China traffic jam: Sixty miles, 10 days (and counting) to nowhere

The current gridlock in China is a traffic jam for more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) and it’s lasted since August 14. The back-up involves thousands of trucks between the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and the Chinese capital of Beijing, according to state media. Fender-benders and broken-down vehicles are adding to the chaos, state media reported. According to a CNN.com report, some drivers are playing cards, while others are complaining that vendors along the route are capitalizing on the situation by selling over-priced food. Traffic congestion is common in China. But construction on a section of the Beijing-Tibet Expressway has

Read more

Kia will unveil radically designed, zero-emission concept car at Paris auto show

“The car is equipped with gogglelike oval side windows, shaped something like drug capsules,” writes Phil Patton. “Its wheels wear a central cross pattern, like an oversize Phillips screw head.” “The three-seat configuration has become popular in recent city car designs. It’s one of several seating configurations offered in Gordon Murray Design’s recently unveiled T.25 city car. Kia’s designers appear to be contemplating installing parents in front and a single child in a back seat.” Kia has been a design innovator in recent years, considering, for example, the Soul compact S.U.V. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more

Read more

Best used cars under $3,000: Mazda Miata, BMW 3 Series, VW Rabbit On Popular Mechanics’ list

The Mazda Miata is the gold-standard, fun-to-drive used car — at least according to Popular Mechanics. The general-interest “umbrella” magazine for all things mechanical has published a list of cars it considers the best used cars available for $3,000 or less.The Miata, the best-selling sports car ever made tops the list. The publication offers: “For three grand, you’re probably looking at a first-generation edition (1989–1994) with the 1.6-liter four-cylinder. Mazda built tens of thousands of them, and many folks who bought them barely drove them, so plenty of low-mileage examples exist.” “They’re enormously fun, with a lithe feel, telepathic steering,

Read more

Honda Crosstour, 2010: Roman Mica's Rambling Review

,

Today’s modern soccer moms and dads wear Crocs and Reefs, not Birkenstocks and flip-flops. They drive Crossovers, not station wagons. Minivans are uncool and SUVs are so yesterday. So what’s the next big thing? It’s not a station wagon — Volvo can’t seem to sell the XC 70. The only “station wagon” that sells substantially is the Subaru Outback. And Subaru has gone out of its way to re-brand it as a crossover. Enter the Honda Crosstour and the 2010 Toyota Venza. Both cars partially fill the elusive domain of the American station wagon. Think of the Crosstour as the

Read more

BMW, Ford, Honda, Volvo, Toyota among cars gone to the dogs

More precisely, the AAA has selected its newest list of 11 cars in six lifestyle categories that dog owners prefer when transporting their pets. According to the AAA, 45 million households in the United States have a dog and more than 80 percent of dog owners take their best friend with them when they run errands or drive their cars for leisure. “There several vehicles with features that can help keep pets safe, comfortable and easy to clean-up after while also addressing other driver desires such as sportiness, adventure or luxury,” said John Nielsen, AAA National Director of Auto Repair

Read more

Mazda recall: 300,000 Mazda3, Mazda5, vans with power-steering issues

Mazda said the vehicles could have a sudden loss of power-steering assist, making it difficult for the driver to steer and increasing the risk of a crash. Mazda says the vehicles could have a sudden loss of power-steering assist, making it more difficult for the driver to steer the vehicle. The government originally began an investigation into steering problems in the vehicles in June. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NTHSA) had received 33 complaints alleging steering problems, including three crashes. According to the NYHSA web site, Mazda will begin notifying owners of the 2007-2009 models about the recall in

Read more

Monterey Auto Week records: 16 cars, Ferrari to Jaguar, auctioned for at least $1 million, $67M in total sales

Sixteen vehicles were sold for more than $1 million, the most recorded by any single auction house during this year’s Monterey auto week. The 1933 Delage D8S de Villars Roadster, owned by The Patterson Collection in Louisville, Kentucky, and restored by RM Auto Restoration, was named ‘Best of Show’ at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. RM Auctions’ 2010 ‘Sports & Classics of Monterey’ Million-Dollar-Plus Sales: 1938 Talbot-Lago T150-C Lago Speciale Teardrop Coupe, $4,620,000 1954 Ferrari 375 MM Berlinetta, $4,620,000 1949 Delahaye Type 175 S Roadster by Saoutchik, $3,300,000 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spyder, $2,612,500 1955 Jaguar D-Type, $2,090,000

Read more

GM recalls nearly 250,000 recent SUVs for potential safety belt issues

The automaker and regulators said most of the vehicles were shipped within the United States. Several thousand others were exported to Canada, Mexico, China, Saudi Arabia, among other countries. Potential damage to the second-row safety belts could result in the latch seemingly appear it was secure when it wasn’t. No accidents or injuries have been reported as a result of the issue. The problem was discovered during warranty returns and sustained damage was cosmetic in most cases. General Motors will detail dealership repair procedures to owners via letter. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years,

Read more

Toyota Prius will soon lose carpool lane status in California

The Sacramento Bee is reporting that drivers of new electric vehicles like the Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf and even plug-in edition of the Prius will have the highest privileges in carpool lanes. Current Prius hybrid editions, about 85,000 in California, will no longer have carpool access after June 2011. The new program involves a revised series of color-coded stickers, the brainchild of San Francisco Sen. Leland Yee’ and his Senate Bill 535. It’s now on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s desk. The pending new policies for California carpool lanes are detailed in the newspaper’s weekly column, Back Seat Driver. Here’s the link:

Read more

Bugatti, new and vintage, rule at Monterey Auto Week

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, the latest model to join the Veyron lineup, debuted at the Concours d’Elegance. The new model includes a 1,200 horsepower engine and a limited speed 257 mph (in order to protect the tires). Bugatti was also the marque for the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Vintage Bugatti vintage machines competed in various divisions during the three-day event and were also featured in a parade at The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering at Quail Lodge. A one-hour Speed TV special on the 2010 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, including Buggati footage, is scheduled

Read more

Volkswagen hopes transparency means sales for luxury Phaeton (video)

The Phaeton is hand-assembled in an eco-friendly factory with a glass exterior, the Transparent Factory in Dresden, Germany called Gläserne Manufaktur. The same factory assembled Bentley Continental Flying Spur vehicles destined for the European market until October 2006, when all assembly of the Bentley products was transferred to Crewe, England. The Phaeton body is fabricated and painted at the large Volkswagen works at Zwickau, Germany, and the completed bodies are then transported about 60 miles by special road transport vehicles to the Transparent Factory. Most Phaeton engines, the W12 being the notable exception, are built at the VW/Porsche/Audi engine plant

Read more

Great 1980s cars time's forgotten, Audi to Toyota, BMW to Ferrari

,

Neither age makes the respective car ancient. Nevertheless, article offers unique insight and states that the 1980s was a far superior decade for cars than the 1970s. AUTOMOTIVE RESOURCES Auto Shipping Quote, Car Financing, Car Insurance Quotes, Car Loans, Online Car Insurance, Rental Cars, Used Cars The article’s premise is that the 1980s was great decade for prominent, groundbreaking cars—the BMW 5 Series, Honda Civic CRX and Ferrari F40. Writer John Pearley Huffman also offers: “A few machines have somehow faded from our collective consciousness. They’re essentially unappreciated, but their innovations or performance mean they deserve more prominence.” In his

Read more

General Motors CEO resigns as carmaker posts best results in six years

Daniel Akerson, a former CEO of Nextel and a GM board member for just over a year, will succeed Whitacre. AUTOMOTIVE RESOURCES Auto Shipping Quote, Car Financing, Car Insurance Quotes, Car Loans, Online Car Insurance, Rental Cars, Used Cars GM’s promising quarter financial numbers was the best result in six years for the automaker and and a stark turnaround from the $12.9 billion it lost in the year-earlier period when the company went into bankruptcy. According to statistics reported on CNNMoney.com, the second quarter was also an improvement from the $865 million in the first quarter. Revenue reached $33.2 billion,

Read more

Hyundai predicts its new U.S. cars will average 50 mpg in 2025

The improved average would be about a 60 percent increase from Hyundai‘s current average, 30.9 mpg — the nation’s highest. Honda (30.1 mpg) has the second-highest mpg, followed by Toyota (29 mpg). AUTOMOTIVE RESOURCES Auto Shipping Quote, Car Financing, Car Insurance Quotes, Car Loans, Online Car Insurance, Rental Cars, Used Cars Hyundai Motor America’s chief executive, John Krafcik said the goal was a stretch, but said he was “very confident” the company could reach it. “We don’t know precisely how to get there right now,” he said. “We do have a road map.” According to Krafcik, Hyundai expects to mostly

Read more

Tata Motors has new luxury plans for Jaguar, Land Rover

Tata Motors is planning to introduce new fuel efficient cars and hybrid vehicles in emerging markets and is seeking to raise sales of luxury brands Jaguar and Land Rover in China and India. The company plans to launch in India, a new cross-over vehicle, two new passenger vehicles and a new range of heavy trucks, according to Tata Motors Chairman Ratan Tata. AUTOMOTIVE RESOURCES Auto Shipping Quote, Car Financing, Car Insurance Quotes, Car Loans, Online Car Insurance, Rental Cars, Used Cars Tata said the company is also considering widening the range of Jaguar cars by introducing a station wagon, a

Read more

Monterey Auto Week: rare car auctions to vintage racing

There’s no official “umbrella organization.” It’s just known as Monterey Auto Week. Events come and go, themes and locations change, and it’s all traditionally wrapped up with the Concours d’Elegance at Pebble Beach. But for car enthusiasts, it’s an entire week of all things automotive – vintage racing to memorabilia to rare car auctions. It’s car nirvana. Although some of the events have already occurred, here’s the full calendar of event the Monterey Auto Week, 2010. Monday, August 9th * The Quail Rally – 8 a.m.—10 p.m., Quail Lodge Resort/8205 Valley Greens Drive, Carmel CA 93923 Tuesday, August 10th *

Read more