By Mark Rechtin, Automotive News
Honda has run into a few problems with its new-vehicle introductions of late. The current Accord was a bit too large in this era of downsizing, the Accord Crosstour was knocked for its styling, and the Insight hybrid suffered disappointing sales.
Things may have changed, though. The newly redesigned Odyssey minivan has received high marks. The crucial question is how the delayed Civic redesign, due in February 2011, will be received.
Brake problems cited; no injuries reported.
Brake problems plaguing almost 200,000 BMW vehicles have led to a recall by the manufacturer.The company is recalling the vehicles in order to fix leaks in the power braking system, which can reduce its effectiveness. No injuries or accidents have been reported, and the company says the cars will still stop under the power of the mechanical braking system.
Affected models include 5-, 6- and 7-Series models from the 2002-2010 model years and powered by V8 and V12 engines; Rolls-Royce Phantoms from 2003-2010 are also affected.
'Forza Motorsport 3' and 'Top Gear' unveil 'Ultimate Collection.'
"Top Gear," the hands-down best car show on TV, and "Forza Motorsport 3," a leader of the racing-game genre, have announced a multiyear collaboration that will combine the irreverence of the two brands for many iterations of the game to come. (Disclosure: Microsoft Racing Studios, which puts out the game, is of course owned by the same corporation that owns this blog, but play the game just once for yourself and tell me if I'm biased or just telling the honest truth.)
From the Forza team:
"Fans will get their first taste of the results of this collaboration with 90 minutes of specially edited 'Top Gear' TV content plus access to the ‘Stig’s Garage Car Pack,’ all downloadable exclusively through Xbox Live, as part of the new 'Forza Motorsport 3 Ultimate Collection' available from this October. "
By Jake Lingeman
The three-door Range Rover Evoque won't stand alone in showrooms. Land Rover on Thursday confirmed that there is a five-door Evoque for those who need a little more utility from their SUV. The five-door Evoque is expected to debut at the Los Angeles auto show in November.
The Evoque, based on the LRX concept we saw in 2008, is part of the company's plan for bringing new customers to the brand that might otherwise only be considered by the upper crust.
The C-X75 wows the crowd in France, and more from the Paris Motor Show.
Jaguar made major headlines at the Paris Motor Show when it unveiled its C-X75 EV supercar. The car was unveiled last night at an exclusive preview event, where the 205-mph stunner -- whose four wheel-mounted electric motors are powered by gas turbines for an incredible 1,180 lb-ft of instantly available torque and 780 horsepower -- wowed the crowd. According to MSN Autos:
"Inspired by racing Jags like the one-of-a-kind XJ13, the C-X75 will sprint from zero to 62 mph in just 3.4 seconds. It can also travel 68 miles on pure electric power or 560 miles with the assistance of its two turbine engines."
By Greg Migliore
Volkswagen chairman Martin Winterkorn reaffirmed his company's ambitious and audacious goals Wednesday night on the eve of the Paris auto show: pass Toyota and General Motors for the title of world's largest automaker in 2018.
Winterkorn was the final speaker after an event that featured unveilings from each of the German conglomerate's brands. He said his company wants to record total sales of 10 million in eight years, which would vault it pass the current levels global leaders Toyota and GM.
Still, Winterkorn suggested caution in VW's goals, intimating sales are merely a means to an end.
Concept coupe revealed in Paris.
Ian Robertson, BMW's head of sales and marketing, introduced the low-slung coupe, which references a 1971 BMW 2800 CS two door in several ways, including the slim pillars and undersized kidney grille, plus -- well, check out the video, after the jump, and let us know what you think of the concept.
By Lindsay Chappell, Automotive News
The next 18 to 24 months will bring a major renewal of Nissan Division's lineup.
In the coming weeks, the brand will see four new products released or revealed: the Juke crossover, electric Leaf sedan, redesigned Quest minivan and an ambitious but perhaps polarizing convertible Murano crossover.
Late next year, Nissan will begin showing a string of restyled high-volume car lines, including the Altima and Versa.
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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
