NASCAR star Jeff Gordon will appear in the upcoming Pixar film Cars 2 as Jeff Gorvette, a Corvette C6.R, and his role will be more than just a cameo. The Gorvette character (if it can be called that) will be positioned as a rival to protagonist Lightning McQueen. While the connection between NASCAR and Corvette Racing...
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It wasn’t exactly a secret. With Thailand being one of the most popular single markets for small and mid-size pickups – the biggest in the world according to GM’s Susan Docherty, it’s hardly surprising the General chose the Bangkok Auto Show to reveal its global Ford Ranger competitor, the Chevrolet Colorado. However, the actual truck...
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The Insurance Institute For Highway Safety awarded the Mazda 3 with its Top Pick honor in the small car category. The Mazda3 met the criteria by scoring a “Good” rating in all crash test categories (front, side, rear and rollover) and has electronic stability control. The Mazda3 is the first car from the automaker to...
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With the New York Times erecting a “pay wall” around their online section, many web enthusiasts are crying foul at the venerable paper’s decision to abandon the online modus operandi of making information free. But 200,000 of the Times’ best customers will be eligible for free access (worth about $150) thanks to Lincoln, which is...
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Everything that is old is new again. That is the mantra of pretty much every single major car company. Volkswagen has the Beetle (a newer version of which will be launched later this year), Mini has had the reborn Cooper for awhile now, and Fiat recently introduced the new 500 in the North American market....
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In a move to combat criticism and attempt to win back credibility, The Detroit News publisher Jonathan Wolman has issued an explanatory apology over issues of censorship that lead to the resignation of the paper’s auto critic. Last week Scott Burgess left the paper after an online version of his review of the Chrysler 200...
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While Italian sports cars get a bad rap for being fickle, nobody has ever accused the Porsche 911 of having major reliability issues, and J.D. Power, publisher of the legendary reliability rankings, seems to confirm that, having named the 911 the most reliable sports car and Porsche as the top German manufacturer. While some of Porsche’s newer...
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The controversial looks and unconventional format of the FF hasn’t stopped Ferrari from selling every example they’re building this year. All 800 examples of the FF’s first year of production have been accounted for, after Ferrari completed their private previews with the well-heeled and interested in January. Those who are shelling out the $368,700 in...
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From the “Entirely Too Predictable” files, the ongoing crisis in Japan has spooked dealers wary of car shortages to raise their prices. Instead of the time-honored car buying traditions of haggling and deep discounts, buyers are paying sticker price on cars that may suffer from delayed shipments from Japan, such as the Toyota Prius, Yaris,...
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Hyundai may arguably be the hottest mainstream brand in the auto industry, but when it comes to dealer profitability, Hyundai dealers seem to lag behind their less popular rivals. In a report by Automotive News, the CEO of a large dealer group told the paper that Hyundai “not yet a good business equation for dealers”....
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With Mazda set to start up its assembly lines on March 22nd, Nissan has announced it will re-start vehicle production two days later. All but one of Nissan’s plans will open today including the Oppama Plant, Tochigi Plant, Kyushu Plant, Yokohama Plant and Nissan Shatai. Vehicle production won’t occur until the 24th, but some part...
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Richard Hamann, race car driver and founder of famed BMW tuning shop Hamann Motorsport, has passed away. In a statement posted on his company’s home page, it reads that Hamann succumbed to a severe illness. He was just 53 years old. The business will continue on, upholding Hamann’s legacy of tuning expertise derived from his...
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Next time you watch a MotoGP race, be sure to note that BMW is always out in front of Mercedes. Sure neither automaker competes in the F1 of motorcycle racing, but while Mercedes’ AMG division sponsors the Ducati team, BMW is providing the pace car. That pace car is based on the new 1 Series...
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Porsche has released full details on its upcoming flagship sportscar, pricing the hybrid machine at an astronomical $845,000. Combining the original concept with Porsche’s ongoing hybrid race car technology the carbon chassis 918 will get a “high revving” V8 engine making in excess of 500-hp mated to a plug-in hybrid drive system with two electric...
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Reports of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo’s death have been greatly exaggerated. After the unsurprisingly angry backlash the company received from its fanbase, Mitsubishi has apparently reversed its decision to kill its flagship rally fighter. Mitsubishi now must find a way to balance the ferocious performance and cult-status image of the Evolution with the new eco-friendly...
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Hyundai has recalled over 190,000 Elantra models over concerns that the passenger side airbags might not work properly. The Elantras were from the last generation, built from July 2006 to November 2008, and cover model years 2007 to 2009. The recall deals with a defect in the airbag seat sensor that detects a person’s weight...
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Following hot on the heels of the C-Class Coupe, Mercedes’ AMG division has revealed a high-performance version of the car. The C63 AMG Coupe gets the same 6.2-liter V8 borrowed from the sedan, making 451-hp and a serious 443 lb-ft of torque. Combined with a 7-speed Speedshift MCT transmission, this newest Benz can hit 60...
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Baring any surprises, with over an hour left at the American endurance classic, it was obvious that the No. 10 diesel-powered Peugeot driven by Loic Duval would take the checkered flag. With the win, Peugeot successfully defended its victory from 2010. Holding off Peugeot from a one-two win wasn’t long-time rival Audi, but the Highcroft...
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It may be one of America’s most storied races, but the car sitting on the pole for tomorrow’s 59th running of the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring isn’t even from a manufacturer that sells cars here. Topping the Audis in qualifying was Anthony Davidson in the Peugeot 908 with a 1:46.571 lap time. Davidson...
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The great American Le Mans Series begins this weekend at the wonderful 12 Hours of Sebring. And with all first races of the season, great anticipation brews for new race car debuts and at the top of everybody’s list is Risi Competizione’s Ferrari 458 GTC. Luckily for us, Risi Competizione brought along a photographer out...
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After teasing the public with a Superbowl ad hinting at the new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle, the new coupe will almost certainly bow at the New York Auto Show in April. Arriving in showrooms this fall, the Beetle will get simultaneous unveilings at both the Shangai and New York Auto Shows, with a convertible version bowing...
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It was just a matter of time before the new generation Ford 5.0 Coyote powerplant (from the 2011 Ford Mustang GT) found its way into the original 5.0 Ford Mustang Fox Body. We’re actually surprised it has taken as long as it has, but Kurgan Motorsports has done a very clean swap into their Fox...
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Continental said in a letter to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, that the affected tires, if overloaded or under inflated, could cause the belt edges to separate and the tread to become detached from the tire.
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Despite the misfortunes of the SEAT brand, Volkswagen is planning to bring the Spanish automaker to China, where the appetite for cars seems limitless. Volkswagen is planning to erect a booth for SEAT at the upcoming Shanghai Auto Show, and eventually produce the cars at its assembly plant in Foshan around 2013. SEAT has faltered...
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