MotorAuthority

News, Oct 11 2008 to Oct 09 2008

Today

• Toyota announces pricing and specs for iQ minicar
  Following the launch of the iQ minicar at the recent Paris Motor Show, Toyota has now announced final pricing and specifications for its striking minicar. The company has alre...

Yesterday

• Report: Chrysler and GM in merger talks
  Capping off a week that saw General Motors’ share price take a 31% hit in a single day comes a new report claiming the carmaker is in talks with Chrysler over a possible mer...
• Spy video: see and hear the new Nissan 370Z
  The Nissan 350Z, or ‘Fairlady’ as it’s known in Japan, is set to be replaced next year by an all-new model sporting a larger displacement engine and a dramatic new take...
• Next-gen Chrysler PT Cruiser sketched
  The PT Cruiser has enjoyed a long and surprisingly successful run since its debut in 2000, but rumors of its demise have been spreading for some time. Nevertheless, a graphic...
• More details on Toyota's plans for a full hybrid lineup by 2020
  Earlier this year, Toyota claimed it would have a hybrid in every facet of its lineup by the decade beginning in 2020, and company executives have since confirmed that plan. E...
• iPod, Bluetooth connections available on record number of cars
  It's no secret that cars have been growing to more closely resemble computers over the past decade. Now things have advanced to the point that over half - 58% - of all 2009 mo...
• More details on planned Volkswagen, Audi mid-engine roadster
  Volkswagen is reportedly working on an affordable mid-engine sports car along the lines of the Lotus Elise and Toyota MR2, which it plans to release sometime early next decade...
• Nissan trialling new camera-assisted telematics slip alert system
  Building a vehicle that can react to the most minute changes in grip and stability, compensate for them and alert the driver of the situation has become almost the standard of...
• Report: Audi will not sell the Q7 V12 TDI in U.S.
  The Audi Q7 V12 TDI was first revealed in production trim at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year but withheld key information, such as when the vehicle would eventually go...
• Jaguar-Land Rover CEO asks UK for assistance
  The world economy, and especially the automotive industry, is amidst one of the toughest times in several decades or more. Rebuilding confidence in that economy and boosting s...
• New SUV key to Alfa Romeo’s U.S. return
  The Fiat Group has set a goal of achieving profitability for Alfa Romeo, and to do that, says Alfa CEO Luca de Meo, the marque will need to increase its sales volume. With a g...
• Lexus presents new IS250 Sports Concept
  Lexus has used this week’s Sydney Motor Show to present a new sports concept car based on its IS250 sedan fitted with the full gamut of F-Sport performance accessories unvei...
• RUF reveals all-electric Porsche 911 concept
  Development of the all-electric Porsche from German tuner RUF has reached a major milestone, with confirmation today that initial testing of a prototype 911 has been successfu...
• Report: iQ minicar to be sold in U.S. as Scion
  Last month we reported that future variants based on Toyota’s new iQ minicar platform could be offered in the United States to take advantage of growing demand for compact a...
• New V10 and Spyder models will make R8 waiting lists longer
  Audi is in the process of developing two new R8 variants to join the current V8 model, but according to one of the carmaker’s top execs the addition of these extra models wi...

Thu Oct 9

• AMG boss confirms mild-hybrid model
  With AMG no longer focused on chasing big horsepower numbers, efficiency could quickly become the new performance benchmark for the Affalterbach-based tuner. Currently in deve...
• FPV celebrates 5th anniversary with special edition Falcon GT
  Australia’s Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) recently celebrated its 20th anniversary with the unveiling of the 505hp (375kW) W427 LS7-powered saloon at February’s Melbourne...
• Force Performance Dodge Charger loses two doors but adds three blowers
  Vehicle customizer Force Performance based in Miami is currently working on a highly modified Dodge Charger, which the tuner has designed to replicate the classic B-Body Charg...
• Audi rules out diesels, hybrids, and SUVs for RS lineup
  Mercedes Benz has offered a diesel model under its AMG label (in Europe at least) as well as a SUV, and BMW’s usually stringent M Division is currently working on a pair of...
• BMW exec reveals future powertrain plans
  Mimicking similar statements made by Mercedes Benz last July, BMW’s EfficientDynamics chief engineer has revealed plans for the carmaker’s future powertrains and expressed...
• Automakers warn hybrids not certified for commercial use
  New York City may have to backpedal on its recently introduced legislation that mandates all new taxis to be either hybrids or have fuel economy of at least 25mpg (9.4L/100km)...
• Study: Driving with friends triples teen death rate
  Teenagers are one of the highest-risk segments of the driving public due to inexperience behind the wheel. Now a new study in the UK has shown that getting several teenagers t...
• Chrysler suing Getrag over dual-clutch factory in U.S.
  Just as Chrysler prepares to begin bringing a dual-clutch transmission to its North American fleet, a dispute with Getrag could see plans for yearly production of up to 700,00...
• GM to begin OnStar stolen vehicle slowdown rollout on 2009 models
  GM announced late last year that its OnStar system would be getting a new feature that could remotely bring a car to a rolling stop in emergency situations. Now that technolog...
• Saturn will get only sedan version of Opel Insignia to replace Aura
  Earlier this year we reported that General Motors could possibly delay the launch of the next-generation Saturn Aura, or possibly drop the model altogether, but according to G...
• duPont Registry picks 11 best vehicles
  Choosing the best vehicle in any category can be a daunting task, with so many worthy contenders and room for subjectivity. Nevertheless, the duPont Registry has once again ch...
• Lexus IS250C and IS350C confirmed for the U.S.
  Three years after the introduction of the second-generation IS sedan Lexus introduced a new convertible model at the Paris Motor Show last week. The convertible version of the...
• Carbon Motors will unveil the E7 purpose-built police car this month
  Carbon Motors will be using the nine-city 2008 Pure Justice tour of the U.S. as an avenue for unveiling its all-new E7 purpose-built police car. The E7 hasn't even secured i...
• Preview: Chevrolet Camaro Z28
  Since the reveal of the first Chevrolet Camaro concept back in 2006, speculation about the return of a high-performance Z28 flagship has been rife. General Motors was finally...
• Nissan defends GT-R Nurburgring lap time with second video
  Earlier this month we reported on accusations hurled by Porsche towards Nissan, accusing the Japanese carmaker of falsifying the blistering Nurburgring lap time of 7m 29s reco...