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Lexus reveals $73,000 price for flagship LS460 sedan

The 2011 Lexus LS 460 Touring Edition, the flagship sedan of the luxury division of Toyota, will be priced at $73,000 (rear wheel drive) and will be available at dealerships in late June or early July, the manufacturer announced. “The Touring Edition adds excitement to our flagship sedan,” said Mark Templin, Lexus Division group vice president and general manager. “The package on this car enhances styling and comfort, allowing us to attract younger buyers to the LS line-up.” The 2011 LS 460 Touring Edition will be available on both the LS 460 Rear Wheel Drive and All-Wheel Drive models. It

Hyundai, Honda lead new decree: 40 mpg the new 30 mpg

Sedans, Automotive Reviews

If 40 mpg is the new 30 mpg in the automotive world, then more manufacturers — Hyundai to Volkswagen, Honda to Toyota — have reached the new milestone as car buyers seek more economical options. Hyundai is at the forefront of the influx of 40 mpg with newly designed 2011 Hyundai Elantra. With its base price of $14,830 and fuel economy of 29 in city driving and 40 mpg on the the highway, it costs an estimated $51 for a tank of gas (at $4 per gallon) and will travel an estimated 538 miles per tank. The 2011 Hyundia Sonata

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

It's a natural gas: Honda's greenest car goes national soon

After more than a decade of sporadic available to the retail public, Honda Motor Co. (HMC) will offer its natural-gas-powered Civic GX throughout the United States beginning in the fall of 2011. A recent report in The Nikkei, the business publication in Japan, said the manufacturer’s decision to go nationwide reflects the increased nterest in environmental cars in the U.S. Natural-gas-propelled cars are often considered greener than all-electric vehicles, because the latter charge their batteries using electricity often generated by fossil-fuel-fired power plants. Honda first released the Civic GX in the state of California in 1998 and currently offers the

TheWeeklyDriver.com now featured on www.alltop.com

News Service

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

Hyundai Elantra, 2011: Sleek, handsomely sculptured

Automotive Reviews

Introduced at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show, the newly designed 2011 Hyundai Elantra has attracted as much attention during its first six months in circulation as any car in the country. There was little wrong with the previous version of the Elantra other than its staid appearance. But all the criticism of the previous styling is likely gone now with the car’s fifth edition. Previous editions of the Elantra were often described as frumpy. But the new design is sleek and handsomely sculptured. The new Elantra has a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine matched to a choice of six-speed manual or

2011 Hyundai Elantra chosen best value in family ‘shootout’

The 2011 Hyundai Elantra has won a unique best value honor when matched among five compact cars that seat five, get more than 35 mpg and are priced at less than $20,000. The evaluation, conducted by the website Cars.com, revealed the Elantra earned the honors, according to the site’s editors, for its exterior and interior design as well as its smooth ride. “With unrelenting gas prices and continued economic uncertainty, our shootout couldn’t be timelier in terms of what car shoppers are looking for,” said Patrick Olsen, Cars.com editor-in-chief. “In fact, four of the five models that competed have been

Hyundai Sonata, 2012: Better mpg, more standard features

Hyundai, the hottest-selling manufacturer in the United States, has further intensified the midsize sedan segment by increasing gas mileage and including Blue Link as a standard feature on the 2012 Sonata. Blue Link® from Hyundai provides up-to-the-minute traffic and weather information and is a lifeline to emergency services and roadside assistance. Synched to a smart phone, Blue Link will let the owner know where their Sonata is in a crowded baseball stadium parking lot or shopping center. In addition to Blue Link, the 2012 Sonata will feature more safety, technology and convenience offerings including, HD Radio Technology and new seven-inch

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

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

News Service

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 –

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

Volkswagen announces models, pricing for 2012 Beetle

Twelve years after it re-introduced the Beetle, Volkswagen has announced pricing for the third-generation of its classic “people’s car.” The new 2012 “21st Century” Beetle will start $18,995, offering a more muscular design that honors the Beetle’s past with revisions that offer a stronger, more powerful coupe. Unlike the other options in its segment, few vehicles offer consumers the heritage and character of the Volkswagen Beetle. “Cross shoppers might consider the Mini Cooper or Fiat 500,” said Jesse Toprak, VP of Industry Trends and Insights at TrueCar.com, but “most consumers looking to purchase the Beetle are already determined to buy

Toyota Tacoma, 2011 truck review

As an ultimate utilitarian vehicle, it’s hard to find fault with the Toyota Tacoma. It’s the best selling truck in the United States in its class, and the 2011 edition is a recommended buy of Consumer Reports. Two months ago, the Tacoma also was named top truck in its category in J.D. Power and Associates’ 2011 Dependability Study. It’s another reason why despite peaks and valleys, Toyota Tacoma sales have exceeded 145,000 annually since the compact truck’s debut in 1995. Now 17 years old and a few generations into its tenure, I test drove for a week the 4×4 edition,

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

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

Legendary rare Hollywood Ferrari set for Monterey auction

RM Auctions, the collector car auction house, will return Aug. 19-12 to Monterey, California, for its annual sale held during the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance weekend. This year’s sale will feature a vast selection of vehicles, including the matching-numbers, race-winning 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza Scaglietti Spider, s/n 0492M. It had a starring role in the film On the Beach, featuring Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner and Fred Astaire. The 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza Scaglietti Spider, s/n 0492M will be among 20 Ferraris auctioned. The eighth of 35 built, 0492M began its career on the Ferrari stand at the Brussels Motor Show