Author: autoevolution

Seat introduces a new special edition for the Ibiza, the MTV TRL, developed in collaboration with the famous music channel.

The SEAT Ibiza MTV TRL will be available in Sport Coupe (3 doors) of five doors versions. The engine range available for the car includes two petrol engines (one of them has two versions) and one diesel unit: the 70 HP 1.2 liter – this  unit also has a version which can run on both petrol and LPG, the 85 HP 1.4 liter and the 90 HP 1.6 TDI diesel equipped with particle f… (read more)

The streets of Chicago will be taken over by a parade of smart fortwo vehicles this weekend, as smart owners will parade to the Chicago Auto Show on February 20. The parade, which will kick off a weekend with plenty of consumer test drives, will start at the Caribou Coffee on W. Maxwell and Halsted St. at 9:30 a.m. and travel down 18th St. to State St. to Cermak Rd. to Martin Luther King ending at McCormick Place West.

Consumers attending the Chicago Auto Show can test drive the smart fortw… (read more)

Jacques Villeneuve admitted that returning to Formula One with Stefan Grand Prix in 2010 would be a great opportunity for his racing career. Several lately reports have suggested that the 1997 Formula One champion has already agreed terms with the Serbian team, and will likely partner Kazuki Nakajima in the team’s 2010 lineup, on the condition it gets the entry to the 2010 season from the FIA.

It is really difficult to keep track of what is happening. Do they (Stefan) already have an official… (read more)

Although the manufacturers lineup for the 2010 Geneva Auto Show is pretty much known, it is nearly impossible for anyone to accurately describe what visitors to this 80th edition will experience. Anyone except for the organizers of the event, who released today a brief sum-up of what the 2010 show is all about.

One of the biggest auto events in Europe, Geneva will witness a flood of some 10,000 media representatives from all over the world, all cramming to get a first glimpse of the 100 worl… (read more)

LoJack, a company that invented the stolen vehicle recovery market more than 20 years ago, released its first 2009 Theft Recovery Report. Last Year, LoJack had a success rate of 90 percent, recovering 11,382 Lojack-equipped vehicles valued at $133 million. These figures are great, as according to the FBI of the 956,846 vehicles stolen in the US, 411,444 were not recovered.

A LoJack is, as you might already know, a transmitter hidden in your vehicle that helps the police track and recover your… (read more)

The power of the social media has again been demonstrated, as Volvo announced that its "DRIVe Around the World" challenge became the most installed branded application on Facebook in 2009. The Volvo Fans team, the winners, will be rewarded by a donation from Volvo Cars of 15.000 euros.

"To be number 17 on the list of most installed facebook applications and number one among branded is great and more than we ever expected", says Lukas Dohle, Live Communication and Social Me… (read more)

After several reports in the US suggested that the Charlotte-based US Grand Prix Engineering is on its way to shutting down their Formula One operations in the next few days, the team issued a quick statement on Thursday in which it clearly states the latest rumors about the team’s financial situation are not true.

According to a report from the New York Times, YouTube founder Chad Hurley has allegedly decided to switch his sponsorship from US GPE towards Campos Grand Prix, while the already-… (read more)

A very rare 1913 Model "C-Six" seven-passenger touring car will be displayed for the first time in Biltmore’s new Antler Hill Village on May 20. The car has been registered in North Carolina in 1916 and it is believed to be one of only 10 cars existing today worldwide.

After conservation work will be carried over the next few months, the car will be exhibited in a climate-controlled environment. Visitors will not be able to touch this pieces of auto history, but they will be able to… (read more)

Following several days of uncertainty and more or less official statements, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform sent an official invitation to Japanese manufacturer’s Toyota CEO and asked him to attend the Congressional hearing on February 24.

In an official response posted by the CEO on Toyota’s website, Toyoda accepts the invitation, putting to rest all the voices which said Toyoda will make a big mistake not to come to Washington.

I have received Congressman Towns’ i… (read more)

With refueling being banned for the 2010 season of Formula One, most teams have already started the race for quicker pit stops during the races. With the actual stop including only tire changes (and some minor adjustments to the car or driver, if that will be the case), some teams projected that pit stops will take under 3 seconds this season.

It was actually Williams F1 who did that experiment for the first time, trying to figure out how the race strategies will work this year. Ferrari, howe… (read more)

Chinese manufacturer Chery manufacture plans to invest over $2.9 billion to expand its production capacity, a development scheduled to be based in Ordos, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, North China, as Global Times writes.

Chery officials have confirmed that the carmaker has initiated talks to make a proposal to the Ordos officials after the investment plan had surfaced through local merchants. The government has already reserved a vat area for the carmaker’s project. Chery’s Dongsheng dist… (read more)

Toyota decided to give something back to the community and unveiled a national family literacy program at three Lincoln elementary schools. The program is coordinated by the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) and funded by a $600,000 grant from Toyota.

The program is meant to help Hispanic and other immigrant families nationwide and will take place at the West Lincoln Elementary, Elliot Elementary and Everett Elementary.

We are grateful to Toyota for this significant grant, essenti… (read more)

The winner of the Daytona 500 season opener, Jamie McMurray, announced he is joining the Haiti Earthquake Relief efforts by donating 10 driver firesuits and two leather jackets with his autograph to an online charity auction held by the NASCAR official website.

"My heart goes out to all the people of Haiti," said McMurray. "The outpouring of support by the NASCAR community has been tremendous so far and we hope this auction continues to keep our hearts and minds on Haiti as th… (read more)

Unlike other manufacturers that have already announced world premieres and innovative concepts for this year’s Geneva Auto Show, American manufacturer Ford will keep a low profile. Ford announced it’s new C-car will make its European debut at the show, alongside final versions of C-MAX and Grand C-MAX which go on sale this year.

Moreover, the carmaker prepared further product enhancements for the Ford Kuga and Mondeo and more options revealed for the new S-MAX and Galaxy.

The Ford C-MAX ra… (read more)

BMW Group DesignworksUSA has been awarded as the world’s Most Innovative Company in Design by Fast Company magazine. This magazine presents trends in the business of innovation and awards world’s most innovative companies from twenty-four categories including design, advertising and marketing, mobile, biotechnology, energy, film and television, food, media, health care, music, and sports. 

Challenging the status quo by creating new brand and product experiences that deliver better solutions f… (read more)

Ferrari had a special guest during the second day of testing on the Jerez circuit in Spain, in the person of Emilio Botin. For those of you who aren’t that familiar with him, know that he is the President of Banco Santander, Ferrari’s new sponsor in Formula One.

Emilio Botin, Banco Santander President, wanted to follow a test session while the team is working in Spain. Botin greeted Felipe Massa inbetween the laps and also spoke with Fernando Alonso, who showed him the Scuderia’s box, said Fe… (read more)

After having caused two stops in the season opener race last weekend for a total of more than two hours, the hole in the Turn 2 at the Daytona track is now being properly repaired. During the race, the problem was temporarily fixed using a Bondo body filler, but late enough to make the race end under the lights.

Currently, according to Robin Braig, the track’s president, the hole is being repaired by using reinforced concrete, a solution chosen on several tracks across the US.

"This… (read more)

General Motors will build greener engines, as the US car manufacturer will invest $494 million in Bay City, Defiance, Ohio, and a in plant in New York that will support two next-generation, fuel-efficient engines, says detnews.com. This also means that the automaker will recall 550 jobs.

The new Ecotec engines will have lower fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions. The investment is being celebrated by GM with events in Bay City and Tonawanda, N.Y.

The money will be used for renovating p… (read more)

Hyundai Australia said that it will launch its i45 sedan in the second quarter of 2010. The car is practically the new US Sonata, dubbed i45 for the Australian and European market. The car has been on sale for some time in America and apparently it’s quite a hit.

"We are very excited to be launching the all-new i45 mid-sized sedan in Australia in the coming months," said Oliver Mann, Hyundai Motor Company Australia’s Marketing Director. "Already breaking records in South Korea … (read more)

Drivers living in Oklahoma just got a quicker an easier way to renew their vehicle registration. The state’s official Convenient Auto Renewal System (CARS) offers the possibility to do that online, by visiting cars.ok.gov.

The website also offers the possibility to sign up in order to receive an email when it is time to renew their tag with the Tax Commission’s, via the Remind Me function. Users simply enter the last four digits of their vehicle identification number (VIN), tag number, and i… (read more)