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2010 Singapore Grand Prix lights up title fight [Spoilers]

Filed under: Motorsports

2010 Singapore Grand Prix

2010 Singapore Grand Prix – Click above for high-res image gallery

The naysayers will tell you that every grand prix – especially those held on newer-generation tracks – comes out looking the same. Different scenery, same story, they’ll say. But even the haters were silenced a few years back when the Singapore Grand Prix re-joined the calendar as the first night race in the history of Formula One. The spectacle of the most advanced machinery this side of a fighter jet zipping around a seaside circuit under the lights put a fresh spin on F1, and has now become a regular fixture of the racing season.

Now in its third running, the circus rolled in to Singapore’s Marina Bay against the backdrop of one of the most hotly contested championships in recent memory. Would this year’s night race crown a champion, or defer the suspense for another couple of weeks? Follow the jump to find out.

Gallery: 2010 Singapore Grand Prix

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2010 Singapore Grand Prix lights up title fight [Spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 26 Sep 2010 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Titans clash at the 2010 Italian Grand Prix [Spoilers]

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe

2010 Italian Grand Prix

2010 Italian Grand Prix – Click above for high-res image gallery

“When all is said and done,” wrote the English poet Margaret Sackville, “monotony may after all be the best condition for creation.” That may be, but it sure doesn’t bode well for motorsport, where the domination of a single team can (and often does) lead to boring racing.

Enthusiasts tuning in for Saturday qualifying have been met with just such monotony, as Red Bull Racing has taken the pole in all but two races so far. The exceptions came when Lewis Hamilton took pole (and rode it all the way to the checkered flag) in Montreal, and this weekend, where the final starting grid could hardly have given the local fans more hope if Silvio Berlusconi, Leonardo da Vinci or Luciano Pavarotti had taken it himself. Follow the jump to find out how it went down.

Gallery: 2010 Italian Grand Prix

Continue reading Titans clash at the 2010 Italian Grand Prix [Spoilers]

Titans clash at the 2010 Italian Grand Prix [Spoilers] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 12 Sep 2010 14:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Filed under: SUV, Jeep, Reviews, Luxury

Proof Positive That Chrysler Can Still Compete

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee – Click above for high-res image gallery

We’re finally beginning to get a glimpse of exactly what Chrysler has been up to since snagging a whopping $6.6 billion in federal funding during the automotive implosion of 2009. While General Motors has been busily chugging along like nothing happened, the Pentastar hasn’t exactly rolled out a wave of new and refreshed models. There’s been an obvious hitch in the Chrysler giddy up, and those loyal to the company’s three brands have been forced to settle for little more than slightly reworked option packages… until now. As 2010 comes to a close, the company is pulling the covers off a range of new models, each as important to its future success as the last.

In a world populated by bubble crossovers, the Grand Cherokee clearly stands apart.

At the front of the pack is the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, a vehicle that’s become synonymous with Chrysler’s righting of itself in the public eye thanks to some of the most well-crafted advertisements in the industry. If you don’t know what we’re on about, we highly suggest pointing your browser toward YouTube and spending a few minutes watching the company’s “The Things We Make, Make Us” spot. Be prepared for an overwhelming sense of patriotic duty, as well as a burning desire to pick up a hammer and bang some nails.

You’ve been warned.

Even before Chrysler’s run-in with Chapter 11, there were flickers of hope within the company’s fleet. The Dodge Ram packed one of the best interiors in the segment, and the previous-generation Grand Cherokee wasn’t a horrible place to spend a few hours. The 2011 Grand Cherokee picks up those cues and runs with them in all directions, resulting in a vehicle that’s as capable off road as it is jousting with mid-town traffic. If this is the new face of Chrysler, we like what we see.

Gallery: Review: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

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Review: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Suzuki recalls SX4, Grand Vitara and Equator for overheating Garmin sat-nav units

Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Technology, Suzuki

Suzuki SX4 Sport with Garmin navigation system – Click above for high-res image gallery

When Garmin issued a recall on its Nuvi portable navigation system a couple of weeks ago, Japanese automaker Suzuki informed us that it would need to issue a follow-up recall for a few vehicles in its lineup. After all, Suzuki offers dashboard-mounted Garmin GPS units in its Equator, Grand Vitara and SX4 models, and unfortunately, the Nuvi navis supplied to Suzuki are among the ones that need repair.

Approximately 20,692 Suzuki vehicles are affected by this recall – specifically the 2008-2010 SX4, 2010 Grand Vitara and 2009-2010 Equator equipped with Garmin Nuvi 750, 760 and 765 navigation systems. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates that the batteries in these nav units can potentially overheat which could result in a fire.

Garmin technicians will replace the existing batteries free of charge and owners will be notified within the next few weeks. The official recall notice from NHTSA is available after the jump.

Gallery: Review: 2008 Suzuki SX4 Sport with TRIP

[Source: NHTSA]

Continue reading Suzuki recalls SX4, Grand Vitara and Equator for overheating Garmin sat-nav units

Suzuki recalls SX4, Grand Vitara and Equator for overheating Garmin sat-nav units originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Moto2 rider Shoya Tomizawa killed in San Marino Grand Prix crash

Filed under: Motorsports

Shoya Tomizawa

Less than a week after 13-year-old Peter Lenz was killed in a crash at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, another motorcyclist’s life has been claimed at the track.

Shoya Tomizawa was on his 15th lap at the Misano circuit during the San Marino Grand Prix when he apparently lost control of his Moto2 bike at full speed, was thrown off the bike and then hit by two other riders before sliding 130 feet to a halt.

Tomizawa was taken to a local hospital immediately after the crash and succumbed to his injuries soon thereafter.

The Moto2 rider had moved up the ranks since beginning in pocketbike racing when he was only three years old, eventually graduating to the 125 class. This year, he took a win at Qatar and sat seventh overall in the standings.

We extend our heartfelt sympathies and condolences to Tomizawa’s family, friends and fans.

[Source: Daily Mail | Image: Andreas Solaro/AFP/Getty]

Moto2 rider Shoya Tomizawa killed in San Marino Grand Prix crash originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Belgian Grand Prix packs in the action [SPOILERS]

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe

2010 Belgian Grand Prix

2010 Belgian Grand Prix – Click above for high-res image gallery

After the nearly month-long break that followed the Hungarian Grand Prix, F1 fans around the world have patiently awaited the return to business as usual on the grand prix circuit. And by business as usual, we mean nail-biting, wheel-to-wheel action and bitter rivalries. With that much pent-up anticipation, it would take some spectacle to make up for the hiatus. Fortunately, this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix – held at the legendary Spa Francorchamps circuit – provided exactly that. Follow the jump to read how it went down.

Gallery: 2010 Belgian Grand Prix

Continue reading 2010 Belgian Grand Prix packs in the action [SPOILERS]

2010 Belgian Grand Prix packs in the action [SPOILERS] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Aug 2010 17:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Older Jeep Grand Cherokees being investigated for fuel tank defects

Filed under: SUV, Government/Legal, Safety, Jeep

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation into 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokees over concerns that their rear-mounted gas tank may be prone to rupture in the event of an accident. The agency has recorded 44 instances where a ruptured fuel tank may have contributed to a total of 55 deaths resulting from fire.

The Center for Auto Safety, a consumer advocacy group founded by Ralph Nader, requested the NHTSA investigation. In response to the Washington-based group’s petition, NHTSA issued the following in a statement: “The existence of these post-crash fires does not, by itself, establish a defect. Further review and investigation into these incidents is needed.” And so an investigation we shall have.

A preliminary report from NHTSA suggested that there wasn’t any evidence that the 1993-2004 Grand Cherokee’s fuel tanks were “over-represented for post-crash fires.” If this investigation leads to a recall, Chrysler has indicated that it will cooperate with the agency.

[Source: Business Week]

Older Jeep Grand Cherokees being investigated for fuel tank defects originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Super GT moving closer to DTM, may adopt KERS; Grand Am to join as well?

Filed under: Motorsports

DTM race start at Hockenheim 2010

In an attempt to reduce costs and get more brands into the field, it’s beginning to look like as many as three different race series in Europe, Asia and the United States may adopt a more-or-less common set of rules. The German Touring Car Championship (shown above) is set to introduced a new rules package for the 2012 season and the Japanese SuperGT series looks to be on-board for its GT500 class. Here in the States,. the NASCAR-owned Grand Am series is also considering jumping in, presumably to replace the current GT class.

The proposals being considered by the DTM organizers clearly show some NASCAR influence, although with more modern technology. A common carbon-fiber chassis could be mandated with an agreed-upon wheelbase and overhangs for all cars. DTM is considering “Introduction of “design line” where on one side all cars are common” which sounds an awful lot like NASCAR’s dreaded common templates. Along with the V8 powerplants, hybrid kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS) could be part of the picture. The goal is to cut the cost of these cars in half from current levels.

If the new rules are adopted by all three groups, it could result in cross-pollination of cars between the series with Lexus, Nissan and Honda joining Audi and Mercedes-Benz in DTM and possibly the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro mixing it up with the Germans and Japanese.

[Sources: RaceCar Engineering, Touring Car Times, DTM | Image: Bongarts/Getty]

Report: Super GT moving closer to DTM, may adopt KERS; Grand Am to join as well? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 spied with 6.4L Hemi V8 underhood

Filed under: Spy Photos, Performance, SUV, Jeep

The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee – the pride and joy of Chrysler at the moment – is just now hitting dealerships, but the automaker is already hard at work on a high-powered SRT-fettled version of its new sport ‘ute. In the past, the Grand Cherokee SRT8 has always been a guilty pleasure of ours, if only for the rocket-like 6.1-liter Hemi V8 underhood.

Good news then that Chrysler is prepping an all new 6.4-liter Hemi for use in its SRT products, and we’re anxious to see how this new engine works in the Grand Cherokee application, which seems likely to hit as a 2012 model.

Early reports suggested that it could be good for around 450 horsepower, but spy photographers are saying that we could see over 500 raging stallions coming out of this new monster mill. This means the new Grand Cherokee SRT8 could rip off 0-60 times in under five seconds, and we might have a truly worthy American competitor for the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, AMG-badged Mercedes-Benz ML and BMW X5 M. Here’s hoping.

[Source: Left Lane News]

Spy Shots: 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 spied with 6.4L Hemi V8 underhood originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Hungarian Grand Prix will still be strong after the boys of summer have gone [SPOILERS]

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe

2010 Hungarian Grand Prix – Click above for high-res image gallery

There are races, and then there are races. And this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, ladies and gents, was the latter.

Instead of the usual parade of high-tech machinery proceeding in procession, sapping the excitement out of the sport – or worse yet, lamentable team orders sullying the day – this latest round in the Formula One World Championship was packed with fate-altering, nail-biting action – and rivalries both old and new – from start to finish. A fitting way, then, to sign off before the season takes a nearly month-long summer break.

Care to see what we mean? Follow the jump to read on.

Gallery: 2010 Hungarian Grand Prix

Continue reading 2010 Hungarian Grand Prix will still be strong after the boys of summer have gone [SPOILERS]

2010 Hungarian Grand Prix will still be strong after the boys of summer have gone [SPOILERS] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 01 Aug 2010 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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