It just happened at a gas station in New Jersey: cars got filled with kerosene after a delivery tank truck mistakenly filled one of the pumps deposits with jet fuel. So what happened next? Did the cars explode in flames? Did they run faster? More »
Fuel economy is a big deal in today’s car industry. With gas prices as high as they are and a looming energy crisis, it seems that manufacturers and consumers would both like to start weening off gas. Of course, since fuel economy is big, we hear car commercials talking up estimated miles-per-gallon figures all the time, something that has Ford becoming the subject of an EPA review.
According to The Los Angeles Times, the Environmental Protection Agency will be reviewing two Ford hybrids – the Fusion and the C-Max – which have been receiving some consumer complaints of late. Here’s the issue: Ford says that both cars achieve 47 miles-per-gallon, whether that’s city, highway, or combined. When Consumer Reports tested both vehicles, its results didn’t mesh with Ford’s claims.
Consumer Reports said that the Fusion managed 35 mpg in the city, 41 MPG on the highway, and 39 MPG overall. On the other hand, the C-Max ended up with 35 MPG in a city setting, 38 for highways, and 39 overall. Those are good results for both cars, Consumer Reports said, but obviously not what Ford was touting.
For its part, Ford maintains that reports from consumers vary, with some even exceeding the quoted 47 miles-per-gallon setting. That much seems true – depending on how you drive, your mileage will indeed vary, with some coming in below a manufacturer’s claim and others managing to beat it. In the end though, it’ll all come down to what the EPA decides, so we’ll be waiting to see what the Agency has to say after it has reviewed the data.
EPA reviewing two Ford hybrids on questionable fuel economy claims is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Rumor has it the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is about to propose a regulation that would require EDR (event data recorders), more commonly known as black boxes, to be installed in all new light trucks and cars. The EDRs will be similar to those used in aircraft, and will provide essential data in the event of a crash. If upheld, the requirement will go into effect on September 1, 2014.
Most new vehicles already contain event data recorders, with Ford, GM, Mazda, Toyota, and others all including black boxes in all of their vehicles. The recorders aren’t without controversy, however, and neither is this proposed regulation. Critics express privacy concerns and fear the data collected by the black boxes can be misused.
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers’ spokeswoman Gloria Bergquist offered this statement. “Event data recorders help our engineers understand how cars perform in the real world, but looking forward, we need to make sure we preserve privacy. Automakers do not access EDR data without consumer permission, and any government requirements to install EDRs on all vehicles must include steps to protect consumer privacy.”
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is a group composed of Toyota Motor North America, the Volkswagen Group of America, and Mercedes-Benz USA, as well as six other manufacturers. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about black boxes in cars, however. Back in April, we reported on Senate Bill 1813, which would require all vehicles to have black boxes. In 2006, the NHTSA ruled on a standard for black boxes that went into effect in September on 2013 vehicle models.
[via USA Today]
NHTSA expected to propose mandatory black boxes in vehicles is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
It’s always seemed that vehicle recalls come in spurts, and the automotive industry is definitely in one of those spurts right now. The latest automaker to issue a significant recall on one of its vehicles comes from BMW. BMW has issued a voluntary recall on 2009 through 2012 BMW X5 diesel SUVs.
The safety recall covers certain 2009 through 2012 model year X5 xDrive35d SUVs because of a problem that could lead to a loss of power steering. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration believes that the recall covers 29,800 potentially affected vehicles in the United States. According to other sources, there are another 5500 of the diesel-powered SUVs in Canada covered in the recall.
All of the X5 models covered in the recall were built from September 1, 2008 through November 15, 2012. The problem has to do with the engine belt idler pulley bolt that can loosen and break over time. If that happens the vehicle could experience a sudden loss of power assisted steering, increasing the risk of accident.
BMW points out that if the power assisted steering is affected by the defect; drivers will still be able to steer manually though the required effort would increase. Steering effort without power steering is substantially higher at low speeds. BMW says there have been no accidents or injuries reported from this issue. The fix is a replacement and retightening of the idler pulley bolt.
[via Business Insider]
BMW issues recall on 2009 through 2012 X5 diesel SUV is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Consumer Reports has published a piece calling out Ford on its inflated miles-per-gallon estimates for its hybrid lineup. It specifically pinpoints the Fusion and C-Max hybrids, which have an estimated rating of 47mpg in the city/on the highway. User reports tell a different story, however, with the average MPG falling somewhere in the mid-to-high 30s.
Of course, the mileage listed for a vehicle is only an estimate, and often is a bit higher than what the average user will experience. Still, consumers generally prefer the estimate to be somewhere in the range of what they can expect after purchasing the vehicle, and when real-life numbers fall substantially below the claims, there is sure to be an outcry.
Consumer Reports is currently testing the mileage on both vehicles, and has not officially published the results. It has, however, offered preliminary experiences with both vehicles’ MPG ratings. The C-Max tended to stay between 33mpg and 39mpg, while the Fusion averaged about 40mpg. Consumer Reports will publish the official numbers in the near future.
Meanwhile, user reports on FuelEconomy.gov, an Environmental Protection Agency website, show the average mileage of 14 C-Max owners at 40.5mpg, while the average mileage of five Fusion owners is 37.1mpg. Potentially, Ford could end up going the same way as Hyundai, which was ordered to refund buyers’ excess fuel usage and change the MPG estimates for 23 models. In this case, the over-estimated MPG figures cost Hyundai about $100 million a year.
[via Consumer Reports]
Ford’s hybrid MPG claims inflated, reports show is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Everyday objects are slowly being infused with modern technology. There are fridges that can monitor their contents and automatically order online to restock themselves, socks that know how many times they’ve been washed and now, with the help of a tiny device, your car can be made so smart, it knows when it’s being towed and will tell you so.
This device is called the moj.io. I know, I wish they had come up with a better name. But the folks behind it probably spent all their brain power on the device itself, because it sounds very promising. The moj.io connects to the Internet via cellular networks and to your car via the On-Board Diagnostics OBD-II port (found in all major automotive lines since 1995). Once connected and paired to your mobile device, the moj.io can tell you where your car is located, if it’s being towed, the car’s overall condition and more. moj.io apps can also be more proactive. They can hold calls and text alerts while you’re driving to keep you safer or send text message alerts based on the speed and location of the car. Parents and obsessed lovers will find that one useful.
Pledge at least $89 (USD) on Indiegogo to reserve a moj.io unit. But because it needs to be online – as of now, it’s partnered with T-Mobile in the USA and Rogers in Canada – expect to pay extra for an Internet subscription. U.S. pricing is $7.99/month or $79/year, and canadian pricing is $12.99/month or $119/year. Though if you buy on Indiegogo, you get your first 3 months of service for free.
I’m sure some people have a few privacy concerns with having a device like this available to everyone, but I think that overall the benefits outweigh the risks. Besides, tracking technology has been available for a long time now, it’s just that now it’s in the hands of common folk.
You can tell a lot about a company from its concepts, and judging by the Concept 4 Series Coupé, BMW is ready to go big in mid-range sports models. Slotting in just about the 3 Series, and continuing BMW’s even-numbered specialist model strategy, the Concept 4 Series Coupé is lower, longer, and wider than its smaller sibling, with the traditional kidney grille and headlamps pinched down for an angry snout, and connected with an “optical fiber” that snakes out from the inner headlight tube and to the grille itself.
Elsewhere there’s distinctive venting – including slightly Ferrari-esque intakes in the front apron – and satin-finish aluminum trim dotted around the exterior. They’re functional, too, splitting air intake between the engine and the so-called Air Curtain which “hugs” the wheel arches to cool the brakes and also reduce fuel consumption.
20-inch exclusive-design alloys and some highly-reflective surfacing – including the “double swage line” on the sides, again borrowed from the 3 Series – keep the concept looking low and lean. At the rear, there are L-shaped lights which shine with different brightnesses, to add a greater sense of depth, while the rear apron echoes the three-way split of the front.
BMW Concept 4 Series Coupé:
Inside, it’s a cocoon of leather and metal, with some natural chestnut trim and BMW’s usual iDrive interface. A sizable display sits on the top of the dashboard, with the console curving slightly around the driver, though there’s still room in the back for two seats.
BMW isn’t talking production plans for the Concept 4 Series Coupé, but neither is it being particularly coy about the model’s forecourt potential. “BMW is looking ahead to the fourth generation of its sporty mid-range coupe” the company said in a statement about the car. “The ’4′ doesn’t just mark the start of a new cycle, it represents the zenith of a development curve.”
BMW Concept 4 Series Coupe previews mid-range lust magnet is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
This morning, we reported that Ford had changed the name of Lincoln to the Lincoln Motor Company in an effort to revive its luxury division and set it aside as a unique brand. Now, furthering this goal, the company has announced that a Lincoln advertisement is slated to appear during the 2013 Super Bowl on February 3. This is the first Lincoln Super Bowl commercial ever.
The commercial is 60-seconds in length, and will feature President Lincoln walking out of some mist. Also included in the commercial will be images of famous individuals who have owned Lincoln brand vehicles, including Dean Martin. This is all in a near-desperate push to distinguish the brand and correct ever-decreasing sales, which have dropped 63-percent since 1990.
Speaking about Ford’s efforts to reinvent the luxury brand and pull it up out of the dreck, Lincoln’s Director of Marketing, Sales, and Service Matt VanDyke offered this statement. “It’s our largest campaign ever from the size, scale and reach of it. Every touch point is being reinvented. Everything we’re doing is different.”
Ford plans to unveil the Lincoln MKZ, a luxury sedan with a starting price of $35,925. The MKZ features a panoramic glass roof, a push-button transmission, and a split-wing grill. So far, only 69,000 Lincoln vehicles have been sold in 2012. According to Bloomberg, the average cost of a one minute commercial during the 2012 Super Bowl was $7 million, so it’s safe to say that Ford is going all-out in its efforts to save Lincoln.
[via Bloomberg]
Ford announces first-ever Lincoln Super Bowl commercial is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
In an effort to distance itself and stand independent, Lincoln has been re-branded as the Lincoln Motor Company. Of course, Lincoln is a division of Ford, and all of its vehicles are thinly-disguised Fords. This will make it difficult to set the division apart, yet the change is no small matter, and gives Lincoln the edge it needs to prove it is its own unique brand.
Lincoln was founded by Henry Leland in 1920; he sold it to Ford after a couple years. Before it was sold, however, it was known as the Lincoln Ford Company. The division aims at the high-end of the market, offering cars that are supposed to outshine anything Ford offers. By changing its name, the Lincoln Motor Company hopes to be viewed as a source of luxury vehicles all on its lonesome.
This name change comes alongside the company’s plan to launch a new luxury vehicle, the MKZ sedan. The sedan is priced at a hefty $35,925, which climbs higher as you configure it to meet your specifications. Says the company, this is the first of several refreshed or new Lincoln vehicles that will be available over the next two years.
The MKZ features a push button transmission, panoramic glass roof, a split-wing grill, as well as a wider and longer body. Back in the early 1990s, Lincoln was a best-selling luxury brand in the United States. This popularity declined as Ford amassed additional luxury brands, including Volvo, while at the same time neglecing Lincoln. Sales numbers are low, with only 69,000 Lincoln vehicles having been sold in the US this year.
[via Digital Trends]
Lincoln becomes the Lincoln Motor Company is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
GE and Ford has announced that GE will be purchasing a huge number of Ford’s new plug-in hybrid vehicle called the C-Max Energi. GE plans to purchase 2000 of the Ford hybrid vehicles for its fleet. The massive purchase marks the largest electrified Fleet sale in Ford history.
GE is purchasing the plug-in hybrid vehicles as part of its initiative to convert half of its global fleet of vehicles to alternative fuel systems. Currently GE has about 5000 alternative fuel vehicles in its fleet and its goal is 25,000 vehicles. Ford and GE will also be working together with researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
The two companies will be working with the University to study GE employee driving and charging habits with an eye towards improving all-electric driving and charging performance. The researchers will use the MyFord Mobile app that offers real-time battery charge status and allows users to automatically charge the vehicle during off-peak electric rates.
Ford’s C-Max Energi is the most fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid with an EPA estimated 108 MPGe city rating and 100 MPGe combined rating. The vehicle is also one of the most affordable plug-in hybrids in the United States starting at $29,995 after a federal tax credit.
GE will purchase 2000 Ford C-Max Energi plug-in hybrids is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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