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Video: Rémi Gaillard lends speed cameras a human element Filed under: Videos, Humor 
Do you love to hate speed cameras? We feel your pain. After all, no technology is foolproof, and we prefer our citations to come straight from a fellow human being. But what if the speed camera had a mind of its own? As in, a real brain inside its head?
Not sure where we're going with this? Allow us to explain. Rémi Gaillard, a French funny man famous for his hilarious YouTube stunts (real-life Mario Kart ring a bell?), decided to play dress-up a full nine months before Halloween. Flashes fire, antics ensue.
We suggest you stick around to the very end, as the exhibition reaches it final, perhaps inevitable, conclusion. See for yourself in the video after the break.Continue reading Rémi Gaillard lends speed cameras a human element Rémi Gaillard lends speed cameras a human element originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Breaking: California breaks rank again, demands over 15% of cars sold be non-polluting by 2025 Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Electric 
Less than a year after everyone with any sort of say in the matter seemed to agree that 54.5 miles per gallon by the year 2025 was a properly attainable goal, the California Air Resources Board has decided to change things up a bit.
In addition to CAFE requirements of a 54.5-mpg fleet average (using the government's formula, not what you see on window stickers), at least 15.4 percent of all cars sold by any major automaker doing business in California will have to be either fully electric, a plug-in hybrid or be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell by 2025. There are questions about the "over-compliance" section of the bill, which we'll be investigating further.
According to Mary Nichols, chair of the California Air Resources Board, 15.4 percent is "actually a relatively modest goal, but that's all that we're mandating." Most automakers are on board, says Nichols. "Probably the most heartening aspect of this whole rulemaking was the level of cooperation that we received from the industry... Overall, the degree of support for the package was just extraordinary."
Even if automakers are on board, though, there's still a question of who will actually buy the vehicles. While everyone wants better fuel efficiency, not everyone is willing to pay for it, counters the California New Car Dealers Association, estimating that the plan would add about $3,200 to the average price of a new car or truck. Perhaps to help dissuade such fears, Nichols added that "direct incentives to people who buy these cars (like) rebates and credits" are also in the works.
At least 10 more states are likely to follow California's lead, reports Automotive News. That would put the total number of advanced green vehicles (either with a plug or powered by hydrogen) at around three million total units by 2025, 1.4 million of which would be in California.California breaks rank again, demands over 15% of cars sold be non-polluting by 2025 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
A sneak peek at Chevrolet's plan for the Super Bowl Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Chevrolet 
Chevrolet has purchased seven spots.
It's the two-minute warning in terms of Super Bowl advertising and Chevrolet still has some ground to cover. General Motors' largest brand is still mulling its advertising lineup with less than two weeks remaining until the New York Giants and New England Patriots meet in the big game.
Chevrolet has purchased seven spots. Exactly which vehicles will be featured and at what times is still stirring healthy debate at GM headquarters.
"Every day, we're changing the spots of what's running where," said Chris Perry, Chevrolet's vice president of global marketing and strategy. "We're probably going to push it to the end."
That comes Tuesday, Jan. 31 when NBC wants final decisions. Click past the jump to continue reading.Continue reading A sneak peek at Chevrolet's plan for the Super Bowl A sneak peek at Chevrolet's plan for the Super Bowl originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Confirmed: Bugatti orders two more years worth of transmissions... but where are they going? Filed under: Performance, Bugatti 
The automotive industry tends to work by certain norms and patterns. For example, by the time one model is ready to be phased out, we usually have a pretty good idea of how its replacement is shaping up and when it will appear. But Bugatti, of course, is no typical automaker.
The House that Ettore Built has, for the past seven years, subsisted on the Veyron alone. Don't get us wrong, it's one heck of an automobile around which to build a brand, but it won't be around forever. In fact, Bugatti announced a while ago that Veyron production was running its course and nearing its end. The open topped Grand Sport, as it turns out, was outside that original allotment, but even that is nearing the end of its road.
So you can imagine our surprise when Ricardo, the company that makes the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission for the Veyron, announced today that it had extended its contract with Bugatti for another two years. Which would be straightforward enough if there were cars in which Bugatti would be installing said transmissions, but as we already established, the marque's sole product is nearing the end of its life-cycle, with no replacement in sight.
So where are these transmissions going? There can only be a few explanations. One is that Bugatti is planning to extend Veyron production with another derivative - likely the Super Grand Sport that is expected to combine the removable roof panel on the Grand Sport with the more powerful engine and bodywork of the Super Sport. Another is that the Galibier - a four-door super-sedan in the pipeline at Bugatti's Molsheim, France HQ - is closer than previously expected, but that model is expected to shift to a different type of transmission altogether.
One possibility we can't quite accept is that Bugatti is stockpiling components as substantial as a gearbox without having a model in which to install them, so watch this space for more news. In the meantime, scope out the press release after the jump to inspect for yourself.Continue reading Bugatti orders two more years worth of transmissions... but where are they going? Bugatti orders two more years worth of transmissions... but where are they going? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Official: 2012 Mini Roadster priced from $24,350* Filed under: Car Buying, Convertible, Performance, Mini, UK 
Mini has officially announced pricing for the company's new Cooper Roadster. The tiny droptop will carry a base MSRP of $24,350 in the U.S., while the Cooper S Roadster will set you back $27,350. The top-of-the-line John Cooper Works Roadster, meanwhile, will command a sticker of $34,500 (*pricing exclude a $700 destination and handling fee). Should buyers wish to drop an automatic transmission into their Cooper Roadster or Cooper S Roadster, the two-pedal option will cost an additional $1,250, but the John Cooper Works Roadster is only available with a manual gearbox. Mini says 16-inch alloy wheels are standard on the base roadster and its S counterpart, while the topped-out JCW Roadster will roll on flashier 17-inch wheels.
That means the Cooper Roadster requires a $3,450 premium over the base hardtop Coupe, but curiously, it's cheaper than the Cooper Convertible by $600. While the latter doesn't exactly offer palatial amounts of space for rear passengers, it is still considerably more functional than its Cooper Roadster equivalent. We have to wonder if there's enough of a price differential between the two models to keep buyers from skipping the more rakish Roadster for its four-seat counterpart, but either way, we're just pleased it doesn't share the Coupe's awkward backwards-ballcap roofline. Hit the jump for the lengthy press release.Continue reading 2012 Mini Roadster priced from $24,350* 2012 Mini Roadster priced from $24,350* originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Official: Chevrolet introduces new Ecologic window sticker, coming first to Sonic Filed under: Etc., Chevrolet 
At the Washington Auto Show today, Chevrolet introduced a sticker.
Okay, the new Ecologic environmental labels that will be coming to all new Chevy vehicles - starting with the 2013 Sonic - is a lot more than just an adhesive piece of paper. Last year, the EPA revamped its mileage stickers, and GM has realized that many people like more information about the environmental impact of the vehicle they may be buying. GM North America President Mark Reuss said at the show that, "Customers want companies to be honest and transparent about their environmental efforts and sustainability goals, and rightly so." This is why the information on the labels will be verified by the independent organization Two Tomorrows. The label campaign will be backed up with a website that includes "more information on the audit process and environmental features for each vehicle with an Ecologic label."
What's on the labels? Information about the car from its time "before," "on" and "after" the road. This means that environmentally friendly steps that GM uses in the manufacturing process (before), steps taken to improve fuel economy (on) and information on how much of the vehicle can be recycled at the end of its life (after). You can see a detailed example of the Sonic sticker by clicking on the picture above. Since Ecologic is going to be on all Chevy models, we'll admit we're interested to see how GM finds the eco side of the Camaro ZL1.Continue reading Chevrolet introduces new Ecologic window sticker, coming first to Sonic Chevrolet introduces new Ecologic window sticker, coming first to Sonic originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Video: This year's Cars.com Super Bowl commercial weirds us out Filed under: Car Buying, Marketing/Advertising 
Remember when the dot-com ads started to flood the airwaves during the Super Bowl? The ads were almost always wacky, and half the time, we didn't even know what was being sold. Well, it's been a long time since the 1990s, and very few Internet-based companies are still hocking services during The Big Game.
Cars.com is one of the WiFi warriors that is still swinging for the fences, and some of their past work has been reasonably funny. Their 2012 ad is all about using Cars.com to gain confidence at the dealership, but we're not sure what to think about it. There is something about a man with a freaky second head that doesn't sit well with us, and we like it even less when noggin part deux is intentionally obnoxious. Seriously, we could do without the gyrating, it's creeping us out. Hit the jump to preview the 30-second ad for yourself.Continue reading This year's Cars.com Super Bowl commercial weirds us out This year's Cars.com Super Bowl commercial weirds us out originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Report: Ford tops in non-retail sales, 45% of Focus sold to fleets Filed under: Car Buying, Ford, Earnings/Financials 
Most everyone at Ford is grinning from ear-to-ear these days, as the company is enjoying profits as well as a vastly improved product portfolio and public image. Sales are up, the product pipeline is full, and market share grew last year. You can almost imagine Ford CEO Alan Mulally saying, "What, me worry?"
But that's exactly what he should be doing, according to Forbes, which suggests Ford is growing arrogant and its numbers aren't nearly as solid as they appear. For instance, Forbes says Ford was also right up there with Toyota and Honda when it came to recalls last year, far outpacing crosstown rivals General Motors and Chrysler. Ford recalled some 3.3 million vehicles in 2011, compared to 773,000 for Chrysler and just 500,000 for GM.
But the real shocker is that Forbes says Ford tops all automakers when it comes to fleet sales. Not only are fleet sales usually less profitable, but they also tend to hurt resale values, meaning that selling 32 percent of its vehicles into fleets last year does not bode well for the Blue Oval or the residual values of its owners. According to the report, the model with the most fleet sales was the new-for-2012 Focus. A staggering 45 percent of Focus models sold last year were to fleets, which isn't good for anyone, save the guy standing in line at the Hertz counter.Ford tops in non-retail sales, 45% of Focus sold to fleets originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Video: How to use Bentley's Continental GT like a lead sled dog Filed under: Coupe, Etc., Videos, Bentley 
The Swiss know a thing or two about skiing. Our neutral friends go downhill, cross-country and even joring. Yeah, we've never heard of "joring" before either, but it apparently involves slapping on a pair of skis and getting towed around by a horse or dog.
That doesn't sound like all that much fun to us, but if you replace the four-legged hauler with a Bentley Continental GT, we're inclined to change our tune. The good folks at Auto Express headed out to a joring track in Rougemont, Switzerland to try their skill with a 570 horsepower, four-wheel drive Continental GT, and they have video to prove it.
Hit the jump to watch exotic joring at 40 miles per hour.Continue reading How to use Bentley's Continental GT like a lead sled dog How to use Bentley's Continental GT like a lead sled dog originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Report: Mini wants to make JCW its BMW M, bring diesel models Stateside Filed under: Performance, Mini, Diesel 
As far as the Mini lineup goes, the John Cooper Works models sit at the very top of the performance spectrum. But that's not enough for Mini's (relatively) new chief Kay Segler. The German auto exec came to the post from the M division of parent company BMW, and that's what Segler wants for the Mini brand as well.
So what does a further differentiated JCW line mean for the Mini? That's hard to say at this point, beyond marketing, but we could be looking at even more powerful versions than the 208-horsepower, 1.6-liter turbo four currently employed. With the arrival of the JCW Countryman, Mini will have created Works versions of every bodystyle in its considerable portfolio - and it will have a more powerful 223hp mill on its hands, which could find its way into the rumored upcoming Mini GP edition as well.
More exciting JCW models aren't all that Segler has planned for Mini, however. According to Car and Driver, as U.S. demand is growing for for Mini's diesel-powered models already offered in Europe and other markets. While we wouldn't expect an oil-burning Mini to find its way across the Atlantic in this generation of models, once the next series comes along in the next couple of years, a diesel-powered Mini could wind up in American showrooms.Mini wants to make JCW its BMW M, bring diesel models Stateside originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Report: Rolls-Royce sells out of million-dollar Year of the Dragon edition Phantoms in two months Filed under: Sedan, China, Rolls-Royce, Luxury 
Think the "standard" Rolls-Royce Phantom is expensive at $380,000? Try $1.2 million on for size. That's how much the latest special-edition Phantom was going for, but the astronomic price tag hasn't prevented the (*ahem*) Rolls-Royce of automakers from selling every last one.
The model in question is the Year of the Dragon edition, which was first released just this past August. It features a range of special touches - from a gold-colored "coach line" (that being a pinstripe down the flank) to dragons inlaid in the wood and embroidered into the leather - all aimed at marking the new year on the Chinese calendar.
Rolls-Royce isn't saying exactly how many it sold, but apparently the entire allotment was spoken for within two months of the vehicle's launch. The sales are expected to boost the skyrocketing figures Rolls-Royce posts in China, whose number of millionaires has now risen to third worldwide behind the United States and Japan. As a result, Rolls-Royce reportedly plans to add another ten dealerships to its current network of 14 in China by the end of 2011.
We've yet to see exterior shots of the vehicle - limited as we were previously to some close-ups of the unique touches applied to it - but with news that the special edition is completely sold out, we've added a few more photos to our high-res image gallery.Rolls-Royce sells out of million-dollar Year of the Dragon edition Phantoms in two months originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Report: Hyundai says Elantra sales to slow because factory can't keep up with demand Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Budget, Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Hyundai 
Hyundai's Elantra has been on fire, with sales up 41 percent last year. The compact sedan won North American Car of the Year in January, and the icing on the cake will be a new coupe bodystyle that will soon be landing at dealers. But all is not completely well, according to a report from Bloomberg.
Hyundai expects Elantra sales to run into a brick wall of limited production capacity, as the company's Montgomery, Alabama plant is already operating at 110 percent. The plant, which builds the Elantra and its big brother, the midsize Sonata, churned out 338,000 units in 2011. Hyundai sold over 186,000 Elantra models in the U.S. last year.
With Hyundai posting 20 percent overall sales growth in the U.S. in 2011, it clearly needs to address its capacity bottleneck. Speculation is building that the company will soon announce plans to build another North American assembly plant.
Hyundai says Elantra sales to slow because factory can't keep up with demand originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Video: Matthew Broderick to reprise Ferris Bueller role in Honda Super Bowl ad? Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Crossover, Honda, Rumormill 
To the millions of Gen Xers sitting in cubicles listening to New Wave bands on Spotify, wondering how they ever got to be so out of shape, so gray, so middle-aged and so much like their parents, this little 10-second clip that showed up on YouTube yesterday promised something great - the return of a hero, a new chapter in the generational totem that is Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Alas, amidst all the speculation that Matthew Broderick would be reprising his role in a belated sequel, comes this revelation: It's just a teaser for a Super Bowl ad.
According to Jalopnik, the ad is for Honda, and it will rehash all the best scenes in the original film. It's a big enough deal that Honda has drafted Todd Phillips, he of The Hangover fame, to direct (John Hughes, director of FBDO, passed away in 2009). Of course, this means the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider will not be appearing, replaced, according to the report, by a 2012 Honda CR-V.
Not to sound too Cameron-like, but if that's true, it is depressing. Click past the jump to see the quick teaser video.Continue reading Matthew Broderick to reprise Ferris Bueller role in Honda Super Bowl ad? Matthew Broderick to reprise Ferris Bueller role in Honda Super Bowl ad? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Review: 2012 Bentley Continental GTC [w/video] Filed under: Convertible, Bentley, Luxury Updated Droptop Doesn't Compromise Driving Dynamics For Fresh Air And Sunshine
Few experiences equal the feeling of driving a new 2012 Bentley Continental GTC down a crowded Los Angeles highway - especially when the droptop is prismatic magenta with highly polished 21-inch wheels.
Some stare. Others glare. But most simply sneer.
The response should be expected. After all, a vehicle of this caliber is designed to broadcast to others that you have succeeded. Unfortunately, this specific boisterously purple quarter-million dollar convertible with flashy wheels takes things a bit too far: it also seems to remind passers-by that they have failed.
But let's not blame Bentley for someone's misguided selection on the color wheel. A mere 30 microns of pigment over perfectly primed aluminum, whether or not it appears related to Barney the dinosaur, isn't reason to dismiss this magnificent open-top GT.
Or is it?Continue reading 2012 Bentley Continental GTC [w/video] 2012 Bentley Continental GTC [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Video: GM launches ad campaign touting Chevy Volt safety [w/video] Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Marketing/Advertising, Safety, Hatchback, Electric 
General Motors has launched an advertising campaign touting the safety of the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in electric vehicle, just as its CEO testified to Congress that a recent Volt fire that took place after a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash test would never occur under real-world circumstances, Bloomberg has reported.
GM CEO Dan Akerson (pictured) said in the campaign that he "couldn't be prouder" of the technology the company uses to produce the Volt, the wire service noted. The campaign includes full-page ads in 19 U.S. daily newspapers, including the The New York Times, as well as a television ad that will debut on News Corp's Fox News channel. GM has also released a new "normal" ad that calls the Volt "the car America had to build." You can watch the 30-second clip, which may appear in or around the Super Bowl, after the jump.
Akerson spoke Wednesday in a hearing with the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform's Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs, Stimulus Oversight and Government Spending. Both he and NHTSA Administrator David Strickland said the car was safe and defended NHTSA's handling of the situation against accusations from some Republican members of Congress who've been critical of the Obama Administration and its relationship with GM.
NHTSA said late last week that it finished its two-month investigation into the crash test that resulted in a fire three weeks after the fact last summer, and concluded that neither the Volt nor other electric vehicles pose more of a fire risk than conventional vehicles.Continue reading GM launches ad campaign touting Chevy Volt safety [w/video] GM launches ad campaign touting Chevy Volt safety [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Official: Ford reports biggest profits since '98, still fails to meet estimates Filed under: Europe, Ford, Earnings/Financials 
Ford has announced the company's single largest profit since 1998, thanks in part to a one-time tax gain. The company drew in a net income of $13.6 billion last quarter and the news marked the automaker's 11th consecutive profitable quarter. For perspective, Ford made $190 million in 2010. The company's net income was bolstered by the fact that Ford eliminated a valuation allowance against deferred tax benefits. The company created the valuation allowance in 2006 when it began reporting operating losses. Analysts reportedly see the elimination as a sign that the manufacturer expects to be profitable in coming years.
The company made $8.8 billion in profit in 2011, or $1.51 a share. That's an increase of $463 million over 2010. Even so, the company's net income missed analysts' estimates thanks in part to higher commodity costs, currency fluctuations and flooding in Thailand. The automaker spent $100 million more in commodities like steel than it projected. Those facts, combined with a deteriorating European market, helped Ford miss analyst estimates by 5 cents per share.Ford reports biggest profits since '98, still fails to meet estimates originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Official: Honda Crosstour four-cylinder to start at $27,655* Filed under: Crossover, Hatchback, Honda 
Back when Honda launched the Crosstour in 2010, it fielded questions from the media asking why it chose to forego a four-cylinder model. At the time, officials indicated that a four-cylinder engine would result in minimal fuel economy improvements, noting that the company's aim was to target premium-minded customers for whom the 3.5-liter V6 seemed more appropriate.
But with the fog of slow sales often comes a need to rethink strategies, and Honda has responded to sluggish demand for the Crosstour with a new four-cylinder model for 2012 with a just-announced base price of $27,655 (*plus $810 in destination charges). That's about $2,500 less than a comparable six-cylinder model.
Despite Honda's earlier assertions, the new 192-horsepower, 162 pound-feet of torque 2.4-liter model actually does receive a rather substantial bump in fuel economy performance. The new front-drive trim nets 21 miles per gallon in the city and 29 mpg on the highway - the V6 only manages 18/27. Both the new four-cylinder and 271-hp/254 lb-ft V6 come with a five-speed automatic as standard kit.
In equipment news, all Crosstour models will now receive standard auto-dimming mirrors, a USB hookup, Bluetooth telephony and standard backup camera, among other features.
Honda shifted 17,974 Crosstour models last year, down 37.9 percent from its 2010 total of 28,851 units. The company had targeted sales of 40,000 units annually.Continue reading Honda Crosstour four-cylinder to start at $27,655* Honda Crosstour four-cylinder to start at $27,655* originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Report: BMW planning to slot i5 minivan into new range Filed under: Minivan/Van, BMW, Electric, Luxury 
Imagine you're an auto exec launching a new line of cars. One's a sportscar, the other a city car - pretty much opposite extremes on the spectrum of automotive bodystyles. Do you give them alphanumeric nameplates close to one another? Of course not. You assign them disparate numbers to make room for more models to slot in between.
That's just what BMW is doing with its upcoming "i" range, with an i3 at one end and the i8 (star of the recent Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol). So what does it have planned to fit in the middle? According to Autobild out of Germany, an i5.
The third model in the range is tipped to come in as a compact MPV in a similar mold as the Toyota Prius V - only probably significantly more expensive. Underpinnings would likely be borrowed from the i3, but stretched out a bit to make extra room for people and stuff. For that matter, we wouldn't be surprised to see an i2 come in as a two-door version of the i3 with the Smart ForTwo in its sights, or an i6 or i7 electric sedan, either.BMW planning to slot i5 minivan into new range originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Study: J.D. Power: More car buyers base purchases on brand reputation than ratings and reviews Filed under: Car Buying, Marketing/Advertising 
Reputation is everything, according to a new survey by J.D. Power and Associates. The 2012 Avoider Study found that 43 percent of buyers who steer clear of a particular model due to quality concerns do so merely because of common knowledge. Ratings and reviews - our stock in trade - were cited by 38 percent, while previous ownership of a model caused scorn in only 14 percent of respondents.
"The fact that so many new-vehicle buyers may be basing their opinions about quality and reliability on pre-conceived [sic] notions, rather than concrete information or data, demonstrates how important it is for automakers to promote the quality and reliability of their models," said Jon Osborn, research director at J.D. Power and Associates, in what reads like a nakedly self-serving press release.
Other interesting data from the survey included an all-time high for xenophobia, with respondents who avoided import models because of their origin rising to 14 percent, the highest in the nine years of the study. Buyers avoiding domestics for the same reason dropped to six percent, the lowest in the study's history.
The most influential reason for purchasing a specific model in 2012 was fuel economy, trumping reliability, "the deal," and exterior styling, which were tops in 2010.
To read the entire press release, click past the jump.Continue reading J.D. Power: More car buyers base purchases on brand reputation than ratings and reviews J.D. Power: More car buyers base purchases on brand reputation than ratings and reviews originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Report: Blaser outfits special edition Land Rover Defender for hunting Filed under: Aftermarket, SUV, Land Rover, Off-Road 
The Land Rover Defender may be nearing the end of its line, but over the course of its lifetime it has become the go-to vehicle for any number of off-road applications. They're used on safaris and expeditions, by military forces and humanitarian organizations. And yes, they're used by hunters. That's why German firearms manufacturer Blaser has outfitted this special edition Defender for just such a market.
The Blaser edition Defender includes roof rack, underbody skid plates, trailer hitch, power winch, spotlight, snorkel intake, custom-embroidered leather seats and more. It's decked out in what's called Keswich Green, but to us looks more like Panzer green, and packs a 2.2-liter turbodiesel four with 122 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque on tap. But the party piece is the custom armory built into the back that can carry as many as five hunting rifles plus ammunition. Only 60 examples will be made available exclusively in Germany, each carrying a €49,500 ($64,400) price tag.Blaser outfits special edition Land Rover Defender for hunting originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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