CLEVELAND, Ohio — While there are ways of boosting the fuel efficiency of any car, no matter how old, don’t expect any radical changes to your mileage from trying them this time of year.

Winter, especially snowy Northeast Ohio winters, is awful for fuel economy. The low temperatures mean engines have to work harder to do the same amount of work, and snow creates resistance on tires, forcing the car to work harder still just to keep going.

Continue reading “How to improve your gas mileage during winter: Minding Your Money” »

Toyota says big things are in store for the redesigned 2012 Camry, and the vehicle is nearly ready to show its face to the world. The mid-sized sedan isn’t quite ready yet, however, and our spy photographers have captured the camo-wearing four-doors making their way around the desert.

We’ve been promised a more dynamic looking Camry the next time out, and the angles cut around the nose look sharper than recent generations. Still, it’s just speculation at this point, because that camouflage is doing a pretty good job of hiding what lies beneath. Thankfully, we won’t have to wait too much longer to see the updated sedan, as it’s slated to hit dealer lots this fall.  (Source: Brenda Priddy & Company)

Chevrolet gave journalists a detailed look at the interior of the all-new 2013 Malibu this week at GM’s Milford Proving Ground. Included was a hands-on demo of the brand’s new MyLink system designed to take on the successful Sync technology of cross-town rival Ford.

The MyLink features that Chevrolet revealed this week demonstrate that GM’s new connected-tech platform (which will be called IntelliLink on Buick and GMC vehicles) has as many similarities to Sync as it does differences. The main aim of both technologies is to make integration and use of portable devices like smartphones and media players more seamless and safe through voice control.

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Honda is looking forward to watching how its new 2012 Civic performs as it hits dealer lots. In the meantime, the automaker is taking a moment to look back at the history of its popular compact. Honda has produced a video titled “Heritage” and, with some help from the British house music trio Dirty Vegas, they provide a glimpse at the history of the Civic.

The first model came to life in the form of the 1973 Honda Civic. Fast-forward to the 2012 version, and Honda can look back on 19,000,000 units sold.

2012 Honda Civic “Heritage” Video

We’re on the verge of having a nationwide ban on using handheld cell phones while driving, and Ford is the first automaker to stand behind the cause. According to The Detroit Free Press, Ford’s vice president of government affairs, Pete Lawson, said that this “represents a practical, commonsense approach to a national problem.”

Continue reading “Ford First to Support Bill Banning Handheld Phones While Driving” »

The much-anticipated 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 debuted at the Chicago Auto Show earlier this year, putting Ford’s Shelby GT500 squarely in its sites. While official horsepower numbers weren’t released at the time, Chevrolet did state that the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 would “produce an estimated 550 horsepower and 550 pound-feet of torque,” putting it on par with the Shelby.

Continue reading “2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to Debut with 570+ HP” »

HERNDON, Virginia — The 2012 Volkswagen Black Turbo Launch Edition Beetle is the first redesigned Beetle model available for pre-order. Customers pay a $495 reservation fee that goes toward the purchase of the car.

The special model can be ordered online. Customers enter their zip code, select a dealer and confirm billing information. Volkswagen said it is using computer software from Amazon to speed the buying process.

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DEARBORN, MI — Ford Motor Company said its new C-Max compact crossover will be built and sold in the U.S. next year as a dedicated hybrid vehicle. In announcing plans to expand production of the C-Max Hybrid and the C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid, Ford said it had changed its mind about offering a seven-passenger gasoline-only version of the C-Max in the U.S.

The C-Max Hybrid and C-Max Energi will compete against Toyota’s upcoming Prius V crossover. All three hybrids are designed to seat five passengers. A seven-passenger edition of the Prius V will not be offered in the U.S.

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HOBOKEN, New Jersey — As hype for Transformers: Dark of the Moon hits top speed, the Chevrolet Camaro folks are getting a lot of mileage out of the 1,500-pound Bumblebee Transformer cake they commissioned Cake Boss star Buddy Valastro to make for the 2011 New York Auto Show in April.

The TLC cable reality show aired the episode this week that chronicles Valastro and his crew from Carlo’s Bake Shop of Hoboken, New Jersey, making and delivering the bright yellow Camaro topped with the action flick’s Bumblebee Transformer emerging from its roof.

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Honda Motor is shifting production of several models among its North American plants, as the Japanese automaker grapples with an ongoing shortage of parts from Japanese suppliers and fine-tunes its North American model mix to meet buyers’ changing tastes.

In response to an e-mail query from Inside Line, a Honda spokesman on Tuesday confirmed that the company plans to build its redesigned CR-V at three North American plants, including East Liberty, Ohio, Alliston, Ontario, and El Salto, Jalisco.

Meanwhile, production of the Acura MDX will shift from Alliston to Lincoln, Alabama, for model year 2013. The Lincoln plant currently assembles the Honda Pilot, Ridgeline and Odyssey.

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