Car NEWS log

After a five-day shutdown due to a mechanical glitch at Chrysler’s Belvidere stamping plant, the facility will again be able to resume building the Dodge Caliber, Jeep Compass, and Jeep Patriot. In the short term, Chrysler will keep the assembly facility running smoothly by outsourcing stamping to other nearby plants. The shutdown came only weeks before the Belvidere plant permanently drops one shift, which will result in the indefinite layoff of 1,000 workers. With a tough economy in which automakers are struggling to sell units, it’s unlikely many people will have difficulty finding a Caliber, Compass, or Patriot as a result of the temporary shutdown.

Compact cars led the sales ladder in Canada during the past year as the Honda Civic celebrates its 10th consecutive year atop the chart.

Very little has changes in this years Top 10 list. The top six cars are the exact same with final sales numbers similar in most cases. For the 10th consecutive year, the Honda Civic was crowned the best-selling car in Canada with total sales of 70,838 for 2007 up slightly from the 70,028 for the previous year.

From January 1 to December 31, 2007
Rank / Model (Last year’s position) / Total sales

1- Honda Civic (1) 70,838

2- Mazda3 (2) 48,236

3- Toyota Corolla (3) 40,474

4- Toyota Yaris (4) 34,424

5- Chevrolet Cobalt (5) 32,613

6- Toyota Camry (6) 28,218

7- Pontiac G5 (8) 25,211

8- Ford Focus (7) 24,013

9- Honda Accord (–) 22,102

10- Nissan Versa (–) 21,940

While we like to cover what’s going on in the German tuning scene, the haus of RDX proves that we shouldn’t stray far from the Lorinzers, Schnitzers, Brabus’ and Hartges of the world.

What makes this Audi A3 truly horrible isn’t the lime green paint, the misaligned chrome-lipped rollers or even the Lambo-style doors that aren’t included in the price of the $895 body kit. No, the biggest problem with the RDX A3 is the fact that nothing - not one damn thing - has been done under the hood. If we had to search our souls for a singular redeeming quality, it’s the fact that RDX fitted LEDs from the S6 into the front fascia. Otherwise… fail.

If you must, RDX’s press release is after the jump and you can check the gallery below for another acid-reflux inducing image.

All the teams bar Ferrari and Toyota tested at Jerez this week. McLaren looked fast, but Williams and Red Bull impressed with their speed as well.

Next week should provide the first opportunity for several weeks to compare the expected 2008 front runners - McLaren and Ferrari. However teams are expecting rain at the Circuit de Cataluntya, which could leave us in some suspence about exactly who is quickest as the first race approaches.

But as far as Jarno Trulli is concerned, Ferrari are miles ahead. (more…)

Not that it makes a huge bit of difference here in the States, but Audi released the pricing for its TTS Coupe and Roadster for our friends abroad and it gives us some indication about what we can expect to pay when the duo of hotted-up TTs make it Stateside. The coupe will come in at £33,380, while the drop-top version commands a slightly higher sticker, with a base price of £35,380. Both models find motivation from the turbocharged, 2.0-liter direct-injection four producing 272 hp and 265 lb.-ft. of torque. While a six-speed manual is standard, buyers can option up the TTS with the S-Tronic sequential dual-clutch gearbox for an additional £1,400.

Just for comparison, the base TT coupe, equipped with the 2.0T, in the UK starts around £25,000, while the 3.2-liter V6-equipped model crests the £30,000-mark. If these prices hold true for U.S. consumers, we should expect to see the TTS coupe go for around $44,000, with the Roadster getting up passed $46k.

2011 Chrysler 300, duck Charger to remain rear-roll drive

season novel CAFE regulations have put many automakers’ futurity rear-roll conveyance plans forward clinch — including catholic Motors – Chrysler’s 300 and duck Charger will warrior forward accompanying a rear-roll drive setup end their 2011 pattern year makeover. season consumer claim for rear-roll drive vehicles is forward the a, The Car Connection says the conclusion to keep the vehicles forward their popular platform truly is owed to a want of funds to develop a novel front-roll drive architecture. (Read the full post about ‘2011 Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger to remain rear-wheel drive’…)

Volvo, Mack Offer Free Shipping for Emergency Parts Orders. A new program from the Volvo Group North America means Volvo and Mack Truck customers can concentrate on hauling freight, instead of paying for it when they need a repair. Volvo and Mack Truck have eliminated freight charges. In most cases for shipments of emergency replacement parts from their parts distribution centers PDCs. That means customers now get the parts they need to get back on the road, without having to pay additional shipping costs.

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Morgan is building the LifeCar to demonstrate, “that a zero emission vehicle can also be fun to drive.” The tiny English car maker - better known for wood framed roadsters - is trying to do what no car maker has done before it: bring to market a fast, fun, desirable sports car that makes no sacrifices for its hydrogen fuel cell.

Built on the same basic architecture as the Aero8, the LifeCar is given a more futuristic art-deco look as well as a significant reduction in weight. By combining that low weight with high levels of hybridization, Morgan predict the LifeCar will have performance to match a sports car while achieving a 200-mile fuel range.

Charles Morgan, the company’s Strategy Director, told CarBodyDesign, “The real challenge is to design and build a car that is fun to drive - a proper sports car. The use of ultra capacitors to store the surplus energy and then use this for acceleration and braking does promise a dynamic ride, especially when combined with our ultra light chassis. The pairing of weight to a minimum is our strength, and allows a much smaller fuel cell than conventionally thought necessary. This gives energy and yet more weight savings.” [Via CarBodyDesign]

Morgan will debut the car at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

At this year’s Geneva Auto Show, Toyota is going to officially unveil its production version of the iQ microcar that was shown in Frankfurt last year for the European market.

The iQ measures less than three meters and seats up to three adult passengers with room left over for a small child or luggage. The iQ is going to go into production at the end of the year.

In addition to the production version of the iQ, Toyota is also going to debut the Urban Cruiser, which is essentially a raised version of the Scion xD that we have in the US. Toyota has yet to release any specs on the car, so you will have to wait until the car is officially unveiled next month.

Standing up to the Chrysler’s motto “Engineered Beautifully,” the Chrysler Crossfire carries a unique style with its low-cut design and delicate lines that go seamlessly with the vehicle’s exterior. The Crossfire’s wide body, smooth curves, and expanded hood make it look like it can run at great speeds, even when not in motion. On top of that, the model is equipped with technological features and auto parts including the Chrysler Crossfire ignition coil to add to the exceptional driving experience.

A Chrysler Crossfire cannot go anywhere without the proper auto parts installed in it. In fact, it cannot even start without a Chrysler Crossfire ignition coil. The ignition coil or spark coil serves as an induction coil in the car’s ignition system. In an internal combustion engine, this autotransformer works with the contact breaker to increase the voltage from the usual 12 volts to 40 kilovolts to ignite the spark plugs.

In the past, vehicles used one large coil supplying all the spark plugs through the ignition distributor. Today, vehicles like the Chrysler Crossfire have an electronically-controlled ignition with smaller ignition coils in either one or two spark plugs. Ignition coils may be secluded or mounted above the spark plug known as direct ignition. Using the “wasted spark” system, one ignition coil can supply two spark plugs. It is more dependable than the single coil with distributor set-up. It also costs less than direct injection. The Chrysler Crossfire ignition coil. is similar to an electrical step up transformer that contains heavily-insulated copper with primary and secondary twisting circuits. The secondary circuits have more coils and are oiled to keep them cool.

Damage resistant with an extended spark period, the Chrysler Crossfire ignition coil is the core of the car’s ignition system. If the car shows signs like lack of power, increased fuel consumption, and increased exhaust emissions, a trip to the mechanic and possible replacement of the ignition coil is recommended.

About the AuthorAnthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.