Proving that it’s not just horsepower that makes a fast car fast, Subaru has just announced that the all-new 2011 WRX STI has completed a 7:55 lap time about the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife. Now Subaru isn’t about to get itself entangled in a contest with other automakers, simply stating that the 7:55 lap time is...
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Toyota‘s had a rough year, with recalls, fines, and a brand image that has taken a Tito Ortiz-style punch to the jugular, and the latest jab comes from Minneapolis, MO’s Brave New Workshop, former stomping ground of Senator and political satirist Al Franken. “Toyota: The Runaway Musical Hit” has become quite the hot ticket in...
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What’s the biggest problem with the Nissan GT-R? Why, it’s a big fat heavy pig of course. So what if you could get a GT-R that weighed significantly less? Sounds like a winner. The only problem is, it’s not street legal. Official Nissan tuner NISMO is set to release a new Club Track Edition of...
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The upcoming Nissan Micra could be equipped with a dual-clutch gearbox later in its production cycle. According to a report by AutoExpress, a source inside Nissan parent company Renault has confirmed that a new dual-clutch gearbox currently offered in the Megane could eventually make its way into the Renault Laguna and Clio models. And here’s...
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Toyotas are notoriously un-fun to drive, but the company’s new boss aims to change that, infusing some driving character into even the greenest of the brand’s beige offerings. In numerous interviews since Akio Toyoda took over at the helm of the world’s largest automaker, he has repeated that the brand needs products that are more...
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Despite a barrage of stories to the contrary, the Lexus LFA is not sold out, and Lexus is more than happy to take your $375,000 in exchange (sort of) for their flagship supercar. Inside Line put in a few calls to Toyota, and discovered that by some kind of numerical wizardry that rivals Enron accounting...
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Suzuki engineers have been hard at work testing the upcoming next-generation Swift subcompact, recently completing a series of runs on Germany’s famed Nürburgring. No official info is known about the car yet but it is expected to grow slightly – especially as Suzuki is reportedly planning to bring the model back to the North American...
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We’ve all been there – kids screaming, kicking, fighting and whining in the back seat. No amount of “I’ll turn this car around” or “Don’t make me come back there” will shut them up. Well, it looks like Mazda came up with a solution. This commercial that ran in Britain is a little too risqué...
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Like the Frontier, the problem stems around potentially weak welds on the lower front ball joint collars that could come apart, affecting vehicle handling and alignment.
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The next generation of Nissan‘s iconic Z car could include both diesel and hybrid offerings in an attempt to meet increasingly strict emissions regulations and grow the car’s appeal in certain markets. According to a report by AutoCar, Nissan is reportedly considering several options for alternative powerplants that would be provided by Mercedes parent company...
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The champagne glass has been with Lexus since the beginning. Back in 1989, Lexus launched the LS luxury sedan by revving the car’s engine while a pyramid of champagne glasses sat atop the hood – unmoved. Now Lexus is putting a new twist with a short video spot where a lone champagne flute is shattered...
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Subaru has just launched a fun new merit badge program that lets owners show off their brand loyalty and interests. The Subaru “badges of ownership” can be purchased online (and presumably at your local dealer) and can then be easily afixed to your Subaru. Numerous badges are offered with little logos for auto related things...
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When we reviewed Honda‘s new Accord Crosstour model, one of our few gripes was in the fuel economy department. Rated at 18/27 mpg (FWD), its not bad, but the lack of a six-speed transmission makes getting the most out of each gallon a bit hard. Honda appears to be ready to announce the addition of...
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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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With increased pressure from Congress in the wake of Toyota’s recall crisis, Honda has announced it will include a brake override feature in all of its models by the end of 2011. “We are committed to applying Brake Priority Logic on 100 percent of Honda and Acura passenger vehicles produced for the North American market...
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The 9th generation Honda Civic Si performance model may get a big update, moving from the current torque-less 2.0-liter to the 2.4-liter motor currently offered in the Acura TSX. News of this development comes via a source from the well-informed folks at Temple of Vtec, although even they aren’t confident in its credibility. The K24...
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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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Scion has just launched a new online “virtual competition” that will see one competitor drive away in a shiny new 2011 tC. Titled “Unlock the tC Road Trip,” players will take road trips and customize their tC online with the top four finalists being flown to Los Angeles to compete in a real world...
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After an action-packed weekend at Eastern Creek International Raceway near Sydney, Australia, Tarzan Yamada and the HRS Garage/Cyber Evo team persevered through an engine failure to claim the title of World Time Attack Challenge champion with their legendary Mitsubishi Evolution 8. As one of the pre-event favorites, it may come as no surprise that Tarzan...
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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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According to Nissan/Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn the company has now sold all of the 13,000 Leaf models allocated for the U.S. market. “We think there is a big future for this car. I can already tell you that the production for 2010 is already sold out,” said Ghosn today during a meeting of the Detroit...
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We’ll file this under hard to believe rumors for now, but according to one report the next generation Infiniti G and M models will share their underpinnings with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. According to Japan’s Best Car magazine, the move is part of broader cooperation between Mercedes parent company Daimler and Infiniti parent Renault – the...
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If you’re shopping around for vehicles with the lowest insurance rates, you’re in luck. Insure.com has just released their Low Cost Car Insurance Awards of the least expensive vehicles to insure. Topping the list of the least expensive 2010 vehicles to insure is the Mazda Tribute i, which costs an average of $1070.25 to keep...
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There has been surprisingly little news about the Brass Monkey Nissan GT-R race team competing in the World Challenge series – party because other than their introduction, the cars haven’t generated much excitement themselves. Sure the GT-R is an amazing sports car, even holding a Nürburgring record at one point, but so far the two...
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