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Report: Mazda rotary reportedly at least a year behind schedule, but work continues

Filed under: Technology, Mazda

Mazda Renesis rotary engine

Renesis rotary engine in 2009 Mazda RX-8 – Click above for high-res image gallery

“We will never give up,” says Mitsuo Hitomi, general manager of Mazda’s powertrain division, referring to the automaker’s long-running investment into the rotary engine. This vote of confidence in Felix Wankel’s replacement for displacement will surely come as welcome news to rotor-heads the world over, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t problems in World of Wankel.

Apparently, the so-called 16X engine, which is the latest take on the pony-keg-sized engine that spins into the stratosphere, is failing to meet emissions requirements set by the engineering team at Mazda, despite the fact that it is 30 percent more fuel efficient than the previous Renesis rotary. Impressively, Hitomi stated that the 1.6-liter 16X is slightly more fuel efficient than the automaker’s standard 2.0-liter gas engine.

It would seem that the rotary’s well-known thirst for fuel has at least partly been quenched, but until the 16X is tuned to hit its emissions targets we can expect it to stay in the engineering department and off the showroom floor. So, when might we see a new rotary-powered machine from Mazda? “Maybe within two years we can tell you when we will introduce it to the market,” responds Hitomi.

Now, let the debate continue as to what kind of body and platform that engine will be featured in…

Gallery: 2009 Mazda RX-8 R3

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req’d]

Report: Mazda rotary reportedly at least a year behind schedule, but work continues originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford named Marketer of the Year by Advertising Age

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Ford

Ford has been named Advertising Age magazine’s Marketer of the Year for 2010. The full-court press that the Blue Oval team has been applying continues to pay off, with $4.7 billion in profit for the first half of 2010 – a 17-percent boost over 2009 and the biggest company payday since 1998. No single part of Ford’s strategy is a selfish star player; Jim Farley, Ford’s vice president of global marketing has plotted a course for combining disciplines since his arrival in Dearborn.

The positive impression Ford’s foregoing of federal TARP funds had on the public is the kind of PR coup you couldn’t ever buy, and it continues to resonate positively with the public. According to a report, fifty-five percent of consumers surveyed still cite the company’s ability to secure its own lines of credit as a reason for considering Ford vehicles above other brands. Shrewd PR moves aren’t the whole story, though. Social media savvy launch campaigns for the Explorer and Fiesta have played into the decision to honor Farley’s efforts, too.

All the clever and effective marketing in the world won’t help if the product isn’t compelling, however, and that’s been a key piece of the puzzle for Ford. The string of hits includes the Edge, Mustang and Fusion, as well as technology like the ever-evolving SYNC infotainment system that has helped put this domestic automaker back on consumers’ radars. Popular spokespeople like the Discovery Channel’s Mike Rowe (shown above) haven’t hurt either.

Roll all of these factors up into a Blue Oval-shaped bundle, and you have AdAge’s Marketer of the Year.

[Source: Advertising Age]

Ford named Marketer of the Year by Advertising Age originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Oct 2010 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Mitsubishi Endeavor hangs on for another year with bundled features

Filed under: Crossover, Mitsubishi

2011 Mitsubishi Endeavor SE – Click above for high-res image gallery

Initially introduced back in 2004, the Mitsubishi Endeavor is growing a little long-in-the-tooth. And despite facelifts carried out for the 2006 and 2010 model years, the mid-size crossover never really managed to meet Mitsubishi’s sales targets, and it wasn’t even produced in 2009 while the Japanese automaker tried to sell off remaining stock. Yet the Endeavor is set to soldier on for at least one more model year, carrying a few updates to help it along.

For the 2011 model year, the Endeavor SE gains satellite navigation, a sunroof and a backup camera, previously offered as optional equipment but now included as standard on the uplevel model. Pricing jumps up by about two grand with the inclusion of the equipment and buyers can still choose between two- or four-wheel drive. Full details to be found in the press release after the jump, along with a fresh gallery of high-res images below.

Gallery: 2011 Mitsubishi Endeavor

[Source: Mitsubishi]

Continue reading 2011 Mitsubishi Endeavor hangs on for another year with bundled features

2011 Mitsubishi Endeavor hangs on for another year with bundled features originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 17:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vote for your picks for the Internet Car and Truck of the Year

Filed under: Etc.

Jealous that only journalists seem to be able to weigh in on “car of the year” judging? Now’s your chance to make your own voice heard! Voting is underway for the Internet Car and Truck of the Year, now in its second year. The ICATOY actually pools votes from two juries for a pair of awards – one from professional internet auto writers (*full disclosure: author is a member of said jury) and the other from enthusiasts like yourself.

Before you go and make your picks, we’ve assembled a gallery of the semi-finalists in both the car and truck categories. Take a look, then go tell them what you think! The official press release explaining the whole process is posted after the jump.

Gallery: Internet Car and Truck of the Year Semi-Finalists

[Source: Internet Car and Truck of the Year]

Continue reading Vote for your picks for the Internet Car and Truck of the Year

Vote for your picks for the Internet Car and Truck of the Year originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Worldwide Toyota Prius sales crack 2-million mark,10-year anniversary celebration planned

Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Hatchback, Toyota

2010 Toyota Prius

2010 Toyota Prius – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Toyota Prius, launched in Japan in 1997 and introduced in Europe, North America and other markets in 2000, is without a doubt the best-selling hybrid vehicle ever produced. With a market that spans more than 70 countries and regions, the Toyota Motor Company’s economical hybrid is the most widely distributed gas-electric in this land (and just about every other one, too).

Selling at a rate of about 400,000 annual units worldwide, the Prius sits head-and-shoulders above any of its so-called competitors. All these sales mean you get to reach milestones now and again. Last month, the Prius reached another one, shattering the two-million sales mark worldwide. By the end of September, sales of the Prius stood at 2,012,000 and counting. You can hold back the applause for now, as the Prius’ record-setting run is far from over. Oh, yeah, a congratulatory pat on the back is welcomed as we also celebrate ten years of Prius sales in the U.S. which takes place, appropriately enough, on 10.10.10. Hit the jump for more on the Prius’ sales totals and plans for its ten-year anniversary celebration.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Toyota Prius

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Worldwide Toyota Prius sales crack 2-million mark,10-year anniversary celebration planned

Worldwide Toyota Prius sales crack 2-million mark,10-year anniversary celebration planned originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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North American Car/Truck of the Year shortlists led by Ford, GM, Hyundai/Kia and Nissan [w/poll]

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Etc.

A pool of 50 U.S. and Canada-based automotive journalists from various news outlets has cut down the list for the 2011 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards to 14 possible winning vehicles in each category.

Among the manufacturers, Ford, Hyundai/Kia, General Motors, and Nissan lead with the most nominations, and the lists run the gamut from the inexpensive (Ford Fiesta, Mazda2), to the sybaritic (Audi A8, Jaguar XJ, Porsche Cayenne), to the groundbreaking (Chevrolet Volt, Nissan Leaf).

Car	Truck
Audi A8	Dodge Durango
Buick Regal	Ford Edge
Chevrolet Cruze	Ford Explorer
Chevrolet Volt	Honda Odyssey
Ford Fiesta	Hyundai Tucson
Hyundai Sonata	Infiniti QX56
Infiniti M37/M56	Jeep Grand Cherokee
Jaguar XJ	Kia Sorento
Kia Optima	Kia Sportage
Mazda2	Lincoln MKX
Nissan Juke	Mercedes-Benz R-Class
Nissan Leaf	Porsche Cayenne
Volkswagen Jetta	Toyota Sienna
Volvo S60	Volkswagen Touareg

Jurors will cull each list down further in December, and the finalists will be displayed when the winning car and truck are announced at the Detroit Auto Show in January.

What car and truck do you expect to win? Check out our galleries of the finalists below, then click through the jump to place your vote for the car and truck you expect to win. If you like, you can also drop your fellow commenter a line as to what vehicle you’d most like to see take home the heavy hardware.

(*Full Disclosure: Author is a member of the NACTOY voting jury)

Gallery: 2011 North American Car of the Year Short List

Gallery: 2011 North American Truck of the Year Short List

[Source: North American Car of the Year]

Continue reading North American Car/Truck of the Year shortlists led by Ford, GM, Hyundai/Kia and Nissan [w/poll]

North American Car/Truck of the Year shortlists led by Ford, GM, Hyundai/Kia and Nissan [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: 2013 will be the year of the Bugatti Galibier

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

Bugatti 16C Galibier concept

Bugatti 16C Galibier concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

AutoWeek is reporting that the Bugatti 16C Galibier concept is going into production, and the ultralux bruiser will arrive in 2013. There remains 40 examples of the Veyron scheduled to be built, but when that is finished, AW says the Galibier will be prepped for a run of 300 units.

Instead of four turbochargers, though, the sedan will employ two superchargers affixed to the W16 engine and throw down something in the neighborhood of 800 horsepower. And compared to the super-duper coupe that got this whole thing (re)started, it’ll be something of a bargain: just $1.5 million.

Might want to place an order for a bigger piggy bank…

[Source: AutoWeek]

Report: 2013 will be the year of the Bugatti Galibier originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi S4 named Esquire Car of the Year [w/video]

Filed under: Etc.

2010 Audi S4 - Esquire 2010 COTY

Esquire’s 2010 COTY is the 2010 Audi S4 – Click above to watch video after the jump

Esquire, the purveyor of printed pages packed with ads and male-centric eye-candy, has released its list of 2010 automotive award winners. The top award is the Car of the Year and the magazine is handing that title to the 2010 Audi S4. Esquire makes a strong statement behind its reasoning, and it’s hard to argue with its logic.

Numbers and stats are starting points, but we believe that the Esquire Car of the Year should make you feel something deep in your gut. You should lust for it and dream about it, but it shouldn’t be an impossible goal. It must be attainable for the average man. It should sit in front of your house or office without drawing attention to itself and tackle four seasons of day-to-day transportation with ease. Yet crucially, sometimes, without warning, it must make you snatch the keys off the wall, haul off to the country and just drive.

After putting our own butts in the driver’s seat, we felt the B8 S4 was a wonderful leap forward over the past B6 and B7 iterations, particularly with the new supercharged V6 and trick torque vectoring sport differential.

Esquire hands out more than just a COTY award as well. The magazine scoured the current crop of automotive excellence and handed out check pluses for: Domestic Car of the Year, Hybrid of the Year, Most Awe-Inspiring Car Built This Year, Compact Car of the Year, Most Beautiful Car of the Year, Truck of the Year, Diesel Car of the Year, Best Foreign Comeback, Best Domestic Comeback and Best Expression of Automotive Passion. Who wins? You’re going to have to make the jump to find out. And there’s a nice little video of the Audi S4 happily accepting its award.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Audi S4

Continue reading Audi S4 named Esquire Car of the Year [w/video]

Audi S4 named Esquire Car of the Year [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Sep 2010 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tally Ho: Porsche delivers over 22,500 Panamera models in year one

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Porsche, Luxury

2010 Porsche Panamera 4S

2010 Porsche Panamera 4S – Click above for high-res image gallery

Perhaps on the corporate side Porsche hasn’t had much to gloat about lately, but on the product side it’s cigars and bubbly and told-ya-so’s. When the Panamera took to the track it won its very first race in the Italian Supercar series, and that came just as the 25,000th four-door was being built at the Leipzig factory. It’s a good thing the factory was working so hard: 22,518 of those Panameras have been sold after just a year on the market.

A finer peek into the numbers reveals the Panamera 4S is the sales king, followed by the Turbo and the Panamera S. And in the “No Surprise At All” file, Los Angeles leads individual markets with 890 deliveries. Follow the jump for the press release on the ugly-but-quick duckling turned sales swan.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Porsche Panamera 4S

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Porsche Panamera V6

Photos Copyright (C) 2010 Drew Philips, Michael Harley / AOL
[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Tally Ho: Porsche delivers over 22,500 Panamera models in year one

Tally Ho: Porsche delivers over 22,500 Panamera models in year one originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 12 Sep 2010 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Terrafugia flying car to start production by end of year

Filed under: Etc., Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, Specialty

Terrafugia Transition flying car

Terrafugia Transition flying car – Click above for high-res image gallery

Terrafugia, the Massachusetts-based flying car company, has announced that it is one step closer to putting a road-and-air-going flying car in your driveway. A suitable production facility has been located in Woburn, MA, just down the road from the company’s headquarters. A story posted on USAToday.com states that production could begin within three months, and that Terrafugia plans to hire 50 skilled workers over a period of three years. Extensive testing will begin on two prototypes – one will focus on flight behavior while the other will stick to the ground. If that’s the case, three months seems pretty optimistic.

Regardless, we are getting closer to realizing many a young person’s dream. A flying car evokes romantic visions of picking up a date then soaring through the clouds. Sure, the styling of the Terrafugia Transition is a cross between a PT Cruiser and a Paul Walker Pep Boys special, and yes, we are also aware that the skies will eventually become clogged with traffic and flying down the Air-405 will be a nightmare. Still, it’s not often you get to see a childhood fantasy come to life.

Gallery: Terrafugia Transition – First Flight

[Source: USA Today]

Report: Terrafugia flying car to start production by end of year originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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