Car News

Breaking news about the cars and trucks you drive.

Could Runaway Prius Have Been Faked?
Yesterday we told you about doubts Edmunds Inside Line raised about a California man who claimed his Prius had raced out of control. Today, more people are looking into the story. Jalopnik thinks James Sikes, the man in the incident, may have had a motive: "James Sikes, the San Diego runaway Toyota Prius driver, filed for bankruptcy in 2008 and now has over $700,000 in debt. According to one anonymous ...

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Toyota Sales Bounce Expected
Thinking about buying a Toyota?  You're not alone. Automotive News  reports, "New incentives are boosting Toyota’s U.S. sales big time in early March, and analysts forecast a 30 percent bounce for the full month."   The expected sales increase comes after Toyota sales fell 10 percent in February, amid recalls and Congressional hearings. However, Toyota isn't the only one reaping a sales bounce.  Edmunds Auto Observer says, "In the first eight ...

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We're All Going to Wal-Mart
We're not surprised you're thinking about hitting Wal-Mart this weekend. AOL Autos reports, "TeleNav, one of the largest providers of navigation services for millions of subscribers via cell phone, recently unveiled data that showed exactly what people are searching for. With Americans increasingly setting their GPS to find anything and everything, one begins to wonder: where exactly are 13 million people going?" The New York Times says, "Apparently, to places ...

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Another Day, Another Report of a Runaway Prius
Sarah Connor warned us that one day the machines would rise up.  Maybe they have. Autoblog reports, "Not one day after a high-profile incident involving a Prius taking off on its owner in Southern California, we're hearing reports that another one of Toyota's popular hybrids has suffered unintended acceleration in New York." According to the Detroit Free Press, "A woman smashed into a stone wall this morning because of a ...

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Nissan Work Van Coming in 2010
Maybe the Ford Transit Connect winning the North American Truck of the Year award at this year's Detroit Auto Show signaled to the world that vans are cool again.  Or maybe businesses are looking for the right vehicle to jumpstart the economy.  Either way, Nissan has decided to jump into the work van pool. Left Lane News reports, "Japanese automaker Nissan has officially entered the large commercial van market with ...

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Porsche Intends to Build 918
One of the biggest hits at this year's Geneva Motor Show was the Porsche 918 concept. The super-slick plug-in hybrid surprised the automotive press with its good looks and green-monster powertrain.  Now, Porsche wants to actually build the thing. The U.K.'s Autocar says, "Porsche boss Michael Macht says that staff in the firm are fully committed to building the 918 Spyder, the biggest shock - and hit - of the ...

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Toyota Dealers Say GM Incentives Misuse Taxpayer Money
If you're a current Toyota owner, GM would like to offer you some cash to switch brands. Not surprisingly, some people have a problem with that. The U.K.'s Financial Times reports, "Toyota's US dealers launched a broadside against General Motors on Tuesday, accusing the Detroit carmaker of using taxpayers' money to counter generous incentives that Toyota has offered to win back buyers." General Motors, along with other car brands like ...

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Heavy Duty Pickup Wars Intensify
Just yesterday we gave you a rundown of reviewer impressions of the 2011 Ford Super Duty pickup trucks. With a giant diesel engine that makes 390 horsepower and 735 pound feet of torque, it looked like Ford was going to stay on top of the heavy duty pickup heap. At least, it looked that way until GM released its new HD pickup engine numbers. Pickuptrucks.com reports, "GM announced that the ...

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Toyota Tundra Recall Expands
The Associated Press reports, "Toyota says it will expand a recall announced last year to fix Tundra pickup trucks with frames that could rust." USA Today adds, "Toyota is going to expand its recall of the 2000 to 2003 Tundra pickup to include the entire country -- not just 20 cold-weather states." Pickuptrucks.com says, "Owners of Tundras originally sold or currently registered in the remaining 30 states will be notified ...

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2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon to Debut at New York Auto Show
Could we be seeing a station wagon renaissance? Jalopnik reports, "Honda announced today it'll debut the Acura TSX Sport Wagon — you can't call anything just a wagon anymore — later this month at this year's New York Auto Show. This will be followed up by a quick trip to the dealerships in the ‘late fall’ i.e. expect to wait until at least October." The announcement is mildly surprising, given ...

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California Highway Patrol Helps Stop Speeding Prius
Even Eric Estrada didn't get this much excitement. The San Francisco Chronicle reports, "The California Highway Patrol says an officer helped slow a runaway Toyota Prius from 94 mph to a safe stop after the car's accelerator became stuck." The L.A. Times writes, that James Sikes, 61, is "The driver of a Toyota Prius who called 911 on Monday to report his accelerator was stuck finally got the car stopped ...

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First Reviews: 2011 Ford Super Duty
Car reviewers have gotten behind the wheel of the new 2011 Ford Super Duty trucks -- and the reviews are good. PickupTrucks.com writes, "At this moment, there's no doubt that Ford has once again raised the bar to new levels of performance and productivity for heavy-duty pickups. The Super Duty continues to be the standard against which its competition will be measured" Autoblog points out that the new Super Duty ...

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Questions Raised on Claims about Toyota's Electronics
After some claims that incidences of unintended acceleration were due to the electronic systems in come Toyotas, not sticking throttles, Toyota is fighting back. The Associated Press reports, "Toyota Motor Corp. plans to try to undercut suggestions that its electronics systems caused the sudden acceleration problems that led to the recall of more than 8 million vehicles." USA Today explains, "A professor's experiment, demonstrated in an ABC News report and ...

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Pricing for 2010 Saabs Announced
Saab may have benefited from an eleventh-hour rescue, but the brand isn't wasting any time in trying to get back on its feet. Left Lane News reports, "The brand that almost vanished into the history books is back with just one model range until the summer release of the 2011 9-5, although a new slushy road-oriented 9-3X finally joins the lineup."  That one model is the Saab 9-3, and prices ...

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2011 Ford Mustang Nets Up to 31 MPG on Highway
Ford has announced that its 2011 Mustang will not only boast a 305-horsepower V6 but will also net 30 to 31 miles per gallon on the highway and 19 miles per gallon in the city – making it the most fuel-efficient 300-plus-horsepower car ever. “If you want the extra 1 mpg on the highway from your Mustang, order the six-speed automatic,” advises AutoWeek. “Ford says it engineered the transmission with ...

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Toyota's Recalls May Not Cover Enough Models
The latest chapter in Toyota’s recall saga has hundreds of people who own cars not covered under the recalls complaining about unintended acceleration. According to the Detroit Free Press, “About 731 owners of Toyota vehicles not covered by two recent recalls have reported sudden acceleration complaints to U.S. auto safety regulators in the past six weeks, a Free Press analysis found.” The Free Press used the RAV4 as an example. ...

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Porsche 918 Spyder Concept -- 0 to 60 in 3.2 seconds at 78 mpg
Porsche has unveiled a stunning drop-top roadster at the Geneva Auto Show that has set the automotive press abuzz with its gorgeous lines and, if the company is to be believed, epic performance.  A mid-mounted V8 engine, more than 500 horsepower – it’s impressive, but nothing we haven’t seen before in the world of high-priced, low-volume European supercars.  The numbers are always impressive. This one, however, claims one number that’s ...

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Toyota Owners Encounter Acceleration Problems After Recall Fix
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has received at least seven complaints from Toyota owners who say they are experiencing unintended acceleration even after their cars have been repaired as part of Toyota’s floor mat and accelerator pedal recalls. “The Los Angeles Times reports that many experts feel the gas pedal, floor mat and brake override fixes aren't enough, as they don't deal with the actual root of the ...

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Automakers Unveil Redesigned SUVs at Geneva
At this week’s Geneva Motor Show, Toyota unveiled the European version of the 2011 RAV4, which sports a redesigned front end. The same new styling could carry over to the U.S. version of the SUV when it goes on sale later this year. However, Car and Driver isn’t so sure. “We don’t expect these changes to migrate to American-spec cars because our RAV4 just received a face lift for 2009 ...

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Nissan Recalls Half a Million Models
Reuters reports that Nissan Motor Co. is voluntarily recalling nearly 540,000 vehicles worldwide due to defects in brake pedal pins and fuel-gauge components. The brake pedal recall concerns the 2008-2010 Nissan Titan, Armada, Quest and Infiniti QX56. “Nissan reports that three instances have been reported where brake pedal pins have partially disengaged, resulting in a loss of normal braking ability,” explains Autoblog. Edmunds Inside Line adds: “In a phone conversation ...

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