Consumer Reports, bastions of a straightforward, no-frills automotive testing regime focused on the consumer, compares in its December 2010 issue the with the , both of which were completely redesigned within the last several months. Interestingly – and despite the fact that the has not yet had enough time to set a reliability score – the testers at CR have seen enough from the Grand Cherokee to vault it over its rival from , which scored too low to recommend.
The magazine praises the latest Jeep Grand Cherokee for its comfortable on-road ride and quiet interior while heaping discontent on the 4Runner in the exact same categories. When it comes to prowess off the beaten path, Toyota’s body-on-frame ‘ute regains some ground, though CR is quick to point out that the Jeep handles the rough stuff equally well when equipped with the right options, such as low-range gearing and the available Quadra-Drive II four-wheel-drive system with its height-adjustable suspension.
Also drawing ire from CR’s testers is the Toyota 4Runner’s interior with “leather seats [that] look like vinyl,” “cheap-looking plastics.” The 4Runner was also lacking some notable features one would expect at its $37,425 asking price. Want to read more from CR regarding its comparison of two classic sport utility vehicles? , or wait for the full report in the December 2010 issue.
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Photos copyright (C)2010 Zach Bowman and Chris Shunk / AOL
2010 Volvo XC60 – Click above for high-res image gallery
is recalling select models for an airbag assembly issue that could result in the safety device failing to deploy or deploy improperly. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the defective air bag “may not properly protect the occupant, increasing the risk of injuries.” All 58 vehicles (yes, just 58 vehicles) covered by the recall will need to head to the nearest Volvo dealer for a free inspection of the left and right curtain air bag assemblies.
In other Volvo-related recall news, the Swedish automaker is of model 760 and 765 navigation systems. The nav systems, which are installed by dealers on several Volvo products, are being recalled due to a potential defect that may cause some battery types to overheat. Keep in mind that the Garmin devices being recalled are not in any way linked to Volvo’s factory installed Road Traffic Information system. Hit the jump to read over the NHTSA press release.
Chris Burden’s Metropolis 2 – Click above to watch video
Like most normal Americans, thoughts of exactly what we’d do if we had all the money in the world and not a care to burden us occupy a fair portion of our mental capacity each day. Chances are that if we slept on a bed of Benjamins, our daylight hours would be spent crafting a mechanized achievement akin to the contraption in the video . In one fell swoop, the creators have combined two our true passions: diecast cars and convoluted, yet pointless machinery.
The diecast traffic jam is fittingly called “Metropolis 2,” and it was created by artist Chris Burden. Built using 1,500 Hot Wheels, the installation is headed to LACMA for a long-term loan in the near future. Art and toy fans alike can catch the mesmerizing miniature action at the museum soon. for a mesmerizing preview.
sent a last year indicating it wanted to challenge and . Aiming at those targets, it at the Paris Motor Show this year, unleashing the new , , , and showcars. Then came the name for the project, “,” and its tidings of a new era. Yet behind all the modern interpretive art, there are the simple nuts and bolts of getting a car company into a new place. Follow the jump to find out what we learned.
Jay Leno drives the Jaguar CX75 Concept – Click above to watch video
Here’s another feather for Jay Leno’s cap. The Tonight Show host can officially say that he is one of only a handful of drivers to have slipped their way behind the wheel of the amazing from this year’s Paris Motor Show. Penned by design guru Ian Callum, the supercar is as sexy as it is advanced. The vehicle gets its power from a quartet of electric motors that are good for 195 horsepower each. Throw in two small turbine engines for generating power and you’ve got one very unconventional extended-range hybrid.
The C-X75 was designed to celebrate the Leaping Cat’s diamond anniversary, and as such, the company pulled all the stops. With a design that pulls from the most successful points in Jaguar history, the car is nothing short of gorgeous. We’re not sure, but for the moment, you can to watch Leno take it all in – and don’t forget to watch for an appearance by Callum, too.
2011 Bugatti Veyron Super Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery
“It is not possible,” was the answer from Jens Schulenburg, vehicle engineering chief. He was answering the question as to whether a standard could be modified to be as fast as the . “It is like a domino effect,” he explained, “To get more horsepower, you need more cooling. To get more cooling, you need more airflow through more and bigger radiators. To accomplish this, you need to redesign the front end. When you do that, you change the aerodynamic balance of the car at speed. To rebalance the car, you need to change the roof and rear fascia.” Schulenburg could have kept going. For an hour.
We got the picture: The $2.58 million Super Sport is not a standard Veyron with a chip. Shame on you for even thinking that. Consider the Super Sport a Veyron 2.0 release; a significant re-engineering of the 1001-horsepower, sixteen-cylinder, quad-turbo, all-wheel-drive supercar.
But given the Veyron’s sales success – they’ve sold approximately 260 since the vehicle’s debut in 2005 – why go to all the trouble for a maximum of 40 cars? (Bugatti will cease Veyron coupe production at 300 units.) “Current Veyron owners wanted a more dynamic, exciting driving experience,” said Julius Kruta, Bugatti’s Head of Tradition. “Most of the orders booked for the Super Sport are from current Veyron owners. They asked us for a car that felt more extreme.” Is that even possible? We flew to Spain to find out.
Car and Driver has just released its annual list of top 10 vehicles for 2011. Populated by plenty of familiar faces like the , and , this year’s 10 Best won’t bring too many surprises to the table. The newcomers to the crowd won’t exactly raise any eyebrows, either. The , and (the did make it ) are all solid, common-sense picks in our eyes.
Of course, some of the old guard had to fall off to make room for the new metal, and as such, the , and are nowhere to be found.
It’s worth noting that the inclusion of the Chevy Volt marks the first time that an electric-powered car has ever made the cut, though it’s unlikely to be the last. Check out our gallery of the winners below, then to have a look at the full press release.
According to a report from The Detroit News, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into how quickly rental car companies repair vehicles affected by recalls. The process is simple for individual consumers – receive a recall notice, schedule an appointment with a dealership, bada-bing, bada-boom, fixed – but when it comes to the fleets of vehicles parked on rental lots, it’s a much larger ordeal.
The obvious answer, according to Sharon Faulkner, executive director of the American Car Rental Association, is, “You pull those cars and you park them.” Seems simple enough, but in speaking with The Detroit News, Faulkner cites that there is no law requiring rental car companies to fix vehicles before they are brought back into service. What’s more, by putting large amounts of vehicles out of service, rental companies can lose money by turning away customers due to low inventory numbers.
NHTSA says that its investigation will look into “recall remedy completion by rental car companies,” focusing on nearly three million vehicles from , and . This investigation covers 29 different models built between 2000 and 2010, and NHTSA says it chooses to focus on the American automakers because they make up a large percentage of rental fleets. Head over to The Detroit News to read .
Oprah gives away 2012 Volkswagen Beetle to audience – Click above to watch the video
After dominating the afternoon talk show circuit for 25 years, Oprah Winfrey is going out in style by giving each member of her studio audience keys to the as-yet-unseen . The promotion is part of Oprah’s Ultimate Favorite Things giveaway, in which audience members are lavished with pricey surprise gifts of all descriptions.
Jonathan Browning, President and CEO of of America, confirmed that Winfrey reached out to the German automaker about the giveaway, saying that as an owner of the current VW New Beetle, the icon has long been one of her Favorite Things. The show, which aired moments ago on ABC, saw Oprah making the surprise announcement in front of a silhouette of the forthcoming model, and a current model New Beetle was featured on stage. While Browning admits that Oprah has been given a sneak peek at the completed car, her 275 lucky audience members will be in the dark about their new rides look until VW reveals it at a date to be determined this Spring (read: it won’t be shown at the Detroit Auto Show in January). Audience members will receive their cars next Fall when VW’s Puebla, Mexico plant begins production.
While VW officials declined to talk in detail about the 2012 Beetle, Browning did confirm that the new model will feature technologies like Bluetooth integration and a touchscreen, along with branded audio systems and ambient lighting. More importantly, Browning insists that the new model will have a decidedly sportier bent than previous iterations. The 2012 Beetle will feature available performance-minded items like a stiffer suspension, sport seats, 19-inch wheels and dual exhausts.
This more sporting attitude is interesting, in part because VW officials have previously indicated that they hope to ‘degender’ the new model (the New Beetle’s image and ownership base has long skewed heavily female). Given this positioning, the decision to launch a major promotion with Oprah Winfrey may seem a bit curious, but VW knows that it will still need to woo the current New Beetle’s core audience in order for the 2012 model to be a success.
Autoblog was able to confirm that not only will VW’s TDI engines figure in to the model’s plans, clean diesel technology will even be available in the Cabriolet model, making it the first modern oil-burning convertible sold in the States. The company’s venerable 2.0-liter turbo gasoline engine will also be available, but there’s no word yet about a dedicated high-performance model or a possible hybrid variant.
This is not the first time Oprah has given away new cars as part of her Favorite Things show – she famously handed over the keys to 276 then-new Pontiac G6 sedans back in 2004 as part of a $7.7M promotion. Nor is it the first time that the talk show queen has worked with Volkswagen – last year she . to watch video of Oprah breaking the news to her studio audience.
Bill Cosby discusses his Shelby Super Snake – Click above to listen to audio
“Ladies and gentleman, I was idling… I was idling… the car had not moved, I had not put my foot on the gas pedal… and it was killing people…” – Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby and Carroll Shelby are friends. The builder of racecars once asked his comedian pal why he drove Ferraris and insisted that he switch to American built sports cars. Cosby took Shelby up on this offer and was soon the proud owner of a Shelby Cobra Super Snake. It’s claimed that the output on the Super Snake was 462 horsepower and 800 pound-feet of torque, which is probably a bit more than the lightweight racer actually needs.
Bill Cosby apparently agreed with this notion, as he turned the story of the Cobra into a skit named “200 MPH.” His description of the Super Snake’s delivery is hilarious. During an appearance on The Tonight Show in more recent years, Jay Leno prodded the Cos to tell the Cobra story for the audience as well. What ensued was an impromptu version of “200 MPH” that might actually be even funnier than the original routine. You can judge for yourself. Both are posted after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Luke!
The last time we heard from Automoblox was when company owner and designer, Patrick Calello, debuted an all-new type of his unique toy cars: hot rods. A great way to introduce a child to icons of automotive past, the hot rods are fun to play with (so says my two nephews) but to date have only available as Automoblox Minis. This Christmas, the company is offering all three hot rod styles as full-size Automoblox cars (The for $45, for $50 and – my favorite, above – for $50), as well as debuting a new ($120) that includes a full-size hot rod, pickup and trailer. And though you’ve probably seen Automoblox at more mainstream toy retailers this year, these full-size hot rods are available only at for the time being.
Based on my own experience, kids up to age 4 seem to always gravitate towards the Minis, while somewhere around 4 to 5 they switch over to full-size Automoblox vehicles. Keep that in mind if you’re considering Automoblox as a Christmas present for a young one in your family. If you’re shopping for an adult, also remember that while the full-size Automoblox are the most impressive, you can fit more Minis on a display shelf.
And because Patrick Calello is as big a fan of Autoblog as we are of his toys, we’ll also have some Automoblox to give away to readers in time for Christmas. Make sure you Like the now, as that’s where the giveaway will happen.
50 Cent loads his Murcielago down with cash – Click above to watch video
We’ve seen some pretty bizarre automotive trends on the web over the past few years, but this one, friends, takes the cake. Celebrities are suddenly no longer content to flash their wealth with expensive, ultra-rare cars. Nope. Now they have to stuff them with cash. Rapper 50 Cent is the latest to hop on this bandwagon by shoving stacks of cash into the nose of his Lamborghini Murcielago. We think that we can pretty fairly say that the hero of the film after the jump has successfully gotten rich without dying while trying.
There are plenty of important rules when it comes to attending a track day, but one of the most easily overlooked and simultaneously important is, “Thou shalt not speed to or from the facility.” Aside from all of that moralistic stuff about putting the public in danger, exceeding the posted limit also does a number on the reputation of whatever track you’re headed to. After all, it’s a rare community that actually the embraces the sound of engines revving and tires squealing at 7:00 a.m. on the weekend; most tracks don’t need any “help” in the bad PR department.
Apparently the members of missed the memo. A slew of drivers from that site recently participated in a charity event where they could pay $100 for a lead-follow lap at the famous (and exclusive) Monticello Motor Club. An extra Benji would allow for a quicker lap, and those who’d been on track before could buy additional track time.
Unfortunately, around 100 of the participants were busted doing well over 100 mph on their way to the track. Local law enforcement was not amused, handing out tickets by the fistful for everything from speeding to improper equipment in a bid to get drivers piloting everything from and to to cool their heels.
Do us all a favor. If you like your local track, keep it legal on the surrounding streets, or the place might not be open for business next year. Thanks for the tip, Monroe!
Cars have earned hero status in a wide variety of TV and film roles through the years. It’s rare, however, that the main ride is a van (notable exceptions include B.A.’s van in the A-Team and the Scooby-Doo kids’ Mystery Machine.) Artist Brandon Ortwein prefers to imagine a different entertainment history as he asks the important question, “Would it have been cooler as a van?”
Ortwein answers that question through his artwork at his website and online store, , where you can buy prints of some of entertainment’s most famous cars, only re-imagined as vans! Everything ranging from the Wagon Queen Family Truckster, to Thomas the Tank Engine, to Doc’s DeLorean, and even Pee-Wee’s bike undergo the transformation.
Head on over to Brandon Ortwein’s store for a closer look at his vision of a van-filled world. We’re particularly fond of the .
GTRI CUSTD Project – Click above for high-res image gallery
By now, cars that drive themselves have become old news. Every time we turn around there’s another organization out to with a driverless van or tackle one of the world’s most demanding hill climb events with an . It just never ends. But the guys and gals at Georgia Tech Research Institute have taken things one step further with its Collaborative Unmanned Systems Technology Demonstrator. During a demonstration for the US Army, the school effectively demonstrated how vastly different robotic vehicles could work together. You know, to get us coffee, take over the world or whatever.
As a part of the 2010 Robotic Rodeo, GTRI used two unmanned aerial vehicles to work in coordination with a roboticized . Once airborne, the two RC planes take over everything from navigation and target location.
So what can all this tech do? GTRI says that in one instance, one of the UAVs can locate a target and radio the location back to the UGV, or unmanned ground vehicle, which then navigates around buildings and obstacles to the location. Meanwhile, the second UAV can continue to use its sensors to evaluate the surroundings. Welcome to the new world.
Lately, we’ve been hearing a lot about ’s plans to expand its model line with more niche models like the and . We’ve heard talks of a new crossover, a and even a . It’s all a bit maddening, yes, but never fear – BMW has not forgotten about its core models, especially the all-important sedan. After all, the four-door 3er is quite possibly the most important benchmark vehicle in the automotive marketplace. We do talk about it quite a bit.
Our sneaky spy photographers have just snapped this 3 Series prototype out testing on public roads, and while the exterior hasn’t been altered too much from , our photogs managed to snap the 3er’s reworked interior for the first time. Breathe easy, folks – it isn’t too far removed from what we’ve come to know in the current E90 car. The dash has more sculpted lines, the steering wheel is beefier and has some more functional buttons and the center console features BMW’s new remote-sized shifter.
We’re still unsure as to what BMW has lurking under the hood, but we can expect the usual host of six-cylinder powertrains, both turbocharged and naturally aspirated. Of course, there’s always the possibility of a four-cylinder option, too. Until we get the official word, we’ll hug our current E90s and wait patiently. See the latest set of spy shots for yourself in the gallery below.
2011Nissan Leaf – Click above for high-res image gallery
may have underestimated the demand for its all-electric . The company had originally planned to supply its dealers with two demo cars each, but with buyers essentially beating down doors to be among the first to hop behind the wheel, Nissan has decided to cut that number by half in order to free up supplies. That may mean as many as 1,000 additional Leaf EVs will be in stock when the car goes on sale in December. Nissan USA has only been given a total of 20,000 Leaf vehicles for sale on our shores in 2011, and the company hit that many reservations months ago.
Why so few? The real hang up is having enough batteries to go around. While Nissan is working closely with its supplier in Japan, the company is also building a new battery facility in Smyrna, Tennessee that should help crank out 200,000 battery packs per year when it goes online in 2012. At that point, Nissan says that it should be able to produce somewhere around 150,000 Leaf units per year.
Mercedes-Benz B-Class – Click above for high-res image gallery
According to the crew at Inside Line, AMG may be looking into working its magic on a model below the current . While speaking at this year’s LA Auto Show, Ola Kaellenius, the head honcho of the go-fast division, said that while there isn’t much of a case for AMG-tweaked versions of the A- and B-Class right now, that may change in the next three to four years. That means that Mercedes-Benz would have to give the go-ahead on a much smaller high-performance engine than AMG’s current go-to 5.5-liter forced-induction V8, though Inside Line says that AMG has been working in that area already.
This is our excited face.
In addition to the good news about brawnier baby Benz models, Kaellenius also said that his brand will pursue reducing weight before sliding hybrid drivetrains into its products. That means that AMG is safe from dreaded battery packs – for now. Likewise, we can keep our ears pinned for news of two new Black Series cars sooner rather than later.
