Nissan, other car makers assess disaster impact (video)

The global effect to the auto industry following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan is still be assessed. But Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mazda have all stopped production, thousands of cars have been destroyed or damaged and the available of some models in the United States and other key sales countries has yet to be determined. Nissan, Japan’s second-largest car maker, reports 2,300 vehicles were burned or crumpled in the disaster, including nearly 1,300 Infiniti M, EX and FX models ready for transport to the United States. Additionally, some Z models, among other Nissan offerings, were destroyed. Correspondingly, six Nissan

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Japan Economy: Toyota, Honda, Nissan cease production

Toyota, Nissan and Honda have all suspended production of cars and trucks in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that has devastated northeastern Japan. Toyota, Japan’s largest automaker, reported it has ceased manufacturing at its 12 plants until March 16, according to Reuters. Two of the closed factories have  a combined annual capacity of 420,000 small cars built mainly for exported sales. Toyota manufactured 234,045 vehicles (38 percent of its global production) in January in Japan. Nissan has halted output at four plants in northeast Japan and will remain closed without a scheduled re-opening date. Two Nissan employees at

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Chevrolet Corvette, Cadillac Eldorado, Honda Accord iconic 'antiques' at age 25

Twenty-five years ago, “Top Gun,” and “Platoon,” were among the year’s top movies, while “Cheers” and “Murder, She Wrote” were favorites among television audiences. And it also 1986 when the Chevrolet Corvette convertible, Honda Accord and Mercedez-Benz 300D all began new chapters of their enduring legacies. Cars 25 years old are eligible for the Antique Automobile Club of America car show. As such, here’s a list of key eligible cars from 1986: Acura Integra, Acura Legend, Cadillac Eldorado, Chevrolet Corvette (convertible), Ford Aerostar, Ford Taurus, Mercury Sable, Honda Accord, Mazda RX-7, Mercedes-Benz 300E/300D, Toyota Celica. Some of the best-known cars

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Scion xB, 2011 car review

The original Scion from Toyota’s youth division arrived here in the summer of 2003 as a rebadged version of a Japanese-market Toyota. It was at home on Japan’s narrow, crowded roads, but too small and slow on highways for America. Still, the four-door hatchback Scion was a hit with younger drivers here who liked its quirky boxy look and drew a surprising (to Toyota) number of older drivers who took to it for its low price, practicality, economy and roominess for its handy size. The 2008 version retained the old model’s slab-sided design, front-wheel drive and five-occupant capacity. But, catering

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Honda Civic 2011 car review

For several years, the Honda Civic has likely held a unique distinction throughout the automotive industry — most available trims. The 2011 Civic is available as a sedan or coupe and it’s offered in five main trim levels: DX, LX, EX, EX-L and Si. As a sedan-only, Honda also offers the DX Value package, the LX-S, the Hybrid and the GX. The likely reason for all choices is that the Civic is perennially among the top-selling cars in the United States. That makes for an easy equation — more is better. Since its 1972 debut the Civic has evolved  through

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Jeep Wrangler worst ranked in Consumer Reports’ 2011 list

Consumer Reports buys the vehicles it tests, and through the years, the publication’s editors and testers have refined their assessment approach. It’s arguably the most detailed and respected evaluation of new cars and trucks in the automotive industry. As the publication’s editors like to say: “Not all cars are created equal, and we have the data to prove it.” Lexus has been at or near the top of the list of best cars for years, and like Jeep has been been in the dubious position among the lowest scoring vehicles. Vehicle are rated in categories — family cars to sports

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Lexus LS 460L tops Consumer Reports' 2011 best cars list

Consumer Reports buys the cars it tests, and the publication arguably provides the most detailed and respected evaluation of new cars and trucks in the automotive industry. As the publication’s editors like to say: “Not all cars are created equal, and we have the data to prove it.” Vehicle are rated in categories — family cars to sports cars — and there’s an overall list based on 100 points and via more than 50 testing areas. Here’s the Consumer Reports list of the top 10 best overall 2011 cars (with points totals) as published in the magazine’s April print and

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Has famed digital artist created World's Ugliest Ferrari?

There’s no more iconic color in the automotive world than Ferrari Red. Yellow, blue, white or any other color Ferrari is perfectly fine, too. Unless, it’s a Ferrari 430 Scuderia and it’s been turned into a canvas for one of Laurence  Gartel’s wild creations. Gartel, known as the “Father of Digital Art,” has had his work exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, among other museums, in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of American History. But Gartel, who has created artwork for many musicians, including Debbie Harry (Blondie), Sid Vicious (Sex Pistols) Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears,

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Cellphone use while driving youthful 'deadly epidemic'

Texting, talking and other cellphone use is particularly common among drivers under age 30 and is now being described as a “deadly epidemic” by U.S. Department of Transportation officials. A new poll conducted by the magazine Consumer Reports details 63 percent of drivers under age 30 used a handheld phone while driving in the past 30 days. Thirty percent of those drivers have also recently texted from behind the wheel, U.S. Transportation officials said. The survey had 1,026 respondents. Ray LaHood, the U.S. Transportation Secretary, called distracted driving “a deadly epidemic.” Consumer Reports is working with the U.S. Transportation Dept.

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Jaguar E-Type celebrates 50 years as greatest car ever made

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The Jaguar E-Type debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in 1961, and throughout its 50-year tenure often tops industry enthusiasts most beautiful cars ever made lists. Phil Patton, the esteemed freelance contributor to numerous magazines and author of many books about cars and the auto industry, pays homage to the 50th birthday of the Jaguar E-Type in a recent article in the New York Times. Patton details, for example, that “the Museum of Modern Art in New York ratified the E-Type’s significance in 1996, adding a blue roadster to its permanent design collection. It was only the second road car

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Toyota shines in Consumer Reports' 2011 Top Picks list

The Ford Mustang (Sporty Cars) and Kia Sorento (Family SUV) are among six new models named to the Consumer Reports annual Top Picks car list for 2011. The diverse selections include eight brands from six manufactures, with Toyota models claiming three categories. The redesigned Hyundai Elantra, which now comes standard with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), also tops the list in the Small Car category. The previous Hyundai Elantra SE was Top Pick for Small Sedan for the past three years. The Honda Fit, Toyota RAV4, Toyota Sienna and Chevrolet Avalanche are new additions to the list. The Infiniti G37, Toyota

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Hyundai Sonata hybrid needs to be heard, delivery delayed

The majority of hybrid edition of the new Hyundai Sonata will not be delivered to the United States until late March or early April after the South Korean carmaker decided to postpone the launch to change its virtual engine sound system. Under a U.S. law signed in January, automakers must gradually add devices to their hybrid cars that emit artificial engine sounds. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (HHTSA) is currently finalizing specific rules. Hyundai is altering its noise device to boost the volume and remove a switch to turn it off. The decision to modify the Sonata Hybrid’s virtual

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Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sports defines automotive supply and demand: 30 made, 30 sold

Bugatti enthusiasts apparently can make up their minds quickly to spend substantial amounts of money for their favorite car. The elite Italian carmaker has announced all 30 of the new Veyron 16.4 Super Sport have sold — each starting with a base price of about $2.3 million. The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport has an eight-liter W16 engine matched with a seven-speed dual-clutch and 1,200 horsepower. It has a top speed of 257 mph. Last June, the Veyron achieved on a test track a new land speed world record for production cars at 268 mph. The Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport

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Range Rover 2011 car review

There is no topping the Range Rover, which is still lord of the manor. After all, it was the first off-road ready luxurious SUV. It was introduced in 1970, but didn’t reach America until 1987. Still, many Americans had seen it before its U.S. debut in adventure movies set in such locations as Africa, and it had a well-deserved reputation for being tough and adventuresome. Never mind that it had a spotty reliability reputation and a modified 3.5-liter aluminum ex-Buick V-8 from the 1960s. The first Range Rover here came from the Land Rover division of England’s state-owned Rover group,

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Maserati debuts GranCabrio Sport at Geneva Motor Show

After debuting the GranCabrio at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, Maserati is using the 2011 Geneva Motor Show to introduce the GranCabrio Sport. Conceived to give the GranCabrio a harder-edged model to sit alongside the GranTurismo S and the Quattroporte Sport GT S, the GranCabrio Sport uses a more powerful and fuel-efficient version of Maserati‘s all-alloy 4.7-litre V8. This configuration of the naturally aspirated engine produces 450 horsepower a  GranCabrio Sport is 178 mph and completes standar the 0-60 mph test in 5.2 seconds. The six-speed automatic transmission includes the super-fast MC Auto Shift software and has been developed for

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Kia Optima joins elite club with top NHSTA safety rating

The 2011 Kia Optima has just joined an exclusive automotive fraternity. It’s the first Korean car and among only 13 vehicles awarded in 2011 a five-star rating under the recently revamped crash safety testing system conducted the National Highway Transportation Safety Administation (NHSTA). The midsize Optima, redesigned for 2011, achieved an overall five-star rating after attaining five stars in each of the ratings categories. Earlier this year, the Optima was a recipient of a “Top Safety Pick” award by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The additional 12 vehicles earning five-star NHTSA ratings for 2011: Acura MDX, BMW 5

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