Given the current state of gasoline, the Toyota Prius has been hotter than Justin Bieber tickets. Unfortunately, there’s a nationwide shortage of the popular hybrid across the American market: Cars.com lists just 9,014 available. Chalk it up to the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan, but the Prius has been selling fast for months now...
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Remember the Tata Pixel concept at Geneva? If not, this link should help refresh your memory…or, you can wait until your next European vacation, where you’ll be seeing the tiny little Pixel on the streets. Tata Motors has green-lit the Pixel for production and sale in Europe, replacing the previously-planned Nano Europa, which was just...
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Mini has released a few details on a new concept they have dubbed “Goodwood,” after the spiritual home of Rolls-Royce, the auto festival at the Goodwood Estate, and to British luxury in general. The Goodwood concept will be the 21st-century version of the Radford Mini, a luxury, bespoke version aimed at the wealthier ends of...
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If the maker of the world’s cheapest car does move ahead with plans to sell it here in the U.S., the sticker price won’t be the $2,000 figure that the car retails for in its home market of India. Instead, says Tata Motors chairman, Ratan Tata, the Nano city car would likely range between $7,000...
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2010 was overall a very good year for Volkswagen, but it could have been even better if some of the other brands they own also made a profit. While Volkswagen had the most successful year in its history, selling 7.2-million units globally and making 7.1-billion Euros along the way, its brands such Bentley, Seat and...
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Small cars are becoming more attractive in North America as gas prices continue to skyrocket, and Nissan is making plans to meet demand. According to a recent report, the Japanese automaker will add two new models to its production facilities in Mexico. Designed for sale in the Americas region, this could include the United States....
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TrueCar.com released their rankings of the Top 10 Most Fuel Efficient vehicles in both the hybrid and non-hybrid category, an important distinction according to TrueCar, because “Hybrids offer great fuel economy but most don’t provide the value consumers are seeking.” The hybrid list is predictably topped by the Toyota Prius, followed by the Lexus CT200h...
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Designing a single car for the entire world is a tough proposition. No matter how hard engineers strive towards a unified design, concessions must usually be made, particularly with regards to engine and gearbox choices. Other instances have called for variations in size to suit regional tastes. While the Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cruze are...
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Kia‘s new designs are helping brand the Korean automaker in a more positive light, particularly here in North America with the stylish new Optima. But in other parts of the world mid-size sedan’s don’t hold the same cache, nor do they sell all that well, so Kia is looking at alternative ways to create a...
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Purists may scoff at the 4-door MINI Countryman and its betrayal of “brand values”, but BMW’s bean counters are laughing all the way to the bank as the company credits the newest MINI with helping profits surge 15-fold in 2010. BMW’s net income was recorded at 3.23 billion euros in 2010, up from 210 million...
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Japanese automakers Nissan and Mitsubishi today announced partnership that will see the two companies work together on a mini-car project. The joint venture brings together the struggling Mitsubishi Motors with the more successful Nissan brand. As a part of the plan, Nissan has appointed its Senior Vice President Junichi Endo as CEO of the joint-venture,...
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For all the hype surrounding the Fiat 500, Ford‘s CEO, Alan Mulally, has become one of its most prominent detractors, condemning the car to failure before it’s even launched. Speaking to the Italian language magazine Panorama, Mulally remarked “I do not see large market in the U.S.A. for a smaller car than the Fiesta. Those that tried...
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Toyota‘s plus-sized Prius, the Prius V, has began production, and will start at $28,600 in Japan, roughly $3,700 more than the standard Prius. Many feel that the price will be closer to $27,000 in the United States, although the American-spec Prius V will lack the third row seat. Toyota claims that this feature would not...
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Research conducted by General Motors proved that among 1000 UK adults surveyed, Play-Doh ranked at the top of the nostalgic toy list. Second was Kinder Eggs, third was LEGO; while fourth was Action Man.
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For all the dismissive attitudes surrounding GM CEO Dan Akerson, his latest machinations seem particularly astute, even if they don’t quite jibe with the tastes of “car guys”. For months, Akerson has been creating a contingency plan for when oil prices rise to $120 per barrel. Akerson is on record stating that “I don’t think...
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A few months ago, BMW announced that it will introduce a new sub-brand, that will focus its energy on electric and hybrid vehicles, and this new division will simply be called “i.” Now comes a report that suggests BMW hopes the “i” brand will be able to sell 30,000 of its i3 electric model per-year....
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For the fourth year in a row, the overall Fiat brand has produced the lowest CO2 emissions in Europe, a continent that actually pays attention to CO2 emissions figures. The brand’s average, 123.1 grams per kilometer, dropped 4.7g from last year. And from the past four years the company’s CO2 emissions have dropped 10 percent, from...
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Plug-in automotive upstart Fisker Automotive have had their share of delays, but the company is still working on expanding its product portfolio, even though the first customer cars have still not been delivered. While many were hoping to have taken delivery of the Karma plug-in hybrid sedan last year, delays have pushed that date to...
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The population of hybrids is on the rise globally, and Toyota/Lexus seems to be leading the pack. While it might not be the only company that manufactures and sells hybrids, their models are by far the most popular. According to Toyota/Lexus, they have sold just over 3.03-million hybrid vehicles as of February 28, 2011. Since...
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The new Ford Fiesta has been well received by both the members of the press and the buying public. However, some who have spent their hard earned on a new Fiesta aren’t exactly having the time of their lives. According to reports, some Fiesta owners have been complaining about the dual-clutch automatic transmission. The so-called...
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The Suzuki Kizashi may have enjoyed critical acclaim (and rightly so) but it’s sales figures have never been stellar. Suzuki is planning to sell the Kizashi in the UK later in 2011, and while Suzuki only plans on selling 500 units, it’s difficult to imagine the car being anything more than a low-volume curiosity. With...
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The pint-sized smart fortwo might not be for everyone. Despite being a practical means of transportation for those who mostly drive in city centers, its quirky gearbox is a pain to use in stop and go traffic because its not the smoothest system on the planet. The smart e.d. (electric drive) on the other hand...
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Some of that Fiat influence is sneaking into Jeep, and more of it than expected. The brand is planning to launch a supermini SUV to compete against the MINI Cooper and Audi A1 (and, by extension, the Fiat 500) that will be even smaller than the Wrangler, while aping its macho styling cues. “There’s definitely...
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The success of the Ford Fiesta brings with it another trend—the revival of the hatchback, long-derided in America as being cheap without the cheerfulness. The Fiesta has dominated the small car segment below the Focus. Consumers are trading in their larger vehicles, even including the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, in response to increased gas...
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