has saddled up with Chinese automaker in an attempt to bring a Nano-fighting value car to the Indian market. GM says that it will rely on SAIC mostly for its low cost manufacturing techniques instead of parts or components due to hefty tariffs on goods imported from China. That also means The General may also be able to skip out on some of the quality woes associated with the Chinese automotive universe by relying on the pool of parts already available in India.
The car is supposed to be smaller than the current Spark and hit the market at around $5,000. That’s on the north end of how much Tata asks for the Nano, but GM still feels it can compete against the world’s most affordable car. According to Gasgoo, the pint-sized econobox may actually borrow elements from the Sail. Evidently, the car has already spent its fair share of time under the baleful glare of Indian focus groups.
If it does take off, the GM/SAIC creation will be India’s very first joint-venture vehicle.
Terrafugia Transition – Click above for high-res image gallery
Another day, another , right? According to The Daily Telegraph, the FAA has just awarded the an exemption which will allow the 1,440-pound car/aircraft hybrid to fly under a “light sport” designation, even though it hits the scales at a hefty 120 lbs. more than the rules allow. A light sport pilot license only requires 20 hours of seat time – far less than what a full license would demand.
Designed to be a viable piece of transportation that’s just as happy in the air as it is on the ground, the Transition comes loaded with all of the safety goodies of your standard economy car – and crumple zones come standard. While Terrafugia hasn’t exactly said what kind of top speed the Transition can carry on terra firma, it does say the craft gets around 30 mpg when scooting around town.
Should the weather turn sunny and the skies grow clear, however, the Transition can lower its wings, fire up a rear-mounted propeller and take to the air where it can carry a top speed of around 115 mph with a range of 460 miles. Not too shabby. The little carplane only requires an air strip of around 1/3 of a mile, and with its wings folded, can comfortably fit in any garage. Final MSRP is expected to be around $194,000.
2010 Ford Mustang NASCAR Nationwide Race Car – Click above for high-res image gallery
All of you who have been anxiously of the in what we loosely refer to as modern-day stock car racing, take note: The original Pony Car will see its first action this Friday night at the Subway Jalapeno 250 at Daytona International Speedway.
To help build excitement for the Mustang’s entrance into the Nationwide Series, Ford has just announced that it will offer a brand-new 2011 Mustang GT – powered by the excellent 5.0-liter V8, no less – to anyone that wins the race… provided they do so in a Ford-branded race car, of course.
For what it’s worth, Friday’s event will be the second straight race where a new 2011 Ford Mustang GT will serve as the pace car. In other words, those in attendance for the festivities would be witnesses to an All Mustang, All The Time Show if it weren’t for the fact that Dodge will also be showing up with . ‘Stang vs. Challenger? Sounds like fun.
2011 Shelby GT500 – Click above for high-res image gallery
It’s time to stoke the raging fires of the rumor furnace once again. The good people at Motor Trend have let it slip that may be planning something interesting for the 50th anniversary of the . We’re not just talking some fancy badges and a sticker program here, either. Evidently, the man behind some of the meanest snakes on four wheels has been camping out in Dearborn as of late, supposedly hard at work in the FoMoCo labs on the next creation to carry his name.
Those whispers are made all the more interesting by the fact that John Luft, Shelby American’s head honcho, has said that his company is currently eying whether or not to bring a rash of new R models to life. The cars would be fit for track duty straight from the factory, and given the Mustang’s new found ability to , odds are we’re not just talking about quarter mile bruisers. Either way, you can bet Ford will pull something special when its pony hits the big half-century. Whether or not that means a fresh new Shelby remains to be seen.
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Photos by Jonathan Ramsey / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
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Tesla Model S – Click above for high-res image gallery
A lot of analysts were bullish on , and a report from Bloomberg proves that the electric car start-up is a buy with the investors of the world. Tesla reportedly raised $226 million with its IPO, or 13.3 million shares at $17 per. The $226 mil total went above and beyond the high-end figure of $16 per share.
The news has to come as a pleasant surprise for Elon Musk, the company’s CEO and largest shareholder. Musk has reportedly spent $70 million of his own personal fortune propping up Tesla while the company’s losses mounted. The successful IPO is even more surprising given the fact that the company has yet to turn a quarterly profit and lost a substantial $230.5 million since 2003. Even at the expected median price of $15 per share, Bloomberg data shows that Tesla was valued at 5.5 times its net tangible assets, which doesn’t exactly sound terrific. Tesla’s IPO was likely helped out by by and , giving the first U.S. automaker IPO in over 50 years some much-needed street cred. Interestingly, Tesla is the first U.S. automaker since the Ford Motor Company to throw its hat into the public stock ring, with the Blue Oval doing so way back in 1956.
Tesla’s IPO was considered a bit of a crap shoot given the recent failures of other stock offerings coupled with the fact that the EV maker doesn’t have a lot of product to make it an attractive buy. Tesla has managed to sell about 1,000 copies of its pricey roadster, but now that the First-on-the-Block crew has theirs, the battery-packed two-seater isn’t exactly flying off the shelves. The Model S sedan, which will reportedly go 160 miles on a single charge, won’t arrive until 2012 at the earliest.
Curve Control on the 2011 Ford Explorer – Click above for high-res image gallery
When the new 2011 Explorer goes on sale later this year, plans to highlight the new unibody ‘ute’s safety and fuel efficiency. The Explorer will be exclusively powered by four- and six-cylinder EcoBoost engines, which are expected to increase efficiency by 20-25 percent, while delivering the power consumers crave. Expect more drivetrain details to be forthcoming, but before then, Ford invited us out to its Dearborn proving grounds to see what it has in store on the safety front.
that the Explorer would be the first vehicle to get its new inflatable rear seat-belts, but the latest – and arguably more interesting – feature on the Explorer is dubbed “Curve Control.” The system is a software enhancement built on top of the existing roll stability control (RSC) and electronic stability control (ESC) systems, and we had a chance to experience it first hand. to find out more.
2010 Pikes Peak Hill Climb Record-Breakers – Click above for high-res image gallery
The record that everyone was talking about at the 2010 Pikes Peak Hill Climb, the overall course record, will remain for at least one more year, but there were plenty of other records broken in 2010. The extra 1.9 miles of pavement at the top of the mountain made for some very fast times, and some of the old times were smashed by a wide margin.
For starters, perhaps the most impressive record was one that was set in the Time Attack 2WD class. The previous record was just set last year by Rhys Millen in his Hyundai Genesis Coupe, but Jeff Zwart smashed Millen’s time of 12:09.40 with a 11:31.095 in his Porsche 911 Cup. Other record-breakers include Clint Vahsholtz in Super Stock (Ford Mustang, 11:33.320), Doug Mockett in Vintage (Oldsmobile Super 88, 13:05.71), and Ikuo Hanawa in Electric (EV Sports Concept HER-02, 13:17.575).
Of course, not all of the records were about time. Colorado Springs native Randy Schranz tied the record for the most completed hill climbs at 36, matching Louie Unser. He also set the propane fuel record at 11:57.098 in his Shelby Cobra (pictured above). In her very first run, Denver resident Savannah Rickli became the youngest female to ever complete the race, finishing third in the Time Attack 2WD class with a time of 13:58.232 in her Mini Cooper S. Finally, Jason Taylor was the first person to complete the hill climb in a rock buggy, finishing with a time of 14:07.620. You can see all of the record-breakers from this year’s Pikes Peak in the high-res gallery below.
It’s one of the most insane SUVs on the planet, but its further proof that evolution works in very mysterious ways.
The elusive 10-minute mark remains unbroken, but Tajima, Millen and the rest of the Unlimited crew put up a fight at this weekend’s Pikes Peak festivities. We were there and we’ve got the inside story on the men, the mountain and what’s in store for next year.
There’s a lot the Challenger needs to keep up with the competition, and a serious horsepower bump is near the top of the list.
2011 Ford Explorer teaser – Click above for high-res image gallery
Brace yourselves. There’s another level of electronic nannyism coming to the range of crossovers and SUVs soon. The company has developed a new system that should help counteract understeer in the same way stability control nixes pesky oversteer in almost every new car on the road. The safety gurus at the Blue Oval have come up with a new system called Curve Control that works in coordination with a number of vehicles sensors to determine if the vehicle is turning as sharply as the driver needs it to. If necessary, the system can sample data from the steering wheel angle, wheel speed and vehicle pitch to cut engine power and engage the brakes to slow the vehicle by up to 10 mph per second.
Curve Control will come standard on the all-new 2011Ford Explorer, and the company says it plans to spread the tech to 90 percent of its high-riding 2012 models.
2010 Dana Point Concours d’Elegance – Click above for high-res image gallery
It seems a bit odd calling this the 28th Annual when it’s only been in this city for three years and has only had that name officially for one, but after spending a good portion of Sunday at the St. Regis and its Monarch Bay golf course, it really felt like this is where this show was always meant to be. With dramatic views of the ocean, the rolling greenery of the links and the surrounding mansions, the venue feels like it was built solely to play host to Southern California’s premiere concours.
Second only to Pebble Beach in prominence among the California concours, Dana Point has really come of its own. With nearly 200 judged entries and perhaps an equal number of display vehicles, it’s a big show that still manages to feel manageable, and the field of entrants was once again amazing. This year’s show honored , 80 years of Pininfarina and 20 years of the Ferrari F40, as well as drag racing legend . Classes included American Pony & Muscle Cars, Corvettes to 1967, Kustoms & Hot Rods, and the second annual exhibit of Supercars, as well as a new category for vintage motorcycles.
With proceeds going to support the , the and other Southern California youth charities, the Dana Point Concours is run as a (CCCA) Concours, but with some of those additional classes thrown in to showcase particularly interesting and relevant automobiles. Just take a look at the photo above and you’ll see the wide variety of outstanding vehicles that this show attracts. Click through the rest of the gallery and you’ll see everything from a to the nicest you’re ever likely to encounter.
Some favorites this year included just about everything in the gallery, but especially the low mileage original , , , , , , that crazy cute , and the fantastic . The Muntz, however, wasn’t our top pick. That honor had to go to the Bugatti among the classics, Don Prudhomme’s funny car collection among the American cars and the as the car we’d most like to drive. Click below to check out the massive gallery and pick out your favorites.
It’s certainly tough to argue with the results of Alan Mulally’s tenure as chief executive officer of . The product and financial resurgence that Mulally has led allowed Ford to be the only Detroit-based automaker to avoid going through bankruptcy. That success is reflected in the Ford CEO’s paycheck as well.
Mulally earned more in 2009 than the CEOs of , and combined with a total take of $17.9 million in cash and bonuses. Toyota’s Akio Toyoda earned $1.1 million and Honda’s Takanobu Ito took home $1.3 million. Nissan’s Carlos Ghosn was the highest paid of the Japanese company executives at almost $10 million.
It’s not at all unusual for American executives to earn more than their counterparts overseas, although currently only Mulally is earning these large sums in Detroit. CEO Ed Whitacre and CEO Sergio Marchionne are both limited as a result of the government bailouts. In spite of Mulally’s success, his pay still pales next to the $100+ millions regularly paid to financial executives.
Gordon Murray Design T.25 – Click above for high-res image gallery
After hinting at doing so for a couple of years, Gordon Murray has finally revealing his new T.25 city car at an event at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment in Oxford, England. The 1,212-pound car is just over four feet wide, less than eight feet long and seats three adults in a 1+2 layout. Like Murray’s McLaren F1, the driver sits front and center and the passengers sit behind on either side.
The whole front section of the body is hinged at the front and flips forward for access in a manner not dissimilar to BMW’s Isetta microcar of the mid-Fifties. Power comes from a 51 horsepower, in-line three-cylinder engine mounted in the back to propel the T.25 to 62 mph in 16.2 seconds while achieving 61.9 miles per gallon. The diminutive size allows it to turn in just 19.7 feet and park perpendicular to the curb and the design’s hinged cockpit and narrow width allow three T.25s to be parked in a single parallel parking space.
Ford Fiesta ownership application – Click above for high-res image gallery
Social media has been a critical element of marketing strategy during the run-up to the 2011 Ford Fiesta launch, so it comes as no surprise that it’ll play a part in the customer delivery experience as well. In-showroom kiosks will play Fiesta Movement videos and act as photo booths for new owners. Before driving off the lot, Fiesta owners receive a USB thumb drive pre-loaded with an audio tutorial explaining the Fiesta’s features and and how to use them. Naturally, this can be played back through the Sync system right in the car.
Once in front of a computer, drivers can then use the thumb drive to install a program that lets them access and modify their delivery photos, then share them with other Fiesta owners. The desktop application also provides a wiki with tips on how to use the Fiesta, get podcasts and other related information. It’ll be interesting to see how Ford follows up the Fiesta launch when the new arrives at the end of this year.
Behold, Corvair handling! The first time you decide to autocross a , this lifted-wheel, heavy-leaning posture must be positively terrifying. When all four wheels find pavement again, and the view out the windshield levels off, the driver’s likely giggling like a lunatic. Something that amusing obviously calls for another run through the cones.
Here’s the interesting part: Apparently, the stance looks worse than it is. The rear tire that’s left on the ground slides in a benign fashion as a result of the the side-loading, correcting the lifted-leg.
It’s got all the components of summer fun: A vehicle that’s absurd to autocross in the first place, tripod posture, and an element of danger The photo of this dancing comes from Tom Hughes, who covered the 2010 convention at his . Corvair owners are an enthusiastic bunch, and more shots of the autocross, including the expected Monzas and Spyders, are at Scott Trunkhill’s .
If this is how they handle on the track, we expect great amusement from .
In case you missed it, we just published our today. If your attention spans is anything like ours, allow us to remind you that we’ve also once or . Since both cars are built atop the same platform and will be competing for your hard-earned bucks in short order, the natural question is: Which one would you choose?
If you don’t have time to read both of our drives, here’s a quick glance at some of the more salient details:
Naturally, there’s more to the equation than the tale of the tape. For instance, if you’re in the market for an automatic transmission, the six-speed dual-clutch gearbox in the Fiesta seems to be a much more attractive option than the old-school four-speed automatic in the Mazda. Also, the Fiesta can store more cargo and has more comfortable seats.
It would seem that the scales are tipping in the Blue Oval’s favor. Consider too that the Fiesta is available as both a sedan and a hatchback while the Mazda2 is a hatchback only. Add in an available navigation system, leather interior, SYNC infotainment system and heated seats – none of which are available on the Mazda – and we’ve got a slam-dunk win for the Ford. Right?
Perhaps not. Our man Steven Ewing, the only member of the team to have driven both U.S.-spec models, tells us that the Mazda2 is notably more fun to drive than the Fiesta. Plus, he claims the 2 looks better in its specific shade of green, if that kind of thing is important to you. So, is the promise of an added dose of driving enjoyment worth the significant loss in comfort, convenience and economy? That’s up to you to decide.
That’s my wife, and despite the two thumbs up and big smile on her face, she just stalled our for the sixth time in a row. Turns out that the Legacy is not an ideal practice car in which to learn the fine art of cog swapping. It’s too bad, too, as tomorrow the Mrs. and I are heading off on a 2,000+ mile road trip vacation to Bar Harbor, Maine in the Legacy. While I love a long road trip behind the wheel and prefer the driver’s seat to the passivity of riding shotgun, it’s going to be a long trip and I wouldn’t have minded a copilot to take over when my eyelids get heavy.
The problem with learning stick in the Legacy is its clutch. The take-up point comes on quickly, after only an inch or so of pedal travel, so you have to be very nuanced in the application of your left foot within that span of space. Experienced manual drivers can get the hang of it, though it still takes concentration not to make your passengers buck back and forth when shifting gears. As for my wife, she just couldn’t get the hang of the Legacy’s manual tranny. Her left leg just didn’t have the degrees of control necessary to pull away from a stop without letting the engine bog down and die. She actually did it the first time she tried, but couldn’t duplicate her success on the second or eleventh try.
Now, I shouldn’t fault the Legacy alone, as my lesson in shifting began with highly technical expositions of how the accelerator and clutch pedal were affecting the car’s mechanicals and ended with me shouting “Give it more gas. More GAS. MORE GAS!” Our next lesson will be in a friend’s 2002 Ford Focus, which we’re assured has a suitably mushy clutch that’s perfect for beginners. If you’ve got any tips on how best to teach someone manual driving, let us know in the comments.
PS: Thanks for the response from readers on my update about the Legacy’s . Since then I’ve tried to consider the E-Brake as more analogous to ye old foot brakes and am having success. I’ve also discovered that if you’re in gear and have your seatbelt on, the E-brake will disengage as soon as you apply some gas. Yes, electronics can be your friend.
It might be packing fewer cogs, less power and only a handful of amenities compared to the Ford Fiesta, but the key to the Mazda2 is from behind the wheel.
Audi might not be competing at the top of the world this weekend, but it’s released more details on its autonomous TTS before it runs up the mountain later this year.
CAR has updated its automotive road map for 2010 and the crew from the UK has made another great infographic to navigate the world’s automakers.
Also of interest:
recalls HS250h over risk of excessive fuel leakage
apologizes to shareholders, shareholder tells him to stop crying
2010 Lexus HS250h – Click above for high-res image gallery
Back in the 1970s, the was the focus of many headlines due to a fuel tank issue which caused excessive amounts of gasoline to leak during a rear-end collision. Now, three decades later, is having a similar problem with its hybrid, and has filed a report with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to issue a voluntary recall of these vehicles. Up to 17,000 of the luxury hybrids are affected.
In the case of the HS, excessive fuel leakage occurred during rear-end collisions at speeds of 50 miles per hour. We don’t need to remind you about the dangers of excessive fuel spillage, but let’s just say that the end result can be very, very bad.
As of this writing, Lexus has not advised NHTSA about what steps will be taken to fix the defective HS models. Stay tuned for more details as they become available.
2011 Ford Mondeo – Click above for high-res image gallery
has dropped the first officialphotos of the refreshed 2011 Mondeo, along with some details on the mechanical updates. The only substantive visual change is a reshaped front fascia with a larger trapezoidal lower grille similar to the and the upcoming 2012 , as well as reworked driving lights.
Behind that new grille Ford has added the same type of active shutters the Focus is getting to restrict air-flow at higher speeds or colder temperatures, reducing turbulence and aerodynamic drag.
The rest of the engine compartment is occupied by two new powertrain options, including a more powerful 237 horsepower version of the 2.0-liter Ecoboost inline-four that debuted earlier this year. At 179 grams per kilometer of CO2 emissions, the new Ecoboost will have the same fuel consumption as the lower power unit and 20 percent less than a V6 of similar power. This more powerful unit is likely the one that we will get in the and for 2011. All of the Ecoboost engines are mated up a six-speed dual-clutch Powershift gearbox similar to the unit that just debuted in the Fiesta in North America.
The second new engine is a reworked 2.2-liter diesel inline-four that now puts out 197 hp, a 12 percent bump from the previous edition. The new Mondeos will will be shown publicly at the Moscow Motor Show in August and go on sale in the fall.
2011 Mazda2 – Click above for high-res image gallery
says there’s a little bit of in everything it does. While it’s easy to chalk that up as marketing frippery, when the automaker launched the Little Roadster That Could back in 1989, it proved that great things can come from a machine developed to be simple, reliable and driver-focused. Even now, none of Mazda’s wares offer class-leading fuel economy or practicality, but they’ve proven to be some of the best drivers in their segments. And as enthusiasts, it’s easy to exchange a bit of functionality for a larger helping of fun.
Now, Mazda hopes to achieve this same sort of positioning within the B-car segment – a class that’s grown substantially in America and is projected to double in size within the next few years. The comes to town right on the heels of its sister car, the , but as we found out after a lengthy drive through the city of Montréal and the countryside of Canada’s Québec province, it’s a wholly different machine. And while the Fiesta is sure to provide some serious competition for the 2, there are plenty of other well-to-do B cars in the U.S. that are ready to be sized up against the minuscule Mazda.
If you only look at the stats, you wouldn’t think Mazda has positioned the 2 to be anything overly special. Not only is it the least powerful car in its segment, but it doesn’t offer some of the clever technology or unique packaging to make it stand out from its kin. But Mazda is immensely proud of the new 2, and though we looked on with skeptical faces, the people in charge simply told us that the little hatch’s story is best told on the road. So let’s get to it.
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Photos by Stephen J. Ewing / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
