Automotive News (Page 1124)

Automotive News

This section of Torque News provides the latest auto news and updates from the car manufacturers. Every day number of news stories and editorials are published here that give our readers an overview of what is happening in the automotive industry. Read this section daily to find out about new cars, vehicle reviews and car pictures. Torque News is an automotive news website by Hareyan Publishing, LLC, dedicated to covering the latest news, reviews and opinions about the car industry.

The Fisker Karma makes its production debut at the Monaco Grand Prix

By Patrick Rall on May 31, 2011 - 2:11PM

Attendees of the 2011 Monaco Grand Prix this past weekend were the first people to see a production version of the upcoming Fisker Karma sedan on a public road as the electric vehicle with a range extending as the sleek sedan took to the track of the Monaco street circuit.

Audi unveils the 503hp A1 Clubsport Quattro Concept

By Patrick Rall on May 31, 2011 - 12:35PM

Audi has thrown their hat into the ring for the battle of the hottest high performance hatch with the introduction of the new Audi A1 Clubsport Quattro Concept and thanks to the folks from Electronic Arts, PC gamers can drive the new hot hatch in Need for Speed World.

Kiss Mini Countryman Auction Helps UNICEF

By Keith Griffin on May 31, 2011 - 12:04PM

At first the notion sounds silly until you realize it's for UNICEF, but you can buy one of four extremely limited edition Mini Countryman custom painted with the iconic makeup for each member of Kiss, the 70s rock band that is still selling out shows almost four decades later.

A world where gasoline powers everything

By Don Bain on May 31, 2011 - 11:50AM

In a brilliant stroke of advertising, Nissan turns the tables on the modern world by projecting a world where everything that normally runs on electricity actually is powered by gasoline engines. Even the machine that reads your credit card at the restaurant has tiny little twin chrome exhausts spewing grayish white smoke into the air.

Lessons learned by GM fuel economy engineers

By Frank Sherosky on May 31, 2011 - 10:52AM

Results from an actual driving test by two GM fuel economy engineers support data from OnStar that shows the fuel economy of drivers in identical cars can vary by 75 percent.

Driving can be the reason we are fat if we don't walk it off

By Hawke Fracassa on May 31, 2011 - 9:39AM

Driving in our cars makes us sedentary and overweight unless we take steps to change that. This according to a University of Illinois study that ties commuting in a car to obesity.

Obese Americans and the small cars driving Detroit's rebound

By Don Bain on May 31, 2011 - 1:38AM

Detroit is selling more cars and that has a lot to do with the Chevy Cruze and Volt as well as the Ford Fiesta and Focus, as the country turns to higher mileage vehicles with gasoline prices near historic highs. Though they still make more per unit on crossovers and SUVs, the higher demand for small cars is making them more profitable.

Axion Power (OTCBB: AXPW) advancing battery tech into micro-hybrid vehicles

By Frank Sherosky on May 31, 2011 - 12:14AM

Do not count lead-acid batteries out of the energy picture yet, especially for the micro-hybrid vehicle market featuring stop-start. The Axion PbC® technology represents the first major advance in lead-acid battery and electrode technology in 30 years.

Close-up: The 2011 Toyota Yaris Liftback

By Don Bain on May 30, 2011 - 7:49PM

The 2011 Toyota Yaris, in any of its variations, is the essence of the modern commuter – efficient, easy to drive, technologically up to date, inexpensive to operate and far safer than small cars were just a few years ago.

Auto parts supplier moving forward with tech center in Novi

By Hawke Fracassa on May 30, 2011 - 6:57PM

A suburban Detroit vehicle tester and supplier of auto parts such as sensors, crash-test software and other products and services to car companies worldwide announced on Memorial Day that it is on schedule to open a North American Technical Center in September.

Volkswagen and MoMA Launch Artistic Partnership

By Keith Griffin on May 30, 2011 - 1:26PM

It's a growing trend among German carmakers: form partnerships with artists and museums to build brand awareness. Volkswagen is the latest to join the artistic fray as it partners with New York's Museum of Modern Art.

Fame can't protect crash victims like NC State basketball star Lorenzo Charles

By Hawke Fracassa on May 30, 2011 - 10:33AM

"Jackass" movie star Ryan Dunn is the latest celebrity to die in a car crash. Dunn (pictured) has wrecked his car in West Goshen, Pa., near Philadelphia about two months after a car crash that killed Macho Man Randy Savage in Florida.

Higher break-even price for Saudi oil sets new normal for auto fuel

By Frank Sherosky on May 30, 2011 - 12:12AM

In 2003, the breakeven for Saudi crude oil was $30 per barrel. It’s now reported to be $85 and expected to rise to $110 by 2015, according to the latest MarketWatch article.

Coach Jim Tressel quits; were car deals for Ohio State players the last straw?

By Hawke Fracassa on May 29, 2011 - 11:23PM

The Ohio State University football program is under scrutiny over the sale or loan of used cars from two auto dealerships at bargain prices to a few dozen football players and their families in the past six years. And the impact of the controversy in part is the resignation today of Coach Jim Tressel.

Clandestine Extended Range Vehicle Displayed at Indy 500

By Keith Griffin on May 29, 2011 - 10:56PM

Seems like the Army is concerned about fuel efficiency, but probably not for the same reasons as the rest of us based on the Clandestine Extended Range Vehicle that was displayed at the Indianapolis 500.

China sends clear message it will protect its own car manufacturers

By Frank Sherosky on May 29, 2011 - 8:21PM

You may have missed it. China’s Development and Reform Commission released a draft of guidelines last month for foreign investments into the Chinese market that limits foreign capital to 50% of any investment in certain electric vehicle component technologies.

Suzuki Kizashi No. 1 with satisfied owners in AutoPacific survey

By Hawke Fracassa on May 29, 2011 - 4:36PM

The value-driven 2011 Suzuki Kizashi has aced AutoPacific's 15th annual Vehicle Satisfaction Awards for overall satisfaction among all new midsize cars sold or leased in the United States. It is the second straight year the under-$20,000 Kizashi has come out on top.

Mercedes Benz SLS AMG Roadster revealed

By Roman Rosa on May 29, 2011 - 1:52PM

What would have Luciano Pavarotti been without his voice? What would Usain Bolt be without his speed? What would Christina Hendricks from Mad Men be without her, well... you know. Most importantly, what would the Mercedes Benz SLS AMG be without it's gull wing doors? I'll tell you: The SLS Roadster.

Porsche Cayman S Black Edition gets $67,500 MSRP

By Hawke Fracassa on May 29, 2011 - 10:57AM

Porsche will start selling a limited-issue 2012 Cayman S Black Edition this summer. It will retail for $67,500 and only 500 of the sporty cars will be assembled. Peak speed when equipped with a 6-speed manual trans is 173 mph.

A123 Systems stock (Nasdaq: AONE) falls hard from grace of IPO

By Frank Sherosky on May 29, 2011 - 10:41AM

In March, A123 Systems (Nasdaq: AONE) stock traded very shaky after an annual net earnings loss of 1.56 loss per share. A few month’s later, the stock chart reveals it has broken every price support since its IPO.

Driving tests: Men are better than women, but both sexes are failures

By Hawke Fracassa on May 28, 2011 - 11:04PM

LeaseTrader.com reports after quizzing 500 men and women about their driving habits that men are more likely to get answers on a driver's test right than women (59% to 46%). At the same time, results show both sexes need to brush up on their studies because 75% of test takers flunked.

Cali ready to celebrate classic Porsche cars

By Hawke Fracassa on May 28, 2011 - 10:16PM

Porsche Cars North America and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca are planning Porsche's Rennsport Reunion IV at the track in California Oct. 14-16. Rennsport Reunion IV is expected to be a landmark event that collects Porsche vintage and current race cars and the drivers who made them great in one place.

Lexus lives it up, mixes fine dining with fine automobiles

By Hawke Fracassa on May 28, 2011 - 8:23AM

Lexus is known for its fine automobiles. Now it is also dabbling in the culinary arts with fine foods and vintage wines. So it makes sense that the luxury car marque sponsored the Pebble Beach Food Wine Festival, where celeb chefs Daniel Boulud, Michael Chiarello, Dean Fearing, Christopher Kostow, Masaharu Morimoto and Michael Symon performed demonstrations for about 200 guests.

Group, data make roads 3 times safer than national average

By Hawke Fracassa on May 27, 2011 - 11:47PM

The Traffic Improvement Association, whose efforts have resulted in local roads being three times safer than the national average and two times safer than the state average, has opened a new headquarters. The new site is in Auburn Hills, Mich., to serve drivers and pedestrians in suburban Detroit's Oakland County.

Kansas man the acknowledged guru of the vintage Studebaker

By Don Bain on May 27, 2011 - 8:00PM

Those concerned with keeping a model of the long gone Studebaker line road or show worthy know the name of Vern Ediger. In addition to his Halstead KS E&V Motors, he owns a salvage yard with over 120 of the vintage automobiles providing recycled parts to collectors and restorers around the globe.

GM reportedly cancels plans for a Cadillac SRX plug-in hybrid

By Patrick Rall on May 27, 2011 - 5:48PM

In December, TorqueNews brought you the news that General Motors was reportedly working on a plug-in hybrid luxury SUV based on the Cadillac SRX but according to a variety of sources – that program has reportedly been canceled.

Ford raises prices for the third time in 2011

By Patrick Rall on May 27, 2011 - 4:57PM

Ford Motor Company has raised prices again this month, citing increased commodity costs as the cause for the third increase of the year in just 5 months.

Mopar's new Ram Runner Kit for serious off-roaders

By Don Bain on May 27, 2011 - 4:43PM

If you want to turn your Ram Truck into a desert racer, Mopar's new Ram Runner kit boasts it will provide performance on a par with dedicated off-road racers, give you superior shocks and suspension and do it all while looking drop dead desert gorgeous. You too can have a Mopar-powered desert racer.

Fiat plans to buy last 6.6% of Chrysler from US govt

By Patrick Rall on May 27, 2011 - 4:27PM

When Fiat SpA paid off $7.6 billion dollars in debt to the US and Canadian governments this week, they effectively raised their ownership of the Chrysler Group to 46%, leaving the US government to own 6.6% while the Canadians now hold 1.7%; but according to a statement filed to the US Treasury department Fiat plans to purchase the 6.6% held by the US government before the end of 2011.

Twenty percent of drivers unsafe at any speed

By Don Bain on May 27, 2011 - 3:46PM

The 2011 GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test results revealed today nearly 1 in 5 drivers cannot meet the basic requirements for a driver's license. That adds up to 36.9 million American drivers – roughly 18 percent – could not pass a written driver’s test if taken today.

Subscribe to