Cars of the Tour de France, old and new

Bugatti, Citroën, Peugeot and Renault are current major car automakers in France. And with the exception of Bugatti, the French highways and country roads are often crowded with offerings from the other three carmakers now all more than 100 years old. Skoda, the Czechoslovakian carmaker, is the official car supplier of the Tour de France. But other than official race vehicles, Skoda models are scarce in the country, although, of course, not as scarce as Bugatti models. In the early years of the Tour de France, cars traveling with riders were loaded down with spare parts, not only for cyclists’

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Ratan Tata: Profile Of India’s Tata Motors’ Chairman

Ratan Naval Tata is Chairman of the Tata Group, India’s largest conglomerate recently in the global automotive and global business spotlight for its debut of the world’s least expensive car its purchased of Lexus and Land Rover from Ford Motor Company.

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Mercury rising: Rachel Veitch and her 600,000-mile love affair with a ’64 Comet Caliente

The story of Rachel Veitch and her love affair with a 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente first received media attention in 2007. Nearly three years later, Veitch is still extending her three-level statistical marvel.

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BMW joins massive airbag recall list

More than 1.5 BMW 3 Series vehicles from 2000 to 2006 are being recalled to replace passenger-side front airbags, the luxury carmaker announced. The manufacturer said the recall is a “voluntary precautionary measure” aimed at minimizing the risk of faulty airbag activation. This issue is airbag supplied to BMW by Tokyo-based Takata Corporation. The airbag could rupture under certain circumstances, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. If the rupture occurs, shards could fly out and cause injury. Several other automakers since 2009, including Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota, have recalled 10 million vehicles affected by

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PREVIEW: 2015 Aston Martin, more power, more luxury

Aston Martin, the luxurious British sports car manufacturer  long associated with James Bond films, has unveiled the 2015 V12 Vantage S Roadster. The new sports car, available globally at dealerships later this year, will become the luxury British marque’s most potent, fastest and fastest-accelerating series production roadster. Equipped with the latest 565 horsepower Aston Martin AM28 6.0-liter V12 engine, featuring state-of-the-art Bosch engine management, the car is capable of reaching 201 mph and sprinting from rest to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. The car’s new car’s gearbox, the Sportshift™III ASM (auto-shift manual) transmission, is engineered to exploit the full sporting

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REVIEW: 2014 Porsche Cayman S lighter, faster

The new Porsche Cayman S edges even closer to the venerable Porsche 911. The first Porsche Cayman model blew me away when I drove it during a media preview through twisting mountain roads in northern Italy in late 2005. Now the lighter, faster third-generation Cayman is here as a redesigned 2014 model with features including sleeker styling, a longer wheelbase, classier interior and power gains. The new mid-engine, rear-drive Cayman looks significantly different than the Boxster and the last-generation Cayman. Precise lines and sculpted edges complement the lowered, lengthened profile. There’s a 2.4-inch longer wheelbase (97.4 inches) for greater high-speed

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REVIEW: 2015 Lexus NX has wild, fun new look

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The 2015 Lexus NX, the new entry level sport utility vehicle from the upscale division of Toyota, will debut in the United States in December in two versions. The NX stands for “Nimble Crossover.” It fits. The NX 200t has a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. The NX 300h hybrid will features a new transmission that splits the hybrid battery into two pods for better weight distribution. The result: a more efficient use of cabin space. Built on a Toyota RAV4 platform, the Lexus NX more resembles a sports car more than an SUV and both models of all-weather drive (AWD).

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Rare Corvair once deemed unsafe now collectors’ car

The Chevrolet Corvair has a unique status in automotive history. It was named car of the year. It was once defined as unsafe at any speed. And it was the first American-designed, mass-produced passenger car to feature a rear-mounted, air-cooled engine. Produced in model years 1960 to 1969 and featuring an air-cooled rear-mounted flat-six engine, the Corvair was available in several trims including a two-door coupe, convertible, four-door sedan and four-door station wagon. The Corvair was also available as a passenger van, commercial van and a pickup truck. Tom Davenport of Sacramento, California, owns a 1964 Corvair convertible couple. He

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Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno in cars getting Emmys?

Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld will be vying against each other in the Emmys. But it won’t be  competition of comedy. Instead, the two avid car collectors have been nominated in the Short-format Nonfiction Program category. Leno hosts, “Jay Leno’s Garage.” Seinfeld hosts “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.” are nominated in the Short-format Nonfiction Program category. Leno’s car show has been nominated four times before, and won the category in 2011. Seinfeld, who collected several Emmys for his role on the celebrated TV sitcom that bore his name, has now been nominated twice for his “Comedians.” The “Cosmos” National Geographic

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Elio Motors markets fleet sales but still no cars

Elio Motors, the fledgling three-wheel vehicle company, continues to market itself with new ideas. The latest is a fleet sales division to capitalize on what the company describes as increasing interest from businesses, rental car companies and municipalities. Although the launch of the reported $6,800 car touted with a predicted 84 mpg has been delayed and funding isn’t established, Elio has announced Brendan Carey, Vice President of Fleet Sales, a former ADESA (KAR Auctions) employee who joined Elio Motors in 2013, with head the new division, The fleet division, Elio reports, will provide significant cost-savings to companies and government entities

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2014 Jaguar XJL Supercharged: Fast, sexy, luxurious

Jaguars again are becoming one of the most desirable luxury/sports models in America. The supercharged 2014 Jaguar XJL continues the venerable automaker’s tradition of making fast, sexy and glamorous sedans. Never mind those old stories by no-nothings about Jaguars being unreliable because Ford Motor demolished the old Jaguar plant years ago after it bought the automaker and loaded Jaguars with reliability before selling it to its current owner, which is maintaining high reliability. Jaguar now has two state-of-the-art engineering and design facilities and three advanced manufacturing plants in the United Kingdom. Jaguar has an exciting racing history. Going back to

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PREVIEW: 2016 Mazda Miata MX-5

The redesigned 2016 Mazda Miata MX-5, the fourth generation of the best-selling sports car in history, will debut simultaneously at three international events. In addition to debuts in Spain and Japan, the 25th anniversary of the Mazda Miata, will be unveiled Sept. 3 at an exclusive event in Monterey, California. The new Mazda Miata MX-5 debuted initially at this year’s New York International Auto Show in the form of an exposed SKYACTIV-CHASSIS. “We’re excited to make this official, to announce that the newest member of the MX-5 Miata family will be arriving soon,” said Jim O’Sullivan, president and CEO, Mazda

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2014 Porsche Panamera: Smooth, quick, luxurious

The 2014 Porsche Panamera 4S sedan seems perfect for those who want a Porsche sports car, but need more passenger and cargo room. I almost felt as if in a jet’s cockpit after settling into the Agate Grey leather beautifully finished interior of my test vehicles. It appropriately had Yachting Blue Metallic paint, which is a $790 option. The Panamera 4S I drove seemed to accelerate like a big jet, although Panamera models weigh 3,902-4,586 pounds. The aircraft look was largely provided by a no-nonsense dashboard and button-dominated center console. The buttons are well-labeled, and their functions are easy to

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GM spiralling, recalls another 7.55 million cars

General Motors is further scrambling in its massive safety issue, this time announcing new safety recalls in the United States involving another 7.55 million vehicles from the 1997 to 2014 model years. According to the Wall Street Journal, GM reported it’s aware of seven crashes, eight injuries and three fatalities in the latest round of recalled vehicles. The fatalities occurred in older model full-size sedans being recalled for inadvertent ignition key rotation. The latest round of recalls may increase GM’s financial cost to $1.2 billion in second quarter of this year in repairs. The tally included a previously disclosed $700

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PREVIEW: 2015 Honda CR-V

Good news for sport utility vehicle enthusiasts. Honda is soon going to add a new SUV to its stable — the 2015 Honda CR-V. The redesigned model will include exterior changes to the doors, mirrors and trim levels. The back door’s rear glass has also been considerably restyled. Head lamps have been given LED lighting and the fog lights have been placed in the lattice. In addition, the 2015 Honda CR-V will have combination of 16-inch alloy and 17-inch steel wheels. The front fascia has been given an appearance of three chrome tubes that extend from one headlight to the

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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

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