Subaru’s version of the Toyota FT-86 front-engine, rear-wheel drive sports coupe will finally debut at this December’s Tokyo Auto Show. Toyota will sell its version as a Scion in the U.S. As for the Subaru model, well, according to the latest reports, there won’t be a powerful, turbocharged STI version. Subaru has planned to produce...
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Those that have been fortunate enough to witness the Lexus LFA’s brilliance first hand know just how potent and magnificent of a machine it is. Even though some will debate whether or not it’s worth the price tag, we’re pretty confident owners are more than satisfied with their purchase. Be that as it may, Lexus...
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So far this year, sales of small cars are up by 20 percent over 2010, spurred in part by higher fuel prices. Honda’s overall sales are up by 17 percent, as is demand for the Civic, so the news probably could not have come at a better time.
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On June 26, an electric Nissan Leaf will compete in the 89th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb driven by Nissan off-road truck racing champion Chad Hord. The Leaf will compete in the Production Class for electric vehicles in factory shape. Other than a roll cage, racing seats and safety harnesses the car will be entirely...
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Perhaps the fact that there’s more interest in the car’s name than what’s under the hood is a sign that the Toyota FT-86 will be a bigger hit with hard-parkers than track fanatics. According to an unsubstantiated report by the notoriously rumor-filled AutoCar, the FT-86 could wear the ‘Celica’ badge when it makes in to...
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Toyota has announced a recall on its first generation Prius models for an issue with the power steering system. The recall affects 52,000 Prius vehicles from the 2001 to 2003 model year sold in the U.S. In total 106,000 Prius models are included in the safety bulletin globally. According to a statement released by Toyota,...
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The outrageously dramatic last lap of the Indianapolis 500 will be talked about for years to come. JR Hildebrand, in a freak accident lost first place and $1.5 million in the last mile of the race. On the final turn of the last lap Hildebrand, overtook a slower car and slammed into the safety wall,...
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The all-new 2012 Honda Civic sedan models received the highest safety rating of Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, announced today. In order to receive a top safety pick, the vehicle must include a standard electronic stability control system and must successfully protect occupants inside the vehicle, involved in front, side...
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It’s hard to believe that the Nissan GT-R is nearing the end of its life cycle, but its introduction in 2007 means that the car will be in production for nearly 6 years, and it will be time for an updated model. Before the next GT-R debuts, the current R35 model will go out with...
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Kimi Raikkonen struggled to a 27th place on his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Raikkonen, driving the #87 NEMCO Motorsports Toyota prepared by Kyle Busch Motorsports, suffered a pit road penalty and damage to the front of his car, dropping from 15th to 27th place. The iceman enjoyed a great run in...
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Nevertheless, the overall outlook remains optimistic. Among the automakers; Toyota says it expects production to return to around 70 percent of normal levels by June, while Honda says it will resume full capacity by August.
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With the Gumball 3000 already underway (it started May 26), the folks in charge of the international parade of shenanigans has released a video showing the rally’s start in Covent Garden, London. The 19 minute video shows over 100 of the most magnificent and rare supercars in the world. Even the rain couldn’t stop the...
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Carlos Tavares has been appointed Renault’s new Chief Operating Officer. As of July 1, Tavares will oversee Renault’s growth strategy focused on developing electric vehicles and new markets. He has replaced Patrick Pelata, who resigned in April following a case of alleged industrial espionage which turned into a fraud investigation. Carlos Tavares, 53, a Portugues...
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Toyota is taking product development authority away from Japanese bosses and putting it in the hands of North American executives as part of a larger change aimed at fixing quality control issues that hurt the automaker’s reputation last year. Until now, vehicles produced and designed and developed in North America had to be approved by...
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Hyundai officially announced that its has sold 5 million vehicles in Europe since it first began retail operations in 1977. The first Hyundai Pony was imported to Europe in 1977 and the five millionth vehicle was in i30, which was launched in 2007 and has sold just over 320,000 units throughout Europe. Hyundai has managed...
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently opening a probe on 2007-2008 Nissan Altimas and 2007-2008 Jeep Wranglers for issues that may or may not result in a recall. For the Nissan Altima, NHTSA is responding to 20 complaints in regards to a possible brake issue though none of the complaints have resulted in...
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The United States Department of Transportation has proposed a plan to require all light-duty vehicles to be equipped with data-recording black boxes. The 197-page proposed document was released yesterday by the White House. NHTSA is also considering the meausure for heavy-duty trucks. The electronic data recorders(EDR) are equipped to many vehicles already. GM began using...
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The Insurance Institute For Highway Safety today announced the all-new 2011 Lexus CT200h hybrid earned a “Top Safety Pick” award. The Lexus earned the award through enduring front, side, rollover, and rear impact evaluations and its standard electronic stability control. High-strength steel components are carefully located in the body structure to help ensure strength in key...
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A trusted Infiniti insider has confirmed the automaker has no plans to introduce the M25 into the U.S market. The M25 was to use the 2.5-liter VQ25VHR engine aimed to compete with the BMW 528i. The M25 has worked well in Japan (where cars are taxed based on displacement) and would have been a cheaper...
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Bad news for Mazda rotary engine enthusiasts – the company has no plans to build the RX-9 hybrid sports car, contrary to recent rumors. Even worse, minimal sales of the RX8 may jeopardize the Mazda rotary engine all together. Production of the Mazda RX-8 is drawing to a close, with U.S sales of just 291...
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Mazda announced today they have reached a production milestone of three million Mazda3 units as of April 26, 2011. The car is built in three factories (Japan, China, Thailand) and sold in roughly 90 countries and regions. In North America alone, over 1.1 million Mazda3s have been sold, becoming the fastest-selling model in Mazda’s...
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Mugen Euro is looking to build off its success in developing a supercharged Honda CR-Z hybrid by spicing up the Honda Jazz (Fit in America). And while Mugen of Japan has already released several styling accessories for the Honda Jazz, Mugen Euro is looking to increase its performance and make it a much more exciting...
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Toyota will be adding a function to its onboard navigation systems that gives on-screen and voice alerts to wrong way drivers. The system was developed with Aisin AW Co., Ltd. and Denso Corporation and the function will monitor the vehicle’s direction. This system will work on highways and selected toll roads, including tollgates, service area...
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North American Honda production will return to normal in August, earlier than expected, the company announced in a statement today. The Japanese automaker has accelerated their recovery following the March 11th earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Every Honda model will resume regualar production in August, except the 2012 Civic. The company expects full production...
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