Volvo, VW and driving in the pro cycling caravan (video)

For every cyclist competing in a professional bike race, there’s seemingly a corresponding vehicle. But it’s not an exact parallel. In fact, in top-level races, there are several times more team, organization, media and sponsor vehicles, equipment trucks, fans’ motorhomes, police cars and motorcycles than competitors. Like the cyclists, race vehicles get down time at hotels, but otherwise, they’re all almost always on the move, climbing mountains, negotiating narrow roads and descending at top speeds. Volvo saw an opportunity at this year’s event and provided three V60 AWD T6 Inscription trim wagons for the seven-rider team. Team managers Michael Sayers

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2020 Lexus LS 500: luxury sedans still matter

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The transportation saturation of SUVs and pickup trucks is ever-increasing. But the 2020 Lexus LS 500, the showcase vehicle in Toyota’s upscale division, is a fine reason why consumers should still consider sedans. Completely redesigned two years ago with a fifth generation, the 2020 LS 500 retains the full-size luxury sedan’s finer attributes. It combines an uber-quiet, comfortable ride, an interior designer’s finest skill and top-line technology. Key Takeaways 416-hp twin-turbo V6 pairs with a 10-speed automatic: The fifth-generation LS 500 reaches 60 mph from a standstill in 4.9 seconds while averaging 19 mpg city and 30 mpg highway on

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Geneva Motor Show: BMW to Volvo, Audi to VW . . . But Geneva Girls make the show

At the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, more than 80 cars, the 2011 Audi A1 to the 2011 Volvo S60 and the 2011 BMW 5 Series to the 2011 Volkswagen Sharan, made their debut. First held in 1905, in the Geneva Motor Show has hosted almost all major internal combustion engined models in the history of the automobile, along with benzene- and steam-powered cars from the beginning of the century. Exotic supercars often steal the spotlight during their debuts at the show. Prototypes, new equipment, technical breakthroughs, international partnerships, as well as political and social debates, have been announced at the

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Buick Verano, 2012: Luxury sedan with good looks, value price

The Chevrolet Cruze is an unqualified hit on several levels. But can the 2012 Buick Verano, which shares the same platform with the Cruze, be more than a rebadged GM project? For readers who like jumping to the last chapter before reading the whole book, I am not going to spoil the ending, just read on. The Verano is neither a rebadged Euro-market sedan (like the Regal) nor a “pure” Buick design like the LaCrosse. It splits the difference between the two designs, marrying a conservative design with a few discrete Buick cues such as the signature waterfall grille and

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Audi A4, 2012: Beautifully built, fast and firm

Sorry you gave up your sports car because you needed more room? You won’t feel bad after driving the 2012 Audi S4 — the hot rod sedan version of the automaker’s popular A4 sedan/wagon. The 2012 A4 has a remarkably strong turbocharged 2-liter four-cylinder engine with 211 horsepower and is fun to drive. But the S4,which I tested, has a 3.3-liter supercharged V-6 with 333-horsepower and considerably more torque. All models are compact sports sedans, except an A4 station wagon also is offered. The A4 was redesigned for 2009 as a third-generation model, and the S4 arrived for 2010. All

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Tesla Model S electrifies NHTSA, gets best safety rating ever

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The Tesla Model S and the carmaker’s owner Elon Musk haven’t needed much publicity lately. The electric sports car and its innovative inventor are at the forefront of the auto industry. But the performance-oriented, expensive car is now getting another accolade. It’s been awarded an extraordinary, five-star overall rating — the highest rating ever determined  — by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Tesla Model S was given an overall 5-star safety rating and the same rating in every subcategory. The independent NHTSA does not publish a star rating above 5, however safety levels better than 5 stars are captured

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3 BMW sedans get worst depreciation honors

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Consumers purchase BMW sedans for their well-documented performance qualities. But value is not part of the German manufacturer’s appeal. According to iSeeCars.com, the automotive research firm and data-driven car search engine, three of the German sedans are among the top-10 vehicles with the worst five-year depreciation averages. The website analyzed more than 8.2 million car sales to identify models with the lowest and highest loss in value after five years. BMW gets dubious honors The BMW 7 and 5 series hold the top two spots among the highest depreciating vehicles. The stablemate X3 has the 10th worst depreciation average after

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2021 Mercedes-AMG A35: a worthy double life

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The 2021 Mercedes-AMG A35 4MATIC, a compact luxury sedan, is positioned in a wickedly competitive segment. It defines automotive industry rivalry at its best. Several BMW and Audi models are top German counterpart competitors. The Cadillac CT4, Infiniti Q50, Lexus IS and Volvo S60 are also long-time stalwarts. More recent additions include the Kia Stinger, Genesis G70 and Volkswagen Arteon, expanding the all-worthy list to more than a dozen choices. Pick one and rejoice in your good choice. The AMG (Aufrecht Melcher Großaspach) lineup showcases Mercedes at its best. The manufacturer customizes its vehicles with improved performance and more features.

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Volvo XC-90, 2006: The Weekly Driver Car Review

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Driving from Northern California to Oregon is seemingly a simple task. Find Interstate 5 and progress north for five hours or so. The road is largely well-maintained, and the normal flow of traffic is brisk. But good roads, a fast pace and few navigational tasks don’t necessarily make a long drive easy. Changing weather, drivers’ strange habits, elevation gains and the overall challenge of enduring a 300-mile drive from Sacramento can all provide obstacles. Of course, comfort, efficiency and enjoyment of the trip can also vary greatly, depending upon the vehicle used. In one recent instance, the journey was made

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Acura MDX, 2008: Weidel on Wheels

In some respects, I’m the same way with cars. I’ve experienced good and bad memories in the past decade test-driving all kinds of vehicles. I’ve learned I gravitate heavily toward mid-sized sport utility vehicles like the Acura MDX, among others, since what they offer is usually a good fit for my needs. With that in mind, I revisited the MDX, one of my favorite vehicles, several weeks ago. My only further cemented my like of this stylish SUV and its wonderful handling, powerful engine, high safety scores and solid fuel efficiency. Two years ago, I took a pleasant day trip

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2008 Volvo XC70: Weidel on Wheels

Taking another step from its uninspired, stodgy past, Volvo decided to pursue the makeover route for the 2008 XC70. Typically, there’s nothing wrong with redesigns, they’re sometimes long overdue. Not that the XC70 falls into that category, but it emergeed in 2008 as a more appealing vehicle. The remodeled vehicle is four inches longer overall and two longer in the wheelbase. It origin is Volvo’s premium sedan (S80), not the scaled down S60. The XC70 also has revised interior and exterior design. Although it could be easy to do, don’t confuse the XC70 with the V70 wagon. The XC70 has

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Infiniti FX35, 2012: Luxury SUV with sports car ride

Now ending its first decade, the Infiniti FX is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV manufactured by Nissan's luxury brand. The FX replaced the QX4 and debuted at the same time as the Porsche Cayenne and Volvo XC90. Sometimes called a "Bionic Cheetah" because of its unique combination of a SUV lower body and sleek upper body, the Infiniti FX blurs the boundaries of a sports car and SUV. It's both performance-oriented and functional, and since 2009 is in its section generation. The Weekly Driver Test Drive My test drive for the week was the Limited Edition. It's less powerful (but

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Three Jeep, two Nissan models among 10 cars to avoid at all costs

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Forbes.com can’t stay away from car lists. Best compacts to worst gas mileage, the varied online publication is more well known for its business trends than its automotive expertise. But with its automotive coverage, Forbes.com doesn’t shy away from controversy. It praises manufacturers for innovation and craftsmanship and criticizes carmakers for lousy visibility and underpowered engines. In its latest automotive list, Forbes.com selects the 10 new cars to avoid. In its assessment, Forbes.com used the facts and figures of several automotive expert organizations, including Consumer Reports, J.D. Power and Associates, the Highway Loss Data Institute, and the National Highway Traffic

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Top-10 cars in 2013 no one is buying

Competition in the auto industry is ever-intensifying. Or at least it seems that way. As a result, more vehicles have become better cars and fewer cars are outright bad. But how fast cars sell or don’t sell is a good indicator of what cars customers want and don’t want. New cars in 2013 have spent an average of 62 days at a dealership before being sold, according to the statistics of the car site, TruCar.com. The 10 slowest-selling cars so far in 2013 have all remained at a dealership for more than 100 days before selling. It doesn’t mean the

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2016 Volvo XC90: Style, safety in new luxury SUV

The first generation Volvo XC90 SUV was introduced in 2002. Worth the wait 13 years later is the second generation 2016 Volvo XC90. It offers a new level of sophistication and utility. The 2016 XC90 is new from badge to backup camera. It’s the first plug-in hybrid SUV offering three rows of seating for seven. Our drive with Volvo‘s mid-size SUV introduced us to a memorable luxury experience, a suite of modern safety features and superior efficiency in a package that dresses to impress. Driving Impressions Volvo is offering two versions of the redesigned 2016 XC90: the T6 and T8.

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Volvo unveils new car-buying reality in cool car videos

Volvo has just released two videos that have moved to forefront of the auto industry. Volvo cars are marketed as the safest cars on the market. The carmaker’s design also reflects the clean, sleek characteristics of Swedish design. The two new car videos personify that image. The first video is a six-month-old project Volvo has introduced in conjunction with Microsoft. The HoloLens (hologram) allows customers to wear a device to configure vehicles in a new way, via visualization. The video shows how shoppers can view useful features often overlooked in car manuals via three-dimensional glasses device. The result is  “augmented

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