Automotive Reviews

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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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 Avalon 2011 car review

As the flagship sedan, the 2011 Toyota Avalon is the automaker’s largest car and shares many components with its upscale kin at Lexus, including a 268 horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine. Introduced in 1994 as a 1995 model, the Avalon has undergone several redesigns and styling updates including for the 2011 edition that debuted in April 2010. The 2011 Avalon has two trim lines — the base model and upscale Limited. Although considered a styling upgrade from 2010, the new model has vast changes — a redesigned instrument cluster and center console to new wood trim and a more refined rear and front fascia. Now standard is a back-up camera with navigation screen or rear view mirror display, new tail lights,

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Ford recalls 363,000 F-150 pickups — faulty door handles

Ford is recalling nearly 363,000 F-150 pickup trucks, the perennial best-selling vehicle in the United States, because of a potential problem with the door handles not working properly. The automaker and the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced 280,294 F-150 trucks in the United States, 68,000 in Canada and 14,000 in Mexico and from model years 2009 and 2010 will be recalled. The F-150 trucks, the top-selling vehicle in the U.S. for the past 34 years, being  been recalled were produced from January 2008 to November 2009. In a crash, according to the NHTSA, “the door handle spring can fail, causing the door latch to open.” Ford reported as of January 21, 2011, no accidents or injuries related

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Volkswagen XL1 futuristic concept gets 260 mpg

The Volkswagen XL1 Super Efficient Vehicle (SEV) concept, unveiled at the Qatar Motor Show, features pioneering construction techniques, an advanced plug-in hybrid drivetrain and innovative packaging. The result is an estimated 260 mpg, a benchmark for vehicle efficiency. Powering the XL1 is a compact 800cc TDI two-cylinder common rail diesel engine developing 47 hp. It’s linked to an electric motor producing 27 horsepower, resulting in a total of 74 horsepower. It’s a modest output, but more than sufficient considering car weighs only 1,753 pounds. The TDI engine is linked to an electric motor and a seven-speed DSG gearbox with an automatic clutch mounted between each unit. The electric motor can either work independently of the TDI engine or in tandem

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Aston Martin Vantage S 2011 debuts

Bridging the gap between road car and race car, the 2011 Aston Martin Vantage S is influenced by the 2011 Vantage GT4 race car. The GT4 takes advantage of the Vantage’s immensely rigid bonded aluminium chassis, providing the ideal platform for a race car. Minor racing safety modifications including an FIA approved roll cage and racing ‘bag’ petrol tank along with weight saving measures are made to the standard road car to convert it into a class winning race car. In 2010, it won its class at the Dubai 24 Hours following this up with further endurance race wins at the Nürburgring 24 Hours, Silverstone 24 Hours and Spa 24 Hours. It also won its first major international championship victory

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Pagani Huayra 2012: New god-like, $1.4 million supercar

Named after an ancient Andean god of wind, the 2012 Pagani Huayra is the newest Italian supercar offered from by one of the smallest and most unheralded automakers. Unlike the company’s current car, the Zonda, the Huayra has been engineered to meet U.S. safety and emissions standards, and should be available — to a chosen few who can get one of the 20 made for about $1.4 million. Pagani describes the car as “a carbon-titanium monocoque chassis cradling a mid-mounted, 700 hp 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine.” It was designed for Pagani by AMG, the performance division of Mercedes-Benz. The two-passenger cabin features leather and carbon fiber trim among other high-end gadgets and options. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist

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Mercedes-Benz (Gullwing) 300 Coupe, 1954-1957

Many 1950s American cars still can turn heads, but they do it with such things as flashy paint and tailfins. The 1954-57 Mercedes-Benz 300SL two-seat coupe has a strictly utilitarian design, but still knocks ’em dead if seen on roads, which isn’t often. Only 1,400 300SL coupes were built, and a really nice one is valued at a cool $698,000. Most are in top shape because this auto is one of the most revered sports cars in history and few owners risk driving on public roads. Even a 300SL coupe in average shape is valued at $515,000, says the NADA Classic, Collectible, Exotic and Muscle Car Appraisal Guide & Directory. The 300SL coupe’s flip-up doors may seem gimmicky. But the

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GM announces test drive program for Chevy Volt

Car buyers, increasingly interested “green cars” like Chevy Volt, will soon be able to test drive the electric-hybrid in Chevrolet dealerships in the initial launch markets of California, Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Virginia and Washington, D.C., According to General Motors, the markets will receive 550 dedicated Volt demonstration vehicles in nine 10 markets. “We know the best way to experience the Volt is to get behind the wheel and drive it. Now dealers will have the ability to allow consumers to form their own opinions of the Volt through test drives and demonstrations,” said Cristi Landy, Chevrolet marketing director. According to GM research, 85 percent of consumers searching for information about the Volt on Chevrolet.com looked

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Pontiac GTO 1964-1974, car review

The legendary 1964 Pontiac GTO kicked off the wild 1960s muscle car market with a roar and made Detroit the world center for affordable high-performance cars. It can be argued that cars such as the light 1949 Oldsmobile with its new “Rocket V-8” or the 1955 Chrysler 300 Hemi V-8–first mass-produced 300-horsepower car — were the first American muscle cars. Those autos were among cars such as the 1956 Plymouth Fury and 1961 Chevrolet Impala Super Sport with its mighty 409-cubic-inch V-8 that generated considerable interest in high performance models. But the 1964 GTO is generally regarded as the first highly popular, widely available muscle car — the one that opened the door for a whole bunch of mid-1960s to

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