Mercedes SL-Class tops the list, study finds -- but it isn’t just about the machine; it’s a sex thing, too.
Why does one car seem to attract more attention from law enforcement officials than others? Could it be unfair profiling? Maybe, but it’s mostly a matter of driver personality and the vehicle they choose.
According to a recent study by Quality Planning, a San Francisco firm that verifies policyholder information for auto insurers, drivers of stylish, more spirited-looking vehicles have a higher likelihood of being ticketed than those who drive more sedate sport-utility vehicles and minivans.
The study looked at the propensity of various vehicle makes to attract tickets, based on the number of moving violations per 100,000 miles driven. Drivers of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class roadster were 4.04 times more likely to get a ticket than the average for drivers of all vehicles. Drivers of the Toyota Camry with Solara trim level were second, at 3.49 times more likely to be cited, followed by Scion tC drivers, at 3.43 times. Hummers came in fourth at 2.92 times more likely to get a ticket, and the Scion xB was fifth at 2.70 times.
By Dave Guilford, Automotive News
There's a strange disconnect surrounding Better Place, the company best known for its plan to extend the range of electric vehicles by relying on speedy battery swaps.
Automotive executives are nearly unanimous in dismissing the idea. With the conspicuous exception of Nissan-Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn, rarely does an executive express interest.
Yet Better Place is getting increasingly credible support from governments, banks and major corporations. So far this year, it has signed an extensive deal with General Electric and picked up $350 million in financing.
Some luxury brands to back away from V12 powerplants.
Take an Aston Martin Vantage -- already a supermodel among sports cars -- then stuff a 510-horsepower V12 inside like an oversized kielbasa in a too-small bun. Add a buttery manual transmission, an increasing rarity in the 6-figure class, and what do you get? The $190,000 payoff is called the V12 Vantage, and it’s as fast and focused a sports car as any to wear the Aston Martin badge, ever.
For anyone lucky enough to afford this V12 fantasy: Enjoy it while it lasts. High-end automakers are beginning to walk away from the megasized, gas-guzzling V12, V10 and V8 engines that make it hard to achieve fuel-economy rules. Mercedes-Benz has said “nein” to V12s in future performance cars. And its big-block 6.2-liter V8, which drives seemingly every AMG model, is being downsized to a less thirsty, 5.5-liter V8 with dual turbochargers. BMW’s redesigned M5 will ditch its V10 for another twin-turbocharged V8.
By AW Staff
A problem with the way the front seatbelt webbing is attached to the anchor pretensioner has prompted General Motors to recall nearly 322,500 Chevrolet Impalas from the 2009 and 2010 model years.
If the belt is not properly attached to the anchor, it could fail during a crash. Dealers will inspect the vehicles and properly install the belt webbing to the anchor pretensioner, if necessary.
Despite tough times, some luxury carmakers are seeing a rise in sales.
The automotive industry is an unsteady one, beset by fluctuating gas prices and the whims of vehicular fashion. The luxury segment has traditionally been insulated from the economy's ebb and flow, tied as it is to consumers who have a great deal of financial cushioning. According to industry analysis house TrueCar.com, the past nine months have not contained any surprises: In a time when most brands are just beginning to see a light at the end of the recession's tunnel, luxury carmakers are seeing a significant increase in sales. By Brad Constant
Calling on regular partners Funkmaster Flex and Galpin Auto Sports, a trio of customized Ford Explorers will be a centerpiece of the Ford stand at this year's SEMA show in Las Vegas -- even before the redesigned SUV goes on sale.
Funkmaster Flex and Team Baurtwell bring an urban theme to their Explorer. Changes include 24-inch, three-piece forged billet rims and Baer brakes. The interior features Katskin two-tone leather seats adorned with the Funkmaster Flex logo and a Sony Xplod audio system.
The government is wrestling with how to rate cars like the Nissan Leaf.
With all the hubbub surrounding the media launches of the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt, both of which took place this week, it's easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. Journalists and engineers alike have struggled with the hybrid Volt's technical details. The Leaf, an electric vehicle that has no gas tank and derives its power from the grid, has prompted questions about functional range and infrastructure compatibility. But one question is at the heart of every discussion about either car: What do you do about the miles-per-gallon number? By Greg Migliore
Toyota will reveal another member of the Prius family in January at the Detroit auto show. It will be completely new and different in size from the current model.
Toyota has said it plans to expand the Prius and market the name as a sub-brand that stands for environmental prowess. The company is also developing a plug-in electric version of the current model.
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Contributors
Clifford Atiyeh has spent his entire life driving cars he doesn't own. Raised in Volvos, he has grown to love fast, irresponsible vehicles of all kinds. He is the senior news editor at MSN Autos and also reports for Car and Driver, Road & Track, The Boston Globe and other publications.
In the garage: 21-speed Iron Horse, 2002 Jeep Wrangler X (not his)
Doug Newcomb has covered car technology for over 20 years for outlets ranging from Rolling Stone to Edmunds.com. In 2008, he published his first book, "Car Audio for Dummies" (Wiley). He lives and drives in Hood River, Ore., with his wife and two kids, who share his passion for cars and technology.
In the garage: 1996 Chevrolet Impala SS, two 1984 Chevrolet Blazers, 2008 Honda CR-V
James Tate learned to drive stick at age 13 in a 1988 Land Cruiser - in La Paz, Bolivia. He's since been a mechanic, on a pit crew and has wrenched on every car he's owned since his first 1989 Honda CRX Si (and won't stop until the car is a 1973 Porsche 911 RS). His work has appeared in Car and Driver, Popular Mechanics, Automobile and others.
In the garage: 1995 Porsche 911 Carrera, 1988 BMW M5
