Today on Ask.cars.com, find out what is the smallest luxury car offering produced by an American automaker. Over at MotherProof.com, check out our latest Feature of the Week post, which this time covers panoramic moonroofs. Finally, check out PickupTrucks.com to find out our dyno testing results of Ford’s factory update for the 6.7-liter diesel engine.
Dancing With the Stars hottie Maksim Chmerkovskiy was seen without his dancing shoes and sequins as he steps outside his white Mercedes-Benz SL. He looks almost respectable in this get-up, but he should thank his car for all the swag it is able to give his ballerina ass. Related posts:Audrina Patridge: All Grins in Her [...]
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Meguiar’s Microfiber Wash Mitt allows for swirl-free washing while lifting and trapping the dirt. The comfort-fit cuff and soft inner lining makes this wash mitt a pleasure to use. This super thick mitt can absorb up to ten times its own weight in wash solution, delivering ultimate finish on all automobile surfaces.
View Meguiar’s X3002 Microfiber Wash Mitt Details
Country superstar LeAnn Rimes was seen with her boyfriend and his son in Calabasas doing some grocery shopping. We haven’t seen much of LeAnn lately, but knowing that she has a fine taste in cars sure is enough! That Porsche Cayenne GTS looks mighty swell with those custom mag wheels. Related posts:Heidi Montag Scores A [...]
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U.S. traffic fatalities are at a record low despite drivers traveling farther than they did in 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study of traffic injuries and fatalities in 2009 found that 33,808 people were killed in vehicular accidents, which is a decline of 9.7 percent from 2008’s figures. In fact, you’d have to go all the way back to 1950 to find a year when fewer people were killed.
Keep in mind that there were only 44.7 million cars on U.S. roads in 1950 and a population of 150 million compared to today’s 255.9 million cars and a population of 310 million, according to the DOT. Which means that the probability of being involved in an auto fatality is dramatically lower than it was nearly 60 years ago.
NHTSA administrator David Strickland contributes the drop in fatalities to increased seat belt usage and a strong anti-drunken driving campaign nationwide. Today, nearly one-third of all fatalities are caused by drunken drivers. It’s interesting to note that more people die from car crashes in rural areas, with urban areas a distant second, according to NHTSA’s data. A roadway departure, where a vehicle crosses a street’s center line or leaves the proper travel way, is the largest type of fatal accident. That’s followed by accidents that occur at intersections.
Overall, fatalities in every traffic category, including pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, large trucks and passenger cars, are down dramatically from 2008.
However, the decline doesn’t mean there isn’t more work to be done in regard to vehicular safety. An astonishing 2.22 million people were injured in motor-vehicle accidents in 2009, and nearly 5.5 million vehicles were involved in auto accidents. While both numbers are down significantly from 2008, Strickland says there’s more room for improvement in strictly enforcing seat belt laws and anti-drunken driving laws. “We are still losing more than 30,000 lives a year on our highways and about a third of these involve drunk driving,” he said. “We will continue to work with our state partners to strictly enforce both seat belt use and anti-drunk driving laws across this nation, every day and every night.”
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Hyundai unveiled its first all-electric vehicle that’s highway capable today in South Korea. Named the BlueOn, it will be able to travel 81 mph and 87 miles on a single charge, according to the automaker. The BlueOn will be able to accelerate from zero to 62 mph in 13.1 seconds.
With a 220-volt plug, the BlueOn’s lithium-ion batteries will be fully charged in six hours. There’s also a quick charging option, which can charge the vehicle to 80% capacity in 25 minutes.
This is the same vehicle that Hyundai showed at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show. It’s based on Hyundai’s city car, the i10, which is not sold in the U.S. Sizewise, the i10 sits in between Scion’s upcoming iQ and Hyundai’s three-door Accent hatchback.
The BlueOn features a pedestrian warning system that’s similar to that in the Toyota Prius in Japan and on the 2011 Nissan Leaf.
Of course, the catch with this is Hyundai is not ready to roll out the BlueOn in the same fashion that Chevrolet and Nissan have with their electric offerings, which are on the horizon. Hyundai plans on providing 30 BlueOns to government test fleets in South Korea next month. After that, the automaker plans on building 2,500 units by the end of 2012 and expanding manufacturing capabilities and EV infrastructure for the car throughout 2012.
Most likely, Hyundai will eventually produce some sort of plug-in hybrid for commercial proposes here in the States. Hyundai plans on having a corporate average fuel economy of 50 mpg by 2025. Part of the strategy to achieve that number is to incorporate electric-vehicle technology into the lineup.
Continue below to check out more photos of the BlueOn:
Tennessee will offer a $2,500 tax rebate to the first 1,000 buyers of electric vehicles sold in the state, state officials announced yesterday.
Tennessee’s $2,500 rebate can be combined with the $7,500 federal tax credit. Keep in mind that a tax credit only offsets taxes that you owe. To get the full amount of the federal tax credit, you'd have to owe $7,500 in taxes after your other standard deductions. The good thing about a tax rebate – like the one Tennessee is offering – is you get the $2,500 regardless of the amount you owe.
According to Nissan, the Tennessee rebate can be applied for during the time of purchase.
Other initial launch states are also offering incentives. California, for instance, has a $5,000 tax rebate for residents who buy a battery, electric or plug-in hybrid car. Georgia offers a $5,000 tax credit, and Oregon has a $1,500 tax credit.
Tennessee will be one of the first states to get the electric car, the Nissan Leaf. Nissan is currently building an assembly line (pictured above) and battery plant in the state for domestic production of the Leaf, which will start in 2012. Nissan North America is headquartered in Tennessee.
The Leaf goes on sale in December in California, Arizona, Tennessee, Washington and Oregon and then in Texas and Hawaii in January 2011. A nationwide roll-out will start in the spring. There was no mention of the Chevrolet Volt in the Tennessee press release. That’s probably because the rebate either does not apply to the plug-in hybrid or the state government expects the rebate money to be exhausted before the Volt goes on sale there.
R&B and Soul singer Seal takes his Ferrari F430 Spider everywhere—even when camera shopping. If I own a sweet ride like that, I’d take it everywhere and flaunt it too! Looks like Seal is surrounded by god-like creations in his life: his supermodel wife Heidi Klum and this baby right here! Related posts:Seal in a [...]
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Celebrities get in car accidents just like everyone else. This morning, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was in a car accident in downtown Boston today that seriously damaged his Audi S8 sedan and the other vehicle, a Mercury Villager minivan. The news hit ESPN's Sportscenter early this morning, and it most likely has the nation's fantasy football players worried.
Brady walked away seemingly unharmed, but one rear passenger in the minivan had to be rescued with the Jaws of Life and was taken to an area hospital. Witnesses said the crash was violent enough that the sound of it woke them from a deep sleep at 6:15 a.m.
Looking at early photos it appears Brady’s Audi struck the side of the Mercury. However, there have been no details on which driver may be at fault. We also can’t tell if the airbags deployed.
The Audi S8 is a 450-horsepower sports sedan with a V-10 engine. It was last offered in 2009 at a starting price of $96,200. Brady has a sponsorship deal with Audi, and this S8 is likely a loaner car from the manufacturer since it sports New Jersey tags.
Photo courtesy of the Boston Globe
Patriots QB Tom Brady takes hit in Boston car accident, but expected at stadium (Boston Globe)
This week’s Reader review is brought to us by “Fusion,” from Columbia, S.C. If you haven’t guessed, Mr. Fusion is the owner of a new 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid. Like many hybrid novices, it took this reader a while to get used to driving a hybrid properly, but once he did, this Fusion driver was able to cruise at 45 mph on battery power alone. Besides a few gripes about the firmness of the rear seats, Fusion thinks this car is a winner. Continue below to read the full review, and then write a review for your own car here.
“I own a 2010 and 1/2 model and I am thrilled to drive it. The performance is great. I must admit it has taken me a while to get the hang of driving a hybrid, but once you get it, the mileage is great. I feel the handling is very good and the ride is sweet. I do agree with the backseat comments – stiff and the seats don’t fold down. But it handles sweet on the highway. This vehicle has enough guts to it where I don’t feel unsafe on the highway. Good visibility and great gadgets. The center readout console is easy to use, easy to see and read. The Sync features work really well. I really like the blind spot monitoring system – it has saved me at least once so far. I have actually run this vehicle at 45 mph on battery power for a few miles, so they didn’t stretch that one either. All in all, I think Ford really has a winner here!”
2011|Ford|Fusion Hybrid
