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UKDM Nissan 370Z 'Yellow' is a special-edition homage to Europe's GT4 series Filed under: Motorsports, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Nissan, UK, Special/Limited Editions 
2010 Spyker C8 Aileron - Click above for image gallery
American fans of Nissan's fantastic new 370Z can order their cars in Chicane Yellow, but up until now, their counterparts in Blighty have been out of luck if they've wanted a sunburst Z of their own. Until now. That's because Nissan UK has cooked up a special new limited-edition (if unimaginatively named) 370Z Yellow.
Apparently inspired by the Japanese automaker's European GT4 series racers, all Yellows will receive 19-inch forged RAYS alloys, a black leather and suede interior, along with illuminated door sill plates, special floor mats, and so on. Did we mention the bespoke lower body graphics? They remind us of less subtle, billboard-sized versions of the graphics packages on certain Porsche 911s.
Nissan assures that there will be a "strictly limited volume" of Yellows for sale in the UK, with "exclusivity guaranteed." But tellingly, perhaps, the company isn't divulging just how many it plans to produce in the model's press release (available after the jump). If you're interested, prepare to shell out £31,650 (nearly $52,000 USD)
for a six-speed manual or £33,050 for the automatic (just over $54,000 USD - as usual, bear in mind the UK's comparatively inflated pricing structure for new cars).
Continue reading UKDM Nissan 370Z 'Yellow' is a special-edition homage to Europe's GT4 series UKDM Nissan 370Z 'Yellow' is a special-edition homage to Europe's GT4 series originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy Filed under: Autoline on Autoblog Hybrids Stumble While Diesels Surge
 The new-car sales figures for June must be a cause for concern for fans of hybrids. But at the same time they're very encouraging for diesel proponents. You don't want to read too much into one month's sales numbers, but the numbers do tell a story.
Ever since gasoline prices tumbled from their highs of last year, sales of hybrids have tumbled along with them. And while most automakers are shunning diesel engines right now, Volkswagen turned in sales numbers in June that should make everybody sit up and pay attention.
So, are we going to see a battle royale between hybrids and diesels? It's too early to tell, but here's what's going on in the market at this snapshot in time.
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John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit" and daily web video "Autoline Daily". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.
____________________________________________________________________________________Continue reading Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 7.2.09 
Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 7.2.09 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
REPORT: Dodges to be rebranded as Alfa Romeos in Europe Filed under: Euro, Dodge, Earnings/Financials, Alfa Romeo 
With the ink still wet on the Fiat/Chrysler deal, many auto sites (including Autoblog) have had a bit of fun prognosticating which Fiat/Alfa models would be rebadged as Chrysler products. U.K. site Autocar is reporting that Fiat is exploring bringing in Dodge models to Europe to be rebadged at Alfa Romeos. CEO Sergio Marchionne is said to be considering the move, saying that the two brands share the same core identity.
Autocar quotes Marchionne as saying that Dodge is the muscle car of the U.S. while Alfa is the muscle car of Europe, the latter being an interesting bit of positioning that we Statesiders don't normally associate with the brand. If the right Dodge-branded products were to make their way to Europe, the theory is that the Auburn Hills marque could actually bolster the products already offered by Alfa. The problem is, though, that there are few (if any) Dodge models that could reasonably be expected to perform well in Europe. The only models that are likely to be of interest are the Charger, Viper and Challenger, and the there is a chance that the Viper could soon find itself outside of the Chrysler portfolio altogether. The Charger and Challenger are likely too big for Europe as well, and would probably only sell in small numbers.
Marchionne also tells Autocar that the Chrysler group is still losing money, but the rate has slowed due to production and labor cuts.
[Source: Autocar]REPORT: Dodges to be rebranded as Alfa Romeos in Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Rumormill: McLaren planning hybrid supercar Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Supercars, Rumormill 
McLaren F1 LM - Click above for high-res image gallery
McLaren has put up a job posting for a Senior Engineer for Powertrain Hybrid Technology on its official website, which may offer a few clues as to where the automaker may be heading in the near future for its road cars. As far as rumors go, this one seems pretty solid. According to an unnamed spokesperson quoted by Autocar:
It (hybrid technology) is something we want as a forward-thinking, technology-driven company. We have been considering it for future projects. All the advert means is that we are looking for a senior engineer in powertrain hybrid technology. Read into it what you will.
One possibility is that McLaren will attempt to adapt the KERS system from its Formula 1 race cars for street use. It's widely agreed upon that McLaren's KERS implementation is the best in F1 and both BMW and Ferrari are also thought to be working on KERS for future road cars.
Within the next few years, McLaren is expected to introduce a couple of new supercars, including a replacement for the current SLR, codenamed P11, and a successor to the famed F1 supercar from the mid '90s that's currently known as the P12.
[Source: McLaren via Autocar]Rumormill: McLaren planning hybrid supercar originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Spy Shots: 2011 BMW 5-Series mule caught in the desert Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, BMW 
2011 BMW 5-Series - Click above for gallery
A year ago, we showed you pics of the next-generation BMW 5-Series doing some high-speed testing on the Nürburgring, but that was pretty much the last we heard about this midsize bahnstormer. Well, intrepid spy photographer Rich Truesdell spotted a similar mule out in the desert last week, and he has filled us in on some additional details. The car he spotted appears to be a 2011 BMW 540i sedan. Rich relates that the car was big enough to have him thinking 7-Series at first, but BMW helped out by having a clearly larger current 7 on hand for comparison purposes. How thoughtful of them.
While not a lot of final detail shows through, Truesdell points out that the heavy rear quarter cladding could be a tip that something is brewing in the recently revamped styling department in Munich. In particular, around the C-pillar, there was a lot of camo, indicating that perhaps there's something worth hiding. Beyond that, the sedan looks like a shortened 7-Series from most angles, and the dual exhausts suggest that this is likely the V8-powered 540i. Follow the source link to read what Rich thought of the vehicle and to see all of the photos in high-res.
All images (C) 2009 Rich Truesdell/Automotivetraveler.com
[Source: Automotive Traveler]Spy Shots: 2011 BMW 5-Series mule caught in the desert originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Hyundai starts accepting Cash-for-Clunkers trade-ins early Filed under: Car Buying, Hyundai 
2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring - Click above for high-res image gallery
While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration doesn't plan to release its final rules and regulations for the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), otherwise known as Cash-for-Clunkers program, until July 23rd, Hyundai has decided that its customers don't have to wait. Alexandria Hyundai in Alexandria, VA has already accepted the first trade-in and doled out its first rebate. The clunker is a 15-mpg 1995 Ford Explorer, and Katherine Michon of Arlington, VA traded it in for a $4,500 credit on a brand new 26-mpg Hyundai Elantra Touring.
How can Hyundai get away with accepting clunkers early? The automaker is giving dealers short-term cash advances to cover the cost of its rebates until the CARS program officially kicks off later this month. Hyundai has 13 models with particular engine combinations that qualify for CARS, and the NHTSA has already confirmed that transactions on or after July 1, 2009 are eligible.
This could be a brilliant move on Hyundai's part, since its own internal research shows that 11 percent of car shoppers have delayed their purchase to take advantage of the rebates. If Hyundai is the only game in town that's accepting trade-ins and giving rebates early, it could steal a few sales away from other brands that are waiting patiently for the program to officially begin.
On the other hand, the NHTSA warns on the CARS official website that "interested dealers and consumers may want to wait until all of the detailed issues that must be addressed in the implementing regulations are resolved and the final rule is issued." By that time, however, you'll be driving around in a new car and getting reimbursed for the rebate will by Hyundai's problem.
[Source: Hyundai]Continue reading Hyundai starts accepting Cash-for-Clunkers trade-ins early Hyundai starts accepting Cash-for-Clunkers trade-ins early originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Ford attacking X Games with star-studded trio of Fiesta rally cars Filed under: Motorsports, Hatchbacks, Ford 
Tanner Foust's 2009 Olsbergs MSE ROCKSTAR Ford Fiesta - Click above for high-res image gallery
Ford knows better than most that the way into an American car buyer's heart is through motor racing, so the latest step in Ford's North American "Fiesta Movement" is the deployment of the compact hatchback which we've driven and enjoyed on several occasions on America's most popular rally circuits.
Following its entry in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, Ford will be fielding a team of rally-prepped Fiestas in the upcoming X Games, the 15th running of the famous stunt competition and the first time Ford will participate. Piloting a trio of Fiestas prepared by the same Swedish MSE outfit that created Marcus Gronholm's rallycross car will be a star-studded line-up comprised of drift champion Tanner Foust, ten-time X Games medalist Brian Deegan and former Indy champion Kenny Brack. With that much talent behind the wheel, we'll look forward to the Fiesta Movement getting into motion at the games running in Los Angeles from July 30 to August 2. Details are available in the press release below the fold and a pair of sketches of the X Games Fiestas can be found in the gallery below.
Continue reading Ford attacking X Games with star-studded trio of Fiesta rally cars Ford attacking X Games with star-studded trio of Fiesta rally cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Goodwood Festival of Speed featuring 135-foot monument to Audi Filed under: Audi, Lifestyle, UK 
Goodwood Festival of Speed Audi Sculpture - Click above for image gallery of more GFoS sculptures
The Goodwood Festival of Speed takes place this weekend, and every year the Earl of March, who manages the 12,000-acre Goodwood estate that hosts the event, commissions a giant art piece honoring that year's featured marque. Audi is the featured marque this year, which is timely since the Ingolstadt-based automaker is also celebrating its centennial.
This year's sculpture that was commissioned for Audi is a big swoosh of tire tracks with a 1937 Auto Union streamliner and new Audi R8 V10 suspended at either end. Standing 135-feet tall and weighing 40 tonnes, as they say in Britain, the piece is made entirely of steel to support itself without braces or cables. Gerry Judah is the designer, as he has been for Goodwood's featured art installations since 1997 when he first designed one for Ferrari. This is also the second time he's produced a piece for Audi, the first one being back in 1999.
It goes without saying that we all want to stick this in the flower bed in our front yard, but unfortunately you'll only be able to see it if you're in West Sussex this weekend to enjoy the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Check out more pics of this year's Audi sculpture, as well as art pieces from prior years, in the gallery below.
[Source: Audi, Photos courtesy of Gerry Judah]Continue reading Goodwood Festival of Speed featuring 135-foot monument to Audi Goodwood Festival of Speed featuring 135-foot monument to Audi originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
New pics of production Spyker Aileron hit the interwebs Filed under: Coupes, Supercars, Spyker 
2010 Spyker C8 Aileron - Click above for image gallery
Boutique Dutch carmaker Spyker unveiled its elongated and streamlined C8 Aileron back in March in Geneva, and we saw its North American debut in New York a month later. Those were show car versions of the upcoming production model based on the concept car we had seen in Geneva and Pebble Beach the year before. We've seen the imposing coupes from every possible angle, inside and out. They are finely crafted, uniquely engineered, rolling works of art, like a plutocrat's timepiece on wheels. What we haven't seen is a production-spec Aileron in red.
A new batch of photos has just begun circulating out onto the 'net, showing a stunning red Aileron driving around Europe. A reliable source tells us this is the first pre-production car to hit the streets, so it is only a matter of time before we see one of these 400 horsepower, Audi 4.2-liter V8-powered rocketships in private hands. Click below to see our full gallery.
[Source: Spyker]New pics of production Spyker Aileron hit the interwebs originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
REPORT: BMW 335i Gran Turismo dialed in for 2011 Filed under: Wagons/Estates, BMW 
According to a report by InsideLine, BMW is set to expand its wagonesque line-up by one in 2011 with the introduction of the 335i Gran Turismo. The 3 series-based crossover takes its inspiration from the 2011 BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, with a sloping X6-like hatch that will feature the same two-stage tailgate on the 5 series GT, allowing owners to open either the small trunk or complete hatch.
IL's sources say that two-, four- and five-seat configurations will be available, along with a range of diesel and gasoline engines, including at least one petrol-powered turbo version. If the 3 series GT comes to fruition, that would bring BMW's entry-level line-up to five models - coupe, convertible, sedan, wagon and five-door - and provide another competitor to the Audi A4 Avant and Q3, but could cannibalize X1 and X3 sales in the process.
[Source: InsideLine]REPORT: BMW 335i Gran Turismo dialed in for 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
VIDEO: Norton Commando Transformer is more than meets the eye Filed under: Time Warp, Videos, Lifestyle, Motorcycles 
We didn't much care for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen when we went out and saw it on opening night, but we're still smitten by the concept of robots that transform into all manner of vehicular machinery. In Michael Bay's new flick, motorcycles may have taken a more prominent role than in the past, but we prefer the classic Norton Commando in the short clip after the break to the two-wheeled robotic movie machines.
Composed and rendered by Steve Twist, a student from Bournemouth University gunning for his undergraduate degree in Computer Visualisation and Animation, this eight-month project looks to be time well spent to our eyes. Better still, in our heads, this is exactly what an old Norton motorcycle would sound like if it could talk.
Perhaps Twist can get in touch with Bay to instill at least a modicum of realism for the inevitable Transformers 3? Nah, probably not. Click past the break to watch the video.
[Source: Motorcycle News]Continue reading VIDEO: Norton Commando Transformer is more than meets the eye VIDEO: Norton Commando Transformer is more than meets the eye originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
REPORT: Despite having no real value, investors continue to trade GM stock Filed under: GM, Earnings/Financials 
As of 10 am this morning, General Motors stock was trading at about 80 cents. If you think that is a bit of a bargain, you may be a bit of crazy. With The General apparently almost finished with bankruptcy, there is near certainty that the company's common stock will mean exactly nothing in a manner of days or weeks.
GM is warning investors that the stock grab is a bad idea, releasing a statement reiterating its "strong belief that there will be no value for the common stockholders in the bankruptcy liquidation process, even under the most optimistic of scenarios."
With GM common stock scheduled for oblivion in the near future, it seems likely that any money spent on stock in the struggling company would be more useful as kindling for a bonfire. Since the new GM will be owned by the federal government, unions and shareholders, the stock-buying public likely won't have an opportunity to buy in for months - or more likely, years.
[Source: Detroit News | Image: Scripophily Trader]REPORT: Despite having no real value, investors continue to trade GM stock originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Double Oops: Wife plows into husband's new Chevy Corvette Z06... in her Hyundai Genesis Filed under: Coupes, Sedans/Saloons, Sports/GTs, Safety, GM, Hyundai  Hyundai Genesis crashes into Chevrolet Corvette Z06 - Click above for high-res gallery
We can only imagine how exciting a day it would be to bring home a brand spanking new Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Genesis Owners forum member zedbuyers was feeling that love as he and his wife left a Massachusetts Chevy dealer with a spanking new Cyber Gray Metallic Z06. Zedbuyers was driving from the dealer in the rain with his wife following behind in the couples' nine-month-old Genesis Sedan when disaster struck.
As traffic slowed from 60 mph to 30 mph in the exit lane, zedbuyers applied the brakes, but his wife evidently didn't. The Genesis slammed into the hours-old Z06, thrusting the $80,000 supercar into the vehicle in front of it. Oddly, the Genesis took the brunt of the blow, and a local Hyundai dealer estimated the damage at $16,000, including nearly $2,000 for the HID headlamps alone. The Z06 damage was $10,000, including $2,000 for a carbon fiber bumper.
Luckily, nobody was seriously injured in the accident, but we're sure the owner is smarting none the less. We're guessing the insurance company is not going to react kindly to a combined $26,000 in damages only hours after the purchase of what is likely a very expensive vehicle to insure in the first place. Peruse the gallery below to check out the carnage, and click on the link below for zedbuyers' damage estimates.
[Source: Genesis Owners via Jalopnik]Double Oops: Wife plows into husband's new Chevy Corvette Z06... in her Hyundai Genesis originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
REPORT: NHTSA may mandate amber turn signals Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety 
Some cars have red turn signal lamps, while others have an amber hue. Big deal, right? The National Highway Traffic Safety Association thinks it is, after finding that amber lights are 5.3% more effective at preventing crashes than the red blinkers. NHTSA came to that conclusion after comparing crash data of vehicles that switched from one color to another. Europe already mandates the amber turn signal, and NHTSA says that data from other agencies supports their findings. As it is, American cars sold in Europe already receive legal turn signal units - even if they aren't sold that way in America (see Chevrolet's C6 Corvette as an example).
NHTSA is now asking the public whether it should mandate amber turn signals for all vehicles sold in the States. Unfortunately for automakers, amber turn signals aren't exactly high fashion here in the U.S., as the vast majority of the signals are of the red blinking variety, likely because of cost considerations. While it's true that the auto industry is probably suffering from a case of far too many regulations, anything that can improve safety by up to 5.3% without costing an arm and a leg is probably worth considering. If NHTSA gives automakers a reasonable amount of time to implement the changes, automakers may be able to fit the change into the next design cycle.
[Source: Kicking Tires]REPORT: NHTSA may mandate amber turn signals originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
VIDEO: Twin-turbo Viper V10-engined Ford Mustang looks to be one sick pony Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupes, Videos, Dodge, Ford 
We love Ford Mustangs of all shapes and sizes, and the age-old adage of "the more power the better" definitely applies. Scott Vanderschoor, a regular on Bang Shift forums, is working on one hell of a pony car; one that carries the panache of a 'Stang and the power of a Dodge Viper - with a pair of turbochargers providing a little additional motivation. Unsurprisingly, Vanderschoor reportedly needed to move back the firewall a half foot to make room for the massive 8.4L V10 engine, but we're guessing the labor will pay off with some absolutely incredible power numbers.
Hit the jump to see Vanderschoor's big beast as it turns over on camera for the first time. The sound is a bit different than you'd expect from a typical Mustang V8 growl and we're guessing that it has a little more oomph under the hood than most pony cars on the road - even before Vanderschoor tuning gets sorted out. This is one Mustang project we're looking forward to seeing more of! Check out the gallery below in addition to the video after the jump.Thanks for the tip, Brian L!
[Source: Bang Shift]Continue reading VIDEO: Twin-turbo Viper V10-engined Ford Mustang looks to be one sick pony VIDEO: Twin-turbo Viper V10-engined Ford Mustang looks to be one sick pony originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Review: 2010 Honda Insight EX, familiarity breeds discontent Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage, Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Hatchbacks, Honda
2010 Honda Insight EX - Click above for high-res image gallery
First impressions can be problematic, even more so when reviewing a vehicle. When the media gets its first shot at a new offering, the automaker typically invites journalists to a location of its choosing to drive under conditions that show the car in its best light. Such was the case with the 2010 Honda Insight. After our First Drive, we came away with the impression that Honda's hot new hybrid was an engaging alternative to the Toyota Prius, but we quickly came to realize the Insight's limitations and flaws after a week behind the wheel on our home turf.
Get our real-world impressions after the jump.
Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading Review: 2010 Honda Insight EX, familiarity breeds discontent Review: 2010 Honda Insight EX, familiarity breeds discontent originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
eBay Find of the Day: Mammoth 1930s Hariss steam-powered split-window prototype Filed under: Concept Cars, Time Warp, Minivans/MPVs, Trucks/Pickups, Auction Action, Etc., Special/Limited Editions 
Hariss Steam Car prototype - Click above for high-res image gallery
Now here's just the thing to mix up with a heated-up Flattie, or better yet, a Rajo Model T powerplant, which would be perfectly authentic for the vintage. Oh sure, purists will argue that this artifact, which apparently started life as a Hariss Steam Car prototype carrying a Stanley Steamer power unit, should be returned to its original state. Good luck figuring out exactly what that was.
With a deft enough touch, you could pay homage to the 1930s craftsmanship in this vehicle without ruining it. Either way, if you're determined enough to buy this obviously Stout Scarab-inspired vehicle (it currently has one bid at $8,500) it will be yours to do whatever you choose, critics be damned. Going all Travels With Charley with this split-window behemoth, especially towing a homebuilt teardrop trailer, would be a fantastic summer diversion, and if you did go all external-combustion-engine on it, you'd always have a fire to sit around at night.
[Source: eBay Motors]eBay Find of the Day: Mammoth 1930s Hariss steam-powered split-window prototype originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Next Ford Focus to be built exclusively in Europe? Filed under: Coupes, Economy, Sedans/Saloons, Plants/Manufacturing, Hatchbacks, Ford 
2009 Ford Iosis Max concept - click above for high-res gallery
Since it first came to the market in 2000, Ford's Focus has been consistently lauded for its crisp "European handling," and thanks to a Ford of Europe press release yesterday, that bromide sounded like it was about to become truer than ever. The release in question announced that the next all-new Focus is to be sourced from a single location - the Blue Oval's Saarlouis Plant in Germany. Quite understandably, that proclamation caused a bit of consternation here in the States, with some news outlets reporting that North American Focus models will also originate from the German facility. Not so.
Autoblog spoke with Lincoln, Mercury communications manager Mark Schirmer this morning (despite his title, Schirmer has been tasked with preparing for the U.S. launch of the 2010 car) and he has re-confirmed that all North American Focus models will originate from a freshly renovated Wayne Assembly Plant in Michigan (something that Ford officials initially promised back in May).
The intention of FoE's confusingly worded statement was to note that Saarlouis is to be the single point of origin for all European Focus models. In addition to Saarlouis and Wayne, Ford will also likely produce the next Focus at a plant somewhere in Asia, but a location announcement has not yet been made.
Next Ford Focus to be built exclusively in Europe? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
STUDY: Majority of highway fatalities caused by deficient road conditions Filed under: Maintenance, Government/Legal, Safety 
What would you think to be the leading contributor to fatalities in car crashes here in the States? Failure to use seat belts? Speeding? Drunk driving? Think again. According to a new study commissioned by Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), the leading cause of highway fatalities is deficient road conditions. In fact, the study asserts, with a roadway-related crash occurring every minute on American streets, inadequate roadway infrastructure is responsible for the majority of highway fatalities in the United States and over a third of injuries incurred in non-fatal crashes as well.
Given the state of many roadways, you might think that the situation - like America's road network - is beyond repair. However, the study, entitled "On a Crash Course: The Dangers and Health Costs of Deficient Roadways," assesses the financial cost alone of crashes caused by these substandard roadways - as a whopping $217 billion annually, including medical bills, loss of productivity and property damage. That's more than three-and-a-half times the $59 billion which local, state and federal governments in the United States invest in improving America's roadways. PIRE's solution? Improving road conditions, of course, including better signage and markings, widening shoulders and removing obstacles from roadsides. Follow the jump to read more on PIRE's findings and suggested solutions for what it deems is one of the largest killers in America.
[Source: Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation | Image: STR/AFP/Getty]Continue reading STUDY: Majority of highway fatalities caused by deficient road conditions STUDY: Majority of highway fatalities caused by deficient road conditions originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
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