The Automobile Center

Posted Oct 28th 2008 7:55PM by John Neff Click above for the Top 10 Gibberish Car Names Naming cars is a tricky business. Automakers usually find obscure words or words associated with positive things and then test their effectiveness on focus groups. Some automakers take the cop out route and use simple alphanumeric designations. Then there are those who just make $(-)!# up. Today we honor those companies that give their vehicles gibberish names with a Top 10 list of the best and most meaningless. We limited our pool of candidates to vehicles that are or soon will be on sale in the U.S., as trying to choose from all the automakers in the world was too daunting a task. (Read the full post about ‘Top 10 Gibberish Car Names’…)

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Posted Oct 28th 2008 6:02PM by Jeremy KorzeniewskiFiled under: Trucks/Pickups, Dodge, Canada Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Dodge Ram We’re still trying to figure out which new-for-’09 truck took the top honors in the State of Texas, but it’s clear that the Dodge Ram was chosen as “Best New Pickup in Canada.” In the process of taking the award, the new Ram beat out its rival from Ford, which is also brand new for the 2009 model year. Highlights of the new Ram’s design include its always-macho styling, RamBox cargo management system and its coil-spring rear suspension. While the Dodge Boys are sure to accept any trophy for its new truck, we’re sure that the sales of full-sized pickups in Canada pale in comparison to those of the United States, and Texas is the undisputed U.S. (Read the full post about ‘Dodge Ram takes top pickup award in Canada’…)

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Posted Oct 28th 2008 3:02PM by Damon LavrincFiled under: Green, Supercars, BMW Click above for a high-res gallery of the BMW M1 Homage concept BMW is hard at work on the M1’s successor and according to Autocar’s sources, officials inside the automaker are calling it a “breakthrough green supercar” that will arrive towards the end of 2012.Taking inspiration from the M1 Homage concept and equipping the two-door with BMW’s EfficientDynamics system, the mid-engine supercar is rumored to be packing the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six found across BMW’s range. The automaker expects fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions to be on par with a mid-range 5-series sedan, primarily through the use of direct-injection, brak (Read the full post about ‘BMW creating ‘green supercar’ for 2012′…)

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Posted Oct 28th 2008 1:57PM by Michael HarleyFiled under: Coupes, Sports/GTs, Supercars, Chevrolet Click above for our high-res ZR-1 burnout gallery Back at the Nürburgring, the hot Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 has just ripped four seconds off its claimed 7:26 lap. The new time, with Jan Magnussen at the wheel, is a claimed 7:22.4 for the full 12.93-mile loop. While the number is pretty bloody fast, it is still .3 seconds off the time earned by the Dodge Viper ACR (ouch, those three tenths really have to hurt!). We take these lap times with a grain of salt, as we’ve yet to see everyone on the 73-turn course under the same conditions, and with officially certified timing equipment. (Read the full post about ‘Corvette ZR-1 knocks four seconds off ‘Ring time’…)

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Posted Oct 28th 2008 4:31PM by Jonathon RamseyFiled under: Etc., EuroThe British have been known to “take the piss” out of their German counterparts for several decades now, and that goes well back before World War II. Time to score one for the sceptered isle again: somebody in a right-hand-drive vehicle in Germany has been foiling German speed cameras with a Muppet. German cameras are aimed to get clear pictures of the driver in a left-hand-drive car, but not a shot of the passenger — who is, in this case, the driver. All they can get is this googly-eyed fellow. Jim Henson must be pleased. Thanks for the tip, Abe![Source: BoingBoing via AutoFiends]Tags: exotic cars, toyota, new cars, Mercede (Read the full post about ‘German police mocked by Muppet-driven Audi’…)

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General Motors announced that it has already received 6000 orders for the new 2010 Camaro. This impressive considering that first cars won’t even hit the streets until the first quarter of 2009. The large presale may make GM rethink its initial annual run of 20,000 Camaros.

From all the orders 84% are for the V8 equipped SS version. We can only hope that this interest in V8s may make Chevrolet reconsider a special run for the Camaro Z28.

The Camaro SS is equipped with a 6.2-liter V-8 making between 400 hp (automatic) and 422 hp (manual) depending on transmission. The 3.6-liter V6 engine used in the LS and LT trims is rated at 300 hp.

(Read the full post about ‘GM received 6000 orders for the new Camaro’…)

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In the fire sale that is the U.S. automotive industry, everything is up for grabs. One of the easiest companies for Ford to peel off right now is Volvo. The Sunday Times in London first broke the story that BMW is in serious negotiation with Ford for the Swedish carmaker. BMW has since put out its own statement denying the report. But that’s how the merger tango goes: tight lips until the deal is done.Volvo seems like the next logical cash cow. Unlike General Motors’ possible Hummer sale, Volvo seems to have a diverse brand that has some current demand attached to it. Earlier this month, it was also rumored that Ford may sell off its interest in Mazda, but that would be more difficult than Volvo. (Read the full post about ‘Ford selling Volvo to BMW?’…)

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Auto Express Car Reviews 28th October 2008 Cramming four seats into the three-metre-long iQ was a result of clever design, Toyota has said as it revealed first details of the car’s mechanicals. The gearbox differential, for example, was placed in front of the engine, not behind it – reducing the front overhang and the iQ’s length! Tags: fast cars, concept cars, Nissan, hot cars (Read the full post about ‘Toyota thinks big on baby iQ’…)

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MELBOURNE – October 28, 2008: One of the world’s most fuel-efficient cars, the smart fortwo mhd (micro hybrid drive), will be in Australia showrooms this December, just in time for Christmas.

This new and ultra-efficient version of the iconic two-seater city car brings with it the same levels of safety, engineering and driving fun as the current model except it will now be offered with further savings in fuel consumption, fewer carbon dioxide emissions as well as reduced levels of urban noise.

Studies have shown that, on average, vehicles come to a stop every 1.3 kilometres in everyday traffic.

(Read the full post about ‘Germany’s Most Cost-Effective Car Is Heading To Australian Showrooms: The smart fortwo mhd Is On Its Way’…)

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Washington DC October 28, 2008; The AIADA newsletter reported that with credit drying up and new-vehicle sales slumping to a 25-year low, car dealerships from New Jersey to California are going out of business at an accelerating pace, threatening greater economic pain for communities around the country.

The Wall Street Journal reports that 700 new-car dealerships will close this year, up from 430 last year, and taking with them an estimated 37,100 jobs. That is a heavy blow to a key piece of the U.S. economy.

The country’s 20,700 dealerships accounted for $693 billion in sales last year, or 18 percent of all retail sales. Dealership wages and salaries make up 13 percent of the nation’s retail payroll.

(Read the full post about ‘More New Car Dealers Shut Down’…)

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