judge Archives | AutoDepot

Report: Judge to approve settlement of Mini CVT lawsuits

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Hatchback, Mini

BMW has agreed to settle a number of class-action lawsuits out of court. The suits stem from drivetrain issues on the 2001 to 2006 R50 Mini Cooper – in particular, its continuously variable transmission. The transmission was known to fail, often without warning on otherwise healthy and well-maintained vehicles. This wasn’t the only major issue to afflict the original BMW-era Mini models.

According to legal site Topclassactions.com, the suits alleged that BMW knowingly hid the defects in the CVT from customers while informing dealers of the issue. The first suit was filed in 2011, while four additional suits have followed. Now, BMW has reportedly settled, offering to reimburse 1,200 owners that needed repairs within eight years or 150,000 miles of their purchase. Repair prices for the transmission range from $6,000 to $9,000.

Under the agreement, BMW will also offer up to $4,100 to members of the suit that had fixes performed at a third-party shop, while owners who sold their cars at a loss due to the issues are slated to receive up to $2,000. Finally, owners who are part of the suit will be warrantied for a further eight years and 150,000 miles.

Judge to approve settlement of Mini CVT lawsuits originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Aug 2013 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: Judge to approve settlement of Mini CVT lawsuits”

Report: Judge’s ruling paves way for owners to sue Toyota over economic losses *UPDATE

Filed under: Government/Legal, Toyota

toyota emblem

If Toyota was hoping to end its ongoing unintended acceleration-related legal issues, the latest bit of courtroom news will make the automaker quite unhappy. U.S. District Judge James Selna has ruled that vehicle owners can sue Toyota over economic losses. Some Toyota owners claim the automaker is responsible for diminished resale value of vehicles wearing the Toyota badge.

“A vehicle with a defect is worth less than one without a defect,” said Selna.

Toyota, however, has stated that it remains confident it will emerge from the courtroom victorious. Selna’s ruling moves the burden of proof over to the plaintiff’s lawyers, and Toyota believes that no such proof of wrong-doing on its part exists. Lawyers for the plaintiffs will be tasked with proving that the automaker was aware of a defect and chose to ignore it.

One particular issue from Toyota’s point of view, with regards to James Selna’s ruling, is the judge has applied a California law to the case. One that may make it easier for plaintiffs to recover damages. Toyota argues that vehicle owners from all over the country are involved in the lawsuit, and therefore local state laws should be applied with respect to the owner’s location. Either way, it appears that Toyota’s legal drama is going to continue for quite some time.

*UPDATE: Toyota reached out to Autoblog.com for clarification. It appears the ruling has not yet come down, but that Selna is merely considering the application of California law to a case that reaches across the entire country.

Judge’s ruling paves way for owners to sue Toyota over economic losses *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 May 2011 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: Judge’s ruling paves way for owners to sue Toyota over economic losses *UPDATE”

Lamborghini Estoque vs. SVS Codatronca TS: You be the judge

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Sedan, Performance, Europe, Lamborghini, Design/Style

Lamborghini Estoque SVS Codatronca

Lamborghini Estoque and SVS Codatronca – Click either image for high-res gallery

We here at Autoblog have millions of kilograms, nay liters and liters, of respect for our friends at Automobili Lamborghini, and the upcoming Aventador will no doubt alter our lives when we drive it. We also root hard for the little shops in and around Turin that changed the world of car design in the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s, and nobly carry on today as best they can.

We were recently going through various photos and started juxtaposing the front end of the Lamborghini Estoque sedan concept seen at the 2008 Paris Motor Show with that of the one-off SVS Codatronca Turismo Sportivo (or TS). The latter was developed near Turin between 2005 and 2008 by the small shop named SpadaConcept SpadaVettureSport, led by legendary designer Ercole Spada and his son Paolo. The latter carrozzeria just unveiled their roofless 710-horsepower barchetta version at the Top Marques Monaco show, called the Codatronca Monza. All Codatronca models so far are based on a supercharged Corvette Z06 chassis (it makes sense that we also see a little bit of 1967-1982 C3 in there, too).

We’re not insinuating anything here, and these sorts of coincidences do happen fairly easily. But the likeness is uncanny. Who’s doin’ who? Or is nobody doin’ anyone? Talk amongst yourselves, and see the two cars in full high-res glory in our galleries below.

Gallery: 2008 Lamborghini Estoque Concept

Gallery: SpadaConcept Codatronca

[Lead images: Lamborghini/Matt Davis/Carrstudio/AOL]

Lamborghini Estoque vs. SVS Codatronca TS: You be the judge originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Apr 2011 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Lamborghini Estoque vs. SVS Codatronca TS: You be the judge”

Video: How not to judge your speed in a car jump attempt

Filed under: Etc., Videos

dacia 1310 overshoots landing on jump attempt

The incorrect way to gauge your speed for a ramp jump – Click above to watch video after the, ahem, jump

Planning on attempting a ramp jump in an automobile? We have a tip for you: Don’t use a Dacia 1310. Why? Apparently it can build up too much speed, causing you and your co-driver to overshoot your landing area. Either that, or you need to reconsider your high school math skills…

Check out this clip from a stunt performed in 1995. We believe it takes place in Romania, and we’ve also found reports that say both driver and co-driver were okay, which seems to be the case if you watch all the way through the end. That last bit is miraculous because the duo manage to soar quite a bit further than they anticipated. Strap in and come fly with us past the jump to view the clip.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: How not to judge your speed in a car jump attempt

Video: How not to judge your speed in a car jump attempt originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Mar 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Video: How not to judge your speed in a car jump attempt”

Report: Judge approves plan to clean up “Old GM” sites

Filed under: Government/Legal, GM

General Motors has been given the go-ahead to begin selling off the remaining old GM assets as part of the automaker’s restructuring plan. According to The Detroit News, a federal bankruptcy judge approved the plan after a day-long hearing. Judge Robert E. Gerber is expected to issue a written opinion on the matter within the next few days, and the sale’s confirmation date is set to be announced on March 31.

As part of the move, 610 million shares of old GM stock will be cancelled. Creditors have submitted verified claims of around $29.5 billion, and as part of the plan, those entities will receive $5 billion in new GM stock and warrants. That figure equates to around 15 percent of all new-GM stock.

In addition, Gerber moved to approve a $773 million environmental trust designed to help fund and oversee the cleanup of 89 former General Motors plants in 14 states. An additional plan is in the works to address additional environmental issues.

Those include an extra $536 million to cover cleanup costs and $300 million for demolition costs and property taxes.

Gerber’s decision means that the last remaining embers of the old GM are officially dying out. The Detroit News reports that the company should cease doing business by no later than December 15.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Report: Judge approves plan to clean up “Old GM” sites originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 Mar 2011 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: Judge approves plan to clean up “Old GM” sites”

AP: Judge won’t dismiss Toyota unintended acceleration lawsuits

Filed under: Government/Legal, Toyota

Toyota Lawsuit Last week, U.S. District Judge James Selna announced that he would not dismiss a bevy of lawsuits against Toyota that claim the company’s rash of unintended acceleration complaints have caused vehicle values to fall. The company’s attorneys had attempted to argue that around 24 of the suits should be thrown out on the basis that the plaintiffs hadn’t suffered any financial loss and that owners hadn’t spent money in an effort to fix whatever ailment befell their vehicle. Meanwhile, lawyers on the other side of the aisle argue contend that owners who didn’t suffer through an unintended acceleration event still have a case against the Japanese automaker.

Selna seemed to side with the plaintiffs, though the judge is slated to come to a final decision later this week.

Toyota is worried that if the cases are allowed to proceed, a flood of new litigation will wash in from anyone with a Toyota in the driveway.

[Source: The Crestview News Bulletin]

AP: Judge won’t dismiss Toyota unintended acceleration lawsuits originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Nov 2010 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “AP: Judge won’t dismiss Toyota unintended acceleration lawsuits”