2010 Ford Fusion Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery
After the big mess that was the , the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is taking quick action when any reports of accelerator pedal entrapment are reported. Case in point: The 2010 and are being investigated after NHTSA received only three instances of floor mats hindering the gas pedal’s movement. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
A grand total of 249,301 cars are being investigated over this potential problem with Ford’s all-weather floor mats, and we’ll have more details as they arise. Here’s hoping we don’t have to relive the Toyota debacle all over again.
Another day, another special Zonda. The Pagani supercar is set to speed off into the sunset soon and be replaced by a new model. But before it does, the Modenese exotic automaker has been keeping (themselves and us) busy with special editions. The was one, followed by an additional run of . Then came the track-bound , followed by the , and the edition . And now this, the Zonda Uno.
Reportedly commissioned by a member of the Qatari royal family, the Zonda Uno bares the same turquoise paint scheme as the rest of the prince’s motor pool. Otherwise, it features elements borrowed from the Zonda R and the previously-mentioned Cinque, including the air scoop and rear diffuser, and the latter’s 690-horsepower 7.3-liter V12.
Nice work if you can get it, and you can bet the Al-Thani family payed dearly for it.
has confirmed to Autoblog that the won’t remain the only efficiency-minded member of the S-Class family for long. The S350 Bluetec will be coming to the U.S. market for 2011 as the first diesel S-Class since the mid-1990s. The S350 will use the same 3.5-liter turbodiesel V6 already used in Mercedes’ ML, GL and R-Class SUVs. That engine is rated at 210 horsepower and 400 pound-feet and includes a urea injection system to treat the NOx emissions in the exhaust.
We expect the S350 to at least match – if not beat – the we achieved with the S400 gas-electric earlier this year, and it will probably have similar performance thanks to its exceptional torque. There is no word on pricing, but we anticipate it will sticker at or below the S400’s $87,950 base price for 2010.
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Photos Copyright (C)2010 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
So, you’ve found a car that catches your eye. It’s attractive, has the features you want and is priced within your budget. Slam dunk, right? Perhaps, but a recent telephone survey administered by Consumer Reports proves that a number of additional factors can affect the decision to purchase a new car… and we don’t mean cup holders.
Among the factors tilting the scales in any particular automaker’s favor is brand loyalty, though that the desire to purchase another vehicle from the same brand varies widely between men and women as well as by age group. That aside, the most likely attributes to get a buyer to switch brands are higher quality and better fuel economy.
Also important are a lower price, a better safety record and more standard equipment. Of course, we’d like to think comprehensive automotive reviews can sway buyer preference too…
2010 Lexus LS steering fault – Click above to watch video
seems to have learned from its recent brushes with the law over how the company handles its recalls. While the automaker has been judged to be less than transparent in both the floor mat and unintended acceleration sagas, the company has responded to recent with plenty of information for both owners and the public at large. Example, you ask? How about ? Toyota has apparently released a quick flick showing exactly what happens when the design defect rears its ugly head on the range-topping sedan. Apparently, if a driver turns the steering wheel to full lock in one direction and then rapidly turns it back the opposite direction, the steering wheel won’t center itself even though the vehicle is traveling straight.
Eventually, the variable gear-ratio system will allow the steering wheel to right itself, but it takes its sweet time. Only around with this problem are actually roaming U.S. highways, and all of them are eligible for a free fix. Toyota has said that the problem is both mechanical and software related.
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Photos by Frank Filipponio / Copyright (C)2009 Weblogs, Inc.
Things aren’t looking good for in a legal battle over whether or not the Japanese automaker has infringed on a Florida-based company’s hybrid drivetrain patents. A U.S. International Trade Commission judge recently ruled to deny Toyota’s request to end the lawsuit brought by Paice LLC. Toyota’s initial argument was that the plaintiff’s was invalid, but so far, the courts have sided with the smaller of the two companies time and time again. Earlier in the legal battle, a judge ruled that Toyota must pay Paice LLC a royalty for every , Hybrid and Lexus model sold. Paice originally wanted Toyota to halt sales of those vehicles entirely.
In response, Toyota has begun the process of arguing against the royalty amount per vehicle, while Paice has filed a new complaint over the technology present in the third-generation Prius, Hybrid , and .
Paice’s base complaint is over how the manufacturer is supplying torque from both the electric motor and the internal combustion engine to the drive wheels on those vehicles at the same time. The company has also gone after for the design of its and models.
advertising gurus have a big job ahead of them when it comes to supplementing their longstanding (and intentionally arrogant) “Ultimate Driving Machine” slogan with the company’s new “Joy” campaign. Bimmer fanboys had lived and died by the company’s proclamation of superiority for years, so it’s going to take some coaxing to get BMW loyalists to swallow the new ads. Fortunately, BMW has never been one to skimp on advertising dollars, and the company has pulled a stunt in to make sure the ball gets rolling in the right direction.
BMW has used two buildings for a massive, unique 3D projection display right in the middle of downtown Suntec City. Talk about cool. Two massive hands appear to disassemble the structures and rearrange them for their own diabolical, Joy-soaked plans. You can to see the whole shindig for yourself. Thanks for the tip, John!
Ferrari 612 Scaglietti by Novitec Rosso – Click above for high-res image gallery
fanatics should be familiar with the work of Novitec Rosso. The Dutch tuning house regularly churns out beefed-up versions of Maranello’s finest. But while recent releases have upgraded the , and , Novitec has now turned its attention to Ferrari’s flagship grand tourer.
The custom 612 Scaglietti has been treated to an ECU upgrade and a host of cosmetic and rolling stock upgrades. The lightly massaged 5.7-liter V12 – good for 530 horsepower and 434 lb-ft in stock trim – has been boosted to nearly 560 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque, dropping the big coupe’s 0-60 mph sprint below the four-second mark and its top end to north of 200 mph.
Coupled with interior enhancements, darkened indicator lights and 20-inch front and 21-inch rear modular wheels, Novitec has imbued the big Scag with a modest, but much needed attitude adjustment until its replacement arrives. Details in the press release after the jump, high-res images in the gallery below.
Like anyone in their 30s, the new GTI is a bit larger and a lot heavier, but does it still have a swing in its step?
The FT-86 was due to arrive next year, but Toyota is reportedly modifying the body and considering a hybrid powertrain to better compete with the Honda CR-Z.
BMW finally releases all the details on the M3 GTS, and if you can manage the $170k entry-fee then your track-day dreams are sure to come true.
Mini Beachcomber concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
is reportedly seriously considering creating a production version of the Beachcomber concept that debuted at this year’s Detroit Auto Show. The Beachcomber was produced as a -inspired preview of the Countryman crossover that debuted in Geneva, but the concept left the doors and roof behind to create what looked like the offspring of a and the iconic British small car.
Mini SVP for brand management Dr. Wolfgang Armbrecht acknowledged that the response to the concept was so strong that is now looking at the business case for this open-sided variant. If Mini does proceed with the Moke/Beachcomber that would bring the lineup to seven models, including the upcoming coupe and roadster variants. A production version would probably come with removable doors and a folding fabric roof. We wouldn’t expect to see this one appear until at least 2012 or 2013 at the earliest, if then, but in the meantime, to see Dr. Armbrecht and designer Gert Hildebrand discuss the Beachcomber concept.
It was only a matter of time before got his hands on the new 2011 GT. It’s no secret that the guy is a fan of Detroit ponies – he owns a minty 1965 Shelby GT350 that he claims is one of his favorite cars to drive. Now it looks like he’s added the newest generation 5.0 to the flock. As you might expect, he’s been so kind as to share his impressions with the interwebs via an episode of Jay Leno’s Garage.
You might be surprised to hear what the comedian has to say about the car. On more than one occasion, he compares the new Mustang to high-end metal from Mercedes-Benz and BMW. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen that connection drawn. to see the video.
2010 Volkswagen GTI – click above for high-res image gallery
In 1983, Run-DMC was fresh (which meant dope), 760 Turbos weighed 3,300 pounds and the 2,200-pound GTI made its U.S. debut. In 2010, the Rabbit-turned- entered its sixth generation and attempted to draw a clear line to the first-generation car. The historical link has been made especially clear in the 2010 Volkswagen GTI, though it’s gone through the typical changes you face when you hit your 30s. The GTI is now 1,000 pounds porkier, but it’s still as slick as a greased pig when it comes to handling.
Inside, there’s plaid seat upholstery and higher-quality materials. Just like it was back in ‘83, the underhood motivation is only available from a four-cylinder, a change from recent generations that could be stuffed with Volkswagen’s VR6. At a glance, the 2010 model promises to be more visceral than its direct predecessors, but does it come anywhere near the primal magic of the original, or is it just playing dress-up? Click through to the jump to find out.
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Photos by John Neff / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
: 2010 Volkswagen GTI – It’s got its mojo workin’ again
Ryca Motors CS-1 – Click above for high-res image gallery
In case you hadn’t noticed, cafe racers are in. In fact, retro in general has been seeing a resurgence of sorts for the last decade or so, and there’s a certain intrinsic charm to motorcycles designed to be sportbikes before the term sportbike actually existed. Established motorcycle brands, such as Ducati with its and , have taken note with production models that ape the design of low-slung classics with dropped handlebars, raised exhausts and sloping seats.
As much as we appreciate those bikes, it’s important to note that cafe racers were highly customized by their owners and were therefore much more unique than the bikes they were based on. As such, we’re finding ourselves rather intrigued by the CS-1 from Ryca Motors. Starting with the well-known Suzuki S40 (or the Savage, as it was previously known) means that parts and service will never present a problem, and that bike’s easygoing 650cc single cylinder powerplant lends itself to the cafe racer look with relatively little effort.
Casey Stevenson, formerly an engineer at NASA, designed the CS-1 to be a fun and fuel efficient machine that could be built on a small budget and sold as a small run of production models and kits. Want one? A check for $9,500 will get you a CS-1 brand new off the showroom floor, and $8,000 will get you a bike built atop a gently used donor. If you already have an S40 or Savage, you can get it converted for $5,500 or you can buy the complete kit for $3,200.
Rhys Millen Racing PM580 frame – Click above to view the video
The folks at HRE Performance Wheels dropped by the Rhys Millen Racing shop to check out the progress on the new car. Millen and his crew are in the process of building an Unlimited Class racer to crack the all-time record on the Colorado mountain. Millen will attempt to both recapture the record that his father held for 13 years and record the first ever sub-10-minute time.
The PM580 is powered by a V8 engine mounted in the middle of a steel tube-frame chassis. Aside from the engine, the rest of the chassis looks rather conventional, until you see the carbon-fiber bodywork that looks more like something destined to hurtle down the Mulsanne straight at Le Mans rather than up the side of a mountain.
Unlike your mobile data plan, at Pikes Peak Unlimited means exactly that: anything goes, including active aerodynamics. The angle of the upper plane on the rear wing is automatically managed based on a yaw rate sensor and lateral accelerometer. When the car is on the straights it flattens out to a 10-degree angle, but as the car turns in, it tips up to 50 degrees to press the rear end down. It’s fascinating stuff and you can check it out in the video .
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We for Episode #179 of the Autoblog Podcast, and then Chris, Sam, Dan, and Chris Paukert proceeded to answer them. News topics we cover are the Buick Regal GS, Toyota and Tesla getting together, Ford’s next-generation Explorer Police SUV, and the push for increased fuel economy standards by 2025.
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Vaughn Gittin Jr. is mostly known for his ability to pilot Ford Mustangs in a sideways – he currently leads the points race in the 2010 Formula Drift season – but over the last year the Maryland native has also been busy launching his own car brand, RTR, beginning with last year’s show at SEMA with the debut of the .
Not one to rest on his laurels, Gittin will be following up the RTR-C with perhaps something even more impressive. In a collaboration with Team Need for Speed, the drifter/car builder will unveil another Mustang at the 2010 SEMA show dubbed the RTR-X. Based on a 1969 Mustang using a Dynacorn replacement body shell, the RTR-X will feature the 5.0-liter V8 from the 2011 Mustang GT and a one-off sub-frame from Art Morrison. You can follow the until its debut at SEMA in November and even over at SpeedHunters. Hit up the gallery below to see Gittin’s upcoming creation in more detail.
The is set to rule on whether or not current federal regulations protect automakers from being sued under state product liability laws. According to The Wall Street Journal, justices will examine a California lawsuit that claims that should be held responsible for the death of a passenger in a 1993 MPV minivan. The passenger was riding in the middle seat, wearing a lap belt, when an accident occurred. The belt caused serious internal injuries that eventually led to death. The plaintiff’s argument is that by not installing three-point seatbelts in the center row of the vehicle, Mazda failed to do everything in its power to protect the occupants of the vehicle.
It’s important to note that three-point seatbelts didn’t become a legal requirement in all seating positions until 2007. Before that time, regulations established in 1989 said that three-point belts were only required in outboard seats, so Mazda built the MPV to conform to the laws in place when the vehicle was built and sold.
The lawsuit was originally rejected after Mazda pointed to a 2000 Supreme Court case in which Honda was unsuccessfully sued after injuries occurred in a 1987 . In that case, the plaintiff said that Honda was responsible because it did not install airbags in the vehicle.
The Supreme Court will hear the case in the 2010-2011 term starting in October.
Lamborghini Murciélago – Click above for high-res image gallery
We’ve seen a rash of recalls in the past few months, but none of the cars and trucks under the spotlight of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have quite the cache of the .
The is recalling 428 of its 2007 and 2008 model year Murcielago coupes and roadsters for a potentially serious problem that could result in a fuel leak and possibly a fire. The problem apparently lies with the welds holding the fuel pump support inside the fuel tank. If the welds fail to hold, the tank could detach – and nobody wants a $350,000 exotic with a detached fuel tank.
Owners of the potentially defective Murciélagos can take their supercar to the nearest Lambo dealer for a free repair. Hit the jump to read over the official NHTSA press release.
After spending a week circumnavigating the country in a pair of sedans on a couple of weeks back, you might think that the drive home to Detroit from South Bend would’ve been a bit of a disappointment. On the contrary, we were glad to see our long-term , and have been so every day since then. Not that we didn’t enjoy the 550i (2010 model) or remember why we absolutely love the , but there’s a lot to be said for simplicity over unnecessary complication.
For one, the cruise control switchgear on the steering wheel spoke in the Subie is infinitely easier to use than the hidden stalk on the Bimmers. The Legacy’s arrangement is a model of ergonomic excellence, whereas the BMW necessitated that we give step-by-step how-to directions to our co-drivers from the back seat. Repeatedly.
And don’t even get us started on the differences in navigation systems. While the 2.5GT’s is far from perfect, its touchscreen is still much easier to negotiate than either of the two generations of iDrive we experienced in the BMWs – much improved though they are. We do wish that higher functions (address entry, etc.) could be accessed on the move – at least when there is more than one person in the car. Why can’t automakers learn that this safety ‘feature’ should have an automatic override tied to the passenger seat weight sensor that’s already there to govern airbag deployment?
Did we mention how much we like the ? Crisp display, a couple of rockers and a handful of buttons – it’s simplicity itself.
One area where our Subaru is arguably oversimplified is with its : It has two single-function switches – one for tilt, and one for slide open/close. Unless it’s a small cost win, we can’t see why there isn’t a unified dual function switch as on most other cars. At least they are differentiated in look and feel for less fumbling about.
More Long-Term Updates:
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Photos by Chris Paukert / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
2010 BMW 550i Gran Turismo – Click above for high-res image gallery
It appears that may have overestimated the U.S. market appeal for high-end versions of the , and executives now acknowledge that the six-cylinder 535i probably should have been available at launch. It’s not unusual for an automaker to launch an all-new model by shipping mostly loaded, top-level versions in order to absorb the maximum number of dollars from early adopters, but sometimes that approach backfires if the market isn’t ready for the new vehicle.
Case in point is the 5GT, of which BMW has apparently sold fewer than 1,200 units in the U.S. since the launch of the polarizing people mover late last year. Interestingly, BMW has found that more women than expected have bought the model, while its less-than-stellar fuel consumption has hurt sales in a still-weak U.S. economy. Gran Turismo sales are apparently ahead of projections elsewhere, but those other markets launched with both gasoline and diesel inline-six engine choices.
Given that the 5GT is best suited as a road trip machine, it might make sense for BMW to install the 3.0-liter diesel from the and as an alternative to the twin-turbo V8. So far BMW has not indicated any plans to offer a diesel GT in America, but the less costly 535i GT is still slated to arrive in the Fall.
