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Mazda has finally given us all a peek at the company’s all-new 2012 CX-5 small crossover ahead of its debut at September’s Frankfurt Auto Show. The high-riding five door is draped in the automaker’s new “Kodo” design language and relies on a host of SkyActiv engine and transmission options. European buyers will be able to choose between a 2.0-liter gasoline engine and a 2.2-liter diesel powerplant, both with lofty 14:1 compression ratios. Each engine will be available in Standard Power and High Power iterations, and the high compression ratio helps return improved efficiency.

So far, details are scarce on exactly what kind of transmission options will be available at launch, though whispers kicking around the web have indicated that a six-speed manual gearbox is likely, as well as an available six-speed automatic. Expect to see serious engineering advances in both transmissions designed to serve up increased fuel economy.

Mazda says that the company’s Kodo design language stands for “Soul of motion.” Whatever it means, we think it’s a huge improvement over the Joker-smile faces of the outgoing Nagare era. The Mazda CX-5 is set to debut in Frankfurt on September 13, and the CUV is confirmed for sale in the North American market. Check out the gallery above and Hit the jump for the press release.

Continue reading Mazda reveals 2012 CX-5 softroader ahead of Frankfurt

Mazda reveals 2012 CX-5 softroader ahead of Frankfurt

General Motors thinks the U.S. car-buying public is ready to embrace the subcompact market. The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic is proof of that, and shows that GM can build a small car that doesn’t suck. We’ve had a bit of seat time with the littlest member of the bow-tie brand, and we’re curious to see what America thinks. That time is nearly upon us because the Sonic is now officially in production.

Workers at the General Motors Orion Township assembly plant broke out their wrenches and set to work on the new subcompact. The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic will begin arriving on dealer lots by the fall of 2011. Sedans will start at $14,495, and the five-door hatchback will cost you $15,395.

Chevrolet Sonic production gets underway

Americans love their dogs, but can our furry friends lead to distracted driving? A report in Consumer Reports says yes, as a study from AAA and Kurgo shows that 52 percent of dog owners pet their dog when they’re in the car with them. Further, 19 percent use their hands to prevent the dog from hopping up to the front seat, and 18 percent reach into the back seat to pet their dog. These statistics, which come from a sampling of 1,000 dog owners, show that a pet can be every bit as distracting as a cell phone or a fast food meal a-la-car.

Beyond distractions like letting the dog sit on the driver’s lap while driving, the pet can also be a danger in the event of an accident. The study shows that 83 percent of drivers feel that leaving a pet unrestrained is dangerous, but only 16 percent actually restrain their animal. This can be a big problem in the event of an accident, as statistics show that an unrestrained 80-pound dog involved in a 30-mile-per-hour accident will exert 2,400 pounds of pressure upon impact. In other words, if the dog hits you in a 30-mph accident, he or she could do more harm than the vehicle collision itself.

How distracting is that puppy in the window?

TMZ is reporting tonight that automotive legend Carroll Shelby has been accused of sexual assault by a former receptionist. Angelica Smith, who reportedly began working for Shelby back in 2005, filed her lawsuit in L.A. County Superior Court earlier today. In it she claims that Shelby ran a “pervasively hostile work environment” and that “Shelby himself sexually battered [Smith] by groping her.” Smith also claims that another employee of Shelby’s had drugged and raped her at his house in December 2010, and that he did not take any action when she reported the incident to him. The lawsuit names Shelby himself, his companies and the accused rapist, with damages in excess of $5 million.

None of us here at Autoblog know Shelby on a personal level, but we’ve met the man on more than a few occasions and have always been charmed by his natural charisma, genuine love of cars and friendly nature. Hopefully the truth is reached in this case and it’s not as bad a picture as these allegations paint.

Carroll Shelby accused of sexual assault by former receptionist

It’s not everyday that an automaker launches a new marque, let alone a disruptive vision of the future. But BMW did just that last week in Frankfurt with the unveiling of its new i sub-brand.

However, the story behind BMW i isn’t limited to the i3 city car and i8 plug-in hybrid concepts. It’s a new take on everything from manufacturing to infrastructure; it’s about challenging preconceived ideas about how we get around in an ever-changing, ever-expanding world; and it’s arguably one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by a modern automaker.

That might sound like overwrought hyperbole, and it’s sure to send chills down the spines of technophobes and Luddites, but i isn’t about a dystopian driverless future. In fact, BMW says it doesn’t want mobile automatons. It wants drivers with an eye on what lies ahead and an open mind. And from what we’ve seen, i and the philosophies behind it have the potential to eliminate much of the daily drudgery behind the wheel, ushering in a new era of mobility that’s at once intelligent, sustainable and engaging.

And we can’t wait.

Continue reading Behind i: BMW’s vision for the future of mobility

Behind i: BMW’s vision for the future of mobility

For the 1939 World’s Fair, Pontiac built a Deluxe Six bodied in Plexiglass. Part of the Previews of Progress pavilion in which General Motors‘ Futurama showed off what was to come in the world of autos, the ‘invisible’ Pontiac is credited as the first transparent car in America. And there were no shortcuts taken with its body: the Plexiglass form was fabricated by the company that brought the material to market in 1933, Rohm & Haas.

The see-through sedan was sold at RM Auctions’ St. John’s auction in Michigan on July 30, fetching $308,000. Not bad appreciation for a domestic oddity that cost $25,000 to build when new. You can check out the high-res gallery of its innards, including copper and chrome metalwork and white moldings and wheels, and get the exhaustive details on it after the jump.

Continue reading 1939 Pontiac Ghost Car commands $308,000 at auction

1939 Pontiac Ghost Car commands $308,000 at auction

We record Episode #241 of the Autoblog Podcast tonight, and we’re joined by Autoblog photography guru Drew Phillips. Drop a question about how to take astoundingly beautiful car pictures in our Q&A module (below). Also, check out our discussion topics below and chime in to help determine what else we’ll talk about this evening. You can subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven’t already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10PM Eastern tonight.

Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #241

• 2025 CAFE target and its impact
• Suzuki thinking about a small pickup truck? For reals?
• Future Audi products from the top

Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast and hear your questions asked:
[UStream] Interact LIVE at UStream – 10PM Eastern on Monday, July 25, 2011
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator

Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #241 LIVE with Drew Phillips

There’s no greater cardinal sin in the automotive world than completely replacing a highly successful model with an inferior machine. According to Consumer Reports, that’s precisely what happened with the 2012 Honda Civic.

Says David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports’ Auto Test Center: “While other models like the Hyundai Elantra have gotten better after being redesigned, the Civic has dropped so much that now it ranks near the bottom of its category.”

Just how far has the Civic fallen from CR’s grace? The 2012 model’s 61 points is a precipitous 17-point drop from the 2011 model’s score of 78. That discrepancy is enough to force the Civic out of CR’s Recommended list of automobiles. The only small sedan to score lower than the Civic is the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta, which has also been widely accused of too-obvious cost cutting compared to its predecessor.

Many of the Honda Civic’s fiercest competitors, on the other hand, scored very well in CR’s latest round of compact car tests. The aforementioned and recently redesigned 2011 Hyundai Elantra earned the top spot overall, followed closely by the 2012 Ford Focus, 2011 Chevrolet Cruze and 2011 Kia Forte hatchback.

Also performing adequately but no longer considered class-leading are the Toyota Corolla, Nissan Sentra and Mazda3.

Continue reading Honda Civic loses Recommended rating from Consumer Reports

Honda Civic loses Recommended rating from Consumer Reports

Detroit could be considered the embodiment of the American blue-collar spirit. From the glory days of the mid-20th century when the city seemed poised to become a longstanding American industrial power, to the doldrums of the last 30 years, the city has seen the gates of hell.

Slowly, though, Detroit is holding its ground. Like the workers who made their home in the Motor City churning out the iron that gave this country its maniacal love of the car, Detroit is resilient and determined. Detroit in Overdrive is an upcoming three-part documentary that aims to show the world Detroit is coming back.

From a brewery owned by Kid Rock, one of the city’s favorite sons, to community gardens to green business, Detroit looks poised to begin its long-overdue resurgence. Hop the jump to check out two trailers and a press release. The show premiers August 4 on Planet Green.

Continue reading Planet Green teases Detroit In Overdrive documentary

Planet Green teases Detroit In Overdrive documentary

If you’re like us, you must be thinking that the next Batman film The Dark Night Rises can’t get here soon enough. Problem is, production work hasn’t even finished yet. The crew was recently spotted in Pittsburgh filming scenes for the upcoming flick, and few lucky folks managed to capture footage of a trio of Tumbler urban assault vehicles rolling through town.

YouTube users DoctaM3 filmed the Tumblers rumbling through the city, while Subaruwrxfan managed to get up close with a Tumbler parked on the street. The camo paint scheme is quite a change from the ominous black Batmobile Tumbler we’re used to seeing. Still, the sound these hulking beasts make as the roll past is quite inviting. Click past the jump for both clips.

Continue reading Batmobile Tumbler caravan snagged rolling through Pittsburgh

Batmobile Tumbler caravan snagged rolling through Pittsburgh

There’s a lot of changes going on in the world of sports car racing, the bulk of them resulting from the rekindled friendship between the ACO (which organizes Le Mans and its related series) and the FIA (which until now governed just about every other form of motorsport). However, the FIA’s own GT racing championships have also had their own fluctuations over the past few years.

What started out as the FIA GT Championship then split into the GT1 World Championship, GT3 European Championship and GT4 European Cup. The classes are set to rejoin next year, though, as the SRO which organizes them on the FIA’s behalf has announced the formation of the new FIA GT World Championship.

Rather than have a variety of cars competing in different classes, SRO and the FIA are working to equalize the performance of existing cars to have them all fighting for the same prize. As a result, organizers are expecting a bigger grid. Teams representing Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Ford, Lamborghini and Nissan are all expected to return from the current GT1 series, while talks are also underway to bring Mercedes-Benz, Alpina and Chevrolet teams to the grid. With all these challengers lining up, we’d be surprised not to see any Porsches jumping in, too.

The series is expected to return to circuits across Europe, Asia and South America next season, however discussions are underway to expand to such locations as Australia, Russia and even North America in the near future.

So what’s the difference between the reformatted FIA GT Championship and the new FIA World Endurance Championship also starting next year? In two words, race length. While the latter will go with the ACO’s format of round-the-clock racing, the former will stick with the current series’ one-hour sprint-race format.

Teams lining up for new FIA GT World Championship

Mini loves special editions, and fans of the brand eat them up as fast as they’re produced. There’s been no shortage of limited Mini vehicles lately, and a new iteration is set to join the (*deep breath here*) Mini 25, Mini 30, Mini 35, Mini 40, Mini Mayfair, Mini Ritz, Mini Chelsea, Mini Piccadilly, Mini Park Lane, Mini Advantage, Mini Red Hot, Mini Jet Black, Mini Rose, Mini Sky, Mini Racing, Mini Flame, Mini Racing Green, Mini Flame Red, Mini Checkmate, Mini Designer, Mini Paul Smith, Mini Cooper RSP, Mini Cooper Monte Carlo, Mini Cooper Grand Prix, Mini Cooper 35, Mini Cooper Sports LE, Mini Cooper S Touring, Mini Cooper S Sport 5, Mini Cooper S Works, Mini John Cooper, Mini Cooper Sport 500, Mini After Eight, Mini Belfast, Mini Blue Star, Mini Brighton, Mini Cosmopolitan, Mini Jubilee, Mini Kensington, Mini Lady, Mini Lapagayo, Mini Monza, Mini Printemps, Mini S, Mini Silver Bullet, Mini Silverstone, Mini Twinings, Mini Woodbury, Mini 1000 Stripey LE, Mini 1100 Special, Mini Sprite, Mini Studio 2, Mini Neon, Mini Cabriolet, Mini British Open Classic, Mini Italian Job, Mini Rio, Mini Tahiti, Mini Sidewalk, Mini Equinox, Mini ERA Turbo, Mini Cooper S Sidewalk Convertible, Mini John Cooper Works GP, Mini Cooper Chilli, Mini Cooper John Cooper Works World Championship 50, Mini Cooper Hampton, Mini Cooper Camden… and there’s probably a handful of others we (and Wikipedia) missed.

The newest member of the limited-edition family is the Mini Soho. For the moment, it appears to be a United Kingdom-only model, one that will be offered in both standard gasoline and diesel versions of the Cooper hardtop and convertible. What’s the Soho edition offer up? This Cooper wears Soho-edition-only White Silver metallic paint, 17-inch black star bullet wheels, bi-xenon headlights, anthracite headliner, a three-spoke sport steering wheel and piano black interior accents. Click past the jump for the full press release and check it out in our gallery above.

Continue reading Mini launches Soho limited edition for UK streets

Mini launches Soho limited edition for UK streets

No new car launch would be complete without a corresponding marketing campaign. But when that launch and campaign are heralding the return of a famed automaker and nameplate to the American market after decades of absence, the marketing team is likely to be an especially important part of the overall success of launch… at least at the outset.

Such is the case with Fiat, which recently reentered the U.S. market by way of its bailout of struggling Chrysler. The car on which Fiat is banking its initial hopes on is the diminutive 500 and 500C convertible, and it’s launching with a new tagline: Simply More. We’ll let Fiat itself explain:

The FIAT brand’s new tagline, “Simply More,” defines the Fiat 500 as everything you need and nothing you don’t. It represents the notion that the simple things in life are treasures, alongside the thought that the richness and fullness of a life well-lived is defined by one’s view of self-expression.

Simply More… seems like a fine tagline to us, we’re just glad someone was around to explain its meaning to us. In any case, expect to see this new marketing campaign in every facet of your life. In addition to the television spot you can see after the break, Fiat will also focus on print advertising, outdoor billboards, digital and social media and event sponsorships.

Check out some of the one-page ads in our image gallery, and check out the brand’s first U.S. television commercial after the break.

Continue reading Fiat commences 500 national media onslaught [w/video]

Fiat commences 500 national media onslaught [w/video]

Over the weekend, rally cars took over the streets of downtown Los Angeles to compete in X Games 17. The field of drivers was perhaps the most prestigious yet, with plenty of X Games veterans like Tanner Foust, Travis Pastrana and Brian Deegan facing tough new challengers in the form of Marcus Grönholm, two-time World Champion of the World Rally Championship series and European RallyCross veteran Liam Doran.

The new venue, the third in three years, provided an interesting setting to watch rally cars fly by – traffic whizzed by on the 110 Freeway just a block away – and for the drivers, it was a welcome change to last year’s tight and confusing course at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. The venue wasn’t ideal for spectators, however, with much of the course hidden from view on the main grandstands. For members of the media such as ourselves, photographing the event was nearly impossible as well, with high fencing blocking nearly every good view.

Even so, the drives put on quite a show for those watching at home on television. With so many talented drivers in so many fast cars, entertaining matchups were inevitable. Click through the jump to read more and watch the wacky action in some X Games-provided videos.

Continue reading X Games 17 brings RallyCross to the streets of L.A. [spoilers w/video]

X Games 17 brings RallyCross to the streets of L.A. [spoilers w/video]

Hoping To Make New Friends In The Mainstream

The journey has been arduous and fraught with disappointment, but it appears we’ve finally reached our destination. Welcome to The Golden Age of Compact Motoring. Gone are the days of mostly cheap and poorly executed C-segment entries. Ye Olde “It’s the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and everybody else” mindset is finally history, too. All of a sudden, new car buyers can choose from a bumper crop of smart new motors, including the all-new Civic, the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, the 2012 Ford Focus, the larger and more affordable 2011 Volkswagen Jetta and the always entertaining Mazda3. And that’s not all – there’s also a new wildcard in the compact segment, the 2011 Hyundai Elantra.

While entries like the Cruze and Focus have garnered lots of attention, the Elantra has quietly established itself as a worthy alternative in this suddenly competitive segment. The redesigned Hyundai caught our attention with its expressive styling, an improved cabin and 40 miles per gallon highway rating. It sounds like a winning game plan to us, but does this revitalized Hyundai live up to its impressive stat sheet? We spent a week with an Elantra Limited to find out for ourselves.

Continue reading 2011 Hyundai Elantra Limited

2011 Hyundai Elantra Limited

The likelihood that you’ll ever get your hands on an original Bill Thomas Cheetah is slim, to put it mildly. The iconic early 60s sports cars are rare as hen’s teeth and priced accordingly. While the originals may be all but unattainable, replicas can be fairly readily had, though they still aren’t what you’d call cheap.

This week, there are two Bill Thomas Cheetah Continuation models on eBay Motors, one a convertible and one in coupe form. Not originals and not really replicas, these cars are about as authentic as one can hope to get without winning the lottery. In the spirit of their original Corvette roots, both sport Chevrolet V8 power, rear-wheel drive and four-speed manual transmissions. The convertible, titled as a 1965, sports a 502-inch big-block Chevrolet mill, which only has 1,700 pounds of 4130-chromoly steel and fiberglass to push around. In case that weren’t enough, the Cheetah’s wheelbase is a scant 90 inches. Sounds good to us. Buy-It-Now on the red ‘vert is a reasonable sounding $34,000.

The hardtop was built in 2008, but sports a 1964 title. It’s a bit tamer, sporting a 383 stroker that the seller says is good for 350 horsepower. Not quite as hairy-chested, but more than enough to make you pretty uneasy. It also sports heat and noise insulation and a “period correct” air conditioner, apparently to compensate for the fixed windows. The frame is powder-coated, the headers are wrapped and the bodywork sports three coats of Mercedes silver. The price? How does $89k sound? Click the main image for a gallery of both cars.

eBay Finds of the Day: 1964 Bill Thomas Cheetah continuation cars man up

When a news report begins with the line, “If you’ve ever wondered how many strippers you can fit on the hood of an official City of Denver vehicle,” you know it’s going to be good. The still above is taken from said news report.

It seems some Denver city works employees decided to take their workhorse machine out for a bath. At a car wash hosted by a local gentlemans club. Staffed by strippers.

Of course, the city took a dim view of the situation and is looking into disciplining the employees involved in the caper. We’d just like to offer a tip of the hat to the city workers, who no doubt had the best lunch break ever. Hop the jump to check out the video.

Continue reading Denver city workers in hot water for taking municipal truck to stripper car wash?

Denver city workers in hot water for taking municipal truck to stripper car wash?

What good is an automaker without an automobile? Bugatti is getting darn close to finding out, now that its solitary product – the all-conquering Veyron – is nearing the end of its production cycle. So what will the Alsatian marque do next?

Rumors have been circulating of a production four-door luxury super-sedan ever since Bugatti pulled the suede-lined tarp off the Galibier concept nearly two years ago. But company execs have remained pretty tight-lipped about it since then, leaving us all to speculate.

Now, however, the German car-mag of record Auto Motor und Sport claims to have Bugatti/Bentley chief Wolfgang Dürheimer on record confirming the Galibier’s production for sometime late next year.

The super-sedan is expected to use a version of the Veyron’s W16 engine, though it could be detuned to “only” 800 horsepower for more civilized motoring. Don’t expect the price to drop from the Veyron’s perch, however, with the tag still expected to top the million-euro mark. Even at those prices, however, Dürheimer reportedly expects to sell 1,000 to 1,500 examples of the Galibier (or whatever it might be called) – significantly more than the 300 Veyrons the company has built.

Bugatti to build 1,000+ Galibier sedans starting next year?

According to a new study by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, new Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards that mandate cars and light trucks average 54.5 mpg by 2025 will deprive federal highway projects of more than $65 billion in revenues.

That estimation is based on the fact that at-the-pump taxes levied on fuel are by law funneled to transportation projects. With mandatory CAFE fuel mileage increases, the amount of revenue collected from gas taxes will go down, which will cut into road revenues, the report says.

Of course, there are ways of circumventing that lost income, but all that will surely play out in the coming few years. In the meantime, click past the jump to see the report for yourself. Naturally, it’s worth noting that the ARTBA, based in Washington, DC, is a group that represents the interests of road and construction workers.

Continue reading New CAFE standards will result in $65B in lost revenue for road projects

New CAFE standards will result in $65B in lost revenue for road projects

Mark Arcenal is the man behind the Fatlace empire. He has a strong passion for sneakers, clothing, music and cars. Josh Clason and his Depth of Speed cameras paid Arcenal a visit at the Fatlace paddock in San Mateo, California to get a closer look at the man’s rides. They also got some insight into why he picked these particular automobiles.

Arcenal owns a classic Skyline and drift-ready Nissan 240SX, but it appears his true love may be his old Volkswagen van. Click past the jump for the latest Depth of Speed: Tale of Three Cars.

Continue reading Depth of Speed goes inside the mind of Fatlace’s Mark Arcenal

Depth of Speed goes inside the mind of Fatlace’s Mark Arcenal