2015 Ford C-Max: Underdog hybrid still chasing Prius (VIDEO)

Ford isn’t the only manufacturer attempting to infiltrate the hybrid segment dominance of the Toyota Prius. But three years ago it started its best effort, the highly touted Ford C-Max hybrid-only line-up. Ford’s marketing plan included a motto directly pointed at Toyota. It promoted the debut 2013 C-Max as “a hybrid that drives and looks like a real car.” Like previous years’ models, the 2015 Ford C-Max is true to the carmaker’s claim. It looks and drives like a non-hybrid. It’s available as a gas-electric hybrid as the Energi, a plug-in hybrid. The Ford C-Max hasn’t significantly dented the Toyota

Read more

VW offer of $1,000 to diesel owners called an insult

Volkswagen has confirmed an expected compensation of as much as $1,000 to owners of its diesel cars affected by the recent emissions scandal. The automaker admitted in September it had installed devices that cheated on emissions tests. Owners and lessees of 2-liter TDI models affected by the problem would be eligible for a $500 cash card to spend freely. They would also get another $500 to spend at Volkswagen dealerships as well as free 24-hour roadside assistance for three years. Car owners who accept the offer will not be asked to waive future rights to sue or claim other compensation,

Read more

Volkswagen set to offer cash to disgruntled diesel owners

Volkswagen is prepared to offer individual owners of diesel cars $1,250, according to several media outlets, as the carmaker continues its efforts to recover from its admittance some of its cars are programmed to cheat on emissions test. Volkswagen hasn’t confirmed reports in the New York Times and on the automotive site, The Truth About Cars, the owners would get a cash card worth $500 and another $500 to $750 that they could spend at a Volkswagen dealer. The company faces lawsuits from owners seeking compensation for the decreased resale value of the roughly 500,000 Volkswagen and Audi vehicles that

Read more

Pancakes fine, but sinkhole at IHOP prefers cars (VIDEO)

The grand opening of an International House of Pancakes in Meridian, Mississippi, didn’t go exactly as planned on November 7. While guests were trying out the restaurant’s cuisine a few days after the IHOP’s opening, their cars were being consumed in a sinkhole in the parking lot. The sinkhole, about 50-feet wide “swallowed” 14 to 15 cars, according to police department reports received starting at around 7:15 p.m. local time. “We received a call of vehicles going through the pavement at the IHOP in Meridian,” Patrol Lieutenant Rita Jack with Meridian Police told NBC News. “When we arrived on scene,

Read more

Thinking about visiting Disneyland? How about owning a ride?

You can go to Disneyland to ride on an attraction — just like everyone else. Or you can own a Disneyland attraction car ride. Several vintage attraction car rides will be among more than 800 items of memorabilia from Disneyland offered in a live auction Nov. 21 from Van Eaton Galleries’ “Collecting Disneyland” auction. According to the Sherman Oaks, California-based gallery and auction, the sale is a “rare opportunity to own original Disneyland attraction ride cars.” The cars include two original Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover ride cars, a Skyway to Fantasyland bucket ride car and a Space Mountain ride vehicle.

Read more

Elio Motors will display cheapest car concept at LA Auto Show

,

Elio Motors, the Arizona-based experimental vehicle maker whose three-wheel, futuristic-looking prototypes have generated polarizing interest, will introduce its fifth generation vehicle at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show. The vehicle’s CAD renderings detail a similar but update version of the car’s previous concepts. The company, building what it’s touting as the cheapest car in the United States in a former General Motors plant in Shreveport, Louisiana, has collected different levels of reservation deposits online for several years. But Elio Motors and its founder, Paul Elio, have suffered many setbacks and have changed public delivery dates several times. The Elio project

Read more

James Bond, Jay Leno and Aston Martin legacy in Spectre

Jay Leno knows a lot about all kinds of cars, his favorite vintage Bentley sedans to the varied selection of James Bond cars. In a recent episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, the NBC automotive show in which Leno examines and drives new and old vehicles, the comedian discusses the legend of Bond cars, including the manufacture of 10 Aston Martin DB10 model for Spectre. The just-released film is the 24th movie in the James Bond genre legacy. It dates to 1962 with the original film, Dr. No and adaptation from the Ian Fleming book. For additional Aston Martin reading, visit:

Read more

VW, Audi, Porsche diesels get ‘stop-sale’ as scandal widens

The ever-expanding Volkswagen scandal has gotten worse. The automaker has issued a “stop-sale” for more than 10,000 Audi, Porsche and VW SUVs and high-end cars with 3.0-liter diesel engines. Federal regulators have labeled the cars as having “defeat devices” dating to 2013. The stop-sale includes more vehicles than identified by EPA on Monday. It only labeled the specific model years of three vehicles it had tested as violating emissions rules by allowing the vehicles to emit up to nine times legally allowable levels. RELATED VW EMISSION SCANDAL CONTENT: More VW, Audi, Porsche models added to cheat list Volkswsgen can’t sell

Read more

James Bond cars, Sunbeam Alpine to Aston Martin DB10

The cars featured in the 24 James Bond movies are arguably as famous as the actors who have played secret agent 007. Those actors, Sean Connery to Daniel Craig, have varying personalities in the films. And so do the cars they’ve driven, a Sunbeam Alpine II to an Aston Martin DB 10. In the the soon-to-be released movie Spectre, Aston Martin created 10 Aston Martin DB 10 models. The villain’s car is Jaguar’s hybrid supercar, the C-X75. According the several newspaper articles, filmmakers destroyed $36 million worth of cars, including seven DB10 models, during filming. In the original James Bond

Read more

2016 Toyota Camry: Best-selling sedan gets sporty, better

Toyota has plenty to worry about. But the Toyota Camry, its best-selling vehicle, offers more cause for celebration than concern. The midsize sedan has for years also been the best-selling car in the United States. So what’s a manufacturer to do a model year after a new generation of one of the most successful cars in history was introduced? The answer is the new limited Special Edition of Toyota Camry. It’s the sports-oriented model that adds a new departure to the Camry stable. The Weekly Driver Test Drive A five-passenger midsize sedan, the Toyota Camry is now available in six

Read more

Audi, Porsche, more Volkswagen models added to cheat list

Volkswagen is in further trouble. The scandal-plagued carmaker has received a second notice of violation of the Clean Air Act with emissions test violations expanding to additional VW vehicles as well Audi and Porsche models. The additional vehicles affected by the violation notice include the diesel versions of the 2014 VW Touareg, the 2015 Porsche Cayenne and the 2016 Audi A6 Quattro, A7 Quattro, A8, A8L and Q5. These vehicles are equipped with 3.0-liter engines that release emissions of nitrogen oxide up to nine times the EPA standard, the agency said. Additional Related Content: Volkswagen Can’t Sell 2016 Diesel in

Read more

Ford Fiesta, Nissan Pathfinder among least reliable cars

The Pope gave Fiat the best press it’s ever had recently when he chose it as his preferred transportation during his visit to the United States. Consumer Reports, however, has just given the compact minivan/crossover some of its worst publicity — “least reliable car.” In a throwback to the 1970s when Fiat got the infamous slogan for the acronym of its name, “Fix It Again, Tony,” the Italian carmaker has been bombarded with problems from new owners. Broken tie rods, slipping transmission, shoddy electrical system and even engine failures have all been reported in the publication’s extensive yearly study. As

Read more

Buying a new car? Be honest with yourself

Buying a new car for the first time can be intimidating. From the disreputable reputations of salespeople to the realities of financing fine print, how does a buyer know if they’re making the right choice? There’s plenty of advice available. Many industry experts are knowledgeable, cultivating years of data from buyers’ experiences. But other “experts” may lead a buyer toward a vehicle with their own financial gain as the top priority. Used cars have more potential issues, but first-time new car buyers should take note. The auto industry continues to collectively improve its products. There’s more competition, so carmakers have

Read more

Aston Martin, James Bond DB10: Own It, Can’t Drive It (VIDEO)

Would you still want to own the only Aston Martin DB10 for sale if you couldn’t drive it? That’s exactly the scenario for the 10 bespoke Aston Martin cars made specifically for use in the new James Bond film, “Spectre.” The luxury automaker plans to auction off one DB10 next year, but the car doesn’t have the necessary road certifications for driving. “Spectre” marks a departure from past Bond films because the two main cars featured in the movie were created solely for the film and are not available to the public. “This is the first time we created a

Read more

Mercedes-Benz, Honda models among 10 cars gone in 2016

New year car models used to be available for the first time in September. But manufacturers now debut cars for different reasons at the different times of the year. While some 2016 models are still pending, some 2017 models have been available for months. But consumers beware. If you’re considering a 2016 model, it may no longer be available. Honda to Toyota, Mercedes Benz to Nissan, some models of prominent cars ended their tenures after their 2015 models. Here’s a list of 10 well-known cars available as 2015 models, but defunct as 2016 models: 1. Mercedes-Benz M-Class — The German

Read more

2016 Scion iA: A new small package with attitude

The Scion iA and its sibling, the iM, are new vehicles for 2016. The iA is a sporty entry level sedan; the iM is a five-door hatchback. The duo is manufactured to appeal to millennials. But there’s a surprise for consumers in the sub-compact market. Scion models are usually the less expensive offerings from parent company Toyota. The iA is actually a rebadged Mazda2. It’s offered in the United States since the Mazda2 isn’t. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The Scion iA is a four-cylinder, 106 horsepower four-door subcompact with a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. My weekly driver was

Read more