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Friday, May 28, 2010
RPMGO.com (former Auto Unleashed) |
- Test drive with the new Citroen C3 Picasso
- Ford might be close to shutting down Mercury brand
- Porsche Boxster fails at parking in Shanghai
- House of Representatives examines regulatory bill for black box and brake override systems
- Video: Ferrari California tears it up at the Yas Marina circuit
- Volkswagen once again looking to purchase Malaysia’s Proton?
- Toyota and Daimler might be planning fuel cell research partnership
- Former BMW designer Chris Bangle returning to Fiat?
- Need For Speed World arriving on July 20 for free
- Cadillac recalls 2010 SRX crossovers over engine problems
| Test drive with the new Citroen C3 Picasso Posted: 28 May 2010 04:02 AM PDT  After we tested the new C3, we got our hands on its funkier brother, the Citroen C3 Picasso, which we tried on a beautiful weekend. The first time I saw the car was a year and a half ago, at the Paris Motor Show. That's also the spot where one of its rivals, the Kia Soul, made its debut. The two cars didn't really blow me away as I wasn't interested in their compact MPV segment. But after trying out the C3 Picasso, I saw that I was hugely mistaken. Curious to see why? Then read on. Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Ford might be close to shutting down Mercury brand Posted: 28 May 2010 03:39 AM PDT  Reports are arriving, courtesy of Bloomberg, about a big decision set to be made at the Ford headquarters. It seems that due to slow sales and dwindling brand appeal, the Blue Oval is very close to shutting down its Mercury division and continuing with just two brands, the mainstream Ford and the upmarket Lincoln. Ford officials have limited their comments on saying that the future of the Mercury brand is laid out and they will follow it. According to sources at the beginning of the year, the division will receive its own badge engineered version of the 2012 Focus but not much else. With the ambitious One Ford plan to release the same cars with minimal changes all around the world, plus the fresh start of the Lincoln brand with a focus on quality features, it seems Mercury just doesn’t have a big role in the future of the Blue Oval. Will this mean the company is preparing to go the way of Oldsmobile, Pontiac or Hummer? Only time will tell. Source: Bloomberg Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Porsche Boxster fails at parking in Shanghai Posted: 28 May 2010 03:26 AM PDT  A Shanghai Porsche Boxster owner decided to really showcase the more practical aspects of his convertible sportscar, and parked the car right on the stairs leading to a road underpass in his own city. The guy took advantage of the small width of the Boxster and had absolutely no problem leaving the sportscar on those stairs (he even left some room for the actual pedestrians!).  So, what do you think of his ingenuity? Parking fail or resourcefulness win? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. Source: Shanghaiist (thanks for the tip, Gideon!) Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| House of Representatives examines regulatory bill for black box and brake override systems Posted: 28 May 2010 03:15 AM PDT  After the recent incidents with Toyota models and the unintended acceleration issues, the House of Representatives tasked one of its committees to create a new bill which will require automakers to implement even data recorders (aka black boxes), as well as other safety features in their future cars. The bill has now been passed by the committee and is up for public debate at the House of Representatives. Besides the event data recorder part, systems like brake override, pushbutton starts and even pedal placement are also regulated by the new bill. While such features were standard on quite a few cars, the House feels like a common regulation would help investigations in car crashes and, of course, augment the safety factor. If the bill is passed, it’s onto the Senate where it can be voted and become an actual law. Source: Automotive News Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Video: Ferrari California tears it up at the Yas Marina circuit Posted: 28 May 2010 01:44 AM PDT  The Ferrari California didn’t really make supercar purists that excited when it was first revealed. Slowly but surely though, the sports grand tourer, with its folding hardtop and optional dual-clutch transmission earned a lot of fans among those not really interested in owning a Ferrari just for its sheer power (although it can develop 450 HP). Now, in order to really showcase the sporty side of the California, Ferrari has released a fresh video of one of its test drivers, Marc Gené, tearing up the Yas Marina Formula 1 circuit, in Abu Dhabi. The footage is extremely nice, so you’d better hit the jump and check it out for yourselves. Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Volkswagen once again looking to purchase Malaysia’s Proton? Posted: 28 May 2010 01:34 AM PDT  Volkswagen is seemingly bent on purchasing almost every other small carmaker it can find, only to boost its ever-expanding portfolio. After the recently announced partnership with Suzuki, the German carmaker is once again the target of new rumors, pointing to a possible acquisition of Malaysia’s Proton. For those not familiar, the company is one of Malaysia’s biggest carmakers and owns British sportscar manufacturer Lotus. There were rumors between 2004 and 2007 about a possible collaboration between the two groups, but nothing really came out of those talks. Now, it seems that VW and Proton might learn to play nice together, so that the German company can sell even more cars in the Asian territory and Proton may increase its exports and sales figures. Do you think this partnership, if it will be made official, will prove successful for Volkswagen and Proton? Share your thoughts below. Source: Canadian Business via Autoblog Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Toyota and Daimler might be planning fuel cell research partnership Posted: 28 May 2010 01:08 AM PDT  Another day, another report of a future industry partnership. After hearing about Volkswagen’s official purchase of Italdesign Giugiaro, reports are now coming in about a new partnership between Toyota and Daimler. According to Reuters, the two companies are planning to kick start a joint venture which would research and develop new fuel cell technologies for future electric vehicles. Both carmakers have been documenting the new technology for quite some time, so this new partnership might make a lot of sense. Daimler has also partnered recently with the Renault Nissan alliance, but that only covers small car development and platform sharing. The company is also part, alongside Toyota and other carmakers of the so-called Hydrogen Alliance, a group that supports the development of fuel cell vehicles. The two companies refused to declare anything about a partnership, so perhaps an official announcement isn’t too far away. Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Former BMW designer Chris Bangle returning to Fiat? Posted: 28 May 2010 12:38 AM PDT  Chris Bangle is without a doubt one of the most controversial car designers from recent times. The man was responsible for the design of BMW models from the 2000s and generated a huge amount of discussions. Now, the designer, who left the Bavarian company in February, 2009, in order to pursue his other design goals, is rumored to be returning to the car industry. The American is rumored to join one of his former employers, Fiat. It seems that according to some reports, Bangle, whose non-compete agreement ended in March, this year, might be tempted to once again take on the chief designer role at the Italian company, where he was responsible for the Fiat Coupe, back in the day. The decision might have something to do with the Italian group now owning Chrysler, a company in much need of a clearer design direction. Nothing is official as of yet, but if Bangle were to return to the car industry, his name alone would garner quite a lot of attention. What do you think? Is Fiat making a deal to bring back Bangle, and if so, will it be profitable in the end? Share your thoughts below. Source: Caradisiac via Autoblog Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Need For Speed World arriving on July 20 for free Posted: 28 May 2010 12:21 AM PDT  Need For Speed World, the next title in the long running racing game franchise, has just been confirmed for a July 20 release date. For those not in the know, NFS World is a “massively multiplayer online action racing game”. The title will combine maps from previous titles like NFS Carbon or NFS Most Wanted, and allow people to race against one another as well as engage in police pursuits. The best part is that the title will be free-to-play, but there’s catch though. You will be able to download the title and play it until level 10. Afterwards, you can continue racing other people but you won’t acquire anymore experience. Those who want to continue progressing will need to buy a $20 Starter Pack, which ensures progression until level 50, as well as a few exclusive cars, extra cash to spend on power ups and access to special features. Those who pre-order the starter pack will also get in on the current beta stage and receive a head start (on July 13) in the final game. NFS World is now available for pre-order at the EA Store, and will also appear on other digital download outlets like Direct2Drive or Impulse. Source: EA Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Cadillac recalls 2010 SRX crossovers over engine problems Posted: 27 May 2010 11:57 PM PDT  Cadillac has officially issued a recall for specific versions of its 2010 SRX crossover over a potential problem with the engine when it is fueled with a mixture of less than the required 91 octane rating. 547 vehicles are affected by this problem, all powered by the 2.8-liter V6 engine. It seems that when people fill up the tank with non-premium fuel, the engine cannot regulate its function, leading to the possibility of pre-ignition. This, in case you didn’t know, may result in damaged pistons or other internal components of the engine. Owners of the affected 2010 Cadillac SRX crossovers will be notified as soon as possible by the carmaker. They will need to go to the nearest dealership to get the engine control modules fixed. For more details, you can contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339. Source: NHTSA Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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