If there’s one truck we’d love to own, it would no doubt be the Ford Raptor. It exudes coolness in looks and it has impressive capabilities all the same. The competition still hasn’t fielded any entries to compete against it really, although Toyota is trying to parlay revived interest into sales for the new Tacoma Baja Edition. When it debuted it was available in standard cab form, but Ford has since expanded Raptor availability to the Super Crew four-door model. Ford says it is seeing 80 percent take rates on the four-door model, helping to greatly increase sales. For 2012, some changes have been announced that tweak the package even further. The biggest addition is a new Torsen front differential with a helical gear set. The changes are aimed at improving the Raptor’s performance while rock climbing. The system increases front grip, forcing torque from the wheel that is losing traction to the one with traction. It has a torque bias ratio of 2:5:1. Exterior changes include a new color called Race Red, the addition of body-side Raptor graphics and a new “Euroflange” wheel design. In the interior a matte anodized-blue interior color accent package will feature, except when the exterior color is Race Red. When you opt for that color, you get aluminum trim and accent leather on the front seats, rear seats, center stack and door panels. We’d imagine that means it will cost more than standard colors. The luxury package also gains cooled seats for 2012.. The feature that will delight gadget freaks and off-road enthusiasts alike is the addition of a new off-road front camera system. It is placed in the front grille and relays video feedback to the Raptor’s 8-inch navigation screen when at speeds under 15 mph. It will prove useful when off-roading by being able to see what is directly in front of you. “It’s a surprise and delight feature that works during low-speed crawling, and it’s particularly useful for seeing in front of the vehicle when tackling large inclines,” said Jamal Hameedi, Ford SVT chief engineer. “We found the system particularly useful for avoiding large rocks or placing a tire on a rock. It can even take the place of the spotter at times, which is a great feature...

Image via Wikipedia After more than four years from launching the new smart fortwo vehicle, the car was able to sell over half a million units. This year alone, about 67,073 smart cars has been delivered to customers, a proof that the vehicle is really getting attention from customers. More than four years after the market launch of the current generation the smart fortwo remains on the road to success. Until today over half a million models of the innovative two-seater have been sold. And sales continue to rise: since the beginning of the year 69,073 smart fortwo have been delivered to customers around the world, 6.6 percent more than in the same period last year. “Our smart has long since evolved into an icon, which is indispensable in the cities of the world,” says Dr. Annette Winkler, Head of smart. With the third generation of the smart fortwo electric drive smart is once again setting standards. It will be available for ordering from spring 2012. Those who would like to be among the first owners will have the opportunity to make a reservation online as of the fourth quarter 2011. For the further development of the car the company was able to integrate extensive experience of about 15,000 test runs and customer feedback from various electric mobility projects. For example, this is reflected in clearly improved range and engine performance. Dr. Annette Winkler continues, “Driving with the new smart electric drive makes a lot of fun. It causes neither noise nor emissions, and yet with it you are agile and flexible on the roads in the city.” The new sales model will make the introduction to electric mobility particularly attractive for customers. With the ‘sale&care’ model customers can buy, lease or finance the vehicle at an attractive price for less than EUR 16,000 before tax and rent the battery for less than EUR 60 per month before tax. As a result, production at the smart factory in Hambach, France has already been ramped up to a five-figure volume starting 2012. In Germany customers will be able to drive the new electric completely CO2-free as the company will provide additional ‘green’ electricity. As an ideal addition to the portfolio, the smart ebike will be launched in the second quarter of 2012. As a...

Florida’s Sun-Sentinel newspaper has done the public service of combing the 1,800 vanity plates rejected by the state’s DMV and picking some real winners. It’s like filthy, half-literate magnetic poetry: HASAGUN GOLF HOE / HO GETTA CAML TOW. More » Read more from the original source: 1,800 license plates banned by Florida’s DMV [Vanity Plates] Go here to see the original:  1,800 license plates banned by Florida’s DMV [Vanity Plates]

Subaru is about to embark on a new strategy dubbed “Motion-V” that will see the automaker’s fuel consumption and emissions cut 30 percent by the middle of the decade. However, cleaner running vehicles is just one pillar of the all-encompassing plan that will also see the launch of safer, more advanced, and more refined vehicles… Here is the original: Subaru Announces Motion-V Plan, Promises Three New Models

Yamaha is recalling 2,300 VMX17 (V-MAX) motorcycles, because high oil pressure inside the oil pump can cause it to malfunction. If oil stops pumping through the engine, severe engine damage can occur, causing the engine to stall and not restart again, increasing the risk of a crash. Certain Yamaha motorcycles from model year 2009 to 2011 are affected by this recall, including the YB, YCB, ZR, ZCR, AG and ACG variants. The safety recall is expected to begin in October. Yamaha dealers will replace the oil pump for free. For more information, owners can call Yamaha at 800-962-7926 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236, or visit www.safercar.gov . Learn more about motorcycles and scooters . More here:  Recall: Yamaha VMX17 motorcycles—possible engine stall

Increasing fuel economy with smart navigation Better fuel economy comes in interesting packages Thanks to hybrid cars , start/stop is becoming standard in many conventional vehicles — improving fleet fuel economy much more than just hybrids can provide. And thanks to hybrids like the BMW ActiveHybrid 5, navigation might one day make every car more fuel efficient. I typically don’t find new luxury hybrids and plug-ins to be that arousing. While I’m glad that buyers in these segments have more foreign-oil fighting offers; ultimately, a true attack on oil cartels like OPEC must drive through mainstream buyers. Nevertheless, the new ActiveHybrid 5 is a bit stimulating. No it’s not the 335 hp or the 5.7 second 60 offered by the 3.0 liter inline six ActiveHybrid 5. It’s not the lithium-ion battery pack, nor the 2.5 miles of EV range BMW’s latest hybrid provides either. Instead, it’s the navigation system that is integrated with the hybrid drive. Punch in a destination and the ActiveHybrid’s nav system will determine not just the most fuel efficient path, but the most fuel efficient way of utilizing the energy available. Consequently, the new BMW hybrid knows when its best to use more or less battery power based upon the upcoming road conditions. Additionally, the ActiveHybrid strives to fully replenish the battery pack as it nears the final destination. So what, you might ask? According to a recent IBM study, telematics like navigation and car-to-car communications could increase fleet fuel by 20 percent — without the need for batteries. Add this this technology to hybrids and plug-in vehicles, and the potential increases even further. But is a 20 percent increase in fuel economy worth the cost of the navigation system? Who cares? With a few car-to-car sensors in new cars, an app for the latest smartphones could provide the telematics for cheap, mainstreaming capabilities for such fuel economy-improving systems. Sure hybrids and plug-ins will require extra coding for further integration into their hybrid and electric drives, but scale will quickly make such code cost-effective. Then there’s the gained efficiency. Now that’s smart navigation. More here:  Smart – BMW ActiveHybrid 5 navigates its way...

Aside from being a dirty, tiring and often thankless job, trash collectors have one of the deadliest jobs in America. In fact, solid-waste collection employees have the fifth highest fatality rate of any occupation in the United States, due largely to impatient and distracted drivers. A newly energized campaign from the National Solid Waste… Originally posted here: Slow Down To Get Around: Campaign Urges Safety For Trash Collectors

How does Volkswagen, the “people’s car” company, plan to meet ambitious sales goals and wind up parked in more people’s driveways? If the redesigned-for-2011 Jetta and redesigned-for-2012 Passat are any indication, a cornerstone of VW’s strategy is to give buyers a lot of room for the money–and maybe a diesel engine, too. The Passat’s sticker starts at a low, low $19,995, which winds up being $20,765 once you pay for the destination charge. VW claims that the Passat has “the most premium standard features in its class.” Indeed, all Passats include Bluetooth and automatic climate control. But the options packaging structure means that most buyers will be forced to pay a lot more than the inviting initial price. Want an automatic transmission? It only comes with a $2,695 “Appearance Package” which includes alloy wheels and luxuries like lighted vanity mirrors and a rear seat armrest. (So much for “premium standard features.”) Most buyers will wind up with an automatic 2.5 SE like our test car. It came in at $25,595. VW seems to be taking a page from Toyota’s playbook—neither of our Passats came with floor mats, so there’s another $100 or so you’ll want to spend. Volkswagen is unique in this market for offering reasonably-priced diesel engine versions of sedans and wagons. We bought a TDI SE with a sunroof; it’s packaged with VW’s DSG automated manual transmission. If you want a diesel with an automatic, you’ll have to take a sunroof. Manual transmission buyers who want a sunroof are out of luck, regardless of engine choice. Our TDI cost $28,665. First impressions: This Passat has a cavernous interior and trunk. Interior styling reminds us a bit of the previous Passat’s—if that interior had melted in the sun so that all of the detailing is smoothed away and the nice chrome touches and soft-lined cubbies are gone. The sporty reflexes of the old Passat are also rounded away, leaving behind fairly typical day-to-day driving dynamics. We’ll see how the Passat does in our braking and avoidance maneuver tests on our track, two big shortcomings of the Jetta SE. There’s no question that VW is going after Toyota Camry intenders with...

Chrysler is recalling 667 model-year 2012 vehicles because debris inside the engine block could cause connecting rod bearing failure, which can lead to engine seizure and thereby increase the risk of a crash. All of the recalled vehicles are equipped with a 3.6L engine and include the following: Chrysler 200 Chrysler Town and Country Dodge Charger Dodge Durango Dodge Grand Caravan Dodge Journey Jeep Grand Cherokee All of the recalled vehicles were manufactured between August 31 and September 13, 2011. Chrysler will notify owners and replace the engine for free. The safety recall is expected to begin in October. The recall number is l33. Owners can call Chrysler at 800-853-1403, contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236, or visit www.safercar.gov . Read the rest here: Recall: 2012 Chrysler vehicles—potential engine seizure

Chrysler Group is recalling nearly 700 model-year 2012 Chrysler 200, Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Charger, Dodge Durango, Dodge Grand Caravan, Dodge Journey and Jeep Grand Cherokee models built between August 31 and September 13, 2011. All affected vehicles are equipped with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6, which may potentially experience… Read the original post:  Chrysler Recalls 2012 Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep Models For Engine Debris

After five months of testing and living with the Nissan Leaf , the first mass-market all-electric car, we have published the road test, ratings, and full track report online. It will also be featured in the November issue of Consumer Reports magazine. Since it’s not sold nationwide yet, we bought our Nissan Leaf in California this past April and had it shipped to our Connecticut test facility. The Leaf cost us $35,430, but it’s eligible for a $7,500 federal tax break and additional local incentives. In California, for instance, the Leaf can become a $22,000 car due to the available subsidies. Seen just as a car, we’ve found the Leaf a very pleasant hatchback with quick off-the-line acceleration, a quiet cabin, comfortable ride, and easy access. But there’s an elephant in the room, or actually two elephants: limited range and long charging times. In ideal conditions, meaning mild weather and gentle driving habits, we were able to get around 90 miles of cruising range. On cold days, with the heater running, the range dropped to about 60 miles. Typically, we got about 75 miles from a full charge. In most cases the car returned to base with 10 to 15 miles left in reserve. (At 9 miles left you get a warning that the battery is low.) It then took six hours to recharge using a 240-volt charging station. A typical charging session consumed about 22 kilowatt-hours of juice. (The battery’s capacity is 24 kWh.) Without a 240-volt (aka Level 2) charger on hand, the wait can be long: 16 hours using 120-volt power. While the Leaf has a dashboard display that shows power consumption in terms of miles per kWh, we couldn’t rely on that for our testing, just like we don’t rely on an average mpg trip computer display in a regular car. To measure its energy efficiency, we put the Leaf through exactly the same tests as we use for gasolie-powered cars. On average we consumed 3.16 miles/kWh. Using a standard formula developed by the EPA, that was the equivalent of 106 mpg. We rented a device that allowed us to tap into the car’s diagnostics port and showed us exact consumption. We also correlated what the car consumed on-board to what it took to charge and established that charging efficiency is 85 percent. In other words, 15 percent of...

For years, one tradeoff of owning a pickup was the lack of a locking trunk. If you needed to keep a laptop or camera bag out of sight and secure, your options were limited. Ditto for tools, especially over-sized things like shovels or post-hole diggers. Honda debuted a locking trunk in the bed of its Ridgeline pickup, but it wasn’t really… The rest is here:  Ram Expands RamBox Lineup, Lowers Pricing

We have good news and bad news. The good news is that Nissan has just announced pricing for the 2012 edition of the popular Murano crossover. The bad news is that the automaker has also announced pricing for the 2012 Murano CrossCabriolet, which is perhaps the most-hated vehicle on the American market. But good news first: pricing for the 2012… View original here: 2012 Murano and Murano CrossCabriolet Pricing Announced

Just one day after Ford launched its 2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor, Toyota has rolled out a limited-edition pickup of its own: the Tacoma Toyota Racing Development (TRD) T|X (Tacoma Extreme) Baja Series. The T|X Baja Series made its debut yesterday at the 2011 Texas State Fair — appropriate, since the truck will be manufactured at Toyota’s… Continued here:  2012 Tacoma TRD T|X Baja Series Gets A Preview In Texas

Hyundai is working on a 10-speed automatic and is bringing a rally-ready Veloster to SEMA. A camera-based collision detection system debuts on the 2012 GMC Terrain, and GM introduces the first front center air bag. All this and more in today’s car news, right here on TheCarConnection. Hyundai, the little automaker that could, is upping the ante… Read the original here:  F-150 Raptor Gets Upgrades, BMW 5-Series Hybrid, Tesla: Car News Headlines