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.
Demand for EVs, hybrids won't grow as quickly as many claim, according to J.D. Power & Associates
In news that will be shocking to, well, probably not very many people, J.D. Power & Associates says demand for hybrid and battery-powered vehicles will not grow in the way that advocates claim, Automotive News reports.Nissan-Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn recently asserted that electric vehicle sales -- EVs only, not even counting hybrid vehicles -- will account for a full 10 percent of global sales by 2020; J.D. Power's recent study suggests that the total tally for EVs, hybrids and other alternative-fuel vehicles will be 7.3 percent of all sales -- or about 5.2 million of 70.9 million projected car sales. (Taking the other view, Chicago-based consulting firm PRTM estimates that by the same year, EVs, plug-in hybrids and traditional hybrids combined will make up more than 30 percent of the market.)
Volvo looks to extend EV range with a new kind of fuel cell
Volvo, not exactly known as a leader in alternative fuels, is working on an interesting way to extend the range of electric vehicles: a hydrogen fuel cell with a reformer that can work with existing liquid fuels, including gasoline.The cell, being created in conjunction with Powercell Sweden AB, is expected to add 155 miles to an EV's range. The current model being used for testing is a variant of the C30 DRIVe Electric, itself slated to go into real-world testing in 2012. The reformer, known as a Range Extender, can also be adapted for renewable fuel sources.
Published on 10/28/2010
Nissan is recalling about 760,000 trucks in the United States and Canada to fix a faulty ignition relay.
The recall covers the Nissan Titan and Frontier pickups and the Nissan Pathfinder, Xterra, Armada and Infiniti QX56 SUVs.
The North American recall is part of a larger, global recall of 2.14 million vehicles by Nissan to fix the bad relay. In other markets, the recall includes the Nissan Cube and the March/Micra small cars. All of the recalled vehicles were built between August 2003 and July 2006.
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Cars are cool, and here at MSN Autos we love everything about them, but we also know they're more than simply speed and style: a car is an essential tool, a much-needed accessory to help you get through your day-to-day life. What you drive is also one of the most important investments you can make, so we'll help you navigate your way through the car buying and ownership experiences. We strive to be your daily destination for news, notes, tips and tricks from across the automotive world. So whether it's through original content from our world-class journalists or the latest buzz from the far corners of the Web, Exhaust Notes helps you make sense of your automotive world.
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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
