Needless to say, the 2010 Acura ZDX is a peculiar beast. And after a week’s worth of testing, we’re still not sure what to make of it.
In just over two weeks, Lexus has recalled, issued a stop-sale and fixed its GX 460 SUV after concerns about the stability control system were raised by Consumer Reports.
Bugatti buffs know that only one Type 64 was built in 1939. What they may not know is that an two Type 64 chassis were stamped but never finished. Until now.
Also of interest:
after ‘cool reception’
’s Elon Musk says new CUV model due in 2013
’s 911 GT3 RS is so easy a 10-year old kid can drive it
reveals next Elantra at Busan show in Korea [w/video]
Just when we thought China’s automotive industry had made some headway in the quality department, we get word that complaints about new car quality in the country have risen significantly over the past few months. During the first quarter of this year, complains on vehicles purchased within the last six months climbed 15 percent over last year’s figures. Those numbers come courtesy of the Association for Quality.
Even more surprising, the increase marks a nine-percent jump over the number of complaints filed during the fourth quarter of 2009. By and large, the defects concerned engine issues as well as small parts. A total of 94.6 percent of the complaints were lodged against cars costing less than $44,000.
Grynch raps a tribute to “My Volvo” – Click above to watch video
Rapper Grynch isn’t about and – he’s straight up all about a 1986 240 DL… wagon. So much so, in fact, he’s penned a song and made a video for it. One never knows what to expect when told to check out a rap video about a Volvo, but we found it a lot cooler than we think we had a right to. for the rhymes, but be ready before you click – Grynch says “I’m gon’ need you to feel me on this…”
major push for Iron Man 2 tie-ins begins now, with the . A real way for life to imitate art, Challenge entrants will create videos to showcase their ideas that will make the world better through technology – just like Tony Stark does in Iron Man, but without the guns. The winner gets all kinds of swag, including $15,000 to make it all come true. Sadly, there’s no mention of Audi making you a billionaire or having your contracts notarized by Scarlett Johansson. for all the details and Audi’s first video.
Chevrolet Camaro goes to South Korea – Click above for high-res image
decided several years ago to begin heavily promoting as its global mainstream brand even in markets where its existing brands like Opel and Daewoo were a dominant force. Today, at the Busan Motor Show in South Korea, GM Daewoo president Mike Arcamone announced that the would lead the way in GM’s efforts to market Chevrolet in South Korea.
For now at least Chevrolet and Daewoo-branded vehicles will coexist in the Korean market. However, while we were in China last week GM officials told us that the Daewoo brand, which has been somewhat tainted by past quality issues, would eventually be phased out in favor of Chevrolet. When the new launches next year it will likely be badged as a Chevrolet even though GM Daewoo is in charge of engineering the car.
Mazda2 Yozora edition – Click above for high-res image gallery
Canadian buyers can now get a Mazda2 with “2″s all over it, since that’s apparently what you’ve been dying for. The Mazda2 Yozora edition wears a suit of black as well as a rear spoiler, short antenna, chrome pipe and special alloys on winter tires summer tires, with an additional set of steel wheels on winter tires thrown in. And a decal theme that looks like it was designed by John Nash in A Beautiful Mind. Just five hundred will be made at a starting price of $19,280 ($19,178 U.S.). Follow the jump for the details on its “captivating design,” or go straight to the gallery of high-res photos below.
It seem like just a few days ago came forth stating that its use of . Now Green Car Advisor reports that Daimler, never willing to be a step behind, has also announced plans to increase its investment in the material. Daimler has enlisted the help of Toray Industries, a Japanese textile company, to help make carbon fiber body parts for vehicles beginning in 2012. The parts will reduce vehicle weight and help the company meet . The first Mercedes product to be adorned with carbon fiber will be the SL-Class.
Daimler choose Toray Industries due to its expertise in carbon fiber. Though not a common name to many, Toray is actually the dominant force in the industry, controlling 34 percent of the global market. This will be Toray’s first venture into making car parts out of carbon fiber. The company’s current automotive-related experiences with the material has been limited to supplying carbon fiber yarns to and various aftermarket companies. Daimler and Toray will work together on development of the carbon fiber reinforced plastic body parts and production will be carried out at a Toray facility in France.
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Photos copyright (C)2009 Chris Paukert / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: ]
2010 SuzukiKizashi – Click above for high-res image gallery
Last year, offered its on SX4 Sport and Crossover models. Apparently, it was a bit of a success, since the automaker is not only reviving this campaign, but is spreading the promotion across its full model range (, , and models). Since fuel prices commonly rise in the summer months, we can see many shoppers becoming excited about any promotion that involves free fuel, and with the hot new Kizashi just now hitting dealers, this incentive could indeed boost sales of the hot new midsize sedan.
Customers who purchase a new Suzuki vehicle between May 1st and August 31st will receive a pre-paid debit card which should, theoretically, pay for one summer’s worth of fuel. The pre-paid cards range in value from $280 to $442, and are calculated based on the vehicle’s EPA fuel economy estimates, and on the Federal Highway Administration’s estimated average of 1,000 miles driven per month. Still, even if owners exceed this mileage, having a couple hundred bucks in free gas is nothing to be upset about. The full details are available in Suzuki’s press release, after the jump.
Gallery:
Photos by John Neff / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Suzuki]
Sixteen days after the and , Lexus has developed a fix for the stability control issue discovered by CR and has begun rolling out the fix.
In a statement issued by Mark Templin, the Group Vice President and General Manager says that the automaker’s engineers were able to for the stability control system which CR deemed unsafe during its “Throttle Lift Off” test.
In addition to resuming sales, dealers began contacting customers yesterday to start issuing the softwareupdate and Lexus owners can expect their GXs to be reprogrammed within a week. For owners who still don’t wish to drive their affected SUV, Lexus will continue to offer a courtesy vehicle free of charge. Full details in the press release after the jump.
Bugatti Type 64 Coupe Chassis – Click above for high-res image gallery
buffs know that only one was ever built way back in 1939. What they may not know is that an extra two Type 64 chassis were stamped at the factory in Molsheim but sadly never finished. That is, never finished until now. One of the two Type 64 chassis wound up in the hands of and is currently on naked display at his new in Oxnard, CA. Thanks to a design contest at Pasadena’s , will be building a brand new body for chassis #64002. A new gullwing body, we should add. Continue reading, after the jump.
Brilliance BS4 Wagon – Click above for high-res image gallery
Chinese automaker is pulling out of Europe with no plans to return, according to Autoweek. The company began selling both its BS4 and sedans in the old country back in 2007, though sales have been beyond dismal. As of the end of 2009, dealers only managed to move a paltry 502 units – a figure that fell well south of the 158,000 cars the company had planned to sell over a five year period. Throw in the fact that Brilliance refuses to price its products any lower to get its foot in the European door, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.
The company fought an uphill battle with consumers after both models had trouble getting past in 2007, and things didn’t improve from there. For the time being, production has completely stopped, and the company has no timetable for bringing the business back on line.
If Brilliance does decide to jump back into the European market, it will be looking at some pretty hefty engineering costs. The current BS4 and BS6 are only designed to meet Euro 4 standards, and with Euro 5 coming down the pike, the platforms would need to undergo significant updates. Naturally, the news also means that Europeans won’t be seeing the lovely BS4 Wagon anytime soon, either.
This commercial for the R8 Spyder has a tagline that sounds more like two spies verifying each others’ identities – “Mirror. Signal. Outmaneuver.” – and it has a supporting cast stranger than a . Not that it needs to be comprehensible since it’s got that topless white beast in it, and we’ll be fine with that, thank you.
Follow the jump for a little Fellini-esque trip through Audi’s mind.
The we saw in at the was just an experiment some students at the Istituto Europeo di Design of Turin did with the Tesla brand. But the idea that we will see more and new vehicle models from is a fact, as CEO Elon Musk reaffirmed this week during his acceptance speech for the . was on hand and reports that Musk said that, after the Model S arrives in 2012, Tesla will introduce a crossover utility vehicle and other models starting in 2013. There’s been talk about a .
On the smaller side of things, is moving forward with supplying electric vehicle technology for a A-Class and the next . For those of you who think Musk has a big ego, he said something in his speech that minimizes the impact of cars like the : “The smallest effect Tesla will make will be the cars we make ourselves. The biggest effect will be the cars they [other companies] make.”
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Photos by Damon Lavrinc / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: ]
10 year-old Stepi Wörle hoons a Porsche 911 GT3 RS – Click above to watch video
must be a magical place. Typically, if we were to tell you about a story that involved a 10 year-old boy, his 14 year-old brother and their father’s , it would end with some totaled sheetmetal at best. But that’s not the case in Der Vaterland. Instead, we give you the heartwarming tale of the Wörle family. Mr. Wörle owns a prominent Porsche dealership, and as such, his sons Steppi and Schorschi lend a hand around the family business. How does the guy reward them? By letting them compete at local auto club events with two GT3 RS testers.
If you’ve never been jealous of a ten year-old, we highly suggest to see the full 11-minute video for yourself. The sight of the Steppi flinging that green monster through the cones is enough to make any Zen master start coveting the kid’s lot in life. Even more surprising, despite the apparent silver spoon, Schorschi even manages to do fairly well at the event.
Remember when 911s were known as widowmakers? We’ve come a long way, baby.
Sox and Martin Collector Series Hemi Cuda – Click above for high-res image gallery
It’s a fair statement to say that Ronnie Sox and Buddy Martin had a profound influence on drag racing. The duo dominated the NHRA’s Super Stock and Pro Stock categories in the “four-speed era” of the late 1960s and early 1970s, racking up dozens of wins in their famous red, white and blue Hemi-powered Plymouths.
To celebrate the legendary Hemi Cuda racecars, Mr. Norm’s Garage has teamed up with Diane Sox, Ronnie’s wife, and Buddy Martin to build a small run of S&M collector series cars based on the new Dodge Challenger. Known as the Sox and Martin Collector Series Hemi Cuda, the car features the same red, white and blue paint scheme as its racing counterparts, a Cuda grille and tail panel, hood scoop, retro-style wheels. Kenne Bell supercharger, Hotchkis suspension, a custom leather interior and more. Three flavors will be available including a 625 horsepower base model, a 725 hp Super Stock Edition, and a for-the-insane-only Pro Stock Edition that comes with 900 hp, Dana 60 differential and a four-link rear suspension.
The very first Collector Series Hemi Cuda, the one you see here, will be raffled off at the 2011 Mopars at the Strip event in Las Vegas to benefit the Ronnie Sox Foundation, a charity created to benefit the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital after Sox lost his battle with cancer in 2006. Like what you see? Raffle tickets are available from , or you can check out our gallery below that includes the modern Sox and Martin Cuda alongside a genuine 1968 S&M Hemi Barracuda.
Gallery:
Photos by / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Mr. Norm's Garage]
2010 Acura ZDX – Click above for high-res image gallery
Needless to say, the 2010 is a peculiar beast. And after a week’s worth of testing, we’re still not sure what to make of it.
But just for some context, let’s begin with the fact that despite a similar fastback, five-door body style, the ZDX is not related to the . Honda’s jacked-up hatch is substantially larger than the ZDX and far more useful. Instead, it’s best to think of the ZDX as a rake-roofed version of the – a high-riding four-door coupe (assuming you buy into the marketing spiel) akin to its closest competitor, the . Both models share similar designs and purposes – although the ZDX maxes out in price and performance where the German starts off – and both possess some of the attributes of a two-door layout – compromises and all.
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Photos by Sam Abuelsamid / Max Abuelsamid / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Now it’s just New Hampshire. For decades, any effort in Georgia to require universal seatbelt use couldn’t get passed – such matters would just get stuck in the throat of the House by extra-regulation-resistant rural lawmakers. The consistent rejection kept pickup truck driving adults from being legally required to buckle up, an exemption that drove safety advocates up the wall.
According to The Washington Post, however, statistics about needless deaths, avoidable accidents and potential medical cost savings seem to have finally connected with enough House members to send the bill through, with the measure passing by a tally of 132-29.
For what it’s worth, not wearing a belt when you’re using your pickup truck on a construction site or farming doesn’t seem like a contentious issue. Speeds are low and drivers may be in and out of the truck rather regularly, but those situations are not on public roads at normal speeds. Despite what some view as as unneeded regulation, it seems that members of the Georgia House now consider a law requiring adults to buckle up when in pickup trucks (the same as in cars) as a vote for common sense that will keep more money in state coffers.
Now it’s just the Granite State as the lone state that doesn’t mandate seatbelt use. Live free and/or die?
has been very busy lately as it progresses through round two of its 24/7 product renewal program. Just days after unveiling the new in Beijing, Hyundai has revealed its next generation at the Busan Motor Show in South Korea. Like the smaller Accent, the Elantra has picked up the “fluidic sculpture” styling cues of its big brother the . By virtue of its larger size, the Elantra retains more of the sleeker profile of the Sonata and doesn’t look as stubby as the Accent.
Like the Sonata, the new Elantra gets a direct injected inline-four, in this case a 1.6-liter based on the Gamma engine family. For the Elantra the GDI 1.6 generates 138 horsepower and 123 pound-feet of torque. In combination with a new six-speed automatic transmission, the Elantra should get about 10 percent better fuel economy.
The Avante will go on sale in South Korea in the second half of this year and we’d expect to see it state-side with Elantra badges early in 2011. No word yet on whether we will get a hybrid version of the new Elantra. High-res images below, official press release available after the jump. Thanks to everyone for the tips!
Toyota’s very public have cast light on what critics suggest is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s sometimes cozy relationship with automakers. A new report in The Detroit News shows that new legislation is being proposed that aims to curb workers transitioning between the government agency and the automakers which NHTSA oversees. On Wednesday, Senator Barbara Boxer of California (above) introduced legislation that would increase the amount of time NHTSA employees would have to wait to work for an automaker to three years. The legislation, if passed, would reportedly only block NHTSA employees from working with OEMs in any capacity that included oral or written interaction with the government agency.
The Democrat senator called the movement of employees from NHTSA to OEMs a “revolving door,” giving automakers “undue influence on agency decisions.” Violators of the proposed requirements could face a fine of up to $55,000, while automakers could be fined $100,000 or more.
The legislation comes after news of some automakers hiring ex-NHTSA employees became public knowledge. In the case of Toyota’s unintended acceleration recalls, it was discovered that two ex-NHTSA employees working at Toyota were with the administration’s investigation into possible safety defects. Ex-NHTSA head Joan Claybrook said in a delivered to the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection that all three domestic automakers as well as Honda and Suzuki were among the automakers hiring workers from the government agency.
didn’t use another government loan to pay off the much-celebrated $4.7 billion portion of its federal debt. According to a spokesperson with the Treasury Department cited by Bloomberg, the Detroit-based carmaker properly used funds from an escrow account to do the deed. The funds were available for the automaker to use in the event that it ran across any extraordinary expenses, but since the manufacturer decided it didn’t need the money, it paid it back.
Despite the fanfare surrounding of a portion of its federal loans, some critics accused the company of using other government money for the payoff. Specifically, Senator Charles Grassley, the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, accused the automaker of performing a “” as a public relations stunt. Treasury Assistant Secretary for Financial Stability Herbert M. Allison disputed Grassley’s claim in a letter on Tuesday.
