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Nevada has officially granted Google a license to test autonomous vehicles on public streets. The tech giant underwent demonstrations in both Las Vegas and Carson City to prove its vehicles are as safe or safer than those piloted by mere humans. The state requires two people to be in the test vehicles at all times, including at one occupant in the driver’s seat and another monitoring the vehicle via an onboard computer. If anything goes wrong, the human “driver” can take over by simply applying the brakes or taking hold of the steering wheel.

As of right now, Google has only applied to license three vehicles. Each one will carry a red license plate with an infinity symbol. According to Bruce Breslow, Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles director, vehicles with autonomous capability could be on the road within three to five years. When that happens, the machines will wear green plates.

Google allowed to test self-driving car on Nevada public streets

When Lingenfelter Performance Engineering announced it had crossed the 200-mph mark in its tuned Camaro ZL1, the man guiding the wheel was Hot Rod editor-in-chief Dave Freiburger. We saw a short video of the run in the 702-horsepower – that’s at the wheels – coupe, but in the latest episode of Hot Rod Unlimited, Freiburger offers the long-form backstory of what it took to get to 202.6 mph exactly.

Continental Tire’s proving grounds in Uvalde, Texas aren’t Italy’s Nardo Ring (where the 2013 Shelby GT500 did 202 mph), and there was much more involved than keeping steady on the straights and hanging on the banks. Scroll down for the video.

Continue reading Watch Hot Rod hit 202 MPH in Lingenfelter Camaro ZL1

Watch Hot Rod hit 202 MPH in Lingenfelter Camaro ZL1

A keen-eyed reader managed to snag a few photos of what looks to be the upcoming Volvo XC40 ahead of the vehicle’s debut at the Paris Motor Show. Like most manufacturers, Volvo is keen to offer buyers the small crossovers they demand. With a taller ride height, more ground clearance and a more aggressive front fascia than the V40, the XC40 should do just that.

Drivetrain details are still a bit murky at the moment, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see everything from a new diesel to turbocharged gasoline five-cylinder under the hood. The latter of those two should be good for around 254 horsepower.

If the V40 is any indication, the crossover will also boast start-stop technology and brake-energy regeneration in either manual or automatic transmission configurations. Expect to see both front and all-wheel drive variants as well.

The machine above was spotted in Flagstaff, Arizona while out for a little hot-weather testing, though we’re told the XC40 isn’t destined for the U.S. market. That seems a bit odd to us. The small crossover seems to be a perfect fit for Americans who can’t get enough stylish crossovers.

Volvo XC40 spotted testing in Arizona

Baby Buick Makes Quiet Case As An Almost-Luxury Car

Continue reading 2012 Buick Verano

2012 Buick Verano

Our spy photographers have given us our first clear glimpse at the upcoming Porsche Macan. While the test machine we see here wears some Cayenne camouflage, there’s little hiding the small CUV’s roof line.

Based on the Audi Q5, the Macan will boast plenty of suspension tweaks by the minds at Porsche to put the crossover more in line with the sports car maker’s stable. Likewise, while the Macan will borrow a host of gasoline and diesel powerplants from the Volkswagen parts bin, each one will be tuned for more horsepower than we’ve seen so far.

There’s also some indication that Porsche may lift the hybrid system from the Q5 into the Macan’s bones, as well. That means buyers would see a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder coupled to a 44-horsepower electric motor.

Porsche may also look to offer a more athletic three-door version of the Macan later down the line to more effectively compete with the likes of the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque.

Porsche Macan CUV takes shape

Turns out the federal government’s attempts to create enforceable oversight of cellphone use in vehicles has hit a Swiftian snag: it seems there isn’t a government agency specifically empowered with the authority to do so. The legislative boundaries of the Federal Communications Commission end at the phone itself, those of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration end at the vehicle itself. Neither is equipped to address how people combine the two while driving.

So, according to a report in Automotive News, what NHTSA honcho David Strickland wants is to have Congress bestow the authority on some agency to make such laws. For now, the recommendations NHTSA drafts are only just that – recommendations. Automakers aren’t bound by them.

Not that it should or will stop Strickland’s minions, but 37 states and our nation’s capital already have laws – with teeth – addressing the use of phones while driving. If our time on the roads is any indication, those laws are almost universally ignored by police, and we can’t see how a federal fiat would change that, but such laws are on the books. Strickland has testified in front of Congress on the matter, however, no one expects movement on it anytime soon.

Gov’t unsure on who can establish distracted driving laws

When Audi announced the 2013 A8 with the 3.0T V6, it didn’t mention fuel economy numbers but did tout the 333-horsepower engine’s “great efficiency.” According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the V6 efficiency exactly matches that of the more powerful 372-horsepower, 4.2-liter V8 – the 3.0T was rated the same 18 city, 28 highway as the naturally aspirated 4.2.

It’s figured that the stop/start system fitted to the V6 will provide a slight bump, which, since the EPA doesn’t factory such tech into its testing, doesn’t register in the official numbers. It’s difficult to make fuel economy comparisons with the same engines in other countries since they have different power ratings; in Germany, for instance, the V6 is rated at 286 hp, the 4.2 isn’t offered and the 4.0 TSFI V8 makes 414 hp – but in that case, the V6 does get better gas mileage, if you’re wondering.

Speaking of wondering, that’s what many including our own commenters are doing about the space between the 333-hp V6 and 520-hp V8 in the S8. The report in Car and Driver posits a detuned version of the S8’s motor. No matter what, the V6 A8 will be less expensive than all of them, which was the real point all along.

2013 Audi A8 3.0T matches 4.2 V8 fuel economy numbers

Toyota Supra successor, Nissan Juke-R, Cadillac ATS pricing, GM Europe restructuring, Prius PHEV sales

Episode #281 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Chris, Dan, and Zach chat about the fresh rumors of a new Toyota Supra, the Nissan Juke-R heading for (very) limited production, Cadillac ATS pricing, GM Europe headed for another restructuring, and sales of the Toyota Prius PHEV. Your questions and comments power the end of the ‘cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. We’ve embedded our Q&A module after the jump for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #281:

Topics:

• Toyota Supra successor rumors
• Nissan Juke-R headed for limited production
• General Motors Europe restructuring… again
• Toyota Prius über-alles

In the Autoblog Garage:
2013 Ford Flex SEL
2012 Buick Enclave

Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Zach Bowman

Feedback
Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com

Review the show in iTunes

Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #281

Autoblog Podcast #281

With an epic chassis and the lowest center of gravity in the business, there’s plenty for enthusiast to love about the Scion FR-S. Except, that is, for those who prefer to take their nimble, affordable sports cars with the roof down. Their choices are rather limited in this price category to the Mazda MX-5 and Ford Mustang, but if the latest reports prove accurate, the FR-S – which is, of course, virtually identical to the Subaru BRZ and sold overseas as the Toyota GT 86 – is preparing to throw its hat in the ring, as well.

Long rumored, a convertible version of the jointly-developed “Toyobaru” coupe could stand to boost sales figures and help the bean-counters justify the expenditure on the new platform. However while the speedster concept recently showcased at Long Beach lost its rear seats (along with most of its windshield), Car and Driver predicts that the FR-S convertible will keep the auxiliary pair in the back – though the addition of a folding roof mechanism would likely mean that would come at the expense of most of the trunk room.

We’re told to expect the FR-S convertible to arrive sometime late in 2013 or early in 2014, with a price tag that would tack a few grand onto the coupe’s $25,000 MSRP. Look for the same 2.0-liter, 200-horsepower boxer four to carry over with a choice of six-speed transmissions in either manual or automatic configurations. Beyond that, Toyota may be considering basing a larger four-door sedan and coupe off the new platform, which could stand to make the money men back at headquarters – to say nothing of the enthusiasts – even more happy.

Scion FR-S convertible coming by early 2014

Josh Wainwright became a living testimony for the value helmets during the British Superstock 600 recently. The rider put his bike down on the 11th lap just ahead of Johnny Bradshaw. With nowhere to go and no time to get there, Bradshaw literally drove over Wainwright’s head with his motorcycle, catapulting both riders down the track.

Miraculously, Wainwright escaped the off with nothing more than a cracked rib and a broken collarbone. Bradshaw walked away without serious injury as well.

Any impact to the head involving that kind of velocity typically brings about neck injury concerns, but Wainwright seems to have avoided that peril. You can check out the video below for yourself to see just how close both Wainwright and Bradshaw came to having significantly worse days.

Continue reading Watch Josh Wainwright deflect a motorcycle with his head

Watch Josh Wainwright deflect a motorcycle with his head

What can you even say to defend a financial decision like this one? According to a report by Detroit’s WXYZ television news team, the City of Detroit has been leasing a 2004 Dodge Intrepid since September 2003, over six years after the original two-year-lease expired. Since the City did not return the car, it has continued to make the $608 per month lease payments, even as it racked up miles well beyond the 40,000 in the original agreement, for which it now must pay 15 cents per mile. According to the report, the City has spent over $65,000 for the car, which it doesn’t even own.

But that’s not all. WXYZ says that Detroit has 110 of these expired lease agreements on 2004 through 2007 models, and all of the cars are still on the road, wasting money with every tick of the odometer. And remember, the City still has to turn in all 110 cars, and pay for excess wear and tear. An estimate of the city’s losses incurred by this leasing scheme is well over $4 million, according to the report. The cars are all being used by the Detroit Police Department, and though they’re not quite full-zoot police cruisers like the 2002 Intrepid pictured above, they see action for undercover work. That means it’s not just the taxpayers who are getting a bad deal here, but the cops themselves, as we’re pretty sure none of them are particularly happy to be out risking their lives in an eight-year-old Dodge.

If we can attempt to find the faintest silver lining to this epic thunderstorm of mismanagement, it would be that perhaps in the publicity sure to follow, a few of Detroit’s residents might better understand why and how leasing can cost more than financing a new car purchase. And at least the City of Detroit has been using these cars, rather than leaving them in a parking structure to sit and rot. Scroll down for a video report from WXYZ.

Continue reading City of Detroit paying $608 per month to lease 2004 Dodge Intrepid [w/video]

City of Detroit paying $608 per month to lease 2004 Dodge Intrepid [w/video]

The minivan segment has grown from fiercely competitive to downright cut-throat. With fairly new iterations of vehicles like the Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country, formerly acceptable entries like the Kia Sedona have fallen straight off the map. This isn’t news to the Korean automaker, either. Kia spokesman James Hope has confirmed there will be no 2013 Sedona.

But that doesn’t mean the company will stay away from the segment for too long. Hope made it clear Kia will be back with a new family hauler, though declined to share any details on the vehicle.

Odds are that means a new Sedona will come along in 2014 or so, though that’s just speculation on our part. While Kia refreshed the minivan in 2011, the changes didn’t cover much beyond a mildly reworked front fascia. The vehicle was still saddled with an embarrassing “Poor” rating in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety roof-crush test.

Kia Sedona not returning for 2013, replacement coming for 2014

The folks at Motor Authority snagged some spy video of the new 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 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 Chevrolet folks turned their verbal turrets on the Shelby and fired high-impact rounds – see Exhibits A and B – on their way to setting an 11.93-second drag time and a “Holy smokes!” 7:41 lap at the ‘Ring. 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 YouTube link to watch the Shelby in action.

2013 Shelby GT500 caught testing at the Nürburgring

Even though Toyota’s unintended acceleration debacle is as ancient as Jurassic fleas for most of us, the California Distric Court of Judge James Selna is still chainsawing through a massive docket of claims. Judge Selna had been considering whether plaintiffs in California, New York and Florida could sue Toyota for economic loss related to the claims of unintended accleraton – the plaintiffs wanted Toyota to reimburse them for the alleged decline in value of their cars.

According to a report in Bloomberg, Selna issued a final ruling that the New York and Florida plaintiffs can’t sue for economic loss if they didn’t experience unintended acceleration, or if they didn’t experience “a measurable loss” when selling their cars. California plaintiffs, on the other hand, can sue even if there was no unintended acceleration event or perceived depreciation.

The ruling could remove millions of owners from of plaintiffs and make an economic-loss class action lawsuit more difficult, but plaintiffs attorneys have said they’ll try to get the cases tried in New York and Florida courts. However, the ruling doesn’t affect other plaintiffs suing over the same issue in other states. This doesn’t affect the unintended accleration cases, though; three litmus-test trials are scheduled for next year.

Judge dismisses most Toyota economic-loss claims from New York, Florida

Ah yes, the Nürburgring. Where else would you expect to find the forthcoming BMW M6 Gran Coupe? Well, other than on the BMW stand the Paris Motor Show in September or Cobo Hall next January.

While we’ve already seen spy photos 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.

Scroll down to watch the full video.

Continue reading BMW M6 Gran Coupe caught running the ‘Ring

BMW M6 Gran Coupe caught running the ‘Ring

This weekend, Audi marked the competition debut of its latest R18 race cars at the World Endurance Championships at Spa Francorchamps. Yet the most spectacular race car running on any track this weekend was thousands of miles away at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, in the 24 Hours of Lemons “Loudon Annoying” event taking place at the very same time.

Yes, that’s a camper trailer that’s been converted into a race car. And there’s video of it after the jump. Now, before you click, see if you can guess what the car underneath is. (Hint, there’s another photo in the gallery that makes it very clear.) That answer is also posted after the break, and it makes the whole rig even more fantastic.

Thanks to our friend (and Consumer Reports hotshoe) Jake Fisher for the on-site photos!

Continue reading This is why LeMons is the best race series

This is why LeMons is the best race series

Always looking for ways to one-up its Japanese competitors, Hyundai has announced that a brake override system will be standard equipment on its full line of vehicles, starting this month.

Truth be told, every 2012 Hyundai model save for the Elantra Touring already had a brake override system fitted. So why the announcement, and why now? Well, other than just tweaking Toyota, whose unintended acceleration problems led to widespread recalls, a Congressional investigation, and prompted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to propose requiring brake override systems on all new cars, the announcement likely has more to do with the end of Elantra Touring production than it does with anything else.

The old Hyundai i30, on which the Elantra Touring was based, has been redesigned, and reviews of the new model have already started showing up on foreign automotive websites. We won’t get our version of the i30, dubbed Elantra GT here in the U.S., until later in the summer.

We’ll be driving the GT in June and we promise to issue a full report, though we’re going to try to avoid testing this new technology.

Continue reading Hyundai announces standard brake-override for all models

Hyundai announces standard brake-override for all models

Moderately obese people, who have a body mass index greater than 30, typically shave three years off of their lives, just by being overweight. (Morbidly obese people lose 10 years, according to one study.) And then there’s that long list of potential health problems obese people face in America ranging from asthma and diabetes to heart disease and cancer – as well as scorn and ridicule from skinny judgmental people. So it only makes sense that obese people are statistically less likely to survive a severe automobile accident.

A study of fatal accidents by the University of Buffalo suggests that the bigger you are, the more likely you’ll die from injuries sustained in an accident.

In a severe accident, moderately obese people face a 21 percent greater risk of death and morbidly obese people are 56 percent more likely to die than those of lesser weight.

“The severity and patterns of crash injuries depend on a complex interaction of biomechanical factors, including deceleration velocity at impact, seat belt and air bag use, vehicle type and weight, and type of impact,” says Dr. Dietrick Jehle, professor of emergency medicine at University of Buffalo School of Medicine.

With nearly one-third of the American population now considered obese, Jehle suggests carmakers begin testing safety equipment with big boned dummies and devise other means to help obese people better survive accidents.

“The rate of obesity is continuing to rise, so it is imperative that car designs are modified to protect the obese population, and that crash tests are done using a full range of dummy sizes,” Jehle states.

Dieting and exercise were never mentioned.

Obese drivers more likely to die in car crashes

It’s hard to believe that BMW has been selling SUV’s for 13 years now. When the BMW X5 launched to great controversy in 1999, “crossover” had yet to be coined and not a soul on this planet would have predicted that one day BMW would be offering the two-sizes-smaller X1. Yet it hits dealer lots this fall, in multiple models with a long line of options and trim packages.

The most basic choice when it comes to the X1 is whether you want a four- or six-cylinder engine. The two-liter, turbocharged four delivers 240 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque and is available exclusively with an eight-speed automatic, though both rear-drive (X1 sDrive28i) and all-wheel-drive (xDrive28i) versions are available. BMW says rear-drive four-cylinder X1 models can do 0-60 mph in 6.2 seconds, while the all-wheel-drive model is a tenth slower. Projected EPA fuel economy numbers are 24 mpg city, 33 highway, and 27 combined for the rear-drive model and 22 city, 30 highway, and 25 combined with all-wheel-drive.

Then there’s the six. With three liters of displacement and a single turbocharger, the N55 inline-six makes 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. Available exclusively with a six-speed automatic and all-wheel-drive, the X1 xDrive35i does 0-60 in 5.3 seconds, but you’ll pay for that power at the pump. EPA ratings are just 18 mpg city, 27 highway, and 21 combined. The real world fuel economy difference between the four- and six-cylinder X1 models could prove to be even greater than what’s reflected in the EPA numbers, as the four-cylinder models include start-stop technology and eco modes, which are not part of the xDrive35i package.

And before we move on to trim packages, note that there is no manual transmission available in any X1. Keep reading for more ruminations on the 2013 X1.

Continue reading BMW releases slew of 2013 X1 photos, details fuel mileage and pricing

BMW releases slew of 2013 X1 photos, details fuel mileage and pricing

While the Toyota TS030 Hybrid won’t be participating in this weekend’s FIA World Endurance Championship race at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium due to a crash in pre-season testing last month, that didn’t stop the automaker from bringing the new endurance racer as a preview for what’s to come for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. The TS030 even made time for a quick photoshoot at the infamous Masta Kink alongside the new Audi R18 e-tron Quattro, which happens to be making its race debut this weekend.

While both the Audi and Toyota employ hybrid powertrains, a first for endurance prototypes, each go about it in very different ways. The TS030 makes use of a naturally aspirated 3.4-liter V8 while the R18 e-tron Quattro uses a turbocharged diesel V6. Audi’s hybrid system powers the front wheels, hence the Quattro name, while Toyota has yet to announce whether it’s system will drive the front or rear wheels.

The closed cockpit racers make for quite an attractive couple, and we hope it’s a pairing that will form a lasting rivalry in the coming years.

Toyota TS030 and Audi R18 E-Tron Quattro pose for the camera