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Despite the occasional buggy-on-car accident, most Amish remain totally opposed to modern safety equipment like headlights, taillights, brakes, seatbelts or even, in Kentucky at least, orange safety triangles.

According to the Detroit Free Press, the ubiquitous neon-orange triangles seen on everything from wide loads to cement mixers are apparently too high-tech for Amish horse-drawn buggies. First, the objectors say the orange is way too bright and clashes with their buggies’ blacked-out color scheme. Second, the Amish say the three-sided shape can represent the Holy Trinity and shouldn’t be used for something as worldly as a cheap, plastic warning device.

One Amish man recently spent 13 days in a county jail after refusing to pay a fine for not having the triangle on his buggy. The American Civil Liberties Union has stepped in to defend the man in Kentucky Supreme Court on religious grounds. The Amish hope the court will vacate the charges and open up a dialogue into less-offensive alternatives to the offending placards.

Some Amish upset over buggy safety triangles

Audi may be looking to fill the void between the A4 Avant and Q5 with a new model, according to Automobile. The company hasn’t nailed down a name just yet, but reports suggest the vehicle will be a crossover version built on the underpinnings of the A4. That means a taller ride height, more commanding seating position and room in the rear for additional cargo. Specifically, the German automaker is aiming for the deep pockets of households with two incomes and no children as well as retirees with some extra cash to blow.

The company may call the creation the A4 Superavant or A4 Avantissimo, but no decision has been made just yet. Either way, Audi probably doesn’t want the crossover to resemble a minivan. Just ask Mercedes-Benz how well that works out.

Designers are reportedly paying special attention to elements like the rear overhang, total vehicle height and the proportion of glass to sheetmetal to keep that image at bay. There’s even some word that the vehicle will arrive with a plug-in hybrid variant, complete with the same 226-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a 35-horsepower electric motor snugged into the transmission.

Either way, we can expect the genre-straddling model to do battle with BMW’s forthcoming 3 Series Gran Turismo, which will hopefully look – and sell – nothing like the larger 5 Series Gran Turismo. Style it with the same grace and sense of proportion that marks out the A7 and nobody gets hurt, ‘k?

Audi at work on A4 Superavant?

No, this is not the screenplay for The Hangover Part III. But this story does demonstrate how brilliant ideas conceived at the bar with your buddies have a tendency to snowball out of control. In this case, a single, flippant thought (How high can a taxi meter go?), one that might have been resolved by Googling, led to a 50,000-mile excursion in an eBay Motors-sourced, $2,000 car.

The story, as told by The Wall Street Journal, is an adventure tale of epic proportions, starring three 20-somethings from Great Britain. They left the U.K. over a year ago on a drive around the world, armed only with a 1992 London Black Cab and the desire to set the world record for the longest taxi ride. Their journey has taken them to the Middle East in time for the Arab Spring, up to the Arctic Circle, and as high as a Mount Everest base camp.

The Journal caught up with the trio in New York City after a 12-state tour of the U.S., where one of the British buddies saw fit to comment on our national obsession with the cost of gasoline. “Americans don’t know how good they have it,” he told the reporter, after recounting how he paid $12/gallon for fuel in Turkey.

As the friends have driven their cab, dubbed “Hannah,” around the world, they’ve been having quite a laugh, but they’ve also been raising money for the British Red Cross, in the form of corporate sponsorships, according to the report.

Click past the jump to see a video interview with the intrepid travelers, and don’t forget to check in on the trio’s progress via their blog, ItsOnTheMeter.com.

Continue reading How a few college buddies racked up $100,000 cab ride [w/video]

How a few college buddies racked up $100,000 cab ride [w/video]

News of an impending automotive debut, especially one as big as the next Chevrolet Impala, generally come straight from the mouths of the automakers. Interesting, then, that the New York Auto Show’s Facebook page is the first bit of confirmation we’ve seen that the 2014 Impala will be making its worldwide debut in The Big Apple.

All we have to go along with that confirmation is the teaser image you see above (click on the pic to enlarge), so we can’t glean too many details just yet. We can see a Hofmeister-esque kink in the C-pillar, strongly accented in chrome trim, along with the well-known leaping impala emblem.

Past that, recent spy photos have revealed that the front-wheel-drive Impala will boast plenty of passenger room from its Epsilon-II architecture, the same guts that underpin the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu and Cadillac XTS. We’re also expecting GM’s well-regarded 3.6-liter V6 underhood, along with a possible turbocharged four and e-Assist hybrid setup.

This news comes on the heels of last week’s announcement by General Motors that it plans to replace the Impala in its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series effort with a new nameplate that will also see a production model offshoot, leading to renewed speculation that the automaker will not only sell a new full-size Impala, but potentially a large rear-wheel drive sedan to offer as well, possibly based on the company’s Zeta platform that underpins the Holden Commodore and recently introduced Chevrolet Caprice PPV law enforcement special.

The 2012 New York Auto Show is slated to kick off on April 4, but in the meantime, feel free to go over the teaser above with a fine-toothed comb, and stay tuned for any more details we find ahead of its debut.

UPDATE: GM has confirmed the Impala with the issuance of a press release and official image. In addition, it has confirmed that a revamped 2013 Traverse crossover will also bow in New York. The Traverse will be available with GM’s new front, center-mount airbag first revealed in the updated Buick Enclave, the Traverse’s twin. See the official release after the jump and note the addition of a Traverse interior image above.

Continue reading New York Auto Show confirms 2014 Chevy Impala debut via Facebook [UPDATE]

New York Auto Show confirms 2014 Chevy Impala debut via Facebook [UPDATE]

The Citroën DS6 Concept may have slipped out ahead of the showcar’s planned debut later this year. What is believed to be the big DS was seen lounging on the streets of Paris during a recent photo shoot, and while initial photos like the one above show the car covered by a well-placed cloth, new shots from L’Automobile have come out that show the concept in its entirety. The massive alloys shown above look to be the same as the ones we’ve already seen poking through the lens-flare-riddled teasers. Details are still scarce about what the DS Concept will bring to the stage in terms of drivetrain, but the French automaker has made it clear it has its eye on creating a new, large cruiser aimed squarely at the large-sedan hungry Chinese market.

Citroën is likely to unveil the DS6 Concept at the Paris Motor Show in September, and may borrow more than a few elements from the Citroën Metropolis Concept built just for the Shanghai World Fair. While the exterior elements may vary considerably, both vehicles are expected to carry approximately the same dimensions. That means the DS6 may be over 17 feet long and more than six feet wide.

For more shots of the car uncovered, head over to L’Automobile.

Citroën DS6 concept spotted on Parisian streets ahead of reveal?

Audi has resurrected its Twitter campaign to put lucky fans behind the wheel of an R8 for a day. The program generated a massive amount of attention last year, spurring the company to bring it back for Round Two. It all got started when Joanne McCoy tweeted using the hashtag #WantAnR8 in early 2011. Audi showed up at her Washington, D.C. home with a brand-new mid-engined sports car for the day, and the company went on to share the love. So far, the hashtag has been used over 75,000 times since its inception, but that number is expected to skyrocket.

The new contest is available for entry until October 29. For 2012, Audi is splitting the campaign into four entry periods, with two winners from each period. That means there will be a total of eight winners this go around. Those who take the top prize will have the choice of either driving the R8 on a track at the company’s Audi Sportscar Experience in Sonoma, CA or have the car delivered to their house. Tough call.

Audi has released a new commercial to announce the return of the campaign. Click past the jump for a look see.

Continue reading Audi’s #WantAnR8 Twitter ad campaign returns

Audi’s #WantAnR8 Twitter ad campaign returns

We have fairly modest dreams when it comes to ferrying our remains to our final resting place. After all, it can’t cost that much to rent the The Oscar Meyer Wienermobile for a few hours. Should you have slightly more expensive tastes, there’s always this Rolls-Royce Phantom Hearse. The specialty vehicle is set to be unveiled at the Tan Expo funeral home show in Bologna, Italy. With 23 feet of length from stem to stern, this Phantom is longer than even the long-wheelbase version of the sedan. Interestingly enough, designers retained the rear doors for additional live passengers while incorporating a large rear cargo area for the dearly departed.

According to builder Biemme Special Cars, the vehicle’s tail is constructed entirely of aluminum using over 600 bits and pieces. The same 6.75-liter V12 engine found in the standard Phantom, which means your earthly remains will get to graveside with the help of 453 horsepower.

How much will it cost? Biemme hasn’t handed out a specific figure just yet beyond saying the vehicle will likely fetch more than €500,000. That’s $663,950 at current conversion rates.

Rolls-Royce Phantom hearse is a classy, costly way to go

We can’t quite explain why we’re so drawn pre-production test mules. Maybe we just like the thought of seeing a vehicle as it grows from concept to reality or being able to take a peak into the engineering behind a car that will hit production soon. Either way, videos like the one after the jump flip all the right switches for us. Like Wired, EVO recently got the chance to ride along in an early version of the 2013 Porsche 918 Spyder. With two electric motors and kicking V8, the car is good for a dizzying 770 horsepower combined.

EVO gives us our closest look yet at the vehicle’s driveline, including the 80-kW electric motor in the front and the 90-kW motor in the rear. Interestingly, as Evo points out, the 918 can be powered purely on the front-mounted electric motor that drives the front wheels. That’s right, this is the first production front-wheel drive Porsche, even if it’s only likely to operate as such a sliver of the time. Even with all the technological whizzbangery on board, the 918 still sounds like a true Porsche when the 570 horsepower V8 barks to life. Porsche has worked to keep as much of the vehicle’s weight below the center line as possible, and as a result, the engineers had to resort to some cleverness when it comes to exhaust routing and the like. Hit the jump to see what we mean.

Continue reading Watch and hear a Porsche 918 Spyder running chassis with Evo

Watch and hear a Porsche 918 Spyder running chassis with Evo

We Bond With Gaydon’s Gorgeous Tweener

“You need to get in touch with Steven Ewing right away,” said the instant message. It was from Autoblog editor-in-chief John Neff, and since fleet manager Ewing was online, I pinged him. “Hey, are you available to grab an Aston Martin Virage for the weekend?” he asked. “There’s one in New York.”

Before answering, a flurry of thoughts raced through my head. Did I have plans this weekend? How much would I really get to drive the car? I don’t usually go into the city on Fridays. Should I make the exception? Then I looked out my window, saw the Nissan Versa I was scheduled to drive that very same weekend and banged out a brief reply.

“Yeah, Steve. I can do that.”

Continue reading 2012 Aston Martin Virage

2012 Aston Martin Virage

Honda has announced it will debut a concept version of the 2013 Crosstour at the New York Auto Show next month. Details are scarce at the moment, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the vehicle turns out to be a thinly veiled look at the next version of the funky crossover. Honda has a long and storied history of rolling out concepts with more than a passing resemblance to its production models. Given that the Crosstour has only been on the market for a couple of years, we aren’t anticipating an all-new model, or perhaps even a heavy redesign.

Back in December, Honda President and CEO Tetsuo Iwamura told Autoblog that he was “really disappointed” with sales of the Crosstour, which he maintained has “very beautiful styling.” Even so, Iwamura acknowledged that Honda would further refine the vehicle’s styling and performance. As to the latter, Honda now offers buyers the ability to outfit their Crosstour with a more fuel-efficient four-cylinder. The move was largely thought to be in response to the fact that competitors like the Toyota Venza are available with four-pot motivation.

Still, all the engine options in the world won’t save the Crosstour from its inherent design issues. Specifically, the Crosstour offers compromised rear visibility and cargo area, not to mention its highly controversial appearance. Will the concept headed to New York address those ails? We certainly hope so. Hit the jump for the brief press release.

Continue reading Honda to reveal Crosstour concept in New York

Honda to reveal Crosstour concept in New York

Honda has announced it will debut a concept version of the 2013 Crosstour at the New York Auto Show next month. Details are scarce at the moment, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the vehicle turns out to be a thinly veiled look at the next version of the funky crossover. Honda has a long and storied history of rolling out concepts with more than a passing resemblance to its production models. Given that the Crosstour has only been on the market for a couple of years, we aren’t anticipating an all-new model, or perhaps even a heavy redesign.

Back in December, Honda President and CEO Tetsuo Iwamura told Autoblog that he was “really disappointed” with sales of the Crosstour, which he maintained has “very beautiful styling.” Even so, Iwamura acknowledged that Honda would further refine the vehicle’s styling and performance. As to the latter, Honda now offers buyers the ability to outfit their Crosstour with a more fuel-efficient four-cylinder. The move was largely thought to be in response to the fact that competitors like the Toyota Venza are available with four-pot motivation.

Still, all the engine options in the world won’t save the Crosstour from its inherent design issues. Specifically, the Crosstour offers compromised rear visibility and cargo area, not to mention its highly controversial appearance. Will the concept headed to New York address those ails? We certainly hope so. Hit the jump for the brief press release.

Continue reading Honda to reveal Crosstour concept in New York

Honda to reveal Crosstour concept in New York

A Twitter user with the handle miami4me2c discovered something interesting at a Toyota dealer in Miami and thankfully shared pictures of this unusual Prius C Two window sticker. Remember, the base Prius C starts at just $18,950, and the upgraded Two trim normally starts at $19,900. With the options that dealer Al Hendrickson has added to the car, it should cost $20,839, but then someone at the dealer added a “Market Value Adjustment,” which comes in at an astonishing $6,995. Total cost for the “cheap” Prius at this particular dealer? $27,834. We agree with what you just thought: that’s completely absurd.

Or is it? We called Al Hendrickson Toyota with some questions for the general manager – why so much? and are people still interested at this price? – but were asked to leave a message and have not yet heard back. But think about it. This is one of the most popular high-efficiency vehicles in the U.S. right now, selling 1,200 units in the first three days it was on sale, and Toyota is increasing production to meet demand (both here and in Japan).

We admit that the market values this car, but does it do so enough to tack on an extra 33 percent? We doubt it – especially when you can get a regular Prius Liftback or Prius V for around that much – but maybe someone down in Florida thinks so. Either way, Toyota representatives wouldn’t comment and we know that dealers are independent and don’t have to follow the MSRP. Still, $7,000 extra? C’mon, man.

Miami Toyota dealer tacks $7,000 onto price of Prius C

While China is still the big dog when it comes to growth markets for automakers, Iraq looks to be heating up. As the country slowly stabilizes, the country’s 30 million citizens find themselves with a growing income and a need for more reliable transportation.

But, according to Automotive News, the biggest factor in the resurgence of Iraqi car-buying is a decrease in violence by insurgents. Last year only (?!) about 1,500 Iraqis were killed by roadside bombs, snipers or other violence. That’s compared to more than 34,000 in 2006. As you might imagine, safer streets lead to much greater satisfaction derived from Sunday drives.

Ready to cash in on the auto-buying-boom are Volkswagen, Ford and GM. All three see huge potential in a country still driving thousands of VW Passats procured via an oil trade with Brazil in the 1980s.

Apparently, one popular car in Iraq is the Dodge Charger – nicknamed “Obama” by Iraqis. Then again, the LA Times said last year that the Chrysler 300 was known as “the Obama,” so maybe the term goes for any large American sedan.

Iraq could become next major car market

Nearly two weeks ago, we reported news of a “quality assessment” issue with the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 that was holding up deliveries and further production. We checked in with Chevrolet spokesman Monte Doran today to get some clarification on where things stand with the 580-horsepower coupe after being alerted by a reader that Camaro5 forum members with the car on order are growing increasingly frustrated with the delay, seemingly unable to get a clear status update on the fate of their vehicles.

General Motors is declining to say what the nature of the problem is, but Doran says the automaker is confident they are close to a fix that will enable deliveries “in the weeks, not months.”

Doran estimates that GM has built “a couple of hundred” 2012 ZL1 models, but only one was delivered to a customer, and that example was handed over due to a dealer error and subsequently reclaimed pending the update. Any ZL1s that were delivered to dealers are back at Chevrolet’s Oshawa, Ontario plant awaiting the fix.

Given that the ZL1 was to launch in spring, the high-performance coupe was already looking at an unusually short model year. This stoppage could mean that the 2012 model year run will be even shorter. Doran says GM hopes and expects that when production does resume that it will do so with 2012 models, but he admits that depending on timing, it’s possible that Oshawa could transition directly to 2013 model year builds. Either way, contrary to rumors, ZL1 models already built will be delivered as 2012 models. Doran also indicates that GM has instructed its dealers to not accept further orders for 2012 models at this time.

GM acknowledges that this is an unfortunate situation – particularly because the ZL1 is a hotly anticipated model where some eager customers have had their deposits in for six months or more – but Doran says Chevy wants to focus on “getting the car right” so that customers are satisfied in the end.

While the delay is no doubt frustrating for those who have been waiting months for their cars, we couldn’t help but wonder aloud to Doran if the very abbreviated 2012 model year production may result in their increased collectability down the road. He paused and replied, “You’re not the first person to suggest that.”

Chevy Camaro ZL1 production delay could mean very limited 2012 model year

Remember that new 36-mpg 2012 BMW 3 Series we were so excited about, the 328i that got better fuel economy in EPA testing than even the old 335d diesel model? Well, those early estimates haven’t held up.

BMW has confirmed to Autoblog that the EPA has issued revised numbers for the eight-speed automatic-equipped F30 328i, with highway fuel economy taking a 3-mile-per-gallon hit to 33 mpg and the city number dropping by a single digit to 23 mpg. BMW is investigating the discrepancy but says the 2012 figure will stay at 33. Spokesman Tom Plucinsky: “Unfortunately, there is no provision in the EPA rules for a re-test this year. Therefore regardless of the results of our investigation, the new rating will stand for this model year.”

Though BMW says its testing showed the car capable of 36 mpg on the highway, the EPA decided to validate BMW’s numbers and came away with different results. As we type this, the government’s fueleconomy.gov website has not yet been updated, though BMW’s consumer website reflects the new numbers. According to Plucinsky, buyers of the six-speed manual 328i can expect to see a 34 mpg highway figure on their window sticker, which fueleconomy.gov corroborates at 23/34.

What’s surprising about this situation is that when we test drove the new 3 Series last fall, BMW told our Matt Davis it was estimating only 32 mpg highway. Plucinsky suggests that perhaps the 32-mpg figure was an “early estimate was based on the previous version of the 328i.”

While the efficiency hit is disappointing, even with the downgrade to 33-to-34 miles per gallon, the 3 Series’ fuel economy figures are still class-leading, besting competitors including the Acura TL and TSX, Audi A4, Cadillac CTS, Infiniti G, Lexus IS and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

With all of that said, we can’t help but wonder if this development will add fuel to the fire of those who have been clamoring for the EPA to “retest” the fuel economy of vehicles in the wake of owner complaints?

Click past the jump to read BMW’s email explanation to us in full.

Continue reading BMW forced to lower 2012 3 Series automatic fuel economy to 33 mpg

BMW forced to lower 2012 3 Series automatic fuel economy to 33 mpg

When we caught sight of this heavily-cloaked GL-Class last summer, we thought Mercedes-Benz was just refreshing its big SUV with a cosmetic facelift and maybe a new engine. New reports seem to indicate that Mercedes-Benz may be launching an all-new, second-generation GL for 2013, however.

According to Car and Driver, the new GL will be based on the M-Class. A diesel V6 is said to be in the mix, along with the twin-turbo, 402-horsepower 4.6-liter V8 also found in the ML550. The new model will debut at the New York Auto Show in April, and should hit dealers later in the year.

Mercedes-Benz to bring next-gen GL-Class to New York

Anyone who has ever set up a Hot Wheels track knows that there is no more awesome an automotive stunt than the loop-the-loop. While some would argue that a good old fashioned Duke Boys jump takes the prize, we feel that the case for driving upside down is just irrefutable. That there are apparently people actively setting new world records for driving around loop-the-loops only makes us more convinced.

A new Guinness World Record for circling the largest loop-the-loop was set just a few months ago by Li Yatao, who drove a Youngman Lotus L5 around a loop with a diameter of 42 feet, 2.69 inches. The car appears to have had both front and rear bumpers removed to improve ground clearance during the run, and of course, a full roll cage was fitted. Yatao is a driver on a Youngman factory team – yes, that Youngman, the would-be suitor for Saab.

Go ahead and watch this amazing video for yourself, after the jump.

Continue reading Watch Chinese driver nail world’s largest loop-the-loop

Watch Chinese driver nail world’s largest loop-the-loop

This week, our sister site Translogic heads off to Paris to check out the Vélib’ bike-sharing and Autolib’ electric-vehicle sharing programs.

Vélib’ boasts 20,000 bikes and 1,800 stations throughout the city, where anyone with a credit card can check out a bike on the fly. More exciting is the EV-sharing program, which uses Pininfarina-built Bollore Blue Cars that are available to subscribers for rental at rates ranging between €9 (around $12 USD) and €16 per hour (@ $21). The program was launched in December 2011, with 250 cars and 250 stations, and though it has faced some problems, the number of cars is expected to increase to 3,000 by next year.

Click past the jump to watch the full episode.

Continue reading Translogic tackles how Parisians share transportation

Translogic tackles how Parisians share transportation

When we last asked Toyota representatives about the production capacity of the 2012 Prius C, we were told the company’s Iwate, Japan plant could make up to 30,000 units each month. That sounds like a lot, but Toyota is currently sending just 20 percent – 6,000 a month – to the United States.

Back in December, when the car went on sale in Japan, the company received 120,000 orders in the first five days it was on sale. As we noted last week, Toyota also sold 1,200 Prius C units in the first three days it was on sale in the States. The baby Prius may not be as popular here as it is at home, but 6,000 a month sure doesn’t seem like it’s enough.

The C is made at just one plant, run by Toyota’s Kanto Auto Works Ltd. affiliate in northern Japan. A strong yen and all those Japanese orders means that the C models that do get made are mostly delivered to the home country instead of be placed on a boat to be exported. Toyota originally planned to produce just 20,000 C models a month, and is now looking at how to go over even the 30,000-unit level.

By increasing efficiencies at the plant and moving production of non-Prius C models (specifically, the not-available-in-the-U.S. Toyota Ractis) from Iwate to other plants, the unspecified increase should be in place by the middle of 2012. Thus far, there is no official talk about making the C at other plants.

Toyota increasing Prius C production to meet high demand at home and abroad

Put your money away, people. Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo has told a German newspaper his company will not be going public anytime soon, saying, “No, there is nothing on the agenda,” according to Automotive News Europe. According to the executive, Ferrari parent company Fiat doesn’t need the cash that would be generated by an IPO, and that while he can’t know what will happen in the far-off future, right now the automaker will continue with business as usual.

Rumor of a Ferrari IPO first hit the internet back in September after sources told Reuters that Fiat had been approached by multiple investment banks offering to list the exotic Italian supercar manufacturer on the Hong Kong stock exchange.

This isn’t the first time word of a Ferrari IPO has hit the web. Long before Fiat bought Chrysler, rumors whipped around over the possibility of an outright sale or a public offering to drum up cash. Then, a little over a year ago, Montezemolo outright denied the plans all together after the dust settled.

Montezemolo shoots down Ferrari IPO rumors