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Report: Mulally urges Capitol Hill to adopt national fuel standard

Filed under: Government/Legal, Ford

ford ceo alan mulally

Will there be one fuel standard to rule them all? Ford CEO Alan Mulally certainly hopes so, and he’s letting Washington know. As manufacturers spend time and money pushing to reach established Corporate Average Fuel Economy goals, some states are looking to set their own rules. That could prove to be a tricky – and hugely expensive – proposition for the automakers.

We know we said “some states,” but you all know the one we’re talking about. California is (once again) considering the idea of setting its own average fuel economy rules starting in 2017, and the federal government is (once again) considering letting them. Currently, California and the federal government agree that fleet-wide fuel efficiency will be required to hit 34.1 miles per gallon starting in 2012, a figure that runs through 2016.

As part of a visit to D.C. this week, Mulally told House members and Bill Daley, White House Chief of Staff (among others), that he wants the government to step up and standardize fuel economy and emissions rules, which would prevent states from breaking out their own guidelines.

Mulally urges Capitol Hill to adopt national fuel standard originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xplore Adventure Series vehicles want you to see our National Parks

Xplore Adventure Series FJ Cruiser – Click above for high-res image gallery

Our National Parks are American treasures, and one company wants you to get out there and explore them. We saw its first creation, the Xplore Adventure Series FJ Cruiser, at last year’s SEMA Show in Las Vegas. That vehicle is going to be auctioned off and the proceeds donated to the National Parks Foundation. Xplore isn’t limiting itself to just the FJ Cruiser, however, and parts will soon be available for various Jeep, Ram Truck, Toyota, Ford, GM, Nissan, Honda, Subaru, Hyundai and Kia vehicles.

The parts are available at local dealerships and range from the basic to the burly. Stage one of the Xplore series of parts includes interior upgrades produced with the help of Katzkin. Stage two upgrades feature BFGoodrich off-road tires, aluminum wheels, Bilstein shocks and a Magnaflow stainless-steel cat-back exhaust. If you want to push further into the woods, Stage three bolts on winches, a roof rack, rock rails, a rooftop tent and upgraded lighting. There’s also a built-to-order Stage 4 for Jeep and Toyota vehicles, which brings builder TLC into the mix and adds custom paint choices as well as electronic upgrades and expedition-level equipment.

Keeping with the theme of the Xplore name, each Xplore vehicle comes with a one-year National Parks pass, membership in the Xplore club and a subscription to the Xplore Lifestyle magazine.

Gallery: Xplore Adventure Series FJ Cruiser

Xplore Adventure Series FJ Cruiser

[Source: Xplore Vehicles]

Continue reading Xplore Adventure Series vehicles want you to see our National Parks

Xplore Adventure Series vehicles want you to see our National Parks originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Jan 2011 14:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: IL pits 2011 Buick Regal Turbo against 1987 Grand National

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Sedan, Performance, Videos, Buick

1987 Buick Grand National vs. 2011 Buick Regal Turbo

1987 Buick Grand National vs. 2011 Buick Regal Turbo – Click above to watch video after the jump

When General Motors first announced that Americans would once again be able to get their power-hungry hands on a turbocharged Buick, enthusiast minds immediately leapt to visions of a modern day Grand National. Now, however, it’s clear that the new Regal Turbo isn’t exactly the second coming of old-school forced-induction glory. That hasn’t stopped the crew at Inside Line from lining the two up on the quarter mile and sharing their exploits with the world. The editors chose an ’87 Grand National as the representative of the old-school set, and predictably, it puts the new-age Regal CXL Turbo in its place without breaking a sweat down the quarter mile.

Even so, the 2011 Regal Turbo managed to pull off wins in both the slalom and skid pad as well as brake tests, but both results are of little surprise given that the new Regal Turbo has the benefit of over 20 years of technology on its side. You can head over to Inside Line for the full skinny on how both vehicles performed under the scrutiny of IL testing. Hit the jump to check out the quarter-mile video, too. Thanks for the tip, Brandon!

[Source: Inside Line]

Continue reading Video: IL pits 2011 Buick Regal Turbo against 1987 Grand National

Video: IL pits 2011 Buick Regal Turbo against 1987 Grand National originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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National Automotive History Collection dubs Chevy Camaro ‘Collectible Car of the Future’

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet

2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS

2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS – Click above for high-res image gallery

If you’re looking for the most collectible American-made vehicle on sale right now, you might want to stop by your local Chevrolet dealer. According to the Friends of the National Automotive History Collection, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro is the most collectible car on sale right now. Each year, members of the organization get together to vote for the single domestically produced car or truck that’s bound to be a good return on investment later down the line. There’s no arguing that the 2010 Camaro is a hot piece of metal, but we could think of a few other vehicles that could have nabbed the honor.

Such as? We’re glad you asked.

If it were us picking, we’d lay a finger on the 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. With the amount of abuse those trucks are designed to take, we can imagine that the future won’t exactly be littered with operational examples, much less show-room quality trucks. Throw the simple fact that Ford will only build a small number of the desert pounders compared to the fleets of Camaro models rolling out of Canada, and you’ve got an even better case for a future moneymaker. But hey, who are we to argue with the group that picked the Chrysler Sebring Convertible as a winner in 1996? Hit the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS

[Source: Detroit Public Library]

Continue reading National Automotive History Collection dubs Chevy Camaro ‘Collectible Car of the Future’

National Automotive History Collection dubs Chevy Camaro ‘Collectible Car of the Future’ originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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