2011 Archives | Page 52 of 57

Roush Yates to supply Ford EcoBoost V6 for 2011 ALMS competition

Filed under: Motorsports, Ford, Racing

Roush Yates Engines has announced that it will be offering up a race-prepared version of Ford’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 for American Le Mans Series prototype competition in 2011. Roush Yates is developing the engines for use under the new 2011 LMP2 rules that require production-based engines. This will be the first competition application for Ford’s twin-turbocharged and direct injected V6 that debuted in 2009.

The first chassis constructor to announce support for the Ford V6 is Lola, with installation kits available for both its open-top and closed coupe 2011 LMP2 cars. According to Roush Yates spokesperson Kenna Primm, the race engine will be reduced down to the 3.2-liter maximum allowed under ALMS rules compared to the 2.8-liter displacement of the twin-turbo V6 announced by Honda at Le Mans in June. Output will likely be somewhere around 400 horsepower.

In addition to the EcoBoost V6, Roush Yates is also evaluating a race version of the Mustang’s 5.0-liter V8 for ALMS competition.

[Source: American Le Mans Series]

Continue reading Roush Yates to supply Ford EcoBoost V6 for 2011 ALMS competition

Roush Yates to supply Ford EcoBoost V6 for 2011 ALMS competition originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Scion tC to start at $18,275*

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Budget, Scion

2011 Scion tC – Click above for high-res image gallery

In case you missed it, Scion tossed us the keys to its new 2011 tC coupe and we dutifully put it through its paces out in San Diego and wrote up a First Drive report. You should read it. But if you won’t, here’s one salient bit of data that we thought was worth sharing again: $18,275.

Yep, you guessed it. That’s the starting price of the 2011 Scion tC, and don’t forget to tack on another $720 for destination. Buyers who’d rather let the six-speed automatic do the shifting for them will need to shell out an additional grand over the standard six-speed manual. We’d advise sticking with the manual, but we know 70 percent of buyers will disagree…

Want one? Scion promises the 2011 tC will hit dealerships on October 1st, so you’d best start saving your pennies now.

Gallery: 2011 Scion tC: First Drive

[Source: Scion]

2011 Scion tC to start at $18,275* originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2011 Scion tC is a bolder swipe at Generation Y

Filed under: Coupe, Budget, Hatchback, Scion, First Drive

NOTE: Our first drive report of the 2011 Scion tC was originally published at 9am EST when Toyota’s embargo lifted. We didn’t want you to miss it, so check it out below.

2011 Scion tC – Click above for high-res image gallery

There’s no demographic that’s targeted more often than young, affluent males. Though these buyers may not have quite as much expendable income to throw at new car purchases than say older, affluent males, automakers are still very keen to cater to the needs of Generation Y with the hope of earning a customer for life.

The tC is Scion’s most important product.

Toyota is no different than any other automaker in this regard; perhaps even more so as the Japanese giant’s customer base is just about as old as that of Buick. To resolve that issue, Toyota created the Scion brand in North America back in 2002 and has been marketing the heck out of its up-and-coming feeder marque ever since.

The ploy has mostly been successful. Toyota merrily points out that Scion has the youngest average customer in the industry and that 71 percent of all 800,000 or so Scions have been sold to buyers who are new to the Toyota family. Interestingly enough, with a median age of 26, it’s the tC coupe’s 310,000 total sales since 2002 (accounting for 41 percent of all Scion production) that manages to attract the youngest customers of all.

In other words, while the funky xB may be the most recognizable, it’s actually the tC that is the brand’s most important product. Therefore, Scion absolutely needs the new 2011 tC to be a runaway hit. Especially since the second-generation of the xB has, by many measures, failed to live up to the success of its straight-ruled predecessor.

So does the new tC pass muster? We set out to answer that very question when we grabbed the keys in sunny San Diego. Read on to find out what we learned.

Gallery: 2011 Scion tC: First Drive

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Scion tC is a bolder swipe at Generation Y

First Drive: 2011 Scion tC is a bolder swipe at Generation Y originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Look: 2011 Toyota Highlander to launch at Moscow Motor Show next month

Filed under: Crossover, Toyota, Misc. Auto Shows, Russia, Design/Style

2011 Toyota Highlander – Click above to enlarge

Toyota Europe has confirmed to Autoblog that the automaker’s popular Highlander crossover will go on sale in Russia and the Ukraine for the first time ever. Why should Statesiders care? Because the new-look model above will be unveiled at the Moscow Motor Show on August 25, and it’s almost certain to be the refreshed CUV that we will receive in North America.

From the looks of things, the 2011 Highlander will retain its strong body lines, but ditch the conservative front fascia of the 2010 model in favor of a leaner, more aggressive nose with angry looking headlamps. With appropriate helpings of chrome in all the right places, the new Highlander is downright handsome. As this is the only shot that we have, we don’t know what’s going on at the rear, but we would expect redesigned taillamps and perhaps some revamped trim. From what we can see, the Highlander’s profile appears unchanged, save perhaps for a new wheel pattern and a very discreet set of turn signal repeaters in the mirrors.

While we have no confirmation that we will receive this same model, European officials believe that it will make it to North America with “more or less the same look.” The Highlander is only built in three places at the moment – China, Japan and in Indiana, so it doesn’t seem likely that Toyota would bother to develop new sheetmetal for select European markets without disbursing it elsewhere.

Unfortunately, we don’t know too much about what’s going on under that hood or in the cabin. So far, the only thing that Toyota Europe has confirmed with us is that the hybrid version of the Highlander won’t be available in those markets. We’ll just have to wait for details from the Moscow Motor Show for more information. Thanks for the tip, Mike!

First Look: 2011 Toyota Highlander to launch at Moscow Motor Show next month originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scion iQ to hit dealerships in March 2011

Filed under: Coupe, Scion, Toyota

2011 Scion iQ – Click above for high-res image gallery

We’ve all heard the rhetoric about how small cars are primed to be big sellers over the next few years, and nobody seems to be responding to that direction sooner than Toyota. The Japanese automaker is getting ready to challenge the diminutive Smart Fortwo here in the United States with the Scion iQ, and we’ve just been told by Toyota representatives to expect it to hit dealer showrooms around March of next year.

Unlike its main competitor, the iQ sports a unique 3+1 seating arrangement that will allow three real-sized human beings to fit in the car with an extra spot for a munchkin or car seat. Scion also promises that its micro car will boast real storage capacity, which is an important factor if people have any inkling to use their urban runabout as a second car.

Expect a price somewhere in the vicinity of the Fortwo when the iQ hits the streets early next year.

Gallery: New York 2010: Scion iQ

Scion iQ to hit dealerships in March 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2011 Ford Fiesta SES promises the democratization of fun

Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Ford, Reviews

2011 Ford Fiesta SES shown

2011 Ford Fiesta SES – Click above for high-res image gallery

Remember when economy cars offered few concessions beyond roll-your-own windows, rear window defrosters and AM radios? It was only a handful of years ago that features on our 2011 Ford Fiesta SES tester would’ve qualified it for premium car status – if indeed items like Bluetooth, SYNC, a capless fuel fill and knee airbags were even available.

There’s no denying the steady trickledown of luxury goods into workaday iron, and the Fiesta is rolling proof.

As you might also recall, back about 10 years ago, Ford executives and those charged with its British outpost, Jaguar, worked themselves into a froth over the possibilities offered by ‘The Democratization of Luxury’ – boldly and conveniently overlooking that when a premium feature becomes affordable to everyone, it ceases to be a luxury at all. And while this sort of marketing doublespeak was the undoing of the ill-conceived Jaguar X-Type – and perhaps the undoing of Ford’s ownership of Coventry’s favorite feline altogether – there’s no denying the steady trickledown of luxury goods into workaday iron, and the Fiesta is rolling proof.

Of course, any automaker can lash a bunch of features onto a car and call it a day, but it’s not a real value unless all of those baubles and braze-ons are bungeed to a platform and drivetrain whose creators have that whole engineering ‘special sauce’ thing figured out. In other words, the democratization of luxury is one thing – but does the Fiesta deliver the democratization of fun? Click through to the jump to find out.

Gallery: Review: 2011 Ford Fiesta SES

Continue reading Review: 2011 Ford Fiesta SES promises the democratization of fun

Review: 2011 Ford Fiesta SES promises the democratization of fun originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Aug 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Nissan Quest unveiled in Japan as Elgrand

Filed under: Budget, Minivan/Van, Japan, Nissan

2011 Nissan Elgrand – Click above for high-res image gallery

Nissan is set to release the next-generation Quest minivan in the States later this year, but we may have gotten an early peek at the people mover thanks to Japanese unveil. Nissan pulled the sheets off of its JDM-only Elgrand – the corporate cousin to the Quest – and the van looks suspiciously similar to the teaser shots of the U.S. version we’ve seen so far. If the information on the Elgrand is any indication, buyers can look forward to getting their minivan with either a 3.5-liter V6 or a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, with all-wheel drive available on select models and both seven and eight passenger configurations.

That’s not to say the two vehicles will be identical. For one thing, it appears that the American version of the van will wear slightly tweaked front and rear fascias compared to what we can see on the Elgrand. Likewise, we expect significant changes to the interior for the American market when the 2011 Quest debuts at the LA Auto Show in November.

Gallery: 2011 Nissan Elgrand

[Source: NISMO Stuff, Nissan]

2011 Nissan Quest unveiled in Japan as Elgrand originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Chevrolet Volt has knock sensor, can run on regular gas

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Chevrolet, GM

2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery

When General Motors announced pricing for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt last week, one new technical detail grabbed some attention. Vehicle line director Tony Posawatz was apparently the first exec to mention to the press that the range-extending engine in the Volt had been calibrated to run on premium gasoline.

There have been some question about what happens if you put regular gas in the tank and whether that would damage the engine. GM powertrain spokesman Tom Read confirmed to Autoblog that the Volt’s 1.4-liter inline-four is equipped with a block-mounted knock sensor like virtually every other modern engine. The engine is calibrated for premium with extra spark advance to optimize the efficiency and output of the engine. If regular gas is used, the knock sensor will adjust the spark advance to prevent engine damage. Premium gas also reportedly has a longer shelf life than regular, which could be an issue for Volt drivers who maximize their plug-in’s electric capability by using as little gasoline as possible.

Gallery: Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Volt

Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Facebook, General Motors]

2011 Chevrolet Volt has knock sensor, can run on regular gas originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai confirms 2011 Elantra to arrive in U.S. by end of the year

Filed under: Sedan, Hyundai

2011 Hyundai Avante/Elantra – Click above for high-res image gallery

Hyundai’s all-new Avante compact sedan is officially on sale in South Korea as of today, and it’s coming to the U.S. market by the end of the year as the 2011 Elantra. The Avante debuted at the Busan show in Korea last spring and features a further evolution of the “fluidic sculpture’ look from the Sonata that Hyundai is calling “wind craft.” Whatever it’s called, this is a much more assertive design than the outgoing Elantra and should be a strong competitor to the Chevrolet Cruze and Ford Focus.

Overall length has been stretched by about one inch and the axles are now two inches further apart. Hyundai isn’t giving any specifications for overseas markets yet, but the Avante is propelled by a new direct-injected version of the company’s 1.6-liter Gamma inline-four. In KDM trim, it’s rated at 138 horsepower and 123 pound-feet of torque. Fuel consumption at home comes out 38.8 miles per gallon (U.S.) combined.

Gallery: 2011 Hyundai Avante / Elantra

[Source: Hyundai]

Continue reading Hyundai confirms 2011 Elantra to arrive in U.S. by end of the year

Hyundai confirms 2011 Elantra to arrive in U.S. by end of the year originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All-electric Saab 9-3 test fleet reportedly to launch in early 2011

Filed under: Sedan, Saab, Electric

During a media launch for the 2011 Saab 9-5, company executives revealed plans to introduce a test fleet of electric vehicles based on the upcoming 9-3. As Inside Line reports, Saab execs confirmed that the test fleet of EVs will roll out in early 2011 and will be deployed at various locations across the globe, including Saab’s hometown of Trollhattan, Sweden.

Saab’s “100 percent electric vehicle” test fleet is a joint effort between the automaker, lithium ion battery producer Boston-Power, electric propulsion systems manufacturer Electroengine and the Swedish Energy Authority. Saab Automobile AB managing director Jan Ake Jonsson said:

The main purpose is to draw technology from this test fleet, technology that we can then incorporate quickly. The key target short-term is to drive fuel consumption down. You can electrify certain portions of the vehicle.

When prodded about a target release date for a mass-production EV, Jonsson ducked out by stating:

Everybody is looking at that question. Nobody has an answer. It will take some time.

Without official word from Jonsson, we’ll have to fall back on the previous comments of Saab’s chief executive officer Victor Muller, who suggested that 2016 is the year the company will go for electrification.

[Source: Inside Line]

All-electric Saab 9-3 test fleet reportedly to launch in early 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Aug 2010 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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