Matthew Wilde

Articles by Matthew Wilde

Muscle car madness: Corvette tops the power list

Muscle cars may be defined differently by different enthusiasts of the car segment. But it’s unlikely there’s a more diverse list of muscles cars than those outlined by the website autodesk.com. In an non-bylined article, the editors have chosen their list of the top-15 muscle cars still manufactured. In reverse order, the list begins with the Dodge Viper and ends with the Chevy Corvette. The list also includes some curious choices. Here’s what autodesk wrote in part about the Dodge Viper: “In January 1992, Dodge introduced the Viper to the public as a car that was unlike any other American produced car of its time. It set its own place at the muscle car table. Technically a sports car, the

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Jerry Seinfeld does coffee, cars with Jon Stewart

Eighteen-wheelers, station wagons, vintage AMC cars and Jaguars have little in common. Unless, of course, Jerry Seinfeld and one of his comedian friends are the occupants in one of the vehicles and they’re going for coffee. The fourth season of the web series, “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” will debut June 19. It will be the first episode in a new five-season deal with the Crackle network. The new season introduction video (see below) shows Seinfeld in short clips with his guests for this season, Jon Stewart, George Wallace, Sarah Jessica Parker, Robert Klein and Aziz Ansari. Since its debut, the show’s premise has been simple. Seinfeld drives fellow comedians around in rare and expensive cars (and sometimes not-so rare

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Hyundai Sonata, 2015 Preview: New features, new trim

The 2015 Hyundai Sonata, which will feature a refined appearance and a stiffer body structure, among other improved features, will be priced beginning at $21,500, Hyundai has announced. The new Hyundai will include new range-topping Sport 2.0T Ultimate that offers class-above features such as hands-free Smart Trunk, Smart Cruise Control with stop/start capability, panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated seats and a heated steering wheel. Additionally, the 2015 Hyundai Sonata will offer a better ride quality, reduced noise, vibration and harshness and advanced safety and convenience features. Production of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata has begun at the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama plant in Montgomery, Alabama. The first retail units should begin arriving at dealerships by the end of June. The 2015

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Best Family Cars for 2014: Mazda3 to Honda Odyssey

What are the best family cars? What defines family? And what are the needs of families, small and large? Edmunds.com and Parents magazine have combined for the past seven years to present their combined list. For 2014, their top-10 list, as usual, is divided into categories, family friendly subcompacts to large sport utility vehicles. Car experts from both organizations examined hundreds of vehicles and narrowed the selection to choices in each category to those vehicles with features that make daily family journeys easier. The criteria include: reliability, impressive mileage and ample cargo capacity. “Whether they’re taking a summer road trip or just making a grocery run, families expect a lot from their vehicles,” said Parents Editor-in-Chief Dana Points. “Safety is

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PREVIEW: 2015 Subaru BRZ adds Limited Edition

The performance-packed, low-profile designed 2015 Subaru BRZ line will include a limited edition and will have a starting price of $25,695, Subaru of America has announced. The 2015 BRZ has a sports car design: low vehicle weight, ultra-low center of gravity and precision steering, and it’s powered by a 200-horsepower 2.0-liter BOXER engine. New for 2015 is the introduction of the BRZ Series.Blue limited to 1,000 cars for the continental United States. It will offer a combination of STI-branded functional aerodynamic body design, black-painted STI-branded 17-inch wheels and unique interior trim creates. The BRZ Series.Blue will arrived Subaru dealerships in July. Subaru will offer 500 painted WR Blue Pearl and 500 in Crystal White Pearl exclusively with a 6-speed manual

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Elio Motors start date halted after funding delay

The much-hyped, three-wheel Elio has plenty of supporters and perhaps an equal number of detractors. Chalk one up for those who are cynical about the $7,500 car and its heavily touted specs. According to Louisiana news reports,  the previously announced March 2015 production start date at the former GM plant in Shreveport, Louisiana, has been delayed six months until September 2015. The reason: Company founder Paul Elio has announced a funding delay. The News-Star newspaper reported Stuart Lichter, an industrial developer leasing the plant, was set to invest $7.5 million in Elio Motors — in conjunction with the purchase of the facility for the same amount by Caddo’s Industrial Development Board. The proposal was approved in August, but has now

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Jerry Seinfeld is back with rare cars, comedians, coffee

Jerry Seinfeld’s passion for cars and comedy has proven the right formula for the web series, “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. The fourth season and the first in a new five-season deal with the Crackle network will debut June 19. Crackle.com, a unit of Sony (SNE) Pictures TV, reports luxury automaker Acura has extended its exclusive deal to sponsor 24 new episodes of the car & comedy mashup. “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” is an online series appearing on Crackle.com that revolves around Seinfeld driving fellow comedians around in rare and expensive cars (and sometimes not-so rare and inexpensive cars) and then going for coffee. David Letterman, Don Rickles, Seth Meyers, Mel Brooks, Sarah Silverman, Michael Richards, Tina Fey, Chris

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PREVIEW: 2016 updated Ford F-650, F-750 series

Ford has announced its 2016 F-650/F-750 medium-duty truck lineup with a 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 turbo diesel. It will feature three engine power ratings, including best-in-class standard diesel horsepower and torque, and no vocational limits on top ratings. The three diesel power levels available for the 2016 Ford F-650/F-750 are: 270 horsepower/675 lb.-ft. torque (best-in-class standard); 300 horsepower /700 lb.-ft. torque; 330 horsepower/725 lb.-ft. torque. The 2016 F-650/F-750 features a bold look inside and out. Offered in Regular Cab, SuperCab and Crew Cab styles and in straight frame, dock height and a new dedicated tractor model for heavy towing applications. The turbo diesel engine is paired with commercial-grade six-speed Ford TorqShift HD automatic transmission optimized for medium-duty vocations. The second

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Ford recalls 1.4 million vehicles dating to 2006

Ford has joined General Motors in a dubious recent honors contest with the announcement of a recall of 1.4 million cars in a variety of brands and manufactured between 2006 and 2013. The biggest percent of the recalls, according to the Detroit News, involves 915,216 Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner and Ford-built Mazda Tribute CUVs. The vehicleating firm 2008 to 2011, for faulty torque sensors. The issue could could lead to sudden power steering failure. Manual steering would still be available, though. The recall includes 736,000 of the above brands built in the United States and the majority of the rest in Mexico and Canada. While suffering with a similar issue, the manufacturer is also will recall 195,527 Ford Escapes, with

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General Motors slammed with $35 million recall fine

General Motors has been fined a record $35 million in civil penalties for its inadequate handling of a recall of more than two million vehicles with ignition switch problems. The Department of Transportation said GM violated federal safety laws and its decree said GM should change how it handles review of safety issues. The GM recall includes the 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky vehicles. The fine stems from an investigation into the Chevrolet Cobalt and other GM cars that were found to have faulty ignition. The problem can allow an ignition switch to move out of the “run” position. It can cause air bags to fail

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Carmony re-focusing website with upscale brands

Carmony, one of the United Kingdom’s leading used car websites, is rebranding its website and will now focus on prestigious brands with price tags of more than 25,000 pounds. The Carmony website previously featured a full range of used cars. And it will continue is reputation for providing a simple, effect website that allow consumers to search for vehicles and dealers for the best products. The special lifestyle search feature allows consumer to look for a used car using criteria such as boot space or number of seats. Additionally, the website offers the latest news and reviews from the industry. The rebranding is clever. There’s a gap in the market for the advertising of used or nearly new cars appealing

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Mercedes-Benz, Kia drop Clippers, Donald Sterling

At least six companies involved in the automotive industry, including Mercedes-Benz and Kia Motors, have removed advertising budgets from the Los Angeles Clippers and their now banned and fined owner, Donald Sterling. The exodus occurred prior to the announcement of the NBA’s decision to reprimand Sterling after the 80-year-old billionaire’s racially insensitive remarks. (Editor’s Note: The WeeklyDriver.com has decided not to print the remarks attributed to Sterling.) In addition to Kia and Mercedes-Benz, CarMax, State Farm Insurance, Red Bull and Yokohama have ended their relationships with the team. Several other major sponsors have also ended their relationships with the Clippers and its owner. Teams’ finances aren’t made public, so it is not known how much money the loss of sponsorships

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Elio Motors, Pep Boys establish service deal

If the Elio Motors concept vehicle is launched, its buyers will have a nationwide official service provider, Pep Boys. The automotive aftermarket retailer has more than 800 service centers in 35 states and in Puerto Rico, and it will cover 90 percent of the markets where the start-up Elio Motors vehicles will be sold. Elio Motors will service vehicles at its company owned stores in remaining markets. For more than one year, Elio has promoted its three-wheel vehicle. The company claims it will have a price tag of $6,800, fuel efficiency of 84 miles per gallon and a top speed of 100 mph. “Pep Boys’ rich history, dating nearly 100 years, makes the company a cultural icon, and a well-known

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Nissan testing new trend — self-cleaning cars (video)

Some folks like mowing their lawns and cleaning their cars. They won’t allow anyone else to touch their grass or their wheels. Other people don’t want to be bothered, and that’s what Nissan in counting on with its self-cleaning car experiment. The carmaker is testing a new paint technology that repels mud, rain and dirt. So far, the testing has only been done Europe, and only on theNissan Note. If the idea works, the environmental advantages and time-saving efficiency sound promising. The technology is called Ultra-Ever Dry. It’s never been used on automobile before. The concept works when a layer of air between the paint and the environment prohibits standing water and road spray from remaining on the exterior paint.

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Free car giveaway: 2014 Custom Mustang GT

Modern Muscle Design (MMD) is offering the chance to drive away with its SEMA built, custom 2014 Mustang GT. AmericanMuscle and MMD collaborated on the custom design. It’s called Project MMD. Featuring more than $30,000 in aftermarket parts and the sleek, modern design MMD is known for this one-of-a-kind versatile Mustang. It’s a perfect show car or a daily driver. The winner will be selected on August 4, 20014 and will be handed the keys at the AmericanMuscle, the word’s largest all-Mustang show of August 16. Not only is this Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords (MM & FF) May 2014 Cover Car, it’s also the same build featured at Forgestar’s booth for the 2013 SEMA Auto Show. This giveaway car

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Best Used Cars Under $10,000? Ford Dominates

New cars or used cars? Buy a new car and you lose as soon as it leaves the showroom floor. Buy a used car and you get someone else’s headache. There are many reason for both types of purchases, of course. And there’s the leasing option, which has been increasing popular for business owners and other buyers for a variety of reasons. The used car market has always been a good choice for savvy buyers. The financial website bankrate.com recently posted its selection of the 10 best used cars currently available. The list features the car model, the best years of its best values, the percentage of the editions of the cars listed available for less than $10,000 and the

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