Author: Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Toyota

And the saga continues. According to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Ed Towns (D-N.Y.), documents obtained by the committee under subpoena from Dimitrios Biller – managing counsel in the product liability group of Toyota Motor Sales USA from April 2003 to September 2007 – “indicate Toyota deliberately withheld records that it was legally required to produce in response to discovery orders in litigation.”

Towns further says that many such documents “concern ‘rollover’ cases in which a driver or passenger was injured, including cases where victims were paralyzed.” In a letter sent to Yoshimi Inaba, president of Toyota’s operations in North America, Towns wrote:

In sum, the Biller documents indicate a systematic disregard for the law and routine violation of court discovery orders in litigation. People injured in crashes involving Toyota vehicles may have been injured a second time when Toyota failed to produce relevant evidence in court… Moreover, this also raises very serious questions as to whether Toyota has also withheld substantial, relevant information from NHTSA.

It has also come out that Toyota keeps so-called “Books of Knowledge” containing information from Toyota engineers on internal design and testing data. So closely held was this information that the automaker supposedly agreed to multimillion-dollar civic settlements to safeguard the data. Serious charges indeed, and Towns has given Toyota until Friday, March 12th, to respond.

Tired of Toyota recall news? Try out the recall-free version of Autoblog.

[Source: The Detroit News | Image: Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty]

Report: Toyota ‘whistleblower’ documents trouble House panel originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Safety, Mercedes-Benz, Specialty, Racing

Sometimes, speed equals safety. Perhaps nowhere else is that more true than on a racetrack when you’re piloting the so-called safety car and you’ve got a pack of Formula One cars riding up your tailpipe. Good thing, then, that the newest safety car to be used for F1 duty is the 571-horsepower Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.

Interestingly, that tailpipe is the only mechanical change made to the SLS AMG to bring it up to Official F1 Safety Car specs. Mercedes-Benz left everything else on the car, including the engine, suspension and carbon-ceramic brakes, stock. Not that you won’t be able to tell the difference between the Safety Car and a standard Gullwing – a new carbon fiber hood with front-mounted camera, rear number plate with a camera and 700 LEDs and an “aerodynamically optimised roof light bar” (for the first time using all LEDs) ensure nobody can miss this particular SLS AMG.

For what it’s worth, the SLS AMG replaces the SL63 AMG, which had been the Official Safety Car for the previous two seasons. Again, the F1 Safety Car will be piloted by former DTM driver Bernd Mayländer. Also, the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate (that’s wagon to us Americans) will serve as the Official F1 Medical Car. Let’s hope that one doesn’t see too much track time, eh? Click past the break for the official press release.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG F1 Safety Car unveiled

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG F1 Safety Car unveiled originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Sedan, SUV, Truck, Crossover, Hatchback, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, GM

Each year that Consumer Reports offers up its annual list of Top American Picks, it seems less and less a consolation bracket and more like a reasonable set of choices. To wit, if you wanted the very best family-sized SUV (Chevrolet Traverse) or fullsize pickup truck (Chevrolet Silverado), Consumer Reports will tell you that you’re best off choosing American, regardless of which list its from.

Further, CR has found the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan twins have proven to be more reliable than a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry. Blasphemy, you say? To borrow a marketing phrase from the Blue Oval itself, Drive One and find out for yourself. We have, and we found out that it’s a great car. Apparently, it’s also reliable. Not surprisingly, the Fusion managed to earn two more awards in its hybrid guise, including CR’s Best Overall Car.

All told, seven of the 10 awards handed out by CR went to Ford – an impressive performance. Two Top Picks were filled by vehicles from General Motors while Chrysler didn’t have a single model on the list, which isn’t particularly surprising since the Dodge Ram is the only model from the Pentastar that CR even recommends. Click here to check out the rest of the winners from CR.

[Source: Consumer Reports]

Consumer Reports releases annual list of American Top Picks, Ford the big winner originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Bugatti, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

The time has come for luxury mag Robb Report to issue its latest Car of the Year. Being that the end of 2009 also marks the end of a tidy little decade, the editors at the magazine took the opportunity to bestow one important car with the title Car of the Decade – the first time in the 17 years that Robb Report has been handing out automotive awards that it’s granted two in one year. So, who won?

First up is the Car of the Year, which goes out to the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. In taking the award, the SLS AMG beat out 11 other worthy contenders to the throne. Certainly not a terrible choice by any means, though this particular writer has yet to find himself lodged behind the Gullwing’s leather-wrapped steering wheel. Moving on, then.

Robb Report’s Car of the Decade trophy has been awarded to the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport. A good choice? Click here to refresh your memory on what it’s like to pilot a $2,000,000 drop-top cruise missile. Yeah, as good a choice as any, we’d say. Click past the break to read more commentary from the magazine and click here to visit the new RobbReport.tv, where you’ll see a series of videos recorded during the crew’s testing in Napa Valley. Official press release after the jump, high-res galleries below.

Mercedes-Benz photos copyright (C)2009 Chris Paukert / Weblogs, Inc.

Bugatti photos copyright (C)2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Robb Report]

Continue reading Robb Report dubs Mercedes SLS AMG 2010 Car of the Year, Bugatti Veyron Car of the Decade

Robb Report dubs Mercedes SLS AMG 2010 Car of the Year, Bugatti Veyron Car of the Decade originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Saab, Design/Style

You wouldn’t know it by looking at Saab‘s current automobiles, but once upon a time the Swedish marque was known for crafting almost impossibly rounded bodywork. Victor Muller, CEO of Spyker Cars, which just completed its acquisition of the Saab brand, plans to reintroduce such teardrop-shaped emotion back into the automaker’s line with a new vehicle codenamed 92, or in more modern parlance, 9-2.

Don’t expect to see the small, premium 9-2 before 2013 or so, when it would theoretically go up against machines like the Mini and Audi A1. According to Autocar, Saab would likely borrow a suitable set of underpinnings from GM‘s Opel division, as is the case with the new 2011 Saab 9-5.

If Saab is able to get this new entry-level model into production as planned, its inclusion would no doubt go a long way towards reaching Muller’s stated goal of hitting 100,000 total sales per year for the newly acquired automaker. That’s not too big a stretch considering that the brand sold 93,220 cars as recently as 2008. We wish him, along with the rest of those with a stake in Saab, lots of luck.

[Source: Autocar]

Report: Saab 9-2 plans proceeding, design influenced by brand’s ’50s teardrop models originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Hybrid, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Lexus, Luxury

Earlier this week, we got a sneak peek at the new Lexus CT 200h from a brochure that somehow leaked out onto the Interwebs. Now, Lexus has seen fit to pull the curtain back all the way on its new premium hybrid hatchback ahead of its official debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week. A worldwide launch is promised later this year, but we can’t confirm whether that includes the United States.

From what we can tell, the car retains some of Lexus’s L-finesse design philosophy as seen on the LF-Ch concept that debuted in Frankfurt last year, except in a somewhat more production-ready (read: toned-down) state. Inside, Lexus employs an asymmetrical dash design that’s split into what Lexus refers to as an upper Display Zone that includes an eight-inch LCD multi-display screen and a lower Operation Zone, which includes the shift lever and other controls such as Lexus’s Remote Touch multi-function controller.

As expected, the baby Lexus is equipped with a 1.8-liter VVT-i gasoline-fed engine that’s mated up with an electric motor using Toyota‘s proprietary Hybrid Synergy Drive technology and a continuously variable transmission. Sadly, we have no official power figure, but we imagine it should be somewhat close to the 134 combined ponies of the latest Toyota Prius.

According to Lexus, its hybrid hatchback can run in EV mode for up to 1.2 miles at speeds up to 28 miles per hour. In addition to pure EV mode, the driver can also select from Eco, Normal and Sport modes. Setting the CT 200h apart from other Toyota offerings is its dedicated double wishbone and trailing arm rear suspension system. Want more? Find all the details in the official press release after the break, and be sure to check out our high-res image gallery below.

[Source: Lexus]

Continue reading Officially Official: Lexus drops the curtain on CT 200h

Officially Official: Lexus drops the curtain on CT 200h originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 20:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Technology, Toyota

Airplanes have so-called black boxes that track what takes place in the moments before a crash. allowing authorities and investigators to piece together the accident so that something similar can be avoided in the future. Soon, cars and trucks will be carrying such devices as well, spurred on in no small part by the recent cases of unintended acceleration reported by a number of Toyota drivers and the automaker’s subsequent recalls.

At present, Toyota has but one lone device in the United States – a prototype, at that – capable of reading the ‘black boxes’ it already installs in its automobiles. Not for long, though. During his testimony at the Congressional Hearing for Toyota Safety, Yoshimi Inaba, head of Toyota’s North American operations, indicated that “hundreds of units of them [will be] available by the end of April.”

Toyota also plans to make these black box readers commercially available by 2011, which is one full year before the U.S. government has mandated. We still have a few questions, though. For instance, how much data is recorded by the box, and for how long? Even if it’s found that a car was operating at or near full throttle, will there be a way to know whether that was the operator’s fault or a failure of the car? Regardless, having the ability to read whatever data is available sounds like a major step in the right direction.

Tired of Toyota recall news? Try out the recall-free version of Autoblog.

[Image: Tim Sloan/AFP/Getty Images ]

Toyota to ship hundreds of ‘black box’ recorders to U.S. for analysis originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Toyota, Australia, Humor

Here’s a worthwhile goal: Let’s see if we can get through this entire post without even mentioning unintended acceleration or recalls. Whoops. Let’s talk about something else, shall we? How about the movie (500) Days of Summer, which we saw not too long ago on the big screen.

Perhaps our favorite scene from the movie, which was all-around pretty good, was when Tom Gordon, ably played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, danced his way through the city after, ahem… well, let’s just say he had himself a good day. And that Zooey Deschanel is as cute as a button, assuming that brunette button were to have lovely light blue eyes and a great smile.

Anyway, it was a memorable scene. And Toyota‘s Australian arm seems to have noticed it as well, using a very similar tactic for a new commercial highlighting the new locally built Toyota Camry Hybrid. Have we mentioned how much we love ourselves some classic Hall and Oates? No? Well, never mind then. Just watch the video after the break for some classic ’80s goodness. Thanks for the tip, Mark!

[Source: Toyota AU via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: (500) Days of the AU Toyota Camry Hybrid?

Video: (500) Days of the AU Toyota Camry Hybrid? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Hybrid, Hatchback, Honda, Design/Style

Honda says its new CR-Z hybrid hatchback is supposed to hearken back to the days of its sporty little CRX, so it’s anything but surprising that Mugen, the Japanese automaker’s tuning company of choise, is showing off its package of accessories for the model ahead of its official sale date. Sadly, none of the bits or pieces will make the car much faster… but at least the CR-Z can look like a proper hot hatchback, right?

Included in the kit are the expected updates to the front and rear fascias, side skirts and an all-conquering roof-mounted wing that looks as if it could serve double-duty as a picnic table at your next tailgating session. There’s also a new grille with optional LED lamps, triangular rear exhaust tips, and at least five different alloy wheel options. And we’d be remiss if we didn’t at least mention the carbon fiber license plate holder.

Inside you’ll find an aluminum gearshift knob, a three-gauge central cluster, floor mats and, wait for it… a carbon fiber rear-view mirror cover. Fortunately, there are a few extras that will improve the car’s driving dynamics somewhat, including a cat-back exhaust system, upgraded springs and shocks and a full set of brake pads. Perhaps those pieces will restore enough performance to offset the added weight of the bodykit? See for yourself in our high-res gallery below.

[Source: Mugen]

Mugen accessories for the Honda CR-Z officially revealed originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Technology

“NHTSA officials told investigators that the agency doesn’t employ any electrical engineers or software engineers.”

So says The Washington Post, in a revelation that’s at least shocking if nothing else. Consider your car for a moment. How many electrical connections and silicon bits are there making the whole kit-n’-kaboodle operate? Plenty, right? In fact, The Car Connection estimates that the average “modern luxury car has something close to 100 million lines of software code in it, running on 70 to 100 microprocessors.” Though the quote about the government safety agency came out in the government hearings on Toyota safety, that figures to be worrisome news to all motorists, as modern vehicles from all manufacturers are more or less rolling computers, and their very movement is governed by computers that NHTSA apparently cannot begin to analyze – at least internally.

Hopefully, the report regarding the lack of electrical and software engineers at NHTSA was either misunderstood or incorrect. We have a feeling that’s likely the case – in fact, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in his testimony on Capitol Hill today that the agency does at least have access to such engineers.

UPDATE: During today’s remarks, LaHood said there was some confusion in his comments yesterday about a lack of electrical engineers. He has yet to divulge how many engineers NHTSA employs and there’s still some question about software engineers. Updates to follow as we learn more.

Tired of Toyota recall news? Try out the recall-free version of Autoblog.

[Sources: The Washington Post, The Car Connection | Image: Alex Wong/Getty Images]

Report: NHTSA doesn’t have any software or electrical engineers on staff to investigate Toyota originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Lotus, Electric

Lotus has just formally introduced a new 400-plus horsepower sportscar concept. That news in and of itself would be enough to pique our interest, but the rest of the car’s spec sheet makes the Evora 414E Hybrid an astonishingly intriguing concept vehicle. As you surely surmised by now, this two-seat sportster is a hybrid, specifically an extended-range electric vehicle that features a pair of rear-mounted electric motors and a 1.2-liter three-cylinder gas-powered engine. Why not fully electric? According to Lotus:

With regard to the total lifetime CO2 emissions of the vehicle, including the energy required to manufacture and run it, the range extender solution has a lower overall CO2 footprint than a fully electric car of comparable performance and operating range running with a larger battery.

That 47-horsepower gasoline engine never actually sends power directly to the Evora 414E Hybrid’s wheels. Instead – as with other cars such as the 2011 Chevrolet Volt and the Fisker Karma – the mill is used to recharge the onboard 17 kilowatt-hour lithium polymer battery pack, which is centrally mounted down the middle of the car for optimal weight distribution. That battery pack can provide up to 35 miles of gasoline-free driving per full charge.

Because each rear wheel has a separate connection to its own electric motor, Lotus has programmed in torque vectoring for stability control of the vehicle. This means that a complex set of software algorithms can provide the same kind of benefits as rear-wheel steering and exaggerated toe-in without the expense or efficiency losses of a mechanical system. Each rear wheel puts down 204 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque.

Further, though the actual transmission has only one forward ratio, Lotus has programmed in seven artificial “gears” that the driver can row through via a set of column-mounted paddle shifters. Also included is the HALOsonic Internal and External Electronic Sound Synthesis technologies from Lotus and Harman International that pipes artificial sound to both the cabin and outside to pedestrians. Want more? There’s plenty to be gleaned in the exhaustive press release that you’ll find after the break. Sadly, just one lone copper-topped teaser image, which you can enlarge by clicking above.

[Source: Lotus]

Continue reading Geneva Preview: Lotus formally introduces Evora 414E Hybrid

Geneva Preview: Lotus formally introduces Evora 414E Hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Car Buying, Chrysler, Honda, Subaru

The time has come once again for Consumer Reports‘ annual Auto Issue, which means the respected magazine will hand out an updated list of the vehicles and brands that it recommends. Included amongst the pages are CR’s so-called Automaker Report Cards, and the tippy-top and way bottom couldn’t have been easier to see coming.

Much like last year (and the year before, and the year before…), Honda gets the nod as the head of CR’s list, joined in this instance by fellow Japanese automaker Subaru. The leading duo each earned a score of 77 out of 100, putting them three points ahead of cross-town rival Toyota, who’s score of 74 was no doubt affected when CR yanked its Recommendation off eight of its products following their recent recall and safety woes.

Hyundai, Nissan and Volkswagen also performed well, scoring ahead of Ford, which was the highest ranking American automaker on the list. Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Saab, and Volvo each earned plaudits for improving on their reliability scores from last year, leaving only one automaker to languish at the very bottom of the list. Drum roll please… Chrysler!

The Pentastar was the only company to score worse this year than last, though there was one lone bright spot shining from Auburn Hills: the Dodge Ram 1500, which is the only Chrysler model on Consumer Reports‘ Recommended list. Bravo. See the full press release after the break, and keep an eye on your mailbox or a newsstand near you for the complete Auto Issue.

[Source: Consumer Reports]

Continue reading Honda and Subaru top latest Consumer Reports automaker report cards

Honda and Subaru top latest Consumer Reports automaker report cards originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

It could be argued that our nation’s highways are teeming with weapons of mass destruction. After all, there are millions of two-plus ton objects hurtling around all over the place with questionable guidance from the men and women behind the wheel. Not dangerous enough for you?

Chris Bronaugh of Walton County, Florida, decided to make his own personal WMD a bit more fear inspiring than the rest by wiring up an old answering machine to the firewall and fuel lines of his truck along with some kind of circuit board and a silver tube. Police were notified after Bronaugh was heard “screaming at the top of his lungs, threatening to kill women and children, or anyone who came on his property.”

The good news is that the bomb rig was just for show. Said Mike Gurspan, spokesperson for the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, “The 52-year-old suspect stated he rigged his truck because he was tired of people stealing his gas.” The bad news is that Bronaugh was also brandishing a homemade zip gun, making him rather dangerous indeed – four years earlier, he accidentally shot himself in the leg with just such an improvised firearm.

[Source: Northwest Florida Daily News]

Report: Florida man rigs truck with fake WMD after growing tired of gas thieves originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Classics, Videos, Celebrities

No, Jay Leno did not travel back in time to 1985 (or 1981 when it was originally offered for sale) to drive a brand-new DeLorean. But that’s clearly a stainless steel, wedged-shaped, gullwing-doored beauty with Leno behind the wheel, so what gives?

First of all, as Jay says, there was nothing ever really wrong with the DeLorean that a few fixes couldn’t have taken care of. So, it must be good news that DMC was rescued from the grave by a Steven Wynn of the new DeLorean Motorcar Company (well, it’s not good news to everybody).

Basically, the new DMC takes the original DeLorean and updates it with heavily revised componentry that brings the machine somewhere closer to acceptable new car standards. An optional engine upgrade takes the 2.8-liter Renault V6 from 135 horsepower up to 195 horses, giving a much-needed boost to the otherwise underwhelming car. No matter, we’d gladly take one to serve as our daily driver, though it better have the five-speed manual.

Naturally, Jay takes the reborn DeLorean out for a drive, and it seems he enjoys the experience despite the car only having “adequate” power, as he describes it. See what else Leno has to say about the stainless wonder in the video after the break.

[Source: Jay Leno’s Garage]

Continue reading Video: Jay Leno takes new-old DeLorean for a spin

Video: Jay Leno takes new-old DeLorean for a spin originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Toyota

The Congressional hearings entitled “Response by Toyota and NHTSA to Incidents of Sudden Unintended Acceleration” may have started today, but the actual response by Toyoda – that’s Akio Toyoda with a “D,” head of the Japanese automaker – will come tomorrow.

If you plan on tuning in to see what interesting new information comes out in Toyoda’s testimony, please allow us to direct you to his prepared testimony after the break. There you’ll read about three separate topics, according to Toyoda: “Toyota’s basic philosophy regarding quality control, the cause of the recalls, and how we will manage quality control going forward.”

Perhaps the most telling part of Toyoda’s testimony comes at the very end:

My name is on every car. You have my personal commitment that Toyota will work vigorously and unceasingly to restore the trust of our customers.

Remember too that Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. President Jim Lentz will also go before the committee, where he’s expected to reiterate that electronic problems are not the cause of the automaker’s unintended acceleration woes.

Both Toyoda and Yoshimi Inaba’s (Chairman and CEO of Toyota Motor Sales) comments are available after the jump. Both are suscint and to-the-point, but the real fireworks will happen during the questioning period at tomorrow’s hearing.

Tired of Toyota recall news? Try out the recall-free version of Autoblog.

[Source: Committee on Oversight and Government Reform | Image: Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty]

Continue reading House committee releases Toyota execs’ opening statements for tomorrow’s hearing

House committee releases Toyota execs’ opening statements for tomorrow’s hearing originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: SUV, China, Government/Legal, Hummer, Earnings/Financials

It looks like General Motors‘ deal to sell its Hummer brand to China’s Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery is on shaky ground. According to Reuters, the likelihood that the Chinese government will give its approval to Tengzhong has been waning in recent weeks, leading the would-be purchasers to consider making the acquisition using an offshore investment vehicle to skirt the need for Chinese regulatory approval. GM and Tengzhong had originally set a January 31st deadline to complete the sale, later extending that time frame to February 28th.

The Chinese National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce are thought to have taken issue with the idea of such an environmentally unfriendly automaker coming under Chinese ownership. Further, Tengzhong has never actually made a passenger vehicle, and China already has over 100 companies producing automobiles and the government has gone on record saying it would like to reduce that number. Stay tuned.

[Source: Reuters]

Hummer deal with China’s Tengzhong looking shaky originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: LA Auto Show, Hybrid, SUV, Paris Motor Show, Crossover, Land Rover, Luxury

Is the world ready for a kinder, gentler Sport Utility Vehicle? Land Rover is betting on it, and the rugged British off-road brand will reportedly debut its hotly anticipated LRX at the Paris Motor Show later this year. Shortly thereafter, the production LRX will make its North American debut in LA. According to Automotive News, the LRX will go on sale in the third quarter of 2011.

We first saw the LRX Concept at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, where it was generally well received by both the press and the showgoing public. The LRX is expected to be Land Rover’s most efficient model and is likely to be offered with some sort of hybrid powertrain.

Late last year, Autocar reported that Land Rover’s first hybrid drivetrain would include a 3.0-liter diesel V6 engine mated up to a 25kW electric motor. The system would be a full parallel hybrid, meaning it could operate on any combination of gasoline or electricity using its onboard lithium ion battery pack.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req’d]

Report: 2011 Land Rover LRX to debut at Paris Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Budget, Minivan/Van, Sedan, Hatchback, Nissan, Smart, Renault, Electric

The Daimler brain trust of Dieter Zetsche and Thomas Weber has reportedly struck a deal with Renault/Nissan to develop its next generation of minicars due out in 2014 or so. As you would expect, Daimler will get a new Smart Fortwo out of the deal while the Franco-Japanese conglomerate will use the design for unknown future models that could bear both the Nissan and Renault nameplates.

According to Automobile Magazine, Daimler insisted on retaining the Smart brand’s trademark rear-engine and rear-wheel drive configuration, which was somewhat understandably met with some trepidation by Renault. Also held over will likely be the steel safety cage design with interchangeable plastic body panels so the resulting vehicles will be safe and easily distinguishable from each other.

Not surprisingly, electric powertrains will be part of the mix, along with a newly developed 1.0-liter direct injected three-cylinder engine and a duo of 1.3- and 1.5-liter fours. The modular chassis may also be lengthened in order to spawn a new four-seat Fourfour and a taller Formore micro-minivan with sliding doors.

[Source: Automobile Magazine]

Smart move? Daimler reportedly teams with Renault for next-gen minicar originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Safety, Racing

Motorsports are dangerous, there’s no doubt about it. Drivers, co-drivers and track personnel are well aware of the possibilities of serious injury or even death, but perhaps those watching from the stands should be more concerned with their safety as well. This point was driven home over the weekend when a female spectator was reportedly struck by a dislodged tire during the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird International Raceway in Chandler near Phoenix.

The woman, who has not yet been identified, was airlifted to Good Samaritan Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. The wheel spun away from driver Antron Brown’s Top Fuel dragster when it flipped on its right side and slid down the guard rail before bursting into flames. Brown was pulled from the wreckage and was apparently unharmed. A video of the crash can be seen after the break.

[Source: ESPN]

Continue reading Spectator killed by debris at NHRA drag race in Arizona [w/video]

Spectator killed by debris at NHRA drag race in Arizona [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: New York Auto Show, Sedan, Kia

Kia is all set to debut the latest version of its Magentis midsize sedan at the New York Auto Show in April. Not familiar with the Magentis? Actually, you likely are – the Magentis is known as the Optima here in the States. We just saw spy shots of the next-gen Magentis earlier this month, and the Korean automaker has now seen fit to tease the car with some sketches that “[embody] a bold, athletic and sporty visual energy,” which, unsurprisingly, is not unlike the new Sonata from parent company Hyundai – though we’re sure the Optima will get its own unique look courtesy of designer Peter Schreyer.

Kia also tells us that its next midsize machine will be longer, lower and wider than the current car with a significantly longer wheelbase that affords “considerably more space for both people and luggage.” The 2011 Kia Optima will go on sale here in the U.S. this autumn while the European Magentis will hit the market in the spring of 2011. Check out the high-res teaser images below and hit the jump for the brief official press release.

[Source: Kia]

Continue reading New York Preview: Kia teases Magentis (aka Optima) midsize sedan

New York Preview: Kia teases Magentis (aka Optima) midsize sedan originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Feb 2010 01:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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