2012 Ford C-Max shows off its hands-free liftgate – Click above to watch the video
Call us weird, but we’re rather excited for the to launch here in the United States. The majority of today’s minivans are anything but, and as more people look to downsize and seek out the most efficient vehicles to fit their lifestyles, small MPVs have a real chance to succeed here in the U.S.
is bringing the heat by fitting its C-Max with an innovative new hands-free power liftgate, which automatically opens when the driver waves their foot under the rear bumper. Yes, you need to have the vehicle’s key fob within range, and we’re honestly surprised that no one thought of this sooner (okay, so maybe announced that it’s , but shouldn’t the have this by now?) In any case, you can see how easy opening the 2012 C-Max’s liftgate can be by watching the video .
Getting ready to fire up Gran Turismo 5 this morning? Polyphony Digital would like you to wait a few moments, because there is a patch that needs to be downloaded… and it’s 608 megabytes. Don’t fret though, According to Eurogamer, this update brings a few new interesting features:
- Seasonal Events: Fresh racing events that allow GT5 users to compete against each other to win rewards and experience points. Leader boards will allow you to see where you stand compared to the rest of the world.
- Online Car Dealer: A new dealer lot that will focus on popular and rare used cars. This is a nice change of pace from the constant stream of odd JDM Civics and Suzuki 360s that seem to wind up in our Used Car lot.
- Online Race Rewards and Experience: Just like it sounds… this adds rewards and experience points for races won in online competitions.
- Mechanical Damage: It was made available for online races but has now made its way to the offline races as well.
- HUD: You can disable the HUD display for a full-screen view of the action.
- Improved Rewards: The rewards for certain challenges, such as the AMG Driving Experience, have been increased.
We are still learning more with regards to what exactly is included in this mega-update, but word on the virtual street is that this ought to be a solid early Christmas present for Gran Turismo 5 fans.
Race tracks open and race tracks close. It’s an unfortunate reality. But there are some circuits that we simply couldn’t imagine the world carrying on without. Like the Nürburgring Norschleife.
Lamentable as it may be to even ponder, the legendary road-course in Germany is apparently in trouble, and not the kind that Lassie can save them from. The track is reportedly half a billion euros in debt, and while the government apparently wants to help, that support has apparently arrived in the form of indoor roller-coasters and other amusements built by private companies. Unfortunately, all the ‘Ring really needed was a new parking lot and some maintenance.
With the unthinkable looming on the horizon, supporters have enlisted one Sabine Schmitz – the Ring Mistress herself – to campaign on their behalf. to hear her plea, and check out for more.. Hat tip to msport!
Nico Rosberg and the 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK – Click above to watch the video
One of the benefits of having an F1 team at your disposal is that, in the off season at least, you’ve got some of the world’s best professional drivers on call for test driving duties. And promotional detail, too.
In this case, we’re talking about – specifically its upcoming 2012 and star driver Nico Rosberg. Vehicle engineer Michael Scheer shot some footage riding shotgun in the new roadster around Monte Carlo as Rosberg gave us a glimpse of what to expect from the new SLK, demonstrating as well that trick tinting roof. Check it out in the video .
2011Toyota Sienna – Click above for high-res image gallery
is recalling its redesigned minivans due to a potential pedal issue – but this one is altogether unrelated to the automaker’s previous high-profile pedal recalls. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, the Sienna minivans in question have been manufactured with a brake stop light switch that’s too close to the parking brake pedal. NHTSA says that in certain circumstances, the driver’s foot may accidentally damage the switch and its mounting bracket, causing interference with the brake pedal that could result in brake drag, noise, vibration and illumination of the brake warning light. If left untreated, NHTSA says that braking capacity could be reduced, potentially increasing the danger of an accident.
A total of 94,126 vehicles are impacted by the recall, and Toyota says that it will, of course, fix the issue free of charge. Owners can expect to receive a letter describing the issue sometime next month. A second letter will then be mailed when parts are available to fix the problem. Hit the jump to see the full recall notice for yourself.
2012 Ford C-Max – Click above for high-res image gallery
A few days after the , we had the chance to , ’s latest Euro-spec MPV destined for North American soil. Other markets around the world are ripe with these mini-minivans, but here in the States, our only C-segment MPV option is the very likable . The C-Max will drop its “Grand” nomenclature when it arrives here in North America, and the public will get its first taste of the new Ford at the 2011 .
Ford calls the C-Max’s seating configuration a “five-plus-two,” meaning that the interior is best suited for five passengers, and that the two rear seats are best used for small occupants. What’s more, Ford offers a unique storage solution for the middle seat in the second row, allowing it to fold down and is stow underneath the bottom cushion of the rear passenger-side chair, creating a set of two captain’s seats in the process. The rest of the C-Max interior is very much akin to what we’ve seen in the 2012 Focus, and we’re quite impressed with the high-quality craftsmanship that FoMoCo is putting into its latest crop of cabins.
Perhaps the most interesting feature of the 2012 C-Max is its hands-free liftgate. Much like a passive entry system for the driver’s door, whoever has the C-Max’s key fob on their person can simply wave their leg under the rear bumper, triggering two sensors that will open the liftgate. It’s pretty slick, and Ford tells us that this technology will me making its way to the vast majority of the company’s hatchback products.
The base powertrain in the C-Max is Ford’s 2.5-liter inline-four also found in the . In its MPV home, this mill produces 168 horsepower and 167 pound-feet of torque, mated exclusively to a six-speed automatic transmission. The upmarket engine is an all-new 1.6-liter EcoBoost inline-four, rated at 180 hp and 173 lb-ft of twist, also mated to a six-speed ‘box. The C-Max is only available with front-wheel drive, and 17-inch wheels are fitted to all three trim levels – S, SE and SEL.
We’re eager to get our mitts on the U.S.-spec C-Max, and we’re crossing our fingers that American car buyers will be more receptive to smaller MPVs than in the past. Check out the 2012 C-Max for yourself in the gallery below, and for the full suite of details.
Gallery:
[Source: Ford]
: 2012 Ford C-Max puts the ‘mini’ back in ‘minivan’
Some cars are unfairly derided as “chick cars,” like the or the . Less so the Renault Twingo. While we’re sure it’s a good car for its class, it doesn’t exactly ooze testosterone. Which is fine, of course, because not every car is targeted at male customers. But Renault takes things a step further.
In a controversial television commercial, the French automaker depicts a little girl-on-girl encounter for Italian audiences. One that we won’t describe here, but invite you to watch (over and over again) in the .
Now Renault’s done some racy spots for the Twingo before – two of which we’ve also posted – so perhaps the more surprising part is that it’s been banned from the airwaves. In Italy, of all places, by the media conglomerate owned by the country’s philanderer-in-chief, Prime Minister .
A political move, perhaps, in light of recent challenges to his tenure made by conservative leaders (reportedly including Ferrari chief Luca di Montezemolo)? We’ll leave that to the pundits, and invite you to follow us beyond to watch the videos for yourself. Hat tip to Doogie Hauser!
Mini Paceman concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
How many is too many? Mini’s about to find out as its product portfolio expands faster than a jilted lover’s waistline. The hatchback that (re)started it all and the cabrio that followed shortly thereafter have since been joined by the wagon and the crossover, with and versions, and more in the production pipeline. But that doesn’t even take into account some of the concept derivatives that haven’t (yet) made it to production, and this is the latest.
Called the Paceman, it’s essentially a Countryman minus a couple of doors. It’s set to be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in January as a concept car, but could very well make it to production as well. Taking a page out of its parent company’s ’s playbook, Mini calls the Paceman a “Sports Activity Coupe” (sort of like the ) and insists it’s the first of its kind in the small premium segment. A “first” is pretty easy to achieve when you define the category yourself, but to our eyes the Paceman, with its sloping white roof, looks set to take on the likes of the three-door , only smaller.
Under the hood, Mini’s fitted the JCW turbo four with 211 horsepower, mated to the same ALL4 all-wheel drive system used in the Countryman. More details are available in the press release after the jump, along with the initial images in the gallery below. We’ll be on hand at Cobo Hall to bring you live impressions from NAIAS, so stay tuned.
Gallery:
[Source: Mini]
: Mini Paceman concept relieves Countryman of extra doors
One thing’s certain: where there’s a car accident, there’s a crowd. The severity is irrelevant; people gawk. To capitalize on this untapped audience a team of marketers has introduced the concept of Crashvertising.
If the Crashvertise team is notified of an accident, head to the scene quickly with posters and roadside emergency triangles highlighting whatever campaign is being promoted. To further draw in onlookers, the Crashvertisers will hand out related swag to further drive home whatever message the advertiser du jour is looking to spread.
A video, , highlights how the Crashvertise concept works. Now, before you go berserk in the comments… be aware that this is satire. That said, we wouldn’t be surprised if someone decides to run with this…
We all see bad drivers. Now, one company has developed an iPhone app called DriveMeCrazy, which allows you to digitally jot down a license plate and deem someone a “bad driver.” This information isn’t then simply posted to some lame social network, it’s reported to the DMV and your insurance company.
While the idea of being able to report someone for driving like a jackass sounds great, there’s little question that this will lead to abuse. What if someone were out to get you and reported you simply because they felt like it? Perhaps the person who didn’t get that parking spot you ended up with is feeling particularly angry. Maybe the other driver didn’t see your blinker even though you had it on for the last 15 minutes. This is DrivemeCrazy’s inherent flaw.
In addition to empowering virtual snitches, DriveMeCrazy also lets users reward good driving, as well as “flirt” with other DrivemeCrazy users. We now await the first report of a DriveMeCrazy user getting a real ticket for using a mobile device to serve up a cheesy virtual ticket while driving.
2011Hyundai Elantra configurator – Click above for high-res image gallery
Have you been itching to build your ? Scratch away, because and running. We went through and built one ourselves… our fully-spec’d black-on-black 2011 Elantra Limited will only cost us $22,830, not too shabby since that includes the Premium Package, carpeted floor mats and an iPod cable.
, we opted for the surprisingly fun automatic transmission instead of the manual gearbox. We know that might be sacrilege to some, but the auto makes for a more enjoyable vehicle. How would you spec ? Sound off in the comments. Thanks for the heads up, Matchbox1966!
She loves the new Tata Nano in the driveway – Click above to watch the video
If small equals cute, the Tata Nano might be the cuddly-wuddliest little car in the world. Sadly, that cuteness at the level the Indian automaker was planning for. Hence, advertisements.
While Tata usually veers towards the humor side of the advertising coin, for its first Nano commercial, has decided to dance upon the heartstrings of the Indian audience, and rather successfully we might add. ‘Course, we’re not Indian, and no, those weren’t tears – we just had something in our eye…
to watch the Tata Nano advertisement, where you’ll see an adorable little girl with too much eye makeup asking her grandmother when their new microcar will make it home. As you’ll see in the video, the Nano impresses all who see it on its journey from dealership to neighborhood. And it finally gets a little eye makeup of its own. Aww…
Hennessey channels Top Gun with its Venom GT – Click above to watch video
The Hennessey Venom GT is a beastly two-seater that produces as much power as a small sun. An LS9, taken from the , is massaged to produce an astonishing 933 horsepower and 874 pound-feet of torque at the rear wheels. If those numbers don’t scare you, we’re guessing you’re probably a naval aviator who is used to seeing the bright flash of afterburners coming to life. If so, you’re in luck because the Venom GT also spits hot fire.
We’ve and we’ve also seen it . Now we have video of Hennessey upping the ante by combining the two. While at full song scream, the Hennessey Venom GT belches a massive jet of fire out of its twin-exhaust outlets. Neato. Grab a stick, some marshmallows and .
BMW Motorrad subliminal advertising – Click above to watch the video
How far is this from having the ads at eye-level in a pubic urinal?
BMW recently created a special video advertisement, and those that viewed it had no choice but to remember it. Huh?
It was shown at a movie theater in Germany and left viewers with an image of the BMW logo imprinted on the back of their eyelids. How did they do that?
When you look at the sun and then close your eyes you see a circular dot as if projected on the back of your eyelids. BMW used the same technique, using a large Profoto Pro-7B flash unit, a big version of the flash utilized on digital cameras. In front of the flash device was a hollowed out BMW logo. The audience couldn’t see it as it sat behind the screen they were viewing the advert on.
During the ad, the motorcycle driver tells the audience to close their eyes. For those that followed his directions, they saw the BMW logo with their eyes closed. As far as we’re aware, there have been no big complaints yet of taking subliminal advertising to new heights. But the people who saw the ad also reported seeing a lot of genitalia images in the ice of every liquor ad they saw the same day…
, driving through Iraq is a few notches tougher than dealing with Southern California during rush hour. It appears to be the old “Anything Goes” method when moving from Point A to Point B. Iraqi authorities are looking to change that by introducing a licensing system that aims to instruct drivers on correct procedures while hoping to also cut down the madness seen on the roads around the nation.
According to an AFP report, the number of cars on the Iraq’s streets has doubled since Saddam Hussein’s regime collapsed. Prior to the 2003 US.. invasion, there were 1.25 million registered vehicles, and now an additional 1.5 million have been imported into the country. With that many new vehicles hitting the road, authorities are working to implement a system to ensure that motorists understand how to legally operate their own vehicle.
Since the program was launched on October 21, some 8,000 drivers licenses have been issued. As the officials get more familiar with the procedures and computer systems, that pace is expected to pick up. The ultimate goal is that in just two years time every driver on the road will be one carrying a legal license to do so.
Our third and final list of car gifts for Christmas is made up of things we sadly can’t afford ourselves. These are top-notch gift ideas for those who happen to fall into the very highest tax brackets, and we are officially envious of anyone who receives anything on this list. Too rich for your blood? No problem, check out some and .
eBay Find of the Day: Shelby GT500KR golf cart – Click above for image gallery
Don’t worry folks… this one is fully licensed, so expect no unwanted lawsuits. What you see before you is said to be one example of three Shelby Mustang GT500KR golf carts produced, and this one happens to be Numero Uno. This particular electric transportation device is modeled after the , which is itself an homage to the 1968 original, and .
Of the three produced, this is the only one with a more powerful engine capable of pushing the golf cart to 60 miles per hour. According to the sell,er it was created for Amy Bolan, former president of Shelby Automobiles. The stitching on the driver’s seat reads “Mustang Amy” and the seller advises keeping it that way to preserve the “collector’s value.” However, they will stitch something else in that spot if desired.
The auction listing states that this GT500KR golf cart cost more than $50,000 to build. Currently there are 18 bids, with the top dollar offering sitting $9,900 and an unmet reserve. There’s not much time left on this auction, so interested golfers buyers are advised to bid soon.
19 girls in a Smart Fortwo – Click above to watch the video
It’s the question that’s been racking the brains of the best and brightest the world over, and finally, we have an answer: 19. No, it’s not the answer to life, the universe and everything… it’s the number of teenage girls that have managed to cram themselves inside a in Pakistan.
Because you’re dying to know, we’ll gladly inform you that the previous record, set in Australia, saw 18 girls – crucially one fewer than 19 – poke and prod their way into a Fortwo. Naturally, the event was witnessed by representatives from the Guinness Book of World Records, so we can all expect to see the new record in the next installment of the group’s massive book of ridiculous achievements.
Video? Come on now, did you really have to ask? Find it . Thanks to everyone for the tips!
The needle is finally pointed in the right direction.
The original 2007 was the first production Jeep that wasn’t. Beyond its “” badge and trademark seven-bar grille, the Compass was a compact crossover derived from the front-wheel-drive Dodge Caliber, a product that lacked the hardware and personality to provide the foundation for a genuine Jeep.
Hampered by ungainly styling, modest power and no transfer case, the Compass never achieved much success on trails or in showrooms. Compass sales always lagged behind the Caliber and its closer platform relative, the . In short, the Compass didn’t accomplish its mission of being an attractive entry-level Jeep for shoppers who aspired to own a but couldn’t afford a real Jeep.
improved the Compass’s interior for 2009, but given the national economic climate and the company’s bankruptcy, it’s likely that even more substantial product changes wouldn’t have moved the sales needle. Things should be a bit different for the 2011 model year.
Chevrolet creates a cost-effective billboard advertisement – Click above to watch video
An affordable car should get an ad campaign to match. Following that logic, Middle Eastern advertising team put together a spot to highlight the low price of the all-new . Rather than slapping some highly-stylized photography work or clean studio images onto the side of a billboard, Chevy had an artist set to work on the blank canvas with a blue marker. For over eight hours.
