Today, Fisker Automotive unveiled the first factory-built Karma sedan at the Paris Motor Show. The Fisker Karma is an $88,000 plug-in hybrid with 403 horsepower and the promise of achieving 100 mpg—when measured on an annual basis. The car will be manufactured by Valmet Automotive in Finland, and customer deliveries are expected to begin spring [...]
Filed under: Cars on September 30th, 2010 | No Comments »
Few cars are more elegant than a dark green Jaguar XJ sedan. And when you put its sleek silhouette in front of a New England autumn background, you’ve got an advertiser’s dream.
You’d think a car that looks this good would function flawlessly, especially if you’ve just dropped $80,000 on it. Think again.
When I took delivery [...]
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It's frustrating when a single detail makes an otherwise good car almost insufferable. Yet that's what I found when I drove our four-cylinder Buick LaCrosse for a recent business trip to Washington, D.C., to cover the Automotive X Prize awards ceremony.
I also took one of our navigation test units to find my way to [...]
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Distracted driving has become a near plague on American roads, trumping road rage as the focus for driver-created dangers. With increased attention on driver actions, it is clear that the nut behind the wheel may be the most highest-risk part of a car.
We have covered the 2010 Distracted Driving Summit at length, and even [...]
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened up investigations on the 2007-2008 Honda Fit and the 2004-2005 Mini Cooper, Cooper S, and the 2005 Mini Cooper convertible.
NHTSA’s Office of Defect Investigations (ODI) has received eight complaints from Honda Fit owners that the low beam headlights have stopped working. Some report replacing the wiring [...]
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Saab Spyker Automobiles has reportedly struck a deal with BMW to supply engines, according to Automotive News. These new powertrains would replace those provided by General Motors, as the giant automaker withdraws from its purged brand. The industry newspaper said that diesel engines were discussed, and that the first fitment would likely be the 2012 [...]
Filed under: Cars on September 29th, 2010 | No Comments »
A new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) claims that while most states have texting bans, there have been no reductions in crashes after the laws took effect and instead the results show a slight increase in crashes, especially for young drivers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Transportation Secretary [...]
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By the end of this month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is due to propose new, even tougher fuel economy standards to take effect starting in 2017.
Passed just last year, the current standards will dramatically raise the fuel economy bar, ramping up from today’s 27.5 mpg average for cars and 23.5 mpg for trucks [...]
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Gasoline prices are mostly down across the country compared to the week before. In some areas, the price move is so incremental, it rounds to zero. The national gasoline average is $.20 above the price this time last year. Diesel fuel is about $.35 above this time last year.
National regular gasoline prices
Price
Change from last [...]
Filed under: Cars on September 28th, 2010 | No Comments »
Seat belt use in the United States has risen to its highest level–85 percent–a gain of one percent over last year, according to new statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Seat belt use also rose in rural areas, up from 81 percent to 83 percent, and for those traveling on expressways, an [...]
Filed under: Cars on September 28th, 2010 | No Comments »
