James Raia

Articles by James Raia

Honda Fit recall: nearly 700,000 globally for stalling issue

Honda is recalling about 97,000 of its 2009–10 Honda Fit hatchbacks in the United States and about 700,000 worldwide (also sold under the names Honda Freed and Honda City) because a part failure can cause the car to stall or damage the engine. The carmaker announced in a news release that “lost motion springs” within the engine’s valve train “may bend or break over time resulting in abnormal engine noise and potentially causing engine damage or stalling.” Honda said it was not aware of any crashes or injuries and would begin notifying owners early next month. The Japanese automaker said the problem is originates from a  “a lack of lubrication “where the lost motion spring retainer contacts the rocker arm.”

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BMW 1956-1959 507 car review

One of the most revered BMW models is the 1956-59 507 sports car, valued at $420,000 if in excellent (and not even show car) condition. Only 253 were built, but at least 200 have survived because the 507 isn’t the sort of auto that’s neglected and then thrown away. BMW made top sports cars in the 1930s, but suffered so much damage during World War II that it couldn’t return to auto production until 1951. The 507 revived its reputation for producing fast, durable, superbly engineered road cars. The 507 had everything you could ask from a sports car. It had sensational styling that still looks great and could do 0-60 mph in 7 to 8.8 seconds, depending on gearing.

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Porsche set to debut second hybrid, Panamera S

Porsche will unveil its second production hybrid model, the Panamera S Hybrid, later this year, adding another chapter to the carmaker’s Intelligent Performance development philosophy. The new Panamera model produces 380 horsepower is the most fuel efficient Porsche in history. Optional low-rolling-resistance tires developed for the Panamera helps hybrid performance sedan deliver its impressive NEDC fuel economy figure. But even with standard performance tires, the Panamera S Hybrid’s estimated mpg will be just under 27 mpg. (The official EPA fuel economy estimates will be available closer to the car’s on-sale date.) The Panamera S Hybrid sets new standards in terms of Porsche performance as well as hybrid efficiencies. It accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds and has

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Lexus video: Super car does donuts around super model

Like manufacturers featuring stunning models at auto shows, the same equation works in print and in video marketing.  But throw in a performance Lexus and add a little suspense, and it’s a great way to sell cars — or at least yellow bikinis. In the video below, champion drifter racer Rhys Millen guides the Lexus LFA super car around super model around Rianne Ten Haken. Photographer Yu Tsai explains his concept in the video, Rhys does an extraordinary job getting the Lexus close to the model. And Ten Haken? She just stands there and then comments she had no idea how close the car was. Of course, the dilemma is whether those watching the video will even care about the

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Million Dollar Baby, Pagani Huayra, will be sold in U.S.

Pagani, the niche Italian carmaker founded about 20 years ago, will sell the Huarya, its new more than $1 million sports car, in the United States later this year through a dealer network. The Zonda, Pagani‘s current model, is a perennial favorite for enthusiasts interested in top-speed and brute-power. But it’s not available in the United States. Pagani, based in San Cesario sul Panaro, near Modena, Italy, builds about 40 cars per year, and hopes to sell five of its new Huayra model in the U.S. this year. Named after Huayra Tata, an ancient God of wind, the Huayra has a six-liter, 12-cylinder engine with two turbochargers built by Mercedes-Benz’s AMG. The engine breathes through a pair of air intakes

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Westminster Dog Show: Subaru ads again get best of show

Subaru, which debuted seven commercials during Super Bowl XLV featuring dogs rescued from shelters, was back with several of the favorite 30-second spots during the 2011 Westminster Dog Show. It was an ideal match. Since nearly 70 percent of Subaru drivers are pet owners, the commercials, including two of the most popular, “Snowballs” and “Donuts,” were nearly a continuation of the famous show. The two commercials, like other dog-related Subaru commercials, featured the text “Dog Tested. Dog Approved. Dog Love.” Subaru maintains an ongoing partnership with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Subaru also supports ASPCA events, and ASPCA Guardian Members receive a discount at participating Subaru dealers throughout the year to thank them for

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Bugatti Veyron gets another honor — 'meanest' car

Manufacturers take pride in “green” cars honors and automakers like Honda, Nissan and Toyota aggressively use the accolades in various marketing and public relations campaigns. But not so much exotic carmakers like Bugatti and domestic truck manufacturers Ford, Dodge and Chevy. They’ve all been awarded positions on the dubious list of the “meanest” cars — the country’s biggest environmental losers. Bugatti‘s position on the top of the bad list is nothing new. It’s a notorious gas guzzler, which the Italian manufacturer doesn’t much care about since the Veyron is among the most exclusive and fastest cars made. Among gas guzzlers, the Veyron’s 8 mpg in city driving is the lowest average of any car and the only single-digit average. So, while

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Honda gets "green" car top honors, Chevy Volt shorts out

For the 8th year, the 2011 Honda Civic GX has claimed top honors as the “greenest” car in the United States, according to the 14th annual ratings for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). Some newcomers — including an electric vehicle and a plug-in electric hybrid — did well, while several of the regulars held their ground and other cars, most notably the Chevrolet Volt, fared poorly. This year’s ratings reveal a face-off among plug-ins, gasoline hybrids, diesels, natural gas vehicles, and improving “conventional” gasoline vehicles. notwithstanding changes to Green Book® rating methods that boost. The all-electric Nissan Leaf places second, followed by the gasoline-powered Smart Fortwo. Hybrids take the next three spots, followed closely by Ford’s new

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2011 Subaru Impreza WRX Car Review

Fast, rugged rally race cars are designed to go flat out on almost impossibly demanding back roads. While popular in Europe, few Americans know professional rally competition exists, although foreign automakers long have built cars to compete in that sport. In America — mostly a stick-and-ball sport country — the Indianapolis 500 and maybe the Daytona 500, particularly in the South, are the only mass-attraction auto races. Subaru’s street version of a rally car, the Impreza WRX, arrived for 2002. The first versions were bare-bones and marginally comfortable, but a kick to drive. They became more comfortable for American driving as the years passed. That doesn’t mean the WRX has become soft. For 2009, horsepower was boosted by 41 to

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Audi A6 2012 debuts, hybrid model pending

The 2012 Audi A6, a premium-midsize sedan, has been redesigned with new styling and a new gas/electric hybrid model. Initial A6 models will come in a single 3.0T trim level with Audi‘s quattro all-wheel drive and powered by a supercharged 300-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 engine. The sole transmission is likely to be an 8-speed automatic. Due later in the 2012 model year is the A6 Hybrid. It pairs a 211-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with a battery-powered electric motor for 245 horsepower total. It’s predicted efficiency will be 38 mpg and with an expected price of about $50,000. The hybrid can run on one or both of its power sources to balance acceleration and fuel economy. No plug-in charging is required.

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Fisker gets $150 million more funding, Karma built soon

Fisker Automotive, poised to begin production of its $87,000 Karma hybrid sports car sedan in March, has received another $150 million in funding, bringing its total financing to more than $1 billion. In addition to private investing, Fisker has received about $530 million from the Department of Energy. The Karma sedan is touted as the world’s “first true electric vehicle with extended range,” according to Fisker’s website. The car has an all-electric range of 50 miles when fully charged. After 50 miles, a gasoline engine turns an on-board generator for 250 miles before refueling or recharging. The car is slated to begin production March 21 in the carmaker’s new location in Anaheim. According to Russell Datz, Fisker Automotive publicist, Fisker

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Chicago Auto Show, 2011: Volkswagen debuts 2012 Jetta

Volkswagen is debuting the 2012 Jetta GLI this week at the Chicago Auto Show, and the big news is the 2.0-liter turbo that pumps out 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque, is available with a six-speed manual transmission or VW’s DSG automatic. Roman Mica, contributing editor of www.theweekly and publisher of www.tflcar.com, reports VW states the VW GLI will be available in three trim levels and that Jetta GLI has a starting MSRP of $23,495. The GLI Autobahn, with an MSRP of $25,545, adds 18″ alloy wheels, sunroof, dual zone climate control, heated V-Tex Leatherette seats and the Fender Premium Audio System. The top of the line Jetta GLI Autobahn with Navigation adds the RNS-315 navigation system and keyless

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Chicago Auto Show, 2011: Hot cars, sexy girls for photo ops

Roman Mica, owner of tflcar.com and contributing editor to theweeklydriver.com, is reporting from the 2011 Chicago Auto Show. Like any good auto show, the Chicago gathering features new car models, concepts cars and pretty women as car models of a different kind. We’ll feature Mica’s reviews, too,  but we’ll get to the important stuff, first. Here’s a sampling of the pretty women, hired to help showcase manufacturers’ new offerings. To read more from Roman Mica and his staff reporting from the Chicago Auto Show, visit: www.tflcar.com. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004. In addition to founding this site in 2004, James

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Carmel Concours on the Avenue is back, set for August 16

Monterey Auto Week 2011 in August, the yearly collection of car shows, vintage races, auctions and memorabilia, will also include the return of one of its unheralded, grand events — the Concours on the Avenue. According to a report in the Carmel Pine Cone, the car show presented on Ocean Ave. and various side streets in downtown Carmel, will be held August 16. The weekly newspaper reports owners Doug and Genie Freedman believe the daylong show will feature 175 collectible American and European cars and motorcycles from 1940 to 1989. The event was canceled in 2010 for lack of sponsorship and after a last-ditch effort by Carmel city officials to raise $200,000 from local businesses failed. “We’re excited,” Doug Freedman

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Chevy Volt 2011 car review

The new compact Chevrolet Volt hatchback sedan is the world’s first mass-produced electric vehicle with extended range. It’s the most radical  General Motors high-volume car since the 1960s Chevy rear-engine Corvair, which was virtually buried  by the then-new conventional Ford Mustang. The front-wheel-drive Volt is the most mass-produced aerodynamic car Chevrolet has made to get maximum fuel efficiency. One aerodynamic trick is giving the car a phony grille. Air is fed to the engine compartment via an “under-grille” scoop below the bumper. The futuristic aerodynamic 1960s Studebaker Avanti used the same type of air induction. Still, the Volt drew few extra glances despite clever design features, such as unusually aerodynamic rear styling. That’s the way Chevy wants it. “It’s more

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Toyota cleared of sticky accelerator mess, civil claims remain

The long-awaited results of the Obama administration’s review of the Toyota Motor Corp’s unintended acceleration of electronic throttles and faulty floormats and the subsequent recall of more than eight million vehicles, revealed no systemic flaws in the software driven systems of Toyota or Lexus vehicles. Federal safety regulators investigated reports that as many as 89 U.S. crash deaths since 2000 may have been linked to unintended acceleration in Toyotas and Lexus vehicles. “There is no electronic-based cause for unintended high-speed acceleration in Toyotas,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement. The recalls, government scrutiny, which included testimony by Chief Executive Akio Toyoda at congressional hearings a year ago, and more than $30 million in fines, damaged Toyota’s reputation.

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