2011 Renault Latitude – Click above for high-res image gallery
Renault does well in Russia, and the market is important enough to the French automaker that it’s unveiled its latest car in Moscow. The Renault Latitude is described as a “business class” sedan, which translates to a crisply-styled, generously-sized car carrying luxury and tech features. The Latitude will spread into other markets this fall, and the European version will debut at the Paris Motor Show, carrying powertrains and some altered styling details from the Russian-spec versions that just bowed.
Powering the Latitude are a 2.0-liter, 139-horsepower four-cylinder backed by a CVT, or a 2.5-liter, 177-horse version of Nissan’s VQ V6 mated to a six-speed automatic. Drivers are attended to by massaging seats, and niceties like three-zone climate control, sound systems by Arkamys and Bose, and a Carminat TomTom navigation system are some of the equipment details. Chassis bits are borrowed from both Renault and Nissan cars; the front reportedly comes from the Renault Laguna and the rear multi-link setup is from the Nissan side of the family.
Buyers can start lining up to buy the Latitude at the end of September in Morocco and Algeria, and the car will be rolled out in Russa, Ukraine and Africa shortly thereafter. The Latitude is definitely coming to continental Europe, and a decision on whether to offer the Latitude in the United Kingdom will be forthcoming. Want to know more? The press release is posted .
We saw this one coming; the BBC has apparently sacked The Stig. Britain’s tabloid reports that the Stig, a.k.a. Ben Collins, has been let go by the BBC and that a new Stig has replaced him on Top Gear. In fact, the Mirror says it already have pics of the new Stig at a Nürburgring track event, wearing the signature white coveralls and smoked visor helmet. How does the paper know it’s not Collins in the photos? Simple: it had another photographer at Ben’s house – 1,100 miles away – watching Collins play with his children at the same time.
The firing of the Stig comes a week after , slated for release in September. have been trickling out for some time, including the recent discovery that Collins Auto-Sort, a company owned and operated by Ben Collins, claimed income from “driving services for the BBC, mainly in the Top Gear programme.”
Of course, this could still just be speculation, and Top Gear may have hired another driver just for that one track event. If Collins has indeed been canned and Top Gear follows form, a segment will be filmed showing the demise of the white Stig and the appearance of his replacement. At least that’s what they did when the original black-clad Stig, Perry McCarthy, left the show. Wonder what colors the new Stig will fly…
For a show from another country that only produces 14 episodes a year, Top Gear is everywhere. And it’s going to be even more everywhere soon, thanks to a licensed video game reportedly being developed for PC, console, mobile and tabletplatforms. There’s no word on exactly how the developers plan to game-ify the Top Gear television experience, but we guess we’ll find out soon enough – it’s due by the end of the year.
2011 Ram 1500 Hybrid captured by Rich Truesdell of
While recently shooting some cloaked and prototypes, Automotive Traveler’s Rich Truesdell came across several completely undisguised pickups the other day. As Rich tells it:
Upon closer examination, I figured out why: They are near-production-ready versions of the rumored 2-Mode Hybrid version. Judging by the complete lack of cloaking, I’d assume they are undergoing final validation, possibly to establish their published tow ratings. Don’t be surprised if the Ram is an early-introduction 2012 model to reach showrooms in the spring.
We’ve talked about these before, and if a schedule posted at is to be believed, will kick off production of this new on November 16, so they may be badged as MY2011 Ram 1500 Hemi Hybrids and not MY2012 as Rich supposes. Either way, the hybrid Ram is expected to employ the same 5.7-liter Hemi V8, two-mode hybrid powertrain that was used in the short-lived in 2008, backed by a transmission supplied to Chrysler by . Expected mileage ratings should be similar to GM’s hybrid trucks, with a city number of about 21 to 22 mpg.
Check out Automotive Traveler for more photos of the 2011 Ram 1500 Hemi Hybrid.
The insurance industry-funded Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is calling out its governmental counterpart, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for distracting drivers from genuine safety concerns.
Consumer Reports cites a release penned by IIHS president Adrian Lund as saying that unintended acceleration and distracted driving have drawn focus away from other threats, thanks largely to the efforts of NHTSA and the national media. Instead of focusing on runaway sedans and texting teens, Lund says that we should really be worried about speeding drivers and running red lights. IIHS says that last year, those two factors alone were responsible for 13,500 deaths and millions of injuries.
Compare that against the 6,000 deaths associated with distracted driving, and the IIHS point becomes clearer. So, why are the feds so concerned with an issue that’s (statistically, at least) half as dangerous as speeding and running red lights? Lund says it’s because the general public isn’t exactly warm to the idea of more legislation to curtail speed.
What do you think? Is the IIHS position more valid than NHTSA’s? Is it the other way around? for an informal poll on the matter.
Lotus Evora Cup Car GT4 – Click above for high-res image gallery
has set about proving that the is more than just a pretty face, just recently putting its Evora Cup GT4 and 2-Eleven GT4 racers through their paces at the infamous Nürburgring and most recently at Laguna Seca. Both cars were hooned ’round the Green Hell by none other than Olie Hancock, the Lotus rookie test driver. The company didn’t release any lap times for either car, but we’re guessing the two are plenty quick. Lotus has entered the Evora Cup GT4 in the European GT4 Championship, where it will campaign against the best and brightest of the sports car world.
In order to get the car fit for battle, the company trimmed a total of 441 pounds from the car’s curb weight, landing the track-going Evora at just 2,623 pounds. Throw in a 360 horsepower V6 and you’ve got yourself a recipe for tarmac glory.
Meanwhile, a total of four 2-Eleven GT4 racers will be entered into the same championship, two of which will be campaigned by NFS Racing Dubai. The other two will be flying under the Scuderia Giudici banner – the team that currently leads the GT4 Super Sports category.
An accounting rule, among other things, is ostensibly to blame for posting a loss and having to declare negative shareholder equity with more liabilities than assets. According to Automotive News, the new owner of had counted ’s $326 million in redeemable preference shares in the company . So with the company having just got its factory going in October and only having sold 10,500 cars in the first six months of this year, the hard numbers are a loss of €139.1 million ($177.2M U.S.) on €243.1 million in sales ($309.8M U.S.).
The good news is that sales for the same period last year, before Saab’s plunge into full out cardiac arrest, . The Swedish maker also has €280 million in cash (around $357M) and another €266 million ($339M) untapped from its European Investment Bank loan. Spyker has been saying for a while that profitability would come in 2012 and that it has enough cash and credit to get it there without needing to raise more money.
Its sales projections of 45,000 to 50,000 cars this year, however, might be on some downward pressure. Company CEO Jan Ake Jonsson said that they’re still looking to achieve that low number. Next year’s forecast and the company’s break-even point is understood to remain at 80,000 cars, with 120,000 as the long-term annual sales target.
[Source: - sub req'd Image: Olivier Morin/AFP/Getty]
It’s no secret that we Autobloggers are big fans of wagons. Unfortunately, the market here in the United States isn’t as wagon-friendly as those in other corners of the world, and because of this, there are very few examples to choose from – most automakers would rather introduce crossovers, as it’s a significantly bigger (and growing) market.
With that in mind, it’s unlikely that we’ll get a version of this five-door (which will be dubbed “i40″ in other markets), though the automaker hasn’t officially given America the red light just yet. Aside from the cargolicious rear end, the Sonata wagon caught by the spy shooters at CarPix employs a different chrome treatment at the base of the A-pillar, and we can see that a slightly different front fascia has been adapted. In keeping with the Sonata’s sleek design, has opted for a more rakish hatch assembly.
While you wait for Hyundai to take the wraps off this load lugger, scroll through the gallery below to see the prototype out on the street.
Ford’s inflatable seatbelt – Click above for high-res image gallery
While we’re all accustomed to seeing crashtest vehicles packed with loveable dummies, the truth is that manufacturers can’t always rely on high-tech mannequins to get the information they need. Sometimes, they have to resort to other testing procedures to research how new safety tech will impact the human body. And, as Jalopnik points out, those other procedures involve genuine .
Now, don’t start thinking that your favorite manufacturer has a covert team of grave robbers on the pay roll. According to the Jalop, automakers typically partner with universities that have the facilities for that kind of work. In every case, the family members of the deceased are informed of what kind of research their loved ones’ body is being used for, and the cadaver is disposed of respectfully and properly after the trials.
So why use a body when we have all of these fancy computer models at our disposal? Because unfortunately, neither dummies nor our modeling systems have caught up with the complexities of the human body. Most recently, used the deceased to test the impacts of its inflatable seatbelts on internal organs. Head over to to read the full piece.
Back in May, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started in late model minivans after receiving hundreds of complaints from owners. Over three months later, an official recall has just been announced that covers 575,000 1998-2003 Windstars sold in “Salt Belt” states – places where road salt is used to melt away snow and ice during the winter months. Road salt can accelerate corrosion on the rear axle, which can cause the axle beam to break completely.
Ford says that only a small number of reported cases involve instances of the rear axle beams actually snapping, even though NHTSA supposedly received over 200 complaints from owners. Still, Ford will be notifying owners of this potential hazard starting on September 27, and naturally, the problem will be fixed free of charge.
Interestingly enough, this recall does not mention anything about the Windstar’s front subframes – another easily corroded area that triggered in late July. More than 900,000 vehicles could have been affected by this, and we assume that NHTSA’s findings did not warrant a full recall. Still, this rear axle issue will be the eleventh recall placed on the Windstar, a model that was only built for a total of nine years.
NADA picks vehicles with the best cost of ownership – Click above for high-res image gallery
We’ve all been there. A new car model of some variety or another strikes our fancy, we start playing around with the configurator, and before long we’re staring at a nice, tidy monthly payment on the computer screen. It seems reasonable. With a little starvation and the occasional dabbling in petty crime, it might even be easy to hand over that stack of hundred-dollar bills each and every month. Then reality politely reminds us that there’s more to paying for a new car than the check we write to the bank. Things like fuel, insurance, fees, taxes, repairs and maintenance can quickly add up to more than your monthly payment. There’s even depreciation to factor in. The pros call all of this the cost of ownership.
Good thing, too. We’ve never really been too deft at pick-pocketing.
The good folk at NADA have worked up a list of vehicles with the best cost of ownership compared to their MSRP. Sure, they assumed a few variables – specifically, that the vehicles would be driven around 15,000 miles per year by someone with at least six years of driving experience, but the figures are a good operating base for your own car-buying fantasies. Check out the gallery below for the winners in their segments and then for the full press blast.
Kia Forte EcoDynamics LPI Hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery
When unveiled at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, the company claimed its new badge would begin to appear on U.S.-bound models soon. In fact, Kia promised that its eco-friendly moniker would be attached to several models sold worldwide. Now, Orth Hedrick, director-product planning at Kia Motors America, tells Ward’s Auto that the company has nixed plans to introduce the in the U.S. Hedrick cited cost issues as the primary reason for the company’s reversal, stating:
The issue is it’s yet another brand. And given the fact we’re trying to allocate our resources to other areas that make the most sense, does it make sense to introduce another brand out there?
The U.S. automotive market, in its still-depressed state, simply cannot support additional brands. The Detroit Three have pared down by axing , , and , so Kia’s move to drop EcoDynamics fits the trend. Jim Hume of Phire Branding Co. says Kia’s decision makes sense. Hume told Ward’s:
My guess is that they realized the concept of EcoDynamics created not only another brand, but also created the need to educate consumers – an expensive proposition. In this particular case the delineation is tricky. Kia setting apart Earth-friendly vehicles via a sub-brand may have taken away from any Earth-friendly story in Kia-branded vehicles. It is better to highlight everything Kia is doing under one strong brand umbrella.
Though the EcoDynamics badge will not adorn Kia’s U.S.-bound models, the fuel-saving innovations and other elements that were to be featured under the new sub-brand are already appearing on some Kia models headed to dealerships across the nation.
2005-2008 Toyota Corolla/Matrix – Click above for high-res image gallery
has been in the hot seat this year for its high-volume safety recalls, has issued yet another action that covers its 2005-2008 model year sedans and hatchbacks. Approximately 1.13 million vehicles are affected by a problem which could cause the 1ZZ-FE 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine to stall. Three accidents have been reported thus far, though Toyota hasn’t confirmed that these incidents were indeed caused by this engine stalling issue.
To fix this problem, Toyota will replace the engine control modules on the recalled vehicles starting in mid-September. Owners will be notified by mail in the coming weeks and the service will be provided at no charge.
This is not the first time this year that the Corolla and Matrix have been the subject of safety issues. In early 2010, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigated almost 750,000 2009 and 2010 model year vehicles for , and Toyota provided a free fix for customers. An official recall was not issued, though, as Toyota maintains that this problem is not a safety concern.
Follow the jump to read Toyota’s official press release.
*UPDATE: We mustn’t forget that the is built on the same architecture as the Corolla/Matrix, and has just issued a press release (available ) stating that certain 2005-2008 model year Vibes are being recalled for this same issue.
The internets are aflame with word that will unveil a new hatchback at this year’s Paris Motor Show. According to Go Auto, the concept was worked up by none other than The General’s Down Under contingent at Holden. Now, before you start hoping for a more functional version of the Chevrolet Cruze to show up in a showroom near you, know that the production version of the car will be built in Australia and sold to, you guessed it, Australians. Chances are looking slim that the long-roof Cruze will ever make it to the Land of the Free in any official capacity.
Shucks.
GM has made it clear that it will debut no less than four new models in Paris, including production versions of the and Chevrolet Orlando. While the Orlando is another piece of forbidden fruit from the General, buyers in the U.S. can look forward to getting their hands on the -fighting Aveo sometime soon. From what we’ve seen of the new subcompact, the car looks galaxies better than the outgoing model – of course, that’s not hard…
2010 Ford Ranger – Click above for high-res image gallery
According to The Detroit News, officials met with Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty yesterday to discuss the future of the automaker’s St. Paul assembly plant. The facility, which builds Ford’s Ranger compact pickup has been earmarked for closure for some time, but despite the roundtable session, the Blue Oval says it still plans to shutter its operations.
Pawlenty’s administration had been hoping that the signing of a new state law in April allowing the government to offer Ford a series of tax breaks would be enough to keep the Twin Cities operations open, but apparently it wasn’t enough – the plant will close, although an end-date remains uncertain.
Closing the plant will also close the book on the aging Ranger, though Ford has confirmed that the model name will live on with other, . Thus far, rumors of a new North American Ranger (and even an ) have amounted to nothing, and with Ford committed introducing more economical engines to its , it appears highly unlikely that a U.S. Ranger will receive an encore any time soon.
2011 Nissan Juke – Click above for high-res image gallery
Remember the of the mid-’90s? The tiny, econobox-based sportster was as cute as a bug and spent its brief lifespan mixing it up with other long-gone, sporty front-wheel drive affordables like the Mazda MX-3, Honda Civic CRX, Toyota Paseo and even the Hyundai Scoupe. While there were a lot of inexpensive, racy looking coupes back then, most automakers just don’t see any money in that segment anymore. Instead, when they look to spin something off of their entry-level B-class chassis, most veer toward the white-hot crossover segment.
Consider the latest example, Nissan’s 2011 Juke. Come to think of it, this in-your-face city slicker has some startling similarities to the NX. For one, at 162.8 inches long, it’s deceptively small – just 0.4 inches longer than the ’90s coupe. Further, both the Juke and the NX1600 rely on 1.6-liter four-cylinder power. And like the Sentra-based NX, the more emotional Juke is based on the same humble underpinnings that give structure to Nissan’s workaday offerings, in this case, the and . And while the Juke may not be cute as a bug, there’s something downright insectian about its Predator-like mug.
Despite not being a traditional sporty car, has been talking up its controversially styled mini-ute with many of the same descriptors, so we hopped a plane to Vancouver to see if the Juke could bob and weave its way into our hearts. to find out how it fared.
2011 Toyota Highlander – Click above for high-res image gallery
Right on cue, has debuted the at this year’s . As we first , the refreshed crossover now wears a slightly reworked nose, complete with hood, front fenders, fascia, grille and headlights as well as a mildly massaged rear end. Look for new taillights and a new bumper cover to help differentiate the 2011’s rump from its predecessors. Buyers in the motherland can look forward to a single engine – a 3.5-liter gasoline V6 delivering 273 horsepower through a five-speed automatic transmission.
Can we expect a similar treatment when the 2011 Highlander hits our shores? Perhaps. We’re currently awaiting a response from Toyota as to whether this is the face of things to come for the U.S.-spec CUV, but we’d be surprised if our version was terribly different from what you see above, as the Highlander is only built in three factories – China, Japan, and Indiana, making a Russia-specific model unlikely. Chances are that our Highlander will continue to soldier on with the same engine choices available right now. That means that buyers can have their choice between a 3.5-liter V6 with 270 horsepower, a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 187 horsepower or a hybrid drivetrain.
Translogic Episode 5.4 – Click above to watch video
One of the last big technical questions about the is how much gasoline it will consume when the engine starts up to sustain the charge of the battery. Since the beginning of the development program back in 2007, has remained extremely reluctant to discuss details about the Volt’s fuel efficiency, but a few days ago, the world got its first hint from an outsider.
Previous media drives with the Volt were done with 65 percent calibration level prototypes and we didn’t get to see any of the mileage data on the displays. A team from our sister publication, , recently tried out a newer pilot production car at GM’s Milford Proving Ground during a video shoot. Once they ran the battery down, the car continued for another 16.1 miles and apparently used 0.59 gallons of fuel for an average of just 27.3 miles per gallon. Needless to say, that’s nowhere near the 50+ mpg that had been surmised from the big a year ago. Read on for an analysis of what the video crew experienced, as well as the video itself.
2011 Ford Fiesta – Click above for high-res image gallery
The launch was supposed to be smooth as glass, but few complex plans go off without a hitch. The first samples of Ford’s hot subcompact were near the Mexico assembly plant where it’s produced. Ford mailed out gift certificates to stave off its increasingly impatient order holders, but unfortunately the delays aren’t over. The Fiesta had more problems in the last week, but this time Mother Nature had little to do with the delay.
Automotive News is reporting that a quality problem has further postponed some Fiesta shipments, which means already waiting buyers will have to wait a bit longer. Ford President of the Americas Mark Fields declined to say which part caused the delay, but sources at AN say that a faulty seat lever is the culprit. The Blue Oval claims that the issue is now fixed and production has ramped back up in an effort to meet demand. Ford further says that it is unlikely that any defective parts have made it to customers.
While we’re sure that Ford management is less than thrilled with the hiccups in the Fiesta launch, Fields summed up the situation by saying, “The great news is that we have a product that is in really high demand.”
