There has been a lot of discussion from industry analysts about who will replace CEO , but he’s not the only CEO of a major American automaker that will eventually need a successor.
, CEO of since shortly after its emergence from bankruptcy in 2009, told Automotive News in an interview that he hopes his successor comes from within the automaker’s ranks, as opposed to bringing in an outsider. Candidates are said to include GM Vice Chairman Steve Girsky, North American head Mark Reuss and global product leader Mary Barra.
Interestingly, Akerson himself was imported from a private equity firm called The Carlysle Group, and he has indeed had to learn how the auto industry operates, as he told AN:
“This is the funniest industry. Most industries people are straight up with it. Here everybody slaps everybody on the back, you just got to make sure they don’t have a knife with it.”
Despite this acknowledgement, Akerson is still not one to pull punches. GM’s CEO , “They are trying like hell to resurrect . Well, I might as well tell you, you might as well sprinkle holy water. It’s over.” And he’s not backing down. “A little bit of holy water wouldn’t hurt, I won’t back off that.”
If a rumored and a is to “holy water,” we’d say Ford must agree with Akerson’s assessment.
Have you ever bought a brand new cars only to forget where you put it? How about 300 of them? Probably not – unless you’re Miami-Dade County, which was recently reunited with 298 vehicles it bought brand new between 2006 and 2007.
The county “discovered” this fleet of no-mileage vehicles after reading about them in a there (see the source for more images). Most of the misplaced motorcade is made up of hybrids whose warranties either expired with very few miles on the odo or will very soon.
Looking to save some face, the county has rushed at least 123 of the hybrids into service. The warranty covered the hybrid bits for eight years or 100,000 miles, but we’re not sure if that covers cars parked for five of those eight. We’re also not sure what that much time in Miami heat and humidity does to an unused hybrid powertrain, but it can’t be good.
The county, as you probably guessed, is looking into how it lost so many cars. The leading theory is that they might be part of Carlos Alvarez’s time as mayor. He was the mayor during the period the Toyotas were purchased, but a 2011 recall election successfully removed him from office. Apparently the voters “felt, among other reasons, that he had been behind multiple acts of misappropriation of funds.”
We’ve tried to contact Toyota to see what kind of warranty support these cars will get but haven’t had any luck so far. We’ll update with their response.
Introduced back in 2008, the Q5 was about due for a mid-life refresh, which is exactly what the German automaker has given it. Not that you’d be easily able to tell from looking at it, though: the styling updates to the popular CUV are rather subtle, as are the enhancements to the interior, which center around the control surfaces. No, what’s really new about the 2013 version of the is what lurks in the engine bay.
As part of the update, Audi has installed a completely new range of engines across the board that increase both output and efficiency for a win-win combination. In different markets around the world, the Q5 will now be available with three diesels, two gasoline engines and – for the first time – a hybrid. The smaller of the TDIs displaces 2.0 liters and can be had in either 143- or 177-horsepower states of tune, while the larger 3.0-liter V6 oil-burner offers 245 hp and will likely be the only diesel offered in the United States.
The gasoline range starts at the 2.0-liter turbo four with 225 hp, while the 3.2-liter V6 is replaced by a new 3.0-liter supercharged V6 that delivers 272 hp and 295 pound-feet of torque. The big news, however, is the hybrid powertrain that pairs a 211-hp version of the 2.0-liter turbo four with a 54-hp electric motor, driving through an eight-speed automatic to all four wheels for a 7.1-second 0-62 time, a combined rating of 34 miles per gallon and an electric-only range of two miles at 37 mph.
Pricing for the new range in the United States has yet to be revealed. But for comparison’s sake, European MSRP has only gone up around €150 ($200 USD), so we wouldn’t expect the sticker to jump by much in American showrooms, either. Scope out the extensive high-res image gallery above and the videos and press release by for a closer look.
Considering how short some product lifecycles have become, it boggles the mind to think that has had the Phantom on the market for nearly ten years now. And with the next-generation model not expected to arrive for another few years, the model that relaunched the brand under ownership stands to reach its Bar Mitzvah before it’s replaced. But in the meantime, Goodwood is keeping the Phantom fresh with the Series II update.
The revisions include a refreshed front end with new bumpers and adaptable LED headlamps, the latest in infotainment systems and a new eight-speed automatic transmission to help the 6.75-liter V12 marginally improve its emissions and fuel consumption figures.
New versions of the , and convertible are already finding their way to eagerly awaiting (and obscenely wealthy) customers around the world, but Rolls opted to wait until the to unveil the new Extended Wheelbase model. Particularly popular in the Chinese market where extra rear-seat legroom is deemed the pinnacle of luxury, the Phantom Series II Extended Wheelbase model measure a whopping 20 feet long.
That’s more than a foot longer than the now-departed Ford Excursion, and you can check it out in the gallery of high-resolution images above.
Eterniti Motors chose the 2012 Beijing Motor Show to unveil the Artemis, an engineering prototype of the we saw at the Frankfurt Motor Show earlier this year. From the looks of things, the boutique automaker has ditched the -inspired front for a fascia that borrows a bit more heavily from the playbook. The company says the vehicles on display are currently running prototypes used for testing and that finished examples should be in production by this summer.
Designed to offer buyers new levels of luxury and performance, Eterniti calls the Artemis a Super SUV. The cabin boasts absurd levels of hand-crafted detail, including quilted carpets with lambswool rugs, natural wood veneers with carbon fiber and piano black accents and twin reclining rear seats. Eterniti stitched the SUV’s body from carbon composite and massive 23-inch wheels are standard equipment. Under the hood, a 4.8-liter twin-turbo V8 (?) dumps 600 horsepower to the ground and helps the machine dart to 62 mph in a scant 4.5 seconds.
Buyers may purchase their own Artemis for around $337,785 at current conversion rates, complete with a two-year, 100,000-mile warranty. Eterniti thoughtfully offers insurance and financing for those who don’t have that sort of cash on hand. for the full press release.
James Bond has driven a lot of noteworthy vehiclesover the course of his long, fictitious career in Her Majesty’s secret service: , , , … and those are just the cars. There’ve been countless motorcycles, tanks and trucks as well. And in between high-speed chases across dangerous and picturesque terrain, 007 has streaked across the sky in helicopters, jets and hot-air balloons, above it in the space shuttle. Let’s not forget that Bond is also a commander in the Royal Navy, so he’s also no stranger to speedboats, jet-skis, yachts, warships and submarines.
It’s hard to keep track of it all, so with the latest film, Skyfall, coming out in October, we’re glad to share this tidy infographic that lays out all the Bond vehicles from every movie, plus some trivia and miscellany for the most die-hard Bond fans and automotive enthusiasts. It’s similar to , only updated and more comprehensive. Click the image above to .
In the wake of earlier this week, rolled out its Concept Style Coupe at the at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA), yesterday. The “CSC” is expected to officially make its world debut at the next week, but the sneak preview gave us an early look at the four-door in the flesh.
Expected to ride atop Mercedes’ new MFA platform, the CSC is a close-to-production glimpse at the automaker’s long-awaited compact sedan ( when it arrives). Styled like a smaller version of the Mercedes-Benz , the CSC features sleek and aggressive bodywork over 20-inch turbine-style wheels. The roof features a large panoramic glass panel allowing plenty of light to spill into the four-place cabin. Under the hood of the concept is a turbocharged four-cylinder, rated at 211 horsepower, sending its power to the automaker’s 4Matic all-wheel drive system.
The art exhibit, open free of charge through May 6, is an interesting audio visual experience curated by Mike D of the Beastie Boys. The Mercedes-Benz CSC is shown in a dark room under banks of halogen lights that are choreographed to illuminate to the music (only audible by wearing headsets hung from the rafters). It was nearly impossible to take pictures, but we have updated our gallery with some supplied photography. Don’t forget to check out the press release below.
has been kind enough to give us all a glimpse of the company’s ahead of the super SUV’s debut at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show. A 5.5-liter AMG-built twin-turbo V8 engine lurks behind the updated face, complete with a heady 544 horsepower and 560 pound-feet of torque. The direct-injection engine is also laden with fuel-saving gear, including a start/stop system and an intelligent alternator that only charges the vehicle’s electrical system when needed.
We’re guessing the tech may help move the boxy Geländewagen’s fuel economy from supremely abysmal to merely exceptionally atrocious. Mercedes-Benz hasn’t released any solid estimates beyond saying the numbers have improved by around 13 percent on the EU cycle. Keep in mind, that’s with 44 more horsepower than the outgoing G55 AMG. A seven-speed automatic transmission handles shifting duties.
If the G63 AMG doesn’t provide enough power for you, there’s always brawny . With its twin-turbo 6.0-liter V12 engine, the monster delivers 612 horsepower and 737 pound-feet of torque. For perspective, that’s more thrust than vehicles like the with a Duramax turbodiesel, the or the . This dog will surely hunt.
European G-Class buyers can look forward to shelling out €137,504 (circa $180k USD) for the G63 AMG, including Value Added Tax. The G65 AMG, meanwhile, starts at a breathtaking €264,180 (roughly $347k). Mercedes-Benz suggests we should see the G63 AMG in the States beginning in August, but it’s remaining mum on the G65’s prospects, and it has not disclosed U.S. pricing. Learn more in the official release .
Last week, a battery research lab in Warren, Michigan. General Motors has since said the fire was caused by a battery that was being tested under “extreme stress.” Engineers were trying to get the pack to fail, which it did, but not to ignite, which it also did when gases leaked out and somehow caught fire.
There’s one detail we have not heard yet, and that’s how much the fire could end up costing GM: up to $5 million, the The Detroit News reports, based on information that the automaker’s representatives submitted in a police report. The local fire department has estimated that the damage could be closer to $3 million, with one million of that due to property loss – at least two labs were damaged – and $2 million worth of damage to the labs’ contents. An investigation into the cause and extent of the fire continues.
The battery pack involved was not the same as the one used in the and GM says that the incident . Media reports have suggested the battery is be intended for the and that the prototype battery pack was made by A123 (which has had recently). Multiple people were injured in the fire but only one remains in the hospital because of “an estimated four-inch gash to the back of his head.”
is hot in China right now, and the four-ringed automaker will show its appreciation by unveiling this hot-to-trot RS Q3 concept at the later this month. Any RS vehicle worthy of the label begins with an outstanding powertrain. In this case, the RS Q3 features the same 2.5-liter TFSI turbocharged five-cylinder that is available in the , with 360 horsepower and a zero to 62 time pegged at just 5.2 seconds. The powertrain also features a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission and full-time Quattro all-wheel-drive.
The pumped-up softroader also features several RS-themed styling cues, including a black honeycomb grille that Audi says has a particularly three-dimensional appearance. The concept also features brushed and polished aluminum trim around said grille, tinted headlights and an updated bumper with graping air intakes. The little Q3 also features massive 20-inch aluminum wheels coupled with a ride height that has been dropped by a full inch.
On the inside, the RS Q3 concept displays a blacked-out theme throughout, save for one high-class exception: The seat inserts feature dark blue Alcantara inserts surrounded by Nappa leather. The same dark blue re-appears in the form of door inserts that integrate blue luminescent glass fibers.
to read over the Audi press release and feel free to click on the image above for a of the Audi RS Q3 concept.
Earlier this month, Rhys Millen took to Formula Drift Long Beach to introduce his newly updated racer. After securing second place during qualifying and besting Nick D’Alessio in the top 32 battle, Millen spun on his second run of the top 16 contention versus Daigo Saito. Saito was 2011’s D1 Japan champion. The spin knocked Millen from a shot at the podium all the way to sixth place, where he tied with Tyler McQuarrie with a combined 64 points. With a total of six rounds left in the season, Millen and the crew still have a shot at nabbing a championship podium finish.
Road Atlanta is next on the schedule. The sideways action gets started on May 11, so stay tuned for the results. In the meantime, you can check out the rather excellent HD video of the team’s Long Beach effort, complete with about a thousand different camera angles.
Well… look who lives! Our spy photographers have managed to snag a few photos of what may very well be the next interpretation of the . Long thought to be a casualty of the General Motors bailout, the biggest member Club SS was reportedly shelved a few years back. The Impala line hasn’t offered an SS performance variant since 2009, and the more aggressive grille, front fascia and tweaked head- and taillight arrays on this prototype hint at something more sinister than any topped-out LTZ model could offer. Our spy shooter’s supplier sources indicate GM is, in fact, still working on an Impala SS, and they suggest the sedan may bow with a new LF3 twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 under the hood.
If true, that means the brawny Impala could scoot down the road with a heady 380 horsepower. As far as we know, no vehicle since the limited production 350-hp Ford Focus RS500 has tried to push anywhere near that many ponies to the front wheels, which begs the question: will the Impala offer all-wheel drive despite ?
Doing so would seem to position the Impala SS quite well against the freshly updated . Either way, we’re excited to give this big boy a go.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced plans to update the agency’s current vehicle safety standards. In order to protect drivers in the event they depress both the accelerator and the brake pedal at the same time, automakers will be required to install a bake-throttle override on new vehicles moving forward. The hope is that the systems will curb instances of unintended acceleration. The new standards will apply on all cars, trucks and buses regardless of weight. NHTSA says many manufacturers are already including similar systems on their products.
The update will replace Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 124, Accelerator Control Systems. The public has 60 days to comment on the proposed change, which may be viewed in full PDF form .
Early last year, NASA engineers found no electronic cause for the claims of unintended acceleration levied at . The report prompted Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to blame the cases on “pedal misapplication.” for the full press release.
Early reports are filtering in this morning of an explosion at a General Motors Technical Center battery research lab in Warren, Michigan. According to The Detroit News, a battery exploded injuring one or two people.
According to the report, Warren’s fire department received a call at around 9AM this morning, only to find two injured and “a small fire” stemming from the explosion. A General Motors spokesman apparently put the number of injured parties at one, so there is still some confusion about the number of people affected by the incident at this point.
A HAZMAT team was dispatched to the Tech Center and the building has been evacuated, with all employees accounted for. Detroit NBC affiliate WXYZ is on the scene with a live feed that you can . The extent of the injuries and damage, along with what caused the explosion, are not immediately clear, but we will have more details as they become available, so stay tuned.
*UPDATE:Video added . ** UPDATE: In a statement added after the jump, GM now says the explosion was caused by “extreme testing of a prototype battery” that is “unrelated to the or any other production vehicle.”
The is due for a major update, having last been redesigned for the 2006 model year. Yes, it’s gotten some tweaks since that time, but the compact crossover market is an ever-evolving place filled with tough competition from around the globe, and needs the RAV4 to maintain its hard-fought market share.
According to our spy photographers, the RAV4’s next redesign is right around the corner. Judging from these photos, it would appear that Toyota is keeping its little ‘ute to the confines of pavement – a wise decision, as vehicles of this ilk never venture very far off the beaten path. That said, the sharply angular lines of this new model’s head and taillamps bring its styling more in line with the latest Camry and Avalon sedans while still putting its occupants over the heads of shorter machinery.
Rumors suggest that the 2013 RAV4 will enter production in the fall of ‘12, powered by a range of four-cylinder engines and possibly a hybrid. We’d be a bit surprised if the automaker’s 3.5-liter V6 weren’t available, as well. See the spy shots for yourself in our high-res image gallery above.
Back in February, announced a to its entry-level model – the – for European markets, and subsequently it to the public at the . Of course, we knew it would only be a matter of time until the updated Vantage would find its way Stateside, and that time has now come.
Many of the updates are borrowed from the slightly up-market Vantage S, including some mild cosmetic changes and the optional seven-speed Sportshift II sequential transmission replacing the clunkier six-speed version that preceded it. The suspension and brakes have also been upgraded on the new model, but the 4.7-liter V8 and its 420 horsepower carry over unchanged.
So how much will a new V8 Vantage set you back with all these updates? $118,370 for the coupe, or $132,870 for the Roadster – which actually represents a slight discount over the previous coupe model and a negligible increase on the convertible. Like what you see? You’re invited to dive into the full press release and specifications , along with the high-resolution images in the gallery above.
So a new front-drive will now set you back $40,185, but that’s really not the most interesting pricing news from . That would be the RX 350 F Sport, which debuts for the 2013 model year in July, carrying a base sticker of $47,875.
While all versions of the RX get the new spindle grille, the F Sport packs Lexus’ eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and a performance-tuned suspension that employs Lexus Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management, akin to what’s available on the line. Cosmetic enhancements include a mesh grille and F Sport badges, aluminum pedals and black leather seats with contrasting white stitching. A unique set of 19-inch wheels completes the package, which we look forward to getting our hands on.
Lexus has also announced the base price of its hybrid RX, which will start at $46,805, and the hybrid GS. When the goes on sale in May, it will be priced from $59,845. Additionally, the 2012 will see the price bumped $200 across the board. Scroll down to read the full press release.
has once again partnered up with Rhys Millen, this time to create a new fit to take on Formula Drift. The specially prepared two-door boasts more then 600 horsepower thanks to careful tweaking by the minds at RMR. That’s a far cry from the 274 hp served up by the stock 2.0-liter turbo four, and so far, Millen is keeping the secret of how he pulled that much grunt from the four-pot to himself. We’re guessing this machine has been touched by the gods of forced-induction in all the right ways.
While Millen and his track-bred heathen are out vaporizing tires, Hyundai fans will have a chance to pour over the company’s other wares and compete for race gifts while at the track. This marks the fourth consecutive year Hyundai and Millen have partnered up, and this year, he’ll be the exclusive driver for the company at all Formula Drift events. Last year, the RMR team took first place in Las Vegas and runner up at Irwindale. for the full press release.
If there’s any place a SUV can feel at home, surely it’s Manhattan. Only fitting, then, that the updated has debuted at the .
The revised luxury crossover has been treated to a mild facelift, but as with so many things, it’s what’s inside that counts with the new . The cabin has been updated with a series of cosmetic and functional changes (new steering wheel, new shifter, etc.), but the bigger news is its fresh electronics. Cadillac has imbued the angular high-rider with its new CUE infotainment and connectivity system, complete with an eight-inch capacitive touchscreen. Other additions include the Safety Alert Seat system and active safety features like automatic front- and rear braking, adaptive cruise control, and so on.
In short, it looks to be a better SRX than the one it succeeds, and you can check it out in our gallery of live shots above and the stock shots from the manufacturer below.
While it doesn’t even appear as a bad pixel on most enthusiasts’ radar, the serves legions of mainstream consumers perfectly well. To keep the unassuming family hauler from lagging behind its advancing competition, the automaker has introduced a refreshed and tweaked at the .
Look carefully on the exterior and you may notice the freshened fog lamps or redesigned grille on the front fascia. Out back, there are restyled taillamps. Three new colors join the pallete (Attitude Black, Cypress Pearl and Cosmic Gray Mica). Under the hood, the engines are carried over from last year (2.7-liter four-cylinder or a 3.5-liter V6, depending on trim level, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission).
With the exception of the new interior color (black leather or black cloth upholstery) and new buttons on the steering wheel, the cabin appears virtually identical. However, there are more standard features on the LE trim (blind spot mirror, eight-way power-operated driver’s seat, puddle lamps, tilt/telescope steering wheel, and more) and the range-topping Limited receives LED running lights and a premium navigation system with Entune connectivity. Most of the new features are offered across the model range, but at an additional cost. The updated 2013 Toyota Venza goes on sale in late May.
