Archive for November, 2011
Nissan Develops Fatigue-Fighting Seats
Posted on 29. Nov, 2011 by admin.
If you love road trips like we do, you know this as fact: long days behind the wheel take their toll on you. Driving may seem like a simple task, but eight or ten hours behind the wheel of your average sedan can leave you both physically tired and mentally drained. Try the same stint in a track-oriented sports car, and the results will only be…
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Mazda’s Regenerative Braking System Switches Batteries For Capacitors
Posted on 29. Nov, 2011 by admin.
When it comes to storing energy, batteries aren’t always the ideal medium. While they typically discharge energy in predictable, linear fashion, batteries can be slow to charge and slow to discharge. Worse, batteries have a finite life cycle. Capacitors, on the other hand, are quick to charge and can be used over and over again with no…
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Cars.com Reviews the 2012 Honda Civic Si
Posted on 29. Nov, 2011 by admin.
Like the rest of the redesigned Civic lineup, the high-performance 2012 Honda Civic Si is a disappointment when compared to its competition and its predecessor, according to Cars.com Industry Analyst Kelsey Mays. The new Si is equipped with a more powerful engine, but the redesign also brought a cushier ride with pronounced body roll when cornering. That’s not something you want on a high-performance model.
2012 Honda Civic Review
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GM’s 100-Millionth Small Block Engine Is A 638-HP LS9
Posted on 29. Nov, 2011 by admin.
It powers the ZR1, and it has powered about 99,999,999 other cars, too: it’s GM’s small block engine family, including V-8s and V-6s, and it’s been in action since 1955. Yes, GM has built its 100-millionth small-block engine, and it’s an LS9 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 good for 638 horsepower–443 more than the first 4.3-liter small block built 56…
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Tiny Chevy Spark Gets Mom, Teen Approval
Posted on 29. Nov, 2011 by admin.
I learned long ago not to assume I know what teenagers think is cool. That's why I asked my 17-year-old niece if she would be caught driving the candy-colored subcompact 2013 Chevrolet Spark. Not only would she, but her social network gave it the thumbs-up as well. By using “thumbs-up” I've proven that I have officially moved into the mom category and should always check with teenagers about what is “cool” or “hip to the now.”
More 2011 L.A. Auto Show Coverage
But as a mom of younger kids, could I contemplate them as teenage drivers in something that's categorized as a mini car? After checking out the Spark at the 2011 L.A. Auto Show, my answer is a definite yes.
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Big Sedans No Big Deal, Honda Says
Posted on 29. Nov, 2011 by admin.
Full-size sedans got some attention at the 2011 L.A. Auto Show, with Hyundai redoubling its efforts on the slow-selling Azera. This comes seven months after Ford unveiled a refreshed 2013 Taurus and less than a year after the redesigned Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger hit dealerships.
The full-size pie has its takers — but Honda wants no slice, said John Mendel (pictured below), the automaker's U.S. chief.
We spoke with Mendel, American Honda's executive vice president, during a media roundtable at the recent auto show. The full-size sedan segment “doesn't seem to be the trend in the market,” he said, especially “when you think about fuel economy and challenges that the industry will have” in meeting the federal government's 2025 corporate average fuel economy standards. The Obama administration's proposal, which calls for a fleet-wide average of 54.5 mpg, will work out to around 39 mpg in real-world combined gas mileage, according to the EPA. Today's average is 22 mpg.
Full-size sedans merely keep pace with the current tide. Six-cylinder versions of the 300, Charger, Avalon and redesigned Azera get 23 mpg. The 2013 Ford Taurus will get a turbo four-cylinder with better combined city/highway mileage than the current V-6 car's 22 mpg, but final numbers are pending.
CAFE aside, full-sizers are still a flagging segment. Take out the Azera — whose redesign doesn't arrive until February — and combined year-to-date sales for the remaining four models fell 14.2% through October despite all of them being relatively new.
It's a moot point: Honda doesn't have the underpinnings to build a large car, Mendel said. The carmaker's roomiest sedan, the Accord, is technically full size by EPA standards. That's that sort of packaging Honda aims to pursue.
“We're kind of doing a large car kind of derivative,” Mendel said. “What you'll continue to see us do is put more and more package space in the existing same size car. … It's a trend that's been going on in Europe for the last 15 years.”
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22-Year-Old Saudi Pays $71k To Skip Aventador Waiting List
Posted on 29. Nov, 2011 by admin.
If you live in Saudi Arabia and decide to buy a new Lamborghini Aventador, patience had best be one of your strong points. The current wait for delivery of the carbon-composite supercar is 18 months, which means you won’t be rolling in Riyadh in your raging bull until May of 2013. Unless, of course, money really isn’t a concern. Dhiaa…
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2013 Subaru BRZ Debut, Acura NSX Concept, Kimi Raikkonen: Car News Headlines
Posted on 29. Nov, 2011 by admin.
Today at High Gear Media, Subaru finally reveals the 2013 BRZ while also showing off the 2012 Impreza WRX STI S206. Mercedes-Benz is working on a C 63 AMG Black Series Wagon and Cadillac continues to develop the upcoming 2013 ATS. All this and more in today’s car news, right here on Motor Authority. The 2013 Subaru BRZ is making its debut at the…
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2013 Lexus GS 450h Expected To Rate At More Than 30 MPG
Posted on 29. Nov, 2011 by admin.
For a roomy five-seat sedan packing 338 horsepower and capable of accelerating from 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds, the new 2013 Lexus GS 450h is remarkably fuel efficient. Lexus’ own mileage estimates for the car are 29/34 mpg city/highway or 31 mpg combined. To put that into perspective, the Lexus GS 450h will reach 60 mph from rest 0.5 of a…
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Nismo-Tuned Nissan Juke Leads Expansion Of Nismo Brand
Posted on 29. Nov, 2011 by admin.
Nissan has big plans for Nismo, its in-house tuning division. Long a builder of race cars for Japan’s Super GT series, Nismo has also built class-winning engines for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and even dabbled at turning the electric Leaf into a prototype racer. Despite this, Nismo has only offered parts and tuning for a handful of models in a…
