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Report: NHTSA investigating some Nissan Altima, Jeep Wrangler models

Filed under: Sedan, SUV, Recalls, Safety, Jeep, Nissan, Off-Road

2010 Nissan Altima – Click above for high-res image gallery

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is looking into two vehicles from the 2007-2008 model years: the Nissan Altima and Jeep Wrangler. The Altima has been the subject of 20 non-injury complaints regarding a loss of stopping power. The culprit is supposed to be a brake fluid leak which, if left unaddressed by drivers when the warning light “is ignored,” decreases braking force. There are 440,000 Altimas included in the investigation. Nissan recalled 180,000 Sentras from the same model years for the same kind of leak.

There are also 220,000 Jeep Wranglers under investigation for non-deployment of drivers’ airbags due to a failed electrical circuit. 29 non-injury complaints were received, and at least six of the Wranglers were found to have been right-hand-drive models.

NHTSA investigating some Nissan Altima, Jeep Wrangler models originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 May 2011 12:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exclusive: BMW developing customizable LCD gauges for refreshed 5 and 7 Series models

Filed under: Sedan, Technology, BMW, Luxury

BMW digital LCD gauge cluster

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has had one for a few years, and Jaguar-Land Rover recently fitted units to its all-new XJ and updated Range Rover. Now BMW is getting ready to offer its own fully configurable LCD gauge cluster on the next-generation 5 Series and 7 Series models.

Co-developed in Munich and BMW’s Technology Office in Mountain View, CA, the new gauge cluster will display the standard dials for speed, revs, fuel and temp, but can be configured to show additional navigation, telematics and infotainment data depending on the driving mode. Comfort and Sport settings will tailor the display to suit conditions, possibly placing the tachometer front-and-center in Sport mode, along with providing shift lights and other more driver-centric information.

A BMW engineer we spoke with made it clear that BMW doesn’t want to rely on digital representations of analog gauges. Instead, the automaker is looking at the display as a blank canvas with which it can display a variety of information in an innovative way. However, while consumer customization will be available, BMW believes that keeping the user-tweakability to a minimum is key for ease-of-use and general readability.

Expect the new dash to appear on the refreshed 5 and 7 Series within the next two years.

BMW developing customizable LCD gauges for refreshed 5 and 7 Series models originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 May 2011 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Aston Martin planning two or three Lagonda models

Filed under: Concept Cars, Crossover, Aston Martin

Aston Martin Lagonda Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Earlier this year, we reported that Aston Martin had allegedly given its Lagonda crossover concept the green light for production. Now, in speaking to Europe’s CAR magazine, Aston CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez has confirmed that the concept will spawn “two or three” new Lagonda models.

Aston Martin is planning two full-fledged Lagonda crossovers – one that focuses on sport, and one more geared to all-terrain prowess, along the lines of the Audi Allroad, according to CAR. The sporty Lagonda would likely use a low-riding chassis and larger 21-inch wheels, while the more traditional CUV would have more modest suspension and wheel fittings.

The third potential offering? A luxury sedan not unlike the original Lagonda four-door from decades ago. CAR reports that, like Aston’s smaller Cygnet, the Lagonda sedan would combine traditional luxury amenities with “advanced packaging and a sophisticated drivetrain.”

No word on how long it will take Aston Martin to ready its Lagonda sub-brand, but since the company seems to be quite serious about launching this duo (or trio) of vehicles, we could see something crop up within the next few years.

Aston Martin planning two or three Lagonda models originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 May 2011 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Just how tight are supplies of new Audi models?

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Audi, Humor

Audi supply and demand

Audi customers going to extreme measures to get a new car – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Audi has taken to the Web to poke fun at its own recent supply issues while sneaking in a quick jab at its competitors. The company claims that Mercedes, BMW and Lexus owners have been jumping ship to Audi in record numbers, which is why Ingolstadt can’t keep its dealers stocked.

The commercial may soon wind up being more accurate than it is funny, as the company has dwindled down to a 27-day reserve supply of cars, is at maximum production capacity at its European factories and is seeing huge numbers of custom orders. With custom orders coming in faster than flood water and factories working overtime, some customers are waiting months to take delivery.

While we can’t imagine how stressful it is to work for Audi right now, the company can’t be too bummed out that its products are moving so successfully. To see just how rabid Audi fans may become, check out the video after the jump. Check out the video after the break.

Continue reading Just how tight are supplies of new Audi models?

Just how tight are supplies of new Audi models? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 May 2011 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoline After Hours welcomes auto show models in the studio tonight

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising

Lamborghini Product Specialists

If you have some time this evening, we highly recommend checking out Autoline After Hours. The crew will be hanging out with Margery Krevsky, the author of Sirens of Chrome. Krevsky painstakingly researched the 100-year history of the auto show model for the book and will be sharing some of her insights with hosts John McElroy and Peter Delorenzo for your enjoyment. If that’s not enough to drag you to the computer at 7 p.m. Eastern this evening, the news that Krevsky will bring along a few of her product specialist friends as well should have you patiently waiting at the keyboard.

The booth professionals will model dresses from the last 50 years of the car show circuit as a living, breathing supplement to the discussion on the book. Sound like a good time? You can see all the action by heading over to the Autoline After Hours site or by checking out the uStream feed after the jump.

Continue reading Autoline After Hours welcomes auto show models in the studio tonight

Autoline After Hours welcomes auto show models in the studio tonight originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 May 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford testing 60 Focus ST models around the world

Filed under: Spy Photos, Performance, Hatchback, Ford

ford focus st mule

Ford Focus ST testing – Click above for high-res image gallery

We’re looking forward to getting our hands on the ST variant of the Ford Focus, and why not? We Americans have had no choice but to sit back and watch while our overseas comrades got to have all the fun behind the wheel of high-performance Focii, which made the hot hatchbacks the forbidden fruit we tend to crave.

Ford promises that the U.S. will finally have a chance at the next-generation ST, which should supply at least 246 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque courtesy an EcoBoost 2.0-liter mill. The only problem is that the high-pot Focus ST is still a year away, but that doesn’t mean we won’t see test mules traveling the highways and test tracks around the world.

Ford tells us they have 60 ST models testing everywhere from California to Germany’s Nürburgring. The testers may look like last-generation ST or more pedestrian current-gen Focus models, but the big wheels, low profile and double exhaust passes will show that the mules are anything but ordinary.

Matthias Tonn, who heads performance engineering at Ford of Europe, says that the testing is needed to make the next ST shine, adding that engineers are “fine-tuning, testing, and fine tuning again many of the small but critical details to make sure it is worthy of the ST badge.”

And just because the ST will be a performance hatch doesn’t mean Ford isn’t keenly focused on fuel economy as well. Tonn says the goal is to produce class-leading fuel economy even with a performance variant. Mixing fuel efficiency and performance is no easy task, but Ford is banking on a thrifty EcoBoost engine and fuel-saving technology like a finely tuned Electric Power Assist Steering (EPAS) system to do the trick.

While the Focus ST is still a way away from production, Ford provided some “spy photos” of an ST mule during testing in Germany, which you can peruse in our high-res image gallery. Hit the jump to read over the Ford press release.

Continue reading Ford testing 60 Focus ST models around the world

Ford testing 60 Focus ST models around the world originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 May 2011 18:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lexus planning to bring three new models, hotter CT200h to market

Filed under: Sedan, SUV, Crossover, Lexus, Australia, Luxury

Lexus logo

It looks like Lexus is planning to bring a range of new models and customer options to market in Australia soon. The Japanese luxury brand has met with struggling sales down under, and according to The Age, the automaker plans to reverse that slide by giving buyers more choices. According to Tony Cramb, the chief executive of Lexus, that will begin with the addition of a number of new paint colors and interior finishes to put the Lexus option sheet on par with what rivals Audi and BMW offer their buyers.

In addition, the Lexus showroom will grow a little more crowded with the introduction of three new models. Those include a CUV, a more affordable luxury sedan and a seven-passenger SUV. Details on those creations are slim at the moment, though Cramb says that the vehicles will join a new hotter version of the CT 200h called the CT 300h. That wee beastie will come with a more potent gasoline engine and a jazzed-up electric motor to match.

Lexus planning to bring three new models, hotter CT200h to market originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 May 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi still supply constrained on many models; making huge inroads into CA

Filed under: Car Buying, Performance, Plants/Manufacturing, Audi, Luxury

2012 audi a6

2012 Audi A6 – Click above for high-res image gallery

When is success a bad thing? If you’re Audi, it’s when you can’t get adequate quantities of new vehicles to U.S. dealerships. Wards Automotive talked supply and demand with Audi of America president Johan de Nysschen, and it’s apparently very difficult to keep Audi dealers stocked. The Audi prez says the luxury brand is down to a 27-day supply of vehicles, adding, “We simply can’t get our inventory up to a 60-day supply.”

But while a short supply of new vehicles typically signals strong demand and minimizes incentives, Audi is faced with a custom order rate that is up to 31 percent. When you are maxed out at factories in Europe and there is that whole matter of shipping the vehicle across an ocean, an order can take months. And if customers face a long wait for what can sometimes be an emotion-driven buying decision, not everybody can be so patient, and Audi risks losing sales as a result. The waiting game hasn’t stopped Audi from turning up the heat in California, though, as the Four-Ringed Automaker’s sales have jumped from 3.5 percent to 10 percent market share.

Beyond supply issues, the German automaker is also struggling to push higher-end products, as de Nysschen says the volume products are the A4 and Q5. Only 15 percent of overall sales come from the A6, a number Audi hopes to stretch to 55 percent. The automaker is hoping the A7 helps solve that problem as well, along with a high mix of diesel-powered Q7 SUVs.

Gallery: 2012 Audi A6: Detroit 2011

2012 Audi A6

[Source: Wards Automotive]

Audi still supply constrained on many models; making huge inroads into CA originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota recalls 308,000 RAV4 and Highlander models over airbag sensor

Filed under: SUV, Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Toyota

Toyota has announced that it’s recalling 214,000 RAV4 models and 94,000 Highlander and Highlander HV models for side curtain airbag issues. The voluntary recall covers certain 2007 and 2008 models, all of which will need a new Curtain Shield Airbag Sensor Assembly.

The roll-sensing curtain shield airbag system contains two sensors that detects roll angle. In the event that one of the sensors malfunctions, the airbag warning light illuminates. That means the side-curtain airbags won’t work in a roll-over, though the airbags would still be available in the event of a side collision. If both sensors fail “near simultaneously,” however, the seat belt pretensioner and, more importantly, the curtain shield airbag could inadvertantly be activated.

Owners of affected vehicles will be notified by mail in the next month. Once customers have been notified, they will be able to take their RAV4 or Highlander to the nearest Toyota dealer for a free repair. Follow the jump to read Toyota’s official announcement.

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Toyota recalls 308,000 RAV4 and Highlander models over airbag sensor

Toyota recalls 308,000 RAV4 and Highlander models over airbag sensor originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: 2012 Cadillac CTS with 3.6L won’t get six-speed manual, V models safe

Filed under: Coupe, Sedan, Wagon, Cadillac

cadillac cts wagon

Cadillac CTS Sportwagon – Click above for high-res image gallery

The list of vehicles with an available manual transmission may become a bit smaller for 2012, as Inside Line is reporting that certain 2012 Cadillac CTS models will lose the ability to specify a third pedal. IL cites sources from within General Motors who say that models equipped with the 3.6-liter V6 will only be offered with an automatic transmission next year. The high-performance CTS-V sedan, coupe and wagon will still be offered with a manual transmission, as will CTS variants equipped with the torque-deprived 3.0-liter V6.

The General wouldn’t specify why the 3.6-liter-equipped models would lose the manual option, but we’re thinking that a low take rate at the dealership had something to do with the decision. And while we never like to see that owners lose out on the manual-equipped version of any vehicle, at least the CTS-V will retain row-your-own ability.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Cadillac CTS Sportwagon

[Source: Inside Line]

Report: 2012 Cadillac CTS with 3.6L won’t get six-speed manual, V models safe originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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