Following Saab’s announcement that new-car warranties would be suspended during its bankruptcy, General Motors said it would cover warranties for some cars in the meantime. “If Saab can’t cover warranties, we will provide warranty reimbursement for Saab cars built while GM owned the brand,” says GM spokesman Jim Cain. That means cars built before Jan. 1, 2010, and includes mainly Saab 9-3s, but not new redesigned 9-5s or 9-4Xs. Saab owners who have cars within the warranty period will be listed as creditors under the Saab bankruptcy proceeding, and could be offered some coverage from Saab’s assets once they’re sold. But with the company tied up in bankruptcy, that’s now up to the Dutch bankruptcy court. Saab itself doesn’t have control over any money to cover warranties. In either case, our advice remains the same: There is no reason to go out and buy a new Saab with plenty of better competitors on the market that do offer warranties. On the other hand, if you’re considering a used 2008 or 2009 Saab that might still be under warranty, GM’s announcement means you could still factor the warranty coverage into your buying decision. Parts should still be available for some time. We don’t think they were great cars and there are other choices, but the price could be right. See the rest here: GM will cover some warranties for older Saabs

Navigation devices can be popular gift items during the holiday season, but with a growing number of people switching to smart phones, a navigation app can also make for a welcomed present for yourself or others. GPS-enabled cell phones provide drivers with the basic functionality, convenience and security of a built-in or portable navigation system, without the need for separate devices and power cords for communication, navigation, and music. Like dedicated GPS units , phones can provide visible and spoken turn-by turn directions to whatever street address the user chooses, along with restaurants, gas stations, retail stores, and other attractions chosen from a point of interest menu. Available conveniences also include traffic reporting and alternate routes to avoid delays, weather information, and voice command for hands-free operation. But phones generally have smaller screens and buttons than dedicated GPS units, which can make operation more difficult. It’s also necessary to purchase a secure mount for safe in-car operation. Basic mounts start at around $20, but more expensive models add features worth considering, like signal amplification, built-in speakers for better audio quality, and a phone charger. Depending on your wants and needs, some mounts can cost more than $100. There are two ways to turn a phone into a navigation device. One is by using server-based navigation, meaning that the map data for your route is sent to your phone as needed. The other is to download an all-inclusive application that stores entire maps on your device. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Determining the best solution for you will depend on your preferences, needs, and budget. Server-based navigation Some cell-phone service providers, including ATT, Sprint, and Verizon, provide GPS navigation and traffic information that customers can access for a daily or monthly subscription fee. With this option, mapping data is not stored on the phone, and is instead accessed wirelessly over the cellular network as needed. Cost is typically either $10 a month or $3 a day. Another server-based solution, Google Maps, provides similar functionality for free, but only for users of Android devices. Compatibility limitations restrict iPhones to Google’s static...

Today at High Gear Media, photos of the Lexus LF-Lc Hybrid concept have leaked out and Volkswagen is heading back to the Super Bowl. GM drops Big Fuel and we pull together the best car commercials of 2011. All this and more in today’s car news, right here on The Car Connection. Here are the top car news stories of 2011. General Motors dropped Big… See original here: Tesla Model S Priced, Big Fuel Dropped, Top 2011 Car News: Car News Headlines

If you like extreme winter sports and extreme-weather vehicles, Jeep has launched a contest that could be just your speed. From now through January 19, Jeep is hosting a sweepstakes that could send you to the Winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado and give you a shot at winning a brand-new 2012 Jeep Wrangler Arctic Edition. The Winter X Games will be… See more here: Win A Trip To The Winter X Games & A Shot At A 2012 Jeep Wrangler Arctic Edition

Want to make a charitable gift this holiday season? You could whip out your credit card and support any number of nonprofits online, but if money’s a little tight why not let someone with deeper pockets make a contribution on your behalf? That’s what AT&T promises to do — and all you have to do is pledge not to text and drive. We all know… Original post:  ATT Donates $2 For Every Person Who Pledges Not To Text & Drive

Saab Automobile, 64, of Trollhättan, died Monday . It was born to the late Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget, June 10, 1947, in Trollhättan, Sweden. Saab graduated from Project 92 in 1949 and completed its first Sonett in the 1950s. It married the late General Motors in 1990, and they lived together in Detroit, Mi., before separating in 2010. Saab briefly partnered to form Swedish Automobile NV (née Spyker Cars NV) before the two parties amicably parted ways. It succumbed to financial hardship and complications from product starvation. Saab was a maker of cars and, later, sport-utility and crossover vehicles until it retired earlier this year. During its time in the U.S., Saab began traveling abroad; this led it to the business of importing and reselling Japanese goods . Once back in its native Sweden, Saab continued its Asian travels, this time venturing to China for outreach programs. Ailing health and visa troubles from its previous marriage ultimately kept it from pursuing all of the travel it had planned. Saab was very fond of the number 9 and anything remotely to do with air travel. Saab is survived by nearly 3000 unsold children: 9-3 and 9-5 of Trollhättan, Sweden; and 9-4X (SRX) of Ramos Arizpe, Mexico. It also is survived by a worldwide dealership and distribution network. Saab will be cremated following a formal receivership ceremony. In lieu of flowers, the company is requesting that donations be made out to the 3600 employees soon to be out of work. A selection of Saab Automobile’s accomplishments can be seen below. Ursaab – The name says it all. This was the original, prototypical Saab automobile. It was built by a group of aircraft engineers—and it kind of showed. Saab 92 – This somewhat-odd little car was an obvious evolution of the original prototype. Series production began in 1949. The somewhat-odd name refers to the project having followed that of the Saab 91 Safir, a two-seat prop plane. Saab Sonett – Designed first as a two-seat roadster—of which six were made—the Sonett was a purpose-built race car. The name was later brought back for a production-ready roadster and then a series of coupes. Saab 99 – Saab’s first entirely new car since the 92. It was also the first Saab...

“Two guys don’t usually do this stuff at home,” justified a man caught engaging in a sex act with the local sheriff, as to why they were performing said sex act in a 1994 Ford Escort station wagon parked behind an Irish bar. More » Excerpt from: Illinois Sheriff can’t quit station wagon sex [Daily DUI] Read more from the original source: Illinois Sheriff can’t quit station wagon sex [Daily DUI]

Saab turned into a dead end today, as the company filed for bankruptcy in a Dutch courtroom, leaving thousands of owners wondering, “What next?” For Saab owners, it is a dark day, as the company has suspended warranty coverage. Let this be a warning to those who may consider purchasing from the about 3,000 9-5 s and 9-3 s remaining in dealer inventories. Michele Tinson, a spokeswoman for Saab North America, which is not involved in the bankruptcy, said the U.S. branch is awaiting news from Europe on whether there will be any money remaining to provide warranty coverage for existing Saab owners. But she said the company’s 204 dealerships will continue to provide service and parts and for existing Saabs. The company ran out of options when its former parent, General Motors, blocked a deal that would have provided a cash injection from Chinese automaker Zhejian Youngman Lotus Automobile. As we said back in May , Saab buyers are in a tough place. No one knows whether warranty coverage will resume, or how long the U.S. sales, service, and parts network can continue without the parent company. With plenty of better options among upscale and luxury sports sedans, there’s really no good reason to buy a Saab today. Even those loyal fans should exercise caution before buying a new Saab, unless they gamble on it becoming a collector’s item one day. Read the original: Saab finally reaches end of the road, warranty coverage “suspended”

In what’s turned into one of the most painful and drawn-out demises in automotive history, Swedish automaker Saab has filed for bankruptcy with a Swedish District Court. The move came after General Motors reaffirmed it would block any transaction to sell Saab to Chinese suitor Youngman, prompting Youngman to withdraw its funding offer. The move left Saab with no alternative except filing bankruptcy, which it deems to be in the best interests of its creditors. As for the next step, the Court must approve the bankruptcy filing (which it will), and then receivers are appointed to oversee the dissolution of Saab. Saab’s parent company, Swedish Automobile, will write off its interest in Saab, and isn’t likely to realize any value from its holdings. Beyond this, what happens to Saab is anyone’s guess. The eternally optimistic may point out that bankruptcy isn’t necessarily the end, but in Saab’s case it very likely is. There are rumors that a company is waiting in the wings to buy Saabs assets and re-launch the brand, but it’s likely that any company will face the same obstacles as Youngman. Excerpt from: The End Is Here: Saab Files For Bankruptcy See more here: The End Is Here: Saab Files For Bankruptcy

This is the Morning Shift , our one-stop daily roundup of all the auto news that’s actually important — all in one place at 9:00 AM. Or, you could spend all day waiting for other sites to parcel it out to you one story at a time. Isn’t your time more important? More » Read more from the original source: Saab files for bankruptcy, the 2013 Chevy Sonic RS, and the delicious Donkervoort D8 GTO [The Morning Shift] Read the original post: Saab files for bankruptcy, the 2013 Chevy Sonic RS, and the delicious Donkervoort D8 GTO [The Morning Shift]

Filed under: Latest News The Columbian police are something special. Having seized a Ferrari 348 from a notorious Columbian drugs baron, they could have scrapped or sold it. But no, “we’re having this,” they thought, so they slapped on a set of blues and twos so they could use it as the coolest criminal catcher ever. The 1991 Ferrari 348 was the beloved runabout of notorious drugs cartel boss Luis Hernando Gomez, and was taken as part of a huge and complicated operation that saw him stripped of around £60m worth of assets. Gomez is currently in a US jail for transporting huge quantities of cocaine across international borders. It’s unlikely that the Ferrari will go unto regular traffic cop service, but it makes a splendid trophy for the police in the fight against drug crime. Gomez loved the car so much that he kept it in pristine fettle, and it was found with only 1,800 miles on the clock. Not a runabout at all, then. And that’s the main reason why it couldn’t be sold: nobody would buy it, for fear they’d be killed for having the audacity to drive it. Therefore, the police felt it would be the ultimate ignominy for Gomez to see his 300bhp formerly red Ferrari favourite dressed on police decals. But which is better: a Ferrari police car or a Lamborghini one ?   See original here: Police nick drug baron’s Ferrari and use it themselves See the original post here:  Police nick drug baron’s Ferrari and use it themselves

Subaru has confirmed that the next-generation Subaru WRX , due as a 2013 model, will be powered by a turbocharged version of the new FA direct-injection, 2.0-liter flat-four that debuted in the BRZ sports car . There’s no word from Subaru on what will be under the next STI’s hood, but it’ll almost certainly be a more powerful iteration of the WRX’s 2.0-liter. The current WRX features a 265-hp, turbocharged 2.5-liter flat four, and despite the lower displacement, we don’t expect the next car’s output to be any lower. As for the next STI, we already know it will pack at least 300 hp . Both cars will move to a dedicated platform when they are redesigned instead of being modified Imprezas as they have been in the past. Happily, the muscular duo is expected to weigh less than the current models. If you’re wondering whether the turbocharged 2.0-liter will show up in the BRZ or its Scion FR-S twin, you’re not alone. Subaru says it won’t, but we don’t believe them. See the rest here: Confirmed: Next-Generation Subaru WRX Will Have Turbocharged 2.0-Liter Flat-Four Excerpt from: Confirmed: Next-Generation Subaru WRX Will Have Turbocharged 2.0-Liter Flat-Four

It seems like everyone is trying to lose weight, but most don’t follow through with their lofty ambitions. it is no different in the automotive industry. New vehicles get heavier and heavier with each passing generation, as they add on safety features and things like sound deadening to improve noise, vibration and harshness. And we’d take those improved qualities any day over the alternative when it comes to mainstream vehicles. Performance vehicles need less weight for better handling and acceleration, but thanks to their price tags often have the ability to use lightweight materials such as aluminum and carbon fiber. The mainstream? Not so much. General Motors is looking to change that though, with a new carbon fiber partnership with a company called Teijin Limited. The two companies will open a joint technical center in the United States that will “facilitate collaborative development.” The plan is to use these composite technologies for “potential volume use globally in GM cars, trucks and crossovers.” We like the sounds of that. Teijin’s innovation is carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) technology. CFRTP has a cycle time of under a minute. Conventional carbon fiber methods use thermosetting resins and take around 10 minutes to set. This makes them impractical (as in, too expensive) for usage in mainstream cars. For Tejin, this partnership is a way to increase sales of its technologies beyond the boutique market. GM gets to reduce weight in its vehicles, something it has been criticized for. We’ve seen a lot of enthusiasts complaining about weight in GM cars. At the same time though, GM’s new models are safer, better built and achieve better fuel economy figures then ever. Carbon fiber is a way to reduce weight without sacrificing those attributes.The material is 10 times stronger than steel, while being one quarter of the weight. Tradeoffs are few; imagine the mileage our cars would get with a widespread use of carbon fiber. That’s the thinking behind the move. We’re looking forward to seeing what comes out of this partnership. Related posts: All Carbon Fiber Lotus Elise – Custom Build Carbon Fiber Body Parts – What’s the Difference? Tramontana R Edition –...

A few months back there was some speculation about a Chevrolet Malibu Coupe . General Motors quickly put those rumors to rest though, saying it wasn’t in the plan “for now.” The decision to nix it likely comes down to two things: competition with the Camaro, and the fact that mid-size mainstream coupes don’t sell too well. Toyota ditched the Camry Solara due to low sales. People mostly seem to want something small, inexpensive and sporty. Except in luxury and performance categories, where coupes continue to do well. Think Infiniti G37 Coupe, Cadillac CTS Coupe, and the like. What Car? says that Mazda could offer a mid-size coupe of its own, as a variant of the next-generation Mazda6. The car would do battle against the Honda Accord Coupe and the Nissan Altima Coupe. The Mazda Takeri Concept, introduced at the Tokyo Auto Show to preview the next-gen 6, has lines that would lend itself well to a coupe. It’s the best iteration of Mazda’s new “Kodo” styling language, which is debuting first on the CX-5 crossover. Given Mazda’s penchant for performance, they could make a Mazda6 coupe work out. Especially a Mazdaspeed6 Coupe with a low price tag. We know, its probably a long shot (at least the low price part). What Car? says the car would (of course) use Mazda SkyActiv technology, offering a high compression, small displacement four-cylinder along with auto stop/start and i-ELOOP. The coupe would debut alongside the international Mazda6 hatchback, debuting sometime in 2014. The executive who spoke with the outlet anonymously didn’t specify whether or not the coupe would be sold in the United States, but if it does get the green light we don’t see why it wouldn’t be. Keeping it international-only wouldn’t make much sense. The on-sale date of the next-generation Mazda6 sedan is scheduled for January 2013. That means the production car could debut at any number of auto shows between now and next year – Los Angeles seems like a good bet but stay tuned. Related posts: 2009 Mazda6: A Disappointment Zoom Zoom: 2014 Mazda MX-5 Miata New Mazda RX7 in the Works? Automoblog.net – A Car Blog for Auto Enthusiasts See the original post here: 2014 Mazda6 Coupe In the Works, Says Executive

Buying a Chevrolet Volt just got to be a lot better bargain, following a federal investigation into fires that have plagued the car in crash tests. On Wednesday, in a goodwill effort, GM offered to provide Volt owners with free loaner cars if they are uneasy about driving their Volts. Now GM CEO Dan Akerson has said the company will buy back Volts from customers who are concerned about fire danger. In an interview with the Associated Press, Akerson says so far 16 of the 6,100-some Volt owners have inquired about loaner cars, and two have taken them. In fact, no fires have resulted from crashes of the Volt in the real world. But three out of four Volts subjected to a side-impact pole test by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have caught fire as much as three weeks after the test, while parked. The federal investigation by NHTSA is the type that often precedes a recall. Akerson told AP that if the company needs to recall the Volts to retrofit redesigned battery packs, it will do so, once the cause of the problem has been determined. “I think in the interest of General Motors, the industry, the electrification of the car, it’s best to get it right now than when you have-instead of 6,000-60,000, or 600,000 cars on the road,” Akerson said. Go here to see the original: GM offers to buy back Volts if owners fear battery fires