Automotive News

Filed under: Trucks/Pickups, GMC

Well, the rumor came true. Mike Levine at Pickuptruck.com noticed that at the website for the ‘08 GMC Canyon, a V8 engine is listed as an option coming in early 2008. Mike called up the General and got confirmation that yes, a V8 is indeed coming for both 2WD and 4WD versions of the midsize pickup. They wouldn’t confirm which V8 the Canyon’s getting, but since that platform’s already been modified to accommodate the 5.3L unit for the HUMMER H3 Alpha, it’s likely to be the same one. Considering that the 5.3 does just fine in the much larger Sierra, it ought to be a hoot in the Canyon. GM hasn’t put up a web page for the ‘08 Chevy Colorado yet, but we have to believe that whatever Canyon gets, Colorado will, too.

[Source: PickupTruck.com]

 

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Filed under: Recalls/TSBs, Safety, Honda

Honda Civics are generally respected as reliable transportation, and aren’t supposed to be prone to things like, say, wheels falling off. But that’s the reason Honda is recalling more than 182,000 of them made in 2006-2007.

Honda says the trouble comes from a leaky O-ring in the wheel speed sensor. Water could damage the wheel bearing, which could result in one of the four wheels falling off, “possibly resulting in a crash.” Ya think?

Owners of the affected Civics can expect a note in the mail from Honda, offering to fix the problem and replace any damaged parts.

You can read the full recall notice from NHTSA.gov after the jump.

Thanks for the tip, Herb!

[Source: The Detroit News]

Continue reading Wheels could fall off on 182,000 recalled Honda Civics

 

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Frankfurt Auto Show, Tuners, Supercars, Ferrari

Click the image above for more high-res pics of the Novitec F430 TuNero.

Amidst the countless tuner displays gracing the Frankfurt Messe, one vehicle caught the attention of our lens and caused the hairs on the back of our necks to stand at attention. The Novitec Ferrari F430 TuNero, swathed in matte black from its body to its brake calipers, is pure evil incarnate, and it’s got the motivation to match.

Sporting a duo of race-ready superchargers, air-to-water intercoolers, a revised intake system, individual oil coolers, new fuel injectors and a host of other mods, the TuNero puts out 707 HP at 8,350 RPM and 525 lb.-ft. of torque at 6,300 RPM. 62 comes up in 3.5 seconds and Novitec claims that a top speed of 216 MPH is easily within reach.

We’ve assembled a number of live and press pics in the gallery below, so go forth and be intimidated.

 

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Filed under: Frankfurt Auto Show, Etc.

click above image to view gallery of high-res pics

The auto industry is no dummy, and it realizes the best way to get the attention of sleep-deprived auto journalists, who often happen to be male, is to display its vehicles next to attractive models. Frankfurt was no different than any other show in this respect, and we couldn’t find a single automaker that hadn’t hired at least a few models to lean on their cars (we didn’t look that hard them, honestly). Of course, we came to Frankfurt to see the cars, so in most cases we tried to shoot both the model and the car in the same frame. Zoom, however, was used on occasion. Check out the gallery below to see the Fräuleins of Frankfurt 2007.

 

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Filed under: Frankfurt Auto Show, GM, Opel

click above image to view high-res gallery of the Opel Flextreme Concept

For those unfamiliar with the suicide-style rear door, it’s basically a car door with the hinges located closer to the rear of the car, usually on the C-pillar. The design isn’t new, but it recently had a renaissance with cars like the Mazda RX-8 and Rolls-Royce Phantom adopting the unique style.

The rear opening doors will soon be featured on some General Motors products, as revealed by its Vice Chairman Bob Lutz on his blog. GM recently previewed its design, dubbed FlexDoor, on its new Opel Flextreme at the Frankfurt Motor Show this week. Engineers were able to do-away with the center B-pillar, which means opening both doors on a single side of the car leaves one giant opening the size of two doors. This was important because designers learned from focus groups that people, especially those who use child-seats, wanted easier access to the rear compartment.

The Flextreme itself is only a concept and Lutz was coy about when we might see them on a production car, so we suggest you don’t hold your breath.

[GM Fastlane Blog via The GM Source]

 

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Filed under: Recalls/TSBs, Safety, Dodge, Jeep

Chrysler will be sending letters to owners of 2006 and 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokees, Commanders, and Wranglers, as well as 2007 Dodge Nitros. Those vehicles fall under the company’s latest recall to fix a potential problem with their brakes.

The vehicles’ electronic braking system can cause “momentary braking delays” when traveling uphill, which, as we all know, is hardly ever a good thing. The recall affects just over 296,000 vehicles, and owners who have already experienced brake problems are asked not to wait on letters, but seek their nearest Chrysler dealership ASAP.

Thanks, Mavkato, for the tip!

[Source: CNN Money]

 

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Filed under: Frankfurt Auto Show, Crossovers/CUVs, Volkswagen

Click the image above for a gallery of live shots of the Volkswagen Tiguan.

Lost in the fray surrounding the reveal of the Up!, Volkswagen’s entrant into the cute ‘ute segment officially debuted in production guise in Frankfurt. The Tiguan, which will go on sale early next year, will initially be equipped with either a 140 HP two-liter TDI or a 150 HP 1.4-liter TSI, with larger engines to follow. There will be three models available — S, SE and Sport - all of which will offer 4MOTION all-wheel-drive.

V-Dub is quick to point out that the Tiguan should be able to hold its own both on-road and off, citing an 18-degree angle of approach on standard models, or an optional front-end that allows for 28-degrees of cambered madness. Along with the additional off-road competence, buyers opting for the heavier-duty package get underbody cladding, a radiator protector, hill descent control and a compass.

Volkswagen’s full press release can be viewed after the jump, and we’ve got a full gallery of live shots below for your viewing pleasure.

Continue reading Frankfurt 2007: Volkswagen’s production Tiguan graces the stage

 

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Filed under: Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover

At least one of the bidders in the race to buy Jaguar and Land Rover has dropped out of the competition. Indian manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra apparently couldn’t get the guarantees they wanted regarding powertrain supplies. With new limits on CO2 emissions expected to be enacted in the EU beginning in 2012, the ability of both brands to meet the standards with their larger vehicles poses a problem, as well.

The emissions issue may also be playing a part in Ford’s decision to unload the companies and not keep any stake at all in them. Mahindra was really only interested in Land Rover, but Ford wants to sell the two companies as a package deal. Mahindra’s Indian competitor Tata is still in the running and has lined up a technical support deal with Fiat if the sale goes through.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req’d]

 

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Filed under: SUVs, Crossovers/CUVs, Chrysler, Earnings/Financials

The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, Compass, and Patriot are helping Chrysler defend its market share in a declining sales environment. Between these new models and incentives on Dodge and Chrysler vehicles, Chrysler has managed to stay 0.1% ahead of the market’s year-on-year drop in sales. The Wrangler Unlimited is proving a noteworthy boon, helping lift Wrangler sales by 71% year-over-year. Steve Landry, Chrysler’s EVP of North American sales said, “The four-door has really created a halo effect for the Jeep brand, bringing people into the Jeep showrooms and it has improved our two-door sales.”

Although Chrysler-brand vehicles lead the way among the Big Three in incentives, Jeep has placed little reliance on them. The numbers mean that Chrysler’s market share has actually improved a tiny bit, from 12.85% to 12.86% in the US. It’s a minuscule improvement to be sure, but for a company that has been through the wringer over the past few months (years, some would say), it’s still a great statement.

[Source: Freep]

 

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Filed under: Euro, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, FIAT

While Ford’s kicking Land Rover and Jaguar entirely out of the nest, leaving their eventual buyer to fend for themselves, potential bidder Tata Motors of India will have some help. Tata wants to expand into other markets beyond India, and luxury European marques could be a good point of entry. They’ve already indicated an interest in Jaguar and Land Rover, and Tata partners with Italy’s Fiat building cars and engines in India, so there’s a relationship established. Fiat’s ready to help its partner in the form of technical support should Tata purchase Ford’s British nameplates. What exactly that means, we’re not sure, but Fiat’s got a lot of experience running global automotive operations, so its advice and consent about how to successfully run Jaguar and Land Rover would be very helpful to Tata in its quest for expansion.

Thanks for the tip, Mehul!

[Source: Times of India]

 

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