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BBC: At nearly $7.30/gal and climbing, UK gas prices hit record high

Filed under: UK

UK Gas

Think fuel prices are high in the United States? What Yanks pay is nothing to what our former colonial masters are forced to shell out at the pumps, as reports come in of record-high prices in the UK.

According to the BBC, prices have hit an all-time high of 121.76p per liter in the United Kingdom. The numbers work out to $7.27 per gallon in American terminology, but the record doesn’t take inflation into account. To put the current British petrol prices into perspective, consider that it will now cost English soccer moms in Chelsea over $163 (!) to fill up their BMW X5s.

The worst news for British motorists is that this isn’t even the end of it: with both the Value Added Tax (VAT) and fuel duties scheduled to rise again in the new year, next month is anticipated to go even higher. As Edmund King, head of the UK’s Automobile Association put it, “for those people dependent on road transport, it’s not looking like a very happy Christmas or indeed New Year.” Indeed.

[Source: BBC News | Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty]

BBC: At nearly $7.30/gal and climbing, UK gas prices hit record high originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 12 Dec 2010 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Chrysler 300 photos hit the web

Filed under: Sedan, Chrysler

2011 Chrysler 300 teaser – Click above for high-res image gallery

Our friends at Kicking Tires stumbled upon a series of teaser images from Chrysler showing off the revised-for-2011 Chrysler 300 sedan. Yes, our intrepid spy shooters have already offered up some pretty darn good photos of the car as it was being shot for marketing purposes, but it’s always good to focus in on details like the new corporate-style grille, headlamps, taillamps and the sleek new winged Chrysler logo.

From what we can see, the next Chrysler 300 will continue the brand’s march to the top of the upscale American sedan ladder that it first ascended way back in 2004 as a 2005 model. Yes, it’s been that long since the boxy, gangsta-style machine hit the market – “due for an update” would be a serious understatement.

Expect the 2011 300 to come equipped with both the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 and 5.7-liter Hemi V8 and be available with either standard rear-wheel drive or optional all-wheel drive. We’re counting on a full debut at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show in January, but in the meantime, feel free to peruse the image gallery below.

Gallery: 2011 Chrysler 300 teasers

2011 Chrysler 300 teaser

[Source: Kicking Tires]

2011 Chrysler 300 photos hit the web originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EPA: U.S. average fuel economy hit new record in 2009

Filed under: Government/Legal

window sticker shopping

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, which first started keeping track of such things way back in 1975 around the time of the first fuel crisis in America, the average fuel economy of all vehicles sold in the U.S. hit a record high in 2009. For those favoring hard data, that equals 22.4 miles per gallon. Not surprisingly, average fuel economy has been on an upward path over the last several years (minus a small dip in 2008).

These mileage increases are being achieved through all sorts of electronic gadgetry, despite significant gains in both horsepower and overall vehicle weight. It’s also interesting to note that the percentage of trucks sold dropped from 47 percent to just 40 percent.

It should be pointed out that the way the EPA figures fuel mileage varies greatly from the numbers used to determine an automaker’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE. The EPA’s numbers, which are about 20 percent lower than those use for CAFE reporting, are said to be more realistic representations of everyday usage.

For what it’s worth, the EPA is currently predicting that a new, slightly higher record will again be set in 2010: 22.5 mpg. Yes, that’s just a tenth of a mile per gallon higher than ’09, but let’s take what we can get, shall we?

[Source: The Detroit News | Image: Tim Boyle/Getty]

EPA: U.S. average fuel economy hit new record in 2009 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windsor-area police looking to ID car involved in hit-and-run fatality. Can you help? *UPDATE

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Canada

unidentified hit-and-run car part

Police in Windsor, Ontario are attempting to determine the type of vehicle involved in a fatal hit and run recently. Kyle Peters, a 15-year-old, was struck while riding his bicycle on Country Road 34. After being admitted to the hospital in critical condition, Peters died from his injuries the following morning. According to The Toronto Star, Peters was hit somewhere between roads 21 and 37 and was struck at around 9 p.m. A single piece of fiberglass was recovered from the scene, measuring 11 inches by 16 inches.

So far, police have been unable to identify the vehicle that struck Peters. Law enforcement is welcoming any tips related to vehicles with missing pieces of fender in the area. Likewise, police are seeking help identifying the vehicle based on the piece of bodywork as well. Do you recognize the fiberglass piece above? Take your best guess in ‘Comments’ and be sure to note that anyone with information on the accident can contact the Leamington Police Department via their website. Thanks for the tip, Dan!

*Update: The Toronto Star is reporting that Peter Martens Schmitt, 18, has been arrested in connection with this incident and charged with failure to remain at the scene of an accident, criminal negligence causing death and dangerous driving causing death. He was driving an older model Audi.

[Source: The Toronto Star]

Windsor-area police looking to ID car involved in hit-and-run fatality. Can you help? *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:00:00 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