In this episode, 5th Gear’s Tom Ford took the new Lexus IS220d to Rome to test it out. Fitted with a 2.2-liter, 4cylinder turbo-diesel engine that pumps out 177Hp /130kw, the IS200d can go from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) in 8,9 sec while it reaches a top speed of 218 km/h (135mph). Its avg. consumption is […]
June 30th, 2008 | On The Road | 0 comments | ContinuedArchive for June, 2008
Fuel economy drives down new-vehicle gratification
Luxury brands still top J.D. Power study results
Americans found their new vehicles slightly less gratifying this year than last year.
That decline was caused in large part by declining consumer gratification with the fuel economy of their new vehicles, according to this year’s J.D. Power and Associates Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout Study.
The average overall score […]
GM prices Traverse crossover at $28,990
The 2009 Chevrolet Traverse, the brand’s key entry in crossovers this year, will go on sale in September for $28,990 for the base LS trim line.
That is almost the same price as the cheapest Ford Flex ($28,995), which will go head-to-head with the Traverse. The Flex went on sale this month.
Starting prices for the other […]
Gasoline prices stabilize; oil continues to rise
Gasoline prices leveled last week, but the same couldn’t be said for oil prices.
Crude oil prices climbed to another record of more than $142 Friday (June 27th), signaling a likely return to rising prices at the pump.
The price of crude oil reached $142.26 in pre-market electronic trading before falling to $140.65, up $1.01 as of […]
Lamborghini Gallardo Drifting Driving Lesson Fifth Gear Tiff
Let’s GO on the ROAD with Fifth Gear in the Lamborghini Gallardo - Two videos to get your pulse racing,
From GO on the ROAD
Don’t Avoid Your Vehicle Interior–Try a Detailer
Many people make it a habit to head to the neighborhood carwash once a week or once every other week.
Other people choose to spend a part of each weekend washing their own cars because they like doing the activity themselves. But much of the time—for whatever reason–people end up cleaning and taking care […]
California unveils major plan to slash emissions
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) — California today took a major step forward on its global warming fight by unveiling an ambitious plan for clean cars, renewable energy and stringent caps on big polluting industries.
The plan, which aims to reduce pollutants by 10 percent from current levels by 2020 while driving investment in new energy technologies that […]
VW starts testing electric cars, sees launch by 2010
BERLIN (Thomson Financial) — Volkswagen has started testing a new electricity-powered car engine and expects to launch the first cars fitted with it by 2010, CEO Martin Winterkorn said.
Speaking during a presentation of the first Golf model fitted with such an engine, Winterkorn said the system, called “TwinDrive,” has an electric engine that can also […]
June 27th, 2008 | On The Road | 0 comments | Continued
California to drivers: Drop the cell phone, dude
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Next week California will try to wrest cell phones from the hands of drivers, telling everyone from movie starlets and dot-com millionaires to surfers and soccer moms that conversations behind the wheel must be on a headset.
Several U.S. states and some two dozen countries around the world already have restrictions on […]
Obama: Automakers need research funds
Presidential hopeful Barack Obama told General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner and other economic leaders today that he sees a “surprising consensus” on what needs to be done to fix the nation’s economy.
Obama, an Illinois senator and the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, made the declaration at the close of an economic roundtable today at Carnegie […]
Chrysler will offer wireless Internet access in 2009 models
Have you ever thought rush hour on the freeway might be more bearable if you could check your e-mail, shop for a book on Amazon, maybe place some bids on EBay?
Then perhaps you should be driving a Chrysler.
The nation’s third-largest automaker is set to announce Thursday that it’s making wireless Internet an option on all […]
In Norway, they’re building your first electric car
OSLO, NORWAY — Ingvil Ladehaug is battery challenged.
Her laptop is running out of juice. Her cellphone is down to its last electrons. But the director of communications for Norway’s Think — beginning production in September of perhaps the best electric car in the world — feels good about our chances of getting home.
“We’re going to […]
June 26th, 2008 | On The Road | 0 comments | Continued
Versace to design Lamborghini bags, interiors
MILAN (Reuters) — Versace has agreed to design the interior of a limited edition Lamborghini car and its accompanying accessories like gloves and bags in the latest collaboration between the two luxury brands. The Italian fashion house will design the interior of the Murcielago LP640 Roadster, a joint statement said on Monday at Milan’s fashion […]
June 25th, 2008 | On The Road | 0 comments | Continued
Renault unveils fuel cell-powered Scenic prototype
PARIS — Renault has unveiled a new electric car prototype that loads Nissan’s fuel cell technology and lithium-ion batteries onto the popular Grand Scenic medium minivan.
The French carmaker says the Scenic ZEV H2 project is part of wider, continuing efforts with its Japanese alliance partner to develop and bring to market a range of zero-emission […]
June 25th, 2008 | On The Road | 0 comments | Continued
Lincoln launches MKS with mini-movie
Lincoln plans to introduce its new MKS sedan to black consumers today with what it calls a three-minute “movie commercial.”
Called MadCrazyLove, the spot is scheduled to run during the Black Entertainment Television Awards pre-show. The commercial depicts a black couple’s romantic journey in the MKS.
Lincoln wants the extended spot to drive consumers to Lincoln’s […]
New Caddys coming…
General Motors will unveil a Cadillac CTS wagon this fall in an effort to compete with BMW’s 3 series and Mercedes C-class wagons.
Cadillac intends to start production in 2009 for global sale. GM has shown a CTS coupe concept to be produced next year.
Cadillac also plans to replace its current SRX crossover with a […]