Archive for September, 2009
Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 9.30.09
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Review: 2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible is just right Bridging the gap between the base Corvette and the track-focused Z06, the Grand Sport – unlike the aluminum chassis Z06 and ZR1 – is available in both coupe and convertible form, giving ‘Vette lovers another way to enjoy motoring al fresco. |
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Review: Moto Guzzi V7 Classic is an Italian beauty you can live with With the V7 Classic, Moto Guzzi has created the most Italian UJM ever. And while that might be a contradiction in terms, its blend of power and comfort can’t be denied. |
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Grassroots Motorsports’ Tim Suddard picks ten future Japanese collector carsk What if future collector cars weren’t limited to American muscle or exotic Europeans? What if relatively cheap and reliable Japanese cars were the new must-haves at auction? GRM’s Tim Suddard lists off the top ten Japanese vehicles bound for collectors’ garages, and we weigh in with our own take on his picks. |
Other news of import
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Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 9.30.09 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Volvo buys full-page ads to pledge support for distracted driving legislation
Volvo has publicly stated that it would like to eradicate accident-related injuries and deaths per year by the year 2020; an extraordinarily lofty goal that would obviously save countless lives. But in the next ten years, hundreds of thousands of drivers will die in traffic accidents in the U.S. alone, and Volvo feels that anti-distracted driving legislation passing through Washington right now could save quite a few.
To support the legislation, Volvo took out full-page ads in yesterday’s Washington Post and USA Today. Volvo points out in the ads that it has long been committed to avoiding distracted driving accidents, and safety tech like adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning are evidence of the Swedish automaker’s track record. The ads are purposely being run at the same time law makers, safety advocates, law enforcement and transportation officials converge in Washington for a distracted driving summit.
Volvo Cars North America President and CEO Doug Speck underscores his company’s commitment to distracted driving laws, stating the need for “reasonable laws that help focus a driver’s attention on the road will help reduce collisions, just as laws to enforce seat belt use have helped save lives.” And when Volvo is talking about distracted driving, it’s not just worried about text messaging and cell phones. The Swedish automaker also counts passengers, rubbernecking, driver fatigue, reading newspapers, books, and maps, adjusting the radio and looking at scenery as potential driving hazards.
We’re definitely with Volvo with the book reading and the rubbernecking, but we’ll take majestic scenery wherever we can get it. And if Volvo wants to eradicate map reading in the car, it can start by improving its own cloyingly contrived navigation system interface. Hit the jump to read the Volvo press release.
[Source: Volvo]
Continue reading Volvo buys full-page ads to pledge support for distracted driving legislation
Volvo buys full-page ads to pledge support for distracted driving legislation originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
BREAKING: Penske walks away from Saturn deal, brand to “wind down”
Filed under: Saturn
Saturn fans will be saddened to hear that the brand is about to be history. Penske Automotive Group (PAG) and General Motors have been in the final stages of negotiations to transfer the brand, but late this afternoon, both parties issued statements that Penske was walking away from the deal.
The reason cited by Penske for the deal’s demise is difficulty in securing a supply of product beyond the end of 2010. GM had agreed to continue supplying the Outlook, Aura and Vue until the end of next year, at which point Penske would get other automakers to produce vehicles to sell through the Saturn dealer network.
It was originally believed that Penske had a deal with Renault, possibly supplying vehicles from its South Korean subsidiary, Renault-Samsung Motors. However, the other automaker’s board of directors rejected the deal, leaving Penske out in the cold. In the wake of the news, GM announced that it would wind down Saturn and close all the dealerships. After Saturn dealers close, Saturn owners will be able to get service from other GM dealers. You can read the official statements from both Penske and GMchronicling the demise of Saturn after the jump.
[Sources: Penske Automotive Group, General Motors | Image Source: Bill Pugliano/Getty]
Continue reading BREAKING: Penske walks away from Saturn deal, brand to “wind down”
BREAKING: Penske walks away from Saturn deal, brand to “wind down” originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
BREAKING: Penske walks away from Saturn deal, brand to “wind down”
Filed under: Saturn
Saturn fans will be saddened to hear that the brand is about to be history. Penske Automotive Group (PAG) and General Motors have been in the final stages of negotiations to transfer the brand, but late this afternoon, both parties issued statements that Penske was walking away from the deal.
The reason cited by Penske for the deal’s demise is difficulty in securing a supply of product beyond the end of 2010. GM had concurred to continue supplying the Outlook, Aura and Vue until the end of next year, at which point Penske would get other automakers to produce cars to sell through the Saturn dealer network.
It was originally believed that Penske had a deal with Renault, possibly supplying cars from its South Korean subsidiary, Renault-Samsung Motors. However, the other automaker’s board of directors rejected the deal, leaving Penske out in the cold. In the wake of the news, GM announced that it would wind down Saturn and close all the dealerships. After Saturn dealers close, Saturn owners will be able to get service from other GM dealers. You can read the official statements from both Penske and GMchronicling the demise of Saturn after the jump.
[Sources: Penske Automotive Group, General Motors | Image Source: Bill Pugliano/Getty]
Continue reading BREAKING: Penske walks away from Saturn deal, brand to “wind down”
BREAKING: Penske walks away from Saturn deal, brand to “wind down” originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
REPORT: Subaru’s Lafayette Indiana plant produces three millionth car
Filed under: Coupe, Plants/Manufacturing, Subaru
There’s cause for celebration in Lafayette, Indiana, and it’s not because the Colts are 3-0. The Indianapolis Star reports that Subaru has built its three millionth American made vehicle at its Lafayette facility; a silver Outback 2.5i. Over 9,000 workers were involved in reaching the production milestone, and nearly 3,500 workers are currently employed at the facility.
Subaru needed a longish 20 years to achieve its latest production milestone, and even then it got a hand from Toyota, since the Camry is currently being built there. Subaru’s only U.S. plant had a peak production output of 216,198 back in 1998, but sagging auto sales has conspired to cut production down to an expected 158,000 this year in spite of the fact that the all-wheel drive Japanese automaker has perhaps its best lineup ever and some of the strongest sales figures industry-wide. Production could increase in the short term, though, as Cash for Clunkers has drained Subaru inventory down to 16 days worth of cars and crossovers, down from its typical 60-70 day supply. Subaru sold a record 28,863 vehicles in August.
Gallery: 2010 Subaru Outback
[Source: Indianapolis Star]
REPORT: Subaru’s Lafayette Indiana plant produces three millionth car originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.