Category: Auto Industry

Video: 130-car UK pileup injures hundreds, but no deaths

Filed under: Safety, Videos, UK

Emergency Services Attend Major Road Accident In Kent

A crash in the county of Kent in southeast England involving 130 vehicles on a bridge has injured 200 people, 27 of which required hospitalization. The incident, which occurred at 7:15 AM BST (2:15 AM on America’s east coast), was on a bridge on the A249, a road that connects two major motorways, the M2 and M20.

Poor visibility due to heavy fog is believed to be one of the primary causes of the pileup, with some witnesses reporting they could only see about 30 feet in front of them before the crash. There were reports from some drivers that the collisions went on for ten minutes, as other vehicles caught up to the scene of the accident and were unable to stop in time.

Chief Inspector Andy Reeves told the BBC, “It was…very hazardous. It was described to me as a very thick fog and it was certainly low visibility at the time.” Cars, vans, semis and even a loaded car carrier were involved in the wreck, which will likely keep the bridge closed for the remainder of the day. Scroll down for helicopter footage of the aftermath.

Continue reading 130-car UK pileup injures hundreds, but no deaths

130-car UK pileup injures hundreds, but no deaths originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Sep 2013 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 130-car UK pileup injures hundreds, but no deaths

Filed under: Safety, Videos, UK

Emergency Services Attend Major Road Accident In Kent

A crash in the county of Kent in southeast England involving 130 vehicles on a bridge has injured 200 people, 27 of which required hospitalization. The incident, which occurred at 7:15 AM BST (2:15 AM on America’s east coast), was on a bridge on the A249, a road that connects two major motorways, the M2 and M20.

Poor visibility due to heavy fog is believed to be one of the primary causes of the pileup, with some witnesses reporting they could only see about 30 feet in front of them before the crash. There were reports from some drivers that the collisions went on for ten minutes, as other vehicles caught up to the scene of the accident and were unable to stop in time.

Chief Inspector Andy Reeves told the BBC, “It was…very hazardous. It was described to me as a very thick fog and it was certainly low visibility at the time.” Cars, vans, semis and even a loaded car carrier were involved in the wreck, which will likely keep the bridge closed for the remainder of the day. Scroll down for helicopter footage of the aftermath.

Continue reading 130-car UK pileup injures hundreds, but no deaths

130-car UK pileup injures hundreds, but no deaths originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Sep 2013 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Long Term: 2014 Mazda6: July/August 2013

Filed under: Sedan, Mazda, Long-Term Garage

2014 Mazda6

Our newest long-termer – the Soul Red 2014 Mazda6 seen here – arrived in my driveway at the end of June. Without hesitation, I immediately put it to work as a daily driver, carpool bus and family vacation sled, and it accomplished all of those tasks with aplomb. Now, more than 4,000 miles down the road, I am left convinced that Mazda’s latest midsize sedan is one of the best in its segment.

During the past 60 days, I have subjected the Mazda6 to scorching travel across Southwestern deserts, wheezing climbs over 8,000-foot-high Sierra Nevada mountain passes and basking in the cool ocean breezes of Malibu. It traveled with four passengers and a full load of luggage from Los Angeles to Lake Tahoe, and it braved the bumper-to-bumper freeway congestion on a weekday trip down to San Diego. It accomplished everything that was asked of while hardly skipping a beat – it has only required a regular sip of unleaded fuel to keep it moving forward.

Continue reading 2014 Mazda6: July/August 2013

2014 Mazda6: July/August 2013 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Sep 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Long Term: 2014 Mazda6: July/August 2013

Filed under: Sedan, Mazda, Long-Term Garage

2014 Mazda6

Our newest long-termer – the Soul Red 2014 Mazda6 seen here – arrived in my driveway at the end of June. Without hesitation, I immediately put it to work as a daily driver, carpool bus and family vacation sled, and it accomplished all of those tasks with aplomb. Now, more than 4,000 miles down the road, I am left convinced that Mazda’s latest midsize sedan is one of the best in its segment.

During the past 60 days, I have subjected the Mazda6 to scorching travel across Southwestern deserts, wheezing climbs over 8,000-foot-high Sierra Nevada mountain passes and basking in the cool ocean breezes of Malibu. It traveled with four passengers and a full load of luggage from Los Angeles to Lake Tahoe, and it braved the bumper-to-bumper freeway congestion on a weekday trip down to San Diego. It accomplished everything that was asked of while hardly skipping a beat – it has only required a regular sip of unleaded fuel to keep it moving forward.

Continue reading 2014 Mazda6: July/August 2013

2014 Mazda6: July/August 2013 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Sep 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Followup: NASCAR driver’s girlfriend fined, banned for Papis slap [w/video]

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Videos

Max Papis getting slapped

According to Fox News, NASCAR has handed down an indefinite ban from all series events and a $2,500 fine to Kelly Heaphy, girlfriend of Camping World Truck Series driver Mike Skeen. Heaphy open-hand slapped her boyfriend’s rival, Max Papis, after Sunday’s race.

The incident, which we reported on yesterday Tuesday, came about after Papis and Skeen came together while battling for third position on the last lap. Papis made some statements on air that led Heaphy to pounce, delivering a slap that reportedly led to Papis claiming his jaw had been dislocated. It’s unclear if punishments were handed down to the pit crews, which rumbled ahead of Heaphy slapping Papis. If you missed it the first time, you can catch the incident on video below.

Continue reading NASCAR driver’s girlfriend fined, banned for Papis slap [w/video]

NASCAR driver’s girlfriend fined, banned for Papis slap [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Sep 2013 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Followup: NASCAR driver’s girlfriend fined, banned for Papis slap [w/video]

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Videos

Max Papis getting slapped

According to Fox News, NASCAR has handed down an indefinite ban from all series events and a $2,500 fine to Kelly Heaphy, girlfriend of Camping World Truck Series driver Mike Skeen. Heaphy open-hand slapped her boyfriend’s rival, Max Papis, after Sunday’s race.

The incident, which we reported on yesterday Tuesday, came about after Papis and Skeen came together while battling for third position on the last lap. Papis made some statements on air that led Heaphy to pounce, delivering a slap that reportedly led to Papis claiming his jaw had been dislocated. It’s unclear if punishments were handed down to the pit crews, which rumbled ahead of Heaphy slapping Papis. If you missed it the first time, you can catch the incident on video below.

Continue reading NASCAR driver’s girlfriend fined, banned for Papis slap [w/video]

NASCAR driver’s girlfriend fined, banned for Papis slap [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Sep 2013 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Smart Forjoy bounds in ahead of Frankfurt

Filed under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Motor Show, Convertible, Smart, Electric

Smart Forjoy Concept

Smart has revealed its newest concept car, the jovial four-seater Forjoy. The “joy” part of that sobriquet is rather obvious ­- with the doorless, roofless, rear-glass-free concept looking like a beach-wagon full of fun ­- but it’s the four seats that might prove most prescient as far as Smart’s future plans are concerned.

The German small-car maker goes as far as to call the Forjoy “the forerunner of a new smart generation” in its press release, saying that the concept car’s proportions portend a lot about the appearance of a four-seat production car. That upcoming Forfour (most likely) should get an official launch at the end of 2014.

Of course, while there might be some production-car cues hiding in this wispy, white and pearlescent concept buggy, the detailing of it can be safely categorized as “concept car only.” Polished bits of milled aluminum brightwork are shiny flights of fancy, as is the modern minimalist furniture that ornaments the airy cabin.

On the other hand, the powertrain inside of the Forjoy, a 55-kilowatt electric motor drawing from a lithium-ion battery pack, has been scooped directly out of the production Fortwo Electric Drive. Other than its existence in the concept car, Smart hasn’t dropped any hints in the press release as to the ED unit making into a production Forfour. We certainly wouldn’t rule it out as a variant.

Look for live images and more info about Smart’s hint-heavy Forjoy when we see it on the Frankfurt show floor next week.

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Smart Forjoy bounds in ahead of Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Sep 2013 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Smart Forjoy bounds in ahead of Frankfurt

Filed under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Motor Show, Convertible, Smart, Electric

Smart Forjoy Concept

Smart has revealed its newest concept car, the jovial four-seater Forjoy. The “joy” part of that sobriquet is rather obvious ­- with the doorless, roofless, rear-glass-free concept looking like a beach-wagon full of fun ­- but it’s the four seats that might prove most prescient as far as Smart’s future plans are concerned.

The German small-car maker goes as far as to call the Forjoy “the forerunner of a new smart generation” in its press release, saying that the concept car’s proportions portend a lot about the appearance of a four-seat production car. That upcoming Forfour (most likely) should get an official launch at the end of 2014.

Of course, while there might be some production-car cues hiding in this wispy, white and pearlescent concept buggy, the detailing of it can be safely categorized as “concept car only.” Polished bits of milled aluminum brightwork are shiny flights of fancy, as is the modern minimalist furniture that ornaments the airy cabin.

On the other hand, the powertrain inside of the Forjoy, a 55-kilowatt electric motor drawing from a lithium-ion battery pack, has been scooped directly out of the production Fortwo Electric Drive. Other than its existence in the concept car, Smart hasn’t dropped any hints in the press release as to the ED unit making into a production Forfour. We certainly wouldn’t rule it out as a variant.

Look for live images and more info about Smart’s hint-heavy Forjoy when we see it on the Frankfurt show floor next week.

Continue reading Smart Forjoy bounds in ahead of Frankfurt

Smart Forjoy bounds in ahead of Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Sep 2013 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan Pathfinder, Infiniti JX in transmission safety probe

Filed under: Budget, Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Infiniti, Nissan, Luxury

2013 Nissan Pathfinder

2013 Infiniti JX35Nissan may be forced to recall 110,000 Pathfinder and Infiniti JX35 crossovers, due to a number of customer complaints. Consumers report suddenly losing power, with repair facilities blaming the issue on faulty transmission cooler line connections. Both the Pathfinder and JX35 use a continuously variable transmission. As of right now, the only vehicles being investigated are from model year 2013.

Nissan has been cooperating with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, according to a report from Reuters, and it has developed a fix for the affected vehicles. It’s not clear whether this will develop into a full-blown recall, as there have been no known cases of injuries or crashes. But with a potential 110,000 vehicles prone to sudden power loss, a recall seems to be a likely outcome.

Nissan Pathfinder, Infiniti JX in transmission safety probe originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Sep 2013 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan Pathfinder, Infiniti JX in transmission safety probe

Filed under: Budget, Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Infiniti, Nissan, Luxury

2013 Nissan Pathfinder

2013 Infiniti JX35Nissan may be forced to recall 110,000 Pathfinder and Infiniti JX35 crossovers, due to a number of customer complaints. Consumers report suddenly losing power, with repair facilities blaming the issue on faulty transmission cooler line connections. Both the Pathfinder and JX35 use a continuously variable transmission. As of right now, the only vehicles being investigated are from model year 2013.

Nissan has been cooperating with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, according to a report from Reuters, and it has developed a fix for the affected vehicles. It’s not clear whether this will develop into a full-blown recall, as there have been no known cases of injuries or crashes. But with a potential 110,000 vehicles prone to sudden power loss, a recall seems to be a likely outcome.

Nissan Pathfinder, Infiniti JX in transmission safety probe originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Sep 2013 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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