Category: Auto Industry

Toyota recalls 2007-11 Tundra for faulty tire pressure monitors

Filed under: Truck, Recalls, Toyota

2011 toyota tundra

2011 Toyota Tundra – Click above for high-res image gallery

It’s important to make sure your tires are adequately filled, but for some Toyota Tundra owners, that may be a problem. A recall notice has been issued for some 2007-2011 Tundras because they may be afflicted with faulty tire pressure monitoring systems. Approximately 1,629 pickups are affected by this recall, as it is limited to vehicles handled by Southeast Toyota Distributors.

The TPMS were incorrectly calibrated, which means the warning lamp will not light up despite a tire being under-inflated. Owners of potentially affected trucks are being notified, and dealers will recalibrate the systems free of charge.

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Toyota recalls 2007-11 Tundra for faulty tire pressure monitors originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 May 2011 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Patina’d 2010 Chevrolet Camaro headed to Power Tour

Filed under: Aftermarket, Classics, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet

2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS

Bill Rombauts and his buddy Dave Sherer have taken the patina’d rat rod look to new heights, applying the rust-first philosophy to a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS. Before going all Father Time on the paint job, the two spent close to $100,000 giving the car as much go as it has show.

Underneath all that affected rust and thinning paint lives a worked-over Kenne Bell supercharged 485-cubic-inch V8 based on a GM Performance Parts block. Before the addition of the blown 485, the Chevrolet was pumping out in the neighborhood of 650 rear-wheel-horsepower and tripping the lights in around 11 seconds through the quarter mile. Now, Sherer and Rombauts are looking for the 10-second range, and won’t say what kind of power the car makes.

Say what you will about the decision to make a brand-new Camaro look like it’s 30 years old, but you definitely can’t argue with this thing’s gusto. With prodigious power, a $100K mod list and a paint scheme some might call ugly, it’s also guaranteed to make a stir on Power Tour 2011. To make that goal a reality, Rombauts and Sherer are looking for sponsors to get their car to and from the Tour.

Patina’d 2010 Chevrolet Camaro headed to Power Tour originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 May 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #230: with Jonny Lieberman of Motor Trend

Filed under: Podcasts

Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!

Chris, Zach and Dan are joined by Autoblog alum and current Motor Trend scribe Jonny Lieberman for Episode #230 of the Autoblog Podcast. We cover the ongoing saga of Saab financing, the evergreen rumor of a mid-engined Corvette, conjecture about what Cadillac might be learning from disassembling BMWs and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s department test of the latest police iron. Your feedback and questions finish it off, and we’ve re-posted the Q&A at the bottom of this post so you can play along at home, too. Thanks for listening, we’ll see you next week!

Autoblog Podcast #230: with Jonny Lieberman of Motor Trend

  • Saab rescued from the brink, for now
  • Mid-engine Corvette rumors. Again.
  • Cadillac ATS learning from the 3 Series
  • LA Sheriff’s department evaluates the latest cruisers

In the Autoblog Garage:

2011 Scion TC
2011 Hyundai Equus
2011 Cadillac CTS-V Sportwagon
2011 Audi A7
2011 Ford Transit Connect


Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Zach Bowman
Guest: Jonny Lieberman
Runtime: 01:24:18

Get the podcast:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
[MP3] Download the MP3 directly

Feedback:
Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com
Voicemail: 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763)

Review the show in iTunes and take our survey

Autoblog Podcast #230: with Jonny Lieberman of Motor Trend originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 May 2011 17:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Motors finally gets its own iPhone app

Filed under: Car Buying, Technology

eBay Motors iPhone app

If you’re anything like us, trolling eBay Motors for cars you can only hope to one day own is like teeth brushing or hair combing – you could go without it for a day, but it wouldn’t be a very good day. Thankfully, the chances of that happening have just dropped to nothing with this week’s introduction of the eBay Motors iPhone app [iTunes link]. Sure, eBay itself has had an iPhone app for a while, but it’s a PiTA to use if you’re just looking for cars.

What we like about the new eBay Motors iPhone app is that it’s designed around how we use eBay Motors’ website. The app will of course let you search eBay Motors’ big database of vehicles and parts for sale, but it also has an area of the app called the Garage. This is where you input both the vehicles you own (My Vehicles) and the vehicles you want to own (Dream Vehicles), making it easy to search for either with the flick of a finger. One slick feature is that you can add vehicles to your Garage by using the iPhone’s camera to scan a VIN barcode, which is usually located on the inside of the driver’s door.

There are some things we’d like eBay Motors to fix with the app’s first update, mainly that the app’s search parameters are so limited. For instance, when filling the app’s Garage with cars, you have to input a specific Year, Make and Model, which means you can’t, for instance, claim an entire generation of vehicle as a Dream Vehicle you want to own, just one particular model year. Likewise, you also can’t dig deeper and pick a particular trim, which means my own vehicle, a 1991 Ford Taurus SHO, shows up in My Vehicles as just a 1991 Ford Taurus, making a search for the right parts damn near possible.

That said, we’re still happy that eBay Motors finally has its own iPhone app and hope the team behind its development will take a serious look at the limitations we mentioned. Click here to check it out in iTunes, and why not download the new Autoblog.com app while you’re at it.

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eBay Motors finally gets its own iPhone app originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 May 2011 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Here’s why the 2012 Camaro V6 makes 11 more horsepower

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Videos, Chevrolet, GM

integrated manifold 2012 camaro

2012 Chevrolet Camaro engine weight savings – Click above to watch the video after the jump

2012 camaro engine The 2012 Chevrolet Camaro will feature 323 horsepower, or 11 more ponies than the 2011 model. But General Motors engineers didn’t accomplish this feat by adding direct injection or variable valve timing. In fact, the 2011 version of the 3.6-liter V6 already incorporated those high-tech engine components.

Instead, engineers were able to add extra power by allowing the high-tech mill to breathe better. To do this, intake airflow was improved by seven percent through extensive simulation and bench testing. As a result, power is up by 11 horsepower, while exhaust flow is improved by 10 percent.

Engineers also manged to remove an incredible 13 pounds from the 3.6-liter by integrating the exhaust manifolds into the aluminum cylinder head. This change meant that a pair of old-school iron manifolds, 12 bolts, a pair of gasket and heat shields with six more bolts were eliminated.

Beyond weight savings, these changes also eliminate the potential for gasket failure while fuel efficiency is improved. The 2012 Camaro 2LS model will now boast 30 miles per gallon on the highway, up from an also respectable 29 mpg from the 2011 model.

Hit the jump to watch a short video, which shows exactly how GM was able to shave 13 pounds off of an already reasonably light engine. Then you can stay to read over The General’s press release.

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Here’s why the 2012 Camaro V6 makes 11 more horsepower originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 May 2011 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Audi S1 caught testing, likes wearing A1 clothing

Filed under: Spy Photos, Hatchback, Audi

spy photo audi s1

Spy Shots: Audi S1 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Spy photographers have been training their lenses on upcoming Audi models as of late. Earlier, we got a look at the R8 GT Spyder, and now those cameras have captured the S1 hot hatch. Though it may look like a standard Audi A1, this mule is covering up S1 guts. What’s the give-away? A set of large exhaust pipes planted in the rear end.

Rumor has it that the mill powering this sporty hatchback will pump out 270 horsepower. That energy will be sent out to all four corners courtesy of the Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Expect to see more aggressive bits of body work on the real S1 when it finally shows its face.

Audi S1 caught testing, likes wearing A1 clothing originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 May 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Maserati family growing larger thanks to Chinese market

Filed under: Sedan, SUV, Maserati, Rumormill

maserati sedan mule

Spy Shots: Maserati “Baby Quattroporte” – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Maserati family of automobiles is a small, tight-knit clan of exotic Italian machinery that sounds as good as it looks. Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne wants to expand that family, and capture more of the growing exotic car market that is currently taking shape in China. What does this all mean to the Trident brand?

We’ve known about a baby Quattroporte for some time, but the grown-up sedan is also due for a refresh. Each model may get an all-wheel-drive version thanks to the new tech found under the body of the Ferrari FF. In addition to the pair of four-doors, a Maserati SUV (to be based off the latest Jeep Grand Cherokee) is in the works. Once here, it will surely do battle the Porsche Cayenne for the title of “most hated vehicle amongst purists-slash-best seller.” That vehicle may be built in Italy at Fiat’s former Bertone plant.

And finally, according to a report from Car and Driver, the Italian brand may use a turbocharged and MultiAir-equipped version of Chrysler’s Pentastar V6 engine with 400 horsepower along with a turbodiesel from Fiat in lieu of a V8 borrowed from Ferrari.

Maserati family growing larger thanks to Chinese market originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 May 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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South Africa gets Dodge Caliber Mopar Edition. Lucky them.

Filed under: Hatchback, Chrysler, Dodge

Dodge Caliber Mopar Edition for South Africa

Dodge Caliber Mopar Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery

South African Chrysler fans has a new special edition vehicle coming their way. Described by Chrysler as a way to “satisfy the boy racer in all of us,” the Dodge Caliber Mopar Edition is a blacked-out hatchback rolling on 18-inch powdercoated alloy wheels.

Under the hood sits a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that’s been juiced up courtesy of a cold-air induction kit and an upgraded manifold and exhaust system, and the mill is paired with a manual transmission. The Caliber Mopar Edition is dropped two inches, wears Mopar decals and gets a unique hood as well.

Priced at 259,990.00 Rand, the Dodge Caliber Mopar Edition will set you back a bit over $37,000 at current exchange rates. We understand that car cost is a hard thing to directly translate, and if you ditch the stripes it’s not half bad looking, but that’s still a ton of money for a tarted up Caliber… and it’s a far cry from the long-lost turbocharged SRT4. Check out the South African press release after the break.

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South Africa gets Dodge Caliber Mopar Edition. Lucky them. originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 May 2011 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Italian bus driver fired for driving with elbows while using two phones

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Safety, Videos

Bus Driver with two cell phones in Rome

Bus Driver with two cell phones – Click above to watch video after the jump

The Italians sure do know how to live. Their vehicles are more beautiful, their meals more delicious and their bus drivers more distracted. Just take a look at the video after the jump to see what we mean.

While jostling through the hectic traffic of Rome (of course it’s in Rome, where else?) this particular driver took the time to attempt to set up his email on a new smartphone while speaking to customer service on a second handheld device. That’s right, this guy was rocking two phones at once while ferrying a load of people through the city streets.

Now, you may be wondering exactly how the mechanics of such a situation would play out. Our enterprising pilot took to steering the bus by using his elbows. According to The Guardian, the company that owns the bus service has suspended the driver pending a full investigation. Still, it’s terrifying to know that this guy is likely still behind the wheel of his personal vehicle. Click past the break to see the full video for yourself.

Continue reading Italian bus driver fired for driving with elbows while using two phones

Italian bus driver fired for driving with elbows while using two phones originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 May 2011 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Audi R8 GT Spyder almost ready to scatter toupees across race tracks

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Performance, Audi

audi r8 gt spyder

Spy Shots: Audi R8 GT Spyder – Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi keeps churning out more exciting versions of its two-door supercar, the R8. It began with the R8 V8, went power hungry with the R8 5.2 FSI V10, topless with the R8 V10 Spyder and on a track-focused diet with the R8 GT. Soon, Audi will let loose with the next iteration; the Audi R8 GT Spyder, a lightweight droptop poised to bring a more aggressive open-air motoring to R8 fans.

The Audi R8 GT Spyder is powered by the same 5.2-liter V10 found in other non-V8 R8 coupes and convertibles. The mill produces 560 horsepower and sends marching orders directly to both the car’s four tires and your ears, seeing as it’s mounted right behind them. Audi is going to build 333 of them, so get your cash in line now. The R8 GT coupe costs $196,800 so bring at least $200,000 for the convertible, just to be safe.

Audi R8 GT Spyder almost ready to scatter toupees across race tracks originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 May 2011 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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