2011 Archives | Page 50 of 57

First Drive: 2011 Ford Edge

Filed under: Budget, Technology, Crossover, Ford, First Drive

Sharpened Tech Claws More Than Scratch The Surface

2011 Ford Edge – Click above for high-res image gallery

If you checked Ford’s bloodstream right now, you’d probably find trace amounts of Ritalin floating along with the 5w30. The company is an absolute blur of product development – churning out new models (Fiesta), entirely reworking staples (Focus) and honing beloved and established products (Mustang), into cars that can swing well above their intended weight class. The Blue Oval isn’t sitting around waiting for the competition to guilt it into making its vehicles better. Instead, the company is constantly improving what needs attention, even in the case of the Edge – a crossover that’s had no problem establishing itself as a market force to be reckoned with.

Just recently, Ford announced that 400,000 Edge crossovers have found homes in the U.S. since late 2006, making it king of the high-riding crowd in the process. Ford credits much of that success on the Edge’s styling, which the rest of this crowd just can’t seem to match. There’s no mistaking this five-door with anything in its segment (MKX aside), and that won’t change anytime soon. For 2011, Ford has given the Edge a detailed once over, plopped a few new engine options under the hood and given the interior the kind of remake that doesn’t typically pop up mid-cycle. If the rest of the segment was hoping to catch up, it can keep dreaming.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Edge: First Drive

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First Drive: 2011 Ford Edge originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reader Spy: 2011 Dodge Charger revealed on set of The Fast and the Furious Five

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Chrysler, Dodge, Police/Emergency

Reader Spy: 2011 Dodge Charger on the set of ‘The Fast and the Furious Five’ – Click above for high-res image gallery

Thanks to Autoblog reader Jose Rosario, we can now put the speculation to rest – the 2011 Dodge Charger will indeed receive a new full-width taillamp treatment that echoes that of its two-door Challenger kin. Rosario informs us that these spy shots were taken in Puerto Rico on the set of The Fast and the Furious Five, the latest installment of the durable Vin Diesel street racing franchise.

According to Rosario, the filming appears to be using at least one prototype of the new Charger, “because it has the sides of the current model but has the new front and they added the new rear which light up all in LED lights.” The film crew is also using more complete 2011 models, all of which are dressed up as police cars. The cars were used in a chase scene in which two current-model in a matte black finish pull a bank vault along the street, pursued by the Brazilian police cars (Even though the filming is taking place in Puerto Rico, the movie is set in Brazil). Rosario sadly reports that the last scene filmed the day these images were taken were of a current model Charger rear-ending a 2011 model.

Rosario managed to not only get shots of the new taillamps and well-integrated dual exhausts, but also some shots of the front end, which he says looks “more aggressive,” including more snout-like grille, new hood, subtly but completely redone headlamps and a revised lower fascia.

As if that weren’t enough, our man in PR also scored a shot of the 2011 model’s interior, which reveals a much more cohesive look. A new three-spoke steering wheel with redundant audio controls beckons, as does what appears to be a start button. The gauge binnacle eschews the four nacelles of the current car for a more unified cluster that’s marked out by a liberal helping of silvery trim and vertically oriented air vents bookend a new infotainment screen. Immediately below the screen, the Charger maintains its simple three-knob HVAC controls (albeit redone), and a step down from there is the CD slot. In the center console, a gated PRNDL surrounded by what looks like faux carbon-fiber trim. All-in-all, it looks like a massive improvement over the dour and workmanlike instrument panel of the outgoing Dodge.

What do you think – will the reborn Dodge Charger and its Chrysler 300 twin offer enough changes to rekindle your interest? Check out our images in the high-res gallery below, and then drop your fellow reader a line in Comments. Thanks for the pics, Rosario!

Gallery: Reader Spy: 2011 Dodge Charger

Reader Spy: 2011 Dodge Charger revealed on set of The Fast and the Furious Five originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 21 Aug 2010 22:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan Maxima, Sentra receive 2011 prices, minor changes

2011 Nissan Maxima – click above for high-res image gallery

Nissan has released pricing for its 2011 Maxima and Sentra sedans, complete with specification changes that are more along the lines of ‘running changes’ than they are actual product freshenings. No matter, the Maxima will start at $30,810 in 3.5S CVT guise, while the sportier SV rings up at $33,530. On the more frugal side, the Sentra 2.0 6MT rings in at $15,520, spooling all the way up to $20,080 for the line-topping SE-R Spec V 2.5 model.

On the upgrade front, the 290-horsepower Maxima receives smoked headlights, darkened chrome grill and “shiny gray interior stitching” on sport models, along with a new exhaust pipe finisher. Metallic Slate and Brilliant Silver also join the Max’s paint palate. For 2011, the Sentra doesn’t really get any new features, but a six-speed manual is now available with the base 2.0-liter four-cylinder, giving the range a new entry-level model.

The 2011 model-year Nissans are available in dealers now, and you can check out the full press release after the jump.

Gallery: 2011 Nissan Maxima

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Nissan Maxima, Sentra receive 2011 prices, minor changes

Nissan Maxima, Sentra receive 2011 prices, minor changes originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Chevy engineers get into the sound collage thing with 2011 Cruze

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Etc., Videos, Chevrolet

Chevrolet Cruse sound engineers

2011 Chevrolet Cruze mixes it up – Click above to watch video after the jump

Development engineers rarely get to have the same kind of fun as, say the guys out flogging the crap out of prototype mules on the test track, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have a good time. A few of the lab coats behind making sure the audible quality of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is up to par have gotten together to work up a sound collage featuring all of the moving bits on the new compact.

If you’re looking for an up close and personal look at just how tomb-like the sedan’s doors actually are or you have a thing for watching an engineer stomp and clap his hands at the same time, you’ll want to check out the video after the jump. If you like what you hear, the Cruze starts at a meager $16,995. Thanks for the tip, Mike!

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze: First Drive

[Source: Chevrolet via YouTube]

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Video: Chevy engineers get into the sound collage thing with 2011 Cruze originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2011 Audi R8 V10 Spyder

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Audi, First Drive, Luxury

The Idiot’s Guide To Driving Gorgeously Quick

2011 Audi R8 V10 Spyder front view

2011 Audi R8 Spyder – Click above for high-res image gallery

Chas Murphy, until recently the U.S. product manager for Audi’s TT, R8 and RS sports cars, said of the R8 V10 Spyder: “You have to drive the car. It can’t be put into words.” Well, we drove it over the hills and through the woods of the Cleveland (Cali, not Ohio) National Forest, and we can put it into words. Rather, we can put it into one word: unfair.

The ways in which the R8 V10 Spyder is unfair leave us thoroughly taken with this open-air supercar and yet a little melancholy. You see, as good as the R8 V10 Spyder is – and there’s no doubt about that – when you look at it, what you behold is the dumbing down of driving civilization. On the upside, this particular kind of dumb is among the most rewarding, outstanding kinds of idiocy you could ever hope to achieve. Find out what we mean after the jump.

Gallery: 2011 Audi R8 V10 Spyder: First Drive

2011 Audi R8 V10 Spyder

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First Drive: 2011 Audi R8 V10 Spyder originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Will the 2011 Charger wear a new Dodge emblem? [w/poll]

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Chrysler, Dodge

New Dodge Logo for 2011 Take a close look at the entire lineup of 2009 and 2010 Dodge cars and trucks and you’ll notice one thing they all have in common: the Dodge emblem is represented as a Ram’s head. So what’s the problem? While you could spend hours debating the merits of its recent strategy, the Chrysler Mothership has chosen to separate the Dodge brand into separate car and truck entities, and the newly launched Ram Truck brand will soldier on using that same Ram Head. Which means Dodge needs a new identity.

The first step Chrysler took to create a new corporate identity for Dodge was a new logo that will be used in marketing materials, but it won’t serve as an actual emblem on the vehicles. There’s plenty of online speculation as to what Dodge will use as its next emblem, or if it will in fact choose to go… um, naked. So far, all the spy shots of 2011 Dodge models have been seen sans logo or emblem, sporting only the Dodge name spelled out with individual chrome lettering.

So, what does all of this mean? Well… we really have no idea. But we’re interested in hearing what you all have to say. Take a good look at the potential new emblem on the right and then take part in our entirely unscientific poll below.

View Poll

[Source: Allpar.com]

Will the 2011 Charger wear a new Dodge emblem? [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Dodge Charger’s rump revealed on a t-shirt?

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Performance, Dodge, Design/Style

It’s entirely possible. The crowd at the Mopar Nationals last weekend noticed something odd about the T-shirts handed out for the event. Parked among the usual suspects of Plymouth/Chrysler/Dodge lore sat a car that few folk recognized. It just might be the next-generation Dodge Charger. The internets have been aflame for awhile with word that the company’s big four-door would get a version of the rear light bar seen on the Challenger, and if the drawing on the shirt is any indication, it looks like those rumors might be true.

We’re not exactly sure who was behind penning the design for the T-shirt, but it seems unlikely that the gurus at Dodge would be so absent minded as to feed the Mopar hungry crowd at the Nationals a snippet of future product design. Even if the car in on the shirt is a figment of someone’s imagination, it looks plenty sharp to us – and that’s parked next to a Superbird. Thanks for the tip, FuzzyFish!

Gallery: Spy Shots: 2011/2012 Dodge Charger SRT8

[Source: Allpar]

2011 Dodge Charger’s rump revealed on a t-shirt? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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General Motors 2011 VIN decoder reveals new 1.0L, 1.2L, 1.6L four cylinder engines

Filed under: Chevrolet, GM

2010 Chevrolet Spark – Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors’ Service and Parts Operations website has published a pair of new documents for decoding 2011 model year Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) which reveal several new engines. The passenger car list includes a pair of small inline-fours of 1.0 and 1.2-liters displacement. Both engines are listed as port-injected, dual-overhead-cam units from the automaker’s South Korean operations, GM Daewoo Automotive Technologies (GMDAT). We’re assuming that these are the engines for the Spark mini-car that is due to arrive on our shores sometime during the coming year.

Also on the car list are a pair of 1.6-liter fours listed at 80 and 82 kilowatts. The 80 kW unit matches the 108 horsepower output of the current Aveo engine, so presumably it’s a carryover until the new model arrives early in next year. That car is expected to use 110 hp (82 kW) version.

Finally, in the light-duty truck list, there is a 177 horsepower 2.2-liter diesel inline-four. GM has made clear that it has no plans to offer any light-duty diesel engines in the States, so we assume that this is for an export market vehicle, likely the Chevrolet Colorado pickup. The decoder guides are after the jump. A tip of the hat to xeong5!

Gallery: 2010 Chevy Spark

[Source: General Motors Service and Parts Operations]

Continue reading General Motors 2011 VIN decoder reveals new 1.0L, 1.2L, 1.6L four cylinder engines

General Motors 2011 VIN decoder reveals new 1.0L, 1.2L, 1.6L four cylinder engines originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2011 Jaguar XJL

Filed under: Sedan, Jaguar, Reviews, Luxury

Lightweight Luxury with Style

2011 Jaguar XJL front view

2011 Jaguar XJL – Click above for high-res image gallery

There’s a sect of motoring nihilists out there who would have us all believe there isn’t a single thing in the automotive universe that hasn’t been done before. It’s the “Simpsons did it” meme on methamphetamines, though instead of a yellow animated family, our cast is populated by the likes of Plymouth, Cord, Studebaker, Hudson and any number of other equally innovative yet forgotten brands. Think adaptive headlights are a trick piece of tech? Think again – Willys-Knight employed a third directional headlight as early as 1928 on its 70A, and Citroën made use of similar methodology on cars like the DS and SM way back when.

The XJ is as close to shrugging off the bland, conservative lines of the luxury sedan as you’re apt to find.

Few segments seem to have accepted this grim reality quite like the luxury sedan world. Automakers that once strove to create unique products now seem to be operating from the same design template. Line up the profiles of the BMW 7 Series, Audi A8 and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and the vast majority of the car-buying public would have no idea which car was which. Each vehicle is attractive in its own right, but we wouldn’t accuse any of them possessing the same kind of gravitas as, say, a ’38 Mercedes-Benz 770.

Which is one of the big reasons we’re smitten with the 2011 Jaguar XJL. Whereas the only way you’re going to stop traffic with a 7 Series is to put the drivers around you to sleep, the newest interpretation of the stately Jaguar flagship is the kind of beauty that sends jaws clattering across the concrete.

Gallery: Review: 2011 Jaguar XJL

2011 Jaguar XJL

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Review: 2011 Jaguar XJL originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Ford Edge begins shipping to dealers as model hits 400,000 units

Filed under: Car Buying, Crossover, Ford

2011 Ford Edge Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery

It goes without saying, but we’re going to go ahead and say it anyway: Crossovers are so hot right now. According to data compiled by Ford, the CUV industry has expanded 220 percent since 2006, which is the year the Blue Oval introduced the world to the Edge, its main player in the hotly contested market.

Ford also contends that the over 400,000 Edge CUVs have sold since late 2006, making it the best-selling mid-size crossover over that period of time. Don’t expect that growth to slow down any time soon, either, as Ford projects the CUV segment will increase another few percentage points in 2011. In fact, the market for CUVs will grow to be as large as that of full-size pickup trucks.

In order to meet the increased demand it expects for CUVs, Ford has sharpened its Edge (sorry, couldn’t resist) for the 2011 model year. Of special note are the two new drivetrain choices that join the standard 3.5-liter V6 engine, a 2.0-liter EcoBoost with 285 horsepower and a 3.5-horsepower 3.7 Ti-VCT V6 in the newly beefed-up Edge Sport.

The House that Henry Built is also quick to point out that its next-gen Edge will come with a full suite of technology options, including Sync and MyFord Touch. So, will all of this added goodness equal a worthwhile improvement to the hot-selling previous-generation Edge? Stay tuned for a First Ride report, and feel free to click past the break for Ford’s official press release.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Edge Sport

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading 2011 Ford Edge begins shipping to dealers as model hits 400,000 units

2011 Ford Edge begins shipping to dealers as model hits 400,000 units originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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