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Thursday, April 29, 2010
RPMGO.com (former Auto Unleashed) |
- Test drive with the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo
- Video: Audi’s Next Big Thing short film gets behind the scenes footage
- Chrysler Nassau to replace the Sebring, report says
- Video: Cadillac driver fights crime in China, stops thief by drifting
- Toyota recalls 2003 Sequoia models over traction control issues that result in unintended braking
- Ford Fusion Hybrid pays off quickest, hybrids still aren’t worth it, reports says
- Video: Citroen Nemo flips over in ‘Moose test’, shows why stability control is important
- Jaguar XF get police car treatment in the UK
- Nissan expects Leaf shortages after high number of reservations
- Custom Chevrolet Camaro honors America’s fallen servicemen
| Test drive with the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo Posted: 29 Apr 2010 04:07 AM PDT  When BMW first announced its newest "experiment", the 5 Series GT (or how they like to call it Grand Turismo), I was among the many who were shocked by its ugliness. Still, considering the fact that I also said that about the X6, who managed to find a place in my heart after I drove it, I was keen to drive the 5 GT and see what's what before finally reaching a verdict. The first aspect that pops out when you glance at the 5 GT is its size. It's really huge. The 7 Series seems like a small sedan besides this behemoth, whose snout is almost as large enough as a small city car. As such, you really have a newfound respect for BMW's creation, even before you actually get it. But let's get on with this review and see if the 5 GT is actually something you might like. Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Video: Audi’s Next Big Thing short film gets behind the scenes footage Posted: 29 Apr 2010 02:50 AM PDT  Audi is sparing no expense in promoting its A1 city car, and hired pop idol Justin Timberlake to star with the lovely Dania Ramirez in a short film entitled The Next Big Thing. We already saw a teaser trailer, but now the Ingolstadt carmaker released a new behind the scenes video, in which it showcases the Hollywood-style effort put into this project. Also mentioned are some of the ideas behind the whole short film. Go behind the scenes of Audi’s Next Big Thing with the video located after the jump. Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Chrysler Nassau to replace the Sebring, report says Posted: 29 Apr 2010 02:25 AM PDT  Times were simpler back in 2007, for Chrysler at least, who was still pretty popular and not a victim of any pesky recession. It was at that year’s Detroit Auto Show that the Pentastar carmaker unleashed the interesting Nassau sedan concept. While people eagerly awaited a version of the car to make it to production, all they got was the Sebring sedan, which didn’t exactly killed the opposition, to say the least. Fast forward to the present, and Chrysler, with the help of Fiat, will release a facelifted sedan set to bear another name, at least according to Sergio Marchionne. Now, a report from the Detroit Free Press says that the Sebring replacement will carry the Nassau name, seeing as how Chrysler already owns the trademark. While it doesn’t say if the new sedan will actually borrow anything from the concept of not, we’re all for acting like the Sebring never happened. What do you think? Should Chrysler just retire the Sebring name in favor of something else? Share your thoughts below. Source: Detroit Free Press Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Video: Cadillac driver fights crime in China, stops thief by drifting Posted: 29 Apr 2010 01:57 AM PDT  We’ve seen our fair share of vigilantes over the years, but while we can’t say we condone such practices (leave crime fighting to the police), some examples are just too awesome to pass. Such is the case with a Cadillac CTS driver in China, who decided to stop a thief by drifting his car in front of the baddie that just stole the purse of a woman on the street. The whole video is just too awesome for words, and we can just thank road surveillance cameras for capturing this Cadillac-driving hero of our time. Check out the video after the jump! Source: FailBlog Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Toyota recalls 2003 Sequoia models over traction control issues that result in unintended braking Posted: 29 Apr 2010 01:51 AM PDT  Right after it took care of the stability control problems on the luxury 2010 Lexus GX460 SUV, Toyota has been hit with another problem, this time from an older SUV. The company has just announced that it will recall approximately 50,000 2003 Toyota Sequoia SUVs. The problem with the vehicle stems from “inappropriate activation of the electronic stability control or the traction control system.” What does this mean? Ironically enough, after a huge number of Toyota models suffered from unintended acceleration, the 2003 Sequoia suffers from unintended deceleration, or braking. While we may mock the carmaker a bit, the problem is quite severe, as when the traction/stability control systems slow the car down, the brake lights in the rear aren’t activated. As you can imagine, this might lead to some nasty rear-end collisions if the driver behind you isn’t paying strict attention to the road. 2003 Toyota Sequoia models are set to be recalled in late May. Owners will be notified by mail, but if you want to contact the Japanese carmaker, you can call at this number: 1-800-331-4331. Source: Toyota Post published on Rpmgo.com No related posts. |
| Ford Fusion Hybrid pays off quickest, hybrids still aren’t worth it, reports says Posted: 29 Apr 2010 01:23 AM PDT  People who opt for hybrid models usually do so because they want to lower their fuel average and, as a consequence, pay less for their daily rides. But this can only be achieved by paying more than a regular car, as hybrids are much pricier than their normal brethren. The San Francisco Chronicle decided to do a test and see how long it takes for the decreased fuel spending to balance out the financial effort a consumer made to purchase a hybrid. Seven of the most popular eco-friendly models were chosen. The results are a bit surprising to say the least. The winner was the Ford Fusion Hybrid, which, at current gas prices, will pay off the investment in 5.6 years. This is largely due to the relatively low price difference between a regular Fusion and the hybrid counterpart. But while 5.6 years might seem like a lot, bear in mind that Toyota Prius owners should wait 20 years for the price of their hybrid to be weighed out by the savings they make in terms of fuel costs. What was the worst car? The Nissan Altima Hybrid, which requires 21 years to pay off in fuel savings. The bottom line, according to the San Francisco Chronicle is that hybrids, at least given today’s fuel prices, just aren’t worth the investment. If you want to reduce your carbon footprint or just look cool, then you might want a hybrid though. Source: San Francisco Chronicle via Autoblog Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Video: Citroen Nemo flips over in ‘Moose test’, shows why stability control is important Posted: 29 Apr 2010 12:54 AM PDT  We usually take a few systems in our new cars for granted. Among them is the electronic stability control feature, sometimes called ESC, ESP or traction control, depending on the carmaker. We recently saw what could happen when such a system is in over its head, with the tail-happy 2010 Lexus GX460. Thankfully, Toyota acted quick and released an updated firmware for the luxury SUV that prevents it from going out of control. But what happens when a car with a like a compact people carrier, with a high center of gravity and short wheelbase isn’t fitted with ESC? Well British consumer magazine Which? decided to find out, and lined up three such cars, the Fiat Qubo, the Peugeot Bipper Teepee and the Citroen Nemo. The models were subjected to the famous ‘Moose Test’, when a car must swerve to avoid an impact at 50 mph. The Fiat Qubo, which has ESC as an option for diesel variants, passed the test, just barely. The Citroen Nemo however, without any ESC, failed miserably by flipping over and landing on its roof. Seeing this, Which? decided to cancel the test for the Peugeot, as the two cars are practically identical and both don’t offer ESC. PSA Peugeot Citroen reacted and said it will implement ESC in diesel variants but gasoline ones will get the system around 2011. Check out the video of the pretty horrific Moose test of the Citroen Nemo after the jump. Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Jaguar XF get police car treatment in the UK Posted: 29 Apr 2010 12:35 AM PDT  Turning one of your models into a police car is quickly becoming one of the greatest ways to advertise that specific model, if you’re a carmaker. Joining other novel ideas like Abu Dhabi’s Fiat 500 or the Nissan GT-R, or the Scottish police’s Audi Q7, the Central Motorway Police Group, which patrols the motorways across the Midlands of the UK, has just announced that it will deploy seven police-spec Jaguar XF models. These new police cars started life as Diesel S models, powered by a 3.0-liter engine capable of 275 HP and 443 lb-ft of torque. Their impressive fuel average, 42 mpg (UK) and pretty low emissions, 179 g/km of CO2, made them suitable for police duty.  As such, the ‘rozzers’ added a new roof-mounted light bar, side alley lights, blue and white LED lamps in the front grille plus other such things in the rear light clusters. For added efficiency, improved electronics and new systems were added on the inside of the police Jag. Source: CarScoop Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Nissan expects Leaf shortages after high number of reservations Posted: 29 Apr 2010 12:18 AM PDT  Nissan’s Carlos Ghosn revealed some time ago that when the all-electric Leaf will arrive on the market, his company will have no opposition. Many thought the executive was a bit too full of himself, but after Nissan started taking $99 reservations ahead of the upcoming launch of the EV, things seem to go according to Ghosn. His company, according to some reports, might even be faced with Leaf shortages in some markets, as reservations are expected to pass the 20,000 originally estimated. According to recent data, almost 7,000 pre-orders were placed in the USA, and another 4,000 from Japan. Nissan will continue to take reservations in these territories and will also open up to the UK and other European countries, so the number will no doubt grow by leaps and bounds. For those who might not remember, the Nissan Leaf is a zero-emission electric vehicle, that will start from a steep $32,780. Government subsidies in the USA and in other countries will be applied though, with Nissan expecting the Leaf to actually be sold at around $25,280. If you have that cash lying around and want an EV, then you’d better hurry up and reserve a Leaf as soon as possible. Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Custom Chevrolet Camaro honors America’s fallen servicemen Posted: 28 Apr 2010 11:52 PM PDT  The Camaro5 community really knows when to stick together. An example of this has just been revealed. Constandina Tutten, wife of Army Sergeant Joseph Tutten, found out on Christmas day, 2007, that her husband was killed in the line of duty while leading a platoon in a clearing operation in the Tikrit. Upon hearing this tragic story, Camaro5 forum member TheSpyMaster decided to create a customized 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, as a tribute to all of the fallen servicemen America had seen. Even though the project just started as a quick one, using a set of modified wheels and various other small adjustments, seeing the support he got from other forum members, the guy decided to go all out. What you see above is a 2010 Camaro with custom wheels, scissor doors plus a wide body kit, all decked out in an American flag-themed vinyl wrap. While some might have preferred a more normal paint scheme, this tribute is still something that must be honored. Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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