Friday, 29 July 2016

Mercedes Pulls E-Class Commercial Touting Self-Driving Tech After Complaints

Mercedes Pulls E-Class Commercial Touting Self-Driving Tech After Complaints

Mercedes Pulls E-Class Commercial Touting Self-Driving Tech After Complaints

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Mercedes USA is taking a commercial off the air that promotes the new E-Class' self-driving features. 

Earlier this week, a letter was sent to the Federal Trade Commission from the Center for Automotive Safety, the Consumer Federation of America, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Consumer Reports, urging the body to investigating a Mercedes-Benz E-Class commercial for giving buyers a "false sense of security" when is comes to its self-driving technology.

Now, Mercedes USA has stopped running the commercial according to spokeswoman Donna Boland. "The new 2017 E class is a technological tour de force and is a significant step towards achieving our vision of an accident-free future," Boland told Automotive News. "We do not want any potential confusion in the marketplace to detract from the giant step forward in vehicle safety the 2017 E class represents."

SEE ALSO: Ads About 'Self-Driving' Mercedes Cars Are Misleading, Safety Groups Say

In the commercial, a narrator says, "Is the world truly ready for a vehicle that can drive itself? Ready or not, the future is here," while at the same time, the fine print at the bottom of the commercial reads, "Vehicle cannot drive itself, but has automated driving features. The system will remind the driver frequently to keep hands on the steering wheel. Always observe safe driving practices and obey all road traffic regulations." The spot also shows the driver removing his hands from the steering wheel, leading to the argument that people will believe the car is full self-driving, when it is not.

Scrutiny of self-driving car advertising has been increased recently since a man died in an accident in his Tesla Model S while it was using its Autopilot system. Consumer Reports also accused Tesla of advertising its self-driving features in a disingenuous way.

[Source: Automotive News]

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Ford Performance Power Packs Add GT350 Parts to Mustang GT

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Ford Performance has come up with three new "Power Packs" for owners of the 2015 – 2017 Mustang to cram even more power under the hood. 

Customers who order a Power Pack will be provided with a ProCal tool that requires a laptop and internet connection for installation. Using this unit, the Mustang will be re-calibrated for better throttle response on both manual- and automatic-transmission models, while the stick shift cars will be offered no-lift shifting. Power Pack upgrades require 91 octane fuel and are emissions-legal in all 50 states.

The base Power Pack 1 costs $539 and boosts overall power by 13 hp and 16 lb-ft of torque, bringing the car's total to 447 hp and 416 lb-ft of torque, though about 40 more lb-ft are available at 1,500 rpm, which means this car should jump off the line. A stock Mustang V8 makes 435 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque.  An upgraded K&N air filter is also included.

SEE ALSO: Ford Ole Yeller Mustang is a Patriotic Tribute to a Fighter Plane

Power Pack 2 costs $949 and adds the GT350's new high-flow air filter to these Mustangs. A wider 87-mm throttle body is also used, boosting power by 21 hp and 24 lb-ft of torque. With this package, the GT350's hardware can be purchased separately from new software for $539.

Finally, Power Pack 3 includes the larger GT350's cold air intake, throttle body and intake manifold, kicking horsepower up by 37 and bringing 51 more lb-ft of torque. Up at 7,500 rpm, the horsepower boost amounts to 60. Opting for this package will set you back $2,395.

Power Pack 1 will arrive this August, while the following two will follow in September and October.

Ford Performance Packs come with a 3 year/36,000-mile components limited warranty as along as the parts are installed at a Ford dealer.

Discuss this story at our Ford Mustang Forum

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Feature Focus: How Nissan’s Easy Fill Tire System Works

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When was the last time you checked the air pressure in your vehicle's tires? If you have to think about it, chances are it was too long ago.

Tires are hugely important, not just for safety but also comfort, handling and even fuel economy. In fact, they're the only part of your vehicle that should ever touch the road. Ignore their maintenance to your own peril.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), vehicles with tires that are under-inflated by as little as 20 percent are nearly three times more likely to be involved in a tire-related crash.

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Unfortunately, keeping tabs on your car or truck's inflation pressure is not a whole lot of fun. You need access to an air compressor, plus a tire gauge and some free time. Fortunately, Nissan has come up with a common-sense solution that takes much of the inconvenience out of this process.

SEE ALSO: 2016 Nissan Maxima Review

The Japanese automaker's Easy-Fill Tire Alert System was first introduced in 2013, but since then, it's been gaining traction… so to speak.

While it doesn't completely automate the process, it does take the guesswork out of it and eliminates the need for a tire-pressure gauge, working through the vehicle's existing tire pressure-monitoring system.

With the ignition on, you start adding air to a tire, as you do, the turn-signal lights flash letting you know the vehicle has noticed what you're doing. Once the correct pressure is reached, the horn honks to let you know it's all set; if it gets too high, it'll sound twice. It's that simple.

For all the juicy details about this technology — there's much more to it than just this — and to learn about the vehicles it's offered in, make sure to check out the video posted above.

Discuss this story on our Nissan Forum

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Exclusive: 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Postponed To Next Summer

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The long-anticipated Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid was expected later this year but has once again been postponed for the U.S. and Canada.

This is at least the fifth time it's been delayed launching in North America since its 2013 Japan-market launch.

"Following a thorough evaluation process, we have determined that, in order to meet a level of competitiveness that will exceed customer expectations in the United States, the launch of the Outlander PHEV will be delayed until the summer of 2017," said Alex Fedorak, manager of Mitsubishi public relations.

The all-wheel-drive SUV has been the best-selling PHEV in Europe, and would have filled a price-for-performance niche in the U.S. and Canada.

Mitsubishi has been troubled in recent months with a Japan-market mpg cheating scandal, and its first-quarter operating profits plummeted 75 percent.

SEE ALSO: Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Hacked Through Car's Wi-Fi

In Japan, sales of the Outlander PHEV have been decimated from a consistent level of around 1,000 units per month prior to the mpg scandal to one-quarter that over the past three months. After selling 955 units in March, Mitsubishi reported 250 in April, 174 in May, and 253 in June.

At present, Mitsubishi is in the process of allying with Nissan. This tie-up is expected to be finalized in October and to begin a new chapter for the beleaguered automaker which still has plans for more electrification.

The Outlander PHEV was fully revised for 2016 and its 12-kWh battery promised enough usable range combined with all-wheel-drive SUV performance to fill a niche no other automaker has yet to fill in its mid-level price segment.

In all, just 13 plug-in hybrids – mostly front-wheel drive cars – are on sale now in the U.S.

A version of this article first appeared on Hybridcars.com

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Buick Avista Apparently Caused Some Internal Drama at GM

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Take this with a grain of salt, we've only heard one side of the story, and we're unlikely to ever get the other half. 

According to an insider at GM Inside News – who was not intimately involved in the project nor willing to reveal sources – not only is the Buick Avista dead, but it ruffled some major feathers internally at GM.

The crux of the issue seems to lay with Team Camaro, to which the swoopy Buick concept was a punch in the gut when it was revealed in Detroit. It received several design accolades in the weeks after Detroit and through the New York Auto Show, it was the darling of the media. People saw it and wanted to buy it, but the execs at Buick have said again and again that they can't comment on future product.

"We don't comment on future products as you know, but we've never suggested that the car does or does not have future plans. Others in the media certainly have, but we haven't," Buick brand communications manager, Stuart Fowle, wrote in an email to GM Inside News. "Avista was a project that brought Buick designers together and created a strong sense of community, teamwork, and future design direction."

It's quite possible the first time Team Camaro saw the Avista was right there in Cobo Hall, so many were probably caught off guard and didn't appreciate being kept out of the loop. Couple that with the drooling reactions the masses had in response to the Avista, and you can begin to imagine Team Camaro seething over stolen thunder.

For what it's worth, our source says mentioning Avista and Camaro anywhere near the GM design guys is analogous to farting in church.

Not only is the Avista slick and stylish, but it was shown shortly after the evolutionary styling of the sixth-generation Camaro debuted to a somewhat lukewarm response. On top of that, you could imagine if the Avista did make it to market, price points would certainly overlap with fully kitted Camaros.

There would also be a severe conflict of clients, because the Avista and Camaro SS would ostensibly share a well-to-do demographic. Between the two cars, Avista is ostensibly the one that appeals to an aging population with cash to dispose.

What do you think of these insider stories? Which side are you on?

This article originally appeared on GM Inside News

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Mercedes-AMG to Boost CLA45, GLA45 to 400 HP

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Mercedes-AMG is already squeezing 375 horsepower from its smallest models, but even more power is on the horizon. 

According to a report from Autocar, the next-generation A45 AMG, CLA45 AMG and GLA45 AMG models, which share an engine, will all pack over 400 hp. The small 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine will receive an all-new turbocharger, new fuel injectors and revisions to the way it operates to obtain the extra power.

Mercedes wants to make sure its small sports cars are up to the task of competing with the upcoming Audi RS 3 and the freshly launched BMW M2.

SEE ALSO: Ads About 'Self-Driving' Mercedes Cars Are Misleading, Safety Groups Say

Besides packing more punch under the hood, the new compact models from Mercedes should be lighter with even more electronic driving aids. A nine-speed dual-clutch transmission will get the power to the ground through an all-wheel drive setup, which should launch these cars from 0 to 60 mph in about four seconds.

The A45 AMG, which is not sold in North America, is expected to arrive first in 2018 with the CLA45 AMG and GLA45 AMG to follow.

Just like with its larger cars, Mercedes is also planning a lineup of new 43 AMG model for its three small cars, which will use a down-tuned version of the same 2.0-liter engine that will make around 275 hp.

[Source: Autocar]

Discuss this story at our Mercedes Forum

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