Automotive News (Page 1152)

The federal Environmental Protection Agency has issued its Top 10 List of Least Fuel Efficient Cars. Judging by the names on the list, though, fuel economy is the least of your worries when you can afford the least-fuel efficient car sold in the United States: the Murcielago Roadster, which gets a measly combined 13.6 miles per gallon – followed closely by its sibling the Murcielago Reventon Roadster at 13.7 mpg. Both are made by Lamborghini, which is owned by Volkswagen.

DeLorean owners who have this Friday off of work and planned on sleeping in – it’s time to change those plans as Nike has announced that their new DeLorean-styled Nike Dunk 6.0 kicks will go on sale on Black Friday. There is no clear indication as to the cost or production volume of these awesomely 80’s shoes but rumors suggest that just 1,000 pairs could be made – meaning that they will be both expensive and hard to get when they hit shelves on Black Friday.

According to a tweet from Chrysler, President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are visiting its Kokomo, Ind., transmission plant on Tuesday, Nov. 23. The two are in Indiana, according to the Kokomo (Ind.) Tribune to see the federal stimulus funds and auto bailout up close and personal. Not surprisingly, Chrysler promises to tweet and provide constant updates about the leader of the free world and his trusty sidekick visiting the plant.

The 2012 Ford Focus took the center stage during the press preview of the 2010 LA Auto Show but once the new C-segment hatchback was formally unveiled in a myriad of different forms and the stage was whisked away, the main attraction of the Ford display was performance.

During my discussion with Dodge cars CEO Ralph Gilles at the LA Auto Show, he commented on a wide variety of items, including the common design of the new models that all use the newly designed “crosshair” grille style. Dodge is so happy with the new front end design that they have incorporated it into their new brand logo and it is seen on the new Charger, Durango, Journey, Avenger and Grand Caravan but the mighty Dodge Challenger is devoid of the company grille styling.

The Ford Mustang Boss 302 gets its own show tonight on the Speed Channel at 10 p.m. There's not a lot of promotional material available on it, but here's the teaser for tonight's show, "Racing legend Parnelli Jones and a team of Ford designers join forces to reinvent an icon, the new Mustang Boss 302." The show airs again Nov. 23 at 1 a.m. and 10 a.m., Dec. 8 at 2 p.m., and Dec. 9 at 2 a.m. Set your DVRs to record.

The folks from Dodge haven’t had much to show off at recent auto shows but with the start of the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show, the “Dodge cars brand” rolled out a handful of new models ranging from high performance muscle cars to vastly refined utility vehicles.

The new Spyker-owned Saab brand has introduced a handful of new models recently (developed during GM’s ownership) and to add some extra incentive, buyers of the new Saab 9-4x have a chance to score a free Apple iPad. Unfortunately, it isn’t as easy is going into the dealership, buying a Saab 9-4x and having the dealer hand you a new iPad on your way out.

Wagons are a strange breed in the U.S. with more love thrown the way of SUVs and crossovers but that doesn't indicate a lack of excitement as Cadillac unveils images and details on the 2011 CTS-V wagon. It's nice to see a family hauler that is powered by a supercharged 6.2L V-8, which delivers 556 horsepower. Those long roadtrips to Six Flags just became a lot more fun for the parents behind the wheel.

When the 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 reaches consumers next year, it will stake its claim as the most powerful and best handling factory-issued Ford Mustang ever built – an impressive claim for the new Boss 302 but just how much with this purpose built, limited edition Mustang Boss 302 cost? According to multiple sources, the 2012 Mustang Boss 302 will start at $40,995, tucking it between the standard Mustang GT and the high performance Shelby GT500.

Brad Berman writing at PlugInCars.com has revealed exclusive information about Think City electric vehicle pricing: it will cost $34,000 to purchase one of the all-electric vehicles that will have a range of about 100 miles. Think expects to sell less than 3000 of its vehicles in the U.S.

While attending the press preview of the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show, I had a chance to sit down with Dodge brand CEO Ralph Gilles and during our discussion, he confirmed a few key points on the next generation of the Dodge Viper. While Gilles didn’t dish the dirt on items like power or performance numbers, he confirmed that the design phase of the new Dodge Viper is complete and this new supercar is expected to be introduced in the summer of 2012 as a 2013 model.

Ford has announced a contest to win a two-year Mustang lease on Facebook by coming up with a name the V-6 performance package. My how things have changed that the words Mustang, V-6 and performance package can be used in the same sentence without derisive peals of laughter. Then again, compared to the old four-bangers once offered in Mustangs, a V-6 isn't a bad alternative.

The moment some automotive fans have been dreading and others have been gleefully anticipating happens Sunday night at 10 p.m. when Top Gear America premieres on the History Channel. It's a USA version of the immensely popular BBC's Top Gear and the Yank version (as the Brits might say) stars drifting champion Tanner Foust, comedian Adam and Rutledge Wood, who does Speed Channel’s NASCAR coverage.

While Ford heralds its Police Interceptor performance against the competition from Dodge and Chevrolet, criminals everywhere are gnashing their teeth (as are the lawyers who fear the liability caused by high-speed police chases). Ford's replacement for the ubiquitous Crown Victoria is racking up the performance numbers police officers like to see in their mobile offices.

The designers of Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studios surprised everyone at the 2010 Los Angeles Design challenge by presenting the 2035 Mercedes-Benz Biome. The car simply mimics the nature is fully integrated into the ecosystem following nature's example.

Edmunds.com has released its list of the cheapest cars and trucks to insure. The list is broken down by categories like top trucks and top coupes, among others. Rankings are based on five-year projections for all models in each class generated by the Edmunds.com data team as a part of their development of Edmunds.com’s True Cost to Own values. Each model's costs were determined based on the trim level that is the least expensive to insure.

Ford has announced it is decreasing its stake in Mazda but says it is committed to working with the Japanese manufacturer on strategic partnerships. The Dearborn, Mich., automaker is going to reduce its stake in Mazda from 11 percent to 3.5 percent by Nov. 19, according to a Ford statement. Ford will transfer part of its shares in Mazda to several of Mazda’s business partners.

Two of the great beauties in motorized transport, Mercedes AMG and Ducatti, have come together to work closely in the future. Ducati, the maker of beautiful, fast Italian motorcycles, will join with AMG, the performance enhancement division of Mercedes, to develop common marketing activities. Members of AMG Private Lounge, in which more than 13,000 AMG customers worldwide are registered, will be among the first beneficiaries of joint events.

For two model years, Mazda denied U.S. buyers of its Mazda5 a standard transmission, but for the 2012 model year it once again comes in a manual transmission. Forget all the hoopla about it having elements of the Nagare design in its DNA. A mini-minivan with a six-speed manual transmission is going to be a hoot to drive.

As part of the Los Angeles Design Challenge, which typically produces some futuristic automobiles, Maybach - the über-luxury brand - has made a luxury rickshaw. Maybach explains it best: "The Maybach DRS – “Den-Riki-Sha” (electrically driven rickshaw) – blends the very latest automotive technology, luxurious comfort, and the highest safety levels with the needs of an environmentally aware world and the traditional values of the classic “Jin-Riki-Sha” (human-powered rickshaw)."

Wondering when the best and worst day to buy a car is going to be? Well, TrueCar.com claims to have the answer for the rest of November and December. In its monthly TrueTrends report, which also offers information on best and worst manufacturers when it comes to customer performance among other topics, the website says the best and worst day to buy a car is largely based on when the discounts will be greatest.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has launched the Distracted Driving Videos series, which is a chilling reminder of how one second of driver distraction can have life-altering consequences. The new online video series features people from across the country who have been injured or lost loved ones to distracted driving. The government is launching the series with three videos, and will add a new one every few weeks.

At the L.A. Auto Show, Ford is introducing the Focus Race Car Concept, its next global track car. Unlike other concepts debuting at the show, this has to be considered practically production ready with the technology it embraces including the 2.0-liter Ford EcoBoost turbo engine. The first race appearance for the car is anticipated to be in the 2011 British Touring Car Championship.

Neil Young's classic 1959 Lincoln has been heavily damaged in a warehouse fire. The legendary rock star had converted a 1959 Lincoln Continental to run on electricity. Called the LincVolt now, it is the world's first Micro-Turbine powered Bio-Electro-Cruiser. Designed in 1959 to travel in style and grace, this timeless, beautiful and spacious Electro-Turbine Series-Hybrid now draws its power from a multi-fueled Capstone Micro-turbine generator, a UQM 150KW prime mover and Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries.

Dodge has managed to extend the sports car design DNA of its now iconic Dodge Challenger across its entire 2011 lineup with major changes to the Charger, Grand Caravan and Journey. At the same time it delivers an air of refinement to its interiors that had long been lacking. Models such as the Charger and the Grand Caravan are no longer just beautiful on the outside. They have become complete packages – something that the brand has been lacking for years. Dodge is no longer the ugly duckling at Chrysler.

The New York Taxi and Livery Commission along with The Design Trust for Public Space are sponsoring a contest where you can win a year of free taxi rides in New York City. It's actually an easy contest to enter. All you have to do is take a survey, answer a few questions, and you're going to be cruising the five boroughs for free for 2011. Say goodbye to the Metro and hello to a bouncy ride in a beatup Crown Victoria.

If you are planning on shopping for a new Kia, you might just want to practice saying that. No, Australia's Holden hasn't become part of Kia. Instead, customers in 24 countries will be selected through local test drives & special showroom visit events to enjoy an all-expenses paid trip to Melbourne for the Australian Open Jan. 17-30, 2011.

Motor Trend has selected the Chevy Volt as its 2011 Car of the Year. Keeping with a trend common in automotive awards, the magazine has selected a car not yet available to the public for purchase. And, it has managed to select a car that has limited availability, too. When it rolls out in December, Chevrolet will only launch Volt in seven markets, in limited quantities: California, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Michigan and Washington D.C.

Lots of vintage BMW owners consider their cars to be works of art but 17 really are. The latest is a classic BMW 521i that has been turned into a piece of art by South African artist Esther Mahlangu at the Museum of Art and Design. Over the 35 years of the BMW Art Car program, 17 art cars have been added to the collection, the most recent is the BMW M3 GT2 by Jeff Koons that was unveiled earlier this year. Mahlangu was the first female and first African BMW Art Car artist to join the program.