Pontiac flexes no more after 84 years
Well, it's official: Pontiac has gone to that great drag strip in the sky. The GM-owned brand was officially done as of yesterday, when its existing contracts with dealers officially expired, after about 40 million sales since its launch in 1926. Throughout its heyday, Pontiac was known mainly for powerful engines, though its split grille and arrowhead logo also appealed to those who appreciated their horsepower with a side of distinctive styling. The GTO, developed by John Z. DeLorean; the Bonneville; the Firebird; and the Trans Am, which lives on forever in cinematic glory as the getaway vehicle for Burt Reynolds' Smokey, from the film "Smokey and the Bandit" -- all were big sellers with big engines.
By Ryan Beene, Automotive News
Kia's design boss wants to add a sports car or convertible to lend more appeal to the brand.
No such car is officially in the pipeline, said Peter Schreyer, Kia's chief design officer. Kia first needs to get on more solid footing, he said.
"I think Kia needs a car like that sooner or later, but at the moment it's not yet the time to make any promises," Schreyer told Automotive News.
Mitsubishi readies its i-MiEV for America
Like many electric cars, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV seems a city car in search of a charging infrastructure. I just handed back a right-hand-drive, Japanese-market version of the i-MiEV -- a button-cute, blue and white Easter egg of a car -- after driving it around New York all week. Coincidentally, this week Mitsubishi released a rendering, shown here, of a widened, slightly longer-range i-MiEV that it hopes to begin selling in the U.S. beginning next fall for around $30,000.
Mitsubishi will unveil that iMiEV at the Los Angeles auto show this month. The rendering reveals a more sculpted and aggressive face leading a wider body. A Mitsubishi spokesman said the company is targeting a 100-mile driving range for the U.S. version, which is farther than for the model I drove; my Asian-market car, with its 63-horsepower electric motor, was on pace for about 60 to 70 miles. Of course, as with any any EV, cold weather, a lead foot or extensive use of heating and air conditioning will chop into that already paltry range.
By Byron Trimble
Owners of 2011 Chevrolet models can now download the myChevrolet and OnStar MyLink apps, giving them the ability to start their engines, unlock and lock their vehicles and read their owner's manuals, among other services, from their iPhone or Android devices.
Automaker accused of misconduct in safety recalls
"New court filings accuse Toyota of secretly repurchasing vehicles whose owners reported unintended acceleration and forcing owners to sign confidentiality agreements promising not to discuss their complaints.
Rick Kranz predicts the most-buzzed vehicle at the L.A. Auto Show
Over at Automotive News, Rick Kranz has stuck his neck out by predicting the vehicle that will generate the most buzz at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show. It's not particularly "green," it's not electric, and it's not some high-flying supercar concept. It's the Nissan Murano, minus a roof. The 2-door convertible crossover will be called the CrossCabriolet, and, no, this is not some concept-vehicle gimmick aimed at getting the attention of press outlets such as ours. This baby is aimed for production.
By Byron Trimble
In honor of the Halloween weekend, AutoWeek presents 13 (of course!) of the scariest cars of all time, as chosen by various staffers who cared to participate. Enjoy!
1958 Plymouth Fury from Christine, (1983)
This car comes from back when movies of Stephen King books were good. We know people who flash back to this movie at some point when their car starts acting up.
Munster Mobile from The Munsters
One of the first vehicles made popular by the television set. A fun car for a fun show, but we're not sure we'd want it parked in our driveway.
Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters, (1984)
Who you gonna call? As popular as it is ugly, this fixed-up 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor may come back from the dead, as a new Ghostbusters movie is in the works.
2011 Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Grand Caravan expected at dealerships by the holidays.
Chrysler is betting that more and more men (and women) will take Sam Foley's appreciative view of the family-hauling minivan: The manufacturer will start releasing some of the new 2011 Dodge Grand Caravans and Chrysler Town & Countrys to dealerships in time for Christmas. This move comes in advance of the February release of the so-called "man van," a performance-oriented model once known as the Grand Caravan RT.Trim levels on the new Grand Caravan will include the Express, Mainstreet, Crew and R/T.
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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
About Exhaust Notes
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