Ford touts class-leading fuel economy of new 2011 Super Duty pickup
Filed under: Diesel, MPG, Ford
2011 Ford Super Duty – Click above for high-res image gallery
Especially in today’s environmentally conscious society, no automaker wants to bear the burden of offering the least fuel efficient vehicle in the United States. And, at least according to Consumer Reports, that unwanted honor goes out to Ford for the 2010 model year for its diesel-powered F-250 Super Duty pickup truck.
If that sounds bad to you – and, assuming you don’t relish the idea of dumping gallon upon gallon of diesel into your truck’s tank, we’re sure it does – perhaps you can take comfort in the fact that Ford’s heavy hauler is completely redesigned for the 2011 model year, and that includes two brand-new engines that the automaker promises are vastly more efficient that the mills they replace: a 6.2-liter gasoline-powered V8 with 385 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque and an all-new, Ford-designed, 6.7-liter turbo-diesel V8 producing 390 hp – get this – 735 lb-ft of twist.
“Class-leading” is a term that gets bandied about all too often, and Ford is using it to describe the as-yet unannounced mileage figures for its Super Duty trucks. For those interested in numbers, Ford says 2011 Super Duty will average 18 percent better fuel economy (up to 25 percent better on the chassis cab models) when compared with the outgoing model.
All of this is just conjecture for now – GM claims its 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD will manage an 11-percent mileage improvement over the 2010 truck – until actual mileage estimates are announced or the pickups get into the hands of actual owners for real-world analysis. It’ll be interesting to see how it all pans out, no? See Ford’s official press release after the break.
Incoming search terms:
- ford duty 2011 car net
GPS: Getting Places Safely… Hopefully.
Recently, a truck driver in Salem, Oregon got his truck stuck. He was driving a 14-foot vehicle under an 11-foot overpass. The reason? He was busy looking at his GPS.
This story scares me a little, because (I know I’m a few years behind) for Christmas, I got a GPS. I love it. I’m never getting lost again. Ever.
Getting lost leads to road rage, especially when driving in a time crunch. Los Angeles is a big city, so getting lost is a too-frequent occurrence for me. With the addition of the GPS to my car, I can just tell that my outlook is getting brighter by the day. Needless to say, I’m really excited about this.
Unfortunately, my learning curve with the GPS was (okay, IS) remarkably slow. Apparently, I’m not the only one, though. Ego boost, yes, but concerned to think of the amount of other people out there experiencing the same distraction.
Incoming search terms:
- future in gps in cars
Lottery winners must have car manufactures (UK)
According to the latest research, a new BMW is the second most popular purchase for lottery winners, with Range Rover coming in at number six. The most popular brand that millionaires head for is Mercedes-Benz, with the C-Class topping the choice table for lottery winners. Vauxhall – in at number four in the list – might rate as more of a surprise entry in the chart, though.
A new car is also one of the first things that a lottery millionaire buys, with 36% of jackpot winners heading to a car showroom before buying a new house or even splashing some cash on the high street.
In fact, 13% of jackpot winners have bought at least 10 cars since their win, while the average number of cars bought per winning household is 5.17.
Meantime, here are the top 10 brands for lottery winners:
1. Mercedes-Benz
2. BMW
3. Mini
4. Vauxhall
5. Land Rover
6. Range Rover
7. Ford
8. Porsche
9. Audi
10. Jaguar
Incoming search terms:
- what make of cars have lottery winners in the UK bought
Mugen accessories for the Honda CR-Z officially revealed
Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Hybrid, Hatchback, Honda, Design/Style
Mugen Honda CR-Z – Click above for high-res image gallery
Honda says its new CR-Z hybrid hatchback is supposed to hearken back to the days of its sporty little CRX, so it’s anything but surprising that Mugen, the Japanese automaker’s tuning company of choise, is showing off its package of accessories for the model ahead of its official sale date. Sadly, none of the bits or pieces will make the car much faster… but at least the CR-Z can look like a proper hot hatchback, right?
Included in the kit are the expected updates to the front and rear fascias, side skirts and an all-conquering roof-mounted wing that looks as if it could serve double-duty as a picnic table at your next tailgating session. There’s also a new grille with optional LED lamps, triangular rear exhaust tips, and at least five different alloy wheel options. And we’d be remiss if we didn’t at least mention the carbon fiber license plate holder.
Inside you’ll find an aluminum gearshift knob, a three-gauge central cluster, floor mats and, wait for it… a carbon fiber rear-view mirror cover. Fortunately, there are a few extras that will improve the car’s driving dynamics somewhat, including a cat-back exhaust system, upgraded springs and shocks and a full set of brake pads. Perhaps those pieces will restore enough performance to offset the added weight of the bodykit? See for yourself in our high-res gallery below.
First Drive: 2011 Audi A8, the Grand Andalusian
Filed under: Sedan, Audi, First Drive, Luxury
2011 Audi A8 – Click above for high-res image gallery
There was no sign of Sol on the Costa as I nosed the quartz-gray Audi A8 past the guard house and onto the rain-slicked traffic roundabout before heading out on the road.
The long, smooth roadway that connected the estate to the autoroute was the perfect place to get better acquainted with the A8′s 372-horsepower, 4.2-liter V-8 and its 328 pound-feet of torque. Leaving the handsomely designed gear select in Drive allowed the eight-speed Tiptronic transmission to run through the gears at its sole discretion. But with a flick of the steering wheel-mounted paddles (downshift with the left paddle; upshift with the right, just as God intended), I snapped down to third gear to decelerate as I approached the roundabout, the transmission responding instantly with the discipline of a well-trained Doberman, the standard Quattro all-wheel drive easily finding traction despite the rain-slicked tarmac. I merged with traffic, exited the roundabout and accelerated southwest toward Cadiz with the Mediterranean off to my left, popping into view as rain clouds scuttled toward Morocco.
Life in the south of Spain is sweet, and with the 2011 Audi A8 as a guide, it gets sweeter still.
Hyundai i-Flow Concept will debuted in Geneva
Hyundai published photos and specifications of the concept i-Flow, which will premiere at the Geneva Motor Show. Mid-size business-class sedan is made in accordance with the new design philosophy of the South Korean company. Their clever aerodynamics of its aerodynamic drag is just 0.25, which allows to relate i-Flow to the category of sports models.
For the first time for a group of Hyundai-KIA receive new hybrid diesel-electric drive. It will consist of a 1.7-liter diesel engine with two-stage turbo unit lithium-ion batteries and electric motor. As a result, fuel consumption will amount to just 3.0 litres/100 km and CO2 emissions will not exceed 85 g / km. Serial version i-Flow will appear in Europe in 2012.
Aston Martin Racing launches one-make Vantage GT4 series in UK
Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Europe, Aston Martin, UK, Racing
Aston Martin Vantage GT4 – Click above for high-res image gallery
Single-make customer racing series are an engaging experience for exotic sportscar-makers and their customers. Ferrari’s Challenge series dates back to the 348 (succeeded since by the 355, 360 and 430, soon to be replaced by the 458). Porsche’s Supercup series has been at it since the early ’90s and Lamborghini launched its own Super Trofeo championship just a couple of years ago. Even Maserati’s getting in on the game with its new GranTurismo MC. But despite its extensive competition in the various Le Mans Series around the world, Aston Martin has been decidedly absent from the spec-racing scene, the one exception being the company’s Asia Cup that started in 2008. But that’s all about to change.
To give the broad base of customers who already own race-spec Vantages a chance to get back on track against equal machinery, Aston is launching its own British GT4 Challenge. The series is open to the Vantage GT4 and N24, and will run this year at five tracks across the UK (including Silverstone) plus one at Belgium’s famous Spa Francorchamps.
GT4-spec Vantage owners pony up a reasonable £12,950 (about twenty grand American) for the season, which includes hospitality, driving suits and full paddock support from Aston Martin Racing. Fuel and tires are extra, but Aston’s trackside support will be so extensive that they’ll even install a replacement engine on the spot in case you blow yours out. The 4.3-liter N24 owners feeling underpowered can also upgrade to the GT4′s 4.7-liter engine to keep pace.
While the winner of the existing Asia Cup earn a fully-sponsored season in the FIA GT4 Championship, the British champion gets a crack at test driving either the Vantage GT2 or DBRS9 GT3. Now all we need is for Aston to launch a series in North America and we’ll be set.
