Tag archive for ‘Cars’

How EPA’s new fuel economy label would grade current cars

How EPA’s new fuel economy label would grade current cars

Filed under: Government/Legal EPA Fuel Economy Sample Grades – Click above to view entire list Twenty years ago, the federal government made it mandatory for most food products to carry nutrition information based on a 2,000 calorie diet in the 1990 Nutrition Labeling and Information Act. In doing so, the feds simultaneously ensured that graphic designers the world over would run into the headache of squeezing the now-familiar Nutrition Facts chart onto food packages and that the public at large would have at least some clue as to what they were shoving down their pie-hole. Now the EPA and the DOT are in the process of pulling a similar maneuver for vehicle fuel economy. Needless to say, this has made us a little curious as to how the current fleet of vehicles being sold here in the states would fare in the new rating system. Fortunately, the EPA has answered that very question.

Austin’s F1 track gets laid out

Austin’s F1 track gets laid out

Filed under: Motorsports 2012 Austin F1 Track – Click above for image gallery Here it is. Race promoter Tavo Hellmund has pulled back the sheets on the Austin formula one track, and the course looks damn impressive at first glance. The 3.4-mile course packs in 20 turns, a total change in elevation to 133 feet and a back straight that’s a full three-quarters of a mile long. What’s more, the circuit is designed to promote passing for American fans with short attention spans thanks to plenty of long straights followed by tight, 45-degree turns.

Report: Aston Martin Cygnet could come to the States

Report: Aston Martin Cygnet could come to the States

Filed under: Hatchback , Aston Martin Aston Martin Cygnet – Click above for high-res image gallery We aren’t quite sure why the Aston Martin Cygnet exists. What was once an economical Toyota iQ is now a fuel-sipping Aston Martin (weird) with a lavish interior and a price tag that will make your heart skip a beat. We understand that vehicles like this work well in the congested, small-car-friendly cities of Europe, but it remains to be seen if microcars have a place here in the United States. The Smart ForTwo has proved to be a flop in the States, though we’ll chalk most of that up to its unimpressive fuel economy and downright awful driving dynamics

Smartcar sales plummet as U.S. consumers realize they suck.

Smartcar sales plummet as U.S. consumers realize they suck.

Two years ago I was given a Smart Fortwo to road test for a week and to say that I thought it was a monumental pile of crap would be an understatement. Yes it’s small, and yes you can park it just about anyplace, the problem is that after parking it, too many of its owners simply walk away from it without setting them ablaze. When Smart first entered the U.S. car market they brought with them a great ad campaign, the promise of amazing fuel economy and a fun little car that would make you feel happy when you drove it.

Video: Jeep accidently shows off Fiat-based CUV

Video: Jeep accidently shows off Fiat-based CUV

Filed under: Concept Cars , SUV , Videos , Jeep , Design/Style , Off-Road Jeep shows off Fiat-based CUV – Click above to watch video after the jump There have been plenty of murmurings about how Fiat’s partnership with Chrysler will impact the Jeep brand. Exactly how much platform sharing will occur between the Italian automaker and the Pentastar’s globe-roaming purveyor of SUVs has been a hot topic amongst the Jeep faithful for some time. Now it appears that a video posted on YouTube by user thejeepchannel has given the world its first glance at a new Fiat-based crossover set to wear the famous seven-slot grille. In the video, a Jeep intern learns a bit about the company’s design process, all while hovering around a clay model of one very CUV-looking creation

What’s The Worst Car Of The 1990s? [Question Of The Day]

What’s The Worst Car Of The 1990s? [Question Of The Day]

The 1990s were mostly an awesome decade with bitchin’ cars . Unfortunately, some lameness crept still crept in. What’s the worst car of the 1990s? More

Report: Jaguar sports car concept bound for Paris

Report: Jaguar sports car concept bound for Paris

Filed under: Concept Cars , Performance , Europe , Paris Motor Show , Jaguar , Rumormill , Luxury With the Paris Motor Show a mere month away, automakers from around the globe are unleashing a barrage of teasers and rumors that hint to what will be on display. According to Auto Express , Jaguar is the latest company to let slip what it has planned. The murky report says the Leaping Cat will pull the covers off of an XK -sized sports car inspired by the Porsche 918 . While that likely means the concept will boast a fantastical hybrid drivetrain with more torque than sense, it doesn’t mean that Tata is going to fast-track this car for production

The Ten Most Bitchin’ Cars Of The ’90s [Answers Of The Day]

The Ten Most Bitchin’ Cars Of The ’90s [Answers Of The Day]

When it comes to the 1990s, our readers apparently weren’t Clueless about their favorites cars, offering more than 1,000 responses . Reality Bites , so we had to narrow it down to these ten most bitchin’ cars of the ’90s. More

$375,000 Lexus LFA: Ferrari Fighter or Exotic Fantasy?

$375,000 Lexus LFA: Ferrari Fighter or Exotic Fantasy?

Judged purely on performance, the Lexus tops a number of supercars, but its purpose is to burnish the brand rather than to sell lots of LFAs.

Fiat Returns To The U.S. In 119 Major Markets

Fiat Returns To The U.S. In 119 Major Markets

A Fiat 500 Abarth By the end of 2010, you’ll be able to walk into one of 165 Fiat dealerships, throw down your cash and drive out in a brand new Fiat 500. As Left Lane News reports, we still can’t tell you where those 165 dealerships will be located, but it’s safe to assume “in major metropolitan areas”. If you live in New York, Chicago or Los Angeles, you’re golden. If you live in Fairbanks, Alaska or Whitefish, Montana, you can probably assume you won’t be getting a Fiat dealership anytime soon