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Toyota Touch – the Euro-spec version of Entune – is gaining one more functionality in the Toyota (not Scion) iQ: Toyota Touch Life.

The system is the first to use the Car Connectivity Consortium’s (CCC) MirrorLink technology, which can port an exact replica of a connected smartphone’s display to the iQ’s seven-inch touchscreen.

The first platform supported by Toyota Touch Life comes from Nokia – a key partner in the CCC – and its Car Mode app, which can be download from the Nokia Store for devices running Symbian Belle (which, ironically, is about to be phased out in favor of Windows Phone 7).

Apple iPhone users aren’t left out of the mix and will be able to download the Application Launcher app from the App Store, allowing them to access the Garmin StreetPilot app, Stitcher radio and Facebook and Twitter integration through a clean and supposedly distraction-free interface. However, functionality in U.S. models remains an open question, something which should be cleared up in the coming months. Full details in the press blast below the fold.

Continue reading Toyota first to market with MirrorLink functionality in iQ

Toyota first to market with MirrorLink functionality in iQ

Citroën’s next look into the future appears to involve a look into its past: according to Car Magazine, the French firm is planning a 3CV that will make a modern case for the beloved 2CV. It isn’t expected until 2013, so only a few brains inside Citroën have any idea what it will look like, but the prognostications suggest “the spirit of the quirky Ami 6,” lots of space and a comfortable ride.

Speaking of that ride, the company’s CEO said “it’s so relaxed that we may even cap top speed.” That would be something special for a car to be built on the same PF1 platform that supports the Peugeot 207 and Citroëns DS3 and C3, yet will be smaller than the C3.

Citroën working on neo Deux Cheveaux?

Who’s the best driver in the world? Hard to say when everyone’s driving on different machinery in different series… That’s what the annual Race of Champions is all about.

The year-end event consistently brings a crop of the top talents from around the racing world to one place where they square off against each other on common, yet varied equipment. And this year’s is already shaping up to be one heck of a showdown.

In addition to showboating American hot-shoe Travis Pastrana, the line-up for this year’s event has got champions from all kinds of racing disciplines: newly-crowned DTM champ Martin Tomczyk, his rival and two-time champion Mattias Ekstrom, current WRC title contender Sebastien Ogier, reigning GP2 champ Romain Grosjean, three-time WTCC dominator Andy Priaulx and three of F1’s top talents: reigning two-time champion Sebastian Vettel, his chief rival (and former champion) Jenson Button and seven-time champion Michael Schumacher.

Last year saw the relatively obscure Felipe Albuquerque – who until then had only won races in A1GP and Italy’s Superstars Series – defeat the venerable champions, including Ekstrom who’s won the RoC three times, while Schumacher and Vettel took the Nations’ Cup team category for Germany for the fourth time running. Will this year’s pull a new wild card? Tune in for the race on December 3-4 from the Esprit Arena in Düsseldorf to find out.

Race of Champions keeps lining up the talent

You knew it was coming, so don’t act surprised. After a little super Sonic skydive, next came something closer to home. Or at least to Earth. In Long Beach over the weekend, the Chevrolet crew stacked shipping containers ten stories high and then tipped a Sonic over the edge. It landed safely, gently plopping its nose into a wading pool before elasticity took over and hurtled the Sonic back in the air.

This is all part of the “Let’s Do This” and “Game of Firsts” campaigns, and as far as we can tell there remain ten brand new Sonics to be won by a very suspecting public. If you’d rather just watch a Sonic fall 100 feet, however, then there’s a video for you after the jump.

Continue reading Next up for the Chevy Sonic: bungee jumping

Next up for the Chevy Sonic: bungee jumping

Lexus is headed to SEMA in Las Vegas with an arsenal of custom vehicles. A total of nine Lexus products will be in attendance, tuned by the likes of Five Axis, VIP Auto Salon and JT Grey Racing in addition to a line of factory-customized F-Sport offerings.

Five Axis plans to bring along both the CT 200h that the company unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show this year as well as a new GS F Sport project (seen above). The latter vehicle wears a full widebody conversion as well as custom paint, brake hardware from StopTech and a full AirRunner TC-5 air suspension.

VIP Auto Salon, meanwhile, plans to show off a special IS 350C with custom carbon fiber aero work, a Power Enterprise Rotex supercharger kit for a little bit more speed and a TOMS upper shock tower brace.

But we’re most taken with the idea of the Lexus LX 570 by JT Grey Racing. Sadly, there aren’t yet any pictures of that beast, but Lexus says it has been built to be a full-blown off-road racer with 37-inch BF Goodrich Baja TA tires, 17-inch custom wheels, lots of off road lighting and Sparco race seats inside. We’re always fans of airborne luxury SUVs… Read all about each vehicle in the press release after the break.

Continue reading Lexus shows off glut of SEMA hardware

Lexus shows off glut of SEMA hardware

John Hennessey recently returned to the Texas Mile with his 700-horsepower Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon for another shot at high-speed glory. The long-roof rocket managed to clip off a top speed of 189.7 miles per hour in the standing mile, which beat out last year’s figure by a safe margin.

That speed is certainly a feather worth sticking in the Hammer Wagon’s cap, but it may not be the most impressive part of this story. Hennessey didn’t trailer the CTS-V Sport Wagon to the track. Instead, the builder drove the car to the event, made his full-speed run, topped off the tank with pump gas and headed 175 miles home.

Could this be the perfect vehicle? We certainly hold a special place in our hearts for the stock CTS-V Sportwagon, and Hennessey’s efforts with the platform have made the vehicle no less desirable. Hit the jump to check out a video of the Texas Mile run for yourself.

Continue reading Hennessey Cadillac CTS-V Wagon breaks own Texas mile speed

Hennessey Cadillac CTS-V Wagon breaks own Texas mile speed

The American Journal of Public Health has published a new study on the role of gender in auto accidents. The results indicate that women are more likely to be injured than men when involved in comparable crashes. Researchers say that when wearing seat belts, female drivers have a higher risk of chest and spinal injuries.

A combination of relatively smaller stature and differences in preferred seating positions make women more vulnerable, according to the study. Their chances of being injured while wearing a seatbelt are 47 percent higher than men.

But not everyone is buying the research. Clarence Ditlow of the Center for Auto Safety told ABC News that the researchers used out-of-date data. The study looked at crash statistics going back as far as 1998. Many cars on the road then would be almost 20 years old by now, meaning they would not incorporate the most modern crash protection technology.

“The study would have a lot more value if it were limited to 2000 and later model year vehicles to make sure all vehicles had female friendly airbags,” Ditlow said.

Women at greater risk of injury in crashes

Red light traffic cameras can be a real pain in the butt. The fines can be outrageous, the points lead to higher insurance rates and the programs can even take hard-working police officers off the streets. But what happens if you simply throw the ticket in the trash? In Los Angeles County, the answer seems to be a whole lot of nothing.

The Newspaper reports that red light camera revenue is down by one third after LA Police Commissioner Alan Skoban called the cameras “a voluntary citation program” back on June 7. The cameras have already been shut down in Los Angeles, but surrounding cities are losing boat-loads of dough. Since that June announcement, photo enforcement vendors are reportedly losing $1 million per month.

Still, while red light camera tickets are down, they’re certainly not out. Drivers still paid 25,693 tickets at nearly $500 a pop from May through September. That’s nearly $30 million over the course of a full year, which gets split between municipalities and the traffic camera system companies.

We’re not sure what is more noteworthy – red light cameras that dole out $500 tickets, or ticked motorists that continue to pay outrageous fines even though the program is “voluntary.” It appears the moral fiber of this country is still high… or not enough motorists know that the tickets don’t have to be paid.

One-third of red light camera violators in LA opting not to pay voluntary citations

Since the Chrysler Group joined up with Fiat, its brand portfolio has grown to include Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, Jeep and Fiat vehicles. And you know what that means: more stuff for Mopar to tinker with. That’s just what Auburn Hills has got in store for the upcoming SEMA show in Vegas, with a whole slew of show cars to demonstrate just what the group’s performance parts division can do.

The Chrysler brand itself will be represented by the 300 SF6, dedicated to the Spring Festival of Chrysler 300 owners in Southern California. It’s distinguished by 22-inch alloys, a KW coil-over suspension and upgraded brakes, intake, headers and exhaust – all from the Mopar parts bin – plus special trim inside and out.

Over at Dodge, the Challenger SRT8 gets the ACR treatment with upgraded suspension, shifter, front splitter, exhaust and 20-inch wheels, capped by a paint job evocative of the much-loved Viper ACR. It’s joined by the Durango Tow Hook, decked out in orange and black with 22-inch rolling stock on a dropped suspension.

Fiat continues to make the most of the 500 with two specials called Titanium and Carbon. The former takes its name from the matte-finish brightwork and 16-inch wheels that contrast with the black paint, with enlarged grilles feeding the upgraded intake and exhaust systems. The latter, meanwhile, decks out a 500 Sport in deep blue with carbon-fiber accents and blacked-out trim and 17-inch alloys, riding on a lowered suspension.

Finally, the Ram division is represented by the 392 Quick Silver, dropping a 470-horsepower Hemi V8 into the Ram R/T’s engine bay. 22-inch wheels on a lowered suspension house 15-inch Brembo brakes to keep it under control, with a body glazed in silver with red accents and a black roof to do the talking.

These are just five of the 30 “Moparized” vehicles Chrysler will be displaying at the aftermarket expo, and while they’ve only released four renderings to keep us tantalized, you can scope out all the details in the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Mopar rolling in to SEMA with Challenger ACR, Ram 392 and more

Mopar rolling in to SEMA with Challenger ACR, Ram 392 and more

It’s no Ford F-150, but this toy tank earns our respect for its towing prowess nonetheless. That second-generation Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Model 90 weighs over two tons, but the not-so-little remote control tank seems to have no problem pulling it through a parking lot to the amusement of quite a few onlookers.

Like any YouTube video, we wonder what – if anything – we are not seeing. In the first shot, it does appear that the passenger door is open. Could someone be pushing to help the SUV overcome inertia?

Click through the jump to see the tank towing video, plus a little bonus footage of that late-90’s Land Cruiser Prado.

Continue reading Watch this R/C tank tow a real Toyota SUV

Watch this R/C tank tow a real Toyota SUV

Mercedes-Benz is mulling a range of new engine configurations, according to CAR Magazine, including a new straight six. The news comes courtesy of an unnamed engineer who also said that the German automaker is currently planning a range of smaller-displacement, forced-induction V8 engines, as well as a larger selection of four-cylinder options.

The company’s larger vehicles will subsist on straight-six power moving forward, if the report turns out to be accurate. Buyers will conceivably be able to choose between single- and twin-turbocharged configurations depending on their power demands.

The report doesn’t mention exactly when we can expect to see these new engines in production vehicles, and with no specifics on application, displacement, fuel economy or horsepower, we have to imagine that the program is in its infancy at this point.

Mercedes-Benz working on straight-six engines

Consumer Reports has released its annual Car Reliability Study, and the results weren’t kind to Ford. The automaker saw its ranking fall from 10th to 20th due to issues with three specific models: the Explorer, Fiesta and Focus. Each of those vehicles ranked below average in reliability during their first year on the market due to issues with MyFord Touch and the dual-clutch transmissions in the Fiesta and Focus.

Meanwhile, Chrysler busily inched its way up the reliability ladder. Jeep managed to jump to the 13th spot to become the most reliable domestic manufacturer while Chrysler jumped 12 spots in the study and Dodge maneuvered up by three places.

According to the study, the Chrysler 200, Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee all performed well in their respective reliability evaluations. Even so, Consumer Reports notes that of the 97 domestic vehicles the publication studied, 35 percent still rate as below average compared to the rest of the field. Head over to Consumer Reports to learn how the rest of the field shook out.

Ford falls, Chrysler jumps in Consumer Reports reliability survey

That things happen fast in Formula One is a given. But just how fast things can turn around is also liable to twist your head around at breakneck speeds.

While the United States has not hosted a Formula One grand prix since 2007, within two years’ time it will once again host two. The first we already know about: the United States Grand Prix will join the calendar next season in Austin, Texas (of all places) at the purpose-built Circuit of the Americas. But after much anticipation, officials today announced a second grand prix to be held here in the U.S. along the banks of the Hudson River.

The race, officially to be known as the Grand Prix of America, will be held on a new 3.2-mile street course being carved out of the New Jersey towns of West New York and Weehawken, offering the New York skyline as a panoramic backdrop. The grand prix is currently scheduled for June 2013, when it is expected to draw upwards of 100,000 race fans.

Grand Prix of America bringing F1 to New Jersey in 2013

There’s a new “ATS the Journey” video from Cadillac up on YouTube, called “Chapter One: Welcome to the Green Hell.”

We saw the introductory video two weeks ago, and unfortunately, there’s not much new to see in this one. We get some good looks at the exterior of the test mule, though for some reason one shot of the the car out on the course has the ATS blurred out. And we’re kind of surprised that General Motors President of North America Mark Reuss’ name is misspelled.

Perhaps the best part of this new vid isn’t the footage at all, but something that Chris Berube, lead development engineer, says: “If I had to describe the ATS to someone, I’d really focus on the low mass.”

If Cadillac aims to produce a relevant BMW 3-Series fighter, that’s certainly where we would start.

See the video after the jump.

Continue reading Cadillac spends some more time with ATS at the ‘Ring

Cadillac spends some more time with ATS at the ‘Ring

The Porsche Panamera doesn’t need much help in the performance department. Styling may be another matter, however. German tuning house Edo Competition has tackled both with its latest tuning kit.

Starting with the Panamera S, the package called Hellboy takes output from the 4.8-liter V8 up from 395 horsepower to 459 for a 4.6-second sprint to 62 and a 191-mile-per-hour top end. The rest of the package is rounded out with 21-inch alloys mounted to a suspension that’s been lowered by 30mm, plus a full carbon fiber aero kit and a retrofitted interior.

We’re not sure it helps the Panamera in the areas it needs it most, but juxtaposed to the, um, rather “decorated” girl with which it’s photographed in the high-res image gallery (pay special attention to the text on her legs), it’s suddenly looking quite tasteful by comparison. Details in the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Edo Competition tricks out the Porsche Panamera S with Hellboy kit

Edo Competition tricks out the Porsche Panamera S with Hellboy kit

Over at Lexus, F stands for performance. Think F as in LFA. Think F as in IS-F. And think F as in F Sport, the series of kits that ever so subtly change a Toyota luxury vehicle’s attitude from sedate to sporty. So if you thought the new Lexus GS sedan could use a shot of adrenaline, we’ve got good news for you, as Lexus has just revealed a new F Sport package for the GS 350 that will make its debut next week at SEMA.

The package encompasses a new set of 19-inch wheels, sport-tuned adaptive suspension, thicker anti-roll bars, new bushing, and bigger brakes up front. Variable steering is also included for rear-drive models, while the interior gets a new driver’s seat, unique trim and available red leather.

Cap that off with a more aggressive aero kit and the GS is transformed, if not into an outright performance sedan – the 3.5-liter V6 remains unchanged, after all, at 306 horsepower – then into something a little more aggressive than what you’d expect to see in the local diner parking lot at five p.m. Check it out in the press release after the jump and the high-res images in the gallery for a closer look.

Continue reading Lexus unveils 2013 GS 350 F Sport ahead of SEMA

Lexus unveils 2013 GS 350 F Sport ahead of SEMA

Land Rover is busily working on creating lighter versions of the its offerings in an attempt to head looming fuel economy regulations off at the pass. That includes the Range Rover Sport. Details are skimpy as to exactly what kind of weight savings we can expect from the next-generation vehicle when it debuts, but it’s clear that Land Rover is already hard at work on a few prototypes. Our spy photographers managed to catch a mule out and about on public streets wearing sparse camouflage and plenty of sheetmetal from the current SUV.

Next year will see the Range Rover Sport equipped with a new eight-speed automatic transmission manufactured by the gearbox gurus at ZF paired to a 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V6 engine in the UK. The transmission isn’t expected to be mated with the company’s gasoline V8 offerings, however. Stay tuned for more information on the next-generation Range Rover Sport as it becomes available.

Land Rover prepping new Range Rover Sport

We’re not exactly surprised, but Kia will be selling the sedan version of the Rio for $200 less than the five-door hatchback. The five-door is on sale now, while the $13,400 sedan won’t hit dealers until January 2012.

An automatic-equipped Rio sedan will set you back $14,500, while the high-end SX trim starts at $17,500. None of those prices include the $750 destination charge.

While we found a lot to like about the all-new Rio five-door in our First Drive, we remain disappointed that yet another automaker has decided to charge a premium for the hatchback version. If we had a nickel for every time we’ve heard automakers say Americans don’t want to buy hatchbacks, we’d all be able to retire to Bora Bora.

From where we sit, hatchbacks are not only easier on the eyes, but easier to live with, too. Of course, the bias against hatches seems like a self-fulfilling prophecy when there’s no equity in pricing. Read the full release after the jump.

Continue reading Kia prices 2012 Rio sedan at $13,400*

Kia prices 2012 Rio sedan at $13,400*

2011 is quickly nearing its end (already!), which means it’s time for big awards to be given out to the best new cars to hit the market over the past twelve months. First up, Motor Trend has officially announced that the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque is its SUV of the Year, stating that the compact crossover “transcends conventional perceptions of a sport/utility vehicle; seamlessly combining sporty styling and agility, with off-road prowess and utility.”

During its testing, Motor Trend found the Evoque to be ahead of the pack in terms of style, engineering and refinement. Specific areas of praise include the sloping roofline that still allows for plenty of headroom, as well as the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and the well-sorted, adaptable suspension.

The Evoque is also a candidate for the North American Truck of the Year award, which will be presented at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show in January. Read more about MT’s reasoning here, and follow the jump for a video and Motor Trend’s official release.

Continue reading 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque named Motor Trend SUV of the Year [w/video]

2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque named Motor Trend SUV of the Year [w/video]

GM Seeks To Define Compact Luxury Very, Very Quietly

Every six months or so, we drive a car that exceeds our expectations. Such is the case with the all-new 2012 Buick Verano, the American automaker’s fresh new entrant into the $25,000 compact luxury segment.

Wait a minute – what’s this so-called “$25,000 compact luxury” segment?

Buick explains that there is a window of opportunity for a small luxury sedan priced below the Audi A3, Lexus IS 250 and Acura TSX sedan, but above the Honda Civic, Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cruze. After identifying the void, Buick’s objective was to develop a vehicle that was quieter, more luxurious and better equipped than anything close to its $23,470 cost of entry. Even loaded with every option, the Verano won’t exceed $29,000, a figure which cleanly undercuts all of the aforementioned luxury imports by several thousand dollars.

Buick flew us up to Portland, Oregon, last week for an opportunity to put more than 250 miles on its new Verano in the spectacularly scenic Northwest. We arrived intrigued, and left very impressed.

Continue reading 2012 Buick Verano

2012 Buick Verano