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Report: Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV production restarts after five-month delay

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Japan, Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Mitsubishi, Electric

Back in March, production of both the Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid and the all-electric i-MiEV ground to a halt over a pair of incidents where overheated lithium-ion batteries caused vehicle fires. Following the rocky start, The Japan Times is reporting that production of the Outlander PHEV has recommenced following the five-month stoppage.

The battery fires were tracked down to a supplier issue before more than 4,300 vehicles were recalled in June, but Mitsubishi received heavy criticism from the Japanese government for the delayed recall. According to the report, though, that hasn’t slow down enthusiasm for the plug-in crossover – Mitsubishi has received close to 18,000 for the Outlander PHEV. To keep up with demand, the automaker is planning to double production to 4,000 units a month.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV production restarts after five-month delay originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Aug 2013 15:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: NHTSA expected to mandate black boxes in all cars next month

Filed under: Technology

electronic data recorder Are you ready for a black box to be installed in your car? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration apparently is. According to a new report from Wired, NHTSA is expected to rule next month that all new cars will need to carry just such a device.

Now, before you get all “Screw the Gubment!” in the comments, you should know that many modern cars already have black box systems installed – you might have one and not even know it. General Motors, for instance, has been installed the electronic data recorders since the 1990s, on almost all vehicles fitted with airbags.

The concern for most drivers, however, lies with what type of information is captured, and who has access to it. Also, different automakers use different Electronic Data Recorder devices. A black box standard needs to be developed, which would allow for the data retrieved from an EDR to be consistent regardless of the vehicle make it’s pulled from.

Some view this mandate as an invasion of motorists’ privacy. However, the data recovered from the black box systems can provide crucial insight into crash dynamics. Exactly who’s allowed to view that information varies by state, of course, and only 13 states currently have legislation in place regulating the release of EDR data.

What do you think, is this a good idea, or a bad one? Have your say in Comments.

NHTSA expected to mandate black boxes in all cars next month originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 May 2011 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW ActiveE leasing priced at $499 a month, $2,250 down payment

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, BMW, Electric

BMW Active E

BMW Active E – Click above for high-res image gallery

BMW has released official pricing for its latest foray into the world of electric vehicles, and compared to the rest of your EV options, the Active E is a screaming deal.

Lease pricing for the 1 Series-based Active E is set at $499 a month for 24 months, with a downpayment of $2,250 due at signing. BMW isn’t citing exact output figures yet (we’re hearing something around 190 hp), but it’s quoting a 0-60 time of under nine seconds and a range of 100 miles with its specially developed, liquid-cooled lithium ion battery pack. Reservations will begin this summer and you can get in on the action at BMWActivateTheFuture.com. Full details in the press blast after the jump.

Gallery: BMW ActiveE: Geneva 2011

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BMW ActiveE leasing priced at $499 a month, $2,250 down payment originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Toyota Yaris plant to be shuttered for at least another month

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Lexus, Toyota

2011 Toyota Yaris five-door liftback

Production issues in Japan continue three weeks after the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami devastated the island nation. Major Japanese automakers have consistently pushed back plant start-up times and Toyota is no different, with a current forecast of an April 11 or April 14 re-boot. And that’s best-case scenario. The automaker said in a statement Tuesday that it was looking into supply issues, adding “depending on vehicle type, there may be a significant impact on our production capabilities.”

Automotive News reports that the longest wait time could be for Toyota’s Miyagi assembly plant, which makes the Yaris subcompact. Sources tell AN that the plant will likely be down for at least a month, as ruptured gas lines in the facility link to a heavily damaged natural gas plant in the quake-devastated region of Sendai. The automaker is said to be looking at other options to power the otherwise repaired facility. The prolonged shutdown at the Miyagi plant could ultimately affect Toyota’s U.S. supply of Yaris models, which only come from that plant.

One factory that has been revitalized is the plant that makes the Prius, Lexus CT 200h and Lexus HS250h. But a source apparently informed AN that a Toyota purchasing executive admits that the facility is only running at half capacity.

Right now, the situation in Japan hasn’t had much affect on U.S. vehicle availability, but a prolonged shutdown of supplier plants could be devastating. IHS Global Insight estimates that 30 percent of the world’s global auto production could be lost if Japan plants remain closed for six weeks or more.

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Report: Toyota Yaris plant to be shuttered for at least another month originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: VW poised to join WRC by month’s end

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Hatchback, Volkswagen, Off-Road, Racing

Volkswagen Touareg Dakar

Carlos Sainz at the 2010 Dakar Rally – Click above for high-res image gallery

According to Autocar, Volkswagen is expected to announce its participation in WRC by the end of this month. The automaker has been rumored to enter WRC ever since the racing series announced a shift to 1.6-liter-based rules.

If the rumors are to be believed, the car, which is already under development, will be based on the Polo. Volkswagen has tapped Fracois-Xavier Demaison, who has led rally projects for Peugeot and Citroen, to get the diminutive Polo ready to race.

The driver for VW’s WRC assault remains undetermined, though apparently the German automaker has tried – and failed – to get Sebastien Loeb. Petter Solberg’s name has also come up as a possible pilot for the effort.

Gallery: Carlos Sainz wins the 2010 Dakar Rally

[Source: Autocar]

Report: VW poised to join WRC by month’s end originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Lexus expects to sell 1,000 CTs a month despite HS flop

Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Hatchback, Lexus

2011 Lexus CT 200h driving

2011 Lexus CT 200h – Click above for high-res image gallery

Lexus is pinning rather high the expectations on its new CT 200h, billed as “The Dark Side of Green.” According to Brian Bolain, the automaker’s national advertising and marketing manager, Lexus expects to sell about 1,000 CTs here in the U.S. each month. We wish them the best of luck, but have some serious reservations.

Consider that the combined sales of the BMW 1 Series, Audi A3 and Volvo C30 (which represent the vehicles most likely to be cross-shopped with the CT) tally up about 1,500 sales per month, according to Ward’s Automotive. For what it’s worth, the 1 Series, which is the only non-dedicated hatchback and easily the sportiest of the bunch, makes up the vast majority of the segment’s sales.

As you’re surely aware, the CT 200h is indeed a dedicated hatchback and it offers up a comparatively paltry 98 horsepower from its Prius-derived Atkinson-cycle 1.8-liter four-cylinder, aided by another 36 ponies from its two electric motors and 28 NiMH batteries. As we said in our First Drive of the CT, that power level, particularly when coupled to a continuously variable automatic transmission, doesn’t exactly incite driving excitement.

Also factor in the sales flop that is the dedicated-hybrid Lexus HS 250h, a model whose yearly sales will struggle to hit half the 20,000 units Lexus had counted on, and you can see why we’re a tad skeptical that Toyota’s luxury division will manage to move a thousand CTs per calendar flip. In any case, we figure the CT is at least as attractive as the HS, and we look forward to spending some quality time with the hybrid hatchback in day-to-day driving scenarios where it should become much more clear how the machine stacks up against its competitors.

What do you think, will the CT 200h be a hit in America? Have your say in Comments.

Gallery: 2011 Lexus CT 200h: First Drive

Report: Lexus expects to sell 1,000 CTs a month despite HS flop originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai giving $200 a car to children’s cancer charity this month

Filed under: Etc., Hyundai, Earnings/Financials

With National Childhood Cancer Awareness month underway, Hyundai Motor America has announced plans to donate $100,000 to 68 hospitals and non-profit organizations ($6.8 million total) in the form of “Hope Grants.” The bulk of the money will be raised by Hyundai’s U.S. sales network, now more than 800 dealers strong, who will contribute $200 from the sale of each vehicle in September.

“While we’ve made progress over the last few decades and now have an 85 percent cure rate, cancer still takes more lives than any other childhood disease,” said John Krafcik, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor America. “This September, in support of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Hyundai will shine a nationwide spotlight on this cause and provide more than $6 million in grants for pediatric cancer research and support programs. We love taking on big challenges at Hyundai, and we can think of no more worthy challenge than finding a cure for all forms of pediatric cancer.”

Hyundai’s Hope on Wheels program has supported the fight against childhood cancer for the past twelve years. By the end of this year, the program will have awarded more than $23 million to hospitals and non-profit organizations across the country. To learn more about the program, or donate directly, visit Hyundai Hope on Wheels.

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Hyundai giving $200 a car to children’s cancer charity this month originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Look: 2011 Toyota Highlander to launch at Moscow Motor Show next month

Filed under: Crossover, Toyota, Misc. Auto Shows, Russia, Design/Style

2011 Toyota Highlander – Click above to enlarge

Toyota Europe has confirmed to Autoblog that the automaker’s popular Highlander crossover will go on sale in Russia and the Ukraine for the first time ever. Why should Statesiders care? Because the new-look model above will be unveiled at the Moscow Motor Show on August 25, and it’s almost certain to be the refreshed CUV that we will receive in North America.

From the looks of things, the 2011 Highlander will retain its strong body lines, but ditch the conservative front fascia of the 2010 model in favor of a leaner, more aggressive nose with angry looking headlamps. With appropriate helpings of chrome in all the right places, the new Highlander is downright handsome. As this is the only shot that we have, we don’t know what’s going on at the rear, but we would expect redesigned taillamps and perhaps some revamped trim. From what we can see, the Highlander’s profile appears unchanged, save perhaps for a new wheel pattern and a very discreet set of turn signal repeaters in the mirrors.

While we have no confirmation that we will receive this same model, European officials believe that it will make it to North America with “more or less the same look.” The Highlander is only built in three places at the moment – China, Japan and in Indiana, so it doesn’t seem likely that Toyota would bother to develop new sheetmetal for select European markets without disbursing it elsewhere.

Unfortunately, we don’t know too much about what’s going on under that hood or in the cabin. So far, the only thing that Toyota Europe has confirmed with us is that the hybrid version of the Highlander won’t be available in those markets. We’ll just have to wait for details from the Moscow Motor Show for more information. Thanks for the tip, Mike!

First Look: 2011 Toyota Highlander to launch at Moscow Motor Show next month originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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