is massaging the 2013 line with more modern gearboxes and trims to match its more modern design (the non-conceptual version of which still has yet to be seen). In addition to the six-speed manual replacing the five-cogger currently offered on four-cylinder models, the folks at the Temple of VTEC forum have found an order sheet indicating a CVT will be available on mid-range LX, EX and EX-L models. For the enthusiasts hoping for the manual to return to the V6 sedan, no dice – the 6AT is what you’ll get.
The sheet also omits the sedan’s current SE trim slotted between the LX and EX, and in its stead is a Sport trim. It can be had with either the manual or the CVT, but it’s not listed with the “navi” option. The coupe’s trims remain the same. When we can put these specs together with the actual 2013 car, then we’ll start to guess how it will far against its archfoe, the .
Most General Motors dealers make their living off selling pickup trucks. (That’s why when it came time to trim the brands and reorganize under bankruptcy, survived and didn’t – because dealers needed to have a truck to sell, not a .) That makes this year a tricky one for dealers, according to Automotive News, as they need to have enough or models in stock to get them to the 2013 model year.
What makes this quandary different from most years is that GM is readying all-new pickups, meaning that it will be . The full-size and GMC trucks date to 2006, making them the oldest in the industry that don’t wear a badge on their tailgate. Dealers, of course, don’t want to be caught with many 2012 trucks – vehicles that are already difficult enough to sell – but they don’t want inventories to run completely dry and risk turning away customers.
With a combined 29 weeks of downtime scheduled for three truck plans, according to the report, some dealers are stockpiling pickups to avoid running out if the truck production pipeline dries up before the 2013s start shipping. Other dealers are taking the opposite strategy, turning down 2012s and waiting for next year’s models.
Given all that has happened to GM in recent years, we imagine that most dealers know altogether too well that you’re damned if you do, and damned if you don’t.
Announced , finally gave us some more details about the was the all-electric EV will be sold to the general public during the 26th Electric Vehicle Symposium in Los Angeles today. The important number? The MSRP for what Toyota calls a “fully equipped” RAV4 EV is $49,800 and will be available before the end of the year.
Toyota says the RAV4 EV’s range is 100 miles and that the car will charge from empty in approximately six hours on a 240V/40A charger. The new RAV4 EV has LED and halogen headlights and it has special “environmental blue” color emblems on the outside. The vehicle will be made at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Inc., plant in Woodstock, Ontario. The first generation of the new RAV4 EV was . Our First Drive report is .
With a battery and powertrain designed by , the new RAV4 EV certainly appears to be one of the new breed of . We had heard that the RAV4 EV will be lease only, but the official press release says the car “will go on sale in late summer 2012 through select dealers, initially in four major California metropolitan markets.” Those markets are Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles/Orange County and San Diego and the news matches the rumor we heard last year, that sales about be In all, Toyota hopes to sell just 2,600 units in the next three years. , you’ve got nothing to worry about.
The folks at Motor Authority snagged some spy video of the new hitting the Nürburgring. Unfortunately, rain hit the ‘Ring first, so while there are still some potent exhaust noises emanating from the 662-horsepower ‘Stang, there isn’t a lot of tearing it up on the slick surface.
Let’s talk nemesis, namely the 580-horsepower Camaro ZL1. The battleground established, the folks turned their verbal turrets on the Shelby and fired high-impact rounds – see Exhibits and – on their way to setting an time and a “Holy smokes!” . Since there’s no reason to dawdle round the ‘Ring, we have to expect that Ford’s fly-by has some sort of recon purpose.
As many will bring up once the time is set, the Shelby has a mess of advantages on paper: more horsepower, more torque, less weight. No matter, for as Cormac McCarthy wrote, there will be blood. We still don’t know whose blood it will be, but oh yes, one of these cars is going to bleed. Embedding of this video has been disabled, so follow the link to watch the Shelby in action.
Ah yes, the Nürburgring. Where else would you expect to find the forthcoming Gran Coupe? Well, other than on the stand the in September or .
While of the big 560-plus-horsepower sedan, 6post.com has snagged footage of the M6 Gran Coupe squealing tires and clipping apexes with some of its siblings on everyone’s favorite German road.
The United States tax code will never be accused of being simple or easy to comprehend. With a tangle of exceptions and loopholes, individuals and corporations can work their way around paying their full income tax rate with ease.
According to The Detroit News, General Motors continues to avoid paying its federal income taxes since the company exited bankruptcy. In 2008, the Treasury Department ruled that the automaker could use $18 billion in losses from “old” GM to offset any profits. That means from a tax perspective, GM still hasn’t earned enough money to overcome its losses. The automaker has raked in more than $13 billion since 2009.
Of course, GM isn’t the only company dodging the federal income tax. , for example, payed $268 million in worldwide income taxes last year, despite claiming an income of $7.8 billion. Likewise, since Chrysler Group, LLC. is a limited-liability partnership, it isn’t required to pay federal income taxes. According to The Detroit News, very few companies pay the full 35 percent federal corporate income tax rate.
But that doesn’t mean GM or other companies get off entirely. GM says it pays considerable state taxes, and the company reports that its global tax rate for 2012 may jump to 12 or 13 percent, up from an earlier estimate of 10 percent.
The Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team has been using its drivers of F1, and in this video Nico Rosberg demonstrates what we’ve long suspected: the driving position in a Formula 1 car is outrageous, with drivers reclined on a carbon-fiber gynecologist’s table pretending to be a seat.
to watch Nico explain finding a balance between comfort and weight. And how it’s kind of hard to see above the wheel.
Alex Zanardi is an impressive person. Despite losing both his legs (and almost his life) in what many assumed was a career-ending crash during a 2001 CART race at Lausitzring, Zanadari wasn’t content to accept that fate. After being disappointed with the prosthetic limbs doctors offered at the time, he designed his own and it wasn’t long before he was back behind the wheel of a vehicle.
Two years later, he returned to competition using hand-operated throttle and brake controls on the same track that almost took his life. He’s since competed in a wide range of automotive racing events. Now Zanardi has turned his focus to hand-bike racing, and has produced a video previewing this new chapter in the determined competitor’s ongoing story. to watch.
Yes, it’s spring time in Indiana, and although ahead of the drop of the green flag, it’s time for another One Lap of America.
Having been part of the timing and scoring team for well over a decade, we tend to see a lot of the same faces and sheetmetal year in and year out, though there’s always a steady stream of newcomers. Every few races, however, there seems to be a bumper crop of new cars that show up as old ones get tired and drivers find something different to play with. This is clearly one of those times, perhaps brought about by the dominance of the over the last several years. As a result, there are a glut of the Japanese supercars in the fold, along with other noteworthy new models including an , a and , not to mention a factory-prepped . As ever, there’s a brace of and models of various vintages, along with a or two and a 430. There’s even an and an incredible sounding , also running with factory support.
Unfortunately, one key classic will be notably absent from the paddock this year: Brock Yates. Father of One Lap Of America and the legendary Cannonball Run that spawned it, Yates’ health has been deteriorating due to Alzheimer’s. Yates’ son, Brock Jr. has been ably running the event for many years, but this is the first time that .
As has become the usual, this year’s event kicks off in South Bend, Indiana at title sponsor Tire Rack’s massive headquarters with a wet skidpad event. The motley crew of madmen and their motors will then jog down the road a few miles to the South Bend Motor Speedway (a paved oval) before hoofing it over to Autobahn Country Club’s road course in Illinois. After that, it’s off to a string of road courses starting with scenic Pacific Junction, Iowa, for the Mid America Motorplex, then on to Oklahoma’s Hallett Motor Racing Circuit before heading to High Plains Raceway in Colorado. After that, it’s off to Motorsports Park Hastings in Nebraska followed by a northwestern jog to Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota. Then it’s over to Wisconsin’s legendary Road America before the sleepless and bedraggled horde stumble back into South Bend next Saturday, April 14 for a final dry skidpad event. Got all that? If you don’t, you can check out a map .
As we’ll be working the event, we won’t have the ability to give you daily updates on the rally’s progress, but if you’re interested in keeping tabs on the action, check out and , both of which figure to have live updates as the race gets underway this morning. In the meantime, you can check out our massive gallery above. It doesn’t have every one of the roughly 75 that are scheduled to race, but if you are new to One Lap, it’ll give you a good idea of the automotive diversity on display.
It’s hard to believe that the has been on the market since 2003. That’s 10 model years ago, predating our own existence as a website. Even the XC90 mid-cycle refresh that happened in 2007 seems like an eternity ago. So it stands to reason that for 2013 would introduce… yet another year of the same old thing.
Well, not exactly. The 2013 XC90 has been “delightfully refreshed,” though we’re pretty sure that the color-coordinated exterior and LED daytime running lights were actually . But hey, don’t fix it if it ain’t broke.
Volvo has also rejiggered the trim packages on the XC90, which now starts at $39,500 plus $895 delivery. And that Yamaha-built V8 that disappeared this year? Still gone.
While you wait with us for the , go ahead and to read the full press release and check out the images in our . Then do it again. And again…
We just attended a thorough workshop covering the tech inside the next , the new compact from Ingolstadt that the U.S. gets in October 2013 as a five-door Sportback model, as well as a new four-door small sedan. A was shown at the last year, while deliveries of this European hatchback start this July.
Our first drive of the three-door premium hatchback model that will be available at launch happens later this month, though it’s sort of a shame we won’t be getting this three-door here in the States. The five-door Sportback model that will be sold in the U.S. will be shown this October at the and will be available in Western European in January of next year. The premium hatch segment is fillling up fast now with this Audi, then the Volvo V40, to be followed then by the all-new Mercedes-Benz A-Class.
We are currently barreling toward the end of the week, which means there’s a good chance you’re looking for ways to chip away at the time card. Allow us to lend you a hand. Chris Harris recently took it up on himself to line up a three very expensive, very powerful German track-bred machines for a little showdown. With names like the Porsche GT3 RS 4.0, BMW M3 GTS and the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series, the half-hour clip all but guarantees some giggles. Since these are all coupes that are supposed to be able to pull double duty on the street and on track, Harris puts one and all through a two-day drive.
Day One features plenty of time on the street, where things like how quickly the dual-clutch transmission in the M3 GTS don’t matter nearly as much as a functional Bluetooth phone pairing system. Of course, Day Two is the fun stuff. That’s when all three sports cars are pressed around a track to see which can return the best lap time. How does it turn out? We won’t spoil it for you. You’ve got time to waste. to check out the clip for yourself.
Having a ruff day on the road? Don’t take it out on other drivers, do what dogs do when they’re out for a ride. Director Keith Hopkin takes to California’s highways and byways and films eight dogs “doing what they love to do,” he says on his .
The video captures that pure enjoyment of a dog’s nose in the wind, the sun on his fur and not having a care in the world. There’s even a slow motion montage where each dog closes his eyes, smiles and dreams of bacon.
Perhaps one of the best moments is at 1:04 when Beans the dog rides past a Bugatti Veyron and checks it out. Dogs may not know cars, but they do know a good breeze.
Of course, it doesn’t appear any of the dogs are strapped in to their seats, which is illegal in California. The Golden State requires pets be buckled up on in a cage when riding in a car. Then again, the unharnessed pooches won’t get a ticket, their owners will. to watch the video, and for the creator’s Facebook page if you want to become a fan.
Sometimes it seems that the rest of the country takes some sort of not-so-secret delight from Detroit’s slow but steady decay. The truth is, the sprawling municipality faces a swath of unique challenges that are only compounded by a dearth of resources.
Look no further than the city’s transportation infrastructure to see what we mean. Built as the ultimate temple for the car, Detroit’s planners could hardly conceive of a time when residents would prefer to take public transportation. As a result, it’s nearly impossible to get from the city center to the outlying suburbs without a vehicle.
But that may change sometime soon. The attitude has shifted in The D, and urban planners and business leaders are working together with a grassroots surge to get help people get where they need to go in a safe, timely and economical manner.
From light-rail proposals to efforts like the private , Detroit is on the verge of re-imagining its public transportation infrastructure. Translogic took the time to get a feel for where Detroit is now and where it’s headed in the near future. Watch the video to check it out for yourself.
has been , as the and its and variants have grown increasingly at odds over the past two generations. Now this gets thrown into the mix: When the new WRX gets released in late 2013, it may ditch the traditional exhaust-gas powered turbocharger for a new, electric design.
That’s right, according to The Sydney Morning Herald, Subaru is working on an electric turbo, shades of those computer-fan-sourced “power adders” you used to see advertised in the back pages of Sport Compact Car a decade ago. Except we would assume Subie-parent Fuji Heavy Industries is developing a design that actually works. According to the report, heat from the exhaust would be captured, but instead of using the exhaust pressure to turn the turbocharger’s turbine, the heat energy would be converted to electricity, which would then spin the impellers. This could be more efficient, as well as eliminating the piping and turbo lag.
While that sounds neat and all, we’re not so sure we want to see an unproven technology like this applied to one of our favorite affordable performance cars. Unless, of course, it allows for -like performance in a $30,000 car.
A Small-Scripted S Delivers Power, Performance And Pomposity
offers its to North American buyers in no fewer than eight models with six different engine choices, including a hybrid. There’s even an oil-burning available across the Pond. At one end of the spectrum is the with a very capable 300-horsepower V6. At the other end, and at the top of the pecking order, is the , boasting a 550-horsepower twin-turbocharged V8. Not only is it the most powerful street-legal Porsche on offer, but it is the world’s quickest four-door sedan. Err… hatchback.
So others are aware of the Panamera’s potential, Porsche reserves its coveted ‘Turbo’ script only for its most capable vehicles. It is indeed a badge of honor. However, the ante is upped even further when a small scripted ‘S’ is adhered as a suffix. Its addition indicates to all others that the overall performance has been boosted to flagship levels – it is a tiny yet bold badge of bravado.
To help us solve the riddle of whether or not the Panamera Turbo S is more than just an exercise in demonstrating masculine superiority within ones social circle, Porsche deposited a stunning Aqua Blue Metallic example in our driveway for a week. It was our job to put the $195,000, four-passenger neck-snapper to the test and somehow avoid filling its glovebox with citations in the process.
The emergence of the V40 is arguably the biggest news to come out of since sold it to . Just as with any new car – European hatchbacks especially – the aftermarket will follow shortly with modifications, and in the case of Volvo, that means Heico Sportiv.
The German tuning house specializes in Gothenburg’s finest. The firm already has a new ECU module for the T5 engine in the V40 that brings output up from 237 horsepower to 266 and from 236 pound-feet of torque to 269. Heico has released a pair of renderings previewing what it plans to do with the outside of the slick new sport-wagon.
From the teaser renderings, we can see a new set of lightweight seven-spoke alloys, new bumpers front and rear, side skirt extensions, a relatively low-key diffuser and quad ovoid exhaust tips. In other words, the V40, only slightly more so. Unfortunately, since the V40 isn’t earmarked for American showrooms, this may be as close as we’ll get.
had a bright start to the 2012 Pirelli World Challenge season, capturing its first podium in the series earlier this month with a solid third place finish at the Streets of Long Beach. It looked like Kia was going to build on that momentum this past weekend when its two race cars found themselves in a 1-2 position with just a few laps left in the race. Would Kia capture their first World Challenge win in spectacular fashion? Well, the result was spectacular, but not in the way Kia would have preferred.
With just one lap to go, the two Kia teammates had developed a comfortable cushion between themselves and the rest of the GTS class field, and it seemed they would cruise home to a 1-2 finish. Apparently Colin Braun, driver of the No. 38 Kia, wasn’t about to let his teammate, Michael Galati, take the win that easily and made several bold attempts to pass with just a few turns to go. In the last corner of the last lap, Braun pushed too far and smacked into the rear fender of Galati, spinning him off track in the process.
The third place of Peter Cunningham was collateral damage, leaving a pleasantly surprised Andy Lee to burst through the wreckage and take the checkered flag in his . Braun managed to finish second while his teammate Galati got back on track fast enough to finish in fourth. In a fitting twist of irony, the crash was reportedly named the Kia Turning Point of the Race.
You can watch the race footage over at . In case you don’t want to sit through all 65+ minutes of footage (although it’s an entertaining race), fast forward to the 56:30 mark to watch the final lap carnage. You can also read all about the race in the official results .
The supermini market is a vital one for European automakers, and though its current Clio remains a popular choice, Renault is not about to rest on its proverbial laurels as its most popular model gets older and less relevant. So with that in mind, the French carmaker is apparently preparing to unveil an all-new Clio hatchback at the next major auto salon.
That show won’t be taking place until September when Renault’s home-market opens its doors at the Port de Versailles, but a pair of teaser shots have already surfaced giving us a tiny glimpse at what to expect. The images – reportedly leaked from internal documents – show the grille and a sliver of the rear 3/4. The front looks to take cues from the smaller Twingo, while the rear betrays an upward kink in the shoulder, more aggressive taillights and an altogether more sculpted shape.
Styling penned by Laurens van der Acker is expected overall to take its lead from the DeZir Concept. We’ll have to wait until after the summer to see it in full, though.
Ever wonder why the is so darn big? We’re not exactly experts on the ins and outs of officially recognized feats, but we’d have to say it’s because the organization will put its stamp of approval on just about anything imaginable. Like, for instance, the top speed of a toilet.
That’s right, folks. There’s a new World’s Fastest Toilet, and it hails from Australia. Piloted by Jolene Van Vugt, this motorized porcelain throne managed a two-way average of 46.6 miles per hour. Don’t worry – this record may have been claimed, but the World’s Fastest Kitchen Sink has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?
If you think setting a world record on a toilet is crazy, perhaps you’re not familiar with Van Vugt. She’s a professional motocross rider, was the first woman to backflip a dirtbike and is one of the stars of the Nitro Circus television and live-action show.
Naturally, we have video of Jolene on the toilet , along with an image gallery of the self-proclaimed porcelain princess in the act before, during and after the flush.
