2011 Scion iQ Coming in March, Staying a While
When the Smart-like 2011 Scion iQ shows up in dealers next year, it's likely to give the Daimler-built two-seat city car some heartburn.
The vice president of Scion, Toyota's brand-within-a-brand, confirmed this week at the press launch of the 2011 Scion tC that the new iQ will arrive in the U.S. early next year with a Smart ForTwo-like package and much more functionality, like its unique "three-plus-one" seating and a more conventional CVT, as opposed to the Smart's automatic clutch.
Power will come from a 1.3-liter engine with more than 90 horsepower, and fuel economy will be like that of the Smart, which earns an EPA rating of 33 mpg city, 41 mpg highway.
Separately, GreenCarReports has learned from other sources that the iQ will be in showrooms in March, and will be priced competitively with the Smart ForTwo. It will also allow owners to fit a car seat inside, a big leap of functionality over the ForTwo.
Hollis also told GCR that the Scion iQ is set to run for four model years in the U.S. Americans will be getting the iQ more than two years into its life cycle, and in Asia and Europe, the iQ will be replaced in the 2013-2014 time frame. To give the U.S. market an additional model year, Toyota will produce enough 2014 iQ hatchbacks to be sold in America while it retools factories elsewhere to begin building a new version.
We'll be driving the Scion iQ late this year, so stay tuned for more.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
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Lexus Recalls 138,000 Cars–Including LS 600h–For Engine Defect
Lexus has announced that it will recall about 138,000 of its luxury sedans in the U.S.—including the 2008 model year of its flagship Lexus LS 600h L hybrid—due to a potential engine defect.
In some 4.6- or 5.0-liter V-8 engines, along with some 3.5-liter engines, valve springs might be contaminated with foreign material, leading to—based on the automaker's description—severe and costly engine failure. In a Toyota Motor Sales description, the company says that "If a vehicle is affected, there is a remote possibility that abnormal engine noise or idling may occur. In extremely rare instances, the engine may stop while the vehicle is in operation."
Only a very small fraction (two-tenths of one percent) of vehicles—or about 276 vehicles—are affected, Lexus says, but it will inspect and diagnose all vehicles potentially affected and replace engine valve springs at no charge.
Vibration, rough idling, unusual engine sounds, or poor performance—all quite unusual from a Lexus, based on our experience with these phenomenally refined cars—are indicated as likely tip-offs that there's a problem. Otherwise owners are advised to continue driving their vehicles.
In the U.S., Lexus will be filing a Defect Information Report (DIR)—formally initiating the recall—with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the week of July 5.
The recall is part of a larger global recall of 270,000 cars that parent company Toyota Motor announced earlier in the week; and it's not the only engine-related recall for Toyota in recent months. In March, in addition to its accelerator-related recalls, the automaker announced a service issue pertaining to the V-6 engines on many popular models including the Toyota Camry, Avalon, and RAV4, as well as the Lexus ES 350 and RX 350, for an issue with degrading oil lines that could also lead to engine failure.
The fact that Toyota announced its recall on a Friday afternoon, before a major holiday weekend, wasn't lost on the press. Many in the media had anticipated such timing earlier in the week.
Only certain vehicles of the following models and model years are affected:
2007-2008 Lexus GS 350
2007-2008 Lexus GS 450h
2008 Lexus GS 460
2006-2008 Lexus IS 350
2007-2008 Lexus LS 460 L and LS 460
2008 Lexus LS 600h L
[Lexus]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
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One More For The Road: Wisconsin Flunks Sobriety Test
Anyone who's ever driven across Wisconsin on its beautiful two-laners knows that in many areas you're more likely to find a rural tavern than you are a church, or even a gas station.
Wisconsin remains the only state where the first drunk-driving offense is a traffic violation, not even a crime, and it was the last state to lower the legal blood-alcohol limit from to 0.08. And it's legal for children to drink alcohol at the bar if with a parent.
The state, after all, has been a stronghold for breweries and the brewing industry, as well as binge drinkers big and small (and cheese- and sausage-eaters).
As the Associated Press outlines in a report, the state has a long history of lawmakers themselves arrested for drunk driving, which might have something to do with the state's reluctance to really crack down on the problem. Jeff Wood, a state representative currently still in office, has been charged with three DUIs in a ten-month period; he likely will save his seat and avoid jail time. He's just the latest in a long string of lawmakers and state officials to be forgiven for drunk driving.
And according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) assessment on alcohol-impaired driving fatalities, Wisconsin is in the upper third for alcohol-impaired fatalities related to total fatalities.
In 2008, a whopping 42.4 percent of Wisconsin's traffic fatalities were considered alcohol-impaired. That's higher than any other state, including a number of states in Appalachia that have, like it or not, more of a pop-culture association with drinking, driving, and crashing. Utah ranked most sober, with 18.5 percent of its crashes alcohol-impaired. Likewise a U.S. Health and Human Services report found that 26.4 percent of Wisconsin's drivers had driven while impaired at least once in the past year—versus about 15 percent nationally and 9.5 percent in Utah.
Wisconsin also hasn't laid down the law in any form regarding talking or texting behind the wheel, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
It's all a little surprising, why a state that's known for being more socially conscious at times hasn't with drinking and driving. For instance, New Hampshire, another state with a surprisingly high rate of alcohol-influenced crashes and fatalities, has taken action by restricting all driving privileges for six months with the first offense. Ignition interlocks are required there for both repeat offenders and high-blood-alcohol first offenders. Wisconsin, on the other hand, like some states, has a six-month suspension with the first offense (the moving violation), but driving privileges can be (and usually are) restored.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
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Chrysler Recalls 24,177 Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler Models
Chrysler has announced a recall of 24,177 Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep vehicles, mostly from the 2010 model year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website, certain vehicles "may have been built with an improperly formed or missing brake booster input rod retaining clip", which could result in a brake failure and crash.The Detroit Free Press reports that Chrysler discovered the problem during routine quality checks; it has received no complaints from owners or word of injuries caused by poorly made or missing clips.
Affected vehicles include:
2010 Chrysler Sebring
2010 Dodge Avenger
2010 Dodge Nitro
2009 - 2010 Dodge Ram
2010 Jeep Commander
2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2010 Jeep Liberty
If you own a vehicle on the recall list, call 1-800-853-1403, and Chrysler will schedule a free replacement of the retaining clip. For further information, contact the NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236.
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The Brand That Wouldn’t Die: GM May Lift Saab Sale Deadline
A few weeks ago, General Motors' chairman Ed Whitacre was on a spree: he'd sacked the company's CEO, canned and shifted many others on the executive team, and boldly said that if a buyer for Saab weren't found by December 31, the brand would bite the big one. Fortunately for Saab fans, Whitacre's saber-rattling appears to have been partly for show: Saab board member Paul Aakerlund told the press that the New Year's Eve deadline "is not a date that's holy", and that GM may extend it if it thinks there's a viable bidder. (Spyker, of course, hopes to be that bidder, although it's getting some competition from Wyoming-based Merbanco Inc.) We'll put down the champagne long enough to give you details if and when they develop tomorrow. [AutoNews]
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2010 NAIAS: Detroit Auto Show Schedule’s Out
For those of you anxiously awaiting a trip to Detroit in January for the city's annual auto show, it's time to plan.
Organizers have released the press conference schedule for the show, which is reduced to two days' worth of press events for the upcoming year. While some automakers have returned after a year off from the Detroit show, some are amping up their presence even more--Audi, with the first auto show debut of its A8 sedan; Chevrolet, with the new Aveo and Camaro Convertible; and Ford, with its next Focus.
We'll be back shortly with a 2010 Detroit auto show preview. Until then, it's on your marks:
Monday, January 11, 2010
7:00 am Media Credential Office Opens / Oakland Concourse
7:00 am Show Floor Opens
7:30-7:50 am NAIAS 2010 Opening Ceremony / Michigan Hall Stage
8:00-8:30 am North American Car and Truck of the Year Awards/ Michigan Hall Stage
****
8:45-9:10 am Ford / Cobo Arena
9:25-9:50 am Buick and GMC
10:05-10:30 am Toyota / Riverview Ballroom
10:40-11:05 am Volkswagen
11:15-11:40 am Mercedes-Benz
11:50-12:15 pm BMW
12:25-12:50 pm Audi
1:00-1:25 pm Bentley
1:35-2:00 pm Honda
2:10-2:35 pm Kia
2:45-3:10 pm MINI
3:20-3:45 pm Hyundai
3:55-4:20 pm Chevrolet
4:30-4:55 pm SMS Supercars
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
7:30 am Show Floor Opens
8:00-8:25 am Lincoln / Cobo Arena
8:40-9:05 am Cadillac
9:15-9:40 am Subaru
9:50-10:15 am Commuter Cars
10:25-10:50 am BYD
11:00-11:25 am CT&T United
11:35 am-12:00 pm Revenge Designs
12:10-12:35 pm Tesla
12:45-1:10 pm Michelin / Location TBA
1:20-1:45 pm MEDC-X Prize / Location TBA
1:55-2:20 pm ZF Group / Location TBA
2:30-2:55 pm Dow Kokam / Location TBA
3:05-3:30 pm EyesOn Design Awards / Location TBA
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Good News/Bad News/Good News For Disenfranchised Dealers
Last week, we told you about General Motors' "Comprehensive Plan to Address Dealer Concerns", in which GM essentially said, "Okay, dealers: we'll explain our criteria for cutting you from our network, and if you think you were treated unfairly, we'll go to arbitration. (Although the only thing subject to arbitration is whether or not you met our elimination criteria. If you just want to argue that you're an awesome and viable dealership, save your breath.)" That was good news to dealers -- fairly limited good news, but good news nonetheless.
However, in the press release announcing GM's plan, there was one significant caveat: "GM will begin to implement this plan in mid-January provided that legislation related to GM's dealer restructuring does not move forward." And guess what? That legislation has now moved forward. It was included in a larger spending bill that passed the U.S. Senate yesterday on a vote of 57-35, which President Obama is expected to sign. The bill requires "neutral arbitration", meaning that arbitrators will have to consider not only the needs of GM (and Chrysler), but also the needs of dealers and the general public.
This is great news for eliminated dealers. Under GM's plan, the standard for arbitration would have been simply whether or not GM cut dealerships in accordance with its established criteria; if dealers had met the criteria for elimination, any arguments they might make about strong sales, good location, or longstanding membership in the GM network would be moot. Under federal arbitration, however, dealers will be able to make exactly those sorts of arguments and potentially see reinstatement.
On the other hand, although the bill should prove beneficial for dealers, it may have a less desirable effect on GM's sales and marketing fronts. We'll keep you posted as more details about the legislation and its implications become available.
[AutoNews, sub reqd]
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Audi, Acura Buyers Offered $100 To Test 2010 Suzuki Kizashi
The 2010 Suzuki Kizashi has been a fairly big hit with auto journalists. Our own Bengt Halvorson gave it an impressive 8.2 rating and favorably compared it to the Ford Fusion, the Mazda6, and the Subaru Legacy, but Suzuki has more upmarket aspirations for the new sedan. Specifically, Suzuki wants customers to think of the Kizashi in the same league as the Audi A4 and the Acura TSX -- and it's offering them $100 to do so.
Here's the deal: if you text drive a Kizashi between now and January 2010 and you purchase an Audi A4 or Acura TSX within 10 days of your drive, Suzuki will give you $100. It's an aggressive move on Suzuki's part -- one that's likely to generate a good amount of press for very little dough. And hey, if you're already set for an A4 or TSX and want some holiday cash.... Anyway, you can flip through the rules and regs in the press release below.
* * * * *
Suzuki Announces 'Kizashi Test Drive Challenge'
- Suzuki puts money where its mouth is with all-new sport sedan.
- Kizashi competitive comparison offer available through January 31, 2010.
McCain Hasn’t Met Anyone Who Thinks Chrysler Will Survive
The first time John McCain ran for the U.S. presidency, his aggressive, occasionally angry style didn't sit well with voters. As we saw in 2008, he's managed to dial it down a bit during public debates, but the senator is still as feisty as ever. Yesterday, he told the press that Chrysler is doomed, despite receiving government support to the tune of $15 billion. Said McCain: "anybody believes that Chrysler is going to survive, I'd like to meet them". We'll see if he offers any analysis of the other bankrupt kid on the block, GM, and its third-quarter financials today. [DetNews]
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General Motors’ Sale Of Saturn To Roger Penske Nearly Done
Good news for Saturn enthusiasts (and we know there are quite a few of you): General Motor's deal to sell the brand to businessman Roger Penske seems to be on track. According to Detroit Free Press, Saturn's general manager, Jill Lajdziak, has requested an early retirement package from GM, and "Saturn dealers have been asked to sign new franchise agreements with Penske". Final details could be made public this week, which would be in keeping with GM's stated goal of wrapping up the sale by the end of the third quarter. Sounds like HUMMER can expect a lonely weekend at the GM orphanage. [Freep]
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