Car Buying Advice

Record number of Shelby Cobras to take part in Monterey Motorsports Reunion

Drew Phillips — Sun, 20 May 2012 15:01:00 +0000

Last year, the Monterey Motorsports Reunion announced that the Shelby Cobra would be the featured marque for 2012 in honor of the company's 50th anniversary. It's shaping up to be quite the celebration. Earlier this month it was announced that no fewer than 45 competition Cobras will be racing on the track come August, with owners from across the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Canada in attendance. In fact, demand to participate was so high that several entrants actually had to be turned away.

Shelby Cobras won't just be on the track, though. The event expects at least 200 Cobras, real and replica, to gather in the infield car corral. Shelby and Ford Motor Company will also bring a collection of historic Cobras to display in the paddock. In other words, if you're a Shelby Cobra fan then start making plans to attend right away.

You can read the official announcement from the Monterey Motorsports Reunion below.

Continue reading Record number of Shelby Cobras to take part in Monterey Motorsports Reunion

Record number of Shelby Cobras to take part in Monterey Motorsports Reunion originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 20 May 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hold On, Holden: Next Year’s Chevy SS is Not Just another G8

Sat, 19 May 2012 00:00:26 +0000

Chevrolet’s plans for its rear-wheel-drive 2014 Chevy Super Sport launching early next year on the NASCAR circuit are becoming clearer by the day. We’d previously assumed it would be the car Bob Lutz wanted to import from Australia after General Motors pulled the plug on Pontiac in 2009 (the 2009 Pontiac GXP is pictured). But [...]

Car Wars report predicts Hyundai, Kia will lose market share

John Neff — Fri, 18 May 2012 23:14:00 +0000

Filed under: Car Buying, Ford, GM, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Earnings/Financials

The annual "Car Wars" report by Merrill Lynch analyst John Murphy predicts that, despite their seizing of U.S. market share over the last few tumultuous years, Korean brands Hyundai and Kia will give it all back and then some to companies like Ford, General Motors and Toyota by 2016.

Murphy bases his predictions not on tea leaves or crystal balls, but rather the rate at which automakers launch new products. Ford will replace 26 percent of its product line over the next four years, a number that represents 46 percent of its volume, while General Motors will replace 25 percent and Toyota 24 percent. On account of these new product launches, Murphy says Ford can expect to add 0.8 percentage points of market share, General Motors will recover 0.5 points and Toyota will add another 0.3 points.

Other automakers that won't be so aggressive in turning over their lineups with new models include Chrysler, Honda, Nissan and the European brands, which Murphy surmises will all remain flat in terms of market share.

Hyundai and Kia, meanwhile, will be introducing fewer new models than the rest and therefore, Murphy predicts, will see a 0.5 decline in U.S. market share.

Of course, these are all just predictions and can be blown to bits with the next unforeseen economic crisis or natural disaster, just like the last three years were. And there are other factors that might affect market share for each automaker during the next three years, including the availability of raw materials, exchange rates, union contracts, recalls and a million another minor things that might grow to become big things, not the least of which is consumers deciding they actually like all those new products being launched.

Car Wars report predicts Hyundai, Kia will lose market share originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 18:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Lexus CT 200h review on Bullz-Eye

Staff — Fri, 18 May 2012 22:49:22 +0000

Bullz-Eye.com reviews the 2011 Lexus CT 200h from inside, out.

Before our test model 2011 Lexus CT 200h Premium arrived, I had not driven or been a passenger in this hot new hybrid, so I was anxious to see what all the fuss was about. I knew the car wasn’t very big, so there were some questions as to how all of this technology and Lexus luxury was going to fit into a smaller than usual package.

Exterior
The CT 200h’s designers created a unique combination of elegance and excitement. The front of the CT 200h is the new embodiment of L-finesse, expressing the perfect balance of precision and power. The grille is pushed forward of the headlamps for greater visual integration with the bumper mid-section below. It incorporates a deeper, more sculpted interpretation of the L-finesse signature arrowhead motif. The upper and lower grilles combine to form a unique ‘spindle’ shape, bringing both bold simplicity and elegant dynamism to the very apex of the vehicle. We found the overall design to be fresh and consistent with Lexus styling. Our matador red test model looked sharp and included LED daytime running headlamps with auto leveling, integrated fog lamps, rear view mirrors with built-in turn signals, illuminated door sills and 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels. In the rear of the 2011 Lexus CT 200h Premium, we found a pronounced step in the tailgate section that flows from the muscular rear wheel arch shoulders, emphasizing the wraparound rear window design which added to the aerodynamic design features.

Read the full review.

Lexus Takes a New Stance on Hybrid Technology

HybridCars.com — Fri, 18 May 2012 19:39:17 +0000

By Huw Evans

With the launch of its latest hybrid, the entry-level ES300h, Lexus is embarking on a different path when it comes to gasoline/electric vehicle technology. The ES300h is the first car from the brand that’s a full parallel hybrid, meaning that it can operate on pure electric power as well as gasoline and combined/gas electric propulsion. Previous Lexus hybrids, such as the LS600h and GS400h, relied on electric motors purely to boost power to the gasoline engine, with negligible gains in fuel economy.

First revealed at this year’s New York auto show, the 2013 ES300h uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine teamed with a version of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive found in the Camry Hybrid to deliver 200 horsepower and fuel consumption of 39 miles per gallon combined.

2013 SRT Viper to require dealer certification; hardcore model planned? [w/video]

Chris Paukert — Fri, 18 May 2012 19:30:00 +0000

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Performance, Chrysler, Dodge

On Thursday night's Autoline After Hours, SRT boss Ralph Gilles sat down with show hosts John McElroy and Peter DeLorenzo, along with Autoblog and AOL Autos staffers to talk all things Viper. Among the interesting tidbits disclosed about the 640-horsepower supercar are plans for a new dealer certification process designed to encourage the sort of purchasing, service and ownership experience that buyers of six-digit cars have come to expect.

According to Gilles:

"It's going to be a qualified dealer situation... The ones who do the dealer training in terms of the tech. I want a tech. I want a display car. I want all these things. There's going to be a list. It's not going to be impossible, it's just that someone has to put in the extra effort and say 'I'm an SRT dealer.'"

Off the air, Gilles told Autoblog that Chrysler officials have already approached a number of dealers with a strong record of Viper and SRT sales to discuss how the certification process will work, gaining valuable feedback in the process. A document outlining the new certification program will go out to Dodge dealers next month.

Chrysler has yet to announce official pricing and the Viper won't go on sale until sometime in the fourth quarter of the year, but that hasn't stopped a queue of customer deposits from piling up. According to Gilles, one particularly strong Viper dealer already has around 90 such deposits in-hand. Considering that Viper sales averaged about 1,600 units in past years, that's a substantial figure.

In other news, Chrysler officials have been making a big point of talking about the 2013 Viper's newfound refinements, from reduced NVH to nicer interior materials and improved drivability thanks to the institution of technologies like stability control and traction control. Gilles says that great care has been taken to ensure the model's core personality still shines through, but given that much of the Viper's mystique is centered on its raw, leg-burning, hairy-knuckled persona, we couldn't help but wonder aloud if the new model's refinements have left room for a stripped-out hardcore version for Viper purists and racers. With raised eyebrows, arms gesturing wildly and stifling a smile, Gilles wryly said: "I love how you think. Next subject!"

To watch the Autoline After Hours episode in its entirety, scroll down.

Continue reading 2013 SRT Viper to require dealer certification; hardcore model planned? [w/video]

2013 SRT Viper to require dealer certification; hardcore model planned? [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz Readying Fuel Cell Sedan for 2017 Launch

HybridCars.com — Fri, 18 May 2012 18:17:10 +0000

By Huw Evans

According to Sascha Simon, head of Advanced Product Planning at Mercedes-Benz USA, the company is on track to launch an updated B-Class F-Cell for 2015 in California, with a “regular” sedan slated to follow in 2017.

However, Mercedes-Benz is adamant that its fuel cell vehicles look and feel like regular passenger cars as much as possible, thus the sedan is likely to be a derivative of the E-Class. The reasoning is that customers are more likely to consider fuel cell vehicles if they’re familiar with the shape and form of the car, despite its method of propulsion.

Green Vehicle Use Could Seriously Hurt Government Revenue

HybridCars.com — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:32:10 +0000

By Huw Evans

While many governments around the world have actively encouraged motorists to switch to greener forms of transportation, a prominent Think Tank in the United Kingdom says they could cost in other ways.

More specifically, a study by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) and commissioned by the UK’s Royal Automobile Club (RAC) Foundation has said efficient vehicles could blow a huge hole in official revenue collection.

Volt Drivers Average 900 Miles Between Fill Ups

HybridCars.com — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:20:29 +0000

By Philippe Crowe

Chevrolet declared that Volt owners have now collectively saved a supertanker of gasoline.

According to Chevrolet, since the electric car with extended range went on sale, Volt owners have compiled 40 million miles on electricity and avoided the use of more than 2.1 million gallons of gasoline. Based on $3.80 per gallon of gas, this means total savings at the pump of almost $8 million.

Car Salesman Confidential: The Trade Allowance — What it Means for You

Fri, 18 May 2012 13:00:55 +0000

At some point in almost every car deal, the customer will turn to the salesperson and say: “Yeah, but the guys at Down the Road Motors gave me $11,000 for my trade! How come all you guys can do is 9?” It’s a legitimate question. And it deserves an answer. From a car dealership’s perspective, [...]