Rumormill: Buick wagons, hatchbacks and diesels, oh my!

Filed under: Sedan, Wagon, Europe, Hatchback, Buick, Opel, Rumormill, Luxury 2011 Buick Regal – Click above for high-res image gallery A fresh batch of rumors kicking around the web are claiming that General Motors is seriously mulling bringing hatchback and wagon versions of the all-new Buick Regal to the States. In the brand’s ongoing quest [...]

Survey: More Canadians would go without sex than cars. Canuck that!

Filed under: Etc., Humor As a nation, we’re pretty attached to our cars. Thanks to generations of poor civil planning and rampant urban sprawl, we’ve come to need personal transportation like most civilizations require fresh water. Turns out we aren’t the only ones, though. Our amiable neighbors to the north seem to be just as [...]

Report: Toyota loses bid to dismiss hybrid patent infringements from Paice

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Technology, Toyota Things aren’t looking good for Toyota in a legal battle over whether or not the Japanese automaker has infringed on a Florida-based company’s hybrid drivetrain patents. A U.S. International Trade Commission judge recently ruled to deny Toyota’s request to end the lawsuit brought by Paice LLC. Toyota’s initial argument [...]

Video: BMW turns Singapore buildings into amazing 3D Joy

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Videos, BMW BMW takes Singapore – Click above to watch video after the jump BMW advertising gurus have a big job ahead of them when it comes to supplementing their longstanding “Ultimate Driving Machine” slogan with the company’s new “Joy” campaign. Bimmer fanboys had lived and died by the company’s proclamation [...]

Is VW looking to buy Malaysia’s Proton?

Filed under: Volkswagen, Earnings/Financials, Rumormill It looks like Volkswagen may be continuing to raid the global buffet of lesser automakers. According to reports, Malaysian carbuilder Proton has been in talks with ze People’s automaker in an attempt to establish some sort of alliance, thought for now details are sketchy at best. Proton has made it [...]

Is Chris Bangle headed back to Fiat?

Filed under: Chrysler, Fiat, Celebrities Now here’s a juicy rumor. Word on the web is that Chris Bangle may be looking to step back into the auto-design mainstream by revisiting one of his former employers. Don’t expect new BMW models to be wearing any of the guy’s influences though. From what we understand from our [...]

Report: House committee passes bill requiring black boxes, brake overide systems

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety A massive auto safety overhaul bill has made its way out of committee and onto the floor of the House of Representatives for voting. According to Automotive News, the biggest changes that the bill proposes is the mandatory addition of black boxes and brake override mechanisms to all new cars and [...]

Video: Dog rescued from inside car grille after highway hit

Filed under: Etc., Videos, South America One lucky pup – Click above to watch video after the jump If you live in a rural area, odds are you’ve had that heart-sinking feeling that comes along with hitting an animal with your car. Be it a squirrel, opossum, snake or skunk, no one likes killing another [...]

Report: Ford faces $850,000 fine for deaths of two Canadian workers

Filed under: Safety, Earnings/Financials, Canada Ford Motor Company of Canada has pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to take all reasonable precautions to protect the safety of two workers, and the automaker faces a $850,000 fine as a result. According to The Canadian Press, an employee was accidentally crushed to death between two forklifts [...]

Report: GM working on new small truck

Filed under: Truck, Chevrolet, GM, GMC, Rumormill The Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon have never exactly been the sales successor to the S10 throne. While the original baby pickup from General Motors sold like Tastykakes at fat camp, the public has never exactly warmed to the newest generation of short beds. That fact has grown [...]

Video: Jay Leno’s Garage welcomes 2011 Ford Mustang GT

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Ford, Celebrities Jay Leno reviews the 2011 Ford Mustang – Click above to watch video after the jump It was only a matter of time before Jay Leno got his hands on the new 2011 Ford Mustang GT. It’s no secret that the guy is a fan of Detroit ponies [...]

eBay Find of the Day: Ex-Gurney 1969 Shelby Trans Am Mustang Boss 302

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Auctions, Ford, Racing Dan Gurney’s 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Trans-Am – Click above for image gallery Here’s your chance to lay your hands on a piece of muscle car history. One of Dan Gurney’s 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302 racecars is up for bid on eBay Motors with a chilly [...]

Droolworthy: BMW releases M3 GTS specifications

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Europe, BMW, Racing BMW M3 GTS – Click above for high-res image gallery Oh yes, kids and kiddies. BMW has just dropped the juicy details on the spanking new M3 GTS. Here’s the skinny: under the hood is a 4.4-liter V8 with 450 horsepower and 324 pound-deet of twist. All that [...]

Three Toyotas latest to earn IIHS Top Safety Picks

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Sedan, Safety, Luxury The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has just announced that a total of three new Toyota vehicles have been given Top Safety Pick awards. Both the 2011 Toyota Avalon and 2011 Toyota Sienna were awarded the institute’s highest ratings in front, side, rollover and rear crash tests. The 2010 [...]

Report: Tokyo Motor Show downsizes again, moving back into city

Filed under: Tokyo Motor Show, Earnings/Financials According to The New York Times, the 42nd installment of the Tokyo Motor Show will continue to shrink next year. Organizers have decided to move the shindig to a new, smaller convention center that is closer to downtown Tokyo. The show hasn’t actually been staged in downtown Tokyo in [...]

Thirteen-year-old renders Porsche 918 RSR racer

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Porsche, Design/Style, Racing 2013 Porsche 918 RSR Renderings – Click above for high-res image gallery Like most of the motoring world, our automotive lives really got off the ground at age 13. We suddenly realized that in just three short years, we would be legally allowed to drive our very [...]

Out Foxed: Meet the new hottie of Transformers 3

Filed under: Celebrities Rosie Huntington-Whitley – Click above for high-res image gallery Please excuse us while we take a little trip down TMZ lane. Word on the web is we now know who will be replacing Megan Fox in the next scintillating Transformers flick. Shia Labeouf will be locking lips with none other than Rosie [...]

Mazda seatbelt lawsuit headed to U.S. Supreme Court

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety The U.S. Supreme Court is set to rule on whether or not current federal regulations protect automakers from being sued under state product liability laws. According to The Wall Street Journal, justices will examine a California lawsuit that claims that Mazda should be held responsible for the death of a passenger [...]

101 uses for ex-wife’s wedding dress includes oil pan, gas cap

Filed under: Humor Kevin Cotter recently found himself among the other 50 percent of Americans who wind up getting divorced from their first spouse. Rather than wallow in the broken remains of 12 years of marriage, the guy decided to have a little fun. See, his ex-wife refused to take her wedding dress when she [...]

Venezuela president Hugo Chavez joins the highway patrol?

Filed under: Government/Legal, Humor If you’re thinking about taking to the highways of Venezuela any time soon, here’s a little tip for you: don’t speed. Evidently the country’s roads are known for the kind of highway craziness that would make Miami look conservative. While recently driving his own personal motorcade, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez was [...]

Massive Gallardo crash in Super Trofeo leaves Bartocc in intensive care

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Lamborghini, Racing Giorgio Bartocci Lamborghini Super Trofeo Crash – Click above to watch video after the jump The Lamborghini Super Trofeo Cup saw a massive accident during Round 4 of the season. From what we can tell, the number 22 Gallardo LP560-4 driven by Giorgio Bartocci got off into the gravel [...]

KBB names coolest cars under $18k… do you agree?

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Sedan, Crossover, Hatchback, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Suzuki Kelley Blue Book Top 10 Cars for under $18k – Click above for high-res image gallery Being in the market for a cheap new car used to mean resigning yourself to time bombs like the Chevrolet Citation or windups like the Geo [...]

KBB names coolest cars under $18k… do you agree?

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Sedan, Crossover, Hatchback, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Suzuki Kelley Blue Book Top 10 Cars for under $18k – Click above for high-res image gallery Being in the market for a cheap new car used to mean resigning yourself to time bombs like the Chevrolet Citation or windups like the Geo [...]

Stig gives a lesson on the Top Gear test track

Filed under: Motorsports, UK, Celebrities It’s time to do your homework, kids. The blokes at Top Gear have built a virtual representation of the Stig’s personal playground. If you’ve got some time to kill, head on over to the site for a turn-by-turn breakdown of the UK show’s test track, including the elusive history of [...]

Stig gives a lesson on the Top Gear test track

Filed under: Motorsports, UK, Celebrities It’s time to do your homework, kids. The blokes at Top Gear have built a virtual representation of the Stig’s personal playground. If you’ve got some time to kill, head on over to the site for a turn-by-turn breakdown of the UK show’s test track, including the elusive history of [...]

BMW teasing 2011 X3 well in advance

Filed under: Paris Motor Show, Crossover, BMW, Design/Style, Luxury 2011 BMW X3 teaser shots – Click above for high-res image gallery The 2010 Paris Motor Show may be five months out at this point, but that isn’t stopping manufacturers like BMW from getting the ball rolling on the long, slow, aggravating striptease of new models. [...]

GM names Susan Docherty GM VP of International Operations, Sales and Marketing

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, GM Susan Docherty is continuing her tour of General Motors’ vice president offices. The 47-year-old executive has spent time both as the company’s vice president of U.S. marketing and the VP of U.S. sales during her career with the Detroit-based automaker, but as of June 1, 2010, Docherty will get the new [...]

World’s first motorcycle hearse? [w/video]

Filed under: Aftermarket, Concept Cars Motorcycle Hearse – Click above to watch video after the jump Given the level of dedication we’ve seen from the dead when it comes to their motorcycles, it comes as no surprise that somebody has given one the Munsters treatment and created the world’s first motorcycle hearse. Built in Auckland, [...]

Best reaction to an oncoming Google Street View car ever

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Technology, Humor Click above to watch animation after the jump There’s no denying that Google StreetView has made our lives easier. There’s always a difference between knowing where something is on a map and seeing the surrounding landmarks with your own virtual eyes, and Google Maps has gone a long way [...]

eBay Find of the Day: 1991 Dodge Stealth is the Indy 500 Pace Car that never was

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Chrysler, Dodge, Mitsubishi 1991 Dodge Stealth Indianapolis 500 Official Car – Click above for image gallery Way back in 1991, Chrysler was charged with providing a pace car for the 75th running of the Indianapolis 500. At the time, the company was blood brothers with Mitsubishi, and the [...]

First Drive: 2011 Infiniti QX56 overcomes the odds

Filed under: SUV, Infiniti, First Drive, Luxury 2011 Infiniti QX56 – Click above for high-res image gallery Ask any braniac elementary school student what happened to the dinosaurs, and they’ll tell you they turned into birds. While the mechanics are a bit more complicated than a momma T-Rex hatching a brood of yellow finches, modern [...]

Toyota president Lentz updates feds on recall and safety progress

Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Toyota Jim Lentz, President and Chief Operating Officer of Toyota in North America has taken some time to update Congress on the company’s progress as the company sallies forth through a mountain of recalls. Lentz says that around 3.5 million fixes have been executed so far, including 1.67 million sticky [...]

Followup: Toyota bomb scares due to… Nigerian turn signal inventor?

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Toyota Authorities with the Federal Bureau of Investigation have finally determined the origin of the four suspicious packages that were mailed to various Toyota facilities last week. Turns out the boxes were filled with wires, relays and film canisters from a Nigerian engineer. All four of the packages were sent [...]

Jeep releases pics of 2011 Grand Cherokee getting dirty [w/video]

Filed under: SUV, Chrysler, Jeep, Luxury, Off-Road 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee – Click above to watch video after the jump Well, look what the interwebs have dragged in. Chrysler has released a flood of new photos of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee doing manly things like fording rivers and blazing trails across the untamed desert. [...]

Video: Alex Roy and Team Polizei in “The Battle of Rome”

Filed under: Europe, Videos Team Polizei and the Battle of Rome – Click above to watch video after the jump It’s been five years since Alex Roy and Team Polizei took on the infamous 2005 Gumball Rally in their equally sinister BMW M5. Through the blessed passage of time, the statute of limitations on most [...]

George Clooney voted best road trip companion by… underwear company survey?

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Ford, Celebrities Jockey’s 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible – Click above to enlarge Here’s a fun little fact for you: When the economy began tanking in late 2008, sales of men’s underwear followed, plummeting nearly 12 percent. In fact, male undergarments are one of Alan Greenspan’s key market indicators. Why? If you [...]

Report: Washington to require that ‘quiet’ cars get alert sounds

Filed under: Concept Cars, Government/Legal, Technology, Electric Brabus High Voltage EV concept – click above for high-res image gallery Hands down, one of the few pleasures of driving a hybrid is cruising around in all-electric mode. There’s just something that’s undeniably cool about silently whisking along, but if a new auto safety bill makes its [...]

Self-proclaimed “irritant” Bob Lutz honored by GM

Filed under: Etc., Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, GM Bob Lutz is now officially into the swing of being retired. The former General Motors Vice Chairman has been living the life of leisure since the end of April, but the company he helped steer through Chapter 11 took some time to honor the living automotive legend in a number [...]

Video: Geely Panda gets to stuntin’

Filed under: China, Etc., Videos, Hatchback, Humor, Geely Geely Panda strutting its stuff – Click above to watch video after the jump We hate to say this, but until now, we didn’t realize it was physically possible to do a stoppie in a subcompact car. We thought launching a vehicle onto its front rollers was [...]

Reuters: FBI investigating four packages after Toyota’s Kentucky HQ evacuated

Filed under: Government/Legal, Toyota The Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking into four packages that were recently sent to four different Toyota manufacturing facilities over the past week. Investigators eventually determined that there was nothing harmful or threatening in the packages, but not before Toyota evacuated its North American headquarters in Kentucky on Friday. According [...]

Ta ta, Tata: Tata Motors car head reportedly resigns

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Rajiv Dube, the mind behind Tata Motors‘ move into the passenger car world, has decided to part ways with the company after 27 years. Dube joined Tata way back in 1983, and neither he nor the company are saying exactly why the long-standing exec decided to move on. Our guess is that [...]

Video: Fiat 500 gets the Dodge treatment a little ahead of schedule

Filed under: Aftermarket, Budget, Europe, Videos, Hatchback, Dodge Fiat/Dodge 500 – Click above to watch video after the jump First, it’s worth mentioning that when the Fiat 500 finally hits American shores, chances are it won’t be wearing a Dodge logo on the hood. As far as we know, the sub-compact will arrive sporting the [...]

eBay Find of the Day: Ex-McQueen 1958 Siata 208S is gorgeous

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Auctions, Celebrities, Luxury Steve McQueen’s 1953 Siata 208S – Click above for high-res image gallery We have a confession to make. We’ve been smitten with this car since first stumbling across it on Fantasy Junction earlier this year. The 1953 Siata 208S you see above is one of 35 ever [...]

Done Deal: Toyota wires $16M fine payment to U.S. Treasury

Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Toyota Toyota has officially handed over every last cent of its $16.4 million fine for not notifying the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration of potential defects in a timely manner. That figure marks the largest fine possible under the law, though by paying it, the Japanese automaker has somehow managed to [...]

Done Deal: Toyota wires $16M fine payment to U.S. Treasury

Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Toyota Toyota has officially handed over every last cent of its $16.4 million fine for not notifying the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration of potential defects in a timely manner. That figure marks the largest fine possible under the law, though by paying it, the Japanese automaker has somehow managed to [...]

Done Deal: Toyota wires $16M fine payment to U.S. Treasury

Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Toyota Toyota has officially handed over every last cent of its $16.4 million fine for not notifying the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration of potential defects in a timely manner. That figure marks the largest fine possible under the law, though by paying it, the Japanese automaker has somehow managed to [...]

Confirmed, Again: Next BMW 3 Series to gain hybrid version

Filed under: Coupe, Sedan, Europe, Japan, Technology, BMW, Luxury When we first saw the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 Concept and its conceptual 5 Series sibling, we immediately got the sneaking suspicion that the car wouldn’t be the last Bavarian with a battery pack. Now it looks like the 3 Series will be the next in the [...]

Confirmed, Again: Next BMW 3 Series to gain hybrid version

Filed under: Coupe, Sedan, Europe, Japan, Technology, BMW, Luxury When we first saw the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 Concept and its conceptual 5 Series sibling, we immediately got the sneaking suspicion that the car wouldn’t be the last Bavarian with a battery pack. Now it looks like the 3 Series will be the next in the [...]

Confirmed, Again: Next BMW 3 Series to gain hybrid version

Filed under: Coupe, Sedan, Europe, Japan, Technology, BMW, Luxury When we first saw the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 Concept and its conceptual 5 Series sibling, we immediately got the sneaking suspicion that the car wouldn’t be the last Bavarian with a battery pack. Now it looks like the 3 Series will be the next in the [...]

Gemballa reportedly closes up shop, Uwe still missing

Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, Europe, Porsche, Earnings/Financials, Celebrities, Luxury Word out of Germany is that things aren’t looking any better for Gemballa. The famed Porsche tuner is well on its way through bankruptcy after founder and CEO Uwe Gemballa suddenly “disappeared” in South Africa back in February. Judging by our less than trusty Google Translator, [...]

Video: 2011 Ford GT500 spanks last year’s model by nine seconds at VIR

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Ford 2011 Ford Mustang GT500 at VIR – Click above to watch video after the jump We know firsthand that both the 2011 Ford Mustang V6 and GT aren’t just plenty quick – they’re downright scary fast compared to their predecessors. It should follow, that the king of the heap [...]

Video: Frogman Rocket II Trike stars in short film, is our kind of crazy

Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, Videos, Specialty Frogman Rocket II – Click above to watch video after the jump Early last year, our very own Drew Phillips spotted the Frogman Rocket II doing its best to blend in among the other, less-outrageous creations at the Grand National Roadster Show. At the time, he wondered what it [...]

First Drive: 2010 Suzuki Kizashi Sport improves upon original recipe

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Suzuki, First Drive 2010 Suzuki Kizashi Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery Miami isn’t exactly a driver’s town. It’s a tangle of perfectly perpendicular secondary streets demarcated by lengthy stoplights and the occasional drawbridge or toll booth. Perched on the very tip of Florida, it’s one of the last [...]

GM announces best-in-class towing, payload figures for heavy-duty Silverado, Sierra

Filed under: Truck, Work, Chevrolet, GM, GMC 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD – Click above for high-res image gallery General Motors has just announced the hauling capacities for the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD pickups. The new trucks can now pull up to 21,700 pounds in fifth-wheel configuration and lug around 6,635 pounds [...]

Report: VW CEO says Seat getting its last chance

Filed under: Europe, Earnings/Financials, SEAT Seat Ibiza Sport Tourer – Click above for high-res image gallery It’s no secret that Seat is the dimmest bulb in the Volkswagen classroom. The beleaguered Spanish manufacturer squandered a total of $138 million in the first quarter of this year alone – more than double what the next two [...]

Grounded: HondaJet delayed again due to component delays

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Honda Honda may still be dreaming the impossible dream, but it’s not helping the company’s new HondaJet get off the ground. According to Automotive News, the world won’t be seeing the aircraft until 2012. Once upon a time, the Japanese company had planned to take to the skies as soon as this [...]

Spy Shots: 2011 Land Rover LRX stays true to the concept

Filed under: Spy Photos, Hybrid, SUV, Hatchback, Land Rover 2011 Land Rover LRX – Click above for high-res image gallery It was only a matter of time before our army of steely-eyed spy photographers were able to snag a handful of shots of the upcoming Land Rover LRX. Proving once and for all that BMW [...]

Video: Mooning spectator causes New Zealand rally crash

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Performance, Videos, Mitsubishi, Humor, Racing Mark Tapper under the full moon – Click above to watch video after the jump Let’s take a moment for quick lesson in target fixation courtesy of New Zealand rally driver Mark Tapper. Earlier this month, Tapper was participating the Rally New Zealand in his WRC [...]

Video: Driver dives to escape burning Exige at N-Ring 24HR

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Videos, Lotus, Racing Roger Green bails from the number 114 Lotus Exige – Click above to watch video after the jump Looks like EVO‘s Roger Green won’t be struggling to find an angle for his coverage of this year’s 24 Hours of Nurburgring. The guy was one of three [...]

GM earns $865M first quarter profit, first in three years

Filed under: GM, Earnings/Financials General Motors has just posted its first quarterly profit in three years, and it’s not exactly chump change. The General just announced it managed to rake in a net income of $865 million during the first quarter of 2010. According to The Detroit News, the change in direction is thanks largely [...]

GM earns $865M first quarter profit, first in three years

Filed under: GM, Earnings/Financials General Motors has just posted its first quarterly profit in three years, and it’s not exactly chump change. The General just announced it managed to rake in a net income of $865 million during the first quarter of 2010. According to The Detroit News, the change in direction is thanks largely [...]

GM earns $865M first quarter profit, first in three years

Filed under: GM, Earnings/Financials General Motors has just posted its first quarterly profit in three years, and it’s not exactly chump change. The General just announced it managed to rake in a net income of $865 million during the first quarter of 2010. According to The Detroit News, the change in direction is thanks largely [...]

GM earns $865M first quarter profit, first in three years

Filed under: GM, Earnings/Financials General Motors has just posted its first quarterly profit in three years, and it’s not exactly chump change. The General just announced it managed to rake in a net income of $865 million during the first quarter of 2010. According to The Detroit News, the change in direction is thanks largely [...]

GM earns $865M first quarter profit, first in three years

Filed under: GM, Earnings/Financials General Motors has just posted its first quarterly profit in three years, and it’s not exactly chump change. The General just announced it managed to rake in a net income of $865 million during the first quarter of 2010. According to The Detroit News, the change in direction is thanks largely [...]

GM earns $865M first quarter profit, first in three years

Filed under: GM, Earnings/Financials General Motors has just posted its first quarterly profit in three years, and it’s not exactly chump change. The General just announced it managed to rake in a net income of $865 million during the first quarter of 2010. According to The Detroit News, the change in direction is thanks largely [...]

Video: New Ford promos get cozy with 2011 Mustang engines

Filed under: Coupe, Budget, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Ford 2011 Ford Mustang GT promo – Click above to watch video after the jump At this point, we know all there is to know about the 2011 Ford Mustang. The fact that the all-new 5.0-liter V8 delivers a heady 412 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque is scrawled [...]

Video: New Ford promos get cozy with 2011 Mustang engines

Filed under: Coupe, Budget, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Ford 2011 Ford Mustang GT promo – Click above to watch video after the jump At this point, we know all there is to know about the 2011 Ford Mustang. The fact that the all-new 5.0-liter V8 delivers a heady 412 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque is scrawled [...]

Report: GM cancels plan to sell Chevrolet Orlando in U.S.

Filed under: Budget, Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM, Canada, South Korea Chevrolet Orlando – Click above for high-res image gallery Rumor has it that General Motors won’t be selling the new seven-passenger Orlando here in the United States come 2011, or ever for that matter. According to Automotive News, GM has said that it [...]

Report: GM cancels plan to sell Chevrolet Orlando in U.S.

Filed under: Budget, Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM, Canada, South Korea Chevrolet Orlando – Click above for high-res image gallery Rumor has it that General Motors won’t be selling the new seven-passenger Orlando here in the United States come 2011, or ever for that matter. According to Automotive News, GM has said that it [...]

Buick LaCrosse rebranded as Daewoo Alpheon in South Korea

Filed under: Sedan, Luxury, South Korea, Daewoo 2011 Daewoo Alpheon – Click above for high-res image gallery General Motors may be shying away from badge engineering here in the United States, but that doesn’t mean the company is giving up its old ways in other parts of the world. Daewoo recently unveiled its new Alpheon [...]

Honda updates Impossible Dream ad with CR-Z, Asimo and hot tub

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Honda, UK Honda Impossible Dream II – Click above to watch video after the jump Honda has resurrected The Impossible Dream once more. Hands down one of our favorite car spots of all time, the original ad aired in the UK way back in 2005 and featured a smattering of models [...]

Funkmaster Flex pimping 2011 Ford Fiesta

Filed under: Concept Cars, Budget, Sedan, Hatchback, Ford, Celebrities 2011 Ford Fiesta – Click above for high-res image gallery Funkmaster Flex has teamed up with Ford to pimp both a new 2011 Fiesta and his new show on MTV2. Viewers can tune in on May 2 to see Flex put his own personal taste into [...]

Your Face Here: Fiat celebrating half a million 500s with owner-inspired paint job

Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, UK, Celebrities, Design/Style Fiat 500 – Click above for high-res image gallery If the Fiat 500 does as well here in the U.S. as it has in the rest of the world, Chrysler is going to have plenty to celebrate. Fiat just announced that it has sold a [...]

Spy Video: 2011 BMW M5 undergoes ‘Ring Taxi practice

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Performance, Europe, Videos, BMW, Luxury 2011 BMW M5 testing at the Nurburgring – Click above to watch video after the jump The 2011 BMW M5 has been caught on video doing its thing around the ‘Ring, and by “doing its thing” we really mean shredding the life out of the [...]

Report: Chinese car quality complaints on the rise

Filed under: China, Recalls, Safety Just when we thought China’s automotive industry had made some headway in the quality department, we get word that complaints about new car quality in the country have risen significantly over the past few months. During the first quarter of this year, complains on vehicles purchased within the last six [...]

China’s Brilliance reportedly retreats from Europe after ‘cool reception’

Filed under: Sedan, Wagon, China, Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Earnings/Financials Brilliance BS4 Wagon – Click above for high-res image gallery Chinese automaker Brilliance is pulling out of Europe with no plans to return, according to Autoweek. The company began selling both its BS4 and BS6 sedans in the old country back in 2007, though sales have been [...]

Video: Porsche’s 911 GT3 RS is so easy a 10-year old kid can drive it

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Etc., Europe, Videos, Porsche 10 year-old Stepi Wörle hoons a Porsche 911 GT3 RS – Click above to watch video after the jump Germany must be a magical place. Typically, if we were to tell you about a story that involved a 10 year-old boy, his 14 year-old brother and their [...]

Mitsubishi giving Peugeot/Citroën version of ASX

Filed under: Budget, SUV, Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Citroën, Diesel Mitsubishi ASX – Click above for high-res image gallery Mitsubishi, Citroen and Peugeot have announced a partnership that should have a new small SUV in French show rooms by early 2012. The Japanese automaker has agreed to share its ASX platform with PSA Peugeot Citroen [...]

Report: TVR rebirth hinges on hybrid tech and Chevrolet Corvette power

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, UK, Luxury At long last, the question of exactly which American V8 the newly-resurrected TVR will use has been answered. As you might have guessed, the Russian-owned, English-bred racer will get a beating heart from none other than the mighty Chevrolet Corvette. The news hounds over at Autocar [...]

Honda in the black, fourth quarter profits up by 28%

Filed under: Car Buying, Japan, Honda, Earnings/Financials Honda has officially joined the ranks of automakers like Kia and Ford by posting solid profits during the fourth quarter of the company’s fiscal year. The Japanese automaker managed to see profits rise by 28 percent compared to the same period last year, thanks largely to increased hybrid [...]

Video: PSA – Ken Jeong and Joel McHale urge you to put a sock on it

Filed under: Safety, Videos Wear your thumb socks – Click above to watch video after the jump In the never-ending battle to get teenage drivers to put down their cell phones while driving, Sprint has assembled an A-Team of comedic force to advocate the use of thumb socks. We’re not kidding. The ever-hilarious comedians Ken [...]

Custom Chevrolet Camaro is ultimate tribute to fallen servicemen

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Budget, Performance, Chevrolet, Design/Style Tribute 2010 Chevrolet Camaro – Click above for high-res image gallery On Christmas day, 2007, Constandina Tutten was informed that her husband, Army Sergeant Joseph Tutten had been killed in the line of duty in Iraq. Sgt. Tutten was a squad leader with the 82nd Airborne, and [...]

Top Gear America caught filming on Mullholland

Filed under: Etc., Celebrities Top Gear America caught filming – Click above for high-res image gallery We understand if you don’t believe that the History Channel has adopted Top Gear America. After all, you’ve been burnt before. But according to the keen-eyed crew from Kilometer Magazine, filming has already begun. During the U.S. launch of [...]

Report: NASCAR founder’s grandson allowed to race after botched arrest for street racing, cocaine possession

Filed under: Motorsports, Government/Legal, Celebrities Despite getting nabbed for street racing, driving under the influence and possession of a controlled substance, the grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France is reportedly off the hook and back on the race track. A Florida judge dismissed the charges against J.C. France after it became apparent that the Daytona [...]

Video: Digital Fahrvergnügen – VW Scirocco used as video game controller

Filed under: Budget, Technology, Videos, Hatchback, Volkswagen, Toys/Games Volkswagen Scirocco by day, video game controller by night – Click above to watch video after the jump We’ve always envied those awesome home-stitched arcade racing consoles. It’s not that we aren’t handy enough to screw a few pieces of plywood together, it’s just that there isn’t [...]

Volkswagen asks developers to design next-gen. infotainment systems

Filed under: Technology, Volkswagen Volkswagen e-up! Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery Volkswagen is taking a page from the Apple playbook by inviting software developers to help shape the face of the automaker’s infotainment systems. The German manufacturer is holding an “App My Ride” contest where anyone can submit an application that they [...]

Corvette Museum wants to build race track across the highway

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Chevrolet And not just a track, either. The National Corvette Museum wants to build an entire motorsports complex, including two road courses, a kart track, a ten-acre autocross course and a quarter-mile drag strip in Bowling Green, Kentucky. If that wasn’t ambitious enough, the museum wants to do it on the [...]

Report: NHTSA investigating NH Toyota Highlander crash that killed four

Filed under: SUV, Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Toyota The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking into an accident involving a Toyota Highlander that claimed the lives of four motorists last year. Stephen Lagakos was driving with his wife and mother in New Hampshire when the vehicle sped up, passed a number of other vehicles [...]

Teacher’s stolen Honda Accord returned with new engine, upgrades

Filed under: Aftermarket, Budget, Sedan, Government/Legal, Honda There’s a reason car thieves prefer run of the mill vehicles like the Honda Accord over flashier metal. With thousands of the things running the roads of every city in America, it’s nearly impossible for law enforcement to track down one car out of the masses. And that’s [...]

Report: eBay Motors labels Kevorkian VW Bus as ‘murderabilia,’ delists auction

Filed under: Budget, Minivan/Van, Auctions, Volkswagen, Celebrities You can’t sell everything on eBay. Case in point: The auction site has a pretty stiff policy against the selling of what it calls “murderabillia” or anything “closely associated with notorious murders within the last 100 years.” We can debate whether euthanasia qualifies constitutes actual murder, but regardless, [...]

Report: Ford earns $2.1B profit in Q1

Filed under: Ford, Earnings/Financials According to The Detroit News, Ford has officially announced its fourth straight profitable quarter in a row. The company managed to make $2.1 billion in profits over the first three months of 2010, thanks largely to a rapid increase in sales during the first part of the year. The company saw [...]

Spy Shots: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee gets final tuning on ‘Ring

Filed under: Spy Photos, SUV, Europe, Chrysler, Jeep, Luxury 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee – Click above for high-res image gallery The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee has been spotted during testing, and the SUV wasn’t wearing any of the camouflage we’re used to seeing. Even more surprising, engineers weren’t putting the truck through its paces out [...]

Chinese women driving new Ferrari sales?

Filed under: Performance, China, Earnings/Financials, Ferrari, Luxury Ferrari 599XX at Miller Motorsports Park – Click above for high-res image gallery It looks like Ferrari’s love affair with China isn’t one-sided. According to a recent report, the Prancing Horse moved a total of 220 cars in China last year, and of those, 20 percent were snapped [...]

How to ‘murder out’ your ride for just $120 – in your garage

Filed under: Aftermarket, Design/Style Homebrewed BMW vinyl wrap – Click above for high-res image gallery Let’s say you want to go all Mad Max on your BMW 330i, but aren’t quite ready to give your shiny paint that Krylon finish. No worries. As user djaemac over on E90 Post found out, wrapping your car in [...]

Oprah teams up with government agencies to promote ‘No Phone Zone Day’

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Celebrities Oprah Winfrey has officially partnered with the Governors Highway Safety Association and handful of other agencies to help put a stop to distracted driving. The famed talk-show host will be heading up a special live show this Friday designed to highlight the dangers of driving and cell phone use. Winfrey [...]

VW Touareg W12 given the 500 horsepower treatment by CoverEFX

Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, SUV, Europe, Volkswagen CoverEFX VW Touareg W12 – Click above for high-res image gallery CoverEFX, a tuner out of Erftstadt, Germany, has taken it upon itself to bless the VW Touareg W12 with a little extra horsepower. While the company specializes in vehicle wraps of all shapes and sizes, it’s answered [...]

Report: Next Chrysler Sebring to be built in Italy?

Filed under: Convertible, Budget, Sedan, Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Chrysler, Fiat If ever there was a model in the Chrysler line up that needs updating, it’s the Sebring. While the car was a perfectly capable competitor when it debuted way back in 1995, subsequent generations have left it as nothing more than rental-fleet fodder. But if a [...]

Beijing 2010: Honda Li Nisn Everus sedan concept

Filed under: Concept Cars, Budget, Sedan, China, Honda, Beijing Motor Show Li Nian Everus Sedan – Click above for high-res image gallery The Beijing Motor Show is well under way, and Honda is showing off a new concept slated for the Chinese market. Called the Li Nian Everus, the car is the fruit of a [...]

Ford recalling 33,000 vehicles to replace… seat recliner?

Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Ford Ford has announced a recall of some 33,000 vehicles due to faulty front seat manual reclining mechanisms. The recall affects certain 2010 Ford Fusion, Explorer and Explorer SportTrac models, as well as 2010 Mercury Mountaineer and Milan vehicles. Both the Blue Oval and NHTSA are concerned that during an accident [...]

Beijing 2010: MG Zero Concept

Filed under: Concept Cars, China, Hatchback, Beijing Motor Show MG Zero Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery MG has its eyes set on the juicy Chinese small hatch segment, and the company’s first crack at the market debuted in the form of Zero Concept at this year’s Beijing Motor Show. At shave over [...]