The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has concluded its investigation into vehicles equipped with manual transmissions. The agency looked into a total of 364 reports of shift quality issues supplied by and they’ve reportedly determined that owners have experienced no loss of mobility or any unreasonable safety risk due to the problems. According to Inside Line, Ford identified several possible issues that could have contributed to difficulty shifting, including cold transmission fluid, clutch stay-out at high engine speeds, gear clash and loosening clutch plate bolts in early production vehicles. Ford has since replaced those fasteners with new hardware currently used in production.
The automaker said that the majority of the gear shift issues were due to the transmission not being up to operating temperature while driving and that the problems sorted themselves out after the drivetrain warmed up. Had NHTSA found any glaring issues with the transmission or clutch in the 2011 and 2012 Ford Mustang models, Ford may have been forced to issue a recall.
At the 2009 , Vaughn Gittin Jr. wowed us with his . With a full carbon fiber body, supercharged V8 producing 550 horsepower and a custom interior, it was easily one of the coolest modern pony cars we had ever seen. The only problem was that to buy one of your own, you’d need a six-figure sum burning a hole in your “fun money” account. That’s a lot of cash for any car, let alone a . The solution is the , a much cheaper version of the RTR-C that’s actually fairly affordable for the average sports car buyer.
The question you might be asking, though, is whether there is room in the automotive marketplace for yet another specialty Mustang. It seems a new variation comes across our desks at least once a week, and there are already endless aftermarket options for those wishing to build their own personalized pony car. Plus, many of those same Mustangs have well-established names like Shelby, Saleen and Roush emblazoned on their sides, all of whom are legends in the storied history of motorsports (and the Ford Mustang in particular).
Even so, Gittin is hoping to bring something new to the table. As a series champion and one of the most popular figures in Formula Drift, he believes that he can offer something different to a new generation of car enthusiasts. When Gitten first began competing with a Ford Mustang, he felt a disconnect between the car’s aftermarket and the crowds of fans who were attending drifting events. “Since I fell in love with being behind the wheel of a Mustang in 2005, I noticed that most of the aftermarket was offering parts that were so traditional and, for the most part, not really my style – nor most of my generation’s style” he told Autoblog. “I wanted to introduce something fresh and aggressive to the market that would engage a new generation of Mustang owner and appeal to traditional Mustang enthusiasts at the same time.” That vision became a reality at SEMA in 2009 with the debut of his RTR-C and RTR Mustang.
Still, the question remains. Is there room for yet another Mustang tuner to enter the mix? We took a quick spin in an RTR Mustang to help find out.
Lamborghini Crossover, Four-cylinder small Porsche, Google autonomous cars, Tire scanners in roads
Episode #250 of the Autoblog Podcast is here. This week Chris, Zach, and Dan are joined by Autoblog Executive Editor Chris Paukert. Topics include the rumor of an upcoming Lamborghini Crossover vehicle, a small Porsche with a 1.9-liter four cylinder, Google’s autonomous cars, and an effort to embed tire scanners in road surfaces to rat you out to Big Brother. Your questions and comments power the last third of the podcast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our , thanks for taking the time. We’ve embedded our Q&A module for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #250:
In the Autoblog Garage
2011 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL
2012 Dodge Charger SRT8
2012 Kia Sorento SX 2011 Ford Mustang V6 Coupe
Hosts: , , , Runtime: 01:10:35
Get the podcast
[] Listen live on Mondays at 10PM Eastern at UStream
[] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
[] Download the MP3 directly
Feedback
Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com
Voicemail: 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763)
Review the show in iTunes and take our
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation surrounding transmission issues in the . NHTSA has received 32 complaints citing inability to shift into gears at speed. Around 26,000 Mustangs are being investigated because of these claims.
Regarding the 32 complaints, NHTSA filed this in its report:
Some reports allege incidents occurred while merging into high speed traffic and others allege that incidents occurred while turning left across oncoming traffic. Some complainants allege that the erratic shifting behavior almost caused a collision with adjacent vehicles.
The official investigation was opened on August 3rd. According to The Detroit News, a spokesperson from Motor Company said that the automaker will fully cooperate with NHTSA regarding this matter.
originally appeared on on Mon, 08 Aug 2011 10:59:00 EST. Please see our .
Today is the 4th of July – Independence Day – and as a country, we’re all taking a break from the normal work routine to celebrate America’s 235th birthday. (She’s looking good in her old age, isn’t she?) Like many of you, we’ll be kicking back with family and friends today, but never fear, we’ve still got plenty of content coming your way.
In the spirit of Independence Day, be sure to check out our , in which two of our editors argue over which droptop muscle car is the most American – the or . Cast your vote for which car should be most honored to wear the Stars and Stripes, but fair warning: The Mustang is already off to a commanding lead.
From all of us here at Autoblog, Happy Independence Day.
We worked this 640i Coupe on the autobahn and on the many squeaky clean and manicured twisting two-lanes southeast of Munich where the low hills start to rumple up toward the Bavarian and Austrian Alps.
In that grand tradition, the editors at Autoblog have dug in on which of our country’s convertible muscle cars is the most American – the 2011 Ford Mustang GT Convertible or the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible.
America’s Big Three automakers continued to post impressive sales gains while gobbling up market share from their Asian competitors.
Also of interest:
Browse our archive of Daily U-Turn posts or subscribe to the RSS feed
You can forget baseball – it seems like Americans have a new favorite pastime on their hands. No, we’re not talking about saddling up to the feeding trough at the local Golden Sizzlin’. Now more than ever, we love to argue. As a country, we’ll leap into a debate half-cocked, half-informed and fully armed faster than you can say, “You’re fired!”
In that grand tradition, the editors at Autoblog have dug in on which of our country’s convertible muscle cars are the most American – the or the . Motoring out across the Lady Liberty’s wide open spaces in a topless muscle car is more patriotic than all the flag pins in Congress. They give our homecoming queens a perch from which to wave and make drive-in movies all the more magical.
In a twist of test fleet fate, two of us have been granted the keys to these beasts for the most American of holidays, Independence Day. Editor/Test Fleet Manager has taken up the FoMoCo banner, leaving Associate Editor to lead the Bowtie charge. Who will stand victorious?
Since it’s the Fourth of July weekend and this is America, we’ll leave that for the people to decide. Click to read the respective arguments for both cars and cast your vote.
GT Convertible vs. 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible [w/poll]
GT Convertible vs. 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible [w/poll]
David Ragan sets new record in 2011 Ford Mustang GT – Click above to watch video
NASCAR Driver David Ragan hopped out of his and into a Ford Racing-modified and set out on the Bristol Motor Speedway to take a shot at the half-mile speed trials. The result? A new production car lap record of 98.497 miles per hour in 19.481 seconds.
Seeing a sub-100-mph speed for a track race may seem slow, but trust us, it’s not. By comparison, a Yamaha superbike hit the course and managed a time of 19.582 seconds at a speed of 97.990 mph.
Ford Racing’s modified Mustang uses a supercharger to add an extra 200 horsepower, bringing the total up to 624 hp. To manage that power, Ford Racing also fitted upgraded brakes and suspension parts. to see the Mustang, its new parts and David Ragan in action.
Ford is looking to make an accounting change this year that would eliminate a valuation allowance from its books and net the company $10 to $13 billion in profits. The move shows that Ford is confident that it sustain its new-found profitability, after four straight years of operating losses from 2005 to 2009.
The valuation is held against deferred tax assets, which the company needed as it saw profits disappear. With the company making $9.3 billion in profits over the last two years, the valuation isn’t necessary any more.
When the move is made, Ford said it will record it as a “special item for the quarter,” to avoid a negative tax effect. Even after Ford gets the valuation allowance off its books, the company may still be able to operate tax-free until the end of the decade, as it is still eligible for tax breaks after $31.4 billion in losses from 2005-2009.
Photo copyright (C)2011 John Neff / AOL
[Source: ]
Automotive News is reporting that will turn to its global team of designers for the look of the next . Styling themes will be served up from studios in Australia and Europe as well as other places around the world. Ford says that the practice is now standard operating procedure for most of the automaker’s new products, and that the global design approach was taken on board three years ago. J Mays, the company’s global design chief, and the rest of the vehicle’s design team will then select amongst the proposals for the design that best fits the next-generation Pony Car.
In the past, the company’s U.S. design studio was solely responsible for the vehicle’s image, but Ford has seen plenty of success from soliciting ideas from all over the world. The design of the global , for example, was submitted by artists in Australia with pointers from the company’s designers in Europe.
Right now, Ford is keeping its lips sealed about when we can expect to see the next-gen Mustang touch down, though Automotive News reports that there’s some indication that the vehicle may be as far off as 2014 or 2015.
Getting sideways with Shift 2 Unleashed and Vaughn Gittin Jr. – Click above to watch video
Need for Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed will be arriving in stores on March 29th, and to tie all you gamers over until then, the NFS team has put together a video highlighting the features that may make it a must-have for racing-sim fans. Whether you prefer smoothly linking corners or destroying rubber in a fit of sideways shenanigans, Shift 2 Unleashed has got you covered.
The drifting aspect of the game was locked down with the help of Vaughn Gittin Jr. and his . The game features a unique Helmet Cam view, which places the driver’s “eyes” where they would go in real life. A road racer will look towards the apex of a turn but a drifter will stare out the side window – both of these styles are accounted for in the game, and the result looks pretty amazing.
for a video showing off Need for Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed and its new features.
Coyote 5.0L V8 Superformance MKIII Roadster – Click above for a high-res image gallery
We were smitten with the Coyote 5.0-liter V8 the second we got behind the wheel of the . We described the 412 horsepower engine as “a pot of pure honey” as well as “intoxicating,” and said that the “5.0-liter V8 pulls like a jet airliner.” With a curb weight of just over 3,600 pounds, the is not as bloated as the , but by no means a lightweight. Would we like the 5.0L even more if it had less mass to push around?
That’s what Superformance had in mind with its latest creation. The maker of Shelby-licensed Cobra replicas has installed a Coyote 5.0-liter crate motor into one of its MKIII Roadsters, creating a combination of classic styling with the best of Ford’s modern powertrains. The engine wedges snugly into the front of the car, and only a custom air intake and headers are all that are needed to make everything fit.
We stopped by Superformance to get a closer look at the car, and came away with some photos and even some video of it in action. Check out the high-res gallery of the car below, and to watch the video and hear what the Coyote 5.0-liter V8 sounds like without mufflers.
When the V6-powered arrived with 305 horsepower – one more pony than the – the engineers at didn’t take long to up their power quotient to 312 hp. Camaro5 reports that GM has no intention of resting on its seven pony victory, as the 2012 Camaro will received an updated 3.6-liter mill capable of 325-330 horsepower.
The rumored engine will reportedly carry the LFX designation, with the same direct injection, variable valve timing and dual overhead cams as the 2011 model, but that’s not all. The rumored LFX also lists “E85 MAX” as a technology, giving the updated engine the ability to burn ethanol as its primary fuel. So how does E85 equal 330 horsepower? It doesn’t, really, but the folks at Camaro5 estimate the new number based off the improvements made to the 270 horsepower 3.0L LF1 V6 (in the same engine family as the current 3.6-liter V6) that currently resides under the hood of several GM products. So if 3.0-liters equals 270 horsepower, then 3.6 liters can somehow net you somewhere between 325 and 330 ponies.
Okay, so A² plus B² divided by unicorn dust somehow equals 330 horsepower? That’s not exactly the scientific method, but at least one forum poster claims that the LFX will also carry larger heads and exhaust valves, a new “tunable” ECM and a revised intake manifold. We have no idea how accurate any of this information is, but Camaro5 has a pretty good track record when it comes to Bowtie scoops, and we’ll be more than happy to welcome a 330-hp V6 Camaro if this turns out to be true. Hat tip to Rick!
Automobile has compiled a list of the 2011 model year vehicles deserving of all-star recognition. To show off each choice, the buff book has enlisted illustrator . The list of 2011 Automobile All-Stars features:
/
It’s hard to argue with that rundown and you can head over to to be honored.
For those of you desperate to get your hands on Ford’s new 5.0-liter Mustang GT, it just got a little easier. Pricing has dropped for the base model of the 412-horsepower pony car by $500 for the 2012 model year, edging back under the 30k mark to $29,995. In contrast, the Premium GT model sees a price increase of $200 while the Premium GT Convertible is $700 more than last year.
While the 2012 Mustang lineup carries over relatively unchanged, there are a few updates to keep the cars fresh. Ford will be offering a new color, Lava Red Metallic, available on both the exterior and interior, while Sterling Gray Metallic will no longer be available. Ford has also added a few minor features like a universal garage door opener and sun visors with a storage system and illuminated vanity mirrors, and the EPAS steering system will now also come with three modes – Comfort, Normal and Sport.
Wards Auto has announced its 10 Best Engine Winners for 2011, and not surprisingly, fuel-efficient creations like the and (the first EV to get the award) both found their beating hearts among the winners. Likewise, the 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel engine in the found favor with the judges for its green credentials, though the 10 Best list didn’t simply stick to the eco warriors of 2011 for its picks. Lumps like the 5.0-liter V8s in the and also made the cut. Wards said that it intentionally tried to make sure that there was an engine for everyone, and we have to admit that it looks like they’ve done a smart job of keeping the bases covered.
We’re glad to see that the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 from is slotted among this year’s winners. The engine single-handedly managed to improve vehicles like the and by leaps and bounds, throwing in excellent fuel economy and power at the same time. In fact, of all the engines on the list, we’d have a hard time finding an argument against any of the winners. Head over to for a closer look.
It’s been a quarter-century since the last time it happened, but appears set to steal away the yearly pony car sales crown from the .
According to AutoWeek, the Bowtie Brigade has cleared 75,685 Camaro sales through the end of November, while the Blue Oval has shifted 68,264 units. Extrapolating the monthly sales totals to the end of December, AW estimates that will finish 2010 with around 82,500 sales, besting the Ford’s estimate of 74,500. Trailing the muscle car pack in sales is , trending at around 36,000 units.
There has certainly been pent-up demand for the Camaro among consumers after its prolonged absence, but what’s even more impressive about its yearly sales total is that if the lead holds, the Chevy will have outsold the Ford and the Dodge with far fewer special editions and no convertible bodystyle like the Mustang. (A is slated to go on sale next year, and a is also expected).
For more details on the pony car sales race, check out the link below.
The Internet Car and Truck of the Year voting jury has just announced its pair of winners for 2011, and top honors go to both the and . For 2011, the CTS-V is offered in a trio of body styles, all of which boast a 556-horsepower supercharged V8 and seriously good driving dynamics. Likewise, the 2011 Grand Cherokee remains one of the best off-road vehicles in its class, and points the way forward for the “new .”
In addition to the vehicles picked by the Internet Car and Truck of the Year jurors, the motoring public was able to cast its vote for the “Average Joe” awards. Unlike the professional jury, the public voters named the as Car of the Year, its new 5.0-liter V8 and reworked suspension geometry making it more of a true sports car than a stereotypical muscle car. However, both the “Internet Pros” and “Average Joes” saw eye to eye on the Truck of the Year award, with the Grand Cherokee taking the cake from both segments of voters.
Vehicles aside, the ICTOY jury also honored recently deceased and legendary automotive journalist Jerry Flint with the 2010 Journalist of the Year award. Flint, who died on August 7th of this year, covered the automotive beat for over 50 years, and was once named one of the 100 most prominent business reporters of the 20th century.
For the full details on all of the awards, to read the Internet Car and Truck of the Year press release.
Gallery:
Gallery:
Photos copyright (C)2010 AOL
[Source: Internet Car and Truck of the Year]
-V, Jeep Grand Cherokee named 2011 Internet Car and Truck of the Year
Custom 2011 Mustangs at the SEMA Show – Click above for high-res image gallery
We’ve seen , and even an , but of course, the car with the biggest showing on ’s stand is the . In fact, the automaker is displaying nine examples of its pony car, showing a wide range of customization options.
Starting things off in-house, Ford has provided us with a glimpse of what is possible through its Vehicle Personalization program. The VP ‘Stang wears wheels, rear window louvers, a rear spoiler and a handful of other items that are all for sale at . Besides the in-house car, Ford handed the Mustang off to Funkmaster Flex and Team Baurtwell, MRT, Creations n’ Chrome, Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords, Mobsteel, Raceskinz, Street Scene Equipment and Tjin Edition.
Funk Flex, who at this point probably holds an executive position back in Dearborn, designed his Mustang for rapper Snoop Dogg. MRT envisioned the car as a tough street warrior. Creations n’ Chrome partnered with the American Cancer Society to raise awareness for breast cancer, and painted its car Pink Chrome. Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords stays true to its name, adding a supercharger kit to the 5.0-liter engine under the hood. Mobsteel goes a different, yet similar route, by turbocharging a V6 example.
This is only a small taste of what the assorted tuners have done to the 2011 Mustang, and that’s only limited to what Ford has in its display. Click through the gallery below and check out the finished products.
Popular Mechanics‘ Top 10 Cars for 2011 – Click above for high-res image gallery
As 2010 draws to a close, it’s time for different publications to start dishing out the numerous “car of the year” awards that highlight the best and brightest offerings for each new model year. The folks at Popular Mechanics have just released their Top 10 Cars for 2011, with American manufacturers (, specifically) taking away the vast majority of top honors. Add and to the mix, and the Big Three account for six of the ten vehicles on Popular Mechanics‘ list.
Ford’s , and were all recognized as class-leaders for the 2011 model year. Across town, the new and were given a hat tip from the editors, as was the , one of parent company Chrysler’s big comebacks for the year 2011. The remaining awards were given to the , , and , all of which are fantastic cars in their own rights.
To see which cars were honored for each category, you can scroll through our , or to read the official press release. Look for the full story in Popular Mechanics’ December issue, which hits newsstands on November 12.
