Autos

A one-off Nissan Juke Nismo inspired by the final Batman film of Christopher Nolan's successful Dark Knight Trilogy was handed over to the winner of a UK competition that started last year: self-confessed action film fan and local baker, Adam Williams from Wales. Read more »

A mule of the next-gen Land Rover Freelander has been grabbed on camera for a second time, prior to an alleged late 2014 launch.

A prototype of the BMW i3 has been filmed conducting some last-minute testing ahead of an official reveal set for later this year.

High school bands, dignitary speeches, ribbon cuttings, miles upon miles of cars: Interstate openings must have been a big deal in Vermont in the 1970s. We previously saw some Vermont Landscape Change photos of the opening of I-91 in 1972 in Barton, and today we see an even larger crowd gathered for the opening of I-89 in Montpelier. What do you see here?

The French folks at Renault are asking their fans if a Convertible variant of the new Zoe EV would be a good idea. The electric model is already on sale in hatchback version and offers a zero-emission driving range of 150 kilometers. Renault Zoe Cabrio Rendering It also makes use of a 43 kW lithium-ion battery pack which can be charged in about 1 hour using a fast charger. The open-top model you see in the picture above is actually a rendering sent by a Renault fan. The company took advantage of this picture and asked their fans if they like it or not. In conclusion, this means that Renault could develop a Convertible variant if there is demand for it. With the segment of electric cars being quite new, introducing a Convertible model based on an electric vehicle is quite a risky move. However, the initial feedback proves to be a good one, therefore, we may see the Zoe Cabrio on the streets in the coming years, even if it won’t look exactly like in this rendering. The post Renault Zoe Cabrio considered appeared first on Automotor Blog // Auto & Moto daily news.

Chevrolet announced official pricing figures for their EV version of the Spark supermini. The zero-emission model starts at $27,495 in the US but is some cases, due to the federal tax credit, the price drops to $19,995. Power is offered by an electric motor producing 130 horsepower and 542Nm of torque. 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV It is backed up by a 21 kWh lithium-ion battery capable to offer a driving range of 132 kilometers. The 0-100 km/h sprint is possible in about 8 seconds with combined fuel economy figures of 119 MPGe. 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV Charging the battery pack to 80% using a fast charger takes about 20 minutes while a full charge using a standard outlet takes about 7 hours. If you can’t afford to buy the Chevrolet Spark EV, you can opt for a $199 lease plan for 36 months with a $999 charge at signing. 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV Chevrolet promises to offer a warranty of 8 years or 100,000 miles for the lithium-ion battery. 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV The post Chevrolet prices the new Spark EV from $27,495 appeared first on Automotor Blog // Auto & Moto daily news.

30 images

This is a true textbook accident, and by all means, it's one of the crashes which can be easily avoided.. provided the riders know how to "read" the signs around them. Some less experienced riders might argue that it was the driver's fault, and there is some truth in this: yes, the car steers left and should give way to incoming vehicles. However, please not that there are two lines of cars which came to a halt... (continue reading >>)

Developed alongside the full-sized Titan pickup truck, the Nissan Armada was created to compete against the domestics back when gas was cheap and large SUVs were common suburban transport. It is big, brash, powerful, oddly styled, and rather long in the tooth. The Armada was introduced in 2004, and it has soldiered on for nearly a decade with minor, albeit ongoing updates. We bought an Armada to see if it this mighty Nissan can stare down its tough contemporary competition. We've noticed that the ride has improved over the years, but body motions and jiggles remain frequent, especially at lower speeds or on uneven pavement. Things are more settled on the highway. Visit our SUV buying guide for quick access to the latest advice, Ratings, road tests, and videos. A sole powertrain is offered: a 317-hp, 5.6-liter V8 engine matched with a five-speed automatic transmission. The combination is refined and responsive, with strong, effortless acceleration and a noticeable V8 rumble. But fuel economy of 13 mpg overall is bad even for a large SUV. On the upside, it has a generous 9,000-pound tow capacity. There is no escaping the size and heft of this big SUV. But for those buyers who prize eight-passenger seating, off-road credentials, strong acceleration, and trailer-towing acumen, the Armada does have its appeal. The video below provides more highlights from our detailed Armada road test. In researching the Armada, be sure to note its spotty reliability track record before signing the bottom line. Ultimately, we favor other, more modern models in this segment, such as the Chevrolet Suburban, Dodge Durango, and Toyota Sequoia. As long as you don't have to tow super-heavy trailers or tackle extreme off-roading, a three-row crossover, like the Chevrolet Traverse, might be a better fit. If in the market, definitely do your research and explore the options, before buying what is essentially a decade-old vehicle.

Confession time: I used to be really into Import Cars and the tuning scene. My high school years coincided with the rise of The Fast and the Furious franchise, and having already been pre-disposed to loving Japanese cars, it was natural that I’d gravitate towards this niche. Rather than the winged-and-decaled tuner show cars, I was more of a “Sport Compact Car” guy, interested in performance vehicles rather than stereos and bodykits. But every now and then, I’d pick up Super Street magazine. Not only did their coverage of domestic Japanese tuner shops and tuner cars far exceed SCC, but they also ran a sporadic series entitled “Back In The Day”, that featured interviews and archival photographs of the import car scene from as far back as the late 1970′s. For someone who thought that the tuner scene began with the advent of the EG Civic (not really, just that was my frame of reference), it was immensely satisfying reading about the early days of modifying Toyota 22R and Datsun L-Series engines when there was next to know knowledge about modifying anything but domestic V8 engines. Reading about it made me able to better relate to the enthusiasm that my parents’ generation felt for American Graffiti. As unlikely as it is, I would love to see a movie or a book that explores this era in America’s automotive history. Sadly, most of my tuner magazines were discarded over the years, and all I have left are a few clippings from the Back In The Day Series. I have managed to find exactly one article archived online, and wanted to share it with you all. The series has no morphed into profiling vintage Japanese cars that have been modified in a contemporary style. What a shame it is that such an extensive history is inaccessible on the web. By the way. if anyone has an extensive archive of Sport Compact Car back issues, email me, derek at ttac dot com