Say what you will about the Fast & Furious films, the franchise has to be doing something right to warrant sequel after sequel. But as the filmmakers keep upping the ante and including more grandiose stunts, maybe they should think on a smaller scale for the next flick. Because this trailer for Fast & Furious 6 created with RC cars is awesome. More »
Putting one’s family into a car completely changes the priority of things, with safety being the top concern and space/features coming in as a close second (and third). U.S. News and World Report has released its 2013 Best Cars for Families winners, which details which cars it feels would be the best options for families in 19 categories based on a variety of stipulations.
The winners are determined by looking at different criteria and forming from them a composite score for each category. Some attributes looked at include size, quality, safety, reliability, the opinion of critics, and how family-friendly the vehicle is. The car that achieves the highest score in its particular category (such as SUV) is the winner.
A wide variety of vehicle categories were included, including full-size cars, minivans, compact cars, and hatchbacks, with the winners of those categories (in order) being: the Buick LaCrosse, Honda Odyssey, Chevrolet Cruze, and Toyota Prius. Other winners on the list include the Ford Fusion Hybrid (Hybrid cars), the Audi Q5 (Luxury Compact), and the Ford Fusion (Midsize Car).
U.S. News Best Cars’ Managing Editor Jamie Page Deaton said: “We created the Best Cars for Families awards to make it easier for parents to find cars, SUVs and vans that will help make their lives easier. With such a broad range of award winners, any family can find the best car for their lifestyle.” What do you think of the selections? Let us know in the comments!
[via Autoblog]
2013 Best Cars for Families winners announced is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Fisker, maker of the beautiful Karma hybrid luxury vehicle, had a rough time last year, reportedly having fire issues with some of its cars and then losing hundreds of them during Hurricane Sandy. On April 5, we reported that the company had laid off about 75-percent of its workforce in what seemed to be a last-ditch effort to pull out of bankruptcy. It has surfaced that the same day the layoffs took place, a lawsuit was filed against Fisker.
Fisker had a moderate 213 employees, 160 of whom it gave the boot with little warning last week, with the lawsuit stating that they should have received a 60 day written notice in advance by law. Because Fisker failed to do this, it is said to have violated the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, and thus class-action status is being sought in the legal proceedings.
The lawsuit was initiated by Sven Etzelsberger, a former employee, via Outten & Golden of California. The lawsuit wants Fisker to pay up 60 days’ of wages/benefits for all who were let go. Fisker hasn’t replied to comment requests, and hasn’t said anything official about the lawsuit. Such a mandate would place additional financial strain on a company that is already on the verge of going under.
Like several other green initiatives, Fisker received tax-payer money via a federal program (Advanced Vehicle Technology Loan, in this case) to the tune of $529 million, of which it only got $193 million before the kibosh was put on the loan over failure to meet certain terms. Of that $193 million, the company is supposed to make its first loan payment this month.
[via USA Today]
Fisker Automotive hit with lawsuit due to last-minute layoffs is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
BMW has unveiled the Concept X4, a sports activity coupe touted as being “the future of the BMW X family.” This snazzy-looking car is boasted as being a mixture of high performance/driving dynamics and eye-catching, with highly detailed design that is a mixture of sophisticated and beastly. Prduction is slated to start in early 2014, although no definite date was provided.
The BMW X4 will be manufactured at the BMW Plant Spartanburg, which is located in the United States. The car features 21-inch alloy wheels, round LED headlights, a kidney grille, and a high-gloss frame. The entire vehicle is designed to be highly dynamic, with carefully positioned air intake vents, milled bars, and chrome edges. This results in contrasts that work together to help form a complete design that is both appealing and functional.
The side of the BMW X4 shows off the vehicle’s long wheelbase and bonnet, as well as short overhangs and wedged-shaped flanks. The sweeping downward roof is designed to make the car seem long. BMW says the car’s “visual center of gravity” has been lowered over other vehicles in the line, something that gives it more of a sporty look. There are swage lines above a concave area to draw emphasis to the wheels.
And then, moving on to the rear of the Concept X4, the design puts emphasis on horizontal elements, which is amplified by slim LED lights pushed outwards towards the maximum edges of the car’s back, amplifying the sportscar look. Combinations of light/dark colors and horizontal design elements are meant to make the car seem shorter, and the most obvious, eye-catching feature is said to be the rear apron with two tailpipes and a swooping design fading out towards the tires.
Of course, a picture is worth a thousand words, so check out the gallery below.
[via BMW]
BMW unveils Concept X4 Sports Activity Coupe design is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
This week if you’re in Google’s neighborhood in Calofornia, you might be seeing one eye-murdering iteration of an electric vehicle swinging your way, complete with a Batman symbol on its hood and massive plastic eyelashes above its headlights. This is the vinyl-wrapped Tesla Model S late April Fool’s Joke the Google executives other than Sergey Brin have played on the man – and yes, he is Batman. And yes, it’s not permanent.
Investigators have spotted this vehicle in multiple instances from multiple angles, and have caught it in motion, so there’s no reason to think the abomination that is bubble gum pink isn’t wrapped around this otherwise glorious electric vehicle. While the custom Google Chrome rims are part of Brin’s original build, the rest will only be there so long as the Google head decides they’re still funny.
If you head down to the TeslaMotorClub forums you’ll find several ladies and gentlemen confirming that they’ve been up close and personal with the vehicle – and that it’s not painted this way, only vinyl wrapped. The largest photo you see above comes from user Trnsl8r who appears to have caught the vehicle in the wild, parked sideways awaiting its pilot. You’ll find zebra print seat and steering wheel covers ready to rock with a pair of pink dice and flames on both mirrors busting out.
No word at the moment whether or not the Bat Wings on the back of this masterpiece will be auctioned off for the needy. You’ll also find Google’s Nathan Johns posting an image from another angle up on Google+ and the photo of Brin driving the vehicle was taken by Brian Li, Five Visions Photography and posted to Forbes. Keep on rolling right!
Have a peek at the timeline below for more information on the Tesla Model S and stick around the Google tag portal we’ve got set up for all the greatest Sergey Brin adventures you can handle each and every afternoon!
Sergey Brin’s Pink-Wrapped Batmobile Tesla rolls through Google HQ is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Fisker, the automotive company that has been selling its hybrid-powered Karma vehicle for over a year now, is reported to be laying off 160 employees, which is approximately 75% of the entire company’s staff. Rumors were flying around earlier this morning, but it appears to be a done deal, and this could spell the end for the luxury hybrid auto manufacturer.
According to Reuters, Fisker says that the layoffs were a “necessary strategic step” in the company’s efforts to “maximize the value of Fisker’s core assets.” This is apparently a last-ditch effort for Fisker, hoping to conserve cash and prevent filing for bankruptcy, but the lookout on the company looks bleak at best. The company declined to speak on the possibility of bankruptcy.
Approximately 160 rank-and-file employees were let go without receiving severance packages, but 53 senior managers and executives were asked to stay on board in order to help pursue buyers for the company’s assets, according to an anonymous source. However, since Fisker is government-based, the remaining executives are making negotiations with the US Department of Energy to work out a new repayment plan that Fisker owes them.
Fisker has faced some trials and tribulations as of recently. The company was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy, destroying 300 Fisker Karma vehicles. On top of that, owners have been reporting a handful of issues with the car, including certain ones catching on fire and seeing random break-downs. And according to one ex-employee, Fisker knowingly sold half-baked cars to customers. Ouch!
[via Reuters]
Fisker reportedly lays off 75% of workforce is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
This week the folks at Audi and T-Mobile have let it be known that they’re going to offer data plans in the near future that allow drivers to be connected at an extremely affordable rate. Connected, that is, to mobile data inside their Audi next-generation Connected Vehicles. You’ll be rolling out with web connectivity for a variety of apps and services anywhere you drive for as little as $15 USD a month!
What we’re talking about here is the T-Mobile data plan you’ll be using in your Audi vehicle equipped with Audi connect. With T-Mobile data you’ll be paying a cool $450 USD for full data service over the course of 30 months – there’s also a six-month free trial period you get at the time of your purchase. That equals out to be just $15 or month if you pick up that one lump sum! There’s also a $30 USD month-to-month service plan if you’d like less of a contract situation.
Above you’re seeing a demonstration of what Audi connect brings to you on their next-generation line of vehicles. Hot tip – we’ve been reporting on this fabulous technology integration since all the way back at Audi’s CES 2012 keynote – going big with NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor integration and ultra-fast data speeds!
With T-Mobile data you’ll be rolling out with Audi connect’s connections to Google Earth, Google Voice Local Search, and a collection of other online services straight from Audi like news, gas prices, travel information, and weather! You’ll also be able to share internet inside the vehicle to up to 8 devices on the same data plan – no need to have two data plans working at once!
Have a peek at our Audi tag portal as well as our giant Car Hub right this minute, and see the timeline below for all the most excellent recent reports on Audi from the past few weeks – stay up to date!
Audi T-Mobile in-vehicle data plans revealed starting at $15 a month is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, and what better way to kick things off than with a study on fatal crashes? As it turns out, despite the popular belief that texting and talking while driving is the leading cause of car crashes, it turns out that daydreaming and other distractions is the bigger culprit.
Erie Insurance Group looked at data collected from law enforcement agencies, which showed that out of all fatal car crashes, 10-percent of them were due to a distraction. Despite what one might assume as the cause of the distraction, cell phones were in the minority. As it turns out, being distracted, such as zoning out or being “lost in thought” is the primary cause, responsible for about 62-percent of crashes.
So what kind of distractions, cell phones aside, are causing drivers to crash? The top ones on the list include loose pets and items in the car, rubbernecking at another crash or some roadside event, eating while driving, and talking to other passengers in the car — fairly common things we might fall into the trap of thinking aren’t distracting.
Said Erie’s Personal Lines Senior Vice President Doug Smith, “The results [of the analysis] were disturbing.” Drivers are being urged to pay better attention to the road, and to put away, shut off, and disable potential distractions. To keep one’s mind from wondering, suggestions including playing the “what if” game, where drivers ask themselves how they would handle certain situations on the road, such as a car suddenly braking in front of them.
[via Bloomberg]
Distractions cause more fatal crashes than smartphones says study is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Last month, we reported that Detroit Electric planned to unveil an electric sports car, of which only a single teaser image was supplied with no information about its name, price, or other details. In Detroit earlier today, the car – called the SP:01 – was unveiled, along with its specs and an image of the mean-looking electric beast.
The SP:01 is an all-electric sports car that will be released as a limited-edition (only 999 will be made) for those with a fair amount of cash to spare. Because it is powered by a 37kWh battery, which can be recharged in a little over 4 hours and has a range of 190 miles, the vehicle is emissions-free. The body is constructed from carbon fiber, making it lightweight (it weighs 2,354lbs) and helping it achieve its high speeds.
The Detroit Electric SP:01 boasts a 0 to 62mpg time of 3.7 seconds, making it the fastest all-electric production car anywhere in the world. The top speed clocks in at 155mph, and is achieved via a 201 bhp motor offering 166lb/ft of torque. There’s a four-speed manual transmission, but also an automatic transmission option for those who prefer it. The SP:01 is also decked out with an infotainment sytsem that can be controlled entirely via a smartphone, with the app also providing information on the car’s various systems.
Detroit Electric’s CEO and Chairman Albert Lam had this to say: “The SP:01 will be exclusive, luxurious and technologically advanced. The car will be an exciting and innovative product, displaying outstanding performance coupled with strong green credentials, and delivering an exhilarating driving experience.” The vehicle will be available for purchase by the end of August this year with a base price of $135,000 USD.
[via PRNewswire]
Detroit Electric unveils all-electric SP:01 luxury sports car is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
In what’s perhaps one of the largest recalls ever by both Hyundai and Kia, over 1.9 million vehicles are being recalled due to electrical and airbag issues. The 1.9 million vehicles are spread out between three different recall campaigns. Hyundai issued a similar recall back in 2009 over electrical problems with some of its vehicles.
First off, Hyundai said it is recalling 1.06 million vehicles for electrical problems that could result in any number of electrical failures such as “intermittent operation” of the push-button start feature, removing the vehicle’s shifter from the park position, illumination of the “ESC” (Electronic Stability Control) indicator lamp, interference with operation of the cruise control feature, and possible issues with the brake lights.
Kia is recalling 623,000 vehicles to address the same problem as Hyundai’s recall. Hyundai and Kia actually share a technical center in Michigan and are controlled by the same Korean company, but the auto makers mostly operate independently from one another. The list of cars affects include the 2007-09 Accent, 2007-10 Elantra, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-11 Santa Fe, 2011 Sonata, 2007-09 Tucson and 2008-09 Veracruz.
As for Kia vehicles, the 2007-10 Rondo, 2007 Sedona, 2011 Optima, 2007-11 Sorento, 2010-11 Soul, and the 2007-10 Sportage are being recalled. Kia will notify owners of these vehicles in May, and the company says that no injuries or accidents due to the cars’ issues have been reported. Furthermore, Hyundai is recalling around 190,000 2011-13 Elantras for possible airbag problems. None of the Kia vehicles that we test drove back in February are affected, including the 2014 Sorento and Forte.
[via Detroit News]
Hyundai and Kia recall over 1.9 million vehicles is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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