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Hot Cross Buns: NHTSA reportedly set to investigate seat heater burns

Filed under: Etc., Safety

Seat Heaters

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is now looking into whether or not seat heaters pose an “unreasonable risk to safety,” according to USA Today. The government agency is currently shuffling through dozens of reports of burns associated with overactive heaters, and Johnson Clifton Larson & Schaler, an Oregon law firm, says that it knows of at least 150 people injured by the convenience feature.

According to the report, those with lower-body sensory defects are in danger of being burnt by the seat heaters without their knowledge, and doctors have petitioned the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers to disconnect the feature on vehicles owned by those with the sensory issues.

In one case, a paraplegic man was severely burnt after sitting in a Chevrolet Silverado with the seat warmers on high for two and a half hours. He accidentally turned on the heaters while attempting to roll down the window.

General Motors, meanwhile, says that it began printing warnings on seat-heater operation in its owners manuals in 2010, and all 2011 vehicle manuals now have the warning.

[Source: USA Today | Image: Damon Lavrinc/AOL]

Hot Cross Buns: NHTSA reportedly set to investigate seat heater burns originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2011: 2012 Opel Ampera set to electrify Europe

Filed under: Sedan, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, GM, Opel, Electric

2012 Opel Ampera

2012 Opel Ampera – Click above for high-res image gallery

Just as the first round of Chevrolet Volts are hitting the streets of the United States, Europe’s own version of the electrified sedan makes its debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. General Motors took the wraps off the 2012 Opel Ampera, a sedan that wears more aggressively styled body panels than its Chevy cousin. It’s pretty slick, and when you consider the technology that exists underneath that shapely sheetmetal, Europe should be pleasantly surprised.

Pricing, however, is a bit steep. GM has set the Ampera’s base price at €42,900, which includes Europe’s steep Value Added Tax, and that translates to roughly $60,000 based on current exchange rates. Still, Opel says that it already has about 1,000 orders placed for the sedan across the continent, and with Voltec engineering on tap, hopefully the Ampera will make as big of a splash in Europe as the Volt has here in America.

Gallery: 2012 Opel Ampera: Geneva 2011

Geneva 2011: 2012 Opel Ampera set to electrify Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Tanner Foust and Justin Bell set Focus Global Test Drive benchmark time… sort of.

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Ford, Humor

justin bell and tanner foust

Justin Bell and Tanner Foust team up for a lap in a Focus – Click above to watch video after the jump

Martin and Lewis. Farley and Spade. Frost and Pegg. Bell and Foust? Are Justin Bell and Tanner Foust the next great comedy duo? No. However, the two can drive around a track very quickly. Though their styles may differ, they have teamed up to set a baseline run in a 2012 Focus for Ford’s Global Test Drive Event.

Bell is a GT2 Champion and veteran of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Tanner Foust is a champion drifter, X-Games gold medalist and overseas Rallycross rookie. The two can drive a car to say the least. Can they work together to put down a solid lap time with the 2012 Focus? Click past the jump to find out.

[Source: Ford via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Tanner Foust and Justin Bell set Focus Global Test Drive benchmark time… sort of.

Video: Tanner Foust and Justin Bell set Focus Global Test Drive benchmark time… sort of. originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe set for Geneva Motor Show debut

Filed under: Coupe, Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe – Click above for high-res image gallery

Still puzzled as to why Mercedes-Benz killed off the CLK a couple of years ago? Puzzle no more, friend, for your answer is here. You see, the CLK was designed to slot in between the C-Class and E-Class sedan and wagon ranges, and was both preceded and succeeded by the E-Class Coupe. When Mercedes went back to the old formula, it made room for the vehicle you see here: the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe.

The subject of many spy shots and leaked photos, the new C-Class Coupe has finally been officially revealed by the factory ahead of its official debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. There, the new Benz coupe will arrive with two engine options: The Mercedes-Benz C250 coupe gets the 1.8-liter direct-injected turbo four with 201 horsepower, while the C350 coupe is equipped with the 304-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6. Both are mated exclusively to Mercedes’ 7-speed automatic transmission, which drives the rear wheels. 4Matic all-wheel drive will not be offered on the C-Class coupe. (The AMG version of the coupe is tipped to come along in another month at the New York Auto Show.)

So what else separates the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe from the sedan it’s based on? Two fewer doors and a slightly lower roofline. That’s about it. The C-Class coupe’s wheelbase is the same, the front end is the same, the luxury touches and the cutting-edge electronic wizardry… it’s all the C-Class we know, only coupier. Will that be enough to steal sales away from the likes of the BMW 3 Series coupe and Audi A5, both of which are more distinctly differentiated from their four-door compatriots? We’ll find out once the two-doors hit showrooms, but for now, you can scope out the official details in the press release after the jump, along with the gallery of high-resolution images below.

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe set for Geneva Motor Show debut

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe set for Geneva Motor Show debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 08:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Barrett-Jackson 2011: Chevrolet offers up a drop-top Camaro set to lead the Indy 500 field *Update: w/video

Filed under: Convertible, Auctions, Videos, Chevrolet, GM

2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Indy 500 Pace Car at Barrett-Jackson 2011

2011 Chevy Camaro Convertible Indy 500 Pace Car at Barrett-Jackson – Click above for high-res image gallery

Chevrolet is taking to the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale stage to auction off a special drop-top. The first of 50 limited-edition cars, this 2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Indy 500 Pace Car will cross the stage before heading to lead the field at the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500.

The orange and white color combination matches that of the Indy-fied 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, which has since become a collectors item of its own. As far as we know, the Camaro ‘Vert will be a 2012 model, but everything here at Barrett-Jackson is listing this as a 2011.

Proceeds from the sale of this limited-edition Camaro will go the David Foster Foundation, which supports families with children in need of live-saving organ transplants. Charity cars have gone through the roof at the 2011 Barrett-Jackson auction and we would expect nothing different from this one.

The Camaro Convertible doesn’t have an official listing page, as it was something of a surprise for bidders, but you can watch Speed’s live online coverage here. Are you playing Speed’s Online Fantasy Bid Game? If not, test your auction pricing mettle by guessing what a series of featured vehicles will end up bringing at the auction block – you could end up winning a prize, like an Apple iPad. Enjoy!

*Update: The final gavel price? $225,000. Click past the jump to watch this Camaro cross the auction block.

Gallery: Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Indy 500 Pace Car at Barrett-Jackson 2011

Continue reading Barrett-Jackson 2011: Chevrolet offers up a drop-top Camaro set to lead the Indy 500 field *Update: w/video

Barrett-Jackson 2011: Chevrolet offers up a drop-top Camaro set to lead the Indy 500 field *Update: w/video originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Jan 2011 20:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit 2011: Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty: Black Ops Edition set for major pwnage

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, SUV, Jeep, Off-Road

Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty Black Ops Edition

Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty: Black Ops Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery

During the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, Chrysler silently displayed its latest hardcore version of the Wrangler, the Call of Duty: Black Ops Edition. The stealthy Wrangler, now shown in two-door trim, looks fantastic with its mineral gray wheels, 32-inch off-road tires and host of Mopar goodies. On top of that, all Wranglers are recieving a brand-new interior and other small improvements for the 2011 model year, so the Black Ops edition is clearly ready to comfortably get you through any sort of war zone.

We’ve captured a brace of high-res images of the Call of Duty Wrangler live from Cobo Hall, so scroll through our gallery below to see them for yourself.

Gallery: Detroit 2011: Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty Black Ops Edition

Detroit 2011: Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty: Black Ops Edition set for major pwnage originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Chrysler Town & Country set to reclaim minivan sales crown from Honda Odyssey

Filed under: Car Buying, Minivan/Van, Chrysler, Honda, Nissan, Toyota

2011 Chrysler Town & Country

2011 Chrysler Town & Country – Click above to view high-res image gallery

Is the real swagger wagon of 2010 built by Chrysler? If you go by total sales, it is. The Chrysler Town & Country has been a player in the minivan market since its arrival in 1990. Now in its fifth generation, the Town & Country has just been refreshed after a comprehensive redesign in 2008. It’s not alone in getting an upgrade, however, as some serious competition arrived from Japan in 2010.

All-new minivan models for 2011 include the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna and Nissan Quest, with each of them stuffing a ton of features into modern packages. The Odyssey, which has been the segment’s best-seller for the last two years, has had a strong year. Yet despite serious pressure in a surprisingly strong minivan market (2010 will see the segment’s first volume uptick since 2005), the Town & Country has climbed the sales board and is poised to take out Japan’s finest.

According to The Detroit News, the T&C is sitting on 102,495 sales through November, while its closest competitor, the Honda Odyssey, has sold 98,035 units. Trailing further behind those two is the Sienna with 89,509 sales so far this year. There is one month left but Chrysler’s, familymobile seems to be sitting pretty.

Gallery: 2011 Chrysler Town & Country

[Source: The Detroit News]

Report: Chrysler Town & Country set to reclaim minivan sales crown from Honda Odyssey originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is the Lotus Europa set to be reborn as a Proton?

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Lotus, Rumormill

Lotus Europa

Lotus Europa – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Lotus Europa died so that the Evora could live. Now it seems that Lotus-owner Proton is looking to revive the Europa and stick the Proton badge on the bodywork. The resulting Proton-badged Europa would provide a relatively affordable sports car for the Malaysian market.

In fact, this very car has recently popped up in the form of the Proton Lekir Concept, which is essentially a tiger-badged Europa. If this conceptual car ever comes to fruition, we’ll be interested to see how the Malaysian market would respond to a Lotus they can truly call their own.

Gallery: Lotus Europa

[Source: PaulTan]

Is the Lotus Europa set to be reborn as a Proton? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Automoblox debuts full-size hot rods and trailer set

Filed under: Toys/Games

Automoblox Hot Rod HR3 full size

The last time we heard from Automoblox was over a year ago when company owner and designer, Patrick Calello, debuted an all-new type of his unique toy cars: hot rods. A great way to introduce a child to icons of automotive past, the hot rods are fun to play with (so says my two nephews) but to date have only available as Automoblox Minis. This Christmas, the company is offering all three hot rod styles as full-size Automoblox cars (The red HR1 for $45, yellow HR2 for $50 and blue HR3 – my favorite, above – for $50), as well as debuting a new Hot Rod Trailer set ($120) that includes a full-size hot rod, pickup and trailer. And though you’ve probably seen Automoblox at more mainstream toy retailers this year, these full-size hot rods are available only at Automoblox.com for the time being.

Automoblox full-size Hot Rod Trailer Set
Based on my own experience, kids up to age 4 seem to always gravitate towards the Minis, while somewhere around 4 to 5 they switch over to full-size Automoblox vehicles. Keep that in mind if you’re considering Automoblox as a Christmas present for a young one in your family. If you’re shopping for an adult, also remember that while the full-size Automoblox are the most impressive, you can fit more Minis on a display shelf.

And because Patrick Calello is as big a fan of Autoblog as we are of his toys, we’ll also have some Automoblox to give away to readers in time for Christmas. Make sure you Like the Autoblog Facebook page now, as that’s where the giveaway will happen.

[Source: Automoblox]

Automoblox debuts full-size hot rods and trailer set originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Nov 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA 2010: 2012 Range Rover Evoque sprouts a set of rear doors

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Crossover, Land Rover, Luxury

Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Five-Door

Range Rover Evoque Five-Door – Click above for high-res image gallery

We first met the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque at this year’s Paris Motor Show, and its five-door sister makes its official debut today at the LA Auto Show. The Evoque is a huge departure from what we’ve commonly known of things that wear the Range Rover name, and it’s poised to be a real hit amongst the urban, luxury lifestyle set. Power comes from a range of four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines, and all-wheel drive is standard – it is a Land Rover, after all.

Both the three- and five-door Evoques go on sale in the summer of next year, and Land Rover states that pricing will start around $45,000. See the new five-door Evoque for yourself in the high-res image gallery below and/or peep the mega-sized press release from Land Rover after the jump.

Gallery: LA 2010: Range Rover Evoque Five-Door

Range Rover Evoque Five-Door

Gallery: Land Rover Range Rover Evoque 5-door

Continue reading LA 2010: 2012 Range Rover Evoque sprouts a set of rear doors

LA 2010: 2012 Range Rover Evoque sprouts a set of rear doors originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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