Category: Auto Industry

Video: Forget the Dukes of Hazzard, this is how you get into a car

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Humor

car entry agility

Car Entry: Advanced Class – Click above to watch video after the jump

You open the door, sit down and go on your way. You’re boring… at least compared to one Caribbean man. He makes getting into his too fast, too furious island cruiser more of an art form.

Based on the car’s license plate, we’re going to guess this video was taken on the island of Montserrat (feel free to prove us wrong in Comments*), and we hope this passenger’s better-than-the-Duke-Boys entry method (he doesn’t even spill his drink!) provides 10 seconds of happiness and inspiration as you trudge through yet another workday.

Click past the jump to watch one man enter his car like a boss.

*Seems like some folks are saying this is Barbados, thanks for the tips!

Continue reading Forget the Dukes of Hazzard, this is how you get into a car

Forget the Dukes of Hazzard, this is how you get into a car originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe

Filed under: Coupe, Mercedes-Benz, First Drive, Luxury

Entry-Level Benz Finally Drops A Set Of Doors

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe – Click above for high-res image gallery

For those that remember it, the secretary-special two-door CLC hatchback, built on last-generation C-class bits and pieces, was rather embarrassing for Mercedes-Benz. It was a dumpy thing, but at least Daimler was smart enough to not even attempt selling it in the States.

Thankfully, the decidedly easier-on-the-eyes C204 C-Class Coupe has just arrived, and we’re getting this hot toddy. So what took Stuttgart so long to bring us this no-brainer variant of the C-Class? Were they worried about coupe clutter between the CLC- and E-Class? Too many two-doors, too soon? Funnily, we asked, and all we heard back were sheepish “We were waiting for the mothership to come around and give us the go-ahead for this car” comments.

Continue reading 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: 2015 Ford Mustang to get 2.3-liter EcoBoost

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Ford, Rumormill

Ford Mustang SVO

It’s that time of year again, kids. There are no auto shows on the horizon and most automakers have squirreled away all of their big announcements for later in the year in anticipation of the summer vacation season. What’s an enterprising auto journo to do but rustle up some tasty vintage rumors for the web to feast upon? The crew at Motor Authority has taken to citing unnamed sources as saying that a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine is slated to find its way into the engine bay of the 2015 Ford Mustang.

This, of course, recalls the much-celebrated (but slow-selling) Mustang SVO of the ’80s. It, too, rocked a 2.3-liter forced-induction engine, which makes this particular rumor sound so sweet it makes sugar taste just like salt. MA doesn’t stop with the four-pot, though. The article goes on to say that an EcoBoost V6 will also show up in the pony car around the same time, and that the 5.0-liter V8 currently tucked behind the coupe’s grill will also stay along for the ride.

We hate to be the Debbie Downers of the interwebs, but we don’t necessarily see a turbo four sliding into the Mustang lineup anytime soon. For starters, Ford wouldn’t need to bore out the block to 2.3 liters to make solid power. The EcoBoost 2.0 already spits out 247 horsepower in the Focus ST – more than enough for a bottom-rung model.

Aside from that little tidbit, MA maintains that the rumored small 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 will power the also oft-rumored next-gen Ford Ranger successor in the States, a model we believe to be deader than the current news cycle.

2015 Ford Mustang to get 2.3-liter EcoBoost originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Fiat expanding beyond Chrysler-paired dealerships

Filed under: Car Buying, Chrysler, Fiat

fiat 500c

2012 Fiat 500c – Click above for high-res image gallery

Fiat dealerships aren’t popping up quite as quickly as the original plans showed they would, but the retail outlets could get a push now that the automaker is looking outside of the Chrysler family. Automotive News reports that Fiat is now offering franchises to non-Chrysler dealers for the first time. There are currently 59 Fiat dealers nationwide, and the automaker plans to open 130 stores by the end of 2011

At one point, there were reportedly 130 Chrysler dealers that had been approved for a Fiat store, but many deals fell through for various reasons. A Chrysler spokesperson tells AN that letters of intent have already been sent out to seven non-Chrysler dealers.

While opening up the franchising process will likely speed up the pace of adding Fiat stores to the U.S., there are still many hurdles for the Italian make. For starters, the 500 is currently the only Fiat available in the U.S., and it could sit alone on the show floor for at least another year. And so far, Fiat has insisted that new franchises will only be awarded to those with plans to build a standalone store.

Though it doesn’t sound like a great situation to us, we’re guessing there are at least 71 more entrepreneurs willing to sign on the dotted line to gain another foothold in the car business.

Fiat expanding beyond Chrysler-paired dealerships originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Paul Dallenbach teams up with Banks Power to tackle Pike’s Peak

Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, Videos, Specialty, Racing

dallenbach racing team pike's peak race car

Dallenbach Racing Team Pike’s Peak racer – Click above to watch video after the jump

Last year, at the 2010 Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb, our very own Drew Phillips ascended the mountain to chat with some of the race’s drivers. The most exciting class is arguably the Unlimited group, which run insanely powerful machines driven by mad men looking to break the elusive 10-minute mark. In 2010, only three men strapped into Unlimited-class racers, and one of them goes by the name of Paul Dallenbach.

Phillips captured the following quote from Dallenbach’s mouth:

“My car is good on hard surfaces… but I really need to come back with some factory help on an engine. That’s my big thing that’s hurting me right now. I’m running the same engines I’ve had for ten years. They’re great engines, and they have great torque, but I really need something that’s more reliable.”

Well, Dallenbach has a helping hand for the 2011 race. Two of them, in fact, and they’ve been provided by Banks Power. Banks has teamed up with the Dallenbach Racing Team, and the two are sharing a wealth of turbocharging and engine-tuning knowledge. As a result of the twin-turbocharged shove, power has been pushed from 745-horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque up to 1,307-horsepower and 1,206 pound-feet of torque.

That’s a healthy dose of added scoot.

Paul Dallenbach and the Banks Power team now believe they have a record-breaking machine on their hands. Rhys Millen and Nobuhiro Tajima are equally confident in their own machines. Should the weather cooperate, this looks like the year we see a sub-10-minute ascension of Pike’s Peak. We will be in Colorado to capture the action, but in the meantime we have video of the Dallench Racing Team car taking a few shakedown runs. Click past the jump to get an idea of how quickly that much power can push a car around.

Continue reading Paul Dallenbach teams up with Banks Power to tackle Pike’s Peak

Paul Dallenbach teams up with Banks Power to tackle Pike’s Peak originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: London Mayor Boris Johnson hits Obama’s motorcade with congestion charge

Filed under: Sedan, Government/Legal, Cadillac, UK

Cadillac 1 in London

Rules are rules, and they apply equally to everyone – including the President of the United States. Especially when he’s on foreign soil.

After President Barack Obama’s famous Cadillac limousine – known as The Beast – got stuck exiting the US embassy in Dublin, it was shipped across the Irish Sea to England, the next leg of the president’s European road trip. Now the mayor of London is demanding Obama pay the congestion charge for his limo and the rest of his motorcade.

A notorious car nut and onetime automotive journalist, Major Boris Johnson insists that the £10 ($16) charge applies to each of the president’s vehicles, and that the bill is currently being tabulated. The fees are only the latest part of an ongoing dispute between the city’s transportation department and foreign missions like the American embassy, an issue that Johnson reportedly raised directly with Obama during his visit.

London insists that embassies in the British capital city owe some £51 million ($83m) in congestion charges for driving through the city during peak hours, of which the American embassy’s share is estimated at £5.3 million ($8.7m). Diplomats view the fee as a tax from which they are exempt under international law.

London Mayor Boris Johnson hits Obama’s motorcade with congestion charge originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What you missed on 5.31.11

Review: 2011 Bentley Continental GT

There’s no denying the freshened Continental GT is up for a coveted space in the garages of the wealthy, and we wouldn’t be surprised if the Conti is the car they drive to the office more days than not.

Long Term: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI joins Autoblog’s Long-Term Garage

The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta is, arguably, the most controversial redesign of the year.

Video: BMW 328 Hommage even sexier in motion

BMW proves that its 328 Hommage can move.

Also of interest:

  • Video: 2012 BMW M5 teased again during Nardo high-speed testing
  • BMW files trademark for M2
  • Nissan GT-R to reportedly get power bump, Spec R version
  • Hyundai/Kia will likely top Toyota/Lexus for No. 3 sales spot in May
  • Cadillac SRX PHEV not gonna happen after all

Browse our archive of Daily U-Turn posts or subscribe to the RSS feed

What you missed on 5.31.11 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 19:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Honda Canada owner database hacked, 283,000 customers at risk

Filed under: Technology, Honda, Canada

Honda grille and badge

Reuters is reporting that personal information from more than 283,000 Honda Canada customers has been stolen by cyber criminals. The data includes names, addresses, vehicle identification numbers and, most importantly, some financing account information.

Still, Honda maintains that the profiles don’t contain the goods necessary for identity theft. Crooks typically need bank account numbers, email addresses and birth dates to pull off a successful cyber heist. Honda Canada had collected the consumer information back in 2009 when it urged its customers to register for on MyAcura and MyHonda sites.

The automaker first became aware that something was awry when traffic to both sites shot through the roof. Shortly thereafter, an inordinate number of unauthorized attempts to access member accounts hit the radar as well. On May 13th, a letter was sent out to owners who potentially had their personal data compromised.

This isn’t the first time that Honda has been the victim of an online attack. Just last year, 2.2 million vehicle owners had their personal information stolen from the Japanese automaker’s databases.

Honda Canada owner database hacked, 283,000 customers at risk originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Next-gen Porsche 911 to get seven-speed manual transmission?

Filed under: Porsche, Rumormill

spy shots next generation porsche 911

Spy Shots: Next-generation Porsche 911 – Click above for high-res image gallery

If you were thinking about buying the next-generation Porsche 911, you’d better start working out your shifting arm. Car and Driver has managed to extract a bit of information about the upcoming German sports car, and it appears a seven-speed manual transmission will be offered. You will be able to row-row-row-row-row-row-row your own boat gears.

Why the additional cog? Porsche reportedly wanted to supply the next 911 with a taller final gear in order to improve fuel efficiency. Hopefully we’ll get to see the all-new shift pattern in the flesh when we head to Europe for the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Next-gen Porsche 911 to get seven-speed manual transmission? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: More Jeep Wrangler Pentastar rumors, five-speed auto promised

Filed under: SUV, Chrysler, Jeep, Off-Road

2011 Jeep Wrangler

2011 Jeep Wrangler – Click above for high-res image gallery

According to The Toledo Blade, citing ordering guides sourced from Chrysler dealerships, the Jeep Wrangler will finally get the automaker’s 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 for the 2012 model year. Since 2007, the Wrangler has been fitted with a 3.8-liter V6 engine (which replaced the venerable 4.0-liter inline six) that has met with less than stellar reviews. The new engine may have been a foregone conclusion, but it’s a welcome one nonetheless.

Equally as important is news that the Jurassic-age four-speed automatic will be replaced with a five-speed unit. That’s nice and all… but why go with a five-speeder when six (or more) is the current standard?

In any case, the report claims that the 2012 Wrangler’s powertrain will be identical to the units in the 2011 Grand Cherokee. That means we should expect 290 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. Those are much-needed improvements of the old 3.8, which offered up 202 horses and 237 lb-ft. Fuel mileage will reportedly improve to 16 city, 23 highway from 15/19.

In other Jeep news, Allpar.com reports that the 2012 Grand Cherokee will get a six-speed automatic to replace the five-speed unit in the 2011 model. (Guess we know where those older gearboxes are headed, eh?) In a further bid to improve fuel economy, the Pentastar-equipped Grand Cherokee will also be getting electrically driven power steering in place of the current hydraulic unit.

More Jeep Wrangler Pentastar rumors, five-speed auto promised originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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