Car Reviews: February 2015

Saturday 28 February 2015

Chrysler Calls Out Dealers for Shady Hellcat Sales Practices

Chrysler Calls Out Dealers for Shady Hellcat Sales Practices
Lexus LF-SA Mini-Car Concept Leaked
Rolls-Royce ‘Al-Adiyat’ Edition is Over-the-Top
Ford Performance is Key to Better Mainstream Models
Jeep Renegade Hard Steel Shows Off Custom Style
Kia Sportspace Concept Previews Next Optima

Chrysler Calls Out Dealers for Shady Hellcat Sales Practices

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Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is warning consumers that its own dealers could up to some shady, if not illegal, tactics.

With the Dodge Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcat models in high demand, FCA is warning that some of its dealers are engaging in "unscrupulous" and perhaps illegal practices. The company's vice president of communications, Gualberto Ranieri, has said that a handful of dealers have accepted large number of orders "without regard to available supply and without advising their customers that orders may not be filled, if at all, for many months or longer."

Dodge is trying its best to be as transparent as possible when discussing how its allocating the supply for the Hellcat models, which is based on total Dodge sales and how long previous Hellcats have remained in inventory. Through this strategy, the company hopes to at least curb dealers that are holding the popular cars for themselves of marking them up way above retail, slowing sales to consumers.

Ranieri is urging customers to ask pointed questions to dealers before placing an order on a Hellcat model, including whether a deposit is required and whether the deposit is refundable.

[Source: Automotive News]

Discuss this story at our Dodge forum

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Lexus LF-SA Mini-Car Concept Leaked

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Lexus continues to surprise with dramatic new designs and its latest concept car is certainly a shock.

While brand representatives have been quoted in the past as saying they have no intention of competing in lower segments of the market, this new concept is a clear indication that previous statements were a ruse.

SEE ALSO: Geneva Motor Show Preview

Not only that, but the mini coupe-styled crossover is the furthers departure yet from the tame Lexus designs of old.

Lexus' position in the European marketplace was mostly irrelevant until the launch of the CT200h hybrid hatchback. This car could significantly bolster the brand's offerings overseas, taking on the likes of MINI with a small premium product.

More details on the car, including the powertrain, are expected with the official debut to take place at the Geneva Motor Show on March 3rd.

[Source Carscoops]

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Rolls-Royce ‘Al-Adiyat’ Edition is Over-the-Top

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Rolls-Royce isn't afraid to go over-the-top with its limited-edition models.

The British automaker has revealed the Al-Adiyat edition in the Middle East, which according to Rolls-Royce, refers to the noise made by a powerful horse when its hooves strike stone. The Al-Adiyat collection will include nine Wraiths and one Phantom coupe and is embellished with motifs of reigns and horses while gold-plated horseshoe stamps make a real statement on the clock and treadplates.

The car Rolls-Royce is using to show off the collection features a bright red paint job while the inside sports plenty of red leather, carpets and headliner. One thing's for sure, this creation may not be for everyone but the company won't have a hard time selling all 10 units.

Discuss this story at our Rolls-Royce forum

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Ford Performance is Key to Better Mainstream Models

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Mirroring its One Ford corporate strategy the blue oval has brought all of its global racing and motorsports divisions under one roof. The company's SVT, Team RS and Ford Racing subsidiaries now operate under the unified banner of Ford Performance.

This new go-fast division is directed by Dave Pericak, former Mustang chief engineer and a veteran of the Dearborn-based car company. Speaking at an Automotive Press Association luncheon in Detroit earlier today he gave members of the media a glimpse inside this new organization.

He said Ford plans on bringing 12 new performance models to market by the year 2020, giving enthusiasts a broad array of hopped-up vehicles to choose from. But Pericak posed the question, "Why all the investment in performance." Surprisingly there are several reasons.

"This is very profitable for us," said Pericak. "The sales of performance vehicles [have] been growing." But there's more to it than just more money and greater volume. "It's [also] about attracting new customers to our brand," noted Pericak, adding that high-performance models help them retain existing owners and attract new ones, especially younger motorists.

"The STs [Fiesta and Focus], ever since we introduced them the sales have been out of this world," said Pericak. Some 65 percent of these customers are conquests, that is, new to Ford. Additionally millennials are buying ST models at twice the rate of the overall brand. In fact, 50 percent of Fiesta ST customers are younger than 35, a coveted demographic; additionally many are quite affluent.

In addition to all of this Pericak said, "Our investment in performance is really to serve the much larger goal of driving innovation through the rest of the company." He likened it to a technology exchange between different groups within Ford.

Pushing forward, the company just opened a new technical center down in Charlotte, North Carolina. "It's a state-of-the-art facility," said Pericak, one that should help both product-development and race teams.

But don't expect the company to share its go-fast goodies. Ford Performance will remain true to its name, exclusive to the blue-oval brand. This means Lincoln will not be getting any hopped-up models for the foreseeable future. Pericak said they're working on resuscitating this troubled division and performance is not part of that strategy at this time. "We're not going to confuse that," he said.

Discuss this story on our Ford Forum.

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Jeep Renegade Hard Steel Shows Off Custom Style

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Jeep has revealed a custom Renegade that will be on display at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show.

The Renegade Hard Steel is finished in brushed steel to give it an aviation-inspired look, contrasted by matte black roof bars, mirror covers, wheels, side rubbing strip, fenders and bumpers. The brushed steel continues on interior appointments like the vents and glove compartment, contrasted by light-grey stitching. Special Frau Century lead-coloured leather wraps the seats.

SEE ALSO: 2015 Geneva Motor Show

The show car is based on a Renegade Trailhawk that gets some added extras like BF Goodrich All-Terrain tires, raised suspensions, engraved skid plate and a performance hood.

A custom trailer that uses the Renegade's design has been designed special for the show car. It houses a set of display screens that will show off the UConnect live system, which allows users to access internet music through the infotainment unit.

Discuss this story our Jeep Renegade Forum

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Kia Sportspace Concept Previews Next Optima

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The next-generation Kia Optima is being previewed in the new Sportspace Concept, set to be revealed at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show.

Kia designed the Sportspace to bring new sexy style to the European wagon segment with its aggressive face and sloping angles. Power comes from the Korean brand's diesel-electric T-Hybrid system which includes a 1.7-liter diesel that is now twin charged, with a conventional turbo that is supported by an electric booster. Kia says the booster helps produce torque at low speeds. An active multi-link rear axle is also used on this concept to allow temporary all-wheel drive.

Power to all four wheels will be necessary when heading to the ski slopes, something the Sportspace is designed to do. Skis can be stored between the rear seats, using the arm rest as a ski rest. A clamp that holds a tablet at eye level is also fitted in to the back of the front seats.

A unique idea for loading the trunk has been implemented in the concept. There are 28 roller balls that help with sliding things into the back, all of which retract when the car is started to make sure your luggage doesn't slide around.

Leather, carbon fiber and anodized aluminum are found throughout the interior, which also features some new high-tech goodies. A new highly-configurable digital gauge cluster is found in front of the driver, while a rear view camera replaces the conventional mirror.

Even if Kia does offer a wagon version of the Optima for Europe, we aren't likely to get the wagon in the U.S. Even so, most of the styling cues will probably carry over from the European production model to North America.

Discuss this story at our Kia Optima Forum

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Friday 27 February 2015

2016 Kia Sorento Recalled for Defective Accelerator Pedal Assembly

2016 Kia Sorento Recalled for Defective Accelerator Pedal Assembly
Chrysler SUVs Recalled Over Fuel Pump Issues
Japan Big 3 to Jointly Develop Self-Driving Cars
Americans Log Most Annual Miles Since 2007
Congressman Wants to Ban Red Light Cameras
Koenigsegg Agera RS Teased

2016 Kia Sorento Recalled for Defective Accelerator Pedal Assembly

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Kia will recall the 2016 Sorento crossover only a few weeks after reaching the market to address a defect with the accelerator.

Documents filed with the National Transportation Safety Administration show that Kia intends to recall 12,361 copies of the CUV that were manufactured between October 27, 2014, and January 29, 2015. According to the documents, vehicles included in the recall might have been manufactured with an improperly soldered component in the accelerator pedal assembly.

Kia estimates that one percent of the total pool it included in the recall will be affected by the improperly soldered component. Those vehicles could unexpectedly enter a limp mode that will still allow the car to drive, but at a limited speed.

Owners can expect to begin receiving notification from Kia this month if they own an affected vehicle.

Discuss this story at our Kia forum

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Chrysler SUVs Recalled Over Fuel Pump Issues

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Chrysler is recalling 467,000 SUVs to fix an issue with the fuel pump.

In the affected models, which are the 2012-13 Dodge Durango and 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee equipped with the 3.0-liter diesel engine, certain fuel-pump relays are susceptible to deformation which will cause an issue with the pump function, possibly stopping the vehicle from starting or leading to an engine stall.

The new campaign affects around 338,216 vehicles in the U.S., 18,991 in Canada, 10,829 in Mexico and 99,444 outside the NAFTA region according to Chrysler.

The affected relays are located in the totally integrated power module (TIPM), which also controls other aspects of the vehicle like airbag deployment. Chrysler says the none of the other TIPM systems are affected, which means that the airbags will still function if the engine stalls.

In September of last year, Chrysler recalled 188,000 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango SUVS for the exact same issue. These new units announced are an expansion of that recall.

Discuss this story at our Dodge Durango Forum

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Japan Big 3 to Jointly Develop Self-Driving Cars

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Japan's largest automakers are joining forces to work on bringing self-driving cars to the public.

The Japanese government has planned a self-driving car consortium that will include local universities and large electronics companies along with Honda, Toyota and Nissan. They will come together to discuss standardizing and developing self-driving car technology as Japan is pushing to catch up with Germany and the U.S. in the self-driving car arena.

The first step of the process will be for all parties to establish standardized parts and software to make communal development cheaper and easier. Communication links will also need to be common technology so they can be protected against hackers. Building actual infrastructure, like in-road systems that communicate with cars, will be outsourced to private companies.

As competition in the self-driving field intensifies globally, Japan wants to make sure that its automakers are well equipped to compete.

[Source: Nikkei]

Discuss this story at our Toyota Forum

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Americans Log Most Annual Miles Since 2007

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Just shy of three-trillion miles. That's how far Americans drove in 2013.

That is the highest level since 2007 and the fourth-highest distance ever recorded since record keeping began in 1936. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration, US roadways supported exactly 2.99 trillion miles of travel in 2013, while the number of vehicles also climbed from 253.6 million to 255.9 million, marking the biggest single-year increase since 2011.

We had more space to roam in 2013 as well, with total available road mileage hitting an all-time high of 4.12 million miles. In 2012, road miles actually decreased compared to 2011.

Although numbers for 2014 aren't out yet, many believe they will be record setting, beating the 3.03 trillion-mile record set in 2007. The improving economy along, falling gas prices and increased fuel efficiency in vehicles have made it easier for many Americans to get out on the road.

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Congressman Wants to Ban Red Light Cameras

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Speed and red light cameras could be a thing of the past if Rep. Ed Perlmutter D-Golden gets his way.

The democratic U.S. representative introduced legislation earlier this month that would ban states and cities from using cameras to catch drivers speeding and disobeying traffic lights. Perlmutter argues that the cameras function solely as a revenue generator and that they don't offer any significant enhancement to public safety. The bill is called the "Prohibited Automated Enforcement Act of 2015."

"Police officers are the only sure way to apprehend seriously impaired, reckless or other dangerous drivers," he wrote in a statement. "All of us are concerned with reducing accidents and reckless driving but it is not evident photo radar cameras improve highway safety, reduce accidents or improve traffic flow."

It currently lacks a co-sponsor and the necessary support to move forward, but Perlmutter points to a study conducted by the University of Tennessee in 2013 that said the cameras don't bring any kind of clear improvement in traffic safety.

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Koenigsegg Agera RS Teased

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Koenigsegg is bringing two high-power supercars to the Geneva Motor Show and the brand has released a new teaser for one of them.

Above is the Agera RS, a new variant of the already insane Agera. As we can see in the teaser, a new rear wing along with different rear fender vents will be used on this car to improve aerodynamics.

SEE ALSO: 2015 Geneva Motor Show Preview

Details are scarce, but the RS is said to get many of the same performance upgrades as the One:1, though it will stop short by maintaining a few items for comfort like a luggage compartment, rear window and removable hardtop.

Alongside the Agera RS in Geneva will be the Regera, the world's "fastest production car," according to the brand. Make sure to watch AutoGuide for live coverage from Geneva.

Discuss this story at our luxury lifestyle forum

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Thursday 26 February 2015

Apple’s Market Cap Eclipses Automakers

Apple’s Market Cap Eclipses Automakers
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Images Leak
NHTSA Orders Takata to Preserve Airbag Inflators
2016 Audi R8 Revealed With 610-HP
Lotus Targets Nurburgring Record With 2-Eleven Successor
Mercedes GLC Exposed in Latest Spy Photos

Apple’s Market Cap Eclipses Automakers

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Apple is a giant among monsters. This California-based tech firm sells millions upon millions of iDevices and Macintosh computers every year, products that have made them prosperous beyond belief. But could the company have its eye on the automotive industry?

Reports from multiple sources indicate that Apple is indeed hard at work on a car, possibly one to rival the Tesla Model S. It's rumored the company has assigned hundreds of employees to this super-secret project, which could hit the road by 2020.

Depending on your perspective this news is either riveting or terrifying. For executives in places like Detroit, Stuttgart and Tokyo the revelation that Apple is considering a push into automotive has got to be chilling. The company has an almost-unfathomable pool of resources at its disposal and a reputation for doing things properly.

For a little perspective iPhone sales in Apple's fiscal first quarter of 2015, which due to accounting practices ended on December 27, clocked in at nearly 75 million units. That's the equivalent of every single person in Canada purchasing an iPhone … TWICE.

Given its perpetually strong sales the company's revenue for this quarter hit nearly $75 billion, enough for it to earn a net profit of $18 billion. And even more impressive than these jaw-dropping figures is the fact that Apple has nearly $180 billion in the bank. That's probably enough cash to buy Denmark and still have a few billion left to blow on daiquiri machines for every American.

But even more impressive than its quarterly profits and corporate war-chest is the company's market capitalization. At the time this article was written Apple's stock price was hovering right around $132 on the NASDAQ, a healthy sum to be sure but a good bit less than the numbers posted by some other fortune 500 companies. At the same time Costco was trading at approximately $148 per share and Google was north of $533.

But Apple's market cap absolutely annihilates these firms and even crushes the automotive business. According to the website Investopedia.com this term measures the total value of a company's outstanding shares. It's another way of determining how big a firm is without looking at its sales or assets. Basically market cap is a sum that's calculated by multiplying the number of shares in circulation by the current stock price.

Thrashing corporations like ExxonMobil, Microsoft and even Warren Buffet's profit-generating engine Berkshire Hathaway, Apple's market cap currently tops $754 billion. Yes, that's billion with a capital, emboldened, underlined B.

Compared to the automotive industry this fruit-themed tech company is positively gigantic. In fact if you take the five largest car companies (based total sales last year) and add their market caps together Apple still trounces them. Combining GM, Ford, Toyota, Fiat-Chrysler and Honda totals just $420.14 billion, a little more than 50 percent of Apple's total value. That's nuts … no, it's absolutely insane.

Tesla is an establishment-challenging upstart that's trying to blur the lines between cars and computers. Elon Musk's brainchild builds electric vehicles with a slew high-tech features, but that's still not enough to challenge Apple. Throwing this Silicon Valley outfit into the equation doesn't do much to improve things for the automotive industry. The firm's $27.22 billion market cap is peanuts compared to the Cupertino juggernaut. Curiously Tesla sold fewer than 27,000 vehicles last year yet they exceed Fiat Chrysler's $18.93 billion market cap despite the fact that this Italian-American firm delivered more than 2.1 million cars and trucks in 2014. Figure that one out.

Of course comparing market caps is like relating asparagus production in Eritrea to the average lifespan of purebred Dalmatians. It's an interesting thing to ponder, if not entirely earth-shattering. But perhaps what's more intriguing is how stagnant things in the automotive business seem to be, especially when you consider the power and influence it historically commanded.

If Apple were around in the 1940s would they have been able to produce enough weapons and munitions to help the Allies win World War II? Most likely not since Japan conquered large portions of China in the '30s and we all know where iDevices are built. Oh how times have changed.

Despite its rust-belt image automotive is still a remarkable industry, a business that literally moves people and things all across the world. As reported by Automotive News, total car and light-truck deliveries exceeded 16.5 million units in North America last year, a figure that proves the Great Recession is finally behind us, even if various companies' market capitalization figures don't necessarily look as rosy. And if Apple decides to join the fray with an iCar it's a good bet that figure will grow.

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Mercedes-AMG GT3 Images Leak

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Pictures of the upcoming Mercedes-AMG GT3 race car leaked today ahead of a planned release by the company.

The new hardcore race car will make its official debut next week during the Geneva Motor Show before being released to owners who will participate in the company's gentleman racing series. The car will be available to customers in the U.S., but sales will take place through AMG Customer Sports in Affalterbach, Germany.

Mercedes hasn't released very much information about the track-specific model, but rumors of a street-legal version to follow the car shown here are currently circulating. AMG boss Tobias Moers said such a project would be a good idea, but there hasn't been any official announcement by the company that it will actually take place.

2015 Geneva Motor Show Preview

Despite that, the company confirmed when it first unveiled the GT in Paris that it does plan to offer more potent versions in the future.

[Source: Le Point]

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NHTSA Orders Takata to Preserve Airbag Inflators

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is ordering Takata to preserve all air bag inflators as part of the ongoing federal investigation.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx is requiring Takata to keep all the air bag inflators that are removed through the recall process as evidence for both NHTSA's investigation and private litigation cases.

"This department is focused on protecting the American public from these defective air bags and at getting to the bottom of how they came to be included in millions of vehicles on U.S. roads," Foxx said. "This preservation order will help us get the answers we need to accomplish those goals."

The order also ensures NHTSA's access to all data from the testing of those removed inflators. Foxx said NHTSA is upgrading the Takata investigation to an engineering analysis, a crucial step in determining the actual cause of the air bag failures.

Also part of the order issued, Takata will be required to set aside 10 percent of recalled inflators and will have to make them available to private plaintiffs for testing. The company will also be required to submit for NHTSA's approval plans for gathering, storing and preserving inflators already removed through the recall process and inflators removed in the future, as well as written procedures for making inflators available to plaintiffs and automakers who request access.

About 17 million vehicles equipped with Takata air bags have been recalled since 2008 for air bags that can rupture when they deploy, producing shrapnel that can kill or seriously injure occupants.

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2016 Audi R8 Revealed With 610-HP

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It changed the way people think about the brand and now Audi is stepping up its game once again with a second generation of its R8 sports car.

Using a light weight aluminum and carbon fiber structure, a new all-wheel drive system and impressive V10 power the new R8 is a true exotic.

At launch two 5.2-liter V10 engines will be available, the first making 540 hp while the second will up the performance significantly to 610 hp. Audi says that model will hit 62 mph in just 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 205 mph!

Paired with a new Quattro AWD system and the brand's 7-speed dual-clutch transmission Audi claims 100 percent of the engine's torque can be sent to either the front or rear axle.

Using a new chassis shared with the Lamborghini Huracan the R8 has a dry weight of just 3,205.5 lbs, a total of 110.2 lbs less than its predecessor.

Inside the R8 gets a simple and clean new look with digital gauges while the most important controls can be operated by the driver on the steering wheel. Another notable change is the addition of a push-button ignition, absent on the previous generation car.

In a release Audi claims that additional versions of the R8 are in the works and even hints that a second-generation E-tron electric model could be a part of the plan with a range of almost 600 miles!

Sales of the new R8 will begin in Europe this summer, though no details on North American availability have been announced.

Full details on the car will be released at the car's world premiere next week at the Geneva Motor Show.

Discuss this story at our Audi R8 forum

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Lotus Targets Nurburgring Record With 2-Eleven Successor

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Lotus wants to have the fastest road car around the Nürburgring.

The British automaker's new head, Jean-Marc Gales, made the claim recently during an interview with Top Gear, saying that a successor to the 2-Eleven is less than two years away sporting around 400 hp while weighing just under 2,000 lbs.

Based off the new Evora chassis, the original 2-Eleven was built from an Elise/Exige base weighing just 1,643 lbs and making 250 hp from a supercharged 1.8-liter 4-cylinder.

The new 2-Eleven will also be the most expensive Lotus available, but Gales sounds confident that it'll set a record at the 'Ring.

SEE ALSO: Lotus 2-Eleven Review

Lotus is recovering from a disruptive last few years, during which its former CEO made ambitious claims that never came to fruition. Now Gales looks to refine what works and promises that any vehicle the company launches in the next two years will be "lighter and faster than its predecessor." That means lighter and faster Elise, Exige and Evora models are on the way, though we've already been introduced to the Evora 400.

As for building its own powerplants, Gales admits that Lotus has no need to. He feels comfortable purchasing an engine, tuning it and calibrating it to the company's desires. And in talking about the move to carbon fiber, don't expect it to come anytime soon. The current Evora aluminum tub meets regulations until 2020 and Lotus plans on keeping with aluminum beyond that.

In fact, according to Gales it weighs just 5 lbs more than the carbon fiber tub used in the new Alfa Romeo 4C.

The company is aiming to sell 3,000 cars a year once the Evora 400's production is ramped up.

[Source: Top Gear]

Discuss this story at our Lotus forum

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Mercedes GLC Exposed in Latest Spy Photos

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The Mercedes-Benz GLK replacement has been caught on camera sporting minimal camouflage.

The latest spy photos offer the best look yet at the upcoming GLC crossover, which has shed all of the boxy design cues of its predecessor.

Gone are the sharp edges that we see today on the GLK, replaced by a more sweeping, stylish design.

The new GLC is based on the C-Class platform and previous spy photos revealed that a plug-in hybrid variant is also in the works. This is also the first time spy photographers have caught a photo of the interior, revealing the prototype's center console and infotainment screen.

Discuss this story at our Mercedes-Benz forum

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Wednesday 25 February 2015

Toyota to Trial i-ROAD Car Sharing Service

Toyota to Trial i-ROAD Car Sharing Service
Lamborghini Aventador SV Teased in Video
Aston Martin Vulcan to Cost $2.3 Million
Bluetooth, Voice Recognition Issues Most Common in JD Power Study
Fiat Finishes Last in JD Power Dependability Study
Fiat, Chrysler Fail on Consumer Reports Brand Report Cards

Toyota to Trial i-ROAD Car Sharing Service

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Toyota plans to enter its i-ROAD into a car-sharing service trial starting in April.

The Japanese automaker has announced a partnership with Park24 to test out its i-ROAD, an ultra-compact three-wheeled electric vehicle. The i-ROAD will be paired with Park24's "Times Car Plus" service that allows members to share cars at any time of day or night. Toyota will also incorporate elements from its "Ha:mo" optimized urban transport system during the trial.

According to the company, the test run will start April 10 in central Tokyo and run through September. Toyota hopes to gather usage data and user feedback to assess the ease of use of its i-ROAD and also looks forward to assessing changes in user activity patterns and receptiveness to innovative mobility systems like the i-ROAD.

Users looking to test out the car-sharing service will be able to pick up vehicles from the Times Station at Yurakucho ITOCiA and return them to any of five locations: Tokyo Tower, Asakusa, Odaiba Pallete Town, Tokyo Dome City or where they picked it up at Yurakucho ITOCia. Pricing will run 412 yen ($3.46) per 15 minutes with a maximum allotment of two and a half hours.

Discuss this story at our Toyota forum

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Lamborghini Aventador SV Teased in Video

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Lamborghini is teasing something special before its Geneva Motor Show Debut next week.

A video teaser has been released, touting the new vehicle as "the most reactive car." Although Lambo never reveals the identity of the vehicle in the video, it is almost surely the Aventador SV that we recently caught testing in spy photos.

More power and less weight are on tap for the SV model, which will likely have its V12 tuned to produce around 750 hp. From our early spy photos, we can also see some aerodynamic enhancements like the large rear wing along with a four-barrel exhaust setup.

Discuss this story at our luxury lifestyle forum

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Aston Martin Vulcan to Cost $2.3 Million

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No surprise here; Aston Martin's brand new track-only supercar won't come cheap.

The Vulcan has been assigned an official price tag of £1.5M in the UK before local taxes, converting to roughly $2.3M in USD. Official pricing for the Vulcan in the United States has not been released.

Only 24 units of the car will be built and sold around the world, with sales on a "first come, first served," basis said Aston Martin Spokesman Matthew Clarke. He confirmed that there's no set number of units set aside for North America or any other market but did comment that, "we're talking to the existing customer base first."

SEE ALSO: Aston Martin Vulcan Details

Power for the car comes from a 7.0-liter V12 that makes over 800hp, wrapped in a carbon fiber body.

The new car will make its public debut at next week's Geneva Motor Show and AutoGuide will be there to cover it live.

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Bluetooth, Voice Recognition Issues Most Common in JD Power Study

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Bluetooth and voice recognition problems are the most frequently reported according to the 2015 JD Power Vehicle Dependability Study.

The performance of technology in vehicles is becoming a very important part of owners' perception of overall vehicle reliability and a major influence in a buyer's decision to repurchase the same brand according to the study.

For 2015 the study was enhanced to include 177 new specific problem symptoms for respondents to choose, most of which are related to how new technology is working in our vehicles. In total, 34,000 original vehicle owners of 2012 model year vehicles were polled after 3 years of ownership.

Bluetooth pairing issues and voice recognition problems were reported more than any other issue, with 55 percent of people saying that their vehicle does not recognize their phone. "As we've seen in our Initial Quality Study, owners view in-vehicle technology issues as significant problems, and they typically don't go away after the ownership honeymoon period is over," said Renee Stephens, vice president of U.S. automotive at J.D. Power.

Furthermore, 31 percent of respondents complained that their vehicle does not automatically connect to their phone.

Technology is affecting how cars are purchased more than ever before, with 15 percent of new-vehicle buyers saying they avoided a model based strictly on its lack of modern technology, up from 4 percent last year.

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Fiat Finishes Last in JD Power Dependability Study

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Fiat is not having a great week.

After scoring dead last on the Consumer Reports brand report cards just yesterday, the Italian automaker has now been ranked last in the 2015 JD Power Vehicle Dependability study. For the fourth straight year, Lexus captures the top spot.

The study examines issues experienced by the original owners of model-year 2012 vehicles. Each vehicle is ranked by problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100), which means a low score is better. New for 2015, the study has added 177 specific problem symptoms for owners to report, most of which are related to new technologies now available in modern vehicles. In total, 34,000 original vehicle owners are polled after three years of vehicle ownership.

Fiat Chrysler Automobile brands make up three of the bottom five in the study. Fiat ranks in the bottom spot with 273 PP100, with Land Rover sitting in the second last spot with 258 PP100. Jeep managed 197 PP100 with the bottom five rounded out by Mini with 193 PP100 and Dodge with 192 PP100.

On the good end of the list, Lexus remains the best rated brand for the fourth consecutive year. Up three spots from last year is Buick with a score of 110 PP100, landing it in the second spot. Following Buick are Toyota with 111 PP100 and Cadillac with 114 PP100, while Porsche and Honda tie for fifth with 116 PP100.

Average for the entire industry in 147 PP100, or about 1.5 problems per vehicle.

Notable improvements in the test include Scion, which jumped 13 ranks, Ram, moving up 11 spots and Mitsubishi which advanced by 10 positions.

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Fiat, Chrysler Fail on Consumer Reports Brand Report Cards

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Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) may have a shiny new name, but its reputation needs some work.

In this year's Consumer Reports Car Brand Report Cards, Fiat came in dead last with Jeep right behind. Of the bottom six brands, four fall under the FCA umbrella. On the flip side, Lexus sits atop the list for the second year in a row.

The publication took a composite of the average road-test scores and predicted reliability across automakers' lineups to give each company an overall score that balances performance with reliability.

With an overall score of 32, Fiat ranks dead last in 28th. Jeep scored 39 overall landing it in 27th place. The 26th spot on the list goes to Mini with a score of 46, followed by Dodge with a score of 52. Finally, Ford rounds out the worst five with 53 points, while Chrysler sits in the 23rd spot with 54 points.

Topping the list once again was Lexus with an overall score of 78 and a road-test score of 76 while having 78 percent of its vehicles recommended. More impressive was Mazda, landing the second spot thanks in part to over half its models having been introduced or redesigned within the past three years. Toyota rounded out the top three while Audi and Subaru placed fourth and fifth, respectively.

Weighing down Toyota as a group was its Scion brand that came in 22nd out of the 28 major automakers with an overall score of 54. Leading American automakers was Buick in the seventh spot ahead of Honda in eighth position.

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