Latest auto news

Exclusive: Four-door Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG suggested by patent filings?

Perhaps more than most, Mercedes-Benz has proven to be remarkably adept at platform sharing, pulling and pushing at their various architectures to create new models. Take, for example, the marque's E-Class chassis, which in addition to sedan, coupe, convertible and wagon variants, spawned the CLS 'four-door coupe' - a model that itself inspired a whole slew of imitators. The rakish CLS will shortly spawn a load-lugging shooting-brake variant, too - Benz's offspring are having offspring. Could the same thing be in the cards for the SLS AMG?

Mercedes has already extended the supercar's appeal with a new Roadster variant for 2012, but as Autoblog can exclusively reveal, an alleged German patent filing suggests that the SLS may be in for an unexpected third bodystyle - that of an unconventional four-door. As shown here, Mercedes appears to be considering a set of rear-hinged demi doors to go along with the vertically sweeping main gullwing doors that would give access to a small back seat. In typical patent-ese, the paperwork suggests that the automaker is particularly concerned about minimizing weight gain and preserving structural rigidity, though it appears there is no fixed B-pillar present.

It isn't immediately clear if these alleged Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt documents are indicative of a production model, a show circuit-only concept, or just a bit of ambitious blue-sky designer thinking. For its part, when shown these documents and asked for comment, Mercedes-Benz officials wouldn't say anything beyond the standard "We won't take the liberty of sharing comments for any potential future products." We specifically asked if they would like to deny the materials, and they declined.

The paperwork shown here doesn't give away much else, certainly not touching upon whether any modifications would be made to the SLS' 571-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 or its rear-drive power delivery. The drawings accompanying the filing clearly suggest an extended wheelbase to accommodate the extra doors, as well as what looks like a second COMAND multi-function control knob on the console between the seats, but that could just be a bit of artistic license or perhaps some lazy cut/paste work in Photoshop duplicating the front seats.

Presumably, if a four-door SLS AMG were to come to market, it would likely come at a premium price for the extra engineering - the coupe model starts at $192,175 delivered, so we'd wager that the pricing would start with a "2" at the front, putting it in the hunt with cars like the Aston Martin Rapide and perhaps the Porsche Panamera Turbo.

Spy Shots: Kia Sorento's refreshed face caught testing in the cold

Behold: the first glimpse of the upcoming Kia Sorento facelift. From what we've heard, the crossover is expected to wear styling that steps in line with the rest of the Kia line. That means a new front fascia with a revised grille and bumper design. LED headlights are expected to be part of the package as well. Plus, given that the vehicle wears substantial cladding over it's hind quarters, there's a good chance the rear hatch area will receive a slight update. Look for new tail lights and a rear valance when the vehicle finally debuts.

Our spy photographers tell us this particular vehicle was spotted testing with the likes of a current-generation Audi Q5 and a Mercedes-Benz GLK, so there's a good chance Kia is attempting to up-class the Sorento interior by using those luxury SUVs as benchmarks. Very interesting.

Report: Tesla Roadster facing 'brick' battery problems?

Here's a new worry for electric car owners: bricking your new, expensive ride.

Using a word taken from the computer world, to "brick" an EV means to make your electronic device inoperable. In the case of an EV, it would mean to run the battery state of charge so far down that nothing works anymore, thus requiring an expensive flatbed tow and an even more expensive battery pack - about $40,000 in a Tesla Roadster.

This is the charge of Michael Degusta, who wrote a detailed post on the matter in which he claims there have been five cases of Roadsters being bricked that he knows about. Since this is the first we've heard about it (and we imagine all those Silicon Valley Roadster owners know a thing or two about Internet communication), we're surprised we didn't hear about this before the alleged problem claimed five non-working cars. Thus, we figure there's more to the story, especially since some people are already poking holes in some of Degusta's statements. We've emailed Degusta and asked him to provide further proof of and details about these bricked cars, but he has not responded yet.

For its part, Tesla has offered AutoblogGreen a fairly noncommittal statement on the matter:

All automobiles require some level of owner care. For example, combustion vehicles require regular oil changes or the engine will be destroyed. Electric vehicles should be plugged in and charging when not in use for maximum performance. All batteries are subject to damage if the charge is kept at zero for long periods of time. However, Tesla avoids this problem in virtually all instances with numerous counter-measures. Tesla batteries can remain unplugged for weeks (even months), without reaching zero state of charge. Owners of Roadster 2.0 and all subsequent Tesla products can request that their vehicle alert Tesla if SOC falls to a low level. All Tesla vehicles emit various visual and audible warnings if the battery pack falls below 5 percent SOC. Tesla provides extensive maintenance recommendations as part of the customer experience.

Continue reading Tesla Roadster facing 'brick' battery problems?

Report: Newt Gingrich: "You cannot put a gun rack in a Chevy Volt"

Looks like Newt Gingrich is getting into the right-wing, "let's-all-hate-on-the-Chevrolet-Volt" bandwagon.

During a campaign stop at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK, the trailing Republican candidate said, "Let me start from a simple premise that Oklahomans will understand: you cannot put a gun rack in a Volt," Talking Points Memo reports. It appears that Gingrich is trying out a new attack line, as Raw Story is reporting that he used a similar line at an event in Suwanee, GA. There, he continued, "There is no reason not to believe that we couldn't stabilize with American production by drowning demand in supply the old-fashioned, free market way. There's no reason we couldn't have a stable price around $2 or $2.50 [per gallon]."

As you might imagine, it didn't take long for a Volt owner to take Mr. Gingrich's words as a challenge... you can see the predictable YouTube results after the jump.

Continue reading Newt Gingrich: "You cannot put a gun rack in a Chevy Volt"

Report: Chrysler working to gain foothold in downtown Detroit with Quicken tycoon Gilbert?

That's not all there is to the story, however. You see, the Dime Building is owned by none other than Dan Gilbert, the founder of Quicken Loans and majority owner of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. Gilbert was one of a handful of individuals who came together to purchase the $225 million loan against Chrysler World Headquarters back in 2010. Rumors immediately began circulating that Gilbert used his position with the headquarters loan to coerce Chrysler, and more importantly, CEO Sergio Marchionne, into leasing the Dime Building instead of alternative locations within the city. Gilbert, who has been on a real estate binge as of late, is said to be the third largest land owner in Detroit behind General Motors and the city itself.

Quicken Loans has since stated the Dime deal was the result of little more than a strong pitch and Chrysler has also denied any behind-the-scenes influence on the decision.

Report: Customers paying more for Hyundai Elantra than Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla

According to research by Edmunds.com, the $19,711 average transaction price of the 2012 Hyundai Elantra is besting that of its chief rivals, the Toyota Corolla by $1,500 and the new Honda Civic by $500. The great big cherry on top of that sundae for Hyundai? Elantra sales were up more than 40 percent last year.

The sales success of the Elantra wasn't much of a surprise even before the car went on sale, the transaction-price story is an eye-opener. We don't have a breakdown on model mix, but a base Elantra with a six-speed manual is $17,220 and the Limited is $21,320 (both prices include $725 destination). The Elantra's small-money options, like an iPod connector, match those of the competition, and even its three upmarket packages, two for the GLS and one for the Limited, contain features mostly available on the Corolla or Civic.

Point being, the Elantra doesn't have a single killer app to explain its position. But all of its touches - one extra gear on the manual, two extra on the automatic, its newness and its design, its competitive gas mileage and its rearview camera that can't be had on the competition, for instance, appear to be the cause. There's also the fact that dealers don't have to put much (if anything) on the hood since the factory still can't make enough of them to satisfy demand.

Nor is this only a tale of the Elantra; the Sonata has narrowed its average transaction price to within $900 of both Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. And according to Hyundai CEO John Krafcik, we aren't anywhere near the end of the company's aspirations: "We're in the middle of a very long journey." Indeed, even new Elantra itself hasn't reached top speed yet - a new Coupe and five-door GT are on the way to round out the family for 2013.

Geneva: Fiat 500 America not available in its namesake

When a carmaker announces a European-exclusive limited edition, we often feel upset. Sometimes we even get irate. And then there are the instances like this one when we just chuckle and nod.

Not that there's anything exactly wrong with the Fiat 500 "America." We're sure it drives just the same as a regular 500, since, of course, Fiat hasn't changed anything mechanical. It's just that we're not quite sold on the "Old Glory" livery, which doesn't exactly work for the U.S. market. Think about it: Here the car would likely be perceived as a patriotic statement at odds with the car's foreign nameplate.

Overseas, well, we're still not sure why an American-flag bedecked car that looks like it styled in the aisles of Pep Boys might be desirable, especially given the long-running European sentiment towards us ugly Americans ... but it's fashion, and who are we to argue with the Italians about that? That this is a numbered run of just 1,000 cars (500 two-doors and 500 convertibles) does mean that you won't encounter many others sporting the same side mirror covers, graphics, stickers and color-trimmed alloys or the red seats and contrasting white dashboard inside. Click past the jump for the full press release.

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Video: Mugen-powered Honda Jazz rally car looks Fit for the purpose

Honda took a Mugen-powered Jazz (better known as the the Fit here in the U.S.), sent it to Italy to be engineered for rallying by JAS of Milan, then flew it to Australia to be prepared for Oz's 2012 rally series. Honda's been competing in the series with Civic Type R racers for the last two years, but this year, it decided to press the Fit into service for G2 class spec.

Up front is a 245-horsepower Mugen powerplant with 142 pound-feet of torque. Honda says this "may well be the fastest Jazz in the world," and it will start challenging the six rounds of this year's championship in March with driver Eli Evans and co-driver Glen Weston. You can read about it in the press release and watch it kick up dirt in the video after the jump.

Continue reading Mugen-powered Honda Jazz rally car looks Fit for the purpose

Honda recalls over 45,000 Odyssey minivans over liftgate failures

Honda is recalling some of its previous-generation Odyssey minivans due to potentially faulty gas-filled struts on vehicles equipped with a power rear liftgate. A total of 45,747 vehicles are affected by this recall, all of which are from the 2008 and 2009 model years.

According to the official release from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the faulty struts in these vehicles are prone to early life failures due to a "manufacturing flaw" (that's as specific as it gets), an issue that can result in the leak of pressurized gas. These struts aid in opening and closing the power liftgate, and if there isn't enough pressurized gas in the strut, performance can be diminished and can lead to unexpected liftgate closure, potentially causing an injury.

Honda will notify its owners beginning in mid-March, and dealers will replace both gas struts free of charge. For the full details, follow the jump to read NHTSA's report.

Continue reading Honda recalls over 45,000 Odyssey minivans over liftgate failures

First Drive: 2012 Porsche 911 Cabriolet [w/video]

Gran Canaria is a volcanic nexus of disconnected associations, a bit of everything from a bit of everywhere. Geographically and geologically, this third largest of the Canary Islands belongs to Africa. Climatologically, it belongs to the Macaronesia Ecoregion. Its name is said to have come from an ancient Mauritanian king who, according to Pliny the Elder, named it Islas Canarias - Island of the Dogs - because of the numerous canines upon it. Politically, Gran Canaria belongs to Spain, which is why the tallest mountain in Spain is on neighboring island Tenerife. Linguistically, however, the Canarios dialect can be challenging for Spanish speakers to understand.

The island occupies just 600 square miles, but it's otherwise all over the map. Yet it shares one crucial thing with the 2012 Porsche 911 Cabriolet that we flew there to drive: purpose. You have to want to get to Gran Canaria - it doesn't just happen.

Such is the case with Porsche's latest top-dollar droptop - neither luck nor accident could have created it; the men responsible wanted this very car. The 991 Cabriolet is the sum of 30 years of 911 convertibles, and for proof of purpose, you need only know that a team of engineers has been devoted to the roof - and just the roof - on this car since 2004. For that effort they would like that their creation, and the car beneath it, earn the same the accolade bestowed on the hardtop for three months now: the best ever.

It is. But there's more to it than a little extra fabric...

Continue reading 2012 Porsche 911 Cabriolet [w/video]