2011 Mini Countryman – Click above for high-res image gallery
The 2011 has been declared a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, after receiving a ‘good’ rating in front, side, rear and rollover tests. IIHS also cited the Countryman’s standard electronic stability control as a deciding factor in giving it the nod.
The Mini Countryman sports driver and passenger front air bags, side curtain air bags and seat-mounted torso air bags. There’s also an airbag in the lower dashboard on the passenger side to help prevent knee injuries in head-on impacts.
In the side impact test, IIHS again determined that the risk of injury to the driver was low, but that the passenger risked a fractured femur. Despite that, risk to the rest of the body was low.
Motus has officially unveiled the company’s first products at Pratt & Miller’s Michigan facility. The venue was chosen because of Pratt & Miller’s role in engineering the bike’s frame. Not interesting enough for you? Eyeball the bike’s heart, then: a V4, scale version of the pushrod V8 that powers the Corvette Racing C6.R.
Motus says that the engine is good for 160 horsepower and an unknown amount of torque, at least for the moment. That figure is good 20 horsepower more than what Motus originally anticipated out of the design, so a proportionate jump in twist isn’t necessarily out of the question. Thanks to its design, the Motus V4 weighs just 130 pounds and measures 18 inches across at its widest point. We could think of all sorts of unseemly uses for such a contraption.
According to Hell for Leather, the MST-01 and MST-R are designed to be a counterpoint to the traditional American-designed motorcycle, offering plenty of comfort and a well-sorted suspension wrapped up in a 500-pound package. for a closer look, as well as a video of the bikes’ unveil.
World’s fastest Dodge Caravan – Click above to watch the video
That’s right, the world’s fastest is being hawked to focus on other projects, and the seller has set a reasonable $6,500 selling price for the rolling novelty. The van started life in 1989, hauling the Joneses to soccer practice and Walmart. When current owner Ryan got ahold of it, though, its m.o. changed dramatically.
The minivan’s engine and transmission were treated to thorough performance rebuilds, and the Chrysler four-pot got some much-needed oomph via a turbo. All that work yielded a stock-looking Dodge Caravan that’s good for 11.5 seconds at 115 mph in the quarter mile, if you’re brave enough.
You can see the original listing for the van . to see a video of this family hauler turned dragstrip nightmare.
Automotive News is reporting that will turn to its global team of designers for the look of the next . Styling themes will be served up from studios in Australia and Europe as well as other places around the world. Ford says that the practice is now standard operating procedure for most of the automaker’s new products, and that the global design approach was taken on board three years ago. J Mays, the company’s global design chief, and the rest of the vehicle’s design team will then select amongst the proposals for the design that best fits the next-generation Pony Car.
In the past, the company’s U.S. design studio was solely responsible for the vehicle’s image, but Ford has seen plenty of success from soliciting ideas from all over the world. The design of the global , for example, was submitted by artists in Australia with pointers from the company’s designers in Europe.
Right now, Ford is keeping its lips sealed about when we can expect to see the next-gen Mustang touch down, though Automotive News reports that there’s some indication that the vehicle may be as far off as 2014 or 2015.
After the clip unveiled for the next-generation , we’ve been itching to get a better look at the machine. Fortunately for Bimmer-addicts everywhere, the automaker has been so kind as to serve up a lengthier video of the new menace frolicking through the snow. BMW President Kay Segler is even on hand to introduce the super sedan, as well as his company’s new initiative to get fans of his brand to submit their M5-inspired stories. We gather that the tales will be collected for a marketing stunt when the vehicle gets an official unveil.
As you may recall, word has it that BMW has parted ways with the luscious V10 of old in favor of a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 that kicks out a raucous 560 horsepower and 530 pound-feet of torque. All of that muscle gets dumped on the rear wheels.
Rumors have dusted up that the big 10-pot isn’t the only bit of tech to get left behind with the new generation change. Buyers may not be able to get their hands on a manual transmission with the new M5 debuts, either. to check out the clip.
2013 Ford Escape Spy Shots – Click above for high-res image gallery
We may not know whether will stick with the name when the vehicle’s successor comes along in 2012 as a 2013 model, but thanks to the quick shutters of our crack team of spy photographers, we now have a vague idea of what the machine will look like. Peek beneath all of that camouflage and you’re likely to see a vehicle that borrows nearly all of its proportions from the recently-unveiled Vertrek Concept. That boxy aft-end appears to be nothing but floppy camouflage designed to hide the vehicle’s arching rear hatch.
The Escape successor is slated to ride on the Blue Oval’s global C1 platform – the same bones that make up the , C-Max and , among other future products. There’s word that Ford will banish the V6 in favor of an Ecoboost 2.0-liter engine at the top of the line. At this point, it’s unclear whether that four-pot will be a 1.6-liter or a larger 2.0-liter mill. Lower rung trims will likely still pack a 2.5-liter four-cylinder lump.
The list of finalists for World Car of the Year has been whittled down from 39 entries to just three, and the finalists were announced yesterday at a press conference hosted by Bridgestone at the Geneva Motor Show.
The finalists for overall Car of the Year are the , the and the . The performance category is occupied by the the Ferrari 458 Italia, the and the .
Representing the green catergory are the Nissan Leaf, and the EfficientDynamics Edition. The green car of the year will be decided by votes from three of the world’s top green technology experts.
The final category in the World Car of the Year competition is design. In that category is the , Alfa Romeo Giulietta and the Ferrari 458 Italia.
The winner of the World Car of the Year award has to represent some aspects of each category in the competition and will be decided, along with the winners in from the other categories, at the New York Auto Show on April 21.
2011 AC Schnitzer 99d – Click above for high-res image gallery
AC Schnitzer has showed up at the Geneva Motor Show with not one, but two fresh-off-the-press upgrade packages for 2011.
Not wanting to look completely unfriendly to Mother Earth, AC Schnitzer has taken their expertise to the and BMW’s EfficientDynamics system, working over a 320d mill to go under the Z4’s hood. The 2011 AC Schnitzer 99d gets a 70-hp boost to 190, hits 60 in 6.9 seconds, releases a scant 99g of C02 per mile and returns a handsome 63 mpg in the European cycle. That, according to Schnitzer, is better than any BMW on the market. Unfortunately, the 99d is just a concept, and won’t be available to the public any time soon.
For the family minded executives attending the show, AC Schnitzer started with the , bumping the car from 407 to 540 horsepower. According to Schnitzer, the result is a 4.5-second 0-60 sprint and a whopping 198 mph top end. The engine exhales through a new set of the tuner’s own mufflers capped with chrome surrounds. The resulting executive express has been dubbed the ACS5 Sport S.
Hauling all that energy to a stop is a revised set of brakes sporting eight-piston calipers. Outside, Schnitzer went all-out to ensure that the car would be stable at its newfound velocity. The laundry list of exterior mods includes a front spoiler, carbon ducts for the brakes, new engine bay vents and, of course, your choice of 20 or 21-inch AC Schnitzer custom wheels.
Check out the official videos and press releases .
There’s no easy way to say this, America: You’re getting fatter and older every year. Over a quarter of the population is obese, and the rate of obesity increases 0.5 percent each year. The amount of folks aged 65 and up currently stands at 40 million, but that number will increase to nearly 90 million by 2050. What does any of this have to do with automobiles? A lot – if you’re a safety engineer.
The systems that help keep us safe during a crash will need to be redesigned to cope with our ever-increasing mass and aging bodies. Seatbelts and airbags are being developed that can work with the larger, older occupants of future vehicles. Adaptive airbags and load-limited seatbelts will better conform to the person sitting in the seat.
As we travel down the road to our Wall-E style future, it’s comforting to know that today’s engineers are working to protect tomorrow’s driving population. The solution to our weight problem is, of course, to battle the ever-expanding waistlines found throughout our nation. That, however, is easier said than done. Let’s just hope that the four-wheeled products that result don’t resemble , as shown above.
Now if you’ll excuse us, a 20-piece Chicken McNugget meal is calling from the kitchen. Oof, that’s an awfully far walk for our aging bones, though.
Suzuki Swift S-Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
The Swift is a genuinely good car, standing as something of an exception in Suzuki’s lineup until recent additions like the and came along. But calling it “swift” might be a bit of wishful thinking, if not a huge exaggeration. Enter the , which Suzuki has just presented at the Geneva Motor Show.
Few details have been released as to what has gone into the S-Concept and where it’s going, but anyone can tell straight off the bat that it’s a Swift taken to the extreme. In fact, it looks as close to an S2000-spec racer for the street as we’ve seen in some time, sporting 18-inch wheels, aerodynamic upgrades, Recaro racing buckets… the works.
The result looks good. Seriously good. Which is sadly probably more than we can say for its production prospects. But for the company behind such an eclipsing Pikes Peak campaign, with the right mechanical upgrades to match the sporting pretensions of its own styling, a hotter Swift could be just the ticket to inject some much-needed excitement into its range.
Check it out in the gallery of live images from the show floor below, and the stock shots in the gallery below that.
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety semi trailer crash test – click for high-res gallery
A new study by the has found that underride guards on semi trailers are prone to failure. Despite major advances in passenger car safety since the mid-1970s, it seems the guards on tractor trailers still fail to reliably prevent vehicles from sliding under trailers in the event of a collision – a similar result to studies conducted over 30 years ago.
Of course, some trailers are better than others, but there is no testing standard for evaluating the underride guards and their attachment points and hardware. Despite this, there is a federal safety standard for the guards, and there’s also a more stringent Canadian specification which requires the guards to be stronger and absorb more crash energy. In analyzing the Large Truck Crash Causation Study, a federal database of about 1,000 actual crashes from 2001-2003, the Institute determined that of the 115 crashes where a passenger vehicle struck the rear of a truck or semi, nearly 80 percent involved underride, and nearly half of those vehicles suffered severe or catastrophic damage.
The guards aren’t required on as many trucks as you’d first think, despite a 1996 standard calling for increased strength, guard size and energy absorbtion. Many trucks are exempt due to their trailer or chassis configuration, with dump trucks being a notable )and notably dangerous) example. When hit straight-on, the guards can perform better than offset tests, but in crash tests, the IIHS found performance was all over the map for trailer underride guards.
The worst performance in these new IIHS tests belongs to a Hyundai trailer whose guard bent and tore from its attachment points in a 35 mph crash test with a . Instead of keeping its passengers safe with its high-performing safety design (the Malibu is an IIHS Top Safety Pick), the front of the car slid under the trailer and left the roof structure to absorb the impact with the trailer. A Wabash trailer with a Canadian-spec guard kept the Malibu from plowing under the trailer in the 35 mph center crash test. Offset impacts – when only part of the guard is engaged by a vehicle – are still troublesome, and even the high-performing Wabash trailer suffered severe underride in a 30 percent overlap test.
In light of this ever-present danger on roadways, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is callig for more stringent standards, closing the gaps that allow many trucks to go without guards or use guards that don’t meet the 1996 standards for strength and energy absorption, and a more comprehensive standard that incorporates a method of better protecting vehicles in offset impacts as well as crash tests by trailer manufacturers to certify that the underride guards and their mounting systems live up to the intent of the law. Full press release
Saab PhoeniX Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
It’s been about one year since and parted ways, and the automaker is hellbent on showing the world what it’s capable of creating on its own means. In addition to an , Saab is showing off a major concept for the brand at this year’s – a design that will preview the future face of the automaker, penned by famed designer Jason Castriota. In case you haven’t been paying attention, Castriota has created such pretty creations as the and .
Castriota’s latest creation, the Saab PhoeniX, is a sleek hatchback concept that uses the automaker’s new ‘aeromotional’ design language. Saab describes this as “a visual evocation of the aerodynamic design principles and passion for innovation that inspired the creators of Saab’s first car, the iconic Ursaab.” Long story short – absolute gorgeousness. The concept uses butterfly doors that reveal a two-plus-two seating arrangement, and the modern interpretation of the Saab teardrop shape is seriously attractive.
Under the shapely metal is Saab’s 200-horsepower 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four mated to the automaker’s XWD all-wheel-drive system. Inside, the PhoeniX uses the new Saab IQon infotainment platform that uses the Google Android operating system. The car itself may be totally conceptual, but we’ll see IQon make its way into Saab products in the coming years (stay tuned for more details).
for Saab’s full press release, and see the sleek new PhoeniX concept in high-res glory in the image galleries below.
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Live photos copyright (C)2011 Steven J. Ewing / AOL
announced today that it is signing on to be a sponsor of Red Bull’s Formula One racing team.
It is the first time that Infiniti is signing on to a global sponsorship of any kind, previously preferring regional tie-ins in sports such as tennis and sailing. But as the Japanese brand looks to expand globally, says global marketing marketing communications chief Simon Sproule, an expanding F1 series looks like a logical partner to the company.
“Infiniti has launched in Europe and is going into Russia, India and China, just as F1 has done, so it’s a good fit for us,” says Sproule.
The association with Red Bull, says Sproule, sprung from Red Bull’s use of Renault engines. Renault and Nissan are global alliance partners, with the French automaker holding a controlling stake in Nissan. CEO Carlos Ghosn is at the top of both automakers. The Renault engines may even be rebranded “Infiniti.” Red Bull, of course, won the championship title in Formula One last year. “It’s also good to be with a winner, of course,” said Sproule.
Infiniti had a good year in the U.S. last year. Sales were up 27% to crest the 103,000 level. But Nissan is looking for Infiniti to be a bigger player in luxury circles worldwide. F1 attracts a good amount of luxiry car buyers worldwide, and is catching on in important markets for luxury brands like China and Russia.
Red Bull, saus Sproule, has a broad appeal as the biggest energy drink brand in the world. The Austrian beverage company has associated its brand with numerous extreme sports, as well as owning the New York Red Bulls Major League Soccer team. It also has great crossover appeal between rich luxury car buyers, as well as young luxury car aspirers who don’t yet have the incomes to afford big sticker prices.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received 615 complaints so far about the 2007 and 2008 over issues of fuel spillage. The complaints say that when the Wrangler is being refueled, there’s nothing that stops the fuel from spilling over onto the ground, all over the car or even on the person doing the refueling once the tank is full. NHTSA received so many complaints that the agency opened up its own investigation in August, 2010 to look into the matter.
After more than seven months of testing, though, NHTSA hasn’t uncovered an issue that would require a recall. That is, of course, exactly what has said all along. The Auburn Hills-based automaker contends that the issue only presents itself when the plastic o-ring on the inlet check valve swells from being exposed to fuel with a concentration of ethanol greater than 10 percent.
In the end, the big question is how so many complaints made it to NHTSA’s desk when this really isn’t such a wide-spread problem. NHTSA claims that the buzz surrounding this issue came from the Internet, which could explain why the number of complaints was so high. The agency claims on its website that “ODI suspects that the NHTSA safety complaints submitted by subject vehicles owners may have been influenced by Internet-related publicity both before and during this investigation.” Don’t look at us. to read over the over NHTSA investigation results.
American is recalling 73,426 motorcycles built between July 2007 and September 2009 for an electrical fault. The problem is insufficient adhesion between the power module and the rectifier case, which allows heat to build up and deform the circuit board. That can mean the module will release uncontrolled current, causing the battery to drain.
Suzuki is replacing the part free of charge on affected models.
In the paperwork filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Suzuki said it first recognized the issue in 2008, and tried to solve the problem with its parts supplier before issuing a recall. It reopened its investigation last September after receiving more than 180 reports of failure from its American dealers.
Ducati Diavel on the production line – Click above to watch video
Ducati says it expects the upcoming Diavel to lead the company’s sales in 2011, and with 162 horsepower propelling just 456 pounds, we imagine that the Italian bike maker won’t have trouble finding homes for its latest creation. The Diavel, a performance cruiser, walks a fine line between face-ripping power and beautiful design. Now Ducati has given us all a glimpse into what it takes to put its new motorcycle on the road.
Using time-lapse video, we can follow the birth of a Ducati Diavel from a bare engine all the way to the menacing final product. Ducati says that it’s cranking out around 40 Diavel units per day, though it hopes to increase production by around 50 percent as riding season kicks into gear. to see the full build process for yourself.
2012 Daihatsu Charade – Click above for high-res image
Buyers in Europe who can’t stand the thought of going on without the current generation need not fret. According to AutoEvolution, the vehicle will soldier on under the Daihatsu banner. While has made it clear that the vehicle is being replaced with a next-generation interpretation, Daihatsu will continue to sell the Yaris under the Charade banner.
The jokes almost write themselves.
Don’t expect to see the full Yaris family cruising the streets of Stuttgart, though. Daihatsu only plans to offer the vehicle in five-door configuration, though there will be two trim levels to pick from. A 99-horsepower 1.3-liter gasoline engine will be the only available power plant, though the company will offer either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic gearbox.
The news comes after Daihatsu announced that the company was retreating from the European auto market in 2013. Despite this fact, the automaker says that it plans on working toward the success of the brand with products like the Charade. The vehicle is set to touch down in May of this year.
Set to debut at next week’s , the fine folks at have given the treatment to the new Touring.
Powered by the same twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 as the sedan, the B5 Touring produces 507 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, running to the rear wheels via an eight-speed sport automatic transmission provided by ZF. 0-60 is handled in just under five seconds, and flat out the Touring will do 187 miles per hour.
Of course, all of this power comes wrapped in the usual Alpina trimmings, including a steroid-enhanced exterior aero kit and the company’s signature 20-spoke wheels. It’s quite a looker, and we’d love to see how it stacks up to ’s own . Get your fix in our high-res gallery below.
With Bavaria’s best sportscar in it sights, did Ford achieve its goal of building a modern day legend, or is the 2012 Boss 302 simply another one of the infinite variations of the Ford Mustang?
You may have seen this glamour shot of the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 on some other auto sites today. We know the image’s owner, which is not Lamborghini, and he’s given us permission to show Autoblog reader’s the super crisp high-res version.
this new issue affects 2.17 million more vehicles where the driver’s side floor mat can become a potential hazard.
Also of interest:
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The United States Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that automakers can be sued over product-liability complaints, regardless of whether or not the vehicles in question meet federal motor vehicle safety standards in place at the time of manufacture. The decision has been handed down in the case of , in which the family of a woman who perished in a crash involving a 1993 MPV (pictured) sued the automaker, arguing that she would have survived had there been a three-point belt available for her seating position.
The 2002 accident that claimed the life of Thanh Williamson was a head-on crash with another vehicle, and the other occupants of Williamson’s vehicle with three-point belts survived. Ms. Williamson’s family brought suit in California, contending that Mazda should have provided lap-and-shoulder belts, though it wasn’t required by law at the time the vehicle was built and sold. Despite Mazda’s compliance with vehicle safety standards, the ruling makes automakers more prone to lawsuits over issues deemed negligent by consumers.
Wednesday’s ruling opens the door for a reinterpretation of the decision in 2000 that many lower courts read as a prohibition of state-level liability lawsuits pertaining to products ranging from electronics to vehicles. The Federal regulations in place for these products have been seen as precluding any contradictory state statutes, but with this latest decision, the landscape may change significantly, and not just for automobiles.
Reaction to this decision from the stock market was not positive, with Ford and other car companies down one or two percent. Mazda says the ruling is disappointing, but doesn’t assign liability, and the company will defend itself.
The list of finalists for World Car of the Year has been whittled down from 39 entries to just three, and the finalists were announced yesterday at a press conference hosted by Bridgestone at the 
