Tag: initial

Report: Initial D manga ends 18-year run with ‘Final Stage’

Filed under: Etc., Japan, TV/Movies

initial D

Initial D, the Japanese manga that helped popularize drifting and make the AE-86 generation Toyota Corolla (Trueno in Japan) the cult classic that it is today, has finally ended after 18 years of publication. The last installment, called Final Stage, was released in late July, in the August 6 edition of Young Magazine, reports The Truth About Cars.

If you don’t read the manga (a Japanese comic) perhaps you’ve watched the anime (a Japanese animated movie or TV show) series that it spawned, or the live-action movie from 2005 (which has some cool drifting scenes). What stands out the most about Initial D are the cars, which are drawn accurately and animated fluidly on paper or the TV screen – representing an acute understanding by the technical artists of how cars look and behave while they’re being driven.

As is often the case with manga-anime relationships, the Initial D manga takes storyline priority with the anime following loosely behind. Though the manga has ended, TTAC reports that another series of Initial D episodes (and another live-action movie) will be produced to tie things up for fans of the anime.

Initial D manga ends 18-year run with ‘Final Stage’ originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Aug 2013 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study: New J.D. Power Initial Quality Study puts Porsche, GM in spotlight

Filed under: Car Buying, GM, Porsche

Porsche Emblem

J.D. Power and Associates has released its annual Initial Quality Study, and this year, Porsche and General Motors took the spotlight. The study, which asks new car owners to report problems experienced during the first 90 days of ownership, found that overall, the industry averages 113 problems per 100 vehicles.

Porsche managed a score of just 80 problems per 100 vehicles, while GMC took the second spot on the podium with 90. Lexus filled out the top three with 94 problems per 100 vehicles, followed by Infiniti at 95 and Chevrolet at 97. The study also looks at specific models, and found the Lexus LS to enjoy the best initial quality at 59 problems per 100 vehicles.

Interestingly enough, the report found that around two-thirds of most owner problems experienced in the first 90 days are attributable to vehicle design instead of mechanical failure. Specifically – echoing a refrain we’ve been hearing for the last few years – owners are having a hard time figuring out how to use the technology present in their new vehicles. Head over to the J.D. Power site for more information, or scroll down below for the company’s related press release.

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New J.D. Power Initial Quality Study puts Porsche, GM in spotlight originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche CEO: We are “almost over the initial hype” of electric cars

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Porsche, Electric

Porsche logoAutomotive News recently got the chance to sit down with Porsche CEO Matthias Mueller to go over the company’s plans for the future, and one of the juiciest tidbits to crop up from the interview came from a discussion on the possibility of a fully-electric Porsche. When asked about a battery-operated sports car, Mueller said that while some estimates say that 20 percent of all vehicles on the road will be electric by 2020, he believes that figure will likely sit closer to three to five percent. He finished up by saying “We are now almost over the initial hype before business really gets started.”

However the electric/internal combustion mix plays out in nine years, Mueller said that he believes Porsche will be a player in that market. That means that if 20 percent of the car market is electrified, you can expect 20 percent of Porsche vehicles to be the same.

The interview also touched on everything from a new model above the 911 to future variation on the Panamera. Head over to Automotive News to catch the full piece.

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Porsche CEO: We are “almost over the initial hype” of electric cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Global Vehicles announces $35M initial order of Mahindra pickups for U.S.

Filed under: Truck, Etc., Earnings/Financials

Mahindra Pik-up

Mahindra Pik-Up – Click above for high-res image gallery

Mahindras road to the United States has been interesting so far, to say the least. It’s changed the trucks model name, seen delays in a target launch date, caused delays and broken contracts.

Many here in the states are eagerly awaiting the arrival of an official on-sale date for the Pik-up. The biggest group waiting for that announcement might just be Global Vehicles, the U.S. distributor for the little truck with potential big appeal. Global Vehicles has already invested nearly $100 million to bring the vehicle to the US and now they’ve placed an initial order for the Mahindra pickups to the tune of $35 million.

John Perez, CEO of Global Vehicles, says:

“We are proud of the sales and service network we created to support the launch of Mahindra vehicles, and we look forward to bringing American buyers something truly unique in the marketplace – rugged, high-quality, clean diesel pickup trucks that can achieve nearly 30 miles per gallon. Our dealers are all seasoned auto industry professionals who will treat customers with honesty, integrity and respect. We built our business on these bedrock principles, which should be the foundation of every business relationship.”

Perez goes on to state that he believes Global Vehicles will prevail in the pending arbitration case against Mahindra. This would force Mahindra to honor its agreement with GV. The offending clause states that Mahindra could walk away from the deal if its truck did not pass EPA testing by a certain date. Mahindra claimed this last-minute contract change was to protect against potential losses if its truck didn’t receive the EPA certification. The deadline dates came up three times, with Perez’s company extending the deadline each time. The most recent time passed on June 11. Ten days after that deadline, Mahindra announced its vehicles were certified for sale and declared its relationship with GV now void.

It will be very interesting to watch this play out. The Pik-Up is supposed to be an affordable and capable, fuel-efficient truck which could be a perfect fit for many U.S. buyers. It’s clear that Global Vehicles remains extremely committed to its investment and hopefully we see the distinctly-styled trucklet roaming our streets in the near future.

Full press release available after the jump.

Gallery: Mahindra Pik-Up

mahindra-pickup-large_21mahindra-pickup-large_11mahindra-pickup-large_22mahindra-pickup-large_12mahindra-pickup-large_13

[Source: Global Vehicles]

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Global Vehicles announces $35M initial order of Mahindra pickups for U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 25 Sep 2010 10:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen releases initial pics, details on all-new Caddy

Filed under: Budget, Minivan/Van, Europe, Work, Volkswagen

2011 Volkswagen Caddy – Click above for high-res image gallery

It’s been nearly six years since Volkswagen took the knife to its workhorse Caddy, but starting next year, buyers can expect a host of changes. The company has just dished the details on its next-generation van before the vehicle gets its official unveiling at the IAA Hanover Commercial Vehicle Show this November. Don’t expect anything too wild to crop up design-wise. The Caddy will swipe a few cues from the rest of the VW family up front, and new taillights will pop up as well. VW says that it will also offer roof rails for the first time on the new generation.

Take a peek under the hood, and you’re likely to see one of four turbo-diesel engines, all of which are 13 percent more efficient than their predecessors. The range starts with two 1.6-liter mills producing either 75 or 102 horsepower depending on which model you choose, both of which come with start/stop technology. If you click off a little higher up the option sheet, you’ll wind up with one of two 2.0-liter engines. Those produce either 110 or 140 horsepower depending on your needs and your budget. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: 2011 Volkswagen Caddy

[Source: Volkswagen]

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Volkswagen releases initial pics, details on all-new Caddy originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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