| European car sales rise slightly in April |
May 18th, 2013 |
In April, for the first time in 18 months, monthly new auto registrations in Europe increased. The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association said Friday April registrations in the 27-nation European Union climbed nearly 2 percent, from 1.02 million to 1.04 million. The numbers got a little help from the calendar: The Easter holiday was in March - not April, as it was in 2012 - so there ...
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| NTSB Recommends Lower Blood Alcohol Limit for Drivers |
May 17th, 2013 |
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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) made 19 recommendations to lower alcohol-related automotive deaths this week, including a recommendation for all 50 states to lower blood alcohol content (BAC) level to 0.05 to less. Other recommendations include stiffer punishments, better enforcement of existing laws, and wider use of technology to eventually lower the number of [...]
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| European car sales slump ends |
May 17th, 2013 |
Milan - European auto sales grew in April for the first time since September 2011, ending 18 consecutive months of decline, but the improvement was a technical one because of two extra work days last month, the European automaker's association said ...
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| Chrysler Delays 2014 Jeep Cherokee One Month |
May 17th, 2013 |
on Thursday that its midsize SUV, slated to hit dealers right about now, won't arrive until the middle of June. But dealers should have plenty of cars by fall, said Mark Chernoby, who heads up engineering at Chrysler. Chrysler builds the Cherokee in Toledo, Ohio; the automaker said it's smoothing out a few issues common with new-vehicle launches. "Right now, we are at a point ...
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| Layman Chevy showroom get smell of new and more cars |
May 17th, 2013 |
The redesigned Bobby Layman Chevrolet, still located at 3900 W. Broad St. Bobby Layman Chevrolet hasnt moved from its jingle-immortalized address, but it has a new look. The auto dealership at 3900 W. Broad St. in Columbus is debuting its new showroom and administrative offices Friday, showing off the newest design from its supplier General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM) Instead of renovating, it made more ...
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| Discover volcanic luxe in Iceland and art-deco cars in Nashville |
May 17th, 2013 |
Thingvellir, Iceland: Set amid the volcanic landscape of Mount Hengill, less than an hour drive from Reykjavik, ION is geared to adventurous travellers who prefer natural wonders to nightlife. Guests of the ultra-modern hotel can go fly fishing, diving and white-water rafting, tour the Gullfoss waterfall, geysers and glaciers, and explore Thingvellir National Park with a hiking guide or on ...
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| Tesla Working to have EVs Refuel Faster than Gas Cars |
May 17th, 2013 |
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Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced a way for the Tesla Model S to be recharged faster than a gas car can be refueled in a Twitter post last week. The company has been working on a battery-swapping feature to help relieve the range anxiety that many owners feel about their electric vehicles. The technique [...]
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| We Hear: Production of 2014 Jeep Cherokee Delayed to Mid-June |
May 17th, 2013 |
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Newest Jeep delayed.
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| Expect millions of electric car charging stations by 2020 |
May 17th, 2013 |
Andrew Utter plugs converted a Toyota Prius Zipcar into a charging station across the street from City Hall in San Francisco. Charging stations are hard to find but researchers expect more than 10 million worldwide by 2020. Tesla Motors might have scored its first-ever profit during the first quarter, but sales of plug-in vehicles are lagging below expectations, which analysts blame on the high ...
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| GM returns to $33 IPO price on truck optimism after 2-year slump |
May 17th, 2013 |
General Motors Co., poised to rejoin the Standard & Poor's 500 Index, topped its $33 initial public offering price for the first time in more than two years as the automaker prepares to introduce redesigned full-size pickups. GM rose 2.2 percent to $33.11 at 9:42 a.m. New York time after touching $33.16. The shares peaked at $38.98 at the close on Jan. 7, 2011, less two months after its ...
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| 2013 Mercedes-Benz ML550 4Matic review notes: With AMG-like acceleration |
May 17th, 2013 |
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EDITOR WES RAYNAL: Iand#8217;ll rarely turn down the chance to drive an ML, any ML. They are among the best midsize SUVs in the land. Expensive, but excellent. With that said, I like the ML350 Bluetec diesel best over the gas-powered ones.
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| Attend a 2013 Newberry Car Buffs Cruise In and Stay at the Nearby Holiday Inn Express & Suites Newberry Hotel |
May 17th, 2013 |
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Holiday Inn Express & Suites Newberry South Carolina Hotel offers convenient accommodations to guests attending a 2013 Newberry Car Buffs Cruise In.
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| San Diego police officer gets probation after DUI accident |
May 17th, 2013 |
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The recent arrest of a San Diego police officer highlights the potential consequences of drunk driving
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| Study finds no safety benefits in hands-free texting |
May 17th, 2013 |
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A recent study found that hands-free texting is no safer than handheld texting.
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| Supreme Court says warrantless blood tests are generally impermissible |
May 17th, 2013 |
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The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that warrentless blood tests for DUI suspects are generally unconstitutional.
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| Cars Internet connectivity poses cyber attack threat |
May 17th, 2013 |
Wellington, May 16 : With the cars becoming more powered and connected to the Internet and operated by computers, the risk of cyber attacks have ...
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| Inhalation of auto emissions turns HDL cholesterol from good to bad |
May 17th, 2013 |
Washington, May 16 : Breathing motor vehicle emissions triggers a change in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, altering its cardiovascular protective qualities so that it actually contributes to clogged arteries, researchers have found in a study done in ...
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| Bicyclist dies after hit by two cars |
May 17th, 2013 |
According to FHP, the first car that hit Robinson was a white 2005 Hyundai driven by Christopher M. Jones, 24, of Tarpon Springs. Troopers say Jones left the scene of the crash and then abandoned his car a few miles ...
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| Four hurt in auto repair shop fire |
May 17th, 2013 |
Firefighters extinguish a fire that erupted in a depot of a residential building in Adonis, north of Beirut, Wednesday, April 3, 2013. (The Daily Star/Hasan ...
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| 16 food trucks apply to be part of Taste of Chicago |
May 17th, 2013 |
Sixteen food trucks submitted applications to be part of this year's Taste of Chicago, city officials said Thursday. This year's food festival, scheduled for July 10-14 in Grant Park, will include licensed food trucks for the first time. The trucks will be parked at Butler Field next to the lawn seating for the Petrillo Music Shell. They will be able to set up two hours before each ...
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| Indian auto and pharma industry benefit from international sanctions on Iran |
May 17th, 2013 |
The various international sanctions imposed on Iran have made it difficult for India to settle the bills of its crude oil import from the Islamic nation. To overcome this difficulty and settle the payment issue both the nations have reached an agreement under which the Iran has agreed to import automobile and medicines from ...
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| UK automotive manufacturing on the rise |
May 17th, 2013 |
Car manufacturing in the UK rose by 17 per cent in April. What's more, the nation is outperforming most other countries in the ...
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| Welcome Back: Honda Re-Entering Formula 1 in 2015 as Engine, KERS Supplier to McLaren |
May 17th, 2013 |
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From 1964 to 2008, Honda participated in Formula 1 competition through multiple avenues including racing, building cars, and supplying engines. Today, Honda announced that it will be rejoining Formula 1 in the form of an engine builder for McLaren. When Honda was last involved in F1 competition, it created a trickle-down effect for the automaker’s [...]
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| Holden Commodore final VE rolls off production line |
May 17th, 2013 |
Holden Commodore SS Z Series automatic sedan pictured is the last of more than 520,000 VEs to leave Holden Vehicle Operations in Elizabeth since the start of production in 2006. More than 350,000 VE Commodores and derivatives have been sold in Australia in that time, while more than 170,000 have been exported to five continents, including utes to South Africa, sedans to the Middle East and ...
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| Flying cars grounded following crash into Vernon schoolyard |
May 17th, 2013 |
VERNON, B.C. -- The Transportation Safety Board says the U.S. manufacturer of flying cars has grounded all five of its prototypes until it can determine a cause for a recent crash in B.C.One of the Maverick flying cars, sold by Florida-based Beyond Roads, crashed near a Vernon elementary school last Friday, leaving a pilot and a passenger with minor injuries. According to the company's ...
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| BMW CEO to Germans Chill out and start buying electric cars |
May 17th, 2013 |
German Chancellor Angela Merkel (right) visit a BMW plant in Leipzig on Nov. 5, 2010. The plant will be expanded to produce the newly-developed Megacity electric car. (Steffen Kugler/AFP/Getty ...
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| NHTSA’s New Chief Considers Auto-Brake Systems |
May 16th, 2013 |
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David Friedman has been appointed as the new deputy administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and has considered making auto-brake systems in cars a mandatory feature. Friedman has previously pushed for stricter fuel economy standards and lower oil consumption. Automatic braking systems use cameras and radar systems to detect oncoming vehicles, as [...]
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| Spied! 2014 BMW M235i Without Camouflage |
May 16th, 2013 |
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Previously, the only BMW 2-Series prototypes seen were smothered in camouflage, making it harder for us to figure out what the production-ready car would look like. Today, we caught the BMW M235i at an official photo shoot where most of the camouflage has been done away with. Even several months before its official debut, we [...]
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| 2014 BMW 6 Series Adds M Sport Edition |
May 16th, 2013 |
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Available on all 2014 BMW 6 Series models will be a special M Sport enhancement edition that will add features and sportier styling. On the outside the 6 Series will get new 19-inch wheels with a double five-spoke design. A host of dark-chrome accents will make their way on everything from the brake calipers to [...]
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| 2014 Maserati Quattroporte S Q4 Driven: 404-hp V-6 and AWD Get It Done |
May 16th, 2013 |
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We are literally flying in a Maserati Quattroporte S Q4 at the automaker’s Balocco test track. Former WRC rally driver Alex Fiorio has launched Maserati’s sedan into a dipping left-hander— WHAM, we land, and he deftly cranks the 4500-pound sedan into a rising right. A few corners later, Fiorio purposely misses an apex and slides [...]
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| Dial M for Motorsport: BMW Adds M Sport Edition for 6-series, Starts at $80,625 |
May 16th, 2013 |
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Walking into a BMW dealership is no different than entering a five-star steakhouse–everything’s a la carte and you will pay through the nose to get the best trimmings. But sometimes BMW throws us a bone (possibly a T-bone, in this instance), and suddenly, an $80,625 640i coupe is somewhat easier to swallow.The 2014 6-series M [...]
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| Honda to Return to Formula 1 in 2015 with McLaren |
May 16th, 2013 |
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Confirming a rumor that has been making the rounds for years now, and picked up quite a bit of steam within the past six months, Honda has announced it will return to Formula 1 as an engine supplier beginning in 2015. Honda didn’t explicitly say why it wouldn’t join up next season when the 1.6-liter [...]
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| 2 Dealers Receive Dataium’s Web Awards for April |
May 16th, 2013 |
Ron Carter Hyundai and Antwerpen Hyundai Catonsville have each received an award from Dataium for the month of April.
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| Naming the Best M3, Range Rover vs. G-Wagen on Wide Open Throttle |
May 16th, 2013 |
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Carlos Lago soaked up in BMW M3 goodness when he drove all four generations of the sports sedan at the automaker’s track in South Carolina and, naturally, other Motor Trend staffers want to know how it went. On this episode of Wide Open Throttle, hosts partake in a heated debate about the best M3, talk [...]
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| Mitsubishi Prepares Second-Gen EV Pikes Peak Racers |
May 16th, 2013 |
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536-hp, AWD racer set to "race to the clouds."
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| Soar Over Volkswagen’s Worthersee Festival (W/Videos) |
May 16th, 2013 |
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Diehard Volkswagen enthusiasts wouldn’t miss the annual Worthersee festival in Austria, but in case you couldn’t make it out this year, the videos below take us for a tour inside the celebration, in which we see Volkswagens of all shapes and sizes everywhere the video camera turns. Onto its 32nd year, the Worthersee festival draws [...]
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| NHTSA Considers Making Automatic Braking Mandatory |
May 16th, 2013 |
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First antilock brakes, then traction and electronic stability control, and now automatic braking? The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) is reportedly considering a push to make automatic braking, as seen on vehicles such as the Volvo S60, a mandatory feature for all new cars. The news comes from NHTSA administrator David Strickland, who made [...]
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| Watch Infiniti M Sedans Slide Around in the Dirt |
May 16th, 2013 |
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Infiniti is making the most of its partnership with Red Bull Racing, releasing a new video featuring newly named Infiniti performance director and three-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel behind the wheel of an Infiniti M sedan. This time, instead of dueling with teammate Mark Webber, Vettel’s partner is former Red Bull driver David Coulthard. The [...]
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| 2014 BMW 6 Series M Sport Edition Offers More Features, Style |
May 16th, 2013 |
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BMW has made its 6 Series range more enticing, offering a new M Sport Edition model for each 6 Series coupe, convertible, and four-door Gran Coupe variant. Moderately priced over base models, the new trim level will offer a sportier appearance, more standard features, and exclusive goodies formerly only available on the M6 when it [...]
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| TOTD: Chevrolet Camaro Hot Wheels or Camaro 1LE? |
May 16th, 2013 |
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Until recently, the Chevrolet Camaro was a mostly-show-and-a-little-go kind of car. Now, with performance variants like the 1LE, ZL1, and upcoming Z/28, you can say “Camaro” and “race track” in the same sentence without feeling silly. Still, many are sold on the retro-inspired Camaro’s looks alone. The 2013 Camaro SS Hot Wheels Special Edition we [...]
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| Report EV charging stations may grow tenfold by end of decade |
May 16th, 2013 |
The number of electric-vehicle charging stations is expected to grow tenfold by the end of the decade, according to a new report compiled by IMS Research. EV charging stations, which totaled 135,000 globally in 2011, could grow to 10.7 million by 2020, the report said, led by growing electric-vehicle markets like the U.S., China, Japan and Germany. "While volumes may not reach the levels ...
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| Toyota starts exports of French-built Yaris cars to N.America |
May 16th, 2013 |
PARIS | Thu May 16, 2013 1:02pm EDT PARIS May 16 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp has begun exporting French-made Yaris compact cars to customers in North America for the first time this month. Toyota said it planned to export around 25,000 gasoline versions of the Yaris built at the northern French town of Onnaing, near Valenciennes, to the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico ...
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| Automaker Honda to return in 2015 |
May 16th, 2013 |
Japanese automaker Honda said Thursday it will return to Formula One in 2015 as an engine supplier to British team McLaren in a bid to revive their championship-winning partnership.Honda president Takanobu Ito said, "We shall act as McLaren-Honda," and they are resolved to be "the No.1." AFP - Global ...
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| Osceola County shoot-out damages cars in Buenaventura Lakes |
May 16th, 2013 |
KISSIMMEE – Gunshots fired about 1:40 am. Thursday drew Osceola County sheriff's deputies to the area of Royal Palm and Alameda drives, according to the sheriff's office.When they arrived, an unidentified resident told deputies he had been in his back yard when he heard gunfire on the street and then saw an older model white Dodge Caravan leave the area. Deputies found what ...
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| US cars rank high in total quality |
May 16th, 2013 |
Agreed with other comment: what's this list's definition of "Quality" -all those VWs? And the MINI is a very troublesome car. I question this survey. Big ...
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| Board accepts Lexingtons food trucks ordinance |
May 16th, 2013 |
Customers formed a long line to buy crepes at La Petite Creperie. On Saturday, August 13, 2011 at the Lexington Farmer's Market near the Old Courthouse in downtown Lexington, Ky., two of Lexington's food trucks (La Petite Creperie and Hardwood Pizza) served up a variety of dishes. Photo by Angela ...
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| A16Zs Chris Dixon on the Internet of Locks Cars New York and Everything Else |
May 16th, 2013 |
Kevin Maney Chris Dixon is a New York guy with a degree in philosophy from Columbia University. He's also, as of last fall, a partner at hot Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (which shortens its name to A16Z--16 is the number of letters between the A and the Z). All in all, that gives him a pretty interesting point of view on the big technology shift that's being ...
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| Disneys Planes Teaser Soaring Over Cars Land |
May 16th, 2013 |
First full length trailer for Disney's animation featuring voices by Dane Cook, Val Kilmer, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Brad, Garrett, Teri Hatcher and John Cleese. The plane racing movie is set to hit theaters on August 9, ...
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| Car Promises That Werent Kept |
May 16th, 2013 |
, and in the following months purchased the remaining shares and privatized the entire company. With the acquisition came a new edict: No future product announcements. "We don't know, at this point, to what extent any of those future products are in the works," Lotus Cars USA spokesman Kevin Smith told us. "We don't even, frankly, know that much internally right now ...
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| Toyota is Asia’s top firm |
May 16th, 2013 |
Tokyo - Toyota has accelerated past South Korea's Samsung Electronics to become Asia's biggest company by market value, after the Japanese automaker's shares doubled in the past ...
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| Honda looking forward to green return to F1 |
May 16th, 2013 |
Sitting in an interview room at the Bunkamura cultural complex in Tokyo's Shibuya district, Mara Pags leans forward, smiles and tells me: "Flamenco is my ...
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| SUV, Compact Car Prices Rise at Auction |
May 16th, 2013 |
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 Wholesale used vehicle prices rose seasonally but fell annually in April, indicating continuation of a softening overall pricing environment.
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| Fuel Economy Remains at Record Levels |
May 16th, 2013 |
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 Fuel economy numbers from April light vehicle auto sales indicate increases in fuel economy have steadied at 23.7 MPG, remaining at record levels although ending a 3-month rise in industry fuel economy.
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| This Rolls-Royce Wraith Video Required 100 DSLR Cameras |
May 16th, 2013 |
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If you love learning how movie magic is made, you’ll probably appreciate this behind-the-scenes clip for the Rolls-Royce Wraith launch video, which featured a scene produced using an array of 100 Nikon digital SLR cameras. The two-minute commercial starts off fairly tame, with Rolls-Royce’s new coupe barreling through a dark forest. As the Wraith passes [...]
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| Honda to Build Engines For McLaren F1 Team |
May 16th, 2013 |
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Honda to build turbo V-6 engines.
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| Several Compact Crossovers Fail IIHS Small Overlap Test |
May 16th, 2013 |
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's newest test -- frontal small overlap -- is pretty tough to ace. The agency recently performed the test, meant to simulate a crash of a vehicle's front corner into another vehicle, a tree or a pole, on 13 compact SUVs; 11 scored Marginal or Poor. The ...
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| Honda Returns To Formula One After Five Years |
May 16th, 2013 |
Japanese car manufacturer Honda is returning to Formula One in 2015 as an engine supplier to McLaren. They left the sport in 2008 because of financial trouble but their ...
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| McLaren confirm Honda as engine suppliers from 2015 |
May 16th, 2013 |
Formula 1 team McLaren confirmed Thursday that they will form a new multi-year technology partnership and use Honda engines from the 2015 season. The McLarens will race using Honda engines and energy recovery systems, renewing an association that became one of the most successful and powerful in Formula 1 history during the 1980s-90s. The announcement brings back Honda back into the sport after ...
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| 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Car Seat Check |
May 16th, 2013 |
Both the Jeep Grand Cherokee's exterior and interior get refreshed for the 2014 model year. The changes don't affect the Grand Cherokee's ability to fit three child-safety seats across the backseat, however. Since its 2011 redesign, the Grand Cherokee has been one of the handful of cars that ...
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| Bicycle Sunday Look ma no cars |
May 16th, 2013 |
Fit & Fun For 47 years, the city of Seattle has closed a section of Lake Washington Boulevard to vehicles on select spring and summer Sundays and turned it over to bicyclists and walkers. In fact, "Bicycle Sunday," sponsored by Seattle Parks and Recreation and Cascade Bicycle Club, is one of the older open-streets events in the country. About 2,500 people take advantage of the ...
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| Tesla To Pay Back Department of Energy Loan Through Stock Sale |
May 16th, 2013 |
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Tesla Motors, Inc. has announced its plan to pay back the Department of Energy by offering almost 3 million shares of common stock, as well as $450 million aggregate principal amount of convertible senior notes. The automaker has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 405,454 shares of common stock [...]
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| First 2014 Infiniti Q50 Rolls off Assembly Line, Signals Infiniti Future |
May 16th, 2013 |
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The discontinued Infiniti G sedan fell a little further back in the rearview mirror today, as the first production 2014 Infiniti Q50 rolled off the assembly line at the Tochigi plant in Japan. Infiniti CEO Johan de Nysschen was on hand, as was Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn. The future of the Japanese luxury automaker will [...]
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| Top 10 Incentives for May |
May 16th, 2013 |
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Summer is right around the corner, making it the perfect time to get yourself behind the wheel of that car you’ve been eying. With all the vehicles on our list this month, there is no doubt something for everyone, and even a convertible to help you beat the summer heat that has already started to [...]
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| National Transportation Safety Board Recommends Lowering Legal Drunk Driving Limit |
May 16th, 2013 |
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Not wholly shocking, the National Transportation Safety Board has recommended that all states lower what legally constitutes drunk driving from a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 to 0.05 percent. The NTSB says that about 10,000 people die each year from alcohol-related car accidents, and 170,000 are injured. This would be one way to lower those numbers, [...]
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| 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Breaks Cover: Mega Gallery |
May 16th, 2013 |
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Sorting through Mercedes-Benz’s ever-expanding lineup, it can feel like a never-diminishing bowl of alphabet soup. But as far as the suits in Stuttgart are concerned, there is one letter that matters above all: S. The 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class exemplifies that rare confluence of driving characteristics, advanced technology, and luxury that embody and lift the automaker’s [...]
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| Exclusive: Feds Declare War on Black-Market Land Rover Defenders |
May 16th, 2013 |
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About half of the action movies made in the 1980s and 1990s, it seems, end up with a final showdown in a shipyard, hero and villains weaving through crates and pallets and containers. (The other half in abandoned warehouses and steel mills with free-flowing magnesium sparks.) “Diplomatic immunity!” a South African criminal taunts from atop [...]
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| 24 Hours of LeMons New England Day 1: Honda Accord, Volvo 745, Sea Sprite Leading |
May 16th, 2013 |
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When we inspect the cars that show up for a LeMons race, we’re never sure what’s going to happen once the real racing starts. Oh, sure, we always know which half-dozen teams have a genuine shot at the overall win— that’s a matter of recognizing which teams have the organizational chops and reliable machinery needed [...]
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| Name That Shifter, No. 128 |
May 16th, 2013 |
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It’s Monday, and that means it’s time to present this week’s shifter. You’ll have until mid-day Wednesday to identify the make and model of the vehicle whence this shifter came. The first person to respond correctly in the Backfires section below will win a Save the Manuals button and sticker.* Good luck! (* Offer open [...]
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| Aaron Robinson: Where Have All the Hobby Stores Gone? |
May 16th, 2013 |
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In January, my pal Paul Grusche and I drove the 94 miles to Kalamazoo, Michigan, for the Kalamazoo Thunderbirds R/C Club swap meet at the Kalamazoo County Expo Center. I’m only being specific because I like writing “Kalamazoo.” The large parking lot was jammed, and I was impressed until I learned that there was also [...]
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| Lamborghini Egoista: Sant’Agata’s Aviation-Inspired, Hot Wheels–Like Anniversary Special |
May 16th, 2013 |
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Those who appreciate the wildly styled Lamborghini Veneno are sure to take pleasure in Lamborghini’s next 50th birthday present to itself, the Egoista. As for the rest of us, and as far as the design community is concerned, it seems that the Sant’Agata operation just had its EXP 9 F moment, which is to say, a bit of [...]
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| 2015 Jaguar F-type Coupe Spy Photos: Same Sexy Sports Car, Different Hat |
May 16th, 2013 |
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What It Is: The inevitable Jaguar F-type coupe, caught wearing camouflage on its roof designed to look like a softtop. It’s not fooling anyone, and it isn’t exactly a secret that Jaguar is working on a fixed-head F-type. Despite debuting as a roadster, the F-type was first previewed in concept-car form as the roofed C-X16. [...]
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| Acura Reveals More Details of NSX, Will be Produced in Ohio |
May 16th, 2013 |
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Long known as the home of buckeyes, cornfields, and Amish communities, central Ohio soon will be home to something a little more exciting for car aficionados: the Acura NSX. In an announcement made today, Honda confirmed the NSX will be produced at a $70-million production facility to be housed inside Honda’s former North American logistics [...]
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| The Continental: The Autobahn is Safe, Mercedes Unimog Gets SL Grille, and VW and Lambo Tidbits |
May 16th, 2013 |
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Each week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and quick-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may say Jens Meiners, but we simply call him . . . the Continental. Whew—that wasn’t even close! An attack on unlimited speeds on the German autobahn has collapsed after [...]
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| The Concepts of Wörthersee: VW Group’s Pilgrimage to Austria |
May 16th, 2013 |
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The GTI meeting at the picturesque Lake Wörthersee in the Austrian state of Carinthia has turned into the VW Group’s annual adoration event. The entire company’s top brass, including Ferdinand Piëch, is present on location, embracing the culture surrounding the GTI. This year, VW, Audi, Seat, and Skoda will debut six concepts, and if the [...]
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| 24 Hours of LeMons New England: Winners! |
May 16th, 2013 |
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The last time LeMons racing came to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Hurricane Sandy forced the LeMons perpetrators to drive their rental Kia to North Carolina immediately after the checkered flag. This time, the weather was a bit better, but we still had to endure a blizzard of thrown rods and a hail of engine-block bits. [...]
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| 2013 Volkswagen Jetta “Safety” Commercial: A Little Fresh Heir Is Good [The Ad Section] |
May 16th, 2013 |
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There’s an old maxim in advertising that says if you want people to pay attention to your commercial, show babies or puppies. Over the years a lot of research—from eye-tracking studies to serious neuroscience experiments—has confirmed what every mother already knows: Adults are fascinated by the cute little buggers. E*Trade has certainly taken this adage [...]
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| Their Ghosts Still Haunt The Place: How Four GM Motorama Show Cars Were Saved from the Scrap Heap |
May 16th, 2013 |
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An old-school junkyard, Warhoops Auto and Truck Parts squats on 15.5 acres of dirt speckled with the detritus of our throwaway culture. A Cadillac propped against a tree exposes its Northstar to the sky. Bent buses and crumpled cop cars line up against a white fence. It’s forgettable real estate except for one key attribute: [...]
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| What I’d Do Differently: Dan Quayle |
May 16th, 2013 |
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C/D: Mr. Vice President, let’s get right to the fuzzy dice. DQ: I’m just on [Bell Automotive’s] board. I have nothing to do with their products. But I’ve had some dice and seat covers and steering-wheel covers in my cars. Not a lot. READ MORE ››
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| Prime Cuts: The Difference Between Regular and Run-Flat Tires Revealed—By Slicing Them Open |
May 16th, 2013 |
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Modern run-flat tires rely on strong, stiff sidewalls to carry the vehicle’s weight when air pressure dissipates. Extracting 50 miles of use from a flat tire, however, requires more than strength. Driving on a deflated tire—run-flat or not—initiates a destructive cycle: As the sidewall collapses, increased friction generates more heat, which softens the rubber and [...]
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| 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Driven: Good, Green Fun |
May 16th, 2013 |
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The 918 Spyder may pay homage to Porsche’s illustrious past, but its real mission is redefining supercar possibilities. Smart use of advanced technology works to eliminate the traditional conflict between performance and efficiency. Faster, and theoretically more fuel-stingy than any past Porsche, the 918 ventures beyond today’s expectations of hybrid technology to ensure that driving [...]
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| Lexus LS460 F Sport AWD Tested: Serene with an Attitude |
May 16th, 2013 |
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Note to luxury automobile manufacturers interested in entering the performance market: The world’s strategic reserve of performance-signifying alpha characters is dwindling fast. BMW has M locked up, Audi claimed RS, Cadillac took V, and greedy old Mercedes-Benz, acting with characteristic disregard for its Bavarian comrades, took A, M, and G. Thank heaven the letter F [...]
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| In Support of Lowering the Blood-Alcohol Limit to 0.05 |
May 16th, 2013 |
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When Roger Sterling takes a glass of vodka “for the road” on the television drama Mad Men, we laugh it off as another bit of black comedy. We’re smirking on our couches, nervously, from the reckless, carte blanche behavior seen on the show’s fictional 1960s setting. But five decades on, despite hundreds of laws on [...]
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| Lawyer Group Elects Officers |
May 16th, 2013 |
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 The National Association of Dealer Counsel (NADC) Board of Directors elected officers at its 9th Annual Member Conference held at The Montage Resort in Laguna Beach, Calif.
Oren Tasini of Haile, Shaw & Pfaffenberger, P.A. was elected president, replacing former President Patty Covington of Hudson Cook, LLP. Stephen Linzer of Tiffany & Bosco, P.A. and Diane Cafritz of CarMax were elected vice presidents. Andrew Weill of Benjamin, Weill & Mazer was elected treasurer and Tom Hudson of Hudson Cook LLP was elected secretary. The officers will serve two-year terms.
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| Ally Remains on Negative Watch |
May 16th, 2013 |
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 Fitch Ratings has maintained Ally Financial Inc.'s long-term Issuer Default Rating and senior unsecured debt rating of 'BB-' on Rating Watch Negative.
The ratings were first placed on Rating Watch Negative on May 15, 2012; following the bankruptcy filing by Ally's wholly owned subsidiary Residential Capital LLC.
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| Value Guide Pioneer Passes Away |
May 16th, 2013 |
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 James Harry Lawrence, a member of the National Auto Auction Association Hall of Fame, died May 2. He was 90.
Lawrence served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He then attended the Johns Hopkins University, graduating in 1951 with a degree in political economy.
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| SEMA Enhances Collision Expo |
May 16th, 2013 |
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 The 2013 SEMA Show will include enhanced features for the Collision Repair & Refinish market, including an expanded show floor area, targeted activities both inside and outside the Las Vegas Convention Center and an educational program.
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| NCM Institute Introduces Management Training |
May 16th, 2013 |
The new courses offer focused training on the effective management of parts and accessories, the collision center and express service. The training will be available starting in May.
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| Manheim Expands Into Western Canada |
May 16th, 2013 |
Manheim Canada has signed a partnership agreement with Source Auto Auction, a newly created auction facility in Edmonton, Alberta.
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| Dealers See Boom in Certified Pre-Owned Market |
May 16th, 2013 |
Certified pre-owned sales are up 6.2 percent in the first three month of 2013 vs. the same period last year, Edmunds.com reports.
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| DOJ Taking Closer Look at Auto Finance |
May 16th, 2013 |
The CFPB isn’t the only regulator interested in what goes on inside the F&I office. The U.S. Department of Justice also is taking aim at retail installment transactions.
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| N.J. Dealer Sues Chrysler |
May 16th, 2013 |
Lucas Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram has filed a lawsuit against the automaker for terminating its franchise agreement after the dealer failed to make expensive renovations to its facilities.
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| Group 1 Reports First-Quarter Performance |
May 16th, 2013 |
First-quarter net income was up 26.5 percent for the dealer group, while total gross profit grew 15.4 percent on 18 percent higher revenues.
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| Clay Nissan Settles $1.5M Defamation Suit |
May 16th, 2013 |
The legal battle between Clay Nissan and the brothers of a former cancer-stricken employee is over, ending the family’s 10-month campaign against the dealership for terminating their sister.
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| Delinquencies, Repossessions Up in 2013, Experian Automotive Reports |
May 16th, 2013 |
In the first quarter of 2013, 30-day auto loan delinquencies rose 1.3 percent, 60-day delinquencies increased 12.4 percent and repossessions rose 16.9 percent when compared with the previous year.
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| Auto/Mate Integrates DMS With Xtime ServiceCRM |
May 16th, 2013 |
The company’s AMPS Dealership Management System is now fully integrated with Xtime ServiceCRM, a cloud-based CRM and scheduling platform.
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| Group 1 Assessing Storm Damage in Oklahoma City, Houston |
May 16th, 2013 |
Group 1 estimates that the storms in Oklahoma City and Houston caused damage to facilities and about 3,200 new and used vehicles. The auto retailer is continuing to assess overall damage.
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| April SAAR at 14.92 Million Units |
May 16th, 2013 |
The SAAR is up slightly vs. April of last year, and most manufacturers experienced an increase in sales during the month.
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| GM Financial Discusses Acquisitions, New Prime Finance Product |
May 16th, 2013 |
GM Financial officials discuss the company’s recent acquisitions of Ally Financial’s European and Latin American business entities, as well as its entry into the prime market in 2014.
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| VisionMenu Now Integrated With Dealertrack’s DMS |
May 16th, 2013 |
The integration allows dealerships using Dealertrack’s DMS solution and VisionMenu to quickly and directly access a one-click menu from the dealer’s library of templates.
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| 4 Realities of F&I |
May 16th, 2013 |
The man behind the industry’s only sanctioning body for the F&I trade returns to offer his take on today’s regulatory environment.
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