Tag: official

Official: Edmunds settles with marketing firm accused of faking dealer reviews

Filed under: Car Buying, Government/Legal

Edmunds.com logoBack in July, Edmunds sued a Texas company named Humankind Design Ltd. for fraud and breach of contract. Among other services, Humankind Design claims to be an online reputation management company, but the lawsuit says that the site created 2,200 fake accounts in order to post positive dealerships reviews on Edmunds.com.

Now, Edmunds says that the case has been settled requiring Humankind Design to agree not to register users or submit reviews on Edmunds as well as providing information about the accounts and reviews it fraudulently created; Humankind Design also has to pay Edmunds an undisclosed monetary settlement for legal fees. Edmunds added that it is working with other identified sites – including Google+, Yelp and Foursquare – which Humankind Design may have also created fake reviews for in the past. The press release for the settlement is posted below as is the original release announcing the lawsuit in July.

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Edmunds settles with marketing firm accused of faking dealer reviews originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Aug 2013 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: 2014 Chevy Malibu rated at 25/36 mpg, priced from $22,140*

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Chevrolet

2014 Chevrolet Malibu

After a single model year on the market, Chevrolet gave its midsize Malibu a big makeover for 2014, but the changes aren’t all about styling. Although the refreshed sedan isn’t on sale yet, Chevy has released some important numbers for its new ‘Bu: namely its EPA fuel economy figures and MSRP.

Styling included, the biggest improvement for the 2014 Malibu is its fuel economy. For the base models equipped with the 2.5-liter engine, adding stop/start technology, a new transmission and Intake Valve Lift Control (which helps the engine breathe more efficiently) all help the sedan deliver 25 miles per gallon city and 36 mpg highway. That’s up from 22 mpg city and 34 mpg highway for 2013. Not only are these ratings good enough to put Malibu with the top of its of the base-engined midsize class, but they are almost the same as the 2013 Malibu Eco with eAssist (25 city/37 highway).

Factoring in this fuel economy jump, the 2014 Malibu’s new base price $22,140 (*not including $825 for destination, which itself has risen by $15) is an increase of $145, but it is also about $1,000 lower than the 2013 Malibu Eco – removing the premium for optimal fuel economy. We’re still waiting to get behind the wheel of the refreshed sedan, but Chevy is definitely righting some wrongs on its eighth-gen Malibu to make it more competitive in the segment. Scroll down for more information in Chevy’s official press release.

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2014 Chevy Malibu rated at 25/36 mpg, priced from $22,140* originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Aug 2013 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: 2014 Kia Soul priced from $14,700*

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Crossover, Kia

2014 Kia Soul

Kia has announced pricing on the refreshed 2014 Soul. At $14,700 (*plus a destination charge of $795), the new funky crossover undercuts its two primary competitors, the Scion xB and Nissan Cube, by $2,850 and $2,060, respectively. That base model includes 16-inch alloys, cruise control, wheel-mounted audio controls and a 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine with 130 horsepower and 118 pound-feet of torque.

The mid-range model, the Soul Plus, demands $18,200 and adds a spate of exterior items, like 17-inch wheels and chrome trim, to class up the Soul’s look, not to mention a 164-horsepower, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine. Plus customers also have access to a number of option packages, including a $400 pack that adds Kia’s UVO infotainment system and a backup camera. A $1,400 Audio Package adds navigation, an eight-inch display, an Infinity stereo and automatic temperature controls. A $3,000 Primo Package adds a few notable luxury items, like a panoramic sunroof, heated leather seats, and push-button start. Finally, a $400 Eco Package adds stop-start technology and replaces the 17-inch wheels with 16s shod in low-rolling-resistance tires.

The top-of-the-line Soul Exclaim starts at $20,300 and comes with LED running lights, LED taillights, 18-inch wheels and the Plus’s UVO Package as standard. Buyers can opt for The Whole Shebang, a $2,500 option pack that apes the Primo Package from the Plus. Weirdly, the Audio Package from the Soul Plus is an extra $1,200 on the Exclaim, and has been rebranded the Sun and Sand Package. Feel free to peruse the press release below for more.

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2014 Kia Soul priced from $14,700* originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Aug 2013 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Cadillac CTS Vsport laps the Nürburgring in 8:14.10 [w/video]

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Videos, Cadillac

Cadillac CTS Vsport at the Nürburgring

You don’t have to be German to test your car at the Nürburging. You just have to be serious about beating the Germans on their own home turf. That’s why Nissan tests its GT-R at the Nordschleife to challenge the Porsche 911, and why Cadillac – which is no less serious about putting up a fight to German performance sedans – has returned to the ‘Ring once again with its latest.

This time it’s the turn of the new CTS Vsport, the sportier version of Cadillac’s new mid-range sedan that aims to bridge the gap until the arrival of the next CTS-V. So how’d it fare? At the end of what we’re sure was an exhaustive test session, the new CTS Vsport clocked a time of 8:14.10.

To put that into context, General Motors points out that the time places the new sedan six seconds ahead of the first-gen CTS-V, whose 400-horsepower V8 engine was actually less potent than the Vsport’s new 410hp 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6. That’s still a good fifteen seconds slower than the outgoing CTS-V that clocked a 7:59 in 2009 with its 556hp supercharged V8, but only a second behind the E60-generation BMW M5 with its high-revving 500hp V10.

That’s mighty impressive indeed, and we can’t wait to see what the next CTS-V can manage. The four-door crown currently belongs to the Porsche Panamera Turbo S that set a 7:52.20 in 2011. Just sayin’. Scope out the video clip and press release below.

Continue reading Cadillac CTS Vsport laps the Nürburgring in 8:14.10 [w/video]

Cadillac CTS Vsport laps the Nürburgring in 8:14.10 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Aug 2013 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Google self-driving cars should have data recorders, says US official

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Technology

Driverless Cars from Google

Fears over domestic spying operations and privacy concerns have been splattered across the headlines with alarming frequency, and now it appears that even the auto industry isn’t immune. According to a report from The Huffington Post, the chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, Deborah Hersman, has argued that black boxes should be mandatory in self-driving cars, like those that Google and Nissan have been working on.

“Data capture is going to help you understand if there is a vehicle problem, or if it’s a human factors issue,” Hersman told the Post. The fear behind black boxing cars, though, has always been one of individual privacy being compromised. That isn’t likely to change regardless of whether a car is controlled by man or machine, as evidenced by an Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers survey, which claimed that nearly three-quarters of participants were worried about driverless cars recording personal information. Adding to that, 70 percent of respondents feared their info being accessed by the government, according to the HuffPo report.

Those arguments aren’t enough for Hersman, though. “When you have a driverless car, you have to demonstrate on the front end that you have the data that shows it’s safe. But we would also say, you need to make sure you have good data recording capabilities, so when there is an event, you can understand what happened.”

Google self-driving cars should have data recorders, says US official originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Aug 2013 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Ford S-Max Concept previews new look, technology for Euro seven-seater

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Technology, Ford

Ford S-Max Concept showcases sharp styling, a thoughtful interior and innovative technologies.

Ford unveiled today the S-Max Concept, which comes with a new, sleek look and loaded with innovative technology, such as a heart-rate monitoring seat. But if your heart is set on a minivan sports activity vehicle (SAV) and you live in the States, don’t wait for this one – it’s a Europe-only product, and we don’t expect that to change when the next-gen S-Max is released.

The styling follows Ford’s global design language, looking a bit like an overgrown Focus hatchback with the company’s signature grille, wraparound headlamps, steeply raked windshield and curved roof line. Ford also implemented details to make the S-Max look longer and faster, such as a feature line on each side of the vehicle and muscular-looking fenders. The engine isn’t Ford’s most powerful, but the new 1.5-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine should be potent enough with turbocharging and other efficiency related technologies.

Ford says the new interior, which seats up to seven people, features high-quality materials and fine detailing, such as an “ultra-soft” leather wrap for the instrument panel and leather and carbon-fiber details on the seats. Ford’s Sync connectivity system with MyFord Touch makes the car a wireless hotspot, and there’s a tablet docking station for second-row occupants.

But it’s the health-related systems that have our attention. The heart-rate sensing seat records the driver’s heart rate and has the potential to respond to medical emergencies via Sync. This can range from alerting medical experts to triggering active safety systems that can take over temporarily for an incapacitated driver. The car even has a glucose monitoring system that Ford claims can detect a sleeping child having a diabetic episode in the back seat.

Take a look at the press release below for a closer look into the sharply styled, tech-forward SAV.

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Ford S-Max Concept previews new look, technology for Euro seven-seater originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Aug 2013 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Mazda reports strong Skyactiv sales, plans to boost output 25%

Filed under: Budget, China, Japan, Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, Mazda

Skyactiv Technology logo

Mazda is set to expand production of its Skyactiv engines after critical and commercial acclaim for the fuel-sipping powerplants. The Japanese manufacturer has a number of plans in the works to bump up production, with the first being a 25-percent increase in output from its Hiroshima, Japan engine facility.

Besides adding a new line, Mazda will modify the line that built MZR engines, a family of mills that includes the 2.3-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder found in the Mazdaspeed3 and the 2.0-liter found in the MX-5 Miata. The bump in production is just part of Mazda’s goal of selling 1.7 million vehicles globally by 2016, with 80 percent of those vehicles expected to wear a Skyactiv badge.

Mazda also builds Skyactiv engines at a joint-venture facility with Ford, in Changan, China, while a Mexican facility will go online by March of 2014. Skyactiv engines currently power the Mazda3, Mazda6 and CX-5.

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Mazda reports strong Skyactiv sales, plans to boost output 25% originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Aug 2013 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Nissan promising autonomous car production by 2020

Filed under: Safety, Technology, Nissan, Electric

Nissan Leaf Autonomous Drive demonstrator

Nissan will bring the autonomous car to consumers by the end of this decade. The announcement was made by CEO Carlos Ghosn at the company’s US headquarters in Irvine, CA. Nissan has already begun construction of a dedicated proving ground for the self-driving cars in Japan, with completion targeted for the end of 2014.

Teaming with MIT, Stanford, Oxford and others, Nissan has already outfitted Leaf EVs with the Autonomous Drive (Nissan’s brand name for the tech), a suite of new technologies developed from the brand’s existing Safety Shield technology. The current iteration of Autonomous Drive uses the Around-View Monitoring system and laser scanners to analyze the environment, while artificial intelligence systems have been installed to help navigate and operate in a changing environment.

While it’s easy to say that Nissan will bring the technology to market within the next six or seven years, it’s more difficult to say at what price Autonomous Drive will be available. Most remarkable about all of this is Nissan’s claim that self-driving cars will be both commercially viable and available at “realistic prices for consumers.” It’s expecting Autonomous Drive to be available across its range within two vehicle generations.

Nissan’s motivation rests largely with the number of accidents that happen on US roads alone each year – six million accidents that cost consumers $160 million and kill more people between the ages of four and 34 than anything else. Considering the overwhelming majority of those accidents are caused by human error, this tech seems like a great idea.

Carlos Ghosn demonstrated Nissan’s resolve towards bringing the tech to market, saying, “In 2007 I pledged that – by 2010 – Nissan would mass market a zero-emission vehicle. Today, the Nissan Leaf is the best-selling electric vehicle in history. Now I am committing to be ready to introduce a new ground-breaking technology, Autonomous Drive, by 2020, and we are on track to realize it.” Those are some bold words, but what Nissan is promising now is far more complex than a new drivetrain. We look forward to seeing what it comes up with.

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Nissan promising autonomous car production by 2020 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Aug 2013 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Infiniti releases first image of premium compact Q30 Concept

Filed under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Motor Show, Coupe, Crossover, Hatchback, Infiniti, Luxury

Infiniti Q30 Concept

Behold, the Q30 Concept. Slated for a worldwide debut in Germany next month at the Frankfurt Motor Show, this concept previews a new entry-level premium compact that Infiniti hopes will attract younger buyers to the brand, as well as give it a competitor in a burgeoning new class that’s quickly filling up with options.

What will set the Q30 apart? Aside from a bold and aggressive design that picks up where the new Q50 and many concepts have left off, Infiniti says the shape combines elements from three bodystyles, all of which appeal to the sort of buyer it’s hoping snare. Can you guess which three? No peeking at the press release down below. Give yourself ten arbitrary points if your answer was coupe, crossover and hatchback.

Infiniti promises a ride height that will be high enough to earn crossover credentials, and we’re guessing it’s got an actual hatch back there, which leaves the coupe. Where’s the coupe in the Q30’s design? The influence of a two-door is a little more difficult to see with the naked eye, but what the Q30 shares with some four-door coupes on the market is a roofline that peaks and begins to slope back down before the B-pillar and rear set of doors.

There’s no information available yet on what powers the Q30 Concept, and hence even less about what will power the production version, but we expect to learn more more in the coming weeks leading up to this triple threat’s reveal in Frankfurt.

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Infiniti releases first image of premium compact Q30 Concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Aug 2013 01:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: 2014 Toyota Corolla priced from $16,800*

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Sedan, Toyota

2014 Toyota Corolla

We’ll be publishing our First Drive of the 2014 Toyota Corolla later today, but right now, we can reveal that the eleventh-generation compact will be priced from $16,800 when it hits dealerships this fall (*not including a $810 destination charge).

Four trim levels will be offered, and that sub-$17,000 price point reflects the base L grade with a six-speed manual transmission. Adding the four-speed automatic (yep) brings that price up to $17,400, which gets you the usual features standard on this class of car, including Bluetooth connectivity, eight airbags and – a first for this price point – LED headlamps.

From there, the LE trim ($18,300) adds a backup camera, cruise control, keyless entry, Entune audio (including a 6.1-inch touchscreen) and a brand-new continuously variable transmission replacing the four-speed auto. There’s even an Eco version of the LE trim that uses a different engine tune to provide fuel economy of up to 42 miles per gallon on the highway.

The top-trim S, pictured above, comes with a modified front fascia design, rear lip spoiler, leather-wrapped steering wheel, sport seats and more for $19,000. There are paddle shifters mated to the CVT with seven “gears,” and optional 17-inch wheels are available. Toyota will offer the S trim with a six-speed manual as part of the Plus package, and the Premium pack adds Softex synthetic leather seats. All in, a fully loaded Corolla comes in just under $24,000. Not bad, at all.

Stay tuned for our full impressions of the new Corolla in just a few hours. In the meantime, scroll down to read Toyota’s official pricing release.

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2014 Toyota Corolla priced from $16,800* originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Aug 2013 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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