Archive for February 11th, 2010

If you’re one of the 50,000 people that have signed up for updates on the Nissan Leaf EV, you’re one step closer to purchase.

Nissan has announced preliminary details on the sale and lease of its all-new electric vehicle, outlining the steps necessary to get your hands on what the automaker is calling “the world’s first all-electric, zero-emission car designed for the mass market.”

If you haven’t done so already, you can register on Nissan’s website to ensure you’re on the list. After Nissan announces official pricing in April (which, for the record, includes the battery pack), you’ll be able to put down a refundable $100 reservation fee, with official ordering beginning in August. Early deliveries are set to take place in select markets in 2010, with the EV coming to “all major markets quickly thereafter.”

If you’ve already signed up, make the jump for the official release with all the details, along with the Leaf’s first promotional video.

Continue reading Nissan taking orders for Leaf in August, deliveries begin December

Nissan taking orders for Leaf in August, deliveries begin December originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Via Autoblog Green

Filed under: Coupe, SUV, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Fiat

Ralph Gilles, Dodge CEO and Chrysler Group design head, has just wrapped up an address to the Chicago Economic Club that was peppered with several choice quotes and quips. You can read the Chrysler’s PR-filtered version on its Twitter feed, but here are our favorites:

From the true: “Brands and companies don’t die. They are victims of homicide.”

To the sublime: “Viper important to image of “my brand” [Dodge]“

To the ridiculous: “The further away you are from Detroit the less you know the facts about the auto industry.”

To the more ridiculous: “I liken management to X-Men… all have special abilities.”

To the funny/creepy: Ad agency interviewed him before creating Super Bowl spot. “I had to smoke a cigarette,” afterwards, he joked.

To the important: “Fiat 500 on sale in U.S. at end of the year”

That last bit coincides with earlier reports that the Fiat 500 could reach the States as early as this year as a 2011 model. Although the 500′s importation into the U.S. has been fast-tracked, there’s still some question about whether it will meet U.S. crash and safety standards. We expect to have an exact on sale date soon, and Gilles also said that the all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is due to go on sale within the next three months.

[Source: Chrysler via Twitter]

Gilles: Fiat 500 on sale in U.S. by the end of 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Via Autoblog

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Recalls, Safety, Videos, Toyota, Humor

You know you’ve hit a certain level of notoriety (for better or worse) when hacks with video editing software and a sense of humor post a video on YouTube that pokes fun at you or your situation and people actually watch. Toyota’s recall of over 8 million vehicles for throttle, floor mat and brake issues has spent so much time in the headlines that the Japanese automaker appears to be at that dubious juncture.

Saturday Night Live and The Daily Show have taken their cracks at Toyota, but they’re professionals and they make fun of everybody. Beyond the jump is something different. It’s definitely not professional and the quality of production just isn’t up to par, but it does have one thing that helps it stand out: It’s funny. Hit the jump to watch the video for yourself.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Hastily made homebrewed Toyota recall commercial parody

Video: Hastily made homebrewed Toyota recall commercial parody originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Peugeot RCZ won the title of the most beautiful car in 2009 at the 25th International Automobile Festival. For the model most votes out of 100 thousand participants (Internet users) from 62 countries.

Peugeot RCZ – the compact sports coupe with a landing formula 2 +2. In double car roof and two aluminum support frame. On 63 th Frankfurt Motor Show, fans of the brand in over 48 hours booked all 200 copies of a limited series of Peugeot RCZ Limited Edition.

Via Cool Cars

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Paris Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz

Underneath that sparse camouflage is the all-new 2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS, but you’d be forgiven for thinking that the update is only skin deep.

As the current CLS is based off the older E-Class platform (W211), the 2011 model is set to swap to the updated architecture (W212) and gain a few new stylistic updates inspired by its siblings. Although the coupe-like roofline will remain, the rear fenders will gain the blisters originally seen on the new E, along with the upright grille pulled from the SLS and more angular head- and taillamps.

Power is likely to be provided by Mercedes’ new range of direct injected and turbocharged engines, available in both six- and eight-cylinder configurations and topping out in the mid-400 horsepower range. There’s talk of a CLS 400 BlueHybrid variant and within a year of its debut – likely at the Paris Motor Show this fall – we can expect a 5.5-liter twin-turbo’d AMG version.

Spy Shots: 2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Via Autoblog