With a debut set for next week, a brochure of the European Lexus CT200h hybrid hatchback has leaked out online, although details are still hard to come by. The car is powered by a 1.8-liter VVT-i 4-cylinder engine, an electric motor and a nickel-metal hydride battery, although no output numbers are available yet. Power does...
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During questioning at the House Committee’s investigation into Toyota’s ongoing recall crisis, safety advocate group Safety Research & Strategies founder Sean Kane admitted that his group is hardly an unbiased participant. In fact, Kane admitted that a recent report outlining Toyota’s faults was funded by five different law firms, all of which are currently engaged...
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Nissan is about to get back into North American motorsports in big way, competing with a pair of GT-R’s in the 2010 World Challenge GT Class. The cars will be run by Brass Monkey Racing, with assistance by Nissan North America, and will debut on the weekend of March 26-28 in St. Petersburg, FL, competing...
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In a prepared statement before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Toyota President Jim Lentz reiterated Toyota’s continued stand that the issue with its many recalled Toyota models is mechanical and not electronic. Lentz commented that Toyota hired Exponent, a top engineering and scientific consulting firm, to examine its electronic throttle system to see...
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After ABC News aired a segment yesterday where an expert was able to recreate a case of unintended acceleration, Toyota has taken to the offensive and challenged the news outlet and its source. In a video segment (see below), David Gilbert, an automotive technology professor at Southern Illinois University, recreates the problem in a Toyota...
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While we’ve heard several rumors before that Acura is reconsidering getting into smaller cars, a new report by Automotive News is the most credible yet. According to AN, Jeff Conrad, the VP of Acura confirmed at a recent dealer meeting that the brand is looking at expanding its lineup with a new vehicle that would...
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As hearings into Toyota’s recall woes begin today in Washington, the automaker has announced that it will install a new brake override feature on an expanded range of vehicles. The feature, initially announced for the 2007-2010 Camry, 2005-2010 Avalon, and the 2007-2010 Lexus ES 350, 2006-2010 IS 350 and 2006-2010 IS 250 models, will also...
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According to AutoExpress, the automotive journalists equivalent to the National Enquirer, Honda is planning a CR-Z Type R model. While a host of modifications would be included, like larger brakes and a stiffer suspension, the real boost will apparently come under the hood. Instead of the lackluster 122-hp hybrid setup, the CR-Z Type R will...
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With several teaser images already released of Nissan’s upcoming global small car, the Japanese automaker has now released a video highlighting some of the vehicle’s attributes. According to the video, Nissan has developed a new 3-cylinder engine that displaces just 1.2-liters, which Nissan claims has noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels equivalent to modern 4-cylinder...
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched a probe to investigate if Toyota issued its recalls in a timely manner. The NHTSA will use its statutory powers to obtain documents from Toyota and investigate how it learned of the defects in vehicles and when it knew about them. Automakers are required by law...
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Toyota has again announced another recall. Or should we say another, another recall. Yup, not one, but two recalls, affecting the Tacoma pickup and Camry sedan. Both recalls are minor in number, totaling just around 15,000 units and affect only 2010 model year cars and trucks. First came the 2010 Tacoma recall for 8,000 trucks...
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Toyota, a company that is notoriously good at keeping its vehicles secret until the very last minute, has apparently let down its guard, with a few pictures of the facelifted 2011 RAV4 finding their way onto the net. With a new grille and headlights, the cute-ute gets a little less cute a it more muscular....
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Nissan has just taken the wraps off its updated Patrol SUV, which is sold under the Infiniti brand in North America as the QX. While certain style elements are likely to change, the general look of the beast will remain. Nissan has even chosen to upgrade the Patrol’s interior to Infiniti standards, so we shouldn’t...
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Nissan’s upcoming Juke crossover isn’t going to win any awards for style, but the vehicle’s engine is an exciting bit of technology. When the Juke goes on sale in North America later this year it will likely feature a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with direct-injection technology – GTDI (gasoline turbocharged direct injection) for short. It...
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Nissan displayed the Stillen GT-R at its exhibit at the 2010 Canadian International Auto Show. Built in 2009 by Steve Millen and the rest of the Stillen team, the one-off GT-R competed at the Targa Newfoundland race. The Stillen GT-R was clocked a 0-60 run in 2.9 seconds, quicker than the stock version’s 3.5 seconds....
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Lexus will unveil the first full-hybrid premium compact car at the Geneva Auto Show in March. Called the CT200h, it is inspired by the LF-Ch concept that the automaker debuted at the Frankfurt Auto Show last year. Interestingly, the teaser image that Lexus has sent us looks more like a sedan than the LF-Ch hatchback...
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With Chevy set to begin selling the Volt later this year, Nissan will be ready to compete in the ultra-green category with its Leaf electric car. Nissan will begin taking orders for the car in August, with deliveries in December. Those eligible will have to live in an area where Nissan is working with local...
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Toyota has made the bold move to turn down a prestigious Japanese automotive award, given to the automaker for the new Prius model just days after a recall was announced for the hybrid’s ABS brake system. The award, handed out annually by the Japanese Ministry of the Economy, Trade and Industry celebrates a vehicle’s energy...
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Honda will deliver an all-new second-generation Ridgeline pickup for the 2011 model year. Vicki Poponi, Honda’s VP of product planning told PickupTrucks.com in an interview that the truck will arrive in 2011 as a 2011 model year, so expect it very early on – likely at the Detroit Auto Show. Introduced in 2005 the Ridgeline...
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Infiniti made a last minute decision to show its products at the Chicago Auto Show and so it took some searching to find the brands new 2011 M model tucked away in a back corner. But it was worth the hunt. Infiniti actually showed the car to us at a private event during the LA...
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Tucked away in a quiet corner of the Chicago Auto Show, Nissan displayed, for the first time, its new 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition. Celebrating 40 years since the 240Z landed in the U.S., the 40th Anniversary Edition model starts out as a well-equipped manual-transmission Touring model equipped with the Sport Package which includes the SynchroRev...
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Nissan Canada announced it will present the Stillen GT-R at the 2010 Toronto Auto Show. Race car driver Steve Millen and the Stillen team built their version of the GT-R “Godzilla” in 2009 for the Targa Newfoundland race. The Stillen crew lightened the GT-R by 172 lbs. and tweaked throttle response and suspension. The result:...
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When Honda announced it would show a next-generation Odyssey minivan concept at the Chicago Auto Show, we assumed it would be one of the wild and wacky concepts that automaker debuted at the Tokyo Auto show last year. We were wrong. Instead, Honda has unveiled a concept that it says very closely resembles the 2011...
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Toyota has just taken the wraps off the all-new 2011 Avalon. The changes certainly aren’t dramatic, but this is the Avalon after all. In other words, it’s a Japanese Buick. We don’t have much info on the vehicle as Toyota hasn’t even released any official specs, but from the press conference at the Chicago Auto...
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