Mercedes announces pricing for new coupes

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Posted in General Auto News, Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz has announced the pricing for three of its upcoming models, and as you might have expected, they're not cheap.

The 2012 SLK and CLS coupes are on the way, and they'll be fetching a pretty penny. The SLK350 is the cheapest of the lot at $54,800, while the CLS550 is priced at $71,300. Neither approaches the CLS63 AMG however, which will sell for a whopping $94,000.

All three models have significant upgrades for the 2012 model year. The SLK features a new V6 engine with direct injection and multispark ignition. Both versions of the CLS will be sporting a new V8 engine: a 4.6-liter and 5.5-liter, respectively. The larger version reportedly produces a staggering 518 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque for the CLS63 AMG, according to USA Today.

The prices on these cars might be high, but there's no denying that they're great vehicles. Drivers who want to get in a luxury vehicle without breaking the bank may want to wait for the cars to hit the used auto market. New Jersey State Auto Auction has a wide selection of used Mercedes and other vehicles at affordable prices.
 

Volt, Leaf, earn safety commendations

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Posted in Chevrolet, General Auto News, Nissan

Customers who buy a Nissan Leaf or Chevy Volt can now drive not only knowing that they're helping the environment, but that they're also in a very safe vehicle.

Both electric cars received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) coveted "Top Safety Pick" award, which puts them in the top 57 percent of vehicles tested. Both vehicles posted strong marks in front, side and rear crash tests.

Joe Nolan, chief administrative officer for the test, said that the vehicles' extra body mass and weight of their battery packs made them overall safer vehicles compared to similarly-sized hatchbacks and compacts.

"What powers the wheels is different, but the level of safety for the Volt and Leaf is as high as any of our other top crash test performers," he told Reuters.

The IIHS is underwritten by insurance companies and primarily provides them with data on the safety of a vehicle so that the insurers can adjust their premiums accordingly.

The Volt and Leaf are still pricey, so drivers might be better served by waiting for them to hit the used car market before they make their purchase. Once they do, New Jersey State Auto Auction can provide a fair deal on the two models or any other vehicles that a driver may be considering.

Nissan to recall used Pathfinders for steering issue

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Posted in Nissan

Japanese automaker Nissan is recalling 196,000 American used SUVs for a potential flaw in the steering column that could cause it to wear down and potentially crack over time.

According to the company, the recall affects used Nissan Pathfinders from 1996 through 2004 and Infiniti QX4 models from 1997 through 2003. Road salt can build up over time in the steering assembly and cause corrosion, which may potentially trigger the entire column to break.

"The strut housing may crack and pull away from the inner hood ledge assembly," Nissan said in an NHTSA filing. "This may lead to grinding noises, increased steering effort, and possibly the steering column to break, resulting in the loss of steering control, which could result in a crash."

Nearly 163,000 Pathfinders and 33,000 QX4s were recalled as part of the notice. Additional units were recalled in Canada, bringing the North American total up to 271,000 vehicles.

Nissan will inspect and fix the problem free of charge. The company says that for the problem to affect a driver, they would have to ignore a very noticeable grinding noise for an extended period of time.

Drivers interested in a used Nissan or any other vehicle may want to consider New Jersey State Auto Auction, which offers a wide range of models to choose from at affordable prices. 

Ford’s small cars cleaning up on balance sheet

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Ford

Stock analysts are predicting big gains for Ford when the automaker officially announces its first-quarter earnings tomorrow, as the company is expected to do well on the back of its fuel-efficient vehicles.

According to an average of three analysts compiled by Bloomberg, the automaker is expected to report earnings of $2.1 billion for the first quarter, which would be the largest gain to open a year since 1998. Through the first three months, the company's sales are up a reported 15.9 percent compared to 2010, due largely to rising gas costs.

"With the fuel prices moving up, we now have the vehicles that people want," Ford CEO Alan Mullaly told the news source. "The largest vehicles are slowing down a little bit, but all these smaller ones from Ford are now available."

Examples of models that have sold well during the first few months include the Explorer, one of the top SUVs in term of fuel economy, and the Fiesta hatchback, which is rated at 40 miles per gallon on the highway.

Drivers in the market for a fuel-efficient car may want to shop New Jersey State Auto Auction, which offers a wide range of used Fords and other brands. Many of the newer models can be found lightly-used and at significant discounts off their retail price.

Toyota predicts production woes until December

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Posted in Toyota

Toyota has issued a statement warning consumers and dealers that its production levels will likely not return to normal until November or December, as the fallout from the Japanese earthquake continues to take its toll.

The automaker says that its factories in Japan are currently operating at 50 percent of their normal output, while American plants are at 30 percent. The primary reason is a lack of parts: many suppliers that the automaker relied upon were heavily damaged in the earthquake. While Toyota's plants were largely spared by the disaster, getting the parts to make the vehicles has proven difficult.

"To all the customers who made the decision to buy a vehicle made by us, I sincerely apologize for the enormous delay in delivery," Akio Toyoda, the company president, said in the statement. "Our entire company is committed to solving the problems before us so that we can achieve production recovery even one day sooner."

The shortage could cause vehicle prices to spike over the summer when cars are in short supply. If you're in the market for a vehicle, you may want to consider buying now. New Jersey State Auto Auction offers a wide variety of cars for sale at affordable prices.

Chrysler teams with Dr. Dre

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Posted in Celebrity Auto News

Chrysler already teamed up with hip-hop star Eminem for their memorable Super Bowl commercial where they debuted the Chrysler 200, so which music industry icon is next on their list?

Turns out its Dr. Dre, Eminem's original mentor, who will be teaming up with the brand through his audio company, Beats. The new 2012 Chrysler 300S will feature a Beats by Dr. Dre audio system installed in the car.

Yet Chrysler didn't just outsource the production of an audio system to the company. Dre and record producer Jimmy Iovine worked side-by-side with engineers at the automaker to develop a ten-speaker system specifically for the vehicle. That means drivers will be getting exceptional acoustic quality that Chrysler says attempts to replicate the sound producers hear in the studio.

"Beats By Dr. Dre has always been about restoring the emotional music connection between an artist and the listener, and Chrysler vehicles beginning with the Chrysler 300S will let drivers hear music the way the artists intended, replicating the feel and the sound that artists and producers work so hard to achieve," said Iovine.

Drivers interested in a used Chrysler or any other vehicle may want to consider New Jersey State Auto Auction, which offers a wide range of cars for sale – some with killer sound systems of their own. 

Nissan Leaf named 2011 World Car of the Year

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Posted in Nissan

After months of speculation, the 2011 World Car of the Year was announced at the New York International Auto Show, with the all-electric Nissan Leaf taking home the top prize.

The Leaf had some tough competition, as it went up against two luxury heavyweights in the form of the Audi A8 and BMW 5 Series. When the votes were tallied, however, it was the electric compact that was standing tall.

"It is a great joy that the world's first, mass-marketed electric vehicle, the Nissan Leaf, has won the prestigious award," said Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn.

Nissan's first EV, along with the Chevrolet Volt, have garnered quite a bit of attention as the first mass-produced electric vehicles. But of the two, the Leaf is more dedicated to the concept of electric power. The Volt has a gas generator that kicks in at high speeds or when the motor runs out of juice, but the Leaf functions solely on electricity.

The Leaf was released in the U.S. in December, but is still only available in limited quantities. Nissan plans to ramp up production in the coming months to meet demand.

Drivers in the market for a fuel-efficient vehicle will likely consider the leaf, but it comes with quite the price tag even after a federal tax credit. Buyers might be better served waiting till it hits the used car market.
 

Chevrolet to offer Eco package on Malibu

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Posted in Chevrolet

Drivers looking for a fuel-efficient vehicle have been flocking to the Chevrolet Cruze Eco, which is a special package available on the regular Cruze compact. Essentially, this upgrade adds extra features like air shutters to improve the vehicle's fuel efficiency.

The idea has been successful for GM, so the automaker is now looking to bring "Eco" packages to other models. First up is the recently-unveiled 2013 Chevy Malibu. The car recently debuted at the Shanghai International Auto Show, but already the automaker has announced that the Malibu will be available with the Eco packages.

Outfitting the Cruze with the Eco trim level bumps the highway miles per gallon up to 42, but Chevy doesn't believe that the Malibu will crack 40 mpgs with its highway rating. Instead, the automaker revealed that it is expecting EPA-rated mileage of 38 on the highway and 26 in the city for the Malibu Eco.

And unlike the Cruze version, the Eco won't be using air shutters to achieve the higher rating. Instead, it will be getting a battery system that will technically turn it into a hybrid, although these types of cars are referred to as "mild hybrids."

Drivers in the market for a vehicle with great fuel efficiency may want to check out New Jersey State Auto Auction, which offers a wide variety of cars for sale.
 

BMW, Mercedes, may surpass Lexus in sales

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Posted in Auto Industry News, BMW, Mercedes-Benz

Lexus has been the king of the luxury sales charts in the U.S. for the past five years, but it appears that 2011 could see a new leader when all is said and done.

Toyota's luxury brand seemed invincible at one point, but last year's recall scandal hurt the brand's image in the eyes of many consumers. It still wasn't enough to topple Lexus completely, but it did allow Mercedes-Benz and BMW to make a late charge at the end of the year.

That trend continued into 2011, and both of the German automakers have outsold Lexus thus far this year. What may seal Lexus' fate, however, is a circumstance entirely out of Toyota's control – the Japanese earthquake. Mercedes and BMW have been largely unaffected by the disaster, but Lexus has already told dealers to begin preparing for severe shortages over the next few months.

Essentially, this means that even if Lexus was selling well at the moment, it might not have enough supply to keep up with its German counterparts. These signs point to either BMW or Mercedes – or possibly both – surpassing Lexus before the year is done.

Drivers interested in a used BMW, Mercedes or Lexus may want to consider New Jersey State Auto Auction. These luxury vehicles can be a bit on the expensive side, but shopping the used car market can help drivers score a great deal. 

Ford trims Lincoln dealer network

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Lincoln

Urban drivers in the market for a Lincoln may have a bit more difficulty locating a seller, as Ford has cut nearly 20 percent of its metro Lincoln dealers over the past few months.

The move is not entirely unexpected, as the 500 dealers were reportedly told back in October that the automaker was looking to cut 175 of them. The closings are ostensibly to make the remaining Lincoln dealers stronger by reducing competition among themselves. Bloomberg reports that more than 100 dealers have already been cut, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Ford's trimming of the dealer network is part of a larger plan to bring the Lincoln brand back to prominence. Of Ford's many brands, Lincoln was the only one to survive the company's restructuring, as Mercury was discontinued and Jaguar and Volvo were sold off. Ford has repeatedly stated that it hopes to revitalize Lincoln with a new lineup of vehicles that will make it more competitive against other luxury automakers.

However, those plans have yet to come to fruition. Sales figures for 2011 so far show Lincoln down by approximately 11 percent, while the rest of the industry is enjoying a 20 percent spike in sales on average.

Drivers in the market for a Lincoln vehicle can still find both new and used cars for sale at New Jersey State Auto Auction.