Taking a page from Hyundai’s playbook, customers who pre-order a Saab 9-4X crossover will get an iPad courtesy of Saab – sort of. After contacting a Saab retailer, the customer will place an order for both the 9-4X, and the iPad. The iPad will set you back $500, but the cost will be refunded upon...
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Want to see automotive line workers, drinking, smoking and slacking off? Unfortunately, you have to go to Chrysler for that. GM, on the other hand, will be offering tours of all 54 plants throughout 2011 in a pretty cool but transparent PR move designed to shore up public opinion after the company launched its IPO...
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Oprah’s annual “Favorite Things” episode, where the billionaire talk show personality gives audience members a series of lavish gifts, saw the unveiling of the silhouette of the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle, a first for the new car. Oprah, who owns a current generation Beetle, contacted the automaker regarding a giveaway, and she was given a sneak peek of...
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Even though it’s spawned various stillborn re-incarnations, the VW Microbus may be returning thanks to executives within Volkswagen pushing for a concept that evokes the iconic utility vehicle. Klaus Bischoff, head of design for Volkswagen, stated that the 2001 Microbus concept did not make it to production due to cost factors, but noted there was...
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With over 300 horsepower, the Ford Mustang V6 is no longer confined to the role of rental car, like its less fortunate ancestors were. Even though it carries the stigma of “V6 pony car”, the Mustang with two fewer cylinders can move well, and Ford knows this. For the upcoming “V6 Performance Package”, Ford is...
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Police in Australia are investigating a burnout performed by a hearse during a funeral service for a youth who died in a motorcycle accident. Police say that the hearse was spotted smoking its tires along with 12 other vehicles immediately after the funeral Aaron Bryce, a 19 year old killed in a motorcycle crash. “The...
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Audi‘s autonomous TTS ascended Pikes Peak without any human controlling it, but the trip took 10 minutes longer than normal, due to lower than average speeds. While a normal trip up the 14,110 foot mountain takes about 17 minutes, the autonomous TTS took 27 minutes. Speeds were much slower than with a human driver, with...
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The Buick Regal will get GM’s eAssist mild hybrid system next year, according to rumors on GM Inside News. The eAssist system will debut on the Buick Lacrosse 4-cylinder, an engine shared with the Regal. It is also expected to appear on thew upcoming Chevrolet Malibu, though eAssist is expected to remain exclusive on Buick...
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This television ad, the first Fiat has produced for North American in almost 30 years, is longer than your average 30 second spot, and makes it clear that the new 500 isn’t just for the teeming masses, but people who like to enjoy life. Filled with images of happy people and young families, the Fiat...
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Mercedes-Benz‘s sociopath AMG sedans like the C63 AMG weren’t just created out of thin air. Although they’ve recently faced stiff competition from BMW’s M lineup and the Audi S/RS cars, a couple decades ago, the three pointed star was your only option if you wanted a car with four doors that could absolutely annihilate anything with four...
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The Ford Mustang Boss 302 will start at a base price of $40,995, placing it between the already excellent Ford Mustang 5.0 and the over-the-top Ford Shelby GT500. Buyers will be able to choose from options like a Torsen limited slip differential, Recaro seats and special paintwork. The Laguna Seca, package, which eliminates the rear...
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Formula 1’s ubiquitous safety car, deployed whenever an accident takes place, was present for its 250th Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi last weekend. Known as a pace car in American race series, the safety car has been used on and off since 1973 but became a permanent fixture in 1996. The safety cars have generally...
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The Ford Transit Connect XLT has taken off with the commercial vehicle set, and even non-car-loving folks have come to know them for their distinctive shape, calling them “bread vans” or “ice cream trucks”. Ford seems to have finally listened to the internet and produced an honest civilian version of the Transit Connect, and it looks pretty...
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The Acura TSX is still a solid if overlooked choice in the entry level sports sedan segment, and possibly the only luxury sedan that’s used as a race school training car. For 2011, Acura has slightly upgraded the interior and exterior styling as well as given the car a minor bump in mpg. The front...
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Volvo CEO Stefan Jacoby announced a pilot project that will see 1,000 plug-in hybrid models based on the C30 hatchback. The vehicles will be offered in unspecified European and Chinese locations, as well as California. The plug-in hybrids are part of an approach to meet growing demands for environmentally friendly vehicles, as well as boost...
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Infiniti brought out their new M35h, a hybrid version of the M sedan, packing a big V6 motor and the ability to hit 40 mpg on the highway. With 360 horsepower and a 7-speed automatic transmission, the M35h can get up to highway speed quickly, and can even cruise as fast as 62 mph on...
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A full four years before the Mitsubishi 3000GT Spyder debuted, another Japanese sports car with a folding hardtop made its debut. You may not have heard of the Nissan 300ZX Spyder, partly because they only ever made one example. While the 300ZX came in either hardtop, t-top and convertible variants, the folding hardtop was a...
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Fiat released their list of retail outlets in the United States and Canada, and one interesting tidbit jumped out at us. While 99% of Fiat franchises are paired with Chrysler dealers, one company, the Remo Ferri Group of Automobiles, which operates two Ferrari locations in the Toronto area, is listed as a distributor. A more...
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General Motors long awaited IPO began trading on Thursday, and was up approximately $2 as of 12 noon, Thursday. Listed at $33 a share, the stock price quickly climbed to $35 a share, as GM’s CEO Dan Akerson rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. IPO’s are often volatile, with new startup...
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The Mercedes-Benz GLK will get a diesel option in 2012, making it the lone compact luxury SUV to be offered with an oil-burning powertrain. Mercedes-Benz will also offer a diesel C-Class at launch in 2013. Mercedes will also re-introduce the E-Class diesel for 2011, after a one year hiatus. Ernst Lieb, Mercedes USA’s President, said...
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Porsche is going on a hiring blitz, looking to recruit 100 engineers for its Weissach research center, ostensibly to help shore up ranks for the expected hybrid car blitz that was alluded to at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Porsche’s official press release (posted below the jump) directly mentions that engineers will be able to...
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Pagani’s new C9 supercar will get an all-new, custom made AMG motor, according to a statement just released by the company. The bulletin states that The engine of the Pagani C9 is not a derivative of the AMG V12 engine developed for the SL65 Black Series, nor is the AMG V12 engine in the SL65...
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The 2011 Nissan Quest may not be the official holder of the “Swagger Wagon” title, but it looks pretty damn good. On sale in early 2011, the new Quest is a radical departure from the old model, which was as exciting as vegan meatballs. All the usual minivan conveniences are present, like flat-folding seats, power...
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Kia took the wraps off their Optima Hybrid at the Los Angeles Auto Show today, and no surprise here, it’s exactly the same as it’s corporate sibling, the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. Fortunately for the Optima, this gives the car a huge leg-up. Our review of the Sonata Hybrid was quite positive, and we expect the...
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