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Auto show models: Pretty, smart and Sirens of Chrome

As much as the new cars on display, so are the models hired by manufacturers to help showcase the automobiles to the largely male audiences attending car shows around the globe. Once just pretty women, auto show models now know their car stuff. Which, of course, makes them even more attractive. Margery Krevsky, co-founder of the Productions Plus agency in 1981, became one of the major booking agents for auto show models. She’s now the author of the book Sirens of Chrome. The 192-page volume (ISBN 1-879094-84-3, Momentum Books, $24.95) chronicles the history of the “human hood ornaments” from 1900 to now. The book details: “These human hood ornaments and walking encyclopedias of fuel-economy and towing-capacity specifications are descendants of

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Hyundai, Toyota, Honda, Ford get best used cars honors

Hyundai keeps reaping praise. Edmunds.com, the respected California-based automotive web site, has selected two Hyundai models on its list of the top-15 recommended used cars since 2004. Hyundai, Ford, Honda and Toyota all had two models on the list, with the Hyundai Elantra selected as the best used sub-compact and the Hyundai Azera chosen as the best used large sedan. “With used car prices still soaring, it’s important for consumers to have expert guidance to get the best value,” said Scott Oldham, editor in chief of Edmunds.com. “By taking into consideration a range of factors from consumer ratings to NHTSA crash safety tests, to True Cost to Own metrics, these cars are the most attractive options in the used car

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Mazda recalls half-million Mazda3 models for faulty wipers

Mazda is recalling nearly a half-million Mazda3 (the Mazda Axela in some countries) globally to fix an electronic malfunction that could prevent the windshield wipers from working properly. Mazda said no accidents were reported, but 29 failure complaints were received by the manufacturer. The recall covers cars and knock-down parts for the Mazda3 that were shipped between Jan. 2008 and Jul. 2010. It affects 157,700 units in North America, 91,600 in Europe, 84,000 in China and about 20,000 in Japan. The Mazda3 was introduced in 2004 and the second generation was announced for the 2010 model year. The same problem plagues the Mazda3 and Mazda3 MPS models produced between January 7, 2008 and December 22, 2008. According to the company

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TheWeeklyDriver.com now featured on www.alltop.com

Auto enthusiasts likely already have their favorite sites bookmarked, and theweeklydriver.com hopes it continues to find a growing audience among the vast array of car sites. No other site does for the automotive industry what www.alltop.com does . . . it aggregates all the auto sites (and sites on almost any topic) and cleanly organizes the offerings into clear, easy-to-follow feeds. If you’re going to bookmark one auto site make in www.alltop.com We just received word that theweeklydriver.com is now part of the great aggregation site’s impressive auto section. We’re pretty jazzed about it. We fancy our site, but the section has dozens of other car sites — the major companies to a good supply of niche auto sites with

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Smart, Bentley get top, dubious automakers' mpg honors

Smart, with its line of electric or gasoline two-seaters, has the best gas mileage average among car manufacturers, according to a new Brighter Planet study of 2011 cars and trucks. Throughout its lineup, Smart averages 61 mpg. Mini (30.0 mpg) is second across its production line. Honda (27.4 mpg) third is and the top manufacturer with a full line of cars, trucks and SUVs. Suzuki (25.5) and Nissan (25.3) round out the top five, according to the study that detailed Brighter Planet’s ranking of 39 automobile manufacturers included in the 2011 EPA Fuel Economy Guide based on miles-per-gallon fuel consumption or equivalents of all models in each company’s portfolio. Bentley has the dubious honors in the study, the lowest manufacturer-wide

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Allan McNish unhurt in wild 24 Hours of LeMans crash (video)

A horrible crash primarily involving Scottish driver Allan McNish occurred in the opening hour of the 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours. McNish tried to pass one of the slower cars, made contact and went hard into the barriers. The video, with commentary in German, is dramatic. More surprising is that McNish emerged from his car unhurt. Likewise, despite flying car parts, no one else on the track and just behind the barrier with a few feet of the wreck was hurt. Here’s a recent biography McNish: Born – Dumfries, Scotland, Dec. 29, 1969 Lives – Monte Carlo, Monaco Status – Married to Kelly, one son Finlay and one daughter Charlotte Height – 1.65m Weight – 58kgs McNish began racing since

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Audi A7, 2012 car review

The early 2012 Audi A7 3.0 TFSI quattro is a generally outstanding four-door hatchback sedan that looks much like a rakish coupe. But the $59,250 A7 is expensive with desirable options, such as its Sport Package with items like 20-inch wheels and a sport suspension (vs. standard 18-inch) wheels. The bottom-line price of the A7 I tested was $86,220, including that package and a bunch of high-tech items such as a navigation system and rearview camera. The A7 is loaded with comfort, convenience and safety equipment, including  power sunroof, so one need not add a thing—except perhaps the $1,500 Sport Package my test A7 had for sharper moves, with 20-inch (vs. standard 18-inch) tires and a sport suspension. You can

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Dealers begin taking orders for 2012 Chevy Volt

Chevrolet dealers in every state can begin taking orders for the 2012 Chevrolet Volt. The starting price of the new model is more than $1,000 less than the 2011 edition, the manufacturer announced. The suggested retail price for Volt will start at $39,995 (or $32,495 assuming a full federal tax credit of $7,500, which is subject to the customer’s eligibility). The price includes an $850 destination freight charge but excludes tax, title and license fees. The lower base price is possible in part because of a wider range of options and configurations that come with the expansion of Volt production for sale nationally. The 2011 model was available in just seven states and the District of Columbia. For 2012, consumers

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Six tips for better gas mileage from Consumer Reports

With high gas prices, Consumer Reports has released its latest compilation of fuel efficient (and least efficient) cars as well as six tips to saving gas before and after hitting the road. Before you leave: Check your tires. Underinflated tires require more energy to roll along, which eats up more fuel.  Make sure your tires’ air pressure is set to the automaker’s recommended level (see the owner’s manual, not the maximum pressure printed on the tires’ side. Get the right rental. If you plan on renting a car, try to reserve one with good gas mileage. For about the same rate, for example, you could get a 26-mpg Nissan Altima instead of a 20-mpg Chevrolet Impala. Or you could get

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Honda Fit, Lexus hybrid claim Consumer Reports' honors

Consumer Reports, in its latest 2011 automotive survey, has selected the most fuel efficient, worst gas guzzlers and best fuel economy among used cars. “Hybrid and diesel vehicles provide better fuel economy than conventional cars, but they usually cost more to buy, and as gas prices rise, the pay-back time gets shorter,” said David Champion, Senior Director of Consumer Reports Auto Test Center in East Haddam, Conn. Below are recommended models in six categories that provide the best fuel economy. To be recommended, they met Consumer Reports’ stringent requirements for test performance, reliability, and safety. So, not only do they provide excellent fuel economy for their class, but they’re solid overall choices. according to the publication. Subcompact Best: Honda Fit

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Hyundai tops Mitsubishi for best car warranty honors

Keith Buglewicz, a writer for DriverSide.com, has compiled an exhaustive list of car warranties and has determined that Hyundai offers the best overall automotive warranty among automobiles offered in the United States. The author writer of Hyundai: “When you see those Hyundai commercials touting the country’s best warranty, well, they’re not lying. Hyundai’s powertrain warranty is equaled in years by Mitsubishi and Kia – and in miles by several others, and Kia and Mitsubishi also offer just as long a period from bumper-to-bumper. “Mitsubishi even ties Hyundai with its roadside assistance. But Hyundai beats out Mitsubishi on two fronts. First, it offers unlimited mileage on its corrosion protection package. Second, it applies to all Hyundai models, including the sporty Genesis

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Chrysler, Dr. Dre Make Nice Music With New Commercial

The Chrysler commercial campaign for the “Imported From Detroit” 300 featuring Dr. Dre is the follow-up to the nearly identically themed commercial featuring Eminem from this year’s Super Bowl. In short, why mess with a good thing? The Dr. Dre commercial showcases the Chrysler 300 that can include as an option a built-in Dr. Dre Beats sound system. Here’s the official announcement, which debuted in Game 3 of the NBA finals Sunday night on ABC: “Beats by Dr. Dre founder and hip hop legend Dr. Dre will star in “Good Things,” a bold 60-second commercial spot for the all-new 2012 Chrysler 300, set to debut during Game 3 of the NBA finals Sunday night on ABC. The commercial, directed by

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BMW, Ford, Mercedes-Benz on 2011 dubious cars list

In its seemingly endless quest to present car lists, CNNMoney.com’s lastest automotive tabulation is its top-10 most disappointing cars of 2011. The list includes some surprising choices, BMW to Honda, Acura to Mercedes-Benz — manufacturers often on top-10 best car lists. Here’s what Alex Taylor III, a senior editor-at-large for the website, wrote about the 2011 BMW X6 — the surprisingly poor seller: “The X6 is marketed as a ‘sports activity coupe’ that combines the attributes of an SUV (high ground clearance, all wheel drive large wheels and tires) with the stance of a coupé (bold styling, dramatic sloping roof).” “BMW sales are hot, but buyers are apparently confused by the concept, put off by the chunky styling, or deterred

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Indy 500: Facts, figures, records for the race's 95th edition

Like all historic sporting events, the Indianapolis 500 has an almost unlimited supply of statistics. Here’s a list of facts and figures for the 100th anniversary and the 95th Indy 500-mile race Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway: DISTANCE — 500 miles or 200 laps around the asphalt-on-brick Indianapolis Motor Speedway track, a 2.5-mile rectangular oval. RACE CARS — Open-cockpit, open-wheel and single-seat, with 3.5-liter, 635-horsepower normally aspirated Honda Indy V-8 engines. PACE CAR — 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS, driven by four-time race winner A.J. Foyt. FINISH — Standings are unofficial until posted by the IndyCar Series. NUMBER OF STARTERS — 33 cars; three abreast in each of 11 rows. POLE POSITION — Alex Tagliani, the first Canadian to win

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Airstream motor coach not quite car reviewer's style

Reviewing a Bugatti Veyron, Mercedes-Benz sedan or any of the new influx of green vehicles — the Toyota Prius to Tesla Roadster — is what Dan Neil does weekly with his column in the Wall Street Journal called “Rumble Seat.” But Neil is an essayist more than a straight-forward reviewer. The facts are all there and Neil has vast automotive knowledge. But the journalist who won a Pulitzer Prize for commentary recently left the his routine reviews that detail performance and comparison shopping among car manufacturers and took on the RV industry. With his family along for the ride, Neil reviewed the 2011 Airstream Interstate 3500. But while providing a detailed article on the motor coach, Neil also discusses a retired

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Obama administration gets 'greener,' buys Chevy Volt fleet

The Chevrolet Volt may have just gotten its biggest jolt. The Obama administration, according to an Associated Press report, is purchasing 101 of the plug-in electric cars — the government’s first purchase viable electric vehicles. Additionally, the government is also buying 10 battery electric Nissan Leaf vehicles and five Think City EV models from Finish EV startup. In the same announcement, the government also said it is installing 100 car-charging stations in Washington, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco at a cost of about $500,000. President Barack Obama has called for a one-third reduction in oil imports by 2025 and wants to put 1 million plug-in electric vehicles on the road by 2015. The electric car purchases are

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