Andrea Pininfarina 51, CEO of automobile design house Pininfarina SpA, was killed while riding his Vespa. It is believed that Pininfarina's motorscooter was hit by a car while he was on his way to the company's R&D center in Cambiano.
His death comes a crucial time as Pininfarina SpA was in the middle of a restructuring, as this past year the company had a net loss of 114.9 euros.
Pininfarina was the son of Sergio Pininfarina and grandson of the carrozzeria's founder Battista "Pinin" Farina. He is survived by a wife, two sons and a daughter.
The Infiniti G37 lineup consists of perhaps some of the best looking and most desirable cars ever to come from the Land of the Rising Sun. This is even more true of the G37 Coupe, a vehicle that's so good looking that it makes the Nissan GT-R look like the morning after of a night of too much sake.
So news that there will be an AWD version of the G37 Coupe has me a just bit giddy. Better still, Inifiniti is planning on doing a folding hardtop version as well, but likely in RWD. The hardtop-convertible will debut at the LA auto show in November, and will arrive in the first quarter of next year.
Also coming for all 2009 G models is a new 7-speed automatic that will replace the current 6-speed unit, plus an uprated brake package and new 18" rims.
VW, and possibly Fiat and Renault too, are considering putting forth rally teams for the WRC. I think this is great news if it comes to pass. I say the more the merrier.Personally I think the WRC is the most exciting form of 4-wheeled motorsport out there. And unlike NASCAR, the racers bear more than a passing resemblance to "stock" cars--like those you might find in showrooms.Full story here.
Nissan is feeling the wrath of upset Arabs, as their TV commercial that is running in Israel pokes some fun at Arab sheiks that are upset at the Nissan Tilda for being too fuel-efficient, and thus costing them oil profits. Interesting to note that the video appears to be in Russian.
So now it looks like Nissan may have caused the latest Mid-East incident as the Persian Gulf states have threatened to boycott Nissan products unless the commercial is pulled, and Nissan apologizes. Here we go again...
For 2009 Toyota is giving the RAV4 its mid-cycle refreshening. The CUV gets some minor front and rear fascia changes. Probably most interesting is that there is a new Sport Appearance Package for the AWD V6 model that includes run-flat tires--which means no spare tire hanging off the rear door (or spare tire period). This model still has a door, and not a hatch; much like what's seen on the Lexus GX470.
Also newsworthy is the base 4-cylinder engine is all new, and now displaces 2.5 liters. It puts out 179 hp/172 lb.-ft. of torque, vs 166 hp/165 lb.-ft. of torque of the old 2.4 liter engine.
Nissan has been relatively quiet when it comes to some eco-tech stuff, at least in comparison to Toyota and Honda, which are Nissan's primary competitors. That's about to change, as they just showed an all-electric car prototype, which is reportedly going on sale here in 2010. The car is FWD and uses lithium-ion batteries and a newly developed 80kW motor and inverter.Here's Inside Line's take: Nissan Previews Its Chevrolet Volt Fighter
Honda has tweaked their mid-size/full-size-lite Ridgeline for 2009.
Beside the new front facia and rear bumper, the interior gets massaged as well. Interior enhancements include revised gauges, a new steering wheel design, and improved HVAC, audio, cruise and headlight controls. Also new for 2009 is the addition of Bluetooth HandsFreeLink on the Ridgeline RTL equipped with the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System, a 115-volt power outlet on the Ridgeline RTL and an MP3/auxiliary input jack on the Ridgeline RTS and above. The '09 Ridgeline also gets active front seat head restraints and daytime running lights.
Finally, the vehicle gets 3 more horsepower (now 250), 2 more foot-pounds of torque (now 247) and revised gear ratios for better acceleration. 18" wheels come with top trim models. Some folks were predicting a V6 diesel might show up, but not this year apparently.
Slowly but surely Subaru is spreading their nifty new 2.0L diesel around to other models. First it appeared in European Legacys and Outbacks, but using a 5-speed manual gearbox. Now not only is the UK-spec Impreza getting that oil burner, but it is also being paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox. Deliveries are expected to begin after the first of the year.
When the Subie diesel makes it Stateside (it's a-comin' folks, just not sure when...), I fully expect it to also have this 6-speed tranny hooked up to it, as well as a CVT option.
Also of interest to Subie diesel fans is the all-new Forester in the UK which also has a diesel option, beginning in September. It too comes with a 6-speed manual.
If AutoExpress is to be believed, the next-generation Mazda rotary sports car may use both gas and hydrogen.
As with virtually modern powerplant decisions, fuel economy and lower emissions are behind this. The rumor goes on to say that hydrogen would be primarily used in city driving, with an expected 20-percent gain in fuel economy. The bad news is that you can expect about a 20-percent loss in power as well.Full story here.
An all-new 2010 Acura crossover is in the works, and our spy shooters in Death Valley spent the better part of the night getting the first spy shots. Slated to slot in above the MDX in the lineup, the new crossover is aiming to compete with the Infiniti FX and BMW X5. It will ride on the same all-wheel drive platform as the upcoming TL sedan, so expect to see similar hardware under the hood. With the launch of the TL still to come, don't expect to see this new crossover until late next year at the earliest.
McCain has said that he would let states determine fuel economy standards, and pretty much let market forces determine the future of the auto industry, whereas Obama has promised some pretty ambitious help with a $4 billion guarantee to retool the auto industry.
So who is right here? If you worked in the auto industry, and were concerned about the future, who would you support and why?
Nissan has developed an 'Eco Pedal' that's designed to resist the driver's impulse to floor it. As the driver presses down on the gas pedal, the pedal pushes back, resisting the the driver's effort to accellerate. The idea here is to save gas, of course.
"When the driver exerts excess pressure on the accelerator, the system counteracts with the pedal push-back control mechanism," Nissan states.
While the thought is well intentioned, it will surely irritate those with lead feet. The good news for them is there is a defeat switch which can turn this eco-nanny off. Think we might see this on the gizmo-laden GT-R some day? Yeah, right...
The Detroit News is reporting that Ford and GM are considering developing powertrains together, as the cost of doing them separately is just so expensive, and getting more so as time goes on. It could also give Ford access to GM's Volt technology.
So is this a good thing? More to the point, could this ultimately become the first (baby) steps towards a merger of the two corporations sometime down the road, as there would be more commonality between the vehicles?
Big Brother is alive and will be living in the next-generation BMW 7-Series, as it literally can read speed-limit signs and relay that info to the driver. In addition it can respond instantly to changes in variable speed limits, as well as temporary limits in school zones and roadworks, then flash a warning to the driver.
So the question comes to mind is this something that could be used in court against drivers with cars so equipped?
