Archive for March, 2010
White House to Purchase First 100 Chevy Volts
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin.
After making investment after investment in electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, the Obama administration will put more money into a symbolic gesture of support for the burgeoning technology.
The White House said it will purchase the “first 100 plug-in electric vehicles to roll off American assembly lines.” By this it means the much anticipated Chevrolet Volt.
The announcement comes on the day GM began building its first production models at the Detroit-Hamtramck plant in Michigan. The automaker plans to build a few thousand Volts in its first year and eventually climb to 60,000 units annually.
President Barack Obama, for his part, has said he wants to see a million plug-in hybrids on the roads by 2015. In making this announcement, Obama also said the federal government would open off-shore drilling sites off the East Coast and double its purchase of hybrids to 5,000.
Obama Administration to Buy First 100 Chevy Volts (Detroit Free Press)
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2010 New York Auto Show: 2011 Infiniti QX56 Pricing Starts At $56,700
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin.
The 2011 Infiniti QX56 in all its bulbousness has made its official world debut today at the 2010 New York Auto Show, and surprisingly pricing for the new ute has also been revealed. The 2011 Infiniti QX56 will start at $56,700 for the two-wheel drive model and $59,800 for the four-wheel drive model–barely a leap over the pricing for the outgoing…
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2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe Confirmed
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin.
It’s official. Mercedes-Benz plans to launch a new C-Class Coupe to replace its CLC Sportcoupe model sold overseas and partially fill the gap left by the CLK, which itself has become the new E-Class Coupe.The information was confirmed by Peter Schabert, the chief of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Bremen, Germany where the current C-Class is built…
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2011 Porsche Cayenne Video
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin.
Cars.com senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder has had some harsh words for the Porsche Cayenne, but after getting a look at the 2011 model at the 2010 New York auto show he’s happy with the automaker’s improvements. With a less exaggerated design compared to the previous model and more appealing interior materials, Porsche has made basic aesthetic improvements, but the new Cayenne is also more fuel efficient and more powerful. Porsche even offers a hybrid version. Check out the video for more details.
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2010 New York Auto Show: 2011 Scion iQ
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin.
Toyota has finally confirmed the launch of its diminutive iQ minicar for the U.S. market with the unveiling today of the 2011 Scion iQ at 2010 New York Auto Show. Aimed at a new trendsetting generation of urban drivers, the types of customers Scion is known for, the new U.S.-spec iQ will be very well-equipped when it goes on sale later this year…
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2010 New York Auto Show: Day 1 Recap
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin.
It’s a rain-soaked mess in the Big Apple, but luckily that has no bearing on our team’s coverage of the 2010 New York International Auto Show. Read the latest previews of upcoming production vehicles from the 2011 model year, as well as up-close photos of each car. Check back tomorrow for more coverage — it looks like we’ll be busy.
Production Models
2011 Hyundai Sonata Turbo
2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid
2011 Nissan Juke
2011 Infiniti QX56
2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
2011 Scion iQ
2011 Scion tC
2011 Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon
2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco
2011 Subaru Impreza WRX
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Spy Shots: 2011 Pagani C9
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin.
Unadulterated, bombastic carbon-fiber insanity–the current Pagani Zonda and its several variants are the embodiment of what it is to be a supercar. And its replacement, the C9, looks set to have even more more, and it’ll be headed to the U.S., as well. Sadly, these latest spy shots show the car in a very unfortunate state. The driver of this…
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2010 New York Auto Show: 2011 Acura TSX Wagon
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin.
We’re smack in the midst of auto show season, just coming off the back of the 2010 Geneva Motor Show and now with the 2010 New York Auto Show upon us. The latest car to be unveiled there today is the 2011 Acura TSX Wagon, which is set to go on sale in late fall. We told you back in October that Acura had given the TSX Sport Wagon the green light…
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2011 Acura TSX at 2010 New York Auto Show
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin.
- Competes with: BMW 3 Series wagon, Audi A4 Avant
- Looks like: A sexy station wagon
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2011 Kia Sportage at the 2010 New York Auto Show
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin.
- Competes with: Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, Ford Escape, Chevrolet Equinox
- Looks like: A smaller, edgier version of Kia's midsize Sorento crossover
- Drivetrain: 176-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder or turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission; front- or all-wheel drive
- On sale: TBA
Kia is furiously remaking its lineup, and the redesigned 2011 Sportage small crossover represents another salvo directed at the likes of Honda, Toyota and Ford. Featuring all-new styling, the Sportage also has a new range of four-cylinders, including a turbocharged engine. It will be offered in base LX and upscale EX trim levels.
Like other new Kia models, the Sportage has much crisper sheet metal than the model it replaces. The front end is dominated by a black grille bordered by angular headlights that creep up the front fenders. A subtle crease accents the side doors, and sharply angled rear roof pillars draw your eyes to the rear. Overall, it's an appealing look that's modern and athletic.
Base LX models have standard 16-inch alloy wheels with low-rolling-resistance tires, body-colored door handles and supplementary turn signals incorporated into the side mirrors. Seventeen-inch rims are optional on the LX. The EX is fitted with 18-inch alloy wheels and adds body-colored heated side mirrors, roof rails and chrome trim that includes a chrome-bordered grille.
The Sportage has room for five people on front bucket seats and a 60/40-split folding backseat. Standard features include cloth seat upholstery, air conditioning, CD stereo with auxiliary and USB ports, Bluetooth, tilt steering wheel and height-adjustable front seats. EX models gain a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, a telescoping feature for the steering wheel, keyless entry, dual-zone air conditioning, a cooled glove box and a power driver's seat. The EX also comes with UVO, Kia's entertainment and communication system that's similar to Ford's Sync. Available EX features include leather-trimmed upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, push-button start, rear parking sensors and a panoramic sunroof.
The Sportage's base engine is a 176-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder. Later in the 2011 model year, a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with direct injection will be available. We could see that engine in a separate SX trim, much like the company rolled out for the new Sorento. Transmission choices include a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic with a clutchless-manual mode.
Front-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is available. The all-wheel-drive system sends all of the engine's available torque to the front wheels unless they begin to slip, but the system also includes a lock feature that splits torque between the front and rear wheels up to 25 mph. It's designed for use in especially poor weather or on slippery roads. Also standard are Hill Start Assist Control, which can hold the Sportage when starting out on an uphill grade, and Downhill Brake Control, which automatically limits vehicle speed during steep descents.
Standard safety features include antilock brakes, an electronic stability system, side-impact airbags for the front seats, side curtain airbags for both rows and active front head restraints. A backup camera is optional.
