Cars that can handle the snow with no issues

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Posted in Ford, How To

For those who live in the northern states, buying a new or used vehicle that will be guaranteed to handle the winter months is extremely important. Once the snow starts falling and the ice starts forming, it might be time to put the sports car away and consider at something a bit more durable.

MSN Autos recently took a look at some vehicles that operate just as well in the winter months as they do in the spring and summer. Most of these vehicles have all-wheel drive (AWD), but a few have a couple of extra features that allow them to really go above and beyond when it comes to handling the snow.

The first choice was the trio of American pickup trucks: the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado and Dodge Ram. In addition to coming with four-wheel drive, these trucks have the added benefit of a taller ride height that gives them more stability. Compared to many of the other full-size SUVs, the pickups are also a relatively inexpensive choice when it comes to braving the winter weather.

Those who would rather opt for a traditional sedan may be interested in the Ford Taurus SHO. This car's V6 engine provides enough power to handle any trouble spots while simultaneously offering AWD. The news source writes that the car is "built in the Windy City for the wintry weather," so those with inclement weather to tackle may want to consider this edition of the Taurus.

One of the big selling points for SUVs is the ability to handle tough terrain, and the mixture of snow and ice that comes every winter definitely falls in this category. While most SUVs will be a solid choice, the news source points to the Toyota Land Cruiser as a solid example of a full-size SUV that will make short work of the winter season. With a history that includes military transport and a stint as the Royal Family's chosen vehicle, the Land Cruiser is renowned for its ability to transport a large amount of people and gear efficiently and safely.

Drivers searching for luxury cars don't have a ton of options when it comes to handling snow, but the Audi brand's signature "Quattro" four-wheel drive is a good starting point for those who want a high-end car that can handle the snow. The news source recommends the A6 Avant as having plenty of room for the whole family in addition to the Quattro feature. An optional heated seat and dual climate control upgrade will keep everyone comfortable along the way.

Study: Mismatched bumpers cost big money

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Posted in General Auto News

A new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has found that a lot of car damage could be prevented if cars and SUVs were forced to have bumpers at the same height.

Current federal regulations call for bumpers to be placed 16 to 20 inches above the ground. When two bumpers hit exactly, the damage was found to be minimal by the study.

Yet problems arise when a truck or SUV is thrown into the mix. These vehicles are allowed to have higher bumpers, meaning that rear-end accidents between an SUV and car were found to cause much more damage. In many instances, the smaller car could slip under the larger one and destroy sensitive parts like a radiator.

"SUVs and cars share the road," said Joe Nolan, the Institute's chief administrative officer. "The problem is they don't share the same bumper rules, and consumers end up paying the price."

Automakers say that lowering the bumper wouldn't improve safety and could reduce the carrying capacity of light trucks. The group counters that car-based crossovers and similar vehicles would still be able to lower the bumper with no reduction in functionality.

Those who have their car totaled in an accident might find it cheaper to purchase a used car rather than pay a steep repair bill.

New Lincolns to be designed by former Cadillac employee

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Posted in Lincoln

Ford has announced the hiring of Max Wolff, a former Cadillac designer, to head up the complete overhaul of its luxury Lincoln brand.

With the discontinuation of the Mercury brand, Ford has announced that it will be shifting focus to a redesign of the Lincoln nameplate, with seven new vehicles expected over the next four years. To help along that process, the company brought in Wolff, who oversaw the exterior design of the CTS Coupe and several other popular Cadillacs at General Motors.

"Max's drive, talent, and knowledge of automotive design within the premium segment of the market make him a great addition to the global design team," said J Mays, Ford's chief creative officer and vice president of design. "He is a recognized design leader and has a successful track record in the development of production and concept vehicles, including the Holden SSX show car."

Lincoln has lagged behind luxury brands like Lexus, BMW and Mercedes-Benz even as Ford grew its market share with increased sales this month to be come the second highest-selling brand in the country.

Those who shop the used car market may be able to find good deals on cars from Mercury and other discontinued brands. The used car market will also be the only place to find older Lincoln models, like the Town Car and Aviator, which are expected to be phased out in the near future.
 

American automakers’ sales spike in November

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Posted in Ford, General Auto News

With a rise in demand for trucks and SUVs, American automakers saw their profits spike in November when compared to the previous year.

Ford, General Motors and Chrysler all posted double-digit sales gains over November of 2009. Ford's profit was up 24 percent, with truck sales specifically up 34 percent. GM had a 12 percent gain, but the figure rises to 21 percent if the discontinued Pontiac and Saturn brands are excluded from the numbers.

Chrysler also had a good month, with its 17 percent sales increase representing the eighth-straight year-on-year rise in totals. The Jeep and Ram brands carried the company as they had a 58 and 67 percent rise respectively while Chrysler and Dodge both decreased.

Across the Pacific, Hyundai and Kia continued their strong sales with a 46 percent increase. Nissan and Honda also enjoyed double-digit gains at 27 and 16 percent, respectively.

Toyota was the only company that truly stumbled, with a 3 percent decrease in revenue. The company has yet to fully recover from the recall scandal from earlier in 2010, which some analysts believe tarnished the brand's previous reputation for quality. 

Lexus’ GS-F to challenge high-performance luxury rivals

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Posted in Auto Industry News, Toyota

Luxury brands have done well with a slew of high-performance variants of their base vehicles, whether it's Mercedes-Benz's AMG division or BMW's "M" designation. But with the exception of the high-powered LFA Supercar, Toyota's Lexus brand has mainly stayed out of the horsepower-fueled fight.

Now the Toyota subsidiary appears to be coming out swinging. With rival Infiniti's "IPL" edition of the G37 coupe selling well and Audi recently announcing the A6, Lexus has pulled the lid off of the GS-F, a high-powered version of its GS midsize sedan, to compete with the speedsters in both Germany and Japan.

Road and Track reports that the GS-F will source a 5-liter V8 engine from the company's previous IS-F compact. That engine delivered 465 horsepower, which would put the GS-F at a competitive disadvantage with cars like the M5, which may have over 600 hp in its next version. It's possible that Toyota could choose to use a supercharger to up the numbers, but the news source cites unidentified sources in saying that the GS-F will shed a significant amount of weight in order to surpass rivals in 0-60 times with the decreased power.

No pricing has been announced, but the GS-F will likely carry a high price tag. Those interested in high-performance vehicles on a budget may want to buy a cheap used car and make some upgrades themselves.
 

Cracker Barrel supports electric charging scheme

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Posted in Chevrolet, General Auto News

As more drivers make the switch to an electric vehicle, the issue of charging is going to be on everyone's minds. While drivers will certainly buy a charger for their home, on-the-go charging stations are expected to be scarce.

Ecotality Inc., an organization based in Arizona, has stated that it will be attempting to introduce more chargers in commercial locations across the country. One of the first partners to jump onboard with a pilot program is Cracker Barrel, a restaurant modeled after old-fashioned homestyle eateries.

Cracker Barrel will install 24 chargers at locations across Tennessee in an effort to give drivers more options. The company said that 40 percent of its customers are travelers, so the chargers might give them an extra reason to stop in for a bite to eat.

The high-powered stations installed at the restaurants are expected to provide a full charge in 30 minutes.

Drivers who are interested in electric vehicles may wish to hold off on their purchase until they hit the used car market so they can take advantage of discounts. Both the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt, the first two electric models to be widely released in the U.S., are expected to retail for over $30,000. 

Audi’s new A6 brings it in line with rest of fleet

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Posted in Audi, Auto Industry News

Those who have seen the latest Audis, like the A8, may have noticed the eye-like LED headlights or sleek grille. The German automaker has brought this design to nearly all of its new releases, but one model was curiously missing – the A6.

That's about to change, as Audi has pulled the lid off of the new A6, which several sources say looks like a smaller version of the redesigned A8. Drivers who really take the time to explore the new A6, however, will find a whole new model with plenty to love.

Audi claims that the new A6 is nearly 150 pounds lighter, thanks to a substantial amount aluminum used in the bodywork. The car will still offer the supercharged V6 from the previous iteration, which gets 300 horsepower. However, the automaker estimates that they have increased fuel economy by more than 5 mpgs on both city and highway, which would put it at a 26 combined mpg rating – if the EPA agrees. It is unknown if the inline-4 or non-supercharged V6 options available in Europe will also make their way stateside.

When the new Audi hits dealerships in 2011, it's likely that many of the older A6 models will find their way to the used car market. Those considering a luxury vehicle purchase may want to wait until that time comes and take advantage of the likely deals on used Audi A6's.
 

Searching for the new classics

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Posted in Chevrolet

Words like "innovative" and "groundbreaking" get thrown around a lot by marketers and auto reviewers alike, but there's another word that's reserved only for the upper echelon of the automotive world. Classic.

Not every used car is worthy of the distinction. A true classic is a vehicle that stands the test of time, that becomes iconic and unforgettable. Predicting a classic is nigh-impossible – car companies have been trying their best for years to introduce models that will stick in the public's memory for years to come.

Still, it's fun to try. Every year, the folks at Hagerty Auto Insurance, which specializes in collector cars, release their "hot list" of 10 cars that could eventually go on to have increased value in the collector market. Drivers who can successfully predict which cars will eventually become collector's items won't only be getting a great car, but they'll also likely be making themselves quite a bit of dough if the car shoots up in value in the next few decades.

"We have fun each year looking at which new vehicles embody the characteristics of collector cars, to help predict which ones might have classic appeal in 15 to 20 years," CEO McKeel Hagerty said in a statement. "The Hot List is our prediction for which cars manufactured this year will hold their value and consumer appeal long enough to one day be regarded as collectible."

Since the list is annual, all the cars mentioned are from the 2011 model year. The list was submitted to Wired, which chimed in with some thoughts and comments of their own on the vehicles chosen.

The Chevrolet Camaro is already thought of many to be a classic car, but most people are referring to the older versions from the 1970s. According to the list, Chevy has finally made a Camaro worthy of the "classic" title. The SS Convertible is a Camaro for the modern age, with a V8 engine producing 428 horsepower – a figure that will blow the doors off of the old Camaros.

In that same vein is the Ford Mustang Boss 302R. The Mustang has a long history, but the Boss 302R has quickly established itself as one of the rarest versions of the car available, with Ford producing just 50. The car is a track-ready racing vehicle, but those who are looking for a regular highway car can't go wrong with the regular Mustang Boss, which is available in less-limited quantities.

The tuning community has elevated a few cars to classic status, as some vehicles are simply more cooperative with modifications and additions. This year, BMW released its own factory version of the 335i that took a number of cues from popular tuner modifications made on previous versions of the 3-Series. The V6 engine is turbocharged for 320 horsepower, a tweaked suspension improves handling and the company even modified the body to make it appear slightly different from the rest of the fleet. No adjustments necessary – the 335i could be well on its way to classic status.

Finally, there's always a car that flies under the radar before becoming popular in its later years. The Infiniti IPL G37 Coupe could be that car. The model is the first produced by the "IPL" high-performance division of Infiniti, which already gives it a claim to history. If IPL goes on to produce some top cars, people will be able to look back at the G37 and point to where it all began. 

GM hires more electrical engineers

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Posted in Chevrolet

General Motors' Chevrolet Volt has already been a success for the company, with the innovative electric vehicle snagging several "Car of the Year" awards for the company. In order to follow up on that success, GM has announced that it will hire nearly 1,000 electric vehicle engineers for its plant in Michigan.

The new hires will represent a 50 percent increase in the number of engineers with a specialty in electric technology for the company. Early pre-order numbers for the Volt have been high, and the company has increased production totals to 45,000 vehicles for 2012. The new hires could also possibly indicate more electric cars on the way for the company.

"GM is going to lead the industry in the adoption of various vehicle-electrification technologies," CEO Dan Akerson said in a statement. "We want to give our customers energy choices other than petroleum and to make the automobile part of the solution when it comes to the environment."

Early adopters who want to get in on the electric trend may want to wait for the first used Chevrolet Volts to begin hitting the market, as they'll most likely be able to save substantially off of the possibly inflated introductory price for the vehicle. 

Two free pairs of jeans with every Focus

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Posted in Ford, General Auto News

Ford has announced that it will be providing two free pairs of jeans with every 2012 Ford Focus that is sold. They just won't quite be usable.

The automaker has announced that it will be using a mixture of recycled clothing, mainly denim, in constructing the floor mats and carpet backing in the new version of the Focus. The company says that using the material will help the company reduce material usage and lessen its impact on the environment.

"Ford is continually looking for greener alternatives," said Carrie Majeske, product sustainability manager. "One of our key goals is to use more recycled or renewable materials without compromising performance or durability. Recycled content is a way to divert waste from landfills and reduce the impact of mining virgin material."

The material will include mixes of other cotton-based clothing, in addition to denim. Ford says that the amount of denim used will be equivalent to about two pairs of blue jeans.

The Focus is quickly shaping up to be an eco-friendly option. The company previously announced that it's aiming to achieve more than 40 miles per gallon in the new vehicle.

When a new model is introduced, the previous version usually sees a drop in price. Those who shop for a used Ford Focus once the new one arrives may be able to find a great bargain.