Category: Auto Industry

Report: Chrysler extending production of current Dodge Avenger, Jeep Wrangler, Grand Caravan

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Sedan, SUV, Plants/Manufacturing, Dodge, Jeep

2013 Dodge Avenger - front three-quarter view

Are you hesitant to pull the trigger on a brand new Dodge Avenger in hopes that a new one will be coming? Well, don’t hold your breath. According to The Detroit News, Chrysler will be extending production of the current Avenger sedan through the end of 2015.

Originally, we heard that the company would kill the Avenger to better focus its midsize sedan efforts on the Chrysler 200 replacement. But then new reports stated there would indeed be an Avenger successor, and that we could see it as early as next January. This Detroit News report cites supplier sources confirming the extension of Avenger production, though Chrysler has not released an official statement on the matter.

These same suppliers say that the current Jeep Wrangler will live on through mid-2018 – that’s right, another five years. The Detroit News reports that a replacement for the iconic, go-anywhere Jeep was due in mid-2016.

Lastly, the report mentions that the Dodge Grand Caravan minivan will remain in production through late 2017, though its Chrysler Town & Country counterpart will be replaced by an all-new vehicle for the 2016 model year. This only further backs reports that the Grand Caravan will be killed from the Chrysler Group portfolio, with the T&C remaining the only minivan in production at the company’s Windsor facility.

Chrysler extending production of current Dodge Avenger, Jeep Wrangler, Grand Caravan originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Jul 2013 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: Chrysler extending production of current Dodge Avenger, Jeep Wrangler, Grand Caravan”

Video: Father’s ultra-rare Ferrari to leave family for a good cause

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Videos, Ferrari, Luxury

1967 275 GTB/4*S N.A.R.T. Spyder - video screencap - front three-quarter view, top down

It isn’t every day that the rarest of Ferrari models change hands. In fact, you can count your fingers to get the number of 275 GTB/4*S N.A.R.T. Spyders that ever existed. The 1967 Ferrari you see here is one of those ten Spyders, and it has stayed in the same family since it was bought new.

The car was bought through Luigi Chinetti, Ferrari’s US importer at the time, by the late Eddie Smith Sr., a Ferrari collector and businessman from North Carolina. Smith kept it – and kept driving it – until the day he died six years ago. Since then, this remarkable machine has been collecting dust. Smith’s son, Eddie Smith Jr., spent some time with Petrolicious to give a history of the car and explain why he and his family are going to do the one thing his father never could: sell it. The catch? All of the money it earns on the auction block will be donated to charity.

“It’ll be a bittersweet thing, because we know the fact that all the money is going to charities that he would approve of,” Smith Jr. said about his father, and it “will really make him smile, because he loved to give back.”

Look for the car at this year’s RM Auction in Monterey next month, where it should net millions of dollars before it gets a new owner. In the meantime, be sure to watch the video below. (And if it doesn’t yank at your heartstrings, please check your pulse or watch more Petrolicious videos.)

Continue reading Father’s ultra-rare Ferrari to leave family for a good cause

Father’s ultra-rare Ferrari to leave family for a good cause originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Jul 2013 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Video: Father’s ultra-rare Ferrari to leave family for a good cause”

Study: Updated J.D. Power APEAL study shines on VW Group, Chevy

Filed under: Car Buying, Chevrolet, Porsche, Volkswagen

2013 Volkswagen full line parked in field

J.D. Power has just revealed the results of its 2013 APEAL Study, which looks at which brands have the most appealing cars based on sales figures, dealer inventory, brand loyalty, transaction and trade-in prices. The study was revamped for 2013, and places a larger focus on the new tech and infotainment options available to customers. All told, study participants gauged their vehicles on 77 different attributes, delivering a score out of a 1,000 points.

The Volkswagen Group had the greatest success of any corporation, topping the APEAL rankings with the Audi Allroad, Porsche Boxster, Porsche Cayenne, VW GTI and Passat. Chevrolet had the highest number of awards for a single brand, though, with the Avalanche, Sonic and Volt all taking home a prize.

The best brand overall was Porsche, which scored 884 out of a possible 1,000 points. The top Japanese brand was Lexus with a score of 847, while the top American brand was Cadillac, at 841. The best mainstream brand was Ram, which received a very respectable 817. The industry average for this year’s study was 795, with 16 brands, all of which were mainstream, falling below the average.

There were a few surprises for the individual model awards, as well. The Buick Encore took the sub-compact CUV class, while the Ford Mustang was the winner of the mid-size sporty car segment. The Lincoln MKZ beat out the BMW 3 Series, Cadillac ATS, and a spate of others to capture the compact premium car segment. Finally, the redesigned Land Rover Range Rover was the first vehicle outside of the large premium car segment to net the highest overall score. For more details, scroll down to read the official press release.

Continue reading Updated J.D. Power APEAL study shines on VW Group, Chevy

Updated J.D. Power APEAL study shines on VW Group, Chevy originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Jul 2013 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Study: Updated J.D. Power APEAL study shines on VW Group, Chevy”

Report: NBC recaptures NASCAR coverage through 2024

Filed under: Motorsports, TV/Movies

NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Bristol Motor Speedway

NASCAR has pared its broadcasts down to two providers – Fox and NBC. According to a report from USA Today, the recently inked deal will give the Peacock Network exclusive rights to the last 20 Sprint Cup races, the last 19 Nationwide races, all K&N and Whelen Modified races, the NASCAR Toyota Mexico series, Hall of Fame and banquet ceremonies, live-streams for both Sprint Cup and Nationwide races, and Spanish broadcasting rights on Telemundo and Mun2. Got all that?

The deal is in effect until 2024, but won’t officially kick off until the 2015 season, when NBC and Fox will begin sharing in earnest. The two networks are likely to air some of the races on the NBC Sports network and Fox Sports 1 (which replaces Speed TV), respectively.

Financial details have not been revealed for the NBC deal yet. Fox and NASCAR’s tie-up, which was renewed last fall, was valued at $2.4 billion, and gets the News Corp-owned network broadcast rights for the Daytona 500, 12 Sprint Cup races, practicing and qualifying, and the Camping World Truck Series.

The network shift will see ABC/ESPN and Turner Broadcasting end their NASCAR programming with the 2014 season.

NBC recaptures NASCAR coverage through 2024 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Jul 2013 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: NBC recaptures NASCAR coverage through 2024”

Report: Ford to build next F-150, outgoing model concurrently?

Filed under: Spy Photos, Truck, Plants/Manufacturing, Ford, Earnings/Financials

Ford's Atlas-based F-150 testing spy photo

Ford is rumored to be considering concurrent production for old and new F-150 models in a bid to minimize supply chain disruptions and inventory. Automotive News is reporting that the Blue Oval will build both the current F-150 and its replacement, which we showed you testing just last month, side by side for about half a year before switching over entirely to next-generation production.

As IHS Automotive analyst Mike Jackson told AN, “In order to ramp up, you have to retool…and that means you have to take capacity offline.” Building both models alongside could allow Ford to cope with the still strong demand for the current F-150, while populating dealer supplies and working out supply chain kinks for the new model before making a full-time switch.

A loss of capacity when demand is so strong, even for a short period, could spell bad news for Ford, which nets an estimated 90 percent of its global profit on pickups and large SUVs. As AN states, Ford produces the F-150 in both Kansas City, Missouri and Dearborn, Michigan, which allows it to maintain some degree of flexibility in production. The new F-150 is expected to arrive at the 2014 North American International Auto Show as a 2015 model, with a design inspired by the Atlas Concept first shown at the Detroit Auto Show last January.

Ford to build next F-150, outgoing model concurrently? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Jul 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: Ford to build next F-150, outgoing model concurrently?”

Report: Man arrested in Australia for driving with pliers instead of steering wheel

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Australia, Humor

Aussie man caught driving with vice grip pliers instead of steering wheel

We’ll be the first to say that taking short cuts to keep a car on the road isn’t a good practice, but sometimes, people take it too far. No, we’re not talking about using a coat hanger for a throttle linkage, or driving on bald tires for one more week, even though the cords are showing. We’re talking about driving without a steering wheel and using locking grip pliers clamped around the steering column shaft to navigate, which is just what one man has been caught doing in Adelaide, Australia, the Daily Mail reports.

The unnamed 38-year-old man’s Monday morning commute was interrupted when police pulled him over for driving erratically with two flat tires, and they were surprised to find him holding the pliers instead of a wheel. He was arrested and charged with many offenses, including driving without a license in an unregistered vehicle, uninsured while under the influence of illegal drugs and more. Police also said they believe he was involved in a hit-and-run accident.

There are many things one can learn from this man’s mistakes, which can be summed up in two words: Drive safely. And that includes taking good care of your car.

Man arrested in Australia for driving with pliers instead of steering wheel originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Jul 2013 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: Man arrested in Australia for driving with pliers instead of steering wheel”

Video: Toyota Prius owners targeted by tire-slashing VA vandal

Filed under: Hybrid, Videos, Toyota

News report on Prius tire slasher in Arlington, VA - video screencap

Toyota Prius owners aren’t bad folks. With a few exceptions, they’re just normal people who appreciate the comfortable, high-mileage hybrid. Someone in Arlington, Virginia doesn’t see it that way, though, as 14 examples (and one Smart) had at least one tire slashed last Sunday night.

The serial tire-slasher didn’t swipe any items from the vehicles, but he or she has left owners with substantial bills and sour dispositions. According to a report from ABC affiliate WJLA, some citizens are considering the matter a hate crime.

Despite the targeting of Toyota hybrids and the acquisition of one fingerprint, police have been unable to make any arrests, as the slasher has targeted vehicles across the county. Take a look at the local news report from WJLA below.

Continue reading Toyota Prius owners targeted by tire-slashing VA vandal

Toyota Prius owners targeted by tire-slashing VA vandal originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Jul 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Video: Toyota Prius owners targeted by tire-slashing VA vandal”

First Drive: 2014 Buick LaCrosse

Filed under: Sedan, Buick, First Drives, Luxury

A Nice, New Buick Aims For Middle Of The Road

2014 Buick LaCrosse - front three-quarter view

Any time someone describes some portion of a car or a driving experience as being “nice,” I want to either A) throttle them or B) run as fast and as far as I can from that vehicle. “Nice” is among the most insidious words in the English language – at best it’s vague, and at worst, it conveys the exact opposite of its literal meaning. Yet it seems to be used with damnable frequency when it comes to verbally illustrating vehicles. “It looks really nice,” or “These seats feel nice,” or, heaven forefend, “It’s got a nice ride,” are all windy signifiers of absolutely nothing resembling a concrete opinion. “Nice” is the adjectival equivalent of meekly smiling and nodding your head.

Of course, I’m as guilty as the next person of having thrown English’s least powerful descriptor around. There’s even a chance that, rant aside, you’ll catch me making nice in reviews to come. That’s fine, but you should know that when you stumble upon such usage, past or future, that you’ve found a sentence in which I’m simply applying a bare minimum of effort to the task.

Right, let’s talk about the newly updated 2014 Buick LaCrosse.

Continue reading 2014 Buick LaCrosse

2014 Buick LaCrosse originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Jul 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “First Drive: 2014 Buick LaCrosse”

Mitsubishi working on 500-horsepower hybrid Evo?

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Mitsubishi

Until reality sets in, we’ll settle for this report about Mitsubishi building what can only be described as one super plug-in hybrid. The Japanese automaker, per UK’s Autocar, is working on a version of the Lancer Evolution that would take on the Nissan GT-R.

Specifically, Autocar, citing what it says are “highly placed Mitsubishi executives,” says the PHEV would pair a 2.0-liter gas engine with two 80-horsepower electric motors to provide an awfully impressive 500 horsepower along with fuel economy of 150 miles per gallon (per the more lenient European driving cycle) and an all-electric driving range of as many as 40 miles.

Mitsubishi would use some of the technology employed in the MiEV Evolution II plug-in that raced at Pikes Peak this year, and while we don’t think it’ll look quite like that car (pictured above), we can dream a bit. Remaining an issue for Mitsubishi plug-ins, car execs say, is the continued lack of consensus on a fast-charging standard in the US, as Mitsubishi and Nissan continue to push for the CHAdeMO standard while US and European automakers bang the drum for the so-called SAE/”combo” fast-charging standard.

Mitsubishi working on 500-horsepower hybrid Evo? originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 24 Jul 2013 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Mitsubishi working on 500-horsepower hybrid Evo?”

Report: Ford books $1.2B profit in second quarter on strength of trucks

Filed under: Ford, Earnings/Financials

Ford logo

Ford is rolling along nicely, with a positive second-quarter sales report and a $2.3 billion profit in North America. The Dearborn, Michigan-based manufacturer captured $1.2 billion globally from April to June, with a $177 million profit in Asia. Even in Europe, the land of doom and gloom for automakers not named Mazda, Ford saw some success as it lowered its expected full-year loss from $2 billion to $1.8 billion. The company lost $348 million in Europe during the second quarter, which, believe it or not, represents a $56-million improvement over 2012.

According to the report on CNBC, Ford enjoyed a three-percent increase in pre-market trading thanks to the news. The strong demand for the F-150 propelled growth in the US market, while Ford’s 47-percent increase in Asian sales can be attributed to the new EcoSport crossover and Kuga (Ford Escape in the US) arriving in the somewhat fragile Chinese market.

Pre-tax profits for Ford are expected to be in the neighborhood of $8 billion by the end of the year, with sales the US, Europe, and China all looking up. The company also shifted $4.78 billion of asset-backed debt in the form of bonds, according to a report by Bloomberg. This move came amidst rumors of the Federal Reserve cutting back on its $85-billion-per-month bond purchases. Ford wasn’t alone among automakers looking to sell off debt, though, as Mercedes-Benz and Nissan shifted around $1 billion each in bonds relating to auto loans.

Ford books $1.2B profit in second quarter on strength of trucks originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Jul 2013 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: Ford books $1.2B profit in second quarter on strength of trucks”