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Thousands of used GM owners may get $800 from lawsuit

General Motors may pay individual car owners as much as $800 for a class auction lawsuit on some vehicles 17 years old and covered under a class-action lawsuit, according to The Detroit News. Most of the claims associated with the lawsuit were paid before GM went into bankruptcy in 2009. The carmaker agreed in 2008 to pay for as many as 35 million GM vehicles supplied with coolant linked to engine failures or cooling system problems. General Motors began using “Dex-Cool” in 1995 model vehicles and received thousands of complaints from owners for engine and radiator problems. In 2003, a

Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, 2011 car review

The 2011 Mitsubishi compact Outlander Sport SUV/crossover isn’t as racy as it looks with its so-so four-cylinder engine. But it has decent prices, handy size, many features and good fuel economy. The five-passenger Outlander Sport is more of a crossover vehicle than an SUV. It’s based on Mitsubishi’s larger seven-passenger Outlander SUV. But it doesn’t have its big brother’s third-row seat and is more than a foot shorter with chopped front and rear overhangs, although it’s much closer in width and height. Wheelbase is the same at 105.1 inches, but the Outlander Sport is lighter feels sportier. The base version

New design for 2012 Nissan Versa, 2nd-cheapest U.S. Car

The 2012 Nissan Versa, the second generation of the entry level sub-compact, will have its North American debut April 20-21 at the New York Auto Show. The recent increases in gas prices will likely add to what is already expected to be substantial attention for the Versa. The sub-compact segment is among the most competitive with Versa’s challengers including the Chevrolet Sonic, redesigned Hyundai Accent and Ford Fiesta as well as the updated Toyota Yaris and Mazda2. With the exception of “spy shots,” few details of the 2012 Versa are available, but the design has been described as “edgier.” The

Shelby Mustang GT500 selected as greatest muscle car

Muscle car fanciers are as passionate about automobiles as any group of car enthusiasts. One recent example is an article in the automotive section of MSN.com in which the 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500 was chosen as the greatest muscle car in history. The Mustang was selected by site readers who cast more 6,000 votes or 17 percent of the total votes cast for the famous car. The writer of the article, explained: “The GT500 was basically a factory-authorized tuner Mustang created by Carroll Shelby. Introduced in 1967, the GT500 joined the GT350 on showroom floors and offered a 428-cubic-inch Police

Volvo S60 2012 gets top IIHS safety award

The 2012 Volvo S60 has been designated as a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for its good performance for front, side, rollover, and rear crash protection, plus standard electronic stability control (ESC). The previous generation of the S60 earned good ratings in the Institute’s front and rear evaluations, but for 2005-09 it was rated acceptable in the side impact test. The previous model wasn’t evaluated for roof strength in rollover crashes. The new model improves to good in the side impact test, and earns a good rating in the roof strength test. The roof of

New green, lots of green, Porsche hybrid will debut in 2013

Porsche has announced its 918 Spyder hybrid sports car, the carmaker’s most expensive model ever, will be priced at $845,000 in North America and will be available to buyers in November 2013. The vehicle, which will be priced at $1.09 million in Europe, will have appropriate production number, 918. The two-seat Porsche plug-in hybrid will accelerate to 62 mph in 3.2 seconds. It features a 500-horsepower V8 engine and 218-horsepower electric drive system. The car’s lithium-ion battery can be recharged in three hours.

Elizabeth Taylor: movies, philanthropy and fast cars

One of the more unique, often overlooked components of the long, varied career of Elizabeth Taylor was her sex appeal in cars. The actress, AIDS activist and philanthropist who died March 23, spent a fair amount of time in movies driving cars. Affairs of the heart, money, intrigue and the politics of romance were all usually part of Taylor’s scenes that also included automobiles. Of course, Taylor’s driving was the creation of Hollywood. Nevertheless, some of her car scenes, including a high speed chase from more than 50 years ago, remain part of “cars in movies” lore. In BUtterfield 8,

Fisker Karma production begins in Finland, April U.S. debut

Production of the Fisker Karma extended-range electric vehicle has begun in Finland and delivery of cars is expected in the United States in April, according to several automotive web sites. The Karma will reportedly travel 50 miles on a full charge and will have a beginning price at $88,000. “We’re going to be ramping up very slowly, very carefully to ensure quality. This year we want to get over 7,000 deliveries,” Roger Ormisher, Fisker spokesman said in a press release. A report by AutoWeek detailed Fisker’s plans to offer an a stock IPO this year, and the Anaheim, California-based company

Ferrari expert picks 15 most beautiful models in history

Marcel Massini is editor of two Ferrari magazines and is a renowned historian on the iconic Italian manufacturer. Correspondingly, the CNBC web site is fond of lists on all kinds of topics, including a topic presented to Massini — selecting the 15 most beautiful Ferrari models of all time. In no particular order, here’s the list. For each listing, Massini briefly describes the car, lists the number made and an estimated value. For one of the 15 Ferrari models on the list, Massini commented: “One-off for King Leopold of Belgium and has a huge motor. Estimated Value: $10 million. Units

Cheap, used Bugatti Veyron at auction a salty risk?

It’s unlikely the purchase of a Bugatti Veyron, among the mot revered cars in the world, is ever classified as a bargain. But someone may be about to get a deal on a five-year-old Veyron — if they’re an automotive gambler. There’s less than one day left on an auction site to bid on a 2006 Bugatti Veyron. The car is the infamous vehicle that was driven into a Texas lagoon two years ago. A 25-second video of the car’s high-speed lake entrance was a You Tube sensation. The auction web site lists the car with a cash value of

Mazda3 2011 awarded IIHS top safety pick rating

The 2011 Mazda 3 sedan/hatchback, after earning the top rating of good for roof strength in rollover crashes, qualifies as a Top Safety Pick among small cars by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS). The Mazda3, which previously earned good ratings for front, side, and rear crash protection, is the manufacturer’s first car designated as a Top Safety Pick since the Institute made the criteria more strict by including a requirement for a good rating in the roof strength test. Two tests were conducted in order to rate the 4-door sedan and hatchback versions. The sedan’s roof withstood a

Acura TSX 2011 car review

The Acura TSX (Touring Sportscar eXperimental) debuted in April 2003 as a 2004 model. It remains the smallest and entry level sedan of the luxury brand. As the replacement for the Integra, the TSX and its new sibling wagon edition are built in Sayama, Saitama, Japan. The Weekly Driver Test Drive It seems fewer sedans are readily available with manual transmissions, which is the dominating reason my weekly test drive of the Acura TSX was so enjoyable. The standard engine remains the 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder with 201 horsepower. But with the six-speed manual transmission rather than the 5-speed automatic, the TSX

GM halts Louisiana plant in Japan tragedy aftermath

General Motors is the first automotive industry company to stop production at a United States-based factory due to shortage of materials in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The carmaker hasn’t released what parts are in short supply, but its plant in Shreveport, Louisiana, in the only North American plant to stop production because of the tragedy in Japan. GM manufactures the GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado pick-up trucks in its Louisiana plant, which employs 800 workers. Japanese firms Toyota and Subaru have slowed but not stopped production in their U.S plants to conserve the parts stocks.

Toyota Corolla, 2011: World's best-selling car 'refreshed'

Not very excited by cars? Just looking for a comfortable, economical sedan with long-term durability? The 2011 compact Toyota Corolla might be for you. It’s hard to go wrong with the front-drive Corolla, which in various forms over the years has outsold the Ford Model T and rear-engine Volkswagen Beetle. The Corolla arrived as a $1,700 two-door rear-drive model with 60 horsepower in 1968. More than 30 million have been sold worldwide. The 2009 Corolla was slightly revised, and the 2011 model has freshened front and rear styling, along with interior design updates. Changes were made to the front and

Steve McQueen's Porsche from LeMans set for Monterey sale

The 1970 Porsche 911S once owned by Steve McQueen and featured in his movie Le Mans will be auctioned August 19-20 at Monterey Auto Week by RM Auctions. Built to 1970 specification, complete with air conditioning and a full complement of factory options, the Slate Grey 911S stars in the film’s opening sequence. McQueen’s character, Michael Delaney, drives through the French countryside, reflecting on life, death, and racing. The Porsche 911S was also used as McQueen’s personal transport during the movie’s production, later joining his own stable of motor cars in California. The collection included a Jaguar XK-SS, multiple Ferraris,

Hyundai recalls 285,000 Elantras for airbag, electrical issues

Hyundai, the South Korean manufacturer with a near meteoric popularity increase in recent years, is recalling about 285,000 Elantras for various airbag and electrical issues, according to documents filed this week with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The airbag issue in 2007-2008 models, is due to what the automaker described as an undisclosed electronic noise. The noise, which might be an issue in 96,000 vehicles, might cause the driver-side air bag to inflate with full force when not required. The second Hyundai recall covers about 189,000 Elantras from 2007 through 2009. The automaker reported liquid spilled in the