The Jeep Wrangler will finally get the Chrysler 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 for the 2012 model year. Since 2007, the Wrangler has used the 3.8-liter V6 engine, which replaced the bullet proof 4.0-liter inline six. New transmission hardware has also arrived for the Wrangler as it will forgo the ancient four speed automatic for a five-speed...
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Toyota is taking product development authority away from Japanese bosses and putting it in the hands of North American executives as part of a larger change aimed at fixing quality control issues that hurt the automaker’s reputation last year. Until now, vehicles produced and designed and developed in North America had to be approved by...
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Audi is set to abandon its Q7 V12 TDI due to slow sales and rapidly advancing diesel technology in their smaller displacement motors. The current V12 TDI makes 500 horsepower and 738 lb-ft, and is widely considered to be one of the most impressive SUVs on the market. But with Audi’s V6 TDI making a...
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Electric turbochargers are the snake oil of automotive technology. Often times, these contraptions (seen above), which resemble something sold at a boat shop, are peddled on Ebay with dubious claims regarding horsepower and fuel economy gains. But a report out of Britain suggests that BMW‘s upcoming X3M will be powered by a new tri-turbo straight-six...
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The Cadillac Escalade was ranked first among all models in the AutoPacific’s 2011 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards as well as topping the Luxury SUV segment for the fourth consecutive year. 68,000 owners of new cars and light trucks completed a survey in the U.S selecting the Escalade as the top choice. “It’s especially gratifying to be honored by...
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With the average price for a gallon of gasoline above $4, many American drivers are looking to dump the family gas-guzzler as quickly as possible and buy a more fuel efficient hybrid. But according to Jeff Bartlett, deputy online automotive editor at Consumer Reports, this is the worst time to do so. With so many...
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Jeep has just hired and filmed a commercial with Lenny Kravitz to give the brand a new cool look. The commercial features Lenny Kravitz off- roading in the backwoods in a 2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. The commercial also features Lenny Kravitz’s new song from his album “Rock Star City Life”. Check out the video for...
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The 2012 Kia Sorento will get an optional 2.4-liter GDI direct-injection four-cylinder engine and the company’s hands-free UVO infotainment system. The company is hoping these two features will appeal to Ford consumers. The Sorento will also have available options including Kia’s YES Essential seat treatment, which makes the seats resistant to stains and static electricity. The...
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating 170,000 2005 through 2007 model year Ford Freestyle’s after 18 crashes caused by “lunging.” No injuries have been attributed to the abnormal vehicle behavior, however. The Ford Freestyle abnormally lunges forward even when drivers didn’t have their feet on the gas pedal says the reports. Hitting the...
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Car enthusiasts may have lamented its switch from a truck to a car platform, and magazines like Motor Trend and Consumer Reports have slammed it, but consumers have really taken to the Ford Explorer. While sales figures weren’t available at the time of publication, Ford reports that 43.5 percent of Explorer sales are conquests, and...
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The Audi Q5 crossover seems like an unlikely candidate for the “RS” treatment, but this mule, spotted wearing some big wheels and a faux TDI badge, seems to suggest that Audi is getting serious with the idea of a rapid version of the Q5. The vehicle’s cover was blown by the quad exhaust pipes, which...
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Toyota is launching its “100 Cars for Good” program, where the company will donate 100 cars to various non-profit groups. Facebook users will choose which groups will receive the vehicles via a voting process. The winning organizations will get to choose from a selection of vehicles, including the Prius, Tacoma, Tundra, Highlander Hybrid, Sienna or Sienna Mobility. The...
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General Motors has done a commendable job differentiating GMC and Chevrolet even though they share many of the same designs. As proof, one could compare the Terrain to the Equinox or the Acadia to the Traverse and see they share the same underpinnings yet each has a distinctive look. Mark Reuss, GM President in North...
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Land Rover South Africa has taken the brand’s iconic Defender off-roader and converted one to run on fully electric power, with an 80 horsepower motor good for 63 miles of silent, emissions free driving at speeds of up to 37 mph. The Defender EV also retains a full four-wheel drive system despite its electric drivetrain....
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Ladies, don’t you hate it when you show up to your kid’s soccer game in the same SUV that all the other moms are driving? And are you tired of always being shot at as you run your daily errands? Dartz has heard your concerns and has come up with a solution – the Prombron...
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Toyota Canada has cut its sales projections by a third and warned dealers that the supply of new vehicles is starting to be choked off as the company feels the effects of the March 11th earthquake that rocked northern Japan. While Toyota sent two memos to dealers regarding the revised sales forecast, the company refused...
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Federal regulators are investigating 865,000 General Motors SUVs, including the 2005-’07 Chevrolet Trailblazer and Buick Rainier,for faulty fuel gauges that are inaccurate. The 2005-’06 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT, the 2005-’07 GMC Envoy, the 2005-’06 GMC Envoy XL and the 2005-’07 Saab 9-7X are also affected vehicles being investigated. 668 complaints regarding the vehicles having defective fuel gauge readings...
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Two new special editions of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class have been announced. The “Edition Select” is a $9,513 trim package for the long-wheelbase mode. It is recognizable by a two-tone paint scheme, a sporty AMG exhaust and black 18-inch alloy rims. The interior features two-tone Designo leather and piano black wood trim. The second special edition...
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Honda will delay the launch of their next generation CR-V crossover due to continued production delays, and supplies of their 2012 Civic will also be delayed as Honda’s North American production continues to run at well below capacity amid the after effects of Japan’s natural disasters. In a letter to Honda’s dealers, U.S. executive vice-president...
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Our friends over at Left Lane News have grabbed the first video of the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 clearing its pipes, and just like the last version, it sounds downright mean. Unveiled at the 2011 New York Auto Show, the fastest Jeep packs a 6.4L Hemi V8 with 465 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of...
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NHTSA is investigating the 2010-2011 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner for a rear window that could potentially shatter. So far, the government agency has received 18 complaints regarding the rear window shattering when the tailgate is opened or closed. 200,000 Escape and Mariner vehicles will now be investigated, and Ford has issued a service bulletin regarding the...
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With the extreme popularity of the BMW X1 crossover within Europe, sales in the United States have been delayed until the end of 2012. The X1 was formally launched in Europe in November 2009 and was initially planned to launch in the US earlier this year. The delay has been caused by the Leipzig plant, which can...
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With Volkswagen now having launched the new Jetta and Passat on our shores, the automaker has pretty much run out of cars to Americanize and so it will soon look to deliver some all-new models designed to appeal to our less sophisticated tastes and larger beltlines. One of the first will be a three row...
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NHTSA is investigating some 370,000 Jeep Liberty SUVs due to potential rust issues involving the lower control arms. NHTSA has recieved 9 complaints so far regarding rear control arm failure due to corrosion, with two of the incidents occurring at speeds greater than 50 mph. The Liberty has faced three previous recalls, in 2003 and 2006, totaling over 1 million...
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