Report: Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster coming to Geneva

It's amazing what a company like Aston Martin can do with what essentially amounts to two product families. Discounting the Toyota-built Cygnet and the exclusive One-77, the company's entire line-up is based around either the Vantage or the DB9. While the latter has also spawned the Virage, the DBS and the Rapide, Aston has also done a lot with the former. There's the V8 Vantage, the Vantage S, the V12 Vantage and even the exotic V12 Zagato – not to mention countless racing versions.

And then there's the convertibles. Aston offers open-top versions of just about all of these (save, once again, the Cygnet, One-77 and Rapide). All that's been missing is a V12 Vantage Roadster, and now word has it that Aston's got that one in the pipeline for the near future, too.

The formula is pretty simple: taking the mechanical bits from the V12 Vantage coupe and fit the folding fabric roof mechanism from the V8 Vantage Roadster and presto! an open-top twelve-cylinder roadster. And with 510 horsepower on tap, it should make for one heck of a wild ride. We're told to expect it's arrival as soon as the Geneva Motor Show this coming March, so stay tuned.

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First Drive: 2012 Mini Countryman Cooper S All4 John Cooper Works

Need A Bit More Pounce In Your CUV? Mini Has A JCW For That

As part of the ongoing master plan at Mini to attract distinction-seeking buyers who still have some disposable income left, we present the Mini Countryman Cooper S All4 John Cooper Works: the Mini CUV with the mighty long name.

This latest Mini JCW will get its world premiere at this March's Geneva Motor Show, but we've just enjoyed a pre-holiday drive in the remote mountain lair of Kühtai, 6,600 feet up in the Austrian Alps. As you'd expect, there was snow and rocks and animal skin sweat lodges and hot wine, but the Countryman All4 JCW got us out of there and back to our families in the flatlands. Our drive consisted of a two-lane road loop with plenty of overtaking chances and a decently long off-road parcours etched into a local abandoned ski hill.

Thus far, Mini's strongest JCW model has been gifted with a 208-horsepower version of the BMW/PSA turbocharged 1.6-liter direct injection in-line four-cylinder, dubbed "N18" as it's assembled at Mini's Hams Hall UK factory. Head of chassis development for BMW Group, Heinz Kruche, tells Autoblog that the Countryman will get "around 15 more horses and the same for torque" to help deal with the Countryman's additional weight. Thus, this 3,200-something pound "Mini" should pack somewhere around 223 horses at 6,000 rpm and 207 pound-feet of torque between 1,850 and 5,600 rpm when it arrives Stateside this June. Good. But is it good enough?

As we attacked the slippery alpine climbs and descents, we couldn't help notice that this Countryman feels lighter than its heft would suggest. The added power and torque certainly helped, yes, but the Sport chassis stance that lowers the JCW Countryman down four-tenths of an inch versus the standard Cooper S All4 deserves some credit for the additional driving security. We're guessing the winter wear 17-inch Bridgestone Blizzak tires mounted on our prototype's heavily drilled-out (and awesomely purposeful) steel wheels helped too.

Another much appreciated trick of the elfin folk at Mini's happy All4 workshops in Graz, Austria, are the JCW's larger diameter front and rear stabilizer bars. One millimeter more might not seem like much, but with this size vehicle, it can have a hugely pleasing effect, and that's exactly the case here. The 23-millimeter broad front stabilizer bar and 17-mm bar in back worked their wonders on the lowered sportier chassis, filling us with confidence as the snow fell thick and other motorists became legitimately tentative. That Mini uses a heavily modified version of this exact vehicle for its rather successful Mini World Rally squad suddenly makes good sense.

At the heart of this driver security and bad weather boldness is what is essentially a bolt-on electro-magnetic rear differential supplied by GKN. The addition renders the Countryman a very capable all-wheel driver that nearly feels like a full-bore four-wheel-drive setup. Whereas BMW's xDrive technology is electro-mechanical, comes from a separate supplier and is meant for much heavier duty, the compact and lightweight All4 solution is rightly matched to this Mini's more modest needs. In the end, it feels exactly as agile as a mechanical self-locking differential while adding a negligible amount of weight – and it's quicker to act. We have rarely felt a more pleasing multi-plate wet clutch in operation under such trying circumstances as those faced in Ski Central. When we return to cruising the drier and easy-going byways, however, even the All4 Countryman returns to being a front-wheel driver.

For the off-road bits, the robust all-wheel-drive setup on the Countryman All4 JCW benefits from exactly this lightning-fast thinking of the GKN unit. Granted, we thought the system might be right at the limit of its capabilities given the Countryman's weight, but any such notions were dismissed over the course of our drive. We switched off Dynamic Stability Control and Dynamic Traction Control, turned on the Sport mode to summon quicker throttle response, increased steering weight and a throatier sounding exhaust, and there was nothing this wee powerhouse refused to do. Having the added lunge on tap thanks to the JCW's quicker throttle made dispatching iffy bits of road or wagon trail mere child's play. With just 5.5 inches of ground clearance with the sport chassis setup, you'll still want to stay clear of the truly hardscrabble stuff, however.

Another appreciated upgrade are rear brake discs that measure 11.7 inches versus the Cooper S All4's 11.0-inch units. Coupled with the 12.4-inch Brembo front discs, they atone for the additional heft and workload of the rear axle and electro-magnetic rear differential. To its confidence-building credit, feedback from the brake pedal consistently proved just right for the circumstances. While 130 miles per hour remains the top speed cutoff, acceleration to 60 mph will dip just below 7.0 seconds – more than quick enough for this sort of transportation.

But, let's face it, this is a big road warrior in a small package and the All4 setup is meant to face skiing traffic in bad weather – at most. If that's the type of foul weather and rough road duty that defines your upper limit, then the Mini Countryman All4 Cooper S JCW is practically overkill it's so good, leaving you to make your buying decisions based on how much cargo or passenger space you have to have, how you like its looks, and whether the price is within your budget.

As to the latter of those three factors, cost, this JCW certainly isn't cheap, which should come as a surprise to exactly no one. But then again, Minis aren't built to be cheap, nor age as a cheap car often does. If you're looking for a model exactly like our prototype test car, your bank vault should be ready to trim off about $34,000 at least (i.e. pre-options list) – or just over 20 ounces of the gold you're hoarding.

As to design questions, the Countryman has always struck us as a bit gawky, but like the pocket-protector geek who secretly goes to the gym, that's just part of its charm. The lowered suspension helps the look of Mini's bulldog a lot, as do the various aero bits tacked on to give it some hair on its chest. The interior is what we've come to expect of any JCW – black leather that feels good, red piping on all the edges, and plenty of JCW logos. At this point, Mini (along with its mass of customers) has wholly embraced kitsch as the new normal, so we'll spare you the reiteration of our various ergonomic quibbles. The cargo range of 16.5 cubic feet up to 41.3 cubic feet remains strictly unimpressive, but, again, it's normally more than sufficient for two people and their stuff.

Engineer Kruche hinted with shrugging shoulders and grins that we were not far off the mark in anticipating that the Countryman would be the first John Cooper Works edition to have the $1,250 Aisin six-speed automatic with shift paddles available as an option, especially seeing as the percentage of two-pedal Countryman setups has proven especially high worldwide. Though this option typically peels away a couple miles per gallon, the average for this JCW automatic should get an EPA rating of 25 mpg. Personally? We'd definitely stick with the manual six-speed since it is better in every way, unless having to move your arms and legs in bumper-to-bumper traffic threatens your couch potato existence.

While our long-term Mini Countryman has left some of us a little chilly both in the performance and price departments, the JCW kit has the potential to deal with our largest complaint: a general lack of engagement. The Sports suspension and 18-inch rollers of our long-termer have proven more stiff than sporty, but the added power, reworked All4 system and larger anti-roll bars give this JCW variant some much-needed pop over the standard model. But is it enough? We'll wait until we test a full production-spec model to see if impressive first impressions last, but thus far, the Mini team has done what was required: making the maxi-Mini dance like a proper Cooper.

Engine:Turbo 1.6L I4Power:223 HP / 207 LB-FTTransmission:6-Speed Manual0-60 Time:6.9 SecondsTop Speed:130 MPHDrivetrain:All-Wheel driveCurb Weight:3,200 LBSSeating:2+2Cargo:16.5 / 41.3 CU-FTMPG:25 Comb.MSRP:$34,000 (est. base)

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Video: Chevy releases COPO Camaro concept drag racing featurette

It seems you can't offer a pony car these days without also making available a full race-spec drag racing version. Ford was first with its Cobrajet, then came Dodge with the Mopar Challenger Drag Pak, and soon we'll have an offering from Chevy.

That car will be based on the COPO Camaro Concept, which debuted last month at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas and whose name, COPO, harkens back to a time when sly dealers could order a Corvette-powered Camaro from the factory without the big wigs knowing. But unlike most concept cars, the COPO Camaro Concept is a rolling prototype for the production version that's to follow.

As such, engineers from General Motors have been working on the car's development for over three years, and today they released a video featurette showing the concept's first run out in the real world. According to the video, engineers ran the car all day long with a number of engine set ups and it "met or exceeded" all expectations.

Watch the video for yourself after the jump. Now all we need is some three-lane drag strips to see these straight line ponies face off at the same time.

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Exclusive: This is the last Tesla Roadster

Four years and 2,600 Roadsters later, Tesla is putting its first production vehicle out to pasture at the end of this year. But how do you celebrate the last of a breed? A sports car that put Tesla on the map? With a special edition, of course. And the Roadster you see here isn't just one of five Final Edition Roadsters – it's the last one to ever be produced.

Sporting Atomic Red paint, a duo of dark silver stripes on its hood and rear clamshell, along with exclusive anthracite aluminum wheels, this is number four of five Final Editions slated for North America. Originally, it was headed north of the border, but when the Canadian buyer realized importation would be an issue it went back on sale here in the States. We're sure someone is itching to sign the papers, grab the keys and never look back.

Tesla says each sales region – North America, Europe and Asia – will get five Roadsters specced out exactly as this one, and while there are no performance modifications, with only 15 on the planet, they should fetch a nice purse at the 2035 Barrett-Jackson auctions.

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Report: Mercedes-Benz USA announces Cannon as new CEO

Mercedes-Benz USA has named marketing boss Steve Cannon as its new Chief Executive Officer effective January 1. Automotive News reports that Cannon, who has been with MB for 20 years, is only the second American to hold the post in the luxury brand's long history.

Financial boss Herbert Werner had been serving as interim CEO after the departure of MB USA boss Ernst Lieb. Lieb left the company in disgrace after a scandal was uncovered involving improper use of company funds.

According to Automotive News, dealers appear happy with the choice of Cannon. Michael Cantanucci, who runs the Mercedes dealer board here in the States, called the move "a good decision," and added that dealers are "excited and we're pleased."

Cannon, who was a U.S. Army Airborne Ranger before signing on at Mercedes, points out that the company's dealer relations are at a 20-year high, and tells AN that his appointment shows "it wasn't necessary to take someone from the global organization or Stuttgart and parachute them in to run this show."

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Report: Ex-car czar Rattner says Auto Task Force should have pushed for more cuts

The government's Auto Task Force was given the difficult task of saving General Motors and Chrysler at a time when the credit markets were frozen and the economy was in chaos. The team ultimately got the job done by ushering the two iconic companies through extraordinarily short bankruptcies.

Former car czar Steven Rattner headed the Task Force through those tough times, and though he characterizes the bailouts as a success, he feels the United Auto Workers could have given more. The Detroit News reports that Rattner told the Detroit Economic Club that the Task Force should have insisted on UAW wage cuts. Rattner added that the wages of UAW workers is still higher than that of the foreign competition.

Rattner also pointed out that bondholders weren't asked to sacrifice enough, adding that a traditional bankruptcy would have meant that those investors would have likely lost everything.

In total, the U.S. government spent $82 billion in taxpayer money to bailout GM and Chrysler. That's a whole heap of coin, and the U.S. government estimates that it will lose $14 billion when all of its GM shares are sold. Even so, Rattner estimates that the bailout saved "millions" of manufacturing jobs.

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Six Days of Giveaways - Day 1: Meguiar's New Car Kits

UPDATE: The entry period is over. We will update this space with the winners' names once we verify their eligibility. Come back on Monday at 1 PM EST to see what we're giving away next!

We considered putting together a holiday gift guide this year, but thought it would be much more fun to give gifts ourselves than recommend what should be given to others. So we rounded up some of our favorite products from the past year and will spend the following week handing them out to you in Six Days of Giveaways.

We're kicking things off with the Meguiar's New Car Kit (Facebook, Twitter), which includes Meguiar's Ultimate Wash & Wax, ultra plush microfiber wash mitt & Water Magnet microfiber drying towel, Meguiar's Ultimate Liquid Wax with a soft foam applicator and Supreme Shine Microfiber Towel, and Endurance Tire Gel & applicator. And we've got four of these kits to give away.

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post. See below for the complete rules and come back for our next giveaway at 1:00 PM EST on Monday.

HOW TO ENTER
Leave a single comment on this post (if you leave two or more, all of your entries will be disqualified)You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec)Limit 1 entry per person during entry periodThe entry period ends at 1:00 PM EST on Saturday, December 17th, 2011. We'll randomly select 4 winners at that time to receive a Meguiar's New Car Kit valued at $26.99.For a list of complete rules, click here.

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Report: Alfa Romeo 4C speeds into production with £45,000 price tag

 

Imagine your dream car. What might it include? Lightweight carbon-fiber construction, high-tech engine behind the seats, legendary Italian badge on the nose.... The thing is, that usually means a big fat price tag that runs well into the six figures, if not seven. But while this latest Italian sports car is set to include all those ingredients, its price point is set decidedly lower.

We're talking about the Alfa Romeo 4C, the nimble-looking little number that debuted in delicious matte red at the Geneva show last year, and in liquid-metal finish in Frankfurt just a few months ago. Rumors have been circulating of its imminent production ever since its debut, but now the blokes over at Top Gear say that have the final details on good authority.

According to the report, Fiat has crunched the numbers and figured out how it can produce the 4C while neither breaking the bank nor spoiling the formula. And so the supercar is set to begin testing in the new year and hit the market in the next. And the price? £45,000, according to TG, which equates to about $70K at today's exchange rates. To put that into perspective, consider that is the same starting price in the British market as the Porsche Cayman S – a model which starts here at $62K.

The Cayman is an ambitious target, but the 4C promises to be both smaller and lighter. A new direct-injection turbo four will drive 230 horsepower to the rear wheels via a dual-clutch gearbox for a 4.5-second sprint to sixty, but is tipped to yield more powerful versions with as much as 300hp on tap and even a roadster version later on.

That last bit promises to be easier to pull off thanks to the carbon-fiber tub – engineered by Dallara – to which aluminum sub-frames will be attached front and rear. The Italian chassis constructor is best known for its racing cars, but also developed the KTM X-Bow, which could in and of itself give us the best idea of what to expect if and when the 4C assumes the place originally reserved for the 8C Competizione in finally heralding Alfa's return to the North American market.

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Corvette Z06 tops <i>Motor Trend</i> list of shortest-stopping vehicles

Any modern performance car worth buying puts just as much emphasis on stopping as it does on going. After all, what's the point in being able to hit ludicrous speed if you can't manage to get it back down without heading fascia-first into an unmovable object?

So, what's a good stopping distance? According to the crew at Motor Trend, 100 feet from 60 miles per hour is a pretty good starting point. And the best of the best do the deed in significantly less. How's about 93 feet, recorded by both the 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Carbon Edition and the 2008 Ferrari 430 Scuderia.

There's a smattering more Corvettes and Ferraris in the under-100-feet club, plus a couple Audis, Porsches and Vipers, along with a lone Lamborghini and the 2011 Nissan GT-R. If you're willing to allow non-DOT-approved tires, a prototype Lexus LFA managed to halt from 60 in 94 feet.

Speaking of tires, it seems that the best stopping treads are the Michelin Pilot Sport Cups, which are joined on the list by the Pirelli Pzero Corsas and a couple sets of Bridegstone Potenzas.

We've got to hand it to the Corvette Z06 for topping the list, especially since it's one of the least expensive vehicles in the under-100 club.

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Report: California launches campaign against 3,000-mile oil changes

If you ask the typical driver how often they should change their oil, the answer would likely be about 3,000 miles. But thanks to advances in engine and oil technology, the 3,000-mile barrier is just a number. Many vehicles can travel 7,500 miles or more between oil changes, but still a large number of drivers head to the nearest oil change facility for their 3,000-mile fix.

The Los Angeles Times reports that the State of California is looking to shift that paradigm with a new ad campaign that will encourage motorists to hold off on that early oil change. The Check Your Number campaign is instead imploring motorists to follow the manufacturer's recommendations, which in the case of BMW could be as high as 15,000 miles. The California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery points out that the longer oil change intervals could save 10 million gallons of oil every year.

While we're guessing that many tax-paying oil change facilities in California aren't big fans of this ad campaign, it could save consumers money and conserve resources. And the savings aren't just for California residents either. Nationally, 51 percent of vehicle owners feel they should change their oil at the 3,000 mile mark, and only 33 percent go beyond 4,000 miles.

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Report: Big Cheese: Kraft pushing for 97,000-pound "bridge wrecker" trucks

Kraft Foods wants to bring you more Velveeta, more efficiently. According to Bloomberg, the food giant says it needs to pack its 97,000-pound trucks full of processed deliciousness in order to combat high diesel prices. Problem is, interstate highways have an 80,000-pound weight limit.

But Kraft (along with other big corporations like Home Depot, MillerCoors, and Archer-Daniels-Midland) thinks it can get the law changed. Congress just extended a one-year pilot program to allow 100,000-pound trucks on interstates in Maine and Vermont for an additional 20 years, and a new bill would let every state decide whether they would allow the heavier trucks on their interstate highways.

Advocates of the "Safe and Efficient Transportation Act" say that the proposal is an economic necessity, and point out that states are already allowing heavier trucks to travel their secondary roads. But others have raised concerns about increased wear-and-tear on roads, and the questionable state of repair of the nation's interstate bridges, which were only designed for 80,000-pound trucks, according to the report.

There's also the potential for more highway fatalities. Though highway deaths have been on the decline, commercial truck-related deaths were up last year, according to the report. John Lannen, executive director of The Truck Safety Coalition, told Bloomberg that if the weight limits go up, "The entire country's motoring public will be put in grave danger."

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Video: Bugatti says "Happy Birthday" with unique Veyron Super Sport Edition Merveilleux

It's not every day that a unique Bugatti debuts. But it sure seems that way. The ultra-high-end automaker cranks out unique one-off versions of the Veyron for discerning and well-heeled customers around the world, and this is their latest.

Called the Edition Merveilleux (from the French for "marvelous"), this special Super Sport model is distinguished by an unpainted carbon fiber body, blacked-out alloys and brightwork, and a bright blue interior. It was apparently made for a Chinese buyer named Simon as a 40th birthday present to himself, and stands as the only Super Sport sold to date in China.

The video after the jump contains about all the information there is to discern on this unique model, and includes personal salutations to the buyer from Bugatti's chief executive, general manager, sales manager and test driver. Follow the jump to catch a glimpse of how the other half lives.

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Video: 2012 BMW M5 takes on S 1000 RR motorbike at Cadwell Park

Once again, the car versus bike conundrum takes to the track, this time at the behest of the blokes from Auto Express in the UK. BMW is an obvious choice when it comes time to single out a manufacturer, as it offers machines at the pinnacle of performance on both two wheels and four.

And so we have the S 1000 RR up against the 2012 M5, lapping the famous Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire, England. With 560 horsepower from its 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 and a curb weight of about 4,300 pounds, the M5 is a formidable competitor. But it's the bike, with 193 horsepower and a dry weight of just 400 pounds, that takes the power-to-weight crown.

The bike's advantage can be illustrated this way: 3.0 seconds versus 4.4 seconds. Those are the times it takes the S 1000 RR and M5 to hit 60 miles per hour. But that's not the whole story. With twice the number of contact patches, the M5 ought to be able to regain plenty of time in the corners and under braking.

Throw in an extremely slippery track surface – wet with a smattering of dead leaves – and we'd expect an awfully tight race. And, despite the conditions making it a bit unfair for the two-wheeler, that's exactly what we got. Hit the jump to watch it all play out on video. Spoiler alert: The BMW wins.

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Teased: Volvo to unveil new V40 in Geneva

We like Volvo, from the old boxy but good designs straight on through to the latest S60 mid-sizer. But there's no denying the fact that the swoopier designs – let's call it New Volvo – it's been producing the last several years are more appealing to the masses than its historic bricks. The C30, to our eyes at least, is still an interesting machine. It has, however, been on the market for the better part of six years now years now, prompting the Swedish automaker to prepare its replacement.

Rather than stick with the three-door body-style, however, Volvo is apparently preparing to kill two (make that three) birds with one proverbial stone: standing in for the C30, S40 and V50 will be an all-new V40.

The five-door hatch/sportwagon is tipped to debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, but discounting some spy shots of a heavily disguised prototype, this is the first official glimpse Gothenburg has given us. The likes of the Audi A3 and Lexus CT 200h will undoubtedly be watching to see if they've got anything to worry about, but from what we've seen so far, it looks like this will be one of those New Volvo products worth waiting for.

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KBB names its most-researched vehicles of 2011

Kelley Blue Book Names Most-Researched New Vehicles, Brands of 2011; Hyundai Debuts in Top Five Researched Brands on Kbb.com

IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Kelley Blue Book, the leading provider of new car and used car information, today announces the most-researched new vehicles of 2011 on the company's top-rated website, www.kbb.com. In addition, Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com reveals the top five brands with the greatest share of market interest for 2011.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111102/AQ99077LOGO)

Kbb.com's Top 20 Most-Researched New Vehicles of 2011

1. Honda Civic
2. Honda Accord
3. Toyota Camry
4. Honda CR-V
5. Ford F-150
6. Hyundai Sonata
7. Hyundai Elantra
8. Chevrolet Equinox
9. Toyota Prius
10. Volkswagen Jetta
11. Nissan Altima
12. Toyota Highlander
13. Honda Odyssey
14. Toyota Corolla
15. Ford Fusion
16. Ford Focus
17. Ford Explorer
18. Toyota RAV4
19. Chevrolet Silverado 1500
20. Ford Escape

This year's success story is the Hyundai Elantra, entering the top 20 most-researched new vehicles list at No. 7, jumping 29 positions from 2010. Elantra's victory can be attributed to the vehicle's top-rated fuel efficiency, affordability, superior redesign and Hyundai's increased popularity among consumers.

"Hyundai's Elantra resonated with kbb.com visitors earlier this year with its redesign releasing as gas prices were soaring, and due to its styling it remains top-of-mind among new-car shoppers," said Arthur Henry, manager of market intelligence for Kelley Blue Book. "Hyundai was able to knock it out of the park two years in rows with the Sonata and now the Elantra, which is maintaining brand loyalty and changing public perception."

Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com 2011 Top Five Brands with Greatest Share of Market Interest among New-Car Shoppers

Toyota with 14.2 percent
Ford with 13.5 percent
Honda with 12.8 percent
Chevrolet with 11.5 percent
Hyundai with 7.5 percent

Toyota, Ford, Honda, Chevrolet, Hyundai (respectively) are the top five brands with the highest share of market interest -- defined as the percent of new-car shopper activity for a particular brand -- on Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com for 2011.

Making its big appearance this year as a top brand is Hyundai, closing in the fifth position on the 2011 top five most-researched brand list, replacing Nissan from last year. Hyundai's increased popularity among car shoppers can be accounted for in part due to Honda and Toyota delivering their vehicles at a low production rate because of the Japanese tsunami and recent Thai floods. Many consumers turned to Hyundai for their new-car purchase during this time with the lack of vehicles in the marketplace. Hyundai's roll out of the Equus and Veloster, in addition with the redesign of the Accent and Azera, were also considerable factors that translated into Hyundai's increased market share on kbb.com. The Hyundai Elantra and Sonata had a high level of prosperity this year, which generated brand interest among car shoppers.

Toyota retained its number one spot and the brand's market share increased 1 percent on www.kbb.com. This year, Ford moved up one position to the second brand researched most from 10.2 percent in 2010 to 13.5 percent this year. Honda moved down to number three on the list, while Chevrolet remained the fourth brand researched when compared to 2010.

Significant to this year's list is the absence of luxury brands among the top 20 most-researched new vehicles on kbb.com. The BMW 3 Series held position 18 last year; however, with uneasy economic conditions and rising gas prices during Q1 and Q2 2011, many luxury owners and intenders moved toward non-luxury brands on the site. Rising fuel prices also allowed the hybrid segment to thrive earlier in the year with the Toyota Prius benefitting most, moving eight spots this year to number nine.

"Luxury brands were hit the hardest this year; not one luxury vehicle made it on Kelley Blue Book's 2011 most-researched list," said Henry. "They simply didn't fit into many consumers' budgets, especially with the gas price hike earlier this year."

Since 2004, the Honda Accord, Honda Civic and Toyota Camry remain the top three most-researched new vehicles on kbb.com. While these models remained among the top three again in 2011, several other vehicles entered the list for the first time or shifted position.

A number of popular new or redesigned models also increased their standing for 2011 versus 2010, including the Volkswagen Jetta, up 10 positions to number 10, and the Chevrolet Equinox, up five positions to number eight. The Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Ford Explorer are new to this year's list compared to 2010.

Many vehicles that are standard candidates on the annual most-researched vehicle list dropped in ranking during 2011. The Toyota RAV4 fell eight positions to number 18, while Nissan Altima decreased five positions to number 11 and the Ford Escape fell four spots to number 20. Toyota Highlander dropped three spots to number 12 and the Honda Odyssey fell one position to number 13. The vehicles that claimed a top 20 spot on the 2010 list, but unfortunately did not make the cut this year were the Honda Pilot, Ford Mustang, Toyota Sienna, BMW 3 Series and Chevrolet Camaro.

For more information and news from Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com, visit http://www.kbb.com/media/, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kelleybluebook (or @kelleybluebook), or like our page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kbb.

About Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com)

Founded in 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, is the only vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the industry. Each week the company provides the most market-reflective values in the industry on its top-rated website www.kbb.com, including its famous Blue Book® Trade-In and Retail Values and Fair Purchase Price, which reports what others are paying for new cars this week. The company also provides vehicle pricing and values through various products and services available to car dealers, auto manufacturers, finance and insurance companies as well as governmental agencies. Kbb.com provides consumer pricing and information on minivans, pickup-trucks, sedan, hybrids, electric cars, and SUVs. Kelley Blue Book Co. Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of AutoTrader.com.

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Report: Technician sues Ferrari shop after being paralyzed in high-speed accident

In 2008, a technician at The Ferrari Centre in Kent, England took a customer's Ferrari 348 TS for a test ride. The tech, Shane Harris, said he was told by the shop owner, Roger Collingwood, to "open her up" and do 100 miles per hour. So Harris opened it up on the A274 highway, and while he didn't reach 100 mph, he did get up to 80 – and then he crashed. After losing control of the car, Harris plowed into another car and then into a stand of trees.

According to the Telegraph, Harris was paralyzed by the accident and requires around-the-clock care. Now, he's suing Collingwood for damages. It was part of Harris' job to take cars for test drives before returning them to customers, but in this case, he says that his employers were negligent and that testing high-performance cars on public roads is "unsafe."

Collingwood has denied any wrongdoing, saying that all employees are instructed to never break the speed limit. The case goes to court next year.

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Find My Car Smart app makes finding your car fast, hassle-free

There are plenty of "find my car" apps for both Android and iOS, but all of them require you to launch the app, drop a pin and hope the GPS signal is strong enough to be pinpoint accurate.
But a new project listed on the crowd-funded site Kickstarter aims to change that by using the power of the newest version of Bluetooth.

Find My Car Smart incorporates the new Bluetooth 4.0 standard that's currently used on the iPhone 4S. Bluetooth 4.0 is the new low-energy, low-latency version of the connectivity standard, which will see widespread adoption in the next year. The possible applications range from proximity sensors to health monitors, or in this case, finding your car at the airport.

By installing a small, USB-powered Bluetooth adapter in your vehicle, all you need to do is walk away, and Find My Car Smart tracks where you left your vehicle in the background.

The app has already been approved by Apple and is available in the App Store, but until FMC reaches its $10,000 funding goal on Kickstarter and the Bluetooth dongle is available, it's not functional. Learn more at the company's Kickstarter page.

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Rumormill: Mahindra pickups to be assembled in Alabama beginning next year

Never before has such a little truck had to haul so much baggage. It's been years that we've waited for Mahindra's T20 and T40 pickups to finally make it to America, and with a dispute between Mahindra & Mahindra's erstwhile U.S. Importer, GV USA, taking a long time to be settled by arbitrators in London, and dealers filing suits against both Mahindra and GV USA. With GV USA having gone out of business in September, it might be years before we ever see the T20 and T40.

Unless you believe the chaps at Mahindra Planet, "The Unofficial Mahindra U.S. News Source," who seem certain that Mahindra will be manufacturing trucks in the U.S. as of 2012. That's right, not just selling them here, but building them here. Their sources are unnamed, but the prediction relies on Mahindra's connection to Navistar, the international truck and bus maker that recently leased a massive factory complex in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

Mahindra and Navistar have a joint operation in India, and according to Mahindra Planet, they've worked together since 1963. Navistar has said it will have more than 2,000 people working at the Alabama complex by 2015, but hasn't given any clue as to what it will be building there. Mahindra Planet thinks it will be the T20 and T40, and earlier this year Mahindra's CEO did say that Navistar was a potential U.S. partner.

It would appear to be entirely speculation, but there is one aspect of a tie-up that seems to make "A-ha!" kind of sense: if Mahindra builds pickups at Navistar's factory, it might also take advantage of Navistar's already-established distribution channels. Nevertheless, even if all of this were true, you'll probably have a lengthy wait: beyond the fact that Navistar's complex was only recently set up to build a small number of rail cars, Mahindra hasn't filed paperwork with the EPA for 2012-model-year trucks, so 2013 versions would be the first ones out. You might want to hold off on any wagers concerning that possibility...

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Report: Hezbollah financing terrorism by selling used cars, allege federal prosecutors

Terrorism isn't cheap. Like any organization, these groups have payroll, supplies and other overhead to take into account. Terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and Hezbollah have their own network of international investments, drug trafficking and illicit financial channels, and the latest evidence suggests that includes selling used cars.

The story comes into focus through a legal complaint filed by U.S. government officials. In the suit, federal prosecutors allege that Hezbollah is funded through Lebanese financial institutions that buy used cars in the United States, sell them in West Africa, launder the money through various established channels and funnel it back to the terrorist organization in Lebanon.

The evidence implicates the Lebanese Canadian Bank as well as two Lebanese exchange firms: Hassan Ayash Exchange Co. and Ellissa Holding. If courts uphold the federal prosecutors' findings, these financial institutions could stand to have their assets in the United States frozen, and their ability to do business with any American firms blocked.

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F1 teams filling 2012 rosters as Force India promotes Nico Hulkenberg

Sahara Force India confirms Paul Di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg for 2012

Sahara Force India Formula One Team today confirmed that Paul Di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg will form its line-up for the 2012 season.

Paul continues with the team for his second season in a race seat, while Nico steps up from his role as reserve driver. Together they form one of the most exciting pairings on the grid.

Dr. Vijay Mallya, Team Principal and Managing Director: "I am delighted to present our line-up for the 2012 season. In Paul and Nico we have two extremely talented drivers with tremendous potential.

"I think Paul caught the eye of everybody in the pit lane during his rookie season. His speed, maturity and racecraft confirmed that we were right to believe in him and we look forward to working with him again next year.

"As for Nico, we identified him as a rising star at the end of 2010 and chose to evaluate him during the course of this season. Despite having only limited time in the car, he convinced us that he deserved a race seat for 2012.

"Our new line-up means we say 'goodbye' to Adrian Sutil, who has been with the team since we entered the sport. He has been an integral part of our success over the past four seasons and we wish him well for the future."

Paul Di Resta: "I'm really looking forward to my second season of Formula One and continuing to grow and develop with Sahara Force India. I've said all along that I love being part of this team: they are ambitious, hungry for success and we work well together. I'm really excited about 2012 and there is a real sense of belief that we can continue to push the top teams and take another step forward. I'd also like to thank the team for all their hard work this year and for all the support they've given me. I'll take some time out over the next few weeks to recharge my batteries and hopefully come back even stronger in 2012."

Nico Hulkenberg: "I'm obviously delighted to be staying with Sahara Force India and to be given the chance to race next year. It wasn't easy to watch from the sidelines this season, but I did my best to help the team and show what I was capable of. I'm extremely motivated for 2012 and would like to thank everyone for believing in me and giving me this chance. I'm keen to get down to work over the winter to develop our new car and help the team build on this year's achievements. The first test in Jerez can't come soon enough."

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Report: Technician sues Ferrari shop after being paralyzed in high-speed accident

In 2008, a technician at The Ferrari Centre in Kent, England took a customer's Ferrari 348 TS for a test ride. The tech, Shane Harris, said he was told by the shop owner, Roger Collingwood, to "open her up" and do 100 miles per hour. So Harris opened it up on the A274 highway, and while he didn't reach 100 mph, he did get up to 80 – and then he crashed. After losing control of the car, Harris plowed into another car and then into a stand of trees.

According to the Telegraph, Harris was paralyzed by the accident and requires around-the-clock care. Now, he's suing Collingwood for damages. It was part of Harris' job to take cars for test drives before returning them to customers, but in this case, he says that his employers were negligent and that testing high-performance cars on public roads is "unsafe."

Collingwood has denied any wrongdoing, saying that all employees are instructed to never break the speed limit. The case goes to court next year.

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Report: Saab's Swedish court case gets new administrator, hearing delayed [UPDATE]

The fate of Saab continues to twist in the air, as Autocar reports that the Swedish court-appointed administrator Guy Lofalk has decided to step down. The news of Lofalk's requested exit from the hearings comes but one week after he applied to have Saab taken out of reorganization.

If Lofalk succeeded in taking Saab out of reorganization, the automaker would have had less than a week to submit a plan to the Swedish District Court outlining how it will find the money to keep the doors open. Saab wasn't at all happy with Lofalk's request, and now the struggling automaker has a little bit of a breather. The Vanersborg District Court has decided to postpone the decision to approve Lofalk's application on Monday, and his replacement Lars-Henrik Andersson is likely to be appointed the same day.

With the slight delay in the courts, Saab now has more time to pursue additional loans. Since General Motors vetoed an alliance with Chinese partners, Saab parent Swedish Automobile CEO Victor Muller is reportedly looking for an $800 million loan from Chinese investors and unnamed banks.

UPDATE: According to a new Reuters report, a Swedish court has apparently ruled against the planned administrator switch, saying that Lofalk is not allowed to quit his job because the process is too far along. The court is still expected to rule on Monday whether or not to extend Saab's protection from creditors.

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Report: Alfa Romeo 4C speeds into production with £45,000 price tag

Imagine your dream car. What might it include? Lightweight carbon-fiber construction, high-tech engine behind the seats, legendary Italian badge on the nose.... The thing is, that usually means a big fat price tag that runs well into the six figures, if not seven. But while this latest Italian sports car is set to include all those ingredients, its price point is set decidedly lower.

We're talking about the Alfa Romeo 4C, the nimble-looking little number that debuted in delicious matte red at the Geneva show last year, and in liquid-metal finish in Frankfurt just a few months ago. Rumors have been circulating of its imminent production ever since its debut, but now the blokes over at Top Gear say that have the final details on good authority.

According to the report, Fiat has crunched the numbers and figured out how it can produce the 4C while neither breaking the bank nor spoiling the formula. And so the supercar is set to begin testing in the new year and hit the market in the next. And the price? £45,000, according to TG, which equates to about $70K at today's exchange rates. To put that into perspective, consider that is the same starting price in the British market as the Porsche Cayman S – a model which starts here at $62K.

The Cayman is an ambitious target, but the 4C promises to be both smaller and lighter. A new direct-injection turbo four will drive 230 horsepower to the rear wheels via a dual-clutch gearbox for a 4.5-second sprint to sixty, but is tipped to yield more powerful versions with as much as 300hp on tap and even a roadster version later on.

That last bit promises to be easier to pull off thanks to the carbon-fiber tub – engineered by Dallara – to which aluminum sub-frames will be attached front and rear. The Italian chassis constructor is best known for its racing cars, but also developed the KTM X-Bow, which could in and of itself give us the best idea of what to expect if and when the 4C assumes the place originally reserved for the 8C Competizione in finally heralding Alfa's return to the North American market.

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