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Report: Alfa Romeo dumping FWD Mito, Giulietta hatches in favor of RWD sedans

Filed under: Europe, Alfa Romeo

Europeans should be dancing in their nearest piazza, as Alfa Romeo is ditching its front-drive MiTo and Giulietta to return to its rear-drive roots, according to a report from the UK’s Car. The switch is expected to happen in 2015, and is meant to bring Alfa Romeo closer to Maserati.

Car is claiming that a 3 Series-fighting Alfa will hit the streets first, followed by a larger model to contend with the 5 Series. After that, Alfa will field a pair of SUVs, its first models of that body style. We sincerely hope all of these cars come with sweet-sounding, high-revving six-cylinder engines.

While we’re quite happy for European gearheads, the shift in logic has us wondering, once again, what this means for Alfa Romeo’s long-promised return to the US of A. Both the MiTo and Giulietta were slated for the US market at some point in 2013, according our most recent report. We’re half way through the year now, and there hasn’t been so much as a whimper indicating that timetable would work.

Based on remarks Sergio Marchionne made at this year’s Detroit Auto Show, bringing Alfa back properly is more important than bringing it back quickly. That logic could explain this latest possible delay. Getting American Alfa Romeos right for Americans could also explain things, which is perhaps a lesson learned from the Dart’s rushed launch.

In any case, with this news that two of the core models of Alfa’s US return are being ditched within the next 30 or so months, we’re left wondering (again) when the legendary Italian brand will return to our shores.

Alfa Romeo dumping FWD Mito, Giulietta hatches in favor of RWD sedans originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Jul 2013 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All-wheel drive finds favor with Lincoln buyers

Filed under: Car Buying, Lincoln

2011 lincoln mkz

Audi may be the king when it comes to premium vehicles fitted with all-wheel drive. Lincoln, however, must be taking notes because its customers prefer their luxified-Fords with the four-wheel motion as well. Every model in the automaker’s current lineup is available with all-wheel drive, and lots of folks are checking that particular box on the order form.

It seems 2011 will go down as Lincoln’s assault on four powered wheels. So far this year, 72 percent of MKT customers have opted for AWD while 62 percent of those purchasing the MKX have done the same. Of course, as you move into the automaker’s sedans these numbers begin to fall, which is to be expected. Still, 46 percent of MKS shoppers choose the all-wheel-drive version and a quarter of MKZ sedans purchased are prepped for bad-weather driving.

Let’s not forget the Navigator (yep, they still make it), which gets all-wheel drive 62 percent of the time.

Lincoln is enjoying this shift in consumer desire, as all-wheel-drive vehicles command anywhere from $1,850 to $6,890 extra when compared to their non-AWD counterparts. Full press release from Lincoln after the jump.

[Source: Lincoln]

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All-wheel drive finds favor with Lincoln buyers originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Senate unanimously rules in favor of noisy hybrids, electric cars

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Safety, Electric

Regardless of whether or not there’s an actual need for pedestrian warning systems for hybrid and electric vehicles, the U.S. Senate has voted unanimously to approve a measure that would make the noise-adding setup standard on all vehicles that can operate – even if just momentarily – without the burble of an engine.

The measure, called the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010 and backed by Democratic Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, aims to establish standards for alerting pedestrians of the possible danger of an approaching vehicle that moves in near silence. With the Senate voting in favor of the bill, it will now head off to the House of Representatives, where it’s expected to pass with ease.

[Source: Green Car Advisor]

Senate unanimously rules in favor of noisy hybrids, electric cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Dec 2010 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Senator Levin in favor of a bolder clean vehicle mandate to replace CAFE

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Electric, Diesel

Carl Levin

Michigan Senator Carl Levin has been called the auto industry’s best friend by detractors who say he’s worked hard to obtain that title by defending the status quo. At the 2010 Business of Plugging In conference in downtown Detroit today, though, he made some comments that might put a stop to such name-calling. Levin said he wants to end what he sees as the small, incremental approach to cleaner vehicles the U.S. government is using today in favor of a huge and comprehensive program. “Our goal should be nothing less than making electric vehicles affordable and attractive to every American family,” he said.

Levin talked about seriously overhauling how the U.S. government promotes cleaner vehicles. He said there are three policy drivers pushing us in this direction today: climate change (which he said “is real, it is urgent and we either deal with it now or our children and grandchildren will have to deal with it later when the remedies will be much more difficult, much more expensive and much less effective.”), national security (i.e., oil independence) and the desire for a thriving manufacturing sector (i.e., jobs).

What has held the U.S. back from dealing with these issues in a coordinated way? Levin cited a fear of government support of manufacturing because that was considered industrial policy, what he termed “the kiss of death”:

While our government refused to partner actively with American manufacturers, our competitors were establishing partnerships and making investments to position their manufacturers for the future. The second impediment was the ability of oil-exporting nations to play like a yo-yo.

America made progress on fuel efficiency gains in the 1970s, Levin said, but OPEC knew how to set us back:

Oil ministers of those nations made it clear they would keep the price of oil at a low enough level so that alternative energy sources would not make economic sense and that distracted us from the fact that ending out dependence on imported oil in our long-term economic interest, beyond the need for environmental and security reasons.

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Senator Levin in favor of a bolder clean vehicle mandate to replace CAFE originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 17:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lagonda crossover reportedly scrapped in favor of Rapide-based sedan

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Aston Martin, Luxury

Aston Martin Rapide – Click above for high-res image gallery

Aston Martin Lagonda hasn’t lacked for four-door models in its history, but its latest efforts have had us all scratching our heads in bewilderment. Instead of badging the Rapide as a Lagonda model, the four-door DB9 derivative has come to market instead. Meanwhile, the Lagonda badge was resurrected for an odd crossover concept that, let’s just say, wasn’t warmly received after its unveiling at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show.

Subsequent reports indicated that the Lagonda concept – reportedly based on a Mercedes platform – was heading back to the drawing boards. Now, the latest reports indicate a different approach. Apparently the crossover has been canned entirely, but that doesn’t mean the dormant half of Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd is going back to sleep.

In response to customer complaints that the Rapide was lacking in rear-seat legroom (and it is pretty cramped back there), AML is now reportedly preparing to enlarge the four-door coupe into a more accommodating form that will bear the Lagonda name in the crossover’s stead. Sources place the sedan’s arrival no sooner than four years from now, so you’re long-legged friends will half to wait a while longer to enjoy the rear accommodations in your Aston.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Aston Martin Rapide

Gallery: Geneva 2009: Aston Martin Lagonda Concept

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

Lagonda crossover reportedly scrapped in favor of Rapide-based sedan originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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