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It's the week ending November 20, and we've browsed our favorite automotive ...
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It's the week ending October 23, and we've browsed our favorite automotive blogs all week long to gather the highlights from each. Toyota's problem with unintended acceleration remains in the headlines at LeftLaneNews where they suggest the problem goes deeper than loose floormats, perhaps even to a flawed design with a highly computerized engine control system that lacks a fail-safe mechanism for emergency situations. Betcha that's something lots of people are thinking! Tokyo Motor Show is underway, and as much as we especially love all the fun concepts and high-tech prototypes we see there every two years, we also love the Tokyo booth babes, whose costumes are even more funky than the vehicles themselves. Carscoop has posted a gallery of Tokyo Motor Show girls that perfectly illustrate this point. And yes, they also show some fun cars too. Lounging under the influence: A Minnesota man took his motorized La-Z-Boy out for a drive, and after drinking eight or nine beers, crashed it into a parked car while trying to "pop a wheelie." Apparently, his blood alcohol limit was 0.29 - more than three times the legal limit. Yeah, if I had a cushy chair powered by a...
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Safety experts have become so concerned that today's whisper-quiet hybrid and electric cars may pose a danger to visually-impaired pedestrians that they've introduced a study to investigate whether such vehicles should have artificial soundtracks to help people nearby hear them....
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It's the week ending September 18, and we've browsed our favorite automotive blogs all week long to gather a collection of what we feel is the highlight from each. ...
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Designed to be the most dynamic and agile Mini ever built, the Mini Cooper Coupe makes its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show this week. Production intent has not been announced for this concept, though the automaker says it aims to offer a varied and exciting range of small premium cars to customers in the coming years and has reaffirmed that a crossover model is in the final stages of development. Looking like a chopped Cooper hatchback with a toupee, the coupe retains all the essential Mini styling cues below the beltline. Despite the dramatic look, it measures just two inches lower than a production hatchback. The roof is constructed of weight-saving aluminum, and it visually lowers the profile while retaining head room. Inside, there is sculpted, two-tone bucket seating for just the driver and a front passenger. The interior appears common with the production cars, with the exception of two Chronoswiss clocks to the right and left of the tachometer remniscient of earlier Mini concept cars. Rear luggage space is access via a liftgate hinged above the rear spoiler. Mini says the car was engineered to accept the most powerful engine in the current line-up, the 1.6-liter turbocharged...
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It's the week ending July 10, and we've browsed our favorite automotive blogs all week long to gather a collection of what we feel is the highlight from each. The biggest news of the week is that GM President and CEO Fritz Henderson led a "state of the company" address this morning, describing the three top priorities for the new General Motors as it emerges from bankruptcy....
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Mini has weathered the economic storm well, being laser-focused on fun, fuel-efficient vehicles. The larger Clubman broadened the brand’s appeal, and there is reported a new crossover type model now in the works. Where other company’s are cutting their dealer body by the hundreds, Mini is about to increase its by 20 percent over the next 18 months. (Read our Mini Cooper Clubman and Mini John Cooper Works reviews .) Of course, that is a modest 17 new stores, added to the current 83. This speaks well to Mini USA ’s health and future prospects. Further, it means Mini dealers will be more accessible to shoppers and owners. A critical weakness for consumers has been how few and far between dealers are, compounded by the fact that BMW dealers won’t service the Mini Coopers. This made it hard for owners, making routine maintenance a logistical challenge that may involve time off from work and considerable drives. Well, that will soon change in Birmingham, Alabama. In addition, Mini will later open dealerships in the following cities: Pensacola, Florida; Alexandria, Virginia; Austin, Texas; Seattle, Washington; Fort Myers, Florida; El Paso, Texas; Ontario, California; Louisville, Kentucky;...
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It's the week ending June 5, and we've browsed our favorite automotive blogs all week long to gather a collection of what we feel is the highlight from each. The biggest auto news of the week is that GM officially declared bankruptcy on Monday, while Chrysler emerged from its own on Tuesday. Punctuating that news is an offer by a Chinese construction-equipment manufacturer to purchase Hummer. It just makes one's head spin! ...
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It was August 1959 when British Motor Corporation showed its first two models: The Morris Mini-Minor and the Austin Seven. These two tiny British cars made the most of their diminutive dimensions, offering excellent fuel economy, seating for four, and such charming character that they quickly developed a fanatic following. Fast forward to 2009, and Mini is celebrating its 50th birthday. Nobody knew when it debuted that the Mini would become such an iconic vehicle, or that it would generate such a cultlike crowd of adoring drivers, but 50 years later at this month’s Mini United event at the legendary British race track in Silverstone, United Kingdom, 25,000 fans from more than 40 countries made the pilgrimage to pay homage to their favorite little car. They made the road trip driving more than 10,000 Mini models, most of them lovingly individualized to fit each owner’s particular taste. There were plenty of unique models on display at the event to get pulses racing among the visiting crowd, including vehicles customized by British fashion designer Paul Smith, David Bowie, Kate Moss, Missoni, and acclaimed illustrator and graphic designer Alan Aldridge. Also on hand were the original...
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While we’re more than six months away from ringing in the 2010 calendar year, and several manufacturers are already—or soon will be—selling 2010 models, we decided to piece together this list of the top 10 best-selling green cars for the 2009 model year, with city/highway mileage figures. Click on any of the make/model names to get pricing, specs and a brief overview about each in autoMedia.com’s 2009 New Car Buyer’s Guide . 1. 2009 Toyota Prius: 48/45 2. 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid: 40/45 3. 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid: 35/33 4. 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid 4WD: 29/27 5. 2009 Smart fortwo: 33/41 6. 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid: 33/34 7. 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI: 30/41 8. 2009 Toyota Yaris: 29/35 9. 2009 MINI Cooper: 26/34 10. 2009 Honda Fit: 28/35 And, even though sales results obviously aren’t in yet, here are some of the most significant new high-mileage competitors, one of which may just knock its own predecessor from the number one spot. Click on any of these to read the full road test review on autoMedia.com. 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid 2010 Honda Insight 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid 2010 Toyota Prius -Deborah Neal, Editorial Director
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As the monthly sales figures have poured in for November, it is clear that the economic impact on the auto industry goes far beyond the Big 3 automakers. While Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors may be in the media spotlight for their hybrid drives to Washington, D.C., with proposals in hand, every brand except Mini has revealed major double-digit year-on-year sales drops. Often cited as examples of how companies have been able to better predict today’s economic challenges and more quickly react to it, Honda and Toyota were both hard hit. Despite a product line known for its fuel economy and a redesign (and quite good) Fit hatchback , Honda has seen sales plummet 30.6%. Saddled with some larger vehicles, Toyota has shown a 33.8% drop. Still, that is just a prelude to the Big 3. Chrysler Corp. is down 47%, Ford Motor Company 30.6%, and General Motors 41.3%. Even Nissan , who sounded relatively confident at the recent LA Auto Show , has seen a 42.2% drop. The single brand hardest hit is the crisis poster child, Hummer , at 63.9%. Should one of the major domestic companies fall under the weight of its credit crisis, suppliers will follow, and the domino effect will shatter the industry...
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Well ahead of its scheduled debut in January at the Detroit auto show, the next-generation Mini Cooper Convertible has been officially unveiled online. Following the pattern with the previous Mini , and also with each BMW 3 Series generation, the Mini hardtop has been on sale for a couple years before being joined by the redesigned convertible. The new Convertible has a neat trick: there is a sliding roof section that can be opened while driving, like a moonroof, leaving the rest of the soft top up. This allows for spontaneous open-air motoring. The entire top can be lowered in just 15 seconds, and the transformation can occur at speeds up to 20 mph. A fun extra, the car has a unique Openometer next to the tachometer that challenges the driver to log as many top-down miles as possible by recording the hours spent open-air motoring. To maximize the limited storage space, the split rear-seat backrests fold flat and there is a rear tailgate that exposes the luggage space. Behind the seatbacks is a single-piece rollover protection bar. It tucks neatly away without obstructing the driver’s visibility, and it moves into position automatically when a potential rollover is detected. Like the...
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BMW has electrified the beloved Mini Cooper instantly making EVs cool. Scheduled to make its public debut at the LA Auto Show next month, the Mini E will be powered by a 204-horsepower (150 kW) electric motor fed by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, transferring its power to the front wheels via a single-stage helical gearbox. The advanced battery pack will have a maximum capacity of 35 kilowatt hours (kWh)and will allow a generous 150-mile range. The rechargeable battery is made up of 5,088 cells grouped into 48 modules. It can be recharged using a standard power outlet, though the car will include a quick-charging wallbox for garage installation. Due to the space requirements for the batteries, the Mini E is a two seater. It weighs a portly 3200 lbs, and the suspension has been revised to account for the heft and weight distribution. The powerful motor can accelerate the Mini E from 0-60 mph in 8.5 seconds and top speed is limited at 95 mph. The Mini E will initially be made available to select private and corporate customers as part of a pilot project in California, New York, and New Jersey. BMW plans to ultimately deploy 500 all-electric vehicles for private use. This high-volume...
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At the Geneva Motor Show next month, Mini will debut its new, performance-focused sub-brand, Mini John Cooper Works. (OK, so it isn’t entirely new.) Two models will be shown in ever-icy Geneva--a JCW Cooper and a JCW Clubman--each promising maximum verve in their compact packages. Underhood, the 1.6-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder is stoked to product 207 horsepower, marking an increase of 35 horses. This mini-displacement engine will be able to reach a matching torque peak during overboost state. It otherwise tops out at 192 lb.-ft. The standard six-speed manual transmission is fortified to withstand the increased power output. The combined powertrain enables the Mini JCW Cooper to boast a 0-60 mph time under 6.5 seconds, with the larger JCW Clubman trailing just 0.3 seconds behind. Three levels of suspension are available, from the sporty JCW configuration, to the firmer midlevel setup, to a lowered, track-focused arrangement. The brakes are derived from Mini Challenge race cars, with red-finished calipers emblazoned with JCW logos. The brakes are supported by an alphabet soup of safety systems, such as electronic stability control and brake assist. Inside, the cabin features a...
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