Latest Cars Reviews Blog: августа 2009

Toyota to debut lithium-ion plug-in hybrid at 2009 Detroit Auto Show

Toyota said today that it will introduce its first lithium-ion battery powered plug-in hybrid by 2010. We already know that Toyota will introduce the third-generation Prius and a Lexus hybrid-only...

Spy Shots: The US Version of the 2011 Ford Fiesta Sedan

Automotive Traveler magazine contributor Mark Fletcher shows why it’s always a good idea to keep your camera by your side as you never know when you’ll encounter a camouflaged prototype, in this case the US-spec version of Ford’s upcoming 2011 Fiesta.

While we know that the Ford Fiesta is coming to the North America next year, Ford is going to great lengths to keep front and rear details of the domestic version secret while the cars undergo their final validation tests. So while the 100 Fiestas currently taking part in Ford’s Fiesta Movement program gives us a good idea of its overall silhouette, we’ll still be seeking out the detail differences between the European and US versions. Yesterday, on his return trip from Las Vegas, Mark Fletcher hit pay dirt as he was able to capture some exceptionally clear images of Ford’s upcoming B-segment subcompact. Read more about this discovery at Automotive Traveler.

In The Autoblog Garage: 2008 BMW M5

Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage, Sedans/Saloons, BMW

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2008 BMW M5

BMW's M5 is understated enough to fly under the radar of the general public, but those in the know, familiar with its capabilities and the legacy it carries, grow silent with reverence if you pull up to them at the gas pump. Who can resist a vehicle that can stop conversations mid-sentence, and accelerates strongly enough to extinguish candles on the next block? We certainly couldn't, and thus began our week with the mighty M5.

Gallery: In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 BMW M5

Continue reading In The Autoblog Garage: 2008 BMW M5

In The Autoblog Garage: 2008 BMW M5 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially official: Subaru leaving World Rally Championship

Filed under: Motorsports, Subaru

Click above to view Subaru's 2008 WRC car in our high-resolution image gallery

Rally fans who were troubled by the rumors yesterday that Subaru was preparing to do the unthinkable and scrap its WRC team will be disappointed to learn that the speculation has proven to be true, as parent company Fuji Heavy Industries has announced it is pulling its participation effective immediately.

Not unlike its fellow Japanese automaker Honda, which has canceled its Formula One program, Fuji Heavy points to cost-cutting measures amidst the current global economic crisis as its reason for canceling its motorsport program. Still, it's a shocking move for the automaker that earned its reputation on the rally circuit, even if they haven't won a single stage since 2005. The move also means that Prodrive, the racing consultancy firm that has operated the Subaru WRC team for over 20 years, will need to find a new partner for next season and beyond as the WRC moves ahead with new regulations. But Prodrive may find the rally circuit a lonely place after Suzuki also canceled its participation, leaving Ford and Citroen as the only manufacturers fielding factory teams in the top level of rallying. Follow the jump for the official press release.

Gallery: Subaru Impreza WRC2008

Continue reading Officially official: Subaru leaving World Rally Championship

Officially official: Subaru leaving World Rally Championship originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ashlee Simpson Gives Child Lame Hipster Name, Initials "B.M.W." [Offbeat News]

For some reason, Jessica Simpson's less attractive and less talented sister Ashlee is famous, and being famous apparently automatically brings mental disability. Ashlee and husband Pete Wentz have ushered in their first son and named it, wait for it, Bronx Mowgli Wentz. Initials, BMW. Yes, Mowgli, like the kid from Jungle Book. Why not just name the kid "Beat me up and take my lunch money" or "Child of vapid nobodies." We weep for society. [People]

Nissan to release range of commercial vehicles in U.S. in 2010

Filed under: Minivans/MPVs, Commercial Trucks, Nissan

Click above for high-res shots of the Nissan NV200 concept

Nissan will be putting a full-court press on the small commercial vehicle market beginning in 2010, according to Joe Castelli, Nissan North America's vice president for light commercial vehicles and fleet. Specifically, the automaker will attack the smaller end of the market where the Ford E-Series vans and Super Duty trucks currently dominate.

Starting with the recently-unveiled NV2500 commercial van, Nissan will branch out to include at least one smaller urban transit vehicle, which will likely draw inspiration from the NV200 concept and do battle with Ford's upcoming Transit Connect. That van might be based on the same platform as the upcoming Cube scheduled to hit U.S. shores in 2009.

About one-third of Nissan's U.S. dealerships are planning to carry the new line of vehicles. It would be impossible to enter this market without a solid supply of diesel engines, so Nissan is believed to have contracted with Cummins for oil-burners, a convenient relationship now that the Japanese automaker has allied itself with Dodge.