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If you’ve ever ridden on two wheels, the following scenario might sound familiar: You pull up to a red light on your motorbike, scooter, bicycle, what-have-you, and you wait for it to change. And you wait, and wait and wait. The problem is likely that your wheels haven’t triggered the sensor embedded in the pavement. So what do you do? Sit and wait some more, knowing that the light won’t change? Or go through the red light and risk getting a ticket?

Well, a law under consideration in the state of Illinois could rectify the problem. While some municipalities are working at installing other types of sensors to accommodate two-wheelers, the state legislature is also debating a bill that would allow riders to simply go through the red light in question.

The proposal has been amended to include only cities with less than two million inhabitants, and appears to leave the matter of how long is a “reasonable” amount of time to have waited at the light before proceeding up to interpretation. Of course, traffic conditions would have to allow it as well, but as far as the law’s concerned, well… that could be about to change for bikers in the Prairie State.

So what do you think – good idea or bad idea? Cast your vote in the poll below.

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Illinois considers letting bikers ride through red lights [w/poll]

In July of 2011, Maserati announced we would be receiving the hotted-up GranTurismo Convertible Sport here in the States. Known as the GranCabrio Sport elsewhere around the world, this beautiful droptop is packed with a more powerful version of the mill found in the GranTurismo S.

Between the svelte fenders sits a 4.7-liter V8 engine that produces 444 horsepower, 380 pound-feet of torque and noises that invoke autonomic physiological responses directly stoking our limbic system. Want to stoke your own limbic system? Click past the jump… first, just make sure your boss isn’t watching.

Continue reading Maserati GranTurismo Convertible Sport is barely safe for work

Maserati GranTurismo Convertible Sport is barely safe for work

We’ve already been behind the wheel of the 2012 Lexus GS sedan, and we’ve spied it lapping the Nürburgring under layers of camouflage. All that time, though, we’ve been forced to imagine what the finished product will look like under all those loose-fitting layers of clothing.

The wait is almost over. Lexus will officially unwrap the 2012 GS 350 at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Thursday, August 18th at 4:15 PM (PDT). We’ll be there, bringing you the goods live, but in the meantime, the Japanese automaker has decided it’s high time to start teasing.

We know that the car’s styling was foreshadowed by the LF-Gh Concept that was shown off at the 2011 New York Auto Show, and nowhere will that be more evident than in the shape of the car’s grille. Lexus tells us that the new design philosophy that will debut with the 2012 GS will eventually spread through the rest of its lineup, so we’re keenly interested in seeing how this car looks in the flesh.

Check out a high-resolution version of the teaser by clicking on the image above. We’ve also taken the liberty of adding a lightened version of the image for you, which may or may not help you pick out some interesting details. Lastly, feel free to check out the official press release after the break.

Continue reading Lexus teases 2012 GS 350 ahead of Pebble Beach debut

Lexus teases 2012 GS 350 ahead of Pebble Beach debut

If you’ve been clamoring for the fifth installment of Infiniti’s striptease of the new JX crossover, the wait is over. Today, Infiniti released this image, showing the JX’s rear end in its full glory, only furthering our opinion that the automaker’s new seven-seat CUV is substantially more attractive than the larger-than-life QX that currently roams the streets. As we’ve reported earlier, the JX will officially debut as part of this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance festivities in Monterey, California, but after scrolling through our high-res image gallery of teaser images, the new crossover’s design is hardly a secret anymore. Hold on tight for the full details in just a couple of weeks.

Infiniti JX shows its rump

Driving a manual transmission is a dying art these days. More and more automakers are moving to faster-shifting dual-clutch transmissions for performance cars, and the high-volume best-sellers only offer stick-shifts on the very base models (if at all). Of course there’s Porsche, an automaker that is currently putting the finishing touches on its seven-speed manual transmission. But that’s Porsche.

Mini is doing its part to promote the manual transmission by offering a $500 discount on certain stick-shift-equipped cars through the end of August. This offer applies to the stock Cooper, as well as the Clubman and Convertible (sorry, Countryman). It’s a pretty sweet offer, and when you consider that manual-equipped Minis already get better fuel economy and carry lower price points than their autobox kin, this purchase decision should be an absolute no-brainer for anyone who gives a flip about driving pleasure.

Head over to Mini’s website for the full details about this promotion. Thinking of buying a new Mini? Use this opportunity to spread the joy of the manual transmission before this essential piece of driver involvement goes extinct.

Mini offering $500 discount on manual transmission models

When we think Toyota Avalon, phrases like ’social security’, ‘medicare’ and ‘Denny’s Grand Slam’ come to mind. The reason? The majority of Avalons out on the road are driven by old folks and curtain rod salesman, but a report from Automotive News suggests that this could all change in the very near future.

In its report, AN claims that the next Avalon was shown to Toyota dealers in June, and the employees loved what they saw. The large sedan will reportedly undergo a massive redesign that will morph the Avalon from a granny-glider to a curvy stud, with design comparisons already being made to the Audi A7 and the Jaguar XJ.

Sure, Toyota dealers typically spend their work days looking at the Yaris and Corolla, so their design eye could be muddied a bit. But at the very least, the next Avalon should be very different from the model we know and ignore today, and that should be a welcomed change of pace.

Speaking of the Yaris and Corolla, AN states that both models are slated for redesign. The new Yaris will arrive this fall with more aggressive styling and a bit more interior room. The Corolla will also get a heavy refresh for the 2012 model year, though the more thorough overhaul will likely come in the spring of 2014. The Corolla will reportedly evolve into more of a European-inspired design instead of following curvy competitors like the Ford Focus.

Another interesting development could come courtesy of the Sequoia SUV. AN claims that Toyota is looking into dropping the current model for the 2014 model year and using the Sequoia name as an entry trim for the iconic Land Cruiser. In total, Toyota will reportedly unleash 10 new or redesigned vehicles through the end of next year.

Toyota shows next Avalon to dealers, rumors suggest it looks like A7, XJ

General Motors wants to take on all segments of the automotive industry. With the all-new Sonic making its way to dealerships later this year, GM will have a new player in the B-segment, and now, a tweet from the automaker has confirmed that the Chevrolet Spark minicar is officially arriving Stateside.

The diminutive Spark will allow GM to have a hand in all areas of the automotive cookie jar. As American car buyers begin to embrace smaller, more efficient modes of transportation, the Spark could be arriving at the perfect time. We got our first glimpse of the automaker’s mini at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, and we were intrigued by the idea of a Chevrolet achieving a combined 47 miles per gallon. Now, it seems we’ll get to experience green machine for ourselves on U.S. soil, starting sometime in 2012.

Chevrolet Spark minicar confirmed for U.S.

Everyone knows that street racing of any ilk is a recipe for disaster. Pushing a machine on public streets is an easy way to end an innocent life, which is why we love the Need For Speed franchise so much. The games allow to take to virtual tarmac to scratch our persistent illegal go-fast itch. NFS has officially released a trailer for its next title, Need For Speed: The Run, which pits high-dollar metal against each other in a race from Los Angeles to New York. Gamers who opt for the limited-edition game can sink their teeth into three unique cars, too.

Those include the mighty Lamborghini Aventador as well as the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and the yet-to-be-unveiled Porsche 911 Carrera S. We even get a few quick shadowy glances at the Porsche during the teaser. The game looks to promise plenty of fender-to-fender action, crashes and death defying feats of driving skill. Hit the jump to check out the trailer for yourself.

Continue reading Need For Speed franchise gears up for The Run with trailer

Need For Speed franchise gears up for The Run with trailer

Some Things Never Go Out Of Style

The year was 1966. The muscle car era, which arguably began two years earlier with the introduction of the Pontiac GTO, was in full swing. In order to have a chance at attracting the young, affluent buyers so craved by American automakers of the day, a car needed to offer equal doses of style and horsepower. Dodge, with its brand new Charger fastback, offered plenty of both.

But it wasn’t until 1968 that the Dodge Charger truly hit its stride, earning it legendary status in the annals of automotive history. Coke-bottle styling, a full suite of powerful V8 engines – including the 440 Six Pack and 426 Hemi – and plenty of success on the NASCAR circuit meant that the Dodge Boys had a winner on their hands.

Sadly, the heyday of American muscle was nearly over by the time Dodge figured out the formula, and the car was just a shell of its former muscular self by the end of 1974.

The rest of the 1970s were not kind to the Charger, and sales slowly faded away until the model name was canceled altogether after the 1978 model year. We’ll gracefully skip over the front-wheel-drive years from 1983 through 1987 and move straight to the nameplate’s reintroduction in 2006. The Hemi was back in action, the new car’s styling was aggressive and generally well received and sales took off. But by 2010, yet again the reborn Charger was seriously showing its age, having received nothing in the way of significant interior or exterior updates during its five years back on the market and being saddled with a fully uncompetitive line of V6 engines and even an ancient four-speed automatic transmission in base models.

Dodge has finally given the “new” Charger some attention with an update for 2011 that includes new looks, new engines and the complete absence of a four-speed transmission. Does this mean that Dodge is done letting the Charger nameplate wither on the vine? Without spoiling the rest of the review, let’s just say we have some good news to share.

Continue reading 2011 Dodge Charger Rallye V6 [w/video]

2011 Dodge Charger Rallye V6 [w/video]

Buick will launch two new Regal models for the 2012 model year, one focused on efficiency, the other on performance. The Regal eAssist uses General Motors‘ new mild-hybrid technology to deliver up to 36 miles per gallon on the highway (25 mpg in the city), and the Regal GS ups the sedan’s performance prowess.

When it hits dealerships, the 2012 Regal eAssist will be priced from $29,530, including $860 in destination charges. The eAssist option is available as a $2,000 option on the base Regal, and GM will continue to offer both the standard 2.4-liter naturally aspirated engine in the car, as well as the 2.0-liter turbocharged unit.

The 2012 Regal GS will be the top model in the sedan’s range, with pricing starting at $35,310 (also including the $860 destination charge). For the GS, Buick has boosted the output of its 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, producing 270 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque in this application. The Regal GS will launch exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission, though a six-speed automatic unit will be available later in the model year.

Both the eAssist and GS models will arrive at Buick dealerships in the fall. Follow the jump for GM’s official pricing release.

Continue reading 2012 Buick Regal eAssist priced from $29,530, Regal GS from $35,310

2012 Buick Regal eAssist priced from $29,530, Regal GS from $35,310

General Motors has just announced the company’s financial results for the second quarter of 2011. The automaker enjoyed its sixth consecutive quarter of profitable operation with a net income of $2.5 billion. That’s an increase of 89 percent over the same period in 2010, when GM brought in $1.3 billion. Total revenue also increased over Q2 2010, up $6.2 billion to $39.4 billion. The company also reported that its EBIT adjusted was $3 billion compared to $2 billion last year. According to Dan Akerson, GM chairman and CEO, the improvements are thanks to the automaker’s focus on fuel-efficient and well-designed vehicle.

It’s true that the Chevrolet Cruze has seen significant success here in the U.S. over the past few months, and that momentum doesn’t look to slow down anytime soon. With Chevrolet set to launch the company’s new Sonic compact car as well as the redesigned Malibu, GM will be set to make advances two profitable segments throughout the remainder of the year. Click past the jump for a look at the company’s brief press release.

Continue reading GM announces Q2 net income of $2.5 billion

GM announces Q2 net income of $2.5 billion

Mark Reuss, North American President of General Motors, made official today what we already knew, that Cadillac’s lineup is growing by two new vehicles. The new models are the large XTS luxury sedan and compact ATS sport sedan. Reuss made the announcement at the Center for Automotive Research’s Management Briefing Seminars, where he also released this teaser sketch of the ATS’ profile that we made a little more revealing in Photoshop.

The XTS is based on the XTS Platinum Concept that debuted at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show and will go on sale spring of 2012. It replaces both the STS and DTS in Cadillac’s lineup and is expected to use the same Epsilon II platform that underpins the Buick LaCrosse, which means both front-wheel and all-wheel drive will be offered. The new XTS also means a $117 million investment for GM’s Oshawa, Ontario plant where the company says 400 jobs will be created or retained because of its production. Currently the Camaro, Impala and Equinox are built in Oshawa.

The ATS, however, is the more exciting of these two cars. Slotted below the CTS in Cadillac’s lineup, this compact, rear-wheel-drive sport sedan is aimed squarely at the brand’s German rivals – mainly the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4. GM even calls them out in its press release. Word is that Cadillac has been using the 3 Series in particular as its benchmark. The ATS also means new investment, in this case for the automaker’s Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant. The plant will receive a $190 million infusion of fiscal love and get to keep or create 600 new jobs. GM pegs the on-sale date for the ATS as summer of 2012.

Continue reading Cadillac confirms XTS and ATS, coming next year

Cadillac confirms XTS and ATS, coming next year

Ah, the Honda Crosstour. The oddly shaped, curiously impractical crossover carries on for another model year, albeit with a slightly shortened name. That’s right, for 2012, Honda has dropped the ‘Accord‘ name from the Crosstour, meaning it will now have to stand alone in the automaker’s lineup (and on the company’s sales charts, natch).

Name change aside, there aren’t many big updates for the 2012 model year. Base EX models now benefit from standard auto on/off headlamps, rear-view camera, Bluetooth and USB audio interface. Add a few new colors to that list, and we’ve wrapped up the whole list of updates for 2012. Pricing starts at $30,340 for the entry level 2WD EX, excluding $810 for destination.

The Crosstour continues to be powered by Honda’s tried and true 3.5-liter V6, producing 271 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque, mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. Curiously, there’s still no four-cylinder option, though that may change after an updated inline-four debuts in the CR-V later this year.

Follow the jump for Honda’s full press blast about the 2012 Crosstour, and remind yourself of its not-so-pretty face in our attached high-res image gallery. If we’re honest, it’s still a little sad that we live in a world where the Honda Element can no longer exist, but the Crosstour continues to live.

Continue reading Honda tweaks Crosstour moniker, no longer sullies Accord’s good name

Honda tweaks Crosstour moniker, no longer sullies Accord’s good name

When Japanese automakers crank out a supercar, it is, first of all, a rare occasion. And it usually wears the badge of its respective luxury division. Toyota’s is the Lexus LFA. Honda’s was the Acura NSX (at least here in the States). But not Nissan. That company’s supercar – the GT-R – is a Nissan through and through. But that hasn’t always been taken for granted.

Infiniti has long been rumored to get a vehicle based on the GT-R, but that scuttlebutt appeared to reach a dead-end a year ago or so. However, the gossip mill has now cranked back up thanks to a certain Monsieur Carlos Ghosn.

The Renault-Nissan CEO has reportedly gone on the record with the UK’s CAR, indicating that his luxury marque could – but won’t necessarily – build a luxury GT-R. Ghosn stopped short of confirming that a project was in the pipeline, but left the possibility open for the future. So there’s some hope. The question is whether an Infiniti supercar would have much room to improve over the existing beast we know as Godzilla, particularly when the above-pictured Egoist model already offers nearly all the trimmings you could ask for.

Infiniti GT-R back on the table?

Maserati has done a heck of a job expanding its two model lines to suit a variety of tastes. Say, for example, you’re looking for a two-door grand tourer… then the GranTurismo is clearly your machine. More power? There’s the GranTurismo S. Even more hardcore? The MC Stradale is your beast.

The downside for overseas buyers is that, unlike the GranTurismo MC for the North American market, the European-market MC Stradale ditches the lauded ZF-sourced automatic transmission for the more hardcore yet much-derided older sequential gearbox. So for those looking for something a bit more sporty than the GranTurismo S but one step shy of the MC Stradale, Maserati’s British division has just announced the availability of a new Sport Pack.

Based on the GranTurismo S, the Sport Pack retains the same 434-horsepower 4.7-liter V8, but a new exhaust system has been fitted and the automatic transmission’s software has been recalibrated for a more sporting experience. There’s also a fresh aero pack and a series of cosmetic tweaks, all of which you can see in the gallery above and the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Maserati bridges the gap with GranTurismo S Sport Pack in the UK

Maserati bridges the gap with GranTurismo S Sport Pack in the UK

Italians are very proud of their brands. From Panerai watches to Ferrari supercars, Italian luxury brands are the epitome of style. Even smaller motorized products are stylish, from the Vespa scooter on up to the Fiat 500. It’s that last one that is once again partnering up with a major house of Italian fashion.

Gucci has linked arms with Fiat one more time, and the result is the 500C by Gucci. The droptop subcompact gets an extra ounce of style courtesy of the company founded by Guccio Gucci. When Fiat revealed the hardtop version of the Gucci 500, more than 3,000 pre-orders came flooding into the automaker’s website.

The 500C by Gucci will be offered in two colors, white with satin chrome accents or black with shined-up chrome bits. On both, a black softtop covers occupants and wears the traditional Gucci color scheme down the middle. At all four corners sit 16-inch alloy wheels sporting the Gucci double-G logo in the center. Inside, a Gucci print adorns the seats and the fashion house’s moniker can be found sprinkled liberally throughout.

Continue reading Fiat and Gucci roll up in special new 500C

Fiat and Gucci roll up in special new 500C

Every year, F1 teams design and build a new set of cars to start the new season. So what happens to the old cars? Well, that varies, but when the car in question just won the championship, it’s usually kept intact. Sometimes the team keeps it for posterity, sometimes they gift it to the driver who’d just won them the title, sometimes they end up in museum or private collections. But not this one.

After Ayrton Senna won his third and final title in 1991, McLaren dismantled the MP4/6 with which he did it and gave the parts to an artist named Jay Burridge, who in turn transformed the car into the art installation you see here. Looking like a giant model kit, it would be enough to turn heads on its own even if it weren’t such an historic specimen. And now it’s going up for auction.

Coys is the house that will handle its sale, the Nürburgring is the location and August 13 is the date. That’s when Coys expects it will fetch between £30,000 and £50,000 ($50k-$82k). Which on the one hand seems like a lot, but on the other seems like a bargain considering the car it was built from. Follow the jump for the press release.

Continue reading Ayrton Senna’s title-winning McLaren MP4/6 up for auction in unique art installation

Ayrton Senna’s title-winning McLaren MP4/6 up for auction in unique art installation

For us, one of the few nice parts about commercial flight is being able to look out of the window shortly after takeoff and see just how small and genuinely insignificant we all appear from just a few thousand feet in the air.

One glance can swallow the whole of a thousand families and all of their innumerable multitudes of problems. It’s the difference between trying to make sense of a photograph by the pixel and stepping back to appreciate the whole. That and the fact that all of the cars and trucks look like Matchbox toys.

You may recall the kinetic sculpture Metropolis II by Chris Burden. The work, which took four years to complete, features 1,500 Hot Wheels diecast cars and a host of electric trains all bustling around a matrix of steel and plastic. If that sounds like a snapshot of your morning commute, you’re not alone.

Burden recently sat down with directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman for a quick chat on what’s behind Metropolis II and what it means to the artist. Those of you in Southern California may be able to see the exhibit in person at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in the fall of 2011. For the rest of us, the mini documentary is well worth checking out and can be seen after the jump.

Continue reading Metropolis II diecast kinetic art installation gets the mini documentary treatment

Metropolis II diecast kinetic art installation gets the mini documentary treatment

Chrysler has no plans (at least, none that we’re aware of) that involve bringing a 200 wagon to market. If those plans change, we think the automaker should look towards Theophilus Chin for inspiration. We’ve seen Chin’s renderings before, and his take on the 200 wagon suggests that the family hauler would also be a pretty decent looker, particularly as it forgoes the sedan’s awkward greenhouse in favor of a more traditional form.

Chin takes on the rendering from both front and rear angles, and you can take a closer look at each by clicking through the gallery.

Now that you’ve taken a look, we’d like to know what you think. Should Chrysler expand the 200 lineup with a wagon? Have a say in our informal poll below.

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Chrysler 200 wagon rendered… should it be built? [w/poll]

The documentary SENNA, about the life and racing times of Formula One legend Ayrton Senna is coming to U.S. theaters on August 12. Unfortunately, it’s very a limited initial release – just two theaters, one in L.A. and the other in New York City. The film will have a wider U.S. release in the following weeks, though will still only appear on a fraction of the screens that typical summer blockbusters do.

You can read our review of SENNA in anticipation of the film’s release, and its makers have given us access to an exclusive clip to show you. In this clip, Ayrton and his arch rival Alain Prost are being interviewed. It’s the early days of their driving together for McLaren, and the inherent conflict of having the sport’s two best drivers compete on the same team is clearly evident, even in such a brief clip.

If the clip after the jump whets your appetite, you can check the movie’s official Facebook page for theaters and showtimes to see if SENNA is coming to a town near you. If you’re more the stay-at-home type, you can already pre-order the two-disc documentary set from the Official F1 Store.

Continue reading Exclusive clip from SENNA, opening next week in U.S.

Exclusive clip from SENNA, opening next week in U.S.