After a successful test session last week, there’s a strong possibility that two-time DTM Champ Mattias Ekström will race at the NASCAR Sprint Cup race on June 20th at Sonoma, California. And he’ll be driving a Toyota no less. Ekström races for the Red Bull Audi team in Germany’s premiere DTM series, but recently filled...
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Once a fixture of only the most expensive Formula 1 race cars, carbon fiber monocoques have now filtered down into the slightly more accesible world of supercars, and McLaren is leading the charge, after announcing plans to build two more carbon-monocoque supercars after the MP4-12C. McLaren will be partnering with Carbo Tech, whose factory in...
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It’s no surprise that Lexus has taken deposits for all 5o0 LFA supercars (despite the skepticism of various internet forum posters). As its $375,000 pricetag may suggest, this car is only for the extremely well-heeled, and at this price point, individuality matters more than quantitative performance. One place where the LFA seems to have taken...
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At 38 years old, Elon Musk has already lived a life filled with more adventures and pitfalls than most of us can fathom. The founder of PayPal, Tesla Motors and SpaceX was also a one time owner of a McLaren F1, the holy grail of car collecting, and served as the inspiration for Tony Stark,...
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Here’s a story that is certainly going to get the rumors of Volkswagen‘s involvement in NASCAR started. Last week two-time DTM Champion Mattias Ekström was at Virginia International Raceway helping test a Red Bull Racing Toyota for the upcoming NASCAR race at Sonoma. The reason for the odd match isn’t about NASCAR ambitions says Audi,...
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Finally, some good news for Toyota – three new Toyota vehicles have been given Top Safety Pick awards from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Getting the award are the 2011 Toyota Avalon and Sienna for achieving the institute’s highest ratings in front, side, rollover and rear crash tests. Also picking up an award...
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Regular readers will recall a fondness for hip-hop music at the Autoguide offices. We’ve previously covered the Houston “swangas” phenomenon, Seattle’s Volvo driving rapper and Atlanta’s dubbed-out Camaros. Now, Kia is showing the East Coast some love, with their new commercial featuring their familiar Hamsters, the Kia Soul, and Black Sheep’s seminal anthem The Choice...
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Those eagerly anticipating the launch of the FT-86 affordable sports car from Toyota will have to keep waiting. According to a report by Japan’s Best Car magazine, the concept has been delayed from an original production date of 2011 until 2013. Reasons for the delay include the possibility of a different design direction (why?), as...
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Nearly a day after it was first spied testing, the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta has finally been spotted completely undisguised, and if the car looks a little Toyota-esque, then that must be a good thing. Rather than occupying a quasi-premium spot in the U.S. market, VW is going for volume, so the Corolla resemblance is not...
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After acquiring the former NUMMI plant jointly owned by General Motors and Toyota, Tesla Motors was immediately targeted by the UAW for a guilt-trip campaign by the United Auto Workers to re-hire the 4,700 workers set to lose their jobs as the plant closed. In an interview on a California radio show, Tesla CEO Elon Musk was...
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Already overrun with legal issues relating to its unintended acceleration issues, Toyota‘s problems are about to get worse as the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has just increased the number of deaths that may be related to the faulty pedal and floor mat recalls. A new NHTSA document now places the total number of...
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Reports of a Prius MPV model aren’t new, but now comes word that the car will be call the Prius Alpha. Set to go on sale next March, the seven-seat Prius will ride on a stretched version of the current Prius platform that is almost a foot longer. The car was first previewed in the...
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The United Auto Workers is busy inserting itself into the Toyota/Tesla joint venture barely 24 hours after it was even announced. The two companies announced that they would be collaborating on electric vehicles, and Tesla would be taking over the revolutionary (at the time) NUMMI plant in Fremont, California, to build their new Model S...
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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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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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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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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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Parents magazine has made the list (and assumedly checked it twice) to bring you their top 15 picks of family-friendly vehicles for 2010. Teaming up with Edmunds.com, Parents has only included models that come equipped with antilock brakes and front, side, and side-curtain air bags. These vehicles also come with family necessities such as sliding...
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According to a new survey by Consumer Reports, Honda has surpassed Toyota to become the number one brand for customer loyalty in the U.S. According to the new report performed in April, 68 percent of current Honda owners said they would “most likely” buy another Honda – up one percentage point. Toyota slipped to third...
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Toyota recalled a number of trucks in Japan for a defective steering column but chose to wait nearly a year before recalling them in North America, despite a series of complains in the United States regarding the issue. The revelation comes on the heels of a $16.4 million fine imposed by the U.S. government as...
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Despite record recalls and public humiliation over quality control scandals, Toyota announced that it expects to see a profit of $3.35 billion by the end of their fiscal year in March, a 48% increase. Toyota sales rose 24 percent in April, as strong incentives helped Toyota move cars like the Corolla and Prius. Despite the...
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