2008 Hyundai Veracruz: Weidel on Wheels

The 2008 Hyundai Veracruz falls short, but the South Korean manufacturer has set lofty goals and made significant progress in its attempt to compete with Toyota, Honda and even premium Lexus. That’s ambitious goal for a company that once produced cheap, unreliable economy cars that were the industry jokes. But those days are past; Hyundai now earns respect for nearly every vehicle it produces. Certainly it’s true with the Veracruz, a seven-passenger crossover SUV that receives high marks in practically every auto publication. There’s much to like about this well-equipped family vehicle. It combines solid looks, good performance, versatility, safety

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Mazda 3S (Grand Touring), 2009: Belew’s Car Buzz

It’s handsome, nimble, has a good road feel and is peppy. My wife had a 2002 Honda Civic and now a Honda CR-V. My son has a 2005 Honda Civic. Next in our family, a Mazda 3 maybe? Only the price is holding me back. I read the current Mazda 3 is going to be replaced in 2010. But the adage, “If it ain’t broken, why fix it?” applies. The Grand Touring model has auto on/off xenon headlights, automatic rain-sensing wipers, automatic climate control, a six-way power driver seat, leather upholstery, heated front seats and a trip computer. And I

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Hyundai Accent, 2008: Bill Belew’s Car Buzz

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The Hyundai Accent is certainly affordable; the five-passenger SE compact hatchback I drove was priced at $15,370. The Accent is equipped with 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and 110 horsepower. Mileage estimates are 27 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway with the five-speed manual I drove. All models include standard front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. Antilock brakes are standard on SE coupes. The Accent’s design is simple with a feeling of roominess from the driver’s seat but not for our young daughter or for my golf clubs. Visibility is good and the short hood allowed

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General Motors Unveils Electric Vehicle Volt, Will Debut As 2010 Model

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“The Volt symbolizes GM’s commitment to the future,” said Rick Wagoner, GM’s chairman and CEO. General Motors did not announce pricing for the car, which will have the equivalent of about 150 horsepower and a top speed of 100 mph, accordin to GM. To charge the batteries, drivers will plug a cord into one of the ports just ahead of each of the side mirrors. The cord can then be attached to an ordinary home electrical outlet. The car, according to a GM release, will cost “less than purchasing a cup of your favorite coffee” to recharge. It will use

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Buick Lucerne CX, 2008: Belew's Car Buzz

“Though I hate to resort to such a hackneyed statement, the 2008 Buick Lucerne CXS isn’t my father’s Buick. I should know because I’m still driving my father’s hand-me-down Buick — a 1963 LeSabre. “In my father’s estimation, Buick represented affordable luxury and quality just one step below a Cadillac. The ’63 was just one of several he owned starting in the 60s. I was curious to see how a modern Buick compared both to the older ones and to the current high quality cars from Europe and Japan. I discovered the Lucerne embodied the best aspects of the Buick

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Infiniti M45, 2008: Weidel on Wheels

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The 2008 M45 has impressive power, sharp exterior features, comfortable seating and a long list of standard features. It’s pricy at $51,850 for the all-wheel drive X model that gets unimpressive gas mileage (14-20 mpg). Yet, the M45 is still priced lower than an upscale SUV and trips to the pumps are less frequent. If you haven’t checked out the M45 in a couple of years, it’s worth a look. Infiniti unveiled the M series in 2003 with the M35 (3.5-liter, V6) and the M45 (4.5-liter, V8). There was nothing wrong with the performance of either one, but both sedans

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Aston Martin Overtakes Bugatti As World's Most Expensive Car

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The handmade coupe will cost $2.3 million. Aston Martin will make only 77 of the vehicles, about one-quarter of the volume of Veyrons manufactured and slightly less than the 80 Veyron roadsters built. According to Aston Martin, buyers of the One-77 are purchasing “an experience.” Autocar.com reported buyers would be invited to the factory in Gaydon, where they’ll meet with designers and engineers to develop the car to their exact specifications. Aston Martin hasn’t said much about the new vehicle, a project that began about 1 1/2 years ago. The hand-hammered aluminum bodywork retains the general profile of  it predecessor,

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New Hip Trash Car In The Movies — Used Dodge Spirit

It’s the vehicle (made from 1990-95) used in the transport of illegal immigrants smuggled across the U.S.-Canadian border in the new movie, Frozen River. Frozen River features the story of Ray Eddy, an upstate New York trailer mom lured into illegal immigrant smuggling when she meets a Mohawk girl who lives on a reservation that straddles the U.S.-Canadian border. Broke after her husband leasves with the down payment for their new doublewide trailer Ray teams with Lila, a smuggler. The two begin making runs across the frozen St. Lawrence River carrying illegal Chinese and Pakistani immigrants in the trunk of

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Cadillac Debuts CTS Sport Wagon For 2010

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Cadillac’s upcoming wagon offers ample interior space and includes a range of six-cylinder engine choices, making it a compelling alternative to larger utility vehicles. Based on the hot-selling CTS sport sedan, and a sister vehicle to the CTS Coupe Concept, the Sport Wagon extends the design-driven renaissance of Cadillac. Following this special premiere at Pebble Beach, the CTS Sport Wagon moves to the worldwide auto show circuit this fall – and into Cadillac dealerships in spring 2009. “The addition of this dramatically-designed Sport Wagon is well synchronized with today’s changing consumer tastes as a compelling alternative to SUVs or other

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2009 Nissan Murano: Weidel on Wheels

And let’s face it, many auto manufacturers essentially trot out the same vehicles year after year without significant changes. Following its one-year absence, Nissan came out with its 2009 model as a Christmas present and was delivered to dealerships in early January. It was worth the wait, since Nissan addressed a few problem areas. At first glance, the 2009 midsize sport utility vehicle looks like its predecessor — attractive, sporty and efficient in most areas. However, several changes in this year’s Murano add to the value add to the car-based SUV that has always enjoyed a solid reputation since its

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Papa John's Camaro: It's back so it's free pizza for all, sort of

It all began in 1983. Schnatter’s father, an Indiana bar owner, was on the verge of bankruptcy. Schnatter sold his most valuable possession, a black-and-gold striped Camaro for $2,800 to help his family. With the proceeds, Schnatter bought some equipment and started selling pizzas out of a broom closet of his dad’s bar, digging their way out of bankruptcy one pizza at a time. The side business became Papa John’s, the country’s third-largest pizza chain. But Schnatter (he’s pictured with his Camaro in 1971) lways wanted his Camaro back. And last week, after a nationwide campaign and increasing the reward

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BMW Recalls 200,000 Cars With Potential Air Bag Problems

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The German automaker BMW AG, concerned front passenger seat airbags may not deploy, has recalled an estimated 200,000 X3 sport compacts in the United States made between 2004-2006. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported on its  web site that small cracks could develop in a seat detection mat and deactivate the front passenger air bags. NHTSA said the air bag warning lamp and the passenger air bag “on-off” light would remain on. The head protection system, however, would not be affected, the government said. According to BMW spokesman Tom Plucinsky no injuries or accidents from the reported issue

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Mario Andretti: Still A Driving Force In Motorsports

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Nearly 15 years after his retirement from full-time racing, Mario Andretti, at age 68, remains a dominant force. One of only two drivers to win race in the four major motor racing categories — Formula One, IndyCar (USAC), World Sportscar Championships and NASCAR — Andretti was the honored guest last week at the 35th Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races and Mazda Raceway, Laguna Seca. Andretti, the only driver to win the Indianapolis 500 (1969), Daytona 500 (1967) and Formula One World Championship (1978), participated in a variety of events during the three-day gathering held in conjunction with Monterey Auto Week.

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Nissan Rogue, 2008: Nice Wheels, Bad Name

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A few friends and I drove around the recent Monterey Auto Week in a 2008 Nissan Rogue. It’s a new sport utility vehicle that offers a lot for a good price point — around $23,000. What the Rogue doesn’t have is a good name. My friends and I had a pretty easy and fun time calling ourselves rogues. And there we were finding our way around Pebble Beach and Laguna Seca and parking next to wondrous machines with well-heeled nameplates like Bentley, Maserati and Ferrari. So why would Nissan call its new SUV Rogue? As a noun, rogue is defined:

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Audi A8 W12, 2008: The Weekly Driver Car Review (Video)

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The  2008 Audi A8 W12 is the German manufacturer’s powerful top-of-the-line sedan. It’s nearly a small apartment considering its spaciousness, powerful sound system, rear-seat refrigerator and solar sunroof. Videographer Bruce Aldrich and I take a look and the luxurious Audi. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004. In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for

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Volkswagen Beetle, Kaiser Darrin Shine At Carmel Concours On The Avenue

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While soft jazz perfectly set the mood, mellow, daylong crowds gathered along the main artery, Ocean Ave., and its accompanying side streets. It was an ideal outdoor showroom for the second-year event. Porsche and Ferrari were featured Monday and Tuesday multi-marques were presented. I didn’t attend Monday’s festivities, but there were immediate favorites on Tuesday. Tony and Pat Olmo of Monterey, California, presented two Volkswagen Beetles — a 1962 convertible and 1956 deluxe. The 1956, a beautifully hued diamond green, is restored with only German VW parts as is the Pacific Blue convertible. Both cars attracted large crowds with a

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