2010 Archives | Page 7 of 23

LA 2010: Mercedes-Benz shows off Biome concept for LA Design Challenge

Filed under: Concept Cars, LA Auto Show, Maybach, Mercedes-Benz, Smart

Mercedes-Benz Biome Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Each year the LA Auto Show plays host to the Los Angeles Design Challenge, where aspiring designers partner with automakers to envision the future of mobility. This year’s theme was to create the 1,000-pound car, and Mercedes-Benz’ three designs – one from the U.S., another from Germany and yet another from Japan – are predictably out there.

The entrant from Mercedes’ U.S. design arm in Carlsbad, CA was not only rendered but built into a full-scale model. The basis for the Biome Concept is a vehicle that “grows in a completely organic environment from seeds sown in a nursery.” Not only that, but it’s powered by a combination of the sun and a chemical bond from an imaginary liquid dubbed BioNectar4534. It’s all natural, all organic and all science fiction. Size-wise, the Biome comes in at a theoretical 875 pounds, but it’s massively wide, slightly shorter than a CL and about as tall as a Vector.

M-B’s German design team created the Smart Weight-Watch, an ultra-compact dunebuggy with removable and recyclable plastic and cloth panels, a carbon fiber tub and tires (you read that last part right) and a lithium-ion battery powering two 15 kW motors. Total weight: exactly 1,000 pounds.

Finally there’s the Maybach eRikscha from Japan, a four-passenger, two-wheeled “amalgamation of organic intelligence and biomechanical engineering artistry.” Ummm… sure.

You can bone up on all three concepts in the press release after the jump and check out live images and design sketches below.

Gallery: LA 2010: Mercedes-Benz Biome Concept, Smart Weight-Watch, Maybach DRS

Gallery: LA 2010: Mercedes-Benz LA Design Challenge Concepts

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LA 2010: Mercedes-Benz shows off Biome concept for LA Design Challenge originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Consumer Reports: 2010 Reliability scores as predictable as Asian cars are… reliable

Filed under: Acura, Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GM, GMC, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jeep, Kia, Lexus, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, Scion, Subaru, Toyota, Volvo

Consumer Reports reliability report 2010

Consumer Reports has released its annual reliability scores for the automotive industry. The 2010 edition reads like the 2009 report… which reads like the 2008 publication, which reminds us of the 2007 version that was similar to the 2006 release. Asia is once again at the head of the class while America has reportedly made great strides and Germany is a mixed bag.

Even with a recent rash of recalls, Toyota (along with Scion and Lexus) is still near near the top of CR’s reliability chart. Honda and Acura are also listed as producing highly reliable vehicles, with only the four-cylinder Accord and TSX receiving average ratings. Nissan had a strong showing despite the fact that its Cube, in the first year it has appeared in this report, received a below average score. The Nissan Titan was also hit as being below average. The rest of the lineup however, was rated average or better, including the entire Infiniti model line. Subaru, Hyundai and Kia all had good scores as well, with only Subie’s WRX falling below average.

The U.S. automakers made major improvements for 2010. Eighty-three percent of the Chevrolet lineup received scores of average or better. In total, nearly 70 percent of the entire General Motors family is rated at average or better. Ford is the top domestic manufacturer on the list though, with 90 percent of its lineup being given ratings of at least average. That figure is inclusive of the Lincoln brand. It’s not all good news in the states unfortunately as none of the Chrysler products were able to receive a rating higher than average.

Reliability for European cars has always been an journey filled with ups and downs. The 2010 reliability scores are no exception. Porsche and Volvo are near the top of the industry while Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi are among the worst. BMW was certainly not helped by its N54 engine, Mercedes has six of 13 models receiving below average ratings and Audi got the same ratings for 75 percent of its lineup. On the flip side, the Porsche Boxster has the highest rated reliability in the entirety of the report.

Check out the full press release after the jump.

[Source: Consumer Reports]

Continue reading Consumer Reports: 2010 Reliability scores as predictable as Asian cars are… reliable

Consumer Reports: 2010 Reliability scores as predictable as Asian cars are… reliable originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor 6.2

Filed under: Performance, Truck, Ford, Reviews, Off-Road

Frequent Flying In Ford’s Factory Baja Blaster

2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor 6.2

2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor 6.2 – Click above for high-res image gallery

A scant 30 minutes had passed after taking possession of this 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor until we had all four of its wheels off the ground. We’d have done the deed even sooner, but our destination – a Baja-style test track in the middle of the desert outside Phoenix, Arizona – was, understandably, far enough out of town that no locals would be able to complain of excessive noise or mini dust tornadoes encroaching on their own tracts of brush-filled paradise.

2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor jump After all, the modern conveniences of day-to-day life just don’t mix with such uncivilized activities as seeing how much air you can put between your truck’s skid plates and solid ground.

And therein lies the beauty of this particular beast. Since when did such niceties as in-dash navigation with voice-activated SYNC, a leather interior with heated seats, dual-zone climate control and satellite radio count as standard equipment in a truck that was built primarily for 100-mile-per-hour blasts through the desert?

Since late 2009, actually, when FoMoCo unleashed the first version of the F-150 SVT Raptor on an unsuspecting public. Unlike all previous products from Ford’s Specialty Vehicle Team, including the F-150-based SVT Lightning, this truck does its best work once the pavement ends and the really nasty stuff begins.

It’s no secret that we’ve loved the Raptor ever since our first experience behind the wheel, and now it’s better than ever before. How so? Keep reading to find out.

Gallery: 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor 6.2: Review

2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor 6.2

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Review: 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor 6.2 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2010 Suzuki SX4 SportBack by RoadRace Motorsports

Filed under: Aftermarket, Budget, Performance, Hatchback, Suzuki, Reviews

The aftermarket put some more heat in Suzuki’s hot hatch

2010 Suzuki SX4 SportBack by RoadRace Motorsports

2010 Suzuki SX4 SportBack by RoadRace Motorsports – Click above for high-res image gallery

When we think of production vehicles that can double as daily drivers and weekend racers, the Lotus Exige, Mazda MX-5 Miata and Porsche Boxster come to mind. They’ve got to be light, nimble and handle the rigors of the road along with the demands of the track. That’s why we had a little chuckle when a 2010 Suzuki SX4 with “Road Race modifications” came up on our schedule for vehicles to review. When we drove the 2008 SX4 Sport, we found it to have a “sporty feel and rather quick reflexes,” but the chassis had fairly low limits and we couldn’t imagine the squat hatch being that much fun on track.

Still, we were curious how a hopped-up SX4 would perform, particularly in 2010 MY guise, which adds seven additional horsepower (143 to 150 hp) and a six-speed manual transmission. Suzuki has billed its new five-door as a worthy competitor to the world’s best hot hatches, but can it really deliver a world-class combination of practicality and sportiness? With several days of Southern California’s back roads marked down on our schedule, we aimed to find out.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Suzuki SX4 SportBack by RoadRace Motorsports

Continue reading Review: 2010 Suzuki SX4 SportBack by RoadRace Motorsports

Review: 2010 Suzuki SX4 SportBack by RoadRace Motorsports originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Korean Grand Prix: Yeongam begins its Rain of Terror [Spoilers]

Filed under: Motorsports, South Korea

2010 Korean Grand Prix

2010 Korean Grand Prix – Click above for high-res image gallery

The cars aren’t the only thing that move fast in Formula One; everything’s on an accelerated scale, even the calendar. It seems every new season in the modern era of F1 demands a new race. In 2004, Bahrain and Shanghai were added. Turkey joined the calendar in 2005. Things went backward in 2006 and 2007 with the elimination of Belgium (temporarily) followed by San Marino and Hockenheim, respectively. Singapore was added in 2008, followed by Abu Dhabi in 2009. India is set to join next year, the United States the year after and Russia by 2014. This year, however, the new slot belonged to Korea.

Ambitious plans were laid down by ubiquitous track architect Hermann Tilke, who’s firm is responsible for every one of the aforementioned new circuits and then some. But as recently as a couple of weeks ago, there were serious doubts over whether the site would be ready for this weekend’s inaugural grand prix. Fortunately, the hosts managed to get it all together in the end, putting on a race that would enter the books as one of the most exciting christenings in motor sport history. Follow the jump to see how it went down.

Gallery: 2010 Korean Grand Prix

[Images: Mark Thompson, Paul Gilham, Clive Mason/Getty | Andy Wong, Mark Baker, Greg Baker/AP]

Continue reading 2010 Korean Grand Prix: Yeongam begins its Rain of Terror [Spoilers]

2010 Korean Grand Prix: Yeongam begins its Rain of Terror [Spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 24 Oct 2010 09:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Art Center Car Classic celebrates Freedom of Motion

Filed under: Classics, Misc. Auto Shows, Design/Style

2010 Art Center Car Classic

2010 Art Center Car Classic – Click above for high-res image gallery

Pasadena, CA can get particularly hot during the summer, so we thought it was an excellent idea when the Art Center College of Design moved its annual car show from July to the middle of October. While the event, which happened last weekend, did escape the heat, it still couldn’t catch a break from Mother Nature. The inaugural autumn edition of the show was hampered by rain throughout the day.

Still, the Art Center managed to put on an excellent event to celebrate this year’s theme, “Freedom of Motion.” The best part of the show has always been the eclectic selection of cars on display, and this year was no disappointment. Everything from the 2010 X-Prize winning Peraves X-Tracer to the new 2011 McLaren MP4-12C could be seen on the grass. The Mullin Museum was gracious enough to bring out the famous 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic, and the Petersen brought out a few of its cars as well. You can see all of our photos from the event in the high-res gallery below.

Gallery: 2010 Art Center Car Classic

2010 Art Center Car Classic ICON Light Sport Aircraft

2010 Art Center Car Classic celebrates Freedom of Motion originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 23 Oct 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Green Car of the Year finalists announced

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Hybrid, Chevrolet, Ford, Hyundai, Lincoln, Nissan, Electric

2011 Nissan Leaf

Green Car of the Year finalists – Click above for high-res image gallery

Green Car Journal has chosen its five candidates for the 2011 Green Car of the Year Award. Competition is fierce this time around with both the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt nabbing nods. While those two have been busy snapping up headlines over the past year, the rest of the vehicles on the list are no less impressive. The Lincoln MKZ Hybrid made the cut thanks to its incredibly efficient drivetrain borrowed from the Ford Fusion Hybrid. Meanwhile, the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is bound to make an impressive showing thanks to its competent highway mileage and high-tech lithium-polymer battery pack.

Of all of the eligible vehicles, the only one without a battery pack is the lovable 2011 Ford Fiesta. While the subcompact is likely to be eclipsed by the rest of the electron-powered pack, the vehicle’s 40 mpg highway is no less impressive than all of the high-tech wizardry on board the hybrids and EVs. The winner of this year’s award will be announced at the 2010 LA Auto Show on November 18. Check out our gallery of the nominees below and then hit the jump for the press release.

Gallery: 2011 Green Car of the Year Finalists

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2010 Green Car of the Year finalists announced originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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By the Numbers: The Great Long-Term Vehicle Swap of 2010

Filed under: Sedan, Subaru, Volkswagen, Diesel, Long-Term Garage

Like two ships passing in the night, our long-term 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT and 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street edition briefly met in person last Saturday morning before their driver – myself and Senior Editor Lavrinc – swapped keys, turned around and headed back to our respective ends of the country.

The Great Long-Term Vehicle Swap of 2010 went off without a hitch, and because we know more than a few of you are curious, you’ll find a table after the jump that shows fuel consumption results for each vehicle on my own portion of the trip. But first, here are some other interesting factoids.

Miles Traveled: 4,938 total for both vehicles
Days: 4
Hours Driven: 10+ per day, per person
Starting Points: Cleveland, OH (Neff in Legacy), San Francisco, CA (Lavrinc in Jetta)
States Neff Traveled Through: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming
States Lavrinc Traveled Through: California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming
Meeting Point: Cheyenne, WY

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Continue reading By the Numbers: The Great Long-Term Vehicle Swap of 2010

By the Numbers: The Great Long-Term Vehicle Swap of 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MotoGP 2010 Phillip Island: Sometimes it’s lonely at the top [Spoilers]

Filed under: Motorsports, Australia, Motorcycle, Racing

Proving that the power of hometown heroics should never be underestimated, Casey Stoner not only put on a great show for his fellow countrymen but once again proved to be dominant at the Australian GP. The starting grid at Phillip Island was the last time Stoner would be seen by competitors, as he converted pole-position to victory with a gap of nearly nine seconds. But was this really a fair fight?

With the championship already decided and little left to prove, we wondered if Jorge Lorenzo would merely cruise through the remainder of the season uninspired, leaving the risk to those who were still applying for a job for next season. In reality, the new champ didn’t just sit back. Lorenzo rode rode well in Australia, claiming a lonely second place position almost ten seconds ahead of his teammate Valentino Rossi, who closed out the podium in style.

Nicky Hayden surely thought he had sewn up the final podium position when he made the move for third stick late in the race, but he did not count on the Rossi Factor, and his future teammate returned the favor on the last lap taking third by a very slim .038-second margin. If the rumors are true, we may even see the Doctor aboard a red bike before the end of the season, as it seems Ducati just can’t wait for this whole “perfect Italian thing” to happen. Ben Spies rounded out the top five, marking the eighth time this season the young American has finished fifth or better, which secured him the Rookie of the Year title for 2010.

Click the jump for the top ten, and don’t forget to check out the final two rounds, as the best things usually happen when we least expect it!

[Source: MotoGP.com | Image: AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill]

Continue reading MotoGP 2010 Phillip Island: Sometimes it’s lonely at the top [Spoilers]

MotoGP 2010 Phillip Island: Sometimes it’s lonely at the top [Spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Oct 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Dodge Ram recalled over incorrectly printed labels

Filed under: Truck, Recalls, Dodge

2010 Dodge Ram HD

2010 Dodge Ram HD – Click above for high-res image gallery

Owners of 2010 Dodge Ram and Ram HD pickups are being asked to head to their nearest dealership. The trucks are part of a recall focusing on a label printed with incorrect information. For some vehicles, the tire-pressure label lists incorrect weight or seating capacity information. If the inaccurate information on the labels is followed, it could lead to safety issues as a result of improperly loaded trucks.

New labels will be installed free of charge at your nearest Dodge dealership. The recall is scheduled to begin this month (October 2010). For more information, take a look at the press release posted after the jump.

Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Dodge Ram HD

Continue reading 2010 Dodge Ram recalled over incorrectly printed labels

2010 Dodge Ram recalled over incorrectly printed labels originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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