The strength of the Yen is forcing many Japanese automakers to consider building cars for export markets outside their home country. is no different, and has confirmed that it will build the hatchback at its starting in the spring of 2014.
The plant in Mexico is not the only location where Honda will build the Fit, but it will be used to supply the small hatchback to the large United States, Mexican and Canadian markets. Honda expects to build up to 200,000 subcompact vehicles per year at its plant near Celaya, Guanajuato.
Honda already builds a huge number of vehicles in North America. In fact, as pointed out in the press release , more than 85 percent of the Honda and models sold in America were built in the United States, Canada or Mexico. What’s more, the addition of the Fit to the , , and means that all four of Honda’s global nameplates will be produced in North America.
Chrysler today is launching a continuation of its for the , , and .
The new ads do not feature Clint Eastwood, as the February Super Bowl ad did.
The Ram ad, titled “Tommy and The Ram,” is a vignette that depicts a wife’s admiration for her husband’s hard work and determination to provide for his family in any economic environment. There is a great line in this ad as he drives his Ram to a job site: “Where there’s a truck, there’s a job.” The idea here is that as long as he has a reliable truck, he always has a chance to earn.
The ad for the Chrysler 300 is told through a father talking about his pride in his son making his own way in life, while the Wrangler spot is told through the story of a young daughter adapting to a new life and new city with her family.
The ads will be breaking during the NCAA Men’s basketball semi-finals, NHL games, NASCAR, Mad Men and the American Country Music Awards.
Azure Dynamics, which develops electric-drive powertrains for automakers such as , said this week that it will file for financial protection from its creditors under Canadian law and will cancel its plans to sell shares in what may be a precursor to a bankruptcy filing.
Azure is the company that adds the all-electric powertrain to Ford’s practical little Transit Connect Electric. For now, no new TCEs will be made. Azure’s Mike Elwood that production of the Transit Connect Electric has stopped as a result of the restructuring and that, “While we go through our restructuring there will be no TCE activity until we present an approved plan.” We’re told that warranty issues for those who have already purchased a Transit Connect Electric will be a part of this plan.
Ford’s Wes Sherwood told AutoblogGreen that Azure’s filing does not affect Ford’s overall EV and green-vehicle strategy. “Our priority is to ensure that Azure’s Transit Connect Electric customers continue to have support throughout their ownership experience,” he said. “Our Ford electric vehicle product plans remain on track, as part of our commitment to provide customers the power of choice for fuel economy solutions across our lineup – from EcoBoost-powered vehicles and hybrids to plug-in hybrids and full electrics.”
Azure Dynamics joins a list of companies that were looking to capitalize on an increase in demand for battery-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles but have had problems staying afloat. Extended-range plug-in utility vehicle maker last month amid its claims that the federal government took too long to process the $400 million in loans promised to the company, while , which makes the extended-range plug-in Karma, has faced questions about its own future and most of the federal government loans earmarked for the company .
Italy’s Superstars Series may have seemed like an insignificant championship in the past, but drivers and manufacturers alike are beginning to take notice of what is rapidly emerging as Italy’s equivalent of Germany’s DTM, Japan’s Super GT or Australia’s V8 Supercars series. One of those drivers is Tonio Liuzzi, and one of those manufacturers is .
The German automaker had been represented in the series before, but is now launching an officially factory-sanctioned works effort with a specially-prepared touring car fielded by Caal Racing. And it has lined up an experienced driving talent to man the wheel.
A veteran of 80 grands prix, Vitantonio Liuzzi has driven for Red Bull, Toro Rosso, Force India and HRT, but unfortunately failed to distinguish himself with a single podium finish, pole position or fastest lap in the span of his six years in Formula One. Prior to ascending to the pinnacle of motorsports, he had won the International Formula 3000 championship, and has also tried his hand at A1GP (representing Italy) as well as the Speedcar Series (a stock car series held briefly in the Middle East).
Will he prove himself a greater talent in touring cars than he did in F1? We’ll have to wait and see, but given the factory support in a privateer-dominated series and the number of championships Caal Racing has won, things are looking up for Liuzzi and Mercedes. for the official announcement (in Italian) and check out the batch of official high-resolution images in the gallery above.
Back in 1967, shocked the world by winning the Monte Carlo Rally. The man behind the wheel was one Rauno Aaltonen, and now Mini is honoring the Finnish driving legend with a special edition bearing his name.
Available (in parts of Europe, anyway) on the classic three-door hatchback with either the Cooper or Cooper S engine spec, the Rauno Aaltonen edition comes painted red, while white features prominently on the roof, stripes up the hood, down the back and across the quarter-panels, side mirrors, hood intake and 17-inch wheels. Inside, Aaltonen’s signature graces the speedo and the leather-wrapped steering wheel is unique as well.
The best part is that buyers of the Cooper S Rauno Aaltonen get a day of instruction at the ice-driving school run by the honoree’s son Tino Aaltonen. Check out the special edition in the high-res image gallery.
Still think drinking and driving don’t mix? Well you’re right. They don’t. But every once in a while something comes along to make us rethink that rift. Like that , those , Krug’s or really any racing car bearing the Martini livery. Or this special one-off .
Crafted by the British luxury SUV brand in collaboration with Italian customizers Aznom, this unique Evoque features a wine-red paintjob with bronze trim and a mate black roof, with an interior bathed in cream leather. It was made for the champagne house Bollinger for the 2012 Vinitaly wine festival, and will accompany a Luxury Lounge motorhome across Europe to promote Bollinger and its fine bubblies. Of course, if your home town is not on its route, you can always check it out in the high-res image gallery for a closer look.
In the vs. debate, no one questions Forza’s commitment to genuine engine noise. Normally, the Turn 10 sound engineers use Dyno Authority in a business and residential area of Seattle to record their cars’ sounds, but when it came to the 1991 Mazda 787B that was unleashed in February’s , the Le Mans-winning racer was just too loud.
In fact, the 700-horsepower 2.7-liter Wankel-engined legend with four rotors and its continuously variable intake was the loudest car that Forza engineers have ever caught on mic. to watch a video on how they did it.
will slowly be expanding its commercial vehicle lineup here in the United States, and the next product to hit dealerships is this . Pricing has now officially been set, with the base 12-passenger NV3500 carrying an MSRP of $31,690 (*not including destination charges). Tick every option box on the NV configurator and a fully decked-out NV3500 SL V8 with leather and navigation will run you just shy of $40,000.
The NV passenger van is mechanically the same as its cargo van kin, meaning power comes from either a 4.0-liter V6 with 261 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque or a 5.6-liter V8 with 317 hp and 385 lb-ft of twist. Both engines are mated exclusively to a heavy-duty five-speed automatic transmission and only send power to the NV’s rear wheels. Inside, the NV3500 boasts all the creature comforts of any passenger vehicle, including a touch-screen infotainment system, lots of storage space and mobile office capability.
Following the launch of the NV3500 passenger van, Nissan will bring the smaller – the , for those of you keeping track – to market. All in, Nissan aims to have a full line of commercial vehicles on sale here in the U.S. within the next few years.
This year, will, once again, be crawling with electric vehicles. will be there with its , and the Pikes Peak EV Challenge Committee has just announced it will bring a new all-electric car to scale the 14,110-foot peak in Colorado this July.
The prototype vehicle will be developed by , where APEV stands for the Association for the Promotion of Electric Vehicles, and will be driven by the legendary Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima. Tajima has , for the first time last year.
But that was in a gas-powered , which isn’t nearly as eco-chic as doing it with zero emissions. The coolest part, for real, is that Team APEV and Monster Sports will be participating to help victims of the 2011 Japan earthquake disaster as well as promoting environmental education projects for children and “projects to promote active participation from the senior citizens of Japan.”
When our friends at told us they’d be sending over a set of Bridgestone Blizzak WS-70 tires mounted on 17-inch Sport Edition alloy wheels for our , our minds were immediately filled with images of the little blue hatchback bounding along snowy roads with razor-sharp precision and confidence. Instead, editors Neff, Paukert and myself can literally count on one hand the number of times we actually had to drive the on snowy/slushy roads. So much for winter tire/all-wheel-drive snowy playtime.
To say that we’ve had an unusually mild winter here in the Midwest is truly an understatement (note: we are absolutely not complaining). In mid-March, we saw record-high temperatures in the mid-80s. As Neff said in , seriously, what the hell is going on?
So rather than wear down the tread on our Blizzaks even further, we took the over to Motor City Mini once again to have its stock Pirelli Cinturato 18-inch wheels and run-flat (boo!) tires put back on. Perfect timing, too, since the car was just about to roll over the 12,000-mile mark, meaning its first scheduled maintenance was due. The oil was changed, fluids were topped off and all of the other mechanical elements inspected, and thus, our Mini is now prepped and ready for spring and summer in The D. We of the run-flat tires combined with our optional sport suspension already, so we’ll spare you another round of grumbling. If there’s one thing we’ll miss about the winter tires, it’s the smoother – albeit, slightly louder – ride.
Our observed fuel economy numbers are falling short of what the EPA suggests.
With 12,000 miles now under our belts, the Countryman is plenty broken in. But after a quick math session with the car’s logbook, it seems our observed fuel economy numbers are falling short of what the EPA suggests. I’ll personally admit to driving the Mini more aggressively than most consumers likely will (hey, this thing is seriously fun to throw around), but even so, the fact that our observed fuel economy is only 24.9 miles per gallon is indeed questionable. The EPA rates the 2011 Cooper S Countryman All4 at 26/32 mpg city/highway and 28 mpg combined when fitted with the six-speed manual transmission, and our best recorded fuel economy is only a dismal 29.3 mpg. Either I’m not the only one with a heavy right foot or something is off here. We’ll definitely be keeping a close watch over this as time progresses.
In the next month, associate editor Chris Shunk will put the Countryman to use as a family hauler, so we’ll get a better idea of just how kid-and-cargo-friendly the four-passenger interior really is. Stay tuned.
Keep your eyes locked on the official for the majority of our updates, as well as the official Autoblog Twitter account (, look for the hashtag).
The UK is currently experiencing a run on fuel after a government minister warned citizens to stock up ahead of a possible strike by British fuel tanker drivers. Despite the fact that a strike is anything but certain, and must also be preceded by a week-long warning period, Britain’s Petrol Retailers Association says that gasoline sales are up 81 percent and diesel 43 percent since the comments were made. The average price of fuel there today is £1.40/liter, or $8.49/gallon.
Cabinet Minister Francis Maude had originally commented that Britain’s drivers should store fuel, “maybe a little bit in the garage as well in a jerrycan.” Late Tuesday, Transportation Minister Mike Penning attempted to walk back that comment a bit, stating that Maude had misunderstood the size of a jerrycan (20 liters). Penning, however, still remarked the he supported the advice to keep fuel tanks topped off in case a strike date is set.
Lines to purchase fuel today are reportedly so long in places that authorities are ordering some stations to close in order to clear the road congestion. Gasoline containers are also reportedly flying off shelves.
The potential strike would involve some 2,000 drivers represented by Unite, the country’s largest trade union. The union is negotiating for minimum standards that would cover things like wages, hours and holidays for drivers that deliver fuel to Shell and Esso gas stations, as well as supermarkets.
The UK government is defending the ministers’ comments as taking appropriate precautions, but other organizations, like Britain’s Automobile Association, are blaming the official advice for panic buying that will lead to fuel shortages ahead of a strike that may not even happen.
has released the fifth and final teaser of its all-new sedan ahead of the car’s official debut at the 2012 . It’s a good thing this is the last one, because Nissan has seen fit to show off almost the entire car, albeit very quickly and never stationary.
It’s plain to see that this new Altima will be much swoopier than before, with a highly stylized front fascia and a steep D-pillar arc. We also note a rising body line that starts below the side mirrors before heading over the rear haunches to the taillamps. At the rear, there appears to be a bulging rump on the trunk lid that reminds us of the infamous Bangle Butt made popular by past models.
It seems Nissan is most interested in promoting its latest interior technology, pointing out that the 2013 Altima will feature a “new Advanced Drive-Assist Display” in the instrument cluster that “is designed to keep the driver focused on the road.” Available will be lane departure warning, rear moving object detection and blind spot warning. We’re pretty sure we see steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, too.
Feel free to peruse the press release , but not before watching the video. Enjoy, and come back next week for the Altima’s full reveal.
Audi’s customer racing program with the R8 LMS has been an unequivocal success. Since the delivery of the first race car in March of 2010, more than 40 examples have competed in 18 different championships worldwide, racking up more than 100 victories. In 2011 the R8 LMS captured important wins at the 24 hour races at Spa and Zolder, as well as claiming a GT3 class victory at the Nürburgring 24 Hours. Most recently the in Australia for the second year in a row.
One of the places the R8 LMS hasn’t had a big impact, though, is here in the United States. For 2012, , but it’s a version that’s significantly changed from the model that competes in the European GT3 series. The aerodynamics of the car are less aggressive to meet Grand-Am standards, the 5.2-liter V10 is detuned by around 75 horsepower, and driver aids like ABS and traction control have been removed.
With the R8’s success in motorsports internationally, has hinted that it is currently looking at expending the car’s presence to other racing series stateside. One man, James Sofronas, isn’t waiting around for the good folks at Ingolstadt to take action, though. He got his hands on a pair of GT3-spec R8 LMS race cars and is in the process of homologating them for a racing series here in the United States. He recently invited us to take a closer look at the R8 LMS and learn more about the car’s domestic racing future.
Those of us who are fortunate enough to have never suffered through cancer likely don’t realize how the disease can turn some of life’s simplest acts into huge hurdles. Just getting to treatment appointments can be daunting with the onset of symptoms and side effects. One cancer survivor in Austin, Texas has set up a network of exotic and classic car owners to make getting to the hospital a little bit easier and more fun at the same time.
Ken Adams noticed a large number of cancer patients who were forced to take public transportation or rely on friends and family to make it to treatments while he was waiting for his own doctor. Adams then hatched the idea for volunteers to help get those patients from home to the hospital, and was born.
Patients get to ride in everything from vehicles like the to the and even the Ferrari Enzo. For patients who may be going through some of the darkest days of their lives, the chance to ride in some of the world’s greatest pieces of engineering is also a chance at a valuable smile.
We’ve been plenty guilty of balking at supercars in the past, and while they remain firmly out of grasp for the vast majority of the human race, they also represent just what mankind is capable of with the right motivation. We’re just glad to see some of their owners have a similarly impressive capacity for compassion.
If you don’t own a supercar but still want to help, Your Ride Is Here relies entirely on donations, which can be . They’ve also made an excellent video that best explains their purposes, which can be viewed .
Sure, you can enjoy the LMP1 race car, a and the deviously capable in the new April Alpinestars Pack for Forza Motorsport 4. But a little further down the list of ten cars are some delightful sleepers: the 1972 300 SEL 6.3 that would inaugurate AMG’s tuning and motorsports credentials (our personal favorite), the 1995 that cemented that model’s reputation, and the 1997 850 R that was still glowing from the wagon’s racing campaign in the British Touring Car Championship.
The pack will be available for 560 MS points on April 3 (or free for those with a Season Pass), and is rounded out by the Sport GT S, 1985 RX-7 GSL-SE, 1959 Eldorado Biarritz Convertible, and 2012 . You’ll want to watch the associated video trailer, so for that.
300 SEL 6.3 the star of Forza 4’s April Alpinestars Pack
Car companies worldwide have had a terrible track record creating cars that attract hip, young buyers. Despite all their best efforts to cater to the cool cats, the 18-24 demographic prefers to defy categorization.
But now it seems car companies have a new, more vexing problem. The 18-24 crowd doesn’t want cars at all.
General Motors knows all too well about its aging demographics and has turned to a creative new marketing firm to have a shot at bringing down the age of their average buyer. The firm is called and is part of MTV (owned by Viacom). Ross Martin, 37, is executive VP of Scratch and says 20-somethings really don’t even want a car.
“They think of a car as a giant bummer,” Martin tells the . “Think about your dashboard. It’s filled with nothing but bad news.”
Research showed 60% of 18-24 year-old drivers would choose Internet access over owning a car. To the Autoblog staff, that’s like asking them to choose between air and water. And if your dashboard is all bad news, you’re doing it wrong!
The New York Times story is full of tidbits about how GM and MTV are chasing the cool crowd, like how they’re trying to “General Motors with the same insights that made MTV reality shows like ‘Jersey Shore’ and ‘Teen Mom’ breakout hits.” Hmmm. Yeah, that oughta make recent college grads want to buy a .
Whatdya think? MTV still got enough cool cred to help transform the old gray General?
has a lot riding on the 2012 . In addition to the , the Japanese automaker will show off its new and models, and these aren’t exactly minor updates.
Under the hood of 2.5i models will be a brand-new 2.5-liter DOHC boxer four that puts out 173 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque – improvements of three and four, respectively. Furthermore, the 2013 Legacy’s new engine and the latest version of Subaru’s CVT automatic gearbox achieve estimated fuel economy ratings of 24 miles per gallon city, 32 highway and 27 combined. That’s one mile per gallon better across the board, and a six-speed manual will also be available.
The Outback, which boasts 8.7 inches of ground clearance, will manage an estimated 24/30/26 mpg with the same drivetrain. Both models will be available with an optional 3.6-liter flat-six engine mated to a five-speed automatic that offers up 256 horsepower. All-wheel drive is, of course, standard.
Subaru’s new EyeSight driver-assist system, which integrates Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-Collision Braking and Vehicle Lane Departure Warning, will debut on the 2013 Legacy and Outback, and you can read plenty more about this technology . Bluetooth connectivity is also new, along with iPod controls and a USB port. A seven-inch navigation screen will be optional on top-end models.
Styling is tweaked a bit, with a new front fascia standing out as the most obvious change, and Subaru claims that the ride and handling have been improved thanks to a stiffer structure and revised suspension geometry. We’ll be sure to bring you live photos from New York, but in the meantime, check out the few shots released so far and the official press blasts for both models .
Pikes Peak. It’s one of the most grueling races in the world, climbing steeply uphill some 20 kilometers around 150 curves to the summit at 4,301 meters. These days the course is paved, but back in 1987 it was all dirt. That’s when the legendary Walter Röhrl drove the 600-horsepower Sport Quattro S1 up the mountain in a blistering 10:48. Sure, others have done it quicker since, but they’ve done it on pavement whereas Röhrl did it in the dirt.
Twenty-five years later, Audi is bringing Röhrl and his mighty S1 back to Pikes Peak for a high-speed trip up memory lane. The pseudo reenactment will take place on July 8, but for those not planning a trip to Colorado this summer but are heading to Germany this week, the car is on display at Techno Classica, the mega classic car expo in Essen, with Röhrl himself on hand Sunday, March 25. Details in the press release , and feel free to click on the image above to enlarge.
As a European auto giant with a strong presence in the North American market, there are some products that the group doesn’t offer on this side of the pond. Like the entire Skoda and Seat brands, for example. With the exception of the Scirocco, there aren’t many that we really feel like we’re missing over here. That, and perhaps the Skoda Yeti.
Highly praised by a publication so performance-oriented as Evo (among many others), the Yeti is said to be an excellent little sport-ute, and a cost-effective one at that. And no, there are no plans we’re aware of to bring it Stateside. But as if to rub salt in the wound of its absence from American showrooms, Volkswagen’s Czech brand has announced a new version of the capable soft-roader in the UK.
Called the Skoda Yeti Urban, the special edition is based on the SE trim level but features a number of special touches and optional extras bundled in. Two-tone black and chrome 17-inch alloys, fog lights, flared fenders, and an interior with black or red sports seats and a whole mess of electronics are all part of the package, available with either a 1.2-liter TSI with 104 horsepower or (for a premium) a 108hp 2.0-liter TDI.
British buyers – or 750 of them, anyway – can also choose between black, white, silver or grey, but the Yeti Urban can be had only in front-wheel drive with a manual. Check it out in the high-res image gallery and the press release .
The Toyota Hilux can attribute a fair portion of the its celebrity to the Top Gear crew’s exuberant doting. After attempting to destroy the truck via a smattering of inhumane methods, traversing the frozen wastes of Antarctica and braving the fires of Icelandic volcanoes, the show has given the globe-conquering more love than nearly any other model.
It looks as if that won’t slow down anytime soon. According to Toyota, Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond will once again take to the wheel of a specially-prepared Hilux for an all new challenge.
Just what will that task entail? Toyota is keeping its mouth shut at the moment, and Top Gear isn’t typically one for spilling secrets early. Judging by the photos, however, it appears as if the vehicle will need to withstand substantial water crossings and support the trio for at least one night in the wild. Color us excited. for some of the vehicle’s finer moments on the show.
Car companies worldwide have had a terrible track record creating 
