2015 Audi A3: Handsome, quick, sporty

The new 2015 Audi A3 compact sedan is innovative and attractive, and it’s ideal for driving on tight city roads. It’s also reminiscent of Audi’s 1994 A4. With Audi’s trademark single frame grille and pearl white LED headlights, the A3 is an anticipated addition in the A-segment. Compared to 1 Series and B-segment models, A3 sedan’s wheelbase doesn’t look visually cramped. The result: a handsome exterior, low roof line and wide rear pillars. It’s as attractive as the Mercedes A- and B-classes, with the right tinge of sportiness. The Audi A3 Sedan is a car for Gen Y. The interiors

Read more

Toyota unveils Fuel Cell Vehicle in Colorado

Seventeen years after the Toyota Prius became the first mass-produced hybrid car, Toyota is leading automotive innovation again. Its zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell electric car will makes it North American debut June 27 at the Aspen Idea Festival. With previous exterior details of the car, currently named the FCV, announced recently in Japan, the North American unveiling is the precursor to the car’s mainstream release. Interior features, along with the vehicle’s name, volume, and full specifications will be released later. Toyota has also announced the FCV will go on sale in the Japan domestic market before April 2015. It will

Read more

Rare Maserati gets rare drive at Laguna Seca

,

The last Maserati Tipo 151, one of only three made, will be driven by Derek Hill in the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, August 14-17 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Maserati is this year’s featured marque and will celebrate its 100th anniversary at the motorsports gathering. Derek Hill is the son of former world titlist Phil Hill. Entered by Fratelli Auriana Racing from the collection of Lawrence Auriana, the Tipo 151 has been fully restored. Since its restoration, chassis 151.006 has competed in three successive Goodwood Revivals and last year in the 2013 Le Mans Legend. This will be the car’s

Read more

2014 Volkswagen Tiguan: A lot beyond the name

Eight years after its debut as a concept car at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan retains the compact crossover vehicle’s unique status. It’s still largely unheralded, and it’s among the oddest named cars in the United States. The Volkswagen Tiguan concept debuted at the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show to a fair amount of head scratching . . . “What’s a Tiguan?” The name (pronounced TEE-gwan) is a combination of the word Tiger and the German word “leguan”, which means “iguana.” The name is odd, for sure. But it won a naming contest in a German

Read more

Chevy Cruze, Ford Fiesta top U.S. fuel efficiency

Car and Driver has taken a unique look at the cars available in the United States with the best fuel economy. The publication has determined the Chevy Cruze and Ford Fiesta lead the top-10 most fuel efficient list. It’s take EPA’s list, removed the electric vehicles, hybrid and plug-in hybrids because “they generally cost more and aren’t fun to drive.” What’s left are the gas and diesel cars the editors not only like to drive but would recommend to family and friends. The No. 1 fuel-efficient car in the country, according the Car and Driver, is the Chevrolet Cruze, at

Read more

Meet Dale Earnhardt Jr., win a Camaro with eBay

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has as loyal a fan base as any driver in any racing discipline. But just like enthusiasts in many other sports, following favorite athletes in the auto racing is mostly done from a distance. Earnhardt Jr., and eBay Motors have joined to change that for one fortunate fan. A website for the global company, eBay Garage, is presenting a giveaway sweepstakes. The winner will be awarded a 2014 Chevrolet Camaro and receive a trip to to meet Earnhardt Jr., at his car dealership in Tallahassee, Florida. The contest, however, requires more than just completing an entry form.

Read more

Recall madness: Honda, Nissan, Mazda . . . airbags

Honda, Nissan and Mazda combined are recalling about 1.3 million cars in North America and more than 3 million globally for faulty airbags manufactured by the Takata Corp. Honda is recalling 1.02 million Civic, CR-V, Odyssey and Element models manufactured between April 2000 and October 2002. Nissan is recalling 228,00 vehicles. Mazda is recalling about 15,000 of the RX-8 and Mazda6. Takata airbags were last involved in a recall in 2013 when Japanese automakers recalled 3.4 million vehicles worldwide because of faulty airbags. In early June (2014), Toyota recalled 844,277 with similar problems. The exact cause of the airbag issue

Read more

NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2015 Hyundai Sonata

With a more refined look, better ride quality and a host of new features, 2015 Hyundai Sonata will be priced beginning at $21,150, the South Korean manufacturer recently announced. The 2015 Hyundai Sonata lineup ranges from the base model 2.4-liter to a new range-topping Sport 2.0T Ultimate. It offers hands-free Smart Trunk, Smart Cruise Control with stop/start capability, panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated seats and a heated steering wheel. The Sonata’s new features include a new Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design language, stiffer body structure, better ride quality, reduced noise, vibration and harshness and advanced safety and convenience features. 2015 Sonata

Read more

Aston Martin nirvana? New festival for James Bond cars

Aston Martin and James Bond are nearly synonymous. The Monterey Peninsula wants to be part of the lore, too. And it will likely make a keen impression when the North American Aston Martin Festival debuts Aug. 30-31 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California. The festival will be open to all owners, racers, and enthusiasts. And if will offer the opportunity to see road and race cars in close action while also enjoying live entertainment and a gala dinner. The festival concept has been designed to attract a wide and international audience including current and historic Aston Martin owners,

Read more

2015 Mazda6: Good option to costly foreign sedans

Mazda continues its strong emphasis on sporty cars with The 2015 Mazda6. It’s a roomy, sporty mid-sized sedan with a fun-to-drive personality and sparkling fuel economy. No wonder its sales are escalating in the highly competitive mid-size car market, which includes the formidable Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. The 2015 Mazda6 is mostly a carry-over from the fairly recently redesigned Mazda6 with updates to select features and packaging options. Mazda doesn’t promote this model as a BMW or Mercedes fighter, but rather as a sporty, roomy, economical family car. For one thing, it has front-wheel drive, instead of the rear-drive

Read more

Jerry Seinfeld back in cars getting coffee on Crackle

“Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” the contagiously funny show about nothing and everything all at once, has started its fourth season. The show has some changes, but it’s as if Jerry Seinfeld never missed a comedic beat during the show’s hiatus. The season opener features Seinfeld and Sarah Jessica Parker driving in her 1976 Ford Country Squire station wagon to Manhattan. The premise of the show is Seinfeld’s obsession with coffee and cars. It’s the most popular show on the Crackle network. There’s new static footage in Season Four, and the season opener begins with a clever exchange of why

Read more

GM nailed again, this time $10 billion lawsuit

As if the recall of 20 million cars and a new CEO isn’t enough turmoil, GM is now being sued for $10 billion. The lawsuit, filed by attorneys Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, details GM hurt its customers by concealing defects. The result: devaluation of many late-model vehicles by about $500 to $2,600 in resale value. The news agency, Reuters reported the plaintiff is Anna Andrews, a California resident and GM customer. Andrews is seeking class-action status for people who owned or leased GM vehicles sold between the company’s bankruptcy and April 1, 2014 It’s the first legal claim that GM

Read more

2014 Ford Fiesta: Best car $17,500 can buy

Now in its sixth generation and two years away from its 40th birthday, the 2014 Ford Fiesta continues the subcompact car’s enduring legacy. The Fiesta is manufactured in a dozen countries and is third in sales for Ford, trailing the Escort and F-series trucks. The current generation Fiesta (Mark VI) was introduced worldwide in 2010, marking the car’s return to North America. More than 16 million Fiesta units have sold since its debut in 1976. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2014 Ford Fiesta is available as a four-door sedan and a four-door hatchback. Both are available in S, SE

Read more

2015 cars are here; best deals now on 2014 models

Models for 2015 cars and trucks in all shapes and sizes are steadily infiltrating the market. Which means it’s about the time when better prices may be available 2014 models. As edit and publisher of The Weekly Driver I’ve reviewed more than three-dozen 2014 models to date. And entry level sedans to luxury cars, sub-compacts to sport utility vehicles, the automotive industry has become increasingly competitive. So far this year, the Weekly Driver’s staff has contributed a few dozen other reviews and we’ve produced six independent videos. Videographer Bruce Aldrich, who edits and publishes, tahoetruckeeoutdoor.com, filmed and produced the videos.

Read more

Tracy Morgan improves, sense of humor back

Tracy Morgan, the actor and comedian who suffered multiple injuries June 7 in a New Jersey highway crash that killed one of his friends, has been upgraded to fair condition. “His personality is certainly starting to come back as well,” Lewis Kay, Morgan’s spokesperson, said. Morgan, 45, the former “Saturday Night Live” and “30 Rock” star suffered broken ribs and a broken leg on the New Jersey Turnpike. The crash killed comedian James McNair and seriously injured two others. Prosecutors say Walmart driver Kevin Roper’s truck hit Morgan’s limo. Roper has pleaded not guilty to death by auto and assault

Read more

World Cup, Hyundai have a good soccer marriage

Hyundai has had plenty of innovative commercials, particularly during Super Bowl telecasts. But the South Korean automaker may have outdone itself with a series of commercials for the World Cup soccer tournament. The first in a series of commercials shows a caravan of Hyundai vehicles on a pilgrimage to the World Cup in Brazil. The one-minute spot, called The Journey, briefly showcases the hotspots of the World Cup. Fans have painted faces and there are Brazilian players practice in the streets with impressive moves. There are children showing their emotional enthusiasm in anticipation of the globally popular event. There’s a

Read more