Winter Driving Tips from a Pro

Thinking ahead is the key to maintaining control

By Nina Russin

Bridgestone Winter Driving School, Steamboat Springs, Colorado

What can an inexperienced driver do to ensure that his trip up to the mountains is a safe one? I asked Mark Cox, a professional race car driver and director of Bridgestone’s Winter Driving School in Steamboat Springs, Colorado for some advice.

“If you’re using good technique, front, rear and all-wheel drive cars all perform the same,” said Cox. “The idea that they don’t is an urban myth. However if you aren’t using good technique, they perform differently.”

“You only have three ways to control a car,” Cox continued. Those controls are braking, steering and accelerating. According to Cox, the best way to maintain traction on ice and snow is by only using one control at a time. Read the rest of this entry »

2013 Dodge Dart

Chrysler unveils Fiat-based compact with classic nameplate

By Nina Russin

2013 Dodge Dart

Chrysler announced yesterday that it’s expanding the company’s small car offerings in North America with an all-new Dart compact sedan, to be unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next month. The new Dart takes its name from Dodge’s midsized model of the late 1960s and early 70s, whose variants included some rather sedate four-door cars, but also the track-happy GTS.

The new Dart follows on the heels of the Fiat 500: the Italian automaker’s first North American model in several decades. Based on the Alfa Romeo Guilietta, the 2013 Dart comes with a choice of three engines: the same 1.4-liter Fiat block which powers the 500, and two new four-cylinder blocks with 2 and 2.4-liter displacement respectively. Read the rest of this entry »

2011 Los Angeles Auto Show

Automakers focus on green cars and connectivity

By Nina Russin

Kia's GT Concept at the 2011 LA Auto Show

The Los Angeles Auto Show’s star continues to rise, despite financial unease within the car industry. A continuing focus on green transportation solutions has piqued the interest of the international press, helping the show to attract numbers comparable to North America’s three other major shows: Detroit, Chicago and New York.

While the focus on alternative and hybrid vehicles remains strong, automakers at the 2011 LA Auto Show seemed as, if not more concerned with user interfaces inside the vehicle. Cadillac’s new CUE system rolls out in the all-new XTS sedan, followed by the ATS and SRX later next year. Infiniti takes a personal touch in its new JX seven-passenger crossover, with a concierge service that provides 24-hour access to a live assistant.

Hyundai and Kia continue to upgrade their proprietary infotainment systems- BlueLink and UVO- while Ford, which pioneered the field with Sync, introduces the next generation My Ford Touch system on the all-new Escape and refreshed Flex.

At the conclusion of the two-day press preview, Ford captured Nielsen’s Green Marketer of the Year award, while the 2012 Green Car Journal Green Car of the Year went to the Honda Civic Natural Gas model. Read the rest of this entry »

Chevrolet Volt Roll-Out Expands to Arizona

Extended range electric car now available in Phoenix dealerships

2012 Chevrolet Volt

Chevrolet is extending availability of the new Volt to include dealerships in Arizona, beginning with Phoenix. About 2500 of the brand’s 3000 US dealerships are signed up to participate in the Volt program. Cars are currently rolling into Phoenix stores. Tucson and other parts of the state will follow.

The Volt combines an electric engine and gasoline motor, but in a different manner than hybrids currently on the market. The sedan will operate in pure electric mode at all speeds for up to 35 miles. When the charge from the lithium-ion battery pack gets low, the vehicle automatically switches over to gasoline power, extending the vehicle’s range by another 344 miles according to the manufacturer.

Recharging time for the battery ranges from four hours utilizes 220-volt current to 10 hours if the vehicle is plugged into a 115 volt outlet. The cost of a recharge is about $1.50 regardless of the type of current used. The battery pack carries an eight-year/100,000 mile warranty.

Chevrolet rates the car’s net horsepower at 149, with 273 foot-pounds of peak torque. Because electric motors develop peak torque at very low engine speeds, the sedan has excellent low-end acceleration: zero-to-sixty takes less than nine seconds.

MSRP starts at $41,000. Buyers are eligible for a $7500 tax credit, and may be eligible for state tax incentives as well. Standard features include keyless ignition with push button start, a remote vehicle starter, Sirius XM radio, OnStar and eight airbags. Options include leather seating, a Bose audio upgrade, a rearview camera with park assist and two aluminum wheel options. Read the rest of this entry »

ALV of the Year Announces 2012 Winners

Audi, Jeep, Mazda, Subaru and Volkswagen dominate a competitive field

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

The Active Lifestyle Vehicle of the Year announces the winners of its eighth annual competition, following the finals at Local Motors in Phoenix, Arizona on October 21. ALV is the only car-of-the-year program to combine the input of nationally-recognized automotive journalists with elite and area athletes to determine which cars and trucks best meet the needs of buyers with active lifestyles.

“This was our first ride-and-drive program in Phoenix, and it has significantly raised the game for cars entered in the competition,” said program co-founder, Nina Russin. “For the first time, we had a serious off-road course on which to evaluate those particular categories. The number of athletes participating in the event increased threefold. Thanks to the commitment of the ALV jury panel, the team at Local Motors and the athlete team captains, I believe that the Active Lifestyle Vehicle program has come into its own.” Read the rest of this entry »

ALV Reveals Athlete Teams

Seventy Phoenix athletes set for October 22 ride-and-drive

Ironman Triathlete Jeremy Hendricks, Urban Team Captain

Seventy area athletes will meet Saturday, October 22 at Local Motors south of Phoenix to drive and evaluate finalists for the Active Lifestyle Vehicle of the Year awards. Votes from the athlete teams account for fifty percent of the final tally and will be averaged with the votes of a panel of automotive journalists to determine the winners in seven categories.
 
Team captains for each of the seven judging categories are athlete opinion leaders, including an elite marathoner, Ironman triathlete, two sports medicine practitioners, a Pilates instructor, elite duathletes and the president of the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists.
 
Team captains recruited the other nine members of their teams. Team members participate in a variety of sports ranging from golf to rock climbing, cycling, swimming, volleyball, running, mountain biking and paddling. In order to be selected team members must compete several times a year in their sports, and train several times a week.
 
“We had heard from the manufacturers that they wanted more athletes evaluating vehicles at the finals,” said program co-founder, Nina Russin. “This new method of recruiting the judging teams gives us a wider footprint, enabling us to reach that critical mass of quality athletes.” Read the rest of this entry »

ALV of the Year Announces Finalists

Organizers ready for ride-and-drive program on October 21

A national panel of automotive journalists has narrowed the field to the 32 finalists that will be invited to Phoenix next month for the eighth annual athletes’ ride-and-drive to determine the Active Lifestyle Vehicle of the Year in seven categories.

The Active Lifestyle Vehicle of the Year is the only car-of-the-year program which combines the input of automotive journalists with elite and recreational athletes to determine the best vehicles for those with active lifestyles. Athletes participating in former events include professional ball players, elite marathoners, triathletes, cyclists, swimmers, beach volleyball players, paddlers and dragon boat racers. Read the rest of this entry »

2012 Volkswagen Model Preview

Diversified lineup gives car lovers more to love

By Nina Russin

2012 Volkswagen Models

Car enthusiasts love German brands for the passion they inspire. The precision engineering which is the hallmark of all German cars elevates them from a means of transportation into something transcendent.

In today’s tough financial climate, luxury brands such as Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and Audi are beyond reach for many customers. Volkswagen, however, is not. The most affordable German brand is making hay by offering car fans its most diversified model line-up. Read the rest of this entry »

Toyota Prius vs. Nissan Leaf

Choosing the right green option

By Edward Pacheco
 

2011 Nissan Leaf

The Toyota Prius and the Nissan Leaf have proven to be two environmentally-friendly cars. That said, the propulsion systems for the models are quite different.

The Prius has a gasoline engine and electric motors. Power for the motors comes from a nickel metal hydride battery as well as regenerative braking. The Leaf, on the other hand, is a fully-electric vehicle which the owner recharges by plugging into an electrical outlet. Read the rest of this entry »

New Ford Technologies Enhance Connectivity

Automaker increases SYNC AppLink availability, enhances safety features

By Nina Russin

Ford launches SYC AppLink for 2012 Mustang

Dateline: Dearborn, Michigan. Ford announced today that it is expanding availability of its SYC AppLink to ten models for 2012, including the F-150, Fusion, Fusion Hybrid, Fiesta, Expedition and Mustang. By enabling drivers to utilize SYNC’s voice controls, Ford is making the use of apps while driving less distracting.

A Nationwide Mutual insurance 2010 study indicates that one-in-four Americans who download smartphone apps use them while driving. Neilsen research shows that smartphones will outnumber feature phones by the end of the year, pointing to an increase in the number of app users.

Ford’s app developer has received 2500 submissions for new SYNC Applinks, including personalized entertainment, information, news, location-based services such as navigation, traffic and business searches, scheduling and planning.

Current SYNC-enabled apps include Pandora, Stitcher and OpenBeak. Read the rest of this entry »