Teen Drivers at Higher Risk in Older Cars: Study

Teen Drivers at Higher Risk in Older Cars: Study
Chrysler Expands Airbag Recall to 3.3M Vehicles
2015 VW Golf R Orders Open January 8
US Traffic Deaths Drop by 3.1% in 2013
Alfa Romeo Spider Won’t be Mazda Based
Lamborghini Aventador Pirelli Edition Announced

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Advanced safety technologies might seem like luxury items, but they're saving lives.

According to a recent report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), most American teens killed in crashes were behind the wheel of older vehicles that weren't equipped with the technology to protect them. According to IIHS, teens are three times more likely to die in a car crash than adults over 20, so it's especially important for teens to be driving vehicles with not only the best crash protection, but the most effective safety features.

By reviewing data from the government's Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS), IIHS compared the types of vehicles driven by teens who were killed in accidents between 2008 and 2012 with those driven by middle-aged adults. It found that 48 percent of teen drivers killed in accidents were driving vehicles more than 11 years old meaning that even electronic stability control (ESC) was likely rare on those vehicles. Of the teens in the study, no more than about 12 percent were driving vehicles with ESC as standard or optional equipment.

IIHS also noted that teenagers killed while driving were also more likely to be driving smallers cars than middle-aged drivers. The organization also noted that the overall rate of driver deaths in vehicles that weigh under 3,000 lbs is 75 percent higher than in vehicles that weigh over 4,000 lbs. Of the teens killed, nearly 30 percent were driving small and mini cars versus just 20 percent for adults.

Chrysler Expands Airbag Recall to 3.3M Vehicles

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Chrysler is the latest automaker to give in to NHTSA's demands of expanding the airbag recall.

The American automaker has announced that it will replace the driver's side air-bag inflators in an estimated 3.3 million vehicles worldwide as an expansion to the ongoing recall. An estimated 2,890,745 vehicles are in the U.S. while 258,586 are in Canada and 66,436 in Mexico. The remaining 99,030 vehicles are outside the NAFTA region. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles also shared that it is aware of one related injury involving one of its vehicles that occurred in a southern Florida region with high humidity.

The company reiterated that it or Takata has not yet identified a defect in the population of inflators and that the components are distinct from Takata inflators cited in fatalities involving other automakers. According to FCA, no vehicle outside of Florida has been linked to an airbag deployment of the type that has raised concern. Regardless, the company is opting to replace all possible airbags in the 2004-2007 Dodge Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups, Dakota, Durango, Charger, Magnum, Chrysler Aspen and 300, models as well as the Mitsubishi Raider.

As with other automakers' recall expansions, the fix will be free of charge and replacement parts will be distributed in areas with persistent, high absolute humidity first.

Discuss this story at our Chrysler forum

2015 VW Golf R Orders Open January 8

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The most powerful production Volkswagen Golf model ever offered in the U.S. will be up for pre-order next month.

The German automaker has announced that starting January 8, 2015, customers will be able to pre-order one of the 500 Golf R models heading to the U.S. with a $500 reservation fee required for customers to secure their place in line. Every one of the first 500 Golf R hot hatches will be identical sporting a Lapiz Blue Metallic paint job and powered by a 2.0-liter TSI engine with 292 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque while mated to a six-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Standard equipment on the 2015 Golf R includes 19-inch Cadiz wheels with summer performance tires, 4Motion all-wheel drive, Bi-Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, DCC adaptive damping system, Park Distance Control, a navigation system and a Fender premium audio system. Pricing for the 2015 Volkswagen Golf R will start at $39,910 including destination.

The first 500 owners of the Volkswagen Golf R will also receive an exclusive, numbered Volkswagen Driver Gear R accessory kit that includes an exclusive, serialized Volkswagen R watch, a serialized carbon fiber and stainless steel keychain and a serialized VIN-specific certificate.

Discuss this story at our Volkswagen forum

US Traffic Deaths Drop by 3.1% in 2013

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Deaths on U.S. roads fell by 3.1 percent in 2013 compared to the previous year.

Since 2004, traffic deaths have declined by 25 percent, while the number of people injured in accidents in 2013 also declined by 2.1 percent. In total, 32,719 people died in car crashes in 2013. Of that total, 31 percent involved drinking and driving, although the number of deaths as a result of alcohol declined by 2.5 percent in 2013.

The numbers aren't all positive however. The number of cyclist fatalities rose by 1.2 percent to sit at the highest number since 2006, while the number of people injured in distraction-related crashes increased by 1 percent. On the flip side though, the number of people killed in distraction-related crashes fell by 6.7 percent.

Thirty-four States had declines in driving fatalities, led by Ohio (132 fewer fatalities), Kentucky (108 fewer), Pennsylvania (102 fewer), South Carolina (96 fewer) and Arkansas (77 fewer).

Alfa Romeo Spider Won’t be Mazda Based

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The Alfa Romeo Spider will not be based on the new Mazda MX-5 like many believed.

According to a report from CAR, Harold Wester, brand chief for Alfa Romeo and Maserati, has confirmed that the new Spider will be developed in-house instead of in collaboration with Mazda.

"As far as the Spider goes, the final version is of course no longer the two-seater FCA codeveloped with Mazda but a derivative of project Giorgio," said Wester. Project Giorgio is the internal name being used for the Italian automaker's new rear-wheel drive architecture that will be underpinning several future Alfa Romeo models.

But that doesn't mean that the MX-5-based Alfa Romeo is dead. In fact, that model will likely be branded as a Fiat or Abarth model now according to Wester. So that means that we can look forward to two new Alfa Romeo sports cars in the near future.

[Source: CAR]

Discuss this story at our Alfa Romeo 4C forum

Lamborghini Aventador Pirelli Edition Announced

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Lamborghini and Pirelli are celebrating their longtime relationship in style.

Both brands have been working together since 1963, the year Lamborghini was established, and since, every vehicle leaving the Italian automaker's factory has been equipped with Pirelli rubber. The Aventador LP700-4 Pirelli Edition will be available in both coupe and convertible versions and is available to order now from dealers with delivery starting summer 2015.

The special series will feature exclusive equipment designed by the Lamborghini Centro Stile, including the choice of two-tone color schemes. Buyers can opt for matte black on the roof, pillars, rearview mirrors, engine hood, and the front, rear, side and moving air intakes contrasted by one of six glossy finishes. The other option is glossy black for the upper parts of the car and the air intakes, contrasted with one of four matte finishes.

Another unique element of the Aventador includes a thin red stripe that runs along the roof and the engine hood, the rearview mirrors and the outer profiles of the air intakes. The Pirelli logo is visible at the two roof lines and on the tires, finished in red while standard equipment on the exterior includes a transparent engine hood, carbon engine compartment, glossy black Dione wheels and red calipers – though yellow calipers come on cars finished in Rosso Mars exterior.

Discuss this story at our Lamborghini forum

Car Reviews

Saturday, 20 December 2014

Teen Drivers at Higher Risk in Older Cars: Study

Teen Drivers at Higher Risk in Older Cars: Study

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