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Automakers have traditionally had little luck owning car dealerships, but that hasn’t stopped them from trying. A recent effort by Chrysler led to the creation of Motor Village in downtown Los Angeles, but the local dealer association is none too pleased about the facility’s location.

Back in 2008, Chrysler purchased La Brea Avenue Motors and in January, the automaker moved the operation to its current downtown LA location. The $30 million facility is now home to Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, Jeep and Fiat stores. Unfortunately, it resides within 10 miles of three other Chrysler dealers, which is a violation of California franchising laws. The local dealer association brought the matter to the attention of the California New Motor Vehicle Board back in March, and the agency has since voted unanimously to have the California DMV open an investigation.

California makes one-year exceptions to the franchise law-for example, if the automaker partners with a local dealership that invests in operational improvements and plans to buy out the OEM stake-but in the case of the Motor Village, Chrysler doesn’t qualify. Lawyers for the automaker tell Automotive News that the Chrysler has attempted to find such an investor but has been unsuccessful so far. The search for a partner continues, but for now, Chrysler says the store “a test bed for new retail and marketing ideas.”

If the DMV finds Chrysler to be in violation of the franchise agreement, California could pull its business license.

Chrysler-owned dealership under California DMV scrutiny

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is looking into two vehicles from the 2007-2008 model years: the Nissan Altima and Jeep Wrangler. The Altima has been the subject of 20 non-injury complaints regarding a loss of stopping power. The culprit is supposed to be a brake fluid leak which, if left unaddressed by drivers when the warning light “is ignored,” decreases braking force. There are 440,000 Altimas included in the investigation. Nissan recalled 180,000 Sentras from the same model years for the same kind of leak.

There are also 220,000 Jeep Wranglers under investigation for non-deployment of drivers’ airbags due to a failed electrical circuit. 29 non-injury complaints were received, and at least six of the Wranglers were found to have been right-hand-drive models.

NHTSA investigating some Nissan Altima, Jeep Wrangler models

If Alfa Romeo wanted to get people talking with the debut of its 4C concept in Geneva, they succeeded. The Internet is abuzz with rumors of its production potential. There have already been reports that the Alfa will spearhead the marque’s full-fledged return to North America, to be followed by both Spider and Abarth versions. Now, word is that Maserati could get a derivative, too.

If the reports prove accurate and the spinoffs come to fruition, that would mean three brands within the Fiat group will get their own versions of the lightweight, mid-engined, four-cylinder sports car. And that’s before any of the Chrysler brands get a crack at it, because a Dodge version to pick up where the Circuit concept left off could be most tempting. The Maserati version would naturally be positioned and appointed differently from the Alfa or Abarth models. The question is whether the market can bear more than one Elise rival from Fiat/Chrysler, let alone multiples.

Alfa Romeo 4C to spawn Abarth, Maserati variants?

The last time Ferrari’s exclusive Corse Clienti program made an appearance at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca was back in 2008. At the time, the FXX was the only race car in the Corse Clienti stable, but the 599XX joined the party for the program’s return to Monterey this year.

A trio of FXXs and no less than seven 599XXs-almost a quarter of the total produced by Ferrari -took to the track last weekend, their high-revving 6.0L V12s echoing throughout the surrounding hills.

If you didn’t make it to Laguna Seca to see the Corse Clienti race cars in action, no worries. We’ve got a huge gallery of photos below as well as a video of the cars in action after the jump.

Continue reading Ferrari Racing Days at Laguna Seca: Corse Clienti returns to Monterey (w/VIDEO)

Ferrari Racing Days at Laguna Seca: Corse Clienti returns to Monterey (w/VIDEO)

What would the world be like if everything were powered by gasoline?

Renault-Nissan has kicked off a massive advertising campaign intended to highlight the advanced technology of electric vehicles with the debut of a pair of videos that bang home the point that consumers depend upon electricity to power items used everyday and that using gasoline is, in some instances, utterly ridiculous.

In one spot, a middle-aged man wakes up for work to the burning whistle of his gas-powered alarm clock and with a few fierce tugs at his coffee maker’s rip cord, manages to fire up the gas-gulping machine. That same man, while at the office, walks up to a miniature gas pump to refuel his laptop computer.

Oh, and the owner of a Chevrolet Volt, while standing at the gas pump refueling his plug-in hybrid, watches in envy as another man across the street unplugs his Nissan Leaf and drives off as onlookers watch in amazement. Yep, that’s how Nissan sees the world if “Gas Powered Everything.”

Since the videos are, in our humble opinion, absolutely hilarious, we’ll refrain from revealing too much. Hit the jump to view the clips clip. Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

Continue reading Renault and Nissan imagine a world where gas powers everything

Renault and Nissan imagine a world where gas powers everything

Chances are you’ve heard of Rhys Millen. The man pushes cars over dirt, into extreme sideways angles, through the air and up challenging mountain roads. If you’re a bit younger, however, you may not have heard of his father, Mr. Rod Millen… and that’s a problem, because you should know that name.

Rod Millen, born in New Zealand and possessor of the best driveway on the planet, is a racing legend. Typically known for his off-road records, the elder Millen has been hustling rally cars and trucks across tough terrain since the 1970s. The company he founded, MillenWorks, is responsible for the development of technical innovations used in racing, and by the military. Enjoying that cushy suspension setup in your Chevrolet Corvette or Audi R8? You can think MillenWorks for that.

Like Rhys, Rod also has a passion for competing. Before Nobuhiro Tajima came along, Rod Millen was the Pike’s Peak record holder. Driving a Toyota Celica All Trac in 1994, Millen smashed the previous record by 40 seconds. He broke his own record four more times, until the Monster took him down, and Rod hasn’t been back since 2001.

Father’s day is around the corner, and the Millen boys are ready to spend some time together. They’re going to do so in Colorado, because Rod is coming back to the mountain, and Rhys is planning to destroy it.

Continue reading Rod Millen joining Rhys for his own run up Pikes Peak

Rod Millen joining Rhys for his own run up Pikes Peak

How kids see the wild SLS AMG supercar [w/video]

We chose to take the $203,500 Benz to a local middle school and see what the kids thought of it. Unlike us journalists, often oversaturated with horsepower and sexy sheet metal, the unjaded minds of kids could offer all of us a new perspective.

Long Term: 2011 Hyundai Equus Ultimate, May 2011 [w/video]

We’ve driven a total of just over 5,400 miles since the car’s March arrival at Autoblog Towers. Read how our first big dealership service went.

Spy Shots: Ford Mustang dragster mule caught brandishing gargantuan hood scoop

What’s going on under the hood? We have no idea, but we’re curious.

Also of interest:

• Spy Shots: Subaru’s RWD sports car caught wearing same outfit as Toyota sibling
• Video: Scandinavian homemade dyno is dangerously awesome
• WSJ looks at who the auto bailouts really left behind
• No $1M prize winners in contest to crack Toyota sudden acceleration syndrome
• Official: Saab to restart production after six-week suspension *UPDATE

Browse our archive of Daily U-Turn posts or subscribe to the RSS feed

What you missed on 5.27.11

It’s no secret that manufacturers sometimes underrate horsepower and torque figures for certain high performance models. This practice has been going on since the muscle car wars, and we don’t see it stopping anytime soon. Inside Line wanted to find out what the 2011 BMW 1 Series M is putting down for power, so rather than rely on the manufacturer’s information, the IL crew took a trip to the local dyno.

In case you’d forgotten, the 1 Series M is rated at 335 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque under normal operation, but an “overboost” function increases turbo pressure allowing the engine to make 369 pound-feet of torque for brief periods.

What happened when Inside Line hooked the 1M up to a rolling road? Let’s just say BMW is keeping the underrated power game alive. Click past the jump to watch the clip and see what we mean.

Continue reading BMW 1 M Coupe gets strapped to the dyno

BMW 1 M Coupe gets strapped to the dyno

Remember the Embrace Life seatbelt advocacy ad? The spot, which was created by The Sussex Safer Roads Partnership, featured a man driving an imaginary vehicle, and when he braced for impact (in his living room), his wife and daughter rushed to form a seatbelt. The safety ad went viral almost immediately, with over 13.7 million YouTube views to date, while at the same time really driving home the fact that safety belts saves lives. A truly beautiful effort.

The Sussex team is looking to strike gold once again with a new spot, this time taking aim at motorcyclists in a new commercial about motorcycle safety. The ad, titled “Stay a Hero, Stay Safe,” doesn’t have quite the same impact as the Embrace Live commercial, but it’s still worth watching. Hit the jump to see for yourself.

Continue reading Stay a Hero, Stay Safe campaign for motorcycle safety hits a familiar note

Stay a Hero, Stay Safe campaign for motorcycle safety hits a familiar note

Ever heard someone say their car eats up the road? Volkswagen is taking that phrase to a whole new level in a new print ad for the 2012 Golf R. Placed between the pages of South Africa’s Auto Trader magazine, the road on the page is edible… as in, you can literally eat this road.

We’re not sure how many calories this will add to your daily intake (perhaps you could figure it out… VW says the page is made from glutinous rice flour, water, salt, propylene glycol FD&C color and glycerine). Also, we’d wager that this page needs some Ranch dipping sauce or Red Hot (or both) to make it remotely tasty.

Regardless, it’s a smart bit of advertising, and we expect that auto repair shops across South Africa are filled with Auto Trader mags bearing teeth marks.

VW creates edible print ad for Golf R

Famed Italian car collector (and luxury goods retailer) Nicola Bulgari owns no less than 14 Cadillacs, ranging from historic beauties like a 1932 355B V12 Fleetwood Limousine to modern marvels like the 2009 CTS-V sedan and 2010 CTS Sport Wagon. Now, Bulgari has added a 15th Caddy to his collection: the very last DTS sedan to roll off GM’s Detroit assembly lines.

No, the DTS isn’t as audacious as everything else in Bulgari’s garage, but the Italian collector is extremely fond of the Wreath and Crest’s current flagship.

“I like the DTS because it’s a great sedan. It’s the last of an era. I thought it would be wonderful to own the last Northstar in a DTS. It’s one of the best engines ever designed – reliable and a performer.”

General Motors has ended the Cadillac DTS’ production run in order to make way for the upcoming XTS flagship, which is nearing the end of its development. “I’ve seen the XTS Concept,” says Bulgari. “I know it’s superior. The DTS was a great sedan for its time, but it’s a different world, a new period. It’s time for something different.” Couldn’t have said it better ourselves…

Follow the jump for GM’s official release.

Continue reading Final Cadillac DTS goes to Bulgari Collection

Final Cadillac DTS goes to Bulgari Collection

What’s worse than a sportbike-mounted motorcyclist passing a slower-moving vehicle in an area where there are double-yellow lines, indicating that passing is prohibited? The answer, as you’ll see in the rather shocking video pasted after the break, is retaliation from the driver being passed.

A motorcyclist in Bracken County, Kentucky, was out for a ride with a friend on a beautiful Sunday afternoon when he came up on a red Ford F-150 with an ATV in the bed. The truck was moving at a slower speed than the motorcyclists, so the lead rider decided to pass. We’re not going to try to defend the biker crossing in what is clearly a no-passing zone, but that doesn’t excuse what happens next.

The driver of the pickup truck appears to swerve sharply in an attempt to run the motorcycle and its rider off the road. We’re not mind readers, but there’s little doubt that the driver’s intent was to cause the rider to crash, or at least to scare the living daylights out of him. For the next several minutes, the pickup driver gives chase, using both his lane and that of oncoming traffic. At about 4:20 into the video, the pickup driver nearly hits another innocent motorcyclist head-on.

Finally, after about five minutes of hopelessly reckless driving, the pickup catches up to the lead motorcycle, who had stopped and dismounted at a stop sign. Confrontation time – with what appears to be a metal pipe in the hand of the pickup driver. As you would expect, a heated argument ensues in which the pickup driver somehow claims he’s in the right and that he’s – get this – allowed to drive like a maniac because he “grew up on these roads.”

The whole sordid affair ends with a phone call to the police, but according to the local riders from R6-Forum.com, the police, for reasons completely unfathomable to us, have yet to respond. Check out the complete video after the break with your own eyes, but beware, it includes some potentially NSFW language at the very end.

Continue reading Pickup driver tries to run motorcyclist off the road

Pickup driver tries to run motorcyclist off the road

Our roadways are filled with crappy drivers. It’s an unfortunate fact that we take our lives into our hands every time we strap on a seatbelt and head out on the open road. But at least we all have passed the most basic test of driving skill, right?

Sadly, according to a recent test carried out by GMAC Insurance, a driver’s license may not mean what we think it means. Apparently, one-in-five drivers would fail their driver’s test if they had to retake it today. Such simple rules about what to do when approaching a yellow light and how much distance to leave in between the car ahead were answered incorrectly by a shocking three out of four drivers.

After three consecutive years at the bottom of the list, New York drivers managed to move up to 45th, leaving the District of Columbia to earn their spot as the worst drivers in America. Kansas drivers scored the highest. In other us-versus-them news, men managed to score a significant six-percent better than women, and drivers between the ages of 60 and 65 scored the highest.

Check out the complete press release after the break for more interesting tidbits, and feel free to take a simple test yourself at the GMAC Insurance website.

Continue reading GMAC Insurance test suggests one-in-five drivers would fail driver’s test

GMAC Insurance test suggests one-in-five drivers would fail driver’s test

Our spy photographers have trained their expensive camera lenses on something very interesting. Caught running around one of Ford’s private test tracks, this Mustang is clearly set to live life a quarter mile at a time. Out back sits a pair of massive Hoosier slicks, while up front, a set of skinny Hoosiers are tucked under the fenders. Oh right, we’re not sure if you noticed, but there’s a massive hood scoop planted on the front of this pony car.

What’s going on under the hood? We don’t know. The front-end (minus the scoop) is from a GT500, while the rear end is standard Mustang GT attire. That scoop, however, looks like it was pulled off a Donzi 22 Shelby GT speedboat. Actually, scratch that… it looks even bigger. Check out this possible next-generation Mustang Cobra Jet by clicking through the gallery below.

Ford Mustang dragster mule caught brandishing gargantuan hood scoop

According to The Wall Street Journal, Chrysler’s post-bailout restructuring allowed it to effectively erase any responsibility for car accident victims. Two years after the $12.5-billion auto industry bailouts, families like the one Vicki Denton left behind are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

The WSJ reports that Ms. Denton was killed in a head-on collision in which the airbag in her 1998 Dodge Caravan failed to deploy. A court ordered Chrysler to pay Denton’s son and surviving relatives $2.2 million in damages, but that was just before the bailout hit. Since Chrysler is no longer under any obligation to the family because the bailout measures absolved Chrysler from its liabilities, the Dentons will almost certainly never see their money and have no legal recourse to get it.

The Chrysler case isn’t unique. The same rings true at General Motors, where a $50-billion bailout and restructuring left asbestos victims, laid off dealers and accident victims without any way to secure their damages. Beyond the unfairness of the deal, some experts suggest paying accident victims wouldn’t have been out of the question.

Those who coordinated the bailouts maintain that in situations like the ones at GM and Chrysler, full recompense simply isn’t possible for everyone. As far as the courts are concerned, there is standing legal precedent to allow for such omissions during a bankruptcy restructuring.

WSJ looks at who the auto bailouts really left behind

The long-term 2011 Hyundai Equus Ultimate made its way into my driveway a few weeks ago, and since being handed the keys, I’ve added 1,900 miles to the odometer, putting our total distance traveled at just over 5,400 miles since the car’s March arrival at Autoblog Towers.

Like both editor-in-chief John Neff and editor/test fleet manager Steven J. Ewing, I’ve been bombarded with compliments and curious questions about the Equus – and that’s before I tell them that they’re looking at a $65,000 Hyundai. It helps that the Equus looks like almost nothing else on the road, with its alien grille, massive proportions and over-the-top headlamps.

So far, I’m really enjoying my time with the Equus, and I’ll have a full rundown of specific pros and cons next month. Over the course of my 1,900-mile stint, I’ve averaged 20 miles per gallon flat – besting the 19.1 mpg that Ewing and Neff saw last month. But while the month of May has been mostly all stars, there was one service hiccup that reared its ugly head…

Continue reading 2011 Hyundai Equus Ultimate, May 2011 [w/video]

2011 Hyundai Equus Ultimate, May 2011 [w/video]

Judging by the recent influx of spy shots, Toyota is working hard, fine-tuning its upcoming Scion FR-S sports car. Now, we’re finally getting a look at the Subaru version. Spy photogs snapped the two-door Subie undergoing some road testing. The style is similar to the Scion we’ve been seeing, but the Subaru appears to get a different front-end treatment.

Though most of the important bits and pieces are well-covered by all the swirly graphics, the spy photographers did manage to grab a shot of the interior of the coupe. A paddle shifter is clearly visible, and we hope to eventually spy a version with a manual transmission as well. Check out all of the spy shots of the Subaru coupe by clicking through the gallery below.

Subaru’s RWD sports car caught wearing same outfit as Toyota sibling

Last year, Edmunds asked its readership to recreate a mechanical or electrical cause of sudden unintended acceleration of the kind that allegedly plagued Toyota in 2009 and 2010. The prize for coming up with verifiable proof of mechanical failure causing SUA was a cool $1 million dollars. Perhaps unsurprisingly, that contest just concluded without a winner.

Over the course of the year, Edmunds readers were unable to come up with proof that a mechanical or electrical fault caused the accidents that led to Toyota’s drastic recall. That backs up NASA’s finding that absolved Toyota of any wrongdoing. With mechanical failure ruled out as a viable cause of SUA, we’re left with an uncomfortable thought: Short of those dealing with binding floor mats or those sticky recalled pedals, driver error was almost certainly the culprit for the flurry of unintended acceleration claims.

No $1M prize winners in contest to crack Toyota sudden acceleration syndrome

A new startup called Getaround is looking to jump into the car rental business by following a similar path laid out by Zipcar. Getaround is a bit different, however, because the fleet of rentals are comprised of customer-supplied personal vehicles. This is peer-to-peer car rental, and we’re intrigued.

Getaround co-founder Sam Zaid states that vehicles in the United States sit idle for an average of 22 hours every day. By signing your car up for use as a rental vehicle, you (and Getaround) can turn an idle situation into one that makes money.

The car sharing system works by creating a network of users that are connected via iPhone app and the Getaround website. Those wishing to rent their vehicles will receive a car kit that sits on the dash. When a customer has selected a car they wish to rent, you locate the car on a map and use your iPhone to unlock the vehicle. That gets you inside the car, where you can have access to a key hidden somewhere on the inside.

Rates vary by car, but the prices we’ve seen listed on the Getaround website seem quite reasonable. A Mini Cooper will cost you $5.50 per hour, a BMW Z4 can be had for $15 and you can tool around San Francisco in a Tesla Roadster for $50 per hour. The rate structure is a good incentive to keep people from putting serious mileage on your vehicle, but it also provides a fair deal at an hourly rate. Insurance is covered by Getaround thanks to backing from an unnamed provider, and it’s full coverage.

Rental fees are broken down so that Getaround takes in 60 percent of the profit while the car owner receives the other 40. If you’re interested in joining beta testing of the program, Getaround is currently offering the program to residents of San Francisco and San Diego.

If you don’t mind the having to re-adjust your seat every time you get in your own car and you’ve got faith in your fellow motorists, this seems like a potential win-win situation for those looking to earn a few extra bucks.

New kit enables you to rent your car out with an iPhone like Zipcar

Dacia sends its racing team out in winters to drift across ice and snow for the Andros Trophy. But when the summer rolls around, even the snow on the French Alps begins to thaw. What’s an ice racing team to do? Why, head to Pikes Peak, of course.

The international hill climb event is coming around again next month, and when it does, the likes of Monster Tajima and Rhys Millen will have an interesting new challenger on its hands. And after months of reports and teasers, you’re looking at the finish product.

A joint effort between Dacia, Renaultsport, a number of independent firms and driver Jean-Phillipe Dayraut who brought them all together, the Dacia Duster “No Limit” was built for the Unlimited class at Pikes Peak, where (contrary to just about any other form of motorsport) there are essentially no restrictions placed on a car’s specifications. As a result, the purpose-built racer packs the twin-turbo 3.8-liter V6 from a Nissan GT-R (tuned to 850 horsepower), which is mounted amidships behind the cabin and mated to a six-speed sequential racing gearbox. All of that mechanical chutzpah is kept down by the most aggressive aerodynamics package this side of an F-35 Lightning.

It’s a beast of a car, and we can’t wait to see Dayraut – the reigning three-time Andros Trophy champion – take its wheel at the Peak on June 26. In the meantime, check out the extensive high-res image gallery for a closer look and follow the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Dacia unleashes 850-hp GT-R-powered Duster “No Limit” Pikes Peak challenger

Dacia unleashes 850-hp GT-R-powered Duster “No Limit” Pikes Peak challenger