Automotive News

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Volkswagen lineup, 2012: sports cars, station wagons and a Bug

By David Colman I have never experienced a press roll out like this in more than 20 years of attending Volkswagen events in the United Sates and Germany, Usually, the occasions focus on one or two new models with long, complex drive routes scheduled to foster a maximum driving experience. This year, there were multiple models available, but in a three-hour window. Here are my brief impressions from either a 15-mile or 25-mile Northern California loop that encompassed flat and hilly driving conditions in the Half Moon Bay and San Mateo areas: 2012 VW GOLF R This baby is a “little bomb.” The Golf R replaces the Golf R32, which has come and gone in several iterations during the past

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Buick Verano joins rest of family as top safety pick

The 2012 Buick Verano has been selected as a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It joins the rest of Buick lineup with the top rating in the testing program that determines occupant protection in front, side, and rollover crashes, and specifically tests seats and head restraints for neck protection in rear impact crashes. To earn a 2012 Top Safety Pick designation, a vehicle must be rated “good” in all four tests. The Verano has 10 standard air bags and the security of OnStar. In the event of a rollover crash, sensors in the vehicle deploy standard head curtain air bags prior to impact and leave them inflated for an extended period. Verano’s body structure is

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Will Tiger Woods soon be driving a free Buick Enclave — again?

In the aftermath of Tiger Woods' recent first PGA Tour victory since 2009, what comes to mind for the automotive world is how long will it take before the famed golfer is once again driving a free Buick? Or this time time around will it be a Ford, Chevy, Hyundai, Lexus or Mercedes-Benz? Although it seems longer ago than 2009, Woods was once a spokeseman for General Motors, via his contract with Buick. Woods fiilmed commercials driving a Buick Enclave, the luxury SUV. Despite its rather hefty presence, the Enclave was largely unheralded. But GM decided Woods was an ideal representative for the manufacturer. The Enclave quickly became known as the "Tiger Woods car." One prime example occurred in 2006.

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BMW recall: 1.3 million 5 and 6 series for potential electrical system failure

BMW is globally recalling 1.3 million 5 and 6 vehicles manufactured between 2003 and 2010 due to potential problems with a battery-cable cover that could result in the electrical system malfunctioning, the vehicle failing to start and as well as the potential for charring or a fire. The German manufacturer said it isn't aware of any accident or injury triggered through the technical fault. Vehicle owners will be notified in writing. Repairs will take approximately 30 minutes and will be free of charge to the customer. BMW didn't elaborate on the anticipated costs it will face related to the recall. A BMW spokesman said the recall is a precautionary safety measure as no accidents have been reported. Nine cases of

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Chrysler, Fiat boss Sergio Marchionne interviewed on 60 Minutes

Sergio Marchionne, the Italian-American CEO of Chrysler and Fiat, was the focus of one of the three weekly segments March 25 on 60 Minutes, the long-running Sunday night CBS news magzine. Marchionne discussed, with questions by Steve Kroft, the return from certain demise of the two historic carmakers in the three-plus years since Marchionne took control. Last year, Chrysler earned $183-million, its first profit since 2005. Fiat re-introduced last October, the Fiat 500cc, the iconic sub-compact. Marchionne's companies were also responsible for the hiring of celebrities to tout Chrysler and Fiat — Eminem to Clint Eastwood, Jennifer Lopez to Charlie Sheen. The entire interview is below: James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has

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Rare Ayrton Senna F1 Toleman set for UK auction

A Toleman TG184-2 Formula One car driven by Brazilian Ayrton Senna in his debut F1 season will be auctioned May 16 at The Spring Sale to be hosted by Silverstone Auctions in Northamptonshire, United Kingdom. Senna, who died at age 34 in 1994 while leading leading the San Marino Grand Prix, finished second while driving the same Toleman in the rain-soaked 1984 Monaco GP. Senna, a three-time world titlist, also raced to 3rd in the British and 7th in the Canadian Grand Prix in the Toleman, which has been privately owned for the past 16 years. Senna's life was portrayed in the 2011 documentary, SENNA. A 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 will also be part of the auction. For

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Scion sets prices for 2013 compact FR-S sports car

Scion has announced its 2013 FR-S compact rear-wheel drive sports car will have a $24,200 when equipped with a six-speed manual transmission and $25,300 when equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission. The high-performance coupe is the fifth model to join the Scion family and will go on sale this spring. The FR-S, which stands for Front-engine, Rear-wheel drive, Sport; is Scion’s definition of an authentic rear-wheel-drive sports car with exceptionally balanced performance and handling, compelling style, flexible utility and surprising fuel efficiency. The FR-S will be available in seven colors including Raven, Asphalt, Hot Lava, Argento, Ultramarine, Firestorm and Whiteout. FR-S comes standard with six airbags, including dual-stage advanced driver- and front-passenger airbags, front-seat-mounted airbags and side-curtain airbags. Like all

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Hyundai announces new Sonata planned for 2014

Hyundai will introduce the first revamped version of its flagship model and top-selling Sonata sedan in four years in 2014, the South Korean manufacturer announced. The latest version of the Sonata was launched in September 2009 in South Korea and early 2010 in the United States. As the world's fifth-largest auto group along with its affiliate Kia Motors, Hyundai's only newly planned model this year is the 2013 Santa Fe. Hyundai had a record sales year in 2011. In addition to the Hyundai Elantra selling more than one million units worldwide, the carmaker had its largest-selling year in the United States with a sales increase of 20 percent over 2010 totals. The Alabama-built Sonata and North American Car of the

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Chevy Impala 2014, now in 10th generation, set for debut in New York

The 2014 newly designed Chevrolet Impala, now in its 56th year and 10th generation, will be introduced in April at New York International Auto Show. “The momentum at Chevrolet continues to build with the debut of the the Impala, one of the brand’s most enduring and cherished nameplates,” said Chris Perry, vice president of Global Chevrolet Marketing. “The new Impala further strengthens Chevrolet’s passenger car lineup by giving consumers a full-size sedan that balances the desire for distinction with engaging driving dynamics.” The Impala nameplate was introduced in 1958 and has been one of Chevrolet’s best-selling passenger cars for decades. The new Impala has a 3.6-liter, 217 cubic-inch, 300 horsepower V6 engine with a six-speed automatic transmission. It uses gas/ethanol,

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Toyota Prius c, 2012: New hybrid's popularity prompts price gouging in Florida

Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield, who writes for the auto portal High Gear Media, has a story about price gouging for the new and vastly popular 2012 Toyota Prius C, the carmaker's subcompact hybrid. According to the report, a dealership in Coconut Creek, Fla., has taken the concept of inflated sticker prices to an extreme — about one third of the original sticker price. Gordon-Bloomfield was alerted to the situation by a reader who forwarded an image of the extreme price of a Toyota Prius c located at Al Hendrickson Toyota and bearing the words "Market Value Adjustment." Translated, that means price gouging. The 2012 Toyota Prius c, which debuted about a week about at dealers, has a sticker price of about $19,000

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Toyota Prius c, 2012: superior mpg, value price equals strong sales debut

The 2012 Toyota Prius c, the new five-door, sub-compact hatchback and the smallest in the carmaker's lineup of hybrids, debuted impressively in its first week on the market. In its first three days of sales since its March 12 debut, 1,021 Toyota Prius c models sold in the United States, According to Toyota, that number eclipses the sales totals for the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf in February. "A number of factors drive the auto market, and fuel prices is one of them,” said Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of the Toyota Division. “With 53 miles-per-gallon in the city and priced under $19,000, the timing for Prius c couldn’t be better." During the first half of

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Hyundai fighting recall of Sonata Hybrid for seatbelt issue

Hyundai continues its increasingly strong position among carmakers, and it now believes it can do well against a more powerful industry leader — the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). Hyundai has been ordered to recall and replace center rear seat belts in 14,728 Sonata hybrids from model years 2011 and 2012. But the automaker is seeking a review of the recall and is filing for an exemption. The Korean automaker has fixed the issue believed to be a safety concern for 1,633 Sonata Hybrids in its possession. But Hyundai believes there's no further risk for slightly more than 13,000 other Hyundai hybrids in the public sector. Several auto web sites are reporting the issue in question is whether seatbelts

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Historic Ferrari racing returning to Laguna Seca Raceway

Historic Ferraris and their modern-day relatives will take to the race track May 18-20 for Ferrari Racing Days at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California. Ferrari 458s will compete alongside their predecessor the F430s in the Ferrari Challenge as well as separate 599XX, FXX and Shell Historic races. “We had a tremendous response to this event last year,” said Gill Campbell, CEO/raceway general manager. “Ferrari’s have such a loyal following and we had participants and spectators from around the world turn out to see these cars in their natural environment – the race track.” The single marque racing series allows Ferrari owners and drivers seeking to sharpen their skills to compete against each other on some of the finest

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Toyota Venza, 2013: Revised grille, more technology for New York Auto Show debut

The 2013 Toyota Venza crossover, which will feature a restyled exterior design, will make its North American debut as part of the Toyota display at the 2012 New York Auto Show, April 6-15 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York In addition to enhanced exterior styling, added value through several new standard convenience features and updated option packages that include the Entune™ multi-media system for 2013 model year. Venza’s aerodynamic shape has been modified with a new upper and lower grille, fog lamps and rear taillights. The updated styling is complemented by a new 19-inch wheel design and three new exterior colors: Attitude Black, Cypress Pearl, and Cosmic Gray Mica. The 2013 Venza will continue to be available in

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Toyota recalls more than 681,000 Camry, Venza and Tacoma trucks

Toyota is recalling more than 681,000 Camry, Venza and Tacoma vehicles from 2005 to 2011 because of faulty warning lamps, faulty steering cables and the inability of some cars to start. Approximately 495,000 Toyota Tacoma trucks from 2005 to early 2009 will be recalled to replace the steering wheel spiral cable assembly. A combined total of 186,500 Camry (2009) and Venza (2009 and 2011) are also being recalled because of faulty stop lamp switches. Due to the combination of steering wheel spiral cable design and characteristics unique to the Tacoma chassis, friction between the spiral cable and the retainer in the steering wheel spiral cable assembly may occur in some vehicles. Friction over time may result in loss of connectivity

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Bugatti auctioning ride and drive of Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport

Bugatti Automobiles will auction the opportunity to drive a Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport during the RM Auctions’ 14th annual Amelia Island sale on March 10. The winner will get a ride and drive in the Grand Sport with Bugatti’s official test pilot on either the East or West Coast on roads such as Pacific Coast Highway or the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway. When the roof is closed, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport, which has a price of $1.8 million, can reach 253 mph. RM Auctions is the official auction house of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. The auction will start at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 10. Full-day previews will be held March 8 – 9 from 9 a.m.

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