2012 New York Auto Show: 2013 SRT Viper with Video

By on April 9, 2012 in News

It takes quite a bit to get a bunch of jaded members of the automotive media truly excited and I can say that without a doubt the launch of the 2013 SRT Viper flat out electrified the crowd. I have had the privilege of attending quite a few press launches and this is the first and only one I can remember that gave me goose bumps. The new Viper managed to be more than 640 horsepower and 600 ft/lbs of torque, it evoked raw emotion and the embodiment of all that is great about passion for the automobile. Nothing captured it better than Ralph Gilles (President and CEO of Chrysler’s SRT division) moment while pulling the Viper on to the turntable. In the video after the break you can see him dipping his head to clear his eyes.   (more…)

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Product Review: Escort IQ

By on April 3, 2012 in Reviews

Today, many smartphones have cameras that are as good as point-and-shoots were only a year or two ago. In the automotive world the same thing is going to become both a battle ground and an enormous problem. The battle is going to be to include more and more converged systems. Think about the concept of having a cellular internet connected car just a few years ago. The issue is going to become how to allow these systems to age gracefully. Think about it, the super advanced navigation system in your new car? Think about how it is going to feel in five years, let alone ten.

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Long Term Test: F-150 FX4 Ecoboost Update 2

By on April 2, 2012 in Long Term Tests

It seems like just yesterday that our long term Ford F-150 Ecoboost FX4 SuperCrew hit the 5000 mile mark. Here we are with a truck that has rolled past the 10,000 mile mark. Since our last update, we have had our first service, been through one warranty repair and have seen fuel economy fall off from the first report. We are still looking to demo some products for the truck and are interested in your questions and comments. Read on for all the news and use the comments to let us know what you would like to see. (more…)

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New York Auto Show Preview – Afternoon Commute

By on March 30, 2012 in News, Video

Today we go through all of the known releases to date for the 2012 New York Auto Show. New York might not be the year’s biggest auto show, but it is the last of the major shows for the year and the last chance for most of the manufacturers to present their 2013 models. Expected highlights of the show are the 2013 Dodge Viper and new Chevrolet sedan. Autosavant will be covering the the NYIAS in person, so be sure to follow @AutosavantKG on twitter for live tweets and photos.

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Review: 2012 Ford Focus Titanium Sedan

Review: 2012 Ford Focus Titanium Sedan

By on March 29, 2012 in Reviews

Fuel efficient compact cars are a hot segment right now. After having been largely neglected by domestic automakers for the last decade, cars like the Ford Focus, Chevrolet Cruze and upcoming Dodge Dart are now offering US consumers thoroughly modern small cars, with up-to-date in-vehicle technology and efficient powertrains delivering up to 40 MPG highway. The Ford Focus was all new for 2011 in the US, after having languished on an aging platform that was introduced in the late 1990s as a 2000 model year vehicle. (more…)

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Smart Phone with a Dumb Screen – GM GoGoLink

By on March 29, 2012 in News

If you have ever had the chance to use a car with ten year old navigation you know that in car electronics do not age gracefully. For those who have not, think about attempting to use a ten year old smart phone. Even the most bleeding edge technology that is available today will be antiquated in the not too distant future. The question that remains is what should manufacturers do to help mitigate this problem? Yesterday, GM released a new in-car infotainment system that will be able to remain up to date by keeping the brains of the system out of the car. Read on to find out how.

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Afternoon Commute for 3/28/2012

By on March 28, 2012 in News, Video

Today we review the Jeep prototypes that are showing at the Easter Jeep Safari. Also, we decide that it is time for Jeep to just build a pickup from the factory.  Next up, we talk about the JLTV or the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle and what engine it is going to have driving all four wheels. The we close out with all GM news. GM has been producing more technology press releases than a rabbit on hormone therapy and most have been interesting. Stay tuned for even more GM tech news on the site later tonight.

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Cadillac Takes Aim at Technology Leadership

By on March 28, 2012 in News

We are officially a week away from the New York Auto Show and the pre-show news has started to flow in force.  One of the items that caught our attention is all of the in-car technology news that Cadillac has been readying for their upcoming models.  Both the new ATS and XTS are going to be available with a stack of technology that could potentially vault them back into a leadership position in the industry (from the brand’s current position that is anything but a leadership one). Read on for new on just some of the features that are going to be available and stay tuned for in-depth coverage from the NYC show as we have some one-on-one time planned with GM. (more…)

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Video Review: 2012 Honda Fit Sport AT

By on March 27, 2012 in Reviews

It took me a week of banging my head on the steering wheel, but I think I finally figured out how to express my feelings about a modern Honda. Hondas are like BlackBerry smartphones. They are reliable, sturdy, and feel a bit stuck in the past. If you really need to get your e-mail and you need the highest grade of security pick the Honda. If you’re interested in embracing the future? Lets hope that Honda has some rapid innovation up their sleeves. The 2012 Honda Fit Sport does everything a car needs to do. It does these essential car activities very well and I am convinced that it will keep doing them for years to come. My concern is that in the market today it seems like the competition is innovating faster and bringing more exciting products to market. (more…)

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Afternoon Commute for 3/26/2012

By on March 26, 2012 in Video

Today we talk about the NHTSA and their new distracted driving guidelines. Despite all of their recommendations the one thing that is and always will be more dangerous than navigation screens is texting while driving.  Next up is the Hennessey twin-turbo Ford GT that set a record at the Texas Mile hitting 257.7 MPG. Then we cover the weekly Fisker Karma update. We talk about the Malaysian Grand Prix this weekend and it looks like it is going to be a good season. In more racing news Dodge will be campaigning their new Dart in RallyCross. Finally, your yuck moment of the day…The Subaru XV.

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