Remember the Toyota Prius braking problem we’ve been talking about for some time now? Well, Toyota today finally announced that it will conduct a voluntary safety recall on approximately 133,000 2010 Toyota Prius units and 14,500 2010 Lexus HS 250h units to update software in the vehicle’s anti-lock brake system (ABS).
While in the U.S. that number totals 147,500, the worldwide recall involves 437,000 vehicles, including the Toyota Prius and Sai hybrid. The Sai is sold primarily in Japan.
“The ABS, in normal operation, engages and disengages rapidly (many times per second) as the control system senses and reacts to tire slippage,” Toyota said in a statement. “Some 2010 model year Prius and 2010 HS 250h owners have reported experiencing inconsistent brake feel during slow and steady application of brakes on rough or slick road surfaces when the ABS is activated in an effort to maintain tire traction.”
Toyota said that the production allocation for the 2010 Toyota Prius received the upgrade last month and that the HS 250h will get the upgrade this month.
The Japanese automaker said that it will begin mailing letters to Prius owners included in the recall next week and HS 250h owners within the next few weeks. Owners will only receive a letter if their vehicle is involved in the recall.
Check out the FAQs about the 2010 Toyota Prius and Lexus HS 250h Recall after the jump.
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A V6 Ferrari? That should be one of the signs that the world is coming to an end? Start preparing for Armageddon because according to Ferrari boss Amedeo Felisa, the Italian brand could build V6-engined cars in the future.
When asked about the possibility of a V6 powered Ferrari, Felisa said: “If I had to answer the question a year ago I would have said no, but attitudes are changing and we build cars for customers.”
As for an electric Ferrari, don’t hold your breath.
“If you look at global warming, the right solution is not full electric,” Felisa said. “It’s more a marketing solution than a real one, sound is just as important as design and performance for Ferrari. We will not make engine sounds with speakers.”
- By: Kap Shah
Source: AutoCar
If many of you have that sentimental attachment to your vehicle to the point where you hate leaving it in the garage at night, then you can most probably share your feelings with Holger Schubert. The 43-year-old product designer loves his Ferrari 512 BBi Boxer so much that he parks it in the middle of his living room next to his stylish furniture, bookcase and a flat-screen TV that slides on tracks pasted on glass-made walls that frame a view of the ocean.
Sounds like a dream right? Well, it’s about to become one for Schubert as well. Los Angeles officials are about to ask him to tear down his exquisite garage after neighbors complained about a bridge that connects his Ferrari’s third-floor parking spot with North Tigertail Road.
The ruling by the West Los Angeles Area Planning Commission comes after the extravagant garage won Architectural Digest magazine’s Design Driven contest last year.
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At the 2010 Chicago Auto Show later this week, FoMoCo will show the new 2011 Ford Transit Connect Electric commercial van, the first in a series of electric-vehicles from the Dearborn automaker. With the help of Azure Dynamics’ Force Drive battery electric powertrain and Johnson Controls-Saft’s advanced lithium-ion battery technology, the 2o11 Ford Transit Connect Electric will go into production in late 2010.
Ford says that the “Transit Connect Electric is ideal for fleet owners that have well-defined routes of predictable distances and a central location for daily recharging”
Power for the 2011 Ford Transit Connect Electric comes from a Siemens model 135, 300V nominal, liquid-cooled, 3-phase AC induction motor, which gets its fuel from a 28kWh Johnson Controls-Saft lithium-ion battery pack. Mated to a single-speed transmission and running on a full-charge, the Transit Connect Electric provides 80 miles of driving range with a top speed of up to 75 mph (0-60 mph in 12 seconds). The Transit Connect Electric takes 6 to 8 hours for a full charge using 240v.
Following the Transit Connect Electric, Ford plans on bringing three more electric-vehicles to market by 2012. The first will be the Ford Focus Electric in 2011, followed by a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle in 2012 and a next-generation hybrid in 2012.
Click through for the press release and the high-res image gallery.
2011 Ford Transit Connect Electric:
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In early 2005, FoMoCo was the first automaker to introduce gas-electric hybrid powered taxis in North American fleets with the Ford Escape Hybrid in San Francisco and New York City. Continuing with its fuel-efficient taxi success, FoMoCo announced today that it will start producing the new 2011 Ford Transit Connect Taxi, which will arrive in dealerships later this year.
Other than already efficient 2.0L 4-cylinder gasoline engine, Ford said that it will also offer engine prep packages on all Transit Connect models (base and taxi) allowing conversion to clean-burning natural gas (CNG) or propane (LPG). Ford says that besides offering ample space for taxi riders, the Transit Connect’s 135 cubic feet of cargo space is perfect to accommodate a compressed gas tank.
As for an integrated payment processing and passenger information technology, FoMoCo will be teaming up with Creative Mobile Technologies (CMT). Ford and CMT are also working to extend the offering of Ford Work Solutions with a suite of productivity tools for business owners including a wireless in-dash computer with full high-speed Internet access and navigation.
Hit the jump for the press release for more info along with the high-res image gallery.
2011 Ford Transit Connect Taxi:
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Scion has announced pricing on the limited-production 2010 tC Release Series 6.0 – also known as the tC RS 6.0, which will arrive in dealerships in March. The 2010 Scion tC RS 6.0 model will carry an MSRP of $18,620 with a manual transmission, and $19,420 with an automatic transmission.
The 2010 tC RS 6.0 is painted Speedway Blue that is not offered on any other Scion. It has a unique matte-black vinyl graphic that runs along the beltline and features the RS 6.0 logo on the rear quarter panel. The Scion tC RS 6.0 gets a more sporty appeal with front and rear seats boast color-tuned surfaces – black fabric with blue highlights – and the leather-wrapped steering wheel finished with blue stitching.
The 2010 Scion tC RS 6.0 also features Alpine Premium Audio system with navigation, a 4.3-inch touch screen, iPod/USB connectivity, 200 watts of output, RCA output connections, and HD RadioTM technology. The navigation system gets a flash-based GPS navigation software with turn-by-turn voice guidance, a 3D map view option and route-guidance icon.
2010 Scion tC RS 6.0:
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Chrysler Group LLC and Fiat SpA CEO Sergio Marchionne has canceled his speech for the 2010 Chicago Auto Show, which kicks off later this week. Marchionne was scheduled to address the Economic Club of Chicago Thursday on the closing of media days of the auto Show.
“Chrysler Group LLC Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne unfortunately will be unable to deliver his planned speech to the Economic Club of Chicago on February 11, due to an unexpected but necessary trip out of the country,” Chrysler said in a statement.
Replacing Marchionne will be President and CEO Dodge Car Brand, and Senior Vice President, Product Design, Ralph Gilles to address the group.
- By: Omar Rana
With the current PR crisis facing Toyota, their potential troubles in Washington only add insult to injury. Thankfully for them they have friends in high places, including Senators and Congressmen who not only represent thousands of Toyota workers, but have actually lobbied to lure Toyota to their states.
Some of these lawmakers also happen to be part of the groups currently investigating the carmaker, and one company official is even a former employee of the federal agency that is set to conduct investigations.
Toyota has developed many connections as they worked through the years to build goodwill with regard to their American audience, but the question remains; will those connections payoff?
Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-WV, has personal ties to the Toyoda family that run back to the 1960’s, and often boasts about his role in lobbying Toyota to establish a plant in his home state. His committee is set to investigate as to whether the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration acted with enough aggression toward Toyota. He sees no reason to step aside from his committee’s investigation.
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Earlier this morning, Porsche unveiled its new 2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S; however, it seems like Porsche doesn’t want us to know how the S on the end of the turbo sounds. We just received a video from Porsche with no sound, so if you’re bored, have fun and make your own noises.
Click through to see the video.
Click here for our original post on the 2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S for more details.
Refresher: Building on the 3.8L inline 6-clyinder, the 2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S adds two exhaust gas turbochargers for a total power increase of 30-hp to 530-hp and a torque of 516 lb-ft. 0-62 mph in 3.3 seconds and 0-124 mph in 10.8 seconds. Top speed comes in at 195 mph.
2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S:
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According to Fiat, the new Alfa Romeo Giulietta will be quieter and will offer a better ride than the Volkswagen Golf. The Italian automaker says that it will also be more agile than the Ford Focus. The Giulietta will be the first Alfa to use a new compact chassis that Alfa says is supreme in terms of handling, steering feel, performance to weight ratio, ride and comfort.
During testing against the Golf and Focus, Alfa engineers used a Giulietta equipped with a 170-hp turbocharged MultiAir 1.4L engine mated to a twin-clutch paddle-shift gearbox.
The new Alfa Romeo Giulietta will make its debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show next month. Prices of the model will similar to the Volkswagen Golf.
Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne says that the Alfa brand has the possibility of being launched in the U.S. only if the Giulietta achieves its European targets.
2011 Alfa Romeo Giulietta:
- By: Kap Shah
Source: AutoCar
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