GM and Toyota to end NUMMI joint venture in California

General Motors, which is expecting to complete its bankruptcy trip by August, has said that its 50 percent stake in New United Motor Manufacturing Incorporated (NUMMI) with Toyota Motor Corp. will be left behind with other bad assets on their way to liquidations.

GM and Toyota jointly produced the Toyota Corolla and the Pontiac Vibe at NUMMI. The Pontiac Vibe will end production in August.

GM’s Statement Regarding GM’s Ownership Stake in NUMMI:

“As part of its long-term viability plan, General Motors has decided that its ownership stake in the New United Motor Manufacturing Incorporated (NUMMI) joint venture with Toyota will not be a part of the ‘New GM’. After extensive analysis, GM and Toyota could not reach an agreement on a future product plan that made sense for all parties. Accordingly, NUMMI will end production of vehicles for GM in August, and there are no future GM vehicles planned for the joint venture at this time. Given that, GM believes it is in the best interest of the ‘New GM’ and its stakeholders that we place our ownership interest in NUMMI in ‘Old GM’. We have enjoyed a very positive and beneficial partnership with Toyota for the past 25 years, and we remain open tofuture opportunities of mutual interest.”

Your chance to be among the first to test drive a new Mahindra pickup

Are you holding out for a Mahindra trucks and wondering how they stack up against more established brands? Then you need to head on over to Mahindra's Web site and sign up for some seat time.
Mahindra importer Global Vehicles is all set for a fourth-quarter 2009 launch of their first offerings from India and is taking names for early test drives. From what we can gather from the company's U.S. Web site, they'll be parading around the country soon, giving interested pickup shoppers a spin around the block in its two- or four-door diesel-powered pickup trucks. On the site, there's a lot of bragging about the two-door's seven-foot bed (Toyota's Tacoma has a six-footer), four-year, 60k-mile warranty, six-speed automatic trans, and clean-burning, four-cylinder diesel engine.
No word yet on, well, a lot of things. Like what cities this national tour will be trucking through or even when it will begin. More importantly, the company has said it has 325 dealers lined up, but still hasn't brought up pricing, EPA fuel economy numbers, crash test ratings or an exact date that sales will begin. For now we'll have to make do with the vague "fourth quarter of 2009" and the promise of an early test drive.
[Source: All Cars All the Time]

2010 Honda Insight vs. 2010 Toyota Prius, 1998 Chevy Metro - Comparison Test

What we have here is an officialC/D comparison test in which the photo vehicle, a Honda Pilot, proved far quicker than any of our contestants. These cars make you feel guilty about eating red meat. Convicted road ragers should be forced to do time in any of these three.

Both hybrids here are brand-new, if not all-new. The Honda Insight, which made its debut in 1999, has undergone the most radical transformation, gaining one cylinder, 25 horsepower, a back seat, and a shape that no longer resembles a tadpole in a spandex body wrap. In fact, what the Insight looks like is the Prius but with a smiling-fish grille instead of the Toyota’s frowning-fish grille.

Keep Reading: 2010 Honda Insight vs. 2010 Toyota Prius, 1998 Chevy Metro - Comparison Test

Buick to Offer 2.4-liter Ecotec in 2010 LaCrosse

Buick has announced that it will add a 2.4-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine to the 2010 LaCrosse roster. It joins the previously announced direct-injected 3.0- and 3.6-liter V-6 engines and like those powerplants is backed by a six-speed automatic transmission. The 2.4-liter will be the standard engine in the base CX model and marks the first Buick four-banger in more than a decade.

Keep Reading: Buick to Offer 2.4-liter Ecotec in 2010 LaCrosse - Car News

2010 Jaguar XFR Dirt Track Drifting

We flick the new cat’s tail through the dirt, but is it any good? Check out the full Road Test in the August 2009 issue of Car and Driver.

Keep Reading: 2010 Jaguar XFR Dirt Track Drifting - Video

2009 Škoda Yeti Spotted on U.S. Soil

Reader Nathan Robinson spotted this 2009 Škoda Yeti testing in Arizona. Originally unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, the Yeti shares its platform with many Volkswagen Group small cars sold around the world and is offered overseas in front- and four-wheel-drive variants. Two turbocharged gas and three turbocharged diesel engines are available, with output ranging from 105 hp from the 1.2-liter TSI engine to 170 hp from the 2.0-liter TDI diesel engine.
While we don't expect Škodas to arrive in the U.S. any time soon, a VW version of the Yeti could do battle with the likes of the Kia Soul and Nissan Cube, slotting into the lineup just below the Tiguan.
Read about Škoda's upcoming VW-based entry-level model: Volkswagen Up! / New Beetle - Car News

2010 Jaguar XFR - Road Test

Appearances can be deceiving. Jaguars are for old geezers, aren’t they? And they definitely shouldn’t be spending time on a dirt oval, that most down-home of American automotive playgrounds, should they? But the new XFR most certainly isn’t for the AARP set, and all that it offers can’t be exploited fully on a paved public road.

On the surface, it’s elegant and refined. Yet it also has 510 horsepower capable of tearing the tail loose at a twitch of the stability-control button. It’s a lugubrious Jamaican fast bowler who’s your best friend until he takes to the field and tries to knock your head off.

To test our theory that the XFR is really an old-style muscle car at heart, we decided to take it to Butler Motor Speedway, a three-eighths-mile drifting nirvana near Quincy, Michigan. As a playground for large, overpowered V-8 stock cars, it’s the perfect place—no cops, only one concrete wall to hit—to wring out another overpowered V-8 sedan.

Now, it might seem that taking this $80,000 sports sedan to an oval in the wilds of Michigan isn’t exactly cricket, but then, that game is deceiving, too. To the outsider, cricket is a screwy English game with impenetrable rules, played in bucolic settings by persons dressed in white street clothing. Between jack-rabbit bursts of activity, there’s no action aside from the eating of crustless cucumber sandwiches and the sipping of tea.

Keep Reading: 2010 Jaguar XFR - Road Test

Texting While Driving: How Dangerous is it? - Feature

If you use a cell phone, chances are you’re aware of “text messaging”—brief messages limited to 160 characters that can be sent or received on all modern mobile phones. Texting, also known as SMS (for short message service), is on the rise, up from 9.8 billion messages a month in December ’05 to 110.4 billion in December ’08. Undoubtedly, more than a few of those messages are being sent by people driving cars. Is texting while driving a dangerous idea? We decided to conduct a test.

Previous academic studies—much more scientific than ours—conducted in vehicle simulators have shown that texting while driving impairs the driver’s abilities. But as far as we know, no study has been conducted in a real vehicle that is being driven. Also, we decided to compare the results of texting to the effects of drunk driving, on the same day and under the exact same conditions. Not surprisingly, Car and Driver doesn’t receive a lot of research grants.

To keep things simple, we would focus solely on the driver’s reaction times to a light mounted on the windshield at eye level, meant to simulate a lead car’s brake lights. Wary of the potential damage to man and machine, all of the driving would be done in a straight line. We rented the taxiway of the Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport in Oscoda, Michigan, adjacent to an 11,800-foot runway that used to be home to a squadron of B-52 bombers. Given the prevalence of the BlackBerry, the iPhone, and other text-friendly mobile phones, the test subjects would have devices with full “qwerty” keypads and would be using text-messaging phones familiar to them. Web intern Jordan Brown, 22, armed with an iPhone, would represent the younger crowd. The older demographic would be covered by head honcho Eddie Alterman, 37 (or 259 in dog years), using a Samsung Alias. (Alterman also uses a BlackBerry for e-mail. We didn’t use it in the test.)

2010 GMC Terrain Pricing to Start at $24,995

GMC has announced pricing for the 2010 Terrain crossover, and as expected, it will ring in just above its lower-end cousin, the Chevrolet Equinox.

The entry-level front-wheel-drive SLE1 model starts at $24,995 and comes standard with GM’s direct-injected, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and a six-speed automatic transmission—a combination that yields an EPA estimated 32 mpg. All-wheel-drive models start at $26,745. The range-topping SLT2 model starts at $29,995 and includes standard leather seating, premium sound, and an appearance package.

A 264-hp, 3.0-liter, direct-injected V-6 engine is optional across the lineup for $1500, and other major options include navigation ($2145), a sunroof ($795), and a rear-seat entertainment system ($1295).

The 2010 Ford Escape comes in at a lower price point—starting at $21,240 for a front-wheel-drive four-cylinder model and $24,200 for all-wheel drive—but includes less standard equipment and isn't quite as miserly.

Terrain SLE1
FWD: $24,995
AWD: $26,745

Terrain SLE2
FWD: $26,595
AWD: $28,345

Terrain SLT1
FWD: $28,195
AWD: $29,945

Terrain SLT2
FWD: $29,995
AWD: $31,745

2009 Mini E

If Mr. Kerouac was right and the road is life, then the Mini E is heartbreak. The 3250-pound electric car goes limp after just 100 miles, and it will go only that far if you drive it sparingly. That’s almost (but not quite) the distance from one end of Los Angeles County to the other.

If you live in the Midwest, the Mini E will never see the oceans. If you live in Albuquerque, it’ll never leave New Mexico. If you live in New York City, it’ll expire just shy of Long Island’s eastern tip. It can’t roam the “raw land that rolls in one unbelievable huge bulge” as other cars can whenever their owners feel their inner Kerouac coming on.

Sure, you can recharge it. Figure three hours with the included 240-volt/48-amp lightning box that must be specially wired into your garage. Or 24 hours on a regular 110-volt/12-amp wall plug. You’ll want to stay close to home.

The one-year-lease contract at the stupefying sum of $850 per month (insurance included) is just a “pilot project,” according to the car’s maker. After the year, all these electric Minis must be returned. In the scant few hours we were given to suck the marrow out of a Mini E, we tried to simulate the likely owner experience with an eclectic if rather localized round of errand running. Stuffed kudu heads, anyone?

A Mini E starts life as a standard Mini at the company’s plant in Oxford, England. From there, it’s shipped, sans engine, to proprietor BMW’s headquarters in Munich, Germany, where this ride is pimped with a 201-hp AC electric motor, a DC-to-AC converter, an onboard recharger, and power-control electronics located in the gold-anodized box you see upon opening the hood. All of it is air-cooled.

Keep Reading: 2009 Mini E - Short Take Road Test

Hyundai Assurance Gas Lock Promises Discounted Fuel

On the heels of its successful Assurance and Assurance Plus programs, Hyundai is now offering buyers of its new cars the opportunity to enroll in a program called Assurance Gas Lock. The new program will guarantee new Hyundai lessees or buyers a year's worth of regular gasoline for just $1.49 a gallon. If drivers elect to buy mid- or premium-grade gasoline, they’ll pay just $1.64 or $1.79 per gallon, respectively. The fuel price is locked in for a year and entitles drivers to enough fuel to cover 12,000 miles.
The program is available on all new Hyundais except the Genesis sedan, Genesis Coupe, and Accent GS. The fuel savings could be big: current regular-grade gasoline averages $2.64 per gallon, according to the Energy Information Administration. And buyers enrolling in the program can still profit from certain rebates and financing discounts available on new Hyundai models.
If the idea sounds familiar, it’s because Chrysler launched a similar scheme, dubbed Refuel America, in May 2008. The Pentastar's program allowed drivers to buy gas at $2.99 per gallon for three years, until late 2011. Yet national fuel prices have since dropped below $2.99, so drivers enrolled in the plan no longer save money on gas. Moreover, buyers who signed up for the Refuel America program were automatically ineligible for reduced APR rates or consumer cash back offers on new Chryslers, Dodges, or Jeeps.
Hyundai’s offer looks to be a better deal because it doesn't ban consumers from receiving additional customer incentives, and we highly doubt gasoline is going to drop below $1.49 per gallon—and if it does, it won't stay there for long.

Car-Buying Negotiating Guide - Buyers Info

If you walked up to the cashier at your local grocery store with a gallon of milk in hand and said, “It says $2.49 on this sticker, but I’ll give you a buck-fifty,” you’d be going home thirsty. If you walked into McDonald’s and said, “I don’t see a lot of people eating Big Macs today; I’ll take that value meal off your hands for just three bucks!” you’d leave hungry. But walk into a car dealership, and you areexpected to bargain with the salesman. Pay sticker, and you’re giving the dealer hundreds or—in most cases—thousands of dollars in additional profit.

Considering that the car dealership is a business and performing a necessary service—getting the car from the factory to you—some profit is definitely deserved. How much is fair profit depends on a number of factors, including the specific car and demand for it, the options, your location, and how long the car has been on the lot. So we can’t tell you exactly what to pay. But we can tell you what to do to optimize your chances of paying what you want.

Shop for Your Own Financing

For most of us, financing is the only way we can afford a new car. Most dealerships can provide you financing, but be sure to check at your bank or credit union before you go, as they will often offer you a better interest rate. At the very least, shopping around will give you an idea of what rates you qualify for, so you can police the dealership’s offer later. For more on what to do prior to visiting the dealership, read “What to Know Before You Go.”

Hyundai Dealers First to Participate in "Cash for Clunkers" Program

Hyundai is the first automaker in the U.S. to allow consumers to take advantage of the government's Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), formerly known as "Cash for Clunkers." The company is backing dealerships with short-term cash advances weeks before the government has the program fully online, industry-wide.
While we remain skeptical of the program's long-term benefits for the industry and the environment, we can understand why Hyundai—with thirteen models that achieve the required fuel economy—wants to offer buyers the option as soon as possible, since there are likely car shoppers who are on the fence about purchasing that are awaiting the legislation's full enactment. This in combination with Hyundai Assurance Plus and Hyundai Assurance Gas Lock might potentially lure many consumers into Hyundai showrooms.

Affordable Navigation Units Compared - Gear Box

We examine four portable entry-level GPS units, all priced under $250, to see which one is best.

Why spend big money on a factory navigation system when you can get a portable device for hundreds less? The question is becoming rhetorical. Portable navs may have smaller screens than the built-in competition, but just try moving that built-in from one car to another. The four nav systems below retail for less than $230 and have text-to-speech features that will read street names aloud. They all work just dandy to get you from point A to point B; the biggest differences lie in features, menus, and user-friendliness.

Subaru opens STI Gallery in Tokyo

You remember turning 20? the end of teenage years, the beginning of adulthood...that's what Subaru Tecnica International - the performance division better known by its initials STI - celebrates this year, and to mark the occasion, Fuji Heavy is inaugurating the STI Gallery, a new museum in Tokyo that highlights the products and activities of its Subaru racing unit.
Located at 3-9-6 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo, the STI Gallery will be open every day (barring certain holidays) from 9:30 am to 7 pm, when visitors can stop by and scope out STI in all its glory. The car exhibition zone displays STI vehicles both past and present, race and road. (Colin McRae's WRC New Zealand-winning 1993 Legacy RS is currently on display to celebrate the launch of the new Legacy). There's also an exhibit of various components and memorabilia and a history section outlining the division's past activities. Seems like a worthwhile way to spend an afternoon if you find yourself in Tokyo with some time to burn.
[Source: World Car Fans]

Tata Nano Coming in Around 2 Years, Free With Happy Meal

Here’s the skinny on the tiny: Tata of India has confirmed that they’ll bring over their pint-sized wonder in around 2 years, according to a report by one of their US spokespersons. Of course, this raises a host of questions. For one, what American can actually fit inside one? Can it swim through shallow mud puddles? Will it come with fine Corinthian leather? Details, details.

What we do know is that Tata is promising it will meet all crash and emissions standards for the US, a seemingly tall order for a car built to be as cheap as possible. Plus there are rumors (take with a grain of salt, naturally) of diesel and electric versions making the rounds. In any event, if you want a car so cheap that it makes a Chevy Aveo look like a Bentley, then wait 24 months and save your nickels.

[Source: Autoblog]

Pontiac G8 LIVES! (Cue Mad Scientist Laughter)

OK, OK, so no one’s actually said anything definitive. GM head honcho Fritz Henderson said “not a chance, suckers,” when asked about the likelihood of the G8 surviving the bankruptcy. But now there’s dissention in the ranks, as Tom Stephens (a VP in charge of product development) says it might live … with another GM badge.

If any of you wise-asses shouted out “Holden!” you get brownie points for creativity. But we think Mr. Stephens was referring to an American badge … Chevy? Wait, what do they have left? Maybe a GMC! But before you get your hopes up, Stephens went on to say this about the potential for the G8: “I know there’s still discussions on it. But Chevrolet already has several sedans. How many sedans do you need to cover the waterfront?”

Hmm, jury’s out on this one! Can someone calculate the Vegas odds of this happening?

[Source: Jalopnik]

2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X Premium retains edge, adds smoothness

Adequate dynamics, very capable, super handy. That about sums up the last ten years of the Subaru Forester. And yet – once the sportier turbocharged version put rally-bred heat under the skinny pedal, the Forester was no longer just the squishy, squeezy Official Car of Vermont. It was suddenly possible to haul the family Newfoundland to the groomer and scorch the doors off more prestigious iron by flattening that Birkenstock. Eat our dust, punctuated by a “Be Green” sticker. More luxurious appointments were also put on offer, there was once even a Nardi edition. For all that, the Foresters were still little funk machines. For 2009, Subaru’s Forester retains and expands what has historically been great about this Fuji Heavy crossover, but the rough edges have been hammered flat.

A crossover before the term existed, the Forester began life as Subaru’s stab at the still-burgeoning SUV market of the late 1990s. Grabbing the handiest platform, the little truck wound up riding on Impreza hardware. Basing its compact SUV on a car continues to be one of the Forester’s biggest assets. The personality stays driver-friendly, and the lower center of gravity and modest weight make the Forester responsive instead of lumbering.

2009 Lexus IS F pursues perfection, might need more personality

The Lexus IS F is the sole Japanese contender in a crowd of compact high-performance sport sedans. Boasting a full complement of performance upgrades, including a 5.0-liter V8 mated to a quick-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission, the 416-horsepower sedan blasts to 60 mph in well under five seconds. But the stats only tell part of the tale. Do the sum of the IS F’s parts make it a contender against the best from Germany and America? Let’s find out.

The first Lexus IS rolled into showrooms about a decade ago. The rear-wheel drive sedan sported a silky 3.0-liter inline-six (2JZ-GE) and went head-to-head against the standard BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4. A fine compact sedan under anyone’s scrutiny, the first-generation IS only offered one engine. Lacking a factory-tuned performance variant, it was forced to sit on the sidelines and watch as the competition’s high-performance M3, C43, and S4 frolicked through America’s canyons and race circuits.

Verna Transform is not America’s next top model Hyundai Accent

On Wednesday, we brought you the first pictures of Hyundai’s new Transform, a Korean market derivative of the Verna hatchback that is a close relative of our stateside Accent, the automaker’s lowest-cost offering. For 2010, the KDM Verna Transform model incorporates a unique front fascia and a controversial looking grille among other changes. The big question we had on our mind after seeing it was: Is this model bound for the U.S. – or was it simply another foreign Accent?

Well, we put exactly that question to Hyundai P.R. manager Dan Bedore, and he indicates that the Verna Transform is not representative of what we will see in the U.S. – on the contrary, our Accent successor “…will have a distinct, exciting new look of its own when it is introduced. The Verna Transform pictured here is a sport package for the KDM model Verna only.”

BMW manufacturing plant expansion construction almost completed

Last year, BMW began the expansion of its U.S. plant at Spartanburg, South Carolina. The total project cost was evaluated at $750 million and it would have added 1.5 million square feet to the existing infrastructure.

Nearly a year later, BMW announced that the expansion construction is nearly complete and the project stayed within the budget and time frames. The new plant design is very similar to the large BMW factory in Leipzig, Germany and has added several new technologies.

The Spartanburg plant will manufacture the X5, X6 Sports Activity Coupe and also the new BMW X3 which moved its production to the U.S. The Motorsport version of the X models, X5 M and X6 M, will also be manufactured here.

Next month, BMW promised to release more information regarding the expansion and we will have more information for you.

Press Release

It has been over one year since BMW Manufacturing announced it would invest $750 million in its upstate South Carolina factory to add 1.5 million square feet. Since that time, design, engineering and construction crews have been busy constructing the new 1.2 million square foot assembly facility and have added 80% or 300,000 square feet to the existing paint shop.

This investment is the largest ever announced for the Spartanburg County factory, increasing investments of the BMW Group in its South Carolina operations to nearly $4.6 billion (total investment for BMW through 2008 is $3.9 billion).

The new assembly facility is now fully enclosed and equipment is being installed. Expansion construction to the existing Paint Shop is also complete and new equipment is being tested. A new 1/3 mile conveyor system has been constructed to connect the expanded paint shop to the new assembly hall.

“We are very pleased that construction is nearly complete and that the project is on budget and on time,” said BMW Manufacturing President Josef Kerscher.

The new plant design is very similar to BMW’s Leipzig plant in Germany, the newest plant within the BMW Global Production Network. It has been designed using “fingers”. The fingers are constructed along the sides of the new plant and allow for direct deliveries to the exact point of use on the production line.

A logistics warehouse has also been constructed as part of the new assembly facility. “We are committed to lean manufacturing and adding a logistics component attached to the plant was critical to ensure leaner processes and quicker delivery routes,” said Barbara Bergmeier, Vice President of Assembly.

In the expanded paint shop area, BMW has added several new technologies, many borrowed from other BMW plants, including the Leipzig plant in Germany.

One such technology is a new “RoDip” system. This new conveyor system represents a breakthrough in paint conveyor technology for pre-treat and e-coat processes. Previously, BMW Manufacturing used a “pendulum” system, similar to a ski lift, which carried the car along a rail and lowered it under the water. The new “RoDip” system rotates the entire vehicle 360˚ through each process tank. This reduces the amount of chemicals that are “removed” from tank and reduces chemical and dirt deposits inside the vehicle.

“Many new and innovative technologies have been implemented into the new Paint Shop area. This is exciting for the entire BMW Global Production Network as we are creating synergies and increased efficiency by implementing lessons learned from around the globe,” said Doug Bartow, Vice President for Paint at BMW Manufacturing.

Once the new paint shop and assembly facility are operational, the BMW plant in Spartanburg will manufacture the BMW X3, X5 Sports Activity Vehicle and X6 Sports Activity Coupe and their respective variants for over 120 markets worldwide.

[Source: BMW ]

MT Tech Editor brings out his 1967 Sunbeam Alpine

Frank Markus' 1967 Sunbeam Alpine - As we wandered around this year's Orphan Car Show, we ran into Motor Trend's Michigan-based technical editor Frank Markus. It turn's out Frank was displaying his own summertime toy, a 1967 Sunbeam Alpine roadster. Frank told us that he has owned this particular machine for over 20 years and it runs great. In fact, people familiar with Sunbeams are surprised when they hear it drive by. It turns out that contrary to the spirit of the Orphan Car Show, where the machines are supposed to be largely unmodified, the original Rootes Group four-cylinder has been discarded along the way. Instead, Frank's roadster is powered by a twin-cam Fiat engine that easily revs up to 6,500 rpm. Rather than being an immaculate concours restored machine, this one is a well maintained, mostly original example that shows some signs of its four decades of use but remains relatively corrosion free. Looks like a fun way to spend a sunny Sunday morning.

GM stops trying to sell medium duty truck line, will cease production of Chevy Kodiak and GMC Topkick

For the past four years, General Motors has been trying to sell its medium duty truck business, which produces the giant Chevy Kodiak and GMC Topkick. Navistar, Isuzu and other unnamed suitors were all at one point in discussions with GM to make a deal, but none ever happened and today the automaker announced that it would will "wind down" production of the Kodiak and Topkick and cease production altogether on July 31st.
In addition to the consumer-oriented models from Chevy and GMC, the medium duty truck operations also produced the commercial grade C4500, C5500 and C6500 models. Halfway between a full-ton pickup and an actual semi, these mammoth haulers were best suited for just that: towing. Chances are if you ever saw one on the road, there was a trailer behind it.
The Topkick also earned acclaim for its acting prowess in the Transformers film franchise playing the Autobots' weapons specialist, Ironhide. Unfortunately, success on celluloid didn't transfer to sales on the street, and it looks like Ironhide may be taking his last curtain call in Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen.
[Source: GM]

Fiat finishes dead last in new British J.D. Power survey

What automaker has a lower owner satisfaction score in the UK than Chrysler? The one and only company that makes automobiles less tasty to UK consumers is Fiat. Both brands, which are soon to be joined at the arm rest, scored significantly below both the industry average and survey champ Lexus, which enjoyed its ninth year topping the charts. The rest of the top five are Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Skoda, and Toyota.
What owners in the UK have to say about Chrysler and Fiat doesn't necessarily go for the rest of the world; after all, they prefer Rugby and Cricket to our Football and Baseball. It just may be, however, that like those seemingly separate but similar sporting endeavors, the overseas opinion of Chrysler and Fiat as bottom feeders may not be entirely far off from what North American consumers think.
[Source: JD Power | Photo Illustration by Sean Gallup/Getty]

Is Bentley testing a hybrid Continental GT?

Bentley CEO Franz-Josef Paefgen has repeatedly said in the past that the British luxury marque will introduce lower-CO2-emitting powertrains over the next several years, starting with the flex-fuel W12 in the Continental Supersports that arrives this fall. As part of the Volkswagen Group, Bentley is likely to follow some of the same paths as the rest of the group, including diesel. Hybrids are likely to be part of the picture as well, however.
Some new spy photos have turned up of a Continental GT running somewhere in southern Europe, and they might indicate that Bentley is already working on a hybrid Continental. Lots of unusual gear is visible through the back window, and the photographer claims the car was running very quietly, possibly suggesting a hybrid running in EV mode.
If the Bentley is a hybrid, it's probably using the same system developed by VW, Audi and Porsche that will be appearing in the Touareg, Q5, Cayenne and Panamera in the next couple of years. Thanks to Andrus for the tip!
[Source: FastestCar.com]

A dozen new teams lodge bids to enter F1

Whatever the outcome of the standoff between the Formula One Teams Association and the FIA, it was clear from the get-go that F1 was to change dramatically. As it turned out, the two parties - the first representing the teams currently participating in the sport and the second its governing body - have apparently reconciled their differences.
But as it turns out, even if all of the existing teams walked, the FIA would still have had a field of eager teams ready to take their place - that's one heck of a bargaining chip. One way or another, all indications are that the cost of running an F1 team will be drastically reduced in the near future, starting with next season. Lower costs mean easier access, and teams have been lining up by the dozen to take part in the new, more accessibly Formula One. Follow the jump to read all about 'em.

GM Announces Deal With Penske to Save Saturn

Days after GM officially filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the automaker has announced an deal with Penske Automotive Group, which will officially acquire the Saturn brand.

Under the proposed deal, Penske would officially own the Saturn brand and GM would continue production of the Saturn Vue, Aura and Outlook on a contract basis. The Saturn Astra and Sky are apparently not part of the deal, which means they will be dead. The deal will save 350 dealerships and approximately 13,000 jobs.

The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of this year.

BMW Research Project Stopping vehicles during a medical emergency

For years, auto safety agencies have reported an increased in the accident rate due to situations where the driver loses control of their car because of health-related problems.

This has become a concern for everyone across all groupe ages and in the past, it was reported that carmakers were working on a system that could overcome these situations.

BMW became involved in a project titled “SmartSenior” initiated by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in Germany. Part of this project, BMW is working on a new safety system called Emergency Stop Assistant which can safely bring the car to a full stop.

The system is the prototype phase and it is currently targeting only highways and roads resembling highways, the idea is to keep the possible driving situations to a minimum.

Emergency Stop Assistant system senses medical dangers for the driver and it then switches over to an autonomous driving mode which safely stops the vehicle.

Features as hazard lights and automated call placement to emergency response personnel are considered. You can learn more about this system in the press release below.

Stopping safely in an emergency.

Munich. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research in Germany recently launched a research project titled “SmartSenior – intelligent services for senior citizens” which aims to make life in old age easier and safer. Among the areas the initiative focuses on are intelligent, location-independent emergency recognition and assistance systems which allow senior citizens to feel safe and secure on the road. BMW Group Research and Technology is involved in the SmartSenior initiative through the development of an Emergency Stop Assistant, which enhances road safety in the event of a medical emergency.

Safety in an emergency.

Older people with intermittent cardiovascular problems frequently no longer trust their abilities at the wheel. This doubt stems from the fear of suffering heart or circulation-related problems while driving which might cause them to lose control of their vehicle and trigger a serious accident. It leads to a loss of personal mobility and, by consequence, a considerable drop in independence and quality of life – especially for those living in rural areas. These issues also affect people suffering certain health-related limitations such as diabetes. As Ralf Decke, project manager for SmartSenior at BMW Group Research and Technology, explains: “Our primary aim is to avoid accidents caused by a health-related loss of control – or at least to reduce the severity of such accidents.”

To this end, the engineers have set out to develop an assistance system which automatically activates an autonomous driving mode when it detects that the driver has a serious medical problem, and carries out a controlled emergency stop. In simple terms, the car switches on the hazard warning lights and manoeuvres carefully – taking into account the traffic around it – to the outer edge of the road, before drawing to a standstill. At the same time, an emergency call is sent out containing the data required to initiate the necessary medical and traffic-related assistance measures. This enables the provision of effective emergency care tailored to the situation at hand. “In order to keep a limit on the variety of possible driving situations, which vary infinitely in complexity, we are developing the prototype of our Emergency Stop Assistant initially for use on motorways and sections of roads resembling motorways,” explains Decke.

System based on existing driver assistance systems and Extended Emergency Call from BMW ConnectedDrive.

The emergency stop assistance system is based both on sensors designed to monitor vital data and on existing BMW ConnectedDrive assistance systems. The BMW Group has, for example, offered an emergency call function for ten years now. In addition to precise position location and information on the vehicle, since spring 2007 the emergency call has also included information on the accident the vehicle has been involved in. The rescue services are therefore not only able to pinpoint where the vehicle is located and to identify it by model and colour, they also have information on the number of occupants in the vehicle and the severity of any injuries. An intelligent algorithm calculates this information from data supplied by the sensors of passive safety systems (airbags, seatbelts etc.). In the future it will also be possible to pass on vital physiological data to the emergency services via this network of technology. The SmartSenior project also focuses on establishing valid vital data – here, other project partners such as Siemens and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin take the lead role, ensuring that the required help is quickly at hand.

Assistance systems such as the Lane Departure Warning system and Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function provide a further technological basis for the development of the emergency stop system.

Content of the Emergency Stop Assistant project.

In addition to the clarification of the legal framework, another early stage of the process involves the key development of new algorithms to register and interpret the environment around the vehicle. Here, particular focus is centred on achieving reliable localisation of the vehicle within its lane through the fusion of redundant sensors, the recognition of objects in the area surrounding the vehicle and the development of an electronic coordinator, which in an emergency takes all strategic driving decisions – instead of the driver – and passes them on to the relevant interfaces governing the longitudinal and lateral position of the vehicle.

BMW Group Research and Technology
BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BMW AG and has been responsible for research at the BMW Group since 2003. VehicleTechnology, CleanEnergy (hydrogen technology), EfficientDynamics (intelligent energy management/alternative drive systems), ConnectedDrive (driver assistance/active safety) and ITDrive (IT and communications technology) activities all come under its umbrella. Its legal independence as a GmbH (limited company) ensures creative freedom and unbeatable flexibility. The Managing Director of BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH is Prof. Raymond Freymann. Worldwide access to trends and technologies is provided by an established international network with bases in the USA (Palo Alto, CA and Clemson, SC) and Japan (Tokyo), plus Liaison Offices in France with Eurécom (Sophia Antipolis) and in Germany in the shape of the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI GmbH) in Saarbrücken.

The SmartSenior project.
“SmartSenior – intelligent services for senior citizens” is a development project bringing together a total of 29 renowned partners from the fields of research and industry. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research is supporting this alliance to the tune of EUR 25 million as part of its high-tech strategy for Germany.

Coda Automotive’s New Electric Sedan Comes With a Fortune Cookie

Malcom Bricklin, your ride is here.

… and the fortune reads, “You will soon embark on a foolish misadventure.” Could that misadventure involve selling a Hafei Saibao 3 with electric bits inside for $45,000 to Californians? Click the jump to read more about this strange trans-Pacific mess.

A Hafei Sei Bo 3. Separated at birth?

Kevin Czinger, president and CEO of Coda (and the related Miles EV) claims the Coda sedan is a mainstream vehicle with real-world capability, and ready for American consumers. With a claimed (let me emphasize: claimed) range of 90 - 120 miles, and a 6 hour recharge time (on 220 volt), it sounds good. Here’s some fine print, that you won’t find in the mainstream coverage of this car: it’s a car made in China, converted to electric drive by a Chinese company. Despite the company’s claims that it’s been re-engineered to be “five-star” crash compliant, we’ll believe it when we see it. The Chinese have come a long way in a very short time, but they’re not producing mainstream-quality vehicles yet. The smart money (all $45,000 of it) is on the Hafei Seibo EV … er, should we say, Coda, not measuring up to the hype. Still, we could be pleasantly surprised. Autopia drove the car and seemed to like it, so maybe there’s some hope yet.

[Source: Autopia]

The car sports a 33.8 kilowatt-hour lithium iron phosphate battery that Coda says provides a “real world” range of 90 to 120 miles. Plug it into a 220 volt, 30-amp socket like the one that powers your dryer and it will recharge in six hours. You can plug it into a standard 110 volt socket, but you’re looking at 24 to 30 hours before you’re good to go.

Mitsubishi shows production electric car, announces pricing

Mitsubishi is ready to put its i-Miev on the road, but this woman will have a 30-minute wait to charge up her car.

(Credit: Mitsubishi)

Not to be outdone by Subaru's earlier announcement of the Stella electric car, Mitsubishi gave full details on the production i-Miev electric car, including sales volume plans and pricing.

Mitsubishi has been aggressive in pushing its electric car plans by putting its i-Miev into test fleet operations and showing it off at auto shows. The company even let journalists drive one at the Detroit auto show.

The i-Miev fits four passengers for zero-emission driving.

(Credit: Mitsubishi)

Mitsubishi announced that it would begin selling the i-Miev electric car in late July, matching the timing of Subaru's Stella electric car sales. But the i-Miev will initially only be available to corporations and government groups. Sales to private buyers will not commence until April 2010.

Unlike Subaru, which will only sell 170 Stella electric cars, Mitsubishi is planning on producing 1,400 i-Mievs for corporate and government lessees. The i-Mievs will go for 4,380,000 yen, or about $45,300 at current exchange rates. Japanese buyers of the i-Miev would qualify for a $14,300 subsidy for electric vehicles from the Japanese government.

The i-Miev uses a lithium ion battery pack and a 47-kilowatt electric motor to get a range of 100 miles. ...

Sebastian Vettel drives his Toro Rosso on public streets to pick up award

It's not every day that we get to see an F1 car out on city streets, but then again, we don't live in Italy. That's the racing-crazed country that recently allowed Sebastian Vettel to drive a grand prix racer across 12 kilometers of public roads to receive the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy.
The award is presented annually in the Italian village of Brisighella, where Lorenzo Bandini lived until his tragic death at the 1967 Monaco Grand Prix. Every year since, the Bandini family presents the trophy to a F1 driver, and it's become a bit of a tradition that the recipient drive his F1 car to pick it up in person. So with police escorts (note the Polizia-spec Lamborghini Gallardo in the background of the pictures in the gallery below), Vettel drove the dozen clicks from the home base of the Scuderia Toro Rosso - with whom he won the Italian Grand Prix last season - in an STR F1 car to Brisighella, where he joined the ranks of such recent recipients as Felipe Massa, Mark Webber, Kimi Raikkonen, Jacques Villeneuve and Robert Kubica in accepting the citation.

GM reportedly agrees to sell Saturn to Penske

According to The New York Times, General Motors has come to terms with a consortium led by industry icon Roger Penske to sell its ailing Saturn brand. The agreement, which is expected to be announced later today, will apparently see Penske add Saturn brand and its stand-alone showroom network to his existing portfolio of 310 global dealers.
Penske, as you may recall, already has sole distribution rights to the Smart microcar lineup in the States, and he will apparently continue to sell GM-produced Saturn vehicles initially, after which he is expected to begin importing foreign autos from companies like Renault's Samsung Motors subsidiary in Korea.
[Source: The New York Times | Image: A. Messerschmidt/Getty]

BREAKING: GM reportedly agrees to sell Saturn to Penske originally

2010 Volvo C70 convertible snapped during Barcelona commercial shoot

2010 Volvo C70 Spy Shots

Swedespeed forum member al_bcn has managed to capture a pair of what looks to be Volvo's refreshed-for-2010 C70 convertibles totally undisguised. The topless twosome were caught galavanting around in Barcelona as they were apparently being shot for some sort of commercial.
The folding hardtop four-seater looks as if it benefits from a very similar front-end to the Concept S60 unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this past January. Incorporating a larger set of swept-back headlamps and a deeper, less upright grille, the C70's look is certainly evolutionary, but as it's a handsome enough model, we don't see this denting its appeal. Out back, the changes seem to be even more modest, with new headlamp lenses featuring more prominent backup lamps.
Whether there are substantive changes in the interior or under the C70's skin remains to be seen, but judging by the finished state of these cars, we expect to see them debut on the show circuit soon.

Rolls-Royce Ghost is 100% Roller so far

Rolls-Royce Ghost

What is a brand? Beyond the badge, what separates a Louis Vuitton bag from a purse that might be just as good, but made by someone else? We come to that question on the occasion of the Rolls-Royce Ghost which, in some quarters, is being considered a Rolls only in name. Autoblog got a chance to crawl around the Ghost - not the "baby Rolls," not the "entry-level Rolls" - and see if the car really is what its makers claim it to be: every bit a Rolls-Royce motorcar.

Ettore's Bugatti: Founder's Own Type 57C up for auction at Pebble Beach

The concept of an "ordinary Bugatti" doesn't exist, all the more so when you're talking about the ultra-desirable Type 57. But even by Bugatti standards, this example is... well, exemplary. What you're looking at here is Ettore Bugatti's own Bugatti, a unique example built in 1936 for the founder's birthday, and managed to stay in pristine condition ever since. While restoration is commonplace for vehicles of this vintage, this example is strictly original. Despite its embattled location in Alsace right on the French-German border, Bugatti managed to keep this Type 57 safe during WWII. Following the war after Ettore died, the company upgraded the car and sold it in the 50's. Since then it has only changed hands a couple of times, and is poised to do so once again at the upcoming Gooding & Company auction at Pebble Beach in August. If the controversial Auto Union D-Type #19 can't do it, then this vehicle surely stands a chance at breaking the auction record set last month by the $12m 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, especially considering that the long-neglected Type 57 Atalante found in a barn recently sold for $4.4m. More information in the press release after the jump, and high-res images in the gallery below.

German tuner tweaks the Mini Cabrio

From the base model all the way up to the JCW, there's no shortage of trim levels available for the Mini and its various body-styles. But if you're looking for something a little different, BMW tuner par excellence AC Schnitzer has released a full tuning package for the latest R57 Mini Cabrio.
The treats start under the hood, where Schnitzer takes the Cooper S and pumps it up from 175 horsepower (good) to 208 horsepower for the domestic market (better) or 226 horsepower for export (booyah!). Not the kind of tuning house to tweak the engine and leave the rest untouched, AC's also offering a limited slip differential, an adjustable suspension setup, a sport exhaust. Naturally, the buyer can trim out their Cooper with manner of visual upgrades, too, from the aero package to the various rolling stock options and all the requisite decals and interior trim touches.

Another Chrome BMW M3 E46

It was just six months ago when we saw a silver-plated BMW M3 which in a way has shocked us. Most of you disagreed with the chrome look and we don’t blame you. But a few days ago, one of our readers sent in some photos of another BMW M3, this time the E46 chassis, sporting a chrome paint.

And…we kinda dig it, especially since the “paint job” seems to be of a higher quality. Also, the gray color looks far better than the gold plated M5 spotted in Moscow recently. According to our friends at Automarket, the owner of this M3 is a huge BMW fan and had no problem spending over $12,000 to “chrome out” his M3.

Beside the paint job, the M3’s owner also spent a few thousand dollars on a custom Hamann exhaust system.

Now beside the paint job, we still love the fact that the E46 M3 looks as fresh and classy, as 7-8 years ago. It’s one of these cars that don’t age fast and that’s something that BMW should be proud of.

[Source: TunningGarage via AutoMotorClub ]

2009 Dodge Dakota Crew Cab V8 4x4

The word “superb” often fits our adjectival needs. Excluding references to the Škoda Superb, a search of this site returns more than 1500 pages that include at least one instance of the word. We use it to characterize handling, ergonomics, and entire vehicles. But when something’s not superb—or particularly awful—what is it? Sometimes we need to describe the middle-of-the-road, neither-here-nor-there vehicles, the simply unremarkable. The Dodge Dakota is one such example, a vehicle which led us to coin a new term:Perb.

Strongest V-8 Among Little Trucks

Dodge redid the Dakota for 2008, adding fresh sheetmetal, a restyled interior, and some extra horses for the optional V-8. We tested a top-of-the-line Laramie Crew Cab with the 4.7-liter V-8 (a 3.7-liter V-6 is standard). That engine sends 302 hp and 329 lb-ft of torque through a five-speed automatic and, in this case, on to an optional part-time four-wheel-drive system. (Dodge offered a full-time system in 2008 but has since discontinued the option in the Dakota.) Those power numbers are at the top of the non-full-size heap, besting the V-8s available in GM’s Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon twins, the Hummer H3T, and the Ford Explorer Sport Trac. Then again, the Dakota V-8’s output falls well shy of that cranked out by Dodge’s own 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, offered in the Ram, which puts down 88 hp and 78 lb-ft more than the 4.7.

Keep Reading: 2009 Dodge Dakota Crew Cab V8 4x4 - Short Take Road Test

U.S. Air Force builds two crazy custom pony cars for recruiting

Mustang X-1 and Challenger Vapor We're all about the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces, but they need some help in the form of new recruits, and that's where good old fashioned recruiting comes in. But it's not like the old days where a couple of uniformed officers attend a job fair in your high school gymnasium. These days, the U.S. Air Force is using a pair of radically customized pony cars to get your attention. Mission accomplished.
Built in conjunction with Galpin Auto Sports (who else?), the Mustang X-1 and Challenger Vapor land like a bomb when they hit your retinas. The X1 features a full jet cockpit with a single ejector seat placed centrally. The body has been widened at all four corners - the rear by six inches on both sides - to accommodate the largest tires you can buy today. There's a custom onboard A/C unit behind the single seat that's fed by twin NACA ducts where the rear side windows would go, and shifting the 500-hp, nitro-fed V8 comes courtesy of, what else, an actual flight stick.
The Challenger Vapor, meanwhile, is so stealth it could sneak up on KITT and make him pee his oil pan. It features an infrared thermal imaging camera combined with a true heads-up display that spans the entire windshield, solid carbon fiber disc wheels, the ability to operate with two mufflers for extra stealth and a command center cockpit with three large LCD screens.

Holden working on Cruze hatch... but will it come to North America?

According to Australia's Drive, Holden boss Mark Reuss has confirmed that General Motors' Australian outpost will produce a hatchback version of the Cruze sedan that it shares with Chevrolet.
The liftback will apparently be very much an Aussie product, with research and development being carried out Down Under, and there are plans to assemble the model at Holden's South Australian plant beginning in the fall of 2010. Critically, it's being built with foreign markets in mind, so that could mean that the model might find its way to North American shores, although const constraints would likely make such things difficult on such a low-cost model.
As it has here in the States, GM has halted importation of the European-built Astra into Australia due to cost concerns, and it also stopped selling the Korean-built Viva (a rebadged Daewoo Lacetti) earlier in 2009.
Interestingly, Drive suggests that the Cruze hatch model could be an upmarket stablemate to the sedan model, with different steering and suspension tunings, along with unique styling. While that sounds enticing, a higher-cost hatchback model might not go well with America's historically hatchback-averse marketplace, leading us to doubt that the car will eventually be offered Stateside.
As of yet, there are no official plans to build a version of the hatchback domestically in Chevrolet's Lordstown, Ohio plant where the Cruze sedan will be assembled.
[Source: Drive.com.au]

Miles EV launches Coda Automotive for full speed electric sedan w/Video

Coda Automotive EV sedan

Today, Miles EV announced that the full speed electric car that it has been developing for the last several years will bear the new Coda Automotive brand name. The Coda sedan will be assembled in China by Hafei under the direction of staff from Coda. The new car is based on an existing Hafei chassis that has been heavily re-engineered by Porsche Engineering. The car is powered by a UQM electric motor driving the front wheels with energy storage via a lithium iron phosphate battery pack.
The 34 kWh pack will use cells provided by Chinese battery maker Lishen. The two companies are apparently forming a joint venture for battery manufacturing and hope to eventually produce batteries in the United States. Coda and an unnamed partner have also applied for a DOE loan under the ATVM program to build battery packs in the U.S.
Coda expects real world range to be about 90-120 miles, depending on driving conditions. According to the company, the EV sedan will go on sale in 2010 with factory direct sales at a price of $45,000 before incentives. Following a 200-fleet test in the summer of that year, Coda will be offered to the public starting in the Fall. You can read more about the car itself here.

GM reportedly whittles down to a pair of Saab suitors

When General Motors first put Swedish automaker Saab on the auction block, it was reported that there were nearly 20 interested parties. From there, rumors quickly began circulating that Saab and parent-company General Motors had narrowed down the potential list of bidders first to a half-dozen, and more recently, to just three final suitors. One of those interested parties was reportedly Italian automaker Fiat, but that rumor has since been denied by both Fiat and Saab.
If local Swedish newspapers are to be believed, final negotiations with the remaining two parties are at hand. The two rival bidders are thought to be fellow Swedish automaker Koenigsegg and Renco Group, an investment group based here in the United States. Speaking in an interview with Swedish daily Dagens Industri, Saab chief executive Jan-Ake Jonsson said:

"Now we are negotiating with just two parties. This can go fast now and should absolutely be wrapped up in a maximum of two weeks."

Here's hoping that a suitable buyer emerges from the final two potential suitors in short order - the last thing GM needs at the moment is a protracted sale of its Swedish former subsidiary.
[Source: Reuters]

Hyundai gives KDM facelifted Accent - is the U.S. next?

2010 Hyundai Verna Transform/Accent

Hyundai's released a handful of images of the redesigned Verna Transform, or, as it's known in markets outside of Korea, the Accent. This 2010 model receives a thoroughly redesigned front fascia that's strikingly similar to the recently released Subaru Legacy, with a deep air dam, oversized front grille, foglights, and sculpted bumper that accentuates the pointed and drawn headlamps. The sides appear largely unchanged, and although there's only one image of the redesigned rump, expect the taillights to continue the bulbous theme out back.
Inside, the center stack has been modified with new faux aluminum trim and upgraded materials, while the green illumination of the instrumentation has been ditched in favor of a new blue hue. Motivation comes courtesy of a 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine and Hyundai Korea will continue to offer an "Eco" indicator on the dash that encourages a light foot. The redesigned Verna is rumored to hit Korean dealers this month, and it's assumed that the 2010 Accent will show up Stateside later this year.

2011 BMW 1 Series gets closer to production

The BMW 1 Series is due for a thorough overhaul, and judging by these recent spy shots, the entry-level Bimmer is on track to be released late next year. This second generation prototype was caught running between BMW's test centers in Germany wearing the roundel's patented psychedelic camo, and appears to blend some of the new X1's slab sides with the upright grille and fascia that debuted on the redesigned 2009 BMW 7 Series. The 2011 model is expected to be offered in an assortment of body styles, ranging from the coupe and convertible we get here in the States, to a traditional five-door hatch, sedan and possibly a three-door shooting brake.
As for powerplants, it's already been confirmed that BMW is working on a range of four-cylinder engines that may make it to the U.S., and recent rumors suggest a three-cylinder mill packing 1.35-liters of displacement and putting out between 163 and 241 hp is in development for the European market. Naturally, expect both the three- and four-cylinders to have a turbo dangling from the exhaust manifold, and the upcoming SuperSports model - a send-off to the current 1 series due out next year - could be a good indication of what to expect. Informed speculation says the SuperSports will be equipped with a twin-turbocharged 2.0- to 2.2-liter four-cylinder with an output of 300 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque. We half-expect the SuperSport to debut at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show, with the fully redesigned 1 series bowing at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Jaguar C-Type draws its claws

Jaguar's owner Ratan Tata has made it clear that he wants to expand Jag's sportscar offerings beyond the scope of the current XK, and this is what the British rumormill has cooked. Dubbed the C-Type, the renderings depict a compact two-door roadster to rival the likes of Porsche's Boxster, BMW's Z4, Mercedes' SLK and Nissan's 370Z. With a lightweight aluminum chassis and powertrain options to potentially include a 235hp V6, 380hp V8 and 3.0-liter turbodiesel, the C-Type could offer exciting performance in a compact package, like Aston's Vantage, but at a fraction of the price. Although in the present climate Jaguar would do well to take things one step at a time, the report speculates that the diminutive C-Type could come in addition to a 911-rivaling E-Type successor and an R8-battling supercar. Likely? Not quite. Exciting? Most definitely. Hat tip to Mo for the news!
[Source: Auto Express]

2009 Honda Pilot Touring 4WD - Long-Term Road Test Update

Current Mileage/Months in Fleet: 13,000 mi/5 monthsAverage Fuel Economy/Range: 17 mpg/357 milesService: $144Normal Wear: $0Repair: $0

A Honda Pilot won a six-SUV comparo last November, in part because it possesses the torsional rigidity of an Arctic icebreaker. No surprise that this long-termer was hugely popular during last winter’s numerous blizzards, ably assisted by the locking function of its VTM-4 all-wheel drive, which can send max torque to the rear wheels at speeds up to 18 mph. Speaking of cool, the Pilot’s 50-button center stack allows the cabin temp to be set as low as 58 degrees. Which means the parka you were wearing when you first climbed in doesn’t have to come off 20 minutes into your commute.

So far, nothing has broken, nor have any rattles made themselves known. The needlessly complex center stack has drawn attention, and this SUV’s perceived bigness—not so much a perception, in fact, given its 4538 pounds—translates into a kind of awkwardness in urban environments, a trait we little noticed in previous one- or two-week-long Pilot samples. Sixty mph arrives in 8.1 seconds. Patience is a virtue.

Specifications

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 8-passenger, 5-door wagon

PRICE AS TESTED: $39,165 (base price: $39,165)

ENGINE TYPE: SOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection

Displacement: 212 cu in, 3471cc
Power (SAE net): 250 bhp @ 5700 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 253 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 5-speed manual

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 109.2 in Length: 190.9 in Width: 78.5 in Height: 72.7 in
Curb weight: 4688 lb

PERFORMANCE: NEW
Zero to 60 mph: 7.9 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 23.4 sec
Zero to 110 mph: 35.8 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 8.2 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 16.3 sec @ 85 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 184 ft
Top speed (governor limited): 112 mph
EPA fuel economy, city/highway driving: 16/22 mpg
C/D observed fuel economy: 17 mpg
Unscheduled oil additions: 0 qt

WARRANTY:
3 years/36,000 miles bumper to bumper;
5 years/60,000 miles powertrain;
5 years/unlimited miles corrosion protection

Keep Reading: 2009 Honda Pilot Touring 4WD - Long-Term Road Test Update