Automotive News

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Toyota Corolla 2014 unveiled: sleeker, better mpg

The Toyota Corolla 2014, the 11th generation of the biggest-selling car in history, has been been unveiled as expected with the automaker’s theme of “Iconic Dynamism.” With mechanical and aerodynamic upgrades and a target of more than 40 mph, the new Toyota Corolla will showcase a sleeker, more modern design with a longer wheelbase. The new 2014 Toyota Corolla will also feature shorter overhangs, more pronounced wheel arches and cleanly sculpted surfaces. The faster sloping roofline blends into a shorter rear deck to lend the sedan a sportier image.   The new Corolla’s athletic character is complemented by a broad range of styled alloy wheel and wheel cover options. They range  from covered 15-inch steel wheels to 17-inch alloy wheels.

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Toyota Prius recall worries continue with braking issues

The ever-lingering recall of Toyota vehicles has continued with a voluntary safety recall of  Toyota Prius and Lexus HS 250h vehicles from 2010 because of potential braking issues. The total of 87,000 vehicles from 2010 models in the two brands being recalled are equipped with a brake pressure accumulator that may develop a fatigue crack on an internal part due to vibration. There have been no report of accidents of injuries via the Toyota Prius recall, but it occurs about two month after one of the largest recalls in the carmaker’s history. Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi combined will recall more than three million vehicles dating to 2000 and for an often-repeated, recent-year auto industry woe — defected safety equipment.

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2014 Toyota Corolla: New look, better gas mileage

Since it’s the best-selling car in history, look for continued keen marketing when  2014 Toyota Corolla is soon completely unveiled. In the meantime, the carmaker is steadily leaking details of the Corolla. And it takes the entry level vehicle at least as seriously as the debut of any of its cars — the Camry to the Prius to the Tacoma pick-up. The next generation of the Corolla, the 12th since the car’s debut in 1966, has slowly and steadily been leaked onto the Internet in stages. The front end was recently teased with a few images. And now images of the rear end have also surfaced. 2014 Toyota Corolla Has Aggressive Styling According to various media reports, the 2014 Toyota

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Ford F-150, country’s best-seller, facing NHTSA scrutiny for power failure

The Ford F-150 pickup truck, the best-selling vehicle in the United States, is under National Highway Traffic Safety Administration scrutiny. The NHTSA has opened preliminary investigation into 400,000 of the perennially popular trunks from 2011-2013 for acceleration problems. The NHTSA has received 95 reports of incidents of reduced engine power during hard accelerations in 2011-2013 Ford F-150 trucks equipped with 3.5-liter gasoline turbocharged direct injection engines. Some complaints allege unexpected sharp reductions in engine power during hard accelerations at highway speeds, such as attempted merging or passing maneuvers. NHTSA said Ford has issued three technical service bulletins related to intermittent stumble/misfire on acceleration from highway cruise in humid or damp conditions in some 2011 and 2012 F-150 vehicles equipped with

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Drivers feign poor vision to police officers most often to escape tickets

Car websites compile creative lists — best used car buys to most expensive sports cars and most family friendly cars to best cars for pets. Arguably the most creative list compiled in recent memory is the list compiled about driving habits, specifically the excuses given when drivers get tickets. The website Insurance.com earlier this year polled 500 licensed drivers age 18 older and older and their approach to negotiating with a police officer after being stopped for a violation. The most common excuse given by motorists was the inability to see the sign that  prohibited their just committed infraction. In fact, more than 100 respondents claimed poor vision. According to the survey results, more than two-thirds of the respondents who

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2013 Nissan Pathfinder: best family affair on wheels

There was a time when categorizing a car as a “family car” translated into “boring car.” But that generalization, once well-founded, is now long gone. With 2013 models, including the top-rated Nissan Pathfinder, a new definition is particularly necessary. Family cars are great for families and some great family cars, like the Honda Odyssey and Honda CR-V, are so versatile, they’re ideal for families of one, too. Kelley Blue Book (KBB), the esteemed vehicle assessment site, likes car lists and one of its best annual lists is its Best Family Car list. The editors at KBB have selected the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder their No. 1 choice. The editors reported: “This year’s number one isn’t just all-new for 2013, it’s completely

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Top art deco cars from The Great Gatsby era, Buick to Corsair

GearPatrol.com is a compelling website with a compelling motto: “Spirt of Adventure, Passion For Gear.” One recent post, Ten Great Art Deco Cars, features stunning images and succinct, informative descriptions of cars long gone and some that only existed as concepts. Two of the cars featured in post, a 1948 Timbs Buick Streamliner and the Phantom Corsair, a concept, were particularly stunning were included in a timely connection with the current movie The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Describing the Buick Streamliner, the site writes in part: A mechanical engineer named Norman E. Timbs designed and built this sleek number with mostly aluminum on top of a steel chassis. At a cost of $10,000, the Streamliner took more than two

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Car loans offer used car financing alternative

A car loan is normally a personal loan that incorporates fixed monthly payments over a fixed term and with a fixed interest rate. They are widely available from finance companies, direct lenders, banks and building societies. If you’re wondering how to finance a second-hand car purchase, let carshop.co.uk/car-finance talk you through one method – a car loan. How do they differ from Higher-Purchase agreements? Unlike hire purchase agreements, car loans are generally “unsecured” which means the finance is not secured against the car you have bought.  As such, you and not the finance company are the legal owner of the car from the day you buy it rather than having to wait until you have finished paying for it. Pros

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Driving the Tour of California #4: Divine navigation the way to go in 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe

The first few days of the Amgen Tour of California involved only 10-mile round-trip treks from San Diego to Escondido, a welcome respite from the nearly 500-mile pre-race trek from Sacramento. But the multiple-hour treks returned for stages 2 and 3 and they reiterated my appreciate for the navigation system in the 2013 Santa Fe I’m driving for two weeks and for an estimated 2,000 miles. As previously mentioned, the Digital Navigation System in the Santa Fe is arguably the best I’ve used in the 10 years I’ve been reviewing cars. It has an eight-inch screen and offers a clear picture and easy-to-understand icons. Instructions are precise, provided with a professional voice and give not so often that it’s an

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Ford pick-ups from 2008 investigated for faulty steering

Ford is perennially the top-selling pick-up truck in the United States, but two models of the 2008 lineup are being investigated for faulty steering gear boxes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is opening a preliminary investigation into 340,000 Ford F250 and F350 Super Duty trucks from 2008 after several reported crashes. According to the NHTSA, five complaints alleging an internal failure of the steering gear box resulting in a complete loss of steering control and resulted in the the driver crashing the truck into a parked car at 20 miles per hour. A second report said failure of the steering gear box resulted in a roadway departure at 35 miles per hour. Another complaint said a 2008 F250

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Ferrari rules (what else?) at Ferrari Challenge at Sonoma Raceway

Started 20 years ago by Ferrari North America, the Ferrari Challenge affords its customers the opportunity to appreciate their cars in competition while racing against other Ferrari owners on tracks throughout North America. The Challenge began with the then-current Ferrari 348. When newer models arrived — the 355, 360 and F430 — they were included.  Since 2011, the 458 had been the Ferrari of choice in the Challenge. Ferrari cars racing in the series are prepared and maintained for competition by authorized Ferrari dealers, many of whom have formed racing teams for the series. All images © Bruce Aldrich, Sonoma Raceway, April 28, 2013 This year, the Ferrari Challenge series stop in the extended San Francisco Bay Area was held

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Electric carmaker Coda pulls plug after one year, 100 sales

Coda, which joined the green car fraternity and introduced its vehicles to California consumers about one year ago, has filed for bankruptcy protection after selling only about 100 of its all-electric sedans. The five-passenger Coda E.V., imported from China, had a range of 125 miles on a single charge. But the $37,250 vehicle was criticized for its no-frills styling. Its brief tenure also included a recall for faulty air bags. According to Reuters, the bankruptcy filing with the federal Bankruptcy Court in Delaware will allow the Los Angeles company to leave the auto industry and refocus on energy storage. Coda uses the same technology it used in cars to build systems for utilities and building operators to store power. A

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Porsche adds beauty to beauty, names Maria Sharapova ambassador

Maria Sharapova owns a Porsche, she’s famous, she’s athletic and she’s stunning. That’s the ideal combination for the German sports car manufacturer. It has signed Sharapova to a three-year contract as a brand ambassador. Sharapova, 26, of Russia, is a four-time Grand Slam winner and is currently ranked N0. 2 in the world. “Maria Sharapova is an exceptional athlete. She combines top performance in her sports with elegance and power. These are precisely the qualities that are embroiled in our sports cars,” said Porsche CEO Matthias Mueller. “Her profile and charisma are an ideal fit for Porsche. She is also highly respected around the world and enjoys an outstanding reputation.” Sharapova was rewarded with a white Porsche Carrera S Cabriolet

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Jaguar XJ, Kia Sedona among five cars you should never buy

A 2013 Jaguar XJ and a Kia Sedona may not seem to have much in common. And they don’t unless a potential of either car is interested in depreciation value. If that’s the case, don’t buy either. The $76,000 Jaguar and $25,000 Kia have among the worst depreciaton values over a five-year ownership. At least, that’s the opinion of IntelliChoice, the Campbell, Calif.-based research firm. In its findings, according to an article on Bankrate.com, logic often rules in the auto industry. Cars in high demand tend to have a high resale value, as do sporty cars, compact cars and the base-line model of a lineup.Large vehicles, midsize cars and minivans tend to lose their value. Here are five vehicles that

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Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mazda in massive global airbag recall

Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi combined will recall more than three million vehicles dating to 2000 and for an often-repeated, recent-year auto industry woe — defected safety equipment. The latest crisis involves airbag inflators made by Takata, the Japanese safety gear producer. Takata made the products from 2000 to 2002. It’s the biggest recall involving Takata since 1995, when several automakers called back a then-record almost nine million vehicles to replace faulty seat belts made by the Japanese company. “It looks like the cost of the recalls may be pretty big,” Satoru Takada, a Tokyo-based analyst at Toward the Infinite World Inc., referring to Takata, told Reuters. “It doesn’t seem like something that would be easy to identify and fix.

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Ford announces special edition package for 2014 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor

Ford announced its F-150 SVT Raptor, one of the stablemates in the country’s best-selling vehicle lineup, will have a new optional Special Edition package that will complement the existing Luxury Package. The upgrade will include a Ruby Red Metallic exterior color and box-side graphics. Interior upgrades include Brick Red seat bolsters with black inserts and cloth honeycomb highlights, console top finish panel, and center stack and door panel appliqué accents. The 2014 F-150 SVT Raptor Special Edition, which will go on sale in the of 2013, will also be available in Tuxedo Black Metallic. The Raptor has found an enviable niche in full-size pickups, with sales up 14 percent in 2013. More than 13,000 Raptors were sold in 2012. Since

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