GM’s got its eye on that lump as it prepares a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine provisionally called LF3, a derivative of the same High Feature LF1 V6 (pictured) in the new Commodore. According to GM Inside News, we should “expect the engine to rival” the EcoBoost. The Ford motor comes in at 350 horsepower and 355 pound-feet of torque, compared to the 3.0-liter SIDI V6 at 270 hp and 213 lb-ft.
Where would this engine appear? Up at this end of the Earth we can probably expect it in the newly confirmed (Cadillac worked with Holden to develop the HF1) and perhaps even the Cadillac ATS and the Camaro. Look for it in 2011 or 2012… hopefully.
Kent Kroeker is cooking up a bit of evil that is 90 inches wide for the Easter JeepSafari. The latest details reveal that 90 inches is the width of the front track on the being built as a “research project,” while that number tapers down to 87 inches in the rear. We’re talking about a truck that will be at least 22 inches wider than a normal Ram when you see its grille coming towards you. And that might be from the air, we’ll have you know – with 15 inches of travel up front and 14 in the rear, this baby looks like she’ll be a true jumper.
This might be the best of the bunch as far as go for this Moab event. What we really want to know is this: We have a good idea of where Fiat and Chrysler head Sergio Marchionne stands with little cars and sedans, but how does he feel about taking muddin’ – and an OEM version of this truck – to the masses? Can the now be put on notice?
Motor Trend’s topless drag race – Click above to watch the video
“Topless Drag Race! vs vs vs .” That’s the title of Motor Trend’s latest video. The way we see it, there are three possibilities based on MT’s title of this video… (A) Topless women drag racingcars. (B) A drag race between convertibles. (C) A drag race to determine which convertible stows its top the fastest. Guess which one is the reality.
Sure, it may not be as interesting to watch as either option A or B, but option C is likely of more importance to the average convertible driver who happens to be trapped in an unplanned downpour. Or, alternatively, if that weatherman-speculated downpour never actually comes to fruition… in which case you apparently want to be in the Audi. Not surprising, really, as the Audi is the only one of the quartet that comes with a soft top in lieu of the more fashionable folding hardtop. See for yourself in the video posted .
2010 Ford Shelby GT500 – Click above for a high-res image gallery
We know what you’re thinking. Isn’t it a little late to be reviewing the ? After all, Ford introduced the with the new aluminum block at last month’s Chicago Auto Show. It’s not that we didn’t want to get our hands on the 2010 GT500 before now. In fact, we were champing at the bit to review one a few days after our , but apparently the universe didn’t want us to have one until now.
Last summer, a few issues delayed our chance at driving Ford’s hottest ‘Stang, beginning with Ford running out of tires for the GT500s in the press fleet (we can’t imagine why). When Fall rolled around, the transmission in our tester was damaged the week before we were scheduled to take delivery. We were ready to give up hope when the call came in that it would be available in March. Better late than never, right? Besides, who’s going to turn down a week with a 540-horsepower muscle car? Al Gore? Definitely not us.
To be honest, our expectations couldn’t have been higher. Our last encounter with the 2010 GT500 at Infineon Raceway allowed us to let loose on the 1/4-mile drag strip and smooth pavement of the road course, the perfect playgrounds for a high-horsepower Mustang laden with its infamous solid rear axle. It was essentially on par with the , but cost $30,000 less and came without Shelby’s , which we could do without anyway. After a day’s worth of fruitful flogging, we were ready to sign the check. But would the GT500 be a less likable character off-track? Could a 540-horsepower Mustang suit our daily requirements of equal parts grocery-getting and canyon-carving? Read on to find out.
When the first-generation Cadillac CTS went on sale in 2003, the brand-revitalizing sedan incorporated a new design language that called “Art & Science.” The idea behind the new design language was to “”incorporates sharp, sheer forms and crisp edges – a form vocabulary that expresses bold, high-technology design and invokes the technology used to design it.” The design came with its own marketing campaign too, which brought many new customers to the Cadillac brand.
In recent years Cadillac has used the tag line “Life. Liberty. And the Pursuit” as its marketing mantra, but Automotive News reports that the Wreath and Crest is getting back to its roots. told AN that “Art & Science” is making a comeback, and the brand’s new ad agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty is creating all-new assets for print, web and television spots, along with a fresh perspective for the Cadillac website.
And while Docherty is now in charge of all of GM’s marketing initiatives, she’s also going back to her roots with the Art and Science revival. Docherty was at Cadillac a decade ago when A&S was created. She’s even bringing back Kim Brink, who is leaving her post as Chevrolet marketing director to oversee Art & Science part deux. The all-new ad campaign will reportedly hit the mass media in about three weeks.
Cadillac XTS Platinum concept unveiled at 2010 Detroit Auto Show – Click above for high-res image gallery
Back in January, we watched as took the wraps off of its big under the Detroit Auto Show lights. And while parent company insisted on slapping the word “concept” behind the car’s name, we were pretty sure that the XTS we saw in Cobo Hall was very close to being production-ready.
Now, a new report from Motor Trend states that GM has, in fact, given the Cadillac XTS the go-ahead. When it hits the streets, the XTS will replace both the aging STS and DTS in the Cadillac lineup, and will feature a plug-in hybrid system mated to a 3.6-liter direct-injection V6 – the system originally developed for the Saturn Vue. MT also reports that a twin-turbocharged version of the 3.6-liter V6 could be in the works, and that GM hasn’t necessarily ruled out the option of shoving a big ol’ V8 under the Caddy’s hood.
GM is also working hard to ensure that the XTS’s high-zoot interior remains intact for the production car (or, as close as it can get). Cadillac is hoping to offer some proper competition for top-end German luxury cars with the XTS, and we’ll know how it fares when it hits the road next year, badged as a 2012 model.
When Ford’s Sync infotainment system went live in late 2007, the technology looked promising to us but we weren’t ready to bet the farm that customers were going to in large numbers. Two and a half years later, and partner Microsoft are celebrating the two millionth Sync system installed, which happened to go into a . The rate of Sync adoption is increasing over time too, as the two millionth unit was installed less than one year after Ford hit sold.
While Ford has increased the availability of Sync in its vehicles at a torrid pace, the big question is whether customers really like the tech. The automaker says feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with 80 percent of potential customers saying Sync improves their overall image of the company, while 70 percent say it makes them more likely to purchase a Ford, Lincoln or Mercury. Further, Ford says 87 percent of customers who use Sync are satisfied with how the system works and 88 percent would recommend the purchase of a vehicle with SYNC to others.
Sync is also making a difference on the used car lot, as Ford claims one-year-old vehicles equipped with the technology sell for $240 more than Ford without it. After two years, Sync-equipped vehicles are still worth $200 more. Part of the reason Sync is helping residual values is that Ford and Microsoft continue to improve the system. Upgrades like , Vehicle Health Report, for HD radio and (TDI) make Sync a great deal at $395. Hit the jump to read over Ford’s understandably brag-infested press release.
GM EN-V concepts – Click above for high-res image gallery
Today unveiled a trio of EN-V concepts that showcase the automaker’s idea for a new global, urban mobility vehicle. Developed in conjunction with its partner in China, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp., the EN-V concepts build on last year’s that was developed with help from the balancing-on-two-wheels experts at Segway. Each of the three EN-Vs, which stands for Electric Networked-Vehicle, sports a different design. Why three? The various shapes demonstrate the flexibility of the electric drivetrain and are supposed to express three different characteristics: Jiao (Pride), Miao (Magic) and Xiao (Laugh). Jiao (the bubbly blue one) was designed in Austrlia by Holden, Miao (the blocky black one) was designed at GM’s studio in California and Xiao (the streaky red one) was designed in Europe.
The EN-V concepts are GM’s solution for the congested urban centers in which we’re all likely to live by 2030. Their all-electric, two-wheel drivetrains take care of the emissions problem. They’re also fitted with the latest GPS, vehicle-to-vehicle connectivity and an array of sensors and cameras that allow fully autonomous driving. The effect of all this tech is less congestion on city roads and the virtual elimination of accidents. Zero emissions, zero traffic jams and zero accidents – the future’s looking bright!
Lithium ion batteries will take each EN-V up to 40 miles on a charge, which isn’t that hard considering they only weigh 1,100 pounds. And since they’re each less than five feet long, up to five times more of them can fit in a parking lot than your average car of today. Do they look as fun to drive as a PorscheCayman? No, but driving a Porsche Cayman in a congested city center isn’t all that much fun anyway. If we all end up living on top of each other, these little electric runabouts might be the best way to go.
The EN-Vs will be on display at the SAIC-GM Pavilion at the World Expo in Shanghai beginning in May. Feel free to follow the jump for GM’s official press release that talks more about what our crowded future will look like and how the EN-V will help.
Mitsubishi i-MiEV – click above for high-res image gallery
The isn’t getting any cheaper as availability expands beyond Japan and the next market to get the lil’ electric runabout will be the United Kingdom. Including the 17.5 percent value added tax, the i-MiEV will run British buyers a cool £33,699 before a £5,000 government subsidy. That equates to about $50,500 at current exchange rates, and even bearing in mind the UK’s inflated auto prices, it still seems well above the pre-subsidy price in the low $40K range in Japan.
On the EU test cycle the range estimate has dropped from the 100 miles measured in Japan to only 80 miles and real world results will likely be less than that.
Even with an electrical operating cost of about $214 for 12,000 miles of annual driving, it’s going to take a long time
to come out ahead financially. The standard gas engined i is not available in the UK, but the sub-compact Colt starts at just £8,999. On the other hand, early adopters are helping to subsidize the future, if they can afford the present.
Volatile gas prices and increasingly stiff emissions standards were supposed to kill the auto industry’s horsepower wars, or so we thought feared. Recent news out of the and camps appears to prove otherwise. The second act in the battle for power supremacy took a turn for the better last November when The Blue Oval announced that the would receive a ; a hair more punch than the 2010 output. But what’s one extra horse between neighbors, right?
The General struck back a couple weeks ago when it announced power figures for the available in the 2011 and GMC Sierra heavy duty pickups. The new Duramax pumps out 397 hp and 765 lb-ft of torque, besting Ford’s that was announced just a few weeks earlier by seven hp and 30 lb-ft. Ford likely isn’t going to take this setback lying down, and sources tell our friends over at PickupTrucks.com that the company Henry built is looking to regain the power lead within a year.
PickupTrucks.com reports that the new 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel engine is an all-new architecture that likely has plenty of room for more punch, while the 6.6-liter Duramax is an older engine with less room for improvement, so the seesaw battle may not last too long. And sources say Ford engineers could crank the mill beyond 400 ponies and 775 lb-ft; or enough power to tow Florida closer to Texas.
But for now GM’s new fullsize pickups hold the power figure crown while Ford engineers look on with malice in their micrometers. At least Ford has that one pony lead over the Camaro, right? Rumor has it that the Bowtie brand is , too.
KTM Freeride electric motorcycle concept – Click above for image gallery
We first brought you news of only days ago. It appeared as if the world would have to wait for the Tokyo Motorcycle Show and the official March 26th release date to get its eyes on fully exposed photos.
If you were holding your breath for the unveiling, you can thank German mag Motorrad for breaking the photos early. As we can see now, the supermoto and enduro versions differ quite extensively, despite sharing a frame and power-train. The unique single crown fork protruding from a BMX-like handlebar and headtube combination holding a single headlight certainly set the slick-tired version apart from its knobby clad counterpart. We can’t help but notice the rather dainty tubular steel frame on each model, despite plastic covers that give the illusion of a much beefier unit.
How much will it cost for your very own stick of 30-horsepower, 200-pound, orange-blooded electric dynamite? A proposed price of €10,000, which at current exchange rates is just over $13,500, seems in no way competitive amongst stiff competition from and others already in the market. But it is still way too early to take much of an educated stand regarding KTM’s charge into the electric cycle niche. We won’t know anything concrete until we can put power to the ground aboard a Freeride ourselves.
Chopard L.U.C. Engine One Tourbillon – Click above for high-res image gallery
There are plenty of watchmakers out there trying to muscle in on the automotive theme. Some through design, some through commercial partnerships like the one which . But few can lay the claim as honestly as Chopard.
Not only does the centuries-old Swiss watchmaker – one of only a handful of manufactures that still make their movements in-house – sponsor the venerable Mille Miglia classics rally (and churn out an as a result), but the company’s owners actively participate in that and other racing events. What you see here is the latest fruit of their automotive enthusiasm: the L.U.C. Engine One Tourbillon.
Watch enthusiasts will recognize the Tourbillon as one of the most splendidly complicated complications ever devised for timekeeping. Essentially, the entire movement rotates inside the case once per minute, itself acting as the second hand and counteracting the mitigating forces of gravity. We’ve reported on automotive applications like the , and . And the Engine One Tourbillon certainly ranks high among them.
Inspired, as you can plainly see, by a car’s engine, the manual movement is rubber-mounted on three lever arms to keep it running smoothly and isolating it from shock and vibration. The face also features a 60-hour power reserve meter that looks like a fuel gauge. And to keep everything uncluttered, Chopard has etched the hour markers into the sapphire crystal instead of on the face. The whole thing is encased in titanium and fixed to a hand-sewn alligator strap with a titanium buckle. We like it, but we’ll try not to like it too much, as only 150 examples will be built and sold at prices anticipated to exceed $100,000 apiece.
Mitsubishi announces UK pricing for i-MiEV: £33,699 on
Autoblog Green" href="http://green.autoblog.com/2010/03/23/mitsubishi-announces-uk-pricing-for-i-miev-33-699/">Mitsubishi announces UK pricing for i-MiEV: £33,699
Early adopters are helping to subsidize the future… if they can afford the present.
Porsche building business case for 918 Spyder on
Autoblog Green" href="http://green.autoblog.com/2010/03/23/report-porsche-building-business-case-for-918-spyder/">Report: Porsche building business case for 918 Spyder
motorcycle photos
leak from Germany on Autoblog Green" href="http://green.autoblog.com/2010/03/23/first-look-at-the-ktm-freeride-electric-motorcycle-photos-leak/">First look at the KTM Freeride: Electric motorcycle photos leak from Germany
The big 
