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Friday, April 30, 2010
RPMGO.com (former Auto Unleashed) |
- BMW overtakes Toyota and becomes world’s most valuable car brand
- 2010 Lexus GX460 back on sale, stability fix now available in dealerships
- BMW planning X4 after X6 success
- Ferrari F430 Spyder burns in the streets of Singapore
- Video: Peugeot unleashes first ad for RCZ roadster
- Hyundai presents new Elantra (Avante) in South Korea
- Suzuki extends ‘free gas for summer’ offer for all models
- TVR set to bring Chevrolet Corvette-powered roadster, ponders hybrid tech
- Lotus showcases lightweight, futuristic Toyota Venza
- Mercedes-Benz also announces a carbon fiber future for its models
| BMW overtakes Toyota and becomes world’s most valuable car brand Posted: 30 Apr 2010 02:02 AM PDT  The beginning of the year has been pretty tough on Toyota, thanks to the major recalls and various scandals. While many fans of the Japanese company believed the carmaker would survive and see its public image not too seriously tarnished, a new study shows that Toyota has indeed suffered, in terms of brand value. Millward Brown, in its BrandZ Top 100 list revealed that BMW is now the most valuable car brand in the world, overtaking last year’s former number one, Toyota. The German company is worth $21.82 billion, as opposed to Toyota, which saw its value drop by 27% to $21.77 billion. The podium was completed by Honda, which ranked ahead of luxury carmakers like Mercedes-Benz or Porsche. While drops in value were registered almost across the board for carmakers, there were companies that achieved growth, as opposed to this time last year. Among them were Ford, Volkswagen or Audi. In terms of predictions for the future, Millward Brown analyst say they see Hyundai and Kia cracking the top 10 next year, while Chinese brands, like Geely, will see significant growth. Source: Millward Brown via Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| 2010 Lexus GX460 back on sale, stability fix now available in dealerships Posted: 30 Apr 2010 01:28 AM PDT  Lexus has just announced that the 2010 GX460 SUV is now back on sale and that the software update for the car’s stability control system is available, so there is no longer the possibility of losing control of the big Lexus. While safety fans will definitely rejoice and drifting fans will be sad, Toyota is scoring this as a big win, hyping up the fact that it acted quickly and no victims were reported because of the tail happy luxury SUV. As you may remember, at the middle of the month, Consumer Reports placed the 2010 GX460 on the ‘Do Not Buy’ list, as the car began sliding out of control if you took your foot off the acceleration in the middle of a corner (aka it started drifting). The Japanese engineers worked diligently and modified the VSC software to take into account new parameters. As was shown last week, the car is now composed and no longer fit for any amateur drifting. Sales will be restarted while current owners are going to get their car fixed free of charge. Source: Lexus Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| BMW planning X4 after X6 success Posted: 30 Apr 2010 01:13 AM PDT  BMW is taking some pretty big risks lately, as highlighted by the launch of the X6 SAV/sports coupe/offroader etc or the 5 Series GT pseudo-shooting brake. According to a new report from Autocar, it seems things are going to get even crazier as the company, after seeing the success of the X6, might launch a smaller version, called the X4. It will slot in, as its name suggests, above the next generation X3 (with which it might share the platform) and under the X5. While the source says a decision hasn’t been made, it makes sense from a business standpoint. From a logic standpoint, the niche just isn’t big enough to warrant such a new model. Plus, don’t forget, there’s the 5 GT which is basically just an X6 without the increased ride height. What do you think? Should BMW try to follow up on the success of the X6 with a smaller X4 crossover/coupe/sports something? Share your thoughts below. Source: Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Ferrari F430 Spyder burns in the streets of Singapore Posted: 30 Apr 2010 12:56 AM PDT  Supercars tend to offer some extreme thrills, unrivaled by most of the vehicles we see on the road today. Sometimes, owners might get a bit too much than what they bargained for, and get some life threatening experiences alongside their expensive supercar. We’ve seen Audi R8 models burst into flames or catch fire on the road, but now a new incident has been reported, concerning a Ferrari F430 Spyder, which caught fire on the streets of Singapore.  The incident happened two days ago, but not much is known about the whole deal. There were no people in the supercar, and the Singapore Civil Defense Force managed to extinguish the fire eventually. All we’re left are these terrifying photos before the fire crew arrived and after the blaze. Source: SingaporeSeen.stomp.com.sg via WCF Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Video: Peugeot unleashes first ad for RCZ roadster Posted: 30 Apr 2010 12:35 AM PDT  Peugeot is gearing up to release the first model, in a long time, that promises to revamp the image of the French carmaker: the RCZ roadster. As such, the company released the first ad for the attractive coupe. While the message is pretty good, the RCZ, at least from this ad, does appear to a be a bit creepy rather than menacing. Hit the jump to check out the first Peugeot RCZ ad and then share your thoughts about it in the comments sections below. Source: Automarket Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Hyundai presents new Elantra (Avante) in South Korea Posted: 30 Apr 2010 12:25 AM PDT  Hyundai is on a roll these days, and just a week after it revealed the new Accent/Verna compact sedan at the Beijing Motor Show, the South Korean carmaker revealed the Elantra (or Avante, as it is know in Asia) at the Busan Motor Show in its native country. As you can see above, the new Elantra sports the same fluidic design language, as seen on the bigger Sonata and on the smaller Accent. Thankfully the increased dimensions of the Elantra make it sport more attractive looks than its smaller brother.  In terms of engines, a new 1.6-liter direct injection inline-four cylinder unit will be available at launch, capable of 138 HP and 123 lb-ft of torque. The unit will be coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission, resulting in an improved fuel average by 10%. The new Hyundai Elantra/Avante is set to go on sale in the carmaker’s native South Korea later this year. Expect it to reach other territories like North America or Europe around the beginning of 2011. Source: Hyundai Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Suzuki extends ‘free gas for summer’ offer for all models Posted: 29 Apr 2010 11:59 PM PDT  Suzuki launched a very interesting offer last summer, when it offered free gas for the whole season to anyone who purchased either the SX4 Sport or Crossover models. Now, seeing as how summer is rapidly approaching and people are already thinking about going on vacation, the Japanese company has restarted the ‘free gas for summer‘ offer. The promotion is now available across the model range, and includes the attractive new Kizashi sedan. Customers who purchase a new car will receive a card that that ranges in value from $280 to $442, good enough for three months of fuel. The amount of money is based on the EPA fuel average numbers for each model and on the NHTSA estimate that people drive around 1,000 miles each month. Source: Suzuki Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| TVR set to bring Chevrolet Corvette-powered roadster, ponders hybrid tech Posted: 29 Apr 2010 11:38 PM PDT  The UK had small sportscar manufacturers by the dozen in the glory days, but things aren’t looking that good in the present. One company which was deemed pretty much dead by the media was TVR, which didn’t reveal anything big after it was purchased by Russian rich guy Nikolai Smolenski. For fans of the sportscar manufacturer, Autocar managed to track the Russian down and grilled him about the future of the once popular brand. It seems that the company has been restructured, according to Smolenski, but now it has some big plans for the next few years. The TVR owner revealed that it has finally decided on what type of engine will power the next model. It seems that the future TVR roadster will use an American Chevrolet Corvette engine. No details on what engine will be chosen, either the 505 HP LS7, found in the Corvette Z06, or the 638 HP supercharged LS9 unit, found in the top of the range Corvette ZR1. According to Smolenski, we will know more until the end of 2010. While lightweight, rear-wheel drive, American-powered roadsters might be on the wish lists of many rich people, Smolenski also wants TVR to do a bit of research in hybrid technology and also work on automatic transmissions, a feature that the next model can’t support, given its chassis and technology. It seems that loyal TVR fans don’t have to worry so much know, as the company is slowly getting back on its feet. Source: Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Lotus showcases lightweight, futuristic Toyota Venza Posted: 29 Apr 2010 11:18 PM PDT  These days, practically all carmakers are trying to make their models as light possible in order to achieve the best fuel average. But while some may proclaim that aerodynamics also play a key role in keeping fuel consumption down, lighter is still better. In order to further highlight the importance of reduced weight, Lotus, a sportscar manufacturer specialized in releasing lightweight models, has been asked by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to take a mainstream model, the Toyota Venza, work its magic, and see how the reduced weight will impact the fuel average. The British engineers went to work and revealed the 2020 version of the Venza, now 38% lighter. The reduced weight did come at a rise of 3% in the cost of manufacturing, but the fact that its fuel average was improved by 23% does make it up for it. The futuristic people carrier had almost half as many parts as the current model, and used aluminum and other lightweight materials extensively. Do bear in mind that the 2020 concept used technologies that will become viable around that time, so Toyota won’t go asking for plans from Lotus for the next Venza. Still, it does highlight the importance of keeping weight down in carmaking. Source: Lotus Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Mercedes-Benz also announces a carbon fiber future for its models Posted: 29 Apr 2010 11:00 PM PDT  It seems carbon fiber won’t be just a thing high end supercar manufacturers or tuners use on specific vehicles. After BMW announced that it will build a carbon fiber processing plant in the USA, and use the material on its future models, including the electric Megacity, Daimler has also revealed that the material will be used on Mercedes-Benz models. As such, the German company partnered up with Japanese carbon fiber specialist, Toray Industries. While many of you might not be familiar with this company, it controls around 34% of the global carbon fiber market. Future Mercedes-Benz will benefit from carbon fiber reinforced plastic body parts and other such materials, in order to achieve a lighter weight and improved fuel averages. The first car to boast such things will be the SL Class. Source: Green Car Advisor via Autoblog Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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Thursday, April 29, 2010
RPMGO.com (former Auto Unleashed) |
- Test drive with the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo
- Video: Audi’s Next Big Thing short film gets behind the scenes footage
- Chrysler Nassau to replace the Sebring, report says
- Video: Cadillac driver fights crime in China, stops thief by drifting
- Toyota recalls 2003 Sequoia models over traction control issues that result in unintended braking
- Ford Fusion Hybrid pays off quickest, hybrids still aren’t worth it, reports says
- Video: Citroen Nemo flips over in ‘Moose test’, shows why stability control is important
- Jaguar XF get police car treatment in the UK
- Nissan expects Leaf shortages after high number of reservations
- Custom Chevrolet Camaro honors America’s fallen servicemen
| Test drive with the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo Posted: 29 Apr 2010 04:07 AM PDT  When BMW first announced its newest "experiment", the 5 Series GT (or how they like to call it Grand Turismo), I was among the many who were shocked by its ugliness. Still, considering the fact that I also said that about the X6, who managed to find a place in my heart after I drove it, I was keen to drive the 5 GT and see what's what before finally reaching a verdict. The first aspect that pops out when you glance at the 5 GT is its size. It's really huge. The 7 Series seems like a small sedan besides this behemoth, whose snout is almost as large enough as a small city car. As such, you really have a newfound respect for BMW's creation, even before you actually get it. But let's get on with this review and see if the 5 GT is actually something you might like. Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Video: Audi’s Next Big Thing short film gets behind the scenes footage Posted: 29 Apr 2010 02:50 AM PDT  Audi is sparing no expense in promoting its A1 city car, and hired pop idol Justin Timberlake to star with the lovely Dania Ramirez in a short film entitled The Next Big Thing. We already saw a teaser trailer, but now the Ingolstadt carmaker released a new behind the scenes video, in which it showcases the Hollywood-style effort put into this project. Also mentioned are some of the ideas behind the whole short film. Go behind the scenes of Audi’s Next Big Thing with the video located after the jump. Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Chrysler Nassau to replace the Sebring, report says Posted: 29 Apr 2010 02:25 AM PDT  Times were simpler back in 2007, for Chrysler at least, who was still pretty popular and not a victim of any pesky recession. It was at that year’s Detroit Auto Show that the Pentastar carmaker unleashed the interesting Nassau sedan concept. While people eagerly awaited a version of the car to make it to production, all they got was the Sebring sedan, which didn’t exactly killed the opposition, to say the least. Fast forward to the present, and Chrysler, with the help of Fiat, will release a facelifted sedan set to bear another name, at least according to Sergio Marchionne. Now, a report from the Detroit Free Press says that the Sebring replacement will carry the Nassau name, seeing as how Chrysler already owns the trademark. While it doesn’t say if the new sedan will actually borrow anything from the concept of not, we’re all for acting like the Sebring never happened. What do you think? Should Chrysler just retire the Sebring name in favor of something else? Share your thoughts below. Source: Detroit Free Press Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Video: Cadillac driver fights crime in China, stops thief by drifting Posted: 29 Apr 2010 01:57 AM PDT  We’ve seen our fair share of vigilantes over the years, but while we can’t say we condone such practices (leave crime fighting to the police), some examples are just too awesome to pass. Such is the case with a Cadillac CTS driver in China, who decided to stop a thief by drifting his car in front of the baddie that just stole the purse of a woman on the street. The whole video is just too awesome for words, and we can just thank road surveillance cameras for capturing this Cadillac-driving hero of our time. Check out the video after the jump! Source: FailBlog Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Toyota recalls 2003 Sequoia models over traction control issues that result in unintended braking Posted: 29 Apr 2010 01:51 AM PDT  Right after it took care of the stability control problems on the luxury 2010 Lexus GX460 SUV, Toyota has been hit with another problem, this time from an older SUV. The company has just announced that it will recall approximately 50,000 2003 Toyota Sequoia SUVs. The problem with the vehicle stems from “inappropriate activation of the electronic stability control or the traction control system.” What does this mean? Ironically enough, after a huge number of Toyota models suffered from unintended acceleration, the 2003 Sequoia suffers from unintended deceleration, or braking. While we may mock the carmaker a bit, the problem is quite severe, as when the traction/stability control systems slow the car down, the brake lights in the rear aren’t activated. As you can imagine, this might lead to some nasty rear-end collisions if the driver behind you isn’t paying strict attention to the road. 2003 Toyota Sequoia models are set to be recalled in late May. Owners will be notified by mail, but if you want to contact the Japanese carmaker, you can call at this number: 1-800-331-4331. Source: Toyota Post published on Rpmgo.com No related posts. |
| Ford Fusion Hybrid pays off quickest, hybrids still aren’t worth it, reports says Posted: 29 Apr 2010 01:23 AM PDT  People who opt for hybrid models usually do so because they want to lower their fuel average and, as a consequence, pay less for their daily rides. But this can only be achieved by paying more than a regular car, as hybrids are much pricier than their normal brethren. The San Francisco Chronicle decided to do a test and see how long it takes for the decreased fuel spending to balance out the financial effort a consumer made to purchase a hybrid. Seven of the most popular eco-friendly models were chosen. The results are a bit surprising to say the least. The winner was the Ford Fusion Hybrid, which, at current gas prices, will pay off the investment in 5.6 years. This is largely due to the relatively low price difference between a regular Fusion and the hybrid counterpart. But while 5.6 years might seem like a lot, bear in mind that Toyota Prius owners should wait 20 years for the price of their hybrid to be weighed out by the savings they make in terms of fuel costs. What was the worst car? The Nissan Altima Hybrid, which requires 21 years to pay off in fuel savings. The bottom line, according to the San Francisco Chronicle is that hybrids, at least given today’s fuel prices, just aren’t worth the investment. If you want to reduce your carbon footprint or just look cool, then you might want a hybrid though. Source: San Francisco Chronicle via Autoblog Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Video: Citroen Nemo flips over in ‘Moose test’, shows why stability control is important Posted: 29 Apr 2010 12:54 AM PDT  We usually take a few systems in our new cars for granted. Among them is the electronic stability control feature, sometimes called ESC, ESP or traction control, depending on the carmaker. We recently saw what could happen when such a system is in over its head, with the tail-happy 2010 Lexus GX460. Thankfully, Toyota acted quick and released an updated firmware for the luxury SUV that prevents it from going out of control. But what happens when a car with a like a compact people carrier, with a high center of gravity and short wheelbase isn’t fitted with ESC? Well British consumer magazine Which? decided to find out, and lined up three such cars, the Fiat Qubo, the Peugeot Bipper Teepee and the Citroen Nemo. The models were subjected to the famous ‘Moose Test’, when a car must swerve to avoid an impact at 50 mph. The Fiat Qubo, which has ESC as an option for diesel variants, passed the test, just barely. The Citroen Nemo however, without any ESC, failed miserably by flipping over and landing on its roof. Seeing this, Which? decided to cancel the test for the Peugeot, as the two cars are practically identical and both don’t offer ESC. PSA Peugeot Citroen reacted and said it will implement ESC in diesel variants but gasoline ones will get the system around 2011. Check out the video of the pretty horrific Moose test of the Citroen Nemo after the jump. Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Jaguar XF get police car treatment in the UK Posted: 29 Apr 2010 12:35 AM PDT  Turning one of your models into a police car is quickly becoming one of the greatest ways to advertise that specific model, if you’re a carmaker. Joining other novel ideas like Abu Dhabi’s Fiat 500 or the Nissan GT-R, or the Scottish police’s Audi Q7, the Central Motorway Police Group, which patrols the motorways across the Midlands of the UK, has just announced that it will deploy seven police-spec Jaguar XF models. These new police cars started life as Diesel S models, powered by a 3.0-liter engine capable of 275 HP and 443 lb-ft of torque. Their impressive fuel average, 42 mpg (UK) and pretty low emissions, 179 g/km of CO2, made them suitable for police duty.  As such, the ‘rozzers’ added a new roof-mounted light bar, side alley lights, blue and white LED lamps in the front grille plus other such things in the rear light clusters. For added efficiency, improved electronics and new systems were added on the inside of the police Jag. Source: CarScoop Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Nissan expects Leaf shortages after high number of reservations Posted: 29 Apr 2010 12:18 AM PDT  Nissan’s Carlos Ghosn revealed some time ago that when the all-electric Leaf will arrive on the market, his company will have no opposition. Many thought the executive was a bit too full of himself, but after Nissan started taking $99 reservations ahead of the upcoming launch of the EV, things seem to go according to Ghosn. His company, according to some reports, might even be faced with Leaf shortages in some markets, as reservations are expected to pass the 20,000 originally estimated. According to recent data, almost 7,000 pre-orders were placed in the USA, and another 4,000 from Japan. Nissan will continue to take reservations in these territories and will also open up to the UK and other European countries, so the number will no doubt grow by leaps and bounds. For those who might not remember, the Nissan Leaf is a zero-emission electric vehicle, that will start from a steep $32,780. Government subsidies in the USA and in other countries will be applied though, with Nissan expecting the Leaf to actually be sold at around $25,280. If you have that cash lying around and want an EV, then you’d better hurry up and reserve a Leaf as soon as possible. Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Custom Chevrolet Camaro honors America’s fallen servicemen Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:52 PM PDT  The Camaro5 community really knows when to stick together. An example of this has just been revealed. Constandina Tutten, wife of Army Sergeant Joseph Tutten, found out on Christmas day, 2007, that her husband was killed in the line of duty while leading a platoon in a clearing operation in the Tikrit. Upon hearing this tragic story, Camaro5 forum member TheSpyMaster decided to create a customized 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, as a tribute to all of the fallen servicemen America had seen. Even though the project just started as a quick one, using a set of modified wheels and various other small adjustments, seeing the support he got from other forum members, the guy decided to go all out. What you see above is a 2010 Camaro with custom wheels, scissor doors plus a wide body kit, all decked out in an American flag-themed vinyl wrap. While some might have preferred a more normal paint scheme, this tribute is still something that must be honored. Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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