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Volkswagen Amarok camper conversion ready for adventure

Filed under: Aftermarket, Truck, Europe, Volkswagen

If you had your heart set on a Volkswagen Amarok before the company made it clear that the truck wasn’t heading to North America, prepare to have your wounds lightly salted. A company by the name of Bimobil has gone through the effort of creating a camper conversion for the handsome pickup. Instead of the drop-in style units that we’re used to seeing here in the states, the Bimobil piece actually replaces the Amarok’s bed altogether. From what we can tell, owners can easily detach the camper once they get to a suitable location in the event they have to go to town for important supplies. You know, like beer. Or a snake-bite kit.

Our Google Translator isn’t much help in discerning exactly how much Bimobil is asking for the swank digs, nor what other special features the camper boasts. Even so, we’re thinking that there are few better ways to vacation than from the back of a pickup. Besides, how awesome does this thing look? If you happen to speak German, you can head over to Bimobil’s website and dream a little dream of mobile living. Otherwise, content yourself by having a look at our gallery below.

[Source: Bimobil via German Car Blog]

Volkswagen Amarok camper conversion ready for adventure originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Toyota’s Daihatsu recalls over 500,000 minicars over… fading taillamps?

Filed under: Budget, Japan, Recalls, Hatchback, Toyota, Daihatsu

Daihatsu has announced plans to recalling over 500,000 vehicles in Japan due to taillight lenses that can fade over time. The lenses, originally orange, will bleach white with exposure to the sun, leading to a potential safety risk. As a result, Daihatsu is recalling a total of 435,423 Move hatchbacks built between 1995 and 2000, as well as 145,769 Mira models manufactured from 1998 to 2000. Both vehicles fall into Japans micro-car category and are powered by fuel-thrifty .66-liter engines.

The company plans to fix the issue by installing orange bulbs in the vehicles instead of the white ones that came from the factory.

Daihatsu is owned by Toyota, and the company produces a number of small vehicles for the manufacturing giant. While not as crippling as some of the other issues Toyota has had this year, the Daihatsu does add to the 11 million recalled Toyota and Lexus vehicles recalled since fall of last year.

[Source: Automotive News]

Report: Toyota’s Daihatsu recalls over 500,000 minicars over… fading taillamps? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Subaru testing its version of FT-86 “Toyobaru” coupe in the Death Valley heat

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Subaru

We’ve read many reports lately having to do with Toyota’s FT-86 rear-wheel drive sports coupe, but we mustn’t forget that Subaru will be getting its own version of this new two-door – it is a joint venture, after all. Our spies have captured this obviously Subaru-bodied mule out testing in Death Valley, showing that things are still on track for the “Toyobaru” to come to market in the near future.

Details are still very slim on what Subaru’s version of the FT-86 will offer, and contrary to the brand’s image, the new coupe may not be available with all-wheel drive. If that’s the case, Subaru will have to offer a lot more in the way of styling (and perhaps power) to differentiate it from its Toyota sister. This latest prototype has sprouted a hood scoop not seen on earlier test cars, suggesting that a top-mount intercooler could be underhood, though it’s also possible that this is just the result of some WRX/STI parts being used for camouflage purposes.

Toyota is expected to launch its version of the FT-86 in November of 2011, so keep your fingers crossed for Subaru’s version to drop around the same time. For now, see a glimpse of what’s to come in our high-res gallery of spy shots below.

[Source: KGP Photography]

Spy Shots: Subaru testing its version of FT-86 “Toyobaru” coupe in the Death Valley heat originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevrolet Volt will not be eligible for HOV-lane access until mid-2012

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Government/Legal, Hatchback, Chevrolet, Nissan, Electric

Prospective owners of the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf shouldn’t get too excited about driving in California carpool lanes as soon as they take delivery. Late Tuesday night California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed SB 535 into law, extending access to the high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lanes to certain very low and zero emissions vehicles. This new class of vehicles known as Enhanced Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicles (enh-ATPZEVs) and includes plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles like the Leaf and Toyota’s Prius PHEV.

Unfortunately, there are some caveats. SB 535 doesn’t take effect until January 1, 2012 and even then only 40,000 of the special stickers needed for HOV access will be made available. In order to qualify, the vehicle has to be rated as an enh-ATPZEV, which brings up the second problem for Volt drivers. A General Motors spokesperson confirmed that the 2011 and 2012 Volt will not be enh-ATPZEV certified. The requirements to earn the enh-ATPZEV label are significantly tougher than the standard ATPZEV. Given the escalated development of the Volt, GM didn’t have enough time to calibrate and verify that the plug-in hybrid would meet the standard over a 10-year/150,000-mile period.

That’s also why the Volt battery only has the eight-year/100,000-mile warranty required for the non-enhanced ATPZEV. GM spokesman Rob Peterson verified that the Volt will be updated to enh-ATPZEV in mid-2012 when the 2013 model is introduced. In the meantime, you’ll just to make sure to bring a friend if you want to ride in the carpool lane.

UPDATE: We just got word from Nissan that the Leaf is eligible for the All Access stickers under a previous bill passed (AB 1500) earlier this year. That means if you take delivery of a Leaf today, you can be flying in the HOV lanes tomorrow.

[Source: General Motors]

Chevrolet Volt will not be eligible for HOV-lane access until mid-2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mini Countryman commercial makes mess of multiplication

Filed under: Videos, Crossover, Hatchback, Mini

Mini is continuing its advertising onslaught for the new Countryman, and in its latest spot, the company visualizes every potential path for the Countryman to run amok in the Italian countryside. The original car eventually multiplies into a fleet of over one hundred CG interpretations, all hopping curbs and harassing pedestrians in what we can only imagine is what the world would look like if a Mini exec ruled the globe. Eventually, the high-riding Countryman flings itself onto a ferry to escape into the sunset.

Mini also turned out a making-of video to document the action. If you’ve ever wondered exactly how filmmakers go about melding the physical world with the virtual, you’ll want to check out that clip, too. You can find both after the jump.

[Source: Mini]

Continue reading Mini Countryman commercial makes mess of multiplication

Mini Countryman commercial makes mess of multiplication originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Swedish man may pay largest speeding fine ever

Filed under: Government/Legal, Mercedes-Benz

Just because major portions of the German Autobahn have no speed limit doesn’t mean you can drive as fast as you want anywhere in Europe. Where there are posted restrictions, most European countries take speeding very seriously and levy hefty fines. The latest case in point is a 37-year-old Swedish man who was clocked at 180 miles per hour on a motorway between Bern and Lausanne in Switzerland.

Unfortunately for this driver of a new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Switzerland doesn’t have fixed fines for speeding. Instead they use a formula similar to that in Finland where the fine is calculated based on the vehicle’s speed and the driver’s income. Back in 2002, Nokia executive Anssi Vanjoki had to pay a fine of $103,600 for going 47 mph in a 31 mph zone.

In this latest incident, the driver faces a penalty of just over $1 million for traveling at the highest speed ever recorded on a public road in Switzerland. Apparently the SLS escaped being clocked by several older cameras that are limited to 125 mph before finally being recorded by a new camera with a higher radar speed range. His excuse: The speedometer was faulty.

As far as we know, this is the most expensive speeding ticket ever issued, though there are reports of a kid who last April was caught speeding in his dad’s Bugatti Veyron, the punishment for which was permanent seizure of the vehicle.

[Source: The Telegraph]

Swedish man may pay largest speeding fine ever originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prototype Mazda3 with 2.0L Sky-G engine gets 30/40 mpg

Filed under: Budget, Technology, Mazda

Mazda gave us a glimpse of its next-generation Sky-G (gas) and Sky-D (diesel) powertrains at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, as well as its new Sky-Drive six-speed automatic transmission. These engines are currently running the testing gauntlet, as the first applications are expected to show up as early as next year in the refreshed Mazda6 sedan.

Car and Driver was able to snag an early test of a 2.0-liter Sky-G engine, which will reportedly achieve 30 miles per gallon in the city and 39 to 40 mpg on the highway when used in a Mazda3. This puts it in the same territory as the Volkswagen Golf and Jetta TDIs, not to mention besting smaller offerings like the Ford Fiesta and Honda Fit.

C/D also got the skinny on Mazda’s 2.2-liter Sky-D diesel powertrain, which the automaker has confirmed for application in its “next-generation mid-size sedan” (*cough* Mazda6 *cough*) which will achieve up to 43 mpg on the highway. Take that, Fusion Hybrid. Head over to Car and Driver’s full deep-dive for a raft of details about both of the new engines.

Photos Copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Car and Driver]

Prototype Mazda3 with 2.0L Sky-G engine gets 30/40 mpg originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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$300 discount on Lexus F Sport Accessories

Filed under: Aftermarket, Lexus

Lexus just dropped us a note to let us know that its F Sport line of performance accessories are on sale between September 10 and November 1, with between $100 and $300 off on accessory packages ranging from $500 to $2,000. If you’re interested in wheels, brakes or an exhaust for your GS or IS, click here for the coupon with all the details.

$300 discount on Lexus F Sport Accessories originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kia to upgrade 2011 Sorento shock absorbers to soften ride

Filed under: Crossover, Kia

Back in March, Kia debuted a new top-shelf version of its most popular vehicle, the Sorento crossover, dubbed the ‘SX.’ The announcement included word of a redesigned front clip and more equipment, but we were most interested in the SX’s lower ride height and Dual Flow Damper shocks, which Kia says deliver sporty handling without undue ride harshness.

As we would discover after spending a week traversing the Midwest’s broken roads with a lesser Sorento EX model, that last bit about ride harshness is particularly important, because while the Sorento had a pleasant highway demeanor and tracked well, it was surprisingly stiff and brittle on potholed roads, acquitting itself more like a body-on-frame vehicle than the unibody CUV that it is. Fortunately, Kia noticed this ride quality issue and decided to take the costlier DFD dampers and employ them not just on the new SX model, but across the model’s entire range beginning in the fourth quarter. While Kia officials we spoke with at an Atlanta press event this week stopped short of admitting that the Sorento’s ride quality has been an issue, they did note that once engineers sampled the DFD setup on the SX, they liked the ride so much they decided to institute the new units on all Sorentos.

During the event, we had a chance to sample a pair of Sorento SX models, and over some of the city’s choppy, unkept stretches of pavement, we noticed a markedly less flinty ride, despite the SX model’s large and flashy 18-inch alloy wheels. While we’ll wait to drive a DFD-equipped Sorento back on the Midwest’s mean streets before we give it a clean bill of health, our backsides were encouraged by what they felt, and we’re likewise pleased to see Kia taking quick action to address a sore spot on a new model.

How was the rest of the $32,195 SX? Rather accomplished, actually. We like the SX’s new lower fascia and grille (though the standard Sorento’s a good-looking proposition as well), and the 276-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 felt predictably more capable than the merely adequate 2.4-liter four-cylinder we drove recently. Other SX-specific alterations include LED taillamps and a healthy dollop of chrome inside-and-out. The added flash won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but it’s quite tastefully done and we suspect Kia won’t have trouble finding buyers.

That said, if you’re merely in the market for a new Sorento LX or EX and you live in an area where the roads are less-than-perfect, might we suggest holding on to your current ride until the fourth quarter-builds trickle into your local dealer?

Kia to upgrade 2011 Sorento shock absorbers to soften ride originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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