The World Time Attack Challenge, held at Australia’s Eastern Creek International Raceway near Sydney, has attracted a deep field of local and international competitors including top American teams Sierra Sierra Enterprises and their Mitsubishi Evo 8 and Factor X Motorsports Development and their awesome Acura NSX. It may be an easier commute for the Japanese...
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Japanese giant Toyota Motor Corp and American electric car start-up Tesla Motors have announced a partnership that will see both automakers work towards future electric cars. In the short term, however, the deal has a more immediate result, namely that Toyota is spending $50 million to buy a significant stake in Tesla, which will then...
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The latest nugget of information surrounding Volkswagen‘s often-rumored foray into Formula 1 came at last weekend’s 24 Hours of Nurburgring race, with a VW executive claiming that the Volkswagen Group’s premium brands, like Audi or Porsche would be the best fit for the company’s shot at the world’s most prestigious motorsport. “Within the group, for...
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Nissan is preparing to recall 48,700 trucks and SUVs for issues relating to the suspension on the U.S.-built vehicles. Some of, but not all 2010 Nissan Armada, Frontier, Titan, Pathfinder, Xterra and Infiniti QX56 models are expected to be involved in the recall. No official recall has been issued yet, however, as Nissan awaits information...
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On the heels of rumors that Infiniti is looking to introduce both an M Coupe and Convertible, Nissan’s luxury division has announced it will bring two M-based models to Pebble Beach. And as exciting as it would be to have an M Coupe and Convertible join the Infiniti M lineup, there may be more to...
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Customers who purchase a new 2010 Equator, will be eligible to receive a stored-value debit card for fuel.
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When it rains, it pours, as Toyota knows all too well. As if their spate of problems wasn’t enough, fate seems to be pouring even more salt in their wounds, as the company has been forced to recall their flagship Lexus LS460 sedan due to a steering defect in the Variable Gear Ratio Steering system....
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An Indiana post office was evacuated Tuesday after a suspicious package was discovered, addressed to a Toyota factory. The package was determined harmless by a local bomb disposal technician, but the scare follows 3 other suspicious packages sent to other plants as well as Toyota USA headquarters. According to police, the package originated in Nigeria,...
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As Nissan strives to sell the Leaf electric car at an affordable price point, the company is expressing concerns that the current subsidies offered by governments to encourage EV adoption will expire after three years, hurting sales and pushing the cost of electric vehicles back into unattainable territory. “My assumption is that they won’t be...
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With Toyota having recently undergone the worst period in its history, the grandson’s founder and man at the helm of the Japanese auto giant looks to be ready to make big changes in order to get the company back on track. More than just an executive, Akio Toyoda is a well-known car buff who loves...
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There’s not a single member of the Autoguide staff who does not admire the Honda’s of the company’s “Golden Age”. Spanning the period from 1983, when the CRX was released, to 2001, when the last Integra Type-R rolled off the line, subsequent Honda’s have been excellent cars, but have never quite lived up to the...
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There’s no such thing as a get rich quick scheme, and Nissan knows this, even as demand for their new Leaf electric car outstrips supply. Any new technology takes a significant amount of time to turn a profit, as development costs must be amortized. One can imagine how expensive a car with an $18,000 battery must...
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A report assembled by Deloitte Consulting has some interesting data about the auto industry as a whole, but a question about electric vehicles is causing some surprise. When asked what companies consumers were most willing to buy electric vehicles from, Ford, Honda and Toyota were the top 3 brands named, while automakers like Chevrolet, Nissan...
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Anyone who grew up playing the Resident Evil games on Playstation knows that the best way to stop a zombie attack is with a large caliber firearm. For those who believe in non-violent resistance, Ford‘s new Fiesta commercial will show you away to make a clean getaway using features like the Fiesta’s keyless entry and push button...
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Toyota announced that they have no intention of returning to Formula 1, labeling the sport as “elitist” and a bad fit with the company’s customer base. The sour grapes come from Tadashi Yamashina, the head of Toyota’s international racing program. Yamashina said that the company would focus on “grassroots” motorsports like Nascar and endurance racing such...
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Tomohiko Kawanabe, Honda‘s president of research & development, expressed doubts about consumer demand for electric vehicles. “We lack confidence,” Kawanabe said in an interview with Automotive News.“It’s questionable whether consumers will accept the annoyances of limited driving range and having to spend time charging them.”Rival automakers like Nissan and General Motors are pushing ahead with...
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In a bid to keep pace with Porsche, Nissan is rumored to be working on a fresh round of upgrades for the 2012 GT-R. Updates are to include small modifications to the aerodynamics, suspension and brakes, but the biggest adjustment will come under the hood. There, the twin-turbo 3.8-liter V6 will get added boost to...
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There’s a sort of an irony in the Top Secret brand name; they’re not one bit a secret in the tuner world at all. There are few companies that have stood the test of time like Top Secret has, always being on the forefront of parts research, design and manufacturing. They are also one of...
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Having failed to complete the grueling Nürburgring 24 Hour endurance race last year, Gazoo Racing took home the SP8 class victory (18th overall) at this year’s around-the-clock race at the 12.9-mile Nordschleife in the #50 Lexus LFA. In a field of over 200 cars including privateers and full-on factory efforts and with some very stiff...
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Volkswagen, looking to take advantage of their tie-up with Suzuki, is apparently angling to use the Suzuki SX4 as a new crossover, designed to compete with the Hyundai Tuscon and the Europe-only Nissan Qashqai. The crossover would retain Suzuki’s AWD system, but likely use Volkswagen’s TSI and TDI engines, rather than the pedestrian Suzuki motors....
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Subaru‘s hot selling Legacy and Outback will see a minor bump in pricing for 2011, as well as a new Limited trim level which brings a couple upgraded interior components that enhance the car’s cabin. The 2.5i and 3.6 Limited models get folding exterior mirrors, a harmon/kardon audio system and XM radio, for a mere...
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According to John Schilling, a spokesman for Nissan North America Inc., “the general overall improving economy seems to be driving sales, which are trending higher. We’re seeing more demand for Titan.”
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The next-generation Honda Civic will be delayed until 2011, possibly as a 2012 model year car. This will put the Civic significantly past the typical five-year cycle, stretching until six or possibly even seven years before the ninth-generation car debuts. The current Civic arrived back in September of 2005, making it already quite dated. Honda...
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Having just launched the impressive new M range of luxury sedans, Infiniti is now considering expanding the lineup to include both an M Coupe and an M Convertible. News of the new additions to the M lineup comes via InsideLine, which reports Nissan execs are seriously debating the two door models. As surprising as it...
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