Automotive News, Car Reviews, and Podcast
Ferrari will debut its redesigned website Sunday, www.ferrari.com, March 29, 2009, in conjunction with the celebration of the first Grand Prix of the 2009 Formula 1 World Championship season. The new portal is the gateway to the world of the “Prancing Horse.” It offers users a new look and a vast array of content, resulting in the ultimate behind-the-scenes Ferrari experience.
Read moreTesla Motors has introduced the prototype of its second all-electric sedan, the Model S, a zero-emission car that will cost about half of the fledgling company’s current exclusive, high-speed sedan.
Read moreMercedes-Benz will launch its first passenger car with a hybrid drive, the S400 BlueHYBRID, in the summer of 2009, the manufacturer announced in Stuttgart, Germany. The model will use a modified V6 gasoline engine with compact hybrid module with a lithium-ion battery.
Read moreBy Jeff Weidel As someone whose first two vehicles were Volkswagens, I remain a fan of the German automaker, and I’m not alone in my admiration. Volkswagen rose to prominence in the 1960s and continued to grow for two decades. The line began to falter in the early ‘90s, but Volkswagen has refocused and made a successful turnaround.
Read moreAutonet Mobile has announced an agreement with Cadillac to equip beginning in April the CTS Sports sedan with full internet access via its new WiFi router.
Read moreThe New York Times’ automotive section is entitled “Wheels — The Nuts and Bolts of Whatever Moves You.’ Technology to car shows, innovation to car reviews, the section is arguably the country’s finest. Earlier this week, for instance, many print and online sections reported on the debut in India of the Tata Nano, the world’s cheapest car.
Read moreBy Jeff Weidel When Ford unveiled the Escape eight years ago it offered an extremely functional compact sport utility vehicle, and it was an instant hit. The Escape had impressive sales for the next several years, but Ford made a giant tactical error. It didn’t offer any major improvements, and competition grew and gained ground.
Read moreAfter much anticipation, reservations for the Tata Nano, the India-manufactured car some automobile experts believe will be as influential as the Model T Ford and the Volkswagen Beetle, will be available for March 23 in more than 400 dealerships in India. The Nano, billed as the world’s cheapest car and nicknamed “The People’s Car,” will cost an estimated $1,945 or 100,00 rupees, the currency of India. According to Tata Motors representatives, full production of the Nano will take 1 1/2 years and only a limited supply of the vehicle will be available this spring. Ratan Tata, who conceived the car,
Read moreAfter a year’s hiatus for a redesign, the CTS-V returns in 2009 to the Cadillac stable as a powerful midsize sedan. It’s all high-performance and hi-tech and luxury options en masse for the well-heeled brand with the big tradition. There’s a lot at stake for the new Cadillac, particularly since one of its sibling has claimed recent car-of-the-year honors.
Read moreThe Lexus IS350 debuted in 2006 and is still in its first edition. For 2009, one of the brand’s two premium midsize cars has a few minor mechanical changes, including a more advanced stability control system. The interior and exterior designs also received a slight styling makeover.
Read moreJaguar, the recently purchased offering of Tata Motors, Ltd., and Buick, the longstanding General Motors nameplate, have unseated Lexus as the most dependable automotive brands, according to J.D. Power & Associates.
Read moreThe two best movies I’ve seen recently, Frozen River and Wendy and Lucy, are great films because the directors and actors have great skills telling stories. Both films also feature important cameo appearances by two unheralded cars. A Dodge Spirit (circa 1990-1995) is the car of choice in Frozen River. A 1988 Honda Accord has a serious, but unspoken part (of course), in Wendy and Lucy.
Read moreCar and Driver Magazine’s editors know of what they write. Each January, the magazine publishes its top-10 car list. The criteria for the selection involves a unique set of rules beyond performance, value and reliability:
Read moreBy Jeff Weidel While Honda and Toyota deservedly receive praise for their competent vehicles, Nissan has resided quietly in the shadows. But test driving Nissan vehicles during the past 10 years has made me appreciate the high quality of the lesser-revered Japanese automaker.
Read moreThe 2010 Honda Insight will be available sooner than previously announced, according to the New York Times. The gas-electric hybrid will be available beginning March 24 at a starting price for the base LM model of $19,800. According to the newspaper, the total price (with destination charge) will be $20,470 or about $2,250 less than Toyota Prius, the best-selling hybrid in the United States. A new Prius is also scheduled to soon debut, but its price has not been announced. In the Times article, Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda, said: “Insight is the most affordable new hybrid
Read moreBy Jeff Weidel While most manufacturers are creating a sleek crossover sport utility vehicle or remodeling an existing offering, Kia has introduced the 2009 Borrego, its first truck-like sport utility vehicle. Has Kia made a mistake or is the Korean manufacturer dumb like a fox?
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