The Jeep Compass doesn’t get much respect. As a 4-cylinder, car based Jeep, it never really fit with the brand’s rugged off-road ethos, and some Jeep fans mocked its weak constitution on anything but paved roads. For 2011, the Compass gets a substantial refresh, hoping to trade on the looks of its big brother, the...
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Having just been unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show, the MINI Paceman Concept is production ready, according to a MINI source, who told AutoGuide that 2013 is the target date for the Paceman’s launch. Before the new two-door crossover, MINI will launch the upcoming Coupe and Roadster, sportier, stripped down versions of the base car...
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Hyundai has finally released details on their new CURB crossover Urban Activity Vehicle, described as a vehicle for “Generation Y living an urban lifestyle with an active night life.” The wild sport-cross concept shared the stage with the new Veloster during its debut at the Detroit Auto Show. Despite the nebulous marketing spin, the CURB seems...
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As part of Ford‘s “One World” plan, a single platform will be used across all markets worldwide. While we reap the benefits with the all-new Focus and C-Max, there can be trade-offs when different markets require different attributes in a vehicle. With the Ford Vertrek Concept, unveiled today at the Detroit Auto Show, the Blue...
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The 2011 Ford Explorer beat out the Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee to win the North American Truck Of The Year award. The winner was announced at the 2011 North American International Auto Show, where the Chevrolet Volt was also announced as the Car of the Year. Ford took the honors last year with...
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Looks like our reports of the Mercedes ML63’s death were premature, even if they were easily rationalized. The folks at Motor Trend have confirmed with M-B that the ML63 will continue on for 2011, but it still may not be long for this world. With a new ML due out for the 2012 model year,...
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The Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG is dead, according to reports out of Europe. The 6.2L hyper-SUV, which used AMG’s raucous 510-horsepower V8, has apparently died, leaving the BMW X5M and Porsche Cayenne Turbo as the sole choices for those who must go fast, but aren’t allowed to buy a proper sports car due to their spouses decree. With...
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After 71 years of acting as Ford’s middle child, the final nail in the Mercury coffin was pounded in, as dealers removed all remnants of Mercury logos and signs from their dealerships, marking the end of the brand’s existence once and for all. Mercury vehicles ended production in October, although a final order for government...
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When most people think about Saudi Arabia, they think about a country that produces 10-million barrels of crude oil every day, a country where temperatures in the summer can reach over 130-degrees, and a country where the Sheikhs live in mansions bigger than some high-end resorts. While there is a huge car culture there, with...
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The undisputed king of automotive-themed rap songs is Rick Ross, whose “Maybach Muzik 2” and “Aston Martin Muzik” have provided back to back bangers for hip-hop junkies who also like six-figure whips. At the bottom of the scale we have a gentleman named C.KhiD, an up and coming rapper who didn’t take the advice of...
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If you’re a regular reader of AutoGuide, you’ll know that we’re big fans of the Range Rover Evoque. It looks better in person than it does in pictures, and the car-based chassis, coupled with an EcoBoost 4-banger is just right for 99% of Range Rover customers and their urban driving. But there would be no...
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Armored cars are an expensive proposition, nearly always costing well above $100,000, and for this reason, they’re rarely anything but luxury sedans or SUVs. The problem with this phenomenon is that the places where armored cars are really needed, discretion is often better than driving an ostentatious bling-mobile. Texas Armoring, one of the leading armored...
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Finalists for the North American Car and Truck of the Year have been announced, with Chrysler dominating the truck field, and electric vehicles comprising 2/3rds of the car category. The Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee, both built on the same platform, were nominated in the truck category, as well as the re-designed Ford Explorer....
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The Ford Territory is the enthusiasts idea of a dream SUV; based on a rear-drive car platform, the Territory is available with turbo six cylinder or V8 powerplants and was widely received by both private owners and government agencies looking for a rugged utility vehicle. With the Territory looking pretty much the same since its 2004 debut,...
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The outgoing Chrysler 300 was a great value thanks to a number of cost cutting initiatives, like sharing a platform with Mercedes-Benz’s old E-Class and using interior materials made out of melted down children’s toys. That might have been passable five years ago, but with even small cars boasting high quality interiors, the awful tortoise...
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Land Rover will skip the hybrid powertrain version of their new compact Evoque crossover and instead apply the new technology to their truck-based LR4, a company spokesman said. “Our approach to Evoque is more viable for the company and customers because hybrid technology on a relatively small car would load the price and add weight....
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Kia is recalling 7,697 Sorentos due to a problem with the rear brake calipers, according to a release from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Kia claims that no crashes have resulted from the problem, but is going ahead with the recall anyways. “Some of the rear brake calipers may not have been properly machined,”...
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The Saab 9-4x will come to America starting at a base price of $34,205 when it hits American dealers sometime in 2011. The $34k entry point will get you a front drive 9-4x with GM’s 3.0L direct injection V6. Moving up the ladder, the $38,075 Premium is laden with more opulent features and Saab‘s renowned...
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Autoguide has learned that Honda will announce on Friday that production of their Element compact SUV will cease. No official reasons were given, but one can suspect that slow sales of the vehicle, combined with strong sales of the Honda CR-V, led to the decision. Stay tuned for more as we await official word from...
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AutoGuide has learned that Honda will announce on Friday that production of their Element compact SUV will cease. No official reasons were given, but one can suspect that slow sales of the vehicle, combined with strong sales of the Honda CR-V, led to the decision. Stay tuned for more as we await official word from...
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A report by insurance comparison website InsWeb suggests that the priciest car to ensure in America isn’t a Nissan GT-R or some other foreign exotic favoured by the young and reckless, but the strange looking Acura ZDX crossover. According to the site, there is little data on the ZDX, as few people have bought one,...
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Porsche‘s supervisory board has given the go-ahead for a new “efficient and sporty model” to be dubbed “Cajun”. Referencing the Cayenne (seen above), the official Porsche news release dubbed the Cajun as an “entry-level” model, similar to the Boxster in terms of positioning, and stressed that the vehicle will be light weight and agile. No...
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Overfinch, a Range Rover tuning outfit favored by sports stars and other celebrities, has gone bankrupt after trying to find a buyer. Rival firm Project Khan is rumored to be a front runner for Overfinch. The company’s expertise goes beyond just big bodykits and wheels. Overfinch is famous for creating the first automatric transmission Range...
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Porsche purists who derided the brand’s introduction of the Cayenne SUV and Panamera sedan should be thankful for the existence of the two cars – without them, the brand may not have survived through the past decade. Instead, the Cayenne led Porsche to an 86.4% increase in sales, with Cayenne sales up 151%. Panamera sales...
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