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Auto execs answer our questions… and yours

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show

Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne answering questions – Click above to read more

We told Autoblog readers that we had a few questions for auto executives at the North American International Auto Show that we would be asking. We did get to ask most of our questions, but even better, we got to ask a bunch of questions that you, our readers had.

We didn’t get to all of them, but we are going to do our best via follow-up email, as well as the upcoming Washington DC and Chicago auto shows. Stay tuned for another column where we tackle even more of your questions. This is just Part One.

Q: Can we get a diesel Jeep Wrangler?
A: Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said a diesel is very desirable in the Wrangler and a distinct possibility. There is demand for it. Other Chrysler execs even told Autoblog there is a business case trying to be made. Stay tuned.

Q: How about a Focus SVT?
A: You got it. Except it’s called the Focus ST, like in Europe. Ford decided it should have one nomenclature worldwide.

Q: Ford Global rear-drive platform for a Lincoln luxury car?
A: Chief marketer James Farley says he doesn’t believe that Lincoln really needs an up-market luxury car to thrive. He says the heart of the luxury market going forward is $30,000-$50,000. More important than an up-market rear-wheel-drive sports car is the entry level Lincoln being developed off the Focus platform. That will be pieced under the new MKZ, which will have a design distinct from the next Fusion.

Continue reading for more answers.

[Image: Bill Pugliano/Getty]

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Auto execs answer our questions… and yours originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Torture-tested Ford EcoBoost V6 engine torn down at Detroit Auto Show

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Truck, Ford

Exactly as promised, Ford sent a couple of technicians to the show floor at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show in front of a live audience to disassemble the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine that was torture-tested for the equivalent of a few hundred thousand miles of rigorous duty on the dyno and in the engine bay of various F-Series trucks.

How’d it fair? Rather well, we’d say, and it managed to churn out 364 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque on the dyno after all the abuse it took. That matches up rather well with the factory ratings of 365 horses and 420 lb-ft.

As you might expect, there was a good amount of carbon build-up on the piston crowns and the valves – think of how much dust was surely ingested over the course of 1,062 miles of the Baja 1000 race, which this engine took part in, finishing first overall in its class – along with a 13-percent loss on one cylinder during the leak-down test. All other initial measurements were well within factory tolerances, and Ford will continue testing each individual piece from this engine to ensure its durability.

No doubt about it, this is an impressive showing for the EcoBoost engine. See plenty more pictures and a first-hand recounting of the tear-down process at PickupTrucks.com.

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

Torture-tested Ford EcoBoost V6 engine torn down at Detroit Auto Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota and Lexus show off at Tokyo Auto Salon

Filed under: Aftermarket, Concept Cars, Coupe, Sedan, Hatchback, Lexus, Toyota, Tokyo Auto Salon, Design/Style

Lexus F-Sport CT200h

Lexus F-Sport CT200h – Click above for high-res image gallery

You’ve seen the Toyota GRMN iQ Racing Concept (lucky you!), and now it’s time to divert your attention towards the rest of the Japanese automaker’s wares being shown off at the Tokyo Auto Salon.

First up is the Toyota Prius G Sports Concept, which features the kind of gaping maw only the Mama Cylon could love. Rounding out Toyota’s offerings is the TRD Auris GT Concept, which we think actually looks kinda nifty with its subdued body kit and blindingly bright yellow paint.

Lexus wasn’t left out of the proceedings either, and its machines are arguably more interesting than its mothership’s. There’s the F-Sport CT 200h (a future production model) taking center stage with its unique alloy wheels, body kit and Recaro seats, which is joined by the IS F Club Circuit Sports Racer and a set of Club Performance Accessories for the IS F that include front and rear spoilers and a carbon fiber hood.

Last but certainly not least is the Gazoo Racing Lexus LFA supercar that raced at last year’s Nürburgring 24 Hours race. See both sets of vehicular craziness in our high-res image galleries below, then check out all the details in the press releases after the break.

Gallery: Toyota at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon

Toyota TRD Auris GT Concept Toyota Prius G Sports Concept Toyota GRMN iQ Racing Concept

Gallery: Lexus at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon

Lexus F-Sport CT 200h Lexus IS F Club Circuit Sports Racer Lexus IS F Club Performance Accessories Gazoo Racing Lexus LFA

[Source: Toyota]

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Toyota and Lexus show off at Tokyo Auto Salon originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: CAR projects Michigan will net up to 23,000 new auto jobs in 2011

Filed under: Chrysler, Ford, GM

Ford Explorer assembly line

The fourth quarter of 2010 showed strengthening auto sales, and analysts believe 2011 will reveal further sales growth. That will likely lead to more profit for automakers, and The Detroit News reports that Michigan jobs could follow. The report cites findings by the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) that show up to 23,000 new Michigan jobs in 2011 alone.

That’s a huge number of high wage jobs in a region still burdened with unemployment levels over 10 percent, and a big reason the Mitten State is projected to be a jobs winner is a shift in the competitive landscape. Ford and General Motors are making money in a down auto market and Chrysler was breaking even even before refreshing most of its vehicle lineup. CAR points out that the Detroit Three are also competitive on labor and legacy costs, quality and manufacturing efficiency, which frees up more money for product development.

CAR has reportedly been able to track at least $5.6 billion in announced projects in Michigan over the past 24 months, and the industry continues to recover from the Great Recession; a number that stands a good chance of increasing.

[Source: Detroit News | Image: M. Spencer Green/AFP/Getty]

Report: CAR projects Michigan will net up to 23,000 new auto jobs in 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota GRMN iQ Racing Concept headlines TMC’s Tokyo Auto Salon roster

Toyota GRMN iQ Racing Concept – Click above for high-res image

SEMA may take the proverbial cake for the American tuner scene, but the Vegas expo isn’t the only tuner show in the world. And with the Tokyo Auto Salon currently underway, Toyota has a wide variety of cars on display under various labels and divisions.

The vehicle you see above is the GRMN iQ Racing Concept. Lest you think the four letters indicate some kind of special nav system, it stands for Gazoo Racing tuned by MN – the same outfit that prepared the Nürburgring 24-winning Lexus LFA racer.

Little in the way of details were released along with the solitary image other than to say that it’s based on a limited-edition model that’s already sold out, and fitted with a roll cage and supercharger. It’s one of seventeen vehicles prepared by the Toyota Motor Corporation and its subsidiaries for the show, including versions of the Prius, Vitz (aka Yaris), Auris, Corolla, Noah, FJ Cruiser, Ractis, Lexus CT and IS F and more, modified by Gazoo, Toyota Racing Development, G Sports and even the Fuji Speedway and a staff collective known as the Toyota Engineering Society. Read all about it in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Toyota]

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Toyota GRMN iQ Racing Concept headlines TMC’s Tokyo Auto Salon roster originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Jan 2011 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Thieves swipe $140K BMW 7 Series in Detroit during auto show

2010 BMW 760Li – Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2011 Detroit Auto Show is proving to be more eventful for BMW than the automaker had originally intended. As workers were preparing to load a BMW 7 Series onto a transport truck near Detroit’s Westin Book Cadillac hotel, a pair of thieves jumped in and drove off with the German luxury sedan. The car is said to be worth $140,000, and as of this writing, local police have had no luck tracking down the stolen vehicle. Thankfully, this 7 Series is equipped with BMW Assist, which locates a vehicle if it’s stolen, so it’s only a matter of time before cops close in on the BMW bandits.

If some brand new 7 Series parts wind up on Craigslist’s Detroit-area ‘for sale’ section, we’re willing to bet the sale price is too-good-to-be-true for a reason.

Gallery: 2010 BMW 760Li: Quick Spin

2010 BMW 760Li

Photos copyright (C)2011 Steven J. Ewing / AOL

[Source: The Detroit Free Press]

Report: Thieves swipe $140K BMW 7 Series in Detroit during auto show originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #212: Detroit Auto Show recap

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Podcasts, Audi, Buick, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Lexus, Mazda, Nissan

Autoblog podcast logo

Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!

Episode #212 of the Autoblog Podcast is the remedy to our post-Detroit Show hangover, with Chris Shunk, Dan Roth and Chris Paukert all weighing in. We start with the Autoblog Garage and then cover some of our personal impressions of the goings-on at Cobo. It’s a wide-ranging discussion that covers the Buick Verano, Honda Civic, Toyota Prius V, Ford C-Max, Volkswagen Passat, Ford Vertrek, Hyundai Veloster and Chevrolet Sonic, among other highlights. We prattle on for an hour and twenty-two minutes before we run out of steam and call it a night. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #212: Detroit Auto Show recap

In the Autoblog Garage:

2011 Lexus GX 460
2011 Audi TTS
2012 Mazda5

News Topics:

Autoblog’s complete coverage of the 2011 North American International Auto Show

Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Chris Paukert
Runtime: 01:21:53

Get the podcast:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
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[MP3] Download the MP3 directly

Feedback:
Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com
Voicemail: 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763)

Review the show in iTunes and take our survey

Autoblog Podcast #212: Detroit Auto Show recap originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Detroit Auto Show: Editors’ Choice for Top Five Vehicles

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show

It’s never easy to reach a unanimous decision when it comes time for our group of auto-obsessive bloggers to choose any sort of list that involves automobiles. In the case of the Top Five Introductions from the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, the process was especially difficult.

Somewhat surprisingly, most everyone agreed rather quickly on positions one and two, but from there, the waters were much murkier. In the end, though, we made our arguments for and against, considered each others’ viewpoints and, after much weeping and gnashing of teeth, had ourselves a workable list.

Follow the jump to see the fruits of our labor.

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2011 Detroit Auto Show: Editors’ Choice for Top Five Vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Obsessively covering the 2011 Detroit Auto Show: Day 1

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show

Production Cars

2012 Audi A6	2012 Audi A6 Hybrid	2012 Buick Verano
2012 BMW 650i Convertible	2012 BMW 1 Series M Coupe	2012 Chevrolet Sonic
2011 Chrysler 300	2012 Ford C-Max	2012 Hyundai Veloster
2012 Toyota Prius V	2012 Volkswagen Passat	Cadillac CTS-V Coupe SCCA

Concept Cars

Ford Vertrek	Ford C-Max Energi	Honda Civic
Kia KV7	Mini Paceman	Mercedes-Benz SLS E-Cell
Porsche 918 RSR	Toyota Prius C

Obsessively covering the 2011 Detroit Auto Show: Day 1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 20:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NADA projects 11.3% rise in auto sales in 2011

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc.

Shopping for a Hyundai Genesis Coupe

The US Auto Industry may be looking at a 2011 filled with sales gains, if NADA’s forecasters are correct. The National Automobile Dealer’s Association predicts that US auto sales will rise 11.3 percent. That puts total volume just shy of 13 million units.

The reason for the increase? The average age of cars and trucks on the road is approximately 10.3 years. Therefore, the increased sales will be driven by consumer needs rather than desires. Basically, people will have to upgrade their heaps for something shiny and new (and running).

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req. | Image: Kevork Djansezian/Getty]

NADA projects 11.3% rise in auto sales in 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 09 Jan 2011 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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