Aston Martin DB9: The revamped seduction fatale

Revamping a beauty that died a slow and painful death takes a lot for any car-making company. It’s time when you’re in hot pursuit of the best ideas in car manufacturing and want to comeback with a bang, and when it is something like the sexy, smooth DB9, it takes quite some sweat and money too. Read more

German stoplights detected by car sensors

Stoplights in Germany can now be detected by cars equipped with stoplight sensors. Audi has recently partnered with the local governments in Bavaria and installed sensors on almost 50 test stoplights. Read more

Mercedes SL 65 Black Edition: Unravelling beauty!

We know from the bottom of our car-loving, speed-loving, adrenaline-pumping hearts, that when it comes to finesse with a style statement that speaks for itself, Mercedes takes up all the glory. Read more

TOSY R-Tyre: RC toy wheel for some crazy fun

I don’t know what’s the point of a remote controlled tyre but playing with it can be a lot fun. Remote control cars are another thing but the RC wheel from Tosy can be more fun to watch. Read more

MotorMediaWatch July 31:

Chrysler Slashes Costs +++ Nissan offers buyouts in Tennessee +++ Volkswagen moves ahead of Ford as #3 carmaker +++ Toxic New Car Smell: Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder rates #1  +++ Aston Martin DB9 features Caparo Brakse System +++

Read more

MotorMediaWatch July 30

Electric dirt bike ready to ride
The Zero X matches the performance of its gas-powered peers but propels its owner into the future. (LAT)+++

California car sales running on empty
Everything’s bigger in California — including the slump in new car sales.(LAT)+++

A chat with Ewan McGregor about ‘Long Way Down’
Ewan McGregor is fast becoming the Steve McQueen of the modern generation (LAT)+++

GM, Ford Scale Back Car Leases
Detroit’s money troubles are starting to put a pricey new car out of reach for some people. Ford and GM will scale back their auto-leasing business, squeezed by falling used-vehicle prices and tumult in the credit market (WSJ)+++

Patience Pays When Shopping for a Hybrid
Demand for smaller cars — hybrids and Priuses in particular — has soared. The wait for the popular Toyota hybrid has grown to roughly three months since May, and prices have climbed steeply. The extraordinary demand could turn out to be a good thing for patient buyers. (WSJ)+++

Ford Tightens Lease Terms
Ford has informed dealers that it is raising the price on leases of its most profitable trucks and SUVs due to the “extreme losses” its lending arm is taking on these vehicles. GM is also further restricting its lease offers. (WSJ)+++

Putting a Premium on Classic Cars
Collecting antique and classic cars is popular, and car values are zooming. Now, agencies that specialize in insuring these vehicles are watching as other insurers try to grab the wheel. That means more options for collectors shopping for coverage. (WSJ)+++

 

Will Honda Create a Hybrid Fit?
This week, Jonathan Welsh offers advice to readers on whether Honda plans to create a hybrid version of its popular Fit subcompact, buying an extended warranty, why motorcycles don’t get better fuel mileage and finding the right car for bumpy roads.(WSJ)+++

 

 

 

Toyota, Honda Trim Japan Output
Toyota and Honda cut production in June, reflecting the slowdown in exports to North America and weaker domestic sales. (WSJ)+++

Small cars pass trucks, SUVs in retaining their resale value
Compact cars such as the Honda Fit and Chevrolet Aveo are now expected to retain more of their value than trucks and sport-utility vehicles once prized for the resale demand, according to a car value tracking firm. (SJM)+++

 

 

 

 

 

 

At Ford, more white-collar job cuts come with tears
Officials at Ford Motor Co., which last week posted a record $8.7-billion loss for the second quarter, on Monday read more white-collar workers “the script” — a carefully worded document that informed them that they were losing their job.(DFP)+++

Rare car at show today helps soothe heartache, highlights tale of true love
When he was 17, Gary Kaberle fell in love with a one-of-a-kind Italian sports car. Thirteen years later, he fell in love with a 5-foot-4 blonde who sang in an all-girls group called the Honeybees.(DFP)+++

Lear profit falls 85% on weak truck market
Lear Corp. reported a profit of $18 million between April and June, down 85% from last year, as automakers continue to cut production of large pickups and SUVs.(DFP)+++

ArvinMeritor swings to a profit
ArvinMeritor Inc. reported profit of $44 million and sales of $2 billion between April and June, meeting its sales expectations for the quarter.(DFP)+++

GM details cuts to truck output
General Motors Corp. on Monday detailed its plan for cutting North American truck production by nearly 300,000 units when it announced that it will eliminate 117,000 units of production from its truck plants by the end of the year.(DFP)+++

American Axle shares fall after analyst’s downgrade
Shares of American Axle & Manufacturing fell 17% on Monday after a Wall Street analyst downgraded the company’s shares because of its reliance on pickups and SUVs made by General Motors Corp.(DFP)+++

Proposal for fuel economy loan adds supporters
Backers of a program that would lend up to $25 billion to automakers and auto parts suppliers said Monday they had garnered 71 U.S. House members to support their search for $3.75 billion in funding over the next couple of months.(DFP)+++

Auto news in brief: Saab cuts warranty term
General Motors Corp.’s Saab division is reducing the maximum warranty period by half to 50,000 miles for engines, transmissions and related parts on vehicles sold in the United States to reduce costs. (DFP)+++

Next generation Lotus Elise to underpin Abarth sports car
Rumors of a new sports car from Abarth have been circulating for months, and although details are still sketchy, one thing’s for sure: a mid-mounted engine is part of the package. (AUTOBLOG)+++

GM Canada gone from leasing business
Following the lead set by Chrysler Financial in the United States, GM Canada has announced that it will no longer offer leases through its GMAC Financial arm. (AUTOBLOG)+++

Rumormill: Mitsubishi readying Lancer Sportback crossover
Sources out of Japan suggest that Mitsubishi is considering offering a jacked-up version of the Lancer Sportback to international markets in 2010. (AUTOBLOG)+++

Max Mosley launches more lawsuits against newspapers
Unwilling to recognize when genug is enough, Max Mosley is forging ahead with more lawsuits. After being awarded a £60,000 judgment (plus an additional estimated £1 million in expenses) against News of the World, the tabloid that broke the story of the FIA president’s alleged sexual activities (AUTOBLOG)+++

Ford to sharply raise lease prices on trucks and SUVs
While Chrysler has chosen to get out of the leasing business altogether after taking a bath on vehicles being returned with residual values far below expectations, Ford will reportedly be taking a different approach. (AUTOBLOG)+++

BMW tightens up the M6 with new Competition Package
The BMW 6-Series is a lot of car, and while the 5.0-liter V10 in the M6 does a remarkable job of moving it around, critics have said it could use some help. (AUTOBLOG)+++

Tech avalanche: Microsoft goes big for automotive
The rapidly shrinking US auto market has left automakers scrambling for any way to differentiate their products from the competition, and the fastest way to get the job done is with technology. (AUTOBLOG)+++

BMW M3 facelift revealed, along with new hue
We’ve only had a few months to get to know the new BMW M3, but the 2009 model has already gone under the knife. (AUTOBLOG)+++

 

Muscle cars are dead? Says who?

When it comes to two door cars, raw muscle rools the roost. Of course, small cars like the Lotus Elise and Mazda Miata spell success when it comes to the American car making industry too. Sure, there is the Dodge Challenger from the 1970s, but it takes a while to work on it, especially when you don’t want to wake up early on a hot morning and tune it for the hot afternoon. Read more

MomentiMediaWatch July 29

Electric dirt bike ready to ride
The Zero X matches the performance of its gas-powered peers but propels its owner into the future. (LAT)+++

More from Monterey: Would you buy a used car from Oprah Winfrey?
For sale: Aston Martin, one careful lady owner. Oprah Winfrey is selling her 1997 DB7 Volante, plus a 1998 Rolls-Royce Corniche II Convertible and a gorgeous 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing. (LAT)+++

Fuel-Economy Push Hits Snags
A Bush administration proposal to boost fuel efficiency of automobiles to 31.5 miles per gallon by 2015 is raising hackles on two sides: from car makers, who say it is too tough, and from some Democrats, who say it isn’t tough enough. (WSJ)+++

Ford’s New Flex: Automotive Platypus
Ford Motor is launching the Flex, a vehicle that will provide a test of where the market for vehicles big enough to haul seven people is headed, now that big SUVs are falling out of favor.(WSJ)+++

 

 

 

 

GM Cuts Saab Warranty
General Motors is cutting back on Saab warranty agreements as it looks to shave costs and reposition the brand to more effectively compete with premium European brands.(WSJ)+++

 

Funds for Highways Plummet
An unprecedented cutback in driving is slashing the funds available to rebuild the aging highway system and expand mass-transit options, underscoring the economic impact of high gasoline prices. The resulting strain is touching off a political battle over government priorities in a new era of expensive oil.(WSJ)+++

GM cuts SUV, truck production, citing lower demand
General Motors said today it will cut production by an additional 117,000 vehicles, citing continued weakness in consumer demand for pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. (SJM)+++

Toyota lowers year’s global sales plan amid North American market slump
Toyota lowered its global vehicle sales plan for this year to 9.5 million vehicles - down from 9.85 million - as the sluggish North American market slows the Japanese automaker’s momentum. (SJM)+++

Ford white-collar workers face involuntary layoffs
Officials at Ford Motor Co., which last week posted a record $8.7 billion loss for the second quarter, were carrying out involuntary layoffs today of white-collar workers. One longtime worker, who did not want to be identified for fear of retribution, said he was forced to retire this morning. (DFP)+++

Loans for automakers gain support in U.S. House
Backers of a program that would lend up to $25 billion to automakers and auto parts suppliers said Monday they had garnered 71 U.S. House members to support their search for $3.75 billion in funding over the next couple of months. (DFP)+++

GM deal to boost output at new Ontario plant
The Canadian Auto Workers union and General Motors Corp. have signed an agreement to increase the number of vehicles built at its new plant in Oshawa, Ontario, settling a dispute stemming from an expected truck plant closure.(DFP)+++

 

GM to cut 117,000 more truck units by year’s end
General Motors Corp. announced that it will cut 117,000 more units of truck production through the rest of the year, bringing its total truck production down by nearly 300,000 units by the end of the year.(DFP)+++

Audi RS4 and RS5 to keep V8s
There have been countless conflicting reports about what will power the next generation Audi RS4 and the forthcoming RS5. Fourtitude had heard the rumors and decided to go straight to its sources for clarification. (AUTOBLOG)+++

Audi A4, Q5 could be built Stateside
Taking a lesson from BMW, who have been successfully manufacturing cars and SUVs in Spartanburg, South Carolina for more than a decade, Audi may seek manufacturing capabilities for their A4 sedan and Q5 SUV in the States.  (AUTOBLOG)+++

Lexus Lanes coming to California’s Bay Area
Officials are hard at work trying to alleviate the notorious traffic congestion in California. Across the state, drivers sit still in traffic while carpool lanes sit empty, underused by public transit and vehicles carrying multiple passengers. (AUTOBLOG)+++

Franchitti to stick to NASCAR, moves down to Nationwide Series
Following the closure of his Sprint Cup ride last month, Dario Franchitti will run several races in the second-tier Nationwide Series before the end of the season.  (AUTOBLOG)+++

General Motors dedicates new powertrain engineering center
General Motors dedicated its new Powertrain Engineering Development Center in Pontiac, MI on Friday. On hand were CEO Rick Wagoner, Powertrain EVP Tom Stephens and the usual array of elected officials trumpeting their involvement in making the new facility happen. (AUTOBLOG)+++

GM cuts Saab powertrain warranty down to four years/50,000 miles
As if selling a quirky Swedish brand wasn’t hard enough, Saab dealers will now have to do it with a smaller powertrain warranty. (AUTOBLOG)+++

Audi insider claims V10 R8 will beat ZR1 around the ‘Ring
Them’s fightin’ words, but when we’re talking about a V10-powered version of the Audi R8, you’d better be taking them seriously. (AUTOBLOG)+++

Nissan GT-R Spec V specs revealed by R&T
Road & Track just spilled the beans on the new Nissan GT-R Spec V, so we can now share their data with all of you.  (AUTOBLOG)+++

Porsche opens up the new 911 Targa 4 & Targa 4S
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. That seems to be the motto of the newest iteration of the latest generation of the Porsche 911. (AUTOBLOG)+++

Toxic new car smell: Your favourite cars just became better for your health, ecology Center Says

Oh I just love cars, every type, every make. But don’t you just hate the smell the seats, steering wheels, dashboards, and armrests throw at you? While the manufacturer may not indicate the presence of harmful ingredients like lead, chlorine, and phthalates from plastics, as well as brominated flame retardants from cushions and padding, Read more

MomentiMediaWatch July 28

Gas prices take a toll on car lease business
Chrysler will stop offering the plans through its finance arm because truck and SUV resale values have plummeted. (LAT)+++

Alfa Mito: Where and when, and will they accept my firstborn?
A few weeks ago we had a story on the new Alfa Romeo MiTo which is now in the running for the sexiest small car on the big blue ball.(LAT)+++

Enzyme Icare: The Dark Bike
Batman’s motorcycle in The Dark Knight is getting a lot of attention at the moment, appearing in all the trailers and such. (LAT)+++

Rate your favorite Citroen: The World Wants to Know
As the tsunami of desire for the Alfa MiTo suggests, small-car fever has gripped America, and America has noticed that — not to put too fine a point on it — most small cars over here are really lame. (LAT)+++

2009 VW Jetta | A welcome SportWagen
Somebody please remind me why the station wagon has been dismissed as the culmination of uncool, the generic mom-mobile. (TST)+++

Nissan touts affordable electric car by 2010
The electric cars that Nissan Motor plans to start selling by 2010 will have varying capabilities depending on a given country’s driving patterns, but all will be priced competitively and will generate profits, company executives said last week.(TST)+++

 

Lug nuts: how tight is right?
I had a flat tire fixed, and my neighbor said I should have the wheel nuts “torqued” by someone, as the young man at the gas station didn’t do this. (TST)+++

$8.7 billion lost: Ford’s worst-ever quarter
Ford Motor Co. is adding six European small cars to its North American lineup as the second-largest U.S. automaker adapts to “rapid changes” in demand for fuel-efficient models. (TST)+++

Chrysler Ends Leases
Chrysler has started telling dealers it will no longer offer auto leases through its lending arm Chrysler Financial. The move comes as auto makers and their financing units have been piling increasing losses stemming from leases. (WSJ)+++

 

Small Pickups Falter in Tests
Pickup-truck drivers thinking about switching to a smaller model to save on fuel might want to reconsider. Recent tests indicate small pickups are less crash-worthy than larger trucks, cars and sport-utility vehicles.(WSJ)+++

 

High Gas Prices Are Good
David Patton and Mathew Passy discuss why high gas prices are good for America, and the planet: Cooler and more efficient cars. Plus, a plea for a plug-in hybrid (WSJ)+++

Ford’s New Flex: Automotive Platypus
Ford Motor is launching the Flex, a vehicle that will provide a test of where the market for vehicles big enough to haul seven people is headed, now that big SUVs are falling out of favor. (WSJ)+++

Toyota raises price of 2009 Prius by $500 and blames raw material costs
Toyota Motor Corp. said Friday it is raising the U.S. suggested retail price of its Prius hybrid by $500 for the 2009 model. (SJM)+++

GM extends employee discount to more non-employees
General Motors said today it is extending its employee-discount program to a wider group of non-employees in an effort to boost sales in a weak automotive sales environment. (SJM)+++

Honda reports record first-quarter profit, beats estimates
Honda Motor reported record profit for a fiscal first quarter today as sales growth in new markets offset the damage from a stronger yen and soaring material costs. (SJM)+++

 

Ford calls in the Euro cavalry
Bleeding cash and with its very survival uncertain, Ford Motor, an icon of American automaking, will try to import some of its success from across the Atlantic. (SJM)+++

Detroit 3 face huge gap in fuel economy
The pledges from Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. to focus their futures on smaller and more fuel-efficient cars find them playing catch-up again in a race with foes that are far ahead and will continue running hard. (DFP)+++

100 years later, GM and America go hand in hand
it’s long been said that what’s good for GM is good for the country, and it’s also true — after 100 years together — that the cultures of the country and company are interwoven.(DFP)+++

 

Consulting firm Ricardo booms by improving vehicle technology
It took 18 months for engineering consultant Ricardo Inc. to build a monster military truck. Its tires stand as tall as toddlers, sitting under an armor of khaki steel. Inside, it’s a hybrid, which gets about 6 1/4 miles per gallon, 25% better than the 5 m.p.g. that trucks like these usually get.(DFP)+++

 

Dream Cruise fans can see green cars
Fans attending the Woodward Dream Cruise will be able to see and in some cases, drive, some alternative-fuel vehicles. The cars will be shown at the first NextCruise Aug. 15-16 at Memorial Park in Pleasant Ridge.(DFP)+++

 

REVVED UP: What’s hot and what’s not in autos
Ford, the Camaro and small cars make this week’s list.(DFP)+++

Auto news in brief: Nissan says U.S. layoffs unlikely
This year, Nissan has eliminated a shift at its plant in Canton, Miss., and has reduced truck and SUV production at its plant in Smyrna, Tenn. (DFP)+++

FREEWHEELING
After a day of having the extraordinary and rare opportunity to drive the 2009 Maserati GranTurismo S in Modena, Italy (home of Pavarotti, Parmigiano and Balsamic vinegar), I was approached by one of the key technicians (SJM)+++

Toyota Highlander offers more comfortable, flexible seating
When I saw the 2008 Toyota Highlander, I observed its crisp lines and wide stance. It’s athletic personality jumped at me and I couldn’t wait to drive. This Sport Utility Vehicle doesn’t have the tough and rugged (SJM)+++

A Work of Automotive Art
Linnea Grebmeier has been a realtor for 25 years and resides in the East Bay. I was so amazed to see the 1933 Rolls Royce featured in a recent “My Ride” story. My 1934 Plymouth PE Deluxe Coach (more commonly identified (SJM)+++

TRUCK TALK
Dodge addressed the performance demands of today’s fuel-crunched, full-size-pickup buyer in a recent announcement at its Chelsea, Mich., proving grounds. Bob Lee, vice president of Chrysler’s power train product (SJM)+++

2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
Everybody’s doing it. Going green, that is. It seems as though every automobile and truck manufacturer is offering at least one hybrid vehicle as part of their inventory. The Altima Hybrid joined Nissan’s lineup last (SJM)+++

All-new 2009 Flex is a breakthrough for Ford
There’s a new Ford on the road that’s turning heads and putting smiles on peoples’ faces. It’s the well-designed 2009 Ford Flex. Some folks told me the Flex looked like a Range Rover. This is a new description for Ford (SJM)+++

2008 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring FWD
Regardless of what category one places it in - SUV, crossover, minivan or station wagon - the Mazda CX-9 was recognized as one of the best in its class when it was introduced last year. The CX-9, which seats seven (SJM)+++

FortuneSport releases specs, pricing for Rt.R & Rt.S
How to sell an exclusive, expensive sports car: release mocked up digital images, create the track version first, and use it to develop the streeter. (AUTOBLOG)+++

Top Gear pilot: That’s a wrap!
Filming for the NBC pilot for Top Gear has wrapped. Speculation about the show’s format and hosting choices has left Top Gear fans hoping for at least a decent representation of the popular British show.(AUTOBLOG)+++

Rumormill: Renault Alpine could be based off Nissan 370Z
We’ve been following the developments of Renault’s revival of the Alpine marque since earlier this year, and its been confirmed that the first of several new models will debut sometime in 2010.(AUTOBLOG)+++

GM launches UsedCarAmbush.com to pump CPOVs
Used car sales as a profession has a rather sullied reputation. Some establishments deserve the distaste, while others work hard to take care of customers and stock their lots with good merchandise.(AUTOBLOG)+++

The fate of a Range Rover is in your hands, people
Ryan Mickle, seen above and apparently afraid of no ghosts, has had a change of heart since purchasing his Range Rover Sport new in 2006. (AUTOBLOG)+++

Chrysler offering even more incentives to close out July
The automotive sales sector is in a major state of flux as consumers continue to run from SUVs and pickup trucks into smaller, more fuel efficient cars. (AUTOBLOG)+++

 

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