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Report: Saab US bankruptcy plan gets legal green-light

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

Saab

It feels utterly bizarre that we’re still talking about Saab, but Reuters is reporting that the bankrupt Swedish manufacturer’s American arm has gotten approval from the US Bankruptcy Court to liquidate its assets and pay back creditors. As part of the plan, secured creditors like Ally Financial will receive full repayment. Unsecured creditors, consisting of those affected by abandoned leases and contracts will get anywhere from 25 to 82 percent of their money back.

There are currently $77 million in unsecured claims, according to Reuters, but that number doesn’t include claims from former Saab dealers. Naturally, the entire affair is full of lawyers and legalese. A trust formed on the Saab side will be negotiating with creditors and their affiliates in an attempt to reduce claims against Saab. This sounds like the start of a long and sordid affair…

Saab US bankruptcy plan gets legal green-light originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Jul 2013 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study: East Coast states pay more for Check Engine light repairs

Filed under: Etc., Earnings/Financials

CarMD repair costs

Has it seemed like the cost to keep your older car on the road has gone up? Well, we have good news (you’re not going crazy) and bad news (repair costs are indeed going up all across the country). According to an annual study by CarMD, average repair costs have increased by 10 percent in 2012, with drivers in New Jersey paying the highest prices and those in Vermont paying the lowest.

Interestingly, states on the East Coast are paying more on average for common repairs, including diagnostic services when the dreaded Check Engine light comes on. Our nation’s capital saw the largest year-over-year increase at an alarming 20 percent, while Wyoming saw repair prices drop an average of 17 percent.

CarMD analyzed more than 160,000 individual repairs, targeting those that began with a Check Engine light. A full listing of the most- and least-expensive states can be found below, along with additional commentary from CarMD.

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East Coast states pay more for Check Engine light repairs originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jun 2013 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Red-light camera company exec put on leave after internet misrepresentation

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

red light camera

Bill Kroske, vice president of American Traffic Solutions, Inc., has been suspended after misrepresenting himself on two newspaper websites in western Washington. Kroske claimed to be a citizen in comments he made on both the Everett, Wash. Herald and the Spokane, Wash. Spokesman-Review.

In those comments, Kroske promoted American Traffic Solutions’ red light camera systems, which bust impatient travelers even when cops aren’t available. A reporter at the Herald found Kroske out after tracing comments he made back to Scottsdale, Arizona, where the company is based. That wasn’t the only clue, however.

It seems that Kroske used his work email address and real name to set up commenting accounts on both websites. He then proceeded to extol the benefits of red light camera systems on both newspapers’ sites. Evidently Kroske was ignorant of the fact that comments are moderated, and administrators can track their origins. For all the gory details on Koske’s online bumbling, head over to the Spokesman-Review’s website.

Red-light camera company exec put on leave after internet misrepresentation originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 May 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CarMD’s Vehicle Health Index deciphers the ‘check engine’ light

Filed under: Etc.

Is your Check Engine light staring you in the face? That bright orange warning serves as a beacon that something is wrong. Problem is, it doesn’t convey anything more than that. For years, the prime culprit of an illuminated CEL has been a loose gas cap. In fact, according to CarMD.com, the gas cap has ranked as number one on the CEL hit list for the last 12 years. Recently, however, it seems people are either giving their gas caps an extra twist or the Check Engine Light has had enough because the new CEL king is the engine misfire.

CarMD has an extensive database of Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC), which date back to the 1996 introduction of mandated on-board diagnostic technology. Now, CarMD is using that data to shed some light on the oft-misunderstood Check Engine light, and it’s produced its first-ever Annual Vehicle Health Index Report.

Set to be released each April, the Vehicle Health Index Report examines the most common repairs or fixes required as a result of CEL warnings. The gas cap has fallen to number two on that list, while replacement of the O₂ sensor has risen to the top spot. Taking home third place is the always-expensive DTC that alerts you to replace your catalytic converter.

Click past the jump to read the full press release from CarMD.com, and to glean more insight into what our Check Engine lights are telling us. Unless, of course, you own a Volkswagen from the mid ’90s, in which case you should simply get a piece of black tape and cover up the CEL because it’s always on.

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CarMD’s Vehicle Health Index deciphers the ‘check engine’ light originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 07 May 2011 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tron light cycle contest declares winners

Filed under: Etc., Motorcycle, Design/Style

Side Questing Tron Light Cycle Design Contest Winner

SideQuesting Tron Light Cycle Design Contest – Click above for high-res image gallery

SideQuesting.com is a website focused on discussions about video games that decided to host a competition to see who among its readership could draw up the best Tron Light Cycle. The entries were received and the results are… well, they’re pretty amazing.

Two winners were chosen, one from the United States and an International representative. John A. Frye took home the top spot among American artists with an appropriately American interpretation of a futuristic bike, while Raphael Laurent of Switzerland won the international prize. Each winner received a copy of the Art of Tron Legacy book and two Light Cycle toys.

We’ve assembled a gallery of the top eight submissions, but we think you should still go ahead and take a stroll through all of the submissions at SideQuesting.com. A variety of concepts are on display, and they range from jaw-dropping renders to beautiful hand-drawn sketches.

Gallery: Tron Light Cycle Design Contest by SideQuesting

Winner John A. Frye of South Pasadena, California US Honorable Mention Izaak Moody US Honorable Mention Vaughn Ling US Honorable Mention Chris Greazel International Winner Ralph Laurent of Switzerland

[Source: SideQuesting.com]

Tron light cycle contest declares winners originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Bugatti gets green light to build Galibier sedan

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Bugatti, Luxury

bugatti galibier

Bugatti 16C Galibier concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Always wanted Veyron levels of power but needed room for the kids? Bugatti is ready to make your dream a reality because the Galibier has reportedly been given the green light. According to some in-the-know folks, Volkswagen has given a jewel-encrusted thumbs up that will allow Bugatti to build the four-door super sedan.

The Galibier is expected to be priced around $1.4 million, and according to Bloomberg, the W16 will arrive under-hood in 1,000-horsepower form. Other reports speculate that Bugatti will trim the turbocharger count back from four to two, causing horsepower to dip to a more pedestrian 800 hp.

Gallery: Bugatti 16C Galibier concept in black

[Source: Bloomberg]

Report: Bugatti gets green light to build Galibier sedan originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Contest seeks to redesign Tron light cycle

Filed under: Etc., Design/Style

Tron: Legacy Light Cycle

We’ll be the first to admit that we went full geek over Tron: Legacy, and gaming website SideQuesting.com is showing its enthusiasm for the franchise by running a contest to reimagine the famous light cycle. Disney’s reworked battle bikes for Legacy were brilliant, but SQ wants to see exactly what designers cruising the web can come up with on their own. There’s a hitch, though: Artists are supposed to spend no longer than two hours on each submission.

Each design will be featured at SideQuesting.com, and winners will receive cool prizes including an Art of Tron: Legacy book, a white light cycle figurine and a deluxe light cycle figurine. SlideQuesting says that the total value of all the swag is around $75.

If you think you’ve got what it takes to work up the best design of them all, head over to SideQuesting.com for a look at the full rules and get started.

[Source: SideQuesting.com]

Contest seeks to redesign Tron light cycle originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Light BMW M Concept coming to Tokyo Motor Show

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Japan, Technology, Tokyo Motor Show, BMW, Luxury

BMW M Concept Sketch

The forums are alight with word that BMW will be bringing something unique to this year’s Tokyo Motor Show. According to the BMW-obsessed crowd over at M3Post.com, the Roundel is looking to flex its muscles when it comes to lightweight engineering with an M concept that boasts the best the company has to offer. Supposedly, the chassis will use a plethora of exotic materials to shave off every last pound, including magnesium, titanium, thermoplastic and carbon fiber. Unfortunately, it sounds like the concept will be a one-off piece and not something that’s destined for production. A real shame since we could really go for a 1 Series CSL.

That doesn’t mean BMW won’t use the technology in the concept in its production vehicles, though. The German manufacturer has made it clear that carbon-fiber reinforced plastic is going to be a big part of its vehicles moving forward, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see the material joined by other lightweight components as shedding pounds becomes increasingly important to meeting fuel economy and performance goals.

[Source: M3 Post]

Rumormill: Light BMW M Concept coming to Tokyo Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 20:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EDAG Light Car Sharing Concept previewed ahead of Geneva Motor Show

Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Electric

EDAG Light Car Sharing Concept

EDAG Light Car Sharing Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

EDAG is headed back to the Geneva Motor Show with a new take on car sharing. The company plans to unveil the new Light Car Sharing Concept, a machine that blends lightweight composites, modular pieces and an electric drivetrain to solve many of the woes facing communal autos at the moment. Along with body panels and interior components that can be easily swapped out for new pieces as wear and tear take hold, the concept comes with sophisticated GPS tracking software to allow car sharing companies to know exactly where their vehicles are at all times.

EDAG says that this new technology will help make car sharing more efficient in the future. At the heart of the vehicle is an axle-mounted electric drive system powered by lithium-ion batteries. All told, the gear is good for a range of 62 miles and a top-speed of 62 miles per hour. There are no output or acceleration figures to be had as of this writing, though that might change as we get closer to next week’s show.

Gallery: EDAG Light Car Sharing Concept

[Sources: EDAG, World Car Fans]

EDAG Light Car Sharing Concept previewed ahead of Geneva Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baltimore issues over 2,000 red light camera tickets with dead officer’s signature

Filed under: Government/Legal

Getting pulled over and ticketed by law enforcement makes for a bad day, and we’re quite certain the feeling is amplified when the citation comes in the mail days after the infraction occurs. There’s no surprise, then, that most drivers can’t stand traffic cams, and in many cases, the ticketed fight the infractions tooth and nail. In the city of Baltimore, MD, there are 2,000 ticketed motorists who may have a solid case.

WBAL-TV 11 reports that a police officer who tragically died in a car accident ‘signed’ those 2,000 tickets months after he passed away. That’s a big problem, because each red light camera citation is supposed to be reviewed by an officer of the law before getting sent out. City officials claim that the residents received the wrong notice, and that the tickets were in fact properly reviewed before being issued. We’re guessing that those ticketed won’t buy that explanation and the courts in Baltimore will be quite busy for the next few months. Head over to WBAL TV to view the report.

[Source: WBAL TV]

Baltimore issues over 2,000 red light camera tickets with dead officer’s signature originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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