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Nissan blows by Honda in global automotive sales

Filed under: Honda, Nissan

In the U.S., the pecking order among Japanese automakers looks like this: Way out in front is Toyota, followed by Honda and Nissan respectively. On a global scale, however, Nissan has finally leapfrogged Honda for second banana status. Torque News reports that Nissan’s global sales soared 21 percent in 2010 due in part to exploding business in China. All told, Nissan moved 4.08 million units during the calendar year.

Honda also saw increased sales, but it managed only a five percent gain. That’s 3.56 million vehicles sold, or about 500,000 fewer units than its rival. 2010 was a very solid year for Nissan, as well its alliance partner Renault, which also fared very well. Together the two automakers combined to sell 7.3 million cars and trucks. That’s more than Ford or Volkswagen, though Renault-Nissan sales aren’t officially counted together when the final rankings are tabulated at the end of the year. Toyota led all automaker sales for the year, followed by General Motors and VW.

[Source: The Detroit Bureau]

Nissan blows by Honda in global automotive sales originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 30 Jan 2011 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Best and Worst Automotive Trends of 2010

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Technology, Design/Style

Best and Worst Automotive Trends of 2010

What a year. After the out-and-out implosion of the car market in 2009, no one quite knew what to expect from 2010. It would have been impossible to predict the rise of both General Motors and Chrysler from the bowels of Chapter 11 to the relatively comfortable perches they now occupy, or the depths to which the Toyota recall spiral would plummet. But 2010 wasn’t just about big stories, either. The past year saw a horde of trends both good and bad rise to the surface, and we’ve picked a handful of notables to share.

Hit the jump to check them out.

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The Best and Worst Automotive Trends of 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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National Automotive History Collection dubs Chevy Camaro ‘Collectible Car of the Future’

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet

2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS

2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS – Click above for high-res image gallery

If you’re looking for the most collectible American-made vehicle on sale right now, you might want to stop by your local Chevrolet dealer. According to the Friends of the National Automotive History Collection, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro is the most collectible car on sale right now. Each year, members of the organization get together to vote for the single domestically produced car or truck that’s bound to be a good return on investment later down the line. There’s no arguing that the 2010 Camaro is a hot piece of metal, but we could think of a few other vehicles that could have nabbed the honor.

Such as? We’re glad you asked.

If it were us picking, we’d lay a finger on the 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. With the amount of abuse those trucks are designed to take, we can imagine that the future won’t exactly be littered with operational examples, much less show-room quality trucks. Throw the simple fact that Ford will only build a small number of the desert pounders compared to the fleets of Camaro models rolling out of Canada, and you’ve got an even better case for a future moneymaker. But hey, who are we to argue with the group that picked the Chrysler Sebring Convertible as a winner in 1996? Hit the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS

[Source: Detroit Public Library]

Continue reading National Automotive History Collection dubs Chevy Camaro ‘Collectible Car of the Future’

National Automotive History Collection dubs Chevy Camaro ‘Collectible Car of the Future’ originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top Gear USA could just become your second favorite automotive television show

Filed under: Etc., Videos

Top Gear USA Lamborghini

Top Gear USA runs with the bulls – Click above to watch video after the jump

On Monday, October 18th 2010, Michael Harley and I had the opportunity to attend a taping of an episode of the upcoming Top Gear USA series. As we all know by now, the show is a new version of the BBC original and as a huge fan of that show, my expectations were set to “neutral” for the American spin-off. Harley and I entered an old airplane hanger located on the former El Toro Marine Base in Irvine, California and were immediately impressed by what we saw.

Hit the jump for our impressions.

Continue reading Top Gear USA could just become your second favorite automotive television show

Top Gear USA could just become your second favorite automotive television show originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 20:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Automotive X Prize: And the winners are… (spoiler alert)

Filed under: Hybrid, Earnings/Financials, Specialty, Electric

Automotive X-Prize vehicles line up in the Knockout Stage – Click above for high-res image gallery

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to meet the winners of the 2010 Progressive Insurance Automotive X-Prize. But before we get to declaring the victors, let’s take one last look at the finalists:

Mainstream Class

Edison2, Very Light Car (team name, car name)

Alternative Class – Tandem

X-Tracer, E-Tracer

Alternative Class – Side-by-Side

Aptera, Aptera 2e
Li-ion Motors, Wave II
RaceAbout Association, RaceAbout
TW4XP, TW4XP
ZAP, Alias

Gallery: Automotive X-Prize Knockout Stage

Want to see the actual winners (besides the two that are rather obvious, of course)? Click past the jump.

Continue reading Automotive X Prize: And the winners are… (spoiler alert)

Automotive X Prize: And the winners are… (spoiler alert) originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Event Alert: September 2010 Calendar of Automotive Events

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Auctions, Paris Motor Show, Event Alert

September means the end of summer vacation, but the automotive festivities continue, including the Paris Motor Show at the very end of the month. We’ll have a full team coverage in the City of Lights, but that’s almost a month away. Between now and then there are hundreds of car-related events to keep all but the most rabid gearheads satisfied.

While our coverage of Monterey and the Woodward Dream Cruise last month gave us a year’s worth of classic and collectible car memories, September has a lot more to offer for classic car fans. Here’s some highlights:

Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival
The Great Labor Day Cruise
Chico Concours d’Elegance
Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance
Kirkland Concours d’Elegance
Coastline Car Classic & Motoring Road Rally
Belmont Shore Car Show
Fairfield County Concours d’Elegance
Japanese Classic Car Show
Salisbury Concours d’Elegance
Route 66 Rendezvous
Glenmoor Gathering
Palos Verdes Concours d’Elegance
Capitol Concours d’Elegance
Cruisin’ For A Cure
New York Motorexpo
San Diego Hi-Performance Expo

If you’d like to buy your own classic, there are plenty of auctions in September as well: RM Auctions: Auburn Fall Collector Car Auction, Worldwide Auctioneers Auburn Auction, The Branson Auction, Vintage Toy Vehicle Auction, Mecum St. Charles Auction and the Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas Auction.

Racing fans can take in Formula 1 action during the Italian and Singapore Grands Prix. NASCAR has stops at Atlanta, Richmond, New Hampshire and Dover. IndyCar heads to Kentucky and Japan in September before wrapping up the 2010 season in Miami in October. The WRC hosts the Rally Japan this month, while the ALMS heads to Georgia for the Petit Le Mans at the end of the month. Grand-Am fanciers can catch the last race of the season at Miller Motorsports Park. Two-wheel fans can see the AMA Pro Superbike Championship at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

If none of those events appeal to you, check out our Google Calendar after the jump for even more listings, all with detailed info and links. And please don’t forget to use the comments section to add or modify listings.

Continue reading Event Alert: September 2010 Calendar of Automotive Events

Event Alert: September 2010 Calendar of Automotive Events originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motor Inn: Stuttgart’s Meilenwerk V8 Hotel is pure automotive kitsch

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Europe, Design/Style

Meilenwerk Hotel – Click above for high-res image gallery

Theme hotels have fallen off significantly since the rise of the interstate. Whereas once our nation’s highways were dotted with any number of clever themed establishments for passing a night away from home, now we’re typically treated to hotel chains with less personality than a Number 2 pencil. Fortunately, ze Germans are on it. If you happen to find yourself traveling in or around Stuttgart, you might want to stop in at the Meilenwerk, a.k.a. the V8 Hotel – lodging that offers up special accommodations for the auto obsessed among us. With 34 rooms total, a handful of suites are gussied up with special themes that include some pretty wild décor.

Always wanted to spend the night snoozing away in a Cadillac? No problem. Does driving a Mercedes-Benz through a car wash make you want to take a nap? This hotel has you covered. You can even opt to sleep in a Morris-Minor garage if your heart so desires. Room rates vary with season, but the top-of-the-line Zeppelin Suite will set you back around $489 per night.

Gallery: Meilenwerk Hotel

[Source: V8Hotel.de via The Daily Telegraph]

Motor Inn: Stuttgart’s Meilenwerk V8 Hotel is pure automotive kitsch originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sondergard Automotive looking for startup capital for lighweight, low C02 roadster… on eBay?

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Earnings/Financials, Design/Style, Diesel

Sondergard Automotive Prototype – Click above for high-res image gallery

It’s hard to get a car company off of the ground these days – just look at Tesla. Despite strong financial backing from the federal government, partnerships with companies like Mercedes-Benz and Toyota and a strong IPO, many are still gun shy of Tesla stock. It’s notoriously difficult to come up with the kind of capital necessary to move a vehicle from a computer rendering to a full-blown production prototype, which may be why it appears that Sondergard Automotive has taken to courting investors via the miracle of eBay Motors. The company is primarily concerned with building a low-weight, low-emission sports car that’s as fun to drive as it is eco friendly.

According to the eBay ad, the company has already come up with one prototype that weighs just 1,300 lbs but packs more than 330 horsepower from an efficient diesel engine. How efficient? The company claims fuel economy well above the 80 mpg mark. Color us skeptical. If you’re more of the optimistic persuasion, Sondergard is looking for an investor willing to drop $7 million to fund the Lotus Seven/Donkervoort-like project, though it will also consider a number of smaller backers with the need to pony up $500,000 each. For more information, check out the company’s eBay auction listing.

Gallery: Sondergard Automotive Prototype

[Source: eBay Motors]

Sondergard Automotive looking for startup capital for lighweight, low C02 roadster… on eBay? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog tours the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in Philadelphia

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Etc.

Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum

Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum – Click above for high-res image gallery

While traveling the country as part of the 2010 Mini Takes The States road rally, we stopped off at Philadelphia’s Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum to get a closer look at some of the iconic cars that helped shape motorsport as we know it. This museum represents the personal collection of Dr. Frederick Simeone and features over 60 different cars from the full spectrum of automakers.

The museum isn’t as glitzy and glamorous as you might expect, but that’s not to say it’s lackluster, either. There are no spotlights or interactive displays, and there are no one-offs or custom builds. Instead, you get an array of cars that saw actual competition. LeMans, Brooklands, Sebring, the Mille Miglia – it’s all on display. What’s more, the museum regularly takes the cars out to its three-acre parking lot for demonstration days.

Located near Philadelphia International Airport, the Simeone museum is open six days a week, and admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, $8 for students and free for children ages eight and under. Group rates are available, and complete details are available over at the museum’s website.

Scroll through our gallery below for a few dozen high-resolution photos of the beautiful cars on display, and if you’re ever in Philadelphia, be sure to stop by and see the collection firsthand.

Gallery: Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum

Autoblog tours the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in Philadelphia originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 07 Aug 2010 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World’s most expensive car now on display at the Mullin Automotive Museum

Filed under: Classics, Bugatti

1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic at the Mullin Automotive Museum – Click above for high-res image gallery

Back in May history was made when an unnamed buyer shelled out a record $30-$40 million for a 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic. Regarded as one of the most beautiful cars in the world, this particular 57SC Atlantic is just one of three built and one of only two still in existence. The sale, done through the Gooding & Company auction house, is the second time this exact car exchanged hands for a record sum. The previous owner, Dr. Peter Williamson, purchased the car in 1971 for the unheard of price of $59,000. The car competed in the 2003 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and was easily declared the Best of Show.

While the 57SC Atlantic rarely made public appearances outside prestigious concours events, the Mullin Automotive Museum has announced that they will have the car on display at its Oxnard, CA facility starting on August 10th. “I am honored to have the opportunity to display the Bugatti Atlantic at our Art Deco museum,” said Peter Mullin. “In the historic pantheon of automobiles the Atlantic is without peer.”

Those interested in seeing the car in person can head over to the museum’s web site. Tickets must be purchased in advance for select viewing days. Follow the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic at the Mullin Automotive Museum

[Source: Mullin Automotive Museum]

Continue reading World’s most expensive car now on display at the Mullin Automotive Museum

World’s most expensive car now on display at the Mullin Automotive Museum originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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