Hasta La Gadget!

General Motors unveiled late last night the 2014 Chevrolet SS, which just so happens to be Chevrolet’s first rear-wheel-drive performance sedan in 17 years. Of course, it’s essentially the same car as Holden’s Commodore SS V in Australia, but us Americans will be able to get in on the action thanks to Chevrolet (Holden and Chevrolet are both owned by General Motors).

The reveal of the new 2014 SS may not garner as much attention as the 2014 Corvette did last month, but the new SS should be able to turn some heads. However, unlike its Holden brethren, the new SS doesn’t come with a true manual transmission, and instead packs a six-speed automatic with paddle shifters that enable manual shifting in a way.

As far as the motor is concerned, the 2014 SS packs a 6.2-liter LS3 V8 engine (the same one used in the 2013 Corvette), and boasts 415 horsepower with 415 pound-feet of torque. This will allow drivers to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in “about 5 seconds,” according to GM. So, while the missing manual transmission is a bummer, the high-performance engine definitely makes up for it.

The 2014 SS is also replacing the Impala as GM’s official NASCAR vehicle starting this year, with the first race of the season, the Daytona 500, taking place this weekend. The company actually unveiled the new car at Daytona International Speedway in conjunction with the season-opening race. The Chevrolet Impala has been in the NASCAR circuit since 2007 when it replaced the Monte Carlo.

2014 Chevrolet SS unveiled, manual transmission is MIA is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

This week the folks at TomTom have made it clear that the TomTom Rider will not be fading into obscurity, re-releasing a new iteration of the device with the same name here in 2013 with a brand new set of specifications and features. This device is made to sit on and with your motorcycle and allow you to get guided in real time, find local hotspots, and share routes with fellow bikers wirelessly via Bluetooth. They’ll need a TomTom Rider as well, of course, so pick up a few!

This version of the TomTom Rider allow you to use Bluetooth to listen in on directions inside your helmet – all you’ll beed is a pair of Bluetooth-friendly earbuds. There’s a new charging bike dock with this model that turns the device on or off with the ignition on the bike you’re riding, and the display you’re working with is improved as well. This newly enhanced 4.3-inch screen is touch-friendly and biker glove-friendly – so you wont have to de-glove each time you want to tap!

The lovely scene and mini-movie you’re seeing above should encourage you to pick one of these devices up, if only because it makes you feel so flowery and friendly inside. According to Managing Director of TomTom Consumer Corinne Vigreux, the TomTom team sought out feedback from motorbike communities that they then used to create this newest-gen device. They found that “the overwhelming majority of bikers use their motorcycle for recreational purposes”, this leading the TomTom team to include features that allow the biker to find and ride “the best scenic routes in the world.”

With Tyre software you’ll be able to search and create routes on your PC at home before you head off into the wild blue yonder, uploading them to your TomTom Rider device before you head out. From there you’ll be able to share the route with fellow riders (as mentioned above) with this device’s “Upload Routes and Go” feature. You’ll be able to use this device in all types of weather without worrying about damage, and you’ve got Free Lifetime Maps with your purchase as well – updates forever, free!

All this and more are available for pre-order today for 329.99 GBP or MSRP $299 USD – get pumped up about the Summer season right this minute! Note: that’s a MASSIVE price cut compared to the 2nd Gen model of the Rider – things are looking up!

TomTom Rider reboot gives motorcycle GPS a breath of fresh air is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

In an effort to bolster the city’s friendliness towards electric vehicles, New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg is calling for 10,000 charging stations all across the city by 2019. Bloomberg mentioned the goal during his last State of the City address today, and he’s asking the city council to require landlords to make at least 20% of new parking spaces equipped for electric vehicles.

Currently, New York City has 100 public charging stations and 120 stations for the city’s own fleet of electric vehicles. Under this new proposal from Bloomberg, 30 more stations would be added for government electric vehicles. Of course, the effort will no doubt run into some hurdles, thanks to building codes, permits, and negotiating.

However, other major cities around the US are joining on adding charging stations throughout their areas. San Francisco and Texas are adding charging stations, and the west coast is also seeing an increase in places to charge up electric vehicles. Plus, Tesla is working to add charging stations along the east and west coast, and will eventually add some in other places around the US.

Under the mayor’s new proposal, New York City would also conduct testing of curbside charging that would be able to fill batteries in just 30 minutes, as opposed to the traditional few hours that it normally takes. The testing would involve two charging stations in the city that would be able to charge vehicles over lunch. Here’s to hoping that, within seven years, we’ll see a charging station on every corner.

[via Transportation Nation]

NYC mayor calls for 10,000 EV charging stations within 7 years is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Starting today, those of you with a Chevrolet Sonic or a Chevrolet Spark working with Chevrolet MyLink with your iPhone will be able to work with Siri eyes-free integration. This update takes on what was promised back in November of last year and what we got to see with our own eyes that same month in an early preview, making it real for real-world vehicle owners. With Siri integration, users will be able to connect their iPhone (any model that works with Siri natively) completely wirelessly and jump on in to Eyes Free mode.

Both the Chevrolet Sonic and Spark allow their MyLink system to attach itself to your iPhone via Bluetooth. From there you’re using your steering wheel voice activation button to notify Siri you’d like to make a command. This button is a toggle switch, meaning you can press once to start a session with Siri, then press again to stop your chat.

With this connection, you’ll be able to access your phone’s calendar and make appointments on the fly, make voice calls, access your contacts, and play music. You’re able to instantly switch sources for your music between AM/FM/XM radio to iPod mode for music from your iTunes library. All of this is done while the display of your phone is kept in sleep mode automatically so you’re not distracted by it constantly flickering on and off when you chat – makes sense!

For those of you that own a 2013 Chevrolet Spark or a 2013 Chevrolet Sonic already, you’ll be able to upgrade your MyLink radio for Siri integration starting in March. All vehicle purchases made after this point will have the upgrade right out of the box. If you’d like to connect to MyLink with your iPad, you can do so, but you do need an internet connection if you’d like to use Siri – keep that in mind!

[via Chevrolet]

Chevrolet MyLink gains Siri integration today in 2013 Sonic and Spark is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Fiat is set to launch its Alfa Romeo 4C sports car later this year, but until then, the manufacturer has released three pictures of the attractive vehicle, along with its specs. The sports car will be shown off at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, but until then, enthusiasts can get an eye-full of the car in the released pictures, which we have available after the jump.

Although none of the numbers are final and could end up changing by the time the final vehicle rolls around, the Alfa Romeo 4C is said to get about 235bhp with from its 4-cylinder 1750 Turbo Petrol innards. Likewise, the car is said to have a power-to-weight ratio of 4 kilograms/horsepower, which Recombu reports at being about 4.5 seconds from 0 to 62mph.

The car tries to strike a balance between being fuel efficient and fast, offering dual continuous-variable valve timing, direct gas injection, and a so called “scavenging control system.” The engine has torque up to 1,400rpm, and there’s an Alfa TCT auto transmission, which allows for manual shifting via paddles behind the wheel, but not traditional manual transmission driving.

Much like a camera features image presets, the Alfa Romeo 4C will feature driving presets that they driver can toggle through for different driving experiences: Natural, All-Weather, Dynamic, and Race, the last of which is new. The car will be priced at about £35,500/$55,700USD, although the price is also subject to change. As the release date for the vehicle nears, more final numbers will be released, including both specs and pricing.

[via Recombu]

Fiat releases Alfa Romeo 4C sports car pictures and specs is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.