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Stand at the business end of a Lamborghini doing a smokey burnout and you’re bound to get a lung or two full of all kinds of noxious chemicals. But if a showboating Aventador isn’t at your disposal, soon you’ll be able to light up a Lamborghini cigarette.

The Raging Bull smokes are reportedly being launched by South Korean tobacco giant KT&G on April 18 in collaboration with (read: under license from) Tonino Lamborghini. The brand already offers an assortment of high-end cigarette lighters (like the one pictured at right), cases, ashtrays and other smoking paraphernalia.

Tonino Lamborghini, we should note, is a merchandising brand that – while founded by supercar and tractor guru Ferruccio Lamborghini’s son and bearing a similar logo – has nothing more to do these days with the automaker than that. So if you find the correlation a bit too commercial, you’ll just have to look to the models standing next to the company’s supercars at any given auto show, the ones stepping out of them onto the curbs outside any city’s hottest clubs or the temperature of their engine’s cam covers for your official dose of Lamborghini-grade smokin’ hotness.

Lamborghini’s Raging Bull logo to adorn cigarettes in South Korea

Chrysler has announced it will offer wireless charging in its new 2013 Dodge Dart. The charging bin will work with MP3 players and iPhone, Blackberry and Android mobile phones, provided those devices are fitted with a special case.

The Pentastar says that this $199.99 Mopar accessory is an “industry first,” but we’ll take the liberty of assigning an asterisk* to that claim, as wireless charging has been offered as a third-party solution for some time now (even at new car dealers). This is just the first such offering from an official branch of an OEM. The wireless charging hardware isn’t a factory option, it’s actually a dealer-installed accessory, which means that buyers will have to pay for installation or do it themselves.

Either way, wireless charging is a very cool piece of technology, and Chrysler does deserve credit for being the first automaker to officially offer it throughout its dealers nationwide – asterisk or otherwise. Scroll down to watch a Mopar video of the technology in action.

Continue reading Chrysler introducing industry’s first* wireless charging mat in Dodge Dart [w/video]

Chrysler introducing industry’s first* wireless charging mat in Dodge Dart [w/video]

So a new front-drive Lexus RX 350 will now set you back $40,185, but that’s really not the most interesting pricing news from Lexus. That would be the RX 350 F Sport, which debuts for the 2013 model year in July, carrying a base sticker of $47,875.

While all versions of the RX get the new spindle grille, the F Sport packs Lexus’ eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and a performance-tuned suspension that employs Lexus Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management, akin to what’s available on the GS line. Cosmetic enhancements include a mesh grille and F Sport badges, aluminum pedals and black leather seats with contrasting white stitching. A unique set of 19-inch wheels completes the package, which we look forward to getting our hands on.

Lexus has also announced the base price of its hybrid RX, which will start at $46,805, and the hybrid GS. When the 2013 GS 450h goes on sale in May, it will be priced from $59,845. Additionally, the 2012 Lexus IS will see the price bumped $200 across the board. Scroll down to read the full press release.

Continue reading Lexus prices updated RX among other models

Lexus prices updated RX among other models

Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S got you excited? Well, it appears the new Toyobaru twins might be moving the needle at other automakers, too. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the pair may have challenged Nissan to once again reinvestigate its on-again, off-again plans for an affordable, lightweight sports coupe of its own. Nissan’s Chief Creative Officer, Shiro Nakamura, says his employer is looking at downsizing its Z sports car, though it isn’t clear if that would mean the Japanese automaker would field two separate Z models or just replace the current 370Z with a smaller, less costly model.

“I much prefer smaller sports car,” Nakamura tells the Herald. “It is the time to look at that. With 370Z, we still don’t know next generation will have a larger or smaller engine.”

If Nissan were to reduce the size of the 370’s powerplant, it would be the first time that model’s displacement has dropped. Since the Z gets its model designation from the size of its engine (3.7 liter V6), Nissan could have a problem marketing a smaller Z called the 300Z, since the last time a new 300Z was sold in the States was way back in 1986.

More likely would be the revival of long-forgotten nameplates like 200SX or 240SX. Either would almost certainly be direct competition for the Subaru and Scion rear-drive coupes.

Nakamura reminded fans that even if the 370Z loses some cubic inches, Nissan will still have the young but already legendary GT-R. When asked if Nissan would be willing to support three sports cars, Nakamura says, “If there is a market, we will do it.”

Nissan renews talk of sub-370Z sports car to take on Subaru BRZ

Hyundai has once again partnered up with Rhys Millen, this time to create a new 2013 Genesis Coupe fit to take on Formula Drift. The specially prepared two-door boasts more then 600 horsepower thanks to careful tweaking by the minds at RMR. That’s a far cry from the 274 hp served up by the stock 2.0-liter turbo four, and so far, Millen is keeping the secret of how he pulled that much grunt from the four-pot to himself. We’re guessing this machine has been touched by the gods of forced-induction in all the right ways.

While Millen and his track-bred heathen are out vaporizing tires, Hyundai fans will have a chance to pour over the company’s other wares and compete for race gifts while at the track. This marks the fourth consecutive year Hyundai and Millen have partnered up, and this year, he’ll be the exclusive driver for the company at all Formula Drift events. Last year, the RMR team took first place in Las Vegas and runner up at Irwindale. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Hyundai shows Millen’s updated-for-2013 Genesis Coupe drift car

Hyundai shows Millen’s updated-for-2013 Genesis Coupe drift car

The Official Car Of Beverly Hills Gets A Dramatic Rework

Generally speaking, I’m a pretty measured sort of guy. But when it comes to convertibles, I’m a bit of a lunatic. I’ve been known to motor with the top down in all conditions – including light rain and snow – much to the bewilderment of other drivers (and quite often the chagrin of my passengers). For the most part, it doesn’t matter if I’m driving in a bare-bones roadster or a lux-lined GT. Thankfully for my hapless guests, however, advances in technology have done much to assuage discomfort in poor weather. These days, there are far fewer tradeoffs associated with top-down motoring: improved aerodynamics, wind blockers, enhanced ventilation, sun-reflecting leather and, of course, seat heating and cooling – all features that have done much to make me better company. What’s more, modern underlying structures are stiffer and there’s little in the way of the noise, vibration and harshness penalties that there used to be.

In terms of innovation, nobody has done more to advance the everyday livability of the convertible than Mercedes-Benz. They kept the faith back in the early 80s when nearly everyone had gotten out of the convertible business. They brought back the folding hardtop. They came up with the pyrotechnic roll hoop to augment rollover safety. They created Airscarf. Aircap, too. Hell, with this 2013 SL550, they’ve even invented a new windshield wiper fluid delivery system to prevent errant schvitzing when driving with the top down (more on that in a minute).

On its face, a typically sober German engineering approach would seem to be at odds with the very idea of a top-down bauble, but Mercedes has taken a very logical approach to building something so frivolous. Amazingly, this philosophy works in the SL’s favor… most of the time.

Continue reading 2013 Mercedes SL550 [w/video]

2013 Mercedes SL550 [w/video]

How much do hybrid drivers really, truly like their cars? According to R.L. Polk, not all that much – at least not in 2011.

Polk has released a new hybrid loyalty analysis that concludes that only 35 percent of people who bought a hybrid bought another one last year. The data comes from car purchases made in 2011, and Polk found that Toyota Prius drivers are the most loyal, both to the gas-electric technology and to Toyota itself. Sixty percent of Toyota hybrid owners bought another vehicle from the automaker, even if it wasn’t a hybrid. A recent J.D. Power Customer Retention Study found that the average brand loyalty was 49 percent, but that doesn’t take powertrains into account.

According to Polk, forty-one percent of Toyota hybrid drivers choose to buy another hybrid (from any brand). Interestingly, when Polk took out these Toyota buyers from their results, hybrid loyalty rates dropped to “under 25 percent. However, in our book that’s kind of skewing the numbers, since most hybrids sold in the U.S. are built by Toyota. When looking only at Honda hybrid drivers, for example, 52 percent bought another Honda and “just under 20 percent” purchased another hybrid (from any brand). The in-brand loyalty, says Brad Smith, director of Polk’s Loyalty Management Practice, shows that hybrids “can certainly give a brand a competitive edge when it comes to attracting new customers.”

What’s perhaps most interesting is that changes in gas prices, “had little impact on hybrid segment loyalty,” according to Polk. In the company’s quarterly hybrid analysis from 2008 through 2011, loyalty rates ranged from 26.4 to 41.8 percent, but spent most of the time in the 30s. See more details of the study in the official Polk press release by scrolling below.

Continue reading One and Done: Study says most hybrid drivers don’t buy another

One and Done: Study says most hybrid drivers don’t buy another

Volvo is poised to rapidly inflate its presence in China, and it believes the way forward is through an $11 billion spending plan. “We want to revive Volvo and give the brand its strength back,” says Li Shufu, Chairman of Geely Automobile Holdings. Speaking with German magazine Wirtschafts Woche, Shufu disclosed that Geely will put up $11 billion for a new engine factory, increased research and development and technology upgrades. However, Volvo’s Per-Ake Froberg tells Reuters that Volvo itself will be providing the funds through borrowing and other means.

No matter where the funding comes from, the investment is meant to aggressively drive the Volvo brand in the Chinese market, where the Swedish brand sold about 50,000 cars last year. Geely wants Volvo to account for 20 percent of the premium car market in just three years(!) with a target of 200,000 vehicles for 2014. It’s all part of an ambitious plan to double Volvo sales over the next ten years, and for its stewardship, Geely will get a new premium brand for China that uses Volvo tech and engineering. In addition, the two brands will be combining their purchasing power to get better deals from suppliers and small engine and electric vehicle development will also be shared between Volvo and Geely.

As the last Swedish brand standing, it’s heartening to see that Geely has designs on increasing Volvo’s sales. Here’s hoping the recently voracious appetite for cars in the Chinese market doesn’t shortchange American buyers looking for Nordic iron.

Geely announces $11 billion investment in Volvo

The Detroit Free Press reports that the United States Treasury has exercised its power to put a cap on executive compensation at General Motors by freezing CEO Dan Akerson’s pay at last year’s levels. Akerson brought home a total of $9 million last year including salary, stock and restricted stock.

The executive’s $1.7 million salary will remain unchanged this year, with the rest of his earnings coming via performance-based stock salary. Meanwhile, some 25 of the company’s most highly compensated executives will also see their compensation limited for 2012. All told, the Treasury says executive pay dropped by around 12 percent from 2011 to 2012.

GM has warned meddling with executive pay could result in a talent exodus from the company, but so far, The Detroit Free Press reports only two leaders have walked away from the automaker. GM says the cuts may also make it difficult to hire new talent moving forward.

GM currently owes the U.S. Treasury around $25 billion.

How does Akerson’s pay line up with other auto executives? Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne takes home a combined $22.2 million for his efforts both at the American automaker and Fiat while Ford CEO Alan Mulally earned an impressive $29.5 million in 2011.

Treasury orders executive pay cuts at GM including CEO Akerson

Fisker Automotive may drop plans to use a Delaware factory to build its upcoming Atlantic sedan and is looking at “other options,” Automotive News reports, citing an interview with company CEO Tom LaSorda. The company, in an online meeting with owners of the Fisker Karma extended-range plug-in sedan, spelled out some of the issues that have been plaguing the car.

Fisker will hold off on deciding on the Atlantic’s production site until the end of summer, which will delay the model’s debut. LaSorda maintains that Fisker will be able to produce the Atlantic with or without Department of Energy funding, according to Automotive News. Fisker’s director of corporate communications, Russell Datz, tells AutoblogGreen that the company remains “committed to Delaware” but admits that if the rest of the company’s DOE loan money does not come through, the plan to build the Atlantic in Delaware could change.

Follow the jump to continue reading…

Continue reading Fisker may change plans on Delaware production, details Karma troubles

Fisker may change plans on Delaware production, details Karma troubles

Getting word of another special edition from the UK isn’t surprising, as we’ve grown almost numb from the carnival of Mazda, BMW and Citroën models that have been given a few extra gubbins for a few extra quid. But when the Union pairs a Toyota Aygo with Tabasco – as in, the legendary Louisiana hot sauce – consider our eyebrows raised. Except, that doesn’t exactly appear to be what this is – it’s the Toyota Aygo Tobasco. As in the alternate spelling for the pepper that makes up the hot sauce, not the condiment itself.

The Aygo+ Tobasco edition gets a choice of three colors: Orange Spice, Black or Dark Gray, and all come with orange side mirrors and door handles. Inside, orange is splashed all over, on the speedometer and tach, vents and door speakers. Orange upholstery is also on offer.

We don’t know how much you have to love the pepper to check this box, but it’s there if you’re feeling saucy. It joins a suite of other upgrades for the tiny Aygo+ such as new seat trims and a new stereo. Hit the jump for the press release with the details.

Continue reading Toyota offering spicy new Aygo Tobasco special edition

Toyota offering spicy new Aygo Tobasco special edition

Chevrolet has over a hundred years of heritage from which it can call upon when the right marketing angle presents itself. Like, for instance, when it launches a brand-new Impala for the 2014 model year, as it has just done at the 2012 New York Auto Show. As such, the automaker has brought a mint 1966 Chevrolet Impala SS 427 Convertible to display alongside its new family sedan.

We’ll get this right out of the way: the 1966 ‘Vert has nothing in common with the 2014 sedan, other than its nameplate.

Regardless, it’s always fun to ogle over a classic muscle car, and this ‘66 Impala is, perhaps, the very best of its full-size breed. The 427-cubic-inch V8 was factory rated at 390 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque – plenty more than necessary to turn those 7.5-inch-wide bias-ply tires into plumes of smoke, and the four-speed manual and 3.55:1 gears mean it’s properly equipped for 1960s-style stoplight showdowns.

Check out this classic Impala SS in our high-res image gallery, and before we all get too sentimental for the old times, remember two points: First, as awesome as this machine undoubtedly is, it could never be sold today due to safety and emissions reasons. Second, most of the millions of Impalas sold over the years were much more pedestrian models than this stunning blue SS.

Caveats aside, we want this car rumbling away in our virtual garage. Badly.

1966 Chevrolet Impala SS 427 Convertible reminds us of days long gone

Last week we brought you Inside Line’s list of the 10 cars most likely to be owned by a women. The Volvo S40 came out on top among the ladies. But what’s most likely to be owned by a guy? Minivans? Fuel-efficient hatchbacks? Hybrids?

No.

At the top of Inside Line’s list is the very masculine, testosterone-oozing Ferrari 458 Italia. It should be no surprise that 95.3% of 458 owners are men. We sure would like to meet the other 4.7%.

Ahem. Anyway, in second place is the BMW 1 Series M Coupe, then the Audi R8, the Mercedes SLS AMG and then, at No. 5, the Ferrari California. So far, we’ve pretty much recited every male motorhead’s ultimate wish list. Seriously, what self-respecting man doesn’t put himself to sleep every night running through the gears of any of those cars?

At No. 6, is the perennial Porsche 911, then the Nissan GT-R at No. 7 with 87.9% male ownership. No. 8 is the obligatory GMC Sierra pickup closely followed by the Ford F-Series at No. 9. Rounding out the list at No. 10 is the consummate mid-life crisis Chevy Corvette with 86.9% male ownership.

So where does that leave the Ford F-650? Are there really that many women buying that monster?

These are the 10 new cars with the highest percentage of male ownership

After we saw spy shots of a long-wheelbase BMW 3 Series for China, we knew it one was coming. Now BMW has confirmed that the car will indeed bow at Auto China 2012, otherwise known as the 2012 Beijing Motor Show, which kicks off on April 23.

The LWB 3 Series has an 4.3-inch wheelbase stretch and will be offered with three powertrains. The smallest is the 184-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that’s not available in North America. The 240-hp, 2.8-liter sold here in the 328i will also be available, as will the 300-hp, turbo 3.0-liter six-cylinder. The LWB 3 Series models will carry the “Li” suffix like we’ve seen on the 7 Series, so the three models will be designated 320Li, 328Li and 335Li.

Click past the jump to see the press release, and be sure to check out our gallery.

Continue reading BMW confirms 3 Series long-wheelbase model for Beijing

BMW confirms 3 Series long-wheelbase model for Beijing

If there’s any place a Cadillac SUV can feel at home, surely it’s Manhattan. Only fitting, then, that the updated 2013 Cadillac SRX has debuted at the New York Auto Show.

The revised luxury crossover has been treated to a mild facelift, but as with so many things, it’s what’s inside that counts with the new SRX. The cabin has been updated with a series of cosmetic and functional changes (new steering wheel, new shifter, etc.), but the bigger news is its fresh electronics. Cadillac has imbued the angular high-rider with its new CUE infotainment and connectivity system, complete with an eight-inch capacitive touchscreen. Other additions include the Safety Alert Seat system and active safety features like automatic front- and rear braking, adaptive cruise control, and so on.

In short, it looks to be a better SRX than the one it succeeds, and you can check it out in our gallery of live shots above and the stock shots from the manufacturer below.

Continue reading 2013 Cadillac SRX looks the same, hides its high-tech secrets

2013 Cadillac SRX looks the same, hides its high-tech secrets

Our sister site Translogic visits the University of Michigan in their latest episode to check out a bipedal robot named MABEL. While other similar robots like ASIMO (built by Honda), and the Partner Robots (from Toyota) have wowed crowds with their ability to walk upright, MABEL advances the technology with a complex system of springs in its knees so that its gait more resembles actual human locomotion. This enables MABEL to actually run like a human, with both “feet” leaving the ground for part of each stride.

MABEL actually set a world record for fastest two-legged machine last summer, hitting a peak pace of 6.8 miles per hour. (By comparison, ASIMO tops out at 3.7 mph.) More importantly, MABEL is able to walk and run over more than just flat terrain, as it can dynamically balance similar to a human. University of Michigan researchers say this technology may be able to help the disabled regain the ability to walk some day, or be deployed for future vehicles that don’t use wheels.

Watch the full episode below.

Continue reading Translogic goes for a walk with MABEL the walking robot

Translogic goes for a walk with MABEL the walking robot

J.D. Power has become a household name thanks to the organization’s yearly awards based on in-depth consumer surveys about all manner of goods and services. In the automotive industry, manufacturers constantly struggle to best each other for top honors, and that struggle has helped push the industry toward ever-better quality. But as Ward’s Auto points out, few people know the man behind the name.

James David Power III began licensing manufacturers to use his award in advertisements in 1986, two years after Subaru dropped the J.D. Power name in a Super Bowl ad.

In 2005, Power sold J.D. Power and Associates to publishing giant McGraw-Hill, but stayed on with the company until 2009. Even after his departure, Ward’s Auto says Power is proud of the empire he helped build. While outlets like Consumer Reports have gained a substantial following, the organization only polls its own subscribers, while J.D. Power takes its data from a larger cross section of consumers.

Using a separate operation to keep conflicts of interest at bay, companies must pay a fee to be able to use the J.D. Power name in their ads. Yet J.D. Power is not without controversy – auto companies pay substantial fees for access to its various quality metrics and counsel, leading critics to suggest there’s a conflict of interest in having a quality auditor paid by the very companies it monitors. In addition, critics note that the company’s much ballyhooed Initial Quality Study isn’t purely a study of manufacturing defects, but rather an arcane formula that mixes actual owner problems with design flaws (think: cupholders that can’t hold a Venti Frappucino from Starbucks). As most consumers are likely to equate the idea of quality with a product free of problems, the thought is that this is somewhat misleading methodology.

Either way, there’s no doubting J.D. Power’s impact on the auto biz – both the company and the man who bears its name. To learn more about him, check out the in-depth Ward’s Auto article at the link below.

Who, exactly, is J.D. Power?

Porsche has announced that Ferdinand Alexander Porsche – grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, son of Ferry Porsche and designer of the iconic 911 – passed away today, April 5, at the age of 76. He died in Salzburg, Austria of unknown causes.

It goes without saying that the 911 is the most important product in the history of Porsche, and it’s a testament to Ferdinand Alexander’s skill as a designer that his original shape has evolved so little since 1963 when it debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The 911, though, isn’t his only achievement. He was also reportedly very proud of another car he designed, the 904, as well as founding the industrial design company Porsche Design Studio in 1972.

Continue reading Ferdinand Alexander Porsche – designer of the 911 – dies at age 76

Ferdinand Alexander Porsche – designer of the 911 – dies at age 76

When we read through the press materials for the new 2013 Toyota Avalon, we had to double-check… had we downloaded the release for the wrong car? Because right here it says, “In Sport mode, throttle response is enhanced and steering effort is weighted… to offer a sportier character.” And what’s this about paddle shifters? This is the Avalon, the car that replaced the Mercury Grand Marquis in the hearts, minds and garages of Florida retirees.

But yes, we had the right car. Apparently Toyota is serious about developing more interesting and youthful products, and it’s off to a good start with the Avalon, based on what we have heard and seen at the New York Auto Show today. The car was developed, styled and engineered in the United States, and it will be built here too, at Toyota’s Georgetown, KY, plant. While that doesn’t mean much without a product that can deliver the goods, we like most of what we see. From the A-pillar on back, the new Avalon looks long and sleek and seems to have a lot of BMW inspiration in its design. The front grille, however, has way too much Hyundai Genesis Coupe in it for our tastes. Inside the Avalon, we see what looks to be a pretty stunning instrument panel design, and we’re intrigued by the capacitive touch controls Toyota has included.

While Toyota is declining to say anything about what powers the new Avalon other the fact that the engine will have six cylinders, we can’t imagine it will be anything other than a version of its corporate 3.5-liter. The big question is how much horsepower this new, sportier Avalon might be packing. The current car has 268 horses, though another derivative of the engine in the Lexus GS boasts 306. The 2013 Avalon goes on sale late this year, and we must admit, this is the first Avalon we might actually be excited to drive. Click past the jump to read the full press release.

Continue reading 2013 Toyota Avalon looks to shed geriatric image

2013 Toyota Avalon looks to shed geriatric image

General Motors is taking a big gamble in a little way with its 2013 Chevrolet Spark. The Detroit automaker is betting that high fuel prices and an increased awareness of one’s ecological footprint will mean more consumers are willing to entertain a new car with an even smaller err… footprint. The Spark will join other minicars like the Fiat 500, Scion iQ and Smart ForTwo, none of which have met with significant sales volume. On the other hand, its big brother, the Sonic has performed well in the early going. In addition, the Spark offers more physical volume than its peers – as well as a set of rear doors – so practicality appears to be solidly in favor of Camp Chevy.

The five-door Spark will test America’s appetites for small car life with a starting price of just $12,995 (*including delivery) when it arrives in Chevrolet showrooms later this year. Available in a trio of trims, the lineup will start with the well-equipped LS model that includes a whopping 10 airbags, air conditioning, power windows, OnStar and 15-inch alloys.

Stepping up to the 1LT trim will cost $14,495, but it adds an audio system with seven-inch color touchscreen, USB connectivity and satellite radio. Additional features include keyless entry, power mirrors, cruise control, Bluetooth (”for select phones”) and mundane items like visor mirrors and floor mats. The range-topping 2LT ($15,795) will be distinguished by a unique set of 15-inch wheels, sportier body-color fascias, fog lamps and additional exterior brightwork. Inside, heated, leatherette-covered seats and a leather-wrapped wheel spruce up the cabin.

Regardless of which trim spec is selected, buyers will find a 1.2-liter Ecotec four-cylinder underhood, and a five-speed manual is standard equipment, though a four-speed automatic can be substituted for $925.

GM announced back in October that it will also bring a Spark EV to “select markets” in the U.S. sometime in 2013, though it has yet to announce pricing or an on-sale date for the pure electric runabout.

Continue reading 2013 Chevrolet Spark to start at $12,995*

2013 Chevrolet Spark to start at $12,995*