Toyota announced pricing for their updated 2011 Corolla and Matrix, with a base Corolla starting at $15,600. A base model Matrix will retail for $18,545, with both base trims coming equipped with a 5-speed manual. The Corolla base trim with an automatic will retail for $16,400 while the mid-level LE will cost $17,300 while the...
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Despite the American introduction of diesel engines from most major European brands, Volvo remains non-committal to the prospect of diesel powertrains in America. Volvo offers a broad range of diesels in Europe and other markets, but Stefan Jacoby, CEO of Volvo, offered little, stating “We are taking a deep look at whether we will introduce...
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Mitsubishi recently reached a milestone with the completion of their 5000th i-MiEV electric car, which rolled off the line at its Mizushima plant this week. After starting production in June of 2009, the i-MiEV has been a hit in Japan, and will make its debut in America in late 2011 after being unveiled at the...
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General Motors is harnessing the small car expertise of their Daewoo division to develop two new small cars, an upscale hatchback to be branded as a Vauxhall or Opel products, and a smaller, less expensive version likely to be sold as a Chevrolet. The new cars are expected to slot in below the diminutive Corsa,...
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After bringing you a preview of the Ford Fiesta SEMA exhibit, we now bring you pictures of Ford’s newest compact in the flesh, looking quite a bit different from the Fiestas you might see at college campuses or 16th birthday celebrations across the country. For the Fiesta’s SEMA debut, Ford enlisted the services of a...
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Vauxhall has turned to Lotus for help with their chassis engineering on their upcoming Astra VXR hot hatch. The input from Lotus will supplement the work done by GM division Opel, which is testing the car on German roads. Lotus has a long tradition of helping third-party manufacturers with their handling and chassis development. Prototypes...
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Mazda proudly announced that their upcoming Japanese market Mazda2, set to bow in the second half of 2011, will get an astonishing 70 mpg without any hybrid technology, making it the most fuel efficient gasoline car on the road. Using an all new family of chassis, engines and gearboxes, Mazda’s SKYACTIV system is designed to...
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General Motors is increasing Chevrolet Volt production numbers in 2012, from 30,000 to 45,000 to a maximum output of 60,000 units. The increase in production to maximum capacity will conincide with the nationwide rollout of the Volt. Doug Parks, vehicle line director in charge of the Volt, said that “Starting in ‘12, we’ll be at...
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Ford has announced pricing for the 2012 Focus, and the car is set to start in the upper end of the price bracket, with a base price of $16,995. The base S model in sedan with the 6-speed automatic will cost likely $17,995, as the 5-speed manual is standard. The upper end Titanium trim starts...
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Abarth, Fiat’s in-house tuner, launched two new vehicles at the 2010 Paris Auto Show, both which feature the optional “esseesse” kits that give the cars a modest power boost. The Abarth 500C Esseesse is the most powerful version of Fiat’s 500 hatchback, and Abarth introduced a convertible version based on the 500C as a companion...
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While many North American enthusiasts lust after European hot hatches, we were privy to one somewhat ignored car in years past. The Ford Focus ST170, better known as the Ford Focus SVT, was sold here earlier in the decade, and it’s back after an prolonged absence. The previous generation Focus ST, not sold in North America,...
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In the long line of hot hatchbacks we wont get comes another enticing product, the Audi A1 1.4TFSI. Based on the more accesible Volkswgaen Polo GTI, the A1 gets the same 1.4TFSI twincharged engine and DSG gearbox, in a much more upscale package. An S-Line bodykit and bigger wheels help set it apart from lesser...
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The Audi A1 1.4TFSI has stolen our hearts and left us wanting more, specifically a hotter version under the S1 label. If you’re like us, we have some bittersweet news for you. Audi has announced that there will be no S1 for the time being, but that the A1 1.4TFSI was going to be the...
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Ford‘s Fiesta is a pretty good hot hatch, but it good be better; turbocharging, Recaro bucket seats and a performance tuned chassis would be just the ticket, and such a vehicle has recently been spied in Europe. The front mounted intercooler and big mufflers are dead giveaways as to the forced induction, but it’s unlikely...
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Audi‘s long-rumored S1 hot hatch will not be coming to Paris. Instead, Audi has elected to take the guts of what likely would have been an S1, and package it in a more discrete wrapper, creating the Audi A1 1.4TFSI in its place. The A1 1.4TFSI still looks aggressive, with beefier wheels and stark white...
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Alfa Romeo’s Giulietta and MiTo hatchbacks will get an all-new, in house dual clutch gearbox, known as the TCT, which will be unveiled at this month’s Paris Auto Show. The TCT gearbox will initially be available with the 1.4L Multiair engine making 168 horsepower, followed by the 2.0L diesel outputting the same amount of power....
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The Vauxhall Astra is one of Britain’s most popular cars, and is also known as the spectacular flop that was the Saturn Astra in North America. While North Americans didn’t take too kindly to the compact, Belgian-built hatch, Europeans adore the Astra, but the next generation will face some stiff competition from the upcoming Ford...
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All-wheel drive variants of small cars are quite popular in Europe, and the Fiat 500 looks to be the latest recipient of an extra drive shaft and differential. An eagle-eyed car enthusiast spotted this lifted Fiat 500 in Italy, and went to investigate. Looking under the car, he found all the hardware needed for a...
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While Scion vehicles have been available in the United States for a number of years, they have never been officially brought to Canada, despite numerous grey market imports from south of the border. Now, Scion’s are finally available and Toyota Canada has announced pricing for the distinctively styled compacts. The 5 door xD hatchback starts...
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As more details trickle out in advance of the Lexus CT200h launch (which Autoguide will be attending in the next few weeks) and Lexus has just announced some of the various safety features available on the Lexus hybrid hatchback. The CT200h has the usual alphabet soup of ABS, Electronic Brake Force distribution (EBD), Brake Assist...
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Bet the headline got your attention, didn’t it? Unfortunately for you electric car haters, this doesn’t have to do with wanton destruction of an electric car. Electric vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt pose a significant danger to Paramedics, Fire Fighters and other emergency responders due to the significantly higher voltage (no pun intended) and hazardous materials...
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General Motors is hoping that their Chevrolet Cruze compact car will increase sales in Europe, where Chevrolets have previously been re-branded versions of cheap Daewoos. While the Cruze sedan is a sharp looking vehicle, the most popular bodystyle over there is the hatchback, with three and five door versions of compact cars outselling sedans by...
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Audi’s A3 hatchback is a solid car that hasn’t quite transcended the hatchback stigma the way that cars like the Ford Fiesta have. While the 5-door layout is perfectly acceptable for European consumers, it’s still seen a bodystyle for economy cars on this side of the Atlantic. With the A4 steadily growing in size, Audi...
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The Land Down Under just got some exciting news from Ford. Even though production is coming to an end, Australia will be gifted with 315 Ford Focus RS models in a limited edition production and available in three different colors. “Customers, the motoring press, Ford enthusiasts and hot hatch fans have all been constantly asking...
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