Where does he get those wonderful toys? We’re speaking, in case you didn’t catch the movie quote, of Batman. Specifically, his most famous car, otherwise known as the . There have been since the first, a 1936 Cord, was used in 1941.
Seventy-one years later, Bruce Wayne’s number-one ride has gotten considerably more expensive to procure. According to the sleuths at Centives, between 1940 and 1970, Batman spent a miserly (and inflation adjusted) $32,000 for the average Batmobile. After that date? A whopping $358,000. Holy Toledo, Batman!
While some Batmobiles are completely custom designed for the Caped Crusader, others are based on more pedestrian production cars… like the or . Indeed, over the years Batman has, among others, made use of various models, a or two, a number of models and even a British .
After it’s all tallied up and recorded for posterity, Centives guesstimates that the average Batmobile set Batman back roughly $214,700. Remember, there’s been over a hundred Batmobiles in comic book land. We guess it takes a multi-billionaire playboy like Bruce Wayne to afford the crime-fighting lifestyle of an alter-ego like Batman.
Now that UK is finished with the for the Nissan Juke-R, it’s free to do what we’ve all been waiting for: hand it over to The Fourth Estate for proper testing. AutoExpress was the first in line, and they didn’t waste the chance, pitting Faust’s CUV against the car that made it possible, the , around the circuit.
We could tell you more, but this isn’t the time for words – the long-awaited action is in the video . Still want more? There’s an article to go with it over on AutoExpress.
While the top brass gets their minds made up as to whether there will be a , the folks at have gone ahead and added a new top trim to the current model. The 2012 SE V6 gets the Pentastar V6 tuned to 283 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque mated to a six-speed automatic, along with 18-inch alloys, dual exhaust, and a rear spoiler.
This makes five trims for the Avenger line, with this model starting at $21,495 before destination. That puts it $2,500 over the current range topper, the Avenger SE, which starts at $18,995 and comes with a 173-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder shifting through an ancient four-speed auto. The four-cylinder SE is rated at 30 mpg highway, while the Pentastar engine only drops that a fraction to 29 mpg highway.
Stacked against the competitive set Dodge has in mind, like the , and , the current SE is in the ballpark regarding specs while being less expensive. With the SE V6 and six-speed tranny to update refinement and give it a 110-hp boost, Avenger sales – which are already up 112 percent this year – could rise even further. for the press release on the newest addition to the family.
According to Reuters, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has trained its gaze on nearly two million million and Mercury Sable models over a potential stuck throttle issue.
This past Sunday, March 11, NHTSA announced it would investigate 360,000 Taurus sedans from the 2005 and 2006 model years after the government safety regulator received 14 complaints of a stuck throttle due to cruise control cable detachment. A day later, The Detroit News reported that NHTSA has expanded its investigation to include all 2001 through 2006 Taurus and Sable models for a total of 1.92 million vehicles, and in a letter to Ford, said that it has located a total of 30 such complaints.
Reuters says at least one complaint noted that the Taurus’ engine can race to 4,000 RPM after the car is shifted into Park or Neutral, and there were further complaints indicating that affected models were difficult to slow. In certain cases, the transmission had to be shifted into Neutral or the engine turned off to stop the car.
is reportedly cooperating with the NHTSA probe and no recall has been announced.
There isn’t a whole lot to get excited about in the world of near-luxury, full-size, front-wheel-drive sedans. Stalwarts like the and continue to make their way into the driveways of gray-haired shoppers, and new entries like the redesigned are attempting to add a little bit of spice to an otherwise bland segment. In recent years, the has nearly fallen off the map in this class simply because it hasn’t been seriously updated since its launch in 2005 as a 2006 model. (The big four-door did get a , finally.) But that’s all about to change.
The 2014 Impala will be based on the same front-wheel-drive Epsilon-II architecture that underpins the and . But instead of sharing many of its components with the ‘Bu, reports indicate that the Impala will use a lot of the features of the XTS in an effort to give it a much more premium feel than the current model. And while the majority of the new car’s styling details are still covered up by the heavy camouflage, we can see premium features like large alloy wheels and what appear to be LED running lights up front. We just hope hasn’t just taken the easy way out and created a Malibu on steroids.
Mum’s the word on powertrain offerings, but have suggested that GM’s direct-injected 3.6-liter V6 will be on board, as well as the new 2.0-liter turbo four that’s slated for use in the . An eAssist version is also rumored to be in the cards.
Look for the 2014 Impala to launch sometime during the 2013 calendar year. Production is slated to be split between GM’s Oshawa, Ontario plant, as well as the Detroit-Hamtramck facility where the Malibu and are built.
Following in the and , the 2012 Electric has been granted HOV lane access in California by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). CARB not only gave the upcoming all-electric vehicle the ability to let people drive alone in the High Occupancy Vehicle lane but also qualified it for an incentive that affords buyers an extra $2,500 off through the state’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Program (CVRP).
With an , the Focus EV is what Ford calls the “most fuel-efficient five-passenger car” in the States. As it has in other marketing material, today’s press release announcing the HOV designation, Ford is touting ways its car beats the (hey, it “only” gets , remember?), as you can read . For more on the controversial HOV lane situation in California, check out from AutoblogGreen contributor Chelsea Sexton.
Electric qualifies for California HOV lane access, extra $2,500 off
Of all the excellent car chases in cinema history, the vs. g battle in Steve McQueen’s Bullit may be the most recreated. Now it looks like the crew from the TV show Alcatraz has tried its hand at paying homage to the hubcap slinging sequence. According to local news station KTVU Channel 2, the new FOX series recently spent hours on San Francisco’s Bay and Larkin streets in an attempt to painstakingly replicate each legendary scene using modern interpretations of the famous bruisers in the 1968 film. The final product will be part of the Alcatraz season finale, set to air on March 26.
We’ve seen the Bullit chase replicated for and with , but this is the first time in recent memory a TV show has tackled putting Mopar power against the now iconic Highland GreenMustang. Alcatraz is the brainchild of executive producer J.J. Abrams, and features three investigators as they look into why 302 of Alcatraz prison’s most foul prisoners and guards have suddenly reappeared in modern-day San Francisco. If you’re interested, check your local listings for air times.
The English are mad. And we know this for two reasons: one, they admit it; two, it’s true. If more proof is needed, a video of Evo magazine’s features editor, Henry Catchpole, sliding a up a French mountain in the snow should be enough. And the spindly car is missing its top. And he’s missing his hat.
The Supersport is Caterham’s street-legal version of the racing Seven used in the one-make racing series. It’s got short gearing, a lightweight flywheel and LSD, a race-tuned suspension, and its 1.6-liter engine has 140 horsepower to motivate a 1,146-pound car.
So, obviously, where else would you drive it? for the memorable action.
With just a day until is released, more revelations from the book are hitting the headlines. Among the juiciest: Nissan-Renault chief Carlos Ghosn was offered the top job at prior to Alan Mulally, but turned it down because he didn’t want to work for then-CEO Bill Ford.
According to excerpt from the book published by Automotive News, Ford made Ghosn a formal offer in early 2006, but Le Cost Cutter insisted the only way he would come to Ford was if he was named both the CEO and chairman of the board. When Mulally was eventually hired as CEO, Bill Ford stepped aside but retained his position as chairman of the company that shares his surname.
Despite Bill Ford’s power at the company that bears his family’s name, other excerpts from the book reveals that he didn’t always get the straight scoop from other executives. One soon-to-be-famous example concerns the second-generation , which went on sale in Europe in late 2004. Just as most journalists did at the time, Bill Ford wanted to know why the new model wasn’t coming to North America. According to the excerpt, then-president Jim Padilla gave his boss a PR-spin-worthy line about “product cycles [that] don’t line up.”
Ford was unpleased with the explanation, according to the report: “This is all a bunch of [expletive], he fumed as he left the meeting. Nobody will give me a straight answer.”
is taking the steps necessary to right its financial ship, but when a patient has this kind of issue, the cure can hurt just as much. The small, independent carmaker has been hurt by its relatively and the strength of the yen, the loss of as a noteworthy stakeholder and the resulting . Mazda is expected to post a $1.2 billion loss for its 2011 financial year, which is smaller than earlier estimates but it’s still the fourth losing year in a row and the largest in a decade.
The need to act has forced Mazda North America into a five-month plan to shed a number of its 701 employees for leaner running. Select employees will be offered a buyout package, and if voluntary uptake isn’t sufficient then involuntary dismissals will occur. The timeline begins this month with lump-sum offers, followed by layoffs at the end of May if necessary, and the stretch to August will see the transition of personnel into the restructured organization.
Mazda is also issuing shares to raise $1.9 billion in order to aid its position and get production started in Mexico and Thailand. It is also aggressively seeking a partner and considering licensing its SkyActiv technology.
Motorsports is expensive in any form, although there are ways to do it without completely breaking the bank. One of those ways is the relatively new featuring the compact offerings of , , , , and more that allows racers to compete in SCCA and Grand-Am racing on a relatively level and inexpensive playing field.
Ford is the latest to enter the B-Spec foray with an upgrade kit for the current 2011-2012 Fiesta. The package includes everything from a tow hook ($59.00) to a coilover suspension kit ($1,486.00) to make the Fiesta meet the B-Spec eligibility requirements. Racers will also need to add a variety of safety equipment like a roll cage, racing seats and so on. Ford says that it will cost just $25,000 to build a complete Fiesta B-Spec racer, including the cost of the donor car.
The first SCCA B-Spec race is scheduled for Miller Motorsports Park in Utah late next month while the inaugural Grand-Am B-Spec event is slated for Homestead Speedway in Miami the same weekend.
for more details about the Ford Fiesta B-Spec upgrade kit and a complete list of parts included in the package.
is turning to prime-time TV to introduce the . The vehicle will be front and center in “Escape Routes,” a new NBC reality show that pits six teams of two against one another in a road-trip competition with layovers in Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Miami and San Francisco. Viewers, meanwhile, can interact with the show’s contestants and participate via EscapeRoutes.com. Ford says the online community will even have a chance to impact the final outcome of the game, though it’s unclear exactly how.
Currently, NBC and Ford have chosen five teams for the competition, and four more duos are currently duking it out for the last spot. According to the automaker, the team that takes home the gold in the final competition will win $100,000 and two Ford Escape models. “Escape Routes” is set to air for six episodes on Saturday nights at 8 pm EST, starting on March 31. for the full press release.
Dodge has officially unveiled the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Charger, and as you can see in the image above, tweeted by at the ceremony, it follows in the footsteps of the , with styling and detailing that’s more true to the street car than the generic silhouettes being run by all teams this season.
that at the ceremony, SRT CEO Ralph Gilles was upbeat about the new race car’s prospects for next season, saying that there’s already a lot of interest from different Cup outfits, and that he expects to announce which team or teams will be running the car in 2013 by mid-summer.
The new car’s unveiling puts a more upbeat spin on an otherwise down week for Doge and SRT’s motorsports arm, which absorbed a punch to the gut when after this season to campaign the new NASCAR Ford Fusion in the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
After all the pre-race ceremonies concluded, the new racer hit the track to for today’s Kobalt 400 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
In a lineup packed with new and/or freshly styled vehicles, Hyundai’s two larger crossovers, the and its all-but-forgotten three-row counterpart, the , still wear the automaker’s last-generation styling language. That will be addressed (in part, at least) at next month’s New York Auto Show when Hyundai unveils the 2013 Santa Fe.
To get people talking, Hyundai published of its new CUV this evening via its Twitter feed. Predictably, the 2013 Santa Fe gets sharper lines that are much more in keeping with the rest of the model lineup, and the new face .
Hyundai calls the crossover’s fresh styling language “Storm Edge,” saying it’s an evolution of the “Fluidic Sculpture” theme it’s been using the last few years.
Based on the the , which shows a very small window aft of the rear doors, it appears that the Santa Fe will, for the time being, continue to be a two-row crossover (its optional third row was canned after the 2009 model year) that’s designed to battle the likes of the , , and .
Whether Hyundai will also use the occasion to formally confirm the to replace the Veracruz remains to be seen. It’s clear the automaker knows that it’s .
Odyne Systems is known for making big honking hybrid vehicles, things like the we first saw in 2008. At the 2012 Work Truck Show in Indianapolis this week, is showcasing the biggest plug-in hybrid vehicle with a J1772 connector that we know of: a PHEV F-750. Yes, that’s a big one.
Odyne adds its plug-in architecture to work vehicles after the fact. The liquid-cooled 346V lithium-ion battery from Johnson Controls that’s used in the system isn’t that outrageous – only 14.2 kWh – but a converted truck can get two packs installed for extra energy at the work site. Aside from 120- or 240-volt exportable AC power, the plug-in hybrid powertrain provides launch assist and recaptures energy through regenerative braking. The battery packs can also power the truck’s electronics to reduce idling.
With 28 kWh worth of batteries and a Level 2 charger, Odyne says a full charge takes just five hours. The hybrid system adds about 1,600 pounds, which we think is for a two-pack set-up. Johnson Controls has invested in Odyne, and the company works with Remy Motors on its powertrains.
Ford says the PHEV F-750 can save up to 1,750 gallons of fuel a year compared to a non-plug-in version, which adds up quickly when you’ve got $4 gallons of diesel. Odyne’s Louise Hermsen told AutoblogGreen that the cost for the PHEV conversion can be up to $100,000 depending on options, and it is available now. In fact, she said 15 plug-in hybrid F-750s have been delivered already because, even though $100,000 is not cheap, “the whole equation hinges on what kind of fuel use reduction they’re going to achieve. Making the decision to go with a hybrid takes a lot of data collection.”
Odyne has been selling hybrid truck conversion kits for years, but most of them on the road are the older, lead-acid models. The company introduced the advanced li-ion system last June and has been working with customers to make them operate best for each individual situation. Odyne can modify the truck’s software remotely as data comes in on how the trucks are being used, too (for example, how much time they spend at the job vs. on the road). Even with a vehicle this big, you want to keep track of every little thing.
Scott Burgess, former auto critic for The Detroit News, has joined the AOL Autos / Autoblog team. He is a veteran automotive journalist with six years in Detroit covering the auto industry and a Michigan native. Each month he’ll dig deeper into the industry’s sales figures and file this By The Numbers special report.
Now that I’ve figured out how to open my email, what in fact my email address is, and where the office is, I’ve been able to catch my breath and go through the February sales figures.
Lots of people were excited over the February sales numbers, which were the highest since 2009, declaring the end of tough times and announcing only big profits ahead.
Then again, that may not be exactly true. Yes, it was a 15-million-a-year sales pace, outperforming everyone’s expectations with sales jumping 15.7 percent compared to the same month last year. But people are waiting to buy cars like never before. The average age of a vehicle on the road is over 10 years old, a trend growing for nearly 20 years, according to a Polk research firm study. Polk says that people are just hanging onto vehicles longer because they’re worried about the economy. To think about how different times were 10.8 years ago – Motor Co. had just (re)introduced the all new Fabulous , which, someone is holding onto right now.
So the depression/recession party may not be over, but times are still good. Here are the things I learned by examining the February sales figures.
1. LOTS OF PEOPLE WANT CARS
This February, cars outsold trucks 53.3 to 46.7 percent.
Throughout the industry, car sales jumped 23.9 percent compared to February last year. (Truck sales rose 7.6 percent.)
There are lots of reasons for the jump, though my gut says that people buying new vehicles are also listening to the fear mongering concerning climbing gas prices. Don’t expect either trend to end any time soon.
A more important trend might be that in February 2011, trucks outsold cars 50.3 percent to 49.7 percent. This February, cars outsold trucks 53.3 percent to 46.7 percent.
However, the big difference between 2008 and 2012, the last time gas prices skyrocketed, are that Detroit’s carmakers have a solid collection of little cars ranging from the and to the and soon-to-be released . More on the later. The key for Detroit is to see if people associate fuel efficient vehicles with those brands. When times get tough, people tend to go with the brands they assume are the most efficient, even when they’re not.
has announced pricing for the refreshed , and buyers can look forward to paying a little more for the big performance sedan. Inside Line reports the price has inched up to $39,995 including destination, or $1,045 more than the 2012 model.
As before, that kind of cash will buy you a turbocharged, direct-injection Ecoboost 3.5-liter V6 good for 365 horsepower as well as a six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. If that isn’t enough to raise your eyebrows, Ford is continuing to offer the SHO performance package, complete with a more robust cooling system, more serious brake hardware and flashy 20-inch wheels.
Of course, that package also throws in a traction control system with a true ‘off’ mode. Yes, we’re grinning from ear to ear. Unfortunately, the performance package has also climbed a bit compared to last year. The pieces will set you back $1,995, or about a grand more than in 2012.
We had a feeling this was coming, but the cat’s now officially out of the bag: The is being discontinued in the United States.
The recently launched will effectively replace the CX-7 (as well as the -sourced ), meaning there won’t really be a void in Mazda’s product lineup. “CX-5 has a clearer competitive set, unlike CX-7, which was in the middle of two segments,” explains product communications specialist Beverly Braga.
Dimensionally, the CX-5 is slightly smaller than the CX-7, but actually boasts more cargo capacity and overall interior volume. With the rear seats folded, the CX-5 can hold up to 65.4 cubic feet of cargo (compared to 58.6 cubic feet in the CX-7) and has a total of 103.8 cubic feet of overall passenger space (101.7 in CX-7).
What’s more, the CX-5’s nifty new 2.0-liter Skyactiv four-cylinder engine offers than the base 2.5-liter four of the CX-7. And while we’ll certainly miss the potency of the optional 2.3-liter turbo four of the CX-7 – a version of the mill used in the – we can easily do without its fuel economy ratings of 18/24 miles per gallon city/highway (or 17/21 when paired with all-wheel drive – ouch!).
This may be the end of the road for the CX-7 in the U.S., but Mazda says that sales of the crossover will still continue in other markets. The CX-7 will officially be phased out at the end of the 2012 model year.
Form follows function, so it’s easy to find one element of a vehicle that explains everything you need to know about it.
Look at the widened haunches of a and you know there’s serious hardware in the Porsche’s rump. Check the elongated bed of an and its obvious the should be roaming free on the ranch. Look at a … Actually, don’t. It’s for your own good.
So when I opened the door to the , a single feature stood out: the cupholder. Encircled in a chrome ring and mounted dead-center in the massive armrest, this lone receptacle was the defining feature of the interior. As it should be. The Prius is the commensurate commuter and the V variant’s raised roof and enlarged hatch make it even more practical for Mommy and Daddy carpool duty. At least in theory.
has officially served up the details on the upcoming . Buyers will be able to snap up the latest work rig with in a new Platinum trim level that throws in niceties like SYNC, MyFord Touch, navigation and a rear-view camera as standard equipment. Power telescoping mirrors are also part of the package.
Unfortunately, the Platinum trim will only be available in Super Duty Crew Cab configuration. Even so, the cabin is swaddled in high-quality wood grain trim and premium leather seating. The leather-wrapped steering wheel is also heated for those really frosty mornings.
Outside, a smattering of chrome trim work sets the 2013 F-Series Super Duty Platinum apart from the rest of the trucks on the job site. Chrome door handles, mirror caps and running boards all add a bit of splash, as do the sizable 20-inch wheels that are newly designed for 2013.
Ford says the MyFord Touch at work in the new Super Duty is truck specific with features like a massive eight-inch touch screen display which has been optimized to function even when users are wearing thick work gloves. for the full press release as well as a brief video.
