Archive for March, 2011
Top 10 Best-Selling Cars: February 2011
Posted on 01. Mar, 2011 by admin.
The chilly weather throughout the country didn’t stop car shoppers in February. Car sales from every major automaker were up, and some like Nissan actually had record February sales last month. General Motor’s sales were up 49%.
Toyota saw sales increase 41.8% from last February when it was in the midst of its largest recall in history. While the upswing was expected, the Camry and Corolla still sold strongly overall, retaining spots in the top five.
What’s driving the boom? Increasing consumer confidence, good credit and healthy rebates on new cars all play a role. We’d like to hear from our readers if they bought a new car in February and why they did so.
The top 10 remains largely the same with the Toyota Camry taking the top spot among sedans but battling a surging Ford Fusion.
The Chevy Cruze made a strong push at 18,556 units, which is a huge number for GM’s compact sedan, but it still missed the top 10. Ford’s aging Focus (10,879) along with the new Fiesta (6,270) didn’t sell that many units combined.
*Honda Accord includes 1,710 Crosstours
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Toyota FT-86 II Concept at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show
Posted on 01. Mar, 2011 by admin.
- Looks like: Toyota is picking black over beige
- Defining characteristics: Lexus LF-A supercar styling
- Ridiculous features: BMW M/Aston Martin front fender vent
- Chance of being mass-produced: A sure thing
It’s been a long wait for a production version of the Toyota FT-86 Sports Car concept that was unveiled in October 2009. And now, finally, we have … another concept? Toyota took the covers off an FT-86 II concept at the Geneva International Motor Show that it says gives the clearest indication yet of what the FT-86 will look like in its final design.
The FT-86 II shows off more flair than the previous concept with the addition of a gaping front grille accented by what look like LED lights. Out back, there is a more aggressive rear diffuser, and a spoiler makes its way to the deck lid. Usually the more aggressive concept leads the way to a dulled-down production version, but it seems Toyota went the other way with its FT-86.
The FT-86 is a product of Toyota’s joint venture with Subaru to build a rear-wheel-drive sports car. The 2.0-liter boxer four-cylinder engine under the FT-86’s hood comes from Subaru. The engine and six-speed manual transmission are said to be positioned as low and far back as possible for an optimal low center of gravity to help driving dynamics.
There aren’t many details or full specs available yet, but we do know the sports car will go on sale in Europe starting in 2012. It probably will look a lot like this.
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European Prius V Can Fit Seven People
Posted on 01. Mar, 2011 by admin.
The Toyota Prius +, which was just unveiled at the 2011 Geneva International Motor Show, may look familiar. That’s because we’ve already seen it — more or less — as the 2011 Toyota Prius V, which debuted at January’s Detroit auto show.
Dimensionally, the Prius + MPV is identical to the Prius V, which goes on sale stateside in April. You can learn more about the model, here.
The only discernible difference between the two is there’s a 50/50-split folding third row in the European model. The Prius V will only be offered with two rows of seats in the U.S. There aren’t any photos showing off the third row, so we don’t know how cramped it will be.
Toyota hasn’t commented as to whether this configuration will come to the U.S., but we doubt it will, at least initially. The Toyota RAV4 has a seven-seat option with 144.4 cubic feet of passenger volume. Toyota might think the two models will compete with each other. On the other hand, if the seven-passenger Ford C-Max or the Ford C-Max Hybrid takes off, Toyota may be forced to bring the model here for competitive reasons.
The EPA has classified the Prius V as a midsize station wagon, which means it has between 130 and 159 cubic feet total interior volume.
In Europe, the Toyota Pirus + will be the most fuel-efficient seven-seater on the market, according to Toyota. The European model will go on sale early in 2012.
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2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 at 2011 Geneva Motor Show
Posted on 01. Mar, 2011 by admin.
- Competes with: Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, Lexus LFA
- Looks like: Bruce Wayne will soon be trading in his Murcielago
- Drivetrain: 700-hp, 6.5-liter V-12 with seven-speed dual-clutch transmission; all-wheel drive
- Hits dealerships: June 2011
- MSRP: $376,705
As far as exotic sports cars go, it's hard to top the panache that Lamborghini brings to the table. The automaker has outdone itself with the new Aventador, which is even more aggressive-looking than the Murcielago and stunningly quick.
A cursory look at the critical specs will make you do a double-take. At full steam, the Aventador can reach 62 mph in just 2.9 seconds. The car's top speed is 217 mph.
What enables such stupefying specs? The Aventador features a 700-horsepower, 6.5-liter V-12 that sends power to all the wheels through a Haldex all-wheel-drive system. The car is also a showcase of aluminum and carbon fiber construction, with a curb weight of just 3,472 pounds.
As if the Aventador's distinctive wedge shape weren't enough of an attention-getter, there are vertically opening side doors, electronically controlled air intakes and a movable rear spoiler. A transparent cover for the mid-mounted V-12 is optional.
In terms of design and materials, the Aventador's cabin is a significant improvement over the Murcielago's. Unique design elements include a red cover on the large center console that hides the engine's start button, and the instrument panel consists of a large LCD screen. Lamborghini's Ad Personam program offers a number of personalized colors and materials for the car — if it doesn’t stand out enough as is.
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Ssangyong SUT 1 Concept Debuts at 2011 Geneva Motor Show
Posted on 01. Mar, 2011 by admin.
Korean automaker Ssangyong is using the 2011 Geneva International Motor Show to reveal its SUT 1 sport utility truck concept before a similar vehicle goes on sale in Europe and other markets next year. We've got the first photos courtesy of our friends at Jalopnik.
The SUT 1 looks just like the preview illustrations we showed you last week. Styling and proportions remind us of a sleeker version of the Honda Ridgeline pickup with a bit of Mercedes' styling influence in its flanks. The SUT 1 appears to be based on Ssangyong's new Korando C midsize crossover. Its wheelbase is 120 inches, just 2 inches shorter than the Ridgeline's.
Power will come from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder clean diesel rated at 153 horsepower and 265 pounds-feet of torque. The powertrain will be available with a choice of either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.
The SUT 1 concept even has a ball hitch to tow a small trailer or caravan around Europe's back roads.
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Consumer Reports Names Chevrolet Avalanche as a Top Pick for 2011
Posted on 01. Mar, 2011 by admin.
Consumer Reports has selected the Chevrolet Avalanche full-size sport utility truck as its Top Pick honoree among all 2011 pickups.
“The Avalanche ($47,435) is a versatile crew-cab model with a unified bed and cab that helps give it a steady, comfortable, quiet ride,” according to the magazine. “And the innovative partition between the cab and the bed can be folded to extend the cargo area into the back of the cab. That allows the truck to carry longer cargo. A three-piece bed cover provides a weather-tight and lockable cargo area. CR recommends getting the optional backup camera to reduce the truck’s large blind zone.”
Top Picks are the best all-around vehicles in their categories and must meet CR's road test, reliability and safety requirements.
The Avalanche and Chevy Silverado 1500 half-ton have traded places with each other as CR's Top Pick since 2008, when the Silverado 1500 displaced the Toyota Tundra. The Avalanche was honored in 2009 and the 2010 Silverado was selected last year.
The Avalanche was one of two domestic vehicles (Ford's Mustang is the other) chosen in the 10 categories that make up CR's Top Picks.
[Source: Consumer Reports]
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Quick Review: Toyota Prius Plug-In
Posted on 01. Mar, 2011 by admin.
It’s not every day that an automotive blogger gets to drive the future of transportation, a radical rethinking of how we interact with our private transport, and yet that’s exactly what I recently did. And no, I’m not talking about the Prius Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV)… that’s just a Prius with some larger batteries and re-worked [...]
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