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23-year-old SC man hit by SUV playing real-life Frogger

Filed under: SUV, Etc., Safety, Lexus, Toys/Games

Frogger Frogger has claimed yet another victim. According to NBC affiliate WYFF 4, a 23-year-old man was taken to a hospital in Clemson, South Carolina after being struck by an SUV. Authorities say that Jimmy Dixon yelled “go” before attempting to dash across the intersection of Highway 123 and College Avenue at around 9 p.m. Monday. He didn’t get far before bouncing off of the front of a 2010 Lexus SUV.

Dixon was transported to Anderson Memorial Hospital where he remains in stable condition. In a refreshing dose of common sense, WYFF 4 NBC reports that the authorities have no intention of charging the driver of the SUV.

We can’t help but wonder how well Dixon would have fared against the flotilla of rolling logs, alligators and snapping turtles on the other side of the road had he made it across the highway. Here’s hoping he doesn’t try a repeat performance.

[Source: WYFF]

23-year-old SC man hit by SUV playing real-life Frogger originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM recalls select 2011 model year pickup and SUV models over axle fears

Filed under: Truck, Recalls, Safety, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GM, GMC

2011 GMC Sierra

2011 GMC Sierra – Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors is recalling a handful light-duty GMT900 pickups from the 2011 model year due to faulty rear axle cross pins. Both the Chevrolet Avalanche and Silverado 1500 are effected, as are the Cadillac Escalade EXT and GMC Sierra 1500 – a total of 1,262 vehicles in all.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration cites that these rear axle cross pins were not manufactured up to proper specification and that the pin could “fracture and become displaced within the rear axle.” NHTSA further details the consequences of a displaced pin, saying:

“The driver may hear a banging noise coming from the axle. If the pin shifts out of position, it could create an interference condition and cause the rear axle to lock. The driver may not be able to maintain directional control of the vehicle and a crash could occur without prior warning.”

GM will begin notifying owners about this problem in January, and dealers will install a new rear axle cross pin without any cost to the customer. NHTSA’s official statement is available after the jump.

Gallery: 2011 GMC Sierra

2011 GMC Sierra

[Source: NHTSA]

Continue reading GM recalls select 2011 model year pickup and SUV models over axle fears

GM recalls select 2011 model year pickup and SUV models over axle fears originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Dec 2010 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Lamborghini would choose four-door over SUV

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Lamborghini, Rumormill, Luxury

Lamborghini Estoque concept

Lamborghini Estoque concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Lamborghini remains intent on adding a third model to its range. This, straight from the proverbial lion’s mouth – that of the company’s affable CEO Stephan Winkelmann, who would like a new model to attract new buyers to the brand. The question is, what form will that new model take?

According to a new report from Autocar, the most likely scenario is a production version of the Estoque concept sedan unveiled in Paris a couple years back. Previous reports suggested a successor to the LM002 sport-utility vehicle could be in the works. But while either model could borrow underpinnings from within the Volkswagen Group (the Porsche Panamera or Audi A7 for the Estoque or the Porsche Cajun/Audi Q5 for the LM00X), enabling a faster and more cost-effective development process, Winkelmann seems to like the idea of the Estoque better.

Building the Estoque could also potentially lead to more variants as well, including a front-engined coupe and convertible, while the LM002 would, in all likelihood, be a single-model proposition.

Us? We just hope that the new model (whatever it is) gets built soon. In the case of the Estoque, there’s nothing worse than a painfully slow gestation of an already aging concept car to kill buzz.

Gallery: 2008 Lamborghini Estoque Concept

[Source: Autocar]

Report: Lamborghini would choose four-door over SUV originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Dec 2010 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche Cajun mini-SUV confirmed, due to arrive in 2014

Filed under: Performance, SUV, Crossover, Porsche, Luxury

Porsche has officially confirmed what’s been rumored for at least three years – the German automaker will build a small SUV to slot in below its highly successful Cayenne. With the working name “Cajun,” Porsche wants the mini ‘ute to provide younger customers another point of entry into the brand.

Designer Walter da Silva has apparently taken the lead on the project, which is expected to be loosely based on the Audi Q5, and the press release (available after the jump) claims that the Cajun will have “typical Porsche features such as light weight, ease of handling and agility.” Here’s hoping… [Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Porsche Cajun mini-SUV confirmed, due to arrive in 2014

Porsche Cajun mini-SUV confirmed, due to arrive in 2014 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jeep Grand Cherokee named ‘SUV of Texas,’ Ford named winning ‘Truck Line’

Filed under: SUV, Truck, Dodge, Ford, Jeep

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee 2011 Ford F-150

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2011 Ford F-150 – click either image for high-res gallery

Ford, Jeep and Ram have new feathers to stick in their caps. The Texas Auto Writers Association has voted Ford the official Truck Line of Texas, while the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee has landed the title of SUV of Texas. Despite FoMoCo’s line of top-notch trucks, the 2011 Ram Laramie Longhorn was awarded the much-coveted Truck of Texas honor. We expect to see each respective manufacturer tout their new titles in ads any day now.

The Texas Auto Writers Association holds an annual Texas Truck Rodeo every year, giving journalists from the state are given the opportunity to drive nearly every truck on the market over a two-day period. At the end of the event, votes are tallied for each award category and the winners announced. In addition to the categories just mentioned, there were other awards handed out, including Full-Size Pickup Truck: 2011 Ram 1500 Outdoorsman Crew Cab 4×4, Mid-Size Pickup Truck: 2011 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4×2 Texas Edition, Luxury Pickup Truck: 2011 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn, Heavy Duty Pickup Truck: 2011 Ram Power Wagon Crew Cab 4×4, and Outstanding Feature: Ford/ MyFord Touch.

This year’s big winners make plenty of sense to us, as Ford has crammed the F-150 with a slew of excellent drivetrain options and the Jeep Grand Cherokee is a massive step in the right direction for Chrysler. Likewise, the Ram Laramie Longhorn offers one of the best interiors of any pickup available right now, and its supple rear suspension strikes us as just the thing for traversing the Lone Star state.

Gallery: Review: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Gallery: 2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost

[Sources: Chrysler, Ford, Pickuptrucks.com]

Jeep Grand Cherokee named ‘SUV of Texas,’ Ford named winning ‘Truck Line’ originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hennessey VelociRaptor APV is the Raptor-based SUV of our dreams

Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, Truck, Ford, Off-Road

Hennessey VelociRaptor APV

Hennessey VelociRaptor APV – Click above for high-res image gallery

Hennessey has just pulled back the sheets on what can only be described as a raging pile of awesome – the VelociRaptor APV. It can seat up to eight, packs a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 good for a galloping 575 horsepower and if its anything like its pickup cousin, can leap small villages in a single bound. Apparently it can also withstand small-arms fire. The company hasn’t announced how much one of these things will set you back, but we’re guessing it’s more than a handful of shiny pennies.

Something tells us that this truck is going to be mighty popular with border patrol agents.

Hennessey will also turn out an eight-passenger, non-armored version if you don’t find yourself under a hail of gunfire on your typical commute. We’re guessing that without all the weight of armor plating and bullet-resistant glass, the non-tactical version is quite a bit more entertaining to fling through the desert. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: Hennessey VelociRaptor APV

[Source: Hennessey]

Continue reading Hennessey VelociRaptor APV is the Raptor-based SUV of our dreams

Hennessey VelociRaptor APV is the Raptor-based SUV of our dreams originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Sheik’s custom six-wheeled Nissan SUV is a thing that makes us go ‘Hmmm’

Filed under: Aftermarket, SUV, Etc., Videos, Nissan, Middle East, Design/Style, Off-Road

Six Wheeler

Sheik, hydro and roll – Click above to watch video after the jump

Well, this is certainly different. We’ve seen our fair share of wild vehicle modifications over the years, but this one takes the cake as one of the most imaginative. If the YouTube description is any sort of indication, this craft was hewn just for Sheik Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Nahyan as his personal toy. Near as we can tell, the guy liked the side-mount spare tire carriers on classic vehicles from the ’30s, but wanted to be able to deploy them without having to actually get out and spin a lug nut. The solution was found in the miracle (or curse) of hydraulics.

Let’s just do the world a favor and make sure this doesn’t evolve into a trend. We’ve already had terrible visions of a future SEMA show with row upon row of six-wheeled, white-wall wearing Honda Civics. If you’re brave enough, you can hit the jump to see the Nissan-based for yourself. Just don’t show anyone else.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Sheik’s custom six-wheeled Nissan SUV is a thing that makes us go ‘Hmmm’

Video: Sheik’s custom six-wheeled Nissan SUV is a thing that makes us go ‘Hmmm’ originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Large SUV segment outpacing small car sales growth in America

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, SUV, Crossover

2011 Infiniti QX56 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Finally, after years and years of stagnation and painfully slow sales, small cars are starting to take a foothold in the United States. Or are they? While conventional wisdom makes us believe that Americans are ready to take the downsizing plunge in the face of – or at least the threat of – high fuel prices and environmental concerns (we’re all still watching the Gulf Coast, right?), it seems that reality may once again set us straight.

Automotive sales watchdog Autodata has found that the gas-swilling large SUV segment is growing at a faster pace than the America’s small car segment. Like statistics? Here we go: With a 19-percent jump over the first six months of 2010, large SUV sales have outpaced small cars (14 percent). Critically, they’ve also outpaced the overall market (17 percent).

Now, before we get our feathers riled up too much, realize that sales of large SUVs still lag way behind small cars – 974,000 to 121,000 through the first half of the year. Further, large crossovers like the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, Ford Flex, GMC Acadia and Lincoln MKT are included in those figures right alongside traditional behemoths like the Chevy Tahoe, Ford Expedition, Infiniti QX56 and Toyota Sequoia.

We also expect that small car sales will continue to climb with new models coming to market, such as the upcoming Ford Fiesta, Mazda2 and Hyundai’s Accent and Elantra. That said, there’s always going to be a demand for large and powerful SUVs that can haul people and stuff while towing a boat or camper in cool, air-conditioned comfort, and automakers will be only too happy to provide the thick-margined vehicles for their consumption. For better or for worse.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Infiniti QX56

[Source: USA Today via Kicking Tires]

Report: Large SUV segment outpacing small car sales growth in America originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Lamborghini developing Touareg-based SUV, V8 Gallardo [w/poll]

Filed under: Coupe, Sedan, Performance, SUV, Lamborghini, Rumormill, Luxury

Lamborghini LM002 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Hold on to your butts, Lamborghini fans. Word from Car and Driver’s German correspondent is that the bullish Italian automaker is strongly considering re-entering the hardcore SUV segment. Considering that the brand’s last effort into such uncharted territory brought us the Hummer-esque LM002, you can officially color us intrigued.

If the machine does make it past the planning stages, it will reportedly be based on the platform shared by the Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne, but we imagine it would get a powertrain more suitable for Lamborghini use – we can only hope that means a V12, as was the case with the LM002.

Another market Lamborghini is said to be considering is the entry-level V8 supercar segment. If a production model does indeed come about, it would slot below the V10-powered Gallardo. As with the aforementioned SUV, this would not be the first time Lambo has dipped a toe in these waters, as its Urraco, Silhouette and Jalpa played in the exact same market in the 1970s and 1980s before the Italian manufacturer pulled out in favor of traditional range-topping supercars like the Diablo and Murcielago.

Sadly, rumor has it that Lamborghini will not pursue the Estoque concept, leaving the Maserati Quattroporte as the only Italian to do battle with the likes of the Porsche Panamera and Aston Martin Rapide. Still, the company must at least be considering the Estoque since it went ahead and produced a concept to gauge reaction. So, which of these new Lamborghini rumors would you most like to see fulfilled? Take part in our totally unscientific poll after the break.

Gallery: Lamborghini LM002

[Source: Car and Driver]

Continue reading Rumormill: Lamborghini developing Touareg-based SUV, V8 Gallardo [w/poll]

Rumormill: Lamborghini developing Touareg-based SUV, V8 Gallardo [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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