2012 Mazda5 priced from $19,990, hits dealerships in January

Filed under: Car Buying, Minivan/Van, Mazda

2012 Mazda5

2012 Mazda5 – Click above for high-res image gallery

We have quite the soft spot for the Mazda5 mini-minivan. It’s a taller, more capacious version of the zippy Mazda3, and it stands totally alone in a class of Americanized small MPVs (until the Ford Grand C-Max arrives on our shores, that is). Mazda has given the 5 a healthy once-over for the 2012 model year, and the automaker has just announced that the swoopy new people-mover will be priced from $19,990 (including destination and delivery).

That sub-$20,000 price point gets you the base Sport model, which has 16-inch wheels, air conditioning, power windows and mirrors, tilt/telescope steering wheel, remote keyless entry and safety features like Dynamic Stability Control and traction control. The $21,990 Touring model adds 17-inch alloys, a five-speed automatic transmission, Bluetooth, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The top-rung Grand Touring ($24,670) will net you a moonroof, automatic xenon headlamps, heated mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, heated leather front seats and an upgraded audio system with Sirius satellite radio.

The entire Mazda5 range is powered by the automaker’s 2.5-liter inline-four (found in the Mazda3, Mazda6 and CX-7) that produces 157 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque. Base Sport models come standard with a six-speed manual transmission, while a five-speed autobox is the only transmission available on Touring and Grand Touring models.

Look for the 2012 Mazda5 to hit dealerships in January of 2011. For the full details, follow the jump for Mazda’s press release.

Gallery: 2012 Mazda5

2012 Mazda52012 Mazda5

[Source: Mazda]

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2012 Mazda5 priced from $19,990, hits dealerships in January originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA 2010: Toyota RAV4 EV, powered by Tesla, hits the stage

Filed under: LA Auto Show, SUV, Toyota, Electric

Toyota RAV4 EV

Toyota RAV4 EV – Click above for high-res image gallery

Proudly “Powered by Tesla,” the brand-new Toyota RAV4 EV made its debut at the LA Auto Show today, and it’s pretty much what you’d expect: a current-generation RAV4 with the heart of a Tesla Roadster. Or maybe a Model S. In any case, one of Silicon Valley’s electric cars. As we’ve known, Tesla’s role in the partnership is to develop the powertrain – including the battery, power electronics module, electric motor, gearbox and software – for Toyota’s popular CUV.

The RAV4 EV has a long history, as long-time plug-in vehicle fans are well aware. The first-gen version arrived in 1997 and was available for six years. Toyota said today that it sold or leased 1,484 units during that time – and that nearly 750 of them are still in operation – but could never make them a mainstream hit like the Prius. Making these alternative-power vehicles isn’t that difficult, said Jim Lentz, Toyota Motor Sales’ president and chief operating officer, the hard part is bringing them to mainstream customers.

This is the goal of the RAV4 EV, which is scheduled to hit the market in 2012. The initial batch of test vehicles, the so-called Phase Zero machines, are already achieving 100 miles of range, but Toyota engineers are working hard to make sure that the Phase One vehicles (i.e., the next batch) will be able to reach that number no matter what the climate or outside condition is – or, in the words of the press release, “in a wide range of climates and conditions.” The engineering team is also focused on drivability and making the electric CUV feel, “as close to a conventional RAV4 as possible.” We’ll have a more complete post about the RAV4 EV later, but for now you can find plenty more information on Toyota’s dedicated RAV4 EV website and check it out from every angle in the gallery below.

Live photos copyright (C)2010 Sebastian Blanco / AOL

Continue reading LA 2010: Toyota RAV4 EV, powered by Tesla, hits the stage

LA 2010: Toyota RAV4 EV, powered by Tesla, hits the stage originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 20:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA 2010: Nissan GT-R adds 45 HP for 2012, hits 60 under 3 seconds *Update

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Coupe, Performance, Nissan

2012 Nissan GT-R

2012 Nissan GT-R – Click above for high-res image gallery

Nissan is making quite a splash at the 2010 LA Auto Show. Despite the presence of the bat-guano-crazy Murano CrossCabriolet and rather attractive Ellure Concept, perhaps the most highly anticipated machine from the Japanese automaker is the 2012 GT-R. Here are the most important pieces of information to chew on: 530 horsepower and 488 pound-feet of torque.

That means Godzilla Part II (Tokyo Strikes Back!) offers up 45 more raging stallions than the first edition, which Nissan claims is enough to push its all-wheel-drive super coupe to 60 miles per hour in under three seconds(!). Those upgraded figures come courtesy of increased boost from the twin turbos packed into the six combustion chambers along with larger inlet and exhaust pipes.

Body modifications include an enlarged front fascia and grille openings along with double rectifier fins and LED running lights. These updates are said to allow for more air to enter the engine compartment and sweep across front brakes for cooling. Out back, Nissan says its redesigned rear fascia lowers the car’s center of gravity.

Aerodynamic improvements such as the aforementioned front fascia, rear diffuser and underbody trays equal a coefficient of drag that falls to just 0.26. All models get new and improved Rays wheels, and a new Black Edition sees darkened six-spoke affairs along with red-trimmed Recaro seats that should look pretty darn nice with the new across-the-range carbon interior highlights.

Colors include Solid Red, Gun Metallic, Pearl White and a limited production four-stage metallic Super Silver, which join two new shades for the new year: Deep Blue Pearl (pictured) and Jet Black. Full details can be found in the press release after the jump, but what you really want to see are the high-res images in our galleries below. Enjoy!

*Update:
Nissan reports the starting MSRPs for the 2012 Nissan GT-R are $89,950 USD and $95,100 USD for the Premium and Black Edition respectively.

Gallery: LA 2010: 2012 Nissan GT-R

2012 Nissan GT-R2012 Nissan GT-R2012 Nissan GT-R2012 Nissan GT-R2012 Nissan GT-R

Gallery: 2012 Nissan GT-R

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading LA 2010: Nissan GT-R adds 45 HP for 2012, hits 60 under 3 seconds *Update

LA 2010: Nissan GT-R adds 45 HP for 2012, hits 60 under 3 seconds *Update originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Man hits 1M miles in Ford F-250… in four years

Filed under: Truck, Videos, Ford

Million-mile Ford F-250Every now and again, we come across news that a vehicle has eclipsed the one million mile mark. The vehicles are typically very old, and they’re often pickup trucks. That’s only partly true for Phil Marsella, who uses his relatively new four year-old Ford F-250 to deliver greyhound dogs to racetracks and families across America. Marsella reportedly drives his gas F-250, “Betsy,” between 7,000 and 10,000 miles per week, or more miles than many drivers log in an entire year. And it appears as though Ford never expected the F-250 would surpass one million road miles, as the digital odometer stopped working once the milestone was reached. Marsella says that he’s tracking the miles, though, with another 12,000 miles or so since one million.

All those miles must make for a pretty big maintenance bill, as trucks typically need an oil change in fewer than 10,000 miles, and tires and brakes usually don’t last for more than 60,000 to 70,000 miles, though obviously with that much highway mileage, the binders should hold on a bit longer than that. That’s two or three oil changes a year and a brake or tire job every few years for most of us, but Maresella hits those milestones in no time flat. The career driver claims his four-year maintenance bill is a cool $67,000. If Marsella continues at this pace, and his beloved truck remains road-worthy, in the next six years he could challenge the all-time record of 2.8 million miles in a single vehicle; a record that required 40 years of driving.

Click on the link below to watch a local NBC affiliate’s news coverage of the million-mile hound hauler.

[Source: NBC Miami]

Man hits 1M miles in Ford F-250… in four years originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai Sonata 2.0T configurator hits the interwebs

Filed under: Sedan, Hyundai

Time to get your creative caps and color swatches out, because it’s configurator time again. Next up is the Hyundai Sonata 2.0T, the sedan that continues to show a ton of strengths and few weaknesses.

Of course the palette is slightly limited, necessary when the package is so thorough and priced at just $20,865 for the SE. For instance, that trim offers just one interior, gray leather with cloth (nope, not making that up). You have to step up to the Limited trim, for another $2,900, to get one more interior hue. We don’t expect that to stop the car’s assault on the mid-size segment, so get to the configurator and arm yourself. Hat tip to Mike N.

Gallery: 2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T: First Drive

Photos copyright (C)2010 Zach Bowman / AOL
[Source: Hyundai]

Hyundai Sonata 2.0T configurator hits the interwebs originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Oct 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2012 Ford Focus ST hits the road

Filed under: Performance, Videos, Hatchback, Ford

2012 Ford Focus ST

2012 Ford Focus ST in action – Click above to watch video after the jump

Ford has been so kind as to unleash a video of the Focus ST on the interwebs, giving us all our first glimpse at the hopped-up hatch on open pavement. Don’t expect any apex-clipping shots of the five-door going hard over through a set of twisties, though; this video is largely comprised of a lackadaisical romp through the countryside. That’s fine, though. Even without any 9/10ths driving action, the Focus ST still looks plenty lust-worthy from our point of view.

Of course, that probably has plenty to do with the fact that this is the first genuine sports-oriented version of the Focus we’ve even had a whiff of since the mighty Focus SVT went belly up back in 2004. But whereas the SVT brought a mere 170 horsepower to the table, the ST should boast a more heady 247 ponies and 266 lb-ft of torque from an EcoBoost 2.0-liter four-pot.

So long as Ford can slap a decent suspension and tolerable gearbox into the craft, there should be much to love when the car hits our shores in 2012. Hit the jump to have a look for yourself.

[Source: YouTube]

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Video: 2012 Ford Focus ST hits the road originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota Tacoma X-Runner RTR hits the strip ahead of SEMA

Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, SEMA Show, Truck, Toyota, Racing

We’ve got a Tacoma-sized soft spot for factory-built high performance trucks, even if they’re just concepts. It’s why we loved the F-150 Lightning and why we think the new Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is one of the best things to happen to the pickup world in a long time. Toyota is helping to fuel that fire with the introduction of its new Tacoma X-Runner RTR. In this case, those last three consonants stand for “Ready to Race.” The machine looks like our kind of absurdity and was built for that mecca of inanity, SEMA.

The RTR follows an age-old hot rodding recipe; shove the biggest engine you’ve got into the lightest chassis on hand. Under the hood, a supercharged 5.7-liter V8 borrowed from the larger Tundra should help the Tacoma RTR dominate the drag strip. The engine is coupled to a stock six-speed automatic transmission, also from the Tundra, and a Tundra rear axle dumps all of the power to the pavement.

Toyota says that the drivetrain is good for 504 horsepower and 550 pound-feet of torque, and that those numbers are good enough to get the truck to scoot down the quarter mile in around 11 seconds. If you can’t tell, we’re grinning from ear to ear. Head over to Pickuptrucks.com for a closer look.

[Source: Pickuptrucks.com]

Toyota Tacoma X-Runner RTR hits the strip ahead of SEMA originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paris 2010: First factory-built Fisker Karma hits the stage

Filed under: Hybrid, Paris Motor Show, Fisker, Electric, Luxury

First Factory-Built Fisker Karma

First Factory-Built Fisker Karma – Click above for high-res image gallery

Staying true to its concept form, the factory-built Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid that hit the stage at the Paris Motor Show retains the concept’s massive 22-inch wheels (Fisker says it’ll be the first production car equipped with standard 22s), sensuous styling, 403-plus horsepower rating and the company’s promise of achieving 100-plus miles per gallon in regular use. So, what’s exactly different about the factory-built version? Well, the most notable exterior modification is the addition of a (blacked-out) B-pillar, which was apparently required to increase the vehicle’s structural rigidity.

Aside from the added pillar, we can’t really pick out any differences between the gorgeous concept that we laid eyes on a few years ago and this production-ready version that hit the stage in Paris. Fisker still lists a base price of $88,000 and anticipates that deliveries will begin early next year, or so it says. We hope to get up close and personal with the Karma at the upcoming LA Auto Show, but for now, hit up that high-res gallery of live shots that just came in from Paris and hop the jump for more info from Fisker.

Gallery: Paris 2010: First Factory-Built Fisker Karma

Paris 2010: First Factory-Built Fisker KarmaParis 2010: First Factory-Built Fisker KarmaParis 2010: First Factory-Built Fisker KarmaParis 2010: First Factory-Built Fisker KarmaParis 2010: First Factory-Built Fisker Karma

Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

Continue reading Paris 2010: First factory-built Fisker Karma hits the stage

Paris 2010: First factory-built Fisker Karma hits the stage originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: U.S. breaks even if GM stock hits $133.78

Filed under: Government/Legal, GM, Earnings/Financials

According to Neil Barofsky, the treasury department’s inspector general, in order for the U.S. government to break even on its investment in General Motors, the company’s stock will have to hit at least $133.78 a share. Thanks to the massive auto industry bailout, the government currently holds a total of 304 million shares of common stock and $2.1 billion in preferred stock in the automaker. According to The Detroit News, Barofsky has said that he will keep a close eye on the GM IPO in order to get the best return on the tax payer’s investment possible.

But will GM stock hit the magic number? Some analysts seem to think so. There’s some buzz that when GM goes public, its stock will be worth well over $100 per share. The company has already begun to make noise indicating that soon after the November 2 elections, it will begin a campaign to build interest in its IPO, so anything’s possible.

[Source: The Detroit News | Image: AP/Al Goldis/Getty]

Report: U.S. breaks even if GM stock hits $133.78 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Sep 2010 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Audi A7 Sportback footage hits the information superhighway

Filed under: Europe, Videos, Hatchback, Audi, Luxury

Audi A7 Sportback

Audi A7 Sportback – Click above to watch video after the jump

When it comes to the new wave of weird sedan-hatchbacks popping up from various manufacturers, the Audi A7 Sportback is hands-down the most attractive, at least to our eyes. Whereas the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo has a bit of a problem with proportions, the A7 Sportback manages to maintain the grace that’s become a trademark of Audi exterior design. At least that’s what we’ve seen from the press photos. Fortunately, Audi has just churned out a bevy of videos that take the time to pour over every last inch of the car so that the forum of the interwebs can make a more informed decision.

The verdict? We’re still of the mind that the A7 Sportback is as attractive as this segment gets. Watching the mega sedan prowl the country paths and beaches around the Italian island of Sardina only solidified our opinion on that front. We don’t expect you to take our point of view for gospel, though. Hit the jump to check out the four videos for yourself. Thanks for the tip, Catchmyshadow!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Audi A7 Sportback footage hits the information superhighway

Video: Audi A7 Sportback footage hits the information superhighway originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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