Tag: year

Traffic deaths in U.S. fall to 60-year low

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

LA traffic

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the number of fatalities on America’s highways is at its lowest level since 1950. The number of deaths in vehicle collisions last year fell by 9.2 percent compared to 2008. As of 2009, the fatality rate has dropped to 1.13 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. NHTSA says the decrease is largely thanks to increased seat belt use and effective campaigns against drunk driving.

Interestingly enough, The Detroit News is also reporting that nationally, the number of motorcycle fatalities decreased by 16 percent compared to 2009. That fall is the first such drop in over ten years, though no one is offering an explanation for those numbers.

Despite the relatively rosy outlook, NHTSA also says that we still have a long way to go. Last year, more than 30,000 people died and over 2.4 million people were injured in traffic collisions. Be careful out there, people.

[Sources: Automotive News, The Detroit News | Image: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty]

Traffic deaths in U.S. fall to 60-year low originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pagani Zonda HH commissioner revealed as 30-year-old Chicago software mogul

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Europe

Pagani Zonda HH – Click above for image gallery

Even with the new model around the corner, Pagani has no problem putting out special editions of the current Zonda faster than Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry’s. The latest came in the form of the Zonda HH, a one-off blending the best bits from the Zonda Cinque edition and the Zonda F Roadster in a delicious blue package that looks about as drool-worthy as they come.

The big question on enthusiasts’ minds, though, was just who commissioned the latest unique Zonda. Initial speculation based on the name had it that Hugh Heffner had ordered the special supercar, but those rumors can now be put to rest as the real buyer has been revealed as David Heinemeier Hansson.

The 30-year-old software guru is the brains behind such programs as the Ruby on Rails web-dev platform and the 37signals software firm. Heinemeier Hansson is based in Chicago, but since the Zonda was never homologated to U.S. specifications, reports indicate that the owner bought a vacation home in Italy just so he could drive the thing. Now that’s dedication.

Gallery: Pagani Zonda HH

[Source: SecretEntourage.com via WCF]

Pagani Zonda HH commissioner revealed as 30-year-old Chicago software mogul originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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21-year-old with giant supercar collection makes us jealous

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Sedan, Performance, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Middle East, Luxury, Koenigsegg

Ferrari badge

When we were 21, we were happy to ditch the fake ID and score cheaper insurance rates. Life’s a little different for Dhiaa Al-Essa, a 21-year-old Saudi who owns a fleet of exotics that’d turn the average enthusiast’s knees into Jell-O.

His 30-car (not a typo) garage includes enough Italians, Brits and Germans to re-enact World War II. His current stable includes four Ferraris, five Porsches, three Lamborghinis, two Rolls-Royces and a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, which he counts as his personal favorite. To wring maximum enjoyment out of his exotic empire, Al-Essa spent this summer flying his fleet around the globe so that he and his friends could create their own driving tours in cities such as London, Montreal, Las Vegas and New York.

How is a young man like Mr. Al-Essa able to afford such amazing machinery? Well, he can’t. His father just happens to be a billionaire who enjoys spending money on cost-is-no-object basis for his son. To prove this point, Dihaa’s father is planning on providing him with the keys to two more otherworldly vehicles. On his 22nd birthday, Dihaa will become the proud owner of a Koenigsegg Agera, which comes with a golden key. It’s like the Willy Wonka of supercars. After the Agera, a Bugatti Veyron will join the family. The price for both cars? Around one Corvette Z06 under $5 million dollars.

Sadly, Al-Essa’s new Ferrari 458 Italia was recently lost to fire while housed at Heathrow Airport. Is he crying about it? Nope. He reportedly plans to replace it with one of the Ferrari 599 Roadster models rumored to have been shown at Pebble Beach last month. Thanks for the tip, dood!

Image Copyright (C) 2008 Alex Núñez / AOL
[Source: Metro.co.uk]

21-year-old with giant supercar collection makes us jealous originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Next-gen boxer engine coming from Subaru this year

Filed under: Japan, Technology, Crossover, Subaru

According to Automotive News, Subaru is set to release a new, more fuel-efficient version of its boxer four-cylinder engine. The powerplant should be available in both 2.0-liter and 2.5-liter configurations and will be able to offer up a 10-percent boost in fuel economy over its predecessors. The report doesn’t detail exactly how the engine goes about gaining its new found efficiency, but it does say the changes are the first significant revision of the company’s boxer architecture in two decades.

A Fuji Heavy Industries spokesperson confirmed that the new powerplant is coming, but wouldn’t go so far as to say which models would benefit from the new tech. Automotive News reports that other sources claim that the thrifty four-pot will first show up in the Forester both in the U.S. and Japan, paired with a CVT gearbox. The new engine will then begin to crop up in models like the Legacy and Impreza here in the States and the Exiga minivan on Subaru’s home turf.

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Report: Next-gen boxer engine coming from Subaru this year originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche celebrating 60th year in U.S. by searching for oldest example in the country

Filed under: Classics, Performance, Porsche

Sixty years ago, New York City businessman Max Hoffman began selling a diminutive German sports car with an air-cooled four-cylinder boxer engine hanging off the rear axle. Today, Porsche is one of the most highly respected performance brands in the world.

To celebrate its diamond anniversary in America, Porsche is inviting fans to share its favorite stories about the brand on an online family tree. Even better if you still have an old Porsche stashed away in a barn or garage somewhere, Porsche wants to hear from you. If you have the oldest car in each of a dozen model categories, Porsche will have it photographed for a special exhibit at the Porsche museum in Stuttgart. One car will be selected for display at the Porsche stand at the Los Angeles Auto Show in December. Head over to www.Porsche60Years.com to submit your story or car.

[Source: Porsche]

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Porsche celebrating 60th year in U.S. by searching for oldest example in the country originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hurst to strap turbocharger on just 50 V6 Camaros per year

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet

Hurst Camaro – Click above for high-res image gallery

The gang at Hurst Performance Vehicles are unleashing their first ever turbocharged machine in honor of the 40th anniversary of the introduction of the BFGoodrich Radial T/A. Only 50 of the Redline Series Hurst Camaros are to be produced annually with each powered by a force-fed 3.6-liter V6. Power will flow to 18-inch Hurst T1 wheels with new Radial T/A Spec tires.

Hurst installs what it calls a “remoted-mounted” turbocharger on its modified exhaust, which actually doesn’t sound like a very good idea if you’re concerned about lag. Output should be about 360 horsepower and 320 pound-feet at the rear wheels – a 50-percent bump from stock. Inside, the turbocharged Camaro gets a pistol grip shift lever, custom leather upholstery and floor mats and an optional gauge package.

The Redline Series Camaro will sticker in the mid-$50,000 range depending on the options selected.

Gallery: Hurst Camaro

[Source: Motor Trend]

Hurst to strap turbocharger on just 50 V6 Camaros per year originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi A5 Sportback could come to the States, A8 diesel due next year

Filed under: Sedan, Audi, Diesel

Audi A5 Sportback – Click above for high-res image gallery

The arrival of the Audi A7 in the U.S. is almost a given, designed to slot in – predictably – between the A6 and all-new A8, while finally providing Audi with a Mercedes-Benz CLS competitor. But what of the A5 Sportback?

According to our sources, the success of the A7 will play a key role in Audi’s decision to import the A5 Sportback into the States. If the A7 is well received, the Sportback could be slotted in as a smaller alternative to the larger A7 and its closest competitor, the CLS. We haven’t been given a timeline on when the A7 could arrive, but with the European launch happening early next year, a Stateside debut in 2011 isn’t out of the question.

Audi’s product expansion isn’t just limited to new models, but includes the continued proliferation of available drivetrains. To that end, a diesel-powered A8 should arrive in the U.S. sometime next year.

When the A8 goes on sale this November, both the standard and long-wheelbase versions will launch simultaneously, each packing Audi’s 372 horsepower 4.2-liter FSI V8. The 500-hp W12, however, won’t be an option on the A8L until the first quarter of 2011. If Audi decides to equip the A8 with a diesel, expect the same 3.0-liter V6 TDI fitted to the refreshed Q7, outputting around 225 hp and 406 pound-feet of torque.

Gallery: 2010 Audi A5 Sportback

Audi A5 Sportback could come to the States, A8 diesel due next year originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A year after accident, Felipe Massa has new outlook

Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari

Felipe Massa Hungarian GP crash

It was a freak accident that almost killed Felipe Massa. During a Formula 1 qualifying lap last year in Hungary, a spring from Reubens Barrichello’s car struck the Ferrari driver in the helmet, knocking him unconscious and fracturing his skull. The Brazilian racer went through surgery to repair his damaged skull and was later brought into a medically-induced coma to help him recover. There was some speculation as to whether Massa would ever drive again.

One year later, Massa is racing for Ferrari again, though with less success than he saw in 2008, when he was the runner-up to Lewis Hamilton for the Drivers Championship. Last weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix was Massa’s first trip back to the scene of his accident (he finished in 4th place), and CNN interviewed him to see how the event has changed him. On the track, Massa says that little if anything has changed, but when the helmet is off, he claims to be a very different man.

“It made me value life much more than before, and I appreciate the ordinary things in life 10 times more, and it has put life and my health in perspective, not taking anything for granted and not just for me, but also for life in general and what it means to everyone.” Those are the words of a man happy to be alive, and his recently renewed contract with Ferrari should make him happier still. Head over to CNN to read the interview in full.

[Source: CNN | Image: Paul Gilham/Getty]

A year after accident, Felipe Massa has new outlook originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 08 Aug 2010 17:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM board member Kresa retiring, led automaker as interim chairman last year

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, GM

General Motors board member Kent Kresa has reached the ripe old age of 72, and as such, he is no longer eligible for re-election to the company’s controlling body.

Kresa originally came to GM after retiring from Northrop Grumman Corp. where he helped lead the aviation giant through troubled waters of its own. Kresa joined ‘old GM’ in 2003 and served on the board until the company’s bankruptcy in 2009. You might best recall that Kresa stepped into the chairman slot left vacant when former CEO Rick Wagoner left the company just prior to The General entering into Chapter 11. When ‘new GM’ formed its board, the executive was there to lend his experience in leading a company through difficult financial decisions.

Kresa was also instrumental in bringing in a wide array of new talent onto the GM board, including the company’s 13th board member, Cynthia Tulles. Don’t expect Kresa to be spending his days playing shuffleboard, though. He also serves on a number of other corporate boards, including Fluor Corp in Irving, Texas and MannKind Corp in Valencia, California. Hit the jump for the GM press release.

[Sources: General Motors, The Detroit News]

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GM board member Kresa retiring, led automaker as interim chairman last year originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: General Motors bringing back mild hybrids next year

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, China, Technology, GM

Let’s try this again, shall we? General Motors has announced that it will jump back into the mild hybrid game by the third quarter of 2011. Larry Nitz, the company’s director of hybrid and electric powertrain engineering, made the announcement at a seminar in Traverse City, Michigan, though he declined to comment on exactly which models would get the fuel-saving tech next year. Nitz did say that at least one American model and one Chinese model would be a mild hybrid by the end of 2011, which leads us to believe that the tech will work its way into the Buick lineup.

GM walked away from mild hybrids after Saturn was sent to the company’s scrap heap. At the time, both the Chevrolet Malibu and the Saturn Vue wore the tech, but with the Vue out of the picture, the company couldn’t justify the cost of investing in the drivetrains. Unlike a full hybrid, mild-hybrid vehicles can’t cruise along on just electric power. Instead, the system allows the gasoline engine to shut off when the vehicle is stopped. The electric motor then starts the engine again when the accelerator pedal is depressed.

If we were guessing, we’d say that GM will debut the rebirth of the tech on the Buick LaCrosse – a model that has enjoyed equal success in China and has the potential to revitalize the brand in the U.S.

[Source: Autoweek]

Report: General Motors bringing back mild hybrids next year originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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